Arc of Legends
Prelude: Beginnings
Chapter 1: Lost
-?-
Location: Lyeris Sector 36
Date: Inciday, Prieam-Efliriux 32, D.L. 2116
Time: 4:19 PM
Historia: Present
"Where… where am I?"
I opened my eyes, a slit-like view slowly widening to a full peripheral view. A wind blew in my eyes, forcing me to squint even as I woke. Aches overwhelmed my body, which now seemed to have shrunk… With much effort, I somehow managed to heave my body off the ground, as a sudden pain struck my head and my eyes, with my hands instinctively clutching my head as my body began to find balance again. With the temporary 'sickness' over, I took one long look at where I was.
'A desolate land' could not even begin to describe this place. In all, it really looked like nothing but the aftermath of a devastating planet-wide attack. The whole place seemed to be a desert, except that in the place of sand was dust, and in the place of sandstorms were area-wide dust storms that looked as if radiation was surrounding the place. The winds blew against my face, dust covering my cheeks and my eyes, as I constantly squinted with my hands covering my eyes from the direction of the wind.
I continued looking around, hoping to find some form of civilization. After all, no matter how much I would be willing to try, dust wouldn't be able to talk back. And this howling, endless wind wasn't a very nice place to be lying around asleep. And yet, in the winds accompanied by dust and endless land, I saw no traces of city or even structure to speak of.
How depressing… How did I get here, anyway?
"Are you just going to continue standing there?" I heard a voice say.
Shocked, I spun around, only to find the most unimaginable thing in the world speaking to me. It was a small, blue canine, with black legs and torso, with a blue tail and a yellow collar. It had rounded silvery bumps on the backs of its… paws. It had a black mask of fur, and distinct cyan eyes with a lighter shade than the rest of its fur. It wore loose bandages on its left arm, with the bandages becoming tighter as it climbed up its arm. In its left eye, though faint and dim, was a symbol like none other, a sword of blue as if it had been carved into its eye, almost blending in with its cyan irises.
"Well? Aren't you going to say anything?"
Scratch that, replace all those 'its' with 'he' and 'his', since he clearly had a masculine voice and sort of a warrior's vibe to him. Maybe it was because of all those scars that had been placed along his right arm, peeking through the white bandages that covered it.
"Erm… You're a… Pokémon."
"Well, what an astound observation, Captain Obvious," I heard him say with a sarcastic tone, "Perhaps you would like a medal for your achievement?"
"Well, Pokémon don't talk. I know that for sure. All they do is repeat their names over and over again." I replied, a bitter tone now laced in my voice.
"Now that's a strange think to say, considering that you're a Pokémon."
"What do you mean? I'm not a-" And that's when I realized it.
Where my hands should've been, was a sort of reptilian hand with three fingers, covered in green skin. My feet imitated those features, having three digits, and my stomach was completely covered in red, so was my throat, for that matter. A line stretched across my stomach, like some form of screwed up pouch. I then felt something move just around my butt, and then I looked back, with my eyes widening as I saw a tail with two separate lobes.
"Wait a sec… What the hell?!"
"What? You sound surprised to see you're a Treecko. Sure, I was surprised the first moment I saw you, since Treecko are supposed to be extinct, but still." He cocked his head to the side questioningly.
I probably shouldn't mention that I'm a human… It's my only memory, but I think the only thing it'll do is cause me trouble here.
"Yeah… sorry, but I'm kinda having a little amnesia. I can't remember how I got here or who I am. Guess I was just a little freaked out, that's all." I managed to blurt out.
"Huh. So, you're an amnesiac, huh? Do you at least remember your name? Or at least something I can call you by?"
"Hmm… I can only remember that my name started with an 'R', but that's it."
"Alright, 'R', why don't you come with me? It's obvious you won't have a chance of survival outside of the Protect Walls, so follow me. I'll get you some shelter."
"Thanks." I said, before hearing my stomach growl.
"Heh, don't mention it. And we should see about getting you some food too. Anyway, my name's Kai." He stretched out his left paw, "Nice to meet you."
"Thanks, Kai."
"Well, then. Let's get back to my place, and then we can see about getting you supplies, and maybe a name."
"Okay!"
And so I followed the Riolu, with the thoughts of a million questions flying around my head. The classic 'Who am I?' and 'Why am I here?' were some examples that came to mind. Obviously, I wouldn't be getting any answers any time soon, so I really had no other choice but to follow and trust Kai in the mean time. Kai seemed to know where he was going, despite what looked like the endless desert. He constantly looked up and down, checking the sky and ground, and I swore I could've noticed his eyes glow a bit every time he looked up and down. Maybe he was scanning Aura or something.
Within ten minutes, or at least, it felt that long, since I really had no way of telling time in this desolate wasteland, we arrived at a stone structure, one that seemed to be three-quarters destroyed, but still managed to stay standing and looked to be quite the good shelter from the storms. Kai walked in without much haste, and I followed him. Or at least, that's what would've happened, if I didn't literally smash my face into an invisible wall.
"Ow! What the hell?" I said, rubbing my head as I reeled back from the sudden impact.
"Oh, that's right. You don't have the runes yet. My bad, really sorry for not remembering. Here, I'll do it now." He cleared his throat, and an aura of energy surrounded him.
"O dome of protection, grant our visitor safe passage." He chanted.
And suddenly a force field in a semi-circular shape appeared, seemingly to have been surrounding and protecting the area this whole time. The protection barrier then opened a door-like opening in front of me, as Kai motioned for me to follow him in, which I did, as the opening closed with my entrance. Kai then took the lead once more, leading me through crowds of sleeping Pokémon, some curled up, some just lying on the floor, but all of them sound asleep. In the center of the room was an altar of some sort, with a giant clear crystal placed atop it.
Kai seemed to ignore it, going around it and avoiding the sleeping Pokémon as he maneuvered through the room, careful not to make a sound. I tried to do the same, although I probably would have woken everybody up if he weren't there to stop my frequent falling. Acrobatics and stealthy movements really wasn't my thing. Soon, we managed to reach the other side of the room without waking a single soul up, and Kai continued through the corridor, leading me to an empty room on the other side.
I stood around, pacing as I admired and imagined how majestic this place would've been before its destruction. I could see in my mind, a room covered in white walls and famous paintings adorning the walls like accessories. But a thudding sound brought me back to reality, as Kai slammed his palm onto a single tile in the room, revealing a symbol on it. The symbol soon faded, and Kai stood up from his kneeling position.
"And now we wait." He said.
And so, we waited. For a good two minutes, nothing happened, and I had already gotten comfortable leaning on the walls of the room, as Kai stood there, upright with his hands crossed over his chest, as he impatiently waited for something to happen. And then it did, the tile that Kai had placed his palm on, along with the nine tiles surrounding it, opened up as a trapdoor, revealing a flight of stairs underneath. What was even more surprising was the person, no, Pokémon that came from the darkness. A majestic Charizard, with a tail of blue flames and eyes of silvery grey, along with a wise old man sort of atmosphere about him.
"Well, well, Kai. You've been a naughty boy, haven't you?"
"Sorry, dad. I just wanted to see if I could find any supplies." Kai drooped his head in shame, which was the first time in the thirty minutes I had known him he had done that.
The Charizard simply chuckled and patted his claw on the Riolu's head, and said, "Well now, don't feel bad. I know your intentions were good, just be more careful in the future. Now, who might we have here?" The Charizard looked over at me.
"Nice to meet you." I mumbled.
"Not a very friendly lad, is he? Especially for a human, and I thought them to be friendlier than most of our Pokémon species."
Kai's eyes widened at that statement, and my body reeled back in pure shock as the Charizard said his words.
Wait… He knows I'm human? How's that even possible!?
"How about we discuss this in my quarters? It certainly -0is a much better place for discussion." The Charizard then turned and walked off and down the stairs, into the darkness whilst his footsteps soon became a faint sound.
"You're human?" Kai asked.
"…Would it change anything if I said it was true?"
"Not really. But it would explain a lot of things. Like how you acted when you found out you were a Treecko."
"Yes, I'm human. So what? It's not like I remember enough to prove it."
"If my dad says you're human, then you are. It's rare that his words are wrong, after all. C'mon, we don't want to keep him waiting." Kai then turned and walked down the stairs.
How could he act so nonchalant about this? I just told him something that should be impossible!
I followed suit, as the panel closed and the flight of stairs was completely shrouded in darkness. I panicked for a bit, when Kai grabbed my hand and pulled me along, as the lamps that were placed in holes in the wall began to produce light, enough to keep me walking. I soon caught up to Kai, now unafraid of falling down the stairs.
"So, Kai. Where are we?"
"Oh, we're now in Lyeris- Sector 36. These ruins are just where our group of survivors have taken refuge in."
"Sector 36? You make it sound like the whole of your world is ruled by machines."
"First of all, our world is Lyeris. Secondly, its not ruled by machines, but it might as well be. It'd be way better that having the Emissaries of Arceus hunting us." Kai explained, albeit slightly impatiently.
"Okay…"
After that, our walk down the steps continued in silence, since Kai made it clear he didn't want to explain any more to me. Without having to walk down too many flights of stairs, we eventually reached the bottom, and it was way more fancy compared to the rest of the ruinous area.
It was a brightly lit room with everything a fancy bunker I assumed would have. Stuffs like an actual table and chairs, and several bookshelves placed around the room. There was even a pile of coal in one corner, with the pile lit on fire and boiling a pot of water hung on a rod of metal. The Charizard I had seen before was busy taking out a book from one of the bookshelves, placing it on the table, and then busying himself with the pot of water that he had just boiled.
"Well, you two took so long to walk down, I though I'd put on some tea."
"Not the tea again, dad! You know how much I hate it!"
"Oh, cool it, Kai. You know tea is a rarity in these days. Besides, it's Alemos Tea. It's good for your health and boost fighting stamina. You should consider drinking it."
"Fine." Kai ended the conversation with a bitter tone.
"Oh, and Treecko, would you like some? We have a lot to talk about."
"…Risk."
"Hmm?" The Charizard questioningly replied.
"Call me Risk. It's a nice name, in my opinion. Since I don't remember mine, might as well give myself a new one."
"Alright then, Risk, why don't you sit down and try the tea, and I'll explain everything you want to know."
I took the Charizard up on his offer, plopping myself on one of the wooden chairs and sitting at the table beside Kai, who had an frustrated look on his face as he sipped his tea. An expression that really didn't match what he was drinking, considering that tea was supposed to be calming. The Charizard took the pot of tea and poured some into a cup, before offering it to me. I took the cup gladly and began sipping on the tea, which had a lemony taste to it.
"It's good."
"Glad you think so." The Charizard replied, before sitting down on the opposite side of the table, facing Kai and I, and he continued, "Now, whatever questions you may have, ask away. I will do my best to answer them."
"First of all, how did you know I was a human?"
"Well, it was written in the Fate."
I turned to Kai for answers, who somehow managed to put down his tea and take a deep, calming breath, before gathering up his patience to explain the terms that the Charizard was using.
"The Fate is what you humans would call a 'prophecy', foretelling our past, present and future in the form of Terrests, what we call energy particles. These Terrests solidify into 'Crystals', which Fate Readers, like my dad," He paused, gesturing to the elderly Charizard, "can read."
I nodded my head in understanding, before asking again, "Can you tell me more? About how I got here?"
"I'm afraid not, Risk. The Fate foretells so: D.L. 2116, From the dimensional walls shall appear a creature like none other, gifted with another Arc of Legends. This creature shall bring true prosperity to the land of Lyeris, altering Fate and Time. This marks the end of Dawn."
"What's the… Arc of…"
Kai butted in with his explanation, despite his obvious bitter tone and thin patience, "The Arc of Legends are an ancient power that allows Pokémon like us to tap into a portion of the Legendary Pokémon's power, giving the few chosen ones abilities like none other."
"Okay… so does that mean that the 'creature' is me?"
"Well, I myself am not sure. My interpretation of the Fate is not a very clear one, especially this portion of it. I searched through what resources I had, to find what manner of creatures could survive in our world, but had never arrived. The only one that stood out from the rest was a human." The Charizard explained.
"So, if the one depicted in the 'Fate' is truly me, then which Legendary Pokémon do I have the power of?"
The Charizard seemed like he was about to explain, but then Kai butted in with his own words again, not even lifting his eyes from his cup of tea.
"You seem to be taking all this pretty well for a human. If I were a human turned into a Pokémon, I'd probably be expressing a whole lot of panic and shock, unlike you. You seem like you've been expecting this to happen."
"Huh? No, that's not it… It's just…. Well, I don't know how I should react. I'm in an unknown world, with no recollection of who I was before I came here, and all I can look to is explanations. What else am I supposed to do?"
"If you asked me," The Charizard spoke, drawing both Kai's and my attention to him, "I believe you are here to change our fate. You obviously possess either the Arc of Dialga or the Arc of Celebi, since the Fate explicitly states that you are going to alter time."
"So which one? I don't know."
"We'll find out, in due time. But for now-"
A loud 'boom' noise came from outside the room, from upstairs, an explosion that shook the whole area, causing dust to fall from the ceiling and one of the less unstable parts of the wall to crumble, leaving only a dirt wall behind. Another explosion, and screams could be heard from just above us, the sounds of dying and suffering Pokémon.
"Damn it! The Arceains are here!"
"Arceains?"
"They're the Emissaries of Arceus, bonehead! They're here to hunt us all down! I've got to go help them!" Kai blurted out as he began to rush up the staircase, bent on aiding the suffering Pokémon.
The Charizard grabbed Kai's paw as Kai reached the steps, and said, "No, Kai. Risk is here as our salvation. It is imperative we protect him from the Arceains. You will take him, and run far away from here, out of their reach. I will go up and save our people."
"But-"
"No buts, Kai. Take him and run, now." The Charizard bent down to Kai's height and planted a kiss of his forehead, before continuing, "Stay safe. Now, run!"
The Charizard continued towards the steps as Kai turned back and grabbed my hand, pulling me along, evident that he wanted me to start running, and I was happy to oblige. Kai lead me down one of the more obscure tunnels, and we continued running through the sand and dust that I had already grown accustomed to. The darkness of the corridor soon ended with the faint light of the outdoors, as we burst out into the open, covered in sand and as the dust storms blew past our eyes, we emerged twenty meters away from the ruins that once protected us.
Kai then pulled me along, making it clear that it wasn't safe to stop moving. I watched as distant explosions created spheres of fire beyond the storm of sand and dust, while Kai was trying his best not to look back as he pulled me along, clearly on the verge of tears. We travelled the desolated land, hoping to find a place to rest for the night, for the sun had long set and the moon was already high in the sky, casting its silver glow over the desert. As luck would have it, we soon found a place to rest and hold up for the night, another ruined place with stone pillars that would provide minimal protection against the never-ending storm.
"You stay here and take a breather. I'll set up the protection field."
"Okay."
I slowly sat down behind the safety of the stone pillar, as I watched Kai grab a couple of round stones from his sling bag and walked in a circle around the stone ruins, dropping five stones in different locations. I heard his chant a faint incantation, and I heaved a sigh of relief as I felt the dust storms halt, with the strong winds blocked out by the protection field. Kai returned, sitting down just across from me and leaning his back against a stone pillar, grabbing whatever rations he had from his sling bag and splitting the food between the two of us.
I took the food from his paw, and a simple 'Thanks.' was all I said before munching on the sandwich. Kai soon started biting into his sandwich as well, leaning on one hand with the food in the other. His eyes seemed to drift off to a faraway place, and he kept gazing at the sky, as if remembering a distant memory. I envied him to an extent, considering that I had no memories to speak of and whatever human life I had before arriving in Lyeris was all but forgotten.
Still, that didn't seem to stop my mind from wandering. As I subconsciously munched on the sandwich, my mind busied itself by asking all sorts of questions again. I found myself staring at the ground, with my gaze occasionally shifting to the night sky, while Kai silently stared at the stars dotting it. Eventually, it was evident that the silence was unbearable, and Kai, of all Pokémon, was the one to break the mold.
"So, Risk. How're you dealing with all this?" He asked, which elicited a questioning sound from me, as I continued munching on the almost-finished sandwich.
"I mean, you've been whisked here from who-knows-where, and you have no memories, and now you're being hunted by unknown creatures. Anyone normal would be freaking out right about now."
"Well," I managed to say, before taking my last bite and swallowing the remnants of the bread, "Sure, I suppose I should be panicking right now… But… I don't know, I just think that panicking wouldn't really help the situation. Besides, I'm already imposing enough on you as it is, panicking wouldn't really help you, rather create more trouble, and we already have enough. Thanks for saving me, by the way."
"I didn't save you because I wanted to!" Kai interrupted, "It's because my dad told me to. If not, I'd be fighting for my people right now…" Kai drooped his head in deep thought.
"But if you'd gone to fight, don't you think you'd be dead right now?" I asked, cocking my head to the side in question.
"What would you know-"
"Look," I interrupted, "I don't know who I am, much less who you are or why I'm here, or even why I appeared just in time for you to meet me back there, but I do know this. We're stuck together for now, and you've already saved my life twice. So, no matter what you say, I'm not going to let you die for me, or for anyone. After all," I paused, before standing and turning my back on him, "we're friends, aren't we?"
"Friends…" I heard him utter.
"So, stop doubting yourself. What's done is done."
"You're right. Thanks, Risk." He said, maintaining a serious expression nonetheless.
"No problem." I turned around and said.
"Why don't you get some rest? I'll take first watch, in case those Arceains try to ambush us."
"Thanks, Kai." I managed to say, before collapsing on the ground and my eyelids suddenly felt heavy, granting me a peaceful sleep.
-Kai-
Location: Lyeris Sector 34
Date: Inciday, Prieam-Zexirius 32, D.L. 2116
Time: 5:12 PM
Historia: Present
Honestly… Two seconds, just two, and he's out cold… Hopefully, I won't have to shake him awake. Doubt I can do it anyway.
I leaned against the stone pillar, the cooling feeling of my fur against the solid rock reminding me of some good memories. The only ones I had in this apocalyptic world. I closed my eyes, reminiscing about the past, whilst using my hearing in place of my sight to do my job as a watcher. My mind and sight drifted back, to the first memory I could obtain from my childhood. Somewhere when I was six or seven.
In those days, I was already hard at work while other young children were busy trying to survive. After all, I was constantly referred to as the 'adoptive child of Peleus'. As much as I hated that title, everyone still called me by my real name, so it wasn't too bad. Kai… I'd known that to be my name ever since Peleus first called me by it. It was the only memory from my birth and the Day of Judgment. I still remember, dust and sand pelting against my infant face… a warm, fuzzy image of a large Pokémon, picking me up in his arms… a warmth like none other, a warmth that felt significant in the infinite cold that surrounded the land of Lyeris back then… and then, the name Kai.
It was my name, and mine alone. I loved to be called that name by Peleus back when I was still a child. He did most of the work until I'd grown old enough to help out. So, back then, it was still fun and games to me. Everyday, I'd question where he was going, but he said I didn't need to know. I was annoyed, but then he'd return a couple hours later, distributing food and water, and somehow my childhood self deemed wherever and whatever he was doing important.
Even with all his duties, somehow he managed to squeeze in time to raise me as a single parent. I'd sometimes ask if I was a burden to him, but then he'd laugh it off and suggest we play a game. He had tons of board games in that lightweight pack. 'Board games remind me of the time before that Day, and gives me hope. That's why I like playing them.' He had said. And, eventually, I'd learned to live by that too.
Of course, not the part about board games, they were fun, but I'd never refer to them as a source of hope. I'd always find hope in believing that everything would be fine, the way he had said it to be. Always believing the situation would improve, always believing that our little group of refugee Pokémon would be able to survive. And through that belief, I found hope. At about the age of 13, I started helping out with the menial chores to lighten the load on Peleus. Though I doubted it helped our situation as a whole, he always seemed appreciative.
Sometimes, I wonder if I can be like him… appreciative and patient, and always willing to look of the positive side of things. Sometimes, I wonder, how can he be so positive about the situation even when it looks dark and dull?
Then, at the age of 14, all my questions were answered. Peleus' reading of the Fate… whilst many others were unable to understand what the words meant, and the hidden meanings between the lines, I did, my mind able to interpret a little of what it meant. He only ever read up to D.L. 2100, but eventually I convinced him to read me the Hidden Fate, a forbidden reading of the planet's predictions.
D.L. 2116, From the dimensional walls shall appear a creature like none other, gifted with another Arc of Legends. This creature shall bring true prosperity to the land of Lyeris, altering Fate and Time. This marks the end of Dawn.
It was a reading that changed how I looked at things, something that sparked hope in me. It was around that time that I discovered the rune carved into the back of my neck. I looked in the mirror one day, turned around, and that's where I saw it, a symbol resembling an arced longsword, a weapon of the fabled humans. Without letting him know, I snuck into Peleus' private library of books, and pored through the pages of each one, knowing all too well that Peleus most likely knew about this, and had some information regarding it.
Peleus' caught me, of course, since my stealth and sneaking skills were terrible at the time. Everything worked out in the end though, he helped me find the book I wanted and even the page I was looking for. It was as if he had prepared and anticipated this day to come. I looked through the pages, and only shock could describe my expression back then.
The Arc of Keldeo is a power that is drawn from the essence of the legendary Pokémon Keldeo itself. Like each Arc of Legend, its power comes from the innate and mystical abilities of the Pokémon. The Arc of Keldeo can often be recognized in a particular entity by its signature runic mark, an arced sword surrounded by a whirlpool of water.
The whole thing made no sense to me, but at least now I knew what it was. I most likely possessed the Arc of Keldeo. And after Peleus read that piece of information, my life changed. Peleus literally halted almost all of my daily activities, and told me to practice agility and combat. I often compared the 'practice' to assassin's training, since it really seemed like it, but most of the time I just smashed whatever stone structure I could find.
Occasionally, I'd find supplies in a ruin I train in, and I'd bring them back after training. Peleus didn't seem to mind, since he stayed as cheerful and as happy as usual. And it was like that, day in, day out… until the Arceains found our hideout. Over half of the refugees with us were massacred, and we had to relocate to another area. Honestly, I still shiver at that thought, how we barely managed to make it out alive…
"Kai…" I heard a voice jolt me from my memories.
I looked back, noticing that Risk was having a couple of dreams. His eyes were scrunched up, like he was in pain or something.
"The folds between worlds will weaken… zzz… unprecedented danger… zzz… approached their land… zzz…"
That's… the Fate reading for D.L. 2021! How could he know it? If I remember correctly, he's never heard the Fate before… I only mentioned it to him…
And then, he spoke clearly, despite his sleeping, in a voice that didn't seem to be his own,
"An old land brings confusion,
and thus shall provide a mysterious illusion.
A force beckons, calling thy aid,
and thou will respond, revealing the hidden blade.
Face the darkness, your destiny set in motion,
a memory will render you devoid of emotion.
Beware the curse, a torment to behold,
as crimson drops fall upon you like gold."
Then he heaved a sigh, and took a deep breath, returning back to sleep as his snoring continued.
What was… that…?
A loud explosion not too far from us caught my attention, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned around, only to see the Arceains approaching us. Three more explosives were hurled towards us, the protection glyph barely repelling them as the explosive force sent rubble flying through the protection shield, crashing onto the floor and what remained of the ruins. Two more explosives came, and the protection shield shattered like glass, the glyph no longer active.
"Damn it! That was faster than I'd hoped!" I cursed.
I had no time to wake Risk, and I doubt he'd wake even if I did try. I hauled him off the ground, grabbed what supplies I could in a bag and literally ran for my life. Faint explosions set off behind me as I took each step forward, the starless night sky being lit up with flames, accompanied by grey smoke, as the Arceains continued to hunt for us. I ran and ran, hoping to find another safe spot for the night, but with our current situation, we'd probably have to escape each spot every three hours or so. Soon, I managed to find us another place to rest, this one more sheltered than the last. I put Risk down, only to find him still snoring away despite our near-death situation, which left me annoyed at best.
Seriously? If he can sleep through explosions, next time we do this, I'm SO not letting him sleep.
I unpacked what little supplies we needed before we most likely had to run again, and took a bite out of the second sandwich I had. Looking over the remaining rations, we had about nine more sandwiches, which means another five meals at best, and we had about four bottles of water, which would last us hopefully three days, five if we drank sparingly. That was about all the supplies we needed, for now. I had a dagger, just in case, but a measly dagger wasn't going to do much against Arceains.
Loud snoring came from Risk for the next two hours, and I was bored out of my mind, for the first time. There was really nothing for me to do except sit down, keep watch and rest for the time being, seeing as I'd already placed another protection glyph and fortified it so we could stall for a little more time. I found myself reaching inside my sling bag and pulling out an old book about Lyeris' history, flipping through the pages as I read through the tales that Peleus always talked to me about.
My mind simply processed all the titles in the book, giving each not much thought before moving on to the next. Terrest…Miasma… Guild Revolution… Beginning of Shadow… Mystery Dungeons…
Mystery Dungeons? I'd never heard of Peleus mention such a thing…
Intrigued by a topic I'd never seen, I began reading through the section titled 'Mystery Dungeons' and was fascinated by its lore. Although, in the recent years, after the Judgment, I doubt any Mystery Dungeons had survived, but it was a great thing to read about. I had read all about heroes and legends, but whenever I asked Peleus how they became heroes, he simply brushed the topic off as 'They explored the unknown'.
Unknown, huh? Mystery Dungeons, he meant.
Another half-hour passed in a flash as I continued reading through the book, and that was when I heard a faint noise.
"Unh…"
I looked up from the book to see Risk finally waking from his four-hour nap, with him rubbing his eyes to get the sleep out of them.
"Hey, Kai. What's happened while I was out?"
"Oh, you know, nothing much. Except if you count the fact that you slept through five explosions and we just changed locations, then all is well."
"Wha…? Did the Arceains attack?" He asked, a faint panic in his voice.
"Yeap, but no worries. I've already set up the protection glyph again, this time stronger than the last since we have some time."
"Oh, great." He relaxed a bit, and his usual tone returned, "So, what'cha reading? Looks interesting, and we really don't have anything else to do."
Good point… what are we doing, anyway?
Risk took an interest to the book I was reading, so I lent it to him while I let my thoughts run wild.
Peleus said he came as our salvation, but how is he supposed to help? So far, all he's done is sleep for the past four hours, and he hasn't shown any signs of being able to fight. I look at him, but his aura is dormant, dull as if he's never used an attack before. Those stories Peleus always told me, the heroes always had some sort of special purpose and had golden auras, signs that they were to be great legends. But his aura is null and void… Well, he has to have an aura; otherwise he wouldn't be alive, but still…
"Hey, Risk." Risk perked up, lifting his head from the book to look at me with his crimson irises.
"Any of your memories return yet? Anything you remember or why you're here?" I asked, hoping to not only get an answer but also an explanation for that strange prediction earlier. It sounded like a prophecy at best, and just plain gibberish at worst.
"Hmm… nothing yet… but I did see something while I was asleep."
"Hmm? What did you see?"
"Oh, nothing much, really. Just a picture of some Pokémon." He replied.
A picture of a Pokémon? I wonder which one…?
"I'd draw it out for you, but unfortunately I seem to recall I suck at drawing. Arts aren't really my forte." He chuckled nervously.
"Heh, it's fine. Though, we need to find out what Peleus meant by you being our salvation, or our running's going to be pointless in about three days or so. That's the time we run out of rations."
"Aw… run out of food and water, huh? Oh, well. We're just going to have to hope that we find someplace to restock soon." He smiled, seemingly ambiguous to the severity of the situation as he handed the book back to me.
"Well, I'm going to take the next watch, maybe you should get some rest." Risk said.
"That's fine, I'm not that tired yet. Besides, two pairs of eyes are always better than one."
"Oh… okay then!"
He walked over to the edge of the protection field, and sat down, leaning his back against a stone pillar in a direction my eyes couldn't keep watch, and I took watch of the opposite side, still reading through the Mystery Dungeon pages of the book. What surprised me was that the last page of the Mystery Dungeon section was folded into half, stuck into the spine of the book. I unfolded it carefully, so as to not tear it, and the last page depicted a picture of two Pokémon I'd never seen before, and on the back of the page, the blank side, was a note written in Peleus' handwriting.
Dear Kai,
If you are reading this, it must mean that you've taken the time to read through the Mystery Dungon section. I hope it was fascinating enough to capture your attention. Though scarce, there exists a few Mystery Dungeons remaining in our day and age, and one in particular, called the 'Templar's Sanctuary', is a five-floor Mystery Dungeon which houses a safe spot at the end. In the event that you might have to escape from our current hiding spot, I would suggest that you go there, as the dimensional distortions will keep Arceains out for the most part. It is approximately five miles northeast of our current position, and it is marked in the map on the back of the book.
I hope you enjoy the present I've included at the back of the book, and that you stay safe, wherever you are.
Love,
Peleus.
I quickly flipped to the back cover of the book, where a piece of tattered and worn paper fluttered onto the ground, and a glyph was inscribed there.
I recognize this pattern… it's a portal glyph!
My mind instantly went into overdrive, trying to remember the rules for this particular formation.
Portal Glyph: Dimensional Realm, a glyph that creates a separate existence and serves as a gate to the particular realm. Whatever that has been trapped inside cannot escape unless removed by an exterior force. If the glyph is erased, what has been trapped inside automatically vanishes along with the separate existence.
I touched my paw to the center of the glyph, and the symbols immediately shone a bright white light. As the light subsided, my paw slowly disappeared inside the glyph, and I poked around what seemed to be the inside of a rather tiny sphere, until I felt something that was similar to a bracelet. I pulled it out, and I found a metal bracelet, with a green gem forged in the middle, another glyph inscribed on it, one that I had never seen before.
It didn't seem to be anything dangerous, and at best it looked helpful. Without making too much of a fuss, I snapped it onto my wrist, and it seemed to fit just nicely. All the fuss must've caught Risk's attention, though, since he was looking over at me and peering at my newfound gadget.
"Hey, Kai, what's that? Never seen one before."
"This? I'm not sure myself, it was a gift from Peleus, but he didn't exactly explain what I'm supposed to do with it."
"Huh. Maybe we'll find out." He said, before returning to his original position, apparently too bored to care more.
I closed the book with a thud, and placed it back into my sling bag, but not before ripping out the page that had the map to the mystery dungeon. I closed the sling bag with a click, and then hauled it off the sandy ground.
"Risk!" He turned around, a little in fright of my sudden shout, which I used to my advantage to toss his sling bag at him, which he caught.
"C'mon, we're going."
"Going where? You have a plan or something?" He questioned.
"Peleus left us a little something. I suggest we stick to it if we're going to escape those Arceains."
"Alright, then! Let's go!" He said, almost too cheerfully, as if he was completely oblivious to the current situation.
And right on cue, a barrage of explosions shook the protection field, signaling the time for us to make our immediate escape.
-3rd Person-
Location: Lyeris Sector 33
Date: Inciday, Prieam-Zexirius 32, D.L. 2116
Time: 10:01 PM
Historia: Present
The explosions instantly destroyed the fortification, making the time and effort put into upgrading the protection glyph literally useless and futile. Risk and Kai quickly took to their feet, running in the exact opposite direction of the explosions, and left the safety of the glyph as another barrage of explosions triggered a sound similar to that of shattering glass, and the protection field's elimination. Kai ran ahead, while Risk followed closely behind, occasionally looking backwards and stealing glances of the Arceains that currently were out for their blood.
They looked just like ordinary Pokémon, but their shadows made it hard for him to make out their species and type. The only uniformed thing about them was that there was a distinct symbol on their foreheads, and they were all wearing white capes lined with golden material, the exact color scheme of the famed Arceus. Kai's footsteps were faint and almost silent amidst the chaos, whilst Risk's footsteps weren't exactly that of someone who didn't want to be discovered. The Arceains were hot in pursuit of the duo, and many times Risk had to veer left and right to dodge the incoming blasts of energy.
The first was a bright green and yellow, identified by Risk's mind as Solar Beam, though he had no idea how he knew that name. The next, a bright orange, Flamethrower. The last was a cold blue and white, obviously Ice Beam. Each blast of energy came from their pursuers, three in all. It was clear to Kai, once Risk had relayed the information to him, that the three pursuers were grass, fire and ice-types.
"Risk! Run ahead! I'll delay them!"
Risk, though about to protest at first, realized how much he would be in Kai's way if he didn't listen. He knew that he could barely fight, and didn't know so much as a thing about dealing with enemies, considering that he'd only rested for the past four hours, so he somehow managed to devour his own worries and run ahead of Kai, who slowed to a stop with a knife wielded in his hands. The knife was made of a silvery metal, inscribed with the most mystical and fascinating of patterns, one that the Arceains clearly recognized.
"Shit! He's got a Rune Dagger!" One of the pursuers exclaimed.
Kai quickly carved a formation into the ground with the dagger before invoking the glyph's effects.
Kai shouted, as he turned around to continue running, "Astentre! Barrier Glyph, Rank 2!"
The glyph he had carved into the ground shone with a bright white light, temporarily blinding the Arceains and impeding their progress. Then, as the light subsided, the Arceains found themselves facing what seemed to be an invisible force field, one that was held up by the runic formation. Kai took a quick glance at his handiwork, with the three Arceains trying desperately to shatter the barrier, and smirked, as he left to join Risk in their escape.
Soon, Kai found Risk, who had long slowed to a stop and was standing amidst the blowing winds, apparently awaiting Kai's arrival.
"You're slow, Kai!" Risk said with impatience, "What took you so long?"
"Glyph drawing. Those Arceains will be occupied for a while, since Rank 2 Barrier Glyphs are so difficult to break. It was the best I could draw in that moment, but it's good enough. That should buy us another four hours at worst, another six at best. We really shouldn't be standing around here."
"Okay. So, where we headed?"
Kai handed Risk the map, hoping that Risk would be somewhat better at topography than he was.
"Hmm… from what I can tell, we're here…" Risk muttered, subconsciously pointing to a random location on the map that was vaguely close to where their previous hiding spot had been, which Kai took as 'surprisingly accurate'.
"So… we just need to head another two miles north, and we should be there. Not as far as I thought." Risk rolled up the map, stuck it in his sling bag, and looked back to see Kai running after him. The two ran off into the distance, in the direction Risk led them, and sure enough, within a span of two hours; they had reached what seemed to be the remains of an ancient temple.
The structure was impressive, compared to the ruins from before, with actual stone pillars supporting a triangular roof, despite the whole structure seemingly tilted a tad to the left. Faint remains of stone statues that once stood at either ends of the now caved in entrance were present, giving the whole place an ancient feeling, more than usual. However, despite how much the two was impressed by the architecture, Risk clearly had a more important question than that of the building itself.
"How the heck are we gonna get in!? Half of the place has already sunk in to the ground, leaving only the littlest bit of the entrance and the roof! There's no way we're getting in there."
"Never be so quick to say never, my friend." Kai said, with a highly sarcastic tone, before he set to work carving a rune into the ground with his dagger.
"Astentre! Reveal Rune!" The runic symbol glowed brightly before vanishing, and just like its name, it had revealed a hidden path into the entrance of the mystery dungeon, cut into the ground.
"Well, shall we be going?" Kai gestured to the entrance, looking at Risk for an answer, and a nod was all that he needed.
The pair then journeyed into the dark and dreary path, which soon led them to the proud gates of what Kai assumed to be: Templar's Sanctuary. Proud and majestic gates stood before them, which Risk took the first steps to push and heave. The gates soon gave way, opening with a loud creaking noise, and inside they found, the first floor to their first mystery dungeon.
A roaming soul appears as their salvation…
An end to suffering, a hope creation.
A dormant power, one that brings light…
Against chaos, it shall fight.
Alright, this is the first chapter. Unfortunately, OCs are not accepted until a little later in the story, so for now, just relax and enjoy the show. So, read and review, because they're pretty much the only way I know if anyone's reading... Anyway, see you with the next chapter, and who knows when that will come.
