Chapter 8

It was a long three days.

Ace wished he could go to Goa Kingdom and rejoin his fellow Hunters at the Hunter's Guild. Sabo wouldn't have managed to return yet though, he would still be about two weeks away from home. The fact that Ace was walking further and further away from home was making him feel home sick. But he was a Chosen one of the Old God of Light.

He would help seal away the Old God of Darkness.

"We're about an hour away," Nami sighed in relief. "I can't wait to sit down somewhere comfortable, maybe even get a bath!"

"Depends what tavern you go to," Ace said, grimacing.

Some of the taverns were terrible to stay in. To the point you would be better sleeping in the stables with the horses than sleeping in their bedrooms.

"I'll get us something nice yoi," Marco said, winking. "With a double bed for my pet and I of course."

Ace spluttered, feeling his cheeks burn a bright red. "I'm not your pet, asshole!"

"You're already planning on paying for the teleportation, Marco," Vivi frowned. "We can't let you keep paying for everything. Your gold-"

"Vivi, I have plenty of gold," Marco reassured.

Ace paused. A branch just snapped. He glanced about, danger senses tingling. Zoro tensed too, but before either of them could speak all hell broke lose.

Ace barely dodged the knife that flew past where his head was a moment ago. Everyone began yelling as masked faces in white clothes descended upon them. He saw Vivi go down, a collar around her throat, the leash yanking her off her feet. Nami screamed, rushing her way. Marco went down as well, impaled by silver daggers. A blonde woman appeared before Marco, raising her silver spear, so Ace booted her back. She dodged his next attack, blocking his dagger with her gauntlet, and the blade shattered.

He had gotten another pair of daggers at Nami's village. Their quality left much to be desired though.

Ace ducked down, grabbed the dirt, and threw it across the lenses of her mask. He tried to kick her legs out from beneath her, but she easily dodged the attempt. They circled one another.

That was when the magic glyphs circled the ground. Ace gasped, and the world exploded into electricity. His companions screamed, all while Ace burst into flames, his fire roaring. The blonde lady rushed him, tackling Ace into the dirt. He kicked her stomach, tossing her over his shoulders, just as she slashed his arm. Flames licked at his wound, his fire soothing away the pain.

He rolled into a crotch, just as she leapt to her feet.

"Hunter! Why do you protect the dark creatures?" the woman asked, a bite to her tone. "Aren't your people supposed to kill them? I doubt your Guild will forgive this, elf."

Ace straightened up. "I doubt they'd be happy that Cipher Pol is attacking the Chosen ones of the Old God of Light either."

"The Chosen ones? Prove it."

"The vampire is literally in sunlight right now!" Ace spat. "Chosen vampires can walk in daylight."

"He could be one of the ancients."

"Fine," Ace huffed.

He held up his hand. Not the one tainted by darkness, but the one with his mark. The blonde wiped her mask, and stepped back.

"That's problematic," she said, laughing. "But mission takes priority. Orders changed. No killing. Interrogation will continue as planned. Tell us where the Vinsmoke witch is."

Ace startled. Vinsmoke?

The sky began to darken and Ace shivered. He glanced back, and saw Zoro stalking towards them, swords dripping with blood. Three masked agents were bleeding out on the ground as purple smoke leaked off the demon, rising towards the sky.

"What do you want with him?" Zoro growled, eyes flashing red.

Ace swore he saw a figure with three heads emerge against Zoro's back. Four more arms crept out from Zoro's body, each holding a bloodied sword. The agents all pulled back, the woman cursing.

"Retreat. He's went into demon form!"

They disappeared back into the shadows of the forest. Ace listened to them as they got further and further away, while Zoro snarled and chased after them.

"Get back here!" he yelled.

"Zoro!" Ace called him back sharply. "Don't go after them. They'll just lead you into an ambush!"

Zoro stopped just before the forest, glaring at him. Nami stepped up to Ace's side, raising her staff.

"We don't need to go after them!" Nami snarled. Storm clouds gathered up in the sky, darkening the sky in the forest. "I'll show them a proper lightning storm!"

The storm clouds rumbled, and lighting crashed down. It didn't hit the trees though, the lightning bounced off a magical shield that flared to life. Nami cursed, and Zoro jumped back away from the shield as it enveloped the forest. Just stopping before the dirt road they had been travelling on.

The dark energy left Zoro, who sheathed his swords. "Heh, guess you really are helping us 'dark creatures' out now, eh Ace? I would have been stuck behind that shield alone if you hadn't said anything."

Ace rolled his eyes and turned away. He froze at the dismembered limbs lying on the ground, Luffy attaching to them Marco who tried to swat him away, wincing as he jarred the silver daggers.

"What the heck?" Ace stared blankly.

An arm crawled towards the forest. Law tossed a leg aside as he approached Marco.

"This will hurt," Law warned, and with a flick of his fingers, the daggers yanked themselves out of Marco's body.

Marco yelped but sat up, batting away the limbs Luffy tried to attach to him. Nami let out a terrified screech next to him, and hid behind Ace. The vampire however complained about another torn shirt.

"Why the hell are those things still moving?" Nami cried.

"For Spirit Healers, the world is our operation room," Law explained. "As long as we have the energy, we can do whatever we wish to people's bodies. Hence my cutting off someone's arms and legs."

"Yet they are still alive?" Nami shivered.

Law shrugged. "We're healers. I can kill people, sure. But not with my abilities. If I do that I risk corruption."

"Corruption?" Luffy frowned.

"We descended from Angels," Law said. "Angels doing darker deeds become Fallen Angels. Spirit Healers risk facing the same corruption."

"Help..."

They all startled, and turned as one to Vivi. She was clinging to the collar, her eyes wide. Zoro was instantly at her side, Marco too, who went round and tried to undo the catch. Marco yelped, pulling his hands back, shaking them out. Zoro drew his knife, cutting into the leather, but it didn't tear.

"Transform into your smallest form," Nami said, approaching Vivi's side. "I'll slip it off."

"I can't," Vivi said shakily, shaking her head. "I can't transform. My demonic side is trapped."

Ace approached, his hand lighting with flames. He pressed it against the collar, and witch's runes burst into life, emerging along the collar. Nami instantly began to read them, but Ace found that he understood them too.

It was a demonic sealing collar.

Whatever Sabo had been reading aloud was really handy for Ace right now.

"The runes, they speak of demonic sealing," Nami said, her brow furrowing. "I don't understand why they tried to put it on you..."

"Vivi was right beside me," Zoro grunted. "They must have tried to put it on me, but missed."

"You did seem to get pissed off when they mentioned a 'Vinsmoke'," Nami frowned. "That's one of the head witch clans, but they no longer have a witch-"

"They do," Zoro scowled. "But they won't have him."

"Excuse me?" Nami gasped. "You know who the Vinsmoke witch is?"

"Doesn't matter right now. Focus," Zoro said, jerking his head towards Vivi, who was rapidly paling.

"I... What do I do?" Vivi shivered.

"We're going to see Izo, so we could get the collar off with his help yoi," Marco said softly, patting her back. "Don't worry, Vivi. We'll fix this."

Ace startled. He wasn't used to seeing such a kind expression on Marco's face. The vampire looked concerned, his voice ever so soft. Vivi twisted round, hugging the vampire close, and he hugged her back.

That was new. The Guild never mentioned anything about dark creatures making friends with others. Sabo would be amazed. He'd have to tell him next time he saw his brother.

Whenever that would be.

Sabo must be worried, but Ace had no way of sending off any messages to him. Maybe in Loguetown he could find a messenger post, and send off a raven.

.::.

None of them could get the collar off. Law had even tried to see if he could heal Vivi's demonic side and undo the sealing that way, but strengthening it didn't work. It remained dormant. Not even his ability to cut things apart worked. He took her head off, but the collar was stuck. Nami had looked absolutely terrified when he took off Vivi's head, and it was hilarious.

"Did anyone else get seriously injured?" Law asked, glancing at Marco. "Someone I can heal at least."

"You can't heal undead?" Ace asked.

"No, he's already dead. He'll recover once he drinks some blood," Law said, dismissiveness of Marco.

The vampire snorted in amusement, before grinning at the hunter. "How about it, firefly? Feel like healing me yoi?"

"Bite me and you'll get a mouthful of poison," Ace spat.

"It won't last much longer, sweetheart," Marco chuckled. "And when it's gone, I'll be happy to have a sip of your sweet Portgas blood yoi."

"Portgas?" Law blinked. "That's the hunter family right?"

"Yeah," Ace said, nodding. "I'm the last one."

Marco purred. "Which is why we need to take special good care of him. Nobody wants such a lovely bloodline run dry after all yoi."

Ace twitched.

Law was about to comment, but Luffy interrupted him.

"Hey, Traffy?"

"Yeah?" Law sighed. The little shit would forever get his name wrong, won't he?

"Was the tattoo supposed to be that big?"

Law blinked, and glanced over at Luffy. He was pointing at Zoro, or more importantly, his hand. Law marched over, and snatched up Zoro's wrist who startled. Law ignored his protests, and followed the trail of darkness now halfway up Zoro's forearm.

"It's grown again," Law said, astonished. "Everyone, check your arms!"

Law went to everyone infected by darkness, inspecting their arms, but none of theirs had changed. Only Zoro's.

The changes so far were only to Zoro's, Vivi's and Luffy's arms. Now Zoro's again. But what did they all have in common during those changes?

"I really need to buy a note book when we get to Loguetown," Law sighed. "That way I can write everything down. For right now, the most common thing I can tell is what this either happens during or after fights. The only problem is that nobody else has been affected this time."

"Traffy's really smart," Luffy grinned. "I'm sure you'll figure it out in no time!"

The compliment made him pause, but he nodded. "I'll do my best."

"For now we better get moving yoi," Marco said, scowling. "We don't know when Cipher Poll will return."

"Who were they anyway?" Nami asked.

"They work for the Celestial Dragons and the Paladins of the Holy Order," Ace explained as they walked. "The Five Paladins worship the Old Gods, and have been trying to tear down the 'New Gods'."

Nami blinked. "New Gods?"

Ace nodded. "Supposedly the Old God of Tricks passed on his essence throughout the centuries when Teach began killing off the others. The trickster created 'opening' for the New Gods. The Guild doesn't know how many the Old God of Tricks created, or is he's even alive still."

"Teach probably killed him yoi," Marco frowned. "I heard he was just a child."

"Really?" Ace blinked. "The scroll the Guild has says he was an adult. That the Old God of Light really liked him."

"Mihawk is one of the New Gods," Zoro said. "The New God of Battle. My father and the Paladins have been fighting for years."

"Your father?" Nami startled. "He's a God?"

"A New God, yes."

"Well, can they defeat Teach for us?" Nami asked.

"Like hell!" Luffy protested. "I'm kicking his ass!"

"Most of us you are infected by darkness, and we've lost our Leader-"

"I know." Luffy's face darkened. "He's my dad, remember?"

They all fell silent at that. Law had no idea what to say to that. His own father had died years ago, when Law had been but a child. Law had found him and his mother, lying together, bloody and still, and the memory still left him aching.

It made him remember how alone he was.

Being Doflamingo's thrall was easier because of that. Law never felt alone because he always had Doflamingo's family around him. They worked, ate, slept and laughed together. Law loved and hated it. Sure, he felt safe and happy, but he was also mindless. Law would lose the ability to resist, and would do whatever Doflamingo said happily.

"We've defeated Teach before," Vivi said, startling Law out of his thoughts. "Marco, Zoro and I are proof of that. We'll do so again, and do our best to save your dad, Luffy. Your family are one of the reasons my country wasn't taken over by bandits. So I swear to you, I'll try and do my best to get Dragon back to you."

"Shishishishi, you bet, Vivi!" Luffy said, and the pair slapped each other's hand. "We'll go see the vampire guy and the witch, then rescue dad."

Law highly doubted that it would be as simple as that.