Chosen One

Unfortunate Encounter

I shared what i could remember about the vision that haunted me and Dug listened intently. He leaned back in his chair, resting his right elbow in his left hand and rubbing his nose thoughtfully.

"I've heard of visions like those before," he said, finally speaking up. "And I think you deserve to find the answers behind it." I perked up at his words, feeling grateful for his understanding.

"Do you have any idea where I should start looking?" I asked eagerly. Dug paused for a moment before responding.

"I believe your quest will take you to a dungeon that isn't for the faint-hearted. But I will have to liaise with Aricin" As I absorbed Dug's words, Patrick, leaned in and whispered into my ear.

"Aricin is the leader of the guild, with the power of a lion and the flames of a volcano at his grasp." I couldn't help but feel intimidated by the description of Aricin. But Dug quickly set things straight.

"Yes, but don't think that, just because you came to me with these visions that this gives you an excuse to see him," he warned us sternly. "You will wait in the dining hall, and I'll be back with the coordinates of your destination." Despite his warning, I felt a sense of excitement and anticipation. The prospect of uncovering the truth behind my visions was daunting, but it was also exhilarating. I couldn't wait to see where this journey would take me.

---

Sitting at the table, both Patrick and I refuse to eat, the memory infecting our minds. "Legends frozen in time... Wait, you said you didn't know what a Pokémon was, yet I've heard you say and use the name Arceus."

"I don't know what a Pokémon is. Arceus, on the other hand, is our God, who we worship in times of need. No one has ever seen him, but we still put our trust in him."

"In my world, Arceus is a Pokémon, the God Pokémon. My mum told stories of him, how he saved our world more than once."

"What is a Pokémon anyway?"

I look at Patrick, confused. It's a genuine question; how has he not heard of us? "Well, if I had to put it simply, they are like Mages, but in the form of small creatures. We all have types that have advantages and disadvantages. Come to think of it..." Then it hits me, "I Get it. Arceus! How did I not see it before." I run my hand through my hair and it all seems to click, "Dug is a Diglett, Josh and Joleen were Joltik,"

"I am so confused," Patrick says, interrupting me.

"Mages are Pokémon, just in human form."

"I'm still confused."

"How? It's so simple? You even dress how your counterparts look, and your names... my Arceus... Greg is Grovyle, Lucy is Lopunny, and you, you're a Pikachu."

"You think I'm a Pokémon?"

"Well, no. You aren't right now, but in my world, that's what you would be."

"I come bearing good news," Dug announces, interrupting my epiphany. "The venture you seek requires finding Xannon, a powerful and elusive Psychic Mage who has the gift of seeing the past and future simultaneously. However, her visions come at a price, and she fears their realisation. Therefore, she banishes herself whenever found to hide the truth. She was last in Current Forest so, unfortunately, she won't be there now. However, lucky for you, it's rumoured that she is hiding in the Toxic Meadows, a dangerous and unforgiving place, where the air is thick with poisonous fumes and the ground is tainted with deadly toxins. The landscape is barren and desolate, with twisted trees and shrubs that have been stripped of all life. The sky is perpetually dark and ominous, alive with dangerous sirens gurgling between every crevice. Anyone who dares to enter must be prepared to face the consequences. It's truly a place where only the bravest dare to venture.