Fairy Tail: The Dark Swordsman

28 - The First Master of Faity Tail

[X779, Fairy Tail Guild Hall]

— Makarov Dreyar —

Makarov Dreyar lounged in his office, the only place of solace that he could relax in silence.

The chaos of the guild hall was always a welcome sight to him, it symbolized his children's freedom and excitement after all. But there were moments where he needed to rest his old bones, this place served for exactly that.

He took a sip from his mug, savoring the warmth of the beer as it flowed down his gullet. His thoughts drifted to the numerous tasks awaiting his attention, the council has been a buzz recently due to the rising number of dark mages, there were even some concerning rumors in the underworld regarding movement from the bigger dark guilds. Even his son, Ivan, has been making worrisome moves. It was concerning, but for now, he allowed himself a moment of peace.

A lacrima in his desk buzzed to life, breaking the silence. Makarov's brows furrowed. It was unusual for someone to contact him at this hour. Laxus isn't currently on any missions, and Dannis gave his monthly report just a few days ago.

Opening the right shelf on the desk, he realized the one buzzing was the one directly connected to Dannis.

"Dannis, my boy, how are you?" he asked.

A female voice, soft yet urgent, answered instead. "Master Makarov, this is Mavis Vermillion."

Makarov's heart skipped a beat. "Mavis Vermillion? The first master? How—?"

"Forgive me, but there's no time for explanations. Dannis is severely injured and needs help."

Suspicion clouded his mind. Mavis Vermillion, the very much dead first master of Fairy Tail, contacting him through a lacrima? This was either a really bad joke or something else entirely. "If you're really Mavis, then prove it. Tell me something only she would know."

The voice didn't hesitate. "Lumen Histoire. The greatest secret of Fairy Tail."

Makarov's breath caught. "Master Mavis... it really is you."

"Yes. Now, please, Dannis needs immediate help. He's near Mount Hakobe."

Makarov didn't waste another second. "I'll contact Gildarts. He's the closest one to that area."

He activated another lacrima and connected to Gildarts. "Gildarts! We have a situation. Dannis is severely injured, he's near Mount Hakobe, get to him as soon as you can!"

Gildarts' voice, one usually filled with joviality, turned serious. "Understood. I'm not far. I'll be there in a few hours at top speed."

"Thank you, Gildarts. Hurry."

______________________________________

— Grilthos the Wizard Killer —

Grilthos fled through the dense forest, his breaths ragged and labored. The wounds inflicted by the Darkness Wizard throbbed painfully with each step, but he pushed on.

The memory of the battle replayed in his mind, interspersed with the telepathic message from Mard Geer.

"Hello old friend," Mard Geer's voice had echoed in his mind, cold and commanding. "It's been a while."

Grilthos had taken one step, his claws poised to strike down the wizard. "Mard Geer, how did you find me?"

"Did you really think you could hide from me forever?" Grilthos could hear the arrogance in his tone. "Using the Etherious Form while being in the same world as me is basically putting a beacon right on your back. What did you expect?"