12 Doomed and Damned

Despite the world shattering event unfolding, the town square where the live feeds are being broadcasted looks incredibly empty, with only a handful of brave reporters and even fewer civilians. Yet even they are forced to take shelter, keeping one eye on the sky that has turned into the hunting ground of the invaders' aerial beasts of war. Massive winged beasts soar under the canopies of the yarukiman mangroves, birds of preys of titanic proportions and feathery bat winged reptiles roar and shriek as they search for preys. A shrill cry echoes across the outskirt of the major town broadcasting Ace's execution, causing the small crowd gathering before the screens flinch. Another fool has fallen, spotted and hunted by the flying beasts, torn apart and consumed, such faith await those who dares venture into the newly designated barracks.

Despite the world shattering information about Ace's heritage, and the arrival of one of the Super Nova of the Worst Generation, Monkey D. Luffy, the entire archipelago seems to have fallen into dead silence. At this time, the pirates' fates have little meaning to them, as they know full well what this war means. Some have said that this is the end of an era, it is true to an extend, as this is but a fluke in the grand scheme of things to come. They quietly watch as events slowly unfold, seeing familiar shapes appearing from the fogs of war slowly marching in formations into the bay, their shield walls render every attack the marines levy at them almost useless. Silently the whole archipelago watched and waits with baited breaths, no matter the outcome, their world as they know it will come to an end.

- Heh! Lucious sure is impatience today, isn't he? - Naemeria chuckles from atop a balcony overseeing the small crowd gathering below.

- I thought he said they're only there to screen Whitemustache's flanks and rear! - Chopper shrieks in disbelief, seeing his superior committing his vanguards in an all out assault. - I can't believe this! He's actually committing troops into it! The sly bastard planned all of this and told me nothing!

- He's a bit hastier than usual. - Next to the sniper, Nicolin rubs her chin as she contemplates the actions of their lord whipping the whole vanguard into action, totally ignoring her petite friend still ranting and throwing a tantrum.

- Maybe the bloke wants some more human to test on? - The other girl scratches her head. - I mean he did mention picking off a hundred or two special type human at the war, and the buggers have whipped out some nice toys for him to tinker with.

- Only if he can get his claws on those toys when they're still intact. - The older twin crosses her arms and taps her raptorial talon, before turning to face the chained up giant figure of a hammer head shark and human hybrid, its entire body is covered in blood, oozing from countless claw and bite marks. - Now then, what to do with you?

The thing hiccups, its bulbous form shivers as it hears the human, the thing, addresses it. It tries lifting its head, yet each movement causes great pain to course through its wounded body, having been mauled and rag-dolled around by the half human half beast abominations, lackeys of the thing standing before it. How? How did it happen? How could the superior strength and purity of a fish-man lost to the power granted to lowly humans by unnatural means? And his crews, elite fighters gathered from dark corners of the Fish Man District, lost and slaughtered wholesale by mere…whelps! The beast collapse forward, brought low by its own attempt at defiance and weight, hateful eyes glare at the spindly frame of the half human half reptile before it.

- Y-you…feel the wrath of…the…New Fish Man…Pirates…-dosun…

- My my, still have plenty of strength I see. - Nicolin smirks, lifting her raptorial leg and plants her talons squarely into the thing's nape.

- Sister. - Naemeria puts her hand onto her sister's shoulder. - Isn't massacring them wholesale enough for you?

- Never enough for these primitives. - Nicolin hisses, raising her hand she manifests a scythe of twisted black wood and sharpen blades of bones pulsating with darkest magic of the wild growths. She snaps her head back at her sister, lips curled back to show thirsting saliva dripping from her clenched fangs, her eyes wide opened with rage as she barks: - Can you not hear them calling out sister?! Can you not hear the trees crying in pain?! These brutes cut at the trees! These beasts hurt the wild things! Must kill! Must protect! Must avenge!

- Sister! Stop it!

Firm hands seize Nicolin by the shoulders, turning her around pulling her into a comforting embrace. Before all of their eyes, the older Anacondrai slowly calmed down, her tail a moment ago was still beating rapidly in anger and distress, now rests calmly on the floor of the balcony, sweeping gently from side to side. Wordlessly, Nicolin brings herself away from her sister and within a blink of an eye, she's gone, jumping off the building and landing onto the moss-covered surface of the mangrove's mighty roots, swift legs carry her across the empty landscape back to her conclave.

- She's been acting up a bit more than usual lately. - Chopper remarks, having gotten over his tantrum. - She and the rest of her guild.

- Well we're surrounded by trees, Chop. - Naemeria rolls her eyes. - You know planets like this affect us, especially her more severely.

- Hah! What's that supposed to mean? - The other scoffs. - Some lame excuse for not being able to control your magical hoodoo voodoo? I swear, you psykers and your magical afflictions.

- You're the one to talk, running willy nilly around whenever you see a giant sea creature surfaces. - The girl snaps back. - At least we have our reasons, what's yours? - She eyes her friend for a reply, then rolls her eyes when she received non, turning her attention toward the shark beast. - Now, what to do with this one?

- This is just a scouting party. - The smaller one smirks. - Coming from the underwater island, no doubt.

- F-fools… - The beast spits. - We…are…the New Fish-man…Pirates…we are…the future…-dosun.

- Why does it talk like that? - Naemeria scratches her hair, before turning toward the screens, a moment ago have been turned off, now airing from bird eyes views, hijacked by Lucious' drones, showing the battle in full swing. - Regardless, we should get the Deepkin's forces ready, the Lord Inquisitor would probably want to start an expedition once his little play time is over.

***

Baleful blue fires screech across the sky above him, followed by lightning, bolts of shadowy energy and blinding lights, slamming into the final defenses leading into the wall of wapometal, melting and twisting them into horrific shapes. Madness, chaos, the admiral thinks, narrowly avoiding another hail of freezing arrows, shot upward from beneath the ice with enough force to send abnormal sized human flying. His feet turned to magma as he makes a run for it, seeing another host of black armored reptilian warriors surging from the strange mist that's slowly enveloping the whole battlefield. They march fort from the ranks of the petite warriors, the upper body of human carried into battle upon legs resembling those of prehistoric birds of prey, a long tail balancing their weight, doubling as a fifth limb and a vicious bludgeoning tool.

More beasts than human, they leap into the fleeing marines, shimmering blades flashing as they hack away, impaling human on long barbed spears and slicing entire limbs off. The core forces of the armies move up, petite warriors, barely taller than average teenagers, yet their lockstep marching discipline crushes anyone that got through the vanguards. They march with interlocking great shields forming into walls, bristling with long spears and swords protecting the scores of archers and gunners behind sending out volleys after volleys of projectiles. Behind those stills must be the elites of them all, the admiral thinks, eye watching yet more reptilian warriors.

Yet these were different, more heavily armored, cladded in ornate white and blue armors adorned with sacred, glowing blue glyphs and armed with sickle blades and halberds. They form a protected circle around those with halberds, their weapons and armors thrum with mystic powers as the ones they protect warp the air around them. Shimmering blue fire leap from their outstretched hands, slamming into the metallic walls with such force that they bend and creak, the baleful fire burning so hot that it melt the outer layers off the walls. They seemed impervious to any of their counter strike, swords break at their shield walls, their wielders impaled and cut to pieces, bullets burn out midair, the gunners fall to a counter hail of arrows or combust as fire engulfed them. Not even the cannons can reach them, with a flick of their mystics, the air itself thickens, snaring and crushing the cannonballs midair, ice spikes and water spouts shoot upward, deflecting everything thrown at them.

- Close ranks! Don't let them get through! - Akainu hears a familiar voice, he turns, seeing captain Smoker with his signature jutte and cigars blowing white smoke, trying his best to rally the fleeing troops.

Yet even his inspiring presence isn't enough, not against this kind of enemy, not when their comrades are being savaged by them. Those that stand their grounds are quickly overwhelmed, cut down or in cases, torn to pieces in a tide of savage bloodlust. Their enemies seem to fight as a hive mind, each counter attack onto one side of their formation results in the marine lines being decimated on another by the same tactic, almost as if they're controlled by an overruling consciousness.

- Admiral! - Smoke dashes toward Akainu in a screen of smoke, blood trickles down from his face as he pants heavily, mixing with sweats and dropping down the ice. - We're doomed! They're breaking through our lines!

- Steady yourself. - The admiral commands, eyeing the fleeing marines being picked off by Whitebeard pirates as they ran from the marching legions. - Any reports? Have you learned anything about them?

- Only is that they're nigh untouchable sir… - Smoker hisses infuriatingly. - They don't fight like any pirates I've came across, more like automatons than living things. Almost as if they're controlled by…?!

A massive form flies passed their heads, a form that's too familiar to them, terrifyingly so. Bartholomew Kuma bounces off the ice like a ragdoll, then lies completely still, his entire body is all but pulverized, burning with the same baleful blue fire that's arching across the sky above them. The two marines officers turn toward where he's been flung away from, only to gasp in sheet horror.

At first they think their eyes are deceiving them, as the one who's holding his ground against the remaining four, then quickly reduced to three Shichibukai, looks like a spitting image of the pirate Monkey D.Luffy. Yet it can't be, for what kind of monster could stand against such force and somehow is winning, as Gecko Moria now have his head pinned beneath the armored raptorial foot of the lone warrior as he turns his attention to weakest link of the other three. He wields no weapon, nor is he cladded in any armor save for the several decorating pieces of pendants on his black officer uniform, yet his clawed hands blaze with the same blue fire burning around them. Mihawk's massive black sword bounces off his parrying forearm harmlessly, immediately the "World's Greatest Swordsman" is sent flying with an explosion of dark energy rupturing from the warrior's outstretched hand. The hand quickly changes direction, coiling their fingers around Doflamingo's neck, squeezing so hard that the blond Shichibukai was visibly panicking for his own life as the air was choked out of his lung, before his entire form disappeared in a screen of blue fire, tossed aside with as little effort as one would toss away a broken toy.

Even the Pirate Empress doesn't stand any chance, her power to turn people into stone does nothing to the man, the monster. He turns to face her, for a split second Akainu can feel the raw power of his dominating wills ripples through him, at least ten times more powerful than any Emperor Haki outburst he's ever seen. Yet soon even he realizes that that was just a fraction of his will, a small part of the power leaking off the main attack as it's directed fully into Boa Hancock's mind. The Shichibukai howls in pain, clutching at her head and falls to the ground, steam and smoke rising from every orifice on her bleeding face, as if her brain was fried in that attack.

- That…must be their leader. - Smoker murmurs, seeing the warrior looking so much like the pirate Luffy raising his hand in a wordless order, immediately another barrage of eldritch bolts rips through the sky and slamming into the walls in another decimating attack, sending two of the gigantic plates crumbling down in the wild cheering of the pirate and the war cries of his legions.

- Soldiers! Your lord commands you! - The man roars with his maw of fangs, even his voice is similar to the pirate, though somewhat deeper and more mature and blood thirsty. - Cleanse these vermin off these shores in my name!

- So declared the Lord of Tehek'Ira! - A thunderous, unanimous cheer booms in respond, whipping the legions into a frenzy tide.

- We cannot let him live. Akainu snarls. - Take him out.

- As you command.

***

This is bad comedy. Lucious thinks, hand seizing another fleeing marine, draining his body of life essence and tossing aside the lifeless, shriveled husk. His soldiers rush passes him, whipped into a frenzy from his inspiring command. Yet even without that, the Lord Inquisitor is sure that his soldiers would be more than capable of making short works of these rabbles. Still, despite the pressing threat, not a single of the "marines" primitive psykers have been sighted or even captured, though the anti-psyker nullifiers seem to work on them as well as any others. Swiping his claws through the throat of another desperately foolish human charging at him, Lucious sighs from the boredom, until his keen hearing pick up a whistling noise coming closer and closer to him.

- DIE!

Hand raised, Lucious blocks powerful thrust aimed at his head from a jutte thrusting out for a screen of white smoke, strong enough to makes him stagger. His golden eyes widen in genuine surprise as the smoke slowly condenses and takes on the form of a human with white hair smoking two cigars at once. His adversary seems as genuinely surprised as him, this must be the first time someone could easily counter his ambush like this. The Anacondrai smirks, his raised hand, still blocking the jutte, gestures, immediately blue fires burst from his palm, forcing the human to shift back into his smoky form and dashes away. A dozen of Lucious' elite Tehekan guards in white and blue armors armed with sickle blades and halberds adorned with strings of trophies rush to him, readied to cut their lord's attacker down, but he gesture for them to stand their ground.

- My…my… - The inquisitor snickers with glee, eyes gleaming as he tilts his head to inspect his assailant. - You're a bold one aren't you?

- Shut it, brat. - The marine officer snarls, his body dissolves into a thick cloud of smoke that moves as if it has a mind of its own, swirling toward Lucious with speed greater than any of these marines he's seen.

- A Devil Fruit User! - The Anacondrai barks, a toothy grin spread across his face as he raises his hand.

Claws meet with specialize weapon, deflecting every blow of each combatant every time they clash. This makes no sense to Smoker, this man, this thing, whatever it is, seemingly wields powers granted by a Devil Fruit, yet not even his jutte coated in seastone can do anything against him. Each of the captain's attacks is easily deflected or negated, each leaves him vulnerable for an attack from his adversary's razor sharp claws. The leader's warriors, his body guards, surround them, circling around both of them, cutting down anyone that comes near while preventing the marine from backing off. This is a mistake, Smoker realizes in a panic, this is no ambush, he's fallen right into the thing trap. Yet it will all be worth it, it HAVE to, Smoker thinks as he's pushed back more and more into the welcoming hands of a scores of the petite warriors armed with not weapons, but grabbling claws on poles. They intend to capture him alive.

- Admiral! Admiral! Where are you?! - The captain cries out in panic as he's slowly being overwhelmed, waiting for Akainu to spring the trap as they've planned.

A flash of glowing magma erupts in the distance, causing both the marine and the inquisitor to turn toward it, where the admiral in his pure magma form is being cornered and fended off with bursts of baleful blue fire and hails of freezing arrows. A pack of humanoid canids with shaggy fur burning brightly with fire snarl and bark at the admiral, supported by several of the fiery monstrosities that have turned their attention toward their lord's attacker. Magma does nothing to them, as they themselves belch out storm of white hot air, their claws dripping with liquid fire that vaporize the ice they're standing on, so much so that they seem to levitate instead of standing on solid ground.

- No… - Smoker let out a quiet, horrified murmur, the cigars in his mouth fell off, replaced by blood gushing out as the claws of the Luffy doppelganger sinks his claws, then entire fingers, deep into his abdomen.

- It's rude to look away in a fight. - His attacker smirks dismissively, the marine captain feels pressure rushes into the fingers, sending him flying away from the monster.

The officer jabs his weapon to the ground to halt his sliding, hand pressing against his wounds to keep himself from bleeding out as he pants desperately. He tries to stand up, no use, his lungs flare with fireworks of pain with each movement, several of his ribs are broken, his internal organs nearly pulverized by the attack. Looking around frantically, Smoker searches for any sign of aid coming, nothing. A streak of orange and red light dashes away from him, horror spreads on his face realizing that even the admiral Akainu has been forced to retreat, pursued by the wolf beasts and many limbed monstrosities, each of their vaporizing steps seemingly supported by sheets of fire.

The hordes of pirates are now cheering in mad ecstasy now, charging across the ice in a near suicidal tide, supported by their alien allies, unchallenged. Is this the end of their ideal then? Smoker asks himself, finally managed to haul himself up to his feet, all around him he sees the marines' dead outnumbering those of the attackers, their remains trampled and torn to shreds, held aloft upon spears and halberds as the blood thirsty legions parade nearer and nearer to the plaza, spurred onward by the screaming of the desperate and the dying.

- This is it, then? - A voice rings, he turns, seeing his attacker's face showing little, if any emotion at all. His frame impossibly dark, made even worse by his blood loss, yet burning brightly to him are the two golden orbs in the man's sockets. - Is that all you can do? - The man asks again, spreading his arms wide apart, his voice a mixture of both mockery and disappointment. - The greatest force ever mustered by your pitiful species, and THIS IS IT?!

- Shut…up… - The captain growls, supporting his body with his jutte. - Shut…up…

- You have lost. - The man acclaims, matter-of-factly. - Lay down your weapon and renounce your…organization, and I will spare your life.

The suggestion sparks fire inside Smoker, for a split second he felt no pain, simply anger, simply hatred. The marine grips at his weapon, the thing blackens as it's encased in Armament Haki and brought upward in a wide arch, an act of challenge. He stomps down, vaulting his entire body forward, his eyes see red, only a black frame is clear in his vision. The human swings wildly at his target, barking like a maddened beast as he does, not realizing each of his attacks is deflected with no more effort than one would sweep away a nagging fly. Yet he can't stop, he doesn't want to, each painful swing only seems to pushes Smoker to attack again and again, attacking the one who has suggested such an insulting idea.

- A pity.

The word snaps Smoker out of his trance, just as he was bringing his jutte down into thin air, the man has moved to his side. A clawed hand rests upon the captain's shoulder, jerking him backward, the other effortlessly catching the jutte, affected neither by the haki or the seatone coating. With a twist of his wrist, the Luffy's doppelganger snaps the weapon in half, haki and seastone alike, before bringing it up, burying the broken half deep into Smoker's chest. Another rib, shattered, but the broken piece doesn't stop, the captain howls in pain, feeling one of his lungs being punctured, then the jagged end of the jutte piece piercing through his back.

The other end of the jutte falls from the captain's hand as he staggers backward, then falling to his knees, blood splattered onto the ice from his mouth and the wound. It's…over. Smoker thinks bitterly, seeing the petite warriors slowly surround him, standing still like statues as their lord approaches.

- A pity, really. - The man repeats, a faint, sad smile appears on his lips, his hand raised in a commanding gesture. - Take him to the citadel, we'll have to make do with "test subject" then. Rather disappointing really.

- Who…are you? - Smoker tries to speak, his voice choked and sounded gurgling from the blood. - What…are…you?

- The future of this backwatered world. - The lord answers grimly, smiling as he does. - I had hope that some of you will be reasonable, but it would seem like most of you would rather be exterminated like vermin. - He turns to his soldiers to address them coldly: - Secure the fronts, prepare to invade the plaza.

- F-fools… - The marine spits, eyes turning to look at the word "Justice" painted onto the giant fortress of the island. - You can…kill us all…but…you can never…kill…our ideal…

Lucious frowns, then he too turns his eyes at the symbol, a symbol of their primitive belief and blind devotion, one that will need to be torn down, brick by brick, uprooted and destroyed. His golden eyes gleam with a strange emotions, even to his followers, as he address primitive scribbling with his gaze.

- Can't I? - His words are mere whispers as he looks at the marine, his finger twirls, conjuring a misty circle around Smoker's neck, holding him in place, just enough for the captain to look at the fortress.

Lucious stands up straight, his eyes closed to gather his concentration, then shot open, the golden orbs now spewing black fire. The black, unholy magic swirls in his hands, growing more and more potent with each second passes, dripping down and slowly blanketing the whole battlefield in a think layer of darkness. Channeling his hatred and disgust, the Lord Inquisitor raises his arms, the black mists coil around each and every of the corpses, rising higher and higher until hundreds, then thousands of black, smoky spires reach for the sky before the eyes of the terrified marines. The Anacondrai jerks his arms outward, slamming the bulks of the spires and their magic into the corpses, tremors ripple through the battlefield, halting everyone of the combatant as they feel chills run down their spines.

Mangled, torn corpses twitch, moan and click, pulling themselves up, blank, undead eyes turn to their controller, awaiting for the single command to escape Lucious' mouth:

- Destroy it.