Bab 14: Gan Fall

Angel Island, though modest in size and population, occupied a unique place in the vast White-White Sea. Its true singularity, however, lay in its neighbor: Upper Yard, the Sacred Land.

This extraordinary island, composed of solid earth and lush vegetation, contrasted dramatically with the ethereal landscape of clouds surrounding it.

Upper Yard was an enigma in the sky, a place where plants grew freely, defying the natural laws of cloud islands. For the inhabitants of Angel Island, this fertile land was an object of veneration and greed, reverently known as the Sacred Land.

Despite its tranquil appearance, Angel Island had witnessed centuries of conflict. For four hundred years, the Shandia, descendants of the ancient inhabitants of Shandora, had fought incessantly to reclaim their ancestral home in Upper Yard. This state of perpetual war kept the inhabitants of Angel Island in constant alert.

When the threatening ships of the Birka fleet appeared on the horizon of the White-White Sea, alarms resonated throughout Angel Island. Although the distance prevented precisely identifying the newcomers, years of conflict had taught the islanders to prepare for the worst.

In response to the imminent threat, the guardians of Angel Beach, the island's first line of defense, began to gather quickly.

These warriors were distinguished from the inhabitants of Birka by subtle but significant physical characteristics.

While the Birkans had wings that pointed downward, the Skypieans of Angel Island possessed straighter wings that extended horizontally from their backs. This difference, though seemingly minor, was a clear marker of their distinct origin and cultural heritage.

In addition to their characteristic wings, the defenders of Angel Island carried unique shields.

"Alert Gan Fall-sama!" shouted one of the lookouts urgently.

"Has the identity of the visitors been confirmed? Are they the Shandia?"

"It doesn't seem so!" replied another lookout, his eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the horizon through a vision dial. "They're coming from another direction, not from Upper Yard!"

"In any case, stay on guard!" ordered the officer, his voice resonating with authority.

The centuries of continuous conflict had left their mark on Angel Island's forces. Four hundred years of fighting against the Shandia had significantly depleted their resistance and organizational capacity.

Within minutes of the initial sighting, a contingent of several hundred defenders had gathered on the beach.

The invading ships were approaching rapidly, their shapes becoming clearer with each passing moment.

"They have weapons!" suddenly shouted one of the lookouts.

"It's the enemy! They're attacking us!" roared another warrior. "Prepare for battle!"

The defenders of Angel Island tightened their grip on their weapons with renewed determination. Their arsenal, similar to that of the Birka warriors, consisted of a variety of knives and guns made from processed clouds, along with a wide range of dials adapted for combat.

Cloud swords, capable of cutting through the air itself. Guns powered by impact dials were ready to fire compressed air projectiles with devastating force. Shields made of dense clouds.

Some more experienced warriors carried more specialized dials: smell dials to create smoke screens, sound dials to disorient the enemy, and even the rare reject dials, capable of reflecting attacks back to their aggressors.

"Yahaha, their reaction is very quick"

Unrestrained laughter echoed from above, cutting through the tension like lightning.

The warriors of Angel Island looked up, astonished.

On the top of a nearby coconut tree, there was a peculiar-looking young man, with an arrogant smile contrasting with his youthful appearance.

"What? ....When...?", the warriors muttered, bewildered by the sudden appearance of the intruder.

An officer, recovering from the initial surprise, shouted: "Who are you?"

Ignoring the question, Enel let his smile widen. His eyes gleamed with disdain. "Who is your leader?", he asked mockingly.

"Let him come out. The gods have arrived, it's time to kneel and present your respects."

The arrogance in his voice was palpable, each word distilling a confidence that bordered on the divine.

"God?", exclaimed one of the warriors with disbelief and outrage. "There's only one god here! That's Gan Fall-sama!"

The laughter of Angel Island's defenders mixed with warnings. "Boy! Explain your actions! Otherwise, we're not responsible for what might happen."

Enel tilted his head in confusion. "Oh?", he murmured. "Why are you so rude? It's..."

Zap!

In the blink of an eye, his body materialized among the crowd, surprising everyone present.

"Is this how you treat a god?", he asked with a dangerous whisper.

Before anyone could react, a bright golden light burst from Enel's body.

Thunder and flames intertwined in a dance, their power amplified by the Seed of Fire granted by Michael.

The resulting explosion devastated everything within a radius of tens of meters. Screams of pain and confusion filled the air, mixing with the crackle of flames and the roar of thunder.

"What... what is this?", the surviving warriors shouted, unable to comprehend the nature of the power they faced.

The concept of Devil Fruits was practically unknown in the sky, leaving them completely unprepared for such a demonstration.

Zap!

Enel rose again in the air, his body glowing with electrical and fiery energy.

His laughter echoed across the beach "Yahaha! This is the fate of the blasphemous!", he declared with his eyes shining with fervor.

"Discharge!", he shouted, extending his arms towards the sky.

Golden lightning bolts sprang from his body, falling upon the defenders of Angel Island like a lethal rain. Each impact caused an explosion of fire and electricity, sowing chaos and destruction.

Enel's face contorted into a grimace of ecstasy and power. Each scream of pain, each explosion, seemed to feed his divine ego. "Behold the power of a true god!", he proclaimed

"Attack! Bring him down!", they roared. The realization that they were facing a being capable of manipulating thunder filled them with terror.

Despite the chaos, they quickly regrouped. Years of conflict with the Shandia had trained them to adapt to situations.

With a coordination born of experience, they began to deploy their arsenal of special dials.

The air filled with a cacophony of sounds as all types of projectiles were launched towards Enel.

Roaring fireballs shot out from flame dials, closely followed by explosives that whistled menacingly. Cutting projectiles, created by compressed wind dials, intermingled with powerful air impacts. Even the rare laser dials were used in this desperate assault.

However, to the dismay of the defenders, all their efforts proved futile against Enel.

Each projectile, each beam of energy, simply passed through Enel's body, leaving behind only a trail of dancing electricity. The young man remained intact, his mocking smile growing with each failed attack.

"Monster! He's a monster!", some shouted.

Just as despair threatened to overwhelm them, a new danger emerged from the sky.

A lance of fire fell like a meteor upon the defenders.

Boom!

The impact was devastating, enveloping the area in an explosion of flames.

The survivors, stunned and disoriented, looked up towards the origin of this new attack. There, suspended in the air with majestic wings, was another figure.

In his hand, a second lance of fire began to take shape, its pulsating light promising more destruction.

The voice of the newcomer thundered over the field: "Surrender or die, choose!"

Each word was charged with divine authority, making it clear that it was not an empty threat but a proclamation of fate.

The eyes of Angel Island's defenders widened, not only at the appearance of this new enemy, but at what they saw behind him.

An army of winged warriors was rapidly approaching, their wings of fire creating a terrifying and magnificent spectacle.

The sky itself seemed to burn with the arrival of these invaders.

____

Not far from Angel Island, over the vast expanse of solid land of Upper Yard, Michael was slowly advancing through the air, flanked by his faithful servants, Anjie and Rika.

While maintaining an expression of serene indifference, his companions couldn't help but look down with amazement and fascination.

The view that unfolded beneath them was an unprecedented spectacle for eyes accustomed to the ethereal clouds of Birka.

A dense forest stretched as far as the eye could see, its green and lush canopies creating a tapestry of life that contrasted dramatically with the immaculate white of the celestial islands.

"Incredible!", whispered Rika, her eyes wide open. "Is this really solid earth?"

Anjie, though equally impressed, maintained a more formal composure. However, even she couldn't help but marvel at the abundance of vegetation, so different from the sparse flora of their home.

After a few moments of silent flight, Rika gathered the courage to ask: "My G-God, where are we heading?"

Anjie frowned, gently reprimanding her companion. "Rika, it's not our place to question divine designs! We must simply follow our God."

Far from being bothered, Michael smiled indulgently. "There's no need for such formality, Anjie," he said softly.

Extending his hand, he pointed towards the horizon. "Do you see that structure? That's our destination."

The servants followed the indicated direction, their eyes widening in amazement at the sight of a colossal vine rising from the heart of the forest, disappearing into the heights of the sky.

"It's gigantic!", exclaimed Rika with astonishment. "How can something like that grow on land?"

Michael smiled to himself. 'There lie the ruins of Shandora and the Golden Bell,' he thought. 'We're close to unraveling ancient mysteries'

Suddenly, a shout echoed in the air, interrupting his thoughts. "Halt!"

Michael arched an eyebrow, his interest piqued by this unexpected interruption. From the direction of the great vine, a figure was rapidly approaching.

As the silhouette became clearer, it revealed a surprising sight: a pink spotted horse, but not an ordinary equine. Between its ribs extended a majestic pair of wings, allowing it to gallop through the air.

A pegasus in every sense.

On the back of this magnificent creature, a knight in silver armor stood imposingly. His lance, shining, pointed directly at Michael and his entourage.

"Who are you?", demanded the rider

Michael, instantly recognizing the newcomer, felt a smile form on his lips. 'Gan Fall,'

'The current God of Skypiea. What a fortuitous encounter'.

________

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