Hey guys! After three long years I have returned with this new project. Special thanks to Wubbzy for beta reading. I hope you all enjoy.

Prologue

A warm wind swept through the bustling town. The year was 1873 and the town of Kanton was booming. Long forgotten were the days of it being a simple mining camp. No, Kanton had exploded into a busy trade town in a matter of years. People from far and wide visited the town, hoping to purchase one of its three precious they were common, it was said that the emeralds, rubies, and sapphires of Kanton shone brighter than any other. It is here where our story ends and begins.

Chapter 1

"The heat is immence.." a voice rang out.

"I'll say. How much longer until we reach Kanton?" a second voice asked.

"Shouldn't take too long" a third voice answering his question said as the rustling of a map was heard. "According to this, it's only a couple hours away."

"Good. My horse is done in, reckon he won't be able to travel any further than that."

After a couple hours of travel, a welcoming site loomed before them; the town of Kanton

"Gentlemen." the apparent leader said, "we have arrived. Welcome to Kanton!"

As the three rode into town, awe captured their spirits. The town was a beehive of activity. Kids ran on the streets carefree and playful, as miners carrying small burlap sacks walked towards jewelry stores, hoping their finds were of value. Though it had started small, with the discovery of precious stones and the sudden demand for them, Kanton had exploded. Day after day hundreds came in search of these precious stones. "Nothing shines brighter!" is how people described them. The sale and mining of rubies, sapphires, and emeralds was a very lucrative business. One that brought out the best and worst of every person..

"I'm parched, let's head to the saloon."

As they made their way towards the saloon, their eyes couldn't help but wander. There were riches to be made in this town, and they knew it. Heck, one could say you could smell the precious stones in this town. Soon they reached the saloon, a nice cool place that offered protection from the heat. Billiards and poker tables adorned the inside, but were ignored as they made their way to the bar. A squinty eyed man stood behind it, wiping a glass clean.

"Barkeep, three beers please." one of them ordered.

"Coming right up" was heard as they took their seats at the bar. The squinty eyed man made his way towards them and handed each of them their drinks.

"Howdy strangers, new in town I take it?"

"Yep, just arrived along with my friends here." one of them said as he removed his hat, showing a head full of raven dark hair. The rest followed suit and also removed their hats as they were introduced.

"The blonde one here is Clyde."

"Howdy." was the response he gave.

"This here is Buck, mind him he don't speak much." sure enough only a nod was given by the brown haired young man. He grinned as he finally introduced himself. "And I'm Kyle. We're from Goldenrod looking to make a fortune here!"

The barkeeper gave them a smile. "Well you've certainly come to the right place, business here has picked up significantly. Seems like everyday more and more precious metals are dug up. The name's Brock." He added with a smile "and this saloon was bought with just that, riches from the mines." He grinned as he looked around his saloon with pride, his eyes soon landing on Kyle.

"You remind me of someone..someone I once knew."

"That so?" Kyle asked. "Who are you referring to? An old acquaintance?"

"Yes." Brock responded "a good friend of mine called Ashton." He shook his head in sadness as he continued "a poor soul that experienced the darkest part of human nature." Upon hearing this, all three young men perked up.

"What kind of man was he?" asked Clyde.

"What did he experience?" a curious Buck followed.

"Who was Ashton Mr. Brock?" Kyle asked "please tell us."

Brock chuckled at the curiosity shown by the three men. He grabbed a stool and proceeded to sit down behind the bar.

"Seems like I have your full attention." His eyes soon wandered in thought as he began. "The story I'm about to tell happened around four years ago, in this very town."

He took a deep breath as he continued. "I remember well the last time I saw Ashton..he rode alone."

A sudden cold draft was felt around the saloon, making the three young men shiver.

"But death followed with him."