Pairings: Laxus/Krystal

Warnings: Gender switch. Sibling-like Erza and Mirajane. Nice Zeref. Non canon.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and Fairy Tail and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

Chapter Two: Lightning

Laxus Dreyar remembered when he had first met Krystal Nightray.

He was twelve then, and she was eight; and he was sent on his first real job outside of Magnolia along with Gildarts, as his grandfather was a tad bit overprotective and seem to be under the impression that Laxus would get into trouble without a more experienced mage with him.

Laxus was annoyed when his grandfather had told him his conditions when he had wanted to take the job that he'd seen on the request board, but he had relented in the end, as anything is better than continuing to take simple jobs like finding a lost cat or even repairing someone's roof.

Furthermore, Gildarts—while never staying long in Magnolia, is also one of the few people in the guild that actually sees Laxus as his own person, and never as his grandfather's grandson.

The blond was also lonely and upset, as Ivan, his father was just thrown out of the guild barely a year ago for reasons that his grandfather refused to tell him, and everyone in the guild was treating him like he's just 'Makarov's grandson' ever since. Hence why he had decided to take a job outside of Magnolia that would hopefully take him days if not weeks—just to cool his head down a bit.

He had met Krystal Nightray on that job—and even years later, he had never regretted taking said job though he had initially hesitated, as that job would take him all the way into the Forbidden Land—the western regions of Fiore where most mages would avoid like the plague as all the magic phobic villages resided there. The most extreme magic phobic villages actually kill a mage just for being one. Hence why most mages always avoided that area.

That is probably the reason why Makarov had insisted on Gildarts accompanying Laxus on his first job outside of Magnolia—not only because it is his overprotectiveness talking, but also because Gildarts would be able to protect Laxus if it is ever discovered by some of the magic phobic villages that they are mages.

That job had actually been requested by a travelling doctor who had somehow came across the Fairy Tail guild when travelling through Magnolia, and had decided to make a request. Apparently, the doctor had been puzzled and confused for some time now why he couldn't enter the Sacred Mountain any longer—a mountain located in the western region that is also home to several of Fiore's rarest plants and herbs that are often used in healing remedies and concoctions and even non-magical medication.

In the past, particularly when Fiore was still known as Ishgar, the Sacred Mountain is as its name sounds—a sacred place. It is said that during the Age of the Dragons, that had been the home to a tribe of wind dragons. And according to the doctor, it isn't just him alone who hasn't been able to enter the mountain. And it's not like he couldn't tread foot into the mountain. It's just that every single time he entered the mountain and walked to a certain point, he always ends up back where he had started!

And when he had asked the villagers residing in the nearby village, all of them have started clamouring something about a 'demon' and 'the witch's daughter' and that the gods of the heavens are angry—mumbling something about lightning.

Taking that job along with Gildarts was probably the best decision that Laxus had ever made in his life.

It had been a long journey to the western region—taking both man and child nearly a week and a half of travel by train. During that journey, Gildarts had briefed Laxus on the mission specs, and that the client just wants to find out the cause behind the strange happenings of the mountain. The man had been a good listener too, just listening to Laxus rant about his hurt feelings and the fact that his father was mysteriously exiled without Makarov explaining to him why.

To be fair, while Laxus had always been close to his grandfather, with the old man practically raising Laxus since he was a small child, Laxus had never been close to his father.

Ivan wasn't a good father. He had hit Laxus a few times as a small child when he was in a bad mood or drunk. When Makarov had found out about it—whether because he had found Laxus crying or saw the tell-tale signs of bruises on his body, the old man had flown into a rage, and both Makarov and Ivan would then argue.

Makarov was really furious a few years ago when Laxus got really sick all of a sudden, and Makarov had then taken Laxus to see Porlyusica. The blond doesn't know what the medic had told his grandfather, but whatever that she had told his grandfather had caused Makarov and Ivan to have their biggest fight ever.

An unbiased part of Laxus could admit that he is glad that his father is gone. But another part of him is upset that his grandfather had thrown his father out of the guild without even explaining why. Isn't he a mage of Fairy Tail too? Why wouldn't Makarov tell him anything? And it doesn't really help that outside of Gildarts, everyone in the guild sees Laxus as just 'Makarov's grandson'.

"So this is the Sacred Mountain." Gildarts murmured, with both of them standing in front of said mountain, with a map currently clutched in Gildarts' hand.

Laxus stared, wide-eyed at the mountain. He can understand why the mountain is treated as a holy ground long ago. It really looks to be something out of a picture book. The air is fresh and clean up here, though it is a little thin—almost being difficult to breathe. There were wisps of mist visible as well, and now, Laxus is glad that he had brought his coat.

"…Gildarts, what do you think about what the villagers had said earlier?" Laxus asked the taller man at last.

"About that 'demon'?" Gildarts asked, and Laxus nodded. The older man sighed, scratching at the back of his head. "I don't know." He admitted. "I got a hunch what we might find in there, and if so, it explains a lot. It might also explain why there is a barrier keeping out humans but not mages around this mountain."

Laxus fell silent.

"Bounty hunters?" The owner of the sole shop in the village peered at both Gildarts and Laxus. "Are you here to kill that demon? About damn time if you ask me." He grumbled, and Laxus raised an eyebrow.

"Demon?" He echoed.

"What? You didn't know?" The shopkeeper peered at Laxus beneath large shaggy eyebrows. "There is a demon residing within the mountains. She made that mountain her home about eight years back when her mother came through here. That woman is a travelling entertainer or something, I think. She came through the village about eight years ago heavily pregnant. No idea who the father was. She made her home atop Sacred Mountain after that. We were curious about it in the beginning, sure, as no one ever lives there—with it being home to several wild animals and even predators. But as that mountain no longer generates gold, we don't really care what she does up there. That demon's mother is a knowledgeable herbalist and could cure most illnesses that our village doctor couldn't with her knowledge in herbs, and could even create the nastiest tasting concoctions that does wonders."

Laxus glanced at Gildarts and knew that he is thinking the same thing the moment the pair heard the words 'concoctions' and 'herbalist'. That 'witch' that the ignorant fool before him is talking about must be a mage doctor like Porlyusica.

"And apparently, her daughter gained her knowledge and talent. Then about a year ago, that witch died. And I'm telling you, it's that demon's doing! So some of our guys went up that mountain to try to…get rid of her—" At this point, Laxus has to try to keep his temper under control to not get ousted as a mage. The warning glance that Gildarts gave him told him the same thing. "But they failed, coming back in a blubbering mess. It took us some time to make sense of their words—they blubbered something about lightning and storms. We tried repeatedly ever since, but it always ended in the same result. One of the guys said something about the skies being angry whenever they approached that demon's house. Lightning always appears. Even the gods are angry with that demon! But then about eight months ago, suddenly, none of us have been able to enter the mountain since."

"What do you mean?" Gildarts frowned, trying to keep his temper under control and not use his magic on this ignorant fool before him. How low have they sunk? To even think of hurting a child?

The shopkeeper looked at them as if they're stupid. "Exactly what we mean," he said with a tone that seems as if Laxus and Gildarts should know. "No matter how many times we enter the Sacred Mountain, we get turned around! We always end up right back where we first started!"

Gildarts pressed his hand gently through the shimmering faint wisps of magic that is just visible to their eye. Only mages can see magic like this—little wonder why the ignorant villagers have thought that the mountain is cursed when they kept walking about in circles.

"It's a pretty strong barrier." Gildarts remarked. "It doesn't do anything but just repel anyone that isn't a mage. No wonder why non-mages kept ending up back at the entrance."

"Defensive Magic." Laxus murmured, having only heard about it—having read about it in books.

Gildarts nodded solemnly. "At its finest," he replied. "Keep your guard up, Laxus." He warned. "The mage's daughter residing in the mountains—she might be hostile. Not surprising, seeing as how nearly an entire village seems out for her blood."

Laxus said nothing, but he can't help cursing the village that they've just left with every curse word that he had ever learnt—and he knew quite a lot, having grown up in a guild like Fairy Tail where majority of the adults often cussed like sailors.

The blond pre-teen felt a shimmer of magic over his skin as he passed through the barrier with Gildarts. He caught a flash of white out of the corner of his eye just then, and he turned just in time to see a young snowy-white owl—probably just out of the nest and just learning how to fly perched atop a tree bough of the nearby tree, large golden eyes staring straight at Laxus.

The blond almost felt a shiver run down his arms—he swore that the owl's eyes looked almost intelligent—almost as if it's a mage's familiar. Animals as a whole have low intelligence—solely functioning on instincts alone. But the familiars of mages are a whole different matter. Mages' familiars often assisted them, especially when they're in battle. And their life spans are as long as their mage too—basically, as long as their mage still has one breath left in their body, the familiar will still live—bonded to their mage through a familiar bond.

The young owlet then took off from the bough that it is perched on with a low hoot, flying over their heads and disappearing into the distance.

"…It's a familiar, Laxus." Gildarts said calmly from next to the blond pre-teen, and he looked up at the older man. "That owlet probably belongs to the young mage that we've been hearing about." He looked at Laxus, a hand gripping onto his shoulder. "…She knows that we're here."

XXXXXX

The young snowy-white owlet fluttered about in the air almost comically for several moments before swooping down again onto the outstretched arm of Krystal Nightray.

The owlet seemed to sigh in relief—as it had just learned how to fly—regardless of whether it is reincarnation or not. It then gave out a few short hoots at her mistress who gave a small smile and nodded.

"…I know. They've just passed through my barrier." Krystal murmured. "I didn't think that they'll send mages as assassins this time. Though I should have expected it." She raised her outstretched arm slightly higher, and the owlet immediately took flight to the nearby peach tree, resting atop the bough. "…I might as well get ready for my unwanted guests…"

A faint cackle of lightning is visible within silvery-blue eyes.

XXXXXX

Beautiful, is the first word that came to mind when Laxus saw the house of the mysterious mage.

It is a house right out of a storybook—like the ones that his grandfather had often read to him when he was really little, and still small enough for Makarov to lift on his knee.

The house is more like a cottage—being fashioned out of tree trunks, with small puffs of smoke being released from the chimney every now and then. White picket rope fences enclosed the house away from the rest of the mountain. A river ran through the front of the cottage, with a small bridge built over it so as to enable one to be able to walk over to the cottage without getting their feet wet. Some wood pickets supported a small fishing rod fashioned out of tree boughs, with it twitching every now and then when the fishing line was tugged by the water currents.

A small vegetable garden was also visible by the side, with various plants like eggplants, spinach and even carrots curiously growing in patches—seeing as how it's currently winter, and thus, shouldn't be possible for anything to be growing, let alone plants that are extremely delicate in cold weather.

Various fruit trees—ranging from apple trees to peach trees and even mango trees were also growing healthily on the other side of the cottage. A black wolf-like dog—a black Belgian sheepdog was nestled beneath the shade of one of the trees, cracking an eye opened and growling at them menacingly. And on the tree bough of the peach tree was the young owlet that Laxus had seen earlier—its large curious golden eyes peering at them.

And standing atop the small bridge of the river was a young girl of maybe about eight or so with raven black locks that ended to just a little below her earlobes. She is petite and small in stature, with unusual silvery-blue eyes that looks as if it could look right into him. And she is dressed in a small red shirt and black shorts that looks almost threadbare—like it had been repaired over and over. A pair of red and white bands was entwined around her left wrist. And her feet were bare.

The girl—the young mage that they're most likely looking for is staring at them with cold eyes. Beside Laxus, Gildarts resisted the urge to shiver. Such cold eyes should not belong on a child.

Clearing his throat, Gildarts decided to take the friendly approach. "Hey there, little miss!" he greeted jovially, but his smile slowly slid off his face as he noticed the cold look still present in those silvery-blue eyes. "…Well… I guess our presence here isn't that much of a surprise to you. So it is you who set up that barrier."

"Of course I did." The girl scoffed. "Do you honestly think that after the third time I got assassins sent after me, I won't take measures?"

Laxus scowled at that, and Gildarts frowned. So those villagers really did try to kill this young child just for possessing something that they don't understand. But still… The fact that she can at least construct a barrier and leave it around the mountain like that… Whoever her mother is, she had taught her daughter well.

"Did the villagers send you?" The girl asked, her eyes flickering from one to the other. "And to think that they send a mage this time. They must be pretty desperate—since they had a lengthy history of killing mages just for being one." Laxus frowned—so he's right after all. "You won't be the first person to try to kill me, and you won't be the last either."

Laxus stiffened and Gildarts frowned as lightning flashed across the skies just then, with dark clouds converging even as light cackles of lightning flashes across silvery-blue eyes. A rumble of thunder echoed in the distance.

'Lightning?' Laxus wondered, feeling his interest in the younger girl grow—after all, apart from himself, he had never seen anyone use lightning elemental attacks before. Lightning Elemental magic users are a pretty rare lot. 'She can use elemental attacks?'

'What kind of magic is this…?' Gildarts wondered, his eyes flickering skywards and then back to the little girl in front of him. 'Magic that is powerful enough to control the weather? I've never even seen or heard of anyone able to do that before!'

"Come then." A cold smile appeared on the little girl's face even as sparks of lightning started sparkling from her fingers. "Show me what you've got!"

XXXXXX

~Fairy Tail; Magnolia~

Erza Scarlet furrowed her brows, staring at the small girl with raven hair sitting at one of the tables in the guildhall, her feet dangling several inches off the ground. A black Belgian sheepdog that will probably reach to her hip easily even when sitting was nosing at the small girl, whining gently. A young snowy white owlet was perched on her shoulder, chirping and nibbling at her hair.

"Who's that?" Erza asked curiously, nudging with her elbow at Cana Alberona who was seated at the bar counter beside her.

"Hmm?" Cana turned over her shoulder, following Erza's line of sight only to see the small raven-haired girl seated in a corner quietly, with a dog and owl keeping her company. "Oh. Laxus and Gildarts brought her to the guild," she answered. "I think they're upstairs talking to the Master now."

Erza was silent for several moments, eyeing the slightly younger girl. That look in her eyes… It reminds Erza a lot of herself when she'd first came to the guild after leaving the Tower.

She made up her mind then.

"Erza?"

"I'm going to say hello."

Erza then walked over to the younger girl. The black Belgian sheepdog with her pricked up his ears at the sound of Erza's footsteps, turning around and growling at the redhead who paused, raising both her hands to show that she meant no harm.

The raven-haired girl looked up at the sound of her dog's growling only to see Erza standing in front of her. Cana joined Erza a moment later, smiling at her.

"Hello." Erza said warmly. "My name is Erza. This is Cana." She gestured towards the brunette next to her. "May we join you?"

The girl nodded. "…This is Padfoot," she said, speaking for the first time in the girls' presence, patting her dog on the head that now seem as meek as a kitten, nuzzling against his mistress and whining. "He is really harmless—don't let his looks fool you." She gave a small smile as her dog licked her face, barking happily, his tail wagging so quickly behind him that it only appears as a blur.

Or at least, Padfoot is harmless until someone tries to harm her.

"He is so cute!" Cana cooed at the dog who eyed her warily. "I never had a pet before!"

"He's been with me since I was born." The girl smiled weakly. She then looked at Erza and Cana in the eye. "…I'm Krystal. Krystal Nightray."

XXXXXX

"Damn it…" Gildarts sighed, examining his singed sleeves. If this is what the little girl could do at eight years old—untrained and all, then he seriously don't want to find out what she could do once she had grown up as a trained mage.

"Will you listen to us now?" Laxus asked carefully, sitting down across the girl in her cottage, trying to ignore the pair of menacing eyes from her 'hairy walking carpet' who is currently seated at the entrance on his haunches, growling menacingly. "We mean you no harm. We are not sent by the village. We are just here to investigate the strange happenings of Sacred Mountain. And when we figured out that there is a mage involved, we just got curious, that's all." He admitted. "Besides, this is the first time that I saw someone who could use the same element as me."

The girl looked at Laxus, interest shining in silvery-blue orbs for the first time. "…Lightning?"

Laxus nodded. "I can't control the weather though," he admitted, staring at his hands, letting a light cackle of lightning go over his palms. "I'm just a lightning element user."

"And judging by the fact that you can control the weather, then I'm guessing… Lightning, wind and water?" Gildarts pressed, as those three elements are what make up a storm. The little girl nodded. "We'll listen to your story. For starters, what's your name and what are you doing in the middle of the Forbidden Land? I'm Gildarts Clive."

"…Laxus Dreyar." Laxus answered promptly the moment that the girl's eyes turned towards him.

"…Krystal Nightray." The girl muttered after a moment. "My mom… Her name is Lillian Nightray."

Gildarts froze, and Laxus looked surprised. Though he had never met the woman, and had only heard about her, even the blond pre-teen had heard about one of the strongest mages that had ever existed in Fiore.

If Lillian Nightray had just been a little older before she had retired from Blue Pegasus, she would have been named as one of the Ten Wizard Saints. After all, Lillian Nightray had just been eighteen when she'd left Blue Pegasus.

"…Water Dancer Lillian Nightray?" Gildarts almost croaked. "Formerly of Blue Pegasus? The mage that had an incomprehensible control over water that it is almost like it responds to her will? I heard rumours that she left the guild about a decade ago! She's your mother?"

Krystal nodded. "Yes. I never met my dad though," she admitted. "Mom just told me enough about him that she likes him enough to have me, but she left him without even telling him that she's pregnant—saying that she did that in order to protect me and him from Dad's enemies. She's also a mage doctor—one of the best from what I know. Her old guild master visited often enough when I was younger that I often heard stories about Mom's guild days. Mom's a highly skilled herbalist—able to come up with concoctions that can heal most diseases and illnesses that baffled people. I don't know what happened exactly, and whom she's hiding from. I only know from Mom's last letter that some of Dad's enemies are after her. That's why she went into hiding. That's why she hid us here. But about a year ago, Mom got seriously sick. Nothing that we tried work. Mom said that it's the 'Death Illness'—whatever that is. I never went down to the village after Mom died. I'll be a fool to when they had a tendency to kill mages just for being one. I saw what happened to the last one that passed through years ago." Laxus and Gildarts exchanged startled glances at this point. "Mom was smart enough to keep her identity as a mage hidden. When my powers woke, it was Mom who taught me how to control it. But… It's not like it really helped all that much with my lightning control. Mom said something about lightning being the one element that you can't control."

"She's right." Laxus said suddenly, and both Gildarts and Krystal turned towards the blond who looked solemn. "You can't control lightning. It is raw power at its finest. Be the lightning. Don't control it."

"So what else can you do?" Gildarts asked, interested.

"Well…"

XXXXXX

"…A young mage. The Water Dancer's daughter herself? And one that is powerful enough to even control the weather?" Makarov almost exploded the moment that his mind had managed to comprehend what Laxus and Gildarts have just told him. "What is Bob thinking by leaving a young child up in the mountains alone? And in the Forbidden Land furthermore?"

Laxus coughed into his hand. "To be fair, Gramps, I don't think that Master Bob even knew that Lillian Nightray had died," he said, defending the master of Blue Pegasus. "According to Krystal, he only visited once every few years."

"Yeah, he doesn't like that village and that continent." Gildarts admitted. Even he had never gone that far in Fiore whenever he went on one of his many travels. The western continent is after all a place that all mages avoided like the plague. "Can't say I blame him. Though if Lillian Nightray is hiding her daughter from mages—then the Forbidden Land is the last place that they would look. Ingenious." He admitted.

Makarov frowned, rubbing at his chin. "…Krystal Nightray," he murmured at last. "Lillian Nightray's daughter, huh? Just who is her father anyway that an S-class mage like the Water Dancer can't seem to handle his enemies, and had instead chosen to run?"

Gildarts frowned at that comment.

It is true.

Lillian Nightray is no pushover. She is not someone whom anyone with even a little bit of common sense would want to fight or have as an enemy. She is actually part of the reason why Blue Pegasus had been as famous and well known as they are about a decade ago when she had joined. When word had gotten around that she had left the guild, business for Blue Pegasus had actually slipped, though it is gradually climbing back up again.

"…I have no idea." Gildarts admitted. "That child—Krystal seems reluctant to talk about her mother and her father, and I didn't want to push her. It took me everything to convince her that I won't harm her. I think it's mainly because Laxus is with me that she agreed to let me into her house. And it's also Laxus who had convinced her to leave the Sacred Mountain with us. Her familiar and that dog of hers followed us too."

Probably because no child had ever hurt her before, and thus, Krystal had only agreed to listen to Gildarts because Laxus is there—a child that isn't that much older than her. Furthermore, her dog acts as a rather overprotective bodyguard, and would likely fly at Gildarts if he tried anything.

"An untrained young mage. And one with such raw power and potential." Makarov murmured to himself. He then looked at Gildarts and Laxus. "So what do you think we should do?"

Laxus kept quiet, letting the adults in the room talk.

Honestly? He kinda liked the girl. She is the first one who treated him like he's his own person, and not just because he's 'Makarov's grandson'. True, she probably doesn't know who he is, but Laxus had a feeling that even if Krystal knew who he's related to, she most likely wouldn't care.

Even the ones closest to his age like Cana and even Gray seem a little intimidated by him. Erza didn't care who he was—so in a way, she is the one person in the guild that Laxus could call a friend, but their personalities just clashed with each other.

Gildarts sighed. "Master, we can't ignore this," he said earnestly. "Her unique magic notwithstanding, she's Lillian Nightray's daughter. Guilds and mages everywhere would be after her once word gets out—and trust me on this, it will get out sooner or later. These things always do. Besides, all of us knew what would happen if a mage goes untrained, especially if they wield tremendous magic to begin with. And Krystal can control the weather. She needs to learn to control it."

"…Gramps, I'll teach her how to control her lightning." Laxus spoke up suddenly, and both Makarov and Gildarts turned towards the young pre-teen. "I can at least do that much as I'm a lightning user myself. Let her join Fairy Tail. You took in Erza, Gray and even Cana, didn't you? There's no reason to turn her away, is there? If it's Master Bob that you're worried about, you can convince him, right? He can come and visit her if he wants to."

Makarov was almost taken aback at the pleading look in his grandson's eyes.

Laxus who wasn't that pleased to begin with when he had first taken in Cana and Gray before being followed by Erza. He had thought at that time that it's because Laxus was jealous—having been an only child, and he had never had to share his grandfather with other children before as all the other guild members were already adults.

But just maybe…

It could be because ever since Ivan's expulsion, the entire guild had been treating Laxus like he's just his grandson—something that he knew grates at Laxus' nerves. The blond pre-teen had been getting steadily more and more bad-tempered ever since that it is only Erza who dared to speak to him.

"Well… I wasn't planning to turn her away to begin with anyway." Makarov said solemnly, and Laxus scowled at his grandfather. "Every child should have a home, and a place where they can be themselves. The Forbidden Land is no place for a young mage to grow up."

"I'll go and tell her then!" Laxus volunteered before getting up and running from Makarov's office before the old man could even say anything.

Both adults stared at each other for several moments, speechless. Makarov was the first one to break the silence by laughing. "Oh boy…!" The old man chuckled. "Well, Laxus could do with a good friend either way. It'll be interesting to see how their friendship grows."

"I agree." Gildarts smiled wistfully.

XXXXXX

~Unknown Location~

The black haired young man stared blankly at the blue skies above him, and even the white clouds puffing by—being moved by the slight wind that tickled his hair. He stretched out a hand to the skies above him.

"…Lillian… Why did you leave?" he whispered. He closed his eyes for several moments, recalling the letter that he had received from her by means of a bird messenger just a year ago, with the letter explaining everything, and that the letter also states that the only way he would receive this is if she's dead. She had also explained just why she had left.

…I'm sorry, but I can't risk it. I know you can protect yourself. And so could I. But I can't risk our daughter.

A small smile graced the young man's face.

A daughter…

So he had a child out there somewhere.

…One immune to his curse—as she is born of his blood.

…Please, as a last request. Stop going down the path you are before we'd first met. I told you before—you aren't an evil man. I don't believe that. Your eyes are kind and lonely. Promise me on this.

He closed his eyes, tears briefly escaping from them before opening them again. "…I understand, Lillian," he whispered. "I promise. But at the very least, I need to correct my mistakes. My books… My demons… And even Acnologia… I need to stop them."

…Most likely, our daughter might just be the key to destroying the Black Dragon…

…Our daughter's name is Krystal. Krystal Nightray. She most likely knows who you are by now—even who you are to her. Please… Protect her, Zeref.

Zeref gave a small wistful smile to himself. "I will. I promise, Lillian."

A/N: I suppose it's pretty obvious who Krystal's father is starting from the previous chapter since more than half of you got it correct on the first guess! Before anyone asks, Natsu, Levy and the Strauss siblings haven't joined Fairy Tail at this point yet—thus why they haven't appeared. As for Krystal's age in case you wanted to know—she is slightly younger than Erza who had been four years Laxus's junior. And thus, a year older than Gray and Natsu.

Additionally, I'm still agonising how I'm going to deal with Zeref's whole role in this story, since in canon, he is technically the antagonist. And I honestly don't feel like creating a new OC just for the sake of playing an antagonist. Any ideas, guys?

Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!