7 – Quetz

Tori didn’t knew what he was touching or where even his body was, around the never ending darkness he was now. Could hear the annoyed groan from BIllie at his side, holding harder his shoulder to get up. Taking a few seconds to touch inside his coat, he realized it was completely empty, with no arrows, seeds or tools whatsoever.

—Billie? Where’s the others? -he asked, trying to keep his balance and don’t trip in that void.

—I don’t know, alright? There’s no signal from Mao nor that rabbit…

—His name is Fir. -corrects her.

The Lopunny was too restive to stay quiet. She walked around the nothingness looking for a wall, tunnel or any escape route. Nothing. Tori tried to do the same, but whenever he stretched his arms and stepped on, could only see the nothingness. At this point, he expected for the worst, like being permanently blinded by someone. But this was too extreme. It couldn’t be that. And it wasn’t.

A soft and eerie purple bright light in the darkness. Billie quickly gets closer to Tori, fixated in that single spot that, despite showing they weren’t alone, it was better alone than with him. It was not Fir’s blaze. It was something different, something hypnotizing and mystical that shined and revealed a red and wicked smile.

—I’m really sad to see you two, running away right before my arrival. But it’s fine, I’m sorry for taking so long. -the deep voice said.

Gradually the lights multiplied; blazes surrounding that rocky burrow and showing that they weren’t by themselves. The owner of that smile, a pale stone slab with red lines drawing a snake covered with an ethereal cloak, was being guarded by two Trevenant right behind. One had on his roots and branches their equipment, while the other had Mao, Fir and a Charmander tied up, immobile and unconscious. The greenish and tired face of the hare during his “sleep” made Tori’s stomach weigh. He was poisoned and weak. Very weak.

The duo’s stunned look had no idea on what to say or even feel against the helpless infirms. Whatever they had planned, that Runerigus was the big wig, and wanted Tori awakened.

—It’s him! The Charmander we came for! -Billie said.

—Ah, him… -the ghost says- Isn’t he pretty? He consoled me since you’ve left…

—Wait, how do you know Tori?

Tori could lie and make anything to hide this fact, but he knew exactly who that thing was. A memory glimpse from weird times, something barely worth remembering. The uncanny feel of the soft voice; the exact feel of agony when he was a Rowlet, when everything his life is now has started. But now he was not alone and had a mission to accomplish.

—Mister, I…

—Quetz. -he interrupts Tori- I’d like so much that if you don’t forget me again…

—Right, Mister Quetz. -he tried to keep his posture, despite the psychological shock- We came here for a lost Charmander, that was taken here. We ask you to release him and the other hostages, and we won’t do anything.

—And lose one other friend? Spare me!

—Friend? You poisoned them!

With what Billie said, the ghost turned to one of the Trevenants and seemed to have a second thought of the situation.

—He was so tense when I got him…Just wanted to know where he was, didn’t heard a word of what I had to say. It was the only option I had…

Through the stuffy air of the cave, a yellow leaf zooms over Quetz’s head until the wall on the opposite end, leaving all three ghosts unharmed. Tori had created an improvised leaf, not as green as the others due to the lack of sunlight.

—Release him immediately. -the gasping voice tried to stay collected. Making that without sunlight has consumed him quite too much- This is your last peaceful warning.

This could be selfish but Tori feared about Fir. The more they were there, the worse that poison could damage his friend. Wasn’t clear on how long they were in there, but the longer they took to solve things, the worse it would get.

—We just can’t have a peaceful chat, can we? I invite someone to my house and it covers his ears. I try to talk to you and I get…this. -had this leaf in his fingers. He closes his hand and releases the pieces left of that dry and smashed leaf.

—So do what has to be done and release them!

—Alright, alright. It’s not like someone like you would understand.

And after that break, a shadowy arm stretches towards Tori with those sharp claws piercing through the air, even managing to cut some leaves from his coat. Would have lost his head if he didn’t jumped towards Billie. Quetz was hostile now; that peaceful talk has been a failure.

Tori throws some explosive seeds he grew inside his coat, using these purple flames around them as his light source. Quetz counter attacks blindly, with a dark energy sphere. He aims at Tori, but Billie gets in front of it. She was eager enough to jump into action even if she was tired and mentally shocked. And for the ghost’s no surprise, the Lopunny was intact. That smile never seemed to change, even when his moves didn’t work.

—Hey, Billie. Don’t be so reckless, you will get in our way! -Tori whispers to her, so Quetz won’t hear it.

But nor Quetz nor Billie were able to listen to it.

She sprints back to her starting point, dodging some fake moves and tricks Quetz throws in the air. She jumps one last time, aiming that nefarious smirk that angered her so much. Had the legs ready, angling a powerful kick…

…that phases through that rocky body, taking the hare straight to the floor with a painful scream. Something wasn’t right with her leg, he could be sure.

—So naive and careless…I wouldn’t take you as a friend even if I had to! -and he laughs out loud.

Tori unfortunately couldn’t do anything if not stay there, kneeled to the ground and with rumbles inside him. He feared for what was about to happen with Billie, Mao, Fir and even the Charmander. He had to think, he had to arm himself. Had only one shot amid all that despair, so one miss meant defeat. He closes his hood carefully and points towards Quetz, still distracted with his scorn at Billie. When he shoots the arrow, a ghostly dark line flies in the darkness and cut the wines that tied the hostages and the log of the Trevenant responsible for them. And he was hit, it exploded in a short but cold blast of dark energy.

That blast throws them to the ground, including Tori himself. From the other side, he noticed a few orange beams of light through the rocks that remained. Quetz avoided staying in the light’s range as much as he could. Billie tried to stand up and bear the throbbing pain on her broken leg.

—Why do you keep doing this? Why don’t you leave me and my friend once for all?!

Quetz screamed at the top of his lungs(?) and soon a crescent rumble of the ground spreaded through the whole cave. Staying up was impossible even for his henchman, who were taken down by that blast and lost the hostages and items. Tori himself felt some problems to stand up and come up with something against that earthquake. The Runerigus was angry and emotive; mentally broken by something. They couldn’t do much.

Billie is able to drag herself closer to Tori and whisper something to him. Something that drags the ghost’s attention.

—Hey! I’m talking to you! -and now the terrain was liquid and painful to stand on. But they had to bear just a little longer.

And in no time, the rocks that blocked the sunlight finally gave in to the earthquake and fell upon Quetz. The rumbling stopped and they could stand up, finally. This was their way out, to safety! Both walk to the exit, both Tori and Billie carrying someone with them, as the rabbit had an arm around Tori against her will. It’s just to stand up, she says.

They were over a steep hill, over the treetops that surrounded the ruins where the Charmander was seen last time. The only way out is going down, although Tori could fly. Billie told him to go first, to call for the Corviknight. But when he stretched his wings to soar, those creepingly cold claws grabbed his legs and pulled so hard that the owl hit his beak in the ground.

—Why…you always do this? -it was Quetz, begging with his weakened voice- I thought the guild helped everybody in Geniamau!

—And we do! We swear to save everyone! -Tori says, scratching that face with his free talon, but to no avail.

—So why did you left me and my brother behind? We are part of this region, aren’t we?!

Tori stood quiet for a while, looking at that same smiley face, portraying something besides the usual sadistic desire. Despair, maybe. Couldn’t tell exactly, but felt that this ghost wasn’t lying, after everything he had done. But unfortunately, the Decidueye had no answers to that.

Without further delay, he gets free of that weakened grip and flies to their starting point, back to true safety. Every time he twisted his neck to look back, could see the white slab amidst the fallen rocks of the cave, completely immobile and with no reactions.