"Come on! This way!"
Panting heavily, I tried to keep up with the Electrike's amazing speed as we zipped down the path to Centrare Square. My legs begged me to stop this senseless sprint, but I doubted it would persuade Damini's impatience much.
Damini came to a screeching halt upon arriving at the square, while I tirelessly dragged my feet to keep up. There were noticeably fewer Pokemon at the square than when I passed through earlier, but it was still busy nonetheless.
"Alright, the first thing we need to do is visit the Honchkrow Market," he announced.
Slowly catching my breath, I turned to Damini with a perplexed stare, "What exactly are we shopping for?"
"Items to help us explore the dungeon, of course!" Damini answered, "Every explorer knows that items are just as important as strength when it comes to exploring."
"I see," I replied, a nervous twinge pulling on my face. 'At least one of us knows what they're doing.'
"Honchkrow Market is right over there," Damini pointed to a facility, adorned with cobalt blue roof shaped like a fedora, near the path leading west of the city. A rather scary looking bird whose feathers match the roof, along with puffy white feathers on top of its chest, could be seen attending to two Pokemon visiting the shop.
"Let's go before the line fills up," Damini urged as he went ahead.
"Can we at least slow down?" I let out an exasperated sigh as I followed suit.
As we approached the stall, the two Pokemon, seemingly finished with their shopping, started to leave, allowing the shop owner to welcome its next customers.
"Ah, Damini," he greeted, "Welcome back to my humble shop! How was your last outing?"
"It went great, Honchkrow," Damini answered with a shining grin, "I passed the trial and joined the guild."
"That's wonderful news," Honchkrow responded happily, "I assume my fine wares were also the key to your success?"
"Yup! Oh right, we'll need to stock up on supplies this time too," Damini mentioned.
"Oh? They already put you to work?" Honchkrow asked with a tilt of his head.
"Not quite," Damini said, glancing at me, "Lumi here has a trial coming up soon and I'm gonna help her."
"It's nice to meet you," I meekly said under the bird Pokemon's worrying gaze.
"I… see," Honchkrow choked out after fully examining me.
Confusion spread through Damini's face, "Is something wrong?"
A sigh escaped the Honchkrow, "Look, I can sell to you Damini, but I have to refuse with her."
"What?!" Damini exclaimed, "But why?!"
"It's because I'm an 'Aexite,' right?" I concluded.
Honchkrow nodded solemnly, "Yes. It'll not look good to the public if I sold anything to her. The Pokemon here are already antsy if what I saw earlier is anything to go off of."
"But that's not fair!" Damini angrily interjected.
"It's okay, Damini," I stepped in, "You buy the supplies and I'll wait around in the square."
"But–"
"Really, it's fine," I reassured him, to which he gritted his teeth and let out a sigh.
"Alright, I'll try to make it quick," Damini relented.
"Okay," I nodded as I turned to leave the stall.
"Nothing personal, Vulpix," I heard Honchkrow say from behind, but it didn't quell the fog of isolation surrounding me.
After minutes of watching the city run its course from the north exit, I spotted the Electrike emerging from the facility and quickly approached me with a little white bag in his muzzle.
"Sorry for the wait," he apologized while dropping the bag onto the ground, "But I managed to get some great stuff for the trial."
"Really?" I questioned.
"Have a look for yourself," Damini smiled pridefully before untying the bag and revealing its contents.
A group of apples and blue and pink berries sat plainly in their confine, along with what appeared to be a cream-colored cloth with gray dots around the edges. A round, dirt-brown rock peeked out of its own pouch, most likely filled with other rocks of its caliber. To top it off, a neat stack of sticks could be seen poking out of the berry pile.
'This… what?' A flurry of questions and disappointment flooded my thoughts as I gazed at the parcel.
"Look, I wasn't able to afford the Max Elixirs," Damini mentioned, "But I got a pretty good deal on everything else."
"These… are supposed to help us in the trial?" I tried to process.
Damini chuckled at my expense, "They may not look like much now, but these are very useful items. You'll see."
I let out a sigh, "If you say so."
"I also got this for you," Damini fished out the cloth and spread it out in his paws, "It's a Defense Scarf. This will let you take more hits in battle."
"Woah! Really? How does it do that?" I asked as I inspected the scarf.
"That… I don't know. But it's cool regardless!" Damini beamed, "You should put it on."
"Hmm, okay. Thank you," I accepted his gift and held the scarf in my own paws before tying it around my neck. Almost immediately, I could feel a strange sensation moving through my body until it settled into nothingness.
"The guildmaster must have set up your trial by now," Damini said, "We should start heading back."
"Okay," I agreed, "But can we take it easy, please? I don't think my legs can take much more running."
The Electrike scratched his muzzle sheepishly, "Sure, but we should still hurry."
Once Damini tied and carried the bag in his mouth, we set our course to the guild while maintaining a steady pace through the busy street. Arriving in the guild, we quickly went down the stairs and entered the guildmaster's chambers. Waiting for us there were Guildmaster Quaquaval and Ramiro seemingly discussing something before we drew their attention.
"Ah! If it isn't the star of the show!" Quaquaval announced with a jubilant beat, "I hope you prepared well because Ramiro picked a doooozy for you!"
Ramiro cleared his throat, "Yes, now we can get things underway."
"R-right," I nodded.
Ramiro picked up the rolled up piece of parchment paper on the desk and unfurled it to view its contents.
"For your trial, you are to retrieve an Aqua Gem Corphish lost deep in Miasma Marsh. You'll be judged by how you conduct yourself and any qualities you exhibit during your mission," Ramiro explained.
"Miasma Marsh? Sounds miserable," I whispered.
"It's not so bad," Damini quietly reassured, "We just have to deal with the noxious gasses, Poison-type Pokemon, and bottomless swamps."
A groan emitted from the depths of my soul.
"You'll be accompanied by Ebony for the duration of your trial," Ramiro mentioned, "Why don't you introduce yourself, Ebony?"
As if speaking to thin air, the room fell silent. Damini and I curiously scanned the room for any sign of this mysterious Pokemon. Just when it seemed to be no one arou–
"Boo."
"GAAAAAHHH!" I leapt a few feet in the air and then collapsed on the ground in a frightened, ever-twitching heap.
"L-Lumi!" Damini called out to me and nudged me to snap me out of my daze.
A nearly sinister laugh erupted from where I once stood. Regaining my senses again, I spotted a Pokemon resembling a dusty gray cloth floating ominously in the air. What looks like a horn could be seen silhouetted within its cloth. Its multicolored eyes ranging from dark blue, lighter blue and yellow stared at me with such chaotic glee as it smirked triumphantly.
"So… we have an Aexite in our midst. How quaint," she noted, her words carrying a distinct condescending tone.
"Ah, there she goes with her pranks again," the guildmaster laughed.
"You really shouldn't tolerate her scaring our guests, Guildmaster," Ramiro muttered.
"I guess I should properly introduce myself," she reasoned, "My name is Ebony, apprentice here and part of Team Dracowraith."
"Dracowraith? That's the Chief's team!" Damini brought up, "You're Orion's partner?"
"Well well, you know Orion," Ebony stated as she curiously floated around Damini, "You must be this Damini I've been hearing so much about."
"He… He talked about me?!" the Electrike exclaimed, his eyes glistening with admiration.
"Practically couldn't shut up about you," Ebony said with a playfully annoyed tone while taking her place in front of us, "You must have impressed him."
"Where is he now?" Damini asked.
"Probably off hunting down his next outlaw. His usual thing," Ebony explained.
"You don't accompany him?" I asked.
"That's none of your business," she quickly shut down my question.
'Guess I should have seen that coming,' I sighed in defeat.
"Alright, enough about Orion," Ebony began, "I'll be watching over you two as this Aexite's trial is underway.
She began to inch herself towards me with each word she spoke until she was glaring menacingly down at my cowering self, "If you so much as slow us down or do anything even remotely suspicious, I'll fail you right on the spot. Got it?"
All I could simply do was nod as Ebony floated back up into the air, "With that, I'll take my leave. I'll be waiting for you two near the crossroads."
"We're counting on you, Ebony," Ramiro said, which prompted a bow from Ebony before phasing through the door.
"We're counting on you too, Damini my boy," the guildmaster mentioned, "Since you graciously volunteered."
Damini struck a prideful salute, "Yes sir!"
"I'm looking foooorward to the results. You are all dismissed!" The guildmaster sent us on our way as we promptly left his office.
A cold sweat ran down my cheek. 'I know this is to be expected, but if this is how she acts when we first met, imagine when we actually enter the dungeon.'
"Hey," a single word drew me out of my thoughts, "Are you okay? Things got a little rough there."
I shook my head and forced a small smile, "I'm fine. What's important now is passing my trial."
"Right! We shouldn't keep Ebony waiting," Damini stated as we began to ascend up the stairs.
"By the way, what do you mean by Ebony being part of Orion's team before?" I asked while we get started on the second staircase, "You called them 'Team Dracowraith'."
"Oh, I guess I could give you the lowdown," Damini started, "All licenced explorers are registered with the Hatian Exploration Union. While some prefer to explore alone, most Pokemon team up to carry out explorations under a team name. You can easily spot them by the badge they wear."
"I see. Are you part of a team, Damini?" I inquired.
"Uh, no. I wanted to join the Chief's team, but he said I needed more experience first," Damini explained, "I'll keep training until he has to acknowledge me."
Arriving at the entrance area, Damini came to a screeching halt prompting me to stop as well.
"Mind waiting here for a bit? I need to grab my treasure bag," Damini brought up.
"Sure, I'll wait here," I agreed.
"I'll be back in a sec."
With a nod, Damini disappeared up the next flight of stairs, leaving me to my thoughts yet again.
'A team, huh?' The thought lingered in my head, 'It would be perfect if I could find someone to work with, but the way things are going, I'll be all alone. …Maybe, maybe if I ask–'
"Alright!"
As quickly as he left, Damini daringly leaped down multiple steps until he reached the bottom. A small, beige satchel bag was now adorned around his chest along with a gray striped, cream colored scarf around his neck. A gleaming, white Poke Ball-shaped badge with a bright pink center was worn proudly on his scarf for all to see.
"That was fast," I noted, carefully inspecting the familiar bag.
"Of course! Can't have anything delay us any further," Damini stated, "Now we can meet up with Ebony."
"Okay."
I followed Damini out of the guild, my heart swelled with anticipation and anxiety with every step we took. My own little light leading the way seemed to be the only thing keeping the fog of doubt from eclipsing me entirely. As we passed by the streets of Centrare City, I observed the locals' genuine smiles and approving nods at the Electrike's lively and determined attitude. The overall calm demeanor of the usually glaring public in Damini's presence.
'If I did ask him, is it worth burdening him with my own problems?' The thought took root into the depths of mind, refusing to release its grip.
Before I knew it, we were approaching the gate to the city with the Pokemon from last night attentively guarding it. Damini came up to the guard and proudly presented his explorer's badge, which glistened in the afternoon sun.
The guard looked over the badge with precision before standing back into attention, "You may pass. The explorer, Ebony, is waiting for you north of here."
"Thanks! Come on, Lumi!" Damini insisted, dashing through the gate.
Before I could follow, I heard a muffled "Hmph" from the guard. I didn't dare meet his gaze, but I could feel his glower piercing through my fragile state, urging me to keep up with Damini.
As we sprinted up the path, the fresh, invigorating breeze kindly greeted me whilst I stepped onto the expansive and verdant fields of the prairie. Numerous arrays of vibrant wildflowers decorated the landscape with their uplifting display of colors, accompanied by the subtle hint of the sweet scent of nectar in the air. The sparsely scattered trees offered an alluring prospect of shade for weary travelers and home to the bird Pokemon soaring across the vast blue sky.
'I came through here last night, right?' I pondered while observing my surroundings, 'I'm not sure if it's because I'm a Vulpix, but being in a place like this fills me with this indescribable feeling.'
As we approached, we saw Ebony patiently hovering above the point where the path diverged into three directions: north, east, and west. The ghostly Pokemon must have heard our footsteps as she turned to face us, her eyes emanating her slightly ticked-off mood.
"Seems like you're actually serious about this," she mused, her words seemingly targeted at me specifically.
I solemnly nodded, masking my rampant insecurities in front of my examiner. Ebony shook her head(?) and turned to face the eastern path.
"Damini, I assume you realized you're not just a plus one on this trip, right?" she asked in her usual annoyed tone.
"Yes, madam. I understand," Damini confirmed.
"Good. We set our course to Miasma Marsh," Ebony announced, "Try to keep up with me. And remember my warning, Aexite."
I gulped down my ball of fear, my spirit wavering in that moment, "R-Right."
Following behind Ebony, we journeyed down the eastern path, leading to my fight for a place to call home.
The serene grassland melded into a humid, foreboding marshland as we ventured further along the beaten path. The vibrant, colorful prairie was replaced by the green and brown hues of the slush and mud. Each step we took sunk into the squishy, moist earth, threatening to consume us whole the closer we got to our designation. The air grew heavy with an earthy, intoxicating scent which became more noticeable the deeper we got. An eerie chorus of distant calls echoed all around us, as if alerting anything and everything to our presence.
The surrounding trees grew progressively more curved than the last, until we were staring at an arch made of barren, interlocking trees. No matter how much I tried to peer into the unnaturally twisted arch, all that stared back was black nothingness. Ebony halted just before entering the arch and slowly pivoted to face us.
"We are now at the entrance to Miasma Marsh," Ebony stated, "Before we go any further, let us review our goal here. Aexite, what is our mission?"
"Oh! Um, to retrieve an item Corphish lost here, right?" I answered.
"Humph, at least you're useful for something," Ebony grumbled, "But yes, that's our mission. But that doesn't mean we should let our guard down. Miasma Marsh is known for its poisonous waters and numerous Poison types."
"Right! We're ready!" Damini proclaimed, "Time to show her what you can do, Lumi!"
"Y-Yeah," I half-heartedly agreed. 'Show what exactly?'
"Good. Let us proceed," she said before leading the way inside the arch with us in tow.
Before long, a familiar sense of nausea flooded my senses, rapidly devolving into a spiraling sensation of my whole body contorting by the whims of the bleak void consuming me. The inner confides of the tree arch twisted and turned by the hand of an invisible force before, inevitably, everything became pitch black.
The world came into view, and I found myself in the swamp again, but the arch was nowhere to be seen. The entire atmosphere of the swamp seems darker somehow, along with the trees forming makeshift corridors around me. A new wave of familiarity flooded my thoughts.
'This… this was exactly like last night! So that was a dungeon I stumbled into,' the realization dawned on me as I scanned the area, spotting Damini and Ebony not too far ahead.
I hastily caught up with them despite the unstable ground, fearing I'll be left behind.
"Oh, Lumi!" Damini beamed, "We're finally here! Isn't this exciting?!"
"Maybe for you," I quietly muttered. 'I guess he could afford to be a little carefree, but…'
"Quiet, you two," Ebony hushed, turning her attention to us, "Now that we've entered the dungeon, we need to be on high alert. You'll never know when the ferals will strike."
"Right," Damini nodded, keeping his head low as he inspected the area.
"And now for you," Ebony's voice pierced through me, "You will lead us through this dungeon."
"M-Me?" I stammered.
"It is your trial, Aexite," she pointed out, "If you're so intent on being an explorer, this is the time to prove it."
My legs turned to jelly under the weight of this new responsibility, but I kept my head held high, feigning an aura of confidence, "O-Okay. I'll do it."
"We're right behind you, Lumi," Damini assured, "Lead the way."
I took another glance of the corridor again, spotting hallways on every side of the room.
My mind finally made up, I pointed my paw towards the hallway in front of us, "Let's go this way."
With me taking the lead, we carefully began to transverse through the hallway, our footsteps squishing in the slimy mud beneath our feet. The dungeon's dark aura enveloped us immediately upon entering, unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The trees' lifeless branches seemed to extend toward us, as though they would drag us down to a watery grave at any moment.
Emerging into another corridor, I cautiously inspected the area for any signs of danger, quickly spotting something sparkling in the rightmost corner. Approaching the alluring glow, I carefully picked up the cool, smooth gold coin in my paw. The letter "P" was inscribed onto its glistening exterior.
"This… I've seen this used as currency in the city, but…" I mused as I squeezed the rock-solid coin.
"Found something?" Damini asked, peeking around my shoulder.
"What is this exactly?" I questioned, holding the coin up in sunlight once again.
"That's Poke," Damini began to explain, "It's the currency we use in our region. I'm sure you've seen it used around Centrare City."
"Yes, but what's it doing in a place like this?"
"Hmm, well I heard that when explorers get defeated or even lost in these dungeons, some of their items become part of the dungeon itself," Damini continued, "This Poke right here might have belonged to a past explorer who got ambushed by the ferals here or something."
"That's… scary to think about," I uttered while looking down at the coin, which seemed to have lost its luster.
"Which is why only those who are dedicated to the craft can effectively explore these mystery dungeons," Ebony spoke, her eyes never straying from the hallway we walked out of, "Those who are faint of heart would wander these makeshift prisons until… well… it's not my place to say."
'I guess I really was lucky to have made it out alive last night,' The thought crept into my mind, sending a shiver down my spine.
"I'll hold on to it for now," Damini offered, prompting me to hand the gold coin over to him. He placed the Poke snugly into a pocket sewn on the treasure bag.
"We should keep moving," Ebony advised, "There are no other hallways in this room, so we have to head back before the ferals corner us here."
Warding off the prickling feeling underneath my fur, I wasted no time leading us back through the hallway and into the room we were in earlier. After doing a quick scan, I selected the right highway, braving myself for another plunge in the dark unknown. At the end of our trek was something I'll never get used to. Exuding a mystic, otherworldly aura, a three-step, stone staircase revealed itself once again in the middle of the corridor. The ever mysterious fog occupying the top step, obscuring what lay beyond this stairwell. The overwhelming sense of awe left my mouth agape while Damini and Ebony casually went around me.
"Nice! You found the stairs!" Damini cheered as he scrolled up to the staircase.
"Is this a… normal occurrence?" I asked my ghastly examiner.
"Yes. As much as the mysteries on how or why these stairs manifest in dungeons remain unanswered, these are the only way to advance further," Ebony explained before joining Damini, "Now hurry or we'll leave you behind."
"Okay," I sighed, quickly joining them in climbing up the stairs.
Reaching the top, the fog rapidly grew denser and completely obscured my surroundings with the exception of Damini and Ebony right by my side.
Miasma Marsh 3F
The ground manifesting below my feet and the fog slowly receding, I carefully glanced around my new surroundings while taking a few steps forward. Damini and Ebony seemed to do the same as they slowly came by my side.
"You sure have a knack in finding these stairs," Damini stated with a smirk.
"I'm pretty sure it was all luck so far," I admitted, a cold sweat sliding down my right temple.
"Though I must admit, Aexite, I am impressed," Ebony said, "Although we still haven't faced any ferals yet. I want to see how you fare against them."
I unconsciously forced down a bundle of nerves at the mere thought of fighting anything. 'How can I do that if I still can't use any moves? Last night was just a freak accident. Even then, I'm not even sure what move that was.'
"I'll help out too. But just you know, I might steal a lot of victories from you," Damini laughed, exuding an aura of confidence I wished I had.
"At least try to hold back," Ebony sighed as she moved ahead, "It's her trial after all."
"Right right," Damini yielded, "Let's get going, Lumi."
With a nod, we started our trek through the nearest hallway in the corridor. This time, however, the tree walls we have come accustomed to were gone and replaced with ponds scattered through the floor. A luminescent, sickeningly purple glow emitted from the water, sending my instincts into a fervent tizzy. I consciously kept to the middle of the path to avoid touching the water, which rippled and twitched around the ponds.. The air seemed to have taken on a quality I can't describe as it fell flat in my lungs, causing me to occasionally cough.
"I've been meaning to ask, Miss Ebony," Damini broke the silence, which prompted a "Hm?" from the ghost, "I know you said it was none of our business, but I want to know. I've known the Chief since he came to my village, but I never saw you explore with him even once. Do you not explore with him often?"
Ebony's eyes squinted with a twinge of annoyance but quickly disappeared as she let out a sigh. "Since we came this far, I might as well tell you something. There's a saying I've adopted due to my experience as an explorer; certain knowledge comes at a price. I don't actively think about it, but I choose to not explore dungeons unless it's necessary."
"Then what do you do for guild, if you don't mind me asking," Damini quickly added.
"Well if you must know, I usually take jobs posted by the city itself. I feel we should prioritize improving our home first before venturing beyond. It's about enhancing what's around us," Ebony answered, sincerity quietly echoed in her voice.
Curiosity tugged at my heart, but my head advised not to potentially irritate her further. 'She sounds… sad to me for some reason. Maybe it's my imagination.'
"I see," Damini said, almost uncharacteristically solemnly, "I think I understand what you mean–"
"Shush! Quiet!" Ebony quickly hushed, "Look over there!"
Upon arriving at a new corridor clear of the luminescent waters, I spotted two round, scarlet figures blocking the entrance to the next hallway up ahead. Their putid green abdomens rose and fell with each breath they took. Their red and black striped colored antennas twitched sporadically, seemingly sleeping while basking in the warmth of the sunlight. I could see many of their black, stubby legs curled up underneath them as they took their nap.
"W-What are those?" I asked, fear spilling out of my throat.
"Venipede," Ebony answered, "They're decently common in this dungeon. Those two seem to be blocking the only exit out of here."
"So we defeat them, right?" Damini asked, his enthusiastic spirit returning.
"Yes, we have to deal with them quickly," Ebony advised, "Their moves and body itself can poison you. Be careful."
"But wait, they seem to be sleeping over there," I pointed out, "Do you think we can silently sneak past them?"
Ebony shook her head, "No. As soon as we step into their radius, the ferals will wake up instantly and attack on sight. We have to fight them, Aexite."
"Okay," I reluctantly agreed, my heart racing each passing second. 'I guess there's no avoiding this fight. I have to come up with a plan of attack and fast.'
Damini and I quietly and stealthily neared the unsuspecting Venipede from the left and right sides respectively. The surrounding air seemed to intensify with each step, solidifying the pit in my stomach. Damini gave me a side nod of confidence before focusing on our opponent.
"Okay Lumi, you take the one on the right, I'll take the one on the left," Damini whispered, sparks flying as he readied himself to pounce.
I nodded, mirroring Damini's stance while staring down the napping Bug-type. The electricity conveying his rising anticipation, Damini blasted off in a blink of an eye and landed a devastating blow on the Venipede's head, sending it flying into the trunk of the tree behind it.
The shock of it all nearly knocked me off my feet. 'Wasn't there supposed to be a signal or something?! I thought we were supposed to attack together!'
"Look sharp, Lumi!" Damini called out, landing a few feet away from our enemies.
Startled awake, the Venipede, one of them still recoiling from the last strike, glared at us with pure malice before they began to close the gap between us. Damini followed suit, leaving me to quickly snap out of my stupor and join in on the fray. I shifted my focus on the Venipede Damini left for me to handle, its glare conveying its clear intent straight through my psyche.
'Alright Lumi, you can do this. Stay calm and fight,' I psyched myself up as I picked up speed to match my aggressor.
The distance between us grew smaller by the second, I tucked in my head and with a resounding THUD, our clash of forces reverberated the air sending shockwaves down my spine. The Ventipede buckled upon impact and was sent flying a few feet away, affording me a moment to catch my breath and regain my bearings. The Bug-type, however, recovered quicker than expected and unleashed a barrage of sharp, thin, sickly purple needles from its tail, aimed directly at me. A helpless squeal escaped my lips, I scrambled to evade the incoming projectiles, which all disappeared upon striking the ground.
Turning back around, I dashed toward my foe for one final strike, only to be met with several more needles barreled straight for me. Instinctively, I tried to swerve out of its line of fire, but multiple prickly sensations pierced my leg as I tumbled roughly on the ground. My leg felt as heavy as a slab of stone, but I quickly sprung up on my feet, bracing for any assault it might unleash next.
A dark aura erupted to life around the Venipede's body, its malice intensifying as it became cloaked in this strange power. Without a moment's hesitation, it darted across the field with its newfound speed, closing off half the distance between us in a matter of seconds.
'No no no, if that attack hits me, I'm in serious trouble!' I internally panicked as the Venipede showed no signs of relent, 'I can't match its speed, so I have to rely on that move again. I just hope it works.'
Inhaling deeply, I started to channel the icy powers latent within this Vulpix form, desperately striving to harness this foreign power once more. Like last time, the frost encased my throat as it crawled up to my mouth, the sensation almost unbearable to hold in. The ice threatening to close my throat shut, I released the bitter cold mist that had built up inside me toward the impending threat. To my shock, the Venipede spearheaded through the mist as if it was nothing, leaving a gaping hole in its path. With no time to react, I took the full force of the attack, sending me sliding across the ground, my legs nearly buckling underneath the pressure.
I weakly regained my stance with each pant I took, pain soon replaced with shock as I glanced around myself. 'I'm… still standing? But how?'
Whatever time I had to ponder vanished as the Venipede let out an unearthly screech drawing my attention back towards it.. It began to charge again, its weakened prey locked in its sights. But just as the Venipede could gain momentum, a ball of dark, pulsating energy collided with its body, exploding on contact. Another, almost pitiful, screech cut through the smoky veil, along with several abrupt shuffling noises which soon faded into white noise. Soon after, the smoke curtain parted away, revealing our former attackers were gone.
"Lumi!" Damini's voice broke the heavy silence as he ran up to me, "We did it! We drove them off!"
"Heh. Barely," Ebony snided, causally floating towards us, exuding an air of disdain. "You call that an attack, Aexite? I've seen baby Pokemon do better than that."
Her words struck like a battering ram, shattering any remaining confidence, "I-I.."
"Please take it easy on her, Miss Ebony," Damini reasoned, "Lumi recently lost her memories."
"To be honest with you Damini, I still don't buy it," Ebony stated, "Even if that is the case, she knew the risk of coming into these mystery dungeons where a single mistake could be the end. If she's not going to take things seriously, I'll end this trial right here."
"W-Wait please!" I pleaded, "I know I need to work on my moves, but I promise I am taking it seriously. Let me prove it to you from here onward."
Ebony's icy glare seemed unending until she finally said, "Fine, one more chance. But we are not your babysitters. If I have to step in for you again, you automatically fail. You understand?"
"Yes madam," I agreed.
"And you, Damini," Ebony said, "Don't try to hide your injuries next time. You're poisoned, aren't you?"
Damini jolted out of shock and cast a glance at the reddish wound expanding on his right hind leg.
"Ha hehe, I was a little embarrassed to admit it," Damini laughed sheepishly, which gained a disappointed shake of a head from Ebony.
"As we share the spoils, we must share if we're hurt," Ebony advised, "You're not doing anyone any favors by hiding something like that. Do you have anything to cure the poisoning?"
"Y-Yeah, I have some Pecha Berries in my Treasure Bag," Damini stated, "Lumi, can you get them for me? You should grab some Oran Berries too."
"Um, okay," I dove and sifted through the Treasure Bag for any of those colorful berries among the other items stashed in there. I fished out some blue and pink berries and presented them to Damini, who wasted no time and chomped some of them with a satisfied smile.
Like magic, his injuries began to vanish without a trace, along with the splotch receding into nothingness. Damini stretched each of his newly healed legs, an abundance of energy radiating from his body.
"Much better!" Damini exclaimed happily before glancing at the berries by my paws, "What are you waiting on? You need to keep your strength up too!"
I hummed a quiet "Hmm" whilst eyeing the Oran Berries. 'I've seen these before. These berries are what Eloise used to treat me when I first entered Centrare City. So I guess you can just eat them. It's worth a try.'
I took one of the plump berries to my mouth and bit a sizable chunk out of it. Instantly, I felt renewed strength surge through every cell in my body. The heaviness of my back leg lifted completely, and all of my wounds started to mend themselves.
"Whoa," the word escaped my lips at the sudden potency of the healing process. 'It wasn't this effective when I was in the city. A bunch of these berries took almost all night to heal me completely. Maybe… Maybe being inside dungeons amplified its effects somehow.'
"Alright, we shouldn't linger here for much longer," Ebony advised, "There's no telling if those Venipede were the only ones around."
We both agreed and resumed our trek through the next hallway, moving on to the next set of stairs.
Miasma Marsh 5F
The dungeon's air getting steadily more dense as time went on, our group, led by Ebony this time, cautiously traveled down this seemingly endless hallway, hoping for an end in sight.
'How much longer until we get to the final floor?' I thought, occasionally gasping for air within the thick fumes of this accursed dungeon, 'I don't think I can last much longer.'
"Here Lumi," Damini scrolled up, presenting a Pecha Berry to me, "This will help you breathe better in here. Ebony already had one."
The Pecha Berry's sheen became more appetizing right away, so I took it from Damini's paw and scarfed it down immediately. The sweet texture coated my mouth, leaving behind some much needed relief as the fumes' influence became nonexistent. I gingerly took some deep breaths, filling my lungs with the air sought for so long.
"T-Thank you, Damini," I said, my voice returning, "How did you know it'll work?"
"Uh, it was by accident," Damini awkwardly scratched his muzzle, "I got a little hungry."
'A glutton I see.' I thought, deadpanned. "Wasn't there apples in the bag to eat instead?"
"It was the first thing I grabbed, okay!" Damini hastily said, embarrassment flushing his cheeks.
I laughed, much to Damini's dismay. "Well at least it worked out."
Damini soon joined in and chuckled. "Yeah."
The gloomy atmosphere settled once more as I gazed down the narrow hall of horrifically twisted trees. Damini's presence kept the impending shivers at bay.
"Damini," I began, "Ever since we heard about Ebony's reasons for staying in Centrare City, I've been curious. What's your reason for exploring?"
"My reason, huh," Damini mused before replying, "I want to become stronger."
I tilted my head in confusion. "That's it?"
Damini nodded. "If I become stronger, I can help so many more Pokemon out there. Being an explorer was always my dream ever since I was a little cub. When the Chief appeared in my village all those years ago, I saw it as my chance to finally chase that dream.
He gave me a soft smile. "That's why when I heard your reasons for wanting to join the guild, I just couldn't stand by and let you be rejected."
"I see, I understand now," I responded, "I have to thank you again. If it weren't for you, I would get this chance to prove myself."
"No problem," Damini stated happily, "Now all we have to do is finish this trial and prove your explorer material."
"Mhm," I nodded, the dungeon seeming brighter than before.
The tree hallway finally dispersing, we arrived at another field filled with ponds of water. The path forward was indistinguishable due to the tiny streams of water crossing from one pond to another.
"Try not to step in that," Ebony said, referring to the water, "Even with the Pecha Berry's protection, you shouldn't risk it."
"Right," Damini answered while we stepped over any streams in our way.
As we reached halfway through the field, I couldn't help but notice a murky shadow lurking within the pond right of us.
"Um, guys?" I spoked up, keeping my eye on the shadow, "There seems to be something in the water here."
"Huh? Where?" Damini inquired before he and Ebony turned to face where I was looking.
From the depths of the pond, a slimy, muddy brown Pokemon with no arms lept from the luminescent water and attempted to ram into Ebony, who calmly levitated out of the way. The Pokemon landed in front of us and let out its battle cry, sloshing its tail all the while.
"Humph, a Wooper," Ebony identified, "This can get annoying."
"Alright, leave it to me!" Damini declared as the electricity in his body flared to life.
Before Ebony could say "Wait", Damini already darted off. Going in on the assault, Damini slammed himself onto the Wooper, electricity flying everywhere upon impact. He jumped back to our side with a toothy grin on his face.
"Hehe, my Spark landed its mark!" Damini declared proudly as we watched the smoke clear.
But what stood before us, was a Pokemon who by all accounts, didn't have a single scratch on it. The Wooper craved a malice filled grin, seemingly mocking us in its own way.
"What?! It's a Ground type?!" Damini asked, shocked beyond belief.
"That's what I was trying to tell you," Ebony stated, "Electric type moves will barely affect it."
"Damn it! Well how about this?!" Damini was gone in a blink of an eye, going full sprint towards his target. He slammed head first into the Wooper and jumped away, leaving it to skid a few inches back from the impact.
Holding its ground, the Wooper fired shot after shot of mud from its mouth at Damini. He narrowly avoided the first two, but suddenly slipped and fell onto the ground before being assaulted by the last shot. A painful yelp rang out from the splattering mud coating where Damini stood.
"Damini!" I called out, my legs aching me to move.
Damini slowly stood up from the mud, shaking vigorously sending the remaining mud on his fur flying. Bruises lined the right side of his body while splotches of mud clung to his feet.
'I need to do something to help! But what can I do? I couldn't do anything substantial last time!' I thought, racking my brain for any ideas.
"You're just gonna stand there while your teammate gets pummeled?" Ebony alluded, eyeing me with disdain, "Perhaps I should end this farce for the both of us."
"N-No! Wait! I got an idea! Let me execute it first!" I desperately bluffed.
"Humph. I'll be watching," Ebony grumbled, turning to Damini panting heavily as he dove back into battle.
I wasted no time in making my way to the fray whilst glancing around my surroundings for anything I could use. 'Okay, calm down and think, Lumi. There has to be a way we could gain the upper hand.'
A lone, dilapidated tree stood within a pond near the ongoing battle caught my eye. 'Maybe I could use that.'
"Damini!" I called out again, "Lead it this way! I got a plan!"
Damini glanced back at me and nodded, "You got it! Come here, you pain-in-the-neck!"
While Damini provoked the Wooper into following him by a series of ramming and taunting, I quickly got into position by nimbly climbing up the tree and peering down to the ground below. I called upon my icy powers again and lay in wait for everything to fall in place. Successfully leading the Wooper where I am, Damini backed himself close to the tree, jumping out the line of fire while doing so. He sneakily gazed up at me with an anticipating aura. I nodded at him to which he nodded back, seemingly understanding the sign.
The Wooper let out an irritated growl and launched itself towards Damini. He swiftly slid under the Wooper, leading to ram itself onto the tree and lay dazed on the ground. Seizing this chance, I unleashed the snowy torrent building up inside of me onto the unsuspecting Pokemon down below. The move blanketed the Wooper and its surroundings with a white veil, obscuring everything in its path. A few moments passed, the white veil parted away revealing a Wooper shivering and twitching with several clusters of ice formed on its grimy body. After an abrupt end to its shivering, the Wooper fainted and miraculously faded out of existence.
Taking a few deep breaths, I gazed upon where the Wooper last laid, processing what just happened a second before. A twinge of joy sneaked its way to my face. 'I… I did it.'
Carefully climbing down the tree, I met up with Damini who was in the process of finishing off an oran berry.
"That was great, Lumi!" Damini cheered, "Your plan worked!"
"It was all thanks to you, Damini," I said with a small smile.
"No," Damini disagreed with a grin, "It was because we worked as a team."
That statement paused any processing for a second, but a warm feeling washed over me as my smile grew bigger. "Yeah, we did."
"I have to say, not bad," Ebony said, coming up behind us, "You still need to work on your Powder Snow, but your strategy led you to victory."
'So that's what it's called.' I silently noted. "Thank you, Ebony."
"Don't thank me yet, Aexite. You're still on thin ice in terms of your trial," Ebony warned before turning her gaze to the nearby hallway, "We have a bit more to go before we reach our target. Let's keep going."
"Right!" Damini and I said in unison, silently looking at each other with glee from our latest win.
Miasma Marsh Clearing
Freshly emerging into a new floor, I noticed a distinct shift in the dungeon's ambience. A cool and somber twilight sky streaked with oranges and pinks had replaced the dark, oppressive plague that lingered throughout the dungeon. Numerous trees surround the clearing, sporting lush, dark green vegetation as opposed to the bare branches we've seen thus far. To the north, a vast, dazzling lake spanned as far as the eye could see, casting a mesmerizing spell to those who gazed upon it.
'I didn't realize it was late already,' I thought, scanning the area as our unit approached the clearing.
"This is the deepest part of Miasma Marsh, right?" Damini asked Ebony.
"Yes," Ebony answered, "The Aqua Gem should be around here. Let's start looking."
A lone sparkle drew my attention toward a couple of bushes near the view of the lake.
"I think there's something in the bushes there," I pointed out.
"Oh! I see it!" Damini exclaimed, "Let's check it out!"
"Agreed," Ebony said as we neared the bushes.
At that moment, multiple rustling of leaves could be heard all around us, anxiousness steadily rising as I glanced around for the source. The others seemed to pick up on this as everyone was completely still, cautious on what's hiding in the shadows. The rustling converged into the bushes in front of us and out came two familiar Bug-types, eyes aglow with vindictive fury.
"Those Venipede…" I started, "Are they the same ones we ran into before."
"They seem to recognize us," Ebony concluded, "It seems to be the case."
"So what?" Damini said confidently, "We beat before, we can do it again."
Simultaneously, the pair of Venipede let out an aggravating cry into the concluding twilight sky. Seconds later, rapid stomps reverberate the clearing, getting increasingly louder as the figure came closer to where we were. Knocking down several trees in its way, the towering beast made its presence known while seemingly guarding the Venipede behind it. A low menacing hissing simmered out of its dark magenta exoskeleton covered body, filling the air with its primal rage. Despite the diminishing sunlight, its yellow eyes were aglow and locked on those who dared breathe in its presence. The antenna on its head swung wildly as it stepped forward, its two tails poised to strike down its foes in an instant.
"What… What is that?" Damini asked, fear settling in his voice.
"That's a Scolipede," Ebony informed, bafflement twisting her face, "But that can't be right. They're not known to reside in these parts."
"Well it's here now!" Damini pointed out, "What do we do?!"
"I guess we have to fight, right?" I suggested. 'I might be out of my mind, but we can't give up now. Now that we're so close.'
"Humph, I actually agree," Ebony begrudgingly said, "I'll help out this time. I'll support you the best I can."
"Alright! Count me in too!" Damini added, "Let's do this!"
"Yes!" I exclaimed as we focused on the deadly obstacle in front of us.
The Scolipede bellowed a primal screech before whipping its head around and firing those same poison tipped needles at us. Without a second thought, all three of us scattered to avoid the onslaught, the needles whooshing past me at fierce velocities.
"I'm going in!" Damini announced before dashing straight towards the raging beast.
Damini slammed himself directly onto the Scolipede's chest, but surprisingly, it didn't budge an inch and instead deflected Damini with a swift swing of its neck, sending Damini tumbling back.
Damini coughed out dust before quickly getting back up on his feet, "My Quick Attack… it didn't do a thing."
"Scolipede has a tougher exoskeleton than the pre-evolved Venipede," Ebony explained, "It's gonna take a lot more than quick jabs to get any damage through."
"So we need more power for our attacks to mean anything," I surmised.
With Ebony's mouth agape, a dark sphere of electrified energy formed and rapidly expanded until she launched toward our foe. However, the Scolipede effortlessly dodged the attack with breakneck speed and charged straight for Ebony. Its tails aglow with a subdued purple energy, the Scolipede proceeded to whip around and slammed them into Ebony, sending her crashing into the ground.
"Ebony!" Damini called out, drawing the attention of the Scolipede as it started to rush towards him, "We have to slow it down. Take a Thunder Wave!"
A stream of electricity fired from Damini's mane and zapped the approaching Scolipede. The electric jolts danced on Scolipede's body, stopping its rapid assault as it twitched and shuttered within the Thunder Wave's grasp.
The impending danger momentarily postponed, Damini and I rushed to Ebony's aid who quickly recovered from her dazed state and was airborne again.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Heh, it'll take more than that to take me out," Ebony reassured, "But it sure is annoying."
"I got it paralyzed," Damini informed, "But I'm not sure how long it'll last."
"Good, we can use that," Ebony said, "Aexite, get ready to chip in."
"Got it," I nodded as we got into position.
While Ebony and Damini prepared their sphere and electricity respectively, I revved up my Powder Snow with all the strength I could muster. Almost unifiedly, we casted our attacks at the beast with Damini attacking directly with his Spark. Our attacks landed one by one, cloaking the Scolipede in a mix of smoke and mist. Damini propelled himself out of the smokescreen and landed a few feet away, poised for action.
"Is it over?" Antipatiction filling my thoughts.
From within the veil, the Scolipede roared an ferocious screech before wildly stomping and kicking the smoke and mist away.
"That'll be a no," Damini stated.
"But we did damage it," Ebony pointed out, "Let's keep up the pressure."
"Right! Lumi, let's go!" Damini exclaimed while dashing toward the raging titan.
"Okay," I agreed as we closed in on it.
While the Scolipede was distracted by its rage, Damini quickly landed another Quick Attack on its side followed up by my own tackle, resulting in the beast sliding a bit from our combined force. Finally awake from its trace, the Scolipede let loose another wave of needles, which we both narrowly dodged out of the way. But before I could even blink, I found myself in the path of its now dangerously close tails.
'I can't dodge it! It's gonna–' Panic struck my mind as I squeezed my eyes tight.
"Lumi! Look out!"
I felt something shove me to the side, followed by a loud thud and a helpless scream. My eyes shot back open to see an injured Damini on the ground far away while Scolipede continued to charge at him.
"Shit! I won't get to him in time!" I heard Ebony shout angrily.
Pure instinct pushing me forward, I tried to rush to Damini's aid, hopelessly racing against the faster savage beast already ahead of me. 'No! I can't– I won't let you throw your life away for me this time!'
I gritted my teeth, an almost primal feeling started to intensify inside of me, waiting to be fully realized to the world. 'I'm going to be the one to protect you!'
Unable to hold it back anymore, I released this primitive urge, manifesting into an unrecognizable roar from the depths of my soul. I felt my body getting blown back from the sheer force of this roar as it rapidly closed on the still charging Scolipede. Before it could realize what's happening, my shout smashed into its right side, sending it flying into a nearby tree. My roar finally concluded, I quickly ran to Damini and helped him get back on his feet.
"L-Lumi? What happened–!" Damini hissed at the sudden jolt of pain.
"Careful. It'll be okay," I assured, taking out an Oran Berry from the Treasure Bag and feeding it to him.
"I see. In that moment, you were able to learn Roar," Ebony informed as she floated close to Damini, "Are you okay, Damini?"
Damini softly chuckled as he finished off the oran berry, "I am now. Thanks, Lumi."
"Don't mention it," I replied happily before turning toward the rising Scolipede, "If I'm able to use Roar again, I might have a plan. If we can combine our attacks while it's being blown back by Roar, we might be able to beat it."
"I see. It won't be taken off guard like last time, so we'll give you an opening," Ebony offered.
Damini nodded. "We'll fully support you!"
"Okay, here it comes!" I warned them, the now furious Scolipede glaring straight at us as it started galloping forward.
"Here goes!" Damini shouted while casting his Thunder Wave onto the Scolipede, putting an immediate stop to its advance, "Alright Ebony, do it!"
A shadow-like energy rising from her body, Ebony suddenly blasted forth and got close to Scolipede's face before sucker punching it. The impact made the Scolipede flinch as it recoiled.
"You're up, Damini!" Ebony called out.
Following up with his Quick Attack, Damini zigged and zagged through Scolipede's legs, causing the behemoth to trip.
"Lumi! Now!"
Mustering my entire will, I unleashed my Roar again as the Scolipede started to fall, carrying it off by sheer power. Damini took this opportunity and hit below with a Spark, accelerating the pushback the Scolipede is experiencing. Lastly, fully charged and poised to strike, Ebony let loose her sphere of ghastly energy at the beast. The Scolipede collided with the tree again, soon accompanied by Ebony's attack which blew up upon contact. Soon, the smoke parted away, revealing the once raging beast laying on the floor, slowly disappearing into the ether.
'It's finally over.' Relief washed over my face like a waterfall as I gazed at the disappearing Pokemon.
"That was too close," Damini said as he slinked down to the ground in a tired mess.
Ebony took quick glances around the area as she reconvened with us. "It seems those Venipede ran off during the confusion. We're in the clear now."
"I see," I let out a sigh of relief, "I think the Aqua Gem is in those bushes there, right?"
"Seems like it," Ebony said, "Let's collect our spoils and leave this cursed place."
"Gladly," Damini sprung up to his feet and followed us to the bushes.
We pushed away the crowded vegetation to reveal the sparkling, luminescent sapphire gem underneath the brush. It took an even brighter shine exposed to the diminishing sunlight, giving the gem a radiant lure unlike no other.
"Yes! This is it!" Ebony confirmed as I held the gem in my paws.
"It's so pretty," I said as I admired the gem. The gem's surface was smooth and cold to the touch, as if the purest of water was stored inside its diamond-like feature.
"Put it in here, Lumi," Damini suggested, pointing to his Treasure Bag, "It'll keep it safe until we're out of this dungeon."
"Okay," I nodded before slipping the gem into the bag's embrace.
"Alright Damini, activate the Escape Orb," Ebony ordered.
"Yes madam," Damini complied as he pulled out a pitch black orb with a piercing light at the core of it, "Okay you two, stay close to me."
We both did so before the orb began to shine brilliantly upon Damini's assertion. A second later, the world disappeared in an instant.