CH.11 Your Darkest Hour

The man behind all the destruction walked in to find his prisoner hung up on a wall inside a container. His arms were pulled out as far as they would go held by bands of energy. His feet and legs had been chained together by the same type of bands that were on his arms.

Andes held his head down in shame feeling as if he had been trampled on by a thousand people. "Oh do perk up a little, even though it won't really matter soon," the man said staring at his long sought after prize.

"I've always wanted to be in the presence of a true hero. Your aura alone is breathtaking," the man said. "I'm not a hero. I don't even deserve that title for what I've done. If you want a hero, you should meet Ash," Andes said his breathing heavy.

"Ah yes, Ash Ketchum. I've met him once, and he was a thorn in my side," the man said bitterly. The door to the holding area slid open. Zonadas walked in along with Tonanam and Souna. Zonadas had a strange device thrown over his shoulder.

"Well I'm glad to have had the privilege of speaking with the last Guardian," the man said stepping back. Zonadas adjusted the device before slamming it over Andes chest cracking two of his ribs. "Zonadas, easy now. We need him alive," Tonanam said.

"What's it matter he's not gonna feel a thing soon anyways," Zonadas said twisting a metal bar on the device. It tightened around Andes' body squeezing the air out of his lungs.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye my mysterious Guardian," the man said, his eyes full of greed. Souna typed in a code and stepped back from the device on Andes' chest. Sparks shot from it and a green light formed on his chest.

Andes began to cry out in pain as his life was being stolen from him literately right before his eyes. Andes struggled against the bands that held him in place. All the veins on his body began to come to the surface of is skin.

Finally he froze and his skin lost it's color. His head tilted to the side, his eyes still open seemingly staring back at his captors. In the device's clear tube was a soft blue light. "It's more beautiful than I had imagined," the man said taking the tube from the device.

He slowly opened the tube. The instant air touched the light it hardened into a small jewel. The man smiled as it slid into his hand. "At long last I can finally get back at that brat," he said grinning. He turned to the others in the room. "Come, we have one last order of business," he said looking back at Andes one last time.

The Guardian was left hanging there like a picture. A black burn mark on his chest told of his sad fate. His lifeless eyes stared at the floor no longer full of life. They had lost their red tent and had turned brown again. The triangle on his chest was now gone.

The cruel man held the jewel tightly in his hand. "Latios I now command you, come to me!" he exclaimed, over whelmed by his lust for revenge. On the ground Latios dropped to the street's hard surface and started to thrash about madly.

Ash and the others watched as red bolts of static traveled through his body. "Latios what's wrong?" Ash asked now worried for the eon pokemon. Latios suddenly rose and assaulted Ash. Charizard quickly engulfed Latios in flames driving the dragon away from Ash.

Latios roared and took off towards the floating fort. "Something bad must have happened to Andes," Ash said watching Latios disappear into the fortress. Ash jumped back onto Charizard and gave it the order to pursue the eon pokemon.

Within minutes the group of heroes were in front of the massive flying structure. "Now how do we get in?" Misty asked. The doors on the underside suddenly fell open. Latias rushed up to meet them.

"Just in time to watch these guys pay for what they've done," Gary said turning to Latias. The group landed inside the floating behemoth ready to bring who ever was behind all this down. Gary and Latias ran through the door not waiting for Ash or Misty. Ash was about to follow but Misty grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey Ash," Misty said looking at him with a serious look on her face. "Yeah what is it?" Ash said taken a bit by surprise. "I just wanted to let you know that, I'm impressed that you've matured a little, and," she hesitated before finally pressing her lips to his.

Ash was stunned, but deep down he had always felt the same way about her as well.

"Lets go show these guys what we're made of," Misty said breaking away from Ash. He nodded and both took off through the door. "It seems as though I have a rat problem," the man said watching them through security cameras.

"Andes, boy snap out of it. I thought you were taught better than to sleep on the job," a voice echoed. Andes opened his eyes to see shiny white clouds above him. A man stepped over him and held out his hand. He grabbed it and was pulled up in a flash.

"Andes looked around to see nothing that wasn't sparkling. "Am I dead?" he finally asked. The man shook his head and sighed. "Well most people don't have their soul's energy ripped out and live to talk about it," the man replied.

Andes sighed disappointed. He then looked back up at the man. His mouth almost hit the ground. "You look like you've never seen your dad before," the man said smiling at him.

Andes hugged his father tightly no longer caring if he was dead or not. "Hey where's mom if you're here?" he asked looking around. "She around, she's not to fond of staying still," his dad replied.

Andes walked by his father's side and talked for what seemed to be an eternity. "Where are we anyways?" Andes asked. "Son, this is the realm of the legends," his father said pointing up to Dialga, and many other legendary pokemon.

Andes was stunned by what he saw. There were also people walking next to them. "Those are some of the original seventy two Guardians," his dad said pointing to them. "Dad, what's mom like? I mean I've never even seen her," Andes said. "She's the most beautiful woman in the world, and she's always watched over you,"Vanstrin said.

Despite being in this paradise Andes still seemed down. "What's wrong son don't you like it here? Trust me you wouldn't like the other place they send people," his father said. "That's not it dad, it's just I feel like I let the whole world down," Andes said looking up at him. "Well I can't say I'm proud of some of the stuff you did, but I do feel sorry for you that you never found out who your real partner as," His dad said patting him on the shoulder.

"Dad, is it true that we were tied to the Latis?" Andes asked remembering Latios' words the first night they'd met. "Yes, we are along that line, and why Latios was not your partner is a mystery," his father said. Vanstrin stopped a second as an idea came to him. "I know someone who may know though," he said.

Father and son walked towards a giant stone structure suspended in mid air. "Great one, are you there?" Vanstrin called out. The air suddenly was filled with a sweet perfume. "I am Vanstrin," came a voice that echoed endlessly. A image started to materialize before the two and Vanstrin bowed his head. Andes stood in awe at the figure before them.

"W-who are you?" Andes asked still filled with wonder yet fear at the same time. "I am called many names, none of which can fully describe me," the entity said coming down to his level. Andes tried to speak but words escaped him. "I know why you have come, and your answer is simple. What I do I do for a reason, that is all you need to know, it said.

"Um excuse me," Andes started. "Why do you ask me to do something that has not happened yet?" the voice asked knowing what Andes was going to ask. "If I'm here that means I'm dead, right?" Laughter seemed to echoed all around him. "You re simply in a coma. Though that man of sin may have your Guardian's soul, he does not have your spirit," it said. "Your life on earth is not yet finished, and until it is I shall not move you from there," the voice said.