7 Escape from the Tower of Heaven End (1/2)

”The others belong to me, I'll need sufficient manpower to complete the Tower of Paradise. You don't have to worry, I won't be like those guys. I will give everybody clothes, give them food, let them rest, and even give them wages. Because labouring under fear and brutality is much too indifferent.” Juliet said.

Erza glared at the blue haired girl and exclaimed, ”What are you talking about? Everyone is already on the ship! They're all waiting for us! They'll never come back to this island to work!”

”Those guys never told them the purpose of their labour. I will tell them that the true purpose of their work is to revive a great magician known as Zeref!”

”Juliet, please open your eyes...” Erza begged. However, with a motion of Juliet's hands, a dark spectral phantom arm suddenly grabbed Erza by the throat as it squeezed her neck.

”It...hurts!..”

As the crazy blue haired girl continued to let the arms choke Erza, she said, ”I don't need you anymore. But I won't kill you, I am thankful that you took care of those guys who were in the way. Insignificant 'freedom', if you want. Go and pursue your fleeting.”

”Juli...et...”

Juliet began to slowly walk down the hill of rocks and approached Erza, ”I think you understand that what happened here is not to be spoken of to anyone. If the government gets wind of the Tower of Paradise, this rare opportunity will be ruined.”

Juliet stopped right in front of her as she continued to speak, ”When we are found out, I will have to destroy the evidence by destroying this tower and everyone in it. And I'll start with Ezra and the others.”

”Juli...et...” Erza began to let a stream of tears fall from her left eye as she found herself helpless to do anything.

”That's your precious 'freedom'! Go on and live while carrying the lives of your friends and brother upon your back, Erza! Ahahahahaha!”

As the ghostly arms began to grip her throat even tighter and tighter, Erza's vision began to fade.

'Ezra...I'm sorry...Onee-chan won't be able to keep her promise...'

”Juliet! Stop!”

Erza's eyes snapped wide open as she and Juliet looked above them and found a panting Ezra.

”Ez...Ezra?!” The older twin said in shock. Shouldn't he be with the others on the ship?

”Oh my, Ez, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on the ship with everyone else?” Juliet asked in a mocking but sweet tone as she continued to grip Erza's neck.

Ezra just stared at the blue haired girl nervously for a second before speaking, ”Juliet, please stop! You don't have to do this! Just come with us on the ship so we can leave!”

Juliet just shook her head in mock disappointment and said, ”Oh Ezra, if only you understood what the true purpose of this tower truly meant.”

”What do you mean?” He asked in confusion.

Erza continued to struggle against the phantom arm's grip as she looked at her brother, ”Ezra, don't listen to her! Just hurry and go ba-Guh!”

”Onee-chan!” Ezra exclaimed as the spectral arms tightened his sister's neck.

Ignoring the cries of the twins, Juliet turned her attention to Ezra, ”Ezra, this place isn't what you would originally think of it. All this time we have been building a tower that would lead us into paradise.”

”Paradise?”

Juliet gave a crazed gleeful look and nodded, ”Yes, a paradise that only Zeref can give us. Unlike those fools, they never really understood what it was like to have felt and spoken to Zeref himself. Even your own sister cannot understand herself. We can continue building this tower together with everyone so that Zeref may lead us to his world of freedom!”

Juliet extended her hand towards the boy and continued, ”Join me, Ezra. Together, the two of us can accomplish so many things by completing this tower, and Zeref will grant us eternal freedom. We can live the rest of our lives as a king and queen, together!”

Erza could only listen helplessly as Juliet tried to persuade her brother. However, that only made the female twin angrier at Juliet of trying to use Ezra in front of her even after the crazy blue head said that she would threaten him and her friends.

However, much to Erza's relief and Juliet's disappointment, Ezra shook his head rapidly, ”I don't want any of that! All I want is for you, Onee-chan, Sho, Wally, Simon, Millianna, and everyone else to leave this island for good! I don't anything to do with paradise or Zere-...”

Much to Erza's horror, Juliet swiped her hands in the air as Ezra was suddenly flung away to the side as his small body landed on the hard ground with a loud thud.

”NOOO!”

Juliet then gave a sigh of disappointment at the boy, ”I'm really disappointed in you, Ezra. And here I thought you could understand better than your sister here. Guess I was completely wrong about you-..”

*BAM!*

Much to Juliet's shock, Erza somehow managed to regain her strength and head-butted Juliet as the spectral arms vanished when the girl lost her concentration.

Juliet held her head in pain as she growled at Erza, ”You..”

Juliet was suddenly struck on the cheek as Erza punched the crazy blue head right across the face and was sent to the ground.

”Ezra!” The female twin yelled to her brother as she ran over to his lying body.

Juliet glared over her shoulder at Erza as she used her telekinesis to stop the scarlet haired girl in her tracks. With a swipe of her hand, she sent Erza flying away from her brother.

”Kyaaahhh!”

Erza slammed against the wall as she groaned in pain. She then looked up and saw Juliet approaching her with a menacing look.

”I gave a chance for you two to join me. But yet, you and Ezra still share a view of inefficient freedom.”

She raised the palm of her hand as a flare of magical power was pointed directly at Erza, ”But unfortunately, if you can't see how things can go with Zeref's world...then you two are unfit to be a part of it.”

Ezra groggily lifted his head and widened his eyes in shock as Juliet was about to blast his sister. He tried to push himself back to his feet, but unfortunately fell back down due to the pain, ”O...Onee-chan...”

Erza remained unmoving as her entire body refused to move in fear and Juliet just gave a dark smirk.

”Goodbye Erza.” She fired a blast of magic towards the female twin.

Ezra could only watch helplessly as the blast came closer and closer towards his sister.

He hated himself for being useless to Erza...

He hated himself for not being strong or courageous as her when she led the revolt...

He hated for not doing anything right now!