A Beach Palace 1

In the year X777, Natsu Dragneel had just started his journey to search for his father. On the way, he crashed into a certain tower that houses multiple slaves. After knocking a couple guards lights out for cutting out a certain redhead's eye, he asks for her to accompany him on his journey, to which she agreed. These two souls that found each other will soon be bound by fate and love.

•••

"You think she learned her lesson?"

"Definitely. Now she'll just be a good girl; like she should've been in the first place!"

This was the true, definition of hell. Hell wasn't decorated by flames or ruled by a red man with horns named Satan. No. Hell was this. She was experiencing it.

Hell is forcing others to do you're bidding and torturing them if they don't. Hell is witnessing the people you grew fond and close to over the get severed of limbs or of their life. Hell is the intensity of the pain when you feel your eye ripped out of its socket. Hell is feeling weak. As if you couldn't help at all, even if you tried. Being too scared to help, but trying anyway and paying the consequences. Hell is the cynical, vile Zeref worshippers that would sacrifice countless lives, only to revive one and send the rest to, the so called 'Heaven'. Hell is...

The Tower of Heaven.

She refuses to show weakness in front of them, not letting one of them see her tears that were threatening to spill. She knows their falling, but before they could splash...

*Boom!

Smoke filled the air as the Zeref worshippers flew back slightly, not prepared for the sudden explosion. They waited, thinking it was the government sending missiles and attempting to blow the creation they spent years on building to pieces. When the smoke cleared, there stood...

A pink headed boy.

The boy looked dizzy, as if he were spinning in circles. His vision cleared as he sat up, attempting to stand.

She looked at him through her good- only eye. He looked odd. Well, odd to someone like her at least. He was wearing a regular red sweater, yellow shorts, brown shoes and a scaly scarf, wrapped around his neck. His spiky pink hair going in all sorts of directions. Onyx eyes that, unexplainably, shone bright. Who was this boy?

"Arrhgh! Why did I spin like that?" He spoke, spitting out dirt and dusting his clothes. He looked up toward the men, preparing him to ask a question. "Hey you! Have you seen a Fire Dragon anywh-"

He stopped when he saw her through the corner of his eye. He studied her from head to toe. Staring at her toes a bit longer than others, he made his way up until their eyes connected.

He backed a bit at seeing just a hole where the eye is originally supposed to be. He saw the look in her eye. Pain. Agony. It told- it begged him to help.

Next thing he saw was pure undefined rage.

"HEY!" He yelled at the guards, who still stared at him in shock. "WHO DID THIS?!" Flames coated his body making the guards and girls eyes widen. She stared at him, shocked out of her mind.

'He's using magic!'

The once shocked guards now stood up to the kid. "Where the hell you come from runt?" The fat one asked. "Oh well, well fix the hole later. Right now, we gotta take care of you just like we did to her!"

They ran toward him now and all he did was stand there, making the girl scream. "No! Stop it!"

They were just a few feet apart by now when, the skinnier one, said. "Hey when were done with him, wanna show the girl some more pain?"

The pinkettes blood boiled.

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

Before they guards could react, a giant torrent of flames raced at them. They scream and shouted, "The hell is that kid?!" and, "Monster!" before the flames swallowed them and spat them out, throwing them into a wall.

He still had a bloodthirsty look in his eyes, one she had never seen before. She wasn't frightened by them, it's truly the opposite. Finally, someone to help them. Someone to destroy this filthy, in humane place they call a tower.

He turned to her, hoping she wasn't burned by his flames. They were hot. Hotter than any fire she had felt. His eyes calmed, aware that he had caused a mess but that didn't stop him from anything. He jogged over to her and burned the cuffs on her wrist.

"Are you okay?" He asked sweetly, being gentle with her. It surprised her. Seeing how he had completely taken out two of the guards with, what seemed like, the intent to kill in his eyes just a moment ago and now; he's treating her as if she's fragile. Though, to be honest, she is at the moment.

"Erza!" A voice called out to her from the corridor. An azure-haired boy walked in, eyes quickly landing on her and rushing to her side. He took a look around, quickly noticing two guards unconscious on the floor, surprising him greatly.

"Erza? Did you.."

She shook her head and looked toward the boy who did do it. "H-he did."

The bluenette looked toward the pinkette other, eyes widened. "Who are you?"

The boy didn't smile but perked his head up instead. "Natsu. Natsu Dragneel. I came here to ask if they saw my dad around but instead...well I kinda looked at her and...I went berserk."

The other boy registered this and nodded. "I see. I'm Jellal Fernandez. I thank you for helping Erza." He looked toward the girl. "Come on Erza. I'm gonna get you out of here." His eyes scanned her body, searching for any cuts and wounds before they landed on her face. His eyes widened. "Your-you're eye!"

Natsu glared at the ground. "I came too late." He muttered to himself.

"They've gone too far now! What did you do to deserve this?!" Jellal screamed. "What did any of us do?!"

"J-Jellal." Erza whispered, believing it's a hallucination.

Despite the situation, Jellal smiled. "That's right! I'm here now."

"How will we get out?"

Natsu stood in the back, a narrow in his eyes, fist ablaze. "Don't worry about that. I'll help you guys."

•••

Natsu led the way through a corridor that once stood many guards standing in their way. The pinkette took care of them with a single breath attack, again, surprising the blue-haired boy. He knew people could summon magic from their fingertips but they could breathe it out too? Or maybe he's just special, unique. Jellal did have a weapon, just in case someone managed to pass Natsu.

"No turning back now Erza. We have to fight." He muttered to her determinedly.

"We have to fight." She repeated. Then, four magic circles surrounded the three. Out came Magic Soldiers that were ordered to capture the revolters.

"Don't worry! I'll get them!" Natsu yelled, charging for the one in front of him. He didn't sense the attack that was coming from behind though.

"Natsu!"

•••

When Natsu awoke, he noticed there were kids, who looked around his age, standing around him. One of the kids, one with black hair, even grabbed a stick and started poking him with it, as if he was a dead body.

"Ah! Oi! What the big idea!" He stood, obviously not liking the way they crowded around him.

"Holy crap!" A taller boy exclaimed. "How did you get in here?!"

Natsu leaned against a wall, confused, and tried to stretch his arms but was unable to thanks to the Magic Preventing cuffs on his wrist. "Aw man! Why'd they out these on?!" The taller boy grew angry.

"Hey! I asked you somethin', so answer me!"

Natsu ignored the boy again and started to pick his ear with his pinky. Memories of what happened just happened minutes ago reigned on him as he frantically searched around the cell to look for somebody. "Where is she?!"

"Where is who?"

"Erza!" It was his lucky day. Natsu's not really good with names, so he was fortunate to remember.

The people in the cell all looked in the middle of the room, which was where the redhead was, sitting on her knees, with her bangs shadowing her eyes.

"Hey, where's Jellal?" The taller one asked yet another question. An old man, with a rather strange looking insignia on his back, shook his head at the boy's question. He looked rather pale. He looked skinny to the point where people might have thought he might die from famine. A long, bushy white beard going down his chin. "Don't upset her anymore. She probably been through a lot in there already."

Natsu's eyes turned into slits. 'You don't know the half of it.'

A little blonde boy had streaks of endless tears running down his cheeks, originating from his blue eyes. Guilt. He was Guilty and he knew he couldn't handle it anymore. "I can't take it!"

The other kids tried to calm him but to no avail. The old man bent down to his level and gave him a calming embrace. "There's no need to cry Sho."

The only guard in the room smashed his staff on the ground. "Shut it you little- AHH!"

He received a devastating uppercut from the pinkette, sending him crashing to the ground, not yet alerting the other guards around them. He tried to stand but was immediately pushed back down when he felt weight on his chest. He looked up, seeing some weird bright light for a moment, and saw Natsu's glare at him. It made him quiver in fear. He didn't look human, oh no, he looked like a rampaging beast. A monster. A...

"Dragon!" He screamed before he was knocked out, curtsy of the pinkette smashing his head into the ground.

The kids, besides Erza, looked astounded then began to shake as well when he turned toward them. His eyes didn't look so human and judging by his teeth, which most of them were fangs, he wasn't.

"You can't let them do this to you! You can't let them treat you like scum, cause you're not! You don't deserve this! None of you do!" His speech began to alert other guards. Out of another short moment of anger, he ripped the cuffs off his wrist, surprising everyone in the room. "You have to fight! Fight for your freedom! Fight to live! Fight for your friends!"

That made Erza's eyes widen.

More guards entered the room but were quickly blown away. Slaves outside the cell stood there gaping, amazed at what they saw.

Erza swung the shovel at the guard, furthermore surprising everyone in the room. "He's right! Find a weapon! We can't escape and I know they're not going to set us free! So if we want out of here; we have to fight! For our freedom!"

Prisoners from every floor and cell cheered as the revolt began.

•••

Fighting took place everywhere. It was a huge brawl, but for your lives.

Natsu liked fighting. He fought with his dad all the time before he left. It's something he wants to do forever.

He loves to fight, but it's different when countless lives are at stake.

At one point, Natsu had passed another by. Brownish-reddish hair, brown eyes and a purple snake on his shoulder. They eyed each other, thinking they smelt familiar before going back to fighting.

"If they can't use magic, I won't use mine!" Natsu said to himself, before finding the nearest guard and kicking the crap out of them.

During the time this was happening, Jellal Fernandez was being tortured. And at the same time, Zeref contacted him.

•••

"We have to free everyone in Sector-8 today! Let's go; we can do it!"

"That's impossible! There's way too many guards!" Simon tried to reason.

"If they get in our way I'll just burn them to ash!" Natsu said, lighting his body on fire.

"Even if you wanted to, you'll just get caught in the process." Rob started. "You're a pretty strong and talented wizard but even the best can't take on more than a couple hundred."

"Grr." Natsu growled, he didn't like it when he was told he couldn't.

"But we have to! It's the only way well be able to save Jellal!" Her eyes cascaded down slightly. Natsu felt sorry for her.

He didn't have any friends. He didn't know anyone to be friends with. Honestly, this is his first time seeing human. They didn't give him a good impression at first but now that he's with the other kids, it's being lifted.

"Sorry pal." Wally muttered to Simon, who only blushed and asked a question.

"Erza? Do- do you...you don't have a crush on Jellal, do you?"

Before she could answer, Natsu spoke. "Hey, I don't have any idea what you guys are talking about but I'm pretty sure it's not the right time!"

She looked toward the boy who helped her out. The boy who beat the guards to a pulp because they took her eye. A complete stranger. She is in his debt.

"Why would you even ask a question like that?!"

Simon shook his head. "Sorry. I wanted to make sure cause-"

*Boom

An explosion reached their ears as they saw the pinkette get engulfed by it. It was so sudden, so fast that they couldn't even react.

"NATSU!" Erza screamed, fearing that he had perished. The kids looked down, already thinking that their trump cards defeat would affect all of them. He helped them escape. They're eternally grateful for it.

"I-I don't think he-" Wally tried to say but was interrupted by a shout.

"Ah! God! These are disgusting!"

The flames vanished. Everyone gaped as they saw him munch on the fire. "No way..." Wally and Simon muttered in disbelief while Sho and Miliana did the same.

Erza dropped her sword in shock and relief. "You're okay..." She almost wanted to cry.

Natsu finished his food just in time to get ready for the next wave of guards. "I'm fine. We still have a way to go!"

They, slowly, recovered from the unnatural act and prepared themselves once more. Rob stared at the boy for some time before getting back to work himself.

'Dragon Slayer huh?'

"Where the heck those explosions come from anyway?" Natsu asked.

"Look! Over there!" Milliana shouted in fear.

There flew hundreds of Magic Soldiers flying their way, scaring the younger ones twice as much as it did the older ones. They opened their mouth to shoot another round of fire. Natsu seem the red Magic Circles and grinned evilly.

"I'll get them!" He made fire come out from his feet, lifting him high into the air. "Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"

He took many of them with the attack but failed to see many behind him. Realizing he wouldn't go down with fire, they hammered him, sending him plummeting to the ground. "Oh no!" Sho feared he wouldn't get back up. He did though, on shaky legs. Erza screamed at the pinkette.

"Natsu stop! We have to work together!"

He stopped to think about what she said. Work together? He never worked with a human before. So he nodded his head and made his way over to her.

More rounds of explosion came, sending more people in oblivion. They all stood there wide eyed, scared beyond belief. Even Natsu, who was fighting for people he knew nothing about, quivered slightly.

"Stop! Don't give up! We have to fight to be free!" Erza shouted as people ran past her, begging for their lives to be spared. "Stop! Please..." She tripped as a rock fell on top of her, preventing her from moving. "...we have to save Jellal."

She felt the weight on her back move until it became nothing. She was picked up, bridal-style and moved just a few distances to where she formerly was.

"I gotcha. Don't worry." Natsu said as he lifted her down. Smoke cleared the air to see many more Magic Soldiers preparing for another attack. "Run Erza! Find Jellal!"

She screamed "NO!" refusing to leave her savior. He has done so much for her; she wouldn't let him leave her sight!

"I'll be fine! It's just fire!"

She knew that he could survive that, no matter how much it is. That's not why she refused to go though.

"When they figure out fire won't affect you, what then? They'll just come down here and rip you alive!"

He smirked. "Don't worry; nothing's happening to me today." He saw the soldiers prepare to fire another round of explosion. He grabbed her shoulders and attempted to forcefully push her away. "Go! Now!"

She didn't move.

The soldiers released the shot, making Natsu fear the worst. "Erza!"

They were shielded.

Rob stood there, arms and legs wide as he blocked the intense flame attack coming from the Magic Soldiers. The pink and redhead gaped at the man. The geezer, as Natsu would say.

"Grandpa Rob!" The chocolate eyed girl screamed in surprise. The man still stood there, eye kids closed as it looked like he just processed and registered the attack. "My magic may not be as strong as it once was, but it's still enough to protect my friends!" He glared. "I will not let you take the lives of the innocent!" He focused his power on the ground before flames spiked up. He sent them crashing into the soldiers, turning them into ash, surprising Natsu fully.

"Woah! Gramps is a Fire Mage?"

He fell on his knees shortly after that. He used more than enough of his magic power on turning the enemies into dust, and now he's paying the consequences for it. His skin began to crack.

"Don't end up like me Erza. You have so much potential; don't let it go to waste!"

"Grandpa..."

Guards came. Weapons were shot.

Rob shielded them all in his last breath.

"Your beautiful smile is what kept me going this whole time in this wretched place." He began to fall. "Hopefully, that boy will keep it on there." He turned to Natsu, who was didn't move a muscle-just stared wide eyed and turned back.

"You're hurt aren't you?"

"Your freedom lies within your heart child. Follow your heart, and your dream of becoming a wizard will come true!"

More weapons were shot. Magic engulfed his body.

Rob's body perished.

"GRANDPA!"

Natsu fell to his knees. "No way..."

Erza started at the Magic Preventing cuffs, which used to belong to the white haired, on the ground. Her mouth open and eyes wide.

Hell.

"Erza! Natsu! Come on we have to retreat!" Wally yelled, being supported by Simon, Sho and Milliana.

Erza dropped her head as she started sobbing. Her red hair cascaded down so her eyes were shielded. She crying didn't stop.

Natsu felt it.

The intense rise of Magical Power that was originating from Erza. She screamed as a huge, red magical circle appeared under her. The guard's jaws dropped as many items such as pitchforks, shovels and pickaxe's were floating until they were charged at them, knocking every single one of them out.

Many slaves surrounded them, astonished that she had beaten all the soldiers. Natsu still didn't move.

Igneel told him that human death is normal around the ages seventy-five plus. But he had also taught him that human life can end whenever and however. In a blink of an eye, it would be over. So if he was human, he could die at any moment too, right?

Igneel never told him that his life could end though. (Cough Cough)

"I'm coming to save you Jellal!"

•••

"They're revolting!"

"What're we gonna do?!"

More guards tried to make their way outside were only stopped by two people.

Two very angry people.

Natsu sent a devastating roundhouse to the skinnier one while Erza knocked the other out with the but of her sword. When they finished beating the two guards up, Erza saw a familiar shade of blue with her peripheral vision. "Jellal!"

She ran over to the boy, Natsu following suite. "We've come to rescue you!" She took off his cuffs. "Everything's all right now. Okay? You're safe."

"Yeah! Everyone fought for their freedom, just like you wanted. Though, it costed it us..." Natsu added in, getting a sad nod from Erza. "But you won!"

"Come on! Were gonna meet Wally and the others. They found some boats so we can get out of here."

"Erza." Jellal said, staring at the one eyes girl. "There's no reason for you to leave the Tower. Because true freedom is right here with me."

"But I thought you wanted to get out of here too? This is our chance!" Erza told him. Natsu agreed.

"Yeah! You guys fought for it, so go get it!"

"Don't you see?" Jellal paused. "There's no freedom in this world."

"What?" Erza and Natsu breathed out.

"The fools who built this tower may not hold us prisoner anymore but you haven't experienced true freedom. That can only be found..." He paused, looking back between Natsu and Erza. "...Zeref's world!"

He ripped his shirt in pieces, moving closer to Erza at a speed that Natsu didn't like. "Now I know why they made us build this tower. They believed they could use it to resurrect Zeref. They claim to be such devout followers but they didn't even sense their god's presence here!" He moved away from Erza and made his way over to the guard on the ground. He grabbed his neck. "This tower belongs to me now. I'll finish its construction and bring Zeref back to life!" He used magic to send the guard into the air, smashing him onto the roof.

"What the hell!?" Natsu yelled.

"That's magic!" When did Jellal learn magic? The big guard tried running to escape but was, unfortunately, stopped and was pushed into the wall, creating a giant dent.

"Stop it you're hurting him Jellal!" Erza screamed.

"You're taking this way too far buddy!" Natsu tried to reason.

"So?" He tried to use more if his magic on the fat guard but was stopped when Erza grabbed his arm, preventing him from getting another shot in.

Jellal became slightly annoyed. "Why do you care? I thought you hated them?"

"I do but you're just being cruel!"

He yanked his arm back. "If you want to sense Zeref's presence; you have to focus on your hatred!" He focused his magic on the man once again before imploding him.

Erza gasped. Natsu became angry. "What the hell did you kill him for?!"

Jellal turned toward him with a sinister smirk. "You wouldn't understand pinky!"

He turned back to Erza. "I'm renaming this place the Tower of Heaven. You and I will stay here to finish its reconstruction."

Erza became slightly angry and confused at this. "Why would anybody do that when we have the chance to leave?!"

Jellal's eye turned red.

*Boom

He sent her flying through the walls until she landed in what seemed like a cave. Natsu grew angry at seeing her get blown away in second. Without thinking, he charged at him. "Fire Dragon's-".

He dodged the attack and blew Natsu back as well.

"Hey, you're pretty strong." He called down to him from his spot on the mine. "Too bad you're siding with her. We could build this place quicker with you."

Natsu didn't say a word.

"Fine. If you want to leave so badly, be my guest. But you'll go alone"

Erza picked herself up from the ground. "What do you mean?" He smirked.

"There's no way I could finish the towers construction by myself so I'm keeping the others here. With me." He chuckled a bit. "Don't worry, I promise I won't mistreat them. Everyone will be fed, clothed and will get plenty of rest in between their shifts."

Erza narrowed her eyes slightly. "They're not going to agree to that! They're just waiting for us to join them on the boat! You can't convince them!"

"Oh I won't have any problem convincing them. All in going to do is give them a purpose. Once they learn of the power of Zeref, they'll happily work to resurrect him!"

"None of them wouldn't want to become a sacrifice!"

"No matter. Zeref said sacrifices aren't necessary. He's such a benevolent god isn't he?"

"Jellal please...wake up!" Tears were brimming the redhead's eyes.

"I could ask the same of you!" He used his magic to grab the duo. They struggled to breathe as he brought them up. "I don't need you anymore, but since you helped take out the fools in my way, I'll let you live." He grinned evilly. "As for you..." He looked to Natsu, who was also struggling to get air. "You wanted to fight? I'll show you the power of Zeref!"

Erza orbs stretched and her mouth opened in protest. "No...Please! Let him come with me!"

Jellal thought about it. "Fine. He can go with you. But I have demands." He let Natsu go so he could breathe before grabbed him again and wrapped him in the darkness.

"I demand you two never tell anyone of this place. If the government found out about it I'll be in serious trouble. If word were to get out; I'll have no choice then to destroy the tower and everyone inside it. You're forbidden from ever coming back here! If either of you step one foot on this land, then I'll kill your friends." He crackled his knuckles. "I figure Sho would probably be the first to go."

Her eyes widened again. "No!"

"ONE FALSE MOVE AND YOUR FRIENDS WILL DIE! I'LL ENJOY TRUE FREEDOM WHILE YOU SUFFER! BURDENED BY YOUR GUILT!"

•••

When Natsu woke up, he found himself on the beach. Memories of what happened hours ago plagued his head as he balled his fist tightly. 'Next time I see you; I'll make you pay.'

He sat up, mind still foggy until he turned to his left to see Erza watching him. They stared at the other for moments before tear filled her vision. She rushed to him and hugged him, surprising him. Tears were soaking his sweater now but he didn't mind. He could dry himself after anyway.

"Thank you!" She squeaked out, though it sounded incoherent.

He didn't know what to do, so he just decided to hug her back. It was nice hearing the ocean. In that wretched tower all you heard was screams of pain.

He didn't know why but...he felt attached to this girl. Like she's the only thing that matters to him. He thinks he finally found a friend. He never wanted to leave her side. Maybe...

"Hey...Erza?" He called out gently, hoping not to scare her. She looked up to him, tears still cascading down her face.

"Do want to help me search for my dad?"

Despite what happened, despite the death and betrayal she just witnessed; she smiled.

"Yes."

•••

Awww hell yeah! Let's do it!