The blood-red light fades from Zeref's eyes and his posture straightens. His glittering black eyes finally register Zancrow's body, dead before him, and Zeref gasps in shock.
"I am sorry, man whose name I do not know. I have burdened myself once again with darkness," he murmurs, kneeling by Zancrow to close his eyes a final time.
"Don't be sorry for him," you say, stepping out behind the tree. Zeref's eyes snap up in surprise and find you, walking toward him slowly without fear. Is it just your imagination, or does he seem to relax the slightest bit?
The Black Wizard turns his head, assessing the conditions of Juvia and Meldy.
"They're fine. Just passed out," you say, turning his attention back to you. Standing before him, you extend a hand and help him up.
Zeref begins to walk away from the bodies and you follow. Surprisingly, he doesn't object, letting you walk beside him in silence. You don't bother asking where he's going, instead you focus on his face, deep in thought.
It's a while before he finally speaks. "You see, I have no intention of doing anything in this age. I will become no one's ally, and no one's enemy."
You don't reply, still a little shocked that he would speak to you. He closes his eyes, "However, if this age is coming to an end, I may spring into action once again." When his eyes open again, they are glowing red, and it takes all your willpower not to flinch away from him.
You open your mouth to reply, but he cuts you off. "I wanted him to destroy me before that happened... Natsu..."
"Zeref..." He turns to you, as if just realizing that you're walking beside him.
"You... You're that girl from before. What are you doing here?" he demands, jumping away from you
"The name's (Y/N)," you begin to roll your eyes when you notice Zeref trying to back away. Lashing out, you grab his wrist before he can run away. "Wait, I want to talk!"
He struggles in your grip, "No! I don't want to kill anyone else!"
"I want to help you."
Zeref stops, and you can feel his gaze boring into you. You raise your head and allow your (E/C) eyes meet his. "You...what?" he whispers.
"I want to help."
He jerks his arm out of your grasp. "There's no way you could help. I've tried everything."
"You're cursed by the god Ankhseram. You've suffered with it for hundreds of years."
"Exactly!" he cries in exasperation. "I've been like this for centuries! I've seen ages come and go, wars, death, but this curse has not wavered a bit!"
"There has to be something you haven't tried yet," you say calmly.
Zeref shakes his head furiously. "No, nothing helps."
"You don't know that," you point out. "You just need to have faith."
He laughs bitterly. "When you've lived as long as I have, (Y/N), you begin to lose hope. Faith is such a human concept. Humans know nothing of true despair."
You're silent for a moment. "But I do."
"What?"
"I know despair. I know how you feel. Remember, I told you that I was cursed too?"
He scoffs and looks away. "You can't possibly understand how I feel."
"Don't I?"
"No. You're human."
YOU ARE READING
Cursed (Zeref X Reader)
Fanfiction(Y/N) has always tried to lock away her past, rejecting her old magic which was forced upon her by one of the darkest figures in history. Then she meets Zeref, cursed by the ancient god Ankhseram, doomed to kill all those that come too near.
