The Iron Grip

Chapter 6

"Lillie", Gladion growled. "Come back home immediately or will I have to fight you?"

"I will not fight you brother", Lillie sobbed. "But I must ask you to come with me." Lillie dropped down onto her knees. "Fulfil the dream you once had."

"Lillie, I wish I could, but you know I can't and nor can you", Gladion said. He went to help Lillie to her feet, but was stopped by Hau.

"Let them go Gladion. Let them be free", Hau said. "I've never asked you for anything, but I ask now that you let Lillie live in the free lands."

"No, she can't. Lillie will return to the castle immediately."

"Please Gladion. Do it for us."

"Okay, fine. But we will accompany you out onto the tundra."

"Thank you Gladion!", Lillie said cheerfully.

Kiawe and Lana dared not question the whole thing and instead started a conversation with Lillie. "So how how do you plan on getting past the wall? It is swarming with guards."

"If we go north through the mountains and through the desert, till we get to the coast, we can then cut through a small gap by the coast that is unguarded", Lillie explained.

"You really have it planned out don't you?", Kiawe joked.

"Careful. Look at those tracks", Gladion cautioned.

The mud was filled with small, symmetrical hole patterns. "Scolipede?", Lana asked.

"Yeah. Who knows what else might lurk in this bog", Gladion said. The ground began to vibrate as something weaved its way through the murky water. Everyone froze.

Suddenly, a huge jet of water shot up from the marsh. The Scolipede had disturbed a slumbering Drednaw. This was not your normal Drednaw though, it was almost thirty times as big, with large eyes that glowed red like a crazed beast.

The pokemon reared up on its hind legs and took a large bite out of the ground.

"Run!", Hau yelled.

The Drednaw extended its long neck and clamped its jaws on the Scolipede, cutting it clean in half.

"That should keep it busy for now", Lillie said. "Gladion, we will be okay from here. You can go back with Hau now."

Gladion and Hau climbed on Silvally and rode away, leaving Lillie with Lana and Kiawe.

"The air feels different", said Lana.

"That's cause we have reached the tundra."

They walked for a couple of hours, before they were engulfed by a low-hanging cloud.

From behind the icy mist appeared Royal Guards. They tackled the friends to the ground and tied ropes around their hands.

"You three are coming with us to the tent city", said the commander. He was very pleased with himself because now Lusamine wouldn't punish him.

The seemingly endless city of tents loomed into view. Some of the larger tents looked like town halls, while others could only house one person. This was the second-largest settlement in the Queendom, second only to Aether city.

Its longevity was possible thanks to the fact that tents can be taken down and put back up in minutes, and the nature of the tundra prevented it from being flooded or damaged by rainfall.