X793
The scythe evaporates as I plow through some bushes on to what I see was the remains of stone houses. The stone is covered in green moss and other vegetation. I run my hands through the ones that once was the house where I was born and grew up in. It had been such a long time since I came back to visit my village. It had changed. This plot of land is never touched by the Fiore Magic Council for they know the great black wizard Zeref was born somewhere here, the village next to this one. They believe some remaining threats are in here that shouldn't be touched. This vast area that spans four villages and countless miles of forests is called the badlands of Fiore. I walk over to what used to be the center of the village and layed down on a raised platform which used to be the big fountain. I stare at the peaceful sky and recollect some good old memories. I look to my right.
X320
"You leaving?" I say raising my legs so I can sit beside Natsu on the bench in front of the fountain. Natsu grabs my hands and pulls me up.
"I don't want to go either but my brother wants to take me somewhere." Natsu's eyes sparkled. He really likes father.
"Dad must be really cool... I think." I say looking down. "Why do you too gotta go and like disappear for a looonggg looongg timeeeeee." I say elongating the words.
"Brother said he has a surprise for you as well and that he's planning something so that we can all be together. This dragon threat is keeping him maybe. "
I nod. Natsu is always right. The threat of the dragons are big that people fear them.
"Just like how you mom goes out to fight... so does your father."
"I believe you."
Natsu hops down from the bench. "Lets play tag!" I hop down after him.
"You know I'm smaller than you. You're gonna win." I say.
Natsu grins. "That's why we are playing." I look to the side and pout. Natsu starts running around the fountain.
"W-WAITTT!" I scream running after him.
"Catch me if you can."
X793
I continued staring at where the bench was to the right of me and then I tilt my head over the platform to see behind me right at what used to be my home.
X320
There was a crash in the kitchen. I run down the stairs just to see the black haired man I call my father stare at my mother. A huge pot filled with rice fell and the floor is covered with rice.
"W-What happened?" I say. My father looks at me and looks back at my mother.
"Were leaving... now." He says.
"Oh we are?" Natsu says coming out from the other room.
"Wait. You can't. You have to stop." My mother says as my father walks out the door. Natsu follows him.
"Are you guys coming back? When?" I ask. Natsu turns around and winks. The doors shut. My mother picked up the pot and mopped the rice from the floor. She walked past me up the stairs.
"I need a rest Cirki. Go play in the forest. Practice your magic." she says. I look at the door.
X793
I get up and just sit staring right in front of me.
X329
I swept the front porch of the dead leaves that fell and the debris that came from nearby villages. The dragons are getting close but somehow I don't feel afraid. I decided to help my mother around the house since she seems to get more sad and tired. Old age maybe? Shes going to leave tomorrow again for a few months to help fight the dragons. I look up. Its almost time I take up her position. I can finally make eather weapons. Just then someone appeared right in front of me. I dropped the broom and looked up. My eyes widen and a smile appears on my face. Its my father. The black attire and white cloth and especially the black hair.
"You're back. Its been nine years." Tears left my eyes. He places his hands on my head and ruffles my hair.
He opens the door and we go inside.
"Zeref?" I hear my mother say. She drops the paperwork she was holding. Her eyes grow wide in horror. My head turns sideways. What? That face is weird.
"It has been a while right?" My father says. He looks at me. "Little Cirki isn't little anymore. How old are you now?" He asks me.
"13" I say.
"You must be getting stronger. Get stronger."
"What are you doing here?" My mother asks.
"What I can't see my own child?" My father says. My mother stares at him.
"Where's Natsu?" I ask. He doesn't seem like appearing. Both my parents look at me. My father smiles.
"Natsu is old enough to go travel and help somewhere else. He doesn't have to stay by me anymore." I smile. He must be traveling or helping fight the dragons.
"Come Cirki. Go upstairs. Your father and I need to talk. We can have lunch later."
I nod and head my way up into my room. I stare out my window and grin. Everyone's home and Natsu is well. But that smile faded because I then heard some shouting. It was my mother at my father. I turn around and head to my room door to listen.
"YOU SENT HIM TO WHAT?"
"So you finally made it huh?"
"What are you trying to do?"
"Repeat time? Second Chance?"
That's all I could hear. Five minutes later the doors slammed shut and I walk down stairs to see my mother on the floor and my dad gone. What happened?
"Cirki. Go back to your room." She mumbles.
I stand there grasping the situation. "GO!" She screams. I turn around and run up to my room. I lay on my bed. My mother left that night for her duty instead of tomorrow. She didn't say bye.
X793
I get off the platform. "Repeat time? Second chance?"
Those are the words my mother said Whalen I was 13 when it was the last time my father vsited us before my 18th birthday. Is my fathers plan to go back in time before he got the curse? That means he can prevent Natsu from dying. But how is he gonna achieve receiving a Do over in life. He said he needs Lumen Histoire... but I am not familiar with its magic. But what about Natsu and END and what I heard about my father wanting END to kill him? What about Achnologia? All the information I have piled up about my father just doesn't fit together. I get up and walk around the fountain thinking. I thought the village will give some clues. I was finally able to master up the strength to come back here since my 18th birthday. I was afraid of those good and bad memories seeping in but I've realized that I have to come here if I want to figure out what my father is doing and stop everything. I go over to the beginning of the forest in what used to be my backyard and lay my hands on the rusty metal on the grass floor. My moms last magic enchantment. But somehow the magic remains are gone. I was gonna suck in this metal magic. It was one of my plans in coming here. But instead, I felt something rough. What? I look closely. It was words printed on it.
"TARTAROS -Z" I back away. He was here. The words look like they were carved just recently. They took the magic. My hunch was right. Tartaros has something to do with my father big time.
*************
I stayed at my village for a week or so thinking about what I should do when I go back to the guild. Or more specifically, what I should tell them. It was the sixth day. I stood in the forest where I used to practice my Godslaying Magic. I learned how to use the eather weapons here right at a specific tree. The tree was still there after so many hundred years. I went over and touched the cut old marks on it. I took out an eather sword and slashed a few more marks on the same tree. I'm more stronger than I used to be. Here I also practiced the Reapers Blow but I never got to finalize it here. I mastered it wile I was training with Atlas Flame. I mastered a lot of things then. I was determined to get stronger. I look everywhere and decide its time to go back to the guild. After that I have to deal with this Tartaros Guild especially after I saw the letters on that leftover metal piece.