S-Class Mage Promotion Trial

S-Class Wizard Promotion Trial is an test, which allows the identification of members of the Fairy Tail, who are ready to tackle the tasks and obligations of the S-class mages.

Tradition and History
A long time tradition of Fairy Tail is the S-Class promotion trial, which is held at the end of every year. In this trial, several participants compete for the coveted title of S-class Mage. The trials are very challenging. It is an honor just to take part in them and even more win. Before the announcement of the candidates, all the guild members take on numerous jobs at once and complete them quickly to raise their appeal in hopes of being chosen. Every year the trial is different, but still as hard as it was in the previous times.

Announcement ceremony
This ceremony is much awaited by all guild members. Makarov holds a special ceremony to name those who will take part in the trials, with the S-Class mages of the guild behind him.

On this event, beyond the names of potential S-Class mages, Makarov is also disclose details about the exam itself, giving an information about place when it will take part and some basic rules. More information and details aren't revealed before the participants are on their way to Trial place.

Latest Trial
The latest trial is held at Tenrou Island, the holy ground of Fairy Tail Guild. Mest Gryder had almost won the competition the previous year and is considered a favorite to win.

Each of the eight is to select a single non S-class, Fairy Tail mage as a partner to compete alongside him/her. Also in the competition are the current S-Class mages: Erza, Mirajane, and Gildarts will attempt to hinder the teams in some way.

Current Participants
The following mages that are competing this year are:
 * Natsu Dragneel (partnered with Happy)
 * Gray Fullbuster (partnered with Loke)
 * Juvia Loxar (partnered with Lisanna)
 * Elfman (partnered with Evergreen)
 * Cana Alberona (partnered with Lucy)
 * Freed Justine (partnered with Bixlow)
 * Levy McGarden (partnered with Gajeel)
 * Mest Gryder (partnered with Wendy)

Trial Set up
The Trials are divided into different levels, though the exact number of levels is not known as of yet.

First Exam: Power and Luck
In this trial, the teams are to choose one of eight different paths. Only one team is allowed per path, and the objective is to get to the other end. Out of the eight paths, two are connected so the teams that meet have to fight against each other to continue (these are the "battle" paths), three have the S-rank mages of Fairy Tail in them so the teams that meet them have to fight and win against them (these are the "hard battle" paths), and only one path has no obstacles and is considered the "quiet" path. The boat that transports the teams will stop in the middle of the ocean, meaning that they have to fight for first choice of which path they want. Once a team enters a path it becomes sealed so that no one else can enter. The highest number of possible teams passing is six and the minimum is three.

It is later revealed, that the S Class mages who meet with one of the contestant will hinder them by fighting in their best form to overwhelm their opponent. However Gildarts will hinder in a different way then Erza and Mirajane. His purpose is to teach the contestant about fear and weakness. Natsu learned that fear is not a bad thing and that sometimes its better to surrender then march into death, when he admitted the truth the s class mage allowed him to pass, so Natsu didn't have to actually defeat the mage to advance.

Route:

 * A. Elfman & Evergreen
 * B. Unknown
 * C. Cana & Lucy
 * D. Juvia & Lisanna
 * E. Natsu & Happy
 * F. Unknown
 * G. Gray & Loke
 * H. Unknown

Battles/Results
Winners in bold:
 * Fried & Bixlow (Lost on purpose) vs. Cana & Lucy
 * Natsu & Happy vs. Gildarts (Natsu was allowed to pass, however)
 * Juvia & Lisanna vs. Erza
 * Elfman & Evergreen vs. Mirajane
 * Mest & Wendy vs Gray and Loki
 * Levi and Gajeel got the quiet path, and thus advance.
 * Fried, Juvia, and Mest are eliminated from the trial.

Second Exam: Locate the Masters Grave
The 5 contestants that passed the first exam moved onto the second exam of the trial along with their partners. Everyone else, with the exception of Fried, Bixlow, and Gildarts, who returned to the guild, stayed on the island. In this trial the contestants must find the first master Mavis Vermilion's grave, but only have 6 hours to locate and complete the task or be disqualified. Though it seems easy at first, there are numerous difficult obstacles that make this task difficult, such as fending off giant wild beasts that dwell in the forest. There is also the possible risk of meeting up with other contestants. Finding the grave itself is also great challenge, since the master didn't give any explicit hints or possible clues that could tell where it is. The reason for not giving any hints, was because the second exam also tested for intelligence, and in this case, the contestants had to figure out possibilities based on words the master announced, mostly the word grave.

Current Status of the Contestants

 * Natsu and Happy encounter a monster, which Natsu defeats. Natsu and Happy believed that the island's shape is the hint, and that the top is the most suspicious. Met up with the killing mage as his magic activated randomly and targeted Elfman and Evergreen. After saving them, they resumed their way to the top so they can check it out. They witnessed Erza's flare that warned that there were enemies on the island and decided that they would beat anyone trying to pick a fight with Fairy Tail.
 * Cana and Lucy first encountered a monster, which they run from. Cana's previous trial experiences, and Lucy's knowledge on astrology, seems to help them realize the location cause they think of what happens to someone after they die, and they start to run off towards an unspecified location. They witnessed Erza's flare that warned that there were enemies on the island. Cana says she wishes to continue with the exam, saying that none of the enemies would stop her when Gray and Loki pop out of their hiding spot and suggest that they all return to the emergency meeting spot.
 * Levy and Gajeel have not thought of anything yet, and hid from a giant monster. They then met up with some of Grimiore Heart's scouting members, Yomazu and Kawazu. Halfway through their battle, Yomazu reveals that the rest of Grimoire Heart is on its way to the island and Gajeel sends Levy away to notify everyone of the situation. He then stalemates the two scouts of Grimoire Heart. Levy finds Erza and Juvia and the three return to Gajeel's location, with Erza giving off a flare to call off the exam in order to do battle against Grimoire Heart's main force. Levy then states that she'll take Gajeel to the camp.
 * Gray and Loki first encountered some flying monsters, which they ran from. They then spied on Cana and Lucy, and seem to make use of their thinking while secretly following them. They witnessed Erza's flare that warned that there were enemies on the island. They then emerge from their hiding place near Cana and Lucy and tell Cana off for wanting to continue the exams before suggesting that they all return to the emergency meeting spot.
 * Elfman and Evergreen encountered a monster, which they ran from. They then crossed paths with the Killing Mage, and managed to escape death thanks to Natsu. They are currently resuming their search while arguing with each other. They witnessed Erza's flare that warned that there were enemies on the island and acknowledge that the exam would be temporarily suspended.

Current Status of other Fairy Tail Members Still on the Island

 * Makarov is waiting at the grave of Mavis Vermilion for the contestants. He is surprised by the flare that Erza sends, wondering why enemies would be on the island.
 * Charle and Pantherlily were viewing the events on the island a short ways away in the air, but have just landed at its shores. They later landed at Wendy's location and confronted Mest, since they knew he was not a member of Fairy Tail. After Mest reveals his story that he was working for the Magic Council and that he had a ship full of their members waiting nearby to arrest the Grimoire Heart members, Azuma of the Seven Kin of Purgatory emerges from a tree and destroys the ship before facing the four.
 * Mest and Wendy have begun exploring the island. After the flare was launched, Charle and Pantherlily arrived and confronted Mest, claiming that they knew that he was not a member of Fairy Tail and that he infiltrated the exam. Ultimately, as Mest reveals himself as someone working for the Magic Council trying to get dirt on Fairy Tail but who now was able to eliminate Grimoire Heart, Azuma of the Seven Kin of Purgatory comes out of a tree and destroys the ship that the Magic Council placed in the sea, before facing the four.
 * Erza and Juvia were at the rest space along with Mirajane and Lisanna, discussing how Elfman beat Mirajane with them. Worrying on why Mest and Wendy did not return, Erza and Juvia leave to search for them. They later find an injured Levy, who brings them to where Gajeel stalemated Yomazu and Kawazu. Erza fires a flare to warn her fellow members of the attacking guild. They then decide they'll keep searching for Mest and Wendy before Erza confronts the still-conscious Yomazu and violently forces him to disclose the goal of Grimoire Heart. Erza and Juvia are shocked to hear that Zeref is alive on the island and even more so when Yomazu tells them that one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory was already on the island.
 * Mirajane and Lisanna were at the rest space and were instructed to stay there by Erza. They presumably witnessed the flare warning of attacking enemies.