Laryon grabbed Theus' arms and pulled toward the tunnel behind him. He leaned forward, but moved back when Laryon let go from fatigue. Laryon, hearing a noise come from the bushes that made up the wall of the room, pulled Theus once more, this time making him go on his back. Laryon gasped.
Along Theus' back a thick streak of crimson showed through the leather of his cloak, oozing still as it hardened. Laryon forced himself to look away, pulling Theus with all his might toward the tunnel. Ever slowly he moved through the tunnel, many squawks and scrabbles emitting from the walls.
Laryon pulled Theus into the next room, noticing a strange darkness that now hung above them. The sky above had faded to orange, marking that dusk was approaching. Parasects, Beedrill and other wild Pokemon came from the walls, swiftly heading towards the Stairs.
"It can't be that late already!" Laryon exclaimed. A deep, rumbling moan came from above him, along with the startled cries of a variety of Pokemon.
Laryon continued pulling Theus, making it to the next tunnel and eventually to the next room. The moan came again, this time louder, causing the floor to quake. Trees creaked behind him, and Laryon saw the Trevenant.
It was far larger than any Pokemon Laryon had seen, the limbs the size of actual trees, and the single glowing eye as large as Laryon. Its claws gleamed, sharpened to points, and its mouth remained constantly open as he lumbered.
The hulking beast moved slowly, carrying its canopy-scraping girth to the next tunnel. Laryon stopped, assuming a fetal position as it passed. The Trevenant ignored him, making its way to the next room as fast as it could. Many Phantump trailed behind, moaning in fear as darkness loomed above.
Laryon stood up, realizing that the Phantump swarm didn't seem to stop. He was pushed by one, and another, and even more until there was a river of Phantump escaping the room. Hundreds of Phantump flowed, moving Laryon and Theus to the Stairs while following their master.
Laryon struggled to stay above the ghosts, pushing upward to remain breathing. Many of the Phantump simply rolled on top or in the middle, letting the Phantump behind them push them to safety. Theus, still unconscious, lay on top, the Phantump flowing underneath him as they struggled to escape.
Another groan came, rumbling the entire floor. The Phantump quickened their pace, emerging in the next room and flowing into the Stairs. Laryon entered with them, submerged by the onslaught. He looked up but only saw the fearful faces of the Phantump, failing to see Theus above. In his final glimpse of the floor, he saw trees pile on top of the stairs, and the fading cries of Phantump echoed through his ears.
Laryon dreamed. He saw the face of Azure, smiling warmly. He saw the face of Wenstrel, staring dazedly. He saw the face of Clera, sneering with contempt. He saw the face of Theus, grinning with cheer. He saw the face of the Magmortar, grimacing at his once-potential captive. He saw the Gengar, cackling vilely as he pursued him and Azure. He then saw an unfamiliar face, one of a lavender creature, one with the looks of hate...yet it looked in neutrality at him.
He moaned slightly, another apparition appearing. He stood in a burning village, Pokemon running from their homes in the darkness of night. Many other Pokemon pursued them, breathing fire, firing lightning, and controlling the elements, intending to kill the villagers. One led them all, going to and fro and witnessing the carnage: A black creature, looking around him and smiling with satisfaction.
The black, lupine creature stared down at him, pointing a dagger at the pendant around his neck. "Traitor!", it yelled. It leaped, the dagger shining in the moonlight that appeared. Above in the sky, blue eyes watched the event unfold.
Laryon's eyes shot open. He thought of the strange dream, wondering who that one with the dagger was, and why he called him a traitor. He thought of the lavender being, so filled with hate yet showed indifference with him. Last of all, he thought of the soulless blue eyes that witnessed the terrible ransack of the village.
He looked up, seeing a wooden ceiling instead of a leafy canopy. Startled, he lifted his head, seeing that this was not the Were-Forest but a cottage. A table in the corner with a basket of berries, a window revealing glorious sunshine, and other precious household items like a dresser and a mirror were within.
He thought he heard a voice, coming from outside, singing a beautiful song. He got up achingly, noticing that he had bandages wrapping his leg, arm, even forehead. He shuffled to the door, the voice growing louder as he opened it.
Theus lay next to a river on his chest, unmoving. Next to him sat a Garedevoir, her back turned to him, leaning over his back. A forest lay past the river, calls of birds coming from it. The Gardevoir was the source of the song, singing solemnly yet lovingly words of an aria:
"Oh, let this being heal this day
to go along his merry way.
If he does not come through this test
then let him have his well-earned rest.
I did not give these gracious tears
to make tell of my many fears.
I will not succumb to his face
For I heal the frail in this place.
I Arianne won't fail another..."
The Gardevoir straightened, stopping her song.
"...for I have learned these skills from mother." A purple pulse emanated from Theus, ending with a soft sparkle across his back.
Laryon stood placidly, soothed by the gentle song of who he thought was Arianne. He looked at Theus, remembering the wound he had suffered from the Trevenant.
Arianne stood up, staying still for a few moments. Laryon looked attentively, wondering if the song had done anything. He wanted to go closer to Theus, to make sure that the soothing song had somehow affected him. He wanted to meet this stranger, to know why she would bring them to her house. Most of all, he wanted to know if Theus was alive.
After a moment of tension, Theus' back rose slowly, then relaxed after.
Laryon sighed with relief, and Arianne nodded slowly. Theus began to rise steadily into the air, coming up to her waist. She turned to the door, her eyes closed and arms crossed against her waist, and began to walk to it, with Theus hovering nearby.
"Please move Riolu. This Lucario must be inside." she said. Taken aback, Laryon went back into the cottage, wondering how she knew that he was there.
Theus soon entered the doorway, hovering still, with Arianne coming after. Her eyes remained closed and her arms remained crossed as she set Theus atop the bed that Laryon laid on moments ago.
"He will live, but my only fear is that his back will not recover. Few have exited the Were-Forest since I settled here, and any who have did not live long after attempts to heal them. This Pokemon is strong in heart, mind and strength to have come here." She said. She turned to Laryon, who now sat on a wicker chair in the corner.
"It is a miracle that the Trevenant carried you here. When dusk falls the wild Pokemon that live within the Revenant Woods flee their home, waiting until dawn for the Mystery Dungeon to shift its path and replenish their sustenance." She stated. She turned to the window and continued, " I usually remain here in my home until the Trevenant and his minions return, but this time I felt that I must greet them. For some reason, the lord Trevenant carried you and the Phantump carried the Lucario. They have only ever shown malice to travelers, but they have shown respect to you." She turned back to Laryon, eyes still closed, and asked, "Why would that be?"
Laryon looked up at the elegant Gardevoir, and replied, "I don't know. All I remember is being caught in a swarm of Phantump, and trees falling on top of the stairs as I went down. I wasn't sure if I or even Theus would make it." Arianne looked to Theus, slumbering peacefully still.
She paused for a moment, her face blank, and then said, "So that is your companion's name." She turned back to Laryon and asked, "What would your name be?"
Laryon replied, "My name is Laryon. I came from a village called Respit, but it got attacked... we had to go into the Were-Forest to escape." Arianne simply smiled, and came to her knees to be face-to-face with Laryon.
"My name is Arianne. I am a Healer from a village named Karyon, which has long since been gone. I came here to Revenant Glade, which is the exit of the Revenant Forest, or as you call it the Were-Forest, to train in the healing arts with my mother." She put her hand on Laryon's knee, smiling still.
"I figured that since you were open to me, I might as well be the same with you." She added. Laryon looked to Theus, crestfallen.
"When do you think he'll wake up?" Arianne looked to him, her smile fading.
"It is hard to say. Some recover quickly, while others take a long time. He looks like an Explorer, and a hardy one at that, one who has encountered many a situation." Arianne stood up, walking to the table. "I expect that you will be ready to go within one or two weeks. The wound caused by the Trevenant cut deep, and he will be lucky if his spine had not broken." She looked down at her hands and continued, "My Heal Pulse is strong, but it has limits."
Arianne picked up the berry basket, bringing it to Laryon. She held it out generously, saying, "You may stay as long as you need. The Glade provides plenty of food for all, and so long as you don't go out at night, the wild Pokemon won't bother you. They are quite friendly during the day, so much so that they sometimes ask me to heal them." Laryon took the basket appreciatively, famished from his trip in the dungeon, and while eating Arianne added, looking at the two chairs next to the table, "It would also be nice to have some company..."
Laryon, while chewing on an Oran berry, asked, "Thank you so much! We really-" He gulped the berry and continued, "Mean it! I'm sure that if Theus were awake he would be grateful!"
While Laryon continued to eat berries, Arianne looked over to Theus, her eyes still closed. "I'm sure he would..." She whispered to herself, her face one of concern.
Thunder boomed above the Isle of Regret, the inhabitant making one of his rare crossings from one tunnel to another. Lightning flashed, revealing Mewtwo in the storm above.
He floated above the many rocks, protecting his feet, while he ventured to what he called the Insight Tunnel. He didn't usually go far from the Living Tunnel, but he needed to make the trip. Why? To receive insight on the one named Laryon.
He entered the miniscule tunnel, barely large enough for the height of Mewtwo. "Someday I need to expand that..." Mewtwo muttered as he scraped his head across the entrance.
The tunnel, short as it was, held a very important treasure to the Legend: The Mystic Orb. Before his isolation, he took to exploring the Mystery Dungeons the world had to offer. On one such occasion he found the Mystic Orb on a pedestal in a dungeon that has long since stopped shifting. Now it sits on an earthen pedestal in a very different location.
He came to it, smirking while he said, "What makes you so special to have that Pendant, Laryon, nephew to Matheus?" He pressed his fingers against its surface, and gasped in pain.