Chapter 20 – Cornered

Chapter 20

Cornered

 

“…Strange. The boat’s not usually this late,” Yuliya noted. “Has there been a delay?”

“Oh, you haven’t heard?” another voice chipped in, one that was taunting and teasing. “The boat’s purposefully being held up so the passengers aboard don’t come into contact with wanted filth like you all.”

“That voice…!” Maciej turned around, as did everyone else. And what they saw made them freeze.

They were cornered by a horde of knights. And at the head of them…was a Floatzel, who was grinning like a Sharpedo with delight.

“What luck! What a treat we’ve landed today! We have the ones who beat Hinnerk. But look what else we have! Alban scum…and two ex-marshals.”

Immediately, the tension heightened at the latter mention.

“Ridiculous!” Branislav shouted, perhaps a bit too quickly and emphatically. “You have not a shred of proof! Your words are as empty as your morals, Kumiega scum!”

“Oh? The righteous birdbrain’s getting angry?” Metody smirked. “Must mean I’m doing something right.”

“Sly and conniving…” Yuliya’s tone was laced with disgust. “As expected of a member of House Kumiega. The very people that tried to grave rob the body of Prince Kasimir!”

“What? Grave robbing?” This was new to Arian. “They tried to rob the body of Prince Kasimir?” In truth, that had been another mystery to him when he was told there was another prince besides Leonid that was once the heir. What happened to him? he had wondered.

“Yes. When our tsesarevich passed away six years ago, it could not have been a more tragic occasion. Right in the bloom of his youth, and when we all expected him to be as great a tsar as his father…” The Furret swallowed her sadness, before looking back at Metody with a furious look. “But a few days after he was buried, House Kumiega sent graverobbers to pilfer his body!”

“We always knew you were disloyal blackguards,” Branislav continued. “That incident proved it. Frankly, His Majesty’s decision to execute you all and strip you of your noble status was perfectly just! And your claim that you intended to do a ‘proper autopsy’ on his body…Unconscionable! Cutting upon a Ruslan as if he were meat! The very thought is sickening!”

“Hey now. We were only trying to find out what really happened,” Metody defended. “And we were prevented from that because of some stupid thoughts from our tsar? Something strange was definitely going on with how Kasimir died. Our crown prince was rarely sick growing up, and yet all of a sudden, he catches this mysterious illness and dies in a few days? …Yeah, I’m not buying that. We in House Kumiega don’t buy coincidences. And if His Majesty and your houses wouldn’t allow us to hear the truth…then we would steal it from under their noses and expose it to the world, as it should have been done!”

“…So you dared to commit treason, anyway,” Branislav huffed. “It amounts to the same thing. Kumiega scum like you are without morals. The fact that you stand with the villain that slayed His Majesty is the greatest proof of all!”

“…Villain, you say? Strong words, coming from a concealer of the truth,” sneered Metody. “After all, my fellow marshal and your ex-lieutenant told me everything. About how you shut her up when she figured it out. About how you tried to force her discharge from the knights. About how you – “

“Lies, lies, lies,” the Sirfetch’d cut off. “Words from a treasonous rat are as empty as your conscience. And the same with that Nidoqueen! Never an honest soul, trying to subvert my command at every turn! Her words meant nothing then, and they mean nothing now!”

“…Hah. It’s interesting how the tables have turned with you and Ludmila,” the Floatzel observed smugly. “Before Kliment kicked the bucket, you were among the highest ranked in the knights, while you tried to demote and oust her. But now…she’s the one at the top. You, meanwhile? Nothing but a rag-ridden outlaw and a filthy traitor – that’s all you are.

“And by the end of this day…you won’t be anything.” Metody shifted to a battle stance. “I’ll rip your life from you. The same with you, Yuliya, as well as you mercenary scum. Oh, Master Mitrofan will be delighted with me when we’re done! You all made a mistake, meeting up here! Because now I know everything about where you mercenary scum have been hiding.”

“Wh-What?!” Arian cried, panicked. “How do you know?”

“I have eyes and ears everywhere in Rusalka, little Arian,” the Floatzel answered, pronouncing his name for all to hear, and in a slimy, taunting way that made the human shudder in annoyance. “You have no one to blame but yourself for letting slip that your little operation’s in Kamengrad.”

Everyone affiliated with the Guild tensed, while the Riolu felt his stomach drop in despair.

No, no, no, no, no…How could I have been so careless? I had to tell Yuliya and Branislav…but I didn’t think Metody would catch wind of it. …Crap, crap, crap…!

“Come on, men! Let’s wipe out these traitors!” Metody rallied. “When we have them all wiped out, we’ll have a massive banquet! We’ll have a buffet upon their coffins!”

“Sir, yes, sir!” Encouraged by their marshal’s words, the knights got into battle stances.

“…Oh dear,” murmured Elvira. “This is going to be quite an uphill battle.” She took a glance at the river. “And there’s no ferry coming that we can escape to…”

“…I have a plan,” Maciej said. Everyone turned to him. “But I need you all to buy me time to get the plan in motion.”

“Of course, Maciej,” Branislav obliged. “Will it get us out of this predicament?”

“It will, provided Metody and his gang of knights don’t complicate matters.”

“Then go. Anything to get us out of this,” Elvira quietly urged.

“Right.” With that, the Swoobat made his move, flying out over the river and making his way further downstream.

“After him!” Metody barked. “Don’t let him get away!”

“Yes, sir!” obliged a Pidgeotto, who flew after the escaping bat.

“…Don’t worry about him. Focus on your own battles,” Branislav advised. “Maciej is no weakling. It will take more than a stray knight to take him down.”

“Understood,” Yuliya replied.

“…Get ready, ya lot,” Ishmael whispered to his comrades. “If we kick his ass, we can get back to the Guild in time to warn ’em.”

“…I’m so sorry, everyone,” Arian breathed. “I – “

“Shush, Arry. Don’t be thinkin’ now. Just fight.”

“…Alright,” the Riolu resolved, and focused for the fight that was to break out. It was seven of them versus at least twenty knights, including Metody himself.

Still…I won’t just bow down to him. I have to make up for that slip of the tongue I made. And what better way than to take down the one with that knowledge?

Elvira made the first move, reaching into their bag, and throwing out a blast seed at the nearest opponent, a Miltank.

“Arian! Go!”

Arian then ran forward, and slammed a Force Palm into the Miltank.

“Hey! Upstart!” the cow raged, ticked off by the drop they got on her. She turned her rage on the Riolu. “Time to put you in your place!” She reared her head back, and tried to land a Headbutt. Luckily, Arian saw the attack coming, and dodged out of the way in the nick of time. Looking back, he saw Elvira and Ishmael dealing with the Miltank knight. He had no time to react before being the target of a Heatmor’s Fire Lash. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quick enough to react, and was struck with a searing blow across his side.

“Ouch!” he cried out. “That smarts…”

“Course it did, laddie,” snickered the Heatmor. “I’m a trained knight! Honed my skills day in, day out! …Now then. Will you come quietly?”

“Like hell I will!” shouted Arian. “I’ll never give in to you!” He readied his fists, and struck the Heatmor across his midsection with a Force Palm.

“…Feisty wee’un, aren’t ya?” the fire anteater commented. “You’re a hard hitter. I can see why Ol’ Mitt wants you dealt with. That kind of strength could prove to be a real nuisance some day. Gotta cut you down ‘fore that happens.” He moved in with his own counterattack. But before he could move in, he was intercepted by one of his fellows.

“Off with you!” The commanding voice of Branislav rang out, and before he realised it, Arian saw the Sirfetch’d move in with his own move. The knight’s leek slammed out a Brick Break attack, stopping the Heatmor cold in his tracks.

“Argh!” he cried out. “Of all people, the birdbrain…”

“If only you could as well as you could throw out derision, then you could easily defeat me!” Branislav proclaimed. “But alas not! Words and fighting skills are not one and the same with you!” He raised his leek blade again. “Now take this!” With a blade coated in darkness, he slashed at his opponent with a Night Slash, making short work of the Heatmor.

“Damn you…” Those were his last words before he fell unconscious.

“…Hmph. Mess with I, Marshal Branislav, and a punishment for the crass awaits!” the Sirfetch’d proclaimed.

“…Er, thanks, Branislav,” Arian thanked. Looking around, he saw enemies on all sides in front of him. “…But we still have more enemies to deal with.”

“I know, boy. And that’s Marshal Branislav to you,” Branislav haughtily corrected. “Now cover me. I must rain even more devastation upon these nefarious traitors!”

“…Right. Sure,” the Riolu muttered, not happy about the bird knight’s condescension. He’s an ally, Arian…just ignore him and do what he says, he told himself as he leapt back into fray, facing off against two knights – a Musharna and a Mr. Mime.

…Crap! I don’t do well against either of them! Arian realised. But before he could reach for his items, a double Psybeam onslaught hit him square on.

“Urgh…” he groaned dizzily. His vision became blurry and faded, and he fell to the ground.

…But not long after, he immediately felt a seed being put in his mouth. Instinctively, he bit on it, and felt energy return. His consciousness returned, and he found Ishmael forcing him onto his feet.

“Get up, mate,” he urged. “Can’t be losin’ ya now.”

“Thanks, Ishmael,” Arian said gratefully, as his focus returned. He saw Axel and Lillian move in to defend them against the Psychic-type duo, while Elvira was picking a fight with a Golduck that was duelling with Yuliya.

Branislav wasn’t engaged in combat. He looked to be carrying out a Swords Dance. Oh, that explains it, Arian theorised. He’s getting ready to deal more damage later. …Fair enough. We can keep the enemies off him. He turned to face his nearest foe: a Lombre who looked at him with an unimpressed look.

“You’re the one that Master Mitrofan wants us to lock up?” he said. “…How the hell did Hinnerk lose to a shrimp like you?”

“Why not fight and find out?” Arian challenged.

“…Sure. But I doubt you’ll measure up to me!” The Lombre inhaled, and from his mouth, bubbles blasted out towards Arian. The Riolu fought hard to avoid the Bubble Beam attack, but found himself having to retreat slightly, much to his annoyance. I need to get closer, not further away, he thought.

Thankfully, the Lombre soon found his attention diverted, as a small but strong force launched a Slam attack into him.

“What the hell?!” he cried, startled. Looking up, he saw Elvira standing between him and Arian.

“Don’t harass my partner,” she threatened. “Otherwise you’ll have to deal with me.”

“Thanks, Elvira,” Arian said gratefully.

“No problem,” the Treecko returned. “Now let’s defeat him, together!”

“Yeah!”

Arian leapt back into the fray with another Force Palm prepared. He ran forward, and struck the Lombre’s side.

“Agh!” hissed the Jolly Pokémon. That wasn’t all he had to deal with, though. Elvira made her move, and used a Giga Drain to sap his energy.

“Damn you! You’re really beginning to piss me off!” yelled the Lombre.

“…Strange. I thought you said a shrimp like me wouldn’t be worth your time?” Arian taunted, adopting a satisfied smirk at disproving his opponent on what he had said earlier..

“…Tch!” the Water/Grass-type spat. “Eat this!” He turned on Elvira, and readied his claws, before leaping forward, intent to deliver hell to her via Fury Swipes. Arian braced himself for the attack’s landing…

…But it never did. Thankfully, Elvira, seeing his retaliation, used Detect and dodged every Fury Swipe that came her way.

“Wh-What in – ” A vein visibly bulged in the Lombre’s head. “Y-You little trickster!” He tried harder to hit her. However, it was to no avail.

And he happened to forget she had a partner, who moved in to strike again with yet another Force Palm.

“Don’t forget me!” the Riolu interjected. “…Or wait, no. I’m just a little shrimp that couldn’t possibly measure up to you. Don’t mind me.”

“Will you ever shut up!?” the Lombre growled with annoyance.

“It’s you that needs to shut up,” Elvira said from his other side. With no more words, she threw an iron thorn at him, which hit him square in the face.

“…B-Bastards…” was all he said before falling unconscious.

“…Whew,” Arian breathed. He wanted to take a slightly longer rest. But one look around him told him this was not an option. While the number of knights had thinned slightly, there was still much more to go.

And that’s not even counting potential reinforcements, he realised. …Damn…are we in a tough spot?

“Arian, Elvira.” The two looked over to see Yuliya nearby. She had just finished off a Venomoth, and was gearing up to face yet more knights. “They won’t let up anytime soon. I think…it would be wise to go for the commander.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Elvira agreed.

“But the commander…that’s Metody,” Arian pointed out. “One of Mitrofan’s most loyal marshals…”

“I know. But taking him down will put a big dent in this operation,” the Furret reasoned. “And…you defeated Hinnerk. I know you have the potential to pull off a victory.”

“…We didn’t defeat him without help,” the Riolu whined. “We had Team Sandstream’s help.” Looking over, he could see Ishmael, Axel and Lillian engaged in combat with other knights, and weren’t in a position to lend aid to them so easily. Meanwhile, Branislav had been cornered by another two knights. No one was in a position to help them.

“I’ll help you,” Yuliya volunteered. “He’s over there.” She pointed to where the Floatzel was observing the fight from afar. “I’ll help you clear a path to him.”

“Thanks, Yuliya,” Arian replied.

“Don’t mention it.” The Furret then turned her attention to their foes. Without a word, she dashed forward and slashed at her nearest opponent, a Greedent, with Fury Swipes. She had been in the midst of fighting the overweight squirrel, and that attack caused it to go down.

“That’s enough of that, girlie!” a Darmanitan called, getting into the fray. “Can’t let someone like ya be takin’ us down, can we?”

“You’re dealing with an ex-marshal here,” Arian pointed out. “She’s no one ordinary!”

“…’Was’ a marshal. Don’t mean nothin’ now!” the Darmanitan touted. “Shoulda stayed with playin’ with dolls instead of tryin’ to tussle with us in the big leagues!”

“…” Yuliya said nothing, instead taking a deep breath. By the sound of it, as well as based on the scowl she was trying to suppress, there was no doubt some history here. While Arian had no hope of knowing the specifics, he could formulate a good guess. Undoubtedly, it was linked to the ‘girlie’ comments the Darmanitan was making.

That’s low. The Riolu found himself irked by the Fire-type’s words. He looked over at his partner, and nodded wordlessly. Elvira knew what this meant; she dug into the bag, and threw out a blast seed at the Darmanitan. She threw it with meaning, too; she didn’t like his comments any more than Yuliya did.

“Argh! Ya little scamp!” the Fire-type raged. He got ready to leap over to her and deal a burning blow to her in the form of a Fire Punch. However, once again, this knight forgot she had a partner, who leapt in at that point to deliver a Force Palm across his midsection.

“Ngh!” Suddenly, his Fire Punch fizzled out. “I-I can’t move!” It went better than Arian had expected; the Darmanitan had been paralysed by the Riolu’s Force Palm.

“Alright!” Arian cheered. “Come on, let’s lay into him!” He dashed forward, a Bite at the ready, and sunk his fangs into the Fire-type.

At that same time, Yuliya moved in with her own move. Boosted by her Agility, she was quick as lightning as she leapt into the air and bore down on him with U-turn. She descended, landing next to Arian, who unconsciously took her place where she had been.

“S-Stupid girl!” The Darmanitan moved to strike her with a Hammer Arm this time. But once again, Yuliya came prepared. As he prepared to strike down on her, she slugged him in the stomach with a Sucker Punch, knocking him off-balance.

Elvira then took the opportunity given to them, and slammed into the Fire-type with Slam. That did the Darmanitan in, and he fell unconscious.

“Let’s keep going.” Yuliya, however, wasn’t intent on resting on her laurels. “I’ll hold these knights off. You just focus on getting to Metody!”

“Right! Thanks, Yuliya!” Arian thanked, before looking through the group of knights for a gap they could break through. Thanks to the Furret marshal providing support along their flanks, they eventually found one, and dashed through to where Metody was issuing orders to the knights nearest him. He had his back turned to them, and Arian saw a chance to draw first blood. He leapt in with the intent to deal a Force Palm to the Floatzel. However, as he was about to hit him…

“Hyah!” Suddenly, Metody materialised water gauntlets at his fists, and blocked Arian’s attack. “Nope! You haven’t outsmarted me, little mutt!” Additionally, he kicked the Riolu, pushing him back slightly.

“…So you’re Metody.” Arian clutched his chest in slight pain as he spoke. It wasn’t anything serious, thankfully; the marshal hadn’t put a huge amount of force behind the kick. “Serafina and Natalie told us about you.”

“Of course they would. Blabbermouths come a dime a dozen with mercenary types,” Metody sneered. “But then again, you would know about accidentally letting secrets slip, wouldn’t you? Loose-Tongued Arian.” He smirked with victory at the nickname he’d invented for the Riolu.

“Sh-Shut up!” Arian immediately replied, though Metody’s remarks had made their mark. His heart sank with guilt at his mistake.

“Take no notice, Arian,” Elvira encouraged, in an attempt to alleviate her partner’s worries. “Don’t let him get to you!”

“Hmm…What’s that they say about sticks and stones? Seems like your partner hasn’t learned that lesson yet.” But the Floatzel marshal was not intent on letting up with the snide remarks. “Didn’t Fernblade Kallias teach his little girl that? Or was he too busy on missions as a merc to look after you properly, Elvira?”

“Don’t talk about my dad like that!” Elvira shouted back. Evidently, she’d forgotten what she’d said only a moment before. And like Arian, his words did manage to strike a chord within her, reminding her of feelings of contempt she did hold for her dad at one point in the past.

That’s all in the past, she reminded herself, shaking her head to rid those feelings. “My dad was a virtuous mercenary, with his heart always in the right place! He loved me and always wanted the best for me! I won’t let you insult him like that, Metody!” She got into a battle stance

“Hah! Stupid girl,” the Floatzel mocked. “If I was facing Fernblade Kallias, I would just hold up the white flag right away. I wouldn’t be an idiot, thinking I could take him on. …You, though? You’re nothing like him. You’re a weak, fickle Treecko who only got lucky! The same with you, Arian!”

“Oh yeah? You wanna bet?” the human challenged. “We’ll beat you right here, right now!”

“…Fine then. But you’d better put up something of a fight!” Metody accepted. “Hinnerk’s a pompous idiot, anyway. No wonder you beat him. Meanwhile, here and now, you’re dealing with me, Metody Eligiusz Kumiega, one of Selenia’s most powerful fighters. Let me show you why I am where I am!”

He began by using Aqua Jet. Using his tails as propellers, he moved in the blink of an eye, and struck Arian head on. The Riolu was flung backwards, into the side of a Grotle knight who was duking it out with Yuliya.

“Oof!” Arian cried.

“Oi! Damn mutt!” the Grotle yelled, and got ready to attack him.

“Leave him to me,” Metody ordered. “Focus on your own battles, cadet!”

“Yes, sir! Of course, sir!” obliged the mossy turtle, before turning back to his own duel.

Elvira sought to capitalise on this, and used Giga Drain on Metody. The attack connected, thankfully, and the Treecko stole energy from him.

“…You think you’ve got the upper hand now, do you?” To her dismay, the Floatzel didn’t seem that fazed. “Think again!”

The next thing he did was coat his fists in ice, like the gauntlets of water he had formed earlier. In retaliation for Elvira’s attack, he went for her.

“Hoarfrost Punch!” He dealt a number of blows to Elvira, and the Treecko was knocked back in a similar way her partner was earlier. This attack was much more powerful, though, and the gecko found herself reeling from the attack.

It looks like…a form of Liquidation, combined with…Ice Punch, I think, she analysed, as she got back to her feet. And he doesn’t look as though he compromises much by using it. With Aqua Jet, he definitely makes the best use of his agility as a Floatzel. …We might be in for the long haul with this fight.

Still…it’s not unwinnable, she told herself, as she took out an oran berry. If we play our cards right…then hopefully…

Metody’s focus, meanwhile, had returned to Arian. The Riolu had gotten back into the fray, and attempted to strike with a Force Palm again. However, the Floatzel saw his attack coming, and blocked it with his water gauntlets.

“This shit again?” he snarked. “Doing the same thing again and again isn’t a good way of making yourself unpredictable! Seems you really are a dumb mutt. Just what’s your story, anyway? I don’t recall a prominent Lucario being a merc in the Guild.”

“I don’t need to tell you anything,” Arian shot back. He jumped back, and thought back to the lessons he’d been having with Galen in the last while, involving this similar motion of blocking punches from opponents. Just be patient. Block his punches, and wait for your chance.

He ran towards the weasel. This time, his claws shone metallic, a sign he was about to use Metal Claw. Metody saw this, and frowned.

Either he’s an idiot…or he’s got something planned. Either way, he went in again, his Liquidation gauntlets armed again. I’ll put this pompous kid in his place.

Arian’s left arm came into contact with Metody’s right, who blocked his hit without effort. But as he got ready to deal a blow with his other fist, he was taken by surprise as he felt a blow from his right side.

“Argh!” He used Force Palm on his right paw? …Damn. Knew he was up to no good. Looking up, he saw the Riolu retreat slightly, ready to go at it again.

But on his right side, Elvira was back in the fray, and threw a blast seed at the marshal. The blast hit him, and he reeled back in surprise from the blast.

“Damn mercs and their items,” he hissed with annoyance. “But tricks won’t save you here!” Right away, he leapt back at Elvira, his Hoarfrost Punch at the ready. At least, he wouldn’t have to fear his attacks being blocked by her. From what he could grasp from the way she fought, Kallias’s daughter didn’t appear to be a hand-to-hand combatant, or even take after her father’s way of combat.

However…he was wrong to underestimate her capabilities. Before he struck, the Treecko threw another seed at him. It wasn’t a blast seed, but it was a seed that cast an aroma over him. …One that made him feel drowsy.

Wait! No! Those little… He didn’t even finish his thought before he fell asleep standing up.

It was a funny sight. But Elvira knew this was no time for laughter. Now was a time to capitalise on the marshal’s inactivity.

“Arian!” she called. “Catch!” From her bag, she threw yet another seed. Arian caught it.

“A violent seed? Oh!” he realised. He didn’t need to be told, and gobbled the seed. After consuming it, he felt a greater power come to him.

“Hey! Guys! Marshal Metody’s fallen asleep!” one of the knights pointed out.

“Those Team Elpis kids did that!” another knight added. “They threw a sleep seed at him!”

“Protect him! Stop them!”

“Oh, crud!” Arian cried, seeing the other knights turn their attention to them. “This isn’t good!”

The knights began to move in on them.

Thankfully, though…Team Elpis had allies by their side, and they all came to defend them.

“We’re your enemies, not them!” Lillian proclaimed, as she, Axel and Ishmael came to the front. Each looked battered from the fighting, but they were holding on.

“Quite so! Where do you think you’re going, you bunch of blackhearts?” Branislav chipped in, slashing at a Rhyhorn with Leaf Blade and felling them. “I am a more worthy opponent than them!”

“Focus on Metody, Arian and Elvira!” Yuliya declared, from where she was fighting. “Don’t worry about us!”

“…Understood,” Elvira agreed. “Arian, let’s team up! How about we…try out something? You know what you were suggesting earlier, back in Riverside Cave?”

“Oh, a team attack?” Arian was suddenly excited. “Yeah, let’s try something out, here and now!”

“Great. Let’s start it off!”

Arian acted on instinct, and slugging Metody with a Force Palm was the first thing he did. This knocked the Floatzel back and out of sleep. However, before he could react, Elvira moved in with her own move: a Giga Drain. This was then followed up by a Slam, as she hit Metody as hard as she could.

Arian moved back in, his claws at the ready with a metallic sheen. He slashed at Metody once, twice, three times, before rounding that part of the combo out with a Bite.

Elvira then moved in next to him. The next attack was to be an attack the two would do side by side, by the looks of it. Both were fine with this, and charged their most powerful attacks: Arian with a Force Palm, and Elvira with a Giga Drain.

Elvira went first, draining Metody’s energy for herself. Then, as she finished, Arian moved in, and hit Metody as hard as his attack allowed.

This threw the Floatzel marshal back into the wall of a nearby watermill. Cracks formed where he landed in the wall.

He seemed to be unconscious, much to the surprise of Team Elpis. A few knights were quite dismayed.

“No way…It can’t be!”

“Did Marshal Metody really lose to a pair of rookies?”

“This can’t be real! He’s much stronger than them! …Hmm…unless…”

“Did we do it? Did we…beat him?” Elvira wondered.

Arian went over to look. The Floatzel’s eyes were closed, and he didn’t appear to be moving a muscle.

“…Seems like it,” he said, as he turned back to face everyone else. “…Wow…I can’t believe I – “

He didn’t finish his sentence before he felt a cold, hard punch slug him across the back of the head.

“Agh!” he cried. He turned around in horror, to see the Floatzel get back on his feet. While the marshal had taken a battering, he was far from being down.

“Sike!” declared Metody. “You totally fell for it, you dunce! Did you really think that little show of yours would do me in?”

“N-No…That didn’t defeat him?” Arian’s face of despair said it all.

“Haha! I love to see it! The way your excitement withers to despair as you realise how outmatched you are!” Metody chortled. “You never had a chance, you whelp! And when I’m through with you…you never will,” he finished with menace in his tone.

He got ready to follow up on his attack, and intended to finish Arian for good. The Riolu tried to get up, but he was still reeling from the Hoarfrost Punch that Metody had dealt to him. There would be no chance to dodge out of the way before he went in again.

“Arian!” he heard Elvira cry. Similar cries could be heard from Team Sandstream.

He felt the impact of the chilling punch Metody dealt to him. Then another punch. And another. And another. The Riolu lost consciousness after the fourth punch. But Metody wasn’t done with him.

I’ll kill him here and post his head to the Guild in Kamengrad as a warning. He smirked inwardly at this thought. What a brilliant idea!

Perhaps if he hadn’t been in fantasyland about such thoughts, he would’ve paid attention to his surroundings and seen the incoming attack.

The whoosh of a slashing blade sounded out, along with a pained yell from him.

“Gyaah! What the fuck!?” Metody cried out in pain. He looked over to see who had dealt that wound to him.

There, standing next to him, was Branislav, with his leek blade in his right wing, having just used a Leaf Blade on the marshal.

“You! Birdbrain…” the Floatzel growled, smarting from the cuts dealt to him. “How dare you steal my thunder like that!”

“You’re not the only one whose thunder is being stolen,” Branislav returned. “What better way to reclaim it by defeating you in your hometown, here and now? Come, Metody! Your opponent is me now!”

“…Tch…So the great Branislav is defending and cooperating with mercenaries?” Metody scowled. “I’ve seen it all now…”

“All in the name of protecting Selenia’s name from underhanded urchins like you,” the Sirfetch’d scathingly answered. “If freeing her means allying with those I once thought disdain of…then so be it. Our enemies are the same vile leeches that leave our fair tsardom to stagnate day by day. And so, to stop that rot, I will defeat you here and now!” He swung his leek around. “En garde!”

Branislav did not hesitate in his charge as he went in for another attack. Metody prepared his Liquidation gauntlets to fight back against him.

Meanwhile, Elvira had made her way over to her partner with a reviver seed. Arian took it, and regained consciousness.

“Urgh…What happened?”

“Long story short, Metody’s fighting Branislav right now,” Elvira informed. “Therefore, we need to take up his role and hold off the knights.”

“…Okay, I see. I can do that,” Arian replied. They took the ex-marshal’s place in keeping the knights away from where the fight was happening with Metody.

“Hyah!” The bird knight swung with a green energy along his blade, aiming to hit the Floatzel. Metody was still the faster of them, and dodged his slashes. At one point, he avoided an overhead swing from the Sirfetch’d, and attempted to hit him in the side. He punched forward, expecting to hit feathery plumage…

…But he ended up punching his leafy shield instead.

“Your mistake!” Branislav proclaimed, bashing his shield and pushing the weasel back. That created a prime opportunity to strike with a Leaf Blade, which he struck Metody with, slashing him three times across his midsection.

“Yeeeaaargh!” yelled Metody in pain. The Sirfetch’d’s slashes were especially painful for a Water-type like him, and the cuts stung like nothing else. It was a struggle to get back up again, and he found himself clutching his wounds.

“Don’t like that, hm?” scoffed Branislav. “Then have some more!” He dashed in again, Leaf Blade at the ready, and slashed Metody in the same fashion as before.

“Ngaaaaaaah!” the Floatzel cried out again in agony. If the strikes were painful before, they were all the worse now, being cut where there were already wounds.

“You should never have engaged with me!” Branislav declared. “You think that I, Branislav Erastovich Lada, marshal most loyal to His Majesty Tsar Kliment VII, would roll over and accept defeat? I never rest! And I never fail in my duty as marshal!”

“…Try telling that to your fellow knights,” scoffed Metody, breathing heavily as he spoke. “Why do you think Ludmila and your platoon left you for Mitrofan? One good reason, and they all say it – you’re a terrible leader. Seven years ago, when Team Marshwood were having their moment of glory in saving Kliment from assassination, where were you? Someone in the background, far away from the limelight. You didn’t care at all for your people! Just some haughty noble playing marshal and acting like a spoiled brat when confronted with the slightest criticism! And don’t think I’m making this up! Master Mitrofan told us everything, and Ludmila was there to back us up!”

Arian and Elvira happened to overhear this, and realised that the way Metody told the story wasn’t too different from the perspective Melchior told it to them the day before. When the Floatzel marshal worded it again…they found themselves in begrudging agreement with him.

“…Still your tongue. You speak nothing but slander, as befits a member of that nefarious House Kumiega!” Branislav shouted, almost defensively. “You people were nothing but stains on our nobility’s purity, and you continue with your tainted ways today! …But no more. I shall fell the last remaining member of this house today, and then we shall no longer hear of the underhanded plots of your family again!”

The Sirfetch’d didn’t charge in immediately. Rather, he seemed to coat himself in a yellowish energy, in preparation for what looked to be a finishing blow. This time, though, Metody was in more of a position to be defeated, rather than earlier with Arian and Elvira’s attempt at a finishing combo.

“Now, to end this!”

Branislav was about to charge forward and stab at the Floatzel with all of his might. It was a signature move of his, and passed down through the last few generations of Sirfetch’d in House Lada’s dynasty. It was incredibly powerful, and he looked forward to using it to fell the last remaining member of that troublesome house that laid claim to this oblast. Frankly, someone far better deserved land like this, not a disreputable bunch like House Kumiega.

He got ready to charge forward. But at that moment…a voice pierced through the air.

“I don’t think so, Branislav!”

Then from his left, something was thrown at him. It was something on fire, and it hit him on his side.

“Agh!” he yelled, feeling the flames lick his plumage. Oddly, though…the flames were a greenish colour, not the typical red that Fire-types usually breathed.

“Branislav, look out!” Yuliya cried. “It’s coming back!”

“What?!” The Sirfetch’d looked to his right, but had no time to react before the object hit him again. “Gaargh! What was that? Who threw that?” He looked to his left, where the object had come from.

And what he saw, or rather who he saw…was quite a shock.

The object, as it turned out, was a bone, with ghostly flames on it. It came back to its owner, who caught it with skill.

“To think, one of the most prestigious generals of the old guard falling for an attack like that…it’s pathetic,” Nikita opined, looking at Branislav with scorn. “Isn’t it, Master Mitrofan?”

“Indeed it is, Nikita,” Mitrofan concurred. “Inept scum like him have no place in the top brass. And yet…that was exactly where Kliment put him.”

The very leader of Selenia had come upon the scene, along with his loyal aide. Also with him was a legion of more knights.

The blood of the mercenaries and ex-knights collectively froze upon the sight of him.

“Mitrofan?!” Yuliya gasped.

“What?!” a shocked Axel yelled.

“What the hell’s he doing here?!” Lillian cried, panicked.

“Of all the times…” Branislav was furious at the interruption. “Right when I was about to put this cur down for good!”

“On the contrary, you couldn’t have come at a better time, Master Mitrofan!” Metody professed, weakly stepping towards his leader. “We’ve come upon some vital information about the Irian Guild!”

“Oh? Do tell,” Mitrofan asked. Next to him, Nikita threw an oran berry to the marshal.

No no no! He’s going to tell him! Arian thought in despair. All because we couldn’t defeat him in time! Oh, why did Mitrofan have to show up now, of all times?

“It’s in Kamengrad, where the mercs have been hiding!” the Floatzel gleefully revealed, after scarfing the oran berry and recovering from the wounds Team Elpis and Branislav inflicted upon him. “That’s where they’ve been all this time, gathering support and plotting our downfall! And now they’ve teamed up with two old enemies of ours to further that goal!”

“Kamengrad?” A scowl formed on the Aggron’s face. “I’ll have some words for House Kalininis when I come up there…”

“Ah, it’s hilarious! I didn’t even have to do digging to find this out!” Metody went on. “One of them let it slip! And guess who it was?” He pointed towards Arian. “One of the two you’ve been so desperate to catch in the last while!”

Mitrofan’s gaze fell to the Riolu. Arian tried hard to swallow his fear, but the memory of their altercation in the Irian Catacombs came back to him, of how the Aggron had effortlessly taken him and Elvira out.

This time, he was reinforced by the new contingent that came with Mitrofan. As well as that, they still had Metody’s knights to contend with, though luckily not as many as before. As for the marshal, he had replenished his health, erasing all the hard work he and Elvira had done to weaken him.

All their escape routes were blocked, except for the river. But Arian didn’t fancy his chances with that route. Besides…He stole a glance at Team Sandstream. I have to think about them. They don’t do well at all with water. Swimming upriver wouldn’t be up their alley at all. And even if we were good…Floatzel are at home in the river. He’d have even more of an advantage if we jumped in the river. No…that’s not a viable option at all.

“Your arrival changes nothing, you dastardly tyrant!” Branislav touted. “Fight me, one on one! I’ll cut you to pieces! You’ll rue the day you ever stood against I, Marshal – “

“Good grief. You truly have learned nothing from seven years ago,” Mitrofan interjected. “You’re still the same spoiled child you were then. This time you’re boasting about your excellence and making it all about you. …Nothing seems to have changed about you. No doubt you intend to pull the rug out from under the Irian Guild. Tell me, mercenaries!” He directed his question to the two teams. “Is that the kind of man you want to ally with? One who’ll stab you in the back the first chance he gets?”

Arian and Elvira considered Mitrofan’s question. Admittedly…they still didn’t fully trust the Sirfetch’d. Metody’s earlier words to him had given them food for thought. But hearing it from Mitrofan, the same guildmaster that had stood up to him and reprimanded him for his condescension towards them, only caused the seeds of doubt within them to grow. Despite what he had promised not long before, they didn’t truly know whether the Sirfetch’d had learned to get over his mistrust of mercenaries, or would throw them under the carriage wheels the first chance he got and was only allying with them on a temporary basis.

Near them, Team Sandstream seemed to be having similar misgivings. Neither team ended up saying anything, unsure of what to say.

“The silence says it all,” the Aggron observed. “You can’t trust him, after all the empty criticism he’s lobbed at us for all these years.”

“…Ain’t like we got a choice,” Ishmael chipped in.

“Pfft. Just another way of saying you’re desperate,” Metody responded. “Admit it! You don’t want to partner with him either! It’s a coalition that’ll fall apart with the lightest breeze. …Maybe we don’t need to do anything,” he shrugged jokingly. “Internal conflict might do it all for us.”

“I’m not taking chances, Metody,” Mitrofan uttered disapprovingly. “That scum betrayed me!” He pointed to the bird knight. “And you, Yuliya!” He turned to the Furret. “You, who backed the Guild for all these years! You, whose cooperation helped us seven years ago! You were among those whose help I needed the most, and you went and stabbed me in the back!”

“I most certainly did not!” Yuliya repudiated. “You were the one that stabbed us in the back! Stabbed Selenia in the back! You killed His Majesty! Unless you’ve forgotten, my loyalty was to him, first and foremost! To side with you would be betraying everything I believed in! It would be unconscionable to side with you, after you killed my liege and ousted my sister and brother-in-law from this realm!” She grew more emotional with each outburst. “…Why would you do this, Mitrofan? You and Team Marshwood prevented His Majesty from being assassinated seven years ago! Why would you suddenly change your mind and kill him two years later? Answer me!”

“…Hmph. I would think you would know, Yuliya,” Mitrofan replied. “A lot can change in two years. Certainly…that’s long enough for one’s opinion to change. I once thought His Majesty was a great man worthy of leading our tsardom. But I soon came to realise that he was nothing more than a coward who would stoop to the lowest heights if it meant getting what he wanted!”

“You dare accuse His Majesty of lowbrow behaviour?” Branislav interrogated. “We won’t listen to your slander! And we will not let you sully His Majesty’s name!”

“…It’s Rufina, isn’t it?”

Mitrofan had tuned out the rantings of that infernal bird. But he froze at the mention of that name. He looked over at who made that comment. And he found who had said it.

Arian, whose demeanour looked rather more serious. Just a moment ago, he was quivering like a leaf at the sight of him. Now…he still looked scared. But he was evidently trying to suppress it.

“…What did you say?” Mitrofan’s tone was like ice. “You, Arian! Speak up!”

“…It’s because of Rufina,” Arian repeated, trying to suppress his fear. “That’s why you’re…like this, Mitrofan. You were a good man once. Everyone keeps saying that about you. But…something happened. And the fact that Rufina isn’t anywhere to be seen…that has to have something to do with it. What happened to her, Mitrofan? Is she dead? Is she being hostage somewhere? Could it be…that someone kidnapped her and blackmailed you to overthrow Tsar Kliment?”

These were theories the Riolu had brainstormed after being told about the events seven years ago by Melchior. What he lacked was confirmation as to which one was true. And what better way to find the answer than from the lips of the man himself? Even if he is our greatest enemy…I have to know. I have to know the truth of all of this.

He examined the Aggron’s emotions, to try and gauge how close he was to the truth. While this was somewhat hampered by the multitude of different aura waves that were emanating from all the knights in the area, he did manage to discern two emotions from the tyrant.

Anger. And on a more subtle level…pain.

However, before he could discern what these emotions meant, the despot spoke up again.

“What does that name mean to you?” he interrogated.

“…Well, um.” Arian was admittedly caught off-guard by Mitrofan’s question. “She’s your wife, isn’t she?”

“Team Silver Axe never on any occasion helped a Riolu,” the Aggron replied. “They are known to be rare. If Rufina encountered one in her own time, she did not tell me of it. Have you even as much as met Rufina, boy?”

“…Well, no,” admitted the human. “But – “

“Then don’t throw that name around like it’s nothing!” Mitrofan suddenly thundered. “You don’t understand the weight of that name! Do you intend to use Rufina’s name to guilt-trip me, Arian?!”

“N-No! It’s not like that!” Arian defended. “I-I’m just trying to find out the truth!

“And what will you do with that truth?!”

“Find out what’s really going on here!” the Riolu fired back. “People don’t just become tyrants overnight! Something happened, and Rufina disappearing has something to do with it! She – “

“That’s enough!” bellowed Mitrofan, and stomped his foot to the ground. Sensing movement beneath him, Arian jumped out of the way just as the Stone Edge stalagmites ruptured the cobblestones that he once stood on.

“Geez, that was close,” he breathed.

“Hang on, Master Mitrofan! We got him!” a Carnvine knight volunteered. He then created his snare with a Grass Knot, and managed to trip the Riolu. From there, three different knights seized him before he could get back on his feet.

“Arian!” cried Elvira. She was in the midst of staving off the new group of knights that had come with Mitrofan. Yuliya and Branislav, as well as Team Sandstream, were helping her. The former marshals had been the most productive of the group in thinning the ranks of Metody’s contingency. Now they were combatting the reinforcements, along with the Floatzel who was now back in the fray after being healed by Nikita’s oran berry earlier.

“I will not have any more of these vile tactics of yours,” the Aggron growled. “You use my wife’s name in vain for your futile attempt to get me to stand down. You, a nobody who never knew Rufina! You, who seek the truth to twist it for your own gain!” He began to march closer to the Riolu.

“That’s not true!” Arian cried out in desperation. He struggled hard to break free from the knights, but their grips were like iron. “I’m not going to twist the truth!”

“That doesn’t matter,” Mitrofan immediately deflected. “Even if you knew the truth, you would still be my enemy. It’s not as if you can change the past. And by the looks of it, you don’t have the potential to change the future either! You have made it plain that you and the rest of the Guild are no allies of mine. And so I will treat you like I treat all my enemies; put them down so they can be of no threat to me again.”

He was getting closer and closer to Arian. Terror crept over the Riolu.

“Mitrofan, stop! Stop this!” begged Elvira. “Rufina wouldn’t want this from you! Would she want to see you become this…monster that murders people and oppresses thousands of people across Selenia?”

“…It’s almost as if you don’t think I know my own wife.” Mitrofan’s indignance returned. “‘I will support you no matter what path you go down.’ Those were among her vows to me when we married nineteen years ago. And over the years, she has meant that. She supported me in the face of every single insult thrown my way since I became Guildmaster. She supported when I stood up to Branislav seven years ago. She supported me in the face of those restrictions Kliment intended to place on the Guild. And most of all…she always pushed the notion of payback and retribution. If Kliment took her away from me…then she would want me to pay him back in equal measure. And so I did just that. Dethroning Kliment was an act for Rufina, just as much as it was for the removal of a fickle, corrupt ruler like him!

“…Damn you, Elvira. I had hoped you of all people would understand.” Mitrofan shook his head in dismay. “But no! It appears you take after your father in more ways than one! Thus…allow me to repeat what I said to your father, five years ago, in the throne room of Iria Castle.

“If you’re not with me…then you’re my enemy. It’s as simple as that.”

With that said, his tail gave off a metallic sheen, and he swung at Elvira. The Treecko had no time to react before the Iron Tail hit her square on.

“Aaaaaah!” she cried, as she was knocked onto her back.

“Elvira!” Arian yelled.

“I’ll finish you off first,” Mitrofan decided. “What a shame. If only your father had seen sense…then it wouldn’t have come to this.”

“Don’t do it!” Arian pleaded, fighting harder than ever against the knights that bound him. “Don’t kill her! Don’t kill Elvira!”

Mitrofan paid no attention to the pleading Riolu. His attention was on the weakened Elvira, who was struggling to get up and away from the towering ironclad titan. She looked up at the former Guildmaster, and with the noises of battle behind her and her partner pleading with all of his heart, a thought came to her.

Are these…the last sounds I’m ever going to hear?

The Aggron got ready to strike again. He lifted his foot up, and got ready to slam it down again to use Stone Edge, a powerful move that would hopefully dispose of this meddling Treecko once and for all. A part of him was sad at the fact he would have to kill the daughter of a friend who spoke of his dear love for her. But he mentally brushed it away. There was no room for such platitudes when duty called like this.

However, at that moment, he found himself rudely interrupted by the tossing of a Gravelerock his way. It hit him on his side, and though it only clinked off his iron hide, he did cease his attack to see who had done that.

“Ya tosser! Get the fuck away from ’em!”

“Yeah, what Ish said!”

“You’re not killing our friends, Mitrofan!”

It was Team Sandstream that had done it. They looked at the Aggron with fury in all of their eyes, and a determination that suggested they would fight him in the name of saving their friends.

It was at that moment that Mitrofan looked at all three of them and had a small realisation.

I know them. During that time…they were looking to form a team at the Guild. Just another set of new recruits looking to have a go at the merc lifestyle. …Interesting. These three might well have been the last group I ever recruited to the Irian Guild. My Irian Guild. And that Krokorok…He looked again at Ishmael. Could he be…?

Hmph. It’s not like it matters. The Aggron shrugged off these thoughts, and focused on the new incoming attacks from them on him.

Ishmael burrowed into the ground, in a usage of Dig. Axel looked to creep up to the Aggron, before striking at him suddenly with a Feint Attack. Lillian similarly launched herself towards him, and raised her right claws to strike at him with Brick Break.

Mitrofan would be lying if he said the last attack didn’t hurt him at all. After all, he never took Fighting-type moves well, even from someone so different in skill level like the Sandslash. He was irked by this; just when he was about to finish off one of his greater enemies, her friends and fellow mercs had to jump in and halt him in their tracks. I can’t ignore this. Looks like I’ll have to deal with them too.

Luckily, his closest ally was alike in thinking this. Therefore, as Ishmael surfaced, intending to strike Mitrofan with Dig…he was suddenly hit with a flaming Bonemerang.

“Yargh!” he cried out. Fazed by this unexpected attack, he didn’t carry out his attack – and that gave a window of opportunity for Mitrofan to give a hefty swipe at him with Dragon Claw. This threw Ishmael backwards, and he was knocked out by the two attacks he’d been dealt.

“Ish!” Lillian called worriedly. She handed him a reviver seed from the bag. “Oh dear…I don’t think we have any reviver seeds left. We’re beginning to run out of items…”

“Shit…ya ain’t messin’?” Ishmael murmured as he got back on his feet. “Crap…” He looked around on all sides. Enemies everywhere, with Arian detained and Elvira in a weakened state. Granted, Yuliya and Branislav were still holding up, but… “This ain’t good…”

“Stop pretending you have a chance,” Nikita scoffed, brandishing his bone club as he blocked a strike from Branislav. “There is no hope for you all. There is only one path with one way out of this mess. And that is death.” He paused to dodge another slice from Branislav.

“Tenacious cur!” the Sirfetch’d cursed. He looked out at the river. “Come on, Maciej…hurry up…!”

“Hey, Nikita. I’ve an idea,” Metody said to him. He was in the middle of fighting Yuliya.

“And that would be?” the Marowak wondered.

“Those three over there…” He pointed to Team Sandstream. “…I think we can take them all down in one fell swoop.”

“How so?”

“C’mon. Look.” Metody gestured to behind them. “The bane of Ground-types like them. I’d gladly kick their asses right now if this bitch wasn’t at my throat.” As he said this, Yuliya slashed at him with a Shadow Claw. “Argh! Damn you, woman!”

“Damn you too,” the Furret replied. “What are you up to, Metody? What do you plan to do with Team Sandstream?”

“Why else? I hate Albans,” the Floatzel scoffed. “And they’re the spitting image of those barbarian savages. Especially that Krokorok over there.” He glared at the crocodile. “I’d bet my float he’s that chief’s son that the Ó Ruairc clan wouldn’t shut up about.”

“…So you’re a prolific racist as well. Why am I not surprised?” Yuliya sarcastically muttered.

“You wouldn’t understand, Lysagora bitch,” growled Metody. “Pests. Savage pests. That’s all they are!”

While Yuliya and Metody argued, Nikita focused on his duel with Branislav. Though the ex-marshal had been an experienced higher up in the past, he was an older knight whose age looked to be catching up with him. The Marowak, on the other hand, trained night and day to be an effective defender of Mitrofan, and was young and strong. Therefore, he was able to effectively hold his own against the Sirfetch’d and suffered only a few blows from the bird knight, while the Sirfetch’d sustained more hits than him.

It was a foregone conclusion that Nikita would eventually win the duel if he kept it up. But Metody’s plan had him thinking. And he realised he did have a certain item with him.

If I time this right…I might be able to make Master Mitrofan’s life easier by getting rid of them.

He threw another Shadow Bonemerang at Branislav. But in that moment, to the bird’s shock…he ran away from him.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Branislav demanded, shielding against the projectile. “Fight me, coward!”

As he got nearer to Team Sandstream and Mitrofan, he pulled the desired item out of his bag – an orb.

“You wanna tussle?” Axel yelled at Nikita in a challenging manner.

“No,” the Marowak immediately answered, as he grabbed his returning bone club. “I don’t fight well in water.”

“Water? What the hell are ya – “

Ishmael didn’t get to finish his sentence before Nikita threw the orb at them.

“AAAAAAAAAH!“

All three of them were thrown back by the force of the blowback orb.

This wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy in the case of a Mystery Dungeon – they would normally hit a wall and get back up from that.

But they weren’t in a Mystery Dungeon, and a wall wasn’t behind them.

What was behind them…was the River Evor.

Arian and Elvira’s eyes bulged in horror.

“No! No!” yelled Arian.

“Ishmael! Axel! Lillian!” cried Elvira.

Team Sandstream landed in the water with a forceful splash. It was in the middle of the river, where it happened to be at its deepest.

A problem…for evidently inexperienced swimmers.

“Aagh!” Ishmael cried as he surfaced, flailing his arms about. “Crap! I can’t swim!”

“This water! Blegh!” Axel said as he spat out a mouthful of river water. Lillian couldn’t even get in a response before she fell underwater again.

Notably, a number of passersby were watching the whole ordeal with the knights and mercenaries. Some gasped in horror as Team Sandstream was blown back into the river. Some were in their boats, and were tempted to rescue them.

“Don’t help them!” Mitrofan’s order was heard loud and clear. “Or I’ll have you arrested for aiding and abetting outlaws!”

That put any thoughts of rescuing them to rest. Based on the discomfort of a number of watchers, though, they weren’t happy about this.

“Wonderful work, Nikita!” Metody praised. “Now, if you don’t mind, it’s my time to shine!” He delivered a Hoarfrost Punch to Yuliya, dazing her for a moment. That was the window he needed, and he ran towards the river, before jumping in himself.

“Oh no!” Elvira cried. “Team Sandstream!”

In the river, Metody caught sight of his prey. He snickered, watching them struggle. None of them seemed to be good swimmers at all. As you’d expect of a place like Alba. No rivers means robbing them of one of the basic skills of life: how to swim. …If you all can’t survive in calm waters like this…then this’ll be a cinch!

“Whirlpool!” he yelled out underwater. He bent the water to his will, and shaped a swirling vortex of water, before throwing it at the Ground-type trio. All three members of Team Sandstream tried to escape it, barely managing to get to the surface. But they underestimated the pull of the Whirlpool, and all three were soon stuck, flailing helplessly in the water.

“No!” Yuliya cried out in horror, watching the spectacle. “There’s no way they’ll get out of that! He’s trying to drown them!”

“How dishonourable!” Branislav raged. “How low will you Kumiega scum delve?”

“They’re going to drown!” Elvira yelled in desperation. “We need to stop Metody!”

“I don’t think so,” Nikita interjected, brandishing his bone club. “Like I said; you don’t have a hope. Give it up! You can’t win, Elvira!”

“Ngh…” The Treecko looked in desperation at Mitrofan. “Don’t you see what’s happening?! Why are you letting your marshal kill them in such a cruel manner?”

“…They are enemies,” was the Aggron’s simple response. “The only purpose of enemies is to get rid of them. I don’t care how it’s done.”

“…You truly have lost it.” Elvira clenched her fist. “You’re not the Guildmaster Mitrofan my dad was good friends with. You are a monster. An irredeemable monster. You are beyond saving.” Each word was said with increasing anger and bitterness, while at the same time, tears came to her eyes. Once again, the memory of the scary-looking but kindhearted Aggron giving her money to buy sweets came back to her. “I thought the old you might’ve been in there somewhere, but…no. He’s dead. He’s been dead this whole time.”

“…Correct,” Mitrofan stated. “The Mitrofan you knew is gone. It might have been a different story if your father and Melchior had less concern over guild ethics and more concern over aiding comrades in need. …But they never understood. Nor do you. And by the looks of it…” He gazed over at Arian. “Nor does your partner.”

As for the Riolu, he had resumed his struggle against the knights’ grips.

“Let go of me! Let go of me!” Arian yelled, struggling all the more fiercely.

“Nope, kid! You stay where you are!” the Carnivine from earlier said.

“Grrr! Let me go!” the Riolu continued to scream.

Oddly, as he said this…it was as if some form of a memory came to him.

“Let me go! Let me go, you sick bastard!”

“Hah! Look at your struggle. A varmint like you who threatens my life only deserves one fate. And that is…perhaps the most painful death

Arian paid no mind to these thoughts. He just wanted to be free. He just wanted to save Team Sandstream. I don’t want my friends to die! Especially not like this!

“Ngaaaaargh! Let me go!”

And as he said this…something extraordinary happened.

His paws suddenly flared a bright blue, and a burst of energy occurred around him.

“Gah! What the hell?!”

All of the knights that were holding him back reeled back in hurt from this. Realising he was free, Arian ran forward, towards the river.

“What in blazes?” Nikita observed. “Something’s happened with Arian!”

“Hm? What…?” Mitrofan broke off. He stared down at the Riolu’s paws, which seemed to be glowing with blue. “Like flames…Is this…? Is it aura?”

Arian paid no attention to this. Only one thought was on his mind.

I need to save my friends.

He ran towards the quay, and got ready to jump in. Part of his mind screamed that this was a stupid idea, that he would just get caught in the vortex as well.

Indeed, Elvira voiced those same thoughts.

“Arian! Don’t! You’ll get caught in his Whirlpool too!”

Arian heard her words. But though he understood…the determination to save Ishmael, Axel and Lillian won out in the end, regardless of what dangerous situation he was jumping into.

And so he jumped in.

Instantly, he felt the water cover him. Then he felt the pull of the current, as he gradually felt himself be sucked into the Whirlpool. But he focused his vision. Somehow…it seemed to be sharper now. Perhaps it was due to this mysterious power burning within him right now. If this power can help me save them…then I’m all for it! If I could just dissipate this Whirlpool…then I can better help Team Sandstream.

He scanned the water, and saw him.

Metody, the causer of this chaos.

Bastard, he seethed. Then a thought came to him. If I can take him out…then maybe the Whirlpool will disappear.

At that moment, Metody’s gaze locked with his. His smug smirk was all too present as he swam towards him.

Here he comes. Arian braced himself, and got ready to deal a Force Palm to the weasel.

Only…something unusual happened.

As Metody formed his Liquidation gauntlets, Arian habitually applied the energy to his paw needed for the Force Palm release. But…instead of forming around his paw, it shot out as energy towards the Floatzel, and hit him.

“Aaaargh!” yelled Metody underwater. “What the hell? Why…Why do you have power like that?”

Arian would answer him, were they above water. His glare hardened. Is that what this power can do? …Then give me more. This bastard deserves no mercy.

He went in again. He put one paw behind the other, to see if he could fire off that energy at the marshal again. And once again, Metody was hit.

“Gah! Annoying little shit!” raged the Floatzel. “Wait till I get my hands on you!” He tried to go in again, to try and attack the Riolu again. But…he couldn’t. He found himself frozen in place.

“Paralysis…?” he realised in anger. “Little shit! Damn you and your Force Palm, or whatever the hell that attack was!”

Force Palm? Was that what that was? Arian thought. Then Galen’s lessons came back to him, of how with enough training, Force Palm could potentially be used as a ranged attack. This power, or whatever it is…Is it allowing me to do this?

A new splash drew his attention away from the paralysed marshal. Looking over at where it had occurred, Arian saw Elvira in the water. He was confused…until she pointed to where the vortex had been.

Suddenly, Arian remembered why he had jumped in the river in the first place.

Crap! Team Sandstream! He looked over, horrified at what he saw.

Thankfully, the vortex had dissipated. But it had taken its toll on Team Sandstream.

Ishmael, Axel and Lillian were all sinking. They had run out of energy, and their eyes were collectively closed in unconsciousness.

No, no, no, no, no! In desperation, the Riolu swam towards them. Truthfully, he was desperate for air. But saving his friends came first.

I’ll save them…or I’ll die trying.

He grabbed the nearest one to him – Ishmael. He was difficult to move on his own. But Elvira came to him to help, and the weight was less of a struggle to handle. The two of them struggled upwards to get him to the surface. I need to save him, I need to save him, was the lone thought running through Arian’s mind.

After what felt like an eternity, they surfaced, and the duo took in blessed lungfuls of air. To their luck, they had surfaced near the opposite bank away from the knights. They dragged Ishmael’s unconscious body to the small shore, and left it there.

“…Right,” Arian breathed. “The other two. We need to get them as well.” Not wasting any time, he breathed in, and dived back into the river. Elvira followed suit, both determined to rescue their comrades.

Lillian and Axel’s unconscious forms had hit the riverbed. Bracing themselves, they went for Lillian first. As they got her, Arian stole a worried glance at Metody. But to his luck, the Floatzel seemed to still struggle with the paralysis dealt to him.

Let’s seize this opportunity while it lasts. The Riolu helped his partner get Lillian up to where Axel was laid down. While the Sandslash was much lighter, thankfully, her spikes were a problem, and a number of them ended up pricking Arian’s side. He winced, but carried on. This pain’s nothing. I can patch it up later.

They got to the surface, and placed Lillian where Ishmael was. Arian was partially curious as to how Mitrofan might possibly try to foil their plans. But he swept that thought away. That doesn’t matter. I can worry about that later. Now…to rescue Axel.

Team Elpis dived back in to rescue the Gligar. Unluckily, he was the furthest away from them, meaning this part had more of an opportunity to be sabotaged.

Arian and Elvira got Axel. He was unresponsive – a bad sign. And given he waited the longest to be rescued…that didn’t bode well either.

But the worst part of it all was that Axel was heavy – a lot heavier than his two compatriots. The Elpis duo struggled to even lift him up from the riverbed.

No, no…Come on, Arian! You can do this! You need to do this! You need to save him! In desperation, the Riolu put his back into trying to lift up the Gligar. Elvira did the same. However, not much of a difference was made.

And just when things couldn’t get any worse…what they feared most came true.

“Whirlpool!” Metody created a vortex and tossed it towards them. Being in a compromised position with carrying their comrade, they couldn’t resist it in any way.

“Mmmmph!” Arian cried out in pain, feeling himself be tugged by the Whirlpool. He held onto Axel as tightly as he could, not wanting his friend to be lost from his grasp. Elvira had the same idea.

But the Whirlpool was hurting him, with cuts appearing on his sides and making him wince in pain. And worse still…the urge for air had come to him. Not now! Not now! he urged his senses. He held onto Axel so tightly, he almost feared he would tear a wound in the fly scorpion.

The Whirlpool still buffeted him, though. And all the while…the need for oxygen became stronger and stronger.

Can’t breathe, he thought. No…I’m not dying here. I’m not…

His vision began to blur. He felt the haze of unconsciousness creep up on him…

…But luckily for them, fortune intervened.

Next moment, the vortex suddenly dissipated once again.

Huh? What? That kept Arian from the lull of the darkness. Through his blurry vision, he saw one thing.

Metody seemed to be wrapped in a pinkish aura. However, based on his pained reaction to it…it seemed to be holding him back, rather than aiding him.

Is that…Psychic? I…think it is, he thought. But then who’s –

He didn’t finish this thought before he felt another force pulling on him. In fact, not just him – Elvira and Axel too.

Wh-What?! He realised at that moment that a similar aura was enveloping them. Are we under attack?

The force, however, seemed to be pulling them towards the surface. And as they broke above the water, Arian could see that they were being placed on the wooden planks of a boat.

Huh? Oh, we’re back on solid ground. Thank God…

It was at that moment that the bluish energy around the Riolu’s paws dissipated. And with that, Arian fell down in exhaustion, coughing up a lungful of river water and breathing in that sweet, sweet air. He didn’t fall unconscious, but rather, he was completely spent. All that toing and froing, underwater, lifting comrades heavier than himself, while struggling against a vortex, twice, and the cessation of whatever power had sprung up within him had completely drained him of his energy. The thought of helping Team Sandstream in their current state came to mind, but he hadn’t the energy to even move. He could do nothing.

Looking over at Elvira, she had dropped to her knees, in a similar state of exhaustion. By the looks of it, they definitely needed a breather.

But who helped us? That question came to him. And just as quickly, it was answered.

“…You love to play heroics, don’t you?” Maciej commented, from his left. “Eh, don’t worry. We’ll get your friends next.” He turned to his companion. “Get the other two on the boat!”

“As ya wish, Match.” Looking over to his right, Arian was stupefied by what he saw: a Lapras, pulling the boat where he was now.

The Lapras’s eyes then glowed pink, and Lillian was levitated from the bank where Team Elpis had left her onto the boat next. He seemed to be using Psychic, but it was a different form of it. One that wasn’t intended to damage, but rather a form of it that was designed to transport objects…as well as people.

“Gonna have to grab the Krok by mouth,” the Lapras informed. “He won’t be able to be transported by my Psychic.” He therefore paddled over and leaned his long neck down to pick up Ishmael with his mouth. He placed him on the boat behind him, ensuring all three members of Team Sandstream were safe aboard the boat.

“Now for our marshal comrades. They’ve been holding up well…but the tides are turning, and not in their favour,” Maciej informed. As he spoke, the Lapras moved closer to the other bank where the fighting was going on. “Mitrofan and Nikita are no joke. Even without the other knights, those two would have their paws and feathers full. To get them out of there…I know what we can do. Aegir, if you could help me out here?”

“Sure thing, Match,” Aegir, the Lapras, obliged. “A double Psychic, yeah?”

“The very one. Hey, you two!” Maciej called. “Stop fighting! We’ll help you get out of this mess!”

Both Maciej and Aegir’s eyes glowed pink, and they aimed their energies over at the quayside, where Yuliya and Branislav were duelling against Mitrofan and Nikita.

Mitrofan realised what they were about to do.

“Dammit! They’re going to escape!” he raged. “Nikita!”

“I’m on it!” Nikita acknowledged. He reared his arm back, and threw a Shadow Bonemerang at Maciej, aiming to stop the bat’s Psychic manoeuvre.

However, to his surprise, the Swoobat stopped his Psychic, before he could even move Branislav to the boat. He shifted to using a Shadow Ball, which he flung at the bone club. Its advance was stopped, and it came back to Nikita.

Meanwhile, Aegir’s Psychic had brought Yuliya on board the boat. He now went to do the same for Branislav. This time, though, Maciej started with a Shadow Ball, and launched it towards Nikita.

“I don’t think so.” Mitrofan stepped in to block the attack. He weathered it like it was nothing.

That, however, did nothing to stop Aegir from using Psychic to lift Branislav to the boat. And soon, the bird knight was aboard.

“Great! Everyone’s aboard!” Maciej declared. “Go, Aegir, go!”

“Not so fast!” another voice proclaimed. Then, out of the water, as Aegir was beginning to move upriver, Metody shot out and landed on the boat. “We have unfinished business here!”

“You!” Branislav yelled. “We can deal with you right here and now, Kumiega vermin! Even with our incapacitated, it’s three against one! And I’m not finished with fighting!”

“Same here!” Yuliya seconded. “I can still fight!” Though both were weary, they stood strong, ready for another fight if necessary.

“Hold off, you two. Let me handle this mistake of a ‘mon,” Maciej insisted. He charged energy within himself, and let loose a Shock Wave on the Floatzel.

“Argh!” yelled out Metody. “Damn you, you winged rat!”

“This is a waste of time,” Maciej scoffed. “Get off this boat and let us escape. Or I’ll kill you right here and now. Honestly…you should have been dead a long time ago.”

“…Of course you would say that,” Metody growled. “Scum like you would say that.” He looked from Yuliya to Branislav, then over at the mercenaries. “…I wonder how they’d react if I told them who you really – “

“Kindly fuck off,” Maciej interjected. “You’re a debased piece of shit, Metody. One that was discarded by the best, and should’ve remained out of sight. You’re better off dead, in other words. You’re of no use to anyone anymore.” He gave a meaningful glare towards the Floatzel, before charging his attack. “Now get off our boat!”

Another Shock Wave was unleashed, and the Floatzel was shocked with electricity again. Then Maciej moved in again and rammed him with Heart Stamp. The force from this was enough to knock the weasel off the boat.

“After them!” Mitrofan could be heard yelling to knights. “Don’t let them get away!”

“Time to hightail it out of here if ya don’t mind, Match!” Aegir called.

“Please do! We need to get to Kamengrad on the double!” Maciej replied. “…After all, we have injured aboard.” He glanced over at the mercenaries, where Arian and Elvira had regained some small amount of energy – at least enough to check each of their pulses.

“Not good,” Elvira informed. “They’re still breathing, but they all need medical attention as soon as possible.”

“You have any reviver seeds on you?” the Swoobat queried. “That should help revive them.”

“…No, we don’t,” the Treecko revealed with disappointment. “We used our whole supply of them in that battle. And I remember Team Sandstream saying they were low on items too.” She checked their bag, by Lillian’s side. It was waterlogged, and took some wringing out. Once that was done, she examined their possessions, and returned with unfortunate news. “…Yeah, they’re right. There aren’t any reviver seeds in here.”

“…Well, that’s great,” Maciej muttered dryly. “We won’t hit landfall until we get to Nagoria at least. And Kamengrad’s another hour away at least from there…”

“…Hm. You never told us you had this whole thing as a backup plan,” Branislav observed, in a slight change in topic. “Why did you keep this from us, Maciej?”

“As an emergency measure,” the Swoobat explained. “Aegir has his own schedule, but when I told him we were in need of help, he was all too happy to oblige. …And good thing too. You really are our saving grace here, Aegir.”

“Ah, no problem, Match,” the Lapras said to him. “If you need help, I’ll be there. …On the water, at least. On land…yer gonna have to find someone else.”

“True. Like Yuliya and Branislav. Or these mercenaries,” Maciej replied. “They’ll make good allies, I think.” Another thought came to him. “That being said…I don’t think you mercs will be able to stay in Kamengrad anymore.”

“Wait, why?” Arian asked, before his heart sank as a reminder of his earlier error. “Oh…Oh, that’s why…”

“Yeah…We’ll have to discuss all that when we get to the Guild,” Maciej went on. “Pity that’s the news we have to arrive with. I’d rather come to them in greater triumph.”

Arian only felt worse, hearing the Swoobat’s comments. He looked at the ground in utter dismay.

“It’s my fault…It’s all my fault…”