Awakening of The Thunderstorm

[silverfrost]

Stir of The Thunderstorm

Note: Thanks to all of you for reading this. It took a lot of planning, but I guess I'll finally start posting now. It's about time. =P Anyway, constructive criticism is appreciated. And also, I realize that the exposition is very long, but it's necessary- trust me. So, I just hope you like it. ^_^

Edit: slight title change for originality purposes...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction​

Once, long ago, before the Pokemon world was as it is today, there was an everlasting conflict between two forces. Back in that day, Pokemon was not about battling for fun, but battling for life. There was no Pokemon League, there were no gyms, and there were no Pokemon Centers, where Pokemon could immediately and easily be healed. The three known regions were but land of the vast world, and were not yet distinguished as Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn.

Pokemon of that age were considered to be warriors, but also friends, who helped fight alongside their human companions. They were trained as soldiers, not as pets that could be used to battle for fun. No, these battles were far from amusing. There were always casualties, and although the fights were not frequent, they always left devastation among all the people of Earth.

The conflict arose when an evil group came out from hiding. The Evil Force was made up of those who believed that Pokemon were only machines, meant solely for the purpose of gaining power. They would stop at nothing to obtain strong Pokemon, and they wouldn't hesitate to attack the cities that were in peace. The people that wanted peace, however, were forced to fight back in order to defend their land from being controlled by the Evil Force. Eventually, they were pushed to fight against their will too much, and no longer desired peace. They grew to understand that the only way to survive was to destroy this force once and for all. However, as the darkness gained more and more power from their Pokemon, they became more of a threat to the defending cities. Thus, those who aimed to defeat the Evil Force would have to endure much pain and suffering.

The great city of Derelon did just that. Many of this city fought well, and many died. However, some fought differently than those in battle. One, in fact, fought with one's heart, and did more good than any other could hope to do. And this, is the tale.

 

[silverfrost]

Chapter 1- The Clever Girl Who Made Mistakes​

"Ouch! Not so rough!" was all Eralynn could think to say while being dragged through the double doors of the Great Hall.

Her father forced her into the giant room, currently uninhabited. He held tightly to the back of her dress, not saying a word until he heard the sound of the massive doors slamming shut behind him. Then, he abruptly set her down and grabbed onto her shoulders, wheeling her around to face him.

"What on Earth were you thinking?!" he screamed at her, all the while his furious stare burning through her tough facade. "So many more could've been hurt!"

Eralynn trembled in front of her father and quickly looked to the ground for some sort of comfort. She clasped her hands together tightly in front of her to attempt to stop them from shaking. She felt angry, culpable, and worried at the same time.

"We are constantly supposed to watch for them, and you just had to play one of your little games, didn't you? You are the daughter of the advisor to the king and your behavior should be much more controlled and... proper," he continued, trying to make her feel as guilty as possible. After a silent moment in which he shook his head, he said "Eralynn, your foolishness will no longer be tolerated in this city," Then, after a brief pause, he spoke more softly, "You are to clean and polish every inch of this hall." At this, he turned around and walked quickly out, letting the doors slam loudly again.

Her father, Orriso, had always been obsessed with what others thought of him. He was a very smart man, but always worried about looking his best before the people of Derelon. He was rigid and strict, especially with his only daughter, and always felt the need to punish her for her abnormal behavior. He didn't let her get away with any mistake, which in actuality, didn't phase her too much. He wanted to make his daughter into the perfect, mature, and appropriately behaved little girl, which was the main reason for his stern attitude with her.

After a minute of surprise accompanied with silence, Eralynn turned around to look at the task that was ahead of her. The Great Hall was a huge room, with tall windows at the far end and shining tile floors. On both sides of the windows, there was a staircase, leading up to the homes of all the members of the Royal Court. The walls on the sides of her were of pure white and covered in paintings of great kings before her time, stretching nearly all the way to the current king's throne, along with large, circular white pillars on either side of the green carpet. This great chair was made of pure silver, with a deep green seat and back-rest, both made of delicate, soft cloth. Below the elegant chair, bright white marble steps led down to the dark green carpet, which in turn led to the doors of the Great Hall.

Eralynn's heart sank as she examined the room.

"Well, maybe I can get this done quicker than last time," she murmured to herself while frowning miserably.

She walked over to the third painting from the doors on the left. Reaching up on tip-toe, she pulled at it slightly and yanked the polishing rag she'd hidden there out from the rear of the picture's frame. She'd hidden it there just in case she'd be attending to this job again, as she was nearly sure that she would be. Keeping it in the hall merely saved her the extra time of running up to her room and getting it.

She decided that it would be best to start polishing the king's throne, as that would be the most noticeable, and no one would pay much attention if she didn't clean everything else as well as the magnificent chair.

She walked straight down the carpet quickly towards the throne. She bent down to begin cleaning the smoothest side underneath the arm rest, but she paused. The flat silver exterior shot her reflection back at her, almost as if in a mocking fashion. Instantly, she was reminded of the question that had plagued her throughout the duration of her life.

"Why am I so different from these people?" She wondered hopelessly, feeling for sure that there would never be a way to answer.

She continued to stare angrily into her very own face. Her unique, long, jet-black, wavy hair was parted off to the side and tied loosely into a braid. Her eyebrows were also pitch-black, making a definite contrast with her pale, fair skin-color. Dark, thick eyelashes bordered ice-blue eyes, which seemed to stand out above her smaller, less dramatic facial features. She had a very small frame and was very thin, appearing younger than her true age, which was seventeen. Most of the inhabitants of the village were much taller than her, and her eyes, piercing and almost mesmerizing, were different from any other's.

However, her physical appearance was not the only aspect that attributed to her uniqueness among her people. She had a fiery temper, which often-times got her into trouble. Despite being emotional and caring, she always tried to convince her peers that she was fierce and inviolable. She also had quite a taste for tricks and practical jokes. She was very clever, but never used it for anything besides annoying the other residents of the city with her pranks. This, combined with her utter negligence, made for a rash and dangerous human being not quite like anyone the people of Derelon City had ever known before.

In fact, her temerarious behavior that very day was the reason for her present punishment. She peeled her eyes away from her reflection and began to think about what had happened earlier. She remembered the events quite clearly.

It was early afternoon and the sun was high in the sky. Looking out through her bedroom window, Eralynn could see the plains that lay stretched out beyond the city, along with the distant forests surrounding them . She caught a glimpse of about 8 people practising archery not far off, atop a small hill on the grass. Quickly grabbing her bow and arrows, she fled out of her home, down the street, and out into the vast plains.

Seeing the warriors-in-training always made her upset. Although there were very few girls that grew up to fight in battle, they still had that option. Eralynn, wanting to protect the city and her people more than anything else, wanted badly to become a warrior. She had dreamt about it her whole life, despite how difficult she heard training could be. However, her size and physical ability gave her parents reason to say no when she had brought up the subject and asked them for their approval. This, happening nearly one month prior, was the cause of a turning point in Eralynn and her parents' relationship. She felt much more distant from her mother and father, as they had essentially crushed her dreams. Watching the young adults who had been allowed to train to become warriors did not help matters, rather, it made her quite jealous of them. Hence, she was constantly trying to prove herself to her peers and her parents.

She now quickly ran across the grass, going closer and closer to the small hill. Since she wore a pure white dress, she became worried that the sunlight reflecting off of her wouldn't exactly be discreet to the archers. Therefore, she made sure to run behind the hill so she wouldn't be seen. When she was directly behind it, she crept to the top slowly, careful not to make any noise. She'd climbed to just the right height where she couldn't be seen by anyone on top of the hill, but she could peek up to see a bit of them.

She needed to look only once to catch a glimpse of the targets they were shooting at, and also to see if their instructor was looking. Inferring that the archery master wasn't looking her way and most likely watching what her students were doing, she decided to steal a quick glance. She pushed down onto the soft grass with her hands to elevate herself and lifted her head. She only looked for about two seconds before dropping back to the ground, but that was all she needed.

Pictured in her mind were the circular targets, located about five feet from each other, along with the pupils lined up to face their respective targets. The teenagers stood approximately thirty feet from each of the carved pieces of wood that were sticking out of the ground. Since these were the archery training grounds, these targets remained there permanently. They were essentially a large circle, with alternating white and black rings, supported by a five foot stake attached to the underside, which in turn was wedged underground. Aside from the targets' locations, Eralynn had to note the position of the instructor also. She was simply looking over one of the boys' shoulders to watch his progress during the practice.

Grabbing her bow with her left hand, she sat with her legs folded underneath her. She reached back instinctively with her right hand to grab an arrow out of the arrow bag strapped across her chest and resting on her back. Barely thinking about it, she put the arrow to the bow and pulled the shining, silver string back, still supporting the arrow with her hand. She felt the string straining against her grip as she took aim at a target not even visible from her perspective. After a moment of making sure her measurements were correct, she let go of both the string and arrow, letting it soar over the hill, quickly out of her view. She listened for only a moment, until she heard the "tick" of the arrow as it dug into the wood, hitting its mark.

"Woah..." she heard the boy directly in front of her gasp in surprise.

She had no time to waste, however, and she continued on with her strange plan. Without getting up to give herself away, she dropped to the ground and rolled to the left five feet, holding her bow close to her. She resumed the previous position and shot another arrow. Indeed, this one hit the target directly, as well. She kept going with this, four more times, every arrow landing correctly, until she knew she'd reached her final target. This time, however, she aimed her arrow slightly differently, and let it go.

"Ah!" screamed a familiar voice as the arrow sailed past. She could hear him panting slightly, now. "That came way too close to my head... Who is shooting at us all?"

Finally, the small, mischevous girl stood up from her obvious hiding spot and began to sprint down the hill. All the while, laughing hysterically. She'd shown them all up, and that was all she'd really wanted.

"Eralynn!" The archery master, called Jalin, yelled after her, once she'd finally spotted the culprit. "You get back here, young lady! I don't have time for your games!"

Glancing back, she could see the angry instructor and Rhylan, the boy her arrow had nearly hit, watching her as she fled. But as Eralynn ran and ran, heading straight for the forest, Jalin's screams faded away.

Still slightly amused, Eralynn's sprint turned into a jog as she neared the edge of the forest. She ran into the woods, between two familiar trees. This was the path she took almost daily. She walked along the dirt road that lay ahead of her while looking around and enjoying the splendor of the woods. It was summer, therefore, the trees and other plants were looking their finest. Although this atmosphere was much darker than that of the plains, the occasional ray of sunlight escaped down through the treetops, reflecting off of the forest floor.

As she traveled further along the path, she could hear the faint sound of running water. She began walking faster, since now, she was getting closer. Finally, she approached a river that flowed South, the direction heading away from Derelon City. There were six stones that protruded above the water and led directly across the river to the other side. Eralynn always used these as a sort of bridge that helped her easily hop across the water. She did this, and once on the other side, she saw a cave not a great distance ahead. Walking perpendicular to the water, she advanced toward the cavern, observing the rays of sunlight beaming down on the ground before it. At its mouth, she came to a halt.

"Aerance! Come on out!" She called, hearing her voice echo on the cave walls. She waited a moment for her friend to emerge, but there was no response. Sighing, she entered to have a look for herself.

She had only walked a few feet inside when she heard a loud thump outside behind her. Also, she could suddenly see her shadow on the left side of the cave, as some sort of light was being projected inside.

She whipped around only to see her harmless best friend, Aerance, standing outside, peering in at her. The sly flame horse backed away from the entrance as Eralynn emerged. In the sunlight, her faultless white coat shined elegantly. Her mane and tail were made of bright orange, red, and yellow flames, which made even the beautiful fresh-water stream appear dull. Her large, almond-shaped, black eyes caused her to seem innocent at first glance, while this was usually not the case.

"Ah, girl, you almost had me there," Eralynn said, while laughing and greeting her friend with a hug.

Aerance snorted in disbelief at Eralynn's remark.

"Okay, okay. I did jump a little," Eralynn admitted, lowering her voice. "But hey, I just scared Rhylan and all the other warriors." At this, she rolled her eyes, annoyed.

Listening, Aerance smiled with her eyes and whinnied softly. She nuzzled Eralynn kindly on the cheek.

"Ah, so I'm guessing you'd like to go riding now?" Eralynn asked the ponyta with a smile.

Aerance nodded her head once in approval and knelt down beside Eralynn, making it easier for her to hop on. Eralynn grabbed onto Aerance's back, swung her left leg over her, and pulled herself up. Once she was comfortable, she patted Aerance on the side of her neck affectionately.

"Anywhere you want to go is fine with me, just not too far, okay?" Eralynn requested.

Aerance whinnied and set off at a gallop across the woods. Eralynn held onto the reigns tied loosely around Aerance's muzzle as she nimbly wove through the trees and rocks. Eralynn felt the wind rushing at her, while her pokemon glided gracefully across the surface beneath her. The trees seemed to fly by on either side of them, and Eralynn smiled, reminded of how much she loved to be with Aerance. They rode this way for quite some time, until they both spotted something in the distance.

"Woah, woah, girl," Eralynn said as she lightly tugged on Aerance's reigns, so that she'd stop running.

She stretched forward on the ponyta and squinted through the trees. She could vaguely make out two dark figures in the distance. Looking hard, she could see they were some kind of wild pokemon, but she couldn't tell which species they were from this range. She urged Aerance to get a little closer, so that she could see what they were.

They were somewhat large and black in color. Their fur was unkempt and very messy, it stuck out in all directions. Although, it was much thicker and longer on their backs, tails, and feet. Their stomachs were a charcoal grey, and their eyes were a gleaming, intimidating red. They had pointy ears that were sticking up, and they possessed sharp fangs. They seemed oddly familiar to Eralynn, but the strangest part about them was how they wore a sort of collar around their necks. These were deep, dark red, and Eralynn assumed that this meant they both belonged to someone.

She listened intently as they fought over a piece of what appeared to be food. Hiding with Aerance behind a gigantic boulder, she peeked out to watch them bicker. It looked like they were playing tug-of-war with whatever they had. Occasionally one would let it go and nip the other's shoulder in frustration. She stared hard at them.

"Where have I seen these creatures before?" She kept asking herself.

 

[silverfrost]

(chapter 1- continued)

She searched the depths of her mind and memories until at last, she remembered. She had seen a picture of these animals, called Mightyena, when she was much younger. Her parents had been trying to teach her the ways of defence against the power-hungry evil side in this war. The humans of the amoral side usually owned dark-type pokemon, such as these Mightyena. They also commonly preferred to tame poison and ghost types, as well. However, they weren't exactly picky. They'd all have loved to get their hands on any type of powerful pokemon, no matter what the risk or consequences happened to be. They didnt care, as long as they had a means of obtaining power at their fingertips.

"You know, they're from the dark forces, Aerance," she whispered to her friend as she stopped looking at them over the boulder.

She knew that these pokemon weren't members of her city, so they had to be here on some sort of mission. She thought as quickly as she could. Anyone else would've simply tried to scare them away or run and tell the king or advisor what they'd seen, but Eralynn wasn't really like anyone else. She had a plan in mind, in which she would get rid of these pests by herself. She whispered the general idea in Aerance's ear, as she would need her help, and they both began to emerge from their hiding spot, Eralynn still on Aerance's back.

"Excuse me!" Eralynn shouted, causing the Mightyena to jump in fear. They turned around to face her, and instantly started snarling. She gulped, now slightly frightened, but continued on, "I think I can help you two out..." she let her words trail off, hoping their anticipation would rise.

But before she could tell them the rest, one of the beasts charged at them, snapping viciously at Aerance's feet. She whinnied loudly, kicked her front legs forward while leaning back and standing only on her hind legs, nearly throwing Eralynn off of her. Luckily, she held on tightly and the black wolf pokemon resumed its position at a safe distance from the two. To comfort the nervous pokemon, Eralynn patted the nape of her neck. It seemed to calm her down after a few seconds. Then, she resumed her plan.

"As I was saying," she continued in an arrogant, over-confident voice, "I think I can help you two out. I know why you're hear and I can tell you what you want to know about the people of Derelon City."

The mightyena that seemed a little less vicious sat down and curiously cocked its head to the side, but still looked suspicious. The other was still growling softly and baring its sharp teeth.

"You see," she examined her nails carelessly while she spoke, "I'm out so deep into the forest because I was planning on running away from these wretched people. Their beliefs are simply ridiculous, in my opinion, and frankly, I'm rather sick of all of them. I think they should all be destroyed."

The malicious, snarling Mightyena stopped its growling and seemed intrigued by what Eralynn was saying. This wasn't what they'd expected from a girl of Derelon City. Eralynn could tell that the two were letting their guard down, so she continued with her proposition.

"So, I can lead you to a secret passageway into the city, if you'd like. I think it would be great if you could hit them with a surprise attack. They'd never have enough time to gather the warriors and weapons. It would be perfect." She looked out at nothing in the distance, acting nonchalant.

The Mightyena that was sitting down got up rather quickly, and the angry Mightyena took a couple steps closer to her and Aerance, yet still glared at them suspiciously.

"Come! But make haste, because we don't have much time!" Eralynn commanded, nearly certain that they'd follow her after hearing her speech. At this, Aerance wheeled around and started to gallop back towards the way they had come.

"Okay, now," Eralynn said softly, in only Aerance's range of hearing, "I want you to run, not quite your fastest, but with enough speed so that they won't be able to stop abruptly when need be. It's imperative that we lead them to the place I told you about..."

Aerance shook her fiery mane up and down while she ran, showing that she understood. She sped up slightly to a comfortable running speed and headed for the river.

Eralynn glanced behind her to see the Mightyena following them at a good distance behind. She turned back around and looked ahead. They were coming, now, to an area of forest that was thick with brush. If unfamiliar with these woods, one wouldn't know what was on the other side of all the dense, abundant shrubs. However, Aerance and Eralynn knew what lay beyond, and they would use that to their advantage. Eralynn hoped that this plan would work, as she'd have no other chances to get rid of the evil creatures.

Turning around, she shouted at the two mysterious creatures following them, "Now, unless we're swift, people will see us, so do not stop!"

Aerance accelerated, causing Eralynn to hold tightly to the reigns. They were getting closer... closer... She could hear the gentle sound of flowing water straight ahead. This was it. Aerance and Eralynn both lowered their heads and Aerance burst through the surprisingly thin layer of brush and with a magnificent leap, she landed on the other side of the rushing river. She had just barely made it to the other side. Her hinds legs actually landed on the edge of the water, but using her forelegs, she managed to force herself up the steep bank. And now, all they had to do was wait a moment to see if their plan would work. Aerance turned around to face the brush on the other side of the water, and Eralynn watched too.

They heard the sound of quick footsteps approaching and suddenly, one of the Mightyena broke through the bushes, landing in the water. It had tried to stop before falling in, but the force it had used while breaking through the layer of shrubs had disabled it from halting. Almost immediately after, the other wolf pokemon leapt through the plants, and noticed mid-air that it was hovering above water. Of course, now it was too late for it to save itself, and it plunged into the flowing river.

Eralynn waved condescendingly to the two evil pokemon as they quickly flowed downstream while trying to keep their heads above water.

"Nice work, Aerance," she complimented genuinely. "Now, let's go home."

Aerance turned and ran in the opposite direction of the river flow, straight back into Derelon City. She eventually found the path that led out into the plains, and as she carried Eralynn home, they could both hear a faint howl in the distance.

Eralynn looked back at the forest, pleased with her work. She felt she'd actually done something to protect the city, for once, and she smiled at the very thought. She wanted to tell her father everything that had happened. Maybe now, he'd realize how smart and brave she was. Maybe now, he would accept her...

Once they got close enough to the edge of the city, Aerance stopped and let Eralynn jump to the ground. The girl pet her friend on the nose, and she was off, back into her home in the forest. Eralynn watched her run away.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Aerance!" she called after her.

Then, she retreated home, into Derelon City, where she barely belonged. She ran for the palace, anxious to tell her father what had happened. Oddly enough, it seemed as if everyone was in their houses and the streets were mostly empty. Then, she saw three men carrying what appeared to be an unconscious charizard across the stone road.

"What happened to it?" she asked them, but they were in a hurry, and did not answer her.

She stared after them a moment, utterly confused, then turned around and continued walking towards the palace. Eventually, she came to the huge building, and witnessed her father pacing in front of the steps that led up to the double doors of the Great Hall. Off to the side, she could see some warriors removing their armor.

So many question flashed through her mind. What were the warriors doing in their battle armor? Why did her father look so upset? What had happened to that Charizard?

Puzzling her further, was her father's strange murmuring. "It's coming... the prediction was true... doomed... we must find it..." she caught only snippets of his strange words.

Slowly and curiously, she walked over to her father. She worried that her very presence might make him even more anxious and aggravated than he seemed now, but she wanted answers to her questions.

"Er... Father?" she asked quietly.

He jumped, as if she'd suddenly come up behind him and screamed in his ear. "What?! What is it, now?" He asked, irritably.

"What on Earth happened here...?" She didn't know where to start, but she decided that a general question would be best.

He paced still, tugging at his own hair with one of his hands and shaking his head. "A sneak attack... Somehow, no one saw them get in... How could this have happened?"

These words did not provide comfort to Eralynn, but only worry. "Father, who got in?" She asked.

"A small pack of Mightyena. They were somehow unnoticed..." his words trailed off in sadness.

"But... how could this be? I chased them off earlier!" But the moment she said this, she knew from her father's expression that she had made a mistake.

He immediately stopped pacing as soon as the words escaped from her mouth. He faced her, wide-eyed in disbelief. "You... what?!" He spat.

All the hope she'd had previously was viciously drained from her body. She could only stand there and stare at him in awe. She was speechless.

"Eralynn!" He shouted, now, "You know what you're supposed to do if you ever see anyone suspicious! You must always tell me!"

His anger scared her more than ever. She tried to justify her cause. "M-my intentions were good, though! I chased two of them away not too long ago... I thought that was all of them..."

"I don't care what your intentions were! That was an irresponsible thing to do, and... you- you will be severely punished!" Without thinking, he grabbed her by the back of her dress and pulled her into the Great Hall.

And now, here she was, polishing everything in this giant room. Somehow, she knew that this wouldn't be the last time, either. She knew that thinking about her father's anger with her wasn't the best idea, so she tried desperately to think of anything else, but to no avail. She felt her temper rising now, not with her father's actions, but with her own. She'd never loathed herself more than she did now, and she just wanted to escape. She wanted a way to rid herself of her abysmal shame, but she did not know how. Without much of a choice, she swallowed her tears and continued working. The last thing she wanted was for someone to come in and see her acting like a wreck.

She continued with her punishment, now scrubbing the tall, glass windows behind the throne. It was now dusk, edging towards night. She would have to go up to her room soon. She dreaded the idea of trying to sleep, however, as her thoughts continued to turn back to her sire. Suddenly, she was interrupted when she heard the huge doors opening behind her. She turned around, slowly, as if expecting something horrible, but saw her father. He marched down the long, green carpet, apparently trying to contain his animosity. Without so much as a glance at his daughter, he hopped up the stairs to the side of the throne, heading for his family's living quarters.

Eralynn frowned with sadness and confusion. What was she to do? Her own father hated her, and she didn't have anyone to look to for comfort, since Aerance was not allowed in the palace.

Clearly defeated, she decided it would be best to retreat to her room for the night. She climbed the stairs lethargically, barely feeling the strength to move. She entered her room and instantly fell upon her soft bed. She lay there for hours, with her eyes closed, trying her best to sleep. To her dismay, her thoughts continued racing, nearly too quick for her to comprehend. She thought about everything: her lack of happiness, her awkward relationship with her parents, her only friend, Aerance, what prediction her father could've been speaking of... All of these kept her awake until her mind eventually began to relax, allowing her to gently drift into a deep sleep.

She did not know it, but this would be the last time she'd comfortably sleep upon her soft, familiar bed.

 

[silverfrost]

Chapter 2- Oleander the Brave and Varlo the Terrible​

That morning, Eralynn awoke from slumber somewhat later than usual. Opening her eyes, she could see the sunlight entering through her window and gathering upon the floor. Turning, she stretched, and rose from her sleeping position. She looked around at her own bedroom. It was small, plain, and white. She didn?t keep anything in it aside from her clothes, a few books, her bow and arrows, her bed, and a dresser with a candlestick on it. However, she never really complained about this, since she spent most of her time outside, anyway.

While rubbing her eyes, she felt her stomach growl. She hoped she wasn?t too late for breakfast, and stepped out of her room into a hall. This corridor was somewhat dark and gloomy, with a theme of the colors maroon and black, always making it feel as if it was presently night-time. There were candelabras attached on either side of the walls, lighting the way. She walked past a few doors until she found the one labeled ?Dining Hall.? She stepped inside, worried that she might see her father. But, to her relief, there were only two people inside. Only then did she realize just how late she really was. Normally, she would wake up only a short time after sunrise and find the dining hall filled with members of the Royal Court, all eager for conversation. Now, it just seemed so quiet.

She shut the door behind her and turned around, instantly recognizing the two figures. One was the King of Derelon himself. He sat at the head of the long, shining, cherry wood table. He was middle-aged, now 52-years-old, and very wise-looking. His dark, straight hair was beginning to grey, and his soft, brown eyes held the appearance of a kind heart. With the help of time, wrinkles had begun to form around them, leaving one to guess that the king was older than he truly was. He wore a black shirt that was loose in the arms and had buttons down the center, in the front. Also, he wore a black cape, which draped down to cover part of his chest, shoulders, and entire back. However, most astounding about his attire was the crown upon his head. Pure gold, it contained three large jewels, each of different color. One was of aqua-marine, the middle of deep, bright amber, and the third a gleaming yellow.

?My King,? she said, bowing graciously, making her presence known to him.

He had been speaking with his son, but smiled at her when she had greeted him. Eralynn gave but a mere glance at the boy who was known as the Prince. Named Rhylan, he was somewhat tall and thin. Like his father, he had brown, straight hair and brown eyes. And somehow, he did not appear as benevolent as the king. He glared at Eralynn angrily, and she at him. He pushed his chair up, rose from it, and approached her.

?I can?t believe you nearly killed me yesterday,? he said, in a deep, quiet, serious voice, while staring at her in wonder.

?I did not almost kill you. You?re fully aware of my skill with a bow, and I am no murderer,? she said, feeling her blood boiling with anger. How dare he accuse her of such a thing?

?So you use your skills to scare people, and interrupt important training sessions, then? Well, that?s extremely useful,? he replied sardonically.

Eralynn now glanced back and forth from Rhylan?s gaze to his father?s. ?We will talk about this later,? she said firmly, now suddenly aware of the king?s presence. She hadn?t much realized it, but he was easily within earshot of their trivial argument, and she now felt herself blushing in embarrassment.

Rhylan stubbornly brushed against her shoulder as he walked out of the dining hall, slightly pushing her back and leaving Eralynn and the king by themselves. Eralynn had always considered him as a sort of rival. The two of them seemed immeasurably obsessed with trying to prove themselves to one another, but as they were nearly equal in intelligence, it was always pointless. They could argue for hours upon hours if allowed, and it never seemed to get old. However, it was clearly inappropriate to do so in front of the King.

Not knowing where to sit, Eralynn just stood in the doorway still. She?d only had a few conversations throughout her entire life with King Nevarro, so she didn?t want to sit too close, making herself too friendly, or too far, making it seem as if she didn?t want to be near him. Luckily, her decision was made for her when he spoke.

?Eralynn,? his raspy voice sounded from across the table, ?come speak with me, we haven?t talked in ages.?

She nodded, unsure of herself, but regardless, walked to the seat closest to him. She sat down, puzzled by his sudden interest in conversing with her.

He set down a white, wrinkled piece of parchment that he was reading and looked up at her. ?My dear, I heard about what happened yesterday,? he spoke calmly, raising his eyebrows.

She closed her eyes tightly. Her father must?ve told him all about how irresponsible she had been. The sudden gush of shame she felt seemed like too much.

?Your highness, I...? she couldn?t think of how to respond.

?Eralynn, your father is clearly too hard on you,? he said, nodding.

?Wha...? King Nevarro... do you really think so?? she asked, quite amazed. She had only expected him to lecture her just as her father always did.

?You are a wise girl, and you may just be advisor to my son, when he is King. I simply don?t want you to think that you were being senseless, because you weren?t. You just did not know,? he spoke quietly and reassuringly.

She stared at him with wide eyes, unsure of what to make of this. The king had always been a very understanding, kind, and knowledgeable man, but he had never spoken on such a personal level with Eralynn. She?d always respected and honored her king, and now, she had the sudden feeling that he actually respected her, as well.

?Uh... Th-thank you, your majesty! I am so pleased to hear you say that...? she responded nervously.

?Your father mentioned that you actually frightened a couple of Mightyena away from the city, and I want to thank you for that,? he said with a polite smile.

?I felt it was only my duty to protect the city, my lord,? she said, looking down.

?Yes...? he said. He seemed to lose track of what he was saying, thinking about something while looking straight ahead of him. Eralynn watched him, waiting anxiously for him to say something further. Then suddenly, ?Eralynn! Why did your father not allow you to become a warrior for our people??

?He, um, said something about me not being able to reach the requirements for strength in battle. I assume he was referring to... my size and also, my inability to use a sword well,? this being a sensitive subject, she looked away.

?But, you are my advisor?s daughter. You are quick witted, which is at times, quite a bit more useful in battle than your own strength. And aside from that fact, you are a prodigy with a bow and arrow,? spoke King Nevarro.

?No... I... I don?t think so,? Eralynn whispered modestly.

?Do not lie, now. I believe I saw you hit the center of each of those targets yesterday,? he said.

At this, Eralynn put her hand to her forehead, covering part of her face as it turned bright red. The king had seen her acting immature and out of line, yesterday, and she once again felt the rush of compunction flow into her mind. Not knowing how to respond, she remained silent.

?Eralynn, dear, you weren?t even looking... You clearly have some talent in the field of archery, and I?m making quite the understatement,? he chuckled.

She smiled nervously, still unsure of what to say. ?I... apologize for the trouble I caused. I guess I?ve only been angry that I wasn?t chosen to be trained,? she explained sadly.

?It?s understandable,? the king said, ?I know that brave people, such as yourself, desire to be made into warriors, so the devastation that your parents caused in refusing your request must?ve left you heartbroken. But... Think about it for a moment. Perhaps you weren?t meant to fight for Derelon with a sword or bow and arrow. You may be destined to achieve something greater than you?ve ever imagined.?

She stared at King Nevarro with a quizzical expression. He certainly knew what to say to make her feel better. Of course, she?d always wanted to become something great and important, as most people did, but hearing it from the king himself was entirely different than when she?d imagined it on her own. She began to feel her pride, previously washed away, returning with the king?s thoughts. He truly felt that she was intelligent, brave, and talented with a bow and arrow. Her own father could not recognize this, and yet King Nevarro, who always seemed busy or occupied, had seen it from afar. She did not know what to think, except she knew that this conversation had filled her with hope, something which she usually did not possess.

Smiling, Eralynn looked up at King Nevarro. ?Sire, I would be honored to be the next advisor, after my father,? she said. The job did not seem as boring and worthless as it had before, now that she knew she was liked by at least one person in the city. With this career, she would have a purpose to her people, in which she used her intelligence, rather than strength, to help bring them through the war.

The King smiled, bowing his head to her kindly. ?That would be wonderful for you, I?m sure.? He glanced back down at the table thoughtfully, then after a moment, looked back up at the young woman eagerly. ?My goodness, I?ve been talking all this time, really. Is there anything you?d like to discuss with me?? He courteously inquired.

?Actually, it?s interesting that you should ask that of me... I?ve had something on my mind since yesterday. It?s about something that I accidentally overheard my father say...? she paused for a moment.

?Yes? What is it?? the wise King asked.

?I recall my father talking about a prediction before he punished me, and it?s been bothering me ever since. What... is it that he spoke of?? Eralynn asked.

The King brought his lips together and glanced to the side, hesitating to answer her question. ?Well, many of our people do not believe the prediction, and neither did your father until lately. It?s something of a legend, actually, not yet proven to be true.?

?I don?t really understand, though. What exactly was prophesied?? She asked, confused as ever.

?Eralynn, I don?t believe I should tell you. I do not want everyone of the city aware of it, because I don?t want panic to arise,? he replied doubtfully.

?Okay...? she said with disappointment. ?But, if I may ask, who knows about this apparent legend??

?Your father does, my son does, because the line of kings simply should know of this, and a few elders within the Royal Court, as well,? he answered.

?Well, your majesty, if I am to be the next Advisor, shouldn?t I know, also?? She asked with an impish smile.

Laughing lightly, the King pulled back his head. ?Oh, you never cease to amuse me, my dear. But, I suppose you are correct in your logic. I assume I can tell you without much of a problem occurring in the future. And besides, I still have some time to myself.?

She nodded anxiously, as she would finally be relieved of her curiosity.

The King began. ?Long ago, perhaps about fifty-years or so, the conflict between those with opposing beliefs wasn?t nearly as bad as it is today. People argued often, but that really was the extent of it. There weren?t plans of invasion, attempts to take over land, or anything of the sort. Everyone?s main concern seemed to be whether they were alive and well or not. And this was fine, because no one was being harmed or endangered.

?However, one man changed all of this. He destroyed the peace that men in this city once had possessed. He went by the name of Varlo Scantlar. Varlo was a very evil man, obsessed with making his viewpoints known to the world. He believed, as some do today, that Pokemon only had one use: obtaining power. The way that many people of Derelon considered Pokemon to be their friends and companions sickened him. He tried reasoning with the people who maintained a good heart, but it would never work. They held their ground by sticking to their beliefs, and this angered Varlo. Out of frustration, he began to plan a sneak attack on his very own city. I was told that he stayed within the walls of his home for a long time, occasionally inviting his followers to come and spread the word to others of his... sort,? he frowned sadly at this.

Eralynn had barely realized it, but even at this point, she was on the edge of her seat, unable to wait to find out what happened next in this odd story. She had heard of Varlo Scantlar before, but she had never been told it was he who had actually started the war.

?These people organized an attack on Derelon with Varlo, who they now considered their leader. They had betrayed my grandfather, the current King of that age, and they wanted nothing to do with the goodness of Derelon any longer. So, they sought to take it over by force, since Varlo?s attempt at reasoning had failed.

?Without warning, they attacked in the middle of the evening. It was so unexpected, that no one was prepared for a battle. And aside from that fact, neither innocent Pokemon, nor humans were trained well for combat, since it was unnecessary back then.

 

[silverfrost]

?On the contrary, Varlo had secretly been training Pokemon he and his followers once held as mere pets to become fearless warriors. He transformed the minds of typically happy, innocent creatures into those of raging beasts. He felt that this was the way things should be, though we all may believe differently. He taught them that it did not matter how a task was obtained, so long as it was done. He even convinced those that were vulnerable to his mind games that killing and destruction were not what most consider to be horrible things. As you can see, he was a terrible man, uncaring and irrational. But also, along with their mentality, he built up their physical strength. No matter how exhausted they were from training, he kept them going day-in and day-out. He obviously wasn?t concerned with their wellbeing, but only with the fact that they would bring him exactly what he wanted: power.

?Of course, as most have, I?ve wondered many a time about the purpose of a Pokemon?s capabilities. Why do they posses the powers of fire, water, lightning, ice and even... darkness? And my main concern: where did they get these fierce and potentially terrible powers? They must serve some purpose to our world, anyway... But, I digress.

?After some two or three years of training underground and in secret, he unleashed his horrendous attack on our beloved city in the midst of night. It began as a raid, his men running through the streets with their tamed Pokemon, destroying nearly everything they could. Many houses and shops were burned down, leaving families without shelter and important supplies for a long while. Varlo had apparently ordered his men to attack smaller, weaker Pokemon and humans in order to prove his point. How this would get his argument through to people, I do not know, but the plans were carried out nonetheless.

?At this juncture, the Royal Court did not know how they should react. There were few who actually knew much about battle, but the rest, they did not have any hope for. As quickly as possible, they sent messages out to men and women of the city, pleading for their help. Many responded to the call of duty, willing to defend their city the best they could. However, once they had drawn their old swords and shields, many of Varlo?s followers were already fleeing the city. (Later, everyone discovered that their only purpose in the sudden attack on Derelon was to devastate and terrorize, then leave to settle in another part of the world. They didn?t have any intention of taking over Derelon.) Still, some were left, trying to steal Pokemon and get away with it. And the citizens of Derelon fought back the best they could.

?One in particular, by the name of Oleander, had an interesting affair during battle. This woman was the Queen of that time, thus, my grandmother. She was, by nature, bold and daring, and not in the least afraid of death. She seemed willing to take on any opponent, and during this monumental fight, she fought against anyone and everyone that she could. She did a good job, as well, knocking out many of Varlo?s followers so that they could be taken to jail. However, as brave as she was, there was one who she could not match in strength. This was indeed Varlo himself. He had been ordering his men to flee for their planned location, when he saw Oleander harming his scheme. He felt that it was necessary to remove this woman, as she was one of the only real threats to him and his men. He stopped what he was doing and drew his sword in rage. Of course, she fought him just like she did any other, with all her courage and loyalty to her people. He stabbed her viciously in the stomach during their duel. Clutching to her abdomen, she continued on, bleeding profusely. She held her sword in one hand and her stomach in the other. Varlo clearly showed her no mercy now, and took advantage of the pain he had already dealt her. Stabbing her once more in the leg, he had made it so that she could no longer stand. She collapsed before him, panting and clenching her teeth from pain. In two swift moments, a sword had sliced through her body, and she now knew there was nothing she could do. She would die at the hands of the villainous Varlo.?

Then, there was a long silence, in which neither King Nevarro nor Eralynn spoke. After pondering a bit, the King continued on.

?Unfortunately, Varlo got away. And... Oleander, my grandmother, did die. Obviously, she suffered from the stab wounds that Varlo had given her. She bled to death that day, and the city of Derelon saw a hero and their Queen perish before its very eyes. However, as she was leaving for the afterlife, she said something that struck everyone?s heart. Now, normally, people wouldn?t take such strange words so seriously, but this was a well respected woman of the city. Many looked up to her, as she was a helpful, kind, and intelligent human being. She offered good advice to many, and aided those that were poor and needy. It seemed that she never let her people down, and so they always took her words seriously, no matter what. It was the moments before her death in which she stated the prediction your father must?ve been speaking of...?

Eralynn looked around nervously. She?d previously been excited to hear the story of how this whole conflict had started, but now, she wasn?t sure she wanted to actually hear the end. All she could really feel was sympathy for Oleander. She had died fighting and Eralynn admired her for that. She shook her head, and despite her melancholy, decided to ask.

?So, what was it that she said, exactly??

?Well, Eralynn,? spoke the king, ?it?s difficult to understand... With the last of her strength, she raised her head, and whispered into the king?s ear that there would be a chosen one to stir the Protector of Derelon. This Protector would be born under a great storm, and come shortly after the passing of wolves. The chosen one, who would possess great strength and be willing to sacrifice much, would have to pursue his destiny, or else all of pure heart would die.? He sighed after reciting it, as though he regretted telling her, now.

Thoughts flashed through Eralynn?s mind. Yesterday?s invasion of Mightyena was the third only this week, and there had been eleven throughout the month.

?So, that?s why my father is worried,? Eralynn thought to herself. ?We?ve never had such a problem with the wolf Pokemon before...?

?Yes,? said the king, ?and many people believe that Oleander?s words are now coming true. I?m not so sure what I believe, but it is an interesting coincidence.?

Then, a thought came to Eralynn. ?Well, what if one of Varlo?s followers overheard what she had said, and they?re sending the Mightyena just to catch everyone off guard and intimidate them??

?Yes, Eralynn. We also thought of this, however, we are positive that no one in the High Court would give these words away to anyone, even the other citizens of this city. It would be too risky to tell anyone, for they may infer what they wish and get the wrong idea. We wanted to figure it out for ourselves before striking panic into everyone.? He scratched his head and looked down.

Eralynn could not think of how to respond. Somehow, she believed this prophecy of Oleander?s. Something told her that they would soon be in danger if this so-called ?chosen one? didn?t step forward and reveal himself. She certainly could not imagine who it could possibly be, all the same, she ran through all the possible candidates in her head.

?Do you... know who it is, King Nevarro?? she asked him cautiously.

?No, no one does. My son and I were actually discussing who it could be, before you arrived this morning,? he said, shrugging helplessly.

?Your son...? she murmured under her breath.

What if it was Rhylan? Could it be? He was about to become a very strong warrior, and he was, after all, the prince. He had mastered nearly all the skills of combat. Plus, he was very brave. Although she was constantly annoyed by his presence, she had to admit that he was quite skilled and courageous most of the time.

?But... no. He?s a jerk and he?s terribly rude...? she thought. Her mind seemed to be arguing with itself, trying to decide on this possibility.

?It would be helpful if we actually knew who this person was and also, what he?s actually supposed to do to save us,? said the king worriedly.

Eralynn only nodded pensively and gazed at the table, still thinking about the chosen one and their task.

After a moment, she asked, ?So, you do believe what Queen Oleander said??

?Yes... I suppose I actually do,? the king laughed nervously. ?She was my grandmother, and she was very wise. I think that her last words really have to mean something, especially now. The Mightyena are passing through...? he trailed off. Then, he rose out of his chair. ?Now, if you?ll excuse me, there is a short ceremony I must be attending. I think you should be there, too, being the advisor?s daughter.?

?Which ceremony is it?? Eralynn asked, struggling to keep her mind off of the chosen one and trying to stay on topic.

?Oh, today is the day that the warriors, who are training, set out on the Last Journey. Then, their roles will be official,? answered the king, while pushing in his chair.

?Okay, I?ll be down soon, then, your highness,? Eralynn said and began to eat. All she could think about was the prophecy. What could it possibly mean? Surely one person could not hold the fate of all that reside in Derelon, could he? She was not sure, but she somehow knew that she and her people were in danger.

 

[Sarafina]

This is good so far, I like it. :)