(Edited 19/10/24)
I do not own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.
Prison Break
*POTD*
Team Natsu had decided to spend their time in a public library, researching about the culture and customs of Alvarez. They also looked into the geography of Alakitasia itself, curious as to its true size compared to Ishgar.
As the quartet sat around a table, they all suddenly snapped their attention to a colossal surge of power coming from the direction of Vistarion Minar.
"No way," Wendy murmured, slowly closing the book she'd been reading. "Is that-!?"
"W-What is this power," Jason asked fearfully, sweating profusely as he inched closer to the girls. "I haven't felt such powerful Magic since the Empire invaded my home!"
Elise activated her God's Aura, her Galaxy Blue eyes as wide as saucers, as they picked up on the specifics the ordinary Humans couldn't.
"Just how powerful have you become Natsu…?"
"That's the old guy," Jason spluttered, almost not believing her for a moment. "No way…"
Erza noticed though that Elise appeared to be trembling ever so slightly, an action that was very out of character for her. Placing her hand atop the God Slayer's own, she managed to snap her friend back to reality.
"Elise?"
"It's his Aura… I-I can't even…"
"What's wrong?"
"The size of it when I first saw him use it was already crazy enough," the God Slayer murmured quietly. "But this is just something wholly beyond the realm of normality!"
"He must be getting close to regaining his full strength?"
"If what I'm seeing is right, he's definitely close. Within the sea of Crimson Red, there are Galaxy Blue colored sparks escaping from the center of Natsu's position. Clearly, he can't access it yet, but it wants to break free and join with his Devil's Aura…"
We need to go and meet up with Natsu," Erza replied firmly, as the quartet rose from their seats, only for a violent tremor to rock the building. "Tch! Alright, before we head out, I need to know what you're doing Jason?"
"Me!?"
"If you come with us now, then you're with us for the long haul," Erza explained, as more tremors smashed Vistarion. "All of us are enemies of this country, but they haven't actually seen you yet. This means you can walk away now and avoid all of this?"
All eyes were on the young teen as the pressure from Natsu's power seemed to physically weigh down the team. Taking a deep breath, the teen slowly rose up to stand on his feet, a determined look on his face.
"I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to come with you guys," Jason replied slowly, as he pondered his next choice of words. "If you guys really are gonna fight Alvarez, then I want to help! I'm sure Natsu can help me grow stronger!?"
Erza smiled and ruffled the young teen's hair, much to his chagrin, before offering him her other hand.
"Welcome to the dysfunctional family kid."
"I keep telling you I'm not a kid!"
"You know, I used to be the kid," Wendy chimed in, grabbing his hand and placing it into Erza's own, as the Requip Mage forced the handshake. "You'll get used to it… kid."
"I'll show all of you," Jason huffed, pulling away from Erza and crossing his arms, a grumpy pout on his face. "I'll get Natsu to teach me a bunch of broken Fire Magic, then I'll kick all your asses!"
"I'm sure you will kid," Elise snickered, as the group quickly made their way out of the library. "Alright everyone, let's get to-!"
The trio skidded to an abrupt halt, with Jason slamming into the back of Elise, being bounced right off and onto the ground. Rubbing his nose, he was about to yell, only for his jaw to fully drop open, as a calm female voice seemed to speak all around them.
Citizens of Vistarion…
This is an automated message from the Vistarion Emergency Broadcast Network, all citizens please stand by…
Citizens located in the Stahlrim, Fleetmark, Mattermast, Quarterdeck, Mimshy, Caton, Florenza, Callista and Catalina Provinces are advised to evacuate immediately.
Repeat…
Citizens located in the Stahlrim, Fleetmark, Mattermast, Quarterdeck, Mimshy, Caton, Florenza, Callista and Catalina Provinces are advised to evacuate immediately.
The Great Prison Vistarion Minar is currently breached and the safety of citizens located in the surrounding provinces cannot be guaranteed. For your own safety, please vacate to neighboring Provinces and await further instruction.
The aforementioned Provinces of Vistarion are now under Code Red Threat Level.
All military personnel within the aforementioned provinces are to assist with evacuation procedures. All military personnel in Code Orange Provinces are to establish an immediate cordon around Code Red Provinces, as directed by your Base Commanders.
Be advised…
The Province of Minar is under Code Black Threat Level.
All military and civilian personnel are advised to flee Minar province immediately, as temperatures continue to soar above five thousand degrees Celsius.
Any attempting to enter Minar Province without authorization from the Spriggan or Leichart Twelve shall be shot on sight.
Further updates shall follow…
Ahead of the quartet was what little remained of the aforementioned Minar Province over the announcement. To say that the warning given to those caught trying to enter it was light would be an understatement.
Ahead of the group was the Great Prison, Vistarion Minar, completely surrounded by multiple massive pillars of raw crimson fire. The entire area immediately surrounding the prison was nothing short of horrifying.
The land was flat and dead between the Province the quartet were in, and the prison itself. Every single thing that had once been within Minar Province had been reduced to molten slag. Or worse, nothing at all.
A charred black surface was what made up the majority of the ground, as the earth cried out in pain, cracks opening up all over the place as lava spewed forth like a blood from a gaping wound.
There was no sign of anyone in the area, which meant that everyone in the Minar District was killed instantly, the second Natsu started powering up.
"Only a Fire Monarch could do something like that so casually," Jason muttered, clearly in awe.
"Fire has always been Natsu's greatest element," Erza nodded stiffly. "I'm not too surprised his Magical Pressure is this strong."
"We'd better get moving guys," Elise agreed, as she motioned for the group to follow them into the exclusion zone. "If this isn't a sign Natsu's ready, then I don't know what is?"
The rest of the team nodded silently as they made their way toward the prison, unaware that another party was watched the events unfold from relative comfort…
*POTD*
Meanwhile, as Vistarion's residents evacuated the area surrounding the prison, Zeref watched the impressive display from his throne. The Emperor smiled lightly, amused at the display his younger Brother was putting on.
"Such vicious flames little Brother… Perhaps not so little anymore though?"
"Lord Zeref!"
The Emperor didn't even deign to respond to the panicked voice, as Irene rushed into the throne room. He could already see the conflict in her eyes, though he held no doubts as to her loyalty.
"Irene?"
"As per your orders, the surrounding districts have been fully evacuated," the Dragon Sage Monarch replied quickly, slowly turning to face the inferno ahead of them. "I can't believe he's grown this powerful in such a short amount of time…"
"Would you say he ultimately has lived up to the hype? I did tell you he was to be the ultimate weapon, didn't I?"
"Y-You did, yes," the scarlet haired Mage replied slowly. "When you spoke of his ability to adapt and grow stronger, I didn't think it would be on this scale though…?"
"Natsu's growth is a combination of forces all twisting his mind, body and soul, reforging them into something greater. Just as I envisioned, his ability shall soon rise to those of my own. Only then can the real experiment truly take place."
"What do you wish for me to do, Lord Zeref," Irene asked slowly, as the light faded somewhat within Zeref's eyes.
"The time for games is drawing to a steady close. I want his current abilities tested so that I may begin projections for where he'll be post-ascension?"
"How far do you want me to go…?"
Leaning back on his throne, Zeref merely smiled in response, giving the Scarlet Despair all the answer she needed. Though it would be a difficult decision, her Dragon Blood was rather excited to fight him.
Unlike the time they spent together in Draconia, this version of Natsu possessed the power of a Dragon Monarch. That alone sent a primal tingle up her spine, her fingers unconsciously twitching in excitement and anticipation.
After all, it had been centuries since she'd had a good fight against another Dragon.
"Do not stress over the bond the two of you formed in Draconia," Zeref spoke up suddenly, slicing through her thoughts like a knife, as the Dragon Sage's eyes snapped toward her Emperor's own. "After all, its not like I'm asking you to kill him or anything?"
"…"
"I trust you won't disappoint me, Irene?"
"Of course not," Irene murmured, tapping her staff on the floor once and vanishing, leaving Zeref alone to his thoughts once more.
Slowly, the Emperor looked out the window once again, activating his Hybrid's Aura to fully take in the majesty of his younger Brother's newfound power.
"You draw ever closer Natsu… Soon, you and I shall be one and the same. Then, and only then, can we fix the mistake that was let into our world."
*POTD*
Meanwhile, at the epicenter of the inferno, very few survivors remained. Aside from Yuriel, his second in command Ryombe, as well as Kurtz and Makarov, everyone else had been reduced to less than dust.
Natsu stood confidently at the heart of the blast, a sadistic grin on his face as wave after wave of fiery doom seeped from the very pores of his skin, smashing against the protective chains surrounding Yuriel and Ryombe, the sound near deafening.
"Natsu," Makarov shouted, barely able to hear his voice over the cacophony that was Natsu powering up. "Natsu!? What the Hell are you doing!? And where did all this power come from!?"
"Hehehehahaha! HeheHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"I think its best we don't get in the way," Kurtz shouted in response, as Natsu slowly started advancing toward the far wall, the pair quickly following after him. "Let's just stick with him!"
The pair trailed behind as Natsu walked through the far wall, the concrete slab melting around him as they casually strolled to freedom. Outside, the trio could see the devastation Natsu's flames were generating, a cordon visible in the distance.
With a flick of his wrist, all the fire ceased, causing both Makarov and Kurtz to stagger, the sudden absence of both heat and sound sending a sudden jolt to their bodies. The pair quickly recovered, as Natsu seemed to return to a more reasonable state, sighing a cloud of steam from his open mouth.
"Phew… It's been way too long since I got to burn something…"
"Perhaps now you could tell us what's going on Natsu," Makarov asked slowly, as the old man hobbled to his side with the assistance of Kurtz. "What was that just now?"
"What was what specifically?"
"All of it? Those flames? The maniacal laughter as you melted everyone back there…?"
"Like I said earlier, there's lots to fill you in on," the Dragon Slayer sighed, as Kurtz suddenly moved Makarov out of the way, a massive chain erupting from the earth and moving to strike Natsu.
"You won't be leaving my prison without a fight," Yuriel roared, as a great iron chain quickly coiled around his body, binding him tightly. "I won't have you disgracing Vistarion Minar any further!"
"If that's really your desire… I'll warn you now, you'll need something sturdier than this," Natsu replied plainly, as steam erupted from his very skin. "I can't hold back too well with this power just yet…"
Yuriel watched as his iron chain melted around Natsu, the slag slipping off of him before hardening on the ground at his feet. The Dragon Slayer slowly looked over his shoulder, one Crimson Red eye pointed in his direction.
"I wonder… Will you be the first Alvarez Officer slain in this pointless war?"
In the blink of an eye, Natsu stood before Yuriel, who was still staring at his former position. The Dragon Slayer having moved many times the speed of light was now poised to end the Leichart member in a single blow, his fingers extended outward as they slowly melded together into a chitinous blade.
But fortune was on the Gortar's side today, as he was warped out of the way at the last moment, though not to the surprise of Natsu. The Dragon Slayer halted his attack, sighing as he slowly lowered his hand, looking down at his feet.
"Well, can't say I'm surprised," Natsu mumbled to himself as he slowly turned around. "Cutting it a bit close there, weren't you?"
Makarov and Kurtz froze, their eyes slowly shifting from Yuriel's new position, across to the new figure who stood atop some half-charred ruins.
Staff in hand, scarlet hair billowing freely in the wind, was Irene Belserion, dressed in full combat armor.
"L-Lady Irene," Yuriel stuttered, having realized he was mere moments from death. "Y-You saved my life…"
I'm assuming command of this battlefield Yuriel, Emperor's orders," Irene replied stoically, shocking the Gortar, and frightening both Makarov and Kurtz in the process, as both knew of the Emperor's true identity.
Natsu however barely raised a brow, clearly having expected such a response. Though, from his hardened gaze, he clearly wasn't all too pleased at who he had to deal with.
"Kurtz… Now's the time to help get Makarov out of here," Natsu spoke up gently, looking toward the Vampire and the old man at his side. "I'm putting him in your care, so get him safely to Elise, Erza and Wendy… Okay?"
"U-Understood," Kurtz nodded stiffly, as he picked up Makarov, who looked paler by the minute. "Good luck!"
Kurtz quickly retreated from the battlefield along with the stunned Makarov. Slowly, Natsu redirected his attention toward Irene, who hadn't so much as budged an inch since her arrival.
"You're looking well… It's been some time since we last spoke, hasn't it?"
"Seven years," Irene muttered in reply, her eyes narrowed as they studied his form. "I can already feel it, the power of a Dragon Monarch. To possess the power of what was once your peak with the Dragon Force in your base form… It's truly an indescribable feeling, isn't it?"
"Kind of explained why you were always so stupidly overpowered, didn't it?"
"It is a strength that one must earn, not inherit, steal or coerce. You likely already know exactly why that is the case…"
"Know? I can feel the reasons as to why," came the rather dry response. "The power of a Dragon at my fingertips… Yes, I understand it quite well, Irene."
"Do you now," Irene hummed in reply, tapping her staff once and reappearing twenty metres ahead of him. "Well, if that's the case… Then its time for you to put all that confidence to the test, isn't it?"
"It seems so," Natsu murmured, the tension in the air palpable, as Yuriel backed far away from Irene, a primal look of fear in his eyes as her eyes slowly began to slant, a vicious yet toothy grin worming its way onto her face.
"Truth be told, I'd hoped we could fight properly one day," the Dragon Sage continued, extending her arms outward as the entire supercity of Vistarion trembled under her power. "I've spent centuries having Zeref tout your potential, and now I shall finally experience it firsthand!"
Slightly adjusting his stance, Natsu fully opened up the reserves he had available, intensifying the calamity now facing the capital of Alvarez. All around them, what remained of the structures, as well as Yuriel, Makarov and Kurtz, all found themselves being physically pushed back just from the power of their Magical Aura alone, despite their now considerable distance from the pair.
"If we fight, it could create a catastrophe," Natsu grinned, an almost feral, manic look in his eyes as the Dragon within him demanded he rise to the challenge.
"In order to finally fight a real Dragon after six centuries I'll gladly cast the first spell," Irene laughed, twirling her staff so dexterously, it momentarily vanished, before reappearing with the blade at the bottom end now revealed. "If nothing else, consider this my test to see if you're worthy of Erza's hand?"
"Now you're making it super personal," came the slightly dry response, before Crimson Red Aura exploded outward, along with a searing heatwave that instantly glassed the sand all around the area. "Fortunately for you, I've been itching for a foe I can use these Dragon Monarch techniques on…"
"Then the time for talk has passed. Prepare yourself, Son of Igneel!"
The pair vanished almost immediately, the landscape behind them cracking from the sheer force of their movement, as the pair simultaneously made the opening move to the battle…
*POTD*
Several kilometers away, Team Natsu came to a sudden halt as they sensed the sudden and rapidly approaching Magical Signature of Makarov. They were shocked to see their former Guild Master much thinner and weaker than they'd ever seen him before, and being carried by a mysterious stranger.
"Master," Erza cried, as the man skidded to a stop at Makarov's urging.
"Master Makarov," Elise gasped, quickly checking him over with her God's Eyes. "Your Magic…"
"Now's not the time for that Elise," the aged man replied tiredly, waving them off. "Everyone, this is Kurtz… He's helping us."
"My apologies for the curt introduction, but we need to retreat as far from here as possible," Kurtz chimed in quickly, as all eyes looked back toward the prison, and the two rapidly surging Magical Signatures. "We have a minute at most before this place becomes volatile!"
"What do you mean," Erza asked, only to be silenced by a firm glare from Makarov. "Master-?"
"Listen to Kurtz! Natsu is about to face Irene Belserion in single combat! If we don't get the heck out of here right now, the rest of the Guild won't even be able to find scraps of skin to bury us with!"
"I suppose that's good enough a reason," Elise huffed, as she picked up Jason.
"Oi-!"
"Shut up brat! We need to triple time it now! You can tell us all how much of a man you are later, alright!?"
"Y-Yes ma'am…"
Kurtz picked up Makarov again as the group began to flee in the opposite direction to the rapidly rising Magical Signatures. They managed to make it half a kilometer before a resounding bang echoed across all of Vistarion, followed immediately by a sudden force that sent the entire group crashing to the ground.
"Ngh-! Looks like it's started," Wendy hissed, as they all hit the dirt. "At least Dad got a good chunk of his power back!?"
"We can discuss the merits of that later," Erza growled, as she helped Elise up. "Come on!"
The group continued on, sprinting through the sand, toward the next portion of the city, with Erza at the head of the group. Wendy, who was bringing up the rear, suddenly skidded to a stop, eyes narrowed into slits as she slowly dropped into a slight crouch, sniffing the air.
"Hmm…"
The others were several hundred meters ahead before any of them noticed Wendy had stopped. As a group, they turned around right on time to see a figure slowly emerge from the sands.
"Shit! Wendy," Erza called out, taking the beginning step to go and help the Dragon Slayer, only for the blue haired woman to raise her right hand and making a stop motion, not even looking back at the group.
"You all keep going… I've got this."
"B-But-!"
"Erza," Makarov muttered, his own eyes on Wendy's back as he analyzed the young woman carefully. "Let's go…"
"What!?"
Makarov ignored her protests, his eyes moving to the tanned, muscular man who had emerged from the sand, his long shaggy brown afro expelling sand as he shook his head, an amused smirk on his face.
"So, that's your Grandson Yajeel…"
"Well… I've gotta say guys, you're not half as weak as I'd suspected," the tanned man chuckled, cracking his neck to release some built up pressure. "It seems all the recon wasn't a waste, and Fiore actually has Mages worth a shit!"
One Of The Twenty-Four Arms Of Alvarez
Tenth Shield Of The Alvarez Empire
Current Overseer Of The Khaji Raml Desert
A Member Of The Royal Court
Leader Of Ajeel Squad
The Desert King
Ajeel Raml
"I had a feeling someone was following us," Wendy muttered, entering a slightly more relaxed stance as she put her hands in her pockets. "You Alvarez Commanders aren't really big on subtlety, are you?"
"Heh… Well, some take it more serious than others," Ajeel smirked in reply, his eyes briefly looking over to the rest of the group. "But me, I prefer to shift wherever the sands may take me."
"Does that line work on every girl you speak to," Wendy smirked, as Ajeel extended his right arm fully outward. "Or are you just trying harder for my sake?"
"How about a bit of both, eh?"
In an instant, the entire sandy region within Vistarion was engulfed in a vicious sandstorm, obscuring the rest of the group's view of Wendy and Ajeel. Before they could even comment on it however, a sudden blast of wind sliced cleanly through the sandstorm, briefly showing Wendy and Ajeel's position to the group.
"All of you, get going! Leave him to me!"
"You know what, let's trust her," Elise decided, noticing the ease at which Wendy had actually broken through Ajeel's sandstorm. "Master's right, let's leave it to Wendy!"
"Tch-! Fine," Erza growled, taking one last look at Wendy before retreating, the rest of the group falling in behind her as Ajeel's sandstorm closed in around them.
"That's cute, buying your friends a way out," Ajeel smirked, his feet melding with the sand beneath his current position. "You realize none of you guys are gonna actually get out of Alvarez alive, right?"
"Oh, we will," Wendy replied confidently, as the wind around her began to pick up. "We're done being kicked around by Alvarez… Now, its our turn to do the kicking!"
Ajeel grinned as Wendy unleashed her Magic Power, quickly following suit as both wind and sand flared up all around them in what could only be described as one of the most unnatural natural disasters ever seen.
"HeheheHAHAHAHAHA! Colour me impressed," Ajeel cackled with glee, a reddish hue surrounding his form to compliment the whitish cyan one around Wendy. "A Mage who can actually back their shit up!"
Wendy Marvell (PTS Sky Dragon Monarch Mastery Base Form Full Power) – 212.72 Billion MPI
Ajeel Raml (Terrain Advantage Base Form Heavily Suppressed) – 414 Billion MPI
Wendy had to admit, she was surprised at the level of power Ajeel possessed, though it was far from enough to shake her resolve.
"We're done running from you fucking scum," Wendy hissed, as Ajeel shot toward her, the lower half of his body merging with the sand as it formed a giant sand tsunami. "This time, it'll be you and yours walking away with all the scars!"
Wendy spun around on the spot, instantly forming a sizeable cyclone around herself, as she shot toward Ajeel, the man laughing almost maniacally at the formidable opponent he'd just found himself.
"Let's see what you've got, FAIRY!"
*POTD*
Meanwhile, at the site of the now completely obliterated Vistarion Minar, Natsu and Irene were completely absent from the eyes of even Yuriel, their speed simply far beyond his level of perception.
The pair appeared at the front entrance to the prison, as Irene spun her staff. Natsu dodged the blade expertly, drawing his own sword and managing to successfully initiate a clash, locking the pair in place.
"Heh… I forgot you actually were a highly skilled swordsman," Irene smirked, her right arm which held her staff fully flexed, showcasing her impressive musculature.
"I'm skilled, but it's a bit much to call me highly skilled," he shot back, as the pair pushed off from one another, dispelling their respective weapons and going to punch each other. "This is more my forte!"
The pair crossed fists several times, before locking in for a final, powerful clash.
The ground beneath them instantly cratered from the sheer force generated by the clash, the size doubling every second for the next ten seconds, until both sides ceased putting force behind the exchange.
"Not a bad warm up…"
"Yeah. I'm a bit rusty since I haven't been able to use this power in a bit, but it's coming back," Natsu replied, whilst also acknowledging Irene's impressive power even when warming up.
The pair momentarily pushed against one another, which in turn sent them skidding apart to stand at opposing ends of the giant crater. Both combatants knew the fight had yet to truly start, even though so much damage had been dealt to the surrounding area.
"Well then, time to get started," Irene spoke, as the pair simultaneously began powering up.
Natsu Dragneel (PTS Base Form Fire Dragon Monarch Mastery Magic Core Restriction Magic Core Balancing Out) – 2.12 Trillion MPI
Irene Belserion (PTS Base Form Sage Dragon Monarch Mastery Full Power) – 2.9 Trillion MPI
The pair vanished and appeared hundreds of feet in the air above the crater, trading hundreds of blows in a matter of seconds. Natsu's fists were coated in dark red flames, as Irene, rather fittingly, coated hers in deep blue colored water.
"You think…water will be enough," Natsu huffed, as he managed to knocked her right arm aside with a well-timed jab to the wrist. "Think again-!"
As he went to try and land the opening blow, Natsu found himself ducking, as Irene somehow almost struck him from behind, despite the fact that she was clearly still in front of him. Confused, he trusted his drastically enhanced senses, attempting to clear some distance as watery blows rained down upon him with every supposed meter gained.
"She's clearly throwing those blows from where she is… So how is she striking me from my peripheral at a consistent rate like this!?"
"You aren't using your Aura, but I can faintly sense a shift in the local space around your position," Igneel chimed in, as Natsu expertly bobbed and weaved through a barrage of punches and kicks, blocking the final strike with both forearms, as he was sent flying through a section of the half-melted ruins of Vistarion Minar.
After smashing through part of the unstable structure, he stabilized himself, landing on a nearby rocky hill, as Irene floated just above him, almost appearing out of thin air.
"That's some technique you've got there…"
"It's a prototype spell," Irene replied casually, instantly vanishing and reappearing several feet away, now on ground level with him. "I call it, Universe Zero. You might recall in the past I've utilized spells of a similar name, but this is to be the culmination of my work…"
"You invented new Magic," Natsu asked, both genuinely impressed, and shocked at the same time.
"It's a new form of Spatial Magic. I can compress space and move anything within the compressed area at my leisure," the scarlet haired Mage replied calmly. "All the forms before Universe Zero had some sort of flaw, an error so to speak, in the arithmetic required to cast it on larger areas effectively."
"But you've solved that equation, haven't you?"
"Indeed," Irene smirked, clearly proud of her achievement. "It was one of my successes these last seven years. Now, I can cast Universe Zero on almost any sized area I so choose…"
"That's…That's a rather dangerous ability," Natsu muttered, more to himself than in response to Irene.
"It's definitely useful when dealing with powerful and fast combatants such as yourself," Irene continued. "Once fights exceed the speed of light, it becomes much more difficult to effectively subdue your opponent. But with Universe Zero, speed no longer matters anywhere near as much!"
"That's only half true," Igneel pointed out within Natsu's mind. "Essentially, she's saying that being able to manipulate the space her opponent needs to move at faster than light speeds will give her full control of the flow of the battlefield. And she's partially correct…"
"But?"
"But she's not accounting for the cast time," Igneel pointed out, as Natsu fended off several more strikes from all around him. "Even if Irene herself can move at massively faster than light speeds like you can, she still falls victim to needing to actually cast Universe Zero."
"Well, she clearly isn't having any problems so far," Natsu huffed, blocking dozens of blows from all directions.
"That's because you're not focusing up, genius! Use your speed and begin probing for weak spots Natsu, then we can figure out the rest!"
"Right," Natsu huffed internally, as he pushed more power into his raw movement speed, something which initially puzzled the Scarlet Despair.
"You think you can out speed my use of Universe Zero? Well then, let's see if you're able to pull off a miracle then!?"
The pair flashed across Vistarion, ripping apart countless sections of the city as they traded a fierce flurry of punches and kicks. After separating, Natsu kicked off the air and smashed through the thirtieth floor of a skyscraper, spinning around as purple fire coated his right arm.
Irene darted around to the other side of the building, her leg coated in bubbling water, as she cocked back, ready to deliver a brutal fly-kick to his left side.
"Sage Dragon Monarch's Aquatic Talon!"
"Fire Dragon Monarch's Flame Flail!"
Blocking the attack, Irene hissed as steam exploded around the both of them. Attempting to pull back, the Spriggan quickly realized her leg was stuck, as she began jerking it violently, but to no avail.
"What have you-!?"
Irene gasped as she was suddenly flung high into the air, the same purple flames that had coated Natsu's arm were now wrapped around her leg, the two connected by a dark purple colored tether of flame.
"Shit-!"
Natsu swung downward, as Irene smashed through all fifty-two floors of the skyscraper, the building collapsing atop her, before yanking her back up again. He then swung out to the far left, smashing Irene through another skyscraper before the Spriggan managed to come up with an effective countermeasure.
As he continued to swing her around, Natsu suddenly found himself being struck in the back of the neck by her left heel, the pointed end piercing through the front of his throat as Irene manipulated the local space around them to alter her trajectory.
Without missing a beat, he grabbed her leg and threw her off of him, her heel being left embedded through his neck as she smashed into a nearby building.
"Tch-!"
Reaching around, Natsu pulled the heel out of him, his neck regenerating almost instantly, as he eyed the heeled boot curiously.
"Effective… But not against me," the Dragon Slayer muttered, tossing it aside as Irene emerged from the rubble, sporting no damage. "That Universe Zero ability of hers is going to be quite annoying to work around…"
*POTD*
Meanwhile, across the city, Wendy was currently gliding across a makeshift desert as Ajeel fired a series of sand attacks at her, each bearing fastened points and considerable mass.
Both combatants were bleeding lightly from wounds to the face and neck, yet the pair also seemed unbothered by said wounds. Ajeel grinned savagely as he rode a tidal wave of sand, directing his attacks like a maestro of the desert, whilst Wendy effortlessly swatted them aside, an amused smirk on her face as she skidded to a stop.
"That all you've got, Desert King!?"
"You're a fun one, I'll give that to you," Ajeel replied confidently, as the tsunami of sand slowed to a crawl. "But let's not assume this fights even gotten started yet! First blood doesn't mean shit if I wasn't the one to draw it!"
"Maybe don't be so cocky then," Wendy sniffed, her hands back in her pockets as two miniature tornadoes formed at her back. "At least you're living up to the hype though, I can't stand soft men who're nothing more than all bark and no bite!"
"You speaking from experience," Ajeel asked with a raised brow, eliciting a cheeky smirk from the Dragon Slayer in response. "Hoh? Now you're really fun…"
Ajeel merged with the giant wave of sand, as Wendy prepared herself for its arrival. Drawing her hands from her pockets, she reached behind her and inserted them into the two miniature tornadoes, pulling them forward.
"Let's see how you handle this one!? Sand Magic – Sands Of Death!"
"Sky Dragon Monarch's Torturous Twin Tornadoes!"
Charging right at Ajeel's attack, the two tornadoes dropped into a horizontal position, becoming extensions of her arms as she cocked back her right. Ajeel simply laughed as Wendy struck his attack, the catastrophic winds tearing a gaping hole through it to reveal his position at its heart.
"Well now, would you look at that…"
Cocking back her left, she went to strike at Ajeel directly, only for the Desert King to reach out behind him and create a sand replica of her own attack.
"Sand Magic – Nakhlat Alrimal!"
Wendy grit her teeth as the two attacks clashed, not having expected Ajeel to possess a sandstorm variant of her own attack. The pair pushed back and forth against one another for several moments, before their attacks cancelled each other out.
Wendy was forced to immediately duck however, as Ajeel shot past her position, narrowly missing her head with an axe made of pure sand.
"Sand Magic – Raml Fa'as!"
As Ajeel spun around and threw the axe back at Wendy, the Dragon Slayer's eyes hardened, sidestepping it with such precise movement it genuinely surprised the Desert King.
"Okay… That was pretty skilled. I threw that at light speed…"
Wendy didn't respond, merely looking over at Ajeel with a cold, menacing glare that had the Spriggan chuckling even more.
"Hn… You know, you'd look pretty good with a tan, and dressed in some of the finest my land has to offer? Spunk like yours doesn't come around often, and those eyes… Yeah, I like them."
"Are you seriously propositioning me in the middle of a battle?"
"Heh! Of course," Ajeel grinned, extending his arms out wide as the sand around them rose up to form a violent twister that obscured the rest of Vistarion from their view. "Wind and Sand go hand in hand, that's what my Grandfather always used to say when I was growing up! So, you wanna be the Wind to my Sand?"
Wendy stared at Ajeel for several long moments, before cracking an amused smile, shaking her head.
"That was an atrocious attempt at a proposal, but you get props for trying at least."
"I'm not hearing a no…?"
"Ah, my apologies," Wendy replied, as she started spinning around rapidly on the spot, once again forming a deadly cyclone in a matter of moments. "Let me shoot down those misguided advances of yours in the only way you probably would understand!"
"HAHAHAHA! I suppose you're not wrong," Ajeel admitted, as the giant sand twister closed in around them. "I'd prefer it this way anyway…"
The two devastating attacks smashed into one another, as the pair violently resumed their exchange at the heart of the super-storm, unaware of the damage they were dealing to the area immediately outside of their battle.
*POTD*
Natsu was moving so fast that the world was a complete blur, leaving a blazing trail in his wake that set entire hectares of Vistarion on fire with each step. As he moved, Natsu was rapidly fending off a vicious barrage of water-based attacks from Irene, each counter generating massive steam clouds that scalded any living thing that was fortunate enough to have initially survived their passing.
"This is getting ridiculous! Argh! If only I had access to my Crash Magic, then I could actually trip her up!"
"You may not have access to that, but its not like you're out of options," Igneel pointed out as Natsu blocked a dropkick from Irene, being sent flying hundreds of kilometers a second back the way he'd come. "It's time to switch from a single target mindset, to an area of effect one."
"I suppose you're not wrong…"
Digging his heels into the road beneath him, Natsu skidded along the ground as Irene appeared before him, fully sprinting as she conjured multiple Magic Circles of various elements.
"Let's see how you handle this, Natsu!"
"I'll be just fine Irene," Natsu huffed, dropping down to all fours right as Irene fired a bolt of lightning, a gust of wind, a stream of water and a jagged rock at him. "Now it's your turn to sweat!"
Charging forward on all fours, Irene was surprised as his body size rapidly increased to nearly twenty two feet tall, his muscles bulking up as he entered the Dragon Force. His speed also drastically increased, as she moved to activate Universe Zero, noticing he was charging right at her.
"Fire Dragon Monarch's Searing Spear!"
Irene barely had enough time to block as Natsu's fire cloaked form smashed into her faster than she could deploy Universe Zero, striking her right in the gut as blood gushed from her mouth.
The Spriggan lurched forward briefly before being blasted away, the road all around Natsu shattering, as the buildings were blasted away from the sheer force behind the impact.
Slowly rising back to his full height, five-meter-long wings sprouted from his back, a sizzling sound charring the red scales black as he flexed his half-talon, half-fingers experimentally.
"Feels different somehow…"
"Probably because you've become your own Dragon now in every sense," Igneel replied bluntly. "Each time you've accessed the power of a Dragon, you've either borrowed my form, or used your E.N.D abilities to force yourself into a full Dragon state. But now that you've fully become a Dragon Monarch, you're more akin to the likes of Irene or… Well, no offense, but Achnologia."
"None taken," Natsu sighed, as he felt his scales settle in across his body. "I assume that my scales are black because I'm a Demon?"
"That kind of thing is far beyond my expertise Natsu… Lord Xicor would be the one to ask," Igneel replied, as Natsu felt his power rapidly begin to skyrocket, along with his senses.
As he sensed Irene nearby, the Dragon Slayer slowly became distracted by two other massive Magical Signatures clashing nearby. One he didn't recognize at all, but the other…
"Is that…?"
Irene appeared several metres away, her eyes having become more Draconic in appearance, her height having sprouted to twenty-five metres tall. Just as her scales started to come in, she halted her transformation.
"What is that," the Scarlet Despair asked slowly, almost sounding angry at the distraction.
"Wendy's fighting someone," Natsu replied, glad Irene wasn't going to keep attacking him as she immediately shrunk back down to her regular height.
"You've got to be kidding me… THIS is what brings an end to our battle!?"
"What do you mean…?"
"I was meant to be the only one fighting," Irene huffed, as Natsu slowly returned to his base form. "Of course it would be HIM breaking the rules!"
"So…?"
"Our battle is over," the Spriggan growled, summoning her staff to her side rather grumpily. "He's going to pay dearly for ruining this…"
With a tap of her staff, both Irene and Natsu vanished, leaving behind a devastated portion of the city.
*POTD*
"You fight viciously," Ajeel laughed, bobbing and weaving around Wendy's straightened fingers, as she attempted to hack and slash away at the Desert King. "The fun never stops with you, does it!?"
Wendy was surprised when Ajeel suddenly grabbed both her wrists and delivered a brutal sand laced kick to her stomach, releasing her just in time to knock her across the city. The Desert King quickly merged with the sand and was in hot pursuit, burying entire districts in a matter of seconds.
Wendy flipped midair, dropping onto all fours as a trickle of blood escaped her mouth. Skidding along the ground, she snarled, the veins popping along her arms and legs as she halted herself.
"Wendy!?"
Looking over her shoulder, Wendy growled, startling Erza, Jason and Makarov, with Elise and Kurtz being more understanding of her feral behavior, sensing Ajeel's strength despite the distance.
"W-Wendy-!"
"That stupid sand prick," Wendy snarled, smashing her fist into the ground hard enough to shake the entire area. "That was a cheap shot!"
"No such thing as a cheap shot in war," Ajeel smirked, reaching their position as Wendy rose to her feet. "You took that like a pro-!"
"Fuck off with the innuendo! It was funny before, but now I just want to tear your throat out!"
"By all means, do try," Ajeel laughed, as the sand all around them rose up to form multiple sand constructs. "But you should know that you aren't the only one who's done playing around…"
Just as Wendy started opening up her surprisingly dense reserves, all the sand constructs vanished, and Ajeel was knocked off the top of the sand tsunami he'd been riding, now pinned to the ground.
"W-What the-!?"
Ajeel promptly shut his mouth, feeling the blade pressed to his neck, as Irene pinned him to the ground. No trace remained of the cool, calm and composed Irene everyone there knew. In her place was a furious woman with piercing orange eyes, her cheeks split all the way to her earlobes to reveal several rows of razor-sharp teeth.
"Ajeel…"
"Fuck…"
"Not only did you defy Emperor Spriggan's order to refrain from fighting Natsu or his friends… You've RUINED MY BATTLE IN DOING SO!"
"B-BUT-!?"
"I will let the Emperor handle your punishment. If I attempt to dole it myself, I'll kill you here and now!"
Ajeel wisely shut his mouth as Irene activated Universe Zero, whisking him off to the palace. Once he was gone, Irene took a moment to breathe deeply, her features returning to their usual state.
"Honestly…"
The group was further shocked by Natsu rather casually stepping out from behind her, as the pair shared a rather tense look for several moments.
"So, is that it? You want to end it there," Natsu asked slowly.
"I wanted a fair one on one with you, no holds barred. None of your friends were actually supposed to get dragged into it, even the Emperor agreed," Irene sighed, clearly still frustrated by the sudden turn of events. "We may technically be enemies, but Ajeel changed the rules of the game. Because of our…history, I can't in good conscience fight you now without losing face."
"Well, that's…honorable of you?"
"The next time we will likely meet shall be during the upcoming war," Irene continued, which sent a chilling sensation down the spines of everyone present. "I cannot betray the will of Lord Zeref and choose to fight you at any time before that. This was the last opportunity before…the end."
"I see… Well, it isn't exactly a battle, but you're more than welcome to attend mine and Erza's wedding," Natsu proposed," shocking everyone present with the offer. "We'll likely have to have it as soon as we get back, so…"
"Natsu, what the actual Hell," Erza hissed, slowly marching toward him. "You can't just invite Irene Belserion to our wedding!? Actually, why WOULD you even want to invite her to begin with!?"
"I can explain that," Irene sighed, realizing what Natsu had set up for her. "I hadn't exactly planned for this today, but I suppose with the war being right around the corner, I may not exactly get the chance to say this…"
"Say what," Erza asked, her arms crossed as Irene nervously met her steely gaze. "Well?"
"Natsu invited me because…because…because I'm the Mother of the bride."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"So that's why she looks so much like her," Jason whispered, both in awe and fear of Erza, as the rest of the group slowly processed the absolute bombshell Irene had just dropped upon them.
"Y-You're what?"
"…I'm the Mother of the bride," Irene repeated, her tone much shakier the second time around, as Erza's arms slowly began to shudder.
"You're my… Hold on, you're…"
Erza spent several moments repeating the same mix of words, before the pieces slowly began clawing themselves together in her mind, as her gaze fell onto her boyfriend.
"You knew…"
"…"
"You knew," Erza repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
"…"
"You fucking knew?"
"…I did," Natsu admitted quietly, leaving Makarov genuinely speechless as Elise found herself struggling to comprehend the magnitude of what Natsu had just revealed.
"How long…? How long did you know?"
"Truthfully, I've had my suspicions ever since I first laid eyes upon her all the way back when I was a kid," Natsu admitted, surprising even Irene with that one. "My suspicions weren't answered until after we'd dealt with the Vampire menace in Draconia, after we'd all split up. Shortly after that I basically died and all that, then its been nonstop ever since I got back…"
"You knew my own birth Mother was alive, yet you didn't tell me anything!?"
"Irene asked me not to tell-."
Natsu didn't get the chance to finish, as Erza slapped him across the left cheek, teary eyed and red faced as her anger erupted in full.
"Who the Hell do you think you are, Natsu Dragneel… Who do you think you are, withholding something like that from me?"
"Like I said Erza, I didn't actually know the truth until after the Vampire War! I disappeared shortly after that and we've been busy trying to fix everything from the moment I got back! Even if I wanted to tell you, there just wasn't enough time-!"
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE MADE THE FUCKING TIME," Erza roared, as Natsu took a step back. "YOU KNOW I'VE SPENT MY ENTIRE LIFE WONDERING WHY I WAS ABANDONED IN ROSEMARY VILLAGE! I'VE SPENT YEARS WONDERING WHY I WAS CONDEMNED TO A LIFE OF SLAVERY, INSTEAD OF BEING WITH MY PARENTS! YOU KNEW MY REAL MOTHER AND YOU SAID NOTHING!? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!?"
Erza was visibly shaking with rage, her Magic surging out almost violently, as Natsu took another hesitant step backward.
"And you," Erza snarled, looking toward Irene. "What possible excuse do you have to abandon me in a foreign country, leaving me to my Fate!? Did you truly despise my existence that you had to throw me half the world away!? WAS I REALLY THAT BIG OF A MISTAKE IN YOUR EYES-!?"
"N-NO," Irene cried in response, alarmed that Erza reached such a terrible conclusion so quickly. "You were never a mistake Erza… I loved you so much, more than my own life! I wanted to raise you; I did! But-!"
"Then why was I abandoned and condemned to a childhood of slavery," Erza spat back in response. "Was me getting tortured and having my right eye gouged out all part of your brilliant plan!?"
"N-No Erza, it wasn't like that at all! I don't know how you even ended up in that village-!"
Irene spoke, yet Erza couldn't hear a thing, as she slowly turned away, the dull ache in her head growing stronger by the second. She felt like she wanted to vomit, her palms and forehead were sweaty, as her breathing became laboured.
She wanted to cry, yet she couldn't even manage a whimper, such was her emotional distress.
The only man she'd ever loved had hidden something of such great magnitude from her. Her own Mother had admitted to sending her away, regardless of the reasoning. And now, both of them were trying to justify hiding it from her…
Not knowing what else to do in this moment, Erza's body acted on her behalf…and shut down.
Natsu immediately was at her side, catching Erza as she passed out before she hit the ground, gently laying her down.
"The stress got to her…"
"Once again, I've ruined my Daughter's life," Irene sniffed, a tear rolling down her cheek. "We shouldn't have ever mentioned who I was to her…"
"No. Erza had the right to know you were her Mother, Irene," Natsu sighed, running a hand through his hair tiredly. "She deserved to know back when you told me, not now."
"I-I should go-!"
"Irene," Natsu spoke firmly, freezing the Spriggan in place. "I will be bringing the both of you together again before the war kicks off. This shit needs to be resolved, for both your sakes."
"A-Are you sure," Irene whispered, not daring to look back. "Would she even want to see me?"
"She will. Erza's just emotionally distressed right now from so many different things hitting her at once," Natsu replied, inwardly cursing himself for his own part in it all. "If it weren't for my part in all this, she'd have likely handled it all quite well."
"I… Come find me when you believe its an appropriate time," Irene muttered, before vanishing on the spot, leaving Team Natsu, Makarov, Kurtz and Jason, alone.
"Were you lying Natsu," Elise asked quietly, as Natsu gently lifted Erza into his arms. "Did you really only learn the truth about Irene just before you vanished?"
"In Scarlione, I thought their scents were similar," Natsu admitted slowly. "But you can't rely on scent alone when trying to discern blood relationships, as you likely know… So, I was being truthful that I only learned the truth after the Vampire War."
"Well, even if that's the case, you seriously abused her trust Natsu," Elise replied coldly, surprising him at her level of hostility toward him. "You know full well that she's always wanted to know who her parents were, and you withheld that from her."
"I know…"
"I don't think Erza will leave you over this, but you'll have to do a Hell of a lot to earn back the level of trust you shattered."
"…We need to get moving," Natsu mumbled, changing the subject to the surprise of absolutely no one. "Irene might not be willing to fight us, but who knows if anyone else will?"
The group didn't respond, even as Natsu took point. No one even knew what to say in that moment, or where things would go once Erza inevitably woke.
As they slowly made their way toward a massive tree on the outskirts of Vistarion, Natsu pushed everything from his mind. He couldn't afford to let what happened affect him, not while there were people he had to protect with him.
Once he was on his own, then he could reflect…and prepare.
*POTD*
After spending the next half an hour walking in awkward silence, the group arrived at the giant tree. After laying Erza at the foot of it, Natsu sighed and turned to look back at the palace off in the distance.
"We won't have long to rest here," Elise chimed in quietly. "The Empire will start sending out patrols looking for us soon, given what Natsu did to their prison and the city…"
"Hopefully Erza wakes up soon," Wendy agreed, as all eyes turned toward the unconscious Mage. "It'll make our escape a lot easier."
"Are you alright," Makarov asked, slowly approaching Natsu who still had yet to speak since they'd started walking earlier. "For what its worth, I do understand your position, even if I don't entirely agree with it."
Looking down at Makarov for a moment, his gaze soon shifted back toward the palace once again, as he began walking forward. The rest of the group noticed his movement, as Natsu started walking back in the direction of the city.
"Natsu? Natsu, where are you going," Makarov asked, as Natsu responded without looking back.
"There's something I've got to do Makarov, so don't worry about me. I'll be back soon."
Before anyone had the chance to question him further, he vanished, leaving the others to stew upon the series of events that had led them all to this point.
"The story of Natsu and Erza, by the Gods is it a complicated one," Makarov sighed sadly, as he turned to face Erza's unconscious form. "What is it that keeps driving wedges between them? Fate, perhaps?"
"Master, I'm sure everything will work out," Elise replied, crouching down to check on Erza. "I know Erza's expressed how frustrated she is that they barely get to spend any time together. That, combined with what she learned today, I'm not surprised she's having trouble processing how to deal with all of this."
"It is pretty sad, isn't it," Wendy agreed. "They barely ever get to act like a normal couple, do they?"
"And hearing her Mother make the confession that she did in fact technically give her up during all that wouldn't have helped either. One of Erza's greatest traumas is abandonment, since its what led to her time in the Tower of Heaven…"
"Even so Elise, Natsu probably should have still told her the truth regarding Irene's relation to her," Makarov pointed out, sitting down on the soft grass. "I understand he's a man who keeps his word, but to hide something like that from Erza was…"
Makarov fell silent, knowing full well he wasn't really in any position to make that kind of statement. After all, he'd hidden many things from people in the past himself. Shaking his head, he looked toward Kurtz.
"Thank you for carrying me, Kurtz."
"Its quite alright. I do hope Natsu does decide to return soon though? I'd rather not end up being killed or imprisoned by the Empire again…"
"I still can't believe how powerful the old man is," Jason chimed in, looking down at his open hands. "His flames make mine look like embers…"
"His power has gone to levels I couldn't even begin to fathom," Makarov agreed, before realizing he didn't even know who the kid was. "Wait, who are you?"
"O-Oh… I'm Jason, and I'm from Ryordan Prime!"
"Natsu asked him to help us," Elise chimed in, eliciting an understanding nod from the old man.
"Ah… So, you're his best man, eh?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that old man?"
"Nothing," Makarov chuckled, as he fully moved to lay down on the ground. "Anyway, I suppose we'll all just have to wait until Natsu comes back. Better get comfortable everyone?"
The rest of the group silently agreed, taking up positions around the tree, all eyes directed on the castle in the distance…
*POTD*
Natsu was silent as he walked through the deserted streets of Vistarion. It appeared that the Empire hadn't yet allowed the citizens to return to their homes just yet, which made traversing the city much easier.
Walking through a marketplace, his eyes locked onto a Babanana Vendor, noticing that the stall was selling their seeds. Without a second thought, he stole all of them, tossing them into his Requip Space before moving on.
It didn't take him long from there to reach the palace itself, walking up the hundreds of steps required to even entire the place. Once at the top, he was surprised that the guards allowed him entry, not even giving him so much as a glare.
"The Emperor is expecting you, Lord E.N.D," the guard on the left spoke calmly, as Natsu silently strode past and into the palace proper.
The moment he entered the main entrance corridor, he paused.
Even with his Aura inactive, he could still sense the dense Aura Zeref produced, though it wasn't directed at any one thing. Instead, it seemed to just waft about the palace, washing over everything similar to the gentle breeze that seemed to flow down every corridor.
After walking up several flights of stairs and down a corridor, he stumbled upon what was clearly a War Room. Eyes narrowed, he decided to take a look inside.
Upon entering, he immediately noticed a pile of papers on the desk at the front of the room. Picking them up, he was surprised to see that Alvarez had files on almost every notable Mage in Fiore, even ones who he knew had taken steps to stay out of the public eye.
"Think I might take these," he muttered to himself, pocketing the files before walking out, not wanting to linger too long.
Continuing along down the long hallway, he eventually came across another staircase that seemed to lead up to the tallest tower of the palace. Sniffing lightly, he could smell Irene was up there, and decided to ignore ascending the spiral staircase.
Instead, Natsu continued on down the long corridor, eventually arriving at a set of massive doors that were already open. Peeping around the corner, his eyes widened upon having found the throne room of Emperor Spriggan, his older Brother.
After eyeing the open space, he realized no one was there, and walked inside. After standing before the throne and finding nothing of value, his eyes were soon drawn to a bookcase off to the right which hummed with a familiar energy.
Walking over, he stood before the bookcase, the strange feeling growing stronger and stronger, as his right hand slowly reached out to touch one of the books on the shelf…
"I must say, I hadn't expected you to visit me so soon?"
Freezing in place, Natsu slowly looked over his shoulder to see Zeref had popped into his throne at some point, sitting in a rather undignified manner with his legs over the left armrest, his chin in his palm and a gentle smile on his face.
"Yeah, well, life is full of unexpected things," Natsu countered, as he slowly turned to face his Brother. "So, deal with it."
"You did a lot of damage to my capital city Natsu. Not only that, but you've melted our super-max prison… Was that really necessary?"
"Is the guy who plans to conquer the entire world really trying to ask me about necessity?"
"Touche. Well then, lets just skip that and get to the heart of things then? Perhaps we should start with why you've come?"
"Why I've come… I-I just started walking and, well… I'm here," Natsu replied slowly, trying to understand his own thought process when coming here tonight.
"So, you just walked into the heart of the Alvarez Empire, walked right into the palace, and into the throne room of Emperor Spriggan himself…for no reason?"
"I…guess? Funny how life works, isn't it?"
Zeref chuckled softly as he slowly rose to his feet. Ordinarily, Natsu would be immediately on guard. However, something about Zeref now seemed to assure him that the man wasn't going to try anything, so he remained in a passive stance, even as his Brother approached.
"These books… Are these books what I think they are?"
"Each and every one of them is a Demon, yes," Zeref replied honestly, as the entire shelf moved to reveal an entire library full of them. "Some are failures. Others, successes along the path to perfection. And some, once loyal followers…"
"Like Dimaria?"
"Precisely. Here is her Volume, in case you're curious," Zeref smiled, holding his hand out as the book zoomed to his hand from one of the many shelves. "Your friend Elise really did a number on her in Scarlione you know? Even the cover was in tatters by the time I got around to fixing her again."
"And you made all of these, with me as the end goal?"
"That's correct," Zeref replied bluntly, as he led Natsu deeper into the library. "Centuries of experimentation, all culminating right here…"
Looking down, he could see his own Book, the cover sending shivers down his spine.
"The Tale of Natsu Dragneel…"
"Your entire life is written within these pages. What you were, what you are, and all that you will become shall too be written within. Such was my wish, Brother, to see you be given that opportunity."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Let me counter your question with another? You see this entire library full of Demons, as well as the might of the Spriggan and Leichart Twelve… You know my power, and you know how powerful the average Alvarez Soldier is compared to the average Rune Knight…"
Zeref fully turned to face him now, all traces of niceness gone, with only the stony Emperor Spriggan left behind.
"I want you to look me in the eyes, Brother, and tell me with a straight face that you can beat Alvarez with how Fiore is now!"
Zeref's words hit hard, since he wasn't exactly wrong in challenging such an assertion. As it was, Fiore was absolutely screwed, no matter how you looked at it.
"Corruption runs rampant, the people are divided, and bigotry, hatred and persecution run rampant-!"
"Enough."
"Hm?"
"I know Fiore isn't perfect, Zeref. I know there are a lot of problems that the country needs to sort out… But there's one thing that I can do that WILL give us a fighting chance!"
"And what's that?"
"I'll unify it," Natsu replied firmly. "I'll bring all the Guilds together; ignore the Magic Council and their stupidity, and unite them under the crown instead! In Fiore, it's the Mages that hold the real power!"
"Bold words, little Brother… But you seem to be forgetting that the people won't trust you," Zeref replied confidently. "You are, after all, their worst nightmare made manifest. The Demon King, Lord E.N.D…"
"And there's something you've forgotten too, big Brother," Natsu smirked, as he stepped up to the Black Wizard. "In ousting me, and those like me, from power… You've only made it easier to fix things."
"How so?"
"That's for me to know," Natsu smirked, amused that he knew something Zeref didn't. "But I assure you, that by the end of it all, I'll be doing all I can to stop your madness!"
My madness? How interesting it is to hear you speak of my madness, little Brother," Zeref chuckled softly. "You forget hat Achnologia is the mad one… The maddest one of them all, even?"
"I know Achnologia is insane," Natsu countered firmly. "But he's not the one trying to invade my home!"
"That's because he already did invade it long ago," Zeref replied smoothly, stumping Natsu with his words. "I know Irene told you her story, about when Achnologia arrived upon the Ishgar continent…"
"She told me Achnologia came for the Dragons hiding in Ishgar, not that he was committing a full-on invasion! If that were true, Fiore wouldn't even exist!"
"Have you forgotten about the Four Harbingers, Natsu? The four represent his Generals, his Harbingers of the Final Apocalypse. Achnologia stands as their King, don't you see," Zeref explained. "Though he holds no forces of his own, those five are powerful enough to conquer any nation within a week, barring my own."
"That's a rather bold statement Zeref. Alvarez is definitely powerful, but you don't expect me to believe you'd stand a better chance against him than anyone else?"
"I don't have to think I can, because I've already created the ultimate weapon to kill him… You."
Gritting his teeth, Natsu stormed out of the library, only to find Zeref already seated upon his throne once again, though now in a normal seated position.
"I understand that you don't want to see yourself as a weapon Natsu, but that really is what you are. You have feelings, yes, but they were granted to give you a place to draw further strength," Zeref explained, which only angered Natsu further. "You are my greatest success, Brother… But you are also my greatest failure. Unlike all the others, you couldn't be bound like I've bound the other Etherious Demons. Thus, you are a loose cannon, with no one guiding you down the correct path to destroy Achnologia once and for all."
"Not being guided by you is for the best I'd argue," Natsu growled, which elicited an amused chuckle from his Brother.
"Perhaps you're right, Brother? After all, it was through your own journey that you have gained the power to match Gods, Devils, Titans and Dragons, something no other mortal can lay claim to in our world. Perhaps you are as you are, purely because you are…"
"What?"
"Because you are Natsu Dragneel, of the Fairy Tail Guild," Zeref replied in a much gentler tone. "You are the man who fights for his friends and family. Vicious to all who would dare threaten that, yet tender to those within the family unit you've forged… Family is precious, as you never got to remember them."
"Y-You're talking about-!"
"Our real parents, yes," Zeref replied, a warmth entering his usually blank gaze. "I remember them fondly… Tell me, Brother… Would you like to see them?"
Natsu froze, feeling everything within him still, as the thought of being able to see his parents filled him with an emotion he'd rarely ever felt. However, upon dissecting Zeref's words, he slowly realized that Zeref was offering to let him see them…
"You better not have turned them into Demons or anything-!?"
"No, nothing like that," Zeref replied firmly, as he leaned back into his throne. "Rather, I'm going to show you the life that was before…"
Natsu suddenly found himself staring into Zeref's eyes. One eye glowing Crimson Red, and the other, a bright Galaxy Blue.
"Is that-!?"
"Our tale goes back seven hundred and ninety-two years from now, back to a time where the world seemed truly innocent," Zeref replied, as the entire throne room seemed to almost peel away, being replaced by a valley full of lush green fields, bright blue water and a field of flowers that stretched high over the mountain in the far distance.
"Where are we," Natsu asked slowly, as Zeref stepped past him.
"Welcome Natsu, to Panacea Village… Our childhood home."