Team Statistics:

-Risk:
Species: Treecko
Ability: Overgrow
Level: 17
Held Item: Mysterious Pendant

-Kai:
Species: Riolu
Ability: Steadfast
Level: 20
Held Item: Battle Interface

-Liz:
Species: Buneary
Ability: Limber
Level: 20
Held Item: Unknown Staff


Arc of Legends

Act 1: Essence of Time

Chapter 6: Sword

-3rd Person-

Location: Hall of Origin- Luminaire
Date: ?
Time: ?
Historia:
Present

A white room completely created from light. An infinity that stretches on and on, with no end in sight. In the center of this infinity, seventeen spectral figures convene, each representing their element. The Unlimited, servants of Arceus and leaders of the Arceains, the strongest warriors throughout Lyeris. Here, they discuss recent events and future plans. And now, a heated discussion has begun.

"Where is Alpha? Why isn't he here?" the Ninetails, Heleria, asked.

"He is on a mission assigned to him by Arceus himself, and therefore is unable to attend the meeting." the Zoroark, Nine, replied.

"Very well, then we shall begin this meeting without him. Lariat," Heleria paused, "I trust that you will fill him in on the details later when he returns?"

"Indeed, I shall." the Sableye, Lariat, answered.

"So, Heleria." the Sylveon, Sylph, said, "You said that you needed to arrange an urgent meeting. While the rest of us have no missions in progress at the time, what might prompt you to call for such a meeting? Has Lord Arceus entrusted you with instructions, or perhaps information that you must share?"

"Indeed, I would also like to know what caused you to arrange something like this on such short notice." the Walrein, Barielm, said.

"I apologize for any possible inconvenience," Heleria bows her head, "but Sylph is right. I have received some information I feel should be imperative for all of you to hear."

"Well, then." the Luxray, Fulgur, says, "Why don't you give it to us without beating around the bush? While we don't have any missions, some of us do like to spend our free time not hearing important, life-changing things 24/7."

A collective sound of agreement went through the remaining members of the Unlimited.

"Alright, I'll get right down to it." Heleria says.

"Firstly, Lord Arceus has revealed to me that, in conjunction with our regular missions and activities, we are all to be assigned a side-mission."

"And what might be the details of this mission, Heleria?" the elder Alakazam, Sirius, enquired.

"You've all heard of the recent updates on a group of Pokémon traversing the Pierce Region, yes?"

"Indeed," Barielm acknowledged, "in fact, I was just informed by Logia that Lord Arceus has put the Arceains on high alert on the lookout for these Pokémon."

"Yes," Nine chimed in, "I saw a large group of the troops heading to various regions through the Gate earlier this afternoon."

"So, Heleria. Don't keep us in suspense, tell us the reasons as to why Lord Arceus is acting as such." the Sandslash, Terran, chided.

"Yes… Lord Arceus has not revealed everything, but what he has told me is that it is imperative we capture this bunch of Pokémon. One of the reasons being, they are wielders of the Arc of Legends."

"The Arc of Legends!?" Fulgur exclaimed, "So that ancient power has resurfaced again?"

"That cannot be a sign of good omens…" Sirius muttered, "Every time the Arc of Legends appear in the history books, they are used as means to rescue Lyeris from the brink of destruction, but the same can be said for the reverse side. They are signs that bad things are to come."

"While we cannot be sure of what is to come, what Sirius has said is true." Sylph concurred, "The Arc of Legends cannot be a good sign."

"Speaking of which," the Nidoking, Omega, began, "which Legend's power has appeared this time?"

"By observation of the conflict at Zlaize Village, it seems that two of the three possess the Arcs of Dialga and Cresselia."

"The Arc of Dialga… this makes it even worse." Sirius said, "Whilst the Arc of Legends have been shown to appear in times of crisis, the Arcs of the Creation Trio have not resurfaced since the Dark Ages. What chaos could we be expecting this time? Something of similar magnitude? Or something far worse?"

The wise Alakazam's words sunk in with the rest of the Unlimited, doing little to alter the already depressing mood of the events to come, as the minds of the sixteen Pokémon went wild, surmising the possible level of chaos that would soon take place.

"What else has Lord Arceus divulged?" Terran queried.

"Yes, also, the Unlimited is to be on the lookout for a structure similar to the Gate."

"A dimensional portal? Why is that?" Lariat asked.

"For what reason, I am not too sure," Heleria said, "but perhaps it is a sign that Lord Arceus expects us to find something that will help prevent the coming trouble. Whatever the reasons, we should keep a lookout."

"I don't think that will be too difficult." Fulgur remarks, "I mean, a dimensional portal isn't exactly the most obscure thing to be concealed. I'm sure a something as conspicuous as that would be noticed by the Lyerians before long."

"Indeed. Now," Barielm began, "Heleria, would you happen to have anything else to discuss with us?"

"One last thing," Heleria began, "scouts have reported seeing Arceains that wear a similar, yet different cape from our own."

"What do you mean?" the Linoone, Streak, questioned.

"Our capes are white, lined gold with an eighteen-pointed star as the symbol of the Arceains. Whereas these altered capes are white, lined gold, but bear a sword, dagger and shield as its symbols, all tainted red as if painted with blood."

"Am I right to assume that it is these different Arceains that are the one who engaged the Pokémon at Zlaize Village?" Streak asked.

"Yes. Whatever the case, Logia has conveyed that Lord Arceus does not want us to engage these Arceains until we are able to gather more information on them." Heleria finished.

"And with that, this meeting is adjourned." Heleria announces.

As the members of the Unlimited vanish from the room of light one by one, disappearing in a flash through teleportation, two members remain, Lariat and Omega.

"Omega." Lariat whispered.

"What is it, Lariat?" Omega questioned.

"Meet me on the outskirts of Lastire Cave. I have something to discuss with you."


-Risk-

Location: ?
Date: Lyraday, Leneryia-Alhalium 37, D.L. 2021
Time: ?
Historia: Dreams

Upon opening my eyes, I felt a strong presence.

Still, the darkness stretched on infinitely, the sight of the boy in the attic muttering on and on about Mystery Dungeons nothing but a faint memory. I was by my lonesome, giving me some time to reflect on what I had seen. I still remember that night back in D.L. 2116, in the safe spot of the Templar's Sanctuary, when Kai mentioned some things that Peleus had told him to pass on to me.

Location: Refuge Temple
Historia: Past

"Oh, that's right, I almost forgot. Risk, I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" I asked, dropping what I was doing.

"Nothing too important, it was just something Peleus told me to tell you."

"Uh huh…"

"Anyway, he said that starting now, you might encounter some weird dreams from time to time."

"Weird dreams? What do you mean?"

"Well, it's not the first time a supposed human is found in Lyeris, in fact it's already happened about three times now. Each time, the human is stripped of memories and dropped in Lyeris, with no clue of what to do."

"Wait, wait, wait, you're saying that I'm not the first one?"

"Why else would you think Peleus was able to figure out you were human that quickly? He just followed the pattern set by the previous three humans. And like those three humans, the Fate predicts that you will be the one to save our world."

"Okay… wait, I interrupted you, sorry."

"That's all right. Anyway, Peleus says not to freak out if you find any weird dreams occurring during your sleep, even more so if you see cryptic figures or symbols. They could be messages sent directly to your subconscious, or they could be your memories resurfacing, and a whole lot more things in between."

"So, bottom line," I confirmed, "Cryptic dreams equals normal yet not normal occurrence, expect to see a lot of them. Got it."

Kai chuckled at my summary.

Location: ?
Historia: Dreams

Just then, a loud burst of sound emanating from a vortex of energy coupled with fierce winds broke me from my thoughts, a vortex of darkness that appeared to mimic that of a portal, swirling masses of purple and black appearing in the horizon.

What's happening?

Then, from the vortex, came a crystal. A shiny, purple and black crystal, one that had a sort of wave effect on the colors that defined it, like that of an orb. The crystal was surrounded by a tentacle-like mass of darkness that zipped out of the portal at high speeds. It looked like it was being chased, and soon I found out exactly what was chasing it. A being, most likely a Pokémon, was chasing after the black mass.

A majestic and massive white dragon, bearing two streaks as a white mane, and arms that flared up to take on a wing-like appearance. From its tail, it had a bursting flare of white-hot flames, accelerating it beyond imaginable speeds to chase after its target. And atop the majestic white dragon stood a smaller Pokémon, a rabbit-like Pokémon with V-shaped ears and a cream-colored body. The smaller Pokémon fired massive balls of fire at the mass of darkness, burning the tentacles to a crisp one by one, only for the mass to regenerate to the power of the crystal.

What is this? What am I seeing?

The black mass zoomed past me, and so did its hunters, as another ball of fire was shot from the smaller Pokémon.

"Impressive, is it not?" A voice said.

I immediately turned my head and looked left, and I saw a boy clad in a blue outfit, T-shirt and jeans.

"Who… are you?" I asked.

"Oh, you have no need to know my name, just yet. Although, I do know yours, Risk."

"…How…?"

"That's Reshiram and Victini," the boy said, ignoring my question, "they're currently chasing after an entity that may very well cause our destruction, one that is imperative we track down and destroy. However, this being has proved to be evasive of our efforts. It keeps jumping through the dimensional chasms, and the Legends still have to try our best to keep hidden from the mortal world. What a dilemma."

"Why are you telling me this?" My curiosity was now insatiable.

"I'm telling you this as a heads-up. You've got a lot coming your way, Risk. I'm still unsure if you can deal with all this. But, to be fair, I'll trust you for once. Just a warning, don't tell anyone of anything you see in your dreams. Trust no one, not even your closest friends, with these secrets. At least, until you think you're ready."

"Ready? Ready for what?"

"When the time comes, you'll know, Light of Hope."

"Wait…!"

The scene blacked out. Frustration and curiosity assaulted me with a burning question.

Who was that?


-Kai-

Location: Karin Forest-Y, Area V
Date: Lyraday, Leneryia-Alhalium 37, D.L. 2021
Time: 5:32 PM
Historia: Present

"So where are these Oran Berries?" Liz asked, getting impatient.

"I don't really know… Mystery Dungeons don't exactly have maps."

"Well, I hope we find them soon. With how much time we're spending in here, we might not make it back before sundown."

I couldn't help but agree. We'd been walking around for at least twenty minutes in here, with no sign of the Oran Berry tree that supposedly grew in the forest. Ten minutes in, we'd already found the exit to the other side of the forest, and I'd drawn a temporary Gemini glyph at the exit so we'd be able to come back after we left. The glyph would last for two days, max; more than enough time for us to come and go.

But still, the main problem here wasn't time constraint. While that was equally as important, the one that really stuck out was the problem of fatigue. The time difference between the Mystery Dungeon and the outside world was clearly acceleration, since we'd already burned through over 50% of our supplies. Hunger came faster in an accelerated time zone, and Liz estimated that staying here for another thirty minutes would completely deplete our food supplies, tops.

"The faster we find these berries, the better." I muttered under my breath, irritated at the complex maze of the forest.

"Kai." Liz said, placing her hand on my shoulder to stop me from walking.

"Is that what I think it is?" She pointed at a spot through the trees, where a blue spherical berry was hanging from a branch high up.

"Holy- That's an Oran Berry! Liz, you found it!" I exclaimed, grabbing her hand and taking off towards the berry, trying not to cut through the thick cluster of trees.

I ran through the path, before taking a left and an assortment of confusing turns through the maze of trees before arriving at the holy destination: the field that held a singular tree was planted in the middle of the area, the Oran Berry tree.

"Thank goodness!" I almost felt like crying upon seeing the tree.

"We finally found it… ugh, I officially hate this errand. Can we just gather some of the berries and go?" Liz cursed under her breath.

"Sure. They're pretty high up though…" I muttered as I looked up at the berries, putting my paw above my eyes to block the sun out of my eyes.

"Liz, stand back." I requested.

Liz took a couple steps back, as I crouched down and prepared my fist, gathering aura into my hand as it began to glow, and I charged straight at the tree with Bullet Punch, hoping to knock the berries from the tree and onto the ground.

Then, just as I was closing in on the tree's trunk, a mysterious figure crashed down from the sky, impacting the ground with a massive force that sent me sprawling back towards Liz, ending with me crashing into her and sending the both of us flying backwards into the trunk of a nearby tree.

"Ow… what was that?" I muttered as I came to my senses.

I looked up from the ground to notice the figure standing in front of the tree.

A majestic orange bipedal dragon with emerald irises stood in front of the tree, boasting a pair of wings that had crimson wing membranes, with a size comparative to the dragon's body. A scarlet bandanna was tied around the dragon's forehead, just below a small horn and a pair of long, thin antennae. Sheathed behind its back, a crimson sword.

I immediately jumped to my feet and helped Liz up from the ground before turning to face the adversary that was in front of me. I instinctively raised my paw to the bracelet around my wrist, watching the screens come to life and scan the Pokémon facing me.

Dragonite, Dragon Pokémon.

In spite of its bulky physique, Dragonite are capable of reaching speeds twice the speed of sound, able to travel around the world in less than a day.

Current Enemy Status:
Level: 70
Held Item: ?

A level 70 opponent… stronger than the one we faced in D.L. 2116…

"Who are you?" I asked the Dragonite.

"I see no reason to give my name to someone as insignificant as you. Although, I will share with you this. My mission here is to capture you. I'm gonna give you the chance to surrender and come with me. If not, I'll have to take you by force." He answered.

"Liz. On my count, run." I whispered to her.

She nodded, acknowledging my words.

"Now then, which will it be? Surrender or fight?" the Dragonite asked.

"How about… neither! Run!" I shouted.

Liz and I took off towards the exit of the field, heading towards the twisting maze path that would lead us out of here.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" the Dragonite said.

I instantly regretted the decision to run. As soon as we hit the space between the two rows of trees, I felt a jolting sensation throughout my body and electricity sparked as I hit some sort of barrier, forcing me onto the ground beside Liz. I heaved my body off the ground and turned to face the Dragonite once more.

"What the hell?" I cursed.

"You're not escaping from here unless you beat me. It's a little something I set up in advance." the Dragonite smirked.

"Then, we'll give you a world of hurt!" Liz exclaimed, pointing her staff at the dragon-type, a blue orb beginning to form on the staff's tip.

From the blue orb of energy, an Ice Beam was fired at the dragon-type, clearly the Dragonite's natural weakness. What was unexpected was the sword that he unsheathed from behind his back, which, once revealed, burst into flames and completely evaporated the beam of ice, preventing the attack from doing even the tiniest bit of damage on the dragon-type.

"What the-" Liz began.

"Hmph." the Dragonite smirked, "I'll get rid of you first."

He raised his crimson sword and the gathered solar energy into his blade, except instead of the standard golden yellow energy that users of Solar Beam would use, the solar energy inside his sword circled around his blade in a crimson hue, attributing his control of fire. He swung his blade downwards in a wide arc, as the flames circling his sword began speeding up until he had a tunnel of flames around his blade.

"Solarium Tempest!" he shouted, as a tornado of flames charged at the both of us, Liz instantly rushed in front of me and evoked 'Protect', a barrier move that seemed to do a pretty good job of blocking the fiery whirlwind. At least, that's what it was at first. Ten seconds passed, a crack appeared in the barrier. Twenty seconds, the crack widened, and embers of flame began to pass through the shield. At the thirty-second mark, the Protect completely shattered, sending both of us flying backwards.

I managed to get up after the attack, but Liz wasn't doing as good. She was standing in front of me, so she took the brunt of the attack and was unconscious for the time being.

"Hmph. I have to commend your efforts. Very few have survived the brunt of that attack."

There's no way I can beat him… I can't escape, I can't fight, and I can't surrender… So what can I do…?

"Well, then, I'm gonna defeat you next, so be prepared." He began gathering the crimson energy again.

What can I do…? If that hits me again, there's no way I'll survive. Liz got knocked out even with Protect. The whirlwind's too large to dodge by dashing in any direction… Do I really have to use that now?

"I'm giving you one last chance to surrender. What's it gonna be?" the Dragonite asked.

She's unconscious, so she won't see a thing… I… don't have a choice.

"One," the Dragonite began counting.

I hauled Liz's limp body to the side, against a nearby tree trunk, and positioned her comfortably.

"Two," he continued.

I turned around to face my opponent.

"This is your last chance."

"Screw you." I said under my breath.

"Fine then." The Dragonite swung his sword in the same manner, and a whirlwind of flames charged towards me with an insatiable hunger, ready to engulf me.


-3rd Person-

Location: Karin Forest-Y, Area V
Date: Lyraday, Leneryia-Alhalium 37, D.L. 2021
Time: 6:01 PM
Historia: Present

As the fiery whirlwind engulfed Kai's body, the Dragonite smirked as he assumed this assured his victory. However, that smirk melted from his face as Kai pulled a move that was out of the blue.

"Secret Sword!"

A blazing orange blade burst from Kai's palms, as Kai blocked the whirlwind of flames with the blade, cutting through the embers with the edge of his newly summoned sword. The flames were split into half, blazing past either sides of Kai's body, but not one ember touched Kai or the limp Liz behind him. As the flames died, Kai swung his sword to the side, shaking off the remaining embers.

"What the…" the Dragonite remarked.

"I'm done holding back." Kai muttered as he swung his sword around, brandishing it as a show of his familiarity with the blade to his opponent, before resting the orange blade on the back of his neck, crouching as the blade began glowing brighter.

The Dragonite studied the blade his adversary now wielded. It was a shortsword, the typical type of blade that most beginners would start with before moving on to better, more specialized weapons. It was orange in color, made of solidified pure energy, with a wave-like effect coursing through the blade.

Clearly, he's not a beginner. He has some experience in wielding that sword, the Dragonite thought.

"Very well, then." the Dragonite said out loud, addressing Kai as he readied his blade.

"I'll face off with you in an actual sword fight. Let's see how skilled you are."

Kai smirked.

The Dragonite leveled his blade with the tip pointed straight at Kai, as the blade burst into flames, this time the embers granting even more power to the already overpowering blade. Kai didn't faze one bit as he charged at the Dragonite, dashing with the sword pointed straight at him for a charge attack. The Dragonite reacted quickly, raising his blade to block the initial strike, and following through as Kai's blade rushed past him, a wave of wind blasting straight into the dragon-type's face. Now behind him, Kai swung his blade backwards, a quick diagonal strike that created an arc after the strike, the blade barely grazing the dragon's skin.

A cut was now visible on the Dragonite's face, a strike that the Dragonite was more than ready to return. The Dragonite swung his blade down on Kai's head, but the Riolu's small size made him naturally faster than the dragon. Dodging the downward strike, Kai somersaulted off the ground to deliver a kick to the dragon's belly, knocking him backwards before Kai landed on the ground, following up with a straight uppercut with his blade. This time, the Dragonite blocked the attack with his blade, but Kai wasn't done with his assault.

Jumping to the same elevation of as the tip of his opponent's blade, Kai struck with a downward diagonal slash, continuing through the flow of the attack with a horizontal strike and an upward slash, finishing the three-strike combo with a Bullet Punch. Even through the opponent's well-placed guard, the force of the final punch was enough to faze him for a split second. Kai took the opportunity to deal a four-hit combo; a downward slash followed by horizontal strike slanting upwards, another downward slash and concluded with an overhead slash, as Kai stepped backwards from the recoil of the attack.

The combo effectively broke the opponent's guard, and Kai took the chance upon landing on the ground, charging with his blade beside his waist and going in for a lethal strike. However, he immediately regretted the decision when the dragon-type smirked, as he quickly recovered from being knocked back, turning a full 360º, stabilizing his footwork and striking Kai across his body, stopping his attack and damaging Kai quite a bit.

Kai recoiled in pain from the sudden strike, but the dragon-type wasn't about to let up. He swung his fiery sword again in an uppercut, raising the Riolu to his height before unleashing a flurry of upward and downward slashes before finishing off the combo with a 45º slash upwards, forcing the Riolu's limp body to crash straight through a series of trees before finally falling onto the ground.

Kai had taken a significant amount of damage at this point, as his vision began to blur and he began to feel the metallic taste of blood on his tongue, coughing out the red liquid as blood oozed out of his various injuries across his body. The orange blade that was once blazing brightly had now dimmed as a reflection of his remaining stamina and energy. The Dragonite approached him.

"Well, that was an interesting fight. I haven't gotten the chance to fight with my sword like that for a while. In exchange, I'll let you live for now, I hope to get a chance to battle with you once more." the Dragonite said, before walking away from Kai's limp body.

"Hold… it…" Kai muttered.

The surprised dragon-type turned around to see the Riolu rising from the ground, using his sword as a way to keep his body from collapsing again. Blood stained the grass red, but the fierce determination in his eyes made the message clear for the Dragonite.

He still wants to fight… Well, then I'll have to humor his efforts.

The Dragonite readied his blade once more, as Kai stumbled to his footing and rested his blade beside him.

"Sacred Assassin." Kai muttered.

The dragon-type marveled as the command from his opponent's words made the blade transform into two-thirds the original's size, and the blade now had a gentle curve to it at the end, similar to that of a curved dagger, only bigger. It reminded him of the blade that several renowned assassins would use in their missions. The Riolu wielded it differently than most, handling the blade with a backhand or reverse grip.

Kai took a step forward, stumbling slightly, but remaining ever ready to continue fighting. Kai then took a step forward towards the Dragonite, before dashing past him silently in a blue glow, vanishing from the battlefield entirely. The dragon-type was startled at this, but he remained careful nonetheless, now shifting his stance to a defensive one, trying his best to react to Kai's next oncoming attack. A tense thirteen seconds passed with him constantly looking left to right to survey his surroundings, preparing for Kai's attack.

Then, a whoosh sound came from behind the dragon, and he quickly reacted, swinging his sword around to meet Kai's dagger in a strike. His roundabout slash continued, swinging Kai's significantly smaller body away, but Kai vanished in a blue light in mid-air once more. Then, another attack came from below the dragon, a Bullet Punch delivered in an uppercut that knocked the dragon-type backwards. Whilst recoiling, Kai vanished again, this time reappearing behind the Dragonite with his blade ready to strike. Slashing horizontally before somersaulting to deliver an upward strike, then striking with a downward diagonal slash.

The Dragonite turned to deliver a strike, but Kai vanished once more in a blue light, evading the dragon's attack. Then, the Riolu continued his onslaught with a slash past his opponent's body before turning 180º to inflict an upward diagonal strike, following with a downward diagonal strike, making an 'X' on his opponent. Then he vanished again, reappearing above his opponent to punch him on the head, then appearing crouched below his opponent in the dragon's blind spot, leaping upwards to deal an unguarded diagonal slash, somersaulting in the air to attack with an aerial upward strike.

Finally, Kai vanished one last time, appearing high above the Dragonite's view point and spinning diagonally several times during his descent to build momentum, before charging downwards and slicing the dragon-type's clean through, dealing massive damage. Upon landing on the ground, Kai dealt a strong kick to the dragon's back, sending the dragon-type flying backwards. The dragon promptly stopped his movement by stabbing his blade straight into the ground.

The two fighters were now standing on the edge of collapse, both fatigued and injured, but Kai had taken much more damage than the Dragonite and was much more tired after using up that much energy to pull off that last assault. Whereas the Dragonite had barely used any of his energy fighting, but had taken quite a bit of damage from the point-blank range attacks.

"Well… hah… I have to say… hah… You have my respect… hah… that was better than most…" The Dragonite breathed.

"You… hah… too…" Kai coughed.

"Well, then… Let's end this!" the Dragonite exclaimed as he raised his blade, the flames burning brighter than before.

Kai readied his blade, now morphing back to its original shortsword form as it began blazing bright orange.

"Haaaaaah!" the two exclaimed as they charged at each other.

The Dragonite swung his blade downwards, prepared to claim victory from the battered Riolu, but Kai was determined to win the fight. Ducking under the blade, Kai struck with a horizontal strike underneath, following up with another horizontal strike in the opposite direction. At this point, Kai spun a quick 360º, unleashing another horizontal strike, finally dealing an upward diagonal strike, a combo of attacks that emulated the creation of a square using blade strikes.

However, Kai's efforts to finish off the wounded Dragonite were in vain, as the dragon-type did not even faze from Kai's attacks and turned around to deal his own combo of attacks. Beginning with a horizontal strike, the dragon-type turned his blade 90º and slashed upwards in a split second, before finishing the combo with a well-placed diagonal slash. In the end, the battle was concluded, and the final victor standing over the other was the dragon-type.

Walking over to the finished Riolu in victory, the dragon-type had nothing but praise for his fallen opponent.

"You fought well," the Dragonite said, "and in return, I'll spare your life for now. Next time, I hope you'll be strong enough to defeat me, and entertain me even further. For next time, I'll give you my name so you can call me that when we meet."

As the Dragonite walked away from Kai's battered body, he spread his wings before saying his last words to Kai.

"The name's Alpha. Alpha Solaeon. Remember it." Alpha promptly took off into the skies at supersonic speeds, and within mere seconds he was nowhere to be seen.

In his palms, Kai's blade vanished as a sign of his defeat, and he collapsed, finally willing to drift into unconsciousness.


-Risk-

Location: Zlaize Village
Date: Lyraday, Leneryia-Alhalium 37, D.L. 2021
Time: 7:20 PM
Historia: Present

"Oh, where could they be…" I paced around the room, muttering as I did.

"I'm sure your friends will be fine, Risk. After all, they can more than deal with a bunch of ferals at their level." Mayor Etrin reassured.

"Well, yeah… but they said they'd be back before sundown, right? Sun's already set, so where are they?"

"Now, now, worrying so much will do nothing but give you a headache. Why not you just relax and patiently wait for their return?"

"Relaxing is a bit of a tall order at this point, Mayor…"

At that point, we heard a shout from outside the cabin.

"Mayor Etrin!" A Hitmonchan burst into the room, with worry written all over his face.

"Now, now, Fist, what seems to be the problem?"

"A wounded Riolu and Buneary were spotted on the outskirts of Karin Forest by some of the town guards!"

Riolu…? Buneary…? That's Kai and Liz!

"Where are they now? Tell me!" I pressed the Hitmonchan for answers.

"They've been taken to the infirmary by the guards. The healers are working on them as we speak."

"Now, Risk, don't be hasty-" I didn't hear him after that; I had already rushed past the Hitmonchan and into the infirmary.

Oh, please let them be alright…

Bursting into the room and running past several healers who were engaging in a variety of activities, I went through two doors before finally reaching the reserved room that had been saved for Kai and Liz. Inside, the two were lying down on beds prepared for them, whilst healers on either sides did their best to tend to their injuries. Looking them up and down, I grasped the severity of the situation, and the damage they took.

Liz… was burned from head to toe. Whilst Rawst Berry juices were soaked in a cloth and used to clean her up, curing her burns, she still looked very out of shape. She looked like she took the brunt of a fierce fire-type attack, and not one as weak as Ember. Whereas Kai… had far more severe injuries, boasting cuts all over his body and face, sporting a deep gash that stretched across his torso that was still leaking blood despite the cloth placed there to inhibit the bleeding. Both were unconscious, and the Heal Pulses did not seem to have an immediate effect. I silently cursed myself for not being able to help them; I didn't know any healing skills, after all.

I felt more angry than sad. Who was it that did this to them, and why couldn't I have been there to help them? The questions just kept running through my mind to no end, and with each passing second, I just felt myself getting angrier and angrier. But, then, I thought, what would Kai say, if he saw me getting angry now?

I'm supposed to be the one to stop him from getting depressed… Thinking about this is depressing. I need to step back.

And so I did, I stepped out of the room and leaned against the wall, deep in thought. I took a couple of deep breaths, and soon, calmness returned to me. I was able to think clearer.

When they come to… should I tell them what I saw in those dreams? Or should I wait for a while? Too many questions with no answers.

"Well, my boy, seeing them doesn't brighten up your day, now does it?" A voice asked.

I turned and saw Mayor Etrin standing there, leaning on a walking stick as he peered into the room and looked intently at my two injured friends.

"What do you think could've happened to them?" I asked.

"Perhaps… no, I cannot be sure." Mayor Etrin speculated.

Then he looked at me, and asked, "What seems to be troubling you, young one? I know you are worried for your friends, but I am sure they will be fine by morning. They just need to rest, and the healers are doing everything in their power to make sure that they recover."

"No… it's not that. I'm frustrated."

"Ah… I see your conundrum. You wish to help your friends, but you feel that you are not strong enough to do it. After all, it's rare that anyone is able to tackle all the problems that they face in life. These are merely challenges, my boy, and hurdles that we must overcome as living beings. Life is never fair, nor is it ever without challenge, especially for a life as conflicted as yours."

"Then… what can I do? To get stronger, I mean."

"If you wish to get stronger, I cannot help you. However, I might know someone who can. Follow me." He gestured as he walked away.

I followed him, as he walked through the infirmary and out, before taking slow and careful steps down the cliff that house Zlaize Village. Soon, we were at the bottom of the cliff, at the edge of Karin Forest. At first, I assumed that he would direct me into the forest, but just as he reached the forest's entrance, he took a sharp left and walked off in another direction. I continued to follow him until we were under the cliff, a dark and secluded place that no one would bother to notice, much less come to.

There, hidden under the cliff's gently falling slope, was a gate. A circular runic glyph glowing with a faint blue light.

"This, my boy, is a Gate. It was left here by your friends, Lisianthus and Kaizer. I speculate that it may lead to the other side of Karin Forest, and that it was created as a shortcut for your departure at dawn. Now, whilst your friends remain here to recuperate, I suggest you continue onward."

"But to where? I don't know the landscape of this place, much less be able to navigate it."

"It is but a simple task. Upon entering the portal, you will find yourself on the outskirts of Karin Forest, on the other side of the Mystery Dungeon. From there, cross the plains and the rivers, and you will eventually come to a town. That town is the village of Raonnis. From there, the path branches into three." He paused, making sure that I was listening.

"The western path shall lead you to Beryllium, where Lisianthus originally planned to reach Kiora by a sea route, whereas the northern path will take you past Raon Canyon, a treacherous path that very few are able to brave. Now comes the important part." He paused.

"The eastern path shall lead you off course, farther from your original destination. Taking the eastern path will immediately lead you to a place known as Karin Forest-Z, an extension of the Karin Forest that separates Zlaize Village from the outside world, which stretches from here to the northern edge of Pierce. Traverse through and you will reach a quaint woodland town. Once there," He paused and reached for something, pulling out a piece of parchment before continuing, "Give this to the village elder, and have him grant you a meeting with an old friend of mine. The elder will understand once he reads the letter."

"Then what?"

"Then, well, you'll have to see for yourself."

"What about Liz and Kai? Am I supposed to just leave them here?"

"If you want to focus on what you need to do to get stronger, then you cannot have the distractions of your friends. But fear not, you will reunite with them before long. I will tell them where you've gone, and should they choose to follow you or head to Kiora before you, will be their choice. Now, I suggest you be going."

"Well…"

I have to get stronger. For Kai, and for Liz. I'd be useless otherwise, right?

"I don't really have much of a choice. I'm going. Take care of Kai and Liz while I'm gone, okay?"

"Oh, I will, you need not worry."

"Thank you for all your assistance, Mayor Etrin." I bowed.

"I'll see you another time, I hope." He wave goodbye to me, as I stepped into the glyph created by Kai and watched as a blue light engulfed me, and the landscape shifted.


-3rd Person-

Location: Hall Of Origin- Luminaire
Date: Lyraday, Leneryia-Alhalium 37, D.L. 2021
Time: ?
Historia: Present

Three figures stood in the midst of the light, appearing in their assigned places of the area. The three, representatives of the dragon, psychic, and dark types. First, Alpha, the Dragonite representing the dragon-type, wielding his trademark crimson blade. Second, Sirius, the elder Alakazam and the eldest of the Unlimited, hovering over the ground cross-legged, with a wooden staff in his hands. Third, Lariat, the Sableye assassin and the second youngest of the Unlimited, representative of the dark-type and wielder of the Soul Reaver, a legendary claw-type weapon.

"Alpha, I am relieved to see you have returned alive from your mission." The elder Sirius said.

"I thank you for your concern, Sirius, but you need not worry. I am unharmed."

"Unharmed? Bah, you came back covered in cuts and bruises. It's the most battered I've seen you since what? Twenty years ago?"

"Indeed, Lariat has a point. What impeded your mission? Even more so, what was your mission? What could be so important that you had to excuse yourself from our recent meeting?"

"My mission," Alpha answered, "was to capture the Arcs of Legends and return to the Hall of Origin with them. However, they put up quite a fight. And, another distressing development."

"What might that be?" Sirius questioned.

"I have identified the third Arc of Legend. The Arc of Keldeo, Prodigial Sword."

"The Arc of Keldeo, how strong were they?"

"Adequately strong. He was able to best Soleus, my prized sword, with inhuman speed. His reflexes were nothing less of excellent, coupled with reaction time and versatility in his attacks. I shall have to keep an eye on him."

"I see… so, he was a wielder of the 'Second Force', then, was he?" Sirius continued asking.

"I doubt that. He was able to utilize Aura's second form, and yet he did not seem like a member of the Armed. It was a very puzzling and questionable battle. One that I shall have to do some research into."

"So, any other intel you can share with us? Anything that could help us in future battles with them?" Lariat enquired.

"Well… I only engaged in battle with one of the three. I have yet to encounter the last member of the trio. So, no, unfortunately."

"If they could injure Alpha to this extent, I'd say they're pretty good, eh, Sirius?" Lariat remarked.

"Yes, indeed. We shall have to be wary of them the next time we cross paths. And I am sure we will see them again, many more times than we will want to."

As the three left the meeting room, Alpha returned to his sleeping chambers, where he prepared to set down for a good night's rest. He left his sword leaning against the wall, the crimson blade resting beside his bed as he lay down on his bed and felt his heavy eyes begin to close. As he drifted off into sleep his mind had one final thought.

That kid… he looked so familiar… who is he?

Location: Zlaize Village
Date: Lyraday, Leneryia-Alhalium 37, D.L. 2021
Time: 8:07 PM
Historia: Present

Mayor Etrin sat on the floor mat he had laid out inside his house, making sure that he had carved a Lock Glyph on the door to make sure that he was undisturbed for what he was about to do. He sat cross-legged with his staff on top of his legs, with hands pressed against each other like he was praying. He felt energy gather around him, as he began to whisper a certain incantation.

"O legends, I hear your words and now heed mine. Grant thy audience with thine deities."

An energy surge now erupted from his body and crashed against the walls of his house, as the interior of his humble abode melted into blackness, one by one the objects and walls began vanishing until darkness surrounding him. The only visible thing remaining was that of his body and the mat he was sitting on. Then, shooting stars appeared in the landscape, swirling into a circular vortex of stars, culminating a circular hole directly above the elder Alakazam.

Then, fierce wind blew past the Alakazam, and a thick mist coated in the area before taking shape in front of him, a familiar shape known to all Pokémon. A legendary now appeared before Etrin.

"You have summoned me, Etrin. I trust that the work is done, old friend?"

"Indeed, Dialga. I have directed our young friend as you have wished. But I must ask," He paused.

"What is on your mind, Etrin?"

"Why did you ask me to direct him to Meteoria? I even had to lie to him and say that friends would be waiting there, when in actuality it's an abandoned village."

"Meteoria is a place of culminated energy. Meteors ravaged the area around the town, and the 'Shower of Revolution' that took place several hundred years ago drastically changed the energy flow of Lyeris. The vortex of energy gathers at Meteoria."

"That still doesn't answer my question, old friend. Why there? What could be so vital about a site of a meteor shower that you had to send him there?"

"Well… you saw how he managed to use Time as a method of combat in the village, correct?"

"Yes. The day before, when he was fighting off the Arceains of the future."

"He will need those powers in the coming battle, and he will need to aid the Arceains of the present in their struggle. However, his powers have yet to fully awaken. Meteoria is where he will undergo the final trials. It is where he will realize his true potential, though that is only the first step. There are many more challenges for him to face, Meteoria is but the first."

"So, he's human. Might I ask why the Fate chose him?"

"That, even I do not know. Even as a Legend, I do not see all. Not even Arceus predicts the coming crisis. However, there is one thing the Legends can agree on. And that is, Risk will be the one to save us all."


A sword of the future, a blade of hidden prowess,

A flame of legend, a dragon of true solace,

An angel of the moon, a goddess of aid,

A light of hope, the leader of the crusade.