Chapter 4

Running From Darkness

An eerie silence filled the swamps of Zerith, an area filled with thick fog and mud that showed no mercy for anything that stumbles into it. Thick trees with roots that shaped the landscape were plotted throughout the swamp. Sitting in various planes of mud would be effigies made of wood and bones, flies were often scattered around them and they were topped with a hovering purple flame that would burn for eternity.

One tree, in particular, had a chunk missing and a group of pokemon were resting inside, trying to avoid predators. Inside were five buizel, four of them sat in a group and talked with each other. The other, who was secluded from the group, sat staring out the entrance. She was different from most buizel, and she was seen as a freak from the other. What was it that set this buizel apart from the rest? It was simply her eyes. Commonly, buizel had either black or brown eyes, on rare occasions, some had blue, green, or yellow eyes. However, none of those were the case for this buizel, her eyes were two different colors, her left eye was blue while her right one was pink.

She sighed to herself, she was used to being alone and the others not wanting to talk to her, but she thought that in regards to recent events, they would at least accept her presence. They didn't though, they still ignored her and acted as if she didn't exist. Recently, their home had been ambushed by a large group of various dark-type pokemon, they slaughtered almost everyone. These five buizel were the only remaining of a colony of originally two-hundred. They didn't have too much time to stop though, they were still being pursued by two more pokemon. All they had to do was escape the swamp which would lead them to an ocean so they could swim to Mardol and hopefully find peace there.

"Nixie!" A voice of one of the male buizel called to her, snapping her out of her thoughts, "I called your name several times already, what the fuck?"

"I'm sorry-" she tried to respond.

"Shut up, I just need to know if you've seen anything yet."

She nodded saying no, and he turned around and continued chatting with his friends. They tried being quiet, but Nixie was still able to hear them.

"Can you believe this retard?" He said to his group.

"What could she possibly of been thinking about?" Another male buizel stated, "She has nothing to think about."

"She's probably wishing she had a brother so she could have done what her parents did to give birth to her," a female buizel snickered.

It was true, Nixie's parents had done what is considered taboo. They were brother and sister and had had sexual intercourse with each other. Most of the other buizel and floatzel believed this was the cause of Nixie's 'deformity.'

"Why did we even bring her with us?" The fourth buizel asked, this one also being female.

"I thought that too," the leader buizel started, "but I realized we could use her as bait. When we're being chased again, we can leave her behind so we can gain more distance from our pursuers." All the others admired his ideas, except, of course, Nixie.

"You know I can hear you all, right?" She said with a saddened look. She had been used to receiving hate from others, but the fact that they wanted to sacrifice her for their selfishness turned her stomach.

"Oh, now you decide you want to listen?" The leader said "I don't care if you can hear us or not. You don't deserve to be alive, you're probably why the Dark Legion attacked us in the first place."

She was baffled that he blamed her for the attack on their home, "What!? How is this my fault?"

"Because our home has been here in Zerith for decades, and now, out of the blue, there's an attack? They attacked because your birth cursed this land, that's all you are. Just a worthless, good for nothing, curse! If you were never born, we would still be living with our families and friends in peace!" The others were now starting to side with the leader buizel.

"That makes no sense! We were attacked because we're seen as weak to the Dark Legion, we're just taking up the land that they need for this stupid war!" She tried to argue.

"Lies! You just can't accept the truth that you're just an inbred scum that has cursed our land! We don't need you with us, so why don't you take yourself and those retarded eyes of yours someplace else and never bother to see us again!"

She was tired of all the insults she endured throughout her life, not even her parents had accepted her. No one wanted her around, and she started accepting the fact. She tried hiding her anger, but she couldn't hide her tears, "Fine, I will! I hope your the next one to die!"

With that she turned around and ran away from the tree, carefully avoiding the mud. She was resting on a root that acted as an island in the mud where she cried to herself. "Why do pokemon hate me so much? I've done nothing to them. I choose to love, but they choose to hate. First my patents, then my classmates, then our colony leaders, and now the only remaining members of our colony. All because of these stupid eyes? Why? What difference does it make?"

She whipped her tears away and stared in the distance. She gazed at the stars, one was bigger and brighter than most, she remembered kid stories talking about wishing upon large bright stars. It seemed childish, but she decided to do it anyway, "I wish I could find a pokemon that accepted me, one who wouldn't look at me in disgust. One who wouldn't think of my eyes as a curse, but instead saw them as beautiful..."

She wasn't sure how long she sat out there. It felt like hours, but it could of possibly just been minutes. She decided to sleep on the root for the night, not caring about the two pokemon that were following them.

Trudging through the thick swamp, not too far away, were the two pokemon. A drapion who managed to walk through the thick mud, while a shiftry rode on his back.

"This is where I 'eard the yellin'," the shiftry said while eyeing the tree the buizel had been sleeping in.

"Then let's put an end to 'em once and for all," the drapion said as he continued walking over towards the tree.

"Heh, can you believe her?" The leader buizel scoffed.

"Yeah," another buizel said, "she was all like, 'I hope you're the next one to die,'" He said in a mocking tone. The group laughed with each other.

"Hmm, looks like it's getting late. Suppose we should get some sleep now."

The group agreed, they all curled up and huddled together for warmth, unaware of the coming danger. Outside, the drapion had finally reached the tree, he walked around towards the entrance and noticed Nixie sleeping out in the distance.

"Whadu we do about that one o'er there?" He asked while pointing with his claws.

"We can forget bout that one, for now, we'll get the ones inside the tree first, then take our time killin' the last one."

"Shouldn't we save the last one for Tenebris?" The drapion asked.

"Pfft, why bother? If he'd wanted to kill one of 'em, he'd of come here 'imself."

Without another word, the two entered the tree. Smiling as they had finally caught their prey. The drapion decided to get things started as he roughly grabbed one of the female buizel by the neck and lifted her off the ground. She gave a choking sound which woke the others inside the tree. Startled, they got up and backed away to the wall of the tree. The leader then decided to take a step forward and crouched into a battling stance.

"Don't even think about it," the shiftry said while holding up his leaf-like arm threatening him.

"Let her go!" He yelled.

The drapion only tightened his grip around the buizel's throat, blocking off even less air. "Why should I?"

"Why are you even attacking us? It's because of that cursed buizel outside, isn't it? If it is, you can take her, we don't need her anymore!"

The drapion and shiftry looked at each other with equal confusion, but they both had the idea to play along. "Yes, what you say is true. That cursed buizel is why we're 'ere right now."

"Then kill her! We want nothing to do with-"

"Silence!" The shiftry snapped, "This cursed buizel is a threat to the Dark Legion, an not just 'er, but she's cursed the whole colony of buizel as well. That is why we shall end you all as well."

"Please, we'll do anything! Just spare us, and we'll leave the Dark Legion be. I'm begging you, what is it you want us to do?"

The drapion was unamused and he had finally tightened the grip around the buizel's neck to the point where it snapped. She died instantly, her limbs becoming limp. The drapion dropped her lifeless body in front of the other three who were in complete shock.

"Run," the drapion commanded.

They instantly bolted out of the tree running aimlessly through the swamp, unsure where they were heading. Their screams and yells had woken Nixie, she saw three of the buizel running along roots to get around the swamp. Confused, she then looked over at the tree and saw both the shiftry and drapion. Panicking, she quickly darted through the maze of roots to travel through the swamp.

"Cursed buizel?" The shiftry asked.

"Dunno," the drapion said with a shrug, "but somethin' I'm interested in seein', don't ya think?"

"Maybe... Anyway, it's about time we end this lil game."

The two then split up and raced after the fleeing buizel. The environment was rough and dangerous. Sometimes one of the buizel would find themselves at a dead-end, forcing them to backtrack and find a new route. Nixie also struggled, she had stopped herself at a dead-end. A few feet ahead of her was a boulder that stuck out in the mud. She was unsure if she could jump that far. She wanted to go back and find an alternate route to travel but saw the shiftry heading her way. She quickly made up her mind.

She backed up to get a running start. She ran as fast as she could, and at the last moment, forced her legs to jump. She barely made it as her hands scurried on the blunder trying to get a grip. Once content, she pulled herself to the top of the boulder. She had no time to rest as the shiftry was already closing the gap between the two. Nixie jumped from her boulder onto a piece of land that was invaded by two trees and their roots.

Meanwhile, the group of three had all abandoned each other and were running just to save their own lives. The leader was the fastest in the group and had covered a lot of ground, he also had quick reflexes, so he was able to find his desired path more quickly. He jumped from a root onto a tree. He proceeded to climb the tree and travel along its branch. The branches of the trees either had leaves that draped down, or they had no leaves at all and were starting to build up moss which would also drape off of them.

As he reached the end of the tree branch, he leaped over onto another branch that was attached to another tree. He was beginning to feel tired from running, but he pushed himself to keep going. He found a branch on the other side of the tree and that lead downward. He used it as a slide to reach the ground again. Next, he spotted a log in the mud, he leaped towards it, but what he hadn't expected was its slippery surface. As his paws landed on the log, he lost his balance and toppled onto the mud. He tried to use the log as a way to assist him out of the mud, but it was out of his reach.

The drapion was now in pursuit of two buizel. He was amused at their attempts of escape, knowing all too well they weren't going anywhere. He was much faster than the two, and he had the advantage of being able to trudge through the mud, unlike them. He was closing in on the male buizel, he observed his pattern as he ran through the swamp. The drapion used that as a way to predict where he would go next.

The drapion had finally caught up to him and grabbed him around his waist. The buizel yelled at the other for help, but she was too concerned about her safety to try and help. The drapion brought the buizel's head into his mouth and clamped his teeth around his neck. His screams were then silenced as the drapion tore the head from the torso. He tossed the body into the mud and continued eating his head. Once satisfied with his quick meal, he continued chasing the other buizel.

The leader buizel sat in the mud and noticed the other female buizel running past him. He yelled at her to help him, but she didn't notice. She continued running. Seconds later, the drapion came charging after the female buizel, he seemed too focused to even notice him in the mud as he ran past the leader buizel. The leader was frustrated since he was stuck in the mud with no escape. He tried one last time to reach the log, but it was futile. No matter how hard he tried, it was just too far away.

He heard the sound of another pokemon running in his direction, he looked over to the source of the sound and saw Nixie running. "Nixie!" He yelled catching her attention.

She was concerned and hopped on top of the log, almost losing her balance, "I take it you slipped in?"

"Yes, now please, help me!" He demanded.

She hesitated, this was one of the many pokemon who had insulted her, and hated her, because of her eyes. Why should she help? She should just leave him and escape the shiftry following her. However, it didn't feel right to her, she didn't want to lower herself to their level.

She let out a sigh before reaching her paw out to grab his. Now he hesitated. Yes, he had asked her for help, but now thinking about it, he didn't want her to help him. He had no choice though, she was the only pokemon around willing to help him now. If it meant survival, he decided to accept her paw, grabbing it with his own.

Nixie pulled back, trying to pull her leader out of the mud, but he wasn't budging. She took a breath then pulled back with more force. Afterward, she fell backward into the mud while the leader now sat at the top of the log. Nixie then tried grabbing for the log, only to realize it was far from her reach now.

"Help!" She panicked.

The leader looked at her for a second and resized he was free. He grinned and said, "No."

Nixie's eyes widened. She went out of her way to save someone who'd never done anything but hurt her in the past. Now here he was, practically spitting in her face as thanks. He wasn't playing a sick joke either, he said it with full seriousness. The pain that shot in her heart caused a tear to well up in her eye.

"Why..." she muttered.

"I'll tell you why! It's because you're cursed! You're the reason we no longer have a home, YOU caused these monsters to kill our colony!"

"I'm not cursed! You have no proof!" She tried reasoning.

"The shiftry told us himself! The Dark Legion was after us because you cursed the colony!"

"No... no! That can't be true! C-can it...?" She was now feeling more pain.

"Oh, it's true alright," another voice said. The two buizel turned to look at the shiftry watching them. "You're a curse to this land, and lord Tenebris 'imself wanted you killed," he lied.

Just then, it felt like a wave of guilt had washed over her. She was the downfall of her colony for being cursed. She wasn't cursed by choice, but now she got to watch the aftereffects of the consequences. She couldn't help but feel she deserved to die at this point. No one cared about her existence, she was the reason everyone she knew had died, she even watched people she loved, who didn't love her back, die. What was the point in her living anymore?

All she could do was shamefully look at the mud with tears in her eyes, "I'm...sorry..." she said, directed at her leader.

"What?" He said. This time though, Nixie didn't realize a hostile tone in his voice.

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I'm sorry for everything I caused. I didn't have a choice in being cursed or not, but I was. Now or families and loved ones are all dead...and it's all my fault. All I wanted in life was to have someone, even just one pokemon, to accept my presence and care I existed... I... I-I just think everything would have been better if I wasn't born. Your friends would still be alive, your family too. Our previous leaders. There would have been no suffering, just happiness. I brought pain and suffering to my colony, so it's only fair that I die..."

"Nixie..." He didn't know why, but now he felt guilty. All these years, he treated her like an annoyance, a list even, yet he didn't know why. He only did it because everyone else didn't like her either. He never thought what she might feel, the pain she was going through.

Before either of the two could say another word, a large spike pierced the leader buizel from behind, exiting out his stomach. The buizel began coughing up blood. He knew he only had little energy before he died, and he decided to say his final words.

"I'm sorry for everything, Nix..." He never finished his sentence, instead, he fell lifeless on the mud. Nixie was shocked, she'd never had someone apologize to her, she couldn't help but cry a little more.

"How sad," the shiftry mocked, "poor Nixie had no friends."

"She never will either," the drapion said while wrapping his claws around her. He gripped her near her shoulder, to where she couldn't move her arms.

"Now poor ol' Nixie is bout to die," the shiftry said with a grin.

Frostbite was running, he had a message that needed to be delivered to Tenebris, and also something else he felt he needed to tell the other royal leaders. He wasn't sure how important the second bit was, but still felt he should let the others know about it.

He was running through a castle made of black brick walls and a dark wooden floor. Almost anyone who wasn't a dark type would feel gloomy or depressed just looking at it. Frostbite found a staircase and rushed up to it. Once at the top, he sprinted down the next hallway. He took many turns, but lucky he knew where he was going.

After exhausting most of his energy, he stumbled across a set of double red doors that were shut. Frostbite quickly groomed himself, making himself look presentable, before taking a deep breath and knocking on the door.

Inside was Tenebris, who was initially mediating. He was sitting on his throne which was in the shadows, the shadows hiding his body. As the weavile knocked on the door, his crimson eyes shot open. His eyes were full of hate, his brows furrowed with annoyance. He glared at his doors and mentally imagined them opening, and they did to his command.

Tenebris glared at the weavile, "Why have you disturbed me?" He said in a relatively calm voice.

"My lord," Frostbite said while kneeling before him, "I have news regarding the package."

"I don't see it in your possession, leading me to believe one of two things: you destroyed it..." Then his glare intensified, but he still kept a calm tone in his voice, "or you failed."

Frostbite swallowed the air in his mouth, "Yes, I have failed," he admitted, knowing not to beat around the bush nor lie.

"Then why are you here?"

"The package, it's sealed with magical powers. No matter what I tried, it wouldn't open. I used my claws and teeth."

"You will be excused this once, Frostbite. Allow me to inform you now that magic seals can only be broken by a ghost's attack. Don't fail me again, or you will regret it."

"Y-yes my lord," he replied, mentally punishing himself for stuttering.

"Now, be gone."

"My lord, there is one last thing I wish to inform you, but I wish to tell the rest of the royal leaders as well."

"What else could be important that it involves the others knowing?"

"Well, when I was attacking the amaura, who's a guard of the princess, I noticed a pokemon that was out of the ordinary."

"This doesn't sound important," Tenebris said. He then lay down and shut his eyes hoping Frostbite would leave.

"Well, my lord, it was an eevee..."

Tenebris shot his eyes open immediately, "An eevee? Are you sure it was an eevee?" This time, his voice want calm, it seemed more startled.

"Yes my lord."

"Did you kill this eevee?" Tenebris said, this time there was a bit of anger in his voice.

"No, no one was killed," Frostbite replied, purposely leaving out the fact that he intended to kill her.

Tenebris sat up and jumped from his throne, the faint moonlight shining off his fur, the umbreon dashed to something else in the room. Resting in a corner was a black horn. Tenebris took a deep breath and put his mouth over its ammo hole and blew air into the instrument. No actuary sound could be heard, but Frostbite had twitched his ears, he and the other royal leaders were the only ones capable of hearing its deep hum.

About an hour later, the rest of the royal leaders had appeared. Aside from Tenebris and Frostbite, the other pokemon consisted of an absol, a golurk, a scolipede, and a mismagius. All bowing before Tenebris.

The absol was a female who wore a necklace that contained a colorful orb at the end, and she wore a red cape. The male golurk wore a cape that was gold in color, also a blue aura emitted from his brass bindings. The male scolipede wore a purple cape, and his back was barbed. Lastly, the female mismagius was wearing a transparent gray cape.

"I've called you all here in regards to news Frostbite has informed me of?"

"What is this news, my lord?" The mismagius said in an old raspy voice.

"He's spotted an eevee," Tenebris continued. The group stiffened, a couple beginning to sweat.

"How could that be?" The absol spoke, "I thought you were one of the last eevee."

"What about princess Starshine?" The scolipede spoke up, "Would that mean she gave birth to an eevee?"

"It's impossible," Tenebris said, "Frostbite, who all was this eevee with?"

He gathered his memory before speaking, "There was an amaura, a fennekin, a mareep, and a growlithe who was protecting this eevee. He treated her like a daughter it seemed."

"Then the growlithe knows something we do not, I'd assume they'll reach Whitestone in two days. I need to see this eevee for myself."

"What is it you need of us, my lord?" The golurk asked in a deep voice.

"Most of you shall continue to carry out your missions, but I'll need some help because I'm traveling to Whitestone." The group gasped.

"Alone?" Frostbite said in disbelief.

"No, you'll be joining me, I have something that'll be useful to you."

"Yes, my lord," he said while trying to stay calm.

"Magnus," Tenebris said, directed towards the golurk, "I'll need you to continue your research on the Peace Guild."

"It shall be done, my lord."

"Banshee," Tenebris now directed towards the mismagius, "You'll continue preparing your army for the next assault."

"Of course, my lord."

"Toxin," Tenebris said at the scolipede, "I need you to continue your search for the artifact we've been looking for." The scolipede simply nodded. "You all are dismissed, except for Angel and Frostbite."

The others gave Tenebris one final bow before disappearing into the air. Only Tenebris, Frostbite, and the absol known as Angel were left in the room.

"Frostbite, I need you here because a new concoction has been made that will be added to your collection of potions."

Frostbite was excited to know more, "What is it?"

"You'll see later. As for you Angel, how are things going with Nightfang's interrogations?"

"He's yet to utter anything about the gem except that he disposed of it. I've assumed he's either left it someplace, or he gave it to another pokemon."

"Then I shall tell you your next course of action. You're going to free Nightfang."

"What? Why?" She said, not even caring she was questioning his authority.

Tenebris stayed calm, however, as if she expected her to disagree, "Once you've freed him, you're going to follow him and see where he leads you. He could go back for the gem. If not, and he ends up trying to escape to Mardol, I want you to capture him and I'll allow you to get the answers out of him by any means necessary."

She didn't like the plan until the last part, "Yes my lord, I'll handle the situation immediately." She then exited his throne room and disappeared into the night.

Nightfang was laying inside his cage struggling to sleep due to his pain. He looked out his cage and saw another krookodile relieving the one that had been guarding the room the past few hours. He was always waiting for the 'perfect moment' to plan his escape, but the time never came.

Then he heard new footsteps entering the cave, he looked towards the entrance and widened his eyes as he saw Angel entering the cave. The krookodile guard stiffened before properly bowing to greet her.

"Your highness, it's an honor to serve you." The guard said.

"As you were krookodile," she said to him, "I've come to inspect these cages, lord Tenebris has ordered me to execute a few of them."

"Understood, just tell me which ones, and I'll have them taken down to you, your highness."

Angel looked around, trying to stall and make it seem more believable that she was here to execute a few pokemon. She browsed the dozens of cages dangling from the ceiling, mainly looking for Nightfang. Once she spotted him, she grinned to herself.

"The first one on the list was a raticate," she said.

The krookodile nodded to her before lowering the raticate's cage. Angel approached the creature as it backed away from her in its cage. Angel's heart started pounding and her grin grew bigger, she loved killing pokemon. In a way, she had a blood lust for it. Pain, death, and suffering only made her happier, and turned her on in a way. She opened the cage and lunged inside, her teeth digging into the raticate's neck. She drained the blood from his neck and drank it. After her prey was killed, she dragged its lifeless corps out of the cage. The krookodile then raised it back up.

"Next, the sableye," she ordered.

The krookodile then lowered the next cage in front of Angel. The sableye look at her in terror, knowing his final day was today. At the same time though, he felt relieved, he would no longer have to suffer in this cave. He had come to terms with the death and welcomed it with open arms. He showed no more fear as Angel opened his cage and sank her teeth into his neck as well. She pulled him out of the cage and shook him around as a dog does with a play toy. After throwing the dying sableye on the ground, she ended his pain in one final bite on the other side of his neck.

"Tenebris wanted me to also handle the traitor, Nightfang."

"Your highness? He's still being interrogated and-"

"You dare question me?" She interrupted with anger.

"N-no, your highness. I'll have him down here this instant." He quickly lowered Nightfang's cage and mentally kicked himself for questioning Angel.

Nightfang and Angel were now face-to-face. Angel grinned at him while Nightfang glared at her with his one good eye.

"So," she began, "we meet again, Nightfang."

"Go to hell."

"Angry as usual I see."

"If you're going to kill me, just kill me, I don't care anymore."

"Oh Nightfang, you thought I was here to kill you? Hehehe, how wrong you are." She giggled to herself, "I'm not going to kill you, yet."

"If you're not here to kill me, then what do you want?" He asked confused.

"The same thing we've always wanted. Where is the gem's location."

"I'll tell you the same thing I told my instigators, I disposed of it."

"Impossible, artifacts can't be destroyed."

"That's why I said disposed, not destroyed, it's no longer in my possession, I don't even know where it could be right now."

"Then who did you give it to?" She asked.

"How did you know I gave it to-" his eyes widened realizing what he'd said while he used his paws to cover his mouth whole cursing at himself.

"So you did give it to another pokemon? Who though?"

"You think I'd tell you?"

"Of course not, but the Dark Legion will always find a way to get the answers they're looking for."

"You're not getting anything out of me except my blood."

"I'll get the answers out of you," she said while opening his cage, "one way or another."

Nightfang was confused about why she did, but he didn't have time to questing it. This was that moment of escape he was waiting for. As she opened the cage, he growled and lunged at her, electricity dancing around his teeth. He bit down on her right foreleg causing her to jump back. He then raced for the exit. The krookodile was preparing for an attack until Angel stopped him.

"Don't attack him, I love a good chase." She didn't leave though, she just stood there. The krookodile looked at her confused, "I'm giving him a head start." After a few minutes had elapsed, she then started following the path Nightfang had taken.

Nightfang was already out of the cave by now, luckily, only being followed by Angel. He did his best to ignore the poison that shot through his body. He was running through a snowy tundra, not exactly too sure where to go. He had to warn the pokemon he gave the gem to, he needed them to get rid of the gem now.

'If only I still had my cape,' Nightfang thought to himself, 'then traveling would be a lot easier...'

He looked back and noticed Angel exiting the cave, but she was far behind him. Not that it mattered, the capes the royal leaders of Zerith wore allowed them to instantly travel anywhere inside Zerith. It was nice and convenient for getting around the huge Provence.

Nightfang could help but wonder why Angel was no longer chasing him. She only watched as he ran away. She could easily catch him but didn't. He was then thinking she was playing some sick game of meowth and rattata. He still had hope though that he could outwit her and escape. His chances were slim, but he'd still do anything, just to leave Zerith and find peace elsewhere.

Back at the castle, Frostbite was waiting for Tenebris to ready himself. Tenebris has found his cape, which was silky black and had a red trim around it. After equipping the cape, he headed out of his throne room while Frostbite followed behind him. Tenebris led them through many hallways and staircases. In most of these places, Frostbite had never even been to and was easily lost in the intricate layout of the castle's foundation.

They were now in a hallway that was a dead-end, the wall in front of them had two torches on it. Tenebris stared at the torch on the left side, he concentrated and imagined turning it. Eventually, the torch started turning clockwise, it stopped once the tip pointed to the torch on the right. Tenebris did the same for the torch on the right, it began turning counterclockwise until its tip pointed towards the torch on the left.

Frostbite always got chills whenever he watched Tenebris mysteriously move objects like he was some kind of psychic pokemon. Tenebris backed away from the wall as it began to rearrange its bricks, revealing a passageway that led downward. The two entered and descended downward, Frostbite unsure what could be at the bottom. In the end, they found one last door, Tenebris walked up to it and pushed it open, entering the room on the other side.

Inside was a cluttered table that had knives, bowls, a mortar, a lit candle that was almost burned out, and random herbs and vegetation. In the back was a cauldron sitting just above a small fire. Some bookshelves are littered with many random items, and some contained books. There was also a counter littered with vials, some empty, others filed with random liquids, and some that had been used. Lastly, sitting on a chair, was a shuppet whose left eye was a blind eye.

"Tenebris?" She spoke, "I wasn't expecting you here at this time. What brings you here?"

"I'm here for the concoction I had requested for Frostbite," he explained.

"Oh! Frostbite, I hardly recognized you. I haven't seen you since you were still a sneasel. How have you been sweetie?"

"I've been fine, " he said, "how about yourself, Fade?"

The shuppet known as Fade was already off of her chair searching through the vials. "I've been fine. Ah, here it is," she said while grabbing a vile containing a black liquid in her mouth.

She flew over to Frostbite and handed it to him. Frostbite examined the vile, the liquid inside was very thick, it seemed to ooze instead of flow. It was also black like the night sky, he couldn't help but be curious as to what it did.

"So, what exactly does this do?"

"You'll have to wait and see. You always did like the surprise of using a new potion. Don't you worry about its effects, Tenebris had it specially made for you, so I'm sure it'll do something great."

"You were only able to craft one of these portions?" Tenebris asked.

"Eh hehe," Fade laughed nervously, "you see, I struggled to find the gloom bloom, which is the key ingredient to creating this potion."

"Then I'll be sure to have that planted in the garden. Meanwhile, I want you to make more of these potions. I expect three more by the time I visit you again."

"It will be done my lord," Fade said with a bow.

Tenebris and Frostbite exited the room and went back into the hallway, the wall closing behind them. Frostbite continued observing his vile, still curious as to what it would do, and why Tenebris would have it special made for him. He ignored the thought and placed the vile inside his bag while following Tenebris through the rest of the hallways.

"What's the plan from here?" Frostbite asked.

"I need to retrieve a few more supplies and then we're heading to Whitestone so I can see this eevee you spoke of."

"May I ask a question, my lord?"

"Make it quick."

"What do you intend to do once you find this eevee?"

Tenebris didn't reply, he was lost in thought, confused even. Something just didn't seem right, and it bothered him. Another eevee existing just didn't seem possible after being one of the last eevee born.

He finally decided to answer, "We're bringing the eevee back here."

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