But before we begin, I received a new OC! Their name is Kai and was submitted by MG10.
His arrival removes Ho-Oh from the list of available legendaries, by the way. (-o-)
The Legendborn hurried after the tracks, hoping they wouldn't be too late.
The path weaved through the trees in quite an unusual manner, but that did not deter the heroes. Finally they arrived at the edge of a vast crater, filled with golden sand.
Several black tents had been built around it, and cultists were hard at work setting up some sort of obsidian statue. Nearby there was a cage hanging from a tree, with the boy trapped inside. He appeared to have been knocked unconscious somehow.
"Alright, so how are we approaching this?", asked Carlos nervously.
Ray answered, "We will try and distract them while someone else frees the kid. Anyone know how to open a lock or have a Pokemon strong enough to open the cage?"
Mantis tapped his pincers together. "I can cut open iron bars with these."
Ulfsigr added, "And if that doesn't work, I can shoot the lock open."
"Sounds good.", Ray replied, "Alright, on my mark, the rest of us are going to charge in there and distract them while you two get the cage open. Three, two, one...let's go!"
He sent out his Corviknight and shouted, "Go get that statue!"
Checkmate nodded and took flight. Everyone else charged in, Pokemon at the ready.
Carla and Carlos sent out their Pyroars, which charged into the fray jaws blazing, startling the cultists. Gary sent out his Weezing, shouting, "Let's go for a Smokescreen!" The battlefield became shrouded in dark smog.
Kelly summoned her water sword, while also releasing a Greninja. "Sensei, take advantage of that smokescreen! Take them out!"
"At once, my trainee.", he stated, then disappeared into the fog.
Several of the Legendborn gave her a confused look, and she gave a bashful smile.
"He's a rather independent Pokemon.", she commented.
Connor sent out Arch. "Trap the battlefield while the smokescreen is up! We don't want any surprises except our own!"
The Galvantula eagerly obeyed, scurrying into the smoke and laying out electrical webs.
A shadow Pinsir charged out of the dark cloud, roaring angrily. But John reacted quickly, sending his Raichu out to engage it in battle. Remi chittered excitedly and zapped the giant bug with a powerful Thunderbolt, half-burying it in the sand.
A gunshot rang out, followed by Mantis grunting. Ulfsigr ran up to the others, the Scizor carrying the unconscious boy in his arms.
"I wasn't interested in waiting for him to cut open all the bars.", Ulfsigr stated.
Mantis complained, "Man, this kid is heavy. Can we wake him up?"
Ray sent out Winona. "Got the perfect Pokemon.", he said.
The Dragonair grinned as she summoned another rainstorm right above the boy, causing him to splutter and wake up.
"Oh.", he commented, "That was fast."
Ulfsigr said, "That's how you reply to us saving your butt?"
The boy leaped out of Mantis's arms. "I foresaw this set of events two days ago. Those cultists are easily going to be taken out, but-"
Suddenly the smoke dispersed as the statue sent out a burst of dark energy, sinking into the ground as it did so. There was a loud, pain-filled screech, that developed into a ferocious roar. Suddenly a massive Flygon burst out of the sand, wreathed in shadows and with glowing red eyes.
"That happens.", the boy finished, readying one of the Pokeballs on his belt.
Ray growled, "They dare corrupt one of the Nobles!? Winona, Checkmate, incapacitate him, but try not to harm him too badly!"
"I don't have any incapacitating moves!", Winona cried.
Checkmate descended, giving the Flygon a deep, cold glare that sent shivers down everyone's spine. Even the Flygon seemed intimidated, blood crazed and corrupted though it was.
Ray commanded, "Winona, keep the rainstorm going! The water will weaken it, since it's a Ground-type!"
"It's also a Dragon-type, but I'll try!", Winona replied, flying into the air and causing the heavens to open up, pouring down a devastating deluge of rain.
"Sensei, that's a lot of water for you to work with!", Kelly declared.
The Greninja nodded. "Six-Sided Shuriken Strike!", he declared, summoning six Water Shurikens around himself and throwing them all at the shadow Noble.
The Flygon shrieked and whipped its wings, summoning a raging sandstorm to compete with Winona's rain.
"Gaston, return!", shouted Gary, "Coconut, I choose you!"
He returned his Weezing and sent out an Exeggutor, but at that moment he shuddered and glowed, his Pokemon doing the same. Suddenly he was Catherine again, and Coconut had rose in height until it towered over everyone, now in its Alolan form.
"Now that's cool!", cried Carla, "Alright, Queen, try to take out its wings! That's how it's summoning the sandstorm!"
Her Pyroar pounced into the storm, firing off a Dark Pulse. Carlos muttered, "Why does she always seem to act first...", then commanded his Pyroar to do the same.
Catherine commanded, "Coconut, tie it down with some vines, then hit it with your Dragon Breath!"
Her Alolan Exeggutor eagerly complied, stomping its foot and causing a bunch of vines to erupt from the ground. They tied around the Flygon, but it was not so easily defeated. The Flygon tore up the ground the vines were growing out of, then flew into the sky as the Exeggutor took a deep breath.
However, it was now in Winona's airspace.
She yelled a battlecry and hit it with her own Dragon Breath, causing it to retreat back towards the ground. At that moment, it was hit in the face by an Icy Wind, thanks to Connor using the sandstorm as cover to switch in Mint.
As the Flygon recoiled, the strange boy declared, "We're going to finish it off, Wiess!" He sent out a Glaceon, except this one was Shiny. It gave an eerie cry, which sounded like stormy winds whistling through icy peaks, then summoned an Avalanche that plowed down the Flygon and caused it to faint.
Ulfsigr cursed. "Looks like everyone else got all the fun.", he grumbled, "But at least we won."
Wiess leaped into the air, where she used her paw to high-five her Trainer.
The other Pokemon came over to join up with their Trainers, as Mantis leaned down mournfully by the Flygon. "He is still corrupted.", Mantis sighed sadly, "First the Warden, and now the Noble. Today is indeed a-"
Suddenly Carla's eyes lit up with blue light, and golden energy whirled around her. It flew over to the Flygon, burning away the shadows and purifying the fallen Pokemon. Carla fell to her knees, energy drained. At the same time, the Flygon stirred, and stood up.
"I am saved.", it said quietly, "I must thank you, Legendborn, and learn from this."
Mantis bowed reverently before the Flygon. "My Noble, the Warden has fallen. I do not know what to do."
The Flygon replied, "I know, Mantis, and I mourn his passing. But there is pressing matters to attend to. The Darkness grows ever stronger, and has proven that even the mighty Nobles are susceptible to his corruption. Soon the raids will begin again, and the Great Shadow will cover this land once more. The Legendborn must prevail, but require guidance. You will travel with them, help them unite, and defeat the Darkness with them."
Mantis nodded. "As you command, wise one."
The Flygon turned towards the others. "The Searager...I can sense her growing wrath at the edge of my mind. The Darkness knows how mighty she is, and if he corrupts her there might not even be land to fight for. Make your way to Azulia City, meet with my fellow Noble, and head out to save her as soon as you can."
Ray nodded. "Of course, Flygon."
The Flygon smiled slightly. "Until we meet again.", he said, then dove beneath the sand.
Carlos was helping Carla stand up. "Are you okay?", he asked.
Carla nodded. "Yup! Just a little woozy..."
Ray turned towards the new boy. "Who are you?", he asked.
The boy replied, "Name's Wolfe. Wolfe Drake. I was hoping not to get involved in this mess, but nothing I can do about it now. I'm going to help you."
"Welcome to the team, Wolfe.", Ray declared, "The fact that the Searager is angry is not good. We are going to have to hurry and deal with this fast."
Kelly whispered, "The Noble said...Azulia City?"
Ray nodded.
"Oh dear.", Kelly whispered.
"What's wrong?", asked Catherine, "You seem worried."
Kelly shook her head. "It's nothing.", she replied, "Let's go."
Ulfsigr seemed to want to say something, but did not.
John said, "Azulia City was where I arrived. Wasn't expecting to go back there so soon, but it is what it is. Let's go!"
And so they did. (-o-)
AN: Another chapter finished at last! The next pair of arcs are going to be long; I'm planning on a lot of stuff happening in Azulia City and the city on the ice. I hope you're ready to see what happens there!
Any guesses on what the Searager is? I think it's a bit obvious, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on it and what you're expecting will result!
I'll see you all next time!