Shatters of ice fall onto me and I groan in pain as pure energy seems to saturate the air around me. A black and a white shape appear in front of me and growl. The darker colored one points at me. "See? I told you that ice-covered, empty weakling has been looking for a champion."
The lighter one nods and grabs me at the neck. "So you did not only imagine things for once, Zekrom. Doesn't matter, you're still only a dream chaser. I feel Kyurem's touch, but why should he be interested in someone so weak our mere presence makes him suffer?"
Zekrom pushes the other one away and shakes its head. "If I'm such a pathetic lunatic, why did you not find him first? Or notice how he feeds of our energy, Reshiram?"
The white one takes a few steps back. "He does what?!" It pauses for a moment. "Right again. You're constantly surprising me tonight. It's not enough for him to become a threat, but unusual to say the least. How long until his core would burst by being filled too much? At this rate a few minutes?"
The black dragon-like figure laughs. "It won't. The overflowing energy gets directed into his body, that somehow makes him groan, not our presence. He's a fascinating specimen, a pity empty has gotten to him first."
I build a new cage out of ice and try to seal the two figures in my dream, their power hurts, but it helps me keep conscious.
My trap shatters before it is even fully set. The white shape grits its teeth. "Greedy. I would love to punish you for that, but it would be against the rules." I turns to the other one. "Our truce ends as soon as we leave this dream."
"Of course, truth."
My body aches and burns. I slowly open my eyes and see I'm lying in a puddle of mud and blood, it seems to have rained while I was knocked out.
I cough and spit clumps of half dried blood before getting up. I glance at my body and shake my head. 'I look like a bloody mess, I don't think I will even be able to get all of the dirt off alone... Maybe Sori could help...'
I twitch. 'Is she even back? Hopefully she is not too angry if I come later than she expected.'
A quick glance up to the sun and I head south. 'I probably won't make it today, at least that should give me sufficient time to think of a way to apologize...'
"Wait!"
A Haxorus steps on the way behind me and coughs. "You're pretty difficult to find. No wonder with a territory as large as yours though."
I turn around and tilt my head. 'As mine? Why do other dragons constantly refer to my hunting grounds as if I would own them? The area is too big for me to cover it alone, not like I tried to. But I guess I know where this is going...' "So? You're one of these weird challengers that want to devour my core and claim my territory?" 'I have no idea why every dragon I met said that, sounds almost like a ritual to me.'
The yellowish dragon nods. "Exactly like you did to the previous sovereigns."
I blink in confusion. "Previous ones? Are you talking about that senile Hydreigon or the weird black Haxorus?" 'Everyone else said that strange challenger-rite-stuff, so I guess it had to be one of these two.'
The pure dragon growls. "Both were rules of an area, which means I can easily feed my future mate and whelps after being done with you."
I try to smile, at least he shows spirit, and these challengers did offer a lot more fun than simply hunting breakfast, maybe I can finally get some satisfaction out of it again. 'Why do we have to... ?'
My shadow energy suddenly reacts and pains suppresses the questioning before it can trap me. 'I should check on that after later. Ouch.'
My smile widens as blood lust raises in me while my opponent snarls. "Stupid intimidation through useless black sparks and eyes won't work."
He dashes forward, seemingly determined to cut me apart as quickly as possible. I dodge to the left and spin, letting my left hand bite his neck. My opponent seems unable to handle the additional momentum and I sent him to the ground, hitting his head with a dragon pulse as he tries to get up again.
I grin, it's a little bit distracting to allow the shadow energy to guide me, but easier than with the strange feelings that haunted me after Aken's death. Ouch.
I focus on the other dragon and see he is slowly standing up, slightly shuddering. He grins. "Was that all you've got?"
My laughter does seem to intimidate him now. "I was just getting started. Attack!"
The Haxorus actually seems to obey me as he runs forward, both claws glowing blue. I grasp at my core and form a sphere of energy in my mouth. As the dragon gets in reach for his dragon claws I fly backward to avoid the swing before rushing forward and slamming my head against his. My opponent flinches for the blink of an eye and I take the chance to release my dragon pulse up close while his guard is down.
The Haxorus stumbles back, but I follow up by wrapping my teeth in ice and bite his throat while my hands grab his wrists. Putting more energy into my ice fangs I hear how my so-called-challenger coughs and whimper as his airway closes of with ice.
I let go and grin while my opponent collapses, slowly choking as he is unable to destroy the ice shutting his lung off air. I suppress the shadow energy and take a deep breath while his twitching slows down. "Rest in peace."
The Haxorus stops moving and I rip open his chest, swallowing his core. 'You shouldn't waste such concentrated energy.'
After a moment I notice no images fill my head and slightly bow in front of the lifeless dragon. "It was a good fight." 'Maybe this weird rites aren't totally useless after all. Certainly helps to calm down my mind.'
I take his heart before continuing moving south.
"Don't you dare to trespass through my lands without my permission!"
'Why do these guys always have to get in the way when I'm busy getting somewhere?' I glare at the older Hydreigon who has stepped, hovered, in my way. "I saw no line or sign that said this belongs to anyone." 'Not sure if I could have understood it anyway.' "I'm a bit in a hurry, someone might be waiting for me, this does not need to end with your death."
The other dark dragon growls. "Really? You're not just some annoying challenger trying to claim my land and such?"
I snicker, not the wisest action I guess. "I already eh... accidentally claimed a large enough hunting ground, no need to expand it anymore. Now get out of my way."
The Hydreigon snarls while our hand grit their teeth. "I don't buy I, whelp. I'm not going to turn my back on you."
I dash forward, anger and shadows veiling my sight. 'Even experience can only help to a limited amount if the body isn't fast enough to react.'
My head slams into his stomach and my satisfaction rises as the old one gulps before leaning forward. I fly back and barely evade the three heads snapping at me.
'It's your fault you die now.' Pain flows through my head as I try to focus again. 'Mercy is weakness.'
I step to the left and evade his dive at me, my right hand biting into his lowest right wing as he passes by. 'But mercy means salvation...'
I grasp at my core and let my energy flow into my body slowly extending my shadow aura as my opponent hits the ground. 'Thinking only hinders your ability to fight.' "Clumsy, huh?"
The Hydreigon furiously swipes and bites anything in his reach, not a fitting description for me luckily as I quickly draw back. 'But without a mind we are little more than without our core.'
I slowly form a sphere of energy in my mouth while staying out of his reach. 'I should ask someone who has greater knowledge on that matter.'
The dark dragon's attacks become more snatchy and I release my dragon pulse as he drops his guard to increase the range of his swipes. My attack throws him back and I dash forward, biting his throat while my hands bite his wrists. My shadow aura quickly envelops him, revealing dozens of wounds in the blink of an eye. I put more pressure into my bite as he groans in pain. 'Shale is smart and knows a lot about shadows, she has met a few after all, right? But how could I find her... ?'
My opponent's pathetic remaining defense fades and I rip open his throat before getting off him. "I do not want to claim your hunting grounds. But you're really too old to keep on fighting."
He growls in return, blood dripping out of his mouth. I shake my head. 'Why is it so difficult to give up?' "Rest in peace."
I knock him over and devour his core while he is still twitching and continue south in a hurry, if I'm lucky I might be able to at least get to the Pokecenter tonight, I need a good nap to figure out a way to say sorry.
It has been dark for a longer while now, but I don't feel too exhausted and did decide only to stop in the center.
Finally I see the pass-through-house and take a deep breath before stepping in. 'Nobody here.'
I tilt my head and look at the lights flickering over a black screen. 'Being able to read those would be really useful I guess. Whatever.'
I leave and head to the Pokecenter. 'I'm wondering if there would be less trainer if these weren't scattered throughout every continent I know. Or if you had to pay the nurse... how do they sustain themselves anyway?'
I enter the building and smile toward the human behind the bar who starts shuddering. "A place to rest for a while would be nice."
The pale female nods. "No problem. Audino! We have a new guest!"
The normal type runs into the hall and stumbles as she sees me. I hear her whimper. "The murderous Hydreigon. Don't kill me."
I grin. "No need to worry, I already had enough for today." 'And killing someone here might have really unpleasant consequences.'
In response the female calms down, a bit at least. "Then it might be a good idea to keep you well fed. I think we have a solo room left. If not I will throw someone out of one, we don't want you to scare more persons than necessary."
Lucky for anyone who already slept in one the normal type finds a free room and locks the door behind me. I shake my head. 'Does she try to offend me?' "You're aware this wood wouldn't stand a chance against an attack of mine?"
I hear nervous chuckling on the other side of the door. "It's not to keep you in, it's for keeping suicidal idiots out. We will unlock the door after the first wave of trainers has left. Please, show a bit of patience if you notice the door is still locked."
I don't respond and simply lie on the ground. I wait for a while before I sigh. 'Do they see all Hydreigon like this? Or is it because of the color of my scales?' I slowly shake my head. 'It doesn't matter what humans or some pathetic Audino think about me. I wonder if Shale or Sori miss me?'
I nod off.
End of chapter 38. Drakke's perspective might not be the most pleasant or the easiest to write in, but at least for me it feels easier than that of any female. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.