Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. I only own my OC: Aurora, Kai and Rose.

Hey, everybody! Guess who's back!

Sorry it's been so long. I was giving myself time to settle into my new job, and I also had a slight case of writer's block. But all is well! I managed to finish the chapter I started and now it is up for your viewing pleasure. Now that we're starting to get into the thick of things, I'm hoping to have the next chapter out soon. So, stay tuned!

I hope you enjoy!


Chapter 41

"What? You want me to go with you…? Don't be a baby. Go by yourself."

Night had fallen. The fire was slowly going out. All around, cloud wolves were passed out on the ground, the various men of the crew strewn among them. The girls were fast asleep inside the tent they'd set up.

Nearby, Usopp finished taking a leak. He was in the process of pulling his pants back up when he heard a noise and went to investigate. 'What's that noise…? There shouldn't be anyone on the ship right now… the fog is kind of thick, I can barely…' He peered out from the forest, spying a shadowy figure with a hammer next to the ship. He froze. "G… Gh…"

Sometime later, Zoro came to see what was taking the sniper so long. He found him passed out. "What was he thinking…? Telling me he was going to take a leak… and then just falling asleep here… bleh…"


"Look! I told you! Somebody was here before! It wasn't a dream after all! Someone fixed the Going Merry…!"

"Yup…" Nami inspected the ship. "Even the broken mast was re-attached."

Sanji eyed the patch job. "Sorry to say this, but they weren't very good at it…"

"So there are still good people in this world." Luffy quipped.

"…I thought it was some kinda ghost…"

"…Considering where we are, who could it have been?" Zoro questioned. "In this place, there shouldn't be anyone who's friendly."

"Oh! The ship is not in flight mode anymore, Usopp." Luffy noticed the new additions hadn't been reattached.

"I've been thinking about that, too. How could the guy who fixed our ship… know what Going Merry originally looked like? That it didn't have the chicken crown or wings."

"Alright! Time to move out, you lazy bums! Escape team, finish up what we were doing last night! Explore team, get ready for adventure!"

"Okay~~! I'll distribute the food!" Luffy volunteered.

"Luffy… that's the one task that I will never assign to you."

"Hey, we need to move the ship down."

"Yeah! Get the ropes!"

"How did he know?" Usopp continued to puzzle over their mystery guest's knowledge of Merry. "Hey, Going Merry… who fixed you last night?"


"Gather up." The crew crowded around Nami and the map. "Look at the map. This is the explore team's route: a straight line to the south. In this "right eye" place, there should be a ruin of some sort. Watch out for enemies and bring the gold back!"

"You're making it sound easier than it really is…"

"Huh? You keep saying "gold this" and "gold that", but in the end, you're not going to get the gold yourself?" Luffy questioned the navigator.

"Duh. It's scary."

"Huh?!" Chopper's jaw dropped. 'She wants to get gold so badly, yet she isn't willing to risk her life for it? So strange!'

"Anyway, at the same time, we will navigate Going Merry through the island, which is very dangerous, too. We will land on shore as close to the ruin as possible." Nami indicated the route to be taken. "Then the teams will meet at the shore and leave this sky island! Thereafter we will be known as "The Rich Pirates", and we can buy anything we want!"

"Yeah~~~~~!"

"Look! The weather is nice today!"

"Cause we're on top of the clouds."

"Let's all meet again safely on the eastern shore!"

The crew split up into their respective groups. The escape team consisted of Nami, Usopp, Sanji and Aurora, with Gan Fall and Pierre riding along. The explore team was made up of Robin, Luffy, Chopper, Zoro and Kai.

"Alright! LET'S GO!"


Explore Team…

"Hey! Where do you think you're going, Zoro?! West is this way!" Luffy pointed in a random direction, beginning to walk off. He sighed. "You are such an idiot with no sense of direction."

"Oi, Luffy! Do you ever listen to other people? She said it's the "skull's right eye", so it's to the right. That's this way! You dumb ass!"

Kai rubbed his hands over his eyes in exasperation. "They're going to get us killed…"

Robin blinked, crouching down to Chopper's level. "…Would you please tell them that we're going south, which is this way?"

"Oh, ok." Chopper did as asked.

Luffy swiped a branch off a tree, entertaining himself with it. "Oooh, so we are going south? Why didn't you say so earlier?" He began to sing. "La la la~~ hnmhnm~~~ hnm~~~"

"Luffy, that's a nice stick!" Chopper oohed and awed.

"Nhahahaha! I think so, too, but I can't give it to you. Go find one yourself."

"Oh… okay~~~" the reindeer sang, looking for a stick of his own. "Stick, stick…"

Zoro sweatdropped. "What about a stick?"

Kai groaned. "How 'bout we stick together? You know, like we're supposed to?" The fallen angel shook his head. "I'm surrounded by idiots…"

"I was worried that the forest would be a very dangerous place, but now I think it is really nothing to worry about." Chopper stated, the reindeer having found a stick of his own.

"Eh~~~~, Chopper, you're brave today." Luffy commented.

"Yup! Hahahaha."

"It's a bit depressing actually." Zoro said. "Nothing came at us when we went into the forest yesterday. Didn't meet a priest, either… So I can sort of relate, Chopper."

"Huh? Really? Hahahaha."

Robin, who was in the lead, glanced back at the boys. "…What a strange group! Do they really want something to happen that badly?"

Kai sidled up to the woman. "They have death wishes, all of them." He suddenly smirked. "But… at least it would make things more interesting."

"Tssrararara…" a snake at least 10 times their size slithered into view, mouth wide open to consume its prey.

Kai's smirk fell from his face. "…On second thought…"


Escape Team…

"The wind is perfect! The direction is perfect!" Usopp chirped. "Ar~~~ This is great. Our cruise is going nicely. Although it is a bit slow… Oi, navigator! Speed us up."

"There's nothing we can do, "Captain" Usopp." Nami told the sniper. "The current of the Milky Road is too rough, so we can only rely on the dial boat to push us along."

"Alright! Go Karasu-Maru!" Usopp cheered. "By the way, Sanji, you need to be my bodyguard. This forest is too creepy."

"Shut up. I am a bodyguard exclusively to Nami and Aurora."

"Hey," Nami just remembered. "Time for the strange knight to get some medicine. Where did Chopper say he put it?"

"My name would be Gan Fall. It's Gan Fall."

"He put it in the cupboard beside the refrigerator. I'll go get it." Aurora volunteered, the angel making her way into the galley.

"Please allow me to tell you… a little bit of the history… of this country…" Gan Fall began as soon as Aurora was out of sight. "I was… until six years ago… the "God" of this island…"

"Did you fall on your head, old man?" Usopp paid dearly for that retort when Pierre transformed and bit him atop his head.

"…The first appearance of this Upper Yard in Skypiea was… like you said before, roughly 400 years ago. It is said that before the appearance of this island, Skypiea was a very peaceful sky island. They treasured the items from the Blue Seas that occasionally arrived in the sky via the Knock-Up Stream. All the vearth in sky islands appeared in that manner. However, for a piece of land as big as Upper Yard to appear in the sky was truly… a miracle."

Aurora had just made her way back to the bow of the ship, medicine in hand. As much as she didn't want to stay and listen, knowing Gan Fall might end up revealing something, the angel forced herself to approach the man and hand off the medicine.

"The people of the sky automatically assumed that this land was a divine gift, a holy land from heaven. We were very happy. But this island already had residents… so thus started the war for the land. Those residents were called the Shandians."

"They're the raiders…?"

"That is correct." He told Usopp.

"So then those guys are part of the ancient civilization of Jaya?" Sanji connected the dots.

"Yes. They came to the sky along with the island."

"And they were forced out of this place?!" Nami couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"That is so. The people of the sky robbed them of their home out of selfish intentions… for 400 years, the Shandians have been at war with the citizens of the sky. The Shandians are only trying to retrieve their homeland."

"That's… sad…"

"So then it's all your fault!" Sanji and Usopp accused the former god, Pierre transforming once more to bite both their heads.

"That is correct. It is as you have said…"

"…Pi yeh…"

"Oh. The medicine… Excuse me…"

"What about Eneru?"

Aurora stiffened at Nami's question.

"Who's "God Eneru"?"

Aurora eyed Gan Fall closely, wondering what exactly he would tell.

"Six years ago, when I was still the God… he appeared out of nowhere, leading a powerful army. He gave the God's militia and the Shandians a devastating defeat. Since then, he has been in control of Upper Yard… I heard that the God's militia is held captive somewhere doing intense labor, but I do not know the details. But for the Shandians, it matters not who the God is. They simply continue ferociously trying to reclaim their home."

"If all they want is to retake their homeland, why did they attack us… back when we first arrived in the sky?" Sanji asked.

"That is because the aforementioned God's militia in captivity… sometimes attempt to escape on ships. They're the Shandians' enemies, so the raiders attack them without mercy… they probably mistook you as some of the escapees."

"What? They tried to kill us just because of that?"

"One of the reasons why I became the Knight of the Sky… was to help those escapees reach other sky islands safely." At this, Gan Fall gave Aurora a sidelong glance. The angel shifted uncomfortably, aware of the eyes now on her. "They are considered criminals, so they cannot stay in their homes within Eneru's sphere of influence." He locked eyes with the true angel once more. "Isn't that right… Aurora?"

She paled, a pit forming in her stomach.

"Wait…" Nami glanced between the angel and sky knight. "You two know each other?"

Aurora avoided the navigator's gaze.

Usopp perked up. "Oh yea! Aurora told us she was from here. Guess we forgot to mention that…"

Nami decked the sniper. "You forgot?! How could you forget that?!" She whirled on Aurora. "And you! What happened to not keeping anymore secrets?!"

"Uh…"

Remembrance suddenly sparked in Nami's eyes. "Wait… I… I know why you kept it a secret. Those priests, when I first saw them the other day… they were talking about you. About how Eneru wanted you brought back alive… because… you're the queen."

Sanji and Usopp's jaws dropped. "YOU'RE QUEEN?!"

Aurora snapped. "I am nobody's queen! That title was forced upon me!" She gasped, slamming her hands over her mouth once she realized what she'd said.

Nami inched closer, laying a hand upon the angel's shoulder. "He's the one that took advantage of you… isn't he?"

"Sure is." Usopp answered for Aurora, Sanji kicking him upside the head for interrupting.

"Aurora was in a position similar to God's militia." Gan Fall spoke up. "She was held captive for many years at Eneru's side. The only difference is he made the citizens of Skypiea fear her and her power as much as his."

Sani plopped down on the railing, leaning back against Merry's head. "So if what you said is true, then God Eneru is nothing but a tyrant."

Usopp began slapping at the cook, Sanji blocking it with his arm. "Hey, hey, hey, stop the blasphemy, you brat! The almighty "God" sees all! Could he have heard that just now?"

"Since when did you start to talk like Skypiea citizens?"

"Tyranninzing…? "No." Gan Fall disagreed. "It is worse than that. Nonetheless, Eneru uses various excuses to turn travelers like yourselves into criminals and push the citizens of Skypiea to take part in capturing the travelers. Through this process, the citizens have developed "an awareness of sin". When one feels that one has sinned by one's action, one becomes the most vulnerable. Eneru know this. He creates these "lost lambs" and controls them… as if he really is an almighty God."

"… He's a powerful man…" Aurora begrudgingly admitted.

Nami ran a hand over her face. "…When we first went to Angel Beach, I actually thought this was a paradise… this is absurd… the ancient golden city has really gone to an incredible place…"

"Now that you mention it… the things that you were screaming about last night… that "gold" thing. What is that?"

"… Uh…"


"RUN AWAY~~~~! IT'S A SNAKE~~~!"

"Damn it, straw-hat! Quit enjoying this!" Kai growled, dodging the large reptile.

"AAH~~!" Chopper screamed.

"The size…" Robin gaped. "Is this an effect of the sky islands' environment?"

Zoro began to draw his swords. "Hey big guy… I'll cut you in half!"

"AH!" Chopper shifted forms, dodging the large snake when it lunged at him and Luffy.

Zoro jumped up into a nearby tree. "How can a body so big… move so fast!?"

Robin followed the swordsman's lead, using her devil fruit ability to climb. The snake's momentum propelled it forward, the reptile biting into one of the many trees. Thick purple liquid oozed from its fangs.

Chopper shook. "P… Poison…!?"

"If it's like that… running away… is probably better…" Zoro grimaced.

"Precisely." Robin agreed.

"So scary~~~!"

Kai glared at the straw-hat wearing boy. "Damn it! I told you to stop enjoying this!"

The snake released the tree, turning and eyeing its prey.

"Don't touch the poison. You'll die instantly!" Zoro warned.

Luffy swung from the trees, clapping his feet together. "Yoo~~~ Hoo~~~ poisonous snake, over here~~~! Follow me! Your food is running away~~~! Ah ha ha hah ah a!"

The snake ignored the energetic boy, eyes settling elsewhere.

"Robin, watch out!"

The woman jumped from her perch, Kai swooping underneath and catching her. "Phew! Too bad."

"AWOOOOOO! OOOOOOOO!" Chopper ran in terror.

Zoro sweatdropped when the snake turned to him. "Bah, not good."


Later…

"What should we do…? We're back to where we were but… nobody is here. Did we get lost…?"

"Let's just go on ahead." Kai suggested to the woman. "They might be idiots, but they'll probably find their way to the destination sooner or later."

The survival begins…


"You, again! Go home, old man!"

"Stop Wyper! Gan Fall is here to talk!"

"Outta the way, Chieftain! We won't accept the pitiful pleading for alliance from you old men. Listen up, Gan Fall, we're not gonna give up!" Wyper told the man. "You say fighting is meaningless; return everything to us! Did you forget the things you have done to our people in the past!? Now you want to "co-exist"!?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot return everything to you." Gan Fall informed the boy. "The vearth from Upper Yard has already become an essential part of Skypiea. Everyone is grateful for the land. I shall not punish these innocent citizens by taking away that very land…"

"The citizens of the sky… innocent…!? That may have been true if there weren't a war going on! You want to make all those outside of the military involved, too!?"

"Nonsense! That is foolish."

Wyper grabbed the man by the front of his cloak. "If you want peace, you must pay! Give us the heads of 100 "innocent" people as sacrifice!"

"I cannot do such a thing!"

"That's enough!" a small figure popped up between the two, struggling to shove them apart.

Even in his rage, Wyper recognized the head of berry-colored hair. It was Gan Fall's young protégé, Aurora. As opposed to the God himself, the Shandians were actually on good terms with the young girl. They knew what she was… what she represented.

Aurora had made it a point to visit the Shandians regularly, without Gan Fall's consent, attempting to broker peace between them and the Skypieans. It was a moot point. They'd dismissed the girl at first, but she kept coming back, trying her damnedest to fix things. Begrudgingly, they had to admit they admired her tenacity.

The young angel visited week after week. She assimilated herself into their culture, learning their ways. Aurora couldn't see why the Skypieans considered them savages. They were people, just like them. All they wanted was their home back. She couldn't understand why the two groups couldn't share the land.

"Wyper, please!" the angel begged. "Let Gan Fall go before you do something you'll regret!"

The Shandian snarled, releasing his hold on Skypiea's God. "This meeting is over! Get out of here! Unless you want to lose your head here and now!"

"Wait, Wyper…!"

He turned. "…Don't you dare call my name like that…"

"I…" Gan Fall paused. "Love… pumpkin juice!"

Aurora jumped in front of Gan Fall as soon as Wyper lunged, God's militia springing into action against the threat. The other Shandians soon followed Wyper's lead.

"I'll kill you!"

"Hold on, Wyper!"

"Hey, you! Stop Wyper! Hurry! Kamakiri! Braham!"

From a nearby tent, Laki watched on.

"WAAAAAH!"

The young girl turned. "Auntie… Aisa is crying quite loudly over there…"

"Yes… whenever something terrible happens in this village… she always starts to cry…"

Laki turned back to the fighting. "…Because of Wyper…?"

"I don't know… he's always in the center of trouble but… why Wyper?"

"Actually, I'm afraid of him… because he's… like a demon."


God's Shrine…

"Have they all gone below?"

"Yes… everyone is ready. Including the 3 priests and their trials… along with Commander Yama and 50 members of the God's militia. That is our entire battle force…! Do we really need to go all out? The invaders are only composed of Shandian warriors… and a few citizens of the Blue Sea…"

"Yahahahaha!" Eneru laughed. "The more the merrier, isn't it…? Oh and… you underestimate… the real power of sky combats!"

"The real power?"

"Yeah. It'll start revealing itself soon… Yahahahahaha!" Eneru gestured to one of his female attendants. "Give me a banana."

The woman did as told, grabbing a banana and peeling it for the God before handing it to him.

"Let's see… we have 50 soldiers… 3 priests." Eneru began to count off. "So including me, we have 54 fighters… there are 20 Shandians coming here… along with 5 members of the Blue Sea who entered the forest, and 5 more on their ship… no… that should be just 3. The old man can't fight anymore, and once I'm reunited with my queen, she shall be kept far from the fighting." Eneru smirked. "So the total is 82 fighters! Now, this will be a survival game. Yahahahaha! The question is, how many fighters will remain after three hours? Anyone want to guess?"

"…You turn everything into derision…"

"And so? Hey, you! Take a guess."

The attendant flinched. "Ah?! Me… I can't… I don't have a clue…"

Eneru glanced at the woman. "What? What's wrong with you…? Go with the flow… Just use your instinct. Your instinct." He turned his attention elsewhere. "Then… you! Take a guess."

"Hm…" the man hummed, mulling over his response. "…Hm… The 3 priests will survive, that's for sure… the militia is very strong too, so they won't fall easily. But the enemies are strong enough to rival the priests, so after 3 hours… there will probably be 30 fallen fighters… so I'll say 50 remaining."

"Yahahahaha!" Eneru cackled mockingly. "That is an optimistic guess. You seem to underestimate the violence of the upcoming battle."

"…Then how does God see this situation…?"

"Alright… I'll tell you. After 3 hours, out of the 82 fighters I counted… exactly five will still be standing."


"When we first met, I presented myself to you as a mercenary… because the citizens of the Blue Sea are quite incapable of sky combat."

"Sky combat?"

"Now, watch closely."

"What is this thing for?" Nami asked, glancing at the dial resting atop a barrel they'd pulled out. Sanji stood off to the side with a large hammer hefted over his shoulder.

"You're about to find out." Aurora stated. "Sanji, try to break that shell."

"Do it gently, Sanji!" Usopp warned. "If you make a hole in the deck, I'll kill you!"

"Hit it as hard as you can." Gan Fall instructed.

Usopp turned his rage onto the old man. "DON'T SAY THAT JUST CAUSE THIS AIN'T YOUR SHIP!"

Sanji got ready to swing the hammer. "…Well, here I go…"

"WAIT! Do you have to swing so hard!?"

Sanji swung the hammer down onto the dial with all his might. Nami and Usopp watched with bated breath, but nothing happened. Neither the dial nor barrel had broken.

Usopp slumped in relief. "…I told you gently, but not that gently… You didn't even damage the barrel…"

Sanji was just as confused as the other two. "Strange… I swung as hard as I could. I though it'd break into pieces."

"Huh?"

"It's as if this dial… absorbed all the impact somehow." The cook mused.

"Eh!?"

"Now aim the open side of the dial at the barrel…" Gan Fall instructed Sanji, who had picked up the dial. "And press the part you're facing…"

The cook did as told, the barrel before him exploding into several pieces.

"Kyaah!"

"Gyaaaaaaah!"

"Wow!" Sanji was blasted back, his body slamming into the side of the ship.

Nami and Usopp cowered nearby, the two having taken cover from the explosion. Only Aurora and Gan Fall stayed put, the two barely flinching in response.

"What you saw… was an Impact Dial." Gan Fall began to explain. "It absorbs and stores energy from impacts to be released later. They are usually fixed to the palm under a glove or a bandage. A direct hit is enough to kill a normal person."

"Eh, Usopp doesn't that… remind you of something?" Sanji asked the sniper.

Usopp hoisted himself back over the railing. "…Yeah… that meatball priest was using the same thing…"

"This is different from a mere punch. This is an "impact"!"

"According to legends, there existed even more powerful dials on Sky Island. For example, the now extinct "reject dial" had a power 10 times stronger then an "impact dial". It is also said, however, that the dial was so strong that it could kill the user. It was a double-edged sword. Therefore, it was rarely used."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier!?" Sanji raged. "It scared the heck out of me!"

Usopp gaped. "…What a dangerous dial… it might as well be called a weapon!"

"I thought that the dials were just like everyday accessories…" Nami trailed off.

"They are." Aurora stated. "But any tool that benefits man… can also harm. It is all up to the user's intentions. Dials are useful… but they can also be devastating in battle."

"For example…" Gan Fall spoke up. "The "heat dial" used for cooking… when equipped on a lance, a super-heated "fire lance" is created. The same goes for a "flame dial" that stores flames… if equipped in a bird's mouth, a rare and powerful "fire-breathing bird" is born."

"I think Chopper mentioned those before…" Usopp mused. "So that's what "sky combats" are!"

"Correct. The citizens of the Blue Sea, who are not aware of the different types of dials… nor about the artificial clouds… don't stand a chance against warriors perfectly trained to them."

"Wait a minute… What about that mind reading mantra?" Sanji asked.

"As I do not know how to use mantra myself… it's quite hard for me to explain it." Gan Fall turned his gaze to Aurora. "But someone who has seen it firsthand…"

The angel sighed heavily. "It is the power of perception. Every human emits a kind of voice inside their body."

"A voice?"

"Yes. One who can control mantra can predict a person's next move by listening to that voice. With training, the range of mantra can be increased…" Aurora explained. "The priests are then able to hear everything that happens on Upper Yard. Eneru can extend the range further to cover every sound in this entire country. It's… terrifying!"


Upper Yard is the place of a terrible survival game. Luffy, Zoro, Chopper, Kai and Robin are forming the exploration team. Their destination is the ancient ruins that may contain a massive amount of gold. Starting from the sacrificial altar, their path is clear. They merely have to go forward… towards the south.

"Hm… ah…!"

Kai paused, glancing back at his travel companion. "What's up, Nico? Something wrong?"

"The forest… lost its tranquility…"

"Hm?"

The woman shook her head, continuing onward. The duo stumbled across some ruins. "Here are the first homes outside of the city. They are totally swallowed by the forest… I hope the city is still holding up…"

"MEH!"

"What the hell?" Kai eyed the strange goat-looking man with suspicion.

"You two! This path leads to the God's shrine! You may not continue forward!"

"Get down from there, right away!" Robin scolded the man, who was perched atop the ruins. "Do you have any idea how valuable those historical ruins are?"

"Huh?!" the man couldn't believe the gall Robin had to address him in such a way. "You'll see, cheeky little girl!"

"See what?"

"You got a problem with us?" Kai glared, shifting into a battle ready position.

"Kind of! God Eneru ordered us to eliminate any intruders who entered fo-"

Limbs began to sprout from the man's body. "Seis Fleurs!"

"Huh?!"

"Twist!" Robin finished the attack, the limbs twining around the goat man's body and taking him out swiftly. "You deserved it, you bad-mannered idiot!"

"Come on, Nico! You couldn't even let me get one hit in?!"


"SANJI!"

"SANJI! GYAAAH! GYAAH!"

Smoke wafted from the cook's body as he fell backwards onto the deck. His skin was charred and bloody as the result of an attack.

"NOOO!"

"SANJI!"

Gan Fall abruptly stood, thrusting a frozen and terrified Aurora behind him.

Usopp landed on his knees next to the cook. "Sanji! Ah! Sanji! Hang in there! Oh, no!"

"Pieee!" Pierre cried out in distress.

"…! Hey! I don't hear any heartbeat!" Usopp was hysterical.

Nami turned her wide-eyed gaze onto their unexpected visitor. "C… Can't be…"

"Yahahahahahaha!" Eneru laughed. "Hahaha! What an idiot." The God lamented. "Attacking me wasn't a good idea… assuming I'm not yet here to kill you."

"Then why are you here?!" Gan Fall demanded.

"Hah! Such a cold greeting! Especially since we haven't seen each other for 6 years, former God… Gan Fall."

Aurora stiffened at the sound of the man's voice, having not heard it in 2 years. The angel had known she'd come face to face with the God eventually… but that didn't make her anymore prepared. Hearing his voice… just being in his presence… it still incited an unholy terror in her. A part of Aurora screamed at her to do something, but the fear was winning out. She couldn't move… she could hardly remember to breathe.

"THAT BASTARD!" Usopp wailed. "He… KILLED SANJI!" The sniper held Sanji's body. "Sanji! Sanji! Damn it! There's nothing His heart isn't beating anymore! Oh! Sanji!"

"Calm down, Usopp!" Nami snapped him out of his stupor. "Your hand is on the right side! The heart is on the left!"

The long-nosed sniper placed his ear on the left side of Sanji's chest. "Shit! His heart is still beating! I'm so glad he came back to life!"

"He's still badly injured!" Nami reminded the boy. "He can still die!"

"What?! That's no good! This is terrible!"

Even with the tense atmosphere, Gan Fall couldn't help but sweatdrop. Did these people not realize how much danger they were still in?

Eneru proceeded to prove that point. He touched one mere finger to Usopp's forehead, the sniper's body falling atop Sanji's in much the same state.

Nami tried to choke back a scream. "Ah…!"

Gan Fall glared "Why you…!"

Behind the old man, Aurora turned white as a sheet, eyes wide in horror. She had seen Eneru's power firsthand and even experienced it herself. One would think she'd become less afraid as a result… but that was not the case. Eneru's power still terrified her as much now as it did the first time she'd bared witness to it.

"If you don't want to end up like him… keep quiet… okay?" the God directed his query at Nami.

The navigator nodded in understanding, hands clasped tightly over her mouth. Her whole body wracked with tremors.

"Good." Eneru seemed pleased with her response.

Nami could only watch on, not yet realizing just whom it was standing before them. 'Who is he…? What did he just do…?!'

"What evil plot are you planning?!" Gan Fall shouted, the old man brave enough to speak out against the God.

"It's been six years since those followers of yours fell into my hands. They've been working hard for me. They're very good for manual labor. But, after six years of work… I'm almost done. In other words, I will soon have nothing else to do on this island… I'm just here to say a little farewell… that's all…" Eneru replied. "This will make your people very happy, won't it? Since all they see in their island is a big chunk of "vearth" anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"The reason why we took over this island in the first place… is the same as why those pests from the Blue Sea entered this island… it is also the reason why the Shandians keep wanting to take back their homeland! Everyone is interested in something on this island. That something is the legendary "Golden City" of the Blue Sea! The remains of "Shandora"!"

"Golden…" Gan Fall trailed off. "What of it…?!"

"Yahahaha!" the God laughed. "Cracks me up every time! Be it the existence or the value of gold… only the citizens of this country are clueless about it!" Eneru turned to leave. "At the end of the game, the winner… will be the owner of all that gold, yahahaha… can't you hear the sound of the festivities? Unfortunately, I am a participant… I must go."

"Wait!" Gan Fall halted the God's departure. "Will you disband God's militia?"

Eneru glanced at the old man from the corner of his eye. "That's something only God can know." He then proceeded to flicker out of sight, a tinge of lightning left in his wake.

"Wait! Eneru!"

"Ah…"

A shiver ran down Aurora's spine. What Eneru had done… it was merely a distraction. He hadn't really left just yet. He was still here… and he was right behind her!

Hot breath grazed the back of the angel's neck, the hair standing on end. In front of her, Gan Fall stiffened, the sky knight finally taking note of the presence behind them. Nami turned, the navigator once again fighting to choke back a scream.

Eneru finally spoke. "Welcome home… my queen."

The angel felt the familiar tingle of electricity surging through her body…

"AURORA!"

…then everything faded to black.


"A tombstone for the city itself… it was probably constructed by the descendants after the city fell." Robin made notes in her journal, hand trailing over glyphs as she translated. "Shandora… so that's the name of that famous ancient city…? Year 402… the city prospered more than 1100 years ago… they disappeared… 800 years ago…!" the archeologist pulled her hand back. "That falls into the period where there is no record of history anywhere in the world, the "blank century"… maybe this island… knows the "untold history"… that even disappeared from the world…!"

Kai, who was lounging nearby, waved a hand in disinterest. "As fascinating as that all is, Nico… maybe you could find something about the gold?" The fallen angel lifted his head when he got no response, the older woman too consumed by her own thoughts to have heard him. His head dropped back down with a thunk!, the man realizing he wasn't getting an answer anytime soon. Guess he'd just have to wait…

Robin continued to write in her journal. 'There's a map of Shandora… if I go to the city square, I can probably find out more. Maybe even a clue to the "untold history"…!'

Both Kai and Robin stiffened when they heard somebody approach.

The archeologist turned. "Who's there?!"

A large, heavyset man with the typical pair of Skypiean wings strode forward. "What a cute lady… we have here."

Kai growled, jumping down to where his companion stood. Whoever this man was… he wasn't here to exchange pleasantries. They were in trouble… BIG trouble.


Silence.

It was quiet… too quiet. Where was the shouting? Where was the raucous laughter? The crew was always making some kind of noise. It was a constant. So why… why was it so quiet?

Aurora woke in slow degrees, brain sluggishly trying to recall recent events. A white canopy was the first thing that greeted her. The angel gingerly sat up, mattress giving under the weight of her hands. Her gaze quickly flitted around the room. It didn't take long for her to realize where she was.

Eneru had placed Aurora in her old room at God's Shrine.

The angel slung her legs over the side of the bed, a small jingling sound catching her attention. Aurora glanced down, eyes widening in surprise at her change in attire. Gone were the comfy clothes she'd had on earlier. In their place was, no doubt, an outfit of Eneru's choosing.

The ensemble was pure white. It consisted of a strapless top that ended scant inches below her bust line, and exposed almost her entire back. The long, flowing skirt ended at her ankles, but contained slits up to her thighs on both sides, exposing her legs. Golden jewelry was draped on her body from head to toe, a bejeweled diadem completing the look.

Aurora attempted to cover herself with her arms, unease washing over the angel. Eneru's female attendants had no doubt bathed and dressed her while she was unconscious. The thought made Aurora uncomfortable. The angel was modest and self-conscious by nature. Not at all like Nami and Robin. Sure, the attendants were also women, but still…

Her body wasn't something she wanted to be seen… by anyone.

Eyeing a white shawl draped over a nearby chair, Aurora yanked it onto her shoulders. It didn't cover as much of her body as she would've liked, stopping around mid-thigh, but it would have to do. The angel clutched the shawl tightly to her chest, shifting her wings to rest comfortably underneath. It was when she attempted to shift them back into her body that she realized she was missing a very important piece of jewelry.

Aurora clutched at her throat, a heavy golden chain in place of the pendant she normally wore. Lavender eyes hurriedly flitted around the room. Her necklace was nowhere in sight.

"Eneru…" she growled, realizing the God must've taken her necklace when she had been unconscious. The man had never attempted to do so before… so why now?

'…He wants his queen on display.' The thought came unbidden. It seemed to make sense in the long run. The queen was back after being missing for two years. Eneru wanted to remind people just who she was… and who she belonged to. Taking the necklace gave him power over Aurora. Without that necklace, she couldn't hide her wings away and make herself seem more… human. Everyone would just see an all-powerful being. They would see Eneru's prize in all her natural glory.

Aurora hated it.

The angel stormed out of the room, making her way to where Eneru's throne was. It was the hub of the shrine where everyone congregated. Fortunately for her, the place was deserted. No doubt the attendants and advisors were hiding away inside. When Eneru was out and about, it was better to keep to yourself, lest you incur his wrath.

Aurora paused, taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes. Her power hummed just beneath the surface. She needed to try and locate her friends. Hundreds of bright auras dotted the Skypiean landscape… but vast amounts were beginning to fade. The angel wished there was something she could do to save them, but it was already too late. Eneru was playing a game of survival… and he intended to come out on top, no matter the cost.

Thankfully for the angel, the auras of the people she cared about most were still alive and thriving. She sensed her mother, Conis and Pagaya at Gan Fall's home, despite it being well out of Eneru's sensory range. Aurora never could understand how she was able to sense them when Eneru could not. A mystery for another time…

Seeing as the trio was safe, the berry-haired girl turned her attention elsewhere. Gan Fall and Nami were still situated on the Going Merry, Usopp and Sanji's auras slightly dim but still alive. As for the rest of her crew, their auras were scattered throughout Upper Yard, but nonetheless still shining. They were all alive… but for how much longer?

Aurora opened her eyes. She knew what she had to do.

Spreading her wings, the angel took flight. Eneru had obviously brought her to God's shrine to keep her away from the fighting. Aurora refused to sit back though. For too long, she had stood on the sidelines and let the God do as he pleased. She ran when given the opportunity.

Well… no more.


Sometime Later…

"Um… is it alright… if I call you "Miss Aisa"?! Do you really know where the Blue Sea people's ship is?" Pagaya asked their newest companion.

"Yes."

"What an amazing ability…!" Conis was in awe. "You can hear people's voices in the forest from far away…"

Rose leaned over, placing a comforting arm around the young girl. "Are you feeling okay? You've been shivering this entire time."

Aisa sniffed, body visibly wracked by tremors. "…I've never been this scared in my life…! Everyone's "voices"… are disappearing!"

"Excuse me. Let's pick up the pace, Conis!"

"Yes, father!"


"Wait! Where are you going, strange knight?!"

Gan Fall fastened his armor back on. "Sorry. I will be chasing after Eneru!"

Nami leaned over the railing of the upper deck. "What?! You want to leave a lady here all alone?!"

"That is why I apologized to you! This concerns my followers' lives! No, it may as well be… the survival of this nation!" the sky knight hopped onto his companion's back. "Pierre, can you still fly?!"

"BIH!" the bird cried out in response, taking off with his partner.

"I said wait! You insensitive old man!" the navigator's cried fell on deaf ears. She huffed, grabbing the back of Sanji and Usopp's shirts to drag them inside. "…I need to give these two first aid anyway…! You two! Still alive… right?!" the navigator struggled with their weight. "Ack! Chopper, come back!"

Suddenly, there was a loud bang! a new cloud path forming in front of the Going Merry on the Milky Road.

"Eh…" Nami abruptly turned. "What now?!"

There was a loud rumble, another smaller vessel approaching rapidly. It came to an abrupt halt, one of the boat's occupants waving in greeting. "Yeah! Heso! Miss Nami!"

"Eh?" Nami peeked out from behind Usopp and Sanji's bodies, which she held up as a makeshift shield. "Conis! Mister! Why are you here?! By the way, that thing is really loud!"

"Hey! You can't go down there!"

"Let go!" Aisa attempted to shove Pagaya off. "If we go any further, we won't make it back alive! You agreed that we would leave right away, didn't you?!"

Nami blinked at the spectacle. "Who is that?!"

The foursome made their way onto the Going Merry, with some difficulty from Aisa. The young girl finally gave up, marching over to Nami and brandishing the makeshift weapon she had. "Citizen of the Blue Sea! I will destroy you! I'm a warrior of Shandora!"

"You mean you want to fight me?" Nami crouched down to the girl's level, holding up the gauntlet Gan Fall had left behind. "I'm warning you; I'll use the impact!"

"Wah!" Conis cried out upon seeing the state Usopp and Sanji were in. "Oh, no! These two are brunt to a crisp! We must heal them immediately!"

"Excuse me, I created a shortcut on my way here! I used a cloud dial to make a new stream, and it leads straight to the White Sea. We should leave quickly before we are spotted!"

"Then you should have been quiet when you came!" Nami roared.

"It hardly matters." Rose commented. "Eneru has probably already sensed our presence in Upper Yard."

Nami turned to speak to the new arrival, but stopped short at the sight of her. "Aurora…?" she whispered.

Rose perked up at the name. "You… you know my daughter? Then… you are the pirates she has been traveling with?"

It was then the navigator realized this woman was not her angel friend. The hair was a shade darker, as were the eyes, but everything else was eerily similar. 'Wait… daughter?' Nami recalled the term the Skypiean had used. 'This… is Aurora's mother? Her mother is… alive?! But, Aurora said…'

The orange-haired girl realized the story about Aurora's parents being dead was another lie. It shouldn't have surprised her. Everything Aurora had ever said about her past had been one big lie. And yet…

"Please, tell me. Where is my daughter? Is she safe?"

Nami didn't know how to tell the woman her daughter had been taken by Eneru. The words were caught in her throat. Thankfully, Pagaya saw fit to interrupt.

"Oh! I just remembered! I have something for you!"


"MEEEH! STOMACH CRUSH!"

"Guh…!" Robin barely managed to avoid the attack, the ground breaking where the man had landed.

"MEH YAH!" he propelled himself skyward, getting ready to rocket back down.

Kai flew in, placing himself between Robin and their attacker, red shield thrown up in preparation. The large man barreled down, the fallen angel's shield cracking under the pressure. The force became too much and the duo were abruptly thrown back.

"…WU!"

The archeologist and fallen angel landed hard amongst the ruins, grunting in pain.

"Wuuuu! Phuf phuf phuf mehh! When will you stop protecting a dead city like this?"

Robin forced herself up. "…You have no feeling of joy in honoring our ancestors' footprints."

"I do not care about the past!"

"Foolish people always say that."

"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!"

"Nope!" Kai responded. "And we don't really care to know!"

The large man twitched, lunging for the two pirates. "PUNCH CRUSH!"

Kai grabbed Robin around the waist, flying out of the way of the oncoming attack. The older woman kept a hand on her hat, not wanting to lose it in the process. She turned to her companion. "We have to move out of the ruins before this idiot destroys the place!"

The fallen angel rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Always more concerned about your precious history than your own life." At her glare, Kai grudgingly did as told. "Fine! But I hope it's worth it!"

"MEEEH!"

Two hours have passed since the start of the survivor game of Upper Yard. Fifty six contestants fallen... Thirteen members of "God's militia" remaining… Seven Shandians remaining… Six Strawhats remaining… One reluctant queen…

Twenty-seven active participants.