Four Paws and A Tale

Chapter 46: Pixie

Several hours earlier...

Adrie was nervous, I could see it on her face as we stood outside Ardua castle. I yipped and smiled at her, she looked at me in surprise, then smiled.

"You're right Pixie. Let's go."

We entered the castle, Adrie had remembered the route to the gem on her first time around, Tertle, Glair and I followed her.

Up the stairs (More stairs? Why?! Hecking stairs man. Authors note; I love stairs. Stairs are great. Deal with it.) We arrived at the top of the stairs and found ourselves in front of a large ice-covered floor. Large icicles stuck out from the ground, there were no walls, only an empty space.

Adrie slid across the floor and bumped into the icicles, coming to a stop, she pushed off and bumped into another icicle, she kept going, slowly making her way across the room.

I followed slipping on the floor, I missed the icicle and went wide, I was reaching the edge, there was no wall, I did not want to fall and climb up those stairs again.

"Nope, nope, no, no noooo." I fell off and found myself on the first floor staring at the bottom of the stairs, this was going to be a long day. I climbed back up the stairs and was greeted by an amusing scene.

Glair was skating circles around Tertle. Tertle looked sick, he was spinning helplessly, Adrie was standing on the far side of the room in front of a door, she was not amused. "Come on guys we need to keep moving!" She was right.

Glair skated towards her, Tertle used Aqua Jet to fly over, I lit my feet on fire and ran across, burning the ice beneath me as I went. We got to other side and went up another set of stairs. (Stairs, yay.)

Before us lay winding paths that wrapped around the room, sometimes doubling back but never overlapping. It was like the obstacle from Sundown Temple but now there was no sand-ball traps and the floor was made of ice, it looked like it would break underfoot. On the other side of the room was a stone platform and a door.

Adrie looked down at me and Glair. "You two hop on. Sorry Tertle, you're a bit too heavy for me."

Glair and I jumped on Adrie's shoulders. The young female took off quickly, she sprinted along the ice-blocks and they broke, she slid across the ice, making sharp turns. Straight, left, left, right, right, straight, right, left, nearly there. Adrie slipped but was up again quickly, too slow. The ice was breaking. We fell, Adrie's fingers gripped the stone platform. She grits her teeth, Glair and I climbed up and pulled Adrie after us. (How? I mean I guess Pixie grabbed Adrie's sleeves with her mouth. But Glair? How did she? She's got claws... Poor Adrie)

Tertle used Aqua Jet to fly after us again. Adrie sat on the floor breathing heavy, I placed my two front paws on her leg.

"Vul?"

She laughed and shook her head. "I'm okay, Lucario's on the floor above us, let's end this and get back."

We walked up the last flight of stairs and entered a large throne room. Directly in front of us stood a large stone throne, the last Tear floated above it. A Lucario sat meditating half-way between us and the gem.

He opened his eyes and spoke using telepathy (This meant Adrie could understand him!).

"So, you've returned, do you still seek the gem?"

Adrie swallowed her fear and steeled her nerves.

"I do."

"Then I shall protect it from you."

The Lucario stood, around his neck hung a small chain from which a Lucarionite dangled.

He glowed a soft blue then a bright white, when the light was gone a Mega Lucario stood before us. His power was terrifying.