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Even though Kael had stormed off toward the depths of the canyon on impulse, he wasn't completely reckless.
Night travel is always more dangerous than day… unless you have no choice.
With that in mind, he slowed down and began searching for a suitable place to take shelter until morning.
Carefully, he moved through the rain-slick gorge, eyes scanning every corner of rock and shadow for anything he could use as cover.
Then he spotted it.
A massive slab of dark stone jutted from the canyon wall like a natural awning, creating a broad patch of ground underneath that remained mostly dry.
Kael's eyes brightened.
He broke into a trot, rain dripping down his wool as he ducked beneath the stone eave.
It wasn't warm, but it was dry and that was more than enough.
He picked out the driest spot he could find and sat down.
Zzz…
Thin yellow sparks rippled across his body, and the residual rainwater instantly evaporated in faint wisps of steam. As an Electric-type, water clinging to his fur was uncomfortable and irritating.
Kael took a deep breath of the cold, damp air.
Today had been… a lot. Too much, really. What he'd thought was an average assignment had spiraled into death, legends, and a sudden loss of direction.
For the first time, he genuinely felt a little anxious about what came next.
A faint green flicker appeared in the darkness behind him.
Kael blinked.
That glow… it looked strangely familiar.
Did something else live under this rock?
Driven by curiosity, he walked deeper into the shadow, following the distant glimmer.
It led him to a small, circular tunnel barely wide enough for him to squeeze through. Only darkness inside… except for that faint green glow far in the back.
The closer he got, the stronger the sense of recognition became.
Wait… that color…
He stepped inside.
The tunnel was cramped at first, so cramped that Kael had to duck his head and squeeze sideways in a few spots, but it soon widened, eventually opening into a high, arched cavern.
And there it was.
Like stars in a midnight sky, dozens of faint green lights flickered across the walls and ceiling.
Each light came from a chunk of crystalline ore embedded in the stone.
Exactly the same color as the Thunder Stone hanging from Kael's neck.
A Thunder Stone vein.
An entire ore deposit.
The quality was nowhere near that of his pendant, but still, this was the kind of treasure Electric-types fought over.
Before he could take a closer look, a soft rustling sound echoed out of the darkness.
"Ryi!"
"Ryi!"
Pairs of small, blue-glowing eyes appeared all across the cavern walls. Sharp, squeaking voices echoed between the stones.
Kael frowned and lifted his head. Electric energy pulsed through his body.
BZZZZT!
A flash of yellow light illuminated the cavern.
Only then did he finally see the Pokémon clearly.
Small, lizard-like bodies. Smooth black-and-yellow skin. Drooping ear-like frills crackling with static.
Helioptile.
Kael exhaled in mild relief. Before evolution, Helioptile weren't particularly dangerous, with average stats and average durability. Certainly not enough to threaten him.
"…but there are way too many of them."
He glanced around.
Dozens of Helioptile surrounded him, slowly closing in with wary glares.
He sighed.
"So this is their nest…"
No point in talking. He gathered energy, tail flicking behind him as the crystal at its tip hummed with light.
BOOM!
A powerful magnetic field swept through the cave.
Helioptile squealed in pain a few of the closer ones even foamed at the mouth and collapsed.
Kael raised a hoof. A small ball of crackling electricity formed above it.
He grinned.
THOOM—!
The tiny ball expanded in a pulse of electric energy, sending ripples in all directions like a sonic boom.
The wave washed over the Helioptile. Their aggressive expressions instantly melted into fear. Slowly, one by one, they lay flat against the floor and bowed their heads in submission.
Kael nodded.
That was one thing he always appreciated about wild Pokémon they might be vicious, but they knew when to bow to overwhelming strength.
He let the oppressive aura fade and even released a gentle thread of friendly intent. The group immediately relaxed.
"Meh!"
Kael barked softly at the largest Helioptile, clearly the leader, explaining (as best as a Pokémon could) that he only needed a place to rest and had no intention of taking over the nest.
The leader visibly relaxed and turned to their group, chattering several quick orders.
Then, to Kael's surprise, it personally led him to a spot deeper in the cavern where electrical energy was densely concentrated.
Kael sat down, ready to finally rest… until a soft, tentative chirp sounded at his side.
He opened one eye.
Several young Helioptile stood nearby, each pushing a freshly-split chunk of Thunder Stone toward him with their little forepaws. Their large eyes sparkled with reverence.
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"…You're offering these to me?"
He glanced at the low-grade stones. They wouldn't enhance him much his electrical reserves were already beyond what normal Thunder Stones could meaningfully boost.
He was about to refuse…
Then saw the bright eyes and hopeful faces staring up at him.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
He quietly pulled the stones toward himself with a bit of magnetism and set them down at his side.
"Alright then…" he murmured, "I'll use them as a little recovery snack."
The young Helioptile chirped happily and scampered off.
For the first time that night, Kael felt a bit of warmth inside his chest.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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