Chapter 4, finally getting to the story proper now. My apologies if the first three chapters weren't what you expected them to be. They were mainly there to set up the main players for this tale. For a while, I always had an idea about what would be different if some prominent members of Fiore were actually dark mages. This story is basically me putting that concept into writing and seeing where it takes me.
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail, I only own MY OCs
Enjoy chapter 4!
(Fairy Tail)
"Natsu, I had just about enough with all of your reckless destruction!" The Fairy Tail guild master was clearly angry. In his defense, Natsu had been the cause of quite a number of bills for property damage over the past months, and on top of his recklessness inside the Guildhall. Makarov had no choice but to do the unthinkable.
"I've tried to be lenient where I can with you Natsu, but I can not tolerate your foolishness any longer. Until you learn how to fully control your power, I cannot protect you. So, against everything I stand for with my being, Natsu Dragneel, you are hereby banished from Fairy Tail." Naturally, most of the guild was outraged at the proclamation. None more so than those on Team Natsu. They believed that since they were just as destructive as Natsu was, he shouldn't be kicked out while they got to stay.
"You can't do this gramps! Didn't you think about the consequences of this decision! What will Natsu's banishment mean for Fairy Tail?" Against anything Natsu would have imagined, Gray was perhaps his most ardent defender. The one he would always try and pick a fight with was the one standing up for him more than anyone else. Perhaps everyone was right when they said that they cared for each other more than either of them would admit to.
"It's alright Gray, Makarov has made his mind. As much as I disagree with it, I have no choice but to accept his decision." After the initial shock, the only emotions Natsu could feel were anger and hatred. How dare this old man claim to view his as a son, then go around and do this to him! How dare Makarov claim that he was too destructive with his power! Natsu had thought, even for the smallest of moments, to not hold back and show everyone in Fairy Tail the taste of a dragon not needed to hold back. A dragon finally allowed to use its full power without constraint.
"No! This isn't right and you know it Flame brain! We'll find a way out of it, I'm sure!" Gray was desperate, this situation was the last thing anyone from team Natsu wanted. And he wasn't alone, Erza and Lucy also showed severe disagreement with Makarov's decision, Lucy more than Erza. But it seemed like none of their arguments were getting through to the old man.
It was at this moment when Natsu took the time to recall the events which led him to this moment. More specifically the last job he would take as a member of Fairy Tail.
(Flashback)
The team had just gotten off the train over in Palmero town, it was a simple mission the team had taken. A dark guild was holding the town hostage, raiding everything they could get their hands on and leaving the populace to starve. Actually, it was Erza who requested that they undertake this mission. Claiming that here, they would be able to fight without having to hold anything back.
"Remember we are here to deal with the dark guild only, try and keep the populace unharmed." What Team Natsu didn't expect was that there was another reason as to why they came here. Looking back, Natsu should have identified it as soon as he saw Erza's expression. It wasn't how she normally was when undertaking a mission. Her expression was darker, more menacing than it normally was.
They were here as the needed backup for Erza's private operation. She had a request from her true guild master about how the dark guild here was plotting to overthrow them. As such, they needed to be reminded as to who ran the criminal underworld. So, she had forged a job request from the people of this town, that way she could have a legitimate claim to test E.N.D.'s power in a more 'controlled' environment.
'Now then E.N.D. show me why Master is after you so much.'
"Right, I'm all fired up now! Let's Get going!"
(Flashback end)
After voicing her initial displeasure with the decision, Erza merely kept to herself. Making sure no one could see the smirk currently adorning her face. She was pleased, everything was going according to plan. Makarov heard of the destruction caused to a town which didn't send a request, and as a result, kicked out the one responsible for most of the destruction.
She watched Natsu leave the guild in anger, most if not all of the guild was saddened and angry at his expulsion. Which was to be expected. The old guild master was too set in his ways to see the other side, too used to the way Fairy Tail was used to run, he failed to adapt to the modern times.
She listened to each member of the guild voice their complaints, how they each gave a reason Natsu shouldn't have been expelled. They were pathetic attempts and she knew it. There was no way E.N.D. would come back to this place, once a dragon gets betrayed by his supposed family, they would do anything to claim revenge. This was a fact she knew that for certain was completely true.
In all of the noise, her thoughts would drift back to that fateful 'mission'. Back to the exact moment where Natsu sealed his fate.
(Flashback)
The team had just barged down the front door. Natsu immediately took the initiative, attacking any mage he could that was within range.
"You three deal with these lower mages, I'm going straight for the guild master." Quickly they all responded, each one knowing their role for this job.
Reaching the guild master's office was easier than Erza thought it would be. Like his cocky self, the master was still in his chair, back turned away from her. He was a coward, not wanting to face retribution for his actions head on.
"Has the Magic Council finally caught on to my actions?" he allowed a slight chuckle to interrupt his voice. "I'm honestly surprised it took them this long to figure it out."
Erza only looked on, not with the face of a Fairy Tail Mage. But the face of a Dark mage, a mage of the Illuminated Path.
"I'm not here on behalf of the Magic Council, those old fools aren't even worth my time. You should have known that Trace, Guild master of Frozen Fang."
Trace's chair swung around, allowing him to finally see the woman he was talking to. "Erza Scarlet, I'm honestly Surprised a Fairy would find out, and not informed anyone about us." As soon as he finished, Trace could easily feel Erza's aura growing in strength. Hatred and Anger clearly being the primary emotions driving this increase in power.
"Don't you dare," Erza began, her skin slowing turning into a light gray steel. "CALL ME A FAIRY! STEEL DRAGON's ROAR!" This power, this mage, this was what Trace feared. They had found out, and sent someone to stop him. Somehow, he got careless and the Illuminated path found out about his revolution.
"I don't care if you're a Fairy or not. What matters now is that you DIE! Blade magic: Thousand cuts!" Blades clashed against steel, a blade mage against a dragon. There would only be one winner, that was the rule of Dark Guilds, if there was a challenge, the loser would usually end up dead.
"Those blades of yours are quite impressive, Perhaps Master Rilian was right in dealing with you now." In combat, Erza was a fighter. There was little need for conversation, all it did was to delay the inevitable.
"I should have known he'd seen someone after me, thought for sure it would have one of his weaker mages."
There was no response, there would be no response. This was a duel to the death, and both sides knew it.
"Steel Dragon's Roaring Pellets!"
"Blade Magic: Dancing Swords!"
Again, they went at each other, neither one giving in. Not until the other was laying at their feet, broken and beaten. Pointlessly begging by the victor to be spared.
Having returned from dealt with Trace's rebellion, Erza could only stare in muted pleasure at the sight before her. Palmero town was burning, E.N.D. was clearly taking things too far. And Lucy and Gray were causing just as much destruction. All of them, unwilling pawns in Erza's plan. It brought tears to her eyes. This was what she craved, pure and absolute destruction.
But she couldn't stay like this for too long, she had to return to the Erza that Fairy Tail knew. She would have to punish them for the devastation when they returned. Granted it wouldn't be a severe punishment, those were used only through Makarov's discretion.
(Flashback End)
Such a happy memory, such a proud memory. It was one that would surely lay the foundation for her legacy. But for now, her stint in Fairy Tail was about to come to its end. Her mission there completed flawlessly.
Breaking through the commotion of the guild was easy. It was rare for her to laugh, but when she did, it easily got the guild's attention.
"Do you find something about this situation funny Erza?" Makarov was clearly mad, already having to explain his decision multiple times. This was simply the last straw for the old man.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I find this whole situation utterly hilarious." Most of the guild was in shock, Erza never talked like this. Nor would she stand up to Makarov like she currently was. "You know what I find laughable, that you were willing to completely disregard the other side to the story. In doing so, you condemned someone who viewed you has his father to a life no one should have." It was a stare down, Guild master against guild mage. The tension in the air was at a point where one misstep from either party meant utter destruction.
"Don't fight me on this Erza, you know how I get when I'm angry."
"Oh, I know exactly how powerful you are. Makarov Dreyar." No one in the guild could move, too paralyzed with shock to even comprehend the current situation. First Natsu was expelled from the guild, now Erza was standing up to the Guild Master?
"In fact, I think I'll let you all in on a little secret of mine." Grabbing a sword from her pocket dimension, Makarov prepared a spell, fearing for his and his guild's life. But what happened next shocked him to his very core.
Erza removed her guild mark.
The exact same guild mark she would proudly wear, was gone. Falling to the floor like paper.
"I was never truly a member of this pathetic Guild. All this talk of friendship, it's nothing more than a joke." Where the Fairy Tail guild mark used to be was another guild mark. A darker guild mark of a far more sinister and powerful guild, one that Makarov knew completely by heart and memory.
"You have one chance to explain yourself Erza. Why do you have that mark?" The spell he prepared was different this time, it was a spell that Erza knew all too well. Fairy Law.
"Do you want to know why? Because the Magic Council stood idle as my entire life was transformed into hell. They did nothing while I was forced into slavery." Erza power flared, easily surpassing everyone in the guild. No longer would Erza hold back against them. They deserved everything she would give them. The so-called strength of friendship meant nothing to her. All of it, every single speech about bonds and friendship. She despised, no, hated. She would show them exactly what true strength was, how raw power trumped any bond of friendship.
"I will make them pay for their mistakes, I will destroy all of them! Steel Dragon's" Makarov has to stop Fairy Law, he never knew this. Just like Natsu, Gajeel, and Laxus Erza was a dragonslayer. One that easily surpassed anything he could reliably send against her. "Roar!" Faster than anyone could comprehend, a tornado of steel was sent flying towards Makarov. The amount of magic power coming from it was too much for the guild master, he could do nothing but wonder where he went wrong. Why didn't he notice that Erza was holding back? Why did she have the mark of the Illuminated path on her shoulder? They were questions he would never receive answers to.
But instead of pain, there was nothing. Fragments of steel weren't cutting into his skin like he imagined they would.
"Gajeel." Was all Erza said, clearly irritated that the pathetic Iron Dragon Slayer had to get in her way.
"I have to say; your steel doesn't taste all that bad. Might even become addicted if I eat too much of it." there was that smirk he always wore, that smirk she always hated.
"is that so? In that case, HAVE SOME MORE!" another tornado of steel was sent his way. This time instead of eating it, his body turned itself to iron. Easily deflecting the roar.
"Face it Titania, with me here. There's no way you can win!" For a fairy, he was right. Gajeel was the key to ensure their victory. Despite knowing this, it irritated her. Despite outward appearances when he initially joined the guild, Erza deeply despised the Iron Dragonslayer.
"Fine, I shall leave for now. Just know Makarov, you have made an enemy you can never hope to overcome. Pray that Ankhseram is in a good mood, you will be judged for your sins in due time." With that message as a warning, Erza turned her back on the fairies. Throwing away the legacy she built as Titania and replacing it with something far more sinister.
Scarlet Steel.
Yes, that seems like a fitting moniker for her. it was something that would resonate all throughout Fiore as something both to be feared as well as terrifying.
Erza's made her grand reveal and Natsu's been kicked out of Fairy Tail, I know Natsu getting expelled is kind of stereotypical for the whole "Natsu Leaves" genre of Fairy Tail, but hopefully, this rendition of it makes it unique from the rest of the pack.
I'm kind of disappointed that some of the better (At least in my opinion) Natsu Leaves fics are either abandoned or dead. Most of my favorites held a lot of potential to them. I am glad to see that Slayer's pride is making a comeback. (I.E. being rewritten.)
Hope you have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!