A Demon's Venom - Chapter 4 – A sad reunion

A cold breeze was flying through the mountains. Ebony and Saizo went out of the cave behind the waterfall and entered the forest again.
''You're still looking down kid'' Saizo noticed ''Should we take a break here?''
''No...'' the Poochyena replied ''It's just... I don't believe my family is still out there...''
The chances are tiny, he knew that, yet he wanted Ebony to keep up her hope.
''You can't know for sure, don't give up. How about we take a little walk?'' he offered.
She nodded ''Sure... Maybe we could think about something else...''

After a while, they reached a small clearing, with a path leading deeper into the forest. Ebony seemed to feel a little bit better now. The snow was perfectly harmonizing with the trees.
''Nature sure is fascinating'' she said ''I wish I could've seen all of this sooner...''
Saizo agreed with her and looked around. Something wasn't right... The path ahead was partly torn apart in the distance, but not by the covenant...
Ebony noticed his absence. ''Ummm... Saizo? Are you alright?'' he stopped thinking about it.
''Yes, I am. Sorry for concerning you, kid'' He stepped forward ''Let's move on''
They followed the path and Ebony quickly realized, staying quiet until a scream could be heard.
''Oh no... That didn't sound good... Saizo... we need to help!'' as she once again ran off.
''No! Wait!'' Saizo ran after her 'You've got to be kidding me...' he whispered.

The voice was coming from another clearing, someone was surrounded by a group of strange Pokemon. They were colored in grey and dark red and their
eyes were glowing red.
''What the hell?!'' Saizo was confused, but shook it off and took a battle stance, as some kind of wind was whirling around him, while he did so.
Some of the evil Pokemon turned around and charged up their shadow balls. Ebony had to react quickly, so she ran towards them and stopped very fast,
whirling dirty snow into their faces. They fired their attacks and missed all of them.
''Good job kid!'' Saizo unleashed the energy he gathered and a sharp wind hits the entire group of enemies, causing most of them to faint. However a Dusknoir
and a Sableye were unaffected by the attack and continued attacking their victim, who seemed to be a Mightyena.
''P-Puro!'' Ebony suddenly lost all of her fear, as she sprinted towards the enemies, in order to save her brother.
The Dusknoir turned around to launch a shadow ball at her, but she didn't stop and lunged into him, as she suddenly felt the pain of the attack, but also some
kind of strength as she dug her teeth into the ghost's body.
''Ebony!'' Saizo was shocked and surprised at the same time, while he was taking care of the Sableye, using a night slash.
The Dusknoir fell and seemed to be in pain. The reason was poison, but how? Ebony quickly realized, that poison was dripping from her teeth.
''E-Ebony... Y-you evolved...'' Puro was trying to stand up, but failed.
She was too worried about her brother to take notice of her new form and quickly ran to him.
''Puro...'' She sat down next to him ''I'm... sorry... This is my fault, isn't it?''
His wounds were looking bad ''No... It's not...'' He coughed ''I'm proud of you sis... A-and I bet, Mom w-would be too...''
Hearing about her mother, made her break out in tears. Apparently she didn't make it.
Saizo was joining the siblings, inspecting Puro's wounds.
''Those aren't looking good...'' Saizo shook his head ''There's nothing we could do now''
Puro tried to suppress the pain and smiled. ''G-guess... That's it for me... huh?''
''No!'' Ebony frantically tried to find something to patch him up, but no avail.
''It's al-right... My time has come...'' ''No! Please... I can't lose you too'' She couldn't hold her tears.
''Ebony, my dear sister... E-everyone dies one day... You need to be strong, for me... a-and for Mom...''
He was looking into her tearful, purple eyes, still smiling, despite his condition. Ebony went to embrace her brother.
''I-I love you sis...'' A few tears were running down his face.
''Ebony... we need to go...'' Saizo interrupted ''I know it's hard to accept... but I need you to stay strong''
Puro nodded in agreement, while Ebony tightened the embrace, unwilling to let go.
''He's right... T-there are things you don't need to see...'' he tried loosening it up.
Ebony seemed to accept it a bit, as she lets go ''I...'' she broke out in tears ''I will miss you Puro...''
''It was nice to see you one last time... Farewell... Ebony...'' Even though he was smiling, he was crying tears.
Saizo let them finish ''Kid... You should head to the cave now... Gotta do something real quick''
Ebony walked off slowly, looking back several times, with tears in her eyes. Puro was also looking at her, until she disappeared into the forest.

''W-why are you still here?'' Puro asked Saizo, who was still standing next to him.
''I... can't save your body... but I can save your soul''
Puro was looking at him, slightly confused. Saizo pulled out a necklace and a small red gem.
''I can bind your soul into this magical gem, so it can be worn'' he paused ''That way your spirit would be able to help Ebony on her way''
Puro's eyes widened ''Y-you can do t-that?!''
''However... You'd need to accept that, for it to work...''
''I-I'd do everything to protect her... Yes... I accept'' he swore.
''Alright then'' Saizo put the gem into the necklace and held it into the air
His eyes started to glow as he seemed to use a spell.

''You, who has chosen to respect...''
''You, who has chosen to deflect...''
''You, who has chosen to reflect...''
''...watch over the kid, you want to protect!''

As soon as the last word was said, Puro's body started to glow in the same color as the gem. As the glow faded, his body was just a hull. Saizo looked at the
necklace. It emitted a dim glow for a second, so it worked. The only thing he'd need to do now, was to bury his body.