Hey guys, I'm back with the next chapter of this story. I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter because now we're fully leaping into the Tenrou Island arc! A bit more setup in this chapter, but things are about to really start popping off soon! This chapter will pick up where the previous one left off and will have Natsu's first confrontation with Zeref, along with setup for some upcoming fights! So, I hope you're all looking forward to that!
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"Speech"
"Thoughts"
"Flashback"
Magic
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of its characters.
"GET DOWN!" Elfman and Evergreen suddenly felt themselves shoved to the ground as the wave of death passed by just overhead. Looking up, they were surprised to see that it was Natsu who had saved them. The pink-haired dragon slayer lay atop them protectively as the black magic flowed past. "Keep your heads down!"
"Na..." The black-haired man muttered, tears suddenly falling from his eyes as he stared at the pink-haired dragon slayer in complete shock. "Natsu..."
"You bastard..." Natsu snarled in a fiery rage as he glared fiercely at the black-haired man, vibrant blue embers flickering in the air around him. "Who the hell are you!?"
"N-Natsu!?" Evergreen exclaimed in surprise, glancing back at the pink-haired dragon slayer. "What are you doing here?!"
"Geez man, don't surprise us like that." Elfman grumbled as he felt Natsu's against his back, keeping him low to the ground. "But...thanks for the save."
"NAAATSSSUUUU!" Happy cried in a panic, flying toward the pink-haired dragon slayer at full speed. "What's going on!? Weren't we gonna go to the top of the tree?!"
"I don't really know what's going on...but I got a real bad feeling." Natsu said as he slowly got back onto his feet, closely watching the mysterious black-haired man's every movement. "I'm seriously on edge right now...my instincts are screaming that something is wrong."
"W-What the..." Happy breathed out in shock, gazing at the decaying plant life all around them. "What is this?"
"The trees...all the plants..." Evergreen said as she clutched a hand over her heart. "Everything in this whole area..."
"They've all withered and died." Elfman finished, feeling a chill run down his spine as he balled his fist. "Did...did that wave of black magic do this?"
"He's giving me the creeps." Evergreen muttered as she gazed at the black-haired man, feeling her body trembling slightly. "He definitely doesn't seem like some run-of-the-mill mage."
"I don't know who you are, but this island belongs to our guild." Natsu said, a growl rumbling in his throat as he stood defensively in front of Elfman and Evergreen. "Don't even think about getting in the way of our exam!"
"You've...grown so much..." The black-haired man said as a soft smile spread across his face, causing Natsu's entire body to tense. "I've been wanting to see you, Natsu."
"..." Inhaling sharply through his nose, the pink-haired dragon slayer felt a chill run down his spine. Without warning, Natsu shot forward, his fist crackling with electricity, and punched the black-haired man in the face. "Answer me! Who the hell are you!?"
"He punched him!?" Evergreen exclaimed in surprise as she watched the black-haired man be sent tumbling backward. "That was so sudden!"
"I see..." The black-haired man thought, flipping through the air and correcting himself. "Still...he still..." Landing on his feet, the black-haired man came to a skidding stop. "Natsu still can't break me..."
"I don't know you!" Natsu growled as he tightly balled his fists, feeling himself breaking out into a cold sweat. "What's your name?!"
"I don't even want to kill anyone else..." The black-haired man thought, slowly raising his head as a few tears fell from his eyes. "But, Natsu is the only one who can stop me. Are you still not capable!?"
"Uwah, I think you hit him too hard, Natsu." Happy said as he watched the black-haired man clutch his head. "He's crying."
"This guy is a major creeper." Evergreen muttered, cringing slightly as she heard the black-haired man start mumbling to himself. "I've got a real bad feeling."
"Ru...n..." The black-haired man struggled to say as he gripped his head and hunched over, his entire body shaking. "That black wave...it's magic that takes away life!"
"EVERYONE! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HERE!" Natsu yelled, whipping around and running away from the black-haired man as quickly as possible. Both Evergreen and Elfman gasped in shock as they followed after Natsu. A few moments later, another wave of deadly black magic exploded off the black-haired man, instantly killing everything it touched. Just before the wave of death could reach them, the Fairy Tail mages all dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding their demise. Natsu was the closest to being hit, almost appearing as if the wave of black magic had hit. However, after a few moments, the black wave subsided and Natsu was safe, quickly scrambling back onto his feet. "Is everyone alright!? Where did that bastard go!?"
"We're alright..." Elfman grunted as he slowly stood up, scanning the area around them. However, he was surprised when he saw no sign of the black-haired man. "What...did that guy just disappear?"
"Natsu!" Happy exclaimed, frantically pointing at the pink-haired dragon slayer. "Your scarf!"
"Huh? What are you-" Natsu stopped mid-sentence when he looked down. His eyes widened in shock when he saw that his scarf was now pitch black. Feeling a flash of rage, the pink-haired dragon slayer tightly balled his fists. "That son of a bitch! This is the scarf Igneel gave me!"
"That's so weird." Happy thought, cocking his head slightly as he gazed at Natsu's now black scarf. "It's almost like Igneel's scarf protected Natsu."
As the Fairy Tail mages tried to comprehend the bizarre events that had just transpired, the black-haired assailant had disappeared back into the surrounding forest. Releasing a heavy sigh, the black-haired man slumped against a tree and sank to the ground. Lifting his head, the black-haired man raised his hand toward the clear, blue sky overhead, a single tear rolling down his cheek.
"It seems I..." The black-haired man muttered as a gentle breeze rolled through the trees. "Will continue to be rejected by this world."
(Airspace Off the Coast of Tenrou Island)
"We finally found him." Ultear said with a smirk, elegantly rolling a crystal ball across her arm. "It seems that he was sleeping though." Stopping the crystal ball in her palm, Ultear approached an imposing man. "Looks like the time has come, Master Hades."
"That man...alighted on an ancient land, mastered black magic." Hades said as he stroked his long, white beard. "Gave birth to tens of thousands of demons, and then threw the world into chaos."
Hades was a tall, elderly man with long, slicked-back, silvery white hair, revealing his forehead. He also had a mustache, and a similarly long yet mildly thin and curly beard, reaching down to his lower chest. He had some wrinkles on his face, despite his age, his figure was muscular and well-defined. His right eye was covered by a simple eye patch.
His attire consisted of a dark shirt paired with armored shoulder pads and shiny gauntlets, as well as chain-mail covering the parts of his arms remaining exposed, simple light pants with flames near the edges - held up by what looks like a light belt composed of two straps with the relative buttons, and dark, simple boots. Over this outfit he wore a large, dark cape, bearing Grimoire Heart's symbol on the back and sporting a mantle with a high collar, lighter-colored borders, and jagged lower edges. He also wore a helmet matching his armor, with a prominent metal plate protecting his forehead, with two lines of studs on the front, siding his face and jutting out in a protrusion on each side, and a darker rear part, adorned by a crest.
"He's the strongest, and most evil man in the history of the magic world..." Hades continued, a twisted smile spreading across his face as he gazed into Ultear's crystal ball, an image of the black-haired man who had assaulted Natsu and the others appearing within it. "The black mage, Zeref." Surrounding Hades, were the members of his dark guild, Grimoire Heart. "Let us begin. Full speed toward Tenrou Island."
"That was so messed up..." Happy said, walking up to Natsu as the pink-haired dragon slayer stared at his blackened scarf. "But...what about the exam?"
"Hmmm, with a creepy guy like that slinking around..." Evergreen said as she released a soft sigh and shrugged her shoulders. "Now is not the time for that."
"Tch, it's not NOT the time." Natsu said, crossing his arms and frowning. "I promised Gildarts."
"As a man, I cannot simply relinquish this exam!" Elfman exclaimed as he pounded a fist against his chest. "I have a right to pass this S-class exam!"
"That guy certainly was creepy." Happy said, ignoring Natsu and Elfman as they glared at each other and butted heads. "But, I get this feeling he didn't have any bad intentions."
"Speak for yourself." Evergreen huffed as she shot Happy an annoyed look. "That guy is bad news."
"Come on, Happy!" Natsu exclaimed, taking off and running into the tree line. "Let's continue the exam!"
"Yeah! Let's go, Evergreen!" Elfman bellowed as he sprinted off in the opposite direction. "We're winning this!"
"You damned oaf!" Evergreen grumbled, before sighing and jogging after Elfman. "Didn't I tell you not to order me around!?"
(Back on Grimoire Heart's Airship)
"So, the time has finally arrived. The day when the legendary black mage, Zeref comes back to life." Hades said as he lounged back in his large chair, staring out at his subordinates. "And the keys are all within the palm of my hand. We will awaken that which is inside Zeref."
"However..." Ultear said, stepping forward and glancing over at Hades. "There is but one problem. The strongest guild in all of Fiore, Fairy Tail." A subtle smirk suddenly spread across Ultear's face. "And what will likely be the biggest thorn in our side...Natsu Dragneel." Pausing for a moment, Ultear glanced at her fellow guildmates. "They're one of the guilds that destroyed a corner of the Balam Alliance. Fairy Tail currently has its main members concentrated on the island."
"Sooooo what?! That doesn't mean anything!" Zancrow cackled as he pointed at Ultear. Zancrow had long and spiky blond hair that reached down to his lower back. His red pupils consist of several concentric circles, which further enhance his crazed appearance. He wore a yellow and dark blue skirt-like armor with a red waist ribbon that exposed the right side of his chest as well as his right shoulder, where his guild mark tattoo was located. Without warning, Zancrow's entire body became engulfed in black flames as he began to laugh menacingly. "I'll just turn all of them into ash! AHAHAHAHA!"
"We should not underestimate our enemies." Caprico spoke up, crossing his arms as he spared a brief glance toward Zancrow. Caprico donned a distinctive black jacket with short, puffy sleeves, which only covered the upper part of his chest, leaving his muscular abdomen exposed, over a similarly shaped, pale yellow shirt, with an extremely short, dark green tie with flat ends tied around his neck. He wore black pants reaching down below his goat knees, with each of their upper sides being adorned by a white motif composed of a stripe going down from his waist and crossed with two more, slightly curved ones, plus a brown belt covered in a line of small circles and closed by an elongated oval buckle. His tail emerged from the back of his pants. He also sported a pair of dark, plain metal armbands circling his wrists. "I was born for this day."
"This will become the main war power of our guild..." Rustyrose said as he adjusted his glasses. He was a fairly tall and lanky young man with silver-colored hair in a pompadour style. He wore silver designer glasses and a dark purple jacket with a flipped-up collar, completed with a fur trimming. He also sported a grayish shirt underneath the jacket that had a belt over it that wrapped around his waist. He donned long black pants and blue shoes. Finally, he wore a pair of white designer gloves, and his Grimoire Heart member stamp was located on a band around his left arm sleeve. "Tremble at our fragments."
"I...I..." Kain Hikaru mumbled, seeming to break out into a sweat. He was a huge, overweight man wearing a large dark robe-like garment with a lighter-colored spotted design near the top. Underneath this, he was bare-chested and wore superheroesque tights. His skin tone was chalk white and he was very tall, standing at about the same height as Caprico. He had shaggy, dark hair and slight sideburns, with a huge head, a comparatively small face, and a very thick neck. Among the most prominent of his facial features were his large eyebrows, his bulging chin, and his thick lips."Ifeelthesame."
"Translation: he feels same." Meredy said as she stepped forward and stood beside Ultear. She was a young girl of short stature. She had short, pink hair and bright green eyes. She wore gold wing-like headgear behind her ears. Her uniform was a tight, purple leotard with brownish thigh-high boots that had white stripes at the top. Over her uniform, she wore a red cape with a golden lining around the edges. The cape's left-shoulder portion had the symbol of Grimoire Heart in white. "I'm ready to fight as well."
"Interesting...doesn't this all sound so interesting..." Hades said, getting up out of his seat. "They still don't know what darkness is. The absolute darkness that lies in the abyss. Tonight demons and fairies will frolic. Eat and be proud, or be eaten and scatter. This is the decisive battle, Fairy Tail."
(Back with Fairy Tail)
"Ugh...this is so frustrating." Cana groaned as she leaned forward and crossed her arms, noticing the pondering look on Lucy's face. "You figure anything out yet?"
"I've got nothing." Lucy said, letting out a soft sigh as she rested her head on her palm. "How can we search for the grave without even a single hint? I don't have a clue what to do."
"Maybe that's the problem..." Cana said as she perked up a bit, snapping her fingers. "Do we really have no hints? I've participated in these exams four times already, so this is just a hunch, but I have a feeling that there hasn't been a single irrational test in it. So, there must be a hint hidden somewhere."
"I see, that makes sense." Lucy said, nodding her head as she scooted forward on the rock she was sitting on. "This second exam was supposed to be about intelligence after all. If we think about that, maybe the hint is in the words?"
"Words?" Cana parroted as she quirked an eyebrow, cocking her head slightly. "What are you talking about?"
"For example, we hear grave and automatically assume it's a place." Lucy explained, moving her feet to avoid a small snake that was slithering across the ground. "We also assume that it signifies the end of one's life."
"Oh, so dark." Cana said as she picked up the curious snake and tossed it into the nearby treeline. "Don't you have any more Lucy-esque deductions? Like, 'when people die, they turn into stars' or something like that?"
"..." Lucy was silent for several moments, mulling over what Cana had said. Suddenly her eyes shot open and she hopped off the rock she was sitting on. "That's it! AHA! I figured out where the grave is! Come with me, Cana!"
"W-What!?" Cana exclaimed as she watched Lucy run off into the forest. With a smirk spreading across her face, Cana hopped onto her feet and ran after the blonde celestial spirit mage. "OH! I knew you could do it, Lucy!"
"As expected of Lucy..." Loke said with a grin as he crouched in a bush and watched Lucy and Cana run off. "I knew she'd figure something out."
"How lucky for us." Gray added, reaching over and high-fiving Loke. "I think what this exam was testing us on was intelligence AND greed! Let's get after them!"
"What the fuck is wrong with this exam!?" Gajeel barked as he violently shoved a tree branch out of his way, trudging along behind Levy. "Pick a path! Find a grave! BAH! So annoying!"
"Ah, so noisy..." Levy grumbled, using her hands to cover her ears in a pointless attempt to block out Gajeel's yelling. "Can he please stop for five minutes? I can barely hear myself think."
"This exam is so boring!" Gajeel huffed as he transformed his arm into a sword and sliced through a tree blocking their path. "I just want to fight Salamander and Erza!"
"Natsu this! Erza that! You want action! I get it you're just SO bored!" Levy suddenly snapped, causing Gajeel to stop dead in his tracks as he stared at the petite blue-haired woman in shock. "I guess you don't even care about me! Even though YOU insisted on being my partner!"
"H-Hold on a damn second!" Gajeel exclaimed as his face flushed slightly, stepping in front of Levy and locking eyes with her. "I'm not saying that! Of...of course I care about you!"
"But you've just been focused on fighting with everyone else!" Levy fired back in a frustrated tone, clenching her fists as she stomped her foot. "You haven't...been looking at me at all!"
"That's...I mean...how could I..." Gajeel sputtered out for a few moments before he reached out and awkwardly patted Levy's head. "You just wanted some attention right? Then let's fight together. We can both get stronger."
"N-No...I can't. I'm weak...and small." Levy said with a frown, looking even more upset than she previously was. Suddenly, Levy shoved Gajeel away, surprising the iron dragon slayer. Spinning around on her heels, Levy sprinted away. "Fine! I don't care anymore! Gajeel, you idiot!"
"W-What'd I say?!" Gajeel exclaimed in a genuinely confused tone as he watched Levy run off, unsure of what to do to mend the situation. Letting out a heavy sigh, Gajeel pressed a palm to his forehead. "God damn it, Gajeel...why do I always fuck up when it comes to her?"
"What's with him? I finally thought things were starting to not be awkward between us...I thought he was becoming sort of a good person." Levy thought, stamping through the woods as she huffed in annoyance. "What an ass! I hate him! I hate him! I hate him! I..." Starting to cool off, Levy slowly stopped and stared down at the ground, feeling tears sting her eyes. "Hate...I don't hate him. I actually want to-" Levy was pulled from her thoughts when she heard rustling in the bushes behind her. Spinning around, she expected to see the iron dragon slayer chasing after her. "Gajeel?" However, Wendy's eyes shot open in shock when two unknown figures burst out of the bush. One of them was a large, humanoid chicken, while the other was a humanoid goat donned in samurai armor. "KYA!"
Without a word, the humanoid goat unsheathed a katana and slashed at Levy. Yelping in surprise, the solid script mage fell backward, narrowly dodging the deadly blade. Hitting the ground with a thud, Levy winced in pain. Before Levy could fully comprehend what was happening, the humanoid chicken, grabbed both her arms and pinned her to the ground.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAA!" Levy screamed in terror as she thrashed around on the ground in a desperate attempt to escape. "Let go of me!"
"Stop resisting, it'll make this easier." The humanoid goat said, raising its katana again as it prepared to cut Levy down. "You're first."
"NO!" Levy screeched in a panic as she felt her heart thundering in her chest, watching as the katana descended toward her. "GAJEEL! HELP!" Closing her eyes, Levy readied herself for the end. However, the sound of a metallic clang caused her to crank an eye open. When she did, she was relieved to see Gajeel blocking the katana with his arm which had transformed into iron. "Y-You came!"
"Of course I did. I'll always be there when you need me." Gajeel growled, shoving the humanoid goat back. With his eyes narrowing dangerously, Gajeel glared daggers at the two figures who had attacked Levy. "So make sure to stay by my side."
"O-Okay..." Levy said as she felt her heart skip a beat, her face flushing red. Quickly scrambling to her feet, Levy moved closer to Gajeel. "Who are these guys."
"Grimoire Heart." Gajeel snarled, tightly clenching his fists as he readied himself for a fight. "They're a dark guild. A better question is what are they doing on this island? Did the master hire a dark guild to test us during this exam?"
"Of course not." Levy said as she scooted closer to Gajeel, pressing her back against his. "These guys...they must have snuck onto the island."
"Well...accidents often accompany work." Gajeel said with a smirk, glaring at the humanoid goat in front of him. "And if it concerns an S-rank mage, then that's even more true."
"If I can't clean up an accident this small..." Levy said as she balled her fists, taking a breath to try and calm herself. "But...this is still Grimoire Heart we're talking about. One corner of the Balam Alliance...we shouldn't attack them arbitrarily."
"NWAHAHAHA! As expected from a normal guild!" The humanoid goat, Yomazu, laughed, resting his hand on his sword's hilt. "Rules! Rules! Rules! So suffocating!"
Yomazu had a prominent flat nose and a goat's beard. He was covered in short, brown fur, and had two large goat's ears, hanging down on his head's sides. He was clad in a set of red samurai-like armor with golden edges, consisting of a traditional breastplate bearing Grimoire Heart's guild symbol on it, linked to the pauldrons, which on the other hand were spherical and bore little to no resemblance to the plated one worn by samurai, gauntlets revealing his hands, a waist guard composed of four traditional samurai plates, hanging over his legs, and a traditional samurai kabuto helmet with a prominent, golden crest on the front part and a long furry ornament protruding from the back. Together with the armor and under it, he donned a simple outfit consisting of a very long, pale gray shirt, loose dark pants with the lower leg parts being wrapped in bandages, and traditional Japanese sandals with socks. He also wore a light red obi belt tied around his waist, above the waist guard.
"Rules don't exist in war!" The humanoid chicken, Kawazu, cawed as he glared fiercely at the Fairy Tail mages. "Pepepe! Rules simply get in the way!"
Kawazu looked like a large, anthropomorphic chicken, distinguished by the addition of human arms alongside chicken wings. He bore Grimoire Heart's symbol on the right side of his neck. His attire consisted of an eastern-looking orange apron adorned with a golden diamond-shaped drawing on the front, partly covered by the simple cloth belt he wore over the lower part of it. On his legs, Kawazu donned dark pants reaching down below his knees where his chicken feet begin, with a large stripe descending down each leg's side.
"War?" Gajeel parroted as he quirked an eyebrow, readying himself to protect Levy at a moment's notice. "What the hell are these idiots jabbering on about?"
"I've got a bad feeling..." Levy muttered, locking eyes with Yomazu. "What is your goal?"
"Goal? Gō!" Yomazu exclaimed as he slashed his katana, a flash of red appearing in front of him. A split second later, several large kanji formed in the air, followed by an absolutely ear-piercing shockwave that sliced through the surrounding forest. "To poach all the fairies on this island!"
"My ears!" Levy screamed over the overwhelming sound, placing both her hands over her ears. "This is unbearable!"
"Magic...from words..." Gajeel grunted as it felt like his entire body was ringing, struggling to stay on his feet because of the unrelenting sound assaulting his enhanced ears. "It's just like your magic!"
"It's Solid Script from the orient!" Levy exclaimed, recognizing the symbols Yomazu had sliced into the air. "I've only read about it though!"
"GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Gajeel screamed in pain as he fought the urge to fall to his knees, his entire body feeling as if it were vibrating. "Shut the fuck up already!"
"We need to-" Levy stopped when she noticed Kawazu charging toward them. "Gajeel!" She began to panic as Kawazu drew closer, but the iron dragon slayer wasn't reacting. "GAJEEL!" Still getting no reaction from the iron dragon slayer, Levy quickly realized what was happening. "He can't hear me over all this noise! I have to-" Just as Kawazu attempted to grab them, Levy grabbed Gajeel's shirt and yanked him out of the way. With a grunt, they both fell to the ground, narrowly avoiding the attack. "Are you okay?!"
"What?! I can't-" Gajeel started to say, but the Fairy Tail mages didn't have a moment to relax as Kawazu opened his mouth and unleashed a barrage of what appeared to be eggs. "The fuck!? Is he shooting eggs at us?!"
"Egg Buster!" When the eggs were close enough, they suddenly exploded open, their yolks bursting out and forming into fists. Gajeel stood in front of Levy and used his body to block most of the attacks. He was shocked by the power behind the yolk fists, feeling as if he was getting hit by regular punches. "Now Yomazu!"
"Huh!?" Quickly gazing up, Gajeel's eyes widened when he saw Yomazu above them, katana raised above his head, ready to strike. Rolling out of the way, Gajeel barely dodged the sword's strike, but this also left Levy vulnerable and she was hit by several of the egg attacks. "Shit! Because of this god damn noise I couldn't hear that bastard's footsteps!" Being put on the defensive, Gajeel leaned back to dodge another sword slash, the blade just missing his nose. "We need to turn this around! Fast!"
"Solid Script..." Levy said as she made several rapid arm motions, forming a large word in front of her. "Silent!" Thrusting her arm forward, Levy slammed her word into Yomazu's kanji, causing it to crumble to pieces. In an instant, silence filled the clearing they were in as Yomazu's spell was shattered. Pressing a hand to her chest, Levy breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally...at least that's over."
"The sound went back to normal..." Gajeel muttered, moving his hands away from his ears. "Still feels like my body is ringing though."
"You cancelled out my word!" Yomazu bellowed in shock as he tightly clutched his katana. "How is that OOF!"
"I heard that!" Gajeel growled, quickly whipping around and transforming his arm into an iron pole as he hit Yomazu in the stomach. Sputtering in pain, Yomazu was sent flying backward. "No more sneaking around for you!"
"Solid Script: Fire!" After a few swift hand gestures, Levy created a large flaming word that burned another barrage of eggs to a crisp. "These guys are so annoying!"
"How dare you!? Zan!" Yomazu exclaimed as he charged toward Gajeel, katana raised and ready to strike. Kanji formed in front of Yomazu as he unleashed a massive slash. Eyes widening in surprise, Gajeel ducked underneath the attack, the trees behind him being cut clean through. With impressive speed, Yomazu fired off another, small slash. Not having enough time to dodge, Gajeel turned his arms into iron and raised them to block the attack. However, the iron dragon slayer was shocked when intense pain shot through his body and blood spurted from his arm. "Let's see how long you can keep that up!"
"FIRE!" Levy yelled, quickly forming another barrier of flaming letters to block the incoming deluge of eggs. But, this time there were far more eggs than before. "S-So many! I...I can't..." Several of the eggs managed to slip past Levy's defense, hitting her with their yolky fists. Yelping in pain, Levy fell to the ground and curled up in the fetal position. "KYAAAA! Gajeel! Help!"
"FUCK! I need to do something quick! But this bastard is cutting right through my iron scales!" Gajeel thought as he felt his blood start to boil, his heart thundering in his chest. Each one of Levy's screams made him even angrier and angrier. "Maybe I can-"
"Kan!" In the blink of an eye, a new kanji formed in front of Yomazu as a beam of energy shot forward and pierced through Gajeel's abdomen. Gasping in pain, Gajeel placed a hand over his wound, trying to stop the heavy blood flow. "Dark Sword..."
"N-No!" Levy exclaimed as she struggled to get back onto her feet, watching as Yomazu readied his Katana. "Gajeel! You need to-"
"Narukami!" Before Levy could finish her sentence, Yomazu shot forward and slashed through Gajeel with a blade coated in dark magic. Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Gajeel collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily as he fought to stay conscious. "If you're smart, you'll stay down."
"Gajeel!" Levy screamed as she scrambled over to the iron dragon slayer's side. Kneeling down, Levy gasped when she saw the severity of Gajeel's injuries, unsure of what to do next. "G-Gajeel...can you get up?"
"Huh, how pathetic..." Yomazu spat out, looking down on the Fairy Tail mages as he moved to Kawazu's side. "If this is the level they're all at, then we can probably finish them all off before the main squad even arrives."
"I hope they're all not this weak..." Kawazu said as he crossed his arms, glaring at Levy and Gajeel. "It wouldn't be any fun."
"What...was that?" Gajeel struggled to say, slowly probing himself up as every part of his body screamed out in pain. "Did you say...main squad?"
"Looks like you're still breathing, I'm mildly impressed." Yomazu taunted as he rested his on the hilt of his katana. "I'm talking about our guild. The rest of Grimoire Heart is on their way to this island as we speak."
"Levy..." Gajeel said, mustering enough strength to get back onto his feet. "Run. When they said war, they meant it. This is going to escalate beyond anything we could imagine."
"But...I..." Levy muttered as she reached out to the iron dragon slayer. "We should-"
"We have to tell everyone else about this as soon as possible!" Gajeel roared, whipping around to face the blue-haired solid script mage, the look in his eyes telling her how serious he was. "I can handle these guys no problem! So get going! NOW!"
"Don't let her escape!" Yomazu exclaimed as he unsheathed his katana and began to chase after Levy. However, he was quickly stopped when Gajeel transformed his arm into an iron pole and lashed out at him, forcing him to stop and block the attack. "Tch! You bastard!"
"Gajeel!" Levy yelled, stopping and turning to face the iron dragon slayer one last time. "Let me at least-"
"What are you doing!? Hurry the hell up and get going!" Gajeel barked as he unleashed another attack to keep Yomazu at bay. However, Gajeel was surprised when the word 'iron' landed in front of him. The word was made entirely out of the metal, even sporting a heart within the 'O'. "Iron?"
"Please, Gajeel..." Levy said through clenched teeth, running away with tears stinging her eyes. "Don't you dare die."
"Don't worry..." Gajeel said as he picked up the iron word and began to eat it. As he scarfed down the metal, he could feel his body quickly rejuvenating as his injuries healed and his strength returned. "I'll definitely come back to you."
"Oi!" Yomazu shouted, whipping around to shoot Kawazu an annoyed look. "Why the hell are you just standing there? You let that girl get away!"
"Oh, who cares?" Kawazu scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "That'll just make it more fun hunting them down."
"Hey..." Gajeel said, getting Yomazu and Kawazu's attention as he slammed his fist into the ground. "You want a full-scale war with Fairy Tail? Hurt the people I care about..." As draconic fury flooded Gajeel's body, he couldn't help but remember the rage he saw Natsu display whenever his friends and loved ones were hurt. At that moment, as images of Levy being hurt flashed through his mind, it finally clicked for Gajeel. "I understand how you feel now, Salamander." As Gajeel tightly clenched his fists, both Yomazu and Kawazu tensed as they watched veins bulge along his body. "I'm going to make you bastards regret ever setting foot on this island."
"All of Grimoire Heart is coming to attack us!" Levy thought as she sprinted through the woods as fast as she could, hoping to run into one of her guildmates. "Why are they doing this?" Levy's heart thundered in her chest as she pictured Gajeel, hoping with all her being that he'd be okay. "I have to let everyone know! Something really bad is going to happen!" However, in her rush, Levy wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and ended up tripping over an exposed root. Yelping in surprise, Levy tumbled down a small hill. When she finally came to a stop, Levy felt all her strength being sapped away as she lay on the ground and tried to catch her breath. After a few moments, Levy could hear footsteps approaching, but with her slightly blurred vision, she couldn't make out who it was. "Gajeel..."
"Levy..." When she could finally see who had found her, Levy felt a wave of relief wash over her. Standing in front of her, with concerned looks on their faces, were Erza and Juvia. Walking over, Erza crouched down and placed a hand on Levy's shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"Oh my, what happened?" Juvia asked as she clutched a hand over her heart. "Those wounds are serious."
"Erza...Juvia..." Levy said with a weak smile, feeling a few tears slide down her cheeks. "You have no happy I am to see you two."
"Iron Dragon's..." Gajeel exclaimed before he inhaled deeply, puffing out his chest. A split second later, the iron dragon exhaled and unleashed a powerful tornado full of metal shards. "Roar!"
"Bou!" Yomazu exclaimed as he held up his katana in front of him, a kanji materializing in the air. Gajeel's roar slammed into the kanji, which was seemingly a defensive barrier, and deflected cleanly off it. "Now, Kawazu!"
"Pepepeeee!" Kawazu yelled, leaning back and unleashing a barrage of eggs from his mouth. The eggs screamed through the air before they began to drop onto Gajeel like bombs. "Heavy Egg Rain!"
"Damn it! These bastards are relentless!" Gajeel thought with a grunt as he narrowly dodged the falling eggs, each of them slamming into the ground like a boulder. Hearing approaching footsteps, Gajeel whipped around and barely managed to raise his ironclad arms in time to block a katana slash from Yomazu. "You think that blunt piece of shit can slice through my..." With a defiant roar, one of Gajeel's arms transformed into a massive sword and he slashed at Yomazu. "Iron?!" After Yomazu used his katana to deflect, Gajeel immediately turned his attention toward Kawazu, who was still firing off a bombardment of eggs. With a huge wind-up, Gajeel swung his sword arm and slashed Kawazu clean across the stomach. "Iron Dragon Sword!"
"Wide open." Yomazu said, rushing forward to take advantage of the opening that appeared as Gajeel recovered from his last attack. "Tsuranuki!" In an instant, Yomazu's katana blade extended forward and pierced the iron dragon slayer's palm, shooting through his arm and coming out of his shoulder. However, Yomazu was shocked when he saw a smirk spread across Gajeel's face as the iron dragon slayer grabbed his katana with both hands. "W-What the..."
"I...won't lose..." Gajeel said through grit teeth as he tightly gripped the blade, blood pouring from his palms. Veins bulged along Gajeel's forehead as he glared fiercely at Yomazu. "I WON'T LOSE!"
(Several Months Earlier: Shortly After Phantom Lord's Attack on Fairy Tail)
"Hellooooo!" Makarov called out, surprising Gajeel as he approached the iron dragon slayer, who was currently sitting on a large pile of debris and munching on metal scraps. "I'm curious, is iron really that tasty?"
"Master Makarov!" Gajeel said in a surprised tone, shocked to see Fairy Tail's guildmaster had found him. "What are you doing here?"
"You know..." Makarov said with a grunt, starting to climb the debris pile so that he could get a bit closer to the iron dragon slayer. "Juvia joined our guild yesterday."
"Whazzat?!" Gajeel exclaimed as he whipped around to face Makarov, his eyes widening in shock. "Are you serious?!"
"Yes, she seemed very excited. She was bouncing between Gray and Natsu all day." Makarov said, clasping his hands behind his back as his brow furrowed slightly. "But, she was worried about you as well."
"What the hell is that gloomy rain woman thinking?!" Gajeel grumbled as he rested his head on his fist. "Should have known she'd go crawling over to your side."
"One cannot fall into darkness on one's own." Makarov said, stopping right next to Gajeel as he locked eyes with the iron dragon slayer. "How about you come over to our guild as well."
"You gotta be fucking kidding me!" Gajeel spat as his eyes narrowed, glaring at Makarov. "Are you really asking me that?!"
"There are people in this world who enjoy being alone." Makarov said, keeping Gajeel's gaze as he was unfazed by the iron dragon slayer's outburst. "But, there isn't a single person who can bear solitude."
"But...I...I destroyed your guild..." Gajeel muttered in a solemn tone as he turned his head away from Makarov. "I tore it to pieces."
"I don't care about that anymore." Makarov said, shrugging his shoulders. "Buildings can be repaired."
"And..." Gajeel trailed off as he lowered his gaze, shame evident on his face. "And your members..."
"You hurt them." Makarov said in a menacing tone that sent a horrible chill down Gajeel's spine, feeling an overwhelming pressure radiating off Fairy Tail's guildmaster. "And no matter what happens, I'll never forgive you for that." After Makarov thoroughly terrified Gajeel, he released a light sigh. "But...if I were to ignore a young man dangling on the edge of darkness, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself even more." The iron dragon slayer began to tremble as he felt himself come to the verge of tears. Reaching out, Makarov offered his hand to Gajeel. "This is not salvation. It's simply a guiding light to tomorrow. Continue or stop dead. You will make that decision on your own."
"I..." Gajeel said in complete shock at Makarov's kindness as he stared at the older man's outstretched hand. The iron dragon slayer wasn't sure that joining Fairy Tail was the right path for him. But, Makarov was right, he couldn't stay on the current path he was on. "I am..."
"I am a Fairy Tail mage!" Gajeel roared, tightly clenching his fist around Yomazu's katana blade. The iron dragon slayer's magical power suddenly spiked, causing Yomazu's eyes to widen in shock. Unleashing another draconic roar, Gajeel shattered Yomazu's katana with his bare hand. With the blade destroyed, Gajeel clapped his hands together above his head. "Dragon Slayer Secret Technique..." Gajeel's hands transformed into a gigantic sword, slashing it downward and slamming into Yomazu. "Karma Demon: Iron God Sword!"
Yomazu screamed out in pain as he collapsed to the ground, his samurai armor shattering and the area around him partially destroyed. Panting heavily, Gajeel glanced around the clearing looking out for any movement from the Grimoire Heart mages. Seeing that they both seemed to be down for the count, Gajeel released a long exhale before he collapsed himself. As Gajeel's consciousness began to fade, he spotted three figures burst through a nearby treeline and begin running toward him. The last thing Gajeel heard before he fell unconscious was a familiar voice call out to him.
"Gajeel!" Levy exclaimed in a worried tone, quickly rushing over to the iron dragon slayer's side and kneeling down next to him. Gently picking Gajeel's head up, Levy rested it on her lap. "Gajeel! Please hang in there!"
"Gajeel-kun..." Juvia breathed out as she clasped a hand over her mouth, staring at the injured iron dragon slayer in shock. "How did this happen?"
"What the hell happened here?" Erza said, scanning around the trashed clearing as she spotted the Grimoire Heart mages. "Who are those two?"
"HA...HAHA...AHAHAHAHA!" Yomazu suddenly laughed as he stared up at the sky overhead, spotting Grimoire Heart's airship above them. "You're all dead now...the main force will arrive at any moment. Mages that I have no chance against are coming...the Seven Kin of Purgatory!"
"Seven Kin?" Juvia parroted, feeling a chill run through her body. "That sounds quite ominous."
"I've seen enough..." Erza said as she pulled out a small magical device and twisted the end of it, firing a flare up into the air. "This exam is being put on temporary hold. All guild members prepare for battle!" Dropping the empty flare canister, Erza's eyes narrowed. "We'll repel any invaders who step foot on our land."
"A red signal flare? That means there are enemies." Happy said, staring up flare lazily floating in the air. "That means the exams are suspended."
"Do you think it's that black-haired guy from earlier?" Natsu asked as he frowned and crossed his arms. "I still need to pay that bastard back for what he did to Igneel's scarf."
"Who knows?" Happy replied, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head. "That signal means we're about to be attacked."
"Well, we don't know who it is, but someone is picking a fight with Fairy Tail." Natsu said as he punched his fist into his palm, sending out a burst of electricity. "So let's strike back and hit'em hard!"
"Aye sir!" Happy cheered, pumping his fist and leaping into the air. "We'll push them back!"
"Of all the times..." Cana said as her jaw clenched in frustration. "This is the final part of the exam! I have to deal with possibly leaving the guild here! Give a damn break! I'm continuing the exam! I'd like to see them try to get in my way!"
"Cana..." Lucy muttered, giving the brunette card mage a sympathetic look. "I know she's got a lot riding on this exam. But, if there really are enemies here, we need to be careful. I hope Natsu and the others are okay."
"Hey, you need to calm down, Cana." Gray said as he emerged from a nearby treeline with Loki, surprising Lucy and Cana. "Getting angry won't help anyone."
"Yeah, everyone feels the same as you." Loki said, resting his hands on his hips. "But we can't be rash right now."
"Why are you two here?" Cana said as her eyes narrowed slightly, shooting Gray and Loki an annoyed look. "Were you two following us?"
"Just a coincidence. But now is not the time for that." Gray said, taking a step toward Cana and Lucy. "Now that we've got unexpected company, this is not the time to be doing these exams."
"We should all head to the emergency meeting spot." Loki suggested as he adjusted his sunglasses. "There's too much we don't know."
"Just what is going on here..." Lucy said, releasing an exasperated sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why can't things ever just go smoothly?"
"Erza, what's the plan?" Juvia asked as she watched the scarlet-haired knight re-equip into her usual armor. "With more enemies possibly on the island, we must be careful."
"I'll take Gajeel back to the camp." Levy said with a huff, her muscles straining as she struggled to lift the iron dragon slayer up. "He needs medical attention."
"For now, let's look for Mest and Wendy." Erza said as she glanced over at Juvia. "There's a chance they may be unable to find the camp and are wandering around." Turning attention toward Yomazu, Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously. "But before that, we need to find out what their goal is."
"HA! Like we'd ever divulge any information to you! Try your worst! You'll nev-" Yomazu was cut off mid-sentence when Erza's sword pressed against his neck, the blade digging into his skin enough to draw blood. Swallowing hard, Yomazu locked eyes with Erza, seeing that her patience for him was non-existent. "Z-Zeref...the legendary black mage, Zeref." Hearing this name caused Erza and Juvia's eyes to widen in shock. "Zeref is on this island right now."
"That's not possible!" Erza exclaimed as he pulled her blade away from Yomazu's throat. "It simply can't be true."
"I must agree with Erza..." Juvia said, shooting Yomazu a skeptical look. "Zeref lived hundreds of years ago."
"400 years to be exact..." Yomazu clarified as a twisted smile spread across his face, creeping both Erza and Juvia out. "He lives. And has been for the past 400 years. However...Master Hades did say that Zeref was currently in a 'slumbering' state. When Zeref does wake up, this world will be completely submerged in darkness."
"Ridiculous...this is Fairy Tail's holy land!" Erza said, kneeling down and roughly grabbing ahold of Yomazu's shirt. "Are you trying to cause some disorder on this island, which is surrounded by Fairy Protection?"
"The army Master Hades commands will be here soon." Yomazu said with a smirk as he met Erza's gaze. "I wouldn't underestimate the Seven Kin of Purgatory if I were you. The Time Mage, Ultear. Rustyrose. Our boss, Caprico-sama. Kain Hikaru. Zancrow. Meredy. And...one more is already on this island."
"Mest?" Wendy said, noticing that her partner seemed to be spacing out as he stared at the flare above them. "What does that color mean again?"
"Ummmmm...uhhhhhhh..." Mest hummed as he stroked his chin, his brown furrowing. Suddenly, Mest's expression changed completely and he grabbed a nearby rock, trying to bite it. "I wanna know! I really, REALLY wanna know!"
"So you forgot too..." Wendy said, letting out a soft sigh as she stared up at the flare. "I hope it doesn't mean something bad."
"This is bad..." Mest thought as he dropped his goofball act, a serious look on his face. "They're going to move before the main squad gets here?"
"WENDY!" Hearing a familiar voice yell out, the sky dragon slayer turned around and was surprised to see Carla and Lily flying toward them. "Get away from him this instant!"
"Carla? Lily?" Wendy said as she quirked an eyebrow, surprised by the white-furred cat's frantic demeanor. "What's going on?"
"Mest!" Carla exclaimed, landing in front of Wendy with Lily beside her. "Just who are you!?"
"E-Eh? What do you mean?" Mest said as he did his best to feign confusion. "I'm Mystogan's pupil."
"The prince would never take on a pupil from this world. You were smart to use someone no longer in this world." Lily said, transforming into his larger, more muscular form as he glared at Mest. "But you made a mistake in your setup. Mest...or whatever your name is."
"Hey! Can you two stop leaving me out?!" Wendy said in a frustrated tone as she watched Lily pin Mest against a large boulder. "What are you talking about all of a sudden!?"
"You be quiet." Carla quickly fired back, not even turning to face Wendy. "You don't need to get involved."
"Who are you?" Lily asked again as he smashed his fist into the boulder right next to Mest's head, causing it to partially crumble. "Talk. Now."
"I...I...don't..." Mest stammered out, struggling to come up with a believable excuse to get him out of his current predicament. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm guessing you can use magic that manipulates people's memories." Lily said as his eyes narrowed, clenching his fist in front of Mest's face. "You cast magic on the members of this guild and pretended to be one of them. Including that bit about the prince, your story has tons of holes in it. I can't think of anyone who has had any interactions with you." Mest visibly broke out in a sweat, his entire body tensing up. "On top of that, you don't even know what that signal flare means. I won't let you talk your way out of this." However, Lily was surprised when Mest's facade suddenly hardened and he instantly vanished. "H-Huh!? What just happened?!"
"He disappeared?!" Carla exclaimed, frantically looking around for the suspicious man. "Where did he go?!"
"No...he didn't disappear!" Lily thought as he spun around, his eyes widened when he spotted Mest reappear in front of Wendy. "Teleportation magic!"
"Oh no!" Carla yelled, watching as Mest grabbed ahold of the sky dragon slayer. "Wendy!"
"Watch out!" Mest called out as he pulled Wendy out of the way of an incoming explosion that they narrowly avoided. Both Carla and Lily were shocked by the sudden attack, having no idea where it had come from. "That was close."
"An attack!?" Lily said, turning toward where the explosion had come from. "Now what's going on?"
"That man..." Carla thought as she stared at Mest in surprise. "He protected Wendy?"
"Who was that?!" Mest demanded, standing protectively in front of Wendy. "Show yourself!"
"Good job noticing me." A voice said from the nearby treeline. Suddenly, an eerie, creaking sound began to emanate from one of the trees as a face began to push out of the bark. "I thought I was being rather stealthy."
"What the...a person is coming out a tree!?" Mest exclaimed in shock, watching as the tree's body stretched out more and more as it took on a more human-like figure. "W-Who are you!?"
"My name is Azuma." Their mysterious attacker revealed as much of his upper body was now out of the tree. "One of Grimoire Heart's Seven Kin of Purgatory."
"Grimore Heart?" Wendy repeated, feeling a chill as she remembered hearing that name before. "Aren't they a dark guild?"
"I get it now." Mest said as he balled his fists. "That signal earlier was to announce an enemy attack."
"Hmph...that's right." Azuma said, pulling his arms out of the tree trunk. "Perhaps I should tell you it's too late now."
"Just what the hell is going on here!?" Lily barked as he looked between Mest and Azuma several times. "Somebody better start talking!"
"If I infiltrated Fairy Tail's holy land, I figured that I would stumble upon a few questionable things." Mest revealed, a serious look forming on his face as an ominous aura radiated off him. "But, Grimoire Heart, on top of the black mage Zeref? Lady Luck REALLY must hate me."
"Zeref?" Wendy said as she quirked an eyebrow, having never heard the name before. "Who is that?"
"Okay, we know why you're here..." Carla said, pointing at Mest. "But, who are you!?"
"You really haven't figured it out yet? I'm a member of the council." Mest said as he turned to face the Fairy Tail mages, giving them an awkward smile. "I snuck onto this island searching for something I could use to put Fairy Tail out of business."
"The council?!" Carla parroted in an annoyed tone, shooting Mest a frustrated look. "Are you serious?!"
"But, I'm afraid that plan is over now. To think that a guild with no known location like Grimoire Heart would show up on this island! HAHAHA! If I can handle this, I'll get a promotion for sure!" Mest exclaimed as he pointed off into a distance, a council ship coming into view. "Just in case, I decided to have the council's main force arrest squad's battleship waiting nearby. Looks like that was the right decision! I'm arresting all of you. I'm going to crush that demonic heart of yours into pieces!"
"Battleship?" Azuma said, crossing his arms over his chest. A split second later, Mest and the Fairy Tail mages were stunned to see the council battleship suddenly explode. "You couldn't be talking about that one...right?"
"W-What did you do?" Wendy breathed out in horror as she clutched a hand over her heart. "A-All those people...you just..."
"Now then..." Azuma said, finally fully stepping out of the tree. He was a tall, massive, and highly muscular man with tanned skin and thick brown hair in dreadlocks that jutted out in all directions. He had brown eyes and long sideburns, joining his hair to his prominent goatee, which took the form of several triangles pointing downwards and extending upwards on his chin. He also had a straight dark streak running over his left eye, which extended up to the top of his forehead and down to his mid-cheek. Each of his ears was adorned by a large earring shaped like a round crescent moon that pointed down. "I hope you don't mind if I begin my job now...Mr. Council Member."
Azuma wore an outfit decorated with tribal-like motifs, complete with what looked like leather armor covering his upper body. The chest piece was simple, with the central section highlighting his prominent abdominals and pectorals underneath it being light green, separated by the dark green parts on his sides by a pair of thin white lines framing it on both edges. With the chest piece came a pair of large, dark-colored shoulder pads, complete with lighter-colored edges and massive straps hanging from them, each decorated by similarly large hollow studs. The left shoulder pad bore Grimoire Heart's symbol. Around Azuma's waist was a simple, plain belt distinguished by the dark motifs on it; below it, the leather armor continued in a waist guard composed of four large, semicircular flaps, each decorated by studs identical to the one on his shoulder pads, and retaining the color scheme of his chest piece. Azuma's arms were covered by loose, light green sleeves, with a darker green band circling each of them, closed by a stud identical to those adorning the rest of his attire, and darker-colored stripes framing the areas where the sleeves open laterally to reveal part of Azuma's forearms. His pants, while orange in color, retained the same structure of the sleeves, with the lower parts being slashed on the front, where they are framed by green stripes and overlooked by studded bands. The sides of such pants, in addition, are adorned by a series of dark motifs running down their entire length. Visible from the slashes in them are Azuma's white boots.
"Everyone..." Lily growled as he glared fiercely at Azuma, sensing immense magical power coming from the Grimoire Heart member. "Get back!"
And done! Sorry for the sort of cliffhanger, but this felt like a good stopping point. We've still got a bit more setup left before we get into the big fights in this arc. Unfortunately, that means the next chapter will be more setup as well, but there will definitely be more action. And I should hopefully at least get to the Natsu vs. Zancrow fight. So, I hope you're looking forward to that! Remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed, please leave a review your feedback is appreciated, please consider supporting my P atreon every little bit helps, check out my profile and other stories if you haven't already, and feel free to PM me any ideas you may have for my stories. So until next time, I'm outta here!