Ch.79: The Long Trek to Discovery! Investigating a Growing Darkness Ahead!

Team Ravenfield and the newly accompanied Jonathan Geno trekked through the snow, fighting against the blistering winds and deep snow they had to trudge through. It's been about five days since they left the lodge in pursuit of this mysterious library that may hold the secrets to their troubles. Though, they were betting on their guide's ability to actually search for the thing.

Gwyn took the lead throughout most of the journey, only ever resting when her legs were getting tired or when someone else took the lead per Gwyn's instructions. She was mostly walking blind, though. She couldn't actually see the darn building and was relying more on its general location via her godly connection to it. There were a few times where she would get so lost in thought, she'd plunge into a particularly deep area of snow. Either Tony or Flint would fish her out.

She felt some unease leading the team. Wes was always the one leading them to their next destination, so it felt out of place. She worried if she might be doing something wrong or maybe even make a mistake. She even pondered if what she was following wasn't a godly aura, but just a regular one that felt extra sparkly. Best way of putting it.

Though, the encouragement from her team was nice. Not once did they doubt her. It was that kind of faith that filled her insides with that warm, bubbly feeling that made her all happy, especially when it came from Flint. Something about the way he cheered her on filled her with an extra boost of positivity.

Maybe it was the cold against her face, but her cheeks warmed up at the thought. Her talk with Ella has been on her mind lately and has been making her question whether or not she felt something for the Flareon. Her experience on love boiled down to her affection for her mother, but this was clearly different. No one gave her the same joy inside than Flint, but that could be a number of things. He was the first person to help her open up. Then again…

Gwyn sighed, seeing her breath blow away in the wind. 'I mean…he is cute when he gets all flustered…' She mentally giggled at the images of the Flareon's frustrated and often exaggerated expressions. Even when he was fed up with something, those faces hit a soft spot that made her giggly. 'Hehe…Flustered Flinty…'

"Hey, you, Gwyn!" Gwyn squeaked and covered her face under her scarf as Tony addressed her. "You're zoning out up there. How much farther is the place?"

Gwyn nearly forgot what she was doing. She bonked herself lightly in the head. 'Silly brain.' Her personal feelings weren't the issue right now. She should be focusing on finding the library.

…And speaking of finding the library…

Her eyes widened a bit as she reassessed their location. She must've been zoned out for a while, because the presence of this mysterious force was much stronger than earlier. She could feel it with greater clarity than back at the lodge. It was still faint, likely because of that theory of Wes' that it might be hidden between dimensions, but much easier for her to sense. And, since she was the only magic user who seemed to notice this, her fears about going the wrong way drained away.

She spun around and grinned brightly at her companions. "I can feel it! We're getting closer! Not that much farther from here!"

Jonathan smiled. "Amazing…I never thought I'd actually get to see it…"

Wes grinned. "I knew Gwyn had this in the bag."

Flint nodded. "Nice work, Gwyn."

There it was again, that bubbly feeling. Gwyn giggled girlishly and covered her face behind her scarf, wiggling in place. "Aw shucks~! It was nothing!"

Tony held his hip. "How far is it?"

Gwyn stopped dancing in place and stuck her tongue out. "Hmm…half hour, at best?"

Griffin sighed. "This better not be a false lead."

"I guarantee you, this is the real thing," Jonathan assured. "Knowledge gathered from Mysto since its creation at our fingertips. This will paint the way to victory if we're lucky."

Ella snickered under her breath. "Or maybe some juicy gossip two centuries ago. Think of all the scandalous tidbits we can read up on people!" She threw her head back and laughed.

Griffin stared at her with a sweat-drop. "Way to get your priorities straight…"

Wes chuckled, then grinned at Gwyn. "Well Gwyn, if you're still raring to go, let's get a move on! Lead us to that library!"

"Aye, captain!" She spun around and skipped ahead…then sank into a deep patch of snow. "AAHH! I'M STUCK! AGAIN!"

Flint sweat-dropped with a light smile. "I'm coming Gwyn," he said with a short sigh. He walked over with his Guardian's arms appearing over him.

With the team keeping their attention on Gwyn, Jonathan pulled Wes to the side for a moment. "I never got the chance to tell you this since it's been so long." He smiled at the Umbreon. "Hal and your mother are wishing for you all to get back safe. I think they'll be happy to know how far you've come."

Wes laughed sheepishly. "Eh, this is basically a normal trip for me…just much farther, longer, more people, and…far more life-threatening…"

Jonathan's smile dipped a bit. "…Wes, your mother is very worried about you and Flint, you know this?"

Wes' ears drooped. "…Course I do."

"Do you remember what we discussed? The day before you found that map?"

"About if I'm cut out to be a treasure hunter?"

"Yes." Jonathan looked ahead as the team started to move. They followed along, keeping close to the back of the group. "Do you have an answer to that yet?"

Wes sighed. "I still want to become a treasure hunter…nothing will stop that. It's my passion. My life's goal."

Jonathan closed his eyes and smiled. "You've always been a dreamer, ever since you started out in my class. That's something I think everyone needs in life. A passion that burns deep inside them and gives them the ambition to strive for what they want. Regardless of intention, it gives life meaning. Everyone wants something and will try all they can to obtain it. But…" Wes glanced at him. "Sometimes the journey to that goal may show you something you have yet to see for yourself."

"Eh?" Wes' eyes widened. "Hey! What was it that you wanted to tell me, anyway?! You still haven't told me!"

Jonathan laughed. "Maybe when we find the library, I'll tell you."

"I really, really hate being kept in suspense here!"

Jonathan shook his head and took a deep breath. "You have the makings of a treasure hunter, Wes." Wes eased up and stared at him with curious eyes. "That's one of your best traits: refusal to give up on what you love. Like I said…we all need something passionate that drives us to improve our craft and achieve our dreams. If you put that kind of effort into everything, maybe you will become the greatest treasure hunter."

Wes blinked quietly, then stared ahead as he contemplated his goal. Becoming the greatest treasure hunter means a lot to him and he was certainly passionate about it, no doubt.

It never really occurred to him how encouraging the professor was. He has always been his favorite teacher, but never to this extent. This was true, honest advice. He has always looked out for him whenever he needed help. He never realized just how insightful and supportive the Scrafty was.

It felt…rather nice.

Five days in the village, the Sacred Tree Village (Mack couldn't talking about how 'creative' that name was), Fernando and the bounty hunters have been walking about and pulling aside anyone they could get for a moment interrogation. Thankfully, most in the village have lived here for most of their lives, so they would certainly have been around five years ago.

There was the issue with finding a reliable source of information. As previously established, the tomb was likely hidden around the Grand World Tree and has been off limits for the last five hundred years. Desperately kept hidden by all eyes so not to unleash an unspeakable evil onto the world. They could only imagine the kind of panic that would fly into these people's heads if they found out they were in walking distance of the greatest evil to ever plague their world. Mass panic was the consensus among the trio.

Now, because of this, they had to be very careful with how they explained their situation to the villagers. One wrong word and everyone will be off the rails. Or worse, since the Shadow King has been released. Neither wanted to imagine a reaction to that.

Fernando and Holly acted the most rational when trying to ask around about Alex Ghostwind. Without a valid description of the guy other than some small, vague details, they were left with trying to pick at their memories for answers. Mack, being the impatient psycho he was, came off as rather uncomfortable and downright creepy when he asked his questions. Granted, the questions themselves were…poorly worded.

"So, tell me, have you seen some guy in a cloak? Probably muttering about a homicide on all life? Or is genocide the appropriate word?"

"Hey kid, have you seen a really creepy guy stalking around here? About five years ago? …no, I am not the creepy guy, stop pointing at me!"

"Hey kids, want to see a dead body?!" That was Mack getting bored and just screwing with people.

Days of interviewing people and keeping everyone from calling the police on Mack, the trio sat under the canopy of a restaurant and ordered some food. A specialty of the Swamp Zone, known as the Swamp Water Casserole. It, uh, tasted better than it sounded. It had a spinach taste to it, with a hint of carrot. They also got milkshakes because 'Why the hell not?!'

Mack sipped on his cookie dough milkshake with a pleased look on his face. "Ah…nothing warms my cold heart more than a delicious milkshake!"

Fernando raised his finger to say something, but just dropped it and sipped on his vanilla shake. "Okay…clearly the last few days haven't been the most…productive."

Holly took some bites out of her casserole before patting her…'mouth' clean. "Ghostwind kept his time here pretty secret until he dashed off. For a phantom who has been asleep for the last five centuries, the Shadow King doesn't waste time."

Fernando scratched his cheek. "Alright, so what do we know so far? We got somethings out of the people."

Mack crossed his arms. "Well, some folks who did spot him said he was acting rather sluggish when he arrived and when he left. Though…they said there was a nuance difference between both instances. Before, he acted like he woke up from bed after a wild night of partying!"

"That's not what they said…" Holly muttered.

"No, but it's a better description. A hangover sucks, I should know." He pressed his fist to his cheek. "After, however, he was moving with an…eerie slowness. Something about the guy looking around like he was studying the area."

"No doubt the Shadow King realizing how much time passed," Fernando clarified. "The Swamp Zone wasn't this…plant heavy in his time. He must've been trying to use Ghostwind's memories to guide himself around on pure instinct."

Holly picked up her milkshake. "Alright, so the Shadow King was still sluggish when he was awakened. Could he be at full power by now?"

"Factors and reason indicate he's in a dormant state," Mack pointed out. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to take this long to start his invasion. We know he's trapped in his own dormancy, so that means he's taking the time to recharge his power."

"But what about now? Would he be as dangerous now as he was then?"

"Hard to say," Fernando admitted. "Not exactly in power, though. The Shadow King has been accounted many times for his tremendous authority on the battlefield. To say he's weak still and now is us wishfully hoping for the best." He glared. "No, in raw power, he may have us beat. But not necessarily outmatched."

Holly narrowed her eyes and nodded in realization. "Magic has evolved past mere destruction."

Fernando sipped his milkshake. "I see it all the time during a job. There's a reason why I always manage the last and only kill in a fight. Why all my targets underestimate me despite my reputation. I'm a Monferno without magic or anything special aside from my natural fire abilities. With the integration of magic, you rarely see magically gifted Pokémon relying on their natural born moves. Magic makes them outdated.

"But that's where Pokémon like me have improved. Without magic, we need to capitalize on those who are merely pure power. Frankly, all the power in the world can't help you if there's no skill to back it up." Fernando glanced off to the side. "And I think that's the shadows in a nutshell."

"Hmm?" the bounty hunters sounded.

"Well, think about it. They need hosts to improve. They're pure power as it is, but that's what made them frightening in the beginning. The Shadow King was feared because he often stuck with skilled hosts that were well beyond that of the average Pokémon. It's like pitting a fighter who has studied martial arts all their life against an average joe who just recently realized they had the power to wipe out an entire region. All that power is completely worthless if you don't know how to use it.

"That's why hitmen and assassins are so feared. It's that 'Bloodlust' we project that shows our dominance. Even if they have the bigger gun, there's doubt. Doubt as in…'Can I get the first shot off before he plunges that knife into my neck?' That sort of thing.

"That was magic from the beginning. Beam spells, fire spells, storm spells, all the spells that did damage. Now what do we have? Plant magic that can take on new forms, a class of support spells that affect the environment and grant protection for an ally or confusion for the enemy-"

"Culinary magic!" Mack shouted. Fernando and Holly stared at him. "You know, making really tasty food that gives added benefits! I call that deliciously dangerous stuff!" He licked his lips. "If I wasn't so fond of my Fear Anima, I would've dedicated my whole life to cooking magnificent masterpieces that'll leave my enemies awing at the taste before the POISON sets it!"

Holly blinked at him, then patted his head. "You're a special guy, Mack…"

"Why thank you! I know I am!"

Fernando sighed, getting one last shudder out of his system. "Yes, well…you get my point. The Shadow King is incredibly powerful, but may be only as skilled as his host." He glared. "Alex Ghostwind is said to be a great martial artist. That alone poses some issues for us."

Holly closed her eyes. "Alright, so what advantages do we have?"

"At the moment, magical variety. However, the Shadow King can adapt as easily as the rest of us. The Idol of Origin in his hands would only make things worse."

Mack held his chin. "You know, all this talk about the Shadow King has left me curious. Does he actually have a name? Seriously, they can't possible have just called him that!"

"Could be for formality," Holly stated. "Or maybe a show of respect. Not like we would know what his real name is. For all we know, he is just 'Shadow King.'"

"There is still debate about the origins of the shadows," Fernando brought up. "The Grand Imperium Age's impact on history means they will always be brought up. But, with how obscure some of the texts are, I wouldn't know much either. Some was left out because centuries of debate since the war spawned paranoia."

"Like those Heralds of Darkness Griffin updated us about," Mack mentioned. "They're said to be immortal, so…yeah, I can see why you shouldn't teach that to children." He smirked. "Though…hehe, would it be funny if you had a teacher who was teaching you this and…hehe, they were actually a herald?"

"Mack-" Holly started.

"Or better yet! Your own doctor! I mean, come on! Wouldn't that be something?! A guy treating your injuries once being the head of an evil army!" He threw his head back and laughed, but Holly bonked him on the head. "Ow!"

"Keep your voice down," she whispered angrily. They were mostly keeping to themselves, but Mack knew how to draw a crowd with his antics. They were just thankful this village wasn't all that active right now, otherwise they wouldn't be having this discussion out in public.

Mack crossed his arms and pouted. "Just saying…"

Fernando sighed. "Look, this is all speculation. In the event the Shadow King were to be released, we would need to find a way to defeat him since overpowering him is out of the question, but no one knows the shadows' weakness, or if they have any." He gripped his glass. "And there's the chance it may be too late for me to find any useful information." He sighed. "Finding that tomb will be hard, much less getting into it without alarming everyone."

Mack waved his hand around. "You could always scare everyone off. That's what I would do."

"Yes Mack, because that wouldn't cause any other complications…" Fernando muttered. He picked at his straw. "No, we need to look at this differently…"

"If I may interject…" Their heads shot up at the new voice that broke into their conversation. They looked around, but saw no one around, not even a waiter. For the most part, they were seemingly to themselves. "I think I have the answers to your plight."

Following the direction of the voice, their heads turned up. Sitting over their heads was a Sawk, hanging upside on a tree branch. He wore particular green robes with earthly stones mixed in. He carried an old wooden staff, held behind his back in both hands. He had this carefree nature to his features, not even fazed they were giving him suspicious looks right off the bat.

The Sawk, with his carefree attitude, jumped down from the trees and landed in the extra chair at their table. "Don't see folks like you looking into such things."

The trio reached for their weapons, with Fernando asking, "Who are you? Were you eavesdropping on us?" He glared. "How much do you know?"

"Name's Vernon. Yes, I was. Just enough." He smiled at them. "That enough info for you?"

Mack spun his three-sectioned staff and pointed it at the Sawk. "Yeah, just enough. Enough to beat the living shit out of you for intruding on our private conversation!"

Vernon chuckled and leaned back. "Friends…I eavesdrop on everyone." He pointed at the ground, directing them to some flowers blooming near the table. "The flora told me. They said I would be interested in your conversation, that it might be of use to me."

Holly released Last Breath and raised her brow. "The…flowers told you?"

"Fact is, I shouldn't expect a hitman to not be sure of when and where privacy is safe. They know when the appropriate time and place is, but they never expect the plants to turn their backs on them." Vernon tapped his head. "That's where fellows like me come into play. A relationship with nature so great, we're in perfect symbiosis."

Mack narrowed his eyes, then spun Eclipse before catching all three staffs in his hand. "So, what? Are you a hippie? Do you speak for the trees? Did you shave your big bushy mustache?"

Ignoring whatever the crazy Sudowoodo was referring to, Fernando glared at Vernon. "That doesn't really clear you of anything. I repeat, how much did you hear from us?"

"And I told you, just enough." Vernon rested his staff over his shoulders. "No need to be so hostile with me, hitman. I'm on your side."

"I know this trick…" Mack muttered to himself.

"No tricks," Vernon corrected, wagging his finger. "I'm simply a guardian around here who wants to help all." He pointed his staff at the ground, commanded plants to rise up. "The flora listens in on the people and, if they hear anything of concern, they tell me. I then help the ones in need and do my part as village guardian." He struck his staff against the ground. "Simple as that."

The trio glanced at each other warily, still unsure if they should be trusting this newcomer. The way he acted indicated he wasn't new to the shadow's return, which posed other questions.

Fernando glared and looked pensively at the Sawk. "Give us one good reason why we should trust you?"

Vernon smirked. "…Don't think I don't know who you three are in cahoots with. I know all about the shadows and their recent activities." He snapped his fingers and created a glowing green orb in his hand. "Like I said…I'm on your side."

Their eyes widened, staring at the orb which contained a green glass key. One of the Keys of Origin. That meant…this man was one of the mages.

Mack blinked, then tried to swipe the orb, but his hand phased through it. "Oh darn…"

Vernon chuckled and snapped it away. "Sorry…no one gets it until they best me in battle. I'm saving it for when worthy warriors come to claim it."

Fernando eased his defensive composure and looked at him with greater ease. "Team Ravenfield…"

"I've heard a lot about them from my four other colleagues." He pressed his fist to his cheek. "They intrigue me. They may very well be the warriors the prophecy foretold." He glanced off to the side with a wary gaze. "Course…prophecies tend to have hidden meanings. No telling if they may succeed with their lives or not."

Holly glared. "We heard…there's a chance they may all perish in the battle against-"

"The Shadow King…yes." Vernon sighed. "Mysterious force, that dark king is. So much of the shadows have origin that revolves around him. It's a mystery how he came to know the existence of the idol." He closed his eyes and smirked to himself. "That's why we're placing our bets on Team Ravenfield."

Holly crossed her arms. "I see…if you're one of the mages, why are you here?"

"Because I wish to help. You've been speaking a lot of this Ghostwind fellow and, frankly, I feel partially responsible for what happened." Vernon sighed. "I knew the tomb's whereabouts at the Grand World Tree. Nothing of interest was going on, so I went on my way, keeping the key safe. Had a meeting with the other mages. We never thought to worry about the tomb too much, for access to it wasn't easy. Locked tight to keep all out, completely hidden." He glared. "I was wrong.

"I learned soon after that poor Alex gained accidental access into the tomb. When I went to investigate, he was already gone. The tomb was empty, not a trace of evil left behind." Vernon sighed. "My double purpose for my intentions…is to make sure no unhappy soul would be tempted by the power of darkness. That is why I sought to help others. Alex didn't seem all that upset on the surface, so I wouldn't have known from my plants if he was in danger of falling to temptation. But now I know, underneath, he was hurting…and his mind was clouded with revenge."

Fernando raised his brow. "Revenge…"

"The death of his entire village. Friends, family…all of them. He buried each and every one of them, marked their graves, going mad with each new body buried. He made graves for the whole village…and it left him the shell of his former self." Vernon crossed his arms. "From what I learned, Ghostwind was doing soul searching to find himself, make things right. I bet the Shadow King was tempting him with thoughts and Ghostwind broke under the pressure. That is how he found the tomb."

Mack crossed his arms. "Yeesh…I'm freakin' unstable and even I think that's overkill. Slaying a whole village…what will bandits think of next?"

Holly glared. "So, you were unable to track Ghostwind?"

"I was more concerned with what would happen if the Shadow King knew I had the Key of Life." Vernon looked down. "We mages will go down dark paths in order to protect these keys. Regardless of Ghostwind's situation, we couldn't allow the Shadow King to obtain any of the keys. Still…from how he left, the king must've been acting on Ghostwind's anguish and knew Garret Ravenfield was his best chance of finding the keys. Ghostwind probably wasn't thinking about me at the time."

Fernando sighed and rubbed his left temple. "So…that much is out of the way." He looked to Vernon. "…The tomb."

"Hmm?"

"I was hired by another companion of Team Ravenfield to investigate the Shadow King's tomb. If it is alright with you, I wish to see it for myself and see where I can lend a hand. Perhaps find out more of what happened before this…unfortunate bond between shadow and host took place."

Vernon showed a lax smile. "Heh…the tomb's got nothing to hold anymore, so there's no use in stopping you." He glared. "Be warned, though. You're dealing with the greatest warlord of our history. A monster of unquestionable authority and power. Whatever you find in that tomb, it could be the key to victory or the foretelling of our demise. Can you three bear the sights of centuries of imprisonment unleashed into fits of rage?"

Fernando looked to the bounty hunters, who nodded in agreement. No hesitation. Fernando looked to Vernon and nodded. "Lead us to the tomb."

The Enchanted Circus of Mystery was on one of its many stops throughout the region, performing their act for the residents of the town. Cheri had an act planned with the twins, where'd they walk across a tightrope with Susan and Micah juggling pins atop Cheri's head. It took weeks for Cheri to get the act down, and a lot of falling on her face.

Angel had her eyes covered behind her tail. "Oh dear…please tell me when she gets across! The 'tension' is killing me!"

Ava patted her shoulder. "She'll get across. She won't get hurt if she falls. That's the illusion of danger for you."

"You say that, but I'm not seeing much of the illusion."

"That means it's working."

Angel pouted. "I sometimes wonder how you all can 'juggle' so much danger so casually."

"That comes with experience." Ava looked up and smile as the trio of electric rodents made it across. "You can look now."

Angel looked up and sighed with relief. "Oh, thank legends…"

Ava stretched her arms. "My act's up next. Take care." She headed up as Vincent introduced her, with Cheri and the twins making their way back.

Cheri raised her hands and smiled at her mother. "Did you see that, Mom? I'm a natural!"

Angel chuckled awkwardly. "Oh yes…you certainly are. I loved and feared every second of it. I especially feared the parts where your foot slipped a couple times." Sweat dripped down her forehead through her fake laughter.

Cheri patted her arm. "Maybe you should sit down, Mom."

"I-I'm fine, dear." She patted her head. "As long as you're happy, I could learn to 'stand' the sight a few hundred more times." She sighed. "I could use a drink, though…"

"I think Morgan has some-!"

"Not that kind of drink!" She held her hips and looked around. "Though, I do wonder where that Hypno scampered off to. Haven't seen much of him all day."

"Bathroom?" Micah suggested.

"Foot got stuck in the toilet?" Susan added.

Angel sweat-dropped. "Erm…" She laughed quietly. "Somehow, I doubt that…"

The Hypno in question was still around, but keeping to himself during the fun. He was off in the back with the trailer, sitting atop a crate with a hand to his temple. He stared hard at the ground, fixated on it as he was deep in thought. Some of the performers have noticed his behavior, but tried not to bother him about it.

Ava, however, was the exception. She asked repeatedly what was eating at the Hypno, but he wouldn't spare a word, brushing it off with his usual light attitude. He figured it was enough to sweep away any suspicion, but he wouldn't have been a good former teammate if he didn't know the Medicham that well. She wasn't so easy to fool. She was often the one to notice his moody behavior first among their former team.

Morgan sighed tiredly and reached for his flask, guzzling down the contents. He considered getting a bigger flask sometimes, just so he didn't have to constantly bother refilling so often. Better yet, get one that was enchanted like those explorer bags to hold greater quantities. He'd never bother, though. This one held value.

He looked at the flask again and ran his thumb against the faded engraving, with the only legible one being the letter 'V.' He knew the engravings to heart, as he traced his thumb across the faded letter. It looked like his thumb traced the letter 'W.'

'W.V.' Morgan closed his eyes, then capped the flask. "Maybe I should stop drinking…" He paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Nah…" He pocketed the flask away.

His eyes widened as a stinging pain shot through his left arm. He gripped the throbbing spot on his upper arm, clenching his teeth to fight off the pain. 'It's getting stronger. Could mean a number of things…but I fear the answer I already know.'

The pain only lasted for a few minutes. At this point, with the pains he has suffered in his life, this was nothing but an itch that will never leave him. Irritating, like a ghost haunting you for the rest of your life.

"There you are!" His eyes wandered and spotted the Raichu mother coming over with her daughter and the clown twins. Angel held her hips and smirked. "I was beginning to think you were avoiding me on purpose."

Morgan looked away so they wouldn't see his somber gaze. He did his best to laugh it off. "Heh…was I? My apologies, my dear. I meant no such thing, I assure you."

Angel tilted her head. "Are you feeling alright?" Hard not to notice with how tightly he was squeezing his arm.

Taking notice of this, he retracted his hand and rested it in his lap. "I'm fine…"

"You sure?" Cheri asked innocently. "You've been acting really weird lately. Almost…sad."

'Sad…that's an understatement.' Morgan sighed and faced them with a warm smile. "Just have a lot on my mind. More stressed than sad."

Angel's ears flopped. 'He's dodging the question.' "Morgan…if there's anything wrong, you can tell us."

Morgan's jaw tightened. A part of him just wanted to tell them to leave him alone, blunt and straight to the point. Another part was personally grateful they were concerned about his emotional state.

But the part of him that refused to speak was the part hidden deep in his heart. The part he wanted no one to see. Not even his own teammates got to see that side. It was his and his alone to keep.

He sighed deeply and rested his arms in his lap. "…I have a lot on my mind. All the time. Weary…tired…but never sleep." He closed his eyes. "We sleep for a third of our lives. Not me and many others. I've been awake for my whole life. Gives a man a lot of time on his hands."

"You have?!" Susan exclaimed.

"That sounds awesome!" Micah cheered.

Morgan smiled grimly. "If you lived with it your whole life, you get used to it. But…sometimes, even those with Insomnia reach their limit." He sighed. "And with all those late nights with every asleep, you have a lot of time on your hands. Plenty of time to contemplate things. Life, future, what you're going to eat for breakfast…" He chuckled. "Spent a good six hours once wondering that, just naming off the pros and cons of what I wanted, changing my mind based off how I was feeling about something. Waffles was the winner of that little debate."

Angel tilted her head. "Doesn't sound like a glamorous life. I can't imagine not being able to sleep."

"I did say it had its uses. I do a lot of reading when everyone else is asleep…a lot of reading…" His hard stare lasted for a moment, then he shook it off. "But with all that time, you have time to reflect…reflect on life and your actions…" He looked up at the sky. "I remember telling Tony, right around the time Team Ravenfield came along, that I've made a lot of mistakes in my life." He glared. "Mistakes I wanted to take back."

"Morgan…" Angel reached out to touch his shoulder, but rejected the idea and pulled her hand away.

"…But, we need to make mistakes…otherwise we'll never be allowed to learn from our errors." He glanced at Angel. "…I admire…and envy you, Angel…"

"…Eh?" she mumbled with confused blinks.

"You're strong in heart. Taking care of two children under the condition you were forced into and still managing to remain positive…and now look at where they are now? A spry little girl with a lot of cheer…and a strong son who's working to repay you for all your hard work. You kept strong all your life, even when mistakes were made along the way…you never let the bad stop you from…living…"

Angel looked at her daughter, who showed as much concern as she did. The twins were feeling pretty similar, though far more confused. Angel, this time, touched the Hypno's arm and gave it a comforting pat. "Morgan…is there something you want to talk about?"

Morgan looked down. Her touch was only a few inches away from the spot that hurt the most. It burned against his skin, with her touch gentle and warm in comparison. Just like a mother to be concerned for another.

"…I want to say something…the words I've kept hidden away all these years. From my friends…from you and your family…from everyone…" He closed his eyes. "…But I'll never have the courage to say them…" He clutched his pants. "…And now…more than ever, I can't say them…in fear of the repercussions they may have…"

Angel narrowed her eyes. "Morgan…I have no idea what you're talking about…but you shouldn't be afraid to tell us if something's wrong. Whatever it is, have faith in your friends."

"Yeah!" Cheri added. "You're the coolest person around! No way anyone would think bad of you!"

Morgan looked at them with somber eyes, but managed a small smile. "Your words are comforting, I'll give you that…"

Angel smile sympathetically. "Maybe you should talk to Ava about this. I'm sure she'll know what to say." She took the twins' hands. "Come on, you two, let's get you cleaned up. You too, Cheri."

"Okay!" They followed her to the trailers.

Cheri, however, turned back and waved to Morgan. "Feel better, Mr. Morgan!" She spun around and followed after her mother.

Morgan waved back weakly, then reached for the searing spot on his arm. He trembled with a longwinded sigh. 'I can't blame them for caring…' He glared. 'But it's inevitable…and now, I fear for Team Ravenfield more than anything else. Both their fates are drawing closer…'

Team Ravenfield's perilous journey through the ever-raging snow was drawing to a close. With their destination in sight, they pressed forward with their determination high. The winds were getting stronger as they climbed a steep hill, nearly falling over from the snow. They had their scarves and goggles over their faces as they got higher.

Gwyn clenched her teeth. "Almost…there…!"

Griffin grumbled, feeling much more drained than the others. The snow gear did its job of getting him this far, but he won't be able to hold out much longer. "It better…be!"

Wes peered up ahead. "I can't even sense where there might be a magic tunnel!"

"Trust me, it's here!" Gwyn assured.

Tony and Ella had to help Flint walk since the Flareon was getting weak. Ella said, "Professor! This trip better be worth it!"

Jonathan held tightly to his pack's straps. "Rest assured, we will find everything we'll need in this library!"

They reached the top of the hill and collapsed into the snow after so much walking. Looking again, one would think there was nothing up here. Just bare land covered in a thick blanket of snow. Gwyn, however, could feel it through her magic and soul that there was something hidden before them.

She stood up and dusted her pants off. "Okay…the magic tunnel entry point should be right around…here!" She pointed at a spot in the air. "This is the entranceway!"

Tony pulled himself and Flint up, then exclaimed, "Yo Wes, do your thing!"

Wes cracked his neck. "Right!" He marched up to the spot and rubbed his paws together. "This better work…" He breathed in deeply, then held his paws out. "Gate of Foribus!"

One second…two seconds…three seconds…and nothing was happening.

Wes blinked, then looked at his paws. It didn't take that much magic to activate the gateway. Why wasn't it working now? He balled up his paws, then thrusted them out again. "Gate of Foribus!" Nothing. "Gate of Foribus!" Still nothing. "I SAID- GATE OF FORIBUS!"

He shouted the spell out dozens of times while the others rested in the snow. Tony pulled a berry out from his bag and bit into it. "Why isn't it working?"

Flint pulled himself up and panted. "It…might have something to do with the library…it might take more than one person to open it…"

Jonathan grumbled, "All this way and we can't even get in?"

"GATE OF FORIBUS!" Wes gasped out and fell onto his face. "I'm pooped…"

Griffin stood up and walked over to him. "Maybe if we put a little more magic into it."

"Eh?" the Umbreon mumbled.

Griffin pulled him up. "Try again, but this time…" He nodded the others over.

Flint blinked, then gasped. "Oh, I get it!" He ran over, with Tony and Gwyn following.

"Wait, what are we doing?" Gwyn asked, scratching her head.

Griffin placed his hand against Wes' back. "Channel your magic through Wes. This should increase the effects of the spell."

"Should?" Tony questioned.

"You got any better ideas, Sparks?"

He shrugged. "Not really." He pressed his hand against Wes, too. Flint and Gwyn nodded and followed in their example.

Wes sighed, then straightened up. "Here goes nothing."

Jonathan crossed his fingers. "Please work…" Ella stared at them intently, gulping a little.

The four magic users glowed in their respective auras and transferred the energy straight into Wes, surrounding him in a rainbow of their mixed magic, including his own. He stretched his digits and mentally prepared himself. 'I can do this, I can do this…'

Wes breathed in, then threw his paws out. "Gate…of Foribus!"

Nothing seemed to happen for a few seconds, which worried the team, until the air sparked with a golden light in front of them. They leaned in to get a better look at it, then screamed as it exploded and threw them back, landing by Jonathan and Ella.

They scrambled up and looked with awestruck eyes as the light swirled and expanded outward into a majestic, golden portal, dancing with a mix of blue and green light. They could feel a warmth coming from the other side.

Gwyn broke out into a large grin. "That's it…that's the same feeling I've been following!" She jumped up and down excitedly. "Hehe! We found the library! Woohoo!"

Jonathan relaxed and smiled contently. "We actually found it…"

Flint grinned excitedly. "This is amazing! Another legend discovered from its own myth! We need to go inside, now!"

Wes chuckled. "Well, let's hurry and get out of this snow. My feet are killing me."

They nodded and, as a group, walked up to the portal. One by one, they stepped through, disappearing into the other side. Last to follow was Jonathan, who took one last look at the unseen structure that he'll soon step through. He smiled and followed after.

'Everything's going to be alright…I know it will.'