Ch.48: Lonely Rains Encounter! A Fated Duel with No Purpose!

After their little side quest in Ghost Cove Town, Team Ravenfield continued on their way through the wonderful land of the Aqua Zone. Fernando had since parted ways with them, continuing on his search for answers about the Shadow King's location. The group trekked for days on the road before cutting through a forest, which appeared to be an effective short cut to Spring Wells City.

They were cutting through a dimly lit forest. The tree trunks were large and wet from the moisture in the air. It had a comforting blue twinge to the light. The dirt ground itself was soft and loose, not enough to be mud. Little droplets of water would occasionally drip down from the leaves. From what they were aware, it rains periodically in this area. They were expecting another rain shower soon.

As usual, Wes took the lead with the map tucked inside his jacket. He looked over his shoulder. "Taking this path through Lonely Rains Forest should cut our arrival time by a week. We'll be there in no time."

Ella sighed in relief. "Thank goodness." She flipped some fur from her eyes and smiled laxly. "I'm looking forward to the spas there. After all that witch nonsense, I can go for a deep tissue massage." She glanced at Gwyn. "What about you, Green? You could use some stress relief."

Gwyn smiled awkwardly. "Hehe…maybe a little."

Flint nudged her gently. "You feeling better? You've been a little out of it after what happened."

She giggled at the Flareon. "I'm alright, Flinty. Just lost my head, is all."

Tony smirked. "You kidding? You went freakin' animal on that witch. Did you even know you could do that?"

Gwyn scratched her head. "Um…not really. Though, the whole experience felt rather hazy. I wasn't thinking straight."

Ella rolled her eyes and smirked. "Oh yeah, girl definitely needs a massage."

Wes waved his paw around carefree. "Eh, maybe after we get the next key, we can take a few days off. Wouldn't kill us."

Ella jabbed his side, making him wince. "Nuh uh! I'm relaxing as soon as we get there! Spring Wells is one of the most luxurious paradises in the Aqua Zone. Perhaps even all of Mysto."

Wes whined playfully. "But I want to fight a super powerful mage! I want to, I want to, I want to!"

Ella giggled and poked at his sides. "None of that, mister!" Wes laughed and poked her back.

The others who were a part of the conversation laughed to themselves. "Well, I'm kind of siding with Wes on this one," Tony admitted. "Best to get the key soon rather than later. After that…" He spun on his heel and struck a pose. "Beach city, baby!" Flint and Gwyn laughed.

"Planning on flirting with the ladies, too?" Gwyn asked slyly.

He winked at her. "You know me well! If they're cute, I might ask them to lunch! Anything like those snobs in Scorch Grave, though, they're going to be missing a few valuables!"

Flint groaned. "Tony, can't you behave like a normal Pokémon? Is your goal to beat my brother's bounty count?"

"Well, now that you're suggesting…"

"Tony!"

The majority of Team Ravenfield were lively with fun. Not everyone though, as their sixth member kept staring off into the forest. Griffin had a distant look in his eyes as he peered through the collection of trees. He wasn't the biggest talker of the group and did show the same playful nature as his teammates, but he wasn't as attentive of their actions.

Griffin didn't know why, he just felt…off right now. He was fine earlier, even having a pleasant conversation/debate with Ella about which armor set in history was the strongest. He tried to make the case for a specific armor crafted and worn by a Dragonite warrior for its durability and strength benefits, though she went on about an Eelektross known for their speed.

However, when they got to Lonely Rains Forest, he suddenly became quiet. He wasn't particularly sure what got him so suspicious coming here. This wasn't the first time he's been to Lonely Rains Forest and he was fine back then. Something felt different about today. Something that told him to keep his guard up.

"Griffin?" His eyes widened, then he shook himself awake before facing Gwyn, who walked backwards to face him. "You feeling okay? You haven't said anything in a while."

Griffin stared at her for a moment, then looked away with a plain expression. "I'm fine. Just not feeling myself today."

Tony mirrored Gwyn's movements with his hands in his pockets. "What? Afraid of the scary forest?" he mocked with a smirk.

Griffin glared at him through the corner of his eye. "Keep that up and your life will end here, Sparky."

Tony clenched his teeth with an annoyed glare. "I'm starting to hate that nickname…"

Gwyn giggled. "I think it suits you!"

"Don't encourage it!"

Flint narrowed an eye at the bounty hunter. "Seriously though, you sure you're feeling okay?"

Griffin closed his eyes. "I'm a bounty hunter who has traveled the long roads of Mysto for years. I'm just used to silent walks." His teammates looked at each other, then simply shrugged off his behavior. They resumed normal walking, though Griffin continued to keep a cautious gaze in the blue tinted forest.

Since she was feeling talkative, Gwyn asked, "So, why is this place called the Lonely Rains Forest?"

Ella smirked and looked over her shoulder. "You want the historical reason or the ghost story?"

A shiver ran up the Mew's body. "Um…historical!"

"Flint, that's your department, not mine!" Ella shouted.

Flint rolled his eyes, then looked at Gwyn. "Well, if I'm remembering correctly, Lonely Rains gets the rain part of its name for the frequent rain showers. 'Lonely,' however, comes from the belief this forest shows the worst side of fate."

"Worst side of fate?" Gwyn questioned.

Tony raised his hand to gather their attention. "Think of it like this. When your alone, you're more than likely going to have time on your hands. Interpersonal conversations and considerations about who you are as a person. There have been a few cases in history where people claimed to have seen their futures take a dark turn. Personally, I just think they were going mad with hunger." He raised his finger. "Still, seeing the worst side of fate does have its benefits."

"How can seeing your future go to shit be a good thing?" Ella asked sardonically.

"Not in the literal sense, but more so a contemplative understanding of one's self. When you're alone, you really take a moment to analyze the core parts of your being and set up the next step of your journey." Tony shrugged. "Fates a tricky thing, but I don't let that stop me from having my happy ending." He snapped his fingers. "Which is why my end goal is to become rich and give my family a good life."

Gwyn looked up in thought. "Huh…I can sort of see that."

Flint shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose. Aside from that, it's just a big forest you can get lost in. There is a tall hill around here that has an overflow of water hanging near the edge. I suppose you could interpret it as an easy place to get lost in."

Gwyn giggled. "Well, I don't have to worry about that with you around!" Flint blushed bashfully and looked away with a meek smile.

Griffin narrowed his eyes, then looked down. The thing Tony said about end goals stuck out to him. He remembered having a conversation like this before, probably with Ella and perhaps Seraphina. He never put much thought into his end goal after he completes his lifetime goal. What was he supposed to do after? Continue being a bounty hunter? Restore his clan? Focused so heavily on revenge, he never put time into his own passions.

Once again, before he got too deep into his thoughts, his attention was drawn out by a faint drop falling on his head. He wiped his finger across his smooth skin and saw it was water. Some of the leaves are dripping with water, so this didn't come as a surprise, except…he felt more drops hitting him.

Suddenly, all of Team Ravenfield realized they were being bombarded with one of the predicted rain showers, much to their discomfort. "Aww, dang it!" Ella cried out, feeling her fur get matted down.

The brim of Wes' hat weighed down over his eyes as it socked with water. "We better find cover!"

Gwyn clasped her hands together. "I can probably make a shelter with the trees." She focused on the ground and slowly channeled her magic through the ground, commanding the trees to grow out and construct a makeshift shelter.

"Good thinking, Gwyn!" Tony praised, even though he didn't mind a little rain.

While Gwyn focused on constructing the shelter, Flint couldn't help but look off to the side as his ears twitched curiously. For some reason, he could hear rushing water nearby. "Hey, are there any rivers in Lonely Rains?"

Griffin narrowed his eyes and looked up. "I don't remember any damn rivers being in the…" He stopped, then held his chin. Come to think of it, he had a faint memory of being here before with Mack and Holly. Something stuck out about that time.

"You're probably just imagining things," Wes assured his brother. "It is raining pretty hard, after all."

Flint scratched his head. "Yeah, perhaps…"

Griffin glared at the ground, tapping his foot. Let's see, last time I was here, Mack was goofing off like an idiot. It started raining. A lot of complaining after that. The Grovyle tapped his cheek, narrowing his eyes deeper. We spent three hours in this damn forest because of a…flood. His eyes widened.

Didn't Flint say something about an overflow of water on a hill?

Gwyn finished constructing a small wooden shelter, spherical in shape. "Nothing fancy, but it should keep us dry until the rain passes."

"Sweet!" Wes exclaimed as he shuffled in.

Tony prepared to step in, too, when he felt a sudden stream of water brush past his leg. His eyes darted down and saw water flowing through the ground. "The hell…why's the water moving?"

Griffin glared over his shoulder as he, too, heard the rushing sound Flint hear, only much louder. "Shit! It's a flood!"

"What?!" the others shouted.

"That hill Flint mentioned! The rainwater's making it flow over the edge! We're going to get flooded in a moment!"

It didn't take long for the truth to rear its ugly head. The group peered down the forest and made out the rushing waves passing through the trees. Apparently the forest was so use to these constant floods that they've grown a resistance to them. And yet, the absurd height of the rushing waves left them flabbergasted.

Griffin snarled and yelled, "Get in the shelter and brace yourselves!"

Everyone piled into the wooden dome individually, but quickly. Griffin tried to get in, but the floods moved faster than he thought. He braced his arms as the water crashed into him and knocked him off his feet. He gripped the entrance to the dome as Gwyn partially closed it up to prevent water from entering.

Wes bit down on Griffin's sleeve and tried to fight against the pushing force. "Griffin! Hang on!" the Umbreon shouted through his teeth. Tony and Flint grabbed Griffin by the arm while the girls held Wes and helped him pull.

Griffin had water slamming into his face. He kept his mouth shut to prevent water from rushing into his lungs. From his experience in these floods, they lasted for over a minute before dying down. Mack got swept away in one and it took Griffin and Holly a half hour to find him, along with a couple more hours to get their bearings in order.

The Grovyle felt a sudden jerk on his sleeve. He glared through the water and could make out the visible tear making its way into his jacket's sleeve. He tried to force his other arm through the crash waves and cling to the side of the wooden dome.

Wes felt a lot of strain on his teeth to keep hold of Griffin while the guys were having trouble keeping their grip. The slick red jacket Griffin wore made it harder to hold him down with the water making him slippery. If they could just hold out for a little bit longer, the waves will calm down.

The Umbreon's eyes widened in horror as Griffin's sleeve tore out. His paws immediately sprang out to grab his wrist, but it was too late.

The moment the end of his sleeve tore, Griffin flung out of their reach and thrashed through the water, at the mercy of the raging waves. Wes nearly jumped out after him, but Ella bit down on his tail and slammed him down as Gwyn closed the dome up.

"What are you doing?! We have to help him!" Wes clawed at the dome walls. "Griffin! Hang on!"

Ella grabbed and spun the frantic Umbreon around. "Wes, calm down!" She took the red cloth stuck in his teeth out and slipped it into her vest. "We tried our best, but we can't do anything about it now. We need to wait for the floods to settle down before we can search for him."

Wes narrowed his eyes worriedly, but Flint placed a paw on his shoulder. "Griffin's a survivor. If anyone can conquer a bad situation, it's him. We shouldn't worry about him getting hurt and should worry about finding him soon."

This helped Wes settle his nerves a bit. It was easy to forget in the heat of the moment that his teammates weren't incompetent. He leaned back against the dome walls and sighed. "Right…Right, you're right…Griffin will be fine." He rubbed his temples. "Sorry for acting stupid…"

Tony waved it off. "Eh, all's well." He glared up. "Ugh, of course the one place we go to that seems harmless ends in this mess." He threw his hands up. "Then again, should have been obvious since this isn't a well-renowned traveling path!"

Gwyn gripped her long hair and wrung the water out. "Better than a volcano, right?"

"…I suppose so."

Ella, much to her disgust, rested herself in the muddied dirt. "Ugh…let's just rest up for a moment before searching for Griffin."

Wes sighed and pressed the back of his head against the wooden wall. "Might as well…" He shook his head. Right…Griffin can take care of himself. Even if he did run into trouble, there's nothing out here that can match his ferocity.

Griffin wasn't sure how far the waves carried him, but the raging rapid eventually sunk into the dirt and leveled out with the spacious ground. He did, however, realize his trek back wouldn't be as simple as walking back the way he came. Those waves threw him around and messed with his sense of direction. Everything currently felt fuzzy.

Once the floods died down, he found himself laying in a muddy pool of water. Despite being carried away from the rushing waters, he expressed mild annoyance for his predicament. The mucky water soaked into his clothes. He already dreaded the return walk to his comrades covered in grime.

Ella mentioned something about spa treatment? May need that myself just to get this filth off my body. He stood up and patted down his clothes, grunted at the hard splat sounds they made. Not that he minded being covered in dirt, but he preferred being clean overall.

He wrung out his head leaf before looking around at his surroundings. He squinted as he tried to pick out their magic aura through the trees. With his head still ringing from his discomforting joy ride, he had some difficulty pinpointing their exact location. He'll have to wait 'til his head cleared up.

He crossed his arms and pressed his back against a tree. He kept a stern gaze about him as he looked around the blue tinted forest. As if fate wanted to test his patience, it just had to bring about a surprise flooding and separate him from his group. In a forest called Lonely Rains Forest of all things. At the very least, once his team recovers from the flood, they'll go in search of him. Best he can do right now is to wait.

He let his mind wander has he listened to the distant sounds of the trees brushing against each other. The air felt cool against his wet skin. Even the rain sounded pleasant for all the trouble it caused him. Water ran across his legs due to the remains of the flood. He rarely took the time to appreciate the quiet serenity of nature. It felt…nice to just rest and take it easy for a change.

He rested his head against the tree and stared up at the leaves, his gaze softening a bit. He wondered how Holly and Mack were fairing without him. Not that they weren't capable on their own, but it felt weird not having them along these days. Whenever he needed a question answered, he referred back to his adventures with those two.

…really looking back, he missed a lot from his childhood. No worries or hardships, a loving family, and then some. All of that stripped away in a blink.

Griffin clenched his fist and growled quietly. It always came back to that murderous tyrant. Tracking him down for years and he continues to mock him by not drawing his sword. Ever since crossing paths with Team Ravenfield, his priorities have been switched. No longer did he make tracking that madman his primary mission. And yet, he longed for confronting him just to show off how he's grown. He wanted Griffin to grow stronger? That's what he'll get.

Griffin sighed and shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking that right now. He doesn't even know where he is. He could be halfway across the region, taking down other warriors by his blade. The horrific acts made the Grovyle's blood boil.

He shouldn't care now. He just needed to wait for his team to find him and…

…there was that weird feeling again.

Griffin straightened up and looked around vigilantly. The feeling, this time, was accompanied with a faint sound. He concentrated on his surroundings, filtering out the forest and pinpointing that specific sound. He listened, listened hard, and heard it again. Still faint, yet clear as day.

The weak cries of a man, growing weaker by the moment.

Griffin growled and focused his senses across the forest. His mind, now cleared, focused on the life energies in the forest. His range allowed for good tracking, the best way to hunt down criminals with magic auras. With any luck, this fallen man had a magic aura he could track.

His senses prevailing, he located six magic auras in the forest. Four of them immediately stood out as four of his five teammates. He could feel the direction they were to him. Opposite of them, however, was a weaker aura that…was slowly dying.

The sixth…the sixth aura…

Griffin's eyes widened. No…No, that can't be right. His teammates' auras weren't the only familiar auras in the forest. This sixth one felt all too familiar to the bounty hunter. His talon like feet curled into the dirt as his body tensed. His shocked eyes slowly dipped into a sharp, furious glare.

You…

Not even caring to regroup with his friends, Griffin sprinted towards the two other auras. He zipped around the trees, focusing on the dying blue aura far away from him. The other aura was slowly moving away from the fallen man. They planned on leaving. That wasn't going to happen.

Griffin jumped across the tree trunks, using the increasing momentum and his natural biology to get him there faster. His hateful aura surge from his body. The blood red energy lit up the blue tinted forest around him. His eyes burned with wrath for the opposing aura, but he kept enough self-control to focus on one other task first.

It didn't take him long to traverse the wet forest as he skidded to a halt. He panted lightly before staring ahead with gritted teeth. All he could say was, "I should have realized it sooner…"

That weird feeling told him what was happening, but he didn't acknowledge it because his mind wasn't in the right place. But now that he saw it, he wished he intervened sooner. How none of them overheard this carnage before the Grovyle's eyes was beyond his understanding.

Trees were cut down and broken. The ground and dirt were kicked up from, what he assumed to be, a battle of strength and magical pressure. The magical pressure especially, as he could feel the remnants of magical aura being leaked. The scorch marks and ice walls in the area indicated all out assault. If he had to guess, judging from how much could be felt, this was a little before they came into the forest. A battle of this magnitude would have been traced immediately.

Griffin's eyes eventually landed on the fallen warrior he traced. His eyes narrowed sadly, gazing upon the Servine that lay breathless in a pool of his own blood. He wore armor with color that resembled brass, yet it was mangled and cut through like paper. Under the armor was the Servine's clothes, stained in his own blood. Resting in his arms, over his chest, was a short sword sheathed in a dark yellow scabbard. The hilt was black with a silver cross guard.

The Servine's glazed eyes slowly looked toward Griffin. Griffin flinched at how weak and helpless this man looked. The Servine struggled to reach out, hoarsely saying, "Please…come…here…"

Griffin obeyed and kneeled before his side. He took the grass snake's hand in his and clenched it gently. "Sir…what is your name?"

He breathed slowly, trying to stay awake. "I…Iestyn the Cutter…" He coughed harshly, spitting out blood. His hand trembled, but Griffin kept hold of it. "I…I'm not…I-I can't…"

Griffin closed his eyes and bowed his head in respect. It was a pessimistic way of addressing it, but they both knew he had no chance of survival. His aura was too weak to seek immediate medical attention. Griffin looked into his eyes. "I'm…I'm sorry…"

Iestyn wheezed out feebly, then looked directly at the leaves. He could see the gray clouds as raindrops splashed against his face, running off the red stains on his face. "M…M-My…My f-f-family…"

Griffin held the back of the Servine's head. "I'll…make sure someone's notified of your…passing. I'm…sorry." Griffin clenched his eyes angrily. "If we only got here sooner, I could have-!"

"T-This…This i-isn't your fault…" Iestyn stated weakly. "W-Who…a-a-are you?"

Griffin breathed shakily, then attempted to keep his composure. "Griffin Everfall. I am the Blood Moon Rogue."

"T-The b-bounty hunter renowned f-f-for taking the w-w-weapons of d-d-dead warriors…"

Griffin nodded. "Yes…but not for the reason the public will have you believe." He glared. "I already know who did this to you…"

"I-I-I see…" Iestyn wheezed frailly, then gripped his sword. "P-Please…t-t-take good care o-of Absolute Z-Zero…" he pleaded, referring to his weapon. "U-Use it…fight hard…"

Griffin gripped the hilt tightly, then stared at the dying warrior. "I'm sorry…"

Iestyn breathed softly, then his head gently slumped to the side. Griffin narrowed his eyes on the Servine's aura, then growled quietly. The last flicker of life in the warrior blew out. No heartbeat, no breathes, no life. Griffin's fingers curled aggressively for a moment, trying to hold back the rage burning in his heart.

He took a deep breath, then sighed. He stared at the dead warrior with sympathy, then closed his lifeless eyes. His arms drooped to the side as he stared down at yet another fallen warrior. A precious life taken in such a dishonorable matter. His blood boiled hotter than before as his aura leaked out.

Without looking up, he clenched his teeth and growled, "I know you're there. You sensed me the moment I got here."

An ominous wind blew by as a figure stepped out of hiding. Griffin looked up and sneered at the man. Before him was an Electivire, staring down the Grovyle with a cold glare. He wore a green tunic with a black shirt underneath and gray pants. Around him was a black coat that fluttered in the wind, with the hood down. Visible underneath the cloak were a silver arm brace on his right forearm and a white hilted sword with a silver scabbard.

The Electivire scoffed quietly, keeping a hand on his sword. "Griffin…"

Griffin stood up and glared at the opposing figure. "…Voss…"

Voss closed his eyes and sighed. "I was wondering when our paths would cross again. Though, it seems your friends are nowhere to be seen. Where is young Holly and Mack?"

Griffin gripped Absolute Zero tightly. "Just me…no one else."

"Uh huh…" Voss opened his eyes and glanced off the side observantly. "So, I suppose those four auras in the distance mean nothing to you." He looked back at Griffin. "I wonder if any of them can put up a worthy challenge."

Griffin growled and took a step forward. "Face them and you'll have to deal with me."

"An idle threat," Voss judged. "For now, I must be off. I have important business to take care of." He turned around and prepared to leave, but stopped and sidestepped an Exosus Release that smashed and incinerated a tree into ash. The Electivire looked over his shoulder emotionlessly. "Did you need something?"

Griffin lowered his smoking hand and sneered. "You aren't getting off that easily." He pointed his newest weapon at its previous owner. "Not after what you did to him."

Voss sighed and looked away. "What's there to say? He was weak and unworthy of my effort. It only seemed fair to put him out of his misery. Allowing him to live the rest of his worthless life as an inferior being would be a disservice."

Griffin was practically breathing out his blood red aura through his teeth. "You consider yourself some sort of god?"

"I'm simply a man who seeks the proper challenge." He turned around and faced the Grovyle. "I've grown weary of life itself and wish to depart from this world. However, I only wish to be slain by a warrior capable of killing me: the Invincible Juggernaut."

Griffin hissed in irritation and gripped Absolute Zero's scabbard. "I don't believe in someone being unbeatable. I'm going to kill you. Slowly and painfully."

Voss narrowed his eyes seriously. "Oh? Is that so?"

Griffin unsheathed his new sword. Upon coming out, a sharp coldness blew out. He raised the weapon towards his opponent. The blade was a single edged sword that resembled blue stain glass with a bright blue outline around it. The blade radiated with a strong cold aura that formed frost around Griffin's arm.

Voss raised his brow. "I questioned why a grass snake would choose wielding a sword that emits cold energy. Seems unorthodox."

Griffin swiped the air, leaving a trail of cold mist. "Guess you don't know what it takes to be a warrior."

Voss closed his eyes. "Do not waste my time with frivolous revenge schemes. I have no intention of fighting you." His eyes opened into a glare. "You're still the same, cowering weakling I met in Monsoon Village."

Griffin growled. "I…am no…coward!" He kicked off the ground, thrusting the sword forward. "And I will kill you!"

Voss sidestepped while examining Griffin's form. He lodged the blade into a tree, which slowly coated with ice in a near instant. He pulled it out and slashed across the ground, sending out a trail of cold energy. Voss dodged it again as it split across a tree with ice.

Griffin sprinted off and ran circles around the warrior killer. He got behind him and went for a slash, but Voss blocked the attack with his arm bracer. Ice formed around it, but not a single scratch was made in the bracer. He grabbed the Grovyle by the wrist and threw him to the side. Griffin pressed his feet against a tree and sprung off.

Voss continued to keep his composure as Griffin swung the icy weapon, dodging with simple movements. He kept his arms folded behind his back. Griffin went in for a diving stab overhead, but one of Voss' twin tails wrapped around his wrists and smashed him into the dirt.

Voss gave him a cold stare. "You're out of your league, Griffin. You still haven't let your rage takeover. Where's that vile lack of empathy? That murderous bloodlust?"

Griffin shot a blood red glare at the murderer. "You want to see bloodlust?!" He spun on his back, dragging Absolute Zero through the dirt. Voss jumped back from a pillar of ice that sprung up. Griffin jumped out of it and pulled out Infinity Breaker.

The polearm extended out in a blur, but Voss caught it with ease. However, Griffin retracted it so it could pull himself in. He spun Absolute Zero and attempted to slash across Voss' chest, but he used his arm bracer again to take the hit. Once again, not a single scratch could be made into it.

Griffin used Infinity Breaker to leap over Voss' head, depositing the weapon soon after, and threw Absolute Zero at his back. Voss sidestepped and let the weapon fly by, stabbing the ground and partially coating it in ice. He turned around, then caught a kick from the bounty hunter. Griffin twisted himself out of his grip and landed on his hands. He flipped to his feet and pulled out two Exiled Souls.

He crossed the weapons and slashed forward. "Flash Needle!" He fired off the red needle shower.

Voss sighed tiredly and precisely blocked the needles with his arm bracer. The needles shattered against the hard metal. He glared at Griffin in annoyance. "Are you through warming up? I don't intend to stay here all day."

Griffin growled furiously and sent Exiled Souls away. "Take this seriously!" He pulled out No Peace and charged. He pulled the studded warclub back and swung it at the murderer's head.

Voss held his arm bracer up and blocked the warclub. Kinetic energy reverberated off his brace, blowing his fur and tunic from the impact. Even so, it still didn't damage the bracer. He raised his brow. "Ah yes, I remember killing the warrior who used this particular weapon."

Griffin growled in frustration and bafflement. The hell?! No Peace is designed to shatter defenses! What the hell is that brace made of?!

Griffin pulled back and tried to get a strike in from his other side. Voss leapt back, avoiding the swing. Griffin chased him down, swinging the heavy warclub aggressively. He ended up hitting the ground and causing a shockwave to blast up the earth and dirt. They jumped away from each other and landed on risen rock.

Griffin glared and traded No Peace out for Justice Flyer. He aimed the rapier and rocketed himself towards Absolute Zero. He snatched the weapon and rocketed himself towards Voss. He thrusted with a flurry of jabs, to which Voss either blocked with his bracer or dodged. Griffin contorted his body and swung down with Absolute Zero. Voss caught the blade, then grunt as ice formed down his arm.

Griffin jumped back and aimed Justice Flyer for the Electivire's stomach. However, his tail snaked around and caught his wrist. Voss shook the cold blade off and broke the ice off with a wave of pressure. He wrapped his other tail around Griffin's neck and lifted him to eye level.

Voss scoffed. "…pathetic." He threw Griffin away. The Grovyle's back slammed hard against a tree. He groaned quietly. Voss attempted to leave again. "You're as weak as ever."

"DIE!" Voss turned around, then narrowly avoided Griffin's Twin Inferos Busters. The magic snake heads hissed and snapped their jaws as Griffin threw punches at the warrior killer. Voss dodged his attacks and chopped him in the back of the neck. Griffin rolled across the ground, then landed on his feet. He slammed his fists together, steaming with heat. "Malignitas Force!" He spun around and rapidly punched the air, firing off concussive shockwaves.

Voss couldn't simply block them with his bracer, so he ran to the side to evade them. Griffin tracked his movements and continuously punched at the air with anger burning in his eyes. He clenched his fist tightly and roared, delivering one final blow directly at the Electivire.

Voss scoffed and dropped to his knees, sliding under the shockwave that obliterated the trees. He smoothly returned onto his feet, then dusted himself off. He stepped back, avoiding a slash from Absolute Zero. Griffin dragged the blade through the ground and slashed up a wall of ice that almost hit the warrior killer.

"You've learned to use that thing quickly," Voss commented.

Griffin exhaled cold mist and growled. "I thought I told you to take this seriously!" He slashed angrily, trying to get at least one hit in, but the warrior showed to be far more experienced.

"I don't find myself putting the effort of complying to your wishes if you can't prove your worth." Voss pivoted on his foot and spun his elbow sharply into Griffin's back. The Grovyle gasped out in pain, then picked up by the head leaf. "This is your rage? It's a childish tantrum, at best." He violently slammed Griffin into the ground. He picked him up again, continuing, "Is this truly the extent of your power?" He repeatedly flung Griffin into the ground, this time with no pause. The Grovyle looked like a red and green blur as he was slammed around. "Wasted potential and effort." Voss tossed Griffin away.

Griffin scrambled to his feet and panted heavily. He wiped his cheek, feeling the warm blood dripping down his face. Despite being in pain, the rage in his heart remained strong and fierce. He glared over his shoulder with burning red eyes. "Don't make a mockery out of ME!" He dug his claws into the ground and kicked off.

Voss closed his eyes and blocked a powerful punch from the furious Grovyle. Griffin flicker-vanished around the Electivire speedily, then appeared overhead. He performed an axe kick, but Voss jumped forward to avoid it. Voss spun on his feet and glared. Griffin snarled like a beast, then roared wrathfully, erupting in a thick blood red aura.

"Exosus Cloak!" Completely enveloped in his energy, Griffin zoomed right at the Electivire and threw his punch. Voss stopped it with his bracer, but felt the immediate difference in this punch compared to the others. He nearly tripped over his feet from the shock.

Voss narrowed his eyes in interest. Hmm…now we're getting somewhere.

"DIE, DIE, DIE!" Griffin roared as he bashed his fists against the unbreakable bracer. Voss braced himself as the flurry of punches pushed him back. He could sense the intense rage flying out of the Grovyle.

Voss raised his hand and slammed it down on Griffin, burying him in dirt. The Electivire made a sound of dissatisfaction. "Still under the impression all this struggle serves a purpose? I gave up caring about pain a long time ago. This shouldn't be holding a fine specimen like you back. Don't you want to kill me?"

Griffin pressed his palms into the ground and released an Exosus Release: Maelstrom. Voss crossed his arms and flew back. The blast lightly singed his clothes. He landed on his feet and glared. Griffin picked himself up and growled viciously.

"You took everything away from ME! YOU BASTARD!" Griffin sprinted right at him, pulling out Twin Storms. He spun in place and jumped, wrapping himself in thick winds and spiraling towards Voss. The Electivire sneered and clenched his fist. He threw his fist at the winds, but they split in two and curved around at his back.

Voss spun around and caught both tornadoes in his hands. He crushed the left one into nothing before pulling Griffin out of the right. Voss went for the punch, but staggered back as Griffin swung Echo Chamber up with disorienting sound waves.

Griffin sent both weapons away and cracked his knuckles. "This ends now!" He cupped his hand around his fist and charged energy into it. Red rings of energy surged down. He channeled seven into his fist before dashing forward. "Burn in Hell! Ira Dei: Seven Destructive Fists!"

Voss opened his eyes and saw the Grovyle coming right at him. He sneered quietly, then clenched his right fist. The arm bracer glowed in a white light, but Griffin paid no mind to that as he got in close and threw his supercharged fist.

The fist pressed right against the Electivire's stomach. The contact resulted in a brilliant flash of red light. The pressure exuding off the attack made the ground crumble. Pulses of energy surged off, building up as the punch stockpiled kinetic energy on top of each other. Griffin jumped back as Voss flew back from the forcible punched, with his feet digging into the ground.

The Electivire ended up crashing into a tree that crumbled from the massive pressure of the seven destructive punches. A cloud of dust rose up from the aftermath.

Griffin stumbled back and gripped his sore wrist. His arm ached from the use of his powerful spell. The Grovyle panted heavily, glaring in disgust at the murderous being he once called his teacher.

"Come on, Voss! I want to fight a real opponent!" a younger Griffin complained as he punched the wooden dummy set up for him. "This is SSSOOO boring! I want high stakes action!"

Voss sat off to the side, meditating. "You asked for my expertise and wisdom about battle. Simple training games do not prepare you for real life."

"Yeah, but at least they're fun…" Griffin mumbled, throwing an uninterested punch at the dummy's chest.

Voss grunted in irritation. "Brats these days. Still intact with their youth. Their innocence." He glared ahead. "Kid, the world's a miserable place to exist in. A cold reminder that the next day will bring more pain. Sickening."

Griffin gave him a deadpanned look. "I'm not following."

Voss stood up. "Warriors these days seem to focus on heroic acts of valor and glory. Fighting for truth and justice. A delusional mindset for the desensitized generation I'm cursed to exist with."

Griffin ceased practicing on the dummy and crossed his arms. "What are you talking about? Warriors are awesome! They're brave, strong, heroic, and the coolest thing in Mysto!"

"And every day is the same ol' song and dance." He turned around and looked down at the Treecko. "Kid, glory and fame can get you far, but what happens when you've reached the top?"

Griffin raised his brow. "Uh…you're the best, duh."

"It means there's no point." Voss lifted his right arm and gazed at his bracer. "Saving lives from the sick and twisted, getting stronger, fighting for what's right…how foolish I was to believe there was a point to saving a life." He glared at the Treecko. "It's pointless to fight for selflessness when you yourself have become numb to your own deeds. It becomes an everlasting scar that grows with pain."

"I…don't get it."

Voss walked towards the dummy and drew his sword. "What I'm saying is…what's left to gain when you've become the strongest?" He slashed across the dummy once, then slowly sheathed his sword. "Nothing. You're just a hero who always wins. And I hate that." His sword clicked inside its scabbard, then the dummy flashed with white sparkles with the single slash illuminating brightly before collapsing to shreds. "And that's the sad truth."

Griffin stepped back, momentarily awestruck by the display of swordsmanship before glaring at him. "What's wrong with saving lives? It's a nice thing to do."

"Saving Pokémon from the greedy and cruel, perhaps. But these days, I just see warriors pretending this is all some silly game." Voss paced around the Treecko. "Whatever happened to the warrior's spirit? One that didn't seek fame and glory, but power and domination? After years of culminating the thoughts, it makes no sense to me. Why should I care for the lives of others when I can't find the thrill for living anymore?" He narrowed his eyes sadly. "Days upon days of nothing but the same thing. Me, a warrior forced to wander the region searching for satisfaction. Something to put me out of my misery."

Griffin slowly became uncomfortable. "Oookay, you're getting a little creepy…"

Voss gripped his sword tightly. "…I came to Monsoon Village when I heard about the Grim Ash Clan. Legends stating they were among the most powerful of magic users." He turned toward Griffin. "I often wonder what that power truly feels like, if the legends hold true."

"So…you just want to fight the strongest members of my clan?"

The Electivire looked at his bracer for a moment, then closed his eyes. "Something like that." He opened them up. "I grow jealous of the warriors I come across. They don't suffer my fate. I wish to see the greatest warriors of this world so they may give me the satisfaction I deserve: release from this wretched world."

Griffin raised his brow. "I see…" This guy seemed crazier by the second.

Voss walked past him, then looked over his shoulder. "I wish to enlighten your mind, Griffin. I see great potential in your rage. That vengeful anger that surrounds you. The aura of a hungry killer."

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "Killer…? I don't want to kill people."

"The truth many forget, dear boy, is kill or be killed. The weak die, the strong live. And the strong, like me, must suffer for our unbeatable glory. Life…means nothing to me anymore. The lives of others…they don't matter if I can't get satisfaction. The only feeling I have yet to experience is death…a fate I can never have." He closed his eyes. "I wish for only the strongest to take my life, so that I may be at rest knowing the world isn't without a strong fighter."

Griffin looked absolutely shocked by his confession. "The heck?! Why throw your life away?!"

"If there's nothing left to amount to, then there's no point." Voss looked at him. "Tell me, child: What does life mean to you?"

"Huh?"

"If life is so worth protecting and raising, what does it mean to you? When someone like me sees endless suffering from the tight grip of physical existence, what does it mean to live when everything has no purpose in the end?" He narrowed his eyes. "What does life mean to you?"

Griffin clenched his smoking fist tightly and shouted, "How can you still be so blind?! Warriors fight for the lives of others! They fight for the good of the people!"

The Grovyle glared at the smoke before him, then gasped when he saw Voss' figure through it. He still stood tall, even after his attack, as if the attack didn't faze him. "…everyone dies at some point. I only wish to be defeated by the most worthy of fighters. If they can't slay me, they've lost their right to be called warriors."

The smoke cleared, shocking Griffin with the new sight to his eyes. The Electivire was cladded in a silver armor that encased his whole body, not a single yellow or black hair to be seen. Metal shoulder pads extended out, metal coating around his twins tails that didn't hinder flexibility, and a mask and helmet similar to a samurai with only his red eyes peering through.

Griffin stared in disbelief, then looked directly at where he punched him. He saw the heat of his attack against the metal plating, but not a single dent or scratch was made. The armor was completely unharmed.

"N…No…" Griffin mumbled in horror.

Voss knocked the helmet a couple times. "Anyone who can pierce this armor is worthy of my respect." He narrowed his eyes. "However…that's a promise that'll never be made. Thousands have tried to slay me in this armor. Thousands of died by my sword." He drew his blade and aimed it at Griffin. "Immuto Armor. This armor has taken the strongest hits the world's ever seen. Anything that can't surpass that power is completely nullified." He glared. "In short, I can't be defeated by anyone."

Griffin's eye twitched uncomfortably, then his eyes shaped into a murderous glare. "You…You…" Griffin roared furiously and lunged right at him. Voss didn't fight back as Griffin angrily punched his fist against the armor. His attacks vibrated off the armor, leaving no damaging impact behind.

Voss closed his eyes. "I've lost patience protecting the innocent. If you're not strong, death awaits you. A kill or be killed world. That's the path I walk now. That's the path I've created for you. I want you to surpass me, Griffin Everfall. I want you at your strongest."

Griffin jumped back and panted heavily. Blood red stripes stretched from his eyes and covered his face. He held his hand out, sent away all his weaponry including Absolute Zero, and pulled out Endless Regret. "If's it kill or be killed, do you mock me by sparing my LIFE?!" He stomped the ground and swung the sword back. "Exosus…" Explosive energy wrapped around the black blade, crackling intensely.

Voss glared. "I want to see the full power of hatred reach its peak. Call this an experiment, to see how vile a Pokémon you can become when you've completely surrendered to anguish. No warrior has ever embraced that feeling of fighting for pure power and onslaught. Now come, show me what you've lear-!"

"RELEASE!" Griffin swiped his blade across and unleashed a massive wave of blood red energy. The trees caught in its path incinerated on the spot, crumbling to ashes. The wave stretched out, encompassing everything. Voss spread his arms out and took the blast. He felt the ground burning beneath his feet.

The wave stretched out for meters, bringing down everything in sight. The blast echoed across the whole forest, capable of being heard by all in the forest. The energy eventually dissipated from the output, leaving behind a scorched mess.

Griffin struck his sword down and held himself up with it. He glared tiredly at the torched ground. He flattened the path in his field of vision. Not a single tree remained standing and the ground closely resembled the floor of a volcano. Ashes fluttered in the wind. Griffin panted softly, then clenched his teeth as the smoke cleared up.

Voss was still standing.

His armor smoked from the blast, but not a scratch was made into the metal. Voss calmly glared at the Grovyle, then sheathed his sword. "…you have grown stronger, but you refuse to release all your power at once." Griffin growled under his breath. "You still refuse to give in to your hate. Why? Don't you hate me?"

Griffin raised his sword and aimed it. "More…than anything on this planet."

"Why aren't you consumed by your desire for…?" Voss closed his eyes. "…you still haven't given up on trying to prove me wrong." He sighed, then turned his back. "I'm done here."

"What?!" Griffin shouted.

"There is no point in fighting you, boy. I have business to take care of." He glared. "I know you can become so much more. Stop wasting my time and get stronger. If you don't, I will kill you." He started walking away.

Griffin's hand trembled in incredulity. His tired breaths stopped and turned into low humming growls. "You…You can't just…" He stomped forward and screamed, "WE'RE NOT DONE YET!"

Voss folded his arms behind his back. "I believe we are."

"NO! I REFUSE TO LET YOU GO! COME BACK HERE AND FIGHT ME, YOU MISERABLE SADIST!" His aura exploded outward uncontrollably. Hot tears streamed down his eyes. "I'LL KILL YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! DIE, DIE, DIE!" Griffin ran at him, snarling a murderous shout as he wrapped his energy around Endless Regret into an unstable blade.

Voss stopped, then turned around. The frustration was evident in the Grovyle's face, but he still refused to fight back. To put an end to this, Voss simply closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and unleashed his silvery aura.

Griffin got within striking range when Voss' aura exploded upward with sheer intensity. Griffin flew off his feet, disrupting his attack. He plunged Endless Regret into the dirt and anchored himself down. He looked forward in horror at the massive outpour of aura shooting from the monster. The energy reached as high as the clouds.

"Go ahead. Try and attack," Voss ordered. His armor glowed and retracted back into the arm bracer. "Lay a strike on me. I won't stop you."

Griffin's heart pounded vigorously, pulling Endless Regret up and aiming for the kill. However, he couldn't will himself to step closer. He tried to force himself, but the immense pressure was too great for his body to take. The energy felt…suppressing. He physically couldn't inch himself closer without breaking down.

"Do you see the difference in our strength?!" Voss' voice boomed from inside the aura. His figure was completely shadowed out, with his red eyes piercing through the aura. The aura even made him look taller and more ferocious from the way it distorted his image. "I'm the Invincible Juggernaut! I can only be slain by the strongest! Do you still believe you can take me?!"

Griffin desperately tried to aim his sword. "I…I…"

"I assure you, you will fail when you confront him. You will confront this swordsman for the first time…and you will be overwhelmed by his power."

Griffin's hand trembled. He stared up at the hulking beast above him, overpowered by the massive difference in power. All the rage he felt towards this monster was stripped away and replaced with doubt and uncertainty. Images of his village burning away in the fire resurfaced, remembering the shadow of the monster that took it all away from him. The little Treecko crying out for his parents while this monster stood above him.

His knees buckled under him as he dropped his sword and collapsed forward, staring at the ground with a devastated expression.

Voss ceased outpouring his aura and took a sigh of irritation. "…I act merciful with you because I want to see you overcome my power." He turned away and began to walk. "You want to continue thinking there's some sense to being the hero? Be my guest. You'll die like the rest. Living has lost all meaning in my eyes. Try and prove me wrong, if you have the guts."

Griffin stared at the ground blankly. His eyes shook frantically while he breathed heavily. His throat felt clenched up from the scare. Sweat dripped from his head. He clenched his eyes for a moment, then looked forward.

He was already gone.

Griffin looked down at his blade, starting at his devastated reflection. He picked the weapon up, then stabbed the ground. He pressed his head against the face and sighed shakily.

"I…I will surpass you…" Griffin mumbled quietly. He swallowed hard, then bared his teeth. "And I'll do it on my own terms…"

"Come on, I think he's this way!" Wes shouted as he pushed through some bushes. The others followed closely behind. Having recovered from the brief flooding, they started the search for their missing teammate.

However, through their search, a lot happened. Namely the two overwhelming presences in the forest. One was easily recognizable to the group, but the other…sent cold shivers across their spines. Even Ella felt the exuding pressure from earlier. Chaotic noises from the distance, telling them Griffin got himself into some trouble.

"Wonder what that hotheaded bounty hunter got himself into this time," Tony joked with his hands in his pockets.

Flint narrowed his eyes. "Seriously, what happened out here? Did Griffin get jumped or something?"

"If he did, I'm worried," Wes admitted. "That other presence wasn't a typical bandit."

Ella gulped. "Do you think he's okay?"

"I hope so," Gwyn cried with teary eyes. "I know he can be a little cold, but Griffin's such a nice guy!" Flint nudged her side, allowing her to lean against him for some comfort.

Wes glared. "Strong or not, I'm not letting that jackass who attacked my teammate get away!"

"One step at a time, Wes," Ella warned.

They passed through the trees and peeked across the distance. Stepping around the tree, their eyes widened to see the razed land and scorched earth. The fresh smoking blackness slowly cooled from the moisture. An entire pathway of destruction in the middle of such a quiet forest.

Their eyes slowly wander around, before landing someone nearby. It was Griffin, who sat in front of lump of ground. A cross made of sticks was jabbed in the back like a makeshift tombstone. Griffin had his eyes closed as he held his newest weapon in his hands, mumbling prayers to the ground.

His team walked up behind them with somber faces. Ella stepped up first and placed her paw on his shoulder. "Griffin…"

He stopped his prayers, but didn't open his eyes. He remained quiet for a moment, then sighed. "…the worst side of fate…what does that mean for me?"

It immediately clicked what transpired during their separation. No explanation had to be provided. His tone of voice provided enough details. The team looked at each other with empathic eyes, then sat down beside Griffin and closed their eyes, silently praying to the deceased individual.

Griffin opened his eyes, narrowing them on the grave of Iestyn the Cutter. He took a deep breath, then unsheathed Absolute Zero. He stared at the cold blade as icy mist mixed with the air. He turned it around a couple of times, then sighed.

"…is there purpose to all this struggling?" he mumbled.

Wes opened one eye at him, then smiled gently. He placed his paw on his shoulder and said, "No one said life was an easy ride. Whatever you're going through…just know it's too easy to give up on your beliefs." The others nodded in agreement.

Griffin let it sink in, then nodded slowly. "Right…" He closed his eyes, then sheathed the weapon. "One thing's for sure…" His eyes opened into a glare. "I can't afford not to care."

They sat in silence in front of the grave, continuing to pay their respects to the warrior. No words had to be spoken to know the troubles that lay ahead.

As the days passed, the shadows were no longer the only threat in their way.

Voss stepped out of Lonely Rains Forest, looking back for a moment. He kept special attention to Griffin's aura the whole way out. He could sense the presence of his associates by his side. He narrowed his eyes solemnly in their direction, then continued walking.

"Why haven't you broken, Griffin?" Voss asked aloud. "What nerve haven't I touched yet to bring out your rage? What motivates you to hunt me down if you haven't reached your peak?" The Electivire rubbed his chin. "How perplexing. You truly are different from those I've slain. So defiant to accept the power, yet so persistent."

Voss stopped as he felt an odd sensation beneath his bracer. He pulled the metal piece back and took a look at his wrist. He sighed and shook his head. "Perhaps when everything is set in motion, we'll clash swords once more."

Beneath the arm bracer, seared into his skin, was the symbol for the Tribe of Shadows. The iris glowed red as Voss stared at it.

He readjusted the bracer and continued on his way. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he walked. "If the end of the world doesn't bring out your true strength, then the world deserves to perish under our heel."