(Third Person POV)
[On The Nemesis, High In The Air]
"What's the status on the Northern Front?" Jason asked
They were in the briefing room, standing around a large holographic map.
"Igora is engaged in battle with the Shield, Erigor." Mavis said as she looked at Jason, "The rest of our forces are thinning the enemy down. There has been no movement from the other Shield. Seems he only sent his forces to aid..."
Jason nodded, "I see..." He said, "In that case, tell them to call for support if needed. The Nemesis has its artillery ready."
"Jason." Lucy called out
Jason turned around to see Lucy walking towards him.
"What's wrong?" He asked
"Gray and Natsu are talking about going back to the guild." She told him, "I want to go with them, is it okay if we borrow an airship?"
"Okay." He said, "Felicity will give you one. Be careful."
Lucy gave him a smile, "Thanks." She said, "Oh and one thing..."
Jason raised an eyebrow, "What is it?" He asked her
"After all this is over, we should talk." She said, "Things are getting too hectic, so don't expect any 'time' from me, okay?"
Jason knew what she was referring to. She was talking about sex. Jason had a suspicion that Lucy was aware of him having sex with many women while all this was happening.
"Okay then." Jason said, "Go on then, go back to the guild."
Lucy nodded and turned around to walk away.
As Jason watched her walk away, Kagura walked up to him.
"So." She said, "Her too?"
Jason shrugged, "I don't know." He said, "We'll figure it out later. For now, we need a plan to get my son back."
Kagura nodded, "Of course." She said, "Whatever it takes."
"I'll help you out."
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[Several Hundred Miles Away From Magnolia, To The West]
Zeref sat on a stone chair that looked like it was formed from the ground. He was leaning on his arm as his scarlet eyes looked in front of him. Around him, there was what looked like icy steam, almost as if it was a result of an ice magic attack.
There was ice all around him, caused by a powerful mage. Suddenly, several ice shards shot straight at him with tremendous speed.
"My my..." He said with an eerie tone as he flicked the shards away with his free hand, "What persistent man you are...."
Standing several meters in front of him, Silver had his hand extended as he panted. There was blood running down his face and his left eye was pitch black, with several dark markings around it.
"Dammit..." Silver muttered
Zeref smiled smugly as he looked at Silver, "Did you really think that I would be alone here on accident?" He said, "I merely told my army to go on ahead without me. I knew you were coming, Silver. I felt like having a bit of....'Fun'....You see I am in a great mood.."
Silver frowned, "Why's that?" He asked
"Acnologia was defeated..." Zeref said with a smirk, "That takes a thorn out of my side. I cannot believe that Jason was even capable of that."
"Jason beat Acnologia?!" Silver exclaimed
Zeref nodded, "Oh yes." He said, "Because of him, I do not have to go with that 'plan', but Fairy Heart is still to be retrieved. As for you.....don't be shy, take 'It' out."
Silver scowled, "I won't need it!!" He growled
He then released an immense aura as his entire left side malformed; and several dark spikes emerged from his body as his eye distorted into that of a demon's. Zeref felt the immense surge of power that came from Silver's body, unfazed by it.
"Oh..." He said, "You truly turned yourself into an abomination.....You mutated yourself into not just an Etherious, but a blend of other Demonic races. How interesting....."
Silver clapped his hands as he released an icy wave of air. He then extended his arms, forming a massive bow of ice. Zeref could feel the immense amount of Devil Slayer magic within the ice.
"Unholy Bow of Destruction"
The bow then distorted, releasing an eerie and dark light as Silver fired off a massive arrow of pure magic power at Zeref. The Black Wizard realized that the arrow wasn't just ice, but a blend of pure magic power and curse power.
"Oh?" He said as he snapped his fingers
The arrow then struck an invisible force and exploded violently, causing a massive shockwave of ice and magic power that shook the ground.
Silver widened his eyes, "What?!"
Zeref chuckled, "Don't tell me..." He said, "Did you really expect that to land? I mean, a single-directional attack with a clear telegraph? Obviously, I can defend against it."
Silver gritted his teeth, "Curse you, Zeref!!!" He shouted, "Because of you, I am become this!!! This....Monster!!!"
"Interesting..." Zeref said, "You blame me for your current situation? I am not to blame...It was Deliora who destroyed your hometown and killed you. It was Keyes that reanimated you. It was Tartaros that turned you into the Devil Slayer and the murderer you are."
Silver scowled, "You created them!!" He shouted
"I created them for the purpose of killing me." Zeref said, "All of The Etherious, that is. They were failures so I let them to their own devices me. How was I supposed to know that E.N.D. would rally them under his banner and found Tartaros? Deliora, however, was always a loose cannon. Whatever their choices were, were theirs, not mine. I gave them their free will, after all."
Silver looked down, "So after all this time, you won't accept responsibility?" He said, "Unacceptable!"
He extended his left arm and summoned a dark halberd that distorted the air around it almost immediately.
Zeref smiled, "Oh yes." He said, "I knew you had something like that up your sleeve. Didn't Jason had the Calamitous Edge in his possession?"
Silver glared at him, "I've made a 'Contract' with it." He said, "After hundreds of lives reaped, I was able to bond with the weapon and make it my own. I let Jason take it and have it feed off his domain of nearly infinite curse power, which is richer than Magic Power."
"Oh.." Zeref said, "This might be fun after all. Endless's weapon...The Calamitous Edge that was forged from The Eclipsed God's blood...."
Silver then pointed the halberd at The Black Wizard as he released an intense dark aura. Zeref could feel the immense rise in his power. It was something he was not used to, but somehow, wasn't worried too much about it.
"Prepare yourself, Zeref!!" He shouted,
"I will kill you!!!"