Act Four: The Blackness

Scene One: Ragnarokkr

(Ryoku's POV)

"Welcome back, kids."

I felt my face ultimately betraying me as I stepped back into the room. The Timeless One beamed at me like I was his son. Sira didn't let go of my arm and stayed at my side. Will had taken his seat, but looked thoroughly amused at the sight of us. Loki's hand cleverly covered a wide smirk. Even Rex chuckled to himself, and Cleria was giving me quite the knowing look. Was my hair messed up? Was Sira's tunic inside out? Even worse – didn't vampires have excellent hearing?

Despite the interruption, I felt better than I had before. I stood next to Sira as strong as ever, even with the injuries on my chest bared and a deep ache within. Something about the fire that Sira breathed into me gave me a brave, shaky adrenaline that left me standing before the Timeless One in all seriousness. It felt like I had war stripes where her tongue crossed my skin.

The Timeless One's minute size didn't hinder the eerie silence of his eyes, a look that added to the effect of his ominous name.

"Well, Ryoku Dragontalen," the Timeless One boomed. I flinched at the sound of his full voice, forgetting just how loud he could make himself. "Xatu says she can heal you now! I think I might be able to assist with some other matters, too – but let us deal with this posthaste."

The Timeless One beckoned me over. Snacks, Glimmer, and my Rockruff fell in alongside me, and Infernix at Sira's side. When I stood before the old vampire, he put his papery hand on my chest. Sira clutched my arm a little tighter.

The vampire shut his milky eyes, and his Xatu seemed to spring to life. She spread her wings out wide, her golden eyes glowing. The air around us felt oddly thick, as though Xatu and the Timeless One just condensed the air into a thicker, more potent form. A light, dusty sort of smell wafted through the air, as though ancient texts were leafed through to scatter dust in the air. My ears perked, like the Xatu whispered a key lament into my skin.

Slowly, as though it existed all along, a thin violet mist began to connect Xatu, the Timeless One, and myself. Almost all magic and Pokemon abilities I'd seen were visible in some minute way, if one paid attention. And, as it wove in the air around me, I felt my skin beginning to stretch. New skin extended from what was torn. The wound began to mend, like the Timeless One weaved Xatu's needle through my injuries, drawing my skin back together as though it had never been apart.

The sensation grew to a level of increasing discomfort. My stomach churned and tossed like the seas. My head spun like it ducked and dove with the magic needle and thread. My legs felt like jelly, and each breath was like I took it through sandpaper. Sira's grip on me grew stronger. I couldn't tell her how it made my stomach lurch even worse.

It felt like eons before the old vampire drew his hand away, and his Xatu folded her wings regally once more, her head somewhat dipping in the release of effort. "Sorry about that, my boy. I know true healing is nothing to cough at. Why don't you take a look now?"

It took a moment for my head to stop spinning enough to glance down at my chest. I could tell it had been a messy, gruesome wound, now only an imprint of dark scar tissue. I could see the finite edges where the Lycanthren had torn into me.

"The scar will remain for some time," the Timeless One told me. "Healing of a human is still an imperfect art, but one Xatu and I have been practicing for some time. The scar may serve as a commendation of what you went through – and, dare I say, a reminder of what you must never allow again."

I thought I sensed satire behind his voice, but his milky eyes betrayed nothing. Sira and Will both chuckled at this, while Loki's brow only furrowed.

The Timeless One gestured for Sira and I to take a seat. We obliged, sitting near the little vampire and across from the others. Snacks hopped up into my lap immediately – she was still in her Umbreon form, at least twice her usual size. Relus glanced fleetingly down at her, but just gave me a polite smile.

"Now," the old vampire said, beaming at me. "There is one of whom I think you share many things in common. He, too, has been through a great ordeal that has altered aspects of his memory. He has been in my care for a short time now, and shows great promise as a battler and a combatant himself."

He snapped his fingers, a sound that came like a bullet in the silence of the room. A door near where Will and Sira had brought me through opened slowly, as though a figure had been waiting just beyond. A shadow stepped into the room out of the torchlight, masked by the shadows.

"To your skills in need of strengthening," the Timeless One said with a smile, "I offer you a teacher."

(Will's POV)

Nothing about the figure was readily apparent until he stepped into our midst, for the lighting in the Timeless Castle left much to be desired. A tall man with a young, angular face stepped up to the table, perhaps in his early thirties. His dark, slightly spiked hair added a touch of ruggedness to his otherwise youthful appearance. Clad in the customary black tunic that the rest of us wore, he seemed to defy easy classification. He was neither a soldier like me or Sira, nor a Warden like Loki. He clearly wasn't a student, either. Something about him held an indefinable quality that set him apart.

His almond eyes fell on Ryoku right away, and I saw ghosts in them for a moment. A careful smile lapsed across his face. Ryoku stared back, and a similar expression came upon him. It was as if two men peered through a veneer of fog at each other, searching for familiarities.

Ryoku's mouth opened, and a name escaped his lips; tentative and weak, as though speaking the name might shatter the mirage before him. "…Guildford?"

Surprise flickered across the young man's face as he acknowledged the name. The Timeless One mentioned his memories were messed up, too. "Ryoku Dragontalen… yes, that's right. I think I taught you at the academy."

Ryoku looked back at him, puzzled. "An academy? Which academy?"

Now Guildford rubbed his temple. "Hmm. I don't seem to recall." He frowned quizzically, studying Ryoku as if seeking answers in his gaze. "The Timeless One tells me you are much the same. Your memory has been muddled by something as well."

"Your connection is unmistakable," the Timeless One told us in a regal voice, sitting back down in what I realized was a high chair at the end of the table. "I have reason to believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the event which drank upon your memories is one and the same. You, and several others, were present before a mighty force. You…"

He trailed off as Snacks rose from Ryoku's lap, going to meet Guildford as he approached the table. Now everyone watched as the Umbreon – who'd now been conscious in this form for quite some time – rubbed against Guildford's leg. While Snacks had grown exceptionally comfortable around us, she rarely approached us like this. The truth was unmistakable: she did know Guildford.

Ryoku rose, following Snacks with Glimmer and his Rockruff at his side. He stopped a few feet from Guildford, appraising him as Snacks mewed loudly. "What do you remember?"

"Very little, I fear," Guildford admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "What I just said about the academy? I only recalled that when I stood before you. Until now, I had no recollection of being… an instructor of some kind."

The Timeless One certainly grinned. He'd known, as he told us. Loki also appeared acquainted with the unfolding scenario. He shared very little with us, but it was apparent he knew Ryoku's story, at least to an extent. While I'd been suspicious, I wagered he had his reasons for the mystery. Ryoku must have to uncover most of it on his own.

"I only recall winding up here," Guildford went on, picking a Pokeball from his belt and looking at it. I quickly noted the style of his Pokeball. While mine were self-crafted and used the capture gem, his looked industrialized, perhaps mass-produced and made of sleek metals. Two of them were red-and-white with metallic components, while the one in his hand was pure white with black metallic accents. The traditional capture gems were replaced by trigger-like buttons. "I arrived with my Pokemon in hand, wandering the countryside for some time until I stumbled upon this place. Seeking food and shelter, the Timeless One offered me much greater things. I've been here for a few weeks now."

They slowly worked their way back to the table, leaning against the backs of two chairs to discuss. Everyone's eyes were on them. Many of us didn't know exactly how, but we knew this pair were important in the future of the stones.

"Perhaps you could tell me what you've been through as well," Guildford suggested, stroking Snacks behind the ears.

After taking a look around, seeing everyone trained on their conversation… Ryoku began to explain his adventure so far, starting with waking up near Snacks and meeting Kioru. As his story went, each of us introduced ourselves to Guildford when our time came. But at a point in his tale, for obvious reasons, Ryoku hesitated to dive into the stories surrounding the elemental stones.

"You're quite at home to speak about the stones at your pressure," the Timeless One cheered, ignoring a look from Relus at his blunders. To Guildford he added, "Go ahead, my friend. Introduce them to Aura."

Guildford looked between everyone for a moment, then looked at the Pokeball in his hand – the all-white one. After carefully regarding it, he pressed the button – and a type of Lucario popped out to stand next to him. The moment it emerged, my eyes widened, and a sort of awe filled the room.

The Lucario that appeared was quite unlike any I'd ever seen. It radiated a combative energy, tall and with reddish skin, its narrowed golden eyes scanning the room in an instant. Its furry chest had a big spike in the middle, several more on its shoulders, and along its black-marked fists and feet. Its hair appeared almost like a headband's tails, dark and ending in reddish hues. If I knew aught about Lucario – and it was not my first time seeing one – then this was Lucario in its mega form, albeit with some different colorations. Its muscles bulged, its canine feet prepared to lunge at a second's notice.

"This is Aura, my partner," Guildford told us, patting his Pokemon on the shoulder – Aura was taller than him, and didn't regard him as Guildford put his hand on him. "I suppose it is quite like you and Snacks, Ryoku. Along with my two other Pokemon, Aura and I have been together for, quite literally, as long as I remember."

Ryoku looked at the Lucario in awe. He seemed to have an unconscious recognition of most types of Pokemon, and I wondered if he knew this one. Maybe I could attribute his knowledge to Guildford having been his instructor at some point.

"That is not all," Guildford added. He turned away from us and bared where his neck and right shoulder met – another tattoo. This one was unmistakably in the shape of a fist. As Guildford turned, though, so did his Lucario – albeit begrudgingly. Embedded in the matching shoulder was a shard of an orange crystal – a Fighting Stone shard.

"Do you recognize this one?" Ryoku showed Guildford his wrist.

Guildford studied the markings for a moment, then shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I do not."

"Bring it here, lad," the Timeless One urged. Ryoku exchanged glances with me for a moment before approaching the little old vampire and showing his wrist. "Ah, yes. These ones are quite obvious. The cross is the symbol of light, meaning you have a contract with a Light Stone shard. As for this middle one…"

"Light?" I asked curiously. "Is that one of the elements, truly?"

Ryoku looked grateful that I asked, and almost nobody else in the room looked like they understood, either. It was Relus who raised a finger at this. "Ah, the Light element," he began, capturing the attention of the room. "It's a fascinating and relatively rare aspect of elemental balance in our world with Pokemon. You see, it serves as a counterbalance to the Dark element, much like how Water counters Fire and Electric counters Water. It represents purity, illumination, and hope in the face of darkness."

He cleared his throat before continuing, "The Light element actually lays dormant in many Pokemon, much like the latent power of Mega Evolution. It's a potential that comes into play under the right circumstances. While not as common as other elemental types, Pokemon with an apparent affinity for Light do exist. Light attacks are quite good against Dark, Ghost, or Psychic-type Pokemon, while they are weak against attacks from Steel, Rock, or Fighting-type Pokemon.

"The Togepi line is one such example, with its radiant aura and ability to spread joy and hope," he added. "The Clefairy line as well, although they are quite an anomaly in themselves. I'm also aware that the Mega Evolution of a typical Ampharos carries Light-type attributes."

He glanced around the room, smiling at Ryoku. "Those are just a few examples, mind you. The Light element is as diverse as any other, and it can manifest in a variety of ways among Pokemon."

Ryoku started staring at his feet while Relus was speaking, and Relus sort of trailed off as he noticed this. "I don't think I have a Light-type Pokemon," he said softly. "That means… wherever the Light Stone is, I've abandoned a Pokemon to guard it by themselves…"

I rose and gently put a hand on his shoulder. Ryoku's shoulder tensed for a moment, then relaxed when he looked into my eyes. I could see him filled with a deep sense of remorse. Not knowing the fate of his Pokemon weighed heavily on him.

"We will figure this out together," I told him. "If your partner Pokemon is a Light-elemental, they must be strong. We shall find the stones and recover your memory – you are not alone in this."

Sira hugged him from the side, and Guildford gave Ryoku a brave nod. "Your friend is right," Guildford told Ryoku with an easy smile. "That we met is surely fated. Whatever Aura and I can do to help, consider it done."

The Timeless One cleared his throat. Drawing our attention, the Timeless One leaned forward, his milky eyes gleaming with a certain spark, as though he held the secrets of ages within his ancient gaze. "Fear not, young Guardian of the Stones," he said, his voice soothing yet filled with wisdom. "I have a proposition for you, Ryoku Dragontalen, that may bring you closer to recovering your lost memories."

Ryoku's attention fully focused on the eccentric old vampire as he continued. "If you are willing to undertake a certain task for me, a mission of great importance, I'll grant you a shard of the Psychic Stone."

Sira and I exchanged glances. Loki didn't look surprised. Before we could inquire further, Relus stood, presenting Ryoku with a bundle carefully wrapped in brown cloth and clasped shut with a small bronze medallion. Every vampire child attending the table gave the parcel unforgiving looks.

Ryoku opened the clasp and unraveled it reverently. His eyes widened as he uncovered a sleek, black sword nestled within, about three and a half feet long with a rather wide blade. The hilt was diamond-shaped and wrapped in thick, black chains that dangled free and connected to the sword's squared pommel. I knelt closer to inspect the blade. It looked like pale runes danced along the flat of its edge. I couldn't recognize the symbols.

"Its name is Ragnarokkr," the Timeless One explained. "This sword was wielded by you at one point. However, it has fallen into a corrupted state for reasons unknown. I know not what terrors you faced as Guardian of the Stones, my friend, but I daresay it should still serve you well."

"What do you mean by that?" Ryoku asked. I could hear a curious note of impatience in his tone. Maybe it wasn't so easy to forget everything.

Relus' eye twinkled as he adjusted his spectacles, crossing his arms. "Go ahead – let your friends try to lift it."

At a glance between them, Guildford decided to reach for the handle of the sword and gave it a tug. The item didn't budge. Ryoku glanced up at Guildford with a bit of a smirk, clearly assuming the man was joking. Grimacing, Guildford added a second hand and pulled. It even looked like he was straining himself.

"Oh please," Sira scoffed, untangling her arm from Ryoku to put it on the sword's handle. "That was so fake, I can't eve—"

She broke off as she gave the sword a yank, and glared at it like that alone should make it melt out of shame. "What the…?"

Ryoku looked sheepish, holding the still-wrapped sword in his arms while Guildford and Sira each yanked on it. Loki kicked his boots up on the table, watching with an amused expression, while Relus flashed him a dirty look. Lusari just looked embarrassed for them.

Sira redirected her glare to me when I chuckled. "You try it them, Mister Bags! Show us what a man of Syaoto can really do."

My smile fell away. "You bring my homeland into this?"

I stepped forward, deciding right then to end their charade. I placed my hand on the sword in such a way that Ryoku glanced fearfully at me, looking worried I might draw it and cut him in two. I intended to draw the blade and point it at Sira – jokingly, of course – but the blade did not budge. I stared down at it, trying to maneuver my hand around, testing to see if it was stuck on anything, trying to twist or turn it. The sword did not move.

"What is this?" I asked, directing my question to Relus. Relus just smiled.

Ryoku leered at me, raising and lowering his hands in an exasperated way – the sword easily moved with him. I tried it again. It didn't budge. Ryoku sighed. "Oh, come now," he said, and turned his hand to grab the sword by the handle. He picked it up with ease, instantly overarching his grip on it and nearly swinging it at me – but he stopped it by a hair's breadth with a finger's touch. He now stared at the weapon, a mix of annoyance and surprise on his face.

He then tried to hand the weapon to me. While he had a hand on the handle, the sword fit in my hands, though it felt weighty and unbalanced. As soon as Ryoku withdrew, the blade crashed downward, nearly breaking my arms with the velocity of its fall. I withdrew, startled, rubbing my hands. Ryoku glared at me again and plucked it from the ground, easily ripping it free where it had landed blade-first in the stone.

"I apologize that the weapon doesn't come with a sheath," Relus told Ryoku. "Of all things, we could not seem to recover that. The cloth, however, is reinforced with fabric from the Steel Stone, and even that blade will not cut through it. I took the liberty of installing the means to clip it to your baldric."

"Where did you recover this from?" I asked, still staring at the weighty sword Ryoku now held again. But Relus only gave me a small smile.

"Try it out, young one," the Timeless One suggested. "It may prove to be a valuable weapon to you, or it may not. One mustn't judge his eggs before they chicken!"

Relus cringed. "Or that you might never know if you never try." He adjusted his glasses studiously, returning his attention to Ryoku. "Perhaps trying the blade in this room would be unwise, as there are many delicate bodies that would not respond well to a swung sword."

"How about we spar, you and I?" Sira suggested. Whatever fire came into her eyes when she looked at Ryoku, it was dwarfed when it came to the promise of a fight. "We'll see how your heavy-ass sword fares against Sinistra!"

"In a realm where we can barely see our hands in front of our faces?" I asked dryly, as Ryoku experimentally twirled the sword in his hand – a row of vampires at the table hissed, lurching away as far as they could get. "You would surely kill each other. Besides, he could be a beginner. You are certainly not suited to test that."

Sira gave me a livid look. "Shut up, Baggy. I forgot, okay?"

Everyone hung around Ryoku and the new sword, Ragnarokkr. Sira gave it a curious look like one might stare at a deadly snake from afar. While stinging that we couldn't wield it, both Guildford and I turned to appreciate the masterful craft of the weapon, keeping our distance. Something about the weapon felt cloudy, like looking at an old friend and expecting them to look the same, but finding them ultimately different. Lusari couldn't take her eyes off it any more than Ryoku could, who now scarcely looked up since he held it in his hands.

Of all of us, though, Loki fervently kept his distance, lurking at least two chairs down beside a vampire child who kept giving the Warden nervous looks. Solaris nuzzled his back, but Loki only had eyes for the sword. Despite looking amused at our antics earlier, his expression was grave, like he stared at the ender of all things good and a sure slayer of whatever dreams he entertained. What personal vendetta could Loki have against this weapon? One day, I would find out the truth of why he was here, and this was a page in that mystery.

After a few moments of staring at the weapon, Ryoku looked up at the Timeless One, and I saw a certain resolve in his eyes. The worry and despair for his lost Pokemon wasn't gone, but hope managed to shine past it. His shoulders were straightened, his lips beset into a determined scowl.

"Okay," he said, drawing a deep breath. "You mentioned a job you want done. What is it?"