Hello fellow Smogon users and welcome to my 1k! I was thinking of what to write for my 1k and brainstorming ideas while looking at my college assignments left for the year. One of these was to write my own myth for my Greek and Roman Mythology class. I enjoyed writing it, and got an A on the paper. All the names and few Smogon inside jokes were included in the copy I submitted to my professor. I couldn’t fit all of the people in my shoutouts into the story (partially because I came up with some after it was written and partially cause there are just too many) so don’t get offended if you aren’t in it. Enjoy the read!
Shoutouts:
Al_Alchemist: One of my favorite LC bros to battle with (whenever you aren’t using that damned sun team). You’re nice, help with teams, give good C&C advice, and are fun to talk to in #lc. I kinda see you as a rival, but it’s awesome having you around.
chaos: A giant THANK YOU for everything you’ve done/do for this website!
Charmander: The first person in LC that I really got to know. You’ve helped me with several teams, and I love just chilling or battling with you. Get back into the tier, I consider you one of the top LC battlers. You also write amazing analyses. We still need to play in ASB!
comatthew6: LC bro, great battler (screw sun), and writes amazing LC analyses. It’s always fun chatting in #lc about the most random things. Keep up the great C&C work. Also asked for a shoutout so here it is!
Destiny_Warrior: Both a LC and ASB bro. Thanks for hosting the LC tourney as well as answering my questions when I started ASB and had no clue what I was doing.
ENZ0: Another LC BR0. You’re newer to the tier but you’re good, even raped the ladder and took #1 from Zeph after he’d been there for gosh knows how long. Fun talking the few times we have, and you really add to the #lc environment.
Fatecrashers: I don’t know you that well, but you’re nice and you’ve stamped almost all of my GP attempts. You also went the extra mile and told me what I was doing well and not so well so that I can improve. Thanks so much!
Flora: You’re one of the people who has given me a warm welcome into ASB. Great ref, great battler, and you (somehow) put up with my endless questions during one of my first matches. Thanks for your patience and friendliness.
Jumpluff: I’ve only talked with you once or twice but your very nice and you’ve contributed a ton to Smogon. Thanks for all you do/have done around here!
idiotfrommars: Another LC bro, although we’ve fought many times in OU as well. Battling you is always fun and challenging. You’re also fun to talk to and chill with.
Kevin Garrett: I haven’t talked to you too much, but it’s been fun when we have. You’re the one who gave me the (little) understanding I have of ADV, although I haven’t really kept it up cause it’s not my favorite tier. You’re an awesome battler and a great guy.
masterful:When you started following me around on the ladder one day, I had no clue who you were, but you were funny so I didn’t care. You seriously never get tired of trolling me in #lc. But it’s much more funny than annoying (although you really can be quite annoying at times) and I always get a good laugh out of it. Battling you is also fun, or listening to you comentate while watching me battle.
Nails: Yet another LC bro, a very strong one at that. Facing you is always a challenge, because you’re a top tier player, in basically every tier. We haven’t talked that much but it’s fun when we do.
sprinkles: As annoying as you could be at times, I can’t wait till you’re unbanned cause you provide lots of entertainment as well.
ShinyAzelf: I haven't fought you much on the ladder, but its always a challenging match. You do awesome work in C&C and write great analyses. Keep up the great work all around and thanks for your contributions!
SkyNet: I’ve lost count of how many LC bros I have. I regard you as the best LC player there is. After you gave me your list of alts, I lost count of how many times you’ve beaten me (without hax) and was trying to come up with a single win against you (there wasn’t one). You’re fun to talk to and battle (despite my losing).
StevenSnype: My 4th gen OU tutor, and one of my favorite Smogon users. Even though it was already 5th gen when you tutored me, you really helped me get better, and I credit you with giving me the skills necessary to getting to 8th on the ladder. It’s always fun hanging out with you and trolling #MD together. You’re an awesome guy.
reyscarface: Keep up the bitching! It’s so entertaining!
toshimelonhead: My all-time favorite Smogon user. We seriously go way back, good times playing NU back on the old CAP server on Shoddy. You’ve helped me with countless teams and it’s always fun just chilling or debating about heaven knows what. I look forward to meeting irl whenever we can (this summer hopefully)!
Vader: You rool Little Cup with an iron fist. You’re a funny guy (especially when you’re high) and you provide endless entertainment in the channel.
Zeph: Another LC bro. As much as we argue and screw around, it’s always fun hanging out. I have yet to play you where one of us (normally me) doesn’t hax the other’s ass off, but I’m looking forward to that match!
If I missed you and you want a shoutout feel free to ask and I just might give you one. Be sure to include your date of birth and social security number when you ask!
Kevin and Steven stood in front of the Dragonspiral Tower, home of the evil sorcerer Toshi. The tower was tall and circular in shape. The higher it rose, the thinner it became. Rumor had it that he had kidnapped princess Jumpluff and was holding her hostage here. Toshi was also one of the biggest enemies to the people of Stark Mountain, where Kevin and Steven were from. As they walked towards the tower, they saw a skeleton by the door, which stood ajar. They instantly recognized the shield of the famous warrior Sprinkles.
“Well, hopefully our fate won’t crash like his,” said Steven. The two brothers continued through the door and into a spacious room with pillars and a long circular stairway going up the right side of the tower.
Kevin drew his sword as he advanced towards the stairs. “Get your weapons ready. Who knows what kind of tricks Toshi has up his sleeve. Without any hesitation, Steven drew his bow. Among the archers back home, he was renowned as one of the best, and had earned the nickname Snype, which is what most of his close friends, and brother, called him. The stairwell was long, and would have been dark except there were windows lighting the way. They reached another level. Like the lower floor, there were pillars. Several were broken, but some remained intact to hold up the rest of the tower. As they walked towards the center of the room, they heard a deep, evil laughter which began to echo throughout the chamber.
“Greetings, little princes of Stark,” Toshi said with an evil grin as he walked out of the shadow of one of the pillars. “You took longer than I expected, but I trust that you enjoyed your journey here. How were the gifts I left you along the way?” Steven shuddered. On the way here, they had been assaulted by a party of goblins; after that came the wolves. But the hardest trial of all had been the troll. “If you came here for Princess Jumpluff, well, let’s just say that you should turn around. However, knowing your stubbornness, young Kevin, I know you won’t do that. Therefore I have prepared some more trials for you. If the two of you pass them, I will allow you to fight me. Don’t disappoint me! Then again, no warrior has yet to survive my tasks, harmless as they may be.” Before they could respond, a cloud of purple smoke arose from the ground around Toshi, and he vanished.
“The coward!” screamed Steven, “Fight us yourself. We have already proven that we can defeat your cronies.”
“Patience brother, we will get to him.” No sooner had the words left Kevin’s mouth, than skeletons around them started to get up off the ground, picking up the rusted weapons that lay by them. Kevin and Steven stood back to back. Steven put away his bow and drew his sword. “You take those ones, and I’ll take these. There are forty in total; that means we split them in half. Stay together and don’t get separated. Got that?” Kevin turned around to see his brother taking a small round object out of his picket. “This is no time to be playing with rocks Steven! What are you going to do, throw it at them?”
“This isn’t a rock.”
“Then what is it and where did you get it?”
“It was given to me, by Al the Alchemist.”
“Oh boy, that can only mean trouble. What is it?”
“I’m not sure. He called it an IFM. His only instructions were to through it into a group of enemies and stand back.” The skeletons, now fully mobilized and ready to fight, started to slowly close in around the brothers.
“I don’t like the sound of that but…” before Kevin could say anything else, Steven threw it into the biggest group of skeletons standing many yards away. It bounced on the ground and rolled into the feet of the leading skeleton. He picked it up and looked at it.
“Is this all you can do?” he laughed in a raspy voice. He mindlessly threw it over his shoulder and it bounced off the shield of another skeleton, formerly known as the warrior Reyscarface, several feet behind him.
“A lot of good that di…”
KAAAAAAABBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM
Bones from the skeletons where the IFM had been moments before flew everywhere. Skeletons blew up, were thrown through the air, shattered, bashed against each other, and fell over. The brothers ducked, trying to avoid the onslaught of flying bones, most of which bounced off of them harmlessly. As bones, armor, and weapons flew by, so did a thin voice screaming, “HAAAAAAAAXXX.” The remaining twenty-five skeletal warriors who were not blown to pieces were as astonished as a skeletal face could be. They slowly started closing in again, not deterred by their fallen brothers.
“Did Al tell you what IFM stands for?”
“Yes he did,” smiled Steven.
“Are you going to sit there smiling or are you going to tell me!”
“He said it stands for Incredibly Forceful Massacre. Glad you weren’t near it huh?”
“Stop smiling and get ready to fight. You have one of the shortest attention spans I know of.”
“Oh, you’re just jealous that he didn’t give it to you. Now let’s get down to business to defeat the skeletons!” With that, the brothers broke into a short run into the nearest group of skeleton warriors. With a massive battle cry, Kevin charged into the group, and smashed two skeletons with one mighty, masterful swing of his sword. Another swing left two more without heads. Steven, close behind him, parried a blow and kicked the skeleton into another one behind him, then turned and felled two with two strokes of his blade. The brothers made short work of the warriors.
After Kevin dispatched the last warrior, a voice echoed around the chamber. “Excellent work young princes. You have done well. Those were the bones of warriors who have fallen in their attempt to kill me in the past.”
“You evil scum! Why don’t you fight us yourself and quit with the stupid games?” With that he bounded up the stairs after Toshi.
“Kevin wait! It is probably a trap.” He hurried after his fuming brother. At the top of the staircase was yet another room, still smaller than the previous one where they fought their skirmish. Toshi sat on a throne at the opposite end from the staircase. Behind his throne, was the staircase to the top of the tower. There were six pillars, fully intact, holding the ceiling up, and no ruins or rubble on the whole floor. In the middle of the ceiling was an open space, like an uncovered window. The full moon was visible.
“You are the first to overcome the skeleton warriors. However, you will never defeat me. I am the son of Nails, god of the moon. While the moon is looking at me I can never, NEVER be defeated! You will tremble at my might now and I will show you the power that I will use to take over Stark Mountain! And here you thought that you could defeat me and rescue Princess Jumpluff. So noble of both of you, yet so predictable and ridiculous. Prepare now for battle!” With those words, Toshi jumped off his throne and launched a bolt of lightning at the charging Kevin. He saw it and quickly jumped to the side, rolling and jumping back onto his feet quickly. Steven restrung his bow and pulled a shaft out of his quiver.
Another bolt of lightning grazed Kevin’s hair. “Is that the best you can do?” he charged and swung his sword above his head and across the space where Toshi was. Almost quicker than he could see, a purple cloud enveloped them, and Toshi disappeared. Kevin and Steven looked around.
FLASH BAAAAAAANNNGG
Steven was thrown across the room from an explosion that hit him from behind.
“Did the measly little brat prince get a bruise?” taunted Toshi. “Maybe this will teach you two to stay out of other peoples’ affairs.” He created a colossal ball of flames in his hands, and launched it at Steven, who was still sprawled on the ground.
“Snype look out!” screamed his brother. There was no way any human could have dodged that fireball, but the warrior goddess Flora picked Steven up and gave him the speed to do so. Toshi looked in amazement; he and Kevin could not see her or understand how he did it. Steven had felt it though, and silently prayed a thank you to the goddess. He released an arrow aimed at Toshi’s head. It was easily side-stepped, and a smaller ball of fire shot back. For nearly twenty minutes, arrows, balls of fire, lightning, and a few of Kevin’s throwing knives flew through the air, but nobody could seem to hit each other. After a while the three began to grow tired, but none willing to submit to his enemy. Knowing that he could not beat the brothers with fire and lightning, Toshi resorted to one last trick, and by far his most powerful and dangerous. He waited as Kevin was nearly upon him with his sword. Taking a step back, he made a black and purple ball in his hands. The sword was falling, aimed at Toshi’s head. Toshi threw the ball, hitting Kevin square in the chest with it. Suddenly, Kevin’s movements became sluggish, until he stopped moving altogether. He was a statue.
“NOOOOOO!” cried Steven, unleashing another arrow at his enemy.
Toshi began to laugh. “What will you do now little prince?” You have always followed your older brother around, always lived in his shadow. You are no warrior; that is why you use a bow. I will crush you now. Actually, I have a better idea. I will turn you into a statue as well, and the two of you can then keep me company by standing on the right and left of my throne. After all, every ruler needs a prince or two.” Toshi’s laughter began to fill the air again, he enjoyed his own joke. Steven choked back a tear and forced himself to look away from his brother. He picked up two arrows and fired them simultaneously. He then ran behind a pillar to dodge the new onslaught of fireballs and lightning strikes as Toshi drew closer. Snype leaned out, placing each shaft carefully, but with every shot, Toshi teleported to another location, drawing closer all the time. It would only be a matter of time before he reached Steven, and he knew he needed a plan. The pillar began to shake; it could not hold the weight of the constant fireballs. Silence fell on the room; Steven trembled. He peeked around the corner of the pillar, straight into the face of Toshi. A ball of fire caught him in the stomach and Steven flew backwards, burning and writhing in pain. Laughter filled the air once again and Toshi slowly advanced on the fallen boy. Seeing one of his brother’s throwing knives several inches away, Steven hid it in his hand, and lay there, letting his enemy approach.
“You fought well, for a spoiled palace brat. But nobody can overcome me, I am invincible. And now, you will join your brother’s fate. Enjoy the last moments of your life while you can.” Toshi began forming another black and purple ball in his hands. Gripping the small knife in his hand, Steven waited. The only sounds that filled the room were Steven’s heartbeat, and the sound of the magic in Toshi’s hand.
Suddenly raising the orb above his head, Toshi threw it at Steven. Seeing the motion, and with the help of Flora again, Steven rolled to the side. He could feel the blast, but nothing could distract him now. Jumping up, he plunged the knife into Toshi’s stomach.
“How could you…what…?” Toshi staggered backwards, the knife still embedded. “I cannot be defeated; I am the son of Nails. If I am going to die, then the whole earth is going to die with me!” He raised his hands above his head, looked at the moon, and pulled with all of his might to bring it down onto the earth. Steven saw the moon grow a little bit bigger, but he looked away, and stabbed Toshi again, this time with an arrow. “I…will…not…be…defeated. While the moon…still sees me…I cannot…ever…die.” Those were the last words the evil sorcerer Toshi said. He collapsed backwards, dead; the power of moving the moon combined with the wounds he had received was too much.
The moon had moved closer to earth, and its pattern in the night sky is forever changed. This diversion of its original course caused by the power of Toshi is what created both solar and lunar eclipses.
Steven ran to his brother, sobbing as he looked upon his stone face. “Why brother? Why did you need to die here?” He gave his brother one last hug, and then decided to climb the stairs behind the throne to get to Princess Jumpluff at the top. After he had taken several steps, he noticed a gleam of light coming from behind him. Turning around, the statue of his brother was enveloped in light. He knew this could only be one thing: the work of Flora. The hard stone became softer, Kevin’s chest moved in and out; he was breathing again.
“Brother! You’re alive.” He hugged his brother, who collapsed in his arms.
“What happened, I do not remember anything. All I know is that I was swinging my sword, and I seemed to have fallen asleep”
“You were turned to stone. I killed him, thanks to one of your knives. You should have seen it though, he intended to crush the earth with the moon, and he indeed moved it closer to us.”
Kevin looked up, slowly recovering his lost train of thought. “Yes it does look bigger now. Oh well, let’s get to the top and rescue the princess.” With that, the two bounded up the stairs with a fresh boost of energy. At the top, they looked around. The roof consisted of a circle, with the hole in the middle which provided light to the top of the uppermost chamber. They found a pair of shackles on the ground, but nobody was to be found.
“Up there,” Steven pointed. A great eagle was flying, with a figure on his back. It was obvious to the boys that this was Skyne, the Eagle King, and friend of Chaos, the high god. On his back was undoubtedly Princess Jumpluff, but they could not see her clearly.
“Well Snype, it looks like we were beaten up here. Come on, let’s go home. We have a long journey ahead. But first, let’s raid the kitchens in this wretched tower and see if there is anything good to eat.” With a laugh, the brothers bounded down the stairs, in search of food and another adventure.
Epilogue
Two years later. Slowly, the moon started to cover the sun as the first solar eclipse started. People all over the world watched in horror as darkness crept over the land. Deep in Dragonspiral Tower, the remains of the sorcerer Toshi lay. In the darkness, the floor where he was struck down started to become moist. The flesh that has all but rotted away reconstructs itself around the skeleton. Dark liquid from the ground flows slowly into his decayed body. The more the moon covers the sun, the faster the organic material moves. It is nearly the time when the sun is completely covered. The last of the skin covered the bones. A gust of wind blew through the window. Toshi’s chest rose, and fell again. The sun is no longer visible. A pair of eyes flashed open in the darkness: red eyes with a lust for vengeance. Slowly, Toshi rose from the ground he’s laid on for the last two years. He looked up at the moon, his source of power, covering the sun. A soft, crackling laugh escaped his lips. Soon, it turned into a roar of dreadful laughter which rebounded off of the tower walls, echoing in the room and into the surrounding area. Toshi had returned, and he hungered for revenge.
“Well, hopefully our fate won’t crash like his,” said Steven. The two brothers continued through the door and into a spacious room with pillars and a long circular stairway going up the right side of the tower.
Kevin drew his sword as he advanced towards the stairs. “Get your weapons ready. Who knows what kind of tricks Toshi has up his sleeve. Without any hesitation, Steven drew his bow. Among the archers back home, he was renowned as one of the best, and had earned the nickname Snype, which is what most of his close friends, and brother, called him. The stairwell was long, and would have been dark except there were windows lighting the way. They reached another level. Like the lower floor, there were pillars. Several were broken, but some remained intact to hold up the rest of the tower. As they walked towards the center of the room, they heard a deep, evil laughter which began to echo throughout the chamber.
“Greetings, little princes of Stark,” Toshi said with an evil grin as he walked out of the shadow of one of the pillars. “You took longer than I expected, but I trust that you enjoyed your journey here. How were the gifts I left you along the way?” Steven shuddered. On the way here, they had been assaulted by a party of goblins; after that came the wolves. But the hardest trial of all had been the troll. “If you came here for Princess Jumpluff, well, let’s just say that you should turn around. However, knowing your stubbornness, young Kevin, I know you won’t do that. Therefore I have prepared some more trials for you. If the two of you pass them, I will allow you to fight me. Don’t disappoint me! Then again, no warrior has yet to survive my tasks, harmless as they may be.” Before they could respond, a cloud of purple smoke arose from the ground around Toshi, and he vanished.
“The coward!” screamed Steven, “Fight us yourself. We have already proven that we can defeat your cronies.”
“Patience brother, we will get to him.” No sooner had the words left Kevin’s mouth, than skeletons around them started to get up off the ground, picking up the rusted weapons that lay by them. Kevin and Steven stood back to back. Steven put away his bow and drew his sword. “You take those ones, and I’ll take these. There are forty in total; that means we split them in half. Stay together and don’t get separated. Got that?” Kevin turned around to see his brother taking a small round object out of his picket. “This is no time to be playing with rocks Steven! What are you going to do, throw it at them?”
“This isn’t a rock.”
“Then what is it and where did you get it?”
“It was given to me, by Al the Alchemist.”
“Oh boy, that can only mean trouble. What is it?”
“I’m not sure. He called it an IFM. His only instructions were to through it into a group of enemies and stand back.” The skeletons, now fully mobilized and ready to fight, started to slowly close in around the brothers.
“I don’t like the sound of that but…” before Kevin could say anything else, Steven threw it into the biggest group of skeletons standing many yards away. It bounced on the ground and rolled into the feet of the leading skeleton. He picked it up and looked at it.
“Is this all you can do?” he laughed in a raspy voice. He mindlessly threw it over his shoulder and it bounced off the shield of another skeleton, formerly known as the warrior Reyscarface, several feet behind him.
“A lot of good that di…”
KAAAAAAABBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM
Bones from the skeletons where the IFM had been moments before flew everywhere. Skeletons blew up, were thrown through the air, shattered, bashed against each other, and fell over. The brothers ducked, trying to avoid the onslaught of flying bones, most of which bounced off of them harmlessly. As bones, armor, and weapons flew by, so did a thin voice screaming, “HAAAAAAAAXXX.” The remaining twenty-five skeletal warriors who were not blown to pieces were as astonished as a skeletal face could be. They slowly started closing in again, not deterred by their fallen brothers.
“Did Al tell you what IFM stands for?”
“Yes he did,” smiled Steven.
“Are you going to sit there smiling or are you going to tell me!”
“He said it stands for Incredibly Forceful Massacre. Glad you weren’t near it huh?”
“Stop smiling and get ready to fight. You have one of the shortest attention spans I know of.”
“Oh, you’re just jealous that he didn’t give it to you. Now let’s get down to business to defeat the skeletons!” With that, the brothers broke into a short run into the nearest group of skeleton warriors. With a massive battle cry, Kevin charged into the group, and smashed two skeletons with one mighty, masterful swing of his sword. Another swing left two more without heads. Steven, close behind him, parried a blow and kicked the skeleton into another one behind him, then turned and felled two with two strokes of his blade. The brothers made short work of the warriors.
After Kevin dispatched the last warrior, a voice echoed around the chamber. “Excellent work young princes. You have done well. Those were the bones of warriors who have fallen in their attempt to kill me in the past.”
“You evil scum! Why don’t you fight us yourself and quit with the stupid games?” With that he bounded up the stairs after Toshi.
“Kevin wait! It is probably a trap.” He hurried after his fuming brother. At the top of the staircase was yet another room, still smaller than the previous one where they fought their skirmish. Toshi sat on a throne at the opposite end from the staircase. Behind his throne, was the staircase to the top of the tower. There were six pillars, fully intact, holding the ceiling up, and no ruins or rubble on the whole floor. In the middle of the ceiling was an open space, like an uncovered window. The full moon was visible.
“You are the first to overcome the skeleton warriors. However, you will never defeat me. I am the son of Nails, god of the moon. While the moon is looking at me I can never, NEVER be defeated! You will tremble at my might now and I will show you the power that I will use to take over Stark Mountain! And here you thought that you could defeat me and rescue Princess Jumpluff. So noble of both of you, yet so predictable and ridiculous. Prepare now for battle!” With those words, Toshi jumped off his throne and launched a bolt of lightning at the charging Kevin. He saw it and quickly jumped to the side, rolling and jumping back onto his feet quickly. Steven restrung his bow and pulled a shaft out of his quiver.
Another bolt of lightning grazed Kevin’s hair. “Is that the best you can do?” he charged and swung his sword above his head and across the space where Toshi was. Almost quicker than he could see, a purple cloud enveloped them, and Toshi disappeared. Kevin and Steven looked around.
FLASH BAAAAAAANNNGG
Steven was thrown across the room from an explosion that hit him from behind.
“Did the measly little brat prince get a bruise?” taunted Toshi. “Maybe this will teach you two to stay out of other peoples’ affairs.” He created a colossal ball of flames in his hands, and launched it at Steven, who was still sprawled on the ground.
“Snype look out!” screamed his brother. There was no way any human could have dodged that fireball, but the warrior goddess Flora picked Steven up and gave him the speed to do so. Toshi looked in amazement; he and Kevin could not see her or understand how he did it. Steven had felt it though, and silently prayed a thank you to the goddess. He released an arrow aimed at Toshi’s head. It was easily side-stepped, and a smaller ball of fire shot back. For nearly twenty minutes, arrows, balls of fire, lightning, and a few of Kevin’s throwing knives flew through the air, but nobody could seem to hit each other. After a while the three began to grow tired, but none willing to submit to his enemy. Knowing that he could not beat the brothers with fire and lightning, Toshi resorted to one last trick, and by far his most powerful and dangerous. He waited as Kevin was nearly upon him with his sword. Taking a step back, he made a black and purple ball in his hands. The sword was falling, aimed at Toshi’s head. Toshi threw the ball, hitting Kevin square in the chest with it. Suddenly, Kevin’s movements became sluggish, until he stopped moving altogether. He was a statue.
“NOOOOOO!” cried Steven, unleashing another arrow at his enemy.
Toshi began to laugh. “What will you do now little prince?” You have always followed your older brother around, always lived in his shadow. You are no warrior; that is why you use a bow. I will crush you now. Actually, I have a better idea. I will turn you into a statue as well, and the two of you can then keep me company by standing on the right and left of my throne. After all, every ruler needs a prince or two.” Toshi’s laughter began to fill the air again, he enjoyed his own joke. Steven choked back a tear and forced himself to look away from his brother. He picked up two arrows and fired them simultaneously. He then ran behind a pillar to dodge the new onslaught of fireballs and lightning strikes as Toshi drew closer. Snype leaned out, placing each shaft carefully, but with every shot, Toshi teleported to another location, drawing closer all the time. It would only be a matter of time before he reached Steven, and he knew he needed a plan. The pillar began to shake; it could not hold the weight of the constant fireballs. Silence fell on the room; Steven trembled. He peeked around the corner of the pillar, straight into the face of Toshi. A ball of fire caught him in the stomach and Steven flew backwards, burning and writhing in pain. Laughter filled the air once again and Toshi slowly advanced on the fallen boy. Seeing one of his brother’s throwing knives several inches away, Steven hid it in his hand, and lay there, letting his enemy approach.
“You fought well, for a spoiled palace brat. But nobody can overcome me, I am invincible. And now, you will join your brother’s fate. Enjoy the last moments of your life while you can.” Toshi began forming another black and purple ball in his hands. Gripping the small knife in his hand, Steven waited. The only sounds that filled the room were Steven’s heartbeat, and the sound of the magic in Toshi’s hand.
Suddenly raising the orb above his head, Toshi threw it at Steven. Seeing the motion, and with the help of Flora again, Steven rolled to the side. He could feel the blast, but nothing could distract him now. Jumping up, he plunged the knife into Toshi’s stomach.
“How could you…what…?” Toshi staggered backwards, the knife still embedded. “I cannot be defeated; I am the son of Nails. If I am going to die, then the whole earth is going to die with me!” He raised his hands above his head, looked at the moon, and pulled with all of his might to bring it down onto the earth. Steven saw the moon grow a little bit bigger, but he looked away, and stabbed Toshi again, this time with an arrow. “I…will…not…be…defeated. While the moon…still sees me…I cannot…ever…die.” Those were the last words the evil sorcerer Toshi said. He collapsed backwards, dead; the power of moving the moon combined with the wounds he had received was too much.
The moon had moved closer to earth, and its pattern in the night sky is forever changed. This diversion of its original course caused by the power of Toshi is what created both solar and lunar eclipses.
Steven ran to his brother, sobbing as he looked upon his stone face. “Why brother? Why did you need to die here?” He gave his brother one last hug, and then decided to climb the stairs behind the throne to get to Princess Jumpluff at the top. After he had taken several steps, he noticed a gleam of light coming from behind him. Turning around, the statue of his brother was enveloped in light. He knew this could only be one thing: the work of Flora. The hard stone became softer, Kevin’s chest moved in and out; he was breathing again.
“Brother! You’re alive.” He hugged his brother, who collapsed in his arms.
“What happened, I do not remember anything. All I know is that I was swinging my sword, and I seemed to have fallen asleep”
“You were turned to stone. I killed him, thanks to one of your knives. You should have seen it though, he intended to crush the earth with the moon, and he indeed moved it closer to us.”
Kevin looked up, slowly recovering his lost train of thought. “Yes it does look bigger now. Oh well, let’s get to the top and rescue the princess.” With that, the two bounded up the stairs with a fresh boost of energy. At the top, they looked around. The roof consisted of a circle, with the hole in the middle which provided light to the top of the uppermost chamber. They found a pair of shackles on the ground, but nobody was to be found.
“Up there,” Steven pointed. A great eagle was flying, with a figure on his back. It was obvious to the boys that this was Skyne, the Eagle King, and friend of Chaos, the high god. On his back was undoubtedly Princess Jumpluff, but they could not see her clearly.
“Well Snype, it looks like we were beaten up here. Come on, let’s go home. We have a long journey ahead. But first, let’s raid the kitchens in this wretched tower and see if there is anything good to eat.” With a laugh, the brothers bounded down the stairs, in search of food and another adventure.
Epilogue
Two years later. Slowly, the moon started to cover the sun as the first solar eclipse started. People all over the world watched in horror as darkness crept over the land. Deep in Dragonspiral Tower, the remains of the sorcerer Toshi lay. In the darkness, the floor where he was struck down started to become moist. The flesh that has all but rotted away reconstructs itself around the skeleton. Dark liquid from the ground flows slowly into his decayed body. The more the moon covers the sun, the faster the organic material moves. It is nearly the time when the sun is completely covered. The last of the skin covered the bones. A gust of wind blew through the window. Toshi’s chest rose, and fell again. The sun is no longer visible. A pair of eyes flashed open in the darkness: red eyes with a lust for vengeance. Slowly, Toshi rose from the ground he’s laid on for the last two years. He looked up at the moon, his source of power, covering the sun. A soft, crackling laugh escaped his lips. Soon, it turned into a roar of dreadful laughter which rebounded off of the tower walls, echoing in the room and into the surrounding area. Toshi had returned, and he hungered for revenge.
Shoutouts:
Al_Alchemist: One of my favorite LC bros to battle with (whenever you aren’t using that damned sun team). You’re nice, help with teams, give good C&C advice, and are fun to talk to in #lc. I kinda see you as a rival, but it’s awesome having you around.
chaos: A giant THANK YOU for everything you’ve done/do for this website!
Charmander: The first person in LC that I really got to know. You’ve helped me with several teams, and I love just chilling or battling with you. Get back into the tier, I consider you one of the top LC battlers. You also write amazing analyses. We still need to play in ASB!
comatthew6: LC bro, great battler (screw sun), and writes amazing LC analyses. It’s always fun chatting in #lc about the most random things. Keep up the great C&C work. Also asked for a shoutout so here it is!
Destiny_Warrior: Both a LC and ASB bro. Thanks for hosting the LC tourney as well as answering my questions when I started ASB and had no clue what I was doing.
ENZ0: Another LC BR0. You’re newer to the tier but you’re good, even raped the ladder and took #1 from Zeph after he’d been there for gosh knows how long. Fun talking the few times we have, and you really add to the #lc environment.
Fatecrashers: I don’t know you that well, but you’re nice and you’ve stamped almost all of my GP attempts. You also went the extra mile and told me what I was doing well and not so well so that I can improve. Thanks so much!
Flora: You’re one of the people who has given me a warm welcome into ASB. Great ref, great battler, and you (somehow) put up with my endless questions during one of my first matches. Thanks for your patience and friendliness.
Jumpluff: I’ve only talked with you once or twice but your very nice and you’ve contributed a ton to Smogon. Thanks for all you do/have done around here!
idiotfrommars: Another LC bro, although we’ve fought many times in OU as well. Battling you is always fun and challenging. You’re also fun to talk to and chill with.
Kevin Garrett: I haven’t talked to you too much, but it’s been fun when we have. You’re the one who gave me the (little) understanding I have of ADV, although I haven’t really kept it up cause it’s not my favorite tier. You’re an awesome battler and a great guy.
masterful:When you started following me around on the ladder one day, I had no clue who you were, but you were funny so I didn’t care. You seriously never get tired of trolling me in #lc. But it’s much more funny than annoying (although you really can be quite annoying at times) and I always get a good laugh out of it. Battling you is also fun, or listening to you comentate while watching me battle.
Nails: Yet another LC bro, a very strong one at that. Facing you is always a challenge, because you’re a top tier player, in basically every tier. We haven’t talked that much but it’s fun when we do.
sprinkles: As annoying as you could be at times, I can’t wait till you’re unbanned cause you provide lots of entertainment as well.
ShinyAzelf: I haven't fought you much on the ladder, but its always a challenging match. You do awesome work in C&C and write great analyses. Keep up the great work all around and thanks for your contributions!
SkyNet: I’ve lost count of how many LC bros I have. I regard you as the best LC player there is. After you gave me your list of alts, I lost count of how many times you’ve beaten me (without hax) and was trying to come up with a single win against you (there wasn’t one). You’re fun to talk to and battle (despite my losing).
StevenSnype: My 4th gen OU tutor, and one of my favorite Smogon users. Even though it was already 5th gen when you tutored me, you really helped me get better, and I credit you with giving me the skills necessary to getting to 8th on the ladder. It’s always fun hanging out with you and trolling #MD together. You’re an awesome guy.
reyscarface: Keep up the bitching! It’s so entertaining!
toshimelonhead: My all-time favorite Smogon user. We seriously go way back, good times playing NU back on the old CAP server on Shoddy. You’ve helped me with countless teams and it’s always fun just chilling or debating about heaven knows what. I look forward to meeting irl whenever we can (this summer hopefully)!
Vader: You rool Little Cup with an iron fist. You’re a funny guy (especially when you’re high) and you provide endless entertainment in the channel.
Zeph: Another LC bro. As much as we argue and screw around, it’s always fun hanging out. I have yet to play you where one of us (normally me) doesn’t hax the other’s ass off, but I’m looking forward to that match!
If I missed you and you want a shoutout feel free to ask and I just might give you one. Be sure to include your date of birth and social security number when you ask!
