"I stand amid the roar of a surf-tormented shore, and I hold within my hand grains of the golden sand- how few! yet how they creep through my fingers to the deep, while I weep-- While I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp?O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?" -Edgar Allen Poe A dream with in a dream
The chilling wind howled from the East, bring forth a torrent of the wind to cut into his body from the ice peaks before it died down, leaving the Zoro, God of the three swords, to stand alone in the maimed and gruesome scene of the battle which he and those of his battalion had fought upon. So many of his fallen men and foes were littering his path from each direction that made his eyes nearly close to block out the severed limbs and the faces that showed the pain they were in before they died slow and horribly. To him, this was heaven on the battle field, but it now it became his hell. As his eyes travels over all the faces his paused on one that made his blood run cold and his breathing hitch in his throat before they strayed on her, wounds, gashes, and disfigured appearance out of the whole grotesque cliff face.
"Kuina..." his shocked voiced echoed off of the dead limbs and lumps of slowly decaying flesh from the field before he noticed that the images out of the corner of his eye was a blur, he was running. Hot stinging tears prickled his wide eyes before spilling down his face, slowly turning crimson from the spatter of blood. "Kuina..." his voice was desperate for the woman to speak to him to say something to make his fear of her actually being dead reality or a dream. "KUINA!" he shouted as he reached her prone from, dropping to his knees, feeling her blood seeping into his pants, chilling him as another gush of wind hit him face on. His mind was empty as the tears kept dripping down and spilling onto her face.
She was smiling, wake and showing she was near death yet that she was glade that he came to her at her 'death bed', as she clung to her almost pure white sword before her breathing came in labored gasp and pants, her hand quickly snatched his wrist weakly, making him look into her glazed half lidded gaze with the forming tears coming to the surface before she coughed out violently, "Take Wadou... Protect... God of our Island... Please, don't look down upon those who... those who have fallen... today..." her voice held a tremor to it that showed she wanted to cry. "I... I wanted to be as... as strong as you..." Kuina started to cry as her grip tightened on his wrist, his flinched slightly realizing this was the woman's dieing wish.
"My God, use my... my katana to create... create a world where..." her voice started to drift a little before she mentally shook herself that even he saw how much strength it sapped from her. "Make a world that follows... the Kami no Santouryu ... The god's three swords." He smiled, the three swords, his three swords.
"Kuina, my friend, please... save your strength." he bent down farther, carefully picking her up before walking precariously threw the hordes of dead. " I promise you, I shall create a world... One that will bear the markings of the Santouryu, the three swords of the Heaven, Mid planes, and of Hell." His gaze left her face as her smiling eyes dulled, showing her life had ended.
"Kuina, you shall always bear Wadou, when you are dead shall I take your burden, shall I take your pain, your desire, and your strength." he had reached the cliff that had been the peak of where Kuina, the first sword, his friend, had asked him 'Why is a god here at a mortal's feud?'.
Chuckling his looked over the edge of the cliff before looking at the heavens. "I, Zoro the God of the three swords that protect each dimension, each realm, ask a favor of my fathers and mothers." he shifted Kuina in his hands so that he held her lovingly in his right hand, while Wadou was firmly held in his left before raising it up to the sky. "As a God, I wish to place a curse upon my immortal soul-" his grimace had was firmly planted on his face as he felt the spirits of those he knew and those who knew of him surrounded the peak, watching. Some crying out for him to stop. Others knowing his reason. "I ask you to allow me to live again after each Death, for my life to be one of many challenges, many friends as those on this land, and... That in each time I meet Kuina, to put me on the path that is her will." he looked down at his friend, the tears renewing themselves.
"I beseech that I shall be marked. That I shall always be the 'Santouryu' of this island, and that wadou will always be at my side." he knew he was asking a lot of the higher gods, but at the moment, they owed him more then this. "Allow me to remain in this appearance, the appearance of the cursed 'Steel' people." again he felt a chuckle rise up in his chest as the souls gasped and screamed for him that it was enough.
"Please, allow me this, for the sake of saving this world." That, he felt, was what they wanted to hear from him.
"I will allow it." they all boomed together before he felt a light hitting him. "but on one condition, you must surpass the Sea, the Sky, and the Earth. In order to complete your quest, you must return to this Island of the Moss." then the light grew to the point he had to shut his eyes so not to be blinded by them. "Is that fair, Zoro?"
He nodded his head.
"Then, you know what you must do. Shout out your name and die with what you hold now. We shall grant it, only then, when you become one with your mother Sea." Zoro nodded before looking back over the battle field.
"I will make this land free, safe, and protected." he looked at the setting sun, feeling the last rays on his skin before kissing Kuina's brow. "I shall see you again, and then I shall fulfill your request My princess of Wadou." with that he took the four steps to the edge before stepping off, clinging tightly to both his possessions.
"I SANTOURYU ZORO RETURN TO MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER, LET MY WISH BECOME TRUE. GIVE MY SOUL THE NEW MORTAL FLESH THAT TO COMPLETE MY MISSION OF A GOD!" with that the cold ice water hit him, trying to breath he felt it slither down his throat, taking away his breath, drowning him.
He was, once again, in his mothers womb. A new life, a new chance. This time the promise to create a world who knew the rules and respected the santouryu.
Let it happen, let it come to pass, do not let him wander off of this wish, this... promise.
'I'll keep my promise Kuina, I never lie, so I'll keep it'
Zoro shot up from his hammock, eyes wide as they scanned the surrounding area before dropping to his hands that had a fine tremor, making it hard to tell if it was real or just a more realistic dream then before. Yet, his eyes faded in and out before he gripped his chest, gasping in confusion and horror at how much Kuina's face, words, and actions, caused him. His breathing was hindered as he tried to get the breath that the ocean had stolen from him back from his dream. Yet, it felt as if he had lost the struggle that felt so real to him, to his body and that made his soul cry out in anger and pure frustration.
As he sat there, slightly swinging from the swaying of the ship as the waves hit its side, could he feel those waves crashing into and over his body as they dragged him under, cradling him as it wept, and telling him all his woes would soon be over.
That he should not fight against it embrace and allow it to pull him under: to claim his life.
With that his mind came reeling back to him. "What the heck was that..." he chocked on his words before he took in a few deep breaths, holding it as long as his lungs would allow before he felt the tug at his vision before he released it. "This weather is getting to me." Before all the words left his mouth Sanji's head came into his view with a scowl and sweat dripping down his brow before he nearly yanked the swordsman out of the hammock and dragging his up on top.
"THIS IS NO TIME TO BE SLEEPING STUPID MARIMO!"