~*****~

Mavis' story finishes as Zeref returns her body to Fairy Tail, rather callously I might add. "And so, that's how my body ended up inside the lacrima. And why it remains there today. Precht worked tirelessly, trying every resurrection spell he could find, but not a single one could bring me back to life. One day, because of his vast knowledge of magic, he finally realized what had happened. I had been stricken by the Curse of Ankhselam. He promised to never tell a soul about it. And, he kept his word, no one would know the truth about me. In 697, Precht made up his mind. He decided to tell the guild that I'd passed away. A shrine over an empty grave was erected on Tenrou Island, which was declared our sacred land. That is where I was born. And where I met my fellow founders of the guild: Precht, Warrod, and Yuri. That same year, Precht became Fairy Tail's second master. He was acting in accordance to the wish I had made known in the time before my disappearance. He devoted all his time not spent performing his duties as a guild master in solitude, working without rest to revive me. In the year 700, Makarov's Father, Yuri Dreyer, died prematurely, never knowing the true cause of his wife's death. Precht continued his attempts to resurrect me for the next thirty years. Though, not successful, the results yielded in something rather unexpected. As I'd said, he had a vast knowledge about magic and exhausted his resources to bring me back, but I remained in suspended animation inside the lacrima, unable to age or truly die. In an unforeseen convergence of factors, an inexplicable form of magic was created. It was something that would rock the wizarding world to its very core. Eternal Magic... called Fairy Heart." My brows quirked and it felt as if some memory was trying to resurface in my head. Something important about that particular phrase.

Lucy stammered. "I don't understand. What is it?"

"Yes, please, elaborate," Erza hummed.

"An everlasting source of magic. Simply put, the power that springs from Fairy Heart will never dry up." Mavis states.

"Are you serious?!" Natsu exclaims loudly.

"Like magic you can keep using forever and ever?!" Happy cries.

"Whoa, that's wild," Ballad chirped.

"Consider the weapon developed by the old magic council, the Etherion Cannon. It was powerful enough to wipe out an entire country with one blast. The Fairy Heart contains enough magic energy to fire an infinite number of Etherion Blasts. Or perhaps, contains is not the right word for it. It can generate that kind of magic energy. Enough to wipe out all countries."

"I understand why we'd wanna keep this a secret," Wendy hums.

"News like this would definitely throw the wizarding world into total chaos." Carla murmurs.

"Ivan tried to get his hands on it some years ago. It seems word of existence has reached the shores of Alvarez as well." Makarov mentioned.

"Which means, they're gonna launch an invasion to try and take control of the power it can generate." Laxus hums.

"But why would they go through the trouble?" Bickslow asks. "Aren't they already swimming in magic power over there?"

"Well, my theory is that they wanna use it as a weapon in the fight against Acnologia. Even Zeref considers him to be too evil for this world." Mavis hums.

"Is he really that strong?" Gray asks. "I mean, I know he's like a force of nature, but that's insane!"

"It's so scary..." Juvia murmurs.

"Wait a second, please," Ballad chirps out. "I don't wanna sound dumb, but if we have this super powerful, why can't we just use it on both of them?"

"Boom! Yeah! That that, you baddies! Boom!" Happy chirps in agreement.

"I suppose that question needed to be asked," Makarov hummed. "I must admit, I did consider using it to stop the Faces in the battle with Tartaros. Although we would've clinched a short-term victory, there was no telling what the long-lasting effects might've been. For example, what if we'd lost control of the Etherion and it rained down limitless destruction?"

Ballad shivered and curled into my neck. "Sorry I asked," She murmured with a wobbly tone.

"In all honesty, the question was a good one. But you have to remember. You cannot counteract a poison with another poison." I mention softly as I pat at Ballad's head.

"Be careful, I'm not sure she enjoys being called a poison." Carla hums.

"No matter what we're up against, Fairy Heart must remain secret. The world just isn't ready for it." Mavis states softly. The hall erupts with cheers. Mavis sighs softly. "I never dreamed my sin would cause all this. I dragged my beloved Fairy Tail into a mess that could end us for good."

"What sin?" Gajeel asked irritably. "Because opening up your heart to love someone isn't actually a sin in my book. And if it was illegal... I wouldn't arrest ya."

"What's with the mushy crap, Gajeel? You're totally softening. Might as well call you the black blanket at this point." I mention as I shove my finger in my ear.

"YOU WANNA FIGHT, YOU COLD HEARTED IMP?!" Gajeel roared back at me.

"He's right," Erza hummed. "And you mustn't blame yourself for what's happened."

"It's unfortunate, but it's obviously not what you had intended," Carla mentions.

"Because of you, Fairy Tail is a force for good in the world," Lucy hums.

"And no Fairy Tail..." Happy trails off.

"Would mean that we wouldn't all be friends today." Pantherlily mentions.

"I'd be sad!" Ballad chirps, raising her paw.

Mavis starts tearing up. "You made this happen. Your love for people is what brought us all together." Gray adds.

"And we're willing to do whatever it takes to protect the guild you created, because we believe in it." Wendy smiles.

"Yeah, so quit with the crying, because we're gonna protect what you love." I mention.

Tears flow down Mavis' face either way. "Your guild's grown into a thing of beauty, first master." Makarov hummed.

Juvia begins sobbing. "It's hard to imagine something so tragic and painful as being forced to fight the person you once madly loved." Juvia murmurs.

"There's still something weird about that whole relationship," I murmur to myself.

"The feelings I had for him are long in the past. Zeref is a threat. To Ishgar, and all of humanity. He must be defeated!" Mavis states.

"Not gonna lie. It'll be tough." Bickslow hummed. "Even if we took down Alvarez's army..."

"Zeref himself can't age or die, isn't that right?" Laxus asked.

There's another uproar in the guild hall. "How do we defeat somebody like that?" Erza asks.

"Chop him up and bury the pieces in different parts around the world?" I suggest in a carefree tone.

"THAT'S TOO DARK! EVEN FOR YOU, ARIA!" Lucy admonishes with a pale look on her face. I whistle innocently.

Natsu suddenly starts laughing. "Just leave that part to me, you guys!" Natsu cries loudly. "I'll be the one to take down Zeref! Because my right arm... is a secret weapon, too!"

I pat at his leg as he stands on the table. "What the hell are you talking about?" I ask irritably.

Natsu suddenly gets a bright look in his eye and he keeps his arm brandished. "Well, it's a secret."

"Obviously, you dunce," I retort.

"That's why it's a secret weapon!" Natsu grins.

"Just tell us what it is, you pink haired punk!" Gray shouts as he, Gajeel, and I start shoving at him and snatching at his scarf.

"How the hell can your right arm be a secret anyway!?" Gajeel snaps.

"Just show us, you damn fire troll!" I bark.

"You know, I don't have a clue what's under there, but knowing him, I'll bet it's something super special." Wendy chirps.

Happy just smiles to himself. Ballad flies overhead. "Tell us, you hog!" She squeals.

"All I can say, is that it's a one-time-use technique. With this, I'll be able to take down ol' Zeref once and for all." Natsu explains as he brandishes his arm. "There's no way I'm gonna lose to him."

I palm at my head and grimace. Whatever the hell he's got literally up his sleeve has got to be either the worst attack ever, or the best. And we wouldn't know until he showed it off in battle. "You Glory Hog," I comment as a flush crawls up my neck. "Of course you'd get everyone riled up without revealing your secret."

"Trust me, sweetheart, it'll be the end all be all kinda technique!" Natsu chirps, overconfident.

I plop my fist onto his head. "Still not accepting the pet names anymore," I retort plainly.

"Of course, I have several strategies of my own, but I'll let Natsu lead for now." Mavis hums.

"Master," I suddenly called out.

"Go on." Erza, Makarov, and Mavis all chirp, and there's a hint of Macao somewhere.

I push my palm against Macao's. "Ew, no, not you. I still remember coming back to Fairy Tail in the dumps." I remind him. "Master Makarov, I should say." I correct myself. "Seeing as how we might be going in blind, you should probably tell us everything about who we're going up against."

Makarov nods firmly. "Yes, that's a good point. I'll share what information I was able to glean in my time there." Makarov hums. "At the top sits Emperor Spriggan. Here is Ishgar, he's more commonly referred to as the Legendary Black Wizard, Zeref. And beneath him are powerful wizards, an elite and terrifyingly ruthless force known as the Spriggan Twelve. During the year I was confined there, I only managed to meet six of them, and because it's such a large region, it's apparently quite rare for all of them to be in the same place at the same time." Makarov explains. "Invel, AKA, the Winter General. Zeref's right-hand man. And his chief administrator. I'm not sure, but his nickname leads me to believe that he utilizes ice-based magic, though I haven't seen him in action." I hum in thought. In terms of that battle, if he were an ice mage, then it would be wise to send in either Natsu, Gray, or myself for that battle, seeing as we're all impervious to ice-based attacks. "Ajeel, the Desert King. He's the sand wizard we encountered during our escape from Alvarez. As we experienced, he's one of the twelve's most aggressive members."

"He couldn't stop us," Natsu mentions.

"Because Laxus was there," I remind him. Laxus would be a good match against him. His lightning can break through most ground or earth based magic attacks, but it would not be without loss. It would take a hell of a lot of Laxus' strength to defeat Ajeel.

"Brandish, the Nation Destroyer," Makarov hums. "Though not much of a hawk, she does wield enough magic power to wipe countries off the map."

"We have encountered her before, on Caracol Island," Erza states. "She's a force to be reckoned with. From what I could tell, her magic can alter an object's mass."

"Dimaria, the Warrior Queen. I don't know what magic she uses, but she's an extremely skilled knight who's touted as a goddess of the battlefield." Makarov continues.

"So, she's a wizard and a knight?" Erza asks.

"Sounds kinda familiar, doesn't it?" Laxus mentions.

"God Serena, a top-ranked, ex-member of the Ten Wizard Saints," Makarov continued. "He's a profound disappointment to our country, and impossible to like, but I've had the chance to witness his extraordinary magic power firsthand."

"I still can't even wrap my head around the fact that the highest ranked wizard saint is working with the enemy now." Lucy hums.

"I wonder why he decided to desert Ishgar." Juvia murmured.

"Honestly, I doubt that there's anyway to know for sure without asking him personally," Pantherlily hums.

"I'll make sure to do that... When I arrest him." Gajeel hums.

"August, the Wizard King. Be especially wary of him. Although I don't know much about him personally, his magic power is rumored to be without equal among the twelve. He's on a completely different level. If what I've heard is true, he's mastered all manner of magic from every corner of the world. It has been said that he might even wield more types of magic than Zeref himself."

"Oof, sounds like one tough bastard," I comment irritably.

"That's all the information I have on those six," Makarov hums. "As far as the others, I only have the names of three. They're... Bloodman... Neinhart... and the last one is Wall."

"We'll need to formulate our strategy," Mavis hums. "Everybody, pay close attention. Zeref will invade Ishgar with his entire army. I won't sugar coat it. There's no question we are at an overwhelming disadvantage. Our enemy is greater in number and far more powerful than any we've faced before. But, due to our courage and our bond, we shall prevail. Let's show them what our guild is made of!" The guild hall erupts in cheers once again. I purse my lips and pinch at my chin in thought.

~*****~

We left the guild hall for the night, preparing for what's to come. It was as if we were in the calm part of the storm.

I don't know what time it was, and how long he'd been standing out there, but when I opened the door, I couldn't help but notice that there was a different look on Natsu's face than usual. "What do you want?" I ask softly.

Natsu hums and for a moment, he remains silent. "Just... wanted to hang out with you tonight." Natsu mentions softly. I continue to stare at him, and it's like something pulls me to him. My hands are resting on his arm and I could feel the warmth flowing through him. It made my body shudder. And, in that moment, I'd wanted to relinquish my own anger and bitter feelings towards Natsu, even if it were for just one night. And perhaps, maybe I could be a little sneaky and see what's under those bandages on his arm.

I was pleasant, feeling his teeth scraping against my overly flushed skin. Even if I were to start being bitter again, I would cherish the memories we'd make tonight. "Hey, what's got you all spaced out?" Natsu suddenly asks, his suddenly serious gaze burning into mine.

I peer back at him, a sudden softness ebbing into my head. "Just thinking about what's to come." I hum. "Whatever happens tomorrow, how the future will be changed. I want to remember this moment as a time that I didn't feel any bitterness towards you. Perhaps it's my own jilted heart refusing to accept you're here for good. But all I know is that I don't want to go into battle without saying some things that need to be said." I sit up slowly and rub at the small reddening spots against my chest and neck. Natsu's polite in that moment, pulling up a blanket to cover my body as I raise. "If this battle turns out the way we hope, and I remain as cold and cut off from you as I was, I want you to move on. If something as life threatening as a ruthless battle with the Alvarez empire cannot change how I feel, then I suppose nothing will."

"Aria," Natsu pulled out softly, his hand cupping at my face.

"Natsu, you will move on. Trusting you again feels like a thousand knives in my gut, and I don't like it. I guess you could say I'm like Everest in that aspect. Being alone ensures that no one will ever be able to make me feel horrible again." I explain.

Natsu pushes me down and braces his arms over his head, his forehead resting on my own. "Stop talking about that crap like it ain't eatin' you up inside." Natsu retorts irritably. I open my mouth to snap at him, but he silences me with a harsh bite on my neck. "I'm not giving up on you. And you're not giving up on me." Natsu hums through the grip he's got on my neck. It's strangely comforting. The feel of his teeth pushing against my pulse point. One wrong move and my life could be ended. Figuratively and literally. It must've dawned on him, too, because he pulls away for just a moment and bites down onto the small scent gland just under my ear. I feel a throb in my head and my body heats up. My gums start to feel heady at the influx of hormones suddenly oozing into the room, making everything hotter. It was like an oven.

And, with one small prick, it broke them dam the two of us had been holding. I couldn't fathom how fast my own teeth latched onto his neck and tore through the skin over his scent gland. The room flooded with the scent of forestry just after a good freeze. Instinct. That's all it took for the two of us to lose our minds.

Natsu's hands are suddenly gripping at my hips, his body suddenly invading my own. It's rough, and for pleasure only. My body welcomes the intrusion like an old friend, strangely enough. It doesn't take much for our bodies to finish, seeking out nothing but the act itself. There's no sweet words, no intimate kisses. Just teeth locked onto each others necks as we force our own bodies to relinquish control to instinct.

In reality, what felt like hours of mind-numbing pleasure, was only about an hour. Natsu raised his head, his mouth sucking in soft, hurried breaths as he stares down at me with a shaky look in his eye, his lips ringed with blood and drool. I can imagine my own mouth coated in his blood, but none of it matters. Everything is hypersensitive, and I don't want him to move any time soon.

Natsu curls back down, his hand digging into my hair as he smashes his mouth against mine, still trying to catch his own breath. I meet his enthusiasm with vigor, whimpering at the smallest movements. It's not until the bell starts ringing loudly that we get our bearings. Without another word, we throw our clothes on and rush out into the night. "Start Strategy D! Flying Dragons and Ospreys! Commence the attack!"

With Bisca on the ground, Gajeel, Wendy, Natsu, and I charge through the air, blasting through ships left and right. "Say Hi to the flying Dragon Squad!" Natsu roars.

"Time to eat my fist, you punk!" I exclaim loudly, slamming my fist against my palm.

"It's that chick again," Ajeel grimaces.

"Now let's rock," Gajeel grins.

"Right!" Wendy chirps.

"Miss, there's too much enemy fire!" Ballad cries as she dips and swerves around wildly.

"Relax, just breathe and do what feels right! Trust yourself!" I exclaim.

"Bisca needs to get firing!" Carla admonishes.

A powerful burst of magic soars through the air, sailing straight at Ajeel's ship. "Not so fast, ya losers!" Ajeel roars, forcing the blast to split.

"He diffused a shot from the Jupiter Cannon?" Pantherlily asked in shock.

"Guess we gotta fight 'em up close." Gajeel hummed. "I say we start with the sandy bastard!"

The four of us land on the ship without a debate. "You guys really know how to break stuff," Ajeel mentioned smugly. The three began gagging as I rubbed at my brow irritably. "What the hell?!"

"Oh, no! We forgot this is a vehicle!" Happy cried.

"How did you forget? Miss Aria took a potion just before we took off." Ballad hummed.

"What a huge oversight." Carla sighed.

"Hey, Wendy, time to use your Troia spell!" Pantherlily cried.

"I'm so sorry, you guys..." Wendy whimpered. "But I can't use it if I'm already feeling pukey, too."

I slam my fist into their heads. "I said take a potion, but you're all too weak to handle the taste!" I exclaim irritably.

Ajeel grimaced. "What are you guys gonna do, throw up on my feet? Works for me. We've taken some hits tonight. I want you to have some of the ships land while I deal with these idiots."

"Yes sir!" A crewman exclaims.

Ajeel reaches for Natsu, but I intervene, grasping his arm tightly and pushing him back, the overwhelming instinct to protect suddenly burning in my mind. "Back off, sand man." I snap angrily.

"You sure you're the same icy chick I fought back in Alvarez, because despite not being a part of your queasy crew, you still look like a joke on your home turf." Ajeel snapped.

"Happy, Carla, Lily-" I snap in an order. They all perk up. "Get them out of here." I state as I raise my foot just an inch, and slam it down. There's a subtle crack that echoes out, one that makes Ajeel snort in amusement, but the next moment, the entire bow of the ship blasts off. "And you listen good, you beach toting freak of nature," I snap. "Just because I may look a certain way doesn't mean I don't have the power to obliterate you and your buddies." One by one, each of the crew are suddenly frozen over. Scales ripple over my body, my talons lengthen, and I feel pressure against my cranium from the horns burrowing out of my skill.

"Who do you think you are?" Ajeel growls, a vein bursting against his head.

"You think you can walk up to my home and try to tear it down? I'd rethink my life choices if I were you, until you wanna be buried in that sand you so covet." I snap.

"You've got an hour at most, miss," Ballad suddenly chirps from the air. "I'll be giving support when you need it, so don't take too long!"

I wave my hand at her. "I don't care if I'm puking my guts out, I'll still wipe out this jackass. You go down with the others, take out as many punks as you can."

"But you said-"

"Let loose, you understand? Don't let those punks set one foot in our home!" I order.

Ballad suddenly looks bright and cheerful. "Aye, Miss!" She cheers and swoops down below.

"I was hoping you'd have more up your sleeve," Ajeel sneers, his grin menacing. "For someone to land such a slug on me, I was hoping there was more to it! Now let's go, icy chick!"

A billow of sand starts stinging at my scales and I start looking all around for an exit. I whip my arm across my mouth, wincing lightly. There was the option to use another ice crystal, but that wouldn't do much, seeing as how my skin is getting dried out from this mage's magic. I could attempt to use another fire crystal, but the drawbacks might put me out for the rest of the battle. I did have a few crystals from Sting and Rogue, both teeming with Dragon Slayer magic, both white and shadow. Perhaps that would work, but what kind of drawbacks would I be looking at? On one point, if Ajeel cut off Bisca's sight, I could provide a path with Sting's magic. "Yeah, that'll work." I hum absently. I jam my hand into my pocket and pull out the small white crystal and suddenly feel the need to thank Sting for the gift. Crunching through the crystal, Sting's magic bursts through me, and my scales suddenly take on an opaline color, shimmering brightly against the moon light. The sandstorm bursts apart in response to the influx of magic. "Dragon Force: Frozen White Dragon Mode!" I bark, brandishing my claws. The burst is just what I need as I sail forward, slamming my knee against Ajeel's gut, sending him flying back.

Ajeel chuckles as I rubs at the bruise on his gut. "It's like I said, girlie, I've been excited about this!" He grins. "Glad to see you're gettin' serious with me!" Just as someone crashes through the bottom of the ship, I throw my leg up, catch him hard and shoot him to the right, as if I were kicking a ball. It destroys another ship as Ajeel stares in shock. "What the hell?!"

"You should thank Natsu for sharing," I retort blandly. "Because that got me really fired up." I launch forward again, spinning my body around violently until my foot crushes against his head and slamming him down onto the ship. "White Dragon Whip!"

"That shouldn't be possible- how did you-" Ajeel growls as I continue to assault him.

"You should learn a little about the 'losers' you fight," I snap harshly. "Sand and heat used to be my worst enemy, but by training my body to withstand such extremities, I can take whatever you dish out at me. I am impervious to your magic."

"You're wrong! No one can beat the great Ajeel!" He roared back, creating a large sandstorm.

Frost billows out from my body, dissipating the sandstorm immediately. "Stone and sand are one and the same, ice cuts through it like putty."

"Then how about a real sandstorm!" Ajeel shouts. I peer around cautiously, grimacing at the storm covering the entire town. "Let me welcome you to the Sand World! In here, I am God! And I reign without mercy!" He shouts out a spell I have no clue as to what he's saying, but it barrages my body with a flurry of sand balls. "You're afraid of being completely immobilized of having to fight an enemy you can't see!" Ajeel snaps. "To me, it's clear as day. Not only can I see your fear, I can feel it!" I close my real eye and hum softly, listening intently to what's around me. "Pathetic! You don't have a chance!" Magic swells in my eye, preparing Bisca's target.

I feel the shift behind me, and I whirl around immediately, angling my fingers up and it digs through whoever's behind me. Ajeel stands in shocked silence as blood pools from the gaping wound my hand is caught in. "How did- how did you-"

"Relax, it's not fatal," I retort as I sling my hand out. "You ready for a target, Bisca?"

"You got it!" Bisca responds immediately.

Ajeel slings his gaze up, to the bright orb suddenly pulling out of my real eye that grow and grows, brightly through the storm. "No! Impossible!" Ajeel roars as a blast hits the ship, sending us both hurtling in the air.

My wings burst from my back, and I hurtle towards Ajeel again, my hand clasping into his hair as I rear my head back before slinging it forward. There's an awful crack that echoes through the air, and Ajeel suddenly goes limp. "Hey, stay awake, you sand loving freak," I snap as I grasp the scarf around his neck and hoist him up. "Your magic is awesome, and you should be proud of that," There's a hazy look in his eye as he struggles to stay away. "Be grateful you know someone is out there that's stronger than you, because I am far from the strongest in the guild." I comment. "For now, you can relish in your wounds, because you will live." I hum as I let him drop. "Just think about following something other than Zeref for a change, huh?" His eyes finally slip closed as he sinks faster and faster to the ground.