Posted November 24th, 2024
Chapter Summary
Now that Team Kirigiri is just in reach of the village named; Aenivland, how will they deal with the danger of the Ruinous Fog? Who will they come across outside and inside the settlement? And what secrets lie within the walls?
A few dirt paths were the only entrances to Aenivland Village on foot, from the north, west and east sides. In one corner of the intersection to the north, Alejandrien spotted some large rustic pails and buckets tossed aside a far distance from a water well and pump. The others followed her gaze.
"A well?" Emile asked, ears folding. "Tourjours Island is way smaller but even we have running water."
Kaliente hummed. "Tis is the real sticks, off tha grid but no tricks!"
"Not the rhyme partner," Alejandrien said, a laugh mudding their words.
Gales sharper than ever tore around the bend, not as chilly as inside the forest, but it made them shiver all the same. On the outskirts of Aenivland Village, just beside the path, nestled in the brush lay several deserted wooden shacks with their broken furniture.
"They haven't come to collect that?" T'nuri asked.
Alejandrien glanced over the pile as the already dark clouded sky quickly darkened further. "It's not just an eyesore, it's a hazard."
"A hazard? How so?"
"Wildfire."
The Fuecoco behind the two shook his head. "There isn't one now, but yeah. That wild underbrush's bad, too."
"We'll have ta come for that later," the Jangmo-o sighed. "We've got Ruinous Fog ta deal with!"
T'nuri tapped her bone-club in her claws."But it is kinda wildfire! The flames come from black fog!"
"We've got a different color te worry about!" Kaliente yelled.
"Spark! The mist!"
Above the four a dark gray cloud full of stinging drizzling rain of poison was upon them.
"Shit," T'nuri cried, covering her skull-helmet's eye holes. "Not again!"
The Jangmo-o barely got out their words before they cringed."Think we can cut it this time?"
"I don't know!"
Emile tightened her bag before she ran on fours through the bumpy path ahead."Brace yourselves!"
Team Kirigiri shuffled together as the toxic droplets scattered across the earth once again. Splashes of the corrosive, headache inducing water tagged scales and fur alike, the downpour heavy as a crackle of thunder rumbled throughout the area.
"Come on!" Flinching, T'nuri tossed her Bonemerang at the plume of dark gray fog. Alejandrien shivered as well, a few Scale Shots hitting on the first toss, then again on the return. Nothing happened when the earthy and draconic attacks collided, the fog once again prevailing as it continued to rain hell. The cloud drifted eastwards with the wind, but not enough for the four detectives' to avoid.
Worn out, Kaliente stumbled as the dirt path slowly grew muddy, thick with noxious rain. "We aughta give it a once over too Emile!"
"Right!" she pulled her arm to the side and fired a few Razor Leaves. In the spot where the leaves hit, Kaliente shouted out a Disarming Voice, the light pink waves of sound connecting with the grass energy. But still nothing, no chains, no blocking the fog.
"We've got to go!"
Poison rain was a punishment only for Pokémon; it did not taint plants but extended to claim what was made by Pokémon. Small holes, and faint traces of lacquer fizzled away on the small leftover furniture, the material burning away.
Through the stinging rain they continued down toward the village, a water tower in the distance leaning under the brunt of the mist. It didn't help that toward the other side of Aenivland's massive settlement bred another plume of Ruinous Fog, this one ebony black, with wicked flames. Thankfully higher than the roofs, and sweeping far over the land, but primed to circle back around.
"Why's that fixin' ta fall up and over right now!?" the Jangmo-o asked in a yelp.
"Good question!" Emile called.
"By the way, how are we gonna deal with this alone?" T'nuri panted.
Alejandrien sighed, eyes going side to side. "Everything is going crazy round here!"
"Still sparking raining poison too!" Kaliente yelled.
The Fogcutters continued on the path towards the teetering watertower, the wind's blowing stronger and stronger with each scatter of rain. Curiously, commotion came from the deep woods to the east. It wasn't cloaked in Ruinous Fog, but could be at any moment. "What's that?" T'nuri asked, lifting her bone-club.
"Maybe a villager?" Kaliente pondered aloud.
A slender yellow tail poked out through some bushes."Who's there?" Alejandrien called.
Rustling leaves and crackling branches were moved aside as the hidden Pokémon, whoever they were got closer. "Wow," a deep familiar voice said. "Look what we found here."
"What'd you find, Luciano?" a lighter, also deep familiar voice replied. The huge brush and tree limbs parted when a blue claw pulled it away, revealing the Clawitzer and Heliolisk, clad in scarfs, specifically ones the Navigation Team wore, green and purple with the others stripes glistening despite the shade.
"Captain Bao and Luciano?" the four asked.
"Yeah it's time to check up on you little guys," the Clawitzer chuckled for a moment before the toxic drizzle picked up again.
Emile buried her muzzle into Bao's side. "Check up on us?"
"You found us!" Kaliente patted the Heliolisk's back.
Luciano nodded before he spoke."Well it's not like we were going to leave you all alone to do this work with the villagers."
"Cheers mate!"
"Where are the other Navigators?" the Cubone asked.
The Fuecoco held on her shoulder. "I'd see how'd ya miss an Indeedee but there's no missing an Eggsecutor, they must be in the village or on shore!"
"Correct, Yawen and Vicenta are with the Zháo Launcher doing another investigation," Bao explained. "Those two have the Clearance Zero Crew to keep them company."
"I see well, let's hurry."
"Yeah this fog stuff is ridiculous."
"Ah, right," T'nuri glanced up at the two Navigators, eyes tracing the slowly forming patches on their bodies. "Captain Bao, how does the rain feel?"
"Awful, feels like I'm burning," the Clawitzer groaned, her antennae drooping.
"Same," the Heliolisk said as he wiped his scales down. "Oh right, you're Fogcutters, how's it feel to you?"
Kaliente shivered too. "Well it's like a light sting really."
The Cubone grimaced before she spoke."You and Emile are blockers, so you don't feel like you're melting!"
"Wow," the Heliolisk gasped. "And that's with your different elemental typing!"
"Oh really now, I guess we feel it differently, because we don't have your fancy fogcutting powers," Bao mused with a hearty laugh.
Luciano adjusted his bandana and shook open his neck frills. "Yeah, you've got to take that into consideration with the villagers."
"I don't believe any of them have it."
"If only it were that easy, yeah but there need to be two or more."
Just as the shower passed a whining creak, and snap echoed through the air, ever looming in the distance, the same watchtower slowly crumbled with a mighty smash. It could have been fine if nothing was nearby but that couldn't have been the case for the shouts and cries that came next. Someone was down there, and more importantly hurt.
"Hurry!" Bao urged as she jetted off toward the debris.
"I'm plenty glad y'all guys are here!" Alejandrien called as they chased beside the two, hurrying over hills off the path.
"What?" the Clawitzer asked, closing her eyes. "You can't figure out a strategy to lift that up on your own?"
Luciano elbowed her with a frown."Now you know that's not very nice."
"I have faith in them, but I'll help of course."
The six DA mon rushed over to the wreckage, a stray plume of Ruinous Fog rolling away. Too much damn debris! "Where are they?!" Alejandrien yelped, eyes scouring the water.
"Right there!" Bao pointed
Luciano pried out a thin support beam from the meshing."These two."
Underneath the barrel of the watertower, buried half underwater, was a mesh barrier. Two Pokémon were trapped in the wiring, a Tadbulb and an Inkay, their bodies just above the lake's surface.
"Won't you help us with this blasted contraption?" the Inkay yelled, his voice strained.
The Tadbulb fired off a tiny spark at the mesh."This is why I cannot support any construction!"
"These pesky villagers build things willy-nilly."
As Luciano held up part of the wood, Bao snipped the mesh. But the hulking mass of a tower dug deeper into the lakebed, bits and pieces of stone rained from above."Are you all right?"
"No," Tadbulb warbled. "We sometimes frequent the water, and now we're going to get crushed in it!"
Quickly, Bao took one side with the heaviest part of the massive water tower. Luciano on the side right next to it, one ginormous leg of the structure peeking out of the lake. The length was more than double the size of the tallest trees around them, the Heliolisk barely held onto half of it.
The other four Pokémon moved on to the side in which the legs were lodged, Alejandrien inside the water with Emile."Pull!" the Jangmo-o urged before they clawed at one of the stuck legs, their grip wavering as they treaded water. T'nuri and Kaliente helped lift and carry the broken pieces away while Bao and Luciano yanked with all their might.
The Tadbulb and the Inkay jumped out of the lake and the water tower was completely removed from inside; unfortunately not in peak condition. "Freedom!" Inkay cried, rolling around on the grass.
"Are you two alright?" Bao asked, gently stretching her huge trembling claw.
"Thanks…But who are you?" Tadbulb narrowed her eyes. "You Pokémon are not from the village nor from the freelands."
Inkay growled as the others got close. "What are you doing here?"
"Well we're with the detectives," Luciano said and gestured a claw to T'nuri who begrudgingly nodded yes.
"Detectives?"
Kaliente held his chest tight. "Here ta help everyone on the island."
Tadbulb's little expression softened."Help us from that giant ground cloud thingy right?"
"Yes," Emile said, her tail twitching.
"You need to avoid the ground clouds at all costs, especially the black ones," the Fuecoco explained.
The Cubone ran her claws across her healing burn marks."The dark gray ones aren't very nice either. If you get cornered, try to find a Mystery Dungeon. Neither can reach you there."
"So that's how you avoid them," Tadbulb hummed.
"Thank you," Inkay said as he floated higher. "Since you are not from here, we thought you may be lost. You need to keep going west, ignoring the northern main entrance."
"Main?" the Grookey questioned.
Tadbulb sparkled for a moment before she went airborne, electricity all around her. "If you want to save the village, you need to go to the west."
"Stay safe," the Heliolisk said.
"Farewell." Inkay and Tadbulb floated on the path toward the Forest Mystery Dungeon, thankfully spared from Ruinous Fog.
The six finally got back on the path to the western side of the village. More and more clouds darkened the sky as the chills continued to whirl around, turning to tear leaves off trees and knock over furniture scattered about.
Rain gave way to bubbling pockets of heat, a fire roaring just above the ground.
"Look how fast that is!" Luciano yelped. "It's sparking crazy!"
"Twenty four point three hundred and seventy eight kilometers per hour!" the Grookey replied.
"What!?" Kaliente yelled back.
"Faster than wildfire!"
"Snuffing insane mate!"
"This way!" Bao pointed off the path to a small drop.
Luciano, and Alejandrien dove off it, with T'nuri, Kaliente, and Emile following in the nick of time. Holy skies above! Scorching hot fire barreled through the land right on their tails, and shot back into the sky, swirling back around to the mountain.
As Team Kirigiri and Team Zháo ventured closer and closer to the sharpened wood walls of the village, a hollow creaking sound rang out. Wooden spikes were a thing of the past weren't they? Alejandrien mused.
"What was that?" the Fuecoco panicked, gripping his scarf.
One of the gates swung in the wind. But that wasn't all. 'Aenivland Village of Patrick Ronald ', the sign posted right in front of the set of gates listed it wasn't necessarily a ghost town 'Population: Two hundred and ten'.
"With all these Pokémon, where's te excitement, better yet te stone?" the Fuecoco questioned his gaze low.
Luciano blinked. "There's no stone here?"
Each and every building was made from top to bottom with wood, straw or clay. Looking through the glass of a vacant home, T'nuri sighed. "It's like they are scared to build anything around here with rocks or something."
Quite a few of the rather large structures were made from what appeared to be tightly packed seashells. The light beige walls felt rough to the touch: full of grooves and grit, pieces of shells. But the structures were still primarily constructed out of wood. High above the buildings no wires ran, but instead pink streamers. Some red and purple triangle banners beside them, and toward the ground the few hourglasses seen were primarily framed in wood, stuffed with straw and clay and had dirt lining the edges.
"This is the village?" T'nuri groaned and kicked at the dirt.
The Fuecoco next to her sighed."Wow, it sure is run down."
"That's not important," Alejandrien stamped their claws. "Where is everyone?"
As they six Pokémon passed another empty building, something that looked more settled came into view, a home with a large wooden effigy of a fairy Rapidash with a pink scarf and helmet, a plaque underneath labeled 'Patrick Ronald'.
"So that's who that is," Kaliente murmured, head crest falling.
"And there's more." Emile gestured to the right.
Small paintings sat on window sills with that same fairy Rapidash, highlighting his mane, gloriously rendered with all sorts of pastel colors and thick brushstrokes.
"Let us take sight!" a voice called from around the corner.
"Oh finally," Bao sighed, "a villager."
A Sewaddle approached with a cloth around her shoulders. "Have thou caused this calamity to appear?"
"No, we're here to help," the Jangmo-o said, their tail lowering.
"We hath not asked for thine help!" a Flaaffy behind her scoffed, as he pointed at the foreigners before him.
"If you don't leave you'll die," Emile growled.
"Emile!" T'nuri shoved her shoulder.
"What in good sands!?" a Sableye only just exited one of the homes and raced over.
Sewaddle furrowed her brow. "Are thou threatening, Grookey?!"
More doors opened and Aenivlanders approached, well surrounded Team Kirigiri and Team Zhá Fuecoco placed a claw on Emile's other shoulder. "Sorry 'bout my blunt friend 'ere."
"Thee outsiders sought forth the fire and the rain!" an Archen shrieked as he flapped his wings in panicked circles.
"We didn't mates," Kaliente urged. "Now listen, the Ruinous Fog is very dangerous."
"O heeriye a name for the plague henceforth! Thine coined it, thus forth thine begot it!" Flaaffy screamed.
Sableye pointed at T'nuri and Luciano with a claw. "Thou come to our island, thou come all the way to our village and thou ruin it! That is all thine outwaters do, voracious beasts, nothing left of mine desolate lands for thou to take besides our soil!"
"Soil?" Bao asked.
"Our soil is only good because of our volcano," the Sewaddle yelled. "Leave mine companions alone!"
Why are these Pokémon speaking like it's… The 300s? I suppose they never left. "Now now listen here," Alejandrien grumbled. "We need everyone ta evacuate."
Flaaffy trotted in a circle."Evacuate? No, no we shan't leave our precious village, the one Patrick Ronald imparted!"
"Listen closely my dear compatriots," Kaliente spoke, his voice light and airy. "Please just take your necessities and head over west to the Forest Mystery Dungeon."
He got rid of his accent. Alejandrien mused.
Archen finally stood still."That forest with wilderners who hate our glorious wooden buildings?"
What in Rayquaza's tower are they going on about?
"Yes, it is safer that way."
Sableye clutched his chest. "Really, thou meaneth it?"
Now the Aenivlanders love him. Alejandrien thought, watching as the gathered Pokémon settled down.
"When the time arises you need to avoid all of the gray and black fog. It is extremely dangerous."
Archen couldn't just stay his beak."Thou say we shall venture the dungeon."
"Yes my dear friend," Kaliente replied. "You shall be safe there."
"But how shall we be safe, where wildeners roam?" Flaaffy asked.
"The Ruinous Fog cannot harm ya there," Alejandrien added. "And y'all need not venture through the floors, just sit in the entrance."
"Cease! From which ken thus thou posscess?" Sewaddle demanded. "What are thee foreign water outsiders plotting!?"
T'nuri took in a deep breath before she spoke. "The Fogcutter's Detective Agency and I are here to find the source of the calamity and eliminate it. We sought refuge in that same forest and it did not harm us."
"Mine kin do not have much to go off of, I shan't ken trust in thee. What shall thou do for us?"
Emile all but rolled her eyes."What services do you require?"
Sableye polished one of his gemstones before he spoke."We have companions out, in need of swift salvation."
"Out where?"
"Follow mine steps." Sewaddle offered, Flaaffy beside her.
The Heliolisk cleared his throat before T'nuri and the others could jog away. "We're going to stay here to help them evacuate and get them to where they need to go."
Bao fiddled with her scarf before she nodded."You have to clear the Ruinous Fog all right."
"All right?" Luciano added, nudging the Jangmo-o.
They shivered for a moment before looking away."Not really."
"We believe in you," the Clawitzer replied. "Anndd, we need you to believe in us."
"I do, ya manage all that crew and navigate tha seas."
"That sounds good enough for me all right," T'nuri said as she patted the Jangmo-o's shoulder. "Let's split."
Following Flaaffy and Sewaddle, Team Kirigiri passed dozens upon dozens of fleeing Pokémon. Bao and Luciano funneled the villagers toward the safe haven, doing their best to keep them listening. Down the rickety off-beat trail, toward the woods no less.
Of course Aenivland Village, a settlement with fairy Rapidash effigies all around would have such a Pokémon. A Rapidash next to a Bouffalant, both stuck in the mud, heavy carts on their backs. Typical backroad issues, cargo loads too heavy for weak soddy dirt. But what it wasn't supposed to have was blazing obsidian fog trailing down the sky, bound to lash at both 'mon and their making alike.
"Help!" the Rapidash cried, her hooves flailing.
The Bouffalant beside her thrashed in his restraints, panic etched across his muzzle. "Flee mine Elder, flee!"
"Sparks and embers partner!" Alejandrien gasped, running even faster. "How're we gonna pull this shit off?"
T'nuri yanked out one of the cart's wheels with a growl. "I don't have a snuffing clue!"
"Ya ain't alone this time!" Kaliente smacked her shoulder. "Keep that chin up laddie!"
"Oh the calamity! Elder Rapidash!" Sewaddle cried, pushing against the mud-covered wheels.
"Unhook them!" Emile ordered.
"Thou said thee would offer thine protection!?" Flaaffy hurriedly pulled out the bridle, buckles, and harness of Rapidash and Bouffalant with T'nuri, Kaliente, and Emile.
"Now what?" the Cubone held up her bone-club at the approaching plume of fire.
"We gotta keep these guys safe, all of them!" Alejandrien said, their limbs shaking. Is 'detective work' after all!
"Get behind us!" the Fuecoco yelled, and shot out a Ember. Sewaddle, Rapidash, Flaaffy, and Bouffalant cowered behind the smaller Pokémon whispering cries and prayers as the smoke descended.
Emile fired off a burst of Razor Leaves at the Ruinous Fog too, just as it blanketed the group. The swath of mist halted in its tracks, a red and green semi transparent pair of chains pulling it toward the earth. "We blocked it!" Stuck in place this fog was blocked, not quenched, intense heat still rippled across the area. A wisp of flare danced out just before Alejandrien and T'nuri darted forward.
Those two did it! "Come on T'nuri!" the Jangmo-o roared as they sliced through a tendril of mist with a purple-ghastly hue. Shadow Claw fierce on her claws, just as the flames ate at her scales. Hot hot hot!
"Detectives!" Sewaddle whimpered, her eyes brimming with tears. "The fire!"
Right beside Alejandrien, even through blazing heat the Cubone swung her Bone-Club with two arms, straight at the Jangmo-o's glowing claw. Her skull-helmet pitch black in the center. "We'll save you!"
Buried in the thick inferno, the two held firm. "No matter what!" T'nuri and Alejandrien yelled. The fog ran its final lashing before it collapsed in a bright ball of purple, green, and red light. Finally the small area was free of the dangerous black mist, and allowed to rest. Only a few minutes before the other swaths of fog filled in its place. The Cubone promptly dropped right beside the Jangmo-o, their bodies flashing that same purple, and green for a moment, red burns on their claws. It was protecting other Pokémon that let us cut the fog after all, even if they were for us or against us.
"It burns!" Rapidash cried, deep markings pelting on her thin fur as she ran around in circles. The fierce blaze had left her body but the effect's strength had intensified. In a galloping trot, she collapsed onto the ground.
Kaliente threw his bag to the floor and pulled out the cream the Seismitoad and the Simisear Apothecaries made before he tossed it to Emile. "Stay still mate!" he urged Rapidash. The Grookey, leapt onto the Elder, rubbed in the ointment and just as fast hopped back down.
"Do you feel better now?" Alejandrien questioned the stunned Rapidash, who slowly cantered around, her ears folding. The Elder's flank and upper back were marred in a nasty burn, thankfully nullified by the Rawst, Lum, and Oran from the salve.
"Was a boastful show outwaters," Bouffalant said as he shook his coat and made way over to his wagon. "Doth thou bringeth?"
"We just saved you," T'nuri said, a sigh clouding her words.
"So?"
"Now listen here ya-" Kaliente's usually cheery attitude was sapped in a second.
"Mine dearest apologies, detectives areth thee?" Rapidash finally spoke, her aged tone deep.
"Yes," the Grookey replied as she held the swinging Fuecoco back from Bouffalant.
"Thank thou for delivering us out of this wicked calamity."
"Hark, thine saith thine areth here to assist!" the Flaafy called.
"Assist?" Bouffalant harrumphed, his tail whipping.
The Jangmo-o below him placed a claw on her scarf."We are searching for the source of the Ruinous Fog."
"Hmm, as foretold," Rapidash gently winnied and staggered upright. "Follow mine steps." She led Team Kirigiri closer toward the mountains, and another plume of Ruinous Fog. Shadows cast from the sky blanketed the small congregation of homes just below the mountains and volcano, far but also in reach. On the dirt path before them, the five Pokemon approached a small wooden building, one fitted with a tall triangular roof and stained glass. Whilst a bit of mist drifted away. Alejandrien jangled their scales. That the shoddy thing's still scary.
"W-what's this?" T'nuri asked, eyeing the odd structure top to bottom.
Alejandrien peered at the red and purple windows."The stained glass looks like Ko-" Everyone glared at them, "Holy Komaraidon and Holy Miraidon."
"Old fashioned water-typed following of the Holy Sands of Time?" Emile wondered aloud. "No se, I do not know what exact style, but I saw some on a neighboring island once."
"A Soak style church?" Kaliente answered as he scowled. "What are you trying to do, Elder Rapidash?"
Rapidash cleared her throat as she parted the formerly barred swinging doors."Grandfather Adawolt saith that perhaps outsiders knew these ancient relics."
"What? Relics?" Alejandrien hurried inside after her. The church was just as small as it was on the inside as it was outside, only four large pews, a sloped pulpit, and a cabinet in back with a few black hourglasses.
These matte-crystalline hourglasses, about half the size of the small Pokémon in front of them, sparkled with bits of purple, silver, and white.
That feeling again. A gentle force tugged on each of the Fogcutters and they glanced at one another. Why now?
Team Kirigiri approached an hourglass alongside Rapidash, who reached up and placed one on the pulpit.
"What's it made out of?" the Grookey beside her asked as she pulled out her tape measure.
Alejandrien stared at the smooth surface, their eyes lit up. "Wowie, it looks ta be real deal obsidian!"
"Really?"
"Sourced straight from the volcano."
The Fuecoco chuckled. "How'd ya know?"
"Based on the density, color, and texture."
"But what's it for?" Kaliente questioned.
Rapidash placed a hoof on the pulpit, her gaze low. "Our ancestor Patrick Ronald and those who came after him hath dedicated these crystal hourglasses to Cero Iglesia."
"Cero Iglesia?"
"A legend saith that Cero Iglesia is a place that shall take thou to a land unbound to time."
"I see," the Fuecoco mumbled as he jotted down in a booklet, tail swishing. "This obsidian hourglass may be something related to the Ruinous Fog."
With a sigh, Rapidash gently placed it down on the ground. The Jangmo-o licked the hourglass as T'nuri and Emile poked and prodded it with a tape measure and ruler.
"What areth thou doing?!" Rapidash pulled it to the pulpit. "Defacing with thine tongue and claws!"
Caught just like T'nuri! "I just wanted to analyze the hourglass, partner," Alejandrien laughed, "sorry."
The Cubone rubbed the back of her head. "We wanted to figure out how it was built."
Elder furrowed her brow. "Why doth thou wish to know? For forgery?"
Emile finished writing in her own pad. "It's thirty point forty eight centimeters in height, and four point fifty three kilos in weight."
"Cease!" Rapidash yanked the hourglass up and placed it back in the high off cabinet. "Areth thou trying to make a mockery of mine worship!"
"No, no-" Kaliente waved his claws.
"But I didn't get the width!"
"Shh." He covered the Grookey's mouth. "We best get on out of here to look for the true source of the fog."
"Thanketh thee," Rapidash scoffed as she exited the church, the four detectives quickly following after, lest they get her any more frustrated. Just behind them rolled a huge wave of Ruinous Fog, prime to burn through Aenivland and flood it to the brim.
Black and light grey clouds brimming with mystical might and vigor, all to destroy Pokemon and their livelihoods."Thine detectives! The calamity is beset upon mine village posthaste! Thou promised salvation did thine not?"
"But what do we have to go off of?"
"Sulfur, nitrogen, helium, and carbon for me."
"What?" Emile asked, before she reached into her bag. "If anything, the plume behind us is moving two hundred kilometers per hour faster than before."
Kaliente clapped his claws. "That must be related to what this laddu is referring ta."
"The concentration of Ruinous Fog smells stronger in this part of the village if anything," Alejandrien explained.
"What 'part'?"
"Hold on guys," T'nuri said. "We need a map so we don't get lost."
On the porch of the home they were beside, Rapidash reached into a nearby shelf, a roll of parchment in her mouth."Here, please return once done." She gestured toward the bottom left of the page, "We areth here, the east of Aenivland."
Before them lay a map of the entire Island of Kuanalio, North Beach Mountain marked, along with another two Mystery Dungeons on the east and west, while Aenivland Village and Forest Mystery Dungeon in the south west, were more detailed. The whole land's topography filled in with thin brush strokes.
"The Ruinous Fog from earlier is coming from the west, north west." Emile traced her finger along the path the DA took.
"But what about the exact source, where all of the fog on Kuanalio is coming from?"
"Maybe it has to do something with the runes?" Alejandrien added. On the upper left side in bright red hues were a triangle, and a multitude of squiggles, each with pointed ends funneling from one tip of the intelligible shape.
"What are these runes?" T'nuri pointed to the markings.
The Fuecoco beside them hummed, and pulled out his journal. "I think I can touch up on this old Sax Isles-esque penwork in a bit… Elder?"
Sniffling, Rapidash leaned down to the map. "Grandfather Adawolt did not ken, no fortunates. I only haveth a clue."
"A clue?"
"This." She gestured to the triangle shape, "refers to mourning."
"Mourning." T'nuri said, her eyes darting around. "Mourning. Mourning like the gravestones. The gravestones on the mountain nearby!"
The Jangmo-o licked their maw."Those are real? Only you saw them during that fire earlier."
"They areth," Elder explained. "Our sacred burial ground upon high."
"Right on laddie!" Kaliente cheered, and rolled up the map. "Investigation time again!"
"Yeehaw, we'll clear it!" Alejandrien's voice echoed as they followed him back toward the church.
Elder blinked before she caught up to Emile. "Gravestones, nay those areth the site of a holy confrontation!"
"We just need to head there!" the Cubone yelped and followed after them.
It wasn't just around the corner however, Team Kirigiri had to venture through the last of Aenivland Village and the lush jungle-like forest above. Dense thick grasses, fed on the rich soil of the volcanic mountains, framed perfectly around a titanic shelf of Ruinous Fog. Even all the way to the decorated mountain top, an odd steam like mist shrouded it, though it parted as the Fogcutters neared. Heat from the brutal flames on one side and a near torrential downpour flanked the way up the dormant volcano, black and dark grey fog nearly brushing the ground.
But this dormant volcano was not what they were looking for, Team Kirigiri sought a brown and gray mountain, speckled with bits of silver and black minerals. At the jagged peak, numerous rusted old swords, axes and lances buried deep into the stone. Beside them tall monuments perfectly rounded rectangles, all cloaked under the reach of fog.
"We made it!" T'nuri yelled as the group set foot on the apex. The area, in twilight's light, was covered in a light faded grey mist, full of red, orange, and black stripes.
The Fuecoco folded his arms as he peered at the gravestones. "What's up with this mist? Is blocking me view."
"No clue partner," the Jangmo-o replied as she sniffed. "I can't trace the chemical elements either."
"Do you know why it's here, Elder?"
"I shan't know," Elder Rapidash said, her eyes darting. "I can't let you go any further perhaps.
"What?" Emile gasped.
"We have to investigate," Kaliente said and placed a claw on her leg. "Could you stand back Elder?"
"Yes, but this is sacred," Rapidash explained, her pitch wavering. "No forsaking."
Alejandrien parted through the mist with a claw, it bending to their will."I swear we won't!"
Just as she took her first step the earth shattered, the mountain splitting apart and shaking. Primed for ruin, a bestial roar rumbled from within, the fog brewing once more. But not without two, earshattering, otherworldly cries.
"Cerooooooo!"