Thanks to mirrorkinomoto, PKMNfanSakura and IanAlphaAxel for reviewing the previous chapter. We're coming to an end, folks!

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Chapter Twenty Eight: Chasing a Legend

"Where is my grandfather?" Lance demanded, storming out of the Dragon's Den shrine. The old man wasn't home which Lance found strange. It wasn't like the old man had decided to go out for a casual stroll through Blackthorn City… he never left the shrine so it was weird that he had disappeared. Lance searched around the den looking for someone who might have answers. Usually, there'd be a few tamers practicing, but he could find no one.

He paced back and forth trying to think of someone who might know where the Elder was. Clair probably knew… but she was long gone after he took her position away. Who knew where the girl was now? Lyra, gone. Clair, gone. His grandfather, gone? "Lance? Is that you?" a voice called out. Lance jerked around, spotting one of the twin tamers. He wasn't sure which one she was.

"Where is he?"

The girl's bottom lip trembled. He squinted. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying. He felt a swell of panic rise up within. Obviously, something bad had happened. "Your grandfather… the Elder… he's gone."

He walked towards her, closing the distance between them. "What do you mean 'gone'?" he asked coldly.

She wiped her eyes then drew in a deep breath to try and steady herself. "A few hours ago… just after your battle… he passed away." Her body shuddered, tears rolling down her cheeks, sobs echoing throughout the den. No wonder Blackthorn seemed so quiet upon his arrival.

"He can't be dead…"

She sniffed. "I'm sorry, Lance. His funeral will be held this afternoon as the sun sets. It's what he wanted. Your cousin is expected to arrive soon. I'll leave you alone," she said softly, turning away to exit the cave. "Oh, he left a letter for you." The cave was dead quiet, not even the sounds of Dratini playing in the pool could be heard. Were the dragons themselves mourning for a man who did so much?

No one lived forever, but even so, it was hard to accept the loss of someone who was close. The realization he would never see him again started to sink in. They bickered a lot in the past, but his grandfather always forgave him every little mistake Lance had made. Now he was gone forever and the last memory his grandfather had of him had been of Lance accusing of him being useless. It made Lance wonder if the old man had of disappointment?

He made his way to the interior of the Dragon Den's shrine, doing his best to keep a straight face. Crying was a foreign emotion for him – he had witnessed it often from Clair, but never shed a single tear himself ever. He stood in his grandfather's room, looking for the letter one of the twins had mentioned. It didn't take him too long to find it – the letter was on top of his bed. He picked it up, opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.

Dear Lance,

If you are reading this, know that I have already passed on to the next life. I regret I did not manage to speak to you one last time, but trust that everything has happened for a reason. Do not grieve for me, embrace your salvation instead. I may no longer be here to guide you in the right direction, but you now know what is right and what is wrong. It is now up to you to carry on the Blackthorn Dragon Clan's legacy, and I know you will do me proud. I may have looked upon you with disappointment from time to time, but I have always loved you and Clair.

There is one thing you must know though before you do anything else – I have seen glimpses of the future to know that Lyra is in terrible danger. She will head to Mt. Silver to locate Red who waits on the mountain's peak. You and I both know about the dangers on that mountain – it has claimed many lives, including Lyra's own father. I do not know how this will end, but I pray the ending is not tragic.

Let me go, but keep me alive within your heart and promise me I will remain.

The letter slipped through his fingers, and fluttered to the floor. He found it increasingly difficult not to shed a tear, but somehow managed to keep it together.

"It's true, isn't it? He's gone."

He turned around, startled. "Clair?"

They hadn't left on the best of terms, but here she was now, holding a box of tissues. Her eyes were red. "I arrived here earlier… Mike told me," she said softly, remaining at her position at the doorway. "I didn't want to believe it… so I came here to see it with my own eyes." She pulled a tissue out of the box, and dabbed her eyes with it. "I can't believe he's actually gone." The floodgates opened, and tears streamed down her face. "I never even got to tell him how much I loved him," she sobbed.

"You didn't need to say it… he already knew," Lance replied. Clair still didn't move – she was probably still afraid of him considering what happened last time. "He never wanted you to get hurt so he kept you out of the business with Team Rocket."

She nodded, biting her lip. "I know… there was a letter for me." They stood in silence for a few moments. "Where do we go from here?"

Yes, that was a good question. Was she talking about what to do with the clan or the relationship between themselves? "The other dragon clans will hear of our grandfather's passing soon I assume. We'll need to elect someone to become the new Clan Leader and prevent our city from taking over by foreigners." Edward Blackthorn worked hard to defend his city from the foreign clans – had the increasing pressure eventually lead to his passing? Lance pushed the thought aside. He couldn't think about that now. "Blackthorn needs someone to watch over the city, and continue being someone dragon tamers can look up to. The other clans will try even harder to establish themselves here now without him. The city also needs a gym leader."

"It can't be me… you made sure of that."

"I can put you back in. I'm still the Champion for a few more days."

Clair sniffed. "You would do that?" She seemed to be a little happier at least. "Who is going to look over the city then? You?"

He looked away. "No. I don't… know if I'll be around." Mt. Silver! Of all the places Red could've chosen to live on, he had selected Mt. Silver, the most dangerous mountain in the world. And Lyra was going to go after him! His grandfather had told him his path rested with hers, no matter where it led. It just happened to be this one would take him to Mt. Silver. The chances of even making it the first couple of levels were almost impossible. How had Red done it?

"What do you mean? Are you planning on travelling?"

He looked at her. How was he supposed to tell Clair he was leaving her and possibly not returning? Clair was already struggling to cope with the loss of their grandfather. "There is something… I need to do."

"Does it have to do with Lyra? I saw the battle on the television." He was surprised. Clair had actually used the girl's name for the first time. She didn't seem annoyed or irritated at all either.

"She's gone to Mt. Silver."

Her eyes widened. "Mt. Silver?"

"I'm going to find her."

She looked at him, stunned. "You can't go there! I can't lose you to!"

"Grandfather always told me my path would always lead me to her. He saw it in his visions, and he's always right. I need to find Lyra."

She dabbed at her eyes with a soggy tissue. "You're willing to risk everything, even your own life, to chase after her? What if the result isn't what you want?"

"Better to know than be kept in the dark forever." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I couldn't help grandfather… but I can try and save her from meeting a grisly fate, like grandfather asked me to." He snorted. "She means everything to me," he added softly, more to himself than to Clair.

Clair stared at him with renewed interest. "You're serious, aren't you?" For a brief moment, he thought Clair was going to yell and scream, label him a fool and such, but she didn't. She didn't even look angry. "Promise me you will return."

"You know I can't do that… I don't know what will happen up there."

She hardened her stare. "Promise me." To offer Clair false hope seemed wrong, but refusing would break her forever. He was her only living family member now and if he met a tragic end… the Blackthorn Dragon Clan would cease to exist.

"I promise I will return." Hollow words.

She smiled for the first time that meeting. For once, it wasn't a sneer or a smirk, she was sincerely happy. "I'll be there for you at the ceremony. Someone needs to keep you in line." That sounded like the Clair he knew well. At least she still had that spark in her. "I'll go and help with the funeral service. If anyone can make it to the top of Mt. Silver, it's you." Well, at least Clair had some faith. He left Clair and exited the cave, feeling empty inside. Edward Blackthorn dead. Lyra gone. He never even had a chance to apologize to grandfather, nor had he confessed to Lyra. Would he ever get the chance?

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Lyra had never experienced a route as quiet as this in her entire life. No wild Pokemon to deal with and no trainers to block her path. Obviously, no trainer could pass through the gates unless they were the Champion – her father had been the exception as in his time there was no league to contend with. Defeating all eight gym leaders had been the only way to test a trainer's skill back in the early days when the league hadn't existed. How times have changed since then, Lyra thought.

Arching her neck back, she glanced up at the sky to study the weather. The weather at Indigo Plateau hadn't been perfect, but at least the sun was out. Here, on the route to Mt. Silver, there was no such thing as sun. It was as if she had stepped into a different world where grey clouds were considered normal weather, and blue skies were a foreign term.

The trees of the area looked depressing as well. Their trunks stood erect in a perfect vertical position with curtains of drooping benches, which made the tree look like it was actually weeping. The leaves of the willow looked green from where she was standing, but upon closer inspection, Lyra noticed the undersides of the leaves had very fine silky white hairs. There were hundreds of them in the area, and each one looked identical to the last. Was that why this area was called Mt. Silver, because of the unique colour of surrounding trees?

She ventured further until the path she was following came to a sudden end. Her current position gave her a good view of the bottom half of Mount Silver – she couldn't see the upper half as it was shielded by a thick mass of cloud – but what she could see was another path leading into the monstrous mountain. The second path wasn't too far away from where she was now. Another fifty or so metres and she'd reach the entrance.

Bypassing yet more weeping willows, Lyra finally noticed a change in scenery. The closer she came to the foot of the mountain, the fewer trees she saw and the rougher the terrain became. Falling over would result in quite a nasty gash. Every step had to be taken with great caution. Ensuring her pokebelt was strapped around her tightly, and bag fastened on her back, Lyra set forth towards the second path. It was a narrow path built in between some rather large rocks, twisting upwards towards the entrance.

"Here we go," Lyra said to herself. She hadn't rested at all, and her body was quite sore from the battle she had with Lance. Her ankle didn't hurt as much fortunately, but it was still tender to the touch. Determination fuelled her, giving her the energy to ascend the twisting path. The higher she climbed, the harder she had to strain. The back of her legs were burning, as did her lungs, as they worked harder to get the necessary amount of oxygen in.

Eventually, after much cursing and panting, she reached the entrance, collapsing into a heap. Her legs didn't want to move any further at the moment, but the mind wanted to keep going. She sat on the hard dirt floor of the cave, panting heavily. With the exception of the Ice Path, all the caves she had explored had been quite humid. Mt. Silver was different though, but perhaps that was due to the foot of the mountain being on high ground already.

After a few moments of rest, Lyra helped herself back up to her feet and pressed onwards. Fortunately, the path to the top was easy to follow. There was only one path, and Lyra was grateful for that. It meant she didn't have to worry about getting lost and losing time; after all, she had to be back for the official handover ceremony in three days.

She moved forward at a relatively slow pace, due to the ache in her ankle. Now she regretted not staying behind to get a rest, but if she had, she probably would not be here right now. Surely, one of the staff working at the league would've been watching her to make sure she didn't run away. Had they noticed her absence? She pushed those thoughts aside, choosing to focus on the mission ahead. When she was a young child, her mother had told her stories about the dangers of Mount Silver. Apparently, giant deadly bears lived in the caves, and did not hesitate to kill any intruder. It was also said there were some rather tough Pokemon with trunks and vicious tusks that called Mount Silver home. These Pokemon rarely came into contact with humans and were rather hostile.

But it wasn't just the native Pokemon that were a problem – the terrain itself was a danger to anyone, even the most experienced of hikers would find this place difficult to conquer. She brought her Arcanine out of her ball. The dog had the best nose, and would be able to detect the presence of hostile Pokemon before there was trouble. Arcanine seemed a little nervous to be out of her ball in this unfamiliar territory, sticking closer to Lyra's side than usual.

"It's all right, Arcanine, we'll be perfectly fine," Lyra said, trying to soothe her Arcanine's mind. Arcanine whimpered, staring up at her trainer with wide eyes. Lyra frowned. Arcanine wasn't easily scared, but the canine looked ready to flee at the first sign of trouble. It reminded her of the two Arcanine's back at the league. It was as if this place was haunted or cursed.

Lyra continued moving forward, taking note of the deathly silence of the interior. Even back in caves like the Dark Cave and the Ice Path, she had heard sounds of life, even if it was just a flutter of Zubat wings or sleeping Pokemon snoring. No wonder her Pokemon were so spooked. Arcanine whimpered again. Lyra lowered herself to the ground and gave her trusty companion a hug, rubbing Arcanine's chin. The canine seemed to enjoy it, wagging her fluffy tail from side to side. "We'll make it to the top, Arcanine. I'm sure of it."

Arcanine didn't seem too convinced, but she seemed a lot happier. Lyra stood up and continued walking. There was a flight of stairs leading up to the next level. She ascended them, finding herself on another identical floor, only this one was slightly smaller than the lower level. This same process continued for quite some time until Lyra found herself outside.

It was snowing, quite heavily in fact. The wind blew viciously, almost ripping the skin of her skin. Lyra wrapped her arms around her body, trying to keep herself warm, as well as trying to protect her face. Arcanine pressed her body against Lyra, hoping to transfer some heat over to her master. Visibility was extremely limited – she could hardly see a metre ahead of her. One wrong step and she'd plummet to her death, but staying in one spot could also mean death, if a hostile Pokemon found her.

Arcanine suddenly froze, ears standing up right on her head. "What's the matter, Arcanine?" The canine pulled away from Lyra, lowered her head and moved forwards, uttering a deep growl. Lyra took a couple of steps back towards the cave – at least she had full visibility there. Arcanine continued growling, her volume becoming louder. For the first time since reaching Mount Silver, Lyra felt scared. There was no one here to guide her in the direction, nor anyone to come and help her should trouble arise. The furthest Pokemon Centre was at the league and she couldn't use Staraptor to fly her back in this weather. She swallowed nervously.

Arcanine suddenly dashed forward, disappearing in the howling icy wind. "Arcanine!" Lyra called out, moving forward, desperately searching for a glimpse of her black striped friend. No response. The intensity of the wind seemed to pick up a fair bit, slamming into the side of the mountain. Lyra heard the sound of rocks tumbling down. Squinting, she peered up. At the moment, she couldn't see anything, but she could hear the rumble. There! Lyra backtracked, racing back towards the cave entrance, throwing herself inside as a giant rock narrowly missed her.

Panting, she lay on the floor, stomach pressed to the dirt. That was way too close for comfort. She picked herself up again and headed back outside. Arcanine was still out there somewhere. She summoned Espeon and Toto – a dragon or bird Pokemon would be knocked unconscious within seconds in this environment. "Espeon, Toto, try and find Arcanine."

Her companions nodded. Espeon and Toto marched into the snow, disappearing within seconds. Lyra brought her hand to her mouth, gnawing on her nails, waiting anxiously for her Pokemon to return. Minutes flew by, but there was nothing. She winced, as sleet smacked her in the face. Retreating back to the safety of the cave, Lyra sat down against the wall, knees brought up to her chest.

She summoned her other three Pokemon to keep her company feeling terribly lonely right now. Garchomp, Shelgon and Staraptor crowded around her, protecting all three sides from any potential harm. They too look worried. She leaned forward, peering out the cave entrance. It was virtually a raging blizzard out there, and this was authentic. This was not the result of a Pokemon's attack. A Pokemon's attack could at least be contained to a small area. "Everything is going to be all right," Lyra said.

Staraptor settled down, snuggling up besides her owner. Garchomp stood guard on the left while Shelgon guarded the other path leading back to the entrance. She looked to the outside again, hoping to see her other three Pokemon return, unharmed, but still, there was nothing. Fear crept in the back of her mind. Was it possible her Pokemon had gotten severely injured? Or worse… had they fallen off the side of the mountain? No. She shook her head. Remain positive, Lyra, she told herself.

Leaning her head against the wall, she squeezed her eyes shut. Now she regretted coming up to Mount Silver – there was a very good reason why this place was closed to the public. It was unfriendly, desolate and cold. How on earth had Red made it to the top? Would she ever make it back down? She felt weak. Her injured ankle was throbbing now, as was her head. Oxygen was hard to get at this altitude; it almost hurt to breathe properly. Tears started to roll down her cheeks.

Her father had met his end here somewhere on this mountain, and she would meet the same fate. Had Lance's grandfather actually seen this and simply decided not to tell her, as to not frighten her? Her train of thought was interrupted by a high-pitched whine. Immediately, her eyes moved to the cave exit. Her jaw dropped open. "Arcanine!"

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Lance returned to the league – reaching Mount Silver could only be done by going through the gateway which was guarded by one of security people. He was still Champion, at least for a few more days, so getting through shouldn't be a problem. But there was one thing he had to do before heading through.

He stood at the balcony of his room and looked up at the cloud-covered mountain. The trek was going to be tough and he knew there was a high possibility his journey would end on the mountain itself. But he had to risk it all to find Lyra. It came at a cost – he couldn't carry too many items that would burden him.

And as much as it hurt, he couldn't take his Pokemon with him. If he died on the mountain, he didn't want his Pokemon to die along with him from grief. Releasing them from his service would at least spare them that fate. He turned to his team of Pokemon who were looking at him with expectant looks. "Our journey to the top has ended. I thank you for all that you have done… but I… no longer have any need of you," he started, as calmly as he could manage. "I'm releasing you from my service. You're free to do as you please." His Pokemon did not budge. "Go!" he snapped.

His Flying Pokemon jumped off the balcony while his Gyarados just sat there. He'd let one of the Elite Four members take the Pokemon down to the Lake of Rage later to free him. Gyarados returned to his pokeball. His strongest and oldest Dragonite looked at him, frowning. Before Lance could say anything, Karen entered his chambers.

"Lance… we have a problem."

Lance turned around to look at her. "I know, Lyra's gone. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

She moved towards him, closing the door behind her. "What do you need?"

"Take my Gyarados and head to the Lake of Rage. I want him released back into the wild," he said, handing her the Gyarados' ball. "He'll be the leader of the Magikarp there."

"I… what?" she stuttered. "Are you mad?"

Lance shook his head, keeping his eyes trained on her face. "Maybe," he said dryly.

"Where are you going?"

"It doesn't matter… If I'm not back by the time the ceremony begins, please… do this for me." He tightened his jaw. This was proving to be far more difficult than he imagined it would.

She gave him a stern look. "Whatever you are planning on doing, it's foolish."

"Yeah, I know. But it has to be done." He forced a dry laugh. "There's no point in living otherwise." He opened the door again and left before Karen could get in another word. Only one Pokemon remained with him, and that was his oldest Dragonite, the same one who had been with him from the very beginnings of his journey. Dragonite wouldn't leave his service ever, not even if he forced him to.

He made his way over to the Mount Silver door and was stopped immediately by the guard. "I can't allow you to go through."

"I'm still the Champion, at least for a couple of more days. You let me through, or I'll blast these doors down with Dragonite. It's your choice," he threatened, giving the officer a cold stare. The man nodded, reaching for his keys. He inserted one of the keys in the door and turned it clockwise. The door sprung open.

"I hope you find what you are looking for," the officer said.

Lance didn't reply. He hoped he did too. The doors closed behind him, and he found himself feeling a little anxious. This was a route he had never set foot on ever – it was like being a newbie trainer again. He summoned his Dragonite, feeling a lot safer with his faithful companion there.

The route was quiet. Extremely quiet. There were patches of grass, but no wild Pokemon in sight. He couldn't even spot any birds roosting in the weeping willow trees or riding thermals above. The route to Mount Silver was said to be as dangerous as the mountain itself, but right now it looked to be rather safe. Quite the opposite of deadly and dangerous.

"Well Dragonite, here we are," Lance said, turning to his loyal friend.

Dragonite let out a happy grunt.

"There's no turning back. We have to find Lyra."

Wagging his tail, Dragonite nodded.

Although he had been a trainer for a number of years now, setting foot onto the route to Mount Silver made him feel like he was just starting out on his journey. That day had been over a decade ago, but history had a way of repeating itself. He had heard many tales about the place, but none had yet to be proven as no human had ever came back to share their experience.

From his current position, he could see the entrance to Mount Silver. It was pretty hard to miss though – there was one jagged pathway leading up to the cave, marked by a handful of rough rocks. The path itself didn't seem like it was natural, it was as if someone else had already been here to design a pathway for daring adventurers.

Was Red truly here or was Blue simply hoping to get rid of his equals so he could reclaim the title again? He stopped briefly admiring the view. He couldn't see the peak because of all the cloud, but he knew both Mount Moon and Mount Mortar were hills in comparison. He continued moving forward then stopped again. "You wouldn't mind flying over to the entrance, would you Dragonite?" Lance asked.

Time was running short, after all. When this was all over perhaps he'd return to appreciate the natural beauty of the place. Dragonite crouched, allowing Lance to climb on his back. Without having to say anything, Dragonite jumped into the air and flew towards the mountain entrance. A deep sense of foreboding gripped his mind as Dragonite came closer to the mountain. From a distance, the path didn't seem that difficult, but flying over it now, he noticed just how steep the climb was.

What was also surprising was the sudden presence of a powerful wind. Near the beginning of the route, the air was still. And now? The wind was so powerful it was knocking Dragonite around. Lance was clinging onto Dragonite's wings for dear life – one slip and he'd fall onto one of the rocks below. "Hang in there, Dragonite. We're almost there."

Dragonite beat his wings harder with each passing second, fighting to keep himself steady. It was as if the mountain had suddenly come 'alive' and was doing what it could to keep unwelcome visitors away. Now he was starting to see the dangerous side of Mount Silver. Dragonite started to descend as the intensity continued to build. The dragon was taking a beating now, getting pushed from side to side.

Fortunately, they reached their destination. Unfortunately, the landing itself was far from smooth. Dragonite almost crashed into the ground as a powerful sudden gust of wind knocked Dragonite from his rhythm. Trainer and Pokemon plummeted to the ground. Dragonite hit the ground first, and the impact threw Lance a couple of feet away. He skidded across the rough terrain and collided into one of the many rocks.

He lay there for a couple of moments, panting. His body ached, but fortunately, nothing had been broken. Rolling over onto his belly, he forced himself up then glanced to the left where Dragonite laid. Dragonite had cushioned the fall for Lance absorbing most of the damage of the landing. He was now standing stretching his wings… or trying to anyway. "Dragonite!" Lance said, stumbling over to his companion's side.

Dragonite whined, face scrunched up in pain. One of his wings drooped to the side. During the rough landing, Dragonite had landed on a wing with enough force, and had broken it. He whimpered, looking at Lance for help. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. Without a Pokemon Centre in sight, there was no way of fixing his wing. He didn't have any miracle healing potions either, having chosen to leave all items behind. "Sorry Dragonite, there's nothing I can do until we get back to a Pokemon Centre. You're going to have to stay inside your ball."

Dragonite made a huffing sound, obviously displeased with this course of action. Lance threw the pokeball onto the floor, returning Dragonite to safety. He picked it up, attached to his belt then hobbled over to the cave entrance. Surprisingly, this cave was lit. Well lit. Someone had gone to great lengths to ensure this place had torch brackets everywhere, as if they had been expecting someone to come.

He felt vulnerable walking around the cave floors of Mount Silver without Dragonite at his side. If by some unfortunate stroke of luck he encountered a hostile Pokemon, he'd be in a great deal of trouble. Although Dragonite still had the strength to fight, he wasn't going to fare well in battle with a broken wing. From here on, he was alone.

He moved forward. How long was it going to take to reach the top anyway? He spotted a flight of stairs across the floor and immediately made his way towards it. Thankfully, it was easy to get to. All he had to do was walk around in circles until he reached the peak. So far, there were no signs of the hostile Pokemon he had heard much about. He was beginning to think there were no such creatures when he heard a fearsome, spine-tingling roar from an upper level. Lyra.

Breaking out into a sprint, he raced up the stairs.

.

Arcanine was standing, but just barely. A number of deep gashes were present on her body, copious amounts of blood pouring out onto the ground. Her canine staggered inside, whimpering then dropped. She didn't waste any time returning Arcanine to the safety of her pokeball. What had inflicted so much damage? Seconds later, her question was answered. A thundering roar coming from a few metres away from the outside made even her Garchomp freeze.

The dragon looked to her for answers. Lyra didn't have any. Running away was the smart option, but Toto and Espeon were still out there. She was not going to leave this mountain until she found them. The wild Pokemon roared again. It was louder this time meaning it was closer. Much closer. Lyra stood in between her three Pokemon, staring at the exit, waiting for the creature to reveal itself.

There it was. A brown bear with a yellow fur ring on its belly, charged into the room, growling and swiping its claws at the air. It reached a height of almost two metres – a bipedal hostile bear of pure aggression and power. Lyra had encountered many aggressive Pokemon throughout the past few years, but those Pokemon fought to protect themselves from a trainer – which was understandable.

Some trainers mistreated their Pokemon, and a wild Pokemon had no idea who to trust. But this bear didn't want to fight to protect itself from a trainer – it wanted to fight to kill. She reached down into her bag, pulling out her Pokedex.

Ursaring. The evolved form of Teddiursa. Although it is a good climber, it prefers to snap trees with its forelegs and eat fallen berries.

She put it away. That entry didn't help her much in this situation.

She took several steps back as the Ursaring moved forward. What seemed like a difficult situation became worse when another Ursaring entered. It was accompanied by two small bears with crescent shaped moons on their foreheads. Two parent bears and their offspring. No wonder they looked extremely vicious. She continued moving back until she hit the cave wall. Garchomp roared, challenging the two parents to fight. "Garchomp, pull back! This isn't a fight we can win!" Although she had the numbers to win, two protective parents would do anything to ensure their young were safe.

Garchomp retreated, but one of the bears, the male, lunged. Garchomp had no choice but to fight back. He slashed at the father bear with his fins, striking the bear just a few inches below its muzzle. Father bear roared, lowered his head, and charged forward, ramming Garchomp in the belly. While Garchomp was fast enough to avoid the attack, he stepped directly into another. Mother bear attacked, swiping her five-clawed paw at Garchomp's face.

Without waiting for Lyra's order, Staraptor flapped ahead, throwing herself into the battle. She flew circles around the mother bear trying to draw her attention away from Garchomp. Staraptor couldn't gain enough height to avoid the blow entirely, and received a massive blow to her underbelly, knocking her out of the air. Father bear attacked, while the two Teddiursa's stood a couple of metres away, looking on with wide curious eyes.

"Garchomp! Use Dragon Claw, now! Staraptor, use Aerial Ace!" Lyra ordered. Garchomp struck, trying to claw the father in the face, but the bear held his ground, pushing Garchomp's forearms back. With Staraptor out of the way for now, mother bear rammed Garchomp in the side, knocking him over. "No, Garchomp!" Lyra screamed.

Shelgon hopped forward, trying to assist the bigger dragon, but his small stature couldn't do anything against the adult Ursarings. Lyra threw out her pokeball, recalling her injured Garchomp, before things could get nastier. She did the same for her Staraptor, who was limping around on the floor, with a broken wing. Now only Shelgon stood in between her and the Ursaring pair. "Shelgon, we have to get out of here!" If she ran down to the lower level, then perhaps the bears would leave? They were too big to fit through the staircase.

Shelgon didn't want to move though, so Lyra threw her pokeball. Much to her surprise though, Shelgon headbutted it away. "Shelgon! It's not safe!" Shelgon growled, and released a stream of fire from his mouth. Lyra was lost for her words – Gible had given her a hard time in his early days, but Shelgon never disobeyed. Why now? "I know you're trying to protect me, but we can't win this. I don't want to see you hurt!"

The bears easily threw Shelgon aside, as if the dragon was just a ragdoll. Now the bears looked at her, with hungry eyes. "Oh no…" Lyra murmured. Her only choice of safety now was to run down to the lower level. She tried to recall her Shelgon back, but the father bear swatted it away. The female bear charged. Lyra threw herself out of harm's way, landing on the ground with a hard thud. She rolled over onto her side, cringing as pain shot through her leg.

The male bear moved closer. Lyra couldn't do anything, although she tried to edge away as best as she could, crawling across the floor. The father towered over her, saliva dripping out of his mouth. Several drops landed on her face. The bear reached down, scooping her up with his arms then hurled her body across the room. She sailed through the air, coming to an abrupt stop when she hit the nearby wall with a sickening crack. She dropped to the ground, her body battered and bruised. Weakly, she rolled over onto her back and glanced up. Through blurred vision, she spotted the two bears advancing towards her again. Her head spun.

One of the bears raised a claw, ready to plunge it into her, but was suddenly stopped. Lyra couldn't quite see what was going on thanks to her vision problems so she assumed they had decided to stop. It was then she realized the bears were now attacking some other big creature, namely a four-legged dragon with wings. Shelgon had evolved into a Salamence to save her? She groaned, desperately wishing she could see clearly what was going on. The sounds of battle faded. The dragon had led the bears away, but where? Not that it mattered though. The only thing she could focus on was the immense pain coming from every area on her body.

Breathing hurt. Even lifting a finger sent shockwaves of pain throughout her body. And there was blood somewhere. She wasn't quite sure where though. It felt like she was bathing in blood. The stench was overwhelming. She groaned again, head rolling to one side. Images of her friends and family raced through her mind. Mum. Lance. Ethan. Professor Elm. Professor Oak. Silver even. She would never see any of them again, and they'd never see her either.

"I'm sorry, I failed you all."

Her world faded to black.

.

Lance ran up the final flight of stairs and came to an immediate halt. There was a battle taking place in front of him – a Salamence fighting two very upset giant bears. The dragon had taken a serious beating – his wings were drooping, and his body covered in gaping wounds. The bears on the other hand, looked in perfect condition. That had to be Lyra's Salamence – there was no one else in the region that had one. But where was Lyra?

Desperation rose within him, choking him as if vines were lacing around his throat. He searched around the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of her somewhere. He spotted an exit on the other side leading to a snowy landscape. Perhaps Lyra had chosen to stay outside? He looked around some more – and that's when he saw her. Lyra. Her body lay in the far corner guarded by the two Ursaring's and surrounded by a few baby bears. He couldn't see much her in between the thick legs of the bears, but from what he could see, she was bleeding. Had she… No. She had to be alive.

One of the baby bears licked the blood on her skin, while the other prepared to bite down on her arm. "No!" Lance cried out, his face convulsing as the bear bit down. He turned his face away as the baby bear dragged her away – and something inside of him died. Without thinking, he ran forward. Salamence attacked, shooting a breath of pink flame towards the adult bears. Lance threw himself in between the mother bear's legs, narrowly avoiding the flame.

Mother bear roared, stomping the floor. Lance fell to the ground and proceeded to crawl across. Father bear noticed his presence, and picked him up easily, then threw him across the room. He hit the wall behind them back slamming into the sturdy side then fell onto the floor. It felt as though the air had been knocked out of him. Distressed, Dragonite freed himself from his pokeball and charged forward, ramming into one of the bears in the belly. The bear stumbled backwards, recovered and fought back. Salamence joined in the fray, running forward then leaping into the air to bite down on the mother bear's neck.

While the dragons fought, Lance crawled over to Lyra's motionless body. Blood seeped through her clothes. Seeing her in this state… covered in blood, her body battered and bruised… It was worse than learning about the passing of his grandfather. At least his grandfather had passed on peacefully. Lyra had been brutally attacked. A sound came up from deep inside him, a cry of pain and despair. It tore from him and rose, echoing throughout the cave. "Lyra!"

He fell to his knees. Hunching over, he covered his head and wept.