*Crash*
An Azumarill and an Electabuzz smashed through the undergrowth. Off in the distance the sound of skittering was heard, not far behind the duo. Tree Branches scratched them, thorns from the bushes tore at their bags. But the two ignored that, adrenaline phasing out the pain. Suddenly the Azumarill tripped. With a mighty thud they tumbled a fair bit forward. Then came to a stop. The Electabuzz halted too, and went over to the Azumarill, fear in their eyes. The Azumarll picked themselves up and with a silent nod began the run again. They were fine, much to the relief of the Electabuzz.
But the tumble had cost them precious seconds, and more importantly had seemed to have been loud enough for the skittering to hear. Before the skittering had been diffuse, but now it seemed to close in one them. The duo was exhausted, the stop had allowed the adrenaline to crash. The pain was catching up, the weariness was catching up. Every second the skittering was growing louder.
It was catching up.
The Azumarill tapped the Electabuzz mid run. The Electabuzz stopped, and turned to the Azumarill. The Azumarill was pointing to a small stone building in the woods off to the side. The building was small and worn out, it appeared to have been in the shape of a Cubone head at one point. But time had worn it down, the forest had consumed it, growing all over the old structure. The Electabuzz understood immediately. The duo quietly slinked their way inside the structure, it was pitch black but for the two rays of light that came from the windows above. The building had long since been abandoned, probably well before the curse of eternity had come. Still signs of an old past remained. A hey bed in the back, a worn map painted on the wall off to the side. Some vases littered the sides. The Azumarill and Electabuzz hid behind some of the vases, and waited. The skittering came closer, and closer, and closer, until it was almost like a buzzing. The Azumarill and the Electabuzz ducked their heads down, and waited in the buzz surrounding them, only the terrified pounding of their hearts giving them company. The skittering buzzed for a while… and then started to fade. Slowly dimming down in the distance.
The threat had passed.
When the skittering could no longer be heard, the Electabuzz and the Azumarill slowly got out. They exhaled a sigh of relief and-
*SMASH*
Both of them jumped up in a fright. To their right they saw the source of the noise, Electabuzz had accidently knocked over one of the vases. They stood there, rooted to the spot in absolute terror.
But no other sound was heard, they were still alone.
Giving a second sigh of relief the duo started to head out but something caught their eye. A book had tumbled out of the broken vase. It had flipped open to a page. On that page was a map. The two wandered over, mildly curious. Maps were a valuable commodity in this day and age, so much knowledge had been lost. The more they looked at it, the more impressed they were, the map was fairly detailed. The Azumarill felt a sudden tapping on their side, they looked over at the Electabuzz, who was pointing at a specific piece on the map. The Azumarill read the label. Their eyes went wide.
Literal centuries had been spent looking for this piece of knowledge.
Countless lives had been lost to the undying and the blighted looking for this.
The single most valuable piece of information in the entire world was right in front of them.
They picked up the book and quickly, but quietly, ran out of the house. They would break curfew, it was too important to get this back to base, they couldn't risk waiting till nightfall.
Finally.
The Crystal Chamber had been found.
