Chapter 114
Marines and multiple warships gathered at the port of the Holy Land. There were hundreds of soldiers instead of the smaller transport group the Elders sent before, let by Holy Knight Ju Peter. Richart, knights of The Secret Order, and Mordecai waited on standby. Richart looked around the island at the celestial dragons and took note of their constant disrespect for others. One celestial dragon had even told Richart to take his helmet off because he should breathe the same air as the "lesser." When Richart refused for his own safety, the celestial dragon told Richart he was probably from too ugly of a race to show his face anyway.
Richart shook his head.
"This is no Holy Land it just looks like one... Mr. Ubois was nothing like this.." Richart said.
Ju Peter stood in front of the armada.
"Attention all Marines." Ju Peter started, "We are going to The Mainland to meet with King Nika by any means necessary. Nothing will stop us. Anything perceived as a threat will be killed and that's all there is to it." Ju Peter said.
Richart intervened.
"You can't just kill anything that looks like a threat! There are plenty of good people and creatures that may look intimidating there." Richart said.
Ju Peter looked at Richart.
"Then they'd better act accordingly." Ju Peter said, shoulder checking Richart. Richart grew angry under his mask.
"Who are these people Joy Boy is letting on his island?" Richart asked himself as he turned to follow Ju Peter.
Floratheo Isle
"The voice called me for the entire year I was on bed rest.. sometimes I wouldn't even be able to sleep because of it, but that didn't bother me, I used it as motivation, to get better and go save whoever it was that was calling me." Tore said.
Robin grew concerned.
"How do you know it wasn't a trap?" Robin asked.
Tore shook his head.
"I didn't.." Tore said, "I knew it had to be a real cry for help it had to be.. he sounded so afraid.. like he wanted to die.." Tore said, tears forming.
"Wh-Wh-Who was it? That was calling for you?" Robin asked.
The tears fell harder for Tore.
"My dad..." Tore cried.
Robin's eyes shot open and she covered her mouth.
"Oh my god..." Robin said.
Tore sighed heavily.
At that point, only few knew of the truth of The Mainland's power. The Shadowkin who sold Burusu's body to the Undead, Cyclone, Ju Peter, and The Elders, just to name a few.
With tears in his eyes Tore spoke.
"But I wouldn't be alone... I met some amazing people at The Mainland... they didn't just help me with my mission... they became my best friends." Tore said happily.
Dubois Castle (Present Day)
"The ship had docked at the ogryn ports on the southeast of The Mainland. Giant ogres with metal racks on their necks and giant logs fastened to their arms walked the ports. At least one of every faction minus the Watchers was working here as a prisoner while other larger ogres with green hoods and poison coated blades watched them. You see, while Nika's kingdom is an ultimate safe haven for all races, outside of the kingdom it is not so much. If you were caught somewhere you were not supposed to be.. there were going to be consequences." Dubois said.
Ogetara Wharf (Ogryn Ports, 903 years ago)
A ramp was let down the ship and down walked a man in all red armor, a long black cape draped down his back. The man had a smug face with black sclera and red eyes. His hair was slicked back and a healthy brown, his skin was grey and old. His armor pulsed with his heartbeat, sending a red energy over his body, the same red energy circled his giant black blade in a never ending flow.
The man looked back as fat mummies dragged Ubois off the ship. The man turned to look back at the Ogre that overlooked the docks, a giant ogre that wore armor with a giant axe, blood painted in a line going down his helmet.
"Greetings, Dock keeper Nuk, long time no see." The man smugly said.
Nuk grumbled. The man stuck out his lower lip as he looked around at other ogres. Some were infected with elements. One's body had become scarred with magma over the back of his neck, upper back, and arms. Another's skin had become ice, another grew rocks over its body.
"I take it you all have enjoyed the power you've received." The man said.
Nuk smiled and ugly smile under his helmet.
"And The Undead are forever grateful for you to act as the middle men for the transaction. Not a lot of factions messed with the Ogryn even before life force." The man hyped.
Nuk raised his axe and roared in agreement. Other ogres roared themselves, to the fear of their prisoners. Except one... a skinwalker in the form of a panda.
Bambous. crime: lollygagging, flower picking without a license. Sentence: 1,000 lashes, 200 days of wharf work.
The panda skinwalker stared at the unconscious Ubois with fascination until a big brown ogryn with thinning hairs slammed a hammer, which was a rock fastened to a stick, against the back of his head.
CRACK!!!!
"YOWCH!!" Bambous yelped. The ogre shoved Bambous to keep him moving.
"Don't hit me in the back of the head! That's dangerous! At least spare me a little pain and aim for the frontal bone!" Bambous pleaded.
The ogre raised his hammer to hit Bambous again.
"I DIDN'T MEAN ACTUALLY DO IT!" Bambous yelled.
Two ogryn jailers in green hoods proceeded to run over and beat up Bambous.
Back at the man and Nuk, Nuk urged the man to follow him. Two massive, ice blue, ogres walked onto the docks. Both ogres wore helmets that covered their whole face, two massive horns coming out of them, it is unknown if the horns are a part of the helmet or not. They also carried the same massive weapon, a giant metal ball with a large wooden handle. Both metal balls had letters of an unknown language enscribed on them. The ogres leaked cold, blue energy.
The two giant ice ogryn lifted Ubois with one hand each, showcasing their immense strength. The man whistled in respect.
"Yep, we were definitely smart to work with the ogryn, shall we?" The man said.
Nuk, The man, the undead, and the ice ogryn walked off the warf and into a small village.
Dubois Castle(Present Day)
"When I woke up this time I was inside of a cell underground from the looks of it. Catacombs I think they're called. There were others there, of course, any race I've mentioned before was captive there." Dubois said, "If you ask me, I was starting to think these people were prisoners but instead captives."
"It didn't take long before the man running things came to see me.." Dubois said trembling.
Everyone took notice. Kraken looked away, a tear falling.
"I still can't believe what he showed me next..." Dubois said, softly crying, "Oh Tore... Thank the heavens you never had to see him like that!"
Naruto and Luffy held shocked faces at Dubois's emotional outburst. Mihawk stared towards the ground with his eyes closed in respect, Sanji lit a smoke, Law clenched his teeth in rage, and Boa hid her expression behind her hair. Hinata covered her mouth with her eyes closed. Fujitora lowered his head. Usopp, Chopper, Franky, Brook, and Nami all sobbed uncontrollably. Okua looked to the side and a tear fell, Lionel clenched his fist as tears fell from his face as well. Jimbei stared stoically at Dubois, nothing but respect and admiration for the former elder.
Akainu couldn't help but feel something to all of this, the tears that fell from his face was from not knowing how to feel. Sakura buried her face into Sasuke's side as Kakashi and Sasuke glanced at each other and then looked at Naruto who stared up at Dubois, tears fell down Naruto's face too.
Catacombs of Broken Wills
Dubois woke slowly to a man standing in front of his cell. It was the man who found him and took him on his ship.
"Wh-Who are you?" Dubois asked.
"Me? I'm nobody. I used to go by Val before, so you can call me that." Val said.
"O-Okay... my name is-" Dubois was interrupted.
"I know who you are Mr. Ubois. An elder from the island across the water, sent here to meet with Nika, but it appears you got lost your way there, unfortunately for you." Val said.
Dubois nodded his head slowly.
"Y-Yeah... that's pretty much it." Dubois said.
"We are also aware of the power you possess, that curse that now follows you. As well as the awakening of your life force." Val said.
"H-H-How do you know about all that?" Dubois asked, thirsty, "I'm sorry, I could just use some water."
Val snapped his fingers and a skeletal servant brought him water to give Dubois.
"Because once we began chasing you things started happening, that's only the work of a curse." Val said.
"Then how did you possibly get to me?" Dubois asked.
Val chuckled confidently.
"Because you can't kill what's already dead Mr. Ubois. That curse of yours has no effect on people like us." Val said.
"U-Us?" Dubois asked worrily.
"Oh... have you not seen yourself lately? I'm sorry to have to be the one to show you." Vlad said, stepping off a puddle and letting Dubois see his face. Dubois fell back quickly and almost hurt himself when he saw his face. Dubois's skin was grey, his hair and beard was white, his eyes so sunken into his head it looked like black holes in his eyes.
"What... in god's name..." Dubois said with sadness, fear, and confusion.
Dubois's cell door opened.
"Huh?" Dubois asked.
Val motioned for Dubois to follow him. Dubois was hesitant but anything was better than being in a cell. The two walked the catacombs. Dubois occasionally looked over to see prisoners balled up in their cells, some were probably even dead. Dubois looked at Val who began to speak.
"23 years ago the Shadowkin approached us with an offer. We bring their dead leader back to life and in exchange we get a power no earth dweller could ever understand. We laughed in their faces of course, until... they showed us." Val said.
Dubois eyes widened slightly.
"The things those ninja could do was fascinating... the power they displayed! We needed that power immediately." Val said.
Val and Dubois made it to the end of the hall where a massive wall turned around, sweeping Val and Dubois to the other side. When Dubois turned around, he couldn't believe his eyes.
DOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!
There he was. Burusu. Floating over a giant, red, rotating pentagram.
"Oh my god..." Dubois said.
Burusu's mouth was open as his energy escaped his body, his eyes were open but his pupils weren't there, energy leaving his eyes too.
"King Burusu... that was his name apparently. From a race in the sky called "The Lecnians." But you know all that already don't you?" Val asked.
Dubois gulped.
"N-No... I've never heard of this man.." Dubois said in awe.
"How haven't you? Is that not his son you harbor?" Val said.
Dubois eyes shot open. Dubois couldn't believe what he just heard.
"H-His...son..? Tore?" Dubois said.
"Oh, I see. You found Tore before meeting Burusu, that makes sense. Burusu was alone when they found him. They assumed someone had taken the kid off his person." Val said.
"This...is Tore's father?... He's the one powering this island?" Dubois asked.
"Precisely. For 23 years King Burusu has pumped his energy into this island; causing all sorts of things to happen to places and things! People developed powers, landscapes became distorted or permanently altered, it was madness!" Val said, "But at the end of the day we control this power."
Dubois was too shocked to speak.
"Every last member of the undead were alive on this island at some point you know? We all have our grudges and people we want to pay back. Nika, is who I want to pay back. I want to take everything that makes him smile, away." Val said, "This... this power will help me do that."
Dubois asked without moving,
"Why-Why do you want to do that?" Dubois asked.
"Because Nika watched me die." Val said.
Dubois's eyes shot open even further.
"That's why we must stay top secret. There has been more fighting on this island than ever since the introduction of life force... and when those people die, we retrieve the bodies, adding them to our army." Val explained.
Dubois couldn't do anything but listen.
"And when my army is massive enough, we will storm his kingdom to kill and tear apart anybody we see. Nika has a kingdom of yes men, but he doesn't have the true power of this island, whoever controls Burusu's corpse, controls the power to destroy an island. So Nika can have that little "King" title, because he doesn't really run things here. I do. You understand?" Val asked, looking up at Dubois, who was now a solid black shell. Dubois had shed his skin, thanks to his new demonspawn abilities, leaving an empty shell and grabbed Burusu's body before running over to the wall and activating it!
The wall rotated as Val screamed. Dubois huffed and puffed for a second until a blade shot through the wall and through his body. Dubois coughed up blood before tearing himself off the blade and continuing running through the catacombs. Val retracted his sword.
Val stood behind the wall pressing the stone needed to flip the wall. Nothing happened.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?! FLIP!!" Val said beginning to get worried, "SOMEBODY FLIP THIS WALL NOW!! NOWWWWWWW!"
Nobody could hear him.
"No. No no no no no no no no no no no no no!!!! NO NO NO!!!!" Val screamed at the top of his lungs.
"LET ME OUTTTTTT!!!! SOMEBODY GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!" Val screamed and begged.
Dubois had used his cold life force energy to freeze the wall behind thick ice. Water that fell from the ceiling only made it worse as it immediately froze and added to the thickness of the ice. Dubois eventually found an elevator in the catacombs and took it up. Dubois breathed heavily in and out as he carried Burusu in one hand. Dubois looked at Burusu.
"There was no way I was going to keep letting them do that to you... I hate I had to meet you this way Mr. Burusu! Your boy, our boy... I-well, you know what I mean! He's a good kid, always listens, never gets into trouble that he started!" Dubois said with a smile. Burusu's eyes and mouth were closed as he rest. Dubois knew talking to him was pointless but he was hysteric at the moment. When the elevator rised, Dubois ran out into the courtyard where other prisoners gasped at the giant man. One in particular smiled big and chased Dubois.
"Looks like its time!" Bambous said, grabbing a long stick.
The two ice ogres readied their weapons as Dubois body released cold. Dubois put Burusu's body on his shoulder and hardened his fist with ice and a black coating!
Bambous ran towards the other ice ogre and lanched himself towards the beast using the stick like a javelin, flying at super speed. Dubois cocked back a mighty punch, all of his teeth showing as he was filled with rage. Bambous coated his foot in the same black coating.
CRACK!!!!! WHAM!!!!!
Dubois punched the mask off one of the ice ogres and sent it crashing into the prison walls, knocking them down, Bambous had kicked the other ice golem through a wall, making a perfect shape of the ogre. Dubois looked down at Bambous and Bambous back up at Dubois. Nobody could believe what they saw.
"WE'RE FREE!!!" A human prisoner yelled as prisoners began to escape.
"Thank you Mr. panda!" Dubois said.
"The names Bambous! And you got it! We're gettin' outta here!" Bambous said as more ogryn approached.