Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. I only own my OC, Aurora, Kai and Rose.

Hello, my faithful readers! I apologize for the wait. I did have this chapter started, but then I got let go from my job and was busy looking for another one. Thankfully, I found something in just a couple of months. And it is the best job I've ever had!

Anyway... I needed some time to get settled into my new job before I got back to this fic. Let me tell you, this chapter was a struggle. I had a general idea of how I wanted things to pan out, but actually writing it proved to be a challenge. But I pushed through!

So, without further ado, please enjoy the next chapter of "From Heaven Above"!


Chapter 42

"Fantastic! Miss Nami, that is amazing!"

"It seems I have successfully restored it." Pagaya mused as Nami pulled up on the waver the crew had acquired on Jaya.

"Yes, thank you! I love this thing! The speed of this waver is a bit faster too!"

"Yes, the jet dial on the waver has been extinct for centuries!" Pagaya quipped. "I was surprised myself. I would never have guessed that your broken waver had such a rare thing!"

"Nonetheless, what should we do now?" Rose asked. "The plan was to take everyone to the border of Skypiea, but…"

"Hm… we should go to the beach where we will regroup." Pagaya decided. "I'm sure they'll get there safely."

Nami climbed back onboard. "If those five are together, no one can beat them."

"There isn't a 5-member group on this island!" Aisa suddenly spoke.

"Eh?"

"There are only 2-member groups, not 5. I'm sure!"

"The mantra…?" Nami seemed to clue in on what was happening. "You also have that thing God and his priests use…"

"I've been able to use it ever since I was born! The scariness of…" Aisa trailed off. "You wouldn't understand how scary it is when all these voices disappear…"

"Cr~~y-baby~~!"

"I'm not crying, stupid Blue Sea woman! Stupid!" Aisa wailed.

"Miss Aisa's waver was broken and skyfishes were attacking her when we found her on our way here…" Conis explained.

"What were you planning on doing coming here?"

"I don't know, but… I just can't sit still!" the young Shandian declared.


"After 2 hours, out of the 82 fighters I counted… exactly 5 will still be standing."

One hour before God Eneru's predicted time… Number of survivors: 27.

"…Impossible!" the Shandian couldn't believe his eyes. 'That's God Eneru! Why is he here?! I'll take care of him!'

There was a spark of lightning, the Shandian warrior freezing in place once he realized there was someone behind him. He slowly turned his head, gaze falling on the God of Skypiea. He had no time to react.

"!"

26 remaining…


"MEEEH!" the man, Yama, crashed down upon the ruins once more. "Where are you going?!"

The fallen angel and archeologist said nothing, instead focusing on getting away from the piece of Skypiean history the man was destroying. Robin grit her teeth at the sound of more ruins crumbling to pieces. The destruction of such precious history could not be forgiven.

Kai abruptly came to a stop, nothing but forest now surrounding them. Robin barely managed to keep from colliding with the man, about to scold him when she realized their surrounding had changed. The duo turned to face Yama as he approached.

"Have you had enough of running away?"

"Yes…" Robin dropped her travel pack. "It's no longer necessary."

"No longer necessary?" Yama didn't understand the change in attitude.

Robin removed her hat. "Now, even if you apologize… I won't forgive you!"

"You forgiving me…? That's preposterous… you really want to protect those ruins… but those ruins aren't even yours…"

"True. They don't belong to us... but the woman loves her history." Kai quipped.

"Forget it… I don't want to talk to you anymore." Robin was done with conversation.

"Huh…? Don't worry… even if you would want to talk, you wouldn't be able to, because…" Yama lunged. "I will crush you here! Drop Mountain!"

Robin crossed her arms. "Is that all? Charging like a bull…? I will teach you the severity of destroying history! Here, away from the ruins, I won't hold back! Treinta Fleurs!"

"Oh?!" Yama cried out when several hands sprouted from a nearby tree branch, tangling around his ankles.

"HANG!"

"Wah!" the portly man was slammed into the trunk of the tree face first.

Robin's extras appendages trembled under the weight, the woman herself flinching. "Ugh… he is heavy!"

Yama seemed stunned by the attack, but recovered quickly, growling angrily. "Grrrrrr!" He proceeded to flip back in their direction. "Meeeh! Hai! Hai! Hai! Hai! Hai! Hai! Eat this! 10-Fold Axe! Axe Mountain!"

"How 'bout you eat this?!" Kai flew forward, decking the man with a power enhanced punch.

"Ah!" Yama cried out, appendages suddenly sprouting from his body to cover his eyes.

Kai used the distraction to flip the belt the man wore, the dials adorning it now facing the opposite direction.

"Huh? What…?" Yama's eyes were no longer covered, the man realizing what had transpired. "Oh?! Ah! Wait… the dials are upside down… wait! My dials!"

Kai rammed into the man from behind, sending him back into the trunk of the tree from before.

"MEEH!" Yama croaked, the dials having been activated from the force of the attack and taking him out. The large man slid down the tree, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

Robin walked over, yanking Yama up by his hair. "The ruins you destroyed are priceless… even though history is always being created… men cannot return to the past… do you understand?!"

"I… I understand. I won't do it… again… forgive me…"

"NO!"

"…! Grr… in that case…!" Yama grabbed Robin. "I'll kill you! Wuheheheh…!"

Kai acted quickly, ripping the other man's hands away and breaking them with a mere flick of his wrist.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! MY HANDS!"

Robin crossed her arms once more. "Cien Fleurs! DELPHI NIUM!" A trail of hands sprouted from the ground, grabbing hold of Yama and rolling him towards the nearby cliff.

"Huh? Stop it! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! Wait! Where are you taking me?!" the large man was sent soaring. "Enough… STOP!"

"It's too late for apologies…" Robin made more appendages sprout, this time from the man's body. They wrapped around his neck like a vice.

"Ungh…! It hurts…"

"Clutch." Robin finished the attack, stooping down to retrieve her pack.

Kai peered over the cliff, taking in the sight of the fallen Skypiean. Yama had landed head first into the ground, body unmoving. The fallen angel let out a low whistle. "Damn… lethal as always, Nico."

The archeologist placed her hat back atop her head. "That's how bad your crime was…!"


"…This place should be the town center, but… the locations of these buildings don't match that map at all. Maybe this is the damage from the impact that sent this island into the sky…"

"It's possible…" Kai mused, trailing after the archeologist further into the ruins.

The duo passed through a darkened tunnel, coming upon another cluster of ruins. A large, green stalk twined up into the sky, disappearing into more clouds above them. Robin flitted from building to building, taking notes and studying the glyphs. Kai took a seat nearby, letting his companion do her thing.

Robin eventually came to take a seat next to the lounging fallen angel, the woman deep in thought. 'This is strange… is this really the Golden City…?! The surface area and the displacements simply do not make any sense… it is very unnatural…' she continued to write in her journal. "Unless…"

Kai glanced at the woman, a look of realization seeming to cross her face. "I know that look… what'd you figure out, Nico?"

"Well…"


"Go… Laki…"

"But… Kamakiri, you…"

"Tell Wyper… the God's Shrine… Eneru… isn't there! It's not… too late… stop him… stop Wyper…!"

Laki nodded, barely managing to fight back tears. "I got it! Save your strength, don't talk!"

"…We can't beat him… no one can…!"

"I am thunder!"

"That man… he's invincible!"

Laki jerked back in alarm, but steeled her resolve. "…I'll stop Wyper! Wait here!" She dropped a bag next to the Shandian. "And take care of Aisa's purse for me!" The woman took off, leaving Kamakiri alone once more.

…Or so they thought.

So consumed by pain, the Shandian warrior didn't notice the new arrival. There was a swish of fabric and then he felt his body being covered up. Cool hands were gently placed atop his chest, warmth beginning to spread throughout his body.

Kamakiri managed to crack his eyes open, instantly recognizing the berry-colored hair that filled his vision. "Y-You…!"

Sad lavender eyes met his gaze. "I'm sorry… If I had just been stronger, maybe this never would've happened." Aurora turned her head, going back to focusing on healing the Shandian. "The least I can do is try to help you."

Kamakiri said nothing, eyeing the angel strangely. He wasn't quite sure what to say, actually. Aurora's behavior was… baffling, to say the least.

When word had first spread of Eneru taking a wife, Skypieans and Shandians alike couldn't believe their ears. Who would willingly bind themselves to that tyrant? It was when the God presented his new spouse that the answer was revealed. Seeing Aurora standing next to Eneru cut deep. It was a betrayal like no other… especially for the Shandians. All that time she spent among their people, getting to know them and learn their ways… had it all been for show?

Wyper certainly saw it that way. If anything, Kamakiri believed Wyper was the one to take the news the hardest. The Shandian warrior never admitted it out loud, but he had developed a soft spot for the angel. Gan Fall he couldn't stand, but something about Aurora struck a chord within Wyper. The angel had fought hard to break through the Shandian's rough exterior. She wanted more than anything to be friends, to try and be the bridge between Skypieans and Shandians. Wyper had shot down the idea of the two groups coexisting in peace time and time again, but he grudgingly appreciated the angel doing everything in her power to make the Shandians lives easier. The gesture had meant a lot… to all of them.

So, to see Aurora standing next to Eneru and being given the title of queen… it was like being punched in the gut. Wyper had raged about it, calling the angel a coward who was only looking out for herself. When push came to shove, instead of fighting back alongside her friends, Aurora took the easy way out.

Even when the years had passed and word of her departure had reached their ears, the angel was still seen as a traitor. No one knew the story definitively. Eneru himself had spread the most popular rumor. The God had accused Gan Fall of kidnapping his queen and taking her somewhere far out of his reach, just to spite him. Most of the population believed the tale. It wasn't too hard to believe Gan Fall would try to get Aurora away from the tyrannical new God. The former God loved the girl as if she were his own flesh and blood, treating her much like a grandfather would his granddaughter. It wasn't hard to believe he'd do anything to protect her.

Fast-forward two years after her disappearance, and Aurora was back in Skypiea… with pirates no less. To most, it appeared as if the angel had used them as a way to get back to Skypiea. The pirates had brought the queen back to her king. She was still a traitor.

At least… that's how everyone saw it. But the way Aurora was speaking to Kamakiri now… had they been wrong? Was there more to the story?

The angel removed her hands from the Shandian warrior's chest, healing powers fading from existence. "I've healed you as best I can. The pain should be dulled, at least." They locked gazes once more. "I'm sorry Eneru did this to you. I'm sorry for… everything. I'm not strong like the rest of you. I was too afraid to fight back, and when given the chance… I ran. I really am a coward."

Kamakiri's eyes widened. "Wh-"

Aurora shushed him. "Don't talk. Save your strength. I'm sure someone will be along soon to help you." The angel stood, turning to leave. "It's time for me to face my fears."

It was when she spread her wings to take flight that Kamakiri caught sight of her back. A strangled sound escaped his throat at the mass of scars adorning the otherwise smooth, porcelain skin. "H-How…"

Aurora froze, turning her head to gaze back upon the man. A sad smile played upon her lips. "Life wasn't easy for me either…" With that, she took off, leaving the Shandian with his own thoughts.

Had Eneru done that to Aurora? Had she not been as willing to go with the God as they thought? All these years… had they gotten the story wrong?


"Wait…! Stop!" Nami shucked off her shirt, diving into the clouds after Aisa. "I told you to stop!"

"What do you want?! Let go!" the girl struggled. "This is none of your business!"

"True, but I won't just stand there and watch a kid like you get killed!"

"I'm not a kid! I'm a warrior!"

"Okay, warrior kid." Nami acquiesced. Aisa glared at the navigator. "Stare all you want. You don't scare me."

"You two alright?!"

"Yeah, we're fine." Nami answered. "Hey, stop struggling. C'mon up!"

"Let me go~~ I want to save everyone~~~!"

"You want a spanking?!" the navigator threatened. "Two crew members already got beaten, understand?!"

"GRR…"

"Eh?!"

A large snake, head bigger than even the Merry herself, nudged the ship. "GRR…"

"AAAAH!" Nami screamed.

The snake froze, eyes going wide before it started convulsing. "TSULALALALALALALALA!"

"KYAAAAAAH! It's humongous!" Nami shrieked.

"PUKA! TSULALALALALA!"

Nami hurriedly drove off on the waver, Aisa clinging to her waist. "NOOO! AAAAAH!"

"Ah! Wait, stop! That way is the forest!" Rose called out to the two, but her warning fell on deaf ears.

"Miss Nami!" Conis cried, hands clasped over her mouth in fright and concern.

"Wh… what do we do now?" Pagaya quivered. "They went back into the forest…"


It was quiet. The path to God's Shrine was deserted. None had made it far enough, and if they had… they'd been dealt with swiftly.

Wyper traveled rapidly up the beanstalk. "The God's Shrine is just ahead on this giant bean stalk! Eneru is there! For the hardships of the past 400 years!" The Shandian burst through cloud cover, landing before God's only remaining priest.

"Wyper… beyond this level is the God's Shrine, but… I didn't give you permission to pass here."

"Ohm!"

"Even if you get to God's Shrine… you will gain nothing!" a voice called out.

"Gan Fall!" Wyper snarled at the old man. "Damn bastard! What are you doing here…?! Still dreaming of taking the seat of God?!"

"Nay. I have nothing but responsibility to fulfill here… I just visited the God's Shrine…!"

"…"

"It was a slaughter… everything is in ruin. Of course, Eneru was nowhere in sight. It seems he had no use for this place anymore…"

"Anyway, after six years of work… it's almost done. I'm just here to say goodbye."

"What are you planning to do, Ohm?!" Gan Fall demanded.

Wyper grit his teeth at the former God's revelation. "Eneru… isn't in God's Shrine…?!"

A figure suddenly landed amongst the ruins from the skies above, recognizable by his green hair.

"It's one of Strawhat's companions!"

Zoro slowly rose. "Ah… that hurt… that freaking bird, I won't forgive him!"

"It's you!" Gan Fall recognized the swordsman.

"Oh…? Where am I…?!" Zoro took in his new surroundings. "I'm in the ruins?" He finally took notice of the other men in the vicinity. "Ah… looks like some tough guys are here…" He drew a sword. "Hey… hand over the gold!"

Ohm pushed his sunglasses further up his face. "Aiya aiya, how pitiful. No one can escape my Trial of Iron…!"

"If any of you intend to get in my way… I will have to eliminate you!" Wyper threatened.

"Where is Enel?!" Gan Fall demanded. "Where are the holy guardsmen? Tell me!"

"TSULALALALALALA!" The large snake from before burst through the ruins.

"Everyone seems to have a lot to say, but if you want to express yourself… then you'll need to survive this skirmish first!"


"Whew…" Robin dragged an arm across her forehead, attempting to wipe away the sweat that had gathered. The archeologist had been diligently cutting through the solid cloud beneath her feet, the hole now rather deep.

Kai floated back down to where she presided, having just deposited a load of cut out cloud blocks into the ever-growing pile. "You sure you don't want me to just blast through the cloud? It'd go a lot faster."

"And risk you damaging anything? I'd rather not take that chance."

Kai rolled his eyes. "Fine. At least let me take over so you can have a break."

The woman waved him off, spying something through the tiny hole she'd made. "There's a room below!" She cut through the cloud with the knife she had, dropping down to the next level. Kai followed suit, handing off her bag and hat.

Robin glanced around. "What a big place… as I thought… there is still more to these ruins. These ruins come from the Blue Sea, yet the ground is made of clouds… I knew that was odd… the ruins at the surface are only the tip of the iceberg! It was only the top part of the city…"

"Which means there are other lower levels!" Kai caught on to her logic. "So there's a chance the gold is hidden down here somewhere…"

The two began their trek through the newly discovered ruins, cutting through vines that obstructed their path. It seemed like they had wandered for miles before they came across the end of a tunnel.

Robin tugged some vines out of their way, pausing at the sight just mere feet from them. "Light…?!" the woman took off at a brisk pace. "Haa… haa… ah!" She slid to a stop, narrowly avoiding taking a dive over the edge.

Kai flew up next to her, eyes wide in awe. "Damn…"

Robin sat. "Disappeared for 800 years, the great city Shandora… after all this time, it's incredible it's still intact. So magnificent… and so imposing. So this is… the Golden City, Shandora."


Northeast Shore, Upper Yard…

"Tell me, Conis… is it really here… where they planned to meet?"

"Yes, father." The girl answered. "That is what Miss Nami said."

"We are kind of in a bind, being forced to do this for them… we need to guard their ship with our lives until they return…! Shall we use the horn to blow away our fears?"

"Yes, father! That's a good idea!"

Rose sweatdropped as the father-daughter duo proceeded to do so. "Umm… perhaps that's not such a good idea…" Her words fell on deaf ears.

"Su! Will you guard that side?"

"SUU!"

"I'll take the stern!" Rose chimed, heading for the back of the ship. Surely Pagaya and Su could handle things up front?

"Alright!" Conis knelt next to Sanji and Usopp's unconscious bodies. "As for me, I'll take care of you! Hang in there!"

Rose took up position, becoming lost in her own thoughts now that she was away from the others. 'I hope everyone is safe… I hope Aurora is safe. Skypiea is a warzone right now…' The woman clasped her hands in silent prayer. 'Please…'


WOOSH!

"PIEEEEH!"

"Stop it, Wyper! I'm not…"

"I'm not what?!" the Shandian growled. "You are not my enemy, is that what you want to say?! To me, you are not much better than Eneru, Gan Fall!"

"Are you stubborn to the point you won't listen to me?!"

"TSULALALA!"

Pierre squawked in alarm, narrowly avoiding bring eaten by the snake. "PIEEEEH!"

Wyper was forced to dodge as well. He aimed his bazooka at the beast. "Damn you…!" A shot was fired… but the snake merely shook the attack off.

"TSULALALALALALALALA!"

Wyper grit his teeth. "Not even a shot from a bazooka can penetrate its scales…?!"


Nearby…

Zoro clutched at his side in pain, blood seeping through his fingers. "What… what was that…?!"

Ohm and Holy stood at the ready a few feet away. "Bleh… you citizens of the Blue Sea know nothing at all…" The priest held up the hilt of his weapon. "My katana is also made of iron cloud. The blade emerges from a dial inside the hilt…"

"…!"

"And follows the target wherever they go!"

Zoro barely managed to get his swords up in time to block the oncoming assault.

"Do you understand now… swordsman of junk?"

"Yeah, I get it. It's just like a whip. You are all into gadgets around here…"

"Holy…" Ohm jumped from atop the dog's head. "We will split up now…"

"?!"

"The upper ruins are getting a little too crowded!"

Several individuals burst through the clouds, traveling up the beanstalk to where the men currently resided. Five of them perched atop the ruins, taking in the sight before them.

"Look at that… even the King of the Sky is here!"

"We are here to help, Ohm!"

"MEEEH~~~~!"

Wyper looked up when three other individuals landed closest to him. "You guys…"

"It looks like…"

"We are the only ones left!"

"We will help you get to Eneru, Wyper!"

"TSULALALA!"

The goat-men jolted at the sound. "Ah! The snake…!"

"SHI SHI SHI SHI… SHI SHI SHI SHI…"

They sweatdropped. 'He is laughing…'

"Stop! Meeh~~~! Meeh~~~!" More figures burst through the clouds.

Zoro gaped. "?! Nami…?!"

"Aisa!" Wyper recognized the small figure.

"Girl!" Gan Fall cried out in alarm.

"Kill them~~ Meeeh~~~!"

Wyper, Zoro and Gan Fall stopped the goat-men in their tracks, saving Nami and Aisa both.

"Aisa! What are you doing here?!" Wyper demanded.

"Nami! What are you doing here?!" Zoro was wondering the same thing.

The navigator perked up at the sound of the swordsman's voice. "Ah! Zoro! Where are the others?!"

"Wyper!" Aisa cried, still clinging tight to Nami's waist.

The Shandian aimed his bazooka at the Strawhat pirate. "What are you planning on doing to her?! Aisa! Get away from her!"

Gan Fall acted swiftly, grabbing hold of the waver the girls were on and getting them out of harm's way. The blast from the bazooka barely missed them. "Why did you come here? Why?!"

"Demon~~~! Wyper, you demon~~!"

"Because we were being chased by…" Nami's voice trailed off as the very being she was thinking of appeared before them. "A giant snake…"

"TSULALALALALA!"

"Pieeh!" Pierre let out a cry of alarm.

"AAAAHH!" Nami screamed… but it was too late. The snake had swallowed them all whole.

Zoro gaped in horror. "…! That moron…"

"Aisa…!"

A long tongue slithered out of the snake's mouth, the reptile seemingly pleased with its latest snack. Ohm and Holy took that moment to use the distraction to their advantage. The dog aimed a punch at Wyper, while the priest implemented the use of his specialty katana.

"Wyper!" one of the Shandians cried out as the attacks hit.

"This is what happens when you don't pay attention… fools…" Ohm belittled the men. "You should focus on saving yourselves first! Anyway, no one will make it through."

The dust began to settle… and it was then that Ohm noticed the strange yellow glow emanating before him.

"I guess it's a good thing I showed up when I did."

The priest' eyes narrowed in recognition. "Girl…"

The dust finally cleared, and standing before him was none other than Aurora. Ohm wasn't sure when the angel had arrived, but she'd managed to save the lives of both the pirate and the Shandian lingering behind her.

Zoro lowered his swords, unable to believe his eyes. "Aurora?"

The angel spun on her heel, eyes lighting up in happiness at the sight of her friend. "Zoro!" She leapt at the swordsman, arms twining around his neck as she hugged him close.

The green-haired man sputtered, having to drop his swords in favor of catching the angel. It was then he became very aware of her new clothing… or lack thereof. A blush stained his cheeks. The swordsman pushed the berry-haired girl to arms length, but the feel of her every curve being pressed to his hard body lingered.

Zoro averted his eyes, not used to seeing so much of the angel's skin. "Damn it, woman! What the hell-?!"

Aurora cut him off, hands frantically poking and prodding the swordsman's torso as she took note of the blood adorning it. "You're hurt! Here! Let me heal you!"

Zoro yanked her hands away, blush still prominent on his face. "Now is not the time, Aurora!"

"But-" the angel was cut off, strong arm wrapping around her throat from behind. She gagged as Ohm forcefully pulled her away. The priest then proceeded to take down Wyper and Zoro, rectifying his first failed attempt. "No!"

The Shandians brandished their weapons. "You are going to pay for what you did to Wyper!"

"Meeh~~~! Meeh~~~!"

Aurora continued to struggle against Ohm's grip. The priest decided he'd had enough, tossing the girl into the nearby ruins. She cried out when she collided with the wall of a building, slumping to the ground in pain.

"In these upper ruins, there are four holy guards… plus those two who are probably not dead yet…" Ohm began to count on his fingers. "Four Shandian warriors, one intruder from the Blue Sea… to those we add a giant snake and Holy… that makes ten fighters and two animals."

One of the Shandians notched an arrow. "Die, Ohm!"

"Meeeh~~~!" the guards launched into action.

"Ack…!"

An explosion rocked the area.

"It's time for the apotheosis. Let's do that move, Holy!"

"Woof!" the dog spun up into the air, landing behind the Shandian from before. Holy swiftly delivered a punch, knocking the warrior into a nearby building. "Woof!"

"Argh!"

Aurora drew herself up, eyes widening in horror as she realized Ohm's plan. "No…!"

"Now, "dash"!"

"Woof!" Holy took off, running upright on his two hind legs. "Aaf! Aaf! Aaf! Aaf! Aaf!" Barbed wire made of cloud erupted from every angle, a cage beginning to form around the area.

"What's going on?!"

"Damn it! What is that dog doing…?!"

One of the holy guards laughed. "Haha! You are now trapped in the real Trial of Iron! The White Thorn Death Match!"

Aurora shifted uneasily, eyeing the surrounding cage closely. She'd only seen this particular structure a couple times before, but she knew how dangerous it could be. One wrong move…

Nearby, Zoro shifted to a crouching position, slowly recovering. "Completely unnecessary… it's not like I'm going to run away…"

"Meeeh~~~! You fool! This isn't just to prevent escape! This cage is made of barbed wire!"

"In other words…" Wyper suddenly appeared in front of one of the guards.

"Huh?" the man was kicked into the cage, the barbed wire easily cutting into his flesh. "Argh!"

"It's better to avoid… being projected on it." Wyper concluded, having used the guard to test his theory.

Zoro huffed. "The question is, how do I get out after I defeat everyone?!"

"Don't be in a hurry, my friend… think about it after you've eliminated me!"

"TSULA!"

"Eight men, two animals… and one queen…"

"WYPER!" a voice rang out, a figure approaching from beyond the cage. "Haa… haa… thank god I found you!"

"Laki…"

"Wyper! Listen to me!"

"What are you doing here?!" The Shandian became alarmed as a large figure appeared behind her.

"Eneru is in the forest! Kamakiri is seriously injured and he charged me to tell you…"

Wyper threw himself at the cage, the barbed wire piercing into his hands… but he felt nothing. All his attention was on the woman before him. "Laki…! Don't come closer! Get away from here!"

"Huh? What did you say?!"

"GET AWAY!"

"No…" The broken whisper slipped through Aurora's lips. The angel didn't even realize she had moved until she was standing right before the edge of the cage.

"You called?!"

Laki froze, the Shandian woman slowly turning at the sound of Eneru's voice. Her eyes widened in horror. "Eneru…"

"WAIT, ENERU! DON'T DO THAT!" Wyper began to shout, trying to break through the barbed wire cage. Blood streamed from his hands. "SHE'S GIVING UP THE FIGHT! ENEEERU!"

"Fool~~~!" one of the guards began to rush the Shandian warrior. "Don't expect to survive if you're worrying about others~~~!"

"LAKI!" Wyper continued to shout. "LAKI! DON'T DO ANYTHING! JUST RUN!"

The woman didn't listen, drawing her gun and firing. The bullets went right through Eneru. The God was unamused. Laki pulled back, the Shandian thinking back to what Kamakiri had told her before.

"He's invincible!"

"A good Shandian is a dead Shandian, Wyper! Meeh~~~!" the holy guard attacked, but the Shandian warrior barely flinched.

Wyper never took his eyes off Laki. "… You fool!"

She turned. "Wyper! Eneru is…" Laki didn't get another word out. Eneru pressed a hand to her chest, lightning engulfing the two. The Shandian collapsed in a heap, smoke wafting from her body.

Aurora froze, hand stretched through a slit in the barbed wire cage. She'd been too late. The angel hadn't been able to erect a shield in time. She was unable to save Laki from Eneru.

"Yahaha…" the God began to laugh. "Yahahahahaha!"

Wyper ground his teeth in anger. "Eneru…"

"So that's God…?!" Zoro watched on.

"Eh~~ Why didn't he fall down?!" the holy guard who had attacked Wyper earlier moved in once more. "Alright then! Let's attack him once more! Meeh~~!" a hand grabbed the man by the back of his head. "Meeh~~?!"

Wyper slammed the man face first into the barbed wire.

"AAAAAH!"

Eneru smirked. "You are more naïve than I'd have thought, Wyper… I make no distinctions among the warrior lambs who attack me, be it a woman or a man."

"…"

"Well then, take care… Yahahahahaha!" Eneru dissipated with a laugh, leaving the group alone once more.

"Meeh~~!" an explosion occurred nearby, the holy guards attempting to take down the giant snake.

Wyper turned his attention to the reptile. "The snake…"

Zoro did the same. "I've got some business to do with your stomach!"

The pirate and Shandian rushed towards their target, both men keeping pace with one another. It was this action that caused them to take note of the other.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Wyper and Zoro proceeded to attack each other, neither willing to concede. Both men had people they needed to save, and no one was going to get in the way of that.

"Holy! Attack!" Ohm ordered.

"Woof!" the dog did as told, managing to separate the two men.

"Gwaah!" Zoro barely dodged the attack, having to rapidly draw his swords to stave off an assault from Ohm.

"Axe Dial!" a holy guard rushed Wyper, hand extended.

The Shandian evaded, using his feet to grab the guard by the face and thrusting him to the ground.

"Meeh~~~!"

Ohm took a head count. "Only six men and two animals remaining!"

"And me…" Aurora growled, turning to face the battle.

"TSULALALALALALA!" the snake suddenly twisted and rolled in pain, tears streaming from its eyes. "Tsu… lala…"

Aurora frowned, perturbed by the large reptile's behavior. Something wasn't right. Why was it in pain? The angel reached out with her powers, sensing for the auras of the three people that had been consumed earlier. There, in the pit of its stomach, Aurora could sense Nami, Gan Fall and Aisa. They were still alive… and trapped. She had to get them out! But… how?

The snake returned back to normal, glaring down at the figure that was now within its path. "TSULALALALALALA!"

Wyper growled. "That's it, moan as you wish! Hold on, Aisa! Don't get digested!" The Shandian used a dial, a stream of cloud bursting forth for him to travel along. "I'll blast open its stomach and get you out of there!" Wyper flipped out of the way of the snake's attack, firing his bazooka.

The snake choked, the blast singing its tongue. "TSULALALALALALA!" The beast was further angered, continuing to go after the one who dared attack it. "TSULALALALALALA!"

"Wyper, no!" Aurora flew up to the Shandian, shoving him out of the way.

The warrior growled in anger, attempting to catch himself mid-air from the unexpected assault. "Damn, bitch! Out of my way!"

"No!" Raising a hand, Aurora reluctantly blasted the Shandian back, hurriedly turning to face the snake. It glared maliciously, coiled to strike. The angel held both hands up in a placating gesture, slowly floating closer so as to show she meant no harm. "It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you."

The snake eyed the angel warily, but let her draw closer.

Aurora forced herself not to tremble as she gently laid a hand on the reptile's snout, letting her holy power pulse soothingly. The creature slowly began to relax. The angel smiled softly. "See? Everything's fine. I just want to talk."

Unbeknownst to the angel, Wyper slowly began to rise, bazooka at the ready.

Aurora stroked her hand back and forth across the reptile's large snout, showering the creature with affection it had likely never experienced. "You're not a monster, are you? You're just trying to protect your home."

The snake leaned into the petting, enjoying the loving attention.

"I can understand that." Aurora cooed. "But that doesn't give you the right to eat people!" she gently scolded.

The snake had the decency to look ashamed.

"There, there. I know you just did it out of instinct. But those were my friends, and I'd really appreciate it if you could give them back to me. Okay?"

The snake appeared to be considering the request… then all hell broke loose.

Aurora shrieked in pain, a blast from Wyper's bazooka striking her squarely in the back. The force behind it was enough to knock the angel unconscious, body plummeting out of the air. The large snake did not take kindly to the assault on its new friend. The reptile managed to catch Aurora, coiling its tail around her prone form. Once the angel was snugly secure, the snake turned its attention back to Wyper.

An all out assault began.


Robin couldn't believe her eyes, tentatively approaching the stone. "I never would have thought that there would be completely untouched… poneglyphs here…" she breathed. "The creators of those writing were the only ones who could use them… "Truth in the heart and the mouth sealed… We are those who record history… Together with the sound of the great belfry"…"

"Belfry?" the word struck a chord with Kai. "Wait a minute… isn't there supposed to be some big golden bell around here?"

"…All the books in the city were burned… its entire history was lost…!" Robin abruptly turned, speed walking through the ancient city.

Kai spluttered in confusion. "Wha? Oi! Nico!"

The woman said nothing, continuing on her way. 'Some poneglyphs were taken to this city! I'm sure of it…! This city once had to fight… an enemy! The Golden City, Shandora… was destroyed after fighting to protect the poneglyphs.' Robin came to a stop in front of the giant stalk in the midst of it all. 'The belfry positioned in the center of the four altars… isn't here…'

"Nico!"

'…If the poneglyphs were here with the belfry… then there's no hope of finding them here.'

"Hey!" Kai caught up to the woman. "Don't just run off like that! What if something had happened to you?!"

"…A once prosperous city that tried to protect history… what happened to this world back then…?!"

Kai face-palmed. "You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?"

Robin didn't acknowledge the fallen angel, taking note of some strange markings in the ground. She proceeded to follow them, coming upon the remains of some rails. "Cart rails…?! It is a sign that something big was moved."

Kai knelt down next to the track. "Yeah… but these look almost new. If someone was moving stuff, it was a recent job."

"Yahahaha!"

The two managed not to flinch at the sudden cackle, glancing over their shoulders to find someone new had joined them.

"Amazing, isn't it? The city has kept its splendor even after being blasted into the sky… the magnificent Shandora… the poor city was hidden in the clouds, with no one to admire it. I was the one who discovered it. My foolish predecessors had no idea of its existence."

"...And you are?" Robin asked the question on both their minds.

"God."

Kai stiffened.

"I'm impressed… you are an archeologist from the Blue Sea, right? It took us several months to find these ruins… was the process simplified by your ability to read those writings?"

"…" Robin said nothing, watching the man warily.

Eneru took a bite out of the apple he was holding. "…Unfortunately, the gold you seek is gone. You are a few years too late."

"…The gold… now that you mention it, I didn't see it anywhere. You are the one who took it, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. That shining material quite suits me."

"So, you took the golden bell, too?!"

Eneru paused mid-bite. "Golden bell…?"

Kai slowly stood from his crouched position near the cart rails. He took a step closer to Robin, whispering in her ear. "He doesn't know, Nico. Choose your next words carefully."

Eneru polished off the rest of his apple. "Very interesting…! What did you learn by reading those runes…?"

"Nothing new, unfortunately. If it wasn't here when you arrived, then the bell probably didn't reach the sky. The Shandorians were really proud of their golden bell and the belfry it was in… but I was rather interested in the belfry…"

"…Wait." Eneru appeared to be in thought. He pointed a finger at the two. "It is! It's here. It did get to the sky!"

The archeologist and fallen angel said nothing, letting the God continue.

"400 years ago, when Upper Yard was born… that is when this island was blown into the sky, a ringing sound of bell was heard throughout the country. The old men here call it "The Song of the Island"… so this bell was made of gold! Fascinating! As soon as the game is over… that is, in eight minutes, I'll just look around this place! Yahahaha…!"

Robin mulled over his words. 'So the golden bell did reach the sky…?! Then the poneglyphs must also…!'

Eneru perked up. "Oh! It seems that a bug has reached the edge of the island…"

"Huh…?!"

Kai froze. 'Wait… can he… sense people?! I thought that was something only angels could do! Is it possible… others have this ability?' The fallen angel frowned. 'This isn't good…'


"SUUU! SUUU!"

"Eh? What is it Suu? Is it time for your supper?!"

The cloud fox turned in frustration. "SUU!"

Conis emerged from the galley at the sound. "Suu! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Rose shook her head, following the cloud fox's gaze. "That's not it! Look!"

The father-daughter duo turned, finally taking notice of the figure just off the coast. "Huh?"

The trio hurriedly made their way onto land, Pagaya kneeling down next to the injured man. "A… Are you from the Holy Guard…?! Were you held prisoner by God Eneru?!"

"…Haa… Yes. For six years… we've been held captive…! Haa… haa…!"

"What happened?!"

"Conis, get some bandages!" Rose spoke over Pagaya.

"Yes!" the girl turned to do as she was told.

"…Wait! Haa… haa… my wife… and son… are on Angel Island…!"

Pagaya didn't understand. "…Yes, we are all worried about the militia!"

"…Tell them…! Eneru plans to reset everything…"

"Huh?!"

"He's going to make Skypiea fall back to the Blue Sea! The entire country… will vanish!"

Rose gasped in horror. "That's…!"

The man grabbed Pagaya. "There is… no time…! Tell everyone! Eneru is crazy… HE WANTS TO WIPE OUT ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE SKY!"

"Wait! If God Eneru does that, he'll have nowhere to go, too…" Pagaya inferred.

"He has an "ark"! The ark "Maxim"!"

Rose froze, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. Something wasn't right. The atmosphere... it had changed.

"He's been making us build a flying ship for the last six years!"

Pagaya paid no heed to the man's words, having noticed the same change Rose did. Without looking, he reached back, shoving both women off the edge of the island.

…It was then the lightning struck.

"FATHER!"


"Tsulalalaaa!"

Both Zoro and Wyper went to attack the snake, the two men now the only combatants left in the iron prison. They had people to save.

Suddenly, there was a bright light. It erupted from below, the very earth they stood on beginning to crumble.

Zoro's eyes widened in shock. "What the…?"

Eneru stood below, arm changing back from lightning to its natural form.

"What was that?!" Robin demanded.

"Yahahahaha! I invited your friends to join us down here…! In Shandora!"

"The ground is collapsing!"

"It's Eneru!" Wyper informed the swordsman. "Only he can do something like this! The ruins are falling!"

"Damn it!" Zoro cursed, grabbing a recently found and unconscious Chopper.

Wyper gazed downward. "What?! Another hole?"

"Tsulalalaaa!" the snake cried out, the large reptile having no way to try and stop its descent.

The multiple sounds and quick rush of air roused Aurora from unconsciousness. The angel blearily opened her eyes, not at all expecting the sight that greeted her. She gasped at the realization she was falling, struggling to get out of the snake's grip.

"WAAAAH!"

"Tsulalalaaa!"


"We're leaving them to you, Suu!"

"Suu!" the fox thought back on her owner's words, vigilantly watching over Sanji and Usopp.

Conis sniffled, struggling to fight back tears. "This isn't the time to cry!"

Rose glanced at the girl that rode behind her on the waver, but said nothing. She had to focus. People were in danger.

"We have to warn everyone on the island!"


"YAHAHAHAHAHA! LET'S ORCHESTRATE THE FINAL ACT TOGETHER!"

"Ruins…?! Why are there such big pieces of ruins falling from above…?"

"Who cares, Nico?! Move!" Kai grabbed the archeologist around the waist, yanking her out of the way. A large rock landed where they had been standing mere seconds ago.

"…Damn it!" one of the rocks shifted.

"Mr. Swordsman…" Robin recognized the figure. "Did you… fall along with those rocks…?!"

"I ALMOST DIED! DAMN ROCK!"

Kai sweatdropped. "If you were a normal person… you would have died…"

Zoro finally noticed the two. "…Oh, you're here. Where are we?!"

"This is the Golden City that we were searching for. However… the gold is gone."

"Eh?"


Aurora managed to wrest herself from the snake's grip, spreading her wings so as to gently lower herself to the ground. The snake landed heavily amongst the ruins, face becoming submerged in cloud. It struggled to take a breath, yanking itself free.

"Tsulalalalalala! Tsuha! Haa… haa… tsulala…"

Aurora took a quick glance around. "Where are we? I've never seen this place before…"

Nearby, Wyper stood stock-still, unable to believe what lay before him. "…Could this place be… our… homeland…"

The Shandian stood several feet away, but Aurora heard his words. "Homeland…?" The angel flinched when a large drop of water burst on the ground next to her. "What?!"

Her snake companion was acting strange, hissing merrily. "Tsulalalala!"

Aurora watched as the large reptile slithered around, almost like it was searching for something. It was then she realized where the water came from. The snake… it was… crying.

"Tsula…" the reptile reared its head back, crowing to the sky "TSULALALALALA!"

"What are you doing…?!" Eneru's voice rang out, Aurora's blood turning cold in response. "What are you so excited about, King of the Sky? You annoying snake!"

Aurora froze when Eneru thrust a hand out, lightning gathering above the snake.

The God swiped his hand downward. "You fool! EL THOR!"

"Tsulalalala!"

"NO!" Aurora screamed in despair, unable to do anything but watch as the snake was burned to a crisp.

"AISA!" Wyper cried out for the girl still trapped inside the beast's belly.

"Oh, no! Nami!" Zoro's voice rang out. The swordsman stood nearby, clutching his head.

"Huh?! Zoro!" the navigator's voice called out from behind a nearby rock.

The swordsman did an about face, glaring. "Why are you over here?! How did you get out?"

Robin glanced over. "Why is Miss Navigator here?"

Kai followed her gaze. "Yeah. Aren't you supposed to be on the ship?"

"…Never mind that." Nami told them. "I'm fine, but… Luffy is… still inside the snake!"

"Huh?! What is he doing in there?!" Zoro roared. "How the heck did he get there?!"

"I don't know! He was there before me!"

Aurora fell to her knees, a lone tear streaming down her face. "No…"

Wyper grit his teeth. "The King of the Sky was able to withstand my burn bazooka several times… yet, one lightning beam from Eneru… Poor Aisa… still inside that thing…!" The Shandian sensed a presence behind him, turning and firing a shot. "ENERU!"

The God jumped out of the way. "Sphere Cloud!" He made use of a dial, a ball of cloud forming that he proceeded to perch himself on. "Yahahahaha… What was that for? Such bad manners. That's no way to return the favor of bringing you back to your homeland! Yahahaha! Just wait a little longer… the game's not over yet…!"

"What game?!" Wyper growled.

Aurora jerked, thoughts rapidly spinning throughout her head. 'Game? He's playing a game!' She thought back to Ohm's continuous countdown. 'We're all players in a game. He's taking us out one by one until…'

"That's right. You… and those others behind you are all contestants… of my little game… the rules are really simple. It's a survival game! Of course, I'm also a contestant. Some people joined partway in, but it doesn't matter… I predicted that there would be 5 survivors!"

Aurora's gaze roamed over the group. 'I don't know where Chopper came from, but he's out cold… so he doesn't count. I'm not included. Even after everything I've done, Eneru refuses to kill me. He still wants a queen, and in his eyes, I'm the only acceptable option. That leaves…'

"In 3 minutes, the 3 hour time limit will be over. 3 hours after you stepped onto this island… we see how many people… among the original 82 contestants are still alive. Thus… it is quite problematic that there are still 7 survivors here. However, God's predictions can't be wrong…"

The angel slowly turned, realizing the implication behind the God's words.

"So… two of you here will be eliminated. Will you do it yourselves, or should I do it for you…?"

There was a pause before Zoro spoke. "…Hey, do you want to?"

Robin shook her head. "No, thank you."

"As if!" Kai scoffed.

"Me neither." Zoro agreed.

"I don't think so…" Wyper rumbled.

"I refuse as well!" Gan Fall sounded off.

The group shared a look before pointing their weapons at the God hovering before them.

"You will!"

Eneru glared. "How impudent!"


"Does that not make us the evil ones?"

"Please don't say it like that, God-sama. God's militia may hear you."

"All they want is to return to their homeland, yet… the prosperity of the current citizens of Skypiea is because 400 years ago our ancestors took God's island."

Aurora gazed sadly at Gan Fall, knowing how much turmoil the man felt. Part of him wished to do something to help the Shandians… but a larger part of him felt obligated to help the citizens of Skypiea.

"Aren't we responsible… for continuing their fight? Our country's treasure must be protected! We've tried to compromise, but they've flatly refused! They deserve no pity!"

Aurora glared at the man, taking a step forward. "How dare you!"

Gan Fall held up a hand, the angel next to him going silent in response. The God held his head in his hand. "400 years… be it us or them… it is too hard to admit defeat because we've fought about this for too long…"

"…"

"HELP! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

"You're not Shandians! What is the meaning of this?! Who are you?!"

"Their leader calls himself "God Eneru"!"


"Skypiea will fall into the Blue Seas! This country… will vanish into thin air!"

The words rang loudly in both Rose and Conis' heads, the older woman forcing the waver to go faster.

Conis held on tight, biting her lip in determination. "…We cannot let that man's sacrifice be in vain! We must tell everyone!"

Rose glanced back at the young girl. "We will!"


"Yahahahahaha…! You're going to… eliminate me?!" Eneru laughed. "I wouldn't expect less from the survivors of this game… however… do you know who you are talking to? It seems that… you don't understand what a God is…!"

"….!"

"Yahahaha… the old man fighting for the prosperity of Skypiea… the warrior fighting to return to his homeland… and pirates from the Blue Sea trying to steal the gold… this world is filled with so many… trouble lambs. Even the country itself has sineed greatly!"

Gan Fall brandished his lance. "Instead of talking nonsense, why don't you tell me what you seek to accomplish here and where the militia members are being held captive?!"

"I simply seek to return, Gan Fall!"

"What do you mean by return?!" Aurora boldly stepped forward, this being the first she'd heard of such plan.

"…Yes. I have a place where I should be. On the sky island where I was born, where people say God lives. People call it fairy vearth…! And there is a limitless amount of earth. That is the ideal world I seek! That is what I deserve to have! This God's island… this puny piece of earth is nothing, yet you've fought for centuries to control it! Do you understand?! The reason you fight is actually more philosophical. Think about it… not a cloud, but born of the sky; not a bird, but lives in the sky… this country in the sky defies all laws of nature! Earth, men, and God, all have a place they belong!"

Gan Fall realized what Eneru was implying, eyes widening in horror. "…You can't…!"

"What do you mean, "You can't!" I am doing what a God should do. I am sending you all to where you belong… below the sky!"

Aurora's blood ran cold. "He's going to…!"

Wyper glared. "What…?!"

"You want to destroy this country?!" Gan Fall was appalled.

"It's the law of nature…"

"Don't think so highly of yourself, Eneru! "God" is nothing but a title for the leader of our country!"

"…That's before I became God."

"THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD DON'T NEED A "GOD"!" Gan Fall bellowed.

"Yahahaha… ex-God Gan Fall… you've been worrying about your militia, haven't you? Six years ago, they lost to my army. Your 650 followers… this morning they finished their… "job"… Like I said earlier… right now, the only people still standing on this island… are unfortunately just the seven of us."

Aurora gasped in horror, the true angel going weak in the knees. "All those men…! You…!"

Eneru began to laugh. "I didn't want to do it, but after I told them my plan… yahahaha… they all went berserk on me…"

Gan Fall's arm dropped, lance clanging against the ground. "…Their families… on Angel Island…"

"Oh! That's right. Their families will need burials…"

"YOU FIEND!" the former God rushed Eneru.

Aurora abruptly stood, attempting to grab the older man. "Gan Fall, no!"

"Yahahaha!" Eneru dodged the attack, index fingers pointed at his target. "Ten million… twenty million…"


"Eneru-sama. This is the old God… what should we do with him?"

"Just dump him. He's no good for labor."

Aurora screeched angrily, fighting against her captors to no avail.

"Yahaha… this shrine is pretty nice… take the old militia and have them work for me as manual laborers. And bring the girl. She intrigues me."

Gan Fall struggled to get up. "Wait…!"

Eneru got in the old man's face. "Shush now. From now on, you are no longer God… Heso! Yahahaha…"

"GAN FALL!"


"Thirty million volts… VARI!"

Nami screamed in dread. "Strange knight!"

"Old man…"

"NOOOOOOOO!" Aurora shrieked, the angel launching herself at the pair. Arms wound around her middle, holding her back. The berry-haired girl scratched and clawed at the appendages, but it was no use.

Kai tightened his grip on the true angel when she slumped in defeat. He'd just barely managed to keep the girl from getting herself killed as well. The fallen angel leaned down and whispered in the sobbing true angel's ear. "I know you probably hate me right now… but you need to stay alive… for the old man's sake. Finish what he started. Help us take this bastard down."

Aurora choked down a sob, attempting to keep the tears at bay. No matter how much she didn't want to admit it… Kai was right.

"Gan Fall, in this world, there is a God… ME!"

Zoro held his swords at the ready. "Devil fruit…"

"Most likely the Goro Goro Fruit…!" Robin deduced. "It's one of the… invincible powers… the power of lightning!"

Nami shook. "Lightning…?! Impossible… how can we win against that…?!"

"It is almost the predicted time… and six still remain…" Eneru's gaze drifted over the group before fixating on Kai. "You dare touch my queen…?"

The fallen angel recognized the look in the God's eye, hurriedly shoving Aurora into Zoro. The swordsman caught the true angel, not once dropping his swords. The berry-haired girl wrenched herself out of his arms and spun, barely managing to catch sight of Eneru striking Kai down.

"Thirty million volts… VARI!"

Aurora's breath hitched. 'He… saved me?!'

Kai's burnt body fell in a heap next to Gan Fall's, a slight chuckle leaving Eneru's lips. "Perfect, it is now the predicted time… there are exactly five survivors."

"Five? What is he talking about? There are six of us." Zoro muttered.

Wyper sent a glare in Aurora's direction. "She doesn't count. Eneru wouldn't dare harm a hair on his precious queen's head!"

"Queen?" He glanced at his companion. "Aurora, what is he talking about?"

The Shandian sneered. "She didn't tell you? I'm surprised. After all, what better way to protect yourself than by becoming God's wife?!"

Aurora stiffened, backing away from the group.

Zoro and Robin glanced questioningly at her. "Aurora?"

"It's not what you think…"

"Yahahaha!" Eneru burst out laughing. "Let's continue this little conversation later, shall we? Good job surviving this far! Now I shall travel to the fairy vearth! And all of you shall come with me!"

"…What did you say?" Zoro was unsure he heard him right.

"Once we are there, I will create a new God's land. Only those chosen by me may live there!"

Nami peered out from behind the ruins. "What is he thinking?!"

"Since they weren't able to survive such a short game, my previous followers are unfit to live in that country!"

"What if we refuse…?" Robin questioned.

Nami gaped. "Robin…!"

"Robin, don't…!" Aurora fiercely whispered.

"Refuse…?" Eneru didn't understand. "Why? I've already decided! If you stay here, you will fall into the abyss with this country!"

"True… with your power, it is possible. However, if you destroy this country, that thing you want most will also fall. No?"

Eneru pondered this. "…You mean the golden bell?"

"…"

"Yahahahaha! Don't worry, judging from your earlier adventures, I can think of only one place where the bell could be…"

Robin flinched. "Ah…!"

"Gold…"

"Golden bell…"

"…Looks like you're thinking what I'm thinking…! You seem surprised!" Eneru noted the expression on the woman's face. "Did you think you could trick me and find it yourself? You underestimate me…!" He pointed a finger at Robin. "…How shallow!"

"ROBIN!" Nami screamed in alarm.

"I don't like shallow women."

Aurora didn't think. She just acted. The angel flew forward, slamming all of her weight into Eneru. The man didn't budge, Aurora bouncing harmlessly off his form. The God's aim remained straight and true. The angel could only watch in horror as the archeologist was struck down, lightning ripping through her chest.

'A shield! Why didn't I conjure a shield?! That would have saved her!' Aurora thought in dismay. But she knew why she hadn't done such a thing. There hadn't been time to think. The thought didn't cross her mind until it was too late. She had just acted on her first instinct. And now… Robin had paid the price.

Nami was frozen. "No…"

"…!"

Zoro moved quicker than the eye could see, catching Robin's unconscious body before it hit the ground. He gently set her down, glaring back at Eneru. "She's a woman…"

"…I noticed."

Zoro charged, Eneru twirling his staff in response. He blocked the attack with little effort. The God smirked. "Hm… nice strong arms."

"You really are insane!" Zoro continued his onslaught.

Behind them, Wyper readied his bazooka, waiting for the right moment to strike. He fired. "Burn Bazooka!"

"Yahahaha… KALI!"

Aurora was forced to avert her eyes, lest the bright light blind her. Both Zoro and Wyper had to do the same. Once they were able to see again, the sight that greeted them was perturbing.

Eneru was unscathed. "Yahahaha!"

"…That's impossible… he deflected the bazooka's blast…!"

"You still don't get it? The pathetic trickle of power you wield is useless against me."

Nami continued to cower in her hiding spot. "Such an unbelievable power. A man who can control lightning…!"

"Tsk tsk tsk… I was simply inviting you to come to fairy vearth… why did you suddenly start attacking me?"

"Who are you trying to invite?" Zoro retorted. "We have no interest in that dream world of yours!"

"Yahaha." Eneru laughed when the swordsman charged once more.

"No, Zoro!" Nami cried. "You can't beat him!"

Aurora forced herself back up. "Zoro, please! Don't do this!"

Wyper turned on the girl. "Why do you care what happens to us?!"

"I've always cared!"

"Sure didn't seem that way 2 years ago! You took the coward's way out!"

Aurora glared. "That's not what happened, Wyper! You have no idea what I've been through!"

"What you've been through?! What about what we've been through?! You said you wanted to help us Shandians, and yet you did nothing! You took his side! TRAITOR!"

The angel flinched, Wyper's words striking her deep. She knew what everyone thought of her, but to actually bear the brunt of Wyper's animosity...

"I never betrayed you…" Aurora whispered, but the words went unheard, the sounds of battle drowning them out.

"It seems that you need to be taught a lesson… on what a God is!" Parts of Eneru's body turned to pure lighting, the man managing to avoid being struck.

Zoro growled in frustration.

"No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to win. I will use my overwhelming strength to teach you what "hopelessness" feels like."

"Ah?!" Zoro cried out in alarm when Eneru caught his blades, the swordsman trying to tug them from the God's grip. It was no use.

"Losing all hope and dying are two strangely similar things…"

"Ngh… WAAAH!" Zoro screamed in pain, Eneru's lightning coursing through the swordsman's body.

"Zoro!" Nami cried out.

"For mortal men… death is the most terrifying thing!" Eneru planted his foot atop Zoro's head, smashing it into the ground. "That's why when men pray to God, they kneel down and bury their heads to the ground!"

"Stop! Please!" Aurora tried to wrench the God away, but was unceremoniously shoved off.

"It can't be helped. Men beg when they are terrified. It's in their nature."

"Ack!" Zoro choked.

Wyper's burn bazooka clattered to the ground, the Shandian in question latching onto Eneru. The hand that housed the reject dial was planted against the God's chest.

Eneru stared blankly at the warrior. "What are you doing…? Committing suicide…?"

Wyper said nothing.

"Hm? Wha-…" Eneru began to waver.

"Do you know what kairouseki is, Eneru?!"

Aurora's head snapped in their direction. 'Seastone? Where on Earth did Wyper get that?!'

"I added some to my shooter, and it's draining your devil fruit powers."

Eneru slumped to his knees. "My strength is being… drained."

"EAT THIS!"

"You're trying to use "reject"? Your body can't take it! Don't you want to live?! I know you just want vearth…!"

"SHUT UP!" Wyper roared. "I'll be happy to die if I can take you with me…!"

Eneru grew increasingly alarmed. "Don't do it!"

"REJECT!"

"Truth in the heart… and the mouth sealed… we are those who record history."


"Poneglyph?"

"800 years ago, that stone tablet was what the warriors of Shandora tried to protect from the invaders who sought it."

"Did we win?"

"Yes… we did. But we lost many great men in the process. The survivors decided that they would quietly guard the city ruins and the poneglyph… that was the will of our ancestor…"

A young Laki poked her head around one of the many tents that resided in the Shandian village. She too was listening to the Chief's story.

"I know. 400 years later, the island flew up to Skypiea." Kamakiri added.

"And the people living here stole it."

"So the land our ancestors tried so hard to protect…" Wyper crossed his arms.

"Was brutally taken away!"

"That's right." The Chief agreed. "Upper Yard is our homeland… but it's also a place which holds a history lost in the darkness… even though it is in the sky now, the proud flame of Shandora shall never be put out. Restore the flame… of Shandora!"


The smoke finally began to clear, and a lone figure stood. But it was not Eneru…

"Is he… dead…?!" Nami stared at the prone form on the ground.

"Haa… haa… haa… haa…"

"Robin…! Kai…! Strange knight…!" Nami rushed over to the trio.

Aurora stared at Eneru, her gaze blank. As much as she wanted it to be over, the true angel knew it wasn't. The God wasn't one to go down that easily. If it had been any other man, the reject dial would have done the job. But… Eneru wasn't just any man.

The God's aura flickered and Aurora felt her shoulders tense in response. "It's not over…"

Electricity burst from Eneru's prone form, the remaining survivors watching in alarm. The God's body jerked to life, his chest beginning to rise and fall once more. A rhythmic thumping faintly echoed.

Nami covered her mouth in disgust and horror. "…He restarted his own heart…"

Wyper could only watch in dismay as the God literally rose from the dead.

"It's not "God" that people fear… it's the "terror"… that "God" incarnates." Eneru wiped blood from his chin, watching the Shandian fall to his knees. "What have I been saying? Just give up…"

Wyper's right arm constricted, the warrior curling in on himself in immense pain. The cost of using the reject dial had been for naught. "D… damn it…"

"You look awful, oh Wyper the warrior."

"My name is…"

"Hm?"

"…not something you may so casually use! For I am the descendant of the great warriors who fought to the death… hah… for their home eight hundred years ago… hah... hah… the warriors of Shandia!"

"Wyper…" Aurora gazed sadly upon the warrior.

"…Since that day… following the dying wish of the great warrior, Kalgara… for four hundred years… we have been searching for this place… now I'm finally here!" The Shandian forced himself upright. "Out of my way, demon!"

Eneru said nothing, twirling his staff above his head before swiping at the skate-like wavers attached to Wyper's feet.

They broke, Wyper falling heavily to the ground. "Wu…!"

"The same trick won't work twice, Wyper. The seastone won't help you again. To fire a shot of a mortal man's suicidal attack, reject, and still be able to stand up is rather impressive. But you're still no match for me." The God banged his staff against one of the drums protruding from his back. "Thirty million volts…"

Nami gaped. "The drum turned into a bird…?!"

"THUNDERBIRD!"

A figure dove in front of the Shandian, taking the full brunt of the attack. A feminine scream echoed throughout the area, before abruptly cutting off. All was silent as the smoke began to clear. With arms and wings stretched wide, Aurora stood before Wyper, body faintly glowing yellow as her holy powers worked to heal the damage dealt.

The true angel was burnt and charred from the electricity, the gold jewelry that still adorned her body now melted and slowly dripping down her form. Aurora shook in pain, but she refused to make a sound. She wouldn't give Eneru the satisfaction.

Nami was appalled, but simultaneously astonished. "How… how is Aurora still standing?"

Even Zoro couldn't believe what the angel had just done, nor that she was still alive after such an attack. Every other person that had crossed Eneru's path went down with one blow… but Aurora… she didn't waver in the slightest. The swordsman thought back to how bad off the angel was after her fight with Kai in Alabasta. She'd looked like death warmed over. The scenario should've been the same, but…

Eneru sighed, looking upon the angel condescendingly. "Really, my queen?"

Aurora breathed heavily, glaring at the God. "…Guess I didn't learn from last time…"

This seemed to break Wyper out of his stupor, the Shandian having frozen at what had transpired. "Last… time…?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. My beloved queen has a bit of a bad habit, you see. Instead of allowing me to kill you pathetic creatures, she'd beg for me to let her take your punishments." Eneru shook his head in disappointment. "I didn't wish to harm her… but she gave me little choice. The amount of times I've had to strike her down… such a shame."

The trio looked over at the angel, appalled at what they had just been told. From what they had seen, Eneru had no qualms about killing. So to take on every punishment the God had wanted to dole out…

Wyper was beginning to see Aurora in a new light. 'How many times did she go through this… to be able to withstand it…?'

Aurora continued to glare at the God. "It was worth it! Every… single… time!"

"Honestly, my queen. I thought you'd grow out of this. Especially, considering the amount of times you stopped me from killing your warrior friend here. What number are we at now? I lost track after 100…"

Wyper nearly choked at this new information, gaze riveted on the true angel standing before him. All these years… he'd had it wrong. Aurora… she'd been as much a prisoner as the rest of them. The Shandian felt shame begin to well up. She hadn't lied. The true angel had been attempting to help them all along… but they'd had no way of knowing. Hell, if what Eneru was saying was true, then Aurora had saved Wyper's life countless times. The warrior's eyes began to drop in disgrace… and that was when he saw them.

Aurora stiffened when calloused fingers whispered across her back.

"Wh… Where did…"

Eneru knew exactly what Wyper was trying to ask. "Oh, those? Well… she tried to run away… more than once. She needed to be taught a lesson. Though… it pained me to have to do so. A shame to destroy such beauty…"

Wyper unconsciously dug his fingers into the patch of scar tissue on Aurora's back, anger coursing through his veins. The girl had effectively been abused and tortured for years… and none of them had known. Except… perhaps Gan Fall? The pieces were all beginning to click into place. That was why the former God had fought so hard to get to Aurora. That was why he had risked his life to get her out of Skypiea. Gan Fall… he saved her.

Zoro glanced between Aurora and Eneru, the puzzle that was her past beginning to come together in his mind. She'd admitted to being taken advantage of… but that was only the tip of the iceberg. The angel had suffered. The swordsman took another look at the scars on the angel's back, stomach churning in response. Aurora was one of the kindest people he'd ever met… she didn't deserve to have that happen to her.

Nami also stared at the scars marring her friend's back, tears beginning to stream down her face. There were so many… it was horrifying. The navigator was finally beginning to understand why the angel sympathized with her during the whole ordeal with Arlong. Yes, life in Arlong's crew had been rough… but what Aurora had lived through seemed so much worse. To Nami, her plight paled in comparison to the hardships the true angel had suffered. She'd been struck down… marred… emotionally abused… and possibly worse. The thought sickened the navigator. Someone like Aurora… she didn't deserve that kind of life.

Wyper jolted when hands cupped his face, the Shandian not realizing Aurora had turned. The angel smiled sadly. "Please, don't blame yourself."

"All this time… I should have known you'd never…!" Wyper cut himself off, shame rising once more.

Aurora's hands dropped from the warrior's face, arms twining around his middle in a tight embrace. She gently rested her head against his chest. "It's ok."

Eneru eyed the two with disgust. "Enough of this." He proceeded to bang his drum once more. "Thirty million volts…"

Wyper stiffened in Aurora's embrace, realizing what the God was about to do.

"THUNDERBIRD!"

The Shandian shoved the angel away, the large electric bird piercing him straight through the chest. Aurora screamed in despair, stumbling back over to the fallen warrior. Zoro snapped out of his thoughts, the swordsman realizing he had an opportunity to take down the God.

"Dah! I have to get that seastone!"

It didn't take long for Eneru to notice. "Oh, you want one too, swordsman of the Blue Seas?"

Zoro charged at the God, seastone in hand. "Why not? Give me your best shot!"

"THUNDER BEAST!"

The large electric wolf soared towards the swordsman, taking him hostage in its gaping maw.

"AH! WAAAA!"

"ZORO!" Nami could only watch, devastated as another one of her friends was taken down.

"GUAAAA!"

The guttural screams tore at Aurora's soul. She couldn't save him… she couldn't save any of them…

Nami froze when Eneru's gaze landed on her. 'He's going to kill everyone…!'

The God paused, sensing a presence behind him. "Why do you persist? Why not just die? Isn't it best to just die quickly? Why the meaningless struggle?"

Aurora tried to pull the Shandian back. "Wyper, don't!"

He said nothing, merely shoving the girl off.

"You said that… it started four hundred years ago? Your people have been fighting to get back home? Don't you remember that you're the only one left… and this place will soon fall down from the sky? You are nothing more than a piece of trash blocking my way… why do you still stand up…?!"

"For my ancestors!" came the reply.

"Yet I was expecting something different… not that you're actually conscious enough to do that…"

'Wyper…' Aurora gazed worriedly upon the man. 'Why must you persist?!'


"Wyper… come here, Wyper."

"What?!"

"Your ancestor, the great warrior, Kalgara had… another reason for taking back our home… no matter what." The chief told the young boy.

"Another reason?"

"Yes, it was also Kalgara's greatest regret."

"…"

"Ready? The other reason why Kalgara was so persistent…"


The hairs on the back of Aurora's neck stood up, the angel knowing what was about to come next. She dashed towards Wyper, but the Shandian shoved her away once more. He couldn't let her take his punishments anymore.

"GOD'S JUDGEMENT!"

A large strike of lightning hailed down from above, sending everyone in the vicinity flying back. Aurora barely managed to catch herself, flapping her wings against the strong winds. The angel could only gaze in anguish upon the large black burn mark that marred the ground. So caught up in her feelings, she never noticed the presence behind her until it was too late. Eneru's staff slammed into the side of her head, knocking the girl unconscious.

Shaken by the devastating attack, Nami barely managed to crawl over to the prone forms of her crewmates. "Zoro… Robin…" The navigator froze, head slowly turning. Eneru was right behind her, Aurora's limp body draped over his shoulder. Nami's mind raced, the orange-haired girl realizing what she had to do to survive. "Uh… I… um… please… take… me…! Please take me with you to… the dream world! Please?"

Eneru said nothing, the silence stretching on for what seemed like forever. Nami was beginning to think she'd be killed too… until…

"Yahahahaha… alright, come with me. Good for you! Any way, people who never give in to fear are annoying."

"Uh… yeah!" She hurriedly agreed with the God. "That's so true!"


Angel Island…

"I see it… Angel Island!" Conis breathed.

Rose revved the waver. "Hang on! We're coming in hot!"

"Hm?" a White Beret on guard noticed the approaching waver. "Hey! Who is that?"

"Ah… it's those women!"

"That's right. She's Pagaya's… blasphemous daughter! And she's… the queen's mother!"


"Eh? Do you really have to take that with you?"

"…No…" Nami answered. "Uh… if I can't… it's no big deal, but…"

Eneru eyed the waver disdainfully. "You won't be needing that thing at where we're going, but… whatever. Do as you wish."

"I… I'm most grateful…" Nami thanked the God, tugging the waver along. "Uh… but if you don't like it… I can… um…"

The God said nothing, merely continuing on his way, Aurora still loosely hung over his shoulder. Nami followed the man, too afraid to say anything more. He led her further into the ruins of the once great city, making his way into a manmade tunnel.

Nami came to a stop when she saw what was at the end of it. "Eh! That's…"

"Yes… surprised like you should be… the one and only ship suited for and controlled by me… it is powered by lightning. This ship required a special mineral to build. A mineral that transforms lightning into mechanical energy! That mineral is the gold I found on this island! Those who worked and lived in this factory were truly fortunate. They had the privilege… to give their lives for the creation of this wonderful flying ship! Yahahahaha!"

Nami was stunned into silence. 'He's joking… right? A flying ship?! If we end up in mid-air, I won't be able to escape using the waver…'

"This is the arc, Maxim! This ship will take us to endless Earth! Yahahahaha!"