Chapter 25
Nether Reaches
Erebus Woods SXX
Intense heat filled the air all around Zekra, slowly stirring her out of unconsciousness. It was seeping into her dark fur and roasting her skin, cooking her alive. She didn't know what was producing such a scorching sensation, but she refused to tolerate the burning for much longer. Zekra abruptly opened her eyes, only to become shocked by what she found.
She was in what appeared to be the inside of a volcano, resting on a trail made of some kind of brown rock. Lava flowed all around her in pools and streams, sometimes flooding down from up above. It hissed loudly as bubbles continuously appeared at the surface before popping, spreading lava toward Zekra. She was very quick to avoid the lava, but she could still feel the lethal amount of heat arise from such small bursts.
There were a large number of rock paths connected throughout the area, many making turns that lead to absolutely nowhere except a gathering of bubbling lava. Yes, this was truly a Mystery Dungeon. It had the same idea as one: to become forever lost in its maze.
Where am I? Zekra wondered. I was brought into Erebus Woods, wasn't I? So why am I here? Or is this still Erebus Woods? But, if that's so, why is it like the inside of a volcano?
Zekra looked at the bag that was somehow still attached to her. Despite there not being a sun in sight, the lava provided a sufficient amount of light to the area. In fact, it provided much better light than their Light Ball ever had. Which, Zekra was thankful for since she was quick to find that they never packed the ball. All that was in the bag were a few berries and some apples. The supplies were inadequate for dungeon crawling, but Zekra knew that these supplies were the only ones they had. Somehow, everyone would have to manage.
Suddenly remembering that she had been dragged down here with other Pokémon, Zekra turned around to find her friends. Unfortunately, they were nowhere in sight.
They have to be somewhere nearby. I mean, they were with me before we got tangled up in those demonic branches…
Zekra grimaced at the memory. She could remember it so well despite how quickly it all happened. She had been watching Yimtri, Terron, and Syn disappear into the dungeon, when all of the sudden, the branches had started to ensnare her. Vantis and Impetus had then become bound by branches not even a second later. They had fought, but nothing could free them from the grasps of the living branches. All that could be done was to hold onto one another in an attempt to stay together. And then, within a few seconds, the three had been brought into the darkness. That's where the memory ended.
Pushing the memory out of her mind, the Zorua headed down a path and went searching for her companions. Surely, she could find them. Surely they were somewhere in what had to be Erebus Woods.
Without warning, something coated her side with fire, eating away at her fur. Zekra quickly began to roll on the ground to put out the flames, but had to stop when she saw another fireball get blasted at her from a distance. Zekra quickly rolled out of the way and looked toward the source of the fires.
There, standing beside a large rock, was a Heatmor. Its flamed tongue swished back and forth, embers drifting off it each time the tongue changed directions. When it saw that Zekra noticed its presence, the Heatmor charged at her, holding up its claws to slice her. Zekra snarled as she leapt out of the way.
The images of a hundred Pokémon flashed into her mind, showing one species a second before hastily showing another one. They spun around in her mind so rapidly, making Zekra feel vertigo. But, she knew what this was; this was the Deception Amulet's doing. It made the memories of Pokémon she had seen more clearly. It happened every time she thought of transforming with the item on her.
When Fen's image came to mind, Zekra quickly took on that form. The amulet merged its power with her own power, and in an instant, she became a Buizel. Zekra found the length of the two tails to be awkward, giving her the feeling that it was going to cause her problems. However, she'd have to work with it, just like the many other forms she had taken. It was all part of being a Zorua.
I'm really hoping I can use Fen's powers…
The Zorua sucked in a large amount of air.
Give me your strength, Fen!
Zekra let out a pillar of water as she exhaled, much to her surprise. But, that wasn't the most surprising part. Though she could feel the water leaving her mouth, nothing else about the water stream felt remotely real. It had no feeling or temperature; it felt very much like air. Not only that, but she couldn't feel anything draining from her body. Fen had told her long ago that whenever water attacks were used, he could feel the water inside him leaving him temporarily. Yet right now, she felt nothing. It was as though the water was simply appearing in her mouth, forming from nothing.
Perhaps illusion water was very different from actual water.
The Heatmor was blasted by the water, shrieking as it seeped into the holes along its body. The foe attempted to send another fireball at Zekra, but she was quick to get out of the way. Water encased her being as she shot at the Heatmor, somehow finding it possible to breathe within the liquid.
She slammed into the Heatmor a second later, sending it toppling to the ground. As Zekra gracefully landed back on her feet, she cycled through her memories once more. The visions swept by like a blur, but she was able to find the memory she sought for the moment with ease.
Her form grew taller as the light overcame her. When it was gone, she was already charging at the downed Heatmor in a Bisharp's form. She extended an arm blade and just as the Heatmor shuffled to its feet, she dealt the fatal blow. The wild one's head flew off and rolled into the lava, melting away into its fiery depths.
As the headless corpse fell, Zekra changed back to normal. She panted for a moment before glancing at her amulet.
"So this is what's it like to use true Zorua powers," Zekra stated in awe. "I can be whoever I want, and I can use their moves so easily. And it doesn't even feel tiring! If I knew every Pokémon in existence, I could probably be unstoppable!"
Zekra grinned at such a thought.
I wonder how powerful I could be if I was Zoroark. Zev was always so powerful… so what could I do if I become like him and have this amulet?
Just then, something bit into Zekra's back. She let out a sharp cry, and as she stifled further cries, she looked behind her. She was met with a Crobat that had its fangs sunk deep into her flesh, sucking away at her blood. Rather than panic, Zekra let out an irritated groan.
"Get off me!" she cried.
The Zorua once again shifted forms, this time, becoming a Mareep. She let out a bolt of static into the Crobat, where it immediately became paralyzed. She bucked off the bat, and though it brought great pain to get the fangs out of her body, Zekra managed to free herself of the wild Pokémon. It thumped onto the ground, where Zekra was quick to become a Zoroark. Or specifically, a copy of her brother: Zeverous.
She stabbed her sharp claws into the Crobat's body in an instant before ripping out a few entrails.
"Yeah… too easy," Zekra said sadistically.
Zekra released the organs upon the dead Crobat before changing back to normal. She glanced around for a brief moment.
Guess I'd better get going before more Pokémon come.
She cast one last look at her slain enemies before venturing down the trail, finally starting her quest to find her friends. As she traveled, she could still feel the pain from the Crobat's attack. She knew it would heal soon, but at the moment, it was giving her such an annoying stinging sensation.
Ugh, stupid bite mark. Really want to use an Oran Berry, but there's only five in the bag. Guess I'll have to tolerate for a while.
Zekra glanced at the puncture wounds to find that they were still fresh and bleeding. She would have wrapped up the injuries, but she wasn't sure what she could do that with. She didn't have any bandages, and there weren't any leaves or plants to aid with blood clotting.
All that could be done was to wait.
As Zekra continued her search, she found herself feeling more and more exhausted with each step she took. Her first thoughts were that she had been poisoned, which seemed to be logically since the Crobat was a poisonous creature. So, to fix this problem, she dug through her bag until she found a Pecha berry and bit off a huge chunk of it.
Unfortunately, she found that eating the berry wasn't helping. She hadn't been poisoned. Something else was sapping away all of her energy a little at a time.
Just as she pondered in what else could be affecting her, Zekra heard something scuffling along the ground. She turned toward the source of the sound, preparing for yet another battle. It seemed this place was filled with many creatures who relished the thought of killing her, even more so than other Mystery Dungeons.
"Come on out!" Zekra shouted. "I can take you on! Nothing can stop me!"
She crouched low to the ground as she prepared to become yet another Pokémon. She tensely waited, expecting something to jump out of the shadows at any moment.
Just then, a Riolu dashed out from behind a rock and pounced at the Zorua. Zekra quickly leapt back, cycling through the many Pokémon in her mind, yet finding it difficult to think of a suitable form. The Riolu rushed at her during her distraction and hastily pressed its palm into her forehead. Zekra's eyes grew as she felt energy forming from behind the paw.
Not even a second later, she was blown backwards, flying over the lava. Frantically, Zekra changed into a Flygon and stopped herself from plummeting into its fiery depths. She was about to take a breath of relief, but she stopped herself short when she saw the lava below her beginning to bubble rapidly. She quickly flew out of the way as a geyser of lava shot into the air, engulfing where she once was.
Zekra made her way back to the land before changing out of her form and into a new one. She knew it wasn't the best form to use for this situation, but it was the first one that came to mind with a plan. The newly-transformed Zoroark fell toward solid ground, landing a few feet away from the Riolu. She towered over it, snarling as she spread her claws out. The Riolu was about to attack her, but it suddenly froze in place once it looked upon her. Given this chance, Zekra cut deeply into the Riolu's chest with her claws and sent it flying back.
As it crashed into a stone, Zekra charged at it to deliver another blow.
"Zekra…?" the Riolu asked slowly.
She froze. How was that Riolu talking? Wild Pokémon didn't talk. And why did the voice sound so familiar…?
"You're… Zekra," the Riolu said once more.
Suddenly, there was no longer a Riolu collapsed against a rock. There was now a Mienfoo littered with singed fur and three long streaks across her body before Zekra. She gasped as she abruptly changed back into a Zorua and cautiously approached the Mienfoo.
"Impetus?" Zekra asked in disbelief. "When did you… I mean, there was a Riolu…"
"Yes, I understand your confusion," Impetus said as she slowly got to her feet. "I saw you as something else as well. I thought you were my enemy."
"But that doesn't make any sense!" Zekra stated. "I mean… I don't think we got confused or anything. I know what it feels like, and this is definitely not it. So why… why did we see things so differently?"
"I don't have that answer," Impetus said. "But, we should be cautious from now on. In case this happens to us once more."
"Yeah," Zekra said with a frown as she glanced at the Mienfoo's injuries. "Will you be okay? I have an Oran Berry if you really need one."
"I don't need one," Impetus replied dismissively. "I will heal. I suffered worse injuries when I first woke up here. I was attacked by many creatures at once. They burned me and cut me. They tore me apart with their claws and fire. Killing all of them was not an easy task. Yet, I have healed most of the way because I heal so quickly. I don't feel the pain anymore."
"Well I guess that's good to hear," Zekra said unsurely. "But, why didn't you just run away from that battle with all the Pokémon? I mean, if a battle's too tough, you don't have to do it. You can retreat, you know."
"Retreating is only to be used when absolutely necessary," Impetus said. "I only want to retreat when I'm facing an enemy I know I can't defeat. Such as here. I wish to retreat from here…"
Impetus grimaced as she glanced around at the surroundings. It seemed that no matter what, Impetus could never outgrow her uneasiness to dungeons. Though she would enter dungeons, she would always seem to be so unnerved by an unseen force. And despite asking, she was never able to explain what it was. She would say it was a feeling she felt from within all Mystery Dungeons, but nothing in particular seemed to be the source of such dread.
Zekra sighed at seeing Impetus's torment.
"We'll get out of here," Zekra assured. "Don't worry. We just need to find Terron and the others first. Yimtri should have an Escape Orb, so he can get us out of here with that. As long as we don't accidentally kill them… and hopefully we haven't already."
"I think you would know if you had killed them," Impetus said. "I believe they are still alive. But yes, let's get out of here. That thought is comforting."
Impetus managed to regain some composure, but Zekra could still see the anxiety in her eyes. And yet, despite wishing to further ease her worry, she knew that there was nothing else that could be done.
"Do you think Terron and Syn are close by?" Impetus asked as the two began their trek.
"I really don't know," Zekra said quietly. "I haven't seen them. I don't even know if they're in the same area as us. If we all got dragged into the same dungeon… then why is everyone separated? Why did the dungeon suddenly come to life and take us here anyway? It doesn't make any sense."
"Having those answers would be nice, but I'm afraid that only Yimtri knows those answers," Impetus replied. "You'll have to find him if you want to know the truth."
"I guess," Zekra frowned. "He might tell me if I ask. Unless he decides to keep that information hidden, like the truth about this dungeon. Can't believe he didn't tell us this dungeon can kill you for real. I still don't know if I believe it, but it would have been nice to know anyway!"
The Zorua cast her eyes downward as her newly-awakened unpleasantness brought in other thoughts to her mind.
"I wish Terron had spoken up about this place sooner," Zekra said lowly. "He knew something about here, but he didn't tell anyone. And now because of him, we're all like this. I don't know why he knew and not anyone else, but he should have told us. Stupid Terron and you not telling any of us anything…"
Zekra scoffed irritably at the thought. She had known for weeks that Terron was become withdrawn from the team. It had been very easy to catch on to his change of behavior when he no longer wished to talk and slept on the far side of the bedroom, away from everyone else. Zekra had tried to get him to open up, but he refused to do so. Whatever strange things that were going through his head were locked away from the team.
While watching her friend change for the worse disheartened Zekra, never once did it make her feel agitated. It was frustrating at times, but the frustration usually lead to depression rather than anything else. Yet right now, she could feel rage building up in her heart, slowly drowning out the sorrow. Terron's unwillingness to discuss an important detail had been the final straw for her. She had been patiently waiting for him to start opening again, treating him nicely while wearing a plastered smile on her face to hide her true feelings. Yet, despite her efforts, he never did return to his normal self. Now, his lack of communication had finally taken a heavy toll on the team.
It was because of him that they were trapped in Erebus Woods. It was because of him that everyone might never escape the dungeon.
"It's all your fault, Terron," Zekra muttered distastefully. "It's what happens when you don't talk. Why won't you talk?"
Impetus's eyes became wide before she abruptly stopped moving. Her eyes darted around edgily. Realizing what was happening, Zekra prepared a hostile stance as the illusion light rippled through her eyes.
"I sense them, but I can't see them," Impetus said. "I can feel their presence growing near."
"How many do you think there are?" Zekra asked.
"I can't tell," Impetus replied. "Perhaps two… perhaps ten."
Just then, the ground beneath the two started to quake. Not even a second later, four Sandslash tunneled out of the ground and surrounded the two. Zekra grit her teeth as she took a step back and thought of a form she could use.
As she tried to think of a suitable Pokémon from her memory, Zekra caught a glimpse of something coming toward her out of the corner of her eye. She turned to face the threat, only to find an airborne bone a few inches away from her face.
*THUNK!*
The bone hit her right between the eyes, giving her a massive headache. In her fuzzy vision, Zekra watched the bone sail back to its original owner: a Marowak standing on top of a rock a few feet behind a Sandshrew. It snickered at seeing Zekra's weary state.
All at once, the Sandslash sped toward the duo, their claws ready to slice them apart. Impetus instantly leapt over one of the Sandslash with a quick somersault before going after the Marowak. She seemed to find priority in taking out the one who could use long-ranged attacks.
Though she felt light-headed, Zekra hastily sought a form to help her with the oncoming Sandslash. She had to find a way to stop them now that they were all aiming for her.
They're just like Terron. They're ground-types. Soooo… I could use Fen's form to help me. But, I don't think that'll be useful against so many enemies.
She couldn't think much longer. The four Sandslash were going to rip her to shreds in a second. Zekra quickly jumped out of an oncoming claw as she shifted into the form of a Zoroark. She was growing to like this form despite not offering much to her abilities.
Zekra let out a snarl as she slashed an off-guard Sandslash across the face. Bloody streaks went across its left eye, making the wild one screech loudly as it curled into a ball. It rolled toward Zekra, quickly followed by the others performing the same action.
The false Zoroark darted out of the way, and though she managed to avoid most of the Sandslash, one had still managed to hit her. She felt its sharp spikes dig deep into her chest, shredding apart her skin and fur. She screamed as her form abruptly changed back to normal, allowing the Sandslash to completely run her over.
As Zekra lay there, gasping for breath and unable to move, the many Sandslash came toward her. Their claws were ready to pierce her heart and put an end to her. Zekra's mind filled with many Pokémon, yet she found there was no point in transforming if she couldn't get up.
Just as the hoard of Sandslash neared her, a barrage of stars rained down upon the area surrounding the Zorua. The Sandslash looked up to find Impetus landing in front of Zekra. She swiftly clapped her hands together, and immediately, a powerful shockwave seemingly made of air shot out of her palms. The attack pushed the Sandslash back, making them all flinch as they tumbled along the ground.
"What… what happened to the Marowak?" Zekra asked, trying to catch her breath.
"Still here," Impetus stated. "I hurt it, then left it alone when I saw you. It will come, but now's not the time to worry. These creatures are the ones we must defeat first. I should have realized that earlier."
"Yeah, that might have been helpful to realize earlier," Zekra stated blankly.
Impetus frowned at the remark, but she didn't give a retort. She picked up the Zorua with one paw just as the Sandslash started to recover. All of them burrowed into the ground, preparing for their next assault. Impetus tensely listened for the sounds of the oncoming enemies.
One Sandslash popped out of the ground near her side. Out of reaction, the Mienfoo shoved her free paw into the oncoming foe. Unfortunately, she found that the Sandslash was curled up and that she had smashed her paw into the spikes lining its back. Blood leaked out of her hand, but she held back a scream as she unleashed the energy she had been building up in her palm.
The foe flew across the ground as the energy struck it, sending it into the molten lava. Impetus hissed at the pain in her hand, but she didn't focus on it, for there were more enemies around her. She could hear them moving beneath her feet.
Suddenly, something smacked into the back of her head. Impetus cringed as she dropped Zekra and tried to block out the pain. She glanced back to find the Marowak once more, standing in its safe distance. The Mienfoo narrowed her eyes at it, but was quick to bring her focus back to the true enemies as she felt the ground beneath her cave in.
She leapt out of the way, but was quick to find that she had forgotten to grab Zekra. Impetus turned back to find a Sandslash striking Zekra's face with its claws, tossing her along the ground before she crashed into a nearby boulder. Two streaks were now under her left eye.
Impetus hurried toward the Zorua, but was immediately blocked off by all the Sandslash. They let out a shriek before jumping at the Mienfoo, some rolling into balls while the others clawed at her. Impetus was forced to carefully outmaneuver every attack sent her way as she looked for a chance to counterattack.
As Zekra lay there, feeling her precious blood leave her body, her mind rapidly flooded with Pokémon she could become. There were so many to choose from, but it was useless to become any of them when she couldn't move.
At that moment, she noticed the Marowak from earlier. It was rushing toward her now that Zekra was alone and weakened, its weapon twirling around rapidly in its hand. The Zorua's eyes widened as she saw a familiar Cubone take the place of the Marowak.
It's not Terron. It's just that weird mind trick happening to me again.
The Cubone came closer, allowing Zekra to see more of it. The logic her brain was trying to use immediately shut off once she realized how much the Cubone looked like Terron.
It… it is Terron.
"Terron…" Zekra mumbled. "Why are you hurting me? Why won't you talk to me?"
The Zorua struggled to her feet, managing to find some strength to stand. Yet, just as she managed to get up, she was met with the horror of the Cubone ramming its weapon into her being.
*THUD!*
Zekra skid along the rock, feeling her skin getting peeled off from the friction. Yet, she made no attempt to resist and waited for her momentum to slow down. Her closing wounds from previous injuries were opened once again, smearing blood all around her.
Why won't you talk to me Terron?! What's stopping you?! What did I do wrong?!
Zekra finally came to a stop after so long, barely managing to avoid the lava. She was right at the edge of the fiery pit. The lava hissed loudly as she attempted to crawl away from it, as if enraged that it couldn't have the Zorua in its grasp.
But before Zekra could get very far, the Cubone stood over her. Zekra growled fiercely at the sight, but the enemy wasn't frightened by her action. It knew that she was too exhausted to actually fight.
"Talk to me, Terron!" Zekra demanded. "Stop being such a mute! Everyone's stuck here because you won't talk, you know! It's all your fault!"
The Cubone said nothing. Instead, it reached down and picked up the feeble Zorua. Zekra weakly thrashed around in its grasp and bit down on its arm, but the Cubone didn't let go. It ripped Zekra's muzzle off its flesh and clamped her mouth shut before making its way toward the lava.
Talk to me Terron!
Zekra's thoughts went rampant as her frustrations overwhelmed her, bringing forth a memory filled with pain and blood. A memory she, Terron, and Impetus shared.
Talk to me! Stop being this way!
Zekra's eyes became bright with her illusion power as a specific Pokémon manifested in her thoughts. She could remember how much pain it brought when it attacked Terron.
STOP DOING THIS TO ME!
Zekra's form instantly shifted into that of a deadly enemy. The Cubone cringed at the sudden sight of the Weavile, releasing its grip on her. Zekra thudded to the ground, at the very edge of the lava, panting as she glared sharply at the enemy.
"You don't know how much pain you've put me through!" Zekra cried furiously. "You don't know how it feels, do you?!"
The Cubone didn't say anything, choosing instead to charge at her with its bone. Zekra clenched her white, clawed hands.
"Stop ignoring me!" Zekra screamed. "Stop it! I'm sick of it! I'm sick of YOU!"
Zekra took in a deep breath before sending out a large gust of snow from her lungs. The Cubone shrieked in terror as the ice pelted its body, flailing around as it tried to escape the cold. Yet, Zekra didn't stop. She grabbed the Cubone by the wrist and continued unleashing a mighty blizzard upon it.
When the enemy became a frozen block of ice, Zekra finally realized that she wasn't fighting a Cubone. It had been the Marowak all along. Zekra grit her teeth as she let out frustrated growls and pushed the foe into the lava. She watched with a glare as the wild Pokémon sunk into the fiery depths, the lava hissing as it consumed its meal. She felt disgusted that she had let the hallucination last for so long. She should have known better. She had seen the foe in its true form before it changed, but she had been so obsessed with Terron, that she let her emotions override her logical thinking. She had lost her focus on reality.
Zekra took in a few raspy breaths as she looked toward the Sandslash attacking Impetus, where she saw that only two of the Sandslash were left.
Zekra, still fueled by her rage, made her way to the group before unleashing a blast of sleet upon the three. Impetus was pelted by the first bits of the snow, but she was quick to retreat out of the storm before it got worse. The group of Sandslash, on the other hand, weren't able to escape and were quick to become frozen solid. Just as she had done with the previous enemy, she shoved them into the molten rock, completely eliminating any trace of them.
Zekra let out a sigh, feeling her weariness coming back. Her rage had only temporarily given her the energy to fight. Now, that adrenaline was disappearing rapidly.
As the fake Weavile was about to rest, Impetus suddenly sent a kick into her stomach. Zekra's breath was knocked out of her lungs as she flew back, crashing into a nearby rock. Her form shifted back to normal as Zekra coughed violently.
Impetus landed in front in her and prepared to launch another attack. However, once she realized that the Weavile had actually been Zekra, she ceased her attack. The Mienfoo grimaced.
"You're… not that Weavile," Impetus said. "I thought you were. You looked so much like him. You even moved just like him. I'm seeing things again."
Zekra spat out a glob of blood before wiping her muzzle with a paw. She glanced at the Mienfoo, snarling as she sluggishly stood up.
"No, you're not this time!" Zekra shouted irritably. "I can change into other Pokémon, remember?! Of course I looked like the Weavile! I could probably even sound just like that Weavile if I wanted to! Don't ever do that again! Ask to make sure it's me!"
Impetus gave Zekra a dark stare, but didn't say anything.
The Zorua coughed up more blood as she reached into her bag and pulled out an Oran Berry. She crammed the whole thing into her mouth, trying to get every last bit of energy from it. She glanced at her chest to find that it was still severely torn up. Yet, none of her bones had been broken, and her heart and lungs remained intact.
That wasn't Terron… that Cubone I thought I saw wasn't Terron. It was just the Marowak. Where are you really, Terron?
All of a sudden, a loud, pained cry pierced the silence. Impetus and Zekra brought their gazes toward the source of the sound, expecting to find some sort of wild Pokémon close by. Instead, they found nothing. They were still alone.
And then, before either could react, they heard a loud crash and saw debris fly into the air not too far from where they were. Curious to know what it was, Impetus and Zekra made their way to the sight, though Impetus had to carry Zekra due to her still-recovering injuries.
When the duo arrived at the scene, they found a downed Noivern that was covered in pebbles. It twitched as it attempted to rise, but every time it tried to do so, it would collapse back onto the ground. It seemed so weak for such a powerful and intimidating Pokémon, as if it had been reduced to a mere Zubat.
A large beam of draconic energy suddenly fell upon the Noivern from above, completely engulfing the wild Pokémon. It let out a loud screech as the ground that encompassed the attack crumbled, sending up gravel in all directions. Impetus put up her arm to protect herself from the falling debris, which thankfully caused little harm.
When the light disappeared, Impetus and Zekra found the Noivern lying on the ground, knocked unconscious. Its body steamed from the residue of such a destructive attack.
"Well, that only took forever!" a familiar voice stated in exasperation. "Stupid dragon bat thing."
The two looked up and found Vantis floating high above them, his own body covered in thick scratches. He was quick to notice the children's presence and descended toward them. Once he gently settled on the ground, he smiled at them pleasantly.
"Oh, there you are!" Vantis said. "I was wondering what happened to you two."
The Flygon's smile faded as he noticed their injuries.
"I guess you two got into some tough fights like me," Vantis stated. "Well, at least you two don't look too bad…"
"Yeah, we'll probably be better in a bit," Zekra said. "Anyway, have you seen Terron and the others?"
"I'm afraid not," Vantis replied as he hung his head. "I've been looking around for a while, and the only thing I really found that was important was this."
The Flygon brought his clawed hand toward the two and opened up it up to show a small, violet crystal-like stone resting in his palm. It seemed to be giving off a strange aura, though it didn't seem malicious in any way. Instead, it felt more like raw power pulsing from within the strange gem.
"What is that?" Zekra asked as she reached out to touch the strange object.
When her paw settled on its surface, she could feel the energy of the stone seeping into her body. Yet, nothing about her changed. She didn't feel any sort of newfound strength overcome her.
"It's a Duskstone," Vantis answered. "You know, one of the evolution stones. I found it while I was looking for you guys where that Noivern was sleeping. Tried to get it without waking the bat up, but that obviously didn't go too well."
"That's right… we came here to collect these things," Zekra said. "I almost forgot about that."
"Heh yeah," Vantis chuckled. "That's why we came here in the first place! Can't believe you almost forgot! Oh well; at least you remembered now. Still, don't forget your mission next time!"
"Yeah, I'll remember," Zekra said as she put the stone in her bag. "Thanks for the reminder. But right now, I need to go find Terron. I need to talk to him."
Zekra leapt out of Impetus's grasp and took a step forward. As soon as she did, a jolt of pain shot through her chest. She collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily as Vantis and Impetus encircled her with worried glances.
"You need to rest a bit longer," Impetus said. "Your injuries haven't healed. We must hide and wait for you to recover so nothing will attack us. Traveling with you like this isn't a good idea."
"I don't want to hide," Zekra stated. "I need to get this done now."
"That's not a good idea," Impetus frowned. "You know that."
Zekra let out a low snarl before getting to her feet. She took another step forward, still feeling the pain, but pressed forward anyway. She needed to fulfill this task she now wished to accomplish. It was the only thing on her mind now. She needed to do it now.
The Zorua sluggishly made her way down the path, glancing around in every direction to find the Cubone. He was nowhere in sight.
"Uh, you really need to take an easy," Vantis said as he flew in front of the Zorua, impeding her progress. "You're gonna pass out if you keep this up."
"I don't care," Zekra said. "I have to keep going. You guys aren't going to stop me. No one can."
She went around the Flygon, continuing her quest. Vantis once again prevented her from moving forward, this time by blocking her path with his tail.
"Seriously, you can't overexert yourself," Vantis stated firmly, sounding like an entirely different Pokémon now that his cheerfulness was gone. "As your leader, I'm supposed to keep you guys safe. Even if I'm keeping you safe from yourself. You can't go walking around like that. You're going to die that way. I would fly you around, but there's a good chance we'll get attacked by some flying enemy. It's not a good idea to deal with that while carrying recovering passengers."
Zekra said nothing, yet she didn't go anywhere. She remained still, glaring up at the Flygon.
"Look, I get that you want to find your friend and all," Vantis went on. "I know he's important. But, you need to realize that he's got not only your other friend with him, but Yimtri as well. I'd say he's doing pretty well in this dungeon. I'd even say he's better off than us. He'll be fine. So if you want to find him, you've gotta rest. You're going to get killed if you search for him this way. Plus, I don't think he'd want to see you like this."
Zekra gazed silently at Vantis, her eyes reflecting nothing as several thoughts ran through her mind.
"… you don't understand the urgency behind the situation," Zekra stated, her voice empty. "I have to talk to him about something important."
"And what's so important that you need to see him right now?" Vantis asked.
Zekra cast her glance to the side and scowled. She refused to make eye contact with the Flygon.
"You're a part of the Fellowship," Vantis said, power entering his voice as he connected with a different side of Zekra. "You have duties to fulfill to us. You swore to always put your best efforts into serving us since the day you joined. Purposely killing yourself is the equivalent of abandoning us. You're throwing away your commitment to us if you do this. Remember the promise you made to us. Remember how much you prioritized us."
The Zorua frowned even more as she thought about this. Yes, she could remember swearing her dedication to the Fellowship. She was determined to assist them in any way possible to avenge her friends and family. Now Vantis, leader of one of those Fellowships, wanted her to get some rest so that she could continue to work with the Fellowship after this mission was over. Her potential suicide didn't help them at all. It only hindered their process of eliminating the Plagued Ones.
Terron… would have to wait. Her commitment to the Fellowship came first.
"Fine," Zekra said quietly. "I'll rest. But only for a little bit. The Oran Berry should have healed me by then."
"Good," Vantis said with a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you understand. I was almost worried that I'd have to force you to rest. I don't like doing that even though I have the authority to…"
Zekra nodded silently.
"Where do you recommend we hide?" Impetus asked, speaking up after so long.
"Hmm, let's see," Vantis said as he glanced around. "Well, we can make a hole in a wall that we can sit in. We should be sheltered from most of the enemies, and hopefully, none of the Pokémon will notice us."
"I'll let you know if I sense them," Impetus then said. "Show us to this hiding spot."
The Flygon hovered off the ground as Impetus gently took Zekra into her arms. He led the two toward a nearby wall before landing in front of it. With his claws, he dug into the solid rock, somehow piercing through the stone with ease. Impetus and Zekra watched in silence as he made a tunnel for the three of them in a matter of minutes. When it was ready, the children entered inside the tunnel and went back as far as they could. There, they rested with Vantis and kept their eyes on the only entrance to the small, artificial cave.
"You and Terron… you guys must be very close to be so desperate to find him," Vantis noted, trying to pass the time. "How long have you two been friends?"
"A few weeks," Zekra answered.
"Huh, so not even that long," Vantis said thoughtfully. "If I may ask, how did you guys meet? I always like hearing these kind of stories."
Zekra paused as a wave of traumatizing memories swept through her mind. Yet, she kept the pain hidden as she began her story, though being careful about what she mentioned to Vantis.
"I met Terron after the massacre of Blackoak Town," Zekra said quietly. "I had just escaped from those Plagued Ones and safely got to the Gray Lands. And, as I was walking through there, I found Terron there, passed out and everything. So, I woke him up and found out he had amnesia. And, since he had nowhere to go, he and I decided to help each other out and we came to the Fellowship. And… that's basically it. I found him by pure luck. And since then, we've been helping each other since neither of us have nowhere to go."
Vantis remained quiet for a long time, his eyes becoming distant in the dim lighting. Zekra thought that perhaps he had grown confused due to the lack of some important details, such as why she was still alive. Yet, she didn't bother to explain further. She felt she had explained enough. There were some secrets she needed to keep.
"So… you met Terron in the Gray Lands," Vantis said slowly. "And he has amnesia?"
"Yeah, he can't really remember anything," Zekra replied. "It's pretty bad. But, he doesn't seem to be bothered by it too much anymore."
"So, Terron isn't his real name then, right?" Vantis asked. "I mean, if he has amnesia, he wouldn't remember his own name, would he?"
"No, it's not his real name," Zekra clarified. "Just something I gave him so that he can be called by something."
"I see," Vantis said thoughtfully, nodding to himself. "Well, that's too bad. Maybe he'll get his memory back, though. Maybe he just needs time to recover. Maybe he's just like Len who needs time…"
"Len has amnesia?" Zekra asked curiously, surprised to hear this.
"Yeah, he does I'm afraid," Vantis said glumly. "Had it for as long as I've known him, probably longer. Says he can't remember his childhood. He doesn't really act like it's a big deal most of the time, but I know it bothers him. Anyone with a chunk of their life missing must feel so bothered every once in a while."
"Has there been anyone who's ever gotten over amnesia before?" Zekra then asked.
"Well, not that I know of," Vantis answered. "I don't even know that many Pokémon who have amnesia. It's just Len and Terron."
"I see," Zekra said, lowering her eyes.
So Terron might have amnesia forever. He might not ever know what his life used to be like. He won't remember his friends… or his family. He might not even know what happened to them. They must be so worried about him. And Terron… he doesn't even know who they are. And chances are, he never will know.
Terron… does this ever bother you? Does it ever go through your mind?
"Alright, I think you're okay now," Vantis then said to the Zorua. "We can get going again if you feel you can walk."
"Yeah, I'm ready," Zekra said affirmatively. "Let's get going."
The three wandered out of the hole and carefully landed onto the ground. Zekra glanced over her injuries to find that they had mostly healed, yet she still felt sore and light-headed from losing so much blood. But, she'd have to ignore that for now. Now that she had taken care of herself for the Fellowship's sake, she needed to take care of her other important task.
"Can you fly us around?" Impetus then asked Vantis. "I think we'll be able to cover more distance and be able to spot Terron, Syn, and Yimtri from the air."
"But we might not be able to spot any evolution stones from so high up," Zekra stated, remembering their original mission.
"I think that those three will find the evolution stones for us," Impetus said as she turned to Zekra. "Besides, we already have one. We've already fulfilled our mission."
"Plus, I can probably spot them from up in the air," Vantis assured. "I mean, that's how I spotted the Duskstone. So yeah, don't worry about it."
"Yeah… well okay…" Zekra said reluctantly. "I was just a little worried since I don't want to forget about our mission and all… but if you say so."
Vantis lowered himself and allowed the two to get onto his back. Once everyone managed to securely grab onto him, the Flygon rose into the air and flew around the dungeon, where they searched for the three missing Fellowship members.
Terron… I need to find you. I need to know why you won't talk to me. Even if I have to force the answer out of you… I have to know. I can't take this any longer. So stay alive. Survive until I find you.