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Law had always been a solitary person.
Sometimes, when he rested under an ancient tree or simply walked along the beach of some forgotten island, he tried to remember things from his past like his late mortal mother’s birthday, Cora-san’s smile, his mortal sister,.. but it was always difficult.
Being immortal had made him live far too long, and a being so long-lived gradually loses memories with the passing of the years.
Law often liked being alone, but not feeling lonely.
So then, why had he forced himself to be alone for most of his life? He didn’t know.
But he believed he wouldn’t be alone again for a while.
When Nika appeared before him, he recognized him immediately.
How could he not? He was the Sun God and everyone knew and adored him.
He just hadn’t expected that he —an immortal being, shunned even by Death itself— would have caught the attention of someone so powerful.
And he couldn’t refuse his request, even knowing it was most likely a simple whim of the ancient god.
Law had lived for far too long.
He had visited all kinds of islands: summery ones, full of colors and hellish heat; others under dictatorial regimes; islands ruled by fearsome pirates; peaceful islands; islands as cold as glaciers… and more.
But he had also heard many legends and stories about the marvelous deeds of gods, their adventures and lives.
The Sun God, Nika.
“The King of Kings,” they called him.
A powerful god, both feared and beloved. It was said that with a single glance, he could burn you to the bone. A capricious god, always chasing his next adventure, interested in things as easily as he later lost interest.
But he was also known for his great charisma: always surrounded by people, drawing them in with his melodious laughter, making them happy, throwing banquets for the smallest reason.
So, why would it be any different with Law?
He was just an immortal being. Death had rejected him without even seeing him once, and Nika had probably become interested in him for his longevity, after all, no other human-origin creature had lived as long as he had.
So he simply accepted it.
When Nika got bored of him, he would figure out what to do then.
In the meantime, he would enjoy the warmth that melted the severe cold he had endured for millennia without even being able to deny it.
And that’s how he found himself in this situation, in the divine temple of the King of Kings receiving a guided tour by the god’s famous historian.
Nico Robin, as she introduced herself, was an elf from an ancient island long gone —even from the oldest runes Law had ever found— Ohara.
An island full of knowledge —typical of elven lands— and also rich in the practice of dark magic, which easily frightened humans who played at being gods.
Law had the chance to visit it some millennia ago. He enjoyed the island’s extensive medical knowledge and its enchanting nature and magic-based customs.
By the time he learned what had ultimately become of Ohara, several decades had already passed.
It had been a terrible loss of knowledge, caused by a selfish act driven by human fear.
“Ohara was a wonderful island. I’m sorry for your loss.”
That’s what Law told Nico Robin when she approached him and introduced herself.
Robin simply smiled serenely and softly commented on how Nika, her dear god and “captain,” had made sure to compensate for that loss.
After that small exchange, Law perhaps —just perhaps— felt something stir in his chest. Envy.
Didn’t he deserve someone to make up for his losses too?
Was that why Death had rejected him?
Before he could spiral again in his cycle of self-loathing, Nico Robin caught his attention by offering to guide him through the temple.
Law had no choice but to accept.
“Nika has a keen eye for people. He saw something special in you, something worth letting into this place.”
Robin looked at him with a soft smile she hid behind her black lace fan.
“Your god is just having a whim with me.”
Nico Robin merely laughed —neither confirming nor denying his words— and changed the subject.
“This temple hasn’t always belonged to Nika, but he adapted it so much to his nature that it’s now completely his.”
Law hummed quietly in acknowledgment as he observed the large marble columns adorned with curious golden shapes.
“Just like us. Many of us are here thanks to a ‘whim’ of our god.”
Instead of feeling offended by the elf’s subtle tease, the immortal felt something else—curiosity, a feeling he thought long gone—and without thinking, he asked:
“What do you mean, Nico Robin?”
“Let me introduce you some persons. Maybe then, you’ll understand what I mean, immortal sir.”
They continued down the long corridor filled with solar inscriptions and symbols —some of which Law couldn’t decipher, though he assumed they were part of the “customization” Robin had mentioned— engraved in gold on the white marble walls.
They arrived at a large inner courtyard, curiously full of greenery, with clouds and wind spirits playing among themselves in the absence of their eternal master.
Life in the temple felt as vibrant as all eternity.
There, too, was a girl with long orange hair, among orange trees, playing with forest spirits and a small cloud that followed her everywhere.
“This is Nami, our navigator. She knows the skies and winds like they were her own.”
Robin closed her fan and descended the steps gracefully, stepping along the cloud-path stones while Law followed closely.
“She was always a wind spirit, but a sea creature managed to capture and manipulate her for much of her life. Nika found her while she was carrying out one of Arlong’s whims, and he was so enraged to learn that one of his playmates —the winds— had been held captive, he burned the creature to the bone. It was Nika who gave her a physical body, and from that moment on, Nami swore him eternal loyalty and never left our god’s side.”
Law was surprised. The woman seemed so cheerful and free that he never would’ve imagined such a tragic past.
During his long life, he had met many sea beings—sea kings, mermaids, fishmen—and most had been kind. Well… there are always exceptions, aren’t there?
As they approached, Nami noticed them and zoomed toward them with inhuman speed—typical of a wind spirit—to greet them cheerfully. The small cloud following her crashed into her back, gently pushing her forward.
“Zeus! Be careful!” she said, and the cloud hurriedly apologized. Nami elegantly brushed back her bright orange hair and turned to greet them properly.
“Hi, Robin. Who’s this guy?”
“This is Trafalgar Law, the immortal being Nika brought this morning.”
Nami observed him with a sharp gaze, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms, the golden jewelry and precious gems she wore clinking softly.
“So you’re the famous ‘Torao’.”
Law could only blush at the nickname the god had given him and nodded shyly. Luckily, Robin took pity on him and dismissed the girl so they could continue.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“To the temple workshop. You’ll meet someone else there.”
The two walked in silence for several minutes. Robin seemed to enjoy the gentle sky breeze as she strolled elegantly through the temple, and Law took the opportunity to observe the architectural details.
There was something strangely warm about the place. The white columns, the golden stones, the greenery that seemed impossible at such an altitude, and the constant sensation that everything there was alive. Even the walls seemed to breathe.
They reached a different wing of the temple.
The marble gave way to metal blocks, exposed beams, cables hanging from the ceiling like roots, and the constant echo of tools, hammers, and sparks. It was a chaotic place but full of energy.
He also noticed shelves filled with machinery from the mortal world and celestial one alike, and further in, he could spot one of many tables cluttered with potions and exotic plants.
“Welcome to the temple’s workshop,” Robin said with a gentle smile as she turned to look at Law. “This is where the two artisans of Nika work, the most important ones in the divine realm.”
“Usopp is also an immortal like you, but he was born that way. His father is a companion of the god of festivities, Shanks.
He was rescued by Nika a few decades ago from a human priest who identified him as a demon and tried to destroy him, being the only one who knew his true intentions. Usopp is probably the most similar to you in this temple, and even though he’s the son of divine beings, he grew up as a human… and fell in love with a mortal.”
Robin gently summoned a small mirror with a wave of her hand. She smoothed down her soft black hair with her fingers and delicately applied some gloss.
“Franky, on the other hand, was more of a ‘whim’ of Nika. He’s an ancient machine crafted by the former god of construction. He even met the temple’s former inhabitant. And, surprisingly, when Nika first met him, he didn’t like him Franky challenged him and even stole Nami. In the end, everything was resolved, and Nika became so fond of him that Franky agreed to come here, maybe under threat. Now, he’s one of the happiest to be here.”
Once she finished touching up, the mirror vanished with a snap of her fingers, and Nico Robin prepared to enter the workshop.
A moment later, a small explosion shook the room. Law stepped back instinctively as, through the smoke, a towering metallic figure emerged, laughing heartily.
“What an attractive woman I see before me! My SUUUPER historian, Robin!”
Robin laughed softly and stepped toward the man, who was removing his dark sunglasses. She leaned against him and kissed him with a joyful smile.
“Franky! I told you to be careful with the stardust powders!”
A long-nosed man emerged from the smoke, coughing. He was quite tall— though not taller than Law— with dark skin and curly black hair. He was followed by a floating array of tools, likely held aloft by magic.
Law felt somewhat out of place. He could manage the presence of one or two beings in his space, but three? That was far too much.
The last time he had been in a room with so many people, was it five years ago —Or a decade?—, it hadn’t ended well for him.
He instinctively distanced himself from the group, trying to make himself as small as his body allowed, avoiding everyone’s gaze. Unfortunately for him, this time Nico Robin showed less mercy.
“Everyone, this is Torao. Nika brought him from the mortal world this morning.”
“Oh! That’s sooo super! What could our boss have seen in him?”
“An immortal? I’ve been dying to tell another immortal the amazing stories of god Usopp on the earthly realm!”
Well, it seemed his strategy wasn’t going to work. Law straightened up and cleared his throat before speaking.
“I’m Trafalgar Law. It’s a pleasure to meet the companions of the god of the Sun while I’m here at the temple.”
Immediately after his introduction, the room fell silent—uncomfortably so, Law would say. Had he said something wrong? Did they already want him gone? That fast?
“Uh, yeah, well…” began the shorter man, Usopp. “I’m Usopp, the temple’s inventor and sharpshooter. That’s Franky, he’s the engineer and the guy who fixes everything when it breaks. Nice to meet you, uh, Torao.”
The tension remained even after Usopp’s introduction. Law wished the clouds beneath his feet would part and drop him back into the mortal world, into his quiet solitude. Thankfully, Nico Robin took pity on him once more and slid down from Franky’s mechanical arms to continue the tour, gracefully bidding farewell to the two artisans.
“Did I say something wrong?”
As much as he hated to admit it, Law didn’t want to leave the temple just yet.
The place was full of life —more than he’d seen in his entire longevity— and the sun at this height was so bright and warm that he could melt from sheer pleasure in a cloud.
Maybe he should go find Nika, maybe entertain him somehow? That’s why he was brought here, right? Maybe that way, he could stay longer.
“You didn’t say anything wrong, immortal one. Just… avoid introducing yourself like that.”
Luckily, Nico Robin didn’t seem upset with him. That was a relief—he didn’t think he’d survive if all of Nika’s companions looked at him with hostility.
They continued on in silence. Robin once again pulled out her fan, gently covering part of her face as she told Law a few scattered stories about Nika and his feats.
Like how he freed Dressrosa.
Law was amazed by that story. Dressrosa was one of his favorite summer islands, though poor, it kept moving forward, and its people were always open to gods and non-human beings.
When he heard it had fallen under pirate dictatorship, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. In the end, it was the fate many poor islands suffered.
He still remembers the joy he felt —for the first time in a long time— when he heard the island had been liberated. That was only a few decades ago. It was a curious coincidence that Nika himself had been the one to free it… with his laughter.
“Even though I’d love to introduce you to all of Nika’s companions today, I think that’ll be impossible.”
They finally reached the temple’s grand back garden, filled with human vegetation and the many eternal friends of the god of the Sun —spirits of wind, clouds, stars— playing among the rose bushes and ancient trees.
They followed a cloudy path to a more secluded area with less vegetation.
A training zone, Law supposed, seeing the obsidian and diamond blocks battered and covered in cuts.
“You’ll probably meet him in the coming days. For now, I’ll leave you with our captain, immortal one.”
Past the training grounds, they arrived at the edge of the fluffy clouds that gracefully held the temple aloft. In the distance, among the clouds, Law could see Nika playing with them, laughing and jumping gleefully.
With the sun —and surely because Nika was in his temple— he looked calmer. The great sun tattoo on his shoulder, his scar, the pure gold jewelry that jingled—almost musically—with his movements, and his loose white garments.
Everything about Nika was so imposing —attractive— without even trying to be, that it was overwhelming.
Law had never met anyone like him, and he doubted he could handle meeting another.
Maybe he should make the most of his time in the temple.
Nika’s laugh was so contagious —and loud— that it was melting the icy walls around Law faster than expected.
Yes, he should. After all, he was the one who brought him here, wasn’t he?
Robin stopped and looked at him with a half-smile. Though her words were kind, Law could sense a hint of warning in them.
It wasn’t malicious, just a reminder, Nika didn’t bring just anyone to his temple.
Each one had a purpose.
Even if that purpose was a divine whim.
Law nodded softly, grateful for the implied warning. Despite his solitary nature, he didn’t want to be a burden, especially not to a deity like the god of the Sun.
And there he was.
Nika.
And Nika saw him.
He turned just slightly, as if he already knew he was there. A wide, charming smile spread across his face, with a glint of mischief.
“Torao! There you are.”