Ch.36: Pursuing the Blood Moon Rogue! Encounter with the Mage of Fire!

Tony patted his content stomach, exhaling a sigh of satisfaction. "Ah, that was a great meal!"

Mack picked at his teeth with a toothpick. "Heh, you said it. Haven't ate that well since…well, this morning!" He threw his head back and laughed.

Holly lowered her head, with her eye twitched. "Almost makes you wonder how our bill shot up so fast, huh?"

Mack looked over his shoulder with a bored expression. "Oh sure, blame it on me. We'll just ignore that we were paying for two other people."

"Mack, I'm not sure if you noticed this, but you eat more than you weigh!" the Lurantis shouted angrily. "How is that freakin' possible?! You're like a Snorlax, only you're also a loudmouthed pest!"

Mack chuckled and rubbed his chest pridefully. "Just doing my job."

Gwyn calmly walked behind the fuming Lurantis, smiling nervously. She chose to stay out of the altercation entirely. She was not getting herself roped into a mess like this. Hehe…good friends? Yeah, I can see it.

After finishing lunch, the group were walking back to the hotel to settle matters with Griffin. Tony and Gwyn had to explain some things to the two bounty hunters since even they were curious what was so important about their key. They tried their best to tiptoe around the Idol of Origin since they still barely knew these two. For the time being, it was best to keep it secret for now.

Tony slowed his pace so he could be by Gwyn's side. While the bounty hunters bickered among each other, the Dewott leaned toward the Mew and said, "Do you suppose Wes and Flint found the passage by now?"

She smiled and nodded. "I have full confidence that they did."

Tony chuckled, then slid his hands into his pockets. "I'm honestly pretty excited. If what you guys told me about the last temple is true, I'm expected one heck of a fight."

"Oh, you know it!" Gwyn raised her fist. "I'm looking forward to it myself!" She frowned. "Though, I'm a little worried." She glanced at Tony. "Thing is, last time, the mage protecting it was merciless when it came to protecting that key. I was worried he would have killed Wes."

"Yikes. Their job is no joke, huh?" Tony looked forward, then shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, we can handle it. Besides…" He cracked his knuckles with a smirk. "I'm looking forward to showing off some new tricks!"

Gwyn smiled, then looked down at her bag. She patted the side, saying, "So am I."

"Hey, you two." Tony and Gwyn stopped and saw Holly pointing in the direction of the hotel. Her face showed concern. "What's going on over there?"

They stepped forward and saw a crowd of Pokémon surrounding the hotel. The four got closer and could make out the horrorstricken faces they possessed. Murmurs of concern echoed from the crowd, leaving the small group curious as to what had them so worried.

They ran the rest of the way and looked at the building. Much to their own horror, they saw damage done to the front entrance. Glass was shattered, walls were torn apart, and, while hard to make out, the inside was scorched black. They could see firefighters walking out after taking care of the damage.

"What the heck happened here?" Mack asked aloud, brow raised curiously.

Holly glanced to the side and saw paramedics attending to injured Pokémon on the street. "Something horrible, that's for sure."

Gwyn clutched Tony's arm with a scared expression. "Tony, what's going on?"

The Dewott narrowed his eyes at the damage. From what he could assess, the damage was not due to a fight between two or more individuals, unlike the conflict that took place earlier in the day. From the way the glass was shattered indicated a deliberate break in from the outside. An unnecessary action, meaning the attacker, or attackers, wanted to be seen.

He observed the damage that continued up the building. More smashed windows, but he could make out the tiniest display of red across the white curtains. It was hard to see all the way up, just on the first few stories.

He clenched his fist. "Who the heck could have done this?" He felt Gwyn squeeze harder on his arm. He looked and saw her horrified face. "Gwyn, what's wrong?!"

Her eyes were watery with fear. "Ella…she was in the hotel with Griffin…"

Tony's eyes widened, then faced the building with all new brands of alarm. "Oh no…" He grabbed Gwyn by the arm and dragged her through the crowd, not bothering to apologize to the Pokémon he was shoving out of the way. "Move it, people! Get out of my way!"

Pokémon fell over as Tony forced his way through the crowd. He got near the entrance, but it was being blocked by two officers, a Drifblim and a Quagsire. They noticed Tony and Gwyn trying to sneak around, so they blocked their path. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Quagsire shouted. "Back up, you two. This is a crime scene."

"Well, it's going to be a bigger one if you don't let us through!" Tony barked, then snarled.

Drifblim glared. "We don't appreciate threats, boy. We're keeping everyone out for their protection."

"Listen, gas bag, one of our friends is probably in there! If you don't let us through, I'm going to-!"

Gwyn pulled Tony back. "Tony, you're not helping!"

"Sir, please get back!" the Drifblim pressed on.

Tony glared, then closed his eyes. He exhaled angrily, then kicked the caution tape before storming off. Gwyn looked back with a worried expression, deeply concerned for the safety of her friend.

They regrouped with the bounty hunters, with Holly asking, "I'm guessing they wouldn't let you through."

Tony clenched his fist. "I swear, if anything happened to Ella, those cops will be the first to get it."

"Tony, they're only doing their jobs," Gwyn reminded. "Maybe you should be focusing your anger on who did this."

Tony huffed, then frowned. "Right…sorry, I'm just…" He shook his head. "I really hope Ella's okay." The Mew patted his back in sympathy.

"Hey, guys!" They turned and saw Wes and Flint running over. They were panting pretty hard and looked worried. "We…have a problem! A big, BIG problem!"

Flint looked over at the hotel, then blinked. "Wait, what's going on here?"

Tony pinched between his eyes, exhaling his anger before saying, "I don't know the exact details, but what I do know is someone went on a fun time massacre in the hotel."

Wes' eyes widened. "Who did what?!" He looked at the building in panic. "Ella!" He nearly bolted for the entrance, but Tony grabbed him by the jacket.

"Don't bother. Cops won't let anyone in."

"But Ella! We need to make sure she's alright!"

Holly narrowed her eyes at the cops. She groaned. "Well, using magic might be an issue. If I remember correctly, cops are trained to dispel any illusions should anyone pull a stunt."

"Typical," Tony spat in annoyance.

Flint narrowed his eyes at the two bounty hunters, then looked at Tony. "Are these Griffin's friends?"

"Holly and Mack, yep," he said passingly as he held his face. His mind was more focused on Ella's safety, as was Wes'.

Gwyn narrowed her eyes, then looked at Flint. "Flint, what was Wes talking about just a moment ago? The big, big problem he mentioned?"

"What?" Flint immediately remembered and slapped himself. "Oh crap, that!" He grabbed her by the shoulders. "The shadows are here! In the city!"

"WHAT?!" Gwyn, along with Tony, cried in shock.

"Huh?" Holly and Mack expressed in confusion.

"We saw one hovering over us when we found the passage way! If there's one here, that means there's bound to be more! They know where the temple is now! We need to get Ella and rush back to the temple before they have a chance to get the key! We can't risk delay!"

Tony narrowed his eyes at the hotel, then glanced at Flint. "You said shadows are here, right?" He glared at the hotel furiously. "Does anyone else find this hotel attack suddenly less random?"

Wes blinked, then glared angrily. "Oh, I swear, if anything happened to Ella, someone's gonna get it!"

"Okay, time out!" Everyone paused from their aggressive outbursts and turned to the two bounty hunters with them. Mack stepped forward, arms behind his back, and sneered suspiciously at the four. "What in the hell is going on here? What's all this talk about shadows and temples?"

Wes suddenly became nervous, then raised his paws and shook them with a trembling, awkward grin. "O-Oh, that? T-There's nothing going on, I assure you!"

Mack narrowed his eyes, then leaned towards the Umbreon with a judging eye staring him down. "How stupid do you think I am? Don't answer that, the answer might surprise you." He jabbed the Umbreon's side. "Point is, you're holding out on us."

"Enough!" Gwyn shouted before separating the two. "We have no time to act like enemies!" She pointed at the bounty hunters. "Need I remind you that your friend is in the same building as ours? While chained up? We can't afford to be bickering right now!"

Wes, Flint, and Tony stared at the Mew with blank, yet surprised stares. For a normally soft-spoken Mew, she was surprisingly authoritative when angry. Guess she picked some of that up from her recent travels.

Holly crossed her arms. "She's right, this isn't the time or place." She glared at the two officers up front. "We need to get into that building and find out what happened."

Mack narrowed his eyes lazily, then shrugged. "Well, if it's a distraction you want…" He walked away from them, much to their confusion. He walked up to a building, grabbed it by the corner, and tore off a chunk with surprising ease. He tossed it up and down in his hand before glaring at the two officers. He reared his arm back and lined up the shot before throwing it straight at them.

Since Drifblim didn't have anything to keep himself grounded, the thrown slab of concrete that nailed his face bounced him into the hotel and knocked him into the indoor fountain. A splash of water rose up and washed over the sides. His eyes spin dizzily as he spat water out.

Quagsire gasped in shock, then turned to the crowd angrily. "Alright, who did that?!"

"Surprise, copper!" Quagsire was then tackled by Mack, who wrapped his arms around him. He brought the officer to the ground, then smirked in his face. "Hello~!" He punched him across the face, then leaped off. He laughed out loud, dancing in place.

Quagsire pushed himself up and growled. "Assaulting an officer of the law is a punishable offense!"

Mack stuck his tongue. "Not if you can't catch me!" He laughed his head off and ran in the opposite direction.

Quagsire growled, then looked at his partner as he pulled himself out of the fountain. "After him!" Drifblim nodded, then they chased after the laughing bounty hunter.

Team Ravenfield and Holly ran up to the front of the crowd, utterly flabbergasted by the Sudowoodo's choice of action. "Did he…he actually just…?" Flint mumbled with a twitching eye.

Holly held her face and groaned. "Mack, you idiot." She ran off after him. "Find your friend and Griffin! I'm gonna make sure Mack doesn't do anything stupid!"

Team Ravenfield watched the Lurantis chased after the two officers and her maniac friend, who was now throwing tables and chairs at them before fleeing once again. They looked at each other and nodded before making a beeline to the stairway system.

Griffin pulled himself onto the top of the volcano, having finished the long trek up. He dusted his shoulders off, then slid his hands into his jacket pockets. He walked up to the edge of the volcanic vent and peered down. He immediately noticed the stair system that descended into the ground. According to the shadow that reported to Nightmare, that was the entrance to this supposed temple.

Griffin narrowed his eyes. Just as he examined the bottom, the boss shadow himself appeared around him. He placed a clawed hand on his shoulder and leaned forward. He chuckled darkly. "Take it all in, my friend. What you're witnessing is the first step to ultimate power. A step closer to detaching yourself from your mortal form. Think you're up to the task?"

Griffin closed his eyes, then emitted a burst of pressure that shoved the shadow off him. "Don't patronize me." Then, in a surprising move, he jumped off the edge. Nightmare flew over the edge, quite shock by the move.

However, Griffin was prepared. Right before leaving the hotel, he snagged one of Gwyn's heat resistance potions she had laying around on a vial rack. He pulled it out, popped the cork off, and guzzled the concoction down. He crushed the vial in his hand and let the glass pieces fly out.

He landed on his feet, depressing the ground through the force. His feet steamed from contact with the hot rock, but the potion soon took effect and increased his natural tolerance. He straightened himself up and walked toward the stairs.

Nightmare flew down and floated alongside him. He folded his arms behind his back. "Well, that was a bold move. Your usefulness would have been expended if you burned up."

Griffin glared over his shoulder, then focused back on the stairs. His eyes glowed red. He could see the flow of magic rushing out from below. Thick vapor waves resembling strands of flame. A ton of magic was inside the temple. There was great power inside. Power he will soon fight.

This might get interesting.

Griffin took the first step down. Nightmare followed behind as they descended down the stairs. The boss shadow hissed. "This magic is unbearable." He smirked. "But it won't be my problem."

Griffin glared at him. "Do you ever shut up?"

Nightmare sneered at him. "Watch your tongue, boy. I can vaporize you on the spot if I wish."

Griffin rolled his eyes and resumed looking ahead. "Big talk you're putting up."

Nightmare floated in front of him and jabbed him in the chest. "Do you wish to test my patience?"

Griffin raised a brow. "Sure, why not?" He walked around him, then smugly added, "Though, the moment you lose your temper, I get the last laugh."

Nightmare glared at the bounty hunter in annoyance. He picked up his pace and rejoined his side. "You're lucky I need you." He glared ahead. "I do not know if I am strong enough to battle the mage who guards the key. You, however, might be of use."

Griffin glanced at him. "You're the one who can supposedly vaporize me. Why do you need my help?"

Nightmare smirked. "Less work for me."

Griffin closed his eyes. "Of course…"

The stairs went on for a while, but they finally reached the bottom. They stepped into a corridor. It was completely made of volcanic rock. Strangely enough, Griffin couldn't feel the same heat he felt above ground, despite being deeper underground. The temple must be keeping itself at a reasonable temperature.

The bounty hunter and boss shadow walked down the corridor. Torches hanging from the wall lit up unexpectedly as they passed, giving light to the darkness. Nightmare hissed in annoyance, but kept focus. He had to keep his guard up since these temples were under heavy surveillance for the key's utmost protection.

They came to the end of the corridor, with two passageways leading in opposite directions. Griffin narrowed his eyes, then crouched down. He placed his palm against the ground as he sensed the magical energy flowing through the air. The most heavily guarded area of the temple was bound to have the most magic surrounding it.

While he did that, Nightmare looked around curiously. His eyes narrowed curiously. He felt a strange presence around him. Something seemed to be…watching them.

Nightmare clenched his teeth. "Hurry up and find the damn key, boy!"

Griffin's closed eyes shaped into a glare. "Do you wish to be incinerated?"

Nightmare growled. "The forces we are up against is nothing to joke about." He formed an orb of darkness in his hand. "I have my ways of making you cooperate."

Griffin scoffed. "You don't scare me."

Nightmare narrowed his eyes. "Do you know of the war the waged hundreds of years ago? My forces eradicated you puny mortals with ease. We outlasted you lower lifeforms for decades."

Griffin stood up and glanced to his right. "And yet, after the Pokémon learned to utilize magic, your asses got kicked in only five years." He looked over his shoulder. "Remind me again who outlasted who." Nightmare's jaw twitched in frustration. He raised his sparking hand at the bounty hunter. "You're losing your cool, shadow." He slid his hands into his pockets and walked ahead. "It's this way."

Nightmare was struck silent, unable to retort. He closed his jaw and huffed in annoyance. He continued to follow the bounty hunter, only silently. You'll get your reward in due time, Pokémon. Just you wait.

They walked down the new corridor, unware of the fiery hand reaching around the corner. The face of a Fire Guardian peeked around the side, its red eyes glowing intimidatingly. The eyes focused on the two trespassers, transmitting the image deeper into the temple.

Observing the image of the trespassers was the Fire Mage herself, Seraphina. Concealed in her robes, she walked around the crystal ball that showed her trespassers.

The room she resided in was regal in appearance. A desk of golden color with an ink and quill sitting off to the side. A red rug over her stone floor. Shelves of spell books lined up. The walls of the room, however, were surrounded in thick curtains of lava, blocked off by transparent barriers. The room had a brilliant glow that lit up the room in orange, yellow, and red light that constantly moved.

Seraphina ran her finger along the crystal ball, then expanded the image of Griffin and Nightmare. "Hmm…a shadow? How dreadful. What a vile creature." She kneeled down and expanded the image on Griffin. "But you…your aura is not corrupted with darkness."

She observed the bounty hunter as he navigated his way through the several corridors, passageways, and stairs making up her temple. Despite taking some wrong turns since he was going off magic sensing alone, he was navigating fairly well.

"No…your aura is corrupted, but not from evil." She focused hard on the Grovyle. "Yes, this is the energy fed by anger. Fascinating."

Rings of fire sprouted behind her, then erupted upwards. They formed three Fire Guardians that bowed to her obediently. Seraphina stepped away from the crystal ball, then snapped her fingers.

"Eliminate the shadow, but only restrain the bounty hunter." She looked at them. "Should he find my chamber, leave him to me." The Fire Guardians bowed once again, then vanished into bursts of sparks.

Griffin knocked on a wall, pressing the side of his head against it. "Hmm…" Everywhere they went, it was corridor after corridor. Find something solely by the means of magic was no easy task to accomplish, given that this was vastly different from tracking someone down from miles away. In such a condensed space with different ways to turn, he might as well be walking through a maze blindfolded.

Nightmare hissed in annoyance. "Have you found the key?"

"What did I say about shutting up?" Griffin retorted as he stood up. He narrowed his eyes. "Keep blathering and I might as well cut the deal here and now."

Nightmare glared. "Don't act smug."

Griffin looked around. He dragged his hand against the wall as he walked. He narrowed his eyes. "You never did explain to me what this artifact you seek is."

Nightmare closed his eyes and smirked. "All you need to know is that the relic could make the weakest of your species a god. In the right hands, it grants the user power beyond comprehension." He chuckled. "My master sought this artifact in his lifetime." He sighed. "Sadly, he, along with my forces, were sealed away for centuries."

He raised his arms up high. "But, through the divine might of my lord and master, he was able to resurrect once more and bring me to his aid." He bowed. "I seek to bring the untold power to him and restore him to his former-!"

"I asked about the artifact. I don't care for the rest," Griffin interrupted bluntly.

Nightmare grounded his teeth together and dug his claws into the walls. Suddenly, taking orders from Aeternus is looking much more pleasing. The boss shadow sighed heavily, trying to keep himself calm. "The artifact is known as the Idol of Origin."

Griffin stopped and crouched down, sensing the magic surging through the ground. "The all-powerful reality breaking relic of myth?" He glared. "Yep, sounds like a godly artifact."

Nightmare smirked deviously. He floated next to his head and whispered, "Yes. With that power, my master will be able to accomplish anything. And, for your services, he can bestow that power onto you, too. Think about it. The world would tremble under your feet. You would be a force of darkness that cannot be tamed."

Griffin stood up. "Heh…that does sound like quite the offer."

"Exactly." He floated up to his face. "If the power I promise sounds tempting, the power of a god would be irresistible." He laughed darkly. "So, I expect full cooperation. Unwavering loyalty. Submission to the darkness."

Griffin walked around him. "Getting that key means power." He narrowed his eyes. "Hmm…"

Nightmare grinned evilly, believing his words were working their way into his thoughts. Soon, the temptation would drive the Grovyle to serve under the Tribe of Shadows. He'll become a powerful ally that will lay waste to the Pokémon and bring their master a step closer to glory. It was only a matter of time.

Griffin ceased walking and turned around, his eyes narrowed cautiously. Nightmare blinked, then he began to sense a strange presence behind him. He floated back and morphed his arms into blades. Griffin brought out Endless Regret and raised it.

He could feel the sword drawing in an unnatural flow of magic, not what was typically flowing through the air. Something made of magic was nearby and, from his experience on the road, it was not friendly.

Nightmare looked over his shoulder before suddenly feeling a rise in heat below him. He looked down and saw a ring of fire. Quick in his movements, he dodged the pillar of fire that nearly shot him. Griffin noticed another ring of fire and leaped out of the way.

The boss shadow and bounty hunter looked around and saw rings of fire not only appearing on the floor, but the ceiling and walls, too. The pillars shot with complex angles, some that seemed illogical and others actually curving in midair. Griffin slashed through the middle of the pillars, letting them slide pass him with minimal damage, then leaped away from one under his feet.

Griffin spun his sword and jabbed it into the ground before releasing a pressure wave of energy across the floor. Rock split open and fired blood red energy, destroying the fire rings on the ground and firing rock at the ones on the walls and ceiling.

Nightmare flew up high and snapped his fingers. "Spear of Darkness: Dusk Rain!" He summoned an array of shadow spears and flung them at the fire rings. "I knew it! The mage knows we're here!"

Griffin raised his sword, then his eyes widened as pillars of fire shot up once more, only they were twisting into tornadoes. The flames burned through the solid rock, melting it into molten material. The flames reshaped themselves and became Fire Guardians.

The Guardians stretched their arms out and presented themselves intimidatingly. Despite being elemental fire humanoids, they were bursting with strength and power. They could see their muscles expanding with power.

Despite this, Griffin readied himself and lunged forward. He traded out Endless Regret for his rapier and propelled himself through three Guardians that were lined up. He pierced through their torsos, splattering the flames across the air. However, the Guardians quickly regenerated and spun around, firing beams of fiery energy. Griffin jumped out of the way and propelled himself again.

Nightmare blasted through the Guardians with purplish-black fireballs. It was enough to slow them down, but not enough to stop them entirely. Damn it! I have no time for this! He glared at Griffin. I'm not foolish enough to fight a mage on my own. That's what this lifeform is for.

Griffin brought out Infinity Breaker and increased the length a bit to give him some range. He slashed through the Fire Guardians one by one, decapitating and impaling with consecutive movement. He vaulted over a ground and spun the polearm like a propeller. The Guardians were scattered into wisps of flame.

Griffin landed, then blocked a strong punch from a Guardian that quickly reformed. He held his arms up defensively and protected himself as the Guardian unleashed a barrage of swift, powerful punches. If there's one thing the Guardians were infamous for, it was their absurd fighting speed. You would either need to be highly training in combat or be able to summon a Guardian of your own to fight on par with one.

Griffin kept his eyes trained on the Guardian as he waited for a discernable opening. It was a test of patience, as it required specific timing, but he was able to grab the Guardian's wrist and, without giving it any recovery time, flipped it over his shoulder, then kicking its head into embers.

Nightmare hacked and slashed through a swarm of Guardians that were focusing most of their attention on him. The boss shadow growled. You filthy constructs. Do you take me for a mortal? His eyes glowed. I am power beyond you! He brought his hands together and channeled an orb of darkness between them. "Final Nightfall!" He engulfed the corridor in a dark beam of fierce energy.

Griffin quickly reacted and blocked the blast with Endless Regret. He was lucky this sword doubled as a defensive weapon, too. For now, all he could see was darkness with flickers of purple energy flying by. It made it harder to concentrate on finding the key.

Though, the Guardians seemed to be focusing their attention almost exclusively on Nightmare, as if he was a less important threat. As infuriating as that was, that made his next move all the easier.

Nightmare finished firing the beam and increased in size to be almost as large as the corridor. He slammed his hands down on the ground and roared ferociously. His attack didn't do anything to stop the Guardians as they reformed. The Guardians cracked their knuckled and wound up their arms. Their expressions told him they were amused by him fighting back, much to his irritation.

"You dare laugh at me, vile creatures?!" Nightmare inhaled deeply. "Let me show you why I am the strongest of the shadows!" He exhaled a nightmarish black energy that resembled fog.

The Guardians brought their hands together, channeled their energy, and fired a combined beam that pushed against the nightmarish attack.

Griffin narrowed his eyes. Seeing his chance, he dashed past the two and made a sharp turn around the corner. Even with their focus on the boss shadow, more Fire Guardians spawned behind him and chased after him. The bounty hunter glared over his shoulder and raised his sword.

Send a whole army, mage, but I'll just cut them all down.

Team Ravenfield rushed up the hotel stairs as fast as they could. They paid little attention to the broken doors that led to the different floors. Their main concern was the top floor and that's where they're aiming.

All the way up, Wes kept repeatedly pleading in his head for Ella to be alright. He didn't doubt she could defend herself, but the shadows were far worse than a common crook or street thug. For his sake, she better be alright or…well, he wouldn't know how to respond.

They eventually made it to the top floor and the Umbreon kicked the door open, which fell off its hinges due to the damage. "Ella, are you her-?!" Just as Wes ran out, he dug his feet into the ground and stopped. His face contorted from panic to horror.

Flint and Tony came into the hallway, too. "Wes, what's wro-HOLY ARCEUS!" Flint screamed aloud, his paws flying up to his mouth in horror.

Tony's expression was more subdued, but he stilled expressed a grim expression. "Shit…"

Gwyn was lagging behind the group, pulling herself up the stairs with the side railing. She panted as she reached the top, smacking her lips together. "Ugh…what happened? I heard screaming." She came out around the door, but Flint immediately shielded her eyes. "AH! Flint?!"

"Gwyn, trust me, you don't want to see this," he advised as his jaw quivered.

"W-What are you t-talking about? And…" She gave the air a few sniffs, "why…does the hallway have a strong metallic odor? It smells…rancid…"

Wes clenched his teeth angrily. "The shadows were here…there's no way a common thug did all of this."

They were fortunate to spare the innocent Mew's eyes of the horrors that tainted their sight. A hallway once normal now stained with the blood of innocent Pokémon. The entire scene itself looked like someone was swinging a weapon as violently as possible. The once white walls were colored in the scarlet liquid. The carpeted floors had red stains stretching down the hall. The rest…was the scene of a horror movie come to life.

Tony stepped over the lifeless bodies and did his best to not step in the blood. "Ugh…anything I said about wanting to meet a shadow? I take it all back."

Wes glared. "I swear, if they did anything to hurt Ella…" He shook his head and ran down the hallway. "Ella!" Tony narrowed his eyes and ran after him.

Flint glanced at Gwyn. "Gwyn, I…don't want you to see this. Get on my back and…try to ignore the smell. And don't open your eyes." Gwyn whimpered as her imagination ran wild, fearing what she was being safeguarded from. She did as asked and got on his back. Flint carefully walked down the hall, avoiding the blood at all cost.

Wes and Tony slid to a stop at their hotel door, except there was no door to stop in front of. Wes ran into the destroyed room and quickly examined the area with panic running rampant in his eyes.

"Ella! ELLA!" His eyes finally, and thankfully, landed on the unconscious Espeon laying in the middle of the living room. "Oh sweet merciful gods! Ella!" He ran to her side, sat on his haunches, and gently scooped her into his forelegs.

As the Umbreon looked her over, Tony crouched down to examine the damage done to the counter, or lack of counter. He ran his finger against the cut edge, then formed a quizzical expression. "Odd…" He looked around the empty room and frowned.

Flint and Gwyn eventually joined up with them. Flint helped the Mew off his back, then gave her the 'okay' to open her eyes. Though, when she did, she was shocked to discover their temporary home was in shambles. "Oh my…" She held her hands up to her mouth. "The shadows did this?"

"From the looks of it, yes…" Tony replied as he observed the damage to the slashed counter. "Isn't it a little odd that all of this happen? And someone happens to be missing?"

Flint and Gwyn didn't catch on for a moment until they noticed Griffin was no longer in the room. "Wha…where did he go?!" Flint ran over to the couch to investigate.

Gwyn walked over to Tony. "Are you saying Griffin did this?"

"Unlikely if those chains were supposed to hold him down." He glared. "This is weird. If the shadows did come here, why?" He glanced at the bare couch. "Was it for him?"

Gwyn narrowed her eyes. "Why would the shadows care about Griffin? Do they even know him?"

Tony rubbed his chin. "Very unlikely, but…" He narrowed his eyes. "It's awfully suspicious. We know Griffin was hired by Aeternus to hunt us down." He slid his hands into his pockets and paced around the kitchen. "The shadows know we're after the Idol of Origin. That much makes sense since this was a plot they've had in the dark ages. But Aeternus? We never did get an answer to how he knows." He rubbed his chin. "I think there's a web of connections tying this whole mess together."

Flint walked back over, holding his head. "Ugh, there's no trace of him left. He even took his sword." He glared. "I knew keeping him here was a horrible idea. Look what happened because of him!"

Tony held his hands up. "We had no way of predicting these events. The lives that were taken here will be avenged, I assure you." He held his hips and shook his head. "Griffin's no longer our top concern. Getting the Key of Fire is now our top priority."

Flint sighed shakily and held his head. "Y-Yeah, you're right."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "I think we may need to do more in depth research on the Anguis Organization. The shadows attacking here and Griffin now gone…strange bit of coincidence."

"Ella? Ella?" The group looked over at Wes as he lightly patted Ella's cheek, trying to wake her up. "Come on, wake up. Are you okay?"

Eventually, the Espeon groaned and opened her eyes a bit. Her paw went up to her forehead and rubbed the soreness aching her. "Ugh…I don't feel so well…"

Wes smiled happily and wrapped her into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Ella flinched from his tone, but smiled warmly and wrapped her foreleg around his neck.

"Hey, I've taken worse," she joked lightly. However, she became fully aware of what was going on and remembered everything that happened before she passed out. She gasped. "Oh no, where's Griffin?!"

Gwyn got to her side and crouched down. "Griffin's not here. We only found you when we arrived."

"Ella, what happened while we were gone?" Tony asked. "Did Griffin do this?"

She shook her head. "N-No…it was that creep. That…leader of those shadows."

Flint glared. "Nightmare…"

"He and some…mercenary, I guess, barged in and attacked me. I tried to defend myself, but Nightmare took me out before I could do anything." She sat up and rubbed her head. "Ugh…I barely remember what happened. Nightmare looked ready to turn me into smoldering ash. I'm surprised I'm still alive after that." Tony tapped his chin and looked at the couch in thought.

"So, you don't know what happened after you passed out?" Flint asked.

"No, nothing." She bowed her head. "I hope Griffin's alright."

Flint glared lightly, not exactly on board with worrying about the bounty hunter. He almost voiced his complaint, but his ears picked up on foreign noise: creaking of the floor coming from the girls' room. He looked among his friends and saw they were all here. He looked back at the room with wide eyes.

"We can worry about him later," Wes said. "The shadows know where the temple is. We need to rush over there and get the key before they do."

Ella sighed tiredly, then pushed herself up. "R-Right…" Her legs wobbled a bit, but she kept her balance. "Let's g-"

A loud clang sounded right near Wes and Ella's ears. They froze up in shock. Their eyes barely caught Gwyn and Tony's surprised expressions as their heads whipped around to see a large buster sword nearly coming down on them, only being pushed back by a blue, crystallized shield.

Flint panted heavily while his raised forelegs shook nervously. He barely caught the surprise attack. If he hadn't heard it, Wes and Ella could have been hurt or worse. He was glad he threw himself in front of the two and placed up his shield. However, now he was forced to stare up at the terrifying figure aiming to kill.

An Ursaring wearing a black jacket. However, his fur was black and his eyes glowed red. Tattooed over his face was a white skull shaped like an Ursaring skull. Furthermore, his aura reeked of evil intent, pulsing with the desire to destroy all that opposed him.

The mercenary smirked intimidatingly. "We've been waiting for you, puny lifeforms." He pulled his sword back and slashed from the side, knocking Flint off his feet and slamming him against the kitchen cabinets.

"Flint!" Gwyn cried before running over to him.

Tony immediately grabbed his scalchops and raised them. "Who the hell is this clown?!"

Wes helped Ella back away as he took a close look at the Ursaring. His eyes widened. "He looks like that Floatzel we fought. The one that was possessed by a shadow."

Ella narrowed her eyes. "Nightmare must have known you all would come rushing back here."

Lexx laughed darkly and spun his sword skillfully. "I serve under the glory of the Tribe of Shadows. I shall please my masters and bring your heads to them as trophies!"

Tony clenched his teeth. "Where's the Grovyle?!"

Lexx laughed. "Our unwilling lackey has submitted his services for the promise of power. He may not have been able to deal with you lower rejects, but he'll prove his worth by retrieving the Key of Fire."

Gwyn helped Flint up, then asked, "Wait, you hired him?"

Tony clenched his teeth. "I knew there was something off about randomly coming here. You weren't after Ella, you were after the bounty hunter you hired." He activated Razor Shell and electrified the aura. "Aeternus and the Tribe of Shadows are working together!"

"What?!" the team shouted out in shock.

Lexx laughed evilly. "You made a mistake not taking up Count Aeternus' offer, Dewott. We could have used someone with your level of perception."

Tony smirked. "Like I told that badly dressed clown, I fight on my own terms." He crossed his weapons. "And, much like how you don't hurt my family, never cross my team!" He lunged at the mercenary.

Despite the size of his weapon, Lexx quickly blocked the fast strike, pushing against it. Lightning shot across the room before Tony pushed away. He landed of his feet, then ran around the Ursaring. He holstered one of his scalchops and aimed his finger, firing off Lightning Shots. Lexx spun the sword and deflected the beams from all sides. They redirected into the walls, ceiling, and various furniture lying around.

Lexx swung at the circling Dewott, who dropped to his knees and slid under the blade. He spun on his hands and swiped his leg under the mercenary's. Lexx toppled forward, but caught himself on his bare hand, standing on it with ease, and slashed Tony across the chest. He smashed through the walls and collapsed to the ground.

Gwyn pulled out three seeds and tossed them in the air. "Accelerated Growth!" They grew into a thick bush of thorns, which twitched erratically. She pointed at the mercenary, commanding them to wrap around his body and constrict him.

Lexx stumbled around as the thorny vines jabbed into his skin. He balanced himself and attempted to force them off through brute might. He took a deep breath, then expanded his muscles. The vines held out through the forced stretching, but they were slowly tearing apart

Gwyn pulled out some seeds, then used her Accelerated Growth and Nutrient Transvoro. She pulled out her whip and charged straight for him. She lassoed it around his ankle, slid under his legs, then pulled tightly, flipping him off his feet. She then flipped backwards and aimed her gloved hand. "Detonation Wave!"

With a snap of her fingers, she ignited the air and fired down a blast of fire. She landed, then gasped when Lexx leaped out of the fire and grabbed her by the face. He lifted her off her feet and smashed her face first into the floor.

Flint pushed himself up in time to see this. His eyes widened in fear as Lexx raised his sword and aimed it for the Mew's neck. He clenched his teeth, then sprinted right for the mercenary. "Stay away from her!" An orange aura surrounded him.

Lexx narrowed his eyes, then swung right at him. However, without willing it, Flint's aura extended outward and caught the sword by the blade, stopping it in place. Flint had no time to notice as he slid by Gwyn and scooped her into his forelegs, then rolled across the ground before hitting the wall.

Lexx took his eyes off the ethereal arm for a moment, just as the energy expanded into a rough, humanoid shape. Lexx turned back and saw the amorphous figure pulled its fist back and slammed it into his face. It then pulled both arms back and threw a series of fast punches.

Flint sat up, unknowingly holding the Mew in his forelegs. He sighed in relief. "That was close." He looked at the dazed Mew, whose eyes were practically spinning. "Are you okay?" he asked in concern.

She shook her head, then smiled lightly. "I'm fine!" She looked at the mercenary, then her eyes widened. "Flint…what is that?"

Flint looked where she was looking and saw the amorphous figure fighting back against Lexx, who was holding his own better than the thugs back in Fuego Village. His eyes widened in surprise. Once again, he unwillingly summoned it without his say or command. Why did it keep doing that? It shouldn't be doing that. Why does it only summon when he's not trying to?

"That's…That's…" He shook his head. "T-That's not important right now!"

Lexx raised his arms and blocked the punches. The figure was relentless with its punching speed, but the possessed Ursaring was tough. The figure pulled back and threw a strong punch against the bear's stomach. Lexx coughed up blood, but endured through it.

He brought his hands together and slammed them down on the figure's deformed head. Almost instantly, it shattered into a million orange sparkles, scattering across the room. He lifted his sword and threw it at Flint and Gwyn. The Flareon yelped and rolled out of the way, keeping a hold on Gwyn.

Lexx stumbled forward as Wes jumped him and wrapped his forelegs around his throat. "Keep your bloody sword to yourself!" the Umbreon shouted as he choked him.

Lexx gripped his forelegs and peeled them off with ease. He looked over his shoulder and sneered. "Foolish Umbreon, you're nothing compared to the shadows." He threw him across the room.

Wes straightened out and ricocheted off the wall. He activated his Star Amulet and lunged at the mercenary with a devastating headbutt. "Infernius!" He fired him back with the white fireball. Lexx dug his claws into the floor and charged him. Wes rolled out of the way. "Lumios Storm!" He spun and fired off light arrow.

Lexx retrieved his sword and slashed the arrows precisely. He stood up and pointed it at the Umbreon with a smug grin. "You weak mortals are only wasting your time. Master Nightmare and the bounty hunter will take the Key of Fire for themselves. I'm merely a distraction to keep you fools busy."

The team glared at the mercenary as he laughed aloud. They shouldn't be wasting their time with this guy. The key was top priority. Even if they could escape, which they very well could, his merciless assault on the hotel told them that he'll do the same to the hundreds of Pokémon standing outside. They couldn't leave him to his own desires.

Tony raised his scalchops. "We're defeating you, then we're getting the key for ourselves."

Lexx snickered. "Against Master Nighmare and the Blood Moon Rogue? By now, the Blood Moon Rogue will accept darkness into his heart." He narrowed his eyes. "Anyone that obsessed with power cannot resist the temptation of pure power." He spun his sword and charged at Wes. "Heed my warning, weaklings! Power is temptation! Temptation cannot be stopped!"

He leaped in the air, grabbed the hilt with both hands, then swung it down on Wes. The Umbreon opened his mouth and charged Mystic Beam. The sword and balled up energy were inches away from colliding.

However, in the blink of an eye, the sword stopped. It was fixed in place. Lexx's eyes widened as he struggled to push it down, while Wes gazed at it with bewilderment as Mystic Beam deactivated.

"Really? Is that all you freaks talk about?" Lexx gasped as the air started…shedding?! Specifically, flickers of distortion flaking off a shape like confetti. "Honestly, I got bored listening to you halfway through." The distortion flaked off around the sword, revealing it was being held back by a hand. Or rather, a tree branch shaped hand. "Though, even if I give him crap about it, I don't appreciate you undermining my pal."

Team Ravenfield gasped as the distorted flakes peeled away, revealing a smirking Mack. He effortlessly held the blade in-between his branchy fingers. With a quick shove, he threw Lexx off his feet and knocked him to the ground.

"Griffin is obsessed with power, that much is true." Lexx glared up as another figure appeared overhead. Holly became visible, wielding her fan over her shoulder. "But you don't know him like we do."

Gwyn smiled. "Holly! Mack!"

Tony smirked. "Heh, I thought you two were busy with the cops downstairs!"

Mack wiped his hand against his shirt and shrugged. "We gave them the slip. Too bad, too. I could have gone a few more rounds with them." He glared at Lexx with a sinister smirk. "But this guy looks like more fun."

Lexx flew up to his feet. "You bastards-!" He gasped out as Holly kicked him against the side and knocked him into the windows.

Holly narrowed her eyes. "We deserve an explanation for this later," she said to Team Ravenfield with her back to them. "Just get that key thing and get Griffin." She spun her closed fan and slammed the top down. "This guy's ours."

Gwyn's eyes sparkled. "They're. So. Cool!"

Flint sighed with an exasperated smile. "Fine by me."

"Hey, uh, Flint? You don't need to hold me anymore."

Flint's face heated up, completely forgetting he was holding her in his forelegs. He set her down and stood up, laughing uneasily. "Hehe…sorry."

Wes looked at Ella. "Can you run?"

She shook her legs, then nodded confidently. "Like a Rapidash."

He smiled, then ran for the door. "You two! Meet us at the volcano when you're done! That's where the temple is!"

"Yeah, yeah," Mack responded half-heartedly.

"Good luck!" Tony shouted over his shoulder as the team ran out the room.

The bounty hunters narrowed their eyes on Lexx as he stood up. He rested his sword over his shoulder and sneered. "Typical mortals. Your friend will succumb to the temptations of power. He will be a perfect servant to the darkness. To the Shadow King."

Holly glared. "How confident are you on that?" She chuckled darkly. "Besides, he's not your concern." She opened her fan. The folds displayed an image of a destroyed landscape, like it was weathered down by powerful winds. "We are."

Lexx growled. "Don't get cocky!" He charged at them.

Mack chuckled as a purple aura surrounded. "But it makes life so much fun." He narrowed his eyes. "Allow me to show you. Timor Persona!"

Lexx stopped himself and saw an amorphous blob of distortion rising up behind Mack. The Sudowoodo grinned deviously as the blob shaped itself. Strangely enough, it was taking on a shape very similar to his. It towered over the Sudowoodo, appearing three times his size. Once the blob took on Mack's shape, it flashed purple and changed appearance.

Now standing behind Mack was a nightmarish version of himself. It wore the same clothes as him, but his body was much more different. His rock skin was gray and dreary. The green spheres on his branch arms were violet. His face, frighteningly, had eyes fixed into a glare and an open mouth smile that curved up sinisterly. Both the eyes and mouth glowed violet and produced thin clouds of mist seeping out, as if the body was hollow and containing a frightening energy inside.

Lexx stumbled back and raised his sword defensively. "What the hell is that?!"

Mack and his fear persona chuckled darkly. "A taste of the Grim Ash Clan's finest."

Holly's left eye glowed blue as she took a step forward. Blue petals materialized and swirled around her. "Griffin may be one of the most dangerous bounty hunters in the region, but that's only because we let him have all the fun."

"But every once in a while-" Mack started sinisterly, then pointed forward, commanding his fear persona to rush the mercenary with wicked laughter.

"We like to have a little fun!" Holly finished as she leaped into the air and swung her fan, firing a powerful gust of devastating wind.

Lexx raised his sword as the malevolent creature and windstorm came at him. He roared fiercely, channeling dark energy through his blade, then lunging at them. Death burned in his eyes, while sinister intent reflected from the bounty hunters.

They were going to show this mercenary what made the Grim Ash Clan so infamous.

Griffin slammed into a wall, but quickly recovered as he did a rolling dodge from two fireballs thrown at him. "Exosus Release!" He slashed the air and incinerated the Fire Guardians into wisps. The Grovyle jabbed the sword in the ground to support himself. He panted lightly, feeling bits of exhaustion take over.

His fight with Team Ravenfield, while some time has pass, hasn't left him much room for recovery. A day of rest and he would be top efficiency, but now, especially with these Fire Guardians, he was burning through a lot of energy. However, that wasn't going to stop him from finding the mage and acquiring the key.

Four more Fire Guardians formed and conjured fireballs. Griffin inhaled to catch his breath, then raised his sword. "You're stepping up your game. I'm getting close, aren't I?"

The Fire Guardians glared, then thrusted their hands out, firing spiraling flames. Griffin slashed through them, then pulled out Echo Chamber. He banged the blade against the wall as he sprinted towards them. He slashed with Endless Regret, firing Exosus Release slashes. More Fire Guardians appeared and bombarded him with flames.

Griffin swung wildly, cutting through several Fire Guardians as he sprinted down the corridor. Tracking the magic, defending himself, fighting back; it was almost too much to handle.

He stopped running, then crossed his arms. "Exosus Release: Maelstrom!" He released a wide burst of energy, blasting into the Guardians and destroying them. The corridor he was in rumbled from the blast.

Eruptions sprung from the ground. Griffin manuvuered through them at breakneck speeds, dodging and weaving with masterful reflexes. He slid under some firing from the walls, then leaped over a low one. His eyes scanned the room quickly as he searched for openings. He glared down and saw a channel of magic surging below him.

"There you are!" He leaped in the air, spun his sword, and stabbed the ground, releasing a blast of spiteful energy that collapsed the ground beneath him. He clung onto a falling piece as he rode down into a cavern. He timed his jump before leaping onto the walls and digging his sword in, slowing his fall.

The rocks broke into pieces as they rained on the rock-hard floor. Griffin narrowed his eyes, then leaped off the wall. He landed safely, then sent his sword back into his arsenal storage. He stood up and glared ahead.

He was in a cavern surrounded by a lake of lava. Occasionally bursts of lava shot in the air, but were safely out of reach of the bounty hunter. Aside from the lava, the cavern was illuminated by torches lined across the walls. He walked forward, in the direction of a simple looking house sitting along the edge of the rock land.

It was made of red brick with a black tiled roof. Light could be seen inside the house. Griffin narrowed his eyes. This is the temple that protects that key, huh?

A few more steps in and Griffin's leg locked up. He growled in pain and collapsed onto one knee. He clutched his leg to ease that pain. He looked down at it and saw it was scorched up. One of those fire pillars must have caught his leg. He was so pumped on adrenaline that he didn't so much as notice.

Griffin bared his teeth. "D…Damn it…" He tried to stand up, but collapsed again. He panted heavily as he held his leg. I need to get up, now!

His eyes widened, hearing a door opening. He looked forward and saw a figure standing at the doorway. They wore red mage robes with the hood covering their head.

This must be the Fire Mage.

Griffin growled, then drew his sword from his pocket dimension. "Mage…" He pulled himself up, supporting his weight on Endless Regret. "I've come for the key you possess. Give…it to me," he breathed aloud, glaring.

The mage stood there for a brief moment of silence, then shook her head. "…you haven't had a moment's rest in quite some time. Physical stress, mental stress; it's all written on your face."

Griffin glowered. "Shut up. I can still fight." He raised his sword while standing on his good leg. However, he still portrayed exhaustion in his features. He wasn't fooling the mage.

The mage blinked, then pulled her hood down. She was a Delphox. She gave him a scolding glare. "You possess a strong will, matched only by your power…and arrogance." She raised her hand, conjuring a ball of scarlet fire. "Don't make this harder on yourself."

Griffin clenched his teeth. Blood red magic channeled through his sword. "I intend to take that key."

Seraphina narrowed her eyes. "Really?" She closed her eyes for a moment, then said, "That creature you were with. That vile shadow…did he bring you here?" Griffin didn't respond, but his silent glare gave her answer. "I see. Why are you interested in this key? What do you want out of it?" The fireball in her hand increased in size and intensity. "What is your purpose for coming here?"

"But the gain for power can corrupt one's mind if they're that desperate to achieve something."

"There's someone out there you want to kill, isn't there? Someone you want to take vengeance on?"

Griffin's sword shook in his hand, from hesitation and exhaustion taking over. He clenched his teeth tightly as he tried to force himself to take the shot, but something was holding him back. This was the first in a long time he hesitated to take out a target. He wanted to get the key, but…

Eventually, Griffin gave up and dropped the sword, then dropped to his knees. He winced from the pain in his leg, then sighed shakily. "I came here…for answers. I'm…confused. Confused and lost."

Seraphina walked over to him with a calm air. "Yes, I can tell you are troubled." She folded her arms behind her back. "You've led a path of destruction, now you are reflecting on your actions."

He shook his head. "My history…my clan…my magic…" He closed his eyes. "I just want to avenge my clan…"

Seraphina narrowed her eyes gently. "Young man…do you still wish to take the key?"

"…yes…"

The fox mage stared at him judgingly, then raised her hand. With a snap of her fingers, she summoned two Fire Guardians to her side. "Bring him inside. Heal his wounds." The Guardians bowed obediently, then lifted Griffin by the arms. Even though they were made of fire, their touch did not harm the bounty hunter. They carried him over to the house as he bowed his head tiredly.

Seraphina bent down and picked up Endless Regret. She ran her hand against the face of the blade, then glared up. She could still feel Nightmare pushing back against her endless army of Fire Guardians. Push him out or kill him. As long as the shadows don't get their hands on the key.

Vile creature. She turned to her house and walked towards it as the Guardians brought Griffin inside. The young Grovyle's mind is swarming with indecisiveness. A life fueled by an inner anger. She closed her eyes. Let me see if his heart has truly fallen into darkness.