Ghostly secrets

Vali's awareness came back slowly starting with the heavy almost leadened feeling of her body and just how chilly it felt. She slowly realized that her hands and legs were tied up. Alarm didn't come until she couldn't feel Elrond's almost constant psychic presence in the back of her mind or the subtle weight of her pokeballs, she forced her heavy eyelids open and found herself laying on the floor of a stone chamber. The stone was a heavily purple tinted grey which was normally only seen in Lavender Town meaning she had to still be somewhere in the general area. Looking around, she spotted a few people chained up against the walls. All of them were unconscious, she felt a tingle of dread run through her. The odd alter sitting in the middle of the room only made that dread worse. What was going on?

Vali began squirming against her bonds as she tried to find her stuff. She spotted her pokeballs sitting by a few packs and some random stuff like a Jigglypuff plush. An old grandfather clock lay against the wall and showed that it was nearing five in the morning which meant she'd been unconscious for at least an hour. Shifting around to look at her bonds, whoever had tied her up used the strong ropes she'd been given by the League. Inwardly groaning at the sight, she would have to use her magic to untie them somehow.

Focusing on her magic, Vali began to direct it towards the ropes only to stop when the door to the room opened. A man strode into the stone chamber carrying what looked like a girl around her age over his shoulder. He wore a black robe almost exactly like the ones Snape had worn when she'd attended Hogwarts. A shock of neon green hair was cropped somewhat close to his skull. She spotted the almost white gold color she'd seen before falling unconscious which turned out to be a pendant. It almost looked like that cross on Petunia's bible only more jagged and with circles attached to the tips. The man's almost dazed looking brown eyes were narrowed as he walked over to the wall and began chaining up the girl he carried. He turned towards her and a disturbingly wide grin formed on his face, "You're awake!"

The words carried an odd accent with the man almost pausing as he spoke them. It was like he wasn't used to speaking the language. Vali felt even more unsettled as the man began to walk towards her and she finally noticed the uneven walk. Spotting the blood leaking sluggishly from one of his legs, she grimaced a bit. The man didn't seem to notice, "Master will be so pleased that you're awake!"

"M-master?" Vali's tongue felt heavy and her jaw didn't really want to move.

"Master Xen of course," The man continued to grin at her, "He's so eager to meet you. He says that your energy is like nothing he's ever seen in a human before,"

The man stopped walking suddenly and turned his head rather slowly towards the door which opened to reveal a well dressed boy around her physical age. He wore a thin white shirt and pale gray pants with no shoes. He wore a pale gold choker with the same cross-like pendant as the guy that had been speaking to her. Slitted golden eyes on black sclera marked him as inhuman, the sharp canines peaking past his bloodless lips added to that. The boy's hair was charcoal grey with black stripes and fell to the middle of his back. A grinning Gengar floated beside him carrying a bag while a Duskull followed behind carrying a jay. The boy spotted the man and spoke in the same soft tone that she'd heard before passing out, "Colin, what are you doing?"

"The girl has awoken, Master," The man, 'Colin', stated with that disturbing grin of his.

The boy, 'Master Xen' most likely, looked at her and their eyes met. A bright grin formed on his lips revealing sharp teeth much like that of a cat, "I see. Please go ensure that everything is prepared for the ritual. Gaia, Fran, assist him and ensure nothing is wrongly prepared."

"Yes, Master!" Colin agreed and walked towards the Gengar and Duskull.

The boy chuckled softly as he strode over, "Such a simple thrall," He focused on her, "A pleasure to see that you've woken, Child. My name is Xen."

Vali felt the other worldly energy she'd been feeling since entering Lavender Town proper coming from him and felt a shudder run through her, "You're the one I've been sensing."

The boy's eyes widened seconds before his grin followed in an almost unnatural way taking up a majority of his face, "Definitely an interesting child, I have not met another outside of the psychics that can sense even that. I took you due to the odd energies I've felt coming from you. Mostly the fire that no normal human can posses, Valkyrie."

"How do you know my name?" Vali asked feeling more creeped out by the second.

"One of the odd machines you carry, it told me who you were," The boy reached out and pushed her into a sitting position with ice cold hands, "That alongside those circular devices, pokeballs I believe they're called, are quite interesting though I wouldn't use them myself. The memories they carry alongside the pokemon attached were quite interesting to witness. You're a strong mortal to have faced such things," Vali glanced towards her pokeballs and Xen's grin turned oddly gentle, "Your family is fine. I wouldn't harm such loyal pokemon nor any if I could help it. They're just asleep as I couldn't allow them to ruin my ritual or prevent me from speaking with you,"

"Asleep? When will they wake up?" Vali focused on the fact her pokemon were alright for the moment.

"In a few hours, they'll suffer no ill effects," Xen moved back and sat down in front of her, "It's odd to meet another like me though tied to fire rather than death,"

"Tied to death?" Vali asked with a frown.

The boy hummed softly, "Giratina claimed me, Child. A long time ago when things were much less certain and odd abilities repressed," He eyed her, "Two have claims on you, but more have touched you. You do not know either, do you?" Vali shook her head, "You will in time. They do not let us go unclaimed for long once our powers begin to show though you'll likely go longer than I."

"What are you doing here?" Vali filed the information away in her mind for later.

"The idiotic mortals that decided to try and play god attempted to summon Giratina as the little one told you," Xen frowned darkly, "Instead they ended up summoning me, I had the ghosts get rid of them and protect this place until I could get back home. Unlike Giratina, I cannot go between worlds when summoned unless by one I allow to summon me," He shook his head, "Thankfully, I am able to use a ritual to get home,"

"The ghosts are hurting people and killing them," Vali felt a bit bad for Xen.

"Only those that tried to summon Giratina found death by their hands," Xen retorted, "The ones that pushed too much died from their injuries, yes, but not because of my orders. Had the mortals left us alone, I would've been gone by now though I suppose they have their uses,"

"Uses?" Vali's eyes went to the unconscious people, "You're not going to kill them, are you?"

"Nothing of the sort, they have excess aura that I'll be siphoning off to transport myself home," Xen offered her a smile, "The fact you're here will ensure that they'll suffer no truly ill effects save for perhaps being unconscious for a couple days,"

"How?" Vali tilted her head slightly.

"The odd energy I've never encountered before and your fire will help. I won't take much as both are quite potent," Xen explained as Colin moved around with the two ghost-types, "You'll like need to sleep more often for the next few days and need to eat more than usual. Now, I would suggest asking any questions as the ritual will be ready in a few moments and I'd prefer to be away before Aggie comes along,"

"Why do you call me child?" Vali settled on the easiest one.

Xen chuckled softly, "Simple, I look like a child because I prefer it. In reality, I'm over two hundred years old."

Eyes widened in disbelief, Vali asked, "How?"

"My powers allow it and Giratina prefers to have an eternal companion other than Shaymin," Xen grinned lightly, "I assume your next question is are there more of us and yes, there are. Granted there aren't many of us, it takes special conditions to allow our powers to activate. At the current moment, five others are active. Of them, one is in the same position as me being under Xerneas. Lugia, Cresselia, and Lunala's chosen are just beginning to understand their powers as you are,"

"Do all the Legendaries chose someone?" Vali asked curiously.

Xen shook his head, "No, they're usually content to watch the world as very few catch their attention. Only the Chosen One gains any true attention."

The words struck a cord in Vali as the memory of what the Moltres carving had said, 'Underneath his burning gaze, they shall become the guides of the Chosen..'. She asked, "Who is the Chosen One?"

"The Legendaries champion who'll save the world from the next age of darkness," Xen peered at her curiously, "Why do you ask?"

"My usual traveling partner gave me a carving of Moltres with writing on the back. Some of it had faded," Vali told him shivering as she remembered the words, "Someone is trying to decode it, but isn't having much luck,"

"That sounds familiar, where did the carving come from?" Xen had an odd look on his face.

"My traveling partner got it in Fuchsia city," Vali told him.

Xen hummed softly, "Familiar indeed, you'll find out what the rest was when the Lord of Flames calls you to him."

Vali wanted to groan at the fact it always seemed to be later when it came to getting information. She grumbled softly, "Why is it always later?" Xen merely smiled at her, "My fire then. It's too wild to train."

"Fire always is," Xen's eyes glowed with amusement, "Just meditate, it will help when the time comes. I assume you've already discovered one of its abilities?"

"On Cinnabar," Vali confirmed earning a slight grin, "I'm apparently going to be fighting a Magmar when I finish training under the Lord of Flames,"

"Oh, that will be interesting. I'll have to watch," Xen's amusement seemed to increase, "Calling them to you is usually the first we Bearers end up using,"

"That's what all of us are called?" Vali asked earning a nod.

"Pretty much, we have a few other names. I've been called a Spirit Caller sometimes," Xen leaned forward a bit, "You'll learn the other names in time. Just be careful to keep it under wraps until after you've been trained. Even then, the less people that know, the better especially since the Chosen One is coming,"

"Master, the ritual preparations are finished," Colin said with a grin as he stumbled up with the two ghosts following after the man nodding their heads.

Xen heaved a light sigh, "Good, I have grown weary," He looked towards Vali, "Will you allow me to use your energy? I will only use what is needed."

Vali hesitated before nodding, "So long as no one else is harmed, the ghosts will stop attacking people once this is done, right?"

"Yes, I have ensured it," Xen inclined his head.

"Then I will allow it," Vali agreed earning a bright grin.

"Thank you, Valkyrie," Xen turned to Colin, "I will begin. Do not interfere, I want you to ensure Valkyrie and those used are in Aggie's hands. When they are, you will be released from my service,"

Colin nodded with that creepy grin, "Yes, Master Xen."

Xen walked into the ritual circle and turned his head to peer at Vali, "Goodbye, Valkyrie. We will meet again soon enough."

The circle flared brightly as Xen stepped into the center and began chanting in a whispery, yet rough language that felt like it didn't belong in this world. Vali felt her energy begin to drop as Xen's chanting picked up the pace a bit. Closing her eyes, she followed the flow of her energies and felt something chilly pulling them into what felt like a void. Focusing on the chilly energy, she found herself reminded of the Dementors only less dreadful mixed heavily with something that reminded her of winter. She felt it push her away as Xen's voice echoed through her mind, "Easy, Valkyrie. We wouldn't want your spirit to detach itself from your body."

Vali withdrew quickly and soon Xen's ritual circle glowed brightly as her energy began to drop almost to the same level it had been after the Gyarados attack. The door to the room slammed open just as a loud cracking sound echoed through the air and the room was filled with light. When the light faded, Xen, his ghosts, and the ritual circle were gone. Eyes slowly falling closed as her remaining energy slowly drained away, she heard rushing feet and someone shouting her name.