PMD: Stargazer Chronicles

Maelstrom- Bloodbath

Cinccino Hannah lunged forward and cleared the distance in five bounds. Lugia exhaled a burning spiral of sharp air. Stinging cuts coated her body as the force pushed back against her, but she charged through. She kept Keldeo's horn in front of her to take some of the attack.

Hannah slashed at Lugia's face. Its head moved to the side with her swipe, trying to dodge, but she felt the edge of the horn quake down through her arm.

Lugia turned its face back down on her. She had drawn a new red slash mark between its eyes. The mask protected the rest of its face.

Hannah ran forward with a new target; Lugia's pale blue stomach. Keldeo's horn reacted with her body's energy with a wave of heat. Lugia swung an arm down to block her swing.

Hannah's strike cut clean through. To keep it from moving away, Hannah extended her arm and stabbed Lugia's foot. She put both of her arms on it and ripped to the side.

Lugia's back curved down as it keeled over. Hannah took the opportunity. She swung the horn with both arms at its belly in wide, circular slashes. After the flurry, Hannah finished the attack with a sideways swing, rotating her whole body and swinging from over her shoulder.

Lugia lost balance and collapsed on the ground. Hannah jumped out of its way as it fell. With a moment to breathe, she realized its pained screeches had been piercing her ears. It hissed and seethed at her, flailing however it could. She steeled herself.

Hannah circled around to Lugia's head. It began charging up energy in its gaping maw point at her face. She slashed across its head.

Black dust plumed out and rose into the air. She backed up, scrambling off the ground when she tripped from the surprise.

A strange noise coming from up ahead through the cloud: a rhythmic smacking sound. When the dust finished vanishing in the air, Hannah could see a Riolu clapping at a slow place with a low hanging smile.

Just next to him was the Girafarig Martha. She stared blankly.

Cinccino Hannah felt heavy using so much energy. She took the moment as an opportunity to get her strength back.

"It was already weak from the Twilight Hero's efforts," Martha explained.

"What... happened?" Hannah asked between deep breaths.

"I did it. And it was boring. Sheesh, slow."

Martha's tail swung back and forth, then settled.

"Ugh, really? You're here?"

Riolu's words caught Hannah's attention. She glanced behind herself.

She didn't know how she didn't hear him: a tall Lopunny with hazel eyes taking proud, quiet steps up to her side. Hannah forced herself to her feet again, but Lopunny didn't react to her facing him with the horn pointing up towards his face in her paws. He kept staring forward at the Riolu with a flat mouth. He only glanced at her.

"This place is called the Haven Of Light," Riolu explained. "Only us Pharaohs have the honor to see where the world will end. You should count yourself blessed."

"Hannah," said Lopunny, "lend me that horn for a bit. I'll handle him."

Keldeo's horn reacted to the voice. The torrent of energy inside pushed in Lopunny's direction, but didn't rip itself away from Hannah. Given the situation, she decided to listen.

Hannah walked forward and silently passed Lopunny the horn with the tip pointed down.

"How dare you?" Riolu demanded. "Using it against me? Of all people?"