Cursed (Zeref X Reader)

Chapter 5

"The second test is searching for the grave of Mavis, the First Master," says Makarov. "You have six hours. I will be waiting at Mavis's grave." Master turns and walks away.

Everyone springs into action, plunging into the foliage in different directions. You and Wendy decide to track Makarov, since he said he was heading to the grave. You faintly hear screams and feel the ground vibrate under your feet, and you assume the other pairs ran into some of the animals on Tenrou Island.

The two of you walk in silence, following Makarov's scent. The wind shifts suddenly, blowing a few leaves off the tree along with another scent: the smell of death. A cold feeling enters your body and you shiver, despite the heat. You know this scent. It's the one you encountered at the pond a few weeks ago. Your head jerks up suddenly and you take off in that direction, needing to know what's going on.

You hear a surprised exclamation from Wendy as she follows after you. After running through the forest for a while, you suddenly stop and pull Wendy to a stop beside you, signaling for her to keep quiet.

The two of you remain unseen as you peer through the bushes. It looks like a confrontation between Elfman and Evergreen and another person whom you don't recognize: a young, black-haired male wearing black and gold robes with a white toga. The dark-haired boy standing before the two Fairy Tail mages looks fairly harmless except... he reeks of death.

Everything becomes a blur as your memories are transported back to the day near the pond where you came across the clearing completely devoid of life. The yellow grass, the dry, crumbling leaves, the pack of dead wolves... Did he cause all of that?

You study the boy carefully. He doesn't appear very dangerous, but you suspect there's more to him than meets the eye. At the moment, he looks rather shocked at Elfman and Evergreen standing across the clearing from him.

"People?" he mumbles to himself, "People...on the island?"

You hear Evergreen demand what he is doing, but you're focused on the dead expression on his face; he's completely devoid of emotion. He's muttering to himself when Elfman loses patience and leaps forward.

"Don't!" The boy cries, holding up a hand in defense. "You mustn't get close to me..." he whispers.

Elfman looks confused but still angry at the trespasser. "What—"

"I know. I'll leave," you hear the dark-haired mage say quietly as he lowers his hand. "But please, don't get close to me." You flinch at the tangible sadness in his voice and decide you have to find out more about this mysterious wizard.

"What's with this guy?" Evergreen mutters to Elfman.

Elfman begins to reply but suddenly the boy gasps and grabs his head in his hands, breathing heavily. "It's no use!" he exclaims, "it's coming!"

The temperature drops and the boy is straining to contain himself, his breath coming in strangled gasps. Time seems to stop for a second as the leaves around him burst into dust and an ink-black sphere of magic expands, enveloping the mysterious mage.

Sensing danger, you grab Wendy's arm and surround the two of you with a protective magic barrier as you both stand paralyzed, watching the scene unfold.

The sphere grows rapidly, spreading across the clearing toward Elfman and Evergreen, who stand petrified and unsure of what to do. Just as they are about to get hit, you glimpse a flash of pink hair accompanied by a shout of "Get down!"

The black death magic sweeps across the clearing and the aftermath is identical to the scene at the pond that you witnessed; barren trees, blackened grass, the remains of leaves scattered into dust.