Dragons Keep : The Eight Kings Cocoon
The heavy, metallic stench of the Limitless Fortress hung thick in the air, a suffocating mixture of rusted steel and old ozone. The labyrinth of the lower levels was pitch black, saved only by the occasional flicker of exposed, sparking wires.
"So tell me... which side do you intend to take in this little brawl?"
Kyogi Kagami’s voice cut through the damp silence as he walked up the dark, oily alleyways of the fortress. His reflection caught briefly in a stagnant puddle, revealing his sharp, calculating eyes and the smug grin that rarely left his face.
Standing a few paces ahead of him, Gary Oak leaned casually against a jagged protrusion of a steel wall, his arms crossed over his chest. He didn't look back at Kyogi; instead, his gaze was fixed on the sprawling, chaotic depths of the fortress below.
"A dark cloud is hanging over this Limitless Fortress," Gary said, his tone unusually grave for someone who usually carried himself with boundless confidence. "No one can say what path the future will take. There are eight roads and eight kings to rule them. The symbol of those Kings is called the Regalia."
From the shadows just behind Gary, Ash Ketchum adjusted the brim of his cap, his expression dead serious. Beside him, his partner Pokémon tensed, cheeks sparking with faint electricity, sensing the heavy shift in the atmosphere.
"Although there are many warriors following each road, only one of them can become a king," Gary continued, turning slightly to look at Ash. "And it's only when they acquire their Regalia that a king is recognized. All the roads and all of the kings were once gathered at the top of the tower of the castle in the Sleeping Forest. It is said they will return when the legendary Sky King appears."
"The Sky King..." Ash muttered, tightening his fists. The weight of the title felt massive, echoing through the empty, industrial corridor.
Suddenly, the temperature in the alley dropped drastically. The faint scent of ozone was instantly overwhelmed by the rich, suffocating perfume of dark roses. The shadows along the walls began to writhe, stretching upward like reaching claws.
From a swirling vortex of dark energy stepped Queen Beryl—though in this world, she went by a title whispered in fear across the lower sectors: Rika, the Queen of Thorns. Her crimson hair seemed to have a life of its own, catching the dim green light of the fortress's failing generators. Behind her stood Nephrite, his dark uniform immaculate, though his posture braced for an impending storm.
Beryl ignored the boys entirely, her piercing gaze locking directly onto her subordinate.
"Nephrite," she purred, though the edge in her voice could cut glass. "I am told you are having trouble gathering energy for our great ruler. Is that true?"
Nephrite stiffened, his jaw clenching as he knelt before her on the oily ground. "The local factions... they are chaotic, My Queen. The energy here is volatile, constantly shifting between the Storm Riders and the ghosts of this fortress."
Beryl smiled, a cold, terrifying expression that made even Kyogi's smirk falter for a fraction of a second. She raised a hand, dark violet energy crackling along her fingers.
"Excuses are for the weak," Beryl persisted, her eyes flashing with malice as she looked past them all, toward the distant, rumbling heart of the fortress where the true threat loomed. "I know just how to deal with Genesis."
Comments
Post a Comment