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Teya woke as Qagan shook her lightly. She looked to him with a smile, which Qagan didn't return. She began to stand up slowly.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Qagan picked up his pack and threw it over his shoulder.

"We need to go." He paused. "Now." He finished.

Teya looked confused. "Did something happen?" Qagan grabbed her claw and began to walk swiftly to the north.

"I'm not sure... but I think something has happened in the crater." Qagan answered. Teya looked around as Qagan was basically dragging her behind him.

"What about Lindsey?" She queried.

Qagan sighed and lifted her into his arms careful not to burn himself. He began to run quickly to the north. "She had to leave. It was her choice." He replied. "We still have a priority. Time is of the essence." Teya couldn't believe he was carrying her but she held on to him firmly.

This was faster than her walking... much faster. Qagan didn't seem to mind, he kept his eyes fixed to the north. Teya knew he would deny a rest until nightfall, but they would be at the crater by then. She was thrilled by the thought. She also feared what she would find there. "I hope everyone is okay." Teya worried. Qagan frowned but stayed silent.

Qagan ran for several hours without rest, he seemed determined to get to the crater. It was almost the afternoon now. Teya lay in his arms quietly and watched the forest go past her. The forest was becoming more thin than it was in the south. The ground was inclining slightly the farther they went, an indication of the nearing crater.

Teya looked to Qagan. He showed no signs of weariness but his breathing was heavier than normal. Teya frowned, she felt guilty that she had to be carried.

"You don't have to carry me." She told him. Qagans facial expression didn't change. He looked almost passive.

"I want to." Qagan cracked a smile at the hidden meaning. He didn't think she picked up on it, she did. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Thankfully he didn't notice.

Qagan was slowing down near evening and looked to the sky over where the crater was. Teya looked around and noticed the trees were spread thin. The ground was covered in loose boulders and gravel.

She smiled as she looked to the sky to the north along with Qagan. The sky was clear... Teya's smile quickly switched to a frown. No smoke, no ash. The sky was clear.

"This is bad..." Qagan whispered.

Teya looked up to him. "What happened?" She wondered aloud. Qagan remained silent as he set her down. Teya looked at the sky again. He started walking to the crater slowly.

His eyes were fixed to the north. "One left." He whispered. Teya looked to him with a confused look on her face. Qagan looked back to her. "Something is wrong. I can't feel anything in the crater..."

Teya realized that he was using the Aura. "Let's go see what's going on." Teya stated. She walked past Qagan and he just watched her walk ahead of him. Each step she took was one of confidence, he admired her before taking off after her.

Nightfall was upon them as they neared the edge of the crater. Qagan walked slowly ahead of Teya. The moon was at half tonight and had risen before the sun had fully set. The light was dim but they could still see. Qagan reached the edge of the crater before Teya did. The crater itself seemed covered in darkness, as if the moon's rays feared it.

Teya stopped next to him and gasped in surprise. She had never seen the crater in darkness before. It was always lit by the lava flows or the multiple Char throughout the crater.

"We should wait until morning." Qagan suggested, still looking into the large hole.

"But we're right here..." Teya protested. Qagan looked to her with worry in his eyes.

"Something happened down there. I would like to at least be able to see if I'm going to investigate." Teya looked disappointed at this news, but she knew Qagan was right. She just needed to know if everyone was alright.

She sighed and walked back several feet before sitting down. Qagan stood, still looking into the crater for any sign of life. There was nothing, and that uneasy feeling came back to him. Like a dark cloud settling over him.

"Get some rest, Teya. You'll likely need it..." He said over his shoulder, unable to take his gaze from the gaping chasm. Teya looked to him. The way he was standing looked dramatic, or heroic. His arms crossed and legs nearly planted together, staring into the abyss.

"What about you?" She asked, genuinely concerned.

Qagan turned his head. "I'm going to stay up on watch." He explained.

Teya shot Qagan an angry look. "You need to sleep Qagan. You've been running all day."

Qagan turned around with a smile on his face, he walked back next to her and sat down. "I'll be fine. I'm just going to stay up a little longer. I don't think there's anything to worry about here." Qagan hadn't heard any signs of life since they've been within a couple of miles of the crater. It bothered him. Teya laid down and curled up next to Qagan. It had become considerably cooler since sunset. Qagan put his arm over her and stroked her with his paw, she didn't object to it. She snuggled slightly closer. "I hope my parents are okay." She confided to him. Qagan smiled weakly as she drifted into a light sleep. Leaving him to his thoughts.

Qagan listened intently to the night. There were no sounds, not even a breeze. Nothing was right. It all seemed too strange. The uneasy feeling hadn't left him all night, but Qagan had been attempting to ignore it. Teya was curled up next to him attempting to fight the cold that seemed to emanate from the crater. He didn't want to take his eyes from the crater. Something evil was in it.

He would try not sleep tonight, or they both would be in danger. He didn't know what would happen tomorrow but he didn't fear it. "I'll just have to expect the worst." He whispered to himself. The moon was halfway set in the west, indicating the night was past half over. "Teya was right." He thought to himself. "I have been running all day, while carrying her." Qagan relished that he had come so far in one day. The problem with the humans set them back. Qagan looked to the bandages that were still wrapped around his chest.

He moved slowly as to not wake Teya and started to cut them off with his paw spike. He threw them to the side and looked back to where his wounds were. The wound was healed and his fur had regrown. "Fantastic." He smiled as he pulled out the strings his wound was stitched with and tossed them to the side. Qagan yawned and rubbed the weariness from his eyes. "Might be harder to stay up than I thought." He told himself. He just wanted to make sure that Teya would not be harmed again.

There had been no sound all night. He lay next to Teya fighting sleep in vain. He scooted a little closer to her before letting sleep overcome him. A Devious laugh could be heard in the crater. "Good things come to those who wait." a voice said.

Teya awoke as the tip of the sun rose in the east. The light kissed her exposed skin with a comforting warmth. She noticed Qagans arm dangled over her as he slept, keeping her warm. Her tail was laying across her thigh and her life-flame was burning bright. She moved slowly as Qagans arm slipped off. He was still fast asleep.

Teya stood and walked to the edge of the crater and looked into it. There was a heavy fog hanging inside it. She shook her head and turned to look at Qagan. He was sleeping soundly.

"I need to know what's going on..." She whispered to him. "I promise I'll be alright." She turned back and slid down into the Crater carefully. The angle was steep but manageable. The fog felt like ice against her skin. Her life-flame dulled slightly and she could feel herself weaken.

She cringed, It was actually quite painful. After what felt like several minutes she reached a point where she could begin to walk. The angle was still steep but easier to traverse. She had no idea where she was. The Crater was a couple miles in diameter and didn't have many landmarks except for the homes and small projects of the Char and the other races that dwelled there. Teya sighed. She couldn't see a thing in this fog and it was chilling her to the bone.

Teya crossed her arms and held her tail close to her to try to retain some heat. "It's been ten minutes and already I'm falling apart." She thought to herself as she continued to move deeper.

Qagans eyes shot open. He didn't feel the warmth of the fire lizard next to him. He sat up and his eyes shot around him in desperation.

"Teya!?" He called out. The sun was fully exposed now and was rising higher into the sky. His eyes locked to the edge of the crater. "She wouldn't!" He thought to himself. He stood and dashed to the edge. He saw tracks going down into the fog. "Fuck!" He cursed to himself. "Why didn't she wake me?" He asked. He pondered the answer but he knew what he had to do. Go in after her. "Wrong time to let me sleep..." He sighed. She just wanted to let him rest after a long day. Now she could be in serious danger. He leapt into the crater and slid down into it. "You won't be hurt again!" He seethed as his eyes began to burn a light crimson.

Teya was making her way deeper into the crater. By now the ground had leveled off. It was impossible to tell the suns position in the sky due to the fog. She was shivering a little as the cold seemed to be invading her body, like it was stealing the life from her. It felt like hours had passed since she entered the crater and she still hadn't seen a single other Pokémon. "Maybe I should just go back." She told herself glumly. She shook her head and continued on in vain. The dead silence of the crater made her uneasy. Never had it been so quiet. The clashing of earthen forces and the ramble of the Pokémon within had always kept it full of life.

Heavy fog and silence was all that remained, a hollow shell of things passed and as cold as deaths grasp. A frost covered the ground where lava had once flowed. Teya let out a deep sigh. "Maybe they all left..." Teya thought to herself. She ran into something suddenly and fell backward landing on her butt. Teya lost her bearings for a second and rubbed the pain from her head. She looked up to what she ran into. A Charizard, her father. Teya's jaw dropped.

He stood 6'05" and stared down to her with a sneer visible on his face. His eyes were black, they had been green before.

"Father?" She asked. He remained silent and stood completely still. "Where are the others?" She asked, looking around nervously but only seeing the fog. She stood up.

"Where have you been?" He asked sniffing the air lightly. "Hmm... With a male." He said with a hint of anger. Teya stepped back nervously. It was clear he wasn't himself. "Yet you dare to return to me." He continued, matching her steps. Teya felt an irrational fear as the air became frozen around them. "Mating outsiders is punishable by death." Teya began to cry, tears wetting her cheeks.

This was not her father... this was a monster in his skin.

"Father... I have not been mated. He came to help us." Teya stuttered. He simply laughed in mock amusement.

"Help who?" He continued laughing. "I'm the only one left! I do not need help from Outsiders!" He spat. Teya had never been more afraid in her life. She cowered in fear as he reached out and wrapped his claws around her. he lifted her to eye level. "You betrayed me!" He screamed at her. Teya was crying wildly now. She could see hate in his abyssal eyes. His skin was much hotter than it had ever been and burned Teya's skin. She screamed in agony.

Qagan was still following Teya's tracks running as fast as he could. Qagan's ears perked as he heard the scream of Teya. She sounded like she was in pain. His crimson eyes burned darker as he forced himself to run faster. His body seemed to be sparking with rage, his Aura was visible in his paws as he prepared it.

"You will regret this!" He yelled. He could feel the one who held her. He was extremely powerful, it felt like this one may be capable of using Aura. Qagan smiled as he closed the distance between them. "Good, a challenge!" Qagan leapt towards the Charizard and pulled back his paw in anticipation of a punch. The Charizard looked to Qagan, dropped his daughter and dodged the attempted punch.