Taste of Fire: Beaten
#10 of Taste of Fire
The Charizard turned to look at the Lucario who had attempted to hit him. The Lucario stood and turned to face him, his eyes were burning crimson. The Charizard just stared at Qagan. Qagan stood just a foot shorter than the Charizard.
"Unusually tall for a Lucario." He sneered. Qagans eyes burned darker at this comment. The Charizards eyes widened in surprise. "Rage." He said.
Qagan tilted his head in curiosity. "Have we met?" Anger audible in his voice. Teya stood slowly and ran behind Qagan, cowering from her father.
He smirked at this vain attempt to protect herself. "I'm known by those who were once here as Zatsule." He explained. "Indeed we have met before." Qagan watched Zatsule's eyes, black as the extinguished rock he stood on. Qagan couldn't believe it.
"Were you in the Aura Analysis?" He asked, fearing the answer.
"Yes." Zatsule replied. Qagan knew what he was bound to, Hate. Qagan recognized the eyes of Hate well. Most his former friends were bound to it in the Analysis. It also spelled the end of them. Hate often destroyed those it had bound to. To his knowledge none had survived, obviously he was wrong. Teya didn't know what they were talking about. "You know who I am?" Zatsule queried to him.
"I am familiar with your power..." Qagan had never fought Hate before. This experience would likely be unpleasant.
He shifted to a defensive stance quickly and kept his eyes planted on the Charizard. Zatsule laughed. "Defending my own daughter from me... No matter. Rage should be all I need to raise the Soulless." Qagan gave a questioning look. Not understanding what he meant. "The Aura will belong to me, Fury. I will not give in until it is mine." Qagan grew nervous. Zatsule's eyes seemed hollow, like he was no longer alive. Qagan knew that this was only going to end in death. Zatsule wanted something from him. He inhaled sharply and blasted a flamethrower at Qagan and Teya. Qagans eyes opened wide as he thrusted his arms out a mere fraction of a second before the fire impacted them. The Aura Qagan used twisted the fire around them and shielded them from its direct power. Teya could still feel its heat as it continued to burn around them. The second it let up Qagan broke his shield and dashed toward the Charizard with violent intent.
Teya watched as Qagan rushed to her father and began to lay punches. He was moving swiftly with each jab at the larger Charizard, but he just blocked them with ease. Zatsule attempted to strike back but Qagan was to fast and dodged his slow punches with finesse. Zatsule growled as he was being bombarded by Qagans attacks. He was completely unable to land a hit on the Lucario, it infuriated him.
Qagan retreated to catch his breath. Attacking this Charizard was wearing him down. Zatsule did not move from his position, it was clear that he had hardly taken any damage from his first barrage. Zatsule was staring at the Lucario with his abyssal eyes. "Surely you could do better Fury." He sneered. Qagan didn't reply to this. Qagan had given it the best he had, he always started with his most powerful attacks. Simply to test the mettle of his opponents. Only one other was able to survive his first unforgiving strikes. The fact that Zatsule still stood was ominous.
"Sadly I can't." Qagan whispered to him, still breathing heavily. The Charizard returned a mocking laughter.
"At this rate I cannot possibly fail." He replied. Qagan charged an aura ball in between his paws. It grew rapidly and pulsed with red colors. Zatsule grinned at this choice of attack.
"Perhaps you should just give in." He chided Qagan. Teya watched as Qagan's glare became more intent on her father. His eyes showed a massive rage burning in him. Her father simply stood and stared with an evil grin as Qagan threw the glowing orb into him. The orb contacted and exploded with thundering effect. Qagan switched to a defensive stance once again. The smoke started to swirl around the Charizard within. With a sharp inhale the smoke around him was cleared and he extended his wings. When Zatsule opened his eyes once again they had a tinge of red in them. Qagan was curious at this but stifled his mind, keeping himself ready for the inevitable attack.
With a sudden movement the Charizard dashed at Qagan. He had no time to dodge and attempted to block the attack with his arms. The hit pushed him back several feet as he stifled a scream. The pain was unreal, his arms felt broken. Qagan could still move them but a the cost of a terrible shooting pain.
Zatsule once again mocked him with laughter. "Anyone else would have been killed." Qagan glared at him with a frown.
"I could say the same." Qagan would be useless without his arms. Continuing the fight would cost him dearly with a small chance of winning. This Charizard was to powerful, hate was something he didn't know how to overcome.
"Submit your rage to me!" The Charizard ordered in a cold voice. Zatsule once again hastened for another strike against Qagan. He dodged to the side this time and struck the Charizard as hard as he could, he grunted from the pain in his arm. The Charizard turned back to Qagan with a smile still on his lips with dark intent. Qagan had a pained expression as he cradled his broken extremities. "You cannot win, Fury." Zatsule stated. "You will supply me with all your power!" Qagan stood once again in a defensive stance.
"You will not win, Zatsule." Qagan replied, seeming so sure of himself. Zatsule laughed and lifted his claw to Qagan. A black sphere began to grow in it. Qagan watched as it continued to grow and pulse slightly. "You will not hit me with it." Qagan told him.
Zatsule's evil grin grew. "I don't intend to." Qagan knew what he meant. Zatsule aimed it at Teya, she froze in fear.
Qagans eyes were wide with worry. "Don't do it Zatsule!" Qagan yelled.
"Stop me." He replied simply, releasing the black orb. It shot toward Teya with blinding speed. Teya cringed in anticipation of the blow she would receive.
Qagan dashed frantically to intercept the blow. He had barely enough time to block it with a shield as it struck him instead of Teya. He was pushed past Teya by the orb as it exploded against him. Teya was also pushed several feet back from the explosion, but Qagan had spared her life. Qagan rolled across the ground a couple feet from Teya and was laying on the ground, barely staying conscience. Teya was knocked out cold. Qagan struggled to stand slowly before he heard the steps of Zatsule approaching. Qagan stepped in between Teya and her father again as he fought against his will to fall over. Zatsules grin never seemed to die on his face and stood amused at the broken body that would continue to defy him. "Still not dead?" Zatsule asked sarcastically. "Too bad." He laughed.
Qagan stood passively knowing he could not beat this monster anymore.
"What have you done here?" Qagan asked, blood began to drool from his mouth. Zatsule stood passive as well.
"I've done what I needed to." He replied, simply dodging the question.
"Where are your people, Zatsule?!" Qagan demanded.
Zatsule simply shrugged. "They have been made useful. They supply my power now." He answered. "I have absorbed their usefulness. They no longer breathe." Qagan looked to him with his crimson eyes, unbelieving what he just heard.
"You killed them..." He said quietly. Zatsule's expression did not change.
"They were unreasonable and wasteful." Zatsule replied. "They had a chance to be helpful for a change. To no longer burden each other with their wants or differences. In death they are unified and quiet, no longer weighed down by their petty lives."
Qagan readied himself for another attack. "You sicken me, Zatsule." Qagan nearly fell over but caught himself, he wouldn't last much longer. "They looked up to you and you killed them." Qagan coughed, some blood came out. The pain was intense.
"You are nothing without them."
Zatsule smiled at the statement, slightly amused. "I'm nothing?" He started to become angry. Zatsule dashed once again toward Qagan. He lifted his arms to bring the Charizard to a stop. Qagan screamed in pain as Zatsule grabbed his paws and pushed against them. His arms nearly buckled from the pressure . The pain nearly made him black out. "I'm all I need to be." Zatsule growled. Qagan and Zatsule were locked in each others grasp pushing with all their strength. Zatsule didn't understand how this broken Pokemon could still hold him back.
His black eyes staring into the Lucarios crimson eyes, seeing their pain. "What are you?" Qagan grunted, desperately trying to maintain his wits and hold the fire beast back.
Zatsule smiled wickedly. "I am his surrogate!" He yelled hysterically. "I am the pale horse and all will fear my hate!"
Qagan looked to him as they continued holding each other in place. "They did not deserve this!" Qagan seethed.
"Oh, How righteous your rage is!" He laughed. "The fault is not the humans alone, but every living creature!" Qagan was shoved backwards head over heels and landed on his back, the wind knocked out of him. "Once your rage is quelled..." The Charizard continued, walking to Qagan slowly. "I will begin my purging!" Qagan struggled to catch his breath as the Charizard slammed his foot down on his stomach. The Charizard chuckled to himself. "Just like old times..."
Qagan struggled underneath the foot of the Charizard. "Indeed." Qagan replied, recalling the long past days briefly. Nearly falling into coma. Qagan knew that if this was in fact the same Zatsule Teya was born to, he had fallen deep into madness.
Qagan tried desperately to push the heavy foot off of him in vain. The pain was simply to great. "Just submit already, Fury." Zatsule mocked. Qagan couldn't give up, wouldn't give up. Teya was still knocked out, lying on her stomach not five feet away. He wouldn't leave her to this monster. He had to defy Zatsule to the bitter end... For her.
Zatsule was not amused at Qagan's insolence. "For every second you deny easy consumption..." He bore his teeth during the pause. "I will make her suffer an hour longer." He threatened.
"You won't have her!" Qagan spat at him.
"I concur." A deep voice agreed. The voice came from behind Zatsule. The Charizard turned his head to face the figure. A human stood with a smirk on his face, a male that stood but an inch shorter than the Charizard. Blonde hair and blue eyes with glasses resting on his nose. He was wearing simple suit, no armor. He carried an assault class rifle in his hands trained on the large fire type.
"A human?" Zatsule was curious. "In my Crater." The Charizard stepped off Qagan to face the human completely.
"Step off Char, or I will kill you." The human stated.
"So direct. Curb your tongue human, or I'll cut it out." Zatsule replied.
"What's the situation Qagan?" The human asked the beaten Lucario.
"It's bad." He coughed. "Save the 'mander. Return me..." He wheezed painfully.
"Alright." The human replied plainly.
"What are you planning?!" Zatsule demanded.
"Stay silent." The human ordered. He lifted a radio to his mouth and pressed the button on the side and spoke into it. "I want the Char hammered. Take the 'mander alive. I'll take Qagan." He latched the radio to his side again. He dug through his pocket with his rifle still leveled on Zatsule. The human pulled a small blue ball from his pocket and held it out to Qagan.
"No." Zatsule whispered.
"Return!" The human yelled.
"No!" Zatsule screamed. He turned and attempted to give the finishing blow to Qagan. All to late.
A bright white light enveloped the Lucario and shot into the tiny sphere once again, taking Qagan with it. "Damn you!" Zatsule roared. He looked back to the human as he slipped the ball back into his pocket and raised his hand into the air. Zatsule had no time to react.
The human lowered his hand to the Charizard and pointed. "Fire!" He yelled. A hail of bullets came from several directions but the one from Teya's. A human covered in tactical armor ran out and recovered her quickly before sprinting back out of the battle zone. The Charizard simply screamed in rage as the bullets struck him.
"You will not keep him from me!" Zatsule screamed. He blew a flamethrower around himself, incinerating some humans around him. "You will all burn in the fires of Hell!"
The human knew he wouldn't be killed by gunfire. "Fall back!" he yelled. "Run and gun people!" The human turned and ran through the fog. "Damn it Qagan!" He thought to himself. "People are dying again... We can't afford this shit."
His radio blared for a second."Fallback point eastern crater. Heavy machine ready. Charging Pulse now!" He shifted his direction to the east. He was glad he came prepared, but his people were all in serious danger.
"I hope they can handle this." he whispered to himself. The sounds of a monster hunting his prey were heard in the fog, and screams rang out through the gunfire.