Upon Tenroujima, the second stage of the S-class Trial exam has begun.
Makarov's instructions were quick, and easy to follow. The remaining candidates were to find the grave of the Fairy Tail's Founder – Mavis Vermillion. No clues, no hints, just a time limit of six hours and the title of S-Class for taking upon finding it. With this in mind, everyone scattered with the thought of how easy this stage was going to be.
Thought being the key word.
10 minutes after leaving, Lucy and Cana found themselves being chased by a giant lizard, too big and tough for them to just defeat. Gray and Loke had to run away from a swarm of bird-like creatures with sharp teeth, Levy and Gajeel stayed quiet behind a rock, with a giant dinosaur lurking around, and Elfman and Evergreen continued to argue while running away from a giant boar.
All candidates were on the defence ever since the stage had started.
meanwhile at the basecamp site.
"hahahahahahaha!" Mira laughed out as she slams her hands on a table where she sat with Juvia and Lisanna. The Majin laughing hard because of how she heard Erza got defeated by Lucy and Cana. "oh my god! I can't! I can't breathe!"
Erza who is stirring a ladle in a soup pot had to hold in her anger as she hated being laughed at by Mira of all people.
"beaten with tons of smutty love novels? Hahahahahah!" laughed Mira as she holds her stomach that is hurting from all her laughing.
"SHUT UP MIRA! LIKE YOU WERE ANY A SHAME OF HOW YOU GOT BEATEN BY ELFMAN AND EVER!" shouted Erza at her rival before the two butt heads.
"at least I got beaten in a battle, not by a bunch of smutty novels, you glutton red head?" said Mira to Erza while glaring at her.
"I let them pass, unlike you getting caught off guard because of Elfman telling you that he plans to get married with Evergreen which is just a lie, you she-bitch!" said Erza as both had rivalry sparks fly in between the two.
"must they always fight at any place?" said Juvia with a sweatdrop while Lisanna giggles
"so, Elf-niichan with Evergreen managed to trick Mira-nee, huh? Talk about a good plan those two made" said Lisanna as Mira and Erza looks at her before sighing.
"those two…" said Mira while rubbing her bandaged right forearm that is caused by her fight with Elfman and Evergreen. "I never knew that they make such a great combi"
"if they really got married, I wonder how their baby will look like?" wondered Lisanna as she and Mira imagine a horrifying baby that has Elfman and Evergreen looks that made them shiver in disgust and terror.
"That reminds me, where are Bickslow-san and Freed-san?" Juvia asked suddenly.
"They left the island with Gildarts after the First Stage." Replied Erza
"Already? They should have stayed to the end and watch who gets the rank!" Lisanna said with a bit of disappointment.
"well they had some things to do back at the guild." Mira told her sister as she sat back on her seat while Erza went back to cooking.
"speaking of which, Natsu isn't here yet too" said Erza, realizing that the salmon haired man isn't with them at the base camp. "I wonder what's taking him so long?"
"he might be looking for Wendy and Mest" Mira told her while rubbing her chin. "those two weren't at their paths, after all"
"but he has a sharp nose, he should've been back with the two by now" said Lisanna pointing out how Natsu has a sharp nose like Kiara.
"let's go and find them" said Erza. "I have a feeling that if Natsu is taking too long, something is up"
"Juvia will go with" said Juvia, thinking that Erza might need help.
"MAN!" Elfman screamed as he and Ever runs from the giant boar that is still chasing after them.
"SHUT UP!" Ever shouted at him before the two went flying off a cliff and was falling down the cliff.
Instinctively, Elfman grabbed his partner and tried to shield her, as they rolled down the cliff.
With loud thuds they both landed on their back at the bottom, the pig no longer following them, as it stared them down and turned back around.
"Yeah...you better….run." grunted Elfman and slowly sit up, massaging his sore neck. "You ok?" he asked Evergreen.
She groaned and stood up, dusting herself off. "Nothing you should be concerned about."
Elfman sighed and also stood up. "No need to be so fussy. By the way, I've yet to thank you for that cowardly strategy, I wouldn't have come up with such a plan on my own."
"Don't call it cowardly! That was the only way we could have walked past that monster of a sister of yours!"
Elfman opened his mouth to retort but caught something with the corner of his eye.
They've been approached by a strange young man with black hair and black and white robes, too big to fit his body. His expression was that of mixed boredom and indifference, his messy hair covering a big part of his face.
"People…?" he wondered out loud to himself. "On this island? I thought there wouldn't be anyone..."
Elfman quickly got in a fighting position. "Who are you?" he asked sharply.
"Only members of our guild are permitted on this island." said Evergreen.
The man's eyes widened a little. "A guild? I see...so this island belongs to a guild. I was not aware of that."
Elfman couldn't quite put it together. Although he didn't feel any extraordinary magic from this man, his senses were screaming in danger. He was beyond confused, and he soon let the intruder know that. "I asked you, who are you?!" he yelled and took a step forward.
"No!" screamed the man and raised his hand, signalizing Elfman to halt. "Please, do not approach me. Very well, I shall take my leave, but please, do not come any closer."
"What is he talking about?" frowned Evergreen.
"Can we even let him off this easily?" wondered Elfman.
Suddenly, the man's face twisted in a painful grimace, as he clutched his head with his hands. "No...It's coming..." he grunted through his teeth. "The Death Predation...is coming!"
A black sphere began to form around his figure, rapidly expanding to nearby areas. The grass beneath his feet started to wither, losing its colors and turning into ashes. The leaves traveling with the wind have turned into nothingness, as the wave of death marched towards Elfman and Evergeen, both of them unable to move.
The pair felt a strong grip on their heads, as someone forcefully dragged them to the ground, lying on top of them. The wave went over their bodies, taking nearby trees, bushes, as well as animals.
Shortly after, it stopped. Elfman lifted his head off the ground and looked to his left, his eyes landing on a familiar pink coloured hair.
"N-Natsu?!" choked out Elfman.
Natsu released the pair from his grip as he hoisted the two up.
"Don't surprise us like that..." Ever told to Natsu as she sighed in relief.
Elfman looked over at the black haired man as he sees him crying
"what the hell?" Elfman said as Natsu looks at the stranger
The black hair man was looking straight at Natsu who raised an eyebrow at him
"Natsu..." he muttered in disbelief.
"Who are you?" said Natsu with a hostile look.
Ever and Elfman looks at the stranger before looking at their surrounding
"The trees, no...the whole area has withered." noted Evergreen.
"No." Elfman shook his head gently. "It died." he finished, his eyes focused on the dead birds and mice lying on the ground.
"Was that this person's magic?" Ever said while sweating a bit in fear
"that bad and negative presence that I felt" said Natsu as the man was trying to find Wendy and Mest when he felt a dark magic presence and that made him rush to save Elfman and Evergreen. "it was him, huh?
"just who is this guy?" said Elfman before Natsu started to approach the man.
"you, who are you?" said Natsu while having a hostile approach to the stranger.
"Natsu…you've grown so much…I can sense it" said the man while crying. "I've been wanting to see you"
Natsu squinted his eyes as he has no idea who the man is, but his senses are ringing because of the danger coming from the stranger.
"Elfman, Evergreen..slowly get away" said Natsu to the two.
"huh? Why?" said Evergreen before she sees flames raging around Natsu's fists.
"I don't know how to explain it, but something about this man is dangerous!" said Natsu while his eyes glows red. "move back…now!"
"just what is.." said Ever before Elfman holds a hand up to her as she looks at him. "Elfman?"
"let's get back" said Elfman while taking a step back slowly. "if Natsu is very serious like this….then this mean that this is something very bad"
Ever gulped a bit as she knows that when Natsu is serious about something it either be dangerous or deadly.
"Natsu….you've grown…" said the man before black mist started to cover the man's surrounding.
Natsu's eyes widen before the man slams his fists together and hammers the ground, creating a wall of fire.
"get away!" shouted Natsu to Elfman and Ever. "now!"
Elfman looks at him before he snaps out and grabs Ever as he heads for cover.
The black mist around the stranger soon becomes a pulsing wave that went straight all over the surrounding, causing death to nearby nature.
somewhere in the sky, a black magic ship soars through the clouds as it is the airship belonging to Grimoire Heart.
"we finally found him" said Ultear as she move her orb around her hand. "it seems that he was sleeping though. The time has come, Master Hades.
"The day the great dark mage, Zeref comes back to life, has come. We've looked forward to this moment for a long time, and now, all the keys are finally within my grasp." said Master Hades as he smirks. "Today, we shall awaken what slumbers deep inside Zeref."
Master Hades is surrounding by seven members of his guild as they are all the seven purgatory kins.
"set course…." Said Master Hades. "for the holy land of the fairies"
That's a wrap!
Bye bye