THIS STORY RETURNS FROM THE GRAVE! Sorry for the delayed update everyone, Time got the better of me and school and work took up the majority of my free time. I'm actually a little surprised I managed to get those two chapters out. Hopefully, none of you thought that Dark Fairies was a throwaway… I'm actually quite interested in writing it. I just haven't had many ideas for it until now.
I do need reader input. For Titania Rises, I would appreciate it if you could provide a suitable name for Demon Lucy. As my mind is currently blanking on a suitable name for her.
Gh0st495: I know I've said this before, but I appreciate all of the positive words. Gives me a reason to keep writing, you know?
Morregen: Glad to hear that you're liking the story! Don't worry, Eren definitely Isn't ready for a true battle against Igneel at full power. Their current fight is more of a friendly spar.
Disclaimer: we don't own Fairy Tail, We only own OUR OCs
Enjoy chapter 12!
(Tower of Heaven)
Erza could only describe what she saw as nothing more than a never-ending nightmare. The gray, cold, walls of stone she had left eight years ago had returned, and with them came the fears and memories she wanted desperately to avoid. The memories of her captors, the endless hours spent working building this monstrosity. The loss of the life of happiness and tranquility she had come to know and love up until that point. To now see it completed frightened her to her very soul. This was the Tower of Heaven, this was the culmination of everything she had feared up until this point. For years, she feared of its completion. She feared how many would have been needed for the ceremony? How many innocents had to die before those in charge got what they wanted? Erza was afraid, and she knew why.
(Flashback)
Being bound by Milianna's magic rope, Erza could only watch in fear as the ship her childhood friends drug her to slowly docked itself at the tower. Sho was the first one off the ship, followed by wally, with Simon dragging the bound Erza. Millianna, who was still holding onto the unconscious happy followed the group from a little distance away. She was still too attached to the unconscious feline to do anything in regards to Erza current situation.
"The Tower of Heaven, it's been completed?" Erza asked, trying to conceal her shock. However, with her eyes widening to the extent that they were. It was easy for those around her to see through her mask.
"I don't know why you're so surprised." Sho began. "We've been working on it ever since you left almost ten years ago." There was disgust in his voice, almost as if Sho was unhappy at the woman Erza had become. But Erza couldn't tell, she was too caught up in the emotions she felt upon returning to this hell.
"Has it been that long?" Erza already knew the answer to that question. She had been keeping track of the days. Mentally she would track each day since she left, that way she could remember why it was that she fought. "It's amazing, how much you all have changed."
Sho only smirked before motioning everyone inside. "Come on inside sister, we'll get you prepared for everything." Thus, Erza's former companions dragged her inside. Some hoping for the finale of the what was to come. Others hoping her new friends would come and destroy this place.
(Flashback end)
The cell felt familiar, it let out an energy so similar to her own, but it was different at the same time. Just unique enough to where Erza could tell that this was a new cell she was being kept in, not the one she was kept in all those years ago. Notes were scribbled on the wall, some of which could be made out, some completely unreadable to the human eye. Each individual message had faded with the passing of time. One message read I Miss you, however, the last word in that sentence seemed to be crossed out multiple times making it unreadable. Something had to have happened for someone to scratch a name out like that. Did this person finally get reunited with the one they lost? No, that couldn't have been the case. All of the writings would have been scratched out if that was true. Not only one or two words like she saw here. Another read I'll find you again, whoever used to be in this cell lost someone close to them. That much was certain. The last message which was heavily faded and barely legible struck Erza the most. All it was, was a single word. A name, a name in which the writer supposedly loved with all of their heart.
Ezzie.
She had a realization, there was only one person who would even think of writing something like that. Only one person who even knew of that nickname. This used to be his cell, Eren's cell. If she was correct, they were trying to psychologically torture her by keeping her captive in the prison cell that Eren called home eight years ago. If that was their plan, that it was working wonderfully. Memories of their separation played once again in her mind. How broken and scared he looked when they were forced apart. The tears flowing from his eyes, capable of filling an entire lake from absolutely nothing. That was a sight Erza hated seeing, to be constantly seeing Eren broken like he back then, tore at her soul. It was pleading with her to go to him, to comfort him. But she couldn't, she herself was also bound and chained. But through memories and emotion instead of the physical binds which held her in the past.
"The Ceremony will begin tonight." Sho's voice broke Erza from her thoughts. A reminder that she should be focused on her present, not her past. That can be dealt with later, first Erza had to make sure that this monstrosity never sees the light of day again. That would be the case, assuming she found a way to escape from both her confines and her memories.
"You'll be staying here until then. I hope you'll enjoy the little decor available. Someone you once knew left it here for you."
Then Sho left Erza to her thoughts, hoping that the psychological trauma of being in her brother's cell would be enough to break her. To put her into such a state that she would be willing to sacrifice herself for their cause. After all, what loving sister wouldn't pass up the opportunity to be with their supposedly dead family once again? Especially after leaving their sibling to die in this place.
(Flashback)
A younger Erza was sitting in a corner of her cell. Her cellmates were busy talking amongst each other to notice her. At least that would have been her ideal situation. She was too busy crying over the separation to notice anything around her. But that was not the case as she was easily noticed, especially by a blue-haired child who looked to be about her age.
Many times, he tried to call her over. To get her to introduce herself with all of them. Being too caught up in her sadness at the moment, she refused. However, that did not discourage the kid. Instead he would only try harder, he would get the redhead to open up, and in time eventually become friends with her.
Eventually, he got through to her, just enough to get the scarlet-haired slave to open up about herself. It was then when they realized how scared she was. How often she cried with little to no warning. How little they could do to comfort her.
At least that was the case until Jellal made his move. He would constantly sit by Erza, talking about the most random things he could think of. Even getting her to laugh at the funnier parts of his stories.
(Flashback end)
That was the event that changed her, changed her from the scared and timid little girl, into the Erza she was today. In fact, she had a lot to thank Jellal for. If it wasn't for him, Erza probably not have survived through the tower of heaven as she did. She was in debt to him, a debt she intended to repay. But first, she had to escape her cell.
Sho wasn't too far from her, in fact, she was still inside of the cell, mumbling about all of the power they would have once the R-system activated. In an instant, Erza was upon him, knocking him out with one swift kick to the face. Not giving him any chance to react, her plan required him to be unconscious for the next couple minutes.
"I never thought you would snoop so low as to use my feelings for Eren against me." Erza said to herself, "then again, I doubt I can fully blame you for what happened here. Rest assured Sho, that after tonight, this entire nightmare will be put behind all of us. You can have the life you dreamed of having, not a life trapped in this tower." She could feel her friend's presence below her. Trying to reach her so that they could all leave this tower. But Erza couldn't, she couldn't leave her childhood friends here to suffer like this. Not when she had the ability to actually do something about this. The power to free everyone trapped within this tower's walls. She had to warn them, get them to leave this place. She had to get all of them to leave and let her finally put this nightmare to rest. Once and for all.
(Tower of Heaven)
The tower's guards were just as weak as she remembered them being. Preferring to use scare tactics and numbers to overwhelm her. She couldn't let those tactics get to her, not again. She already suffered once already by those in charge here, she wouldn't let it happen again.
Upon reaching a dining room, Erza expected to find more people to fight against. But instead, she found her friends. The ones she protected during the fight against Phantom. How did they find her?
"You're here. But why, why did you come all the way here? How did you get here?" Natsu looked none too pleased with Erza's question. He was here on a mission of his own.
"Go! Leave this place at once! This place is far too dangerous for you!" She tried to get through to them, tried to get them to leave her. That way she wouldn't feel guilty for having to abandon them. She knew that in the end, she wouldn't make it out of this place alive. This was what she had been training all these years for. To finally put this nightmare to rest and save her childhood friends. They deserved to be free, didn't they?
"You not scaring me into leaving this place Erza, I need to get revenge against the blockhead who shot me in the face!" This is what Erza feared, they weren't backing down. No matter how hard she tried, they simply would give her the chance to put her own nightmares to bed for once.
"Natsu, everyone… please, go home."
Natsu looked even angrier. "Those idiots took Happy! I'm not leaving this place without him!" And just like that, Natsu took off into the tower. The determination to rescue his best friend written plainly on his face.
"We have to go help him!" Lucy tried to get everyone to go in. Only to be stopped by Erza's blade.
"Don't worry about happy. If I'm correct it was Milianna who took him. She's a cat lover, it's not in her nature to do anything that would hurt him intentionally. Don't worry, I'll bring both of them back to Fairy Tail with me. The rest of you head back there… now!" This time Erza wasn't playing around. She was desperate to get them out of this place. Out of the memories that haunted her to this very day.
"But Erza, we can help you! Let us help you, isn't that what family does for each other?" Lucy sounded desperate, it was clear she wanted to do anything she could to help her friend out. She was trying to convey as much emotion as she could. Every ounce of desperation she could muster, she wanted Erza to feel. To know that no matter what Erza said, they would never leave her side.
"I don't need anyone's help." Erza rebutted. "This is my fight, and my fight alone." She didn't bother to look at them. She didn't want them to see her face right now, the face of the scared little girl brought to this tower eight years ago. Fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over.
"Erza, we came all this way to rescue you, now it looks like you need help. We're here for you. You said your childhood friends captured you, let us help you Erza as your new friends." She was trying to get in Erza's level, trying to find some semblance of a light.
"She's right Erza, Makarov said that even the strongest of fighters need backup every now and then. Let us be your backup." Gray joined in, looking for that same light Lucy tried to find. This time using their shared emotions towards their guild master as a crux to peer into Erza's mindset.
The tears threatened her even more. Too many emotions bottled up inside threatened to spill over. She was trying in vain to maintain her composure. They were right, Makarov did always preach about the values of friendship, and how having someone you trust to watch your back was never a bad thing
"This place, this is where you were separated from Eren, wasn't it?" That was the one question which did her in. They brought him into the equation, now there was no stopping the memories from playing themselves over again. This time they wouldn't stop. Erza couldn't stop them, for she had no willpower left. Perhaps if they saw, they would leave. Leave her to deal with this issue on her own.
She turned to face them, revealing the broken Erza Lucy saw back in Fairy Hills. Tears falling from her eyes without care for where they landed.
"Erza…" Gray tried to offer comfort, but the words merely stopped in his throat. Never before had he seen Erza like this. For Lucy, on the other hand, this was exactly what she feared. The Erza she thought she knew was nothing more than a front. A mask to hide the pain of her true emotions. The emotions of a girl too scared to see the morning sun. Too scared to pop open the window and feel the breeze in the air.
"You can't help me, I hope you realize that." Erza began. "This is the only reason I grew as strong as I did. Why I even bothered trying to grow strong and become an S-class mage. Whether I like it or not, this is going to be my final battle. I don't even know if I am fully prepared for what will happen." She grabbed her gauntlet before continuing her tale.
"But if I am to die here, I should at least tell you the full extent of my past,". Instantly she got the attention of her guildmates. Each one wanting to know why this place affected her as much as it did. Why just their mere presence her caused her to shake with fear and beg them to leave as much as she.
"This place is called the Tower of Heaven. Built by a cult of dark mages to resurrect the darkest mage in history, Zeref. To accomplish that end goal, the cult that originally built this place captured slaves to build the tower. Once it was finished, those that they captured would be sacrificed in the resurrection ceremony."
To say that Their minds were blown would be an understatement. Nobody in the entire guild knew about this. "Erza, how do you…" Lucy tried to ask only for Erza to interject with a response.
"How do I know about this? It's because I was once one of those many nameless slaves. I along with Eren and many others from my home village. Lucy, to answer your earlier question. Yes, this is the location where Eren was taken from me eight years ago. I haven't heard a word about him since I left this place. That's why I spent so much of my time looking for him. I just," There was a pregnant pause, Erza seemed to gather her thoughts before continuing. "I just wanted to hear his voice one more time."
Memories of the uprising returned, starting from the moment where Erza lost her eye. The pain she experienced from the torture was worse than anything she felt up until that moment. The guards not caring what happened to her as a result. That was until Jellal freed her from those binds. Freeing her from the pain that they gave her. Giving her hope that they might escape and live lives the way they wanted to. The lives that everyone deserved to live. Them and everyone else trapped inside the tower.
(Flashback)
Two kids were walking back from a torture chamber. One of them lost an eye only a few hours earlier and was being carried back by the other. They were talking about the planned rebellion, how they needed to start it sooner rather than later.
That would have been the case, had magic circles not appeared and summoned forth soldiers meant to keep the slaves in line.
There was no fighting back, not with Erza as injured as she was. So Jellal did the only thing he thought was reasonable and sacrificed himself to be tortured while Erza received basic treatment for her eye. It was the least he could have done for her. But in the end, it was enough. It gave her enough willpower, to finally kick-start their dreams of freedom. Their dreams of finally escaping this hell and being free.
(Flashback end)
After finishing her story, Erza's tears managed to dry up. Happy that at least someone understood her plight. Why she had to fight this battle alone. At least that's what she hoped they would take away from it.
"Erza, it doesn't matter if you want us gone or not. We all made a commitment to help you, and that's exactly what we're going to do." Gray spoke up, not hesitating for a moment in his determination. To him, Erza was another comrade who needed his help. Needed the help of everyone present. He wouldn't back away from this.
"Call me curious, but you said they were your childhood friends. If that's true, why are they acting as if you betrayed them?" It was with faint hesitation that Lucy asked this. Trying to peer into the mind of her friend. Once again looking for that spark of determination that fueled Erza so.
"That's because in a way I actually did abandon them. I got a second chance at life while they didn't. Not only that, I'm sure Jellal has been feeding them lies ever since my departure" Slowly but surely, the spark in Erza returned at the last remark she made. This time burning brighter than it ever had been before. Anyone who knew her well enough could see that.
"If that's the case, then we got a job to do!" With the last remark of determination, and with her comrades by her side. Erza would finally put this nightmare of hers to rest. That way, she could finally move forward and see the future with clear eyes. Completely unfiltered by the visions of the past.
More of Erza's Past has been revealed! The Second rebellion of the Tower of Heaven is about to begin. How will Erza and Co. fair? Will Erza emotions be used against her like they were when she was captured? Many questions seem unanswered.
One last thing I do want to mention before I sign off here. Please go vote on the Poll for who you want to see Serandiel with. Trust me when I say your vote matters!
Current results are as follows:
Mirajane: 2
Erza: 1
Cana: 1
Hope you have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening everyone and we'll see you in the next chapter!
