Chapter 1: Dragonspiral Tower

This was not the first time Captain Marshall Spring had trudged through the rain in unfamiliar and dangerous territory. Unova had more distinguished and harsher seasons than his own home region of Sinnoh, he really should've packed a heavier overcoat. He had often done without back when he was a younger soldier who had pushed his way into Unova, but he was not that young man any more, and he found the constant dampness and creeping cold to wear on him more than he used to. Or perhaps his memories of how unpleasant it had been had faded for lack of fondness for them. Marshall walked in grim silence, not really paying his companions any mind save to point the occasional landmark to make not of or potential mud trap to avoid.

All was quiet for now, but Marshall couldn't bring himself to relax. His short-spear was sheathed on his back but he kept his small shield out and ready on one arm. Ugh, why the rain. Canter wouldn't even want to come out with this downpour if Hollow pokemon really were to show up. He glanced back at his companions. They were all barely over half his age, he couldn't imagine what they were doing here other than perhaps searching for treasure and glory at their age.

He took a long time to answer Jelena's inquiry, stating simply, "Captain Marshall Spring. We might want to find shelter and wait out this rain. We're not making good time in this mud and we're risking sickness by staying cold and wet." not even turning to look at his fellow companions as he did so.

Much like the other three of her moist companions, Lucia found herself uncomfortably cold and soggy. A shudder raced a rather cold droplet down the woman's back. While she had made a crude, makeshift rain poncho out of her personal tent, it didn't stop the stray bullets from soaking her to the bone, or the Kyogre blessed liquid from drawing up through her boots. "Lucia.

"Anyone of you remember a map where the closest piece of civilization may be?"

"We're near Iccarus if I recall," Marshall answered Lucia, before glowering a bit at Sarcourne, "Don't call me Captain. Rank isn't-"

He was cut off by the sudden crack of lightning and thunder, illuminating the sky behind the tower ahead of them. He didn't flinch at the cacophony of thunder, not until he heard the howls rise up behind them all. Marshall felt his heart rise in his throat and his entire body tensed. He instantly whipped out his spear, turning around to face the howls.

"Those are Hallows," Marshall snarled as his grip tightened on the hilt of his spear, "Get ready to fight or run." He wasn't entirely sure whether his companions could fight or not, or how well, so what they would decide to do was a mystery. For himself, he was going to be ready to fight. He reached into his pouch and pulled out an apricorn ball, breaking it open to release a small white horse with a flaming mane and tail.

The rain hit Canter's back and sizzled into steam, and the young horse gave a small displeased whinny. Marshall calmed her pacing. This was the worst weather for the fire type, and the moment a water type showed its face he'd recall her, but for now she was the only one of his two pokemon who had been trained for battle, Tidel was very young.

Hearing the howls behind the group already had Jalena on edge but when Marshall said that the howls coming from behind the group were coming from Hollow Pokemon she quickly pulled an Apricorn from the pouch on her belt and with a light toss released the Pokemon within it. "Let's get going then, Sedna you help protect us while we get to the tower"was all she said as she drew her dagger from her belt and her body gained a faint glow.

Appearing in front of Jalena appeared her Popplio Sedna who sensing that her trainer was on edge quickly got ready for combat and whatever was making the howls that could be barely heard over the heavy rain.

Hearing creatures behind her, Lucia found little cause for concern in what was in her near future. However those before the woman had so much more promise of potential pain. In response she bopped the ball on her hip that held Chunchunmaru within to fly into her awaiting palm. "Looks like we have no choice in the matter. Steel yourselves my companions."

"Try not to get flanked!" Marshall called out as he leapt into action.

Marshall was not going to wait to get surrounded, he spurred Canter forward immediately. With a whinny she dashed forward, moving to cut off the closest hallow that had tried to sneak up around the rock on their left side. With a sharp whinny she darted forward, Marshall on her back. She intecepted the poocheyna and smashed into it with her shoulder, the momentum sending the hollow dog rolling backwards a few meters.

Sarcourne turns to Lucia, "You take left and I'll take right." then shot forward as Sedna's voice echoed around the boulder. The heavy rain caused the mud to grip and suck on Sarcourne's thick boots as he advanced on the horrid and decrepit Poochyena. The soaked soil made Sarcourne slip just as he brought Honedge across him in a cross cut. The haunted blade flew high above the canine's head while Sarcourne regained his footing.

That was a rough hit, but the poocheyna wasn't down yet, still, he hoped to get around to the back and help flank the poocheyna. That was the job of the cavalry after all. He still had his first target to deal with. He carefully avoided its thrashing before moving in with his spear and jabbing down hard, twisting the spearhead as he did so to rip the wound open wider.

"Right." and with that Lucia bolted out to face the feral pups before her, putting her back to Sarcourne. Working in tandem with her blade, the woman struck the dog hard with the blade itself not singing in the rain, but letting out a terrible metal-on-metal scraping screech in its travel.