Prologue
I didn't even tell half of what I saw, because I knew no one would believe me."
(Pounce D. Leon)
New World, twenty-five years earlier...
« Come on men, show Captain Thew here, why we will be the ones to land on the island! Unsheathe your sabers and fire your guns. Today we will sell our SKINS dearly! »
A shout of incitement rising from the deck of one of the most famous ships that had sailed the Grand Line, the Santiago, overpowered the hustle and bustle of the pirates doing battle and the explosions of cannon fire from the enemy vessel that punctually damaged its stern.
Standing on it, a rather tall man dressed in lavishly cut clothing pulled a peculiarly shaped blade from his belt, preparing to face the last obstacle that stood between him and his lifelong goal.
The sun shone high in the sky and the wind began to blow more and more furiously, bringing the fury of battle to the distant shores. The man advanced slowly, the long curly blond hair he wore tied back with a leather lace, the thick mustache of the same shade and the striking blue eyes gave him a proud and resolute air. A broad hat topped with a feather from some exotic bird covered his head. The man was none other than Pounce D. Leon, one of the greatest explorers and leaders who lived in this century. He who was nicknamed "The Storm."
He had come so far after traversing impassable and dangerous obstacles along the route that would lead him to one of the most sensational discoveries of his career, and he was firmly convinced that the secret to obtaining it was hidden on one of the last islands of the New World, Diatidur.
However, it seemed that his eternal rival, the infamous pirate captain Richard Thew, had come to the same conclusion as him, the reason for his presence in that godforsaken place, and now, both were vying for access to a treasure that existed only in myths, at least until now.
«Are you ready, Richard?...» the man asked, getting from the other, an individual equal in size to his own, with long blackish hair and wrapped in a purple coat, a simple nod in response.
The clang of steel screeching against each other and the smell of gunpowder replaced the palpable tension between the two warriors, exploding into a blinding glare that prevented the others from observing what their respective captains were up to.
«...Because I am coming. Eternal Slash! » burst out the same in the midst of the dense mist, bursting out of it with impressive speed, as his sword, imbued with a reddish aura collided with his opponent's katana, also followed by a darker wake, producing a shockwave of extraordinary power and intensity that spread across the entire stretch of sea.
It was as if the sky was about to split in two...
Two hours later...
The battle now seemed to be over, and judging by those who were making their way through the dense vegetation of Diatidur, it seemed that at last the great Pounce D. Leon had put an end to the long rivalry that had pitted him against the celebrated Thew.
A hellish heat permeated the surroundings and an unreal silence enveloped it in a tight grip, giving the impression that it was uninhabited. No sign of human activity except their own, not a single sound could be heard, not even the cry of some animal or the rustle of leaves.
« My goodness Captain, we are finally here! » exclaimed Nogitsu, one of Leon's crew members and a renowned cook.
A humanoid, bipedal creature with the features of a red fox and of rather considerable stature, especially compared to that of most of the group. A mighty crimson tail seemed to spill out of elegant, opulent purple pants, and on his head thick fur of the same hue took on a hair-like form, which he wore gathered and tied by a thick golden pigtail. Sharp teeth gleamed irradiated by the sunlight, as did ravenous, reddish eyes capable of putting even the most reckless rogue in awe. He belonged to a warrior race feared and respected throughout the Grand Line, the "Mink."
«So it would seem» replied the man, suddenly assuming a serious expression, «Nevertheless, we should not sing victory too soon, I have a feeling that from here on the situation may only get worse»
« What should we be afraid of? » the helmsman intervened. A man-fish of the basking shark type known as "BlueJones" gaped wide and toothy jaws as if awakening from a long sleep. He, too, wore sumptuous clothes like the crew to which he belonged, with the only exception of peculiar rips present in several places in his clothing, probably due to the skirmishes in which he himself had participated « We have defeated the "Purpure Demon" and his dastardly crew of freebooters. If anyone dares to question our strength, let him come forward »
« Then we'd better get a move on. Start by going first you, fatty»
Speaking this time was Leon's first officer, an imposing man, far more than the mink or anyone else who had ever sailed with the intrepid explorer, rather muscular and with a thick crimson beard, named Gwyar Zelgius. He, during his years of service aboard the Santiago, had earned the nickname "The Bloody One," something that matched perfectly with his fierce and warlike disposition, although among those who had tasted his proverbial fury he was known simply as "Redbeard."
The aquatic creature squared his companion defiantly, slowly approaching and parrying himself in front of the energetic man who towered over him by at least thirteen good spans, snarling as if he had succumbed for a moment to his wild, animalistic side. Of course, there hadn't exactly been good blood between those two since time immemorial, that much was now known by all.
There were even those who alluded to old rusts that had never died down, like embers still smoldering and ready to ignite at the slightest spark. Or those who believed that the big guy was an intolerable racist toward those who did not in any way belong to the race of human beings.
As always, the truth could also have been in the middle. What was practically certain was how blindly Leon trusted him, so much so that he left him in charge of the group in the unfortunate event that he himself found death. No small burden for a guy like him.
« So what are your orders, captain? » the group navigator asked, nipping in the bud the mini-litigation that was soon to ensue between the two. A girl with short, wavy peach-colored hair continued to check the Log Pose placed on her arm.
Her name was Ana Jacques, but to most she was simply known as "Lily of the Sea." Like her own companions, she sported elegant and refined clothes. A white shirt embellished with gold gems wrapped her slender physique, two-tone pants in shades of black and white tucked into rather worn charcoal-colored boots, and a thin, elaborate jacket with gold inlays completed the look.
«My unerring instinct says to continue along the path, we will soon have information on how to reach our destination» the man said, hinting at a faint smile, as if he had the slightest idea of what awaited him ahead, and although at times he did not always have the answer to everything, Pounce was endowed with an exceptional charisma, so portentous that his men would follow him to the ends of the earth.
« I have the distinct feeling that you are omitting something, captain » asserted Gwyar, holstering his own saber and crossing his arms over his chest, accompanying the words with vigorous head movements «And as if you already know what we will find once we reach our destination.»
« Patience, man of little faith » Leon replied placidly, « I can assure you that once we get there we will enter history, for better or worse »
The crew clustered around it turned quizzical expressions to him, strangled by such statements and such confidence. Gwayr in primis remained rather confused by the words addressed to him. What could his captain possibly have meant? Although Leon was an enigmatic and eclectic man, he had to admit how cryptic and secretive the explorer had become lately. Could he be hiding something from him?
« You heard men? On the march! » the navigator ordered them, putting herself at the head of the group and leading them as they passed through a section of putrid, foul-smelling jungle. It seemed to Ana that they were breathing instead of air, a thick, gaseous substance.
In the dazzling green glow that surrounded them, huge and unfamiliar plants appeared. From the branches of the trees hung lianas resembling long tentacles, which intertwined and gave the impression of moving as they passed. The group turned their heads to the right and left, just to spot any dangers and be ready for any eventuality, feeling themselves brushed by the intricate swirls, as if they wanted to hold and imprison them among their tangles.
Suddenly they heard a mighty roar echoing throughout the jungle, rumbling through the multitude of branches and leaves, which brought the company to a sudden halt
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
«What the hell was that?» asked intimidated sniper William Kahn. A tall, slender man with thick silver hair topped with a black tricorn and wrapped in clothing of the same color. On his neck he wore a black bandana, which he liked to lift up to his mouth in an attempt to cover it.
No one knew why he made this singular choice, although the rest of the crew didn't really care all that much. He had unparalleled skill with whatever came into his hands, whether he had to throw it or point it at the target, which was why he was known by the nickname "Lynx Eyes." However, although he was a bold and valiant warrior, he was certainly not the type to throw himself blindly or not carefully assess the situation he was in.
And such caution was proof that that sound did not portend anything good or harmless. They would not even have a chance to face it, given their being rather battle-tested from the previous battle.
« You would say a very large creature» pointed out Santiago's musician, the exuberant Jared Del Rey «Come on, let's get away»
He wore a long charcoal-colored coat with sleeves rolled up to the elbow, a red turtleneck shirt, and black pants tucked into leather breeches. A black bowler hat with crimson sash lay on his head, and suede-colored gloves covered his hands.
Although he was smaller in stature than the rest of the men in the crew, he possessed unparalleled wisdom and punctually he himself represented one of the few who could reason with the captain when he intestardivated about something, although most of the time it proved impossible.
By virtue of what the comrade had told them, the band turned eastward, continuing on their way, although some were beginning to show the first signs of distress. The humid air glued their clothes to their skin and made it difficult to breathe; it felt as thick as vapor. They proceeded straight and silent amid the strong smell emanating from the ground and rotting leaves.
In the sky, the sun shimmered more intensely than it had done so far, throwing its warm rays mercilessly through the foliage, making the environment stifling and the weather hot.
Finally, after what seemed like interminable hours, they reached a beautiful clearing at the end of which, from a cleft in the rocks, a waterfall poured down, forming a small lake on the banks of which grew plants of all shapes and colors.
Ana gasped at the sight of something truly unusual: Statues that seemed to be thousands of years old and adorned with sapphire-colored stone and cubic stelae carved in a particular type of stone placed on either side of them, something they themselves had had occasion to observe other times during their countless travels, although this seemed totally unlike anything else.
«The devil take me» mumbled the captain. A sentence that came out of his mouth like a thin puff of smoke.
What subsequently transpired before their eyes was such that it left them all open-mouthed, and with an expression of horror and fear etched on their faces...
A few hours later...
«Captain, we must leave now!» shouted "Ziggy," pointing to the navy ships in the distance. He was the crew's carpenter, the one responsible for always providing proper care and repairs for the one who had the delicate task of weathering the seas and escorting Leon and his crew to their destination, namely the Santiago.
Ziggy was a fish man of the Pterois Volitans type, commonly known as the Lionfish. A spike-covered creature that outnumbered the fellow sniper by at least two feet and wore only a pair of exquisitely crafted olive pants.
The ships came closer and closer to the coast. They had probably been sent to flush out the man who had earned the title "King of the Explorers," although they secretly hoped to capture him for the purpose of making him reveal what he had actually discovered.
On the other hand, Leon was well aware that the World Government branded those capable of shedding light on the mysteries of this world as dangerous criminals and tried in every way to make them disappear from the face of the planet, a warning to dissuade anyone who would attempt to follow in their footsteps and who thus had the audacity to challenge the authority they represented.
The captain did not move an inch, unsheathing his saber and passing his gaze over the faces of his comrades, who were disturbed by such a gesture.
«Go, I will take care of stopping them» announced the man proudly, and this time the expressions of the crew turned to pure disgust as they realized what their leader really meant.
« But have you completely lost your mind? » blurted out Ana incredulously, « How do you think we could ever agree to such a request? Besides, why would you want to sacrifice yourselves when we should simply cut and run? »
« Because once they disembark they will focus their attention on me, and that will give you time to make the rounds and get to safety » replied the captain, exchanging a fleeting glance with the ship's doctor, a tall, slender Puma-type mink named Abbas.
« I still don't understand such a choice » cried Nogitsu with tears in his eyes. He would never abandon his own captain, even if he were on the verge of succumbing.
« And you don't need to do that » he retorted brusquely « Stop questioning orders and run along »
« At least reveal to us the reason behind this decision » insisted the navigator. The idea of letting the Navy take her captain seemed not to sit well with her at all.
The man looked at his own crew again, huffing stymiedly as if they should have already known what he was going to tell them « You should know by now that I am not the type to walk away from a fight and run like a rabbit, not when the safety of my crew is at stake, not when I can gain valuable time »
They squared him questioningly, it really seemed that he had not convinced them in the least. Abbas looked distressed at the gravelly ground below him, as if he knew what was going on in his friend's head.
« Come on, don't make those faces, you know how I am, I would rather lose my life a thousand times in a glorious battle than live another thousand days as a coward » Leon continued and a sincere smile appeared on his face « Now all I ask is that you leave this island immediately and never return. In fact » he seemed to stop suddenly, as if he was thinking about something « Hide all traces of our journey and how we got here. No one must find it, not even the damned Marine. At least until the propitious moment arrives. Promise me »
A murmur of assent rose high in the azalea-colored sky, ready for the greatest battle the world had seen
« Captain » the first officer addressed him incredulously, « What are you referring to? »
« Well...my dear Gwyar, one day not very far away will come someone truly worthy of inheriting my will, someone who will take charge of the history that lies buried in the centuries, someone who will know how to use sparingly the frightening power they will derive from it. And on that day, the whole world will be completely shaken-something not even the World Government will be able to prevent. A frightening war that will involve all kingdoms and restore the Earth to its former glory. Too bad we can't witness it... »
«Captain, I will not abandon you for anything in the world. I intend to fight by your side to the end» Ziggy declared as he flanked him and began twirling the war fork he wielded menacingly
« Captain! » called him to the one known as "Harmonica" but who to his comrades was simply Jared, causing him to turn away « Of all the wackiest and most suicidal ideas you could ever have over the course of your long career, this one beats them all. It's the most disturbing thing and the thing that scares me the most is how convinced you seem to be about this. You are drunk, aren't you? »
« Knock it off, you two » retorted the man again, « Don't start that again! I think I've already explained it to you, and I'm not going to justify my actions in front of you. Understood? What I will repeat to you once again is how much I have faith in fate, just that »
«This is all very moving and poetic. But exactly, why would this mysterious guy get involved in things bigger than himself and what would it have to do with us or the rest?» asked impassively a woman of medium height and long, silky honey-colored hair, enhanced even more by two emerald-green eyes set in a beautiful yet so cold face.
She wore a seemingly simple but striking dress: aquamarine-colored, uncovered at the front, sharply highlighting her delicate, voluminous form, long balloon sleeves embellished with crimson-colored feathers and ending long downward at the height of her leather boots. A kind of wide, silver belt protected her pelvis, thus acting as a comfortable armor.
The identity of the woman endowed with such rare charm corresponded to Thalia Lindsey, the crew's archaeologist and a key resource in uncovering the arcane secrets of the ancient world.
«This is not something that can be figured out so offhand, even for an extremely smart one like you» reiterated the blond again, « However, I feel that this is not the right question you should be asking; what you should be asking is how he, whoever he is, could arrive on this island when not even log poses or maps seem to indicate his presence. True, Thew succeeded in the feat only after he stole and succeeded in deciphering the final clue, and the Marine may have followed us after our departure from Misty Cay, taking advantage of the archipelago's peculiar weather conditions to hide undisturbed. »
« Those rotters! » exclaimed Blue Jones, clenching his fist tightly « They would like to shut our mouths to prevent their shady purposes from ending at any moment. We, who could free the minds of the weak and helpless »
«It has never been our job to do that, Jonesy,» Leon replied stingily, «That is a job for others to do. Now, I will do everything in my power to prevent those ruffians from going any further. Nevertheless, Thalia, I am aware that my answer failed to satisfy you adequately, but you must have faith in me and in the future. By now we know that there is only one way to get here, and that is to follow the particular clues that the precursors have left us scattered around the globe, and that requires a certain amount of skill and quite a few other skills, something that only two percent of the population possesses. That should be enough to test who will be worthy of following in my footsteps, don't you think?»
The archaeologist was dumbfounded for a moment. Indeed, they had come to that place only after countless vicissitudes, and had it not been for her special skill or the captain's guidance, they would hardly have ever wandered that idyllic golden sand beach framed by rocky cliffs and the turquoise waters of the bay.
«Yes...but captain...» continued the fox mink, who had now become a walking fountain «I refuse to abandon you»
«My friends» added the man, approaching and hugging one by one those who for a very long time had been his only family «We have lived through moments I will never forget and I myself thank you for following me on my adventures, although several times I have involved you in missions where your very lives were at stake and for that I apologize immensely»
« Don't even joke about it, captain » William replied seriously, almost as if resenting his words « It has been a real honor to fight alongside you, even if I don't agree with all this, but the choice is yours and you are still the captain »
« I thank you for your understanding, William » he told him and continued, « Now we are in the final acts and our paths must sadly part, for something greater than ourselves is now on the horizon. However tortuous and full of pitfalls our path has been, the time will come when the weight of fate will once again rest on your shoulders. So while waiting for that day to come, treasure what I have told you and taught you and live your lives intensely. I will always be with you. And now hurry, flee! » shouted the leader.
Around him was created like a vortex of air, and its blade sprouted crimson thunderbolts. The fury of the storm was now near, and nothing would be able to stop it, not even the Marine
After saying goodbye to their leader, the group quickly turned away from what would become a total massacre, running for the Santiago and safety.
When they were far enough away, the man raised his blade and a thirty-two-toothed smile appeared on his face.
« "Know that I will not die in vain...I will not die, comrades!" »