Chapter 8 - Echoes

Jay's ears twitched as he awoke. He heard the familiar trickling of the oasis's stream, but something far stranger eclipsed it. A rhythmic, soothing melody drifted through the trees; it almost sounded like a lullaby. He sat up and glanced around.

The oasis was still dark; the sun hadn't quite risen over the desert yet. Bliss was right where she was the previous evening, still sleeping soundly. A quick check at Zeal's tree revealed that he was missing. Jay's groggy brain struggled to process the information.

Is that… Zeal… singing?

Jay stood up and made his way towards the source of the noise. His suspicions were soon confirmed; Zeal was perched at the top of a tree at the edge of the oasis. The noivern gazed out into the sandy expanse of the desert, singing softly.

"Oh my love, my guiding light

Lead me through this darkest night

And I will not despair

I fly forth with all my might

I will not give up the fight

For I am almost there."

Zeal fell quiet and bowed his head. Jay couldn't help but feel as though he had intruded on something incredibly personal; Zeal's voice had carried a profound depth of emotion that he hadn't heard from the noivern before. Above everything else, the song held a note of longing and hope that Jay empathized with.

"…My apologies. I was unaware that lucario are light sleepers." Zeal's posture remained unchanged.

Jay started. "How did you…?"

Zeal chuckled lightly. "A lucario's ears may be sensitive, but nothing compares to a noivern's attunement to sound."

Guilt welled up in Jay's chest; he had been caught eavesdropping. "I'm sorry. I just heard something, and you were missing…"

A moment of silence passed before Zeal turned. He glanced down at Jay from his perch in the tree, a quizzical expression on his face. "Why are you apologizing?"

Jay considered his words carefully; he had developed a bad habit of upsetting the noivern in their previous conversations. "It seemed like you were having a pretty personal moment. I'm sorry for interrupting."

Zeal's confusion only deepened. "I finished my poem despite hearing your approach; what would make you feel like you interrupted?"

"Well… I guess it's less interrupting, and more…" Jay trailed off, unable to think of the right word.

"Intruding?"

"…Yeah, intruding."

Zeal bowed his head slightly. "If I were perturbed by your arrival, the blame would be mine alone. I could have flown far from the oasis; again, I must apologize for your untimely awakening."

Jay was relieved that Zeal wasn't upset with him, but he still couldn't help but be curious about the noivern's song. The lyrics and the emotion behind them compelled Jay more than he could explain. "Zeal… Why were you singing?"

A sad smile crept onto the noivern's maw. "Ah. I found myself unable to sleep. Writing and reciting poems is often how I pass time, in moments like these. It can help assuage fears and provide clarity."

Jay tilted his head. "Fears?"

Zeal glanced up again; a deep sadness filled his eyes. "May I burden you, lucario? I would be remiss to force my own tragedies upon you so early into our partnership without your consent."

Jay opened his mouth to respond, but stopped himself. Did he really want to hear about a pokemon he barely knew and was about to leave behind forever? It seemed counterintuitive, and yet refusing seemed so cruel. Zeal was willing to open up, and from what Jay could gather, they were both dealing with similar emotions. He sighed. "Alright."

Zeal bowed his head once more and took a deep breath. "Approximately one month ago, I had a partner that accompanied me in all of my travels: my beloved Nimbus. We comprised one of the most promising exploration teams the guild has seen in recent years; our efficiency was unparalleled. Though all the accolades in the world paled in comparison to our feelings for one another."

The noivern smiled for a moment. Soon enough, though, his expression became solemn once more. "We were attempting to journey through an unstable dungeon to conduct research on the increasing rift phenomenon. It was such a treacherous task that we partnered with another renowned guild explorer…" He trailed off.

Dread clawed at Jay as he imagined where the story was headed; it was clearly painful for Zeal to relive. "Zeal, if you don't want to–"

"Our newfound partner betrayed us," Zeal spat, "The moment our guard was down, the traitor attempted to force me into the rift." The noivern turned his head away from Jay as a few tears fell from his eyes. "But my dearest threw herself in front of the blow. She was cast into the rift as it closed."

Jay's sadness was tempered by the shock the revelation provided. "So… She's alive?"

"Perhaps. No pokemon has been documented to return from the rifts." Zeal met Jay's gaze once more, his tears giving way to determination. "Even so, I refuse to be overtaken by despair. Great pokemon like Guildmaster Wezen were capable of accomplishing impossible feats, of reshaping the very reality they lived in, and I will not rest until I have done the same."

"…So that's why you want to get to Jirachi."

Zeal nodded. "Indeed. This is my greatest opportunity to rescue my one true love from an unspeakable fate."

It was Jay's turn to bow his head. For all of the turmoil he had been through, he had only been separated from his sister for a few days. Zeal had to deal with the pain of separation for weeks, and wasn't even sure if his partner was alive. He couldn't even imagine the all-consuming despair he would feel in Zeal's situation.

Jay looked up, meeting the noivern's eyes. "I'm so sorry that you've had to go through that."

Understanding registered in Zeal's face. "It appears as if our companionship was fated. We both seek out Jirachi for noble goals, to regain what was unjustly taken from us. I assure you, Jay, I will not fail. By the setting of the sun, we will have what we seek."

The noivern's words filled Jay with resolve. One more day. You'll help Zeal and make it back to Cassie. This won't have been for nothing. You can do this.

Zeal angled his head slightly. "Ah, it appears as though your partner is awake. In lieu of facing her renewed wrath, I think it would be prudent to scout ahead, to pinpoint the exact location of the ruins. I will return shortly and we can continue on foot." Without another word, he leapt from the tree, sailing over the desert sand.

Jay stared after him. The sun had just begun to rise, swallowing up the noivern's figure in its radiant light. The sound of footfalls in the oasis grass steadily grew louder as Bliss approached. Eventually, Jay turned to face her.

The Blaziken squinted against the light. She was walking without a limp; the berries and rest must have healed her leg overnight. "What, was he too scared to face me?"

"He went to scout out the ruins so we won't get lost in the desert."

Bliss scoffed. "And what if he's ditching us to have Jirachi all to himself?"

Jay shook his head. "He wouldn't."

"How do you know? Not every mon is a plucky do-gooder trying to recover their lost memories, and we barely–"

"Bliss, he's doing this for the right reasons. He's trying to save his partner from some… rift… thing."

She narrowed her eyes. "I've seen the way he acts. Mons like that can sweet-talk themselves into and out of anything."

Apparently Jay's last day in the pokemon world was going to be a crucible. He met her gaze. "I trust him. There's no way someone could fake that kind of emotion." He knew from experience, after all.

"And how do we know that you're the best at judging character? As far as your experiences with people go, you started fresh a few days ago."

"Well, I agreed to let you travel with me, right? And you… really didn't like me, at first. So that has to count for something, right?"

Bliss blinked a few times. Eventually her demeanor gave way to a more passive stance. "Alright, credit where it's due, that was a really good move. Fine, I'll trust you on this."

Jay smiled. With everyone on the same page, hopefully it would be smooth sailing to the–

"But if he does anything funny, I'm gonna fry him."

It was naive for Jay to expect anything less. Tenuous peace was better than no peace, at least. "Alright," he mumbled as he reached into his satchel. "We should eat, so we can leave right when he gets back."

Bliss motioned for him to stop, then kicked one of the oasis trees. A few oran berries fell out; she caught two in midair. "They're better fresh."

Jay glanced up. "These trees have berries?"

"Yeah, how do you think fancy explorers like Zeal manage to travel around without bags? Eating the word-salads they have a knack for tossing up?" She threw a berry over to him.

Jay managed to catch it without fumbling. He glanced down at the berry, studying the three-fingered hand that clutched it. He was finally getting a handle on working with his new limbs, and he had even managed to figure out his aura barriers the previous day.

Of course you'd start being able to use your new body right when you're about to go back to normal.

Jay sighed and bit down on the fruit. Bliss was right; they did taste better fresh.

After a stretch of silence, Bliss finished her berry and looked Jay up and down. "I wonder what you'll be like when you get your memories back."

Jay tilted his head, taking another bite of his berry.

Bliss tapped her beak with a hand. "Y'know, like how they say that a personality is made up of nature and nurture, or whatever. You've got all of your base personality still, but what if the stuff you've been through changes it? You might be as stuck-up as Zeal, once you remember how to use all your powers and how many mons have told you how important you are."

Jay hesitated. He was tempted to come clean and explain his predicament to Bliss, but it wasn't worth risking things when he was so close to his goal. Instead, he shrugged his shoulders. "You know I don't like people telling me how important I am. And I, uh, don't think any of the techniques I've learned have made me any more confident."

She nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer. "Fair. Guess I'll leave the philosophy to Zeal." Her expression shifted to one of distaste. "I bet he'd love to tell you how he's already got a perfect read on all the memories you're missing."

Jay shook his head. "We just have to work with him for a few more hours. Just until we get to Jirachi."

Bliss gave him a smirk. "I guess you're even more eager to get this over with than I am. You excited?"

"More excited than I think I've ever been for anything."

The walk through the desert was far from exciting. Zeal shuffled forward through the sand, having insisted that he lead the way. Bliss followed him, staring daggers into the back of his head. Jay headed up the back of the line, quietly anticipating his return home.

After a few hours, the group neared the peak of a particularly tall dune. Jay's eyes widened as he saw a structure poking out over the sand; the trio raced to the top for a better look.

Sprawled out in front of them was a colossal stone temple, its sandstone pillars cracked and crumbling. Faded markings covered the rocky surfaces, rendered indecipherable by time. Despite all the wear, there wasn't a single opening that breached the temple walls; the only way in was through a single grand archway.

Jay took in a deep breath as he gazed at the imposing structure. This is it.

After a few more minutes of walking, they reached the entrance. Zeal turned back to address them, his expression stern. "Be wary, this temple is a nigh-unexplored mystery dungeon."

Bliss crossed her arms. "Unexplored? Isn't the only job of guild explorers to explore dungeons?"

Zeal frowned. "Until recently, these ruins were simply that: ruins. A hideout for petty desert thieves, nothing more. In the early spring, however, the dungeon phenomenon twisted them into something far more sinister. Preliminary reports stated that powerful ghost type ferals haunt the temple halls."

Jay's blood ran cold. "Ghosts?"

Bliss and Zeal both gave him a confused glance. "Yeah, ghosts," Bliss said. "Y'know, like haunter and gengar and the rest?"

Jay shook his head, but he couldn't shake the fear that had taken hold of him. "I'm, uh, not a fan of those."

Bliss narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"It's just… They're supposed to be… dead, right?"

Bliss's expression morphed from confusion to exasperation. "That old superstition? Of all the stuff you could remember…" She rolled her eyes. "Jay, it's a buncha nonsense. They're just as alive as any other ferals."

"But far more dangerous," Zeal interjected. "My sound waves are ineffective against beings that lack a corporeal form. Likewise, your fighting type techniques will phase through ghost type pokemon."

Bliss crossed her arms. "I'm not a one-trick ponyta."

"Even still, for the safety of the party, it would be best if I spearheaded the frontline. As long as you both ensure that no ferals attack from the hallways behind us, I should be more than capable of clearing a path."

Now Bliss looked incredulous. "You're telling us to sit around while you do all the fighting?"

Zeal straightened his posture further. "Guarding the flank is hardly comparable to 'sitting around,' but yes, it is an order. Recall that I won the duel yesterday."

Bliss opened her beak to retort, but seemed to be unable to find a snappy response. Instead she settled for scowling at the noivern.

Jay felt compelled to speak up; he had lost the fight, after all. "Zeal, it might be better if she fought, too. If you're right about the pokemon in there being dangerous, then Bliss's fire could probably help out a lot. And I can guard behind us with my shield." He summoned an aura barrier for emphasis.

The noivern remained impassive. "And what, then, will you do if we are attacked from behind? Do you have any method for dispatching incorporeal opponents? Can your barrier persist forever?"

Jay sighed and let the shield dissipate. "No."

"Then it appears as if the best course of action is my original plan. The map I discovered stated that the path to Jirachi would be revealed by a stone engraved with a star. We must remain vigilant."

Jay nodded. Bliss continued to scowl, but made no move to protest. Zeal seemed satisfied with their reactions, and began to make his way inside the temple.

Much like the hedge maze of a dungeon Jay had journeyed through previously, the hallways before the group were narrow and winding, filled with sharp corners and branching paths. Soon, the only light source was whatever rays of sunlight trickled through cracks in the ceiling. The dim gloom made it nearly impossible to read any of the faded markings on the walls.

Jay found himself comforted by his position at the back of the line. Zeal and Bliss were sure to identify any dangers far before he reached them, giving him time to think. He felt equal parts excitement and dread; behind any corner could be his ticket home, or a ghostly apparition waiting to spell doom for his entire group.

Focus on the positives. You've made it this far. Just a little further.

Zeal held up a wing, motioning the others to halt. The hallway ahead led into a larger room, filled with pillars. The noivern looked back at Jay and Bliss. "There are ferals ahead. Remain here."

Bliss tried to crane her head around Zeal to see into the room. "Looks empty to me. Might need to get your eyes checked."

"There are more senses than sight that allow one to perceive reality," Zeal said as he stepped forward into the room.

Jay moved to stand next to Bliss in the room's entrance as Zeal strode forward. The blaziken bumped Jay with an elbow. "How funny would it be if there's nothing in there?"

Zeal stopped and cast a glance back at the duo. "Please, remain focused on guarding the flank."

Bliss shot him a thumbs up. "Can do, all-knowing leader." She made no move to watch the hallway behind them.

The noivern opened his mouth to admonish her further, but cut himself off and leapt backwards. Two spheres of translucent energy, fired from opposite sides of the room, collided where he stood a moment prior. A burst of light filled Jay's vision as they created a small explosion.

Two shuppet flew out from behind the shadows of the room's pillars. Zeal swung one of his wings in an arc, creating a razor-sharp gust of air that knocked the feral on his left into a wall.

The feral to Zeal's right launched another sphere of ghostly energy. The noivern leapt into the air to avoid the attack, deftly flying around the pillars and towards the ghost. His claws were engulfed in a purple glow as he reached his target and raked them through the apparition.

The shuppet fell to the ground unceremoniously. The other didn't rise from its resting spot against the wall. The battle was already over.

Zeal glided around a few more pillars to return to the room's entrance, landing in front of Jay and Bliss. He fiddled with his scarf for a moment; it had gotten a bit tangled while he was twisting himself around in midair.

Jay stared wide-eyed. In a few seconds, he had gone from abject terror to pure awe. How Zeal had managed to fly so easily in such a confined space was beyond him.

Bliss clapped her hands together slowly. "Great job. One fight in and you're already getting tangled up."

Zeal finished fixing his scarf and narrowed his eyes at the blaziken. "I implore you to treat the situation with a bit more gravitas."

"Oh, I'm taking my role as your adoring fan very seriously."

"Your role is to ensure we are not attacked from behind, not to patronize me."

Jay sighed; he had to put a stop to their bickering. "Guys, please." Both pokemon turned to face him. "We're so close; let's not fight. Is there any way we can fix this?"

Zeal looked taken aback. "I feel as though my request is very reasonable. Most pokemon would be overjoyed at the opportunity to be led to Jirachi while another takes all the major risks."

Bliss shot the noivern a glare. "And I feel as though I came on this stupid trip to get some fighting practice in, and I'm not getting any sitting on the sidelines."

Jay racked his brain for a proper compromise. "The deal we made was to do what Zeal says until we get to Jirachi, right? So you can do whatever you want— lead the way, ditch us to fight out of the dungeon yourself, whatever you want— after we get to him. Is that fair?"

The blaziken didn't seem convinced, but remained silent.

Jay looked straight into her eyes. "You also said that you had already put in a good amount of fighting back with the mesa bandits. And then we fought the desert marauders. Can you please just sit this one out?" He was pleading at this point; anything to get back home.

Her expression softened. "Fine."

"Excellent," Zeal chimed in, "Now, shall we continue?"

Bliss gave him a spiteful glare, but gestured for the noivern to continue nonetheless.

Jay nodded and followed Zeal further into the temple, Bliss at his side.

It was ironic that Jay ended up fearing the simmering tension between his allies far more than the ghostly feral pokemon that roamed the ruins. Yet it was true; Zeal and Bliss seemed perfectly capable of keeping him safe, as long as they weren't at each other's throats.

Fortunately, it seemed as though Jay's pleas had finally gotten through to Bliss. She certainly didn't seem happy, but she didn't continue to directly antagonize Zeal as he cleared room after room.

That didn't stop her from indirectly antagonizing Zeal, though.

"How much do you wanna bet he gets whacked here?" she whispered to Jay as they watched Zeal weave around a powerful looking feral banette in the room ahead.

Jay simply shook his head; he knew Zeal could hear them with his sensitive ears, and he knew that Bliss knew just as well as he did. "He hasn't been hit yet."

"First time for everything."

Jay cast a glance back at the gloomy hallway behind them; it was empty, as always. "Do you think we'll ever get attacked from behind?"

Bliss didn't take her eyes off of the fight in front of her. "Nah. Ferals usually stick to wider spaces; they only go into hallways if they're chasing you."

Jay turned his attention back to Zeal, who had just narrowly avoided another barrage of shadowy energy. "Then why would he…?"

"He thinks we'd get in the way. All his fancy training lets him cut through ferals like they're cake, so he thinks he can slice through the dungeon by himself."

Jay tilted his head. "…They have cake here?"

That managed to earn him a sideways glance from Bliss. After a moment, she continued. "But he's getting worn down because he's dishing out all the damage himself." She shook her head. "He's gonna slip up sooner or later."

As though on cue, Zeal's scarf managed to get tangled fully around his arm mid-flight, causing him to lose momentum. He nearly hit a pillar, but managed to swerve around it and roll to the ground.

The injured banette raised an arm, charging an energy sphere at the downed noivern. Jay reflexively took a step forward and summoned a barrier, but he was much too far to shield Zeal in time.

A wave of heat passed Jay as a stream of fire engulfed the banette. The feral cried out, its charging attack long-forgotten amidst the merciless embers. By the time the fire subsided, the ghost was unconscious. Both Zeal and Jay turned to Bliss.

She shrugged as the sparks left her hand. "What? I didn't leave the hallway."

Zeal stood up and began to untangle himself. "That was an unnecessary intervention."

"Yeah, your master plan of getting tied up and smacked by a shadow ball was going great." Bliss gave Jay a glance. "Ego's too big for him to realize that I just saved his scales."

"Despite your apparent belief to the contrary, I can survive a single hit from a feral pokemon."

"And despite your huge ego, I saved you from getting hit. You're welcome, by the way."

Jay rubbed the bridge of his snout. "Guys, can we just–"

Zeal cut him off with a scoff, keeping his attention solely on Bliss. "Bold of you to assume that I would need to be saved by a pokemon of your ill-tempered caliber."

"Of my 'caliber'? I should've let that feral hit you."

"Perhaps you should have. Clearly your minor act of heroism has given you an overinflated sense of entitlement."

Bliss's wrists ignited once more. "I'm entitled? Y'know, my leg's better, why don't we settle this right here?"

Zeal's eyes narrowed. "As petty as your provocations are, the offer is quite tempting."

Jay couldn't take it anymore. He strode forward into the room, walking past Zeal and towards the next hallway. He was all too aware that he was making an extraordinary stupid decision so late into his journey, but he had to get away from all the arguing.

"Jay?" Bliss called out from behind him; she sounded surprised. Then the edge crept back into her voice. "See? Even he's tired of–"

Jay put his paws over his ears and picked up his pace, jogging through the next hallway. He made a few turns before regret began to bubble to the surface.

You just sprinted away from the two people keeping you safe in a maze of ghosts that you can't even fight.

He pushed the thought away. Bliss and Zeal had made it abundantly clear that they weren't going to get along. He wasn't going to stand around and wait for them to attack each other. He could use his barrier and run; how quickly could ghosts move, anyway? He just had to find the entrance to Star Cavern on his own, then he could go home and be done with it all.

With that hope in mind, Jay continued forward. It wasn't long before he found himself looking into an empty room. It seemed safe, but surely there were feral pokemon lurking in its shadows. The way forward was a straight shot, though; all he had to do was outrun them.

One step at a time, right? Just take really fast steps.

Jay took a deep breath and dashed forward. The sound of his paws on stone echoed through the ruins, but he wasted no time trying to quiet his footfalls. He was going for speed, not subtlety.

His strategy was tested when a gastly materialized out of the wall ahead of him, firing a ball of ghostly energy. Jay raised an arm, creating an aura barrier that blocked the attack. By the time the ghost was charging up another sphere, Jay had already ran right past it and into the next hallway.

Jay thanked his ever-improving coordination as he continued making turn after turn, his pace never slowing. The dimly lit hallways became a blur. Hope rose in his chest as he heaved in air; the fact that he hadn't been struck in the back yet implied he was outrunning the pokemon. He could do this.

That thought barely had time to finish registering before something gave him pause. He skidded around a corner to find himself staring into an imposingly large room. Countless engraved pillars towered to the high ceiling, and yet the room still seemed far more spacious than anywhere else in the temple. A hallway opposite him was the clear path forward.

Jay prepared to rush through the room, but took a moment to double-check for potential dangers; the biggest room was likely to contain the strongest pokemon, after all. On the left, there was nothing of note besides a mural depicting… something. It was hard to tell due to the wear, but it almost looked like Jirachi. The right side of the room was similarly devoid of life, and sported a faded engraving of a star that stretched from the floor to the ceiling.

There was no way that the room was truly empty, but Jay would have to improvise. If he could dodge and block whatever attacks were flung at him as he made his way through, maybe the next area would contain–

"The star-shaped stone!" he blurted aloud, whipping his head back to the right. The thing he had been searching so desperately for was finally right in front of him. Relief washed over him and he stepped forward, all caution completely forgotten. Somehow, he had made it.

Jay approached the grand engraving and tilted his head back to get a full view of it. It didn't seem to have any hidden doorways or passages carved into it, but at this point he didn't care if he had to punch his way directly through the stone. He felt like he could punch his way through a hundred stone walls.

"…Where isss it…"

Jay's ears twitched and his elation immediately dampened. His first thought was that Zeal and Bliss had caught up with him, but that couldn't have been the case; the voice hadn't come from the hall behind him, where he had left his companions behind. It came from ahead, and was far raspier than either of the pokemon he knew.

He cast a longing glance at the star engraving; if he could just…

"Sssomewhere around here…"

Jay forced himself to take a few steps away from the wall, hiding behind one of the room's pillars before the unknown pokemon entered. He didn't hear any footsteps, but the voice sounded close.

"I sssenssse it, but where? Massster, lend me your guidance… we are ssso clossse…"

By now the stranger was in the room, moving silently. Jay forced himself to take slow, quiet breaths, and poked his head around the pillar.

His eyes widened as he found himself staring at a cofagrigus floating in the room's entrance. For as intimidating as the pokemon was, Jay couldn't help but temper his panicked surprise with a bit of genuine surprise.

Huh. Kind of thought it would be a snake pokemon, for some reason…

Jay's emotions turned back to full-blown panic when the pokemon turned to face him, glaring at him with piercing red eyes. He ducked back around the pillar, but he knew it was too late.

"A lucario? You… You…" Pure rage carried through the ghost's voice, sending a shiver down Jay's spine.

If his cover was blown, he could at least try to reason with the irate cofagrigus. He stepped out from behind the pillar, doing his best to not look as intimidated as he felt. "Uh… Hi. I'm not here to cause trouble, I'm just–"

A powerful gust of wind smashed into the ghostly pokemon and sent it flying back into the hallway from which he came. Jay's heart skipped a beat and he turned to the source of the attack.

Zeal stepped into the room, surveying the area. He gave Jay a nod, but looked troubled. "This is unexpected."

Bliss practically shoved the noivern out of the way as she sprinted out of the hallway. Her eyes immediately snapped to Jay. She looked… glad to see him? "You're not dead!"

Jay's let out a sigh of relief and made his way towards the duo. "Yeah. Are you two alright?"

The blaziken rolled her eyes. "You left one feral for us to clean up. It's not like–"

"Focus," Zeal cut in, "I believe that cofagrigus is a notorious outlaw. He seemed disheveled, but he is incredibly dangerous."

Bliss turned to face the hallway across the room into which the ghost had disappeared. "Huh, you seem scared." A mocking tone crept into her voice. "Did he beat you in a fight or something?"

"He has been responsible for countless deaths over the past thirty years. That was Shade, one of Darkrai's most feared disciples."

Bliss's confidence faltered. "…Oh." After a moment, she regained her composure. "That's all the more reason to scorch him."

Jay hadn't understood the entire conversation, but he knew enough to be acutely aware that he was completely unprepared for the impending fight. He considered turning his companions' attention to the entrance to Star Cavern in the hopes of a quick escape, but the cofagrigus reemerged from the hallway across from them before he could decide.

"You… cannot… essscape!" Balls of shadowy energy appeared in each of the ghost's four hands.

Jay threw up a barrier, glancing at his two teammates as they prepared to dodge. His eyes snapped forward as the ghost loosed the attack; all four spheres were aimed directly at him. Miraculously, his barrier held against the onslaught of dark energy.

Jay didn't have time to celebrate; the cofagrigus followed up the initial attack with another barrage. Then another. The attacks began to strain Jay; they weren't doing any physical damage, but as the barrier absorbed hits, he could feel the force sapping whatever energy reserves his aura came from. He couldn't keep the barrier up for much longer.

A roaring fire engulfed the ghost just before Jay's shield failed; Bliss had used the opportunity to flank to the side and fire off a sneak attack. The cofagrigus floated out of the inferno, only to move into the path of a razor-thin blade of air. The combination of moves forced the ghost to shield himself with his hands, giving Jay momentary respite from the attacks.

Zeal hovered in the air, keeping his eyes firmly on their opponent. "He seems to only be targeting Jay! Maintain distance and use the pillars as cover!"

Jay didn't need to be told twice and sprinted behind a pillar mere seconds before another round of attacks flew towards him. The dark energy crashed into the pillar unceasingly, producing a threatening hum in Jay's ears. He had no idea why the cofagrigus was aiming for him and ignoring Bliss and Zeal; he was the least threatening person in the group!

He heard the beating of wings and the roaring of flames, but he didn't dare check on how the others were fairing; peeking out into the line of fire was a death sentence. Instead he was left staring at an uninteresting corner of the room with nothing to keep him company but his worried thoughts.

This is good, right? You can just stand here, and they'll deal with him. They won't get hit, and you're safe here. It'll work out.

A crumbling noise threatened his optimism; the pillar was beginning to crack as it took hits. Jay wasn't sure if his shield could withstand another full barrage, but soon enough he wouldn't have a choice.

A raspy cry of pain rang out and the attacks ceased; Jay took the chance to sprint to a new pillar. He gathered what information he could in the few short seconds he was out of cover; Bliss was sustaining fire while Zeal had flown in close for melee combat. The cofagrigus roared out in anger and resumed firing, narrowly missing Jay as he ducked into safety once more.

The ghost's voice rose above the din of combat. "Jussst one hit…"

The battle continued for a while in a similar manner: Jay would stand behind a pillar, terrified, while the sound of warfare filled his ears. Occasionally he would book it to fresh cover when given the chance. The cofagrious grew more frustrated and his attacks more rapid, but he never once varied his strategy or attacked the other pokemon.

Eventually, though, he reached his limit. "Enough. There isss only one way."

The attacks shifted away from Jay's pillar. Zeal cried out. After a moment, the noivern slid past Jay, the force of the cofagrigus's attack having knocked him across the room. Zeal struggled to rise.

Jay poked his head out from around the pillar. Bliss a ways away from the ghost, clutching her hand in pain. She looked completely spent.

The cofagrigus's hands all converged, forming a massive ball of crimson energy. The imposing attack was pointed directly at the downed noivern. "Everything for my massster."

Jay was in motion before the ball even fired. It had just begun to fly through the air as Jay slid to a halt in front of Zeal, throwing both of his hands forward and summoning a barrier.

The red light engulfed Jay's entire vision as the attack collided with his shield. An otherworldly chill ran through him. It was painless, and yet it filled him with more discomfort than he had ever felt in his entire life. It was as though Jay's entire being was just… empty, in that moment, and he could feel the void that was left in its place. But it was more than a void.

It was terrifying.

An instant later it passed. He dropped to his knees and gasped for breath as his sight returned to him. His vision was blurry and dimmed, but he could make out the scene well enough.

The cofagrigus lay on the floor in front of him. The ghost's tendrils were gone; it was dead. Jay didn't know how he knew the cofagrigus was dead, but he knew. He simply stared at the lifeless coffin, numb.

Eventually he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you okay?" He turned; it was Bliss.

He stood shakily; he had no pain or aches, and yet he was rattled. Something was definitively, undoubtedly not okay. "What happened?"

"You decided it was your turn to save the outstanding leader's life. Would've done it myself, but I'm outta flames." She inclined her head over towards Zeal; he had risen to his feet as well, but his expression was troubled.

Jay didn't say anything. He knew those things. That wasn't what he wanted to know.

Bliss gave him a concerned look. "Jay?"

He simply looked back at the fallen ghost. "I blocked it." His barrier hadn't broken. He didn't even know when it had disappeared. He didn't even think it had disappeared; it felt like he was still funneling aura energy into it. Was he?

"The attack was incredibly powerful; it was only partially blocked by the barrier," Zeal clarified. "Certain pokemon are capable of funneling their entire life forces into a terrible final strike."

Jay glanced back at Zeal. "Did you feel it?"

Zeal's worried expression deepened. "No, you…" He trailed off, sighing. After a moment, he turned to the star-engraved wall. "We should make haste. We are nearly there."

It clicked: Cassie. Jay was almost home. But all of his excitement had evaporated; he was left with nothing but an impending sense of dread. Or with dread and an impending sense of nothing.

Bliss cast one last glance at Jay before turning to the wall. "How do we get in?"

Zeal stepped up to the engraving, experimentally running a claw across it. His entire arm phased through the stone. "An illusion. It appears we can simply enter, uninhibited."

Jay stepped forward. The temple suddenly seemed to be the most oppressive and foreboding place Jay had ever been. It was as though a beast would appear from one of the hallways and devour him at any moment.

He closed his eyes and walked through the wall. But even as he moved forward, the oppression and the foreboding didn't diminish; instead they grew greater with every step. Yet somehow he knew that turning back was certain death.

Jay decided that he almost preferred the nothing to the dread.