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Huff… huff…
The sound of ragged breathing echoed through the forest.
Sweat soaked them from head to toe, but Allen and Trevor didn't dare stop as they tore down the mountainside.
With the shadow of death snapping at their heels, even the burning ache in their legs and the dizzy haze in their heads couldn't slow them.
Allen risked a glance back.
The mountain was lit in flashes of blue and violet from clashing attacks, each burst casting the slopes in a neon glow.
Hydreigon's distant, commanding roar cut through the air so loud that even across half the island, it was crystal clear.
He tore his eyes forward again. No time to watch.
Strangely, the path down was unnervingly clear. Perhaps the wild Pokémon had scattered in fear of Hydreigon's wrath, leaving the two of them unopposed.
Finally, at sunset, they broke out onto the coast.
Only after clambering onto the same white speedboat they'd arrived in did a shred of relief seep into their chests.
The engine roared to life, churning white spray in its wake as Allen pushed it to full throttle, racing toward the fog-shrouded boundary surrounding Talon Island.
They were almost at the mist when a bellow split the sky behind them.
"ROOOOAR!!!"
The sound was ancient and raw, shaking the ocean's surface into violent waves.
Allen's stomach dropped, his skin prickling as a cold sweat broke out anew.
Turning just enough to look, he spotted a fast-closing black speck in the sky.
It was the island's ruler Hydreigon.
As it drew closer, its condition became clearer. While its presence was still terrifying, the dragon was a far cry from its earlier dominance.
One of its three heads, the left, hung limp, bleeding faintly at the mouth and eye.
Two of its six black wings were broken, leaving it barely able to stay aloft thanks to its natural Levitate ability.
Clearly, Noir's Pokémon had left their mark, even without his direct command.
Allen studied the battered Hydreigon.
"Maybe… It's on its last legs," he thought.
Then he shook his head.
Kael's Poké Ball was secure at his belt, but all of their other Pokémon were injured. Even a wounded Hydreigon could tear them apart and wild Pokémon were notorious for their last-ditch bursts of ferocity before defeat.
The wingbeats grew louder. The roars pounded in their ears.
Allen's jaw tightened. "Looks like… we're not getting away after all."
But then, strangely, the dragon stopped.
Right at the edge of the mist.
It snarled and bellowed, pacing along the border, but didn't cross.
It was as if an invisible barrier kept it from entering.
The sight would have been comical if not for the tension the apex predator thwarted, raging but unable to reach its prey.
Allen forced himself to keep driving, every hair on his body standing on end under Hydreigon's glare.
Only when the fog had swallowed the boat entirely and the dragon's silhouette vanished from sight did Allen and Trevor finally allow themselves to collapse onto the deck, utterly spent.
"You alright?" Allen asked, still catching his breath.
"I'm fine," Trevor said. "But our Pokémon are badly hurt. It's going to be a long recovery."
"At least… we made it out alive," Allen sighed, then hesitated. "I'm sorry. This was on me. I should've double-checked the—"
"Don't," Trevor interrupted with a wave. "Missions never go perfectly. We deal with what happens. Besides…"
A spark lit in his eyes. "We didn't exactly leave empty-handed."
He reached into his small side pouch and pulled out several pale violet gems and a few bright red Berries.
Allen's eyes widened. He'd been so focused on the egg earlier that he hadn't noticed anything else in the nest. Now, seeing them up close, he could feel the energy radiating off them.
Taking one gem in his hand, he studied it in the fading light. Inside, a shimmering blue-violet glow seemed to swirl like liquid, saturated with potent Dragon-type energy. The Berries identified from memory were equally infused with draconic power.
These were clearly meant to nourish Hydreigon's soon-to-hatch offspring.
Not as valuable as the egg itself, perhaps, but still priceless in the outside world.
Allen glanced down at the black-and-yellow Poké Ball at his waist. A silent decision formed in his mind.
He met Trevor's gaze, and without a word, they nodded to each other.
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Inside the Poké Ball
Warmth surrounded Kael, as if he were soaking in heated water. Gentle currents seeped through his skin, easing into his muscles and soothing the aches left from battle.
It was almost like the comforting stillness of being inside an egg again.
He opened his eyes to find himself suspended in a transparent, oval-shaped capsule filled with pale blue liquid. The warmth spreading through his body slowly diluted the fluid, healing him from the inside out.
He flexed his forelegs. There was still a faint ache from the overstrain, but compared to before, it was almost nothing.
Kael silently praised Dark Star's recovery systems before shifting his focus to the corner of his vision where his system notifications waited.
Beep!
[Defeated Pokémon: Noivern]
[+75 Experience Points]
Kael blinked. He was certain he hadn't landed the finishing blow after leaving Noivern critically wounded, he'd blacked out from overexertion.
Something must have happened after he lost consciousness.
Still, the fact that Allen and Trevor had made it past Noir was surprising in itself.
Kael knew that in the system's rules, defeating a stronger opponent yielded far greater rewards.
This time, though, without that final strike, the payout was smaller than it could have been.
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