Chapter 445

[deathsought]

In that context, I would have said that 'Spriggan' was the perfect alias. Wouldn't you agree?

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[deathsought]

Imagine living a cursed life in which you will always watch those whom you can bring yourself to care about die before you, whether due to age or by your own hands. Outliving almost everyone you will ever know.

Wouldn't you do anything to free yourself from such a fate?

{ He's never had a problem with you, Wendy. You've never been anything but kind to him at Genessia, both times you were there. Even saving his life once. }

[vernier]

[She isn't sure she could imagine it, or whether she'd agree. It's already difficult for her to imagine life without her friends; though she will mature over time, she still doesn't think she could watch the people she loved die over and over again. However, she was also taught to live for her friends—and living in isolation was out of the question for her. Still, she thinks she can understand how he feels.]

There's really no other way...? I'm sure people would understand if you explained your situation. [If only she knew.]

[deathsought]

Tell me, Wendy. How much do you know of the Gods?

And I am not referring to an arbitrary title granted by the Magic Council.

{ He never thought the Ten Wizard Saints was an accurate way of measuring the power of Ishgar's mages. If it was, he would be at the top, Gildarts would be somewhere in there, and the bottom five at least would all be Fairy Tail. The way those ranks are assigned are obviously politically motivated, but the Four Gods, at least, were mostly accurate.

It's why he accepted God Serena into the Spriggan Twelve. }

[vernier]

[She takes a moment to think. There are the Yakuma War Gods, who could be summoned by powerful wizard. However, they weren't invincible, as proven when Natsu shattered one of them. Still, she could hardly consider that experience informative. And whether there were other kinds of gods, well... That was something she was unsure of.]

...Almost nothing.

[deathsought]

Ankhseram is an ancient God of life and death. Ironically, he doesn't appear to be worshiped that often anymore, at least not in Fiore.

There is only one way to have the kind of magic that I have. It can't be learned. It must be given. And I did not want it.

{ Let that sink in a moment, Wendy. }

Humans have always sought a way to cheat death. It is not as desirable as it may sound at first.

[vernier]

So, you tried to cheat death and were cursed with immortality and death magic?

[Just making sure she understands.]

...May I ask what you did?

[deathsought]

{ Zeref is silent for several seconds, before he finally speaks. }

I tried to bring somebody back from the dead.

[vernier]

That's—

[She stops, unsure of how to respond. Who did he try to bring back from the dead? Was it someone close to him? She couldn't imagine he was antagonistic before he was cursed. And besides, in a world full of magic, wouldn't it make sense for people to try and bring back loved ones?]

Cursing a person for wanting to revive someone... T-That's cruel...

[deathsought]

Ankhseram believed death should be a one way route. The R-System, Eclipse... My previous attempts to resurrect him earned me that curse. Ironically enough, it wasn't until after I was made immortal through Ankhersam's curse that I had enough time to truly perfect my method of resurrecting the dead. I hated myself for taking advantage of eternal life to spend my time studying, but it worked.

I resurrected my little brother by reconstructing his body as a demon: E.N.D.

[vernier]

Y-Your little brother is E.N.D.?

[...Yeah, she can understand why he would go to great lengths to revive him. Though, is his brother happy about being a demon?]

How does he feel about this?

[deathsought]

It isn't as if I can ask him at the moment. Before, however... He was perfectly content as a demon. He embraced it, even founding Tartaros.