Ch.93: The Long Journey Beings with a Single Step! Into the Action, Team Ravenfield!

"Ugh…I didn't want to come back here so soon!" Holly complained as she and Mack trudged through the endless white tundra. Her long legs let her step through the snow with greater ease while Mack was bound to wearing snow shoes to get anywhere fast.

"I'm the one who should be complaining, not you!" Mack shouted back at her. "How much longer until we get to Ironworks, anyway?"

Holly halted for a moment to fish out the map from her bag. She carefully unfurled it so not to let it blow away in the wind and inspected the terrain. "This map of the Snow Zone says…ugh…"

"That a good 'ugh' or a bad 'ugh?'"

"Since when is saying 'ugh' a good thing?"

"I'm sure people would after getting a nice massage."

"…Continuing," she groaned as she slapped the front of the map, "It'll take us another week or two to reach Ironworks from here, and the longer we take, the less time we have to catch up with Griffin."

Mack shrugged. "Can't we just call him?"

"He made it clear that they can't take too many stops, and having us hold them up for a couple of weeks won't help." She furled the map and stashed it away. "We're just gonna have to pick up the pace from here."

"Yeeeeah…running in snow shoes…I'm not doing that." Mack crossed his arms. "How about we hitch a ride?"

"On what?" Holly asked. "Do you see any wandering travelers here? All I see is snow, snow, and MORE snow?!"

"Someone sounds angry."

"I'm a Lurantis in the freezing cold!" She took a deep breath and pushed down her anger, then released it in one, drawn-out sigh. "Okay, okay…I'm getting ahead of myself. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a ride to hitch."

Mack looked around, humming thoughtfully. "Hmm…I don't sense any magical presences on the ground…"

"Neither do I…" She narrowed her eyes. "…Wait…I'm not sensing anything from the ground, but…do you-?"

"-feel something above our heads?"

They cautiously turned their heads towards the sky and gasped at the large shape pushing through the dense mist of cold. It was hard to identify from the mist at first, but the shape of the underside and the wooden exterior pointed to it being an airship. The wings mounted at the sides of the ship flapped with large, powerful gusts of wind blowing up heaps of snow.

Holly and Mack cried out as the snow pushed them to the ground. More snow piled over them with each flap of the ship's wings. Ten seconds after being buried, a purple whip construct fired from the pile and latched itself to the underside of the ship. Mack flung himself out with his arm wrapped securely around Holly's waist.

"You know, I wasn't the biggest fan of Eclipse when my parents first gave it to me, but it has its uses!" Mack shouted as he reeled them in. They reeled in just enough to where they danged off the bottom, fluttering with the movement of the ship.

Holly hugged herself and shivered from the strong breeze passing by them. "Oh wonderful! Even worse wind chills!" She glared at the hull. "Whose ship is this, anyway?"

"Whoever it belongs to, they have two new guests on board!" Mack exclaimed. "I wonder if they have a kitchen we can raid!"

"Keep your magic aura low so they can't sense us," Holly advised.

"Done and done." He glared. "Um…didn't think this through, but how are we going to get to the deck?"

Holly pulled out her large fan and opened it. "Hop on."

Using the wind manipulating properties of Last Breath, they glided up to the edge of the boat. They grabbed onto the edge and peeked over. As they expected, this wasn't a standard carrier ship for supplies. It was a pirate ship filled with the scummiest people one could find in the skies. Pirates of all kinds all aboard the ship, lounging around or doing tasks.

Now, from basic impressions, they expected pirates to be a jolly band of misfits getting drunk at every hour for the fun. They've heard all the stories of drunken helmsmen crashing their ships into the ground or pirates throwing their treasure overboard. To be frank, if the bounty hunter business didn't work out, Mack would've jumped at the chance to be a sky-high pirate.

But…this was nothing more than a sad fest.

The atmosphere around the ship felt particularly drab and lifeless. No one seemed to be in good moods. There was a grouchy Raichu sitting against the side of the ship, arms crossed and head low. He looked like he was in a sour mood. A Tyrogue and Klefki were constantly looking over their shoulders, like something would pop out and strike them down. A Togetic, who looked to be the battle-hardened one of the crew, was aggressively swabbing the deck.

Holly narrowed her eyes. "…Since when were pirates a bunch of depressing sky sailors?"

"Never heard of a case. Maybe this is the famous Dead Man's Regret," Mack joked, silently snickering to himself.

The Lurantis rolled her eyes, then glared at a door that, if she remembered correctly from most ship designs, led to a cargo hold. "Come on, we can hide out in there." Her eyes flashed blue, casting an illusion over them. They quickly dashed to the door before any magically sensitive could pick up on the illusion.

They opened and closed the door behind them in one swift move. They breathed a sigh of relief before Mack immediately went scouting through the barrels. "Check it out, Holly! Food for days!"

"Let's not overstay our welcome." Holly peeked out the tiny window in the door, then gasped. "Mack…you need to see this..."

"Don't tell me, one of them just cracked a smile?" He slapped his knee and busted out laughing, though quietly. He only stopped when he saw the grave look in his friend's eyes. It made his own mood mirror hers. "What's wrong?"

She only waved him over and pointed out the window. She made some room for the Sudowoodo as he stared through. He leaned closer, then he went stiff.

Multiple figures stepped out front the upper deck, they assumed, and made their way to the main deck. All the pirates fell in line at their arrival, standing at attention. These newcomers, from what they could see, were Pokémon. A Mr. Mime, an Ariados, a Watchhog, a…

"Is that…an Electivire?" Holly breathed fearfully.

Mack clenched his teeth together, showing actual signs of fear for once. "That…That's Voss' aura…isn't it?"

"D-Does that mean…?"

"We're on an enemy ship…" Now they REALLY need to keep their presence as undetectable as possible. While they had every intention to fight Hoss, they weren't taking their chances with these guys. Their auras were strong, too strong for them.

Instead, they opted to listen in on the group and see what they were up to.

The Watchog stepped forward to the pirates. "I assume you have the ship prepared for the assault. The ammunition I provided should be useful."

Banama withheld a scowl out of self-preservation. "Yeah…mind telling us again what you even gave us? Those didn't feel like normal cannonballs."

Zaros chuckled in amusement, pushing up his glasses. "What you would use of the explosive variety have now been replaced with something far more potent. We give you the culmination of shadow research and weapon crafting. Those cannonballs are infused with the aura of shadows itself. Testing has proven…sufficient."

"What does that mean?" Cheshire asked.

Zaros smirked. "You'll have to see for yourself when we get to our destination." He turned to his superiors. "As it stands, the ship has passed my evaluation. It should be most serviceable for the first attack on the kingdom before Nightmare sends out the second wave."

Aeternus smirked. "Excellent work, Zaros. Maybe one day, when this world finally becomes ours, you can take over the Anguis Organization in my absence. I'll be quite busy reigniting my role as a herald."

Zaros bowed to him. "It would be an honor, Count Aeternus."

Callista crawled up the mast of the ship. "And how much farther until Ironworks Kingdom?"

Holly and Mack's eyes bulged out in shock. 'Ironworks Kingdom?!'

Jones, the helmsman of the ship, sighed as he turned the wheel. "A couple of days at our current speed."

"Hmph. Hopefully Reuben is done with the third wave by then." She sighed. "That workaholic Puppet Master better have our special forces ready."

"I wouldn't worry, my dear," Aeternus spoke up. "I left him all the instructions he needs to get our new generals and puppets ready. He should have everything completed by invasion day."

Voss glared ahead at the blustering snow. "…And we're sure that's where Ravenfield and his companions are heading?"

"Without a doubt," Aeternus stated. "Given the state we left them in, if they survived Uxie's final trick, Ironworks would be the closest place in the zone to recuperate. A standard lodge won't do them any good. Even if they weren't, taking out that kingdom will only serve as our official return. Ironworks Kingdom is one of the most heavily militarized kingdoms in Mysto. Any normal invasion set on them would be quashed instantly." He smirked, holding his chin smugly. "At least…assuming they weren't dealing with us."

"Hmph…when was the last time we've started an assault on a kingdom?"

"Far, far too long, my friend." Aeternus snickered evilly. "I do wonder how far the world has come since our time. If Ironworks is the pinnacle of the firepower we have to face…then it only strengthens our message."

Joining Jones at the top deck were Arid and Ambrosine, the former scowling at the invaders on his ship. He was clutching the railing so tightly that the wood began to snap.

Ambrosine kept a hand close to her racing heart, fearing another heart attack to come. "I really wish I never came aboard this ship…"

"A part of me wishes so as well…if only to spare you this nonsense." Arid clenched his teeth tightly. "Dammit…the safety of my ship now reduced to a limo service for these high and mighty freaks…"

"How are you not frightened by all of this?" Ambrosine asked worriedly. "You've been mostly stoic and…angry since we met them."

"Because I'm the captain of this ship. Anything happens to my crew, I'll be the first to take the bullet."

Ambrosine flinch. "Why…Why would you risk your life for theirs? That doesn't make any sense. What's so special about this crew that your life seems insignificant?"

"It's not…" Arid glared. "But what kind of captain would I be if I let my loyal crew down? They gave up so much to join my crew. They deserve nothing but my respect."

"I don't understand…"

He glared down on her, which struck her with fear at first, until he raised his hand and patted her on top of the head. "When you give everything to save one soul…it means they mean more to you than anything the world can offer…" He sighed and looked up at Jones. "Keep on course for Ironworks."

"Roger." Arid descended down to the main deck, leaving Ambrosine against the railings, stunned, confused, and…sad.

'When you give everything to save one soul…' she repeated in her head. Those specific words…they brought tears to her eyes…and memories. Bad memories. Her lip quivered. She pressed her hands into her teary eyes. 'Why…Why would anyone…?'

The somber mood brought down the unseen bounty hunters as they backed away into the storage room. Holly breathed out. "That was…heavy."

"Yeah," Mack agreed, not feeling in a joking mood suddenly. He clenched his teeth. "These guys are being used."

"And they know it," Holly added. "A hostage situation where you either work or die."

"Sounds more like slavery."

"Regardless…we made the mistake of getting on an enemy ship." She glared. "On the other hand…they're heading straight for Ironworks."

"Should we sabotage the ship?" Mack suggested. "We can clip the ships wings and send this bird divebombing into the snow." He punched into his hand for emphasis.

"If we get caught, we're dead. And we'll never get our chance with Griffin to kill Voss." She shook her head. "No…as much as I hate to say it, we need to wait it out until this invasion starts." She sighed. "…I feel bad for them."

"Team Ravenfield?"

She nodded. "…I also feel bad for their leader. Griffin can handle this sort of stuff, but…that Wes fellow…I can't imagine having all this weighing on my shoulders. The stress sounds unbearable."

Mack nodded. "Griffin did say he was pretty messed up after what happened with the Shadow King. Wonder how he's doing."

"We should call and warn them." Holly pulled out their crystal orb, but Mack placed his hand over it.

"Hold on. This thing runs off magic. It's faint, but someone with acute enough senses will know someone's making a call from in here. Kind of suspicious, don't you think? Calling from a storage room?"

"Are you serious? We can't even call them?!" Holly shouted in a hushed whisper.

"It's either we get off the ship, travel the rest of the way on foot, and call them without any chance of meeting up with them…or staying here and hoping Ironworks can keep the invasion at bay."

Holly growled, reluctantly stashing the orb away. "…This is bad."

"I don't like this anymore than you do, but we don't have much other choice."

Holly crossed her arms. "I guess not…" She glared. "…Still…there's one thing we can do to minimize the damage."

Mack raised his brow. "Oh?"

"I have an idea."

"Alright! Left hook, right hook! Kick, kick!"

Gwyn sounded her battle cry as she rushed right at Wes, throwing punches and kicks at him. Wes dodged her hits, spun around, and kicked her in the jaw, sending her flying onto her back.

Gwyn was wearing a gray sweatshirt with sweatpants while Wes was in a purple variation of the outfit. Judging by the sweat marks on both of them, they've been at it for a long while. Wes, however, seemed in better shape as he bounced on his paws, grinning confidently.

"Can you keep going?"

Gwyn's chest heaved with air, then she threw herself off her back and back into the action, smirking back at the Umbreon. "You call that little tap a kick?"

"I see we've getting the hang of trash talking."

"HIYA!" Gwyn sprinted again, this time keeping herself low with the ground. She threw an uppercut that Wes was able to dodge before spinning on his back and kicking her in the stomach. Gwyn gasped, but retained enough clarity to wrap around his legs and spin him onto the ground with her.

"WHOA!" Wes tried to scramble out of her hold.

"This is how you hold someone down, right?" she asked as she bent his legs back.

Wes winced, but snickered through his teeth. "For the most part, but…" He torqued his body, along with Gwyn, and slammed her onto her back, forcing her arms open. He rolled backwards, then rocketed into Gwyn with a strong headbutt.

Gwyn tumbled across the training grounds, stopped by the fence. She could see the stars spinning over her head. "Is that the mid-night train, Mr. Smashy…?"

Wes stood up and dusted himself off. "You've definitely improved, but not quite as good as me." He shrugged. "Still, not bad for a quadruped, right? Didn't think I could teach you some new moves with how four-legged Pokémon fight."

Gwyn stood up, holding her stomach with one arm and giving him a smile. "Aww, you're doing great. I got some good punches on you."

Wes rubbed the back of his head, feeling quite flattered. "Heh…the idea of being a teacher…how odd."

"Ever thought of being a fighting instructor?"

"Nope, and never will. Teaching people how to fight is kind of a drag." He winked at Gwyn. "With one special exception, of course." He huffed. "I definitely couldn't make it as an actual teacher. Me, sitting on my butt all day grading papers and giving LONG, boring lectures? Does that sound like me?"

"Nope…sounds like Flinty." She giggled her behind her hands. "Don't tell him I said that~!"

Wes smirked. "Sure thing. Though, we both know you like his boring lectures."

Gwyn giggled again, with an added blush. "He's pretty cute when he gets all nerdy."

Wes snorted, covering it up with his paw. "You're really head over heels for him."

"I feel all fluttery and happy~!"

The Umbreon laughed quietly, then spaced his legs apart. "Alright, let's keep going."

Gwyn focused back and held her fists up. "Can do!"

"Well, you two are hard at work." They put training on hold again as the rest of their team came onto the field. Ella spun her Daybreak in its baton state, then held it over her head with telekinesis. "Feeling good, Gwyn?"

She grinned. "You bet! Wes' been teaching me all sorts of cool punching moves! HIYA!" She punched the air, then swung her leg up. The momentum caused her foot to slip out from under her and throw her onto her butt. "Oof!"

Wes covered his mouth, restraining a laugh. He swallowed it down, then grinned at the group. "It's…a work in progress, I must admit, but she's doing good."

Flint smiled. "Well, I'm proud…of both of you, actually."

Wes pulled Gwyn up, asking, "Both?"

"Gwyn's taking a more serious interest in fighting and you're…well, doing what a leader should do." He patted his brother on the foreleg. "I'm proud of you. Maybe you're finally getting comfortable in your role."

Wes rubbed the spot he patted him on. "Let's…not get ahead of ourselves. I can only do so much as one Umbreon."

Tony shrugged. "True, but we look up to you, dude. Like it or not, you're the figurehead of this team, and we'll gladly follow you wherever you go."

Wes huffed, then smiled uneasily. "Thanks, I guess…"

Gwyn bounced over to Wes and hugged him. "Aww! Don't be a sourpuss!" Wes rolled his eyes, but smiled softly.

Ella giggled. "You two are a lot livelier than before. Seems like that walk did you some good."

"You knew about that?" Gwyn asked.

"You two left without any explanation," Griffin explained. "Well…aside from Wes wanting to take a walk the other day. Just assumed so."

"Oh." Gwyn smiled. "Well, Wes and I are closer than ever! Two friends with big dreams and new horizons to explore!"

Wes laughed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I thought she needed a confidence boost and this is what you get."

Flint chuckled. "Well, I'm happy you two are getting along better. Not that you weren't, but…well, you know what I mean."

"D'aww!" Gwyn bounced over and scooped Flint into a hug. "That doesn't mean you aren't my favorite Ravenfield, Flinty!" She nuzzled her cheek against his…REALLY affectionately. Like, it wasn't just a regular nuzzle, she had their cheeks squished pretty close together.

Flint's fur stood on end, his tail twisted and curled, and his ears shot up, all while his face burned bright red. "W-Whoa! Uh…you're…awfully chipper today, Gwyn."

She pulled away, beaming with bright red cheeks. "Yeeeeeee-ep!" She giggled bashfully, then covered her face and turned away from Flint, withholding the excited giggles trying to push their way out.

Tony held his hip and smirked. "Oooookay, someone clearly has something—or someone—on her mind." Flint's ears drooped, knowing very well who he directed that brief bit at.

"Hee! Can't say!" She bounced on her toes. "Not today, though! I need to focus on training with Wes! I need to be sharp for my battle with Margo!"

"That so?" Griffin asked suspiciously.

Tony snickered. "Oh, you've tickled my curiosity."

Ella chuckled. "Alright, we'll leave you two to do your thing. The rest of us are going to get some training done ourselves."

"Right!" Tony grabbed Flint by the back of his blazer. "Come on, Flint! You can be my sparring buddy!" He dragged him off to another part of the field.

"Um…do I get a say in this?" he asked meekly.

"You could take Griffin instead."

"AH! I mean, ready when you are, buddy!" It'll be some time before Flint could comfortably battle the hatred-imbued swordsman.

Griffin cracked his neck and pulled out Justice Flyer. "You said you wanted to test out some new moves, right?"

Ella smirked. "I've been getting better at handling Daybreak. I want to see if I can give you a run for your money."

"Doubtful."

"Oh ye of little faith~!" She laughed as they wandered off.

Gwyn breathed out, relaxing her nerves. She smiled awkwardly at Wes. "Was I too forward back there?"

Wes snickered. "Nope. Perfect amount of forwardness to me." He swiped his paw across his forehead. "Phew…alright, we'll keep going for another half hour. Remember, you have to keep your guard up and ready. Quick opponents will capitalize on weakness."

Gwyn nodded. "Right." She raised her fists. "Ready when you are!"

"Hmm…" From atop her castle, Margo could get a view of practically everything in the kingdom, especially with a good enough telescope. She was keeping a close eye on Gwyn as she and Wes were battling it out with each other. "She's improving steadily…"

"Worried, your Majesty?" Segar, the Machoke knight, asked with a hint of a teasing tone.

Margo huffed. "Far from it. I intend to fight her with everything I've got, even if she has the blood of a Legendary." She pulled from her telescope. "…It's concerning."

"What is?"

"I've heard the stories about Legendary children born of mortal blood. In those days…things were different. Worse, even. They were immediately ostracized from the world because they possessed power beyond our comprehension. To be a god amongst mortals, one must walk that fine line to understand both worlds. She may not have the full extent of her father's abilities, but she possesses magic that could rival her entire team. The difference in ambition, however, is clear as day." She narrowed her eyes. "And no one possesses ambition greater than that of a Ravenfield."

Segar narrowed his eyes. "This…business with the Ravenfields has me confused, your Majesty. You said you and the Mages of Origin have special interest in those two."

"Everyone has a lineage, and that lineage is carried over with each generation. These six are that new generation. If they actually survive the upcoming battle with the Shadow King, they would surpass centuries of history in one deciding blow. We don't have fifty years to survive another war."

"But what of the Ravenfields?" he asked again.

"Every lineage has a starting point in history. After that, there's a pattern." She glared. "Wes, Flint, Garret…it doesn't end with them. I don't know the full details, but…they've always had an unending potential. Souls that refuse to give out. It's…remarkably strange."

"Then why not test one of them instead of the Mew?"

"Because Gwyn needs to learn discipline. She's a child in the mind. I hope that with this pressure weighing upon her shoulders, she'll learn to grow out of that mindset. Regardless of the Ravenfield potential, the power of a god would be most suitable for this situation. At one point, our jobs were to keep these keys out of their hands by any means necessary, even if killing must be an option.

"But now? Now it's all a test. If they aren't our world's last line of defense, then only the Mages of Origin are left to finish the job." She closed her eyes and sighed. "And fate says we are doomed to fail if we intervene instead."

Segar narrowed his eyes. "Fate…I never thought you'd believe in that sort of stuff."

"It sounds odd, thinking that there's a predetermined future for someone. Does peering into the future and seeing the product of your fate make it that much more real, or do you unravel the fabric of reality and undo what could've been? Does one dare challenge what has been destined by the universe? If so…who can beat what has been set?"

"No one?"

"That should be the answer, but…" She peered through her telescope once again, in time to see Gwyn get a few good hits off on Wes. "The mortal coil isn't as set in stone. The soul…is something special. To defy fate…is to defy that coil." She huffed, then lowered her telescope. "I suppose nothing else can be said. My only hope is that Gwyn learns to grow-up…as sad as it may be."

Segar crossed his arms. "Sad?"

"Her naïve innocence is a detriment…but it's also a welcomed optimism." She looked back towards the battlegrounds, then turned back to the castle. "Each of them plays a critical role as teammates. Each of them has something that makes a team stronger. If those traits stay strong…" She marched back inside, with Segar close behind.

"We might just have a chance of seeing the sun for many centuries to come."

"HA!" Ella swung Daybreak into Griffin, who blocked with his arm. He grabbed hold of the staff and tried to throw Ella through the air. Ella mentally disconnected Daybreak, throwing off Griffin's swing, before having the part he was holding rocket from his hand and nearly bash into his face. Ella separated Daybreak and rested atop the floating pieces, smirking. "Is it bad you're getting your butt kicked by someone literally less experienced than you?"

Griffin huffed. "Who said I was losing?" He suddenly threw one of the six Exiled Soul blades at her.

Ella levitated up to avoid it, but it left her unguarded for Griffin's Malignitas Force. She sponged the shockwave punch with her psychic field just enough to not sustain broken bones. Daybreak fell onto the ground while its owner landed on her back.

"Ugh…" Ella opened her eyes, now facing the end of the thrown dagger, pointed straight for her neck. She sighed. "Okay…it would appear I opened my mouth too soon."

"Clearly." Griffin grabbed her paw and lifted her up. "I'll give you a little credit. You lasted longer than you would've when we first met."

Ella smirked. "I'm fairly certain there's still a scar on my back from when you slashed me."

Griffin was a guy who rarely showed emotion, so it always amused Ella to see the subtle twitches in his face when she wanted a reaction. His eyes darted off to their left, avoiding eye contact. "I…did say sorry."

"Uh-huh. I'll never let you live that down." She patted his arm. "Not until the day you die, so nothing big."

"Lovely…" Griffin casted Exiled Soul away before pulling out…his father's sword. He narrowed his eyes and lifted it in full view. "Land Shift…"

Ella whistled. "Haven't seen that beauty in a while. Maybe you should start practicing with it."

"Believe me, mastering Land Shift would be a necessity to improve my skills." He sighed, gently pointing it down. "But it's an incredibly dangerous sword. I have yet to master the movements with it."

"Is it really that complicated to wave a sword around?"

"It is when the slightest swing can level a building if I'm not carefully. A steady hand and fluid motion are needed to properly control the aspects of Land Shift." He ran his fingers across the surface of the wide blade. "I suppose if we were in the Earth Zone, I'd have less reason to be cautious. Here, though? Too much risk. I could destroy a lot of places if I use this thing carelessly. My dad made it clear when he showed it off to me. Land Shift is NOT a toy."

"Huh…" Ella held her chin. "Guess your dad really was the strong, important warrior you made him out to be."

"He truly was one of the best." He narrowed his eyes. "…I will mastered Land Shift sooner or later…then I can carry his legacy through it just like all the other fallen warriors."

Ella smirked off to the side. "I hope that legacy comes with the serious firepower you're promising."

Griffin smirked. "Heh…you'll have to wait and see."

"Tony, seriously! Not the best time!"

The Dewott laughed as he dodged Flint's Guardian's punches. "Hey, I'm not teasing you this time, my dude! Any guy would want what you just had back there!"

Flint groaned, then created illusionary clones of his Guardian. "…I won't deny it was kind of nice, if a little unexpected, but it's not that different from how she nuzzles me."

"Yeeeah, when you try to deny a girl who constantly showers you with affection isn't stepping things up a notch, that's definitely not a sign that you should take the bait while it's fresh!" Tony dodged a surprise attack from behind, keeping his hands tucked away in his pockets.

Flint pinched between his eyes. "Can we change the subject?"

"Alright. Why have you been wandering off in the middle of the night on your own? You don't seem like the type to exercise without a spotter." Tony vertically leaped over a straight jab from the Guardian and landed gracefully atop its head.

Flint ignored it, then awkwardly referred to his question. "Um…special training, I guess." His ears flopped. "Promise you won't tell Wes."

"Oooh, secrets from family. I'm listening."

"I've been trying to practice the Mystic Beam."

Tony raised his brow. "You are?" Using Light Speed, he appeared by Flint's side, arms crossed. "About time you put some more 'oomph' in your punches! A little long range fighting would do you more good!" He then tilted his head confused. "But why keep it secret from your bro? Afraid he'll sue you for being a copycat?"

Flint shook his head. "It's not a matter of copying and more about…wanting to practice it on my own. I asked for a little help from Saffiro and Oswald. I might train with them later." He closed his eyes. "I know I made a big deal to Wes that teams shouldn't keep secrets from each other, but this is something I've been meaning to try. Watching Gwyn practice so hard to fight against Margo…finally got me in the mood to try."

He took a look over at the Mew as she and Wes continued to spar. With each blow she took, she was gradually improving under Wes' tutelage. He could see it in the subtle differences in her face. She wasn't as flimsy in close quarters combat. She appeared stern and focused.

"…Wes and Gwyn do need each other. Gwyn needs a strong leader to help her improve, and Wes needs a teammate that can help bring him out of the rough patches while still being the epitome of optimism." Flint sighed. "I was hoping for something like this to happen."

Tony smirked. "So, not jealous that Wes is spending quite a bit of time with your girl?"

Flint rolled his eyes, ignoring the heat rising in his cheeks. "Jealousy is unbecoming of me. Besides, I wanted them to spend more time together. It's good for them, like I said." He stepped away from the Dewott and glared off to the side. "Now…if Wes was purposely flirting with her, that's where we reach some problems."

"You don't get mad when I flirt with her."

"Yes, but that's because you're…you."

"Not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult."

"Take it as you will." Flint breathed in, then turned to a dummy set up off to the side. "Wes and Gwyn needed each other to balance out the other's shortcomings. I do believe Wes needed a positive influence to help him stand up again." He smiled. "I follow my brother because…underneath all that complex emotion is passion that rivals the whole world. And I know for a fact he can do amazing things if he sets his mind to it."

"And what of Gwyn?"

"She has a long way to go still, but…she's getting there." Flint breathed, then concentrated magic into the Mystic Beam. "And I don't want to fall behind everyone myself. If she can improve herself, then so can I."

"…" Tony tucked his hands inside his pockets and walked up to Flint's side. "You want some advice?"

"I swear, if this is you pushing me to ask Gwyn out-"

"I'm serious, Romeo." Tony offered a kind smile. "Don't put too much effort into getting the beam as strong as possible."

"Huh?"

"You keep forcing it into that shape. I can see it. I've seen Wes use it plenty of times. The energy builds naturally into the sphere shape. It has to come naturally, not just cramming all the magic you can into it. The Mystic series is supposed to be pure magical power, right? You're not the kind of guy to use offensive magic often, so I recommend focusing on controlling it into a single point. Don't try and cram it all into a single space."

Flint stared at the Dewott in awe. "Huh…that was actually some…pretty useful advice."

"It's like me trying to control the storms. It's something you have to hang onto naturally." Tony smirked. "I'm not always thinking about girls and being cool, you know. I'm wiser than I look. I see things. I pay attention to them. I learn from them."

Flint blinked, then smiled back at him. "Yeah…I guess you do."

The Dewott slapped his hands together and skipped back a couple steps. "Alright Fluffball, enough of this sentimental crap. I'm going to whip you into shape!"

The Flareon chuckled to himself as his Guardian manifested behind him. "I think I'll just sit here and let you get acquainted with my Guardian instead."

Tony snickered. "Ooh…what fun." Electricity coursed through his fur. "This ought to be entertaining."

"Annnd, break!"

Gwyn exhaled loudly and flopped onto her back, chest heaving up and down. "R…Remember when I ran…for hours trying to…catch up with you guys?" She panted, then said, "Yeah…I think that was the second most…exhausting day of my life…"

Wes reached for her hand and lifted her up. "Eh, I wouldn't count on it, but that's a step in the right direction. You're getting better at fighting. Not great, but you can defend yourself without your whip and plants and junk."

Gwyn grinned tiredly. "All thanks to you…" She stumbled back a bit, but Wes kept her up straight. "Phew…I need a drink…"

"Got you cover." Wes helped her to the fence and rested her against it before going to his bag. He chucked a canteen at her, where she immediately pulled the cap off and guzzled it down messily. "You've got two days left before your fight with Margo. Feeling confident?"

"Not really…" She didn't sound worried, but it was clear she didn't like her chances.

"Eh, I can't blame you." He sat down beside her and undid his canteen. "I've fought two mages on my own. The…last one more so me getting my butt kicked while I was in a bit of a visceral rage, but…" He shrugged. "I know how hard it is to fight a mage on your own. Just ask Griffin and Tony as another reference."

"Heh…" Gwyn drummed her fingers against the canteen. "…Hey, Wes?"

"Yeah?"

"…We've all been training really hard. To get ready for our battle with Benedict and…for the Shadow King."

"Yeah…"

"Speaking hypothetically…where do we go after that? If we…you know, win?"

That…wasn't something the Umbreon gave much thought. He was always more interested in the journey than the destination. He had the time of his life traveling and exploring new, undiscovered parts of the world. And this was meant to be his big break in the treasure hunting business.

Anything after that would feel…rather dull, actually.

"That's…a good question, actually." Wes pressed his head against the fence. "…Well, I assume I'll still be trying to aim for bigger and better treasure, though…kind of hard to top a reality warping idol, right?" he half-joked. "Heh…w-well, we both know you may want to continue running your mother's shop, so that's something."

"True…" Gwyn sipped on her canteen again, then sighed. "…I guess one perilous journey is enough for one lifetime. "…Maybe we can still go on treasure hunts, anyway."

Wes scratched his chin. "I don't know. Flint made it clear to me that he wanted this to be our last treasure hunt together. He's…working on getting a life together." His eyes narrowed sadly. "A part of me almost doesn't want the adventure to end…you know?"

"Some journeys take decades to complete, but…shouldn't they also have an end?"

"Maybe…and I'd hate to postpone Flint from going on with his life. Same with Ella, even if she doesn't know what to do with her life." The Umbreon sighed. "I know what I want to do, but…now I'm conflicted. This journey has not been well on my stress."

Gwyn rubbed his back. "It doesn't mean this'll be the last adventure of Team Ravenfield."

Wes closed his eyes. "I really want to believe that…" He opened them and smiled at Gwyn. "But I think I can be content with this journey, even if we make it through the end. I never want my passion for adventure to die, even if I'm in my eighties."

Gwyn grinned. "And I never want to lose the wonderful friends I made. I'm happy to have joined you guys on your mission."

"Feel the same way." Wes brought her into a side hug, which she happily returned. "…By the way."

"Hmm?"

"Try to go easy on Flint when you finally tell him how you feel." Wes snickered mischievously. "I'm worried his blood pressure will skyrocket at this rate."

Gwyn shrieked and held her hands up. "Oh no! I'm not hurting him, am I?!"

"I mean, not physically…maybe in his heart-"

"Oh no! I'm giving him heart attacks!"

"N-No! Gwyn! That's not what I meant!"

"My cuddles have become a weapon! NNNNOOOO!" Gwyn fell over on her side and whined in distress. "I'm too cute for my own good!"

Wes breathed out, then smiled as he rubbed her back. "Heh…well, she's maturing at her own pace, I suppose…"

The day had finally arrived. After a week of mental preparation and physical training, it was safe to say that Gwyn was ready for her fight. She wasn't confident about winning, but losing didn't feel all that great either. At least she had her friends to support her.

Upon entering the castle, they were led through by Segar, where Margo was awaiting their arrival. Gwyn was taking some calming breaths while her hand was clutched around a small bag inside her pocket. She could feel the nuts shifting around inside. Her special batch of magicans, as she called them.

She looked back at the others for encouragement. Tony and Griffin gave her encouraging nods. Ella winked at her, telling her she'll be fine. Flint's smile brought ease to her beating heart. And Wes…the softness in his eyes and the confident smile he delivered filled her confidence up as well.

She nodded back at them, then glared ahead with newfound determination. 'I've got this.'

They reached a pair of double doors that should lead into a ball room. However, once Segar pushed the doors open, it revealed the room to be nearly empty. A wide open space with only some suits of armor and a rack full of weapons hanging from the walls. The room had a metallic sheen to it, more noticeable when stepping on the cold hard floor.

At the center of the room was none other than Queen Margo herself, who was spinning a dagger between her fingers. She narrowed her eyes on Gwyn as they entered.

"Perfect timing. I take it that you are ready."

"Nope," Gwyn admitted as she walked forward. "But I'm not running away, either."

Margo smirked. "This'll be interesting for both of us. I want to see how far I'll come as a Mage of Origin. Testing myself against you will be the perfect measure." She threw the dagger in the air, letting it disintegrate into silver particles.

Ella patted Gwyn on the shoulder. "You got this." She and the others walked off to the side with Segar.

Gwyn breathed, then raised her fists at Margo. "I got this…yeah, I do…" She looked around carefully, taking note of the room they were in. 'Why is everything in here metallic?' She glared at Margo. 'Ooh boy…not liking where this is going…'

Margo held her hand out. "Metal…a sign of creation through the earth's blessings. We used the ores of this world to shape and build the foundations of the present. Wealth, innovation, support…all gifted to us to use." A sword materialized into her hand. "Creation at its finest. And you are no different. The power to bring fertility and life to the barren wastelands. You are the life of this world. I am the gifts it brings."

Gwyn pulled out her glove and slipped it over her left hand. "Is that why you want to face me?"

"A proper metaphor for our battle, wouldn't you agree?" She aimed the sword at Gwyn. "To face the Shadow King, you must unleash that godly power of yours. I want to see just how powerful you can become with it."

The symbol on the back of Gwyn's glove reacted with her active magic, as a cloak of green aura surrounded her. She clenched her fist and smirked boldly at the queen. "Just you wait. I'll show you the true power of nature!"