Chapter III
"I am tormented by an irrepressible desire for what is far away. I like to sail on forbidden seas and go down to primitive shores, there where no one would ever set foot"
(Pounce D.Leon)
One year later, Canton Cay, West Blue...
«Runway! Make way!»
A scanty group of kids ran at high speed through the streets of the town, there where as every same day of the week was the market, where merchants from the West Sea went there to exchange all sorts of goods and memorabilia from the Blue Sea.
To the eye they appeared to be no more than eight to nine years old, adorned in dirty and shabby rags. They were probably orphans who had grown up on the streets and were reduced to petty mischief for fun or even just to steal a simple piece of bread. And indeed, at their heels was old Jian, the town's baker, a tall, burly man always dressed in vintage-looking tank tops marked by the blackish ash from the chimney and flour.
«Stop those little thugs!» screeched the man, raising his arm and pointing to those brats who were jumping from stall to stall to avoid obstacles. In his hand he clutched tightly the rolling pin used to roll out the dough, and there would be no doubt that if he caught them, he would slam it down on each of their tiny heads.
Someone tried in vain to halt their advance, but the young boys had proved far too cunning to fall into such a trap.
In the course of their escape, one of them had even bumped into a woman carrying a couple of envelopes, almost causing her to fall to the ground. The poor woman stood there motionless, addressing them unkind epithets as she watched them squeeze into a narrow, cramped alley convinced that they had lost Jian and anyone who had tried to give him help.
The youngest of them, Gavin, turned his head to the right, noticing a little boy not much taller than them and probably a few years older leaning against the wall. His slender, longish body was wrapped in a suit even more threadbare and grimy than his own. Thick cobalt hair alternating with teal locks was tied back in a pigtail that let some medium-length wisps flow down to below his neck, while others unraveled in other directions, contouring his almost angelic face.
His head was down and his eyes closed, as if he were in the throes of a long meditation or perhaps he had simply dozed off, although in a standing position it was still rather strange.
Nevertheless, the young man lifted him up sharply, and Gavin could swear that in meeting his feline gaze, he had felt something dark and inexplicable. It was as if in his irises the color of sunset, he had seen the flames of hell or something vaguely similar. He was not the type to believe in such silly superstitions, this he had learned well from childhood.
«They went that way, quick!»
The scream of Chen, the baker's assistant, abruptly brought him back to reality. Other voices accompanied it, coming closer and closer and overpowering any other sound that had been audible up to that moment.
They stepped back until they came upon a wall more than seven meters high and interrupting the view of whatever was on the other side. No footholds on which they could climb and thus escape their pursuers. There were no other avenues they could use to vanish.
Meanwhile, other voices seemed to join Jian's chorus; it would be a matter of a few moments and they would end up in some dingy slammer, or worse, each of them would have both hands chopped off, a fate that befell those who committed theft.
They tried to open the doors that faced down the alley, although the gesture proved somewhat futile, since they were barred or locked from the inside. The buildings around them gradually became more and more stifling. They were trapped like rats, with no way out and panic beginning to knock at their doors.
However, surrendering did not seem a plausible option. Since childhood they had fought for survival, and if falling was their only option, they would do so with their heads held high.
Gavin planted his gaze there where he had observed that strange individual a few moments ago, stunned when he noticed that there was no trace of him. He shook his head, distraught and wondering if it was all just a trick of his imagination, brought on by terror and fatigue.
«There they are, those little buggers are trapped and they won't be able to escape us!» exclaimed a man who was thin and shorter than the others, pointing to the group gathered in a circle, with one another huddled close together, facing the impending danger with proud and resolute looks. It would have been impossible for Jian and his right arm to sneak into the alley given their size. But that figure with the thick beard as black as darkness and the bleak gaze was instead just the right size.
He confidently clutched the spear he held, vibrating it against the silver armor that covered every layer of his body. It was probably a palace guard, alerted by the baker or by the screams pouring through the streets of Canton Cay. Faced with that inauspicious fate and the end that awaited them, the young men took each other's hands, closing their eyes and smiling, as if an old friend was on his way to meet them. It was now only a matter of a few seconds, then it would all be over.
«FIRE WALL!»
The air became scorching hot and a burning smell spread quickly, invading the nostrils of the little ones. Their leader, as well as the eldest, Declan, opened his eyes; in front of him sparked crimson flames that blazed upward, forming for all intents and purposes a veritable barrier that prevented the guards from being able to pass over.
But the most unusual thing was that in front of him was a young boy with bluish hair, which shone with a vivid radiance and revealed more aquamarine locks. He smiled back at him, but that was not all; it was as if there was a crimson aura around him, protecting him from the flames. Something totally out of the ordinary. Could it be that he was already delirious? Probably if he had closed his eyes again, he would have awakened elsewhere, realizing that it was just a bad dream.
«Hey, this is no time to take a nap!» the boy's voice awakened him, forcing him to open his eyes again and realize how this was the stark, naked reality «This won't hold them back much longer» he continued, pointing to the flaming wall that seemed almost on the verge of going out and the guards that would be swooping down on them «Get the others and be ready, I'm about to open an escape route for you!» concluded the boy as he turned and stretched both arms toward one of the doors the eight had failed to open.
Declan shook the others, who without a word or an explanation, waited for the young man to grant them a loophole «Stand by on the count of three!» The little ones got into position, not understanding, however, what this mysterious fellow wanted to do.
«One... Two... Three... Now! Flaming Lion!»
As if by magic, an intense golden flame sprang from his hands and took the shape of a ferocious beast, going crashing into the steel door, melting it in no time like melted butter. What kind of trick had he used? Was he a human or perhaps just a figment of a childish imagination due to hunger? Too many questions crowded the little ones' minds, but now was not the time for that. What they needed to do was get the hell out of there right away.
«Hurry up! Don't waste time or you will regret being born!» shouted the boy. The others didn't let him repeat it twice, taking advantage of the gap created to get over the obstacle and exit there where the road had previously stopped their run.
«I really don't know how to thank you» Declan said, probably staying behind to make sure their mysterious benefactor was in a position to save himself as well.
«You don't need to do that» cut the boy short and curtly, «What matters is that you and those little brats reach your hiding place soon»
«And what will you do?» asked Declan worriedly. Meanwhile, the boy launched another of his flames toward the entrance, brightening the feeble barrier just a little.
«I will join you as soon as I have dealt with these four idiots and made sure they cannot harm you in any way»
«How do you know where our secret base is?»
«Long story. Now, get lost!» retorted the young man again, taking on an even more serious tone
«At least tell me your name» He huffed impatiently «Silas. And now enough with the questions, scram» The young man nodded, hurrying to join his companions. As he watched her walk away, he smiled, then turned his gaze toward the fire that was now totally extinguished «Now let's think about you» the boy continued, lifting an arm upward «Heat Haze!»
Two hours later...
«How can you do those things?»
«Are you a human being or a cyborg or something?»
«Can you create only flames or also something else?»
«Show us more tricks, please!»
«You were really strong against those bad guys»
«I've never seen you around Silas, where are you from?»
«Did you take care of old Jian and the guards? Did anyone follow you?»
In a more secluded and at times almost spooky area of Canton Cay, in the shadow of the old and dilapidated buildings that were once an active part of the town's life, now reduced to a bad area and mostly avoided by most of the inhabitants, Declan and his small group had encircled Silas, peppering him with all sorts of questions relating to what had happened no less than two hours earlier.
«Easy people, one question at a time» Declan wryly intervened. Probably if he hadn't, those kids would have been able to suffocate him or make him uncomfortable. When they got into it they knew how to be real handfuls «At least let him breathe» then turned his face poured out of him «Because you breathe like us, right?» he asked curiously. He too was dying to find out more about this mysterious boy.
Silas nodded in response, «Of course I breathe like you, I am a human being. What did you think I was, a fish-man?»
Everyone burst into thunderous laughter except Declan, who continued to look at him quizzically «It's just that...We've seen you create glowing flames out of nothing and make them take the shape of a beast. We've never seen you around here, much less know anything about you except your name. It's obvious that I have doubts, don't you think?» he concluded, waiting for the other to reply. The others were squatting on the damp ground, turning to Silas with looks full of admiration and amazement.
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«You are right» Silas sighed defeatedly «So...where do I start?» he said as he looked around and began tapping his fingers on his lips «Right!» he exclaimed closing his fist and tapping his hand «My name is Silas and I am from the Li'Wan district»
A few comments and questioning murmurs were heard from the group. Although the Tinho neighborhood was one of the most luxurious on the island, Declan had to admit that Silas' neighborhood was not so bad either. Of course, on balance, any place was always better than the dump they found themselves in and were forced to live in. However, there was something about that boy that forced him to be suspicious, especially with those clothes even smellier than theirs. If he was from Li'Wan, why was he dressed like that?
«I don't know my real place of birth or whether I was born on this island instead. I don't know anything about my parents or what I was doing before I found myself on my ass in the middle of a street. In fact, I remember almost nothing; what I do know is that until now I have always lived on the streets of Li'Wan, picking up whatever I could find and trying to survive, just like you do. Then, I don't know how, I found myself on the opposite side of the island, not knowing where I was or how I got there» Those words hit the short brown-haired boy motionless before him like a flood.
That was exactly how he felt every day, but unlike he, he knew full well who those who had brought him into the world were: a drunkard babbling about dreams and treasure, drowned in alcohol even before he set sail and a woman who regularly beat the streets of Shamian, another of the island's districts, and who, once she met a rich man eager to marry her, had not thought twice before abandoning him and his father and starting a new life in Tinho.
«What about your particular 'gift'?» he asked, mimicking a pair of quotation marks in the air.
«Well, as I said before, I do not remember anything about my past. However, the only one I do know is that I was cursed by a powerful sorcerer and forced to eat one of the very dangerous devil fruits, which gave me the ability to control flames»
«Wow, cool!» they exclaimed in chorus.
«As for Jian and the guards» Silas continued, «I don't think we'll be seeing them again soon» As he uttered the last sentence, a smirk began to make its way onto his face.
«Your story seems to be holding up» Declan commented. The seven stared at their leader, eager to know what he would say «All right» he concluded after a few moments of hesitation, «if it's all right with you, you'll stay with us from now on»
The young man smiled and nodded his assent, and soon after the group of thieves jumped on him, scrambling him with hugs and cuddles.
A few hours later...
The group of kids ran carefree through the streets of the district. Leading the way as usual was Declan, who wielded a medium-sized wooden saber and led the boarding party to a barrow of hay placed between the stable and the forge, waiting for the stableman to come and unload the sheaves, but the latter was currently engaged in a different matter, as he was helping the farrier file the hoof of the yak he had just detached.
The cart therefore had been left unattended, with no one standing guard over it, its shafts resting on the ground like a broken bowsprit sunk in the waves. The little ones screamed at the onslaught as they watched their leader with the weapon in his teeth climb the end of the axle sticking out of the wheel hub. He grabbed onto the spokes and with a very rapid momentum, leapt into the hay.
«I'll show you who 'The Storm' is, damn you, Marine!» he exclaimed, thrusting his sword into a sheaf.
His comrades let themselves fall in turn into the barrow, as if they were plunging, hanging from ropes, onto an enemy bridge. They twirled their sticks, at the risk of poking out an eye, mimicking a fight against an unseen crew, probably imagining themselves the same law enforcement agencies charged with enforcing law and order throughout the Blue Sea. The bundles were pierced, trampled, slaughtered.
«No mercy for the enemies of freedom» retorted Kai, making hay fly all around.
He was but another misfit, having joined their clique just a year earlier when the Marine had taken his parents to Impel Down, one of the most rigid and impregnable prisons ever erected by the World Government. He knew full well that he would never see them again, and by the time he realized that they were coming for him, too, as their own flesh and blood and therefore considered a future threat, he had long since slipped away. It was by a fortuitous chance that he had met Declan and the others, and in a short time they became the family he needed and had long missed.
The barrow had turned into a veritable battlefield, bathed in a cloud of straws that caused constant coughing and sneezing. But all of a sudden, someone hurled himself at him, pouring out a torrent of imprecations. The real and true enemy. With leather apron at his sides and hammer in hand. Holding the beast by the reins, his assistant also followed with his fist in the air, ready to strike.
«Get down from there now! Bandits! Wretches! Pirates that you are!»
In a moment, Captain Storm's crew dispersed among the chirping birds. Malik, another of those scoundrels, was the last to let go, albeit reluctantly. With an unconscionable gesture, he snatched the cutlass from the boy's hands and used it to deliver blows on the wooden bank to keep his assailants at a distance.
«Back off, fatty!» he turned to the farrier backing away slowly «Or the last thing you'll see will be a nice big hole in that flabby fucking stomach of yours»
But all it took was for the man to grasp a wheel and shake it to make the little one desist from all his future actions, breaking off the fight.
«Haven't you heard the big news yet?» asked the stable boy. They gave him a quizzical look, not knowing what he was referring to «They have finally found one of the crew members of the man who most of all sowed chaos and terror on the seas for a long time. I'm talking about Pounce » the man explained «Once he's brought to justice, it's going to be quite a sight to see him face the halter. I believe they are also discussing it right now at the Dancing Squid Tavern, you'd better hurry if you don't want to be late»
«That's right, Bill!» added the farrier, «Go and see for yourself the fate that befalls those who dare call themselves or even whisper the word "pirate." Not to mention those who fly the black flag believing it to be synonymous with freedom, silly nonsense that only suckers like you can believe. And now scram, you useless sacks of shit, or I won't be as forgiving as I was a moment ago»
The pavement resounded with the laughter and footsteps of the boys who gingerly made their way to the place pointed out to them by the farrier.
A smell of roasting meat fully invested the nine boys who had ventured into streets unknown to them to find out what the Marine and the World Government had done to the alleged member of Leon's crew. The sound of a violin mingled with bursts of laughter or the stench of rotten wood that haunted the walls and ceiling beams. A big man walked past him, complaining about his own troubles, as a woman dragged him away by the arm.
***
Inside the Dancing Squid, no one seemed to pay attention to a group of young boys who were not even old enough to walk around alone at night, as they were too drunk to notice or perhaps simply did not care. Being very careful about where they stepped, Declan and his companions glimpsed within the throng that crowded the establishment, three men seated at a table and dressed in clothes that clashed with the tavern's ambiance and clientele, one of whom had just mimicked Leon's name with his lips.
This would have been too good an opportunity to pass up. Silent and almost invisible, the nine made their way inside the club, taking care not to be caught, and slowly climbing the stairs, they positioned themselves on one of the small balconies directly above them. This way they would be able to listen in on the entire conversation without being conspicuous or caught.
«It seems that the hideout of one of the Storm's crew has been spotted on Yamanai Island» exclaimed one of them, greedily sucking in the cigarette he held between his fingers. He had thick blond hair, framed by a sparse beard of the same color, as if he had not shaved in days. The cross-shaped scar placed on his right cheek seemed to glow, probably due to a strange play of light.
«Are you sure?» asked the second one, swirling the ice cubes inside the half-empty glass of liquor. This was an individual with a massive physique wrapped in purportedly dark clothing, and unlike the other, his charcoal-colored hair and piercing blue eyes made him look more dangerous than he probably was «I was convinced that after the departure of their captain, the rest of that rabble had deliberately lost track of them, or worse yet, that what was being told about them, including the curse, had some semblance of truth»
«These are just senseless superstitions, there is no supernatural curse. It's ignorance, the only curse of mankind» replied the third one, fiddling with a deck of cards and raising his face, on which a rather sinister smirk appeared, He was of thin build compared to the other two, dressed in a smart black tuxedo and a red tie, which highlighted his green eyes and long, tousled mahogany hair. On either side of his pale face stood out two tattoos, just below his eyes, depicting a blue tear and a purplish star.
«I have heard that Admiral "Ice Heart" will be leading the assault» retorted the former, giving one last puff before extinguishing his cigarette in the crystal ashtray on the table, «That man is a true monster, in part thanks to the fearsome powers he possesses. But the thing that leads any opponent to fear him is undoubtedly his ruthless and brutal nature, not caring about any collateral casualties or the trail of destruction he might leave along the way»
«Well, if the Marine decided to send him, it means that he is a formidable and dangerous opponent, he could be "Lynx Eyes" as well as BlueJones, Zigmund, "The Lily of the Sea" or any other member of his crew» added the latter, pouring himself another shot of liquor that he emptied as quickly as the previous one «In fact, there is not a single member who was weak or useless, they were all phenomenal and outstanding characters. I would have liked to face them»
«Whoever he is, against Aoshika his minutes are numbered» pointed out the blond man with his half-smile.
«Whoever emerges victorious from this confrontation will have the power to change the course of events for the better or for the worse, that's for sure» stated the third man, picking up one of the cards and throwing it against the wall with such violence that it lodged inside it and crumbled part of the plaster «The World Government has decided to make the first move, now it's up to us to counterattack if we don't want to throw away the good hand we've been dealt. The most common mistake of history is to underestimate the opponent and the cards they play, a mistake I don't intend to make» the man concluded, getting up after a good handful of minutes and heading for the door, followed closely by the other two, not before retrieving the object he had thrown moments earlier.
«Those ugly mugs are creepy» murmured Gavin still hiding with the others, «I wonder who they are»
«We could follow them and find out» proposed Malik.
«I have a bad feeling about it» retorted Silas.
«Did you see what he did?» asked them Kai «He threw that card like it was a sharp dagger. He must be a pretty strong individual, even stronger than you Silas»
«I highly doubt it» replied the boy with a serious air, «What do you think Declan?»
«I say whatever is going to happen, I don't want for any reason in the world to miss it. Now, let's move» he said, starting to move slowly and signaling to his companions that he wanted to sneak out of that room, probably with the intention of wanting to follow those mysterious guys.
Two days later, Yamanai Island...
«Captain, three large Marine ships have been spotted on the horizon, heading toward us. We must leave immediately!»
A thin, dark man quickly entered a small room with cobalt blue walls, probably carved from some sapphire-like stone or mineral. He passed a hand over his forehead drenched in sweat, probably caused by the long ride he had taken to get there, shifting his worried gaze to the center of it, where a female figure sat on a throne completely gilded except for the back, which resembled the colored feathers of a peacock: iridescent blue, turquoise and green.
Long honey-blond hair fell over her long but short red dress at the front, revealing a glimpse of soft, shapely breasts, supported by a silver belt cinched over her pelvis. She wore blue scaled breeches and around her neck she wore a golden locket bearing a letter written in an unknown alphabet. His eyes were round like moons of green jade, and his eyebrows arched like the wings of chocolate-colored seagulls. He exuded a heady scent, a mixture of musk and citrus, strong but not unpleasant. A sight worthy of watching to the last.
That very beautiful and charming woman was none other than Thalia Lindsey, the former archaeologist of Leon's crew, also known as "The Necromancer," a nickname that meandered among pirates and marines with awe and respect.
She rose to his feet and without uttering a word, pointed his index finger in the direction of the man, beginning to trace a symbol in the air in the void in front of her. Without him being able to realize it, a root as wide as his arm sprouted from the ground beneath him, coiling around his left ankle and immobilizing him. Three more roots encased both his wrists and the remaining ankle, pinning him in place.
«I don't admit cowards in my crew, Mr. Gibbs» she began, descending from the throne and approaching him
«Yes, but against us we have Admiral Aoshika and as if that were not enough, on the remaining two we have escorted Vice-Admirals Hearne and Diane» The man let a grimace of pain escape as a fifth root tightened even more around his neck. A little more pressure and it would have broken his bone «It was never in my destiny to escape this battle» the woman affirmed «Now I know what Captain Leon meant that time and that is why I am ready to sacrifice myself to accomplish it, is that clearer to you now?»
«Yes ... captain ...» replied Gibbs with extreme difficulty.
With a movement of his hands, the roots disappeared into thin air, releasing the poor man from their fearsome grip. Thalia began to walk, stepping out of the room and out into a climate far different from what the island usually offered: A violent blizzard had swept over it, impairing the view and driving the frost right into the bones of the men who had gathered around her, the members of her crew.
«Men!» she shouted, bringing them back to attention, «The confrontation you will take part in today will echo so loudly that it will resonate in every part of the Blue Sea, and its outcome will decide the fate of the New Age. So are you with me or do you want to run away like vile rabbits, as your dear comrade Mr. Gibbs was about to do just now?»
«We are with you!» they cheered as they raised aloft every kind of weapon they were wielding at that moment
«So come on, get ready! Just try not to be lenient with the enemy, for he himself will not be so lenient against you. To the Marine and the Government we are nothing but a bunch of filthy, mangy cutthroats. Well, we will show them that instead we are noble and honorable men, just as Leon was!»
«Well said, captain!» shouted one of the men in the crowd.
«If history has taught us anything, it is that what we accomplish in life echoes in eternity! So, to your posts. Let us send these scoundrels into the deepest abyss of Tartarus!»
«Yes!» those men shouted again, immediately running to their posts and preparing for a long and bloody battle.