Eon Chronicles

[txteclipse]

Well, what to say? I've been writing this fic for quite a while now, and I've decided to post it. I'd love some constructive criticism, so any you have to offer would be great. This story takes place in medieval times in the world of pokemon. Enjoy!

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Chapter One

A young boy named Ren was walking home from the market, having bought the next day’s supply of food for his family. His features were unstriking, except that he was very skinny and had shockingly red hair. He lived on a farm near the outskirts of town, along with his mother and father. His family ran a very small business selling candles that barely brought in enough money to keep them alive. The meals tomorrow would be meager, with mostly bread and water to eat and drink. Today, however, Ren counted himself lucky. It was his thirteenth birthday, and his father had given him a very small amount of money to buy himself a present. So, after buying the food his family always seemed to have too little of, he walked with bags in hand to a small stand that was always present in the marketplace, and always run by the same old, one-eyed man.

He often visited this stand, which was covered with many trinkets and curiosities. Most passers-by would call these things worthless, but Ren was infinitely fascinated by the seemingly endless amount of things this old decrepit man had for sale.

“Hello there, Ren” the man offered in friendly greeting.

“Good day, sir” Ren replied and began to scan the items arrayed across the table. His eyes settled upon a small, smooth, red stone with a white triangle seemingly painted on its surface. He had never seen it on the table before. He held the object up.

“How much are you asking for this?” Ren inquired.

The old man chuckled. “I thought you might like that,” he said. “That stone has actually been handed down in my family for generations. But alas, I have no children to accept it as their inheritance. Luckily for you, however, I heard tell that today is your birthday. Now, I wouldn’t do this for just anybody, nor would I do it often, but consider that stone my birthday gift to you.”

Ren stood there shocked, mouth hanging agape. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone outside of his family had given him a gift. “Are…are you sure?” he stammered. “I don’t think I could accept such a gift. If this stone has been passed down through generations of your family, isn’t it important to you?”

The old man chuckled again. “Of course it’s important to me” he said. “That’s why I’m giving it to you. Don’t you see? I’m obviously getting along in years. What will happen to that stone when I pass along? I’d rather you have it than let it pass on to whoever decides they have a right to my belongings!” The man ended his sentence with a laugh, but Ren detected a hard glint in his eyes. The boy thought no more of it though as he thanked the man profusely and went on his way.

Ren walked home on a dusty road that was painted gold by the setting sun. He felt as though the surprisingly heavy stone in the bottom of his pocket might as well have been made of gold, too. However, his happiness soon faded as he heard a sound that chilled his heart and made his palms begin to sweat. It was a low, penetrating growl that signified he was about to be greeted by very unpleasant company. A Houndour stepped onto the trail, followed closely by its owner.

“Well, look who it is, Houndour!” the other boy said, two years Ren’s senior. “It’s the little brat!” This boy had taken it upon himself to insult and humiliate Ren at every chance.

“Leave me alone, Kairn,” Ren said, his voice quaking a little. He wished to simply run away, but he knew he could never live that down. So he stood his ground, legs quivering slightly. Kairn threw his head back and laughed.

“Ha! Leave you alone? Why would I do that, when you and I are such good friends?” He took a more casual stance before continuing. “I heard it was your birthday today. I was wondering, why didn’t you invite me to your birthday party?”

Ren answered in a small voice. “My family can’t afford a birthday party right now. I’m sorry, Kairn, I would have invited you if I could,” He lied.

Kairn laughed again. “Aww, that’s okay, Ren. Hey, I know! Why don’t we have a party for you right here?” he said. “I think you should give me a welcome gift,” he continued, pointing at Ren’s bag of bread. “Houndour!” he shouted in an authoritative voice. “Go fetch me that bag!”

Ren stood and watched helplessly as the Houndour raced down the lane towards him. If he moved or resisted, the Houndour could bite him; or worse, the flame-imbued pokemon might breath fire on him and set his clothes or hair alight. The Houndour ran up close and jumped as he neared Ren, neatly snatching the bag of bread out of his hands. He then returned to Kairn’s side, who reached down and grabbed the bag from the pokemon’s jaws.

“Hey, thanks a lot, Ren,” Kairn said, pulling a loaf of bread from the bag and biting into it. “This bread isn't half-bad,” he commented around a mouthful of food. “You really should get some more for yourself,” he finished, turning and walking back down the road with his Houndour.

Ren walked the rest of the way home in the dark. He told his parents about the mishap with Kairn, and then went to his room, where he flopped down on his bed and waited for sleep. Cold air blew in through cracks in the walls, chilling him. His stomach grumbled; empty. He lay there for a time, uncomfortable and unable to fall asleep. He heard his parents talking faintly; about him, no doubt, and about their lack of food.

A painful, hollow feeling overcame Ren, and he tossed about in his bed. He thought about Kairn and why he was so unkind. He thought about his parents, and about how hard they worked to make ends meet. He thought about how cold it was getting, with winter coming on, and worried if his family would be warm enough, or if they would have enough food, or one of many other things he often worried about.

Then his thoughts strayed to his brother, Bron. His brother, five years older, had always been by Ren’s side. He and Ren where inseparable when they were younger, and his older brother’s shadow was always a comfort to him. It was also a deterrent to bullies like Kairn, who where all too quick to taunt Ren when he was alone, but much less persistent when his older brother was around.

If only he was around. Bron had died two winters ago, when he came down with a terrible fever after rescuing Ren from a freezing river. Bron had been teaching his younger brother how to hunt, showing him how to follow tracks in the snow and teaching him to use a bow and throwing knives fashioned from wood and tempered over a fire. They had needed to cross a frozen river, and Ren, being the lightest, went first. The ice had not been thick enough to support Ren’s weight, and he fell through.

Bron dove in after him, and carried Ren on his back during the swim out of the river. They passed that night in the snow under a broad oak tree, Bron holding Ren to keep him warm and telling him stories to drive his fear away. Bron carved images from his tales into the tree trunk.

The next day, Bron carried Ren back to their home. The older boy acted strong, but signs of his sickness were already beginning to show. He stumbled more and more often as they neared their house. At one point, he dropped Ren during a fall and lay still for a few minutes before Ren could revive him.

After they arrived, Bron’s sickness overcame him and their parents put him to bed. Ren kept a constant vigil over his brother: he only looked away when he had to eat or sleep overcame him. However, Bron’s fever soared, and he eventually stopped eating. His determined spirit kept him alive for a month before he passed away.

Ren had spent too many tears on his brother already. He now tried to remember the good times he had had with his brother, the things they had done together, where they had gone, what they had seen. He took some comfort as he remembered his brother’s smiling face.

Suddenly, Ren noticed that something was digging into his thigh. He rolled onto his back, reached into his pocket, and pulled out his birthday money, along with the strange stone the old man had given him earlier. He placed the money on the bed next to him, and held the stone up to his face in the murky darkness. He could just barely see its outline and red color, and he held it closer until he could make out the white triangle on one side. He wondered what this curious object could possibly be.

Then he noticed something he hadn’t before. On one side, just opposite the white triangle, was a small, triangular indentation in the stone’s surface. It still gave him no idea as to the stone’s purpose, so he laid it alongside his money and drifted into a restless sleep.

Ren dreamed a strange dream that night. He saw himself with Bron under the oak tree, where they had spent that horrifying night two winters ago. In his dream, he and Bron both disappeared, and the symbols Bron had carved on the tree grew bright. Ren stared at the symbols for a long time, studying the depictions of fantastic creatures and breathtaking landscapes, and they seemed to etch themselves into his memory. Suddenly, a hole opened at the base of the tree, and a light shone out as the dream ended. Next to Ren’s sleeping form, the small stone glowed faintly and then dimmed.

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EDIT: One-and-a-half years after writing this, I come back to give it the editing it deserves. I didn't really change it in terms of story, but there should be very few grammar mistakes now.

[txteclipse]

Double post to inform readers that this will be PG-13

[diamondpearl876]

This was pretty good. The description was nice, and I can't wait to see what exactly this stone does.. I think I know, but I'll probably be wrong. XD

Unfortunatly, you're missing commas pretty much everywhere in the dialogue. Corrections are bolded in just this one paragraph, though there are more like it. t_t

The old man chuckled. “I thought you might like that,” he said. “That stone has actually been handed down in my family for generations,” he continued. “But alas, I have no children to accept it as their inheritance.

I also noticed that you repeat Ren's name... well, a lot. Use pronouns, and when Kairn is talking, try not to use his name so much, unless he is supposed to talk like that.

Anyway, good luck with the next chapter!

[txteclipse]

Well, I'm actually 13 chapters into this story. My writing probably gets better as I go along, but I guess that's natural. Here's the next chapter.
Sorry it took so long...

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Chapter Two

The next morning, Ren awoke with sunlight streaming onto his face through one of the many cracks in his bedroom wall. He lay there for a few moments, blinking and trying to pluck up the courage to get out of his warm bed and into the cold house. He groaned as he pulled the covers off of himself and chilly air replaced the warmth underneath. Then he got out of bed, pulled on a pair of socks and his worn shoes, and pocketed the money and the stone he had left on his bed. Today he would return to the market and buy more food for his family, and find himself a birthday present.

He opened his bedroom door and walked across the living room floor to his parents. They were already busy heating up Combee wax in a pan over a small fire, which would eventually become the candles they sold.

“Good morning," he greeted them cheerfully.

“Good morning, Ren," they said in unison.

His mother turned to him while his father continued to work. Her eyes looked sunken, like she hadn’t gotten enough sleep. She held out a hand. “I need you to go buy us more food today, Ren," she began. “Just buy more bread like yesterday, and bring it straight home. Don’t talk to that boy, Kairn. If you see him, try to avoid him.”

Ren held an open palm under his mother’s closed fist, and she placed a small amount of money in his hand. “Don’t worry, Mom,” he said. “I’ll be fine today. I promise.” He saw her tense face relax considerably, but there was still a hint of worry apparent in her eyes. “I’ll see you both later today,” he continued. “I love you.”

With that, Ren walked to the front door and let himself outside. The day was sunny, but cold; just another indicator that fall was ending and winter was coming on. Ren pulled up his collar to cover more of his exposed neck and began the journey to town, hands in pockets to keep them warm. He held the stone in his hand while he walked, its presence somehow comforting.

He arrived at town without incident, and strode to the bakery to buy the day’s supply of bread. He selected from the owner’s many wares, purchased what he needed, and walked out of the bakery, on to the next stop. He decided to get a small amount of salted meat with most of his birthday money: he knew his parents were very hungry and that they all could use something more wholesome than bread. He used the rest of his money to buy a small box of candies which were on sale in the butcher’s store.

“Those candies are very good," the butcher said. “Made them myself. Both people and pokemon love them, wouldn’t you know? Maybe I should focus more attention on candy-making, and less on butchering! Go ahead, try one!” he ended, and looked at Ren expectantly.

Ren popped one of the small, sugary candies into his mouth. They were sweet, but they also had a hint of spiciness to them. He had not tasted something so good in a very long time, and he said so.

“Ha har har!” the butcher laughed. “Like them that much, do you? I’ll tell you what. Take another one of those boxes, and share it among your friends.”

“But I have no money left, sir,” Ren answered, crestfallen.

“Nonsense, boy!” the butcher said. “For free, for free! Think of it this way. If you share that box with your friends, they will love that candy and come to me for more! It will help my business if you take that box!”

“Thank you very much,” Ren said, his face breaking out into a smile. “I’ll be sure to do that.” He began happily munching on the sweets from one box, storing the other box in his pocket for later. He left the butcher’s shop and started for home, intentionally avoiding the path he had taken the previous day.

Unfortunately, Ren's luck didn't improve. He was about halfway back when he heard a familiar voice. “Hello, brat!” it said. He whirled around to see Kairn and his Houndour standing on the path were he had just been.

“So, brat," said Kairn. “What are you eating there? It looks an awful lot like that tasty candy the butcher sells.”

Ren steeled himself for what would happen next. “It is, Kairn. But this is my candy. You should go buy some for yourself.” He tightened his grip on the bread, meat, and candy. Kairn wouldn’t steal from him this time. He turned his back on Kairn, his heart racing and the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He slowly began to continue towards his house.

Kairn began to speak again. “Why would I buy my own candy when I can just take yours?” he asked. Then he raised his voice, giving orders to his pokemon. “Houndour!” he commanded. “Go get me that box of candy!”

Houndour started towards Ren and quickly built up speed. Ren whirled around, set his stance, dropped his bag of bread and meat carefully to the ground, and held onto his candy with both hands. Houndour leapt towards him, latching his jaws into the box of candy, knocking the boy down. After they struggled for a few moments, Houndour gained the advantage, and pressed Ren into the dust with his front paws, effectively pinning him down. The pokemon continued to tear at the box in Ren’s still-tight grip, bloodying the boy’s fingers. Suddenly, Ren kicked out with both legs at the voracious pokemon pinning him down, sending it flying over his head and into the bushes. He heard a yelp of pain as he scrambled to his feet to face his attacker, but the Houndour limped out of the bushes and collapsed.

Kairn was stunned. “Wha…what did you do to my pokemon!?” he yelled, furious. “You little fool…I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget!”

Kairn sprinted the short distance between them, and began pummeling Ren’s bruised and cut body with his fists. Ren instinctively held up both hands to protect his face, and Kairn dealt him a heavy blow to the stomach. Ren doubled over in pain and collapsed to the ground, retching.

“I hope that teaches you to never touch my pokemon!” Kairn shouted at his crumpled form. He grabbed the box of candy out of Ren’s hands and called to his Houndour, who got to his feet and limped to the older boy's side. They walked back down the path towards town, leaving Ren lying in the dirt. Ren simply lay still for awhile, trying to control the pain emanating from his stomach and the rest of his body.

Eventually, the boy got shakily to his hands and knees, and then to his feet. He wiped his mouth with his hand, replacing spittle and bile with blood from his fingers. He picked up his bag of bread and meat, and continued on his way. He never looked back to see if he was being followed. Kairn had what he wanted.

In bed that night, after eating his first dinner in two days with his family, Ren still felt sore from his encounter. He thought about Kairn’s Houndour, and how he had kicked the black, vicious pokemon. He hadn’t wanted to hurt Houndour, as it was only performing its master’s will. Ren knew that pokemon would obey their masters at all costs: they were completely loyal, even if that meant pain for others or even death to the pokemon. He just wanted to escape so badly, and Kairn had left him no choice.

He tried to think of other things. That was when he remembered his dream. He remembered seeing his brother, and the strange incident with the writing on the tree and the opening. He decided that the next day he would make a journey to the tree if only to see the markings his brother had made. He felt deep within his heart that he might find more than he expected.

As he faded into sleep, he thought of how he had resisted Kairn’s attack. It made him feel better, stronger somehow. He felt that there was hope, that maybe one day Kairn would leave him alone, that he would be able to defend himself. A warm feeling spread through his body. It was the feeling of courage, one he hadn’t felt since his brother died. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

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[diamondpearl876]

Wow. :O Ren kicked butt.

I'm glad to see you attempted to use commas this time. Though.. the quotation and the comma should be switched. t_t

“Good morning, Ren”, they said in unison.

should be:

"Good morning, Ren," they said in unison.

It's okay, though. I can't wait to see how Ren handles this Kairn issue exactly.. This review has to be cut short though, because I gotta go. :P

[txteclipse]

That's cool. Only time will tell you what happens...in this case a day lol.

As for commas, I never noticed that before. Wow. Gotta work on that.

[txteclipse]

New chapter time! I did say a day, and it's 11:38, so I guess TECHNICALLY I wasn't wrong XD

Anyways, here it is!

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Chapter Three

As Ren readied himself the next morning, he went over the plans for the day in his head. He would first go to the market to get his family’s food, bring that home, and then embark on a trip to the carven oak tree from his dream. Today was especially cold, so he layered his clothing as best he could before leaving.

He went to the living room, where he first took the bread money from his parents, and then told them what he intended to do for the rest of the day. They said their goodbyes, once again telling him to be careful, and he left for the marketplace, stepping out into an ethereal light created by clouds covering the sun.

The chilly outside air seemed to seep its way through his layered clothing, finding small, exposed areas of skin and soon making them numb with cold. He jogged to town to keep warm, noting how much colder it was than yesterday. He wondered how long it would be before it started snowing. Once the winter season began, his parent’s business would flourish. The weather was always darker in winter, which would drive candle sales up. The extra money would have to be enough to help them through the cold season. On certain years, if sales were high enough, Ren’s family could afford more things besides food, such as new clothes and blankets. Ren hoped this would be such a year.

Ren made it to the marketplace, bought his family’s food, and made it home without incident. Kairn was nowhere to be found. As he stepped in the front door, Ren let out a heavy sigh, relieved. He crossed to the dining table, set the bread down, pulled out a loaf, and began to eat. He ate half of the loaf, wrapping the other half in a cloth and placing it in a small sack along with a flask of water. The food would be his meal for his second journey that day.

He said goodbye to his parents before leaving again, sack of food in hand. He then remembered that he had left the red and white stone on his bed. Ren walked back inside to his bedroom, pocketed the stone and his second box of candies, and left for the third time that day. He would need to go through town to get to the forest on the other side, which housed the tree Ren sought.

The boy walked for most of the day, passing through town and journeying well into the forest. He then took a break on a rise overlooking the forest to eat his food. As he was dining, the top edge of the sun, having burned off most of the clouds, sunk reluctantly below the tops of the trees. The forest became lit with a dim, amber-colored glow. Ren finished his meal, brushed the crumbs from his lap, and continued deeper into the forest.

After a while, the forest became very dark. Ren stopped for a moment, hesitating. Was he sure he was going the right way? He had traveled this route many times with Bron before, but that had been nearly two years ago. He looked back, to his sides, and then forward again. The trees were dense, and the darkness complete, except for a half moon hanging palely in the night sky. Ren could see no more than a few yards in any direction. He contemplated going back the way he came, but he was afraid of getting himself mixed up. He continued forward.

After continuing for a while, Ren stopped once again as a slight movement to his right caught his attention. He glanced in the direction it had come from, but nothing was there. He stared for a moment longer, and began to keep walking. He caught another movement out of the corner of his eye, this time to his left. He jerked his head quickly in that direction, but there was still nothing. He began to grow fearful. Something was there, in the dark, and he could feel it watching him.

Ren heard a twig snap behind him, and he quickly spun around. Once again, however, there was nothing to be seen. He turned to keep walking...and shouted. There, where nothing had been a moment before, a pitch-black creature floated in midair. It had wicked, red eyes, a large, grinning mouth, short, stubby arms and legs, and spines lining its back.

“Gengar,” the pokemon said in a deep, haunting voice, staring at the boy. It then passed straight through Ren before disappearing into the darkness. Ren broke into a full run, yelling at the top of his lungs. Suddenly, the Gengar appeared by his side, floating alongside him to keep up. The ghost pokemon was upside down. “Gengar!” it said again, its voice chilling Ren to the bone. He ran faster, his fear giving him strength.

He was paying attention to the Gengar, and not to where he was going. He suddenly ran straight into a tree, its solid, dense trunk winning out against the boy's soft body. Ren was knocked unconscious before he hit the ground. The Gengar stopped, glaring at Ren’s crumpled form, still hanging suspended upside down. The pokemon righted itself, laughed a deep, cruel laugh, and melted into the shadows.

***

Ren lay at the base of the tree for some time before he awoke. When he did, he wished he hadn’t. His head pulsed with pain: it had been the first thing to contact the tree. Ren held his forehead in both hands until his headache had somewhat subsided, rubbed his bleary eyes, and looked around. Dawn was just beginning to pour a thin, unsubstantial light into the forest, but it was at least enough to see by. Ren looked in every direction before his gaze settled on the tree he had crashed into the night before.

It was the carved oak tree, the one from his dreams. He had arrived. Ren ran his fingers over the carvings in the base of the tree, memories of his brother flooding back to him in a rush. He gazed a moment more, and then noticed that something in his pocket was moving. He pulled out the red and white stone, which was vibrating slightly. He slowly got to his feet and stood in front of the tree, staring at the increasingly puzzling stone. He then glanced downwards. His dream had depicted an opening under the base of the tree, but he could see none now. He walked around the tree a few times, checking for an indentation, anything that would suggest the presence of a tunnel, but still found nothing. After pocketing the stone, he got onto his hands and knees, and began checking around the tree once more.

Just as he reached the side of the tree with his brother’s carvings, Ren heard a rumble beneath him. He got to his feet, looking downwards, searching for the source of the disturbance. The ground then began to collapse. Ren sprung to one side as a small opening was created where he had been standing. His heart pumping quickly, he regarded the hole. It was just big enough for him to climb into, he thought. He walked to the opening’s edge and peered into its depths. The hole ended in darkness just a few feet down: Ren could not tell how deep it was. He debated for a short time whether to attempt to descend. Then, his mind made up, he sat at the edge, slid his legs into the hole, and turned around in order to grasp the rim with his hands.

He was now hanging fully inside the tunnel, but he could still not see the bottom. The walls sloped gently, going under the tree, so Ren figured he could slide down one without being harmed. He let go of the mouth of the tunnel, angling for a wall he could use to slide down. He never touched it, however, as it angled back away from him sharply after a few feet. He fell for three harrowing seconds before landing in a soft pile of sand.

Ren got up unhurt, dusted himself off, and peered around. He noticed that the light from the tunnel entrance was not enough to see by: it was very dark. Then the stone he had placed back into his pocket began to vibrate more intensely. He pulled it out again, this time to find that it was shining brightly. He stared at it for a few moments, spots etching themselves into his vision. He then held the stone in front of him as he explored his surroundings, deciding to no longer question the strange feats it was capable of.

He was in a small chamber, seemingly man-made, with hewn rock walls and floor. There were pillars carved into the walls in the four corners of the room, and murals of things Ren could not identify carved into each wall. Ren then caught a gleam from one side of the room, and walked over to its source. His breath caught when he saw what it was. In a stone pedestal, buried nearly up to its hilt, was a sword of expert craftsmanship. It was made of a metal that Ren could not identify, and it glowed like white fire under the light of the stone. The hand guard was ornately crafted, wrought to resemble feathers layered one over the other. The part of the blade Ren could see had images of more feathers etched into its wide surface. Strangely, the pommel stone was missing: the sword simply ended at the base of the handle. He tried to pull the sword out, but it was wedged tightly in the pedestal.

Ren then noticed that the end of the handle was oddly shaped. It was flat, except for a small, raised, metal triangle in the center. Ren stared at it for a second, realization slowly dawning on him. He looked again at the stone. The triangular indentation in the stone’s surface seemed to match the raised triangle on the sword’s hilt, where the pommel should go. He placed the stone on the end of the hilt, rotating it slightly until it fell into place. There was a clicking sound, and the stone dimmed. Then the feather-like designs on the blade began to brighten, now seemingly etched with white and red light.

Suddenly, the sword popped upwards slightly, a hiss of steam escaping through the small gap around its now-loose blade. Ren stepped back in surprise, and then reached once again for the hilt of the sword. This time it came out easily, as though the metal was sliding out of ice. The feather pattern continued down the length of the still-glowing blade, which ended in a keen point. The sword was double-edged and razor-sharp, with a wide blood groove running from hilt to tip. It was surprisingly light for its size: it was nearly two thirds of Ren’s height, but he felt he could wield it easily.

Ren admired the beautiful blade for a moment longer, until he heard a sharp crack. The pedestal he had pulled the sword from was splitting in two, a crack running down its center. A second cracking noise soon followed the first as the pedestal fell in two. Ren approached it, perplexed. The pedestal was hollow, as he could now see, and a strange object lay in one of the halves. It appeared to be an egg, but it was unlike any egg Ren had ever seen. He set his sword on the other half of the pedestal, examining the egg in its light. The egg was very large, and as Ren picked it up, he could not close his hands around it or touch his fingertips.

The egg was white and red, similar to the stone that now acted as the pommel to the sword, and was very warm. Ren turned it over very gently in his hands a few times, admiring its size and striking coloration. He then set down his pack, placed the egg inside, and shouldered his now much-heavier burden. He picked up the sword from where he had placed it, looked around the chamber one more time, and then walked to the tunnel where he had fallen in.

As Ren stood on the pile of sand at the base of the tunnel, he looked for a way back out. He noticed that the oak tree’s roots were exposed, growing into the tunnel at regular intervals. He tied the hand guard of the sword into the straps of his pack and then jumped up, grasping for the nearest root. He caught it with both hands, and was hanging once more in the tunnel.

Ren began to climb upwards, hand-over-hand, out of the tunnel, using roots as hand- and foot-holds. He was soon outside under the shade of the oak tree. The weather was still getting colder: the sunlight was very bright but seemed not to reach Ren’s skin. The egg in his pack was a reassuring warmth, however, and he began the long journey home, walking in the direction the symbols on the tree faced.

As he back-tracked through the forest, Ren studied the sword. It had now ceased to shine, but it was still a striking white color. He swung it inexpertly a few times, and then found a small sapling. He angled a blow at the young tree, but thought he missed: he had felt no impact. However, slowly, the top of the tree disconnected from its base and toppled to the ground. The sword was unbelievably sharp. Ren stared at the fallen sapling for a moment, and decided to stop swinging the sword around for now. He didn’t care to injure himself, and he continued on his way.

The moment Ren reached the hill he had eaten on the day before, the egg began to move. Ren stopped, placed his sword on the ground next to him, and gingerly pulled the egg out of his pack. He placed it on the ground in front of him as a crack appeared in its surface. He watched as a head covered in glossy feathers broke out of the shell, followed by a long, white neck and a large, winged, red and white body. There was a red triangle surrounding a white pentagon on the pokemon’s head, and a blue triangle on its chest. It stumbled to its flipper-like hind-legs and stared back at Ren with luminous, yellow eyes.

Ren studied the creature for nearly a minute. He finally asked “What are you?” mostly to himself.

He didn’t expect the answer, and it startled him so much he almost fell backwards. “I’m Latias,” a voice said, seeming to come from everywhere, and nowhere, at once. “Pleased to meet you, Ren.”

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[txteclipse]

Well, no one responded to my last chapter, but maybe this one will be different. Here you go!

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Chapter Four

Kairn walked the empty paths of town under the weak light of a half-moon. No one else was awake at this late hour; they were all asleep in their warm beds. Kairn looked longingly at each house he passed, wishing he could trade places with any one of the people inside. He was homeless: he had been so as far as memory served. He had learned to survive on the streets, becoming skilled at stealing what he could and taking by force what he couldn’t. It was a hard life, and it had made him bitter.

Tonight, however, he felt very differently. After his encounter with Ren, when his Houndour had been injured, he had walked along with his limping pokémon in silence for a while. He had thought of how Ren had needed kick it only once before it was hurt beyond getting up. He had looked at his Houndour anew, seeing it as a weakling, a worthless tag along.

There, in the woods, before he reached town, he had abandoned his Houndour. He had felt he didn’t need such a feeble pokémon, that he should find a stronger one. His Houndour had howled loudly as he left, but he paid no attention to it. It had tried to follow him, but couldn’t keep up due to its injuries, and soon fell behind. He had ignored it, deciding he would find a pokémon that wasn’t so easily defeated.

Now he looked back on his actions with remorse. Houndour had been his companion, his inseparable friend, for almost as far back as he could recall. It was always with him; when he ate, he shared his food with the pokemon. During winter, Houndour would sleep by his side, keeping him warm with its fire-infused body. It helped him find food with its keen sense of smell, and had saved his life on more than one occasion.

The more Kairn thought of his pokémon, the more worried he became. Houndour was still out in the forest and unsheltered, as far as he knew. Its injuries would not allow it to travel far, and the first snow of winter was imminent. Kairn turned around and began to walk towards the forest where he had left his Houndour, reprimanding himself for being so narrow minded. What had he done? What had he been thinking? Houndour was all he had, the only thing he could truly depend on. Anything else he had ever known was either temporary or had been taken from him.

Kairn broke into a run. He reached the edge of the forest, the trees growing closer together with each step he took. As he moved through the forest, he shouted for his Houndour, calling to him, telling him that he was sorry. He ran long into the night before simply collapsing with exhaustion, tears streaming down his face. Houndour was gone. He had nothing left. After a while, his tired body forced him into sleep, easing the pain in his rent heart.

***

Ren stared at the pokémon in front of him, shock written all over his face. Had this pokemon spoken to him? Was that possible? He heard a laugh. It was made by a beautiful, feminine voice. “Yes,” the voice said, as though predicting his question. “I spoke to you.” It seemed to come from within his mind, as though he were thinking it himself. “But not how you would normally speak, such as with another human,” the voice continued. “No, I am speaking into your thoughts, Ren. It is the only way I can communicate with you, and it is a special form of communication. I can hear your thoughts, in a sense, and you can hear mine.”

Ren continued to stare at Latias, aghast. He tried to speak, but could only utter a few words. “What…how…” he stammered, trying to comprehend what was happening.

Latias sent thoughts to him again. “I know this is hard for you to understand, Ren,” she said. “With time, however, this will all make sense to you. For now, feel free to speak out loud. I can understand human speech. When you are more comfortable, you can try to converse with me through thought alone, but that is for a later time,” she finished.

Ren was still confused, but Latias had reassured him enough that he could formulate a sentence. “How do you know my name?” he asked finally.

“Our connection goes deeper than just words, Ren,” Latias responded. “We have touched each others' mind, and I have learned some things about you.” Ren looked worried, so Latias continued, addressing the root of his discomfort. “Do not worry,” she said. “I will not try to learn your deepest secrets. I only take things that are essential to our relationship, such as your name.”

Ren relaxed, soothed by Latias’ voice nearly as much as her answer. “So you are speaking to my mind,” he stated. “And apparently, I can speak to yours.” He then had a thought. “Latias?” he asked. “You were just hatched, but already you understand language and know how to tell me things. How is that possible?”

Latias hesitated, and then answered. “I wish I knew, Ren,” she started. “However, I am baffled by my knowledge…nearly as much as you are yourself,” she added, mirth filling her golden eyes. She had sensed Ren’s bewilderment even as he asked the question. She had also answered falsely: she knew exactly where her vast intellect had come from. However, she deemed it inappropriate to expose Ren to the truth just yet. He was not ready.

Latias paused, a strange feeling invading her senses. “I’m hungry,” she noted to Ren, surprised. “Do you have anything to eat?”

The boy almost said no, but then remembered the candy in his pocket. “I have this,” he said, pulling the box out. He shook some of the small, hard candies into his hand, and held them out to Latias, who in turn picked one delicately out of his palm with her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully for a while before Ren asked “do you like them?” Latias chewed a moment more, and then swallowed. Without answering, she took another of the candies from his hand. Then another. And another. Soon, the box was empty: she had eaten all of its contents.

“Yes,” she answered finally. “Thank you, Ren,” she added. Ren hardly heard her, however. He was holding the box above his head, shaking it, and peering inside. “Your welcome,” he answered, slightly crestfallen. “But we’re out of food.”

Latias sensed Ren’s worry, and that he was hungry, as well. “I’m sorry,” she thought to him, genuine concern tinting her mind’s voice. “I didn’t mean to eat all of it.” Then she looked around. “Wait right here."

Slowly, Latias rose off the ground, seemingly born upwards by an invisible force. She hovered in place for a few moments, and then abruptly took off at high speed, wings outspread, skimming low to the ground.

“You can fly, too!?” Ren said to himself, a look of wonderment continually growing on his face.

“Of course” she messaged back, sensing his thoughts. “What do you think these wings are for?”

Latias was gone a short time. When she returned, she was carrying a wide variety of berries wrapped in a large leaf. She placed them in front of Ren, and then floated back to the ground. Ren began devouring the fruit hungrily, juice staining his fingers and mouth.

“Where did you find these?” he asked of her, regarding the fruit.

“The forest is full of them,” she answered. “The ones you are eating now, however, are from a bush I found about a three day’s walk from here.”

Ren dropped the fruit he was eating, shock registering on his face. “How far away?” he asked, not believing what Latias had just told him. “How many days walk?”

“Three days,” she sent to him again. “You can keep eating,” she continued confused, not noticing Ren’s reason for dropping the fruit. “I already ate my fill.”

Ren had once again been stunned into silence. How could Latias possibly have gone that far? The sun had barely moved when she was gone, and here she was telling him that she had traveled as far as a three-day hike would take him. Latias, now understanding the source of Ren’s shocked expression, floated off of the ground one more time, laughing in her mind.

“Your wondering how I went so far so quickly,” she messaged to him, more a statement than a question. “I’ll show you. Watch.” With that, Latias tucked in her forelegs, pressing them against her chest, and began flying straight upwards to gain more room. She left the canopy of the trees, and then began to exemplify remarkable aerial prowess. She flew in circles, figure-eights, turned quickly in midair, and performed free-falls. She flew back into the forest, dodging between trees and brushing past branches. She then returned to the open sky, and began to fly in one direction.

Latias quickly gained speed until she was flying so fast that Ren could hardly follow her movements. Suddenly, a force blasted into him that felt like a faraway explosion. The air around Latias’ fading form rippled as she began to fly faster than sound.

***

From his hiding place near the edge of the forest, the old, one-eyed man watched Latias’ flying form go tearing overhead, and then flinched as he was struck by the same blast of energy that Ren had felt. It made his bones vibrate. “So, the boy has found Latias,” he said to himself. Good. Things were beginning to fall into place.

--------

[jetmagnumX]

Cool Fic!! Try Inviting Buddies To Comment On What They Think About You're Fic Keep Up The Good Work Lol [:D]

[txteclipse]

Thanks for your support :D

Here's the next chapter.

--------

Chapter Five

Latias tilted her wings, circling back on her path, air slipping past her streamlined body. She should return to Ren quickly, before she was seen by anyone in the villages surrounding the forest. He did not know it yet, but he was in danger with her, and the longer no one knew they were associated, the better. She had been asleep in her egg for a very, very long time, lying dormant, waiting. She had stretched out her mind, gleaning information, acquiring small details of the world around her. She waited for subtle changes in nature, small disturbances that were prerequisites for a coming storm, an awakening of evil. That evil was now present; very small, nigh undetectable, but present nonetheless. She did not know its source, or its location, but it was there, and was an ever increasing shadow in her mind.

She knew what the evil would become, and what it sought. Soon, very soon, it would be extremely dangerous to be associated with her. Latias knew she had to be especially careful with Ren, who would be by her side almost constantly in the days to come. She knew that, sooner or later, it would be discovered that they were in league. It could not be helped. As she flew back over the trees, she decided it would be essential to show him another of her skills: it could save both of their lives in the near future.

***

Ren sat on the grass near the edge of the forest, slowly chewing on one of the last remaining berries Latias had brought to him, thinking. He had a lot to think about: the things Latias had shown him in the past few hours were nearly overwhelming. He had bonded with a pokémon, he thought, and it was one of the most complex, yet exciting, situations he had ever found himself in. He was still amazed at how Latias could speak to his mind. He was unsure if other pokemon were capable of this amazing feat, but he didn’t think so.

As he sat there, finishing the last of the berries, he thought up many questions. Why had luck favored him, if it was luck, giving him this wonderful gift? Where would he go from here? What would he do? What would he see? How would he introduce Latias to his parents, and how would they take it?

As Ren pondered these things, he did not notice as a cloaked and hooded figure crept up behind him. He jumped as the figure’s shadow fell across him, and then stood up quickly, turning around to face the stranger, sword in hand.

A man’s voice emanated from under the hood. “You are Ren, are you not?” said the voice. “I need you to come with me,” it continued, not waiting for Ren’s answer.

Ren held the sword in front of his body defensively. “How do you know my name?” he asked. “Why do you disguise your face? Show yourself!” he demanded, but his quavering voice gave away his fear.

The man did not oblige, nor did he answer. He simply turned in the direction of the path that lead towards town and away from the forest, and began to walk. Ren hesitated for a moment, and then began to follow the man warily, still holding his sword. The man did not speak for a while, so Ren ventured another question.

“Where are we going?” he asked. The man continued to hold his silence, so Ren discontinued further questioning.

Eventually, they turned off of the path and into the surrounding woods. After walking for a short time, they came upon a small cottage that had fallen into disrepair. The man proceeded to the front door, so Ren did the same.

Suddenly, the man was thrown to one side, seemingly struck by an invisible force. He lay writhing on the ground, as though he were struggling against something. Latias then appeared: she was pinning the man’s cloaked form to the ground with her forelegs.

“Where do you think you are going with this boy?” She was almost shouting at the man with her mind, using the same technique she used to communicate with Ren. “Speak, or I will hold you as foe and deal with you as such!” she finished, her face pressed close to the man’s, her eyes flashing like lightning.

The man stopped struggling and lifted his hands to his face, pulling back his hood. “Stop, stop Latias!” he said. “It’s me! It’s Griffith!”

Latias let the man up, backing away. As the man stood, Ren saw his face. It was the one eyed-merchant from the marketplace. “What are you doing here?” Ren asked, shocked.

Griffith regarded the boy with his one good eye. “I came to see you, Ren,” he explained. “I knew where that stone I gave to you would lead you, and what you would find. I knew you would meet Latias, and that your encounter would probably be overwhelming to you, so I came to help you understand better. Come inside,” he finished, and began walking once again towards the door of the cottage.

Ren followed reluctantly at the man’s heels, Latias hovering close behind. They all three went inside, and Griffith closed the door behind them. “Now then,” said Griffith, taking off his cloak and placing it on a hook beside the doorway. “Where shall we begin, Latias?”

Ren spoke up. “How did Latias attack you?” he blurted out. “I couldn’t see her until she already had you on the ground.”

Latias and Griffith exchanged glances. “That’s as good a place as any to start,” Latias thought to both of them.

Griffith nodded in agreement, and then walked towards the back of the cottage, disappearing in an adjoining room for a moment. When he returned, he carried a stack of ancient, leather-bound books in his hands. He placed the books on a table in the room, and patted the top one’s dusty cover affectionately. “These,” he began, “are the Eon Chronicles. Or at least what’s left of them. They contain all known information on Latias, as well as Latios, the male of her species.” He picked up the top book, flipping to its first page. “This is Latios,” he said, holding the book in front of Ren and pointing to a very detailed, colored sketch.

The picture depicted a pokémon much like Latias, although where Latias was red, this pokémon was blue. Latios also had a white teardrop shape on his forehead and a red triangle on his chest. Ren studied the sketch for a moment before Griffith pulled the book away.

“Now to answer your question,” Griffith told Ren, beginning to once again leaf through the pages of the ragged volume. “Ah, here,” he said after a few moments. He began to read from a yellowed page. “Latias has the ability to influence the light striking her body with her glass-like feathers,” he stated, “bending it to alter her appearance or even render herself invisible.”

Ren looked at Latias, who was punctuating the man’s words by taking on the appearance of the table she floated next to. Griffith continued to read aloud. “This ability allows Latias to catch prey or foes unaware, and lets her blend in with any surroundings. It also helps her to avoid harm when foes are near, hiding her from sight.”

Ren walked over to Latias, who now appeared as a perfect copy of the table. He held out his hand, stroking her feathers. The image of the table rippled where his hand touched as Latias’ outer layer of feathers shifted, exposing red and white ones underneath.

Latias faded back into her normal coloration. “Now that you have your answer, Ren, I must tell you something important,” she thought to him. “It concerns the origins of my knowledge, which I told you before I didn’t know.” She studied his face. “What I told you was not truthful, Ren. My knowledge was built over many generations of my species, written down by your kind in the Eon Chronicles. Every one thousand years, a new member of my species is hatched, but not before a member of your species has taught them all of the information contained in the Chronicles.” She paused. Ren was listening intently.

“Griffith was elected to teach me,” she continued. “He is the last remaining member of a family that has taught my species for many, many generations. Now: it is customary for the human that teaches the Latias or Latios to become partners with the hatchling. However, since Griffith is the last of his line, he has decided to give his responsibility to an heir not of his own. He continued to teach me the knowledge of the Chronicles as he searched for a worthy candidate. He chose you to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring my kind’s survival, Ren. He chose you to be my partner, to record what you learn about me, and to teach my offspring all that is known in the Chronicles.”

At this point, Griffith began to speak. “There is a small problem, however,” he said. “Many volumes of the Eon Chronicles have been lost, either to the decay of time, simple misplacement, or theft. Therefore, we do not know all of Latias’ secrets, or what she is capable of.” He lowered his voice. “There is another problem,” he continued. “Every time a new member of the Eon family is hatched, an evil force rises also, seeking to bend the Latias or Latios’ power to its will. The force usually manifests itself as a man, but has also manifested itself in other forms. This evil being attempts to gain control of all of the Eon Chronicles, thus ultimately finding out all of the secrets of the Eon family, including how to control it."

Latias began to message Ren again. “We are telling you this because we need to be cautious,” she thought to him. “The evil being has awakened; I have felt it as an ever-growing presence. Therefore, I must avoid being seen as long as possible, for the creature may have spies in the midst of the world’s creatures. If I am found, we will both be in danger, as the evil being will not hesitate to kill you and declare itself my partner. If that happens, the world may be all but lost: we have no idea what the creature could or would make me do at that point. Keep this in mind, Ren, always,” she finished, staring earnestly at Ren’s face.

Ren stood silently for a long time. His world was turning upside down. Finally he spoke. “What do we do now?” he inquired of Latias and Griffith.

“Train,” started Griffith.

“And find the missing Eon Chronicles,” Latias finished.

--------

[diamondpearl876]

Shoot, have I really missed reviewing three chapters? I suck. I do. Anyway, I was wrong.. I never would have thought Latias. XD I was thinking of Deoxys. *slaps self*

Anyway, I really like the description in the couple chapters I've missed. Things are starting to pick up now, with Ren meeting Latias and everything.

A few errors:

“Of course” she messaged back, sensing his thoughts. “What do you think these wings are for?”

Forgot a comma after "course".


“Yes,” she answered finally. “Thank you, Ren,” she added. Ren hardly heard her, however. He was holding the box above his head, shaking it, and peering inside. “Your welcome,” he answered, slightly crestfallen. “But we’re out of food.”

"Your" should be "you're". It makes more sense to say "you are welcome", doesn't it?

That's about it.

Poor Ren. :[ I'm interested to see how he's going to handle this whole Eon Chronicles thing. He just had a hell of a lot of information thrown in his face.

[Astinus]

Whoo! You have another reviewer. I can't promise that I'll be the most loyal of reviewers. School time is here for me, and I run out of time. @.@ But I'll try.

I enjoy this fic. Contains some elements of fantasy, which is one of my favorite kinds of novels to read.

A few grammar nitpicks. One is that for Pokemon, you don't need to type it out as "poke'mon". That just...looks bizarre. Just type it without the apostrophe, as I did. We know what you mean.

And in the last chapter, I found:

They all three went inside,
You don't need the "three" in this sentence.

Other than that, this looked pretty good. I can't wait for more!

[txteclipse]

Next chapter. And hello to the new people! Editing this is a lot easier with help.

--------

Chapter Six

Kairn stumbled through the darkness. It was his third night looking for Houndour. He had seen no sign of his pokemon; it was as if Houndour had simply ceased to exist. As he walked, Kairn’s stomach growled loudly. The last food he had eaten had been Ren’s box of candy. Not only did the candy turn Kairn’s stomach sour at first, it also contained no sustenance.

Kairn was starving. If he did not find food soon, he would perish. He had been so intent on finding his Houndour, so obsessed as righting his wrong, that he had neglected his body to the breaking point. He took a few more steps, calling out to his pokemon with his voice nearly muted; long since lost from yelling.

Kairn staggered wearily and sank to his knees. His body was failing him, and he needed rest. But all he could think about was his Houndour. He got to his feet again, and continued to stagger onwards for a few yards, before sinking to his knees a second time.

The first snow of winter began to fall as Kairn lay down, exhausted, unable to go further that night. As he did so, however, a small, hard object prodded him in the back. He reached behind himself, grasped the object, and pulled it out from under him to see what it was.

As he held the object up in the wavering moonlight, he saw that it was a small, perfectly round stone. The stone was deep, vibrant blue, and had a white triangle on one side, with a small, triangular indentation on the other. Kairn attempted to examine it a moment longer, but was unable to focus his eyes. He groggily put the stone in his pocket just before he fell into a deep sleep.

That night, Kairn dreamed of a tree with his Houndour sitting in front of it. The leaves of the tree were as green as they would appear in spring. Oddly, however, the trees surrounding it were covered in snow. His Houndour ran to the side, out of view of his mind’s eye. Then, a rumbling noise surrounded him as a hole opened in front of the tree where his Houndour had been sitting, and a light shone out. Afterward, all went black.

***

Ren stood for a few moments, absorbing everything he had been told. Griffith and Latias looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to speak. Finally he did.

“So I am to become your successor, Griffith, and become Latias’ partner,” he stated, repeating what the two had said to make sure he understood. “I am to first train with her, learn to use a blade, and study the Eon Chronicles we have. Then we are to go off together to find the missing Chronicles and keep them from falling into the wrong hands, all the while being on the lookout for things to record in the Chronicles about Latias that have not been discovered before. Is all of this correct?”

Ren had deduced everything that was required of him, so both Griffith and Latias nodded. Ren continued. “And you expect me to basically walk away from my life, to simply step onto this new path with no knowledge of where I may end up or of how long it may take.”

The two nodded again, more reluctantly this time. They did not like how Ren was taking this, but it was to be expected. They were asking a lot, and Griffith said so. “We can not force you to take this responsibility, Ren. It is a great burden to bear, and one that may outlast your lifetime. As I have said, you will need to continue teaching Latias’ future generations, even after this task is done. But think of what the consequences would be if you did not agree to do this. You have already seen a small portion of Latias’ power, and I’m sure you can only imagine what that power could do in the hands of evil. Think long and hard, Ren. You do not need to make the decision now. There is still time, as Latias has not yet been discovered by anyone save ourselves.”

Ren hesitated, weighing his options. After a few moments, he spoke. “May I at least say goodbye to my parents?” he asked. “They must be missing me by now. I have already been gone for two days.”

Griffith did not hesitate before answering. “That is absolutely forbidden, Ren. Your parents would ask why you were leaving, and you would be forced to tell them about Latias, which would compromise her anonymity. That could prove dangerous.”

Ren managed to look surprised, hurt, and angered, all at the same time. “My parents would never do anything they thought would harm me or Latias!” he said. “They would die first! How could you think otherwise? How could you think they would give our secret away?” He was shouting at this point.

Griffith cut him short. “They could be made to, Ren. The being that seeks you will try anything to find you. It is stated in the Eon Chronicles that one of this being’s greatest tools is torture.” Ren’s eyes grew wide as he began to realize what was at stake.

“And not just physical torture, but psychological, as well,” Griffith continued. “This creature can do things that you could not even imagine in your worst nightmare, Ren. The Eon Chronicles state that all evil fades in comparison as this being grows to full power. We have no idea what it will do, or attempt to do, as it tries to take control. You must always think of this, Ren, before every action, before every spoken word. Latias’ fate depends on it, as does yours and possibly the fates of us all.”

Ren stood still, breathing heavily. What had he gotten himself into? How could he possibly resist a creature that was so powerful, that could supposedly do anything? It was an impossible task, and he had somehow become the one that was to carry it out.

Latias sensed the deep turmoil Ren was experiencing: it spilled from him like a torrent into her mind. “Do not worry now, Ren,” she spoke to his thoughts. “There is a long time still before anything we do carries weight. For now, you should rest. Griffith, I’m sure, has set up a place for you to sleep tonight…” she paused, glancing at Griffith, who nodded in return. “And so you should. Continue thinking about your decision in the meantime--”

"I've already made it," Ren interjected. "At least, I think I have." He closed his eyes for a few moments, collecting his thoughts. "Hearing of this Dark Being or whatever it is, I'm frightened, but I also can't bring myself to simply walk away and pretend as though I never knew. Ignorance won't solve this problem. The evil will grow either way, and I would rather face it in open opposition than hide and let it run amok, or allow someone I may not even know to shoulder the burden. This thing will affect me in any case, and I'd rather have a say in how and when it does. And Latias...after meeting you, I don't think I could simply leave. You're..." Ren opened his eyes and glanced at the dragon: she was staring at him intently, and he turned his gaze elsewhere, embarrassed. "I'm not quite sure how to say it."

"Your thoughts suffice," Latias responded, smiling.

Ren looked back at her with puzzlement in his eyes, but then a grin stole over his face, as well. The expression disappeared in a flash as he continued. "Right then. I also have my parents, my home, and everything else I know and love to consider." The boy paused, gauging as he had before the weight of leaving all of that behind. It would be painful, to say the least. But if he did nothing, it might not last, which was a future he wasn't willing to face. Therefore, Ren fought down his fear of leaving that life behind, and was filled with a strange, empowering sensation: he wondered if it was what Bron had experienced when the older boy jumped into the icy river to save him. Feeling as though he were in a trance, Ren heard himself say "I'll go, under one condition: you tell my parents after I'm gone."

Griffith stood silent for a very long time. “Yes, I could do that,” he eventually said, reluctant. “By that time, you will probably be too far away for it to matter, and your trail will have gone cold. Alright, I will do this for you,” he ended, more sure of his words.

“Promise me,” Ren said, taking a step forward. “Promise that you will tell them.”

“I promise” answered Griffith, smiling. This boy had guts. Griffith was becoming more and more pleased with his choice for Latias’ partner the longer he spent with him. Ren had shown some of his courageous spirit over time as the man had watched him from afar while making his decision. Now that courage was beginning to surface rapidly, responding to need. This boy would do just fine. He had been the right choice.

Griffith led Ren and Latias to a small sleeping area with a cot and a cushion he had set up in a back room, and bade the two goodnight. Ren clambered onto the cot while Latias nestled on the cushion, burying her head under one of her triangular wings.

"Sleep well, Latias," Ren whispered to her.

"Sleep well," Latias answered in his mind, smiling at the wonderment apparent in the boy's voice despite his exhausted tone. The house grew quiet after that, and soon both of them had drifted off to sleep.

--------

[Arceus707]

This Fan-Fic is getting better and better and with Kairn having a stone like Latias one but blue does that mean Latios will also be featured

[diamondpearl876]

Interesting. Kairn has the blue stone now, which I'm sure only means trouble for Ren and Latias. >>'

I think more description from Ren about leaving his home would have been nice. I mean, it seemed like he made the decision in a mere two minutes. He doesn't really act like he's going to miss them . . . Maybe he's worrying about where they'll get food? Maybe he remember some good times they had together? I don't know; it's up to you, but I think it could have been done better.

Other than that, everything was great as always. :D

[Astinus]

Yeah, there should be some more description of how Ren feels about all this. I mean, he's thrust into a dangerous situation that could put his parents into jeopardy if they find out, and he seems to be perfectly okay with it all. Unless I'm just stating this because I like the deep thoughts of characters and long pages of the character just thinking...

Just a few mistakes I spotted.
“Alright.” he said.
The full stop after "alright" should be a comma.

“I promise” answered Griffith, smiling.
Missed the comma after "promise".

I can't wait to see what'll happen with Kairn and the blue stone he found. And what disaster that could spell for Ren and Latias.

[txteclipse]

He thinks about his family many times later in the story, if it's any solace. These things do come up, just not in that chapter. They do a little in this chapter, however.

--------

Chapter Seven

Ren awoke the following morning feeling refreshed and full of energy. He got out of the cot and washed his face and hands in a basin of icy water that had been provided for that purpose, gasping at the sudden shock of cold against his skin. After drying off, he noticed a stand in the corner of the room. On the stand rested an un-ornate suit of armor, gauntlets, boots, and a helm. His sword lay by the side of his bed, where he had left it the night before, and laying next to it was a simple leather sheath.

Ren walked over to the stand, and noticed a small note. “Ren” the note started in a simple, yet meticulous scrawl. “Put these on, eat the food on the table in the living room, and come outside. Your training starts today. Signed, Griffith.”

Ren put down the note and regarded the armor. It shone a dull grey, as though made of iron. However, Ren found that the metal was quite light as he picked up one of the gauntlets, turning it in his hands to examine it. He set the gauntlet back down again, and then pulled the armor off of the stand and began to put it on. First was a shirt of mail, then a thin, yet surprisingly strong breastplate. Then came the gauntlets, boots and helm. All were very light, very tough, and fit Ren to perfection.

He sheathed his long sword in the leather scabbard and strapped it to his back, the white handle angled above his right shoulder. Then he walked into the adjoining room. There on the table was a plate of sliced bread, butter made from Miltank’s milk, and scrambled Pidgey eggs. Ren sat down and began to devour the meal hungrily. His last food had been the berries that Latias brought to him the day before.

As he ate, Ren looked outside one of the many windows set into the walls. He noticed that the landscape, or what he could see of it through the trees, was blanketed in the first snow of winter. He suddenly began to worry about his parents, and then caught himself. With him gone, and candle sales up, his parents would be fine. They would have the money normally spent on him to help them along. He just hoped they would be alright without him there to assist them, and that they wouldn’t worry themselves to death over him. He had an important task to do, and he hoped they would understand someday.

Ren finished his breakfast, wiped his mouth on a napkin, and walked out the front door, stepping onto the snow-covered ground outside. His feet made little sound as he went: the snow seemed to muffle everything. He soon spotted both Latias and Griffith under a sprawling, frost-covered tree a few yards away, and joined them underneath its branches.

“Good morning, Ren,” Griffith spoke first. “I trust that your night was restful?” he asked.

“Very,” Ren answered, nodding at the same time.

“Good,” Latias thought-spoke to him, her eyes shining like newly-minted gold coins. “You will need all your strength for today. First, you will have a sparring lesson with Griffith. Afterwards, you and I will go for a flying lesson. We do not have a saddle for you yet, but you would have needed to learn to ride bare-back eventually, so you will start now. Last, you will study the Eon Chronicles, which you will have memorized by the end of your training. Are you ready to begin?” she waited for Ren’s answer.

Ren noticed that she had grown since lsat night: she was already nearly as tall as he. “Yes, I’m ready,” Ren stated. He turned to Griffith, who stood up.

“Well then,” Griffith said. “Follow me to that clearing. We will have much more room there.” They walked to an open area that was free of trees. The ground here was very flat, and the snow covered it in a thin, cold sheet of white.

Griffith spoke again. “Give me your sword, Ren,” he said, holding out a gnarled hand. Ren unsheathed his sword, pulling it up over his shoulder and then down in front of him. He held the blade point-down, and gave the handle to Griffith. Griffith held the blade upright in front of him, admiring the intricate etchings on its otherwise unmarred surface. He then placed the sword on his finger, with the blade on one side and the hilt on the other, testing its balance. It wavered for a few moments before becoming perfectly level.

Griffith returned Ren’s sword, his face beaming. “I have often admired this blade as I taught Latias in her cave, reciting the Eon Chronicles to her mind,” he said with a smile. “However, I could not wield it because I was not to be her partner,” he continued, glancing at the pommel of the sword which Ren now held. “Now that I have had a chance to examine it, I must say that it is the most masterfully crafted blade I have ever set eyes on.” He paused a few moments, still thinking of the marvelous sword. “Anyways, we must begin your first lesson,” he continued after a short time. “Gengar! Show yourself!” he shouted.

Griffith’s shadow suddenly began to twist and contort. A pair of blood-red eyes appeared as the Gengar that had chased Ren through the forest floated out of the darkness behind him.

“Gengar,” the pokemon said, grinning at Ren, who took a few steps back.

Griffith laughed. “You’ve met before, haven’t you?” he asked, eyes shining. “This is Gengar, Ren, and I am his master. I had him scare you in the forest and chase you until you knocked yourself out with the tree. Quite a bump that was, eh?” he laughed again, Gengar joining him this time. “Well, I had to do it. You didn’t know it at the time, but you were hopelessly lost in that forest. I simply used Gengar to lead you in the right direction. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

Ren nodded, still warily regarding the ghostly pokemon that floated a few feet away.

“Fine,” Griffith continued. “Now that that’s out of the way, let’s begin your lesson. Gengar! Shadow Claw!” he commanded.

Gengar placed its hands together, and then slowly drew them apart as they spouted a black energy. When he was finished, he held a wicked looking blade. The dark-as-pitch sword curved upwards wildly, as though made of frozen fire, and had a serrated edge.

“Now,” Griffith said to Ren. “I want you to simply block Gengar’s attacks. Don’t worry, he will not harm you.” He turned to his pokemon. “Gengar! Attack!”

Gengar began to slash slowly at Ren, his sword as black as night. Ren found it quite easy to block Gengar’s attacks: he sensed the pokemon was going easy on him. After a while, however, Gengar began to speed up. His swings came ever faster, and as Ren grew more and more tired he found it harder to stop his opponent’s blade. Finally, he missed one of his opponent’s strokes. Gengar’s blade slipped past his defenses and passed clean through his body.

Ren gasped, sure he was dying. Then he noticed that he was uninjured: Gengar’s blade had passed through him, yes, but it had done no damage. Gengar cackled loudly with its otherworldly voice. The sword the pokemon held seemed transparent: Ren could see Griffith through the blade.

“Well done,” Griffith was saying. “You lasted a long time against Gengar. I think that your training will go quite smoothly if you have this much natural talent. Now that we have defensive training out of the way, let’s work on offense. Go ahead and attack Gengar this time.”

Ren did as he was told and began swing clumsily at the pokemon with his blade. Gengar parried every blow with ease, but Ren became more and more comfortable with his swing with every attempt. After pounding his opponent’s defenses for some time, Ren saw his chance. He had knocked Gengar’s blade wide with an exceptionally powerful swing, and he now used the momentum from his attack to execute an upward thrust. His white blade passed smoothly through his opponent’s body, but Gengar seemed uninjured by the attack.

“Very impressive, Ren,” Griffith said. “I hope your excellence with a blade also shows in your flying and studying skills. That’s all for today. Go see Latias for your first flying lesson,” he finished.

Ren trotted over to Latias, sword re-sheathed, a smile on his face. “How did you do?” she inquired, eyes set on the handle of his blade.

“Griffith says I did very well,” Ren responded, continuing to smile.

Then his smile disappeared. “Now, I think you’re supposed to take me flying,” he said.

“Yes,” she answered. “Let’s begin. Just climb on to my back and grab a hold of my neck, Ren. I’ll take it from there.”

“Latias?” Ren asked, suddenly frowning. “Are we going to go as fast and as high today as when you flew yesterday?”

Latias sensed his fear, and laughed. “Of course not, Ren,” she thought-spoke to him. “Today we are going to fly very slowly and stay very close to the ground. And don’t worry, you won’t fall off," she added.

Ren looked relieved, and walked up to Latias. She floated down to the ground, and lowered her head so that Ren could get on. He swung his leg up over her back, climbed up, and knelt between her wings, clinging to her neck.

Latias slowly lifted off the ground again, and began to fly forwards at a very low rate without moving her wings. She seemed to be using her mind to hold herself afloat. Ren squeezed his eyes shut as she moved, and then slowly opened them. The ground was passing beneath them at about the same speed as if he had been walking. He decided flying wasn’t as bad as he had thought it would be, and then Latias began to fly faster. She increased in speed until they were skimming quickly over the ground, and Ren squeezed his eyes shut again. He had become comfortable too soon.

Latias curved around the way she had come, slowing slightly for Ren’s benefit. She flew them back to their starting place, and then floated downwards to allow Ren to dismount. “That wasn’t too bad for a first lesson,” she thought to him. “I’m sure flying is a little frightening to those born without the talent,” she finished, grinning slyly.

It was at that time that Kairn’s Houndour stumbled into view, and collapsed.

--------

[diamondpearl876]

Cliffhanger. EVIL YOU!

Just kidding. I'll live... I think.

Anyway, great details with the training with Gengar, and the flying thing with Latias. =) I hope you don't make him master everything too quickly, but I think you've got that covered, no? I can't wait to see what Ren does about Kairn's Houndour, or how Houndour will even react to Ren's appearance with what happened.

Grammar nitpicks:


Ren noticed that she had grown since lsat night: she was already nearly as tall as he. “Yes, I’m ready,” Ren stated. He turned to Griffith, who stood up.

"Last", not "lsat". lol.

“Of course not, Ren,” she thought-spoke to him. “Today we are going to fly very slowly and stay very close to the ground. And don’t worry, you won’t fall off” She added.

Should be "Today we are going to fly very slowly and stay very close to the ground. And don't worry, you won't fall off," she added.

Nothing big.

Keep it up. -dp876766553

[txteclipse]

"lsat?" lol. How did I miss that? As for cliffhangers: get used to them :P . Most of my chapters end with one.

[The Infinite Devil Machine]

I've got to say, this is one of the best fics I've read in a while. I've loved the plot so far, and as some have pointed out, your grammar could use a little work, but that aside, it's a great piece.

[txteclipse]

New chapter time. Hope I'm getting better at catching grammar mistakes...

--------

Chapter Eight

Ren could tell as he ran up to Kairn’s Houndour that it was in bad condition. Latias was by his side in moments as he knelt next to the injured pokemon, stroking its fur. Houndour was very cold: it had been nearly frozen from wandering around in the snow.

“That Houndour looks terrible,” Latias thought to Ren. “We should get him inside, where it’s warmer,” she continued, looking worriedly at the injured pokémon before them.

“Go tell Griffith what’s happening,” Ren said, slowly picking up Houndour, trying not to hurt him further. “I’ll carry him to the cottage.”

Latias flew swiftly over to Griffith and thought-spoke to him for a few moments before they both rushed inside. Ren slowly made his way to the front door of the cottage, cradling Houndour’s limp form in his arms. The pokémon was still breathing, but just barely. His life force was ebbing quickly as Ren stepped into the warm interior of Griffith’s home.

Griffith had already gathered together a large amount of blankets made from Mareep's wool in front of the fireplace and was now stoking the blaze inside. Ren placed Houndour on top of the soft pile of blankets and began to wrap him in their warmth. Houndour’s eyes opened for a moment, gazing at Ren. They were bloodshot and swollen, but he seemed to be aware of what was happening. His eyes then closed as he fell into a shallow and restless sleep, his body and mind fighting a silent battle against weakness and injury to stay alive.

Latias approached Houndour’s still form, lightly pressed Ren aside, and gently placed the pad of one foreclaw on the pokémon’s forehead. She closed her eyes for a few moments, concentrating. Then she opened her eyes, and turned her feathered head to Ren.

“He is very weak, but not entirely gone,” she thought to him, her tone solemn and matter of fact. “He has at least a chance at recovering. All we can do now is to give whatever aid we can and see if he pulls through.”

Ren nodded, and looked down at Houndour’s sleeping form. The pokemon shivered from time to time, as though it was still outside in the cold.

“Ren,” Latias broke into the boy’s thoughts abruptly, startling him. He turned to her, wondering at the grave tone she had adopted into her voice. She continued to think to him, her eyes revealing pain mixed with anger. “I just talked with Houndour in his mind to help me decide whether he is strong enough to live. While I was doing this, I discovered that his injuries are not only physical, but mental as well.” She paused, staring deep into Ren’s eyes. He grew more uncomfortable with each passing second.

“This Houndour was not hurt by natural means,” she continued, her stare penetrating to his soul. “From what I gathered from his recent memory, he was kicked rather viciously by a human being. He's traumatized from that experience, and it may inhibit his recovery. Do you wish to tell me anything, Ren?"

Ren realized that Latias knew he had kicked Houndour as the creature tried to steal his food. She had become worried that he was not as kind as she thought him to be; that his character was tainted. He felt their trust, developed over just two days, slipping away.

“Latias, you…you don’t understand…I…” he stammered, trying to tell her that his actions had been necessary given the circumstances. Kairn would have ordered his Houndour to do whatever it took to get the box of candy. He had acted on impulse: both to save himself and to resist Kairn’s domination.

“What don’t I understand, Ren?” Latias thought to him, her tone growing more and more harsh. “You kicked this Houndour. He is near death. What is there not to know?”

Ren took a deep breath, recollecting his composure. Latias' sudden outburst had unsettled him, and he worked hard to regain control. “Houndour was under the command of his master at the time, Latias, a boy named Kairn,” He paused to reassure himself that Latias was listening. She was, though she still regarded him with judgmental eyes. He decided to continue anyways. “Kairn was trying to steal my family’s food. This was not the first time; he has done it often in the past. He ordered his Houndour to take it from me, and I decided that in order to save my family from starving, I would have to stand up to Kairn, even if that meant I had to hurt Houndour in the process. I didn’t want to do it, but I couldn’t think of any other way.”

Ren saw Latias’ face visibly change as her anger was replaced with surprise. “I…I’m sorry, Ren,” she thought to him. “I didn’t even stop to think about why you would have acted the way you did. I didn’t think that maybe I was jumping to conclusions and that you were acting that way because you had to. Now that you have told me, I realize that I shouldn’t have assumed so much.” She hung her head. “I feel so foolish…” she trailed off.

“It’s fine, Latias,” Ren said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I can understand why you would react this way. Seeing anyone acting cruelly to any pokémon must be hard for you. It would be hard for me, too.” He paused as Latias looked up at him. “And don’t worry,” he continued. “I would never do anything like that to you. Nor would I do it again, unless I had no other choice.”

Latias nodded, showing she understood, her face registering calm. Ren stroked her feathers as they stood and hovered next to Houndour’s resting place.

Griffith then moved from the corner of the room where he had been quietly working. He was holding a tiny bowl of green liquid, and as he approached, he gave the bowl to Ren. “This is an ancient recipe handed down in the Eon Chronicles,” he said, looking at the boy. “It is called Potion, and it helps wounds heal at a miraculous rate. I would like you to give some of this to Houndour. It may help him recover.”

Ren looked at the bowl of liquid he held in his hands. It had a faint odor that reminded him of how wet earth smelled after a freshly fallen rain. He dipped his fingers into the bowl, tainting them green with the mixture inside. His hands tingled in a curious way as he knelt beside Houndour and began to spread the soothing balm over the pokémon’s body. Houndour stirred slightly at the boy's touch before becoming still again. Ren worked slowly, gently applying the Potion to each of Houndour’s many wounds. When he was finished, Griffith handed him a wet rag with which to clean his hands.

Afterward, Latias, Ren, and Griffith all decided that they had seen enough excitement for one day, and that they would continue training tomorrow. The man and boy ate dinner at the table in the dining room while Latias feasted on meat from a bird pokemon she had caught in the forest. While eating, they conversed about the day’s events: the humans using their voices, and Latias using her mind. Finally, as the sunlight waned, they all went to bed.

That night, as Latias lay curled up on the floor nestled in a soft pile of sheets next to his cot, Ren kept himself awake thinking about many things. The thing he most thought about was why Houndour had appeared without his master. He knew the two were inseparable: no matter how cruel Kairn became, he would never even think about hurting his pokemon. The only explanation Ren could come up with for why Kairn was missing was that he had been injured.

Or killed. Ren shuddered and pushed the thought from his mind, deciding that Kairn was probably just lost and had sent Houndour ahead of him to find their way home. He held that thought in his mind until he passed into sleep, his facial expressions becoming peaceful to match those of his sleeping companion.

***

Kairn had walked for another day without finding his companion. His throat was lacerated from calling out Houndour's name. The rest of the boy's body was in similar shape: he was nearly delirious from malnutrition and lack of rest, and had begun to see things that he thought couldn't exist.

As he walked through the forest in the dark that night, faces and shapes began to appear out of the evening mist. He thought he saw Houndour many times, but the pokémon’s figure would soon fade. He saw other things as well; things he couldn’t identify. Strange creatures watched him with glowing eyes that winked out as he approached, and small sounds came from all around him, making him become very uneasy.

As he continued to walk, the things Kairn saw grew more and more frightening. Dark figures would suddenly run across his path, startling him. Things would brush up against his clothes, but when he turned, nothing would be there. Giant, indistinguishable shapes loomed out of the gloom on the fringes of darkness.

Kairn began to walk quickly through the forest, and then broke into a run, desperate to escape its wild and horrifying secrets. He ran for a long time before he crested a small mound and saw lights ahead of him. He fled towards the lights, hoping to find a place where he would be safe from the things hiding in the oppressing darkness.

What he found was a small cottage in a clearing. The light was coming from windows that were faintly illuminated from the inside, possibly by candles or a fireplace. Kairn sprinted up to the cottage, crossed the front porch, and fell against the door, unconscious. His body could take no more.

--------

[txteclipse]

Wow. The forums kinda exploded there for a while. I couldn't even get on. What's up with that? Ah well. New Chapter time.

--------

Chapter Nine

Ren awoke to a loud thumping noise in the middle of the night. He sat up on his cot as Latias roused sleepily next to him, also awakened by the sound. He kept still for a few moments, his mind quickly coming fully awake, his heart racing. He stared into the darkness for a few moments, trying to identify where the sound had come from. Finally, he swung his legs over the side of the cot, stood, and tiptoed into the adjoining room, touching Latias reassuringly on the head as he went by. He did this as much to calm himself as to calm her.

As he crept into the living room, Ren’s eyes adjusted to the faint moonlight streaming through the windows. He stood in the center of the living space for a short while until he could see clearly. He decided that the sound had come from the front door, so he quietly walked to it. Latias came up silently behind him as he nervously placed his hand on the door’s metal knob and turned it.

The latch of the door disengaged with a clicking sound, and Ren eased it open. However, the door had moved no more than a few inches before it pressed against something and stopped. Ren held his breath and stood absolutely still for a few harrowing seconds. When nothing happened, he pushed harder against the door, and then yet harder as the door stubbornly stayed partially closed. Latias soon joined him, placing both forelegs on the un-giving door and shoving her weight against it, hind claws digging into the wood flooring.

Suddenly, something behind the door moved, and it flew open with a resounding bang before Ren and Latias’ combined efforts. They both fell forward as the door gave way and landed sprawling across the threshold. Ren lay on the ground a few moments before he picked himself up on his hands and knees and then stood brushing himself off. Latias simply floated a few feet upwards.

As he patted the dust from his clothing, Ren looked around for the object that had been blocking his exit. His hands froze in mid-motion when he saw Kairn’s crumpled body, hidden half out of view behind the open door. At first, Ren thought that Kairn had been holding the door closed, and that he was going to jump out to scare Ren. However, Kairn did not move, and he seemed to be lying in an unnatural position. He also wouldn’t have known that Ren was here, and so wouldn’t have come this far into the woods.

Ren cautiously approached Kairn, pulled the door away from him, and knelt beside him. Kairn’s eyes were closed, and he did not register any response as Ren drew near: he simply lay still, as though dead. Ren touched his shoulder, and then began to shake him gently when he still did not respond.

“Kairn?” Ren spoke, his face close to the other boy’s. When he still did nothing, Ren began to grow more earnest in his attempts to revive him. “Kairn!” he shouted loudly, shaking the other boy more and more earnestly. “Wake up! Kairn!”

Kairn’s head rolled to one side, and his parched, chapped lips parted to reveal a tongue in similar condition. Ren began to feel sick, and turned his head away from Kairn’s ruined face. Just then, Griffith spoke behind him. He had come outside, and Ren had been so preoccupied that he didn’t notice the man standing there.

“He’s unconscious, Ren, not dead,” Griffith said, much to the boy’s relief. “See there? His chest moves slightly when he breathes. Let’s take him inside. I have a cot set up for him already.”

Ren helped Griffith carry Kairn’s limp form inside while Latias followed behind them. They placed Kairn on a cot that Griffith had situated next to Houndour’s resting place. Griffith layered a few blankets over Kairn that he had taken from Houndour: they were hot due to the fire poke’mon’s warmth. Frost that had been clinging to the boy’s body from outside soon melted away.

Latias floated between her two companions and placed a foreleg on Kairn’s brow, repeating the procedure she had used with Houndour. She closed her eyes and stayed perfectly still for most of what seemed like hours to Ren. Every once in a while, however, she would flinch, as though in pain, and Ren would start towards her. He did not understand why she did this, but he felt sharp fear every time she suddenly moved.

Latias eventually opened her eyes. Ren noticed that they lacked their usual luminescence: they seemed less bright than before.

“This boy has been through many hardships,” Latias though to both Griffith and Ren. She sounded very tired, as though her actions had drained her strength immensely. “He is in a similar state to Houndour, who is his partner, as I have learned. They have both wandered through the woods for a long while. Apparently, Kairn first abandoned Houndour…” at this point Ren’s eyes grew wide “…and Houndour wandered aimlessly until he found his way here. Later, Kairn thought better of his actions, and came to find Houndour.”

Latias seemed to finish, and grew silent for a moment, but then continued after a short time. “There is a complication, one I have not discovered until now,” she thought-spoke to her companions. “Both Houndour and Kairn have lost their wills to live.” Ren and Griffith both gave her their full attention as she continued. “Houndour looked to Kairn for direction before their separation. He saw Kairn as a friend, as well as a master. Now that Kairn has broken their trust, Houndour feels lost. He would hardly speak with me when I counseled him, and I doubt he will trust anyone before it’s too late.”

She turned her head from the pokemon to the boy lying close by. “Kairn, on the other hand, looked to Houndour to offer him help during his times of need,” she thought. “They both were homeless before their separation, and Kairn needed Houndour to help him find food and to keep him company. Without Houndour, Kairn feels empty. He does not know how he could survive without his companion, and quite frankly, he doesn’t want to.”

Latias now regarded Ren. “This will make their healing process very difficult,” she thought to him. “If they do not wish to live, their bodies will have a hard time working around their minds. Most of their survival depends on them having the urge to stay alive. Without that, I’m afraid they don’t have much of a chance,” she finished.

The boy and man stood silently as Latias hovered next to them, all contemplating the fates of the two creatures before them. So ironic, Latias thought to herself. Kairn and Houndour were side by side, and yet with no way to know this, they could be destroyed by their thoughts of never seeing each other again. What could be done, though? There was no way to show them that they were together.

Ren was the first to speak after a long pause. “If Kairn and Houndour know they are together, won’t it restore their will to live?” he asked, a questioning look on his face.

“Yes, but we have no way to show them,” Latias thought back.

“What if you speak with both of them at once? What if you allow them to talk to each other through your mind?”

Latias started at Ren’s idea. She had never thought of it before, and there was no record of such an occurrence in the Eon Chronicles. “I wouldn’t know how to do that, but I could try,” she thought to him. “Bring them closer together,” she told her companions.

Griffith pulled Kairn’s cot over to Houndour’s side and stepped away. Latias floated between the two unconscious beings, one human, one pokemon, and placed her forelegs on both of their foreheads. She closed her eyes, and then tensed with concentration.

Suddenly her eyes opened: they were a livid, glowing gold. She arched her neck backwards, eyes pointing unseeingly towards the ceiling. She was in obvious pain. Ren jumped forward, fear instantly overtaking him. He placed a hand on her neck as he raced forward, and a sudden rush of energy flooded into his arm and throughout his body. His mind erupted into a storm of sound and color, and then all went black as he fell to the floor without catching himself.

***

Ren came to on his cot. As his eyes focused to daylight streaming into the room, he noticed movement near his resting place. Latias’ head lifted into view from where she had been sleeping by his side. “It worked, Ren,” she thought to him, her eyes having returned to their normal shining quality. “Kairn and Houndour know of each other’s presence. They are fighting despite all odds to heal and awaken.”

--------

[diamondpearl876]

Yes, PC died. =[ What a shame.

Anyway, so Houndour AND Kairn are found now . . . guess they found what they both wanted, at least (each other).

My only problem:

Apparently, Kairn first abandoned Houndour…” at this point Ren’s eyes grew wide “…and Houndour wandered aimlessly until he found his way here. Later, Kairn thought better of his actions, and came to find Houndour.”

Can't just put the "at this point Ren's eyes grew wide" smack dab in the middle. >> If you put dashes--like this--then I think it could work.

Also, Ren's opinions on Kairn caring about Houndour would have been nice. I have a bad memory.. I'm sorry.. but I think Ren didn't think Kairn liked Houndour at all.

Anyway, I'm eager to see if Kairn or Houndour survive now that they know what's going on.
:)

[txteclipse]

In Chapter Eight:

*The thing he most thought about was why Houndour had appeared without his master. He knew the two were inseparable: no matter how cruel Kairn became, he would never even think about hurting his pokemon. The only explanation Ren could come up with for why Kairn was missing was that he had been injured.

Or killed. Ren shuddered and pushed the thought from his mind, deciding that Kairn was probably just lost and had sent Houndour ahead of him to find their way home. He held that thought in his mind until he passed into sleep, his facial expressions becoming peaceful to match those of his sleeping companion.*

Hope that helps ;)

[Astinus]

This is really good. You have Ren training, but it's come to a halt by the arrival of Houndour and Kairn. To me, it's the last two that have the more interesting story. I guess it's made better because Ren is seeing them in a different light, now knowing that Kairn's life has been horrible as well.

If there were grammar errors, I didn't spot any. That's how good your story is! I'm too engrossed in finding out what will happen to keep my editing skills on top!

[Lady Berlitz]

This is great! Hope to see some more chapters throughout the time I'm reading others! :3 (I won't comment on any specific chapters, or else it'd take up the whole 2nd page... it's great, though!)

[Cabellero©]

This is great! Hope to see some more chapters throughout the time I'm reading others! :3 (I won't comment on any specific chapters, or else it'd take up the whole 2nd page... it's great, though!)Yep, Exactly what I would say!
"Hullo, the fic is amazing!"

[txteclipse]

Wow! This is quite high praise I'm getting! Glad you all like it so much. Here's the next chapter.

--------

Chapter Ten

Ren and Latias continued their training as Houndour and Kairn healed. Ren grew more and more comfortable with his blade, learning advanced sword techniques quickly, while Latias developed her flying skills. At night, as Ren slept, Latias taught him the entirety of the Eon Chronicles they had by reciting each book to him through their telepathic connection.

In this way, Ren learned many things about the Eon Family and its history. He learned that they were an ancient race of feathered dragons, and that they had many strange and wondrous powers. He also learned that they continued to grow throughout their lifetime: rapidly at first, and then more and more slowly as time went on. He learned that their primary defenses were a set of sharp, small claws, their ability to camouflage themselves, and a strange property in their feathers that allowed them to retain and channel intense light.

This he found most interesting. The light could be stored in their bodies to produce warmth, given off in small amounts to brighten dark places, or released all at once in a powerful blast of energy. Ren learned that in very rare instances, a member of the Family would exhibit a very strong affinity towards light, allowing them to control it and store it far better than their other family members. Ren wondered if Latias had this special ability, but nothing she had done previously indicated such a talent.

Griffith deemed that Ren and Latias would soon be ready to search for the missing Eon Chronicles. He began to train them harder: their sessions ran longer and they were more intense. Both Ren and Latias felt exhausted after each one, but they could tell that their bodies and abilities were growing strong.

***

Kairn awoke to a soft light on his eyelids. He lifted his head slightly as his eyes grew accustomed to his surroundings, and looked around. The light’s source was a window across from him in a room he did not recognize. He sat up, and then fell back onto a soft mattress when his head began to throb. He at first panicked, unsure of where he was. Then he slowly remembered that he had been searching for his Houndour, and had wandered to a cottage, which must be where he was now.

Houndour. The thought of his pokemon made Kairn try to get up a second time, only to fall back again. He knew his Houndour was close: their minds had somehow been linked while they were asleep, and they had talked to each other.

They had talked. Kairn’s eyes filled with tears, but he was smiling. No improvised gestures, no barking, no guesswork...they had actually held a real conversation. Well, no, that wasn’t true. They had been talking to each other, Kairn in the human tongue, Houndour in the pokémon dialect, and something had translated for both of them, helping the other understand. Kairn had apologized profusely for abandoning Houndour, who had seemed to forgive him instantly.

The voice that had translated for them told them that they were unconscious, but that they were together. It also told them that they were in grave danger: their bodies had been wasted by their respective wanderings. However, their spirits were renewed by hearing from each other, and they healed quickly, fighting to regain consciousness and to see each other again. Kairn had woken first, and now looked to his side, where Houndour rested peacefully. The boy choked back tears, both of sorrow for what he had done and for joy at how their ordeal had ended.

He silently thanked the anonymous being that had reunited them, even though he didn’t know its name. A red winged angel, with golden eyes.

***

Ren walked into the living room that morning, clad in armor and ready for the day’s training, only to notice that Kairn was out of his cot, sitting next to Houndour. The pokémon had just begun to wake up, and Kairn didn’t even notice Ren approach as he pet Houndour’s dark head. Ren stood a good distance behind Kairn and Houndour, eyeing them both. Then he quietly walked outside, not wanting to disturb them.

Ren quickly went over to where Griffith and Latias were engaged in her flying lesson. Griffith was having her perform complex aerial maneuvers as he cut large sections of leather for a saddle.

“Kairn is awake,” Ren said, stopping a few paces from his companions. Latias landed as he continued. “And Houndour is just waking up. Whatever you did, Latias, it worked.”

Before Ren even finished speaking, Griffith jumped up and began to run towards the cottage without saying a word. Ren began to follow, but Latias called him back to her. “Hold on, Ren,” she thought to him. “I can’t show myself to anyone just yet. I’ll need to disguise myself. Wait a moment.”

With that, Latias floated to the ground and reared up on her hind legs. Her feathers ruffled as she began to change appearance: her body seemed to waver and melt away into bright light before her normal figure was replaced by that of a girl about Ren’s age. Her hair was red, her skin very fair. She had a small red triangle on her forehead, and her eyes retained their golden color. She wore a small amount of dull-looking armor, similar to Ren’s.

Once her disguise was complete, Latias and Ren continued into the cottage. Griffith had already prepared food for Kairn and Houndour, who where now eating with voracious appetites. All three looked up at them as they entered.

“Good to see you alive,” Ren said, facing Kairn. He was unsure, however, whether he was really addressing Houndour. He and Kairn didn’t get along so well, after all, and he would not be quick to forgive. Their eyes locked.

What Kairn did next astonished him. The other boy stood up from the place he was seated, walked up to Ren, and bowed low before him. “I beg your forgiveness, Ren,” Kairn said, staying bowed. “You helped heal me, even after I beat you up and stole your food. I don’t know why you did that, but it made me feel terrible.” The boy looked up. His features appeared calm, but his skin was pale and his eyes betrayed pain and fear. “I wasn’t worthy of your help. I shouldn’t be alive.”

Ren was speechless. By saying he shouldn’t live, the other boy was implying that his life belonged to Ren: he continued to exist because of Ren's care, and thus his future was entirely in the boy's hands. How could anyone respond to such a statement? Ren thought for a long time before speaking. “Stand up, Kairn,” he ordered at last. The other boy straightened his back, eyes leveling with Ren’s. He still looked fearful, but also resolved. He would take whatever came next with bravery. Ren slowly reached for his sword, and pulled it out of its sheath, its beautiful metal ringing long and loud in the silence that followed. Griffith and Latias took a step closer, both very tense. They didn’t want this situation to end the way it seemed to be heading.

Ren kept his eyes focused on the sword, deciding what to do, until Kairn began to grow uncomfortable. The other boy shook noticeably; his hands were literally dripping sweat.

Ren looked Kairn in the eyes and spoke, breaking the silence. “You’re forgiven,” he said. Kairn’s eyes grew wide as Ren re-sheathed his sword and continued speaking. “I think you’ve learned your lesson from wandering around in the forest for so long. You almost died out there, just to find the pokemon that you abandoned.” He glanced at Houndour, and then looked back to Kairn. “That shows me you may have changed. I hope so, for both our sakes.”

He leaned towards Kairn, his voice dropping to a whisper. “If I ever find out that you’ve abused any person or pokémon again, I won’t be so easy on you. Understand?”

Kairn nodded sincerely. “Good,” Ren said. “You can go.”

“Wait!” Latias thought to Ren. “He has something…something in his pocket! Ask him what it is!”

Ren stopped Kairn as he turned to leave. “What’s in your pocket?” He asked.

Kairn gave the other boy a puzzled look, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the blue and white stone. It was glowing ever so faintly. He stared at it with an even more confused expression as he answered. “This…?” his voice trailed off for a moment. “I found it while I was looking for Houndour. How did you know I had it?”

In response to Kairn's question, Latias revealed her true form while simultaneously speaking directly to his mind. “I was the one that noticed it, Kairn. I sensed it just as you started to leave. It is the key to Latios.”

--------

[diamondpearl876]

Eh.. I would say slow down on updating. That was only two days in between the last chapter or so (sorry if I'm wrong XP), and before that, you didn't give people time to review the chapter before PC got shut down for a few days.

Nonetheless, the chapter was still good. I like how you described Kairn's emotions about being back with Houndour and especially thanking Latias for what she did . . . even though he doesn't know who it was. >>

Damn cliffhanger again, kinda. I wonder how Kairn will react to this now that he has "changed." Can't wait for the next chapter. :P

[Astinus]

Kairn is still receiving the most development as a character. You're showing his true side, instead of just leaving him as a one-sided bully figure.

No grammar mistakes spotted. Boss job there. *salutes*

And I do agree to slow down with the updating. I know that my schooling is getting more demanding, and it might be the same for others. Wait more than just three days between posting chapters. I know that you waited in between the chapter posted on the 8th and the one posted on the 15th, but still, no one could read and review. Just...give us a little bit more time.

[txteclipse]

Hold off on updating for a bit. Got it.

As for Kairn receiving the most character development, I'd say it's because he's only just now really "entering" the story. First was Ren, and now it's his turn.

EDIT: Quick question. What's the standard pixel dimensions for avatars here? I swear it changes for every website.

[txteclipse]

Hope four days is long enough...no one is really responding, so I'm guessing that everyone's commented that's going to.

--------

Chapter Eleven

Darkness. It permeated everything, concealing all, revealing nothing. It was all that existed to Latios in his egg, all that he knew; and yet, it was somewhat comforting.

Suddenly, however, there was light. Thin and flickering, it came to him one day as he slumbered, waiting for the partner that would awaken him. The light was very faint, and yet it overcame the darkness. As was expected, it touched his mind and told him the secrets of the Eon Chronicles.

However, its words were under-toned with malice. The light wavered as it spoke, connecting to his mind with feeling tentacles, semi-bright strands that wrapped themselves about his psyche. Invasive. Poisonous.

Latios preferred the dark.

***

Kairn shouted as Latias wavered in front of him, becoming the feathered, floating dragon that was her true identity. He took two quick steps backwards, tripped over his feet, and fell flat on his back. The blue and white stone he had been holding flew somewhere to his side as he futilely attempted to catch himself. He continued to scurry backwards with his hands and legs as Latias’ voice came into his mind.

“Don’t be so frightened,” she thought to him, laughing a little. “I won’t hurt you.”

“You’re…you’re…” Kairn stammered.

“Latias,” she finished for him after deciding that he couldn’t finish himself. “My name is Latias. Pleased to meet you, Kairn.” She floated to the ground, hind legs delicately landing to support her weight.

Kairn stayed on the floor, still in total shock. He looked like he was trying to say something, but his jaw simply opened and closed a few times. He managed to emit a gurgle. Latias laughed.

“I suppose you’re a little overwhelmed,” she thought to the boy, who put a hand on his forehead. “Maybe this will help.” In a flash of light, she reverted back to her human form.

Kairn was still wide-eyed as Ren walked over and helped him to his feet. “Why don’t you two talk for a while?” he asked. He was looking at Kairn, but he was addressing Latias. “It may help Kairn be more comfortable around you, and he needs the rest besides.”

Latias nodded, and stayed inside with Kairn while Griffith and Ren went outside for their daily training. “So,” she thought to Kairn. “Why don’t you try saying hello?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with mirth. “It’s good manners to return someone’s greeting.”

Kairn stood for a few moments, looking back at Latias with a sense of wonderment. “Hi,” he finally said, simply and quietly. His voice shook a little.

“That’s a start,” Latias thought to him. “Now what say you to telling me a bit about yourself?”

The two spent the rest of the day learning about each other while Griffith and Ren practiced outside. Kairn introduced Houndour to Latias, while she showed him her various talents. When Kairn felt ready enough, Latias even undisguised herself. By the time Ren had finished his lessons, the two were talking like old friends.

“Good to see that you didn’t die of shock,” Ren said to Kairn as he came in. “I wouldn’t have wanted to waste all of that time applying potion to you only to have you die no less than an hour after you wake up.” He laughed.

Kairn grinned at Ren’s obvious joking, easily shrugging off the sarcastic remark. “Latias is amazing,” he said, changing the subject. “She can do so many things. Did you know that she can fly?” he asked, a look of wonderment still on his face. It had not left since Latias first began to speak to him.

“Of course,” Ren said, exchanging a knowing glance with Latias. “What do you think her wings are for?”

Kairn looked down, embarrassed. Ren laughed.

Suddenly Latias began to thought-speak to Kairn. “Pick up that blue stone you had. You dropped it earlier when you fell. We’re going out into the forest. Now.”

Everyone looked at Latias, surprised. The abruptness of her statement had caught them off guard. “What’s so urgent?” Ren asked as Kairn slowly got to the floor on his hands and knees and began to search. “It’s nearly evening. Where could we possibly need to go?” Ren finished his question as Kairn stood, pocketing the stone.

“We’re going to escort Kairn to find Latios,” she said. “The sooner Latios is hatched, the better.”

Latias now looked to Kairn. “Did you have any dreams after you found the stone?” she asked. “They would be very vivid, nearly impossible to forget.”

“Yes,” Kairn said after pausing to think back. “I had a dream of a tree. It had green leaves, as though it was summer-time. However, all of the trees around the green one where white, like they had snow on their branches.” He hesitated, concentration showing on his brow. “Houndour was there also, sitting under the green tree,” he said. “He ran away when I came near. Why do you ask?”

“Because the place you dream about after you find an Eon Stone is the place where you will find a member of the Eon Family,” Latias thought to him. “We’re going. Let’s bring some food with us. We may be gone a while.”

***

Ren, Kairn, Latias, Houndour, and Griffith all trudged through the snow, looking in every direction for a glimpse of green leaves among many thousands of white ones. They were growing tired: they had walked from the previous night until dawn, taking breaks only to eat and to sleep for a short amount of time. Every once in a while, Latias would fly up above the foliage to try and sight their destination. Each time, all she would find was an endless sea of silver trees faintly tainted pink, orange, and gold by the rising sun. She did this one more time now, only to come back down with no positive results.

“This isn't going to work,” Ren said, weary and footsore. "We’ll never find Latios this way."

Suddenly Kairn spoke. “What does Latios look like?” he asked, looking from Latias to Ren to Griffith for an answer.

“His appearance is similar to mine,” Latias thought-spoke to him. “But he looks more like this,” she finished as her red feathers faded to blue. The triangular crest on her chest became red, and her eyes swirled to red as well.

“Oh,” Kairn said. He could never get over how Latias changed her appearance. It amazed him every time.

***

As Latias and Kairn spoke, Houndour snuck away from the rest of the group. He had scented a Pidgey, and the smell made him hungry. He followed the scent trail until it led him up to a large evergreen tree with a nest in its branches. Houndour watched as the Pidgey he had noticed earlier flew up to the nest before landing and disappearing inside. He growled at it, and began to paw at the tree’s trunk.

***

Latias reverted back to her normal coloration as the group continued onwards. Then Kairn noticed that Houndour wasn't with them.

“Where’s Houndour?” he asked, looking around him into the forest. Everyone else did the same, but they couldn’t find the pokémon either. After a few moments, it was obvious that Houndour was gone. Kairn was just about to shout the pokémon’s name when everyone heard a muffled boom, followed by an equally muffled grating noise.

Griffith, Kairn, and Ren sped towards the source of the sound, but Latias far outdistanced them with her superior speed. She arrived first at the place where the sound had emitted from. A large evergreen tree stood in a clearing, its leaves bright green. A large amount of snow seemed to have fallen off of the tree’s branches and was now piled at its trunk.

Latias watched as a particularly large patch of snow began to steam. Suddenly, Houndour’s head appeared: he was melting his way out of the drift using small spurts of flame emanating from his mouth. The dragon floated over to him and helped him escape from the snow by clearing it away with her forearms. At that time, the three humans caught up with her.

Kairn asked Latias what had happened as he knelt down to brush remnants of snow out of Houndour’s fur. However, she did not answer. She was staring at a large opening that she had just noticed at the base of the tree.

--------

[diamondpearl876]

I read this like a week ago, but really haven't had time to review. This is gonna be short. >>

Anyway, I really liked how you dealt with Kairn's reactions to seeing Latias. You did good with showing how it'll take a while for him to fully recognize this new form of Latias and everything, and he's so noobish. XD "DID YOU KNOW SHE CAN FLY?!?!"

It was all that existed to Latios in his egg, all that he knew; and yet, it was somewhat comforting.

I think the semi-colon would have worked better as a dash--oh yeah, this amazing thing. x]

“Maybe this will help” she finished, reverting back to her human form.

Comma after "help".


“There’s nothing for it,” Ren said, weary and footsore. We’ll never find Latios this way.

Uhh, I think the last part of this was supposed to be Ren talking, but I don't know. Or maybe Ren's thoughts? Either way, I was lost.

Hmm. That's about it. You've improved with grammar and such since the beginning. :) AND, I'm glad you're not updating as fast for busy busy busy people like me. Roar. I look forward to the next chapter.. Once again, a sort of cliffhanger. :[ y u do dis to me

[txteclipse]

Fixed. I love how this site lets you edit as many times as you want.

Anyways, I liked writing that segment with Kairn and Latias quite a bit. "Noobish" is a great word for it. I'll get another chapter up in a few days.

Meanwhile, I'm finding it slightly hard to keep writing, since my beautiful homeland of California has decided to burn to the ground. It's a little stressing, to say the least, but I'm hoping that I'll be back to my old self shortly, as the fires seem to be abating for the most part.

[txteclipse]

Has it really been that long since I posted a chapter? Wow. Anyways, the fires are pretty much gone, and I'm fine, so yeah. Next chapter.

--------

Chapter Twelve

Kairn was the first to descend into the cavern beneath the evergreen tree, followed closely by Ren. Latias floated down last, carrying Houndour on her back. The black pokémon appeared to be growing sick, so Latias was obliged to let him off as soon as her hind claws touched the chamber floor. Griffith stayed topside, saying that his old body wasn’t able to do some of the things it used to.

As Kairn stood in the dark, he felt the stone in his pocket begin to rumble. He pulled it out, and a brilliant flash of light illuminated the cave. Ren and Latias waited patiently as he gaped at the intricate carvings in the chamber wall. At last his eyes settled on a shining object in one corner of the cave. He walked to the corner, and found a pedestal there. Embedded in the pedestal was a sword that resembled Ren’s. The hand guard appeared to be made of layered feathers, but as Kairn touched it, he found that it was made of metal. The part of the cloud-white blade that showed was covered in beautiful etchings of blue feathers, which seemed to glow under the stone’s light.

When Kairn tried to pull the sword from the pedestal, it wouldn’t budge. He quickly discovered how the stone and the handle fit together, however, and then stepped back as wisps of steam escaped from around the now free blade. He drew the sword slowly from its place, which set the exotic metal ringing loudly. The sound echoed about the cavern for nearly a minute as everyone stood still, entranced by the beauty of the note.

Then, the pedestal that had held the sword collapsed in two. Kairn knelt down to it with a puzzled look on his face, placing the sword next to him. Ren, Latias, and Houndour formed a half-circle around Kairn as he held up a large, blue-and-white egg. The egg was warm to the touch, and Kairn stared at it for a long time as he sat back on his heels.

“We should start heading home,” Ren said finally. “Griffith is still waiting for us, and it’s getting colder outside every minute.”

As if on cue, a few large flakes of snow slowly tumbled down into the chamber from the tunnel above. Latias took the egg from Kairn and paused for a moment, turning it carefully about in her claws. Suddenly her feathers seemed to rapidly flash through a few different colors, but it happened so fast that Ren couldn’t be sure.

Latias flew up and out of the chamber with the egg after letting Houndour get onto her back for the ride. Kairn and Ren followed, climbing from the room using stone grooves that had been carved into the walls.

Once they were outside, they realized just how cold it had become. Large drifts of snow fell from the sky, driven by a frigid, biting wind. Latias ruffled her feathers and shivered as she handed the egg back to Kairn.

“It’s so cold…” she thought to no one in particular. She seemed withdrawn, as though the icy air was stealing her energy. Ren walked up to her and placed an arm around her neck. He noticed that her feathers seemed stiff, as though frozen. He grew worried.

“Latias…are you okay?” he asked, concern emanating from his thoughts and into hers. “What’s wrong?”

She dropped a few inches, seeming to momentarily lose her ability to stay air-born. “It’s this snow,” she said. “It’s freezing my wings up. I don’t know if I can fly.”

“Houndour can help with that,” Kairn suddenly said from off to the side. He had been silent throughout the entire conversation, staring at the egg he held cradled in his arms. Latias and Ren looked to him, questioningly. In response, he looked to his pokémon. “Houndour,” he said. “Would you mind keeping us warm?”

Houndour trotted to the center of the group and then stood still, concentrating. The air above his back began to waver as his body heated itself to an intense level and began to glow. He looked back at Kairn, his eyes showing as two dark spots against his fiery fur. A barrier of warm air soon enshrouded the entire party, and as snowflakes met the heat, they simply melted away.

Latias’ feathers soon defrosted, water falling away from her in small droplets that left indentations in the snow. She shook herself, quickly becoming fully dry as she floated up to her normal height. She inclined her head at Houndour in a symbol of thanks, and the pokémon returned her nod. The party started on its way back to the cottage, trudging through the ever-deepening snow.

A pair of eyes watched the travelers leave the foot of the evergreen tree. The creature waited until the group was out of sight, and then winged silently away. It had business to attend to.

***

The world around each member of the party seemed shut away by a white blanket: they could hear nothing except each others' muffled footsteps. The trees began to thin as they came closer to the cottage, and suddenly they were out of the forest and in a clearing. That was when the egg Kairn was holding began to move.

Everyone halted and crowded around as Kairn held the egg out before him, unsure of what to do. He didn’t want to place the egg in the snow, for fear it may injure whatever was contained inside. He then had a thought. He walked to where Houndour was standing, and motioned for the pokémon to move out of the way. He then placed the egg on the ground where Houndour had been: the snow was melted by his body and the earth had become quite warm.

Latias, Ren, Griffith, Kairn, and Houndour each held their respective breaths as a slender crack appeared on one side of the egg. The crack soon grew, and more and more cracks spread out from the original to cover the entire egg. Soon, a fragment of the egg tore away to reveal a small, feathered, white-and-blue head with a teardrop-shaped crest. Red eyes opened slowly to peer inquisitively at Kairn, holding his gaze, as the rest of the creature’s body began to emerge.

Latios was colored exactly as Latias had shown Kairn. The young dragon slowly stood to his hind claws, and then steadied himself before lifting off the ground. He floated upwards until his eyes were level with Kairn’s, and then spoke to his mind.

“Hello, Kairn,” he thought to the boy. “My name is Latios.”

“…Hello…” Kairn said hesitantly. His hands were shaking. He wasn’t quite sure what to do.

Suddenly, Latios’ mind brushed his, exuding comfort and calm. “I could use some food,” he thought to him, sensing his confusion. “Do you have anything?”

Ren walked up and handed Kairn the sack that the group kept its food in. Latias had been listening in on the conversation and told him every word, and he chose this time to jump in. “Of course he has food,” Ren said to Latios. “We wouldn’t want a hatchling to go hungry, would we?”

Kairn looked up thankfully at Ren, pulled food out of the sack, and then hand-fed it to Latios until he stopped eating. Kairn was amazed at how much lighter the sack felt.

“Thank you,” Latios thought to Kairn. “You have no idea how hungry I was.” He paused. “Well, I guess you do know,” he thought after a moment, laughing. “After all, I can’t choose what feelings to send you.”

Kairn held his stomach, nodding his head. He had become so hungry when Latios hatched that he could hardly stand it. Now he felt so full that he thought he would burst.

Suddenly, Latios looked past the boy, and his dark pupils grew large, nearly concealing the red around them. “We need to run,” he thought unexpectedly to everyone present, worry tainting his mind's voice. He started floating slowly backward. “Follow me.”

With that, he took off at high speed towards the direction of the cottage. Kairn began to run after Latios as a dumbfounded look overcame his features. Everyone else felt similarly confused as they raced to catch up.

Suddenly, Kairn heard a sound behind him and looked back. Many dark objects were speeding through the falling snow straight towards him, and he could hear what he recognized as the screeches of many birds. His eyes grew wide before he refocused his gaze forward so that he could see where he was running. “Hurry!” he yelled to his companions.

Everyone had noticed the impending danger by now, and needed no further prompting. They all raced as fast as their legs and wings could carry them through the snow, seeking the refuge of the cottage. They caught sight of the structure as they crested a hill, and began to run even faster towards it, but they didn’t quite make it.

The attack came over them like a wave. Ren felt a sharp pain in his back as something heavy struck him, and he fell forward into the snow. The thing flew over his head and circled around, coming towards him again. He stood up and unsheathed his sword in the same motion, its blade becoming bright as he ran forward, brandishing it before him. Latias held her claws at the ready as she sped along with him, eyes flashing.

As what Ren could now see was a dark colored bird drew nearer, he readied himself. Suddenly, his blade flashed once, and two halves of what had been a Murkrow tumbled past him as he continued to run.

More and more of the birds flew by each member of the group, attacking their heads and backs. Latias clipped a Murkrow with her claws as it flapped past her, sending it tumbling away. Kairn had unsheathed his sword on the run and was clumsily, though effectively, slashing at a few birds that drew near. Latios stayed close to him, tangling with one of the attackers while still flying before extinguishing its life with a bite to the neck.

Houndour, running behind Kairn, jumped out of the way as a Murkrow tried to slam into him. The bird crashed to the ground as Houndour twisted in midair, sending a jet of flame from his mouth to meet more of the attackers. The birds ignited and then were quickly extinguished as their bodies fell into the snow.

The battle quickly intensified. Ren’s sword became a shining blur as he downed one attacker after the next; the path he left behind was littered with dark forms. Kairn seemed to be growing surer of his blade as he left more and more bodies in his wake. Houndour was aglow with fire as he incinerated Murkrow after Murkrow, their bodies dissolving before they even hit the ground. Latias slashed a few more Murkrows to pieces with her claws, and then her eyes lit up. The light spread across her face and down her body until she was brilliantly white. Suddenly, threads of energy shot from her glowing form and into the brunt of the remaining flock, downing most of the attacking birds. Those remaining turned and flew quickly away, startled by how fast their companions had been defeated.

The company reached the cottage and ran inside without looking back. They collapsed onto the floor, exhausted and wounded. Griffith immediately began dressing injuries with a bottle of potion.

“What was that?” Ren asked Latias as he panted for breath, amazement showing on his face.

“I don’t know,” she thought to him, closing her eyes. “They had no reason to attack.”

Latias had misunderstood his question. “No, I mean what was that blast of light? How did you do that?” Ren pressed.

“Oh, that?” Latias thought back to him. “I caught the light of the sun with my feathers, and then focused it to increase its strength. I guess the idea just…came to me.”

Ren was constantly amazed by Latias’ never ending supply of abilities. He knew that the members of the Eon Family were capable of doing such things, but to see it actually happen was quite different.

Then he grew very silent, and looked down at his sword. It was covered in grime, and he tossed it away from him. His palms grew sweaty as he thought over what had happened.

“I…killed…” he thought to himself. “All those Murkrow…” Images of the birds, dead and dying, flooded into his mind. His vision became cloudy as tears formed in his eyes. “What have I done?” he asked himself.

Latias floated over to him and settled down next to him. She gently touched him on the back and felt that he was trembling slightly. He leaned against her, resting his head on her feathered shoulder, and began to weep. Then he clenched his fists together in front of his face.

“Why did they attack?!” he screamed inside his head. “I never would have hurt them. What made them do that?!” He looked around the room, his imagination filling the space with the corpses of his victims. “I’m sorry!” he thought to a maimed Murkrow that was staring at him judgmentally out of the one eye it still had. “I didn’t mean to hurt you! I just…I just…”

“You were protecting us, Ren,” Latias thought gently to him. “We were all doing it for each other. I fought for you, Kairn, Latios, and Houndour. You fought for them and me…” She broke off, looking towards the others, who were all asleep. “And they fought for you and me. We all saw each other in danger, and reacted. You can’t punish yourself over that. We may not know what the Murkrow were thinking, but nothing justifies them attacking like they did. We saved each others' lives.”

Ren wiped his face and nodded, his tears slowing. “Thank you, Latias,” he said. “Thank you for being such a good friend.”

With that, he closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep. Latias watched him breath for a few minutes, and then eased his head off of her shoulder, laying him carefully on the floor. “You're welcome,” she thought quietly to him, and then curled up by his side.

--------

[diamondpearl876]

So, Latios is finally introduced. That’s cool. :D More interesting things should start occurring now, like that random Murkrow attack. Dun dun dunnn.

It seemed kind of odd to me how Houndour could keep everyone warm with it getting sick, no..?

I wonder if there’s really a reason for the Murkrow attacking. Probably controlled by that “secret figure” you briefly mentioned in the chapter, but then again, maybe not. Gahh. XD

Description is good, as always. *is jealous of skeelz*

The world around the each member of the party seemed shut away by a white blanket: they could hear nothing except each other’s muffled footsteps.


Remove the first “the”

she broke off, looking towards the others, who were all asleep. “And they fought for you and me. We all saw each other in danger, and reacted.


The “she” should be capitalized at the beginning.

“Your welcome,” she thought quietly to him, and then curled up by his side. Soon, she too was asleep.

Not much else to say, ‘cept, keep it up! ;D

[txteclipse]

Fixed. I need to go back and fix all of my other mistakes, too...

Was that last quote directed at a mistake? I couldn't see one if it was.

EDIT: Ah at v. I do that a lot, probably.

[diamondpearl876]

Oh. I'm an idiot.

The "your" should be "you're"

"You're (you are contraction) welcome" makes more sense than "your welcome"

[txteclipse]

New chapter time. This is probably one of my better ones to date.

--------

Chapter Thirteen

Ren was roused from sleep by a whisper into his thoughts. He opened his eyes to find Latias hovering by his side, looking down at him. He sat up and blinked a few times, and then asked her what was going on.

“We need to talk,” she thought to him in answer, offering a forearm to help him stand. “Come with me. None of the others are awake yet.”

Ren followed Latias to the room where they normally slept, his mind coming fully awake. He stepped lightly past his companions so as not to disturb them. Once they were in the back room, Latias shut the door behind them and quietly engaged the latch. She then turned to face Ren.

“Do you remember from our studies that each member of the Eon Family must learn the contents of the Eon Chronicles before hatching?” she asked. Ren nodded.

“Good,” she continued. “Now I have another question…where did Latios learn the Eon Chronicles? Griffith certainly didn’t teach them to him.”

Ren stood for a few moments, puzzled, before saying “I have no idea. Why do you ask?”

“I’m not quite sure,” Latias answered. “I don’t know why, but I am concerned about the origins of Latios’ knowledge. I spoke with him in his mind after he hatched, and found nothing out of the ordinary, but I am still wary.”

Latias then moved to one of the windows set into the walls of the room, and drew back the shade with a fore-claw. “Look here,” she said to Ren. The boy obliged, approached the window, and peered outside into the frail morning light.

The landscape was pristine. Ren could see the clearing around the cottage, as well as the forest in the distance. All were covered with snow, and it seemed at first as though nothing was out of the ordinary. However, the more Ren looked, the more he felt as though something was wrong. Then he knew what that something was.

“Where are the Murkrows?” he asked Latias, turning to her with a questioning look on his face.

“That is exactly what I’d like to find out,” she thought back to him. “No snow fell last night, so the Murkrows aren’t buried. I know because I went out earlier this morning and found the place where Latios hatched. There was still a patch of exposed earth.”

“What does this mean?” Ren asked, looking back outside. “The Murkrows couldn’t have simply disappeared, could they? Maybe scavengers came in the night and carried the bodies off.”

“No, I don’t think so,” Latias said. “Scavengers aren’t that cleanly. They would have left feathers, bones, anything they didn’t want. However, there is literally nothing out there. It’s as if the Murkrows didn’t even exist.”

With that, Latias let down the shutter, cutting off the faint glow illuminating the room. She and Ren were silent for a few moments, both contemplating the odd events from yesterday. Then Latias thought to him.

“Ren,” she started, “I want you to try something. Try to say something to me, but don’t speak. Say it with your thoughts.”

“Alright," Ren said slowly. “What should I say?”

“Anything,” came the answer. “Just try not to use your voice. Focus on the words you want to say, and then think them to me.”

Ren thought for a moment, formulating a sentence, and then concentrated on sending it to Latias. To his surprise, she laughed.

“I think you're going to need some practice,” she thought to him. “I’m not quite sure what you wanted to say, but all I got was a few sounds and even some colors. Let’s try again.”

By the time Kairn, Houndour, Latios, and Griffith had awoken, Ren was able to easily send simple sentences to Latias through their mental link. There was a faint knock on the door just as Latias decided they had had enough practice for the day.

“One moment,” Latias thought to Griffith, who was standing outside. Then she returned her attention to Ren. “This ability I have just taught you weakens over distance,” she thought to him. “The farther apart we are, the weaker our bond becomes. However, this is where your sword comes into play," she glanced at the white blade near Ren's bed. "As long as you have that sword, our bond will always be the same strength. No matter how far apart we are, that sword will allow us to communicate.”

“How?” Ren thought to her. “What makes that sword so special?”

“To understand that, you must know of the sword’s origin,” Latias thought to him. “That sword was forged by the efforts of the very first Latias to bond with a human. The human forged the sword through fire and anvil, and the Latias formed it, giving it shape with her mind and pouring her light into it, removing impurities until it was perfect. The blade has no equal except its twin, which Kairn now possesses. It allows us to communicate because of the extent to which it was mentally altered. The Latias that formed it infused it with so much of her thoughts that it now acts like a beacon, allowing me to sense you from far away with my mind. Treat that sword well, and never lose it. It may be our only connection at times in the days to come.”

Ren nodded, and then unlatched the door to allow Griffith inside. The man stayed out of the room, however. “I have decided that the time has come for you to go after the first few Eon Chronicles,” he said. “Come and eat. We have many things to talk about.”

Ren and Latias followed Griffith to the living room table, where a veritable feast was laid out. Kairn, Latios, and Houndour where already eating as the three seated themselves. Ren noted that Latios had grown overnight: he was already nearly Latias’ size. Kairn looked up momentarily from his food.

“Good morning,” he said. “Griffith is having us go after the first of the Eon Chronicles today.”

“I’ve already told them,” Griffith said. “You will all leave after breakfast. First, there are some important matters to attend to.”

The one-eyed man paused as he brought out a volume of the Eon Chronicles. He laid the leather-bound book on the table as he continued. “You must find as many of these as possible,” he said. “Latios, Latias, you will be the only ones able to find them. They give off a slight energy that only you can detect. Try to sense this one.”

Both Latias and Latios closed their eyes, and concentrated. They each sensed the book’s direction and distance as it was marked by a slight pulsation in their minds. They also sensed more books; the others that Griffith possessed they sensed on the shelf in the corner, and yet more they discerned a very long way off.

“I found them,” Latias thought, opening her eyes.

“As did I,” Latios said, opening his eyes as well. “They were fairly unmistakable.”

“Very good,” Griffith said, as much to himself as to the two dragons. “You will be fine, then.” He looked to Ren. “There is another thing I want to go over,” he stated. “Kairn and Latios have not had as much experience as you and Latias. Ren, I want you to teach Kairn all of the sword fighting and survival techniques you have learned. Latias, I want you to teach both Latios and Kairn all of the information from the Eon Chronicles that you know.”

Griffith paused as Ren and Latias nodded in understanding. He then waited until the others finished eating.

“I have never been so honored in my life to meet such as you all," he said when they were finished. "I have no doubts that you will overcome the challenges before you.” He led them to the front door, where he gave to each of them a sack of food and water.

“Now go,” he said. “Find the Eon Chronicles. Keep them and each other safe.”

“Don’t worry about us,” Ren said. “We’ll look after each other. Gengar!” he called. The semi-transparent pokemon appeared before him. “Protect Griffith while we’re away.” The pokemon nodded, red eyes gleaming. It did not smile.

Ren, Latias, Kairn, Latios, and Houndour turned, left the sanctuary of the cottage, and stepped out into the snow-covered world as the door closed reluctantly behind them.

“Lead the way,” Ren said to Latias as they began to walk.

--------

[diamondpearl876]

Ren stood for a few moments, puzzled, before saying “I have no idea. Why do you ask?”

Comma after saying.

The part where Ren tries to learn how to talk to Latias through thoughts seemed kind of rushed, but that''s just me. It's like... it happened for like 2 short paragraphs and then they heard a knock on the door.

Not much else happened this chapter. Hmm. I liked your reasoning for them being able to communicate, though, and the thing with the sword. I bet you like 50 bucks Ren's gonna lose it eventually. XP

And, finally, AFTER 13 LONG CHAPTERS, WE CAN GO AFTER THE EON CHRONICLES! :D
I'll be waitingg. I do think, though, that the next chapter could be combined to the next one. This one seemed kind of.. short. But good, nonetheless.

[txteclipse]

Lol at 13 chapters. It did take a while, didn't it? Ah well. The adventure did start slightly beforehand (what with the Murkrows and all), but most people would probably consider this to be the "starting point."

In other news, I finished a chapter the other day, and it was something around 3000 words. It's by FAR my best chapter to date, but you'll have to wait a bit for it :P

EDIT: As for this chapter blending into the next: it doesn't, to put it bluntly. You'll see why when I post it.

[Apathetic_Yen]

man I want to read this now, but I got homework to do :'( Good job though, it's very interesting

[txteclipse]

Thanks for almost reading, Lee ;)

I'll probably post the next chapter tomorrow.

EDIT: Emoticons fail...

[txteclipse]

New chapter. This one is long-ish (four pages in word). Anyways, enjoy, and as always, please comment!

--------

Chapter Fourteen

A Noctowl crooned as the moon rose to its full height, casting dark shadows through the trees onto the silvery snow below. Latias, Latios, Ren, Kairn, and Houndour had been traveling for the entire day and far into the night, following the trail of the Eon Chronicles they had set out to retrieve.

The two dragons floated ahead, weaving between trees as they searched for the Chronicles with their minds. Houndour trotted along with them, his body aglow with fire to keep them warm. The two humans fell behind as weariness took hold, their bodies becoming less and less inclined to obey their minds.

Despite the cold weather, Ren was sweating. Layers of armor and clothing trapped heat inside his body, making him miserable. Kairn fared a bit better; since Ren had the only suit of armor in Griffith’s possession, Kairn had less weight to carry, and thus didn’t have to work as hard. However, he still felt very tired, and was just about to call for a halt when Ren did it for him.

“I think this is far enough for now, Latias,” Ren spoke to his partner. “Let’s stop for tonight.”

She turned her head to gaze back at him, golden eyes piercing the dark. “We’re stopping anyways,” she thought to the two humans. “The Chronicles are right here.”

Despite their tiredness, Ren and Kairn hurried to catch up to the dragons, and then stopped, looking around. The books were nowhere in sight.

“What do you mean they’re here?” Ren asked. “I don’t see anything.”

“They’re here,” Latios responded, and then looked down. “Beneath us.”

Ren and Kairn followed the feathered creature’s stare, their gaze sinking to the snow covered ground. They still saw nothing. They looked at each other, and then looked back at the dragons with confused expressions.

“Buried?” Kairn asked. “You mean they’re buried?”

“So it would seem,” Latios thought to him. “Although it is rather odd…” he trailed off.

Kairn thought for a moment, and then unsheathed his sword. “The only thing to do is to dig them up, then,” he said. “Houndour! Could you clear away this snow?”

The dog-like pokemon nodded, and then intensified the fire playing over its body, becoming a living inferno. The remainder of the group moved back in an involuntary attempt to escape the intense heat. Soon, a wide circle of ground lay exposed and smoking. Houndour moved out of the way as Kairn came forward with his sword to dig at the ground. Ren soon joined the attempt, and then the three pokemon began to help by scooping away dirt with their claws.

“That’s fairly pointless,” a voice suddenly sounded. Ren and Kairn both stood quickly, swords at the ready. The two dragons floated from their places, eyes flashing in each direction as they searched for the owner of the voice. They did not even try to adopt disguises: they knew they had been seen.

“I’m right here,” the voice continued. Each member of the group looked in a new direction, still not seeing anyone. “Here!” the voice said, growing agitated. When the company still could not find the owner of the voice, it grew very angry.

“Are you blind!?” the voice asked loudly. “I’m…right…here,” it added with deliberate slowness. A barrel-chested man cloaked completely in black appeared right in the middle of the five friends amidst cries of shock.

“You do see me, yes?” the man said.

Latios, Latias, Ren, Kairn, and Houndour all nodded, gaping.

“Excellent,” the man continued sarcastically. “As I was saying, digging won’t do you any good. There’s a solid metal plate about three feet beneath you. There’s no way you can get through. Come along.” With that, the man proceeded to walk away at a brisk pace.

The company followed hesitantly after exchanging glances. Then they all began to speak at once. “How did you--” “Where are we--” they started, but the man cut them short. “My name is Eli,” he said before rapidly answering the questions the group had tried to ask. “I got so close to you without you noticing because you are all obviously not used to traveling in the dark. If you had been in danger, you would be dead right now." He flashed a stern gaze back at them. "As to where we are going, it is somewhere that we can escape this blasted cold,” he finished tersely, continuing to walk.

There was silence as the party followed the mysterious man, not wishing to aggravate his obviously bad mood. They were worried that Eli was going to take them a very long distance, but they were soon relieved when they came to a small lean-to built under a large tree. Eli stooped inside, beckoning them to do the same.

The group crowded under the meager shelter, pressing against each other. This had the effect of making everyone completely uncomfortable. Kairn was about to complain just as Eli reached down and grasped a shining, metal ring seemingly bolted into the ground.

The ring was connected to a large door that led into the earth, which Eli now threw open. An orange glow shone out of the newly-revealed hole, illuminating the inside of the small shelter as a wave of heat emanated from the opening. The five friends looked on as the man swung himself into the doorway and grabbed hold of a ladder that led down a vertical shaft. They then began to follow after the man looked up into their orange-lit faces and beckoned impatiently.

The shaft led into a spacious, perfectly square room. As Ren reached the bottom of the ladder and stood in its center, he noticed that the walls seemed to be uniformly plated with a burnished, orange-colored metal. He made way for the rest of his companions as they came down the ladder, and then watched as Eli made his way to a pokemon standing in one corner of the room.

“This is Torkoal,” the man said, patting the creature’s head affectionately. The pokemon had orange scales, as well as a shell the color and texture of charred wood. Openings in the shell revealed that it contained something very hot: fire and smoke drifted upwards from Torkoal’s back.

The fiery creature turned its head slowly to gaze at the newcomers. It then snorted a puff of white smoke through its nostrils, which the party took as a greeting.

“Torkoal has been with me for a very long time,” Eli said. “He keeps the house warm during winter, and helps me drive off intruders.” The man looked directly at Kairn and Ren. “I don’t like intruders,” he said. “However, I’m making an exception just this once. Count yourselves lucky.”

Ren and Kairn blanched. Latios and Latias felt extremely uncomfortable; Latias decided that this man had kept his intentions in the dark long enough.

“What do you want?” she asked him through his thoughts. “Why have you brought us here?”

The man seemed unsurprised by her method of communication. “Wait here,” he said.

With that, the man disappeared into an adjoining room. He was gone for a very long time. Suddenly, Latias and Latios noticed that the Eon Chronicles seemed to be getting closer. Finally, Eli reappeared, holding two books.

Ren and Kairn looked sidelong at each other, wondering how this man had come across the Chronicles. Ren began to feel suspicious that this was the person that had taught Latios. He looked sidelong at the blue and white dragon floating beside him; however, no recognition showed in the creature’s eyes.

Eli walked up to Kairn and handed him the editions of the Chronicles. “These books detail the lives of two pokemon named Latios and Latias,” he said. “I assume they are you,” he continued, looking from one dragon to the other. They inclined their heads in agreement.

“This is why I brought you here,” Eli said. “I noticed your Houndour’s flame from a long way off, and came to investigate. That’s when I saw Latios and Latias, which these books say will hatch when a great evil is at hand. For this reason, I want to help you in any way I can.”

The company visibly relaxed, no longer seeing the strange man as a threat. Eli then opened one of the books in Kairn’s hands. “I am a blacksmith by trade,” he said, stopping at a certain page, “and this segment of the book details how to make many things, namely weapons and armor. Now: each of these requires the touch of either a Latias or a Latios to function. This armor, for example, is layered in dragon feathers, which allows the wearer to alter his or her appearance and even become invisible, just like a Latias or Latios. Seeing as…” he hesitated, looking at Kairn.

The boy looked back until he realized that the man did not know his name. “Kairn,” he said.

Eli nodded and continued. “Seeing as Kairn here does not have armor, I figured I would make some for him. If that’s alright with you,” he added quickly, glancing at Latios. He had noticed that the dragon owned a set of rather sharp claws, and did not want to make him angry. Plucking feathers was nothing short of excruciating, and he wanted permission first.

“I would do it,” Latios thought to him, “if it meant Kairn would be safer.”

“Of course” Eli said. “There would be steel plating under the feathers, which would be layered with leather to minimize sound. It would be by far the best armor that could be asked for. The wearer would be as unnoticeable as a ghost.”

Latios nodded, convinced, and then steeled his nerves as he waited for Eli to pull feathers from his skin. The blacksmith worked swiftly; Latios felt points of quick, sharp pain for only a few moments as Eli removed one feather after the next. Torkoal worked alongside the man, sealing the wound that each feather left behind with a small jet of flame.

Soon, Eli had collected enough plumage to create the armor. He carefully moved the blue and white pile to a tablecloth before wrapping it inside. “That should be enough,” he said. Then he turned to Latias. “Would you like me to add some of your feathers to his armor?” he asked, inclining his head towards Ren.

“Of course,” she thought back to him. “His name is Ren, by the way.”

“Ren,” Eli muttered to himself, repeating the procedure he had used on Latios with Latias. He wrapped the small pile of white and red feathers he had collected in another tablecloth, and set it alongside the first. “Good,” he said. “I’ll start on the armor tomorrow. For now, though, you all look tired. Try to get some sleep.”

Eli had no extra beds, so the party lay down on blankets on the floor. Ren stroked Latias’ neck as she rested beside him; her thoughts revealed that, despite her outward bravery, she was in pain from having the feathers removed. “You didn’t have to do that,” he thought to her so as not to wake their companions. “I hate to see you like this…” he trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

His hand strayed too far down her neck and brushed a patch of raw skin. She flinched. Ren gasped and pulled his hand away. “I’m sorry!” he said aloud.

“I’m fine,” Latias thought to him soothingly. “It just stings a little. I would rather suffer through this than have you injured; that armor sounds like it’s worth it.”

Ren relaxed somewhat, although his look of concern did not disappear. “Thank you,” he said. “Only...it seems like you’re always doing things for me, rather than the other way around. I wish I could do something for you for a change…”

“Rubbing my neck helped,” Latias thought to him with a touch of humor. He began anew, being more careful to avoid the reddened areas of exposed skin.

Suddenly he thought to her. “Latias?” he asked. “Do you think that Griffith has told my parents about us being gone yet?”

Latias gingerly turned her head to face him. “Probably,” she answered.

“Will they be alright?”

“I’m sure they will be.”

“Do you remember your parents?”

The question caught Latias completely off guard. She hesitated, uncertainty emanating from her mind. “I don’t think so,” she said falteringly. She couldn’t remember if her parents had ever spoken with her or not, or if she even had parents for that matter. Ren sat up, looking at her with an expression of shock.

“You don’t?” he asked. Latias shook her head.

Ren lay back. No family? He couldn’t even conceive what that would be like. If he had never known his parents, or his brother for that matter…

His brother. Ren thought suddenly about Bron, about what he had been like during life. His brother had been strong and brave, always looking out for those around him. Just like…

Latias. Ren looked to the dragon, a new appreciation for her showing on his face. She didn’t notice his gaze as he ran his hand over her soft feathers, a silent tear falling to the blanket on which he lay. Eventually, she began to breathe softly, indicating that her discomfort had been replaced with the quiet senselessness of sleep.

“Goodnight,” Ren said, wrapping his arms carefully around Latias’ neck. He hugged her gently as his mind followed hers into unawareness.

--------

Quick question: does that weird grammatical thing I did near the end work?

[diamondpearl876]

Quick question: does that weird grammatical thing I did near the end work?


What thing? I’m not sure what you’re talking about.


A Noctowl crooned as the moon rose to its full height, casting dark shadows through the trees onto the silvery snow below.

I really liked this line, and it was the first one. XP Very descriptive to me.

“Of course” Eli said.

Comma after “course”. Only real thing I saw.

Anyway, I noticed you used “very” an awful lot in this chapter. I mean, it’s okay to use it once or twice, but after a while it is boring and better words can replace it, like “extremely” or “incredibly” and other things.

However, I also noticed that Eli has no personality whatsoever. Yeah, he apparently likes to help fight against evil, but that’s about it. Give him a personality and make it clear; don’t make him a robot. :O Though, the introduction to a new character was nice and I look forward to see other things he does in the story.

Nonetheless, this was a good chapter with great description (as always--don’t be too surprised), and some character development for Latias as we learn a little about what she knows/doesn’t know about her past. I hope more is revealed eventually.

Waiting for the next chapter, as always. :) Hopefully they'll get some Eon Chronicles now. Roar.

[txteclipse]

Yeah, about Eli...I did this kind of "thing", for lack of a better word. You'll understand when the next chapter comes around. It has to do with plot flow and atmosphere and stuff. I hope you'll see what I mean.

[KPROFSLS]

this is heaps cool thanks 4 some good reading.

[txteclipse]

And thank you for reading!

Trying to type up a new chapter right about now, which doesn't affect you all because I'm still a few chapters behind on these forums, but it's difficult. I worked on my last chapter EXTREMELY hard, so it's going to be a trick to top it. Fun.

[Bobpie]

This is awesome!

I'm going to start a fanfic so i've been looking at other fic's

Notig much you need to work o in my view! ^_^

[txteclipse]

--------

Chapter Fifteen

Eli awoke in the middle of the night, bathed in a cold sweat. He lay still for a few moments, and then turned his head slowly to either side. Torkoal slept in one corner of the room, the fire in its shell burning low, giving off little light. The group that Eli had invited into his home that night slept on the floor next to him.

The man listened for a few moments to the sounds of breathing coming from around him, and then silently got up and made his way to the adjoining room. No one stirred as he tiptoed past. Once in the next room, Eli shut and locked the door. He then waited in utter darkness for what would happen next.

Two glowing eyes suddenly blinked open before him. They regarded him for a few moments, and then a voice like the howling of the wind reached his ears. “Why did you promise them armor?” the voice said. “It will make them that much harder to kill.”

“I had to in order to make them trust me,” Eli responded.

He could never quite keep the fear out of his voice while talking to Weavile. The creature had taken him prisoner years ago, forcing him to forge weapons and armor for an unknown purpose. Every day, Weavile would follow the man, concealed in his shadow, directing him to places where supplies would seemingly miraculously appear. Then Eli would carry the supplies back to his house, where Weavile would tell him what to make.

Each night, Weavile would disappear for a few hours, taking Eli’s handiwork with it. It would leave behind two Sneasels to keep an eye on the man and make sure he did not escape. The first time Weavile left, Eli did not know this, and had tried to leave. The two creatures waited until he was about a mile from his house before detaching themselves from his shadow and attacking.

Eli had been so injured that he couldn’t walk. The Sneasels dragged him back to his house, their hook-shaped claws digging into his flesh. The only reason Eli lived was that the creature’s claws froze his body wherever they cut: he was literally held together by ice. Once home, he awaited Weavile’s return, which came with even more punishment. Eli still bore scars from that ordeal, which he hid with his cloak. He never tried to escape again. Day after day, he toiled for the vicious pokemon holding him captive, all hope for release slowly fading away.

“It is of little importance, I suppose,” Weavile began to speak again. “I could always dispatch of them at night, when they take their armor off for sleep. What matters is that they are here.” the creature paused for a few moments. “It is a good thing we had to move such a large load of supplies yesterday, or we may never have seen them. Such luck! To think that I will be able to kill the humans and deliver up Latias and Latios myself! There would be no end to the reward!” Weavile seemed to shudder with delight.

Eli kept his face devoid of emotion, but inside he felt disgust. Weavile had been with him when he found the five friends that now slept in the adjoining room. The pokemon had forced him to interact with them; to trick them into coming with him. He had not wanted to obey, but resistance meant swift punishment.

So here the children were, unaware that death stalked them. Looking back now, Eli felt terrible. He should have disobeyed Weavile, should have resisted and tried to give the children a chance. He may have been killed for it, but it would be better than having the guilt of their deaths on his hands. Now their fate was sealed.

“I must gather more helpers in order to insure the safe capture of the dragons,” Weavile was saying. “I will be back in a few days. In the meantime, you will build this armor.” The creature paused and leaned in close. The stench of rotting flesh overpowered Eli’s senses. “You will say nothing about me while I am gone. If my servants so much as suspect that you intend to tell the children of me, they will silence you without hesitation. Do you understand?” Eli nodded.

“Perfect,” Weavile said. The creature closed its eyes, sealing away their deathly glow, and disappeared.

***

Kairn, Latios, Ren, Latias, and Houndour all woke simultaneously as Torkoal’s shell flared to life. “Good morning,” Eli said, greeting them cheerfully as they got up from their resting places. “I’m about to start the armor. It may get a bit loud in here, so I’m just warning you. There’s breakfast made.”

Kairn and Ren seated themselves at the table, while Latias and Latios floated on either side. They began to devour a meal of bread and berry jam hungrily as Eli started to work. The man first held plates of steel in Torkoal’s shell until they were red-hot, and then began to pound them into shape on an anvil.

The forging job was so loud that the five friends were obliged to take their feast outside in the snow. Houndour cleared a place for them before they all sat down anew, eating together in silence as they watched the sun rise. Suddenly, Kairn laughed, pointing at Latios. The dragon had eaten so fast that he had gotten more jam on his face than in his mouth.

“You didn’t do much better,” Latios retorted, grinning slyly through the mess. “Have a look.” He then changed his appearance to that of Kairn’s, showing him that he was just as covered with the spread. The boy’s shocked expression caused Latias and Ren to laugh so hard that their sides began to hurt.

Latios wiped his mouth clean with a fore claw as Houndour attempted to lick Kairn’s face. The boy flailed helplessly as the dog-like pokemon clambered all over him, sending his companions into more bouts of laughter. Kairn finally managed to push Houndour away, and then stood scrubbing his face with his sleeve. He grinned.

“It’s that funny, eh?” he asked. “Well then, let’s see how you like it!” He picked up a jam-slathered slice of bread and tossed it at Ren, smacking him square in the chest. Everything went downhill from there. Ren and Kairn were soon throwing every speck of food they could get their hands on at each other.

The dragons stayed decidedly uninvolved at first, but when Ren tossed a bowl of jam over both of them, they decided to team up. The two Eon pokemon floated back to back, throwing food at the humans, who quickly ran for cover behind the trees. The dragons then separated, Latios going for Ren, Latias chasing after Kairn. The boys were soon routed; they cowered on their knees and held their heads in their hands as they were pelted mercilessly with food.

“Enough! Enough!” Ren shouted, laughing. “You win!” Latias and Latios tossed a few more clawfuls of food for good measure, and then backed off. Ren and Kairn stood, and then looked down at themselves. They were literally covered from head to toe with breadcrumbs and the red, sticky jam.

It was at that moment that Eli came topside. The five friends had been so loud that he could hear them over his smith work. “What’s happening up here?” he asked, and then noticed the two boys. He tried to keep his face serious, but a smile spread across his features as he started back down without saying a word. He then nearly fell off of the ladder as he exploded into laughter.

***

After cleaning themselves using melted snow, the company decided that they would train while Eli worked. Ren sparred with Kairn, teaching him how to use his sword, while Latias flew with Latios, showing him various aerial maneuvers. After a while of this, the two dragons landed, and Ren climbed onto Latias’ back. She had grown much larger since their first meeting, and Ren could now easily sit on her back while holding on with his legs.

As he did this, he noticed that Latias’ feathers had grown back in overnight. He looked over at Latios, but found that patches of skin still showed through the pokemon’s feathers. He wondered why this was for a few moments, but then thought no more of it as he told Kairn to mount up.

“We’re going flying today,” he said to the other boy. “Go ahead and climb up on Latios like I just did with Latias.”

Latios flattened his body to the ground so that Kairn could get onto his back easily, and then patiently waited while the boy did so. Once Kairn was on board, Latios straightened, and then floated a few feet off of the ground. The boy steadied himself and closed his eyes as the dragon began to fly forward at a slow pace.

Ren regarded his friend for a few moments as Latios moved into the distance. Then he bent forward, wrapped an arm around Latias’ neck for support, and whispered to her. “Let’s go,” he said. Latias looked back to find a peculiar gleam in her companion’s eyes. Then their minds touched for a moment, and she knew why. “Alright,” she thought to him. “Hold on.”

Latias began to glow softly as she turned her mind to her feathers, causing them to lay flat against her body. Suddenly, Ren found himself to be enveloped in that same glow, which had the peculiar effect of shutting out the cold air. The light pulsed slightly as Latias floated upwards off of the ground, and then held steady as she began to pick up speed.

The two quickly accelerated, and then angled upwards as they neared Kairn and Latios. Their companions watched with open mouths as they shot into the open sky, and then flinched as a blast of sound washed over them.

--------

This is the second chapter I wrote after coming to these forums; the first, obviously, being Fourteen. Not much to say about this chapter, except there's a lot of stuff happening in a short amount of time. The food fight was fun to do, needless to say, and it's one of my favorite scenes thus far.

Slight heads up: I may change the ages of Ren and Kairn to 13 and 15, respectively. I feel that their current ages (11 and 13) is just a little too young for things they will be doing soon. The reason I say "may" is because I'm waiting for opinions on another site.

In the meantime, I'd like to hear from you all if you think that the age change should happen. Would it fit all that has occured thus far? I think it does, but I'd like to hear some others agree or disagree first.

[GalladeIceMan]

I am a big fan of this, I printed it up, took it to school, and skipped lunch time and recess it was so good! I think that you should change it in the 17th chapter. Because if you did it in the 16th, that would mean that Weavile was either slaughtered, or that he hasnt come back yet. That would lose a lot of details. If you did it in the 13-15th chapters, that would have meant that they didnt find any chronicles yet. You could have done that in those chapters, though that would cut out a lot of details.

[txteclipse]

That's awesome that you read it at school! I never thought someone would do that. It makes me want to write more!

Anyways, I'm not really sure what you meant after that. Were you asking about the age change? If so, I meant that I would literally revise my descriptions in chapter one so that Ren and Kairn would be older. I wouldn't suddenly say "they're 13 and 15 now and this is what has been happening for 2 years".

[Twinx]

I've just spent a couple of hours reading all the chapters, and I must admit, I'm hooked on this! hehe. It's got a lot of mystery into it, that's what I like most about it.
I get the feeling that Eli will soon attempt to escape again and warn the children about the danger they face. :P

I noticed that you sometimes write Poke'mon, well if you want to type it correctly (Pokémon), just press: "Alt + 130" You will get "é". It's a very useful shortcut :)

You should definitely make the characters older since all this action is a bit too much for an 11 year old.

Anyway, you've got my support, keep up the good work!

*Goes to rest his brain from all the reading :D:P

[txteclipse]

Wow. All at once? I might not even be able to do that lol!

It's nice to have someone around my age reading this. Most of my readers are around 14 or 15, which isn't a bad thing, but it's cool to know I'm reaching a broader audience.

Anyways, more to come in a little less than a week, and the age change is occuring just about...now.

[diamondpearl876]

Sorry. I’ve been incredibly lazy to review anything and everything, and even now I’m not in the mood to do so, but I will for you anyway. :x yaya.

Anyway, I was kind of suspecting him as a bad guy already, even though you gave absolutely no hints at it (none I remember, anyway). The only thing that didn’t seem to be explained was -why- Weavile took Eli as a prisoner in general, and why him? It could have been anyone. I think the history of those two could have been expanded on. Sneasel/Weavile are awesome pokemon, by the way. ;)

Also, you did not describe Weavile in one bit. Sneasel, yeah: just the hook-shaped claws, though. You have to pretend we don’t know what these pokemon look like, and describe them.

But, the interaction between the characters with the little food fight and everything was pretty realistic and sweet to read. However, more emotional stuff could have been put in for Eli: what’s it like, watching them so happy, when he knows their fate already, secretly?

Andd, I think the ages should be changed. I didn’t even realize they were so young. O_o *stupid reader* But, yeah, it should be raised. Ren doesn’t act too much like an eleven year old anyway..


“It is of little importance, I suppose,” Weavile began to speak again.

This would have worked better if the second part of the sentence was put at the beginning, and then the comma turning into a period, with the second quotation mark removed.

the creature paused for a few moments.


“the” should be capitalized.

Looking forward to the next chapter, as always. I'll try not to procrastinate next time.. xd

[txteclipse]

--------

Chapter Sixteen

As Latias began to fly so fast that the ground became a blur beneath her, the sound of the wind howling around Ren grew to a nearly unbearable level. While the light surrounding him kept the chill air away, the shrill noise still came to his ears. He cringed against the pain as he tightened his grip on Latias’ neck. The two had never flown this fast before.

Suddenly, a huge explosion rent the air, and then the boy noticed that the wind had stopped. Not only that, but there seemed to be no noise at all. His world had become absolutely silent, and he started to grow frightened. “What’s happening?” he tried to ask, but his voice did not come. At this point, his fear mounted. He tried to talk again and again, but his words simply refused to form.

Latias sensed his panic, and then thought-spoke to him, her words coming like a salve to his emotions. “Your voice will not come while we are flying this fast,” she said. “I’m not quite sure why, but you can still use your mind to talk to me.”

Ren hesitantly thought a few words to Latias, and when she indicated that she had heard, his intensely pounding heart began to slow back down to its normal rate. He exhaled shakily, and then looked around. The world was rushing quietly by at a speed he could not believe. When he tried to focus his eyes on an item of interest, it would flash by before he could do so. The effect nearly made him sick.

Suddenly, Latias began to increase the height of her flight. She rose until the trees below became an indistinguishable, shadowy mass of white and grey. From this vantage point, Ren could see for many miles in every direction. This muted his sense of speed, and he began to feel better as he admired the world below him.

His view was breathtaking. The land in all directions was blanketed in white snow, except where the occasional river or lake would stand out a shining, brilliant blue. Slate-colored clouds drifted by below and to the sides as he and Latias flew in utter silence. Every so often, they would pass straight through one of the insubstantial forms, and Ren would look back to see it twist and contort in their wake. Before them, the clouds formed a sort of half-tunnel that was painted gold by the sun, which hung motionless at the end. The top of the tunnel was open to the bright-blue infinity of the sky above.

Latias and Ren now flew through this tunnel, the dragon’s feathers catching the sunlight and taking on the same color as the billowing walls that surrounded them. Ren shaded his eyes with a hand as Latias became so illuminated that he could hardly see. Suddenly, they dropped down through the bottom of the cloud-tunnel and pierced through the other side, leaving a wide hole behind them that allowed sunlight to stream through.

As the two descended towards earth in the golden illumination falling around them, Ren’s heart started to race wildly. He began to shout with excitement as Latias pulled out of her dive, wheeling this way and that at incomprehensible speeds. Each time they turned, Latias would tilt to the side, and Ren would find himself being pushed against her by the force of the maneuver.

They flew down to skim just over a frozen lake, and then back up again at a nearly straight angle, the force of their ascent pushing their breath down into their lungs. Latias began to slow as she reached the crest of her incline, and then crawled to a stop for a few harrowing, weightless seconds as a second blast of noise overcame her and her passenger.

Then, slowly and ever so subtly, Latias began to tilt backwards from her vertical position as the wind streamed around her body, creating a quiet whistling noise. She continued to tilt as she began to fall, looping backwards as she picked up speed. At first, Ren was suspended completely upside down. He held on with all of his might and narrowed his eyelids to slits as Latias continued her backwards roll; the wind howled around them at an ever increasing intensity as they quickly picked up speed.

Finally, Latias completed her flip and was once again plummeting head-first towards earth. At that time, Ren realized that his lungs were aching. He had not taken a breath during the entirety of Latias’ last maneuver, and began to gasp for air. He shuddered as adrenaline coursed through his body, his limbs tingling with excitement.

“Unbelievable!” he thought to his companion. “Is this how you always feel when you fly!?”

“Most of the time,” Latias replied, laughing. She began to slow, pulling out of her dive before she turned her feathered head back to regard him with a single golden eye. “It’s much more fun than the speeds we normally go,” she thought-spoke to him.

“So it is,” Ren said to himself, smiling. He had been holding Latias back; whenever they had flown before, he had been too afraid to go so fast. Now that he had overcome that fear, he couldn’t understand where it stemmed from in the first place.

Latias leveled out, and then began to accelerate once again. The familiar blast of sound soon followed, and then both she and Ren were left in utter silence. Suddenly Latias had an idea. “I want you to try something,” she thought to Ren. “Let go of my neck.”

“What?” Ren hesitated. “Won’t I fall?” he asked, involuntarily glancing at the ground as it moved swiftly below them.

“Of course not,” Latias answered. “Go ahead. And close your eyes, as well.”

Ren did as Latias asked, and loosened his grip around her neck. He noted that the light surrounding him seemed to be keeping him steady, and then he closed his eyes.

“Now spread your arms out,” Latias continued. “That’s right,” she added as he did so. Ren could not imagine what Latias was up to, but he obeyed nonetheless. She paused before speaking again. “It’s all right to open your eyes now.”

Ren obliged, and then gasped. Latias was no longer holding him aloft; he was alone. Underneath him, the ground passed at breakneck speed. He glanced quickly in every direction. He still saw no sign of his companion, and began to panic.

“Latias!” he called out with his mind.

“Yes?” she answered. Ren sensed that she was very close.

“Where are you!?” he started to shout. “What are…!?” he trailed off as Latias’ shape flickered once beneath him, and then reverted back to clarity. The motion was subtle, but it made Ren realize that the dragon was still carrying him. His eyes grew wide, and then he laughed. Of course she was still there. He would have fallen were she not.

Latias began to fly so close to the ground that she left a wake of disturbed snow surging behind her. Ren turned his attention forward, allowing the full sense of their speed to reach his senses. A confident smile turned up one corner of his mouth as they rushed headlong through the forest, dodging so close to trees that the smaller ones bent away as they passed.

“So this is what flying is really like,” Ren thought to himself.

--------

Ah. I love the ability to use italics. That last sentence just felt so bland on the other site I post at.

In other news, I see what you mean, DP. I really do need a bit more description about Weavile and the Sneasels...

It's funny, because in a later chapter I describe some pokes with about a paragraph each worth of text. I don't know what got into me here...

[txteclipse]

Absolutely no replies? That's odd. Ah well, my last chapter was slightly filler-ish (much as I hate to say that word; all my chapters are important in at least some way).

I could post my next chapter a little early, but then you all would be catching up to my writing a bit too fast. You have about three chapters to go until I run out of ones I've already written. After that time, it will probably take longer for each chapter to arrive, which isn't very fun for you all, so I want to postpone that situation as long as possible (if that makes any sense).

[Twinx]

Can't really say much about this chapter, it's nice that you're not rushing into things though. I'd say it's a filler, but I guess it's necessary.
I'm not a good reviewer really, I'm just reading for the joy of it :)

I wasn't going to post a useless reply, but just wanted to let you know that we're still reading. I think you should post another chapter now, but that's completely up to you.

[txteclipse]

This is where things begin to pick up. Enjoy!

--------

Chapter Seventeen

As Latias and Ren returned to the clearing surrounding Eli’s house, they noticed that Latios and Kairn had already finished their flying lesson. The two were eating a dinner of roasted fowl-meat in the small patch of dry ground that Houndour had created that morning. The dog-like pokemon stood near them, also eating.

Kairn set his food down on a stone slab he was using like a plate as Ren and Latias landed nearby. “That was incredible!” he said, face beaming. “Will we get to do that again? Will Latios and I ever go as fast as you two?”

“Probably,” Latias thought to him, answering both of his questions at once. She suppressed a smile at his enthusiasm.

“For right now, though, let’s stick to the basics…like not letting go,” Latios added with a laugh.

Kairn’s face grew red as he returned to eating. His flying lesson had gone perfectly fine until he tried to balance on Latios’ back with no hands. He had not warned his companion beforehand, and the dragon had accelerated at exactly that instant. The result had been Kairn rolling down a rather large, snow-covered hill.

Latias and Ren joined their companions in the meal, and then they all began to talk of the days events. Sharp, resounding clashes of metal from below denoted that Eli was still working. Suddenly, the clamor stopped. The five friends looked to the entrance of the man’s underground house as he came topside.

“I thought you might like to read these while you eat,” he said, producing his two volumes of the Eon Chronicles. “I have the designs for the armor memorized, so I don’t need them at the moment.”

Kairn accepted the books and then returned to his seat as Eli went back down the ladder. He held them awkwardly in his hands before cracking the top one open to the first page. Ren, Latios, Latias, and Houndour crowded around him as he began to read falteringly.

‘Herein are recorded the findings of Ethra and Latias, being the eighth generation of the Eon Family since the Union. Year 8002 Post Darkness, month May, day Tuesday the 14th.

On this day I was sparring with Aen when I noticed a strange sensation in my fingers. I looked down to find that my hands were glowing with a vibrant, white light. When I brought my fingers closer to my face to examine them, I noticed that they were very hot.

This, needless to say, was puzzling. My hands began to cool as I stood still, but when I returned to swordplay, my fingers once again shone forth brightly. I even singed Aen on accident when we had locked swords and my knuckles brushed his. He is rather wary of me now.

I spoke with Latias about the incident, but she was also unsure as to the cause. I have decided to investigate this matter further tomorrow. For now, I must sleep.’

Kairn paused as his friends leaned in closer, and then looked around at them. “That’s it,” he said after a moment. “The next few pages detail the armor that Eli is making.”

“How can that be all?” Ren asked. “Keep going. Maybe she continued writing later.”

Kairn searched through the rest of the pages in the book, and then continued on to the next book. However, Ethra’s writings did not continue.

“Strange,” thought Latias. “Are there any more mentions if this occurrence?”

Kairn thumbed through the books again. “No, none,” he said. “Here’s a segment on dressing wounds, one on sword techniques, but nothing like what I just read.”

Everyone mused for a few moments as the already-low sun began to sink under the horizon, tinting the trees and clouds a mixture of gold, purple, and pink.

“We’ve had a long day,” Latios thought finally, yawning with a muted roar. “And apparently, there’s not much more we can discover with these books. I propose that we rest now and search for the answers later, when we have more of the Chronicles in our possession.”

The dragon’s yawn quickly carried around the group as they all nodded their heads in agreement. The five companions made their way back to the entrance of Eli’s house, and then climbed down the ladder. Once inside, they announced their intentions to sleep, and Eli stopped hammering.

“That’s fine,” he said. “I’m rather tired, as well.” He set down his hammer, and then laid the steel plate he had been working on beside it.

The companions all set up blankets like they had the night before and bedded down for the night. Torkoal’s flame dimmed to a low level, allowing the room to be overcome by darkness. Soon, everyone was asleep, except for Latios and Kairn.

“I’ve been thinking,” Kairn whispered to Latios, still not quit able to converse with him through thought alone. “About this armor that Eli is building. He says that I will be able to use it to change my appearance, just like you.” He paused. “How will that work?”

Latios turned a red eye to his companion, his feathers glowing dimly in the dark. “While you are near me, you are influenced by me,” he said. “You haven’t noticed yet, but subtle changes are happening inside your mind and body. Essentially, you are inheriting some of my traits, but they may manifest themselves in unexpected ways. Take the armor for instance. When you use it, you will be able to control the flow of light around you, just like me. However, you may also be able to do other things; things neither of us may expect.”

“Like Ethra?” Kairn asked, regarding the women he had read about earlier in the Chronicles. “I’m assuming her ability came from her partnership with Latias.”

“It is possible,” Latios answered, nodding his head once. “However, unlike her power, which was very pronounced, most are subtle. Some aren’t even discovered until many years after a dragon’s union with a human. Some probably aren’t even discovered at all.”

Kairn frowned, looking perplexed. “How do you know this?” he asked. “The Eon Chronicles don’t say anything like that.”

“Oh, but they do.” Latios answered. “The ones I was taught from did, anyways.”

“The ones you were taught from?” Kairn’s frown deepened. “What do you mean? Weren’t you taught the same things as Latias?”

“No,” the dragon answered. “I was taught from a different set of the Chronicles, and therefore I know different things. Latias and I already have spoken about this, and have exchanged most of our knowledge with each other. I decided to teach you about her set of the books before we delved into mine.”

“All right,” Kairn said, his look of confusion lessening somewhat. Then he had a thought. “Latios, who was your teacher?” he asked.

The dragon hesitated for a moment before answering. “I don’t know,” he thought to his companion finally. “I can never seem to remember. It’s very strange…” he trailed off. “I do remember some type of light, however.” He thought for a few moments more, and then shook his head. “It’s no use. I just can’t remember.”

“It’s fine,” Kairn said. “I’m sure you will recall sometime.” He yawned. “Let’s go to sleep now, though. I’m so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open.”

“I know how you feel,” Latios thought to him. He closed his maroon eyes as his feathers began to glow more softly. “Goodnight.”

The two drifted into slumber, the questions in their minds slowly fading away.

***

Weavile returned exactly a week after his departure from Eli’s house. He slipped undetected as a shadow across the ground while a cluster of similar shadows followed behind. When he arrived at the entrance to his captive’s home he materialized into his normal form, and held up a glistening, icy claw. The shadows behind him stopped moving, wavering slightly in the moonlight.

The dark creature made his way into the lean-to covering the door leading to Eli’s house, and then bent low to the ground as he returned to his shadow form. He covered the door, and then began to seep noiselessly through the small cracks surrounding it.

Once inside, he rematerialized before making his way to the center of the living room, where he regarded his surroundings with haunting, glowing eyes. The two boys slept on the floor on blankets, their dragons beside them. Eli and Torkoal were in the corner of the room, also asleep. On the wall, two suits of finished armor were hung; one was layered with blue and white feathers, the other with red and white. Weavile grinned, revealing rows of twisted, sharp teeth. He made his way to Ren as he noiselessly extended his claws.

He stood before the boy, listening to him breath easily in his sleep. Such innocence. Such weakness. This was no warrior. Latias would be so very under-utilized if allowed to stay with him. Weavile could not let that stand. He lashed out suddenly, his claw whistling shrilly towards the boy’s heart.

Unexpectedly, his claws did not penetrate. They simply stopped just above the boy’s chest as a loud, resounding “clang” echoed throughout the room. Weavile’s face had just enough time to register shock before many things happened at once. The two dragons sleeping alongside the boys wavered, distorting until just Latios was left. On the wall, the hanging armor also began to change shape, and then was revealed to be Latias in disguise. Under Weavile’s claw, feathered armor faded into existence. It had protected his victim from harm.

Suddenly, Weavile roared in pain as the tip of a blade seemingly appeared out of his chest. He gasped, looking down at the shining metal, and then convulsed again as Ren snapped his eyes open and plunged his own sword through the creature’s abdomen.

“How--!?” he hissed to Eli, who was standing behind him. His eyes were wide.

“I defeated your servants with the help of Ren and Kairn here,” the man said through gritted teeth. “You should have considered that before you left them alone with us. Then it was simply a matter of staying up every night, waiting. I am done serving you. I will not follow blindly any longer, nor will I allow you to slay these two.”

“You wish to save them?” Weavile asked, regarding the boys. “You fool! I have many more servants waiting just outside. If I do not go out to them soon, they have orders to attack. You should have done as I commanded. Instead, you disobeyed! Now you will all die in vain!” he spat.

“Then I shall die with a clear conscience,” Eli replied tersely. He sharply twisted his blade, and then wrenched it free of Weavile’s body. Freezing, dark-blue liquid spattered the ground as Ren did the same with his own sword. Weavile fell flat on his face, his eyes dimming as the ground around him turned icy from his blood. “My betters will not be denied their prize,” he whispered weakly. Then death overcame him.

“What do we do now?” Ren asked, wiping frost from his sword with one of the blankets. Kairn, Latios, Latias, and Houndour all crowded around him.

“We run,” Eli said flatly.

--------

[Twinx]

"...they all began to talk of the day's events."
That's the only mistake I have found.

Anyway, this was a nice chapter, this is getting better and better!
I'm very suspicious about that Latios though.
Can't wait to know how they will manage to escape from Weavile's servants.

[diamondpearl876]

Overdue review here. Sorry again. I've been busy, and... ahem, lazy... but I didn't forget! :P

A few things to point out first:

“I have the designs for the armor memorized, so I don’t need them at the moment.”

I like this line, mostly because it informs the reader that Eli has been in the hands of that Weavile for quite awhile now, and that adds to his character. :P Don't know if that was the intention of it, but yeah. It's better than just blurting it out through text out of nowhere. Readers can actually infer.


Kairn searched through the rest of the pages in the book, and then continued on to the next book.

y use book twice. breaks flow.


“I’ve been thinking,” Kairn whispered to Latios, still not quit able to converse with him through thought alone.

"quit" should be "quite"

“Oh, but they do.” Latios answered.

Comma after "do", not the period. And... you used "answered" for Latios before and after this one. Mix it up a little, otherwise it gets too boring too fast.

There was more, but I don't think you want this whole thing to be grammar/spelling. XD

And, I noticed improvement in your description, though there was nothing wrong with it before. I especially liked the description after Weavile came back. That was nicely done... even though you killed him! ;_; However, everyone's reactions after that happened were kind of non-existent. It was simply a "he died, now what?" kind of thing. More could have been added.

Also, another cliffhanger..?! I'm always left with those. =( I think you'll do well with their escape, if Weavile really does have other servants waiting... :P

You also did a good job with incorporating the mystery of Ethra and Latias. I think something bad happened to her after... who knows? Guess we'll find out with Ren... :P Maybe.

Sorry for the lame/short review. XD Not much happened this chapter, really.

[txteclipse]

I think that the conversation between Eli and Weavile was kind of their closure with each other. Eli killed Weavile, and then pretty much moved on. He couldn't really be emotional, because the creature basically brutalized him for a long time. Although I could have added a bit about one of the characters pitying the creature for being so heartless, and in dying in such a way. That could be good.

As for Ethra and Latias, I believe I'll be doing quite a bit with them. It may turn out rather interesting, but I'll need some more plot development first.

EDIT: I see someone rated my fic one star. Mind telling me why? Or did you just think it would be funny?

[diamondpearl876]

I think that the conversation between Eli and Weavile was kind of their closure with each other. Eli killed Weavile, and then pretty much moved on. He couldn't really be emotional, because the creature basically brutalized him for a long time. Although I could have added a bit about one of the characters pitying the creature for being so heartless, and in dying in such a way. That could be good.

As for Ethra and Latias, I believe I'll be doing quite a bit with them. It may turn out rather interesting, but I'll need some more plot development first.

EDIT: I see someone rated my fic one star. Mind telling me why? Or did you just think it would be funny?

It was probably a stupid joke.

And, I wasn't expecting Eli to feel sorry for Weavile or anything, but I was kind of expecting a happy reaction from him. A feeling of finally being free or something.

[txteclipse]

Seeing as I haven't posted a new chapter in roughly half a month (whoops) I'll do that now. There are two more chapters after this one until the fic is caught up with my writing (I.E I will have to actually start writing more chapters at that point), so it may take me longer to post at that time. Anyways, enjoy!

--------

Chapter Eighteen

Ren swung up onto Latias’ back, while Kairn jumped up onto Latios along with Houndour. Both of the boys were wearing their new armor, the feather-layered steel slightly luminous in the near-dark.

“We’re ready,” Ren said to Eli as he and Kairn drew their swords. The two blades shone dimly with their own inner light.

“Just one moment,” Eli answered as he made his way to the back room. Torkoal followed him, using its fiery shell as a torch. Eli stepped over the bodies of the two Sneasels that had held him hostage up until recently, and then collected his editions of the Eon Chronicles from a shelf.

“That’s odd,” he muttered to himself as he stepped over the Sneasels once again. The creatures seemed to be dissolving into nothing: black steam rose from their crumpled forms, and they appeared to be mostly deteriorated. He paid them no more attention as he hurried back to the adjoining room.

“Take these,” Eli said, handing one of the Chronicles to each of the boys. “They are yours’ now. Keep them safe.”

“We will,” Kairn and Ren said in unison as they placed the books in leather bags strapped around their backs. The bags contained small amounts of food and water that Eli had rationed to them earlier, along with vials of Potion that Ren had concocted.

Eli grunted as he hefted a mighty broadsword with one hand, the blade still tainted blue from Weavile’s blood. He had forged the sword after creating the boys’ armor during the past week; all of his other weaponry had been taken long ago by his dark captor. Eli bent down to Torkoal, and whispered a few words. The creature retracted into its shell, and the man then wrapped a long metal chain around its carapace. This done, he hoisted the heavily-armored pokemon with his free arm, brandishing it as a shield.

“I don’t know exactly what is waiting for us, but I doubt that we will get out of this situation easily,” he intoned grimly, looking at each of his guests in turn. “If we are separated, do not come back for me. You are all much too important to risk your lives for my sake.” He paused for a long time before speaking again in a low voice. “I hope one day you will forgive me for misleading you.”

“We already have,” Kairn said to him. Ren, Latios, and Latias all nodded in agreement. The man seemed to stand a bit taller after this.

“Let’s be off, then,” he said, tightening his grip on his sword. He looked around, and then nodded. “I’ve been in this place long enough.”

***

Fear took an icy hold on Kairn’s heart as Latios bore him upwards through the tunnel leading from Eli’s home. What was about to happen? Would he and his friends make it through? He tried not to think as he tightened his hold on Houndour, more for his own reassurance than the pokemon’s safety. The dog-like creature glanced up at him, and he forced a small smile.

“Don’t worry,” he said, taking a moment to scratch Houndour behind the ears. “We’ll be fine,” he added, feeling anything but.

They rose until Kairn’s head was almost touching the metal door that topped the tunnel. Latias and Ren hovered just under them, and Eli brought up the rear. The man had threaded his broadsword through the chains on Torkoal’s shell, freeing his sword hand for climbing the ladder.

Kairn took a deep breath, trying to stop himself from shaking. Then he raised his hand above his head, placed it flat against the door, and pushed with all of his might as Latios surged upwards. They roared above ground into the lean-to, and then flew out with Latias, Ren, Eli, and Torkoal close behind.

As Eli exited the lean-to on the run, he threw his left arm back, allowing Torkoal to torch the structure with a blast of flame. It burned quickly to the ground as screeches emitted from its depths, signifying that it was not as empty as it had appeared.

Suddenly, dark shapes seemed to grow out of the ground all around the group. “Don’t stop!” Eli said as Torkoal began to toss strands of flame at their attackers.

Latias and Latios both put on bursts of speed as their partners readied themselves. Before them, countless black creatures seemed to form an impenetrable wall: glowing, white eyes shone back at them out of the gloom as they streaked forward like two glowing comets.

Time seemed to slow for Ren, as though everyone was moving through water. He saw Houndour spitting jets of flame from Latios’ back, the streaks showing bright orange against the black of night. He saw Kairn yelling, brandishing his sword above his head, swinging the blade in slow circles. He saw Latias’ breath coalesce like a cloud in front of her face, and then watched as it roiled away and upwards, left behind as they seemed to crawl through the air towards their opposition.

Then he looked forward. In front of him and a few yards off, he could make out the twisted forms of Sneasels as they ran to meet him. Behind them, there were things he could not identify; spider-like creatures as black as pitch, with red rings around their bodies and yellow, knobby legs.

Time quickened again as Ren swung his sword, slashing a Sneasel across the chest. Wretched, dark liquid splattered over him, and he fought to hold on to his stomach contents as he downed more and more of the dark forms. Under him, Latias used her claws, her beautiful feathers soon becoming stained with what seemed to be black blood.

The two quickly broke through the line of Sneasels, and were now confronted by the spider-like creatures. “Ariadoses!” Eli shouted from a ways back, noticing the dark, spindly shapes for the first time. “Beware the webs!”

Too late. Latias flew between two trees, and Ren just caught a glimpse of a silvery thread before it swept him cleanly off of his companion’s back, knocking the wind from his lungs. Gasping for air, he stumbled to his feet, swinging blindly until he could recover. His blade met flesh a few times before he caught his breath, and as his vision cleared, he noticed that three Ariadoses lie writhing before him. More pressed in around him, their fangs dripping, and he fended them off as Latias circled back.

“Jump as high as you can!” the dragon thought-shouted to him she rushed to his position. He did so, and found that he landed on feathers and flesh instead of snow and dirt. He repositioned himself so that he was sitting on Latias’ back as before, and then she pulled up, away from the eight-legged forms below them.

Nearby, Kairn had also been knocked free of his mount, and was now fighting alongside Houndour as they waited for Latios to return. Suddenly, a Sneasel reared up from the ground right before him, knocking his blade free in the same motion. The sword glinted as it spiraled lazily away, and then landed in the snow with a clang as Kairn threw himself to the side. A pair of claws whistled through the air where he had just been, and then he pivoted, using his momentum to turn and throw a punch into his attacker’s face.

The Sneasel crumpled to the ground, but two more took its place instantly. Kairn yelled in frustration as he took a few steps backwards, and then shielded his eyes as the two black creatures burst into bright flames.

“Thanks,” he said to Houndour, nodding once quickly. The pokemon nodded back, and then began to glow a brilliant white. Kairn gasped as Houndour began growing in size, his limbs becoming longer and more muscular, his muzzle becoming tapered, his tail lengthening until it ended in a bladed point. Two curling horns sprouted from his head, and a fire shone in his eyes.

“Houndoom,” the pokemon growled deeply. Then he threw his head back, and howled.

Every single living thing within hearing distance froze. Kairn held his ears as the long, wailing note rose and fell, watching as the Sneasels and Ariadoses around him began to quake in fear. Then he looked on as Houndoom surged forward, grabbed a cowering Ariados around the throat with his jaws, and then simply erupted into a towering inferno.

When the flame died away, Houndoom and his victim where nowhere to be found. Instead, a huge, charred circle of earth was the only indication that they had been there at all. Kairn picked up his sword, casting his eyes wildly about for his companion. Instead, he spotted Latios as the dragon returned to him.

“Get on!” Latios thought, lowering his neck mid-flight.

Kairn began to run along with him, and then threw himself onto the dragon’s back.
“Houndour just evolved!” he yelled to the feathered head in front of him. “Then he disappeared! I don’t know where he--”

The boy cut himself short. Next to him, racing across the snow, was a black, flat shadow. He raised his sword defensively, and then dropped it to his side as Houndoom materialized from the dark patch, running parallel to Latios’ path. In the creature’s mouth were the charred remains of what had once been an Ariados.

“There you are!” Kairn shouted. The pokemon looked back at him, eyes ablaze. Then it dropped what was in its jaws, and howled a second time.

Kairn laughed wildly, bloodlust surging through his body as he, Latios, and Houndoom rushed towards what remained of their opposition. A few Sneasels had circled around Eli, and they made for that group now. The man noted them coming towards him, and slew a few of his attackers before waving them away with his sword.

“I told you not to come back for me!” he yelled. “I have this under control!”

“It doesn’t look like it!” Kairn shouted back as he came to the first few Sneasels between them. He swung his sword as Houndoom leaped into the air and Latios’ claws flashed. Three dark figures fell to the snow in unison. They had no chance against this sudden onslaught.

The trio kept going, Houndoom circling one way, Kairn and Latios the other, destroying every opponent in their path. When they met on the opposite side, only one Sneasel was still standing, which was the one Eli was currently fighting.

They watched as the Sneasel took a swipe at the man with its claws, only to have them neatly cleaved off as Eli used the blade of his sword to block. It howled in pain, but the cry was cut short as Eli bashed the Sneasel over the head with Torkoal’s fiery shell. The dark creature dropped to the ground, and then lay still, its fur singed by the crushing attack.

Ren and Latias arrived then, noting how many black shapes littered the ground around their companions. Ren jumped off of his partner, and then looked around. There was not a living Sneasel or Ariados in sight.

"Well," he said, turning back to his friends. "I guess that's that."

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[txteclipse]

That was a new chapter post, and nobody really responded, so I'm going to bump this.

[Twinx]

Hey man, keep 'em coming, I'm sure people are reading this.
I'm a fan of this, but I don't find the need to reply because I don't really know how to criticize. I just take it as it is.

You've got 1,634 views if you have noticed. That's good eh?
Just because people don't reply, doesn't mean that no one's reading.

[txteclipse]

True, true. Usually someone tosses in a word or two, but I guess that isn't really the only indicator that people are reading. I guess I'm surprised that no one pointed out grammar mistakes, or anything, for that matter, because that's a rare occurance. I usually make at least one mistake.

Ah well. Can't complain that people aren't finding fault ;)

[txteclipse]

Mmmyep. Chapter time. The trend of "things start to pick up" continues with this one, and boy is it long. Really long. Anyways, this one also took me roughly four weeks to write, so it's probably a bit more worked-through than my other chapters. Enjoy!

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Chapter Nineteen

Eli did not share Ren’s sentiments. He had manufactured weapons for too long to think that he and his guests were safe. He did not know where the weapons went when Weavile took them, but he did know that they were made for humans, and thus were probably given to some type of army.

One that had not appeared, strangely. Eli mulled over this, and then had a thought. While the Sneasels and Ariadoses where in their shadow forms, they moved more swiftly than any creature he had ever seen, save for Latias and Latios. Their dark forms seemed to ignore obstacles: they simply washed over them like any other shadow and continued on, unfaltering. If they were part of a larger force, they would be the first to arrive at any location.

The thought surged into his mind, bringing with it a wave of fear. If there was more to Weavile’s army, it would have yet to arrive. The Sneasels and Ariadoses would have been ordered to hold the dragons and their partners up if Weavile failed in his capture attempt. They would have been ordered to act as decoys until the brunt of Weavile’s forces could join and assist them. If this was the case, they had carried out those orders well.

“We need to move!” Eli said urgently to his guests. No sooner had he finished speaking than a silvery throwing knife glanced off of Torkoal’s shell and spun past his face, leaving a cut across his jaw line. Ren and Kairn mounted Latias and Latios as a wave of black-clad men rushed out of the surrounding trees, along with a multitude of pokemon. Metal blades glinted wickedly here and there in the sparse moonlight, some complex, most simple, but all designed with the sole purpose of killing in mind. Eli knew that the weapons were all of his making, and cursed the irony of the situation.

“Leave me here and get to safety!” he roared as he ran towards what seemed to be the thinnest part of the circle of enemies. He fell upon the men with great intensity, hacking left and right as Torkoal came to life on his arm, throwing spurts of flame into the crowd.

Latias and Latios hesitated, not wanting to abandon Eli, but then Ren cried out as he took a throwing knife in the shoulder, where his armor was thin. The blade punched through the feathers and metal before stopping, embedded part-way in his flesh. They had lingered much too long. In a flurry of snow and a rush of air, the dragons took off as they and their partners made themselves invisible in the same instant. Below them, Houndoom reverted to his shadow form, and began to follow in their wake.

The five rushed out of the clearing, Latias and Latios flying over the heads of their attackers, Houndoom passing beneath their feet. A storm of throwing knives flashed about the friends, but since they could not be seen, their attackers’ aim was far off. Once they were fairly out of danger, Ren pulled the shimmering throwing knife from his shoulder, winced, and pressed a hand to the injury. Blood began to trickle around his fingers and down the front of his armor, staining the feathered metal red as he looked back to see if Eli had escaped. All was chaos on the ground, however, and he could not spot the man. He feared the worst.

“We must go back for him!” he thought urgently to Latias. “There is no way he can fight out of that alone!”

“We can’t risk it,” came the swift reply. “You’re injured, and we would be far outnumbered. Besides, he told us to leave him behind.”

“I don’t care!” Ren yelled aloud. He felt his self-control slip a notch. “We can’t leave him to the fate he suffered before our arrival! Or death, if it comes to that!”

Latias responded with utter calm and a touch of sadness, speaking quietly into her partner’s thoughts. “We have to. It was his intent to help us get away. It was foolish of him, but we can’t help that now. We must make the best of the opportunity he gave us. To go back would be to erase the worth of his sacrifice, if he is indeed dead.” She swerved, just barely whipping around a tree, skimming it with her hind claws.

“But if he isn’t dead, we can save him!” Ren was still shouting. “We’re strong enough! We could defeat all of those men! All of those creatures!”

“No, we can’t,” Latias thought to him. “The beings that just attacked us are much stronger than anything we have yet encountered. Did you see how they arrived without us noticing? How perfect their tactics were? Those knives where thrown with nothing short of a master’s touch. If they had acted differently while flying, if they had strayed even a little, you would be…” she trailed off.

“Dead…” Ren breathed the word as his anger abated, subdued suddenly by a chilling understanding. He could feel Latias grow tense.

“Yes,” she continued, her mind’s voice a whisper. “And another thing. I managed to intercept the thoughts of a few of those men. Never before have I encountered such black hatred, not even in Weavile. They seemed driven by it, as though it was their source of power. And such power! I fear that these may be disciples of the Dark One.”

Both lapsed into silence, contemplating what this could mean for them.

“It’s getting too cold for me to fly,” Latias announced finally to everyone present, mostly out of need, but partially to change the subject. “We need to land.”

The dragons floated to the ground, and allowed Kairn and Ren to dismount. Then they continued on, trudging through the snow. Houndoom trotted before them, now back to his normal form, his body aglow with dancing fire. The five traveled in the warm silence for some time, the day’s events repeating over and over in their heads.

Suddenly, Ren stumbled. He was losing a fair amount of blood, and his strength was waning. Latias put a forearm out to steady him, and caught him before he fell. Concern instantly registered on her face as Kairn, Latios, and Houndoom drew near.

“I’m fine,” the boy said, looking sidelong at them. He straightened, walked a few more steps, and then stumbled again. Latias caught him once more.

“No, you’re not,” she thought to him, and then helped him walk to the shelter of a large oak tree, placing one of his arms around her neck for support. Once there, she lowered him to the ground, positioning him so that his back was resting against the bark. Kairn then knelt down beside the two, and very carefully unbuckled the leather straps that held Ren’s armor in place. He lifted the metal plating away, and then closed his eyes as nausea overcame him.

The wound was not deep, but it looked terrible. The throwing knife had entered at an awkward angle, leaving a long, jagged cut that was deeper at one end and shallower at the other. Blood surrounded the injury, and continued still to trickle out.

Latios hovered over, and then came to rest next to Latias, bending down to examine Ren’s shoulder. “We need water to cleanse this,” he announced after a moment, turning his luminous maroon eyes to Kairn. He had seen how the boy reacted to Ren’s injury, and he thought it best to excuse him for a while.

The boy nodded, and went into the surrounding darkness with Houndoom. Once he was a good way off, he turned away from his partner, fell to his hands and knees in the snow, and threw up, unable to help himself.

Images of creatures dead and dying cycled through his mind along with pictures of Ren’s wound and morbid, unwanted thoughts of how Eli may have met his fate. He continued to retch even after his stomach was empty, making small gagging noises as more and more sickly memories flooded through his thoughts. This kept on until his innards felt as though they were on fire; as though his stomach and intestines had twisted tightly around each other. Houndoom respectfully kept his distance, waiting in silence with eyes half closed, not looking directly at his companion.

Once Kairn had gotten himself under control, he slowly got to his feet, his stomach still feeling raw and damaged. His hands shook, and sweat shone on his forehead.

“This is no way for a warrior to act,” he chided himself. However, the words held little comfort for him. The terrible images remained in his head, seeming to jeer at him, each a symbol of the fear he felt so intensely. He shied away from the thoughts, trying to lock them away, thinking himself weak for doing so. He should be able to handle this.

Feeling dejected, he found a rock with a deep hollow on one side, and filled it with snow, which Houndoom then melted. Spurred on only by the dire need of his friend, Kairn worked his way slowly back to the rest of the group, taking care not to spill the water in the bowl-like rock he carried.

Once he arrived, he noticed that Ren seemed to be asleep. Latios took the bowl from him, and then began to clean Ren’s wound with a strip of cloth he had cut from the boy’s undershirt. When this was done, the dragon delicately pulled a vial of Potion from Ren’s pack, allowing Kairn to remove the cork. Latios then spread the green liquid over his patient’s shoulder, taking care not to touch the boy’s laceration, lest he injure him further. Finally, he cleaned the strip of cloth in the now-red water, and then gave it to Kairn.

“The wound needs to be wrapped, and I can’t tie knots,” the dragon thought quietly to him. “I noticed earlier your reaction to the sight of Ren’s injury, but you are the only one here that will be able to bandage him.” Kairn’s face went pale, but he continued to gaze levelly at Latios, whose eyes softened.

“Here’s what I want you to do,” the dragon continued. “Take this strip of cloth, and hold this end over the cut so that you don’t have to look at it while you work. Then simply wrap the rest around Ren’s shoulder.”

Kairn did as he was instructed, working quickly. He managed to finish without going into another bout of vomiting, and exhaled shakily as he sat back in the snow.

“Good,” Latios thought to him. Then the dragon placed a claw on the boy’s shoulder.

“You have every right to feel the way you do now,” he thought to his partner. Kairn looked up questioningly at him as he continued. “What we have been through in the past few days would be too much for most any creature.” He turned his gaze to the sliver of moon hanging in the sky.

“The task set before us will not be easy. In fact, it will be the most difficult thing anyone has experienced for nearly a thousand years. There will be trials that we cannot even imagine, foes that we could not describe even in our wildest nightmares. It is the test of a lifetime, Kairn, and we must be prepared to face our fears. Such as losing Eli. Or one of us being injured.” He looked back to the boy.

“The only way we can face such fears is to help each other through them. Do not think that you are weak because you could not keep control over yours. You are not intended to. We are partnered for a reason, and that is to see each other through the great struggles that lie ahead. We could not do this alone. Do not feel like you must.”

Kairn nodded slowly, taking comfort in his companion’s words, his feelings of inferiority slipping away like sand through his fingertips. He sat quietly for a few moments, deep in thought. Then he asked: “Latios? Do you think that Eli and Torkoal will be alright?”

“I think they’ll be fine,” the dragon answered. “They seem to be able to take care of themselves.”

“And Ren?”

“He’ll be fine too, under our care.”

Kairn grew silent again, trying to decide whether he shared his friend’s optimism. He concluded that he did. Then he yawned. “We haven’t slept for a while, have we?”

“No, we haven’t,” Latios chuckled. “Go ahead and try to get some rest. I’ll take watch tonight.”

The boy nodded once, and then sat down and leaned back against the tree. Latias was already asleep, curled up at Ren’s side, and Houndour lay stretched between all of them, exuding a soft warmth.

Kairn dozed quietly for a time, watching Latios’ dark form as he floated nearby, silhouetted by the moonlight, a silent sentinel against anything that could come their way. Then the boy fell into a deep slumber, one which comforted his tired body and mind.

***

In the clearing above Eli’s former home, three figures in long black cloaks stood together in silence. Around them, the soldiers that were at their command huddled near fires to keep the biting cold away, wondering how their leaders could possibly stay warm in such frigid conditions. Presently, a fourth figure surfaced from the tunnel leading into Eli’s underground house, and his companions watched quietly as he approached.

“Weavile is dead,” the newcomer said simply. Four blades, two on each arm, ran down from where they were attached to his forearms by leather straps to where they ended at the tips of his fingers like metal hooks. As the man made his hands into fists, the blades stood out, forming two menacing claws.

“They will pay dearly for this,” another of the group stated, polishing one of a pair of sickles. The insides of the blades were smooth and sharp, while the outsides were partially serrated. The blade he worked on was black, while the other was white.

“Ah, but we must find them first,” said the third, a woman. She leaned against a long, slender javelin that bent very slightly under her subtle weight. One end of the weapon was topped with a skinny, needle-like blade. “It’s a pity you let them escape, Venin,” she continued with a slight edge to her voice.

“Did I?” the last figure asked, a man. He brushed his hand over one of two rows of long, heavy, razor sharp throwing knives strapped to his chest. When he drew his hand away, he held a blade hidden in his palm, balancing the tip on his middle finger. “According to my memory, you were the one that failed to stop Eli and his pet, Tira. You allowed them to distract me.”

The two glared at each other until the second man, who was named Gail, put down the sickle he was working on. “Silence,” he commanded with a low growl. “You are both beginning to wear on my patience. The only thing that matters now is that our quarry has escaped, and it is getting farther away as we speak. I will accompany you two to capture the dragons.” He paused.

“Clave?” he looked to the first man, who gave him instant attention. “You will go after Eli and Torkoal. Take the rest of our soldiers with you. They will not be useful to us.” The man bowed, and crossed his claws over his chest in a salute.

“Let us be off, then,” Gail said finally. “We must be swift to overtake our prey.”

At these words, an Absol appeared at his side, rising from his shadow. The black and white pokemon shook himself, liberating small bits of snow that clung to his fur. A black scythe grew from one side of his cat-like head, and his four legs ended in sharp, black claws. A mane of white fur wreathed his neck, and a black, blade-shaped tail swept back from his dog-like body.

In response to Absol’s appearance, a Tyranitar rose beside Tira, while a Cacturne materialized next to Venin.

The first pokemon resembled a green, armored lizard. She stood on two legs, and rows of spines covered her back. She had a long, thick, powerful tail, and her sturdy limbs ended in massive blunt claws. Sharp, white teeth shone from her jaws, and her great weight caused her to sink deep in the snow. She stood nearly twice as tall as her partner.

The second creature resembled a human, but with a green, thickset, spiny body. He had a pointed, dark-green hat on his head, which concealed ominous black-and-yellow eyes. His mouth was held partially closed by a green skin-like material, and a dark-purple liquid oozed from enlarged spikes on his arms. Overall, the creature had the look of a scarecrow.

Gail sized up his and his partners’ pokemon. All were nearly perfect specimens of their species, with bodies and minds honed from years of intense training. He grinned slightly under his hood, and then spoke one word. “Absol.” The furred creature regarded him with sharp, clear eyes, cocking its head to one side to indicate that it was listening. “I need you to help me find something. Follow this scent,” he finished, offering a feather to the pokemon. It was one of Latias’.

Absol sniffed the object for a few moments, and then began to trot away, holding his head in the air, turning it this way and that. Soon, he broke into a full run, and then became fully black as he lost consistency, whirled apart like a flurry of leaves, and blew into the forest as though caught up in a strong wind, allowing Latias’ essence to flow through him as he followed her trail. His master followed closely behind, followed by Tira, Tyranitar, Venin, and Cacturne.

Clave looked on as his six companions left the clearing, and then rounded up the soldiers that waited nearby. He marched them in the opposite direction, towards where Eli had run off into the forest after killing six members of the regiment. The man glanced furtively towards the entrance to Eli’s home, where his partner lay slain, as he passed. Then he continued on, following behind his army as designs for dark vengeance overcame his thoughts.

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I'm so glad it fit. I'm not sure what the post length maximum is here, but I really didn't want to break this one into pieces.

[txteclipse]

I think it's about time for a new chapter. After I post this one, I'll actually have to write more, which may help wrench me out of the horrific case of writer's block I have right now. Anyways, here's the next installment, and it's another long, action-filled one (should be the last of the sort for a bit).

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Chapter Twenty

Something jostled Kairn’s shoulder, and he pushed it away as he tried to keep himself from coming fully awake. The nudge came again, harder this time, and he slid sideways away from the tree and into the snow. Deciding that whatever was bothering him wasn’t going to give up any time soon, he reluctantly opened his eyelids.

Houndoom stood over him, watching him with ebony eyes. The pokemon appeared agitated: he shifted his footing from time to time, and occasionally sniffed the air. “What is it?” Kairn asked, still not entirely awake. “And can’t it wait until later?” he added, noticing that it was still nighttime.

“No,” answered a deep voice in his mind.

Kairn glanced at Latios, wondering how the dragon had overheard what he said. However, his partner wasn’t awake. The pokemon had been overcome by weariness during his night watch and lay asleep in the snow.

Kairn was confused. If Latios hadn’t answered him, then who?

“Me,” sounded the voice again, seeming to read his thoughts. Houndoom took a step forward. Kairn stared at him.

“You…can speak?” he asked slowly, visibly shocked.

“Some,” Houndoom replied. The pokemon’s voice was accompanied by a strange burning sensation, as though a small flame had bloomed in Kairn’s thoughts.

“But…how?” Kairn wondered. He waited for an answer, but Houndoom seemed to be having trouble formulating words. The pokemon sent a few unintelligible sounds to the boy through his mind, and then seemed to grow annoyed; he was as of yet unused to human speech.

After a few more attempts, Houndoom decided to try a different method of communication, and began to concentrate. The burning sensation in Kairn’s head intensified, although it did not reach an unpleasant level, and an image began to emerge in his thoughts. He saw Latias with one forearm on his brow and the other on Houndoom’s, and recognized the scene as when Latias had allowed them to speak to one another while they were injured. The dragon seemed to be in pain, and her eyes were shining a vivid, molten-gold color.

Next, Ren came into view, and seemed to try to pull Latias away. A blinding light flashed as he touched her shoulder, and both of them fell to the ground, unconscious. Kairn remembered feeling a surge of energy during that time, and decided the flash must have been a result of it. Had that surge connected him with Houndoom in some way? And if that was the case, why hadn’t the pokemon spoken to him before?

In answer, another image came into his thoughts. It showed Houndoom evolving from Houndour. Was that it? Had Houndoom needed to evolve in order to speak to Kairn’s mind? Perhaps the ability had been instilled in him by Latias, but had remained dormant, only to surface when the creature made his miraculous change. Kairn looked at Houndoom, who nodded, as if to tell him that he was correct. Then the pokemon began to send more images to the boy.

First was a picture of a Sneasel, one Houndoom had faced during the battle earlier that night. However, it was not just an image. Also present was a scent: a rancid, biting smell that made Kairn blanch.

After a moment, the image faded to be replaced by the likeness of six beings: three human and three pokemon. The Sneasel’s odor was apparent on them, as well, albeit much less prominent. Along with that scent were others: one resembled earth; a dry, dusty smell. One resembled fresh air cleansed by rain. The last resembled loam and wood: the scent of an autumn forest.

Kairn was amazed at what Houndoom was showing him, but he was also baffled. Why was the pokemon sharing these smells with him? Seemingly in response, the six figures he saw in his mind began to run towards him. Chasing him, it seemed. As they approached, their respective scents grew stronger, overpowering the boy. He cowered in fear as they reached him, but then the images and smells faded. In the silence that followed, he realized that he was breathing hard, and that his head hurt.

“Houndoom…are those six coming for us?” he asked, pressing his hands to his temples. The pokemon nodded. “You can smell them approaching?” Another nod.

Kairn exhaled slowly, collecting his thoughts. He had known that Houndoom’s sense of smell was very developed from their years together, but had never imagined it to be this powerful. The pokemon had literally discovered these pursuers and then painted a mental picture of them purely by their scent. A good thing, too, or the group members would have never known they were in danger.

The boy shuddered to think what would have happened if he and his friends had been caught unaware, if Houndoom hadn’t been with them. It may have been so, he thought, recalling the time he abandoned the pokemon. He had thought the creature to be worthless, all that time ago, and the memory made his mouth go dry. He would never make that mistake again.

“We need to move on tonight,” he said to Houndoom. “Help me wake the others.”

The two proceeded to rouse Latios, who came awake with a start. He seemed confused as to where he was, and then realized that he had fallen asleep during his watch. The dragon began to reprimand himself and apologize, but Kairn would hear none of it. He bade the dragon to be silent and not to worry, seeing as they were safe just the same, and then told him of his newfound connection to Houndoom.

Latios listened with enraptured interest, and then grew apprehensive when he heard that the party was being followed. He had expected their enemies to have a way of doing this, but didn’t think they would be pursued so ruthlessly. Agreeing that they should not stay in one place, the dragon went to wake Latias, and repeated Kairn and Houndoom’s story to her.

Latias was at least twice as surprised as he, since she had been the one to create the bond in the first place. The Eon Chronicles they possessed did not mention this ability anywhere, and she wondered if it had ever been discovered before.

After her initial shock wore off, Latios told her of their pursuers. She seemed unsurprised, if a bit worried, and decided without her friends' help that the group would need to keep running. She went to Ren's side, intending to tell him of their situation, but hesitated.

She did not want to wake him, as he needed his rest to heal, but she knew the group could not move quickly without the boy being awake. Latios suggested that they take turns carrying him, which would slow them somewhat, but still allow them to make a fairly hasty getaway. She agreed, and then proceeded to gently shake Ren from his sleep.

When the boy opened his eyes, Latias noticed that something was different. The dragon stared at him until he began to grow uncomfortable.

“What is it?” he asked, leaning back ever so slightly to lessen the impact of his partner’s scrutiny.

“Your eyes…” Latias began, continuing to stare. “They seem to be turning…gold.”

“What?” Ren asked, and then began searching for a mirrored surface. He found the throwing knife that had caused his injury, held it up to his face, and then angled it until his eyes were reflected in the flat of the blade. Just as Latias had said, his normally hazel irises were streaked with lighter, golden lines. On top of this, they gave forth a very slight glow of the same color. The boy stared at his reflection a moment longer, and then looked around at his companions, noticing for the first time how close they had gathered around him.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, slightly unnerved. “Why did you wake me up?”

“We’re being followed,” his companions stated in unison. The boy’s eyes widened momentarily as this information sank in, and then he groaned and placed a hand to his forehead. He was tired as it was, and the ideas of either running or fighting were extremely unappealing.

“Latios and I will carry you so you can rest,” Latias thought to him with a chuckle, sensing his despair. “Go ahead and climb onto my back.”

The boy nodded his thanks and stood slowly, slipping the throwing knife into the leather pack he wore on his back. He then tried to do as Latias instructed, but found it difficult to clamber onto the dragon’s shoulders due to his injured arm. He finally succeeded with Kairn’s help when the boy threaded his fingers together and used his hands as a makeshift foothold, giving Ren enough height to swing his leg over Latias’ side. Once settled, he wrapped his good arm around the dragon’s neck, and gave sign that he was ready.

The five friends set off at a quick pace, Houndoom leading the way to keep them warm. The pokemon sniffed the air from time to time, and seemed to hasten each time he did so. As a result of this, Kairn soon found it necessary to run to keep up with his companions. He kept on as best he could, but quickly began to feel himself growing tired.

To occupy his mind, he tried to work out why Ren’s eyes were changing color. He assumed that the alteration was caused by the boy’s link with Latias, but wondered why it had begun to occur now, of all times. He continued to ponder this question until Latios’ voice interrupted his musings.

“Ren’s eyes are changing because he has acquired an ability from Latias,” the dragon stated, sensing his partner’s thoughts. “It activated tonight, I believe.”

“You mean that Ren has an ability like Ethra?” Kairn asked, recalling the entry in the Eon Chronicles about the woman with the burning touch.

“Yes, although it is much more subtle,” the dragon answered. “So subtle, in fact, that I have not yet determined what it does. Ren doesn’t seem to have noticed it, either, so it could be some time before we discover what his powers consist of. It will develop over time to become stronger, in any case, but for now we must wait.”

Kairn furrowed his eyebrows, deep in thought. To read about these powers in the Chronicles was one thing, but knowing that his friend was actually developing such a power was quite another. He couldn’t help trying to guess what the ability could be. Perhaps Ren would acquire greater strength, able to lift heavy objects with ease. Or perhaps it was an ability more in line with Ethra’s. Regardless, he could hardly contain his anticipation.

Suddenly, Kairn noticed that Houndoom seemed to be growing frantic. The pokemon increased his pace, and scented the air more frequently. Then, a curious noise began to fill the air. It was a haunting, wavering sound; part howl, part scream, and part lullaby. As Kairn listened to the melody, he felt his skin begin to crawl. Instinctively, he tried to use his mind to render his armor invisible, but found that the song echoing around him was inhibiting his ability to concentrate.

“What is that?” he wondered aloud, putting a voice to the question in each company member’s mind. At that instant, the tingling feeling on his skin intensified to feel like thousands of stabbing needles as the wailing rose to a nearly unbearable level. The sound seemed to echo inside his head, reverberating throughout his skull until he was sure it would crack. He stifled a yell, and then put on a burst of speed as his friends did the same.

“Cover your ears!” Latias screamed to each of her companion’s minds over the din. They did so, Ren burying one side of his face in Latias’ feathers and pressing the other against his shoulder, and found that the effect of the song was lessened. However, a new sound ensued; a grinding, crashing noise that spoke of a great upheaval following in their wake.

Kairn looked back over his shoulder, hands clapped to the sides of his head, and found a scene that was the essence of nightmares. The forest behind him was being literally torn apart. Trees fell in the group’s wake, cut down by some unseen force, and slowly collapsed to the ground with an ominous groan. Clouds of disturbed snow flew into the air, and then rushed to overtake the group, as though caught up in a torrential wind. The squall reminded Kairn of a blizzard.

“Latios!” he shouted to the dragon. “Behind us!”

“I see it!” the dragon replied hastily, maneuvering closer to the boy. “Get on! We must risk the cold of flight to escape this!”

Kairn jumped onto Latios’ broad back without slowing, and then leaned forward as much as possible to keep from being blown off as the pokemon accelerated. Next to them, Latias had also increased her speed, making Ren’s struggle to stay with her much more difficult.

Suddenly, Kairn noticed that a strange shadow was creeping over the red and white dragon’s body. It spread over her back, and then came to a stop as it covered Ren’s weary form, securing the boy in place. A pair of shining black eyes peered out of the shadow, and Kairn identified them as belonging to Houndoom. He gave a quick nod to the dark form, and then glanced backwards again.

The snowstorm was gaining on them faster than ever, and Kairn was now able to spot glimpses of what appeared to be blades in the upsurge. The metal objects whirled, flashing, creating large vortexes of ice and wind as they seemed to cut through the very air.

Kairn returned his attention forward, and noticed that the company was headed for a clearing. As they entered it, the tempest behind them subsided somewhat from a lack of material, vaguely revealing four figures. At the forefront, a black-cloaked human with two sickles ran with inhuman speed, keeping stride with a white-and-black furred pokemon that Kairn could not identify. Two more darkly-clothed humans followed in the wake of the front runners, and Kairn noticed that they had exceptionally dark shadows. The black areas seemed to steal the light around them, creating the illusion of staring into an endless hole.

As the four figures appeared, the song echoing around the five friends amplified yet again, seeming to ignore the hands and claws clasped around their ears as it forced its way into their heads. Each member of the company began to experience anew the sensation of being pricked with countless needles, and collectively cringed against the pain. They also began to grow fatigued, as though the song were stealing their vitality. To make matters worse, the dragons’ feathers were freezing as a result of frigid air blowing over their bodies. They began to slow, bringing themselves and their passengers precariously close to the intimidating figures rushing along in their wake.

A hail of throwing knives began to whip past them, and the dragons were forced to use what little strength they had left to weave out of harm’s way. Knowing that this was a temporary solution, Kairn wrenched his sword from its sheath with one hand and yelled to Latios to fly behind Latias. As the dragon moved to do so, Kairn quickly released his hold on the creature’s neck and turned around to face their opposition. He slid down most of Latios’ back feet first, and then secured a new grip on one of the dragon’s wings. From this position, he could brandish his sword without fear of injuring his partner.

Throwing knives arced toward and around the boy at regular intervals, and he did his best to hit each one away with his blade lest they find their mark. His skin raced with burning pain each time he moved, but he was still able to deflect many of the glittering missiles. At one point, one of the blades glanced off of his helm, startling him, but it did not cause any serious damage.

After a few minutes, the throwing knives ceased to appear, and Kairn decided that the cloaked figure wielding them had run out. However, he was now faced with a new problem. The leading figure chasing him and his friends had somehow managed to gather the remainder of the snowstorm into a pair of tight, vicious cyclones. Seeming to command the winds themselves, the man held his sickles to either side, a spiraling flurry of ice contained in the inner arc of each one. The cloaked figure let the tornadoes build for a few more moments, and then whipped his sickles forward in a blindingly-fast motion, sending the twin gales spinning towards the dragons.

Kairn squeezed his eyes shut as the twisters approached, bracing for impact. However, the impact never came. He felt Latios turn quickly, and opened his eyes to see what was happening. The dragon continued to fly, now backwards, and opened his mouth as a deep humming sound overshadowed all other noise. Suddenly, the pokemon whipped his head forward, and a glowing blue sphere pulsed from his jaws accompanied by a sharp report. The sphere impacted one of the cyclones and then burst, creating a small shockwave that knocked both of the dervishes off course. They spun lazily away from their path, tore a few small trees from their roots, and then continued on out of sight.

Latios sent more and more spheres hurtling from his mouth, aiming for their pursuers. None of the attacks hit their intended target, although they did force the cloaked figures to break their stride in order to evade, which slowed them just enough to allow the dragons to pull away. The pain-inducing song also ended, which Kairn deemed to have been coming from the white-and-black furred creature. Latios kept up his barrage until he and Latias had established a comfortable lead, and then returned his attention forward.

It was at this moment that Kairn noticed how much frost had accumulated on the dragon’s feathers. The pokemon was literally coated with a thick layer of ice: so much so that the boy could see his reflection in one of the creature’s triangle-shaped wings. If they did not stop soon or find a way to keep warm, Latios would freeze to death.

“Houndoom!” he yelled to the shadow wrapped around Latias. The creature’s head materialized out of the gloom, peering back at him. “I need you to warm up Latios and Latias,” he continued, sending a mental image to the pokemon. The image depicted fire swirling around the dragons, melting the frost that had accumulated on their bodies. It was a desperate tactic, as he and Ren would probably be burned, but this was a desperate situation.

Houndoom hesitated at first, but then sent a billowing jet of flame trailing behind him and into Latios’ flight path. Kairn pressed against the dragon as much as possible to protect himself, and shuddered as the fire washed over him. To his surprise, he did not burn. The feathers on his armor seemed to repel the flame, keeping him safe while letting in just enough heat to warm him.

The ice on Latios’ body soon melted, and droplets of water trailed behind him as he accelerated to catch up with Latias. Then, after Houndoom had repeated his fiery treatment on her, he took the lead, speeding into the night. The two quickly covered ground, soon leaving their now-enraged enemies far behind in the darkness.

They five friends knew that they had been very lucky to escape this encounter with their lives. In the future, they would not be caught off guard so easily.

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[txteclipse]

Alright. This chapter took a while because I had a lot of things to do, including school, work and other things. Sorry in that regard.

This chapter is a bit different from my others in that it is very emotionally charged. I've had positive reviews so far from the other site that I post on, but I'm still holding my breath and waiting to see what people think of it. Keep that in mind as you read, and please tell me what you liked/did not like at the end. It will help me make sure I'm taking this in the right directions, if nothing else.

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Chapter Twenty-One

The dragons flew throughout the night, only pausing to allow Houndoom to melt the ice that gradually collected on their feathers. Despite their exhaustion, they were spurred on by the desire to put as much distance between themselves and their enemies as possible, and therefore pressed onward without a second thought. As they flew, the forest became less and less dense, until it disappeared altogether and was replaced by rolling, snow covered plains. After a time, dawn brought light to the dark and desolate landscape, painting the otherwise bleak horizon with a maelstrom of vivid colors. It was then that Latias and Latios decided that they desperately needed to rest, and thus the two glided into a small stand of scraggly trees near the base of one of the countless hills that surrounded them.

Once they had landed, Kairn wearily dismounted as Houndoom’s shadow detached from Latias, pooling about her in the snow. The fiery pokemon returned to his normal shape and then allowed heat to radiate from his body, quickly creating a circle of dry earth for the company to sleep on. The five members bedded down, not even noticing how uncomfortable the hard ground was as they each fell into a deep slumber.

Around midday, Ren was awakened by snow falling onto his face. He opened his eyes to narrow slits, and noted that the sky was very dark and full of brooding clouds. Then a snowflake fell into one of his eyes, and he sat up quickly as he rubbed it out, gasping at the sudden irritation. Reacting to the movement, Houndoom also woke, his animal instincts bringing him to a state of instant alert. When the pokemon noticed that it was only Ren that had startled him, he relaxed and lay back down again.

As Ren allowed Houndoom a few moments to drift back to sleep, he looked back up at the sky, shielding his eyes with a hand lest another bit of snow find its way to them. The weather spoke of a coming storm, one that was already showing a taste of its power in the form of the white flurry that fell across the landscape. Ren decided that he and his friends would be safe as long as Houndoom was able to keep them warm, but he was slightly worried that this would be a test of the pokemon’s abilities. He was especially worried about Latias and Latios, as they seemed to have trouble with the cold.

Then he remembered his injury. Hesitantly, he glanced at his shoulder, and noted that the bandage that covered his wound was deeply stained red by his blood. Curious, he lifted the bandage slightly with his other arm to check on the gash. It was coated in a layer of dry blood, and therefore was thankfully no longer bleeding. Despite its appearance, Ren decided that it could have been much worse, seeing as the knife could have done enough damage to cause him to lose functionality of the arm. He clenched his fist experimentally, and then shuddered at the thought of being bereaved of the use of a limb. He tried to imagine what it would be like and failed: he simply couldn’t imagine losing something that was as much a part of him as the snow was a part of winter. Shaking his head, he made an attempt to turn his mind towards other things.

The first thought that came to him was Latios’ explanation of why his eyes were changing color. The dragon had explained the previous night that his irises were becoming gold because he had begun to use an ability inherited from Latias: of what nature and form the ability was, however, the dragon seemed to have no idea. Unsatisfied, Ren had tried unsuccessfully to come to a conclusion about his new gift for the remainder of the night, right up until the point that he fell asleep that morning. Now, he dwelled on the puzzle again, determined to discover just what it was that he was capable of.

He pulled the gauntlet off of the hand of his uninjured arm and held it out in front of him, concentrating on the exposed skin. Then he imagined his hand bathed in an intense light, trying to replicate the ability that Ethra had described in the Eon Chronicles. Nothing happened, however, and he let his arm drop to his side. Then he stood to his feet and jumped straight up, imagining himself continuing upwards into the sky, flying like one of the dragons.

He decided as he landed again that he was probably expecting too much of his abilities. Latios had said that most of the powers inherited from the Eon Family were subtle at best, and still took a long time to develop even to that point. It would be better just to wait and see what came of this strange new gift, he concluded, and didn’t worry about it any longer.

Instead, he turned his mind to more pressing matters, such as the fact that his stomach had begun to growl loudly and incessantly. He had not eaten since around noon the previous day, and found it to be no small wonder that he should be so hungry. Looking around, he quickly located his leather pack lying in the snow a few feet away where he had discarded it before falling asleep. He pulled it to him, and then began to rummage through its contents, looking for the provisions that Eli had thoughtfully placed inside. He took out two oval shaped loaves of bread, as well as a small earthenware jar of the jam that he and his friends had enjoyed so immensely with their first breakfast at their host’s home. After cutting a slice from one of the loaves with the throwing knife that had struck him, he slathered it with a bit of the crimson spread from the jar and began to eat. Then he cut another slice and, after spreading it with jam, took it to Latias’ sleeping form.

“Breakfast,” he announced quietly to her mind. She stirred at first, and then lifted her head to eye the food he proffered. Next, she glanced up at him, seemingly surprised to see him up and about. She finally rose effortlessly from the ground, her body leaving a small area of compacted earth.

“Thank you,” she thought back sleepily as she carefully plucked the food from his hand. As she ate, she studied the sky, seemingly noting just as Ren had how foreboding the weather had become. “We’re in for quite a storm,” she thought to her partner, the slightest hint of worry edging her mind’s voice.

“I know,” Ren responded.

Then he became confused. Latias had never seen a true winter storm before: she had only been hatched a little less than two months ago, and the worst weather she had seen was a heavy snowfall. How did she know that a dark, cloudy sky signified trouble? He asked her.

“Griffith did more than just teach me about the Eon Chronicles,” she answered. “He told me a lot about the world, mostly using his own memories as examples, and storms were just one of the things he described.” She paused for a few moments, deep in thought. “He also told me about something he called ‘oceans’. He said they are huge bodies of water, even bigger than lakes, which stretch endlessly in front of you and to the sides if you stand on the shore. He said that he had visited only one in his life, but that he would never forget it. When I asked him why, he sent me a mental image of what he had seen.” She closed her eyes, savoring the memory. “It was beautiful…”

“It sounds boring to me,” Ren thought back after a moment, gazing off into the distance. Latias looked at him questioningly, her eyes betraying that she had taken offense at the comment.

“Boring?” She repeated the word, trying to work out why Ren would apply it to something that to her was so majestic. “Why boring?”

“Well, maybe not boring…but I…” Ren stammered, his face growing red. “I don’t like water,” he uttered quickly.

“You don’t like water?” Latias tried to suppress a laugh, and failed. “But you drink it every day. What’s not to like?”

“I don’t mind drinking it, but…lakes and things…how can I put it?” he sighed, trying to decide what to say. “I almost drowned in a river once. I’ve never really gone near water since, or at least large amounts of it,” he declared finally.

“You almost drowned?” Latias asked, turning to face him directly, making no effort to conceal her concern. “What happened?”

Ren hesitated, remembering the event. He thought about how he had fallen into the frozen river two years previous, and how his brother had come in after him. Should he tell Latias about Bron, or was it best he didn’t say anything? He hadn’t talked about his brother for almost the entirety of the two years since the incident of his death. It would be like raising him from the dead, and he wasn’t sure if he could handle thinking about Bron for more than a few fleeting moments. He had tried so hard and for so long to bury his sadness: talking about his brother’s passing would simply tear open old wounds.

“I was out hunting around two years ago,” he started to answer. “I followed a game trail to a frozen river, and found that it went across the ice. To save time, I decided to cross on the ice as well, hoping to catch up with the game more quickly. When I got to the middle of the river, the ice cracked, and I fell through into the water.”

“That’s terrible!” Latias exclaimed. “How did you get out?”

“At first I was disoriented from the fall and the cold, but then I noticed the sunlight streaming through the hole my body had created,” Ren said, breaking eye contact with his friend. “The current was very strong under the ice, and at first I though I wasn’t going to make it, but I somehow managed to swim back to the surface and pull myself out.”

He looked down at his hands, feeling utterly guilty for lying to avoid talking about his brother. This wasn’t right. It was as if he had betrayed Bron somehow, as if refusing to talk about him did him a vast injustice. He imagined he could feel his brother’s presence behind him, stare boring into his back, pained eyes radiating disapproval. He hadn’t anticipated this feeling, but it nearly made him sick.

Latias detected Ren’s inner turmoil without even needing to look into his mind. “What is it?” she asked.

“It’s…nothing.” he said, immediately feeling even worse. He knew he should just tell the truth; that Latias would probably understand. But if he thought this, then what was the problem? What was holding him back? He hesitated for a moment, completely lost.

Then, he realized the answer. When Bron died saving him, Ren had felt personally responsible for his brother’s death. If he hadn’t fallen through the ice, Bron would have never had to jump in and therefore would have never had to die. Ren felt that bringing up the subject of his brother’s demise would be an admission of guilt: in describing how Bron had died, Ren would be condemning himself. But would keeping the event in secrecy help him, or would it be even more of an injustice to his brother? Shouldn’t Latias know that he was to blame for the death of another? Ren’s face took on the look of someone enduring great torture, which Latias immediately picked up on

“Ren?” she urged. “What—“

“I lied,” Ren cut her off. He turned to look straight at her, his eyes dark and haunted, the gold streaks within them glowing softly in contrast. “I didn’t pull myself out of the water. It was my brother…he was with me and he dove in after me,” he finished quickly, desperate to just have the words out.

“You have a brother?” Latias interjected.

“Had,” he said, his mind's voice seeming to come from elsewhere. “His name was Bron,” he continued quietly. “After pulling me out of the river, he carried me home, which was a two day’s journey through snow. We were both soaked to the bone from the river, which made the cold even worse. He carried me, keeping me warm and safe, but that made the journey even harder for him. He got sick…”

“I see,” Latias said, filling in Ren’s pause. She placed a claw on his shoulder, and simply allowed silence to ensue, her persona radiating sympathy.

She didn’t pass judgment, Ren noticed. In fact, she did not even seem to think what he dreaded so acutely she would: that he had killed Bron. How could she not see it? He pondered the question, gazing unseeingly across the landscape. The snow had begun to fall more heavily, covering the world in a billowing, fluttering sheet of impenetrable white.

“I miss him,” he thought to her finally, breaking the quiet in their minds. “He just…was always there. He always seemed to be around when I needed him. And he always seemed to care more about others than himself,” Ren paused, feeling a painful lump form in his throat. “Me,” he continued. “He cared more about me. Even when it was dangerous, he put me first.” At this point, Ren’s eyes began to water, and he hung his head. “And it killed him,” he whispered. “It killed him!”

This was it. There was no way that Latias could overlook the fact that he was responsible for his brother’s death. Ren braced himself, preparing for however she would choose to confront him for what he had done. However, her answer threw him completely off guard.

“He loved you, Ren,” she said, her eyes watering as well. “I can tell by what he did that he cared the world for you.”

“And it killed him!” Ren shouted out loud, becoming angry at Latias’ failure to see his shortcoming. Kairn, Latios, and Houndoom all awoke, startled by his sudden vocalization. “He cared for me, and look what it did to him!” he cried.

Latias shot a quick, stern glance at the other party members, who were all staring at Ren. They turned away, catching the meaning of her glare. It meant “This is a private conversation, and you’re not invited.”

Once she had deterred the others, Latias turned back to Ren. “We should talk elsewhere,” she thought-spoke to him, and then floated low to the ground. Before Ren knew what was happening, she had swept sideways into his legs, causing him to fall across her back. She began to fly, slowly at first, until her passenger had secured his good arm around her neck. She then sealed them both in a layer of light created from the sparse luminescence filtering through the falling snow, and began to pick up speed. Finally, a blast of sound exploded around them and all became utterly silent.

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[txteclipse]

Yep, this fic is finally back from the grave. It took me four months to write this chapter, but here it is regardless. Sorry for the wait.

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Chapter Twenty-Two

Light. It filled Latias’ vision as she flew, blocking out all else. She felt as though she was floating perfectly still in a glowing void, although she knew she was flying at speeds she could only guess at. The bright layer she had summoned to protect herself from the cold and turbulent atmosphere worked in conjunction with the falling snow to create this bizarre illusion, which made her feel utterly isolated from the now-invisible world. This feeling was further heightened by the absolute silence that enshrouded her, causing her to question whether the world was truly there at all. It was as if she had strayed from the real into the unreal, from a place that could be sensed to a place devoid of sensation. To her, it was both soothing and slightly harrowing, as she was simultaneously comforted by the welcome lack of disruption but unsettled by the fact that she didn’t know where she was going or what lay ahead.

At that moment, however, her destination was not her immediate concern. She had brought Ren with her into the sky so that they could talk freely and privately, but both of them had grown quiet. Their conversation had more or less ended the second they began to fly: the interruption had created a pause in their discussion, and the momentum behind their communication vanished as a result.

Thus, they flew in silence. Latias knew that this would not help Ren at all, but she wasn’t sure what to do. She was aware that she would probably have to be the one to reengage the conversation, but every time she was about to speak, she thought better of the words she had chosen and withdrew her mind from Ren’s. Nothing she could think of seemed sufficient or helpful enough to say. As the silence between them grew, she began to feel more and more awkward. She decided that she had been too hasty in bringing him up here: she had wanted to go somewhere where they both could converse confidentially and undisturbed, but if she didn’t know how to help him, then what was the point? She had never lost a loved one, and therefore didn’t even truly know how Ren felt. Her empathic connection with the boy gave her some idea, but it wasn’t the same as if she had been in a similar situation.

She was considering simply turning around and flying back to the others when she sensed a glimmer of amusement emanate from Ren’s mind. The boy had been despairing over the memory of his brother’s loss; this had prevented him from speaking to her, but it hadn’t prevented his feelings from seeping across their mental connection. Now it seemed that Ren had recalled a fonder memory, one that made him momentarily forget his darker recollections.

“What’s so funny?” Latias asked him, her mind’s voice sounding strange after such a long silence.

Ren seemed startled for a moment, obviously not expecting her to speak. “What?”

“Right. That’s what I asked you,” Latias teased, trying to lighten the mood. However, Ren didn’t seem to understand, and his mind registered confusion at her statement. She sighed and rephrased the question. “What are you thinking about?”

“My brother, mostly,” the boy replied. “…Why?” he added after a brief pause.

“I’m just curious,” Latias answered. After a moment, she added, “Would you mind sharing with me?”

“You want to see what I’m thinking?” Her passenger sounded slightly surprised.

“If it isn’t too much to ask,” the dragon thought back quickly, suddenly worrying that Ren might be feeling pressured. He had already made himself very vulnerable by sharing with her about his brother. If he did not wish to continue revealing his personal thoughts, she didn’t want to make him feel obligated to do so.

The boy considered her question for a long time before answering. “If you wish,” he replied finally, if not slightly hesitantly. Then he widened the pathway between their minds, and allowed her to look in on his thoughts.

The first image that Latias was confronted with depicted Ren’s brother, Bron. She could tell by the way the young man was smiling that he and Ren were engaged in a lighthearted conversation, although she could not discern what about. Their voices were indistinct at best, even becoming completely silent at times. This caused her to wonder if the memory was fading from Ren’s mind, slowly being erased by the onslaught of time.

In any case, Bron had a similar appearance to Ren, except his auburn hair was much longer than his younger brother’s, falling nearly all the way to his shoulders. His green and brown eyes were soft and mirthful in the image, but they had an intensity about them that hinted that he had seen harsh times. His face was drawn, and although he was smiling, his appearance suggested that he was always enduring a very subtle pain. It struck Latias then that Ren had possessed a similar air about him when they first met, as though he were harboring some inner burden. The look had lessened over time…or had she become accustomed to it? She was trying to decide when the image changed.

The new scene portrayed a time near the end of summer, the trees just beginning to change from vivid green to a brilliant orange. A few leaves dotted the lush grass, standing out like tongues of fire in the otherwise emerald landscape. Latias saw that Ren and Bron were languishing behind a pile of firewood, sharing a large chunk of honeycomb that they had apparently stolen from their parents’ Combee hives. Their father suddenly called for them from a ways off, and they both tried not to laugh as they began to eat faster. Just as they finished, their father came around the side of the woodpile, and they gazed innocently at him as he eyed them suspiciously.

However, when their father did not stop staring, the brothers took on a look of guilt and averted their eyes from his incriminating scrutiny. Seeing their expressions, their father burst out laughing, and brought out something he had been holding behind his back: another piece of honeycomb. He broke the treat into three segments, keeping one for himself and offering the other two to his children. Ren glanced at Bron warily, obviously thinking that this must be some kind of trick: weren’t they supposed to be in trouble? His brother was smirking, however, and simply shrugged as he accepted his portion of the honeycomb. Seeing this, Ren relaxed, and did the same. Then their father sat with them and they all began to eat, laughing and joking until the sun sank low.

This memory melted away as well, only to be replaced by another. It was mid-fall, and the world was filled with oranges and browns and yellows. The colors suggested warmth, but according to Ren’s thoughts a chill wind was moving across the land, and Latias shivered despite the fact that she wasn’t physically cold. She spied Ren and Bron once more, both younger than in the last memory, and saw that the latter was leaning over the former’s shoulders and helping him hold a bow and arrow. They drew the string back in unison, much farther than either of them could have accomplished alone, until Latias could hear the wood of the bow creaking in protest. Bron spoke quietly to Ren for a few moments, both of them peering intently at some spot in the distance. Then they let the arrow fly, and it sped thorough the air for a few hundred yards before burying itself to the feathers in and through a small sapling. Ren ran after it, whooping and laughing as his brother followed with the bow, beaming with pride…

And then, suddenly, the memory disappeared into darkness, seeming to have been cut off. Startled, Latias took note of her surroundings, wondering why Ren had ceased to communicate with her. She had been so absorbed by Ren’s past that she hadn’t been paying attention to the present. Strangely, however, she couldn’t tell the difference between the two. The air around her appeared to have been replaced with the landscape of Ren’s last memory, as though the scene had come to life and she was a part of it.

“Ren…what happened?” she asked, looking in every direction and finding only amber-colored trees and swirling leaves. “Where are we?”

“We’re still flying,” the boy answered, his mind’s voice sounding shaken. “Latias…you’re doing this. It’s an illusion.”

The dragon was taken aback. “I’m…? But…how?” she pondered. Then she asked, “What makes you think I’m causing this?”

“Your eyes are glowing.”

They both grew silent again, staring bewilderedly at the sight unfolding about them. It was a perfect replication of the memory Ren had sent Latias a moment before: not a thing was out of place. Latias felt she could very well reach out and grasp one of the leaves that occasionally drifted by.

It was then that Ren sent her another memory. As if on cue, the air around her came alive, colors swirling and blending into one another until a new scene had formed. Springtime, and Bron was giving Ren a knife throwing lesson. The wooden blade arced through Latias’ view, and she turned her head just in time to see it embed itself in a circle carved into a tree trunk. Bron clapped Ren heartily on the back, and then they raced each other to retrieve the blade.

Memory after memory followed this, pouring through Latias’ mind, each event being woven into the alternate reality that she was creating. She watched Ren’s life play before her eyes, each scene bringing some remembered emotion or sensation. It was mostly fond memories, but after a time Ren seemed to slip on occasion and show Latias something he didn’t intend. She only saw these kinds of memories for a brief moment before Ren caught himself, but the little she did see frightened her. She saw Ren being beaten by a group of older boys, their blows coming at her as though she was the one on the receiving end. She saw her companion lying in bed and starving, eyes clinched shut in an effort to ignore his aching stomach and fall asleep. Kairn shouting taunts at him as he ran away from an obviously unfair fight yet another time, the former bully and his Houndour attacking if he didn’t run away.

Latias recoiled at some of the more violent memories, flinching away from the all-too-realistic scenes she was herself creating. She was even forced to close her eyes once or twice, such as when one of Ren’s ribs was broken during an especially vile attack from his tormentors. The episode played on lucidly behind her eyelids, however, as Ren had not yet curbed the thought. She heard the sickening, muted snap of bone and watched as the boy crumpled to the ground amid a smattering of laughter.

She began crying after that incident, her tears running back across her face and instantly freezing as they streamed away from her light-protected body and into the frigid air. The images were becoming too intense, and although Latias wished she could take them on, she was eventually forced to ask Ren to stop. However, he did not do so. He seemed to have lost himself to his thoughts, reliving them almost in a trance without noticing the toll they were taking on her. She asked him once again to stop, this time more urgently, and afterwards yet again when he still did not cease.

Latias was contemplating landing to check on why Ren wasn’t listening to her when the nightmare began. She suddenly found herself intensely cold and inexplicably without breath, which caused her to gasp in shock. That gasp drew an icy liquid into her mouth, which ran down her throat and into her lungs, causing her chest to burn with a stabbing frigidity. She began to cry harder, now due to sheer terror. It was as though she were drowning.

Drowning. Latias’ eyes widened, and she fought desperately against her tears to see what was happening around her. She saw that a ghostly light was falling about her in wavering shafts, revealing that she seemed to be underwater. She looked up and saw the sun, a freakish white color, staring down at her through the dark water as though it were some disembodied eye. The pain in her lungs increased, and a dread-filled and agonized roar erupted from her throat, although it was borne on liquid instead of air.

“Stop Ren!” she screamed in her head, only to once again find that he didn’t answer. Horror stricken, she wondered if this wasn’t another of his memories. Perhaps this was reality; the situation felt much more genuine than what Ren had been showing her up to this point. Had she accidentally landed in a river or lake? It would be too costly to assume otherwise, so she mustered her strength and began struggling towards the surface. She made some headway, but her strength was almost immediately depleted by the glacial water and her lack of air. In a different approach, she tried to gather what little light was around her into a protective barrier, but there simply wasn’t enough to be effective.

She realized after a few moments of panicked deliberation that she didn’t have any other methods of escape, and as a creeping numbness began to course through her body, she sank into despair. There was no way out of this situation, and she was going to die. Not quite ready to accept what was happening to her, she looked around her with what little consciousness she had left in an attempt to spot Ren. The boy was nowhere to be found, however, so she dejectedly turned her eyes upwards and tried to come to grips with her unexpected and devastating fate. How could this have happened? She thought she had been flying at a safe altitude…was it even possible that she had strayed this far off course? It happened so fast; there had been no warning, no sign to show her the danger.

Sensing that her end was near, Latias couldn’t help but reflect on what could have…no…should have been. After all, was she not being cut down before her life had truly even begun? She thought forlornly that the burden of finding the Eon Chronicles would fall solely on the remainder of the group, and that they would have a more difficult time opposing the evil spreading across the land. The five friends had already been given a taste of the dark powers at work in the world: Latias couldn’t imagine the responsibility being heaped upon the others should she die. That responsibility was her creed, as much a part of her as her ancient lineage. To fail in her duty would make her life effectively forfeit.

Aside from all that, what about experiencing the richness of the world? Namely, what about her friends? She had developed a profound and personal relationship with her four companions, but she didn’t think for a second that they had already become as close as was possible. They had just begun to develop a deep-rooted bond, and already she was being torn from them. The thought left her with a burning sense of injustice. What kind of fate was this, to give her a taste of life and then take it away so soon? She recalled with no minor sorrow that she had not even seen the ocean yet.

“I’m not done!” she shouted in defiance of the darkness threatening to overcome her vision, imagining that she must be delirious for doing so and choking back a sob. “I need more time…”

As if in answer, a shadow moved abruptly across the sun, and something landed in the water above her. The object sent the surface into violent unrest and shattered the sunlight as though it were glass. She sensed the object…no…the being move near her in the water, and then felt arms wrap around her body. The touch sent the sensation of needle pricks running across her feathered hide, shocking her if only momentarily back into a fragile state of awareness. Whatever had come for her then began to move purposefully upward, bearing her swiftly towards the surface in a strong embrace. Once she was free of the water, she automatically tried to breath, sluggish though her mind was. Nevertheless, she realized she couldn’t force the water from her lungs, and then found that whatever was carrying her was beginning to tighten its grip. She writhed in protest, feeling as though her chest were being crushed, but then suddenly retched up a copious amount of water and found that chilly air was entering her lungs. She took a few short, ragged breaths, and then coughed out more liquid as her lungs began to empty themselves on their own.

“Don’t be afraid,” her rescuer said soothingly after she had taken a few more gulps of air. “You’ll be alright.”

Latias went rigid at the words, momentarily forgetting in her stunned state her present situation and that she needed to breathe. The way the phrase was said...the exact tone of voice…it matched something deep within her; something that she had not known was there. It was a single, short memory, one that contained those words exactly as they had been uttered. Along with the phrase was something else; a fleeting image of blue and white, textured as though comprised of feathers. She knew instantly what the memory depicted, but found it nearly impossible to believe. And yet…

Fighting against her weariness and her doubt, she formed a single word in her mind, and then pushed it questioningly at the being that now held her. “Father?”

***

Kairn sat cross-legged in the middle of the clearing the party had slept on the previous night, holding his sides and staring dully at the area in front of him. He had decided a while back, along with Latios and Houndoom, that an explanation for Latias and Ren’s strange behavior and departure would be provided upon their return. Once this conclusion had been reached, the three had grown silent, stalled in their travels until the others returned.

This silence proved hostile to Kairn, who remembered soon the horrors of the previous day and night. The thoughts brought him great distress, so much that he felt ill as he had during the previous evening. He felt cold although the area was relatively warm due to Houndoom’s influence, and was trying very hard to dwell on something besides the visions of carnage that played through his mind.

Latios noticed the boy’s discomfort, and mercifully hovered over to engage his attention. “Are you hungry?” the dragon asked, quickly trying to turn Kairn’s thoughts to something as mundane as possible. The boy shook his head indicating the negative, so Latios landed facing him and gave his best effort to appear relaxed. The gesture had a visible impact on Kairn, whose anxiety began to disappear in no subtle way upon seeing his friend in a state of calm.

“What were those blue orbs?” the boy asked suddenly. “The ones you used to counter the whirlwinds last night?”

Latios pondered the question for a moment. He hadn’t really thought while using the technique: he had simply known that his body was capable of the ability, and had used it as the circumstances required. It was no different than using his claws or his teeth to fight, although looking back at the situation he deemed that it was indeed strange.

“It was more or less a roar I suppose,” he said after a few more moments of reflection. “Although it required a great deal more air and I had to expel it all at once. I also contained it with a small amount of light, which must have given it that blue glow you noticed.” The dragon grew silent and appeared deep in thought, until finally he nodded as though he had tested his words and found them to be a satisfactory explanation. “Now I have a question,” he added. “You mentioned yesterday that you believe Latias formed the mental connection you share with Houndoom.” He glanced at the black and orange pokemon, who was curled up and asleep nearby. “You said she was linking your minds so that you could communicate with each other, as you had been injured to the point of unconciousness. What exactly happened to you?”

Kairn knew that Latios was only concerned for his well being, but he couldn’t help but fear answering the dragon’s question. How could he explain that he had abandoned Houndoom while the pokemon had still been a Houndour, the result of which had been both of them nearly dying? What would that do to Latios’ opinion of him? He hesitated, wanting to be truthful, but also wondering if it would be wiser to lie about what had happened. The anxiety he had felt before returned, and he felt paralyzed as Latios studied his face, looking at him more and more inquisitively as awkward seconds passed.

Abruptly, images began to flood into his thoughts, and the familiar burning sensation that represented Houndoom’s telepathic link with him grew strong. Latios’ expression changed to one of surprise as the images also came to him, and they both waited silently as Houndoom sent them a visual representation of the events in question. The pokemon began with being lost in the forest, skipping his abandonment by Kairn entirely. He showed himself wandering through the trees, near exhaustion, trying to find food in order to keep up his strength. Then he showed Kairn elsewhere in the forest, equally lost, calling out his name and desperately trying to locate him. Houndoom then advanced the story until he arrived at Griffith’s home, and continued ahead until Kairn also made it to the old man’s cottage. He depicted how they had been rendered unconscious by their lack of strength, and how they had lost their will to live, thinking they would never see each other again. In conclusion, he illustrated how Latias had bridged their minds in order to show them that they were indeed together, and exemplified their recovery process from that point.

In this version of telling, Kairn knew he was depicted as a compassionate friend, and felt he hardly deserved it. He looked at Houndoom with shame and remorse in his eyes, but the other stared back with nothing short of devotion.

“Thank you,” he mouthed to the pokemon, partly for his intervention in the conversation but mostly for the undying sense of loyalty the creature expressed. Kairn decided he would repay Houndoom by making good use of the second chance he had been given; he would strive for betterment, using the best of his abilities to prove that he was worth the risk.

Love was a funny thing. It had a way of overlooking even the greatest of wrongs, while simultaneously turning the wrongdoer from his actions.

***

No response came after Latias inquired as to her rescuer’s identity, so she opened one of her eyes to a slit and glanced at him. She noticed instantly that the being was not her father, as he was not in fact a Latios, but a human. The young man had long red hair, and as Latias glanced up at his face from her position cradled under one of his arms, she noticed that he had hazel colored eyes. Recognition instantly registered in her mind: it was Bron.

But of course it would be Bron. Latias began to feel foolish, realizing that she was still being subjected to one of Ren’s memories. So this had been the illusion she was creating all along, realistic as it had seemed.

“Ren,” she tried to say, but her mind’s voice came across almost inaudibly. She was still recovering from the simulated fatigue that the boy’s memory had imparted to her, and she gave herself a few moments to recuperate before trying again.

The second time she hailed him, Ren ceased sending her his memory, and the illusion that Latias was creating from it faded away. She sighed in relief. “Yes?” the boy asked, sounding as though he had just been shaken from sleep.

“Next time, please answer me when I ask you to stop.” She couldn’t quite keep the exhaustion out of her tone.

“You asked me to…?” Ren’s mind radiated bewilderment at Latias’ statement, as he had not heard her before. Then he realized what he had been thinking about, and what Latias had been doing with those thoughts. “Oh lord…you don’t mean…?”

“I do mean,” Latias answered bluntly, unable to call forth the mental stamina for a longer answer. “But don’t worry about it,” she gently added when she noticed that Ren was dismayed with her response. “I’ll be fine.”

“No, you won’t be fine!” The intensity and resolve in Ren’s mental voice took Latias aback.

“I am quite sure I will be,” she responded, sounding anything but.

“You don’t understand, do you?” Ren asked enigmatically, somehow managing to sound condescending and sensitive simultaneously. “How can you not see it? I did it to my brother, and now I’m doing it to you…Latias, I’m hurting you.”

“That’s absurd,” Latias retorted, although she was beginning to understand at last how the boy viewed his brother’s death. He thought himself personally responsible, and the thought had twisted his mind. Ren now felt that his mere presence brought pain to others.

“Think about it,” Ren was saying. “You allowed Eli to pull your feathers so that he could create the armor I’m wearing. You had to rescue me last night when I was knocked off of your back by that Ariados’ web, thereby placing yourself in danger when you could have simply escaped had I not been there. And just now I subjected you to what I hold to be the worst experiences I’ve ever had. You always put up with my shortcomings, and always try to help me. You’re so much like him…” The boy trailed off, but Latias knew he was thinking of Bron. “I’m afraid that I’m going to have the same effect on you as I did on him,” he finished quietly. Latias could feel him trembling, painfully denoting the sincerity of his words.

“You’re afraid for me?” The dragon’s words made her sound incredulous. She would have laughed under any brighter circumstances. “I should be the one worrying about you! Why do you think you need that armor in the first place? Why do you think those creatures attacked yesterday? Ren, you aren’t the source of my problems…I am. The evil growing in the world seeks me, not you. I do what I do for you because you have chosen to accompany me as I complete the task that is my birthright. I don’t have the option of quitting: you always do. Whenever I help you, or do something for you, it is my attempt to thank you for your decision to stay with me despite the dangers we will face. It’s the least I can offer in return for your friendship. Don’t you understand?” she turned his own question against him.

Ren became silent, thinking about what Latias had told him. She allowed him to do so, continuing on with other matters. “Now then. We should probably take the Eon Chronicles that Eli gave us to Griffith,” she said, more to herself than to her passenger. “I would imagine he has finished the saddles he was making for us by now, which should prove useful. It’s a bit difficult for you to fight and for me to fly when you have to hold on to me with one arm. After that, we would obviously continue searching for the rest of the Chronicles.”

Right around the time she finished this statement, she found that she was no longer flying through a snowstorm, but through open air. The change in atmosphere lasted only about as long as she could blink, as she was back in the blizzard almost instantly. However, her eyes had detected what she had flown through and the image stayed etched in her vision. She had been inside a sphere of pure air, which was housing a creature with an elongated green body, white claws on short forearms, and red fangs set in a reptilian head. Four spines swept back from that head, and a pair of black and yellow eyes had stared briefly at her as she rushed past.

She was amazed at the sight, and recalled the creature from a story that Griffith had taught her while she was still in the egg. The being was a Rayquaza, an ancient ouroboros that dwelled in the sky. Riding atop the Rayquaza, she had seen a human in shining golden armor. According to the legends, a member of the ouroboros race would only allow one very specific individual to ride it.

The king.

--------

[ProtrainerEon]

Hey! I remember reading this in my early days at PC.

At first I thought it was before I joined and that was why the memory is so faint, but after checking the post and my join date, I'm not so sure. X_X

Anyway, it's obvious what attracted me to this fic in the first place.

Also, when I went to the first post, I recognized that first chapter and it activated an old memory somewhere in the back of my head.

More to the point...

I wish you luck on this. I may check back in and read to the current chapter.

So, yeah. Bye.

Note: Reading part of the latest post reminded me of Eragon. :P

[txteclipse]

Note: Reading part of the latest post reminded me of Eragon. :P

...Really? Wow. I've read Eragon, and I actually wrote the chapter and I can't for the life of me think of any similar elements.

Anyways, glad to have you possibly reading again! You're my first responder in about six months, lol.

[Buoysel]

wow i love this so far. i have not read all of the chapters yet. i am going to print them off and read them tonight. i SUCK at English, so don't count on me for advice on grammar.

[Buoysel]

Before I start my message I would like to take the time to say that I am a horrible speller. I use spell check but it cannot help me with names, and some other words, so sorry it something is misspelled in advanced.
--------
Ok so I have read it all, it took all night, literally I got no sleep last night. Hehe I need to learn to manage my time better.


First thing I would like to say is that you are a good writer. I like the story form what I have read. I simply can’t wait until you post the next chapter. I am going to tell you a few short things I that I have found myself pondering. You do not have to change things. It is simply my option of how the story could be better.


The first thing I noticed is that when Latias is hatched I did not see a size description of her. Later, in chapter seven you say “she was already nearly as tall as he.” But this only made me wonder even more how big she was when she hatched.
While on the subject of Latias, I like how in the first part of the story you said: “You can keep eating,” she continued confused, not noticing Ren’s reason for dropping the fruit. “I already ate my fill.””. I like this bit because it shows that the Pokèmon sees extremes differently than we do.


I would like to see more of all of the charters personality. I am going to use Eragon as an example. In Eargon, Shaparia has a since of humor that is displayed by her actions. When Eragon asks Shaparia if that if Eragon is all she can say. She replies, “yes”. Then when Eargon tells Shaparia to Keep Bruam safe, she littler kidnaps him sort of. When Eragon burst into the scene Shaparia nearly takes his head off, and she apologies by saying ops.


This one kind of ties into the last paragraph but I am putting it separate. We do not get to know Latios very well. Right now I am not sure of some of his intentions, is he a good guy? Is it meant to be that way?

There is something else but I can’t remember at this time so I will post it when I think of it. I like your story a lot, thanks for posting it.

[txteclipse]

wow i love this so far. i have not read all of the chapters yet. i am going to print them off and read them tonight. i SUCK at English, so don't count on me for advice on grammar.

Glad you're liking it so far! And don't worry too much about the English thing...writing is so much more than getting words together correctly, although that is a big part of it. I noted in your second post that you're more concerned with character development and plot, which is actually a very good thing for me. Most of my critiques have been about grammar; very few have been about the plot or character development. For that reason, I think you're going to be an invaluable reader.

I worry sometimes that what I'm saying isn't coming across right or well, and I'm not talking about sentence structure or word use or any of that. What I mean is that I want people to be absorbed by my writing and get as excited about it as I do. I want you all to understand my characters and sympathize with them, to share in their struggles and triumphs, to truly know them. I want my imagery to be detailed and vibrant, giving you a clear and stunning image of the world I'm trying to create, making you feel as though you've been transported there. And I want to blend fantasy and reality into the events in my book, allowing you to correlate your daily life with what happens and yet still be awestruck by the sheer impossibility and wonder of it all.

To put it plainly, writing is nothing if the reader takes nothing from it. You can have the greatest grammar skills in the world, but if there's no soul, the work is dead. Writing is an engine to express ideas and feelings, to portray the world your own personal way and show how you see things. If you can write by that code, by pouring a bit of yourself into your work, then you've done your job as a writer. I can only hope I'm living up to that; it's up to you all to tell me if I'm hitting the mark.

[Buoysel]

*notices new post and rushes to thread, realizes its not a new chapter and gets disappointed*



I think you're going to be an invaluable reader.

Wow me invaluable reader?!?!? *blushes* ah shuckses



tell me if I'm hitting the mark.


You hit the bull eyes in the dead center, you could not have gotten closer. It took me five hours to read all the chapters, I forgot to sleep that night.

[BeachBoy]

Around 5 o' clock, here I am, PC has fallen asleep for the most part outside of Other Trivia... Just turned on some relaxing music, reading your reply on another fic to find that lovely banner in your signature. Seeing as I've recently been diving into fan fictions here at PokéCommunity, I thought "Well, PC is silent as a leaf anywho, let's give it a go!"

I've only read four chapters so far, and I have to say this is top on my "Make sure you read this fic" list. o_o At first, when I saw the date of the thread, I thought "oh dang, with my luck it'll be outdated D:" and was about to leave, but as my eyes locked onto the first paragraph... wow. And I was pretty happy when I saw the 4 pages and that this isn't just another incredible fic lost into the abyss of PC. (Database eats people like that too)

So anyway, I'm caught txteclipse, you've reeled me in. =D I'm also quite appauled this has so little replies, probably just speechless, or can't handle walls of text? XD Text (Yes, your new name from me) I love your fic. I can't really give constructive advise here, as I find your imagery, storyline, and everything overall just great. You can bet I'll reply to every chapter here on out. Though maybe you're almost done? I wouldn't know yet, but keep it up. So far; in the first four chapters, I have to say, my favourite part was when Latias flew through the forrest to then unleash the sonic boom. That was simply awesome. I know this isn't much help, and sorry if this seems too bland and unhelpful, but I'm really enjoying this. Another point I liked, is that I was never lost, seems you made sure that you didn't lose your reader. Well, you're having great success with staying on track then, from I've read so far. ;D Thank you, Text, well done. I'm looking forward to reading your other chapt--- *goes back to reading*

[/HA ASTINUS EAT THAT FOR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITS] >8D

[txteclipse]

So anyway, I'm caught txteclipse, you've reeled me in. =D

Haha! Now you shall never escape >:D I mean umm...

XD Text (Yes, your new name from me) I love your fic.

Well that's awesome. I enjoy having people enjoy my writing, which I enjoy writing. I'm also constantly liking my screen name more...it hints that I like to write, although the "txt" part amazingly doesn't stand for "text". Or maybe it does...it's the name of a spaceship in a game I like, and they never really say what the "txt" means. Hmmm.

You can bet I'll reply to every chapter here on out. Though maybe you're almost done?

Sweet. I'll try to devise a method to alert you and others when I get chapters out. And no: I am nowhere even nearly remotely close to anything resembling even part-way done. Long long long way to go. And there's at least one book after this one.

So far; in the first four chapters, I have to say, my favourite part was when Latias flew through the forrest to then unleash the sonic boom.

That's one of my favorite scenes, as well. Although there's one later that beats it...I won't spoil it, even though it's technically already out.

Another point I liked, is that I was never lost, seems you made sure that you didn't lose your reader.

It gets slightly convoluted later on, although I hope not too bad. It reverts back to straightforwardness fairly quickly.

So yeah. I'm going to start pounding out the next chapter, which must be out before the 24th, or bad things will occur (I go on vacation for like three weeks on that day). Must...finish...in...a...timely...manner...

[BeachBoy]

Haha! Now you shall never escape >:D I mean umm...

Well that's awesome. I enjoy having people enjoy my writing, which I enjoy writing. I'm also constantly liking my screen name more...it hints that I like to write, although the "txt" part amazingly doesn't stand for "text". Or maybe it does...it's the name of a spaceship in a game I like, and they never really say what the "txt" means. Hmmm.

Well, that nickname sticks with you from here... onward. >:D



Sweet. I'll try to devise a method to alert you and others when I get chapters out. And no: I am nowhere even nearly remotely close to anything resembling even part-way done. Long long long way to go. And there's at least one book after this one.

Okay, great, that's a relief. :D And how about visitor message? Should be pretty easy to alert us on profiles. ;)


That's one of my favorite scenes, as well. Although there's one later that beats it...I won't spoil it, even though it's technically already out.

Awesome, looking forward to it. ;D I may have already read it? I'm already up to the part where they're about to journey out and look for the missing pages. And up to that point, the main interesting part has to be when the Murkrow and such were wiped clean from the snow. And how Latios obtained the Eon knowledge. o_o Very interesting. And those eyes that followed them, many thoughts running through my mind on the possible sources.

Another thing, Ren only seems to injure something when he is forced to protect. Such as the family food, or the group with Murkrow. Makes me wonder whether this could be a weakness in the future? Hmm. And ah, Kairn is a good guy... now. I was expecting him to use Latios in a bad way, turn Eon on Eon. XD Haha.

Keep it up, Text! :D

[Lusankya]

This fanfic is quite awesome. Certainly one of the best I've read in a long time. Being a huge Latias/Latios fan myself, I like having a fanfic where they're involved. :) Reading the first few chapters and the more recent ones, your skills have improved by quite a bit.

My one question is why Latias and Latios don't seem to interact with each other much. Being the same species, I would think they would be as close to each other as their respective partners.

[txteclipse]

This fanfic is quite awesome. Certainly one of the best I've read in a long time. Being a huge Latias/Latios fan myself, I like having a fanfic where they're involved. :) Reading the first few chapters and the more recent ones, your skills have improved by quite a bit.

My one question is why Latias and Latios don't seem to interact with each other much. Being the same species, I would think they would be as close to each other as their respective partners.

Thanks for reading, and my skills definitely have improved. As for the Latios/Latias thing, I actually noticed that myself. I intend to have them be more open with each other soon.

Oh yeah, one more thing: Swordplay is something that takes years to learn and become expert at, so I hope you don't have Ren or Kairn be too good of swordsmen too early. Things that make little logical sense get on my nerves more than anything else in an otherwise well-written story. How long was Ren training for?

Ren's been at it for roughly two months now, and Kairn nearly that amount of time. They actually really only know the basics of fighting at the moment: they haven't gotten into real swordfights yet. They can handle things that don't have weapons (Sneasels for example), but there's a bit more finesse to be had than hacking, slashing, and dodging when the opposition has a weapon as well. That said, I have some things planned swordfighting-wise. Let's just say that it has something to do with the mental connections between party members.

[txteclipse]

After a bit over two months of hard labor, I have finally finished the next chapter. I couldn't bring myself to take any longer. This chapter contains a lot of material, and I know questions will arise concerning some of it. I will say right now that I will probably not answer said questions, unless the answer comes in the form of an event or explanation in a later chapter. Anyways, here it is:

--------

Chapter Twenty-Three

“You saw Rayquaza!? And the king!?” Latios’ normally calm disposition had been replaced by one of unbridled excitement when he heard the news.

“Yes,” Latias answered, her initial wonderment having long worn off. She and Ren had circled around a few times after their first encounter with the head of royalty and his dragon, but they had given up the search when they could not locate the two again. Latias subsequently found her way back to the clearing using the signal emitting from the Eon Chronicles they possessed, and was now hovering low to the ground, much wearied from the journey, and munching a bite of jam and bread. “We accidentally flew through Rayquaza’s aura; otherwise we may have never noticed them.”

Latios’ eyes widened, his excitement immediately changing to horror. “You flew through his aura? But Latias…that’s an offense punishable by death!”

“What?” Kairn and Ren blurted out in unison, the latter boy’s portion of bread stopping halfway in its travel to his mouth. Houndoom gave a low growl, his response to the shocking statement.

Latias seemed to be the only one among them that was unconcerned. “I’m sure it won’t come to that, Latios,” she thought-spoke to the other dragon. “It was unintentional, as I said, and I doubt the king would be so foolish as to destroy us to see the law upheld with such strictness.” She glanced at Ren and Kairn then, who were staring back at her with utter confusion. “Yes?” she asked them, seeing their behavior as odd and gaining an equally puzzled expression.

“What law?” was all that Ren could manage.

“Don’t you know?” Latias thought back, and was answered by the rattle of armor as heads were shaken all around. She recoiled, truly caught off-guard. “It is your own government and you don’t…?” It was her turn to shake her head.

“No one may enter Rayquaza’s aura without the permission of either himself or the king,” Latios interjected, looking even more perturbed than before. “The aura is a safeguard, as it naturally repels many types of things, the least of which is weather. It easily deflects throwing knives and arrows, and has been known to withstand so much as trebuchet assaults and even lighting strikes. Within the aura, Rayquaza and the king are fully protected: the two could easily stride through a battlefield and be safe from harm.” His voice dropped lower then, and he looked gravely at Latias. “If one were to set about assassinating the king, they would first have to get within the protective layer that Rayquaza provides. That is why it is forbidden, and it is no idle trespass.”

“I think you worry too much,” Latias chided.

“You aren’t thinking at all, you fool! You may be killed for what you did!”

The words rang loudly in Latios’ mind during the silence that followed, oddly painful. He didn’t even need to see Latias looking as if he had physically struck her to know he had been much too harsh. “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean…” he stammered, as surprised by his own outburst as the others. He had never been prone to unwarranted bouts of anger. What had this sudden fury stemmed from?

Latias tried, with no small level of difficulty, to bite down on the resentment she felt at the other dragon’s initial comment. “I suppose we’ve all been under a great deal of stress lately,” she put in after she had composed herself somewhat, going to great lengths to keep the edge out of her mind’s voice. “I can understand how that could make you lose your temper.”

Latios wasn’t sure whether this was the true reason, but he had no better explanation readily available. In any case, it did not relieve the feeling that he had misstepped. “That’s not an excuse,” he thought back apologetically. “None of you have let our situation get the better of you, and we’re all sharing the same load. It isn’t fair for me to grow so angry...it will only put more strain on the rest of the company. I need to be stronger than that.”

“You can’t expect to be able to simply endure all of your troubles.” Kairn’s voice was an unanticipated addition to the conversation, and both dragons turned to him. “What was it you said to me, Latios? ‘We are partnered for a reason, and that is to see each other through the great struggles that lie ahead. We could not do this alone. Do not feel like you must.’ That applies to all of us, you included. So don’t think about trying to keep all of your anxiety to yourself. That’s what wouldn’t be fair. Not that I think you were justified in shouting at Latias,” the boy added, his tone changing to one of reproach. “That was uncalled for, to say the least. We’re just going to have to find other ways to let off the pressure once in a while.” The boy paused to think for a moment, and then his eyes took on a mischievous gleam. “I happen to know one that is readily available.”

“And what would that be?” Latios asked, wondering if he truly wanted to hear the answer.

Kairn grinned. “Unbridled violence.”

***

The setting sun blazed through a rift in the subsiding blizzard, glowing the color of heated steel. A castle, its walls of white stone tinged a rosy hue, perched on a cliff overlooking a pale-sanded beach that stretched endlessly to either side. Behind the fortress, the ocean lay calm and serene as a blue mirror: a sparkling red swath of reflected sunlight shone upon it, leading all the way from the burgundy horizon to the shoreline. To the four figures waiting on one of the many smooth-topped towers that made up parts of the castle walls, the glowing path resembled a trail of rubies formed by some sea-giant to connect the coast to the distant heavens.

“All the riches in all of the treasuries of men could not match nature in her artistry,” one of the four commented, sitting and gazing seaward with eyes the color of a clear midday sky. A chilly onshore breeze whipped around his body, causing him to draw his heavy black cloak tighter about himself and making the white hair that normally extended to the small of his back flare out behind him. The movement disturbed an Umbreon that had been curled and asleep in his lap, another of the waiting four, and she stirred to regard him with vivid red eyes that seemed to ask why he had woken her. He gently stroked her long, rabbit-like ears in answer, and the ring-shaped yellow markings dotting the creature's predominantly black fur luminesced dully with contentment before she returned to her state of rest.

“Aye, you are right there, Darkrai,” a third figure said: a young man. He was standing, the silver armor covering him from head to toe seeming to blaze in the waning light. A heavy white cape was clasped about his neck, and the biting wind caused it to snap and flutter behind him, much to the despair of a Dragonair whom it was buffeting in the muzzle. “And no device of war could compare to her ferocity, either,” he added, stamping his feet and breathing into his hands before glancing upwards accusingly at the snow that yet fell. “I wish my father would hurry back.”

The Dragonair, a serpentine pokemon with dark-blue scales and a cream-white underbelly, wrapped a few coils of his elongated body around his partner in an effort to keep him warm. He was nearly as cold as the surrounding winter air, however, and was pushed off almost immediately amidst a gasp of displeasure. Adopting a different technique, the creature stared at the foreboding sky with determination in his violet eyes, the blue orbs on his neck and tail beginning to glow with a curious light. Dragonair could control the weather: not for very long, but perhaps long enough to offer some relief from the elements. He forced the clouds to hold back the remainder of their icy payload, and then halted the freezing gusts of air that blew in from the ocean.

“King Jethroe needs all the respite he can afford to take,” Darkrai was saying, his voice low. “He has had much on his mind as of late, although I suppose you are more acutely aware of that than any of us.” The man paused, letting out a small sigh as the last bit of sun sank below the horizon. “Miles, when your mother fell ill—“

“It’s like he’s running away,” the prince interjected, turning to absentmindedly scratch around the single horn and feathery, wing-like ears that adorned Dragonair’s head. The pokemon hummed in approval of the attention with a voice that resonated like vibrating crystal and leaned in to make it easier for Miles to reach. “He just flies off with his dragon when things get too much for him. I almost wish we had the same option…” he said the last sentence more to his companion. “But it’s simply too cold this time of year to go any long distance, and unfortunately you can’t control the weather for any substantial period of time.” He stopped petting Dragonair, lost in thought, his hand coming to rest mid-stroke on the azure scales as his eyes focused on nothing in particular. The creature’s tufted ears drooped in response to this, and he nudged the young man’s hand in an attempt to set it in motion again.

Darkrai carefully moved Umbreon off of his lap and then stood and stretched, making the fine-as-silk array of soot-blackened chainmail he wore under his cloak tinkle like the pouring out of small coins. “I would daresay we all have our methods for dealing with our troubles. I, for one, spend as much time outside as I can.” He looked directly at the prince then, his expression shrewd but not unkind. “Forgive me for speaking such, but do you not use your daily training as your own escape? There have been many occasions in which you’ve missed meals while sparring or completing trial courses and the like.” When Miles remained silent at this, Darkrai continued. “I don’t believe it is wholly fair to label your father as a deserter. We all have burdens to bear, and the king has the heaviest load of all. I would not begrudge him his time away…it may very well be all that preserves his continued good health.”

The prince was, at this point, staring rather darkly at the ground directly in front of his feet with his arms crossed. He had stopped shivering, but the truth in the other’s lecture was a new source of irritation. “Please don’t take it so to heart,” Darkrai said, smiling ever so slightly in spite of himself at Miles’ forthright disposition. “There is truly no offense on your part. And go inside, if you will. I know it is cold, and I am quite certain that Umbreon and I can take up the watch alone.”

The prince hesitated for a moment and seemed about to protest, but then nodded instead, grateful. “It’s difficult to argue with your golden tongue,” he said, grinning, and then strode over to a long and narrow sheath of oiled leather lying nearby. Underneath the protective layer of hide was a beautiful spear, strikingly crafted from a mirrored silver metal, unmarred albeit a single etched line that coiled into graceful patterns along its length. A blue, perfectly round stone was set into the base of the wide blade that served as the tip of the weapon. Miles hoisted the longsheath onto his shoulder with practiced ease, balancing it with one hand as he motioned for Dragonair to follow with the other. Bidding Darkrai farewell, they trudged and slithered to the edge of the tower, and then descended a wide set of steps built spiraling downward around the structure until they were out of sight.

***

Ren was pinned down behind one of the few scraggly trees dotted about the area, desperately scanning the skies. Where was Latias? If she didn’t come to his aid soon, he would be finished. A quick glance around the trunk of the tree provided him no hint as to his enemies’ locations, although it did invite a pair of sharp “thumps”. Then came a moment of hasty deliberation: should he risk a run for it while the opposition was momentarily devoid of throwing weapons, or should he stand his ground and hope for a better moment of opportunity? His feathered armor was already covered in snow, which would give him away should he attempt to render himself invisible. Just the same, he dashed out from behind the tree, zigzagging in case he had misjudged how long it took for his foes to re-arm themselves. It was a good decision: a snowball hurtled harmlessly by moments later, the thrower’s aim rendered useless by his quick movements.

“Missed!” he shouted tauntingly over his shoulder to an enraged looking Kairn, spying as he ran an icy fortification that Latios and the other boy had built. Then he looked upwards as a sleek red and white shape streaked through the sky. “There you are!” he thought-spoke to Latias. “They’ve piled up snow to protect themselves! Can you get at them?”

“Oh, I suppose,” the other answered with mock-nonchalance, and then flew by and dumped the entire contents of a pack filled with slush on Kairn. She reeled away laughing as the boy shouted in shock, the cold bombardment instantly penetrating his metal armor. Ren took advantage of his friend’s momentary incapacitation to rush the fort, scooping up and tossing snowballs as he ran. Latios met the onslaught with one of his potent roars: the blue sphere that emanated from his mouth turned Ren’s snowy missiles into white puffs of ice and continued unhindered until it hit the ground right before the boy’s feet. The impact tossed up a huge white plume that effectively covered Ren from head to toe, and he beat a hasty retreat while simultaneously trying to shake off the sensation-deadening powder.

The snowball fight raged on, with no clear victor even as the last of the sun dipped below the horizon. Once it became too dark to see, the skirmishing ground to a halt. Ren, Latias, Kairn, and Latios crumpled into a disordered heap, all thoroughly chilled and fighting to regain their breath. Houndoom sat idly by, perhaps the best off out of the entire group: his task had been to keep the dragons from becoming too cold by bathing them occasionally in a blast of fire. He did this now for good measure, torching all four of his friends with a stream of overwhelming heat. Feathers repelled flame all around, but Kairn and Ren were unaccustomed to this new immunity offered by their down-covered armor and both jumped up and fled a good distance away. The dragons roared with laughter.

“It’s not that funny,” Ren muttered under his breath as he and Kairn made their way back.

“Of course it is,” Latias thought to him, overhearing the comment through their mental link. “Just look at yourself.” A flash of light pulsed next to her as she created an image of the boy in midair: the semblance’s face was contorted into a mask of absolute horror. The two dragons went into another bout of hysterics, and this time Kairn joined them. Ren coolly tossed a snowball into each of their faces, and order was quickly restored.

“It is growing late,” Latios commented a few moments later, any trace of humor gone from his mind’s voice. “We should probably rest. Tomorrow, we must return to Griffith and give him the two editions of the Chronicles we have collected. I would rather not fly while half-asleep.”

There was a general response of agreement, and then Houndoom created a dry patch of ground for them to bed down on. Snores came quickly from Latios and Kairn’s direction, but Ren kept Latias awake for a bit longer.

“Don’t you think Latios may be correct in saying that we should be more cautious from now on?” the boy asked in the privacy of their minds. “A death penalty isn’t exactly something I would care to trifle with.”

“You, as well?” Latias gave an exasperated sigh. “I truly can’t entertain the notion that there will be repercussions for what happened earlier today. If the worst should occur and we are arrested, we will simply say that our intrusion was not intentional and that we meant no harm. Seeing as the king is still alive and well, it will be difficult to argue. We may even go so far as to explain that we are being sought by an ancient and deadly evil, and that whoever wishes to oppose it would do best to stay out of our way. That would undoubtedly turn things in our favor.”

“But suppose the king is not sympathetic to our position,” Ren argued. “It is the law, after all, and we can’t be sure how lax the king will be with it. Suppose he sees it as his utmost duty to have the law carried out with absolution, no matter what arguments there are to oppose it?” Latias did not interject, so Ren went on. “And imagine just how much time we could waste dealing with the government. If we are arrested and they do decide to release us, but not immediately, we would be allowing our enemies time: something which we must avoid as much as possible. I say we do as Latios wishes. Hiding from our previous foes was bad enough: now every person in every town, village, and city may be alerted to our presence. Please trust me when I say we should ere on the side of caution…if for no other reason, do it for me.”

Latias took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly as she weighed her options and settled on a decision. “All right,” she thought-spoke to her partner. “I will do as you ask. From now on, we will either remain disguised or invisible if there is any reason to fear being seen by unfriendly eyes. We will do so until we can discern how the king has reacted to our crossing of paths. Does this sound reasonable?” Ren nodded the affirmative response. “Good. Now I would like to ask something: just how knowledgeable are you about our system of government? The fact that you didn’t know about the aura-trespass law concerns me greatly.”

“Not much,” Ren admitted. “My family did not have a great amount of direct involvement with authority, and I didn’t pay attention on the rare occasions when they happened to talk about it. I do know that our town and a few others are overseen by one person…a lord, I think.”

“That is correct.” Latias nodded in approval. “There are eight lords, and each of them is tasked with protecting and keeping order inside their personal domain. There are, obviously, eight such domains. Now: these lords are appointed directly by the king, and it is his decision alone whom to choose. However, the king has a group of four trusted advisers, called the Elite Four, who can influence his choices. The king always has the final say, but these four can act as a kind of foil should he get out of line. If every member of the Elite Four is in agreement, they can revoke the king’s title and appoint a new one…” She yawned widely. “That should be enough for now. I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.”

Ren watched as the dragon closed her eyes, the two points of golden light giving way to sudden darkness. He then laid down himself, staring up at the scattering of stars that shone through the clouded sky. Latias’ slow breathing lulled him to the edge of sleep, but then he jerked himself to full awareness when she made a strange whimpering noise. Looking quickly over, he found that she had grown restless and was tossing about. Concerned, he peered into her mind and found that she was having a nightmare: she was reliving the experience of drowning he had subjected her to earlier that day. “Oh no,” he whispered to himself, and then crawled to his friend’s side. Not knowing what else to do, he gently wrapped his arms around her neck and waited for her dream to end, guilt stabbing through him like a knife to the heart. Each moment stretched agonizingly long, but eventually Latias calmed under his touch after what seemed to be an eternity.

The incident was unsettling; Ren did not find rest easily afterwards. He held Latias close as the stars wheeled overhead, unknowns and fears consuming his troubled mind much as the dark filled the moonless night. The future appeared wholly uncertain then, more so than ever before. The world was seemingly against them, and it wasn’t heartening odds. Five weary travelers against the multitudes of the land and a faceless, timeless evil…it was hard to comprehend how little hope they had.

Ren thought suddenly and quite unexpectedly how much he missed home. He could be comfortably asleep in his own bed with his parents just down the hall, confident in what tomorrow would bring. It was a tantalizing thought, and he dwelled upon it for a long, long time, homesickness filling him more and more with each passing moment. Then he looked at Latias, and hesitantly, reverentially, as though he was moving an object of utmost delicacy, pushed the thought back out of his mind. He could face all the uncertainty in the world, he decided slowly, and would do it gladly, as long as he could do so with her.

--------

[Buoysel]

Either this chapter is shorter than normal, or I read too fast. x_x

Anyway: I like this chapter. Not to much happened. Except snow ball fight. That was fun, but would have been cooler if you showed more flinging. I like how you introduced the scene. Kept you guessing for a couple of line.

Unless things really pick up, I think this story is going to have a bunch of chapters. But I will read every one.

Sorry I'm not much of a help with grammar and such, but I was reading it too fast to notice any.

[txteclipse]

There probably will be a ton of chapters. And I think it will pick up at least somewhat now, but I seem to have a tendency to write a lot of slow scenes between fast ones. They are necessary, as my plot will only get more and more twisted and will require more and more detail, but that doesn't make it extremely fun to wade through a bunch of slow stuff. For the next few chapters, though, it shouldn't be too bad.

[POKEMON_MASTER_0]

Interesting...I wonder what the point of the conversation between the Elite Four (I'm assuming) was. Sure, it tells us the king's mental state, but how does that tie into the story? Of course, I don't expect you to answer. (:

The snowball fight was funny. There weren't any grammar mistakes that caught my attention, but then again I wasn't actively looking for them.

Although not as action-packed as previous chapters, it was a solid addition. Other than that, I don't have much else to say. Good job.

[Lusankya]

To use Pokemon_Master's word, it's a solid chapter. The first two parts develop the plot (I assume), adds to their peril, and deepens the mystery, while the last few paragraphs really show how Ren's relationship with Latias is developing. The snowball fight was pretty amusing, and I like how you made it seem like something more serious at first.

[txteclipse]

To use Pokemon_Master's word, it's a solid chapter. The first two parts develop the plot (I assume), adds to their peril, and deepens the mystery, while the last few paragraphs really show how Ren's relationship with Latias is developing. The snowball fight was pretty amusing, and I like how you made it seem like something more serious at first.

Why thank you. It seems my poor characters are being slowly buried in dangerous circumstances. We'll see what comes of it. And I figured the snowball fight would catch a lot of people off guard, which is why I wrote it that way ;).

Also, sorry this is taking so long (once again -_-'), but I'll try to get to it ASAP. I've been really busy doing things like moving into college, so I haven't had much writing time lately. Cheers.

[Pokémonlegend222]

hey txteclipse, your story is making me remember "One Latias" from Pokemon_Master_0, I simply love storys with a Latias included :D

[txteclipse]

What's this? I've actually been working on a chapter for the past six months?

I could give you a wide array of excuses as to why I'm so slow, but none of them are really viable. I apologize for taking so long (once again). Hopefully the quality of this chapter will make up for it, but that's up for you to decide.

Thanks to Pokemon_Master_0 for beta-ing.

--------

Chapter Twenty Four

It was well after midnight when Umbreon awoke. She glanced cursorily upward as her sleep-blurred vision sharpened, and noted that the sky was clear and moonless. Despite the dark, her ruby-colored eyes pierced her surroundings, allowing her to see as though it were daytime. After carefully extricating herself from Darkrai’s lap, she yawned, stretched, and then padded soundlessly through the snow a few paces.

She proceeded to roll on the ground, considering that she must be insane for leaving her partner’s warm and comfortable presence, but she needed to be alert if she was going to be helping him keep watch. The luminous rings decorating her fur went completely dim as the ice found its way to her skin, creating a palpable indication of her displeasure. Fully awake and equally cold, she trotted back to Darkrai, and took up station at his side.

It struck her that he was being unnaturally quiet. He hadn’t so much as greeted her. She looked up at his face sidelong, and found that he was staring out at the city that surrounded the castle on every side except the one taken up by the sea cliffs. She did the same, taking in the breathtaking view: a sparse few torches and flickering starlight punctuated the otherwise shadowy city, throwing it into moody relief. “Altomare is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?” Umbreon asked.

When Darkrai’s only response was an impassive nod, she understood the reason for his detachedness. He appeared to simply be taking in the sights, but she knew from his demeanor and their many years together that he had retreated to somewhere deep within himself. It was a dark place, a graveyard of haunted thoughts, where a cold wind howled and the shadows seemed alive. It was a place he shouldn’t be venturing into. “You’re thinking about it again, aren’t you?”

There was a moment of stillness, and then Umbreon’s mind was filled with pale light as Darkrai’s consciousness merged more fully with hers. “It seems you’ve been playing me for the fool,” he responded. “I didn’t realize that you were capable of reading minds as well.”

“I’m not, and there’s no need. Your expression tells me everything.”

Speaking with Darkrai telepathically was an undeniably foreign experience, and although it wasn’t at all unpleasant, it had taken over a year for Umbreon to get used to the process after they first met. Conversing mentally with another being hadn’t been a daily occurrence before that point, to be certain. Telepaths were extraordinarily rare, and Darkrai was the only human known to have the trait.

“Is it truly that obvious?” Darkrai grinned. “Perhaps I should practice keeping my features inscrutable in front of a mirror.”

Umbreon surmised that he was being humorous in an attempt to downplay the topic at hand, but that at least told her he hadn’t withdrawn so deeply into himself as to be nearly unreachable. It had happened before, the result of which was Darkrai shutting her out, brooding silently over what was concealed within his mind. It was painful--and dangerous--for both of them.

“You know you can trust me, Darkrai.” She rubbed her head against his armored shoulder. “There’s no need to hide.”

“From you, perhaps…” Darkrai was still staring out over the city. “But my past isn’t one to be readily related to just anyone.”

“And you risk that happening whenever you hold it in.” Umbreon pressed her head against Darkrai’s arm, and was still for a moment. “Your nightmares are getting worse.” She looked searchingly into her companion’s eyes, but he turned away. “Oh no you don’t,” she said with a reproachful tone. “You know that it’s only a matter of time before one of your nightmares spills into someone’s dreams besides mine. What if it’s a resident of the city? Or one of the other Elites? Come on, get it over with.”

Darkrai fidgeted. “You know I hate doing that.”

“Can’t be helped,” Umbreon replied swiftly. “Now go on, before the anxiety kills me.”

“We wouldn’t want that.” Darkrai laughed. It was an empty sound, obviously forced. “Fine then; I’ll do it, but only if you promise to let me know if it’s becoming too much for you.”

“As always, I promise. Now go on!”

Darkrai took a deep breath and placed a hand on the gleaming circle adorning Umbreon’s forehead. She closed her eyes and shivered.

“You’re afraid,” he noted softly, dropping his hand to his side.

“This isn’t exactly going to be enjoyable. But I’ll get over it once we begin, like every other time.”

“No…afraid for me.”

So he knew. It wasn’t surprising, with him being psychic, but that didn’t make it any easier. In fact, it made it harder: now that he had gleaned a portion of the truth, she would have to tell him the rest of it. Umbreon opened her eyes, and tried to appear unruffled. “As I said, your nightmares are getting worse.”

Darkrai waited expectantly.

“…Worse than they’ve been in a while,” Umbreon added. Her companion remained unmollified. She sighed audibly. Darkrai wasn’t going to give up: there was no sense in prolonging the conversation. “They’re as bad as the time just before you…” She hesitated.

“Is that what you fear?” Moving unexpectedly, Darkrai gently pulled Umbreon close to him. “That I’ll take up once again the guise I learned to hate?”

“…Yes.”

Darkrai stared out over the city for a long moment, each breath lingering in the air as an apparition of white fog. Then he looked down at her, but she averted her gaze, hoping he hadn’t seen her anxious expression. “Vee?”

The nickname caught her off guard, her thoughts instantly returning to the day Darkrai had given it to her; a small, frightened child mispronouncing the name of her first form, Eevee. A smile crossed her features. “Yes?”

“I need to ask a favor of you.”

“Which would be?”

“I need you to have faith that I’ll be fine. That we’ll be fine. I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”

Umbreon appeared nonplussed. “I evolved for you,” she answered.

“I know.” Darkrai hugged her. “And I’m not questioning our friendship. I just need to hear it.”

“Of course I’ll trust you,” Umbreon asserted. “What’s gotten into you?” Darkrai broke eye contact, and Umbreon‘s stomach knotted. “You’re afraid, as well.”

“No, it’s not that…I simply…” Darkrai paused, drew in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. “Umbreon?”

Just then, a mighty roar sounded overhead. The two companions looked skyward, and Umbreon spotted Rayquaza’s night-shrouded form descending swiftly towards them. Their conversation would have to wait: the castle was about to become a very busy place.

No sooner had Rayquaza landed than the king dismounted, his armored boots crushing snow and clacking sharply against the stone-topped tower. Darkrai and Umbreon immediately entered the great dragon’s aura and took places at Jethroe’s right and left sides, actively looking for trouble and never staring in one direction for too long. They kept mental contact with one another so that they could share what they were seeing and therefore be more prepared for any danger that might arise.

The group progressed to the edge of the tower, and then began descending the staircase built spiraling around it: the structure was wide enough to accommodate Rayquaza. There were no words exchanged, as all attention was being devoted to escorting the king safely inside. Darkrai kept a firm grip on the hilt of a katana belted to his waist, pulling the weapon out of its sheath only enough to expose a few inches of the blade, which was as white and curved as a crescent moon. If the man’s reputation was not enough of a deterrent to any assassin, that of the blade would be: it was rumored to have been forged from moonlight and tempered by the icy fear it instilled in its victims.

As the four went, they were soon joined by others that came rushing to meet them. First came Miles and Dragonair, the prince easily sprinting up the steps two at a time and the pokémon gliding effortlessly on a gust of air behind him. As they took places in front of the king, two more arrived: a magnificent Skarmory with glittering feathers and, saddled atop her, a middle-aged man clad in plate armor and a billowing crimson cape. They began circling overhead, and the eight proceeded without stopping.

Once they had reached the bottom of the tower, it was only a few sparse yards to the throne room. The castle had been built so that the tower could act as a launching platform for members of Rayquaza’s race: in times of need, the current dragon and king would need only exit through a doorway behind the throne to make a hasty escape. The escort now entered through here, and although it had been a routine procedure, there was a collective sigh of relief as Rayquaza shut the massive double-doors behind them.

King Jethroe took a moment to glance around the throne room, reacquainting himself with the place he spent the majority of his time as king. The space was built as a massive hall, with a ceiling far higher than could be illuminated by the many standing torches arranged about the floor. An emerald-colored carpet lead from the distant main entrance to the throne itself, which was intricately carved from jade and sat on a raised pedestal of white stone. Along either side of the carpet stood a battalion of humanlike Gallade, who where always prepared to defend the king with their retractable elbow blades and their lives.

The king looked finally at the long, tall walls enclosing both sides of the great hall. Unlike the rest of the room, which shone with polished white stone, the walls sparkled blue. Each was covered with a countless number of Bronzong: the metallic, bell-like pokémon were completely immobile for the time being.

Seeing that all was in order, King Jethroe turned to the others. “I’m going to see my wife,” he stated. “Miles, you may join me if you so desire. Darkrai, Gawain: I am holding an emergency council as soon as I am done, so make ready if you would.”

“Yes, sir,” answered Gawain, who had been unbuckling his saddle from Skarmory. He clacked a gauntlet against the brow of his helm in a sharp salute.

With this, the king and prince departed, with Dragonair and Rayquaza close behind. The men and Dragonair made their way to a door set into the wall to the left of the throne, and went inside. Rayquaza stayed behind, as he was too large for the adjoining room, but his aura extended into the space beyond and continued to offer them protection.

The armored man riding Skarmory climbed down out of his saddle, and then approached Darkrai. “An emergency council…I wonder if something happened,” he said in a low, rough voice.

“I can only imagine,” Darkrai responded. He waved to a few of the Gallade standing guard, and they brought chairs for him and the other, as well as a cushion for Umbreon. Once they were seated, he added “We’ll know soon enough.”

***

“She hasn‘t improved.”

King Jethroe’s face was ashen as he knelt beside his wife’s malnourished and bedridden form. He plucked one of her icy hands from underneath the covers, and gently massaged it between his own. “Have you identified the disease?”

“Not yet, your majesty,” answered the woman standing by the king’s side. She brushed a lock of golden hair out of her face, wrapping it behind her ear to keep it in place. It became the only organized part of her otherwise disheveled appearance. “She has a very peculiar sickness: whenever we think we‘ve found a cure, it makes a comeback.”

“Just keep trying, Aia. It’s all that can be asked of you,” the king said quietly. “Right now, however, go to the throne room. I will meet you and the rest of the Elite Four there momentarily.” Noticing her drawn expression and wrinkled garments, he added “afterward, I’d like you to get some sleep. You look like you were awake the entire time I was absent.”

“Thank you, sir…and I was,” Aia chuckled weakly. She bowed, and then motioned towards a dark corner of the room. Two glowing, yellow eyes appeared in the midst of the gloom, and then a catlike Luxray emerged, his claws rapping lightly on the floor as he followed Aia out the door.

Jethroe turned to the bed, and stared at his wife’s pale face. “I’m here, Elain,” he whispered to her. “Come back to me, my love.” When she didn’t stir after a moment, he bowed his head, unsurprised and yet incapable of ignoring the sense of dejection that crept into his heart. “Perhaps tomorrow, then,” he added, as he always did, and stood. “Cresselia?”

A yellow, crescent-shaped head adorned with a pink jewel and two quarter-moon crests rose from behind the other side of the bed. Cresselia regarded the king sleepily with her violet eyes, and yawned. “Your majesty?” She floated a few feet off the floor, revealing a rounded lavender body and short tail with a yellow underside, as well as three pink veils that adorned her figure. “Welcome home, sir.” The pokémon spoke telepathically, so her voice seemed to come from within the king’s mind.

“Thank you, and I’m sorry for waking you,” Jethroe replied. “Would you be so kind as to watch over Elain tonight? I need to speak with the Elite Four about a matter that has suddenly come up, and Aia needs to rest.”

“Certainly, dear king,” Cresselia said, inclining her head in her interpretation of a bow. “I will alert you immediately if anything transpires.”

Jethroe thanked her, allowed his gaze to linger on his wife’s features a moment longer, and then stepped out the door.

Cresselia watched him leave, and then looked down at her companion. “Rest easy, my queen,” she thought, pushing the words into the woman’s tumultuous dreams. Then she took to sentinel-like stillness, shining gently as a full moon in the otherwise darkened room.

***

“A Latias, you say?”

“There was no mistaking her.” Jethroe gazed at each member of the Elite Four in turn, recognizing various levels of shock in their faces. Even the pokémon were visibly surprised. “She and a rider flew through Rayquaza’s aura earlier today. Nearly stunned me out of my saddle, too: they were going faster than I could have imagined possible.”

“Extraordinary,” Aia breathed.

“You said they entered Rayquaza’s aura?” Gawain had a dark look on his face. “Your majesty, I know I need not remind you that doing so bears a death sentence.”

“Nonsense,” retorted Darkrai. “It sounds like a simple mistake. And I know I need not remind you, Gawain, of the stories surrounding the Eon Dragons. Of the wondrous powers they hold. The day we decide to execute a member of that glorious race would be a dark one, indeed.”

“But what if that Latias is being controlled by evil?” Gawain argued. “We can’t rule that out as an option.”

“She didn’t attack the king, even though she had an opportune chance,” Darkrai asserted. “Besides, you try hanging a Latias, and you’ll be the laughing stock of the entire kingdom. They can fly, you know.”

Everyone laughed at that, except Gawain, who glared at his boots. He counted himself lucky that his helmet concealed his reddening face.

“Alright, enough of this,” the king said, silencing the others. “I have already decided that the Latias I saw is not a threat, but I would like to bring her and her rider in just the same. I wish to speak with her, and to offer her protection: now that we know of her presence, we can’t simply stand by and do nothing, whether we like it or not. The Dark One will rise to claim her eventually, and I’d rather she were under our wing than alone and unguarded. There’s no telling what evils would be committed if her power fell into the wrong hands, so the more support she has from us, the better. Agreed?”

There were general murmurs of consent from the Elites, the strongest coming from Darkrai’s direction and the weakest from Gawain’s. King Jethroe thanked and dismissed them, and then walked behind the throne to a makeshift sleeping area consisting of a small rug, a nightstand, and a cot. He lay down on this after removing his golden armor, and then Rayquaza coiled his serpentine body around the entire setup, creating an impregnable wall of scales and aura.

“Goodnight, my friend,” the king said, patting the scaly hide closest to his resting place affectionately. “And thank you for flying with me.” Then he thought of Latias, and added “Perhaps the world will be a bit brighter from now on.”

Rayquaza answered with a deep, nearly-inaudible rumble. The sound resonated within the bell-like bodies of the countless Bronzong covering the walls, and slowly died away as a muted chime while the Gallade guard put out the torch-stands and cast the hall into darkness.

***

Once they were in their private quarters, Umbreon focused her thoughts, letting Darkrai know she wished to speak with him. He extended his mind to hers, and she asked: “what was it you were about to tell me before the king arrived?”

The man hesitated in the midst of unbuckling his sword belt from his waist. “I can’t remember,” he answered after a moment, placing his weapon on a nearby stand. “The excitement seems to have driven it from my mind.”

Umbreon gazed skeptically at the back of Darkrai’s head as he began removing his chainmail, wondering if her companion had lapsed into being evasive again. However, even if her gut told her that he was, she didn’t pursue the matter. There were more pressing things at hand. “Well, I hope you haven’t forgotten that we’re going to need to synchronize tonight.”

“No, I haven’t,” Darkrai sighed. “Do you want to start now?”

“Waiting won’t make it any better, so whenever you’re ready,” Umbreon responded, grimacing.

“I’m never ready for this.” Darkrai sat down in front of his friend, and placed his hand on her head. “…Umbreon?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for putting up with this. I know that it isn’t easy, and I just want to make sure that you understand how much I appreciate it. If there were any other way--”

“You know I hate it when you get sentimental.” Umbreon grinned, and her eyes took on a mirthful glint. Then her face hardened, and she took a deep breath to steel herself. “Alright…go.”

--------

[POKEMON_MASTER_0]

As before, this is a well-done chapter. However, I couldn't find anything major wrong.

I think that most dramatic change you made for me personally was by saying (rather indirectly) that the castle is in Altomare. I don't think we knew that detail before. It really gets me thinking, too. Did the Latios and the Latias in the story originate from Altomare? On the other hand, being that we are in medieval times, perhaps the Latias and Latios in this story will lay the foundation for Latiases and Latioses that will live in Altomare in the future. Or, I could just be overthinking this. (:

Anyhow, I guess I found it interesting how I could read over this fairly quickly, and then suddenly find a part that had been added or removed. I also thought that the new ending wrapped up the chapter more effectively, by leaving off with Umbreon and Darkrai.

So overall, another great chapter.

[txteclipse]

As before, this is a well-done chapter. However, I couldn't find anything major wrong.

I think that most dramatic change you made for me personally was by saying (rather indirectly) that the castle is in Altomare. I don't think we knew that detail before. It really gets me thinking, too. Did the Latios and the Latias in the story originate from Altomare? On the other hand, being that we are in medieval times, perhaps the Latias and Latios in this story will lay the foundation for Latiases and Latioses that will live in Altomare in the future. Or, I could just be overthinking this. (:

Anyhow, I guess I found it interesting how I could read over this fairly quickly, and then suddenly find a part that had been added or removed. I also thought that the new ending wrapped up the chapter more effectively, by leaving off with Umbreon and Darkrai.

So overall, another great chapter.

As always, thanks for reading. I know I forced you to read it twice, but it's good to see that you enjoyed what I changed. And man, oh man, if you only knew how difficult it is to keep from spewing a bunch of spoilers about Altomare. You're going to need to hire a professional to remove the knots I'm going to tie in your mind when you get to certain points.

[Lusankya]

Yay for the introduction of half a dozen new characters! :D I can tell you have some great plot developments in mind, I can only hope that you'll get this story done before you lose interest entirely.

So, did Jethroe call the council because of him seeing the Latis? Or was he just going to call it anyways? I'm assuming he was just traveling because he wanted to see his wife.

Questions aside, another +1 chapter, very foreboding and plot-developing. Hopefully you're still writing...

[txteclipse]

Yay for the introduction of half a dozen new characters! :D I can tell you have some great plot developments in mind, I can only hope that you'll get this story done before you lose interest entirely.

So, did Jethroe call the council because of him seeing the Latis? Or was he just going to call it anyways? I'm assuming he was just traveling because he wanted to see his wife.

Questions aside, another +1 chapter, very foreboding and plot-developing. Hopefully you're still writing...
Jethroe was traveling in order to take a break from his ridiculously stressful life, actually. And him calling counsel is protocol when he returns from such ventures: the Elites fill him in on any pressing matters or happenings.

And no, I haven't entirely lost interest. I've been picking away at the next chapter, but it's not really going well. Lots of dialogue again, which takes me a long time.

[txteclipse]

Well would you look at this. An actual, real-life chapter. Wow. It's been...almost a year. I don't really know why it took so long...school, work, general disinterest, a lack of creativity, and a lack of motivation were probably the major factors.

I won't say this is my best chapter yet, because I don't think it is. However, it should be pretty good, and it answers a lot of questions, directly or otherwise. It went onto the 12th page in Word, and therefore I do believe it is my longest chapter yet. I hope to be more active in the near future, as some of the old spark seems to be back, but it will remain to be seen.

On that note, I don't really have major plans for events immediately after this chapter. I'm hoping that lack of constraint will give me some wiggle room, which may be conducive to writing, but again, we'll see. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. Constructive criticism is appreciated, as always.

--------

Chapter Twenty Five

The tinny clinking of metal sounded overly-loud in the relative silence of night. Wincing, Eli took more care to be quiet as he crouched next to a rawst berry bush, unwrapping the chains securing Torkoal to his arm. The skin underneath was red and blistered, injured by countless burns from Torkoal’s fiery body and rubbed raw by his rough shell. After setting his partner on the ground, the blacksmith pulled a few of the green, seed-covered rawst berries off of the bush to eat, and then crushed one between his fingers before rubbing the juice on his arm. He hissed as the pulp came in stinging contact with his burns, and then watched as the blisters subsided and the flesh returned to a normal, healthy color. Satisfied, he fed a few more of the berries to Torkoal, and then packed some into his pockets. Then he re-secured his partner to his arm, and moved on.

The man hadn’t eaten or slept since his encounter the previous night with the black-clad soldiers. They had been pursuing him endlessly since then, swift and yet uncannily stealthy: Eli had twice made the mistake of thinking they had given up. At first, he had fought back, laying ambushes and traps when he had opportunities to do so. He aimed to incapacitate, not to kill, and succeeded in crippling a dozen or so of his pursuers. He had been expecting the rest of the men to carry their wounded brethren, thus impeding their progress, but to his astonishment and mortification the injured were cruelly left behind.

Eli had realized at noon the previous day that he would need to devote all of his remaining strength to fleeing if he wished to live. He imagined that if he could make it to a village or city, the soldiers would not follow him in for fear of revealing the existence of their organization. Therefore, he made for Wootz Town, the closest settlement he knew of.

As frail morning light began to breathe color into the world, two things happened. Eli saw Wootz Town off in the distance, perched at the edge of the thinning forest, its night-lanterns still shining forth crisply against the twilit landscape. At the same instant, there came the sound of metal scraping against wood from behind the blacksmith. He turned to find a hooded and cloaked figure clinging to the side of a tree with a pair of blades that extended claw-like from the top of his forearm. Eli recognized the weapons. They belonged to Weavile’s former partner, Clave.

The soldier dropped to the snow with a muffled crunch, and then stood to his full height. The hood obscured his features in inky blackness. "You murdered Weavile," he said, very low. Incredible rage burned behind his deceptively quiet words.

“He left me little choice, Clave,” Eli responded flatly, pulling his broadsword from where he had strung it across his back with a rope. There had been no time to make a conventional sheath for the weapon. “Perhaps if he had been more civil and less of a cold-blooded fiend, he would have lived. Then again,” Eli added with a smile, “I suppose all Weavile are cold-blooded.”

“And what makes you think you deserve anything resembling civility?” Clave’s tone and stare were glacial. “Your wife and daughter were murdered and your home robbed while you lay on the floor of a tavern in a drunken stupor, and instead of facing your plight and the scorn of your hometown with what little dignity you had left, you fled in shame.”

The soldier’s words had a visible impact on Eli. His sword tip dropped a few inches and his face lowered to become dark and inscrutable.

“No one wanted anything to do with you,” Clave continued. “Everyone hated the coward you had proven yourself to be. You drifted away from society, seeking refuge from your disgrace in your solitude. When we found you months later, half-alive in these woods, I imagined that anyone else would have slit your throat out of pity. But we didn't: we saw your worth as a blacksmith, and allowed you to work for us. We gave you a home. Fed you. Clothed you. Presented you with tasks to keep your shaking, drunkard hands busy. We saved you, Eli, gave you purpose again.”

“You enslaved me, you mean.” Eli’s words were flowing with bitterness.

“Is that what you call our generosity?” Clave’s voice was very low. “Don’t feign naïveté, Eli. If it weren’t for us, you would be nothing but a rotten corpse, bidden good riddance by the world long ago. And now, after all these years, you betray us. Is this how you repay your debt?” Eli remained silent. “Tell me,” Clave inquired. “What is it that could make a man turn against those to which he owes his life? What made you bite the hand that feeds?”

“I owe you nothing but the edge of a sharp blade,” Eli said vehemently. “If not for the years of misery you put me through, then to bring your contemptible organization to justice.”

“Ah, so it is some misguided sense of righteousness that leads you to commit such foolhardy acts. Do we perhaps desire redemption from past actions?” Clave smiled.

Eli’s face was stone. “I wish to cease living in guilt and fear, and to have enough courage to follow for once the path that is right.”

“Why? To gain favor with a world that cast you out?” The soldier’s grin evaporated. “Do you really think that your actions now will somehow erase your past and allow you to return to society with dignity?” The soldier looked into the distance at Wootz Town. “That is where you are making for, is it not? You shouldn’t bother. If there is one thing this life has taught me, Eli, it is to accept things for what they are. You would do well to learn the same. You’re a proven coward who has been creating weapons for years, which I can personally assure you have been used against what you would call innocent people. No amount of goodwill is going to change what you’ve done, or blot out who you‘ve become.”

“Whether that be the case or not, my decision is final,” Eli retorted. “I will oppose you and your fellows until my last breath.”

“So be it,” Clave sighed. “Honestly, I wished that you would answer as such. I am not so stupid that I would kill such an important asset outright, but now that I know you will not return to us, I can seek proper revenge.” The soldier threw open his cloak, holding his claw-blades at the ready. “For Weavile!”

The soldier sprinted forward, and then vaulted into a twirling jump. The maneuver was so fast that Eli had trouble following it; he had only enough time to dive out of the way, and still he felt a sudden, sharp pain as two blades raked his shoulder. He rolled as he hit the ground, and then sprang onto his feet in one smooth motion. Too slow. Clave was already next to him and slashing rapidly even as he stood, and he was forced to crouch, swinging his broadsword over his head to parry the blows.

The blade was weak, a quick forging job created from materials Eli had on hand in his home. The superior craftsmanship and metals that had gone into Clave’s claw-blades began to show immediately as chips and nicks started appearing all over the broadsword. Grunting, Eli swung the weapon as hard as he could, forcing his opponent back and using the momentum to stand upright and spin away.

Clave leapt for him again almost immediately: a poor decision. Eli brought Torkoal up to bear, and shook his arm gently. The tortoise pokémon responded by venting a torrent of flame from every opening in his shell, enveloping the soldier in a wall of fire. Eli stepped back from the intense heat, watching solemnly as his opponent fell to the ground with a scream and began thrashing about, attempting to extinguish himself in the snow. The blacksmith hesitated for a moment, torn between letting the man burn in atonement for the torment he had caused and putting him out of his misery. Eli stepped forward with his blade raised, but then lowered it and took a handful of rawst berries out of his pocket. Enemy or no, he couldn’t stand to see someone endure such pain.

Eli crushed the berries, and was about to administer the salve when Clave slapped his hand away. He saw through the steam and smoke rising from the man’s body that his face was streaming with tears. As the last tongues of flame eating at Clave’s flesh went out, the soldier spoke.

“I met Weavile as a Sneasel when I was very young,” the soldier said, his voice rasping. “We shared childhood together, got into all kinds of mischief. One time, we stole ten pies from a local bakery. Ten! We made ourselves sick eating all of them. Those were good days.” Clave smiled, but then a cough racked his body and he grimaced, squeezing his eyes shut. “But now he’s gone, isn’t he?” Eli wasn’t sure if he should respond, until the soldier continued. “All we wanted back then was adventure and excitement. I thought The Devoted could provide us with those things, so I convinced Sneasel that we should join. Needless to say, it wasn’t quite what we expected.” Clave coughed again, and black liquid began trickling from the corner of his mouth. “Everything was wonderful at the beginning. Our responsibilities, usually stealing something, always provided a thrill. Soon, though, we were tasked with more…brutal chores. It all culminated when we were given the order to kill someone. We should have bowed out at that point.”

Clave clutched a hand to his chest, obviously in pain. His breathing bubbled wetly. “Let me give this to you,” Eli pressed, offering the rawst berry salve once more.

The soldier shook his head. “With the state I’m in, it won’t amount to anything,” he said with finality. Another coughing fit splattered his face and the snow with black flecks. He groaned. “Weavile evolved just after we carried out the assassination. He was still covered in blood, and kept trying to scrub it off, shivering and moaning the whole time.” Clave’s body involuntarily shuddered, in spite of his injuries. “He fell ill, and remained locked in a room for a week. When he came out, he was…different. He didn’t laugh anymore, and hardly spoke at all. We were given more orders: he carried them out with silent ruthlessness. The adventuresome companion I had once known was gone.” Clave’s expression managed to portray even more anguish than before. “And now he’s dead!” he cried. “My partner, companion, and only friend is dead! I myself am on death’s doorstep! I have nothing left! Eli, look and see what this world has done to me, the same world you would ask for forgiveness!” Clave’s voice gave out as he went into another bout of coughing. When he continued, he was barely whispering. “No, that’s wrong. I have done this to myself. To Weavile, as well. Eli, I honestly envy your desire for redemption, and would share that desire, if it were any more than an illusion. I am beyond hope for such a thing now.”

“Perhaps you can attain some level of peace in knowing that you addressed your ways before the end,” Eli suggested. “That is at least worth something.”

“The end? Oh no, Eli, you misunderstand. This is not the end for me.” The soldier closed his eyes, and brought what was left of one of his hands to his chest. Something in his grasp glowed red.

Eli brandished his broadsword, sensing danger. Suddenly, the lower half of the blade was shorn from the rest of the weapon and went sailing into the boughs of a nearby tree. The blacksmith stood in dumfounded astonishment: one of Clave’s arms was extended, the claw-blade strapped to it still ringing from the impact. He hadn’t even seen the soldier move.

“I said before that life has taught me to accept things for what they are,” Clave declared. “By my own hand, I have shaped my fate. As a result, all has been stripped from me. I have nothing left to my name. I am nothing, just as darkness is nothing. In that regard, the man known as “Clave” has also been stripped away, leaving only darkness behind. This I understand, and this I accept: I have become darkness itself.”

The man lifted high the arm he had been clutching to his chest. Red light pooled on the surrounding snow like blood, cast by a large crimson orb he held in his grasp. Black liquid began to pour from the object, giving off an inky smoke as it made contact with the ground. Horrified, Eli watched as a figure formed out of the liquid, and then rose from the earth, pitch-black droplets falling from its body. It was Weavile.

“I’m sorry, but I need your Fear,” the man who was once Clave said to the apparition. It turned to him with unseeing eyes, and gave a silent hiss. The man reached out to touch the figure, and then was enveloped in a murky cloud of smoke as it returned to liquid form and instantly gushed over his body, enveloping his skin.

Eli started to run, his mouth dry with terror. This was beyond his expertise.

***

Something tickled Latias’ face, and she woke up sneezing. The sun had not yet risen, and the surrounding landscape appeared as an inky silhouette; however, the soft white light emanating from the dragon’s feathers was enough to see what had roused her from slumber. Her eyes grew wide, and she floated upward, staring at the ground.

“Ren, wake up,” she hissed into the boy’s mind. He groaned, and then slowly got to his feet, his eyes still closed.

“What is it?” Ren asked.

“Did we fall asleep in a patch of grass?”

Ren opened his eyes just enough to see, and found himself standing at the exact center of a perfect circle of plants. “I don’t remember,” he replied. Something told him in his half-awake state that this situation was rather peculiar, but he wasn’t sure why.

“Perhaps because it’s winter, and the grass would have had to be growing under a foot of snow before we arrived,” Latias offered.

“You’re right, that doesn’t make sense,” Ren said groggily. Then he realized what was so odd, and came fully awake. “This grew overnight,” he realized aloud.

“In a perfect circle, as well,” Latias added.

The pair stared down at the circle of grass. It grew imperceptibly slowly up at them. Ren finally stooped down, pulled off a gauntlet, and ran a hand through the lush green blades.

“Well, it’s definitely real grass,” he said, plucking a piece and rolling it between his fingers. “I’ve never seen or heard of anything like this.”

“It may have something to do with your new ability,” Latias mused, regarding Ren’s gently glowing eyes with her own. He looked up at her.

“So my ability is to grow grass? Exciting,” he said, without feeling particularly excited.

Latias nodded noncommittally: she appeared lost in thought. Suddenly she asked, “Ren, how does your arm feel?”

The boy looked at the shoulder which had been struck by the throwing knife. “Fine,” he answered. “It doesn’t hurt, at least.”

“Take off the bandage.”

Ren gave the dragon a puzzled look, but pulled off the strip of cloth just the same. The skin underneath displayed a conspicuous lack of injury. There wasn’t so much as a scar.

“What…”

“That’s it!” Latias exclaimed. “Ren, your ability must promote healing. Growth. Regeneration in general. How else do you explain your arm healing and the grass growing so quickly? Also, your eyes started glowing just after you were injured the other night. The ability must have manifested in response to that.”

“That all sounds reasonable,” Ren replied. “It seems to affect a limited area, as well,” he added, noting the size of the green patch he was kneeling in. It was about the size of his room at home, he thought before he could catch himself.

He had decided the previous night that accompanying Latias and their friends in the search for the Chronicles was more important than the promise of a warm bed, food, and the love of his parents, but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel homesick. If anything, he felt worse now that he had made up his mind: until that point, the thought that he could return home if he so desired was at least some comfort.

Latias sensed his thoughts. “Since we’ll be nearby when we visit Griffith, it would most likely be acceptable to check in on your parents as long as we remain invisible. We can’t interact with them, but you can at least assure yourself that everything is in order.”

“Can we really!?” Ren’s entire being radiated excitement. Latios stirred nearby, and he clapped a hand to his mouth. “I’d like that,” he thought to Latias, regaining some of his composure. “I’d like that a lot.”

Latias smiled. “I would, too.” She grew silent for a moment, then, “what is it like, to have a home? To have a family?”

At first, Ren didn’t know what to say. He had always lived with his father, mother, and brother in the same house. Their existence seemed a given, a fact of life. He had never seriously considered what it would be like without his family or a place to call home. He realized abruptly that he was the only one within the group to have such a background. For all intents and purposes, Latias, Latios, Kairn, and Houndoom were orphans.

Latias watched him expectantly, waiting for an answer. “It’s difficult to describe,” he began at last. “I suppose we’re something like a family,” he said, motioning to indicate the group. “We live together, work together, eat together, sleep together…families are basically like that.”

“So you are friends with your family?” Latias asked.

“Well, yes,” Ren responded. “But our relationship is a bit different from friendship. Even if we didn’t get along with each other, we’d still be related. We’d still be a family. Does that make sense?”

“I think so,” Latias answered. “Do you feel differently about your family than your friends?”

“You shouldn’t ask me such hard questions so early in the morning,” Ren moaned, and rubbed a hand across his face. He thought for a long time before speaking again. “It’s a similar feeling, but…deeper. More basic. Because no matter what, we’ll always share a connection that can’t be broken. In the end, your family will always be your family. It does make you feel somewhat differently towards them than other people, but I’m not sure how to describe it.”

“I believe I know what you mean,” Latias ventured. “When I remembered my father yesterday, I somehow knew it was him. I didn’t recognize him, but I knew who he was. That’s why I asked. So he’s my family, then. According to the Chronicles, though, if an Eon Dragon hatches only once every thousand years, that memory must be just as old. I don’t think members of our race live that long, which means…” She hesitated. “Ren?”

“Yes?”

“Is there a way for friends to become family? What I mean is, when all of this is over, would it be possible for me to…join yours?”

At that moment, Kairn yawned loudly, stood up, and stretched. Noticing that the two were awake, he strode over, saying “you always seem to be up while the rest of us are asleep. It’s as though we’re in some story in which you two are main characters, and you’re being given the chance to hold private conversations while the rest of us minor characters are out of the way.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Ren said while Latias mumbled something about sure knowing story structure for someone who couldn’t read well. “Did you hit your head last night?”

“Not that I know of,” Kairn answered, pressing against his forehead experimentally with his fingertips.

“Actually, I suppose this will all be part of the Eon Chronicles someday, when I get a chance to write it down,” Ren said. “And don’t think so little of yourself, Kairn. You’re playing a major role in all of this, too.”

“You think so? Well, make sure you put me in a good light when you write about me. Refresh my memory: how many dark creatures did I slay the other night? I think it was around ten thousand.”

“I seem to recall around ten total,” Ren replied snidely. “In any case, when I do write our edition of the Chronicles, I’ll try to be as accurate as possible.”

“Before you get to that,” Latias jumped in, “we still need to find the editions that have already been written. To that end, our next stop is Griffith’s, and the sooner we get there, the better. Now someone wake up Latios and Houndoom so we can be on our way.”

***

Later that day, the group of friends stood in silent mortification before the crumbled remains of what had once been Griffith’s home. One side of the structure was completely reduced to rubble, and the other half looked as though it might collapse at any moment.

“Griffith!” Latias shouted, broadcasting her thoughts as loud as she could. Before anyone could react, she flew up to the devastated building and disappeared inside the part that still stood.

“Wait, Latias!” Ren ran after her, followed closely by the others. “It’s not safe!”

A wall gave way, and the roof above groaned before partially collapsing into the space below. Latias flew out again from the other side of the house, her original entrance blocked. She was crying. “Griffith!” she shouted again. “Griffith!”

“Is he still inside?” Latios asked anxiously. “Maybe he made it out safe. I don’t sense him nearby.”

“That might mean he’s dead!” Latias cried. “I didn’t see him, but I couldn’t check every room—”

And then there was Gengar, hanging in the air before all of them. He flashed his wicked smile as they all jumped in fright simultaneously: Latias just barely resisted blasting him with a ray of sunlight. Still smiling, the apparition reached into his mouth, and pulled out an envelope that was somehow perfectly dry.

“What’s this?” Ren asked, stepping forward and accepting the folded paper from the ghostly pokémon. “To Ren, Kairn, Latias, Latios, and Houndoom. From Griffith,” he added, and then exchanged glances with the group. He opened the letter.

“I have instructed Gengar to give you this letter upon your return,” the neat, bold writing began. “I realized that it was unwise for me to stay here after the Murkrow spotted us together, if they were indeed under the influence of our enemy. Therefore, after informing your parents of your situation, we all moved to a secret location far from here, where we should be safe.” At this point, Latias appeared extremely relieved. “I have hidden the Chronicles in a location that only Gengar knows, along with a few supplies and your finished saddles. He will lead you there. Instructions on how to use the saddles are included at the end of this letter. Ren, your parents also wished to say a few things to you, so I allowed them to dictate. The next segment of this letter will be their words.”

Ren read the next part to himself.

Dear Ren,

Where to begin. We are proud, excited, and afraid all at once. Proud to call you our son, excited to see how you’ve grown in undertaking this task, and afraid for your safety. We are still trying to come to grips with what you’ve gotten yourself into!

Griffith tells us that you have made some good new friends: please take care of each other, and please don’t take any unnecessary risks. We want you to come home after all of this is over. Remember what we’ve taught you over the years, and you should do fine. Also, don’t worry about us. We are in good health, and Griffith is taking good care of us. He seems very knowledgeable.

We want you to remember that we love you, and will always be thinking of you, even if we won’t be able to be with you in the days ahead. Our best wishes and hopes go with you, Ren.

The boy folded up the letter and put it in his pack as Gengar began to lead the group away from Griffith’s ruined home. He walked silently as a mixture of emotions welled up inside him.

“Are you alright?” Latias asked, floating alongside him.

“Yes, I think I am,” Ren replied. “My parents say they’re doing well, and they wish us the best of luck.” He smiled.

Latias smiled back, and placed a paw on his shoulder. “You’ll have to introduce me to them when all this is over. They sound like good people.”

Ren nodded. “They are. Oh, and about your earlier question,” he added, remembering back to their conversation that morning. “There’s something called adoption, in which a family brings in an outside individual as one of their own. I don’t know if it works for pokémon, but we could figure something out. I think that would make you my sister, which is strange to consider.”

“That is odd,” Latias agreed, “but I’d be willing to try it.” She paused for a moment, staring at the backs of the rest of the group, who were walking in front. “What about them? Do you think they’d want to be adopted?”

Ren nearly tripped. “I…I could ask, I suppose,” he stammered. “I don’t know what my parents would say about having that many extra mouths to feed, though. We’re not exactly wealthy.”

“We’ll probably be able to take care of ourselves for the most part,” Latias said. “Although I don’t know: between Latios and Kairn, the entire region may be out of food by the time we find the Chronicles.” They both laughed.

“What are you two up to back there?” Kairn asked from up ahead.

Ren explained the conversation they had been having. “And we were wondering if you might want to join my family, as well.”

Kairn stopped walking. “A place to live?” he said quietly. “A warm bed and food every day?” He remembered back to the start of winter, to time spent wandering the streets and seeing all of the candlelit windows lining each one. He would often try to imagine what it must be like inside in order to keep his mind off of how cold the weather was becoming. “Yes,” he answered simply and resolutely.

The group walked quietly for a moment. “Well, if you all are going to do this, I don’t see why I wouldn’t join you,” Latios reasoned.

“It’s settled then,” Latias said, grinning widely. “Pending your parents’ approval, of course,” she added hastily to Ren.

“I think they’ll be fine with it,” he responded. “They may take a little coaxing, but I don’t think they’d refuse.”

Latias nodded, still grinning. “I don’t know why, but I’m excited about this. Brothers.” She giggled at how foreign the word sounded when referring to her friends.

The group pressed on for a good amount of time after that, until Gengar finally halted. He pulled a large key out of his mouth, causing the others to wonder what else he kept in there. Then he cleared away a patch of snow with a blast of murky energy, revealing a door made of orange metal.

“That looks like the metal that Eli’s house was plated with,” Latios noted. “Interesting.”

Genger turned his key in the lock with a click, and then pulled the door open amidst a long groan from the hinges. He disappeared inside the dark space underneath for a minute or two, and then came back carrying a large sack.

Within the sack was a smaller one filled with dry rations and some honey from Ren’s parents, along with Griffith’s editions of the Eon Chronicles and what appeared to be two heaps of leather strips. These turned out to be the saddles: they boasted no obvious seats, but each had a pair of curious metal plates worked into their intricate design.

Ren consulted the letter from Griffith, which stated that the plates could hold onto he and Kairn’s armor without the use of buckles or knots. All they had to do was place the metal armor on their legs against the plates, and they would be stuck fast. Ren held one of the plates to his leg experimentally: it jumped the remaining distance with a clang and refused to be pried off. Referring back to the letter, Ren learned that he had to twist his leg in just such a way in order to be released: he held the plate tight in his hands and executed the movement, and the plate fell away.

“Well that’s certainly different,” Latias said. “I wonder how they work.”

“Must be some form of magic,” Latios suggested. “Anyway, let’s put them on and get moving. I don’t want to stay around here longer than necessary.”

It took the entire group to puzzle out how the complex saddles fit over their respective wearers. Finally, Kairn tightened one last buckle around Latios’ neck, and then stepped back. The devices were extremely light, and designed in such a way as to not hamper movement. They were simple, yet elegant: both of the dragons approved.

“It looks good on you,” Latios told Latias.

“You too,” she laughed.

Ren and Kairn climbed up onto the dragons’ backs, their leg armor clicking into place. Everyone rendered him or herself invisible, with Houndoom adopting his shadow form to wrap unobtrusively around Kairn. “Shall we?” Ren asked while taking hold of one of the straps around Latias’ neck.

“Let’s,” the dragon replied, and surged off towards the signal of the closest Eon Chronicles.

--------

[Buoysel]

At that moment, Kairn yawned loudly, stood up, and stretched. Noticing that the two were awake, he strode over, saying “you always seem to be up while the rest of us are asleep. It’s as though we’re in some story in which you two are main characters, and you’re being given the chance to hold private conversations while the rest of us minor characters are out of the way.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Ren said while Latias mumbled something about sure knowing story structure for someone who couldn’t read well. “Did you hit your head last night?”

“Not that I know of,” Kairn answered, pressing against his forehead experimentally with his fingertips.

“Actually, I suppose this will all be part of the Eon Chronicles someday, when I get a chance to write it down,” Ren said. “And don’t think so little of yourself, Kairn. You’re playing a major role in all of this, too.”

“You think so? Well, make sure you put me in a good light when you write about me. Refresh my memory: how many dark creatures did I slay the other night? I think it was around ten thousand.”

“I seem to recall around ten total,” Ren replied snidely. “In any case, when I do write our edition of the Chronicles, I’ll try to be as accurate as possible.”


Hmm, VERY inserting. Some foreshadowing I presume?

[txteclipse]

Hmm, VERY inserting. Some foreshadowing I presume?
Yeah, I suppose it could be called that. Someone's going to have to write all of this down, in any case.

[Legendarian Mistress]

This is a well-written story, txteclipse. Thinking back on how you’ve written it, I’m surprised I didn’t notice it when I first joined back in 2007. I especially liked the description of Rayquaza, it was superbly done. I hope you continue this, because I’d liked to be on a PM List if you don’t mind.

[txteclipse]

This is a well-written story, txteclipse. Thinking back on how you’ve written it, I’m surprised I didn’t notice it when I first joined back in 2007. I especially liked the description of Rayquaza, it was superbly done. I hope you continue this, because I’d liked to be on a PM List if you don’t mind.

Yeah, I'm still writing it. I'll add you to the "notify list" I have going, haha. Anyway, thanks for reading! Glad you like it!