The storm doesn't stop. It continues to rage ,and while Ace is ready to try and hunt Inari – Roger – from where he's seen him, he gets dragged back inside, just before a bolt of lightning strikes the garden. Even Luffy agrees it's safer to be inside, though the house shakes with every strike of lightning, and Rouge has already asked how strong the house is.
They'll be okay, Ace assures himself. They have to be okay. He can't let his friends, his mother, or Marco get harmed. Especially when it's Ace that caused this mess in the first place.
Ace sinks his head into his hands. He's sitting in the kitchen, watching as Marco clears up the mess he made when he dropped a handful of bowls. Rouge is with Luffy and Sabo, keeping an eye on the storm, and Ace feels awful.
"This is my fault," he says quietly, amidst the scraping of broken bowls. Marco pauses, then carries on.
"Did you want this storm to happen?" Marco asks lightly, and Ace frowns.
"No," he replies slowly.
"Then how could you cause it?" Marco says, crouching down in front of Ace. He leans forward, kisses the top of Ace's head and then sits down. Ace peers at him through his fingers.
"I don't know, but it has to be because of me," he says. He closes his eyes as a roll of thunder sounds. Marco tugs his hand free and holds it, stroking the back of his hand gently.
"I don't think it's possible for it to be because of you," Marco says, and his tone is serious. Ace looks at him and sees Marco's deep frown. "Even when you entered, the lightning was never this bad. It's as if the world's trying to get rid of something almost."
Ace thought of Roger and grit his jaw.
"I think I saw him," Ace says, and Marco frowns, not quite understanding. "Inari. Roger," Ace clarifies, and Marco's eyebrows shoot up.
"You think he's doing this?" Marco says, and Ace shakes his head.
"No!" he says hurriedly, hand gripping Marco's forearm. "He wouldn't do something like this."
Marco makes a murmur of agreement. "No, he wouldn't."
He shifts to sit beside Ace, and Ace rests his head on Marco's shoulder. He feels tired, and it's no surprise when he thinks about it. He's been opening world portals all day, and he knows that takes tremendous energy. The Shrine portals each take at least two people to open, so Ace is impressed with his abilities really.
"I want it to stop," Ace says quietly. He wishes he has supreme power, power to control, because then he could stop the destruction outside. He hears Sabo shout out a warning, and a lightning bolt hits close to them, rocking the entire house.
"I've had enough," Ace says, and Marco hums to himself. He pats Ace's hand gently, then pulls away, standing.
"I'm sure Roger knows more than us," he begins, and Ace sees the formation of a plan. "If we find him, he might be able to stop this."
It's better than lying around doing nothing, and Ace nods. He walks to the other room, and the occupants look at him, Rouge worried and his brothers serious.
"We're going out," Ace says, and both Sabo and Luffy stand instantly, nodding. Rouge gets up slowly, glancing out to the storm raging above them.
"Do you think we can fix this?" she says, and it's not because she doubts them or their abilities. Her question is whether they can handle what they might see, what this might mean, and Ace looks at Marco.
"I don't know," he says, but he's willing to try. He's willing to do anything if it means he can protect this world, protect Marco. Besides, apart from his time fighting Bishimaru, Ace hasn't had a challenge in a while. It'll be a change of pace, something interesting.
They grab whatever coats they can find to keep the rain away and head out. They don't bother trying to start Marco's moped, instead choosing to run towards the Temple. Luffy and Sabo zoom ahead, circling them occasionally to let them know they haven't spotted anything strange (well, stranger than the huge columns of lightning hitting the ground), and, at some point, Ace finds himself running stride-for-stride with Marco, his hand clenched tightly in Marco's.
They stop before the Temple, and the world seems a little quieter here. Ace doesn't know if it's just his wishful thinking, though, or whether the buildings seem to cushion the blow of the storm. It feels a little more peaceful too, and he looks at their small group, wondering what they should do next.
They don't get a chance to decide. There is a flash – bigger than any Ace has seen before – and the entire world shakes. Ace falls to the floor and feels Sabo and Luffy move to his side. Marco is with Rouge, and they all turn as a strange noise sounds in the sky. It almost sounds like… but Ace shakes his head. It sounds like a door opening, but there is no way a door can open in the sky.
Except Ace did it before. Twice even. He probably landed in the same place when he first came here. He stares upwards, nerves like snakes in his stomach, writhing. It takes a while, but he does locate the source of the noise, and he inhales sharply, eyes wide.
It's not Roger. The figure striding down the stairs is not even close to being Roger. It's someone Ace knows very well, and he feels both Luffy and Sabo shake as they see the Head Priest walking down the stairs from the sky.
Akainu has always been an imposing man. While Ace's fondest memories of the Shrine involve Inari, he also remembers the Head before Akainu, a patient man who had taught Ace a few things. Akainu had wanted nothing to do with Ace, openly scorning him when he could. The only reason Ace had been allowed to stay had been Akainu's council. They'd recognised Ace's talents and taught him until Ace was of age, and he'd snuck out the moment he'd turned 16, not wasting another moment wondering when Akainu would 'accidentally' kill him, or use him in some way.
He cares about the protection of the 12 worlds and its people: Akainu has to, or he'd never have made Head Priest, but he's a ruthless, harsh man. He thinks Ace is the key for something (and now Ace realises it was all to do with the Mirror World), and had always watched Ace, waiting for the chance to strike him down.
"Shit," Ace says, and Rouge snaps her head to look at him, disapproving frown on her face. The look smooths, and she sighs, nodding slowly.
"I remember him," she says, and her voice is small. She knows then, knows what Akainu is capable of. He's burned countries before, just to put an end to rumours. He's ruthless, and he's here to destroy their world.
They wait together, watching as Akainu walks slowly towards them. Two familiars – one bright blue and one a vibrant yellow – accompany him, though they seem to be trailing lazily behind. Ace recognises them as Kizaru and Aokiji, and they've always been more reasonable than Akainu. Still, Akainu controls them, has their loyalty, and where they showed kindness in the past, Ace knows there will be none of that now. There's another, and this person is someone Ace knows very well, and he fights the automatic greeting he wants to give. He can feel Luffy and Sabo holding themselves back too. Rayleigh was Roger's familiar, once, and Ace knows he's a decent man through and through, present affiliations excused (and Ace always thought Rayleigh was doing it on orders, he hopes today that his thoughts are right).
"Priest Ace!" Akainu calls, feet stomping through puddles as he marches towards them. He wears a frown well, and Ace tenses. He feels for Aratama and shifts his position. If he needs to, he'll be able to fight.
"You will stand down. You will return to the Shrine, as is your duty, and you will repent your sins." Akainu tilts his chin, standing around ten or so paces away. Rayleigh hovers behind him, dark eyes watching with amusement, as Akainu's familiars float upwards slowly, prepared to strike.
"Why?" Luffy shouts, and, for once, no one chides him for speaking out of turn.
Akainu looks at him as if he's a piece of dirt, and Ace feels hatred curl in his gut. He wants nothing more than to wipe out Akainu using Aratama, though he knows he can't. Akainu is strong. Ace has no idea how strong, but he's the man in charge of the 12 worlds, and so he has to be able to handle himself and any threats. Ace, in comparison, is in charge of nothing.
"This world is a sin," he sneers, and his familiars shift around him. "This world was created by a false god, one who stole his power and used it to create this monstrosity."
Ace sees Marco start, clenching his fist. He looks angrier than Ace has ever imagined he could be, and Ace doesn't blame him. He's ridiculing the world Marco loves, calling his former guardian a false god. Ace doesn't know much about gods, but he knows that Roger has a power he could never have stolen.
"This world will be destroyed. Ace and his familiars can return to the Shrine for repentance, but the rest of you need to be wiped from this miserable world." Akainu dips his head, and Ace can feel the hum of power radiating from him. His hand moves to the sword at his hip, and Ace hisses a warning.
"It's all your fault really, Ace," he says, and Ace freezes, hand digging into his pocket to pluck Aratama out. "If you'd just stayed put, this world would have remained stable. Whatever you've done, you put this world on our radar and made it easy to travel here. This world is dying whether I do anything or not, and it'll take the 12 other worlds with it." Akainu smirks, but there's no humour in it.
"I've been asked to call you back to the Shrine, but if there was an accident, and you should die here… well, the world is falling apart. I wouldn't have been able to help it." His hand wraps around the hilt of his sword, and Ace knows this is it. Akainu's going to kill them all, this world will fall, and that's the end of it.
But since when has Ace ever given in without a fight?
He can see Akainu moving and pulls Aratama out of his pocket, enlarging the hammer. Ace swings his arm back as Luffy and Sabo surge forward, ready to meet Aokiji and Kuzan, but Ace never lands his hit. He stops abruptly, a hand on top of his, just as Akainu's sword clashes with another.
"You're as insufferable as you ever were," a deep voice says, and Ace's heartbeat speeds up. He recognises that voice, has been searching for the owner for years. It's Roger, blocking Akainu's attack, and Whitebeard who held off Ace. He bows his head as Ace glances at him and steps aside, eyes narrowed as he judges the scene.
"Inari," Akainu snarls, and Roger gives a humourless snort of laughter. He pulls his sword back, sheaths it, and steps back until he is part of their group. He hasn't looked at Ace or Rouge yet, but he fixes Marco a look. Ace sees Marco flinch, but he doesn't turn away. He nods, and Ace has no idea what it means.
"Ace did nothing to this world," Roger says, and he moves until he is beside Rouge. He bows his head to her, and she offers him her hand. He presses a kiss to it, and Ace starts when he sees Rouge is already fading, skin almost translucent. She needs to return to the Holy Ground, but how can she when Akainu is so persistent?
It's all Ace's fault, no matter what Roger says. If he'd stayed away, or even if he'd just moved on instead of being selfish and falling in love with Marco, then Akainu would never have come here. Rouge would still be safe at the Holy Ground, and Ace could still have found them both. Now he's doomed this world, doomed everyone he loves, and he grits his jaw.
The group shifts then. It seems to spark from Rayleigh, who almost seems to glide towards Whitebeard. It seems to be the cue for Aokiji and Kuzan, and Luffy and Sabo take off after them, chasing them upwards in their beast forms. Marco moves to stand next to Ace, beads clacking as he moves, and Ace is fascinated with the ruby beads for a moment. They remind him of blood, and he wonders how much blood is about to be shed, all because of his selfish actions.
"Give it up," Akainu hisses, waving his sword in Ace's direction. "He's the child of an illusion and a liar. He's going to cause the collapse of the 12 worlds if someone doesn't stop him. You can't stand there and lie, tell me that he's innocent." Akainu narrows his eyes. His sword is perfectly controlled, blade not even wavering as he holds it out. Ace shudders, shifts slightly and bumps against Marco's shoulder. It's that contact that stops him from panicking there and then. He is worth more than Akainu's words, he knows that, but it's hard for Ace to accept when someone wants his death more than anything else.
The storm still rages too, and Ace can feel it in every pore of his skin. The air is electric, the breeze stifled. He did this, he thinks. He's killing this world.
"Ace is so much more," Roger says, shaking his head. The storm seems to quieten down as Roger takes a step forward, as if it too wants to hear what Roger has to say. "He's inherited the power to travel through the worlds with a mere thought. His mother gave him those powers, but he's so much more."
Akainu lowers his sword, eyebrow raising, as if permitting Roger to continue.
"He's the son of a Bodhisattva and a god," Roger announces, and he takes a step forward, hand on his sword. He's preparing to fight, and Ace knows this could be the end of everything.
"Lies!" Akainu shouts, and he moves forward. Roger meets his sword evenly, and Ace's hand grips Marco's sleeve, fear swirling around him. He risks a glance upwards too, momentary relief bursting in his chest as he sees Luffy and Sabo are doing well. He doesn't think they have much chance at winning, but they're working together and alright. He'll help them soon, when he can.
"The only authority is the Shrine," Akainu calls, and he's breathing heavily, rage taking over him. "Your gods are false, and this world is a sin."
Ace wonders if he's right, entertains the vicious thought, until he can feel Marco's arm shaking under his hand. He looks away from the fighting – barely registering as Rayleigh shift into beast form, moving upwards to join Sabo and Luffy in their fight – and at Marco. He has tears in his eyes, and Ace thinks he is possibly the most stupid person to ever have existed.
Once, and it feels so long ago now, Marco asked Ace to kill him, to find a way to take away his immortality. Marco has lived in this world for so long, seen so many things, and despite his hatred for his never ending life, he loves this world. He loves it and would never see it destroyed, so how can Ace have betrayed him so brutally by thinking that Akainu is right?
"He wants to destroy what he cannot control," Marco says, bringing up his hand to wipe his eyes, and Ace thinks that he's not just referring to Akainu. His beads clack together, and Ace feels courage swell from goodness knows where. He made a promise to help Marco, so he has to end this.
"This world needs to stay!" he shouts, and it seems even the storm stops. Akainu moves away from Roger's sword, rounding on Ace. Ace stands firm, knowing he can do this. He can do this for Marco, for his brothers, for his mother. He can even do it for Roger and the others, he has to.
"This world has never harmed anyone. It was created from love, and you'd never understand how important this world is." He stands firm, glancing to Roger. Roger looks proud, a soft smile on his face.
"I will do anything to protect this world," Ace says, and he shifts Aratama so that the hammer hits the ground before him. The world gives a bone-shuddering jolt, but it's worth it. Akainu's expression changes into something that Ace wants to see more of. It's not quite fear, but a realisation that Ace isn't just going to roll over and do what he wants. That's how Ace wants it.
"The Creator formed the 12 worlds," Roger says suddenly, and everyone looks at him, unsure where this is going. Even the familiars still, and Ace is pleased to see that, with Rayleigh's help, Akainu's familiars are looking close to collapsing.
"Yes, and formed the Shrine," Akainu says, as if Roger is a child. He keeps his eye on Ace though, sword hand twitching.
"He had two sons," Roger says, and he smiles fondly. "Edward was his first son, placed in charge of the Shrine. He only stepped down because he had to, when I asked him to govern this land and take care of Marco."
Ace had, in all honesty, forgotten about Whitebeard until now. He is with Rouge, crouched low, and he inclines his head. He's powerful, Ace realises, and very clever. There's no denying he could have governed the Shrine, and Ace has heard stories about him. He'd never thought of the legends to be true, but Whitebeard here is proof.
"Our father gave me the power of creation," Roger continues, and Akainu does look away from Ace then, eyes murderous. He looks as if he wants to rip Roger apart, and perhaps he'd try if he was closer.
"I created this world for my family, and it is my family that watches over it today. You say the Shrine is the ultimate authority, but how can you be when my son has more power than you could ever dream of?" Roger smiles, and Ace thinks the entire world shifts as he moves. His sword is a silver arc through the air as he slices Akainu – not deep enough to be fatal, but deep enough that he may bleed out if he continues how he has been.
Roger pauses, and Ace can see a sad smile on his face. There's something that's about to happen, Ace thinks, and he lets go of Marco's sleeve. His hand lets go of Aratama, and he takes a half-step forward.
Ace can feel the energy around them pulse as Roger explains he left Ace to become stronger. He explains that he never trusted Akainu, or the Shrine, and now his family is safe, can handle themselves, he doesn't have to bend to their whims. Akainu moves as if to fight back, but Whitebeard is there, eyes cold and hard.
He still feels as though he's watching everything from a faraway window, though. Ace takes a deep breath, trying to coax more life into him, but all he can do is stand there, as if he is awaiting judgement. It seems everyone is too busy watching Whitebeard as he delivers a killing blow, but Ace looks at Roger and meets his eyes.
There's an apology in them. Ace knows his father well enough to understand what the apology is for, and he knows that there is only one way to fix this world. He thinks of Marco, thinks of Luffy and Sabo (and he can hear them celebrating; they've outdone themselves this time by defeating Akainu's familiars), and he thinks of his mother. It's the last that sends him reaching for the mirror, calling for the gate to the Holy Ground. He can feel it open beside Rouge, and he can sense her shock, and that's when it happens.
Roger holds him, arm around his shoulders. For a moment, no one seems to take notice, not even Ace. It's almost as if Roger really is congratulating him, hugging a son he hasn't seen for years. And then Ace can feel it. It starts as a tiny prick of pain, then he can hear his heartbeat in his ears and feel the skin of his stomach shudder, trying to get away from the metal that is now embedded through him, twisting as Roger whispers to him, confirming Ace's thoughts. Pain spirals through him, and Ace let out a wheezy breath, eyes rolling back for a moment. This is the only way.
He thinks he can hear panicked shouting, feels Roger leave him and feels the gate to the Holy Ground vanish, his mirror gone too. Ace is still standing, but he is close to falling. He can feel his consciousness sinking, darkness creeping in, and his only thought is to get to Aratama.
There is only one way to fix this, and they need to start with the end of the world.