Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail

It didn't take long for whatever that spell was to fade away. With no clue as to where he'd ended up, Gray had just stayed to watch. Yet, this wasn't quite the aftermath he'd been expecting. Wherever the man had brought him to had plenty of wildlife, but where that black cloud had been, there was now nothing but blackened dirt. The dark wizard calmly sat at the center of the deadened region. He sighed and shook his head as he rose to his feet. "Well, now that that's finished with, I suppose I must get to work."

"Hey! Wait!" The man was walking off and Gray cursed, shaking his head. "Where the hell are we?"

"Galuna Island." The man just kept walking and did not even turn back. "If you did not wish to be here, you should not have attempted to intervene earlier. Your arrival here is your own doing and therefore, not my problem to solve. So, please, at the very least, keep your word to not intervene in the rest of what I must take care of. I've already seen that you won't keep your promise to leave me alone, but I hope you at least have enough honor to not interfere."

He was on Galuna Island? Gray stopped, staring at the man's back. Somewhere, Natsu and Lucy were here. Yet, he'd found a wizard who clearly was suspicious, on an island that was looking for help to eliminate a curse. "Galuna Island…" He frowned, staring at the man. "You…you can't be…" He shook his head, standing ready for a fight if need be. "Are you the one cursing this island?"

That was enough to make the man pause, turning back towards him. "You know of it?" The dark wizard frowned, his eyes shifting downward and away from Gray's face for a moment. Following the man's gaze, Gray realized that his shirt was missing and he couldn't even recall when he'd decided to take it off. That damn habit always came in at the worst time.

"Fairy Tail's guild mark…so you're a guild wizard," the man commented. There was something dark in the other wizard's eyes as he stared at the blue design on Gray's chest. Yet, Gray couldn't tell if he was angry, happy, or upset with seeing his guild mark. "Have you come to attempt to free this island?"

"Not exactly."

The dark wizard kept staring at him, waiting in silence. Then, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I see. You are not impulsive and actually rationalize some decisions it seems. I had thought otherwise, with the way you attempted to intervene in my teleportation spell…but perhaps I had misinterpreted that decision."

"And you never answered my question."

"Would it make you more comfortable if I did?"

Gray was quiet, watching him. "I just want to know what the hell is going on and why you even want to be here yourself. Doing shady work at night, having that book—I don't like this at all." He paused, meeting his gaze. "I don't like you at all, really. I'm looking for a good reason to be able to walk away without a guilty conscience here. Give me one and I'll leave you be."

The man stared at him, watching in silence for a moment. Then, his gaze flickered away, turning towards the ground. "It might take some time, to come up with such a reasoning."

"So, you're saying you did curse this island?"

"Perhaps." It was as vague of an answer as he could give. Gray wanted to shout at him in frustration. He was even more irritating to deal with than Natsu and for entirely different reasons. At least the flame brain would give direct answers and they'd be able to fight out their frustrations in a spar if they were too angry. "I…I suppose you could say I'm responsible for the request for help, though. The people of this island would…not exactly be capable of sending out such a request, without my intervention."

Gray didn't know if that made him feel better or not. "So, you helped them send out a job to wizards?"

"More like made wizards willing to accept the job." The man smiled faintly, tilting his head at Gray. "If they knew the truth…well, I suspect most wizards would prefer to destroy the inhabitants here without asking questions. This way…perhaps they'll educate themselves further first, before making rash judgements."

"There's no way that's the case! I don't know what you've heard, but wizards don't just go around trying to kill people without reason. And even with reason, well, I think you have some confusion about exactly how legitimate guild wizards operate."

"You attempt to destroy dark and unnatural magics in some jobs, correct?" Frowning, Gray nodded. "And if I were to tell you that the inhabitants of this island exist as a result of such magic, what would you say then?"

"What? So they're like, ghosts or something?"

The man smiled, shaking his head. "Despite everything, you are afraid to come to the obvious conclusion." He shifted, lifting Deliora's book and shaking it slightly. "Not all demons are the same. And here….this island, is home to quite a large number of rather benign demons. Harmless, peaceful ones, I assure you, but still demons, nonetheless."

Gray stilled, his eyes widening. "You—I can't believe you'd just encourage wizards to go out and help monsters like that! Do you have any idea what a single demon can do? Let alone…" He trailed off, not knowing even what he was dealing with. Gray ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath to try and fight back against the images now flashing in his head. He could see Deliora, standing tall in a blizzard over his home. He could remember trying to hide, being told to run by his parents. It took him far too long to break free of his numb shock to actually listen. He'd barely managed to flee after the demon's rampage began, only to return days later to find everyone dead. That monster had taken everything and now he was surrounded by more of them.

"So, even knowing they are harmless won't stop your assumptions…" The dark wizard sighed, shaking his head.

"There's no such thing as a harmless demon! Damn it, Natsu, what the hell have you—" Gray began muttering quietly.

"Natsu?" He didn't expect to be interrupted and he glanced over at the man with a frown. "You know Natsu…as in Natsu Dragneel?" Gray didn't answer, wondering how this man knew him. Yet, the dark wizard seemed intent, his gaze focused on his. "Answer me. Answer me…and I'll give you a straightforward answer to a single question of your choice, with no dodging or evading the response."

Taking a slow breath, Gray nodded. "Deal. I do know Natsu." The dark wizard was quiet, looking at the ground in silence. Staring around the man, Gray realized the most concerning thing he needed to know, what he should have brought up earlier. "In return, I want to know what the hell all of this is. This magic around you, it is even more unnatural than demons like Deliora, if you ask me. And you keep acting like you don't even notice it, like nothing's wrong at all. I mean, I can write it off too with other things to focus on, but I can't just calmly walk around while wondering if I'm about to walk into a cloud of death, quite literally."

"Not quite what I expected…but valid, I suppose." The man looked up, a smile on his face that just looked forced and wrong. "It is a curse, one I've had for too long to remember." He paused. "But I assure you, I've come to terms with it and have plans to deal with the situation soon enough."

Gray stared at him, frowning. "In the job request, you asked for ice-make wizards. What the hell could they do against a curse that kills everything around you?"

"That…that is what I'm here to try and answer."

As much as Gray wanted to demand more details, he had other concerns. Natsu had no clue what he was charging head first into and Gray needed to stop him. "Well, as much as I don't trust you…good luck." He paused, glancing over at him. "Doesn't matter who you are, no one deserves this sort of a curse. Maybe I'll try asking around the guild and see if anyone knows an answer when I get back."

"I wouldn't be too hopeful, if I were you."

Gray shrugged, putting his hands into his pockets. He'd try and find his shirt on his way to wherever Natsu might be. Either way, he needed to get away from this man and focus on the task at hand. He was letting himself get distracted way too easily. Maybe Deliora had been a plague on his past, but Deliora was long gone. Ur had made certain of that. So, he just had to keep that in mind as this man toyed around with demons and their books.

He managed to find his shirt after retracing his steps and tossed it over his shoulder as he walked. The island was foreign to him, but he figured eventually he'd have to reach the water. Most towns formed in places near water, if they couldn't get access to resources easily. That allowed for trade and travel, though an ocean wouldn't be usable for actual drinking water. Still, it was better than the forest he'd been in.

Part of Gray couldn't help but wonder if he'd made the right decision in leaving that dark wizard behind. He probably was responsible for the curse, but there was no certain evidence of it at all. The man didn't reveal much at all and seemed too focused on whatever he wanted to get done to really tell Gray much of anything. So, he was stuck questioning if he'd just made the situation worse by leaving him be to try and find Natsu.

Then, there was the way he'd reacted to Natsu's name. Somehow that dark wizard knew Natsu. Yet, it just shouldn't be possible. Had Natsu fought him in a past job or something? It wasn't like Natsu came across dark wizards often otherwise. Yet, the man had been willing to lower his guard, just for information on the dragon slayer. That wasn't the sort of reaction someone had to a former enemy, unless it was a former enemy they feared.

August had been researching some of their historical legislation regarding magic regulations in the library when a familiar blast of cold air washed over him. From the square reading desk in the library, the elderly wizard lifted his head and turned his gaze towards the entrance where the winter general was making his appearance. Under his arm was a folder of his own notes, along with a lacrima used for emergency communication should it become necessary.

"Have you had any luck with the research, August?"

Letting out a sigh, August shook his head. Things were getting somewhat chaotic after their latest expansion of territory. Their military had conquered the nation of Solinshka with ease but a rebellion was quick to arise from some of the wizards within. Dimaria had been able to handle the situation before it escalated, but now there was the aftermath of her actions to deal with. A case was being made against her violent approach, claiming the guilds involved had surrendered prior to Dimaria taking action. It was getting rather ugly; the former ruler for the conquered nation was insisting that they receive a representative within the Spriggan Twelve to make up for what Dimaria had done.

Legislation regarding magical guilds and the appropriate options for suppressing illegal acts of magic had not been changed in ages. Their system had worked perfectly fine before, but August supposed that was prior to their latest additions to their government. "Their demands are excessive, but I am afraid Dimaria may have been out of line if they truly can prove the guild had surrendered to our authority prior to her taking action."

"I was afraid of that." Invel adjusted his glasses, taking a seat as he set down the lacrima. "Solinshka has been problematic from the moment we first absorbed them into our borders. I don't quite see what they think they'd gain with a simple representative."

"They are specifically requesting a political representative, Invel." August sighed. "Not one of our ambassadors or military leaders. They are seeking to add another to a position similar to ours."

While the Spriggan Twelve were one cohesive group, there was a division of responsibilities amongst them. Legislation and politics were typically handled by August, Invel, and Irene due to the emperor's frequent absences from the nation. Remotely, they'd receive guidance from their emperor along with long-term plans for what should be done. However, his majesty truly never had to set foot in the nation to implement new laws or update any agreements.

The others served as advisors, ambassadors, and generals within their military. They kept the people under control to ensure that disputes did not get out of hand and that training and expansions of their military happened in a timely manner. Still, the separation meant that while they could suggest new laws or alterations to regulations for Alvarez, none of the others had the authority to implement them without the consent of his majesty or one of them.

"That is absurd. None of us received this position by just requesting it." Invel was the youngest in this position and even he had not managed that by merely asking for the job. Being level-headed and calm when facing an emergency were qualities that had certainly impressed his majesty enough to consider the promotion. However, August suspected it was Invel's tendency to frequently call his majesty to suggest alterations to laws, trade agreements, and similar things that resulted in his majesty simply getting annoyed and promoting him to avoid dealing with the interruptions.

"I agree." August paused, folding his arms over his chest and eyeing the lacrima. "Were you planning to inform his majesty of the issue? I was not aware that the situation was quite that dire."

"Perhaps not, but it is always better to exercise caution." Invel shook his head. "Based on everything I can find, the appropriate course of action would be to enforce some form of punishment on Dimaria for her actions."

August raised his eyebrows at the winter general. "And do you truly think Dimaria would allow such a thing to occur?"

"Unlikely. However, if it were an order from his majesty, she'd have no choice but to obey." Invel leaned back. "He has not reached out in years. Surely, whatever he's working on isn't important enough to prevent us from making such a request of him."

Perhaps not, but August still did not think it would be wise. His majesty preferred isolation for good reason. This absence may have connected to his curse rather than some personal desire to ignore them for the time being. Even if it wasn't, the man deserved a break on occasion. He'd endured too much, lost too much, to not take some time to himself to rest.

Still, Invel was not allowing August to object. The winter general was already activating the lacrima, reaching out to his majesty to discuss the situation. There was a brief delay before it connected, showing Emperor Spriggan's face standing in front of an odd stone wall in the background. "Your majesty, please excuse the intrusion," Invel stated.

"Invel, August." His majesty looked between the two of them with a frown. "Have I missed something important during my absence?"

"We've succeeded in expanding our lands to include the nation of Solinshka. However, we've encountered an issue regarding a brief disturbance in the newly gained territory." Invel began to debrief his majesty on the situation, explaining the current request and his proposed solution. "Dimaria respects no one's authority other than your own. Please, I would like you to reach out to her and assist us in enforcing some sort of punishment for her actions."

"Why? I see no reason to punish her." The emperor shook his head. "From what you've told me, she has successfully halted an uprising in the nation that is ours to rule. Precedent may exist on how to handle such situations, but I see no fault in demonstrating our strength to our new citizens."

"Your majesty, this will have repercussions in the future. Keeping the people happy will prevent such incidents from occurring again."

His majesty frowned, tilting his head for a moment. Then, he let out a sigh. "Very well. If you agree to do something you're not fond of for me, I will in turn take care of this favor for you."

"This-this isn't some personal favor, your majesty," Invel said. August wondered why Invel thought this would turn out to be any different.

"Yet, you cannot accomplish your plan without my assistance."

Letting out a sigh, August leaned forward. "Please, let's not waste time with this dispute. Invel sees few other peaceful solutions to this issue, so I am confident he will agree to your request, your majesty."

The figure projected on the lacrima nodded. "Excellent. Now, I understand I have been keeping you out of my latest project as I am aware of the implications for Alvarez should it succeed. It is not relevant enough for anyone else to hear of the details, so I trust that the two of you will keep this matter to yourselves unless you have no other options."

"As you wish, your majesty." August nodded his head.

"I'm encountering a bit of a road block with my current task. Invel, as you recall, I requested your notes on ice magic years ago for a personal investigation of mine. Further research has revealed that an ice-make wizard utilized a spell known as iced shell to produce the results I described before."

"Iced shell?" Invel frowned. "That's more of an entrapment based spell. Yes, it is highly potent, but I cannot fathom how it could've killed one of your creations, your majesty."

"Regardless of your belief on the matter, I am going to request that you begin to research it yourself." His majesty met their eyes. "Both of you. Find its history, origins, and any variations that have been used throughout time. I want an answer as to why this specific casting resulted in Deliora's death. Once you have this information gathered, send it to me so I can continue my search."

"Your majesty, you aren't considering using this spell, are you?" Invel frowned. "Even if this is for your…personal goal, I cannot see it assisting you. Your curse would remain even if you were to pay the cost for the spell."

August frowned, picking up on the hint. This spell related to his majesty's ultimate goal of seeking his own death. "You are correct. I am still in the process of finding the ideal candidate for using it. I simply wish to be confident that I am not teaching someone the incorrect variation of this spell prior to testing the theory." His majesty sighed. "Truly, I had hoped to avoid needing to train someone entirely. Yet, it seems my plan to locate ice-make wizards is not working fast enough. The moon drip ritual will complete before any arrive at this rate."

"You are requesting that we assist you in your latest attempt to end your immortality?" August frowned. "I…your majesty, I would ask that you reconsider your request."

"I appreciate the concern, August, but Alvarez will be just fine without me." His majesty sighed. "Technically, I suppose it was only Invel that owes me for reaching out to Dimaria. If it truly bothers you so much, you do not have to assist him. My choice to move forward with this research will be the same, regardless."

August knew he'd never be able to talk Emperor Spriggan out of this goal. No one could convince his majesty that his life held any value, not with the nature of his curse. Even August was not willing to make such an attempt, regardless of his awareness of their relationship to each other.

Turning towards Invel, August closed his eyes. Then, he let out a sigh and shook his head. "Please, give me some time to consider. Begin on your own for now." With that, he rose to his feet and gave his majesty a bow. "Excuse me, your majesty." Then, he spun around and left the room, his mind filled with thoughts questioning if he truly could bring himself to help his father seek his death.

I will fully admit, I've been far too tired this week to make much of any progress on revisions. Luckily, the main sections needing focus aren't until quite a ways beyond the Galuna Island arc of this story so it shouldn't slow down updates yet. Anyone have thoughts on the plot so far? I want to say this story is more slow-paced compared to ones I've made in the past so feel free to let me know if there are recommendations for improvement here - it has been over a year since I've posted/written any fanfics so I may be out of practice on some things. In other words...I am easily bribed and motivated with reviews and am not afraid to admit it. Feedback inspires me to focus and work harder on my writing so I highly appreciate all of you that have reviewed/followed/favorited this story!