Crew of the Axe: Spooky Tales of Samhain Island
Disclaimer: Don't own One Piece.
Kilnorc: That's right folks, I'm back with a new Halloween fic! Wouldn't be October without me giving this another try! Before I start, I would like to say that after looking it up online, the word "Samhain" is pronounced "sow-win". Funny, huh? Anyhoo, on with the fic!
"There is an island in the Grand Line, where for one day, every single year, the people celebrate a special festival. It is on this day that the people of this island dress up in fantastic costumes, play games, tell scary stories, go around asking for treats, and pull all kinds of pranks. Most young people only think of this day as a day for fun, for mischief, and to earn all kinds of cavities with their free treats, but the older people of the island know the darker points of the holiday. They know the stories, they know the superstitions, and they know the risk of running into evil things on this night. They live this day of their lives as carefully and as fun as possible while respecting the old ways. Most visitors who come by this island at this particular time of the year only experience the fun-filled festivities of the special day without every running into the darker side of said day...but this year is different. This year, as the festival runs it's course, a number of people will experience the more terrifying part of the night,"
A light skritch echoed through the dark room and within moments, a low flame appeared on top of a tall, newly lit candle. The room was large and two of the visible inhabitants were shrouded in black, hooded cloaks. One was in a grand looking chair, holding a thick tome filled with aged pages while the second figure stood quietly off to the side. The sitting figure blew out the match that it used to light the candle, then sat back in the chair. In front of the two figures was a large group of people, huddled together in the darkness.
"Samhain Island is a peaceful island at first glance, but there is a dark history around it. Despite the fun festival that is held every year, it's history is stained with terror and blood and today, the memories of the horrible events lives on. They say that spirits and other creatures from other planes of existences are known to walk the earth, but today, on Halloween, the barrier between the world of the living and the world of spirits is at it's weakest, allowing these entities to roam freely amongst the living. In the crisp autumn air, if one listens closely as the wind blows around them, they can hear the voices of the dead as they dance around them, or they can hear the screams of those who have died violently in the past,"
The sitting figure reached over and took hold of the burning candle, bringing it close, the movement of the flickering light casting eerie shadows around the room. The fire light illuminated only the bottom of the figure's face, which held a smile that could chill the soul of even the bravest man.
"Amongst the beautifully colored trees of the island, there are points in the islands history that are the darkest, or hold the most superstition. In the graveyard on the outskirts of the only village, there is a legend of a bloodthirsty warrior who swore to return from the dead to search for a worthy opponent. In an abandoned mansion on top of a hill, they say that the spirit of a man who killed the ones he loved roams the dark and empty halls of his former home. Deep in the forest, there is a place where so much blood was spilled in ancient times, they say that the blood still not only soaks the earth, but the area itself pulsates with dark magic, attracting all sorts of people with evil in their hearts. Along the dirt roads that pass through the forest, people say that a damned soul can be seen wandering around, looking for it's final resting place while a great, black beast prowls the island in the company of a headless woman. Finally, there is a tale that floats around the village about a giant, fire-breathing monster that lives in the mountains of Samhain, coming down now and then for-AAAAH! SONOFABITCH!"
The figure dropped the candle onto the floor and shot both hands to it's face, which had been burned by the flame.
"Awright, awright, hang on people! Time out, she got burned!"
"Son of a BITCH!!!"
A click was heard and a beam of bright light shot through the dark room.
"You okay, Chizuru?"
The first figure, still cursing, pulled back it's hood to reveal the red-haired navigator of the Axe-Head pirates, a really annoyed look on her face. She held her chin with one hand and grabbed the thick book with her other hand, "Yeah, I'm fine, kit, I'm fine...that frickin' hurt though!"
Dusty, the miko of the pirate crew, pulled back her own hood, her fox ears twitching slightly, "You want me to get you something?"
"Nah, I think I'll be fine," Chizuru waved her off and turned to the large group, "Sorry guys, hope I didn't ruin the mood,"
"Hey, don't worry about it, Chiz!" Kirsty said with a grin, shaking her head, "It was an accident,"
"Yeah!" Devon nodded, "Forget it and get back on with what you were doing,"
Axe tore off a piece of meat from the large bone he had gripped in one hand, "Get on with it!" he called from the back of the room, voice somewhat muffled by his snack, "Hurry before Azu gets too wasted to pay attention,"
A loud belch echoed throughout the room.
"Oops, too late,"
"Don't worry, I'm not wasted, I'm just buzzed!" a loud thud was heard a few moments later, "Okay, maybe I'm a little hammered...,"
Niri rolled her eyes, "Least it's not Saint Patrick's Day again, I didn't think he'd ever stop throwing up,"
Chizuru smiled at her nakama, "May I continue, everyone?"
A collection of murmurs ripped through the group.
"Thank you,"
"Hey, Chiz, you want this?" Dusty held up her flashlight, which was shining like a lighthouse beacon, "Safer than a candle?"
"No, thank you, I'll use a candle, the flickering of a flame gives off a spookier ambiance," Chizuru bowed her head, then held up the old, thick book as the discarded candle rose from the floor, the flame lit once more, "Tonight, on this especially spooky occasion, I will be reading to you a collection of terrifying tales that will hopefully send chills down your spine and goosebumps running over your flesh,"
Herman clapped lightly, "Sounds great!"
"I know!" Niri agreed, grinning widely as she held both Pingu and Sora close to her, "Let 'em rip, Chiz!"
"Very well," Chizuru opened up the book and flipped through a few pages before stopping, "Our first story of the night is a story about two friends and their encounter with a man, who would let nothing stop him from a good fight, not even death. I call this story...The Oath of the Dead...,"
Kilnorc: A bit short, I know, but believe me, the stories you read in this fic will be considerably longer. Some stories are stuff that I make up entirely from the bizarre realm that is my mind, and other stories are inspired by folklore. Hope you enjoy, folks...mwahahahahaha...oh! Had some difficulty getting this chapter figured out, so I want to thank my girl supernanny for helping me out! Thanks babe!!