Asha awoke at clearing early again, her body sore but her spirit determined. The past few days had been grueling, and while she had improved, the weight of her failures in the last dungeon still hung heavily over her. She replayed the Murkrow battle in her mind, thinking of every mistake she had made, every moment she had hesitated.
She had to do better. She would do better.
When the Glaceon arrived, as silent and cold as ever, he gave her a single glance before nodding slightly, acknowledging her presence. Without a word, he motioned for her to follow him. Asha fell in line, trying to mirror his silent grace as they moved deeper into the forest.
The morning air was crisp, carrying with it the sounds of distant Pokémon stirring in the woods. Asha had grown used to the quiet that surrounded the Glaceon, though the silence between them often felt heavy, filled with unspoken questions. Every day she spent with him, she felt more and more certain that he had once been an explorer, but he had yet to mention anything about his past. Not even a name.
As they reached the entrance to yet another dungeon — this one a narrow cave covered in thick, twisting vines — the Glaceon stopped abruptly. He turned to her, his icy blue eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made her breath catch.
"You hesitated yesterday," he said, his tone sharp but not angry. "That almost got you killed."
Asha's ears flattened slightly. She had been expecting this conversation, but the bluntness of his words still stung. "I know," she admitted softly. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry," he snapped. "Be better. If you can't keep your focus in the middle of a fight, you'll fail. And in the dungeons, failure means death."
His words were harsh, but Asha could hear the underlying concern in them. He didn't want her to die — that much was clear. Still, she couldn't help but feel frustrated. Every time she thought she was improving, she made another mistake, another misstep.
"I'm trying," she muttered, more to herself than to him.
The Glaceon's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he turned toward the cave. "Today, we're going deeper. The Pokémon here are stronger. Don't hesitate. Don't think. Just move."
Asha nodded, her resolve hardening. She followed him into the cave, the familiar coldness of the dungeon wrapping around her like a heavy cloak. The walls here were narrow, the path twisting and turning with each step, but Asha had learned to expect that. Dungeons were never straightforward. They shifted, changed, and trapped those who couldn't adapt.
They moved in silence for a while, the only sounds being the soft crunch of their paws on the rocky floor. The cave was darker than the others they had been in, with fewer patches of glowing moss to light their way. Asha kept her senses on high alert, knowing that danger could appear at any moment.
As they rounded a corner, the Glaceon stopped abruptly, his body tense. Asha froze beside him, her ears straining to pick up any sound. She could hear the faint rustling of leaves, the scrape of claws on stone. It was faint, but it was there — something was nearby.
"Stay close," the Glaceon whispered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the darkness ahead.
Asha nodded, her heart pounding. They continued forward, moving cautiously through the twisting tunnels. The tension in the air was thick, and Asha could feel her muscles coiling in preparation for a fight.
Suddenly, there was a sharp sound — a clatter of rocks falling to the ground. Asha's heart leapt into her throat, and before she could react, a group of Pokémon emerged from the shadows.
Three Golbat swooped down from the ceiling, their sharp fangs glinting in the dim light. Behind them, a larger, more menacing figure stepped into view — a Crobat, its eyes gleaming with malice.
Asha's breath caught in her throat. This was nothing like the Murkrow from before. These Pokémon were faster, stronger, more dangerous. She could feel the panic rising in her chest, but she fought to push it down.
The Glaceon didn't hesitate. He launched forward, a blast of ice shooting from his paws as he struck the first Golbat out of the air. "Focus!" he barked at Asha. "Don't freeze up!"
Asha gritted her teeth, her leaves glowing with green energy as she darted forward. She slashed at one of the Golbat, her movements quicker and more precise than they had been before. Her attack connected, sending the Golbat crashing into the cave wall, but there was no time to celebrate. The Crobat was already upon her.
It moved with terrifying speed, its wings beating furiously as it darted toward her. Asha barely managed to dodge, her body twisting out of the way as the Crobat's fangs snapped shut inches from her face. She stumbled, her heart racing, but she forced herself to stay calm.
Don't hesitate. Just move.
She spun, slashing out with her tail, the leaves glowing brightly as they sliced through the air. The Crobat hissed, dodging her attack, but Asha was already moving again. She darted forward, her movements more fluid, more confident.
But the Crobat was relentless. It struck again, faster this time, and Asha felt a sharp pain in her side as its fangs grazed her. She yelped, stumbling back, her vision blurring for a moment. The cave seemed to spin around her, the shadows closing in.
"Get up!" the Glaceon's voice cut through the haze.
She blinked, shaking her head to clear it. The Crobat was circling her, its eyes locked onto her with a predatory gleam. Asha's body screamed in protest, but she pushed herself to her paws, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Don't think. Just move.
With a burst of energy, she launched herself at the Crobat, her leaves glowing brightly as she struck. The attack hit its mark, and the Crobat screeched in pain, retreating into the shadows. But Asha knew it wasn't over. The fight wasn't over.
She glanced over at the Glaceon, who was locked in battle with the remaining Golbat. He moved like a blur, his icy attacks freezing the air around him as he struck with deadly precision. But even he couldn't take on all three of them at once.
Asha gritted her teeth and charged toward one of the Golbat, catching it off guard as it prepared to attack the Glaceon. Her attack was quick, and the Golbat screeched as it crumpled to the ground, defeated.
But the moment she landed her strike, a sharp pain exploded in her side. Asha gasped, her vision swimming as she looked down. The Crobat had returned, its fangs sinking deep into her side.
Her knees buckled, the strength draining from her body as the venom coursed through her veins. The world around her seemed to blur, the sounds of battle growing distant. She tried to move, to fight, but her body wouldn't respond.
Suddenly, the weight of the Crobat was gone, and Asha felt the air grow colder around her. She blinked, struggling to focus, and saw the Glaceon standing over her, his body surrounded by a shimmering frost.
"You froze," he said, his voice sharp but tinged with something she couldn't place. "You froze, and now you're hurt."
Asha tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. The pain in her side was unbearable, and her vision was growing darker by the second. She could barely make out the Crobat, lying motionless on the ground, frozen solid by the Glaceon's attack.
The Glaceon knelt beside her, his paw gently pressing against her wound. "Stay with me," he murmured, his voice softer now. "You'll be fine."
Asha's breath came in shallow gasps, her mind spinning. She had failed again. She had hesitated, and now she was paying the price.
As her vision faded, she could hear the Glaceon's voice, low and distant. "I won't let this happen again…"
When Asha woke, she was back in the clearing, the soft rustling of the trees filling the air around her. The sun was high in the sky now, casting warm light over the clearing. She blinked, groaning as she tried to sit up, her body still aching from the battle.
"You're awake."
Asha turned her head to see the Glaceon standing a few feet away, watching her with his usual unreadable expression. There was no sign of the cold distance he had shown before, but there was something… guarded in his eyes.
"What… happened?" Asha asked, her voice hoarse.
"You got hurt," the Glaceon said simply. "I brought you back here to recover."
Asha winced as she shifted her weight, the pain in her side still fresh. "I froze up… again."
"You did," he said, his voice blunt but not unkind. "But you're still alive. That's something."
She looked up at him, frowning. "What did you mean back there? About… not letting this happened again?"
The Glaceon's expression darkened, his gaze shifting away. For a long moment, he didn't answer, the silence between them thick with unspoken memories. Finally, he shook his head.
"It doesn't matter," he said quietly. "What matters is that you learn from this. You're not strong enough yet. Not strong enough to survive."
Asha's chest tightened. She could feel the weight of his words, the cold truth behind them. But there was something more there, something he wasn't telling her.
"I want to get stronger," she said softly. "I need to. But I can't do it alone."
He didn't respond for a long time, his eyes still focused on something distant, something only he could see. Then, with a quiet sigh, he looked back at her.
"We'll continue training," he said, his voice softer now. "But you need to be prepared. There's more to the dungeons than you realize. More danger, more darkness. And if you're not ready…"
He didn't finish the sentence, but Asha understood. She nodded, determination flaring in her chest despite the pain.
"I'll be ready," she promised.
The Glaceon gave her a long, searching look, then nodded.
"Rest today," he said quietly. "We'll start again tomorrow."
As he turned and disappeared into the trees, Asha let out a shaky breath. She didn't know who he was or what haunted him, but she could feel the weight of his past pressing down on both of them.