Disclaimer: Hey guys Firestorm40 here with a new chapter for you all. I do not own any of the characters except my own OCs. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.

Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it. So without further ado, Enjoy!

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Magic Academy...

"This...This paper..."

"Is this your work?"

"Yes." 400 years ago, a young Zeref handed his written work filled with delicate and precise research material to his professors at the prestigious Academy located in Mildian. He looked no more than 7 or 8 years old and he wore some kind of black and white toga around his body.

"It's a wonderful paper but the theme is a little too heavy for you..." One of them remarked as he looked at his young pupil with old eyes.

"It's not something you should be doing at your age..." Another frowned as he reread the paper once more while adjusting his glasses back over his large nose.

"Furthermore, life and death and its connection to magic has been and still is taboo for us..." The third one commented as his associates nodded their heads in agreement.

"Even an adult wouldn't dare write about something like this..."

"True...prying on a topic like this will only enrage the almighty Ankhserum..."

"Please refrain from doing anymore research like this in the future..." All three of the elder men looked at the youngster with very serious gazes. "Do you understand, Zeref?"

"...yes..." The boy replied sadly and his teachers returned his paper back to him without another word. He left the building and trekked along the dirt path with his hard work pressed against his chest. "I was just curious, that's all...why do we live and die..."

"A dream?" Back into the present, Zeref awoke from his slumber and sits up slowly. "Everyday is a surprise huh..." He mused to himself before smiling softly, shaking the sleep from his eyes. "Natsu...I used to have a younger brother...but he died a few years after his birth...I couldn't understand why that happened, and it bothered me, so I decided I'd do my own research on life and death..."

In years past, the dark-haired wizard presented his research to the public, one of which that included the R-system or known as the Tower of Heaven in the current story line. Those who attended and listened in were greatly impressed by his knowledge but his professors had a different approach and they relentlessly berated him on the forbidden subject. Not to be derailed, the young wizard started on a new idea called the Eclipse Project which involved the possibility of a time-traveling door.

"What do you plan on doing once you've gone back in time?" One of his professors that worked in a different department asked as he watched his pupil work tirelessly among the stacks of loose papers.

"Well..."

"All these projects of yours, the R system, Eclipse, all of it was to bring back your brother, right?" The man continued as Zeref sat in silence. "After all that is said and done, you still can't seem to let go of the idea of bringing back the dead, can you? Therefore, the board of directors have agreed consecutively on expelling you from the academy."

"Wh-What?!" The dark haired mage turned to look at him in shock, unsure if he heard his teacher right. "Wh-Why?"

"They all had high hopes for you...but...you still decide to trifle with the taboo. Such a pity..."

"But...I..."

"Your brother isn't coming back..." His professor said before angrily stating again that Zeref couldn't bring anyone back from the dead. The dark-haired mage's mind had gone haywire as he soon ended up delirious, and the once living plants that were scattered around the room welted at the dark presence that surrounded the mage.

"Professor..." Zeref said weakly as his face became beaded with sweat. "Professor...what's the matter...with me?"

"This...is Ankhseram's wrath...?" The professor stuttered as he watched life being sucked out from his very eyes. When Zeref managed to calm down, he realized with distraught that the professors, the students and everything that breathed and lived around him were all dead. When he reached down to touch one of them, he retracted his hand immediately at how cold the skin had become.

"I guess the gods really were angry at me..." The dark mage mused as he remembered the memory quite fondly. "And that's why they put this curse on me...The more I loved life, the more I robbed people of it...and if I wanted to keep the curse under control, I couldn't think of life the way I wanted to." He stood up and stumbled off in no particular direction, still stuck within his past memories.

"The curse also made me immortal, much to my dismay. Having to deal with the guilt of taking lives away from people, day by day...But also the privilege of unnumbered days allowing me to do as much research as I wanted...it was a complicated feeling." He released a sigh, stumbling along the grassy path and looked up at the leaves of the trees. "I spent years wandering the labyrinth of my thoughts...I wished to die.

"So that was when I delved deeper into the dark arts...creating demons that could hopefully end me...what were later known as Zeref's demons..." He turned to see the said book lying in the field and picked it up with his own hands. "They were once called Etherious...because of the way they were made...beings made of pure ether...But sadly neither of them could kill me... And so, finally, I made you...with the hope that you'd truly be as your name states...END."

In his mind he conjured up the image of a large dragon's egg that he had incubated so long ago exactly the way he remembered it. There were a bunch of tree roots anchored around to keep the egg stable. Within was a small body of a young boy with spiky pink-hair and white paled skin, he looked so innocent that Zeref treated him like a little angel.

"END...or commonly known as Ethelious Natsu Dragneel...I guess it was mean of me to say that I made you since...you originally had a body of your own..." The dark-haired boy wrapped his arm lovingly around the egg and pressed his cheek against it. "I've kept it so well all this time just for this occasion...the body of my younger brother...I've managed to complete two of my goals...bringing back my brother and creating the strongest etherious out there."

"......" The boy within the egg opened his eyes and just stared at the dark wizard with his small dark orbs, the latter smiling with a soft expression.

"My name's Zeref Dragneel, I'm your older brother...Natsu."

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Some mysterious location...

After reminiscing about his past, Zeref left the grassy area with Natsu's book in hand and traveled somewhere else that appeared to be very mountainous. He wasn't fazed by the swirling cold winds that breezed past him higher he climbed; he just tightened his grip on his cloak in response. Stumbling upon the opening of a large cave, he walked right on in without permission and came across a figure sitting cross-legged in the middle of the spacious location.

"I didn't think you'd actually agree to our meeting..." The dark mage spoke first, coming to a stop a few feet away from the other man. He had tan skin and was rather muscular with long, dark blue colored hair. A high collared, black cloak settled comfortably around his shoulders while a red necklace rested around his neck. There was a sash around his waist, a gold arm ring tightened around the upper portion of his right arm and baggy pants for bottoms. Also, he had a deep scar across his left eye. "So that's how you normally look...how's the arm and eye? Acnologia..."

"What do you want, Black Wizard..." Acnologia growled as he kept his sharp gaze at his visitor, his terrific hearing detected the sarcasm laced in the man's words, mocking him about his disfigured body.

"You wish for destruction...a rather small ambition though." Zeref stated pleasantly, pleased that the King of Dragons was willing to speak with him. "You actually have the power to rule the world if you felt like it...I just can't tell why you aren't doing so...or the reasons behind your actions..."

"Aren't you the same?" Acnologia questioned.

"I've been lost my whole life..." Zeref admitted. "And that's why I've been watching from the sides. I couldn't decide if I wanted to fight against you...or with you."

"...what are you getting at...?"

"But either way, I didn't need to choose." Zeref smirked at the man before him, his red eyes flashing dangerously. "I will annihilate both you and mankind. That is my one true mission. You've been waiting, haven't you? For someone that you could fight with all you've got..."

"Heh...that's right." Acnologia agreed to everything that has been said.

"Let me help you..." The Black wizard proposed as a smirk started to stretch across Acnologia's face. "It's a good thing that you waited...for the last battle between a dragon, an immortal and mankind."

"I thought I find you two here." A voice spoke, causing the two to turned to see Genesis walk up to them from the shadows.

"Genesis..." Zeref muttered in a low tone.

"It's been quite some time, Zeref." Genesis said before looking over at Acnologia. "Same to you Acnologia. Or should I say Acnologia...Lionheart..."

"Don't you dare muttered that name before me...!" Acnologia growled out with a cold glare.

Unaffected by it, Genesis continued. "Hmm...you really are nothing like your brother. No matter, that's not the reason I'm here. I overheard of your conversation of the war that is to take place, with the both you of in it. Which means, I can finally step out of the shadows and take my place in the fray as well. Though I plan to take what's mine first by the time it happens."

"Sora...." Zeref said, knowing what the mage was getting at.

"Precisely." Genesis nodded with a smirk. "His power far surpasses anything Slayer magic wise. Maybe even that of the Four Emperors of Ishgar. Once we have our final clash, I will take that power for myself and then use it to wipe you both of Earthland completely. And I'll make sure to that END joins you afterwards."

"...that...is truly a battle that I crave for..." The King of dragons stated with excitement. "Which makes me more eager to for the battle to come."

"I suppose this will be last time we meet until the time comes. Now, I shall take my leave." With that Genesis turned on his heel and left with parting words. "I look forward to our final showdown." With that, he disappeared without a trace.

"I hope to see you soon out on the battlefield as well, Acnologia." Zeref said before walking away, the sound of his shoes clicking softly against the cavern floor. "Don't disappoint me."

Oh I won't. It is you, Black Wizard...that shouldn't disappoint me.' Acnologia thought as he focused his gaze at the wizard's back. Suddenly his body trembled and he clutched his head for a minute. 'What the...? What is this...horrible feeling?! He stopped trembling and looked at his hands in wonder. I haven't...felt this...for a very long time...It's unsettling...'

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Inside Acnologia's mind...

"It's been a long time since I've been in here..." Pydron mused as he sat within the confines of his space, body coiled tightly around himself to preserve what little capacity he had at his disposal. His ghostly body flickered as he glanced around. "...I didn't know he accumulated so much darkness while I was away..."

"Who the hell are you?" The dragon turned his head to see Acnologia standing before him looking bored. "Why are you in my head?"

"You know exactly who I am." Pydron replied as he tucked his claws underneath his chest.

"No. I don't." Acnologia glared angrily at the beast before him, his hands tightened into fists by his side. "Don't play me for a fool. I slayed you so why are you still here?"

"I'm here because I'm...technically your father."

"...Liar."

"You think so? Very well. Let me show you, what I really look like before you became...that." There was a flash of light that forced the deep blue-haired man to cover his eyes.

"You're...why the hell do you look so similar...to me..." Acnologia narrowed his eyes threateningly when the light died down. The dragon had reverted to his human form, shrouded in bright solar flames, as if his body was on fire. He looked a bit similar to Acnologia, which threw the King of Dragons off for a split second; it was like he was seeing an older double.

(Pydron's Human Form. Ignore the headband.)

"I was born this way..." Pydrom smiled, opening his eyes to reveal piercing red eyes. "Just you were born by me and Henrietta."

"Henrietta..?" Acnologia repeated in confusion, looking off to the side with thought. "What is she to me? Why do I have these notions that I should know who she is?!"

"Because she was that important to you. She was your mother." Pydron replied as he gazed at the man with pity. "The question is why you don't remember anything..."

"I remember something though..." Acnologia's eyes flashed without warning and he lunged forward, striking his hand straight through the chest. Pydron's eyes widened in surprised as he looked down at where the hand had entered him, right in the middle. "...you weren't supposed to exist within me. I got rid of you sometime ago. Just as I plan to get rid of your pathetic excuse of a son."

"...at least you know...that much." The other man grunted before disappearing in a flash of purple, retreating further into the mind and away from the battle before he could receive anymore damage. "Soon...Sora will stop you...and you will regret it."

"I am Acnologia. I fear nothing." Acnologia said confidently and turned on his heels to exit his mind space. "I am the King of Dragons. I fear nothing and will never fear...anything anymore." He then clenched his hand. "I will crush all the Dragon Slayers, starting with you... my so called little brother."

That's a wrap for this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. So as it turns out, Aconolgia and Sora are brothers! Tell me what you guys thought about that. Next chapter will be up soon, look forward to it. Comment on your favorite parts and don't forget to vote!

Be sure to review. Until then, see ya!!!