Chapter 1: Burning Skies

Author's Note:

As some of you know, this is a rewrite of a very old fanfiction from 2011. The first version was nearly complete, but I couldn't bring myself to finish it, because by the end my writing was almost publication worthy, and the beginning was newbie trash. It sat alone for a few years, and in mid-2016 I decided to rewrite the entire story from scratch. It has taken a while, but I don't regret the extra effort. I needed practical experience, and I did like the story itself, even if the writing was no longer up to my standards.

That practice has paid off.

No story is perfect, but experience has raised this story quality to a level I've deemed acceptable enough to post. One day I'll be a published author, and my practice writing this story will be the reason for it.

For those who read the original, the story lines are the same. There are minor changes, but I did my best to stay true to the original structure. Feel free to ask questions, or just sit back and enjoy the new version.

This story is rated T for some instances of violence and emotional trauma. I like writing battles, which is a large part of the reason I chose to play in this universe. There is no sexually explicit content, no drug or alcohol abuse, or even swearing. (Hell is used descriptively like three times.)

That's all I have to say for now. Thank you for reading.

~Little Miss Firebright

o

Disclaimer: I own nothing, and have no rights. Welcome to Fanfiction! ^.^

~o~

The sky burned.

An inferno of flames engulfed everything he knew and held dear, yet all he could see was the sky above, stained crimson by firelight. He didn't need to look at the burning buildings of his childhood home, or at the familiar people fleeing the town which had so quickly become a crematorium. He knew they were there. He looked at the sky instead, thoughts searing in his mind.

They said that when a man died, his life played in his mind, showing all the good and bad he had accomplished in his time on Earth. The life he saw at that moment filled him with despair. Such a monster he had been. Good intentions could never wipe out all the evils he had committed. All the mistakes he'd made. He had quite a bit to answer for.

Indigo Nightwalker looked at the sky, and realized this was his reward.

His mistakes scorched through his mind, blackening his happy memories with branding scars. He wished Riza hadn't been a target, and he hadn't been a fool. They could have lived a simple, happy, uncomplicated life, far from death and bloodshed. He could have been Indigo, and she could have been Riza. The Nightwalker and the Queen of Darkness would have been nothing more than a bad dream.

That was what he had really been fighting for. Not for kingdoms, or good, or even for power. It had always been her – just her.

And he had lost her, as surely as his own life was nearing its end. People ran past him without even seeming to notice the fallen boy bleeding out in the middle of the street. Indigo didn't mind. His hand found the source of the blood loss at his side, coming away crimson and warm. He laughed quietly, enjoying the irony in a strange way.

It was the site of the stab wound killing him slowly. Ironic that her hand was the one which had dealt the fatal blow. Fitting, almost. He probably deserved it.

He couldn't stand anymore. There was nothing to do but wait. He found he didn't mind, oddly enough. Death was easier than facing the consequences of his decisions.

A boot came to rest by the side of his head, and Indigo made an effort to see the face that went with it. His muscles didn't want to obey. He looked anyways, turning his head slightly to the right. Indigo wasn't surprised to see the one man he never wanted to see again. Why should the universe reward him?

His eyes were as black as pitch, and yet they seemed to shine with victory. Perhaps it was merely the reflection of the flames he had ignited that made those eyes gleam. Maybe it was the screams haunting the red night that brought an expression of serenity to his handsome face. Doctor Camellia smiled, a cruel, deliberate thing, as he took in Indigo's predicament.

"Well now," he said thoughtfully, ignoring the destruction around him. "Isn't this fortunate?" The roar of a Charizard echoed through the streets, as a winged shadow burst over them, spraying deadly flames onto already burning structures. Somewhere, a child was wailing.

Disgust filled Indigo's heart at the sight of Doctor Camellia's bone-pale skin, contrasted sharply by his midnight-black hair. It was a face he'd learned to hate even more than himself.

"You should really…consider a tan," he managed to bite out through his terrible tiredness, surprising himself with his defiance. Apparently Indigo really would be sarcastic until the end. "People will mistake you for a vampire looking like that."

The man 'tsked' disapprovingly. "Is that any way to talk to your murderer? I expect better from you, Nightwalker."

"Then again," Indigo continued, considering the matter. "You probably can't tan. I bet you just look like a ripe tomato if you venture out from your cave. I honestly would pay to see that-"

His words broke off, replaced by a strangled gasp as Doctor Camellia's boot ground purposefully into the stab wound in his abdomen. Red-hot sparks streaked through his mind, his vision darkening. Indigo gasped for air at the agony of it!

"Save your words," his enemy advised, black eyes soft and gloating. "You don't have much time." He looked at the burning city as if it were a beautiful sunset. "You did your absolute best, I'm sure. None of it matters now. Your love has surely fled the city by now, your allies scattered to the wind. There is no one to save you. And my favorite part – you'll live just long enough to see everything you love burn to ashes. Your story is finished, forever, Indigo Nightwalker."

"And here I was hoping for a sequel. I wonder if they'll give my money back at the door," Indigo wondered out loud, viciously refusing to take the conversation seriously in his last, petty revenge.

He was right though. Indigo had failed. Failed so completely it was hard to think about. How had things gone so wrong?

Maybe it had been a mistake, trying to control Entei. He had practically given the legend to his enemy after all. His biggest regret was leaving Riza behind. She would have to continue the fight alone.

"Do you want to know my secret?" Doctor Camellia asked, sitting cross legged on the ground as though the city weren't burning around them. "I confess, I've somewhat missed my chance to monologue. It almost seems too late at this point. Better late than never I suppose."

"You're actually a woman?" Indigo guessed, his voice weak. The blackness edged farther and farther at the corners of his eyes. He wished he had someone he actually liked by his side, at the end. "I find myself unsurprised."

"My name," Doctor Camellia said simply, ignoring his snarkiness entirely, "Is Tero Akkarin."

It was amazing how easily the pieces fit into place with that one small piece of information. Everything Doctor Camellia had done, everything he'd sworn to accomplish, made perfect, grotesque sense. His real name changed everything.

It was so perfect, Indigo was a little ashamed for not having seen it sooner. The puzzle was complete.

"Hey," Indigo called as Tero stood, turning his back on him easily. "I have…a favor to ask!"

The monster looked back, raising an eyebrow at the strange request. Indigo fought the blackness, struggling to stay awake for just a moment longer. "Promise me," he gasped, his voice harsh. "Promise…you won't hurt her anymore. You got what you wanted. Leave Riza alone. There is no reason to kill her now."

"Oh, Indigo," Tero sighed, crouching down so he could be heard more easily. "I'm going to cut her fingers off one by one when I find her. I'll crush her eyes and burn her flesh until even you wouldn't recognize that pretty face anymore. I plan to torture Riza Calariam until she doesn't even remember her own name, much less yours. And I'm going to do it for no reason, except to make you suffer more in your last moments on Earth."

He stood smoothly while Indigo gaped on the ground, sheer horror making his mind run cold. By the time he found his voice, Tero Akkarin, better known as Doctor Camellia, was walking at an unhurried pace down the wide dirt street, while civilians burned and buildings collapsed around him. "Monster," Indigo gasped out, as his vision narrowed to nearly nothing. The Charizard made another pass at his hometown, igniting everything that moved. Somewhere, far off, Indigo heard the unmistakable roar of Entei.

"You MONSTER!" he howled, unable to express his fury with anything stronger than a scream.

His last moment came then, with his heart drowning in grief and guilt, as his home burned all around him.

~o~

The fires burned well into the night. Most of the inhabitants of Karraket were long gone, fleeing the blaze and the wrath of Entei. What was left over was a scorched husk of a town, blackened timbers glowing the sullen, shifting red of coals, while fires still raged wherever wood remained. Only one being moved through the wide stone streets, heedless of the destruction. A cool mist swirled around it, a welcome relief to the crackling air. Steam hissed wherever it touched the scorching earth.

Cold blue eyes regarded the body in the middle of the street. The fires had not touched the boy in question, thanks to the wide road. Half his face was red and heat cracked, his hair a blue so dark it looked black in the night. He had died with an expression of frustration etched stubbornly on his strong features.

Suicune stood over the boy for a time, simply watching. A cool breath of wind danced around its mane, soothing rather than aggravating the shimmering coals of the city. The cries of Entei had long faded from the air, as the King of Fire left the town to burn.

At last, Suicune threw its head back, howling a song which spoke of ice and clear water. Wind rushed from the north, and rain pattered down on the shattered city and the body of the boy. Steam hissed from the ruins. Cold drops ran down his face almost like tears. The heavens opened, and the fires retreated, washing the blood from the streets.

Suicune lowered its head, meeting the gaze of the woman who stood over the boy's body. She alone seemed to be untouched by the flames. Long ochre hair framed a solemn face better suited to laughter, her eyes as clear a blue as Suicune's own. Her dress didn't move the same direction as the wind.

She didn't say a single word, as the cold rain passed through her. Silence reigned as the deluge turned the gutters into streams. She closed her eyes as though making a desperate wish.

The woman disappeared, leaving Suicune with the boy once more.

~o~

Thunder boomed overhead. The rafters creaked, dust and dried herbs drifting down like snow. The old woman swore loudly and creatively, stuffing materials and books into her already too-large pack.

She was by no means ancient. In fact, she was only in her forties. But her once vibrant pink hair had faded to a pale imitation of its former glory, and deep, disapproving lines made her appear prematurely aged. Her hands were a mess of veins and wrinkles, with fingernails like stone. She might not have appeared so old if she smiled, but her expression was rigid, a permanent grimace of irritation etched onto her disapproving face.

Kaya Acadia was not a pleasant person. Anyone who had visited her for a remedy or a treatment could attest to that. But they kept coming, because she was the best at what she did.

And they would always come. Assuming anyone had lived through the night.

The rain had cleared some of the black smog in the air of Karraket, but Kaya cursed it anyways. She couldn't leave the house tonight. Her daughter's condition was bad, and their open cart was out of the question. At least there was little danger of the fires spreading in the sudden storm.

She was forced to stay, when most of the other inhabitants had fled. Luckily for all involved, Kaya's clinic was on the boundary of town, and had managed to avoid the flames. The old woman was taking no chances, however. All her valuables, and quite a few less-valuable trinkets made their way into her oversized bag, ready to be whisked away at the slightest hint of their enemies' return.

"Curse that stupid boy," she hissed, stuffing a bundle of payapa leaves violently into her pack. "All his fault," she muttered under her breath, "couldn't leave well enough alone. Just had to try and be a hero, and look where it got him? Bravery runs in the entire family, and that's why they're all dead. Not like me, and my little clan of cowards. We'll survive long after the heroes die!"

Her rant was interrupted by the shutters flying open. Cold wind howled through the frame, scattering papers and knocking glass jars to the floor. Kaya swore again, and this time it was so colorful she felt a little vindicated. She struggled to grab the edges of the flapping shutters.

That was when she saw the woman standing in the rain. Kaya's heart nearly stopped in her chest, meeting those cold blue eyes.

It was impossible!

She limped to the door, throwing it open to the storm. Wind howled with savage joy around her, but she didn't pause.

There was a body on her doorstep. Rain had plastered his hair down against his forehead, but his features were as recognizable as they were painfully reminiscent. Kaya's heart twisted with pain. She looked back out at the storm, but the woman from before was gone. Suicune stood where she had been, coldly beautiful despite the rain.

"I can't help him!" Kaya shouted angrily, despite the fact that a god stood before her. She rarely got the chance to scream at all-powerful beings. She didn't intend to let the chance go to waste. Her emotions were raw; more because of the woman who had reminded her of the past than the corpse at her feet. "He's beyond human help! I can't save him, do you understand? What's more, this traitor doesn't deserve to live!"

Suicune simply looked at her. Only its mane moved, flowing serenely against the wind.

"I wouldn't help him even if he were alive!" Kaya continued stubbornly. "Do you know what this boy has done? This whole disaster is his fault! It's his fault, and you can't shame me into thinking otherwise!"

The rain pattered down, and Suicune turned to walk away. Kaya fell to her knees, holding her arms tight across her stomach. "I won't be held responsible for this," she whispered angrily. "If this backfires, I will not hear of it being my fault!"

She brought the boy inside, closing the door against the storm, and the woman she had seen earlier. Kaya muttered to herself as she dragged Indigo to the middle of the room. She didn't bother being careful. "This won't work," she assured herself. "It really shouldn't anyways. I'll just have to bury him tomorrow, and invite Mazarine to his funeral. She'll probably cry, and we can all move on. That would be best."

"And anyways," she continued, prying up a dusty floorboard. "I'm not doing him any favors. Even if this does, by some slim chance work, he'll probably hate me for it." The thought cheered the sour woman greatly. She reached into the cubbyhole beneath the floor, and pulled out the only object within. It was a poké ball, rusty and discolored, held shut with miniature chains. Kaya took a tiny key from the chain around her neck, twisting it in the lock three times. The chains slithered to the ground, clanking with protest.

She took a deep breath to steady herself. It took some effort to turn the knob topping the antique. Flakes of rust coated her fingers as she struggled with it. Finally, the knob was off, and she tossed the sphere into the air. Scarlet light flashed through her house, freeing the creature within for the first time in nearly twenty years.

Cream-colored tails tipped with saffron whipped through the air as the light faded. The perfect fur of the demon was undiminished by the ages. It was hard to believe the Ninetales was older than Halladen itself, but it didn't seem so impossible when one looked into her scornful crimson eyes.

"Kaya," the Ninetales greeted, her mellifluous voice echoing directly into the woman's mind. "It's been quite some time. You've grown ugly."

"And you've grown as rude as your trainer once was," Kaya snapped irritably. "Nivalis!"

Amusement sparked in the pupiless eyes of the ancient pillar. "Why have you released me, healer? Do you intend to inflict my wrath upon this world once more?"

"Not yet I don't," Kaya said churlishly. She might not like the world, but she didn't intend to see it destroyed, as Nivalis had sworn to do, so long ago. "A mutual friend has requested a favor. Do you recognize the boy?"

Nivalis stepped daintily over the messy floor, peering curiously at the stubborn face below her. She didn't speak for a long time.

"He looks like his father," she complained distastefully. "I never liked him. It seems the boy has committed quite a few serious crimes. I can see the fog around the remnants of his soul…yes, there is darkness within him. He could have become a monster. He nearly did. I only wish I had been present before his death, to properly destroy him."

Kaya grimaced. "I thought you might say that." She took a deep breath, preparing herself. "In fact, I think you're absolutely right. Indigo should be forced to suffer. Death is too easy. Let him work for redemption. Layla has already given her blessing!"

Nivalis snapped her empty red eyes up to Kaya's face. She half hoped the Ninetales would say it was impossible, and could not be done, but the expression those eyes took on could only be called glee. Kaya saw the vindictive joy her words had caused, and felt a little sick. Nivalis threw back her head and laughed.

"It seems the old woman has some sense left in her after all!" the Ninetales laughed. "Yes…let the boy burn. He will live. But not here. He will be forced to exist with his pain until he understands the true nature of caring, and strength. Until then…he will never be able to return. What a wonderful idea!"

Yes, Indigo might well hate her for this. Nivalis was famous after all.

Her former friend's Pokémon had cursed hundreds of souls. Each one was unique. It often drove her victims mad.

The chances he would succeed in breaking whatever curse she chose to lay were slim. But if he did manage it…

"If the boy breaks my curse, only then will he be allowed a second chance to defeat his enemy," Nivalis crooned, as thunder cracked outside. "If he fails, his soul is mine forever. A fitting fate for the traitor. I must thank you for allowing this, Kaya Acadia. I haven't had such fun in decades!"

Her eyes burned with searing scarlet light, turning to the boy who had betrayed a kingdom.

Light shone around the corpse of Indigo Nightwalker, deepening the curling shadows of nine tails on the walls and ceiling. He shuddered once as if jolted with electricity, his lips parting in a silent scream as the light brightened, rising in the air as bubbles of shining luminescence from his skin.

He disappeared with a thundercrack, and Suicune howled a mournful song from the smoldering ruins of Karraket. The faint smell of citrus blossoms tinged the air where he had been.

The Ninetales threw back her head and laughed with utter exhilaration, and cruel, vindictive pleasure. Kaya turned her face away from the dark stain on her floor.

A second chance. How laughable. Even if he did return, what could he do to stop the King of Fire? It was ridiculous to think Indigo could ever be their salvation from an enemy who had forced a nation to its knees. If he was their one hope, Kaya thought savagely, they were all going to die.

Outside, their kingdom lay fallen. The only Princess had been forced to flee for her life, a legendary rampaged unchecked through their cities, and a living nightmare had risen to claim the throne of Halladen.

They needed a miracle. It seemed they'd been unlucky enough to get Indigo Nightwalker instead.

~o~