Ch.32: The Tale of Corruption! Downfall to Witchcraft!

Gwyn kicked her feet as she roasted a marshmallow over the open fire. She snuggled up beside Flint, who sat on the same log as her, and asked, "When was the last time we did something like this? I haven't been able to relax in months."

Flint smiled and nuzzled against her. "Well, enjoy it while you can. This is Medusa's treat for all our hard work."

Ambrosine groaned and leaned back on her hands. "If by hard work, you mean slaving over a hot cauldron all day preparing everyone's meals, then yes, well deserved."

"Am, you know we ALL had to do that, right?" Flint reminded.

"Not Gwyn, though. She got to have fun all day."

Gwyn smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Ambrosine."

She sighed and waved it off. "Whatever. You've been busy with training and junk."

Andre came up to the campfire with covered plates of food. "I've brought the dinner. Everyone dig in."

"Ooh, thanks!" Gwyn grabbed the plates off his back and passed them down to Flint and Ambrosine. She set hers down on her lap and opened it up, taking in the wonderful meal of fruits, vegetables, and lemon squares (her own personal request). "Yippee!"

The others had berry-made steak with a side of greens and mashed potatoes. Ambrosine lay back against her log and cut into her steak. "So, what exactly are we doing besides sitting around a campfire and eating?"

Flint shrugged. "Medusa said it would be a surprise. I'm more focused on Cicely finally returning in a few days. We can take her trial and get the Key of Time."

"And after that, you're regrouping with your brother at that academy, right?" Andre asked.

Flint nodded. "Yeah. We're pretty far away from it, too. It's on the end of the Snow and Storm Zone borders. We're on the other side of the region, so we can't waste time lollygagging once we get the key."

Andre sighed and shook his head. "And here I thought we could've chilled once the drama was over."

Flint smiled. "Hey, we can still hang out, assuming we actually stop this."

"You sure you guys have the guts to use the idol on the Shadow King? From the way you described it, and I don't want to discredit you guys, that thing sounds difficult to control."

"We'll…worry about that later. I just want to secure it as a last resort."

"Make way!" They looked over and saw Venus approaching them with a small pot. "I brought popcorn kernels!" She set the pot on top of the fire rack and sat down.

Gwyn grinned. "Ooh, popcorn, too? We're gorging on delicious food tonight!"

Andre smirked. "Now I feel like we're all being spoiled."

"It is my gift for you hard work." Medusa finally returned from the hut and slithered past her guests. She took a seat on the log next to Venus and set her staff aside. She took a deep breath and stretched her lithe body. She shivered to the sound of bones cracking. "Oh dear, this old body's not doing too good. Dear me…"

"Are you okay, Granny?" Venus asked.

Medusa smiled. "I'm fine, child. You just focus on enjoying yourself."

Ambrosine crossed her arms. "So, what is today's special treat? Are you going to regale us with stories from hundreds of years ago when you were a Snivy?" Gwyn and Andre busted out into laughter. Flint shamefully hid his own snickers.

Medusa narrowed her closed eyes and smirked. "Funny. Very funny. Mocking a hundred and thirty year old woman."

Ambrosine's jaw dropped. "You're how old?!"

"…Or was I eighty-two?" Everyone fell over themselves and groaned. "Well, in any case, you could say I have stories from the past to share. After all, there's nothing more enriching than knowledge."

Flint smiled and nodded. "Oh, definitely. Do you know anything about the old world?"

"I can spin a yarn or two about some fascinating topics about history, especially witchcraft."

"I see. Ever since Gwyn started practicing, I've become invested learning everything I can about the subject. After all, if Gwyn wants to revitalize witchcraft's origins to the modern world, I want to support her cause any way I can."

"Aww, Flinty~!" Gwyn hugged him and nuzzled her face into his mane. "You're such a sweetie!" She kissed his cheek, causing him to flinch. "Eh?"

"S-Sorry. Still haven't recovered from that…experiment of yours." He shuddered. "I can't believe you were actually serious." He noticed Ambrosine looking away, whistling, and hiding her blush.

Gwyn grinned. "It was a one time thing. Plus, I know you loved the attention."

Flint's cheeks turned bright red. "Change the subject please!"

Medusa giggled. "Though I would love to talk about why I am proud to call myself a witch, I'm afraid our story time starts with the tragic parts of its development." She sighed. "For you see, in a world like ours, magic became the dominate practice despite witchcraft being far more accessible. Imagine if the fates were reversed, where magic was casted out as the demonic practice while witchcraft was celebrated. You could see how time affects the course of history."

Flint frowned. "Of course. Even when it was first discovered, magic was feared. The only reason it's celebrated now was because it turned the tide of battle during the Grand Imperium War."

Medusa nodded. "Then you understand the importance of telling you the dark truth. Though, like most of history, I cannot guarantee the specifics of this tale. It has been passed down through our history, warped by fear and spite. All I can tell you is the version told to me by my mother. Regardless, it opens the eyes to history's cruel joke."

Andre sat up and glared. "In other words, you're going to tell us what happened to turn witchcraft into a feared practice."

Medusa glared back. "Exactly."

Tony did one more lap around the camp, making sure everyone was tucked away in their tents. He fiddled with his bandages and walked back to his tent. The sun had set a while ago. Dinner was served, and Tony called for an early curfew, hoping to get a bright and early start on his plans. He wanted to be prepared for when he storms Aeternus and takes his revenge.

"Those kids under your care are young. Really young. They lost the one home they had and sought to rely on themselves to survive, right? Now they turn to you as their guide. I could see you as one, but the old you. This you, however, is going to use those poor kids as meat shields."

Tony scoffed. "Damn witch. What the hell does she know? I haven't changed a bit. I'm in control, unlike her." He felt the storm clouds rumbling overhead. He took a deep breath and marched back to his tent. "This better be worth my damn time."

Seconds before he entered, rain started to fall. He got back inside right before it came down as a downpour. He flicked the water out of his fur and dragged his feet over to Callista's cage, where the spider lay quietly, soundlessly and seemingly asleep.

Oh, but Tony knew her better than that.

"I'm here, witch," Tony announced, banging his fist against the cage. "Get up."

Callista opened her eyes on command and gazed up at the Dewott. "Someone's extra snappy. Did my words finally reach past that loud ego of words?"

"As if I'd heed the words of a murderous termagant like you."

Callista scoffed. "Bold of you to assume I'm the unreasonable one around here." She yawned, then stretched her legs out. "Though, I must thank you. My time cooped up in this cage has given me time to pursue new hobbies."

"Huh?"

Callista sat up and showed off a dreamcatcher made from tightly-braided webbing. "You like it? I hope it helps me sleep tonight. I keep having nightmares of this boorish mob boss who threatens to barbeque me with lightning. How dreadful, right?"

Tony's glare deepened. "I'm your nightmare, witch."

Callista sighed. "Good grief. Now you're just being redundant with your quips. Have you become emotionally distant from those, too? Well, I suppose you have to put passion into being an ass—"

"Cut the crap and get to your point." Tony sat down and crossed his arms. "You called on me, so spill. What's this little chat supposed to prove?"

Callista rolled her eyes. "So impatient." She hung the dreamcatcher in the back of her cage, then sat back down facing Tony. "Very well. I won't beat around the bush any longer." Callista glared. "I'm telling you this story for your own good, and maybe it'll slap some sense to you."

"I've never been saner."

"Spoken like a drunken madman who screams at clouds."

"Just talk."

Callista closed her eyes. "I'll preference this by saying I want to help you. Must sound strange coming from someone who was, probably still is, your enemy. I've put up with your horrible hospitability and haven't killed anyone prior to our last confrontation in the underground maze. I hope you can at least take my criticism of your rotten behavior with an air of dignity."

"You're stalling."

"I've been evil for the last five hundred years. Let me have my dramatic opener. Now, where was I?" She tapped her chin, then nodded to herself. "Right. I told you that power doesn't corrupt, but merely shows the true face beneath the mask. How sad I've gotten to peek past your own. Though, I'm willing to wager there was a second mask underneath the first, and what I'm seeing is the persona of a grieving teenager."

"Twenty-years-old."

"Be grateful I'm not calling you a pup. I've seen many, many things in the last five centuries, boy, and I've committed a number of atrocities. My darker half takes pleasure not from senseless killing, but from the gathering of new knowledge. Through various contracts, I was able to acquire souls to make pacts with the demons. I can call upon their power at my command, control them within my limits. That is the goal of every great witch like myself." Callista glared. "However, there are limits to what we can do, and there are consequences to making deals with demons."

Tony glared. "The ultimatum to keep you in line. Witches have to give up their souls to the demons who bridge the gap between the Underworld and the mortal realm. It's to guarantee you complete your half of the bargain without cheating a devil."

Callista clicked her mandibles with an amused hiss. "You are knowledgeable. Then you must know that a witch can acquire their soul back if they complete the conditions of their original contract."

"And you, both a Ritualist and a Summoner, have quite the hefty condition hanging over your head."

"Ritualist extract souls like currency for demons. Summoners call upon their power. Since Summoners deal directly with demons through their contracts, my condition is a lot harder to come by. A condition I could never hope to complete if it weren't for my immortality, and that fateful bit of luck finding the one thing I needed: the soul of a Mew."

"The soul of a Legendary would seem valuable."

"But it was also thought to be impossible. Not necessarily. Myth has spoken of a time when Mesprit bared a child with a mortal. Though that family lineage supposedly died out."

"Yeah. Uxie mentioned that when we went to the library."

Callista chuckled. "Best not to take a god of knowledge at his word. Something like that child or Gwyn needs to be kept secret, at least by the will of Arceus. Maybe they did die out, or maybe they didn't. Point is, I knew I could get a Mew's soul if I waited long enough. It's not like dying was a better option. I had until the end of the universe to get one."

"So, you need Gwyn's soul in order to get yours back."

"Precisely. That's the only way I can guarantee any hope for reincarnation. I may not deserve forgiveness, but I rather not be erased from existence."

"Just like the rest of your prey."

Callista narrowed her eyes. "Even barring everything I've done the last five centuries, my first soul extraction left a bitter taste in my mouth." She sighed and shook her head. "I can't remember what brought me to take the Shadow King's deal, but it certainly saved me a lot of trouble."

"So, you're telling me you're power hungry?" Tony asked. "I didn't need a confession to know that."

Callista scoffed. "As if I wanted to rely on the dark forces of the Underworld. Whatever brought me to do it, it certainly wasn't for power. I already had power, and I didn't intend to misuse it."

"How so?"

Callista raised her leg and traced a circle on the bottom of her cage. Tony glared at her for a moment, then gasped as a turquoise ring of light illuminated from the cage floor. A holographic image of Mysto appeared on full display, showing a detailed rendering of the different elevations and cities.

"What the—"

"The crap I've been using is but a cheap imitation to the real deal. This is true witchcraft, the power to draw magic out of the land and command nature. This is one of the more advanced techniques: sensing life through the magic."

Tony gawked in disbelief. "You…had something like this the whole time you've been chasing us? Why is this the first time I'm seeing this?"

"Because my darker half didn't see a point in using it." Callista cancelled the spell. "That, and I can't sense life from very far. Most I can do is the entirety of this camp. I haven't been able to do that in five hundred years. I've only recently gotten back into practicing. Just some basic stuff, like enhancing the natural world and manipulating the soil."

Tony glared. "What?"

"I told you, I could break out of here any time I want. I still have a list of demons who would gladly free me on my command."

Tony closed his eye and sighed. "Unbelievable."

"Honestly, if Gwyn could practice witchcraft, I wouldn't be surprised if she could sense every lifeform in Mysto. Her magic would certainly grant her that capability."

"But what does this have to do with me?"

Callista glared. "Think about it. If this is how witches really performed magic, what do you suppose brought it down?"

"…I'm guessing you'll tell me."

"Well, aren't you slow. Sapienti, let me tell you a little story I've carried in my five hundred years. Think of it as a fable: The Witch and the Devil."

"The Witch and the Devil?" Flint asked.

Medusa nodded. "It's an old tale warning witches of the dangers of dealing with demons. Though they keep their word in contract, they aren't to be trusted. We were taught at an early age not to interact with those forces. They pry on your fears, molding you at your most vulnerable. It's easy pickings when you feel like you've lost everything. Of course, accessing contact with demons is difficult enough as it was."

"How so?" Andre asked.

"For one thing, no one knew demons existed. It was basically discovered by accident because some quack hundreds of years ago proposed a theory and found an incantation to draw out demonic forces. Eventually, those notes get spread around and become public knowledge. Nowadays, those files no longer exist, but the methods are still carried as tradition through covens. I imagine that's how Clara Belladonna acquired knowledge on it."

"But it didn't become a problem until around the time of the Grand Imperium Age," Flint mentioned.

"Precisely. That was when the practice was taken with more intrigue, at least by one lone witch." Medusa chuckled. "It's…funny, actually. You think you've heard everything, then you look back on our own past. People weren't too different back then. We look back on history like it's this serious point in our lives when, in actuality, everyone was about as stupid as us of today. In the same vein, they were equally as kind. Kindness…a rarity these days." She shook her head. "See, this story is told to remind us to stay on the right path, to never make deals with the wrong people. And we've come to learn that understanding these demonic forces is better than letting anyone have hold of the reins."

"So, witches of the past studied them," Ambrosine guessed.

"From a controlled setting, of course. They found someone willing to bite the bullet just so they can study up on the various demons in the Underworld. There's probably copies of books scattered over Mysto. They make for good use in fiction, but not as partners in crime. You'd be amazed how many strange creatures lay beyond our realm."

"We can imagine," Andre said. "This little forest keeps reminding me of that every day."

Medusa chuckled softly. "Well, there's so much we don't understand, but theories were proposed regarding these demons. Some believe they're…manifestations of the Legendary Pokémon that roamed our world thousands of years ago. No in their image, but twisted amalgamations of certain traits that were seen as negative. You could call them the predecessor to shadows. Some believe the Legends were as flawed as us, thus they casted aside imperfection to be revered. The results? The tainted rejections spilled into another reality and took shape as an entirely different realm: the Underworld."

Gwyn gulped and clutched to Flint's mane for protection. "I don't like the idea of a dark version of me existing."

"That, unlike anything else you've heard, may be myth. For all they've done, I don't see such a mistake being made by the Legends. Still, the possibility can't be ruled out. Regardless of where they came from, the demons had one singular goal: to spread misery and mayhem. Though trapped between borders, the rise of magic allowed an alternative bridge between worlds, all because of sheer curiosity of mortals.

"The Darkstone Circle act as the mediators to these new witches. They don't usually offer themselves up for power, but call upon other demons to serve the cause. That much is expected, of course, and you've likely witnessed the power of some of the elite demons in Callista's arsenal."

Flint nodded. "Plenty of times."

"However, when Gwyn's situation was brought up, it dawned on me the depths of that Callista's situation. No demon in their right mind would bargain for a Mew's soul. It was impossible, not even worth the trade over. Those kinds of souls are a delicacy and aren't meant to be promised lightly. No demon would take that deal…except for one."

Venus, munching on her popcorn, frowned. Actually, she looked visibly distressed by the dark look in her grandmother's face. "Granny, you don't mean…"

Gwyn's eyes widened. "Should I be worried?"

Medusa sighed and looked toward the now anxious group. "If Callista wants Gwyn's soul, that means she made a pact with that demon. Probably the most powerful demon of them all. And for her to score a contract with him, she must be after something big."

"Who…Who is this demon?" Flint asked warily.

Medusa glared. "His name has only been spoken once in history's texts. A single name, with centuries of information regarded by the demons of previous summoners. The one whispered only as…Xolmorun."

"Xolmorun?" Tony repeated. "Who the heck is that?"

Callista sighed and looked up at the top of her cage. "Though I can't recall the circumstances to our deal, I know one thing: he was my first contract. He's the reason I'm in debt right now."

Tony glared. "He's the one who possesses your soul."

"Exactly. With the five hundred years I've spent on this wretched earth, I've been accumulating quite the debt to him. Our original deal of one Mew's soul would clear my debt entirely. You can imagine how valuable a Legend's soul is if five hundred years of debt can be erased with the snap of his fingers."

"Alright, fair. So, you're saying he's the most powerful demon in all of the Underworld?"

"But the hardest to get a contract with, so he rarely is called upon, if ever. Unlike most demons, Xolmorun doesn't require souls to sustain himself. The very existence of war, despair, and horror is enough to sustain him. Demons can't starve, but they require souls to fuel their power. That's why they tend to have hefty demands just to buy their contracts. That's also how you can go into debt with your own soul. Sometimes it's a simple transaction, and sometimes there's a secondary condition just to keep the contract and your soul. Xolmorun was different. When I told him I could get him a Mew's soul, he believed me."

Tony raised his brow. "Wait, what?"

"He didn't fuss. He said he'll grant me the power I seek. In exchange, he holds my soul hostage until I get him his Mew soul. All he had was time. Ten weeks, five hundred years; he could wait for eternity until I do myself in."

Tony glared. "It concerns me demons only appear if by a Summoner. So, how come none have tried to cross realms? If this Xolmorun guy is powerful, why not raid the higher realms himself?"

"Because no matter how powerful he is, he can't compare to the Legends. His power is bound to the Underworld. That's another reason why summoning him has never been heard of. However, given the legends surrounding Mew and our creation, a Mew's soul could grant him domain into other worlds. A lordship of demons and mortals. He'd be free to wreak havoc."

Ton bared his teeth. "Is that why records of half-god children need to be erased?"

"Even disregarding demons, any mortal with a god's power isn't something you want running around. Take the descendants of Mesprit. What do you suppose mortals, with all their sins and selfish intentions, would first think to do with domain over emotions?"

Tony rubbed his chin. "Well, if it were me, I'd…oh." His eye went wide for a moment, then a devious grin grew on his face. "Hmm, I wonder if I should look into my ancestry, to be safe—" Webbing shot into his face. "AGH!"

"Back down to reality, weirdo."

"Oh shut up!" Tony fried the webs off his face and threw them aside. "Okay, you've made your point. You wanted Gwyn's soul just so you can use Xolmorun's power for your own. Is that right?"

"Precisely." Callista sighed and turned to the floor sadly. "That…is where our story starts."

"Oh yes, you're finally getting to that."

Callista glared. "Play your jokes, but this is serious, and I expect you to take it as such. Regardless of your delusions, I doubt you want anything to happen to Gwyn or your friends."

Tony glared back. "Fine. What is the Witch and the Devil?"

"An old tale from long ago. There was once a witch, part of a nomad coven far from society. It was a peaceful existence. They practiced drawing out the earth's magic and conjuring wondrous things for convenience. It became an artform they studied day after day. The witch of our tale was a mother, dutifully teaching her daughter everything she knew about witchcraft. They bonded over the practice, breaching the limits of what they could perform with the earth's guidance. They pursued knowledge for the sole joy of discovery. It was a good life. Life couldn't get any better than that.

"Witches and magicians of old had one thing in common besides practicing magic: they had to stay hidden from society. The old stigma against magic rang for centuries, millennia even. They are unnatural forces the common Pokémon couldn't trust, so it had to be extinguished and suppressed. No witch would suppress their teachings, so they ran. We are pacifists by nature. We try to avoid confrontation for as long as we can.

"Now, the daughter was still ignorant to this reality. She couldn't wrap her head around the running and hiding. She believed in the good of Pokémon, that they just needed to see it for themselves to believe. After all, her coven has been nothing but kind and understanding her whole life. They're willing to give anything a change. So, why would the Pokémon be any different?"

Tony felt his throat tightening. He can already tell where this was going.

"So, the daughter fled the coven one night and traveled to the closest village to their campsite. What luck, she managed to find a village that was still awake in the dead of night. She was excited. She was going to show these kind folks what real magic was. She gathered her audience, putting on a grand show that would mesmerize everyone and go down in history. She would be a legend that changed fate.

"The moment she performed magic in front of those people…she ran. Ran from her attempted murderers."

Tony pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his chin on them. "It's never that simple."

Callista sighed. "It never is. Of course, being so young, she couldn't get very far. She was basically doomed. Nothing she could do to outrun them. She was basically dead. Except…"

"Huh?"

"Her mother, a master witch, was able to sense her daughter's location and arrived in the nick of time. She didn't want to risk leading the mob back to the coven, but she couldn't leave her daughter to die. So, she did the only thing she could: she swapped places with her daughter."

Tony's eye widened. "What?"

"She switched places of her daughter and placed a glamor spell on herself to assume her identity. The daughter didn't run, however. She hid, horrified, and watched as her mother was dragged off to the center of town." Callista's glare tightened. "A tiny little thing like her could do nothing but watch. They propped her up on a pole surrounded by firewood. All the daughter could do was watch."

"Don't tell me that kid…"

Callista hissed. "You know those stories of witch trials? That kid…watched her mother's flesh melt and burn into the pyre."

"What?!" Gwyn gasped. "That's…That's horrible!"

Flint held his forehead and looked down in disbelief. "I…I know the witch trials were brutal back then, but for someone to watch their parent…oh Arceus."

Medusa nodded. "A tragic fate for both witches and magicians of those days. Magic was cursed, thus it had to be sent through the pyre to be cleansed and released into the aether. That was their belief."

Andre glared. "But ever since the Grand Imperium War, magic was seen in a different light."

"But it's that same war that brought on the stigma of witchcraft," Ambrosine added. "Still, that's messed up. One group rises, the other falls. That's just not fair."

"What's fair about life?" Medusa asked. "Not even prophecy can save you from tragedy. If anything, it's the greatest tragedy of them all."

"I can't imagine what that kid went through," Ambrosine muttered. "I mean, if it was my mom, it wouldn't be so—"

"Point is," Medusa interrupted, "that the daughter bared the grief of getting her mother killed, all to save her and the coven. The coven would thrive uninterrupted for several years, but the daughter carried the weight of her mistake. She had to fix it somehow. She had to find a way to reserve her mistake."

"But is something like that possible?" Gwyn asked.

"There's only one known way in this world to revive the dead, but at a hefty cost. However, the Life for a Life spell is tricky to master, and unreliable now that the daughter exceeded her window of opportunity. Not that the spell even existed prior to the war."

"So, the daughter was at a dead end," Andre concluded.

"I said there was only one known way in this world to revive the dead. The mortal realm lives by its restrictions, but such restrictions don't exist to demons. The demon, Xolmorun, is the only demon in the Underworld with the power to resurrect the dead without fail. No sacrifice required. One could say that's why he requires a Mew's soul. It'll grant him the power to mold life by his imagination. Raising the dead, or at least planting a soul in a new functioning body, would be child's play for him."

"So, as long as he never gets a Mew soul, we're fine. And that's basically impossible," Andre said.

"Yes. Though Gwyn's existence, as well as any descendants she may have, could pose a problem. Even so, it's an impossible endeavor. Still, the witch daughter had no other option when she first discovered this. So, she spent years researching demons and trying to find a way to contact them. She had to keep her research secret from her coven, but she hoped the fruits of her labor would outweigh the treason she would undertake. It was a necessary risk in her eyes.

"Naturally, she found a way, and contacted Xolmorun. Records of the conversation are unfounded, but it is said the witch had trouble trying to get his attention. When the offer of a Mew's soul came up, he was quick to change his mind. Of course, given the impossible nature of the task, Xolmorun granted the witch a temporary trial of his power. If she succeeded resurrecting her mother, he will take the daughter's soul and she will be in his debt. If not, the deal was off, and the daughter would be allowed to go free."

Flint glared. "That seems too good to be true."

"It was." Medusa grabbed a stick and reached for the marshmallow bag. "Fact is, Xolmorun requires a Mew to enrich his power. This would be the first time he resurrected a mortal according to history. The witch was too fixated on bringing her mother back that she couldn't see the warning signs. Xolmorun lay out the details to her, but you shouldn't make deals with devils. She went through with the ritual by his instruction, gathering all necessary materials, including a fragment of her mother. After that, it's just a matter of performing the ritual."

"Annnnd…?" Ambrosine beckoned.

Medusa sighed. "The daughter was successful. She resurrected her long dead mother from the afterlife. The ritual attracted the attention of her coven, sensing the evil it radiated. And by their accounts, they could only describe the scene in utter disgust and horror. What they saw before them resembled not that of a long dead friend, but something that should've been buried beneath the damned earth."

Gwyn gasped. "Oh no!"

"Twisted limps, a mound of flesh and bone, abnormal proportions, the smell of burning garbage mixed with the foul stench of polluted lands and brimstone, the voice of a raspy old man drowning in their own blood…the list goes on. What was summoned was not a Pokémon, but a twisted abomination that could make hardened war veterans keel over in fright.

"The worst of it all was that it did, indeed, possess the soul of the mother."

Flint bared his teeth. "To be resurrected like that."

"That damn devil lied!" Andre yelled. He paused for a moment, then deadpanned. "Actually, I shouldn't sound that surprised."

"Still, that's horrible," Ambrosine gasped.

Medusa nodded. "Indeed, it was. Worst of all, Xolmorun held up his end of the bargain, whether the daughter liked the results or not. Thus, her soul was his to hold onto until she retrieved his prize."

Flint frowned. "And…what happened to the mother?"

Medusa glared. "…Mercy killed by her coven." She sensed Venus' shivering and wrapped her tail around her, pulling her close. "The daughter was horrified by what she had done, wondering if she messed up the ritual. And yet, seeing that corpse of what was once her mother…I can't imagine what the poor dear was feeling."

Andre sat up. "Then what happened to the daughter afterwards? What of the coven?"

"What else do you do with a witch who tainted her essence playing with the devil? She was—"

"—kicked from her coven, branded as a heretic," Callista stated. "A dark reminder that witches shouldn't delve into the tainted arts of the below world. She became a lone wanderer, knowing word of her actions will spread across the winds."

Tony lightly scratched his knee while staring intensely at the Ariados. "All of that, and the devil cheated her out of her only chance."

"Sounds like a certain clown we both know. Puck put you through similar situations, yes?"

Tony didn't answer and looked away.

"She felt like the world was against her, that she had nothing left to this world. She could've ended her life and leave the suffering, reunite with her mother in the afterlife, but…problem was—"

"She sold her soul," Tony finished.

Callista nodded. "That's what happens when you deal with Xolmorun and don't think about the consequences of dealing with demons. That kid was set up to fail, stuck in an unwinnable situation."

"What happened to her?"

Callista huffed. "That witch, filled with innocence and hope, ended her own life. She couldn't escape the mortal coil, so she killed herself instead of suffering in anticipation. However, she didn't go out without exacting her revenge. She used that terrible power of her to get back at the village that took her mother, and the coven that turned their backs on her. She stole their souls, collected new contracts, and razed everything. She lost any trace of empathy in her heart and sought to bring misery to everyone as one final act of rebellion. After that, as the stories say, she took her life in the same pyre pit that took her mother. That was the last anyone saw of her."

Tony frowned. "And her final act of rebellion tainted the image of witches for generations."

Callista nodded and lay her head in her forelegs. "Sapienti, I tell you this story for one reason only. Though I paraphrase the actual events, that witch succumbed to vengeance and anger, and casted aside her empathy to commit unspeakable acts of violence."

"But nothing about that story suggests she was always power mad. I refuse to believe someone that traumatized wouldn't snap. To say she was always unhinged for power—" Tony stopped as Callista raised her leg.

"No one knows what the girl was thinking. Even so, giving into anger and taking out so many lives, some no doubt innocent, is a sign of weakness. It's easy to kill, to let your rage guide you. It's harder to be kind, just, and empathetic. Creatures these days, giving into their sloven and narcissistic desires for power shows exactly what's wrong with this generation. You turn to an unhealthy dose of cynicism and expect the world to burn while you get some petty victory out of it. Just look at the way people are now. Good Pokémon turning into monsters because they're scared and unable to trust.

"Perhaps I was too quick to say you're behaving like Puck." She glared up at Tony. "But you sure are falling in line with the bandwagon."

Tony glared back. "I—"

"The innocence of that witch died because she couldn't see a way out. It was easier to destroy and kill. Mortals don't care about justice. They just want to have the last laugh. When given all that power, one's true nature shows, and it's often an ugly, ugly truth."

Tony stared at her in silence, casting his gaze to the floor. He didn't feel sad, angry, or confused. He felt…lost. Unsure. To what does he take away from this story? What should he be feeling in not spite, bitterness, or apathy?

Once Medusa finished her story, she reclined back on her log and took a breather. "…Thus the witch died, but her legacy lives on through modern day witches."

Gwyn covered her teary-eyed face. "That's so sad!" she cried.

Flint's ears drooped over his face. "Magic had such a controversial impact on our history. I don't want to imagine living in those times."

Medusa sighed. "And for five centuries, the lie has persisted, pushing back my fellow witches into further isolation while those possessing inherited magic were celebrated. You can understand a number of my kind felt resentment towards magicians for being lucky. I'm not among those numbers, though I admit to a twinge of jealousy, if only because I've had to run from priests or purists harassing Venus and me."

Ambrosine crossed her arms. "And those who sought power emulated the witch's actions and communed with demons, exasperating the myth well into the present." She sighed. "Man, history sucks."

Gwyn looked down. "I don't know if I could make a difference, not after hearing all that."

Medusa smiled. "Child, I didn't tell you that story to dissuade you. Your goal to spread the word of witchcraft with be arduous, but knowing the truth helps you understand what needs to be done to make a difference."

Gwyn faced the witch. "Are you sure?"

"In the end, I care not how the world views me, but I want Venus to see the world without prejudice." Medusa patted the Espurr's head. "It's the least I could do for her after keeping me company in my old age."

"I see." Gwyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She firmly slapped her cheeks and stood up. "Well, in that case, I won't let history hold me back! I'll make sure you and Venus get the happiness you deserve! I swear!"

Medusa smirked. "The promise of a goddess does fill me with a bit of hope."

Andre crossed his forelegs and looked up at the sky. "There's just one thing that bothers me about that story."

Flint glanced at him. "Oh? What?"

"I don't know. You'd think with a historical event like that, even told through fables, they'd remember the name of the witch who committed those atrocities. Why would they erase her name? More importantly, with how detailed all that was, who even recorded the fable? Was it all true or embellished slightly?"

Medusa frowned. "Sadly, I do not have the answers you propose. Asking her myself would be next to impossible. The only thing confirmed by history is that the daughter died when she burned herself on the pyre. Only she would have your answers."

Andre sighed. "I'll take what I can get."

Flint glared as something came to him. "Medusa?"

"Yes?"

"Do you suppose Cicely would know? If she's a master at Time magic, surely she would have a way to view the past, right?"

Medusa scrunched her face for a moment and thought it over, then made a shrug motion. "You could ask her. I'm not familiar with Time magic, so I couldn't tell you if it's in the scope of possibility."

"Worth looking into," Flint mumbled.

Medusa sighed, then flashed her biggest grin. "Well, do not let my depressing tale ruin our festivities. Cicely will arrive in a couple or so days. Enjoy yourselves while you can."

Flint shook his head, then smiled. "Right."

Gwyn nodded. "Thank you for the story, Medusa."

"Anytime, child. Anytime."

Andre held a marshmallow over the fire and grinned. "So, how about some fun stories instead? Hey Flint, want to tell them about that archeology project we did for history?"

Flint groaned and covered his face. "No, not that one!"

Ambrosine grinned. "Oh? What's this?"

"Tell, tell, tell!" Gwyn and Venus cheered.

Andre laughed. "Listen well, because Flint would do anything to unearth secrets! The teenage mind knew no bounds!"

"Oh no…" Flint whined.

"So, there we were on our high school's football field. We used metal location charms and detected something underground, so we got to digging. Let me tell you, the hole we left behind was ginormous and…"

After a long silence, Tony stood up and paced around Callista's cage, head hanging low. Callista crossed her forelegs and looked up at him tiredly. She couldn't get a read on his expression, but he didn't seem to be in a bad mood. He actually seemed downright pleasant for once, even if it required him to shut up.

Still, she couldn't help but get the sense he was looking at her intensely, more so than usual. Not the usual glare he gave her, but one that was analyzing her. That clever mind of his must've been cooking into overdrive, concocting some crazy idea like he always does. She hated it when Puck did that. Watching her captor do the same thing made her skin crawl.

Tony stopped in front of the cage and sighed. "Thank you…for sharing that."

Callista raised her brow. "A sign of gratitude, huh? Wasn't expecting that. So, you finally came to realize just how shitty you've been."

Tony scoffed. "Don't get any bright ideas. I still have every intention to take down Aeternus."

Callista glared. "Even though I don't blame you, what exactly will you do? And what will you be using those kids for? Do they actually mean anything to you?"

"That's none of your concern." He turned and faced her. "However, I have grown a new appreciation for you, Callista. Your story…opened my eyes to the kind of person you were."

"Pardon?"

Tony frowned, then shook his head. "Never mind. Just thinking out loud." He ran his hand through his fur. "Do you have any intention of going back to the shadows?"

Callista sighed. "As I am now, fat chance. I can't bear the weight of my crimes. Going back to them would be the death of me. I rather stay a hopeless old vagabond than the murderous witch I once was."

"I see. I'm…kind of glad you said that." He crouched down in front of her. "I still don't have complete trust in you, but…perhaps I can give you a chance to prove your allegiance."

Callista glared. "How?"

"Join the Maelstrom Thieves and help me take down Aeternus."

"Join you?"

"You said you're one of my allies, right? If you want to prove that to me, I need to know I can count on you to help me end that madman for good."

Callista stood up. "How do I know this isn't one of your cockamamie tricks? You could just send me on a suicide run without me realizing."

"It's your decision. You can stay in that cage or make yourself useful. I'm cool with whichever."

She scoffed. "And here I thought I was the shifty one."

"Well?"

She sighed and turned away. "Give me a moment. You can't rush a decision out of me."

"We aren't exactly sitting luxuriously with our time."

She rolled her eyes and tapped against the bars. "Lighten up. There's only been bandits and weirdos running amuck this far out. You're not in any rush to use my—"

The conversation ended abruptly when Wolf burst through the tent flaps and slid in front of Tony, bowing onto one knee. "Boss, we received a report from our scouts in the west! We have a problem!"

Tony glared. "Problem?"

Callista huffed. "I should've seen that coming the moment it left my mouth…"

"We got a report of an army in the far west advancing on our location. They bare the emblem of the Anguis Organization."

"What of our scouts?"

"No deaths, but some of them came back heavily wounded."

Tony hissed through clenched teeth. "What's the approximate time they'll get here?"

"Two days. Three at most."

"We'll discuss this in the morning when everyone's rested. We'll prepare our defenses and respond with a counterstrike."

Wolf nodded. "Yes, Boss. There's…one more thing. Our scouts spotted something unsettling among their numbers. A large beast coated in black and armor. It looked different to some of the possessed Pokémon."

Callista glared. "One of Puck's experiments, no doubt."

Tony clenched his fist, feeling electricity crackle off his arm. "Right. Gather a small team and go into the local village with the injured. Get a doctor to check their injuries."

"Yes, Boss." Wolf bowed, then raced out of the tent.

Tony flared his nostrils. Sparks flew from his eye and from under his bandage. "Well Callista, if you do take up my offer, our timing couldn't have been better."

Callista looked ahead, squinting in the presumed direction of the approaching army. She knew what was bound to happen if anyone among Aeternus' army saw her. Running wouldn't solve anything, especially if Tony ratted her out. How strange to fight alongside someone that was one her foe.

With a nod, she whispered, "So it would seem."