The End: Rekindled

by DeliriousAbsol

In a world ruled by a wicked hydreigon, the pokemon have been split into three groups - Outcasts, Heretics and Darkness. But when two Warriors of the Outcasts Guild stumble across an odd discovery, it sparks a little hope among the Outcasts. Hope that the Darkness will one day be defeated, and pokemon can live in peace once more. (A rewrite of my old fanfic, The End)

89. Poison - Part Five

A/N - I'm sorry this is a week late. Easter Weekend was busy, and I needed a rest this past week. This is the final chapter to Poison. The main story will continue as normal after this =D I hope you've been enjoying learning more about Harlequin!

Thanks for all reads, reviews, faves and follows!

Poison

Part 5

Harlequin was jerked awake as a paw thundered against her door. Jex's voice bellowed at her to 'get up' before moving on to the next door. Harlequin blinked away the fog of sleep and pushed herself up. Her shoulder hurt, and it took her a moment to realise she'd fallen asleep on the floor. Her face was crusted with tears and dust, and her paws were slick from bad dreams. She stood up on trembling legs, her ears twitching at Jex's angry bellows over the drone of confused and groggy voices.

Daylight was still leaking through the window, stinging Harlequin's tired eyes. Her mind swirled with confusion and she fumbled at her door until she got it open. Pokemon trudged past her and she yanked herself back into her room, suddenly conscious her illusion wasn't up. Jex bellowed again, thumping at a door further down the corridor. With her illusion in place, Harlequin melted into the crowd.

They flowed straight into the training hall, where the questions grew even thicker. A few assassins were already there, sporting nasty wounds from missing eyes to severe burns. Harlequin mouthed a 'whoa' and began searching the the crowd until she spotted Enigma and Kera a few feet away. Perhaps they'd know what was going on?

Harlequin managed to catch Enigma's eye as she drew closer to the pair. "What's going on?" she asked.

He shrugged, mirrored by Kera. Anxiety was plain on the weavile's face and her ear twitched as she looked over the rabble of sleep-deprived pokemon. Her gaze kept wandering to the wounded assassins.

Jex herded a complaining purrloin and nervous zigzagoon into the room then stomped into the centre of the crowd. "Silence!"

The trainees complied, their voices fading into a murmur before resigning themselves to impatiently listen to whatever the scrafty had to say.

"As ya might be aware," Jex growled, "the patrol Niana took out has returned."

All eyes went to the wounded pokemon again and the questions began to fly once more.

"I said silence!" Jex brought the pokemon back under control, his eyes blazing with anger. "The numbers have dropped yet again! We lost that battle. And why? Because y'all can't pull ya soddin' weight!"

Voices rose into a clamour and Jex's mohawk stiffened. "Will ya be quiet!" He narrowed his eyes, waiting for the trainees to fall silent once more. "We lost a lot of good assassins in that fight. But we also lost Niana."

"No!" Harlequin gasped.

Kera covered her mouth with both paws and almost sank to her tail. "Not Niana!"

Gasps and squeals echoed around the room, most notably from the younger trainees. Fur fluffed out, eyes glistened with tears, tails tucked between legs.

"Exactly!" Jex roared over the commotion. "And why? Because y'all are a buncha weaklings! Now we have to train extra hard, ya hear me?! Startin' today y'all are gonna get in extra trainin' sessions while I try to find replacements for those we lost! Lord Hydreigon is brayin' for the blood o' those scuzzy outlaws, and mark my words we're gonna get it for him! Now get trainin'! I don't want any of ya to stop until sunrise!" His eyes flashed as pokemon raised their voices in protest. "If I hear one complaint I'll have ya runnin' laps 'round the barracks until ya drop!"

That threat closed mouths. The trainees retreated into themselves with a nod, then sought out their partners.

Harlequin swallowed back a sob and lowered her head, looking over at the wounded assassins. Niana… She felt her heart would break. Niana had been the first pokemon to show her genuine kindness. Tears pricked her eyes but she took in a long breath to stifle them.

Harlequin looked up at Enigma and opened her mouth but before she could speak Kera broke away from them to intersect Jex at the door. The banette rushed off to join his mate, leaving Harlequin sitting in the dust. She clenched her jaw as she watched him go, but curiosity got the better of her. Kera was worked up, tears glistening in her eyes. Harlequin strained her ears to pick out what they were saying, but over the roar of attacks and commands it was almost impossible.

Whatever Kera wanted, Jex was not relenting. Harlequin rose to her feet to join her friends, more to satisfy her curiosity than anything else.

"Train!" she heard Jex bark, his canines flashing in the sunlight. "Ya need it." He turned to march off, oblivious to the glare burning into him from the weavile.

"She were like a mother to us hatchlings." Kera huddled into herself and looked away from Enigma. "Yeah I know I ain't a hatchling no more. Shut up."

A look of wounded surprise flashed across Enigma's face.

Harlequin joined his side, head low. "So… I guess we should train, huh?" She caught a glare off Kera but didn't return it. "For Niana?"

Kera relaxed her shoulders but her fur was still bristling. She opened her mouth to speak but her words were cut off as Tannen tugged her aside with one arm.

"C'mon." The dragon smirked at Enigma as he led Kera away. "We better get trainin' before Jex skins us all alive."

Enigma glared after Tannen, his yellow tail swishing dramatically.

Harlequin cleared her throat. "Enigma?"

The banette looked down at her and his expression softened as he sighed. He jerked his head for Harlequin to follow him and the pair got to training.

The both of them were exhausted and clumsy on their feet. Harlequin missed her mark several times, and Enigma managed to shadow sneak into the wrong battle. He apologise profusely but the disturbed hakamo-o refused to accept it. Enigma and Harlequin ended up moving their training to a different spot.

Jex was relentless with his orders. He marched around the room rallying those who were flagging and booting the tails of any who stumbled or tried to rest. Several trainees collapsed from exhaustion, the first being the youngest zigzagoon. All were sent to their nests with the order to run laps the following night to build up stamina.

By the time the sun rose, Harlequin was heavily panting. Her chest burned and her jaws ached from clutching her baton for hours. While stretching her jaw to ease it, she followed Enigma and the rest of the trainees to the lake for a good long drink.

Enigma sat beside Kera as she washed the dust off her fur. Enigma trailed his claws through his tangled mane in a fruitless attempt to remove the knots. Harlequin watched him for a moment, but the banette seemed oblivious to her. The rings under his eyes were darker than usual. If she were to guess, he'd be about to drop to sleep on the spot at any given moment.

"We should get some rest," she said. "You know, if tomorrow night is gonna be anything like that."

"Yeah, you're right." Enigma released his mane and stretched his arms over his head. "You go ahead. I'll catch up."

"Go with Harlequin," said Kera. "I need to be alone for a while."

Harlequin blinked at the weavile. She stared out across the lake at the sunset. Were those tear trails in her fur?

"Are you kidding?" Enigma almost whispered. "I'm not leaving you alone like this."

"Fine," Kera sobbed.

Harlequin's paws itched to get away, but she wasn't sure whether or not she should leave them. Would it be rude? She did need rest, as did everyone. Especially if they were going to avenge Niana. With a small sigh, she turned her back and plodded back to her nest.

Her route took her past Niana's classroom. She stopped to stare at the door. There, as it always was. Part of her wanted to open it to see Niana busily working away, teaching a hatchling how to write or building their agility. A lump formed in her throat. No. She wasn't going in there. It would hurt too much to see it empty. Forgotten. Cold and abandoned.

Harlequin dragged herself away from it, carrying herself back to her room on sore, tired feet to await another night's harsh training.

The zorua flopped onto her nest and tried to summon sleep. But all that filled her mind was a dark void and stomping feet. What had happened during that mission? What had caused a talented assassin like Niana her life? Who was it?

Anger boiled in Harlequin's chest and she rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. Sleep just wouldn't come. Not while her mind was crawling over scenarios. Perhaps reading would help?

She was deep into her poison notes when a door opening brought her to a halt. She jerked her head towards it, her ears pricked. Which door was it? The soft tinkle of a bell followed and Harlequin turned her head towards it. Enigma? What was he doing up? Perhaps he couldn't sleep either?

She dropped from her nest and opened the door, peering out into the hallway. She couldn't see anyone, but her nose twitched at the Enigma's scent.

"Enigma?"

The banette appeared out of thin air, his crimson eyes locked onto hers. Harlequin felt a lurch in her chest and she masked it with a yawn.

"I thought I heard your bell," she said groggily. "Can't you sleep?"

"When can I ever?" he joked, looking back towards the exit.

"Is something wrong?" Harlequin asked.

"I thought I heard Kera get up. I just want to make sure she's okay." He waved Harlequin off. "Go back to sleep."

"I can't," she said. "I think your insomnia is catching."

Enigma didn't pay her any heed. He warped away down the corridor, leaving Harlequin standing in her doorway.

She let out a long breath through her nose and moved one hind paw to retreat back into her room. But she faltered. Something wasn't right. Why would Kera get up during the day and go outside? A strange sense of dread spread through Harlequin's chest and she found herself plodding after Enigma, keeping her nose trained on his scent.

She spotted Enigma a good sprint away from the barracks, engaged in some argument with Kera. The weavile seemed frantic, waving her paw towards the Border Woods. Harlequin broke into a gallop, hoping she wouldn't lose them.

"-to know that braviary killed her?" Kera growled. "I have to go and fight it! I have to win!"

Enigma's shoulders slumped. "Okay."

Harlequin drew closer to them, slowing to a brisk walk.

"But you won't be going alone," Enigma told the weavile. "I'm coming too."

"Really?" Kera's eyes widened, fixed on Engima's. "Ya gonna help me?"

"So am I."

Harlequin stopped beside Enigma, drawing their combined stare.

She looked at each of them. "Three is better than two, right? We'd stand a much better chance."

Kera laughed and rubbed at her eyes. "All right. But ya both better pull ya weight, cos I ain't carryin' ya."

A smirk spread across Enigma's face and a playful glint shone in his eyes. Harlequin felt her own mood lift seeing him perk up and she had to tense her tail just to stop it wagging.

Enigma folded his paws behind his head and nodded towards the borders. "One problem. How do we get out without drawing attention from the murkrow?"

"Easy," Kera scoffed. "We just tell 'em we've been sent out to kill the mercenary?"

"And they'll believe us?"

"They should. He's a huge problem."

"I could talk to them," said Harlequin. "Deceiving others is a zorua's M.O." She grinned at their surprise.

Enigma exchanged glances with Kera and the pair nodded.

"All right." Kera folded her arms. "What's ya plan?"

"I disguise myself as Jex," Harlequin told them quietly. "I'll say I'm taking you two out to assassinate the mercenary. They've gotta believe that, right?"

Enigma grunted and glanced at the wall. "Murkrow are a bunch of bird brains. I'd be surprised if it doesn't work." He shrugged and turned to lead them towards the exit. "I say we give it a shot."

Most of the murkrow were away from the Shadow Lands. Those remaining were too engaged with tending their wounds and smoothing out their beaten feathers to notice the three trainees picking their way across the Shadow Lands.

A large bramble grew near the wall and Harlequin nodded towards it. They crept inside and Harlequin gave one last glance out through the branches.

"Okay," she said. "I'm gonna use my illusion now. I can hold it for a while, but make sure no one distracts me."

She brought up her illusion, replacing her male appearance with that of Jex. Enigma and Kera recoiled from her, their red eyes widening with surprise.

"Convincing enough?" Harlequin asked in Jex's voice.

Kera slapped her paws over her mouth to stifle a squeal of alarm, while Enigma seemed to pale under his grey fur.

"I'll say!" he exclaimed.

Harlequin laughed and shook her head. "I guess neither of you have seen illusion in action before?" She spoke in her own voice, which seemed to unsettle the pair even further. "I've not seen any zorua here myself."

"There aren't many," said Kera. "They don't usually go for the assassin trade. They tend to stick around the thieves guild. More their thing I guess."

Harlequin poked her head out of the bush. "This is our chance. If we fail, well…" She didn't dare think what Jex would do to them if he found out she'd been disguising herself as him to go on some rogue mission.

She led them out of the bush and towards the wall. A large hole yawned at its base, letting the scent of the wood's undergrowth waft through into the trampled grounds. A lone murkrow spotted them before Harlequin saw him. His loud law rang out, drawing the attention of his boss. Yurlik swooped clumsily towards them from his perch in a large tree a couple of hundred feet away. Many murkrow were gathered in the trees along the wall, all now fixated on the three assassins.

Yurlik dropped onto the stone wall and looked at each of them in turn with jerky avian movements. "What are you doing wandering the Shadow Lands at this hour?"

"What's it look like?" Harlequin scoffed in Jex's voice. "I'm takin' these two out into the woods to deal with that mercenary, ain't I!"

"On who's orders?" Yurlik asked.

"Lord Hydreigon's of course! He asked us to deal with that merc but my last troop failed, so I'm pickin' up where they left off!"

Yurlik raised his head, staring down his long beak at the small group. "With just two? And only trainees, no less?"

"These two are advanced," said Harlequin. "If they can deal with that merc, then I'm gonna graduate 'em early! Besides, who'll see a banette comin'? Might spell the end o' that rebel group."

A rattling laugh left the honchkrow's throat. "Indeed! Well… I guess I'll find out what the outcome is in due time." He narrowed his eyes at Enigma. "Whether or not you make it back alive." He stood back and motioned to his flock with a nod towards the woods.

Three cawing murkrow rose into the air and took off ahead of Harlequin. The zorua watched them go and crept out through the hole in the wall. Were they spies or a guide? She tried to keep her sights on them but they soon vanished over the canopy.

Harlequin followed them through the trees. After a short while she found herself cutting through her old haunts. Her heart began to hammer at the surreal air as she glanced at the familiar yet unsettling surroundings. Yet she managed to keep her illusion up despite the surprise as the haunting scents of the swamp wafted towards them on the breeze. She kept to the path as it lead away from the boggy area, moving downhill towards the river. The ground grew uneven as roots shoved their way through the soft ground. Kera scrambled over them with ease, moving on ahead of Harlequin. The zorua decided to trust the weavile's direction. If she'd been planning to go alone, then she must have read up on where the camp would be. The murkrow hopped from branch to branch, chattering to each other in their own avian tongue. Their voices grew more urgent, and Harlequin flicked an ear back to try and catch it. Were they on to them? Had they seen through her illusion?

Suddenly one of the murkrow dropped down to cut before Kera and stretched out a wing. "You're goin' the wrong way."

Kera's claws twitched as doubt clouded her face. The scent of fear began to rise off Enigma despite his stoic demeanour.

Harlequin, keeping up her illusion, joined the weavile's side. "Really? Have they moved?"

The murkrow tucked his wing neatly back at his side. "Didn't Lord Hydreigon tell you?"

"No," said Harlequin in Jex's cool, calm voice. "I weren't expectin' us to lose that badly, so I weren't really listenin'."

Humour lit up in the murkrow's eyes and he gave a single, raucous laugh. "Well, they've moved closer to the swamp. So your little group did a real number on 'em if they don't feel safe in their camp anymore. Need us to guide you?"

There was a hint of a threat in that question. One that told Harlequin he'd be following them anyway if she said 'no'. So Harlequin nodded and motioned with Jex's yellow paw for the murkrow to take the lead.

The small black bird took off back into the branches and hopped along, leading them towards the swamp.

The swamp.

Harlequin's heart lurched at the thought that she might be facing off against familiar faces. Did Alia get away? If so, how would she react to seeing Harlequin working for the Darkness? The zorua shook it off. Old friends or not, Niana had been killed because of those outlaws. She wasn't going to let that lie without a fight.

The trees gave way to thick patches of bracken. The ground sucked at Harlequin's paws, dying her blue fur a mucky green. The scent of old, stagnant water almost choked her as it washed over them and she stopped, stifling a gag. Pond weed stretched out ahead of them, almost masking the swamp. But the old rotten tree was unmistakable. Its long, heavy branches bowed under their own weight, coated with moss and algae. The ends vanished into the swamp, stirring up ripples as the wind rattled its way through the branches.

The murkrow had come to a stop on the other side of the swamp. One of them nodded towards the clearing behind it while the other two preened their feathers. Harlequin got the message immediately, and she wasn't alone. A cold wind stirred her fur, smattering her with frost. Kera bolted across the swamp, leaving a path of thick ice behind her. Harlequin wasted no time. She scrambled along it after the weavile, keeping up her Jex illusion. She could feel the eyes of the murkrow on her, but her illusion had them fooled. Her claws dug into the ice, stopping her from sliding across it and landing in the swamp.

Something stirred her fur. Something warm. She gasped, losing hold of her illusion and causing her to slide over the ice as the image of Jex melted away from her body. Enigma landed ahead of her with a jingle and took off after Kera. Harlequin kicked off the slick surface to land awkwardly in the bracken. Pain exploded through her wounded leg and she cursed quietly, rolling onto her side. She jerked her head up towards the murkrow. Had they noticed? Their beady eyes watched the assassins curiously, scanning the ground as if they were looking for her. Or looking for Jex.

Enigma and Kera had hidden from sight, but Harlequin could smell them faintly. The strong, bitter scent of medicinal herbs warred with it as it lay thickly over the clearing. Several pokemon, most of whom were dark- and dragon-types, sat chatting amongst themselves. A small sableye passed by her bracken carrying herbs to a drapion, and Harlequin swallowed thickly. He'd been one of the pokemon that had lived in the swamp. Would he recognise her? She'd never spoken to him directly before.

The large scorpion turned his attention onto two small, wounded pokemon. One of them was a grafaiai, his black fur matted with blood. Harlequin ducked further back into the bracken, her heart hammering. She couldn't do this. She couldn't kill pokemon who had once been her friends. It was abhorrent. They'd helped her. They'd trusted her, even though she was a dark-type.

"Darkness spotted!" a loud voice thundered. "Get out of here! Now!"

The outlaws rose into a panic as a massive braviary swooped down from the canopy. How had Harlequin missed him? His wings stirred up fallen leaves as he crashed to the ground, his claws digging into the mud. Harlequin heard a bell as Enigma took off away from the eagle's deadly talons.

The sableye and flygon helped to saddle the wounded pokemon onto the drapion's back as their friends protected the massive scorpion from the assassins. But Kera's full attention was on the braviary as she circled him like a cat stalking its prey. The braviary took to the air again to ready another attack as one of Enigma's shadow balls dissipated harmlessly off his wing.

Harlequin's heart hammered in her chest. Her jaws felt empty and a sinking realisation fell heavily on her as she realised she was without a weapon. How would she even fight this mercenary? Hot shadowy energy licked around her canines and she swallowed it back. A dull throb spread through her leg, reminding her that if she fought then she might evolve.

Enigma and Kera leapt back and forth slinging their attacks at the braviary in a confusing blur. Ice and ghostly fire lit up the canopy as the voices of the outlaws faded away into the woods.

Harlequin plodded through the bracken, searching the undergrowth for a weapon. Anything that might help. A fallen branch lay only a stone's throw away and she leapt on it, tearing one of the smaller branches free. When she turned back towards the battle, the braviary was dropping from the sky onto Enigma. Her heart leapt into her throat, pushing up bile. But Enigma vanished into thin air, leaving the braviary to crash down onto the ground in a cloud of dust.

The zorua darted from her cover and lunged at the braviary, driving her weapon into his flank. He screeched, blasting her eardrums. His massive wing cuffed Harlequin over the head and she grunted as she was sent rolling across the clearing into the bracken.

She struggled back to her feet, shaking her head. Her ears were ringing, or was it Enigma's bell? A loud shout drew her attention back to the battle as flames lit up the sky.

"Kera!"

Enigma sat in the undergrowth, his eyes impossibly wide.

The braviary crashed into the clearing in an explosion of fire. As he took back to the canopy again, the dust and smoke cleared. Harlequin's breath froze. Kera lay in the middle of the clearing, the ground smoldering around her like hot coals. Enigma warped into them to scoop up Kera's limp body.

A war-cry split the air and Harlequin's head jerked back up to the canopy. The braviary wasn't done. He swerved back down towards Enigma, his talons radiating deadly dark energy.

"Enigma!" Harlequin screamed.

The image of a terrified absol filled her mind, desperate to flee a cloud of murkrow as Yurlik raked at his fur with sharp, blood-stained talons. Helpless. Innocent. Anger burned in Harlequin's chest. No. She wasn't losing Enigma, too.

Still watching the massive eagle, Harlequin rushed from her cover, her feet beating the hot ground. She kicked off, grabbing the braviary's wing in her jaws. Blood coated her tongue as she yanked him away from Enigma, turning the mercenary on his head. The momentum of his own attack sent him crashing into the ground behind the banette with a sick crack and a strangled cry.

The clearing fell silent, save for the crackling of embers as they ate up the dried leaves. Harlequin panted as she turned to look at her friends. Enigma sat huddled over Kera's body, his shoulders shaking. Harlequin's chest tightened and she clenched her jaw shut. Kera's glossy black fur had been burned away, leaving reddened charred skin.

Dread prickled Harlequin's fur and she took a couple of steps towards Enigma. "Is she…?"

Enigma looked up at her, but what Harlequin saw in his eyes made her take a step back. The warm crimson pools she'd grown to know had iced over. It was almost as if he wasn't seeing her, as if he was looking through her. She struggled to find any words to calm him.

A soft moan came from the mercenary, drawing Enigma's eye. Harlequin's heart flipped. If he was waking then they needed to go. There was nothing they could do now. As if he'd reached the same conclusion, Enigma lowered Kera to the ground. Harlequin took a step towards him keeping her eyes on the fallen braviary. As Enigma rose to his feet she opened her mouth to encourage him away, but Enigma turned towards the mercenary with a look that turned Harlequin's blood to ice.

Harlequin watched him, his claws twitching at his sides. "Enigma?" Her voice shook and she fought the urge to lower her head and walk away. "We need to go."

Had he even heard her? As he walked past Harlequin she moved slowly to Kera, sniffing the air around her. Her nose recoiled at the smell and she gave a silent, dry heave. There was nothing she could do. Kera was gone. They needed to move her somewhere safe and bury her. She raised her head to tell Enigma, but a loud screech split through the air and her paws left the floor. She spun towards it, bracing herself to run.

The braviary's eyes were wild as his wings beat uselessly at the banette clinging to his side. Mania and anger were clear on Enigma's face, his mouth twisted with a mix of rage and satisfaction. His ghostly paw had vanished beyond the braviary's chest, and the large bird's eyes rolled in his head as his flailing grew weaker. The cry cut off just as quickly and the braviary fell limp, his eyes wide and unseeing. Harlequin froze, her fur bristling. What on earth had Enigma done?

Enigma retracted his paw, now coated with the mercenary's blood. Harlequin had to swallow back bile and took a step back, diverting her eyes elsewhere. But she couldn't. Enigma's whole demeanour had altered in a heartbeat, melting back into that of the banette she'd once known. He stared down at his own paw as if it had betrayed him.

"No…" He stuffed it into the braviary's feathers, moving quickly over his chest as fear clouded his eyes. But all it served to do was leave a streak of sticky blood over the large bird's creamy feathers. Enigma sank to the floor, his head lolling as if he was about to faint.

Harlequin crept towards him, her heart hammering. Every fibre of her being told her to run. "Enigma?"

He looked up at her as if seeing her for the first time. Harlequin faltered, scanning her sapphire eyes over his face. He looked past her at Kera's body and a long groan left his throat. He thumped his own knee with his bloody paw, not just once but twice… three times.

"Enigma?" Harlequin lowered her head to catch his eye, and he looked up at her again. No. Not at her. At Kera.

Hungry flames danced around the weavile's charred body, held back by the blackened earth.

"We should get her out of here." Harlequin turned back to Enigma. "Bury her, then report back."

Enigma grunted and shoved himself to his feet, staggering away from the braviary. Harlequin readied herself to catch him if he fell, but he found his footing and returned to his fallen mate. He scooped up Kera effortlessly and a sob shook his body. Harlequin wanted to rush over to him and bury her face into his mane, to tell him how sorry she was. But her feet wouldn't obey. Instead, she stood there uselessly, trembling. Enigma trudged from the clearing, stumbling as he made his way through the bracken.

Harlequin followed behind him slowly, reluctant to leave him behind. But her mind was swirling. All she could see was a crazed banette doing something she couldn't even fathom to that poor braviary. What was that? It wasn't a pokemon attack, not one she knew anyway. She was pretty certain it wasn't an attack at all. Pokemon had rules. They used skills they learnt and built up on in battle. Whatever Enigma had done was just plain murder. It was abhorrent.

It was everything an assassin should be.

And it was exactly what she'd done to her parents.

She realised she'd stumbled to a stop, lost in her own thoughts. She could no longer see Enigma, so she had to follow him by scent. She followed the trail down towards the river. Its soft gurgling blended out the sounds of claws scraping over earth. The banette crouched in the middle of a patch of wildflowers. Fluffy willowherb seeds clung to his smoky fur and wafted up into the air as he dug them away.

Harlequin moved in front of him to the opposite side of the hole and began digging, if only to keep her mind off the scene that kept playing through her mind. Enigma didn't stop her. He never told her to go away. Between them, they dug a deep hole and once Enigma stood back, Harlequin stood back too. He retrieved Kera's body and lowered her into it. When he began shovelling the earth back in that's when he pushed Harlequin away. She stood aside, her fur bristling where he'd touched it. She groomed the mud away, sniffing for the braviary's blood. Enigma had used his unmarred paw, leaving nothing but damp earth and willowherb on her fur. Feeling guilty for assuming such a thing, and still struggling to process what she'd seen, Harlequin sat back watching the banette. The rings under his eyes seemed darker than usual, and his crimson eyes were bloodshot. He looked like he'd collapse at any moment.

Once he'd finished burying Kera he turned to dig up a patch of wildflowers. Poppies, Harlequin noted. He planted them on top of Kera's grave with surprising tenderness. A stark contrast to what Harlequin had just witnessed.

Tears pricked Harlequin's eyes. She swallowed around the lump in her throat and returned to Enigma's side on shaking legs. "I think you chose a good spot." She took in a long, trembling breath to calm herself. "Soon the wildflowers will grow in and no one will know she's here. Except you." She looked up at Enigma but he didn't take his eyes off the swaying poppies. "That's what matters. If I knew where Harbinger was, then I…" She trailed off and blinked back tears.

Enigma moved away from her abruptly to crouch beside the river. He attacked his submerged paw with his claws, tinting the frothy water pink. The river carried it away from him, away from the Shadow Lands.

Once Enigma was done, he returned to Harlequin and stooped to dry his paw in the grass.

The branches above them swayed and a murkrow cleared his throat. "Where's Jex?"

Harlequin jolted at the accusation in the murkrow's voice and her ears drooped. She exchanged a glance with Enigma, but the banette couldn't care less. His eyes were distant, staring past her towards the Shadow Lands.

The murkrow grunted his realisation and ruffled his feathers. "You two should get back to the barracks. Pride yourself in the fact you were able to defeat a mercenary your own mentor failed at, and hope that both Jex and Lord Hydreigon won't hold your lies against you."

The murkrow left the branch with a caw, leading the pair back to the Shadow Lands. Harlequin walked briskly in an effort to leave the scene behind, keeping the murkrow in her sight. Enigma trudged silently after them, save for his bell jingling with each step. He stared at his paw, combing his claws through his fur as if he was desperate to clear the memory away. Harlequin dropped her pace to walk at his side, trying to find the right words to comfort him. Her previous shock was fading, but that scene had burned itself into her mind. All she could see was his crazed expression as he took that mercenary's life. So neither of them said a word as they returned to the barracks under the watchful eye of Yurlik's spies.

...

Jex paced back and forth amid the circle of assassins. They'd all been woken up shortly after their training session had ended. As soon as Harlequin and Enigma had returned without Kera, and the murkrow had relayed Harlequin's trickery, Jex had wasted no time in calling them into a meeting. The scrafty had been in the castle meeting with Hydreigon at the time and he'd been agitated already, but once he'd learnt the mercenary was defeated but at the cost of Kera's life it had been difficult to say whether he was pleased with the news or furious.

Harlequin stood beside Enigma who's mind was still elsewhere.

"You three went against my orders," Jex growled. "I told ya'll ya wouldn't be able to handle that mercenary but ya went and did it anyway! And at what cost? Another promisin' assassin's life lost!"

Enigma flinched at those words and lowered his paw.

"Ya'll lied! Ya pretended to be me just so ya could sneak out and take on a task well above ya abilities," Jex went on. "But ya actually managed it! Ya proved me wrong, showin' amazin' skill! Illusion, and inflictin' wounds on a target ya'd normally struggle against. I've got no choice but to graduate the both of ya! Well done. Ya'll are full fledged assassins."

Jex didn't seem happy. He turned to address the rest of the trainees. Harlequin glanced up at Enigma. His shoulders had slumped and he gazed at the door.

"Now!" Jex barked. "This next part ain't gonna be good news, I'm afraid. After discussin' with Lord Hydreigon about Niana's loss, we decided to make some changes. Losin' Kera only adds to the severity of this situation. Too many pokemon here were close wi' my sis, me included. Her loss caused pain and rash decisions. I got angry. I shouldn't've taken it out on all o' ya and I'm sorry." He stood back and took a breath, brushing a paw over his mohawk. He screwed his eyes shut as he went on, "So it's been decided that from today we will no longer be trainin' female assassins."

Harlequin's blood went cold and she tried in vain to keep her pelt smooth. Her mind clouded and her legs turned weak.

"Just like the soldiers and the murkrow flock, we'll be trainin' males only." Jex suddenly sounded like he was under water. "So all females will be immediately retired."

Harlequin stumbled beside Enigma as she turned to take in all the horrified faces glaring at Jex.

"What?!" Vixen, a young nikkit, stood from the crowd, her eyes widening with alarm. "Are ya serious?!"

"Ya forcin' us to leave?!" the purrloin asked.

"It ain't my decision!" Jex countered. "This has been decreed by Lord Hydreigon! Ya'll know where to go."

"Yeah," Vixen sneered. "The breadin' pens."

Harlequin felt sick. She took a few steps backwards, her mind reeling. All she could see was the leering face of her father, his mouth silently echoing Vixen's words.

"But the numbers are so low already!" another female voice cried. "Think this over!"

"We have!" said Jex. "Cuttin' out a risk matters more! Look at the damage losing Niana has done!"

Vixen raised her head. "But-"

"The decision is final!" Jex roared. "I want every female out by sunrise! Meetin' over!"

The scrafty stormed from the room, and a few complaining pokemon followed after him, their voices fading into the corridors. Harlequin's paws were glued to the spot. She couldn't move. What was she to do? She couldn't stay! If she were found out then… no, she didn't dare think about what might happen. She closed her eyes, clenching her jaw tight.

Enigma's bell jingled as he moved away from her and Harlequin raised her head to watch him go. He'd said nothing throughout all that. Of course, she knew why. She understood why. But she couldn't help feeling like if all this had happened only a few hours earlier, he'd have had something to say. And Kera would still be with them. She could almost hear the weavile's voice spitting her own venom at Jex's decision with Enigma casually adding to it at her side.

Harlequin's heart shattered. She'd lost him. Just like she'd lost Harbinger. The Enigma she knew was gone.

There was nothing for her here.

She'd have to leave. There was no way she was going to the breeding pens. What about the Thieves Guild? Would they take her on? Or would they receive the same instructions to banish all females too?

Harlequin dragged herself from the training room, pushing through a group of bickering trainees. Jex was trapped in the thick of them, his loud voice barking at them to 'shut up and go'. Harlequin complied. She dragged herself to the end of the corridor, ducking into Niana's classroom.

The room was just as she remembered it. Books stacked up against the walls, with the lingering scent of Niana in the air. Harlequin bit back a sob and fought the urge to back out and leave. She wasn't going without her bag. If she was going to hold her own out there then she needed it. She went straight to the stack of books and reached behind them, dragging out her brown satchel. She smoothed the dust away with one paw and then lifted the flap. Her nidoking horn was still there, nestled securely in its protective pocket. Easy to grab without even lifting the flap.

She reached a hesitant paw into the main pocket, meeting the cool, smooth stone of Harbinger's pendant. Her throat thickened and tears trailed from her eyes. It was all there. Niana had taken care of it. Now… Harlequin was on her own.

She tossed her bag over her shoulder and stepped back out into the corridor. The crowd of pokemon had thinned, and there was no sign of Jex. Harlequin raised her head, bracing herself to march through the remaining females and leave the barracks. To leave the Shadow Lands. Would any of them come with her? Could they get out of here unseen?

No… She'd need to use her illusion. She couldn't escape with them all. It was much too risky.

"I'm gonna go to the Thieves Guild," she heard Vixen announce. "I'm not spendin' the rest of my life in some stinky stable."

"Me neither," said the purrloin. "I've got sticky paws. I could make it as a thief."

Harlequin took in a trembling breath and pulled her male illusion over herself. Her paws carried her down the corridor, but her ear twitched at a soft snuffle. She turned her head towards it, and it took her a moment to realise she was stood outside Enigma's door. Her heart sank into her gut.

The soft sound was inaudible to anyone else in the corridor, but to Harlequin it was unmistakable. Enigma was crying. And she was about to march out and leave him on his own. An outcast among the assassins. One ghost in a world that didn't welcome him.

Harlequin took a deep breath and reached for the door. Would he come with her? Or would he want to stay here? And if he wanted to stay, would she stay with him?

In many ways, he was just like her. They'd both lost someone they cared about. And neither of them really belonged in the Shadow Lands. An unwanted ghost. A female. Perhaps… perhaps he would come with her?

She shoved his door open and slipped inside. Enigma lay on his nest, showing no sign he'd noticed her. One arm flopped over his face, and tears streaked over his smoky fur. Harlequin rushed to his side and pulled herself up onto her hind legs. Her paw brushed his shoulder and he lowered his arm to meet her gaze with one that was bloodshot. Beyond all that was the Enigma she knew. Broken, and looking a lot older than he was. But he was there. Without giving it a second thought, Harlequin leapt up onto his nest and let herself flop onto his chest.

His sobs began to calm. Confusion? She wasn't sure. Her entire body trembled at the sudden close contact but she didn't want to move. He needed someone, and she was going to be that someone. She told herself that over and over as she let she let her head rest on his shoulder.

She took a long, wavering breath. "I'm so sorry."

He wrapped his arms around her and she froze, digging her claws into the hay. His breath stirred her fur as he buried his face into her neck. Tears soaked through to her skin and his sobs shook her body. His scent wreathed around her, comfortingly familiar. It chased away those dark memories, of both her father and the battle with the braviary. Somehow, she knew he'd never hurt her. She closed her eyes, willing herself to relax in his embrace.

Before long, Enigma's tears stilled and his grip on her loosened, but one arm remained fastened over her shoulders. Harlequin remained there, wondering if she should move. Perhaps get him something to eat once he woke. She raised her head, feeling the weight of his arm across her back. He didn't wake. He didn't even stir. Tears left salty trails over his cheeks, and his mane was a matted mess behind him. Harlequin took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her mind was made up. She wasn't going anywhere. He needed her more than she needed to escape. She'd made it this long hiding her identity. She could keep going if it was for him.

"Neither of us belong here, do we?" She lowered her nose to his as tears streaked over her own face. "I promise, Enigma… No matter what, I'll never leave you, or abandon you."

His grip on her tightened slightly, and she wondered if he'd heard her. More words struggled to force themselves from her throat, to tell him the truth about her, but they died on her tongue. Now wasn't the time. She settled back on his chest as he gently pulled her back into him, and she buried her muzzle in his mane. Memories of Harbinger flashed through her mind, causing a dull ache in her chest. She'd failed him, and she hoped deeply she'd never fail to keep her promise again.

...

Cold wind whipped through the absol's fur. Uncanny, given the state of the canyon. The rocks still glowed with embers, and smoke rose in choking gusts from the dessicated buildings. This wasn't his work. This was the work of the Wildfires.

The howling had long since faded into the distance, leaving the absol curious as to what was left behind. He trotted through the canyon quickly to avoid burning his feet on the hot rocks. Wind howled through it, stirring up ash and embers and urging the weakening flames on. Wood popped and cracked, and a roof caved in beside him, spraying the absol with hot ash. He hissed and leapt aside, bounding along before the rest of the building came down. The absol stopped on a cool patch of moss, looking back at the building. Its foundations groaned ominously but its threat of giving up had come to a halt. Flanks heaving, the absol summoned his courage to keep exploring the ruined town.

Smoldering homes stood on his left, moving along the flat ground of the canyon. He peeked in through one of the blistering doors but the contents were blackened and wasted. The scent of hot flesh and metal reached his nose and he recoiled, deciding to leave that patch of houses well alone.

His travels carried him through the thick of the battle. Bodies littered the floor, most of them unrecognisable. Mawile and cufant, and the remains of what he thought might have been an aggron. A few rock types lay here and there, their charred bodies like boulders.

The absol stepped over something indescribable and cast a glance to his right. More houses were set in the steep slope of the canyon. Burned, smoldering, crumbling… wind whipped up ash and caused the wood to groan. There was nothing here, and it was too dangerous to remain among it. The absol hopped onto the steep slope, bounding over the hot stones towards the cool air above.

A soft sound reached his ears and he froze, turning his head towards one of the little houses. Smoke curled off the roof which threatened to cave in at any moment. He moved towards it, keeping his ears on that sound. Crying. That's what it was. Was there actually a survivor in all this wreckage? If so, how? How had they avoided the Wildfires' flames?

The absol crept around to the door, or lack of one, and peered into the building. Shelves lay at haphazard angles holding up a smoldering bookshelf. Singed papers littered the floor, and sitting in the middle of it were two very small pawniard. They huddled together, their metallic faces glistening with tears. Before them lay a molten pool of red and black which glistened in the dim light cast by the embers and the waning moon. One of the twins looked up with a start, his yellow eyes widening on the absol. He pulled his brother into his chest who whimpered when he spotted what had distressed his sibling.

"Don't worry," said the absol. "I'm not going to hurt you."

He cast another glance around the room and his heart twisted. He'd brought many disasters on other pokemon, sometimes entire towns. Those pokemon were responsible for what was going on. They were the bane - the poison - on Estellis. Hydreigon, the Outcasts, the Heretics. They all contributed to the persecution of others, and sat in this room were two little hatchlings. Pawniard. Another pokemon persecuted just for existing. Cast aside because their bodies were made of blades. Unable to touch anything flesh for fear of hurting it. It was a surprise to find them living in a canyon with other pokemon, but steel-types were hard to hurt. Yet their situation near the top of the canyon was enough of an explanation to the absol. It was deliberate. They were living outside of the society they were growing up in.

He turned his eyes back on the molten metal. "That's your mother, isn't it?"

The trembling twins nodded, holding onto each other as if harm would befall them should they let go.

"How did you survive?" he asked them.

"She hid us." The pawniard's voice shook and he pushed himself from his reluctant brother's arms. "We… we were…" He nodded towards the bookcase.

The absol nodded. "I see."

"You're an absol, aren't you?" There was no accusation in the pawniard's eyes, but his brother had begun rubbing his blades together, keeping a wary eye on the large, white feline.

The absol nodded. "I am. But I'm not responsible for this."

"We know." The bolder twin pulled his knees into his chest. "It was Howlinger."

The absol grunted and stood for a moment, listening to the rafters groaning and the weakening rocks giving way in the canyon's slope. Small pebbles clattered over its surface, striking the buildings as they passed. He turned from the house and motioned to the twins with his head. "Come on. You can't stay here."

The bolder one stood but not to follow. His blades glinted orange in the light of the embers and his brother cowered towards the wall.

"You want us to go with you?" There was accusation in the bolder twin's voice this time.

The absol flashed a canine. "Absol can sense disasters, and if you don't leave this house now you will soon be buried under it."

That was enough for the bolder twin. He encouraged his brother to his feet but the timid twin held out his claws to the bisharp's body.

"We can't leave her!" he protested.

The absol's fur bristled and he opened his mouth to argue, but the bolder pawniard spoke over him.

"We have to," he explained. "She saved our lives. If we stay here, we'll lose them. She wouldn't want that. Okay?"

After a moment that felt like an eternity of groaning wood and clattering rocks the more nervous twin nodded and followed after his brother.

The absol led them up the cliff face, darting around tumbling pebbles. They were barely at the top when the rumble of collapsing wood and rock reached their ears. The twins looked back at the remains of their home, and the timid one let out a loud, echoing sob. His brother placed an arm around his shoulders, but tears shone in his glassy yellow eyes. The absol noticed they reflected the moonlight, like any other nocturnal pokemon's.

"Come on," he said softly. "We're almost out."

The absol led the twins up the slope and they gathered on the cool grass. The fire hadn't reached the top of the canyon. The cool night air was a blessing and the dewy grass soothed the absol's sore paws.

"Thank you." It was the more nervous twin who'd spoken.

The absol nodded and sat down to lick his pads. The sound of grating metal screeched through the air not entirely dissimilar to a kriketune learning to serenade. Then it stopped as the pawniard melted into tears. The absol paused nursing his wounds to watch him, the fur rising at the base of his tail.

"Sorry," said his brother. "We don't know… where to go…"

The absol stared at them for a moment. Two young hatchlings, alone in the world. He had been like that once. He'd had no one to turn to, and the one pokemon who had offered to help him had betrayed him. The memory burned in his chest and he swallowed back a growl. There was no time for that now. There were more urgent matters at hand. He couldn't leave the two little pokemon in good conscience. If he did, he'd be leaving them to die. He'd be as bad as the Darkness.

"You can stay with me," he said, surprising himself.

The twins stared at him, stuttering.

"With you?" the bolder one asked.

The absol nodded and diverted his gaze to the moon.

"I don't know." The bolder twin began to rub his claws together, echoed by his sibling. "No one… no one wants us. We'd hurt you with our blades."

"No you won't." The absol looked back at them. "Your blades are your weapons and your defence. You can learn to be careful with them."

"We are careful," the pawniard explained. "But we're always told we'll hurt others. And you aren't a steel-type like mother."

The absol flicked his tail. "I am a dark-type though. And I don't work for the Darkness, do I?"

The twins exchanged confused glances.

"What I am trying to say," the absol said slowly, "is that it doesn't matter if I'm not a steel-type. Not all dark-types work for the Darkness, and not all pawniard are going to hurt those close to them." He paused, watching the realisation spread across their little, identical faces. "So… will you join me? Because you are much too young to live by yourselves."

The twins nodded slowly, and the bolder one lowered his head in a bow. "Thank you, sir."

The absol nodded and rose to his feet. "Come on. Let's get away from here."

The twins fell in step beside him, casting one last glance back at the Iron Canyon they'd once called home.

"I'm Claw," said the bolder twin. "And this is my brother, Scratch."

"Scratch and Claw?" The absol nodded, watching Scratch drag his claws against each other. "Fitting names."

"What's yours?"

The absol stared at Claw for a moment. Of course, he'd been stripped of his name. The only one he'd been given had been assigned as a curse, then later twisted by that Harlequin in an attempt to make him believe the zorua was his friend.

The name that had taunted him as he'd fled through the Border Woods, and haunted him in his nightmares. The very name he'd tried to accept that in doing so had brought disaster on himself. The name that had followed him as he'd unleashed land slides and caused floods. The name that had been cried out by perishing Heretics and Outcasts alike. The very description of what he was.

He turned his gaze away from the pawniard, keeping his head low as he plodded over the cool grass. "It's Harbinger."

...

Review Replies:

WyldClaw - Thanks for your review! =D I'm glad you're enjoying the twists early on!

Thanks, everyone! =D I hope this back-story helped to shine some light on Harlequin's unusual situation and Harbinger's earlier grudge towards her. This is the final back-story. The rest of the closing main chapters will be posted weekly as normal.