Ch.50: Death Comes for All! Set Ablaze the Soul's Undying Will!
With the plan in place, Seth took his position in the war room, summoning the holographic map of the forest. His chess-like pieces of the Guardians formed on the table and set into position, marking their exact locations. Two more pieces summoned onto the table, taking on the appearances of Ebony and Cybil. Hundreds of X's appeared over the table with a wave of Seth's hand, marking the location of his traps.
"Everything's in place," Seth said to himself. "Once our guest passes through the forest border, I'll have him marked. As long as he's in my range, he can't hide from me. That should get around his tracking nullifier once he places the Reaper Seal on the girls."
Seth reached under the table and pulled out a bag of plain potato chips. He ripped the bag open as he paced around the table, throwing a few chips into his mouth. The plan was risky, but the apex of danger would come once the Reaper Seal came into play. That was their moment to strike. Until then, the plan was to neutralize and suppress. A game of war in the comforts of his own war room.
Seth tapped his chin at the idea. "Now there's a potential idea for a game." He pulled up a chair and sat down, munching on his chips. "Now, we wait."
Seth prepared for an afternoon of solitude, save for when the plan went into motion. Perhaps it felt impersonal to organize an attack while he rested comfortably behind the walls of his mountain, but it's not like he wouldn't participate. His magic wasn't very useful for direct combat, but that meant he exercised it the extent it is today. His presence stretched over the forest. It took a lot of concentration and training to maintain such an impressive range. Solidarity was the only option for maximum efficiency.
However, the potential for a lonely afternoon met with the sound of footsteps coming into the room.
With a twitch of his ears detecting the footsteps, Seth glanced over his shoulder to find a limping Espeon dragging herself in. Seth smiled slyly, then turned back to the war table. "You should be resting, Ms. Cipher."
"I should be out there and fighting," Ella retorted, limping up the table. "Someone's trying to kill me, and all I can do is lay in bed and count stalactites in my quarters."
Seth shrugged. "It can't be helped. Though, speeding up your natural healing time isn't within my arsenal of spells."
Ella sighed, then looked at the holographic map. "I didn't join my friends on this stupid journey just to be dead weight. I came to find a magic relic, now I'm here to stop a malevolent shadow monster from plunging everything in the dark ages. I'm not going back to bed while my other friends risk their necks."
Seth smirked to himself. "Well put, Ms. Cipher." With a snap of his claws, a Guardian floated into the room with a cylindrical chair, plopping it down besides its master. "I could use the extra paw, anyway."
Ella's eyes widened between him and the chair. "Wait, what?"
"You want to help, right?" Seth asked. "I couldn't ask one of your circus friends to monitor the table. You've been through the cold, merciless clutches of battle many times over. Naturally, you would know a thing or two about positioning and strategy."
Ella narrowed her eyes unsurely. "Eh, I wouldn't really word it like that, but…okay." She pulled herself onto the chair, then examined the map. "So, what's the deal with this?"
"I marked the table with traps forged with my magic. Depending on where they're marked, a spell will go off in the actual location on the board. I've gifted Ms. Hawkeye and Ms. The Traitor with crystals that will allow us to communicate with them, as well as show them where they are on the map."
"Seriously?" Ella grinned. "Sweet. So, do I just tap one of the X's when Death's close?"
"Pretty much, though best to do it at the right time. Think of this like a strategy game. It's no different to the invention of chess. Though a game nowadays, it had it's merits in military strategy during its first years."
Ella nodded. "Okay, that makes sense." She leaned forward, placing her paws on the table. "Not how I envisioned payback, but it's the best I can do."
Seth nodded in agreement. "You and Ava seem to share a similar burden from your recent failure."
Ella groaned. "Don't remind me. I've been training so hard since I separated from my friends, but…feels like I haven't accomplished much. Sure, I'm still alive and kicking, but it hurts. Maybe I'm just sick and tired of the shadows underestimating me so much. What I wouldn't give to shove their smugness down their throats."
Seth chuckled to himself. "Believe me, I know the feeling. I was a weak magician when I first started out."
Ella's eyes widened. "Seriously? But you're the Mage of Darkness."
"I never lasted long in a duel. Actually, before I became the Mage of Darkness, I was working on perfecting a new type of magic, the one you see me using right now. These days, you see a prototype form of it being used it new weaponry, like turrets or…I believe someone called it a railgun. Eh, whatever the name, magic that was amplified through new technology. I decided to tap into the source of magic and treat it like it was originally studied as: codes."
Ella frowned. "But how did you become part of this?"
"Truth be told, I needed money. When I heard I would be given a wage from Grandmaster Cielo to protect the Key of Darkness, I decided on the job. I actually ended up using the money differently. I gambled a lot in my spare time, especially when I learned to remotely control my Guardians. I ended up making more than I needed, so I spent little on food and used my time to invest in my studies."
"You seriously gambled your money?"
Seth grinned. "Never go gambling with someone really good at math."
"But, if you were weak at the time, how did you get the job? Didn't you have to be super strong to protect the key?"
"True, yes, but I had…certain tricks up my sleeve that allowed me the position." Seth snickered. "You'll just have to wait and see for yourself."
Ella pouted. "More cryptic nonsense…"
"Heh." Seth looked back at the table, munching on some chips. "I never expected myself to take on this role, but I've come to enjoy it. The simplest direction for my life, you know."
Ella frowned. "Wish my own path in life was that simple."
"You'll figure something for yourself in time, Ms. Cipher. Not everyone starts out finding the right path in life. Sometimes a detour will get you to where you really wanted to go. Give it time, trust me."
Ella huffed through her nostrils, but offered no further comment. Now wasn't the time to mope about her baggage. They had an unstoppable beast to prepare for soon. Though it won't give the true peak of satisfaction for revenge, Ella will make do playing God on a magic war table.
With slow and thunderous steps, Death advanced onto the main path through the forest. A deathly aura surrounded his monstrous frame, peeling the bark of trees with its unbearable pressure. Cracks opened beneath his hooves, even from the most minor of steps. He walked with a meandering stride, set on his goal at his own leisure.
His steed, who supported the umbra warrior's fused torso, flared its nostrils with impatience. Unlike its master, it craved absolute devastation upon their targets. It served to harbor Death's inner aggression, while Death himself remained cold and calculated in their steps.
The walk through the path was quiet, save for the rustling of leaves and the gusts of wind blowing across their bodies. The path from where they were had no end in sight, and the thick leaves made it impossible to see the mountain to determine a distance. For that, they would be patient until the end came in sight.
Death narrowed his eyes, extending the range of his natural senses to locate at least one of his targets. Without the Reaper Seals in effect, the Espeon was essentially invisible to his senses. The Medicham, however, would be easy to pinpoint once he got in range.
After a moment of concentration, Death detected the presence of magic. However, it wasn't quite what he expected. He expected a couple of auras or three somewhere up ahead, perhaps near the mountain or on the other side of the forest. Instead, Death received something of an interference, though not similar to the effects of his Reaper Seal on potential targets.
Death did indeed sense the presence of magic, but it wasn't coming from an isolated source. It was coming from all around him. A foreign aura not naturally found within Mysto's wildlife. A spectral, dark gray aura permeated his senses like fog, coating around the trees and ground. Staring at it felt like the color was drained from the greenery.
Worst of all, it was the only thing Death could sense. The intense form of the magical field interfered with his range. No matter how far he projected his sixth sense, all he came back to him was a mental projection of the forest itself. An aura that expanded around the entire area.
"What is this?" Death asked himself. "Have I stumbled upon cursed woods? No. This is something different. Someone has projected their presence around these woods." Death reached around and pulled out his sword. "What mastery of magic would allow for this level of skill? To stretch one's aura this far out, do they intend to drown my senses?"
Death's steed snorted flames, whining and stomping its hoof down.
"Indeed." Death pointed his sword ahead. "A simple trick means nothing in the coming of Death. We shall exterminate all who oppose us." With a mental command, Death ordered his steed to continue their march.
Three steps in, however, his steed's hoof stomped the ground and revealed a blinding X piercing through the gray fog.
Before Death could give the command, the X exploded out into a long spire with a pointed end. It ripped through the steed's hoof, tearing it from the ankle. The nightmare steed fell back and neighed in pain as dark matter oozed from the open wound.
"An ambush!" Death yelled. He gripped his sword and, with a firm swing, fired a blade of dark flames straight ahead. It cleaved through the rock spire and set it ablaze, knocking it to the ground. Death retreated from the burning rock as his eyes searched their immediate surroundings. "This aura is hiding the enemy—"
A distorted call cried out from behind. Right as Death turned his gaze, a black fist struck across his helmet and pushed the nuckelavee back into the flaming rock. He shook the ringing out of his head, then faced two humanoid shapes with crystal-like bodies and a dark haze accompanying them. They stared at Death with their crimson red eyes.
Death glared back with his blood red eyes. "You are not shadows."
"Congrats. For an undead corpse, you can actually think." Death's glare deepened at the voice projecting through the Guardians. "Pleased to meet you, by the way. I'm Seth Highwind, the protector of Dead Man's Mountain. My apologies for the impersonal greeting, but you'll have to be executed." The Guardian's cracked their knuckles.
Death pulled out both his swords and crossed them together. "Death comes for all."
"I'll be the judge of that."
The Guardians lunged forward, throwing a flurry of fists at the nuckelavee. Death raised his swords and shielded against the bombardment of fists. His steed snorted flames, then breathed dark fire onto the Guardians, cutting off their assault. The Guardians pulled back and shook the flames from their bodies.
"Perish." Death swung both swords and released a wave of concentrated darkness. One Guardian evaded, but the other was cleaved through the waist. Its crystal body shattered seconds after energy blade sliced through.
The remaining Guardian flew toward Death and unleashed another rush attack. Death once more blocked the flurry with his swords, then swung one from below and cleaved through the Guardian's left arm. The Guardian tried to flee, but Death reached out and seized its ankle.
"No escape." Death threw the Guardian into the ground, breaking its head apart. His steed raised its newly reformed front legs and smashed them down on the back.
The Guardian shattered instantly, but another X appeared from the remains. Before Death could escape, another spire shot out and pierced through his helmet, ripping into his eye. Death ripped his head and covered the smoking wound. Though unbothered by the damage received, half his vision was gone.
"Trickery will not save you," Death said.
BANG!
A bullet rang against the side of Death's helmet, then exploded. Despite its size, the bullet's explosive force staggered Death, nearly knocking him down. His steed spread its legs and caught itself before they fell over. Death searched the area for where the bullet originated, only for a second bullet to explode down on his head from above.
Death whipped his arm and fired a shadow blade through the trees, razing everything in his immediate path. Right as he scanned the area, a third shot through the bottom of his jaw and ripped through his face, spewing darkness out like blood.
Death staggered back, panting slightly. "Bullets firing from every direction. This is…familiar." His eyes widened, a spark of realization lighting up in the red pools. "The Furret."
The second he heard another gunshot, Death plunged his swords into the ground and erected a wall of flame around himself. A bullet passed through and turned to ash inches from striking his helmet. Death wound both arms around himself, then swung, releasing a ring of shadow magic that fused with the flames. The ring of fire slashed through the surrounding trees and tore them to the ground while the ground set ablaze in a dark inferno.
"You are not my target," Death called out to the forest. "But I will make you suffer."
"Aww, that's thoughtful!" Death's head whipped back from a tiny fist smashed across his helmet. He whipped his hand to seize his attacker, but missed by a hair as the thieving Buneary flipped herself onto his head. "You kept a gift receipt, right? I prefer inflicting pain and suffering, not receiving it."
Death raised his hands and engulfed himself in the dark inferno. Ebony jumped off in time, then raised her hand at him.
"Viribus Swipe!"
Death parted the flames, then grunted as a red vapor seeped off his body and traveled over to Ebony. She absorbed the vapors, and a red aura surrounded her afterwards. Ebony flashed her malicious grin at the shadow nuckelavee.
"You can either walk away, or I'm shoving your head up your dumb horse's abyss, if you catch my meaning."
Though a normally calm and collected being, as designed by Count Aeternus himself, a twinge of anger echoed within the death-bringer's subconscious. A distant memory of the body used to reanimate him, perhaps? Or perhaps a natural distaste for the crude rabbit? Regardless of an answer, he felt obligated to rend the Buneary into atoms.
"Death comes for all." Death slammed his swords down, splitting the ground open with bladed energy surging toward Ebony.
"Is that like your catchphrase or something? Greed's Reach!" Ebony swiped her hand with a green aura surrounding it. One of Death's sword vanished from his hand and appeared it Ebony's. She struck it down in front of her and split the bladed wave apart. Ebony smirked. "Ooh, this has a good weight to it." She tightened her grip and launched forward.
Death parried Ebony's senseless strike, holding them both in a stalemate, and reached forward to grab her. A bullet came from nowhere and shot through Death's wrist, halting his reach. Ebony kicked off with her stolen weapon and landed a few meters away from Death.
"Thanks for the assist, Cy!" Ebony yelled.
Death waved his hand as the wound regenerated. He pulled his hand back and channeled the shadows into a circular buzz saw resembling fog. He threw the bladed fog across the ground, letting it fly like a puck on ice.
"Ooh, we playing a game now?" Ebony swung her sword like a golf club and struck the bladed fog. However, rather than smack it back at Death, the blades, cut through the sword like a shredder and ripped the weapon to pieces. Disarmed and with the bladed fog still flying at her, Ebony bounced into the air. "Okay, you like hardcore games. I'm more of a hardcore drinker than a hardcore hockey player."
The remains of the sword in her hand faded, then reappeared in Death's hand good as new. With Ebony in the air with nowhere to go, Death fired a cross slash at the airborne Buneary.
"WAH!" Ebony crossed her arms and braced herself, but a Guardian appeared out from the corner of her eye and stopped the cross projectile with its hands. Ebony dove back onto the ground and shouted, "Thanks!"
"Thank me after you've apprehended this brute," Seth's voice responded through the Guardian right as its arms shattered.
Ebony nodded, then yelled, "Cybil, let's roast this loser!" She grabbed her signature bandage scarf, unwound it, and lunged at Death.
Farther away in the forest, Cybil lay on the ground with her silver-glowing eye peering down the iron sights of her rifle. Position around the forest was her Ricochet Mirrors, projecting various angles of the battle. She watched as Ebony engaged Death, jumping around and being a general nuisance for the shadow warrior.
Cybil reached into her vest, barely moving any other muscles, and pulled out her holy bullet case. She plucked one out, then loaded it into her rifle. She shifted through her various Ricochet Mirrors, looking for the best angle to strike.
Not often would Cybil admit to appreciating Ebony's rambunctious attitude toward fighting. In some weird way, they made an unstoppable team, even better than when she paired up with Krystal. Krystal would normally blow everything up in sight and only call upon Cybil's support for particularly sneaking or evasive opponents. With Ebony, the infuriating Buneary drew her target's attention with her wild antics, leaving them completely baffled to Cybil's impossible trick shots.
Not even an unkillable freak of nature would stop them.
"You can't die like the rest of us?" Cybil whispered to herself. "That may be an advantage for you, but there's a reason Arceus allowed death in this world. It's an act of mercy from unyielding torture." She wrapped her digit around the rifle's trigger. "Allow me to demonstrate."
"Miss me, miss me! Now you have to kiss—actually, no, you're way too ugly for me!"
Death tried to maintain his internal rage as he swung his sword furiously around himself, trying to cut the bouncy rabbit to ribbons. He underestimated how slippery she was, but he was well aware of how unbearably annoying she was. Again, one of those subconscious feelings he had.
Ebony continued to deftly avoid his killer strikes, dancing around his vengeful magic as it scorched the land around her and laughing in his face. Though miniscule, her annoying antics ticked away at the shell of calmness displayed over the Abyssal Knight's face.
"What are you, slow or something? Nah, I shouldn't say that, that's just mean to others. You're actually freakin' stupid!" Ebony laughed as she avoided an executioner-style chop that split into the ground. "Why so aggressive, buddy?" Ebony threw her scarf and caught Death's wrist. "You're beating yourself up with all this self-loathing and fury!"
Ebony flipped over Death right as he punched down at her, then pulled on her scarf. Death's arm whipped back and clobbered him in the head. He reared back, swinging his front legs in the air, which allowed Ebony to lasso them. Right as he dropped his legs down, Ebony pulled her scarf and parted the shadow knight's legs, where he fell into a sickening split.
"Ooh, that sounded indescribably painful~!" Ebony teased. "Good thing you can't die, right? Oh wait, that actually makes it worse. HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Death's eyes flashed, blazing with a fiery darkness. "No one escapes Death." He pulled a lance out and stabbed it into the ground.
Ebony bounced into the air right as the ground ruptured open with shadow spikes. Ebony speedily hopped around the area, avoiding the spikes as they tracked her movements. "Hey, chill out with those things!"
Death clenched his fist and punched the ground. As Ebony skipped backward from the spikes, a dark inferno shot out from the ground right on Ebony's position. Ebony couldn't escape and cried out as the flames engulfed her.
"Death comes for all." Death summoned a spear and threw it through the inferno.
The spear landed a direct hit on Ebony and threw her out of the inferno. The spear pierced through her stomach and pinned her against a tree. No blood gushed out of her stomach, for the laws of Death kept her from experiencing fatal injuries. The pain, however…
"AAAAHHHH!" Ebony screamed, harder than she ever had in her entire life. Flames coated the surface of the spear, lighting up her torso and her insides. "WHAT THE HELL?!" Ebony quickly used Greed's Reach and separated the spear from herself before her stomach was charred.
Ebony flopped onto the ground, clutching her burning stomach. With her incapacitated, Death raised his swords and charged toward the downed Buneary. He raised the swords above his head and motioned to swing them down with brutal intent.
BANG!
A bullet rang out from the trees again and nailed Death in the back. He would've ignored it in favor of maiming his annoying prey, but this bullet didn't explode on impact. This one did something far worse than any attack had ever inflicted upon his body.
A golden light ruptured through his shadowy physique and tore the shadow nuckelavee to the ground. He tripped over his legs and crashed mere inches from Ebony. Light spewed out from the bullet wound like a geyser.
"What…is this?" Death growled.
Ebony pushed herself up and backed away from the heavenly light as it started setting her skin on fire. "Our turning point!" Ebony quickly punched the ground, triggering a trap.
Soon after she jumped to safety, harpoon-like constructs shot out of the ground and skewered through the Abyssal Knight's downed form, piercing his shoulders and digging through his back. Death struggled in his bindings, but they had him anchored down tight.
Guardians spawned from the air and crashed down on Death, pinning his limbs to further restrict his wild movement. Death couldn't even move his clawed fingers without a Guardian restraining them.
Ebony pushed herself up, then yelled. "Cybil, now!"
Bullets coated with purple trails rained down on Death, piercing himself with magic threads and sewing him into the ground. A round of icy blue bullets followed after, exploding into thick sheets of ice. The Guardian, thought frozen within the ice as well, continued pushing down on Death's limbs.
Death continued his struggling beneath the ice until, after seconds of thrashing, stopped. Ebony didn't want to call it too soon in case it was a convincing attempt to play dead, but she could see with her own eyes that Death's passive aura was weakening, almost as if he was giving up.
Ebony couldn't help but laugh at this revelation, belting with joyous laughter despite the pain in her stomach. She fell over, clutching herself, and just laughed at Death. "Sucks to be you, you emo bastard! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Ebony didn't notice Cybil stepped out from cover, glaring at her laughing teammate. "Can't you have a little dignity in victory?"
Ebony sat up and smirked. "For this dumbass? PFFT! As if!" She threw her head back and continued with her boisterous laughter.
Cybil rolled her eyes in response, then turned to the frozen nuckelavee with hesitation. She could still see the light of her holy bullet passing through the ice, suppressing the unkillable knight's power. "Okay, we have him restrained. Now, how are we going to get him to curse us so we can execute him?"
After calming herself down, with a bit of laughter left over, Ebony sat up. "I could always steal it. I have seen the spell before, so I can use Sin of Greed to take it for myself."
"Would that be safe, though?"
Ebony shrugged. "Who knows?"
Cybil groaned, then looked to the Guardians. "Mr. Highwind?"
"Read you loud and clear, Ms. Hawkeye."
"How exactly are we going to get this buffoon to curse us?"
"Hmm. Well, my Guardians have a firm grip on him. I could try analyzing his magic and see if I can force him to use the spell."
"You can do that?" Ebony asked.
"Within time, yes." The girls saw the Guardians digging their fingers into Death's skin. The magic surrounding them began mixing with Death, like two different liquids mixed in the same drink. "This may take a while. Are you girls positive he's out of commission?"
Ebony groaned and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we're positive. His aura's pretty weak right now."
"Strange." It wasn't Seth's voice that came through this time. It was Ella's.
"Ella?" Cybil gasped. "You're with Mr. Highwind? You should be resting right now."
"Please, as if either of you would want to sleep in my situation. Anyway, you said his aura weakened, right?"
"Yeah?" Ebony groaned. "So what?"
"I've been monitoring the fight this whole time. I've seen that freak of nature take way more than this. I know you two are strong, but…"
Ebony crossed her arms. "Oh, would you relax? Besides, Cybil's bullet put him out of commission, and he's literally covered in darkness. I'm more surprised he hasn't turned to dust yet."
"But that's the problem. He's unkillable and an undead monster with a single-minded obsession to kill us. Why on earth is he giving up already?"
Cybil rubbed her chin. "Could be a lucky shot?"
Ebony groaned louder. "Will you two stop being paranoid? We got him, end of story. Even if he did get back up, we'll just kick him down again—"
"Wait!" Seth exclaimed, his Guardian displaying a surprised expression. "Something's wrong."
Before Cybil and Ebony could ask, the ice holding Death down suddenly collapsed onto itself. They jumped back and raised their guards, but dropped them when they saw nothing underneath the ice. Nothing but a black ooze where Death once was.
"What the what?!" Ebony yelled.
"He's gone!" Cybil gasped.
"Gone? What do you mean gone?!" Ella yelled.
"Gone: no longer present! Departed! What definition needs spelling out for you?!" Ebony growled.
"Mr. Highwind, what happened?" Cybil asked.
The Guardian scooped some ooze onto its finger and rubbed it between his thumb. "I've seen this stuff from some of the abominations I've killed. It happens when they die. The darkness runs off their body and reveals the corpses or hosts used."
Cybil glared. "But that makes no sense. Where'd the host body go?"
Ebony bent down and ran her hand across the ooze. Her eyes widened as she felt something brush across her hand. "Uh oh."
Cybil flashed the thieving Buneary a concerned glare. "I'm afraid to ask."
"I'm afraid to answer. Remember how I said the person who takes on the Reaper Seal can't be killed by conventional means?"
"Yeah?"
"That…technically means completely liquifying himself isn't outside the realm of conventional, even if unlikely." Ebony clenched her teeth. "I think he used the darkness covering himself to liquify his own body and pass through the cracks in the ground."
"WHAT?!" Ella gasped. "That's insane!"
Cybil looked around fearfully. "But does that mean he's under…ground?" She froze upon looking over her shoulder. She nearly dropped her rifle at the sight of the scene before her. "M…Mr. Highwind?"
"Yes?"
"Is there anything happening on your end?"
"Hmm, well…oh no. Oh no!"
Ebony glared. "What the hell are you all gawking about?" Cybil grabbed her head and spun it around. Ebony could feel her heart dropping into her stomach as soon as she saw the problem. "Oh. Oh, that's definitely gawk worthy."
Once, they were surrounded by trees that were heartlessly cut down in Death's onslaught. Now, the girls stood before a field of decay. Trees were collapsing to the ground as they shriveled into thin husks, rotting away into ugly, discolored chunks of wood. The grass rapidly decayed to dust, leaving behind the grays, lifeless plains. Almost instantly, the immediate area around the Shatter Star girls turned into a gloomy graveyard for greenhouses.
Adding onto the horror, they saw a black ooze bubbling out from the ground. A hand breached the surface and struck down, digging its claws into the earth. Soon, a head rose, bearing its sinister red eyes at the girls. A second head popped out, shaped like a horse, and breathed dark flames onto the decaying ground.
Cybil stepped back and shivered fearfully. "Ebony?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"The Reaper Seal prevents death to those without it, but does that apply to Mysto in general?"
Ebony laughed awkwardly. "N-No. The land's free game."
The ooze rose up into the bulky, armored form of Death, radiating with thick black aura that resembled a fiery smog. Death reached into the ground and pulled his swords out. Once formed by darkness, the blades now radiated with intense magic with a pressure that could be felt by the girls. It was an aura disturbingly similar to that of the forest's, tainted with corruption.
Death flashed his blazing eyes at the girls as he crossed the swords together. "Embrace…Death."
The noise of battle left the circus troupe unnerved. Still adjusting to new surroundings, they agreed to wait patiently in the main hall of the mountain, hoping for news of Cybil and Ebony's glorious victory. Instead, they only heard the worrisome sounds of a waging battle in the far distance, echoing out across the forest. The magically sensitive of their party felt the clash of magic outside, and cowered at the malefic aura fighting back.
Vince, with Charlie in his lap, sat on a couch while nervously tapping his foot on the floor. Seth was considerate enough to conjure furniture for everyone while they waited around. It was a handy skill, Vince had to admit, especially when company was expected. Though, the prospect of a useful magic didn't quench the fear he was feeling.
Abby and Carrie were doing their best to calm their father down, but no amount of back patting and hopeful grins quelled his nervousness. It was a miracle he hadn't passed out yet.
Nearby, Angel stared sympathetically at the nervous ringmaster alongside Nebula and Faye. "Poor fellow's going to give himself gray hairs at this rate," Angel said.
Nebula shrugged. "Give him some credit. He came here of his own volition."
"Perhaps we shouldn't say that and give him a reason to regret his marriage," Faye mumbled. Nebula shot her a look, to which Faye nervously said, "Joking, joking!"
Angel sighed. "I have faith in Ebony and Cybil, but our options for a counterplan don't look too good."
"And I doubt Abby can come up with another plan that doesn't involve detonating a mountain," Nebula added. "We're pretty much screwed at this rate."
"You're a ray of sunshine, aren't you?" Faye grumbled.
"Would you prefer I screamed that we're all going to die?" Nebula countered with a cheeky grin, though there was a hint of fear behind it from what Faye could see.
Faye frowned, then looked away. "Sorry."
Nebula sighed and looked away, too. "Sorry, too."
Angel smiled lightly at them. She wanted to say something to them, perhaps a joke to ease the mood some, but caught her breath when she saw Ava marching into the main hall. It didn't go unnoticed by Nebula or Faye, who did a double take as the Medicham marched past them.
"M-Madame Ava?" Nebula said.
"Not now," Ava said as she continued forward.
"Where are you going?" Faye asked.
"To kill that monster, what else?"
"WHAT?!" the trio screamed. "ARE YOU INSANE?!"
Their screams echoed through the hall, catching everyone's attention. It startled Vince out of his nervous trance. He turned his head around and stared wide-eyed at his wife as she headed toward the exit. He could still see some bandages on her face and wrists from where he was.
"Carrie, hold your brother!" Vince handed Charlie to the young Hawlucha, then ran after Ava. "Ava, stop!" He caught up with her and grabbed her wrist. "Don't go out there!"
Ava pulled her wrist away. "Don't stop me, Vince."
"You're injured!" Vince yelled. "You nearly died two days ago, and you want to go out there and fight that thing? It's bad enough our daughter got mixed up dealing with that beast, but you're the one he wants to actually kill!"
Ava stopped and glared at him. "That thing wants Ella and me dead. It's not going to waste the Reaper Seal on Ebony or Cybil until it gets to us first."
Vince shook his head. "Ava, have reason! You don't need to prove your strong for our sake. If you go out there, you might…you might…" Vince clenched his eyes shut as tears brimmed. "Ava, please don't go out there!"
Ava frowned at her husband as he cried into his hands. She kneeled down and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Vince, that thing want Ella and me dead, but he'll want to kill the rest of you for that trick you played in the mountain range. I can't bear the thought of him chasing after the rest of you. Worst of all, if he figures out who Seth is, Death will go after the key. We can't risk that."
Vince opened his teary eyes and sniffled. "B-But Ava…"
Ava brushed her hand across his cheek. "It's a mother's job to protect her children, and her family. Everyone here is our family. If I have the strength to save lives, then I'll use it to protect the family I love and cherish." Ava looked away and frowned. "I can't go through that again."
"A…Again?" Vince mumbled to himself until his face was hit with realization. "Ava…"
Ava closed her eyes and sighed. "I've carried a lot of guilt over the years. Clara's death. Alex's suffering. Losing touch with Willow. And…And…" She covered her eyes and shuddered. "I shouldn't have listened to that idiot when he told us to stay behind. We could've stopped the Shadow King together. He knew…He knew what would have happened if we all went."
Vince frowned, letting the tears fall down his face. "Ava, that wasn't your fault."
"I still felt like I could've done something instead of…nothing." Ava shook her head, moved her hand away, and glared firmly. "But if it means protecting all of you, then so be it. I rather die protecting all of you than die in fear of your demise."
"Ava…"
Ava took her husband's hands in her own and held them close. "But I will promise this. I won't die out there. I will come back."
"But you're still—"
"Maybe now, but…" Ava reached inside her sleeve and pulled something out. It looked like a ball of gray mist, but it was made up of numbers and letters swirling within itself. "Seth crafted something for me that should get around that." She sighed and frowned at Vince. "I'm sorry, but…"
"We understand, Mom."
Ava and Vince lifted their heads and gasped as their daughters approached them, smiling tearfully at them. Carrie held Charlie up and said, "We know you'll make it back. You're the most awesomest mom ever!"
Abby raised her fists, smiling brightly and with tears running down her cheeks. "I helped soften that jerk up just so you can get the last laugh. Knock him dead and show him what happens when you mess with the clowns!"
"M…Momma!" Charlie squealed, waving his hands around. "Momma super kewl!"
Ava stared in awe at her children, then smiled as tears ran down her face. "You kids…"
Vince frowned for a moment as everything sank in for him. He sighed, then smiled at his wife. "Well, like I always said, I knew what I was getting into after marrying you." He pulled Ava and the kids into a hug. "Just promise us you'll come back, no matter what."
Ava sank into the warmth as her kids wrapped their arms around her, too. She laughed quietly, then draped her arms around them, giving them a gentle squeeze.
"I promise."
"I'm thinking of dropping out of school."
Ava, the young Meditite, looked to the Eevee beside her as she was doing her homework. They were laying about in the psychic's room, with Ava laying at the foot of her bed and Garret rolled up on her pillows. She hated when he did that, because now she'll have to take a lint roller to get all his fur off. That's what happens when you are friends with someone who sheds tons of fur twice a year. Though, he did it so often that Ava didn't have the heart to call him out anymore.
"What are you talking about?" Ava asked.
Garret groaned, then sat up. "I mean, what's the actual point of this stupid stuff? What is this supposed to teach me about the real world? In what situation will I have to buy forty-two watermelons and know the exact amount I have left after giving away twenty-seven? Why would I have that many watermelons in the first place? Does this body look like it can support forty-two watermelons on its back?"
Ava blinked slowly at him. "Garret, we were doing our history homework."
Garret looked back at his homework, then pouted. "I hate math, alright?"
Ava giggled, then sat up. "What's with you? Why are you so grumpy today?"
Garret sighed. "I'm just…super bored. I don't know! I just don't see the point in doing this pointless homework."
"I mean, the alternative is to self-teach yourself," Ava said with a deadpan expression. "And, let's be real, there's only so much street smarts will get you, even if you take up a career bounty hunting."
"But that's just it! I want adventure in my life, not a boring desk job. I have the magic to make my dreams come true, yet I'm wasting them learning about the mitochondria!"
"Still doing history, Garret."
Garret flopped over to her side. "Come on, Ava, you've got have some aspirations beyond school."
Ava shrugged. "That road is a long way from where we are. I figure there's no point worrying over a future when it hasn't happened yet."
"But why go through the motions of education when we can have the time of our lives?" Garret rolled his eyes. "And really, it's not like the money that goes to the school is doing us any favors. I'm pretty sure those textbooks came from during my great-grandmother's time."
"How do you know what the school's budget looks like?"
Garret sucked his lips in and looked away awkwardly. "No reason."
Ava glared at him. "Garret Ravenfield, did you steal from the school again?"
He grinned meekly. "You say stealing, I say…repurposing?" Ava groaned and facepalmed herself. "Don't give me that. It was for the cafeteria. You hate the slop they serve at the cafeteria!"
"Yes, but…" Ava shook her head. "Can you just get to your point already? What's this whole business about dropping out?"
Garret grinned. "My parents told me a lot about my ancestors, and it got me excited. My ancestors were knights, warriors, and all sorts of cool guys, yet no one knows much about their exploits except everyone in my family. They feel like secrets. That's why I want to break tradition and be remembered for something awesome. I want to become a legendary figure for the history books, someone actually worth reading about rather than some guy who invented the refrigerator."
"Okay, what textbook have you been reading?" Ava shook her head and got back on track. "So, just to be clear, you want to drop out of school and do…something? Like what?"
Garret shrugged. "Well, from what I heard from my parents, magicians are discovering different rifts around Mysto. All sorts of places never before discover by Pokémon. There's so much about Mysto waiting to be discovered, and guys older than us are being remembered for their finds. What if we got an early start on that journey and became treasure hunters?"
Ava pulled a face at him. "Treasure hunters?"
"Yeah! Won't that be awesome? We could go exploring across Mysto and learn about this wonderful land of ours rather than read about it from a smelly textbook. It'll be the greatest adventure of our lives!"
Ava looked away and rubbed her arm awkwardly. "I don't know, Garret. I don't think my parents would approve of me dropping out school to travel the world. I mean, it seems a little ludicrous to let a couple of ten-year-old children explore dangerous areas unsupervised. What would your parents say?"
Garret chuckled. "My dad would give me the 'they grow up so fast' speech, and my mom wouldn't care too much."
"Still, it just doesn't feel right."
Garret shrugged. "Okay, so we wait until we're a little older and wiser, but you get my point, right?"
"Well…"
"Ava, come on!" Garret pleaded. "If I'm going to do this, I want to be alongside my best friend. We've been friends forever, and I want to explore Mysto with you by my side."
Ava leaned back on the board at the end of her bed and gazed at the ceiling. "Well, I have been learning a lot about fighting from my dad. I guess when the time comes, I could do that."
Garret grinned. "Then how about a promise?"
"A promise?"
"When adventure calls out to us, we dive in head first as a team. We'll show everyone what a couple of kids can do, then we'll be the ones remembered in history books! We'll live a life of no regret and become the monarchs of treasure hunting!"
Ava hid a smile behind her arms. "You're crazy."
"You're not saying no~."
Ava laughed and shook her head. "I suppose experiencing a little adventure wouldn't hurt. Adventurers to the end?"
Garret beamed. "Forever and ever!"
Ava grinned back, then reached out her hand. "Then I guess we have a deal. When we're older, we'll become the greatest treasure hunters of all time."
Garret gave her hand a firm shake. "Unbreakable spirit!"
"Unstoppable passion!"
"Pyres of determination!"
"Unlimited freedom!"
"Paeans will be composed of our greatness!"
"And YOU still need to do your homework!"
"Dang it!"
Garret and Ava shared a look, then busted out laughing, throwing themselves over the bed.
A blaze of magic erupted across the earth, splitting open with a radiant green glow that shredded through stone like blades. The surrounding trees were turned to mulch, and the air filled with a thick fog of dust as the earth spat out toward the sky.
Caught in the middle of the blast, Ebony and Cybil braced themselves as they flew through the whirlwind of a single attack. A single sword swing channeling the life force of a small patch of forest. They couldn't tell up from down as the winds whipped them senselessly, whether through a vortex or through an endlessly collapsing path of dirt.
Cybil reached through the storm and managed to find Ebony's wrist. She aimed her rifle and fired a weaving bullet straight down, or at least where she thought was down. Fortunately, it struck solid ground and anchored them in place.
"This is insane!" Cybil yelled.
"Oh really?" Ebony shouted over the storm. "What was your first clue? The unkillable horsemen or the category ten hurricane?!"
"Just help me reel us down!"
Ebony reached around Cybil, grabbed the magic thread, and climbed down it. Wood and leaves flew into her face, some nearly stabbing her in the eyes had her defensive aura not been up still. The winds felt like they were getting stronger, buffing against both their auras, and grinding them down like wood on sandpaper.
"All of this from sucking out a little bit of life energy?!" Ebony yelled.
"Guess he was given more than just the Reaper Seal," Cybil said. "I don't think even my bullets can pass through this storm."
"Good grief. Where the hell is that bastard?!"
A sudden spike of magic appeared behind them, malevolent in nature. The girls looked over their shoulders and gasped at the hulking nightmare horsemen riding along the strong winds.
"Death is inevitable." He raised his supercharged swords over their heads.
"Cybil, get behind me!" Ebony pushed the Furret beneath her and started sucking out as much strength with her Viribus Swipe as she could.
Death bashed the swords down on Ebony and spiked the girls straight down. They crashed through the ruined earth, smashing through graveled stone and earth. It was like landing in sand, but five times worse. A dust cloud shot into the air after they hit the ground.
When the dust cleared, Ebony pulled herself up with Cybil on her back now. Ebony managed to turn herself around and absorb most of the fall for her friend. "AGH!" Ebony spat dust out of her mouth. "Ugh, I wish I was drunk right now."
Cybil massaged her head and looked up. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Look out!" She tackled Ebony away just before Death crashed his swords down on them. The violent shockwave that followed threw the girls away from Death, where they tumbled through more dust and mulch.
Ebony coughed up more dust, pounding her chest and smacking her mouth against the horrible dryness inside. "Cy?"
"Y-Yeah?" Cybil groaned as she picked herself up.
"I don't think he plans of using the Reaper Seal on us. I think he wants to pulverize us until we're vegetables."
"Y-Yeah. Yeah, you might be right." Cybil glared ahead as Death turned his sights on the girls. "We need a new plan."
"Does it involve running him through a blender?" Ebony growled.
"I don't actually have a plan yet." Cybil reached into her vest. "Still, we know the bullets work on him. Maybe I can slow him down with another."
"If we can't kill him, there will be no point. Now that we know he can pull this shit off, we're screwed."
They gasped as Death reared himself up, then slammed his swords down. A wave of darkness and green light surged through the dusty terrain, charging headlong into the girls. They quickly broke apart and escaped the lacerating energy blades. Death immediately targeted Ebony and ran for her.
"Wha—" Ebony scrambled to her feet and bolted, missing a sword swipe by a hair. "Okay, what is this guy's beef with me?!"
"You are pretty annoying!" Cybil yelled as she stood up.
"Just shoot him!"
Cybil quickly loaded a holy bullet and took aim. Unfortunately, without the aid of cover, Death spotted her priming her shot. Just as Cybil fired, Death stopped and swung his sword. The life energy swinging through the blade countered the holy bullet. Not enough to stop it from erupting in flames, but enough to deflect it back at Cybil.
It flew faster than Cybil could react and nailed her in the forehead, cracking into her defensive aura and spraying blood from the wound. "AAHHH!" Cybil cried, collapsing and covering her bleeding forehead.
"Cybil!" Ebony cried. She stopped on her heels and glared at Death. "Nobody harasses my friends but me!" She pulled on her scarf and rushed the horsemen down. "I still have some of your stolen strength! I'll turn your head into a honey pot!"
Death slashed the ground and threw a razor-sharp wave of energy at her. Ebony leapt over it, then threw her bindings at Death's wrists. Once the bindings were taut, she reeled herself in and shot into Death with a dropkick that snapped his head back.
"Greed's Reach!" Ebony jumped over Death and swiped one of his swords from his possession. She thrusted it into his exposed back, spraying shadowy liquid from the open wound. "I'll chop and rip you to pieces, you two-bit centaur!"
Her eyes widened as Death's head turned itself a hundred eighty degrees around, glaring into her stunned eyes. "As will be your funeral." The glow of his eyes intensified.
Ebony yelped and ducked back, narrowly avoiding the lasers shooting out from the warrior's eyes. "You have laser eyes?! Ugh, that's so stupid, but so cool!"
The lasers served as a distraction, though, as Death grabbed her arm and threw her off. Ebony flew and crashed into Cybil, knocking her over again.
Death turned his head back around, then summoned his sword back into his hand with a click of his fingers. He rolled his neck a couple times, as well as his shoulders, then advanced toward the girls. He dragged his sword through the dusty ground, leaving trails of stolen life force behind. Each thunderous stomp burst a cloud of dust from the ground. The harsh fog of gray veiled the beast with only his eyes piercing through clearly.
"Death comes for all."
Ebony and Cybil huddled together and backed away from the approaching monster. Cybil clung to Ebony with a fearful expression while Ebony stretched a nervous smirk over hers.
"Welp, we're screwed."
"Cybil! Ebony!" Ella called out to the war table, frantically slapping her paw across the grid. "They're in trouble!"
Seth waved his hands over the grid as it updated the current state of the forest. "Death stole a small portion of the forest's life force. The girls should be fine as long as they don't get marked, but…that won't stop Death from torturing them."
Ella winced, then slid off her seat. "I'm going out there!"
"No!" Seth yelled. "You'll just end up the same as them. Plus, you're too injured to fight—"
"Like help I'm sitting around and letting my friends get pummeled around like sandbags!" Ella dragged herself toward the door. "Don't you dare try and stop me!"
Seth opened his mouth to protest, but stopped when he heard a beep from the table. He checked the grid and saw someone emerge from the mountain. They were racing at high speed toward the girls' location. A soft smirk found its way on Seth's face.
"I…wouldn't worry too much."
Ella stopped and looked back at the Zoroark with a puzzled glare. "The hell does that mean?"
Seth ripped open another chip bag and popped some chips into his mouth. "Someone had the same idea as you."
The Shatter Star girls kept backing away from Death as he gradually approached them. Cybil clenched into Ebony's sleeve. "This is not how I expected to die."
"I hear ya," Ebony agreed. "I always pictured I'd die during my favorite pastime: getting blackout drunk while playing darts in a pub completely naked."
"And I…" Cybil shot the Buneary a bewildered expression. "Why would that be your preferred method of death?!"
"Look, if you're going to die, you got to do it in style."
"Why are we even having this conversation?! There's a monster about to pulverize us!"
"Look, it's not my fault you rather die making out with Krystal in your final moments!"
"That is…EBONY!" Cybil screamed, face completely red.
Ebony smirked. "Or would you rather be doing something else?"
"If we're still cognizant after this, I'm going to strangle you!"
"Harsh."
A shadow loomed over their heads. They gazed up to Death's burning red eyes as he raised his swords high up, crackling with the stolen life force and his own corrupt aura. The girls clenched tighter to each other and closed their eyes, pleading that they won't be conscious for this.
"Embrace the sweet relief of Dea—"
"Hey!"
A dust storm whipped up and drilled into Death, throwing him away from the girls, who startled up right. They watched Death skip across the dusty terrain and crash into the faraway trees.
"What the—" the girls gasped before covering their faces as the dust blew away. They coughed and waved the dust from their faces, then gasped as Ava stepped out into the open, fists clenched and wrapped in psionic-infused magic.
"You want to kill someone, Death? Well, I'm right here," Ava yelled, punching her fists together. "Do your worst!"
"Madame Ava?" Ebony mumbled in disbelief. "But how are you—" Cybil covered the Buneary's mouth. Before Ebony could yell at her, she saw Cybil's left eye aglow in an orange light.
"She has Seth's magic around her," Cybil said.
Nearly invisible to even a magic user, a thin layer of gray aura overlayed Ava's body like a second skin. From what Cybil could detect, it was suppressing all injuries and revitalizing stamina. It was like a shield was welded into the shape of a full-body jumpsuit.
Ava curled her fingers a bit, still unaccustomed to the layered magic. Seth said this thing can't take too many hits before breaking. I need to play defensively. Fortunately, I can use my magic and psionics to their fullest.
Ava clenched her fist and summoned a sword into her hand. "You girls head back to the mountain and rest up. If anything happens to me, I'm entrusting you to finish the job."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Cybil asked. "This guy nearly—"
"I know what I'm doing. Now go!" Ava yelled.
Ebony didn't have to be told twice. She grabbed Cybil's wrist and pulled her along. "I'm not sticking around longer than I need to! Let's go!"
"W-Wait!" Cybil reached into her pocket and pulled out the remains of the holy bullet that struck her head. It still gave off its heavenly glow. "Take this." She tossed it to Ava. "Maybe it can help."
Ava caught and immediately pocketed the bullet inside her robe. "Thanks. I'll use it well. Now go!"
With firm and understanding nods, the Shatter Star girls hightailed it back to the mountain. Ava took a moment to roll her shoulders and stretch out her limbs, familiarizing herself with the pain suppressing field around her body. She only had one shot to make up for her blunders las time. She won't allow such amateur mistakes again, especially with the dangers present for her family.
Thunderous stomps turned Ava's attention back onto Death, who rose from the ground and marched toward the Medicham. The fury in his eyes quelled, now focused on his main target. Ava responded with a determined glare, no longer unnerved by the hulking monster's unfathomable presence.
"You. You are slated for Death," Death said, brandishing his swords at her as an eerie glow shined from his eyes.
Ava didn't evade his gaze, instead taking it head on as the familiar weight of the Reaper Seal found its way back on her neck. She gently massaged the spot the seal was, sensing the malefic aura from it. She could no longer sense Death, despite him standing right in front of her. The Reaper Seal was in effect.
"You shall be escorted into oblivion," Death said. The aura around his blades intensified. "There is no escape."
Ava narrowed her eyes. "Who said I wanted to escape?" She grabbed her robe and, with a single motion, ripped it from her body. Underneath, Ava was dressed in a blue, sleeveless jumpsuit, bearing the symbol of a teal eye on the back. "You're the one who won't escape."
Ava summoned a second sword into her hand, then lit them both up with psionic energy. Death glared, fascinated by her lack of anxiety or weakness in his presence. A duel between two skilled combatants, this will be. Death's steed snorted flames from its nostrils, displaying Death's suppressed excitement.
"I don't need to see the future to tell you how this'll end," Ava said. She spun her swords around and aimed the blades toward the ground. "But let me assure you of something: your future is as bleak as your soul."
Ava plunged the swords through the earth and erupted the ground with a blast of psychic energy that blinded Death instantly. Gravity slammed down on Death, pushing him onto his knees. He held his head up through sheer force of will and tried to peek through his surroundings, but found nothing but the opaque veil of dust and psionic energy. Nothing, not even his target outside of extrasensory abilities, was visible.
Death felt a strange chill overtaking him, too. The temperature seemed to drop to bone-chilling degrees. If not for his physiology, the cold would've left him petrified.
The sudden gravity spike lifted, and Death was able to rise as normal. Even so, he found himself still lost in a veil of obscurity, surrounded by wet dust.
"Wait. Wet dust?" Upon a second observation, the surrounding fog was stark white, not a lifeless gray. Running his fingers through the fog, it turned out to be water vapor. "Fog? Where did this—"
He took a step back, but felt his back hoof slip over an edge. He quickly pulled himself forward and gazed over the apparent edge. His eyes widened in mild shock to find he was no longer at ground level. Though platforms of earth were beneath his hooves, miles and miles below him, nothing more than a mix of greens and grays, was the very forest itself.
He wasn't standing in a fog. He was standing inside clouds.
He was standing in the sky.
"You battled us on disadvantageous terrain. So now it's my turn." Death watched as the clouds parted and Ava stepped out. Platforms of pebbles amalgamated into small, sturdy platforms with each step she took. "Of all the countless things to thank my old team for, it's preparing me for the most absurd conditions in battle."
Death brandished his swords once more, lighting them up in his aura. Ava smirked, then matched his stance with her own crackling blades.
"Don't let the altitude slow you down, hon."