Chapter 4
The Black and The Dark Mage

The second challenge was actually simple. Find the grave of the first master of Fairy Tail: Mavis. Nothing complicated. If only.

Yes, if only was the island has less strange areas.

"Do you really know where we are?!" Evergreen complained as they entered what seemed like a cave.

"No, but as a man, we should venture further!" Elfman said and they entered the said cave, which was actually just a tunnel leading to what seemed like a small ruins.

If only was the island small.

"We're lost! Where are we, I can't even see through this mist!" Cana complained as the ventured to the swampy and marshy areas of the island.

"Don't worry, we'll be able to find what we're looking for," Meredy smiled as she showed her tattoo that linked her to the other competitors.

If only there was less monsters.

"What is this?!" Gray yelled as they were being chased by what seemed like a giant bird mixed with a snake body.

"How should I know?!" Loke said, trying to avoid its beak that could potentially scar his face.

If only they were given a clue.

"Tell me where to find the grave!" Natsu yelled at the monster.

"He talked to the monster!" Happy told into thin air.

"I don't know," the monster replied, knocked out after having a spar with this utterly strong mage.

"He talked back!" Happy shouted in surprise.

And if only weird people stops coming out of nowhere.

"Run for your life!" Lucy yelled as Lisanna effortlessly ran with her cheetah's legs. The two of them, however, fell on a cliff after the monster pushed them.

"Ouch, that hurts," Lisanna groaned as she tried checking for any injuries. She dusted herself off the dirt that befall on her and looked up, to see the monster slowly returning back to guard its territory. Well, she couldn't blame the Mama Bear for protecting her cub, besides, now she can Take-Over into Mama Bear.

"Hey Lucy, you alright?" Lisanna asked her partner, but received no kind of respond. Worried, she stood up and tried to look for her but then.

"She's gone? Oh no, we separated ways, this can't be!" Lisanna said, as she started to panic.

There was rustling through the bushes, attracting Lisanna's attention.

"Lucy, is that you?" Lisanna asked, a bit nervous and then, a mage with black hair appeared before her.

"Just as I thought, people would come, I should've known," he mumbled to himself and looked very guilty. Lisanna found it strange that someone else was in the island and found it stranger that it seemed like this mage, whoever he is, can easily overpower her.

"Who, who are you?" Lisanna tried to ask, her voice hoarse and a look of fear can be noticed upon her face. She tried to go closer when the man suddenly screamed at her.

"Don't get any closer! Run! Save yourself! Death, it's coming yet again," he said, his eye bearing a look of fear himself and suddenly, Lisanna was being pinned on the ground, she almost panicked but managed to feel the familiarity for the one who pinned her because it was none other than...

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Natsu asked, enraged. He was just in time to save Lisanna from that blast and Lisanna can feel her adrenaline rush from that near death experience. This guy, whoever he is, is very dangerous.

"Natsu? What are you doing here, don't surprise me like that," Lisanna said but Natsu kept her pinned down. But then, Lisanna felt something odd with her surroundings. It was as if...

"Natsu, is that you?" the black haired mage asked. But then, Natsu ignored him as he helped Lisanna stand up.

"Look, the trees are all dead," Lisanna said as she stood up and looked around in fear. Yes, she would have really died if Natsu didn't come and rescue her.

"Is this his magic?" Natsu asked Lisanna who seemed to be nodding.

"Natsu?! What are you doing here! Aren't we supposed to go to the top?!" Happy lunges towards his partner as he came out of nowhere, but then, he was surprised at the scene he saw.

But then, Natsu reacted towards the black mage and yelled at him. "I don't know who you are, but this is our Guild's island and there's no way that I'd let you disturb our exams!"

Though Natsu didn't anticipated for the man's answer. "Natsu, you, you really grew, I've been wanting to see you, Natsu."

And of course, his initial reaction was to lunge at the man, who claims to know him. Whoever he is, he has the guts to trespass on their Guild and anger him.

"Who the hell are you?!" Natsu yelled as he punched the mage who didn't even block the attack he just gave, and for some weird reason, he even smiled at the reaction of Natsu.

"I don't know you! What's your name and what are you doing in this island?! And how did you kill all those trees with just one blow?!" Natsu yelled, angry for some unknown reasons. But then, the black haired mage started to cry, surprising both Lisanna and Happy.

"Is...is he okay? I mean, he's crying," Lisanna said as she bore a look of sympathy towards the mage.

"Run! Run! The black wave, it takes away the life, run! Save yourself!" the black haired mage said. Natsu and Lisanna were about to head for cover when suddenly, the man fell to his knees as a sword made of thorns materialized from his back and punctured through his body.

"Who?" the black mage asked, surprised at the sudden intrusion of another mage.

"Shhhh, I won't kill you, Master Hades still needs you, and Nee-san might have a proper use for you," whispered the mage standing beside him, her eyes bearing an unforgiving look as in changed from those kind brown eyes into blue eyes filled with hatred.

"Lucy, thank goodness you're alright!" Lisanna said and Lucy did her best to pant and look tired but when Lisanna was about to come closer towards Lucy, she felt a hand stopping her.

"I don't know why, but that girl's not our ally, I could sense it," Natsu said warningly and Lisanna gave him a strange look.

"What are you talking about, she's Lucy, Natsu, one of the kindest mage of Fairy Tail I met and she just protected us from whoever that guy was, stop speaking nonsense," Lisanna also said, trying her best not to offend Lucy.

"He's actually not speaking a total nonsense, Li-sa-nna," Lucy smirked and to Lisanna's horror, the color of her eyes changed and slowly, her whole body glowed.

"But you also have a point, I did protected you from him, from the Black Mage Zeref himself, just as what Nee-san ordered me to," a girl with brown hair said, she was wearing a pink dress with white trims and a dark pink ribbon.

"Hi, my name's Michelle Lobster, and I am sent here to kill you," the girl said with an innocent smile. And before they can react, vines filled with thorn appeared from the ground and wrapped the three mages tightly, before exploding.

"They've actually did that to you, Erza, my, my, you're getting frail!" Mirajane teased as she continued cooking what seemed to be their meal.

"Says the girl who was defeated by a cat," Erza retorted as she too, cooked their supposedly meal. The two were competing, just as always, but everyone really knows that's it was just a rivalry, just like Natsu and Gray, and nothing particularly serious.

"Are you saying that I'm weak?" Mirajane said as she chopped the poor fish harshly.

"No, but if that's how you see it, then yes," Erza retorted as she grinded the innocent vegetables into smithereens.

"Hush, you two," the warm voice of Ultear echoed as she demanded silence to reflect on her previous observations. Lucy, Lucy is cunning and is very intelligent, even if her sheer magic isn't as strong, she can manipulate her opponents to her advantage, a talent that is hard to find. But at the same time, there's something wrong with her, Ultear can't help but notice.

"Yeah, yeah, hush before you anger her Highness," Jellal laughed, earning him a glare from the Ice Queen.

"Don't push it Fernandez," Ultear warned threateningly.

"Guys, guys, don't fight," Levy can't help but butt in as she can feel the demonic aura coming out of the 'Big Three' of Fairy Tail, just as how people outside the Guild calls these three tyrants. But Levy's presence alarmed Erza.

"Wait, where are the others?" Erza asked as she remembered the mages who were eliminated.

"Lily said that he'd have a look around the island, while Freed and Bixlow decided to head back to the Guild alongside with Gildartz," Levy said but then, remembered another pair who should've been back by now.

"Wendy and Mest aren't still here," Mirajane commented as an afterthought.

"Maybe they're having a look over the island as we—" Levy was cut off by a sound of a huge explosion, which alerted not only her but the rest of the S-Class Mages.

"That's not a friendly explosion," Mirajane said, and if you look closely, you can hear the worry in her voice.

"Not at all," Erza said as she rushed to change her clothes and so did Mirajane.

"We have to separate, Ultear and I would go and find out where the explosion happened while you two search and round the other ma—" Mirajane was cut off when suddenly, another wave of explosion occurred in the island.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" Wendy asked the tall guy who appeared out of a freakin' tree. He managed to blast Mest away and so is the fleet he brought with him. Turns out, Mest is a member of the Magic Council, sent to find a dirt to destroy Fairy Tail.

"I am Azuma, one of the 7th Kin of the Purgatory, and I am here to destroy all of you," he said and before anyone of them could react, the ground beneath them shone before exploding.

"I'm sorry, Mavis, for bringing impurity upon your land," Makarov said as he too stood up, ready to face whatever it is that is causing a ruckus in Tenroujima. And whoever these people are, they should ready to face the wrath of the 3rd Master of Fairy Tail.

"Yes, Azuma, Michelle, destroy all of them! Destroy them all!" a maniacal voice appeared, overlooking the island.

"Three-Two-One," she said and as if on cue, a giant appeared in front of Tenroujima, scaring and surprising most of the mages inside the aircraft.

"Right on time, Master Hades," the girl said and Hades nodded his head.

"Are you all ready?" Hades asked his people who nodded excitedly before all of them are concealed in balls.

"I wish you good luck," Marionette said as she jumped out of the window and headed towards the island, but not before smiling at the Master of Fairy Tail.

"Long time no see, Master Makarov," she said kindly before flying away from him with a speed that could rival Jet's. Makarov was surprised. How? Lucy's inside the island right? How did she...

"Hello, Makarov," Hades said as he smiled at Makarov.

Yes. The war has begun. And the Fairies are clearly unprepared for this.

End
This is just a filler chapter, but the real story will begin now! Oh, and expect slow updates for this and 'The Reaper' because school is back and I have to 'focus' on studying. Wish me luck!