There was a heavy swirl of dust in the surrounding air. Ash tried to breathe, but half-way through the oxygen got stuck. The taste metal and dirt coated his mouth and tongue, as he choaked and coughed. His entire body ached, and Ash was pretty sure that he had just been blown up. Riolu an Pikachu were underneath him, Ash having some how tucked his Pokémon underneath him, shielding them. He could hear Goh groaning from some where to his left.
That left only one question…what the fuck hit them?
Ash!
Rubble was being moved off his back, and he felt the concerned jumpy static that could only becoming from the telepathic Lucario. Sir Aaron wasn't far behind, his hand gently and firmly lifted the younger user back upright.
"Are you alright?" Sir Aaron asked, beginning to try to brush away the thick layer of dust that was coating Ash's body.
Ash coughed and choaked once more, and cleared the dirt from his watering eyes, but nodded. Glancing to the right he saw that Amanda was currently getting Goh back to his feet. She actually looked concerned in that moment. It was a focused concern, but concern none the less.
"What hit us?!" Goh said.
No one go the chance to say anything more…because a flash of blackened shadow blasted over their heads, and struck the wall behind them with a loud screech and crash. Pikachu, Umbreon, and Lucario, rushed to the head of the room, putting distance between the humans in their group and whatever the heck was shooting at them.
"I believe that would be me," A unknown and deep voice hummed. It sounded rich and smooth, but the undertone was filled with malice, like poisoned honey.
Ash looked up, and felt his stomach turn violently. That man standing just beyond the threshold of the giant hole in the wall, looked normal; pale complexation, snowy white hair, and eyes blacker and shaper then obsidian. He was dressed in a long trench coat, black as his eyes, and the rest of his outfit spoke of wealth and poise. However, despite his seemingly well put together appearance, the sight of him sent a shiver throughout Ash's whole body. Like something was slowly rotting underneath the polished exterior.
He felt Sir Aaron shiver as well, while Amanda tensed slightly. Goh didn't react nearly at all. Like he didn't know what type of danger stood in front of him.
"Who are you?" Sir Aaron said.
The stranger raised a playful brow, and almost seemed amused by the question, "Who am I? My, my, it has been a long time since anyone paid enough attention to me to ask that. Everyone always looked towards the brighter pupils."
"You didn't answer my question," Sir Aaron said.
The stranger rolled his eyes, "Goodness me, you already know that answer. Have you truly forgotten about me Aaron?"
Ash swallowed, and for a moment Sir Aaron looked unsure, "Do I know you?"
The stranger sighed, "That's what they all said," then his whistled a low trilling note.
Ash was instantly confused, however recognition flooded Sir Aaron face. It looked like he was suddenly splashed with cold water.
"Anwir?" Sir Aaron said.
The stranger (Anwir? What type of name was that?) started laughing, "The 'I've seen a ghost' expression never gets old."
"How are you alive?" Sir Aaron said.
Anwir smirked, "I should be asking you the same thing big brother. The messenger said you had returned to Arceus' hold. Clearly, it didn't stick."
"No, mew intervened at the last moment. Sparing me," Sir Aaron said, "I truly thought we were the last. It's so good to see your after the tragedy."
Anwir huffed, "Tragedy. All this? This isn't tragedy."
Sir Aaron's brows furrowed, "You stand before a boneyard of our brethren, if this is not tragedy, what is it?"
"Retribution."
"You can't possibly mean that."
Anwir chuckled, "You'd believe that wouldn't you. That this," he gestured around, "This is a massacre. Good old Sir Aaron, house of Arlon. Aura Progeny. Top of his class. Purely bred. Of course, the Guild's golden son would preach their word without thought. Their loyal little lap dog."
Lucario growled.
"Why wouldn't I be loyal?" Sir Aaron said, "The guild was my home. My people. Just as they were yours…"
"Your people perhaps yes, but they were not mine. I saw the raw infection that the Guild allowed to fester with in itself, and I was called mad. They weren't my people. They were never my people. We might have shared a father, Aaron, but that was all that we shared," Anwir said.
"Nothing was rotten, with in our people. They were healers, protectors, teachers, explorers."
"Oh, but there was. Healer? Try Dismemberer. Protector? Enforcer. Teacher? Indoctrinator. Explorer? Conqueror. They were ready to condemn before we would listen."
"We did not teach hatred."
"Perhaps they didn't to you…but those whom they saw as lesser, those people might as well not have been human. Their fall was their punishment for their cruelty," black eyes flicked over to Amanda, "And I'm not the only one who believes it. My dear niece, tell me what action comes after once peaceful communication doesn't work."
"Violent communication," Amanda said, staring Anwir down, eyes fierce but stance hesitant, "But I'm sorry who are you?"
"Brother dear," Anwir looked at Sir Aaron, "You didn't tell my niece and nephew of me? I'm disappointed."
"Niece and Nephew?" Ash said, "You're our uncle?"
"Yes, child. My name is Anwir Fey, house of Arlon. The youngest of Lance Arlon's children."
"You actually expect us to believe this? Even if what you say to true you should be dead," Amanda said.
"Oh, they tried. But like always, they underestimated me," Anwir said, "I was far more powerful than they ever believe. I can show you little ones if you wish."
"Wait a minute, why are you here? Do you normally roam around this mass grave? Something is telling me you're not a sentimental guy," Amanda said, her words becoming snippy.
"And how did you come to that conclusion dear niece," Anwir said.
"You're walking around like your proud. Your unbothered. You have no remorse for what happened here, you don't even have horror, or pity. You feel nothing but pride. Like you had a hand in it," Amanda said.
"You read people well," Anwir said.
"I'm a psych student, it's what I'm trained for," Amanda said.
"No, you're an aura-user, it's instinct," Anwir looked to Sir Aaron, the Knight looking like he was about to be ill, "With that type of emotional intuition…She's strong. Everything Emily ever wanted to be. It's almost sad that she'll never reach her full potential."
Anwir's eyes a-lit with blackened flame, "And to answer your question dear, niece. I'm here to tie up loose ends."
It all happened faster than the blink of an eye. Black tendrils of dark smoke and fire, surrounded Anwir's body. Cupped in his pale hands, flaring between his thin fingers, was something that Ash could only describe as what he thought the true body of a mimikyu looked like. Horrifying, and drenched with death. Just like this place.
A flash of black burst forth from his hands flying right towards them. Ash flinched and hit the deck out of instinct gained from the many different explosions he had lived through (Thank you Team Rocket). But the hit never came. Opening his brown eyes and looking up, Ash was met with a wall of glowing blue, behind it a veil of black smoke.
Sir Aaron had rushed forward his own hand gleaming with blue, and eyes burning bright.
"I don't know what black magic you've tainted yourself with brother, but you will not harm these children," Sir Aaron said, the shield dropping and the smoke clearing.
"Tainted?" Anwir's voice trilled, "I prefer the word, evolved. For once big brother, I have the upper leg on you, and do you want to know the reason why?"
Anwir's eyes filled with black…and then…and then…Ash felt dizzy, but the feeling left after a moment, and then…Amanda choaked.
Ash turned to his cousin, and his first thought was 'like fucking exorcist'. Amanda had fallen to her knees, her body spasming, as she gasped for air. Her eyes slowly becoming shadows of themselves. Irises becoming pale white stones in pools of black ink.
"I no longer have limitations," Anwir said, his hand out stretched towards Amanda.
Umbreon, burning red rage in the Pokémon eyes, immediately fired a shadow ball at the rogue Aura (if what ever the hell this was, was aura) user. Pichu wasn't far behind, having been thrown from his place on his trainer's shoulder, his tiny cheeks sparked menacingly despite his small size. The tiny yellow mouse left loose one of the strongest thunder shocks that Ash had ever seen…
But their efforts meant nothing…
Anwir deflected the attacks, with a dark reflection of an aura shield. Throwing the moves back at them, as if it was a mirror coat.
"Electro web!" Ash screamed.
Pikachu leaped up, lighting gathering at his tail, before the curled web was flung forward. The electricity ropes attached themselves to the floor and ceiling, catching the returned attacks in the makeshift net.
"You won't distract me that easily," Anwir said, before he was suddenly knocked back by an aura sphere. Rolling across the floor, before slamming into the back wall.
Amanda went limp, falling to the floor. Umbreon was immediately by her trainer's side nudging Amanda with her snout. Ash let out a sigh of relief once he saw her stir, opening her no back to normal eyes.
"胸にオーラスフィア？私たちは子供ですか" Anwir spoke as he pulled him self up from the floor.
Seemingly un-harmed.
Or he had one hell of an adrenalin trip. Ash got a lot of those, maybe they were genetic.
"それらを回避する方法を学んだことがないんですか？弟、私たちはもう子供ではないかもしれませんが、あなたはそこにいる人たちを傷つけないでください。何がきっかけでここに来たのかは分かりませんが、これで終わりです。" Sir Aaron answered, and aura sphere floating in his grasp.
Okay, now Ash was confused. He didn't know what was being said. None of the other humans seemed to know either. Lucario seemed to be tuned in however. The jackal-like pokemon's long ears were subtly twitching back and forth, eyes darting between the two elder users. He understood, not only the tense atmostphere, but the words themselves.
Maybe Ash's should've paid more attention the one foreign language class he was in a few years ago.
"あなたは自分が何を擁護しているのか分かりません。子どもであろうとなかろうと、彼らは危険です。まず、そしてほとんどの人にとって。" Anwir spoke, summoning his own blackened ball. It looked like a Shadow Ball attack, but it thrashed instead of spun. It looked like a sicker version of the move, like stained souls were crumpled together. Stitched together like a Frankenstein amalgamation.
"あなたは彼らに害を及ぼすことはありません。させませんよ。" Sir Aaron said.
"忠誠心の選び方が下手だよ、兄貴。" Anwir said.
Something small was pulling on his sock. Ash glanced down, careful not to move his head, and draw attention to himself. The tension in the room was thick and tight, ready to snap at any moment. For some deep gut reason Ash knew that this was going down hill and fast. By his foot he found Pichu, hiding behind his heel, just out of Anwir's view. Once the little mouse saw that he had Ash's attention, he pointed over to Amanda with his small yellow paw.
His cousin, honestly looked pale, and her brows were pinching like she had a headache, but she was standing up again. Leaning on Umbreon, but back on her own two feet. Her grey eyes met with his brown, and then she looked up. A slight movement with chin, gesturing him to follow suit and look upward.
His gazed scanned the ceiling, and then locked on to the large dark crack among the stone.
Riolu let out the tiniest squeak. Ash didn't think that anyone could've heard him. Any human at least. One of Lucario's ears swiveled back, seeming tuned in on Riolu. Another squeak, and and shared glance between the pup and adult, and Ash knew that Lucario was paying attention.
Ash?
No one reacted. A single communication pathway.
"Get ready to grab Sir Aaron, and run," Ash thought back.
We need to sneak through the right hall behind us. The left is too unstable.
Ash gave a small nod.
A plan was set…and not a moment too soon.
Ash had no idea what they were talking about, but the conversation had reached a boiling point. Anwir launching not one, not two, but four of his corrupted aura spheres. All of them hurling towards the group with impeccable accuracy.
You can't dodge an aura sphere, some voice in the back of Ash's head said but you could stop it.
Pikachu used electro web again, blocking three of them. However, the fourth one swerved to the side. Ash was impulsive, but he had nothing on what happened within the next five seconds. Amanda pulled Goh behind her, a hand raised, seemingly out of instinct. Then there was a bright cyan flash. Not a shield, not a sphere, but most definitely aura. It crackled out of her body, latched onto the tainted sphere and split it apart. A shockwave echoed out from the impact.
At the next second, Lucario, Riolu, Pichu and Umbreon coordinated attacks at the ceiling. Just as planned the roof came in and they all ran down the right hall behind them.
"Get your legs to work!" Amanda called, her hand clinging to the back of Goh's hoodie, dragging him behind her.
"What just happened?! Who was that?!" Goh screamed.
"While, I agree with your track of thought," Amanda said, "Questions later, that cave-in is not going to hold him for long. We need to be long gone by the time he gets through."
"Right, right," Goh said getting back on track, "Okay, where's the closest exit?"
Don't look at me, I've never been this deep in the temple walls.
"Well, uncle? Where the hell are we going?" Amanda said.
"There's no remaining exit that Anwir would know about, we can use…but…mail shoots," Sir Aaron said.
"What?" Goh said.
"Turn left here," Sir Aaron said, "When the temple was still active, our main source of communication was letters done by wing delivery, then it'd be dropped through a series of slides that sent them all over the grounds. The letters often got stuck so they're big enough to carry a person."
"We slide down the shoots we get out of here," Ash said.
"Exactly," Sir Aaron said.
The ground suddenly began to shake violently. Almost making the group fall to the stone floor. A loud crashing sound, that was quickly followed by a wave of shadows and smoke rushing passed them faster then they could catch.
"Do you think he got through?" Goh said.
"We shouldn't stay and find out!" Amanda said.
Their footsteps rang loud and rapid against the stone floor, and echoed off the tall walls, and ceiling through out the wispy hall. Footsteps running. Footsteps running. Footsteps running. Footsteps walking.
*click clack click*
What?
Ash slowed down, and looked behind them.
"Ash?" Sir Aaron called, "is something wrong?"
"Do you hear that?" Ash said.
*click clack click*
"What is that?" Goh whispered.
"Lucario?" Sir Aaron said, and the aura Pokémon dreadlocks rose.
I'm not sure.
*click clack click*
Around the corner of the hall, came the monster that owned the footsteps. Limps with out flesh, stepped into the light. Their clothing was only a shroud of blackened smoke and sludge. Skeletons made of withering yellow bone stalked towards them. Their life long ripped away from their being. Literal walking dead.
"I thought Aura couldn't raise the dead!" Goh said.
"Whatever power Anwir is harnessing, it isn't aura," Sir Aaron said.
All conversation was cut off when a shadow ball flew towards the skeleton pack, blowing them away like a bunch of dizzy bowling pins. All eyes darted back to obvious culprit's trainer.
"What are you all standing around for?! Those things are obvious supposed to catch us so he doesn't have to chase us! We need to move!" Amanda said.
The entrance to the mail room was easily found, and the door easily opened. However, keeping it shut was another story. Amanda had been right. The Skeletons were after them. They were mostly harmless. Only a few of them were really a problem; the ones who had died with swords in their grasp. Yeah, Ash let pikachu handle those in a bizarre moment of self-preservation, and Goh clinging to him with a death grip.
Amanda and Sir Aaron however? Forget it. Apparently, Amanda was trained in self defense by her dad, and she could fight like a ninja just as well as she could sneak like one. And Sir Aaron was trained in sword fight, which Ash really shouldn't be as surprised as he was by that ("You do realize this guy was knighted right?" – Amanda).
Currently the skeletons were swarming the mail room. A large wave of bones to large to be blown away by any move, at least not with out hitting the living humans inside as well. They were quickly split up from each other, washed away from the rest of the group. Amanda and him had been pushed towards the left. Riolu had been on the floor and got kicked away from his trainer. One moment Ash had the pup by his leg and next he was gone.
"Riolu!" Ash called into the seas of skulls.
"We need to jump!" Amanda said, gesturing to the mail shoot behind them.
"What about the others?"
"We'll meet up with them outside, but we can't stay here!" Amanda said, while kicking out the legs of Skeletons in the front row of the swarm.
Ash let out a frustrated growl, knowing that his cousin was right. They needed to go now, he grabbed her shoulder, and started to pull her toward the mail shoot.
Down they slid, screaming at the top of their lungs. But all Ash could think of was the people they seemed to have left behind.
A/N:
This chapter was nightmare, Gosh. Things went wrong with my school and teachers couldn't get assignments out to the students, so I ended up doing a full week's worth of school in three days.
So, I made Japanese the language of the aura guardians. I used Google translate because I don't know Japanese. I apologize to any Japanese speakers reading this.
How is Anwir alive? Well, we'll find out.
Next chapters are pretty much a single chapter split up a bunch so it will be like a 3-4 parter.
Once more I have a Tumblr now. There you can find story notes, fun little drabbles that I won't post anywhere else, ask me questions and vote on future projects.
Link to Tumblr - blog/empressgeekt
Thanks for reading and have a great day!