Chapter 8: The Swordsman in the Sands Last Time: Fearsome Four: “I’m Erin” the red head said “I’m Boris” the big one said “And I’m Sabrina were three of the fearsome four” Plan: “Hey isn’t that the princess I bet we can get a big ransom if we kidnap her” Ninetails den: “Get out intruding humans” he said “You can talk” Shasha said in amazement Strange doing: “Does anyone else feel strange” I said my vision was beginning to blur I could only see the others a little they were staggering around like me then everything went black. Vetris attack: “Oh no they were stung by a Vetris” Honor: “No, you have a sense of honor I can tell maybe some day in the future you and me can spar off again” Mayu’s new Pokemon: “Miya! You can talk” “She must have snuck into Mayu’s bag when we slept at Cira’s den” “I guess she likes it there take good care of her” Split up: “I guess this is where we saw goodbye to Shasha” Kaden said “I guess I best get home mom must be worried sick” Shasha said as she mounted swellow “Bye” she said as the swellow took off Somewhere in the Madrid Desert… I am Anton Shaf I am the captain of the Ripshire Assailants a group of killers that work for the Mossdeep Kingdom as contract killers otherwise known as soliders of fourtune or hired sword. A spy for us told the King that travelers from the Royal City of Lavaridge are approaching the desert. My crew of assaians and I were arriving near the end of the desert we were at Regi-Rock it was a fork but if you went the wrong way you were bombarded with rocks from the sleeping spirit inside while if you went the other way you were stuck in unbearable heat of the desert for the remainder of the trip both sides signaled trouble but if you were a smart traveler you would chose the path in the sun rather than face the rocks in the shade of the giant stone. “Come on lets go!” Adrian said as he started heading left towards the rock bombardment he was the 2nd in command we were in constant compotation for the slot of captain which I hold and have held always “Fool if you wander into the shadow of the stone the rock spirit will pelt you with a never ending onslaught of boulders we should travel to the right we will be safe” I said glaring at the giant of a man he was twice my age but he was as dumb as a slowbro “We can handle a few rocks its better than being withered to nothing in the unrelenting heat and wilderness that lies beyond the rock” Adrian said as he and the two other men in the troop Claude and Robert followed him. “Wait guys Anton has a good point we made it this far in the heat we can survive this more” the only female in the group Nina said. In my opinon she didn’t belong here she was a skilled fighter no contest but she was to kind and caring for others to be a cold blooded killer. “You always take his side foolish women it’s only thanks to him your even here come on guys lets go” Adrian said as he and the others left “Come one Anton lets go” Nina had said as we went to but we took the opposite path it was a very hot day we each had a half a canteen left of water we were half way across the path suddenly I started to feel odd my vision blurred as a sharp pain shot threw my arm I looked quickly before blacking out a large thorn was sticking out of my shoulder “Anton, Anton!” I heard Nina cry then I blacked out. With Kaden, Mayu, and Petia… Mayu, Petia and I filled two canteens of water for each of us thanks to Felix, Erin and Boris who gave us their canteens as a gift as they had spares “that should be plenty of water until we reach the Oasis in the center” Petia said as we started our trek it was unbelievably hot in that desert I dared not let Swordcrad out his sensitive body would fry in this heat after about an hour of walking we came across a very large rock. “This is the Regi-Rock it is the tomb of the ancient Pokemon Regirock” Petia said “Now we can either go t the left or right” she said as I looked each direction on was in the shade from the sun and the other was still in the heat. “Is there a catch” I said looking at each side it just seemed too simple the obvious choice would be to the left in the shade but I just had a bad feeling. “Oh right, the left side gets a lot of rockslides because Regirock throws its excess boulders over there for storage” Petia said. “So it’s either heat or rocks” Mayu said as she also looked at each path. “I say we go to the right a we still have plenty of water” I said the others didn’t seem to object we headed towards the right the desert was very pretty compared to the forest the light from the sun made the few flowers growing there look even better and the wildlife was amazing Cacnea and Cacturne and sandslash I even saw a Flygon, My favorite Pokemon “Help, somebody please help me!” I heard someone shout the three of us ran up a small sand dune. It seemed a long trip because I tripped three times when we reached the top at the base we could see two people we slid down the dunes we saw two people one was a slim girl about Mayu’s height she had two slender swords a vibvira hovering next to her it she was battling a large plant Pokemon with red leaves and a blue head it hand many large vines with many thorns. “Vetris” it cried “Go Seviper, Go Ponyta, and Go Spheal” Mayu Petia and I cried as our Pokemon came out the Vetris spewed 3 thorns heading our way “Ponyta use ember” Petia said as Pontyta spewed blue embers at the thorns they were scorched instantly the Vetris was very strong suddenly I heard the second person stir I went to help him he was a boy he looked a little older than me he had ghost white hair and very tan skin he had three red marks on his face he had black eyes he wore a blue tunic with a small metal plate he had a large metal gauntlet on that looked like a call he noticed a sword sheathed on his side I helped him up he staggered up the shoulder plate on his left shoulder had a hole in it and there was blood coming out of a wound on his shoulder if I had to guess I think that Vetris stung him “Pitiful fool of a Vetris” the man said the Vetris shrieked as he thrashed out more thorns the man called out a Heracross and pulled out his sword “Heracross brick break” he said Heracross charged at the vetris and rammed it very hard then the man ran up behind the heracross leapt off its back and slashed the Vetris the Vetris started Bleeding as it slunk off away “Anton you’re alright” the girl said hugging him “Who are these worms Nina” Anton said “These guys came right when you awoke” Nina said “And it couldn’t be better” she said as she collapsed into Anton’s arms “Nina!” he shouted I looked and sticking out of her shoulder-blade was a thorn off the Vetris “It must of stung her right when we got here I don’t know why she lasted so long against the poison but she did” I said as heaped the girl on my shoulders “I will carry her with your shoulder injury you couldn’t carry her as long as I can we can walk back to the spring and let the poison wear off there” I said as we turned around and headed back to the spring it was a short journey back we set up camp there we decieced to start the desert trek tomorrow so we could let our new friends rest after about an hour or so the girl woke up and we learned that their names were Anton and Nina “Well Anton, Nina I’m Kaden Shret” I said shaking their hands “I’m Mayu Enigo” Mayu said also extending a greeting “I’m Petia Lavashia” Petia said Anton looked shocked “Then you three must be the ones that we were sent to kill” Anton said “What do you mean” I asked “I am leader of the Ripshire assains a group of skilled warriors who were paid to kill you three from the King of Mossdeep” Anton said I steadied myself preparing for him to strike. “Anton I don’t want to fight them they saved us we would have been eaten by Vetris if they hadn’t shown up so can we hold off the violence just for a little while” Nina said grabbing Anton by the sleeve “Sure I might work for that madman of a king but I still have my honor” Anton said. Nina let out a sigh of relief. “Kaden quick knock them out before he strikes” Petia whispered in my ear “No, we are in a truce and I am not going to break it” I said Petia scuffed a sigh “I can assume that she wants you to strike me so I don’t betray the truce” Anton said “Yeah, but I told her absolutely not I wont break my word besides I trust you” I said as I took a drink of spring water. “How you can trust me knowing I am the enemy and I was sent to kill you astounds me” Anton said as he looked confused. “Dude mellow out I trust you guys too Kaden has got a good judge of character” Mayu said “Well I don’t know if that is true but I think you are a man of honor heck I have been sitting here and with your skill I bet you could cut me down before I could defend myself so I rest my case.” I said an eerie silence fell over the group “that’s always been your problem Anton you always put your honor in front of your mission” a bellow came from the desert three men were approaching one was an older man with grey hair and a very muscular build and a large tattoo on his chest the second was a younger man with short black hair and brown eyes he wore a black tank top and gauntlets similar to mine the third was a small boy about Petia’s age he was carrying a small axe and many other do-dads like what a prankster might carry and a fourth man was with them he was wearing a blue cloak with a red cape a large spear was at his side his face looked familiar “Balzer, so you are the spy!” I said as his face showed an arrogant grimace “Yes, I am the one who told his majesty about you three now prepare to die” Balzer said “So Anton you have two choices help us kill them or be branded a traitor” the old man said “Well Adrian I am going to stay here and help these pitiful fighters stop you I owe them a favor for saving my life so this seems like the perfect time to call in that favor” Anton said as he glared at Adrian. Nina tried to stand up and fight but her ankle still was injured from that Vetris. “I’m sorry Anton I can’t stand up” Nina said “Don’t worry Nina its still four on four” Mayu said readying her staff “I’ll take on Balzer” I said staring at Balzer “Go! Seviper” I said as my Seviper came out with an eerie hiss “I’ll handle the blonde one” Mayu said calling out Miya who was snoozing in Mayu’s sack. She opened he amber eyes and stretched “Huh...wha” she said sleepily she looked at Mayu “Miya can you help me take care of the bad man over there” she said with a motherly smile. Miya looked over at the blonde haired man with gauntlets and growled. “I’ll handle the cute boy” Petia said she blushed a bit and so did him but then they both dawned serious looks. “Go Ponyta” Petia said she mounted her ponyta “I guess that leaves you to me Adrian, Go! Sycther” Anton said the four men called out there Pokemon Balzer had a dratini the blonde one had a hitmonchan the small one had a Ponyta like Petia and Adrian had a Electabuzz the battle got started it was a viscous onslaught I ran right up to Balzer and gave him punched him in the nose “Seviper use bite” I said Seviper let lose a powerful chomp on dratini but the rubber like hide of dratini absorbed the hit “Dratini thundershock” Dratini sent a charge of electricity threw Seviper he was hurt badly but still wanted to fight I thrusted at Balzer he used his spear to block my punch he was a incredible fighter. “Seviper wrap!” I shouted as the battle continued I followed Kaden skillfully and spilt from his direction of the blonde haired man Miya was running behind me “Miya use tackle” I shouted as Miya ran up ad tackled the mans hitmonchan I jumped over Miya and tried to nail the man on the head he dodged and got behind me he slipped his huge arms around my shoulder I tried to struggle out but he was to strong. Then I thought of something I wriggled out enough to reach my staff with my foot “Hey what’s your name” I asked inching my staff closer “Why its Claude, why must you ask” Claude said “because I wanted to wish you good night” I said I quickly stepped on the tip of my staff with all my strength it flew up towards my face he let go of me in surprise and got hit with it I quickly grabbed my staff and hit him over the head he fell over “Miya use tackle” I said Miya tackled the hitmonchan over “Now use ember on those leaves” I said Miya hit the dry leaves which instantly caught fire Hitmonchan got up “Use quick attack Miya” I said Miya dashed and hit Hitmonchan who stumbled it to the fire he cagt fire and ran around frantically and then passed out burnt to a crisp “Ha piece of cake” I said as I went to help Kaden. The two ponyta’s that I and the mysterious boy had dashed next to each other at high speed me and the boy tried to hit each but missed each other we both jumped off our Ponyta and prepared to strike “Ponyta use ember” I said “You do the same Dash” the boy said the two horses spit a barrage of tiny embers each other one heading towards the opposite the blast collided together in a huge explosion I prepared to strike “I wouldn’t do that if I were you” the boy said “And why not” I said “I lined the whole ground with land mines one step and your toast” he said I stopped suddenly as he prepared to throw darts at me then I remembered. “Ribbon Rope” I said I reached into my sleeve an flung a bright colored ribbon at him it wrapped around him “Hey let me go” the boy said “The only way you can escape is me pulling you closer so you have to tell me where all the bombs are” I pulled the ribbon and the boy started skidding toward me “To the left move me to the left” the boy said I swung him left “Now right” he said I swung him right then he was almost to me he jumped up and I pulled him to me we suddenly back off he threw dart sat me “Ponyta Ember” I said as I spun around making sure I dodged the darts I jumped into the air and did a acrobatic flip at tried to kick the boy I missed and fell to the ground he ran to me and tried to slash I spun around don my shoulders and rolled out of the way “You’re pretty speedy” the boy said “you too” I said as I tried to kick his axe out of his hand he grabbed my foot and tried to throw me I was to heavy for the kid I could tell he was my age or close to it but I was taller than him I kicked his face with my free foot he ducked but let go of my foot I stood he tried to ram me with his head his helmet had a wooden spike on it so if he hi me I would most likely be bleeding I dodged it but he landed on top of me “Heh, it’s funny from this view you are kind of cute” the boy said “funny, I was about to say the same thing” I said I kidded his cheek gently he got up rapidly dancing around franticly as if his bum was on fire I quickly his him hardly on the head he laid there out cold “Sorry” I said as I joined Kaden Mayu joined me shortly after the fight had started Petia as well “Your outnumbered Balzer” I said a the three of us surrounded him “Grr we will meet again Kaden Shret and I will kill you then” Balzer said as he threw a smoke bomb and disappeared we ran over to help Anton “Stay back, don’t interfere” Anton said Adrian and I had been fighting for some time both my scyther and his electabuzz were knocked my right hand was badly cut by Adrian’s scythe I cut him in the arm as well “I might not me able to use my sword due to the pain of moving my arm but I still have this I showed my left arm it is covered in armor with a claw at the end I ran over and slashed him in the gut he punched me in the face my head hit the dirt but I stood up and shook off the blow “Your wrong you pompous windbag it’s those feelings that make me the strong one and you weakling and I’m about to prove it!” I shouted I ran up and slashed my hand across his face leaving a large cut. “Anton you have one this round but I will return!” Adrian called out a muk ”Muk smokescreen” he said the entire battle field was covered in smoke the four of us were coughing and gagging when the smoke cleared he was gone “Nina” Anton said he ran over to where Nina was but nothing was there “NO!” he shouted tears streaming down his face ”Adrian you will pay for this I swear” He said as the rest of us returned Mayu tended to his wound “Anton were going to help you get her back Adrian probably took her back to your base where is that “Lilycove town” Anton said I smirked “Well then stick with us buddy we are going to pass threw there anyways so why not it might be fun” I said trying to cheer him up he gave me a weak smile as the two of us shook hands.