Ch.65: Revenge of the Grim Ash Trio! Death of a Haunted Soul Pt.1!
"Too…strong."
It was a desperate plea for help, yet no one could hear the subtext of his cry. Voss could only lumber between towns in search of something to stimulate his wary mind. Nothing worked, and nothing could bring him that joy anymore. Nothing could pull his mind from the self-made abyss carved into the recesses of his psyche, all in a vain search for a purpose.
He continued his work saving towns and protecting the innocent from the scum of the land, but always with that melancholy grimace as he cut down his foes in one clean slash. Nobody was worthy of matching his strength or seeing the full extent of his power. They were all weak in his eyes. They were all twigs swinging against a hefty tree that stood the tests of time.
A simple fix, one might say, would be to go easier on his opponents and work his way up until they reach a threshold. A fleeting idea, however, that was equally insulting to Voss' passion. It was not so simple. It was a bastardization of everything he lived for being tossed aside for something akin to an EASY out for his opponents. What point is the thrill of battle if one had to suppress their strength just to have a fair match?
Voss could simply let his guard down more often, right? Another insult to his craft. Once more, it sacrificed the skills he honed for years to compensate for his frail body. It would've been such a waste of effort. Voss wanted to feel pain again, but he didn't want to GIVE it to someone because he was desperate. The other issue with such a tactic came from his own handicap. Though he toughened up over the years, a clean blow to the wrong area meant instant death. That wasn't the way he wanted to go, as a sad man trudging along at his lowest. A pathetic end to a man who lost his purpose.
Eventually, Voss stopped caring about the lavish gifts and praise handed his way from grateful villagers. He turned them away without so much as a word and just continued on his lonely journey for a battle worthy of his skills.
It seemed like such a simple problem, the kind that one shouldn't make a big deal over. He was protecting innocent lives and keeping the peace. Wasn't that a reward in of itself? To most, maybe, but it neglected everything Voss stood for when he placed himself into Baldwin's tutelage.
Voss was once a weak child who no one thought could ever amount to anything more than the frail, sick boy locked away in his house. When he tasted spilt blood for the first time and stared into the eyes of death, he felt an energy he never experienced before. He felt alive, liberated from his self-imposed chains that anchored him down into mediocrity. He finally had the courage to stand without consequence of broken bones, and he wanted to taste that lively energy again and again so he could forget the sad, helpless Elekid he once was.
Everything Voss did was to prove he was so much more than a glass figurine that needed to be handled with care.
All that effort, and now he got a taste of the extreme opposite of the spectrum, a titan who stomped over amateurs swinging sticks. Voss stood in an uncomfortable paradox. He stood on the edge of frail glass and unbreakable mountain. A glass cannon that obliterated everything before a single finger could graze its polished surface.
What would it take for him to find somebody capable of cutting him down?
Years of travel can dull the sharpness of a blade, and Voss' didn't have the cutting power it once had. He realized his situation after a fleeting moment of joy watching his sword slice into an Aggron outlaw who didn't roll up onto the ground from a single strike. Any hope of finally finding a worthy opponent, however, was dashed with a second strike took the Aggron out. Only after did Voss realize how blunt the edge of his sword became.
Fortunately, he was able to find a town that had a local blacksmith. He ignored the gawking Pokémon, no doubt taken by being visited by an esteemed warrior such as himself, and headed straight for the forge. He could hear the sound of metal being struck the closer he came to the fiery building.
He entered the building and found a Carracosta hunched over an anvil, striking down on a hot bracer. He barely looked over his shoulder to acknowledge the Electivire's presence. "I'll be with you in a moment, sir." His voice was deep with a rugged age in its tone. It seemed befitting of a living fossil.
Voss narrowed his eyes. "My sword needs sharpening."
"Plenty of whetstones to spare. Help yourself."
"…" Voss approached the turtle, unsheathed his sword, and held it in front of his eyes. Contrary to how Voss described it, the sword had numerous chins in its edge and gnarly scratches coupled with bloody stains and warped metal.
"…" The Carracosta stopped hammering and glared at Voss. "I thought you said it needed sharpening."
"I've been busy."
"Clearly." Shaking his head, the blacksmith hammered out the bracer a couple more times before dunking it into the bucket beside him. Steam erupted out and filled the air. He set it aside and took Voss' sword. "If you're in a hurry, I recommend a new sword altogether. Got plenty in stock if you have the cash."
"Just that one. It was given to me by my father before I left home."
"It'll take me a while to fix this up. Can't make promises, but two weeks tops."
"That works. I need a break from travel."
"Hmm." The Carracosta set Voss' sword down on a workbench and hunched over it. "Must've been one hell of a blade from Pops. You're Voss, aren't ya?"
Voss glared. "Familiar with my work?"
"The Invincible Titan is something of a legend. Funny given you still look like you're in your prime. A living legend, you are, son. They say you cut down men ten times your size with but a stroke of this here blade. Woof! That's some serious power."
Voss looked away. "It's not something worth celebrating."
Carracosta shrugged. "Suit yourself. People around here must feel mighty safe knowing they have someone like you hanging around for a couple weeks. You crafted your own legend, son."
"Yeah…I guess I did." Voss grabbed a chair with his tail and sat down. "I'm in something of a rut, though."
"Tell me about it. I'm quite the listener," Carracosta said as he inspected the broken sword.
He sighed and hunched over, his arms crossing over his legs. "Those rumors about me being invincible are true, or at least as true as I believe myself. I barely remember what pain feels like. I've torn through every obstacle that stood in my way, but now the job's gotten…boring. It feels lifeless. It felt like my singular purpose to take up the sword and battle, but now I can't find anyone who matches or surpasses my skill."
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?"
"Tch. Maybe to the weak who revere me like a god, but I've become too good at my job. There's just no thrill out of the challenge anymore. It's like a chef losing the passion to cook or a doctor not caring about helping their patients."
"Heh. If it's any consolation, doctors don't always enter the profession for noble reasons. I see what you mean, though. You've been winning too many fights without that shot of dopamine hitting you up."
"Dopa…what?"
"Eh, some term a medial associate of mine told me. A little dose of happiness to the mind, he said. Point is, I understand what you mean. I'd hate to lose my drive for smithing. Make for shoddy handiwork if I half-heartedly crafted everything. Each piece I work on takes considerable care, and I've found new ways to freshen up my profession."
Voss raised his brow. "How so?"
"Well…" Carracosta set the broken sword down and looked around. "I'm keeping this mostly to myself, but I've been working on something special recently. Are you familiar with the wandering mystics?"
Voss straightened up. "You mean the magicians? Never ran into one."
"They keep their practices hidden from the public, lest they be tied to all that witchcraft nonsense. Anyway, I was transporting some goods a month ago, and a wheel of mine popped off the wagon. I could've fixed it up myself, but I was coming down with something fierce then. Couldn't keep a steady flipper to hammer in nails. The old wheel was out of shape, too, and I didn't have anything to make a spare.
"But I was blessed by Arceus himself to run into some company on the road, and who else but a band of mystics? This one fellow, pretty banged up like he came out of a scuffle, broke from the pack to help me. Nice man. I believe his name was Archibald. Archibald…ooh, some name with a bird in it. Can't quite remember. Nice man, he was.
"He convinced his mystic group to help me and, couldn't believe it with my own eyes, rejuvenated that old wheel brand new. What a sight, it was."
Voss leaned forward, genuinely intrigued by the old turtle's tale. "Incredible. I've only heard bits and pieces of the magicians. I've never seen their arcane practices myself."
"Incredible stuff, it was. I asked about that spell and how it worked. Complicated stuff I couldn't wrap my head around, and they said I wouldn't be able to use it myself. I was generally impressed, though, and kept pestering them over it. I might've went overboard, I admit, though they did…well, better if I just show you."
Carracosta reached over to the bracer he was working on when Voss first came in and showed it to him. A silver arm bracer dulled from the work done on it. Voss guessed a good polishing would make the metal shine like never before.
"This is a special piece. They traced this weird symbol into some paper and told me to place it against something I wish to imprint the rejuvenating quality onto. I told them I was a blacksmith, and they suggested it would work wonders on armor. They told me to be mindful about who I show this to since magic is still taboo out here. It was more so for my own curiosity."
"May I?" Voss asked, pointing at the bracer. After an affirmative nod, he picked it up and turned it over in his hands, inspecting every inch of the bracer. "Fascinating. So, this bracer has magic embedded in it?"
Carracosta nodded. "Indeed. They claim the spell repairs and revitalizes the material stronger than ever. They say the spell allows anything influenced by it to adapt over time. My theory is that bracer will eventually become something more if allowed enough time, like full armor."
Voss' eyes widened. "It can do that?"
"The mystics claim magic has an unusual intelligence of its own. They say it's not some mindless force of nature, but something…more."
Voss narrowed his eyes on the bracer. "So, if I understand what you're saying, this armor can repair itself after taking damage and become stronger than it once was? And it can evolve over time from the trauma it endured?"
"Precisely." Carracosta took the bracer away and set it aside. "Though, it won't see much use outside of this forge. As long as the world fears magic, armor like this would draw too much attention. Those who wish to steal it for themselves, or warriors who despise magic so much that they would want to purge it from this world."
"Warriors who despise magic…" Voss glanced at the bracer again. "The kind of people who would do anything to see it purged from this world. Hmm…"
Carracosta returned to his workbench. "Try to keep that between us, son. We wouldn't word getting out about a magic bracer running amuck, right?" He picked up Voss' sword and resumed examining it.
Voss stared thoughtfully at the bracer, his stare becoming increasingly intense. "Yeah. Wouldn't want that…"
Voss felt a touch bad robbing the old blacksmith, especially after restoring his sword to perfection, but he figured he would appreciate knowing his unknown creation would see use outside of sitting on a dusty shelf forever. Besides, as far as Voss was concerned, he didn't have a reputation to lose anymore.
A change of tactics was in order for the Electivire. He wasn't on the move in search of mayhem, but actively pursuing the worst of the worst. He researched every criminal and warrior in the land, singling out the strongest and the scummiest to see the brink of their full potential against the experimental bracer.
The first few tests didn't go as swimmingly as expected. The bracer was about as strong as any old armor, taking hits and leaving dents that pressed into his arm. He mostly had to use his arm as a shield and actively allow his targets to strike him down until the bracer reached its limit, where a predictable defeat followed his attackers with a single strike.
However, the bracer's regenerative claims proved to be more than fiction. Not even a day after the beating it endured, it shaped back into its old self stronger than ever. Hits that would dent the metal before now deflected off like rubber. It only grew stronger as Voss subjected it to more and more punishment.
"Kill him!"
An Ursaring charged at Voss, wielding a war hammer, and slammed it down onto him. Voss swung his arm against the hammer and destroyed it with just the bracer's superior durability. He didn't give the bear a second to comprehend his mistake before ending his life in a single stroke.
Over time, Voss started to notice changes in the bracer as it matured. It started to understand his fighting style, and perhaps even his desires. Against any concept of nature he believed, the metal grew around his arm inch by inch before eventually reaching his shoulder.
One day, he faced a hoard of Heracross warriors who learned of his recent rampaging through the land and came at him with armor-breaking equipment like hammers, maces, and horn attachments. Voss willingly subjected himself to their onslaught, using his armored arm to shield from their attacks. They struck with a fury, an unending stream of combinations and strikes. One who sported an armor-piercing horn attachment even managed to leave a dent in the armor. Voss felt the power behind that horn, and it excited him.
Though they went down in a single strike, it proved he was getting closer to finding stronger opponents. If they could surpass the armor, they could face him in battle.
Months passed, and the armor continued to mature from the abuse. Eventually, it grew around his body leaving only his head exposed. Aside from shielding his face, Voss merely stood before his attackers and let them attack with everything they had, only occasionally finding those who dented the armor, and even a rare instance where someone stabbed through and into his stomach. The pain was unbearable, but numbed by the sheer excitement he felt.
Eventually, though, he hit a dry spell finding tougher opponents. The armor seemed to reach a point where it surpassed the strength of those he faced. The armor was his chance to test the strength of his opponents, but perhaps he finally reached the limit.
One thing did itch at his mind, though, when he sat down observing a bounty. It was regarding some rogue Feraligatr who seemed to be responsible for a town's destruction six months back. It made him think…
"If magic could make this incredible armor, what else can it do?"
"Halt."
Voss barely put any enthusiasm into his shout. It was more of a soft command than an order. Still, he continued to pursue bounties even with his worsening reputation as of late. He was on the hunt for the rogue Feraligatr, though he knew it would end the same as all the rest.
He found the alligator standing in the middle of the road draped in a tattered cloak. As Voss closed in, he felt an unnerving presence from the man, like a pressure that was telling him to flee for the danger before him was beyond reason.
As soon as the man turned his head, Voss instinctively grabbed his sword. He didn't let it show in his face, but he was intrigued by the man's unique presence. "You're a rare sight," Voss said dryly. "I don't get a lot of kill only requests. You must be special."
The Feraligatr peeked from his hood, and it was then that Voss noticed his strange eyes. Red irises that seemed to glow that sat upon black sclera. It wasn't like anything Voss had seen in his life, much less from a Feraligatr. He cautiously drew his sword and pointed it at the strange man.
"Make this easy for the both of us. I don't want to get my hopes up over nothing," Voss mumbled.
"…" The Feraligatr turned and completely faced the Electivire. "I sense an unrequited darkness in your heart."
Voss raised his brow. "Eh?"
"A man trapped by his own convictions, lost in a world that is beneath him and unable to find satisfaction. You are lost. You have lost the will to care for these insignificant creatures. How…interesting."
Voss blinked at him before glaring. "Listen, I don't know what you're on about, but just hold still so I can decapitate you."
The Feraligatr bowed. "Perhaps I should explain. I can give you the means to find what you're looking for. You seek…a challenge that can push you to the brink of death."
"…Who are you?"
"A man who wishes to rid this world of vice and grief. I simply wish to end suffering by subjecting everyone to the true majesty that is the darkness." The man held his hand out to Voss. "And you seem like the perfect soul to join me on my quest for salvation. Join me, and I will give you what you desire most."
Voss scoffed. "Cheap words. You look so weak. I could snap you inside my arm. Don't make me laugh. You have nothing to offer me."
"Hmm. Perhaps a demonstration is in order. A wager, you could say." The Feraligatr gestured to Voss. "You win, and I shall willing allow myself death by your blade. I win, and you will serve me."
Voss glared. "That's a strange offer. I don't really get much out of either."
"You will see. What do you have to lose?"
Voss sighed and shook his head. "Fine, whatever. Let's get this over with."
The Feraligatr bowed. "As I am the one that proposed the wager, I shall allow you the first strike."
"Tch. Whatever."
Without a second thought, Voss rushed the vagabond and whipped his sword against his neck. Any second then, his sword will glide through the skin and sever the head from the man's shoulders. It worked like clockwork the number of times he subjected his foes to such a torturous end.
However, something changed. Voss felt something when he struck the vagabond's neck: resistance. His eyes widened as black sparks crackled from the point of impact while his sword pressed into the unarmored flesh. To his shock, his blade didn't even break the skin. Some sort of pressure was pushing back on his blade and keeping it from cutting through.
Voss repelled back and tightly gripped his sword. He stared at the steam coming off the edge. "Wha…that's impossible. I've cut through things stronger than flesh before."
"Power like that is what I offer, and it would be your chance to meet others with similar feats." The Feraligatr stepped closer and pressed a finger against Voss' chest plate. "Now, I believe it's my turn."
It happened in an instant. A black flash crackled from the man's finger, and Voss felt his back rip open violently from an explosive force. Voss spat blood and collapsed to the ground. He shakily lifted his hand and felt his torso, but couldn't feel anything. No armor or flesh, as if something was missing. His sudden lightheadedness alarmed him to what happened.
"H…How…?" He lost the strength in his arms and fell face first into the ground. The light dimmed from his eyes as darkness encroached on his vision. He could hear the man's faint voice hovering above him as he lost consciousness.
"Plenty more like that at your disposable, and so much more. Allow me to rid you over your suffering and grant you a place in my service. I promise you, Voss, that you will one day find the challenge you so desperately seek."
Voss felt something wrap around him before passing out. From that day onward, he wasn't sure if he was dead or alive, or if he would awake in some Hell to prolong his suffering.
What he did know was that he won't give up until he found someone worthy of killing him.
Voss looked between the four Emotion Anima bearers standing around him while keeping one hand on his sheathed sword. Due to the injuries he sustained from Hugo, he kept his armor on, though with the helmet retracted to better observe his surroundings. He could sense each of them simmering with power waiting to rise up from the surface.
Further back, Fernando pulled Hugo to a safe distance while channeling Holy magic through his rosary beads. Hugo sat up and focused his attention on his last minute saviors, one hand raised in a prayer.
Griffin steadied his stance and raised Endless Regret. "There's no use running anymore, Voss. I won't let you escape this time."
Voss closed his eyes and sighed. "Your insistence on pursuing me, Griffin, is admirable. You came all this way to kill me? How'd you even know I was here?"
"We didn't. Guess it's just Fate. But we're also here for the keys."
Mack spun his weapon and smiled villainously. "Make this easy on all of us and drop dead like a corpse. Though, I must say, you look positively different today, Voss Man. Did you get a haircut?"
Holly growled. "Mack, take this seriously."
"What? I'm taking it seriously. I'm the most serios guy around."
Voss glared at Edwin, who didn't shy away under his intense stare. "Seems Puck needs to keep a tighter leash on his minions. You were infused with the power of shadows, and this is the thanks we get?"
Edwin scowled. "Screw you. I'm not in the mood to listen to anyone but my own will."
Voss shook his head. "The spell is broken, and soon the shadows will swarm upon this location to retrieve me and Buster's corpse. There's nothing you can do to stop the inevitable."
Griffin glared. "We have no intention of letting either of you abscond with that corpse. Buster Ravenfield's remains are now officially under our protection. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I already told you, enough talk. We're ending this today."
"…I no longer have a desire to die so soon, Griffin." Voss crouched down. "But slaughter is still on the table. Allow me to grant you a swift and vicious end."
He fired flames from his feet and propelled into the Grovyle faster than the eye could track. He flicked his sword free from its scabbard, wrapping it in black flames, and thrusted it straight for the heart. A pocket of distortion crackled inches from Griffin's chest, however, and a transparent green wall separated the two.
The wall pushed Voss back and canceled out his flames. He caught the ground and glared at Edwin, whose hand was extended and wrapped in a green aura. Edwin glared and said, "You aren't the only one with broken defenses."
Griffin held Endless Regret in both hands and shouted, "Holly, Edwin, cover us! Mack, you're with me!"
Mack smirked and rushed forward. "Let's make some corpses!"
Voss raised his blade as the Grim Ash males ran around him. Griffin dragged his sword across the ground, building up a spark through the friction, and fired a wave of destructive red magic at him. Voss extended his hand and blocked it with the armor, easily dispelling it. From behind, however, a tendril-like chain darted at him and attempt to dive inside his armor. He grabbed it and pulled Mack toward him.
He spun around with his hand engulfed in flame and tried to crush Mack's head, but the Sudowoodo burst into blue petals once his grip closed down around him. He barely spotted Holly channeling her illusion magic before a veil of petals surrounded him. From the veil, copies of Griffin and Mack stepped out brandishing their weapons.
"Exosus Release!"
"Timor Persona!"
The Griffin clones fired off destructive blast waves while ghoulish Sudowoodos appeared by the Mack clones and lunged at Voss. Voss knelt down and traced his sword around the earth. An inferno of shadow fire rose up and shielded him from the real Exosus Release.
As the flames cleared, the army of Timor Personas descended on Voss. He flicked his sword free and carved up the clones, shredding them into blue petals. One evaded his attacks, the real one, and delivered a hard punch across his unguarded head. Voss gasped as blood spilled out from his prior injuries.
The Sudowoodo effigy laughed maniacally, bringing both its hands together and slamming them down on Voss' head. Voss tightened his stance against the hit, charged flames around his fist, and dealt an explosive punch to the persona's chest, knocking it back.
"Give up the keys and win a prize!" Voss stepped out of the way as Mack lunged from behind. The nimble faux tree bounced off his hand, springing him up in front of Voss' face, and flailed his chain staff. Voss shielded himself with his arms while Mack cackled. "Don't be shy! Everyone's a winner! A free torture and neck massage for the loser, though!"
Voss glared through his arms. "Insolent fool." He ducked under Mack's flailing and drove an uppercut against his gut. "Ascended Archfiend Fist!" The energy built up in his fist and blew Mack away with a violent explosion.
Mack tumbled across the earth before rolling out onto his feet, dragging his heels to a complete stomp. A scorch mark burned through his jacket, but his wicked smile persisted. "Someone's pissed. I always knew you hated me, Voss. Do you find me irritable?"
Voss ignored him as Griffin came charging from the side. The Grovyle switched out his sword and summoned the polearm, Infinity Breaker. He spun the staff and thrusted it forward, magically extending it at high speed. Voss stepped back as the polearm's blade cut the hairs from his face. He grabbed the polearm, which grinded against his armored hand, and forcibly pulled Griffin in.
Griffin sent Infinity Breaker back to his arsenal and summoned the twin daggers, Twin Storms. He spun his body and wrapped himself into a corkscrewing twister. Voss raised his hands and blocked the twister. The fierce winds grinded against his palms, causing a terrible noise that assaulted the ears.
A second twister broke off from the first and curved around Voss, driving into his back. He stumbled, but kept his bearings in check as shadow fire built up around him. "Ascended Archfiend Riposte!" His armor channeled the sinister fire around it before releasing it outward.
The force blew the twisters apart, but Voss was stunned to see only the two daggers flying through the air. Turning quickly, he barely blocked a kick from Holly, who ricocheted off before he could grab her. She glided on the air with her fan until she was a safe distance away. Once she landed, she reared the giant fan back. Closing the fan halfway, she whipped it forward.
"Level 2 Wind Style: Serrated Tears!"
Crescent-shaped blades fired out from her fan and bombarded the Electivire, who shielded himself behind his arms. The wind blades pinged off his armor with no effect across its indestructible surface. However, once they stopped and he peeked out from his arms, Holly dashed straight at him with wind building around her closed fan.
"Level 1 Wind Style: Typhoon Slash!" She stopped on her foot and swung the fan. A giant wind slash projected out and slammed against Voss' gut. It threw him into the air, leading Holly to jump after him. She opened her fan to full length. "Level 3—"
Voss recovered almost immediately and raised his sword. "Ascended Archfiend Fang!"
Holly gasped and barely pulled back as a beam of dark light fired out from the sword. The heat grazed along her cheek, but she safely flew back on her fan while Voss landed on the ground.
He glared up at the airborne Lurantis. "And here I thought you would be the least dangerous of your trio. That was my mistake. Fallen Hell Blaze!" He slashed and fired off a wave of heat at her.
Holly swung her fan and parted the flames around her. She gasped as Voss jumped through the flames and grabbed her by the head. He dove straight down with her head pointed toward the earth. He pulled his arm back and shoved her down just as the hit dirt. The ground uplifted around them from the impact.
He glared through the dust for a moment, then growled at the green aura shimmering off Holly. She was completely unharmed from the impact. He glared to his left and spotted Edwin coolly standing by with a green orb in his hand. A thin green tendril projected out that was tethered to Holly.
Edwin smirked wryly. "Fastidium Connection."
Voss growled. "I knew giving you that power was a bad idea." He picked Holly up and tossed her aside before rushing Edwin. "I'll have to put you down first!"
Edwin tossed the orb up and spread his arms. "Damage Transfero!"
"Ascended Archfiend Fist!"
Voss connected his explosive punch into Edwin, but the force traveled down the reflective green aura surrounding him and transferred through his feet. The ground flashed green and ripped open with flame shoot out around him.
Edwin stepped back and torqued his body. "And Fastidium Force!" The spiraling barrier surrounded him and expanded outward. All it came in contact with was repelled away with irresistible force. It blasted Voss backwards, who only looked on with growing annoyance.
Dealing with one Grim Ash Clansman is enough, but this? They've gotten stronger since I've last saw them. No, not just stronger. Smarter. They're working together. Damn, no wonder the Grim Ash Clan was notorious back in the day.
Once he landed back on his feet, his eyes rapidly flickered at his environment, pinpointing each of his opponents as they rushed him. Voss pulled his sword out and wrapped it tightly in flame until it resembled a flaming machete. He gripped it in both hands and rushed Mack first.
Mack smirked. "You chose me? I'm honored! Timor Persona!" The persona popped from his shadow, laughing maniacally, and caught the flaming sword between its hands. "But I'm hardly flattered! Phobia Rem: Trypano!"
The petrified orbs on the persona's hands shaped into long, pointy needles. It cackled and swung its hands down like two rakes. Voss blocked with one arm and sliced through the other with his sword. The arm spun through the air before dissolving into mist, and the persona was hardly bothered.
"Exosus Cloak!"
Voss knocked the persona back and blocked a flying kick from Griffin, who was cloaked in spiteful magic. Griffin pulled his arm back and summoned the defense breaking kanabo, No Peace. He kicked off from Voss' arm and slammed the war club down, generating a seismic pressure that ripped the earth beneath them to shreds. Voss tried to grab Griffin with his one tail, but he used the club to spring himself backward.
"Absolute Zero!" Griffin traded the club for the short, glass-like sword. Once he landed, he slashed across the ground and sent a streak of ice forward. It reached Voss instantly and traveled across the armor like he was dealt a cold slash.
"This won't hold me!" Voss broke out of the ice and formed a fireball in his hand. Two giant hands grabbed his arm and held it back. He looked over his shoulder and faced the cackling Sudowoodo persona again.
"Don't ignore me!" Mack jumped up and once against extended Eclipse to fish down into Voss' armor.
Voss grabbed the thieving chain staff before it could slip through. "Though I've struck out on my own for my selfish purpose, my loyalty remains to the Shadow King, and he shall have these keys."
"Not on your life." Voss looked ahead as Griffin summoned the massive broadsword that could only be wielded by a giant. He took hold of the hilt, holding the sword without its blade touching the ground. He roared, putting all his strength through his arms, and swung the titanic sword at a wide arc. "Cekvar's Might!"
Mack and his persona retreated just as the giant sword crashed across Voss' side. Though shielded inside his armor, Voss' previous injuries opened up from the sheer weight slamming into him. He gritted his teeth against the pain before digging his feet down and pressing his hands against the blade. His own strength canceled out Griffin's and dragged the giant sword to a standstill.
Voss panted heavily. My injuries from Hugo are catching up. My healing factor overtaxed itself from that infuriating light. I'm not at one hundred percent right now. These kids could actually beat me if I don't shape up soon.
The giant sword vanished from his grip. Quickly, he turned as Griffin charged straight at him with the rapier, Justice Flyer. He thrusted the weapon and propelled himself forward at high speed. Voss quickly raised his arm and blocked the strike, only for the weapon to shift into a two-bladed sword, Echo Chamber. Griffin performed acrobatics around Voss, striking across the armor and building up energy between the prong-like weapon.
"Fallen Hellhound!" He ignited his tail and shot it toward the flying Grovyle.
Griffin rebounded off Voss' armor before the tail could lasso him. He landed and reared the sword back. "Release!" A visible energy trembled within the sword. Griffin swung and struck Voss, releasing all the vibrational energy at once and sending him flying.
Voss growled through clenched teeth as he dug his feet down and resisted the almighty force of the attack. He spotted movement coming in behind and received a flying kick from Holly. He tried to grab her, but she exploded into blue petals. More and more clones of Holly descended from all around him.
"Fallen Hell Blaze!" He released shadow fire skyward and engulfed the clones.
"Dolorem Rewrite!"
Blue petals surrounded the flames after striking the clones. More scattered around Voss before releasing his own attack back onto him. He clicked his fingers and dispelled the flames, but stumbled back as Holly kicked him from out of nowhere.
Mack charged at the stumbling titan and tackled him across the midsection with his persona. They lifted him off the ground and slammed him down atop his head. Black flames jettisoned out from Voss' body and pushed the pair off. Voss spun back onto his feet and punched Mack across the stomach.
Mack smirked and grabbed hold of the titan's arm. "Let's do the merry-go-round, Vossy!" Displaying his vast strength, Mack picked Voss up by just his arm and spun him around. "Round and round the cherry tree, we shall go~! Off to Hell for the both of us, HO-HO~!"
Voss dug his tail through the ground and caught himself. He wrestled control back from Mack and lifted him into the air. With a roar, he bashed Mack's face into the ground, following it up with a close range release of shadow fire straight down.
As the flames lifted, Voss snarled at the shimmering green light surrounding the cackling Sudowoodo. That shield spell. He looked up and spotted Edwin hanging back with the Fastidium Connection still active in his hand. Forgetting his prey, Voss dropped to all fours and charged at the Simisage with flames shooting from his nostrils.
Edwin's eyes widened. "Ah shit!" He clicked his fingers and separated himself behind a barrier that Voss slammed into. To the monkey's horror, cracks instantly spread across the surface. Voss followed up with an explosive punch and blew the barrier to pieces.
"Damage Trans—" Edwin couldn't get the words out before Voss grabbed him by the face and slammed him down hard on his back. Edwin's concentration wavered, causing the orb to vanish from his grasp.
"Burn." Shadow fire traveled down the Electivire's arm and engulfed Edwin.
Before the flames consumed him, Edwin formed a shadow blade from his hand. Thinking fast, he spread his Revulsion Anima around the shadowy weapon and constricted into a tight, green cocoon. He reared his arm and struck Voss across the face, delivering the full force of Revulsion through. The repulsive forces bounced him off Edwin, who used a full-body barrier to shove the flames off himself.
Voss caught the ground, roared, and injected flame through the ground. Geysers of shadow fire ripped open the crumbling rock and turned the surrounding land into a sea of darkness. Everyone quickly jumped off the ground from the initial wave and landed on barely intact slabs of earth floating along the dark sea.
Though Voss was snarling like an uncontrollable beast, an uncharacteristic grin formed over his lips. "Yes. YES! Give me more! I want to feel the sting of battle! Fight me until your knuckles bleed! Until your muscles are torn asunder! Until your very flesh is scorched from the bones!"
Griffin and his friends stepped back and defensively raised their weapons. "He's insane…" Griffin mumbled in disbelief. "Is this…the real Voss we're looking at?"
"Forget all that!" Griffin looked to Holly and Mack as their limiter markings started spreading over their bodies. Mack clutched his staff in both hands and snickering through his maniacal grin. "Let's just kill the bastard, right?"
Holly glared. "Ignoring his crude behavior, Mack is right. We need those keys back, and to finally put an end to this nightmare."
"…" Griffin sighed, then glared as his own limiter markings spread over his body. "Questions for later, then. Good enough for me."
Though a safe distance from the fighting, now retreated to the gravesite, Hugo and Fernando could feel the heat rising from the battle ahead. The saw a sea of black opening up from the earth with a dark haze rising up from the melting rock below.
Hugo glared. "Such diabolical power. Ever after everything I've dealt to him, he continues to persist against the odds. Truly inspiring, if not for his horrifying allegiance."
Fernando placed tags around Buster Ravenfield's grave while wiping the sweat off his brow. "They're going to kill each other if they keep up like this. A monster of his own design."
Hugo clutched his staff tightly. "To feel so useful at such a pivotal moment. If only I had more magic reserved in my weapon. I could see to this battle's end at once—"
"That might not be necessary."
Hugo blinked and looked down at the Monferno hitman. "What do you mean?"
Fernando coiled rosary beads around the grave's sword, then clasped his hands together. "They're the Grim Ash Clan. I know bits and pieces of their history. I was…curious after my first encounter with Holly and Mack, and looked into the notes of my ancestors' contracts. Turns out, some time ago, one of them was hired to assassinate a dangerous clansman."
Hugo glared. "A hitman? What despicable work…"
Fernando chuckled. "Regardless, the Grim Ash Clan is not to be taken lightly. I think, though it has affected them poorly since their village's massacre, they might be tapping into the clan's old ways. They're feeding the animas to their next evolution."
"Next…evolution?" Hugo turned back to the flaming sea ahead. "You don't mean…!"
Fernando narrowed his eyes as the rosary beads started to glow with holy light. "We may get to witness one of the Grim Ash Clan's forbidden techniques. And I think I know who's matured their anima to activate it…"
The Grim Ash Trio and Edwin clung to their floating terrain as the flames rose up around them. Griffin quickly pulled out his father's golden butcher-style blade, Land's Wrath. "Everyone, hold on tight!" He twisted the blade and caught the air in it, pulling it like rubber.
Voss rocketed through the flaming sea with darkness flaring from his eyes. "Ascended Archfiend Hunt!" Flames rose out from the sea in the shape of two giant snakes and came down on the team.
Griffin took his weapon in both hands and swung it down, cutting through the air. The rubberized air popped, and the ground trembled around them. Voss stopped moving as the ground ripped open beneath him. The earth caved in on itself with spires rising up. The flaming sea fell in with them along with an avalanche.
Edwin clapped his hands and projected barriers from his body, acting as platforms for the trio. He caught the rock wall with shadow-infused fingers. He formed a barrier over his head as rocks fell down over him.
Voss sank into the flaming sea, but his attack persisted in their chase as they rose up from the depths. The group scattered through the crater, dodging the flaming serpents that crashed and scorched through the rock walls. They jumped between the slabs suspended over the flaming sea and closed in on Voss' position.
A geyser shot up from the center with Voss riding the black flame. He came down on Holly's platform and backhanded her off. She safely glided onto another platform before firing a wind blast from her fan. The winds stoked the surface of the flaming sea and sent forth an inferno into Voss. He thrusted his hand through and dispelled the inferno.
Griffin hopped along the surfaces and lunged at him. Voss whipped his tail at the Grovyle, but he grabbed and swung off it. Griffin came down on Voss' head with a hard punch. Upon landing, he kicked off the ground and struck his knee into the chin. With the Electivire staggered, Griffin grabbed him by the armor, rolled back, and kicked Voss over the flames.
Mack and his persona launched into the air with curled fists. They hammered their punches down on Voss, careening him back down into the crackling abyss. Holly's left eye flash and summoned illusionary knives overhead. With a flick of her claw, she rained them down into the flames on Voss' position.
Edwin clung to his crumbling platform as he watched the trio fight with renewed ferocity. So, this is the power of their limiters in action. Incredible. No wonder they have to keep that power in check.
The still sea of flame started to rotate, transforming into a violent whirlpool that threw them around the whole of the crater. The group held onto their perches and covered themselves as embers jumped up and pelted them. The center burst open once more with Voss flying down with his flaming sword.
Griffin quickly pulled out Endless Regret and stopped Voss' strike. Unfortunately, due to sheer reflex, he held back the strike through his right arm instead of both. His stance immediately crumbed, and Voss pushed him down into the rock. He grabbed the back of his sword and pushed against Voss' strength.
Voss glared. "What was that pitiful reaction? You could've held back such a blow with ease."
Griffin snarled. "You…!"
"Hmm…" He glanced at the Grovyle's right arm and noticed its trembling unlike his left. "Seems you've maintained some unfortunate damage in that arm."
Griffin clenched his teeth. "This…is nothing!" He summoned No Peace again, clutching it in his foot, and swung it into Voss' side.
Voss growled as the vibrational force rattled his armor, but also broke open the ground. It gave Griffin the room to pull back and hop onto a solid slab. Voss fell back into the flames, but didn't sink this time. He rolled along them like they were solid ground.
"Heh." Voss rose and slashed his sword through the flames, wrapping it once more with darkness. "Suicune can skip across the water's surface. I can stand upon my own flames. Would that make me a god?"
Griffin sneered. "You're not normally this cocky, Voss. Exosus Release!" He slashed across the flames' surface and sent forth the wild red surge.
"Fallen Hell Blaze!" Voss met the attack with his own. Like two waves crashing into each other, a collision of red and black surged up into the air upon impact. "I've been waiting a long time to feel this thrill for battle, Griffin! I'm entitled to a little cockiness!"
"Pride cometh before the fall, Voss!" He ducked back and narrowly avoided a surprise kick from Holly. She flipped off his platform and landed on two smaller slabs just big enough for each foot. "I'd think you know that better than anyone else."
Voss smirked and pointed his sword at her. "Try me, Holly, and see if you can surpass me with the mind alone."
Holly's eyes flashed. "Already did."
Voss' sword started to disintegrate from his hand. Like an infection, it traveled down the width of the blade and up his arm. He glared and bit back a shout. He could feel the microscopic tears of his body as it turned to dust before his eyes, like particles scattering back into the aether from whence they came.
"Dolorem Demise."
Voss smirked as the disintegration reached down to his legs and up the body, leaving him only as a floating head. "You've gotten so much better with your magic, Holly. I'm impressed."
Mack surfed along the sides of the crater and cackled. "You look pretty calm for someone who's going to go into a coma!"
The disintegration traveled around his head, leaving only his face as it slowly disappeared. His smirk grew wider. "You kids have grown so much. I am blessed to have left you alive on that day. You've truly brought out that power and made it your own. Now…let me show you the true power of my ascension—"
From the illusionary world, Voss vanished without a trace. To everyone else, he fell onto his knees with his head slumped forward. His sword fell out of his hand and fell into the flames, which started to extinguish around them. The group braced themselves as they fell down to the bottom of the crater. Mack jumped and caught Holly so she could focus on maintaining the illusion.
Edwin skidded down the side of the crater and stared in disbelief at the frozen Electivire. "Great vile gods, you actually…did you kill him?"
Holly glared. "As far as he's concern, he stopped existing. Dolorem Demise, the power to manipulate the senses, specifically the sense of touch. He actually feels like he disintegrated."
Edwin shivered. "That's…freaky. So, does that mean you made him brain dead?"
Mack pulled out Eclipse and spun it. "Ah, who cares? Let's get the keys."
"No. Not yet." Griffin approached the unresponsive Electivire and aimed Endless Regret at his face. "Honor be damned. I'm slaughtering this bastard so he'll never hurt another soul again."
Holly glared and nodded. "Do it. Put an end to this, Griffin."
He clutched the hilt within both hands, took a deep breath, and rammed the sword through Voss' face. It struck through cleanly, piercing out from the other side. He twisted it a little to dig the blade's edge deeper.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…" Mack raised his hand. "Well, that was anticlimactic. Alright, let's strip him down and take his keys—"
"Wait." Mack stopped one foot in as Griffin scowled at the supposedly dead Electivire. "That felt too easy."
Holly raised her brow. "Griffin, you know what Tony confirmed before. Voss has a weak body. Of course it went through easily—"
"I don't think that's what he meant," Edwin suddenly spoke up, his voice dripping with terror. She and Mack saw him shakily raising his finger and pointing at the supposed corpse.
To their horror, black sludge dripped out from the wound Griffin inflicted. He quickly pulled his sword free and jumped back as the body violently convulsed in place. Bubbles of black goo expunged from the wound and cascaded over the body like a waterfall of ink.
Mack winced. "Okay, it takes a lot for me to admit something looks…gross."
The glow of Holly's eyes started to flicker. Her eyes widened in horror. "Oh no…"
Griffin clenched his teeth. "Should I ask?"
"Voss…he just…oh dear Arceus!"
"What? What is he doing?" he asked firmly.
"His willpower is…intense. He's forcing himself out of the illusion, from his own supposed erasure. He shouldn't even be thinking right now, yet he's persisting!" She staggered back. "That shouldn't be possible. I placed him in an illusion where he can't even recognize his own existance. It's like…it's like…"
Mack frowned. "It's like he and that shadow have transcended their physical limitations."
The body started to move. One arm rose up and slammed down, crushing the ground under its fingers. The other rose in the same manner. The body stirred awake, lifting itself onto all fours. Blood red eyes shined through the inky veil, peering at the stunned group.
The inky veil exploded into a harsh blaze of black and purple, coating every inch of Voss' body and transforming it into something unrecognizable. They tightened around his frame like raging currents and sharpened themselves like a whirlwind of threads weaving in and out of the flesh.
A monstrous being rose from the flames as they parted. A creature of black metal with a purple sheen reflecting off its surface. Clawed hands, flames shooting from the shoulders and traveling down the back, a newly regrown tail with both the tips alit with flame, and a metallic helmet resembling something akin to an oni.
"Ascended Archfiend Chimera!"
The group stumbled back from the immense pressure flying off of it. They looked on in disbelief. "That's Voss?!" Edwin gasped.
"I barely recognize his aura," Griffin mumbled.
With barely a moment to speak their terror, the demon lurched forward and instantly appeared before them. It roared and clotheslined all four of them through the crater wall. Its body glowed with a sinister aura, channeling a deathly energy before its metallic maw.
Edwin gasped and quickly formed a bubble around everyone as the monster fired a wide laser into them. The ground instantly vaporized around them as the beam threw them skyward. They bounced inside the bubble upon hitting the ground before it dispelled.
They quickly scrambled to their feet and jumped away as the monster landed on their position. They were blown back by the shockwave and submerged in a wave of dirt.
The monster rose up and rotated its shoulders. It breathed a content sigh, then laughed. "What a wonderful dance." The voice became clearer, more refined with a raspy, metallic tone. "I have ascended beyond comprehension and shed the last of my mortal coil for this breathtaking body. Soak in the delight of my new form and die by my presence."
Griffin and the others pulled themselves out of the ground and looked upon the demon reluctantly. It sounded like Voss, and vaguely looked like Voss, but there was something corrupted about the aura they were staring at. It wasn't anything like the man they've been fighting, almost like it was a new person entirely.
Holly nervously clutched her fan. "That thing…it's hideous."
Edwin clenched his fists. "Of all the people to push the limits of their dark hearts, why did it have to be this guy?"
Griffin raised his sword. "Stay on your guards. We may still have a chance against this thing." He glanced at Mack. "Mack, I need your help. Can you…?" His eyes widened. "Mack?"
The Sudowoodo didn't respond to him. His chain staff slipped from his hands as he fell to his knees and looked upon the monster with a trembling gaze.
"That…That thing…" Mack mumbled.
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
"Mom!"
"Mack, run!"
"Get away from my son! Mack, get out of—"
"DAAAAAAD!"
Tears streamed down Mack's face. A hard shiver shot up his body before collapsing him forward onto his hands. "He…looks like just my nightmares…"
Griffin frowned upon seeing the spike in Mack's aura. He turned back to the menacing, armored creature and felt an involuntary chill up his spine. He could sense Holly was also trembling at the creature. They all knew what was going through each other's heads.
Griffin took a deep breath, steadied the shaking in his right arm, and took hold of Endless Regret. "Holly, Edwin. We can't back down. Fight through the fear so we can finally murder this thing!"
Holly and Edwin shared a reluctant look with each other before taking up their respective weapons. They shared an affirmative nod with Griffin.
Griffin looked back at the trembling Sudowoodo and said, "Mack, you just…stay here, alright?"
Mack didn't acknowledge him, but heard him running toward the monstrous Voss. The tears piled up under him, enough to where he could see his pitiful reflection.
That…thing was the reason I turned out like this. That monster, the thing that drove me mad all these years. That abomination that haunts my nightmares.
A crazy grin stretched over Mack's lip, but it wasn't like his usual grins. There was something broken about it as the tears streamed down his face.
The fear of my fears.
"We're not staying here."
The young Bonsly turned around in his cot and looked to the twelve-year-old Treecko and Fomantis sitting by the door. The other orphans in their shared room were sound asleep, oblivious to the two's scheming. Mack didn't make his presence known and pulled his blanket up enough to hide his eyes.
Holly narrowed her eyes. "Griffin, we…we can't. What you're suggesting would be a lot to shoulder. I can already feel my…emotions getting all weird and stuff. You know what our teachers said about this stage of our lives."
"I don't care." Griffin clenched his teeth. "That freak of nature needs to pay. Pay for everything he did to us. To our village. To our families."
"I'm upset, too, but you know what will happen if we go out there looking for revenge. It could have serious repercussions on us. We have a good life here."
"No one will want us, Holly. We're orphans from the infamous Grim Ash Clan. You know how people look at us. They'd think we're devils. I rather do something worthy of my time than waste away in my own misery."
"But this is crazy. Voss could be anywhere out there, and you think we can stand up to him. We're lucky to be alive after all that. Plus…" Mack closed his eyes just as Holly turned her gaze toward his cot. "Think about what Mack's going through. He probably has it worse. His Fear Anima probably magnified whatever he saw in the village. You know what happened. He saw his own parents get butchered right in front of him."
"…" Griffin sighed. "Then you two stay here."
"Griffin—"
"I'm not letting him run free after everything we've done for him. We gave him our community, our kindness, and our trust. Look what he gave us in return." He turned to her with red flickering in his eyes. "I won't rest until I rip him to shreds and paint the region in his blood!"
Holly winced and turned to the other orphans. Mack gingerly opened one eye and saw movement among the others, but they fortunately went back to bed. Holly sighed and looked at Griffin sadly. "What happened to you, Griffin? You used to be so much kinder than this."
He hugged his legs and frowned at the ground. "Blame my anima."
"You're feeding it. You're letting it consume you."
"So are you."
"…" Holly pulled up her legs and hugged them, too. "I don't know what else to do. I just don't feel comfortable going along with this. I especially don't want to drag Mack into it. He's been through so much like us. I don't want anything to happen to him if we can help it. You saw the way he stared at our village while it was burning. He's never going to be the same after this. It's like he's living in his own Hell, and he can't escape it."
"…Then stay here with him. Keep him safe."
"I can't let you go out alone. You're so reckless."
"I'm not staying in an orphanage my whole life. I'm going to hunt down Voss to the ends of the world, even if it kills me. I won't let anything get in my way. Ever."
"Griffin…"
Mack turned over and faced the wall. He closed his eyes and tried to drift back to sleep. He could feel the remnants of a nightmare resurfacing, once again to haunt his dreams. He quivered as the stray though of a crackling fire, and the horrible visage of a monstrous oni loomed over him, holding the shapes of his slaughtered parents.
Mack gritted his teeth. "Griffin…Holly…I don't want to be a burden to you two."
His quivering grimace twitched itself up into something of a wry grin, even as tears escaped his clenched eyes.
"Because when I'm with you two, the nightmares become easier to see."
Meanwhile, somewhere very far away…
Atop a mountain in the Aqua Zone, a shadow portal opened up. Exiting the portal was the boss shadow, Nightmare, as he glared into the vast distance ahead. Something alerted him moments ago, forcing him to prematurely leave in the middle of some lecture the egotistical Puck was sharing. Seemed like too much of a good excuse, but it was also too good to believe.
He traveled as far as he allowed himself to get a sense of his bearings again. He closed his eyes and focused ahead before detecting the sacred marking of the Shadow King like a beacon in the fog.
"That…That has to be Voss. It's been so long since I've felt his presence." He opened his eyes and glared. "But something seems…different about it. What is this wondrous terror I feel as I stare into dark ocean ahead?"