Chapter 1: Tower of Chains
The clang of iron rang endlessly inside the Tower of Heaven.
Children no older than ten dragged stone across the dusty floors, their small bodies wrapped in ragged cloth and iron shackles. The air stank of sweat and smoke. Above, the stars were blotted out by scaffolding that stretched toward the unfinished heavens.
A boy with crimson hair leaned forward as he heaved a block of stone, his hands raw and bleeding. His golden eyes, however, burned brighter than the torches lining the walls.
"Shanks," a stern but steady voice called.
The boy turned his head slightly. Erza, two years older, stood beside him, her long crimson hair matted with dirt. Despite her youth, her single visible eye gleamed with the resolve of someone far beyond her age.
"You're pushing too fast," she warned. "Slow down. They'll notice."
Shanks grinned through bloodied lips. "If I slow down, I'll just look weak. And you'll worry. I don't want that."
Erza's expression tightened, but she said nothing more. She knew her brother's stubborn streak better than anyone.
The overseer's boots scraped against the stone as he passed. His whip coiled at his side like a snake waiting to strike. Shanks stumbled slightly under the weight of the stone, his knees trembling.
"Move faster, brat," the overseer barked, his shadow stretching long across the floor.
Shanks froze for a heartbeat. He felt something surge inside him — a heat that wasn't from labor. His chest tightened, and before he could stop himself, he glared up at the man.
Golden eyes met the overseer's, and for a moment, the whip never fell.
The man's arm trembled, his brow damp with sudden sweat. His throat bobbed as if he couldn't breathe.
Then, as quickly as it came, the moment passed.
The whip cracked through the air.
But it struck not Shanks — Erza had stepped in front of him, the lash tearing across her back. She didn't flinch. She didn't cry out. She never did.
"Don't touch him," she hissed, her young voice filled with venom.
The overseer scowled but turned away, muttering curses. The chain of his footsteps faded into the echo of labor.
Shanks stared at the welt rising across Erza's back, his fists clenching so tightly his nails bit into his palms.
That night, the children were herded back into the cramped stone cell. They huddled together for warmth, whispers filling the shadows.
"He made the guard hesitate…"
"I saw it. Just for a second, the man froze."
"Erza's the strong one. Not him."
"No, I felt it too. When he glared, it was like… like the air got heavier."
Shanks lay on the cold ground, listening, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dark. He turned his head to Erza, who sat beside him, leaning against the wall.
"I should've protected you," he muttered.
Erza glanced down at him, her crimson hair covering part of her face. "You're reckless. If you throw yourself in, I'll lose you. I can endure this. What I need from you… is to survive."
Her voice was firm, but beneath it lingered a softness only Shanks ever heard.
He bit his lip. "I don't want to just survive. I want to be strong enough that nobody can ever touch you again."
For a long time, silence filled the cell. Then, almost imperceptibly, Erza's lips curved — not a smile, but something close. The whispers of the other children carried through the dark: monster, savior, strange, dangerous. Words of awe and fear. But to Erza, he was simply her brother. Shanks closed his eyes, exhaustion finally dragging him down. But even in dreams, he repeated the promise over and over, branding it into his soul.
I'll escape with Erza. And I'll never let her fight alone.Above, the moonlight filtered through cracks in the tower's roof, glinting faintly off the chains. To every other child, it was a cruel reminder of their prison. But to Shanks Scarlet, it was the first glimmer of freedom.
End of Chapter 1: Tower of Chains
(Word Count: ~1,050)