Chapter 36: The King of Fire
Disclaimer: I still believe I could own Pokémon someday. After all, there's no 'I' in denial.
~o~
Doctor Isaiah Camellia was the King of Fire. The words rang true in Indigo's mind, echoed by the puzzle pieces they'd been missing before. He bears the blood of the Akkarins, he is the true heir to the throne, and he is a murderer of heinous proportions.
When Zayne began telling them the truth, it was more terrible than either of them had imagined. He described the things he'd been forced to do, to save his sisters life, the horrible things he'd seen, as a puppet of the psychopath doctor. Creating the miracle medicine, which could save any life, had come at the cost of thousands of lives, both human and Pokémon. Men, women, and children alike had died by his blade, as he sought the true power he needed to take the throne for himself.
"He wanted abilities," Zayne explained, his voice thick with undisguised revulsion. The doctor's assistant was barely holding it together, his hatred seeping out of every gesture and word. He spared them no detail, his voice flat and merciless. "But of course, he couldn't test on himself, not before he knew it was safe. So he used others. He tested, and he practiced, learning what worked and what killed. He took the King's funding to further his research, promising an elixir which could give him immortality in return. And in secret, he plotted to steal the throne, which he believed was rightfully his."
"But he fought with us in the Rebellion of the Scorned!" Riza protested, her face white with shock. The news had been especially terrible to her. It meant her father had created their enemy. The lives lost were at his feet as well. "He was loyal to my father, and the crown. Why protect him then, if he intended to usurp the throne?"
Zayne shrugged disdainfully. "He wasn't strong enough then. Perhaps he needed time. My master is a patient man. And with the Akkarin Monarchy who hated him so conveniently killed, he was suddenly next in line for the throne. He earned the King's trust while plotting to cut his throat. For him to make a move now, he must believe he can win. He could have Abnormalities to fight for him. Perhaps even abilities of his own. I'm afraid I don't know the details."
"But why help Riza?" Indigo asked, his forehead creasing. "Why come to the castle? He must have known he'd be suspected."
"Did you know," Zayne mused, arching a dark eyebrow. "That in the months Doctor Camellia has been inside this castle, no less than thirteen children related to staff members have gone missing?"
Dead silence fell in the wake of his words.
Riza stared blankly, shaken to the core. "Hostages. He took hostages. He's planning to force their parents to do his dirty work for him!" Her eyes burned with helpless hate, as the insinuation sunk in. "And he used my illness as the perfect opportunity to set up his dark plan."
"I believe so. And I'm afraid we don't have much time. He'll know I've turned the moment he sees my face. Doctor Camellia is currently away on a supply run, but I believe he may have gone to his lab instead. It's now or never. We won't get a chance like this again."
Riza's shock changed to steely resolve. Her violet eyes were as hard as flint, and when she spoke, the fires of battle burned in her words.
"This ends tonight. The guards of Halladen will take the fight to the King of Fire, and wipe his evil off the face of this earth. Gather the troops, and prepare for war."
~o~
Going in alone would be suicide. They knew that. But still Indigo's hands shook when they delivered their report to King Johann Calariam, sitting on his throne of obsidian. His features might have been carved from granite as he listened to their tale in grim silence, his emotions only betrayed by the fist tightening over his ceremonial staff until his knuckles were white boned with rage.
Riza finished speaking, the entire story laid out bare. To her credit she held her head high, her voice never wavering in the face of the King's stony silence.
The powerful man glared at his daughter, the fissures in his forehead deepening below his jagged crown. The silence was yawning and terrible. Indigo realized he had forgotten to breathe, and forced himself to do so.
"Captain," King Johann rumbled, flicking two fingers towards the door. Lily Aren straightened at his side, saluting with her fist over her heart. "Assemble the knights at once."
"Sir," she responded, bowing deep. Her armored boots snapped against the granite as she left the empty throne room.
The King shifted his attention back to them. His expression was entirely unreadable beneath his pointed beard and rigidly lined features. "Come forward, daughter."
She did so, blinking with surprise at his unexpected request, stepping up onto the obsidian dais which housed his volcanic throne, kneeling respectfully at his feet.
He slapped her. The sound rang through the throne room with a crack.
Indigo stepped forward on reflex, outrage flaring in his eyes, but Zayne held him back with one arm, stopping his advance with a carefully neutral expression. Indigo barely subsided, his breath coming fast with fury.
Riza didn't move her head back right away, her eyes wide with shock. When she did, hurt and disbelief shone in her eyes, but her father spoke before she could, standing with a crack of his staff against the stone floor.
"Impudent girl," King Johann snarled, his voice a boom of fury, and Riza stumbled back on reflex, her cheek blossoming bright red. "You defied my direct orders! I told you, I told you, to give up hunting for criminals across Halladen. And now I find you've been gallivanting across the country, crossing blades with those mutated things. When your place. Is. HERE!"
"I never meant…" the blonde girl stammered, her voice barely above a whisper with shock, but was cut off by her father's roar.
"You didn't think! A monarch cannot be on the battlefield! Your life is more valuable than the common rabble, and I expect you to act like it! We have knights who will lay down their lives for us, who fight for us! Kings and Queens do not protect each sniveling peasant individually, we lead from above and maintain order! What if you had been killed? Would your life have been well spent, protecting commoners?"
Riza was quiet, her chest heaving with her erratic breathing. Insight dawned slowly over her face, and she met her father's eyes with surprised defiance. "Yes," she breathed, standing tall and beautiful in the face of a furious king, and Indigo had never loved her more, his chest bursting with pride and warmth.
King Johann stared her down squarely. "Then you know nothing," he enunciated slowly. "Go to your room. A guard will be posted at all times. If Doctor Camellia does have an illegal laboratory in the Whispermist Forest, the Royal Guard will destroy him. You are forbidden to enter the fight. In fact, your combat training ends here and now. You need to learn your place in this world, Mazarine."
She opened her mouth as if to speak, but seemed to think better of it, pressing her lips firmly together. She bowed stiffly, and whirled on one foot, exiting the throne room with her head held high. The door closed behind her with a bang.
The King's expression didn't change as he turned to Indigo and Zayne. "Your information is appreciated. Should it turn out to be accurate, both of you will be greatly rewarded. Zayne Camellia. If your master dies, could you mimic his medicine to save Mazarine?"
Zayne bowed fluidly with the same natural grace of a noble. "I am well trained, my lord. I may not be as knowledgeable as Doctor Camellia, but with his notes, I believe I can continue Princess Mazarine's treatments. Be warned, however. I can make no guarantees."
King Johann nodded sharply. "We will try to take him alive, then. My specialists can convince him to give up his secrets, and then I will take his head. You may be present when I do so, as reward for your service."
Zayne's head was bowed, but Indigo could have sworn he saw a savage smile on his lips. "You are too kind, my lord," he murmured, deepening his bow.
Knights began to file into the room, standing in formation before the King of Halladen, and Indigo closed his eyes.
Riza wouldn't stay out of this. He knew she wouldn't. And now, he had his doubts about Zayne as well. Would he really be content to let the King behead his former master? The hatred in his eyes whispered otherwise. He might very well try to join the fight as well, for his own personal revenge.
They needed to take Doctor Camellia alive, or Riza might die for it. Indigo made a note to keep an eye on Zayne, as well as Riza.
Captain Aren returned to the King's side, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword, as her knights stood in filed ranks before them, filling the throne room.
The King smashed his staff against the stone, and the knights saluted as one, striking their steel breastplates with armored fists. The King surveyed his elite troops with a discerning glare, commanding absolute respect. "We have received information that Doctor Camellia has turned traitor to the crown!" he thundered, his voice carrying to all corners of the vast room with ease. "He has committed crimes against Halladen! Slaughtered our knights! And created monsters to fight on his behalf! Should these charges prove true, he will be charged with treason of the highest degree!"
The knights were well trained. No murmurs broke out, but Indigo saw flashes of shock in the eyes of those nearest him.
"Furthermore!" the King of Halladen boomed. "He may have abilities of his own, making him a serious threat to this land! If this information is true, you will find him at his laboratory in the depths of the Whispermist Forest, guarded by an army of Abnormalities. These two witnesses will now relate to you what they know concerning this man, who calls himself the 'King of Fire'!"
He was up. Indigo swallowed, stepping up to the dais nervously. His voice was clear, to his relief.
He told the elite army of Halladen everything he'd told the King. Once he was through, Zayne added his testimony as well, including coded instructions for finding the hidden lab, overheard from Mayanna. Captain Aren nodded thoughtfully, no doubt deciphering the clues already.
They stepped to the side, and the King spoke again. "Doctor Camellia must be taken in alive, if possible. Kill him only if he cannot be captured. Find this secret lab. If even a single Abnormality is present, it will confirm every allegation at Doctor Camellia's feet. Capture the doctor. And kill every Abnormality, whether they be man, woman, or child! Leave no survivors of his horrific science, and burn the corpses! Tonight you prove your worth as Knights of Halladen! Find our enemies, and destroy them without mercy!"
The knights roared with assent, saluting as one. Captain Aren stood, addressing her troops, her voice ringing over the army of steel. "We fly at dusk. We must act quickly, to catch the King of Fire unawares. Knights of Halladen, prepare for war!"
The knights slammed their fists to their hearts, the crash of steel on steel thundering through the throne room, and Indigo squeezed his eyes shut. His blood ran cold. Kill all of them? Even the young ones? This was war, he knew this was war…
But being at war didn't make murder right. Just necessary. Indigo wondered bleakly if the Butterfree girl, Asha, would be there, and if her small corpse would be burned with the others.
The knights received the rest of their orders, and Indigo left the room. Zayne watched him go with an inscrutable expression on his handsome face.
Indigo was just a trainee. He wouldn't be allowed to join this fight, either. The knights would take care of everything. He, however, needed to take care of Riza.
He came to the staircase leading up to her bedroom, and turned down instead, towards the training grounds. His steps were sure, as he traversed the various chambers suited for specific types of combat, and opened the hidden door to a small supply room with a small lever
A desk was pushed up against one wall with a map of Halladen nailed to the wood, interspersed with markers in blue and red. Knives and gleaming weaponry decorated the walls and glass cases. A mannequin in leather armor stood against the far wall, with two alternate forms of armor on either side. Supplies, Poke balls, and various disguises filled the two chests stacked near a beat up training dummy leaking straw.
Riza leaned over the map, brushing her golden hair behind her ear as he entered. She was, unsurprisingly, not confined to her bedroom. "Going somewhere?" Indigo asked coldly, leaning up against the doorframe. Riza's eyes lit up as he entered, and she stood straight.
"Indigo," she greeted him warmly, as if expecting him. The vivid red flush on her left cheek had yet to fade. "It's about time. We have work to do."
"The knights will handle it," Indigo said quietly, his fears confirmed as she tested the edge of her ebony sword. She bit her lip, pulling a bottle of clear liquid from a drawer. His voice became impatient. "Riza, did you hear me? This isn't our fight. Not anymore."
She didn't seem to agree. "Of course it is," she scolded him, barely paying attention as she clipped three knives to her upper arm beneath her sleeve. Princess Mazarine frowned at her white dress, pulling at the fabric. "I can't sneak armor up to my room, I'll be caught for sure…better stick with the dress. I can leave from my balcony. No guards on the cliffs," she explained at his look. "I have a small weapons stash outside the castle. I'll use my backup swords, and sneak some fighting Pokémon out with me, just in case. We'll need to leave right away to beat the knights out to the forest."
Indigo caught her shoulder, spinning her roughly to face him. "We are not going anywhere," he said, enunciating each word clearly, trying to make her understand. "The knights will win this fight. So no, we will not go off on our own to fight a monster and his army one on one for some stupid battle between good and evil. It doesn't have to be us. If someone else beats the King of Fire, the victory is still the same."
Riza blinked, her voice matter-of-fact. "We aren't going to fight him," she explained, as if surprised she had to. Indigo cursed inwardly. "This is a rescue mission. We need to get any Abnormality children away before the fighting starts. I have some contacts outside the kingdom who can help bring them to safety, where they can live in peace. But we have to hurry."
Of course she'd found a way to listen in to the rest of the briefing, of course she had!
She was perfectly serious. And also, not listening to him. Indigo took a moment, gathering his thoughts with a clenched jaw as she packed some strange vials into her boot.
He stepped forward, and kissed her. She was surprised, but not displeased, catching her breath as he pulled her slim body close. Indigo molded his lips against hers, kissing her roughly until she broke away for air with a startled intake of breath.
His hand closed on a fistful of hair at the base of her head and pulled down in a smooth motion, tilting her head back and exposing the curve of her neck. "No," Indigo insisted, pressing searing kisses down the smooth skin of her throat. She let out a small gasp, arching her back with pleasure, but he knew it when her eyes sparked with defiance.
"We can handle it," the beautiful warrior insisted, though she didn't pull away from his arms. "Everything will be fine. I haven't felt sick in weeks. Someone has to help-"
She broke off with a breathy moan when he bit her neck lightly, a growl in his throat, not even hard enough to leave a mark. Indigo filed away that she liked his impulsive move for future reference. "No," he repeated quietly, meeting her gaze with his steely blue eyes. "It's too dangerous. We don't know what we're walking into, and as much as I hate to say it, those kids made their choice. They'll never betray Doctor Camellia. We can't save them, Riza, we just can't." He caught her chin as she turned away, not wanting to see the truth in his words. "I can't let you walk into danger," Indigo whispered, quiet agony at the very thought in his words. "Stay with me. Please."
Riza slipped her amethyst eyes closed, considering his words. "And if I don't agree?" she asked, unwilling to give in so easily.
His tone was dead serious. "I'll stop you, if I must."
She didn't want to listen to him. He could see her defiance warring with his words, and feel it in the tenseness of her muscles, but finally she let out a breath, opening her eyes with unwilling acceptance on her face. "Alright," she whispered in a small voice, not looking at him. "Fine. I'll stay."
Relief surged through him in a wave. He tilted her chin up, brushing his thumb in a fond caress over her cheekbone. She leaned forward, sealing her mouth over his, her hands tangling in his deep blue hair and sliding down slowly-
He felt a sharp pain as a needle broke the skin of his neck, and a sudden surge of dizziness hit him like a meteor.
Indigo stumbled back from Riza, his eyes wide with betrayal, to see her holding a syringe that had just been on the table. "Sorry," the cold eyed girl whispered, as his vision tilted and blurred.
He didn't remember hitting the ground.
~o~
Indigo woke groggily in complete darkness.
He pulled himself to his hands and knees, gasping for air, and convinced he had gone blind. His stomach rebelled, trying to spin itself in circles. He fought back the nausea, his head pounding a terrible rhythm in time with his thundering heart. Indigo coughed, managing to sit as his headache receded slowly, and he began to see the edges of furniture in the dark room as his eyes adjusted.
Piece by piece, he remembered what had happened, and Indigo groaned out loud, slamming his fist against the stone in a fit of anger. The sharp pain helped beat back the lethargy still coursing through his veins. He swore loudly, hitting the stone harder.
He grabbed the edge of the table, pulling himself to his feet without much grace.
The room was empty.
Riza was gone.
Indigo swore again, softer this time, squeezing his eyes closed with fear. She had gone alone.
Adrenaline was the only thing which got him to the top of the stairs, tightening a sword to his belt with uncooperative fingers. The effects of Riza's knockout drug wore off slowly, making his reaction time just a few seconds too slow. Everything felt fuzzy, as if he were still asleep, but the thought of her fighting alone drove him forward step by step. Indigo made it to the main floor, and saw a dark night sky from the windows.
"Hey," he gasped, catching the attention of a passing maid. "What time is it? Did the knights leave?"
The girl jumped, looking startled. "It's just after ten, according to the bells," she stammered, holding her basket of laundry tight. "The knights left ages ago, just after sunset. Sorry."
Indigo let his arm drop, staring at the girl with disbelieving eyes.
He turned, and lurched down the hall towards the barracks, doing his best not to fall. "H-hey," the maid called after him, worry coloring her tone. "Are you okay?"
He didn't answer, breathing steadily in and out.
It wasn't too late. It couldn't be.
He opened the doors to the courtyard, and saw no one. The barracks were dark, the stables abandoned, and the saddles for the Skarmory were missing.
Indigo sagged against the wall, despair overcoming him. He couldn't get there in time. Whatever happened would be without him. Riza's fate was beyond his help now.
For a wild, dark moment, Indigo wished with a surge of emotion for Entei to heed his call, and come rushing to bring him to Riza's side. His palm burned with remembered pain, and after a few minutes, he gave up with a humorless laugh.
He didn't have the power to call Entei. Just a scar, and delusions of grandeur.
Indigo was stuck.
"Are you feeling alright?" the maid asked curiously, making him jump with shock. The pretty raven haired girl had apparently been standing next to him for some time, her basket of laundry set to the side. She held up her hands at his shocked look, seeming embarrassed. "Not that it's any of my business! Sorry, you just seemed so out of it, and I figured I'd make sure you weren't you know, dying or anything. I'm Astoria, by the way. Astoria Glenn."
"I'm not," Indigo said, his heartbeat slowing back down. "Dying, I mean," he clarified, pressing his fingers to his temple tiredly. "Just missed my ride. I have information the knights will need." He had to warn them Princess Mazarine was on the battlefield. If she got hurt, trying to protect the Abnormality children…
Astoria pursed her lips, fiddling with the dark ends of her side swept braid. Her yellow eyes reminded him of the harvest moon. "Sounds important," she confessed unhelpfully. "I don't suppose you have a flying Pokémon?" He shook his head numbly, and Astoria sighed.
"Well…if you're desperate, there might be one way," she admitted, not meeting his eyes when he sat up straight with a jerk. She held up a restraining finger, looking solemn. "It isn't very safe," she warned him seriously. "Well, the knights don't think he's very safe, but he's actually very nice, honest!"
Indigo had a bad feeling about this. Then again, he'd briefly considered calling Entei, so who was he to talk? "Who is 'he'?" Indigo asked warily, wondering if this girl could be trusted.
Astoria looked up at the steep cliff face, where the bramble thorn bushes housed the Skarmory Brigades. "How about I show you?"
She stepped into the center of the circular courtyard, tilting back her head, and sang. Her voice was expressive and lilting, carrying through the still night air in a rich tenor. She didn't sing words, at least not in a language Indigo recognized, but the melody was hauntingly beautiful. Her song crested, and a piercing shriek answered her, like rusted metal screeching on stone. A dark shape burst out of the bramble thorns, his bladed wings slicing through the air with a metallic hiss, and the largest Skarmory Indigo had ever seen came swooping down into the courtyard.
The monstrous creature was nine feet tall if he was an inch, practically doubling the size of the other Skarmory. He landed, his talons sparking as they dragged against the stone, bumping his steel head against Astoria's shoulder fondly. "His name is Corrosion," Astoria introduced, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket. She rubbed at a dull stain which could have been rust or dried blood, humming happily. The Skarmory crooned happily in response, enjoying her singing. "He's the Lord of the Skarmory. Sired half the flock, and he's been around for more than seventy years. He belonged to my father when he was a knight, and my grandfather before him. He's the fastest Skarmory in all of Halladen. Ah, but he doesn't like strangers much…not even Captain Aren can ride him, without me."
Oh yes, he had a very bad feeling about this.
"Astoria Glenn," Indigo said, closing his eyes with resignation. "…I have a favor to ask you."
~o~
Flying on the Lord of the Skarmory was every bit as terrifying as free falling to his death, and he was only half certain he was not going to do so anyways. Corrosion was fast, able to fly higher, and hit the gale force winds of the upper skies to further increase his speed.
The only problem was, he enjoyed it a little too much. Their progress was filled with loops and tight whirls, as the Skarmory sliced through the high clouds with his bladed wings, keening happily at his flight. Astoria sat at the base of his neck, wearing a thick aviator's jacket over her uniform with goggles to protect her eyes from the wind. Corrosion listened to her, and her alone, and even the ace flying maid had to cajole him into going towards the Whispermist Forest more often than not.
She seemed at home and free on the back of the great Skarmory, who she'd known all her life. Indigo on the other hand, had given up on being a dignified passenger, and opted to try not to throw up instead. Reasonable goals were key.
Indigo lost his grip on the leather handles of the Skarmory's thick saddle, and fell, for the third time, as the living weapon whirled in a figure eight out of the blue. The braided leather straps tied to his waist pulled tight, and Indigo hung in midair, his face turning green. "Sorry!" Astoria apologized from Corrosion's back. Indigo didn't respond, climbing the braided straps until he could climb back on the Skarmory. Who chose that moment to close his wings and drop to the earth like a stone.
Astoria shrieked with bliss, her laughter filling the heavens. Indigo shrieked as well, in a fashion which was completely masculine, and not at all like a two year old girl. He held on to the straps this time, at least. His hands were raw from the friction with the leather, and frozen practically stiff from the icy temperatures of the aerial skies.
Corrosion fell straight through a puffy cloud, and streams of wafting mist gathered in droplets on their exposed skin, only to be blown away moments later by the howling winds of their fall. He snapped out his bladed wings once they were through, circling lazily as he descended towards the dark forest below.
"Look!" Astoria laughed, still breathless with delight. Indigo thought she was pointing, but couldn't seem to convince himself to open his eyes. "We made it! In under two hours no less. I think that's a new castle record, don't you think, boy?" Corrosion screeched in what could have been an answer, winging lower into the warm air nearer the ground. "Isn't it beautiful?" she sighed, casting her gaze out over the tapestry of the night kissed country.
"I am in awe," Indigo replied after a long moment, without opening his eyes. "Are we by chance near the ground? I need to tell it I love it, and I'll never leave it again."
"Pansy," Astoria scolded, which Indigo thought was rather unfair. Pansies were tough flowers, very hardy and difficult to kill. And cold resistant. They had nothing in common with him at the moment.
The Lord of the Skarmory back winged as they neared the ground, setting them down carefully. Indigo undid the straps holding him in place with fumbling fingers, and collapsed to the ground, his legs like jelly. Astoria slid with a practiced motion off Corrosion's back, patting his fanged metal beak fondly.
"The knights would have travelled much slower, especially in full armor with a big group like that. You should be about half hour behind, thanks to Corrosion here. You sure you don't want me to come with you?" the aviator maid checked, her forehead creasing. "I may not be much of a fighter, but I am a trainer."
"Too dangerous," Indigo managed, standing up laboriously. "Your Skarmory won't be able to maneuver inside the forest. And the enemy is far stronger than your average Pokémon. Besides, I just need to track down one person, and get out. I'll be stealthier alone."
"Well, if you're sure," Astoria said doubtfully. She hooked her foot into the stirrup, swinging herself back over her Skarmory's neck. "Good luck. I hope you're better at fighting than you are at flying."
"I can handle flying perfectly well," Indigo retorted, dusting his shirt off with one hand. "That was spinning in midair for two straight hours. Forgive me if my body protests."
Astoria patted Corrosion's metal hide. "Don't listen to the landlubber. C'mon, boy. Let's see if we can get home even faster!"
Indigo waved goodbye as she soared into the air once more, and finally turned to the yawning mouth of the Whispermist Forest. He swallowed. The trees seemed even thicker and more menacing than they did from a distance. Vines hung in strangling clumps from the rough bark of trees which were thicker around than most Pokémon, and strange flowers grew from odd places in hues hinting at poison.
He'd heard stories about the Whispermist Forest all his life, but he'd never gone inside. People who entered the forest at night had a nasty habit of never coming back out. Strange things happened around the edges of the supposedly haunted woods. Some days, fog seeped from the ground, filling the forest with mist, and passerby swore they could hear laughter from the shadows.
The full moon hung menacingly in the vast shroud of the sky above, and Indigo rested his hand on the hilt of his sword for reassurance.
He had Sparks with him, he consoled himself. And Mireal as well, in her new Poke ball.
"Enter at the Northern trail when the sky bleeds black," the dark haired boy recited under his breath, clenching his fist tight. "And follow the cry of death to the tree of bones. Carry no lights, or the path will be hidden." Zayne had overheard Mayanna reciting the instructions for the path back to Doctor Camellia himself. Indigo laughed nervously, even though no one was around to hear him. He hoped. "Right. At least the instructions aren't too creepy, right?"
Half wary of getting an answer from the shadows, Indigo stepped onto the path of the haunted woods, as somewhere, the clock tolled midnight.
The dark gloom was more oppressive than nightfall, as he pushed forward down the wide path. The thick, living canopy blocked even the light from the full moon from piercing their branches. No grass or weeds grew on the main path, or he would have stood no chance trying to hike through the gloom.
On the bright side, it wasn't completely dark. He saw eyes shining crimson in the shadows at least half a dozen times. The denizens of the forest left him alone, content just to look, and Indigo was grateful for it.
He'd been stumbling along for what felt like an eternity when a croaking cry cut through the gloom. He froze. The sound came again, and Indigo tracked it to a shadow sitting in the branches. "Murkrow!" the shadow laughed derisively, taking flight into the gloom.
"The cry of death," Indigo whispered out loud, remembering his mother's old warning from his childhood. 'Get home before the Murkrow fly!' Seeing a Murkrow at night was said to bring misfortune and death.
The call came again, from another Murkrow, and then a third, all flying deeper into the forest. Indigo followed the sounds, leaving the main path with a feeling of trepidation, hoping he wasn't being lead to his unfortunate death. He pushed through the bushes, following the increasingly loud calls of the Murkrow. He broke into a moon soaked clearing, circled by a wall of ancient trees. Long grass waved in the slight breeze, dotted with starry white flowers.
The clearing was dominated by a bone white tree, its bare branches clawing at the vast expanse of sky above, practically shining in the glow of the full moon. Murkrow sat on the smooth, lightning scarred branches in groups, laughing raucously in their own language.
The tree was decorated with hundreds of bones dangling from thin ropes. They clacked ominously in the breeze.
"Once you've reached the hanging graveyard," Indigo recited out loud, fighting back a shudder, "the path behind will split in two." He was in the right place. The knights had clearly passed through here, their boots stamping down a path around the Murkrow's nest. Indigo followed their lead, walking through the clearing, and behind the massive white tree.
He stopped, closing his eyes, unwilling to see what his eyes were telling him. "The right is long, but safe for humans. The left is short and quick, unlike the death those who take it will experience," he whispered, staring blankly at the right path, which showed clear signs of the knights' passage. "Both lead to the same destination."
And at the left fork, where a scrap of white fabric clung to a snagging branch in the bushes. The same color as Riza's dress.
"Oh Riza…why?" Indigo murmured hopelessly, fear and worry making his blood run cold. She probably wanted to beat the knights, and have as much time for her rescue as possible. She probably thought she could handle it, whatever it was. He didn't know if she was right.
He was afraid. Not just because of her. Indigo didn't want to go down that path, didn't want to see whatever the King of Fire was scared of.
He didn't want to die.
And apparently, he really did love Riza.
Indigo drew his sword with a metallic hiss, bracing himself for a fight, and stepped onto the short path. The Murkrow burst into raucous laughter behind him, jeering at his choice.
The trees closed over him in seconds, plunging the trail into darkness with their ancient canopy. He stood still for a full minute, letting his eyes adjust to the gloom, when light caught his eyes. The trail ahead was lined with faintly glowing mushrooms, their caps as large as dinner plates, leading steadily on. He stepped cautiously, every sense on high alert, but no danger leapt out at him from the shadows, and no death rained down from above. The forest was quiet. Disturbingly quiet.
His footsteps were the only noise, as he made his way down the mushroom lined path, his sword held in warrior's stance. The earth was soft and dark, like garden soil, betraying Riza's path with a set of small footprints leading deeper into the woods of the Whispermist Forest. A glint caught his eye. Indigo ran his fingers over the bark of a thick tree, where three ebony shuriken poked out of the wood.
A chill gusted over his neck, and Indigo whirled, his blade at the ready, but there was nothing behind him. The temperature seemed to drop all at once, and his breath misted in front of him. "Who's there?" Indigo called out, certain he was being watched. The shadows didn't answer, and after a few minutes of frozen silence, Indigo stepped back down the path, every sense on screaming alert.
A stab of pain went through his ankle, but when he looked down, nothing was there. He prodded the site of the wound, and his fingers came away red from a shallow cut. He stood, half convinced he'd just stepped near some kind of shrapnel, when he noticed the mist rising from the dark earth.
A cut sliced open on his right arm, and Indigo whirled, slashing with his sword and hitting thin air. The mist thickened, until he could barely see the light of the glowing mushrooms. Indigo heard laughter uncurling from just out of view, as shadows flitted through the fog.
Another shallow slash opened up on his leg, courtesy of a streaking shadow. Indigo struck with his sword, but hit nothing, as the laughter in the mist grew louder. He cursed, fumbling for Sparks' Poke ball, but the button clicked uselessly, without releasing his partner.
A Haunter materialized right in front of his face, baring spectral purple fangs in a grin large enough to bite him in two, and Indigo slashed on instinct, cutting straight through the intangible ghost. He stumbled back, avoiding the Haunter's deathly cold bite by inches, before it vanished into thin air. Pain pierced through Indigo's ankle, and he looked down to see a turquoise blue Misdreavus clamped down on his wound, the red orbs around her neck shining as she ate his pain, which faded into deathly numbness.
Indigo ran. His fear coursed through him like a drug, and the ghosts laughed at him. His finger pushed the button on Sparks' Poke ball over and over again, but nothing happened, and he knew he was in real trouble. Indigo slashed at the ghosts whenever they appeared near him, his sword at least dispelling them for a moment, but there were so many more of them than he'd thought, flitting through the fog like living whispers of shadow, giggling as they struck at his arms and legs, leaving shallow wounds behind.
Another Misdreavus clamped down on his arm, her necklace shining with lurid light, and it went numb in an instant. Indigo nearly dropped his sword, only just clinging onto the blade, coughing as a purple chemical gas gathered around his head, which sported a pair of gleaming white eyes and a fanged smile. He barely broke free, sprinting with adrenaline rush fear down the dark path.
He lost feeling in his left leg as a Misdreavus bit his calf, and Indigo fell. The ghosts giggled, gathering around him in anticipation as he tried to reach his sword. He jerked his arm back as a Mismagius rose out of the ground, her yellow eyes gleaming, seeming to devour his very soul, and suddenly the world seemed to lose focus, like a watercolor painting with running colors…
"Magius," the voice crooned, like dreams in fog and the nightmares of a child incarnate. Everything went dark, and then he was in a different forest, with black trees which twisted cruelly into a purple sky, and a large yellow moon. Mist covered the ground like water. Indigo stood, finding himself alone, his sword and Poke balls nowhere to be seen. He shivered in the cloying cold.
"Show yourself!" Indigo called out, whirling as he searched for any signs of life. Was he going to die here? Nightmare images reflected off the surface of the mist, dream-like and ugly. A jolt of horror went down his spine at an image of Riza's bloodied corpse, but the image disappeared into mist, just an illusion. "Where am I? What did you do to Riza? Answer me!"
Laughter pealed through the strange, dark world, sounding human. "The boy claims to know the Queen?" a beautiful voice laughed with incredulous amusement, her words seeming to come from nowhere.
"He lies, like all humans," a deeper voice scoffed.
"Maybe he tells the truth," a third suggested with wicked glee. "And he is the King of Fire!" All the voices burst into hysterical laughter at the idea.
A figure stepped through the fog, breaking the wall of white. Cloaked in amethyst robes, the woman wore a large pointed hat edged with fading pink spikes. Her hair was as purple as midnight, and she wore a string of large crimson gemstones around her waist. The edges of her cloak moved and faded as though they were part of the mist itself. "Do not concern yourself with the fate of others," the woman replied in a melodious tone. The sclera of her crimson eyes were an unnatural shade of yellow. She reached out a pale hand to touch the fog. "She is gone, after all. Tell me, human, do you like my world?"
Indigo's surge of loathing and shock was so powerful it surprised even himself, but his energy seemed to be fading. The Mismagius raised her eyebrows, shock gracing her pretty features. "My, my," she whispered. "Such powerful emotions. You'll make a fine meal. Though I should clarify, she isn't dead. The Queen passed through here unharmed. Her destined rise to strength has not yet come to pass."
"Riza…isn't Queen yet," Indigo gasped out, indignant that the ghost would dare speak of her at all, falling to one knee with blurring vision. His strength ebbed, drained by the distorted mental world of the Mismagius. He knew, with a sudden and absolute certainty, that he was going to die here. He couldn't fight this.
The Mismagius smiled with black human lips, wide and cruel. "I never said she was the Queen of Humans. We have no interest in the ever changing rulers of man. The girl is our Queen, the Princess of Evil, the Voice of Shadows, and the Daughter of Midnight. She is one of us."
"You're wrong!" Indigo shouted, his voice rough as he glowered at the ghost in human form with furious blue eyes.
Mismagius tilted her head to the side, her smile soft. "It has long been prophesized that a girl would be born, who would be given the power of Ghost Pokémon, and hold power over all ghosts. Our Queen. Though her power has not matured, there is no doubt."
The power of Ghost Pokémon? "But…" Indigo whispered, his eyes blank. "That would make her…"
The realization hit him like a hammer, as the pieces flew into place.
There was no miracle cure. There never had been. Doctor Camellia could heal anyone, by turning them into Abnormalities. Riza was one of them. Her abilities hadn't woken up yet, but she was one of them!
Mismagius laughed and laughed, her voice pealing like a bell. "How wonderful!" she crowed, with sheer bliss. "Delicious. Your pain is absolutely delicious!" The scarlet pupils in her yellow eyes shone bright, mirroring the crimson gemstones of her belt, and Indigo was having trouble holding on to his consciousness, as his pain faded along with his mind…
"Stop this, Lilith," a new voice broke in. Indigo shifted his head blearily, barely able to move. The newcomer was a young girl, wearing a tattered grey dress with a large hood. Her bare feet floated above the mist, as she surveyed the dark world with disdainful crimson eyes behind a broken skull mask covering half her face. "Your mind is as bleak as ever. I do not care for this form."
"The boy is my prey, Esper!" The Mismagius hissed, her eyes shining malevolently, but the girl just laughed.
"His pain has yet to mature," the Duskull said, running her cracked black fingernails over Indigo's cold cheek. He couldn't move. He could barely breathe. Indigo could only look, his shallow, gasping breaths coming faster. The ghostly girl's rotten teeth were bloodied when she smiled. "I see the future. Far into the future, and yet in no time at all. Let the boy go. When his despair breaks his soul, he will come to us, and beg us to eat his pain. Let him go to the King of Fire. Let him experience torture at the hands of a master of the art! Until then, let him go!"
Indigo fell to the ground of the Whispermist Forest, the world of the ghosts vanishing in an instant, every muscle in his body shaking with violent cold. The fog was gone. The trail was lit serenely with white mushrooms, leading further into the forest.
He felt no relief at his narrow escape. Indigo had other things on his mind.
It couldn't be. Denial hit him hard. It couldn't be!
An explosion boomed through the forest, and Indigo heard the sounds of battle. Screams filled the night air, along with the distant clash of steel, interspersed with roars which couldn't be human.
The battle for Doctor Camellia's lab had begun.
Indigo Nightwalker grabbed his blade from the earth, and rose to his feet, fire flashing in his eyes, and went to join it.
He ran down the path, to find the forest aflame. Broken trees and burning branches scattered the ground around the site of a large black crater. A strange wall of opaque energy rose into the sky, and in front of it, war raged. More Abnormalities than Indigo had ever seen fought the Knights of Halladen, striking swords and shields with armored claws and bursts of searing red flames from gaping, almost-human mouths. Pokémon battled as well, the crimson armored battlers of Halladen against the teams of the Abnormalities. Flames filled the air, and Indigo felt a moment of fear; Karraket town was right next to the Whispermist Forest. If the flames spread…
Instinct was all that saved his life.
Indigo raised his sword in a flash, blocking a downward sweep of a double handed broadsword, wielded by a knight in scorched armor. "Captain!" Indigo gasped, recognizing her insignia, the reverberations from the blow ringing up his arms.
"What are you doing here?" Captain Aren demanded, recognizing him, finally, her blade letting up. Indigo explained in clipped sentences. "Mazarine is here?" Captain Aren hissed with shock, her voice echoing oddly because of her helmet. "Find her. Find her, and get her out! If the Princess dies, it will be all our heads!" She broke off, swinging her sword in an arc, beheading an Abnormality with slavering jaws as it leapt towards her back. "We're tied up here. The lab is up ahead, behind some kind of barrier. See if you can break through. GO!"
Indigo obeyed, breaking into a run. Twice he crossed blades against Abnormalities, but he didn't battle them long, running towards the barrier the instant he had an opening each time. He was wondering what he would do when he got there, but found he didn't have to worry. He walked right through the barrier, feeling an odd rippling sensation as he did so. Indigo turned, completely stunned, and saw a blank wall of light behind him. It shuddered as something heavy hit it from the other side, but didn't break through.
He didn't have time to worry about why the barrier let him through, and him alone.
Because Riza was here.
She whirled in her white dress, her twin ebony swords flashing and dancing, in the midst of a great clearing. The moon hung directly above the field, and smoldering fires burned in heaps around the battlefield. Her Pokémon lay motionless on the ground, beaten and unconscious, but their master fought on, a furious war cry on her rosy lips, and a terrible burn scorched across her shoulder.
She had only one opponent.
Doctor Camellia smiled unnervingly, his goggles reflecting the light of the fires, adorned with his cloak of swirling midnight, and his wide brimmed hat. Fire swirled around his black gloves, somehow not burning him, stretched into two long whips of living flame which struck and whirled against Riza's slashing blades, never giving her any ground. The mad doctor was unharmed, his breathing steady.
"You've done well, Princess," Doctor Camellia noted, a hint of approval in his low voice. "Defeating three of my generals is no easy task. Tell me, how did you discover my identity?"
"You'll never know," Riza swore, her violet eyes fever bright with grief and battle rage. "You monster! My blades will make you answer for your crimes!"
Doctor Camellia laughed, as if amused by the antics of a child. "So, Zayne betrayed me? I should have killed him years ago. It was such fun dangling his sister's life over his head, I just couldn't bring myself to end his pain. I do play with my toys a bit too much at times." He tilted his palm upwards as he spoke, and a searing gout of fire shot towards the furious Princess. She avoided it with a roll, dropping one sword as she threw three hidden knives towards his stomach. They melted in midair once they got close to the King of Fire, dripping onto the grass as molten metal. Riza let out a shriek of rage, picking up her sword as she bolted forward, her blades singing as they clashed against his tangible whips of flame, their edges glowing red-hot.
"Riza!" Indigo shouted, breaking into a run across the field. She didn't turn at his shout, but he knew she heard him. Three bodies burned in his path, each one an Abnormality defeated by Riza, but killed by Doctor Camellia. Within moments he was at her side, parrying the living flames with his blade. "Are you okay?" he demanded, helping take some of the pressure off Doctor Camellia's barrage. "Did you find the kids?"
"I think they're in the lab," Riza panted, jerking her head towards a non-descript one story building at the edge of the clearing. "I haven't been able to check." She whirled, slicing through one of the whips with a powerful two handed slash of her blades. "And Indigo? I'm glad you're here. He's strong – stronger than I ever dreamed."
Setting aside the fact that she'd knocked him out and left him behind until after the fight, Indigo simply nodded, his jaw tight as he fought fire with steel. They slashed and blocked, moving forward one step at a time, their combined strength enough that Doctor Camellia's scarlet flames weren't enough to overpower them.
The smile never left his face. "Indigo Nightwalker. I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever join the fun. A bit late, aren't you?" His left whip guttered out, its energy depleted, and the battle intensified as he focused more attention on the right, the searing heat keeping them temporarily at bay.
"Shut up," Indigo snarled. "You sure like to talk, don't you? It's over. The Knights have this area surrounded. It's only a matter of time before they beat your army, and break the barrier. Even if you did escape, there's nowhere in the kingdom you can hide. The King knows your face, and he'll never stop hunting for you! Just give up!"
"Did you think it would be that easy?" Doctor Camellia mocked, a burst of flames from his left hand sending them jumping back. His goggles gleamed through the firelight, and his whip vanished into embers.
The flames died down, as if suppressed by his will, and Doctor Camellia raised both his gloved hands in a gesture of defeat. "Very well. I surrender."
"You…what?" Indigo gaped, lowering his sword. Doctor Camellia smiled all the wider.
"You've won, Nightwalker. I accept my defeat. I expect the 'King' needs me alive? By all means – restrain me. The children are in the laboratory, Princess. Feel free to check for yourself. If you'd like, I'll even open the door for you."
Riza's eyes narrowed. She pulled a pair of iron shackles from the golden bag tied to her belt, and tossed them at Doctor Camellia's feet. "Prove it," she ordered, glaring at the monster of a man. "Put them on. And I'll check the lab."
Doctor Camellia reached down, and closed the manacles around his wrists. His arms burst into gleaming red flames, heating up the metal, but unable to melt it. He held up his arms to demonstrate he was still restrained, and Indigo did not trust his smile.
Indigo caught Riza's arm, turning his head so the doctor couldn't hear. "It could be a trap. Let me."
"He didn't know we were coming," Riza pointed out, her eyes narrowed with wariness. "Watch him. Don't let him hit me from behind. I'll check it out."
"Did you hurt your arms?" Indigo asked suddenly, his forehead creasing. Black stains which almost looked like soot spread up the pale skin of her arms, curling like vines. He couldn't remember if they'd been there before.
She shook her head curtly. "It's just from the fires. I'm not hurt. Wait here for me."
Indigo couldn't explain the sudden fear lancing through his chest, as the beautiful blonde girl walked towards the madman's laboratory beneath the star dusted sky. Her head was held high, her steps proud, but something was wrong, he just couldn't put his finger on it…
"Stress is key," Doctor Camellia said, watching the Princess hungrily. "Did you know," the evil man mused out loud, "that change must always be preceded by a breaking point?"
Indigo's eyes flashed with understanding. "STOP," he shouted, and Riza turned to face him an instant before touching the door handle, a confused look in her violet eyes.
He was breathing heavily, scenes from the ghosts' world flickering through his mind. The markings on her arms reminded him of something he'd seen before. Poison Belle, their second Abnormality, had green markings on her skin, in similar shapes. Stress helps bring about the change. "Don't open the door," he begged, his voice rough with a terrible premonition. "Let's just bring him to the Knights. Don't look inside."
"But we can't," Riza said without comprehension, tilting her head to the side. "My father ordered all the Abnormalities killed. If he's already changed the kids, we're the only ones who can save them. We don't have much time, Indigo."
"Please," he breathed, dark blue hair falling into his desperate eyes, but found to his horror that he couldn't tell her why. He couldn't look into the eyes of the girl he loved, and tell her she'd been turned into a monster.
Her lips pursed. She looked exasperated, putting one hand to her slim waist. "You worry too much," Princess Mazarine Calariam scolded, giving him a reassuring smile as she turned, and opened the door. She was still for a long moment, her shoulders going rigid with absolute shock.
Her scream was piercing and terrible, a sound of pure anguish and horror, as she looked into Doctor Camellia's lab. Indigo couldn't see inside, but the screams of a warrior princess told him all he needed to know. "Riza!" Indigo shouted, bolting forward. Behind him, Doctor Camellia bared his teeth in a smile, his triumphant eyes hidden behind his goggles.
Her screams didn't stop, as she stumbled back, nearly falling over, and he caught her, shaking her shoulders. "Riza. Riza!" Indigo shouted, but it was like she couldn't hear him. Air from the open door of the dark lab rushed over him, and Indigo gagged, covering his nose with his arm. He could see bodies hanging from the ceiling, their details obscured.
Her scream broke off with a strangled gasp. "Monster," Riza whispered agonizingly, staring sightlessly into nothing. "Monster."
"Riza, please," Indigo begged, stroking her cheek over and over again. Doctor Camellia was laughing now, his head thrown back with uninhibited triumph.
Riza looked at him, her eyes frozen wide, a single tear breaking free to streak down her cheek. The dark markings streaking her arms curled upwards, like living tattoos, swirling beneath the surface of her skin.
He looked into her beautiful violet eyes, and saw the moment they turned black.
Power threw him back like a doll, and Indigo crashed against the ground, tearing a furrow in the grass. Wind surged in a vortex around the clearing, whipping debris and flaming embers into the air. Indigo struggled to see, shielding his eyes with one arm as he rose to his knees, his side screaming with pain from his impact. He shouted her name, but the wind was too strong, tearing it away before it could reach her.
Riza hung in the air, her head down and her feet a full meter above the earth, as her hair whipped around her body. The dark markings under her skin twisted with savage joy, shining at the edges with ghostly purple power.
Her eyes snapped up to look at Doctor Camellia, entirely black, her expression oddly blank.
Doctor Camellia's laughter finally broke off. "You are strong, my dear!" he crowed, rising to his feet. He was still bound, though he didn't seem to care. "But not strong enough!"
The ground shone with light in vast circles around her feet, an instant before geysers of flames exploded upwards. The flames broke to the sides, as Riza hung motionless, as if striking an invisible barrier around her body.
Doctor Camellia's smile faltered for just a second. He recovered quickly, fire shooting in twin streams from his palms, striking the barrier like molten lightning. The attack howled, blackening the grass far below until it was seared to ash, the light as bright as the noonday sun. Ripples and cracks formed on the barrier in the face of the onslaught, but Riza seemed to be in blank shock, not seeming to care.
She raised both hands, palms up, and the ground shattered, great roots tearing free, lined with ghostly power. One struck Doctor Camellia from the side, shattering his concentration, and a second root collided with him in midair before he could hit the ground, sending him flying the other direction.
He rose to his feet, his smile now entirely gone, blood trickling from the side of his mouth. Twin fire whips formed in his manacled hands, slicing towards Indigo, who did not have his sword. His eyes had enough time to go wide.
Riza shifted her hand, her eyes as black as the void of the night sky, and a jagged root impaled Doctor Camellia from behind, breaking free of his stomach on the other side. The fire guttered out, and his goggles slipped off as he fell, revealing stunned brown eyes.
Doctor Camellia collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him in the light of the scattered fires, but Riza didn't seem to notice. She clutched her arms as if in pain, her face twisting into a terrified grimace, the living swirls twisting madly beneath her skin, faster and faster, as roots curled through the air, striking at everything in range.
"Riza!" Indigo howled, narrowly avoiding being impaled by a striking root. She shook her head back and forth, hunched over in midair. Her power ran rampant, destroying the earth itself, and he wasn't sure if she could survive the strain. "Riza listen to me, you have to stop!" Nothing. Her lips parted into a silent scream. Indigo's heart thundered in his chest, his eyes wild. This wasn't her fault. It wasn't her fault, but if the Knights saw…if everyone knew, how would they react? Would her father, who ordered the death of children without hesitation, spare his own daughter if he believed she was a threat?
He didn't know what to do. Indigo didn't know what to do, and everything was happening so fast. He clung to the knowledge that her condition had to be a secret, focused on that one goal, and his brain kicked into overdrive. He ran closer to her, the wind nearly knocking him over as the ground churned beneath his feet, but it was all he could do. His sword was long gone, swallowed by the gaping earth.
He jerked back, stopped from getting any closer by a wall of writhing roots, his voice a shout above the gale. "Riza, I love you, do you hear me? I LOVE YOU!" Indigo howled, shielding his face as a root careened towards him, cracking against his forearm.
The gale stopped abruptly. Roots and chunks of earth crashed back to the ground, and Indigo looked up to see Riza staring at him, her amethyst eyes human once more. "Indigo," she whispered, looking stunned. "Do you mean it? Do you really…"
Her eyes slipped closed, and she fell to the ground, her strength exhausted all at once. "Riza," Indigo gasped, clambering over debris to her side. He felt for a pulse, and shuddered with relief when he felt the gentle beat of her heart. "Riza," he whispered, bowing his head, holding her hand tightly with his own. "It's going to be okay," he promised roughly, grieving tears breaking free from the corners of his eyes, though he didn't know if it would be. "I still love you. I don't care what he did to you, you're still Riza, alright? We'll get through this. I'll help you get through this."
Indigo laid her down gently, brushing her hair away from her face, his breathing harsh and erratic. He was shaking from some combination of adrenaline and relief, as it sunk in.
The battle was over. They'd won.
Quiet laughter issued from the debris, harsh and grating. Indigo raised his head, his eyes wide with recognition, and bright with hatred. He stood carefully, and walked through the battlefield to where he lay.
Doctor Camellia didn't try to get up. His stomach was soaked with blood, around the piercing root still inside him. Trickles of red oozed from the corners of his mouth. "Congratulations," he coughed, flecks of blood flying from his mouth. "You did it. Congratulations."
"I don't want your congratulations," Indigo spat, his fists shaking with rage, the terrible grief in his heart adding fire to his words. "Why? Why do any of this? What could you possibly hope to gain?"
"I did what I had to," Doctor Camellia rasped, staring at Indigo from the corners of his eyes. "Just like you. I had to do it. For my daughter. She'll be alright now, he always keeps his word, even to the dead."
"What are you talking about?" Indigo asked, his forehead creasing, cold fear shooting down his spine. Doctor Camellia closed his eyes, but spoke anyways, his breath coming fast.
"Don't take any of his deals. You'll regret it. Nothing can stop him. The King is as close to evil as exists in this world. He'll make you a deal for her life. Don't take it. When the time comes, just let her die."
"The King isn't what you say he is!" Indigo shouted, his temper flaring. He'd never felt so emotionally raw before, and his voice was a snarl which barely sounded human. "He's Riza's father! You're the evil one! YOU HURT RIZA!"
Doctor Camellia laughed hoarsely, until he hacked up blood. "Don't you get it?" he shouted back, surprising Indigo with how much strength he still had. "I'm not him. I'm not the King of Fire!"
Indigo recoiled as if he'd been struck, his eyes wide and disbelieving. "What did you say?" he whispered with stunned horror. "What do you mean you aren't him?"
Slow clapping echoed over the clearing, and Indigo froze.
He turned to face the noise, and saw a man walking through the flames, applauding deliberately. Fire extinguished itself at his feet, creating a path through the blaze as if yielding to a monarch. He wore well-fitting clothing as dark as coal, matching his tousled raven black hair. The dark depths of his eyes seemed to shine with malice.
"It was you?" Indigo whispered, feeling like he'd been punched, unable to process what was before his eyes. "The whole time, it was you?"
Zayne Camellia smiled once, a cruel, deliberate thing, as fire rose behind him in a scarlet inferno edged with brilliant gold. "Hello, Indigo," he greeted, with dark satisfaction in his tone, seeming relaxed.
Indigo's face twisted with hatred, and he lunged for one of Riza's swords. Zayne raised his hand, and a sheet of fire rose between him and the blade, stopping him in his tracks. Indigo whirled back to face him, his expression wild with fury, hurling his words like weapons since he had none. "Who are you? You traitor, WHO ARE YOU!" he howled, his rage taking over.
Zayne laughed sardonically, seeming unafraid of Indigo's fury. "You might recognize me from your nightmares," he said, fire gleaming in his eyes. "Oh, my mistake. You haven't started having them yet."
Indigo dove through the flames, catching the hilt of Riza's ebony sword mid roll. He came to his feet, breathing harshly, settling into a warrior's stance. He swore he would wipe the smile from his enemy's face, if it was the last thing he did. "Doctor Camellia was a fake," he spat, his shoulders heaving. "He was your pawn, the whole time!"
"Not exactly," Zayne shrugged, looking elegant and disdainful. "Doctor Camellia really was working for the King of Halladen. Before I killed him, nine years ago. The man you see there agreed to act as him, while taking orders from me. He wanted me to save his only daughter from her chronic illness. I always make good on my promises."
He moved his hand, and fire erupted in a large circle around them, an arena of scarlet flames, and continued.
"You see, I was telling the truth, before. I was an orphan from the Rebellion of the Scorned. I survived the war, with my older sister, and we were taken away by the original Doctor Camellia. I was an experiment, along with countless others, including Mayanna, his only daughter and my only friend. Every year, more of us died. My sister succumbed to his clumsy experiments when I was a child. I was fourteen when I murdered him with the same fire he'd unknowingly gifted me with. Dying and desperate, I utilized his own medicine to stabilize myself and Mayanna, and spent the next eight years honing his work until it was perfected. That man was a fool compared to me, even as a child."
"So you killed him," Indigo snarled, circling his enemy warily as he looked for an opening. Zayne followed his progress with cold dark eyes. "Good for you. That doesn't explain what you're doing now. Why wage war against the King of Halladen? Why lead us here?"
"You truly don't understand?" Zayne mocked, arching a dark eyebrow. "The King of Halladen is a fraud. He funded Doctor Camellia, he authorized him to kidnap the orphans of war. Doctor Camellia was trying to create an immortality drug, and the King supplied him with endless subjects from his own country. I didn't kidnap the castle's children by the way. King Johann delivered them to us, to speed up the immortality elixir. He's terrified of Layla Crie, even now."
Indigo's eyes went wide, and he looked towards the lab. Zayne's voice was thick with disgust when he spoke next. "I didn't kill them. I would never harm a child. They're all safe, just hidden. Those bodies are previous members of the Scorned, who gave up the war. No one you know, I assure you. They were as much at fault as our corrupt King."
Indigo attacked with a snarl of rage, slashing the midnight sword towards Zayne's torso. He twisted out of the way, his hands in his pockets, his expression never changing. "Temper, temper," he scolded, raising one pale hand. The sword shone red, and Indigo dropped it with a shout of pain, his palms burned.
"It was a challenge, controlling fire from a distance to make it seem as though the fake Doctor Camellia was the one using it," Zayne admitted, looking dispassionately at his own hand. "I assure you, the fight would have been over in moments had I been trying. Riza has been close to the change for some time now. I drew out the fight, until the markers began to show. Then all it took was a final push, a shock, to awaken her abilities."
Indigo lunged at him with his fists, a wordless snarl of fury on his lips. His fist connected with Zayne Camellia's stomach, and passed through him, as his flesh and bones flickered for the briefest moment into literal flames where he struck.
Zayne hit him only once, his leg shining with flames, striking Indigo across the stomach like a meteor. He crashed to the ground, gasping for air, pain lancing across the burned skin of his abdomen.
"This was all necessary for my revenge," Zayne continued, as if nothing had happened. "First, I needed to get to Princess Mazarine Calariam. But she was well guarded. And so I came up with a plan. I created a villain for her to chase, the King of Fire, appealing to her crime fighting hobby. My disciple defeated her, and you, once we had you in the open, and administered the first dose of the Pokémon Experiment the day you met Asha."
"The drug began to take effect, changing her from the inside out, with all the markers of a mysterious illness. And lo and behold, the King got desperate, fearing Layla's curse was beginning. He called for his trusted disciple, Doctor Camellia, and I was invited to Helios Castle. I stabilized Mazarine, who would have died otherwise, while continuing the change, and found myself in the ideal position. But of course, you came along, suspecting Doctor Camellia of being the King of Fire. Just as I'd planned."
Zayne's eyes shone with satisfaction as he saw the utter hatred on Indigo's face, drinking in his pain. "Now, 'Doctor Camellia' will die, exposed as the King of Fire, the story wrapped up nicely, and no one will think to suspect me. I will take his place, and continue to treat Mazarine, my position in the castle secured for as long as I'd like. I'll have all the time in the world for the next phase of my plan."
Indigo rose, a raw shout breaking from his throat as he attacked the taller man again, pulling a knife from his boot.
Zayne's lips twitched into a superior smirk. A ring of fire exploded around Indigo's feet, shooting straight up into the air in a howling tornado. The air burned up in an instant, and Indigo coughed harshly, falling to his knees within the calm eye of the vortex of flames, gasping for air which wasn't there anymore. His vision began to go dark at the edges, when the flames disappeared at once.
"Why are you telling me all this?" Indigo asked hoarsely, between gulping breaths of air, long moments later. He couldn't win. He'd barely put up a fight at all. Zayne Camellia was too strong, better than all the Abnormalities by far. "What…do you want from me?" He looked up tiredly at his enemy, and knew he'd been waiting for Indigo to ask just that. His eyes shone with predatory grace.
"The Nightwalkers served the Akkarins. I find it fitting for you to work for me, as I have my revenge against the King who murdered them. And I like you, to my surprise. Riza too. So I'll make you a deal."
He crouched down by Indigo, clearly enjoying himself. His voice was a dark whisper, cajoling and reasonable. "I'll save her. Riza's powers are unstable, like my own. She won't take on the appearance of a Pokémon, but her strength will threaten her own life. I can stabilize it, suppress her power. Only I can save her now. In return, you won't try to stop me anymore. The King will die, once I'm through with him, and Riza will be Queen. Perhaps with you by her side. But I have a price."
"In your dreams," Indigo snarled, finding the strength to climb to his feet. "I'll never work for you. We'll find another way to save her!"
Zayne snapped his fingers, and a path through the flames appeared, exposing Riza on the ground.
The dark markings under her skin had grown while they talked, snaking and curling around each other until most of Riza's skin was painted with ghostly power. Her nose and mouth bled slowly in her sleep. She shuddered faintly, her limbs seizing as if she were being electrocuted.
She was dying. The backlash was killing her, right in front of him.
"Be my sword, my messenger of death, killing who I want killed, and obeying my orders," Zayne crooned, his eyes alight with wicked enjoyment. He loved this, Indigo realized with a sickened jolt, loved twisting and manipulating others, toying with their minds and lives. "Give me your loyalty…and in return, I'll give you Princess Mazarine, and the Kingdom itself. Once she is Queen, our business will be concluded. I have no interest in harming her…just her murderous father. Play my game until then, and I'll let you go. You have my word. And I never break a promise."
Indigo froze. Zayne's smile…no, the smile of the monstrous King of Fire, seemed to taunt him, and Indigo knew he would enjoy whatever choice he made.
He would let Riza die without a second thought, and make Indigo watch. And then, he would kill Indigo too, without remorse or hesitation.
No one would know the truth. No one would stop him.
"Time's almost up," the King of Fire murmured, the sharp angles of his handsome face thrown into stark relief by the firelight. Riza's shuddering grew slower, her strength ebbing.
"Alright!" Indigo agreed in a shout, clenching his fists. He was shaking, every fiber of his being rebelling against the choice. But was there really a choice? "I'll do it. Fine. Now go help her!"
He would play along for now, he told himself. This wasn't permanent. Indigo would wait for the chance to betray him, and fix all of this. But right now, Riza needed Zayne, or she would be gone forever.
He opened his eyes when Riza's ebony sword clattered at his feet.
"Kill him," Zayne ordered, his black eyes steady.
It took Indigo a long moment to realize what the dark haired monster meant.
He took a sharp breath, his eyes flashing with shock. "He's one of your men!" Indigo protested, his mind going blank. Zayne shrugged disdainfully.
"He's dying anyways," the King of Fire pointed out lazily, clearly unaffected by the nightmarish words coming out of his mouth. "Murder him in cold blood, while I watch. Prove yourself. If you don't cut his throat, you and Mazarine will both die here by my hand. Your survival depends on your obedience. Make your choice."
Indigo felt cold, as if his blood had frozen in his veins. His hands shook as he picked up the blade. Every moment dragged on like an eternity, his heart pounding horribly in his chest. He stood over the fake Doctor Camellia, terror and disgust shining in his steel blue eyes. The man was dying, but he looked at Indigo impassively all the same, without protest. "I'm sorry," Indigo whispered, his voice breaking. His hands were shaking so badly the sword wouldn't stay straight. He'd never imagined he'd be forced to do something like this in his lifetime. "By Layla's blood…I'm sorry," he breathed, slashing down with the blade.
He closed his eyes when he felt the sword strike flesh, and tears streaked down his face. He was so cold. His mind refused to accept what was happening to him, but what could he do? Both he and Riza were at the mercy of the King of Fire, and only Indigo could protect her.
Zayne laughed quietly, enjoying himself immensely. "Well done, Nightwalker," he murmured, walking without hurry over to Riza's side. He injected her arm with a syringe filled with milky liquid, and in moments, her spasms had stopped. The dark markings retreated into smaller, vine-like swirls, instead of covering her skin entirely. They didn't disappear, and somehow Indigo knew they wouldn't again.
"You'll be well rewarded for your service," the King of Fire informed him, walking back to face Indigo directly. He'd dropped the blade, shuddering from head to toe, unable to look away from the man he'd been forced to kill. His open eyes stared blankly at nothing. "Now," Zayne commanded, cold superiority on his features, his dark gaze shining. "Bow to me."
Indigo found he'd never known what hatred was, until that very moment. It surged through him like a tide of acid, but Indigo's stiff legs buckled, and he dropped to one knee, bowing his head to the man he detested more than anything on the earth.
Zayne Camellia, better known as the King of Fire, smiled, a cruel, deliberate thing, as flames burned around them, sealing their pact in blood.
~o~
"It is unfortunate that Doctor Isaiah Camellia could not be taken in alive," King Johann boomed, his face deeply lined with lament. "However! I would be remiss not to recognize the bravery of Indigo Miller, who rescued my daughter after she went to fight the enemy alone, and defeated Doctor Camellia despite his superhuman abilities! I hereby bestow upon you the position of Knight of Halladen, as befits your valor and service to this kingdom!"
"You are too kind, my liege," Indigo replied in a haunted whisper, his eyes empty as he bowed. The King nodded in acknowledgement of his words.
"And Zayne Camellia, who handed us the King of Fire on a silver platter, must also be recognized!" King Johann commanded, turning his head towards the doctor's assistant. "For your service to the Crown, I hereby name you head medic of Helios Castle! You will be given all the resources you require, as you strive to mimic the medicine to save my daughter from her…condition. If you are also able to complete an additional side project from your master's notes, you will be rewarded with a title and land within the kingdom."
Zayne smiled sardonically, sweeping into a flawless bow. "I will do everything in my power to serve you as you deserve, my King," he murmured respectfully. "In the meantime, you can be assured of my discretion concerning Princess Mazarine's health."
"I most certainly will," King Johann agreed, glaring at Zayne's bowed form. He smashed his staff against the stone for emphasis as he stood. "Rise, Indigo Miller, Knight of Halladen. And rise, Doctor Camellia, Head Medic of Helios Castle!"
The assembled knights saluted as one, the sound of metal on metal deafening, none louder than Captain Aren's respectful salute. Riza beamed at him from her mother's side, wearing a long sleeved dress to hide her arms.
Indigo closed his eyes, his blood running cold with horrible guilt, dying a little more with every beat of his heart.
~o~
Author's Note: Welcome to the end of my very favorite chapter.
Indigo Part Two was the easiest to write out of everything so far. Because this villain, my favorite villain, has such a powerful personality and drive that he carries the whole story along with him. He's been given many names by this point. (Tero Akkarin, Doctor Camellia, the King of Fire, Zayne Camellia, and Tero of the Burning Shadows.) He's powerful beyond belief, brutally intelligent and manipulative, and carries such powerful charisma that others can't help but be in awe of him, despite his sociopathic tendencies. He's incredible and dangerous, and this arc was the first time I could properly introduce him.
Here's the thing. So far, Indigo hasn't really done anything overtly wrong. He's made some sketchy choices, like lying to the Queen, but no one could hate him for that. He's a good person, trying desperately to protect the things he loves. He's being smart. He's trying his hardest. And this was his first major loss. And honestly? It isn't his fault he couldn't win. His enemy outplayed him, from beginning to end.
And I did that on purpose.
Monsters aren't born. Evil doesn't sprout up from nowhere. No one starts off as a villain. They can have greater potential to be evil someday, like Avery for example, or maybe they are raised on different values, but that isn't the same thing. Every monster this world has ever spawned has started as an innocent.
I could have shown Indigo as a bad, borderline irredeemable person from chapter one of his backstory, and I didn't. Because it makes it so much worse if he's a good person who falls into darkness anyways. Despite trying his hardest. Despite trying to do the right thing. Indigo is a lot of good things, but he isn't perfect, and in the final arc of his backstory, you'll have a much better understanding of who he is, and why he's been drowning beneath the weight of his darkness.
But I'm afraid that will have to wait, for a little while longer. It isn't the right time to finish just yet!
Thank you for reading, everyone! Remember to leave me a review, and have a wonderful day. :)
~Little Miss Firebright