Chapter Ten:
Andromeda's Angels
Enlightening
"Holland"
All that encompassed him was darkness.
"Holland"
A voice that rings from everywhere and nowhere.
"Holland"
So distant.
"Holland"
He needs control.
"HOLLAND!"
Pain coursed through the back of Holland's neck as the expansive darkness quickly turned into the familiar ambience of his childhood kitchen. His mother stood behind him holding a curled up magazine with looks that could kill.
"Why the hell are you spacing out all of a sudden!" His mom's voice was reprimanding. The same reprimanding, endearing and comforting voice all throughout his childhood. "Seriously, you had us thinking a Drowzee got to you."
"Mom, there are no Drowzees in Kalos." Holland bit back, his hand reaching out for the plate of bread situated at the center of their dining table.
"It's a figure of speech idiot." His dad spoke from the side in his little corner, bathing himself on the daily dose of breaking news. Holland took the bread and didn't answer, biting at it with all the jaw power he had.
"Don't eat too fast. What are you, starving?" It was only a comment from his mom, but something inside of him wanted to say "yes". Holland hadn't eaten in a while, but that wasn't true, he just had dinner last night.
"Come on, we can't be late for the initiation." This time, the big old man of the house made his move. Standing up from his cocoon on the table and readying everyone to go.
"What initiation?" Holland's question was greeted with unamused gazes from his parents.
"Seriously, and the whole region will be looking up at him." My mom said to herself, clicking her tongue in the process.
"Enough with the antics Holland and go get ready. You'll be initiated for becoming Kalos' new pokemon Champion in less than an hour. Good thing Runi can teleport us all." His dad and mom escaped the kitchen to get dressed, leaving the frozen Holland at the table.
There was no initiation.
He didn't make it. He was back at the canyons. Wait, was he? Everything felt so blurry, so distant, like a camera whose lens had a drop of water fall on it.
'Control.'
Holland gasped, his hands clawed out at the invisible pain in his throat. He was no longer in the kitchen, he was now atop a massive podium, thousands of eyes watching his every move.
He clutched at the tightly knotted necktie. He tried to force it open with his finger, but it wouldn't budge. Thousands were looking at him now, even the previous champion looked at him expectantly. Holland gulped down his saliva and spoke hesitantly, fingers still clutching at the magenta necktie.
"Ugh, Thank you…"
A man in a white a polo holding a mic clapped. The camera men along him clapped as well, followed by the cheers of everyone else. He could've sworn that a cheer from his parents echoed in the crowd, but it was all just too much.
The tie was really getting annoying.
"Congratulations, champion." A smooth and comforting voice rang to his side. There, the figure of Olympia looked at him. The psychic gym leader looked at him with a sense of pride. "And I don't just mean about winning. With regards to your powers, congratulations on achieving control."
'Control.'
"Control…" The world around him grew hazy and the faces of the people morphed into a blurry mess.
Holland clutched at his necktie. His fingers dug deep to claw it out, but it held strong. The face of Olympia was the last he saw, her soulless eyes looking back as it sunk deeper into the clouds of the unknown. All of a sudden, Holland felt a tug. He grabbed his necktie again, as the force pulled on the fabric and sent him flying back and falling onto the dirt road.
There was no more necktie, but what replaced it sent a cold shiver to Holland's spine.
"N-no…" Holland's eyes looked hysterical, his pupils dilated and a light crimson sheen took over them. "No…no…NO!"
Holland screamed, the metal cuff around his neck tightened and sent a surge of pain to every nerve in his body. His voice cracked but his fingers did not stop. It continued to dig into the metal, clawing at it with every ounce of strength he got. His fingers bled but Holland did not stop.
"Please…no…" he pleaded with a hoarse voice. Holland's eyes were filled with a layer of red light, tears falling down from them in streams. The cuff, it kept on tightening and he wished for it to stop.
There was a sense of helplessness in his voice. Holland was sorry, but he couldn't undo his mistake. All he could do at that moment was plead and cry. To his side, his family watched with teary eyes. It was an accident, but it didn't matter.
He was dangerous.
'Control.'
The pain of the cuffs disappeared and all that was left was a blood red scarf that clung onto him. The sight of the dirt road and his crying parents were no more, they all faded into obscurity just to be replaced by another.
"Please stop…" Holland muttered. He felt for his pokeballs but they weren't there. He needed them, he needed Runi.
"Runi?" a voice from nowhere asked.
Holland froze. That voice, it couldn't be.
"Gracia…" Holland's mouth finally moved. That word's utterance alone made him question everything once more. "Y-your v-voice…"
Holland's voice cracked at those words. His knees finally gave way and the scarf around him started to tighten. He collapsed onto a heap on the ground and cried. This can't be happening, it's all just a dream.
"A dream?" There it was again. "Do you really want me to just be a dream?"
"Of course not, that's not what I meant I—" Before he could finish, the voice interrupted him.
"You really are selfish!" Her words clawed at Holland. The pain, it was enough to eat at him in every possible way. "You are dangerous! I tried to help you, but you were so stubborn!"
"....I-I was.." Holland finally admitted. The scarf around him finally snapped shut and he fought for air once more.
"You're just..."
'Control."
The pain disappeared. The tears were gone. Everything was gone. It was pure darkness and Holland's mind couldn't think of anything else but the memories. Image of a pained face, eyes so lost, and a body that quivered endlessly flashed in his mind. He was dangerous, he lacked control.
'Control'
There it was again. That overpowering pressure upon his neck. Holland remembered the first time it happened. He wished it didn't. The last thing he saw was Gracia before everything turned black. After that, everyone just moved on. Holland wanted to say sorry, but the words were trapped inside his mouth.
'Control'
"I-I…" Holland couldn't finish his words. The pain was imminent, but he was used to it by now.
'Control'
"I-I….don't have it…" Holland answered. It was a surprising relief. He didn't admit it, he couldn't — he mustn't. But at this moment, he finally released it. His body loosened and the words that had haunted him for so long finally engulfed his entire being.
'Control….' the voice paused. '...you don't need it.'
......
"That has to be some high-level mind spell." Orion choked out. His hand clutched the tattoo on his bare chest, his face wincing ever so often.
"You have no idea." Virgo replied. The celestial fabrics that danced along her bare skin glowed with a dim hue. "I sacrificed a huge chunk of my energy and had to disassemble the barrier to activate it. Luckily, he didn't teleport at the last second."
"Luckily…" Orion looked at the frozen form of the Dragon Tamer. His face was still blurry, due to that weird summon. Speaking of summon, Orion turned to the creatures. "Why aren't they disappearing?"
The two focused their gazes on the three struggling creatures. A floating ball of gel, a squirming blob, and a sentient sword. A weird bunch truly. They've never seen a summoner with that much variation of summons.
"There probably anchored. The mistress will know more about this." Virgo flicked her wrist and the purple rope that knotted around the pokemon moved. The pokemon were sent to the side. As they landed firmly in a pile, a familiar individual in blue made her appearance. "Cetus, are you still functioning?"
"Functioning? Look at me!?" The girl was drenched in her own water. Arcs of electricity zapping away slightly at every joint she moved. She was shaking and on the edge of paralysis.
"At least you can still use your magic." Orion butted in, still clutching the tattoo on his chest. "That sword managed to sever me and my spirit. I'm powerless for another hour!"
Cetus rolled her eyes and fixed them on the wriggling pokemon. They were still going at it, something that ticked off Cetus. Especially that green blob. As her eyes examined each one, her face turned grim and pale at the sight of a familiar blob. This change did not go unnotice by Virgo as she questioned her immediately.
"T-that thing!" Cetus pointed a shaky finger to Goomy. "That's the dragon!"
Her words were a giant mallet that had descended upon the ground. It sent ripples and waves to those that heard it. Virgo and Orion grew wary, but a part of them exuded doubt at the proclaimed dragon blob.
"Are you sure? Maybe that lightning strike kicked off a few gears." Orion asked, much to the annoyance of Cetus.
"Of course I'm sure!" Cetus sent him a glare before turning to Virgo. The woman nodded a tight-lip smile, her hands raising forward.
"If that's the case, then we need to detain it immediately." Virgo was quiet. She didn't want to stoke the dragon even further. If myths were right, than this thing could kill them all.
"Over there…" Orion whispered, his fingers pointing to the unconscious body of Holland. "Those balls to his side, that's where that sword was released. I bet that's where he keeps that thing."
Virgo followed Orion's direction and floated towards the Dragon Tamer. Her actions caused the creatures beside to shake violently. Virgo snapped her fingers and the ropes around them tightened even more. Though, Virgo made sure the dragon's wasn't too uncomfortable.
"This thing…" Virgo hadn't seen anything like it. She neared her fingers to the balls on the Dragon Tamer's side.
...
Holland was overcome with power. It was the dormant, unstable energy he and Runi had arduously kept contained. He once felt it before, when he was fighting Orion, but this, this was on another level.
'Do you really think that you have control?'
Holland was quiet. The ambient voice sounded mocking and Holland couldn't understand why.
'Even when you let go earlier, with that battle against the knight. There was still a remnant of you that kept the power contained. As if you couldn't truly do it.'
Holland was about to answer when a surge of emotions entered his thoughts. It was Runi, he was sure of it. From anger, to helplessness, to disappointment. Holland could feel the surge coursed through his mind. Holland questioned what it was when an image flashed across his mind. A woman. Her fingers hovered over his pokeballs in a frozen state of curiosity.
Holland's mind reacted. From the state of emptiness, despair, and regret, it turned into that of frustration, wrath, and a wild sense of protection. He just needed to be in control, just like what the other psychics said.
Holland gathered the energy around him when all of a sudden the voice of Gracia entered his ears. The energy fell and dispersed.
'Have you learned nothing?'
Holland screamed. The world within his mind shook, but it did not deter the voice.
'Let go Holland. You are not in control, you are merely boxing your powers. Control has seemed to have lost its true meaning to you.'
What? Holland wanted to wonder but he had no time for it. What should he do? He needs to free himself.
'I told you…' there it was again, that voice that Holland couldn't stop listening to. 'Just. Let. Go.'
Holland stopped. His chaotic mind turned quiet and all Holland could think of was nothing but those three words, Holland kept repeating them in his mind.
Just let go.
Just let go.
Just let go.
The energy around him fluctuated. It no longer encompassed all, instead it formed in front of him in a single condensed point.
'That's not it Holland. Truly let go. Let your mind escape into the physical world!'
Holland focused. His mind became tired, and that focus turned into thought, until all that was in him was a slight sense of consciousness. He did not will his energy to move any more, instead he felt it move on its own, and then, just like magic, it all became clear.
The energy around him turned to life. It wasn't the same as before, it was more lively. As if the power he had within him finally developed a sense of self. Its very own identity.
At that moment everything became clear in Holland's mind. An understanding of his powers that couldn't be described.
.....
Virgo looked at the pokeballs upon Holland's pocket. Her fingers twitched as she was inches away from the item. Finally, at grabbing reach, Virgo made to move when suddenly, Holland's hand grabbed her own.
She didn't have time to speak nor react as she was sent pummeling into the rocky cliffs. Cetus and Orion shouted as their eyes landed on Holland. It was unbelievable.
How could it be.
Holland floated upwards. His eyes opened to reveal a pure magenta light. The light seeped out from his eyes, engulfing every crevice within his body. Three balls from Holland's pocket floated upwards and opened, returning the three struggling pokemon to their humble abodes.
"Don't worry any more. I'll finish this." Holland muttered silently to the PokeBall before tightly fastening them on his belt.
"Stop him!" Ironically, Virgo was the first to voice out inside the crater she was in. "He's rising to enlightenment."
A light of realization entered everyone's faces. The light soon faded as realization finally sinked in. Cetus was the one to move as Orion could barely hold himself up. She summoned the last bits of her power, letting it all out in a cry that could only be described as a falling storm.
"World Of The Crashing Monsoon!"
Rain engulfed the entire area and the waters that came from it morphed into beam of fast rushing water.
Holland's face remained motionless as he gestured to the rushing beam of water. The beam was cleaved in half, the water falling in a spurr of rain drops.
"Don't worry, he's still in the initial steps. If he doesn't access his first stage then the the drawback will come to him!" Virgo roared amongst the pouring rain. She raised her hand and various purple strings shot towards him.
The strings circled around Holland. It glistened and punctured holes in the rocks as if it was steel. Like prey caught in the spider's web, the strings grew nearer towards Holland.
The champion batted no eye as he released a powerful wave of energy. The energy sent the three warriors into the depths of the canyons. The rain continued to pour and from below a rushing flood began to form.
Holland raised his hands to attack once more when his arm lowered. His muscle visibly shook and a single crinkle appeared on Holland's unmoving face. This didn't go unnoticed as Virgo ordered for Cetus to attack. This was there last chance to apprehend him.
Cetus floated high and raised her hands forward. Her voice echoed through the area as she casted her last spell. She poured every last ounce of power she had into this, if this didn't work than mistress will kill them.
"World Of The Impending Sea Beast!"
The rain that covered the canyons morphed into a storm as the drops of water shot through the air like bullets. Everyone's vision became hindered as the wind picked up a remarkable pace. At the center of it all floated Cetus. She commanded the water forward.
In a show of pure power, the water beneath them rose high into a massive crescendo. The water's form morphed into that of a wild beast, with teeth that could bend steel, eyes that could see through the soul, and a mane that reached the stormy heavens. It grew legs and fins, staring unblinkingly at Holland. A slight smirk entered Cetus' lips as she ordered it to attack.
Like an inevitable storm, the monster crashed through. It tore through the canyons, effectively destroying it's last distinguishing feature. It neared the floating Dragon Tamer, with a roar that signalled victory. Virgo prepared herself to capture him, when she felt it. That slight rumble.
Virgo's face visibly paled. There was no mistaking it. At that moment, even though she would never admit it. She knew, they have been defeated.
Holland opened his mouth. And that same feeling engulfed him. As if everyone stopped to listen to him say these words. His power built up inside his vocal cords, waiting for it to be spoken, to be willed into existence. And just like that, he finally said it.
"Wrath Of The Silent Spirit"
He had no idea what that meant. But as he spoke those words, he felt a part of him being freed. Although his voice was quiet, everyone heard him. Everyone felt it rush through their bones.
The world around them stopped. The rain drops floated in place, the roaring winds morphed into a still cape of hazy blur, and the gushing flood became a statue of a silent storm. From the looks of everyone, it was as if time was frozen. There was now sound, not movement, no life. Until, Virgo's trembling voice broke though.
"He did it. His first spell…"
Everyone understood except Holland. The moving objects were suspended in mid-air and Holland could feel it. He could sense everything that was subjected to his power. The energy that these things had built up, the energy of motion — it moved towards him. This energy shifted and turned until it merged within. The energy was now fuel as it replaced his lost power.
As he merged with the power his connection with the still objects intensified. He could feel it under the grasp of his psychic power. Holland looked at the silent warriors. Virgo, Cetus, and Orion. They didn't tremble, merely looking at him with contempt. Holland stared back with eyes showing no emotion.
The three knights knew what was about to happen. They simply waited.
He raised one finger and flicked.
All objects, both rain, rock, and wind, shot towards the three warriors. The rain came towards them like a barrage of neverending bullets. The rock and wind were a force that sent all three back even further. Sound finally came crashing down, pulling everything back to the rugged embrace of reality.
Despite the rise in power, Holland grew tired. He watched the crouching warriors that had tried to subdue him moment's ago. The woman clad in fabric hid behind a rock. The woman of water embracing the bullets of rain head on, shielded by a spiritual power. And finally the knight, he was lying face first onto the dirt.
Holland felt it was time to end this. He needed rest and now was the perfect moment. The energy around him gathered in one single point before releasing in a burst of blinding, powerful light, that for a second, turned the night into day.
Holland covered himself in a protective layer of psychic energy along with his pokeballs. Feeling the force that lifted him high disappear, Holland let himself fall. Within seconds, he was in the embrace of the rushing flood.
Unlike the last, this one was comforting. The water hugged him in every part of his body. It gave a soft sensation to the soreness of his muscles, the bones that were bent, and the wounds that were opened. Holland let it all in, as he let himself be swayed by the water.
His ears acquired the faint shouts of his enemies before finally going dark. Holland rode with the flood as the water carried him off the canyons, and into the river up north. His mind was now at peace, under the pity of the storm that had tried to kill him moment's ago.
Before his entire consciousness went black. His eyes could feel a faint light pushing through the water. Holland didn't react, too tired to move. His blurry vision could only make out a faint shape looking down at him.
A golden helix of light.
Its shine bathed him and all the aches disappeared. Overwhelmed with comfort, Holland finally succumbed to sleep.
Announcement:
To those that loved this story and added it to their collections, thanks so much. As for this story, I will not be releasing a new chapter tomorrow. I'm still working on a schedule. BUT, I promise I will be releasing before a week has passed, I have so much planned for this story, you have no idea. So hope you don't leave. Thanks.