The elderly Charizard rose his head as a strange scent entered his nostrils. He rose to his feet unsteadily; the old injury on his left leg had been acting up lately in the winter cold. The Charizard's attention snapped toward the front of his cave as he heard someone knocking on the cave wall.
"Hello? Imperial Guards here, for a Mr. Pyralis!" a proud and haughty voice announced imperiously.
Pyralis, for that was the elderly Charizard's name, made his way to the front of his cave. "I am Pyralis," he said as he emerged from the darkness of the cave, his tail-fire burning low as it was wont to do in cold weather.
A group of Pawniard stood at attention as a Smeargle atop a Zebstrika looked around impatiently at Pyralis. "Ah, good of you to finally make an appearance, Mr. Pyralis. Orders from the Emperor!" A slip of paper floated through the air towards the Charizard and he snatched it out of the air.
He examined it, and what was written on the note caused his normally hot blood to grow suddenly cold. "Orders to join the Imperial Army in two weeks at the front lines?" he stated incredulously.
"Yes, Mr. Pyralis. You've served in our army before, I'm sure you'll have no problem putting your life on the line for your Emperor again," The Smeargle said impatiently.
The Charizard sighed. "Of course. You can count on me being there in two week's time."
"Good. And do remember, Mr. Pyralis, if you do not appear in two week's time, you will be considered a deserter and Imperial Guards will be instructed to kill you on site. Have a good day."
With those words, the Smeargle and his guard left Pyralis' cave, and the elderly Charizard was left to stare blankly at the air, remembering his last time in a war, his old war wounds aching deeply as he did so.
Subject: Empty Eyes 
