Author's Note: IMPORTANT NOTICE, PLEASE READ: So, apparently, I'm not done with coming up with AU fic ideas. Sorry, I know I haven't written a canon-ish OP fic in a really long time, but I seem to only be getting AU ideas, and I'm having fun with them, so I guess you'll just have to deal. :P Also, I'm having a really hard time with Possession. I just can't seem to come up with anything for it, even though I do have plans for later. I have no choice, but to put it on the backburner for now. So, yes, Possession will be on hiatus, until I can come up with some ideas for it. Okay, now that this is out of the way, here's the important part of this A/N. I've come up with another fic idea, which is kind of similar to Law and Prejudice, only it's not the same at all, lol! Anyways, there are two sides and two different kinds of people fighting in a war, and there is prejudice, so this is why it's similar. One side is referred to as the Diamontes, and the other is referred to as Anjaleses. Now, both these endings are pronounced like Hercules. So, sEEz and tEEz, ( or sees and tease :P); DiamontEEz and AnjalesEEz, and Diamontes is pronounced like diamond without the d and the a is more pronounced, and of course, the tease at the end xD. Singular Anjaleses is Anjales, and singular Diamontes is Diamon. Also, Anjales; Anjaleses is not pronounced like Angeles or Angeleses. It's pronounced with the [ä or a:], so think car or army or calm. And now you know how to pronounce them as you read. xD And yes, it's supposed to be like a reference of Angels and Demons, only not, because they're not, and apparently, I lack creativity, because this is what I came up with. Also it's kind of ancient Greek based, so their apparel will be Greek-ish. Anyways, enjoy! xD
The Light's Darkness
Chapter 1
Standing before an iron lava pit, Luffy hammered away on a long, heated strip of titanium, which burned a bright orange-ish red. He then tossed it into an iron barrel of water, the sizzling steam of the cooling metal drowning out all other sounds around him, except the pounding of his own heart within his ears. His entire body was covered in sweat, causing his bare upper body to glisten within the dim lighting of the lava river flowing beside him, which fought hard against the darkness shadowing the massive cavern. His long, wide and black loin cloth was the only thing he could wear in protection against the heat.
He removed the titanium sword he was crafting and looked it over. It would be his greatest work and bring him many victories in battle.
"Nearly done with your new sword, I see."
Luffy looked up quickly to his right hand man and grunted with a nod. "Nearly done, and already it aches to taste the blood of an Anjales."
Zoro chuckled with a lazy smirk as he approached, also wearing a black loin cloth as well as a black thin cloth, sleeveless shirt cut off above his muscled stomach and lace up black leather sandals, like his superior commander. "I am sure it does. I know mine always thirsts."
Chuckling as well and finally smiling, Luffy set down his sword carefully and stretched out his body as well as his large, black wings. "This work is harsh on my back."
"Only because you have been at it for days. Come have a drink with me and take a rest," Zoro said and motioned for him to follow him away from where the majority of the army was based, his own black wings tucked against his back.
Stopping at a bathing fountain, where other soldiers washed the sweat from their bodies, Luffy said, "Let me wash first."
"Of course," Zoro said with a nod and leaned against a pillar.
Resting a knee over the seat of the fountain, Luffy grabbed a pale and dipped it into the water. He then sat and began washing the sweat from his upper body and head. Shaking the water from his hair after he was done, he then pulled a black cloth, sleeveless shirt from his belt, similar to the one his comrade wore with it cut off just above his sculpted stomach. He then stood and made his way to Zoro. "Let us go, then. I am thirsty," he said and passed him.
Both walked down the smooth obsidian and stone pillared halls of their underground domain and high, dark cavern, lit only by lava and fire. Many were about as merchants peddled their wares and consumers who spent their gold coins. They passed over an arched obsidian bridge and in the background, a large underground waterfall poured down, dominating the surrounding sounds in volume.
Just a little ways on the other side of the bridge, they could already hear the boisterous talking and laughter coming from the banquet hall as they approached. Inside, their comrades were already feasting and drinking wines and honeyed meads. As soon as they were spotted, Luffy's comrades cheered and raised their drinks to him.
Luffy grinned as he and Zoro approached. "I need some water," he said, only pausing for a moment before continuing, "but then I need some mead!" His comrades cheered louder and laughed, clasping hands with him as he went around the table to greet them.
"Skip the water! Just give me the mead!" Zoro said, grinning with his comrades and causing them to laugh more heartily as he took a seat with them after greeting them as well.
"Mead coming right up!" Usopp said as he turned to fill a mug and slid it to him.
Zoro caught it easily and drank of it heavily. "Ah! That is what I am talking about!" he said and slammed the mug onto the table.
Luffy snickered as he drank two mugs of water before getting a mug of mead and serving himself some of the food on the table. A larger, more rotund man leaned back as he regarded Luffy and asked, "How is your new sword coming, Luffy?"
Snickering again, Luffy drank from his mug and said, "It is nearly finished. It should be ready by tomorrow! I will show it to you once it is done, Jinbei!"
"I think we would all like to see it, Luffy! You have been working on it for a long time!" Usopp said with a grin as he ate his food and drank his mead.
"I would most certainly like to see this sword," Robin said more calmly as she sipped her wine.
"Yohohoho! I am sure it will be an exceptional weapon, Commander," Brook said as he looked down along the table to his commander.
"I will show you all, I promise!" Luffy said with an even bigger grin. "I cannot wait for it to be done. I have already finished crafting the handle!"
His comrades cheered with excitement and an eagerness he shared, for soon they would be headed into battle.
x x x x
The time within the banquet hall seemed like so long ago, even if it had been just the day before. He could only just barely hear the echo of the battle cries around him, but the sounds rang hopeless.
They had lost the battle…
Luffy had to wonder, as he lay face down within the grass and dirt, how they had failed this battle so miserably. His newly crafted sword lay a few feet away from him, drenched with Anjaleses blood, but in the end, he as well as his battalion, and all other battalions with him, were brought down.
It did not help that they, the Diamontes, were greatly outnumbered by the Anjaleses, and all the lives lost that day only dwindled their numbers. At this rate, they would never be given back the right to dwell on the surface again which had been forcefully taken away from his people by the Anjaleses.
Slowly his bloodied fingers curled into a fist, ripping blades of grass from the ground as he did. Tears burned the backs of his lids in his rage and despair, and he clenched his teeth tightly, the taste of blood on his tongue sickening. How could they have lost so brutally?
Before he realized it, all had gone completely silent. All of his comrades, his kin, had fallen or fled back underground, leaving those on the surface behind. He could hear nothing, other than the sound of his pounding heart; a sound he had grown accustomed to.
However, when another sound invaded his senses, he slowly and weakly opened his eyes, but barely to slits. His vision blurred, but he saw the slow approach, of what could not possibly be mistaken for any other; an Anjales.
Her white wings were spread out, and spreading out slowly still. Her approach was slow as she gracefully stepped over the bodies of the fallen. His vision wavered, seeing more and more of her; her long, bright orange hair of thick, wavy curls all down along her back with a golden adornment laced within it, her long, off white, sleeveless, sheer chiffon gown, which fluttered within the wind all around her like a cloud, her golden breastplate, which covered over very large breasts, her golden lace up sandals covering delicate feet and the golden spear she held in one delicate hand.
His eyes then focused in on her face as she grew nearer to him, and he realized her brown eyes were gazing right back into his dark ones.
She was beautiful beyond any he had ever seen. Typical of an Anjales…
She stopped just before him, gazing back at him in a long silence. The hem of her sheer gown caressed his face, sending shivers down his spine. What did she want? Why was she not granting him a permanent end? The least she could do was to grant him an honorable death on the battlefield.
Very slowly, he slid his arm along the ground under her dress to reach for his sword, but her sandaled foot immediately stepped on his arm to stop him. "Do not be so hasty, Diamon," she said, her voice just as beautiful as she.
"At the… very least, grant me… my honorable death," Luffy rasped out weakly, sure he would bleed out eventually anyway, but he wanted to die with a weapon in his hand.
"You will not die this day, Diamon. I have need of you still," she said, stepping back and kicking away his sword. "Rest now. Everything will be all right."
As she spoke, her words faded into an echo, as did her beautiful face, and soon only blackness and silence was left to comfort him in his unconscious restlessness.
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: All right, so… I wanted to at least give an example of what Nami is wearing. Just Google, Grecian Goddess dress, and you'll see it. xD You can also just Google golden armor breastplate, and you should see something of what she's wearing too. xD I did say before that it's all ancient Greek based. So, I saw a picture of Minerva, who is a Roman Goddess, identified with Athena, and so Nami is kind of based off them. xD Google their images. xD Luffy and Zoro's apparel, however, is kind of made up. xD I'm considering drawing pictures of how Luffy and Nami are dressed… I will give you an update, if I start on that… I don't have a scanner right now though. ;_; And actually, I don't have the appropriate paper either… Sad day… OTL Anyways, stay tuned for the next chapter. xD