"Well sorry master. I do apologize for interruptin' your precious Sleep…" Rhicho said. Mimicking a more Lower Drawl. One that was commonly associated with the less intelligent or more subservient. Especially making fun of masters and slaves.
"Ha! Thats funny Leviathan" The silhouetted man laughed at the mans joke. Rhico did not joke often. But he knew how to have a harsh silver tongue when necessary "Remind me again why you have you're title? Oh right." Rhichos face screwed. "It wasn't something fun! It was because you're a fuckin traitor"
The man leaned forward "Irony is the best form of insult. A Leviathan! A rook!" He emphasised each of the words "The biggest fish in the sea that represented as a tower, a fortress! And yet…here you are. A traitor to your race. Buddying up with the world government. Hunting Pirates. And making sure that Status Quo you're people critique but are so afraid of doing something about."
"Me personally. I love the quo. Made me billions! But you…What've you gotten from it? Sure the rest of the world sees you for your title, not as irony but as truth. Marina, the opposite. You stepped outta line once. You were too loud…And now…Ah ha ha ha…You're here. A marshal, with a would be marshal. And me." The man shook his head "Thats Irony!"
"Hahahah….Haa…Fuckin golden." He laughed slumping against the wall. Rhico tugged against the chains. Teeth gritting. Azar gave a soft chuckle "Heh. Save your breath Rhi. He ain't worth it…"
Rhicho gave a snarl. Veins bulging too much to be normal across his neck before settling back against his body flush and disappearing again. His demeanor calming. "Well…He's not wrong…" He conceded. Another in an endless line of Concessessions he's made at not just his own expense
"So. What happened?" Azar asked. "Your execution that's what. World Governments expecting the Red All Father himself to show up just for you." Azars lips smirked at that. "And in response to show over whelming force. They want all the Admirals. All HQ Stationed Marines, Ensign and Higher, and All Warlords and their Crews to show up." Rhico let his head hang
"War."
The Fishman summarized in one word "For you Azar. And I wanted not part in it. Plenty of my people could get behind a Fishman being in government. Progress…Even it its not done much. But I can only do so much. I've tried to work from within the system for decades. And its done us good…But it moves too slow."
"And now I'm here. But if I step out of line. I'll have a target. Me alone. The rest of my people they just need to play smart. Take after me. But learn from me too…" He said. He was saddened. He'd done so much work for fishmen as a warlord by also doing what he was told. Using the systems. But…He thought that maybe if he were human. Or had a human on his side again. He'd be able to do more within the system.
"War for me? Admiral? And the War Lords? Overkill ain't it?" Azar asked "I believe in Gramps. I do. But….All the Admirals…The World Governments big three…And the Warlords. Who ever shows up that is."
"Last I heard. 4 or 5 of the Eight will be showing up. Barbary, Eliza, Hannibal, De Leon, and the New One Blackbeard may be joining as well. But who knows what he's up too. I met that Vane once when I talked with Barbossa. An enigma wrapped in a mystery that one. Even if he wants to put on a face that he's not."
Azar snorted. "Heh. Yeah…Thats…Thats Vane alright…"
The Lift finally stopped. And let Leroy off at the first level. Bliss. Also known as Purgatory. This was the waiting room of Styx. There were rows and rows of people literally standing and chained to to the floor. Standing in place. With enough room between each person to sit or sleep. It went in a snaking formation around the the giant room. The room itself was the size of a field. Flat. Concrete. And then those alls were curved walls that were 20 meters tall. They were disconnected from the ceiling
From the middle, where the elevator stopped on a platform. The snaking crowd that had 3 file lines next to next, gave space for the elevator to file out
From above the room, two half walls that curved sat at north and south. With wide partitions keeping them from connecting. Then To east and west were two of the same walls. But Bigger. This pattern interchanged for four rows of nearly a kilometer wide. It was all grey. And flat. It was so large that there seemed to be a fog within. Cameras around the high walls, and the flat bar lights that sat around illuminating the whole area. From all the way up, 40 meters up. There were slits in the walls where guards sat.
"Move, Inmate!" The Styxian Guard pushed Leroy. Causing him to reel forward and stumble out of the elevator. They lead him down the winding crowd. Past them all. Some jeered "Let us out you fucks!"
"Food! Please! I missed my rations yesterday!" Another said "Hey! Jerry's dead over here!" Another said. A typical result in bliss. People were brought in and given minimum treatment if they were injured. And many died in the wait to get processed, or descend to the other levels. Some in there were even being held temporarily to be released.
They lead Leroy back to the far eastern wall. An empty cell. They opened it. It was a huge cell. With many beds. But also small inches thick windows that showed out to the waters around.
The guards pushed Leroy in. And undid the chains on his neck and feet. "Hey! What about my Cuffs!" he said "You're up for execution. Only long term stays get their cuffs off. You'll survive…Heheheh. For now." Slam! The bars closed!
The boots echoed against the ground. Reporting the exist that the guards took. It was minutes before he watched, as just barely over a slit from the high walls, the movement of lift going up into the air.
"Okay! Well. I ain't waiting around it here!" He said walking over to the window. And seeing large humanoid figures swim through the air. A few of the other figures seemed to be much more amorphous. The sea kings however were more than apparent. An eel type, zebra type, and a few others snaking through the waters…
Quickly. Leroy turned around. And stuck to fingers in his mouth! His chest hitched, and a pain stabbed as his diaphragm squeezed "OUGCK!" His tongue stuck out, as he retched and liquid came out! "Hah…ugh…Usually…That takes a bit more…"
He huffed. The key sat in the bile and chunks…Leroy leaned forward. And with a grimace…He picked the key up…Dripping as he did… "Ewgh…"