Chapter Eight

##

Zira yawned as she, Cyril, and Lance all sat around a map on the floor of the Sunnydale Village hospital. It had been a restless night with all of the refugees from Seneca Village pouring in. Zira figured that she'd slept maybe an hour at most. The small hospital was not staffed or equipped for this many patients. Even at the moment, there were still survivors awaiting treatment, though there appeared to be only minor injuries at this point.

After Lance had received a final check-up from the doctor, Zira and her companions had all pooled what little money they had on hand to buy a hot breakfast at a local café. The breakfast consisted of biscuits and hash browns covered in gravy, and coffee... lots of coffee. They'd returned to the hospital to plot their next move, but even after all of the coffee, Zira wasn't certain that the caffeine was having much effect. She kept shaking her head in an attempt to keep herself awake. Cyril was doing the same. Even Lance, who was normally sharp as a razor, was having difficulty concentrating on the map as he tried to chart their course to Dakota City.

Zira cursed herself for not grabbing Lance's bag from their cabin before they fled. Lance was the navigator of the team, and his map was both very detailed and heavily annotated. It was a great loss that the map was left behind to burn with the rest of the village. Lance had to make do with Cyril's map instead, which was severely lacking in multiple ways.

The only member of the group not currently present was Shar. He'd wandered off after breakfast to locate a communications orb. Shar had mentioned that he needed to make contact with Federation Security headquarters to give his report and to receive orders. Presumably, he was doing that right now. Zira hoped that Federation Security could send some troops to wipe out the strike force. Seneca Village deserved justice.

"Well, that's the best I can do," Lance said, dropping the pencil onto the map. "That should be pretty close to the route we took from Dakota City."

"It seems vaguely familiar," Cyril said. "I'm sorry we left your bag behind."

Lance closed his eyes and sighed. "Cyril, would you stop apologizing for everything."

"Sorry," Cyril said. "Damn it."

"Cyril..." Lance said softly, looking at his friend. "I know you feel bad about what transpired, but it's not your fault. Stop blaming yourself for what you cannot control."

"It's just..." Cyril said, rubbing his eyes. After a short pause, he said, "When I committed to starting this rescue team, I wasn't thinking of the possibility of you getting killed. I looked at other successful rescue teams such as Team Apex and Team Phalanx, and I thought to myself 'that's going to be us someday.' I was so drunk on the image that I never considered the risks. How many times have you nearly been killed since we came out here? Four, five times? And you very nearly had it this time. Will the next time be the last?"

"I won't deny that we've had some close calls," Lance said, "but most of those close calls happened in Kaiser's dungeon, which was far from usual. The others can be filed under occupational hazards. We both knew jumping into this that being a rescuer was a dangerous line of work, but I accepted the risk."

"And so did I," Zira said. "Granted I didn't have anywhere else to go at the time I joined, I chose to remain despite the danger."

"As you can see, Cyril," Lance said, "we're here because we want to be here, not because you pushed us into it." Lance waited a moment before speaking again. "Are you thinking of disbanding the team?"

"I don't know anymore, Lance," Cyril said. "I have to admit that the magic is gone."

"We'll create magic again," Lance said. "In a couple of weeks, we'll be back home, and then we can think about our next course of action."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," Cyril said, standing up. He stretched, and then he gazed out the window behind him. "Hey, there's Shar."

Zira and Lance stood up to look out the window. The Flygon walked slowly toward the hospital with a crestfallen expression on his face. He seemed oblivious to his surroundings as he headed straight for the door. What could be bothering him so much? Shar wasn't even wearing his black Federation Security bandana, which he was known to wear even when he was off-duty.

When Shar walked through the door, he locked eyes with Lance as he slowly walked toward the team. "Hey," he said quietly.

"Shar," Lance said softly, embracing his mate. "Are you all right?"

"I resigned my commission," Shar replied. "I refuse to serve Imperial Security."

"What?" Cyril said. "Did you just say 'Imperial Security?'"

Shar nodded. "President Kara was overthrown last night. She's on the run now along with Chief Advisor Adrian and General Markov. Former president Taven has set himself up as the emperor of the new Andaran Empire."

"Oh gods," Lance said.

"I really hoped I would never see this day," Shar said. "The Federation had its problems, but at least it was something. A step in the right direction at least. What progress we've made as Andarans... all gone."

Zira didn't know Shar very well yet, but she knew that he was born and raised in Emerald City, which had served as the capital of the Empire just as it did the Federation. Shar had lived under imperial rule, and he'd witnessed its horrors first-hand. Zira's teammates had been spared those horrors due to Dakota City being an autonomous territory far from imperial control, but they were well aware of the empire's history and the atrocities committed during its rule.

Silence fell upon the group. Zira looked at each of their faces, all of them featuring the same glum expression. It was as though a dark cloud has descended upon them. Zira couldn't think of anything to say to lift their spirits. Still, they couldn't remain where they were. The strike force that destroyed Seneca Village was likely still in the area, and it could be moving in their direction for all they knew.

"We should get moving," Zira said.

"Yeah," Lance said. He retrieved the map and pencil from the floor, placing them into his bag. He looked out the window, and then he froze. "What the... Talon?"

Zira turned toward the window to search for a Feraligatr. She'd never met Talon, but her teammates spoke of him from time to time. Talon was a year behind them at the university, but Cyril and Lance managed to become good friends with him regardless.

Talon was wandering around the square, frantically speaking to the villagers. After questioning one group of villagers, he jogged toward another group only to stop dead in his tracks. Talon suddenly looked directly at the hospital and then began to run toward it.

Zira glanced at her Golduck teammate, knowing what had just occurred. "Beaming thoughts into peoples' heads, are we?"

Lance cracked a smile at Zira's question. "Yep. It beats screaming his name across the square."

Talon rushed through the door, nearly taking it off of its hinges. "Hey, guys! Are you all right?"

"Talon!" Cyril said. "Long time no see!"

"Good to see you again, Talon!" Lance said.

"It's good to see you guys safe," Talon said. "Gods, Cyril, you look just like Dakota."

"I know," Cyril said, rubbing one of his crests.

Talon turned to Zira and Shar. "And the two of you must be Zira and Shar. I've heard a lot about the two of you."

"It's nice to meet you," Shar said, shaking Talon's massive hand. "I've heard a few interesting stories about you."

Talon chuckled. "Gods, Lance. You couldn't resist, could you?"

"I let a few things slip," Lance said with a subtle smile.

"Well, it's nice to meet you too, Shar," Talon said. "And you as well, Zira. You're the first Human I've ever met. Well, Human in Pokémon form, that is."

"It's nice to meet you," Zira said, shaking the Feraligatr's hand with her much smaller Charmeleon hand.

While Cyril and Lance spoke with their friend, Zira couldn't help but admire the mighty Feraligatr. Talon's body was built much like most Feraligatrs, but there were a couple of differences. His head was a bit more compact and featured a chisled lower jaw, and his legs were longer. Talon's body seemed to be geared more toward speed and agility than was typical for his species. That's not to say he didn't also have plenty of muscle however. Talon could easily snap any of them in half.

And then there were his eyes, those gorgeous, emerald green eyes! Zira was a sucker for green eyes. She had to admit that she found Talon to be quite attractive, but perhaps she was getting carried away with her thoughts. After all, she already seemed to have something going on with Cyril, and she wanted to see where that went.

"So, how'd you get here so fast?" Cyril asked. "Did you arrive by magnagate?"

"Well, no, I was already on my way out here," Talon replied, his smile vanishing. "I passed by some survivors from Seneca Village, who told me what happened."

"Oh," Cyril said. "Did you just come to visit?"

"Well, not exactly," Talon replied.

"Okay," Cyril said, his voice brimming with uncertainty. "So, what brought you out here?"

The shift in Talon's body language was apparent even to the untrained eye. He shifted uncomfortably, and his mouth opened slightly. He had the appearance of someone with a heavy burden weighing upon him. Talon looked at Zira, then at Shar and Lance, and then back to Cyril.

"Cyril," Talon said, "I need to speak with you outside. Just the two of us."

Cyril looked at his companions, an uneasy expression etched upon his face. "I don't keep secrets from my teammates."

"I think you'll agree that this is a private matter," Talon said, motioning toward the door behind him.

"Um..." Cyril said. Looking at his teammates, he said, "I'll be right back."

When the Feraligatr and partial Mega Sceptile walked out the door, the others moved toward the nearby window to see what was happening. Zira couldn't help but look over the Feraligatr's body once more.

"Talon's cute," Zira said.

"Ah," Lance said, nodding his head. Leaning toward Zira, he said, "You like your boys big, don't you?"

"Shut up!" Zira fired back.

"Big and hard, perhaps?" Lance said, grinning and shaking Zira by the shoulder, prompting a laugh from Shar.

Zira felt her face burn with embarrassment. "Only you could make a Charmeleon blush, Lance."

"I'm right though, aren't I?" Lance asked, still grinning.

Zira lowered her head. "Yes," she meekly replied.

The three Pokémon turned their attention back to the conversation outside, which seemed to have taken a turn for the worse. With the window closed, they couldn't hear what was being said, but Cyril was becoming more and more distressed by the moment. His facial expression shifted between anger and anguish, and Cyril was holding his hand to his head at one point. Whatever Talon was telling him, it was hitting him hard.

"What do you think is going on?" Zira asked.

"I don't know," Lance replied. "The last time I saw him this agitated was when his relationship with Rika fell apart."

Rika was a female Sceptile who lived in Dakota City. She and Cyril were romantically involved for about a year with plans to become mates, but Rika terminated the relationship shortly before they'd graduated from the university without really giving a reason. The event had left Cyril gutted, and Lance had to piece him back together.

Zira had learned of Cyril's relationship with Rika about a month ago while she and Cyril were alone in the team's cabin. Zira had brought up the subject of Pokémon relationships, and Cyril shared his knowledge, including his own experience. Zira was sure that he was leaving out some details, but she hadn't pressed him further. It was a subject that he was understandably bitter about.

As the discussion outside continued, a Lugia suddenly landed in the square, startling some nearby villagers and drawing the attention of others. It was not every day that a Lugia landed in a small settlement. Zira couldn't discern the Lugia's identity from a distance, but she had a feeling that it was Athena. Whoever the Lugia was, he or she immediately began to question the villagers, running from one group to another just as Talon did.

"Is that who I think it is?" Lance asked.

"I think so," Zira replied. "Probably checking up on us."

"Or giving us another task," Shar added.

By this time, Cyril had noticed the Lugia. He began to wave and shout at the Lugia, prompting the Lugia to run toward him. As the Lugia drew closer, Zira could finally identify her as Athena. The three Pokémon outside conversed for a bit, and then they headed inside.

Athena ducked as she walked through the door. She attempted to rise to her full height once she was inside, but she bumped her head on the ceiling. "Why do they make these ceilings so low?"

"Athena," Zira said, walking toward the Lugia. "It's been a while."

"Hello, Zira," Athena said. "It's good to see you and your friends again. We have much to talk about."

"We certainly do," Zira said, crossing her arms. "For starters, I'd like to know why you left me behind after my arrival on this world. I was nearly kidnapped and damn near killed. If Cyril and Lance hadn't shown up when they did, I would've died."

Athena frowned. "I'm sorry, Zira, but there are forces at work here that you aren't yet aware of. I thought I was protecting you by simply pointing you in the right direction. Clearly, I was in error, and I should've done more."

"I'd certainly say so," Zira said.

Athena sighed. "I know you're angry with me, Zira, and I'm truly sorry for abandoning you. I promise you that won't happen again."

"Before we go any further," Lance said, "we've been aware since our mission to Kaiser's dungeon that you've been keeping an eye on us. Even manipulating us. I'd like to know why."

"I'm prepared to explain everything," Athena replied. "It all started..." Athena's voice trailed off as she was distracted by some commotion outside. Turning to face the window, she said, "What in the world..."

The serenity of just a few minutes ago had given way to pandemonium. Pokémon were taking to the streets with whatever they could carry. Those with carts or wagons were hastily loading them with their personal belongings. A sense of dread filled Zira as her fear of an impending attack seemed to be realized. The strike force was on its way.

A Dragonite wearing a purple armband bearing the village's name rushed into the hospital. Smaller settlements such as Sunnydale Village typically employed their own security personnel rather than the national security force, and this Dragonite appeared to be one such individual.

"Attention everyone!" the Dragonite shouted. "We're evacuating the village! Everyone is advised to head west!"

The Pokémon still in the waiting room immediately got up and left despite their injuries. The receptionist left her desk and rushed into the treatment room, relaying the evacuation order. The doctor could be heard replying, "We'll be ready to go shortly."

"Oh dear," Athena said. "We haven't much time." She took in a deep breath, letting it out as she turned back to the group. "Some time ago, I had a vision."

"A vision, you say," Lance said. "About what?"

"It would be easier, not to mention quicker, to show you all," Athena said. Turning her eyes toward Talon, she said, "That being said, this is a matter for Team Dakota and Shar."

"It's okay," Cyril said. "He's a future member, and a close friend. I'm not leaving him in the dark."

"Besides, I've already heard about Kaiser's artifacts and the mission to Kaiser's dungeon," Talon said. "I'd like to see where this goes."

Athena studied Talon for a moment. "Very well. But you might not like what I'm about to show you." Her eyes began to glow as she initiated her telepatic transmission.

Zira wasn't prepared for what happened next. A shroud of darkness descended upon the group, totally obscuring their surroundings. Only herself and the others were present, who all appeared to be about as confused as she was. That is, except for Lance and Athena.

"Ah, this reminds me of my psychic classes at the university," Lance said.

"Fun classes?" Athena asked, her eyes still glowing.

"Sometimes," Lance replied. "And occasionally terrifying."

"Unfortunately, I may be adding to the terrifying aspect," Athena said. "This will allow us to speak privately. Now, as I stated, this all started with a vision. This vision came from about three years into the future... from myself."

"That's... rather incredible," Cyril said. "How was your future self able to accomplish this?"

"With the aid of a Celebi," Athena replied. "My future self was able to send a telepathic vision back through time to myself of the present. And now... observe."

The image of a creature, which had the appearance of an anthropomorphic bird, appeared before them. It was covered in light-gold feathers, featured two arms and two legs, two impressive wings attached to its back, and a bird-like tail attached to its rear. It had an eagle-like head featuring a pair of featureless eyes that were black as night. It wasn't like any Pokémon that Zira had seen before, and yet there was something strangely familiar about it, like she'd seen it before.

"What is that?" Zira asked.

"The Pokémon of the future never knew its true name," Athena replied. "They only ever knew it as The Entity. Have a good look at it, for this is the face of our enemy."

"That's no Pokémon," Talon said. "But then, what is it? Where did it come from?"

"Its origin is a complete mystery, I'm afraid," Athena replied. "And now, a demonstration of the destruction that this thing is capable of unleashing."

The Entity vanished. A new vision appeared, this time encompassing the entire group. This vision was of Athena flying over a grassy field littered with the bodies of dead Pokémon, a scene which made Zira's stomach tie into a knot. There were bodies as far as the eye could see. The war had not gone well for Athena's side. In addition, there appeared to be a wildfire nearby spreading toward the field at an alarming rate.

Up ahead, The Entity could be seen floating in the sky, apparently waiting for the quickly-approaching Lugia. Athena battled with The Entity to no avail. No matter what attack that she threw against The Entity, it either blocked or dodged all of them. The Entity was incredibly agile, and it was capable of taking a direct hit from Athena's aeroblast attack.

Athena attempted to take The Entity down using her dragon rush attack, but The Entity dodged at the last moment. It spun around and fired an energy beam at Athena, striking her left wing, which sent her plummeting to the ground. She managed to slow her descent a bit with her psychic abilities at the last moment, but the impact was severe, tearing flesh and shattering bone.

With Athena no longer a threat, The Entity then departed through a portal with a fiery border, leaving a mortally wounded Athena sobbing helplessly. A Celebi had approached her at that moment, allowing Athena to send a telepathic burst back through time to her past self before the flames consumed the two of them.

The vision faded from view, leaving the group in darkness once more. Zira was on the verge of tears after witnessing a scene so horrific and heartbreaking. The others were visibly shaken as well. No one spoke a word for several seconds.

"Do you know where that thing went?" Zira asked. "Where did that portal lead to?"

"To the Human world," Athena replied, much to Zira's horror.

"Why?" Shar asked. "Why did it go there, and for that matter, why did it lay waste to our world?"

"It was apparently created to destroy Humanity," Athena replied. "And before you ask, I don't know why it's killing Pokémon. My future self suspected that The Entity interpreted its directive to include Human influence. This world has been touched by Humanity a number of times, and there are Humans who live here in Pokémon form."

"And Pokémon who live like Humans," Zira said.

"My gods..." Lance said. "This thing is going to destroy all sapient life on two worlds."

"It won't stop there," Zira said, a sick feeling developing in her abdomen. "The Pokémon of the Human world won't let this genocide proceed without a fight. The Entity will be forced to destroy them too."

Athena nodded grimly. "We're looking at the total annihilation of Humans and Pokémon on both worlds."

"Well, shit," Cyril said. "What are we going to do about it?"

"For now, you need to continue collecting Kaiser's artifacts," Athena replied. "In theory, someone wielding those artifacts should have the power to defeat The Entity."

"In theory?" Lance asked. "You were never able to confirm this?"

"I'm afraid not," Athena admitted. "By the time my future self learned of the artifacts and who was required to operate them, the war was already lost."

"Who was required to operate them..." Zira said, thinking back to the time Team Dakota travelled to Kaiser's dungeon near Seneca Village. She'd heard since then that some Humans in Pokémon form had already tried to retrieve the artifact stored there without success. Zira was never able to find out why she succeeded where the others had failed. It was a question that had been gnawing at her since then, and in light of this new information, it was imperative that she knew. "Athena, what's the connection to me? Why am I able to touch and use these artifacts when even other Humans couldn't?"

"I'm glad you asked," Athena said. "Are you familiar with the Gateway Project?"

"I don't recall the name," Zira replied, "but I have memories of working in a research facility of some kind."

"The Gateway Project was an attempt by the Humans to create an interstellar teleportation device," Athena said. "Kaiser made a number of references to the project in his journals. A number of names came up in these journals, including yours. You were one of the engineers on this project."

"Whoa," Zira said.

"When Kaiser created these artifacts," Athena continued, "he did so in a way where only members of the project could use them. For whatever reason, he didn't seem to want just any Human to wield them."

"Given just how much they ramp up a Pokémon's power," Lance said, "that's probably for the best. If any Human in Pokémon form could wield these artifacts, there's the possibility that one of them would use these artifacts for evil."

"I'm inclined to agree," Cyril said.

"Same," Zira said in agreement. Now, there was another question tugging at her mind. "Athena, were you waiting for me when I came to this world?"

"I was," Athena replied as she nodded. "You see, Zira, you and I never met in the alternate timeline, and my future self didn't know about the existance of any of your colleagues until after they'd already been wiped out. She'd learned of your existance from a Charizard who'd apparently witnessed the portal that brought you here and recorded the location, time and date in his journal."

"Galen," Zira said, thinking back to her first day on the Pokémon world. "The same bastard who tried to kidnap me."

Athena cocked her head slightly to one side. "I suppose he had a change of heart. Unfortunately, it came too late."

"And my colleagues... are they safe?" Zira asked.

"They're safe," Athena replied. "But for their own safety, I'd prefer to keep their location secret for now. Anyway, we need to get moving. I've located another one of Kaiser's labs. We'll be headed there right now."

The shroud of darkness lifted as Athena terminated the psychic link. The medical staff and their remaining patients were just now departing, and the activity outside has lessened considerably. Most of the villagers were gone now. In mere minutes, the bustling village had been rendered a ghost town, soon to be reduced to ashes.

The six Pokémon stepped outside. The morning sun was shining brightly with hardly a cloud in the sky, and there was a gentle breeze coming in from the west. Any other time, Zira would've found it to be a pleasant day, but that strike force had to be getting close. They had to get moving. Before leaving, however, they still had one more thing to do.

The Tyranitar couple that had loaned Team Dakota their wagon was right outside the hospital. The male was strapping the harness to himself with some assistance from his mate. The couple noticed Zira's group approaching them and smiled. Zira smiled brightly in return. They hadn't had the opportunity to thank the couple yet, and Zira was worried that the Tyranitars would depart before they could.

"On behalf of all of us," Lance said, "I'd like to thank you for the use of your wagon. It saved my life."

"You're most welcome," the female said. "We're so relieved to see that you've recovered."

"I'm sorry for the scorch mark," Zira said.

"Don't worry about it," the male said. "Wherever it is that you all are headed, we wish you the best of fortunes. Have a safe journey."

The couple headed west down the empty main road with their wagon. Zira and her group headed the same way, though they were not likely to stick with the Tyranitars for long. That being said, Athena had neglected to mention where this lab that she was leading them to was located. Where was it exactly? How long would it take to get there? And were they going to have to deal with another grueling dungeon?

Zira's thoughts were interrupted by a shadow passing over her, drawing her attention upward. A Braviary flew low over the town, heading west. Zira watched with great interest as the Braviary began to ascend toward the sky. She found herself in awe of its majesty and envious of its ability to fly. Oh, what she wouldn't give to be able to fly too!

An odd surge suddenly coursed through Zira's body, striking her totally without warning. "Ugh..." she uttered as she recoiled from the feeling.

"Are you all right?" Cyril asked, his face marked with concern.

"I'm not sure," Zira replied. "I just felt really strange for a moment."

"Do you need a healer?" Cyril asked. "The doctor can't be far yet."

"I think I'll be okay," Zira said, not wanting to delay their departure from the doomed village. "Whatever it was, it's gone now."

"All right," Cyril said, clearly not convinced.

Nor am I, Zira thought. She looked at Cyril and asked, "Are you all right?"

Cyril sighed. "No. But thanks for asking."

The group soon passed beyond the village's border. The Tyranitars kept to the road continuing west, but Athena led the group off of the path, taking them up and over a nearby grassy hill. Zira somberly looked back at the abandoned village before it left her line of sight, knowing that neither she nor anyone else would ever see Sunnydale Village again. At least Sunnydale Village had ample warning, preventing the tragic loss of life as seen in Seneca Village.

Once the group reached the bottom of the hill, Athena came to a stop and turned to face the others.

"We'll be travelling via magnagate," Athena said, sticking a massive finger and thumb into a travel bag that she wore around her waist. She pulled out a tablet with three entercards already placed on it and set it onto the ground.

"Why'd we bother leaving the hospital then?" Cyril asked, placing his hands on his hips.

"I wanted to avoid prying eyes," Athena replied, fishing for the forth card in her bag. Upon retrieving it, she attempted to place it on the tablet, but it slipped from her enormous fingers, coming to rest at Zira's feet. "Damn these giant hands."

Zira picked up the entercard, taking a brief moment to study its features. As she handed it back to Athena, Zira said, "I have to ask why you didn't just tell me everything when we first met."

"The simplest answer is that you just weren't ready yet," Athena replied. "Your memories were in disarray, and you couldn't fight. That's why I directed you toward Seneca Village. I knew that you'd fall in with the Rescuers Guild, and that they would teach you how to survive."

"That they did," Zira said. "My teammates have been good teachers."

"That's good to hear," Athena said. "I'd hoped that you would have a few more months to hone your skills, perhaps even evolve, but current events have forced our hand." She turned her attention back to the entercard in her hand. Using her psychic abilities, Athena lifted the entercard and gently placed it on the tablet. "Step back, everyone."

Zira and the others did as they were told. She was excited to see what was going to happen. She'd heard of magnagates since her arrival, and she'd seen illustrations, but this would be her first time seeing one in person. The entercards began to glow, eventually becoming totally obscured by a bright, yellowish light. Three rings formed on the ground followed by a blinding white light. Zira squeezed her eyes shut until the light had dissipated. When she opened her eyes, she was awestruck at the sight of the magnagate. It was one of the most amazing things that she'd ever witnessed.

Athena stepped into the magnagate first. "Follow me," she said, vanishing a moment later.

Everyone stepped into the magnagate at once. There was just barely enough room in the gate to fit all five of them. As they waited for the gate to transport them, Zira wondered what awaited them on the other side.

---

Kara looked back, panting and sweating, as the magnagate collapsed behind her. "That was fun," she muttered sarcastically. What they'd just been through had been anything but.

Most of the journey through the magnagate's dungeon had gone smoothly. The feral activity was light and sporadic. However, when they'd ascended the stairs to the final floor, they'd walked right into a monster house. It was a battle all the way to the dungeon's exit, one in which they all had to do their part. Kara found herself regretting that she and Adrian had settled for basic combat training instead of developing their combat abilities further. Even the seasoned warriors in the group struggled to fend off so many feral Pokémon.

Kara and the others sat down to rest. They were all shaken and exhausted by the harrowing ordeal. Only Markov was still standing despite his own exhaustion.

"I know everyone's tired," Markov said, "but I'd like to get to Dakota City as soon as mortally possible, preferably in one go."

"Why the rush?" Kara asked. "We're out of immediate danger."

"I have a mother and sister still living in Emerald City," Markov replied. "I need to get them out of there before Taven gets any ideas."

"Let's not waste time then," Kara said, standing up. "Let's get moving."

Cale, Jake, and Adrian all stood up with a sense of urgency, their fatigue be damned. The entire group began to walk at a brisk pace. Everyone knew that Markov's mother and sister were in mortal danger. Time was of the essence, and they had a long walk ahead of them.

"Does anyone have any money?" Markov asked. "I'm going to have to hire a rescue team when we get there."

"I'm afraid not," Cale replied. "These are just standard long-range patrol bags that we've got."

"And what money we had went up in smoke with the rest of Seneca Village," Jake added.

"We can sell the entercards at a pawn shop," Kara said. "They should go for a decent price. The tablet would sell for a lot too, but we really should hold on to it. Entercard tablets aren't easy to come by."

"We should hold on to the cards that brought us here as well," Adrian chimed in. "Those cards could be used to get your family out of Emerald City."

"And potentially lead them into a monster house," Markov irritably said. "There has to be another way."

"It's the best option, General," Kara said. "Making a new set of entercards to bypass the magnagate dungeon is going to take time and expertise. We're short on both."

Markov sighed. "It'll have to do," he said after a moment. "Forgive me. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but my mother and sister are in terrible danger. If Taven doesn't get the idea to go after my family, I'm sure the Flygon will."

"Who was he anyway?" Adrian asked. "I got the impression that he was harboring a grudge against you."

"I don't know him personally," Markov replied, "but I'm certain that he was a member of the Royal Guard."

"I thought they were all hunted down after the Empire fell," Kara said.

"We got most of them," Markov said, "but we've always known that some of them got away. It's always been our fear that the surviving members might return seeking vengeance."

"That explains the grudge then," Adrian said.

"Grudge or not, he's extremely dangerous," Markov warned. "Every member of the Royal Guard was very good at what they did. Some of them were highly skilled infiltrators and assassins. Mark my words. We haven't seen the last of that Flygon."

Gods, what a nightmare, Kara thought. A chill ran down her spine as she considered what the Flygon might do next. Would he go after all of their families? Even if he didn't, the Flygon was likely to make an attempt to assassinate her, Adrian, and Markov. They were going to have to remain vigilant at all times.

That wasn't the only thing gnawing at Kara's mind however. During their trek through the dungeon, Cale had told all of them of an apocalyptic vision that a Lugia named Athena had shared with him and of what he and Jake had witnessed at Seneca Village after its destruction. Cale told them of Rescue Team Dakota and their new teammate, a Human-turned-Charmeleon named Zira, and of Zira's ability to not only retrieve Kaiser's artifacts, but to harness their power as well.

Kara was aware of the legend of Kaiser's artifacts. She'd ordered the research team to Kaiser's dungeon to study the artifact stored there, hoping to learn more about Kaiser and his reason for creating the artifacts. When she'd learned that the artifact had been taken to the Dakota City University instead of the Emerald City Research Institute, she had been furious.

Markov had been equally upset upon learning that Cale had disobeyed orders by sending a rookie rescue team instead of his diamond-rank team, an action for which Cale had received a formal reprimand. However, in light of recent events, both Kara and Markov conceded that Cale had made the right decisions. If Cale hadn't allowed Athena to take the artifact to the Dakota City University, it would now be under Taven's umbrella. Given the awesome power demonstrated by Zira wielding the artifact, that simply could not be allowed. Even if Taven could not personally wield the artifact, it was possible that he could find a compatible Human to convince or coerce into doing it for him.

Cale was also candid enough to point out a possible connection between Zira and the Alakazam. He'd stressed that he didn't believe that Zira was in league with the Alakazam, but the fact that he pointed it out suggested that he couldn't be totally certain. Cale mentioned that Zira was suffering from amnesia, so it was possible that she may be connected to the Alakazam without even being aware of it. Cale intended to speak to Zira about it when they next met... if she was still alive.

Markov had floated the idea that Taven might be allied with the Alakazam, a theory which made sense to Kara given what Taven stood to gain from such an alliance. Imperial loyalists had been using the recent bombings and incursions to paint her as a weak leader. The destruction of Seneca Village was almost certainly going to be used to justify overthrowing her, which would give Taven a window of opportunity to solidify his power among an angry and disillusioned populace.

There was still the question of motive. Taven's was obvious, but what did the Alakazam hope to gain from this? Aside from what little they've been told by Cale and Jake, the Alakazam was a virtual unknown. All they really knew about the Alakazam was that he was well-equipped and dangerous. What was his goal? And how was it that he could open portals to travel from point to point? There were so many questions and so few answers.

And then, of course, there was The Entity from Athena's vision. If such a terrifying being truly existed, it would be their greatest threat. What if Kaiser's artifacts weren't enough to defeat The Entity? Would the events from Athena's vision be inevitable at that point? The thought weighed heavily upon her. All of creation seemed to be at stake.

Focus, Kara thought. There was little that she could do about The Entity. All that she could do for now was to focus on her original goal of retaking the Federation, and to leave The Entity to Athena and Team Dakota.

"Now that I think about it," Cale said, "there's something else that I find rather eerie about the Alakazam."