Pokémon: The Mysterious Region (book 1)

Chapter 24: Straight into Danger

I stopped as I felt something prick my left shoulder. I looked to see a spear tip pressed against me, a tiny drop of blood forming at the spot. I followed the long wooden shaft up to the man holding it. His long black hair was swept into a ponytail, blue eyes narrowed.

"Hello again Liam," Eric grinned. "Been a while."

I tried to speak, but only uttered a small sound.

"Can't even speak," he sighed. "How pathetic."

Aside from Eric, there were three others with him. Two women with long blonde hair that looked like twins, no signs of mercy in their green eyes. The other was a guy with short messy brown hair, brown eyes surrounded by small scars on his face. All of them held spears, but there was no signs of Pokemon with them.

I heard leaves being shifted and cast my gaze upwards. In a tree near Eric was Shiftry, along with a Carnivine wrapping its vines onto the trunk itself. I heard something above me and cast my eyes further up to see a Swadloon clinging to the rock face above, the Leavanny from the Tribe above her.

"Now," Eric smirked. "I would love to chat, but we were told killing you quickly and efficiently would be best."

As he jabbed forwards, aiming for my heart, my legs were kicked out from beneath me as I fell backwards. Luna grabbed the side of the spear as it slid through empty air, managing to yank it out of Eric's hands, pulling him forwards. She used the butt of the shaft to slam into his chin and he stumbled back.

"Make sure to put that spear to good use," Luna advised me as she stepped out in front of me, twirling the spear, pointing it at the four enemies.

"Above you!" I warned as the Swadloon leaped for her. In the blink of an eye, the Swadloon was tossed aside by Leavanny.

"Leeeavany!" She cried, crossing her leaf cutter arms at the Tribes people.

"Looks like she's willing to fight with us," Xera said, stepping past me. "That's good."

Grovyle and Dewpider followed her, ready to fight as well.

"Looks like I just can't sit and do nothing," I grunted, hauling myself to my feet, lifting my spear, aiming the metal blade at Eric. "Though I'll more than likely get in the way."

"No better teacher than experience," Luna said. "Besides, if you die, don't get us killed in the process."

"Great confidence booster," I muttered.

"If you're all done," Eric rubbed his chin. "I'd love to get to killing you, Moonlighter."

"Bring it Greenie," Luna smirked. "I'll show you the strength of the Moonlit Tribe."

"Heh," Eric narrowed his gaze and snapped his fingers. Shiftry leaped from the tree, leaves glowing as he aimed for Luna. Grovyle shot above her, clashing his leaves against Shiftry's. 

Luna rushed forwards, spear thrust towards Eric's chest, but the blonde twins intercepted her attack, thrusting Luna's spear upwards, the tip going over Eric's head. He grinned and yanked his spear back. Luna grinned while whipping out her knife as the twins stepped forwards to shield Eric.

Xera had gone for the guy with the scars, blocking and parrying attacks. Carnivine slinked towards me, mouth open wide. Leavanny knocked him to the side, her arms glowing. His vines shot out wrapping themselves around her as he prepared to bite her head. 

I ran forwards, thrusting the spear tip into his mouth, blood spurting from where I struck. His vines unraveled as Leavanny looked at me in thanks. Then she narrowed her eyes and launched herself behind me. I turned to see Eric blocking Leavanny's attack, before slamming her into the moss covered cliff face.

He left her there to fall as he turned his gaze to me, smiling. "You could've lived a peaceful life with the Jungle Tribe you know. Yet you threw it all away to try and kill us all."

"What are you talking about?" I backed up, gripping my spear tighter.

His smile never wavered. "We heard how you tried to kill Cera and Ven. How you and Xera aligned yourself with the Moonlit Tribe. Quite sad really. The Elders had no choice but to sentence you to your death."

"You-" my eyes widened. "No. You planned all of this, didn't you!?"

He pointed his spear at me with one hand. "An outsider such as yourself should have never been accepted as one of us. Now, Liam Walsh, prepare to meet your fate. May the god Disectra have mercy upon your soul."

He lunged forwards, spear aimed for my heart once more, but the spear cracked in half as Zoroark lunged from the cave. The tip flew over my head as Z snarled at Eric, blasting him away with a wave of dark energy.

"Thanks," I breathed, realizing once again how close I came to death.

She just bared her fangs at me before helping Leavanny to her feet. 

Eric got up, tossing aside his broken spear. "Stupid creature." 

Shiftry landed in front of him, sneering at Z. She just snarled and transformed into Dragonite, fist powering up with electricity. 

"Deal with her," Eric told Shiftry before making to move around Zoroark. She went to punch him, but a storm of leaves carried her into the air. Eric ran for me, barehanded. 

I took a couple staggering steps backwards as he closed in, so I tried to thrust, but sidestepped and punched me square in the chest. Winded, I stumbled backwards. 

He shook his hand. "Not enough to knock you down? Fine then."

Desperate, I swung the spear towards his head, but he ducked, the tip swinging down into the ground.

"Too slow," He practically flew forwards, slamming his fist into my chest again. "And not enough FORCE!"

I fell to the ground, my spear rolling off to the side. I groaned. I wouldn't be surprised if a rib or two was broken.

"Pathetic," Eric sighed. "This wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be."

Hearing a grunt, we both looked to our left to see the guy Xera was fighting stumbled backwards, holding an arm wound tightly. Xera was panting, holding both her spear and her enemy's, one of the tips bathed in blood. Luna had managed to make one of the twins back off with a leg wound, the other panting with a thin cut on her cheek.

"Hmm," Eric grinned. "Seems like your friends are much more capable than you."

"Course we are," Luna said, not looking back, keeping her gaze on her opponent. "He's still a weakling. I've been training my whole life. There's a reason," She ran forwards, dodging an attack, only to swing herself behind the woman and slice both her legs, making her collapse. "I'm the chief's daughter."

Eric narrowed his eyes. "Daughter eh? Now that's interesting."

"That's right," she turned to look at him, golden eyes glowing. "You kill me, you'll have a war on your hands."

"Fine by me," Eric grinned slyly. "You Moonlighters are better off dead. Killing you would be just the thing this island needs."

"DON'T YOU HURT HER!"

"What was tha-" Eric's eyes widened as he lurched backwards, my knife slicing through the air where he had just been.

"Oh," Eric raised an eyebrow at me. "You still have some fight in you."

I was breathing heavily as I gripped the knife tighter. "No one else is going to die! Not if I can help it!"

"You would have to kill me," He said, almost pleased by the idea. "That would be the only way to stop me."

I gritted my teeth and ran forwards, swinging wildly, only for my feet to get knocked off the ground. My head hit the ground hard, my vision blurring. Before I lost consciousness, I saw a spear hit the ground near me as someone rushed forwards. Then I was gone.

Definitely a much shorter chapter. Sorry about that. I wanted it to end like this and I didn't want to drag it all on unnecessarily. Plus, I kinda want the next chapter to be one thing. You'll see what I mean when I can update this again. Anyway, school's getting ever closer, which means rarer updates. Till next time. Toodles