Pokémon: The Mysterious Region (book 1)

Chapter 16: Battle Under the Moon Pt. 1

After a while of running in the dark, I had to rest. I came to a stop and slid down, my back against a tree. Luna noticed I had stopped and sighed.

"Fine," she said, stopping as well. "We'll rest here tonight. Nidoqueen, guard the prisoners."

Nidoqueen nodded and tossed Cera and Ven on the ground. 

Luna kneeled next to me and I looked at her with drooping eyes, sleep wanting to come. "We leave at dawn, so you better be ready."

I nodded wearily and leaned my head back and drifted away.

...

I was running along the cliff again. My eyes were looking desperately over the side, trying to find the beach. Then, it appeared before my eyes. I slowed to a stop and watched as someone walked from the cliff edge to the lone palm tree alongside a Pokemon. Eric and Shiftry.

Eric kneeled next to the grave and spoke to Shiftry. Standing back, Eric nodded. Shiftry blasted the hole with Razor Leaf and in no time my brother's body was uncovered, sand sticking to his clothes and skin. I couldn't see the head wound, but I knew it was there by the dried blood on his face and hair.

I pounded the cliff side in a silent scream, rage building up inside me. How dare he defile my brother's grave! 

I watched, unable to do anything as Eric hauled my brother's body up on his shoulder and walked back to the cliff face and into the caves, Shiftry taking time to fling some leaves at a Kingler before following.

I screamed and screamed, but nothing was coming out. I pounded the ground over and over, then the earth cracked. It broke into dust and I was falling. I fell through darkness before landing in the tunnels. I laid there, breathing hard. I moved my arm and felt it dangle over nothingness. I turned my head and found myself staring into the endless chasm I had seen before.

I saw Eric emerge from a tunnel, Shiftry by his side. He held Ryan's body in front of him and spoke to him, but I could only see his lips move silently. Then, Eric tossed his body into the chasm and I watched in horrified silence as his body disappeared into the darkness.

Finally, I heard Eric speak. "Now fall for all eternity in the Endless Chasm."

...

I jolted awake, the first rays of sunlight hitting me in the face. I blinked away sleep and got to my feet. Luna was already up, cooking meat on a fire. Yanma buzzed above me and I smiled at him.

Luna glanced up at me. "Good, your up."

"What are you doing?" I asked. 

"Food," she said. "What does it look like?"

I shrugged and sat on the opposite side of the fire. 

Luna picked up the stick she was cooking the food on and said, "Get Xera up. We eat on our feet."

I went over to Xera and was deciding if it was better to tell her to get up or nudge her awake when her eyes popped open. She glared at me and I backed off. Grovyle stepped away from the tree he had been resting at, Dewpider following him.

"Food's ready," I said meekly. I had no idea what Xera thought of me now. Sure she must hate me for being an outsider, but not enough to kill me like Cera and Ven were going to do. Luna handed both of us a piece of cooked meat and we were on our way. Cera and Ven didn't struggle as Nidoqueen carried them, just silently glared at us.

Luna looked back at Xera as we moved quickly through the jungle. "You're more familiar with this place. How much farther?"

Xera closed her eyes, then nodded. "The river's up ahead."