Chapter 56

Flame On!

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

Caprico jumped down and landed before standing up. "Only fools would battle me."

"We're fighting a goat?" Lucy asked.

"Something's off about this guy." Gray mumbled.

"You mean other than he's a goat?" Cana asked.

"Stay behind me, Lucy. I'll keep you safe." The Lion spirit said.

"My name is Caprico, one of the Seven Kin." The goat said.

"The Seven what?" The blonde asked.

"There are six more wizards with magic like his?" Cana asked, readying her cards.

"Caprico..." Loke mumbled.

With the D.S. Couple

Natsu and Laki charged the blonde and swung their fists and legs, trying to land an attack on the Kin member. Zancrow merely ducked and punched Natsu in the face, sending him flying back before turning to Laki. He slammed his knee into her gut before activating his flames and summoning another pillar that enveloped her. "Time for this wood to burn!

"Leave her alone!" Natsu shouted before charging forward. He tried throwing another punch, only for the blonde to throw his girlfriend at him.

"Is this seriously all you Dragon Slayers have to offer?" Zancrow asked.

"Thats it! You're gonna wish you never messed with me!" Natsu shouted before charging.

"Be careful, Natsu." Wendy said from the sidelines.

"They'll be fine. When these two work together, no one can stop them." Happy replied.

"But nothing they've thrown at him seems to be working." Rose pointed out.

"He called himself a God Slayer." Pantherlily added. "Is he talking about his powers or just talking tough?"

"Let me introduce myself." The blonde said. "I'm one of the Seven Kin and the guy who's about to kill a pair of dragons. I'm the God Slayer, Zancrow."

"Well we're a pair of Dragon Slayers from Fairy Tail." Natsu bragged. "Names are Natsu and Laki."

"I know exactly who you two pains in the asses are." The blonde replied. "You're famous in the Balam Alliance for all the shit you've caused. You two took took out Lullaby, Deliora, the R-System and Nirvana. You might have beaten Jellal and master Zero, but you two don't stand a chance against me."

"Please, we can take you." Natsu replied.

"Cocky little lizards, aren't you?" Zancrow mocked.

"This coming from a guy calling himself at God Slayer." Laki replied before they charged him again. "You really expect us to believe that a god trained you?" She asked as they swung their fists. Hers missed before Natsu and Zancrow pushed them back with a pair of kicks.

"Well, master Hades is pretty much a god of magic, so yes." The blonde replied. "He's the one who taught me this kickass power."

"So he wasn't even a God, just some punk wizard." Natsu said as set himself a blaze as Laki started glowing green. "The two of us were trained by actual dragons!"

"Who gives two craps? Dragons are just glorified lizards." The blonde replied, holding one up to prove his point. "Wanna ask him if he's got any magic to learn?"

"That does it!" Natsu shouted as he pulled his hands back, focusing his flames on his palms. "Laki, get back. I'm not holding back anymore. The flames on my right hand and the flames on my left. Put them together and you get..."

The blonde held his hands up and a ball of black fire appeared between them. "I ask the who burns all from the east to the west. Breath of god, come to me."

Wendy picked up all for cats and ran as Laki stayed behind. "Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame!/ Flame God Kagutsuchi!" Both Fire users shouted at the same time, creating a massive explosion as their attacks met.

The force from the blast pushed Laki back before Rose flew down and picked her. "This is intense." Rose said. "Think you can back Natsu up."

"The flames of a dragon and a god are fighting in front of us." Laki said. "I don't think my strongest timber could withstand this heat." Natsu roared as Zancrow merely chuckled before the pinkette was blasted backwards. "No, that's not possible."

"That's it, I'll kill you lot first!" The blonde said before slamming a wave of black flames took them all out. "And the first to die is that little wood carver!"

"You won't touch her! Fire Dragon Roar!" Natsu shouted before shooting out a torrent of flames.

"Don't you know that the gods are the ones who created the flames?" Zancrow said, not moving an inch from the attack. "No human or dragon created it. The gods did!" The attack hit head on and exploded.

Natsu smirked before going wide eyed as he watched Zancrow EAT HIS FLAMES. "No way... that can't be."

Zancrow burped as he at the last of them. "Not a bad batch of flames you got there." He replied. "Nothing better than a batch of violent flames. But even with the power to beat dragon, you can't beat a god. Now here's the power of Grimoire Heart. Flame God Bellow!"

A torrent of black flames shot out of his mouth and hit Natsu, creating an explosion that launched all the Fairy Tail wizards apart from each other. Zancrow stood over the broken ledge and looked down before laughing crazy at his own power.

With Lucy and Co.

Lucy flew back and hit a rock before pushing herself up. "What's going on?" She asked.

"Why can't we hit him?" Cana asked.

Gray and Loke charged the goatman only to get kicked in the face at the same time. "I don't get it, how is he so strong?" Gray asked as he stood up. "He can fend off all us at once."

"That's it! I've head it with this stupid grass chewer!" Cana shouted before throwing cards at him. Caprico glared at her and the attack missed. "What's going on?"

"He's not dodging and he's not reading our moves. So why can't we hit him?" Lucy asked.

"You are powerless against me. Just accept your fate and give up." Caprico spoke up, making the others glare at him.

With Natsu

"Laki! Where are you!?" Natsu asked as he walked through the forest. "I don't get it, how can his fire feel hot to me?" A scent caught his attention but it wasn't Lakis. "No way..." He raced through the woods and found a crater with Makarov inside it. "Gramps! What happened!? You okay?"

The master cracked his eyes open to see the pinkette. "Natsu..."

"Hold on! I'll find Wendy and she can heal up no problem... that is if I can find them." He mumbled the last part. "Who did this to you?"

"Natsu... Listen well." Makarov groaned out. "Our chances of defeating the enemy is slim..."

"The hell are you talking about?" Natsu asked.

"What happened to you?" Makarov asked, looking at the pinkettes wounds.

"This isn't anything to worry about! I'm gonna win against him!" Natsu shouted.

"Natsu... I need you..." Makarov groaned out. "Gather everyone... leave this island..."

"If we do that, then what will happen to the trial?" Natsu asked. "You're our guild master, aren't you? You can't tell us that we can't win."

"Sometimes... all you can do... is run..." The master groaned out.

A laugh caught their attention before Zancrow crashes to the ground. "What's wrong, Makarov? Master hades hurt you?" He asked mockingly.

"Master Hades..." Natsu asked, standing up with a wobble.

"Please, just go..." Makarov groaned out.

"I'm not going to do that." The pinkette replied, making Makarov look over.

'Natsu... is shacking in fear?' He asked himself, never seeing it before.

"What's wrong, dragon boy?" Zancrow mockingly asked. "You're pretty much drenched in sweat."

Natsu stared at his hand before Gildarts' words flashed through his head. "This is fear?"

"Damn right that's fear!" The blonde shouted. "This is what happens when you fight against someone with unkempt power like mine."

Natsu stared at his hands before lighting himself on fire and looking back at Zancrow. "Fear is what I'm feeling. But not the same as Gildarts was talking about." Zancrow cocked his head and looked at the Dragon Slayer. "This fear is coming from that someone else might beat up Master Hades before I can. I'll beat Hades myself, and I'll never lose to anyone's like you."

"You're gonna beat Master Hades?" Zancrow asked before copying the Dragon Slayer and the two butted heads. "Don't make me laugh. Some weak punk like you doesn't stand a chance against him." Natsu pulled his fist back before slamming it into his head before launching him back. "That almost tickled me."

He looked up to see Natsu jumping off trees before delivering a kick that Zancrow blocked with his flames. 'He uses fire magic as well?' Makarov asked as he watched.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Dragon Slayer magic won't work on me!" Zancrow delivered a flaming palm strike that launched Natsu back. "My flames don't just burn stuff." He waved his arms in a circle as black flames flowed off them before the shifted into a black scythe. "They become weapons of mass destruction!"

He laughed as he swung his blade and sliced through a bunch of massive trees. Natsu jumped of the destroyed trunks and punched one straight down at Zancrow. It seemingly crushed the God Slayer before he burst through it, punching Natsu in the gut. Natsu groaned as he fell to the ground as Makarov watched.

"My flames love to eat pathetic wizards like you. Flame God Supper!" Zancrows flames turned into a demonic Pac-Man before he slammed them together around Natsu. He cried in pain as Zancrow held his hands together. "Don't bother. Once they have ya, my flames won't leave anything but ash.

"Not if I... eat them..." Natsu groaned out.

"Go ahead and try, but no Dragon Slayer has a chance of eating a divine flame." Zancrow chuckled as Natsu tried and failed to eat them. "I told you, didn't I?" A pressure caught his attention before seeing the giant hand wrapped around him.

"Gramps!" Natsu cried out.

"You dare hurt a child in front of a parents face!?" The master cried out. "Stop this or I'll crush you like a bug! And there won't be anything left of you!" He squeezed and Zancrow cried in pain.

"So, got a little fight left, huh?" The blonde asked before lighting himself on fire. "If you don't let go, your arm isn't going to exist in a few minutes." The master groaned in pain as the flame user felt even more pressure on him. "The hell is wrong with you?"

"I won't let one of my children die in front of me." Makarov growled back. "This is the true power of family!"

Natsu roared as he activated his magic. "Let's see who cracks first. The Dragon Slayer, the master, or me?" Zancrow chuckled as Natsu tore a hole in the spell before it quickly closed.

"No, I can't sense Natsu's magic anymore." Makarov mumbled in shock and horror.

"Ha! Looks like the Dragon hunter clocked out!" Zancrow chuckled before both watched as Natsu opened his mouth and began consuming the spell around him. "How the hell is he eating my flames!?"

'By nullifying all his magic power, he created a vessel to eat those flames with?' Makarov asked himself in shock.

"Guess there do exist flames that you need to eat a special way..." Natsu mumbled as he wiped his mouth.

'A special way?' Makarov asked himself. 'That isn't the kind of level of strategy is at... nullifying your own magic with the enemy's magic...' He grew angry and flew the blonde into the air. "You idiot! Are you trying to kill yourself!?"

Natsu lit his hands on fire, one with Dragon Slayer flames and the other with God Slayer flames. "I don't wanna die..." He said. "Nor do I wanna let anyone else die. We're all going home together, to Fairy Tail." With a roar, he jumped into the air as the fires grew. "Let them unite! The flames of dragons and gods! Dragon God Brilliant Flame!" He slammed the two together and sandwiched the blonde between them.

'I can't believe it, he won.' Makarov thought in shock.

"Impossible..." Zancrow mumbled as stared up at the sky. "That punk beat me..."

"Gramps..." Natsu mumbled to the downed master. "Let's fight... I know there are times when it's best to retreat. Gildarts taught me that today. But now isn't one of those times. Now it's the time to make them pay for messing with Fairy Tail. It's time to make them feel the full power of our guild! Let's fight..." He collapsed from exhaustion and fell to the ground.

"Natsu!" Makarov called out.

Fairy Tail Base Camp

"It appears that luck isn't on my side today." Azuma complained.

"What does that mean?" Lisanna asked.

"No offense to you two, but I was hoping to find some real opponents after fighting cats and children." The dark wizard explained.

"Fighting cats and children?" Mirajane asked herself.

"He must have run into Wendy and Happy." Lisanna guest incorrectly.

"How does who I fought matter to you?" Azuma asked, growing increasingly annoyed. "I beat them, and I'll do the same to you." He held out his hand and tiny explosions forced the two back.

"Such strong magic..." Lisanna mumbled.

"Lisanna, are you okay?" Her sister asked

"I'm fine, don't worry." She replied. "This guy... he's strong, but I know we can beat him. Take-Over Animal Soul!" She chanted before turning onto her Harpy form. She dive bombed the dark wizard, only for the talon to get captured.

"Take-Over magic?" Azuma asked, slightly intrigued. "This is a surprise."

"Now, Penguin!" She shouted before turning into a giant bird and forced him back.

'She instantly turned into a new form.' Mirajane thought as she watched her sister. 'When did she learn that technique?'

"Don't underestimate me." Lisanna declared as she turned into her rabbit form. "I'm just as tough as any other member of Fairy Tail."

"Levi!" Azuma shouted as explosions covered Lisanna. She rose out of the smoke in her bird form and dived down as she turned into her tiger form and threw slashes at the dark wizard. After dodging several of them, Azuma blasted point blank with an explosion.

"Lisanna!" Mirajane shouted concerned.

Lisanna flipped back and landed on all fours. "I'm fine, I can handle him." She said.

"I'll admit, you're a better fighter than I thought you would be." The dark wizard confessed. "However, I'm confident you'll never defeat me." He held out his hand and blasted both sisters at the same time. "Spirit and sentiment can't win a battle. Skill is what does, and mine clearly overwhelm yours. Is it worth your life to prove your strength?"

Lisanna returned to normal as she looked up at Azuma. "What does that mean? This isn't about power. We just want to keep our camp safe so our friends can find us."

"Honestly, I couldn't care about that." Azuma said. "I was sent here to fight and that's what I will do." He froze before blocking an attack from behind.

"Mira, you okay?" Her sister asked.

"Go look for everyone, Lisanna." The eldest Strauss said. "I'll handle this guy."

"I can't let you do that." Lisanna said.

'How did I almost miss that?' Azuma asked himself. 'I didn't sense any magic in her before, but then it suddenly increased. She isn't what she appears to be.'

"We'll fight him together." Lisanna said standing up. "We have a better chance of beating him that way."

"Just as stubborn now, huh?" Her sister chuckled as she looked at Azuma. "You made a big mistake coming after our family."

"Two against one means I don't have to hold back." Azuma said before holding out his hand, creating another masssive explosion that launched the two back. "If this is all your little family has to offer, then it's only fitting that you all fall at once."

"Mirajane! You have to use Satan Soul!" Lisanna cried out.

"I'm still low on magic from the last time I used it." Her sister replied.

"Mirajane... you're the She-Devil Mirajane?" Azuma asked, intrigued.

"I haven't used that name in a long time." Mirajane said.

"But she's still strong as she was!" Lisanna shouted.

"Really?" Azuma asked, cracking his knuckles. "Then I would like to a formal request to battle the She-Devil." Mirajane could only look at the dark wizard. "What's wrong? Are too scared to battle me now?"

"Well I'm still going to fight you!" Lisanna shouted.

"Lisanna, you need to run!" Mirajane told her sister. "This man is too strong..."

The wind picked up and blew the dust from the explosions before. "Just know that you forced my hand on this." Azuma held out his hand and vines wrapped around Lisanna. A seal appeared on the vines with the number 180 before it started counting down.

"Lisanna!" Mirajane shouted concerned.

"Those roots will detonate in three minute." Azuma explained as Mira pulled on the roots. "All you're doing is tiring yourself out. The only chance you have of saving her is defeating me."

"You're nothing but a coward!" Mirajane shouted at him.

"This coming from the woman who is too scared to fight." He replied.

Mirajane finally had enough and triggered her take over magic, turning into her devil form. 'I don't know how much power I have left, so I'll have to be quick about this!' She thought before launching forward and kicking Azuma in the gut.

"Now this is a fight!" He said with sick glee. "I love it!" He held out his hand and created another explosion.

The oldest Strauss glanced over to the timer on her sister. "Just focus on him! I'll be fine!" Lisanna shouted.

Azuma summoned five vines and pinned her limbs in place. "Chain Burst!" He snapped his fingers and they all detonated at once. Mirajane summoned her wings and flew away before doubling back through the smoke. She tried to punch Azuma, but he caught it before blocking all of her strikes.

"Let Lisanna go!" She shouted in anger. With every beep of the timer, Mirajane grew even angrier.

"This is why I fight!" Azuma said. "This is the only way I can feel alive!"

She glanced over to the timer before taking five more vines to the gut. "Don't look away from me! Burst Claw!" Explosive disks shot forward and hit her, making her fall a bit before she flipped up.

"Evil Explosion!" Summoning a dark ball of magic in her hand, she slammed it down on him, knocking trees out of the ground. Landing exhaustedly, she looked on in horror to find that he used the vines to protect himself. The timer had reached twenty as Azuma showed more signs of excitement than exhaustion.

'I don't have enough power to beat him...' She thought in frustration. Gritting her teeth, she turned and flew over to her sister.

"You dare run from me!?" Azuma shouted before watching Mirajane hold her sister. "I told you! Trying to take it off won't work! Now get over here and fight me! Do it while you still have some time!"

"I'm sorry..." Mirajane whispered to her sister as her magic ran out, returning her to normal. "I don't have enough power to defeat him. It's just impossible for me to do it. But I know that someone in our guild will defeat him."

"No... why are you just giving up?" Her sister asked as tears started falling.

"Sometimes you have to surrender to win... but don't worry about it." Mirajane said as she hugged her sister. "I don't ever want to see you die again." The timer reached zero and the vines started glowing.

*BOOM!*

The massive blast completely destroyed the camp and rocked the island. The dust settled to show destroyed wood and food. Lisanna opened up to find her sister in top of her, a smile on her face. "Mirajane, wake up..." Lisanna begged her sister as Azuma walked away.

With Ultear

Ultear walked forward though the forest, looking for her goal. "The path I've chosen to find Zeref... it's far longer than I expected. But today it all comes to a head, my dreams will come true. Once I find him, I will be saved." Footsteps from behind caught her attention. "Show yourself!"

"This has all been to find me?" Zeref asked as he walked forward. Ultear went wide eyed as she realized who it was. "All of this pain and suffering has been for that?" Ultear smiled before noticing the look on his face, his eyes burning red. "It's sad... how you've managed to enrage me."

With Natsu

Wendy, Laki and the Exceeds had managed to find Natsu and the master after the blast. The younger Dragon Slayer was now trying to heal Natsu's wounds, but it wasn't working. "You alright, Wendy?" Rose asked.

"I'm fine, but why isn't my healing magic working?" She asked.

"It looks the masters wounds are too deep to be healed by sky magic." Carla pointed out. "I don't know about Natsu, something must be interfering with your magic."

"Well, we have to keep trying!" Laki shouted. "We can't just let him die!"

The masters eyes slowly cracked open at the sound of the purplettes voice. "Laki... you are in so much trouble... sneaking to the trial..." He muttered out, catching everyone's attention. "Take care of Natsu..."

"No way!" She shouted back. "I'm going to help you! I'll help you both no matter what!"

"Natsu's scarf..." He groaned out. "Can you change it...? The evil staining that's it... is interfering with Natsu's healing..."

"I'll do it!" Wendy declared with confidence as she focused her magic on the scarf.

"So what happened to his scarf anyway?" Rose asked.

"That creepy guy with black hair got him." Happy pointed out.

"Could that be the man Grimoire Heart is searching for?" Pantherlily asked.

With Ultear

The leader of the Seven Kin trembled in the presence of her goal. 'Finally! I finally found him!' Ultear screamed in her head. 'After all these years, he's in front of me.'

"What do you want with my power?" Zeref asked.

Ultear quickly dropped to her knees and bowed to her goal. "We seek your existence, my lord." She said.

"I have no intention of interfering with mankind during this era." He said, glaring down at her. "War and death don't interest me in the slightest. Leave this island at once." Ultear went wide eyed at the demanding request.

'This doesn't make any sense.' She thought. 'War and death don't interest him? He's conscious, but is he unaware? Is this his state of rest?'

"You have made me very angry." He said. A massive about of magic power crushed Ultear as he looked up at him.

With Elfman and Evergreen

The two partners jumped out of the way as a massive fist plowed into the ground. "Watch it, you monster!" Elfman shouted.

"Will you shut up!?" Evergreen shouted back.

"This is my Guardian Saint Beast, Belcusas the Thunderclap." Rustyrose said as he watched from above. The monster threw another punch and forced the fairies back.

"That name is kinda manly." Elfman confessed as Rustyrose spouted of a poem. "Will you please talk normal?"

"Fairy Machine Gun: Leprechaun!" Evergreen chanted before her spell launched forward. It did almost nothing to the monster. "Theres not even a scratch?"

"Take-over Beast Soul!" Elfman shouted as he transformed and blocked another punch. "What's taking so long!?" He asked his partner. "Just turn him to stone already!"

"It only works on humans, you idiot!" She shouted back.

"Not the monster, the man!" He shouted.

"It won't work as long as he has those glasses on!" Evergreen replied.

"Thats the lamest weakness to a spell I've ever heard!" The changed man replied.

"How about I use it on you and shut you up!?" She shouted.

"Even on the battlefield, love will blossom." Rustyrose chuckled.

"There is no love here!" Both shouted at the same time.

Belcusas threw another punch that Elfman blocked and the two began grappling. "Keep him busy!" Evergreen shouted as she raced forward. 'I know just how his magic works. It's another form of summoning magic, like Lucy's. And these two must share the same weakness; their bodies are weak.'

Dust flew around the dark wizard as Evergreen jumped behind him, her bomb spell ready to fire. 'You're mine!'

"I am king of the underworld, and my arm is a blade that cuts through all. And you will fall into darkness." He mumbled before turning around, his arm changed into a five pronged claw. He swatted Evergreen back and Elfman was flung by a massive kick, returning to normal.

"The hell kind of magic is this?" He asked, looking up from his stomach.

"Explaining such a thing would be a waste of time and brain power, trash." Rustyrose replied.

"What did you call me?" The Strauss man asked.

"It comes from the very abyss of sorcery, and the side effects are extremely burdensome." The dark wizard replied before a projection of Zeref appeared next to him. "But once we find and capture lord Zeref, he will free us from this pain and a new era of magic will reign."

'He's the guy from before.' Elfman realized.

'Did he say Zeref?' Evergreen asked herself. ' The legendary black wizard? That's impossible! He should be dead a hundred times over by now.'

"Once then, the grand magic world will come to be." Rustyrose continued. "A place where only chaos and strength rule. Any who do not use magic could only hope to survive there. A world made of only wizards, free from trash who are to scared to see our greatness. And once Zeref takes his rightful place, they will be wiped out! Oh, I cannot tell you how long I've waited for this day!"

"No way..." Elfman mumbled.

"These people are insane!" Evergreen shouted.

With Ultear

The time wizard looked up as Zeref summoned a black ball of magic. He then chucked the ball at her and she jumped to the side, watching as the orb carved a hole in the rock behind her. 'If that touches me...' She thought in terror as he created another orb. 'My goal is right before me, I will not fail!'

He threw it again and Ultear waved her arms. "Arc of Time: Forward!" The rock broke apart and pumbled the orb. Magic seeped out of it and hit Ultear, forcing her to the ground as he summoned another orb. She held up her hand and a tree grew out of the ground, trapping Zeref. "You're mine."

Zeref gasped in horror as he dropped his orb and gripped his head. "The predatory death comes..." He mumbled before the black wave shot out and flew towards Ultear. Plants died as he screamed in pain and the tree crumbled around him. Ultear held up her orb and sucked the dark magic into it.

The wave died, showing the now blackened orb before it cracked and fell to the ground. Panting, Ultear looked up to see Zeref on his knees himself. Ultear gasped before activating her magic and fixing her orb. With a roar she hurdled it into the air as it glowed. "Luminous Minutes!"

The orb turned into multiple ones and bounced Zeref, striking him until he fell over. "You might be the black wizard, but in this state a child could beat you. Don't even think of underestimating the Seven Kin of Purgatory!" Zeref laid on the ground, trying to push himself up. "Be calm, lord Zeref. We have the keys to wake you up."

"Stop." He begged before falling unconscious.

"Finally..." Ultear smirked as the sun set. "I've have him!"

Mirajane is probably one of the best siblings in all of anime. Seriously, I grew up four brothers and I don't know if any of them would do that for me. Well, Zancrow is down and they have Zeref. Things aren't looking good, but we all know that things will change soon enough. Only this time, Laki is along for the ride. So that should be fun. See you then.

Beta read by JBallinR12.