" Petra, who is it that you have bought before me?"
Nathan and the crew had been taken to an extremely large castle. Petra explains that they were in Castle Levestia and we're here to meet the leaders of the Chess no Koma. Sitting on the throne is a man that looked maybe in his late twenties. He has extremely light lavender colored hair and lilac eyes. His garb was a simple blue sleeveless shirt and blue pants. He has a white sash wrapped around his waist that flows down his sides forming sort of a half skirt.
"Phantom these 12 are powerful beings from another realm. I bought them here because I believe they can help us with our cleansing of Mär Haven. "
"I see, I do sense a rather strong aura from them." He turns to look up Nathan and the crew." Are we correct in assuming you're from another world?"
"Yes we are and I assume you are the king of the Chess?"
"Oh nono, I'm not the King. I am just merely the number one Knight."
Suddenly a large metal ball that up until this point had been sitting on Phantom's lap. The large metal ball had a face on it, with big round eyes, a long nose, and even a mustache. It was attached to a long chain that ended in a hammer-like object.
"I'm the king!" The ball says, " and you all seem very powerful. So let me make all you a proposition, join the Chess no Koma and help us achieve our goal."
Nathan thinks for a moment, he could tell that this perta and Phantom were extremely powerful. Probably more powerful than any of his crew. He could also sense ulterior motives behind their words. He knew they weren't giving him the whole truth about their plan, but decides not to press it.
"And if my crew and I refuse?"
"Then you die!" The king says.
Nathan knew that he could easily back up those words. " Then I accept!"
The king turns back to phantom," it seems like they all have unique abilities and weapons. However, take them to the Ärm vault, let them have their pick, and then throw them into a training gate. When they come out, figure out their strengths and give them a rank. "
"As you wish, your majesty!"
Phantom looks to Petra as he nods before motioning for Nathan and the crew to follow." Hold on Petra!" Nathan says. He then opens up a small door in his side before letting his crew into Castle Arystar.
"That's a rather useful magic, good for surprise attacks. I take it your body is some kind of pocket dimension, " Petra says looking at Nathan.
"Something like that, now lead the way."
Inside Castle Arystar
"I don't trust them," Nathan says as his form appears inside the castle." I could sense they weren't being entirely truthful and the fact they kept using the word cleansing sounds like something more sinister. I thought maybe I was being paranoid, and then I met that ball they called The King. I could sense the bloodlust coming off him. Could anyone else feel it?"
"I did," Temari says. "All I could think was that it felt like the Shukaku's bloodlust, but intensified tenfold.
" These chess people are extremely dangerous, we must play it safe." Akane says.
"That fucking orb thing wasn't as bad as that snake pedo bastard." Tayuya says brushing it off.
Nathan looks to his crew," if they have a vault full of these Ärm things, then they could have a way home. I say for now we work with them, but be mindful of them. They are far more dangerous than Big Mom ever was."
"Capt'n they offered us a chance to train, I say we be takin it. We could use that chance to grow stronger. They even offerin us a chance ta get ahold of them Ärm things."
"Good point zac, so for right now we will continue to work with them, but for now keep your guard up. "
As Nathan finishes saying that Petra's voice is heard. "Nathan let your crew out, we have arrived at the Ärm vault."
After everyone is out, Petra looks to the demon Pirates. "Take you pick, let me know if you want anything specific. "
Nathan decides he doesn't need an Ärm, " I think I will stick to my sword."
Mizore's turns her hands into ice claws, "My ice powers are all I need."
"I'm good, with just my giant tessen." Temari says pointing to the large folded fan on her back.
" I think I will stick to my guns," Yoko says, taking her pulse pistols and spins them on her fingers before holstering them.
"As a samurai of Wano, it would be dishonorable to use anything but my katanas." Kojika says placing a hand on her blades.
Baby 5 just lights a cigarette as Nathan whispers to her. " You are very powerful already Baby 5. So Need you to not take anything. " Nathan figured if you told her that she wouldn't take anything. Her speed and abilities would already be enough to throw the enemies off.
"I think I'm good, my ghosts are already strong enough," Perona says with a chuckle." Horohorohoro, after all my devil fruit powers are incredibly strong."
"I don't know if I need an Ärm, Durandal is plenty powerful enough." Xenovia says summoning her large blue sword.
Meanwhile Tayuya, Zac, Akane and Levy were looking around the room.
"So petra bein that we ain't from this world tell us a bit about them Ärm things." Zac asks their guide.
"Ahh yes Ärms are magical items that come in all shapes and sizes. They can be rings, pendants bracelets, necklaces, to even larger things like the object the king Is possessing. Now they can be used in everyday life or as weapons. You have Simple Ärms, they are nothing but tools of everyday life. Weapon Ärms are pretty much just weapons for battle."
Nathan and the crew listen intently as Petra continues.
"Darkness Ärms can produce very powerful magical abilities and curses, however they can cause great strain on their users. Holy Ärms can heal wounds, as well as cure the dark effects of Darkness Ärms. Then there are dimension Ärms, they possess the ability to create pocket dimensions, teleport you to various locations or even spy on people from a great distance. Guardian Ärms allow you to summon great beasts or guardians to protect and or fight for you, the drawback is you are unable to move. Nature Ärms give you the ability to control the elements of nature, or enhance your own physical strength. Ghost Ärms which allow the user to use their body as a living weapon. And lastly you have unique Ärms that don't fit into any category, much like the Ärm that the king Is possessing."
"I think I might take one of them, Nature Ärms. Ya got any water ones. "
Petra goes over to a few Ärms as if you knew where everything was in the vault, " here you go. "
Petra holds up two rings " you are some kind of fish creature am I right?"
"Aye I am, in my world fish people like me be commonplace."
I see, then may I suggest using these to Ärms in tangent with each other. They are Nature Ärms: Electric Eye and Water Eye. One can create giant tidal waves and the other can create electrical storms. You could theoretically use them to create giant electrified tidal waves."
"Aye Petra-san, I thank ya for yer help."
Levy looks around to see if anything catches her eye, when suddenly her eyes lock onto a dragon shaped pendant. "Petra-san what is this?"
"That is the Holy Ärm: Dragon's Breath. It has the power to heal injuries."
"I like it plus, my fiance has a special type of magic called dragon-slaying magic. So it's kind of funny that I get a power called Dragon's Breath. Since I'm not that strong physically, do you have any interesting guardian Ärms? '
"Let me see, do you want something more humanoid or more creature-like?"
"Humanoid if possible."
Petra looks around the room till he finds a bracelet. "This is the Guardian Ärm: Black Knight. It is a night with jet black armor that can attack and defend. It can also shoot energy blasts. There is however a drawback being that it's a guardian, you cannot move from your spot while it is active.
Levy takes the Ärm," thank you Petra-san!"
"Petra-san," Akane's voice comes from the other end of the room." What Ärm is this? I can feel the power coming off it, I feel its power drawing me in."
" That would be Darkness Ärm: Leech Life. It drains the life force of people the user attacks. The downside is drain too much life and it could kill you."
"It sounds extremely powerful, I will take it. And Ärm like that would be perfect for me because I'm a vampire."
Petra lets out a small chuckle," yes I suppose it is. "
Tayuya who had been looking around the room up until this point yells. " hey you robed bastard, you got any cool sound based Arm things."
Petra walks over to the other end of the room and grabs a ring. "Here this is Guardian Ärm: Pipe Organ Golem. It can attack and defend using powerful sound waves, however just like the Black Knight you cannot move while using it."
"That's fine with me, as long as I can use it in tangent with my Doki, I'll be just fine."
" Now the rest of you said you would rely on your own strength right." After getting a nod from the rest of the group Petra continues. " Well then I suppose it's time you all got in some training before the war games. I believe that Weasel was the last one to have the training gate Ärm. "
A small earring in Petra's glows as a voice comes from it, "Yes Petra-san. "
"Weasel, I have a few new recruits for the Chess. I want you to put them to the training gate and assess their abilities. Give them each a rank. "
"Right away Petra-san, but they must wait. I'm currently using the training gates right now for Halloween."
"Ah perfect when Halloween is done we can put them in the training gate for about 12 hours."
"Very well, Petra-san we are in the castle Courtyard."
The earrings stop glowing as Petra says, "this way please." He Leads them out of the room,"please try to keep up." He says walking down the hall, before making an immediate left turn, quickly followed by a right, then another left.
Nathan and the crew seem to keep up relatively easily as he leads them through the corridors of the castle. They keep following until he eventually stops a couple of big double doors. He pushes them to reveal a humongous courtyard. The Courtyard is a beautiful garden with beautiful humongous oak trees and a small fish pond in the middle.
By the pond there was a giant set of doors on the ground. And standing next to the doors was an old man in a long red robe. HE had a wooden walking stick, a Long White Beard, and big thick bushy eyebrows that reminded Nathan of the guy with the bowl cut from the ninja Island. His most prominent feature was a small tree growing out of his bald head.
The man turns to look at Petra," are these the powerful new recruits you were talking about Petra-san?"
"Yes they are powerful beings from another world. How long has Halloween been in there?"
"He should be out any minute, he said he would be about six hours."
"Then when he comes out I want you and him to go into the and assist our recruits here with their training. I say about three days worth should be fine."
"Ummm excuse me Petra-san, but is 3 days really enough time to train especially if you want us to fight powerful people from your world?" Akane says looking at Petra.
"Yes, time in the training gate moves at 1/60th of the speed then it does in the real world. So 3 days in this world would equal to about six months of training."
As Petra finishes saying math the doors swing open a bit of light shining from them. A figure appears in front of the doors. The figure gave off a vibe that was downright creepy. He had on a black- hooded robe with no visible sleeves. His head is a tomato that looks very much like a Jack O'Lantern, it also had giant metal spikes coming out of the top. He is bound to a large metal cross, by chains and 3 adults going criss-crossing his waist.
"Halloween, these are our newest recruits. They are going to help us during our endeavor. I'm asking you and weasel with training them in groups of 6." Petra says to the creepy looking man.
As Petra finishes, Halloween lets ot terrifying high-pitch laugh that sounded like something your wildest nightmares. "Hehehe," as he laughs, his voice becomes even more terrifying and high pitched."Hahahahaha!!!!!!"
