Chapter 46
Watching You
Erebus Woods SX
Terron didn't know how long he was asleep. Perhaps it was hours. Perhaps it was only a few seconds. He didn't know.
What he did know, however, was that the moment he opened his eyes, he found himself in a forest tainted with trees that curled into many unsettling and unnatural shapes. A forest with tree roots that sprawled along the ground, bearing an uncanny resemblance to tentacles that wished to ensnare him at a moment's notice. A forest that reeked of a potent, foreboding aura that drained out more and more of his livelihood with each passing second.
The inside of Erebus Woods.
Scattered around him, sprawled along the ground, were his teammates. They too appeared to be awakening from their slumber, sluggishly rising to their feet. Erebus's tendrils no longer held any of the six Pokémon and were nowhere in sight. Terron wanted to think that Erebus had fled deeper into the forest, but he knew better. He knew all too well that Erebus was hiding somewhere within the shadows of the corrupted trees, watching their every move.
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a club. He tightened his grip on it, digging the tips of his claws into the bone.
"It seems Erebus has brought us somewhere between the first and tenth sectors of its home," Yimtri announced as he secured his bag around his person. "Hmm, I figured that it would have dragged us much deeper than here. Still, at least the six of us managed to remain together. These Reunion Capes have accomplished their purpose well. It's a rather fortunate thing that you had bought them."
The Sableye turned to look directly at Zeverous. His eyes seemed to darken as he held out a claw.
"As I was mentioning before, let me see your bag, Zeverous. I want to make sure I have your full commitment in defeating Erebus and that you won't use an Escape Orb like a coward. Give it to me."
"You don't believe that I'm committed to this mission after that little stunt you pulled with Terron and Novus?" Zeverous spat. "Still so paranoid that I'll leave?"
"I have every right to be paranoid in this given situation. Hand over your bag. That will be the only thing I ask of you for the remainder of our journey here. Or do I need to rip it from your claws by force?"
Zeverous snarled at the remark, but didn't bother to give a retort. With one motion, he tore off his backpack and flung it at the Sableye's feet. Yimtri scoffed in disgust as he brought his glance over to Novus, who wore Team Vendetta's messenger bag.
"Yours too, Quilava."
"You truly are desperate to keep us with you in this dungeon, aren't you?" Novus asked bitterly.
"Desperate, paranoid, wanting unwavering support and steadfastness in this paramount task we must accomplish… call it what you want," Yimtri scowled. "It doesn't matter to me. Give me your bag."
Novus, though unsatisfied with such an answer, took off the bag and handed it over the Sableye. Yimtri swiftly snatched the bag out of his paws and dropped it beside Zeverous's bag. He proceeded to dig through the Zoroark's backpack while Chloe did the same with Team Vendetta's bag. All Terron and his friends could do was watch in silence.
"This bag has two Escape Orbs," Chloe stated. "Seems that they were quite prepared in case they ever came here or any of Erebus's other homes."
"Take them out and put them in my own bag," Yimtri replied indifferently. "I'm still searching through this one."
Chloe nodded as she pulled out two spheres with her mouth and carefully placed them inside Yimtri's bag. Then, she grabbed the strap of the team's bag and dragged it over to Terron. She gently set the bag in front of him, and then looked up at him.
"Are you prepared to face Erebus, Cubone?" she asked, her voice monotone.
"Um, yeah, I am," Terron answered oddly as he put the bag's strap over his shoulder. "Why do you ask?"
"So that I know that you will not back out. Because you are needed to defeat Erebus."
Terron made a confused scowl from behind his mask.
"Well… I'm not," he said unsurely. "I'm not leaving or anything like that."
For just a brief second, Terron thought he saw the Turtwig give him a flash of a smile. But before he could make much more of it, she turned away and went back to Yimtri, who had finished shuffling through all of Zeverous's belongings. The Sableye glanced over at the Zoroark, bouncing a single orb up and down in one claw.
"Ah, so you had one Escape Orb on you after all," Yimtri said. "No wonder why you were so resistant. Well I'm afraid it will have to remain with me until we eliminate Erebus. But as I said, I will no longer pester you for anything else during the rest of our travel here. Simply follow me and that's all you have to do."
Zeverous said nothing, choosing only to keep the dark frown upon his face as he secured the bag onto his back. Yimtri didn't seem the least bit fazed by such a reaction. The Sableye dropped the orb into his own bag and brought his gaze to the Pokémon around him.
"It's time to see Erebus," Yimtri announced. "We've wasted enough time."
"Where are we going, though?" Zekra asked. "I mean, you said you don't even know how to lure Erebus out here so…"
"We'll start by leaving this particular part of the dungeon," Yimtri answered. "I highly doubt Erebus will appear in what I assume is the first sector."
"What if we just stick around here and just wait for Erebus to show up?" Zekra suggested. "I mean, it'd get bored of us not doing anything, so it'll just come here and then… yeah."
Yimtri seemed surprised by the remark. He paused, as if to actually consider the idea.
"I am afraid it does not work like that."
Everyone turned their surprised glances to Chloe, finding that she was staring off into the distance. She appeared detached from reality, yet at the same, pensive.
"What are you talking about?" Zekra asked.
"Erebus does not come to you so quickly," Chloe answered, still sounding as empty as before. "You must wander through its home for a time if you wish to see it. If you stay in one spot, Erebus will send legions after you. Or, it will dispel you from the dungeon. Typically it is the former rather than the latter, since Erebus does not typically like to rid its home of its plagued puppets. It would much prefer to add you to its collection. I believe the only time it will dispel you is if it finds no use for you, for whatever reason I cannot imagine. That is why it very rarely happens."
Zekra's eyes grew at the remark. However, she was not alone; everyone was completely stunned by the vast amount of information.
"Chloe… how do you know all of that?" Yimtri asked in a subdued, almost distressed voice. "I don't even know that and I have known Erebus the longest. And you've never ventured into Erebus Woods."
The Turtwig cast the Sableye a long, blank stare.
"Because every time your members escape from Erebus's home, I hear the stories of their terrible encounters as I wander through the corridors of our home," she answered. "I notice patterns in the way they describe certain events happening. Gossip tells me much when I listen carefully. So if you want to see Erebus, you have to tread deeper into its home. Its presence lingers more in the most horrific parts of its home. You already know that, my liege."
Yimtri had nothing to say to the remark. Chloe, upon seeing this, turned away and walked toward a path free of the infected trees.
"Let's go," she said. "We must not let the legions come after us."
Everyone cast a glance to one another, and then followed after the Turtwig. Zeverous carefully picked up Zekra before she could walk and buried her in his mane. She awkwardly crawled through his thick fur and managed to poke her head out a moment later.
"Stay in there, Zekra," Zeverous warned. "Erebus can't possibly get you from there. And if it tries to… well, it's going to have to deal with me first."
Terron watched Zekra give a nod as she sank further back into the comfort of her brother's mane. A grim frown grew across his face as he looked over at each of his companions. All of them were donning stoic expressions as they kept their gazes on the path ahead of them. But, Terron knew that they were all wearing nothing but flimsy masks.
Should we really have come here? he wondered. Or was all of this a giant mistake? Is Erebus invincible? I mean, it's technically a Plagued One if it makes them, and Plagued Ones don't die… so does that mean that all of this will be for nothing? Will we all just get plagued?
Terron felt a cold spread into his heart at the thought, sending shivers down his spine. He pushed his persona deep into his head.
No, I have to stay strong. There's a way to defeat Erebus. I know there is. And besides, it's too late to back out now. I made a commitment. And it's not like I can leave anymore anyway.
The Cubone removed his paw from his skull and with the Pokémon beside him, continued to walk in silence.
X
Erebus Woods SX
Finding the next section of the putrid forest didn't take much time. In fact, it had been a rather easy task, as none of the vicious denizens of the dungeon bothered to attack the six. The forest remained eerily quiet for them as they wandered through the current sector. Not a creature was in sight.
"Does anyone feel as though their plagued self is overcoming them?" Yimtri asked from the front of the group.
Everyone shook their heads.
"Good. Erebus isn't toying with us just yet. The second you feel something though, let either me or Zeverous know. Do not try to bear it and remain silent, because if you do, that will cost you greatly. No one is strong enough to resist the plagued self when Erebus comes to visit you."
"I've wondered… but when you get manipulated, does Erebus control you or is it your plagued self?" Terron asked. "Because you only went insane after Erebus came here last time, but Zekra snapped when we were so far away from Erebus Woods. I don't really get it."
The Sableye looked back at the Cubone. Terron narrowed his eyes, anticipating the deliberate avoidance of his question. He could already feel a burning rise up inside him.
"It's a combination of the two, actually," Yimtri answered. "When Erebus plagues you, it puts a seed inside of you, if you want to call it that. Then, that seed germinates and you get the plagued self. That corrupted self attaches to your soul and every time Erebus spreads its influence into you, it commands your plagued self to do something as well as make your plagued self more powerful. So really, Erebus gives your plagued self orders and then it is carried out."
Terron fought the urge to flinch at the sudden answers; he truly thought it would take a large amount of hassling to get even a fraction of an answer. The tension in his heart ceased as gave he continued to stare at the Sableye, who seemed oblivious to Terron's stumped thoughts.
"However, the plagued self can act on its own, without Erebus's command," Yimtri went on. "But, it's not as influential as Erebus. It typically only speaks in your mind and uses the power of suggestion to get you to do things. It cannot actually manipulate your body... unless you are severely plagued like Zeverous or have the unique circumstances Zekra has with her Instinct Infestation. It will take advantage of triggers in those cases to gain full control of you. So it can be both, but most of the time, it is Erebus who manipulates you, even if it's doing so by sending a command to your plagued self. From what I have gathered anyway. It's a rather complex concept that even I haven't fully understood despite being plagued for twenty years."
"Well wait, if the plagued self can control you if you're badly plagued, why doesn't it do that with you?" Terron wondered.
"Like I said, it needs triggers. Specifically, anything that has to do with violence or negative emotions, from how I see it. Grudges, bloodlust, if your instincts completely take over you and suppress your rationality the second you see something horrific… the list goes on. The plagued self will be able to take over you if you succumb to these things. Let's take Zeverous for example; his trigger is his grudge against me. The second he thinks about me, he will naturally become filled with a deep wrath that the plagued self will immediately cling to and use to take over him. It will take over his body through his wrath. Somewhat of the same thing applies for Zekra. Her instincts take over her, which are actually impulses fueled by emotions. And there are two instincts one feels when entering Instinct Infestation; flight… and fight. I know most Pokémon act on the flight instinct, but the plagued self can no doubt channel her into the fight instinct and take over her from there.
"The plagued self, quite simply, uses your emotions to its advantage to control you. Any emotions that can somehow lead to violence. Whether this is because it craves violence or because violent tendencies are the only way it can control the body it infects, I'm not sure. But that's how it is. You ask why I'm not affected by this, though. And quite simply, it's because I've suppressed almost all of my emotions. Yes, my plagued self can do such horrific things to my voice and garble my thoughts as it encourages me to act in certain ways, but that is all it does. It cannot force me to kill or plague. It's only Erebus that can make me do that. Because what can my plagued self cling to if there are no emotions that overwhelm me? Why did you think that when I was manipulated by Erebus, I simply seemed to have lost my sanity rather than mindlessly kill like Zeverous?"
Terron wasn't sure what to make of the remark. There were many pieces of information the Sableye spoke of that completely baffled him. He wanted to voice each of his thoughts, but he could not decide what to start with first. But thankfully, someone spoke up for him.
"You couldn't have actually killed all your emotions," Zeverous scoffed. "That's a lie. You were furious with me earlier, and if that's not a show of emotion, I don't know what isn't."
"I never said I killed them," Yimtri said simply. "It's impossible to completely discard all of your feelings; they are bound to your soul and can only depart from you when you die. But there are still ways to silence them for long periods of time, which is precisely what I do. Even if sometimes, they do manage to manifest and influence me to a small degree. Emotions… they're a hindrance. They make you do such senseless things, force you develop attachments that will be inevitably severed in due time and leave you devastated, and if you're plagued, have your plagued self take over you using such feelings. No one needs such a crippling weakness in the world we live in."
Zeverous snorted at the remark, but said nothing more. Terron, on the hand, continued to stare at the Sableye, even as he turned away.
Well that would explain why he's so bitter all the time. Terron realized. But, suppressing all of your emotions… can that really be another way to fight off the plagued self? If you extinguish all of your feelings and just become an empty shell, can you really be able to resist whatever the plagued self tells you to do? I mean, it sure seems to have worked for Yimtri. Even before he had that pin, his plagued self never seemed to influence him that much when Erebus wasn't around. I mean sure, he'd threaten us and get really creepy and look like he was going to explode, but he never actually killed or plagued anyone, unlike Zev whenever he snaps…
The quick skittering of feet sounded in Terron's ears. He looked to his teammates to find that he wasn't the only one to hear the noise. Everyone in the group stopped and turned toward the source.
"The legions have come," Chloe said. "I believe there are eight based on what I can gather."
"Hmph, Erebus is already sending swarms after us rather than individuals," Yimtri muttered distastefully. "It probably knows why we are here. But, it doesn't matter; the denizens that infest this dungeon cannot overcome us. Everyone, I do not think I need to tell you this, but be on your guard. Erebus Woods denizens are far more tactical than the ones of the other dungeons."
"Can they plague you?" Novus asked in a subdued voice.
"Thankfully they can't," Yimtri answered. "It's only Erebus who can plague you through a variety of ways. But no, not through denizens strangely enough."
"That's… good."
Terron glanced over at the Quilava to find that all was not well with him. Novus, despite being crouched in a hostile stance with a determined frown, was trembling. His pupils were dilated to the extremes and the fire burning upon his head flickered constantly. Terron grimaced at the sight, knowing full well why the Quilava was struggling to remain adamant.
But the Cubone couldn't keep his attention on his friend for long, for a blur darted out of the trees. Terron couldn't tell what it was; it sprinted along the blades of grass with speeds unmatched to perhaps the legendaries themselves. He wasted no time in flinging his club forward at the creature.
His attack connected, and the assailant helplessly stumbled to the ground, allowing Terron to see that the creature was a Jolteon. The second his bone came flying back into his paw, an Umbreon burst from the cluster of trees from behind the Jolteon. It didn't run nearly as fast as the Jolteon, but it still moved with a startling amount of swiftness. The Jolteon was quick to bolt to its feet and together, the two sprang at the group.
The Jolteon instantly pounced into Zeverous's chest, knocking him back as Zekra flew out of his mane. The Zorua flailed around for just a moment before righting herself in the air and landed on all fours, positioned in a battle stance. The Jolteon immediately sprang off the Zoroark and charged at her, swift as lightning.
Zeverous hastily changed into a Greninja and coiled his legs to bolt after the electric-type. But, he barely managed to finish the transformation, when the Umbreon tackled him down and sank its fangs deep into his head. Zeverous instantly reverted back into a Zoroark as he desperately clawed away at the creature. Deep cuts formed along its body as the Umbreon flew through the air, flailing and screaming. Zeverous snarled as he leapt into the air and immediately finished it off with a well-placed stab into its heart. The moment he landed, he bolted after Zekra, who just narrowly avoided a swarm of needles that erupted from the Jolteon's fur.
"Tch, Erebus, of course you would pull a trick like this," Yimtri snarled. "I can never underestimate you, can I?"
The Sableye looked back at the ones beside him.
"Do not fall for this trick," he warned. "Erebus has done this to me before when I came here so many years ago with another group. Forget about your friends and fight for yourselves. They are on their own until all of the enemies have been defeated. Do not fall for the temptation of rescuing them. Erebus will take advantage of your weakness if you do."
He sank into the ground and disappeared from sight. Terron and Novus's gazes wavered between their struggling friends and where the Sableye disappeared to. Chloe instantly stepped in front of them.
"Listen to the liege. Do as he says."
No sooner than she said this, did she tackle the two down just as a powerful jet of water whizzed over their heads. The three looked back to find a Vaporeon now standing at a distance, glaring at them with its beady black eyes. Chloe picked herself up and charged at the water-type. The last Terron and Novus saw of her was her biting down upon its neck and dragging it into the dense, wooded area.
"Do as he says, huh?" Terron said bitterly as he twirled a club in his paw. "That's some fantastic advice."
"Keep your guard up," Novus said tensely. "Though I don't want to admit it, the plagued Sableye may have a point. The other Eons are taking us down one by one. Perhaps it will only be one or perhaps it will be multiple, but it matters not. They are isolating all of us from each other."
"Well we're not going to let it do that to us," Terron returned. "You and I are going to stick together, no matter what they do."
The moment he said this, a Glaceon and Leafeon leapt from the trees and spun around in unison. A volley of leaves and sleet shot out of their bodies and merged together, creating a giant maelstrom of the elements that rapidly closed in on Terron and Novus. Terron cringed at the sight, but forced himself to remain calm. He couldn't afford to panic in this situation. No, not when he had to reach Erebus at all costs.
"Novus, fire your attacks at that thing!" Terron ordered.
The Quilava obeyed without hesitation. A powerful blast of flames erupted from his maw and slammed into the oncoming gale of ice and leaves. A very loud hissing sound filled the air as the fire ate away at the elements, effectively managing to reduce it in size with great ease. However, it wasn't enough to completely eradicate the attack; Novus had only weakened it. Terron held his arms over his face in a cross guard as the burnt flora and water came over him and Novus.
His coat and helmet sheltered him from most of the attack, but the few leaves that sliced into his hands and legs left a sharp string that burned immensely. He hissed as he glanced over at Novus to find that he too was suffering from the attack, but even more so, for he did not have any protective gear. Even still, the Quilava endured it through grit teeth and kept his fiery quills burning bright.
The moment the assault ceased, the two looked back to find the Glaceon and Leafeon rushing toward them. The two Eons leaped into the air and swooped down at the Cubone and Quilava, their maws filling with spheres of blue and green energy. Terron reared back his arm, ready to throw his club.
"Wait! This will help!"
Novus abruptly spewed out a fireball at the Cubone. Terron flinched as he moved out of the way, but then stopped when he saw the attack's line of fire. He watched as the flaming mass hit the tip of his club, setting it ablaze in an instant. Terron glanced at the flaming bone for just a second before a sly grin spread across his face.
"Thanks, Novus."
Without a second's delay, he tossed the bone at the incoming enemies. The Glaceon and Leafeon fired a beam of ice and a sphere of pure energy at the Cubone and Quilava, but it did not save them from Terron's own attack. The bone slammed into each of their bodies, lighting both of their bodies on fire the moment it touched them. Terron and Novus hurried away from the Ice Beam and Energy Ball, just barely avoiding the attacks as they impacted the spot where he stood seconds ago. He could only feel the tiny crystals that shed off the glacier that formed along the ground as they harmlessly bounced off his mask.
The Eons wailed loudly as they collapsed to the ground, their forms slowly becoming covered in the growing fire. Novus shot them a dark scowl for just a brief moment before he released a mighty fireball upon both of them. They became completely consumed by the flames, their bodies turning a deep black as their anguished cries filled the air. Terron watched their bodies slowly reduce to ash until his bone flew back into his paw. He threw it the ground and stomped out the tiny flames flickering upon it.
"Two are gone," Novus stated. "There were eight, from what the Turtwig estimated. Two are with Zekra and Zeverous. One is with the Turtwig. We have just eliminated two now. Three more left."
Terron grabbed his club off the grass and glared into the dark woods the various Pokémon emerged from. He and Novus stood, tensed as they waited for their next opponent to appear.
An unseen force suddenly threw the two of them back, sending them skidding across the ground. The two hastily forced themselves to a halt, but soon found themselves suspended high in the air, their muscles locked in paralysis. Standing in the distance, wearing a smug grin, was an Espeon.
"Psychic affinity Pokémon," Novus growled. "Tch, they always were so difficult to face in combat."
With a flick of its head, the two were driven into the ground, nearly knocking the wind out of each of them. The Espeon's smile only seemed to grow as a Flareon flew out of the trees and sped at the downed Pokémon. A thick blanket of fire completely covered its fur as it ran, setting the grass ablaze. The flames quickly crawled over the blades of grass and spread deep into the dungeon as the Flareon closed in on the two friends.
"Of course I'm the one who must save you two."
A blob of black energy crashed into the Flareon's flank, knocking it over in an instant as the flames surrounding its body immediately ceased to burn. Terron and Novus shifted their eyes to the side and were quick to find Yimtri standing at a distance, scowling irritably. He cast the two a quick glance before bringing his attention to the Espeon. It fixed its eyes upon him, and then the gem upon its forehead glimmered brightly.
"Yes, try to use your psychic powers on me too," Yimtri said dully. "See how well that works for you."
The Sableye sprang forward, dark energy quickly encasing his claws. The Espeon's eyes widened at the sight and quickly turned tail. But, before it could dart away, the Sableye leapt onto its back. It swiped at him with its paws and forked tail, but they sailed harmlessly through the ghost's body. Yimtri smiled devilishly before he plunged a claw deep into its throat and slit it open with one fluid motion. The Espeon's body fell limp as it toppled to the ground.
"What are you two waiting for?" Yimtri asked nonchalantly as he withdrew his bloody claw from the Espeon's neck. "There's a Flareon that's still alive, isn't there? What's holding you back now?"
Terron scowled at the remark, but made no retort. He ran to the Flareon, finding it was struggling back to its feet. It spat out a pillar of flames the second it saw him. Terron dove out of the way before sending his fist into the ground. A deep fissure opened beneath the fire-type, promptly followed by a burst of golden energy. The Flareon screeched as it flew up into the air. Terron threw his bone forward, but forced himself to stop when a barrage of leaves cut deep into the Flareon's abdomen. The creature immediately fell silent as it collided into the dirt, completely immobile.
Yimtri instantly came to the enemy's fallen form and tore out its throat.
"Now there's no chance that it will come back while we are dealing with the final enemy," Yimtri stated.
Terron looked away from the gruesome sight and over in the distance to find Chloe now among them. She was completely drenched in water, but otherwise was unharmed. She brought her ever-present blank gaze to the Sableye.
"I could not spot the last enemy in the forest when I was battling the Vaporeon," she reported. "I sense it's around, but I'm not sure where."
"Well then, we will simply have to wait for it to appear now, won't we?"
"What about Zeverous and Zekra?" Novus then asked.
"Like I said before, let those two take care of themselves," Yimtri said. "If my guess is correct, we really should not turn our backs on the Pokémon that will be coming after us now, even for a moment."
"What do you think it is?" Terron wondered.
"Isn't it obvious? It's a- Tch!"
The Sableye flinched and abruptly dove into the ground. Not even a moment later, a mighty gale blew past the three. They were blown off their feet and slammed into the ground, their backs throbbing painfully. There was a flash, and then the next thing Terron knew, a brilliant sphere of light came careening down upon him. The moment it hit him, Novus, and Chloe, a deep burning seared his scaly flesh, actually ripping jagged lines into his coat.
He bit down on his tongue as he glared at his assailant, finding it to be a Sylveon. Its ribbons streamed through the air as it beamed at him in an almost playful manner. Terron wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cower at its unsettling cheerfulness.
"Fairy Eon," Chloe grumbled. "Thankfully it is the last of them."
"Ugh, but can we even attack it when it's got that stupid wind?" Terron groaned as he got up, ignoring the stinging in his muscles.
"We will have to. There is no choice."
The Turtwig dashed forward and swung her head, releasing a dozen leaves from her body. The Sylveon gracefully bounded out of the way, all the while smiling to itself as its ribbons began to illuminate a bright pink. Chloe hastily flung more leaves at the Sylveon, but to no avail. The fairy-type twirled around each and every one of the attacks with nimble steps.
Novus spewed a burst of fire at the Sylveon, but it only managed to succeed in burning off the tips of one of the ribbons. Yet, even as part of its appendage crumbled away into ashes, the Sylveon kept its cheery demeanor. It glanced over at the three before its ribbons drastically grew in length. Chloe brought herself to a halt as the seedling upon her head glowed with a white power.
The Sylveon's smile only widened at the sight before the ribbons lashed out and ensnared the group. Terron kicked around as the ribbons lifted him and his friends off the ground, but he was bound tight.
Novus ignited his quills, immediately incinerating the appendages that held him. He fell to the ground and was quick to fire yet another blast at the Sylveon. It giggled as it leapt out of the way, taking Chloe and Terron with it.
The Quilava dove at the Sylveon, his entire body aflame. With a sudden burst of speed, he collided into its side. It released its grasp on Terron and Chloe as it fell to the ground, landing dangerously close to the growing flames all around them. Novus let out a snort as the Cubone and Turtwig landed on all fours beside him.
"I will go after your friends," Chloe stated. "You two take care of this."
"Whatever happened to only taking care of ourselves?" Terron asked.
"This is the last enemy, so that is no longer valid," Chloe replied. "Besides, there is not much I can do against the Fairy Eon. My power is weak against it. The same cannot be said for you two."
Then, she turned away and dashed off into the distance. Terron and Novus turned back to the Sylveon to find that it had its eyes fixed on them, a sphere of light forming in its open maw.
"No, you are not doing that again!" Terron cried.
He reached into his coat and ripped out a piece of Aron armor. Though it was smooth and held the appearance of a shield, he saw another detail about as well: a sharp point. It was not quite as sharp as he would have liked it, but it would do.
He stuffed his club into his pocket as he gripped the plate in his paw, and then sped forward. The Sylveon giggled as it fired the bright light that had easily dwarfed his size. Terron, in his desperation, flung the weapon forward and then he leapt out of the way. Much to his dismay, he was unable to avoid the attack and took the full brunt of its impact.
But, his scream was not the only one to ring through the air. A shrill one pierced his eardrums as well he tumbled along the ground, unable to see anything as the world spun rapidly. He wearily reached into his coat and once again withdrew his club before stabbing it into the ground. He nearly lost his grip on his bone from the abrupt halt, but was able to hang on. His head ached and his entire front throbbed as he tore out the bone. He rubbed his skull and held his breath, feeling the pain ease away already. He blinked a few times and then glanced over at the Sylveon.
What he found was Novus spewing a steady stream of fire upon its body at a close distance with Yimtri standing nearby. Clenched tight in the Sableye's claws was the metallic plate, its point dripping with blood. He and Novus watched for a moment longer before the fire completely consumed the Sylveon. With the threat eliminated, the two immediately left the sight, the fires spreading to where they had just stood. A thick, black smoke was already beginning to obscure Terron's vision.
"We're getting Zekra and Zeverous right now," Yimtri stated. "We mustn't waste any more time in this sector. We will suffocate if we stay for too long."
Terron nodded as he slowly got to his feet. He dug into his bag and pulled out an Oran Berry before quickly chomping it down. Yimtri stuffed the armor back into Terron's coat and grabbed his sleeve as he passed him by, dragging him away as he picked up his speed. Terron didn't bother to retort and only ran with the Sableye and Quilava.
Within a matter of seconds, the three found Zeverous, Zekra, and Chloe standing amongst the Umbreon and Jolteon corpses, both bloody and battered. Zeverous and Zekra also appeared rather worn with several bits of their fur singed, but were otherwise fine.
"Thanks for leaving us," Zeverous spat with a snarl. "We really appreciated having to deal with these things on our own."
"There was no choice in the matter," Yimtri frowned. "But, this isn't the time for petty arguments. We need to go to the next sector. As you can probably see, it's rather imperative that we find the way there as soon as possible."
Zeverous briefly glanced at the roaring flames in the distance. His scowl only grew.
"You sure caused a mess I see."
"And what does it matter? The Flareon who created the mess is no more."
"I'm pretty sure there was a way to go about killing it without setting the misery dungeon on fire. But whatever. Let's get out of here."
With a flash, the Zoroark became an Arcanine and lowered himself to the ground. Everyone except Yimtri clambered onto his back and got a firm grip on his fur. The Sableye instead chose to become a shadow. With a huff, Zeverous bolted away from the aftermath of the long battle, the living shadow following close behind him.
X
Erebus Woods SX
"I don't understand. Why…"
Everyone remained upon the false Arcanine's back as they looked about the newly-entered sector of the forest. The dungeon still remained as an infestation of corrupted trees, but now, there was something much different. Something that Terron had seen what felt like so long ago.
It was now the corpse forest; the environment that held very last group of sectors of Erebus Woods. But this time, none of the bodies bound to the trees seemed to be decaying. All of them seemed to be more in a deep slumber, almost peaceful. Even still, that didn't ease the unnerving feeling that fell over the group. They kept still, their gazes fixed upon the sight.
Yimtri seeped out of his shadow and took a few steps forward, looking upon each of the trees.
"This isn't right," Yimtri went on, utterly baffled. "Why are we here?"
"Well obviously Erebus is doing something," Zeverous replied blandly. "This kind of thing wouldn't happen just because."
"I realize that. Erebus is warping the dungeon is what's happening," Yimtri stated. "It is the master of this twisted world and can do anything in wants thanks to its corrupt abilities. However, that still doesn't explain precisely what is happening. I cannot tell if we've been brought into the furthest points in the dungeon or if Erebus simply switched the order of the sectors here. I honestly don't know. I would assume the former, but that would bring us closer to Erebus or possibly the exit, something I'm sure it doesn't want. And if it's the latter…"
"Well you can just keep rambling on if you want, but that's not going to get us anywhere or solve anything. So, I'm going to keep moving. Don't want to stay in this place another minute. You can keep doing whatever you want."
Zeverous walked past the Sableye, who was now standing before one of the many trees, and went down the path. The ones sitting upon him looked back at the Sableye. It took a few moments, but eventually Yimtri turned away from the tree and followed after the group, if only at a distance.
"He brings up a good point, though," Terron said to Zeverous. "Something isn't right if the dungeon is changing around. We should probably be concerned about that."
"Well yeah, we could, but what good will that do us?" Zeverous asked. "It's not like we can just ask Erebus what's going on and why it's doing this. And we're not going to get answers any other way. So there's no point in wondering just what Erebus is up to when we clearly can't get an answer. Better to just get out of here while we can. Means we won't get attacked by anybody while we're wondering,"
"Speaking of that… do you guys feel that?" Zekra then asked.
Everyone turned to look at the Zorua. Her eyes darted in every direction, almost urgently.
"Feel what?" Zeverous asked.
"Like there's something watching us," Zekra answered, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Like they're in the corner of your eye, but every time you turn to look, you see nothing's there. The prickling feeling on your neck and your fur standing up and the cold…"
"I don't feel it," Terron said. "In fact, this dungeon feels kind of empty in all honesty, like there's no one here at all."
"The same for me," Novus added. "Though, that doesn't mean that this dungeon feels pleasant either."
"You're kidding, right?" Zekra asked, clinging to her brother tighter. "It's everywhere! How can you not feel it?"
"Erebus is forcing you feel such things," Chloe stated nonchalantly. "It's doing such so that you will panic and make a foolish choice. You need to calm yourself down before you become hysteric. That is the last thing we need here."
"Well why is it only me then? Why not you guys?"
"Perhaps Erebus thinks that you should be the first to falter because you are the most terrified to be in this forest. Your dread is the easiest to amplify and manipulate."
"I'm not scared of Erebus! Shut up!"
"But you are. I can feel it rising from your soul. Don't lie to me, Zorua. You are terrified and do not wish to be here, yet you came because you wanted to protect your friends. You had to be coerced by my liege. I know these things."
"SHUT UP!"
Zekra lashed out at the Turtwig, clawing her face with a set of claws and knocking her straight off Zeverous's back. Chloe tumbled onto the ground and away from the group, but was quick to get back on her feet. Three bloody lines trailed over her temple, but she didn't seem the least bit affected. She only shook her head before walking behind the group at a close distance. Zekra cast her a dark glare as her eyes flickered with a blue light.
Terron and Novus didn't dare voice their thoughts.
X
Erebus Woods SX
The group had now wandered through several sectors of the dungeon, finding that their environment was still the same. If it weren't for the fact that they saw different bodies upon each of the trees with each trail they took, the group surely would have thought they were going around in circles.
Yimtri and Chloe were at the front of the group, walking in complete silence. Never once did they glance back at the ones they were leading.
"You know, we haven't run into any dungeon Pokémon," Terron stated from Zeverous's back. "It's been like six sectors, hasn't it?"
"Approximately," Yimtri replied. "It is rather strange, I must admit. In fact, Erebus has been rather kind to us, for lack of a better word. Other than the swarm we had earlier and this sudden change of location, not much has happened. It's rather alarming."
"You think Erebus might be planning something?" Terron wondered.
"I can see no other reason as to why it would allow us such peace in its home when it is normally crawling with a variety of threats. However, such a fact does not mean that we are leaving. We are reaching Erebus one way or another, no matter what it tries to do to us."
The Sableye clutched the bag around his side, poking his claws into the fabric. Terron felt his stomach tie into a knot and gripped the false Arcanine's fur. Zeverous cast the Sableye a glare before he glanced at the various trees surrounding them.
"So are these bodies the ones that get trapped down here and never leave?" he asked.
The Sableye didn't say anything. He continued to look forward.
"Are these the ones that faint in this misery dungeon and then end up becoming Plagued Ones if no one saves them?" Zeverous growled.
"They are, Zoroark," Chloe said instead, turning to face him. "The ones attached to the trees are in the process. Though, they do not come from only this particular home of Erebus; many Pokémon here come from all of the dungeons in the world. If a Pokémon is not brought out of any dungeon after they have fainted, they will be brought here. If the fainted Pokémon hasn't been brought out of the dungeon by someone else within a day, Erebus will drag them from the dungeon and bring them here to its true home. Then, they are brought here, where they will become Plagued Ones in due time."
"You know, there was one thing I never got about the misery dungeons when you told me about how they've all got Erebus in them," Zeverous started to say as he narrowed his eyes. "And hearing you say that only makes me question it more."
"And what would that be?" Chloe asked in return, her monotone never breaking.
"You're saying right now that Erebus drags you from one dungeon to here, right? So is there more than one Erebus in the world? And why is everyone coming here to be plagued? Why is everyone getting corrupted the most here and not the other misery dungeons?"
"There is one Erebus in the world, but that one Erebus can create copies of itself. It can send those copies to make other dungeons not nearly as potent as the one the true Erebus resides in. Thus, that's why you cannot be initially plagued in the other dungeons, but you can here. And it is also why the other dungeons are more forgiving if you faint within them and are in the company of others; because Erebus's powers are not as powerful in such dungeons. It cannot keep more than one Pokémon within its dungeon at a time because it is rather weak. If you faint here however, whether you are with somebody or not, you will never leave unless someone finds your body in this resting place and whisks you out."
Terron, Zekra, and Novus grimaced at the information. While it certainly explained many things about their various encounters with dungeons, that didn't stop the three from feeling a cold dread wash over them at the information. The thought that Erebus could duplicate itself and have such a copy be so powerful, no matter how "weak" Chloe called it, was enough to make them shiver.
If Erebus can make clones… it's probably going to do that during the battle. Terron realized. It's going to make a bunch of clones so that we can't hurt the real it. Oh god…
Terron forced himself to eject the thought from his mind. He couldn't afford to let his will waver. Not within the woods with Erebus watching him.
"So it's basically like my own Double Team," Zeverous said, his voice quiet yet pensive.
"It's exactly the same as your Double Team, Zoroark," Chloe answered. "In every single way."
"What are you-"
Zeverous felt a sudden cold overcome him, forcing him to stop. He was quick to find that he had walked right into Yimtri, his foot in the middle of the intangible form. Zeverous took a few steps back to find that Yimtri was not moving. He was completely idle and was glancing off to the side with a vacant stare. The group stopped and brought their gazes to what Yimtri was looking at.
The Sableye had his eyes fixed upon a cluster of trees very close to where they stood. As usual, there were Pokémon bound to the trunk by thick webs. But, there seemed to be two particular Pokémon that the Sableye had his attention set upon: a Gabite and a Zangoose.
Team Vendetta and Zeverous gave the Sableye an odd glance.
"Um, why'd you stop?" Terron asked.
Yimtri cast the Cubone a glance for just a brief moment, allowing him to see the faint flickering of his gemstones.
"That is because these Pokémon were his companions from long ago."
Everyone flinched at the voice they were all too familiar with. They snapped their gazes to its source; the tree holding the Gabite. There, along the surface of the bark, was a dark shadow that watched them with its unseen eyes.
Everyone except Yimtri took a step back, cringing at the sight of the monstrous being, even if it only appeared as a mere shadow. They were not ready to battle it just yet. Not so soon after they had entered the dungeon. They had thought that they had more time before they had to face the creature. They weren't ready…
"What do you want?" Yimtri hissed, clenching his claws into fists.
"You do not sound so happy to see me, despite the fact that you have been searching for me."
"Don't try to change the subject. Why did you bring Draven and Zar here?"
"Because I know you miss them and wish to see them. You can deny it as much as you would like, but I know it's true. So I brought them here for you."
"I do not miss them. They're gone, simple as that. Do not pretend that you are doing this out of compassion. I know how you work, Erebus. I know why you are truly doing this and it will not work on me."
The shadow crawled down the tree and settled onto the ground. Yimtri remained motionless, drawing his claws as everyone behind him reluctantly did the same.
"My poor child, look at what has happened to you over these past twenty years. You do not even care that you are able to see two of your closest and oldest friends again. Seeing how much you've changed for the worse is a saddening sight to see. First you lose your very partners who founded Dusk Mines to me, then you have to struggle to keep my existence a secret. Along with so many various other hardships, you have grown so callous through all of it. My pitiful child, when will you be the Sableye I first infected with the blight so many years ago again?"
Erebus swerved to the side just in time to miss a Shadow Ball. The attack hit the spot where the shadow once was, spraying up dirt and dust into the air. Yimtri, with a claw streaming with black wisps, glared at the creature with a powerful malice.
"The moment you die."
"Yes, you still want to kill me. Of course. It's sad to think that I could not talk to you without that intent burning so strongly in your soul. I truly wish I could have talked to you more. Perhaps another time."
The Sableye pounced at the shadow, but just as he was to bury his claws into its form, it sped away into the distance. Yimtri growled as he ripped his claws from the soil and righted himself up. He looked in the direction where Erebus went off to, his gemstones burning bright.
The five Pokémon with him remained where they stood, unsure of what they wanted to do. Team Vendetta kept a tight grip on Zeverous's fur while the false Arcanine seemed ready to bolt at any moment. Chloe had a more somber expression and tried to take a step forward, but stopped herself.
"My liege, we should continue on," she said carefully. "Staying here will not benefit us."
"I never had any intentions of remaining idle," Yimtri seethed.
With a disgusted scoff, he unceremoniously wandered away from the group and down the dungeon's path. Chloe hurried after him, caring not for the Pokémon she was leaving behind. Zeverous released a low sigh as he sat down and had his passengers slide off him.
"Well looks like we won't have to deal with Erebus just yet," he breathed. "Thank the gods…"
No one replied to remark. They could only stare at the spot where they last saw Erebus, remembering so clearly how close it was to them. How close they were to battling the horrific creature.
"Guys, I need to rest from using this form for a little while," he said, breaking their focus away from the sight. "It's kind of exhausting having to carry you guys, walk, and be this Arcanine."
"It's alright, Zev," Zekra replied. "Thanks for carrying us this whole time, though."
Zeverous smiled as a light came over him and turned him back into a Zoroark. He gently picked up the Zorua in one of his claws and buried her into his mane.
"I'd do the same with you two, but well, Zekra's all I can hold right now," Zeverous said to the remainder of Team Vendetta. "Plus, I'm worried that you're going to light me on fire, Novus."
"It's not a problem. We'll just walk, I suppose," Novus said. "Though, please do let us know when you can carry us again."
"Will do. But, we'd better go after those guys so we aren't left behind. Let's get out of here before that thing decides it wants to come back."
Zeverous and Novus followed after Yimtri and Chloe with much haste. Terron was about to walk with them, but then stopped when he looked back at the trees that held the Gabite and Zangoose. The Pokémon were no longer present. He blinked, and then he saw the familiar shadow along the tree once again.
Terron ripped out a club from his coat despite feeling the panic overcome him. He thought he heard a sigh come from the shadow. A quiet, almost disappointed sigh.
"You too want nothing more than to kill me. I truly thought that perhaps you would be less hostile, but you are just like my Sableye child. You two are so alike."
Then, quick as lightning, Erebus disappeared from the spot. Terron lowered his weapon as he glanced around, but found that Erebus was no longer in sight. It was gone.
"What are you doing, Erebus? What are you planning?" he wondered.
As expected, no one answered him. Terron cast the tree one last glance before he went after his friends.
"In time you shall see, my child."
Terron shot a glance back, but found that no one was there. He picked up his speed and hastily reunited with his friends. Yet, even after he was in their company, he felt a pair of eyes at his back, watching him at every turn.