Chapter 111
Captain Lowery choked on his words as Richart lowered his head to look at him again.
"M-M-Mr. Ubois is going to die?! We can't just let that happen!" Captain Lowery got up and ran past Richart.
"No!! Captain Lowery you don't understand!" Richart yelled, chasing after the captain.
Lowery ran out of his captain's office and past a few Marines and Secret Order knights. Richart wasn't far behind.
"Excuse us! Sorry about that! Mr. Lowery! Please wait!" Richart pleaded.
Lowery ran towards the sickbay in a panic.
"If they find out Ubois died... and we didn't even make it to The Mainland, I'm as good as dead!!" Lowery panicked to himself.
Lowery finally made it to the sick bay as Richart caught up to him. Lowery tried to open the door to the sickbay but he couldn't. Lowery began to yell and slam his body against the door.
"What is the meaning of this?! Open this door now! This is the captain!" Lowery yelled.
"Mr. Lowery...!" Richart said, "Please don't open that door! You won't like what you see!
"I've seen plenty of dead bodies Mr. Tower! I have to get to the elder!" Lowery said, running back and preparing to slam against the door once more. Before Richart could speak, Lowery charged the door and slammed into it.
BOOM! BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
Negative degree winds burst from the sickbay! Richart pulled out his hammer and slammed it on the ground, creating an impenetrable shield and pulling Lowery behind it.
"Wh-What the hell is happening?! Why is it so cold?!" Lowery yelled.
"It-It appears Mr. Ubois life force element is ice!" Richart said.
"Life force element?!" Lowery asked again as the wind subsided.
Richart deactivated the shield and the two looked at the room in front of them. Lowery began making his move, drawing his pistols.
"Mr. Lowery please. Come back to the office. We're almost to The Mainland, let me explain!" Richart pleaded.
Lowery didn't listen and walked into the sickbay, but he couldn't believe what he saw.
The entire room and everyone in it was frozen solid. Equipment, medicine, and Marines all frozen completely solid, except for 3 Mordecai. Lowery was shocked. Even worse, Ubois was gone. No sign of him anywhere.
"I told you, you weren't going to like what you saw.." Richart said.
click!
Lowery, sweating and shaking, pointed a pistol at Richart.
"You-You're going to tell me what happened to the Elder... right now!" Lowery choked.
Instantly, Lowery's arm felt incredibly hot causing Lowery to drop the pistol.
"ARGH!" Lowery yelled, grabbing his arm and looking back at the Mordecai.
One of the Mordecai lowered his torch.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Lowery asked.
"They were just protecting me Mr. Lowery! When I told you we come in peace we meant that. You were all granted an audience with the King and that is what we're here to do! We never accounted on the Demonspawn getting involved..." Richart explained.
Lowery stood up and stared at Richart.
"Where is the elder Richart." Lowery said.
Richart looked to the side.
"...Demon King Ae'zeon's Castle, in the Netherflames.. that is where the demonspawn operate.." Richart answered.
"How in the world did he get there? Marines and Knights have been watching the waters this entire time, we never heard anything!" Lowery yelled.
"I tried to tell you in your office... Mr. Ubois died from that bite he received... but when a demonspawn kills you... something happens when you die." Richart started.
Lowery breathed in and out heavily, still holding his arm.
"Your body rapidly decomposes... you become nothing but dust within a few minutes. Your body then "respawns" if you will, at Ae'zeon's Castle, it was never his at first, just a spawn point for demonspawn, but Ae'zeon is incredibly powerful... so nobody is surprised he took over." Richart explained.
"What in the hell did we get ourselves into?..." Lowery asked, looking down in disbelief.
"I told you Mr. Lowery, you have no idea what you are walking into when you step onto this island." Richart said.
"Well where is it on the island? How long will it take to get there? We've only got a three year limit to find the elder and come to an agreement with Joy Boy!" Lowery panicked.
"Unfortunately Mr. Lowery that journey will take some time... King Ae'zeon's castle is at the far Northeast of the island. With other factions and their territories along the way." Richart said.
Lowery couldn't believe it.
"Alright... I'll get my best men and we'll follow you to Ae'zeon's castle." Lowery said, walking out of the room.
"I'm afraid I cannot allow that Mr. Lowery. It is far far too dangerous for you and your men. You are still vastly inexperienced in battle with life force... and there are those who can do some very nasty things with their life force Mr. Lowery..." Richart said.
"It doesn't matter! We have to go get the elder! You said he came back to life there right? We need to get back before he's killed again or something!" Lowery said, taking another step out the door.
"You won't have to worry about the elder dying again Mr. Lowery..." Richart said.
Lowery looked back.
"And why is that?" Lowery asked.
"...He's immortal now." Richart said sadly.
Holy Land Mansion Secret Chamber
Mu walked slowly through a secret chamber in the basement of the Holy Mansion. Mu walked until they reached a large, covered up contraption and held up a small sample of blood. It was Burusu's. Cyclone had kept some of the Lecnian king's blood for research purposes and gave the rest he had to Mu as a sign of friendship.
Mu poured the blood into a hole in the machine and it began to slightly power up. Glowing dark green and red. Mu's red eyes lit up with excitement.
"Nika had better say yes. If he still wants an island!!!!" Mu screeched.
Dubois Castle (Present day)
"That is the explanation for my immortality and the cold, which is my life force element brought out by being infected by that demonspawn." Dubois said.
"Oh my... my "allergic to traumatic backstory" disease is kicking in terribly right now..." Usopp groaned.
Dubois was confused.
"In 900 years I have never heard of such a disease..." Dubois said.
Nami slapped Usopp.
"Don't interrupt him idiot!!" Nami snapped.
"I told you guys these were devil fruit abilities because I knew that would be the simplest explanation." Kraken added.
Everyone looked at Kraken and back at Dubois.
"S-So... what about the tragedies?" Okua asked.
Dubois looked up. A tear slightly falling down his face.
"Captain Lowery... was sure a great man..." Dubois said.
Everyone except the stoic of the group gasped, knowing where this was going.
"He was the first casualty of this curse..." Dubois said, struggling to keep from crying.
Wretched Wood Coast (903 years ago)
Day break had finally started come through as the Marine warship arrived on a coast directly outside the Wretched Woods.
Marines with supplies, backpacks, radios, guns, anything they would need, left the ship with the knights and Mordecai following. Captain Lowery and Richart followed.
"Men! We are about to enter uncharted territory. Stay close, and stay on your P's and Q's! Unfortunately we will not be able to join Mr. Richart on his journey to recover the elder but I trust him and his vision. I will now commence weapon inspections! Everyone in a horizontal line pronto!" Lowery commanded.
"Yes, Captain Lowery!" The Marines yelled in unison.
Richart followed Lowery with intrigue as Lowery inspected the weapons with crisp precision.
"We don't have many who use these things on our island." Richart said, "I have ran into a few troublesome Dwarves who used them though!"
"So those who don't have life force energy use regular weapons?" Lowery asked as he inspected another rifle, not taking his eyes off the gun.
"Everyone has life force Mr. Lowery! Some have just awakened it while others haven't." Richart said.
POW!!!!
The rifle suddenly went off. Marines all stared with shock. Richart jumped with surprise. Lowery's eyes were wide with surprise.
When Lowery flipped the rifle it shot right through his hat.
"Woah!!! That was a close one right? Let's just get this over with so you can go get the elder." Lowery said.
The Marines blew sighs of relief. As Lowery turned away from the Marine, another Marine sneezed and his rifle went off.
POW! CLINK!
The bullet missed Lowery, but bounced off Richart's helment...
SPLAT!!!!!!
Blood and brains flew everywhere. The sandy coast was a maroon blood red. Lowery died immediately. Lowery's body fell face down on the sand. Everything was silent except for the wind and the waves gently hitting the coast.