Steady footsteps faintly whispered through the jungle, an echo mimicking those in the distant past who once walked these lands calling it home. A home that was lost in time, stared at from a distance with shame and anger that surged within.
Helplessness settled inside their hearts as years went by, the Vearth was at arms reach yet it never seemed so far, separated by the death of countless Shandia. At that point, it became a matter of choice, whether to continue the fight and watch their number dwindle, or play the long game and hope for a distant victory.
The Upper Yard felt like a blessed place as Alexander walked through it. It made him so small and insignificant compared to nature's creation. It was a primal and unforgiving place to those who didn't realize that the strongest force in the world is still nature.
Its powers were so big that it'd make islands vanish overnight, yet it was small and trivial that the eyes wouldn't even be able to perceive them as it ate at the strongest creatures from the inside.
Alexander always humbled himself when confronted with its endless creation, he could still remember the titanic Erdtree standing tall overseeing an entire realm. Granted there were higher powers at play there but in the end, it was still a wondrous creation that survived ages.
The group picked up the pace a bit as they travelled from the southern edge of the island toward where the Shandia knew their city would be. A heap of rubble overgrown with moss stripped of all its gold.
Wyper put a hand on his heart, he felt a heavy suffocating feeling that soon turned into a bubbling rage at what was lost. He breathed deeply calming himself, this wasn't the first time he felt like this, perhaps he had been like this all his life, a constant struggle that would wear down the toughest hearts.
"We are close to the First Ordeal," Wyper said turning to Alexander and his crew, which consisted of almost everyone safe for a few Kujas and Kuma who remained at the ship.
"You said there were four, do we have to cross each one?" Alarin asked, while comfortably keeping up with the pace.
"No, we know the land, as good as they do, we'll get rid of the priest there, then cross directly toward the old ruins," Wyper replied and eyed the man who almost killed him the first time they met. He still didn't know how the man could move so fast without him being able to perceive it.
"And this man isn't even the leader of the group," he thought, glancing at Alexander who was running alongside perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Too many were smitten by her beauty in the tribe, but a single glance from the man beside her almost knocked them out.
Even he wasn't immune to her charms, however he had too many things on his mind to appreciate her beauty, a heavy burden he lifted at the forefront of his people.
"Are they strong?" Wyper looked at the man who asked him, he was tall and tan-skinned with rough masculine features. He had black hair and eyes, on his back was a big simple metal axe.
He eyed the man's Axe for a bit, metal was scarce up here there weren't many that had such weapons.
"They are strong, the best of Eneru's priests," Wyper replied feeling his anger surge once more, too many of their own had died at their hands and the ordeals challenge.
"Good, we'll see how far they'll do against my Axe," He grinned wildly at Wyper, who fell into contemplative silence and continued leading forward.
After twenty minutes, the scenery showed a few additions such as milky roads that winded up around the trees and far into the distance.
"Stop," Alarin shouted, halting the group's advance. The green-haired man took a few steps forward under the confused eye of the Shandia.
He unsheathed his cutlass and in one single motion, he sent a flying sword attack that tore through the ground for tens of meters as if they were made of paper.
Wyper narrowed his eyes, he felt danger from this casual move the Blue Sea man unleashed. Before he could descend into further thoughts, Wyper heard the sound of multiple strings pulled taut being cut.
Light reflected on the extremely thin cloud strings as they fell slowly to the ground, and he knew exactly who was the one behind this as they had already entered his ordeal grounds.
"SHURA!" Wyper shouted loudly and looked around, from the bushes to the canopy that almost covered the sky.
"O-Oh, did you come to offer your life to the lord?" a voice echoed between the towering trees.
"Get down here!" Wyper said, then looked at Alarin who was looking at one giant tree, well, the entirety of Alexander's crew were looking at the place with calm expression.
"What a bountiful sacrifice, the Kami will be pleased," called the voice once again, followed by the sound of wings flapping, then from behind the tree silhouette emerged, it flew swiftly and descended a few meters from Alarin.
"Now, how many heads should I take?" Shura said while regarding the entire group indifferently, he wore an aviator custom with a brown leather jacket and pants, he had a pointy mustache and a goggled dark brown helmet.
He was sitting atop a giant purple feather bird, it had long red-colored hackle feathers and a sharp pointed beak.
The man jumped off the bird carrying a long jousting lance, he regarded Alarin with a contemplative look then the rest of the group, he gave the feeling as if everything was under his control.
"You're too slow," Alarin said while lightly twirling the cutlass. "I was bored and kept wondering when will you get down from your nest."
"A hunter takes his time studying his prey," Shura said.
Alarin nodded his head. "Indeed, but I wonder who's the hunter... you or me?"
Shura stilled for a moment staring at the man's face that hadn't changed the entire time.
"You're all offerings to the Kami, and you..." he said looking at Wyper and the Shandia, "It's about time to get rid of you once and for all."
Shura abruptly shot forward toward Alarin, he thrust with his lance which was turning red from the intense flames coming out of it.
CLANG!
Alarin easily deflected the attack with his cutlass and due to his speed Shura moved past to his left, Alarin moved two steps that turned him around facing Shura's back.
"AGH!" the priest screamed as Alarin's cutlass cut through his thick leather jacket into his flesh. Shura immediately distanced himself and put his back to his giant bird that didn't look so amused as it spewed tendrils of flames from its beak.
"You talk too much for someone who's weak," Alarin let the man do as he wished, for in the end the outcome had already been determined. It was just a matter if he should entertain himself more or get going.
"Better get going," Alarin sighed, shrugging his sword which soon was enveloped by black-green haki membrane.
"What's this?" Shura jumped atop his bird immediately once he saw the sword change color, he had a bad feeling about this, he had seen too many strange things but a sword that changed color was his first.
"A bit overkill but this is your death," Alarin said, then playfully swung his sword, sending a green arc flying.
Shura swore under his breath and tapped Fuza with his foot; the bird understood its master's intentions as it furiously flapped its wings barely dodging the attack that went underneath them, almost splitting a giant tree in half.
"Don't damage the Vearth!" Wyper yelled, his eyes bore anger at the damage that had been done.
Alarin paused his second swing and turned to Wyper, he put a hand on his non-beating heart and bowed a little.
"I apologize."
"As long as you understand," Wyper snorted but he wasn't going to start a fight with his allies.
"Be quick about it, he's wasting our time," Alexander's bored voice sounded.
"Will do," Alarin nodded and turned around only to see Shura descending atop his bird from high up the tree's crown, pointing forward with his flaming lance.
"Eneru is listening and soon he'll be here!" Shura said with a somber expression fully knowing that he won't be able to deal with them.
"He should come then," Alarin stepped forward and disappeared leaving behind a wide cracked pit.
Mid-air, Shura's eyes constricted as the green-haired man suddenly appeared before him, sword positioned to the left side, ready to cut him in two.
In that fleeting moment, he felt like screaming as he saw death inside Alarin's nonchalant eyes, the sword moved and in that fraction of a second, a crackling sound took over the forest.
Alexander was about to move but a vision flashed through his eyes and made him stop.
BOOM!
A several-meter-wide lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking Alarin before he could do anything to Shura.
Alarin was shot down and struck the ground hard causing it to split, the lightning followed him through burning and shocking everything it touched.
"Alarin!" Alexander's crew shouted in concern, while he continued standing unconcerned.
"Don't worry, he's fine!" he said narrowing his eyes, at the suddenness of the attack and the range from how far the man attacked as he couldn't sense him close.
"I need to train more," he muttered to himself.
"Ha ha ha, you're dead!" Shura laughed exhilarated at Eneru's timely rescue or else he would've been dead.
Eneru's attack gave him some confidence as he jumped from the bird and peered inside the smoke, a moment later when it cleared out he saw a skeleton holding a cutlass with sparse pieces of flesh sticking to the bones.
"Kami's wrath is unavoidable," he said while looking at the skeleton with a few burned cloth strips shielding its dignity.
"And you," he said, smirking at Alexander and the rest.
"Do you see what'll become of you?"
"I don't know what'll happen a day later," Alexander said, amused.
"But I know what will happen to you..."
His smile unsettled Shura who had been looking at Alexander, all of a sudden he sensed an impending doom, the one you feel when death comes knocking.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw the Skeleton vanish then in an instant.
"That hurt at first..." he heard a hoarse voice behind his back, turning around he saw the skeleton standing its eyes burning with eerie green flames.
"But I'm not humane either... my heart doesn't beat... and my flesh only serves as a disguise..." Those were his last words before he felt the world tilting then went black.
"How are you feeling?" Asked the concerned Sabine from a distance.
"I'm fine, once my flesh is gone, lightning won't hurt me," he said then engulfed himself in green flames, a second later it vanished and he was restored to his original appearance.
"How?" Wyper asked, feeling shaken this was the first time he had seen someone survive Eneru's lightning, moreover, he should have died when his flesh was reduced to ash.
"The World is big and unique, if you travel you'll see more," Alexander said before tossing his coat to Alarin who tied it around his waist.
"Are there a lot of people like him?" Brahma hesitantly asked.
"There are people with powers capable of destroying the land we stand on with a single strike. What's strange about a skeleton?" Alexander replied.
"And you? Are you capable of that?" Wyper asked, trying to gauge the capabilities of this group leader.
However, silence was his response as Alexander met him with a calm smile that sent shivers down his spine.
"Oh, Ancestors, whom have I gotten involved with?" he wondered.
"Let's get going, and this time we need to rush. I don't want him to escape," Alexander looked at everyone in the group then motioned for Wyper to lead the way.
Once again they ran through the forest, in the lead were The Shandia who didn't utter a word all the way seemingly lost in their thoughts.
Two hours later, they travelled a great length without stopping or encountering any of Eneru's forces. As if the whole forest was cleared out for them.
"We've arrived at the old city ruins," Wyper said once the dense trees started to lessen and a wild clearing was visible from a distance.
Alexander briefly closed his eyes and in that instance, he saw the old Shandorain ruins before them and the ones that were hidden beneath the cloud layer, far into the distance was a giant beanstalk piercing through the clouds and in the middle of it was a cloud layer supporting a big structure.
He opened his eyes and looked before him where a layer of dense cloud barbs and a number of white big balls floated, obstructing their way.
"We don't have time for this..." Alexander gave a nod to his crew who also noticed what was in front.
BOOM!
Wyper's eyes widened as he heard the sound of air exploding behind him, then he saw Alexander rush past him at a speed he was barely able to perceive.
The Shandia followed his action as he suddenly reared his fist and struck the air with a force that made them feel as if the world was to break.
BOOM!
A heavy shockwave spread out from Alexander's fist, it struck the barbs that disintegrated like ash in the wind then it touched upon the giant balls, sending them flying far into the air where they exploded.
Alexander didn't waste time and burst through the jungle into the clearing, the first man that landed in his sight was a bald man sitting atop a giant dog, beside him was a ball-shaped man in white he wore a hat and goggles and finally to their left was a tall man wearing a purple suit and had a weird looking spiky hair.
Alexander jumped, feeling the air slip past him as he closed on the shocked bald man an instant later was atop the giant dog where he pressed lightly with his leg effectively smashing it into the ground, next was the man who appeared shocked and was barely able to keep up with Alexander's movement.
Ohm felt death's grip tighten around him as he saw the man's golden eyes flash briefly, the last thing he saw was a fist smashing for his head that soon exploded, and thus his life was forfeit.
From the side, Hancock dashed toward the ball-looking man. Among the crew, she was the second fastest after Alexander, and it had been a long time since she let loose.
She cut a straight line to the man who scrambled to throw several bullet-like clouds that ricocheted from each other aiming for her.
Hancock scoffed and then increased her speed, she dodged past the bullets then jumped and delivered an axe kick to his head that instantly turned into stone and shattered.
Far to the right, Axe and Andretta dashed toward Gedatsu who spread swamp clouds on the ground that hindered their movement for a moment.
"Andretta wait a moment!" Axe shouted as he felt something amiss with the ground, but the silver-haired woman had already advanced and was stuck.
"AGH!" Andretta felt pissed that she fell for this partly trick, she could extract her leg but it'd take a few precious seconds.
Axe on the other hand had been suspicious from the start and stopped before stepping on the cloud swamp.
"Where are you hiding?" Axe had a strange expression on his face when he looked at Gedatsu who had his eyes rolled to the back, and was calling for them.
"I said don't hide! Show yourself!" Gedatsu kept yelling.
Axe stood for a second before jumping past the swamp, and landing before the man, he briefly looked at his eyes then clutched the man's suit lapel. Without hesitation, he spun the man and threw him into the distance.
He felt that the man was already suffering, so there was no need to take his life.
"You're here..." came a voice from the top of the pyramid.
Alexander looked at the tall man sitting on the top of the pyramid. He was strange-looking with long earlobes that extended down his chest, he wore a white bandana over his platinum hair and rich blue-orange baggy pants, on his hands and feet were gold bracelets inlaid with diamonds and gems.
But the strangest thing that puzzled Alexander were the three drums connected with a metal circle, sticking out of the man's back instead of wings.
"You've been paying attention to us all this time, aren't angry at the loss of your men," Alexander said while paying attention to the fifty or so priests standing below, around a giant incomplete ship that was out of place here.
"They had their use, but once they became useless I no longer cared about them," Eneru said, shaking his head as he stood up. In his hand was a long golden trident.
"Why have you come, Blue Sea man? Are you after the gold?" he said lazily, twirling the trident in his hand.
"No," Alexander replied, he took the Bolt of Gransaw off his back and put in its place a bamboo basket, Rindo gave him.
"I'm after your head," Red lightning flashed between Alexander's fingers ready to explode at any given moment.
"Me? My head?" Eneru pointed at himself seemingly shocked, then a moment later he began to laugh almost maniacally.
"Yahahah how strange to say this to a Kami..."
"You're already dead, unfortunately that's the truth. I need something from you, and you will have to deliver it!" Alexander calmly walked forward.
"Life and earth belong to me, so is your life," Eneru ceased his laughter then jumped high from his hands lightning formed.
"Die," he shouted sending a thick lightning bolt speeding toward Alexander who didn't speak as he willed the bolt once he saw the man preparing his attack.
An instant later a thick red bolt flew high and collided with the descending yellow lightning.
BOOM!!
For a moment all sounds were replaced by the crackling of thunder and lightning then a second later everything turned white, but amidst the chaos, a horrified shout was heard.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
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Thanks for reading, everyone!
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