NADIR — SEGMENT 01

Chapter 21.1

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Nadir

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…

 

…

 

Darkness…

 

everything is still.

 

There was no air in his lungs.

 

There was no air in his lungs.

 

breathe

 

bREATHE

 

BREATHE

 

a searing heat surrounded him in the dark.

 

But above all else, whatever the other things here

 

Avery knew one single thing…

 

He was totally alone here

 

in the bottom of the world.

 

 

Avery felt the dusty, arid air rush into his lungs. Even as he breathed, even as he was allowed to, it didn’t feel like he was.

 

It tasted like dirt.

 

His eyes, heavy to open, looked about in the chamber. It was…huge. Expansively huge. Horrifically, mind-bogglingly huge.

 

He tried to speak. To call out Vizon’s name. Anyone’s. But…his voice was weak. Cracked. And trying to talk made a weird sort of vibration in his chest that he didn’t like.

 

Carefully, methodically, Avery sat up…and took stock.

 

His badge…gone.

 

Bag…gone.

 

Ash billowed around him, a dull and shimmering orange glow coming from below as torrents of lava spilled from the cavern ceiling into a massive lake of molten rock below.

 

The heat was intense, oppressive. The world wobbled in a haze of hot and choking, suffocating air.

 

And there was nobody.

 

Nobody was here.

 

It was just him. Alone. No voice to console. No arms to hug.

 

No hand to hold.

 

Trapped down here.

 

With only one winding, teasing path forward.

 

‘To a stand, then.’

 

Avery began to walk. His other eye refused to open for a bit…but eventually, reluctantly did. It didn’t feel like a black eye or anything…it felt better the more he blinked. Probably got something in it from the fall.

 

…His leg was more concerning. He didn’t notice at first…but as he began to walk, he became more and more aware that he was limping. Every step he took on his right paw sent a small shock of pain up his leg. Idly, Avery tried to look for a stick or something to help bring the pain off…but no dice. He was down here alone.

 

“…Vizon…?” Avery wheezed, his voice scratchy between coughs. That weird vibration came back in his chest. Maybe talking would be bad. But then…how could he find the others?

 

…

 

His eyes wandered down the sides of the winding path, into the lava below.

 

‘…there’s…no way. Right…?’

 

The lava hissed. Screamed in pressure.

 

No voice was there to tell Avery there was no way. No voice to tell him everyone was fine. If they weren’t there was no way to tell their fate.

 

The rock was hot against Avery’s paws, stones and gravel crunching and threatening to give way and plunge him into the lava below.

 

The unnerving hiss and pop and heat was maddening as the Plusle moved across a searing path, every step shooting more pain up his leg. Broken…and alone.

 

The solitude…the inability to talk…the winding path that never seemed to end…gave time to think. If only to distract from the pain.

 

Thoughts of Thundurus plagued the mind. The danger to Qease’.

 

Thoughts of the Snivy. The Starly. The Thieves Guild.

 

Thoughts of his friends…of Team Spade.

 

…of Loshjno, that chuckle echoing in his head. That knowing chuckle. The nonchalant attitude.

 

Like he knew everything that was about to happen.

 

Knew and said nothing.

 

‘…No. That isn’t right. He didn’t say nothing. It might have been different if he’d said nothing. Better, maybe. Maybe I wouldn’t have been distracted. Maybe we wouldn’t have been separated when we were falling down the shaft. Maybe…’

 

‘Maybe the rest of my team wouldn’t have died.’

 

‘Yeah. Maybe they wouldn’t be dead. If Loshjno had said nothing. Or said…something. Something useful. Something to build up his teammate that he was actively holding back.’

 

Avery’s footsteps were getting faster now. Even as it made the pain worse. Worse, worse, so much worse.

 

‘Secrets…secrets, secrets, so many secrets, so many God damned secrets! So much duplicity, so many people not telling me shit, not telling me anything.

 

Everyone’s either got secrets or blinders on. Vizon and Nivanee with their whole thing about the Illaminians. Up until their hands were forced, Aquashock weren’t open with each other about what happened on their first mission. I still don’t know who Jolvia works with. I don’t know why we’re getting these pearls, I don’t know what the Thieves’ Guild wants.

 

I’ve only met Xamao once! He looked evil, but is he? What does he want with them? Why is he getting them? Why would Janus be allied with someone like them? And who is Janus, anyway?

 

…And Olistia. Olistia and Arceus him-fucking-self.’

 

“What did you do to me…?” Avery whispered. “What did you two do to me…?”

 

‘Even I’m not innocent. Most of my team, most of my friends don’t know who I am. What I am.

 

The only person I know isn’t keeping anything from me is Rikzyod. And even then…’

 

Secrets. So many questions, no answers. In a way, perhaps, this cave of fire and smoke was a microcosm of everything since that day he woke up in a field.

 

Robbed. Robbed of his friends. Alone somewhere strange and endlessly dangerous. In pain and fear, walking the edge. Even now the ridge where he began was long gone. The twisting, nonsensical path simply seemed to extend forever in both directions.

 

Avery briefly stopped walking. Had the scenery even changed at all? Was there even a way out of here?

 

‘…I’m going to be stuck here until I starve.’

 

On.

 

On.

 

On.

 

No obvious end in sight. No goal to latch onto. No safe wall to lean upon.

 

Just confusion and relentless trudging forward, despite it all, where ever the path led.

 

A pillar of lava spurted far to the left from the magma lake. A wave of heat swept over Avery. No sweat formed on his head, all of it evaporating immediately.

 

His leg was hurting more. Lungs burning. Hunger overtaking him. How long had he been walking down this narrow path?

 

Who could say anymore. Nobody could.

 

One might think of how wronged he’d been. To be cast down here when he didn’t even ask for this…how easily Sarfallinus threw him to the fire. Kellixae and Sekira left alone in Arceliaze. How the world seemed to just be coming apart at the seams while Avery burned alive in the deepest depths of the world.

 

In the haze…he caught sight of a small island of land the path crossed. A circular island with the path continuing on the far side…and there, Avery noticed something: a small red and orange mound lying by the rocks.

 

At last, his legs gave out.

 

With one last shock of pain, Avery tripped, falling to his knees. His leg was angry about it, but there was nothing he could do to sate its pain. The Plusle curled up on the ground, the hot, dusty ground, and just…laid there for a while. He didn’t know how long it was. But he needed to rest. He was in too much pain to move now.

 

But…when he opened his eyes…eventually…he looked to the little orange lump. Off in the distance.

 

“…Lahnae…?”

 

The heat wavered…the orange and red mount stirred.

 

Slowly, Avery saw rocks and pebbles slip from the mound as it lifted. The the fire of the lava cave…Lahnae struggled up, coughing and shaking her head. Blood trickled from her beak, eyes squinting.

 

The lava hissed.

 

Lahnae wobbled to her feet, only barely able to hold herself without collapsing. She was shaking, an eye closed.

 

Nobody was with her.

 

Avery could see her taking a sharp breath…and at last her one good eye locked with him. She gasped sharply, hobbling over to him weakly, talons crunching in the hot, ashen dirt.

 

She looked…scared. Lahnae looked scared. Her voice terrified Avery for how…not-Lahnae it sounded.

 

“Avery…no no no, Avery…” She muttered, her voice shaken, unsure. “No no no, please…please…don’t leave me alone. I don’t wanna be alone…”

 

“…I’m…”

 

He knew why her voice scared him.

 

Loshjno hurt her. Her teammate, her best friend…he’d hurt her badly.

 

That was all the thinking Avery could do at the moment. He hurt all over.

 

Avery’s head rested back on the ground, eyes easing shut.

 

“I…I’m not…l-leaving…” Avery wheezed. A laugh forced itself out of his mouth, followed by a deep wince from the shock of pain in his ribs. “…Can’t even…move right.”

 

Lahnae gasped sharply, hearing Avery’s voice, crouching down to softly cradle his head, rolling him over. Even as she had trouble standing herself, Lahnae held tight to Avery.

 

He had a wall again.

 

“Avery…Arceus above…you’re speaking…you’re speaking, I…” Lahnae sniffed, holding him close, wings wrapping around him.

 

She was shaking.

 

She had a wall again.

 

“I’m so glad you’re okay…”

 

…Another laugh. Another pang of pain and regret.

 

“…Okay’s…one word for it…”

 

He closed his eyes again.

 

“D-don’t, uh…hug too tight,” Avery wheezed. “I…I think one of my ribs is broken-“

 

“Oh…!” Lahnae recoiled but didn’t drop him, looking scared and worried as she eyed Avery up and down. He could have only imagined the state he looked to be in from her expression.

 

Lahnae brushed a wing over Avery’s head, stroking his fur. She sniffed, furrowing her brow. Slowly, slowly, she toughened, for Avery, that Lahnae fire returning to her eyes.

 

“You’re gunna be ok, Avery…rival.” She said, her confidence returning. Even as Avery could hear it forced. Maybe even faked. She was strong. “I’m going to get you up, just lean on me, alright?”

 

“…Yeah,” Avery said quietly, testing his weight on her to bring himself back up. He didn’t want to hurt her, too. She took the same fall he did, after all.

 

Avery coughed.

 

It…it hurt.

 

“I’m guessing you haven’t seen anyone else yet, huh…?” Avery asked. Lahnae hesitated…and shook her head.

 

“You’re the first one I’ve seen…” She muttered, hoisting him up gently. Though she looked bruised, she held fast, holding Avery aloft.

 

Side by side the both of them walked together. Lahnae kept her eyes forward, guiding Avery through the heat and ash.

 

“Avery…I’m sorry.” She said, firmly. “I’m so…so sorry. I didn’t think it’d get this bad this time…not this bad…frankly, without you…”

 

She sighed, keeping him firmly aloft.

 

“…we’d have been knocked out as soon as the Thieves Guild showed up out of nowhere, normally.” Lahnae said, shaking her head. “There’s always a surprise, a twist waiting…that’s what Loshjno says. I thought finally…finally we overcame the twist. That we had done it…!”

 

She lifted her head, watching the flows of magma pour from the ceiling, coughing at the smoke.

 

“But…there were still more surprises…more and more and…”

 

She looked sad for a moment, glancing down at Avery…sighing softly and pressing into his body comfortingly.

 

“I just wonder how much better this would have gone if you had gone with Aquashock.” Lahnae said, hobbling forward. “I’m…sorry this all turned out this way, Avery. I really am just…so, so sorry…”

 

“…If we’d gone with Team Aquashock,” Avery said, wiping his forehead. “…If we’d gone with Aquashock, I’d be down here with Kipuuna instead of with you.”

 

He looked up at her.

 

“…Maybe Kipuuna and Ganisus would have had a plan for that hostage situation, but…” He coughed, pressing into her as she pressed into him. “I can’t really see this going any other way. And even if we did teleport out with the badges-“

 

He shuddered and wheezed again. Each cough felt worse and worse.

 

“…Even if we did…those three would have still been down here. Or worse.”

 

Avery’s legs stopped pushing him forwards for a moment.

 

‘What happened to those three?’

 

Lahnae was quiet a moment, keeping pace. Avery’s words…dispelled her doubt. At once, her self pity vanished, the determination in her face returning.

 

“You’re right…” She said…a curt nod punctuating that. “We’re not going to leave anyone behind. Not even Thieves Guild. We’re going to save everyone…”

 

She coughed, shaking her head.

 

“That’s what guild…no…that’s just what we do.”

 

She was quiet a moment, the both of them slowly making their way across the long lake of lava, the island far behind them, here in what felt like an abyss of heat.

 

“…thanks, rival.” Lahnae said, a small smile on her beak. “We’re going to set this right. And we’ll take on anything thrown our way…you with me?”

 

Avery smiled sadly.

 

“…Ha, I’m not…sure, Lahnae. I’m…”

 

His face grew resolute.

 

“…I’m not in any shape to fight.” He said, voice breathy. “If I do too much now, I’m worried I might break something inside me more permanently than I’d like. My leg’s already- nng-“

 

He sucked in air through his teeth, stopping his pace for a moment. Lahnae stopped, looking back at Avery…her face fell, worried. That resolve she had been building…shook. Shook so easily. It was odd seeing strong and energetic Lahnae be so…fragile. Rocky.

 

It was a shock. Avery didn’t like seeing it. Not at all. It made him feel sick, emotionally, along with the physical pain and sickness he was feeling now.

 

He hated it.

 

Still, she tilted her head, the both of them standing there a moment to let Avery recover.

 

“Do you need me to carry you…?” Lahnae asked, brow furrowed. “We need to get you an oran berry to at least dull the pain…all my items were with Loshjno…”

 

‘Deep breath in- the smoke isn’t pleasant. Deep breath out.’

 

He couldn’t put on a face. He couldn’t lie to her. No more lies. No more secrets.

 

“…I’m tired of secrets, Lahnae. I’m tired of fighting for and beside miserable secrets.”

 

“Secrets…? What secrets…?” She asked.

 

Averu fixed her with a stare, one which she returned.

 

Avery took a deep breath, letting the words spill from his mouth. No hesitation.

 

“…I’m a human, Lahnae. Or…I was one.”

 

The sound of Avery’s voice faded among the roar of lava. Lahnae was silent, staring at him. She blinked…

 

…and tilted her head.

 

“You’re a…what…?” Lahnae asked, brow furrowing. “Avery are…you ok…? What do you mean you’re a human…?”

 

Her voice…it was like she was worried Avery was hurt more than physically.

 

“…I know how that sounds, Lahnae,” Avery said seriously. “But…I’m sick of secrets. I’m sick of them, I- if there aren’t going to be any more, it has to start with me. I can’t lie to the people I care about. Not anymore.”

 

Deep breath.

 

The air inflated his lungs stuck in his chest.

 

“Vizon and Nivanee already know. But…I was a human. I don’t remember much of my old life. But I had friends. I had a Vulpix named Ember, I think. I liked her…a lot. A lot, and-” Avery winced again. “…I was ripped away from them. By Arceus, by-“

 

‘…Even now. Can I implicate the Conduit?

 

…she’s keeping things from me.’

 

“By Olistia.” Avery said bitterly. “They…reconstructed me. Into this. But I only remember blackness. Being asked questions. And then…I fell from the sky, into Breezy Plains.”

 

He pressed into Lahnae, his wall. She was quiet, only holding him and listening.

 

“I’ve had dreams about that process. About my old life. Every night. Apparently humans are some…beasts of war or something, but that’s not what I remember. But I’m not…I don’t belong here, Lahnae. I don’t remember the dates, the locations, the names, because I never learned them.”

 

“So all the…weird obvious questions,” Lahnae muttered. “…the cluelessness about stuff that…”

 

She blinked.

 

“…that wasn’t just amnesia…? And Vizon…Nivanee…knew…?”

 

Lahnae stared at Avery. Hard.

 

For a long time she stared…looking deep in thought. For a long time she said nothing…

 

A pillar of fire burst upwards somewhere far away, a hiss and pop filling the cavern.

 

“Ripped from your old life…” Lahnae muttered. “…Olistia…? But Arceus is good…isn’t he…? He brought a beast of war…that had friends…”

 

There was another moment of silence.

 

Long silence.

 

A long, deep silence.

 

Even the cave seemed to quiet.

 

The pause was agonizing…

 

Yet…at last, Lahnae took a step forward. Gently, she leaned Avery against herself, easing him forward, her wing stroking him.

 

“…I don’t care who you are.” She said, as if it were so simple. “You do belong here just fine. Dates and locations and names and all that…stupid stuff don’t matter. All that matters is that you’re a good person. That you’re my friend. You belong here.”

 

She furrowed her brow in determination.

 

“But nobody…deserves to be torn from those they care about.” Lahnae looked up at the ceiling billowing streams of lava. “I’ll do anything to help you. Anything. I promise.

 

So easy. As if that was that. Not a hint of waver to her voice.

 

She trusted Avery without a second thought.

 

‘…’You belong here.

 

Do I?

 

She might trust me without a second thought, and I appreciate that. And I don’t doubt that she believes her words. Not for a second.

 

…’

 

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Avery said, starting to walk again. Another reluctant laugh escaped his lips. “…Whoever I was before…I’m pretty sure I never fell a hundred thousand feet into the core of the earth. That’s…that’s brand new.”

 

“Then…you’re stronger now than you were before…” Lahnae encouraged softly. “Every day…we’re someone different than who we were yesterday. We know more, see more…do more…you know?”

 

Lahnae smiled. This time…it looked more genuine. She tried to lighten the bleak atmosphere with that smile, with her words.

 

“No secrets between us, rival.” She said. “You can always trust me. I promise.”

 

“…I just…I wanted to clear that.” Avery sighed, staring down at the ground in front of me. “I care about you a lot, Lahnae. I…Just, don’t go around telling everyone, okay? I think…if too many people knew, I’d either be written up as crazy, or…worse. People would believe me. And I don’t know what Arceans would think about me then.”

 

His face darkened.

 

“…But there’s too many secrets in the guild. I…”

 

‘I have to ask…’

 

“Has Loshjno always been like that…?”

 

“No, he wasn’t.”

 

She said it so quickly. No hesitation. Avery could see it in her eye. Forcing it out hurt her to her core.

 

But she promised no more secrets.

 

She took a deep breath. Pressed against her, Avery could feel how hard her heart was beating.

 

“He…used to be so much more…enthusiastic.” Lahnae said. “Joining the guild was his idea…he used to be passionate and wanting to get better and improve but…”

 

She huffed sadly, guiding Avery forward.

 

“…now it’s like he doesn’t even want to be in the guild anymore. Like he doesn’t care what happens…” The Torchic looked down at the ground. “…no more secrets, Avery…I think he only stays in the guild for my sake…I’d never leave this guild, I want to do good. I want to help Poke’mon but…”

 

She glanced down at him.

 

“I don’t want to lose my best friend, either…but I don’t know what else to do but try harder. Hit harder. Take more hits. I can’t…look, I know, I’m not…smart, you know…? Even when we were kids I needed him to do the thinking…make the plans, I just can’t do it by myself. But now he just…lets come what may.”

 

She shook her head, snorting through her nostrils.

 

“I just need to try harder. Even harder. One day all this bad luck won’t matter if I just try…a little harder.”

 

“…”

 

Even if it hurt…Avery reached around and hugged her. Softly, so as not to injure either of them. Lahnae felt his hug…and she wrapped her wings around him softly, hugging back…tightly, nuzzling into him with a deep sigh.

 

 

Avery was still pretty sure they were going to die down here. They’d been walking for…well, he didn’t know. It felt like hours. Avery’s leg was feeling less awkward with Lahnae to support me. But that wouldn’t last. They needed food. And more importantly, with the sweltering heat, water. They had neither.

 

‘…But I’m not going to let Lahnae go out thinking this is her fault.’

 

“… That isn’t how this works, Lahnae,” Avery said quietly. “You’re partners, you and him. And… You’ve been trying hard the whole time. At a certain point…If he can’t see that, it’s on him. If he won’t talk to you, if he won’t tell you what’s wrong…It’s on him.”

 

Avery clenched his free fist.

 

“…A team needs to be open with each other. Communicate. And if he doesn’t do that, if he doesn’t, at the very least, tell you what he wants, then it’s on him! It’s on Loshjno to-“

 

Avery coughed. Hard. A slight trail of blood dripped down from the corner of his mouth. Had he cut his lip? Or…

 

“I…yeah…” Lahnae said softly. “I’ll figure it out…what he wants. Or, well…maybe we can figure it out…?”

 

She shifted a little, squeezing Avery tighter. She pulled away, seeing the blood running down his lip.

 

She took a deep breath, leaning him against her.

 

“I got you.” Lahnae said warmly, hoisting him forward.

 

In the intense heat…there was something…a billow of cold air, lapping at the pair every so often. Avery wasn’t feeling so hot anymore, actually. He hadn’t felt warm for the past couple of minutes, except for where he was right up against Lahnae. So that was nice.

 

But… he looked up. He definitely felt a cool breeze…Avery could see a wall coming up…in the haze and smoke…there finally looked to be an end.

 

“Avery…look…”

 

Lahnae nodded her head forward. Ahead, the twisting path lead to another cliff like the one he had landed on, on the opposite end of the lava lake. And there, on the wall…looked to be another archway of white stone leading…

 

…somewhere. It was hard to decipher what it was they were looking at through the archway. Lahnae hoisted Avery forward, a twinkle in her eye.

 

“We’re gunna be okay, Avery.” Lahnae said. “I swear it. We will.”

 

Cold air seemed to…billow from the archway, banishing the heat of the lava lake.

 

“… T… The others…” He wheezed.

 

The light of hope, just for a moment, had been rekindled. He couldn’t leave without them. If he could get out, he couldn’t without them-

 

‘… But the lake of lava…. Any of them could have landed in there. There was more lake than land…’

 

“If we found this…I bet the others did, too.” Lahnae said firmly, as though accepting no alternatives.

 

Her voice told him there was no way. Her voice told him everyone was fine. If they weren’t then she had a good idea what their fate was: going through an archway.

 

Lahnae’s voice consoled Avery. Her arms hugged him.

 

Gently…Avery felt his hand held in her wing.

 

“Let’s go find our friends, Avery.” She said, smiling, pulling him forward. Softly, he nodded, a smile finally forming on his face, the warmth of the Torchic’s body comfortingly coiling around him.

 

The end of the path was reached at last. The archway just ahead.

 

As they approached the corridor, the air became colder…colder…

 

And they still…weren’t sure what it was they were looking at as they approached it.

 

Still, Avery and Lahnae stood before the archway, peering into the…whatever this was…

 

 

…

 

“…Are we dead?” Avery muttered.

 

Lahnae squinted, hobbling forward. She ran a wing down the side of the stone archway. It felt real…all of this was…real…

 

The stone floor continued in the archway, snaking like cloth and ending in a strange…void. The inside looked to be nighttime, with a strange textured sky and a bizarre moon. Deep within Avery could see other corridors and strange architecture rising from an expansive checkerboard desert far below…

 

The air inside there was cold.

 

Lahnae peered inside, leaning in, looking around.

 

“It…doesn’t connect to anything in here…what…is this?” She said in wonder.

 

“This… This looks kind of like the illusions in Dove Fo Uddjo,” Avery murmured. “… The Obscurity Fields… Is it something psychic, or…”

 

‘Are we dead???’

 

Lahnae grunted and began to lower Avery.

 

“Can you stand?” Lahnae asked. “Can you stay here at least…? I can make sure it’s safe.”

 

Avery shook his head.

 

“… I’m not letting you take a step ahead of me. If you go down through the floor, we both do-“

 

Another laugh he regretted with a pained wince.

 

“Shh shh, hey, c’mon…” Lahnae cooed, smiling warmly. “Alright, rival. We go together…”

 

They both stepped into the cold air of whatever this place was…the ground remained firm under their feet, even as it seemed to be suspended over nothing.

 

 

Lahnae let out a sigh of relief. This place was a welcome change from the blazing heat of the magma lake.

 

She looked ahead, seeing the trail connect to the trail of another archway. Lahnae’s faced twisted.

 

“This is…weird…so weird…” She muttered, looking around. It seemed like the psychic illusions from before yet…it kept so still. It didn’t shift and morph like the deep dimension. It was like a dream that stayed perfectly internally consistent, as strange as the dream was.

 

“…Okay…Not like Dove Fo Uddjo, exactly…” Avery said, frowning. “… It’s…Weird.”

 

The Plusle looked towards Lahnae.

 

“…Vizon and I were the closest before being separated. But…I found you.” Avery said, squirming. “That…that doesn’t make sense spatially, right…? Unless…unless he was behind me. But…But I looked there.”

 

His eyes wandered past the horizon. It seemed like there were other doors.

 

“…Do you think the others might be through those…?”

 

“I have a gut feeling that say yes, and that’s rarely ever wrong.” Lahnae kept her chipper attitude, brightening the atmosphere as best she could, even as they were surrounded by strange sights. “Come on, let’s just…pick a corridor and see where it takes us!”

 

She kept her confidence, lifting Avery forward, crossing the floating path of rocks.

 

There was a door on the left…the right…and the center.

 

“Which way do you think they are, Rival?”

 

“…Left to right,” Avery said, taking a breath. “…Let’s go left to right. Like a book.”

 

“Alright!” Lahnae cheered, gripping Avery softly and guiding to the leftmost archway. Thankfully, it didn’t look like lava and fire on the other side. The Torchic just lead the Plusle over, across the path, slowly approaching the threshold of the archway.

 

They passed through the stone archway, finding on the other side a cave. It was dark, save for a single stream of light coming from the sun far, far above, filtered through a small crack.

 

Water…

 

They could hear rushing water. A small freshwater cave stream babbled over the stone on the other side of the chamber…and there…a wet, blue lump lied on the stone.

 

And it was…

 

…breathing.

 

‘This is…a little more pleasant than the other place. Better than a hellish lake of fire. But…’

 

“…T…There…” Avery said, pointing.

 

Whoever it was…they were alive. Either Vizon, Jolvia, or…

 

…Loshjno….

 

“… Hello?” Avery called, despite his chest’s arguments against any sort of volume.

 

The lump coughed. Desperately coughed, hunched over. It lifted, spluttering and coughing up water. A lot of water. It shivered, its fur matted and dripping as it sat, cold.

 

A red eye lifted to look at Avery and Lahnae.

 

“A-A-A…A-Aam…?” Vizon’s voice was weak, shuddering in the cold. Lahnae quickly pulled Avery forward, heating her body at once to help the Riolu who was no doubt hitting hypothermia.

 

‘…Maybe not as nice.’

 

“Hey, bud…” Avery said, limping forward and easing himself to a seated position beside the Riolu. “…Figures that the bird of us is in the best condition out of a fall like that, huh…?”

 

‘…now that I say that…I haven’t really looked before. I’d seen blood dripping from Lahnae’s beak, but…How bad were her injuries?

 

And Vizon’s, for that matter…?’

 

Vizon coughed again, wiping his mouth, looking up at the pair.

 

“I’m…Arceus I’m glad to see you…” Vizon huffed, leaning into Avery, feeling Lahnae’s radiating heat. “When I lost you, Avery, I thought that was it I…I hit the water and was dragged through tunnels for I don’t know how long…”

 

“We got you, Vizon.” Lahnae assured.

 

As Avery looked the others over, Vizon looked freezing and exhausted. Bruises festooned his body, his arm limp at his side. But vitally…he still had his soaking wet item bag with him.

 

And Lahnae…Avery hadn’t seen in the haze of the magma lake but she looked…awful. Bloodied cuts coated in dust and sand, bruises, a slight limp in her leg she was ignoring. And still, yet, more blood dribbled down her beak which she only spat out without a thought. Her eye still hadn’t opened.

 

And yet she stood like nothing was wrong.

 

“You guys look horrible…” Vizon said, fumbling for his pack. “Here…I think I have at least one or two of these left…the rest got washed away…I’m sorry.”

 

Vizon produced two soggy Oran berries. Only two.

 

“…” Avery looked down at them. “…Have you had any yet, Viz…?”

 

“Aha…no…” Vizon chuckled weakly. “I only just pulled myself out of that river…been worried sick about you guys…”

 

The Riolu looked between Avery and Lahnae.

 

“Are the others safe? Nivanee? Jolvia? Rikzyod? Loshjno?”

 

Lahnae sighed at the final name.

 

“… No idea,” Avery said. “…I was alone for a while in this lake of lava, and…I only saw Lahnae after an hour of walking. My, uh… My leg isn’t doing so hot, heh…And…I think…I think there’s something broken in my chest.”

 

Avery looked to Lahnae.

 

“…I think Lahnae matches, actually. But…We haven’t seen anyone other than you yet. But…Maybe there’s some people around here.”

 

‘…I’m not sure about that. From what I can tell, this place is pretty small. If there’s anyone else here, I dunno if we can tell…’

 

“… Can you move your arm…? ” Avery asked.

 

Vizon sucked in a breath, laughing softly.

 

“It feels…kinda numb…”

 

Even as Lahnae warmed him and dried him…his arm was still dripping.

 

“That’s probably not good is it…?” Slowly, the Riolu stood up, legs wobbling.

 

He looked like he could stand fine, no issues there.

 

“Alright…if I can walk…I can go on and fight.” Vizon said, assured.

 

“…If we don’t find medical supplies soon we might be in some real trouble…” Avery mumbled. “… I don’t think we should fight like this. I don’t even know if I can fight verbally with my chest the way it is. I…”

 

Avery sighed.

 

“…Before we look for the others…I should let you know, Vizon.” The Plusle began. “I…I told Lahnae. About…Myself. What you and Nivanee know.”

 

‘Maybe it was a stupid decision, but…’

 

“After what’s been going on with Loshjno, and what happened with Aquashock…I don’t want any more secrets. Not between the people I care about.”

 

“H-huh…?” Vizon stammered, looking to Lahnae. The Torchic nodded.

 

“Your best friend’s a human, huh?” She said, grinning, Vizon jumping slightly.

 

“B-But Olistia told us not to tell anyone…!”

 

“…Olistia,” Avery said, giving the ground a steely glance, “…hasn’t exactly been the most open with me either…”

 

Vizon looked worried, looking from Avery to Lahnae. The Torchic only furrowed her brow.

 

“Don’t worry, Vizon. I stand with my friends no matter what.” She said. The Riolu let out a sigh of relief, shaking his head, offering Avery his hand.

 

“Still seems reckless…” Vizon muttered. “Where’s this issue with Olistia coming from…? I thought we were friendly with her…”

 

“Olistia…” Avery furrowed his brow. “…I’m going to need to talk to her about some things soon. But I learned some things about what she and Arceus did, and what she and Sarfallinus are doing that… That I don’t…”

 

Avery clenched his fists.

 

Lahnae hummed, sighing. Vizon didn’t push it further.

 

“You two should eat those oran berries.” Vizon said. “They won’t fix everything but you’ll at least be able to limp along without help.”

 

Avery didn’t want to admit it, but…Vizon was right. He and Lahnae were both coughing up blood. That meant internal bleeding. Vizon seemed okay on that front – whatever happened to his arm… Probably wouldn’t kill him if left unchecked for a little while longer, while Lahnae and Avery walking on injured legs could lead to permanent damage.

 

“Alright. But we’ll get you something as soon as we can, too.” Avery took one of the oran berries, and handed it to Lahnae, and took the other for himself. “…Are you sure you’ll be okay until then?”

 

Vizon nodded, using his good arm to tighten the strap of his bag, turning the now empty item bag into a makeshift sling.

 

“I’ll power through it…!” Vizon said. “That’s the kind of thing cool guild members do in their adventures, yeah?”

 

“Hehe, yeah!!” Lahnae cheered merrily, looking down at the berry. “But…I don’t think I-“

 

“Lahnae, c’mon. You’re spitting up blood.” Vizon cut in, Lahnae huffing.

 

“Guh…” Lahnae sighed, shaking her head…at last taking the oran berry like a child finally convinced. “Fine…but we’re getting you help as soon as we can.”

 

Avery nodded, eating as well.

 

“…If I didn’t have internal damage this Berry would absolutely be yours,” Avery huffed after swallowing it. “… Do you think there’s anyone else in this section, Lahnae? Or… Should we move on….?”

 

Lahnae took a breath as she swallowed the oran berry, looking around.

 

“I don’t see anyone….” She said, scanning the cave. No exits save for the archway…and the river. “Vizon, nobody fell down with you, did they?”

 

“No, I went down this way myself…” Vizon said, stepping forward. “Where did you guys come from?”

 

Lahnae stepped aside, showing the archway. Vizon peered at it over her shoulder.

 

“There’s, like…a whole weird series of interconnected archways…we could be miles out from the magma lake Avery and I dropped in.

 

“Magma lake…?” Vizon said in disbelief.

 

“Yeah…I think we can find more of our team if we take the archways. That’s what I believe in my heart.” Lahnae looked to Avery, popping her neck as she felt the oran berry take effect, even if it was limited. Her limp had gone nowhere but she looked much better off. “What do you think, Avery…? Should we try to cover more ground by taking different archways?”

 

Avery wasn’t sure how well it helped his chest but…he felt a little better at least.

 

“…I don’t feel good about splitting up here,” Avery said, furrowing his brow. “Especially since…. I don’t really think we’re dealing with anything normal. But…I think if there’s anyone else here, they’d be down river. And going that way seems a one way trip. So…We should probably get back to that nexus and try the middle archway. “

 

“Agreed. I just found you guys, I don’t wanna go losing you now…” Vizon muttered. Lahnae smiled, nodding.

 

“Alright then…” Lahnae conceded. “Say, Vizon…got a cool name for us…?”

 

“Huh…oh…!” Vizon perked up, coughing out the last of the water as he added to the chipper attitude. “GO GO, TRIPLE SEARCH AND RESCUE FORCE!“

 

“GO!” Lahnae cheered, high-fiving with Vizon! As a team! Avery still wasn’t sure he could shout like they did. Didn’t want to risk more damage. But…

 

The Plusle smiled.

 

‘These two, I can count on.’

 

“Let’s not waste any more time then…!” Avery said encouragingly, stepping closer. “The others need us.”

 

Back to the nexus they went…Hopefully it’d be warmer for Vizon. And hopefully whoever they found would be able to get some supplies.

 

In the back of Avery’s mind…he realized that whatever was happening up there was still happening. The Snivy, the Starly, the Sneasel…

 

‘He’d gotten after us for arresting his team, but…The dungeons had to be better than what was happening in Qeasé.

 

Marginally.’

 

The group returned to that strange nexus, Vizon taking his time to stare in amazement at the strange world they all entered, the bizarre towers and architecture across the checkerboard desert.

 

They all took a quick left, going straight for the centermost archway, Lahnae waving Vizon over.

 

There, on the other side of the archway, they could see an odd sandy cave. Blocks engraved with moons and suns littered the space, small streams of sand pouring through cracks in the wall.

 

The cave seemed to continue ahead, taking a right turn. This cave was very dark, save for the light coming from the nexus. Lahnae puffed out a small stream of fire to light the way, letting them all move forward.

 

“…Hello?” Avery called. It was at least a little easier to call without a stabbing pain in his side. That was good. “Is anyone in here…??”

 

It was dark…Avery couldn’t see two feet in front of his when the fire dissipated.

 

“What… is this place…?” Avery whispered. “A lava lake, an underground river, a cave of sand…All linked to these sky walkways above a fake desert…”

 

…

 

“…hello?”

 

A voice called from the darkness, squeaking and weak.

 

There was a shuffle. Another, more distant voice said something Avery couldn’t make out.

 

“We’re here to save you!” Vizon called out, Lahnae taking point as the ‘torch’, swinging her little stream of flame here and there to look at the strange walls, carved with all kinds of odd patterns. She brought the fire low so they all could avoid the block half-submerged in sand.

 

If anything…this place seemed like more ruins.

 

“…Vizon…?” The voice squeaked again. Vizon’s ears perked, the Riolu listening close.

 

“Nivanee??” He called out into the dark, urging Lahnae on. The Torchic nodded, going deeper in the cave, rounding the corner.

 

“I’m here…I’m here, help…” Avery could hear Nivanee’s voice. “It hurts. It hurts really bad, Vizon…”

 

That other, fainter voice could be heard.

 

“Ah! I think there might be someone this way, Rik! Hello! Are you there?”

 

…That wasn’t good. Avery picked up the pace.

 

“Jolvia? Jolvia, is that you…?? We’re…” Avery tried to clench his fist, bring up enough energy to make a bolt of electricity in his arm to use as a beacon. “W-we’re over here…! N-Niv, what… What hurts…? Where are you…??”

 

“I think I heard something…Avery!”

 

That was Jolvia’s voice. The trio trudged forward, running over the sand, ducking under a narrow passage and into a larger area where sand was spilling in from a hole in the wall.

 

There, on the opposite end of the chamber, was a little brown lump. In another passage ahead, Avery could see two figures enter from the shadows, torches in hand.

 

“Hello?!” Vizon called. The two figures seemed to jump, anxious until they saw the three in detail.

 

“Avery! Vizon!” Jolvia’s voice came from the other group. “Thank goodness you’re alright!:

 

“Nevermind! Do you see Nivanee anywhere?!” Lahnae called out. “We heard her just a second ago!”

 

Avery could feel Vizon’s hair stand on end as a mournful moan rumbled in the darkness.

 

“…There,” Avery said, pointing to the other side. The brown lump. “Over there, I think I see her- N… Nivanee, can you move…??”

 

Avery began making his way slowly through the sand, raising his bolt, crackling and unstable as it was, to illuminate his path.

 

Avery could see Jolvia and Rikzyod too, though they were still dark.

 

“Jolvia, Rikzyod, are you guys okay…? I’m, uh… Expecting we’re all pretty injured in one way or another-“

 

“We’ve stemmed our bleeding, Avery. We’ll be fine.” Jolvia’s voice called. The other figure indeed flew like Rikzyod…but bobbed up and down.

 

Getting closer…it wasn’t Rikzyod.

 

It was the Starly, Calladin, looking terrified, his schism sigil wingband glistening in the torchlight. His right leg was bound to his body with straps. He huddled close to Jolvia like a lost lamb desperate to keep next to anybody, even if they were technically an enemy.

 

Vizon glanced suspiciously at the Starly a moment, but Nivanee’s moans grabbed his attention more urgently. Lahnae got close, holding the flame close, Vizon grimacing at what he saw.

 

The huddled pair blocked…perhaps even shielded Avery from the sight of Nivanee’s condition.

 

 [CW START] 

 

“Arceus above, Nivanee…”

 

“Is…is it bad…?” Avery could hear a gurgling in her words.

 

“Nothing we can’t field-mend…” Jolvia assured. “Vizon, hold this.”

 

Avery could see Vizon take Jolvia’s torch, a paw over his mouth.

 

“Two breaks here…here…Lahnae you’re going to have to cauterize…” Jolvia paused. “…that.”

 

“Give her a stun seed first.”

 

‘Cauterize?’

 

Avery’s blood went cold.

 

‘I shouldn’t have eaten the oran Berry. I shouldn’t have, I knew I shouldn’t have-‘

 

Avery felt sick. He hadn’t even seen her yet…

 

Jolvia took a deep breath, rummaging in her bag to take everything out before handing it to Nivanee.

 

“Bite.”

 

Avery could hear the sound of teeth sinking into leather. Jolvia leaned back, nodding to Vizon, giving him a razor.

 

“My hands are too numb. We need the area around the wound shaved.”

 

“Alright…”

 

Scrape…scrape…scrape…

 

Jolvia crushed an oran berry over Nivanee. Avery still couldn’t see anything.

 

“It’s disinfected.” Jolvia said, giving another oran berry and stun seed to Nivanee. “Lahnae…you’re up.”

 

The torchic solemnly nodded, taking a deep breath…

 

A bright red and orange glow flared up. Avery could hear Nivanee’s pained, muffled screeching as she bit hard into Jolvia’s leather bag.

 

The bolt disappeared from Avery’s hand.

 

In the dark, in the talking, the screeching, the burning…Avery vomited quietly into the sand.

 

Not much came up.

 

He felt awful. He felt useless. Nivanee was his teammate and here he was, squeamish.

 

Finally, the glow subsided, Jolvia motioning for Calladin to help as they quickly took out rawst berries to juice over Nivanee and bandages to wrap her in, Vizon taking two splints to do work of his own.

 

“There…” Jolvia sighed with relief. “You’re going to make it, Nivanee…but you need a clinic. No oran berry in the world is going to fix this easily.”

 

“So…” Nivanee’s voice was weak. She spat and coughed, the gurgling subsiding.

 

[CW SUMMARY] – Nivanee is extremely injured and the team has to perform emergency field first-aid with their dwindling supplies, guaranteeing that Nivanee won’t be able to proceed with the mission

[CW END] 

 

“No more fighting. You’re out of commission for this one.” Jolvia sighed. Vizon and Lahnae grimaced.

 

Avery took a few steps away from the point of impact, and fell onto the sand, on his side. The oran Berry had helped, but…his leg still hurt. And that tightness in his chest when he’d brought something up had stung too.

 

‘…I don’t have my badge. How am I going to get out of here…?’

 

“Jolvia…can you…?” Vizon began. The Nidorina nodded, shifting forward. Avery could hear Nivanee grunt in pain as Jolvua lifted her onto her shoulders.

 

Now Avery could see the Eevee…the wrappings on two legs, the wraps all around her torso…the dreamy, hazy look on her face. Jolvia held tight, standing up.

 

Nivanee’s eyes rolled lazily in her head until they came to the Plusle.

 

“Heya, Avery…” she said quietly. “I’m so…so happy…to see you…to see my family came for me…”

 

Avery swallowed a lump in his throat.

 

“… Nobody gets left behind,” The Plusle stuttered, pushing himself to a seated position. “We…We’re all going to get out of here.”

 

Avery’s eyes turned to the Starly. He tried to give him a little smile.

 

“… All of us.”

 

The smile was replaced with a grimace as Avery tried to push himself up. That hurt, obviously.

 

“Starly, you were…You were up there a little longer than we were, I think…Do you remember what happened after we fell…? Or…If your friend or the foreman came down here too?”

 

“Yeah…what did happen up there…?” Vizon asked suspiciously, making the Starly recoil. Jolvia patted the Starly on the shoulder, calming him down.

 

“Well…we fell at the same time all of you did…I flapped my wings and tried to save Quay-I mean, uh…Q.” the Starly gulped. “And I saw Thundurus flick the foreman off the alter after us…I couldn’t catch either of them and when I swooped in I kind…lost control.”

 

“Good. Then that means they’re down here with us.” Jolvia said.

 

“Wait, but…hasn’t anyone seen Loshjno?” Lahnae asked, pressingly. Jolvia and Calladin shook thier heads.

 

“What about Rikzyod?”

 

“He was the first one I found, actually.” Jolvia explained. “We split up to cover two pathways back in some…”

 

She paused.

 

“Well…I don’t know how to explain it. It was like some bizarre, mystical crossroads of perpetual night.”

 

Avery nodded, trying to keep his mind off of Nivanee’s…injuries.

 

“I ended up in some lava lake, and I found Lahnae after about an hour alone.” Avery explained. “Then we went into…I think that same night nexus you were talking about, and we found Vizon there. And…Now we’re here. There’s one more door we didn’t cover in the nexus we found, the rightmost one from the perspective of the lava lake.”

 

Avery paused.

 

“…Does…Anyone have any idea what this place is…?” The Plusle asked. “We were falling for two or three whole minutes. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were in the center of the earth or something…”

 

“I woke up in a deep cavern of metal and strange lights…” Jolvia said. “I found Rikzyod in a cavern in an oceanside forest, facing crashing waves…Calladin tells me he ended up at the bottom of the ocean until one of those ‘portals’ sucked him into a cave river where I found him.”

 

Everyone stared at one another in confusion.

 

“So…I suppose it’s safe to say that…no, nobody knows what this place is.” Vizon said, standing up. “I don’t even know whose ruins these are.”

 

“They’re Kessian. You know…one of the old tribes before Arcea.” Lahnae put in. “It’s why Qease’ values them so much, they’re suppose to be Kessi descendants.”

 

“Well…Calladin,” Avery said, putting a hand to his chest. “…I’m Avery. I know that…Yknow, up there we’ve got issues and stuff, but…I don’t think we can afford to think about those while we’re in a place like this with…so many injuries. So…I promise: We’ll get everyone out of here safely. That’s what I feel like I’m supposed to do as a guild member. “

 

“Wooow, awesome…” Calladin said. “The way Q talked about you guys made you seem a lot scarier! Like you’d cave my skull and bury me in the desert!”

 

“What???” Vizon cried.

 

“Oh shoot. Was that out loud??”

 

“…Yeah, uh… No, I’m not in the habit of doing that,” Avery said, frowning a little. “… Kind of makes me wonder how much we know about you guys is wrong-“

 

Jolvia nudged the starly, rolling her eyes. Nivanee huffed weakly, Vizon eying the group.

 

“So, where to now…?” Vizon asked. Jolvia sniffed, looking back the way she and Calladin came as she answered.

 

“Well, in just a few moments I suspect-“

 

“IIIIII FOUND THE STUPID ONE!” A familar, gruff voice merrily sang.

 

“Ah, there he is.” Jolvia said with a smile, turning back to see a figure appear, floating and with a body slung over his shoulder.

 

“What fun!” Rikzyod’s voice rang merrily. “I found myself in a strange place of endless mist where I found the stupid one asleep! I even had fun with the shadowy creatures stalking in the fog, what a lark!”

 

Avery’s thoughts were interrupted by Rikzyod’s voice, looking up from his contemplation.

 

“Stupid one? Do you… Do you mean the Foreman….?” the Plusle asked.

 

‘…I mean. Trying to wield an ancient artifact strikes me as pretty stupid.’

 

“That is the one!” Rikzyod said, dropping the foreman on the ground. The Sneasel had a shallow gash on her head but was otherwise alive…if unconscious.

 

Vizon lifted a torch, handing it to Rikzyod. Avery could see a whole half of the Geodude’s face was now sparkling diamond geode, the rock layer blown away. Yet despite the grievous impurity Rikzyod still smiled merrily.

 

“Oh, sheesh, Rikzyod…” Vizon cringed. “Doesn’t that…you know…” he gestured to his face. “…hurt…?”

 

“Immensely! Near to paralyzingly! Is it not grand?” Rikzyod laughed, patting Vizon on the head, who only grunted in response. “Now then…ah! Avery! You are alive! Come back a few broken bones stronger, uh??”

 

“I’m not the worst off of all of us,” Avery said with an uneasy laugh. “…We need to get Nivanee some intensive medical care as soon as possible. And I think chances are low that we’re going to find a fully staffed hospital down here.”

 

“Hah! And when she is back on her feet she will no doubt be able to put a hole through Arceus himself!” Rikzyod assured with a smile, one the delirious Nivanee returned, a silent chuckle escaping her lips. It was clear she appreciated any levity right now.

 

‘…Deep breaths.

 

I’m not sure how levitous I can be. But…for Nivanee, I have to try.

 

We have to get out of here.’

 

Avery smiled as well and looked back towards the nexus.

 

“There’s one more door back where we came from. Hopefully that leads to a way out… And our two missing faces.”

 

Jolvia nodded, Rikzyod picking the forman back up.

 

“Alright, follow us.” Vizon said, Calladin nodding and taking his place behind him, Jolvia and Rikzyod following suit. “Lahnae, Avery, lead on.”

 

Lahnae nodded, lighting a stream of fire again, ready to return to the nexus. Avery began walking back with them – slower, now that they had a much larger party. That was probably good on Avery’s hobbling leg, at least.

 

Soon, they were back in the pathways far above the night desert.

 

“…Get your looks in now,” Avery said, looking up. “…And, uh…I don’t know if it’s possible, but don’t fall again. The sand there looks plush, but… I’m not sure I see an obvious way back up here.”

 

Walking into this strange place…Nivanee stared in awe. Calladin looked abouts, nodding off to the side as a trio of floating archways far in the distance…

 

“That must be where we just were…” the Starly muttered.

 

Avery looked back at Calladin for a moment.

 

“Are you able to fly, Calladin? I don’t want you pushing yourself to injury, but since our eventual direction is going to be ‘up,’ having someone who can get up there without land beneath him would be good.”

 

Calladin snapped out of his thoughts to look at Avery.

 

“Huh? Oh yeah, yeah, totally, guild guy!” Calladin assured. “This hurt leg’s not gunna slow me down from saving you guys.”

 

Jolvia smiled.

 

“Thank you, Calladin.” She said. “I know…Q has his misgivings about us, but…”

 

“Q is just as cool as ever, I’m just following his example!”

 

Vizon looked back at the Starly, looking lost as to what he meant. He grunted, looking away. It wasn’t hard for Avery to guess what the Riolu was thinking about being buddy-buddy with ‘bad guys’. Thankfully, Vizon voiced nothing for now.

 

As Avery spoke, he returned his gaze to the final arch, heading towards it.

 

He had to hope that Q and Loshjno were through there.

 

Chapter 21.1

~

Nadir

~

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

================   S U S P E N D E D  =================

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[CW SUMMARY] – Nivanee is extremely injured and the team has to perform emergency field first-aid with their dwindling supplies, guaranteeing that Nivanee won’t be able to proceed with the mission.