Chapter 36:
"Charla do you have any idea where we could find First's grave?" Wendy said looking down at white exceed in her hands.
"Well lets see..." Charla said putting her finger on her chin "By the way this island is build I would say it's at the top of the Three or maybe at the bottom but I doubt it would be that simple"
"I thought about that my self..." Wendy said sadly 'I wish brother is with us'
"We walk nearly two hour around this island and I still have no idea were we should go..." Wendy said.
As she finished a large shadow covered her. Wendy froze in her track and looked shakily up to see massive monster looking down at her. Monster roared and Wendy and Charla paled.
"AHHHHHH!" They both cried in union as they started running from monster who was right behind them "THIS ISLAND HATE MEEE!" Wendy said running as fast as she could.
**in camp that have Fairy tail mages built for those who are no longer competing**
Natsu was leaning his head on the three trunk while his body was on one of higher branches of the three where he could see whole camp. He heard Wendy's scream with his sensitive ears and smirked 'That monster's not that dangerous'. He looked down to see Mira cooking in outside oven and Lisanna helping her, Happy was munching his fish happily without the care in the world, Panther Lily was next to him eating kiwi, Gildarts, Freed and Bickslow went back to the guild about half an hour ago. Juvia went into the forest after her Gray or something, Erza ate her cake happily at the table so that leaved Mest... Natsu looked around looking for black haired man. When he didn't found him he frowned. That man was weird. The man claimed to be someone's student... 'Who did he said he learned from...' And master said he participate in trials before but Natsu couldn't remember who was his partner and above all that he don't remember ever seeing the man in the guild before but everyone else seemed to know who he was so Natsu didn't question that much since he was barely in the guild anyways. 'But still... He doesn't even smell like someone from the guild...'
He was brought out of his thoughts when Mira called him "Hey Natsu! Do you want to eat something?"
Natsu looked down at her and smiled "No thanks I'm not hungry"
Erza didn't seemed to like his answer since she walked next to Mira and yelled "We all are going to eat so you will eat with us!"
Natsu's expression darkened as he hissed at Erza "Do not give me orders"
Since he was pretty high Erza could not see his face so she didn't saw his glare and yelled back "You are not in a good mood today. Is something wrong?"
At that he just put his emotionless face back as he thought 'Not in a good mood? I'm always in 'good mood' around Mira and Wendy and only them so whats so weird to her?'
"Well?" a demanding voice brought him back to reality as he looked down on Erza again and hissed again with more venom in his voice then usual "Are you commanding me to answer you?"
Erza hearing his tone gulped and said quick "No" before she walk away hurriedly. Mira frowned at the way Natsu spoke and looked at the three trying to find a way to get to the Natsu but then he saw that tere were no branches low enough for her to reach them 'How did he get up so high?' her frown grown as she said in worried voice "Natsu... Is there something wrong? You seem a little grumpier then usual..."
He didn't look down at her. He turned his head and huffed 'I'm not grumpy!'
Mira seeing she won't get an answer walked away.
When she was back with the others Natsu looked at her and frowned slightly. He then jumped from the branch that was surely 30 meters in the air and landed on the ground without making a sound. "Sorry Mira... I just didn't get much sleep lately.." he said behind Mira who turned her head quickly and then frowned "Are you alright?"
Seeing her worried Natsu nodded and said "Don't worry... just nightmares. I have them a lot lately. I have feeling something bad will happen soon"
Mira smiled at her boyfriend and hugged him "Don't worry, nothing bad can happen as long as I... we have our dragon watching over us"
Natsu smiled and they kissed. There was a whistle in the background and Natsu shot a glare at Happy who just smiled widely "You liiiiike her"
Natsu just rolled his eyes and Mira giggled.
**back in the forest**
"Do you have any idea where are we going?" Evergreen whined looking at Elfman.
"No" Elfman said with frown but then grinned "But I'm sure we'll figure this out! Like a real MEN!"
Evergreen whacked him over his head with her fan and said in annoyed ton "I'm not a man!"
Elfman pouted. They start walking again as Elfman rubbed his sore head.
**back in camp**
Natsu was sitting next to Mira and eating his lunch when his sensitive nose caught a smell Acnologia described him so many times.
"Natsu... There is something I need to tell you" Acnologia started.
Natsu's head jerked up toward the scent. In a second he get up from the table and started running toward the forest.
"Natsu? What's going on?" Mira yelled after him but he didn't answer. In a mater of seconds he was out of her sight.
"There's a man, stronger then anything you could imagine. I owe that man a favor."
He kept running trough the threes.
"The man speed my dragonfiction and in return I swore to do one favor for him"
"What kind of favor?" Young Natsu asked.
"He said I will find out when the time has come"
Natsu looked at the ground.
"But listen, I do not fear this man but you should"
Natsu looked at him angrily "I'm not weak as some stupid human!"
"You are weaker then him you brat!" Acnologia roared and Natsu took a step back in fear.
"After I leave, if you ever encounter this man there is possibility I won't be far." Natsu smiled then thinking his father will take him with him then.
"So run" Natsu smile disappeared in an instant.
"Why?"
"Who knows.." Acnologia said.
Natsu stopped for second to sniff the air then turned to the right and kept running even faster.
"There is a foolish believe that the man control me but he don't"
"How will I know who this man is?"
"His smell is different then any normal human. He smells old,..."
He still ran.
"...he smells like dead grass and trees, like dead nature mixed with blood but above that all he smells..."
Natsu could now see the clearing.
"like demon"
He jumped in the clearing.
"Who is this man Acnologia?"
He was standing on a cliff and beneath him he saw dead trees and grass.
"Who are you?" he could hear Evergreen's voice.
He didn't even pay attention to their smells being so close to the man.
Elfman stood next to Evergreen.
He followed their looks to find them looking at the black haired man that was the source of the smell.
"Zeref"
"Get away from me!" Zeref yelled.
"Who are you to talk us what to do?" Elfman yelled "And tell us who you are!"
"There is no time run!" Zeref yelled again as a black magic circle appeared beneath him.
Natsu's eyes narrowd.
Elfman and Evergreen's eyes widened when from a man shoot black magic energy. They don't have enough time to dodge it.
Just before they were touched by the magic someone jumped on them and pressed them on floor saving them from weird magic this man had.
When magic died down Elfman and Evergreen looked up and sensed that who ever jumped on them to save them had now jumped in front of them.
They were beyond surprised to see Natsu standing in front of them bearing his teeth at the stranger.
"Natsu?" Evergreen said confused to see him here.
She wasn't answered as the stranger started to talk.
"N-Natsu?" he asked weakly and Natsu just keep glaring at him.
"It's really you!" Zeref exclaimed happily with tears of joy in his eyes.
Evergreen and Elfman stared wide eyes at Natsu's back.
Natsu just become annoyed.
"How do you know me?" he asked.
At that Zeref seemed hurt.
"So you don't remember me, huh?" he said tears still going down his face.
"What are you doing here?!" Natsu growled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know someone knew of this island" he said in apologetic ton.
In the blink of an eye Natsu was in front of the man and punch him straight in the face.
"Don't give me that crap!"
Zeref smiled sadly at Natsu as he slowly stood up.
"You're still not strong enough to beat me" he said quietly so Elfman and Evergreen didn't hear him.
"We never meet before!" Natsu growled.
"Now leave" he hissed so cold and with such venom in his voice that every living thing that would heard him would freeze in spot. Elfman and Evergreen were no exception.
Zeref's eyes grow wide in that moment. "No not again!"
This time black energy that encircled the man before come out much faster. Natsu didn't have time to dodge.
Elfman and Evergreen watched in horror as everything that came in touch with it died in an instant.
"NATSU!" they cried in union.
Evergreen wanted to run toward Natsu but Elfman stop her.
"What are you doing?! We have to get him out before is to late!" she screamed.
"It's to late already Ever" Elfman said sadly.
The magic energy cleared and leave Zeref standing in the middle and Natsu on the floor lying face first. He didn't seem like he was breathing.
Evergreen started crying and Elfman just stared in shock. Fairy tail's strongest wizard was lying dead on the ground.
Zeref stared in shock unable to move 'No... no... NO!' he started panicking.
"What have I done?!" he cried holding his head.
"Made me even angrier, that's what" came a muffled voice from Natsu's still unmoving body.
Then Natsu's hand moved and he pushed himself up to his knees and slowly stood up dusting his pants.
Natsu then shoot a glare to Elfman and Evergreen "Why are you still here? Get away from here!"
There wasn't any room for arguing in his voice so Elfman just draged Evergreen as fast as he could yelling "You better come back!"
Natsu then turned his head toward Zeref who gasped seeing Natsu's face for the first time after his magic hit him. His right side of face was covered with scales and if you could see his teeth you would see that they were all dragon like. His right hand was also clawed and cowered with scales.
"Wha... What is this Natsu?" Zeref asked.
Natsu looked down on his hand and said "That damn spell of your has something to do with some kind of curse, right?"
Zeref could only nod in shock and said "It's death magic"
"I guess you messed up with this form, damn" Natsu growled.
"This form?" now Zeref grew curious about this "What did Acnologia do to you?" Zeref asked seriously
Natsu shoot a glare at him "He gave dragon's heart and my dragonfiction is over too so I have two more forms."
At that Zeref grew angry for some reason "That damn dragon!"
Then suddenly an explosion was heard in distance and Natsu's head jerked toward the explosion. When he turned his head back Zeref was gone. His sent gone as well.
"Dammit" Natsu growled.
End of chapter 36.
Next chapter: Ultear
How do you like it? If anyone didn't figure it out that explosion was sign that Grimoire heart made its appearance. I'll update in week or two. If you have any question I'll be happy to answer. Please review and thanks for reading :)