Author's Note: I'm going to try and make my chapters longer. I didn't realize that they seemed short since they are generally between 2,000 and 3,000 words which is about 5 or more pages in word document. So hopefully that will make you readers happy and help move the story along a little quicker chapter wise. I'm going to try around 5,000 words this chapter. Let me know if that's long enough. :)

Chapter 36: This Means War

"An enemy?!"

I grit my teeth. Damn it! I spin to the stunned girls. "You wait here for the others. I'm going to find Wendy." I ignore their shouts as I take off into the forest. I stop running to sniff the air. Where are you, Wendy?!

An odd scent drifts on the wind. Where do I know that smell from? I turn in the direction it's coming from. I silently make my way through the shadows of the trees towards the oddly familiar aroma.

I duck behind a tree when I spy a man crouched down near a stream with his back to me. I look closer at his attire. My eyes widen. I know that white sash! My nails dig into the bark. H-He's real. Those were memories not dreams. My heart beat picks up as I stare at my feet. A tremble goes through my body. Is he the reason for the flare? If so, why do I have memories of being close to him? Is he a friend? Then, how did he get on this island? I clench my eyes shut, resting my head back against the tree. What is going on?!

My fingers tremble as they clutch at the tree. I open my eyes to a calm blue sky. I glance back at the man to see him sitting near the water, completely relaxed and open. He doesn't seem like a threat. Slowing my breathing and heart, I step out from behind the tree, walking up to the familiar stranger. I stop a few feet from his back. He doesn't seem to notice me. "Who are you?"

His head snaps up, and his body tenses. I can hear his soft voice as he turns slowly. "That voice…" His torso is turned towards me. His black eyes are wide and full of disbelief. "…Mayen?"

I take a step forward. "Who are you?! How do you know who I am?!"

He stands up with sadness seeping into his dark orbs. My eyes widen as tears start to roll down his cheeks. He steps towards me, reaching out with his hand. "Mayen, I can't believe it's really you. It's been so long. Do you not remember me?"

I take a mirrored step back, holding up my hands in defense. "Tell me who you are, and why I have memories of you!"

He stops in his tracks. I cross my arms over my bikini clad chest as his eyes look over my form. I had slipped on a pair of shorts before the exam officially started on the ship, so I still had a bikini top on. His black eyes stop and analyze the seal on my ribs. "You lost your memories." It's more of a statement than a question. His eyes lock with mine again. "You don't remember anything."

I tremble, staring at him. "Who are you? Why do I have memories of you?" I can feel the tears pooling in my eyes from frustration. "Tell me!"

He reaches a hand out for me again. "I'm a friend." His eyes widen as he grips his head in both hands, stumbling backwards. "Mayen, get away!"

I snap without thinking, like an automatic response from repetition. "Who do you think I am? Nothing will happen to me."

His eyes glance at me as a swirling sphere of black magic appears around him. I throw my hands up in fear as the orb expands, swallowing up the area around us. My eyes are clenched shut, waiting. A coldness brushes against my skin as the magic wraps around me. It jumps along my skin like electricity, flowing through and around me without effect. After a moment, I open my eyes and gasp.

The grass is brown and dry. The trees are barren and dead. The only life is this man and myself. I look at my trembling hands in confusion. Tilting my head up, I meet the black eyes of his which are suddenly right in front of me and filled with concern. I go to move back, but he grabs my wrists holding me in place. My gasp of surprise lingers in the air between us. I can smell the salt of his tears with how close he is. "Remember me." His quiet voice is desperate as he looks between my eyes.

The ground shakes as an explosion vibrates through the air. I look pass him in the direction the sound came from. The enemy?! My eyes connect back with his. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Another larger explosion in the same area rattles through the air. A tower of flames jets into the sky. "Please, I have to help them. They're my friends." I tug my wrists back, and he lets the go. I step around him and start towards the explosion. A pulse of pain from my seal and head makes me stumble.

"Mayen!" His voice calls behind me in concern.

I hold my head with one hand, wincing. "I'll be fine…" My voice is soft as I push through the pain. A name rolls off my tongue without thought. "…Zeref." I take off again.

I use the shadows of the trees around me to flit faster towards the location of the explosion since it takes less magic that way. The sound of something falling catches my attention. I look up, and my eyes widen. Large orange balls are falling from the sky with what looks like people inside of them. I jump and dodge out of the way of the falling orbs.

Masked wizards surround me, cackling and holding different types of weapons. I glare at all of them, taking a fighting stance. I don't have time for this. Looks like I don't have a choice, though. Doing a quick count in my head, I cross my arms in front of me in an 'x'. "Reequip! Burēdo Mure: Gyakusatsu*!" I send my cloud of weapons into the bodies of my enemy. The difference from my usual Burēdo Mure is the shadows of the weapons multiply and are a sharp and deadly as the blades themselves.

Screams of pain fill the forest around me. Silence falls shortly after. Nothing is left but bleeding dead bodies of the surprisingly weak wizards. I stand in the center of the massacre, panting lightly. I didn't get them all though. There is an outer ring of wizards. I can smell the fear radiating off of them from the display.

I growl low in my chest. I squat down and hit my hands against my shadow. "Yamārashi**!" Thin needle like spikes shoot from my shadow and pierce the bodies of those left standing, before they can react. My shadow retracts back to its original form. I fall to my knees, panting heavily as sweat forms on my brow. Too much magic, too fast. I take a moment to catch my breath, trying to not let the smell of blood get to me.

I stagger to my feet. Ignoring the corpses, I take off towards my original destination in a slow jog. An explosion echoes from a different location. I skid to a stop and look in that direction. I look back and forth between my two options. Where do I go? I bite my lower lip in thought and worry. I don't have time to be indecisive! I shake my head and continue in my original direction. I have to get there and fast. No doubt Natsu made it there by now. I send a pulse of magic and fade into the next tree's shadow.

I rise out of the ground behind a wounded Wendy. In front of her is a beat up Carla and Lily. Panther Lily is the first to see me since he is facing my direction. "Mayen!" The girls turn with a gasp.

I crouch down. "Are you three all right? What happened?" Carla relays the previous events leading to my arrival while I check Wendy's wounds and bandage them. Happy joins us during the explanation. I growl. "I knew Mest wasn't a part of the guild. I didn't expect him to be from the Magic Council, though."

"You knew, Mayen?" Wendy's looks up at me in surprise.

I nod. "When I actually stopped to think about it, I had memories about him that I shouldn't have because of my seal and being so new to the guild. That's how I knew it was magic similar to my seal." I look over at a furious Natsu fighting a horde of those weak masked wizards. Why is his scarf black? I glance back at my injured friends. "I'll protect you guys." Not to mention I need time to restore my magic, too.

I put an arm up as one of the enemy attacks Natsu with fire. Fear permeates off the cowards when Natsu eats the attack. The dragon slayer uses his wing attack to take out a large number of them.

"That's enough." A new voice says from a higher cliff ledge. It's a man with hair like Gajeel's but blonde. His top only covers one shoulder and the lower portion of his torso. His yellow and blue pants are baggy with a strip of material making it look like a skirt.

"Zancrow-sama!" The grunts yell in surprise.

"He ain't someone you guys can handle." His feet are spread apart with his hand out to the side, palms up. His laugh is a creepy 'hehehe'. "You all, go search for Zeref."

Zeref! My eyes widen. Why do they want him? I tense up. I can feel Wendy look at me.

"I can handle him myself, no problem!" Zancrow gloats. The grunts start to walk away. Their voices are too low for me to hear, but something they said angers the blonde. He bursts into black flames. "Our guild is the strongest guild! Grimoire Heart doesn't need weaklings!" The remaining masked wizards scream as they catch fire and are thrown away.

My eyes widen. He attacked his own guild and laughs about it. My eyes snap to Natsu as anger rolls off him in waves. Zancrow sends a black flame attack at the fire dragon slayer. Something's not right. I jump up. "Natsu! Get away from those flames!" The attack hits, and Natsu is unable to eat the fire. I have to block my eyes when Zancrow makes the ball of black fire larger. "Natsu!"

The flames and dust disappear. Zancrow jumps down to the same level as us. "You gonna eat the flames of a god, even more powerful than a dragon's? Blasphemy!"

"Flames of a god?" Natsu's stance tenses.

The blonde enemy laughs. "It's different than your magic, see. You're talking to a God Slayer!" God Slayer?!

Both men light up their fists in their fire and start fighting in hand to hand. Natsu starts on the offensive, but it is Zancrow that lands the first hit against the dragon slayer's cheek sending him into the air. Natsu is able to land on his feet. "I forgot to give you my name." The enemy stalls the fights. "I am one of Grimoire Heart's 7 Kin of Purgatory, Zancrow, the God Slayer." There are six other wizards at his level.

"Natsu, from Fairy Tail." The pinkette introduces himself.

The god slayer cackles. "Yeah, I know already! Your reckless rampages are even famous in the Baram Alliance!" That statement makes me sweat drop and sigh.

"Baram Alliance?" Pather Lily looks to the other Exceeds. "What's that?"

Happy answers raising a paw. "It's the most powerful organization of Dark Guilds!"

"It's led by three guilds: Grimoire Heart, Oracion Seis, and Tartaros." Carla continues.

"Natsu and the rest of the Allied Guilds destroyed Oracion Seis, but…" Wendy joins in. "I can't believe that the strongest one in the alliance, Grimoire Heart, would come here…"

My eyes never stray from the fight as I listen to those around my. Zancrow is taunting Natsu, aggravating the temperamental wizard. The two jump into hand-to-hand again, using their flames to enhance their attacks. Zancrow starts to bad mouth dragons, by holding up a gecko and asking if it was the cousin of a dragon.

I don't know why his insults are boiling my blood as much as it is for Wendy and Natsu. The small dragon slayer next to me snaps at the guy.

Zancrow covers himself in black fire. "I'll finish this guy off real quick and get to you next." There is murderous intent in his eyes as he looks in our direction.

I growl and move to stand in front of the small group. "He won't be able to beat Natsu, and if by some miracle he does. He won't get pass me."

"Keep your eyes on the ball, buddy!" Natsu sends a kick from above to the blonde's head. He is blocked and pushed away. He flips in the air to land on his feet. "Everyone, move away from here!" Natsu bursts into flames.

Both slayers start building magic into their hands. My eyes widen. I spin around while crouching down, scooping all four of them into my arms. "Shadow Door!" We sink into the ground and rise a fair distance away in time to see Natsu fly backwards. "Natsu!"

"Natsu was pushed back!" Happy yells from my lap.

Zancrow turns in our directions. "You cats are makin' a damn racket!" He swipes his hand in our direction sending a wave of black flame.

My eyes widen. I hit my palm against the ground. "Kage no sōryō***!" The Exceeds and Wendy disappear into my shadow just as I am hit with the flames. "Ahhhh!" I roll along the ground. My head is ringing, I can't get enough air in my lungs, and my skin hurts from the fire.

"Oh? It was just you? Where did the others go?" Zancrow laughs looking around. My arms tremble as I try to push myself up. They're safe from you, that's where. I had sent them behind a boulder a good distance away. I would have sent them farther, but I didn't have enough magic nor do I know where other enemies might be.

Natsu sends a roar towards him. My eyes widen when Zancrow starts to devour the flames Natsu hit him with. He can eat Natsu's flames, but Natsu can't eat his. What are we going to do?!

"This is the power of Grimoire Heart!" A magic circle appears before Natsu's opponent. "Bellow of the Flame God!" He sends his own breath attack. It destroys the area, sending Natsu and I flying over the edge of the cliff. In the back of my mind, I am grateful that I was able to send the other's just out of the range of this attack.

Through half lidded eyes, I see a blurry Natsu falling not too far from me. "Natsu." I reach an arm out and my fingers brush against his arm. I use the last of my strength to grab him and pull him to my chest as we fall. I black out as soon as I collide with the first tree branch.

"That bastard…" Natsu grumbles to himself as he trudges through the forest with an unconscious Mayen in his arms. "Man, it's been a while since I felt fire be 'hot'." He looks down at the woman. "And he hurt Mayen, too." She has scraps everywhere from tumbling across the ground and slight burns litter her torso and legs. There are multiple bruises from her taking all of the branches on the way down and the impact of the fall. Natsu cradles her, afraid of causing her more pain. He looks around. "Where are we, anyway?"

A familiar scent stops him in his tracks as he sniffs at the air. He turns in a different direction. His heart beat picking up. "This smells like…" The injured wizard takes off running, careful of the girl in his arms. "Gramps!" He rushes towards the prone figure of the guild master.

He carefully lays Mayen down beside the master, before turning to the old man. "Gramps, you okay?"

Makarov strains to open his eyes to look at the new comer. "N-Natsu…?"

"G-Gramps!" The dragon slayer looks over the elder's injuries. "Damn it, you're hurt really bad! Hold on, I'll take you to Wendy…" He starts to move but stops. "Wait, maybe moving you would be dangerous, and I can't leave Mayen alone. And where am I anyway, damn it?!" Natsu shouts at the sky holding his head as he panics.

"Natsu…" Makarov brings the pinkette's attention back to him.

"I can't believe this! Who did this to you?" Natsu leans over the master.

"Listen well…This is a battle we will surely…lose." His voice has the smallest tremble in it from his exertion from talking.

Natsu's eyes widen in disbelief. "What are you talking about, Gramps? You ain't thinkin' straight?!"

"Who gave you and Mayen those wounds?" The master looks over the injured woman with concern.

Natsu tries to play off his injuries. "T-This ain't nothin'! Next time, I'm totally gonna win!"

"Please, Natsu…" Master Makarov groans at the dragon slayer who looks down at him. "Take everyone…and escape!"

Natsu bows his head and punches the ground. His voice takes on a serious tone. "Don't say that. What about the S Class exam? You're Fairy Tail's Master, right Gramps? Don't say we can't win!"

Makarov stares at the pink haired wizard with his one opened eye. "Sometimes…retreat…is the only option."

Natsu's eyes widen as he starts to tremble. "I…" He is cut off by a burst of smoke and dust. The fire dragon slayer turns toward the cloud as a familiar cackle emerges.

"Got beat by Master Hades?" Zancrow appears from the dust cloud. "Isn't that right, Makarov?"

Natsu stands up to protect the two at his feet. "Master Hades?"

"Get away, Natsu…" The master tries to warn. "You're no match for him…"

The dragon slayer's fist are clenched as his body shakes. "Even if I'm no match…"

The master looks at Natsu's scared face in surprise. Fear?! Natsu, is afraid?

"What's wrong, Dragon Slayer?" The god slayer taunts. "Your entire body's breaking out in a cold sweat!"

The trembling wizard recalls his encounter with Gildarts during the first part of the exam. He looks down at his trembling hands. "This is…fear?"

Zancrow laughs. "Yes! That's fear! When faced with absolute power, people have no choice but to stop and cower in fear!"

Natsu's body flares up in his fire. His voice is steady and strong. "That's not it." He closes his fists. "It's true this is fear. But it's different fear than the one that Gildarts was talking about." Natsu grinds his teeth as they sharpen with his dragon crawling towards the surface. "This shaking is me being afraid…that the guy who did this to Gramps'll get wiped out by someone other than me!" The ground under his feet is cracking from the pressure and heat of his magic. Makarov's single eye is open wide as he watches the anger of Natsu grow. "Master Hades…You will be defeated by my hands! I will never forgive you!" Natsu is pouring rage.

"Beat Mast Hades?" Zancrow chuckles, covering himself in flames. Makarov tries to watch without lifting his head. "That's so funny I'm not even laughing." The blonde moves to stand forehead against forehead with Natsu.

The pink haired wizard's eyes have focused and shrank. He punches the god slayer, forcing his head down, and then sends an upper cut with his other hand.

Zancrow slides back. "I told you, that don't hurt!"

Natsu becomes a ball of flames, bouncing through the trees at tremendous speed. Zancrow barely has time to light his fists and bring them up to block a fire kick. Their magic collides with incredible force.

Makarov is able to turn over onto his stomach to see the fight. He is stunned that the opponent also uses fire magic.

"There's a difference between the flames of a dragon and the flames of a god!" He pushes Natsu into the air. Creating a circle of fire in the air in front of him, Zancrow continues. "God's flames do not burn…" The circle turns into a giant black fire scythe. "They are wrath incarnate, destroying all before them!" He swings at the falling dragon slayer but misses. His weapon slices cleanly through several large tree trunks, sending them to the ground.

Natsu uses the falling tree trunks to jump up higher. He punches the top of the trunks, sending them at the grounded enemy. Zancrow slices through the wood and hits Natsu in the stomach, sending them both into the air. Natsu coughs up blood. Zancrow returns to the ground and readies another attack while Natsu falls. "God's flames love to devour wizards!" He makes a set of jaws with his hands. "Last Supper…"

He is cut off by a loud howl. "Scream of Shadows****!" A swirling mass of darkness hits the surprised blonde, sending him flying into a tree.

Natsu and Makarov turn with wide eyes to see a heavily panting Mayen. Her feet are spread wide, and her hands are on the ground in front of her. The ground under her fingers is cracked. She only has one eye open as she is having trouble getting enough air in her lungs. "Mayen!" Both male wizards shout in shock.

She struggles to stay on her feet as she stands up straight. "I'm a Fairy Tail wizard, too." Wipes the sweat off her brow. "I won't let you take all of the fun, Natsu."

"Mayen! Let me handle him!" Natsu shouts, trying to reason with the crazy woman. "You're in no shape to fight!"

"I'll be the judge of whether I can fight or not, Natsu!" His eyes widen as she snaps at him. Her eyes are glowing like hard emerald. Mayen. He whispers her name in his mind. She has never looked fiercer like a predatory cat in a territorial fight to the death. "He is a threat to those I love and care for. I won't let him win."

A cackle brings their attention to Zancrow as he walks back into the clearing from her breath attack. "What's this? Another slayer?" His fists light up with black flame. "No matter! You can't defeat me, when you can barely stand." He lunges at Mayen with blood lust in his red eyes.

She waits till he is close enough, before hitting her palms on the ground. "Yamārashi!" He is moving too fast and is too close to dodge the shadows lunging at him. They pierce through his arms and legs, stopping him right in front of her panting form.

His eyes are wide as blood drips from the wounds. Anger flashes through his eyes, before psychotic excitement. "Bellow of the Flame God!" Mayen's eyes widen in realization. Natsu screams her name, running towards her but both are too slow. Mayen takes a point blank hit of Zancrow's god slayer breath attack.

"MAYEN!" Natsu watches as a new type of fear clutches at his heart. Mayen's scream of pain rings in his ears as she is engulfed in black flame. Her body is thrown through the air and skids across the ground. She lands in an unmoving heap. Her clothes and some of her skin is smoking. From where he is standing, Natsu can't see if she is breathing or not.

Zancrow take the opening of the distracted dragon slayer to finish the move the annoying woman had interrupted. "Last Supper of the Flame God!" Natsu screams as he is surrounded by the only flames that feel hot to him. "Once you're trapped between these flames, you're finished. The only thing that escapes is your ashes!"

"Well, I'm gonna eat it instead!" Natsu tries to eat the fire surrounding him.

"Don't even try! Dragons aren't strong enough to eat the flames of a god!" Zancrow taunts.

He hurt Mayen! I can't let him win. I have to make sure she is okay! Natsu starts to swallow the black flames. He is over come with excruciating pain. He grabs his head and screams.

"See what I said?" Zancrow laughs. He cries out in surprise when he is grabbed by the giant hand of the Fairy Tail guild master lying not too far away.

"No more…" The master tries to stay conscious. "Just try hurting my children any more in front of me!" He couldn't take anymore suffering of his children after seeing Mayen taken out so roughly. He knew she was at her limit, yet she pushed herself to continue. Makarov couldn't let his children show him up. He may be pass his limit, as well, but he will push himself as Mayen did. "I will crush you down to the bone!" He clenches his fist more, making the enemy cry out in pain.

"You got enough strength left in ya?" Zancrow growls out. He engulfs his body, and therefore the guild master's hand, in his black fire. "Come on, let go. 'Cause if you don't it's your arm that's gonna be gone." The master grits through the pain. "What's this? Y-You're squeezing stronger?" Zancrow coughs.

"I ain't lettin' go!" Makarov grunts.

"Stop it, Gramps!" Natsu yells. He doesn't want anyone else hurt in his fight. "Please, let go, Gramps!"

"Don't underestimate the power…of family!" Makarov yells getting a burst of strength.

Natsu watches the pain on his guild master's face with wide eyes. Family. His gaze flashes over to the still body of Mayen. The front of her body is facing him. She is on her side almost in a fetal position. Her ribbon is loose, letting most of her hair flare out around her. Her pink lips are slightly parted. His eyes widen further as those lips move. His body freezes at the words he sees fall from those lips he has kissed. A new surge of anger and power rushes through him.

He roars forcing all his left over magic out of his body. Natsu's magic power vanishes, making Zancrow laugh. "And the dragon hunter bites the dust first!" There is a slight movement from Natsu that causes the other two males to gasp. The ball of fire surrounding the dragon slayer disappears as he devours the flames without trouble. "N-No way! How is he eating the flames of a god?!" The flames Zancrow is holding around his body vanish from surprise.

"I see…" Natsu wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "I guess there are some flames that take a little trick to eat."

Trick? The master looks at Natsu incredulously. That battle plan is more than just a trick. Emptying your magic power while in the middle of your enemy's? The master flings the blonde out of his hand. "You complete fool!" He scolds the dragon slayer. "Are you tryin' to kill yourself?!"

One of Natsu's hands lights up with his flames, the other with the black flames of a god. "I have no plan on dying." His voice is dark. "I ain't gonna let anyone die. We're all going home together. Home to Fairy Tail." He isn't sure if she is conscious enough to hear him, but he is speaking to Mayen as much as the master.

He roars at the sky as Zancrow falls through the air. "Join together the flames of a dragon and the flames of a god!" He jumps into the air above the falling Zancrow. "Dazzling Blaze…of the Dragon God!" He combines the flames with the enemy in the center of their convergence. Natsu lands in a kneeling stance and stands up, panting.

"I-Impossible…" Zancrow coughs from his crater in the ground. "Some wannabe dragon hunter…beat me?"

Makarov looks at Natsu in wonder. He created a new vessel inside himself to eat flames he shouldn't have been able to. What manner of man is he…? His eyes slide over to the still body of Mayen. He can barely see the rise and fall of her chest. She went past her limit and is lucky to be alive. I'll have to give them a good scolding for this later… He watches the back of the dragon slayer as he walks.

With the fight over, Natsu makes his way to Mayen's body. He falls to his knees beside her, brushing the hair out of her face and off her neck. He presses his fingers against her neck, feeling her pulse slow against his fingers. He cups her face in relief that she is alive. Natsu recalls what she had mouthed. "I love you, Natsu." He knows he wasn't supposed to see that. It had a finality to it that had stopped his heart. He had thought he lost her at that moment.

He brushes his thumb over her lips, feeling her breath against the digit short and shallow. Natsu leans down and brushes his lips against her temple, whispering against her skin. "I love you, kitten."

Natsu uses the last of his strength to gently pick up his woman. Her head falls into the hollow of his shoulder. Mayen's breaths puff against his chest as her forehead rests against his blackened scarf. He kneels down beside the master with his back to him as he lays her on the ground. The pinkette makes sure she is in a comfortable position before talking to the man behind him. "Gramps, let's fight." He doesn't take his eyes off the peaceful face of the woman in front of him even though he feels the master's stare on his back. "I know there are times when you have to fall back. Gildarts taught me that. But this ain't one of those times. These bastards chose Fairy Tail as their enemy." He brushes the back of his hand against her cheek. "So we have to make them realize…the power of our guild with all its heart and soul!" His vision starts to blur. He raises a fist into the air. "Let's fight…" He collapses beside Mayen. His raised arm falls over her waist. I'll fight for you, Mayen.

"Natsu!" Makarov gasps in worry.

0-0-0

*Burēdo Mure: Gyakusatsu- Blade Swarm: Slaughter

**Yamārashi- Porcupine. This attack sends out spikes from her shadow in all directions.

***Kage no sōryō- Carraige of Shadows: this moves objects or people through the shadows without her.

****Scream of Shadows- it is similar to the breath attacks of dragon slayers and god slayer.