Goodbye, Fairy Tail

Chapter 1: The weight of secrets

Hi everyone!

Here's a bit of a special fanfiction, as it's a translation of my fanfiction that was originally written in French.

I'd also like to point out that English is by no means my native language, and that even if I'm good at it, mistakes and awkwardness can sneak into the text without me necessarily noticing. If you ever have any suggestions (and by the way, if you're ever interested in being my beta reader), please don't hesitate - my perfectionist streak will thank you greatly!

To talk about the story itself, there are a few things you should know before starting to read:

1) Since the fiction was originally written about 20 years ago (in 2005 or 2006, I think), the plot doesn't take into account all the events that happen after the Battle of Fairy Tail arc, where Laxus tries to become the new Master by force. That's a long time ago, I grant you. However, as I've refined the story over the years, I've found myself using characters or plot elements that would normally come later. So when they meet these characters, it's bound to be in a different way.

It also means that questions already answered in the manga will mostly have different answers here. The most obvious example being the identity of the Dragon Slayers. The reason they are over 400 years old will not be the same here. I think you get the idea. Imagine this story as a possible ending for the manga if we consider that nothing ever happened after the battle against Laxus arc. With a strong focus on Natsu and a much darker storyline.

2) Among them all, there's one character who won't have the same background story at all, since I'd already included him in my story at a time when we'd never seen him before, and that's Zeref. I sincerely love the ambiguity of that character as he is in the manga. But unfortunately, here... he really won't have anything to do with it even if I kinda kept his calm and measured personality. Sorry for those who might be bothered by that.

3) The overall atmosphere of the story is very, very dark. There is still some action and adventure since the story will also focus on the Dragon Slayers and their true identities, particularly Natsu. Some chapters might touch on sensitive topics like violence, blood, torture, etc., but I will always give a warning in those cases so you won't be caught off guard.

4) The story is very, very clearly centered on Natsu, so I hope you like him as much as I do! Lucy, Gray and Erza also feature prominently, although other characters will be added later.

5) I'll try to keep any character's relationship as true as possible, adding the necessary events for it to grow and strengthen as the adventure progresses. I try to keep them all on an equal footing, so that none is overshadowed by another. Although I do have my little preferences, which may show :).

I'll leave you to discover the rest, as I think I've covered the most important points. I hope you'll join me on this adventure! I promise you many twists and turns and lots and lots of strong emotions!

I should also warn you that that the release will be relatively slow from one chapter to the next, as this fiction requires a lot of work and time that I don't necessarily have. It will also depend on how it's received and what your expectations are.

With that said, I wish you a good reading!

Magnolia sprawled along the edge of the glittering sea, the monotonous roar of its waves echoing in the distance. An unsettling stillness pervaded the area. All that could be heard was the rustling of leaves dancing in the wind joined by the chirping sonatas of birds, the sweet ooze of the river winding its way through the city, and the distant chirping of chattering bugs. The slow rise of the dawn over the night colors powdered the clouds and enveloped the sky in a mixture of crimson and saffron, promising a clear, sunny day. And so, another beautiful day lay ahead, unalterably identical to the previous ones for the famous Fairy Tail mages.