The Black Mage

Having completed the first stage of the exam, Makarov informed them of the next stage. They were to find Mavis Vermillion's grave, where the Master would be waiting. In words, it sounded simple enough. In practice, well….

"What it is up with this island?" Lucy cried, as she and Cana were being chased by a giant lizard.

"Question later, run now!" Cana answered.

"I chose this over spending time with my son!" Lucy moaned, "What's wrong with me!"

Over the island, the teams were all similar issues with the monsters of the island. There was one exception though…

(with Natsu and Happy)

"Get out of my way!" Natsu bellowed, as he breathed a curtain fire at a charging monster.

"That's what you get," Happy said with a shrug. Natsu panted as he wiped the side of his mouth.

"Damn it," he said, "That fight with Erza took a lot out of me."

"Come on Natsu, let's get going!" Happy called.

"But how are we supposed to find the grave if we don't have any hint of where to go?" Natsu asked.

"Maybe we're supposed to guess?" Happy said.

"Well, guessing is my thing," Natsu said with a grin, "We got an island on top of a tree, right?"

"Aye."

"Then let's head there!" Natsu declared, "We'll get there before anyone else with your wings!"

"Aye sir!" Happy said excitedly, as he picked up Natsu, and started flying up.

(at base camp)

"Wait a minute!" Erza said, "Elfman and Evergreen are actually getting married?" She and Mirajane were currently resting at the guild's basecamp, where they were surprised to find that they are both alone.

"That's what they said," Mirajane answered with an embarrassed smile, "And after that they socked me straight in the face. It was probably all just a big ploy to throw me off guard."

"Well it clearly worked," Erza said, "This was a pretty good year for the candidates, only two of eight teams were knocked out, and all three of the S-Class mages were defeated."

"Though it seems you were the only one who was actually overpowered and beaten," Mirajane said. Erza took a breath as she gave her own embarrassed smile.

"You're going to hold this over my head for a long time, aren't you?" she asked, "But yeah, at long last, Natsu's defeated me. It was sure to happen, I just wasn't sure when it would. Though I'm more curious about how Gildarts lost."

"Your guess is as good as mine," Mirajane said, "Didn't he go back to the guild?"

"Yeah, so did Freed and Bixlow. Its a pity, they should've stayed to watch the exams finish. Where're Mest and Wendy though?"

"Dunno," Mirajane answered, "Come to think of it, can you remind me when Mest joined?"

"Of course," Erza answered, opening her mouth to answer, only to pause, "Actually… I'm not sure. I don't remember myself." She then stood up from her seat.

"Stay here, I'll go look for her. I mean, she can't be far."

(with Evergreen and Elfman)

"Its not manly to run away from animals!" Elfman yelled.

"Do you ever shut up!" Evergreen yelled right back. They were currently being chased by something that looked like a combination of a pig and a crocodile. Eventually, as they kept running, Evergreen tripped, knocking over Elfman, sending them tumbling down a hill, away from the monster. When Evergreen regained her senses, she noticed she was lying on top of Elfman

"Get off me!" she snapped, leaping away, "That was just a trick for Mira!"

"But weren't you on me?" Elfman asked. Naturally, Evergreen ignored him.

"You're lucky I came up with that, there was no way we could've actually beaten Mira without it!" she said.

"I'm a real man! And a real man doesn't think of such cowardly plans!" Evergreen was going to keep protesting, but then the two heard rustling. They turned to see a young man, maybe Natsu's age, emerging from the foliage.

"Someone else is here," the man said, "I didn't think that…."

"Who the hell are you?" Elfman demanded.

"This is Fairy Tail territory!" Evergreen said.

"Fairy Tail?" the man echoed, "Ah yes, a magic guild. I did come here to…." He trailed off slightly.

"Answer the damn question!" Elfman said has he began to approach.

"No!" the man said, stepping back, "Stay as far away as possible! I'll leave!"

"This guy is strange," Evergreen said.

"Should we alert the others?" Elfman asked. Then they noticed the man beginning to convulse.

"No!" he said, "Death is here!" A sudden black wave emerged from his body, spreading out before him. Anything the wave touched, wilted away. And just as it was coming upon the partners, the two were tackled to the ground, causing the wave to miss them.

"Natsu!" Evergreen said, looking up. The man froze, as he stared at Natsu, as he leapt to his feet.

"Who are you?!" Natsu demanded. But then tears begin to drip down the man's face as he stared at the pink haired Dragon Slayer.

"Natsu," the man said softly, which surprised the others.

"Do you know this guy?" Elfman asked.

"Never seen him in my life," Natsu answered.

"Natsu!" Happy called, as he dove down, "Why'd you jump down!"

"He's why," Natsu said, gesturing the man. Everyone then looked around, and noticed that the entire area had been left completely barren.

"What happened here!" Happy cried.

"Ever plant here has completely withered away," Evergreen said.

"Did he do this?" Elfman asked.

"Hey you bastard!" Natsu called, "I don't know or care who you are, but this is our territory! Get the hell out!" The man stared at the ground, in silence.

"Look buddy!" Natsu said, "I've got better things to do than deal with you! I've got a son waiting for me back at home!" The man then suddenly looked up, as he smiled slightly.

"So you have a family at long last, Natsu." That set the Dragon Slayer off as he lunged at the man, and socked him in the face. Anyone else would've been seriously hurt by one of Natsu's fists, but the man easily returned to his feet.

"Who the fuck are you!" Natsu demanded, "Tell me!" The man looked up, starting to cry slightly. So you're still incapable of challenging me? he thought Such a shame.

"Why's he crying!" Happy asked.

"This guy's getting creepier by the minute," Evergreen said. Suddenly the man began to shake slightly again. That didn't go unnoticed by Natsu.

"Everyone, run!" he yelled.

"What?"

"Listen to him!" the man answered desperately. Suddenly, the same black wave emerged from his body again, casting out.

"Natsu!" Happy cried, as Elfman carrie him away. When it emerged, more of the foliage was dead, but Natsu was still standing.

"Natsu!" Happy called in relief as he flew over.

"Don't worry, I'm okay!" Natsu answered, "But I don't know where he went." Then he noticed Happy staring.

"What?"

"Your scarf…." Natsu glanced down at it, and noticed it was pitch black.

"That son of a…," Natsu said, "He ruined my scarf! I'm going to cook him well done!"

(somewhere else)

"How long will I be rejected by this world?" the man said, leaning on a tree, as he stared at the sky, "Ankseram be merciful." He then chuckled slightly.

"Merciful," he said, "What an idea?"

(in the sky)

Moving the clouds, was a massive magical airship, with the symbol of a stylized heart. It was the symbol of the dark guild, Grimoire Heart.

"So he's there on the island?" a woman with dark hair mused, spinning an orb on her finger, "But he's clearly not himself."

"At long last," a figure in the shadows said.

"Master Hades," the woman said.

"Tell me about him again, Ultear," the figure said, smiling madly. The woman, Ultear also smiled.

"The man who shrouded the world in darkness, made the very aspect of magic bend to his will, created countless demons," Ultear said, "The mightiest mage to have ever lived…."

(on the island)

"…. Zeref, the Black Mage."

The man stared into the distance. He was the most feared man to have ever lived, no one had ever inspired so much dread from light mages, and so much admiration from dark mages. Zeref.

"Something is coming," he mused, as he covered his face, tears flowing again, "Why must dread always pursue me!"

(on the airship)

"Set the course for Tenrou Island," Hades said, rising from his throne. Assembled around him were six people, who gave out a magical presence so immense, it was suffocating.

"Its time for this new world to be born," he said, spreading this arms, "Let the world of Zeref come to fruition!"

Note: I'm really sorry this was so close to canon, but I really had no idea how to make this different from canon. The following events will be considerably different, or at least they hopefully will be.

Be sure to review.