Four Paws and A Tale

Chapter 32: Archie

*Later that night*

"Damn that pup, I'll kill him."

Archie was pacing in front of a small fire, around a campsite he had built a little distance from the safehouse.

*Rustle*

There's no wind, something made that bush move.

"Show yourself!" I shot a powerful gush of flame, incinerating the poor bush. I growled, spinning around.

"Grr, who's there?"

"Just a Pup."

Behind me. I jumped and faced him. The Pup. The fool had saved me the trouble of finding him, he walked straight to his death.

"Ha, coming straight to me? You must be keen to see that Vulpix again."

"Shut up."

"Oh? The Pup's got some attitude." I snarled at him, "Maybe I should teach you some manners!"

"Try it."

I chuckled. I summoned the Shadow Shard from inside me and presented it to him, I arched Jacob an eyebrow. "Did you forget so soon?"

I summoned the crystal's power and directed it at the pup, time for him to die. He just stood and waited.

"Ha! Even you know it's pointless, you can't resist the crystal!"

Tendrils of Shadow snaked forward, wrapping themselves around him and disappearing into him. His head dropped, slowly it rose again. Black lightning pulsed around his body, he grinned at me manically. Shadows dripped from his mouth. They writhed in his eyes. This was not the same Pup I had fought before. When he spoke his voice was harsh, cold, merciless.

"You're right, I can't resist the Shadow's call. I can only embrace it."

He took a step forward. I took a step back. He kept on talking, sounding disappointed.

"Are you scared? But this, this is what you look for in an ally, right?"

His pupils shrunk to tiny black dots, his eyes moved rapidly, looking in all directions.

He giggled and smiled at me, his head tilted to the side.

"Archie?"

...

"Archie..."

...

The battle was short and one-sided. The Arcanine. He could not win. The fire danced and went out, the darkness hid the blood, which had been spilled.