Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Shadows of Ganderosa

Chapter 39

The Final Purpose of Keeper Raksha


(Howling Plains: Fericia Territory)

Focusing on her tail-flame, Hazel watched as she made it grow and shrink at will. It was fascinating to her how curious she was about something she'd lived with her whole life. Most pokemon would be surprised to see there was an actual fire, like it was some sort of urban legend for her species. However, since her conversation with Lily, she viewed it as a reminder of what might be.

Ever since the Alkan Islands, Hazel hadn't had even the slightest of an opportunity to think about her flame turning blue. I wish I'd thought about it sooner... before it got me into trouble... But can I really blame myself? With Team Armageddon and searching for Ryan, I haven't had a chance to really relax and think... She looked around at her prison and chuckled. I guess that's one perk of being locked in here...

Hazel stared into the red flame. She watched it grow and shrink as it shone light onto the shadows, forcing them to crawl back and forth along the walls. Her mind went back to Lesley Bartholemule the eevee. She remembered asking the pokemon what exactly they were doing there. Out of all the jargon Leslie spewed, there was one thing that stood out above the rest.

"We believe there's a mutation in feral pokemon," he said in her head. "If our research is proven to be true, this mutation exists throughout the entire body from the brain to the toes. The dominant effect it has on pokemon is most likely in the brain, causing them to lose personality and control of their bodies."

"Hypothetically, can it affect other parts in a feral?" Hazel questioned.

"It may," Leslie stated. "We would need to run tests and acquire more data, but I guess it is possible."

Possible... Hazel thought, coming back to the iron room and her tail-flame. The theory most agree upon is that pokemon lost in a mystery dungeon are the ones who become feral... Her mind flipped back to another memory: one she had been dwelling on for a long time.

"I'm going to kill you for being a stopping point in my plan!" Jake's cold voice echoed in Hazel's mind. Merely hearing the voice in her head was enough to send her skin into small convulsions.

The first time I'd met Jake... was in the Lantern Fields... She remembered the fear of that moment, as if the creature were threatening her directly rather than Dillan, but Jake wasn't the reason Hazel recalled on that memory.

No, it was something else: something she hadn't considered until Leslie talked about mutations in ferals. That day, we were attacked by Tom... His water attack came at us, and we- no... I panicked. It wasn't my best decision, but... Hazel kicked herself mentally. I led us off of that path... Hazel's paw and tail began to shake. And then there's Lily... She knows. She can sense whatever it is inside of me... She can tell I'm... unnatural...

Hazel's mind went back to one final place of her past: a recent place, in fact. She recalled that a day or two ago (hard to remember specifics when you're alone in the dark) when her door clanked open, revealing a pair of red glowing eyes. The panic and fear in her chest was unbearable. Jake... she thought. Then, the flame's light danced across Lily's face, revealing the lycanroc to Hazel.

"You were frightened?" Lily questioned.

Hazel wasn't about to open up to a complete stranger, let alone her captor. So, instead of answering, Hazel stated, "Are you here to interrogate me?"

"That depends on you," Lily stated. She walked deeper into the room, shutting the iron door behind her. She then sat down in front of Hazel. "This could be, as you put it, an interrogation, or it could be a friendly discussion."

"Neither works for me," Hazel stated.

Lily sighed. She stared at Hazel, thinking to herself. Her eyes went up and down the charmeleon's body as if she were some sort of oddity to be observed through a vial. "Who do you work for?"

"You know, the last guard asked me the same thing. Would you like the same answer I gave to him, or something different?"

"It depends on whether it was the truth or not."

Hazel smiled. She didn't see any reason not to answer this question. It was simple, and wouldn't get her into any trouble should she answer it to the best of her abilities. "A few months ago, I would have said the Guild's."

"And what about now?"

"Now?" Hazel thought about the answer. "Well... Now I'm trying to do what's right... So I guess you could say I work for the good guys."

"And what of your aura?" Lily questioned.

Hazel thought about the question while wearing a confused stare. My... aura? Like... that stuff lucario see?

"You lost me..." Hazel said.

"Let me explain, then rephrase my question.

"I am what my tribe calls a Keeper. I safe-guard this jewel." She motioned towards the Sapphire Star which shone dimly around her neck. "As a result, I have a sort of bond with it that no other has. It tells me things. And currently, it is telling me something is off about you, charmeleon.

"But I don't need the Sapphire Star to tell me that. I can sense your aura is tainted by something I have only seen once before."

"I'm still not following."

Lily sighed. She looked to the left and wore a thoughtful expression. "Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary about yourself?"

Hazel's mind immediately flipped back through the pages of her brain to the blue flame that danced on the tip of her tail. Her paw instinctively moved towards her tail and grasped it.

"Hiding won't get you anywhere," Lily said flatly. "Your ability, like most charmeleon, is blaze?"

"What does that have to do with anything...?"

"My ability is one called 'No Guard'." Lily out-stretched her left paw. "When I am engaged in combat, I cannot miss my opponent, nor can he miss me." She swiped through the air in front of her making, Hazel jump slightly. "Do not worry. As I said, I must be engaged in battle. Although, my ability is special."

"If by, 'Special' you mean it's rare in your species, then I already know."

"No," Lily said. "Although it's true for 'No Guard', it is not true for me. I may possess 'No Guard', but what I have is an enhanced ability.

"Under normal circumstances, 'No Guard' would act as a sort of 'possession', if you will, over my body. I give up part of my own control for my attacks to never miss. The down-side is that I am unable to dodge moves or block.

"All of these things are true for a regular 'No Guard' ability."

"But you don't have a regular 'No Guard'?" Hazel questioned.

Lily shook her head in response. "No one knows why, but we suspect it has something to do with this." She grabbed the Sapphire Star and held it up in the air for Hazel to see. "Each Keeper has been granted extraordinary powers. We suspect it's due to constant exposure to this simple crystal. Our natural abilities have been enhanced, making us harder to conquer in battles.

"My ability is better than what others with the same ability would expect. I can merely strike the air in any direction I wish, and my opponent will feel the full extent of my attack as if I had struck at them directly."

"Your ability is different..." Hazel trailed off. She looked at the ground for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. Wait... My ability...

"I suspect your ability is also different, or 'enhanced'," Lily said. "I assume you have the ability 'Blaze'."

Is that why my tail-flame goes out when I'm about to lose: why it re-ignites and turns blue? It's triggered by my "Blaze"? Hazel looked up at Lily and asked, "Are you sure that the Sapphire Star is what gave you your enhanced ability?"

"Positive," Lily stated. "But I understand why you ask. You, a pokemon who has never even come into contact with the Sapphire Star, has an enhanced ability. So you wonder how it is that occurs.

"That is what brings us to the reason we are here. I wish to know the same."

This is wrong... How does she know about my ability? It can't be that simple... can it?

Nevertheless, Hazel closed her mouth. Even if Lily was being honest with her, she didn't want to give the lycanroc the upper-hand. After all, Hazel was, and still is, Lily's prisoner.


Hazel came out of the memory. She felt as though she was half way between denial and acceptance, neither option being a good one. Denial would be ignoring what's right in front of me, whereas acceptance would mean coming to grips with what it all entails... But... Why hasn't Dillan shown any signs of an enhanced ability? Maybe it hasn't been triggered yet... Maybe-

Hazel's thoughts were interrupted by the clanking of metal and the scraping of the door. Hazel looked towards the opening and noticed the midnight lycanroc standing in the doorway, but something was off. She looked weary, and other than the bandages around her waist and left arm she'd been wearing for the last few days, she had cuts, bruises, and scrapes all over her body.

Hazel scowled at the lycanroc. "What happened to y-"

"Just shut up and listen," Lily snapped. "I'm letting you go."

Hazel was taken aback by the statement. Out of everything that could have occurred, this was the most unlikely.

"Why?" Hazel asked suspiciously.

"Howling Plains is about to be overrun with intruders."

That shocked Hazel even more than the first comment. "What?!" she exclaimed.

"No one can leave here without condemning everyone to be slaughtered, but I figured you would rather die along-side your friend than down here in isolation."

"Where's Dillan?"

"The last time I saw him, he was in the town center." When Lily finished, she turned from Hazel and walked towards the exit.

"Lily, wait!" Hazel called out.

"I suggest hiding until this all blows over," Lily said coldly. "Take care of yourself." With that, Lily exited the iron room, leaving the door open behind her and Hazel in thought.

As short as that was, she seemed frustrated... And she said something about intruders- Hazel stopped herself. Intruders, and she's hurt... Dillan. Hazel jumped to her feet and tore through the open door to find her friend. Please be okay...


Hazel tore down pathway after pathway, not caring for the scowls and worried glances cast her way by injured lycanroc. But seeing all the injured pokemon around her made her worry even more for the gabite's safety. Normally, Dillan had his friends to watch his back in a battle. If he was involved in something that injured so many pokemon- No! He'll be alright. He'll be fine... He'll-

Coming up to a clearing in the hills, the smell of blood lingered in the air along with a chilly breeze. Hazel stopped herself, not easily able to move. She was scared of what she would find waiting for her on the other side of the hills. Would it be her friend lying dead in the center? Would he be heavily injured? The thoughts were killing her. Still, she began walking towards the center of town.

Be alright... Be alright... Be alright...

As she passed the last hill, Hazel was faced with horror. The Town Center was a circle of stone and rubble. There were injured or killed pokemon everywhere, being taken care of by two or three surviving lycanroc. Hazel was shocked to find nuzleaf among the dead. The Enemy... Her eyes traced the entire mass until they set on a lone, blue fin jutting up from the mass of beige and raspberry.

"Dillan!" Hazel called out as she sprinted over pokemon to her friend.

She was feet from him when she stopped. The gabite was kneeling over, quivering. Hazel looked at all the gouges and scratches across the gabite's body. Her breathing became unsteady, and her paws shook.

"H-hey," Hazel stuttered.

Dillan looked up at Hazel. She saw his tear-stained expression as his face lit up. He jumped to his feet and faced the charmeleon. "Y-you're alright!" Dillan said with joy.

"Are you alright?" Hazel asked worriedly.

Dillan's face tensed up and he looked away. "Uh... no... No, I'm not."

"Are you hurt?" she asked quickly, worrying about the gabite. "Is it serious?"

"She's here," Dillan said. "Thalia's here."

"Thalia?!" Hazel exclaimed. It took a few seconds to get Hazel's mind off of Dillan's wounds and onto the nidoqueen, as it does for all who have to shift mental gears. "When was she here? Where did she go?"

"She's making a deal with the Lycanroc Council. She's here for the Sapphire Star, and she'll kill everyone if she doesn't get it."

"Well, we can't give it to her," Hazel stated. "That would be giving up."

"I know that," Dillan said. The forceful nature of his voice rose with the tension in his eyes. "But what else are we suppose to do? We can't fight her, and running isn't an option, either. We're stuck."

"No," Hazel said flatly. "We aren't stuck."

"Everyone here's dead!" Dillan shouted. "And it's because they tried to fight Thalia! We're just... stuck!"

Hazel shook her head. He's not taking any of this well... and I don't blame him. Hazel's eyes drifted across he battlefield. They landed on multiple pokemon, each expression etched permanently across their faces by death. The simple horror was enough to make Hazel shudder. And to think that Dillan had caused some of this horror- No... You can't dwell on that... As horrid as it is, dwelling on this right now won't help anyone. We need to move on and prioritize. "Has he Council given up, yet?"

"From what I heard, they're still considering it..."

"Then that's where we'll start," Hazel stated. She walked away from Dillan and towards a group of lycanroc who were busy examining one of their injured comrades.

"Excuse me," Hazel stated softly. The lycanroc looked towards her and began growling. Hazel put her paws up in the air, saying, "I'm not your enemy. I only want to know where your council meets."

The two lycanroc scowled at her, then looked towards each other. When no one interjected, the right one looked at Hazel and said, "Down that path to the left. It'll be the burrow with the shades over the door."

"Thank you," Hazel said with a bow. She then walked away from the lycanroc and towards the left path. "Come on," she said to Dillan.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"We're going to meet with the Council."


"We're at a stalemate," a voice shouted from inside.

Hazel was confronted with a hill and a hole in the side where a veil sat blocking out the light. Shouting and arguing could be heard from the inside of the burrow ahead.

"This is it," Dillan said. "I'm not sure you can convince them of anything. You know... being an outsider and all."

"We still have to try," Hazel said. "And I refuse to lay down and wait to be killed."

Hazel walked forwards, pushing away the veil and walked in the room. The moment light filled the burrow, the five arguing lycanroc silenced and looked towards Hazel. She felt uncomfortable with all the eyes resting on her, but what she needed to convince them of was too important to show doubts. So, she kept her confident gaze set on the lycanroc before her.

"You!" Biopelo shouted. "How did you escape?!"

"That's not your biggest concern, is it?" Hazel questioned.

"Be gone, child," Imari stated.

"Leave before we make sure you can't interrupt our discussion ever again," Zoya said.

"You're all thinking about giving the Sapphire Star to Thalia?" Hazel questioned.

"The nidoqueen?" Shaka, the first midday, asked.

"It is only being considered," Imari said.

"Speak for yourself!" Biopelo bellowed.

"Agreed," the midnight, Dage, said.

"Then you're undecided?" Hazel asked.

"I would use the word 'torn'," Imari said. "Councilman Biopelo and Councilwoman Dage agree that we should hand the Sapphire Star to the nidoqueen for the betterment of our tribe, while Zoya and myself agree that we should fight for our traditions."

"Why are you telling her this?" Dage questioned. "She is an outsider, and has no rights in this debate."

"She has every right," Dillan cut in. All eyes set on him, and he shrunk down slightly. "I-I mean... Neither of us can leave until Thalia's dealt with. One way or another, we're involved..."

"It disturbs me to see that thing is in our council-room," Zoya said.

"Thalia wants me dead as much as you," Hazel stated. "I'm not with her, and I haven't been this entire time."

"There's also the fact that we haven't arrived at a decision," Dage said.

"No," Biopelo corrected. "Councilwoman Shaka hasn't decided."

"Nevertheless," Zoya said. "It leaves us at a stalemate."

"Think of it this way," Biopelo urged. "We'll all die if we don't hand her the Sapphire Star! In the end, she will have it! Is it not more logical to hand it to her so we may survive?"

"But that would be betraying our whole traditions, as well as our purpose," Imari protested. "We came into Howling Plains to escape from the outside, no matter the dangers lied here!"

"Don't forget the countless tribesmen who have died for us to live," Zoya said calmly. "To surrender the Sapphire Star would be ignoring their sacrifice."

"The same argument can be made for our point of view," Dage said. "They died so we could live. To sacrifice our lives in a hopeless fight would make no sense."

"But what about your beliefs?" Hazel interjected. "From what I've heard about your tribe, you all hold your traditions and beliefs above your own lives. Wouldn't it feel wrong to give all that up now?"

The council looked at each other, evaluating Hazel's answer. "I agree with the charmeleon," Zoya said. "It would be a betrayal of our beliefs."

"Little charmeleon," Shaka began. "From what I understand, beliefs and traditions are there to serve future generations on what is morally correct. Would you agree?"

"I guess so," Hazel said. She never really thought about it, nor did she ever have time to think about it.

"I am close to a decision, but I want you to answer one final question. What purpose do our beliefs and traditions serve if we die here? What is left of beliefs and traditions when there is no future generation?"

Hazel was caught off guard by the question. She opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't think of anything to say. She was at a complete loss for words.

"Then I have decided," Shaka stated.

"If I may interject," a new, scratchy voice stated. Hazel turned around and saw a burst of light accompanied by the midnight lycanroc, Lily.

"Keeper Raksha!" Biopelo roared. "How dare you intrude on such an important meeting!"

"Allow me to say one final word," Lily snapped. She walked right past Hazel and Dillan and straight up to the pedestal where the Council sat. "This entire tribe's lives were all based around one sole purpose: he Sapphire Star. None of us would not be here today if it weren't for our tribe's duty to protect the crystal.

"Now that I've said my peace, Councilman Shaka can decide the tribe's fate."

Lily said nothing more, waiting for Shaka to make his decision. Shaka gave a deep sigh and stated, "My voice has always belonged to the well being of our entire tribe. Until now, I have had a difficult time deciding whether that means surrendering the Sapphire Star, or following through on our traditions... though I see now that traditions are only there to keep the tribe intact. To follow through with them now would mean condemning the Lycanroc Tribe to extinction."

Hazel's eyes grew wider upon hearing those words. "When I was talking about traditions, I didn't mean-" Lily's arm came up, urging Hazel to stop. Hazel did just that, though she was very worried about what she had just done.

Biopelo gave a slight smile while Dage stood there with a sort of contentedness about him, though Imari and Zoya both looked displeased with Shaka's response.

"Then the council will surrender the Sapphire Star?" Zoya asked Shaka.

"Agreed," Biopelo, Imari, and Shaka stated in unison.

Zoya looked at her fellow council members for a few seconds, saying nothing. They all seemed to wait for Zoya's final say in the matter. Hazel felt as though she was about to fall over from worry. Someone intervene... Somebody stop this...

Finally, after a few agonizing seconds, Zoya turned to Lily and stated, "Motion passed."

"No..." Hazel said under her own breath.

"Keeper Raksha," Biopelo stated with a triumphant tone. "The Council has decided that it is in the best interest of this tribe to hand the Sapphire Star to the nidoqueen."

"We will continue to survive... beyond the protection Howling Plains has provided us."

"Keeper Raksha," Imari began. He stared at Lily intensely. "I'm sorry for the strain this must put on you."

"Let's end the formalities, Councilman Imari," Biopelo said. He turned towards Lily and stated, "Miss Raksha," he regarded emphasizing "miss". "The Sapphire Star, if you would."

Lily looked at the council in utter shock. "Zoya," she began. "I expected this from the one who distanced himself from his own kin: the one who abandoned his duties because he didn't have the same connections I have with the Sapphire Star... But you?! You now this is wrong! For generations we've been the defenders of-"

"Raksha," Zoya said. "The Council has made it's decision. My personal feelings no longer matter, nor are they needed."

"And you, Imari!" Lily roared. Imari looked at Lily with a concerned gaze: one that didn't dare to remove itself from the midnight's cold eyes. "You've always been there for me: always! When the Council would see me killed for the very job they assigned to me, you stepped in and saved me! You pointed out to me that I still served a purpose to our tribe! Now you want to abandon everything for a chance at survival?! What makes you think that the nidoqueen truly means to honor her word?! We'd be sacrificing it all for nothing!"

"Lily," Imari began. The two lycanroc's continued to stare intensely at each other. Lily shook her head in disbelief, but it didn't deter Imari from stating what he had to. "If what you are saying is true, then war is inevitable, and it always has been." He gave a deep sigh. Hazel found a lone tear drop from the corner of Imari's eye. "The Council has made its decision... and that can never be undone. But... Even if we were to defeat the nuzleaf tribe, most of us would never be able to compete with that nidoqueen. Her power is on a different level than any member of the council.

Even though I question whether our decision was the correct one, there was never a way out for everyone. With that said – keeping in mind the council's decision regarding the Sapphire Star – I want you to remember that I have always been on your side, and I will continue to support you in every endeavor you choose, whether it contradicts traditions or not. Do you understand?"

Lily's breath staggered, drawing Hazel's attention to her face. Hazel looked up, seeing the lycanroc's face was bathed in shock. Her breath was unsteady, and her paw was shaking. Hazel couldn't tell whether it was from anger or horror, both about the council's decision.

"Imari..." Lily said quietly.

"Enough of this foolishness," Dage said. "Raksha, the Sapphire Star."

Lily looked left towards Dillan. He was staring at the lycanroc with worry. "Don't..." he said.

Lily shook her head. "You have no clue what a prison this is to me," she stated. A slight curl found itself at the corner of Lily's mouth. "Yet..." She turned to Imari and said, "Thank you for helping me realize what I need to do next. Although, I'm sorry to say this is the last time I see you all."

"The Sapphire Star," Biopelo demanded.

Zoya raised an eyebrow at Lily's statement. "Are you considering-"

"No," Lily stated. "Considering would imply I haven't made up my mind." She gripped the Sapphire Star between her claws and squeezed. "This is my prison, though I refuse to surrender it to a force who would use it to decimate our tribe."

Gasps erupted from the council. Each one looked at Lily with either shock or awe: everyone other than Imari. He just looked at Lily with a saddened expression as another tear fell from his cheek.

"You dare to deny the council's decision?!" Biopelo roared. A vein on his forehead began pulsating from underneath his wrinkled skin.

"I dare," Lily announced pridefully.

"Foolish girl," Zoya said. " hate this decision as much as you, but-"

"That's where you're wrong, councilwoman," Lily said. "If you hated this as much as me, you would join me. Instead, you'll accompany the rest of the tribe as you run away from our current dilemma."

"You understand that this is treason?" Dage asked.

"Hence this being the last time I see you."

Shaka began growling at Lily. "This is your last opportunity to surrender the lycanroc tribe's relic!"

"You gave up the right when you agreed to this betrayal of tradition and honor!" Lily snapped. "So allow me to give you a few parting words before I leave you to your pitiful excuse for lives!

"Run as fast and a far as your legs may allow! May I suggest traveling north to the forest?"

"You can suggest whatever you like," Biopelo said. "None of it changes the simple fact that you will not be leaving here alive!"

"Run," Lily repeated. "Run from the chaos that will follow! After what I must do, your lives depend on it."

"Damn you!" Biopelo roared.

The wrinkled lycanroc leaped over the pedestal and lunged at Lily. Her tail glowed bright throughout the room, blinding all from the sudden exposure of light. Hazel could do nothing but listen to a squeal and a thud, accompanied by what sounded like staggered blows to a body. When the light faded, Hazel looked on at the room. Biopelo and Dage were both sprawled at Lily's feet, panting and struggling to stand.

"I am taking the Sapphire Star," Lily announced. "Fight me if you wish, though I suspect it will end poorly."

"You realize all of the consequences this decision will have?" Imari asked. Lily looked straight at the councilman and nodded. "Then it is time for our tribe to leave."

"You suggest surrendering?" Shaka asked Imari sharply.

"Keeper Raksha is stronger than any member of the council. To strike her would be a waste of energy: energy we need to evade death."

"As much as I disagree with this blatant traitorous behavior," Zoya said coldly. She sounded absolutely sick to her stomach. "I agree with Imari."

"We made a decision!" Shaka roared, pounding her paw on the table. "We were to give the Sapphire Star to the nidoqueen in trade for our lives and the lives of the future generation of lycanroc!"

"If you wish to fight Keeper Raksha, by all means," Zoya stated. She gestured her paw towards Lily. "As for me and Imari, we choose to run."

"Agreed," Imari stated.

"Motion passed."

"A motion can only be passed with a majority vote," Shaka said, gritting her teeth.

"By my count, only three of us can vote," Imari stated, sweeping his paw towards the downed lycanroc who lied at Lily's feet. "Two against one is a majority."

Shaka grimaced. She turned towards Lily and snarled. "You're betraying your tribe!"

"You all betrayed the tribe when you decided to surrender like cowards," Lily said.

Shaka howled into the air in rage. She got down from her pedestal and walked up to Lily. She got right in the keeper's face, eyeing her with malice, threatening to attack at any seconds. She gave one final huff before moving around Lily and out of the burrow.

The rest of the council stood up from their pedestal and made their way to the exit. As they exited the burrow, Zoya stopped next to Lily and stated, "I have to thank you for the opportunity to follow through with the traditions of or tribe... but you committed treason to do so. Don't ever return to the lycanroc tribe. Ever."

"I have no intention of doing so," Lily said coldly.

With that, Zoya turned away from Lily and exited the burrow, leaving the keeper, Team Rapture, and the remaining, unconscious council members in the burrow.

Hazel was in shock. Just when she thought she had a read on Lily, she did something completely different: contradictory, even. Wasn't she the one who abandoned her morals for the sake of her tribe? Why did she change her mind, now?

"Why... Why did you refuse?" Hazel asked.

"It was wrong," Lily said.

"But what about doing everything to help your tribe?" Dillan asked.

"Would you rather I give the Sapphire Star to Ganderosa's enemy?"

Dillan grimaced at the question. "Th-that's not what I-"

"My tribe is all that matters to me," Lily interrupted. "Do you understand? If we were to surrender the Sapphire Star, our purpose and morals would die. That, my Paladin, would compromise my entire tribe's reason for existing. We would all deserve to die, and that is worse than death itself."

"So what do you plan to do?" Hazel asked.

"Wait..." Dillan said. "Did... you call me... your Paladin?"

Lily nodded. She pulled the Sapphire Star above her head and removed the string from around her neck. "As you know, the Star calls to me. It tells m things I do not understand... but it is something that I have ignored for too long... Perhaps if I listened to this urge days ago and simply handed you the Sapphire Star, the nidoqueen would never have had a reason to attack this place."

Hazel looked at Lily with an empathetic frown. She wanted to say, "It wasn't your fault Thalia attacked" but she couldn't bring herself to do so. The answer to why was simple to her. She was still mad at the lycanroc for imprisoning them for all this time. It is her fault... Then, she looked at Dillan. The gabite showed so much compassion towards the lycanroc, even after what she had done to them. It was so shocking to her that he seemed able to see the best in her, even after what she did.

"Lily," Dillan said. "Don't blame yourself. Thalia would have attacked this place either way. It was going to happen.

"Paladin," Lily said. "You need to leave this place." she slung the Sapphire Star around Dillan's neck. His eyes widened, and he inhaled sharply. "Take the Sapphire Star and run."

Dillan's eyes went to the Star, then to Lily. "Run?" he asked.

"Yes," Lily stated. "I want you to run from here. Get as far away from me and the nidoqueen as you can."

"And abandon you?!" Dillan asked sharply. "No! Thalia... She'll kill you!"

"Is that your true concern?" Lily questioned. "Or do you refuse to leave for your pachirisu friend?"

Dillan grimaced. "N-no-" he stuttered nervously.

"It's fine, Dillan," Hazel assured. She turned to Lily and stated, "This is our chance to find out where he is! We might not get another chance at finding him!"

"I understand," Lily said. "But you must run. If you don't take the Sapphire Star away from here, Ganderosa's enemies will take it and use it to kill countless others."

Hazel squinted her eyes and lowered her head. Her fist clenched and began to shake as her tail began to flare. She's right... But this is might be our only chance!

"Charmeleon," Lily said.

Hazel felt a paw rest on her shoulder in a sort of comforting manner, to which she shook it off. "We aren't friends."

"Still," Lily stated. "You need to abandon your emotions and focus on the safety of Ganderosa. I'm unsure of our enemy's intentions, though I am very afraid to find out first-hand."

"But... what about Ryan?" Dillan asked. His voice quivered, turning Hazel's attention to him. His arms were shaking just as much as hers, though he seemed ready to break down. "He's our best friend. You can't expect us to give up on him?"

"I don't," Lily stated. "At least, not permanently."

"Meaning?" Hazel asked.

"I need you-... no... Ganderosa need you to give up your quest for your friend long enough to take the Sapphire Star out of harm's way. Go to Fericia Castle and hide there. I doubt the nidoqueen will be able to enter under the guild's watch. My hope is that you will be able to remain safe within the borders."

Dillan and Hazel both looked at each other worriedly. Neither one wanted to give up their search for Ryan. We're so close! Thalia's right outside this town, and she'll know were he is! But... even if we were to confront her... Would she tell us? There's no opportunity to get her to force her to tell us... And anything else is blind hope... As much as I hate to admit it-

"Fine!" Dillan said through gritted teeth. Hazel could see the pain in his face. Every muscle seemed tensed as if this was physically agonizing. His entire body seemed to shake from the strain of a single word.

Lily bowed her head to Dillan. "Thank you." She turned around and began to exit the burrow.

"But what about you?!" Dillan shouted worriedly. Lily stopped in her tracks, paw on the shade as she was ready to pull it aside. "What are you going to do?"

"My tribe needs a distraction so they may escape with their lives," Lily admitted.

"She'll kill you," Dillan said.

Lily turned around and looked at the gabite. She began to smile at him. "You have a big heart, Paladin. Maybe..." She shook her head. "It does make up for your lack of strength."

"That doesn't answer the question, Lily," Dillan said.

Lily gave a slight chuckle. "No, I guess it doesn't." With that, the lycanroc turned away and exited the burrow.

The moment Lily left the burrow, Dillan gritted his teeth in frustration. "This is all unfair!" he shouted. "We're so close to finding him, Hazel! I was inches away from Thalia. And now...!"

"I know," Hazel stated. She clenched her fist even tighter than before. "But we're up against something that doesn't play fair." She grabbed Dillan by the arm. "And you told me yourself: it doesn't want anything to survive. So we need to run..." Hazel thought about the best way to put this next part. Then, it came to her. "If nothing else, do it for Ryan."

"But aren't we abandoning him?" Dillan asked. "Aren't we leaving him for the Sapphire Star?"

"If they get the Sapphire Star, nothing will be left alive, not even Ryan."

Dillan grimaced and looked towards the ground. He stood there for a few seconds, thinking about Hazel's words. Then, all of his muscles relaxed. "You're right..." he said. "It's just frustrating... and it makes me wonder if we'll ever see him again..."

"I know it's frustrating," Hazel said. "But trust me when I say we'll see Ryan again." Dillan looked Hazel in the eyes as she assured once more, "We will."


Lily walked over the hill-side. She felt the very void in front of her grow and shrink with the fluctuations of the mystery dungeon. She also felt a disturbance in the air, something she'd been feeling ever since that nidoqueen showed up in the center of her town.

They've been in the Mystery Pocket... But why? And how long have they been here? And why didn't I sense them before it was too late? Lily recalled the lost, injured, wandering souls she'd rescued a little under two months ago. She remembered feeling their presence before they had gotten too close to her home. And they weren't the first ones I've sensed in Howling Plains... So why wasn't I able to sense that nidoqueen?

"Why are you surprised?" Thalia asked in Lily's head. "You do know where that power comes from, don't you? Or have you lied to yourself enough to believe your god gave it to you?"

She obviously knew where they come from... or at least where I thought they did... She knows more about them than I would have suspected... Lily grimaced. Am I going to be able to stall her long enough for my tribe to escape? Lily recalled the words once more. If she truly knows so much, does she power over my abnormalities?

Lily felt the disturbance begin to grow around her. The air began to stagnate, and the sun seemed to loose its warmth. The grass refused to blow, and the clouds overhead clustered together, making a layer of shadows ahead of the lycanroc. I'm getting closer... Which means I'm running out of time to contemplate...

She chuckled to herself. "If there was ever a time you were needed above all else," she said aloud, "it is now. My tribe is dying. A good majority has sacrificed themselves for your cause... I'm marching into the flames for you." She looked towards the sky, adrenaline pumping through her veins. "My tribe has sacrificed so much for you. I've sacrificed for you! My friends, my position... Even what little relationship I had left with my father: I gave it all up for the Sapphire Star! I gave it all up for your purpose!" She began shouting at the sky. She tore away the bandages around her body and arm. "I've bled for you! I've been scarred for you! Please! If there was ever a moment my tribe needed you, now is it! I'm begging you to come down and help me rescue my family from obliteration!"

Lily was so frustrated, so sad, so broken inside, she felt like weeping. She waited for a sign of faith, of assurance, of some way out of this responsibility that felt as tough it would crush her from inside. But nothing happened.

The air remained stagnant. The sun continued to chill her fur. Her eyes continued to water. Her heart continued to break. Her soul continued to cry in agony for peace. Nothing changed.

Lily fell to her knees, allowing them to collide with the grass beneath. She gave a single, drawn out howl of sadness. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, but she didn't weep. She couldn't allow herself to fall into total despair.

Lily breathed steadily, attempting to regain control over her own emotions. This would not break her. After everything she'd ever been through, after everything she'd fought for, Lily refused to lay down and simply die. No. This would not be the end. Not yet.

Lily wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and continued to breath. If death must take me, and if I am to die as your slave, then I will die in the same manner as my fellow tribesmen. I will die in valor and courage as I strike down the enemies of Howling Plains.

The wind blew across Lily's face as she felt the presence of her opponents grow. She took a deep breath and sat down on the grass. She began to run her claws through the blades as she breathed slowly and calmly, waiting for the arrival of her opponents.

The presence grew in size until Lily found herself surrounded by a feeling deep inside. She heard the stamping of feet on the grass as a force moved up the hill and around her. She watched as small, green leaves appeared from the hill-side and made their way towards her. Lily simply sat there, allowing the nuzleaf to encircle her and block off any lingering hopes of retreat. As if I would leave my tribe to defend themselves.

A blue head bobbed from above the nuzleaf, and they parted allowing Thalia to walk into the center of the circle and towards Lily. The nidoqueen stopped in front of her and stared. She seemed to be waiting, though Lily didn't know what for. The nuzleaf said nothing, as well. All was silent and still, waiting for the opposing side to start either a conversation or a confrontation. So, Lily just sat there in the grass and waited for Thalia to speak.

"Raksha," Thalia stated after a minute or so of waiting. "My Master wishes to have an answer from your tribe. Although, based on your lack of the Sapphire Star, I am assuming you have come here to fight me and stall for your tribe."

Lily smiled at the nidoqueen. "You are very sharp, Ms. Nidoqueen."

"Thalia."

Lily looked up at Thalia. She wore her usual scowl filled with force. It was strange considering. "Tell me, Thalia," Lily began. "Why are you so calm?"

"Because I know anger and force will accomplish nothing with you. You are blinded by your beliefs, therefore fear does not affect you. To try and intimidate you is pointless."

The keeper began to stand on her two feet, still watching the nidoqueen. Lily had no intention of dropping her guard, not even for a second. "Why not skip the formalities and simply attack me?" she questioned. "Would it not be simpler to strike me down before I strike?"

"It is true," Thalia stated. "Attacking you would be the best course of action. Although, my Master has a better plan." She stepped aside, revealing a little, white ball of fur with a blue stripe making its way down the top of its head.

Lily froze. She looked at the pachirisu with shock. "You..." she said with worry. She turned to Thalia and snarled. "You're sick! You would dare use a hostage against me?! That is the lowest, most dishonorable thing I've ever come-"

"Lily," Ryan regarded. Lily looked back at the pachirisu. She was shocked to see what appeared to be anger stretching his face. What shocked her most was the lack of fear and worry in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry...?" she questioned slowly.

"You see," Thalia began. "My Master has a firm belief that all of his new followers must be tested to prove their usefulness." She looked towards Ryan and stated, "Killing her is your test."

Heart stopped and mind shaken, Lily realized what Thalia was saying to her. Follower... Test... The lack of fear... "But... your friends said you were taken..."

"Is that what they believe?" Thalia questioned. A smile formed in the corner of her mouth. "Why don't you tell Raksha what really happened?"

"Focus on the mission, right?" Ryan asked coldly.

Thalia looked at Ryan with shock for a few seconds before smiling again. She then nodded. "Good, traitor."

"You... snake..." Lily snarled. Her adrenaline began pumping through her veins. "My tribe saved you... I saved you!"

"I guess that was a mistake," Ryan said with a scowl.

"No. Fooling me was a mistake... And it will be your last."

Ryan's cheeks began sparking. "I wasn't fooling you," Ryan stated. "And I'm not fooling you, now."

"You may begin," Thalia said.

Ryan roared into the sky as an arc of electricity shot from his body and made its way towards Lily. The lycanroc charged straight towards Ryan, not even bothering to dodge the attack. The blue "Thunder-Bolt" attack made contact with Lily's body, but it did barely any damage. The lycanroc howled as she slashed at Ryan with her claws. He jumped out of the way, but the air around him seemed to slash him, creating divots in the pachirisu's fuzz. He grimaced as the pain radiated from his chest. That's when Lily swiped her tail from behind her body, lashing out at Ryan's body. The pachirisu got in close and began hugging the lycanroc. From there, he began rubbing his yellow cheeks against Lily's red, fur coat. She gasped as electricity began flowing through her muscles, forcing them so tense and lock against her will. Nevertheless, her attack flew through the air behind her, slamming Ryan with the remnants of her "Iron Tail". Ryan gave a cry of pain, but continued to grab Lily's chest, holding onto her as if for dear life.

Lily's claws extended as she went in to grab Ryan's tail and force him off of her, yet her arm locked and began sparking with little jolts of blue electricity. Dang it...

Ryan took the opportunity to open is jaw up as wide as he could before biting down on Lily's left shoulder. It felt like a vice with edged teeth was being forced through her fur, breaking the skin underneath. Lily, looking up to the sky, gave a literal howl of pain. She could feel her very energy being drained from her body through a single bite. Super Fang?! No!

"Good, traitor," Thalia said. "It seems you do listen to my advice." Advice? So this was planned? She stared down at the pachirisu. Of course... Being close to me is his best option for survival due to my ability... He has a better chance at beating me from here. Lily's adrenaline began pumping faster through her veins. I need to get him off of me!

"Rah!" Lily roared. She brought her right arm up and jabbed her elbow into Ryan's skull. He continued to bite down, regardless of the jab. A small stream of blood began seeping through the corner of Ryan's mouth: Lily's blood. She brought down her elbow once more, then again. He continued to bite down, not moving an inch, though Lily didn't have any time to think about why. Then, her body sparked once more and her arm stiffened above her head.

"Finish this fight," Thalia stated.

Lily could only watch the pachirisu on her shoulder. His eyes looked up at her and their gazes met. In that moment, Lily noticed something odd. Behind Ryan's hardened expression of hate and anger was a sort of pain tinging his eyes. It was as if he had some kind of guilt.

"Coward..." Lily scolded softly. "I saved your pitiful life, and now you wish to end mine and that of my entire tribe... What happened to your sense of morality?"

Ryan's gaze hardened into an angry snarl. His jaw tightened around Lily's shoulder. The pain increased, but Lily didn't howl again. She just squinted through the awful sensation and brought her arm down once more. Ryan gave a grunt of pain as Lily's attack collided. She noticed his teeth loosening on her arm. She grasped Ryan's white, fluffy tail and tore him from her arm. She felt her skin begin to ache from his grip, but she didn't care. He was way too close for her to deal with him properly. This was her only option.

Lily screamed into the air as she pried the pachirisu from her shoulder. With one final pull, Ryan's jaw loosened and he came off into the air. Lily then threw the pachirisu into the ground. He landed on his back and exhaled sharply. Lily's fist began glowing. In a split second, the light vanished and revealed rock covering her entire fist like a gauntlet of stone. She immediately put her entire weight into the attack and threw herself towards the pachirisu. With one final shout, Lily planted her fist in the pachirisu's chest. He gave one final exhale of breath before he began coughing from the pain while gasping between coughs. He looked up at Lily with fear and fear in his expression.

"You fear me?!" Lily shouted angrily. "Would you like mercy?! Would you like to live?! Would you like me to surrender?!" She drove her fist downwards once more, slamming it into Ryan's chest. "Beg for it!" She beat on Ryan once more. "Beg for mercy!" Lily brought her fist down once more, but felt resistance. Her arm was covered in a massive, blue paw.

Facing the nidoqueen for merely a second, Lily felt her arm twist behind her back. She didn't even have time to yelp in pain before Thalia brought her second fist into Lily's face, then throwing her onto the ground. She then proceeded to drop her knee on Lily's chest, forcing all the air from her lungs. Thalia's fist became bathed with a white light as she drove it into Lily's face. She watched in horror as the attack came down to her head. Suddenly, time itself was at a standstill. She realized she had merely a moment left before she was done.

In that single moment, Lily realized what it meant to have your life flash before your eyes. She remembered all of her hopes for the future and her happiest moments. She recalled that night she had chosen Dillan as her Paladin. The freedom she'd felt from ending her duties as Keeper, however temporary it had been, was fantastic. She remembered feeling free the first step she'd taken outside of the Howling Plains. In this moment, it occurred to her that all she had ever wanted in life was freedom. Maybe it was selfish of her. She had a duty to her tribe, and her dream drove her to make the decisions she did.

That's when she recalled her sorrows. When the fighting broke out over the Paladin, she recognized the issue. It was her. She caused all of the pain from the fighting. Her sole decision caused it all. The realization was what hit her hard. But nothing could compare to Biopelo's decision to abandon her.

She remembered the wrinkled lycanroc's cold voice. "Why did you give him the pendant, Lily?" he asked from the shadows of the night. "Why "Him"?

"Do not question my motives, father." Lily responded without batting an eye in his direction. "The question you should be asking is why you do not understand. You owned the pendant for far longer than I. You should know."

But he didn't. After that night, he would never treat her the same. He would grow more distant with the coming days. Their relationship would never be the same.

Lily recalled the day she returned with the Sapphire Star: the day she realized her father had changed his name. It was the ultimate attack on their relationship: the one way to destroy any remaining ties between them. Now, she would be known as Keeper Raksha and he would be Councilman Biopelo.

Her sole regret. Nothing she would ever try to do would be good enough. She wasn't even sure if this would restore his faith in her, following through with Imari's plan: dying for her tribe.

"Even if we were to defeat the nuzleaf tribe, most of us would never be able to compete with that nidoqueen," Imari's words echoed. "Her power is on a different level than any member of the council.

Even though I question whether our decision was the correct one, there was never a way out for everyone."

No... there wasn't... This was the only remaining option. Even with this thought, she couldn't help but smile. Every eye was on her. Not once did Thalia command for her forces to pursue the lycanrocs. And based on their numbers, they were all here to watch. I know I will die here... I knew it all along. But... at least I can give my tribe the chance I never had: a chance to escape and be free.

As she closed her eyes, Lily accepted what was to occur. Thalia would show no mercy. This final strike would kill her, and she was alright with it. Why? Because she had nothing left to live for. Dillan is the new Paladin, her decision had banished her from the tribe, and she had fought to give her tribe one final chance at survival. All that was left was death.

Lily smiled broadly as the light from Thalia's glowing fist spread across her face. Father... I hope you grow to understand... And I hope that one day you'll be proud to be called Raksha once more... As the light vanished, darkness consumed everything around her along with one final feeling: contentedness.


(Author's Notes)

Whelp... there you have it, guys! It took me a while to execute this end properly. There was a lot I wanted to do with the end, and I think I have it all there. That's all I want to say about this chapter!

Alright! Imma rant about . I've never had this problem before. Ever. Never. but I wanted to release this chapter before I left the house at 6:30 today. I uploaded the chapter, and low and behold! There was a problem! When I posted the document into the "Doc Manager" part of "FanFiction" (Basically the "Proof Reading section of FanFiction before you post it for all those non-authors out there :P), all of the paragraphs were SCREWED UP! Multiple paragraphs were randomly italicized while others weren't, messing up every italicized sentence/word in the WHOLE CHAPTER! I tried converting the chapter into three different types of documents if the ODT file somehow doesn't work anymore, but NOPE! It still didn't work! After trying to post and repost multiple times to FanFiction, I realized the only solution was to have a side-by-side comparison of the Doc Manager Document and my actual one I keep on my laptop in order to go over the entire document to find and change the italicized parts of the chapter back so I could post it for you guys. Took me an extra two hours to do so... So, yeah... Wasted two hours on some weird thing that's never happened before... And DANG was it FRUSTRATING! Anyways, I'm done ranting. If you found anything that SHOULD have been italicized but wasn't, you know why. If this problem persists... I don't know. Moving on, now... Really... (P. S. Sorry for the long "Author's Notes", but I needed that off my chest...)

Shout-out to no one! And that's perfectly fine! Even if there aren't any new follows and/or favorites, I'm still happy that we're currently at 68! Even if we stay at this number for a long time, I'm fine with that!

That's all for now! Thanks so much to everyone for reading! I'll see you guys in the next chapter!