Broken Hallelujah

Chapter 1: The King's Trials

It was a peaceful day on Iron Island of the Sinnoh region. Birds chirped in the trees that rose from the mountainside. Smaller pokemon such as bidoof and rattata scurried along the forest floor in search of berries or smaller bugs for food. Further up the mountain, braviary nested in crags in the cliff side. The large raptors roosted protectively over their young. At the base of the mountain, a small town was nestled between the entrance of the old mine for which the island was named and a small ocean harbor. The homes were small and made from the roughhewn timber of the island. A few fighting type pokemon ambled aimlessly through the sleepy town.

The silence of the town was broken by a sharp whistle piercing the air. In a small clearing, a young man was alone and practicing with an elegant sword in his right hand.

Slash.

Block.

Step back. Duck.

Stab.

Step forward. Slash.

Another step. Block.

Pivot. Slash.

Dodge.

Slash.

Done. Perspiration trickled down his neck as he finished the workout. His skin was bronzed from the island sun and his thick sandy hair stuck to the sweat on his neck and forehead. The man sheathed his sword - a long, straight blade with no guard on the handle - into a leather scabbard at his side.

"Don't wear yourself out, Gabe."

The voice came from a man in his forties or fifties. His brown hair was starting to thin and gray. His face was marred with both laughter lines and scars alike. He wore only a pair of shorts and carried no weapon.

"I'm not," Gabe responded, "How long have you been watching?"

The older of the two men took the question as an invitation to truly enter the clearing from the trees he was lurking in. "Just long enough to see you finish that last form. You know that you'll need something a little better than Form Three, right?"

"Of course, Dad. That was a cooldown. Besides, Elder Saul always says that going back to the basics can save your life."

"He's not wrong. But relying too much on them will prove fatal against any competent opponent," Gabe's father responded. He held his hand out for his son's blade which was promptly handed over. The blade was long but thin - somewhere between a rapier and an actual long sword. The blade flowed directly into the worn leather hilt with no cross guard. It was simple, like most things on the island. Handing the sword back, Gabe's father spoke again, "I still don't understand why you use this. It's too thin to truly block anything. And if you do manage a block, you get your hand taken off anyways."

Gabe snorted at the comment. "Just because you can't use it doesn't mean that I can't. I could beat you with it any day."

His father rolled his eyes and shot back, "Yeah I also haven't touched a blade since my trails thirty years ago. Speaking of, it's time. Go wash up; you've got a busy night ahead of you."

Gabe nodded in affirmation as he took his sword back from his father. He took a few testing swipes with it before returning the sword to its sheath. "Yessir. I'll see you back at home, Dad."

His father nodded and left him alone in the clearing.

Today was Gabriel Buchan's birthday - his twentieth birthday to be more precise. Twenty was the age at which all young men on Iron Island participated in the King's Trials. Women could have a trial of their own, but it was not required for them. The Trials were a longstanding tradition on the island, dating back hundreds of years. If someone completed the Trials, they would become heir to the throne and eventually king.

The last king of the island died two hundred years ago. No one had completed the Trials since.

The town square was a madhouse when Gabriel arrived an hour later. The reason for the chaos was Gabriel and his Trials. Before every set of Trials, the entire town - all two hundred some people - would throw a party. It was an interesting mix between a birthday party, funeral procession, and the anointing of a prince. In a way, it was all three.

In the very center of town was a large bonfire - maintained carefully by a charmeleon. At the fire, large spits of meat were slowly cooking and filling the air with their succulent scents. Off to one side was a makeshift dance floor beside a steel drum band. Couples spun gaily around the area to the beat of the music. Also nearby was a place for competitions such as arm wrestling, actual wrestling, and even sword fighting - with wooden staves instead of actual blades. That area was filled with young boys trying to prove their strength both to each other and the gaggles of giggling girls watching. Dispersed throughout the rest of the town square were carnival games - such as ring toss and pin the tail on the blitzle - and tables for dining. At the head of the square was a raised table for the Elder and family of honor: Gabriel's family.

Of the two hundred plus people at the festival, Gabriel knew every single one. The town was small and everyone grew up knowing everyone else. And with knowing every other person there, he got well wishes and congratulations from everyone. Hidden behind every word though, was hesitation. Almost as if the townspeople refused to fully support him; as if they were afraid he would let them down. Ignoring the morbid feeling the rest of the people were giving off, Gabe made his way towards the competition area of the square. There he found his two best friends sitting at a small round table watching the young boys wail on each other with sticks.

"All hail Gabriel, heir to the throne!"

Josh Redner was about the same height as Gabe but was much bulkier. He had dark brown, almost black, eyes to match his dark, curly hair. His deep voice had a slight draw that wasn't uncommon among people on Iron Island. His companion and twin, Carissa Redner, was about a head shorter than the two young men. Her light brown hair was hanging over one shoulder in a loose braid. She rolled her brown eyes and punched John in the shoulder.

"Thanks, Riss," Gabe laughed out as Josh yelped in surprise.

"Of course. Feeling okay?"

Gabe let out a sigh as he sat down at the table with his two friends, his back towards the boys fighting by the table. He had become friends with the twins almost out of necessity. The town on Iron Island was small. The population matched the size of the town. Josh and Carissa were the only two people within three years of him. That being said, they were two of the best friends Gabe could ask for.

He sighed once more before answering, "Yeah. Just a little anxious. I never thought about how the whole town acts like the Trials are a death sentence until I'm about to start them. It's starting to get to me."

"Psh, don't worry 'bout it Gabe," Josh scoffed, "When was the last time someone died during the Trials? Thirty, forty years ago? 'Sides, you were always Saul's favorite. And he's trained everyone on the island for the past fifty years. That's gotta count for something."

"Oh, and I suppose you weren't scared at all when you went through your trials, were you, Joshua?"

"Course I was, Riss. Scared I'd actually hafta fight and win. Y'all know me, I love a good fight. But being king is just way too much work."

Carissa didn't look convinced and for good reason. Josh had been a mess at the start of his Trials two months prior. Gabe clearly remembered having to talk his friend out of running away a time or two that night.

"What about you, Riss?" Gabe asked, looking towards the girl, "How do you think you would've been if you had to do the Trials?"

The girl contemplated her answer for a moment before responding, "If I had the training you two had, I'd like to think I wouldn't be too worried. Josh did have a point when he said the last person to die was a long time ago, but it's still a possibility. Still… I don't think I would've handled it too well."

The three fell silent for a time, content to sit in their thoughts and watch the young boys try to impress the giggling girls. After one boy made a much smaller boy run off crying, Josh broke the silence.

"Whelp," he started up, "I'm gonna go try to convince Pa to let me drink. Y'all good?" When both Gabe and Carissa nodded in affirmation, Josh left the pair in search of his father.

"Are you really okay, Gabe?"

Gabe turned to the girl who was staring at him intently. Her dark brown eyes were the same color as her brother's but filled with concern and worry rather than mischief and humor. She always was the nurturing one of the group. "I'm fine, Carissa. Promise." He smiled softly at the girl in reassurance.

The concern in the girl's eyes faded slightly as she cheered up some. "Well good. If you're feeling fine, then you're going to come dance with me," she stated as she stood and offered her hand to Gabe.

"But what about Josh? Or the feast? Or -"

"Don't you try to get out of this Gabriel Buchan. I danced with my brother before his trials and I'll dance with you before yours." Gabe started at the use of his full name and immediately complied with the slightly older girl.

It took only a few minutes to navigate through the crowd to the small square of hard packed dirt that acted as the dance floor. Other couples moved to give the two space as they reached the area. Gabe thought he saw some older women point at them and whisper to each other, but he paid them no heed as he spun Carissa around the dance floor to the beat of the music. A peal of laughter escaped from her lips as he twirled her into a deep dip before spinning her back out. It felt good to dance. To let everything go. The pressure of the Trials. The expectations of the Elder, of his family, of the town. It felt even better to be dancing with Carissa, one of the people he loved most, and arguably the person who knew him best.

Almost as if to validate his thoughts, she pulled him into a slower sway as she returned to his arms. One hand clasped hers and the other gently wrapped around her waist as she rested her head on his chest.

"Gabe." Her voice was thick with emotion. Gabe suspected that she was fighting back some tears, though he couldn't confirm that. "I know you're worried, even if you won't say it out loud. But it's going to be okay. You're going to come back tomorrow. Alive. You're not your uncle. You're better. Gabe, if I had to pick anyone on this island to complete the Trials, it would be you. Not Josh. You."

She pulled away from him just enough so he could see her eyes wet with unshed tears. "You're going to come back. For your parents, for Josh… for me. Please come back to me."

She stepped up on her toes and pecked him on the lips just as a loud horn was blown signaling the start of the feast. The kiss lasted only a fraction of a second before Carissa Redner was gone, leaving a wide-eyed Gabriel alone on the dance floor.

Gabe was still in a daze as he sat down at the head table for the feast minutes later. His mother had to guide him to the table from the dance floor. He sat between his mother and father with Elder Saul sitting beside his father. His father now wore a deep blue, almost black shirt unlike earlier. His mother, a tall woman with long sandy hair, wore simple black pants and shirt. Gabe looked very little like his mom, only having the same color hair. He took after his father in every other aspect.

Elder Saul wore completely white robes as a sign of his position. The position of Elder was an honorary position, almost a placeholder for the eventual King who would truly rule and guide the small town. He was the oldest person on the island, nearing a century old. He had only a few wispy gray hairs atop his mostly bald head and a long thick gray beard covering his jaw. Despite his age, the man was still incredibly fit and equally dangerous. He continued to train all young boys on the island in the art of sword fighting, Gabe included. That training kept him in shape as well as whipping his students into shape.

As the rest of the village took their seats at large, round tables surrounding the fire, Elder Saul stood up and began, "Welcome to the Feast of Trials!" There was a smattering of applause from the crowd.

"Tonight, we remember our past kings. We remember Aleph, the First. We remember Omari, the Last. We remember all who ruled in between. In remembrance of our kings, we drink." Everyone raised their glass and drank. Gabe grimaced as the wine went down his throat. The wine made on the island had a very metallic taste as the occa berries used for the wine were pressed in an iron winepress. The dark red drink became known as iron wine because of how it was made. It was the traditional drink on the island, and one Gabe was glad he didn't have to drink much of.

"Tonight," Elder Saul continued, "we remember our fallen. We remember those gave their lives for the duty of kingship. In remembrance of our fallen, we drink." Again, everyone drank from their cup.

"Tonight, we look to our future. We look to Gabriel, the next in the long line of men to undergo the King's Trials. We wish him favor with the spirits of the kings. We wish him strength in the blade of his sword. We wish him worth in the eyes of destiny. For Gabriel, we drink."

After everyone had drunk for the third time, Saul finished the ceremony, "In light of the King's Trials that lay ahead of us, we feast."

The declaration was met with hearty approval as the townspeople began to dig into the feast prepared at each table. Gabe ate only enough to satisfy his hunger, careful not to overeat. The head table was silent in stark contrast to the rest of the gathering. While the village talked and laughed and celebrated, Gabe sat in a determined silence with his parents and mentor.

His dad looked much like himself: a look of steely determination on his face. Determined not to lose a son, determined not to lose control of his emotions. Only one of those did he have any control over. His mother was much more morose. Every couple seconds, she would shoot a sad glance towards him as if this was the last time she'd see him but didn't want to admit it to herself.

This event was harder for his parents than himself, Gabe realized a couple minutes into the meal. And for good reason. His father's brother was last to die in the Trials, almost forty years ago. Gabe's mother, at the time, was betrothed to Gabe's uncle. After his death, his parents relied on each other for comfort. Now that their son was going through the same event, their obvious distress was understandable.

Elder Saul eventually stood after a tense half an hour and the townspeople quieted in anticipation. As he stood, Gabe's mother choked out a sob as her tears began to flow. Gabe's father grasped his forearm, stopping him from rising with the elder. "Gabe," his father began, his voice almost a hiss, "Come back. I don't give a damn if you become king, I just want my son to come back." Gabe's mother sobbed again. Gabe nodded and pulled away from his father to join the elder.

Elder Saul led him away from the now silent square. As they walked away, Gabe found Josh sitting with his family. Carissa, usually found nearby, was absent. When Gabe gave Josh a questioning glance, the male counterpart could only shrug before giving him a thumbs up in encouragement. It was the last interaction he had before they left the square.

Gabe followed his mentor through the town towards the tall tower at the edge of town. The tower rose a story above all the other buildings of the town. It marked the entrance to the iron mine of the town. The tower also guarded the entrance to the Trial site.

The two guards - the only two people not at the feast - let them in the tower with only a nod of encouragement. Gabe followed the elder to the top of the tower and across a wooden bridge to the mountain. On the mountain stood an elaborate wooden arch. Beyond the arch, stairs were carved into the mountain, the path lit by the moon and small torches. The stairs were uneven in height but worn smooth where the men of the island traversed them. Gabe couldn't see where the stairs stopped.

"This is where we part, Gabriel," Elder Saul said as he drew them to a stop. An aged hand was placed on Gabe's shoulder, "At the top rests the burial site for all our past kings. There you will find the next hurdle you must overcome. May the Past Kings guide you."

Gabe nodded and moved to pass under the arch. "Oh, and Gabe?" He turned to face his mentor one last time. The old man looked vulnerable yet proud. "I've been training the young men of this island for fifty years. No one, not even your uncle, was as worthy as you."

"Thank you, sir," Gabe choked out after a moment of silence. With his gratitude expressed, he turned away and began to climb the mountain.

The stairs were worn smooth but hard under Gabe's feet. It only took a couple minutes of climbing the stone steps for his feet to begin hurting. He glanced up towards the peak of the mountain, unseen in the dark, looking for an end to the stairs. He saw none. With a determined huff, he continued his climb.

It took close to two hours and a dozen switchbacks before Gabe finally came to the end of the stairs. He knew he wasn't at the top of the mountain as it rose higher in front of him, but he had reached his destination.

It was a small arena carved into the side of the mountain. A dozen or so torches lined the edge of the arena. Gave idly wondered how they were lit. Also bordering the arena were statues that towered above Gabe. He recognized them as kings who once ruled on Iron Island. The center statue stood several feet higher than the rest atop a large pedestal. The man was Aleph the First. The founder of the island and the first king. Aleph had been shipwrecked on the island while traveling to Canalave City and after discovering the iron mine in the mountain, decided to settle on the island. Legends told of him exploring the island and coming back to the recently built town with the Sword of Kings - or Destiny depending on who told the story. There had been no written explanation behind the sword before the last king, Omari, died, so Gabe had little idea what the sword was.

If it looked like the sword the statue was wielding, then it was massive.

The more Gabe looked on the impressive arena, the more he felt drawn to it. More specifically, he was drawn closer to the statue of the first king. As he entered the arena, he realized that actually didn't know what his trial would require. No one really knew. All anyone knew was that everyone always brought a sword and that when a king was chosen, the sign would be clear. The details of the task were unknown to everyone.

Gabe supposed that courage in the face of the unknown was part of the trial, so he shrugged off his uncertainty and walked confidently into the arena to stand before the first king. He craned his neck to look up at the stone warrior before trailing his eyes down to the pedestal on which the statue stood. It was large, Gabe guessed nearly his height tall and wide. On it was a carefully chiseled inscription, which he read to silently to himself.

The compulsion to do something left him so he lowered himself to his knees as he thought about his next step. He knew, somehow, that this was where he was supposed to be. Every other trial goer was always back by morning. Any higher up the mountain and there would be no chance to complete a task and descend the mountain. Plus, an arena like this wasn't just built to be visited. It had a purpose. There was a reason why every young man was sent to this spot where the statues of all the previous kings stood for the trial. There was a reason.

A reason for everything. Gabe glanced up at the statue towering above him, then back down to the inscription on the pedestal. There was a reason for the inscription. The compulsion that drew him into the arena returned with force. With that compulsion, Gabe knew what to do.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Gabriel read from the pedestal:

"Sword of Kings Test my Heart,

Judge my Soul, and do thy part.

With this Blade, I make my Claim.

Let Steel decide: Throne or Shame."

A/N: A few disclaimers to make note of going into this story. First and foremost, I do not own Pokemon, nor am I making money off of this story. Now that that has been stated, I'm not going to state it again.

Also, I'm drawing a lot of inspiration from Renaerys' Tamerverse and Metal Dragon's "Sacrifice and Subjugation". Most of my ideas for the story, I believe to be unique, but those two are a lot of the inspiration so similarities will probably pop up. Plagiarism is not intended and I will make every effort to give all credit where it's due. Also, I will be pulling from various IRL religions as this story will focus heavily on the religions of Sinnoh.

Finally, updates will be incredibly sporadic. I am a full-time college student who works full time in the construction industry to pay for said college. On top of that, I somehow manage to have a life. So don't expect weekly or even monthly updates. But updates will come.

Hope you enjoyed!

~Noxy