I apologize for the long wait!

A cup was placed down in front of him, steam rose from it and small peach slices floated on its surface. The sweet smell made him swallow since it has been along time since he's had anything other than water.

Anna shuffles through the kitchen, humming softly and he stares at the small porcelain cup. He was stiff in his seat despite the fact that he was now clean and in proper clothes. He took deep breaths and focused on the tea leaves floating around.

Anna comes around and takes a seat across the table with her own tea cup. She wore a closed eye smile and he eased only a tad bit.

"Well I honestly do not know where to start," She laughed sheepishly after adding a sugar cube in her cube and stirring it in. "When Menho left longer than usual I began to worry but seeing as though he helped you gives me some relief." She takes a sip before chocolate eyes looked up at him. "I take it you were on the front lines, they only send those out since they are the most powerful ones?"

He nods slowly, still staring at the cup, wondering how she would know such a thing. She takes another sip and rests her cheek on her hand.

"I know because I've... been there myself." She looks down at the wooden table. A look passes through her facial features and she sighs. "You don't have to talk about it with us unless you are comfortable. However, since you are staying with us I should let you know what we're doing." She blinks, "You are staying right?" She asks and takes another sip.

He had nowhere else to go.

He nods and she sighs in relief, "Alright then"

xXx

The room they were in was bigger than the kitchen. There was a long table with a few chairs. The back wall was covered in windows and Zeref could see the sun was beginning to set. Ana shuffled through a few papers on the table before pushing them aside and only taking a few. "Can you hold that for me?" she says while pointing to the candle holder and he takes it. He watches as she held up a finger, the one that didn't hold the paper and a flick of fire came from it. She lights the candle with it and beckons Zeref as she walks out the room.

"I was… a researcher there." She starts as they turned a corner. The halls were long and seemed well kept. Zeref listened as he took in a few more of its details. "I guess you could say I was more of a doctor there as well. I mostly researched things and when I wasn't researching I would tend to the wounded. " She stopped in front of a set of wooden double doors. Grabbing the handle she opens the door and holds it, allowing Zeref to walk in after her. The room was already illuminated by a few candles. With the few specks of light dancing across the room Zeref could see that it was a library of some sorts. A really big one in fact. He had to crane his neck to look up at the bookshelves against the walls.

From across the room, Menho pokes his head out from behind a stack of books, smiling. Anna greets him warmly and he goes back to his silent reading.

"You can set the candle on the desk." She says as she places her papers down and takes a seat behind the wooden desk. Zeref took a timidly took a seat and Menho shift over closer from his spot to lean against the desk while reading.

"When I first volunteered it was because I was a student at an academy. They found me because I was one of the best and seemed very knowledgeable. Not only that they loved my research and asked if I wanted to continue it. At that time I was researching a type of magic, celestial magic.I was also quite brilliant in other subjects as told me that they would help expand my research and give me all I needed if I also helped contribute to their research and of course I took it." She narrows her eyes and a frown came across her face.

"For years I worked them, working on my research and other types of magic, never once questioning why they wanted me or what they needed. Until one day they brought me in and presented me with a child from a village. They explained to me that there was a shortage in the numbers of wizards. Keep in mind- I didn't know about the dragons till later on- so I didn't understand what for.

"Apparently they were using my research to see if it were compatible with the human body which I didn't understand. Then I realized that they weren't using the celestial research, they were using what I was researching for them. The excess subjects and elements, like fire, earth, wind magic, light and dark magic. At first, I thought nothing of it and their request so I took the child in and tried to make him compatible but it didn't work. So I told them and they told me they would scrap it after I explained the dangers and extremes it would bring upon the human body. I believed it and continued on with my other research.

"It wasn't until a few months later that I realized something was missing- more like stolen- I was working on a machine at the time. It was supposed to be like a gate to connect us to the celestial world. They took it, well most of the valuable parts. They didn't believe in the celestial world nor it's magic so they used my technology to make human made wizards. I tried to fight back but they made me continue. So I finished what they wanted but in the process took what I needed to build the gate back up without being noticed. It worked- once- and I was able to destroy the lab they worked in and took a few wizards, who were still sane with me. The downside is that the gate was lost in the process.

"Sadly, after more years I realized there was another lab and sent Menho to investigate it. I assume that's when he found you."

The blonde nodded from behind his thick book. Zeref didn't even realize that he was listening. He actually forgot the other was in the room with them.

Anna hummed softly, eyes back on Zeref."Any questions?" she offered and Zeref let it all sink in.

It was silent around the room and he blinked, many thoughts raced through his mind. In the end, he stayed silent and this began to worry the woman.

"I- my brother is still there." He said finally and he narrowed his eyes. This was his top priority, making sure Natsu was safe.

Anna shifts in her chair, lips pressed into a thin line and brows furrowed. "I understand, we've been working on finding out locations and such. There could be a possibility he's in one of them." She tells him.

"You wish for me to help?'

"It would benefit greatly."

He wanted to agree, to say yes. But how could he? He didn't have control over that so called magic they forced inside of him. No, it wasn't magic, it was a curse, a curse that killed things. And he began to fear what would happen if he were to find Natsu while like this.

"We can help you!" Menho's voice cut through his musings. He looks at him and the blonde held a smile on his face. "Miss Anna helped Menho control his magic! She should be able to help Zeref."

Anna smiled and nod. "It is your decision."

Notes:

This chapter is shorter than most! I am sorry about that, but a lot has happened and now I am back. Thank you all for the support!