Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but Kyra was my idea.

Eighteen Months Later

"Luffy! Dammit, come on already! Don't you wanna meet up with your crew?"

"I gotta get my hat! Five minutes, Ace, I promise!"

Fire Fist Ace heaves a defeated sigh as his little brother disappears into the surrounding forest. He forces a smile to his lips as he turns to the Pirate Empress standing next to him. "Sorry for the delay, ma'am. I'm sure he'll hurry back; Luffy's real anxious to rejoin his friends."

Boa Hancock makes no attempt to reply, occupied as she is with staring off in the direction Luffy has disappeared with lovesick eyes and a disgustingly girly expression on her beautiful face. Ace edges away from her slightly, uncomfortable at this renewed reminder of the Shichibukai's obsessive regard for his oblivious little brother. Luffy hasn't so much as hinted at a reciprocation of the woman's affection, but this has done nothing to deter her. Ace wisely decides to keep his own counsel on the matter. If the crazy snake lady wants to pine over his little bro - and is willing to do anything to keep him safe and happy - then more power to her. Luffy could do a lot worse than having such a powerful figure decide she's head over heels for him. Better Luffy than Ace: this chick is freakin' scary.

Five minutes come and go with no sign of the rubber numbskull. Ace is starting to get fidgety. He is more than ready to get the hell off this island for good. Not that he doesn't appreciate the fact that Hancock has allowed them to stay here for the past two years, but after his time as a pirate - both with the Spade Pirates and with Whitebeard - staying in one place for such an extended period of time is just about to drive him completely crazy. The only reason his sanity hasn't completely cracked is due to his frequent visits with what's left of his Whitebeard family. They have provided an escape from this place, which reminds him too much of Mount Colubo. He's tired of the constant flashbacks to childhood. He doesn't want to continually glance to his right, expecting to see Sabo sitting next to him with that big happy grin, only to be jolted back to reality.

Besides, if the women of Amazon Lily are here, all the more reason to get the hell out of town. These ladies are completely insane, as proven when a group of them had tried to stretch him out a few days after his resurrection. That would have been a hell of a way to go: torn apart by scantily-clad females. Sabo would have given him shit about that for the rest of the afterlife.

Ace sighs again, rubbing his eyes. Luffy's taking forever. Hopefully the little idiot didn't get lost. He slides a glance over at the Empress, cringing slightly at her expression. If that is what being in love makes you look like, Ace is going to be single for the rest of his life. He gets enough grief about looking like a flippin' moron thanks to his damn narcolepsy; nobody's cool with food splattered all over their face. He quickly turns his gaze back in the direction from which he's hoping to see his brother - and promptly jumps back with a most unmanly yelp, landing right on his ass in his surprise.

The woman who has magically appeared in front of him lifts a single eyebrow, her arms crossed over her chest and the corners of her lips twitching as though trying to decide whether to smirk or not. "Nice dismount, Fire Fist. This is the man who makes the entire World Government shit a collective brick?"

Holy hell, it's that chick who brought him back to life! Ace scrambles to his feet, mouth working like a fish out of water as he tries to think of something to say. Damn, what's her name again? Hancock is suddenly very close to the girl, face twisted into an unattractive mask of fury.

"OUTSIDER! HOW DARE YOU INVADE MY KINGDOM!"

The miracle worker gives the buxom beauty a look that clearly questions her sanity. "I needed to ask Fire Fist some questions, and I didn't know he was still here. I just concentrated on finding him. I'll be out of here shortly, lady, so why don't you just chill out before you give yourself an aneurysm?"

Ace watches Hancock's spine stiffen, hears the rustling that is probably her warrior women preparing to attack his savior of two years previous. She doesn't look the least bit worried, nonchalantly sidestepping the Shichibukai and strolling up to him like she doesn't have a care in the world. One dainty-looking hand reaches out and pokes Ace lightly in the chest, right over the area that had been punctured by a fist of magma the last time they met.

"You seem to be doing all right. Get back in touch with the rest of the Whitebeard leftovers, or have you been too busy hanging around here babysitting Straw Hat?"

"Uhh... y-yeah," Ace stutters out brilliantly before giving himself a sharp shake. That is not the way to speak to a lady, and it's damn sure not how he's going to address the woman who gave him a second chance at life. He scrambles upright and gives her a deep bow. "I mean, yes, ma'am. I met up with the guys about two months after you saved me. Might I inquire as to why you're asking?"

"You don't have to bow, Fire Fist, I'm not some kind of princess. And drop the ma'am crap. I'm Kyra; don't remember if anybody bothered to tell you my name after I resurrected you. I was too busy burning, mind."

Ace immediately straightens up, heat flooding his face as he recalls the damage he inflicted on this woman right after she gave him his life back. Shit, he'd forgotten all about that, and he'd never even asked for her forgiveness before she left with her crew. He opens his mouth to offer an extremely belated apology and is immediately cut off.

"I want to know if your Whitebeard pals have made any headway in finding that fat-ass, Blackbeard."

The son of the last Pirate King feels something cold and unpleasant slide down his spine at her tone. Like... like he's confronting a predator who has been denied her prey for too long. Her expression has not changed, but something has. The hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and Ace can feel the flames under his skin quivering in anticipation of battle. His stomach is abruptly twisting itself into knots, and he tenses at the threat in the air. Kyra's eyes narrow slightly at the involuntary movement.

"Don't do something stupid, Fire Fist," she murmurs, cocking her head to the side and giving him a look like she's sizing him up. "I'm not here to fight you. If I was you'd be dead already. I just want to know if you've got any new information on Tubbo."

Ace tamps down on the urge to defend himself, well aware from all the stories he's been told about Marineford that she is not bullshitting him. Luffy has related how she easily slaughtered the Marines that got in her way. All of his brothers from the Whitebeard crew remember seeing her deadly powers in action; Marco has told Ace about her attack against Blackbeard after the bastard and his crew killed Pops, and how she was only stopped from wiping him off the face of the planet by the interference of Red-Haired Shanks. Everyone he's spoken to about this woman, minus Luffy, is equal parts awed and about halfway terrified of her.

Fire Fist Ace has only to take a good hard look at her to understand why.

Before he can say anything in reply to her demand for information, Luffy comes barreling back through the dense jungle, beloved straw hat jammed firmly on his head.

"Okay! I got my hat, so let's go! Everyone's gonna be waiting for us! Ace, wait til you see the Sunny, and you still have to meet Robin and Franky and Brook! Everybody's gonna be so happy to see you, and Sanji'll make us a feast! Let's go!"

All this is said in an excited tone while Luffy bounces over to the pyrotechnic pirate, thrilled at the prospects of seeing all his friends again and obviously blind to their guest. Ace quickly grabs his brother in a headlock, knocking the precious hat to the ground and digging his knuckles into Luffy's rubber scalp.

"Hey moron, say hi to our visitor! Don't be so rude!"

"MY HAT!"

Said accessory rolls to a stop at Kyra's feet. The former division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates tightens his hold on the captain of the Straw Hats as the deadly female bends over and picks up Luffy's most prized possession. Predictably, his brother immediately freaks, twisting and turning as he tries to break free.

"HEY! DON'T TOUCH MY HAT, LADY!"

"Luffy, just calm down! Kyra's not the enemy, don't you remember her? I owe her my life, dumbass! Quit - struggling - gah! Idiot, don't bite me!"

Further tussling proves unnecessary when Kyra marches over and places the hat back on Luffy's head without a word. Luffy freezes in Ace's grip, a blank look on his face as he studies the woman. After a moment his eyes light up in recognition.

"KYRA? WOW, ACE LOOK IT'S KYRA!"

Yanking himself free, Luffy darts forward and wraps himself around the sorceress like a pretzel. Ace winces at the look on Kyra's face before a dark haze pushes itself out of her body, shoving Luffy away and forming a small bubble around the scowling woman. Eyes widening, he darts another glance over at the Snake Princess - as obsessed as she is with Luffy and all things pertaining to his happiness and wellbeing, that last bit seems like the kind of thing that would piss Hancock off. Amazingly, the gorgeous ruler of the Amazons is still standing in the exact same place as minutes before; she hasn't moved or said a word since yelling at Kyra. Whipping his head around, Ace is shocked to see that the warrior women who accompanied their lady are likewise stock-still, looking like flesh-toned statues.

Kyra answers his unspoken question. "They're not hurt. I'll let them go right before I leave. I just didn't want to deal with that woman's voice; it's annoying."

Ace's gaze goes back to Kyra, who is watching him closely through that protective cloud around her. Her eyes give him pause, bringing his flames roaring to his skin on instinct alone. Those orbs are pure black, staring out from a pretty face like a monster from under a bed. He is crouched defensively between this menace and Luffy before he registers his own movement, every cell in his body screaming at him to protect his brother from the threat. The dark mage regards his protective action without concern.

"Are you going to tell me what I want to know, Fire Fist? Because I'm kind of pressed for time here. Law only gave me ten minutes leave away."

"Hey Ace! What's the matter? Why're you flaming?" Luffy moves to stand at his side, a puzzled look on that dearly loved face. "Kyra's not gonna hurt us. She's our friend!"

Luffy is right. There is no danger here. Calm down, fire. Go back to sleep. Ace takes a deep breath, the flames on his skin dying as he exhales. Kyra watches impassively from inside her protection. She cocks her head to the side again as her eyes fade to blue, and Ace is relieved to see nothing dire in her gaze. He pulls himself out of his crouch and smiles sheepishly.

"What exactly did you want to know?"

Trafalgar Law smirks wickedly, holding his hand out palm-down in front of him. "Room."

The scent of blood is already heavy in the air. All around him his men are fighting, cutting down the Marines with well-disciplined ease. Bepo flies by, kicking a half dozen men over the railing and into the sea. The adrenaline of battle pumps fast through his system, and the Surgeon of Death rides the high as he chops a crowd of soldiers into pieces before scrambling them with a flick of the wrist. Their screams wash over him like the finest music.

The field of his Devil Fruit dissolves as he turns away, his eyes going immediately to the crowd of Marines clustered around the figure of his magician. One man foolishly rushes forward, sword raised over his head as he bellows a battle cry. He is torn to bits before he has taken five steps.

Law grins in amusement, casually sidestepping a punch thrown at his head and swiping the blade of his sword at the attacker. He does so enjoy watching Kyra fight. His men know better than to worry about trying to help her, as she needs none. On days where the prospect of slaughtering some weakling crew or other holds no appeal to the Heart Pirate captain, he will simply sit back and allow his magician to rid them of the annoyances. Law has observed her single-handedly butchering ships full of ruthless men with little more than a wave of her arm. Today Kyra has apparently opted for a more hands-on approach - judging by the way she has just sunk her fist into the chest of a Marine and ripped his heart out.

The Dark Doctor lazily dispatches a man who has failed to shoot him, musing for the umpteenth time on the irony of his magician's calling card. She started removing her opponents' hearts and disposing of the organs not long after they began a physical relationship. The first time Law watched her tear through an enemy crew, ripping chests open and squeezing hearts in her fists until they were nothing but blood pulp, it had taken every ounce of his considerable self control not to lay hands on her inappropriately in front of the men. Watching Kyra destroy those hearts had aroused him to a painful degree, and that effect has not weakened with time. Even now Law feels the beginnings of desire stir low in his belly, and he can't help but chuckle as he cuts a Marine in half with a swing of his sword, savoring the metallic tang of the man's blood as it splashes over his face. Funny the effect the Demon Witch has on him.

The fight is long and satisfying, all of the Heart Pirates bloody and tired but exhilarated by the end. The enemy is dead but for those the doctor scrambled; they lie in misshapen heaps and cry for help that will never come. Law orders scouts to explore the Marine ship with a gesture, barking instructions for the injured to report to him in the infirmary. The men are laughing, moving to his commands without thought and ribbing each other as they bask in their success. A great fight, a victory, and not one man killed from the Heart Pirates crew. Neil is shoved towards the sub by his buddies, demands that he get to cooking ringing through the air. The chef bitches and grumbles but disappears in search of the galley all the same. Law watches all of this with a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. He looks to the west, turning his face to let the rays of the setting sun wash over his skin.

What a perfect way to end the day.

Warm fingers brush at the blood on his face, bringing his attention to the woman standing delightfully close. She is coated in gore, the sleeveless top and baggy trousers she wears stained dark with the evidence of the battle. Blue eyes scan him carefully, searching for injuries that are not there. Were any to be found, soothing white energy would be introduced to his body, healing and correcting the imperfection until no trace remained. Law removes Kyra's hand from his face and weaves his fingers into her curly hair as he feathers his lips against her throat, teasing with contact against a tattoo of his Jolly Roger located on the side of her neck. He grins in pleasure as she shivers against him before quickly extracting herself. The grumpy expression on her face pulls a chuckle from within his chest. Hooking an arm around her waist, Law propels her along in the direction of the sub.

"You are in desperate need of a shower, my magician," he purrs. "What will poor Aaron say when he sees you in such a condition?"

"Oh, shut up. You're going to be an ass about that forever, aren't you? For the hundred-thousandth time, Law: I didn't know the kid was in the galley after that fight! It's not like I was trying to make him faint! That's more like something you would pull. Why do you think I've been just teleporting to the shower after every one of these little shindigs?" She elbows him sharply in the side; Law retaliates by swooping down and nipping hard at that spot on her neck. She yelps in a most satisfying manner and he pulls away with a grin, tugging her to a stop just outside the galley when he hears the sound of a child's voice.

"Best use that teleportation now, Kyra."

And then he kisses her, the residual adrenaline fueling him on as he claims her mouth despite her startled attempt to retreat. It's instinct more than anything, as is proven when she offers no fight against Law's plundering tongue. Kyra has long since stopped trying to resist his advances; it is normal for her little hand to slip just under the hem on his hoodie to skim her fingers against his abs. Law growls his approval, feeling the last of his post-fight rush dwindle away.

"Take me to the infirmary," he murmurs against those too-addictive lips. "And then go get cleaned up."

She does not protest, and in short order the doctor is bandaging cuts and sewing up gashes in the sterile air of his medical ward. Few of his men were injured, and it takes no time at all before Law is moseying into his chamber as Kyra exits the bathroom, dressed in clean clothes and roughly toweling her hair into a manageable dampness. They do not speak as they pass one another, merely exchange a look which says all that needs addressing. Kyra will go to the galley to needle the cook who hates her while her captain cleanses himself of the of his latest victims' blood.

The pirate stands in his shower with head tilted back, enjoying the feel of the hot water trickling down his face. He thinks about Kyra's latest little side trip, going back to Amazon Lily a week ago in search of Fire Fist Ace. She had told Law upon returning that the Straw Hat Pirates were about to make their long-anticipated appearance in the New World. She had related to him the information Fire Fist provided on the notorious Blackbeard. Apparently the Yami-Yami no Mi user has risen to the ranks of the Yonkou, taking the place of Whitebeard in the balance of power. Law smiles grimly at the memory of Kyra's poorly suppressed fury as she told him this. If they ever do meet up with Blackbeard, the Dark Doctor has little doubt that his magician will go to the ends of her endurance to assure that the other man dies a most gruesome death. She has hinted to him numerous times in the past two years that she would quite appreciate his help in catching up to Teach, dropping promises left and right in futile attempts to convince Law to actively search for the man. For whatever reason, Kyra is hell-bent on being the one to kill Blackbeard, and her failure to wheedle Law's help from him has led to some truly spectacular brooding sessions that always amuse the surgeon to no end.

Too bad for her. If the Heart Pirates happen to cross paths with Blackbeard, Kyra can torture the man to her heart's content. Law sees no reason to go out of his way to find her quarry.

When the Surgeon of Death ambles into his galley a short time later, he smiles to see that his magician is sitting at the table with Sachi and Penguin on her left. All three of them have drinks in hand, and Kyra is keeping a close eye on the boy sitting down and across from her snuggling in Bepo's lap. Aaron is listening with rapt attention as the pirates regale him with embellished tales of their adventures since sailing out of North Blue, drinking in every word with wide-eyed innocence. Neil is running around the other side of the room, fiddling with bubbling pots on the stove and checking whatever treat he has in the oven tonight. Law takes his seat at the head of the table, propping his feet up and observing his crew with lazy eyes.

"Hey, Captain, Gable mentioned that we're about ten days from the next island," Sachi informs him cheerily, peering around Kyra to look at him. Law nods in acknowledgement at this news, filing it away as Kyra levitates a full mug of what looks to be beer into his hands. The crew no longer takes any notice of random objects floating through the air, and the various conversations around the table don't so much as blip.

Law catches Penguin's eye. "Take an inventory. We'll see what we can do about supplies once we dock."

"The guys put the loot from the Marines in the hold, Captain," his follower grunts over the rim of his grog. "Pretty good haul. Must've beat some luckless bastards not too long ago. Got some gold, shitload of belli, and some really old looking books in a language I ain't ever seen before."

"I'll take a look tomorrow."

Kyra says nothing, having apparently decided that her liquor is more fascinating than a conversation with her captain. Law grins, skimming a bare foot up her calve to get her attention. She huffs as though annoyed, blue eyes rising to face him. "What?"

"Have you seen the latest newspaper, or are the men still passing it around?"

Before Kyra can answer, the desired article is passed down the opposite side of the table until it reaches Law's hands. He gives it to his magician, watching her face as she scans the front page.

A brief look of something cold and furious flashes over her expression before she smooths her features to indifference, staring coolly at the picture of the newly-minted Rear Admiral.

Rafe Merrick.

The men have gone quiet, everyone having already read the article and leery of what her reaction might be. Law watches silently as Kyramouths the kind of words she'd mutilate the men for uttering around the boy. The poor newspaper is soon crumbled into a ball and thrown across the galley, smacking Neil in the back of the head as the Heart Pirate mage hunkers down in her chair with an ugly frown.

The men share a look before going back to previous conversations, the group around Aaron being twice as loud and rowdy in an effort to distract the kid while Kyra cools off. Everyone knows by now not to attempt speaking with the woman when she's in a mood. Used to be she would storm out to the deck, away from everyone else and out in the open so that she could let her magic run wild as she calmed herself. Now Kyra is more prone to staying close to the captain for reasons the crew isn't stupid enough to examine.

Law analyzes what he can of his magician's slumped figure, taking in the way her hands are fisted in her own hair so tightly the knuckles have gone white. Her leg is vibrating under his foot, twitching occasionally as if breaking out of the forced stillness the girl is attempting to impose on her body. He shoots a glance at Neil, wordlessly encouraging his cook to hurry with the food. A distraction of some kind is necessary, and since Kyra still tends to get snippy if Law hauls her into his lap in front of the crew she will have to make do with dinner.

The meal is more chaotic than usual, the crew going to lengths to act as though nothing is wrong. Kyra picks at her food without a word, refusing to look at Law and keeping her expression carefully composed. As soon as her plate has been cleaned of anything edible she is out of her chair and on the way to the hatch. The surgeon gives her a few minutes before casually rising and following after.

They have spoken of Merrick at length. Law had resorted to locking the two of them in his chamber and refusing to let his magician leave until she talked to him. The man had been intruding on their shared dreams, a transparent spector tormenting Kyra with words and deeds as the Dark Doctor futilely tried to cut him to pieces. Law had not been happy to have anyone else in those dreams, and had compelled Kyra to talk about him in the hopes that she would stop dwelling so much on the man. She had eventually caved, telling Law everything she knows about Rafe Merrick and going into gory details about the things he did to her in the past. The recitation went on for all of one night, a haunted look in her sea-blue eyes which infuriated the pirate captain.

He'd had quite a bit of fun chasing that look away.

Merrick has not returned to the dreams, and Law has not brought him up in conversation. Until today. That newspaper is a week old, having been delivered via News Gull while Kyra was off interrogating Fire Fist Ace. The men have been hiding it from her on purpose, knowing enough about her past to know that anything regarding Rafe Merrick will upset her to extreme proportions.

He comes to a stop in the open hatch, leaning against the doorway and regarding his magician through half-lidded eyes. She is sitting cross-legged on the deck, hands fisting in the material covering her knees and her back shaking in what is either suppressed sobs or restrained anger. Black energy uncoils out of her skin, moving up and around in a kind of miniature hurricane with Kyra as the eye. Law cannot see her face. He moves forward and circles in front of her, crouching down to her level.

"They promoted him," she says, and her voice is dead of all inflection. The tremors are therefore from rage, a much more satisfying reaction in Law's opinion. Tears are for the weak.

"So it would seem," he replies, ignoring the ever-growing cyclone of power that has expanded to include him. Kyra's magic is, after all, completely harmless where he is concerned.

She looks up, and the blackness of her eyes causes a stirring in the Supernova's gut. She is glorious in her fury, beautiful in her hatred as few women can pull off. She is animalistic, elemental, and Law wants to touch her.

In short order Kyra is nestled in the captain's lap, back against his chest with his nose in her hair. She is tense against him, attempting to bring her rage under control as Law savors the scent of her. The smell of steel is always stronger when his magician is in a fury. He caresses her sides through the tank top she wears, climbing up and down the ladder of her ribs and waiting patiently for the moment when she relaxes into him with a sigh, moving to lean her head back against his shoulder as the whirlwind around them slowly dissipates.

"Rear Admiral's pretty far up the chain of command, right?" Her voice has gone back to normal, and she sounds drained. Law murmurs an affirmative against the skin of her throat, nuzzling the ever-present bite mark under her tattoo.

"He's going to start being a problem again. He'll use the new position to try harder to find me, and it's common knowledge I'm part of your crew. We're going to get busy soon."

Law is less than concerned. "We're pirates, Kyra. We can handle ourselves, and you know Bepo would never let anything happen to the boy."

That's an understatement if ever he's uttered one. The cute and cuddly first mate has grown very attached to young Aaron, acting as his nanny and pillow for so long. The boy has actually become almost like the crew's mascot, often helping Neil with his cooking or keeping Gable company in the control room. No one on this ship will allow harm to come to the kid.

"I don't like the idea of the crew being in danger because of me," Kyra mutters.

Law chuckles, nipping lightly at the skin under his mouth. "You have no problem running after a Yonkou and dragging us with you, but a lowly Rear Admiral is too dangerous for us? The men will be insulted."

Kyra tries to elbow him, failing because of his arms around her. "It's not funny, you bastard! And I wouldn't be dragging any of you anywhere if you'd be less of a jackass and give me permission to go find and kill Blackbeard on my own, but noo-oo. That would be nice, and Trafalgar Law doesn't do nice shit."

"I'm pleased that we agree," he replies, using a patronizing tone that he knows will annoy her. "And it changes nothing. You will not leave my ship without my permission. You are not going to pull some heroic bullshit by abandoning the crew so as to protect us from Merrick. You are not going to go looking for Teach on your own. Is that clear?"

There is a long pause before Kyra huffs in defeat. "Yeah. Crystal clear."

"Excellent. Are you in control of yourself?"

"Yes."

Law stands, drawing Kyra up with him and turning towards the hatch with an arm securely around her waist. "Then come back inside. Neil made one of his desserts tonight, and it would be a shame to miss out on it on a Rear Admiral's account."

Later, when the crew has retired for the night and Law is ready for sleep, he stands outside the door to the room across from his own and listens to his magician speak to the boy traveling with the Heart Pirates.

"Is - is he going to try to kill us, Kyra?"

"I won't let him near you, kid. Don't worry about him. You're safe with us. The whole crew will protect you; you know that, right?"

"B-but who's going to take care of you? That man... he r-really wanted to hurt you. I'm scared..."

"...Don't be. Nothing's going to happen to you. And... I think my captain's got my welfare covered, Aaron. If I need help, Law will be there. Don't worry; just go to sleep, okay?"

Later on Law does not comment on the way she clings to him as they lie together in his bed, sweaty and spent and waiting to drift into slumber. He runs his hand up and down her spine, fingering the knobs of her vertebrae while the other hand rubs gently at her scalp. Her brave facade is transparent to the Dark Doctor in this moment. Much as she denies it, much as she hates her own weakness, Kyra fears Merrick just as much as she loathes him. She is terrified of what might happen if the new Rear Admiral catches up to her.

Law is not. He looks forward to the day when he has the man whose initials are branded into his magician's back strapped to a table in his infirmary. His fingers ache to bury themselves in Merrick's innards, while his ears strain for the sound of Merrick's screams. His blood pumps faster at the mere thought of it.

Oh yes, the Surgeon of Death is very much looking forward to that day.

Kyra gazes around the crowded hold in the belly of Law's submarine, eyes skimming over the piles of treasure as she follows her captain deeper into the room. This is one part of being a pirate that the sorceress still does not understand. Why would men who normally take whatever the hell they want without bothering to pay worry about hording gold and belli they don't need? She had brought this up in conversation at dinner once months ago; the crew just stared at her in shock, unable to fathom how she could ever utter such a ludicrous question. Law had simply laughed as though deeply amused.

She isn't really sure why the Supernova has brought her down here. The man simply took her wrist after breakfast this morning and started pulling her along with him. He had released her at the ladder leading down to the hold, clearly intending that she follow him. Kyra does so, sidestepping what looks like some priceless rug and being careful not to bump into any of the precariously stacked chests full of stolen gold. She stops behind where Law has crouched down in front of a collection of dusty books, giving him a questioning look when he stands and turns to her with his customary grin missing in action. He holds out a thick volume, indicating that she should take it.

"What's this for?" Kyra asks hesitantly as she takes the weighty book in her hands. She realizes that these must be from that Navy ship they butchered yesterday. Law had been down here looking through the loot while she cooked breakfast, and there had been a strangely guarded look on his face all through the meal. Perhaps now he will provide an explanation.

No such luck.

"I want you to read it," is all Law says, hooking an arm around her waist and steering her back towards the ladder. Kyra is baffled, and looks at the book with some misgivings.

"Why?"

"You'll understand once you've looked at it. Find somewhere comfortable and get started. We'll talk this evening."

So it is that Kyra finds herself curled up on deck, back against the wall next to the hatch and book lying open in her lap. She is more confused than ever, as upon opening the tome she realizes that it is written in the ancient tongue of Veneficus. Indeed, the island is named within the first couple of paragraphs. But how in the hell did Law read it? Perhaps he simply recognized that word from long-ago discussions with her.

...And the people washed up on the beach of an island. The land was one of natural beauty, lush with plant life and teeming with creatures the likes of which the shipwreck victims had never seen. It was as they traversed the strange paradise that they encountered The Divine. No other name has been gifted to this enity, said to be blinding in its beauty and strangeness. It is said that The Divine bore the face and body of a man, though it possessed features of such tanscendence any assumption of humanity was immediately discarded. The Divine spoke to them in a language they did not understand before realizing their ignorance and adapting to their native tongue. It bade them not to fear it, inviting them to join The Divine and warm themselves by a fire it created.

An animal then came from the surrounding jungle to lie at the feet of their host, who put its hand upon the beast's head. Darkness flowed from its fingers, and the beast gave a shudder before going still. The people were fed off its flesh, and they found that it was good. The Divine spoke to them further, calling the land Veneficus and bidding its visitors make themselves welcome.

Kyra frowns down at the page, stuck on a certain sentence. Darkness flowed from its fingers to sink into the beast. Darkness? Like her own powers? She flips through the thick book, reading snatches here and there. She learns that this 'Divine' created homes for the people who had crashed on its domain, feeding and sheltering them, teaching them its language, caring for them while asking for nothing in return. They in turn were in awe of the thing, worshipping it like some kind of god. Over time more people would come to Veneficus, and each time The Divine would welcome them and entreat them to remain. At some point it made a gift of special powers to those of its new friends it felt most worthy, giving them the ability to do many strange things.

Decades passed and the people began to realize that The Divine whom they idolized did not age. Centuries went by and the people began to fear this creature who had so graciously allowed their ancestors to make homes for themselves on its island. This fear grew with each passing year until at last the islanders rebelled. Kyra reads all of this with avid attention, blind to the passage of time around her as she immerses herself in this history of her homeland.

...And The Divine was cast down into the pit, defeated by the people of Veneficus who rose up against its never-ending rule. No resistance was offered by the creature, though it is said that The Divine wept at such betrayal. As the soil of its domain was brought thundering down upon it, the Divine cried out a curse upon the people whom it had nurtured and protected for so long.

'You have forsaken me, one who has sheltered your families for generations! You have allowed your trust in me to be corrupted by fear! For this betrayal I decree that you shall be punished! One day a child will be born who shall be gifted with the true scope of my powers! It is this child who shall return the order of this land to its proper state, and they shall lift me up from my prison to take vengeance against your descendants! Regret to know that your lines will suffer for the mistakes of their criminal ancestors! There is nothing you can do to prevent it!'

And the people were filled with a terrible fear...

By the time Kyra closes the heavy book, the sun is sitting low on the horizon and her stomach is growling its displeasure at a skipped meal. She runs her fingers over the cracked leather of the cover, brooding on all that she has read. There are stories on Veneficus about some kind of power source buried in the exact center of the island. Could this 'Divine' be that source? Is there a creature imprisoned like the one described herein, waiting for its prophesied liberator to come and free it? Where in the world did this book come from, anyway? There is no author listed on the cover or on any of the front pages; it goes right into the story from page one.

The tale has left a vile taste in her mouth. It sickens Kyra to think that her ancestors could have assaulted someone who nurtured and protected them out of a sense of misplaced fear. Why would it be so terrible that this thing had never aged? If they knew that it was not human, what did its age matter? She is disgusted with the people in this story, hoping rather desperately that it is not a true accounting of her home's history. Perhaps it is false. Perhaps it is merely an old legend.

So caught up in her thoughts is the sorceress that she does not register the presence of another until Law speaks from in front of her.

"Finished yet?"

Kyra flinches in surprise, eyes flying up from the cover of the book to her captain's silhouette against the sunset. She frowns, giving an absent nod in the affirmative before sliding her eyes to the left as she sinks back into her musings. Law moves to sit next to her, drawing her attention back to him by tugging the manuscript out of her hands.

"Bepo and I glanced through the rest of the books. They are all written in this language, and the name of your island is mentioned. What did this one say?"

The mage's brow furrows in thought as she speaks, staring emptily at the strange tome before relating what it contains. When she is finished Kyra runs her fingers over the leather-bound parchment. "I don't know if this book is bullshit or not. It would explain what the mysterious something is below the island that feeds power to its inhabitants." She shakes her head in disgust at the thought, tugging unhappily at the hat upon her curls as Law watches quietly. "I wonder where these came from. Kind of a weird coincidence for us to be the crew to end up with them, you know what I mean? Something about this just feels... off."

"A storybook about your home ending up on a Marine ship we just happened to sack? Yes, I would say that seems a little odd."

Kyra glares at the man, irritated at the unruffled smile she receives in return. She huffs before snatching the book back and clambering to her feet. "You're a bastard, Law. Have I told you that lately?"

"It's been a few days," he drawls, seeming supremely unconcerned as he also stands before moving to grasp her hips with tattooed fingers. She whacks him sharply on one wrist and moves to march towards the hatch when a firm tug draws her back.

"You want to return."

The brooding sorceress stops in her tracks, clutching the thick novel to her chest. Does she want to go back? After everything that happened to her on that damn island? Knowing that the shaman and Lihla will be waiting there for her? Does Kyra really want to put herself in such undeniable danger just because of some story? She doesn't even know if the tale is accurate. She lacks even the faintest clue as to where the hell these stupid books came from in the first place, or how they ended up on a Marine ship of all places. What if this is just another set-up orchestrated by Merrick, like the story about her mother anxiously waiting for her?

But... what if it's not just a tale told to entertain children?

What if it's true?

Kyra wants to know for sure.

"Yeah. I do. I want to go to Veneficus."

She hugs the book tighter to her hollow chest, glances over her shoulder at her captain for only a moment before stepping through the hatch and setting off to meet up with the rest of the guys for supper.

"I need to go back."

A/N: Please review. Beta'd by Tomas the Betrayer.