Warning: This story contains extreme violence and mature subject matter. Read at your own risk.

This story is written by Erza's perspective. The normal text is the events happening in the present time. The italics refer to events of the past.

"Noooo" I could hear Lucy's blood curdling screams from the distance as my eyes widened in fear. "Lucy" I yelled as she was flung through the darkness surrounding us and into a large pillar beside me with enough impact that the pillar literally crumbled to the ground. I ran toward her as I began to dig her out from under the rubble. "Lucy." I held her in my arms as tears began to form in my eyes. The enemy seemed way more formidable then what we had thought. From the moment we entered that dark castle it was one fight after the other. My team mates were exhausted and defeated and we didn't seem to be getting anywhere. The darkness that shrouded the castle was like nothing I had ever seen before. It made it near impossible to see the enemy, and their stealth like movements made them almost impossible to detect. "Lucy. Just take it easy." Pulling Lucy out from the rubble I placed her on the ground as I stood back up, requipping my armor into my purgatory armor. After all, with all my team members now down for the count it was up to me to protect them. I was the only one left standing. Even Natsu was out cold. I gazed toward the darkness. "Show yourself" I yelled. "Or are you too afraid to actually face me so you hide in the darkness?" The moment I spoke those words a familiar sinister laugh began to echo through out the castle as my eye's widened. "No...it can't be" I trembled slightly as I gripped my sword bracing myself for who I was about to confront in battle.

"It's been a long time Erza" the man spoke as he walked closer to me. As he approached closer I could only make out a shadow like figure, however that was enough for me to attack. That voice was too familiar. Could it really be him? I dashed toward him leaping into the air above as I swung my massive blade down toward his head in attempts to strike him. This one man was responsible for defeating everyone on our team. He beat Natsu, and then Gray finally Wendy and Lucy, all the while I had been kept at bay having to fight all these demonic like creatures that relentlessly began to attack me. It was as if he didn't want me getting involved in his fight until my team was down for the count. Or perhaps he wanted to fight me when I was at a weakened state. After all my power rivals that of a wizard saint. No matter the reason, he hurt my friends. That was unacceptable. He had to be defeated.

As I swung down from above he reached up with his had grabbing hold of my blade as my eyes widened. He stopped me dead in my tracts as I he swung the blade and me down to the ground in front of him as we came face to face, my eyes meeting with his. My face went pale as I gazed toward him. For that moment I had been distracted by the familiarity of what I saw as he then slammed his foot into my gut while releasing his grip on my blade. I was sent flying into the distance as I managed to rebound and land on the ground safely but just barely. "It's him...no...it can't be him...it can't." I trembled in fear as I quickly glanced back toward my comrades, worried for their safely. Within that moment of distraction I could feel his blade slice across my side as he appeared beside me in almost an instant. My armor literally shattered into pieces as I quickly moved away from him to try to gain distance.

"Purgatory armor hmmm? Pretty impressive, but it looks like I got you" he smirked as the dark energy around him began to spiral uncontrollably. I glanced down toward my side where he sliced my armor and noticed a small scratch on my skin.

I began to laugh a bit at the comment he made as I requiped into my red pants with flames on the bottom and my white clothed top. Was he serious? "A scratch nothing more." I stated as I flew toward him again. I focused all my energy into my sword to increase its power instead of using that energy into a powerful armor. After all if he was able to break through my armor so easily there was no point in using it. I dashed toward him with my blade ready to strike as he stood stationary. In fact he didn't even raise his sword. He just stood there with a smirk on his face as he snapped the fingers of his free hand. With in seconds I felt an intense pain in my side as I stumbled and was stopped dead in my tracks. I slammed my blade into the ground trying to stop myself from falling over as I glanced toward my side. Blood was literally pouring from where that little scratch had been made by his sword as a gaping wound formed. "No...way...what kind of magic...is this..." I gasped trying to remain composed as I tore a piece of my pant leg off using the fabric to cover the wound, wrapping it around my body to contain the bleeding. I couldn't even comprehend what just happened. All I knew then was that I had to defeat him and fast. I then requiped into my heaven wheels armor as I brought fourth 20 swords around me. They then pointed toward my opponent as he smirked yet again.

"Seems you have grown very strong Titania. Not like you were back then. How is that eye of yours anyway? And how is Jellal?" He asked as he chuckled sadistically. At that moment I knew. There was no doubt about it. It was him. The fear that enveloped my body at that moment was so intense I could hardly remain focused on the battle itself. Not because of the fact I was severely wounded but the fact that seeing that man brought back memories I had wished to forget. A painful and dark past that I had wished to forget. No matter. I had to finish it. I had to defeat him.. I was the only one who could. My team mates were counting on me. I had to protect them. With that moment the blades shot at high speeds toward him aiming to impale and kill him. However he snapped his fingers yet again as the my blades fell to the ground in front of him. I screamed in agony as I gripped my wound. An intense burning pain enveloped my body as I stumbled again. The bleeding stopped but only because the wound itself seemed to have been cauterized by the burn. The burning pain seemed to penetrated my entire body internally engulfing it as I fell to my knees in agony my mind literally flooding over with memories. This pain, that face, that voice. "Noooooo..." I fell to the ground as my armor shattered once more. "Stop." I screamed out.

Tears fell from my eyes as I struggled against the chains that bound me. Although I told myself I had nothing to fear I knew things were about to get really bad fast. I was in serious trouble. Although I was not the one who plotted our escape from the tower of heaven I was the one being punished. They believed I was the one who planned the escape. No matter. I would much rather it be this was. After all if I were the one to be punished it would mean that my friends would be safe and unharmed. Such a cold dismal place. If only there was some way to break free. All we ever longed for was freedom. But we were forced to work relentlessly as slaves, building that stupid tower. And if we did anything wrong we would get punished. Not your normal punishment like having your toys taken away or being sent to a corner to think. No. Cause we didn't have privileges so it was much much worse. Being punished often lead to the person dying from extreme injuries. It was horrific. Like nothing I could ever explain. We lived in terror every day of our lives. If we so much as stumbled they would hurt us. If we wanted a break or complained we were tired we would get in trouble. Normal kids worried about simple kid things like "I hope I get this doll for Christmas" or "I hate time outs" or even "I really hope mom does not make macaroni surprise again. Yuck." But not us. We were lucky if we even got fed and if were were to ever complain about the nasty food, we would be in serious trouble. The kids in the tower had it rough but we all cared and loved each other like family. Knowing that made our lives somewhat bearable. Kept our spirits from breaking. So I was happy. Shu, Milliana, Simon all of them were safe because I was the one getting punished. So I was okay with it. However I was still afraid cause I knew it was going to be bad. Trying to escape the tower was forbidden. If I were to surive this I would be lucky.

"Erza" the sinister man spoke as he entered the chamber where I was being held. I gazed toward him, tears flooding my eyes as I tremmbled. He walked toward me slowly as I whimpered. I was so scared at that moment, fear wasn't even I word I could use to describe it. After all I was about 8 or 9 years old. Just a little girl. "He then placed his hand on my chin lifting my head up toward him as he stood over me. "Now Erza. I know full well you were not the one responsible for the escape plan. There is no way. That being said I will spare you a horrific fate if you were to tell me who it was. After all why should you take the punishment for someone else's crimes? " He whispered as a smirk covered his face.

"What?" he knew it wasn't me. So then if they knew why did they take me? I did not understand. "No... I I...can't do that" I cried as tears fell from my eyes.

The man grew angry as he swung his hand toward me striking me across the face as I began to cry even more. "Do you even know who I am? I am the leader of this place. I am the one who ordered the tower to be built. I was the one responsible for your entire town being wiped out. Now if you know whats good for you, you would tell me who it was. Or do I torture you until you break. I know you know who it was. Now talk. You will tell me eventually or this could go on for a very long time." He snarled as he grabbed my throat squeezing it tightly making it extremely hard for me to breath.

I could never sell out my friend. We all wanted to get out of there. We all broke the rules. We were all just as guilty so if I was the only one to be hurt then so be it. I could never betray my family. And that's what they were to me. Family. Not by blood but I loved them so much. "No...I... won't tell...I...won't...I...can't..." I spoke faintly as I gasped for air as his grip intensified. At that moment the real torture began. I had to be strong. I had to protect them. No matter what this man did to me I would never tell.