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Trafalgar Law trudges through the forest, eyes downcast. He holds Kikoku in one gloved hand, the other clinging to the strap of a black leather satchel slung around the opposite shoulder. Snow, more ice than water, crunches beneath his boots, and every breath he takes forms a visible shroud. Light from the setting sun filters through the trees, tinging his surroundings with dying orange light. The last hint of warmth seems to vanish, as if such a thing could ever be found in this place to begin with.
If Law doesn’t turn back for the cabin, he’ll be caught by the night and forced to contend with the punishing cold that follows. He knows that. But he’s only just discovered the fresh set of prints in the snow, massive in size and leading still-deeper into the woods.
It’s the first sign in days of searching. The first glint of hope.
There’s something on the island. Something big. Law knows that wolves and bears aren’t found in this region, the small landmasses here lacking the resources to accommodate them. He used to live in the area, himself, but had never heard rumor of any unusual beasts, no mention of a sighting. Then again, no one ever actually went to Minion. There was nothing there but snow and ghost towns.
He’d asked around Swallow Island a few days ago, but inhabitants remained unaware of what sort of creature could have been lurking just a brief boat ride away. Law’s uncertainty crept in, wondering if Doflamingo had been lying. If this had all been some cruel joke, after all.
The warlock’s eerie smile flashes in Law’s mind, making him grimace. At that same moment, a freezing wind tears through the forest, flooding his ears like an anguished wail. Law presses on, black cloak whipping up behind him. The world darkens as the sun slides further behind the trees, and the wind begins to cover the tracks with sleet.
“Cora-san,” Law whispers. He just can’t turn back.
❄
It had taken Law five years to track down Donquixote Doflamingo. During that time, he had learned to use his magic, his sword, and had grown stronger—all in preparation to destroy the man who had murdered his most cherished person.
Hellbent on revenge, Law had barged into Doffy’s castle hideout. His custom jacket was open, his chest emblazoned with a heart-shaped tattoo honoring his savior’s memory. And if that was too subtle, the jacket itself bore the word “Corazón” on the back.
Robed members of the Donquixote Coven occupied the ground floor, drinking wine and mingling, but there was no sign of their leader. Spotting the intruder, they immediately grabbed their wands and staves and began firing spells in Law’s direction.
He would never have been able to fight them all, but he hadn’t come here by himself. At Law’s side was the band of misfit mages he’d amassed in the two years since departing Swallow—a sort of coven of his own. Law’s allies drew the opponent’s fire as he sprinted for the stairs.
He ascended the tower, the sound of crackling magic and shouts dying away the higher he went. Coming to a single door at the top, he burst through with a shout.
“This is for Cora-san!”
The tall man in the pink, feathered coat had been standing near a bookshelf, turning in alarm at Law’s sudden entrance. Law’s first attack connected, electricity crackling around Doflamingo’s huge form as he hit the wall. With a grunt, he crumpled to one knee, his face now level with Law’s.
And only then, when he had Doflamingo pinned, tattooed hands squeezing his throat, did the bastard say the one thing that could have possibly stopped Law from choking the life out of him.
“For Corazon?” The warlock questioned calmly, words clear, like the hands gripping his throat hardly made a difference. “Oh, Law. You know I didn’t kill my brother that day.”
The statement was like a dagger to Law’s heart, immediately sending him into a state of shock. Less surprising was the actual dagger, pulled from Doffy’s coat the next moment. Law gasped as the blade sunk into his arm. With a curse, he jumped back, his other hand reaching for his bicep.
The sleeve of his jacket had been sliced, hot blood spilling between his fingers.
“You must be so confused.” Doflamingo straightened and stood tall, bringing the dagger up to his grinning lips. “You haven’t seen him in…how long has it been? Half a decade?”
His long tongue flicked out of his mouth like a snake’s, licking the blood from the knife’s edge.
“What are you talking about?” Law snapped back. “On Minion Island, you—”
“I punished the one who had betrayed me,” said Doflamingo. “I cursed him. But Corazon was still very much alive, at least at the time.”
“You’re lying!” Law glared up at him, trying to suppress the deep pain that burned in both his arm and his heart. Doflamingo had to have been lying. Unless…
Could Cora-san really have been alive? All this time?
And Law had never realized? Never looked for him?
The warlock could have attacked while Law was stunned, but he only smiled at him. Behind his curved sunglasses, it was impossible to tell exactly where his eyes were, though Law was sure they were fixated on his own. Doflamingo simply said, “I am not.”
“Then where is he?” Law demanded. The words came choked, pitched high, but Law hardly cared how desperate he sounded. Five years he had spent on this revenge scheme. He was a bomb, set to detonate and take this loathsome creature with him. And it had taken all of three seconds for Doflamingo to diffuse him. “Tell me!!”
“He wouldn’t have been able to leave the island,” Doflamingo replied. There was an intensity to his tone, as if his mood was worsening just by recalling the ordeal. “I don’t even know if he’s survived all this time. Minion’s a harsh environment, after all.”
“How could you just leave him?” was Law’s next question, coming out just as wretched as the last. Perhaps, what he should have been asking, was just what exactly would have kept Cora-san stuck in such a place? What did Doflamingo mean by cursed?
The warlock held up a hand, ready to capture the boy in a magical web like a spider trapping its prey. But Law couldn’t die yet. Not if Doflamingo really was telling the truth.
If Cora-san was still alive—trapped—then that meant Law was his only hope.
“ROOM!” he shouted, unsheathing his sword. With a slash, a wave of magic fanned out from the blade, cutting through Doffy’s strings before they could ensnare him.
Law tossed a small stone from his pocket, the pebble arcing over Doffy’s head. “Shambles!”
He vanished then reappeared in the spot the rock had reached, behind the larger man’s broad back and facing away from him. He stabbed backward with Kikoku, both hands on the hilt, trying to pierce Doflamingo through his pink feather coat. The sword was stopped by something solid.
Law glanced back. The man had grabbed the blade with his bare hand.
Doflamingo yanked forward, swinging Law around to his side. He slashed at him with his other hand, magic strings trailing from his fingertips. Law threw up his arms—coated in armament magic—to block.
Jumping out of the warlock’s range, he used Shambles once again to return his sword to his hand.
Doflamingo rushed him.
“Injection shot!” Law shouted with a forward thrust of his blade, piercing the man’s solar plexus and forcing him back. “Sedation!”
Floating, white bubbles formed around Doflamingo’s head, popping just as quickly as they came. The man stumbled to one side, blood trickling down his torso. Law couldn’t see the way his eyes slid closed behind his sunglasses’ opaque lenses, but he did see the shock on Doflamingo’s face, the grit of his teeth as he fought to remain awake.
Law enjoyed that look. That sudden realization. Now Doffy knew that Law was not a sick little child anymore. He had grown, become stronger. He had trained in the ways of sorcery. And he had gotten this far.
He smiled ruthlessly. He had Doflamingo now, right where he wanted him.
Or so he thought.
❄
The wind picks up, buffeting Law with icy snow. He’s growing weary from the sloping trek up the hillside and now there’s hardly enough light left to see by.
He needs to turn back but a dark shape catches his eye. Just ahead on the high ground, a creature stands statuesque among the trees. If it—if he was smaller Law might not have even noticed him through the storm, standing so still and silent as he watches him. But he is much too massive to hide. His shape is familiar. Law’s seen this form before.
“Cor…” the name catches in his throat as he shakily steps closer.
Closer, still.
The creature’s red eyes are stuck on Law’s face. He lifts his narrow, feathered head as if to sniff the air between them. It’s hard to imagine he can smell anything at all in this storm, but Law’s hopeful. Anything to jog Cora-san’s memory.
Law reaches out. Cora-san truly is gigantic, larger than a proudly standing horse and almost twice as long. His lanky body is covered entirely by black and gold feathers, boasting a pair of sleek black wings that Law has always known to be useless.
While his brother was able to soar high among the clouds like a pink comet, Cora-san could barely get off the ground. If he’d been able to, he would have flown away with Law five years ago—to freedom. But, instead, he had sacrificed himself. Law always thought he’d succumbed to Doffy’s lethal magic that day, but the truth is right in front of him now.
As he thought, a curse had prevented Cora-san from returning to human form. All this time, he had been stuck like this; not quite bird, but not quite beast, either. Law can only describe him as some kind of dragon. It’s what Doflamingo always called them, too. Celestial Dragons.
Law just hopes that the human part of Cora-san is still in there somewhere.
“It’s me, Cora-san,” he tries to speak over the moaning wind.
He almost doesn’t hear the growl that resounds in the creature’s throat, but then his fangs flash in the dark. Law just manages to pull his hand away before the jaws snap closed.
“Cora-san!” he shouts, evading the second lunge. Again, the dragon’s teeth just narrowly miss.
Cora-san doesn’t remember him.
“ROOM!” Law yells, a blueish sphere of magic expanding from his open hand. He dodges yet again, a little slower this time. Cora’s fangs catch Law’s cloak and yank him back.
Law draws his blade. Not to fight—he wouldn’t dream of injuring his beloved savior, even to subdue him—but to prepare his spell. It won’t be easy, as tired as he is, but it’s his only hope.
“Sedation!” he says, angling his sword toward the target.
Small, white bubbles grow and burst around the dragon’s head. Cora stops growling and, jaws slacking, drops the part of Law’s cloak he had snagged. Law knows that his magic won’t be enough to put Cora-san to sleep—not in this form—but that’s not his aim. He just needs him to calm down. Once the fear has dissipated, maybe Law can try once more to jog his memory.
What he really needs to do is get Cora-san somewhere that he can perform a different kind of magic. A spell that will undo Doflamingo’s lock and allow Cora to return to his human body for the first time in far too long. But Law can barely think about that now. He’s expended every last drop of his strength.
He hadn’t had a lot to start with, not yet fully recovered from his battle with Doffy.
Cora-san’s crimson gaze refocuses on him. He seems somehow tamer, more curious.
It’s all Law can do just to keep his own eyes open. “I just wanted to say that…” He manages a weak smile. “I love you, too, Cora-san.”
His legs buckle beneath him, then, and he collapses in the snow.
❄
The types of spells in Law’s repertoire were determined by his Devil Fruit.
The Operation Fruit had been acquired by Corazon, given to Law to spare him from a terminal illness. That was five years ago. Law’s life had been returned to him, and he had trained his powers ever since, hoping for a chance to avenge the man he’d thought he had lost that day in exchange for his survival and freedom.
But the Operation Fruit’s skillset wasn’t cut out for combat, so Law had to get creative. Honing his Fruit’s powers, his swordplay, and his physical strength, he had since grown to be a capable fighter.
There was also Haki, another type of magic that could be utilized even with Devil Fruit abilities, which provided him with additional perception and defense.
Still, Doflamingo was more experienced, and his strings had many deadly uses. If he ensnared a person, he could then totally control them. He could make them kill themselves right then and there, or keep them as a slave. If that happened to Law then he would instantly lose the fight, and his freedom along with it.
Sedation was not working as Law had envisioned. Doflamingo stumbled slightly, catching himself on the stone castle wall before shaking his blond head like a dog. He groaned.
Law lifted his sword, preparing to cast the spell again. Perhaps another dose would be enough.
But then Doflamingo started to shift. His body lengthened and he grew larger, claws slicing from his fingertips and sharp horns sprouting from his forehead. Two massive, feathered wings burst from his shoulder blades, while a long tail snaked out from his lower back.
He had transformed into a massive, feathered creature. A dragon. His pink and gold coloring did not detract from his terrifying aura, which had caused Law to freeze in place.
He hadn’t overlooked this possibility, and he had even seen this form of Doflamingo’s before, but it was quite another thing to stand face-to-face with such a monster after so long.
Doflamingo’s glasses had fallen off and Law finally saw his eyes. The left one was scarred over. He expected to see red-hot anger there, but Doflamingo only regarded him in amusement.
“Why didn’t you come in politely, Law?” he asked with a flick of his tail. His lips curved around his jaws in almost a smile. “You could have just knocked on my door. I would have even offered you a drink!”
Doflamingo stepped forward, feathery front legs wobbling under his weight He may not have fallen asleep but he seemed inebriated from the Sedation spell. Maybe Law could work with that.
“I always liked you, Law,” he slurred. “I wanted you to be my right-hand man. And just look at you now. You’ve grown up powerful enough to be just that. To be mine.”
“Shut up!” Law growled, angling his sword toward the Doffy-dragon’s face. “The reason I got stronger was to take you down! For Cora-san!”
Doflamingo laughed. “I don’t know what my foolish brother did to endear himself to you. But he betrayed his true family. For that, he received the punishment he rightly deserved!”
“It’s too much!” Law shouted back. He couldn’t imagine Cora-san’s pain. Years alone, trapped and struggling to survive on that frozen wasteland of an island.
Was he truly still alive? Not even Doflamingo was sure.
“Would you rather I killed him?” The dragon stepped forward again, teeth barred. His wings expanded to steady himself, dislodging a single, pink feather that fluttered up into the air. “Maybe there’s a chance you can save him. If you manage to make it out of here alive. And just think of how surprised Corazon will be to see you. If he recognizes you at all, that is.”
“Shambles!” Law shouted, swapping his location with the airborne feather.
He reappeared above Doflamingo, ready to plunge Kikoku right between the dragon’s wings. But the creature moved quickly, despite his size, evading the falling blade. Law hit the stone floor with a painful, clumsy thud as the dragon swiveled around to whip him with his thick tail.
The force sent Law flying. He landed prone a couple of meters away, his sword clattering somewhere out of reach. His vision swam as he tried to get up. A huge weight pushed him down, pain erupting in his shoulders as Doflamingo’s claws sunk through the fabric of his coat, breaking his skin.
“That symbol on your back,” the dragon seethed. “Corazon. What are you trying to say with that?”
He raked his claws into him again. Law felt like he was being flayed alive.
He screamed.
❄
Law winces as he comes to, met with a sharp tingle of pain all up and down his back. He shifts his body, seeking relief. And, all things considered, he is comfortable; surrounded by soft feathers that remind him of the black coat that Corazon always wore. When Law was much smaller, Cora-san would wrap him up in that coat to keep him warm, especially on particularly cold nights or whenever Law’s teeth chattered from fever.
Like a fond voice, faded and distant, or the nostalgic scent of smoke lingering on the air, it brings to mind a presence that Law very much remembers. And he knows, in that moment, that Cora-san is with him.
The dragon has wrapped his large, slender body around Law’s, nestling him in a bed of black feathers. He seems to be sound asleep. Law lifts himself cautiously, and, though he can’t see much in the dark, he can make out the rocky walls of a small, surprisingly dry cavern. The ground is covered in desiccated leaves and spruce twigs, making for a sort of shag carpet.
The place almost has a homey feel, Law suspecting that it must be Cora-san’s den. His home.
Law stands then very carefully lifts one foot over the dragon’s curled body. As he raises the other, his boot nearly snags a folded wing. Law stumbles slightly, but manages to stay quiet. He moves away from the snoozing beast and toward the center of the cave.
Kikoku is missing—left behind in the snowy forest—but he still has his satchel. The pockets within are filled with important magical components, not a vial or herb out of place. He could perform his ritual right here, but first he’ll have to draw the proper insignia. Carefully kicking aside some small bones and dead foliage, he clears a spot on the hard ground.
The sheet of parchment produced from his satchel shows a hand-drawn magic seal. Law had crafted the spell with his mentor, Wolf, back on Swallow Island, using their combined knowledge and a few ancient grimoires for reference. That was four nights ago and, of course, it had not yet been properly tested.
Law places the sheet on the ground. In his other hand, a ball of blue magic appears. It’s the smallest ROOM he can manage, and he currently only needs it for the light it provides. Finally, he digs a stick of chalk out of his bag and draws a big, swooping line.
This line becomes a large circle, with smaller ones inside, and curves and symbols within that. But Law is not a magical architect, nor a genius. His skills are predetermined. They follow a theme, as is the nature of all Fruit users. He cannot learn or use spells unless they’re compatible.
At first glance, it would seem his domain is medical magic. The ability to heal others the way he had healed himself from his once-terminal illness. But the Operation Fruit is more versatile than most. When Law raises a ROOM, he can manipulate a great deal of things.
It’s bafflingly complicated and, at eighteen, Law is not yet finished sorting out all of his strange and intriguing abilities. More fortunate is that the spell he hopes to cast should slot neatly among those of healing and warding. Of setting things right. It should be easy for him, even on his first attempt.
He’s nearly done copying the runes down when the dragon stirs nearby.
Cora-san lifts his head, eyes blinking and nostrils flaring. Catching Law’s scent, he turns toward him, lips already curling up over sharp, white fangs.
“This again,” Law mutters to himself. He keeps his tiny ROOM active in his palm.
Sedation has long since worn off. Cora-san is back to being wary and Law is without his favored spellcasting instrument. He may have a spare wand in his satchel, but he doesn’t bother to search. It’s pointless to waste his magic now when all he has to do is get Cora to step into the circle.
“It’s okay,” he says softly. Still kneeling, he lets his eyes return to his work and, beneath blue light, he begins etching the last few runes. “I’m almost done, Cora-san.”
The dragon steps forward, claws clicking on the cave’s recently cleared floor.
“That’s right,” says Law. He picks up a few small pebbles and tosses them gently, letting them roll into the circle’s boundary and drawing Cora’s attention. “You can come over here.”
Cora hisses as if in annoyance. He seems less aggressive than he had been last night, though he remains distrustful of Law and his machinations. Law tosses a few more pebbles into the circle as a deeper, more threatening growl rumbles in the dragon’s elongated throat.
Cora-san should be able to understand him, if he hasn’t already lost himself.
His solitude must have been unbearable, and he had to endure it all while trapped in such a body. He had wings, but couldn’t use them to fly away. Swimming was also an impossibility, as a Devil Fruit user. And even if he had found some miraculous way to reach the mainland, any humans who had lain eyes on him would have taken him for a vicious monster.
They would have attacked. Chased him away, or worse.
“I promise I’ll never hurt you,” says Law. “But you have to trust me, Cora-san.”
The angry growl ebbs, the cavern falling back to silence.
Law nods. “Just…walk toward me,” he says, gesturing to the magic circle. The white chalk lines reflect the light from his ROOM, making them glow cyan blue. Gently, Law adds, “Just a little more. Then I can help you.”
The dragon looks down, taking in the sight of curved lines and carefully drawn runes. Perhaps he knows what it’s all meant for. After what seems to be a moment’s thoughtful consideration, Cora steps forward. Law tenses, prepared to leap away if his half-feral mind decides to lash out again.
Cora-san can’t fit the entirety of his long body within the circle’s bounds, but that’s alright. His heart is right where it needs to be. Law lets his sphere of blue energy expand until it contains them both.
“Shambles,” he says. The collection of small peddles he had tossed into the circle’s boundary are instantly replaced with all of the necessary components. Magic like this will take more than just Law’s own, raw power. Rare herbs, potion mixtures, and even precious gemstones also play a role.
The circle burns brighter as the added ingredients release their magical essence.
Cora-san closes his eyes and stays in place. Before long, there’s so much light that Law can no longer see him. He’s blinded by it, his eyes welling with tears. His spell has activated properly, which is a huge relief. Now all he has to do is guide his magic, see it through to the final result. He’ll get Cora-san back. He’ll drain himself dry for it.
“These last five years, I thought I had lost you,” he speaks softly, closing his eyes. “But you were here the whole time. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner, Cora-san.”
There’s a soft, low growl like the purr of a cat. Law thinks Cora-san may be accepting his apology.
Finally, the light fades. Vision returning, Law sees that a very tall man now stands before him. The coat he wears appears to be in perfect condition, black feathers shiny as ever, while the rest of his clothes look faded and raggedy with age. His blond hair is matted and Law hardly recognizes his gaunt face, rust-red eyes wide with shock as he stares down at him.
“Cora-san?” is all Law can manage. He’s trembling, finding it hard to even reach out his hand to this person who’s nearly a stranger to him now. Law was still a kid the last time they saw each other.
Utterance of the nickname seems to give the man pause. His eyes refocus, settling on Law’s face, and his chest expands with a sharp intake of air.
“Who…?” the single word comes out scratchy and slow. Cora-san pauses, as if the rest of his sentence has yet to be lifted from some deep, cobweb-strewn recess of his mind. “Who are you?”
Law finally steps forward. “It’s me. Law.”
“Law,” Cora-san repeats. His eyes shine with newly forming tears. “It really is you. I wondered, I…I’m sorry I wasn’t certain.” He holds his hands up in front of himself, gazing at them. They’re bony with protruding veins, but irrefutably human. He looks back to Law. “I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
Law rushes him, practically pouncing on the man as he grabs him tightly. Cora is still way too tall. Even fully grown, Law’s head only reaches his stomach. “I can’t believe you’re really alive!”
Cora hesitantly places his hands on Law’s shoulders before running them down his back to complete the embrace. Law’s wounds sting and he suppresses a wince.
The first teardrop falls free of Cora’s eye to roll down his cheek. “You are, too. All grown up.” He sounds awestruck. “The Operation Fruit really healed you, didn’t it?”
“It’s all thanks to you, Cora-san.” Law steps back out of his arms, giving him another careful once over. Tears are streaming down Cora’s face on both sides now, the sight making Law smile, his heart filling up with familiar fondness. “You look…thin.”
Cora chuckles softly, wiping his tears with one arm. “I can’t wait to have real food again.”
Law wished he was better at cooking. It hurt him down to his soul to see Cora so enfeebled, but he was equally happy to see him back in his human body. Alive.
Law hisses through his teeth his upper arm flares with pain. Flinching, he reaches for it out of reflex, before his mind can catch up.
“What’s wrong?” Cora-san asks.
“I’ll deal with it later,” Law assures him. His body still bears many injuries from Doflamingo, from the stab wound on his right arm to the gouges on his back, all throbbing with heat. “But we don’t have much time. We shouldn’t stay here any longer.”
“I would love to get off this island,” Cora says.
Law nods. He had rescued his benefactor but the man was weak and malnourished. He needed a place to recover, as did Law. That was their next order of business.
Briefly, Law wonders what Cora-san will do once he’s strong and healthy again His heart squeezes at the thought that Cora might not choose to stay with him. He did have his own life before all this, working for the magistrate to bring down rogue wizards like Doflamingo. Perhaps he would want to return to that life.
The two men reach the mouth of the cave to find that the blizzard from last night has passed. It’s another relief. Law steps into the sunlight, breathing in cold morning air. He begins cutting a path through the pure-white snow, Cora-san following close behind.
Law glances back, noticing that his companion is not exactly dressed for the climate. He has his feather coat, but the clothes underneath are thin and threadbare. He sheds the wizard’s cloak he’s been wearing over a regular jacket and hands it back to him. “Maybe you can put this on under your coat. If if fits.”
Cora smiles wearily. “No, I’m okay, Law.”
“Just take it,” Law insists.
He finally does. “You’re so good at magic,” he says conversationally, temporarily shedding his coat and putting the cloak over his shoulders. “You were even able to break Doffy’s curse.”
“Well, I had some help,” Law mentions, not wanting to steal Wolf’s well-deserved credit. “But, thanks. I’ve been practicing a lot ever since…” He trails off as they come to the crest of a downward slope. Cora steps up beside him, his coat back in place. Law says, “I think right down there is where I collapsed.”
At the base of the hill was a small clearing, encircled by forest trees. Cora nods.
Law remembers how exhausted he had been at that moment. He had nearly passed out, but remained barely conscious as he lay in the snow, darkness dancing at the edge of his vision. Cora-san stood over him, large and imposing. He lowered his head, wedging his narrow snout under Law’s body.
He managed to get Law onto his back, his two wings helping to keep him in place as he headed up the hill. Law fell asleep before he saw where they were going.
“I’m glad you decided to take me back to your den instead of eating me,” he remarks.
Cora smiles again, looking almost put off. “I wouldn’t eat a human, no matter how hungry I was. Not that I ever saw anyone else on the island.”
“I was the first?” Law asks as he retrieves a tiny pebble from his satchel.
“The first that I ever encountered here. Sorry again about last night. If I scared you.”
“If you don’t eat humans, why did you try to bite me?” Law questions.
He’s going for playful but Cora doesn’t seem to detect it. “I was confused,” he admits, looking guiltily down at the snow. “You smelled like blood.”
Law goes quiet. Turning away, he raises a hand and sends out his ROOM. A blue-tinted sphere expands to fill the area around them, as far as his current energy levels will allow. His eyelids begin to droop as he whispers, “Scan.”
The moment he detects his sword in the snow, he Shambles it back to himself.
Kikoku in hand and Cora-san at his side, Law feels complete in a way he never has before.
He also feels tired. His strength is low, and the wounds on his arm and back burn with ever-present pain. He lets his ROOM dissipate as he peers ahead through the trees, steeling himself as he considers their journey back to the village. At least it’s mostly downhill. Law takes a step forward but stumbles in an almost Cora-san fashion. He buckles to his knees in the snow, weak and wobbly as a newborn deer.
“You’re running on fumes, aren’t you?” Cora says, stepping over. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
Law shakily forces himself back to his feet. “Let’s just get to the village.”
“Come here.” Cora reaches down, slotting his big hands beneath Law’s arms and picking him up.
“Cora-san!” Law sputters as he’s hoisted into the air, only to be immediately nestled against the much-larger man’s chest. His first instinct is to Shambles right out of this awkward situation, but he doesn’t have the energy left to deploy another ROOM. His second instinct is to unsheathe Kikoku, just as a bluff. He doesn’t do that, either. “Put me down!”
Cora holds him tight, his feather coat draping around them both. Law’s surprised he can still lift him, given his lack of muscle and the way Law’s grown since he was thirteen. He should have known it wouldn’t have made a difference to someone as freakishly big as Cora-san. Like picking up a cat.
A little begrudgingly, Law relaxes in his arms. “You remember where the village is?”
“Of course. It’s not too far from here.”
“Maybe you should carry me on your back. To balance the weight better.” Law can’t trust Cora not to trip over his own feet, but riding piggyback should give them better odds. Then again, when Cora falls, he almost always lands on his back. “Wait, never mind. This is fine.”
Cora’s soft chuckle is too close to Law’s ear, sending a strange shiver through him.
“Whatever’s more comfortable for you.”
Law leans in closer, his head on Cora-san’s collarbone. “This is good. Just don’t drop me.”
“Have I ever dropped you before?” Cora asks. He begins making his way across the clearing.
Law thinks about it. Back when he was sick, he had spent literal hours carried in Cora-san’s arms or on his back, and never once had the man tripped while supporting him. “No. I guess you haven’t.”
“This is kind of nostalgic isn’t it?” Cora-san sounds reflective, and Law detects the hint of a smile from his tone. “Hopefully my brother won’t show up to ruin the fun this time.”
Law closes his eyes, listening to snow crunch gently beneath Cora-san’s careful steps. It really is nostalgic, to be carried. And everything else, too. “About Doflamingo…” he says.
“Yes?” Cora-san asks, and the smile has already left his voice.
“Actually, I’ll tell you when we get to the village.”
❄
“Shambles!” Law shouted, phasing into existence behind Doflamingo.
Doffy turned his head, a look of sheer surprise apparent even through his dragon features. Law’s sword has been replaced by a blade made entirely of his own magic. He held it at the ready, and, this time, he wasn’t going to miss.
“Gamma knife!”
Doflamingo’s jaws snap open, blood spurting from his throat as he roars in pain. The makeshift blade sinks in, magic burning deep down to his core. The attack had caught him entirely by surprise.
He had been spending the last few moments goring a person that wasn’t Law, because Law had swapped himself with one of the dead coven members downstairs. He’d left his spotted hat and bloody coat in place—to be worn by the makeshift body double—which was why Doflamingo hadn’t noticed the subtle, split-second switch.
Law took a spare moment to scan the ground floor. Though he was unable to see his comrades, he could sense that they were still fighting. It seemed they had the firm upper hand and, as agreed, they were trying not to kill. Though a few fatalities were hard to avoid, many members of the Donquixote Coven now lay unconscious. Law suspected a few may have even fled the premises.
Satisfied, Law transported himself back up to Doflamingo’s chambers.
“Your organs are ruptured,” he now told the bleeding, writhing dragon. “You won’t survive this.”
Doflamingo roared in anger, his teeth and tongue stained crimson. More blood sprayed from his mouth, flecking Law’s face. Law only stared back with a reticent frown.
“Trust me,” he said. “I’m a doctor.”
Doflamingo reversed his transformation, returning himself to human form. He might have assumed his odds would be better in a smaller body, or maybe he had just run out of energy. Perhaps he had simply decided dying as a human was better than dying as a beast—a privilege he hadn’t afforded his brother.
“Even if you didn’t kill him,” said Law. “I’ll never forgive you for what you did.”
“Yeah,” Doflamingo agreed. He now lay sprawled on his back, panting heavily. Law figured it was hard to breathe with two injured lungs. “It was such a shame…that he betrayed me. He was a snake. And a fool. Maybe I really should have kil—”
“Counter shock!” Law shouted, dropping to one knee and sending a wave of electric magic through Doflamingo’s chest. He put the last of his power into this final attack, making sure Doflamingo’s organs were damaged beyond repair. “Die, you monster!”
Doflamingo twitched beneath him, then went still. Law’s ROOM dispersed as he fell onto his back next to the man’s overlong legs. He was exhausted, panting hard and barely able to move. But all he had to do now was wait a few moments for the man to die.
He let his eyes slip closed and counted down the seconds.
There was a soft rustling beside him, the sound of Doflamingo picking himself back up.
Law opened his eyes.
Doflamingo was upright, but his attention wasn’t yet on Law as he stepped over to the spot where he had been when he first transformed. He seemed practically uninjured, though fresh blood still dripped from his mouth and other wounds.
“But you—” Law said through a gasp. It was impossible for Doflamingo to just get back up after his organs had been shredded! “You don’t have any healing magic…”
Doflamingo bent to retrieve his sunglasses from where they had fallen on the floor. “My strings are stitching my internal organs back together as we speak,” he explained. Only once his eyes were shielded did he cast his gaze back toward Law, his mouth forming a cruel sneer. “It’s not quite the same as healing, but I’ll be good as new given enough time. Thanks for self-destructing!”
Law could only stare at him. He had lost. He was fully certain of that now. He had never been powerful enough to defeat Doflamingo on his own, and that would have been fine, if not for…
He put a hand over his eyes, blocking the room—and Doflamingo—from view. “Cora-san.”
A door swung open.
Bepo’s high voice screamed, “You get away from him!!” as he threw himself forward in a body slam. The move never would have caught Doflamingo off guard if he was not already injured. He raised a hand to react, Law catching a brief flash of his strings, but his reflexes were just a bit too slow.
The polar bear mink collided with the warlock, sending him reeling back. Penguin and Shachi were right behind Bepo, peppering Doflamingo with dizzying spells to help fend him off.
Bepo reached Law’s side, lifting him into his fuzzy arms. “We’re gonna get you out of here!”
This was not the plan. Law had ordered them not to come up here. He doubted they’d all escape the tower with their lives. But maybe there was still something he could do to increase their odds.
Grasping Law tight, Bepo turned to run.
He had barely made it a few strides before Doflamingo pounced in front of them, a wicked grin on his face. “Not so fast!”
“ROOM,” Law said, summoning the last ounce of power he had from deep within himself. There was a burning sensation in his chest and, at this point, he may even have been chipping away at his very lifespan.
Bepo’s furry feet skidded on the wood-paneled flooring as Doflamingo spread his arms wide, seemingly ready to accept Law and his polar bear companion in an all-encompassing embrace.
There wasn’t much space between them now, but Law needed to be closer. He used the forward momentum to his advantage, leaping from Bepo’s hold and thrusting his hand forward. “Mes!” he shouted, striking Doflamingo’s bloody chest with his palm.
He wasn’t sure if it would work. Under normal conditions, Law would never have been able to penetrate Doffy’s armament Haki. But the man was weakened, so Law gave it his all.
He almost couldn’t believe it when Doflamingo’s heart was ejected from his body, encased in a cube of clear, solidified magic. It landed on the ground behind him, the impact making Doffy recoil in pain.
Law dropped to the ground, his palm smeared red. Doflamingo was already regaining his composure. Shachi and Penguin readied another barrage of spells. Bepo was right behind him, placing one of his wide paws on Law’s shoulder.
“Shambles,” said Law. The blood in his hand was replaced by Doflamingo’s heart.
All he had to do was squeeze.
❄
A light snow is falling by the time Cora and Law reach the village. It’s quiet as ever, because no one lives here anymore. Law doesn’t know exactly how long the area has been abandoned but it hasn’t changed at all in the last five years.
“The house I was staying at is just ahead,” he says, using Kikoku to point the way.
He’s still being carried. Amazingly, Cora-san had made it the whole way without anything worse than a couple, correctable stumbles. He heads for one of the smaller, less derelict buildings of the bunch. “This one?”
Law attempts to wriggle free of Cora’s hold, only to be placed down gently, instead. He wordlessly heads for the front door, his benefactor now loping behind him.
Cora waits just inside as Law crosses the main room to the spot where he left the rest of his supplies. It’s mostly food, but, from a cloth bag, he pulls out something much more unusual. He then steps over to a small table in the center of the space—the only piece of furniture left in this part of the house—wiping some of the dust off the surface before placing the item carefully down.
The taller man pauses at the sight. “What…is that?” he asks.
Encased within a film-like layer of clear magic is a beating heart. Law had not taken it with him on his hunt, cautious about what effect fresh meat might have on Cora-san if he was starving.
“It’s Doflamingo’s.” Law suppresses a smile, not wanting to look like a crazed freak in front of someone he respects—or at least no more than he already does. “I still can’t believe I was able to…”
He trails off, watching as Cora-san stoops down in front of the table for a closer look.
“It’s pulsing. Does that mean he’s…still alive?”
Law nods. “It’s a bit strange, but that’s how my power works.”
“…I see,” Cora replies. He can’t seem to stop staring at it.
Law having the heart in his possession kept Doffy at bay. It would have been difficult for him to travel while enduring the small injuries Law kept inflicting, letting the organ bleed and weaken its owner all over again. But it had now been several hours since Law had last damaged it.
The heart was healing. They had to act fast.
“I figured, well…” Law offers Cora-san his sword. “I thought maybe you’d want to do the honors.”
Cora takes Kikoku from him. The ōdachi blade appears small in his large hand, and he looks from the black scabbard to the heart on the table, then back again. He’s quiet for a while. Law stands beside him, giving him the time he needs to process.
Cora-san must have thought such things over already; what he’d do if he ever had an opportunity like this. He deserved to get revenge.
And all it would take was one, direct slice for them both to be free of his psycho brother forever.
“So you…fought Doffy?” Cora asks. Not exactly what Law was expecting him to say at that moment. “That’s how you found out I was still alive. And why your body is covered in injuries.”
Law stiffens, suddenly very aware of the claw marks on his back, still aching with residual pain. He had done his best to conceal the state of his body, but of course Cora-san—in his dragon form—had been able to smell the recent wounds. So much for not bringing raw meat to a hungry, unpredictable beast.
“I thought he killed you that day,” Law says. “I couldn’t let him get away with it. That’s why I spent the last five years learning magic. Getting stronger!”
“Law, that’s…” Cora sighs. “I wanted you to be free of him. You didn’t owe me anything.”
“I know. But look—if I hadn’t fought him, I never would have learned you were still alive. I would never have been able to bring you this.” Law gestures to Doflamingo’s heart.
Cora-san rises to his feet. “I can’t do it,” he says, handing Kikoku back to him.
Law stares at his sword for a moment, then looks up at Cora. “Even after what he did to you?”
“I know that might be hard for you to understand…”
“You really haven’t changed,” Law says, as if coming to a realization. “Since that day.”
Cora-san had always been kindhearted. It was why he had taken pity on a sick kid with no future to speak of. Why he cried for him. Bled for him. Why he had tried so hard to save Law’s life.
And why he had succeeded.
“I don’t want you to think that I don’t appreciate what you did,” Cora tells him. “I’m more grateful than I can express. I’ll always be indebted to you, Law.”
Law reaches out, touching his benefactor’s arm. “Do you want me to do it for you?”
“I can’t ask that of you.” Cora turns fully toward him, guiding Law into a hug that he almost hesitates to enter. It’s not the time for sentimentality, and yet Law finds it impossible to refuse him. “Let’s just go,” says Cora-san. “Let’s get as far away from this island as we can.”
Law realizes that no demand or suggestion he could make would sound better. He leans his head on Cora’s front, heaving a deep breath. “Yeah.”
He’s really here. Solid, warm to the touch. Smelling like pine needles and rain-wet soil. And, for once, it’s not one of Law’s dreams. Standing this close, he can even hear Cora-san’s heartbeat.
He had listened to it the whole way here, too. The rhythm was steady, more comforting than Law could ever put into words. Each pulse a reminder that Cora-san was alive.
They set off from Minion, leaving Doflamingo’s heart behind. Law suspects he’ll come to the island himself, once he’s recovered. He’ll find that Law succeeded in his mission to rescue Corazon, and he’ll find his missing organ, too—pumping normally and completely unharmed.
And though it will go unspoken, Law can only hope that Doflamingo will get the message. That he might even take it to heart.
“Leave us alone now. We are free.”