Jacob Lessio

It was burned into his head. The name of a stranger. The name of a man Natsu had come to kill. He'd always had a terrible memory, especially when it came to names, but this one had been carved into his eyelids from the moment he opened that damned folder.

Jacob Lessio.

Natsu saw him every time he closed his eyes. He'd turned the name over many times in his head, pronouncing it every way he could think, as if it held the answer to his moral dilemma.

It didn't.

Still, he meditated on the name. They'd set off from Alvarez in the morning after he'd received the file. He and Zeref sat across from one another on a small charter boat heading for Caracole Island, a small land mass situated between Fiore and Alvarez. Natsu had read about the island (briefly) as well; it was apparently famous for its "star-mango Gelato", which was the only fact he'd managed to retain. It sounded delicious, though he wondered if it would be in poor-taste to go before or after he killed Jacob…

…Maybe Zeref knew.

His elder brother looked bored as their small boat rocketed towards the shore, absentmindedly humming as a small dot on the horizon grew. The vessel, which was completely powered and manned by Zeref's magic, rocked slightly against the choppy ocean waves. Despite what loomed ahead, Natsu found himself almost…enjoying the trip. Out of all the developments to come from his… awakening …the only positive was that his motion sickness had been fixed.

A strong wave crashed into their small boat, water creeping over the bow and spraying in Natsu's face. His stomach lurched uncomfortably.

Fixed…was a strong word.

He still felt queasy and nauseous, however Natsu was at least able to remain upright and conscious for the majority of the ride. When undergoing the transformation to learn dragon magic, his body's equilibrium had been shifted to support rapid flight, rather than land and sea traversal. His recent awakening had dampened some of these changes, and enhanced others, as both the dragon seed and demon seed within him wrestled for control. Or at least that was what Zeref said. Not wanting to immediately puke his guts up every time he stepped on a train was a marked improvement in his books, even if he wasn't entirely immune to it.

As the island grew closer, Natsu began to run out of distractions. He had traveled two thirds of the ocean that divided his old homeland from his new one, and he was no closer to making up his mind. Was there any world where Natsu could just beat the guy into submission? Most likely not, considering all he had read. He'd never been a huge reader, still wasn't, yet he'd poured over the contents of that folder at least twenty times. Natsu knew Jacobs age, magic and a small list of contract kills he'd completed over the last three months. No family, no friends, no team. Just him . It was odd, heading into battle knowing who he was going to face. It wasn't something he'd had the luxury of often, and even with all the extra time, Natsu had yet to think of a single strategy. His mind was frustratingly blank.

Natsu leaned back, his back resting against the small cabin on their boat.

I wonder what star-gelato tastes like…

They pulled into the port before the sun rose.

The island had yet to awaken, no tourists wandered the streets and the small kiosks lining the boardwalk were closed. The pair walked in silence, Zeref a half step ahead, towards their destination.

Zeref seemed calm, walking at an even pace, casually observing his surroundings with mild interest. Occasionally he'd stop to read a nearby menu of a closed cafe, or peer curiously into a dark shop front display. I wonder…Caracole Island is technically neutral territory but it could be beneficial for us to control the port…I'll discuss it with Invel when we return.

Natsu on the other hand kept his head down, eyes carefully studying the ground as he walked behind Zeref. His nostrils flared as he took in the scent of the town. … Ocean, coffee, fresh bread, Jacob Lessio, cut grass…

Jacob smelt strongly of blood, iron and a strong cologne that Natsu's unrefined senses struggled to discern if it was cheap or expensive. In the air, as he breathed in, he could taste the light flavour of his magic. It danced on his tongue, barely perceptible, but he could sense it enough to know that Jacob was here.

Every step he took only increased his anxiety. Natsu's palms began to sweat as the scent grew more intense. The taste on his tongue grew more bitter the closer they got. The air was thick with the offending smell, the humidity causing it to condense and form a wall. It was like Jacob was everywhere, waiting….watching….did he know Natsu was here to kill him? Zeref had walked them to a rainforest not too far from the port. The trees here were tall and lush, a rich carpet of green greeted him, broken up by dots of orange lilies. It was pleasant here, a place that Natsu wouldn't mind dying in. He hoped Jacob would mind it too.

Zeref looked back towards him, eyes serious as he took in Natsu's anxious form. "Are you ready?"

A solemn nod was the only answer he received.

Jacob had been on his way back to Alvarez when he received a letter. It was an official missive, sent directly to him from their emperor himself. It was odd, considering the Emperor had called all of them back to the palace in the first place, so what could the reason be for such a private meeting? Afterall Jacob and his Majesty would be both in Alvarez in less than a two weeks, what could be so important that he'd need to meet with him all the way on Caracole Island?

Despite his mild trepidation, Jacob had diverted his travel and arrived on the island a mere 15 hours before the official summons for the Spriggan 12 on Alvarez began. An unusual anxiety gnawed on his stomach, twisting it into knots as he approached the destination for their rendezvous.

Their meeting, the kind done in shadows, far from prying eyes, typically meant only one thing. Zeref wanted him to… dispose… of someone. Someone very close to the Empire. He'd done this sort of thing many times before. Corrupt heads of industry, rebellious factions, treasonous soldiers… inept mages …there was no shortage of targets Jacob had felled for his Majesty and beloved Empire. But there was something… off this time. Something had changed. The air around him twisted and wiggled with uncertainty. In the wind was the barest taste of something unexpected, something that threatened everything he'd worked so hard to build. It was like a constant presence, a shadow dogging his steps as walked the hallowed streets of this tropical paradise.

Jacob almost dreaded what awaited him at Caracole Island.

Despite his trepidation, he did not once tarry or stall. Even at the very end, Jacob was a punctual man.

The emperor stood in the clearing, his posture relaxed as Jacob emerged from the tree line. Another stood with him, a person that seemed familiar, but he was certain he had not had the displeasure of meeting. The unknown person was tense, hands balled into fists by his side as he eyed Jacob.

A bodyguard?

Though the emperor had never needed one before…Jacob flicked his gaze back to the emperor. Bowing stiffly, he waited patiently as Zeref drew a sealed envelope out of thin air. He passed the contents over to Jacob, his expression never changing as the item was exchanged. Indeed, Zeref looked almost bored, as if the folder was little more than a morning paper rather than a death warrant. The man next to Zeref averted his eyes as Jacob began to open the envelope.

He was familiar with this kind of paperwork, giving it a cursory glance, as his eyes scanned the page, looking for the name of his next target.

Jacob Lessio…charged with 4 counts of Treason and 3 counts of Conspiracy…by unanimous vote…Execution…

Jacob almost laughed. Had the idiots from the national office forgotten to fill the target's name? What an embarrassing blunder, to have filled the name of the executioner into the wrong line. He looked up briefly, his eyes light as he met the Emperor's cold ones. Zeref merely frowned and nodded his head towards the paper in Jacobs hand. Once more, Jacob looked up from the paper, staring into Zeref's eyes as his hands began to tremble.

Treason…Conspiracy…?

He'd been loyal from birth to his Nation. Jacob had dirtied his hands, done things unthinkable for his country, for his Emperor. This had to be a mistake. For a third time, Jacob looked at the emperor, his eyes beginning to hollow as his hands shook with the effort of holding the page.

Zeref's expression did not change. He did not laugh. He did not smile.

Jacob read the page again. He looked to Zeref for the final time, then to the nameless man who stood next to him. Zeref met his gaze with ease. The other did not.

"...Is this a joke…?" Jacob's voice was calm, barely concealing a slight waver in his usually even tone.

"No. As the Imperial Emperor of the Alvarez Empire, I thank you for your service. However in light of recent findings, our courts have found you guilty of treason and conspiracy to commit regicide, sedition and several other charges related to the above. You are free to review the document, however due to your failure to appear during court, and the elapsed time, the window for appeals has now closed. Natsu here,-" Zeref gestured to the pink haired man next to him, "-will serve as your executioner and successor." Natsu gave a slight wave at that, before shaking his head and putting his hand down. A small smile graced Zeref's face before he regarded the Spriggan 12 member for the last time.

"Goodbye Jacob, may you find peace in your next life."

In the next beat that followed, Jacob did what he did best. He vanished.

The trees flew past Natsu in a viridian blur. The moment Jacob had disappeared, so had his scent. The thick smell of petrichor and mulch covered his nose and Natsu ran in the direction of the lingering trail of magic. The lingering trace of ethernano tingled faintly on his tongue, the only sign he was heading in the right direction.

Natsu paused for a brief moment, the trail fading as he whipped his head around. A solid Thunk! erupted in his left ear. A throwing knife, nondescript and thin, lodged itself in the place his head was a moment ago. The knife glistened in the soft morning sunlight, real and solid as though it had appeared out of nowhere. Had he not read Jacob's file, perhaps Natsu would have stared in awe at the spectacle. Instead he simply closed his eyes, his ears perked as he listened closely for the next attack.

-There!

The air rippled as another knife appeared mere millimeters from his neck. Natsu could sense it, a thin line of magic leading back to Jacob. It was in the air, shimmering like dew, mimicking the perfect arc of Jacobs throw. Even while rattled, Natsu had to admire the skill.

Acting before the trail faded, Natsu lunged towards the end of the curve, quicker than either of them had expected. For a moment, Natsu felt something solid brush his fingers as he crashed into the ground. His instincts screamed at him to move, his body rolling from its landing place, not a moment too soon. Two bullets drove themselves into the empty dirt. Recovering quickly, he pushed himself off his back and onto his feet quickly. Tendrils of air shimmered towards him, reaching towards him. Natsu flipped backward, landing on his hands as a whip cracked in the air. It lashed towards him again, forcing him to continue handspring back. On his third revolution, once he landed back on his hands, Natsu swung his body off the ground, twisting upright. Extending one leg, he drove his heel down with crushing force, impacting something solid as he exerted more pressure. What felt like large hands wrapped around his ankle, twisting it and trying to drive Natsu back towards the ground.

He leaned back, leg still caught in a crushing grip, and filled his lungs with fire. Aiming for what he hoped was the center mass, he unleashed a wide beam of condensed fire. Instantly, the hands holding him disappeared.

Natsu continued the barrage of fire for a few more seconds before cutting the stream. Small flames licked up the sides of trees and a large section of the forest had been completely destroyed in almost a perfect circle of ash. Natsu panted, catching his breath as his eyes flicked from tree to tree, watching for any movement.

Jacob appeared before him, visible, suit jacket smoldering as he ripped the ragged article off. Natsu's eyes narrowed, a slight frown gracing his features as he took in Jacobs uninjured form.

"Very few people have been able to sense me. In fact, I can count the number of people who have been able to on one hand…" Jacob ran a hand over his shaven head, clearly unamused. "Of all the people they choose to kill me…how unfortunate."

The two looked at each other for a long time, neither moving from their stance. Jacob once more broke the silence. "You know those charges are made up, right?" His brow rose slightly at that, though he had no eyebrows to help accentuate the motion. "If you're going to take my place, you should at least be aware of that much."

"-And if I did know they were fake? What would you want me to do about it?" Natsu straightened himself, not fully relaxing. "You're not exactly an innocent bystander, I mean, you kill people for money."

"True. I just thought it poignant for you to know." Jacob dusted some imaginary dirt off the sleeve of his form fitting turtleneck, a mock frown sliding onto his face. "You know, one day Zeref will get bored of you as well. I wonder…when that day arrives…how do you think he'll get rid of you-"

"-Shut up." Fire curled around Natsu's fists, slowly rising up his arms as his gaze hardened.

"Ouch! Touched a nerve, I see." Jacob adopted his fighting stance once more. "You want to know my bet? Zeref has always been a fan of poetic irony." Jacob pointed at Natsu, a light smile gracing his thin lips. "I bet he'll burn you at the steak…if I don't kill you here first."

"I'd like to see you try."

Jacob vanishes in an instant, his horrid scent departing with him.

Embarrassingly enough, Natsu had died again.

It was a careless mistake, one which the (former) Spriggan 12 member capitalised on. Natsu had quickly lost sight of the small trails of etherion as their fight got more intense. Blow for blow they traded heated metal and magic as their battle continued. Jacob had feinted left, before entirely disappearing, crossing the trails of etherion for the barest of moments. Frantically, Natsu's eyes darted around the forest, looking for the barest shimmer of magic, the slightest taste of disturbed air before Jacob appeared crouched on his right, 50 feet away. Natsu had pulled himself back, trying to get out of his line of sight, but it was far too late. His momentum carried him, causing him to stumble just an inch forward and it had cost him.

A bullet lodged in his head before he had the chance to dodge. It passed cleanly through one temple and out the top of his head before lodging into the bark of a nearby tree. It was an unusual sensation, one that made his blood run cold. The bullet slid through him quickly, his skull cracking on entry and exit as it traveled through the soft matter of his brain. He could feel it as it passed, like someone was sliding their calloused finger over an open wound, the ragged skin catching on his flesh and pulling it like a barb.

In an instant, his flames died and he dropped to the ground. Dead.

Jacob loomed over him, though Natsu could only see a pair of muddy boots as his face was planted mostly in the dirt. Blood leaked slowly from the wound, only a small amount dribbling from the sides down his cheeks as his body grew cold. Natsu watched silently as Jacob turned away from him, satisfied with his work.

…No…if he leaves…there's no guarantee I will ever find him again…get up! Get up!

Though he willed it, his body did not respond. Jacob had left.

Is this what Zeref wanted me to learn? That I suck? I guess he was right, this was a pretty awful lesson…it's weird though…being shot in the head doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would…actually…it doesn't hurt at all..

A butterfly landed on his still hand. It flitted around for a few moments, crawling over his bruised knuckles before taking off and landing on his face. There was a gentle tickling sensation as it walked over his skin and began helping itself to the small stream of blood coming from the bullet hole.

Why am I doing this…to please Zeref? Sometimes I don't even recognise him. It's like overnight the person I knew, my elder brother, grew up…And now there's so much about him I no longer know.

…But he still knows me.

Is it because I haven't changed?

A gentle ocean breeze ruffled the grass near his face.

Have I always been this way? Have I always been loud, impulsive…

…weak…

Natsu's fingers began to twitch, though he remained on the ground.

I never wanted to change…Did Zeref make me this way on purpose? Am I just a crappy copy of the 'Natsu' from his memories? Everything he remembers me to be, but never anything more?

Was 'I' ever a real person?

….

It's nice here…quiet…my mind hasn't been this quiet for a while…

He would have laughed at that, but he was unable to. Unbeknownst to him, pitch black flames had begun to drip from his body. The air around him grew frantic. Wisps of black oozed off his arms, flickering lightly as the temperature increased around him. From his mouth, black fire poured. His eyes burnt, but he did not need them. Pitch black fire flowed from the hole in his head, eating away at the ragged edges.

Everything was black. For a frighteningly long moment, there was nothing. Natsu rose to his feet, hesitantly stepping forward, though he could not see the ground. He did not know how long he walked, his bare feet shuffling in a direction he couldn't hope to guess. In the distance was a light, soft and golden, beckoning him closer. The light burned with a fierce intensity, driving away the tendrils of darkness that threatened to envelop it.

As he grew closer, the light began to take on a shape.

The wrinkled face of Makarov sat before him. The figure gestured to a chair opposite it, inviting Natsu to sit.

He did.

For a long moment, Natsu sat in silence, slowly taking in the face of the third master. His eyes traced the familiar laugh lines, the echoes of joy that had been carved so deeply into the man's face. Natsu closed his eyes, committing the sight to memory before speaking.

"This isn't real."

Makarov smiled sadly. "Just because it's not real, doesn't mean that it's not important. Besides, there's things I wish to discuss."

Natsu folded his arms but made no motion to interrupt. Sighing, Makarov spoke once more. "As we speak your physical body is being consumed by your curse, which ordinarily would be an excruciatingly painful experience, as I'm sure you're aware. However, when you were shot, the bullet managed to hit several key areas responsible for processing pain." Makarov frowned before continuing. "Unless you can regain control, your body will continue to burn. With that…well you can feel it too, correct?"

"Yeah…the fire…it's trying to eat away at my soul…"

Makarov hung his head low, the light around him fading for a moment as his frown deepened. "Natsu…If you continue on this path…I…we…will not be able to accompany you. The power you wield…this fate you have decided to pursue…I fear there will be nothing left of you at the end. I fear that you will burn all the humanity you have left and in turn become a worse monster than Acnologia."

"...I know. In fact, I plan to."

"W-What?"

Natsu leaned forward, a small smile on his face. "I've had a lot of time to think recently, too much time really. I spent ages trying to control Karmic Debt. But no matter how hard I tried, I never got close. It was like…the more I wished to control it, the more it rebelled and…the more scared of it I became." Natsu sighed, quickly trying to hide a disappointed frown. "So I decided to give it one more shot. I decided that if Natsu of Fairy Tail couldn't beat Jacob, then I'd accept it. I would stop fighting and in turn I would burn away the piece of me that feared what I would become." Natsu extended a hand toward the glowing silhouette of Makarov. "Gramps…you taught me that fear isn't evil, that it's what makes us human…but if I want to kill Acnologia…I can't be human anymore. I've spent my whole life scared of what everyone would think of me if I went all out. I've held back for a long time because I was just happy to be by your sides. I never wanted power, or fame, or glory, or any of that crap. I was fine being weak if it meant that I got to share my life with everyone, " Natsu looked up, slowly meeting Makarov's gaze for the last time. "Gram-Master Makarov…I'm sorry my weakness got everyone killed…and I'm sorry for what I'm going to do."

"Natsu! Please- There's always another way!"

Black flames spilled from his outstretched hands as he reached for the golden silhouette of Makarov. Natsu enveloped the figure in a tight hug, tears cascading down his cheeks as the Master began to burn.

"In another life…I would have been happy just being one of your brats."

A fading hand gently returned the gesture, charred arm slowly circling Natsu's back before crumbling to ash.

"Natsu…You were always such a kind child…p-please…don't forget that when the moment comes…"

The light died as the fire consumed it, taking away the last piece of Natsu's humanity with it. As the darkness enveloped him, Natsu returned to his seat.

It's quiet again…

Blood clung to his hands, dripping slowly off tips of his talons in a rhythmic sequence. A fine mist coated the air, saturating his lungs with every laboured breath he pulled in. The sun had risen fully and a pleasant chirp from a nearby nest signaled the start of a new day.

Natsu removed his hand from Jacobs skull.

Grayish-pink lumps, not too dissimilar to scrambled eggs he noted with disgust, peeled off his hand, landing on the ground with a soft squelch. Natsu paid them no heed, continuing to stare into Jacobs the glassy eyes. There was an expression of terror carved deeply into his face. Jacobs arms lay limp at his side and his neck bent at an unnaturally sharp angle. Deep claw marks were carved into the top half of his face, revealing to Natsu the man's twisted mind. It was like his skull had exploded outward with the force of Natsu's upward swing, bits of him splattered on the neighboring trees in a perfect arc.

Natsu continued his staring contest with the corpse for another long minute before sighing. He had killed him…Natsu had killed Jacob…

Was it weird he didn't feel any different?

His palms began to itch the longer he stared. Natsu examined his new hands, turning them over silently as he took in their unusual form. His old hands, the ones formed of flesh and blood had been taken and in their place were a set that appeared to have been carved out of pure obsidian. From his elbow down his were pitch black with small seams and cracks that a luminescent substance ran under. To the untrained eye, one would think it to be magma that now flowed through his veins. But Natsu knew better. It was pure etherion. Under the thick covering of blood, wicked sharp talons erupted from his nail beds. The claws were slightly curved and glinted in the sunlight like a freshly cut gem. Curious, Natsu called on his curse, concentrating hard as he manifested the black flames from his fingertips. The fire slowly dripped from his nails and palms, but miraculously, it didn't burn him. Spreading it further, Natsu smelled the telltale scent of burnt flesh as tried to push the fire past his elbows.

Only through my hands for now huh…I can work with that…

His mind was also surprisingly quiet, even with Karmic Debt active. He could hear it, the rushing ocean of agony, the suffering and the wails of the damned, but it all seemed so…far away now. Natsu imagined their voices coming through a radio, slowly adjusting the volume until their screams were manageable.

I get it now. Getting upset, feeling scared…it just makes it stronger…I need to let it flow through me, kinda like breathing ...instead of pushing it out I need to tap into the energy and redirect it.

Natsu raised his hand, palm downturned and fingers outstretched towards the body on the ground. Jet black fire dripped off his hand to the corpse below, enveloping the body hungrily. No smoke rose as the fire continued to consume what remained of Jacob. The man's bones crackled and popped merrily as the flame continued to feast. The fire ate away at the body, leaving the forest floor below untouched. By the end, there was nothing.

No blood. No bones. No ash.

No trace of Jacob was left behind…as if he had never existed. Sensing their meal was finished, the fire whipped towards Natsu. For a moment the flames began to grow in size, growing hotter and feral under his grip. The volume in his head rose as the fire demanded more, hungrily turning on him as his concentration wavered. Sweat beaded on his brow as he wrapped his burning hands over his midsection, straining as he called back the fire.

I fed you a part of me…a very important part...so you will listen!

The flames gave a final shudder before dispersing. With it, Natsu's new hands also dispersed, peeling and flaking away from him like they were made of tissue paper, revealing slightly raw, pink skin beneath. A manic laugh bubbled in his throat.

"I did it!" Tears burned at the corners of his eyes as he laughed in pure relief. Running a freshly human hand through his hair, Natsu looked up at the sunrise.

I did it…

A hooded figure emerged from the dense foliage, their boots softly snapping the brittle branches that littered the forest floor. Their scent, though somewhat familiar, was partially concealed by the lingering smell of ash in his nose. Natsu whipped his head around, arms quickly snapping into an all too familiar fighting stance. The two of them stood still for a long moment, neither daring to move as they observed the other intently. The hooded figure made a deliberate and slow motion, using their left hand to pull back the hood of their navy coat.

"...Jellal?-"

"-Natsu…what have you done?"