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The Pact of a Warrior (Lady Clemence)

Lady Clemence the Stalwart:

Your master has taught you well so far, it is now time for the final exam of her swordsman class. This is no ordinary test, this test will test your strength and perseverance as a true warrior. For let me explain to you your final exam.

You will be heading far out at sea, into the Ocean of Dagon, a vast body of water north of Prism and West of Sinnoh, known for its truly vicious Pokemon such as Gyarados and Sharpedo, and its even crueler waters that suffers constant twisters, tidal waves, and anything else you can imagine. Very few people have sailed through even the corner of these waters and lived to tell the tale. You may be asking yourself why Lady Clemence would send you there, well she has just gotten word that one of the Gems of Norns, the Aegir's Sapphire has surfaced somewhere out in the Dagon waters. And thus it is time for your test, it is your task to head out to sea, find the gem, and claim it as your own. Though how can you possibly hope to find such a small gem in such a large body of water?

Before I answer let me finishing explaining, you will not be alone on this test. You along with two of her other students whom she deems ready for this task shall embark on this journey together. Now this probably still doesn't answer the earlier question does it? Well allow me to answer it now. Since it would be almost impossible to find the gem without some help Lady Clemence is also lending you one of her most prized Pokemon, her Phione. The water Pokemon named Phione all seem to be able to sense the Aegir's Sapphire, so this Pokemon will be very helpful to you in this journey, really your only chance of finding it rests with this Pokemon. Even though you will be using this Pokemon to find the gem, you will also be guarding it with your lives. This Pokemon has no pokeball which makes it an open target but that's not why you are guarding it.

Phione are known to be born in the Ocean of Dagon, it is there that they must fight there way out of the ocean and make their way into warmer waters where they will live out their lives. But due to the harsh conditions of the sea, very few Phione make it out alive. Because of this, the Pokemon of Dagon see Phione as a rare delicacy, something any of them would love to sink their teeth into it, which they will stop at nothing to do so. Just hiding it won't help either, since the Phione needs to watch the sea anyways, the Pokemon can almost smell a Phione from miles away. So the vicious Pokemon will swarm to you in order to get that delicious snack. It is your job to not only seek out the gem but to also guard the Phione with your very life.

Now for a short version of your task at hand. The three of you shall board one of Lady Clemence's impressive ships dock at Aquamarine Port (in Prism), her faithful companion, a Phione named Mare, will also accompany you on the ship. The Phione will act as the compass, pointing out the direction of the Aegir's Sapphire. Once you head into the Ocean of Dagon you must guard Mare with your life, as the Pokemon of Dagon will stop at nothing to get to the delicious treat on board your ship. If you do survive through the brutal weather conditions of the Ocean of Dagon (Which is more than enough to kill most people, think of it as almost a constant hurricane),fight off the Pokemon and reach the location of the gem, you will be treated with still waters and no more hunters. Though the gem isn't your yet, the Aegir's Sepphire, like the other three gems, has its own guardian and is closely guarded. What is the guardian you ask? It may very well be the reason for the fierce storms, the guardian of the gem is none other than a Lugia.

Your group must work together to hold off, distract, defend against the Lugia and retrieve the gem floating above the water. There is no possible way any of you will be able to defeat the Lugia, nor can the combined efforts. Your only hope is to make a sly move and snatch up the gem getting out of there as quickly as possible. Though be warned, the Lugia of Dagon will stop at nothing to put an end to your efforts. So be extremely careful. I should also note there is only but one Aegir's Gem, so only one of your group shall be passing the exam, how your group will decide, or not decide is beyond me, so who knows what will happen.

Once you do get the gem, return the ship back to Aquamarine Port and take the gem and Mare to your master. It is then that she shall proclaim you to be a true Guard. Further more, you shall be rewarded with the Aegir's Sapphire with your new title. It is then that your master will forge the Aegir's Sapphire into your sword. Once this is done, the blade will transform only once, to suit the true master of the weapon. This means the sword could turn into any melee weapon fitting to your class or a shield of some form (Which is much more preferred for a Guard). Also, your destined spirit companion (Which dwells within the gem) will also become one with the weapon/shield as it is forged. Though there is a catch, the spirit will ask of you if you shall make a pact to not only fight slowly with the weapon/shield you hold, but to also continue down the path you have begun. This choice is eternally binding, those who make the pact must continue with the way of the Guard that they have begun. (Meaning, they can only do specializations. You may not become a hybrid later on, nor anything else. You are locked into doing specializations forever with that character)

Should you make the pact with the spirit shall lend you their power, if not, the spirit shall pass on and you will be left with a simple weapon, nothing more. But should you make the pact and since you will be obtaining the Aegir's Sapphire the Pokemon Spirit within your weapon shall be a non-legendary Pokemon of the Water, Ice, Psychic, or Ghost type, depending on your own inner element (Your choice). This spirit will aid you with not only advice and verbal help but as you learn to master the class of the Guard, it will aid you in gaining new skills and powers. This spirit will be your ultimate companion. Good luck.

Participants: Lykas, Lancer and Anna

Appearing in the training rooms of The Academy, Lykas saw Lady Clemence standing with two others, a young man of roughly seventeen and a woman of about 22. "I apologize for being so late to the selections, my Lady." he said as he approached her.

"It is no thouble, Lykas." Lady Clemence replied as she turned to greet him. "Unfohtunately, thehe ahe only two students left to paih you vith." she said softly. "I vas just telling them about you so I vould like you to meet, Lancer and Anna." she said as she directed his attention to the teen and the young woman respectively.

"It's nice to meet you both, I'm-"

"Lykas. It's nice to meet you as well." Lancer finished as he stepped forward and shook the boys hand.

"Well, I see someone's done their homework..." Lykas replied with a slightly unnerved grin. The older teen's smile was slightly creepy.

"It's nice to meet you, Lykas." Anna greeted as she stepped over to him and shook his hand as well. She had a strong grip for a woman. Something the boy had never encountered before. Erika's girls were all dainty and delicate, never bothering to be more than wilting flowers.

Appearing at the Port, the students looked around. "I don't like this place. It's too busy." Lykas said as he noticed the marketplace near the wharf.

"Don't be such a pansy, Lykas." Lancer joked as he looked towards the docks.

"Oh, stuff it Lancer." Anna retorted as she smacked him on the back of the head. Apparently they knew each other rather well.

"I was just playin'!" Lancer remarked as he rubbed the spot where he'd been smacked.

"I grew up in a garden. I like nature." Lykas explained as he began walking toward the Docks. He looked around in search of a ship that might be the one Lady Clemence was providing them with. "Do either of you know which ship we're supposed to take?" he asked at last.

"Don't mind Lancer, he's an a**." Anna said as she followed after Lykas. Hearing his question she nodded. "Ya, the Lady's ship is over there." she said as she pointed to a large, rather elegant looking ship near the end of the docks.

"Wow." Lykas and Lancer replied at the same instant. The three hurried to the ship and climbed aboard. It took a while, but they eventually got the thing ready for travel and released the tether holding the ship to the dock.

"I am so glad this isn't one of those old fashioned sailing ships." Lykas remarked as they set off.

Lancer leaned against the port railing and watched the horizon, seeing the lighthouse on the coast disappear into the distance. "Hey Lykas?" he asked the blue haired teen, who was looking out at the horizon across the starboard bow.

"Ya?" Lykas asked as he turned his head and looked at the older brunette.

"I heard Lady Clemence has taken to calling you her apprentice." Lancer said, trying to keep the biting tone out of his voice. He'd been gunning for that slot. "Any idea why?" he asked after a moment.

"Not the slightest." Lykas replied. "I can only guess she just likes me." he assumed.

Anna laughed from the helm. "Ya, the Lady tends to take a liking to people fairly easily and she's not above playing favorites." she informed the boys. "I've been training under her for longer than both of you. I've seen apprentices come and go, and usually the newest ones to come along, and especially those who train for a reason, tend to become her favorites making them her newest apprentice. For her, an apprentice isn't the sole keeper of her art for the remainder of her life, like a normal sword master's apprentice. To her, an apprentice is a student who is naturally skilled." she explained as she navigated them through the calm waters.

"So...I'm her favorite?" Lykas asked, simply for the sake of clarifying it. "And I have natural skill?" he questioned after a moment, not entirely sure that could be true in the slightest.

"It would seem that way." Anna replied simply. She smiled inwardly, certain the boy had to have some good reason to be training under Lady Clemence and still be so naive.

"I still don't get why she picked him." Lancer remarked bitterly.

"Because you've got no talent and still can't beat me in an assault." Anna replied with more of a laugh than it deserved. "I'm still not sure why she thinks you're ready for this." she remarked as she noted that they were finally far enough out to head northward.

Lacner walked over to Anna and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You've got some crazy idea in your head. I can see it in your eyes." he told her, knowing that look all too well after their not-too-long acquaintanceship.

Anna nodded and, keeping her voice down so Lykas wouldn't hear, explained to the older male what her idea was. "Don't you think this kid has a good reason for going through this kind of Hell?" she asked at first.

"Damn straight, he does. I wish I had that kind of reason for it." Lancer replied with a clear face.

"Then why don't we let him take the sapphire when we find it? I only want to learn the art of fencing and you're only here because your parents are making you. So why not let the kid with a conviction take it?" Anna asked in a conspiratorial tone.

"I see your point. I can just tell my parents he was faster in getting to it when we get back and then I'm off the hook for who knows how long." Lancer replied in a quiet whisper.

Both offered Lykas a quick glance to make sure he wasn't looking and then shook hands. "It's a deal. We let the kid have the rock when we get there." Lancer said.

"And we help him get it in any way we can." Anna added with a smile.

"We don't tell him and let him think he got it on his own power. I bet he needs the confidence boost, anyway." Lancer said with a quiet laugh.

"Agreed. We let him keep the Sapphire, help him get it and don't tell him we did." Anna said quietly.

"Agreed." Lancer replied simply.

"It's unanimous then." Anna chuckled as they shook on it again.

They broke apart quickly when Lykas looked their way.

Anna noted the dark clouds and the darker waters with a grimace. "We'll be at the edge in a matter of minutes if we keep moving at this speed." she informed Lykas, who in turn informed Lancer when he returned from his pretend run to the bathroom.

"Then we need Mare to be ready to point us to where we're going as we move." Lancer remarked after hearing the news from Lykas.

"I'm going to get him now." Lykas replied as he headed below deck and noticed that Mare was sitting on a small table and staring out one of the portholes as they moved.

"Phi phi phione phi phione." the small Pokemon sang as he watched the water.

"We're almost at the edge of Dagon's waters, Mare. We need you above deck to point the way to the Sapphire." the boy informed the Phione, who nodded. Picking Mare up, Lykas headed back up onto the deck and headed to the Bow again. "Which way?" he asked of Mare.

Mare watched the water for a minute or two before he moved. "Phi phione phi phi!" he cried out as he pointed Northeast.

"Looks like we went too far to the West" Lancer smarted off to Anna.

"Bite me, smart guy." Anna retorted as she navigated the ship to point in that direction and activated the screw.

As Lykas looked out to the water's edge, he was unsurprised to find that Pokemon were already gathering around the ship. Huntail, Gorebys, large Relicanth, Sharpedo. Ocean dwelling water types of all shapes and sizes.

"We got company!" Anna called as she drew her rapier. An overlarge Tentacruel was climbing over the railing and heading towards her. Lykas drew Windsong and rushed forward. "Hang on tight, Mare." Lykas told the Phione as he strengthened his grip on the small Water type.

Lancer was busy on the other side, deflecting repeated attacks from a very persistent Octillery that was creeping up the hull. His foil rang out in the storm as it was struck by yet another powerful Water Gun. "This is not gonna be easy!" he called to the other two, who were busily fending off the many tentacles of the jellyfish/squid Pokemon.

Lykas traded steps with Corsola over and over. Each time the Pokemon attacked him, he'd defend and either step back from it, or forward after it. The Rock dual type was unable to move any closer to him due to the strange motion of his steps. A Power Gem coming his way had him dancing through the beam like blast of light from the highly reflective tips of the corsola's coral-like body. Stepping into the attack, he lashed out and snapped off most of the Pokemon's coral spikes. "They'll grow. Back!" he grunt as he ran up and punted the Pokemon back into the water. His toes stung from that one. Corsola were heavier that other water types of the same size.

Before he cuold get too far, he had a Starmie at his back. Perhaps it didn't want to eat Mare, but it was attacking nonetheless. And it was a sure thing that the Pokemon were getting bigger and stronger the closer they got to where Mare was pointing them. And they deeper they got into the Dagon waters, the more turbulent the waters became, making their fight as much with their footholds as with the Pokemon.

Lancer was fighting with a Seadra on the Stern at the moment. The Pokemon's back fins suddenly began to flex and wiggle as if the seahorse were flapping them like wings. "What's it doing?" Lancer called to Lykas, who risked a quick glance to see the Pokemon in action. "It's about to use Twister! Stop it or we're dead in the water!" Lykas called back, barely deflecting a Bubblebeam that Starmie had sent at him.

"Oh great." Lancer replied as he rushed forward and kicked the Seadra in its chest. The Dragon Pokemon grunted and halted it's motions. "Sea....dra!" it cried as it inhaled briefly and then gushed out a Hydro Pump, blasting Lancer with the powerful torrent. "Help!" the teen called to the others. Anna, noticing that Lykas was preoccupied, released the wheel and ran to Lancer's aid, throwing her rapier, flat side forward, into the flow of the Hydro Pump and braced it with her spare hand. "Push hard!" she told Lancer, who nodded and threw his shoulder forward and pushed. Slowly, the two were able to hold off the attack until the Seadra had to stop and take a breath. Anna took the chance to rush forward and skewer the creature, throwing it's bleeding carcass overboard as she turned to Lykas.

"Don't kill them!" Lykas screamed at her as he fought against the starfish in front of him. "I know they're strong, but don't kill them!" he urged.

"He's such a goody goody." Lancer remarked as he turned his attention to the wet sounds of slimy scales on wooden planks.