Chapter 23

Forest part 6

Snake Venom

The Mightyena forces gathered on roofs, listening to Zevulun give his orders in silence. There are supposed two hundred guards insides and four hundred outside at all times. Two platoons were to remain at the entrance of the city to prevent reinforcements. Three would head inside to capture the facility, and the rest would remain outside as the last defense for incoming reinforcements.

Of course, Iota was charged with storming the castle with Alpha and Theta. The forty squads would go from roof to roof, towards the palace. Zanuark and his squad would head around back and climb into a window. He was to find the leader and make sure he didn't get away.

As howling could be heard outside multiple guards would rush through the halls, Zanuark and his squad kept silent, waiting for the guards to pass. He flicked his ear and the squad moved silently and low to the ground.

"Come on, this way." A voice said. As the voice grew closer, the squad hid in the shadows. A silver Leafeon ran down the hall past them, three females, and one was his age, followed after him, along with some guards. The Leafeon came to a halt and faced a wall pressing his paws to it. The wall began to open up. Zanuark admired brilliantly at how effective they were at hiding this chamber. The four Leafeon and four guards went into this chamber. The others would close the door and began running farther down.

Zanuark waited and then signaled for his squad to come help him open the chamber. It took a moment but they finally thrust open the secret door. To his despair, a long stair case as far as he could see going downwards could be seen. Zanuark shook his head, and shouted, "Come on! Keep up and if you can't, catch up!" Zanuark began a furious descent almost tripping a few times. Leaping and skipping a few steps at a time, he continued down quickly at a dangerous pace, only three others could match him, the rest were quickly left out of sight.

They finally reached the bottom of the stair case after a long while of running, where they came across a long spiraling downward hallway. Zanuark sighed and would this time bolt at full speed, losing the rest of his squad. He was going fast to the point he was not able to turn fast enough, and found himself running on the wall part of the time. Zanuark continued to run till eight figures appeared, they turned and the guards stood in the way.

"Ah, shit." Zanuark panted before crashing into the guards, sending them flying out of the way as he rammed into the silver Leafeon stumbling down for a few moments then stopping.

"Get off me, you, what even are you?" The silver one shouted.

Zanuark got up and shook his head. "I'm the one who is not going to let you get away from this siege, and telling you to march yourself back to that palace, castle, thing."

The silver one looked puzzled. You, are going to make me go back, when there are four of my most elite, me, and my mate, who are both among the strongest in this forest, all go back?

"Yes." Zanuark answered.

The group began to laugh at him, their laughter echoing through the winding hall way. The silver one unsheathed his claws and swiped at Zanuark without warning. Zanuark would bat his paw away shaking his head.

"You couldn't have resolved this peacefully and create allegiance to the empire I am helping to forge…" Zanuark sighed.

He leapt at the leader, extending his claws and digging into his sides. He yelped at this and rolled down slightly and kicked Zanuark off. Zanuark got up quickly and was back. The leader this time would leap expecting Zanuark to do so himself. Zanuark stood where he was and head butt himself into the leader, causing him to stumble back. The silver Leafeon growled looking at his guards.

"Don't just stand there!" He hissed through gritted teeth.

The guards would start their run for Zanuark but were quickly met with strong blasts knocking them down. The rest of Zanuark's squad ran over surrounding the last four. Zanuark trotted over and grabbed the leader by the back of his neck with his teeth. "C'mon ladies, field trip is over." He said through grit teeth. Zanuark began to walk upwards dragging the silver Leafeon who continued to struggle and become free. Zanuark continued to drag him till the leader finally gave up.

"Alright, walk the rest of the way, we want to hear your statement of unconditional surrender." Zanuark ordered. They began their long walk, and Zanuark found himself herding everyone up as they grew tired. Zanuark continued to walk where he saw Zevulun at the top of the stairs. He had three squads to accompany him. Zanuark nodded to Zevulun who took over. Zanuark lied down in a shaded cold corner drifting into sleep. He welcomed it, feeling his muscles ache from walking up the incline for a while.

His squad would drift into sleep with him. Managing to block out the noise from outside somehow. Zanuark's star began to glow in his sleep, in his dream, everything was a shade of red. He wasn't sure what he was looking at. He thought he saw Kaisa for a moment, she was staring at something, something Zanuark couldn't make out. His weird vision was cut short by somebody prodding his side.

"Your turn, get up and go outside. It's a beautiful day out." Somebody was telling him. He shook his head and got to his paws.

Zanuark yawned, "Alright boys, let's get a move on." The Mightyena and Jolteon got to their feet and padded to Zanuark and they began their walk out. Zanuark remained at the entrance a moment longer before charging in with his squad. They continued to fight all days, to which squads were constantly breaking off for food and rest. Zanuark's squad abandoned him to go in to rest when night came. Zanuark continued to fight, all the way till dawn. Fire would streak across the sky, exploding brilliant with a burning red cloud. It was over. The empire forces cheered loudly at their victory as the guards stood down. Everyone began walking away and in this battle, there actually was death. Zanuark counted up the corpses, counting eight Jolteon and nineteen Mightyena. He looked around at the Leafeon soldiers, thirty perhaps. He saw one broken down mourning at a body.

Zanuark approached, sitting by the mourning Leafeon. It was a female, likely the mate of the one who lied limp before him. "What do you want you damned murderer?" She growled.

Zanuark shook his head and spoke up, "This is wrong. This fighting, I'm sorry for your loss, and I can only offer you my sorrows as well, though I may not have lost someone close to me in this battle, I'm afraid I'll be losing many with age."

The Leafeon shoved Zanuark away with her paws, scowling at him. Zanuark nodded. "I'll leave you then, I have to help with our fallen."

Zanuark began walking over and dragging his fallen allies into the palace. He'd help out with the guards dragging their own to their families. He finished and snuck off to begin his trek early back to the base camp. He reached the bottom where he fell asleep again taking another rest. Once more, he dreamed of a red vision, he saw Kaisa and Julia this time, this time, Julia was wrapped up in the coils of some rope like creature. Her shouting in pain would wake Zanuark out of his sleep.

Zanuark took off running the forty, fifty mile trek. Faster than he had ever been. Crashing through bushes and thicket leaving thorns all over his body. He continued to run, not stopping to think of his own condition. The sun began to rise and the first castle came into sight. He ran past the castle to which he was greeted by a few Leafeon, who asked where he was going, how was he, is it over, and where the rest of the army was. He ignored the questions and kept running. He could smell Kaisa and Julia as he approached. He saw them, Julia was wrapped up in the long winding tail of an Arbok. It was playing with its food, running its tongue up the Leafeon's body over and over. He saw Kaisa under it, struggling to get out but was unable with its weight.

"Get off them!" Zanuark shouted, crashing into the creature. Kaisa and Julia stumbled getting free and moved away. The Arbok coiled itself up looking at Zanuark, sizing him up. It sprung from its coil, snapping its fangs at him. It sprung once more, and Zanuark dodged. Zanuark quickly sprung at the Arbok, slashing at its side, ripping scales and drawing blood. It once more hissed at Zanuark and leaped at him before he could land. Zanuark unprepared, got caught in its bite, its fangs ripping flesh and bighting bone.

He screamed in agonizing pain, scaring off many of the uncivilized Pokémon away. Zanuark reached down and bit into the Arbok's head, where its throat would be. He bit down and tore out part of its esophagus. The Arbok let go and would hiss, whipping its body to the ground rapidly until it finally went limp.

Kaisa and Julia rushed over to Zanuark's side. He slowly got up gritting his teeth. "Don't worry, I'll be-…" Zanuark didn't finish his sentence when he fell over. The world began to become blurry, and the last thing he saw was Kaisa frantically shouting and Julia horrified. His eyes slowly shut and the world fell to silence.