Chapter 31 - Gan Fall
Skypiea, Upper Yard.
Sakazuki and Cricket followed a Divine Squad mber along a narrow path winding through the forest. Towering trees lood on either side, their canopies vanishing into the clouds above like spears piercing the sky.
"This is unbelievable," Cricket murmured, awe heavy in his voice. "So Skypiea really does have land. And these trees... they're enormous."
The man in front turned his head slightly and spoke with reverence. "Skypiea didn't always have land. This was a gift from God."
"Four hundred years ago," Sakazuki's voice cut in.
Cricket blinked in surprise and turned to glance at him.
The man cast a curious look over his shoulder. "So... the Blue Sea knows about it too?"
"No," Sakazuki replied. "I only learned about it on the way here."
Cricket listened, eyes wide with shock and excitent. He looked around as if trying to carve every detail of the scenery into his mory.
Before long, a completely white palace ca into view. Unlike the castle-style buildings on Angel Island, this grand hall had an ancient design. It felt solemn and majestic.
A man in a white robe stood waiting at the entrance. His beard was long, and though his fra looked fragile, there was sothing dignified about his presence. The Squad mber opened his mouth to speak, but the man raised a hand.
At the silent command, the warrior bowed and stepped aside.
The man in white walked up to them and extended his right hand. "Welco, powerful adventurers from the Blue Sea," he said warmly. "I am Gan Fall."
Sakazuki studied the man's face, then took his hand with a firm grip. "Sakazuki."
...
Inside the Shrine.
They were soon seated in a quiet chamber lit by filtered sunlight. Pillars rose high above them, and the air carried a stillness unique to sacred places.
Gan Fall leaned forward slightly. "Adventurers from the Blue Sea," he began gently, "I know you have many questions. But if you would allow it... may I tell you a story first?"
Sakazuki gave a slight nod, signaling him to go on. He already had a rough idea of what this was about.
Gan Fall turned to the map on the table beside him. His voice, raspy yet firm, slowly filled the space.
"It was about 400 years ago. Back then, Skypiea was a peaceful land. The people lived simple lives, kind and content. And every now and then, they would recover small supplies swept up by the Knock Up Stream. To them, anything from below was seen as a precious treasure.
"All the landmasses, or what we call 'Vearth', that exist here ca this way—by chance. But a place as large as Upper Yard, there was no way sothing that big could ever reach the sky naturally. And yet, a miracle happened.
"The Skypieans naturally believed it was a gift from the heavens, a sacred land ant only for God. They were overjoyed. But... there were people already living on that land.
"They were called the Shandians."
Gan Fall paused, letting the weight of the words settle.
"At the ti, the ruling God and the Skypieans believed that this was a divine blessing. A sacred place ant to be inhabited only by God himself. Their greed fixed upon that vast land. And so, war broke out over the Vearth.
"Since then, the Skypieans and Shandians have fought without end. Generations have co and gone, yet the conflict persists."
He glanced toward the window, where light stread through carved slats.
"A legend was born around the sa ti. It said that on the day this sacred land—Upper Yard—was born, a beautiful song echoed across the skies. The war between the Shandians and the Skypieans started then. As if that song had been the signal for battle. And when the island sings once more, that will be the day the war ends..."
...
Elsewhere, Shandian Tribe, Hidden Cloud Village.
On the wide leaf of a giant vine, Clen, a descendant of the great warrior Kalgara, stood watching in the direction of Upper Yard.
Behind him were his two children, silent and attentive.
Clen's eyes remained fixed in the direction of Upper Yard as he spoke. "Barlow. Goss. Do you know our history?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
"Our Shandian ancestors originally lived down in the Blue Sea. In the sacred city of Shandora. Kalgara, the great warrior, always protected our holand.
"But four hundred years ago, the city was blasted into the sky by a Knock Up Stream, and we could never return to the Blue Sea again.
"As if that weren't cruel enough, the Skypieans dared to call it a blessing. A sacred land, and claid it for themselves."
His voice, heavy with hatred, echoed through the sky.
"They took our holand. Banished us from our own soil. Called us invaders on the land that was rightfully ours."
He clenched his fists.
"Four hundred years, for four centuries, we Shandians have lived in sha. Cast out. Stripped of our pride and our place."
Clen turned to his children, eyes burning with resolve.
"That land—Upper Yard—belongs to us. And we will take it back. Our ho. Our honor. Everything.
"We must reignite the light of Shandora... and wipe out those who stole it from us."
...
Upper Yard, God's Shrine.
Gan Fall lowered his gaze, his voice barely above a whisper.
"For what our ancestors did—taking the holand of the Shandians, I've never found a way to properly apologize. I've just stood by helplessly as the years passed.
"I truly am... useless. If I could, I would bow to each and every one of them. I'd ask for forgiveness from every Shandian who gave their life in search of their ho over the past 400 years."
He looked up at Sakazuki, his eyes heavy with guilt.
"But the hatred between our people runs too deep. I've tried for years to ease the tension, but nothing has changed. We can't even speak to each other anymore without it turning to blood."
He stood slowly, then gave a deep, respectful bow.
"That's why I'm asking you—a powerful outsider, unburdened by this history—to go to the Shandians. Deliver my ssage. Tell them I wish for peace. For coexistence."
He remained bowed, his voice trembling.
"Please. I'm begging you."
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