Author's Note:

It's with a heavy heart that I have to announce the ending of this fic. Real Life, Work and Stuff ™ got in the way, and try as I might, and I can't seem to be able to find the spark to continue this fic.

That being said, I leave you all with the outline and the plan for what this fic was supposed to be, so hopefully, you...my old loyal readers, and the new ones reading this now, can have some closure of sorts.

For all your support through the years, I thank you.

A special shoutout and thanks to The King 1020. His kind words and encouragement got me out of the slump enough to provide this finale of sorts.

Without further ado...let's go onward. Once more into the breach.

~oOOo~

Chapter 7 : Gigantomachy

Iskandar succeeds in summoning 3 additional horses from his reality marble with the first lines of his new aria. These horses belonged to his close companions, the Somatophylakes. There's an amusing scene where Shanks somehow ends up facing the horse's back, and almost gets tossed off multiple times.

Iskandar attacks the Marine Fortress at Fukou Island. The initial attack is led by Rayleigh, Mihawk, Shanks and Iskandar. Taking the fortress by surprise, they easily trample down the hastily erected barriers and set the choke points aflame.

There, he climbs to the very top, and cuts down the flag with an Alala...a warcry dedicated to the Goddess Alala, the Personification of Battle-Cry. The ululation that Iskandar utters in the anime while charging? That's an Alala.

Anyway, after consecrating the battle to the goddess, and cutting down the marine flag...that was the signal for Buggy to burst down the walls surrounding the fortress...it's also the

Signal for the the rest of the cutthroats and sellswords fall upon the enemy, finishing off the stragglers.

The scene then shifts to the next morning, as Iskandar and his men are surrounding the survivors of the raid, and those who had surrendered. Iskandar after the appropriate show of force, decides to show "mercy". He introduces the concept of "Decimation" wherein the company will choose one soldier, who will be put to the death and the others will survive.

a few guys volunteer. some are volunteered. some don't come to an agreement. the volunteers are spared, and the rest are shot "for lack of loyalty"

the ones who are then spared, are given a choice : Join Invictus or Flee.

most stay.

that done, the marine base of Fuckyou is put to the torch, and Iskandar leaves a note mounted in front of the burning base

"No"

Chapter 8 : Canteen Medals

Bounties are given out at last. Thanks to Iskandar's unprecedented actions, he's given an unprecedented bounty. 500 million to start. I was hesitant to use the large number...because well, it felt a bit too much..then again, Iskandar did the equivalent of Enies Lobby and in a very high profile manner. And his crew-members include some of the more dangerous pirates of the age, including Silvers Rayleigh. That gives him a legitimacy that Luffy didn't get for a long time. But still, I hesitated. Finally, the reveals of the Billion Belli Bounties made my resolve solid.

There's a bunch of goofy lighthearted moments between Buggy, Shanks and Mihawk.

Iskandar also begins to understand that he is fundamentally different now. He's no longer a heroic spirit sustained by the grail, and he's not even in his world. So, he has to renew his legend to gain access to his greatest prize : his army, his beloved companions.

To that end, he decides on a simple course of action...fulfill the void left behind by Roger, and becomes the emperor of the sea...reach raftel and build his own empire...whichever comes first.

Silvers advises him to head to "Paradise" as soon as he can, and to get into contact with the Fishmen, to not just get into Paradise, but also as a valuable group of recruits for his crew.

Chapter 9 : Dragging the Anchor

En route to Fishman Island, Iskandar sincerely extends his kingship out of the goodness of his heart, of course, and begins adding in small islands and settlements to his growing empire.

At Sabaody, his stay passes quietly, mostly thanks to Silvers keeping him in line. Silvers reunites with Shakky, who advises him to sail on a little longer...and seeing that Silvers is not leaving the crew, the other three decide to keep sticking with Iskandar a bit longer. Once the coat is done, they head to Fishman Island, coming in contact with Jimbei, who is rather...unwelcoming, to say the least.

Iskandar grows quite impatient when he finds no recruits among the Fishmen, most being too distrustful of the rowdy human. In the end, he grows annoyed and decides to leave nevertheless, and decides to replenish his numbers somewhere else.

Chapter 10 : The Judgement of Paris

Unknown to him, one of Big Mom's underlings was in Fishman Island as well, to persuade King Neptune to part with the Tamatebako. He recognizes the upstart king and lets Big Mom know, who decides to offer one of her daughters to Iskandar, as a way of bringing him into her family.

Nonetheless, despite her...overbearing attitude, she is skilled in marital negotiations, and extends the invitation in the most respectful manner possible. Exceedingly so, actually. There was a planned comical scene where the guy bearing the invitation is ridiculously subservient to Iskandar, much to his amusement.

While this is going on, Iskandar comes into conflict with Garp as well, who has taken on a new target to give chase to, now that Roger is dead.

After chasing off Garp (partly by matching him physically, and partly by sinking his boat and stranding him in a desert island), Iskandar agrees to Big Mom's invitation, and is asked to head to Whole Cake Island as soon as he can

Chapter 11 : Ave Discordia !

The meeting goes well, at the onset. (not sure which daughter Big Mom will offer to Iskandar...maybe someone like Amande, or heck, even Smoothie. She's old enough). The meeting begins to sour when Iskandar understands that Big Mom expects him to become an underling, a subordinate, after marriage.

This is something he cannot bear, and he refuses politely, recognizing Big Mom as an equal. However, his behaviour and bearing grate on Big Mom's nerves, him reminding her of Roger.

This being the absolute last straw, Big Mom sees this as a grievous insult, and flies into a rage, forcing the crew of invictus to flee.

Chapter 12: All Hands on Deck

A massive battle-heavy chapter. Big Mom's forces give chase, and Iskandar returns fire, if only to allow his technologically superior ship a path to escape from.

After a lot of struggles, and the A-game of everyone involved, Invictus manages to escape WCI, leaving behind a dangerous, angry enemy.

Chapter 13 : Ionian Hetairoi

This is a series of small adventures, exploring "Paradise" and also shows Iskandar's growth , not just as a sailor, but also as a new King...and the progress of his reality marble.

During the course of the chapter, Iskandar learns to manifest his closest companions, his trusted generals, the Somatophylakes.

The chapter ends ominously with Big Mom contacting the Marines..telling them where Iskandar is, thanks to one of her homies aboard his ship, hiding innocuously.

Chapter 14 : Man the Cannons

Iskandar, with help of his newly manifested companions, begins to carve his niche in Paradise. So intent is he in his joy of conquest, he ignores Silvers' warnings about staying in one place for too long.

Unfortunately, Silvers' warnings are right, and soon, the Marines assemble and encircle Iskandar. The leader of this operation, Vice Admiral Borsalino, has been given free reign to use his judgement, and he chooses to let off the Buster Call (a new strategy of the Marines...using the same class of ships as Invictus, headed by powerful vice admirals and admirals, including Garp)

This negates the last advantage that Iskandar had...his technologically superior ship that let him maintain and edge for so long.

Outmaneuvered and lost in his own grandeur, Iskandar accepts his failure, and decides to go down with his ship, while allowing leeway for the others to escape.

Chapter 15 : Dead in the Water

A massive all out battle. Iskandar and Silvers are a credible enough threat that are able to stall and defeat several highly ranked officers of the marines, and Buggy is an able enough helmsman to keep Invictus afloat, weaving it between the cannon batteries, while returning fire.

The chapter ends with Big Mom's Homie (not sure which one to use for this one...maybe Zeus? He's destructive and powerful, and as a cloud, able to hide and stay out of sight while hovering above the ship) revealing himself and doing something to disable Invictus (this bit would work really well with Zeus, as he can basically shock the ship, disabling many of the seamen)

Chapter 16: Davy Jones' Locker

Another fight heavy chapter. But now, it's a battle to escape the wrath of the marines.

One by one, Mihawk, Shanks, Buggy...all escape and abandon ship at Iskandar's orders...with Silvers being the last to go.

Iskandar himself however, refuses to do so, and goes down with the ship.

The marines, who are under the impression that Iskandar uses the Castle Castle Fruit, celebrate his "death" and the sinking of the Invictus.

Chapter 17 : Alexandria Once More

The "epilogue" of sorts. It shows Big Mom's celebration and reaction at the news. It shows the effects on all territories that Iskandar conquered, and the huge boots he left behind in such a small time. (less than a year)

The chapter and the "Folio 1" ends with a hooded cloaked stranger walking into Shakky's bar, and greeting the bartender : Rayleigh.

The man raises his hood up , to reveal Iskandar..who grins brightly and asks him what their next move is going to be.

These Chapters were planned in relative detail. The part after, I have a broad idea of the story beats to hit.

Their summary is as follows.

~~oOOoo~~

Iskandar comes to terms with the first loss of his history, and is forced to acknowledge that he began this campaign with barely any thought in mind, and incomplete understanding of the powers and the powers that be of this world.

As a consequence, he spends the next few years honing his self..training his reality marble and his "haki", while working out of Sabaody as a sellsword/sailor, in disguise, to keep himself from getting bored, and getting to understand the lay of the land on his own, without relying too much on Silver as a crutch.

The plot picks up again , nearly 10 years after Roger's execution, with the arrival of Fisher Tiger.

He seeks to go back, climb up the Red Line,and free his fellow slaves...and he's given support and provisions by Silvers. Iskandar too decides to accompany Fisher, having developed a distaste for the nobles and their wastefully cruel attitudes.

Then, the famous events of Fisher Tiger's Rebellion occur. This time however, Iskandar is there for greater mayhem, greater destruction.

It also allows Iskandar to show off his new skills and powers..his newfound control over his Haki and his reality marble.

Shortly after their rampage, Fisher heads out to Fishman Island's District, to recruit Neptune's soldiers into his newfound crew...and even as Silvers and Iskandar are debating what to do with the newly escaped slaves and how to keep them safe, they are contacted by the revolutionaries.

Iskandar essentially strikes a deal to lend a hand and escort the escaped slaves to safety, in exchange for a new ship.

Soon enough, Iskandar assembles a new crew, and uses the tiny ship that the Revolutionaries lent him, to once more thumb his nose at the marines and steals their latest ship yet again, much to Kong's despair.

With this, the Invictus sails once more.

Then, there was supposed to be a bunch of adventures in the more familiar locations...coming into contact and conflict with guys like Shiki, Moria and so on.

There's fanservice, by virtue of Iskandar's reunions with his old crewmates...Buggy, Mihawk and Shanks.

I had also planned for a meeting with Whitebeard, a battle among true equals...men cut from the almost same cloth. It ends with mutual understanding and acceptance. Ending on a happy note.

But soon, the adventure shifts once more to a looming conflict with Big Mom.

Not willing to put himself under her control again, Iskandar decides on an aggressive assault.

To his surprise and joy, many of the friends he made along the way join him too, sailing up to lend support. Kings, slaves, soldiers and crewmates...they all unite under Iskandar's banner.

Seeing these big powers assemble once more, Marines get spooked and decide to pick a side...Big Mom's.

Under Admiral Sakazuki's leadership, the marines are all arrayed in Big Mom's defense.

The fight that follows is stuff of legends.

At the culmination of this, Iskandar is able to deploy his entire reality marble at it's fullest potential.

The sea turns to desert, as a big chunk of Marines and Big Mom's forces find themselves face to face with Iskandar's Army. Not just the foot soldiers that we see in his NP...but the whole thing.

His siege machines, his scorpions, his ballistae, his heavy cavalry, light cavalry, archers, skirmishers, scouts, all of them.

While it's not a curbstomp, it's certainly not something they were ready for.

At the very end, after luring big mom and her underlings and the marines onto land and out of their ships, Iskandar cancels his reality marble, leaving hundreds upon hundreds of the enemy to drown to their deaths.

Big Mom and Sakazuki are finally slain after a bitter fight, the two being too strong to die from drowning.

With this, Iskandar's legend is complete in the new world. He is an Emperor once more...a ruler of the seas.

With this , the tale would wind to a close. I had no intention of writing Luffy in this fic at least. This is Iskandar's story, and he carves his legend long before Ace even dreamt of becoming a Pirate King. In fact, I was planning to have tales of the "Redbeard, Friend of the Red-Haired Shanks" be one of the many tales that inspire Luffy to romanticize the pirate's life.

The epilogue is set at an indeterminate amount of time in the future. Iskandar is upon Raftel, standing alone in front of an overwhelming force.

Old, aging and tired...yet undaunted, he carries on.

Once more, the Reality Marble is unleashed...but this time, he knows it won't be enough.

So, he does the unthinkable.

He feeds prana into it till it becomes powerful. It becomes fragile. It becomes broken.

He breaks his legend, his reality marble...his mark of authority as a king and a dreamer.

And with this final blaze of glory, he dies as he lived. Never regretting, never looking back, always striving to seek the horizons and beyond.

~~~oOOo~~~

Some more unused ideas :

1. Iskandar's Aria : his finished aria was meant to evoke his new campaign, while using the ideals embodied in the poem : Ulysses.

"Forever I have roamed with a hungry heart,
and I have become a name :
a dreamer and a king !

Chasing the wild cries of the gulls
to furthest reaches of Okeanos
and beyond.

Arise again! Fight again!
Conquest beckons!
Answer it's bloody call :

IONIOI HETAIROI ! "

2. Iskandar finding a subordinate in Capone Bege. At first, Bege seeks out the person who is supposedly using the powers that he possessed. I had planned a small mini-arc, where Bege goes from covetous and slimy, to finally being enraptured by a proper king...and finally decides on having a worthy "boss" to serve loyally.

3. Mini-arc with Jewelery Bonney. This was just an indulgence, to be honest. I have always held the view that Joy Boy and Jewelry Bonney are one and the same...that her aging fruit allows her to dial back time for herself and others. To that end, she was going to be the exposition machine for the Void Century.

4. Mini-arc with the Minks. Iskandar would try his damndest to recruit loyal soldiers like that...though I expect seeing Zunisha would give him a major PTSD flashback.

5. Ace. This is something I've still not been 100% sure on. With Sakazuki dead, Ace's execution would of course not happen in the same way. But, I couldn't think of any admiral or marine who had the caliber and the ruthlessness that Akainu did. So, wasn't sure on how to tackle him.

6. Fanservice : his final reality marble would have not just his original army...but also the "idealized" versions of his new friends, his new crew...and the marble changes from the desert of persia to the Riverbank of Hydapses...to represent the Okeanos he sought.

Thus ends the tale.

I am sorry if I have disappointed anyone with this decision, but I didn't feel right leaving anyone hanging any longer than I already have.

If anyone wants to adopt the story, or use the concept in their own fic, shoot me a PM.

For now, it's a goodbye.

The Night and the Dreams were long indeed.

The End.