Neralyth emerged into the Void, a realm that defied comprehension. The space around her twisted and shimmered with hues that didn't exist in any natural spectrum. She could feel the Loom's threads stretching thin here, barely holding reality together. Fragments of worlds drifted past—pieces of forgotten histories, erased timelines, and shattered possibilities.
Zeref's magic lingered in the air like a toxic fog, guiding her deeper into the Void. She tightened her grip on her resolve, summoning a sphere of light to illuminate her path. Every step she took felt heavier, the weight of the Loom's fragility pressing against her soul.
A Memory Unraveled
As she ventured further, the Void began to play tricks on her. Shadows flickered at the edges of her vision, and whispers echoed in the distance, calling her name. One voice rose above the others, familiar yet distant.
"Elyndra..."
She froze, her breath catching. That name belonged to her past life, before she became Neralyth. Before she ascended as the Nexus Dragon.
Turning, she saw a fragment of Earth—the small apartment she had once called home. The sight of it made her chest ache with a longing she thought she had buried. She stepped closer, her claws brushing against the edge of the memory.
Inside, she saw her former self—a young artist hunched over a canvas, painting scenes of otherworldly landscapes. The strokes of her brush mirrored the flow of the Loom's threads, though she hadn't realized it at the time.
"You were always connected," came a voice behind her.
Neralyth whirled around to see Zeref standing there, his expression unreadable. He gestured toward the memory. "Even as Elyndra, you glimpsed the Loom's design. Did you think that was a coincidence?"
Her wings flared. "Why are you showing me this? What do you want?"
He stepped closer, his presence unnervingly calm. "To understand you, Neralyth. To see why the Loom chose you to wield its power. And to prove that you are no different from me."
A Clash of Ideals
Neralyth's magic surged, her body glowing with the combined power of Earthland and the Nexus. She wasn't in the mood for Zeref's philosophical musings. "I'm nothing like you," she said, her voice steady. "I protect the Loom. You want to destroy it."
Zeref shook his head. "Not destroy. Refine. The Loom is flawed, filled with contradictions and broken threads. I seek to remake it into something better."
"And what happens to the lives tied to those threads? The worlds you'll erase?"
He smiled faintly. "Sacrifices must be made."
Her rage ignited. Without hesitation, she launched an attack, combining Natsu's flames with the raw power of the Loom. The Void lit up as the fire spiraled toward Zeref, but he deflected it with a wave of his hand. His dark magic swirled around him, forming a barrier that absorbed her assault.
"You can't stop me, Neralyth," he said, his voice calm despite the intensity of the moment. "The Loom is already unraveling. All you're doing is delaying the inevitable."
She gritted her teeth, summoning more power. The ground beneath them shattered as her magic clashed with his, sending shockwaves through the Void. Each strike felt like a battle not just against Zeref, but against the fragility of reality itself.
A Dangerous Revelation
As the battle raged, Zeref's words began to worm their way into her mind. He wasn't just fighting her—he was testing her resolve, planting seeds of doubt.
"You feel it, don't you?" he said, his voice cutting through the chaos. "The Loom is failing. Its threads can no longer sustain the multiverse. Why else would it have brought you here, to the Void of forgotten things?"
Neralyth faltered for a moment, his words striking a nerve. She had sensed the Loom's weakening for some time, but she had never admitted it to herself. The idea that it might truly be beyond saving terrified her.
Seeing her hesitation, Zeref pressed on. "Join me, Neralyth. Together, we can create a new Loom—one free of flaws, free of suffering. You could finally have peace."
She shook her head, her voice firm despite the doubt creeping in. "Peace at the cost of countless lives? Never."
He sighed, almost as if he pitied her. "Then you leave me no choice."
A Shattered Thread
Before she could react, Zeref unleashed a surge of magic that struck the Loom's threads directly. The impact sent a wave of pain through Neralyth, as though her very essence had been torn apart. She cried out, collapsing to her knees as the threads around her began to fray and unravel.
Zeref stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "You can't stop this, Neralyth. The Loom is dying, and I will be the one to rebuild it. You can either stand in my way or help me shape the future."
Through the haze of pain, Neralyth forced herself to stand. Her body trembled, but her resolve burned brighter than ever. "I'll never stand with you, Zeref. I'll fight until my last breath to protect the Loom."
His gaze softened for a moment, almost as if he respected her determination. "Then I suppose we'll meet again, dragon. Perhaps next time, you'll see reason."
With a wave of his hand, he disappeared into the Void, leaving Neralyth alone amidst the fraying threads.
The Loom's Plea
As silence settled over the Void, Neralyth felt the Loom's presence more acutely than ever. It was fragile, barely holding together, but it was still alive. She placed her claws gently on the nearest thread, closing her eyes as she poured her magic into it.
"I won't let you die," she whispered. "No matter what it takes."
The Loom pulsed faintly in response, its light flickering like a dying star. It wasn't much, but it was enough to renew her resolve.
Neralyth opened a portal back to the Nexus, her mind racing with possibilities. Zeref had revealed more than he intended, and she now had a new purpose: to find the hidden fragments of the Loom and repair its broken threads before it was too late.
The battle for the multiverse was far from over. But for the first time, she felt a glimmer of hope.