Lyon was in a daze as the airship took off. None of this quite felt real - it was like drifting through a dream. He'd calmed down some after letting his tears fall, but it changed nothing. Time travel may sound like an answer, but what would they really gain? Lyon couldn't even fathom what would happen to himself as a result. Would he forget all of this? Would he just continue on as if nothing had changed? It wasn't a magic often attempted and even if it was, Lyon doubted it would change a thing about the hollowness he felt whenever he paused to think about how both Gray and Natsu were gone.

The heaviness hung in the air over the majority of their team. Erza and Lucy stayed close to each other, the last remaining members of the Fairy Tail guild on their team. Irene and Dimaria were off with Zeref in the control room, flying the airship. August and Invel were in the room with the rest of them, sticking together near Lyon. Juvia was by his side, leaning against his shoulder and rubbing his back gently as they sat on the ground. He hardly felt it, distractedly watching as Ur walked towards the control room in silence, leaving Meredy sitting by herself. The young guild master frowned and ultimately closed her eyes in an attempt to sleep.

"Is Lyon still upset?" Juvia spoke up quietly by his side.

He snorted. "Do you really have to ask? It has been mere minutes since we boarded the airship." Lyon glared at the far wall. "You saw me outside. Don't bother asking me pointless questions."

The water wizard flinched, pulling away for a moment. "Juvia simply wanted to help."

"Well, then be quiet and leave me alone." He turned towards her. "You cannot possibly imagine what it is like. Ur and Gray…they were everything. Pushing me forward to be stronger, teaching me how to behave, giving me an obstacle to overcome…I needed both of them out there somewhere and I never even realized it. This job was my chance to have that all back and I've gone and lost it again. I'm back to exactly where I was when I first met Zeref, alone and desperate for something to prove this failure wasn't because of some innate weakness I can never overcome."

"But Lyon still has Ur. She isn't gone."

"Really?" Lyon gestured towards the door she'd vanished behind. "Because as much as she pretends things are the same, they aren't. As soon as Gray was gone, I knew this would happen. It's just like with Ultear - she is going to chase after him and leave me behind."

"She would do the same for you."

"Perhaps." If she even cared. He knew very well that his respect and care for Ur was one-sided. Even if he relied on her like a mother, Ur would never see him as anything other than a student. "It still doesn't change a thing. Theoretical ideas on what she may or may not do offer no benefit when it does not match our reality." He narrowed his eyes at Juvia. "You're too idealistic to realize it. Too…optimistic for the future. Right now, I don't think I can tolerate that sort of mindset."

The water mage folded her hands into her lap, looking down at them. "Juvia knows she hasn't experienced the same things as Lyon. Juvia has her family that she can visit. She hasn't suffered through the pain of losing them, even if she has struggled with friendships in the past." Her eyes slowly turned towards him. "But she did know Gray and Natsu. They may have not understood Juvia, but Juvia was happy to be around them. She is saddened by their loss too."

"You hardly spoke with either of them. This entire time, you've been following me around and have hardly said a thing to the others."

"Because Juvia wanted to be with her beloved and keep making him smile!" Juvia rose to her feet, glaring at him. "If Lyon is upset, that is fine. But Juvia will not calmly rest while Lyon treats her this cruelly. He has taught her that she deserves better than that." Her hands closed into fists by her sides. "Juvia knows Lyon is only speaking out of pain. She knows he does not mean this. But that doesn't mean Lyon's words do not hurt."

Something cracked through the haze. Lyon swallowed, turning towards her and blinking. Her stern voice…he couldn't remember her ever using that tone with him. "Juvia, I didn't mean — this doesn't have anything to do with you."

"Juvia knows." The water mage's voice was slightly softer. "But Lyon seems to think it is appropriate to act as if Juvia is to blame. Please, explain what it is Juvia did to cause this. Juvia will apologize if she was insensitive. She can give Lyon space if he needs it. However, she will not stand back and accept Lyon's anger without a proper explanation for why it is directed towards Juvia."

Closing his eyes, Lyon slumped forward. "I—I'm sorry." He swallowed again, clasping his hands together and leaning his forehead against them. "You are right. I'm being unfair to you, but at the same time, I don't know what else to say. I just feel so…uncertain. Time travel isn't exactly a tested theory."

"His majesty has utilized similar magic in the past." Lyon blinked, surprised to hear a gravelly voice speaking from his side. August had turned towards them and gave him a nod. "There is much he can accomplish, especially when motivated to push the boundaries of magic."

"What do you mean by that?" Lyon frowned. "He's used this spell before?"

The elderly man nodded but it was Invel who cleared his throat. "It is not our place to speak on such matters." The ice mage narrowed his eyes. "We assist his majesty as is needed, but his secrets are not ours to share."

"He deserves some form of comfort," August argued. After a shared look with the other general, the older man let out a sigh. "Juvia, correct?" The woman nodded and he gave her a small smile. "Grief can trigger many reactions in others. I can imagine the turmoil he must feel, losing his family yet again. The bonds of family run deep for many and do not always end up defined by blood."

"Juvia is confused. Why would August concern himself with our personal matters?"

"Because I can relate." His eyes turned towards Lyon. "I grew up under unique circumstances. For all intents and purposes, you could say I chose my family and my home."

"That isn't even remotely similar." Lyon glared at him. "You weren't abandoned as a child, thrown off onto some stranger's doorstep with no warning."

"No." The elderly man tilted his head. "I was forcibly taken from my mother with the intention of grooming me to be a weapon against my father." Lyon stiffened at August's calm tone. "My magic granted me a certain level of awareness to these circumstances…as well as the hubris required to think I could survive on my own at a very young age. To spite the one who was manipulating me, I fled to seek out my father and stand by his side. It was in this search that I met his majesty and realized that…perhaps there are some things that warrant more research than others."

"Please tell me you've at least given his majesty a full explanation of this." Invel pinched the bridge of his nose. "Years of this and you haven't said a word about this potential threat that might be hunting you down."

"Brandish was the only one who ever thought to ask," August said. "And she knows of this tale as a result. I'm not hiding my past - I simply don't often have a reason to speak of my time before coming to Alvarez."

"And the threat?"

"There is none." August turned, focusing back on Lyon. "Are you starting to see my point?"

Rubbing his forehead, Lyon looked away. "Only that you find the weakest of possible connections to claim we are similar. Perhaps you aren't related to those that raised you. Perhaps you also had tragedy strike your childhood. That doesn't mean you've suffered through the same loss as I have. You don't have a brother to miss, a mother-figure who always favors everyone else over you."

"Is that what a mother's love truly looks like?" August's question held far more sincerity than Lyon expected. He felt a chill down his spine as he studied the older man, seeing no signs that the question was a joke. "I have not quite found an answer. Knowing what a parent's love is, knowing how it behaves…I suppose you are correct that I cannot relate to such an incident." He turned towards Lyon with a small smile. "However, for a brief moment in time, I did believe his majesty to be dead. It was he who raised me and took me in, and as odd as it may sound to you, it created a bond similar to the one you describe. A mentor-figure, unable to truly care for the one being raised…then lost due to factors beyond your control."

"Almost everyone has tragedy in their past," Invel folded his arms over his chest. "While most don't start randomly speaking of such things to strangers, that fact remains true." Invel narrowed his eyes at August with that comment. The elderly man only shrugged.

"Why are you even sharing? This has nothing to do with our current task, with Natsu and Gray being…gone." Lyon swallowed, closing his hand into a fist. "As you've so blatantly stated, we don't know each other. Beyond our alliance to stop Nirvana, we've never spoken and have no reason to know each other now."

"Because it seems…fitting." August looked over at the door, his eyes distant. "I have a feeling that I will be facing my past before the end of this trip. The outcome…will not be easy to predict."

"What, you think we're going to encounter the one who kidnapped you?"

August shook his head. "I was not kidnapped." Lyon's brow furrowed. "But I suppose I am getting distracted."

"Juvia would agree. She finds August has been rather unhelpful with his comments thus far."

Yet, oddly, Lyon felt calmer with something else to think about. The odd anger had faded now that he was focused on someone else's issues. As the older man leaned back and started to return to silence, Lyon caught his gaze. The man's green eyes studied him for a moment. Then, he gave Lyon a small nod and a smile.

"No…I actually think that may have helped, oddly enough." Lyon took a slow breath, looking at Invel and raising his eyebrows. "Do you have any idea what he meant regarding what we're about to face?"

The winter general shook his head with a frown. "He would be more concise with his words if it truly were a concern." The man met Lyon's eyes calmly. "Much like your situation, I have to assume this is a personal matter for August. Pushing for details will likely be of no benefit to either of us."

Lyon nodded, frowning as he leaned back against the wall. Turning towards Juvia, he met the water wizard's gaze. She still remained on her feet, hesitant to return to his side. "Juvia…I cannot say I won't grow irritated again." He was quiet. "This isn't something I'm used to dealing with. However, I do know it was unfair of me to be so upset. You only wanted to help but I'm afraid I don't know what anyone can do to make this any easier on me."

"Is Lyon done yelling at Juvia then?"

Swallowing, the ice-make wizard nodded. "I shouldn't have done so in the first place." He looked over at the Alvarez generals for a moment. "Right now, staying distracted may be for the best. We have a short-term goal to achieve. If Zeref truly does succeed…this will all go away on its own."

"Ur said Lyon shouldn't ignore his feelings."

Snorting, Lyon shook his head. "Since when have I ever bothered taking her advice? I do what is best for me because I know myself better than anyone else." Juvia frowned at him. Seeing her look, Lyon sighed. "But I will…consider it, if it worries you. Just let me try to deal with this my way first. I don't want to put you in this situation again, Juvia. Risking losing you isn't worth it to me."

"Juvia will let Lyon know if he is behaving unfairly towards others again." She knelt down in front of him, offering him a small smile. "She is willing to learn and understand how Lyon deals with his emotions when he is upset. She can be patient if Lyon is willing to also learn how to treat her respectfully even when he is not happy with the circumstances surrounding him."

Reaching out, Lyon gently brushed aside some of her hair. "I don't deserve your patience with me, Juvia. You are a better person than I ever deserved."

With a widening smile, Juvia slowly settled back onto the ground next to him. Lyon wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she leaned back into his side. "Juvia is happy by Lyon's side. She just hopes he starts smiling again soon, as he learns to accept what has happened and look towards the future."

Considering their future was attempting to flee into the past, Lyon didn't quite see how that would help. Still, he supposed it was a start. He rested with her by his side for the remainder of the trip. Occasionally, she'd start up small conversations. Oddly, August would join in and comment as he listened into them. Given what he'd said earlier, Lyon wondered if he was also seeking out some form of distraction from whatever he thought he was about to face.

The airship landed, bringing conversations to a halt as Zeref entered the main cabin with the rest of his generals and Ur. "We're here. First, a warning to all of you." His dark eyes scanned the room. "Act as if my curse is active at all times during this trip. Given the end-goal of this task, I cannot easily rationalize this goal as something that is not valuing someone's life."

"You've already told us to keep our distance," Lucy said. "What's the point of warning us again?"

"Because it is going to be far more frequent and unlike before, I have no intention of running away to protect any of you." His expression was dark. "Further deaths will be reversed by Neo Eclipse after all, so I will be valuing efficiency over all else."

"I see," Erza frowned. "That sounds like quite the reckless plan. Are we not intending to appeal to Fairy Tail for your spell? I imagine killing us would make it quite difficult."

"My generals are here to assist should force become necessary to obtain what we need." Zeref smiled at her. "I assure you, this plan will progress regardless of your survival."

The requip wizard stiffened but made no further objections. Lucy bit her lip but nodded at his words. Lyon felt Juvia's grip tighten around his arm for a moment but it relaxed soon enough. After a moment's pause, Meredy spoke up. "And what exactly are we doing from here? None of us have a means of tracking down where Fairy Tail's members are. Given the state of Fiore, they could be anywhere."

"August." Zeref turned towards the elderly man. Rising to his feet, the man met Zeref's gaze. "You've utilized tracking spells on me before. What prerequisites are required for the spells you know?"

"Am I to track down Mavis, your majesty?" Zeref nodded in response to the man's question. "Nothing further is needed. I have what I need to track her location."

Irene raised her eyebrows at him. "Since when did you intend on stalking Fairy Tail's founder? Seems like an odd spell to prepare for."

The elderly man met her gaze for a moment before turning towards Zeref. "I find such an answer holds little purpose to our goal. If it is acceptable to you, I would prefer to not answer."

"Efficiency is my primary focus." He nodded at August. "Questions can be asked later if they become necessary."

"Wait, that's it?" Dimaria frowned. "You're going to just ignore the fact that he planned to track down some stranger just like he did with you?"

"Yes." Zeref spun around, pausing when he faced Ur behind him. "Do you intend to object to this plan? We can continue our…discussion later."

"Not exactly." Ur frowned, folding her arms over her chest. "I'm just not certain why there's such a rush, all things considered. You really think I'm not going to need more time?"

"The rush is because we are not the only ones interested in this spell." Zeref looked over at Meredy. "Grimoire Heart's ultimate goal has been recreating it. While they may have been thwarted in their latest attempt to retrieve me for that goal, I cannot imagine Precht would give up so easily."

"Grimoire Heart wants to create the Ultimate Magic World. That has nothing to do with some spell Fairy Tail currently has," Meredy argued.

Zeref started walking towards the exit of the airship. "And you believe your master was fully honest about his intentions when speaking with the guild?" When Meredy didn't answer, Zeref turned towards August. "Activate the spell. I don't know when they'll act, if they do at all."

Taking the lead, the elderly general began guiding them in silence. Dimaria nudged him and seemed to try and get his attention with a question, but the man refused to respond. They found themselves walking through Magnolia in silence. People were rebuilding the town around them, recovering from the damage caused by the fight against Nirvana here. The destroyed spell itself remained in the distance, collapsed and likely far more effort to remove than it was worth. Lyon saw Meredy eyeing the spell as they passed it, frowning with her eyes growing distant.

"It is long gone. We have nothing to worry about from Nirvana at this point."

The young girl nodded. "Still, this was what triggered all of this. I can't help but feel that if I hadn't failed years ago, none of this would have happened." Her hands closed into fists. "All of the people dealing with their guilt over what they did under its control. The destruction of Fiore's government. The need for all of you to flee to Alvarez. Restraining Gray's magic and now…" Meredy trailed off, closing her mouth. "I know I was a dark wizard. I understand that I've killed others. It doesn't change the fact that I still feel responsible for the cascading effects of those actions and my failures. I chose to embrace that life and I failed to find the right way to leave it and protect others."

"It isn't your fault," Lyon said quietly. "How did you find your path now?" He frowned at her. "Walking away from such a life couldn't have been simple. Finding a new goal to embrace and the path to walk towards it…I will admit, it has been a question on my mind for some time now."

"A lot of stumbling along and following others, really." Meredy sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I made some friends, failed to defend them, and had no option but to make a deal with Lahar and the rune knights. I may have more freedom now, but that's because the entire organization of the rune knights is practically non-existent. Lahar will be tracking me down to join their ranks as soon as that's fixed I imagine."

"Crime Sorciére will be disbanding?"

"It was never meant to be a permanent answer, no matter how much I'd like to keep it running." Meredy shrugged. "Eve and Wendy already said they'd understand either way. I've saved my friends and accomplished what I needed to with it."

Yet, it had seemed like an answer that would compromise between his options. It was a guild, yet it wasn't a place like Fairy Tail where things seemed chaotic if Gray's team was any reference. He'd thought it would be a place he could work from to start building his reputation, growing his strength, and working towards becoming a wizard saint. Yet, if it wasn't an option, what did he have left? Should he join Fairy Tail even if Gray was gone? He recoiled from the idea with a scowl. There was no way he'd even pretend to be some replacement for Gray in their ranks.

"What sort of tasks do you expect they'll have you doing? I cannot imagine they have a great deal of trust for a former dark wizard, regardless of if you've changed or not."

"Likely research into dark magics and assistance with predicting the actions of dark guilds." Meredy shrugged. "I might not have my old connections, but I do know a lot about the other illegal guilds that are around. I'd be trading away intelligence, helping arrest criminals, investigating crimes…that sort of work. Doesn't seem all that bad, really."

Staring at the backs of the others, Lyon frowned. He might not've been in a dark guild, but he had certainly broken the law with his plans for Deliora. He'd gotten lucky in the end with it all. Perhaps Zeref had been cleverly finding ways to push them off their trail behind the scenes. His disappearing acts certainly supported the theory, even if Lyon had found them so annoying at the time.

"The rune knights constantly seek out powerful wizards for their ranks, correct?"

"It is helpful. There are plenty of criminals who resist arrest - magic certainly helps in subduing them."

"Perhaps I should keep them in mind as an option then." He nodded towards her. "You seem to be level-headed and reasonable, after all. I could see myself working far better with a co-worker like you than I can with a group like this team."

Meredy raised her eyebrows. "You know, you didn't have to stay with them."

"Perhaps not, but it isn't as if Gray—" He broke off, his eyes widening. Then, he looked away. "He…was hopeless without me," he ended quietly. His eyes burned again and he squeezed them closed as he resisted the sensation. Eventually, it faded but he needed something new to think about before he got angry and upset again. His eyes scanned the crowd, eventually settling on August at the lead. The man had plenty of mysteries about him, based on what he'd shared. For the time being, contemplating them would have to be enough to keep him focused on anything other than the friend he'd lost.

Their group spent weeks tracking Mavis, walking and camping out as needed along the way. When they finally found Mavis, she was sitting outside on the patio of some cafe in Crocus. Across from her was an old man with long white hair and an eyepatch. Meredy stiffened at the sight of them as August stopped near their table. Zeref's eyes narrowed as they halted, focusing on the pair before closing his eyes and nodding. Then, he began to approach.

"It has been quite some time, Mavis." Zeref turned towards the older man, giving him a nod. "And you as well, Precht."

"Zeref!" Mavis' smile was bright. "And others. I'm glad to see you've made some new friends after all these years." She bounced to her feet, gesturing towards her companion. "Can you believe Precht is still around after all this time? He ran into me today and invited me to catch up with him!"

"We've been looking for you, First Master, for an important mission of ours." Erza walked forward, nodding towards her. "While I do hate to interrupt a meeting with a friend of yours, I must insist on speaking with you about this matter urgently and in private."

"But…Precht is a good friend." Mavis turned towards him, nodding with a smile. "He was the guild master after me, you know. Even if he is retired, I see no reason to keep secrets from him."

"Especially considering he already knows about Fairy Heart," Zeref added. "Are you going to claim that is not your reason for inviting Mavis here today?"

"I am merely catching up with an old friend," Precht smiled. "More guests would certainly be welcome too, if you wish to join us."

Smiling darkly, Zeref pulled out a chair and sat unusually close to the man. Lyon was used to Zeref keeping his distance and hesitated. Eventually, he joined the others in pushing another table closer to where Mavis was sitting, finding spots further away from the cursed wizards.

"Then I suppose we will wait and enjoy our little 'reunion'." Zeref paused, tilting his head. "So, tell me, if you've lost your fascination with Fairy Heart, what have you been up to with Grimoire Heart? Because I'm failing to see much reason to continue pursuing a path to 'awaken' my magic if that is no longer your goal."

"Grimoire Heart?" Mavis frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"The guild…Precht is now leading." Meredy spoke with a frown. Her eyes never left Precht's face. "A dark guild. I'm a former member."

"Now, Meredy, that is putting things a bit harshly." The elderly man smiled, looking over at Mavis with a smile. "You know how people always assume the worst of me with this face." He gestured towards his expression with a sigh. "Still never learned how to give off the right impression. Eventually, I started gaining a poor reputation and had few options but to be a part of a dark guild. We don't do anything too harmful, I assure you. Mostly just research into obscure magics and gathering dark spells to ensure they don't fall into the wrong hands."

The blond frowned between them, studying Precht for a few moments. Then, she slowly lowered her gaze to focus on the cup in front of her on the table. "I see." A faint smile flickered on her face. "Zeref…is that truly accurate for what his guild is pursuing? I imagine you'd be the one to keep up to date with such activities when I wasn't able to do so."

The black wizard shrugged. "That is likely phrasing it far more gently than it actually is. However…the concept and the goals are still there." He leaned forward with a dark smile. "Were you freed before Fairy Sphere activated?"

"Just barely. I was…disoriented and didn't have enough time to understand what was happening."

He nodded. "The incident that led to its casting was triggered by his guild. Ultimately, he was seeking out me, but he cared little for the destruction left in his path."

"It was not my fault that Fairy Tail chose to resist. Why they'd defend a black wizard is a mystery to me," Precht argued.

"You might not understand it, but he's become an ally of ours." Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. "You make me sick, now that I know who you are. What made you think anything was worth targeting our guild? Some spell you wanted? Information from Zeref? No matter what it was, killing people…hurting my friends, it's unforgivable."

Erza placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping Lucy from rising to her feet. "As much as I'd like to agree with you, we are having a civil conversation right now."

Juvia nodded. "A fight is not our goal today. Juvia agrees with Erza that patience is needed."

"Well, as fun as that sounds, I'm not really in the mood for patience," Dimaria commented. "Mind if I speed things up a bit, Zeref?"

The man frowned, studying Precht for a moment. Then, he shook his head. "No, that is not necessary yet." His eyes flickered towards Mavis. "After all, I believe Mavis is starting to see the larger picture here already."

The first master of Fairy Tail met his gaze before turning towards Precht. "Yes, I am." She took a sip of her drink, before gently setting it back down. "And I will end this matter before it even begins. I…truly had hoped this would be nothing more than a reunion between old friends. Now, I'm ashamed to see both of you playing games like this, willing to fight over something that no one should have control over." Rising to her feet, Mavis stared down both Precht and Zeref. "Fairy Heart will belong to neither of you. If that's all you came for, I suggest you leave now."

"I'm not here to take it from you, Mavis." Precht met her gaze. "I just want to understand it! Think of the applications if we figure out how it works. With that kind of energy, the impossible becomes possible again! Healing magic, immortality, curing even your curse! We could do it all, if we could only replicate it through a spell of our own creation."

Zeref calmly looked over at her. "Please." His eyes locked on hers. "This isn't for…myself. I wouldn't ask you to trust me with that power." He nodded towards Ur. "She is the one I'd ask you to lend it to. For one spell, to undo a grave mistake I've made."

"Even if I wanted to help either of you, I couldn't." Mavis pressed a hand to her chest. "Fairy Heart is gone. It doesn't exist so any quest of yours to either research it or use it holds no purpose."

Zeref stilled his expression becoming blank. Immediately, his response was to sense outward towards Mavis' magic. Even when sealed, he'd always been able to detect the hint of Fairy Heart and the spell hiding it. However, there was nothing just as she'd said. There wasn't even a sign of some other illusion spell, hiding away what he was searching for.

Precht laughed, shaking his head. "Ah, amusing. A source of infinite energy does not simply disappear."

"I don't have an answer for you, Precht, but that is what happened."

Swallowing, Zeref stared at the table. This…couldn't be happening. Why was it gone? Everything hinged on Fairy Heart, all of their plans. Neo Eclipse wouldn't work without it. What else did they have? He supposed he could attempt the Eclipse Gate itself…Lucy had the majority of the zodiac keys as a starting point. Though, he didn't know where the gate ended up at after Layla opened it. He hadn't cared enough to keep track of its location once its purpose had been served.

"Is there anything even remotely similar?" Ur asked. "Please. As Zeref said, we all came because it concerns your own guild members."

Shaking her head, Mavis turned towards Ur. "I'm sorry. I wish I could help, but I have nothing more to offer." Her eyes focused on Zeref. "Are you okay? Zeref, this doesn't have anything to do with a lack of trust or—"

"No." He didn't let her finish as he inhaled slowly. His head throbbed and he rubbed it slowly. "How did it just vanish, Mavis? When did you notice it was gone?"

"I never even noticed it existed in the first place, Zeref." Mavis sat back down. "The only reason I even knew what you were talking about was because Makarov explained it to me. As far as I'm aware, such a spell was never even real."

It vanished the moment she was revived then. Zeref frowned, staring at the table. He could see black wisps of death magic gradually starting to grow around him. Precht started scooting his chair further away in response but Zeref didn't bother paying much attention to him. As he stared at it, he frowned. This magic had stayed with Mavis, active at all times. Had he ever truly paused to think about what kept it fueled?

Much like with his demons, the energy fueling any outstanding death magic had been cut off when Gray trapped him. That had freed Mavis and it had been easy to comprehend. With his frown deepening, he placed his hand on the table with his palm upward. For the first time in months, he intentionally drew upon the energy of the curse, forcing a small haze of darkness to hover above his palm. Zeref stared at it, trying to catch a glimpse of any magic circles or runes as it took form. Yet, just like always, such signs of structure were absent from this cursed power.

Letting it vanish, he instead scanned the cafe for any form of plants. Places like this often decorated with them. After a moment, he spotted a bed of flowers on the edge of the street. He got up, walking towards it without a word. All of his research on the curse had been so focused on either reversing it, understanding how it was placed, or how the immortality aspect of it functioned. Had he ever truly analyzed the death magic he emitted on a daily basis? As he placed his hand into the dirt of the flowerbed, he intentionally pushed the death magic outwards and kept his senses open. Yet, plants were not people - he supposed they wouldn't grant him the answer he was searching for even if he could watch them die.

"Zeref?" Lyon attempted to get his attention. "Is there a reason you thought the flowers needed to die?"

"I thought it would help me understand." He grimaced, taking a step back with a sigh. "But I suppose I'm going to be stuck with little more than pointless theories."

"Pointless?" Lyon frowned. "Are you saying you don't know of a workaround to this? You claimed to have back-up plans."

"Back-up plans for if Mavis refused to work with us on the plan, not for if Fairy Heart didn't even exist." Zeref ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. He turned around, seeing August sitting at the table. "August." He pulled his notes on Neo Eclipse from his requip space, handing them to the elderly wizard. "This isn't the typical means of activating your magic, but you do still have some expertise without it. Are you able to see any feasible means to work around the energy cost of this spell?"

"We're not giving up." Ur rose to her feet as August began to read. "It existed at one point in time. We just have to recreate it."

Zeref's eyes flashed towards her. "You don't have the faintest idea what that would entail." His eyes turned back towards the bed of flowers. "If…my latest theory is accurate, this curse kills wizards by means of a leeching spell. It drains away the ethernano in the body, pushing a wizard into a rapid onset of magic deficiency syndrome that becomes deadly as the spell continues draining them until nothing remains." He grimaced. "It explains nothing of how anything else dies. I don't understand why it wouldn't use a singular, consistent method for killing…but it is the only theory I have that explains the vanishing nature of Fairy Heart."

"But Ur's right!" Lucy stood up, leaning forward. "Natsu and Gray would never have given up just because something was difficult. So, this option isn't there, but that doesn't mean we have nothing." Her eyes turned towards August. "Right? You can see something else we can use."

The elderly man slowly shook his head. "This spell was clearly designed with Fairy Heart as its intended energy source." He looked over at the others. "I have not seen anything that compares to what is described in these notes."

"I wouldn't expect you to have," Irene shook her head. "That's not the sort of thing that comes into existence without people knowing about it."

"If an alternative energy source is not available, what is the main issue with recreating it?" Erza frowned. "I'm not seeing how the explanation of your death magic answers the issue."

Zeref looked over at Precht, hesitating. Then, he sighed and looked away. "It only exists…when the curse is forced to combat itself." He looked over at Erza's eyes. "Immortality fighting back against death magic…the only reason it would create a surplus of energy is if the death magic was functioning by means of draining it away. Once the draining force vanishes, the curse has no reason to maintain that level of magical energy and the body reverts to its normal state."

"In other words, one of us would have to be pushed to the brink of death to obtain the energy you're looking for," Mavis said.

"I'd volunteer, but Mavis would never agree to such a plan," Zeref said. Mavis didn't counter his statement either. With a dark smile, he shook his head. "And it isn't as if I can force the curse to activate unintentionally either."

August frowned, staring down at the notes on Neo Eclipse. "You…are willing to sacrifice yourself for this?"

"For Natsu and Gray." Zeref's magic expanded further, the dark haze hovering around his body almost constantly now. "If this won't work, I…will need to consider my options." After all, Eclipse had its own issues. Rather than replacing their past selves, they'd be duplicates of them. Plus, there was the limitation on when they'd arrive - they were looking to travel into the past which limited them to times when the gate had opened in the past. At this point, that would mean traveling to the point when the dragon slayers arrived.

"Dimaria, are you able to locate the time rift?" August turned towards the other woman, lifting his gaze. The time mage frowned and nodded. "Then I suggest we locate it. I will work on a plan on the way."

"You have a plan for this?" Lyon frowned. "What sort of magic do you have to replicate an infinite source of magic?"

"None." August rose to his feet. "But I will use my understanding and see what alterations I can make. If that is what his majesty wants, I will move forward with it."

"I could be of assistance! My research—" Precht began.

"No." August met the man's gaze coldly. "I was not anticipating meeting you here. However, if I am to work on this…I refuse to see you anywhere nearby."

"I don't even know you. Are you upset because of my plans to research this spell? I assure you, I had no plans to harm Zeref with it—"

August walked forward towards him, leaning close and whispering something towards the man. Precht stiffened and then stumbled a few steps back. "I will not work with you," August said. The elderly guild master only stared as August turned to leave. "Let's return to the airship." His eyes turned towards Mavis, holding out a hand towards her. "Would you be willing to accompany us? Our goal is to find a means to bring back wizards of your guild. Your knowledge of magic may be useful to assist in our research."

Blinking, Zeref stared between August and Mavis. He remembered Irene's question and now, Zeref wondered if perhaps he should have pursued it. Either way, the blond took his hand and slowly nodded. "I would be happy to help. It will be good to work with you again, August." August nodded at her with a smile that didn't quite reach is eyes. He teleported them back to the airship without a word, vanishing into a room with Mavis and leaving Zeref wondering what it was August had planned to make any of this possible.