User blog comment:Omega natsu2/Fairy Tail Zero: Dances with Blades, Review./@comment-4829046-20141023131019/@comment-7418318-20141023161718

Not to mention that Erza and Mira joined the guild after Gray.

Surely there were other amazing wizards in FT at the time of Ice Trail who retired before the year X784 on one hand, but on the other hand using an established strong wizard is a lot easier and also easier to relate to for the readers than inventing a new one.

Hmm... speaking of former FT Mages, I wonder when Rob, Bob and Goldmine left Fairy Tail.