The sea stretched flat and silver under the rising moon, its surface so still it looked like polished glass. The facility's dock jutted into the water like a metal finger, its ancient pilings crusted with barnacles and salt. The air carried the mineral tang of deep water and the faint, sweet rot of tropical vegetation.
Celeste Tenko stood with her forefingers pressed together, her silver bob perfectly still despite the breeze. Her violet letterman jacket hung loose on her shoulders, and her eyes—soft grey, doe-like—tracked the distant figures near the water's edge.
Flanked at her shoulder, Jax Boone anchored himself in coiled stillness, forearms barred across his chest while an unyielding severity hardened the fractured planes of his visage. Sheared bristles of copper crowned his brow, contrasting the cold glint of lunar light that glinted across the Seastone ferrules of his hinged truncheon.
Riggs Cohen slouched against a support pillar, his shaggy blond hair falling into his eyes, his Hawaiian shirt untucked and askew. His katana—Gullwing—hung loose in its rope belt.
Master Gaius Vesper stood apart from them, his long silver hair flowing over his shoulders, his kiseru pipe trailing a lazy curl of smoke. His eyes—sharp and knowing—were fixed on the same distant figures.
Riggs nodded toward the edge of the dock where Law, Marya, Galit, and Bepo stood clustered together, their silhouettes dark against the moonlit water. "What do you think they're doing?"
Gaius blew out a plume of smoke. "They're preparing to leave."
Riggs cocked his head, pointing a thumb in their direction. "Yeah, but what are they doing right now?"
Celeste shyly pressed her forefingers together, her voice soft. "Um. Maybe they're saying goodbye to the island."
Gaius smirked. "You think they're that sentimental?"
Jax's arms tightened across his chest. "They're making plans."
Gaius nodded slowly. "Yes. I heard something about the Pirate King."
Jax looked over his shoulder, his jaw tight. "They'll get themselves killed."
Gaius pulled on his pipe, the ember flaring. "You sound worried." He paused, his eyes glinting. "You still carrying a torch?"
Jax's lips pressed into a thin line. "No. I'm just stating facts."
Gaius grinned, smoke curling around his weathered face. "I wouldn't underestimate that group."
His eyes narrowed, the humor fading. "Let's focus. How much damage did the island take?"
Celeste pressed her fingers together again, her voice barely above a whisper. "Um. Not much. The coastlines have already receded. There's some foliage damage, but, um, it isn't significant."
Gaius nodded. "And the facility?"
Jax answered, his voice flat. "Damage was minimal. We're still getting reports in from patrols, but what's been reported so far is superficial."
Gaius nodded, a satisfied grunt escaping him. "Good. Sounds like this place was built to last."
---
Near the edge of the dock, the moonlight pooled around four figures.
Law stood with his arms crossed, his white shirt billowing slightly in the breeze. His sharp eyes were fixed on the horizon, where the sea met the sky in a seamless line of silver and black.
Marya stood beside him, her raven hair swaying the moonlight, her golden eyes—ringed like her father's—fixed on the same distant point. The leather jacket with the Heart Pirates insignia creaked as she shifted her weight. Her denim shorts were frayed at the edges, and her tall combat boots left scuff marks on the metal dock.
Galit stood to her left, his long neck arched in that constant S-curve, his emerald eyes tracking the holographic projection that floated above the Celestial Tideglass. His tactical slate was clutched in one hand, his fingers tapping out a steady rhythm against its surface.
Bepo stood to Law's right, his white fur ruffling in the breeze, his dark eyes wide and watchful.
The Celestial Tideglass hovered between them, its hexagonal prism form capturing the moonlight and scattering it into a thousand tiny constellations. The black opal at its core pulsed with a slow, rhythmic glow, and the spectral map it projected showed the world in miniature—continents and oceans rendered in lines of silver and gold, Devil Fruits appearing as pulsing sigils scattered across the globe.
One sigil burned brighter than the rest. It moved across the open water, a steady, purposeful glow.
Law's eyes narrowed. "There. The Nika fruit."
Galit tapped his slate, the holographic display zooming in on the sigil's position. "Is the plan to take them on the open water?"
Law nodded, pointing at an unoccupied cay that appeared on the map. "It would be ideal to time it so we're a reasonable distance from this location."
Galit's eye arched, his neck coiling slightly. "It looks like they'll be passing by there tomorrow."
Law nodded. "Then the timing is ideal."
Bepo's ears perked up, his voice carrying a note of worry. "But Captain, we haven't tested the new drive yet. Are you sure?"
Marya interrupted, her voice calm and steady. "It will be fine, Bepo." She placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch light. "We just need to get close."
Marya looked over at the guardians, then back to Galit. "Do you have what you need?"
Galit tapped his slate, his expression thoughtful. "Think so. I've already sent it to both AIs on the ships."
Marya nodded. "Why don't we move this to the Dreadnought Thalassa."
Law glanced over his shoulder at the cluster of guardians, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. Okay."
If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider giving Dracule Marya Zaleska a Power Stone! It helps the novel climb the rankings and get more eyes on our story!
Thank you for sailing with us! 🏴☠️ Your support means so much!
Want to see the Dreadnought Thalassa blueprints? Or unlock the true power of Goddess Achlys?
Join the Dracule Marya Zaleska crew on Patreon to get exclusive concept art, deep-dive lore notes, and access to our private Discord community! You make the New World adventure possible.
Become a Crewmate and Unlock the Lore:
https://patreon.com/An1m3N3rd?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Thanks so much for your support and loving this story as much as I do!