𝙏𝙃𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍 // 𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧

Automatically, everybody cried out and went from pale to pink with barely contained glee.

Erza, however, did the opposite and went white as a sheet.

"Hey! W-wait..." she stuttered, "Me? The guild master?! That can't..."

"Nobody else if half as qualified," a voice spoke, "I've been waiting for this. For you all to gather in one place again."

"It's you!" Natsu gasped.

"Um... he's..." Lucy trailed off.
"I wonder who he is?" Wendy said aloud.

"Wait... I know he's one of us... but I can't seem to recall his name," Cana spoke.

"You're the only ones..." he paused, seemingly for dramatic effects, "who can save the sixth master, Makarov!"

// Small Time Skip //
// 3rd P.O.V //

The last thing Natsu, Lucy, Gray, [Y/N], Wendy, Happy, Kuschel and Carla heard before tumbling down a hidden flight of stairs was Erza's voice contorted in shock.

"You followed us?" Erza asked to the pile of people at the bottom of the stairwell.
"Only guild masters are allowed inside... is what I was just about to say," the man, now known as Mest, sighed.

"That ain't fair! Tell us too!" Natsu yelled.
"What is that thing?!" [Y/N] said of the Lumen Histoire.
"It's the first master, right?" Wendy added in shock.

"And she's buck naked!" Natsu flushed.
"Right. So quit staring," Lucy covered his eyes.
"Yeah, Natsu. That's a little girl," [Y/N] teased.

"This is the body of the first master?" Happy questioned, "is it still alive?"
"And why is it down here, encased in crystal?" Carla added.
"Pretty..." Kuschel marvelled.

"Explain this, Mest," Erza commanded.
"Even I don't know the truth behind this," he sighed, "but one thing's for certain — it's of utmost importance."

"Forget that! Tell me where the old man is!" Natsu shouted, "you know, don't you?!"

"What... is this..." Wendy grasped her forehead, "inside my head..."
"I see images..." Erza observed.

"It's one of my memories," Mest explained shortly, "it was nine years ago... two years ago to those of you who were on Tenrou Island. Makarov gave me an assignment.

Erza took a chance glance at [Y/N], her and Kuschel the only ones in the room who had not been trapped there.

All eight of them relived one of Mest's most vivid memories of the guild master requesting him to infiltrate the Council under the name Doranbolt, and report back all information concerning the Western Continent. It was soon revealed Mest was showing this particular memory because of one thing... the Alvarez Empire — a singular, gigantic empire made up of seven-hundred-and-thirty guilds, both official and dark, unified. They had invaded the Eastern Continent of Ishgar ten years previously, as they were after one thing — Fairy Tail's Lumen Histoire. The invasion did not fail, though they simply called it off for a decade because of the Council's sudden display of power with the Face and Etherion weapons. Though, because of Tartaros, the Council was no more, and therefore the Eastern Continent did not have those weapons at there disposal.

They were entirely helpless, and Alvarez was lying in wait like a snake preparing to strike.

In the memory relived, Makarov had stated that he was travelling to Alakitasia to negotiate with the Empire, and that if they did indeed threaten to invade or take action, he would play Ishgar's trump card and set off the Lumen Histoire — what that meant, the eight did not know. Makarov had said that hopefully, his threat of setting off the Lumen Histoire would buy the Council some time to reform, and Ishgar could gain control of their weapons of mass destruction again.

At the end of the memory, Makarov revealed that he had disbanded the guild for Fairy Tail's safety — that if something happened to him in Alakitasia, there was nothing the Empire would do but target his children.

"So... so the old man went to what's-it-called Empire? And never came back?!" Natsu gasped.

"The dissolution of the guild... it was all for us?" Erza questioned aloud.

"You haven't heard from him in a year?" Gray asked Mest — his bandana was still tied around his head.
"Right," Mest confirmed.

"You couldn't stop him?" [Y/N] questioned, "I guess that's Gramps for ya... he's got a will of iron."

"I hope he's okay..." Lucy fretted.
"I'm worried," Wendy frowned.

"Maybe he's still negotiating..." Mest spoke, partly to himself, "or maybe he's imprisoned... or maybe..."
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Erza warned.

"I made sure the Council was revived, just as Master Makarov asked," Mest continued on, "I got help from Mr. Warrod, and we entered the new Council around the Ten Wizard Saints."

"Come to think of it, the master's disappearance has been a problem for the Council, too, huh?" Lucy said.
"Mr. Warrod knows the situation, but I think the other members of the Council are probably in the dark," Mest relayed, "they do all recognise the threat the Alvarez Empire poses, though. They're already setting up a defensive line to deter any new invasions."

"If the old man's idea of buying time did just that, then he should be trying to get home, right?" Gray said.
"If everything went according to plan," Mest nodded, "maybe the info about the new Council never got to Master Makarov, or he's in some situation that's preventing him from returning."

"That's why we're going to rescue him," Natsu said, a determined glare crossing his face, "right?"

"Yes. I've revived the Council, as requested," Mest said, "so from now on, I'm free to act as a Fairy Tail wizard."

"If we get all the guild members together, no enemy can scare us!" Happy cheered.
"Let's all go!" Carla added.
"I agree!" Kuschel danced about.

"Wait!" Erza stuck her hand out, "we are facing a foe with whom even the master could not contend. Entering without a plan is futile."

"We've gotten a lot stronger in the past year!" Natsu shouted.
"Yeah! We can take on anybody that dares to even threaten Gramps!" [Y/N] added, equally as loud.

"The master put his life in the line to buy time. That time was his gift to us," Erza said, "don't you dare through that away. We will rebuild the guildhall, begin taking jobs again, and fully revive Fairy Tail. I wish to see smiles on everyone's faces once more. Those are my thoughts as the seventh guild master."

"Erza..." Wendy said quietly.
"Hey! You don't mean..." Gray started.

"However..." Erza suddenly began again, "my thoughts as an individual member of the guild are different... we must rescue the master! Therefore, we will take action — just those of us gathered here. The smaller our numbers, the better. We must infiltrate the Alvarez Empire, and rescue the master, and escape safely. That is our mission. Not open warfare. Infiltration and rescue! We will not engage in any unnecessary battles or disturbances... is that understood, Natsu?"

"Y-yeah..." Natsu said, a bead of sweat running down his cheek, "we'll get the old man out! Count on it!"

Erza turned to [Y/N] solemnly.

"[Y/N]. I am aware that your circumstances are... different to the usual ones, and I and the rest of the team will understand if this is where your adventure ends with us," she said, putting a hand on the Sound Dragon Slayer's shoulder.

"No," [Y/N] shook her head, "I want to go with you. I said I had a bad feeling about something and I showed up — I'm gonna follow this through until the very end. I've just gotta make a pitstop at Sabertooth before we head off."

"Alright," Erza nodded, a smile making its way to her face, "we will save the master!"