Zoro x Robin: The Stuff of Legends

Chapter 11

I don't own One Piece or it's characters :)

Robin's POV

Screaming filled my ears. Screams i knew all to well. It was the scream of someone dying, knowing that any breath could be their last, and watching their own flesh melt from their bones. it was the scream of vanishing life. I knew that sound like the back of my hand. I've heard it once too often. But this time, i didn't know how to feel about it. Should i feel sorry for the ones who tried to murder me? Should i laugh at his screams of pain and death?

I didn't. I only smiled sadly at the red eyes locked on mine as the skin around them turned papery and flaked from the body, floating away as the wind whipped them away. The scream echoed in my ears, the voice fading away as the creature's vocals were quite literally ripped from it's throat. Even as it's final moment of life approached, still those eyes bored into mine like a nail through wood. Analyzing my every thought, my every emotion.

I hit the ground hard, all the air forced from my lungs in one huge gasp. Coughs escaped my throat, wracking my entire body. Gentle hands wrapped around my shoulders and helped me into sitting position as i slowly regained my breath. "Thank you." I said.

"You're welcome," said Nami's voice, and i turned to smile at her, instead my jaw dropped slightly and my eyes widened. The navigator had been completely cleansed of any and all injury. Her skin was shining and scratch free, her hair put up in a nice bun with circlet on her head similar to Antinodea's. She was now wearing a knee length creamy colored toga clipped over one shoulder with gold slippers on her feet. She simply radiated beauty. Looking down at myself, i saw that i too was dressed similarly, and my broken wrists were completely healed. My skin glowed faintly like i had a miniature sun beneath my skin.

"Robin-chan, Nami-swan, you look absolutely radiant, more beautiful than the goddess of beauty herself!"

I looked over at the lovesick chef. He too had been cleansed of wounds, but his mode of dress was much less modest, only a short cloth was wrapped around his waist, leaving him completely bare chested.

"You will stay silent, man!" said the voice of Antinodea. I blinked into focus, looking at the Valkyrie standing a few feet away. She looked just as beautiful as she had down below, if not glowing a bit brighter. She looked forward over our heads. "Take one moment to regain your balance."

"What pushed me inside the light beam?" i asked, standing a bit unsteadily, and finding a light cloud below my feet. It was like being in Skypeia again.

"A Vampire," was a short answer. "That beam purifies everything that enters it, nothing tainted may enter this world. Vampires are creatures of blood, they were vaporized instantly."

That would explain the screaming and my healed wounds. I flexed my fingers, not quite convinced of the magic. I was a woman of knowledge and fact, not one who believes in petty magic tricks like this. Still... my wrists felt fine, and there was no denying the bones were not broken.

But something felt off, not with my body, but with just the air surrounding us. The room we had landed in, the floor dusted with cloud, the twelve golden pillars holding up the pure gold dome of a roof, it was all very regal and realistic. But i couldn't put my finger one what was missing until i did a head count.

"Where is Zoro!?" I demanded, whirling on the Valkyrie, who was keeping her eyes trained on something behind me. i didn't care to turn. "What have you done with him!?"

Antinodea's eyes flicked to me. "I don't know."

I somehow managed to control my hysteria. "If you don't tell me, i may have to force the answer out of you."