1

You mean, Natsu's missing?" A pit opens up in Lucy's soul when she hears Gildarts tell her that. Happy is on his shoulder and they both nod a little.

"He disappeared one night when he was out with me in the forest." Gildarts frowned, "left his things and Happy behind." Happy droops, he looks miserable. "It took me a while to find you, but I had hoped he came here."

". . .no I haven't seen him." Lucy shook her head a little bit. "He never came here." And that worried her even more. "We should go ask Wendy, maybe she knows." It was her only thought. The other dragon slayer may have a better idea, "or even Sting and Rogue maybe?" She bit her lip. No, why would they know where he was? Why would he leave Happy behind? None of it made any sense. . .

". . .even if they don't know, we should contact the others. I don't know why Natsu would have vanished but it puts a bad taste in my mouth." Lucy whispers, biting her lip.

"Yeah, I agree." Gildarts rubs the back of his head. "I was hoping he'd be here." He mumbled, "but seeing that he isn't. I guess we really need to worry."

Lucy wasn't sure what would happen next. But someone had to know something about Natsu.

x-x-x-x

They had most of the guild back together now, after Lucy had contacted a few of the other members. They hoped maybe it would bring Natsu back to them. She had wished he had been there when they found out about Avatar—wished she could have told Gray and Erza better news. Yet, she had to tell them Natsu was missing and Happy wasn't with him.

It left a gap in the guild, a silence that none of them liked.

"Even after gathering all of us," Gray started, his gaze fixed on his drink, "we haven't managed to find any trace of him."

"Yes, it does seem odd." Erza crossed an arm over her chest. "The fact of the matter is, Natsu wouldn't have left Happy behind or his things. But no dark guild has rumblings about his captured or anything of that nature. Which means that something else would have had to happen to him."

". . ." Happy looks down, "there was no trace of him when we woke up. Gildarts checked the surrounding area and found nothing."

". . ." Mest watches them all, putting a hand over his guild mark. He feels his nerves get worse the more he sits there. But I can't tell them.

"Mest, you alright?" Mira asked gently as she set a drink down in front of him. "You still seem nervous even though we now know what you were doing."

". . .yes. I'm just thinking." He smiled weakly, taking a sip of the drink. He'd still have to tell Erza about the Master but. . . I'm in too deep already. So, he drowns the entire alcoholic beverage and stands up. "Erza, can I talk to you?"

She looks over at him and nods a little bit, "yes, alright." She is agreeable as he walks off with her. He must show her their greatest secret, and tell her what he knows.

In a way, he feels sick. He knows its time for his medication, but he has to put it off for a little bit in order to do what he came here for.

. . .I can only hope that things. . .go in our favor. But whose favor was that anymore?

x-x-x-x

They had traveled to the Alvarez Empire in order to find Makarov and bring him home. The empire was aware of them arriving, and well. From there things only got worse.

x-x-x-x

". . .no, I never intended to not wage war." Zeref turned to face Makarov then, "I will, no matter what I am told." Then he sighs, "in fact I was going to announce it by sending your corpse back to Fairy Tail. However, I was convinced that was a terrible idea."

Makarov lets out the breath that he has been holding, watching Zeref. Someone convinced him not to kill me? He can't imagine who it is, or why. But he can't let his guard down either. "Then what do you intend?"

Zeref tilts his head a little before he smiles, "well. You should go home. I'll allow Mest take you to the others."

". . .!" Makarov feels something in him sink when he hears Zeref use Mest's name. But before he can say anything more, he is teleported somewhere else. There, he comes to realize Erza, Gray, Wendy and Lucy are waiting for him. And Happy. . . My children.

"All of you. . ." He murmurs. "I'm so sorry. I failed you all." He looks down, "they never intended to negotiate."

"You're okay, and that is all that matters to us." Erza lets out a sigh of relief, and gets up. "We need to get moving, Mest how many times can you teleport all of us again?" Makarov glances back to see the other male, with his fairy tail mark proud on his skin.

But Zeref used your real name. He thought.

"Only once, so we need to move fast so I can teleport us back to Sorano." Mest winces, he looks tired and he is wounded. Makarov will have to wait to ask him. Right now, they must have indicted the wrath of the empire. But all of this. . .something seems wrong.

x-x-x-x

Wendy is trying her hardest to heal Mest as they head back on Christina. They had direct contact with two members of the elite force of the Alvarez empire and they survived. But Mest has seen better days—and Wendy isn't sure what to do.

". . .Wendy. I have…some medication in the pack I had." Mest winced, "I need a vial." Wendy bites her lip and goes for the bag.

"Medication? You were sick and you did this? You know how stupid that is." She whispered. If only we would have known.

"It's not something easy to cure. . ." Mest let out a slow breath, watching her open a vial. She smells it and winces.

". . .we should have Porlyusica look at you when we get back." But she brings the vial over and helps him lean his head up. He drinks it down but she feels sick. Something doesn't seem right about this medication, it's black with red tinges and…that smell. But she can't tell him no and see if he dies because of her. So, she lets him take it, and waits to see what he does.

She can see his eyes; they seem to change colors for a second and she feels alarm spike in her. But she keeps her mouth shut and keeps checking his wounds. He. . .he's not coughing anymore. What did he drink?

Wendy eventually stands up and heads back to the others, waiting for the airship to land.

"How is he?" Erza glances over from the loudness of the other guild members.

"Better, but he's still very weak." Wendy shook her head. ". . .He's sick too. He did all of this while something is ailing him."

"Sick?" Makarov lifts his head.

"Yes. He has medication vials but. . .I'm not sure about them." She admitted. "He stopped coughing after he took one but it looks weird. And it smells weird."

". . ." Makarov frowns and now everyone has their attention on them.

"Wait, so he was able to do all of this while ill?" Erza crosses her arms. "Then he pushed himself too far."

"Yes. But. . ." Wendy shuffles her feet. "Something just doesn't sit right with me about it. Like I said the medication is odd." Gajeel notices at the same time she does, and both turn their heads to the space where they were keeping Mest, closed off from the others since his body was weak.

". . .his scent just disappeared." Laxus lifts his head as well.

"It's just gone." Wendy doesn't wait for Laxus to say anything else as she runs into the room, looking around. Mest is gone, but his bag, the vials of medication, and his shirt are all still present.

"He's gone?" Erza is behind her, looking around. "Did he teleport?"

"He was still too weak to teleport." Wendy shook her head, "and all of his things are here." She feels her heart clench. Where was he?

". . ." Makarov comes to stand with them, looking around the room. "Damn it." He mumbled. "They must have taken him somehow. Wendy you said the medication was still here?"

"Yes." She goes to his bag and pulls out the two vials that were left there. "These were the last two in his bag. . ." She can see one is labeled lunch and another is labeled dinner. He had a few empty ones labeled similarly in his bag. Two were empty that were labeled emergency.

Mest. Where are you? Are you okay?

"The ship isn't under attack, but maybe they took him for a reason." Erza is trying to think but Wendy can't focus.

Inside of the bag is something else and she isn't sure she wants to think of the implications.

Magic council letters. Some of them are addressed to the Alvarez empire. What does this mean? Was Mest a messenger?

". . .I think the Magic Council may have been using Mest as a communicator." Wendy murmurs, "but these letters never made it to the Alvarez empire."

Makarov blinks and comes over, looking. ". . .no. I saw one of these letters. They would toss them out, without reading them often." He replied. Maybe that is why Zeref knew his name. But why did he not just end his life if Mest was a nuisance?

x-x-x-x

"Oh! You're home." Zeref smiles as he turns around as the doors open. "Oh, you look terrible though, have you not been taking your medication, Mest?" The black-haired male looks weak as he walks into Zeref's quarters. He is still covered in injuries and his clothing is torn up if he even has it on.

"It was…hard to take them around the others." Mest takes the vial the dark wizard gives him. He opens it and drinks it down without a moment's hesitation. Zeref watches him and smiles a little more.

"You did good, the least I can do is reward you with your medication. I think you should stay home for a little while. After all, you took quite the beating."

"Yeah." Mest wipes his mouth. "Do you need me to bring him his medication?" He tilted his head a little bit and Zeref hums, grabbing a few more vials.

"Yes, please do." He hands them to Mest. "You should probably take another dose as well, if you skipped a few."

". ..yes sir." Mest takes them, "you know they may come back from me. After all, this is still our little secret. They may think you kidnapped me."

"I know." Zeref sits down calmly, "but I'm not worried. After all, they don't know our real secret, do they? They can take you back all you want, but you'll always be brought back home."

Zeref dismisses him with his hand then and watches the man leave. He leans on his hand, thinking calmly. I promised I'd spare whomever he could bring to this Empire. So, I guess the next stage of our plan begins today. And soon, war will come. He looks over and touches the book of END gently. "Soon, my little brother."

x-x-x-x

When Mest returns to the guild, he looks like he was beaten badly. Collapsing when he gets the doors open. Panic follows in the guild, running to his side. Makarov can't believe his eyes, but he can only assume this means that Zeref kidnapped Mest once again. He had learned from Warrod that it had happened before, and Mest had come back sick. Soon after, they had gotten him medication to heal his ailments but he had never fully recovered. He still took the medication regularly to function normally, and to ease his symptoms.

Wendy is in a panic, trying to help him. But she stops and she looks at Makarov and Erza with wide eyes. "H-he's dying."

"Wendy those vials of medication, do you have them still? Warrod said he requires them at regular intervals in order to combat his sickness." Makarov jumps down and Wendy nods. She gets one from Carla. Opening the vial and getting it to go down Mest's throat. She sees his eyes change colors again and she doesn't like it. But she knows he could die if she doesn't help him once again.

Makarov comes to her side, calming her shaking hands with his own. "Mest, what happened?"

The mage looks at Makarov and he then clutches his head, letting out a shaky breath. "I-I have a message from Zeref."

It was as Makarov feared, but nothing prepares him for the next words out of Mest's mouth.

"War is coming, anyone who wishes to survive can join me at my home in the Alvarez empire. I have already obtained what I want, therefore, I have no need to take any prisoners. But I owe it to the person that means the most to me in the world to offer this. Join us, and you will survive. I promise. Oh, and one last thing, this one belongs to me." Mest's eyes are open only for a moment longer before he collapses.

Wendy is checking him again, healing the wounds she can. But there is dread in the guild. Those words promise the war in a different way—one that shows Zeref is there to kill the continent.

x-x-x-x

Mest is weak when Porlyusica looks him over that night. Only Wendy, Makarov, Gray, and Erza are in the room. But the look on her face tells him it is serious.

"It appears as if he has been inflicted with some kind of demon sickness." She sighs, "I can do little for him other than give him a replica of the medication he has been taking. If it was procured by Warrod then we have to assume it is in his best interest."

"Demon sickness," Gray begins, "anyway my slaying powers can help?"

"No, I don't think so." She sighs a little bit. "He needs to rest, and not use his magic for a while. I assume it only makes the sickness worse. I'll have to study it more to see if I can find a cure." She murmured. But, I'm not sure if he can last much longer.

"He's dying." Wendy confirms softly, "I know he is."

". . .yes. Eventually, the sickness will consume him unless we find a cure. I will keep watch over him for now and see what I can find. The rest of you should go home, but Gray can you stay for a little longer?"

The ice mage blinks but nods, "alright. Yeah."

She then sends the rest of them off. Then calmly begins working quietly at the desk near Mest's bed. Gray sits on the floor, frowning. He doesn't speak but she knows he's worried. "I will do all I can to figure out what is wrong with him."

"I know." Gray replies, and looks up, "I'm thinking about Natsu. He disappeared and we can't find him."

". . .I know." Porlyusica sighs. "I know nothing about his location, either. He just…vanished." She flips a page in her book and frowns. Glancing at Mest as he lets out a terrible sound. She can tell he is having issues breathing.

"Oh, you poor thing."

Gray stands up and Porlyusica moves to get in front of Mest. The window is open and there sits a long red-haired woman. Immediately, alarm follows and Gray gets into an attacking position. She looks like Erza. . .!

"Who the hell are you?" He asks, but she just smiles. Jumping down into the room, and stepping forward.

"I'm just here for him." She answered, glancing over at Mest. Sighing a little, "he keeps pushing himself too far, our Lord will be worried if he keeps it up."

"Your lord? Zeref?" Gray tenses. But she smiles then and shakes her head.

"Well, yes Zeref will be sad, but our Lord is another matter. Now, hand him over, or I will kill you." The aura that overtakes her knocks Gray to his feet with ease. She walks by him, and opens a vial from god knows where. Bringing it to Mest's lips and letting the liquid fall into his mouth and down his throat.

"Leave him alone." Gray winces, trying to pull himself up but something has him stuck to the floor. Porlyusica's eyes are wide.

"What are you giving him?" She asks, and the woman smiles.

"His medication of course." She replied, smiling. "After all, without it he'll die."

". . .that medication." Gray feels his heart clench, "where does it come from?"

"Where does it come from?" She cleans off Mest's face a little bit, "well, you don't need to know that much." She presses a finger to Mest's forehead. "Wipe their memories, starting with my arrival."

". . .Yes, Irene. . ." And from there, Gray's world goes black.

x-x-x-x

"What a troublesome task," The woman calmly picks up the mages body and wipes the blood from his mouth. She opens a vial and makes him drink it, watching his body react to the medication within it. The marks on his body grow now that they are unconcealed.

He opens his eyes and gasps and she smiles. "Time to come home, you did so good." She murmurs, glancing back at the unconscious dragon slayers. "Yes, time to come home."

And the ice mage. . .well that is a bonus