I must say that I am truly sorry for the lack of updates here, for I was battling a pneumoniaish sickness for three days. So as an apology, one chapter I hope you shall enjoy.
The heavens looked ever brighter as the majestic guardian flew over the clouds. The articuno was followed by a current of air that seemed to move with the bird. The Guardians of the Farplane were odd, and this articuno was no exception. Aside from the regular blue entourage, the pokemon had silver tail feathers, each of them bearing one of the seven oaths of the Guardian. He could never break them, no matter how hard he tried, not that he did. These oaths were older than the Farplane itself although no one, save perhaps the petulant Lorak, knew how old. They were written in the ancient tongue of the true, a celestial race that had been wiped out quite suddenly by mysterious means.
"Yes, the Farplane will forever be the place of happiness for pokemon. Not any would dare to destroy these sacred grounds." The articuno sighed as he glided over the pure whiteness that was the topmost layer of the Farplane.
The articuno landed and gazed at the small shrine that was always there, a portal for souls, if one would call it, for the souls of pokemon. It was weathered and old, although it was not possible that it could be, and made of a white rock that shone like brilliant day. Inside it, was the statue of the soul, a gem of unimaginable power, carved into a shape, that not pokemon, even guardian, could see.
"The statue is the portal, but it was not always so. What did happened that made the statue so vital for the journey to the Farplane? What I wonder?"
But, he had no time to wonder, for a humming now filled his every fiber. The great bird gawked, horrified at the sight! The shrine itself was turning a deep black, like black dye in water, it seeped over the shrine. The articuno cried and rose on its wings, feeling every sort of evil feeling course into him like venom. The crystal seemed to be untouched, but then, a great blackness, blacker than death, wrapped around the crystal, encasing it in a film of pitch obsidian.
That is when things went haywire. The articuno screeched and squawked as the evil penetrated his soul and possessed his mind. He let out one final cry that echoed through the clouds before the darkness began to take him.
"No I must protect the Farpla..."
It was the last thought he had to himself before everything went dark.
"I am dead!"
Lorak yanked his wing out of Kima's hands with an angry snarl and yelled.
"OF COURSE NOT YOU FOOLISH HUMAN!"
Kima recoiled and shook her head. It was too much to take in, a thundering cry half-killing her, half, she assumed, because of Lorak's outburst, a vicious tempered floygon who just happens to be the guardian to the gates of the Forsaken Wastes.
To her surprise, the flygon started to laugh, not a happy laugh, no, this laugh was cold, and taunting. It sent involuntary shivers up her spine to listen to the noise.
"Heh heh heh… You humans are all the same. Destroying everything you've set your sights on, oblivious to truth. You can't go into the Wastes fool, you are not dead, and even if you were dead, I still couldn't do that. Ignorant creatures, you have forgotten all your deeds, all of your crimes just because you want to. The Gate Keeper hasn't forgotten as the humans have. Young female, you read the ancient text inscribed on my wing but do you understand the true meaning behind those words which are true. They are an oath, an unbreakable oath sealed by the true masters. The oaths are binding; their magic does not let me allow you into the Wastes."
Kina just sat on the floor of the chamber, just listening to the explanation. She mustered up some courage and stood up.
"Why am I here then?"
"Even I cannot answer that mortal!"
The flygon opened his moth to speak but paused. There was a horrible sound in his antennae, a sound of dread. He looked around, befuddled and stared ahead blankly as he tried to locate the source. He had felt feelings this way before, but not this strong and garbled. Kima watched with confusion at the large green antennae on the monster pokemon's head, which were currently doing an alarmingly frantic dance. Lorak growled and pulled his antennae.
"WHAT IS GOING ON? IT SOUNS LIKE A THOUSAND SCREAMS AND SHRIEKS ROLLING INTO A THRONG OF CRIES!"
Kina was taken aback by the creature's immense anger with his own antennae and stepped back.
Lorak's twitching and roaring ceased as quickly it had started. He gasped aloud and his wings drooped. Kina could have sworn she saw a glint of fear in the flygon's giant red eyes.
"That which has been locked away has returned only the coming of this dark day could make this Gatekeeper fear. Not for my life, for the lives of everyone on the three worlds. Not even the Farplane is safe from this monster!"
There will be mention of the other guardians later in the story, also the articuno does have a name, but I have purposefully left it out for an event in a later chapter, but I did mention him in Chapter One, if you can figure out which one he is.
