"It points up," Haruta said, showing how the vivre card pointed upward, right at the floating island.
Marco nodded and gave orders to the small crew that had accompanied them to pick them up once he gave the command via the Den Den Mushi. Then, he took off flying, carrying Haruta.
They were about to land when five blue phoenixes stopped them and signaled for them to follow.
They were taken to a temple where the phoenixes transformed into human form.
"Nice to meet you. We are the border guardians," said one of the guards, his voice firm and resonant. "Before entering the islands, I need to know why you are bringing that thing with you," he demanded, pointing at Haruta with disdain.
"That thing," Marco pointed towards Haruta, "is my brother. And we are both here just looking for our brother, his vivre card send us here " Marco replied firmly, his eyes shining with determination.
"Suppose we help you find your brother, what would happen then?" the guard asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We leave, yoi," Marco affirmed without hesitation.
The guard nodded and led them to a room in the temple where they waited to be received by the commander. During that time, Marco explained to Haruta not only about his own abilities but also everything he knew about their species, though it was quite limited.
Finally, the door opened, revealing a young man with long blonde hair cascading over his golden armor. He wore a decorated helmet from which his hair protruded like a majestic plume. "My name is Kai," he introduced himself with an authoritative voice. "I am in charge of the border warriors. For years, we have not allowed anyone external to enter or leave alive, thus maintaining the security of our people. I hope you understand the risk I am taking by helping you, but it is a risk I am willing to take," Kai explained, his eyes flashing with determination.
"I am sure the brother you are looking for is human, am I correct?" Kai questioned, raising his chest with an air of unyielding authority.
"He is," Marco affirmed, looking him directly in the eyes.
"That is my reason for helping you. Tonight, a carnival will begin in honor of the return of the Fenghuang dynasty, which was believed to have been eradicated by humans. Imagine the chaos if the population found out that a human is among them. No imagine the dishonor it would bring us, failing to truly protect the border." Kai said, his voice carrying a hint of resentment.
"I have put my troops to search within our ring, but exploring beyond is almost impossible due to our limitations imposed by our superiors. Therefore, my idea is to take you disguised to the carnival," Kai took out two intricately carved animal masks, one shaped like a tiger and the other like a dragon. "The new king will be there; if you manage to catch his attention and gain his favor, he could grant the permits and resources to find your brother. It is risky, but it is the best I can offer."
"It is enough for us. We appreciate your help," Marco said sincerely, bowing his head slightly in respect.
As night fell, Kai led them to the second ring of the island, where the carnival was taking place. The place was filled with food stalls, theater performances, and a beautiful red color adorned every corner, symbolizing good fortune and happiness.
"Try these pastries," Haruta said, offering Marco some mooncakes he had gotten. "Oh, Marco, look, the dragons," Haruta exclaimed, pointing to the dancers dressed as dragons who, with great skill and flexibility, performed impressive synchronized movements, slithering through the crowd.
Bright lights and paper lanterns illuminated the sky, creating a magical atmosphere. "I'm glad you're enjoying it," Kai affirmed with a smile while also tasting a pastry. "The Island of Return always offers the best celebrations." Then, looking towards the horizon, he added, "But now we need to get closer to the edge. From there, we will have a better view of the king's arrival."
Kai led them through the crowd to the edge of the ring, where several people were already sitting and chatting animatedly, eagerly anticipating the upcoming event. In the distance, the sound of drums and the burst of firecrackers signaled the start of the night's grand spectacle.
In the center of the ring, in a clear space visible to all, a series of phoenixes of different colors appeared out of nowhere. With majestic wings extended, they began to dance in the air to the rhythm of the drums, their feathers sparkling with iridescent flashes. The phoenixes flew in intricate patterns, creating figures of light.
A signal was given, and all the phoenixes froze in the air, like living statues.
"What's happening?" Marco asked.
"Oh, right, you don't know. Well, we have this belief that when a phoenix sacrifices something of great value, like life, upon dying it becomes everything and nothing," Kai explained, pausing as he noticed the confused expressions of Haruta and Marco. "In other words, it becomes a god. They are about to represent how two of our current gods became deities. It is done in order to remember the sacrifice they made for us."
The phoenixes began to form an island in the air, their wings moving in perfect sync, creating the illusion of a mass of land approached by a fleet of ships.
"These gods are Fenghuang Jaw-Long and Fenghuang Fa. Both died on the day of the invasion of our homeland," Kai continued, as the phoenixes recreated the scene of destruction, death, and pain.
"Fa was an adventurer, she didn't live on the island, she used to come and go on her ship. When everything seemed lost, she and Jaw-Long approached me and other children. I had never seen someone so brave, despite having lost her daughter at the beginning of the invasion, she remained calm. She smiled at us, spoke gently, and calmed us down, leading us to her ship."
The phoenixes created the image of a beautiful woman guiding the children with a warm and reassuring smile, her figure glowing in contrast to the surrounding chaos.
"Jaw-Long, on the other hand, stayed behind, fighting the beasts that were chasing us. It is said that his will was so strong that he managed to destroy several of the shadow beasts created by the invader. In the end, he met his fate at the hands of the enemy."
The phoenixes formed the image of a brave warrior, his sword gleaming as he fought tirelessly, a heroic figure showing no signs of giving up.
"When we reached the ship, the beasts had caught up with us, revealing Jaw-Long's tragic fate. Fa then gave instructions to the older ones among us and asked us to set sail immediately."
Now a ship was seen departing, its sail fluttering strongly as it moved away from the burning island.
"As we sailed, Fa conjured such powerful air currents that they carried us farther and farther away. But to ensure we got away alive, she unleashed a colossal storm to stop them from following us, that lasted until she was hit by one of the darkness bullets created for our extermination."
It showed how Fa and Jaw-Long ascended in a cloud of light, their spirits rising as the phoenixes accompanied them in a solemn flight.
"Since then, Fenghuang Fa has been considered the goddess of compassion and sailors, the one who protects like a mother, predicting and warning of future storms. Jaw-Long, on the other hand, became the god of warriors, the tireless protector of our borders. We honor him and follow his example, defending our lands as he did long ago," Kai concluded, as the phoenixes began to dance in the air, their synchronized movements forming hypnotic patterns, and several voices began to sing, filling the sky with a solemn and powerful melody.
The phoenixes moved as one, their wings creating sounds that resonated like war drums and songs of hope. The spectators watched in silence, their hearts filled with reverence and gratitude for the sacrifices of their divine heroes.
As their dance concluded, the phoenixes made an elegant bow before disappearing in a flash of light. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, but the spectacle was just beginning. With a roar in the sky, the storm phoenixes appeared. Their feathers were a deep blue. These phoenixes gathered to form a cloud platform in the center of the ring, the perfect stage for the king's arrival.
"Incredible that all this is for one person, he must be quite lucky," Haruta said, impressed by the spectacle. Though he wasn't the only one. Around him, many people were watching everything with excitement.
The music stopped and resumed with another melody. People began to bow and show their due respect to their majesty.
Next to the new king stood a beautiful lady who was announced as Guardian and Assistant Liling.
"Let me officially introduce you to your majesty," a drum roll sounded, "From the Fenghuang dynasty, your king, Ace." Said Liling.
"Ace, what are you doing!" Marco shouted, catching Ace's attention, who spotted Marco after he had removed his mask.
"Marco! Haruta!" Ace greeted them with a smile.
Third Ring.
Main Temple.
Haruta and Marco were invited to the main temple.
"Brother, I envy you, just look at all this!" Haruta commented, admiring all the gifts that had been given to his brother in such a short time.
"Ace, I remind you that we were sent by Oyaji to bring you back to the Moby Dick," Marco began. "But first, I think you owe us an explanation."
Ace began to explain that his mother was
the last survivor of the Fenghuang dynasty, the main clan.
When he was shipwrecked on the island and they realized it, they named him their king, because of his title as a Fenghuang.
"We must find a way to let them know that Ace is not going to stay," Marco said.
Ace nodded.
"Although it won't be easy, they love me too much," said Ace in a mocking tone.
While they discussed their future plans, someone concealed their presence and carefully listened to the conversation outside the door.
Jaw-Long is Palila's older brother that is seen in her dream on chapter: Happy birthday Luffy. Fa is her Aunt, and can't say much about her cause of spoilers. But remember her.
Fenghuang Palila, yeah, that sounds about right.