"Regirock," I breathed, coughing on the sand blowing around us. I glanced fearfully over my shoulder where Luna had disappeared over the cliff. There was still no sign of her as the Regirock advanced on us. Z snarled before turning and diving off the cliff.

"Thanks for nothing!" Xera shouted after her, Dewpider seeming to shrink on her shoulder as the earth began to shake. Yanmega hovered in front of me, vibrating his wings as Leavanny's sickles began to glow green. Grovyle dashed forwards, slashing his arms. With a resounding cracking sound, he was slammed backwards by a boulder, the rock splitting into pieces.

Xera cursed. "We're going to have to jump."

"WHAT!?" I turned to her in shock. "Are you crazy!?"

"We need to or-!" She never finished. Regirock had slammed both boulder-like fists into the ground and the earth began to shake horribly. The mountainside above us shook as well, rocks being shaken loose. I heard a deafening crack and the world seemed to flip. I realized I was falling, rocks plummeting on either side of me. I felt my shirt yank upwards and my descent decreased. I glanced upwards to see Yanmega straining to keep me steady as he controlled my fall. I whipped my head around, trying to see Xera and the other Pokemon through all the dust in the air, but I couldn't see them. My eyes began watering and I shut them close as Yanmega wobbled. Then he let go and I collapsed on the ground.

I rolled on my back, barely able to see the cliff where we had stood. It seemed miles away and I could see the shape of Regirock staring down at us. Then without a sound, it turned and disappeared.

A scream of rage made me jerk. I scrambled to my feet, turning just in time to see Zoroark flying backwards towards me. Yanmega pushed me aside and was hit by her. Both Pokemon tumbled across the ground before Zoroark leaped back to her feet, darkness oozing from purple-tipped claws. She dashed past me towards a huge Serperior, whose body was curled around it as its neck rose alongside the cliff edges on either side. As Zoroark slashed at it, I noticed a body wrapped in Serperior's tail.

My eyes widened. "Luna!"

Zoroark was trying to get past Serperior to rescue her, but the giant snake blocked her every time, finally blasting her in the chest with a beam of green energy.

"That thing followed us from the forest?" Xera gasped. I turned to see her dropping from the cliffside, Leavanny having helped carry her down while holding onto a string of web, Dewpider clutched to her other arm. Grovyle leaped from above her towards Serperior, but the snake ducked his head and lunged upwards, biting him around the middle. He shook Grovyle around and swung him into the side of the cliff.

Zoroark had gotten past him while he focused on Grovyle, fangs glowing as she went straight for the tail holding Lune. Suddenly, Serperior swung his tail with Luna still held captive, catching Z in the middle and flinging her back.

"Stop it!" Xera gripped Z's shoulder tightly before she could rush back in. "He's not concerned about Luna! He'll end up killing her if you don't think! Liam, you need to- Liam?"

I had frozen in fear. Serperior was regarding us with malicious intent, but it wasn't attacking. This gave me time to look at Luna, who seemed to be unconscious... or worse. I could see a trickle of blood leaking from her mouth. Eric was standing in front of Serperior now, a smirk adorning his face. He mouthed the word 'Coward'.

"Liam!" Xera pushed me roughly back, Dewpider scuttling onto my shoulder. "If you can't get ahold of yourself, stay out of the way!" She readied her spear, Grovyle and Leavanny beside her readying their own attacks. Z dropped down to all fours, eyes narrowing as her facial features spread into a snarl.

I watched them charge as if in a daze. I lost track of them quickly as I lost myself in my fears, doubts, and worries.

"Survival is key."

"I'm trying," I whispered, my voice shaking.

"Learn to harden your heart, Liam. Or you'll never survive."

"I can't."

"Hold tight."

My eyes widened, my eyes being drawn to the poisonous sword sheathed in the dark wood on my hip.

"That sword will guide your destiny."

"Survival is key," I spat, tightening my grip on the hilt, staring right into Eric's eyes. "I made a promise never to kill another human being." I was shaking so much that Dewpider hopped off behind me. "But you," I switched my attention from Eric and glared at the Serperior where he battled my friends, drawing the sword with shaking hands. "You're not human." I slid the rest of the blade from its sheath, the purple metal glinting in the harsh sunlight.

I quickly surveyed the battle. My friends were getting nowhere, unable to fully strike at Serperior since he had already proven he would use Luna's body as a weapon with no regards to her safety. He was also not doing much to us, but would occasionally break the ground with vines and roots and send rocks showering from above. He was definitely stronger than us combined, so that could only mean he was playing with us!

I gritted my teeth, raising my sword. "Damn you..."

Dewpider quickly scuttled back onto my shoulder, tugging on my head. I lowered the sword. "You're right, I can't go charging in." I glanced around the area, cliff walls on both sides. I took a deep breath, sheathing my sword again. I would only get one shot at this, and if I failed, I wouldn't get another.

Praying that my friends could keep Serperior's rage on them for a while longer, I hurried to the left and began climbing the rock wall. It was tricky and I almost fell two times when I was several meters up. It was only halfway up when I realized that this was much easier than I had expected. I looked at my arm. The me who used to read back in that worn apartment in Motostoke City had been skinny and weak. But now, being on this island, being forced to survive and fight for my life, I had become stronger.

The cliffside shook and loose pebbles fell on my head. I tried not to glance over at the battle, already reminded of the task I had set for myself. A minute later, I had reached the top. Just as I had hoped, Regirock was nowhere in sight. I turned around. From here it looked like Grovyle was already out of the battle, Xera limping, and Z slowing down. There was a thin trail that led along the ravine, so I inched along it, praying to Arceus above that my footing didn't give way. Soon I had my back against the rock wall.

Xera noticed me at one point and seemed to give Z a quick message. Z then roared, slashing at Serperior, gathering his attention. Serperior's head turned, having been moments away from noticing I was above him. Finally, I stopped. Taking a quick, shuddering breath, I drew my sword, nearly knocking myself off the side in the process.

Watching Serperior's head move back and forth, even lunging forwards at one point, had me dizzy. I breathed, raising the sword. Clenching my jaw, I leaped, yelling at the top of my lungs. Serperior swung his head around in surprise as I fell towards him. Time seemed to flow slower as I aimed to drive the point into his head. Then...

SHLICK!

I hung from Serperior's neck, having driven the purple blade into his flesh. He had moved his head at the last second. Serperior roared and tried to bite me, but I swung up my legs. The place I hung was in just the right location on his neck that he couldn't reach me. My arms were screaming in pain and I didn't think I could hold on for much longer. When I felt blood drip onto my arms, I looked up at my sword and my eyes widened. Purple vein-like tendrils seemed to spread where my sword had made contact with Serperior's flesh, travelling up and down the length of his body, spreading to his eyes where they turned purple. Serperior roared in agony, twisting madly. The world around me had become a blur as I was desperate to hold on for dear life. Then I was in empty air.

I was still clutching my sword, blood running down it as I fell. I gave a silent scream, before suddenly my body jerked upwards. I accidently let go of the sword and it fell towards the ground as something flew me upwards. My shirt was digging into my neck as I grappled at it with both hands, trying to let some air into my lungs. Then I landed on hard ground as whatever had grabbed ahold of me released its grip.

Taking in deep gulps of air, I raised my head, finding I was looking back into the ravine. Serperior had gone on a rampage now, eyes a deep purple as it roared, slamming its head against the rock wall. I scanned the area for my friends, looking exclusively for Luna to see if she was okay. Then a weight pressed down on my back, forcing me to the ground.

"Ger off!" My face was squished against the hard dirt, but I could hear voices. It was in another language and I had a feeling it was the same language as Xera's and Luna's. And that could only mean-

More voices and I felt the pressure ease from my back. I found myself flipped over suddenly, the sunlight glaring against my face. I squinted at the figures staring down at me, outlined by the sun above. I barely registered dark skin and hardened features before the guy kneeling over me shook me and said something rapidly.

"I-" Another crash from below in the ravine made me remember my friends. "Help them! Please! I'll do anything!"

That made him stop shaking me. He seemed surprised and he turned to his comrades, who I couldn't make out in the harsh sunlight.

"Please," I said again, trying to get up. "Help them. You need to-" A blow to my head knocked the next words out of my mouth and I fell backwards, barely conscious. I heard a screeching sound as if it were far away, more crashing, and yells. Darkness enclosed around me, and with it, the silence that always came with the dark.

...

I slowly woke to the sound of clopping and heavy snorting noises. I was leaning against something hard, yet flexible. It was warm, maybe by the sun or perhaps because it was alive. Then a bump shook me awake, making me jerk upwards, nearly falling off whatever I was on.

"Easy there." A hand was placed on my back, pushing me forwards and against the neck of the Pokemon I was riding. I blinked, realizing it was a Mudbray. It turned its head to look at me with its sideways pupil eyes and brayed before turning away. I looked to my left to look at whoever had helped me from not falling.

He was a short man, but strongly built. He had short black hair with a bit of gray into it and lines etched into his rugged face. He had a beard, and like the hair atop his head, had a bit of gray in it.

"So you are outsider?" he said. He was speaking English, but his accent was deep and his wording rough.

"Y-yes," I answered. I looked around. There were other people, all built similarly to the man, even the two women I saw. More Mudbrays seemed to be carrying leather and baskets and-

"Xera!" I practically shouted, but she didn't wake from atop her Mudbray. She had a nasty looking bruise on her cheek and dried blood on her ripped clothes, Dewpider on her back. I looked around, seeing Grovyle and Leavanny both awake, but being carried by a Mudbray. Leavanny waved at me and I saw that her arm was damaged, but wrapped in some sort of cloth. Yanmega was flying just ahead of me. He turned and settled on my head, bending his head to look at me.

Rubbing his head, I looked back at the guy walking beside my Mudbray. "Where is Luna?"

He pointed behind me and I turned on my seat and looked. Luna was on the back of a Mudsdale, looking pale and unconscious. Z was in human form, weak-looking, but seemingly determined to watch over the white-haired girl. Two other tribespeople walked alongside the Mudsdale, occasionally glancing at her.

"Is she-" I didn't dare utter the word.

"She has been wounded badly," the man said. "But she will be okay. She has had her serious injuries tended to. Once we reach village, she will see our..." he trailed off, looking confused. After several long moments, his thick eyebrows shot up as he said, "Healer. She will see our healer."

I shook my head, ignoring the fact that his English needed some addressing to.

"What's your name?" I asked, pointing to him for emphasis.

He frowned, then said, "Deveren."

"I'll call you Dev," I said, trying to blink away the headache I had. "How long until we-"

Dev let out an exclamation, pointing ahead. "There! Our Village."

I sat up, Yanmega taking flight off of me as I stared past the group. The trail we were on led its way across a natural land bridge towards a landscape of what looked like huge rock cylinders jutting from the earth with mountains on all sides. The one with the largest area was nestled against a mountainside appeared to be the village. Smoke rose from some of the houses that were made from the earth and I could see the small figures of people walking or staying stationary. A couple of Braviarys screeched overhead as they flew over our group, their shadows flying below them as the Pokemon soared towards our destination.

Basically a year after I had started this book and over a half a year since I put it on hiatus, Pokémon TMR: Buried Secrets is back! I know this isn't as popular (since only a few of you might actually read this when this chapter is posted), but I hope that as I continue to develop this story that it will grow and even compare to my HBoD series. Thank you Ninjagirl64, Last-Word, AshOfTheBurningWorld, Torterra657. As far as I can remember, you are the few that I saw actively reading this story. I hope I can live up to your expectations and make this another great story. Please, continue reading as I update and give your thoughts. Until next time. Toodles