Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Pokemon is developed by GameFreak. I only own the plot.
Chapter 4: Narrow Escape
They rolled upon landing on the next ship. They looked behind them and the guards were fully boarding the ship. Both of them did not stay on the spot they landed, quickly they ran to a plank at the other on the ship. The ship was another enormous one, with shiny metal as its skin and what appeared to be canons to be on the front deck and along the deck.
Unfortunately the ever-chasing arrow kept coming. The archers also boarded the previous ship. The spacious deck due to different models allowed them only to hide behind the two masts. An arrow barely missed him, his exposed arm was scratched and bled.
"Ugh." He groaned.
But he did not budge, so for Sidney who was saved by the thick steel mast.
He signaled to Sidney, and both of them ran to the plank near at the front part. To their surprise, the vampire guards leaped. The gap was no concern to them, with ease they boarded without running, even with those armors. The duo brought their pace up a notch, no looking back.
They ran across the dock, heading for the land. Suddenly from the ship, three guards came from above and intercepted them.
"Fuck off!" Sidney shouted to the left guard.
The guard attempted to slash him, but as the guards defense was opened Sidney parried the slash and delivered a swift sucker punch which knocked the guard in front of him down to the water with a splash.
Steven did not stop but he banged the shield with his pommel, causing the guard to reel back. But the other guard striked from his left and he was pushed to the edge of the wide dock. Thankfully Sidney came from the striking guard's back and beheaded the armored vampire. And the head fell into the water as the body crumpled.
The last guardsman rammed his shield to Sidney, who flinched and he was knocked down backward. Steven then proceeded to slash the guard. The guard managed to parry once and held on a deadlock. The guard kicked Steven on his gut, driving him away. The guard followed up with a quick stab, Steven barely blocked it by pushing the dangerous tip downward.
It was a losing battle quickly, thus Steven launched a punch with his iron-coated hand in a flash. The punch landed on the helmet, disrupting the guard. Then he smacked the guard hard with the sword blunt round pommel. And the guard quickly found the watery bed and sank in it fast with no resistance.
Steven turned to Sidney who was still recovering from the powerful shield bash.
"Are you alright?"
"Fuck that… nice move…" Sidney groaned as he was trying to stand.
Steven pulled him up, and there was a fresh bruise on Sidney's forehead. He shook his head a few times.
"Don't worry, not confused." Sidney said.
The duo resumed their escape as they ran to the land and then headed to the direction where they came from.
The chasing guards were behind on their trail. Archers from afar, standing on the docks blasted sharp, thin air waves from their bow. Both of them quickly deviated from the main path and ran through an alley which they saw led to the city. The air waves scarred the walls like a vicious beast clawing.
"They too can do that?" Sidney commented while running.
As they reached the large office once again, a group of archers had expected them on the right. Immediately they shot a round swirling air wave, prompting the duo to hide back in the alley.
"Magnemites are the best bet, Steven?"
"Yes, hurry." And both of them summoned the Magnemites.
Both Magnemites floated to the front of the waiting archers and shone the flashing light, as very least a cover for them. Without wasting a second both rushed and fled to the left. It seemed the vampires were distracted enough by the flashing light, even though it was still in the afternoon.
The Magnemites joined them not too long in their running. Steven took out his map from his long coat pocket, while running he examined the rough yet coherent picture. He observed the empty wide road ahead that separated the port and the houses.
"This way." Steven pointed to a street.
It was just two blocks away from the alley they had gone through earlier. And soon they disappeared from the sight.
Both of them stopped on an intersection in the alleyways. Steven was searching for the route heading to the rendezvous point. And now he matched the route with their current location.
"We need to pass three more blocks to get to the location." Steven said.
"Well, let's go then. West it it?" Sidney asked. Steven nodded to him.
Both of them sneaked like rats. Occasionally they heard running footsteps, heavy and clearly those who were moving were in haste.
Once they exited the alley, they had to cross an empty street. The somewhat barren stone road did not give them any problem at all. Sidney crossed first, his knees were bent, he maintained a cautious stance throughout the walking. And safely he made it to the other side, entering another alley quickly.
It was Steven's turn to cross. He looked to the left and it was clear, then he looked to the right, quickly he hid behind a crate box conveniently put there. A what seemed to be a platoon of guards marched, passing the alley where Steven was.
"Where doth they hide?" One asked.
"I know not, from the port tis mortal ran."
"Search every corner, let not they flee." The other said.
Steven was there, behind his cover. His heart was galloping by now and sweats poured down. And Sidney could only hope his friend was safe.
After the marching sound was not near them anymore, Steven tiptoed to the opposite side. He made sure that no unnecessary sound was made. He was near now, just a few cubits away. But suddenly those guards that were dozens of yards away, from a distance the one at the foremost stopped in his tracks.
"Tis smell of blood." The very back guardsman turned to Steven.
"My suspicion is right. Lo, there are they." He exclaimed.
"Damn it!" Steven cursed as he rushed into the alley.
And the platoon immediately pivoted back and went chasing the duo. Their speed was astounding, now they were not far anymore.
"You are shitting me, aren't you?" Sidney did not bother secrecy anymore.
And the armored guards poured into the alley, some took the other entrance from the main street. Soon the small labyrinth would be flooded tight.
Footsteps galloped behind them. The alley was a straight one this time, with a few turns up ahead. Soon, the number of those guards became many there. Sidney fired a stray shot to his back, which was blocked easily by their shields. A few more times, and soon he was out of ammunition. He looked back and the vampires were catching up quickly, undeterred.
"Flash them." Steven summoned his Magnemite.
Just as the spherical mystical about to blast the vampires with spotlight, the red insect that was there along the guards suddenly surged forward in the air from the rooftop. Its pincer bashed the smaller steel mystical to the ground.
"Magnemite." Steven uttered, quickly he withdrew the hurt mystical being.
To their front there was the exit leading to the location to regroup. Their goal was near, just a little more. But a wall of shields stormed from there. Immediately both of them stopped. Surrounded, Steven watched the oncoming guards from the mouth of the alley, and Sidney could only turn to the opposite way.
"Lay ye arms down." The captain of the guards spoke.
"Lest we will smite ye." He continued.
Looking above, on both roof sides the big Magnemite-like mystical creature had aimed at them, the Bronzongs were ready to seize them and the red insects were poised to strike. And their possible getaway route had been blocked off completely.
"Now what?" Sidney asked. But Steven dared not to answer that question.
Steven looked high and low. His thoughts were running amok in his head, any possible solution somehow had fled his wisdom. He shook his head, the sweats that fell down were borned of distress. Everything seemed to be dead end, any glimmer of hope of escaping seemed to have faded away.
"Last, before we come unto ye." The captain laid the ultimatum.
But despite the harrowing demand, Steven tried to not stutter nor wave. He maintained his stance firm, his sword was held with two hands and his gun was unbuckled from its place. Sidney grinned, a snide face full of a man's pride.
The guard at the front slammed Sidney with a mighty force and shoved him onto the wall. Just as he was about to draw his Saber, the vampire guard brandished his sword against his neck. The tip dangerously nibbled his frail flesh. While so, a pair of female guards assaulted Steven meanwhile, forcing him back.
The two guards moved in a synchronized manner. They assailed him without any shield and managed to overwhelm his first parry and second attempt in blocking. One of the female vampires attacked from above which Steven blocked but quickly she followed up with pushing the pommel in, and pulled Steven's sword down and like a thief she took his sword away.
He retaliated with a quick Bullet Punch but the other female guard came and intercepted him with the same speed, even somewhat faster. And quickly she pinned him on the wall opposite where Sidney was held.
"Sid-" The rest of the sentence was gurgling sounds.
The vampire's delicate hand roughly choked him, the metal gauntlet tormented his air pipe further.
The captain approached Sidney slowly, like lions circling prey. Sidney resisted all the way he wanted but a vampire's strength was never lower than five men's.
"Thou speakest, I decide upon thy words." The captain said.
"Hell no, bloodsucker!"
"Reject thou darest?" His tone was getting dangerous.
The vampire that pressed him against the wall with the shield added pressure. Worse, the vampire poured his strength on Sidney's sternum, prompting a loud groan of pain.
"Speaketh yet? Bring those mortals to the prison." And the captain walked away.
The two became frantic, it was worse than being hit right there. But their weapons were seized and the supernatural strength the vampires exerted kept them in place. Suddenly from the back line of the guards a snafu ensued suddenly.
Torrent of flame burned the guards at the alleymouth, and soon barraging rifles could be heard. The distraction allowed Steven to tighten his muscles and delivered a powerful hit on his assailant's helmet, and she was knocked back. Quickly Steven seized his sword and stabbed her in the heart. Her partner soon followed the same fate as Steven did not waste even a second.
And smoke began to fill the alleyway. The sheer smell overwhelmed those pale nostrils, till the guard who pinned Sidney lowered the pressure, thus a punch landed upon the vampire's helmet. Seizing the chance, Sidney grabbed his sword on the floor which had fallen. And he sliced the neck part cleanly.
The mystical beasts above the roof were confounded by the black smoke, they could see little only. But the smoke also obscured the duo's sight, prompting loss of directional sense. Then a familiar voice shouted,
"This way sir." It was the squad leader.
Immediately the duo followed the voice, proceeding through the planned route. The duo slashed wildly to the head any vampire that was standing in their way, regardless of the result.
Out of the chaotic alley under smoke, the duo ran into the street they planned to go, near the imposing wall. Who was waiting for them turned out to be the squad. Three Growlithes had been blasting those vampires and their mysticals with that flamethrower. And a few black-shelled turtles funneled that black fumes into the alley.
"Let us retreat then." Steven said.
"Follow me, sir." The Squad leader said.
The squad hurriedly ran, the Growlithes and the red-skinned tortoise were pulled back into each orb. Three members and the commander led them to the west. What they left behind was some part of the house caught on fire and angry vampires.
They ran for a minute, heading to the designated point. They halted before turning left. But Steven was not sure about where they were going.
"Aren't we straying from the rendezvous point?" Steven asked.
"Ah regarding that. The door to the wall top was shut." The squad leader answered.
"When, and why?"
"There was an alarm coming from the harbor, quickly the city was locked down."
Steven grimaced upon hearing that. A consequence from one mistake was never predictable. Snapping out of his thoughts, he continued moving forward to the escape route once the squad leader told him that the road ahead was clear.
Elsewhere, from a shaded, plain balcony, far high on an iron castle, circled by the sea of buildings and brown roofs, a figure was watching below. A vampire with purple hair, his fangs that were concealed now poking out slowly as his smile grew. And moreover, he did not have any warmness behind his crimson eyes.
"Pardon the intrusion, my Lord." A guard came from behind.
"Report." The Lord's deep voice inquired.
The vampire guard gulped once. He knelt down on one knee, his head bowed down and he dared not to look his Lord in the eyes.
"Forgive our failure, my Lord." He spoke, his voice wavered.
"Those sly mortals evadeth, hideth continuously."
The Lord in grey noble clothing turned to the lone guard, with a solemn countenance and now stood right in front of the slightly trembling man.
"Rise, and speakest thy reasoning."
Quickly the guard rose, but did not meet him in the eyes still, averting his vision lower.
"Those mortals brought mysticals, flame one." He explained.
"They are mighty, astute, they deviseth sly plans."
The Lord began to smirk, and the guard felt unsettled more.
But quickly that smirk turned to a wroth. He grasped the neck of the guard. His grip was pressured to the bone, past through the metal protection. None of the armaments of the guard could halt the Lord's displeased heart.
"Did I raise an army of the meek?" He asked, then a pause followed.
"Did I?"
The vampire guard was overwhelmed, he did not open his lips for a few moments.
"Nay. My Lord…. surely not." The guard uttered with much effort.
Afterward, he was relieved of his Lord's hand. He gathered his composure in mere seconds and talked more.
"Those mortals wieldeth mystical powers. One had arms of steel, one had malicious valor."
"And more there are, roaming on our streets."
The Lord was silent. He seemed to ponder upon the facts. Then after a while his smirk returned. Something sinister was concocted.
"Go, continue and find those mortals."
"Shall they fleeth, cease chasing and remainest here thou shall."
Without hesitating, the guard quickly made his way to the door of what appeared to be the training room, and without too long the door was closed from the outside.
When the Devon Foundation members turned to a small alley, the rest of the squad was waiting. The rock mystical, Solrock had expected them. At the end of the short path, a hole laid there. It was freshly dug, penetrating the stone layout under feet. Not too wide, neither too narrow, fit for all of the Devon Foundation members to crawl into.
Suddenly from the hole a four-armed rock mystical emerged, signaling to them that the tunnel was complete. Nobody asked anything, as the digger withdrew into the void the Magnemites were summoned by the squad members. And they did not bother to chat, it was clear what they should do, thus they hopped in.
The squad leader went in first, followed by a Magnemite. Quickly a female member of the squad followed him. They crouched while traversing through. Not too long after, one came into the escape hole. While Steven and Sidney kept their eyes from the alleymouth. The area surrounding their location now was somehow silent.
"Sir, before you." A squad member told him.
There were only two members left. Sidney rushed in and before too long he was out of sight. Then it was Steven's turn. Unfortunately the same marching sound haunted them once again. He did not think anymore as they were nigh. He shoved his tall stature into the hole, fit but was not comfortable.
"Hurry." Steven uttered in a whispering voice from the hole.
The two members followed Steven fast. One came in and moved swiftly to give the last one a space. Steven's heart was racing, a mere second difference would result in disaster or not. The last man jumped in and he dragged a crate before crouching with his whole strength.
Just as the vampire guards passed the alley, the crate was the only thing that existed there. Their nose betrayed their eyes. And confusion soon spreaded among the armored soldiers, while the humans, the Devon Foundation members, had made their escape. The hole was closed for now.
To Be Continued…