MARINES - A ONE PIECE story (ENGLISH) - Part I

CHAPTER LXXIII - Ghost land

The tall trees seemed to rise to the sky. Above the two soldiers, they spread their dark leaves like a threatening shadow. Zell groped his way forward, his hand resting on his chisels. Jorge trembled behind him. Yet, despite the fear that gripped him and nearly paralyzed him, the young man kept moving forward : the safety of his loved ones was his true driving force. Shivering in the cold of the night, the soles of his boots crunching dead leaves and dry earth, he kept scanning the surroundings for a clue. In the best case, they could find a friend. But it could also be an enemy.

Jorge's nose suddenly twitched, without Zell noticing : his overdeveloped, animal sense of smell could perceive the presence of an individual within 500 meters, like a radar. A fragrant, delicate, intoxicating smell. When he looked up, he saw a slender figure perched at the top of a tree. The delicate silhouette of a dancer, in the back of whom the moonlight shone, through two translucent wings.

- Zell ! Jorge whispered, pulling his friend's arm. There is someone up there.

- Huh ? Where ?

By the time their eyes refocused on the peak Jorge was pointing at, the figure had disappeared.

- You're losing your mind, bro... sighed Zell. We mustn't lose sight of our objective.

- You mean that shadow behind the woods ? We don't even know if the others are there... Imagine if we ran into enemies and...

- Do you have another solution ? Zell answered, without moving on. It's the only clue we have, so let's go.

The two soldiers continued on their way until they could clearly see the roof of the building : a very old, gigantic, mansion-like building. When Jorge saw the moonlight shining on the slate roof, he shuddered in despair, but he did not dare turning back : Zell would have been far too angry. For a moment, the young soldier was glad that his comrade was there to protect him, but the thought soon disgusted him. He had to stop relying on others and prepare to defend himself. If he couldn't fight for himself, how could he protect others ?

As they walked through the woods, the two men could guess the silhouettes of thick trunks in the darkness. Some of them were uprooted, torn off, or pierced with impressive holes and gashes.

- It's like a massive cemetery, grumbled the young shipwright, whose love of wood was known to all. Whoever did this has no respect for these trees. I feel such violence, such rage in the blows that were dealt to them...

- Stop saying such things ! begged Jorge. Imagine if our friends had suffered the same fate !

Zell grabbed him by the collar.

- Don't say stuff like this, you idiot ! They're far too strong to be taken down so easily, and Arthur wouldn't have allowed it. He cares for us like he cares for his own family. I trust him, I trust them.

- Y... Yeah, I do too but...

Jorge didn't have time to continue his sentence : they heard a screech behind the tall trees, and before they could react or prepare a defense, they were assaulted. A furious projectile, launched at full speed, nearly hit them head-on.

- Careful ! cried Jorge, pushing his comrade out of the way.

They both rolled on the ground, dodging the projectile, and it made a deafening crash into the trees behind them. In the dark night, a female voice rang out :

- I told you to take your time, Kito. You're too impatient, as usual.

Jorge immediately recognized the delicate scent he had smelled earlier. He tried to tell Zell, but a powerful blow hit him in the chest and sent him rolling to the dirt floor. His comrade rushed to him and helped him up.

- Damn it ! We can't see anything with this darkness... If only Haru was here.

- Yeah ! confirmed Jorge. We have to get out of here as soon as possible, get out of the woods and...

- No, we're not going back. The only way out is to go to the mansion.

Jorge wanted to contest this bold idea, which he considered too risky, but he changed his mind and decided to follow the captain's first mate, whom he trusted completely.

Behind them, a hum could be heard, as if a gigantic insect was chasing them, moving its wings.

- I'll take care of them, Kito. It's a shame you wasted time, I'd be the one to have the privilege of catching them. The executives will be thrilled, maybe I'll even get a promotion ! gloated the young woman with the delicate perfume.

- Shut your mouth ! a big, gruff voice shouted.

Again, a projectile shot out at full speed, but with greater precision this time. Zell relied on his hearing and tried to dodge it, but the pursuer hit him, tearing a chunk of flesh from his left shoulder. Zell cried out in pain and, thrown off balance by the enemy's attack, staggered. The darkness had concealed from him a ditch to his right : the impact made him lean dangerously to that side, his foot skidded on the dirt slope and, with a scream, he fell backwards into the ravine. As he saw his friend rolling in the dust, disappearing in a dark thicket below, Jorge cried his name. In front of him, the slender female figure hovered above the ground, now joined by her ally.

- Since the great Kito is magnanimous, you can take care of the fallen one, said the gruff-voiced man. He's wounded, so even a weakling like you can finish him off...

- What a killjoy you are, Kito... Can't I take care of that redheaded soldier instead ? I'm dying to rip him to shreds !

- No, the man said curtly, putting his arm in front of the young woman to block her way. This one is the prey of the great Kito, Lullaby. Take care of the cripple or go to hell.

The winged woman huffed and puffed, then darted after Zell, her thin translucent wings whirring in the night. The man facing Jorge cracked his knuckles loudly.

- The great Kito will deal with you, soldier.

Jorge had no choice : the beach was too far away, and he was no match for the invisible enemy chasing him in the dark. Rather than fighting this elusive ghost, he decided to run. He had every confidence in Zell. He knew he was alive, and decided to honor his friend's decision by pursuing the direction he had indicated : galloping at breakneck speed, the assailant at his heels, Jorge rushed toward the mansion whose roof was closer than ever.