Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Eye of the Storm (Team Voler)

Chapter I, Part II: Sage

Fort Crag. The cold, black walls of the ominous castle were the place I always knew as home, as safety from the cold and the enemy. There was no attempt to mask the true nature of the place; it wore the badge of being the centre of the Storm Continent's criminal world with pride, standing tall and challenging any who dared to try and take on its empire of outlaws. Of course, this did attract some of the braver- well, more foolish- rescue teams. The newbies who thought that because they had a badge they could take on the world alone. Naturally, the criminals were happy to prove them wrong.

Living in the fortress was never easy. Frozen winters brought food shortages and supply raids were sent out to mainland. Many went and were never seen again; whether they were arrested, killed, or even just pursued a new life, we would never know.

So where did I fit into all this? Well, truthfully, I didn't. My father, a mighty Arcanine, was never around- he was always leading his gang into battle. Although we lived under the same roof, we couldn't have been more distant. He'd never talk to me, he'd scarcely even spare me a glance. At most, I'd get a few berries from him, then he'd go again and I wouldn't see him for another few days.

Then everything changed.

"Come here, Sage."

The short, curt command immediately told me something was wrong. But nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

My father's orange fur was tainted with crimson as blood seeped from dozens of deep gashes in his flesh.

"What happened?" I cried out.

"Nasty fight, an Incineroar and a Scizor. But that's not what's important. What's important is what I've just realised. What I now know is that I could die at any moment, on any day. And if that does happen, someone needs to take over the team."

"Wait... You can't mean..."

"That is what I mean," he cut me off. "Sage, you're going to have to learn how to fight."

"B... But... I can't..."

"Then you'd better learn fast."

Without another word, he was on me. He showed absolutely no mercy, claws raking me, fireballs bursting on my skin. Had he not been weak from his injuries, I think I would have died by his hand there and then. Nonetheless, eventually he relented, turning away in cold contempt.

"I don't know why I even bother with you. You're useless."

Those were the last words I ever heard from him. Where he went when he left the bloodstained room, I don't know. Because at that moment my energy was solely focused on getting out of there. Every little piece of willpower I could possibly muster went into escaping Fort Crag's walls, running as hard as I could despite the hindrance of my many wounds. I ran and ran until night fell, only pausing to catch my breath as the stronghold behind me was enveloped by the falling curtain of black.

But where was I to go? There was no shelter to be found; I was in the middle of an icy plain. And even if I had wanted to return, there was no way back. The castle had been lost in the darkness. I was all alone in the dead of night.

A single fireball lit the way in front of me as my eyes strained to find something, anything. And that's when I saw it. A cave entrance- perfect. I scampered down a corridor and came to a split in the path.

"All I need is somewhere to spend the night," I thought to myself. I took a random turn, hoping for the cave to open out. Then another one. Then another.

But I'd made a horrible mistake.

This was no ordinary cave. This was a mystery dungeon.

Panic set in as that grim realisation hit me and I rushed back, frantically trying to remember the turns I took. But I was deeper in the dungeon than I had thought, lost in an icy maze.