With all four switches having been triggered and the door opening in front of them Ryan, Giselle and Michael, the last three of their team left standing, climbed their way into the upper levels of the Syndicate Fortress. All three seemed to have a different mission in mind, but all three were in agreement about what had to happen. The Syndicate had to be stopped, right here and now. There was no room for error. There were three of them and three Syndicate Admins left: Elezar, Cassius and Matthew.

For Ryan, the objective was crystal clear: defeat Matthew and find Addison. Though he was sure that if he found his brother he would find her, the fact that he had seen no trace of her at all since they arrived was alarming. His best friend and the girl he was pretty sure he was in love with was at the mercy of the boy he had long thought to be his brother and best friend. But Matthew had shown his true colors time and time again since their journey had started. Wherever this jealousy of him had come from was still a mystery to him, but what wasn't was the fact that Addison had been caught in the crossfire of their feud. This time, Ryan would hold nothing back. He couldn't show any weakness against his brother and he especially couldn't let Addison down, not after he had promised to protect her. They may be linked by blood, but that meant as little as dust in the wind to him now.

For Giselle, the objective was beginning to gray. She had been longing for a chance to crush Elezar since he and Cassius had abandoned her to face the Kingstons alone during her tyrannical reign. The two had faced no punishment for their involvement in her regime and left her to hold the crumbling facade of Syndicate power alone, where she would be trounced by Michael and the Crimson Fury they had cursed him with. And since she had been initially freed, this was her objective all along. Crush Elezar, earn her freedom and go to some remote island and live out the rest of her days. But now, things were beginning to change for her. She no longer had the lust for vengeance she had earlier. She still wanted Elezar to suffer for what he had done, but the drive to achieve it was waning. Perhaps it was due to her enjoying her taste of freedom too much, or perhaps it was the influence of being around all the goodie goodie Kingstons she was involved with. But she would still hold up her end of the bargain and defeat Elezar and bring this scheming traitor to his end.

Michael was now deeply torn between what he wanted to do and what needed to be done. The weakened conditions of his friends and cousins was particularly alarming to him. They had proven to be matched by the Syndicate Admins, and while Lizzie and Mark had prevailed against their foes, Chris and Cam had needed Ryan to back them up. Those four were the closest thing to family, alongside Ryan, that he had left in the world. He couldn't bear to see them in pain any longer. This nightmare needed to end, one way or another. And he suspected he knew the only real way to possibly end it. He had been suspecting this since his life fell apart before Taghwan Hall burned down. To protect the people that mattered the most to him, he would have to give in to the Crimson Fury, let it's rampage destroy Cassius and Elezar along with it and then let his friends destroy him and bring an end to the nightmare once and for all. But Giselle seemed to also have guessed his plan, which definitely hindered him. He couldn't afford for anyone to spill the beans. The power he had used against Courtney was just a warmup. Now, he would need to completely lose himself to it to protect the few things he cherished left in the world. After all, what was there left for him to fight for?

As the trio made it to the top of the stair case, they came across three doorways. Unlike the previous doorways, these were not discernable as to who was where. There were no symbols, labels or any other way of showing who would be behind which doorway. Giselle would have to be the one to recall who was in which room.

The former Syndicate Admin pointed at the door straight ahead. "That's Elezar's Chamber. I would never forget that."

Michael nodded. "Then we'll leave you to it."

Giselle nodded. "Allow me to go and take out a favor from him." With that, Giselle cracked her fingers and walked into the chamber and up the steps into the total eclipse of darkness that was the chamber of Elezar.

Michael looked towards the doorway to their right. He thought he could hear the crackling sounds of electricity and various technological noises sounding off from inside the room. No doubt about who's hiding back there. "Cassius."

Ryan looked to his cousin. "You think he's behind that door?"

"No doubt in my mind" Michael told the boy. He stared grimly at the doorway, not even bothering to look at Ryan. "I'll deal with him." He began to make his way for the doorway, but paused when he saw Ryan coming along up after him. "I can handle Cassius."

"But-"

Michael finally looked back towards the boy, intent on keeping his plans a secret to the only person in Arcana that he believed had any faith left in him. "No, Ryan. I'm going into this alone. Besides, remember what you're here for." He looked past the boy at the third doorway across from where he was going. "Matthew's got to be behind that door. And if you find him, Addison should be somewhere nearby."

Ryan nodded. "Okay, I'll go take on Matt. Just-just promise me you'll be careful."

Michael looked away. "I'll do what I can." With that, Michael left his cousin behind and entered the domain of the man who had caused him the last fifteen years of misery in his life. There were numerous machines and gadgets that the Syndicate's Lead Scientist had been formulating and inventing, but the Champion did not know or care what he would find inside, unless of course he himself wasn't in here. He came into the middle of the chamber. "Come out, Cassius! Come out and fight me like a man, you coward!" He looked around the room for a moment, expecting the sneaky scientist to try and attack him while his guard was down.

Instead, Cassius walked towards him from the balcony above, cackling as the two hated enemies locked eyes. "It's been too long, Michael."

"Not long enough" Michael barked. "I'm only going to give you this one chance, Cassius. Surrender now. No deals. No pleas. No leverage. If you don't, I'll have to battle you and break you."

The scientist grinned. "Are you sure you're capable of that? Because I observed the battles you and your friends embarked on below us and I cannot say I was impressed by any of your showings, apart from the boy. You five have grown unbearably soft in these times of war. It must really irk you to realize that some in the Syndicate see your cousin Ryan as a far greater threat to us than you."

Michael shrugged. "I could care less who you view as a threat or not. Because you and I both know the answer to what's coming."

"Do we?" Cassius asked defiantly. "Because if it weren't for the Crimson Moon, you wouldn't have defeated Courtney. Your heart just isn't in this, Michael. And if you're going to hold back, I see no reason to show you any mercy." He flung back his lab coat and revealed that he had his own team of Pokémon for this battle. "I had been waiting for this moment since you and your friends got the jump on us at my Abomosnow Lab. But now, that I see a Champion afraid of his own shadow, I see no reason to fear you, Michael."

Michael reached for a Poké Ball on his belt. "Very well. You have nowhere left to hide, Cassius! Let's finish this!"

Cassius casually flung his first Pokémon out to battle. "Go, Muk!" A gelatinous blob of toxic fumes and sludge appeared in front of the Syndicate Admin.

Michael flung out his own Poké Ball next. "Go! Aether!" The Espeon appeared and glared at the Muk. The battle was on.

{Meanwhile}

Alone for the first time since she had been released from Klefki Prison and into the custody of Michael, Giselle savored every step she took on her way to getting her revenge on the man she held responsible for her years of imprisonment. She was deeply hurt that Elezar had abandoned her for the seclusion of exile with Cassius, as this had mostly been their operation. She knew better than to trust anyone again after this, no one but herself. She reached for the Poké Ball that contained her Liepard as she approached the final steps of the chamber that led to the Syndicate Master.

"This is a welcome sight in these trying times" Elezar's voice sounded from somewhere in the room.

Giselle stood in front of the staircase, glaring in the direction of Elezar's tall throne. The Leader of the Syndicate was perched high above her in this chair, though part of her could sense that they were not alone in this room. There was a presence, almost inhuman, lurking in the dark shadows beyond Elezar's throne. She simply chose to let whatever was to unfold do so, as she glared up at the Syndicate Leader.

"Welcome home, Giselle" Elezar said warmly. "It has been too long, my old friend."

"Spare me the pleasantries" Giselle responded, as cold as a winter wind. "You and I were never friends."

"You misjudge me" Elezar said, feigning surprise at her comment. "We were friends, not equals. You seem to labor under the delusion that we were partners in our endeavors. You were always going to be the fall girl for our operation in case it backfired. What use would someone who's entire legacy was undermined by a few teenagers be to the Syndicate? You were dead weight."

"Look who's talking?" Giselle laughed. "Didn't a teenager blow up your compound?"

"I'm still standing" Elezar told her. "Whereas you fell apart and spent a decade in prison."

Giselle made no motions, but simply stared at the insidious Syndicate Leader. "And you seem to have no problem continually tossing people to the side."

"Anything to complete the research of my father" Elezar said softly. "That is all that matters to me. The rest of the Syndicate can hang for all I care."

"As they will" Giselle responded. "But you also seem to think that you and your father share the same goals and ambitions. Which part of your warped mind told you this?"

"My father's work was tainted by the likes of James Kingston" he hissed. "And I will not tolerate anyone who seeks to bemoan my father's legacy like those wretched offspring of James have."

"Thanks to the sleuth work of your daughter" Giselle continued, "as well as Julia Pines, it would seem that you and your father were quite far apart in your goals and ambitions. Do these words ring any bells to you?" She took a deep breath, recalling one of the entries that Balthazar had written directly about his own son. "The boy is truly troubled. Another mistake in my wasted life of denials and refusal to accept who I am."

Elezar laughed. "You think you can make up words my father wrote as if they were to move me?"

"I think your own denial is proof that it's true" Giselle responded viciously. "After all, who would ever care for a miserable, odious, contemptuous wretch like yourself?"

"ENOUGH!" Elezar snarled, rising from his throne. "I will not be talked down to by a wretched waste such as you!" He walked down the steps, his anger growing with every step taken. "I will not allow you to besmirch my name or that of my father's ever again!" He reached for a Poké Ball on his belt. "Go! Venomoth!" The Poké Ball opened to reveal a lavender colored moth with big beady black eyes that flapped it's wings wildly as the battle began between them.

"Fine" Giselle replied. "I was hoping to let my Liepard stretch her legs some more, but I suppose my Aerodactyl could use the exercise!" She sent out her Prehistoric Pokémon, who let out a supersonic screech that even made the Venomoth writhe in pain. Both former allies turned bitter enemies glared at each other and let out the same command simultaneously.

"ATTACK!"

{Meanwhile}

Cassius cackled wildly as his newly called Volcarona scorched the battlefield he and Michael had been battling on. Michael had only been barely able to avoid the bursts of heat from the pseudo-legendary Pokémon, recalling his exhausted Espeon while dodging the increasingly hostile attacks from his enemy's most powerful Pokémon. The scientist only laughed more profoundly as the Champion was unable to launch an effective counter attack.

"What's the matter, Michael" Where is all that bravado?" His Volcarona sent out another intense Heat Wave that incinerated one of Michael's previous hiding places, reducing it to a smoldering pile of ashes.

Michael had taken refuge underneath a thick desk, hoping the mad scientist would not be crazed enough to burn the entire room to the ground in his pursuit of him. But he knew deep down that he could never win this battle while he was continually dodging attacks left and right. He needed to counter attack and find some way to overpower this fiercely strong Unovan Pokémon. He had three Pokémon who were up to the challenge, with his Espeon, Obstagoon and Nidoking out for this battle, he knew that only his Blastoise, Dragonite or Arcanine would be able to provide him with enough power to defeat or at least hold his own against the Volcarona.

He rolled out of the way of another Flamethrower and called out his Blastoise. "Koopa! Use Hydro Pump!" The Blastoise stood in front of his trainer and launched a torrent of water at the Bug Pokémon, but Cassius was one step ahead of him. He pressed a button and a wall of fire appeared in front of his Pokémon, shielding the Volcarona from the blast.

"Should have expected you to be a coward" Michael growled.

"You call using the environment to my advantage being a coward?" Cassius demanded. "Tell me how your idea of cowardice takes when this happens! Use Signal Beam!" The Volcarona fired a pulsing green laser at the Blastoise, who was forced to tank it and fell to his knees.

"Koopa!" Michael cried out, falling to his knees in pain. He could feel the pain his Pokémon were feeling. And it was almost ceaseless. He looked up at Cassius, his eyes burning with hared. This has to end...

Cassius laughed menacingly as his Volcarona now loomed in the field, virtually unopposed. "Now, Use Bug Buzz and knock that wretched beast out of the ring!" The Volcarona let out a fierce buzzing noise that whipped at the Blastoise in the arena until it fainted. "Now, who's the weak and cowardly one, Michael?" He laughed in the enjoyment of his opponent's misery. "Now, not only have you lost everything you hold dear, but you will also lose this battle and your chance at revenge!"

Michael was shaken. His Blastoise was down as well now. He was silent for a long while until he did the only thing he found himself capable of doing at this present time. He joined in on Cassius's laughter. The two laughed together for a combined 30 seconds until the scientist came to the conclusion that it made no sense for his opponent to be laughing as he was.

"Okay, why are you laughing?" Cassius asked impatiently. "I'm beating you. I have you on the ropes."

Michael looked up at him, his face unreadable. "I'm laughing because I have you to thank for this."

Cassius raised an eyebrow. "Thank me for what?"

"You and the Syndicate took everything from me" Michael reminded him. "My freedom, my future, my family, everything that I ever once held dear and close to my heart. And for that, I have to thank you."

"You thank me for taking away your life?" Cassius asked inquisitively. "That's odd, but if it helps you cope with the defeat, I-"

"You took it all from me" Michael continued. "My hopes, my dreams, my titles, even some of my Pokémon. But I thank you most of all for helping me to see something very clearly, Cassius." He held his hand close to his heart. "Julia is gone. She lost her faith in me and her love with it. There's no way I can possibly win her back now. And without her, I lost the final thing I couldn't have afforded to lose before this." His eyes flared in unyielding rage. "My fear." He reached onto his belt and called out Rhaegar the Dragonite to oppose the Volcarona.

Cassius began to grow alarmed by Michael's speech. "Your fear?"

"The only thing I ever feared in my life was losing her" Michael told him, his voice twisting in fury. "And you took that fear away from me." He rolled up his sleeve to reveal the Crimson Brand that Cassius had put on his arm years ago. "And now, Cassius, the only thing I have left inside of me is rage. And it's all thanks to you." He pressed his two fingers onto his Brand as hard as he could.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Cassius cried out.

Michael screamed in pain, falling onto the ground and writhing in total and complete agony. His Dragonite did the same, wailing wildly and shooting sparks of energy all over the room. Cassius could only watch as the Dragonite's eyes went from being normal to warping into the very thing Cassius had infused the boy with all those years ago: Crimson Fury. Rhaegar flailed about wildly on the floor until the very aura he emitted began to glow with the horrific color of blood and death.

Cassius turned towards his Pokémon. "Stop this, Volcarona! Destroy them!" The Bug Pokémon fluttered over towards the Dragonite and is trainer, intent on destroying the both of them, but a pulse of immense energy drove the Volcarona backwards. Cassius looked back, petrified at what he was now witnessing. Michael slowly rose to his feet, his eyes as blood-red as his Pokémon's, emitting a terrifying smoke substance as if they were on fire. He gulped nervously. "Michael? Any chance I can have that mercy you had offered?"

Michael let out a scream that shook the entire room, as immense power emitted from his body. The Dragonite echoed the roar, which shattered the window panes of Cassius's own personal observatory. Cassius could even feel the ground shaking beneath him. He looked up towards Mt. Heatmor. The volcano was erupting because of the immeasurable power on display from Michael. And in one swift movement, the Dragonite was all over his Volcarona, pummeling the Bug Pokémon into submission. He tried to recall his Pokémon, but the Dragonite's ceaseless bludgeoning of his Pokémon made this all but impossible. He looked on in horror as his very own creation turned on him.

{Meanwhile}

Down below in the Infirmary, both the nurses and the patients could feel the eruption of Mt. Heatmor as it shook violently. Julia looked from the nurses to the Elite Four and looked outside at the erupting volcano. Lava burst into the skies and streamed down the sides of the volcano like an overflowing cup. Sensing the massive seismic action, Alison hurried to her side.

"Oh no, the boys!" she cried out.

Cameron hurried out to join the women and looked up herself. "This isn't a natural eruption."

Julia squeezed her eyes shut. No...please no...

"What do you mean?" Alison asked.

Cameron gazed at the Syndicate Base. "Can't you feel that power coming from the base? This eruption was caused by something. And I'm afraid I know exactly what it is." Cameron lowered her head. "It's over. Michael's lost to the Crimson Fury."

Julia held her hand close to her heart. Michael. Oh my Michael...please, please tell me you're okay. She tried to feel if she could reach him, but all her heart could feel now was pain. The agony he was putting himself through just to keep fighting. It was literally killing him to do this. She clenched her fist and looked back towards the base in anger. "Like hell he is!" With surprising speed for even herself, Julia sprinted up the steps.

"Julia!" Alison cried out. "Where are you going?"

Julia did not answer as she climbed up the steps towards the Syndicate Fortress, sprinting as hard as she could into the base. There was no room for her own doubts and concerns now. No margin for error or slip up. Michael needed her or else this time she would never get him back. She kicked the doors through and rushed into the Syndicate Base.

{Meanwhile}

The volcanic eruption even halted the battle between Giselle and Elezar. The former Champion's Aerodactyl had throttled Elezar's Venomoth and was now battling with his Gyarados in the room when all of the participants paused at the awesome power of the volcano's eruption. Elezar looked back and watched as the lava rolled from the peak of the volcano and towards the lower levels of the base.

"What on earth could have caused that?" he asked.

Giselle grinned. "I think you and I both know the answer to that, Elezar."

He looked back at her. "That's impossible. Even the Crimson Fury doesn't have the power to-"

"What about someone who has nothing left to lose?" she asked, folding her arms. "Thanks to all of us, Michael lost everything he loved. We both made mistakes in our lifetimes with himl, but at least I had the common courtesy to go to jail for mine. You, on the other hand, are a dead man. It doesn't matter how this battle between you and I goes, because once Michael's finished with Cassius, he's going to come for you next."

Elezar glared down at her. "And you think I'm afraid of this?"

"You're shaking, Elezar" she pointed to him. "You know he won't be quite as merciful as you hope he'll be."

"I WILL NEVER FEAR A KINGSTON!" he declared, before he sent his Gyarados in for another powerful Hydro Pump. The Aerodactyl whirled out of the way and smashed it's wings into the Gyarados, causing it to fall over onto itself, fainting. He quickly recalled his Gyarados and sent out his ace Pokémon, Hydreigon. The three headed Dragon Pokémon roared as it was summoned. Elezar glared angrily at his former ally. "Elezar Aced fears no man!" He then sent the Hydreigon forward, with the Dragon firing Fire Balls at Giselle and her Pokémon.

{Meanwhile}

The battle between Michael and Cassius had quickly become one sided as soon as Michael gave into the Crimson Fury. Now, both trainers watched on as he Dragonite tore at the Volcarona, viciously biting, stomping and kicking the weakened Bug Pokémon. Never in Cassius's life had he imagined that Michael would have used his rage singularly squared on him and Elezar, but now that moment had come and he could tell that no matter how much he wished to be offered mercy again, it would not be granted to him. Nevertheless, he would implore Michael's good side as much as he could.

"Michael, Michael. Please. Please have mercy" Cassius pleaded.

The Dragonite bit at the Volcarona and hurled it's mangled and broken body in front of Cassius. The Dragonite then fixated his glare at the trainer himself. Cassius cowered behind his Pokémon. The scientist could not know which was more frightening to him: the Fury inside the Dragonite or the Fury inside of Michael.

The Champion took a step forward. "You don't deserve to live."

Cassius fell onto his back. "Naturally. You would think that. But what would two wrongs accomplish, Michael? You are a decent man, Michael. You wouldn't kill me without giving me a chance. You're just like James. James was a good and honorable man!" He closed his eyes, his heart rate rapidly increasing as Michael and his Dragonite approached him. "Please. I'm not ready to die."

"Was my Grandfather?" Michael snarled, his eyes smoking with the immense power of the Fury. "Did you think of that when you and Elezar murdered him?"

"We didn't act out of logic" Cassius tried to justify. "It was all emotional. Just like my death would be. Didn't you want to see me behind bars? I'm willingly surrendering myself." He jumped up and fell to Michael's feet. "Please, just spare me. Show me the compassion that the Kingstons are known for. Please, Michael."

"What was his name?" Michael asked the scientist as the volcano continued to explode and erupt behind them.

"What was who's name?" Cassius cried weakly.

"My Espeon" Michael replied, his rage oozing out of every word he spoke. "The Pokémon that meant everything to me. The Pokémon that gave it's all to save me from you. The Pokémon that you and your sick twisted little goons murdered. What. Was. His. Name?"

Cassius gulped. "Your Espeon? His name was-was-" The scientist was frozen in terror. He couldn't remember. He pictured himself as he was escaping from the lab after Michael and his Dragonite had torched it to ruins, he came across a nametag that Michael had given to the Espeon. He had ripped the collar off of the Espeon, nearly strangling it, only a few moments earlier when the Espeon had burst into his lab to rescue his trainer. He could envision the collar right in front of him, but the nametag was blank. "I don't remember." He groveled at Michael's feet. "I know I've done terrible things. But please, if you can find it in your heart to-"

"Icarus" Michael snarled. "His name was Icarus." Michael kicked the scientist off of his foot, causing Cassius to crawl back behind his Volcarona. "Say his name, Cassius. Say the name of the Espeon I lost to you. SAY IT!"

Cassius fell on his knees. "Icarus. Icarus was his name. Please." He could feel the tears pouring out of his eyes. "Please, Michael. I don't want to. Please!"

Michael glared at him. "That's right, Icarus was his name. He was my best friend. He was everything to me." Michael looked him over. "To think, I once harbored so much hatred for you, that all I wanted to do was see you dead at my feet."

"But you have so much more to live for" Cassius begged. "Your family, your friends. Your Titles."

"All of it is gone, Cassius" Michael replied. "I thought I established that." Michael looked up at the moon that loomed above the two of them. "Funny. I used to always be afraid of what would happen when I gave into this. But now, I know that Arcana will survive. The Pokémon League will reopen. Julia will find someone more worthy her love and kindness than me. And the Kingstons will move on past this point, with Cameron and Ryan leading the way. Arcana will go on without me." He then returned his attention to the scientist. "And it will go on without you."

"No" Cassius cried.

"I'd say that Icarus will be there for you" Michael growled with no remorse, "but we both know you're not heading where he is." Michael looked towards his Dragonite. "Finish him."

"NO! MICHAEL PLEASE!"

The Dragonite reared back his head and launched a Dragon Pulse directly at Cassius. The weakened Volcarona leaped in front of the blast, but was careened backwards by the blow, sending Cassius and his Pokémon flying out the broken window pane and into the lava below. Michael walked over to the window and watched as both the Volcarona and Cassius were engulfed by the molten mass below them.

With Cassius gone forever, his attention was turned towards the final tower that remained. The last of the Syndicate Administrators. The final bane of his existence. The man who had started all of this.

"Elezar" he fumed. The Dragonite, his own eyes boiling with hatred, came to the side of his trainer and growled. Michael climbed atop the back of Rhaegar and looked towards the tower one last time. "We have one more to go." With that, Michael and Rhaegar flew into the air and up towards Elezar's chambers.