As Hunter finally came to the top of the cliffs, he looked around, breathing heavily.
Desolate hills stretched out over the landscape. He closed his eyes. The trail led right.
He kept his eyes closed as he followed it. Left, right, right, left, u-turn, right, left, right…
The trail finally led into a cave. Hunter opened his eyes and ran in.
The inside was fairly well lit, and Hunter didn't need to see even if it was light. The cave was also straight, with no side passages.
Very handy, he thought. Almost like it…
He stopped short as it hit him. …is designed to keep people in.
He turned back as the entrance collapsed, sealing him in darkness. Hunter instantly shut his eyes, looking around the cavern, wary of a trap. There was none. Feeling for Umbreon's Poké Ball, he grabbed it and released its inhabitant.
Umbreon immediately lit up the area with the golden circles on its body.
Hunter opened his eyes again. "Careful, Umbreon. We were lured in here. And I have no idea what we'll be facing."
Umbreon growled.
They continued down the passage, encountering no wild Pokémon. None on the ceiling, or underground, or trundling past on their own errands.
Hunter looked around. Side passages were starting to appear. He closed his eyes and saw that the trail continued to lead straight ahead.
Soon, Umbreon stopped. Sniffing the air, it started to run forward.
"Umbreon!" Hunter shouted, running after it. "Wait for me!"
He caught up quickly, as Umbreon had stopped a short distance on at the entrance to a large cavern.
Hunter stopped alongside it, and saw what Umbreon had smelled. Inside, in the center of the ceiling, was a large hole that led onto the surface. Hunter closed his eyes again.
The trail ended there.
He ran forward with Umbreon close behind. "Taren! Taren, can you hear me? If you can hear me, answer!"
There was none.
Hunter knelt on the ground, feeling it as Umbreon caught up and sniffed at it. But the trail ends here. There's nothing else.
There was a noise on the other side of the cavern.
Umbreon lifted its head and cocked it to one side. It stalked forward cautiously, its eyes glowing purple in preparation for a Night Shade.
It looked up as the noise came again, from behind a rock in front of it.
Umbreon ran forward and jumped on top of the rock, looking around the cavern for the source of the noise. Its ears and nose twitched, and it looked at its trainer to give a negative "Umbre!"
Hunter stood up and looked around as well. "I know, Umbreon. I don't see him either."
But where could he be?
Hunter looked up. He couldn't have jumped through the ceiling. It's too high. So where is he?
Umbreon started suddenly as something stirred in the shadows. It leaned forward, trying to get a closer look.
The Dark Pulse that shot from the area knocked it flying across the cavern, bouncing several times before coming to a stop, unconscious.
Hunter spun as Umbreon hit the ground. "Umbreon!"
A dark form hung in the shadows near him. It spoke to him in thought, its voice deep and gravelly. A pity your Pokémon never stood a match for a real opponent.
Hunter stood up. "Come out and we'll see who the real opponent is."
The figure stepped forward. As you wish.
As the figure came out of the shadows, Hunter's breath caught in his throat. No…no…It's impossible…
As if he had heard Hunter's thoughts, Taren shook his head, giving a malicious smile. No, human. It most certainly is not.
Didn't see THAT coming, did ya? Big fight scene to come in the next chapter. R and R!