⚒ SEVENTEENTH - [ video - open to action ]

[deathsought]

[[ ooc: backdated to right after this ]]

{ Zeref's mind was still spinning. Deliora's (second) death was affecting him far more than it should have. He felt no attachment to that... thing, even less so than he did to the demons of Tartaros. But something about it felt wrong. Deliora ignored his commands, and Zeref couldn't revert him back to his book form. It was as if he has completely lost control over him. How was that possible? Nobody else has even read Deliora's book. Nobody else knew how to summon him, let alone control him. And Deliora didn't have the sentence necessary to question Zeref's orders, much less defy them.

The video feed was bobbing lightly, implying the necklace was around his neck. He was moving through Genessia City, walking from Fayren's archway to Everglade's. He was sticking mainly to the alleyways; with his current mental state, he was worried about the possibility of his Curse activating again. By now, Zeref knew the city well; he had every route to every archway through the back alleys memorized. He could have done it in his sleep.

He had no idea how Deliora appeared here... Or if that was even Deliora or at all. The thoughts wouldn't leave his head. It was almost as if-- }

This another one of your tricks, Black Wizard?

{ Zeref froze mid-step. The feed stopped bobbing. Those who could hear very well might have even noticed that Zeref's breath had caught in his throat. He swallowed, and turned slightly; he was looking directly behind him, but the angle of the camera wouldn't show anything more than the edge of a brown cape, and a bit of long, shaggy blue hair. The voice might be slightly familiar to certain members of Fairy Tail, but... }

I should have known it was only a matter of time before you were brought here.

{ Zeref's voice wasn't its usual melancholy, quiet tone. It was tense. There was only one person Zeref was unnerved by, besides Ankhseram, if Ankhseram - or indeed, the one he's speaking to - could even be called 'people.' }

You flatter me, but you know as well as I do that interdimensional travel isn't exactly my field of expertise.

{ The other voice grunted. }

You mean to tell me that we were both brought here by someone else? Who was it? One of your abominations? Maybe one of those twelve warm-up acts you've saved for me in Alakitasia?

{If Zeref had more clarity, he'd have asked how he could have possibly known about the Spriggan Twelve. The only reason he hadn't gone to Alvarez is because he wasn't exactly in a state for a marathon flight across the ocean, something Zeref had been counting on for the coming year. }

I promised you a real fight in a year. By my count, it has only been two days.

{ Time flowing differently here notwithstanding, of course. The blue-haired man grunted again, and took a step forward, just enough for intricate, tattoo-like designs on his cheek to be seen, along with shadowed, inhuman-looking eyes. }

I can be patient for that. But can you?

{ Zeref didn't answer, not understanding the question at first. }

I have a whole new world to destroy, now. If you won't give me what I want, maybe somebody else here will.

{ He turned, and headed back down the alleyway. Zeref stood still for several seconds, before turning and heading in the opposite direction, back towards Fayren. }