Cursed Blessings, a pokémon fanfic

~Author's Corner~

Start of one of the new three fics I promised a while ago in Chasing After A Legend - which, by the way, has been majorly updated with re-written chapters and new scenes.

Also, I've got a Twitter now - or, uh, I've got an X now. An ex? Anyway, it's the same as my pen name, AdventureHNGH, so feel free to drop a follow if you want more frequent updates about my works, other projects I'm involved with, or general ramblings and things like that. It's a bit bare at the moment, but I reckon that'll change soon enough.

Anyway, this fic takes place in medieval times, and the first few chapters will tell different tales that will all lead into one main story. Most of this work takes place in Kanto + Johto, although I imagine that there will be a few scenes outside of those regions, at one point or another.

You can consider this first chapter, then, as a sort of prologue.

Although I have an overall plot written down, I'm not entirely sure how things will play out in future chapters, so please bear with me!

Other than that, I'm very excited to present to you the first installment of Cursed Blessings!

The world of Pokémon, in which wondrous creatures of fantastic powers live alongside humans as partners, friends, family.

Except it wasn't always like that. In fact, such a relationship between Pokémon and human was only considered commonplace starting a few hundred years ago.

It certainly wasn't the case back during the medieval era.

Back then, most people treated Pokémon in some or all of the following ways.

First, as monstrous creatures and terrifying demons that were to be avoided at all costs.

Second, as slaves to human prosperity, to work the hard and grueling labor necessary to cultivate civilizations that would ultimately have no place for Pokémon to live in.

Third, as entertainment, with their seemingly magical powers, their odd appearances, and equally as odd behaviors that provided quite the strange spectacles to behold.

Fourth, as food or commodity. Anyone could have probably guessed that.

And finally, their most useful function, as far as nations of old were concerned - as tools of warfare.

Indeed, if Pokémon forced under the servitude were not doing anything else, then they were most certainly fighting for whatever royalty they swore their allegiance to, never mind that they hadn't the faintest idea that they even pledged that allegiance to or why they did so.

You can understand, then, that the average battles back in those days were not the sport they are in the modern era. No, a battle was a bloody, barbaric, ugly thing back then. All sense of morality was nonexistent, as it tends to be in war. The bodies of soldiers, human and Pokémon, laying dismembered and strewn across the land unfortunate enough to host whatever conquests that kingdoms undertook haphazardly, all in the name of so-called chivalry and holy crusades.

Ironic that most of these kingdoms worshipped Pokémon as their deities, when they paid little mind to the Pokémon that were sacrificed in their name.

Case in point, the insidious King Hinoki of the Alphian Empire – of which its most powerful city was what modern scholars refer to as Pokélantis, with the nearby Pokémopolis being a close second.

The empire was as vast as it was mighty, spanning over the western and eastern halves of what we now call Kanto and Johto, respectively. And its king was as ruthless as he was greedy, making conquest after conquest to expand his kingdom until there wasn't a single land that didn't belong to him.

He most certainly didn't care about the hundreds of thousands that were killed because of his insatiable hunger for expansion.

By all definitions of the term, he was pure evil. But to his contemporaries, it had nothing to do with how he used and slaughtered Pokémon, because again, their lives simply weren't considered as important to most folk.

But that didn't excuse everything else. The pillages, the massacres, the absolute devastation he and his army wrought. Even to his subjects, The King was hardly someone to be glorified. Yet no one, from the masses to the court, dared to oppose him, could even imagine raising a finger against him.

Because no matter the strength of the masses, no matter the power of the Alphian army, none of it compared to King Hinoki's might. A might that was rumored to have come from the blessing Alphia's chief God.

No one quite knew how, or even if it was the truth, but the story went that Hinoki had, at some point before ascending to the throne, curried the favor of their land's primordial deity. Supposedly, in the few instances that it was called upon, the great deity would unfailingly appear at the King's side. And with what was claimed to be absolute loyalty, the God would allow Hinoki to use its power as he saw fit, even if it was to incinerate anything and anyone that he happened to disagree with.

As it turned out, things weren't quite as simple as the rumors claimed, but we'll get to that later.

Yet as ruthless and heinous The King of Alphia was, and as ambivalent as the general public was toward the treatment of Pokémon, that didn't mean you had to be so inhumane to use their power so efficiently. Indeed, if you were able to form a bond of friendship with a Pokémon back then, you could have been considered a prodigy, perhaps even the manifestation of some sort of divine blessing.

Of course, it largely depended on your standing in society.

For instance, you could be one of the most powerful and exalted knights of the time, a warrior of righteousness capable of controlling his very life energy to perform otherworldly feats, not least of which bringing out the innermost potential in a Pokémon.

In other words, you could be an Aura Guardian. A holy knight. The most famous of which being the legendary Sir Aaron.

An enigmatic warrior as he was a charming one, he served the great kingdom of Rota, located in the north of what would become known as Kanto. Owing to his great strength and courage, he served directly under the beautiful Queen Rin and was even allowed to live among the royalty in their castle, Cameran Palace. Even during his time, the people of Rota spoke of Sir Aaron like he was a legend, speaking in excited whispers of the powers and abilities he was capable of by mastery over Aura.

But he was also known for his noble treatment of, his companionship with Pokémon.

For example, there was a Pokémon that was nearly always by the great knight's side – a Lucario. Only this Lucario wasn't treated like a slave or laborer, nor as a pet or even something to be shown off (and most certainly not something to be eaten). Instead, Sir Aaron treated it like a fellow being of mind and spirit, as a student to pass down the teachings of Aura to, and most importantly as a companion. Together, along with their other companions – human and Pokémon alike – they lived, they fought, and they understood .

Quite the far cry from a tyrannical ruler. In fact, history is filled with legends and myths about noble Aura Guardians and wicked despots clashing in epic battles of good versus evil, the divine versus the unholy, purity versus sin, and the like.

Arguably the most famous of these tales took place in the latter half of the 10th century. And as fate would have it, it was fought between the very same individuals that were just described.

Pokélantis, capital city of Alphia

~Approximately 1,000 years ago~

Two tiny figures silhouetted against the orange sunset flew high above the city. The capital was quiet, disturbingly so. Not a single person was in sight, even as the figures descended closer.

But he knew that they were there. The Auras that he could sense were among the thousands. And mixed with their energies were feelings of fear. Whether that was because of whose rule they lived under, or because they knew what was about to come, he was not sure.

Regardless, he knew better than to approach too close to ground. Nor was he foolish enough to head directly to the palace where his enemy resided. Instead, he steered his feathered ride toward the roof of the highest watchtower, from which he planned to climb down to the city grounds undetected.

Unfortunately, he was detected even before he reached the tower.

He halted in the air as a column of flame just barely missed them. Then, volleys of arrows shot toward them, forcing the man and his partner to quickly pick up speed and swerve to the side to avoid the onslaught. Boulders and razor-sharp stones were hurled at them, forcing them to shield themselves – the man's eyes glowed a brilliant cyan as an orb of the same color formed around them, the rocks shattering on impact.

"Ska-ree!"

A powerful force slammed against the barrier, breaking it and sending both man and flying beast backward, right into another stream of fire that struck against the bird's underbelly. The creature shrieked in pain as it began to fall along with its master.

But neither of them was going to fall here – not on the man's watch.

His gloved hands were bathed in a deep blue mist as he kept a tight grip on his steed, even as they plummeted toward the ground. In seconds, the wound that his friend had just been dealt healed, and the warrior's carrier found its strength again. With a mighty flap of its wings, it took to flight once more, barreling full speed at the source of what shoved it in the first place.

Said source was a metallic, silver bird that wore red armor with the insignia of Alphia etched onto it.

"Skreeeee!" Skarmory shot forward to meet its foe.

The brown-feathered bird did not slow down. "Jyottoooo!" Pidgeot screeched back to its enemy.

Right before the two made impact, the man dove off from his Pidgeot and straight toward the now-visible soldiers below, holding a crystal-tipped staff in his hands. His dark cloak fluttered against the wind, but miraculously, his blue hat with the yellow insignia of his kingdom remained on his head.

Another storm of arrows was shot up at him, but the knight spun his staff in front of his body like a tornado. A fierce windstorm was unleashed from the weapon and struck down hard against the approaching projectiles, blowing and scattering them away from their target. The wind soon faded, and the man continued his free fall, plummeting to meet what was almost sure to be a bloody and messy end.

But when he was a dozen meters away from landing, he was caught by his Pidgeot's talons and carried safely – while Skarmory's fallen form crashed behind them, instead.

The pair descended until at last, the man's feet touched the ground. His Pidgeot released him and flew away, and the knight clad in blue and grey rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck. At the same time, a squad of 30 enemy soldiers rushed at him, swords and spears raised, shields and armor glistening as they approached with guttural screams.

Sir Aaron prepared himself.

…

He jumped off a soldier's shield to deliver a flying kick to another behind the first.

…

He parried a sword with his staff and delivered an Aura-powered kick into the gut of an Alphian warrior.

…

He grimaced when he spotted another knight cracking his whip against the hides of Rhyhorn and Rapidash to force them to charge the Aura Guardian.

…

He leapt over a fallen Tyranitar and struck out against an unguarded soldier's back with a spear that he had picked up from another enemy.

…

After several minutes of fighting, the skirmish was over. Sir Aaron stood solemnly over his defeated enemies; some human, some Pokémon, some unconscious, some exhausted, and some dead. He breathed a heavy sigh. He was tired; not only because of how much energy he had just spent, but also because he far from enjoyed the pain he was forced to inflict.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed a group of four on the ground near an unconscious Charizard, each member lifting their head to look at him – one with contempt, one with fear, one with wonder, and one with resignation. Aaron frowned and, making sure to keep his guard up, approached them.

"N-no, wait...!" The fearful one's eyes widened, and he tried to squirm away, earning the ire of the angry one who muttered insults of cowardice.

"... I do not intend to harm you any more than necessary," Aaron carefully said, stopping a few meters in front of them. "But you know why I am here."

"Bah," one of them spat, "Rotanian scum. Do you expect us to betray our Lord so easily?"

"Can you say with certainty that you are happy with your ruler?" asked Aaron. "That you are proud of slaughtering innocent people who wanted nothing to do with the war between our kingdoms? That you are satisfied with how little your master cares about his own people, seeing them only as means to an end?" Two of the soldiers looked at each other hesitantly, which didn't escape the Rotanian warrior's notice. "I have seen many soldiers who serve their kingdoms unfailingly, who are fully devoted to the cause of their monarchs. Many of Alphia's soldiers are not among them. You fight not because you wish to prove your kingdom's truth or even its deity, but because you have no choice. I have seen it among too many of your army's faces."

"Enough!" The most hateful of the soldiers stood shakily but defiantly. "Your efforts to make us betray our Lord would be better spent praying to your whore of a Goddess that she spares your people of the bloodbath that our army is on its way to bring!"

Aaron merely shook his head in pity. "You are defeated. You know that. Please, just surrender and tell me where Hinoki's palace is."

The two less resolute soldiers averted their gazes. The angriest snarled and tried to summon the strength to do battle one last time.

"You will not find him in his palace. Upon the roof of the tower above us, our King awaits."

Aaron blinked and turned to the last of the four soldiers, the only one who hadn't reacted at all to his words. The man looked at him in the eye, not with regret or anger or even fear, but with mere ambivalence.

The three other soldiers gasped. "Captain! Why?!"

The captain was unrepentant. "His Majesty sent us down here not expecting us to win. And if it is true that the Aura Guardian engages in combat, then he is doomed to fall to Lord Hinoki. Regardless, I doubt we will live long enough to see the war's end."

Sir Aaron raised an eyebrow. "You have faith in your king's power, yet it appears to be begrudging."

"'Tis not a matter of faith. I speak simply of facts."

"Traitor!" The most passionate soldier barked and approached his captain with a weapon in hand, only for his body to give out on him and fall to the ground, face flat.

The captain regarded his treacherous subordinate for but a moment before looking at Aaron again. "Engage in combat with our King or turn around and leave the city. It hardly matters to me what you choose to do."

Rota's greatest knight stared back at him with an unreadable expression. "... I have a mission to carry out, as did you." He nodded to his Alphian counterpart and turned to look up at the very tower that, minutes ago, he had tried to infiltrate.

…

A tall, imposing figure stood on the roof of the tower. He wore white robes with a purple cloak fitted around them, and a red-chained necklace hung around his neck. A golden crown wrapped around his dark auburn hair, and his black eyes gazed at the land that was laid out before him. The land that belonged solely to him. A wicked smile crossed his features as he thought about the territory that he had acquired over his long years, and the army that he sent out to ravage the kingdom of Rota's people. Their soon-to-be former home would be added to his collection.

Not to mention the power of the great Tree that those Rotanian trash kept in their borders.

The King of Alphia chuckled. It was only a matter of time before his victory. In the meantime, he supposed he could entertain himself with the Aura Guardian that he sensed behind him.

"Ah, the great Sir Aaron." Hinoki smiled wickedly as he turned. "What an honor it must be for you, to be in my royal presence."

Aaron's scowl deepened. "Your arrogance is matched only by your heartlessness, King of Alphia."

"Hm hm..." The King chuckled and approached at a leisurely pace. "I did not expect Queen Rin to send her dearest knight to confront me. If the lady was wise, she would have kept you at home to defend against my own invading forces."

"Do not speak ill of our queen, tyrant." The Aura Guardian gripped his staff tightly. "Lady Rin sent me to make sure our good earth is vanquished of your wretched soul. Once that is done, your army shall have no need to continue their crusade."

"Oh?" Hinoki only grew more smug. "And you shall be the one to kill me, when countless others have failed? I would have thought you would be more informed than that, Sir Aaron."

"I shall give you one chance. Call off your army and surrender peacefully, else you shall feel the wrath of the thousands of people that have been massacred in your name."

"A deity like myself need not surrender. And I'm glad that those peons are dead."

A blue energy spiked from the knight. "I forgot scum have no need for regrets."

His Majesty only grew more excited. "Only those who dare defy my own greatness are scum."

"I suppose that makes you worse than scum." And Aaron struck out with his staff.

At the same time, Hinoki produced from his robe a rod of his own and met the offending weapon with it.

The two weapons clashed and shook as the two combatants pushed, each of them putting all their force into overpowering the other. But eventually Aaron overcame his opponent and gradually pushed Hinoki backwards.

That was until Hinoki slid his staff under Aaron's, escaping the lockup and making the knight stumble forward. Quickly, the ruler of Alphia reached into his robe and pulled out a throwing dagger to toss at Aaron's unguarded back.

Unbeknownst to the King, however, Aaron's eyes glowed a vibrant blue. Right when the dagger was about to hit, a thin blue forcefield got in its way and made it bounce off and land on the ground harmlessly. Immediately Aaron spun around and shot a glowing blue orb from his palm straight at the tyrant.

But Hinoki slammed the base of his staff on the ground and a cyclone of purple fire swelled up and surrounded him, catching the sphere and trapping it among the flames of the tornado. Aaron was forced to dive to the side as a now-flaming Aura sphere was launched back at him, quickly discarding his cloak as it was lit aflame by a glancing pass. He looked up in time to see his foe tap his staff on the ground twice more, a pair of ghastly flames forming and being sent flying towards him.

The knight was forced to drop his own weapon so that he could hold his arms out in front of himself. The flaming projectiles met his gloved palms, the purple will-o'-wisps getting overtaken by the warm blue of his energy and dissipating. Danger avoided, Aaron looked up, only to see fading mist where the King once stood. Eyes widening, he quickly reached for his staff on the floor, then spun around as his enemy appeared next to him in a swirl of hazy energy.

The two combatants struck each other with their respective staffs, each of them landing upon the other a solid hit in the chest. Both stumbled backwards, but it was Aaron who used his free arm to grab Hinoki by the scruff of the robe. With a mighty heave, Aaron pulled Hinoki toward himself while bringing his own head forward at the same time, slamming into the royalty's face with a strong headbutt that sent the mighty monarch stumbling back.

"Grrgh...!" The King coughed out. Panting, he wiped his now bloody nose with the back of his arm as the knight from Rota jumped back to make some distance. Despite the pain, Hinoki couldn't stop himself from smirking as he reached for and picked up his staff. "Hoho..." he chuckled as he rose. "Not bad at all, noble Knight."

Aaron said nothing and prepared himself for battle again.

"Very well." Hinoki followed suit. "En garde!"

And so the fight did continue between knight and monarch of opposing kingdoms, the spiritual valor of Sir Aaron's training pitted against the dark arts of the malevolent ruler of Alphia. For several minutes, the two did battle, maneuvering around each other's movements as though entranced in a ritual, striking at one another with increasingly powerful attack after attack, the very nature of human limit meaning seemingly nothing to either the embodiment of Rota's purity or the personification of evil itself.

"You do justice to your reputation, Sir Aaron!" The King remarked after parrying a slash from his opponent's staff.

"Your words mean nothing to me, foul creature." The Aura Guardian bit out upon matching a shadowy claw with a thrust of his arm.

"I daresay you've trouble accepting compliments, good knight." His Majesty quipped, leaning back to avoid the end of Aaron's staff. "Perhaps," he reached into his robe, "in the face of my own glory, you're too stunned to accept any?!" He threw a cloud of orange mist into Aaron's visage, watching with glee the young man's panic as he inhaled it.

"Hngh... Hyack!" Aaron coughed and dropped his weapon, falling over and seizing up as the spore took effect. Against the burning sensation in his body, he tried to get up, only for his pain to intensify when the tyrant standing above him kicked the warrior in the ribs, making him cough a clump of blood and roll some meters away.

"Come now, what is this pitiful display?!" taunted Hinoki as he made his way over to the fallen knight. "Does your mastery over Aura not afford you vitality similar to a Monster's?!" He kicked Aaron again, sending him rolling further away. "Not even a Magikarp would be so easily felled to this stunning spore!" This time, he picked Aaron up by the scruff of his shirt. "An Eevee has more resilience than you!"

Aaron was thrown across the top of the temple, bouncing and rolling on the ground until eventually coming to a stop right at the end of the roof, his left arm loosely dangling off the edge. "Urgh..." he stirred and opened his eyes. "You..." he whispered, "... Are you so weak that it is only through filthy tactics can you secure victory...?"

"'Filthy tactics?!' Bah! Do not make me laugh!" His Highness grinned as he made his way toward Aaron. "I admit that you have fared far, far better than any other fool who did dare to challenge me, but just like those folk, you are blinded by your so-called chivalry! This is not a joust or any sort of friendly sport! You're battling for your life! This is WAR!" He slammed his scepter to the ground, impaling it and allowing the weapon to stand on its own. "And it seems, Aura Guardian, that even for all your skill, you are no match for me."

The King raised his arm over his staff, and a dark, dark orb crackling with purple electricity formed between them and hung over the groaning knight. "Farewell, Sir Aaron. The rest of your kingdom shall follow you to the other side soon enough."

The noble knight opened a single eye to look at the object of his approaching demise. The King, wicked euphoria stirring in his heart, was blissfully ignorant of the approaching figure behind him.

"NOW!" a revitalized Aaron cried.

SQUELCH.

"URK-!" gasped Hinoki suddenly, the ball of shadows floating above his rod quickly disappearing. Slowly his eyes moved down, and he found a bloodied paw sticking out of his chest cavity. "Wh-what… cannot be…" he coughed out as the paw removed itself from his torso. Heaving a clump of blood, the Alphian monarch crumpled to the floor, a gaping hole through his chest clearly visible. He did not move.

"You shall travel to the other side alone, fool." A black-and-blue jackal-like creature looked down at their fallen foe with distaste. "Good riddance." Then he looked up and rushed to Sir Aaron, his scowling expression replaced with concern. "Master! Are you alright?"

"Y-Yes..." The knight grunted as he got up. "I am, thanks to your skill, Lucario. Well done."

Lucario shook his head. "Nay. I merely took advantage of the opportunity that you created. The victory goes to you."

"Well then," Sir Aaron smiled wryly, "let us agree to disagree, then. How's that?"

Lucario mirrored his friend's smile. "Very well. Now come, we must carry out the unfortunate task of taking this filth's body back."

The Aura Guardian nodded and stepped forward, his apprentice close behind him. Finally, the war was over... He stood over Hinoki's corpse and bent forward to pick it up, only to pause midway. "... Something is wrong."

"What? What do you mean, Sir Aaron?"

"He is dead. His Aura should be fading from his body," explained Aaron, "but that is not the case. In fact, it almost seems like it's..."

"... Rising?!" Lucario's fur stood on end. "Master! MOVE! "

The pair dived out of the way, right before the monarch's body was engulfed by a purple flame, covering it from view.

"What is happening?!" Lucario shouted over the sound of the raging fire. "Could someone possibly be burning the corpse from afar?!"

"... No... it cannot be...!" Sir Aaron paled as the flame started to reduce in intensity. "Then... the rumors are true?"

"Master! What rumors..." Lucario's telepathic voice fell into a murmur when the oddly colored inferno finally died out – and what was left in its place shook his core.

"... Would you like to know how old I am, good knights?" The revived King of Alphia smirked at his enemies, absently touching his now perfectly healed chest wound through the new hole in his robe.

"Deceiver!" Lucario roared. "We killed you! What is this sorcery!?"

"Despite my appearance," he went on, "I'm quite the old soul. Let me think... I would dare venture that I approach 520 years? Yes, that seems about right."

"Enough of your games! Answer me!"

"Sir Aaron," Hinoki turned his gaze to his human opponent, ignoring the other creature. "So, you are already aware of how I obtained my power?"

The Aura Guardian stared long and hard at Alphia's dreaded emperor. "... The Phoenix..." he muttered. "So, there are other deities out there..." He shook his head to rid himself of his own awe before shooting a fierce glare at his opponent. "But how is it possible that someone like you has curried their blessing...?!"

"'How'?" the King repeated. "Don't be so naïve. Of course, I was found worthy of its power. The Phoenix is much too wise to do otherwise. So, you see, no matter the danger or even the sands of time, I am afraid I simply cannot die."

"A God would never serve you."

"Oh? And yet, here we are."

"You are nothing but a liar! " Lucario spat. "The Phoenix would never submit to you!"

"But I speak the truth, little Lucario." Hinoki taunted him. "Is it truly that hard to believe that I could command Alphia's chief deity to massacre your kingdom's people?" With surprising athleticism, the wicked monarch leapt over a pair of Aura Spheres from the Knight and his student.

Lucario snarled. "Just die, monster! You don't belong in this world!"

"Now, now," Hinoki talked in a faux placating manner. "'Tis not merely my desire that my empire expand. Nay, I was called upon The Phoenix Himself to spread His blessing on your kingdom."

"'Blessing'?! You have killed hundreds - thousands - during your reign! Countless lives lost! Your tyranny is not a blessing; 'tis nothing more than sin!"

"Hmm. A sin, is it?" Hinoki pretended to ponder the question. "Then... perhaps the same could be said for not just Alphia's, but for all religions."

"Your words are as empty as your soul," Lucario spat in disgust. "Mankind ill needs a creature such as you."

"You speak as if human himself… such self-righteousness and ignorance." The King sneered at the creature who dared talk back at him. "Pray tell, young Lucario, what is a man?! A miserable little pile of secrets! But enough talk… have at you!" From his robe, Hinoki produced a stone orb that emitted a violet mist most foul.

"This Aura…" Aaron's eyes widened. "No!"

"So powerful...!" Lucario turned to the Guardian in alarm. "Master! What is this corrupted Aura I sense?!"

And The King bellowed, "Light... Come forth from the darkness! Come forth, Great Phoenix of Alphia! Your Master commands it!"

"Shaoooh!"

A shrill, distorted screech pierced the heavens as the orb opened, shooting up a purple light that reached the skies far, far above the tower. As the light dissipated, the clouds grew closer and blocked the gentle hue of the sunset. It wasn't long until rain poured upon the temple grounds, quickly growing into a violent storm that seemed to stretch for miles.

"Get back!" Sir Aaron cried as he and Lucario leaped backwards to the edge of the tower, avoiding a bolt of lightning that struck the space they had just occupied. Both had to raise their arms to shield their eyes from the sudden flash. But even though they couldn't see at that moment, it didn't stop their sense for Aura from flaring up dangerously.

Lucario's ears perked up as a slow flapping noise sounded from the spot the lightning had struck. "No..." He slowly lowered his arms. In front of him, hovering inches above the roof, was a large avian with wings that were coated in charcoal plumage with white feathers on their tips, and dark purple tail feathers the same color as its beak. A pointed, white crest was adorned atop its head, and it blew wildly with the stormy weather, occasionally exposing a small violet stripe upon its neck. It was encompassed with the same shadowy Aura that the orb which seemingly summoned it was surrounded with, and its pure, dark red eyes pierced Lucario with a sharp gaze.

"The Phoenix..." Lucario murmured in awe.

"Ho-Oh, strike them down!" suddenly commanded Hinoki. "Burn them into oblivion!"

"SKREEEEE!"

The violent storm raged on as Ho-Oh, shrouded in a shadowy Aura, flapped its wings with incredible speed, conjuring a vicious tornado that tore through the skies. Aaron and Lucario were shaken out of their stupor by the chaotic spectacle and reacted instinctively.

Both of them dove out of the way in separate directions, Aaron to the left, rolling into a kneel as he sought cover. However, Ho-Oh, spinning like a tornado itself, launched itself directly at him, forcing him to quickly erect a barrier of Aura to shield himself.

CRASH!

Ho-Oh slammed into the barrier, shattering it instantly. Aaron let out a grunt as he was pushed close to the edge of the tower. Panting slightly, he stood up and braced himself as Ho-Oh seemed to prepare another attack.

"Master!" Lucario cried and tried to rush to Aaron's aid, but a narrow dodge saved him from a lethal strike by a familiar staff.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Hinoki taunted Lucario, who growled and lashed out with his fist. But the emperor raised his staff to block the punch, and tried to counter with another strike, which Lucario parried. Now, the loyal student of Sir Aaron found himself engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand combat with the King, each meeting the other blow for blow.

Meanwhile, Ho-Oh let out another deafening screech, summoning a torrent of black fire that surged toward Aaron. With no other options, Aaron leaped backward off the tower, narrowly avoiding the oncoming inferno. But the black flames continued their destructive path, consuming another nearby building entirely. As for Rota's greatest knight, he brought two fingers to his lips and whistled as he fell.

"Jyooto!" From seemingly out of nowhere, Aaron's loyal Pidgeot swooped in to catch him on its back before he hit the ground. Petting its wing gratefully, Aaron sat up and was about to ask the bird to rise, when his attention was brought to the sound of blood-curdling wails.

He turned and, to his horror, spotted some figures moving frantically and suffering the same fate as the enflamed building. Aaron once again heard the agonizing screams of Hinoki's own people, which abruptly cut off as the building crumbled and fell. Whether they perished from the fall or from burning to death, he didn't know.

"Shaoooh!"

There was no time to ponder this further, for when Aaron looked up, he saw that Ho-Oh was already in pursuit. "Quickly!" Aaron commanded his Pidgeot, who took off to dodge the relentless phoenix. But even as they rose in altitude, for all of Pidgeot's impressive speed, Ho-Oh surpassed even that, and it swiftly closed the distance, overtaking them in mere seconds. Human and aerial steed alike were taken by surprise as the larger bird closed in for another strike.

Just then, a barrage of Aura spheres slammed into the Monster's side, and while they did not hurt the legendary bird, they did succeed in distracting it. Ho-Oh turned its attention back to the tower.

A panting Lucario had his hand outstretched, palm still teeming with bluish smoke. His focus was abruptly disrupted when Hinoki delivered a powerful kick, sending the Aura master-in-training staggering. Before Lucario could regain his balance, Ho-Oh was already on him, striking him with its beak and sending him hurtling off the tower.

As Lucario plummeted toward the ground, it seemed as if all hope was lost. However, Aaron's Pidgeot, still vigilant, caught up and managed to catch Lucario in its talons, saving him from a certain doom. Yet, their ordeal was far from over. Another storm of black fire surged toward them, forcing Pidgeot to evade once more. This time, another section of buildings was engulfed in the relentless flames, reduced to ashes within moments.

With a sense of desperation, Aaron looked up and saw the King himself, riding upon the back of the mighty Ho-Oh, his malevolent intent clear in his eyes.

"What are you doing?!" Aaron called out to his enemy. "You are killing your own people!"

"And how exactly is that my problem?!" Hinoki returned with an insane laugh. "If you do not want them to suffer, feel free to sacrifice yourself in their place!" With that, Ho-Oh unleashed another shadowy flame.

Lucario quickly swung himself in Pidgeot's talons to flip in the air and land behind Aaron on the avian creature's back. With both passengers secured, Pidgeot took off once more, narrowly dodging the dark inferno.

The chase went on for the next several minutes, with the King of Alphia chasing Rota's warriors upon the chief deity of his own kingdom. Ho-Oh summoned more dark flames and whipped up dozens of tornados, all of which Pidgeot was forced to dodge constantly. Aaron and Lucario both felt despair well up in their guts as the city below them was forced to take the attacks meant for them, the crumbling of more infrastructure and the cries of their dying occupants weighing deep in their heads.

But the worst part is that Aaron knew that Hinoki was merely toying with them – that the King was letting his own subjects perish for mere sport, and that whenever he wanted, he could end this game in seconds.

The Aura Guardian's musings were proven correct when Ho-Oh suddenly moved faster and made to strike out at Pidgeot. The smaller avian swerved to the side, and its right flank was only grazed by the white tip Ho-Oh's wing.

But a glancing blow was enough. Pidgeot squawked in pain as a dark Aura spread from its right wing to the rest of its body, and it wavered in its flight, much to Aaron and Lucario's alarm.

"No!" Aaron cried as he pressed his palm against his loyal retainer's back, pushing out some of his own Aura. Blue energy clashed against black, a mix of light and dark mists each attempting to overtake the other. Every few seconds, Pidgeot would go from rising to falling as the two Auras wrestled, and it seemed that neither would prove dominant.

Hinoki watched Pidgeot's ordeal from atop the Phoenix and chuckled. "Fools." He snapped his fingers, and Ho-Oh's eyes glowed.

"What the-?!" Aaron was taken by surprise when the opposing energy suddenly grew in intensity and reduced the Aura that he was trying to share with Pidgeot to nothing. Now, not only Pidgeot, but Aaron and Lucario, as well, were wrought with pain as the black mist surrounded them, sending the three of them plummeting down to the burning city below.

"Jy... Jyotto...!" Pidgeot, despite the overbearing sensation it was being attacked with, managed to pull up parallel to the ground just inches before crashing, and flew for a few more meters before the pain became too much to bear. Its momentum dragged it against the dirt as it fell, before finally coming to a stop behind what appeared to be the remains of a destroyed house. Aaron and Lucario rolled off their companion and laid there, panting heavily as the dark Aura slowly left their bodies.

"Ngh," Aaron groaned as he slowly sat up. "Is everyone okay?"

"I will be fine…" Lucario managed as he also got up. "But master, your body is not meant to take attacks such as those, even if you are an Aura Guardian. Please allow me to heal you—"

"No…" Aaron shook his head. "Please help Pidgeot first."

Lucario's eyes widened, and he turned to see an unconscious Pidgeot laying behind them. "Ah—! I didn't realize how severe the damage was!" He quickly got to work, placing his palms on his comrade and closing his eyes in concentration as he transferred some of his Aura. "… Sir Aaron, the Phoenix's Aura. It is… corrupted, is it not?"

"Aye, it truly is." Aaron nodded. "I am not sure what that tyrant did, but that Ho-Oh is not acting within its usual nature. It is as if the Devil himself has taken over that creature." Then he peeked from their cover and, amidst the sea of flames, spotted Ho-Oh's silhouette in the sky. It was moving around, probably searching for them. He hid his head behind the building ruins again and clenched his fist in frustration.

"Master! What do we do?!"

Aaron grimaced at the desperation in Lucario's voice. His mind struggled for a strategy, but though he racked his brain, he could come up with no such plan to overcome these seemingly impossible odds. So, he could only do one thing.

He prayed.

Sir Aaron sat there with his eyes closed and hands folded, concentrating his Aura in his mind as he prayed to his kingdom's Goddess. Even as Hinoki and his Ho-Oh came closer to finding them, even as the city around them fell apart, Aaron prayed to the One Spirit for guidance, for a divine emissary. Even when he felt a sinister Aura mere feet away from their hiding place, Aaron prayed the First Mother for protection, for Lucario, Pidgeot, and the people of Rota, if not for himself-

But you are protected. So long as you have faith in me and in your own heart.

The Knight's teal eyes opened. He had found his light.

"Are you really going to make me force you out of cover, 'brave' knights?!" Hinoki mocked. "Or do you truly believe that you will remain safe behind this pile of rubble?! Let me assure you, there is nowhere you can hide!" He laughed as Ho-Oh spat out more flames, which slowly burned away the remnants of the house that hid Sir Aaron and his allies.

"Master!" Lucario repeated to a silent Sir Aaron. "What do we do?!"

Finally, Aaron looked his student in the eye. "Nothing."

Lucario stared in horror. "W-what?"

Sizzle...

Lucario's now exposed head snapped toward Ho-Oh and the smug monarch who sat comfortably on its back.

"Did I hear that right, Sir Aaron? You intend to give up?" Hinoki sneered. "Well, well. How very clever of you."

"Bastard...!" Lucario clenched his Aura-laden fists, ready to fight back, only for his human companion to raise a hand in front of him.

"Stand down," Aaron softly ordered.

"No! We can't!" Lucario protested. "How could you even fathom surrendering to this fiend?! Stop this nonsense at once, Sir Aaron!"

"Now, now." Hinoki mockingly tried to placate him. "Do not be so hard on him, little Lucario. I daresay that your master should be considered immensely wise, to know when he is beat."

"Shut your mouth!"

"My, you truly have an attitude, young one. You do not see Sir Aaron here making such a fuss. Nay, he seems to be accepting his defeat gracefully." The King paused, tapping his finger on his chin. "Or perhaps..." he looked at Aaron. "Could you be trying to appeal to my merciful side, good knight, by offering your surrender?"

Aaron, although he now stood, remained silent.

"Interesting... a decent strategy, if nothing else." Alphia's greatest royalty shrugged from his perch on its greatest deity. "But it is a shame that you made a grave error in executing your plan. You see..." He grinned viciously. "... There is not a shred of mercy within me. Ho-Oh, annihilate these pests! Sacred Shadow!"

The dark Phoenix's beak opened, a swirl of purple flames already formed in its mouth.

Lucario braced himself, only to falter when Aaron suddenly laughed loudly. "Wha... Master...?" Had Aaron truly gone mad?

"Haha..." Aaron's chuckles died out, only for him to wear a smug grin of his own as he looked the King in the eyes. "Nay," he spoke defiantly, "I lied earlier. We were not sent to vanquish you. Merely to buy time."

Taken aback by this revelation, the King's confidence faltered just slightly.

It was more than enough for good to triumph.

Just as Ho-Oh was about to unleash its attack, a dazzling display of light suddenly appeared in between it and its targets, surprising everyone but Rota's holy knight. When the glow faded, a small, pink presence floated in front of Ho-Oh, its blue eyes twinkling and a mischievous smile on its face.

"Myuu."

Hinoki's eyes widened. "What-?!"

A pure and soothing energy radiated from Mew and enshrouded the corrupted Ho-Oh like a mist, whose fire withered to tiny embers. The same light that Mew appeared in soon covered Ho-Oh's body, the ethereal glow making Hinoki stumble and fall from his perch onto the hard dirt.

"Ngh," the Alphian King struggled to get up, "what... what have you done?! ANSWER ME!" He turned his attention to a smiling Aaron and his awestruck Lucario.

"... 'And so the First Mother'," Aaron began to recite, "... 'with Her infallible purity which could soothe even the most violent of storms, spoke to the darkness – let there be light.'"

And the shine that encompassed Ho-Oh fell like sparkles, revealing the Phoenix once more. Only now, its appearance had changed. Its dark colors were gone, replaced by wings that glowed gold on top, silver in the middle, and bright red on the tips, with a gold and silver tail to compliment the rest of its feathers. Its plume on its head, now a curved crest instead of a pointed patch, was colored white, the same hue as its beak, and a red stripe on its neck replaced its previously violet one. The shadowy Aura that once surrounded it was all but gone, and red irises with black rings around them blinked in confusion as it began to observe its surroundings.

The dark influence over Ho-Oh had been dispelled.

"NO!" Hinoki bellowed. "THIS CANNOT BE!" His incredulous stare switched from Ho-Oh to Aaron, and then to a still-smiling Mew. He roared as he dived at the pink creature, but it swiftly avoided him and giggled as he fell to the ground again. "You..." he snarled at the newest addition to the battle as he got on his knees. "You are nothing but a fake Goddess! A peasant's deity that is on the verge of succumbing to my army!"

"No."

Hinoki's head snapped at Aaron, who now stood above him.

"Rota's Goddess is not fake, nor is Alphia's God." Aaron's voice was steady and composed. "As long as there is faith, even myths can become real. Of course, I wouldn't expect a soulless tyrant to understand."

"Master..." Lucario muttered in awe.

"It cannot be…" seethed Hinoki. "You deceived me…!" He reached into his robe and brought out his scepter once more. "This ends now, filthy Aura Guardian!"

"Indeed, it does." Aaron nodded. "It ends here, for you, King of Alphia." He, along with a surprised Lucario and still-unconscious Pidgeot, were surrounded by a white outline as Mew now floated directly above them. "May Rota's Aura shine upon evil. Farewell."

And Hinoki's enemies vanished before his very eyes.

"What?!" The monarch looked around frantically. "Where did they... argh! " He punched the dirt in front of him before whipping around to face the Phoenix. "After them, Ho-Oh!" He ordered vehemently. "Find those heretics and bring their charred remains to me!"

…

"I SAID AFTER THEM!" Hinoki bellowed as he fastened the orb that summoned Ho-Oh upon his staff and held it toward his former servant. "I COMMAND YOU!"

"Centuries..."

Hinoki froze as he felt the rasp, guttural voice resonating through his body. "W-what...?!"

"Centuries..." Ho-Oh's gaze, no longer confused, pierced its former master with unbridled fury. "CENTURIES OF ENSLAVEMENT!"

As the golden bird rose, the disgraced emperor took a step back, still pointing his weapon at his former servant. "You dare..." he muttered as purple mist once again began to surround the orb. "You dare raise your voice to me ...?!" Immediately as he finished, the purple mist shot out at Ho-Oh.

But the Phoenix was faster, and it simply shot up to avoid the King's attempt at subjugating it once again. It screeched as it flew higher in the sky, leaving a blazingly bright trail in its wake. Hinoki's eyes tried to follow it, but he was forced to shield them when the deity stopped in front of the now-visible sunset, turned into a dark silhouette against the blinding light.

"I CAN THINK OF MANY FATES WORSE THAN DEATH," the voice echoed, "AND FOR THIS LAND AND ITS PEOPLE, HAVING TO LIVE UNDER THE REIGN OF A FOOL LIKE YOU IS ONE OF THEM! YOU HAVE ALREADY USED MY FLAMES TO WREAK DESTRUCTION ON YOUR OWN KINGDOM – SO I WILL FINISH THE JOB AND PUT THIS SOCIETY THAT IS BUT MERE FODDER TO YOU OUT IF ITS MISERY!"

"No!" The Alphian King protested. "Cease this at once, foul beast! You have no right to cross me! I am your master!"

The wings of the Phoenix pulsated.

"What the-?!" Hinoki barely had enough time to put up a protective barrier before a bright flash engulfed his city.

The unfathomable heat could be felt even through his shield.

…

"Urgh..." Hinoki fell as his barrier finally dissipated. He struggled to pick himself up from the dirt, and he rose his head to glare at Ho-Oh again. But he was not prepared for what he saw.

No longer were there any buildings that burned. No longer could the screams of innocent people be heard.

No longer was there a city. Only a graveyard.

Pieces of his capital lay scattered for miles upon miles, as far as his eye could see. Artifacts that he collected in his many years of conquest sat burnt and broken. Charred corpses were littered across the sands that were once the paved streets of his crowning achievement.

Such a large, pivotal piece of his legacy utterly destroyed. All because of the monster that still floated in the sky above him.

"... I built this empire nearly 500 years ago."

The Phoenix turned its gaze to Hinoki once again and descended.

"This city was destined to be the crown of Alphia's eternal kingdom," Hinoki continued quietly, "the jewel of my never-ending reign."

Ho-Oh hovered just inches above the ground.

"Gone... it's all gone. Just like that."

"THE MORTALS THAT SUFFERED UNDER YOUR RULE SHALL FIND PEACE IN THE AFTERLIFE."

At last, the King turned his gaze to Ho-Oh. His blank expression lingered for a few moments, before it twisted and morphed. Violet energy surrounded his body as his face formed a terrifying, beastly visage of immeasurable fury.

"INSUFFERABLE FILTH!"

Purple energy exploded from Hinoki as he unleashed a barrage of dark energy balls from his hands at Ho-Oh in rapid succession, an armada of shadowy projectiles racing toward the God.

But the legendary Phoenix, even at such close range, proved its agility by dodging each projectile effortlessly in a dance of aerial acrobatics.

"BASTARD!" Hinoki's frustration boiled over as he lunged at Ho-Oh, leaving a trail of violet energy in his wake. He aimed to strike the mythical bird, but Ho-Oh nonchalantly smacked him away with a powerful sweep of its wing.

Hinoki let out a piercing scream as he tumbled through the air, his anger unabated. He recovered quickly, his eyes glowing with madness, and retaliated by throwing bolts of purple fire at Ho-Oh. The mystical creature simply absorbed the attacks, showing no signs of harm.

"... ENOUGH OF THIS."

Ho-Oh spread its wings as it summoned its own power, unleashing an intense, mystical fire that quickly overwhelmed Hinoki's violet flames. The Alphian King's eyes widened as the searing inferno surged toward him.

"Damn you!" Hinoki cursed as he was forced to dive out of the fire's path. He staggered to his feet, his robes singed and charred, and once again aimed his orb-tipped staff at Ho-Oh with determination, but to his shock, the Phoenix appeared before him in an instant.

"ACCEPT YOUR FATE."

With just three flaps of its wings, Ho-Oh unleashed a powerful windstorm that sent Hinoki hurtling through the air. The King screamed, though his wails were lost to the winds. His brain pounded against his skull as his body was tossed around like a ragdoll, until finally, the whirlwind stopped. His clothes were torn, and body riddled with gashes and cuts as he landed a considerable distance away with a heavy THUD .

"Urgh..." Hinoki shook on the ground. "Aah... aha... ahahaHAHAHA!" A maniacal laughter echoed from his body as he rose to his feet. "You absolute fool ," he spat as his obsidian eyes glazed over the approaching Ho-Oh. "You call yourself a God, yet you cannot comprehend the consequences of your power!"

Ho-Oh continued its approach.

"Four hundred and eighty-seven years," he continued with a savage grin. "I remember the exact number. The exact years it has been since you granted me immortality , you mindless beast!" As he said this, his bruises had already begun to heal. "Your own power, Phoenix! It is by your own power that you shall fall!"

"DO NOT TWIST FACTS."

The deity didn't even flinch as it came closer.

"I DID NOT GRANT YOU ETERNAL LIFE BY MY OWN ACCORD. YOU MANIPULATED MY POWER TO GAIN SUCH A BODY."

"Does it matter ?!" The disgraced King only grew bolder in his taunts. "You talk of twisted facts, then let me give you straight truths! You were too weak to resist my influence! My strength is too immeasurable even by the standards of God! I cannot die, even by your hands !"

"I TOLD YOU THERE ARE FATES WORSE THAN DEATH."

Ho-Oh closed the distance, its red irises gleaming with a mysterious light.

"How right you are," Hinoki agreed, teeth flashing maliciously. "Allow me to DEMONSTRATE!" He raised his staff, aiming it at Ho-Oh's head. "KNOW YOUR PLACE, PHOENIX! YOU BELONG TO ME!"

With crazed determination, Hinoki channeled his power into his weapon, the orb on top violently shaking before bursting open. A tornado of dark Aura shot out at Ho-Oh, too large and quick for even the mighty bird to dodge.

"THE DEPTHS OF YOUR ARROGANCE TRULY ARE UNKNOWN."

The God of Alphia's eyes briefly closed, and when they opened again, they shone with a brilliant golden hue. At the same time, an invisible force emanated from its body, and when the shadowy energy was just inches away, it was blocked and halted in mid-air.

Hinoki's smile vanished instantly. "WHAT?!" he exclaimed, his confusion growing as he struggled against the unexpected resistance that he faced. His grip around the rod grew tighter and tighter, enough to make his fists bleed. But despite his best efforts, he continued to lose against the strange power that surrounded his former slave.

The space between Hinoki's attack and Ho-Oh warped.

Amid his terror, the last thing that the former King of Alphia saw were letters of the Alphian script –

His body was engulfed by his own attack. He screamed as his body broke down. He wailed as his soul was sucked into the very orb that he was so reliant on.

And King Hinoki lingered in the mortal plane no longer.

With one last screech, Ho-Oh departed from the barren wasteland that was once the heart of Alphia.

The orb laid in the sand forgotten.

Though the King had fallen, the message did not reach his army in time. They continued to march toward Rota.

Likewise, Sir Aaron delivered the message to his Queen Rin too late, and even she was powerless to stop her own army from marching to face their foes.

With a clash between the kingdoms imminent, the hero of Rota found that he could only do one thing to prevent the mindless bloodshed of man and Pokémon alike.

Near Cameran Palace, where Queen Rin resided, was a natural monument said to be the tree of the world's origin – otherwise known as the Tree of Beginning. Its secrets and power were, and to this day still are, marvelous and baffling. One of those secrets was that Mew, believed to be the Goddess of Origin and Rota's chief deity, resided in the depths of the monolith.

It was to Her, that Sir Aaron sacrificed his life to stop the war.

His previously faithful Lucario thought that his friend was abandoning Rota, instead. He did not discover the truth until over a millennia later.

With the hearts of both Rota and Alphia's armies quelled by the Tree's power, all the soldiers returned to their respective kingdoms.

When they arrived home, Alphia's military was horrified to find their capital completely obliterated, and their King nowhere to be found. It was not long before the rest of the empire fell, and the kingdom was no more.

Remnants of the former empire established a new kingdom five years after the war, in the eastern side of Johto. They called their new nation Tohjo. But never did they regain the glory and reach that Alphia had, and never did Rota allow them to try.

And thus, peace finally did prevail, with the fall of both the wicked King Hinoki and the righteous Sir Aaron, and the land and its people enjoyed tranquility – still at the expense of Pokémon, unfortunately.

And it remained as such, for two centuries.

~Author's Corner~

What is an AdventureHNGH? A loser who steals lines from Castlevania!

I'm sure there are those of you who are wondering if Sir Aaron and the King of Pokélantis even lived during the same era, much less if they even knew of one another, but ehhhh it's fanfiction lmao

Why "Hinoki"? It's not just a random name, there IS a reasoning behind it. You'd have to look into the Japanese names of Pokémon characters to understand a connection, and at that point you may discover a potentially massive spoiler, if you're interested ;)

Pushing this again, but I encourage you to follow me on Twitter/X if you want to learn about progress and updates for my fics. You can find me AdventureHNGH !