Kenji awoke with a start. At some point during the night, he had begun to suppress his aura and his body developed a strange form of ache from the effort. It was a tightness in his skull as body mimicked the strain his spirit was suffering. His father warned him of the signs to watch for.

He was not used to feeling the effects of a strained will. He was always careful to stop before his body reached this point. Something about the void must have protected him straining his spirit. Or at the very least, prevented him from feeling it. Souls were far more resilient than the mortal form. It was the body that could not keep up rather than the other way around.

As Kenji crawled out of the root den, he heard the various calls of the forest's inhabitants as they greeted the day. It sounded as if there were more than yesterday. Now that he was more aware, the forest was only more impressive. Beams of light shined through the upper branches, illuminating the forest floor.

Standing upright, he took some time to make another attempt at stretching his body. The stretches were meant to be a warmup for practicing the katas of only a Warrior could perform. He practiced them but could only perform a small portion of the length exercises. Now he could barely move his body let alone practice his Art. Kenji stopped when his muscles started to cramp and sweat coated his body. At some point he remembered that he was still wearing the gardening leathers but did not bother discarding them.

The pain felt good, familiar, as it distracted him from the reality he now lived in.

Lost. Alone.

His family dead.

Fighting back tears, Kenji felt his throat close up. He had to catch himself on the root hovel to keep from collapsing to the ground. Breathing quickly, he forced emotions down and regained control. This was no time to be sorry for himself. He could mourn his loss later, after he was safe and not at risk of starvation.

At the thought of food, he belatedly realized that he was starving. The hungers of pain were distant compared to the spiritual strain and cramped muscles.

Kenji reached into the root den for the remaining berries foraged the day before. There was not many left and Kenji chose to walk while munching on the tough fruits. He was not quite hungry enough to freely chew on the tough skin but he forced himself to eat it nonetheless. Perhaps if he was able to cook the skins somehow or use them as part of another meal, they would go down easier. Instead, the tough skin was chewy and fibrous but fortunately, it was only slightly less sweet than the fruit inside.

More importantly the skin filled his stomach more than the softer inside. The juicy berries helped to stave off his thirst but Kenji knew that he was going to have to find water and soon. It was possible to go weeks without food, more if with the right preparations and training, but the lack of water would kill him sooner.

With his mind clearer after a night of rest and some food in his stomach, Kenji's steps were less hesitant. With a goal in mind, he felt less lost in the ancient forest. An objective with failure meaning death did a lot to focus his mind. Rather than focusing on the recent past and the weakness consuming him with the loss of his cultivation, he turned his mind to the search for water.

Listening attentively to the ambient sound of the forest, he attempted to filter out the monstrous cries. He was largely unsuccessful, as all he could hear beyond the calls was the sound of wind as it rustled the tree tops.

Sighing, he looked up. Listening and hoping to hear the rushing water of a river was unlikely to reveal anything but it was worth an attempt. The other option he was left with was more dangerous and risky.

Tree climbing.

The most dangerous risk was the lack of lower branches that would ease the climb up. He would have to figure out an alternate method of climbing but he was confident that he could braid a simple rope strong enough to support him.

The other major risk was the Pokémon that called the canopy home.

The canopy above shifted more than the wind could explain and some of the loudest shrieks came from above. The Pokémon must have recovered from his arrival and he was sure that he would begin to encounter more the forest's creatures soon.

As Kenji foraged his way through the forest, he sought out thick yet flexible vines that he could braid together. There were plenty of small tangles crawling around but none were suitable to making a rope.

He did come across a smaller tree with several lower hanging branches. Kenji eyed the distance critically. It was several paces above his head but for a Warrior, the distance would be a simple step away.

Inhaling, Kenji turned his mind inwards.

Even when he was not focusing on it, he constantly found himself condensing his spirit. If he had any cultivation remaining and a normal aura, then it was possible that he could have flared it to reinforce his legs and jump. It risked damaging his body but it could have resulted in an easy climb. Instead he was left with a rigid spirit that was constantly trying to collapse in on itself. With the lack of Energy in his body, his aura was nonexistent and would not form without precious time spent cultivating.

He opened his eyes with a sigh. Even if it was likely to fail, it was better to try than simply give up.

Jogging back, Kenji positioned himself in front of the branch. His body was still stiff and unfamiliar but he would have to make it work. Setting himself in position, he sprinted towards the low hanging limb and leaped up at it when he drew close.

Even with his arms stretching towards the sky, he was still several paces short. Due to putting all his effort into leaping upwards, Kenji was not able to catch himself as he fell back to the ground. He landed awkwardly and let out a groan of pain as the force rattled its way through his body. The thick leathers helped to soften the blow but it was still a rough landing. Most of the material was spent covering his front in a tough apron with sleeves to protect his arms.

He took several breaths to recover himself before crawling to a stand with a grunt. He glared up at the tree but he knew it was not responsible for his short comings. Kenji limped into a slow walk as he resumed searching the forest.

As he wandered through the forest, Kenji discovered evidence of wildlife within. There were light gouges on the tree trunks along with sections of bark that was clearly torn off. A few unfortunate individuals featured a hole along the trunk as if something had torn into the wood before becoming a home for other wildlife. They were too high up for him to investigate but once saw a black feathered head poking out of one. Its feathers formed a strange shape on its crown but after seeing him the creature quickly withdrew.

Finally, Kenji came across a large bush that was slowly being claimed by a tangle of vines. Unlike the previous creeping tendrils he has seen so far, these were thick and already trying to climb their way up a nearby tree.

He rushed towards the large thicket before jerking to a stop. Backing up several steps, he inspected the vines closer. Without an aura, he was blind to the energy inherent to Pokémon. It was entirely possible that there was one hiding within and even more likely that it would not be pleased with his approach.

Grabbing a nearby stick, he hid behind a tree while he tossed it at the vines.

When nothing emerged or cried out, Kenji chose to noisily approach. He tried to make as much sound as possible by dragging his feet and stepping on twigs along the way. After determining it was safe, he set aside the remaining berries and began to tug upon the vines.

As Kenji pulled on them, he sorted through the green tendrils for several lengths that could be easily braided together. Most were too thin to act as a rope while a few were too thick. However after combing through the tangle he found some that where long enough to twist together. He kept several coils of the thinner vines as believed he could use them later on.

Once he had several lengths of vine, Kenji stretched them out side by side. He knotted one end tightly and secured it with a strip of thin vine he set aside earlier. Working carefully, he braided the flexible plants together. As an only child he was used to helping his mother work the cotton she harvested. It was only after he felt the tears wet his hands that he realized he was crying.

There were days where he did nothing but help her repair clothing or create entirely new outfits. She rarely wore them, claiming that they were too non-traditional to be seen in public. His father would show him on to use the thread to create quick repairs to torn armor or even use the natural fibers to stitch a wound.

Kenji let the tears flow and used the emotional release to clear his mind while he worked. There was no one around to witness his shame but he did not have the time or space to grieve properly. Only once he was safe would he be able to truly mourn his family.

After the unexpected crying session, he felt lighter and more centered. With a start, he realized how uncomfortable he truly was. Even though the air was not sweltering hot, he was wearing thick leathers that served to trap the heat and grate at his skin. Yet at the same time, he could not rid himself of the chill clinging to his spirit.

It left him feeling disconnected from his body and more a lost soul shoved into an unfamiliar form. Perhaps the time spent- Kenji's mind and soul twisted away from his memories of the horrifying ordeal.

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Instead, he forced himself to focus on twisting the vines around one around in a simple yet strong braid. Dwelling on the past would only bring pain and torment.

He quickly finished the makeshift rope and inspected it closely. The vines twisted around each other and still bore leaves along its length. Knotted at both ends, a smaller vine helped to ensure that his creation would not unravel unexpectedly. It was not pretty but function trumped form in this case. He tugged on the rope several times and judged it strong enough for now. As long as he was not overly rough with it or put too much weight on the green vines it should at least endure for what he needed.

Kenji stood up and walked to the tree slowly being consumed by vines. His hope was that the clinging tendrils would provide additional support as he climbed. With the vine rope in one hand, he threw it around the thick truck and grabbed it with the other. He stepped back to give himself some space before planting one foot against the trunk. The rough scrapped at his leather foot covers and he was worried that they would tear completely.

Taking several quick breaths, Kenji suddenly jerked the rope up and tried to walk up the trunk but the vines caught on the bark. Instead of walking up the tree as he wanted, he fell backwards and lost his breath. Fortunately, the fall was not very far and he was able to recover quickly.

Scowling to himself, Kenji silently scolded his failure. Walking up the tree again, he looped the vine rope around the trunk and practiced whipping it up with one foot placed against the wood. He never practiced this but his father told stories of how the non-warrior soldiers had to use the method to climb trees to hidden stands. Since he trained for having a link, his father never thought it necessary for him to learn.

Kenji regretted not insisting on lessons, both for the skill and to spend more time with his father.

When he thought himself ready, he made another attempt to scale the tree. With one foot planted on the trunk and the other on the ground, he whipped the rope up and stepped with his left.

"Hah!" he grunted as he caught himself. Already he could feel his muscles protesting the strange exercise. His legs were especially pained from the awkward position. Kenji stepped up with his right before yanking the rope up again and stepping with his left foot.

"Come on." he grunted out.

Kenjin leaned in once more to yank the vine rope up but he pressed in too far and his foot began to slip. He scrambled against the bark but as he lost his purchase, Kenji only had a split moment to let go of the rope and fall. Luckily, he was able to catch himself better to avoid landing on his back.

Hitting the ground feet first, he still ended up collapsing but kept the breath from being knocked out of him. He groaned as he stared up at the tree before standing.

"Alright, that was still pretty good." Kenji said to himself. "Better than the first time at least." He stood up and grabbed the rope once more.

Wrapping it around the tree, he took several deep breaths before placing his foot against the tree. With another inhale, Kenji began to walk his way up the tree. He focused on keeping his breathing in tune with his movements as it helped him maintain his pace.

Step.

Breathe.

Rope.

Repeat.

Kenji's arms and legs were beginning to burn from the exertion but he ignored it to focus on his movement. A short glance up revealed that he was still several paces away from the nearest tree limb. With only a couple more vertical steps, he found that he was only two more paces away from his goal.

"You can do this." he panted. His arms felt like they were about to fall off while a cramp was developing in his lower legs. "Only two more steps."

Acting quickly, he was able to take two short steps before catching himself from slipping. With another deep breath, he forced the pain aside and whipped the vine up to take another step.

By now the tree limb was even with his head, presenting him with two options. He could either lean in and grab at the branch as he left go of the rope or he could move up further to put himself in a better position. Panting, Kenji did not have long to consider. A dread-filled glance down to the forest floor far below was all he needed to walk up more.

With a quick flick of the vines, Kenji whipped the rope up again and stepped. This placed the tree branch even with his upper chest though he had to shuffle to place himself in the proper position.

Kenji took several quick breaths and mentally prepared himself for what he had to do. When he felt that he was ready, he started to move.

Carefully leaning over, Kenji placed his elbow on the branch and moved his left foot higher. He twisted it so that it was angled towards the right and pointing at the tree limb. One more breath in, and Kenji released the vine rope with his right hand. At the same time he pushed off his feet and wrapped his right arm around the tree branch while bringing his left around.

"Aaaah!" Kenji screamed in fear.

He was still holding onto the vine rope with his left hand so it scrapped at the tree but he was still able to throw his arms around the thick limb. His legs were swinging in the air and Kenji could feel his grip begin to slip. The leather sleeves protected his arms from the scraping of the bark as he scrambled to lift himself up.

While his body was still weak it was strong enough to lift himself up onto the branch where he straddled it. He pulled the rope up after him and lay it over the limb while he caught his breath. The small leap was more terror inducing than he expected and his breaths were coming in short, rapid pants.

When he breathing slowed and he was able to think more clearly, Kenji inspected the rest of the tree. The branches above this one were close enough that he would not have to repeat the dangerous climb. Tossing the braided vines up, Kenji followed after it and climbed the rest of the tree. The process grew easier as the limbs became closer together but he was forced to inspect later branches to ensure that they could support his weight.

When he could go no further, Kenji straddled the branch and placed his back to the narrowed trunk as he took in the view.

Flocks of birds crossed the sky under the sun's rays while clouds drifted through the blue expanse. A short mountain range with low slopes dominated part of the landscape. Several peaks were dusted with snow. Off the side, the mountains were mirrored by a large plateau covered with green. Steep cliffs isolated it from the surrounding forest as if Warlord watching over his lands. A strip of sparse forest ran between the two.

Looking around, all Kenji could see of the forest was the top of the green canopy. There were several gaps where canopy fell through but it was quickly picked back up as the trees grew into one another. He could see the rustle of green as the wind or wild beasts moved it. In one direction, entire trees seemed to shake as if to threaten him.

Looking away, he turned his gaze back to the landscape. On the other side, away from the mountain and plateau, Kenji spotted a distant shimmer. Focusing on it, he judged it to be either a massive lake or maybe even the sea.

Despite his mother's near death at the hands on the blue waters, she still spoke fondly of the ocean. When the weather was warm, they often took family trips to the nearby beaches. She often stayed late into the night watching the waves and playing in the sand.

Kenji stared the distant sea for a while longer before turning his head away.

He returned to studying the landscape but nothing struck him as familiar. Greenleaf had claim to several peaks but those were more large grassy hills than the bare rock of the slopes before him. The greater possibility was that he was instead in some distant kingdom. The question was, which one?

His greatest worry was that this land belong to the Warlord of Ignis. The people were violent and proud with tempers to match. They would not take his intrusion into their lands kindly, no matter how he ended up here.

However, there were none of the active volcanoes that their mountainous nation cultivated. Nor did he feel the sweltering heat or the Type Energy that tried to burn one alive with each breath. That normal humans could survive in such a region constantly amazed him.

Not to mention, the fact that his village was ablaze when he was taken away. He still remembered the heat of the flames as his home burned. Even lost and alone, at risk of death by starvation or dehydration, Kenji would not seek out his people's enemy.

On the other hand, this was not the land of their allies or trading partners. There were no large rivers or cascading waterfalls, the simple yet large farms maintained by the people of Aurora, or the sparking towers of Violight. His father spoke of nations beyond those but he only heard them spoken about in stories or from traveling merchants. A foreign Warrior sworn to a Warlord would never be allowed in another kingdom without a compelling reason.

Kenji continued to search for any sign to indicate where he was or even a simple village to call upon. He did catch a thin river that sloughed down from the mountain and disappear into the forest. He was able to make a break in the tree cover near where the river disappeared and followed it as best he could. If he traveled at an angle to the left of the rocky slopes, he would eventually reach flowing water. He could only hope that he found it before dehydration made him too weak to move.

Satisfied with his next course of action, Kenji took the time to watch the forest and study the swaying trees. Anytime he saw green swaying against the wind he was sure to memorize its location so that he could avoid it while he traveled. Pokémon were often territorial beasts and none would appreciate his presence threatening them.

Fortunately, without an aura he would appear as weak as a child to anything that inspected him. Most beasts hunted not only for food but also for the strength they could obtain from consuming other Type Beasts. The aura suffused the flesh as well as the spirit, making it an ideal path to grow. It was the few that did not hunt this way that concerned him.

Some creatures delighted in causing pain and spreading misery, growing in power as they followed their path. Such beasts found greater sustenance in the power of spirits than they did from flesh.

Turning away from his morbid thoughts, Kenji debated on his next moves. His goal for now was to reach the river but once he did that, then what? He could not camp by the riverside and hope a friendly, or at least non-hostile, Warrior rescued him. This forest was massive and he saw no signs of civilization as far as he could see. There were no massive clearings or trails of smoke rising into the sky.

One could only guess how long he might stay there before someone found him.

No, the best course of action was to follow the river upstream until he reached the mountain. There, he would be able to climb the slope a gain a better view of the surroundings and easily circle around to the other side. Much of the landscape beyond was blocked by the plateau and the rocky peaks.

From there he would seek out a village and investigate which kingdom he currently resided in. Depending on what he discovered, Kenji could either petition the Warlord or his Warriors for assistance or escape if they were hostile. Maybe he would raise an army of his own to lead and takeover the kingdom in honor of his people.

Fantasies aside, that was for later. For now, Kenji had to survive.

Standing up, Kenji took one last glance around the forest before he climbed down. The extensive shaking of the trees had finally stilled and now only the occasional mass of green would jostle. Birds continued to traverse the sky. Occasionally, a small flock or individual would split off or join from the forest below. They danced through the sky much like a river of their own, flowing in circular paths or spiraling upwards. There was something strange about the paths they flew but Kenji could figure out what.

As he continued to watch the birds, he noticed a few smaller groups staying close to the tree tops. However, instead of the flat, thin wings of a bird, theirs were more round. His mind cast back to the large red and yellow worm from earlier.

Butterflies. Kenji thought with fascination. He was familiar with the small insects as they visited the flowers in his families garden but these were far larger than those tiny insects. From here, he could see how their wings sparkled in the sun's rays.

Kenji was highly interested in seeing the Pokémon up close. His Warlord, Motonari, was vocal in his interest of new Pokémon and advocated studying the beasts further. As far as he knew, there was no butterfly Pokémon in Greenleaf or beyond.

Taking one last look at the potential new Pokémon, Kenji turned his mind to a more immediate issue.

"How do I get down from here?"