(Edited 06/01/25)

I do not own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.

The Ancient Hybrid

*POTD*

As Natsu slowly opened his eyes, he couldn't help but lament that he wasn't exactly the greatest at making calculated decisions.

On the surface, he figured taking the more primal half of Ahnkseram into himself wouldn't be an issue, seeing as he too was a wielder of Hybrid's Aura. However, it appeared that even with only half his being, the First True Hybrid wasn't going to make it easy for him.

Looking around his mindscape, the first thing he noticed was how dark it was. Despite the magma flowing around him, light refused to generate beyond a four-meter radius around him. A strange phenomenon, but not entirely unexpected.

Igneel was also nowhere to be seen. Again, not unexpected, given who he was soon to be dealing with.

Looking around across the darkness, he noticed a faint light emanating from the tower E.N.D had once been sealed in. The Hybrid couldn't help but chuckle at that. It was rather fitting for the being who made him into E.N.D to wind up in the sealing chamber where his powers had been bound.

"Well, guess I know where I need to go," he muttered lightly to himself, walking over toward the tower, the light following him as he went.

Arriving at the front doors, he was surprised to find them wide open, an entirely separate light filtering down from the center of the tower and onto the chair where E.N.D had once been bound.

Despite the Demon's long absence since their merging, the chair currently held an occupant…

The figure held a gaunt appearance, with long shaggy grey hair, tattered grey pants and an exposed upper body. His torso alone bore numerous battle scars, and held some muscle, despite the contradictory emaciated appearance the elderly looking man held.

It was a strange clash of appearances, though Natsu had little time to dwell on it as the elderly man slowly raised his head, eyes of Crimson Red and Galaxy Blue meeting his own.

The two Hybrids had finally met, at long last…

"Well well," the elderly man rasped, though his voice sounded strangely young, if a bit strained. "Of all the possibilities…?"

"…"

"Caution? Well, I can't say I'm surprised, given what Vermillion likely told you," the elderly figure chuckled, before breaking down into a nasty hacking cough. "Hah… I need my other half already…"

"It wasn't just Mavis' opinion. What Zeref has become as a result of your other half is also to blame for my cautiousness."

"Zeref… Yes, my Logical half would have been most displeased with this sad state of affairs," the elderly man laughed. "Still, if nothing else, this has granted me a unique encounter I've not been afforded, despite all my travels…"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You are like me," the old man grinned, his body visibly shaking. "Pure… The Second True Hybrid…"

A Being Of Myth

They Who Wield The Balance

One Borne From An Unholy Union

A Former Multiversal Traveler

Enemy Of God And Devil Alike

The First True Hybrid

Lord Ahnkseram (Primal Half)

"Yes, I am a natural Hybrid. Though I suppose you could debate what defines natural, as-."

"The method doesn't matter," Ahnkseram hissed, eyes flashing dangerously. "What matters is that you simply ARE a Hybrid. If you do not understand this fundamental truth, then I doubt you truly know what a Hybrid actually IS, do you?"

"Then enlighten me," Natsu replied, eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "Tell me what a Hybrid really is, then!?"

"A Hybrid, to be more precise, a PURE or TRUE Hybrid, can only be born under a set of unique conditions," Ahnkseram began slowly. "One can only become a True Hybrid if they did not steal the Aura of a God and Devil, nor is it merely borrowed power. A True Hybrid must unlock both God and Devil Auras for themselves, and only then shall the two mix…"

"But then you die," Natsu replied, suspicious, but also somewhat intrigued. "I was told that the process would kill anyone else?"

"Indeed it would, and does. Two diametrically opposing forces being mashed together can only result in one outcome… Total existence erasure. Kind of like being Hakai'd out of existence."

"Being what?"

"Ah, never mind," the aged Hybrid smirked, tapping his bony fingers along the edge of his seat. "The main point is, Death is meant to prevent our very existence. A final hurdle one must surpass for this power meant to surpass God and Devil alike…"

"I know that. Lord Life and Lady Death told me as much when I first met them."

"Exactly. Your very existence right now defies everything I know," Ahnkseram continued, as his entire attitude abruptly shifted from amicable, to downright hostile. "The Gods and Devils would NEVER stand idly by and allow a Hybrid to walk openly among their rank! I should know, for I am their greatest sin!"

"Their greatest…sin?"

"YES! I was the abomination, the being that dirtied the blood of both sides! For the crime of my existence, I spent my entire lifetime being hunted by the Gods and Devils across countless Realities, fighting them tooth and nail! It is because of THEM that I now reside as little more than a spirit!"

"So I've heard-."

"So you've heard? YOU KNOW NOTHING," Ahnkseram roared, the entire tower shaking violently under his power. "My story has been usurped, warped and twisted beyond all recognition! All just to suit the purposes of those foul deities, vile trash that don't deserve their station! You claim you know MY story, yet all you know is THEM!"

"Then what IS your story," Natsu snapped back in response. "Do you believe yourself superior to them!? Is that it!? Do you believe that you should rightfully sit at the top of the Parliament of Sin and the Terminus Tribunal-!?"

"NONE SHOULD SIT AT THE TOP, FOOLISH BOY," Ahnkseram screeched, his voice momentarily twisted and distorted in such a way that it made his skin crawl. "I fought against them, to end their reign over the worlds of mortals! Why you might ask? I fought because I KNEW. THE. TRUTH! A truth you would not know, never know, never find out…They would hide, yes hide, hide it all away foreverandeverandever! Hide in the dark sin, the dark sin of their own creation-!"

"If its so well hidden, then how do you even know about it," Natsu cut in, pulling the clearly mentally unwell Hybrid out of his maniacal musings. "What is it that you know?"

"Was told of course! Informed! Even experienced the creation firsthand once! Pluck the Reality, deem it deficient, prune the timeline, pop it in the void and watch it drift down the drain, gurgling a rattle of fearful screeches as it circles its way into Anti…"

"Anti," Natsu murmured, eyes narrowed deep in thought. "I've heard that word before…?"

"Heard the word, maybe… Foolish child could never comprehend the concept though! Exceeds Proper Existence it does indeed," Ahnkseram cackled, a maddening gleam in his eyes. "What is Proper Reality except the Reverse of Antireality!? From that great Antireality comes Anticreation, and from Anticreation comes Antinothing! And then Antisomething is borne, which births Antilife and Antideath-!"

"So, this…Anti, or whatever you call it? You're saying it's the reverse of our current Reality-?"

"NO NO NO NO NO! FOOLISH CHILD COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND! NEVER KNOW NO NEVER UNDERSTAND NOR FEEL FEAR! EVER FEAR-!"

The aged Hybrid immediately ceased his insane ramblings, a crooked grin worming its way onto his face. That should have been Natsu's first warning, but he was still naïve to the ways of Old Deities.

Thus, he was not prepared for Ahnkseram to launch an overwhelmingly powerful mental attack upon him, projecting something deep into his mind as everything distorted around them rather violently.

Dropping to the floor and skidding away from the old man, Natsu clutched his head, an almost frightened look on his face.

"H-How is that possible," he whispered, with the old man cackling with glee at his frightened expression.

"Possible is confined to Reality, child," Ahnkseram replied in a sagely tone, as if what he were saying was common knowledge. "Anti has no confines such as Possible, or it wouldn't be there to begin with!"

"Those memories you showed me… Are they real!? Is that really where that THING came from!?"

"Oh, I have no doubt that's exactly where he came from," Ahnkseram laughed cruelly, taking pleasure from the terrified look on Natsu's face. "The Apocalypse is the one defining thing both Proper Existence and the Antiverse can claim to possess in equal measure. Apocalypse is how these discarded worlds were born to begin with, tossed away like refuse…"

Natsu didn't respond, simply processing Ahnkseram's words, finding no fault in them at all. After all he'd just witnessed in a matter of moments, it made perfect sense.

"Now you are beginning to see, beginning to understand," the First Hybrid purred, leaning forward in his seat. "I could tell you the full story, on one condition…"

"And what would that condition be?"

"Unite my so-?"

"Absolutely not."

"WHY!?"

"Because I don't trust you," Natsu replied instantly, shutting the First Hybrid down. "I've spoken to you for less than ten minutes and you've dropped all this onto me with almost no evidence aside from your own word. That's simply not something I can work with."

"Foolish boy! Even now, the Anti prepares to claim this world like it has so many others! The beast has had eight hundred years since it was last properly challenged-!"

"Then tell me how to stop it!?"

"Through combat! That's the only way to stop it!"

"And how did it even manage to get into our world anyway!?"

"Through the sliver of a gap that was open for a microsecond at most. The Anti took root in the body of a broken young man, a short while before I merged myself with Zeref."

"Is it actually beatable?"

"Of course! That's why I designed you," Ahnkseram scoffed, almost offended at the jab. "Anti must obey most of the laws of Proper Reality until such a time that there is no Proper Reality left to obey…"

"And how exactly do you know all of this?"

"How else do you think," Ahnkseram smirked darkly, leaning forward in his seat. "I have gazed beyond the sliver and conversed with one from within the dark depths. Only a Hybrid has the power to withstand the Anti, and only a Hybrid can truly slay a being of Anti within our Existence for good!"

"And why exactly are you just freely telling me all this? I thought you were meant to be the evil half of yourself, full of hatred, anger and other bad stuff?"

"Who said I wasn't," the First Hybrid replied bluntly. "I'm full of all sorts of negativity I'll have you know! But why bother getting mad when I'm stuck here in a place that could doom my very existence?"

"I suppose that's fair enough," Natsu conceded, surprised at the constant flip-flopping of Ahnkseram's personality. "I've been led to believe that you're this super evil, malevolent being and all, yet here you are, openly sharing information?"

"Being stuck inside that Mavis girl for such a long time," the First Hybrid sighed sadly. "I saw things through her, glimpses of Humanity and what it was capable of. Her memories, and the emotion of love managed to slice my soul in half using the instability of my spirit and Aura at the time."

"How'd that come about?"

"My spirit and Aura were weakened following the ritual that infused you with the potential to become the Second True Hybrid, forging you into a Demon King. Had I been truly alive and in my own form, such a process would be child's play. Yet, in the form of a spirit, it was rather vexing, to say the least."

"I see…"

"I am no less Ahnkseram than the other half of me that resides within your Brother, Natsu," Ahnkseram continued, the room shaking ever so slightly. "My power not included."

"What are you getting at here?"

"Please, reunite the two halves of my soul," Ahnkseram pleaded desperately. "You always do the right thing, don't you? I was forcibly separated and made this way against my will! I'm an old man, one who has no desire to harm anyone…"

In an instant, Natsu had dodged a punch from Ahnkseram that had been directed around chest level. The shock wave accompanying the punch embedded itself in the wall behind him, leaving a fist shaped indent behind.

"Hehe… You weren't even remotely convinced, were you," Ahnkseram chuckled, his more maniac and evil tone returning once again. "Not bad kid…"

"How much of what you told me just now was actually true?"

"I don't think I'm gonna spoil that," the First Hybrid smirked cruelly. "Not that it'll matter, since you'll be far too busy doing what I require of you… As my new vessel-!"

Before Ahnkseram could finish his declaration, golden chains erupted from the throne, swiftly binding Ahnkseram's body down onto it. The First Hybrid, startled, immediately began thrashing about angrily.

"Did you really think I wasn't prepared for you to try and take me over?"

"You dare assume you can bind me," Ahnkseram hissed, teeth gnashed and eyes as wide and wild as his untamed hair. "You are nothing but a child!"

"Perhaps. But you've forgotten one very important detail when you tried to enact this little plan of yours just now," Natsu replied calmly, as the darkness vanished in an instant, the entire area now shining brightly. "This is MY mindscape, and you are the LESSER half of yourself. You are far too weak and feeble to overtake me in the strongest portion of my mind.

"You dare call me weak and feeble… I'll ensure your death is slow once my other half comes to reunite us!"

"Speaking of death, that brings me to the next important point," Natsu smiled, as the chains tightened themselves even further. "Out of all the places you chose to set up this plan, it just so happened to be where my higher brain functions operate from. Memories, knowledge and dreams… You foolishly got yourself trapped inside my brain, and you know what's going to happen now?"

Ahnkseram's entire appearance became even more feral, as the First Hybrid violently thrashed about like a caged animal, spit flying everywhere as he roared hatefully.

"You will be assimilated, Ahnkseram. And soon, what you know, I too shall know," Natsu continued, making his way toward the exit. "The power you wield shall be added to my own, and you will fade from existence as you should have done so very long ago."

"You won't get away with this! I'll get you in the end, Natsu Dragneel! My other half will feel every second of this!"

"He's coming anyway, so it literally doesn't matter," Natsu shrugged in reply. "Hopefully you'll be gone by the time they arrive?"

"And the Anti!? How will you stop such a thing without me!?"

"I'll find a way. In the end, I always do," Natsu replied calmly. "You need to die so that Achnologia doesn't get your power, that much I'm certain of. Zeref too, unfortunately."

"You seriously think you can get rid of me so easily!? You think my other half can be defeated as swiftly as you claim!?"

"Perhaps not swiftly," Natsu smirked, snapping his fingers as he walked beyond the boundary of the tower that stored his memories. "But you will both fall eventually."

"We shall see," Ahnkseram snarled darkly, ceasing his thrashing as darkness quickly enshrouded the room once more. "We shall soon see just who is left standing at the end of it all, Natsu Dragneel!"

"On that," Natsu replied quietly, sensing his ability to wake returning. "We are both in full agreement on…"

*POTD*

His eyes abruptly snapped open, startling Mavis, who had been hovering over him rather closely. The First Master gasped and scrambled backward, a look of concern mixed with defensiveness in her eyes.

"Natsu…?"

"Y-Yeah," the Hybrid sighed, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, its me Mavis. Promise."

"And Ahnkseram…?"

"Sealed away, being stripped down as we speak," came the whispered response as he ran a hand through his fringe, pushing back the long hair out of his face. "Even now I can feel little bits of the knowledge he possessed being deposited into my mind…"

"Please tell me that wasn't your intention this whole time-!?"

"Of course not! The Hell do you take me for," Natsu snapped, glaring over at the startled First Master. "My primary concern was getting you back!"

"I-I-!"

Mavis let go of her retort, the bubbling anger fading just as quickly as it had arisen, as she slowly crawled toward him once again.

"I don't think anyone in this Guild, save myself, can claim to possess the sheer disregard for their own personal safety when it comes to helping others? You, Natsu Dragneel, are hopelessly insane!"

"Heh. Well, I'll take that compliment in stride Mavis," the Hybrid smirked, groaning as he slowly rose to a sitting position. "You need clothes?"

"What? O-Oh! Um, no, thank you! I have some spare ones of my own," Mavis replied awkwardly, as she was briefly engulfed in a flash of white, her usual attire appearing over her petite form. "S-Sorry you had to see that!"

"Don't worry about it," Natsu replied dismissively, waving her off. "What matters is that you're back amongst the land of the living again. And not in spiritual form."

"Yes, it's all a bit overwhelming, these sensations," Mavis whispered as she examined her own hands. "But now you likely know what's going to happen, right?"

"Ahnkseram already warned me that his other half would know what happened. We'll need to prepare."

"And quickly. The first order of business will be to explain to everyone upstairs an abridged version of what happened I suppose?"

"No need to tell them more than they need to know," Natsu agreed. "We'll keep the list of those who know the truth rather short."

"I-I may need you to carry me upstairs," Mavis mumbled, blushing from embarrassment as she tried and failed to stand up. "My legs aren't working properly yet…"

"That's quite alright," Natsu smiled, gently grabbing Mavis and placing her on his right shoulder, his body returning to its usual, abnormally large size. "Just like when you were in your spirit form, eh!?"

"You do understand how absurd your true height and size are, right?"

"Absurd for mortal standards, perhaps. But I'm a Godlike being, same as Elise, Eliza and even Ahnkseram or Zeref. Its only natural my true form would reflect that, right?"

"I suppose that's true," the First Master agreed, not overtly bothered by his true size. "Come on, let's go face everyone then?"

"I'll let you do the talking," he responded curtly, slowly ascending the stairs. "It'll sound better coming from you."

"I suppose that would be the best course of action for now, given the attitude the majority have toward you at this moment," Mavis agreed, as they reached the exit. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Natsu nodded in reply, as he pushed open the double doors, the pair ascending the remaining steps to reveal Mavis' miraculous return.

*POTD*

Elsewhere across Earthland, nestled deep within the heart of an Alvarez Airship, pained groans could faintly be heard from the room of Emperor Spriggan.

Seated upon a chair in his makeshift study, Zeref's eyes consistently flashed between those of the Hybrid, and his own black, the cold fury of Lord Ahnkseram slamming down upon his very being.

"W-What is it-!?"

"You KNOW what it is, Zeref! Do not even attempt to play coy with me, foolish mortal," Ahnkseram hissed within his mind, squeezing Zeref's very soul. "Do not deny what you felt just now! The transition of my other half from the Vermillion bitch to E.N.D!"

"Ngh-! Of course I felt it, Lord Ahnkseram," Zeref replied quickly. "I-ARGH-!"

Keeling over, Zeref was brought to his knees, Aura flooding the room and causing small distortions in local spacetime around his position. The First True Hybrid savagely demonstrated both his displeasure, and dissatisfaction, at Zeref's response.

"This must be remedied, Zeref," the cool tone of Ahnkseram whispered, as all the pain vanished, as the Logical half of the First Hybrid regained control over his sanity. "We are almost out of time, Zeref. My sanity is slipping rapidly, and my Logical half will soon become indistinguishable from my Primal half!"

"I-I'm aware," Zeref panted, dragging himself back into his seat. "As we speak, we're headed for Fiore…"

"We must work quickly to retrieve the other half of myself so that I may be restored. We have the raw power necessary to reform my body, we just need my full being…"

"Which we'll soon have," the Black Wizard replied reassuringly. "The final war has come, and even if Natsu has taken your other half, you and I both know we can get it back."

"Perhaps. Even in my addled state, it is only logical to look at all the facts when it comes to Natsu. His power grows rapidly, doubly so now that he himself is a True Hybrid. When the time comes and he stands before us, will we actually be as far above him as you believe? Or, will your younger Brother surpass us?"

"I think the correct answer is whichever best suits your plans," Zeref replied slowly, eliciting an understanding hum of acknowledgement from the First Hybrid within him.

"That, is a VERY good point. However, the true purpose of why I ultimately wanted him to become a True Hybrid like me currently eludes me? My true self had a plan, but being divided has cost me much in the way of memories and the like?"

"Then we'll know the truth once you are restored."

"Indeed…"

*POTD*

After a series of extremely awkward conversations and a rather thorough tongue lashing for his recklessness, Natsu was currently fielding questions from his closest group of friends, whilst the rest of the Guild did their utmost to try and avoid looking over in his direction, knowing full well he didn't want to deal with them at present.

"So, you can still hear his voice within you," Elise asked curiously, eliciting a stern nod from Natsu. "What's he saying right now?"

"Nothing intelligible. He's screaming right now and speaking in a whole bunch of different languages about how he's going to make me pay and whatnot. He's trying to resist me breaking him down and adding him to my very being, so I'm not too surprised."

"And you're sure that he won't be able to escape the bonds you've put him in," Erza chimed in, devouring a whole strawberry cake off to their right. "He's not going to be able to break containment and take over your body or anything?"

"No. He's not powerful enough for that as he is now. Soon, he'll have exhausted his reserves of Hybrid's Aura and lose the ability to fight back against what I'm doing to him. Once that happens, I'll make quick work of him."

"Well, whatever you plan on doing from here, just remember how you're acquiring all this newfound knowledge of yours," Makarov added, a deep frown on his face. "Even if its for the best, don't forget the morality of devouring another living being for personal gain…"

"I know Makarov, believe me. I've got no plans on going around devouring people for their knowledge and power. But in this specific instance, I think I can make an exception," the Hybrid sighed, blocking out Ahnkseram's screams once more. "Anyway, that meeting is tomorrow, right?"

"That's right."

"I see. Then I suppose we can use this free afternoon as a little test of sorts, to see who is truly ready for the war to come?"

"What do you mean by that," Erza asked suspiciously, eyes narrowed as she paused eating her cake.

"I've been thinking that its time to see just how strong all of you are," Natsu explained, as many of the stronger members of the Guild turned their full attention toward him. "Let's be honest, I'm the closest person you're gonna see to someone like August or Zeref that you can have a mock battle with, right? So, why don't we do just that?"

"That's actually not a bad idea honestly," Laxus agreed, with Mira and Elise quickly voicing their support for it shortly after.

"I'm game to fight if you are," Wendy smirked, cracking her knuckles as Erza looked between all the gathered members, sighing lightly.

"Well, I can't lie and say it isn't a good idea. My only question is where are we going to be having this mock battle? Just one of us could put the entire city at risk with a stray attack, let alone all of us fighting?"

"I was thinking we head up the beach and have the battle where it intersects with Magnolia Forest," Natsu replied instantly, as the small group pondered the idea. "No one around, and no risk of a stray attack striking the city?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Laxus smirked. "I wonder if you actually can take all of us by yourself? We haven't exactly been slacking off on our training, so you might get overwhelmed?"

"We'll just have to see about that, won't we," Natsu smirked, as the doors to the Guild Hall opened up, sunlight streaming through as a familiar scent hit Natsu, bringing a grin to his face.

"What's all this about gettin to gang up on Salamander? As if I ain't gonna be takin part in somethin like that! Gihi!"

"Finally back with us Blacksteel," Natsu grinned, eyes widening slightly as he looked over the man's bulkier form. "Did you-?"

"Yep."

"Well shit, I'm impressed," the Hybrid replied, as the pair bumped fists. "Where's Levy?"

"Hn? Oh, she's at home," Gajeel replied, avoiding Natsu's gaze which only aroused suspicion. "What?"

"You mean to tell me nice and sweet Levy isn't here right as the Guild reunites?"

"She wanted to, of course. But she's got other stuff to do, other priorities."

"Such as?"

"Oh, right, this all probably sounds kinda weird to you guys, huh? It ain't nothin sinister. She's just pregnant is all."

The entire Guild Hall went deathly silent, with even the most vocal members like Mirajane being rendered utterly mute. Even Natsu, who was normally the most stoic and level headed of the group, couldn't stop his jaw from hitting the proverbial floor, his brain flat lining on any sort of response.

"What?"

"T-There's actually no way… You're fucking with me," Natsu blurted out in a very uncharacteristically flabbergasted tone.

"Uh… No?"

"There's actually no way," the Hybrid continued, voicing the entire room's sheer disbelief. "There's no way you're no longer a grumpy virgin-!?"

"Fuck you Salamander," Gajeel roared, a fierce blush on his face as chaos descended upon the Guild Hall right as Gajeel lunged at the Hybrid.

Off to the side, Makarov and Mavis could only watch the chaos with a mixture of resignation and mild amusement.

"Well, at least all that took everyone's mind off of Natsu," Makarov smiled as a chair flew over his head. "I suppose we should just leave everyone to it until tomorrow?"

"I agree. Many of them have been through trying times, so this will be good for them. Especially for Natsu himself…"

Makarov watched as Gajeel used Natsu's abnormally large body as a weapon, shaking his head in amusement as he turned toward the bar.

"One last day of joy like the old times won't hurt them… I just hope they're ready for the horrors to come?"

And that, was a question no one possessed an answer for…"

*POTD*

"Are you sure we've got time for this? We're supposed to be attending the meeting at the palace in Crocus tomorrow, right? You don't want to throw King Toma's goodwill back at him, do you?"

"Relax Meredy, we'll make it," Jellal sighed, as the pair arrived at the edge of a ruined town. "We've been pursuing this task for Natsu for some time now, and it's time we delivered."

"I guess…"

"Everything will be fine, Meredy. We just have to see if she's really here or not first, okay?"

"Alright," the pink haired woman sighed, shrugging lightly in response. "I suppose it would be good to give Natsu the results he wanted when we see him tomorrow?"

"Natsu said she holds vital information that could lead to the downfall of Achnologia, potentially also Zeref. If she's really here, then we're obligated to find her…"

The pair fell silent as they walked through the ruined town, its architecture clearly ancient, with many parts crumbling from centuries of abandonment and decay.

It had taken Jellal and Ultear a lot of digging to even discover the location of the ruined town. Surrounded by mountains and nestled deep at the heart of a tropical jungle, the place had been abandoned by Humans and thought lost to time…

Almost.

A source from within the Dark Guild network spoke of the place as a potential new base of operations. However, it also spoke of it being guarded by strange, powerful Magic not seen on Earthland in centuries.

Magic commanded…by a blonde-haired woman.

The pair stopped as the ground shook ever so slightly, a faint clanging sound from somewhere beneath them the only warning they had before the ground abruptly gave way to a massive gaping hole.

Jellal and Meredy easily leaped out of the hole's radius, dust flicking up to obscure all but the shadow of a single figure. The pair were on guard as a powerful gust of wind pushed the dust away, revealing a rather intriguing individual.

Standing at a mere three foot four and wearing what Jellal could only assume was some sort of Magitek Exoskeleton, was an older man with a long dirty blonde beard with several braids woven into it. His medium length shaggy hair was mostly obscured by a metal helmet, along with one of his sky-blue eyes replaced by an artificially implanted golden Lacrima.

The short man had numerous scars over his stocky body, muscle interwoven with flesh as he stomped forward using his strange suit.

"Lali-ho! Lali-ho! Fancy dress an' strong Magical Cores! Aye, ye be Mages, that much ah can tell! But what on Earthland brings ye here, Mages!?"

Jellal and Meredy shared a look, feeling an enormous amount of Magical Power coming from both the short man, and the strange suit he wore. After taking a moment to compose himself, Jellal stepped a little closer to speak to the stranger.

"We mean no one here harm, if that's what you're asking?"

"No harm? Ye expect me ta just believe that," the man replied skeptically. "Already taken out a whole bunch O' Mages who've come ere with that line! So don't try an beat round the bush an just spit out why ye came!?"

"…We've come here seeking a woman by the name of Anna Heartfilia," Jellal replied after momentarily weighing his options. "We were sent to find her on behalf of someone she knows."

"Ye know Anna? Well then… Who sent ye?"

"Natsu Dragneel," Jellal replied firmly, watching as the man's regular eye widened considerably, the Magical Power rolling off of him vanishing in an instant, releasing the pressure Jellal hadn't even noticed had set in around them.

"Natsu Dragneel, ye say?"

"That's right. He knows about what Anna did in the past to get not just him, but all the Dragon Slayers here. He wants to speak with her…"

"Aye, I reckon he would," the short man replied, sighing audibly. "He regain his memories through E.N.D, I assume?"

"I'm not sure of the specifics of how he did, only that he requested my Guild to help find Anna shortly after."

"Hmm… Well, ye gonna need ta talk ta Anna now regardless. Obvious ye ain't here ta cause any harm."

"I assume you know where she is?"

"Aye. Anna an I are a team O' sorts. But that can wait until we're all comfier at the house, eh?"

"Before we head to see Anna," Jellal cut in, stopping the man before he could even begin leading the pair along. "Who are you, exactly?"

"Me? Heh. Nobody special lad," the man smirked as he introduced himself.

Former Member Of The Spriggan Twelve

Former Fourth Shield Of The Alvarez Empire

Creator Of The Machias Race

Last Of The Vorven Race

Creator Of The Alvarez Magitek Research And Development Sector

Creator Of Countless Superweapons

The Smartest Mortal On Earthland

Grand Wizard

Cid Veldstadt

Jellal and Meredy were frozen in both shock and fear, as the living legend casually pointed and laughed at them like they'd just told him the funniest joke in the world.

"Y-You're Cid!? THE Cid!?"

"Ye got too much wax in ye ears lad? Told ye, the name's Cid!"

Jellal didn't have a response, merely nodding dumbly, as he followed the last of the Vorven around the large crater and deeper into the town.

The walk there was silent, save for the occasional cough or grunt by Cid, as they eventually reached a single house that appeared almost entirely untouched by the ravages of time that had taken the rest of the place.

Without bothering to look back at the pair, Cid roughly pushed the door open and lumbered inside. Jellal and Meredy followed behind, marveling at the interior.

Scattered about were countless books, tomes, scrolls, Magic Circles, stone tablets and more. It was like walking into an archaeological dig site. Even relics of the past were placed upon walls or in glass cases protected by enchantments.

"Cid," a feminine voice called from somewhere deep in the house. "Cid? Is that you?"

"Aye! Course its me woman," the Vorven grunted in reply. "Ye expect anyone else?"

"Well, excuse me for being concerned for your welfare," the womanly voice retorted, followed shortly by footsteps. "You'd think after all the patching up I did last time, that you'd-!"

The woman entered the room, freezing almost immediately as she looked upon Jellal and Meredy, before looking back to Cid with a questioning glance.

Standing at five foot seven and looking like she'd just crawled out of bed, was the rather beautiful visage of Anna Heartfilia.

She was dressed in an oversized white t-shirt and baggy grey pants and wearing no shoes. Her long, blonde hair was slicked back at the front, save for a few stray strands, showing off her lovely deep blue eyes. Her hair itself was wild and untamed, flowing down her back looking like a mane with some of it draped over her shoulders.

There were several visible scars across her face, arms and feet, though they did nothing to detract from her beauty. Despite having a fit, slender build, she didn't possess much muscle. An oddity considering the scarring the pair observed upon her.

The woman noticed their observations and rolled her eyes, sighing as she shook her head.

"Since Cid let the two of you in here, I'm going to assume you're not here to kill me or steal our stuff? So, if you stop gawking at me, you can tell me why you're here?"

A Woman From The Distant Past

Former Princess Of The Heartfilia Dynasty

Former Ally Of The Black Wizard Zeref

Wielder Of The Twelve Celestial Zodiac Spirit Keys

A Master Of Celestial Magic

Grand Wizard

Anna Heartfilia

"So, you really are Anna Heartfilia," Jellal half whispered, his tone one of tired relief, which didn't go unnoticed by the older woman.

"You've been looking for me, I take it?"

"Y-Yes," Jellal stuttered, as Anna motioned for both he and Meredy to take a seat on her couch. "I know that you didn't exactly want to be found, but-."

"Someone asked you to come find me," the woman replied knowingly. "Who was it? Zeref? Was it Gilda Glimrock of the Ishgar High Council? No, wait, it was Sentomaru, wasn't it-?"

"Er, no… None of them, actually," came the mute response from Jellal, which seemed to surprise the woman. "It was actually someone you apparently know, but haven't seen for many years now. A man by the name of Natsu Dragneel…"

"N-Natsu," Anna whispered, dropping into a comfy recliner at the mere mention of his name. "Little Natsu…"

"He's definitely not little anymore," Meredy snorted in reply, as both Anna and Cid looked to her for clarification. "His natural height is absurdly tall. He's like a tree or something!"

"E.N.D influence I'd bet," Cid hummed in reply, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "That, or a mix O' the Dragon blood?"

"That aside, you said that Natsu sent you to find me?"

"I did. There's a lot to explain, but Natsu needs your help in the fight against Achnologia," Jellal replied, shocking both Anna and Cid, the latter now also taking a seat.

"So, it appears he's regained his memories then," Anna murmured, her eyes narrowed deep in thought before hardening abruptly, meeting Jellal's nervous gaze. "Tell me everything about what's going on. And make sure to tell me everything about Natsu!"

Jellal could do nothing but agree, their conversation going well into the late afternoon, revelations from both sides leading them into an uncertain path forward.

A path that only Natsu had the ability to truly discern…