CHAPTER 21

Envy's grunts didn't know what hit them.

Mezzo and Forte hit the cutters with a sonic barrage as Crescita spat pulses of indigo light at any of their foes who managed to stay on their feet. Once Alex and Hierro had managed to catch their breath, they jumped back into the fray. Echo played a loud chord on her guitar and barked an order to Forte. The Exploud bellowed and slammed his right fist into his left palm. Electricity crackled as Forte's fist was surrounded by a brilliant corona of light.

Hierro darted forward, striking his talons together. Sparks of flame appeared around his claws, and he lashed out with his blazing fists. Forte grinned as Hierro fell in next to him, their fists incandescent with elemental power. The shadows on the church walls danced and writhed as the Hawlucha and Exploud lashed out again and again, driving their foes back. A Pangoro lunged at Hierro, only to receive a tandem attack from both Hierro and Forte, sending it flying into a Drapion and Arbok.

Alex sprinted by and dropped one of Envy's thieves with a flying kick to the solar plexus. "When did you learn that?" he asked Hierro. "Did Masakado teach you?" When Hierro nodded, Alex grinned. "That's so cool!" Hierro puffed his feathers up and struck his talons again, making the fires around his claws flare up.

Alecto screamed past them, her spectral purple claws glowing with unholy light. The percussive booms of Forte and Mezzo's attacks served as a backdrop to Echo's guitar, and soon her voice rose to join her pokemon.

"In the night we can't rest

In the dark we are blessed

And in moonlight we fight all the harder!

We are the brave at heart

In blood and fire we part

And forever we pray for we are…

Blessed and possessed!"

She segued into a chanting refrain, and Crescita dropped out of the night sky with an echoing blast that scattered their foes like leaves in a gale. The woman with the Arbok struggled to her feet and shouted to her comrades. "Pull back! Retreat!"

Alex and Echo let them run, and Alex sank into a crouch to catch his breath. Hierro made the flames around his claws dissipate with a few flicks of his wrists and leaned against his partner. Alex could hear the flying type's heartbeat thumping in his chest. He glanced over his shoulder at Echo. "Thanks for the save. I owe you one."

"I think y-you owe me an exp-planation of what the hell's g-going on here," she replied.

Alex nodded and got to his feet. He climbed the stairs to the church and helped the Shadow up before pushing open the door with his shoulder. "Follow me, I'll explain everything in here."

As they walked up the aisle of the church between the wooden rows of pews, a middle-aged man burst out of the sacristy in his nightclothes. "I heard a commotion outside! What's going on?"

Alex tried to prop the Shadow up as she started to slump forward. "Please, she's been poisoned. She said she would be safe here, but I think we just led the Sins right to your front door."

"The Sins?" the man whispered, before recovering his composure. "Well, yes, the church offers sanctuary for all who need it, and your friend is no dif—"

"Shepherd Matt," the Shadow groaned. "I really messed up this time."

The man, the Shepherd, evidently, squinted against the gloom and peered down at the Shadow's face. "By Arceus. Oh, you dear, foolish child." He turned to Alex. "Come, bring her here. I'll do what I can to have her patched up."

Alex followed the Shepherd into the sacristy, and the priest went into another room and returned with a small cot. Alex helped the Shadow lie down as the Shepherd fetched a first aid kit. "What was it that got her this time?"

"A Roserade, sir. Your holiness? Pastor?"

"Shepherd Matthew will do," the priest said as he prepared a syringe. He looked at the Shadow's arm, where the skin had gone a mottled yellow and purple. He tutted and swabbed her arm with a bit of numbing alcohol before administering the shot. "This should combat the venom in her system, though she will need plenty of rest to fully recover."

"Thank you," Alex said. "I'm sorry to have brought all this down on you."

Shepherd Matthew sighed. "Arceus teaches us to look after everyone we can, regardless of whether they are saint or sinner. And your friend here, well…" The Shepherd reached down and touched her forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat that had gathered there. "When she was a child, she was raised at the orphanage attached to my parish. Even though she is old enough now to make her own mistakes, I still feel responsible for her. Are you a religious man, mister… ah, I don't think I caught your name."

"Hawlucha Man." At the Shepherd's raised eyebrow, Alex shrugged.

"Well, if you insist. Are you a religious man?"

"Not an Arcean, if that's what you mean. I guess you'd consider me a Unovan pagan, since I light candles for the Twin Dragons on the solstices, but I'm hardly observant. And well, I'm a scientist. I have to see the world as it is, without getting caught up in the metaphysical."

"I'll put in a good word for you with the Lord all the same."

"Thanks. I think." Alex excused himself from the sacristy and went to join Echo in the main hall. The other hero stood in front of the altar, looking at a large stained glass window. "Sorry for that. You deserve some answers."

Echo kept looking up at the stained glass window above the altar. It depicted two men. One was tall with long golden hair and a sword, the other small and wearing dark robes, holding aloft the four-pronged ring of Arceus; a smaller, stylized version of the large metal ring that hung behind the altar, flanked by a glittering diamond, a sparkling pearl, and a large piece of amber in the lower three quadrants. Above the two men, a jagged avian shape seemed to descend from the heavens, light streaming from its feathers. "It had to be St. W-Wulfric's, huh?" Echo muttered. "Just my l-luck."

"Huh?"

"N-Nothing. So wh-what's g-going on here?'

Alex nodded towards the sacristy. "The girl in there is called the Shadow. She's a thief who's crossed paths with me a few times before. She was contracted by Envy to steal a diamond that's supposed to boost the psychic powers of the Sins' new boss, but she decided she didn't want the Sins to have that kind of leverage, so she broke the deal and went on the run. She's been hunted for days, and she needed me to get her here, where she figured she could lay low."

"But th-that didn't work."

"Nope. I don't know what's going to happen next, but it's probably going to get messy. They'll be back, and they'll bring reinforcements. I can't ask you to stay, but I'm going to do what I can to protect the Shadow. She may be a criminal, but this time, her heart's in the right place."

Echo folded her arms and scowled. "You d-dumbass. You really th-think I'm g-going to run away? This is m-my borough, and I'm g-going to protect it. If Envy w-wants a fight, he's g-got one."

"Thanks, but it's not just Envy and his people. He's tapped some of Wrath's bombers for backup."

"Wrath's guys?" To Alex's surprise, Echo's face broke into a grin. "Then w-we're in luck." She pulled out her cell phone. "Give me a minute."

Shepherd Matthew emerged from the sacristy and saw Alex staring up at the stained glass window and the three gems behind the altar. The shepherd pointed towards the man in dark robes. "That's Saint Wulfric pacifying Zapdos with the power of the Lord."

"Who's the other man?"

The pastor pointed to a wooden statue to the left of the altar. It depicted a bearded man sitting astride a Gogoat. A Chatot sat in the open palm of his left hand, and his right was raised in the air, as though delivering a sermon. "Saint Wulfric was abducted and enslaved by northern raiders near what is now modern Coumarine City in Kalos. Over time, he won the trust of his captors, and aided the king of the northmen in quelling a Zapdos who had terrorized their lands, a Zapdos the natives had come to worship as a god. When the beast was subdued, Wulfric undertook his mission to bring the light of Arceus to the lands north of Kalos, and the church canonized him for his efforts."

"We t-tell the st-story a little d-differently where I'm from," Echo said as she joined them by the altar.

Matthew's eyes narrowed. He was too kindly to scowl, but Alex could tell that he was not a man used to being contradicted. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. The w-way I heard it, Saint W-Wulfric was nowhere n-near the Zapdos. King Halvard the G-Golden tamed Zapdos all b-by himself. Wulfric was f-far away, l-leading Halvard's army to r-retake his throne."

"A rousing story, I'm sure, but the historical records are all in agreement that Saint Wulfric was a staunch pacifist who abhorred violence. It's very unlikely he would have led an army."

Echo shrugged. "That's just how the st-story goes it in northern K-Kalos."

A boom from outside cut off Matthew's reply. Alex glanced over at Echo. "They're back."

Echo nodded and swung her guitar around. "M-Mezzo! Forte! W-We've got an encore!"

Alex turned to Shepherd Matthew. "Stay here, and try to stay safe." He whistled to Hierro, and together they raced out the church doors. Crescita was already in the air, shrieking at the new adversaries. Fire and poison types snarled and hissed in the shadows, and the cold glint of metal shone in their trainers' hands. But one man stood under a flickering street light, a Luxray crouching at his heels.

Yousef al Najem, known to most as Envy, smiled a languid smile as Alex and Hierro bounded down the stairs of the church. "So, you're Hawlucha Man. I thought you'd be taller."

"I'm tall enough to kick your ass," Alex growled as he kicked one of Envy's thugs in the chest, sending him sprawling into the next grunt in line. But Alex never made it to al Najem; he was tackled by an Arcanine and pinned beneath the fire type's paws. Hierro was locked in combat with two Bisharp, and a Drapion loomed up behind him. Alex tried to squirm out from under the Arcanine's bulk, but the canine was heavy, and fire pooled around its jaws. Alex tried to activate the stun function on his batons, but before he could shift his fingers, a Dusknoir burst from the shadows and delivered a sharp uppercut to the Arcanine's snout. The fire type reared back in surprise, giving Alex the opening he needed. He kicked the Arcanine in its chest, sending it whimpering to the ground. Alex pivoted on his heel and leapt at the Drapion, jabbing his batons up and into the poison type's mouth and letting loose with the strongest stun setting. Hierro used the opening to whirl around with a spinning kick, knocking the two Bisharp flat.

"Not bad," al Najem hissed. "But not good enough!" His Luxray's mane crackled with electricity, and before Alex could think to get to cover, the electric type roared, discharging the voltage.

The Dusknoir whirled and stopped the electric attack with a rippling black barrier. A masked man in a tuxedo put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Looks like I'm making a habit out of saving your impulsive ass, Hawlucha Man." The Luxray's attack dissipated, and the Dusknoir lowered its hands. The Phantom flipped his cape back and glared at al Najem. "Are you done, Envy? Because any child can tell you that after lightning…"

"Comes the THUNDER!" Echo roared. She struck a loud, sustained note that her pokemon amplified into a sonic assault as powerful as Alex had seen. Envy and his Luxray were lifted off their feet and slammed into the wall at the far side of the plaza. The Phantom snapped his fingers, and ghost types started to bubble up from the pavement, shrieking and howling as they rose into the air, only to rapidly descend on Envy's reinforcements in a flurry of burning claws and flashing fangs.

The Phantom twirled his cane around and drew a thin dueling blade from the handle. "Echo explained everything to me. My ghosts and I will keep Wrath's bombers occupied. You and Echo make Envy regret he ever set foot in my town." He twirled his sword in a fencer's salute and charged into the thickest crowd of anarchists, screaming a war cry. His Dusknoir swept after him, emitting an exultant hum from the antenna on its head.

Hierro struck his claws together, and fire blossomed around his fists again. Alex settled into a fighting stance and stood back to back with his partner. "I'm never going to get over how cool that is, by the way." Hierro smirked, and then the enemy was upon them. They ducked and twirled, lashing out with kicks and punches, felling trainer and pokemon alike.

Atop the church stairs, Forte and Mezzo had dropped to a low crouch, their arms rigid to brace themselves against the fury of Echo's playing. She whipped her head back, her platinum blonde hair framing her face like a halo, before starting in on a new chord progression.

"Across the waves his voice is heard

He rules the seas

I sing the tales of yesteryear

HAIL THE KING!"

The Phantom's blade flashed in the streetlights, each flicker punctuated by a fresh spray of blood. A Typhlosion reared up, the flames on its back blazing white hot. As it sucked in a breath, the Phantom whipped out his free hand. "Gregor!" His Dusknoir appeared in front of him, and just as the Typhlosion released a torrent of fire, the Dusknoir raised his right hand and conjured another shadowy barrier that drank in the flames. Gregor's left hand drew back, and a glowing orange and yellow orb appeared in the open palm. Once the Typhlosion had exhausted itself, Gregor thrust his hand forward, hurling the orb at the fire type and sending it into a screeching cloud of ghost types.

"And when we hear the dragon's roar

The Golden King is here!

With flashing eyes

And thunder's roll

RAISE YOUR SWORDS!"

Several of the Sins' enforcers were lifted from their feet by the sonic force of Echo's pokemon. Despite the powerful blasts, Alex found that he was not hampered by the sound-based attacks like he had been in previous team-ups with Echo. So long as he remained close to the Phantom's Dusknoir, there seemed to be an insulating effect produced by the ghost type's constant atonal humming. Alex wasn't sure how it worked, but it explained why Echo and the Phantom had been such effective collaborators for so long.

Al Najem lunged at Alex, a knife glinting in his hand. Alex retreated a pace before bringing up his baton and blocked the thief's next strike. He jumped up and delivered a kick to the center of al Najem's chest, making the man stagger. "You should be honored," Envy hissed as he came in for another attack. "It's not often I get my hands dirty like this."

Alex scoffed. "I can see why you don't. Your technique sucks." He switched his grip on his baton to clutch it halfway up its length, in the center of his fist. He struck out with an uppercut just beneath Envy's ribcage, throwing enough power behind the blow to lift Envy a few inches into the air. As the thief leaned into the punch, Alex head-butted al Najem in the center of his forehead. It was a risky move, and left Alex a little stunned, but the look of shock on al Najem's face was worth it. "You should just call the retreat now," Alex growled. "Your boss won't be happy you lost the diamond, but she'll be even more pissed if you lost the diamond and got your ass kicked."

Envy's Luxray pounced, lightning crackling along its incisors, but Hierro vaulted over Alex's shoulders and slammed one blazing fist into the middle of the electric type's face before somersaulting onto its back and laying it low with a dropkick. The Luxray struggled to its feet, but before it could retaliate, Hierro screamed and kicked it down again. Alex rushed at al Najem, swept the man's legs out from under him, and clubbed the Sin with one of his batons. The man sank to the pavement, but Alex hauled him back up by his shirt collar. "Listen up, asshole. Forget the diamond. Forget the Shadow. Cut your losses and slink off with your tail between your legs." He shoved Envy against one of the streetlamps. "Look around. There's no way you're going to win this."

The Phantom's ghost army had al Najem's goons on the defensive, and any that managed to fight clear were immediately caught up in Echo's sonic onslaught. Envy himself was bruised and bleeding, but he still managed to crack a mocking smile. "You really think so, Hawlucha Man?" He popped the clasp on his belt, and yanked a drawstring. There was a clatter as the pins were pulled from the grenades al Najem had worn along his waist, and his belt dropped to the ground. Alex released the thief and staggered backwards.

"Hierro, run! Grenade!"

The Phantom whistled, and his ghosts scattered into the night. His Dusknoir seized him and they disappeared into the shadows. A fraction of a second later, Alex felt a heavy hand grab his arm and yank him backwards. He had the strangest sense of being pulled through a narrow tube, and a hot, sulfurous wind blowing on his face. Then he was blinking in the light of St. Wulfric's, beside the Phantom and Hierro. Crescita had vanished in a flash of red light as Echo hurried Mezzo and Forte inside, and the Exploud threw his bulk against the heavy wooden door.

In the square, there was a bright flash that Alex saw through the stained glass windows. The Phantom let out a breath. "Just a flashbang, thank Arceus."

Alex smoothed down Hierro's feathers and turned to the Phantom. "Thanks for the save. Again."

"Don't thank me. That was all Gregor."

Alex inclined his head to the Dusknoir. "I'm in your debt. Thank you." The Dusknoir's hum changed slightly in cadence and tone, but it remained otherwise impassive.

"Light on your feet, aren't you?" Envy's voice rang out, loud enough that Alex assumed that he was using some kind of megaphone. "Now, I've got no wish to storm a church. I'm a reasonable man, and I'll offer you a deal. If you give me what's mine, I'm willing to forget this unpleasantness and we can all go about our nights.

"But if you don't, well. It seems some of the hired help I've brought on for this job have called their boss. Mr. Aukai doesn't share my scrupulous nature or moral code. He will have no qualms digging your corpses from the rubble and taking the diamond from your cold dead fingers. He'll be here in just a few minutes. You have until then to decide." The megaphone crackled as al Najem turned it off and then turned it on again. "And before you try anything of the sort, know that I've stationed my men at all possible exits. You may have bloodied our noses, but we can hold you long enough to take that diamond."

"They're going to bomb my church?" Shepherd Matthew gasped.

"Not if we have anything to say about it," Alex replied. "Phantom, you can teleport. Take the diamond and get far away from here."

"Hell no. If Wrath's coming here, then I'm staying."

"D-Don't be so st-stubborn, F-Fancypants," Echo said. "We c-can't l-let Dominion get this d-diamond."

The Phantom scowled. "I've been hunting Wrath for five years. Every time, he's managed to slip through my fingers and run away. But if we keep the diamond here, he'll be forced to stand his ground and fight. I can beat him, you know I can!"

"This is m-more important than your st-stupid vendetta!"

"What could be more important than taking out the biggest threat to Clarus City?"

"Letting Dominion become an even bigger threat!" Alex snapped. "And there's more than just the diamond at stake! Wrath has no problem with civilian casualties, and there are too many innocents around here for a fight to escalate. If we can show them that the diamond isn't here, then they'll have to leave to look for it."

"Enough!" The three heroes whirled to see the Shadow standing against the altar, her face pale, but her back straight. "No one's running, but they aren't going to get the diamond."

Shepherd Matthew stepped between the heroes and the thief. "My church is at risk here. If you just give them the gem, that man promised they would go away. That might be the easiest path."

"Don't t-trust criminals to k-keep their word," Echo said.

"We should stand and fight," the Phantom said. "And if things look difficult, Hawlucha Man and I can keep Wrath pinned while Gregor retreats to take the diamond. He'll fall back to a secure location, and then when Wrath is in custody, I'll drop the damn thing into the middle of the ocean."

"Now wait a second!" the Shadow snapped. "That's not—"

"Time's up!" Envy's voice boomed from outside.

"Little Tepig, little Tepig," another voice drawled, made hoarse by what sounded like years of heavy smoking. "Let me come in!"

"Oh, g-go fuck yourself!" Echo shouted back. At Shepherd Matthew's stern look, the heroine threw up her hands and mouthed "Really?"

Aukai tsked. "Then I guess I'll just have to huff, and puff, and blow your house down!"

Alex heard the ticking noise at the same time Echo did. "Get down!" she screamed. Alex tackled Shepherd Matthew to the floor of the church and dragged him behind a pew. "Forte!" Echo shouted again, and Alex heard the air whistling through the Exploud's pipes.

Gregor wrapped the Phantom in an embrace and sank into a shadow. "No!" the Phantom screamed as he strained against his pokemon. "No! I need to stay and fight! I need—"

His words were lost as he was pulled into the inky darkness, and Forte bellowed. Alex clapped his hands over his ears and pressed himself to the ground.

And then the world exploded into light, and then fire, and finally dust.

When Alex realized he was still alive and conscious, he reached up and flicked on the thermal vision Jiro had installed on his visor to see through the whirling dust. Beside him, Hierro's back rose and fell in a regular tempo, and after running a hand through his partner's feathers, Alex could see no obvious wounds. He then checked Shepherd Matthew, and the man groaned under his touch. Alex's hand came away sticky with blood, and he switched back to his normal vision. The Shepherd had a cut on his head, but seemed otherwise unharmed.

As the dust settled, Alex saw Forte standing alone in the center aisle of the church, holding a large piece of debris up to prevent it from crushing a shell-shocked Echo. Somehow, the Exploud had managed to use a sonic pulse to turn the force of Wrath's bomb back on itself and spare the church from complete destruction. The entire front wall was blown open, but everything behind Forte had been spared the worst of the explosion. Alex could see blood running down the pokemon's arms, and Forte trembled as he struggled to stand. With a final grunt of effort, he shoved the rubble to the ground and sank to his knees, crouching protectively over his trainer.

The Shadow was slumped against the back wall of the church, directly beneath the window depicting the northern king and St. Wulfric subduing the Zapdos. It somehow (Alex refused to call it a miracle) had not been shattered.

Outside, Wrath barked a command, and his men began to advance from the far side of the scarred plaza. Next to Alex, a chunk of rubble moaned and stretched out a hand. Alex hurried to Mezzo's side and helped the Loudred to his feet.

He needed a plan, and fast. He couldn't take on all of the anarchists alone, even if he wasn't exhausted from his pursuit across two boroughs and the earlier fight. And then he saw a rope dangling from the church steeple.

"Mezzo, listen to me." The Loudred groaned, but managed to stay on his feet. "I need you to amplify something for me. You'll know it when you hear it. Can you do that? One more sonic boom?" The Loudred grimaced, but nodded. Alex gave him a pat on the arm. "'Atta boy. Hierro, what about you?" The Hawlucha rose to his feet, dusted himself off and gave Alex a thumbs up. "This will all be over soon, buddy. But I need you to make one last charge. Do you trust me?" Hierro rolled his eyes, but he settled into a crouch, ready to spring forward at Alex's signal. "Thank you," Alex said. "All right. On my mark… now!"

He and Hierro sprinted forward, screaming at the top of their voices. Alex heard Mezzo draw in a breath, but spared a glance over his shoulder. "Not yet! Hang on!"

The first of the anarchists cleared the door, and Hierro fell on them in a frenzy, spinning in a maelstrom of swift kicks and fiery punches. Alex lashed out with his batons, but he didn't allow himself to become embroiled in the fight. A Scyther swooped down at him, only to receive a face full of flames for its trouble. Hierro pivoted and back-flipped into a Machoke before springing forward and clobbering one of Wrath's grunts into submission. Alex ran forward and sprang onto the back of an overturned pew, using it as a jumping-off point to clear the heads of his foes and grab hold of the bell rope.

"Mezzo, now!"

The church bell began to toll, and Mezzo amplified the clanging into a sonic shockwave that he aimed straight into the cluster of anarchists. Hierro shot into the air, above the range of the attack, and looped back over Mezzo's head. The anarchists were stopped cold by the shockwave, and Alex slid down the rope, ignoring the burning sensation on his palms. "Keep it up!" he shouted as he yanked the rope a second time.

Mezzo inhaled deeply and braced himself, gripping the pew beside him hard enough that Alex could see the veins bulging in the Loudred's arm. Alex shouted a wordless battle cry and set the bell clanging again. This time, the sonic power lifted Alex and the anarchists off their feet. Alex clung to the rope and felt his eardrum pop, and he tried to ignore the trickle of blood running down the side of his face. The anarchists and their pokemon were hurled down the stone steps.

An Incineroar bounded up into the ruined church, only for Hierro to dive down and slam a clawed foot into the dark type's face. The feline yowled as Hierro bounced off the ground, following up his initial strike with a flurry of sharp punches to the Incineroar's abdomen. Alex lunged and tackled the beast, knocking it off balance long enough for Hierro to shoot up into the air and spread his wings against the church's vaulted ceiling. He stiffened his muscles and descended with a wild paean cry, slamming into the Incineroar and sending it flying back out of the church.

The shadows by the ruined fountain in the center of the plaza shifted, and Gregor sprang forth, catching the Incineroar in midair. The Dusknoir wasted no time in contorting its spectral form and supplexing the dark type into the pavement. The Phantom burst from his partner's back. "Wrath! You're not getting away this time!" At the sound of his voice, his ghosts reappeared and joined the fight, pressing the anarchists back. Alex and Hierro raced out into the night again as the Phantom drew his dueling blade and engaged Aukai.

Alex jumped over a snarling Banette and spread his wings, soaring out over the plaza and dropping down on Aukai with a kick to the shoulder. The mad bomber staggered back with a snarl. The Phantom whirled on Alex, but before he could say anything, Alex slashed his hand through the air. "You said before that you wanted my help on this. We're stronger together." The Phantom gave a brusque nod, and together they set on Wrath.

The anarchist was faster and stronger than Envy, but all of his moves were telegraphed. He wielded his jagged knife with all the finesse of a drunkard, and Alex and Hierro had no trouble dancing back from the telegraphed strikes. Each time, Alex expected a feint, but none came. The Phantom drove his blade into Wrath's thigh, and Aukai cried out in pain. He lashed out at the Phantom with thishe knife, even as his left hand reached into his leather jacket.

"He's going for his gun!" the Phantom shouted.

"Not a chance!" Alex thrust one baton into Wrath's chest, and Hierro sprang over his partner's back to deliver a punch to the anarchist's face. When Alex heard Aukai's nose crunch, he swept up with his right hand and slammed his second baton against Aukai's left forearm, making the bomber drop his gun. Alex kicked it away and forced Wrath to his knees.

Around him, the anarchists closed in, only to be stopped in their tracks by a piercing note from a red electric guitar. There was no sonic blast, only a sound that held all of the combatants rapt. Echo stood atop the church stairs once again, silhouetted by the light behind her.

"I, high king

Sovereign and servant

Holder of divine power

Bestowed on a windswept shore!"

A light flashed behind the stylized Zapdos, and in the glare Echo's hair seemed to shine brighter.

"Thou shalt know me by my fruits

The abundance in which we grew

The signs and wonders at our feet

Which the grace of the gods revealed!

My kingdom prospered and grew!"

Wrath's anarchists saw that Echo's music no longer posed a threat to them, and they advanced warily, their knives glittering. Echo played on undaunted, her face a stony visage, as though carved in marble. As soon as the first of the anarchists mounted the church steps, a sonic pulse slammed down on them from above. Crescita swooped out of the sky, her black and indigo wings flaring as she stabilized herself and unleashed another pulse. Echo's face twisted into a savage grin, and she struck a long, lingering note that built into a crescendo.

"I am the fool of Rovengald!

I am the tamer of the dragon Uthald!

I am the servant of the northern people!

The thunder… answers to ME!"

By now, Mezzo and Forte had limped to her side, and with a whistle of wind, they inhaled.

"THE BLOOD OF KINGS IS IN! MY! VEINS!"

Any anarchists left standing were forced to their knees, as though made to bow before the sonic hero. Alex saw them writhe as the force of her song made the blood vessels in their eyes burst and their eardrums rupture. Their pokemon were similarly affected, reduced to trembling at their masters' heels in the face of Echo's superior power. Were it not for Gregor's interference, Alex was sure that he and the Phantom would be likewise incapacitated.

"Well, that was impressive." Alex's head whipped up at the sound of Envy's voice coming from inside the church. Echo whirled, ready to strike another chord. The thief tutted as he stepped out into the center aisle, dragging Shepherd Matthew's prone form with him. He laid his knife against the man's throat. "Hand over the diamond, and the good Shepherd lives. Refuse, and he dies."

Alex gritted his teeth. Keeping the diamond out of the Sins' hands was important, but he couldn't gamble an innocent life over a piece of rock. But then, the choice was hardly his to make, because the diamond was still with...

"Wait," the Shadow said from behind the altar. She heaved herself to her feet and lurched down towards Envy, spreading her hands to show she had no weapons. "Don't hurt him. He's suffered enough."

Al Najem's eyes narrowed to slits. "Whether or not I hurt him is entirely up to you, my dear."

The Shadow drew the diamond from a pouch on her belt. "You want this so bad? Fine." She held it out to al Najem, and just before he took it from her, the Shadow snatched it back. "On one condition. You keep to the terms of your previous offer. I give you this, and you all leave. The fighting stops, and you go report to your boss like the pathetic little Lilipup you are."

Al Najem scowled at the insult, but his eyes were locked on the diamond in her hand. "Fine. Give me the stone."

The Shadow tossed it to him, and he caught it out of the air, shoving Shepherd Matthew away from him as he did. Al Najem strode out of the church and snapped his fingers at Wrath's men. "All right, up and at 'em. We've drawn enough attention for one night." He yanked the Phantom's sword from Wrath's leg and tossed it at the masked hero's feet. Wrath howled in pain, but al Najem hauled him to his feet and supported his weight. As the anarchists limped off into the shadows, Wrath forced out a laugh.

"You gave your word, huh? But I sure as hell didn't. Light 'em up!"

Several of his men pressed the buttons on detonators, and Alex threw himself to the ground as several buildings around the plaza exploded. The screams of people hiding in their tenements filled the air, and fires burst along the shingled roofs. Alex could only watch in mute horror as the aging buildings sagged and collapsed.

The Phantom swept past him. "Come on! If we hurry we can—"

Alex grabbed the Phantom's arm. "No. We're needed here."

"They're getting away!"

"Let them. We'll have other chances. There are people here who need our help."

The Phantom jerked his arm out Alex's grasp. "Don't be a fool! The first responders will be here any minute!"

Echo shook her head as she walked over to them. "We are the f-first responders."

"But the villains—"

Alex grabbed the Phantom's lapel. "Are you a hero or not?" he snapped. "These people need us. They need you." He shoved the Phantom away. "So make your choice. Are you a hero, or are you just a vigilante with an axe to grind?"

Behind his mask, the Phantom glared at Alex, but Gregor laid a hand on his trainer's shoulder. At the ghost type's touch, the Phantom went stiff, and then abruptly sighed. "You're right. Some things are more important." He clapped his hands together and whistled to his ghostly legion. "All right! Search every building! Save whoever you can! If you find someone you can't help, fetch one of us. Go!" The swarm of Ghastly, Haunter, Banette, and Mismagius dove into the wreckage. The Phantom then snapped his fingers at a pair of Lampent and a Chandelure. "You three, start controlling the fires. If you find anyone still alive, don't get too close, and let me know immediately." Finally, he turned to Gregor. "Do what you must." The psychopomp nodded solemnly and bled into the shadows.

Alex and Hierro worked with Mezzo to shift as much rubble as they could and pull any survivors from the wreckage until the rescue crews arrived. Alex was weak and shaking with fatigue, and his hands were raw and sore. He did his best to wipe the dust from his face and wondered if he could hit up the Phantom for cab fare to get home.

As the EMTs and fire fighters spread out across the plaza, Captain Ito debriefed with the Phantom and Echo. Alex trudged over to the cracked and broken church steps where the Shadow sat beside a rather stunned Shepherd Matthew. "Are you both all right?"

The Shepherd shook himself out of his daze. "A little rattled, but compared to this…" He gazed out at the wreckage of the plaza. "I'll be fine."

"I'm sorry about the church."

"It's… well, it's not ideal. But the grace of Arceus will see us through." He smiled weakly up at Alex. "And on the less metaphysical side of things, St. Ulfi's in Ridgewood will help us coordinate the rebuilding." He rose slowly to his feet. "I'll need to make quite a lot of calls in the morning but for now… I think I need to lie down." He trudged off through the wreckage of his church, and Alex sat down beside the Shadow.

"What about you?"

The thief shrugged. "Still a little weak. I think I bruised a rib or two in all the excitement, and the poison still hasn't run its course yet. But I'll live."

Alex hung his head. "I can't believe that after all that, we still had to give up the diamond. I'll need to let Jiro know, we need a plan to—"

"I didn't give them the diamond." The Shadow's mouth turned up into an impish grin. "Do you really think I'd go through all the trouble to get it this far only to fork it over at the last second? By Arceus, birdbrain, you really are dense."

"But… I saw…"

The Shadow rolled her eyes. "A good thief never gives back a prize. Look, I may not have been entirely honest with you. I didn't come to St. Wulf's because it's a safe house. I came for that." She hooked a thumb over her shoulder.

"The window?"

"Not the window, dingus. Below it. The gems on the altar?"

"Uh…"

"The diamond on the altar. Well, it was really a hunk of glass, a little parish like this couldn't afford a diamond that big." The Shadow raised an eyebrow. "Still not getting it? Didn't you notice that the hunk of worthless rock there is almost exactly the same shape as the diamond the Sins were after?"

"You didn't…"

"I did."

"You switched them out?"

"I just said that, birdbrain. But I figure little Ms. Exploud over there blew out your eardrums like five times tonight, so I guess I can cut you some slack." The Shadow leaned back. "Yup, I figure Envy is going to be pretty peeved when he finds out. But by then, I'll have dumped the genuine article somewhere in the bay, and he'll just have to think we were all duped. Pretty clever, right?"

"You'd give up a prize like that? Couldn't you fleece that diamond for enough money to set yourself up for life?"

"The look on Envy's face when he realizes is payment enough, believe me."

Alex smiled and rose to his feet with a groan, and Hierro jumped up beside him. "You know, I think I'm detecting an altruistic streak."

"Don't get your hopes up."

Alex smiled. "If you say so." He paused. "This was almost… fun. Maybe we should do it again sometime. I could make a hero out of you yet."

"Keep dreaming, birdbrain!"

"Whatever you say, Shadow." He started to walk away, but the Shadow called him back.

"Bridget. My name's Bridget. Bri to my friends." She grimaced. "Well, it would be, if I had any friends." The thief shrugged. "I figure, maybe, on the slight chance we cross paths again, it's less of a mouthful than 'the Shadow'."

"See you around then, Bri." He started to walk away, but paused. A show of trust like that deserved one in return. Even if she was a crook. He turned back and tapped his chest. "I'm Alex."

Bridget wrinkled her nose. "If it's all the same to you, I think I'll stick with birdbrain." Then she sighed. "Look, I'm going to get serious for a second, okay? I owe you for what you did tonight. I asked for your protection, and you didn't even hesitate to help me. No, stop, don't give me that whole 'that's what heroes do' crap. This is hard enough for me to say already." She shook her head. "You don't even know me. Hell, all you know about me is that we're on different sides of the law and that I work for the kind of people who want you dead. But you helped me, and I… I appreciate that. So like I said, I owe you."

"You're welcome. But you don't owe me anything. I do this pro bono."

"I told you to cut the heroic talk for a second." The Shadow shook her head. "Even if you say I don't have to make this up to you, I want to. I don't like being in people's debt, so I'm going to find a way to pay you back. I've got ears in a lot of places, so if I learn anything that might help you, I'll pass it along." She smirked. "Besides, after tonight, I want to stick it to the Sins too."

"Well, you know where I live. Apparently."

The Shadow shrugged and held out the fist of her uninjured arm for Alex to tap. "See you around, birdbrain. Try not to get yourself killed."

Alex bumped her fist. "You too." He looked up at the sky, already brightening with the first light of dawn, and ran his hand through Hierro's feathers. "Let's go home, buddy. At least we can sleep in like Jiro told us to."