Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but plot and OCs are mine.
Chapter 13: Red Dragon
The tunnel was extremely eerie as dark shadows contorted into hideous, nightmarish shapes against the walls. A bright light illuminated the musty brown film that clouded the stale atmosphere that popped like firecrackers. The rocks groaned in agony. The stone split and cracked like old bones as two large hands dragged along the walls. His devil fruit powers transformed the narrow path to accommodate his gigantic figure that walked calmly down the tunnel. The stone shifted as if they were repelled by a magnetic force, only pebbles dripping from the ceiling. Then there was a monstrous crunch, like a creature snapping its maw at his heels and the path reverted back to its original state. But, the pressure was so intense that it caused a continuous cave in behind him.
"You excited, Block? I can't wait!" Owen chirped eagerly.
The tiny golem was trembling like an excited chihuahua on the large golem's monstrous shoulders. Owen's little body was surrounded by a white aura, the glow so bright that Block had to put on his goggles to see.
"I know Vana is super against it, but this is our big chance!" Owen continued, stirring restlessly. "This is almost like last time, but this time we can finally do it!
"Hmph," Block grunted.
The large golem was just as eager to reach their destination as Owen was. They took an alternative route to the volcano by using the small tunnels created by the Golems to avoid the nosy Athenian Researchers for decades. The volcanic minerals were important to every Golem's diet, but the tribe was disturbed when the researchers 'observed' them in their 'natural habitat' when it came to gathering and eating food: rocks. Though, the tunnels also came in handy for other reasons. A very specific reason: giving a few enemies and pirates the slip.
"Though, she's still right about it being risky…" Owen muttered, scratching his chin in thought. "The amount of unpredictable outcomes have a high probability of involving death in some fashion as the aftermath. It could literally blow up in our faces, just for one example."
"Hmph," Block grunted.
Owen was right, but also wrong. It was true that crossing the Kidd Pirates in battle could be extremely dangerous, but they had been waiting for this moment for far too long to let it slip by. Owen was under the impression that being hasty would result in their deaths, but Block thought differently.
"Eh?" Owen blinked, staring at the large golem. "You think he ain't that dangerous? You saw the articles about the guy, Block. He's the top Supernova for a reason, y'know?"
"Hmph," Block grunted.
"Huh," Owen crossed his arms over his chest, nodding slowly. "You're right, you're right. He was at the top in Paradise, not the New World. He did get wrecked by Big Mom's men a few days after hopping to this side of the Grand Line. I thought it was just because it's, y'know, Big Mom, but…maybe he's just a cocky little bastard because he was the big fish in little waters for so long."
"Hmph," Block nodded.
"Then we need to hurry, yeah?" Owen snickered, gently poking the side of the large golem's head. "This is the prime time to swoop in!"
"Hmph," Block grunted.
"Right." Owen nodded readily in agreement. "We need to be careful still. We can't be seen as cocky, too, or else we'll end up like the arrogant little shit himself. With our tag-team of the Kyo-Kyo Fruit and the Den-Den Fruit, we can show him what the New World is really like!"
"Hmph," Block nodded.
Block ate the Kyo-Kyo Devil Fruit many years ago. The power made his body permanently huge, which itself wasn't anything special, but to a Golem, it was a life changer. Every Golem had the power to move rocks through telekinesis, but their naturally small stature made it difficult to move large boulders. Since Block became huge, he could move mountains with his monstrous strength. It took many years to master the power to pull off such a stunt, but Owen had always been his guiding light. Quite literally. Owen's Den-Den Fruit made him into a glowing ball of light, a lightbulb that could flicker on and off at any time or place. He was so bright that everyone on the crew had to wear a pair of specially crafted goggles to protect their eyes. Owen proved to be a powerful distracted to their enemies while Block became a powerful force to be reckoned with.
"You could probably move this entire volcano if you wanted!" Owen grinned brightly.
"Hmph," Block grunted.
"I know, I know," Owen sighed. "Not a good idea. It'd be like popping a pimple. Except with lava."
"Hmph," Block nodded.
"I'll store it in the brain bank as an emergency plan though…" Owen snickered mischievously.
Block rolled his eyes and ignored the comment. Instead he carried on because they were close to the Athenian Tunnel System within the volcano. The large golem easily broke through the wall that blocked their way by merely snapping his large fingers. Then he stepped through the hole, entering the deepest pits of the volcano's roots where a large storage vault for minerals was located.
"Huh?" Owen blinked, startled by the sight.
The tiny golem hopped down from the large golem's shoulder, the bright white aura pulsing around his body disappeared and an eerie purple hue replaced it. Block pushed his goggles up on his brow and eyed the peculiar scene in concern. The small cavern housed a large violet crystal in the middle of the room. It hummed with power and hovered slightly above the ground with an ethereal purple chain wrapped around it. The shackles spread from the gem, criss-crossing and spiraling around the room like a lethal spider web. There were large circles with intricate designs carved onto the stone walls, the thin lines ominously flashing an eerie purple.
"Ew," Owen sneered at the setup, his lip curled in disgust. "Looks like voodoo shit. Super. Fucking. Creepy," though the tiny golem curiously stepped forward and reached out to poke one of the ghostly purple.
The purple gem let out a horrid screech when Owen's tiny finger disturbed the flow of energy, which made the tiny golem flinch and cover his ears. Then a stream of violet electricity sparked along the wall, causing a violent crack to appear above the tiny golem and a few pebbles trickled on his head. Block instantly held out a hand, the rocks freezing in place above Owen, but when the broken ethereal chain reformed, the crystal stopped shrieking and the wound in the ceiling mended itself.
With a wave of his large hand, the stones above Owen flew into a wall. Then Block frowned grimly, glaring at the crystal. "This isn't good."
Owen whipped around, staring at the large golem with wide eyes. "Oh shit," he gasped, a bead of sweat on his brow. "Y-You really think so?"
Block nodded firmly and readied his stance, which made Owen yelp and scurry out of the way and scrambled up the large golem's shoulder. Block clenched his fists so tight that his arms started to tremble, which made every stone of the walls shakes. The rocks splintered, large cracks tearing the stone apart, and the ethereal chains snapped. The purple crystal wailed, which made Owen cover his little ears once more. Block was unfazed by the screech as he waved his hands toward his chest, drawing in the stones floating in the air, and the rocks molded together to create four large muscular arms with clenched fists. Then with a battlecry, the large golem commanded an onslaught upon the crystal with a flurry of stone fist. The gem's smooth surface started to crack under the pressure and the wailing died down, but was replaced by an odd sound that resembled a loud metal zipper being pulled quickly. Then in the corner of the room, a portal opened and a woman hurriedly leapt out.
The thin iron chains on her black cloak jingled as she landed on the ground, and her body was tense when she witnessed the scene. The two golems didn't need to see the look behind her gold mask to know she was livid with rage.
In the blink of an eye, Owen smacked down Block's goggles over the large golem's eyes and then activated his powers, his body glowing like a strong beacon in the dead of night. The woman hissed in pain, her mask unable to protect her eyes from the bright light, which made Owen smirk triumphantly. But then the woman's hand started to glow a brilliant shade of gold, and she blindly waved it in front of her. The response was a small portal opening in front of her and a black shadow darted out and consumed the room, snuffing out Owen's light.
Owen's eyes opened wide in shock, but then fear danced across his features when the woman was suddenly before him. She hovered in the air, her sword drawn and high above her head. Then she swung the black iron, ready to lop the tiny golem's head from his shoulders, but the large golem was quicker. Block whirled around, removing Owen from line of sight as the large golem held up his other forearm to block the woman's blade. The sword's sharp edge didn't even break Block's skin, but rather the two surfaces clinked together like metal colliding with metal. The woman scoffed and she held the hilt of her blade tighter, which made the small carvings on the black iron glow a toxic shade of mutated brown and the large golem's skin started to burn.
Block growled angrily and whipped his arm out, flinging the woman away. As she flipped gracefully across the shadowy ground, the large golem examined his arm. He saw that a small patch of his skin was covered in slick brown liquid that bubbled and sizzled, melting his skin.
The cloaked woman stood tall, surrounded by small, giggling black orbs that had glowing red eyes. She held her sword in her hand tightly while her other was engulfed in a bright gold aura that caused more portals to rip the atmosphere. Then from the dark shadows came six devilish creatures that resembled ghoulish gargoyles that should be perched on a haunted cathedral.
"You chose the wrong enemy, pirate," she seethed venomously.
Owen glanced at Block, and the two exchanged eager smirks. Then Block looked back at the woman surrounded by a wall of black winged devils and cracked his knuckles. "Good," was all he said before leaping into the fray.
~…~
The mesh grate over the volcano's crater was covered in charred corpses and writhing bodies that shrieked in agony as they turned into ash. The blood dripped through the tiny holes in the grate while the ashes drifted in the wind. The goblins panicked, running around in fear as the fire scorched them mercilessly. Killer leapt around like a jumping bean, avoiding the red dragon's fiery breath that followed him like a heat-seeking missile, but all the beast did was bath its minions in flames. The beast seemed unfazed by the collateral damage it caused to its allies; it hadn't moved from its bed of diamonds, never disturbing the mage that remained silently seated on its foot. The mage sat comfortably, his arms crossed over his chest and his head tilted to the side. Killer couldn't see the mage's expression due to the golden mask, but the masked blonde figured the cocky bastard was amused by the display as if he was enjoying a film at the theater.
As the minions numbers dwindled from a thousand to merely a few dozen, Killer activated the mechanics within his gauntlets. His dual scythes whirled rapidly and he targeted the bemused mage.
The red dragon's eyes snapped open wide, its pupils dilating into thin slits. The golden pools reflected the blurry image of wild blonde hair and sharp spinning blades that aimed for his master. With lightning fast reflexes, the dragon scooped up its master, cradling the mage close to its barrel chest, and then stood up from its bed of diamonds and swung its tail around in retaliation.
Killer's blades locked in place, the mechanics jammed and halted all movement as he soared through the air toward the rapidly approaching reptilian tail. He quickly flipped through the air and stuck out his foot, his heel colliding with the dragon's scaly skin with a soft tap. His body moved with the momentum and he pushed away, creating distance between him and the aggravated red dragon as he slid across the grimy mesh grate.
The mage snorted, an alarmed, but groggy, tone in his gruff voice. "What? What? Phoenix?" He looked around wildly, his golden mask glimmering in the bright light of the flickering fires surrounding them. The mage clutched the scaly talon that held him, turning his head toward the beast. "What's happening? I was just resting my eyes for a moment."
Killer felt a bead of sweat trickle down his cheek, and it wasn't because of the heat.
The red dragon growled and flicked its large tail toward the masked blonde, the beast scowling viciously as its leathery crimson wings beat against the pillars of grey smoke. The mage finally noticed him, staring at the masked blonde for a full minute before quickly jumping down from the dragon's palm. He stood up tall, smoothing out the wrinkles of his crimson cloak. Then he crossed his arms over his chest with his head held high as he suddenly emitted a menacing aura.
Another prolonged silence followed, the mage's hidden stare observing the masked blonde closely. "Are you finished?" He finally spoke, his voice callous and dry.
"…"
Killer didn't know how to feel in that moment. The mage's behavior was extremely odd, but he did notice that the man's voice sounded very raspy due to old age. Suddenly falling asleep didn't sound too far-fetched if the mage was old, but the masked blonde felt that conclusion wasn't the full truth. Apart of him felt that the mage could easily fall asleep in the face of danger because he knew he could fall asleep in the face of danger. The minions were gone, but Killer might have underestimated the mage. Bedros did say this mage was considered a grandmaster due to his mask, which must have been a symbol of power and authority, and it was something that Gabriella didn't have.
Then Killer paused his current train of thought. Where was Bedros? He remembered that the stone devil had hidden himself from the fire, but he had yet to make another appearance. Did he die?
"Oi!"
Nope.
No, he did not die.
Bedros waltzed passed the masked blonde, looking surprisingly calm despite the fear he had shown only moments ago. The stone devil must have been lying so perfectly through his teeth that he somehow convinced himself to be brave. Killer wished Bedros could persuade himself to do that in battle, but the masked blonde figured it was best if that didn't happen. Bedros could die if he let the lies get to his head. Though, Killer allowed the stone devil to spin his tale; it would be an interesting one to see.
"He's done. He's finished. He ain't gonna go after ya anymore." Bedros held up his hands, smiling coyly. "Sorry 'bout the minions. Just a bit of miscommunication, y'know? I'm sure you're familiar can rally some more, yeah? Yeah, it is a red dragon."
"Calamity's favorite," The mage his voice instantly tense. "Did she send you here?"
"Not 'ere-'ere," Bedros clarified, waving the mage's caution aside with a flick of his wrist. "I was asked ta check on one of 'er traveling students, y'see? If you're 'ere for another reason, I dunno 'bout it n' I don't care."
The mage relaxed slightly, but only slightly. "I see. So, this must be about the mission I've heard so much about, but why are you here with outsiders, devil?"
"Ah, y'see, these guys—" and Bedros jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the masked blonde. "—are just Roland Gabriella's escorts around the Grand Line. She was havin' trouble flyin' solo, y'know?"
"Caden's Heir traveling with pirates…" The mage mumbled dully. "A bold move considering the circumstances."
"The mission is important," Bedros shrugged with a wry grin. "It is Calamity, y'know? I'm sure ya can't deny the importance either. So, we just gotta scan the island n' we'll be outta your hair in no time."
"Oh really?"
"Well, yeah? What else could we want from ya?"
"…"
Killer was unsure where the stone devil was trying to direct the conversation. Bedros didn't create any openings for an attack, but the mage also wasn't buying what the stone devil spit out. However, Bedros's composure remained calm. So, he had to be stalling for Kidd and Gabriella. Killer wouldn't deny that holding out for others would be wise. He admitted to possibly underestimating power of the mage and his dragon, so increasing their numbers would turn the tide of battle.
"So, that's the case," the mage replied calmly, yet there was a hint of danger in the air when he spoke those words. "I believe we've reached a…disagreement in this discussion."
Bedros's calm composure cracked as a bead of sweat slipped down his cheek. When Killer saw that, he readied himself for a fight.
The mage held up his arm, his hand consumed by a fiery aura that commanded the flames to go wild on the volcano's peak. The fire exploded into a wide pillar that jetted high into the sky. "You cannot trick me with your lies, devil! These diamonds are mine!" Then with a snap of his fingers, tentrals of fire erupted from the fiery pillar.
Killer dodged the lively wisps of fire and landed with grace on a boulder high above the sea of flames, but the stone devil wasn't so lucky. Bedros stumbled over his heels and watched in horror as the fire surrounded him. The stone devil's hands flickered with a rusty shade of brown before he was consumed by the blaze in an instant. Then the stone around the peak suddenly ruptured, glowing the same brown hue of the stone devil's magic. The rocks popped and fissured as the aura rapidly ground the debris into nothing but dust, then it fell and snuffed out the fire like a thick layer of muddy snow. Standing in the middle of the ashen terrain was the stone devil, a thick layer of stone encasing his body like a protective shield.
"What?!" The mage hissed venomously at the sight. "You shouldn't be able to use magic, you damned devil!" Then he quickly looked back at his dragon, howling. "Phoenix! Now!"
At his master's command, the red dragon bellowed a mighty roar that pierced the heavens and the beast spread its wings wide, its shadow engulfing the scorched battlefield. Killer quickly leapt from his perch and landed beside the stone devil. Killer turned his head toward Bedros, and the stone devil smirked in response, giving the masked blonde a quick thumbs up as his entire hand glowed the brilliant shade of his magic.
The stone devil readied himself into an offensive position, his glowing hands ushering the stone to break and crack. The large stones splintered jagged shards at his silent command, obscuring the battlefield. The red dragon beat its wings against the wind, creating a violent draft to push away the levitating stones. Then the whirl of mechanic gears hiss through the air as Killer jumped out from behind one of the flying boulders and charged the beast. The red dragon stood up on its feet, its wings stirring restlessly as liquid fire dripping from his curled lips. The beast opened its maw wide, hellfire bubbling up its throat as the masked blonde swung his spinning blades.
A splash of fresh blood stained the stones and the smell of melted iron pierced the air as the whole volcano trembled.
~…~
Chamberlain braced himself, his back flush against the wall as the tunnel violently shook. The quaking riddled under the soles of his feet and the intensity made his teeth chatter. The stones overhead groaned loudly in pain, currents of purple electricity flashing the ceiling. Distorted slits damaged the rocks, prying them apart, which caused specks of dust to fall and cover the navigator like dew in the early morning. When the tremors passed and the earth settled into silence, the navigator broke away from the wall and looked behind him to check on his companions. Matt and Razor were still behind him and unharmed, though they were now also covered in a thin layer of dust and pebbles. The volcano was extremely unstable ever since the three entered the tunnels to look for the others. The maps were supposed to help guide them through, but the effects of battle caused many cave-ins and blockades. It was proving difficult to find a straight path through, and Chamberlain could only imagine what Killer and Kidd were up to. He knew the two were capable of causing mayhem and destruction with a single white feather from a peaceful dove. However, destroying a volcano from the inside-out would be something new to add to the list of dumb and deadly achievements. He knew the two would be positively thrilled.
"Christ..." Matt grumbled, the treasurer dusting off the brim of his top hat. "What the hell are those two up to, eh? They trying to level the place to the ground?"
"Probably," Chamberlain sighed as he flicked tiny pebbles away from his shoulders.
"R-Really?" Razor blinked, concern flashing in his eyes. "Captain wouldn't do, w-would he? I mean, we're inside!"
"Oh, kiddo," Matt placed a comforting hand on the cabin boy's shoulder, patting gently. "Let's hope they don't get their hands on any dynamite or else this place will literally turn into hell."
Razor's face turned stark white and large beads of sweat covered his skin.
Matt frowned. "Will you be alright?"
"I...I'm fine!" Razor stuttered, his hands instantly clinging to strap across his chest, the leather connected to the sheath that housed his tiny blade on his back. "Just-I'm just surprised! That's all. I-I don't get to see Captain in action n' stuff…"
The cabin boy had been determined to help the cavalry party on the mission into the volcano; he practically begged to join. Chamberlain had been wary about the idea, but Thom had vouched for Razor. The cook told the navigator to give the boy a chance, so Chamberlain had agreed because it would give Razor's an opportunity to show off the skills he learned from practice. But, now the navigator could see that the cabin boy might not be mentally ready. There was a reason Razor was still a cabin boy despite being eighteen years old.
"Should we split up?" Matt then asked, looking back at Chamberlain. "We'll cover more ground that way. Judging from what we saw at the facility, Kidd and Killer are probably in two different locations."
Chamberlain could see Razor tense up at the idea. The navigator knew he couldn't coddle the boy if he wanted to be a regular combatant on the crew, but he couldn't bring himself to do something so cruel so early. "No, we shouldn't." Chamberlain shook his head. "Thing are too unstable. Plus, I'm sure Kidd and Killer will be fine if they have Roland's or Bedros's support in a fight," when the navigator said this, he saw the cabin boy let out a large relieved sigh. Chamberlain didn't comment and continued on. "I think we should try and look for some transportation instead…"
Matt's eyebrow arched, a curious gleam in his eyes. "Transportation, huh?"
"For the loot, right?" Razor eagerly asked, bright stars in his eyes. The cabin boy had recovered quickly when the treasure was mentioned. "Gabriella is real finicky when it comes to using her magic n' stuff, so she might not wanna open a portal. We need ta have somethin' to carry all the dragon loot if the mountain is unstable!"
Chamberlain smirked and reached out to ruffled the cabin boy's head. "That's right. Good job, Razor."
A tiny pink blush crossed the cabin boy's cheeks as he grinned ear to ear. Despite his lack of combat skills in battle, Razor was still sharp and extremely observant, which was a skill Chamberlain wanted the cabin boy to refine.
"Transportation, transportation, transportation…" Matt mumbled quietly, rubbing his chin for a moment. Then he snapped his fingers, his eyes glowing from the thought that popped within his mind. "We passed a few minecarts already, but maybe the Athenians have a place where they store more of 'em inside the volcano. They are researchers. They'll need a way to get minerals in and out the volcano if they wanna study them."
"A map should tell us if there's one," Razor pointed out. "I remember Scotty said something 'bout a railroad behind the facility, but there was nothing at the station."
"There is a high possibility that the railroad comes into the volcano," Chamberlain mumbled, holding his chin in thought. "But neither Scotty or myself could clearly see where the tracks went due to the smoke…"
"Only way to figure it out is to look," Matt grinned.
Chamberlain nodded. "Agreed. Let's go."
Matt and Razor both nodded in return before following after the navigator. They moved through the tunnel system, the caves shaking due to violent streams of purple currents that danced along the stone. The three were used to seeing such currents because of their captain's magnetic powers, but Chamberlain felt something was off. Kidd's power shouldn't be able to travel through stone and crack it unless the volcano had an internal metal structure, and he was sure it didn't. The navigator wasn't sure what the strange currents were, but at the moment they weren't a threat, only an annoying hindrance.
The currents were the reason the tunnels shook, which caused them to slow down on their trek to find a map, but they found one. After a quick inspection, they saw that there was a storage facility for the carts in the lower levels of the volcano. It appeared that the track did lead outside and to the station like Matt and Razor thought.
As they traveled deeper down the volcano, Chamberlain noticed that the earthquakes and purple currents were more frequent, but then they suddenly vanished. He wondered what the cause was, but he considered it a positive thing when they reached their destination.
It was a vast, hollowed out cavern with dozens tunnels that housed hundreds of tracks and old iron minecarts. Though, in the center of the room was a monstrous iron train. The locomotive was a slick black iron with the name Hephaestus printed in bold white letters on the side. Attached to the cab was a small tender filled to the brim with coal, and behind the tender was a line of three large wooden carriages. The wooden carriages had a few crates inside, which made Matt instantly go and inspect, though he was sorely disappointed to see they were filled with broken mining equipment.
Chamberlain climbed up into the cab with Razor right behind him. The two examined the interior and saw that there were thousands of muddy footprints on the metal floor, and the controls looked like they were tampered with. The navigator took a closer look at the locomotive's controls, inspecting the panel closely. It was covered in clumps of mud and also a layer of fine dust, but nothing appeared to be broken.
"Hey, Chamberlain, this looks weird."
The navigator looked away from the locomotive's control panel, his brow arched as he eyed the cabin boy. In his arms, Razor held out an ornate black box. It was covered in mud, and the decorative silver lock was busted, so a few pieces of parchment were peeking under the lid. When Razor gave Chamberlain the box, the navigator pried it open with ease, flakes of wood fluttering to the ground as a puff of sawdust wafted upward. Chamberlain waved the wood-shavings away and then inspected the contents of the box.
The papers looked like documents of some sort. The print was extremely small and slightly smudged, but there was elaborate pictures of purple circles drawn on each page. Chamberlain was able to make out some of the passages so he had a basic understanding of what it was about, which ultimately left him confused.
"It's about a summoning ritual of some sort…" the navigator murmured. "Apparently a large amount of diamonds are needed for it, but that's all I can glean off the surface without a microscope."
"Summoning ritual?" Razor pursed his lips in thought. "That sounds like something right up Gabriella's alley."
"I'm not sure what it all means, or if it even matters, but," Chamberlain put the documents back and handed the box back to the cabin boy. "We can give it to Gabriella and see what she will say."
Razor nodded, and he held the box close to his chest.
"Soooo," Matt hopped into the cab after he climbed over the tender. The treasurer was instantly covered in ash, but he discarded his dusty appearance and continued on. "Looks like we got our transportation for the loot, but…" he trailed off with a frown. "How're we gonna tell Kidd we're here? We tried to call 'im and Killer twice, remember? But we got nothing but white noise."
"They are busy fighting," Razor replied. "They prolly didn't have the time to answer."
"True," Matt nodded in agreement, though his frown only turned grimmer. "But if this place starts to crumble n' they don't know we're here. They might leave the treasure behind! We'll miss out on the loot…"
Razor's eyes opened wide. "Crap, you're right."
Chamberlain felt a tiny bead of sweat on his brow when he saw that Matt and Razor were ignoring the fact that their companions lives were more important than the loot. He was about to point that out, but then he saw it. A large current of purple flashed across the ceiling like lightning and a loud crack ripped through the atmosphere. All three pirates looked up, Matt and Razor gawking in pure shock.
The navigator just blinked; he expected no less from Kidd and Killer when it came to making an entrance.
~…~
The heavy machinery was torn from the walls, and a whirlwind of metal danced in the atmosphere. Large currents of violet streaks flashed like lightning against the metal and stone. The iron beams that supported the rock walls began to crumble and fall, making the area even more hazardous than it already was.
Kidd stood at the center of the madness, the redhead blinded by rage. His vision was consumed by a dark crimson red, and he exhaled wisps of hot steam from his nostrils like a frenzied bull. His hand was outstretched and his fingers curled like talons, and there was a deadly sneer on his red lips. It was a grin so twisted by murderous intent, and he commanded the metal to bombard his enemy.
Dio created a purple shield to protect him from the shrapnel, but there was a troubled expression etched on his pale features. The enchanter's endurance to withstand the redhead's relentless assault was waning. The transparent purple barrier began to crack under the pressure, and then it shattered into pieces like glass. The enchanter's eyes went wide and he turned into a ball of pure energy, the violet wisp zipping backward to dodge the metal that impaled the ground.
Kidd's warped smirk fell to a dark frown at the sight, and a low growl rumbled from the pits of this throat. The redhead scanned the scene, his amber eyes darting around to find the purple wisp among the smoke. Then a bright neon purple light blinded the redhead as a large beam broke through the fumes. Kidd leapt out of the way to dodge the beam, but long wisps of sharp light sliced through the skin of his arm and the fabric of his pants. His blood splattered on the ground, and he hissed in pain; his flesh was burning. The redhead was crouched on the ground, and over his shoulder was a massive hole in the side of the volcano, allowing a beam of sunlight to grace the battlefield.
The ball of purple energy appeared before the redhead once more, the shimmering light grew in size before dispelling from the enchanter's muscular figure. Dio's violet cloak was covered in dust, and ash and thin rips decorated the fabric of his clothing.
Dio loomed over the battered redhead, scowling darkly. "You're a real pain in the ass."
Kidd responded with a feral snarl, his lips curled to bare his fangs like a savage beast. Then purple currents of his magnetic powers sparked against his skin, and the metal around him reacted violently to the field that pulsed across the area.
"Tch," Dio scoffed. "If you look like that, there's no doubt she'll leave you."
A dark shadow crossed Kidd's eyes and his breath slowed when he glanced to the side, eyeing Gabriella hidden behind a boulder out of range. The summoner mage covered her head and tucked her knees close to her chest, shielding her little familiar from harm. She curled into a tighter ball to avoid a large beam of steel that flew over her head and nicked the top of the rock. The stone exploded, and Gabriella flinched when debris rained down upon her as a tornado of metal spiraled around the battlefield. Then the metal froze in place, and Kidd's slow breath became shallow.
Dio smirked icily in response, his hands engulfed in a purple aura and the magic expanded into a long ethereal sword. "She would be better off with her people, not you," and then swung his ghostly blade.
Kidd's eyes opened wide and he tried to move, but his body felt numb. The redhead felt weak, and the rage from his thought did not fuel his adrenaline to give him the strength to dodge. Instead, it was a roar of fire that came to his aid. Kidd saw a flicker of shock on Dio's face before the enchanter retreated into a purple wisp once more. Then the fire dispersed to reveal Gabriella standing in front of Kidd with her blade's runes glowing a radiant orange hue. The summoner mage scowled at the enchanter, her golden glare extremely intimidating despite the little winged goblin laying on her head.
Dio blinked back into existence as purple petals flaked away from his skin, and his expression still held a startled look. "W-What are you doing?!"
Gabriella held the hilt of her blade firmly in both hands, the sharp tip aimed at the enchanter. "It's not weird for a pirate to protect her captain," she answered wryly, smirking dully.
Dio's blue eyes opened wider. "He's an outsider!" The enchanter protested, shouting angrily at the summoner mage. "You should be relying on your people, not some pirate that probably kidnapped you and forced you to join his crew!"
Kidd flinched when he realized that was a very true statement and he didn't want to hear the summoner mage's response.
However, the grin never faded from Gabriella's lips. "Doesn't matter how I got here, I'm fine with it. My fair Captain has a rough side, but he's surprisingly more honest than you. Classified?" Then the summoner mage held up a finger and waved it side to side. "No thanks, sweetie. I ain't about to jump ship to join some shady operation when I have an honest mission to complete."
Kidd blinked, bewildered by the response, but it felt like a heavy weight was lifted from his shoulders. Then a victorious smirk graced his red lips when he saw the enchanter tremble with rage, but Dio's fury made him lash out. A ball of energy swirled between the enchanter's hands, and with a battlecry, a purple beam zoomed toward Gabriella. The summoner mage glowered, clenching her fist that suddenly burned a fiery gold, and she swiped her hand in front of her. Her magic reacted, the golden energy forming a devilish claw that slashed through the purple beam, scattering the light into pieces.
Then there was a moment of silence as Gabriella blinked, staring at her hand in confusion while Dio stared at her in shock, his face draining of all color.
"S-Shit…" Dio cursed, slowly inching away. "What…What happened to my hexes…?"
By an act of the gods to answer the enchanter's questions, the sound of a portal opening echoed high above them, and a woman plummeted to the ground with a yelp, followed by the mangled bodies of five devilish creatures. Dio pale face turned a sickly shade of white when he saw crushed corpses and he dashed toward the quivering woman, helping her to her feet.
Then a monstrous red giant jumped through the vortex, and the little red man adorned in feathers bellowed manically: "Weeeeeee broke iiiiit, Block! AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Hmph," the red giant grunted roughly.
"Shit…" Dio cursed again as he clutched the woman close to his chest, and he scowled at the giant and his tiny companion.
Kidd blinked, baffled by the sudden turn of events and he slowly rose to his feet as the numbness in his limbs disappeared. He was unsure of what happened, but he had yet to figure out if it was good or bad. Though, the redhead did notice the summoner mage gasp in shock when she saw the woman wearing a strikingly similar robe to the one that Gabriella had.
"H—Hebe!" Gabriella shouted, her golden eyes wide. "You're apart of this shady shit?!"
The mage known as Hebe didn't respond; she merely groaned. Even though she wore a golden mask, it was obvious she was extremely dazed. The state of the woman made the tiny red man snicker mischievously as he kicked his heels against the broad shoulder he sat upon and swayed side to side, making the long feathers of his headdress dance.
"Even when we were outnumbered, she couldn't handle us." The tiny red man smirked, his devilish glee pinned directly on the redhead. "We're pretty powerful people in the New World, y'know?"
"Hmph," the red giant nodded.
Kidd scowled when he heard the comment and what it could imply. Then he instinctively stood in front of the summoner mage, shielding her. Gabriella held her ground, her hands glowing gold has she held her blade tightly. The redhead was wary because he was confused as hell. The only thing he was sure about was that anything could happen at that point in time, which was extremely accurate. There was a loud crash that scorched through the atmosphere overhead as stone, metal and fire hailed from the sky. A large scaly body plunged passed the battlefield, and Kidd stared in shock when he noticed it was the red dragon's bloody body soaring toward the lava below. Then from the debris came two smaller bodies in comparison to the dragon, and Killer and Bedros landed gracefully beside Kidd and Gabriella.
"Yo," was all Killer said.
Bedros smirked, winking and clicking his tongue as he fired off two finger guns toward the two gingers.
Dio was sweating bullets when he saw the motionless dragon drop. "That was Vulcan's—!" then he suddenly cut himself off, scowling at the pirates that surrounded them.
The enchanter's feet started to glow purple and dozens of tiny rivers of light sliced through the stone, carving a large ornate circle on the ground. Then Dio stomped the ground and a dome of light popped up, blinding everyone in range. When the dome vanished, the pirates found themselves hovering over a dark void before gravity dragged them into darkness and they crashed onto a metal surface, which caused a chorus of groans.
"C-Captain!?"
"Whoa! It's Kidd!"
"Of course it is. You should always expect a grand entrance when it comes to these two."
Chamberlain, Matt and Razor stood on top of the pile of coal in the tender attached to the locomotive, staring down at the group that fell from the ceiling. The red giant had landed flat on his back and his tiny companion was sprawled out on his chest. Kidd peeled his chest from the metal surface and rubbed the dark bruise that instantly bloomed on his stomach. The action made Gabriella roll off his back, and she moaned loudly as she clutched Musket to her stomach. Bedros was collapsed on his side, and his hat had rolled off his head to reveal his two horns. The only one that landed on the floor with cat-like grace was Killer, which made the masked blonde roar:
"Bedros! Do something!"
Boulders were tumbling from the darkness above them, but then they suddenly froze when Killer order the command. Though, it was not the stone devil that stopped the onslaught for he was out cold. It was the red giant that had stopped the stones by holding up a single finger. Then he quickly swiped the appendage to the side, and the cluster of rocks flew to the side, ramming into the wall.
"You're welcome," the tiny red man grinned childishly as he sat comfortably upon the red giant's chest. "We Golems are naturals when it comes to rocks, hehe."
Killer was silent for a moment, but then an ethereal exclamation point appeared above his head as he realized who they were. "Your Stonemason Block, Captain of the Rust Company Pirates."
When he heard the name, Kidd popped up, his eyes opened wide and he jabbed a finger toward the two golems. "You're Block?! Then that must mean you're Owen! Pops told us about you two!"
"Ha!" Owen barked in laughter, grinning ear to ear. "Awesome!"
"Wait," The conversation was suddenly put on hold as Matt instantly cut in. The treasurer held up a hand with a blank expression on his features. "Where's the loot?"
Block held up a finger again, and he simply curled it. In response, a mountain of diamonds filled the other two wooden carriages behind them.
"Alright, I'm good."
Kidd nodded, pleased at the sight. Then he blinked and snapped a scowl at the two golems. "Those are mine," and he jerked a thumb toward his chest.
Owen merely shrugged. "I wasn't gonna fight you for some diamonds. I had something more important to talk about."
Kidd arched a brow, eyeing the tiny golem curiously.
"I have a proposal for ya." Owen grinned mischievously when he saw the redhead's expression. "Let's team up and form an alliance."
~…~
"Vulcan," Dio approached the pyromancer, placing a hand on his companion's shoulder. "Will everything be okay?"
Vulcan was crouched on the tiled floor, his hand resting on the scaly head of the listless dragon. There was a grim frown on his wrinkled lips as his other hand held the golden mask in his lap. The pyromancer remained silent as he flicked a silver shiv from the sleeve of his crimson cloak, and there was a moment of hesitation before he held the blade high over his head and then plunged it into the dragon's stomach. The beast's body burst into wild red flames, which made Dio take a cautious step back. Vulcan embraced the fire, the wisps of heat lapping against his red robe. Then with a snap of his red glowing fingers, the fire turned to ash at Vulcan's command. A pile of pitch, black cinders dirtied the title floor, the stench of burnt flesh seeping into the air.
Then there was a tiny cry.
Vulcan reached down to retrieve the tiny dragon, cradling the youngling in his arms before carefully tucking his familiar in the folds of his robes.
Then Vulcan looked at Dio, a grim smile on his wrinkled lips. "I believe so, or else I wouldn't be here. That aside," and the pyromancer put his mask back on as he stood up. "How is Hebe?"
"Resting," Dio replied shortly, a sad look in his blue eyes. "Those Golems did a number on her… She always complains about me being cocky when she's the cockiest one of us all."
"I see," Vulcan sighed, and then turned on his heel to leave the room. "We shouldn't wait any longer."
Dio said nothing and just nodded, following the Vulcan out of the room.
The two mages walked along the sunbathed marble hallway, their long shadows dancing between the tiled floor and the thick round pillars. Then they approached a large wooden door that was painted a pale teal hue that opened slowly on it's own. As they entered the dark room, wisps of purple light disappeared from the door's ornate gold latches and floated across the room to a tiny pool of crystal clear water. The orbs spiraled around a figure that hovered about the tiny pool, the man cloaked in a thick purple cloak meditating calmly. There was a moment of silence before the man in violet spoke.
"What happened?" He inquired smoothly, but his tone was thick with an Arabian accent. "Didn't I tell you to go and mine for diamonds? They are needed for the ritual."
Vulcan stood tall, his hands behind his back. "There were some complications. Caden's Heir got in the way."
The man hummed in deep thought, his mediation broke when he rubbed his chin. "It would seem Calamity is making her move against him." He pondered aloud.
"What are we going to do, Master?" Dio asked, a worried look in his eyes.
The man hummed again, waving his hand slowly in a circle and a flurry of tiny purple orbs fluttered around him like little pixies. "…Even though Calamity didn't mean to get involved with my plans, she did. Now, she will pay."
I know I said three chapter would be out, but still refining Chapter 14 for His Heir. I'm currently on vacation, but I should have a bit of time to work on writing it out. So, that third installment is coming! Please be patient!