Alright, this chapter is short. Let me just update this. The next chapter will be about the backstory about the past of Zancrow.

Looking forward to your thoughts if anyone is patient enough to read all the earlier seasons.

Thank you for reading.

Chapter 13: The Fear of the Dark Mage

"Natsu, you're Natsu, the dark mage." The boy just stared at Makarov unable to talk back.

"What are you talking about, old man, I'm not my idiotic brother!" He denied anxiously as he finally regained his sense.

Makarov opened his eyes briefly urging the boy to move in closer.

"Listen to me, we have no chance of winning in this fight."

"What are you talking about, old man?" Makarov scanned the boy and his injuries.

"Who hurt you?" He asked.

Memories of the battle in the Tower of Heaven replayed in the salmon haired boy's mind. His last real battle against the clone of Jellal and how he took the fatal attack meant for Erza and his twin brother. By right, with that kind of injuries, he should be dead.

"These injuries are nothing. I will win next time!" He tried to wave it off. It was not a priority it seemed. Makarov changed the subject begging him to lead the other away from the island.

"Please. Leave with everyone."

"Please don't say things in the line of resigning to fate. Don't say we can't win." He was tired of hearing this. The boy punched his fist on the ground in frustration.

"Some times, we must know when to retreat." Makarov explained.

"I don't want to give up the fight against my destiny. Not anymore. " The boy confessed in desperation as he thought back to the chat he had earlier.

*Flashback*

The boy kneeled before the grave as the voice rang in his mind.

"Do you really want to save your friends who had abandoned you?"

Natsu who was in his Zeref-activated form cried. His friends had come for him. They did not abandon him. Right now, his only wish was to save them.

"As long as everyone is safe, I don't mind even if I have to die. I don't want to see anyone hurt because of me again. I love Fairy Tail, I love Lucy, Tsuna, Gray, Erza, my teacher, Jellal and everyone. So please… help me!"

"Alright. If that is the case, I'll help you just this once. I will shift he magic of Zeref to your scarf temporary turning it black. As an aftereffect the other pair of the scarf would turn black as well, and I will help you regain the magic power you originally had., but…"

"That's good enough. Thank you."

"Show them your real strength…."

*End flashback*

"Please... take everyone and leave." Makarov begged.

"Oh, isn't this Makarov? Master Hades had defeated you, isn it? Hehehe…" A voice was heard from the salmon haired boy's back as a figure landed right onto the ground not far from them with an explosion.

"I had found both of you." Zancrow arrived at the scene.

The boy clenched his fist in fury. Standing up, he could feel his body trembled.

"Don't go. You can't win with your power and I can't lose you here. You hear me?" Makarov tried to raise his hand reaching for him.

"What's wrong, Fireball? You are having cold sweat. Where is your arrogance earlier?" Zancrow attempted to provoke him. Makarov was really worried. He could not let him stay here any longer. If his identity is exposed right here and now, their effort would be wasted.

"Let me teach you. This is the feeling of fear. The feeling when you are faced with an absolute power. Many people would have given up fighting because of fear." Zancrow sneered with his face twisted with a sick expression full of arrogance.

"Fear. This is fear?" The boy stared at his trembling hands.

How can this be compared to what he had felt before? The feeling when he took lives unwillingly. The feeling as the flora and fauna fell before his power of death.

"Lucy…" He could never forget Lucy's and her expression full of fear when she faced him with his uncontrollable power of death.

"Have you gone mad? How dare you? Just how much blood have you spilled?" Tsuna yelled in rage. He could only watch as Tsuna ran from his uncontrollable death magic and was caught into it.

"That's enough. Get out of here!" Makarov continued calling for him desperately.

Flame erupted from his body all the sudden.

"That's right. This is the feeling of fear. But this level of fear can't never be compared to the fear I have been experiencing. Now, what I'm afraid is I'm unable to deal with you and caused grandpa and everyone hurts. I will not spare anyone of you. I will defeat Hades with my own hands!" The boy with salmon hair, Natsu declared.