Ch.14: Arriving at Slab Blade Mountain! Beginning the Search for the First Key!
A week has passed since their encounter with the Desert Beast Pirates. They worried about the pirates following them, but they haven't seen them anywhere in days. They hoped they decided to give up and raid some temple or town, even though raiding another town wasn't something they were hoping for, instead of chasing the group down. That's what it appeared to look like. They silently agreed not to dwell on or even mention it, as there was the possibility of them jinxing themselves.
Aside from their day in Slatestone Town, the trek was pretty uneventful. With the times they took to take a break, Wes was practicing new spells, which usually left him pretty exhausted after an hour or two. Flint, Ella, and Gwyn took that time to converse with each other, sharing stories about their past. Gwyn, of course, didn't have much to share, but she was alright with just listening. She would become enthralled listening to their tales that it would leave her speechless. Hearing about the stuff they did as a group made her much more excited about the wonderful things she'll experience.
And, when they weren't discussing past experiences, they were discussing matters related to the key. Searching for the key on Slab Blade was going to be difficult as none of them were familiar with the terrain. Flint is the only one truly familiar with Slab Blade Mountain, as he went there on a tour once studying the mountain, but obviously has never gone through the restricted area.
This, of course, only made Wes more excited to find the key. The less he knew about where he was going, the better the adventure will be. And, since this will be his first time going through a magic tunnel, he gets to see new dimensions. It was practically Christmas for him.
They could see the mountain coming into view, as they were nearing Igneous Valley. Flint pulled out his map. "Igneous Valley. There is some real history to this land."
Wes rolled his eyes. "Sounds boring already."
The Flareon whacked him with his tail. "Come on, Wes, this is some interesting stuff. Did you know this valley was creating when a meteor impacted the planet? According to history, the shockwave caused a massive earthquake that could be felt all around Mysto."
"A meteor did that?" Gwyn question, folding her arms behind her head. "So, what happened to it?"
"Well, a few centuries later, the meteor was eventually broken down enough to be properly moved. Fun fact, some of the homes in the valley have bits of the meteor incorporated into their exteriors as a small token for it creating the valley."
Her eyes sparkled in delight. "Wow! That sounds awesome!"
He chuckled. "Yeah, it really is. This is the kind of stuff I love to study."
Ella chuckled. "You were always a big nerd when we were kids, Flint."
He lowered his head with a sheepish blush. "I was not…"
"Really? You use to lock yourself in your room reading history books." She scratched her chin. "Didn't your room have posters of famous historians or something hanging around the walls?"
He rolled his eyes, still embarrassed. "A-Alright, so I was a little introverted when I was a kid. That doesn't mean I locked myself away like some kind of recluse."
She patted his head. "I didn't say you were a recluse, ya big nerd." He bowed his head with a groan.
Gwyn giggled. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I think it sounds fascinating."
Flint picked his head up with a prideful grin. "Ha! Someone does like listening to me talk!" Ella rolled her eyes and chuckled.
Wes snickered. "I wouldn't say that so soon, Gwyn. Flint has a known record for putting people to sleep."
The Flareon smirked and leaned towards his brother. "And you have a known record of being wanted." Wes blushed with a sheepish smile.
Gwyn looked up at the sky. "Oh yeah…didn't you mention a while ago you were wanted in several towns?"
"He is. I believe it was twenty-six towns."
"No!" Wes shouted in offense. He huffed with an annoyed look, then raised his head high. "I'll have you know, it's actually twenty SEVEN, my dear brother."
The Mew's jaw drop in shock. "Twenty seven?! Are you serious?!"
"Oh yeah, check it out!" He reached into his bag and handed her five wanted posters. "I may be a modest treasure hunter, but I've been accused of thievery." He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, not 'accused', more like…actually seen stealing…with witnesses and everything."
She gawked at the bounty on each poster. One town had his bounty up to five-hundred thousand. "What…did you do?"
He laughed nervously. "I rather not bring up my little purloining habit. Let's just say I tend to attract trouble."
Gwyn blinked perplexedly before chuckling. "I'll…take your word for it." She sighed. "Anyway, getting back on topic, how are we going to search an entire mountain we're unfamiliar with? Even if the map will guide us there, we might end up in some dangerous areas."
"Well, that's what the equipment is for. In case we do run into trouble like that, we'll be able to keep ourselves from falling." Wes narrowed his eyes. "It's the magic tunnel you have to worry about."
"What exactly is so bad about them?" Gwyn asked.
"Well," Ella started, "for one, we're talking about reversed or different laws of nature. The environment will act differently and will do things you wouldn't expect in this dimension. That's why it's best to learn about these dimensions before you go jumping into them. However…considering we don't have the time to be doing research, we'll have to take our chances."
"Fortunately, we have experience in that department," the Umbreon boasted. "We have to stick together at all times. We can't get separated in unfamiliar territory like that."
"Alright, don't get separated, got it!" She gave a thumbs up.
"Love the enthusiasm!"
They reached over the mountain and came to their destination. Down the steady hill they stood atop was a large valley filled with homes and Pokémon wandering about. Right at the back of the valley was the infamous mountain. As they described it, it looked menacing.
The mountain reached high in the sky, hundreds upon thousands of feet high. It looked calm and safe up front, but that was done by the locals over the years, shaving down the front of the mountain for safety purposes. Farther back behind the mountain, they could see sharp spires standing tall. An entire valley of sharp spires and dangerous paths.
Gwyn gawked at the sight. "Holy…that's one scary lookin' mountain!"
Wes snickered. "Yeah, I know, right?"
Flint pulled out a book and flipped through the pages. "Igneous Valley is famous for Slab Blade's unusual structure and vast number of spires. Ever since it was abandoned as a mining spot, no one has been able to successfully navigate the tunnels, save for Flying-Types. Even then, it's still a dangerous area."
Ella crossed her forelegs. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on!"
"Not so fast!" the Flareon shouted, halting her. "The idea was to sneak off while no one is suspecting. We need to tag along with a tour group and work off from there." She rolled her eyes, but nodded in agreement, nonetheless. "Good. Come on." He led the way as they followed.
They wandered through the crowds of Pokémon. Like every other town they've been in, it was bustling with activity. Though, that was probably due to this being a popular area to explore for tourists. They blended in with the crowd, especially Gwyn, to keep the attention off themselves.
As they walked by, they could hear multiple Pokémon chattering excitedly about touring the mountains. A bunch of these people weren't even from around here, showing how often this place was visited.
The Mew muttered, "I can't believe everyone is so excited to hike around on a mountain."
"Well, like I said, the mountain is rich with history," Flint explained. "While it may seem boring, it is actually pretty fun learning about the interesting features within it. It's not for everyone, but it is something you have to experience once in your life."
Wes chuckled and wrapped his foreleg around the Mew. "And just think. We'll be the first 'tourists' to trek through the restricted areas and get out alive."
She sweatdropped with a nervous smile. "You know how to make something horrible sound exciting…"
"I get that a lot."
They came up on a museum. This was the way into the mountains, meaning they had to get pass a security check first. They waited in line as the people in front of them got checked.
"Crap, what are we going to say when they see the equipment in our bags?" Ella mumbled.
Wes pulled out his Vortex Amulet and shook it with a smirk. "Duh." He quietly sucked up their stuff into it, along with the amulets Wes wore around his neck for safety sake. "No bags, no worries."
It was their turn to get checked. The Umbreon threw the amulet over their heads so they wouldn't see it on him. The two Nosepass scanned them for any suspicious items, using their noses to detect any disturbances on their bodies. They came up clean and let them through, to which they thanked.
Wes retrieved his amulet and pulled out their stuff. "I've done this trick a bunch of times. These types of amulets are hard to come by, so they wouldn't suspect someone like me with one." He gave everyone their bags and placed his amulets back around his neck.
Flint rolled his eyes. "Isn't that the reason why you were wanted in Tumbleweed Town?"
"That guard shouldn't have been sticking his nose in my business!" he shouted defensively.
Ella sighed. "Either way, we made it through." She slung the bag on her back. "When does the next tour start?"
The Flareon walked over to a bulletin board and dragged his paw down the scheduled times. "Let's see…next one won't be for another hour. We'll have to wait until then."
Wes tapped his paw impatiently. "Ugh, I hate waiting."
"Patience is a virtue."
"I move at my own pace, thank you very much. I want to get going on checking on the mountain soon."
They jumped slightly when they heard an amused laugh behind them. "Heh…I know how you feel, bucko." They turned and saw a Flygon. He wore a brown Stetson, black shirt, dusty brown jacket, and jeans. He tipped his hat politely. "Welcome to Igneous Valley. You folks coming to tour the mountain?"
They collected their nerves and smiled. "Yeah, we are," Wes said. "We've been waiting to tour the mountains for quite some time." He chuckled and slugged his brother in the foreleg. "Heck, my bro has been here before."
"Ah, you have?" the Flygon asked.
He nodded. "Yes sir. I absolutely love learning about the land and want to become an archeologist. I came here for learning purposes once and always wanted to visit again."
He nodded. "Glad to hear that. I'm Randolph, by the way."
"I'm Flint. This is my brother, Wes, and our friends, Ella and Gwyn."
"Hi!" they greeted.
"Pleasure to meet you folks." He looked at Gwyn and tilted his head, perplexed. "Well, I must say, you're a peculiar sight."
She blushed embarrassingly, rubbing the back of her head. "I've been getting a lot of that lately."
He laughed, slapping his knee. "I bet!" He crossed his arms. "Anyway, I'm actually the head of this museum. I come by every so often to greet the tourists. What brought you all here in the first place? I bet it's to see the mountains, obviously."
Wes chuckled, with a slight undertone of nervousness. "Oh yeah, we love exploring this kind of stuff. We thought checking out the mountain would be a breath of fresh air, to see the wonders that is Slab Blade Mountain!"
Randolph chuckled. ""You're an interesting bunch. Well, since the next tour isn't for another hour, how about I show you folks around? I insist."
They looked at each other and shrugged. "Beats sitting around and doing nothing," Ella said.
"Fantastic! Follow me!" He led them through the museum.
He showed them through some neat halls that displayed the history of the valley and Slab Blade. A painting of the meteor that once lid in the valley was one of many things. The massive size compared to what they saw entering the valley showed how large the meteor was. It was amazing.
In a display case under the painting was a large chunk of the meteor, resting neatly on a pillow. "Wow…" Wes awed, pressing his face up against the glass. "I wonder how much I can sell that for…"
He felt a hand grab him by the collar and pull him off. "It's not for sale," Randolph said with the same amused grin. "And don't fog up the glass." He took a handkerchief and wiped it clean.
The Umbreon chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry."
He smirked. "You must be a treasure hunter."
"What gave it away?"
He shook his head, chuckling. "You'd be surprise how many come by around here to check out the mountain. Some try sneaking through the restricted parts of the mountain to see if the miners missed any gold." He raised a brow. "That's not why you're all here, is it?"
"What?!" He blew a raspberry and crossed his forelegs with a smirk. "Don't be ridiculous! We just came here to check out the mountain!" It wasn't a total lie. They weren't here for gold. Although, if there was any, it wouldn't hurt to dig it out.
"Uh huh…" the Flygon sounded, not convinced with the answer. Still, he didn't press on with the matter. "Well, your assumption on this meteor being valuable is correct. We're talking about material from space, after all. Don't think about stealing it, ya hear."
He raised his left paw, with his right over his heart. "I promise!"
He laughed. "Good. Let's continue on." He led them down the hall.
The treasure hunter stood back for a moment and looked at the glass. He scanned the area before reaching out for it. "Wes!" He cringed, hearing his brother. He sheepishly shuffled away from the display case and followed behind.
They passed by some old mining gear, along with a framed photo of the miners. "Now this is a grand sight." He pointed at the Flygon in the photo. "That there is my great grandfather. He was one of the miners who explored the mountain."
"Wow, that's cool," Gwyn awed. "Your family basically helped with excavating this place."
He chuckled. "Well, yeah. I loved hearing about my great granddad from my grandfather. It actually inspired me to become a miner myself." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Of course, the mining business didn't seem to be my thing. I can't tell you how many times I got buried in dirt."
Ella snickered. "Seriously?"
"Oh yeah. It was a frustrating time. I could never seem to get the hand of using a pickaxe. So, after some time, I decided to run the museum to greet tourists. It's much more fun and…safer."
Wes chuckled. "Can't say I share the same feeling. When I see action, I run towards it like there's no tomorrow!"
Randolph smiled, narrowing his eyes at him. "You have a lot of fire in your soul, Wes. I can tell you're a professional in your line of work."
He rubbed his foreleg, smiling. "Well, I'm hoping to become a professional treasure hunter. Right now I'm just a hunter for hire. Still, plenty of cool places to explore." He snickered. "Not to mention fighting pirates all the time."
"You fight pirates?" He shook his head, smiling wider. "You certainly have your work cut out for you." He crossed his arms. "Tell me, what is it you all want to do with your lives?"
Gwyn looked off to the side. "Well, I'm hoping to become a potion master like my mother. I've been studying a lot on the use of potions, so it's something I really want to do with my life."
Ella scratched her chin. "I'm thinking of becoming a translator. Not as big as becoming a treasure hunter or potion master, but it's something I've found interest in."
Randolph grinned. "You all have some interesting goals. I hope you see them through. It's good to have goals like that to look on. Gives you a reason to keep on moving." He sighed. "Kind of wish I had that opportunity."
They tilted their heads. "How so?" the Espeon asked.
"Eh, some complicated stuff has happened to me over the years. I never really considered how much I loved working here that I wasted my time trying to become a miner. I did some other things in my life. I enjoyed them a lot more than mining, but I didn't have that same homey feeling I got here." He shrugged. "Eh, you don't want to hear an old Flygon like me talking about his past."
"Oh come on, it can't be that boring," Gwyn reassured with a sweet smile.
Randolph smiled. "Doesn't matter. It's not that important. I've been happy working here for the last few years and that's all that matters." He touched the frame of the miners. "It's nice to remember the events that occurred here. This mountain has personal meaning to a lot of people, including me."
Flint smiled. "I'm sure it does."
The Flygon sighed before smiling brightly. "Anyway, let me show you some of the ores that were collected over the years."
Wes squealed in delight. "Rare, valuable ores?!"
"Yep! Pictures of them! Not the actual thing, though," he finished with a teasing smirk.
The Umbreon collapsed on the ground and cried a bit. "Don't get my hopes up like that. I was happy for a moment…"
Ella stroked his head. "There, there, little treasure hunter. You'll get your treasure soon."
Randolph chuckled. "He's quite the eccentric character, isn't he?"
Flint shook his head, smirking. "Try living with him for eighteen years and you'll get a pretty good idea."
Floating above the large valley was the infamous pirate ship, housing the notorious Desert Beast pirates. They have arrived within the hour and were preparing themselves to raid the mountain.
They sat in their quarters, dining on their grub. It consisted of meat, berries, and beer. Of course, some of the pirates were have nonalcoholic beverages, specifically Ray.
Indigo downed her drink and slammed the mug on the ground. "Haha! I can't wait to raid that mountain! Imagine the look on Ravenfield's face when he sees the Desert Beasts taking the treasure before him!"
Jones took a bite of his berry and munched quietly. "I wouldn't go overboard, Indigo. We're talking about the same treasure hunter who has eluded us several times. I'm pretty sure I lost count."
"I believe the official tally is 449, taking our defeat in Slatestone into account as well," said a Golduck laying in his bed. He had a long scar on his left cheek.
The Barbaracle sighed, rubbing his face in annoyance. "Thanks for the reminder, Malcolm," he thanked sarcastically.
"That many times, huh?" Leigh muttered. She groaned and rolled around in her bed. "Well, my assassin career has officially went down the drain. Then again, it went down the drain when I joined this crew to begin with."
She glared at the snickering Banette in the corner, who possessed a wide grin that could haunt dreams. "To see such an accomplished killer turn into a pitiful pirate is practically pathetic."
"Pitiful? You're labeling yourself, you know?"
He shrugged. "I see no problem with being a pirate. In your case, it's just sad." He threw his head back and laughed.
She glared daggers at him, reaching for her battle claws. "Can I slit his throat?"
A Klefki floated over to her bed. He had a scar in his left eye and had a skull keychain. Unlike the rest of the crew, the uniform he wore was a red handkerchief wrapped around his head. "Don't let Cheshire get to you, Leigh. You know he bugs you to see you lose it."
She groaned before laying back on the bed. "Whatever…"
Cheshire snickered. "Aww, you ruining my fun, Pain Train? Not cool. I don't find that enjoyable."
The Klefki glared. "Are you trying to start a fight with me? Because I'm raring to go!"
"Like I'm scared of floating keys," he mocked, his grin curling up.
Jones sighed. "Enough, both of you. I'm getting a headache with your bickering."
"You and me both, mate," Indigo muttered, tearing off some meat and swallowing it.
Off to the side, sitting at a round table, was a Crawdaunt, Scrafty, and Zoroark, playing a game of poker. The Crawdaunt wore a classic pirate hat and a pirate beard. His left pincer was replaced with a prosthetic pincer cannon. The Scrafty had two earrings on top of his head crest and wore a brown belt around his pants. The Zoroark, while he didn't have any extra features on him, did carry cutlasses in his hair. Beside him was, oddly enough, a stuffed bear.
The Crawdaunt laughed out loud, having been eavesdropping on their conversation. He spoke with a thick pirate accent, "Oi, ye lads and lassies need to calm yerselves! We're all itchin' to get some payback on ol' Ravenfield! So quit yer bellyachin' and enjoy yerselves before we land!" He grabbed a mug and chugged his alcohol down.
The Scrafty rolled his eyes before throwing some chips into the center of the table. "Maybe you're enjoying yourself a little too much, Julius. I doubt you can aim straight if you're drunk."
Julius slammed his mug down and belched. "Ha, is that a challenge I hear?!"
He raised his hands calmly. "I didn't say that."
"Hey!" the Zoroark shouted. "Are you two going to talk or are we going to play?"
The Scrafty sighed. "Fine, fine."
The illusion fox placed some chips in the center. Julius looked at his hand and frowned. "Yeah, I think I'm foldin'."
The Zoroark smirked and threw his cards down. "Full house! Beat that, Rico!"
The Scrafty known as Rico stood up and threw his cards down before walking away. "Straight flush. Beat THAT, Zerif."
Zerif stared at it in annoyance. "You know, I have more fun playing this with Malcolm!" He looked to the side and caught a glimpse of a Grovyle sitting on his bed quietly. He had a scar running down his left eye, blinding him. "Hey Drake, you want to join?"
Drake glanced at him for a moment before giving an indifferent grunt and looking back up at the ceiling.
Zerif glared. "A 'no' would have sufficed."
The doors opened and Ray walked in. "Alright everyone, Captain Arid said we'll be heading out soon. Slab Blade Mountain is very dangerous, so watch your step."
The Zoroark pirate rolled his eyes. "I don't need a lecture from an adolescent brat."
Rico glared at him shortly before smiling at Ray. "Don't worry bud, we'll be fine. We've handled dangerous terrain before."
The Shinx smirked. "Famous last words…" He looked around. "Now, where the heck is the others?"
"I think Banama is cleanin' the ship," Julius said as he polished his cannon. "Tyrone…meh, not sure where the little bugger is. Probably hidin' out somewhere around the ship. And I think Graham is messin' with his money again."
Ray groaned. "Of course he is…lazy bum…"
"I still don't understand why we haven't thrown him off the ship yet," Indigo muttered. "He scarcely listens to Arid." She scoffed. "If I was captain, I would have kicked him off a long time ago…or shot him out of a cannon."
Malcolm sat up. "Whatever Arid's motives are, it's best not to question them. If he wants Graham to stay on the ship, that's fine by me." He groaned. "Still, you think he'd use that money to help with repairs."
The door creaked open and they saw a Tyrogue walk in. Over his Desert Beast attire was a black robe with a skull and crossbones on the back, draping over his shoulders. He also wore an eye patch over his right eye. On his right arm was a golden gauntlet, though smaller and different in design compared to Arid's. Each knuckle of the gauntlet, along with the back of it, had a gem lodged inside it.
He gulped and smiled nervously at them. "Uh…hey guys."
Ray glared at him. While the Tyrogue was twelve years older than him, he can be very threatening when he wants to. "Where have you been, Tyrone?"
"OH! Just…checking out the view. You know…the large mountain…" He chuckled sheepishly.
"Uh huh. Well, I hope you like the view, because we're going to be raiding it for this mysterious treasure we've been hearing about."
Tyrone gulped. You've got to be kidding…
A bell in the quarters rung, then the voice of Jeffery came out of a speaker. "Attention crew, we'll be getting ready to land in ten minutes. Be prepared for the worse."
Leigh sat up and got her battle claws. "Finally…"
Outside of the ship, Arid walked around as some of his crew mopped the ship. He came up to a Raichu who had just finished up his side of the ship. "Hmm…spotless work, Banama."
He saluted. "Thank you, sir."
"We'll be getting ready to land in a moment. Get yourself ready."
"Yes sir." He ran off, but stopped for a moment. "Also, in case you're wondering, Graham is up top laying on the mast." He ran off.
Arid glared and looked up. "Graham!"
A Gallade looked down at the captain in boredom. He wore a Desert Beast uniform like all the others, but his attire was much cleaner and newer. "What do you want?"
"We're going to be landing in a moment. Get your equipment together and be ready to raid the mountain."
Graham stretched and resumed laying down. "Not in the mood."
Arid sighed in annoyance. "I'm not taking no for an answer here. I can and will throw you off this ship if I have to. Don't think I care what happens to your sorry carcass when you hit the ground."
"If you want my help, it'll require a small fee," he lazily replied.
Suddenly, he felt something wrap around his neck, close with the intent of choking him. "Will your life suffice?" Arid retorted indifferently, raising his glowing glove towards him as sand surrounded the Gallade.
He sighed. "Fine, fine, whatever…but I get a cut of any treasure we find."
Arid glared at him for a moment before dropping the sand. "Fine." He walked back to his quarters to prepare himself.
Graham sat up and rubbed his neck. "Crazy guy could have killed me…"
"Maybe you wouldn't have to worry about those threats so much if you actually listened to him." Graham looked down to see Banama again. He had his arms crossed. "Aside from Tyrone, you're the only one he regularly threatens."
The Gallade rolled his eyes and jumped down. "Like I care. I make more money off of odd jobs while you idiots chase after some halfwit Umbreon."
"That 'halfwit' destroyed the ship multiple times, not to mention dodged oncoming traps that could have killed anyone else."
Graham shrugged and walked pass him. "Like I said, not my problem. You can chase after that mischievous Eeveelution for the rest of your life and I wouldn't care. I actually get things done and have a job. The rest of you? You had to become pirates to save your sorry asses. Compared to all of you, I can leave whenever I want and nothing will happen to me." With that, he walked off.
Banama growled lightly at him. What is that guy's problem? He put his hands in his pockets and headed to the quarters.
With the hour having passed, Randolph led them to where the tours began. "The tour takes about forty-five minutes. Hope you don't mind a lot of walking."
Wes laughed. "Dude, if you've seen the distance we've traveled to get here, you'll know walking isn't an issue for us."
The Flygon laughed. "I'll take your word for it. I hope you all have fun on the tour."
Flint smiled brightly. "Oh, don't worry, we will."
He nodded, then tipped his hat. "Best be going now. Stay safe, travelers." He headed back into the museum.
Gwyn frowned, whispering, "I almost feel bad we'll be breaking the rules. He looked like such a sweet man."
"I know, but this is a little more important," Wes reminded.
Ella sighed before looking at Flint. "Alright bookworm, you know this place like the back of your paw. Do you know where the security regularly routines?"
"Yeah, they have eyes all over the mountain, but I think I can pick them off." He looked at Wes. "You're good at spying tiny details. You try and estimate the proper time for us to make our getaway."
He saluted. "Roger."
They heard a whistle go off. "Alright everyone," said a Sunflora holding a flag. "the Slab Blade Mountain tour is starting. Please follow me and don't stray from the path."
The tourists nodded and followed her. The treasure hunters winked at each other and tagged along closely.
Around the corner, however, Randolph leaned against the wall with his hat tipped down and arms crossed. "Just as I thought. They really were here for something." He flicked his hat up and looked around the corner just as they went out of view. He smirked. "But it's not for gold or treasure, that's for sure." He slid his hands into his pockets and walked away, laughing.
"As you can see, Slab Blade got its peculiar and, might I add, menacing name due to the sharp land spires that natural form within the structure," the tour guide explained as she waved her arm over at the spires. The tourists awed at the sight and took some pictures. "The spires can reach as high as twenty feet and are sharp enough to puncture someone if they fell in, so watch your step!" she warned giddily.
Gwyn sweatdropped with a deadpanned expression. "This woman is a little too chipper about that comment," she mumbled.
Ella giggled. "It's in their job description to make everything on these tours sound interesting."
"I guess, but did she really have to say it so positively?!"
As they bantered, Wes and Flint spied cautiously around them. "There should be a watch post around here."
His eyes scanned the surrounding area until they landed on something black and reflective. It blended in so well with the darker patches of the mountain that it would be mistaken for rock. However, Wes could see the reflective properties and could tell it was glass. One way glass, to be precise.
He smirked. "Found it."
"Are we good?"
He looked around. "Where's the next post?" The Flareon pointed ahead. Wes spotted it and looked between the two. "I don't see any noticeable blind spots yet. They must have made it so no one can sneak through unseen." He smirked wider. "I do like a good challenge that tests my observation skills."
"Well, you better find something soon. The tour may have just started, but we have a limited time here." He looked ahead. "If we go on the tour multiple times in a row, they'll know something is up."
"Don't worry bro, I got it all covered."
The tour went on for another twenty-two minutes and the Ravenfield brothers were still trying to determine a proper escape path. They were now in a cave system within the mountain.
The Sunflora stopped and gestured to a pond of cave water. "Slab Blade was home to a source of freshwater that the miners would drink when they became thirsty. While we wouldn't recommend drinking it, it is perfectly safe. The water actually houses many plants that are common in caves like this. You can't find them anywhere else."
Gwyn's ears perked up. "Say what?"
"They normally grow in these kinds of conditions, which is very uncommon for a plant as it requires sunlight. Now, if you'll follow me…" She led the tour group down.
Ella looked at Wes and Flint. "Still nothing?"
"Not yet," Wes replied. "But I think we're getting somewhere. There were a few spots in the cave that almost had blind spots. I guess since the cave has less areas to escape from, someone's less likely to get themselves into trouble."
"So we're getting close to a blind spot?" He nodded. "Alright. We better catch up with the group."
Flint nodded. "Right." Wes and Ella went ahead. He was about to follow when he got a glimpse of Gwyn. He sweatdropped as she was leaning over the guardrail, reaching out towards the pond. "Gwyn, what are you doing?"
"I haven't seen these kinds of flowers before! I've got to take them!"
He face-palmed, sliding his paw down his face. He bit down on the back of her sweater and dragged her down the path. "Come on, we need to stay with the tour group."
"Aww…" she whined as tears streamed comedically down her face.
They caught up with the others and continued following the group. Flint kept pointing out the guard posts to Wes, who kept looking for an effective escape plan for them.
"We are now entering one of the old mining tunnel made by the miners," said the tour guide. They could all see the support beams and tracks made in the past. "This is one of a few tunnels that are still stable. The rest are either unstable or have collapsed at some point. Hopefully this one doesn't decide to give out on us." She chuckled gleefully.
Ella deadpanned. "Okay, now even I'm beginning to think this woman is missing some screws."
"Told ya," Gwyn muttered.
Flint pointed out two more guard posts when Wes' eyes lit up excitedly. "I think I found a blind spot."
"You did?" Ella asked, looked back at him.
He nodded and pointed down the tunnel. "There is a small gap where they can't see us. It's too small to make an escape, but…" He looked at Flint and winked. "I think we can get passed that." He nodded, already understanding the plan.
They followed the group until they reached the end of the tunnel. The group turned right and disappeared around the corner. Wes and the others went up to the corner and stopped.
"Okay, they can't see us." He looked at Flint. "Do it."
Flint nodded. His eyes flashed orange. An orange bubble wrapped around them. Gwyn whistled. "What's this?"
"My illusion spell. I'm casting an illusion around us so we can't be seen. The rest of the guards won't know we're here." He handed Wes the map. "Find somewhere we can sneak out."
He took it and quickly skimmed it. He tapped his paw on a spot. "There, not too far."
"Uh, guys?" Gwyn started. "What happens if our tour guide notices we're gone?"
Ella scoffed playfully. "That airhead will notice jack squat. She's too busy having fun with her job to care."
She chuckled. "Heh, good point."
"Come on," Flint urged as he began walking. They stayed close by him, staying within the illusionary bubble.
They walked down the tunnel, all while hearing the sound of the tour guide giving another interesting, possibly morbid fact about Slab Blade. But that wasn't their concern now. As they went down the hall, they came across another cave system with the sign 'Off Limits'.
Wes pointed ahead. "This should lead us to the back of the mountain." He pulled out his Amulet of Umbra. "Everyone hold on to me." They huddled around him and wrapped theirs arms and forelegs around his neck and body. The amulet glowed and the turned into shadows. They seeped through the cracks of the walled off cave just as the illusionary bubble disappeared.
They floated through the cave. They took notice of the creaky looking support beams. The tour guide wasn't kidding when she said they could give out if disturbed. Fortunately, as shadows, that wasn't an issue.
They flew down the tunnel, turning corners and picking paths. Eventually, they saw light at the end of their path. They smiled brightly and flew down faster until they've reached the end.
They touchdown on the ground and reverted to normal. They looked around and saw spires of rock and mountain rising high towards the sky. Dust particles washed over the land on the breeze.
Gwyn shivered and hugged herself as a breeze passed them. "Freezing up here!"
Flint looked down. "The path we took must have brought us up higher than expected." He felt a little vertigo looking down at the long drop and stepped back. "B-Best be careful…"
"So Wester, where's the key being held?" Ella asked.
He brought out the map and zoomed in on the mountain. "We're here…and the key is over…there!" He pointed ahead at the mountain parallel to them.
Her eyes bugged out. "All the way over there?!" She groaned and held her head. "Of course, it's never going to be easy."
"Fortunately, there's a path we can take, but it's pretty narrow."
Flint swallowed his worries and sighed. "It's the best we got." He set his bag down and pulled the rope out. "Tie the rope to your waists. If one of us falls, we should be able to catch them."
"Right!"
They took the rope and started tying it around them, with Wes up front, then Gwyn, Flint, and finally Ella. They tugged on them to ensure they were tight. Flint slung his bag back onto his back. "Okay Wes, lead the way."
He nodded and began walking. He led them through the path he spotted. As mentioned, it was pretty narrow. They had to balance their way over a bridge of rock that was chipped with wear and erosion. And, only to add to the list of worries, more rock spires pointed upward, threatening to pierce them if they fall.
Gwyn shivered fearfully, nearly freezing up in the middle of the bridge. Flint gave her a light nudge and a comforting smile. She gulped and smiled back before continuing. She wasn't use to this kind of activity, so he expected her to freeze up a few times. He made sure to keep his eye on her.
They were circling around the chasm between them and the cave the key was being held in. They came up on a much narrower path, a ledge along the mountainside. Shouldn't be an issue for Gwyn, but it would be one for quadrupeds like the Eeveelutions.
They stood on their hindlegs and shimmied along the ledge, backs pressed against the wall. They froze for a moment as the wind blew pass them. They clung tightly to the wall until it passed.
Ella shivered. "Ugh, it's freezing. How much farther?!"
"We're nearly halfway there! Just try and put up with it for a little longer!" Wes called out.
Flint shimmied along, but felt the ledge under him loosen. "Huh?" It cracked under his weight and gave out. "AAHH!" He felt gravity pushing down on him.
Wes' eyes flashed with terror. "Flint, NO!"
His safety line caught him, thankfully. Gwyn and Ella held onto the wall tightly while holding the rope in their hands and teeth respectively. "Flint! Are you okay?!" Gwyn shouted.
His eyes were shrunk as he stared down at the menacing spires. "More or less…" he mumbled with a squeak.
Wes' eyes were wide in fear. He reached into his bag frantically, all while keeping his balance on the ledge. "Need help! Need help! Hang in there a bit longer, Flint!"
"You did NOT just say that!" he shouted as he stared down at his possible doom.
The Umbreon panicked frantically. "Ella! Use your Psychic!"
She grunt through her teeth. "I can barely concentrate, but I'll try…" Her eyes glowed blue.
A psychic aura wrapped around the Flareon and lifted him up. It was slow since Ella kept her focus on balancing on the edge. Thankfully, she managed to get him back on the ledge.
His paw immediately went over his heart as it pounded like a drum. "Oh Arceus, that was close…"
"You're not hurt, are you?" his brother asked with a concerned expression.
He smiled weakly. "Nah…I'm fine…just a little scare…"
"Oh…that's good…" He laughed weakly. "G-Glad you're safe." He shook his head. "L-Let's…Let's keep moving. We can't slow down…" They nodded and kept going along the edge.
They weren't aware of Wes' saddened expression. Flint may have been the one in near danger, but the Umbreon was probably feeling just as frightened as his older brother. He felt his pounding heart beat loudly. Seeing his brother in danger sent a burst of adrenaline throughout his system.
Not again…why does this keep happening all the time? This was exactly why Flint and Ella stopped joining him. He had more experience when it came to exploring dangerous terrain like this. And this was just the first key. There's no telling how getting the next nine will go.
He pushed the thoughts back and shook his head. No…they can take care of themselves. They're not weak…these types of things happened to me before. This isn't any different. He sighed and kept his eyes on the path, all while keeping an eye out for any more fractures in the ledge. It'd be best not to have a second accident like that happen again.
They eventually got around the edge and sat down to take a break after the scare. "You sure you're alright, Flint?" Gwyn asked.
He chuckled and waved it off. "Relax, it's nothing serious. It was only a little scare."
Ella poked up from behind him. "Oh yes, I'd definitely call plunging fifty or more feet into sharp rocks nothing more than a little scare."
"Again, I can do without the sarcasm," he muttered.
"Can we, uh…drop the subject, gang?" Wes asked, gaining their attention. "The point is, Flint is safe and that's all that matters."
They looked at each other confused. "Wes…are you alright?" Flint asked.
Simply dismissing it would get him off his back, but he wasn't in the mood to pull a fast one on him. He sighed and said, "I was just…scared that something would happen to you, bro. I should have been paying attention to ledge. I would have noticed."
Flint smiled lightly. "Is that all?" He rubbed his back. "Bro, it's going to take more than a large drop to take me out. You know that, right?"
He shrugged. "Yeah, I know, but…"
"Wes, I agreed to come on this mission because I promised. I wouldn't make a decision like that unless I wasn't up for the challenge. This isn't too different from our other adventures."
"Yeah, but that was back when we were kids. Guess I'm maturing faster than I thought…"
Flint patted his head. "If anything, I'm having fun. So quit acting mopey and let's get going, you greedy screwball."
The Umbreon smirked a bit and rubbed his head. "Oh…fine." He stood up and smiled brightly. "You're right. I can't worry about this now!"
"That's the spirit!" he cheered, patting his back.
Gwyn giggled to herself. "Those two are two peas in a pod."
Ella snickered. "They may get on each other's nerves, but they got a strong bond."
"I can tell."
After their short break, they began walking again. Flint took notice of Wes walking close by him. Obviously he was still shaken from the whole thing. Still, he smiled and let it be. He didn't want his little brother worrying himself half to death. He understood what was going on in his head. He didn't care about his personal safety because he was confident he can get through anything. He only worried about those around him, his friends. It was that sweet side of him.
They trekked up the side of the mountain. Wes pulled the map out to see how close they were getting. The key was practically within reach. They were getting close. They smiled at each other and raced up the mountain excitedly.
The mountainside was steep and definitely hard to climb up. They used the pickaxes they acquired and scaled to the top. Like before, they wore rope around them as a safety harness.
Wes struck his pickax into the mountain and looked up. They were just at the edge of the cliff. He smiled brightly. "We're here!"
Gwyn smiled. "Awesome! What do you see?"
He tried lifting his head over the cliff. "I-I can barely see, hang on." He struck his pick into the ground and heaved himself up. He reached down and helped everyone up one at a time. "Easy, easy…there we go…almost there…and done!" He got everyone up.
They untied the rope and coiled it up. Flint placed it in his bag. "Not looking forward to the climb down."
"Neither am I," Ella muttered. "Either way, we're here. Let's get that dang key."
They prepared to head in when Wes' ears suddenly perked up. "Guys…do you hear that?"
They did so as well, listening for any disturbances in the air. "Uh…not really?" Ella replied confused.
"What does it sound like?" Gwyn asked.
"Sounds like…" His eyes widened as the sound became sharper. "Cannon fire!" He pounced on his friends and pushed them down as a loud explosion blasted near them.
They groaned, feeling their ears ringing lightly. They glared up at the sound of hearty laughter. The Desert Beasts, sitting on the edge of their boat with wide smirks. The cannons were aimed right at the treasure hunters.
Arid walked up to the edge of the ship. "Ravenfield…so nice to see you again."
He got into an attack position. "Should have figured you would tag us."
"We can avoid any unnecessary conflict here and now, Ravenfield." He held his hand out. "Just let us take the treasure for ourselves and we'll be on our way. You wouldn't want to be knocked off the mountain now, would you?"
He glanced at his friends. They weren't thinking of backing down. They nodded at him and got into attack positions as well. He smiled, then flashed a smirk at Arid. "Sorry sandbag, but that treasure belongs to us."
He glared lightly. "I'm giving you a chance here, Ravenfield. We have you heavily outnumbered."
Flint stepped forward and growled. "You can't have it! That treasure is far more important than any piece of gold, silver, or jewels you'll ever come across!"
Indigo smirked. "All the more reason to get it."
Gwyn narrowed her eyes. Their ship was made of wood. This made her smirk as she reached behind her back and pulled her glove out. "Oh come now, surely you would let us have this one. We've worked so hard to get up here."
Simisear jumped onto the edge and cackled. "Sorry losers, but we don't play nice!" He aimed his blunderbuss at them. "Especially me!"
The treasure hunters took a step back. Wes looked at Ella, who nodded in understanding. He glared up at the captain. "This is your last chance, Arid. Leave now, or else."
The captain narrowed his eyes. He didn't even hesitate. He snapped his fingers. "Seize them." They jumped off the ship with weapons raised.
Gwyn glared and raised her left hand. "Life Return!"
The ship glowed green as the wood stretched out of the ship and smacked the pirates into the side of the mountain. Arid growled and looked at Tyrone. "Stop her before she destroys the ship!"
He gulped and nodded. "Uh…alright." He ran up to the edge. The green gem in his gauntlet glowed. "I hate doing this." He extended his arm out and stopped the wood in its place.
Her eyes widened for a moment, then shaped into a glare again. "Plant manipulation, huh?"
Cheshire got to his feet and smirked. "Oh, that was fun!" He reached behind him and pulled out a knife. "Come on, let's hear those screams!" He rushed at Flint.
He dodged the knife swipes. "Whoa! Hey!"
Ella looked up as Banama jumped overhead. His cheeks crackled wildly with electricity as he unleashed a massive Thunderbolt down on her, far stronger than any Electric-Type she has seen used. She barely had time to dodge as it grazed her fur. The force of the blast smashed through the ground.
Wes narrowed his eyes as Graham and Leigh ran at him with blade arms extended and battle claws raised high. Graham fired Magical Leaf with a swing. The Umbreon knew evading them would be impossible, so he did his best to avoid them. They chased him relentlessly. He let them chase him for a moment until he jumped in the air and fired multiple Shadow Balls, destroying them. His eyes darted to the left as Leigh flew in, kicking him across the face.
Gwyn clenched her fists, increasing her control over the wood. "I'm taking this sucker down!"
Veins started popping out of Tyrone's arm as he strained to keep his hold on the spell. He needed to stop her for a moment. "Please…stop…" He winked at her and sent a flurry of hearts.
Her eyes widened as the hearts surrounded her. "The heck is this?"
Ella dodged Banama's tail when she noticed. "Gwyn, get out of there! That's-" It was too late as the hearts wrapped around her and sent her into a love induced trance. "-Attract…" She groaned. "Oh boy…" She jumped away from Banama's Thunderbolt.
Gwyn stopped using her magic and clasped her hands together happily, hearts present in her eyes. "Aww! How can I hurt someone like you?" Tyrone sighed with relief.
Arid glared at the Tyrogue. "Quit stalling and dispose of her."
He gulped. "Uh, yes sir." He sighed. "Sorry…" he muttered under his breath as he manipulated the wood to slap her away. She smashed into the mountainside and groaned. He ceased his use of the glove and held his arm in pain. "Ugh…"
Flint fell on his back and caught the Banette's knife as it was close to stabbing his face. He struggled to push him off. Cheshire's grin curled up as he tried to force it down. The Flareon before building up fire in his mouth and spewing it into his face.
"AGH! Freakin'-" He held his face and tried to rub the burning sensation off his eyes. "That stings!"
Flint pulled himself up before ramming into his side with Flame Charge. Cheshire snarled, then smirked. "Got you!" He sliced Flint's side, making him cringe.
He jumped away from the Banette and held his side. It was bleeding slightly. He didn't cut too deep.
Cheshire laughed as he held the knife up, which had the Flareon's blood on it still. "Deadlier curses require time. Fortunately for me, I don't need them." He drew a blood rune on the knife, which glowed. "Hope you like getting thrown around like a ragdoll!" He swung his knife to the side.
Flint immediately felt his body reacting, gravity defying him as he is suddenly hurled into the side of the mountain. Cheshire laughed as he flung Flint back and forth, slamming him into the mountain and ground with glee and pleasure. The Flareon desperately tried to ground himself and keep himself from flying, but it proved to be difficult.
"I'm gonna have fun battering you into a bloody pulp!" Cheshire sneered, his grin growing larger.
The older Ravenfield glared in annoyance. "Freeze!" His eyes flashed and time came to a stop. Since he couldn't feel the effects of the curse, he crashed onto the ground. Fortunately, he was relatively unscathed.
He picked himself up and limped over to the Banette, his face frozen in a wide smirk. The Flareon took the knife out of his hand and wiped the blood symbol off it. He placed it back in his hand before tapping his forehead.
Time resumed and the immense force of the tap turned into a powerful hit that sent the Banette flying into the ship. Flint groaned and held his side. "Ugh…I'm gonna feel that in the morning…"
Gwyn pulled herself out of the crater and rubbed her head. The Attract wore off after impact. "What happened?" She saw a brief glimpse of metal coming her way before she grabbed the top edge of the crater and flipped herself up, dodging the flying claws.
They flew back to Indigo, who rushed over to the Mew. "Payback time, Gwyneth!"
The Mew growled. She leaped off the mountainside and pulled her whip out. She lashed at the Sneasel, who dodged and sliced through the whip with ease.
"Ha! Relying on your plants won't save you!" She lunged at her, firing her claw.
Gwyn kicked the claws away, then rolled back, slamming her legs into her gut. She rolled back and launched her off…towards the chasm of rock spires. The Mew's eyes widened. "Oh no!"
Indigo flew over the edge and jabbed her claws into the side. She looked down at the rock spires below. "Oh crud!"
Gwyn panicked and ran over to the edge. She reached down. "Quick! Grab my hand!"
The Sneasel looked up with a sneer. "Why are you helping?"
"Just shut up and grab my hand!"
She looked down at the spires, then reached her deformed arm up to her. The Mew wrapped her hand around it and hoisted her up. She got her on the edge and helped her to her feet.
"I'm so sorry! Are you o-AGH!" Indigo's prosthetic claw flew from the side and nailed her in the head, making her stumble back.
She grabbed it and attached it. "Thanks for the save, I appreciate it." She flexed her claws. "I was going to leave you in pain, but I'll just knock you unconscious instead. My token of appreciation for the rescue."
Gwyn wiped blood off her lip and held her whip up. The end that was sliced regrew instantly. "Now I see why Ella said not to trust pirates." They charged at each other and clashed weapons.
Ella dodged Banama's electrical barrage. She got behind a large rock for cover. "Hiding won't save you!" he shouted as he fired a large bolt into an arc and crashed it down on the rock, hopefully electrocuting the Espeon. "Got you!"
"No…got you!" He looked up in time to see an axe kick slam down on his face.
He growled and wrapped his tail around her, pulling her off. He took a deep breath and sent a mass of electricity down his tail. Ella screamed in pain, feeling every fiber of her body sear with pain. She clenched her teeth and glared at him. She grabbed his face and sent a psychic wave at blank point. He grabbed his head and stumbled in pain as his nose bled from the pressure. He dropped her and clenched his fists.
He wiped the blood away, then punched his fists together. A red tint appeared around his body. "Now you're gonna get it." He charged up more electricity and fired it with immense force, tearing up the ground underneath.
Ella barely dodged. Damn! He increased his power!
Wes dodged swipes from his two opponents. Leigh sharpened her claws together. Yellow aura extended out and shaped around her claws, shaping into claws itself. She slashed wildly at the Umbreon, who dodged by a hair length of room. He ducked and sweep kicked her. He spun on his paw and shot his right hindleg up into her jaw.
Graham ran along the wall behind Wes and dropped down, slamming his blade arms down on him. "Stay down, Ravenfield. Can't have you taking my cut of the treasure."
The treasure hunter snickered. "Oh Graham, you order me to surrender, but there's a problem." He threw his head back and slammed it into his face. He staggered up enough for Wes to twist his body and fire a blank point Shadow Ball. "The treasure already has my name on it!"
He stumbled to his feet and wiped the ash off his face. "Cocky Pokémon…"
Leigh jumped from above and slashed at the Umbreon. He rolled out of the way, dodging her endless swinging strikes. Wes touched the Star Amulet and jumped over her. "Lumios Storm!" He fired light arrows at her.
She growled and swung around, swinging in a mad flurry. She destroyed every last one of the arrows before flying towards him. He crossed his forelegs as she slashed him. His magic aura helped block the aura around her claws, avoiding any serious damage that would have definitely took his limbs off.
He landed and swiftly avoided her to the best of his ability. He saw Graham running around them and coming at him from behind. He groaned. Oh bother…
He slid under the Gallade as he tried to trap him in Close Combat. Leigh fluttered over Graham and slashed the air, tearing it up to create yellow energy slashes. Wes rolled out of the way as they tore up the ground. "Aquos Mist!" He exhaled mist to shroud his presence.
Graham extended his arm blades out and looked around carefully. "How long do you plan on hiding?"
The Umbreon smirked as purple, mystical energy formed in front of his face. "Long enough…"
The two pirates turned around in time to see a beam of mystic energy blast through the mist and blast them into the mountains.
Wes exhaled steam from his mouth. "Ha! Beat that!"
Leigh lied there in pain, trying to recover her strength, while Graham pushed himself to his feet, wiping blood off his chin. "Alright…" He reached behind his back and pulled out a battleax and swung it. "Perhaps you're not as inferior as I perceived."
As the two sides fought, Arid and Jeffery floated over to the cave and walked inside. The Chatot flew in first to examine the inside. "The cave isn't too deep. I think I see the end."
The captain pulled out a torch, blowing a light Flamethrower on it, and held it up. He glared at the end of the tunnel. There wasn't a big haul of treasure. No jewels. No gold. No anything.
There was nothing.
"What is the meaning of this?" he grumbled angrily.
Jeffery squeaked and looked around in a panic. "Um, I'm sure the treasure is around here somewhere, my captain! It must be hidden within the walls or something!"
Wes slammed into a wall after being hit with the blunt side of Graham's axe. He rubbed his head in annoyance, before glancing through his peripherals. He saw Arid looking around in the cave. "Oh crud!" He got out of the crater and rushed at him.
Graham narrowed his eyes before putting his axe away. "Waste of my time…"
Leigh pushed herself out and growled. "Idiot! He's getting away!" She ran after him.
Julius fired at Flint with his cannon while Zerif chased after him. The Zoroark swung his two cutlasses with a wide smirk as he inched closer to the Flareon.
Need to get away, now! He fired Flamethrower on the ground, scorching his path.
Zerif jumped over the flames and threw his cutlasses like throwing knives. They struck the ground in front of Flint. The pirate landed and pulled two more cutlasses out of his hair. "Nowhere to run."
Gwyn got shoved to the ground as Indigo's claws came close to clawing her face out. She saw Flint in danger and gasped. "Flint!" She growled at the Sneasel before pulling a seed out. "Accelerated Growth! Nutrient Transvoro!" The plant grew into an explosive berry before being absorbed. She punched Indigo in the direction of Zerif before placing her hand against her face. "Blast Wave!"
An explosive pulse fired from her hand and launched the Sneasel into the Zoroark pirate, knocking him away from Flint.
He pushed himself up, then raised his paws. "Blockade Reflector!" The crystal shield blocked Julius attacks and fired them back.
The Crawdaunt ducked as they flew overhead. "Yikes! Return to sender!"
Ella ran away from Banama with her fur scorched. She ran up a rock wall as he chased her. She ran up it and flipped off, landing behind him. He turned around, then immediately got blasted with psychic power, smashing him against the wall.
She sighed. "Man, that was hectic…"
"Ella!" She turned around as Flint and Gwyn ran to the cave. "Wes needs help!" Flint shouted. She nodded and ran after them.
Arid looked around in the cave. "Ravenfield…what are you hiding?"
He felt a paw slam down on his head. "Well, it's definitely not skeletons!" He landed and kicked him in the face, knocking him into the wall.
Jeffery flew at him. "Don't worry captain, I got him!" Wes deadpanned and slapped him away as he came into reach. He slammed against the wall and, slowly, slid down whimpering in pain.
Wes narrowed his eyes at the end of the cave. There was nothing there…yet. "Let's see if that bartender kept his word." He took a deep breath, then shouted, "Gate of Foribus!"
There wasn't an immediate reaction. He thought the phrase didn't work. If he ever saw the bartender again, he was going to take his products and set them on fire. He shook his head. He has been fighting pirates for WAAAY too long. Their threats must be rubbing off on him.
Just before he could turn around, a spark of orange crackled from the air. He narrowed his eyes just as his friends ran up to his side. The air began to form orange cracks in the space, taking the shape of a sphere.
"Is that…?" Gwyn started.
The space chipped a bit more before shattering. They shielded their eyes as it flashed for a brief moment, then they opened them. An orange glowing sphere, crackling with magic.
Wes stepped forward and stuck his paw in. He smiled brightly before looking at his friends. "It worked…"
They smiled, they flinched as they heard Arid rising to his feet. "Let's hurry, now!" Flint shouted.
The treasure hunters nodded at each other before taking a step back and leaping through the sphere. It flashed and began to progressively shrink.
Arid rose to his feet and rubbed his head. A magic tunnel? He narrowed his eyes. If that closes, we won't be able to open for an hour until it cools down. By that time, he'll have gotten the treasure! He whistled out the cave. "Hurry yourselves over here and get through the portal before it closes!" He grabbed Jeffery, making him squawked.
"Captain, wha-AAAHHH!" He was flung into the sphere, then Arid followed close behind.
Indigo cracked her neck and ran in, followed by Rico, Ray, Julius, and then Drake. The portal continued to shrink until it finally vanished, disappearing from sight.
Pain Train flew over and looked around. "They're…they're gone."
Zerif walked over to examine. "What in blazes happened? Where did that go?"
"That was a magic tunnel," said Malcolm as he walked over. "They're in a pocket dimension. We won't be able to open it for an hour. Magic tunnels exert tons of magical power when they open. It'll need a cooldown period."
"So we can't help the captain?" Zerif asked. He nodded.
Banama crossed his arms. "There's no telling what it going on in there…"
The treasure hunters fell from the air and crashed into the dirt. They groaned dizzily. "That was some ride…" Gwyn mumbled.
Ella picked herself up and rubbed her head. "You can say that again. Where are we?"
They all looked around and saw they were in some sort of cave with no exit. The walls had glowing stone embedded in. They illuminated what would have been a dark cave.
Flint looked around, confused. "This…This is the magic tunnel that the key is hidden in?"
Wes scratched the side of his head. "This can't be right. There's nothing here." He pulled out the map and looked it over. "I says we're right on top of it." He bent down and rested his ear on the ground, knocking on it a couple of times. "And I can't hear any echoes through the rock."
"Are we trapped?!" Gwyn panicked worriedly.
He stood up and shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure." He looked around. "The majesty that is a magic tunnel and this is what we get? An empty cave?"
"Looks can be very deceiving, Wes," Flint said as he inspected around the cave. "There has to be something we're missing."
Ella glanced up and raised a brow. "Uh, guys? Shouldn't the portal have closed by now?"
They looked up and saw it was still glowing brightly above them. Wes tilted his head. "That can't be right. From what Dad told us, they close the moment everyone is through. That means…" His eyes widened. "Oh no…"
Figures fell out of the portal and landed in front of them with a loud stomp. Arid clenched his fist, exhaling smoke from his nostrils. Indigo raised her claws and brandished them together. Julius chuckled and aimed his pincer cannon at them. Rico raised his leg into an attack stance. Drake pulled out the twin katanas sheathed on his back. Ray simply reached into his jacket, wrapping his paw around the weapon inside.
"Thought you could escape us, Ravenfield?" Arid asked rhetorically. "Once we're finished with you, this valuable treasure you speak so highly of will belong to the Desert Beast pirates."
Jeffery squawked. "That's right! Now, where is…it?" He looked around with a confused expression. "Uh, captain? We seem to be in a bit of a jam."
They looked around and noticed they were in a sealed off cave. Julius glared. "Alright, ye four did somethin'! Where's the treasure?"
"We're just as confused as you guys," Wes replied as he looked around. "We're complete sealed off…somewhere."
Arid glared and raised his gauntlet. "Then we'll just have to smash our way through." He punched the ground, cracking it.
Wes heard a low grumble echo through the cave. "What the…?"
"Don't just stand there!" Arid shouted at his crew. "Start breaking you way through!" They nodded and began chipping away at the wall and floor.
The grumble could be heard again, almost like a growl. Wes narrowed his eyes. "Arid, I think you should stop…"
"Can it, Ravenfield!" He raised his fist and smashed the ground again.
The ground shook wildly, knocking everyone off balance. Rico managed to keep his stability. "What the hell is going on?"
Drake narrowed his eyes. "…this isn't a normal cave."
Ray saw the ground under them cracking wildly. "Uh, everyone? We have a problem."
The floor under them was growing with cracks, spreading as far as to the edges of the wall. They made a chipping sound, being worn out by their combined weight over the unstable ground.
Flint's eyes widened. "Everyone, we need to climb the walls before-!"
Too late.
The ground collapsed. Treasure hunters and pirates screamed as they fell into the dark abyss below them. They fell deeper and deeper until they couldn't be seen anymore. Their screams dying out as they fell.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the OC admission: scarcrow151, Djsoresupon3, Mysteryals, Austin Todd 315, GGuy12345, Juanmasacre36, Juanmasacre49 (I'm just going to assume these two aren't the same person), MasterNPH, kick kaki, and a guest.