Chapter 22:
Earth
Aura blinked, rubbing her head gingerly.
Where am I? What's going on?
Slowly, the image of her surroundings came into focus, primarily the view of the one who was waking her with a gentle shake of her shoulders.
"Wake up, Aura."
"Get off." Aura pushed Ash away. She turned to her side, curling up into a ball and closing her eyes again. "Five more minutes."
"The Returned will not grant you time to rest," Nyx's voice sounded strangely flat.
"One came pretty damn close." Aura leaned up slightly, glaring at the Shiny Umbreon through narrowed eyes.
"I don't know when we'll get another chance to talk about… all this," Nyx said in a low tone. "You should probably pay attention. I'm sure even you have some questions you want answered."
Aura sat upright with a low growl. She was leaning back against the pale, coarse sandstone wall. The relatively square chamber was illuminated by a series of torches like most of the previous Temples. The room was otherwise unfurnished, save for the groups' belongings, including the sleeping bags they had used to sleep in the night before.
At least, Aura added to herself, I think it's morning now. It's hard to tell the passage of time down in these damned caves.
"Fine," Aura sighed. "I'll bite. Prove to me that you know something about the Returned that I do not."
"Guys." Misty interrupted them from where she sat against the far wall, holding her knees in close to her body. "Please, can we get this over with? I'd rather not have to talk about that… monstrosity any longer than we have to."
"She's right." Pikachu nodded from beside her. "This isn't a competition."
After a moment of silence from Aura, Ash sat down on Pikachu's other side without a word.
"I… I guess we should start at the beginning," Nyx said.
"Usually a good place to," Misty gave a weak smile.
"Well…" Nyx trailed off, clearly uncomfortable with the subject. "Ash, Odin told you about how magic once existed in this world on a generally recognized level. He said that very little of it remained. He was right. For the most part, the closest anyone ever comes to experiencing magic are the Elements, which are as different as wood and brick."
"What?" Ash blinked at the metaphor.
"They're both used in building—"
"Moving on!" Aura snarled.
"It is believed that nearly every form of the ancient magics is completely extinct, with only the rare artifact or so surviving, and the even rarer practicer of a form or two. The most important of these forms for my… explanation this morning is…" Nyx trailed off.
"Blood Magic," Aura finished in a dark voice.
"Yeah," Nyx nodded. "The legends, as the few who cared enough to read the few scrolls containing them know, say that Blood Magic was once as pure and uncorrupt as any other source of magic, as the Elements themselves. It is said that the Blood used within its practice was not forcibly taken from the innocent. Or, really, taken at all.
"The Blood was a gift of Arceus's own veins."
"What." Ash blinked at him.
"Or, so the tale goes." Nyx shrugged. "Those who showed an aptitude had to spend years upon decades training just to be given a chance to learn Blood Magic. And, all who were granted that privilege were required to all live in the one place that the Pool of the Blood of Arceus was kept. The great stronghold of the Sage-Kings."
"The Keep of the Knights of Arceus," Aura added flatly. "Yes, I know this tale."
"I would ask where you heard it, but we do not have time." Nyx looked at her, before turning back to the others. "In any case, there were generations upon generations of Blood Mages that were just as clear-headed and pure-hearted as yourself, Chosen One. This was partly because of the massive amount of tests and training required to even be considered for the mere possibility of learning it, and partly because of the intense care to make sure that no one individual ever became too power hungry or dependant on the Blood's power. And, for countless years, this magic was untainted by the Curse.
"But, of course, it did not last. No one knows why the Traitor began to secretly experiment with the Blood, or how he managed to do so in secret. All that is known is that he quickly became power-hungry and, quite literally, bloodthirsty. The Blood… Cursed him."
"The Curse," Aura echoed softly to herself.
"You already know that the Traitor then attacked and killed the Sage-King Hikaru, right?" Nyx asked.
"Yeah." Ash nodded. "Odin told me about that."
"And Ash told us," Misty added.
"Well, the Traitor had already tapped into the ultimate power that could be granted by the Blood of Arceus. The one dark attribute known to the innocent-hearted Ancients… and the most forbidden."
"What?" Ash asked.
"Immortality."
"What?" Ash repeated.
"It means you'll never die," Aura sighed.
"I know," Ash glared at her. "I meant to ask, that this Traitor guy is seriously that old?"
"He was the childhood friend and companion to Hikaru," Aura said darkly. "That is why they call him the Traitor."
"What was his name?" Misty asked. "Do you know?"
"I do not." Nyx shook his head. "Only the Sages of the highest three Elements of the cycle and… a rare few beyond are ever told. It is said… to be a curse. It is said that… that any who bare the same name… are fated to a great tragedy. All I know is the name he now bears."
"What…what is that name?" Ash asked nervously.
"It…" Nyx hesitated. "It is said that the Traitor's evil will outlast the very moon in the night sky. That… that if he were to succeed… that he would be able to… to slay the very cosmos."
"Moonsbane," Aura said softly.
"You really do know." Nyx blinked.
"He is responsible for this." Aura traced a line on the top of her head, where the fur was slightly darker than the rest. "And… a few others," she whispered, barely loud enough to hear.
"Like the ones on your back?" Ash asked.
"What do you mean?" Aura sounded uninterested.
"The scars on your back," Ash pressed. "Did… Moonsbane give you those… too?"
"No," Aura eventually said in a low voice. "No. He did not."
"Then who—?"
"May we continue?" Aura ignored him.
"Yes, where… where was I?" Nyx chuckled nervously.
"The Returned."
"Oh, yes." Nyx twitched his ears rapidly. "Them. The Returned… they… I assume Odin told you about the… Final Evolution."
"He said that it's something that anyone, Pokémon or human, can do if… they are willing to sacrifice their life for the power to protect anything… or anyone." Ash forced himself to look at Nyx and not at Misty.
"Yes." Nyx nodded. "It severs our bond to the mortal plane, and our form changes to accommodate for the… ethereal powers we are granted by our… choice. But… the Traitor learned… You see, the Final Evolution removes us from the natural order of… of life and death. It… it allows…" Nyx's voice faltered, and he wilted visibly as if trying to make himself shrink into non-existence. "The Traitor learned, as did several other Blood Mages and Witches that rose up after his betrayal, how… he learned how to… reanimate the corpses, further corrupting their physical forms. And, they are ultimately under his absolute control."
"The Returned… are Pokémon that are brought back from the dead?" Ash wasn't sure he had heard right. "The Evolved return… but under Moonsbane's control?"
"After a rather… horrid ritual, yes." Nyx looked at him sadly.
"Those poor souls." Misty breathed.
"Worse… Blood Magic cannot create life, and the spirits of those who die in the entire process of creating a Returned are beyond the reach of a Blood Mage or Witch." Nyx looked at the ceiling, avoiding the others' eyes.
"Wha' does dat mean?" Jerzy poked out from one of the packs in the corner.
"If… you die," Nyx hesitated, "and… and the Traitor or any user of Blood Magic corrupts your Evolved corpse into a Returned in time… you will not be forced back into life to serve as his servant."
"That's… a small comfort," Ash admitted.
"Instead, the life force must be stolen from another."
"What?" Ash blinked.
"An innocent, likely a young one due to the long life still ahead for them, must be taken and, in a heinous Blood Ritual I will not discuss further, have their… their…" Nyx faltered. "The Traitor doesn't just kill them… he takes their… their Life Blood and uses it in the creation of a Returned."
"He's killing children?" Misty sounded horrified.
"In a terrible, torturous manner," Nyx whispered. "I don't… don't think you need me to say anything further… to understand what evils we're up against… now."
"No." Misty placed a hand on the Shiny Umbreon's shoulder. "Thank you for explaining."
"I-I…" Ash stammered.
"I can answer any questions… later." Nyx looked at him. "I just… can't now."
"I understand," Ash muttered. "This… this really… is real." The words fell flat, as if he couldn't even question it anymore. Somehow, this made sense.
And it broke something inside.
"Aura, why do you…?" Ash started to look at the Lucario.
The Lucario was gaping at the Shiny Umbreon in horrified shock.
"Aura…?" Misty looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
No…
Aura staggered to her feet, and didn't even look at the others as she stumbled into the hallway.
"Aura!" Misty yelled after her.
The Lucario didn't hear her, caught in a sort of trance from her dismay.
No…. This… this can't be happening. This can't have been what…. This can't be why….
Can't. The word echoed in her mind, a weak defiance of her realization.
He betrayed you, her father's voice reminded her. He's the one that left you to die alone.
I would've died bravely, Aura shook her head. I would have died fighting. He may already be dead… butchered by that… monster.
And that redeems his betrayal? The voice asked.
No… but it condemns mine.
She wrapped her arms around her own stomach.
He left me to die. I left him to be tortured.
…
Ash coughed, spitting up mouthfuls of sand.
"Why…why did we have to go that way?" Ash asked, scraping the last granules from his tongue. "What is with you and dragging me through sand?"
The cavern was made of hollowed-out sandstone, with the apparent entrance being filled with sand that spilled into the room. The wall opposite the entrance was carved into a beautiful archway, bordered with strange symbols that glowed a faint, tannish-red color. The other two walls were adorned with torches, though only half were burning.
"I'm gonna scar, I just know it," Ash moaned, looking at the small scratches that covered his arms. "I should've grabbed my jacket."
"Don't be a weakling," Enki scratched the back of his head in disinterest. "A Master of the Elements is above minor injuries. The very Earth shall sustain you through all wounds."
"…Right," Ash said slowly.
Why does every Sage talk so… strangely?
"That's… the way I have to go?" Ash asked the Sandslash.
"Yep." Enki nodded. "Your belt, please."
"My belt?" Ash raised a brow.
"You must face this Test alone."
"What do I have to do?" Ash handed the Sage his Trainer's belt.
"That would be telling." Enki grinned. "Good luck, Chosen One."
The Sandslash leapt into the sand, vanishing in a flurry of granules.
"I'm going to die, aren't I?" Ash asked no one in particular.
He slowly crossed under the archway and into the passageway. The passageway walls were heavily adorned with torches and more glowing carvings in some strange language Ash didn't recognize. He stopped in front of a section of wall and pressed his hand against some of the carvings.
A flurry of whispers echoed through his mind.
"Whoa!" he yelped, pulling his hand back. The voices stopped. "Okay, moving on!" Ash said quickly, turning and hurrying down the passageway, a nervous expression clear on his face.
After a moment, he came to a dead end, and stopped.
"You're joking!" He yelled at the wall. "Enki!" He shouted at the ceiling. "Is this some sick joke?"
He scratched at his shirt's sleeves, small chunks of sand falling out.
"Haven't I dealt with enough sucker punches today?"
As if by some twisted cue, the solid ground beneath his feet dissolved into pure sand and some strange force of gravity pulled him down through it.
Small grains of sand ripped into his arms and face again. He slammed his mouth shut to prevent sand from spilling in and suffocating him. Fortunately, he managed to close his eyes before his face was engulfed.
What the hell is going on? He thrashed slightly in panic.
After what felt like an eternity, Ash felt an explosion of air overwhelm his senses and felt the sudden stop of the solid ground slam through him. He pressed his arms down against it to lift his head, inhaling in deep, grateful bursts.
"This is… gonna… kill me… one day." He gradually got back on his feet. He blinked, taking in his surroundings as he beat more sand out of his clothes.
The new room was very similar to the hallway he had just been in, though larger in dimension. The walls glowing in the mystical carvings' glow and the burn of the torches. The spot on the ceiling just above him was still dripping small amounts of sand to the ground. And, at the far end of the room was a decorated archway leading to—
"The Shrine!" Ash grinned. "Thank God!" He started to run towards the far room.
The ground shook violently, knocking Ash onto his backside.
"Oh, come on!" Ash moaned, rubbing his lower back. "Really? Really?"
The ground shook again, splitting and knocking Ash backwards even further, as a strange, glowing figure with an indeterminable number of limbs rose out of the fissure.
An Elemental! Ash remembered the similar, ethereal creature he'd encountered in the Fighting Temple. This one was nearly identical, the only noticeable difference being that this new one was a light, tan color, similar to the warm shades of the sandstone surrounding them. Its eyes glowed a soft red, and were fixed upon Ash's.
I'm screwed, Ash stumbled backwards.
The Elemental roared at him, making the very walls vibrate from the sound. It raised one hand, and chunks of mud flew from it at Ash, hitting the teen in the chest before he even realized what was going on.
Mud Shot, it finally registered in his mind.
It slapped him across the side with a Bone Club. Ash shouted in pain as he slammed into the wall.
What did I get myself into?
Ash stumbled onto his feet. He swung his arm, shooting a Swift at the Ground Elemental. The Elemental growled softly, blinking in confusion.
Chosen One, a booming voice echoed in his mind. You will have to do better than that!
Sand swirled around him.
Sand Tomb, Ash recognized the move. No. Not again! He raised his left hand again, the Gauntlet glowing with the light from the Flying Orb
A swirl of wind from a Gust attack rose up, and blew the sand away.
"You'll have to do better than that!" Ash smirked.
The ground shook violently once more, as the Elemental slammed the ground with a bestial bellow.
Earthquake.
The ground under Ash's feet began to crack.
NO! I will not die here! Ash charged the Elemental, slamming his left fist into it with all the force he could muster, the Gauntlet now glowing with the orange color of the Fighting Element.
Mach Punch.
The Elemental stumbled backwards. It stopped just in front of the archway to the Shrine. It trembled, and a strange sound echoed through the room.
A laugh? Ash blinked.
Much better, Chosen One. The voice echoed again. You have spirit. I have faith in you, boy.
"Uh… thanks?"
Learn to have faith in yourself.
Before Ash could recover from his shock, the Elemental vanished into nothingness.
Shaking his head, Ash walked slowly into the Shrine.
Like all the others, the walls were covered in carvings, though these ones were also glowing. In one nearby corner, was a silver statue of a small human boy running after a Riolu, a small Dratini wrapped around the former's waist. All three were laughing.
He was the childhood friend and companion to Hikaru. Aura's voice echoed in his mind as he looked at the statues. That is why they call him the Traitor.
Something ached in Ash's chest. He turned sharply away, unable to look any longer.
The Shrine statue glistened in the torch light, the silver, cross-legged Riolu holding up the Ground Orb, the small, opaque yet clear sphere glowing with the same tan color as the Elemental had. Surrounding the Riolu were more statues of varying metals: Sandshrew, Dugtrio, Graveler, Cubone, Phanpy, Larvitar, Numel, Baltoy, and Hippopotas, all dwarfed by the towering presence of a golden Rhyperior.
Ash looked at the Rhyperior statue, blinking slowly. Something about the way it stood over him, watching him with a soft, gentle expression, it felt familiar to him. He'd seen Rhyperior before in his journeys, but… somehow, this one was different than every single one he'd met.
Yet, he knew this one, too.
Ash shook his head, and turned back to the Orb in the Shrine statue. He walked over to it, sighing as he navigated around the other statues. He stared at the Orb, the soft glow holding his gaze, though the pull didn't seem as strong as with the others. Ash sighed again.
"Maybe this one won't hurt," he muttered. Then, after a dry chuckle, he added, "And maybe Aura will announce her undying love for… anything. And turn out to be a Legendary in disguise."
He blinked.
"Maybe I shouldn't tempt fate."
With a large inhale, he braced himself, reached out and grabbed the Orb with both hands.
Ash slammed his eyes shut as the wave of pain shot through him. He expected it, and it still took him by surprise. The pain rolled through him in bursts, and he had to grit his teeth to keep from yelling out.
After a short while, the pain eased, and Ash found his dark world being replaced with the vision of an endless desert all around him. He blinked. Was this real? No, if couldn't be.
He looked up. The sun bore down on him, and he had to squint and look away from the glaring light. He smacked his lips, finding his mouth to be suddenly dry, with the taste of sand still stuck in his mouth. He was convinced he would never be able to taste anything else again.
Suddenly, the earth shook, and Ash stumbled backwards as the desert opened up in front of him and the dark soil and rocks of a mountain rose up in front of him. Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet softened, and he began to sink into it.
Quicksand? His heart began to race. How many times is the ground going to try to eat me?
Even though he tried to stand still and slow the sand's suction, Ash found the wet granules pulling him down faster than he thought possible.
What do I do? Ash felt his heart quicken even more. WhatdoIdo? The words began to run together.
You need to have more faith in yourself. The booming voice of the Elemental echoed again.
Ash's mind froze for a split second, before rebooting and his thoughts focusing.
He's right. I'm better than this. I'm Ash Ketchum. I'm the Chosen One. I'm going to be a Master one day.
I'm the destined Master of the Elements, he smirked, and I'm still holding the Ground Orb!
Ash focused on the idea of the ground breaking underneath him, and the quicksand vanished.
Fissure.
The entire vision swirled into nothingness. A Lucario appeared before him, scruffy and heavily scarred. He stood taller than most, though shorter than Ash's current traveling companion. He wore a golden collar, studded with glittering gems, and similar bracers on each wrist.
"Ashura," he spoke.
"Hikaru," Ash recognized the voice.
"Yes, Chosen One." The Lucario smiled. "I cannot speak for long."
"I…"
"Your body is indeed adjusting," Hikari said with a nod. "Rather quickly, in fact."
"What do you mean?" Ash blinked.
"The pain… it's not as bad anymore. Your recovery is rapidly improving with each encounter with a new Element. I am quite glad. You may yet surpass my expectations."
"What do you mean?" Ash narrowed his eyes.
"You will understand in time." Hikaru nodded. "I'm afraid the price of the clarity of our communications today is the sharp decrease of the time allotted to it."
"You talk funny," Ash said without thinking. "I mean, uh…."
Hikaru chuckled. "Times change, I daresay. I just wanted to make sure you knew that you can do this. I did not pick you because I thought you would fail. Your heart is more than pure enough, and you are even stronger than you know."
"I…"
"If you have something to say—"
"The Traitor," Ash interrupted.
"What about him?"
"Was he really your friend?"
Hikaru looked at him sadly.
"He was my brother."
"Literally?"
Hikaru chuckled, in a darker tone than before.
"No. No, and yet… that made the betrayal all the sharper."
"I hope I'll… never feel that pain," Ash muttered.
Hikaru simply gave him another sad look.
"Good luck, Chosen One," Hikaru said as Ash's vision of the ancient Lucario faded.
Another wave of pain began to roll through his body.
NO! NOT AGAIN! Ash bellowed in his own mind.
With a roar, he pulled up on the Orb, yanking in clear out of the silver Riolu's hands. Ash stumbled backwards from the force of the momentum. In an over-correction, he started to fall forward, staggering around.
He allowed himself to fall to the ground in an awkward, sitting position, leaning his back against the Rhyperior statue.
He clicked his tongue. The taste of sand still prevailed.
I miss Brock's cooking. Ash barely remembered the Orb in his hands, as his sight faded in and out, black swirling in his eyes. And Mom's.
Mom, Ash looked up at the golden Rhyperior. It reminds me of Mom. I… I don't know why. It makes me think of Mom. Mom….
A soft lullaby whispered in his head, as he drifted into sleep to recover.
…
A/N: Short chapter is short. Also, Tuesdays aren't working, clearly, for either myself or my Beta. So, starting next week, updates will be on Fridays instead. I am also kinda dead right now, so this will give me some more time to work on next week's chapter. See you Friday.