Just a quick note before I get started, the warning head been removed from the previous chapter since I felt it interrupted the flow. Also this is a rated 'M' fic, there's expected to be mature content.

Chapter 11

Progression Of War

A thick fog covered a grassy terrain that was littered with corpses and blood. An eerie silence loomed about the air as the moon barely provided light. Walking calmly through the fog was Toxin, the barbed scolipede. He looked around his surroundings noticing little ponds here and there, a few large trees that were damaged from battling, and dens that housed the pokemon that once lived here.

"Funny how such peaceful creatures met such a horrible fate. But, hey, now we don't have to worry about being bothered by any buizel or floatsle ever again."

A beedrill then zoomed from the fog and landed next to Toxin. The fog curled inward as its wings distorted its shape. Around the beedrill's neck was a purple scarf with a metal 'X' pinned onto it. "Sir, I think we found what it is you have been looking for."

"Then take me there." Toxin followed behind the beedrill as it flew back from where it came. "Captain, do you know what happened to the small handfuls of groups that somehow managed to escape?"

"Yes sir, I had sent a few of my troops after each group. By now, they're all as good as dead." Finally, the beedrill reached a fairly larger tree that bended a bit. The bark had a very faint blue tint to it as moss had grown in the cracks of its texture. The leafs were a maroon color that draped down from the branches. There was a hollow point in the trunk that made for a doorway. Standing outside were a few other pokemon who were troops under the captain's command. These pokemon all also wore purple scarves, however, they didn't have any insignia on them.

"This is it, sir."

"It looks a bit dark, does it not? Bring me my torch."

A yenmega then lead an illumise to the entrance. The bug was wrapped in chains and was covered in bruises, scars, and dried blood. The firefly-like pokemon provided a light as it lead the way for Toxin, the captain, and the yenmega into the dark tree.

"My torch is looking a bit dim, yenmega. I don't care how you do it, but ensue she gives me a new one."

Topically, the illumise wound have been frightened after these words, but after a few 'sessions' with the other troops, she eventually lost her emotions and did whatever pleased the troops.

Inside the tree was a spiral wooden staircase that burrowed its way underground. After reaching the bottom of the stairs, the group found themselves in a chamber. The room was rectangular and had six urns that lined the hall to the other side of the room. Sitting on top of the urns were flat dishes filled with water. There were small holes in the roof that allowed the moon's light to glisten inside. The moon's light reflected off the water and danced along the walls. At the opposite side of the room was a large, arched door made of stone. Engraved in the stone were strange carvings that created a picture.

Toxin commanded the illumise to shine her light at the door. After doing so, Toxin tried his best to make out what was on the door. What he saw looked like a glacier, at the peek was a sun shining its rays upon it. At the base were stick-figure pokemon bowed down before it.

"Excellent work, captain, I shall inform Tenebris of our progress before proceeding. For now, we shall set up camp and wait here until further instructions."

Magnus, the golurk, was surveying his surroundings as he stood at the edge of a cliff overhanging the rough ocean tides that slammed against the sharp, jagged rocks. Wind rustled the grass and the draping leafs of the nearby willow trees. Bored, Magnus decided to look once again at the engravings that have always been on his brass bindings. There were strange symbols that glowed a vibrant blue. The letters were incomprehensible to untrained pokemon, but they simply read "Jiik Tanyoot EmPelviar" which translates to "With Strength, I Burn."

Magnus clenched his fist tightly in hate remembering the unfateful day he enchanted his bindings. He knew the fact that enchanting was considered a gamble in these lands, but he ignorantly ignored every warning that was bestowed before him. The outcome was that the enchanting process ended up actually cursing his bindings rather than improving them, and it's now a mistake he had to live with.

'MAGNUS! HELP!' screamed a voice inside his head. The voice belonged to a young female.

The sound of flapping cut off the horrible memories. As Magnus looked back up, he spotted an altaria who was accompanied by a drifblim. Once the altaria landed, the drifblim forcefully pinned her to the ground by her neck.

"Status report," Magnus ordered.

The altaria coughed while struggling to reply. "Everything is the same as usual. Four guard towers, a few dozen patrols, and the guarded castle. A few water patrols and sky patrols too."

The drifblim nodded afterwards. The altaria was a forced spying asset for Magnus. The drifblim was sent to follow her since it was a ghost and was able to conceal its location. If the altaria were to try and escape, she would be killed by the ghostly balloon.

"Very well. We shall continue scouting the island until Tenebris gives our next planes. Just know, that when we finally do move in to conquer that island, you're life is no longer of use, altaria."

She had expected no less. Ever since she was captured by the Dark Legion, she already knew her time was limited. She sometimes considered herself lucky for staying alive as long as she had, but she was also unlucky for leading them right to the 'forgotten island.' She would bring death to all of the people she once knew there. She sometimes contemplated faking an escape attempt so the drifblim would just end her, but she knew that her job would just be replaced with another unfortunate soul. Now the altaria spends every moment just wishing for the war to end.

Banshee sat at a campfire, accompanied with her battalion of ghost pokemon. The flames reflected off of the crimson eyes of the mismagius. Most of the group were talking amongst each other. Banshee, however, was alone with her thoughts, staring blankly into the fire.

"Banshee, you seem troubled," whispered a doublade. "Do you need anything?"

"I need a lot of things, but nothing of which you could help me with."

Silence feel between the two before the doublade spoke again. "When are we planning to strike? We've been sitting here ever since that Mardol ship left."

"We'll strike when I know we're ready," she said in a sharp tone. "We only have one shot at this, and I don't want to have anything screwed up. I don't have an exact day as to when we will officially leave, just know it could be tomorrow or it could be a few weeks, it's entirely a mystery."

"Banshee," a ghastly blurted out as he rushed into the campsite coming from the trees, "the scouts have found something we think you should see for yourself"

Banshee seemed irritated, but decided to see what the fuss was. "Lead the way."

The ghastly began backtracking his way into the forest he came from. It wasn't exactly a short expedition, which only agitated banshee even more. After a while, they had all found themselves in the swampy area of Zerith, the only light source being that of the floating purple flames that flickered in the wind. Banshee instantly realized what the ghastly was talking about when she saw a bloody drapion lying on the ground, struggling to breath.

"You, you're one of those pokemon Tenebris is in charge of, aren't you." The drapion only managed to nod his head. "What the hell happened to you?"

"T-t-the fourth...l-light," the drain struggled to say. Every word he spoke caused more pain throughout his body.

"Pitiful. Ghastly, put this creature out of its misery."

"Wait!" Groaned the drapion. Banshee halted the ghastly for the time being. "'ere's still a b-buizel... sh-she got away..."

It took a moment for banshee to process the information, once she had, she realized the severity of the situation. "You let a buizel get away!? You moron!" As her anger shot up, a black aura wrapped its way around her body. "Do you have any idea what this means?" The drapion was too petrified to respond. "You have not only disobeyed an order given by Lord Tenebris, but you've also jeopardized our efforts in this war. Your actions are a form of treason, and will not be tolerated."

The drapion was about to protest and defend himself, but before he was even given a chance to utter a single word, banshee hurled a black ball comprised of the surrounding darkness. The shadow ball mercilessly forced its way through the drapion's thick shell and rearranged his innards. The only remains were a bloody husk of what used to be a drapion, the black aura slowly ate away at the rest of his flesh and guts that were thrown inside out, displayed in a grotesque fashion.

"Fuck..." Banshee said, "how am I going to tell Tenebris about this before he gets to Mardol?"

"Shall we send a messenger?" Suggested the doublade.

"It's no use since we don't know the location of Tenebris. I'll have to inform him once he returns. Return to camp and wait for further instructions."

The doublade and ghastly complied as they followed banshee back to their camp. The black aura continued to devour the drapion all while the mud slowly swallowed what was left.

'Almost there,' Nightfang thought to himself.

He was completely out of breath after running nearly non-stop the past few days. He was both deprived of sleep and food. Luckily for him, he hadn't seen Angel since his last encounter, and he was sure he had lost her by now, considering where he was. He was currently in a location nicknamed 'Deadlands.' The ground was covered in black sand and ash. Many burnt tree stumps scattered the land, skeletal structures of pokemon were halfway buried beneath the sand, and the ground was flat like an open plain. He could see miles in any direction, and Angel would have stuck out like a sore thumb.

He could smell the familiar scent of the ocean, he knew he was close now. He then reached the side of a hill that slowly descended towards the beach. Sitting calmly by the shore was a pokemon familiar to him.

"You came back..." the pokemon said. It was none other than a honchkrow. This one, however, had pitch black feathers, and he wore a blindfold. The blindfold was black and had one yellow eye on the front.

"I needed to make sure you safely disposed of that cursed thing."

"You doubt my powers?"

"I do not doubt you, but I must inform you that they know."

"I know they know. I know everything, Nightfang. I sense this clever plan you thought out, but it shall all go in vein."

"What are you talking about?"

"She still follows. Hello, Angel."

Angel then materialized herself, showing a wicked grin. "Ah, I've been detected, so it appears."

" What!? I thought I lost you," Nightfang said, showing his teeth with a growl. "How did you follow me here?"

"Please, you will never be able to get rid of me. I simply teleported away from you every time you checked your surroundings. You eventually became complacent and let your guard down, saving me the hassle. Now, I'm done talking with you now that you've kindly lead me to this fellow over here. Where is the stone?"

"Heh, you expect a wise old bird like me to tell a dumb little girl like you?"

"Shut it! Unless you would rather me turn your flesh into string." Angel then raised her paw threateningly.

"What good would that do you? I'm the one who knows what happened to the stone. If you kill me, you'll never know where it is."

"He has a point," Nightfang said.

"Just tell me!"

The honchkrow let out a dry laugh. "It's long gone now, Angel. I had given the gem to a caravan salesman."

"You what!" Both Nightfang and Angel yelled in disbelief.

"Why the fuck would you do that!?" Angel continued. "Do you know how important that gem was? And you just gave it to some random pokemon?"

"Yes. I did this because he had told me to."

"Who's he?"

"The one who lives in a timeless dimension. Unlike the laws of cause and effect, he lives beyond causality and is free from all restrictions. He is forever evident in his dynamic eternity. He is both all and nothing. He exists in all universes, he is more or less in everything. He is the one that is all-demensional and zero dimensional at one and the same time. His existence is timely and timeless as it is spacial and spaceless. He is the origin of everything, everything has already been created; everything is made by him, though he is nothing."

"..." Both were speechless from the honchkrow's rambling.

"I expected as much. Then again, me, and those like me, all have truly broadened our spectrum to what is really in this world. We know everything while knowing nothing at the same time. Our level of knowledge exceeds fact itself. We have become blinded by what we know, while what we don't know gives us sight."

"What the hell are you even talking about?"

"Angel, do you not know that symbol on his blindfold?" Nightfang asked. She shook her head no. "That is the all seeing eye, the most knowledgeable pokemon were all part of an organization that is keeping the world balanced."

"That's the rather simplified version of what we are. Just knowing any information about our organization is impressive among any pokemon, especially you, Nightfang."

"As intrigued as I am to learn more, I'm still here for one reason. Where is that gem?"

"Allow me to predict something, Angel. Even if I told you the location of this gem, it wouldn't matter. I foresee a pokemon retrieving the gem by accident, and taking it to Whitestone. As you're aware, Tenebris is heading there right now. He will arrive before the stone is returned, but he will leave with one less person in his group while adding a new one."

"Stop being cryptic with me, damn it!"

The honchkrow let out a sigh. "Forgive me for overlooking your meager mind. The gem is currently in Jagorii."

"How the hell did it get there? No caravan would travel there."

"I shall explain. The caravan salesman had sold the gem to another pokemon who was mugged a couple of days later. The bandit sold the gem at a shop who's owner decided to have it shipped near the southern boarder of Zerith. Pirates attacked the ship, looted it, as then were overthrown by a Jagorii ship. One of the crewmembers took the gem and went into hiding. The gem is close to taking effect on him though."

"Fuck it all!" Angel said while slashing at the sand angrily. "This is your fault, and I'm going to make you pay with your blood!"

Angel then leaped towards the honchkrow, but before she could sink her claws into his flesh, she froze in midair.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Trying to attack a blind bird such as myself. I'll let you off with a warning for now. Before I depart and let you kids have your fun, I'll leave you with a couple more important predictions. Nightfang, you hold the key to gates of despair, you mustn't unlock it or death shall follow. Angel, you will meet someone who is very similar to me, but different in every way. This pokemon is more than capable of spilling your blood, and the odds are in their favour. Lastly, I'll see each of you only one last time in your lifetimes, but forever after death."

The honchkrow then jumped from the ground and flew off into the horizon, slowly fading away. After he was out of sight, Angel found herself unfrozen, as her lunge continued and she fell flat on the ground. She quickly jumped up and brushed herself off; disregarding what had just happened, she turned to face Nightfang.

"You! This is all your fault, you worthless pooch," she said, as if she hadn't said the same words towards the honchkrow.

"The deed has been done, there's nothing left you can do."

"Thats where you're wrong. I was only instructed to follow you until I had learned more information, and now that I have what I needed, you're no longer needed on this planet."

Angel's claws began to radiate a black aura around them as she then pounced at Nightfang. Nightfang managed to jump back to a safe distance away from the hostile claws. The black aura had stained the air as Angel ripped through it, after a few seconds, the particles slowly faded away. Nightfang stayed on guard as he anticipated another attack. Angel lunged at the poochyena again. Nightfang ducked underneath her attack and rammed his head into her stomach, causing her to lose her breath.

While Angel was struggling on the floor, Nightfang quickly ran towards her and suck his teeth into her neck, just barely penetrating the flesh. Before he could bite down, Angel swung her paw backwards at his face, her claws scraping against his face. Nightfang yelled in pain as the dark aura began eating at his wound. Angel took the moment to continue attacking. She dug her fangs into the tuft of fur on the back of his neck and flung him into a dead tree. Afterwards, she charged full speed at him, lowering her head so her horn was pointed at him.

Nightfang decided to ignore his pain, and jumped out of the way. Angel then collided with the tree, her horn buried deep in its trunk. At the moment, she struggled to pull her horn out. Nightfang then used this to his advantage. In a rapid succession, he began slicing at her with his claws, each one reminding him that a claw was forcibly removed, and stung each time he ripped into her flesh.

Angel stomped her foot hard on the sand and forcefully ripped her horn out of the tree, which now head a few splinters in it. She charged at Nightfang and rammed him with her elbow, which she then followed up by uppercutting him with her other paw. Nightfang then found himself soaring in the air. Angel then jumped above him and carried her momentum into her tail to slam Nightfang back onto the ground. He groaned and coiled into his stomach from the pain he was now in. Angel made sure to specifically land on his stomach, now pinning him down. Doing so caused Nightfang to eject blood a bile from his mouth onto Angel's face.

She laughed to herself while wearing a wicked grin. "It's over, I've won. Quite a pity it had to end so soon."

"It's... not over... yet," Nightfang struggled to say.

A crackling fire swirled between his teeth. Since he was unable to reach her face, he bit down on her arm instead. Angel shrieked in pain while retracting her singed arm. She then attempted stabbing him with her claws to which Nightfang sidestepped and head butted her in the throat. Angel choked for air while she stepped back a bit, this gave Nightfang enough time for his next move. Like he did back in the snow, he quickly turned around and threw a bunch of the sand into Angel's eyes as he ran towards the ocean and jumped in. He located some driftwood which he dicided to cling on to.

"That was cheap!" Angel yelled while rubbing the sand from her eyes. Nightfang didn't respond, he was too breathless and sore. "Get back here and fight me, you pussy! You have no place to run to. What do you think Mardol will do when they see a dark type there? Huh? Face it, Nightfang, you're unwanted, no matter where you go." She slowly began building up another laugh. "Eventually you'll realize this, and eventually you'll come back. And when you do, I'll rip your fucking guts out and forcefeed them to you!"

Nightfang no longer cared for what she had to say, all he knew was that he needed to get to Mardol and find the gem before Tenebris did. This would be his last chance at stopping a greater evil, so he wasn't going to let anything stand in his way. He did, however, ponder on what Angel had said. How will they act when they see a dark type there? Things will probably go bad more likely than not. For now, he decided to worry about that when he got there. He now had to focus on the fact that he was drifting aimlessly into the vast ocean.