[Lvneel: Contestation Arc] [Part III] Disaster Breeds Sin - A Bittersweet Symphony

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Dingy brown sails, made from the tanned skin of the Sea King whose bones acted as the foundation of the haunted vessel. It’s deck and chambers home to former Viking Kings of past, stolen by the foot soldiers in Castor’s care. The perfect vessel to house the new horror that the North Blue housed temporarily, before spreading his wings in future seas.

The skilled navigator, once King, now Duke, commanded the sea fearing knights under his control. Barking orders as they raged against the seas to catch up to his mortal enemy. Glimpses of his father’s dying face still sullied his psyche but the time for mourning and reflection waited in the future.

“I’m changing Newport.” The Captain’s words trickled over to the Helmsman as he’d navigated the ever changing sea currents. “Is that such a bad thing?” The man’s simplistic rebuttal offered temporary peace to Castor’s ever racing mind. On the horizon, the visage of three vessels came into focus. The screams from the sailor’s lips whisked against the sea breeze, delivering the news of their enemy ship’s sighting.

“Ready the cannons!” Castor shouted, his words offering the jump start needed for the lulling crew members to organize the ships artillery. Rushing from the navigation room to the front of the ship, Castor stared upon the vessel’s who’d made significant progress in their escape from Lvneel’s waters. “At this rate… We won't be able to catch up as is.” Raising his hand to the heaven’s, the man’s body transformed into a bright azure mass of lightning, channeling the abilities bestowed upon him by his Devilish Anatomy.

Several jolts of lightning shot towards the heavens, the roaring sound of thunder hovered over the Wailing Calamity, as the members of the crew fell to their knees in majesty of their commander’s cries.

Dax and Newport however were accustomed to Castor’s abilities by this point, the rambunctious shout-out due Nox’s lightning brought a slight smile to Newport’s face. In moments like this, the former big time pirate knew he’d won the lottery of lotteries in terms of selecting proteges.

The clouds of above the immediate sea route sullen at the man’s call. In response, cracks of lightning lit up the once sunny skies with gray hues at first. Darkening, deeper into a tone that was obsidian in nature, the transparent nature of the fluffy white clouds blackening to a horrid muddied color.

Thunderous barks howled across the ocean, as on the other vessels, while Stein’s men shook in horror, the old dandy man welcomed the pursuit.

“Sir!” one of the panicked sailors announced. “It’s a single vessel at six o’ clock. I-I- I believe it belongs to the Nox Pirates!” one of the sailor’s announced. “The jolly roger… It’s the same one that flew in the harbour of the Hibiscus Kingdom incident and that vessel was reported in Asgar’s harbor-” Stein’s creepy smile ended the youths panicked report.

“I know. I can sense the bloodlust from here. This display above our heads showcases the truly horrific abilities that Devil Fruit users possess. However. I am quite skilled at using mine as well. If we’re going to be chased, might as well put up a good fight.” the dandy man declared, tipping his hat in respect to Castor’s war cry.

Tapping his cane against the deck of the vessel three times, from below the decks of The Black Libra, and the two other vessels, the ships started to shake violently before coming to an abrupt pause. “Hoard Of Shadows - Species: Avian.” Stein announced, grinning arrogantly. At the man’s command, three plumes of shadows shot off towards the sky in a smoke like manner.

The shadows covered the skies, as if they were battling against the storming lightning above in a tug-of-war. In a concentrated motion, the three plumes of smoke formed into three giant spheres, each about the size of the warship’s they originated from.

Hovering ominously in the air, one by one, small tiny birds shot out of the spheres like arrows towards the Wailing Calamity.

“Mutation - Black Science - Creeping Horrors!” Stein shouted, tapping his cane against the deck once more. Each bird’s size mutated to around the size of a polar bear's own, still maintaining the frightening speed that came with birds of a swallow’s own.

Thousands of grotesque bird-beasts hovered in the skies, letting out caws, each sound a synchronized communication that only like minded individuals understood.

Suddenly, the beasts descended in hoards of twenty, darting towards the deck, sails and hulls of Castor’s vessel. “Kin- I mean, Duke! We’re under attack! Your order?!” one of the knights shouted. “Relax. We’re not close enough to engage canon-fire yet. Standby until I issue the order to fire!” Castor shouted, before levitating off the deck, darting off towards the sky instantaneously.

Drawing Zaigo from it’s bandages, draped over his shoulder, the Imp soared through the skies, cutting down twenty birds with limited swings of Zweihander. Snapping his fingers, in the distance, nestled in the center of three sailing vessels formation, a giant pillar of lightning descended from the skies.

The pillar of lightning making contact with the sea created a steam which began to melt away at the bolts that held the sails, hull and masts together. The impact from the shockwave alone caused the vessel's massive holes in their hulls. Liters of seawater rushed into the busted open cavities, instantly killing many of the staff below the deck from drowning.

Meanwhile, in the skies, Castor cut through the seemingly never-ending hoards of shadow creatures that changed their attention from attacking the Wailing Calamity to violently aiming at gnawing out his vital points.

On the seas, Castor’s attack crippled the enemy ship’s speed of advancement, allowing the Wailing Calamity to catch up at the ship’s six o’ clock, entering into firing range. Spinning the ship starboard, Newport prepared for attack.

Beneath the deck of the ship, a sleeping Minerva emerged. Busting through the door to the deck, the alarmed guards all turned their weapons to the parasol carrying madam in the dress. Yawning before entering into a rampage of her own on the deck, disarming any of the guards who’d aim their blades at her.

“Castor! What’s with all the noise?! A gal’s trying to sleep!” Minerva barked, wiping the crust out of her eyes as she’d dance through the crowd of guards who attempted to lay a finger on her. Looking around the boat, examining the situation at hand, the woman paused momentarily.

“Ah. We’re at sea.” Minerva concluded, releasing final yawn before lunging off the side of the ship. Opening her parasol, the woman floated against the sea breeze towards an enemy ship. Picking up Minerva’s voice on his electric radio, the man darted from the skies, and instantly appeared next to the woman.

“I already have my hands full with these crazy crows. Can you handle the ships for me, Minerva? It’s a lot to catch up on but sink the ships except the one with the Black Scale as it's a figurine.” Castor explained before darting back to the skies once more.

“W-W-wait! You’re gonna have to give me more information than that Sanpaku! Jeez!” Minerva barked, arriving onto the enemy ship’s deck. Sighing, the woman closed her parasol, cocking the ammunition chamber built into the umbrella. “Fine. As per usual, it’s always some commotion when I’m involved with you.” Minerva declared pouting. From the finial of the umbrella, a barrel extended. A machine gun like fashion, the umbrella rattled off a hailstorm of bullets onto the seamen.

“I wanted to stay out of your crew’s business until you had a proper chance to introduce me appropriately. However, after all that noise, I couldn’t be left out of the action after all.” Minerva declared grinning, licking her lips.

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A lightning bolt hit the mass of the ship causing the sails to burst into flames. “Watch it on the lightning, Castor!” Minerva shouted, hopping off the side of the ship, opening her umbrella to glide onto the next vessel.

In the skies, one by one, Castor continued to cut through the swarms of monsters that came rushing to his direction. The second ship below began to sink from the amount of water that settled beneath the deck, sinking the vessel into a watery grave.

“No matter how much I’ve managed to cut down… More keep emerging from those weird spheres.” Castor thought to himself. Discharging electricity, Castor morphed the mass of lightning into a warrior wearing kabuki armor, bearing a massive bow and quill.

The Archer shot many arrows towards the skies but kept missing each of the monsters by an inch. It was as if the beasts were learning, adjusting to the speed of Castor’s lightning, and creating formations to avoid the onslaught as the moment passed. Morphing the mass once again, a giant feline soared across the skies, crashing into one of the massive sphere’s above.

Electrifying the sphere of shadows, one by one, premature crows began to drop from the skies, each convulsing due to the electrical surge. Castor’s body danced through the skies, using sword techniques and swift decisive motions to consecutively cut down foes.

However, the Imp’s body was becoming fatigued from the high cardio engagement. Combating the hoards also came with it’s injuries, in unguarded moments left with holes in his shoulders, arms and legs from the beast's claws and peaks.

Aboard the Shadow Libra, Stein watched as his babies were being mutilated by the Pirate Captain. “You’ll have to be quicker than that Mr.Nox. The longer you give my beasts time to learn your patterns, the harder it’ll be to cut them. I’ve modified their brains to around average human intelligence… with mutating qualities. Their brains are like sponges… perfect data for future products.” Stein explained, hobbling over to the King who was tied against the mast.

“Our time together is coming to an end, Conrad. I’m afraid my orders aren’t to bring you back alive. I just need to ask you one question. Your father… When he turned over the Kingdom to you before his untimely passing… Was there a Poneglyph in his possession?” Stein inquired.

With a panicked averted gaze, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. My father didn’t have much time to give me the official rites of passage. When an elder dies, what’s the saying, it’s like an entire library has been-” Sinking his cane into the King’s shoulder, Robert screeched out in pain. “Are you familiar with acupuncture? Certain points all over your body… If the right amount of pressure is applied to them, it can bring excruciating pain… nausea.

Even instant death. My master’s collecting… These ‘texts’ hidden beneath Kingdom’s with Ancient Histories… Such as Lvneel. Now’s the time to be honest… This is no longer a conversation between a King and his subject but between men. I need the Poneglyph location.” Stein demanded.

Hawking up spit, the man rejected Stein’s interrogative methods, spitting the clump of mucus in the man’s stitch ridden face. “You’re better off killing me. I’ll never turn over our Kingdom’s secrets over to a tyrant or his bitch.” Robert barked. “Interesting. You’ve served your kingdom well, King Robert Montblanc. Last of his name. Last of his bloodline.” Stein concluded, bending over to insert the syringe into Robert’s neck.

“I call this substance…Volcanic Stamp. It ramps up your body temperature rapidly until… well… You die. I have the antidote right here in my jacket. Of course, if the damage to your organs goes on long enough… The antidote is pointless. You have seven minutes.” Stein explained.

A smile spread across the King’s face from ear to ear.

“I dedicate these last seven minutes of my life to the people of Lvneel - I couldn’t protect. If anything in my reign is to be remembered, it won’t be that the King forfeited his people’s future in fear of dying. I’ll tell you one thing before I go…” Robert announced, panting rapidly as his body’s temperature turned his skin’s pigment bright red.

“Tell your master that Lvneel will never be bought. This era.... A new dawn is coming.” Robert concluded, a permanent smile plastered on his face.

For the first time in this whole fiasco, Stein frowned.

The Former King of Lvneel, Robert (Ro-bear) Montblanc The Third has passed.  

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Majestically soaring through the clouds, bits and pieces of the crow like beasts fell from the heavens into the seemingly bottomless ocean's tide. As the hoards progressed in their evolution, various variants such as sparrows and owls, played different parts in the attacking cycle.

For example, one bird would follow his movements, and relay the man’s habits to the others with a series of ‘caws’ and ‘squawks’. While the others waited for the call, and lunged in a locomotive like fashion, attempting to impale the Imp with their steel sharp beaks.

Destroying the first sphere only managed to electrocute the birds on the outer spectrum of the object, leaving those to it’s center, underdeveloped but unharmed. In a synchronized manner, four birds pierced into Castor’s body simultaneously, rapidly descending him into the deck of his own vessel.

An unintended change of target, after initial attempts to send him into the sea had failed, Zaigo’s edge cutting their flight capability short by taking a wing each as a souvenir for the ocean.

Crashing into the deck, discharging a wicked lightning flurry to fry his assailants, Castor rose to his feet once again, picking the remains of the beasts toasted peaks from his puncture wounds. Sighing, Castor cleaned the bird blood from his blade, turning his attention to the skies once again. By the dozens, several flocks of birds dropped their height, circling around the Wailing Calamity, which had temporarily altered it’s advance to open fire on the now sinking enemy vessels.

The increased water levels on each enemy vessel made it almost impossible to properly steer the ship. Stein’s servants were working feverishly to load their cannons, and return fire but the Nox Pirates Ship's bleached Sea King bone infrastructure proved to have too hard of an exterior to damage via regular fire. Barking orders, Castor temporarily resumed commanding the sea fearing knights on how to plan the future volleys.

Several of his men terrified at the crowing above their heads, had altered their canon fire’s force to annihilate the winged horrors but to no avail. “Stop worrying about the birdies, I’ll handle them. Don’t let Stein escape! Return fire!” Castor commanded, peering over at Dax as he’d finish off an enemy with his golden serpentine weapon. “Gashi Gashi… As usual, dragging your feet. How many of these have you killed on your own while I’m up there doing the heavy lifting. I’ll bet you 40,000,000 I can finish them off before you could even hit ten.” Castor declared, using an overtly obvious bet to tantalize the greedy kidnapper.

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Peeking over his shoulder, Castor knocked away Dax’s golden blade with Zaigo.

“Fine. You win. The berri’s all yours. You just have to get it back from Plague Rat. I traded it along with your cut of the treasure back in the West Blue.” Castor declared, extending his tongue in annoyance at actually having to owe Dax anything.

Dancing around the deck of the ship, as his battle armor rattled in conjunction to the pace of his movements, Castor’s blade cut-down exactly another flock of twelve that’d descend moments after the golden skewers pierced onto the boat’s deck. “You keep calling me short, ain’t you like six foot? That’s pretty tiny for someone who talks such a big game.” Castor retorted, removing his spear and chucking inches away from Dax’s cheek, only to impale the skull of the bird beast who lingered in the shadows behind him.

As the vicious slices sent the diced carcasses of the beasts into the sea, Newport looked onto the scene, watching the two crew members have a pissing contest.

“You little lassies need a room?! I’m trying to steer here! Take your little shit-show elsewhere. Hurry up and clear out these birds already, they’re blocking my sailing route now!” Newport barked, annoyed that his celebratory feast was interrupted to chase some Dandy Dressing sicko at sea.

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“Little shits ignored my orders!” Newport barked, spinning the wheel of the ship to avoid colliding with the scraps of the now sinking, second vessel.

Meanwhile, Minerva abandoned said ship, floating onto the deck of the Wailing Calamity. Deflecting the flying spear from impaling Castor’s back, the woman cocked her umbrella, aiming towards the Goru Goru user.

“He’s with us Minerva. He’s just a little special in the head.” Castor declared, tapping his index finger against his temple in jest.

“Ah. He’s an idiot like you. Got it. Nice to meet you, Golden Fool.” Minerva announced in snarky tone, resting the modified parasol on her shoulder.

“Oi! Keep the ship steady!” Newport shouted, signaling to the Knight’s Squire, who’d been left watching the war unfold from the navigator’s quarters. “Wait! I’ve never sailed before-” The squire shouted before hearing the sound of the door shutting in front him. Descending the stairs onto the deck, the Four Members of the Nox Pirates had finally been reunited for the first time during their conquest of Lvneel.

Above the vessels, the remaining bird beasts and sphere merged into one giant swollen mass of flesh. The blob of flesh pulsated violently, bubbling in the sky as it hovered. Emerging from the gigantic orb, a bird’s beak, two wings, crow feet, and lastly, a massive bird’s face peaked down at the vessel below.

Aboard the Shadow Libra, Stein used the massive distraction in the sky to ready a small sailboat, a personal vessel that hosted at least two people maximum for his fashionable escape. Meanwhile, aboard the Pirate Ship, Castor scratched his head, trying to figure out how to finish off the massive bulk in one shot. A smile came over the Captain’s face, as he’d think about his exchange with Dax earlier.

“Aim your golden spikes from earlier… as large as you can make them in the shadows above. Newport-”

“Who's the hottie with the big ass tits… She’s been sleeping aboard all along. Castor, you dog you.”

“Piss off. Bloody Port. I’ve read all about you from the Hunter Association’s files. Your track record for hounding women behooves you.”

“Feisty. I like it. Let’s keep her Nox.” Newport declared, bursting out into laughter.

Independent from Castor’s command, several bolts of lighting obliterated what remained of the smaller warship’s in Stein’s command. The Shadow Libra was now reaching critical state, but Stein didn’t seem bothered at all on the deck of the vessel, playfully tapping his cane, altering the mutated creature in the sky.

Waiting no longer to explain, Castor shot off into the sky, “I need those spikes like now Dax! Newport, get our ship away! When this thing falls, it'll be enough to sink our ship from the looks of it!” Castor shouted.

Discharging a massive voltage of electricity, Castor transformed the lightning around him into a giant blast. As the electrical current trailed off in a serpent like manner, the hundred million voltage burst formed into the head of a dragon’s own, a signature move that Castor pulled out as his trump card.

“Heaven’s Kata! Vritra!”

The beam of lightning manifested into the body of the dragon which circled around the giant class monster.

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