Somewhere in a cave on Fiore's east cost, a strange man goes up to a cave wall, engraved with a strange magic circle. The strange man musters
"I didn't think it would come to this..."
He held his hand out, and a green portal starts swirling from the strange magic circle.
It's been one month since Fairy Tail won the Great War against Alvarez, and a lot has happened. So many secrets revealed so many lives shaken.
Fairy Tail had captured the black wizard Zeref, and he was in a maximum security prison close to Magnolia. After finally defeating him by stripping him of his curse and power along with it, the mages managed to save both his and Natsu's life. Lucy had come up with a plan to replace Zeref's magic with hers, keeping Natsu alive, even after the ethernano in his body was destroyed. It was a big risk to take, but she was more than willing to save her best friend. Now the two, or three including Happy, were more inseparable than before.
In the battle between Natsu and Zeref, the dark wizard had opened his brother's book, causing the dragon slayer to change into his true form. Natsu went insane with power, and for a short while helped Zeref in his quest to destroy humanity.
After Gray had pounded some sense into the demon, the real final battle had begun. In the intensity of their battle, Natsu had finally transformed into his full etherious form, and fought for hours upon hours with the once immortal Zeref.
Then at last, Natsu and Lucy did a magic and curse unison raid and that somehow broke Zeref's curse and saved Natsu's life.
Soon After, the two finally realized their true feelings for each other. In that same moment, they both confessed their love with a kiss.
It seemed the fire dragon slayer and the Celestial Mage weren't the only ones to finally find their true feelings, as after Levy finally found Gajeel and they embraced passionately, they were also engaged immediately.
Gray and Juvia reunited and Gray proclaimed his true feelings for her once more. It all seem to be a good end to the terrible war. Unfortunately a lot of magnolia and fiore was destroyed during the war so the council initiated the repair and clean up fiore act.
All the guilds in fiore teamed up to start the repair and clean up fiore act. We all just started in our guilds towns and worked our way through the rest of fiore. However, magnolia had the most damage of all the towns so we were stuck.
" huh, man writing all this down is making me so stiff " Lucy said as she finished up and started to stretch.
" I'm just glad my house repairs are finished especially since I own the building now, my land lady sold it to me for 500,000 jewel, thank you sorcerer weekly job" Lucy internally congratulated herself.
" unfortunately Fairy Hills was still under repairers, which is where most of of fairy tail girls lived" Lucy said as she began to feel bad how the whole guild worked on her house first over fixing where everybody lived. Then suddenly while she was thinking a certain pink haired man barged in. Lucy lost her train of thought and then instinctively gave him a Lucy kick to face screaming
"Get out of my house. Oh Natsu your here" she said Realizing how out of habit she just Lucy kicked her new boyfriend in the face.
"Uhhhhh" he uttered in extreme pain "Lucy I thought we were over this" he said still in pain.
"Is there something you need Natsu" Lucy said curiously.
"Well Lucy, I came to tell that I won't be able to help Erza rebuild the east side today because I'm going to talk to" gulp….. "Him".
Lucys eyes widened almost immediately "oh uhh, do you want me to come with you" she said with much concern in her voice.
Lucy knew exactly who he meant by him she wanted to go with her boyfriend as he went to talk to the greatest void of his life Zeref. How could she just let him go alone. That was when Natsu left her house and she quietly prayed for Natsu that he may have the strength to face his brother.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Fairy Tail guild was continuing the fiore restoration act in Magnolia. As Lucy was busy making food for all the citizens who lost their homes during the war, Erza came up and asked,
" Lucy, do you know where Natsu is? He was suppose to be helping me rebuild the Eastside of town."
Lucy gulped and shakily answered, "Oh, well… He when to go talk to… gulping once more and said nervously, "Zeref".
Erza got a shocked expression on her face and said, "oh, I see".
At the same time, in special cell in a high security Magnolia prison sat the ex-black wizard Zeref, who after all this time was finally rid of his death curse, but as a result lost every last drop of his magic power. As Natsu approached his brother he felt all the anger inside him build up, a natural instinct, being a direct result of being one of the ex wizard's demons.
The sulking Zeref raised his head and smiled at his brother.
"Hello, Natsu. How are you?"
He gave the fire Mage a slight smirk and Natsu snapped.
"Cut the crap Zeref! I've got a few questions for you. That's the only reason I'm here!"
Back in magnolia, Erza was working on the east side of the city when what looked like a large group of shadows was behind her. She turned around and saw a large group of cloaked people, but not just any cloaked people, the independent guild known as Crime Sorciere. Their leader, Jellal, a childhood friend of the redhead, approached from the middle of the group.
"Hello Erza…"
He lifted up his cloak, and smiled.
"It's good to see you." Erza said as she smiled back.
"I see you have recovered quickly from the war..." He trailed off.
Erza in her usual 'Jellal's here' voice replied, "Jellal, you're here I heard you came to help us in the war, but I didn't know if the rumour was true... and Meredy! You're here!".
"Hi Erza" The link Mage responded excitedly.
The cell was dark but it didn't bother Natsu. He was only focused on the task at hand.
"What exactly would you like to know little brother?" Zeref responded slyly and gave the dragon slayer a smirk.
Natsu snapped. "You know why I'm here…!"
Zeref rolled his eyes. "I may be the emperor of a country but You know I don't have any power here!"
He opened the palm of his hand, as if he were attempting magic.
"In more ways than one…" he scowled but quickly got his act together.
"So no, I have no idea why you are here."
Natsu began to tell Zeref about all the recent dark guild activity that had spiked after the war had ended.
Then, after the explanation, he finally said, "Cut the act! You may have no power here, but I can't say the same for your Spriggans… This has Alvarez written all over it!"
Zeref smiled, and Natsu almost switched to Etherious form.
"No, they wouldn't. I may however have some information on the subject, for a price…"
On the east side of Magnolia, Erza, along with Crime Sorciere, were rebuilding the neighbourhood, and continuing their conversation about the recent dark guild activity.
"I think I may know who is causing this based on the destruction we have seen, the former members for the Neo Oracion Seis recognized a certain quality about how it was extremely similarly to when they were attacking churches..."
"And based on the rumors of how this dark guild destroyed the places they've attacked we can only assume…." Meredy chimed in.
BOOM!
Suddenly, the already ruined Cardia Cathedral exploded in a burst of brilliant flames. All the citizens of Magnolia and the members of Fairy Tail gasped in absolute body freezing shock.
As all stood in awe of the brilliant, explosion six shadows started to appear out of the middle of it. As the six figures emerged out of the flames, the one in middle being none other than the ex-dark guild wizard RUSTY ROSE.
Rusty walked from the middle and spoke with great theatricality, "Hello fairies, it is I! The malevolent Rusty Rose,"
He bowed sarcastically.
"And may I introduce to you the new devilishly wicked and most infamous dark guild ever to exist ARATA GRIMOIRE HEART and the now six kin of purgatory."
All couldn't believe what they saw, their church destroyed, a dark guild reformed, and an enemy returned. Once finally out of her state of shock Meredy went up to her once close comrade.
"Rusty, what are you doing here?" Meredy said with a concerned expression, mirroring all of Crime Sorciere's thoughts.
"Well, well,Meredy! Long time no see! Still I'll be..." Rusty snapped snarkily.
"what happened to you?!" The pink-haired Mage said softly, laced with a threatening tone.
"Last time Jellal and I saw you were depressed and decrepit! What made this sudden change?"
"Well well well if it isn't just my old guild mate Meredy, I see you're still in an "independent guild " he said snarkily.
"Oh speaking of guilds how about you meet my new members" he said with clear arrogance.
"May I introduce to you the terror twins swave Kōri and insane Ameonna"
Thats when a rather muscular boy with large black markings and spike bluish-black hair and a girl (who we assumed was his twin) who had long same color hair and long bangs that covered her eyes she had a rather creepy and insane smile on her rather hidden face.
"The unstoppable knight Zeken" he continued and out came a girl wearing a rather limber yet full body armor as well as a rather fancy helmet with long purple feathers coming out the top.
"The hellacious and demonic Hitodama" he prattled on as another girl came out who looked like a straight up demon she had red scales everywhere on her body even what seamed to form a mask on her face and her silted red eyes, she had large dual horns, clawed hands and feet, large black and red dragon wings, along with a long black scarf that covered up to her nose.
"Then last but certainly not least the most cruel and brutal Tetsu Shadō" he finished and another person came out with a long black cloak we couldn't quite determine what they were or looked like.
"Well well well sister it seems we have a bunch of puny little fairies mad about their little church being blown up don't you agree" Kōri said condescendingly.
"I'd say they should thank us this boring church could use some WILD redecorating" Ameonna yelled as she stuck her tongue out in a bixlow fashion.
"Will you two stop acting like fools and get with the program" the armored Zeken yelled in a furiouslyand metallic voice.
"No need to be so harsh Zeken" Kōri said swavly as if he were from Blue Pegasus. Zeken summoned a halberd out of nowhere and threw it at Kōri as he stiffed up as the weapon landed an inch from his face.
"You ever speak to me that way again I won't miss next time" Zeken said as she got close to his face.
"Both of you shut up, no need to act like children in front of our enemies!" Rusty yelled at the two bickering members.
Both the members quickly shut up and got back in line, as the members stood their Lucy noticed their mark now was still the same heart except it had a devils tail and horns and that something was familiar about these members of the new grimewar heart.
Then rusty spoke once more "well fairies it's been nice chatting but we have more of this country to destroy, however if you wish to face us for our crimes then meet us in web valley at sunset."
With that said the smoke from the fire expanded and they disappeared without a trace, everyone looked around to see if there was any sign of them. They were all still so shocked how could this happen and at such a time when we already had so much on their plates.
Then the beautiful take over Mage Mirajane flew from above having heard the explosion and asked "what happened".
Then she put her hands over mouth as her eyes widened and began to fill with tears as she saw in horror the now obliterated Cardia Cathedral. This was where she and Elfman buried their once dead sister as well as where they reunited. How could this happen she thought to herself.
As she did so Natsu walked in and growled, "no, we won't let them get away with this they're going to pay".
While this was happening Gray and Juvia walked in and saw the horror.
After seeing it Gray responded "I agree with flame brain no one does this to our city and gets away with it".
"If my darling Gray is going then I must go too especially since Magnolia is my home as well" Juvia said ecstatically.
"I will join you as well, Meredy and The rest of Crime Sorciere will stay behind and finish the repairs to your city" Jellal said calmly.
"If you're all going I'm coming too" Lucy said wishing to be included.
"No" Natsu said sternly as Lucy responded with a sharp "What".
"Of course I'm coming" Lucy said angrily.
"No you're not!" Natsu yelled intensely. Everything was quite as Natsu looked only at the ground. "Remember the last time we fought together?" Natsu turned to her, his voice frantic.
Lucy turned to face him. "Yes, and that changes nothing! We aren't fighting Zeref anymore! He can't control you..." She sighed. "I don't care... I'm going too."here was more silence He traced his fingers over the scars on her arm. Claws marks, HIS claw marks.
"Lucy... I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I hurt you again...". "It wasn't your fault!" She raised her voice a bit. "Natsu it's fine! Besides-" the blonde held out her keys. "I've been training for situations like this~!" He smiled.
"You're right. I'm sorry." Natsu traced her scar one more time before saying
"I'm your partner in life as well as on the battlefield you know I can take care of myself I've had to protect you once before" Lucy said with much confidence.
"True" Natsu said even though he still wanted her to be safe.
He was then heading towards Gray to figure out their battle strategy and it wasn't long before a certain iron dragon slayer heard their plans.
He ran in practical yelling "I want you in".
Natsu then responded "What makes you think you can barge in on our plans like that, metal head?!"
The two dragons clashed until Levy and Lucy pulled them away.
"If Gajeel's going, so am I!" Levy explained after she managed to pry him way.
Someone's got to keep the big guy in check!" She laughed and Erza nodded.
"Alright now that we have everything settled let us march into battle and not come back until this threat is finished, FAIRY TAIL OUT" Erza yelled triumphantly.
The party was ready to go and face the enemy little did they know they marched into what would be one of their hardest and most grueling battles.