Chapter Text
This was a suicide mission and Law knew it.
They were up against the Renan Armada, the most oppressive and technologically advanced nation in the world. There was no escaping a death sentence from The Sovereign. She didn’t care if they were Blue Rogues – sailors who took from the rich and helped the downtrodden. At the end of the day they were still technically pirates, still criminals. In the eyes of the Renans, they all deserved to become intimate with the guillotine.
And soon his father’s neck would be in such a compromising position.
“We’ve made it past the gates,” Rinwell muttered at his side, looking over her shoulder to watch the large, ominous steel doors close shut behind their ship. “Even if we manage to rescue them we might end up being stuck here like fish in a barrel.”
Law sighed, well aware of the high risks. “We’ve accomplished one impossible feat, let’s look at it that way.” He didn’t think they’d even make it into Rena.
She released a terse exhale. “Only seven more impossible feats to go.”
He frowned, counting on his fingers. “I thought it was only five?”
“‘Only five,’ he says.” She snorted in amusement. “I’ve added ‘don’t get found out as pirates’ to the list twice because it feels appropriate, and ‘don’t be recognized as a former Snake Eye’ for you, Trouble. I should also add ‘avoid Admiral Valkyris’ for good measure because that jerk is tenacious.”
“...Probably a good idea.” It didn’t help his nerves that they were entering Ganabelt’s turf; there was little chance they would escape the eyes of his many spies. They would need to be quick. Add that to the list I guess.
“There’s no way we’re going to make it.” What was supposed to come through as a dark joke – possibly where Rinwell laughed a bit at the end – faltered as her voice cracked and the reality set in. He looked over at her and it stung to see her gaze so hollow as she stared at the approaching docks of their demise.
“What else are we supposed to do?” he mused in defeat, feeling lost. “Just sit around and know that the Crimson Crows are all getting beheaded while we eat lunch?”
“I don’t know… I don’t know…” Tears started to form at the corner of her eye. “But I…” She sounded so many years older and it hurt him to hear it. “I really don’t want to watch you die.”
He pivoted to stand in front of her, forcing her to look up at him as he held her shoulders. He couldn’t make any promises that they’d succeed or even survive. Any kind of hopeful sentiment would fall flat. Deep in his heart he had the same reservations weighing heavily, his stomach sick with anxiety. “Look, I - I don’t want you to see that either. But… even if it’s deemed impossible, I have to do something.”
“I know you do,” she said softly, her eyes wistful.
“You could always stay here on the boat-”
Her expression hardened. “Out of the question.”
While Rena was open to trade and visitors, their security and clearance were so intimidating that pirates agreed entering Rena was a death wish. The gates only opened at certain times of day, passports were required, and ship inspections expected. They were lucky to tag along on a Calaglian friend’s medical boat, posing as simple sailors.
Law had to wear a bandana to hide his distinct pink streaks and took out his gold earrings. It felt like a bad omen considering pirates believed they brought good luck. Rinwell begrudgingly agreed to pose as a boy, hiding her short hair under a hat and dressing the part. She was also hesitant to remove her earrings, pretty tear-drop shaped turquoise crystals she wore since the day he found her. She was sad to leave behind her iconic cloak with the strange runes embroidered on the inside but they couldn’t afford to wear anything flashy. Their clothes were brown and inconspicuous and the only way either of them stood out was Law’s height but he couldn’t exactly help that.
Public executions happened once a month and the fact people treated it as a spectacle made his stomach churn. Rena’s favorite form of entertainment was scheduled for tomorrow at noon which meant they either had to break out the crew tonight or rescue them during the event.
The odds weren't looking great.
Once they were docked and the armored Renan guards stopped showing interest in their modest ship, Law pulled out his and Rinwell’s weapons from their hiding spot in a chest, buried underneath medical supplies. He slid his daggers into the sides of his boots and handed Rinwell her pistol, pulling out the moon stone from his own and handing it to her.
“How many charges would you say I have left?” he asked. She was always better at gauging these kinds of things.
She rolled the crimson shard around in her hand, frowning in one corner. “I’d say maybe five shots?” She handed it back to him. “Seven if you’re lucky.”
He loaded it back into the chamber of his gun, making a mental note to make his magically charged shots count. It wasn’t much against the Renans who could wield magic at will, but it allowed him to tap into that same lunar arcana. He hoped it would be enough to give them the edge they sorely needed to succeed. He tucked his pistol into the back of his pants and stood up, the anxiety starting to hum in his veins.
“Where am I supposed to hide this??” Rinwell whispered, pistol still in her hands.
He looked over at her and frowned. “Good question. Your ass is shaped differently.”
“What is THAT supposed to mean?!!”
“Maybe we can hide a holster under your vest,” he mused, desperately hoping the misdirection from her rear would save him. Rinwell unfortunately was not well equipped to secretly carry any weapons on her person in her current outfit and only one other place made logical sense. “You don’t by chance, er… have room like…” He gestured his hands around his chest like he was about to tuck them both in his armpits. “Somewhere up here?”
Her entire face darkened into a near scarlet so fast he feared she’d pass out from such a rush of blood. “COMPLETELY out of the question!! Why can’t I just hide it the same way you do?” She went ahead and tucked the pistol beneath her belt in the back. “It’s the only place I can conceal it!”
“Yeah but women walk differently.”
She made a face of disbelief. “Okay now what on Dahna is that supposed to mean?”
He threw his hands up. “Alright, whatever, but don’t come crying to me when you lose your gun down your pants!”
“Let’s trade shoes,” she said, eyeing his knee-high boots. “I can hide my weapon in those.”
“Rinwell, my feet are twice as big as yours. Not only will I not fit in your shoes but you’ll be uncoordinated in mine.” He had to admit her shoes were neat – they had paw pads on the soles that were a convincing size for a real dog or wolf, making it less likely for anyone to track her. “Besides, where would I hide my daggers then?”
She sighed and rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. “Okay I’ll try to… ‘walk like a man,’ whatever that entails.” She followed after him as he headed for the pier.
“Don’t wait up for us, Doc,” he said with a pat on the old man’s shoulder as he passed. “Hopefully we’ll see you back home.”
“You’re not coming back with us?” Kohl asked.
“We don’t want the Renans to associate you with us,” Rinwell explained. “Otherwise they’ll lock you up or execute you as well.”
“How are you going to sail back home with everyone?”
Law turned around to give the teenager a smirk. “By doing what we do best: stealing a ship.”
“I hope everything works out,” Doc said warmly. “Your father is a great friend of mine… I know he wouldn’t want you to throw your lives away trying to save him.”
Law bit his lower lip, staring out at the busy shoreline, his chest tight. It definitely was something Zephyr would say. “I know. But if there’s even a sliver of a chance to save any of them… I have to give it a shot.”
“Then may the Moons watch over you both.”
Rena was in a near constant state of darkness thanks to the Yellow Moon’s influence of producing lightning storms. However, the Renans figured out a way to keep the heart of the city mostly clear of the storms and darkness. A massive wall surrounded the city with lightning rod fixtures, drawing the worst of the storms away from the city and keeping the fence electrically charged (serving the dual purpose of more manageable weather and keeping people contained – the Renans sure loved control). Several floodlights throughout the city collected light astral energy to disperse lightning strikes and bring light to the city. Though the sky was still covered in ominous clouds, the streets had some light thanks to the Renans’ technology. It was nothing in comparison to the sun, but Law would take it over the alternative of constant darkness and downpour.
Fortunately, due to his time spent as an agent in the Snake Eyes, Law knew the city and the location of all the holding cells. Unfortunately that knowledge proved useless when they saw no familiar faces as they spent the entire day searching.
“They must be held within the palace,” Rinwell concluded. “Why, I have no idea…”
“They’re testing me,” he explained. “Because I could theoretically get into the palace.” Certainly there would be guards along the way, but the magically sealed doors wouldn’t be an obstacle thanks to the moon core implanted into the back of his left hand. He had certain clearances into Riville Prison Tower during his time as a slave, and since the moon shard was a permanent fixture he still technically had the proverbial key to those closed doors.
“Which means they will be expecting us there,” she said with finality as she slumped against the wall of the alley. “So our only chance will be causing a scene tomorrow at the execution itself.”
He swallowed thickly. The whole ordeal was daunting before they docked at Rena and somehow everything continued to worsen. He shook his head of the doubt, reminding himself he had fought through storms in the past. “We’ll make it. We’ll save them. We’ll save them all.”
Rinwell looked so small, her voice reflecting that. “How can you be so confident?”
“I’m not,” he admitted with half a laugh. “I’m nervous as hell and keep envisioning my parents losing their heads. But I’m choosing to believe that we have a chance. I have to believe we have a chance…” If he allowed his doubts to spiral and coil around him, he became constrained, a slave to his own fear. He didn’t want to be shackled by anything ever again. “Mind over matter or something, right? That’s something my old man would say.”
“Mind over matter or something, alright.” She scoffed. “So then what’s the plan? We can’t just attend an execution and start shooting.”
He frowned and thought about it for a moment before giving up. “Do you have any better ideas?”
“None whatsoever.”
“So, Operation: Shoot Around and Find Out?”
She sighed and buried her face into her hand. “Moons be with us…”
Law witnessed his fair share of executions… far too many for a lifetime. The gore was horrific no matter how many times he had seen it and he couldn’t bear to look when the event started with some criminals’ beheadings. Part of him felt guilty for not trying to save them as well, but he didn’t know any of them and for all he knew they might have sabotaged their escape. They were already taking too many chances with luck today, he didn’t need to add any more variables where things could go wrong.
When the armored Renan guards finally announced the infamous Crimson Crows pirates and led them out in chains, the crowd cheered and Law’s stomach turned. He shared a look with Rinwell and she mirrored his horror. Then things got even worse.
Admiral Valkyris stepped out onto the overlooking balcony to address the crowd.
“Today we have a very special guest in attendance,” he announced so pompously as if this were an award ceremony instead of an execution. He thrust a hand down towards the pirates below. “Pirate Captain Zephyr of the Crimson Crows and his entire crew.”
“Not all of them,” Law muttered behind grit teeth. He turned to Rinwell. “We ought to start moving now.”
She nodded and they both calmly got up and started moving down the row. There was one Bureau agent by the stairs that led to the pit where at least four armored Renan guards stood around the guillotine or leading in the shackled Crows. There were likely more opponents hidden out of sight, but if they could take care of at least those guards and Rinwell could work on freeing some of their crew, then their odds would even out. The agent was Dahnan and Law decided on a discreet body slam into the wall to knock him out over pulling one of his knives. He saw that the armored Renans already had Zephyr’s wrists locked in the contraption, his arms pulled out to the sides and his neck resting on the slab.
He didn’t have time for any last words with Rinwell as they launched head-first into the fight, Law taking aim and firing the first shot at the guard closest to the lever. The bullet was charged with fire astral energy and lit up the guard in a blaze. By the Renan’s screams it seemed the flames were hot enough to have the metal burn his flesh. Law shot him again for good measure.
As Rinwell ran out to the side to shoot at the guards by the Crows, Law narrowly dodged a blast of electricity from armored Renan #2. Proficient arte users were dangerous at long range, but if he could close the distance he would have the advantage. Shots from elsewhere in the arena started to whiz by him as he ran and aimed a shot at one of the Armada banners near where Ganabelt stood, causing the fabric to catch fire. A little distraction could go a long way.
Dodging a poorly timed cast of a fire arte from the armored Renan, Law launched himself at the tall figure with a forward hand spring, using his legs to lock around his neck and flip him over onto his back with a loud clang of metal. He unsheathed a knife and slid it in the weak spot between the helmet and breastplate.
With shaking hands, he worked as fast as he could to pick the lock on his dad’s left wrist, taking in a sharp inhale when it clicked free.
“Law, you shouldn’t have come-”
“Now’s not the best time, dad!”
More guards approached, bullets flying by. He had no idea how they would make it out of this alive but he had to focus on the present: get dad off the guillotine first. It would only take someone reaching the lever and pulling it for his dad to be a goner. With blood pounding in his ears, he worked on the second shackle holding Zephyr’s right arm in place. Pain exploded into his calf, causing him to catch himself as he collapsed against the metal pillar.
“Shit!” he hissed, pulling himself together to put the lock picking tools back into the slot and try again. He could feel warm blood pooling inside his boot. The enemy was closing in and soon their shots would be more accurate than his leg.
And then the lightning struck.
Everything slowed when he heard the mechanism of the lever, his mother screaming his father’s name, the grating descent of the blade, and his inhale as he pushed the pick into the last knob and twisted with a click. Zephyr moved as quickly as he could out of the stock, but his arm did not withdraw fast enough, the blade severing down just above his elbow with a sickening squelch.
And then the thunder followed.
Blood splattered against Law’s face and he could barely flinch as Zephyr screamed. Talya and Nayth rushed in to help while Rinwell continued unshackling more crewmembers. Law could barely focus as shock locked up his joints and he gasped for breath.
“Law!!” cried a familiar voice and he whipped around to find Kohl’s head popping up from a hole in the ground a ways from the guillotine. The catacomb entrance where they dispose of the dead bodies, he realized, no time to question how Kohl followed them or figured out how to aid them at the execution.
“Law, honey, we’re not dead yet,” his mother’s voice cut through all the noise like a blade, though he could still see the fear in her eyes. “Clear a path for us.”
“Right.” The command helped snap him to focus. He tossed his pistol to Nayth who caught it with his free hand while supporting Zephyr’s good side. Moons, there’s so much blood. They may have saved Zephyr’s head but it wouldn’t be long before he died from blood loss if not shock. Law saw his mother working on a tourniquet before he had to whip out his knives and pivot to block an armored Renan soldier’s blade. Adrenaline pushed him forward to fight, igniting his veins with electricity as he fought. His leg screamed with every step and he wasn’t sure how long he would last before he passed out from the sheer pain, but he had to keep going. One guard taken care of, then onto the next. As more Crows got a hold of weapons from the downed Renans, they were able to hold their own.
When all the crewmembers made it down the bloody chute, Rinwell was waiting for him there, pistol at the ready.
“Law, let’s go!”
But something kept him frozen to the spot, still several strides from the opening. A far more dangerous opponent finally reached the execution floor, his cold eyes piercing into Law’s heart like ice.
“Law!!” Rinwell’s voice grew desperate.
But he couldn’t move. All the shock caught up to him, all the hauntings of his past clawed beneath his skin. All he could do was watch as the snake raised his pistol and took aim with a smirk on his face, his tone mocking.
“First you abandon your master, then you bite the hand that feeds.” Ganabelt tsked. “A pity, you had such potential. You can either return my property, or I’ll put you down like the dog you are.”
After a tense moment of silence, the crowd completely drowned out by the blood pounding in Law’s ears, Ganabelt tilted his head, challenging and taunting him.
“I’ll make it easy for you.” He gestured his free hand towards the guillotine. “You can leave with your beloved dissidents after you’ve severed your hand. That refined moon shard is worth more than your miserable life. If you-”
The Renan Admiral was cut short when he barely dodged a shot from Rinwell’s pistol, charged with light astral energy and sending a bolt of electricity in the bullet’s wake that hit Ganabelt square in the chest. Shock was replaced with a wicked satisfaction when Law saw crimson drip down Ganabelt’s face; Rinwell’s bullet must have nicked him.
She grabbed his arm and pulled him down into blood and darkness, and Law had never felt safer.
“Admiral Valkyris, we can send our men down into the catacombs-”
Ganabelt waved a hand dismissively like he was shooing away a troublesome fly. “No need. Let them believe the delusion that they’re safe for now. No ships leave the harbor, the gates remain closed.” He turned to the Renan who was applying a healing arte to his mere scratch. “You are dismissed.”
“But, my lord-” the healer protested.
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Yes, my lord.” The Renan bowed and scurried off.
He returned his attention to the lieutenant. “They won’t last long down there, with the state they’re in. I want guards posted here round the clock and all other patrols focused on the harbor. They may have escaped execution for now... but they are nothing but mere rats in a trap, waiting to die.”
The lieutenant saluted him and Ganabelt started to leave, allowing the hot crimson to drip down his face. The short Dahnan boy would pay for his insolence. He reminded him of an important detail. Though unlikely, he didn’t like to leave things up to chance. He turned his head over his shoulder to address the Renan.
“Dispatch Admiral Sincleaver to the palace. I have an assignment for him.”