Chapter 47: Infernal Cult Part 2

Ash, Zachary, and Serena are now having a battle with Zenith to stop him from going on a darker path. Zenith sends out Excadrill, Chandelure, Blaziken, and Volcarona. Ash sends out his Delta Torterra and Nidoking, Serena sends out Milotic and Diancie, Zachary sends out Camerrupt and Keldeo.

Ash's Torterra is facing Groudon, Groudon changes into Primal Form, causing its Water Attacks not to use, and then Groudon uses Precipices Blades on Torterra. Nidoking is facing Volcarona, and Volcarona's Giga Drain is absorbing the Pokemon badly.

Serena's Milotic uses Aqua Ring to heal itself, but then Chandelure's Will-O-Wisp is hurting it again. Diancie is facing Heatran with a disadvantage, but it manages to use Diamond Storm.

Both Blaziken are mega evolved and they are having a combat, since they don't want to fall, while Keldeo is facing Excadrill, who tries to use Iron Head, but blocked by Sacred Sword.

Ash's Pokemon are struggling hard as well as everyone. Ash says, "Guys, we can't give up until it's over." He yells as he takes out the Z Crystal, much to Zenith's surprise. "Is that..."

Ash does the pose and yells, "Torterra! This is our full power! Tectonic Rage!"

Torterra growls a little and then it charges at Groudon, then it slashes it into the underground and then shoots it to Zenith, causing it to fall to the ground with the Red Orb falling from his hands as well as the Magma Stone. At the same time, Groudon and Heatran are back to normal and the other four Pokemon Zenith owns fainted.

"Impossible..." Zenith says, he tries to stand up, but he fails as his legs are too weak for him to stand up. "...and now I can't even stand up. Slumped against my pokemon. How embarrassing."

"Mr. Zenith, sir?" A grunt comes in and then Zenith says, "...can I help you? Your timing isn't great."

"Oh, wonderful, it seems like Ash Ketchum and his friends beat you already. How perfect-with all the loose ends tied up."

Zachary asks, "Who are you?"

"Oh, Zenith, I thought that her plan wouldn't work. I shouldn't have doubted her. I guess you really are blind." The mysterious grunt says.

"What are you talking about?" Zenith asks.

Just then, the grunt takes his suit off, and much to everyone's shock as well as Arceus. "No..."

"You're the prophet. From the library. Ugh... you're not... real...?" Zachary asks.

"Of course not, dude. Who would ever believe that crap? Man, I had thought you figured it out when you mentioned L Frank Baum. You know what book he wrote, right? The Wizard of Oz... and do you remember the plot twist of that story? The wizard was fake, there was no magic. Just a single man pulling some strings. A few flashy lights, fancy explosions, timed smoke. It's really easy to fake an amazing effect."

"...so there was no prophecy?" Zenith asks.

"Who knows?" The prophet shrugs. "Maybe there really was one, a long time ago. A hero that would rise and defeat the cults- it seems to be coming true, after all. But the one I told you, definitely a fake. I also found it with her help of course. And that part was now used so you'd drop your guard long enough for them to beat you."

Zenith asks, "You're working for Her, aren't you? She's been plotting against me this whole time."

"Sure am. She sure was." The Oracle says.

"Don't you know what happens if she wins? Everything goes! Our existence, our world...all of it would be destroyed." Zenith yells.

"Meh. She'll help me through those minor setbacks. Plus, I was promised a fortune." The oracle says.

"Who is she that you guys have mentioned?" Ash starts to get impatient.

"My boss, she pioneered all of this from the beginning. She gave him his freaky powers, and it's thanks to her they didn't work on you." The oracle says with a smile.

"Are you guys Cultists?" Zachary asks.

"No, I'm not a cultist. I guess the best word would be mercenary. But the person I work for... you do not want to get on her bad side. Really, it's Her fault the cults ever existed in the first place, when you think about it. She gave him the powers, and it is thanks to her that the Cults exist."

He then tries to leave, " After all... the Infernal Cult came first. You'll meet her eventually, don't worry. But for now, you have a job to do. Looking around now, I see an unconscious man with some touchable blood, and broadcasting equipment." They see Zenith now fainted on the floor, Ash and Zachary quickly rush towards him as he is still their brother.

"You have maybe a couple of minutes to disband the Infernal Cult completely before Groudon gets hold of the equipment. Let's see what you can make of that, eh, MacGuyver?" Then the oracle disappears.

Ash says, "He is right, we have to free everyone from Zenith's control."

"But what should we do?" Serena asks, then the two of them turn to Zachary.

"Zachary, you are the only one who can stop him, as his twin, you have similar DNAs compared to me."

"Okay." Zachary says as he goes towards the camera. At the same time, Ash finds the Crystal Piece inside Zachary, he takes it and smiles, "We got the second one."

"Yeah." Serena says. "Now there is only three more and the Crystals will be whole again.


After the control is over, the camera man says, "I guess this is it? It is hard to think that Infernal Cult's hold on the region just...vanishing...that easily."

"Yeah..." Ash says.

"Ash!" Just then, they see Calreath and Nora, along with Persephone, much to their surprise.

"Uncle? Nora? What is Persephone doing here?" Zachary asks.

"Persephone helped us escape... We need to clear out of here..." Nora says.

Just then, Groudon and Heatran roar loudly and then Persephone says, "Heh. Look who it is? The Mighty Groudon and Heatran consigned to a pathetic cult."

"And we will take care of them." They see Butler and Kevin coming into the room with Gladion, Alice, Taen, Emily and Damian.

"Are you guys okay?" Nora asks, worrying about them.

"We were also got captured, but thanks to them that we are saved." Alice refers to Butler and Kevin.

Just then, the base starts to shake and then Damian asks, "What's going on?"

"That shaking really... can't be good, especially in a volcano. Is it going to erupt?" Gladion asks.

"Probably not. But the base built inside of it seems to be collapsing. We need to get out of here. You guys, you go on ahead. Ash Ketchum, I want you to follow me. There is someone we need to see on the way out." Persephone says.

"Um. Okay. How do I know I can trust you?" Ash asks, still wary about the cult leader in front of him.

"Believe me, I want to be here so much less than you do." Persephone says.

Once they are out, Persephone takes them to Diana and Tobias, who are trapped inside the jail.

"Perse. The base is shaking! It's collapsing. Please. You need to help us out!" Diana says.

"I've finally figured it out, Dia, Toby. You were telling the truth all along." Persephone says.

"Can we talk about this later? We need to hurry!" Tobias says.

"Darkrai was never going after you." Persephone says. "It was Cresselia that lures him to you, so you two can be their chosen. It makes so much sense, in hindsight. They're considered two sides of the same coin, the New and Full Moons."

She picks the two Pokeballs and says, "And now they are mine."

"What are you doing? Persephone?" Ash asks, surprised at what she is doing.

"You know what I have now, Diana? Tobias? Leverage. With the two Pokemon, I can control them and rule the world."

"Persephone. Please. You need to get us out of here." Diana pleads.

But Persephone just turns around. "What does this remind you of?"

Tobias says, "Persephone, we are sorry about before, sorry about what we did to you, but if you don't help me out, We're..."

"We're not going to make it." Diana says.

"Oh I'm sure you'll find a way out. After all, I was able to. We're even now." Persephone then teleports away. Ash says, "So that is why she takes me here..."

"Ash. We're in a hurry. The base is collapsing quickly. We really need your help. Please. One of the rocks that fell off dislodged the fingerprint scanner, so the lock is jammed. I can't open it." Tobias says.

"What should I do?" Ash asks.

"Right over there to the right is the administrator panel. There might be a button to override the locks and open every door in the prison. Please go quickly. The base could collapse any minute."

Ash nods and then he goes pressing the button, then the doors open and the three of them run out of the base quick and fast.


"Oh thank goodness, you are safe." Nora says as they are in Dayraan Town. "We saw Persephone escape earlier, but I didn't want to leave until I saw you two."

"We're fine, Nora. Thank you for your concern. You don't need to-" Then they see the base collapse.

"Well, that was loud." Damian says, "I guess that's the end of the Infernal Cult."

"Kind of ironic that a cult of fire and ground was buried beneath the earth. Listen... we need to press forward." Tobias says.

"Persephone took our Pokemon, Darkrai and Cresselia." Diana says.

"Just great, after one goes down and the other one rises..." Taen says.

"Yeah, but it is a good thing that we have two cults left...and both cults have something to do with making Mom and Dad disappear." Ash says.

"I'm going to go trace her down- she's clearly going to try something with Darkrai again." Tobias says as he and Diana go away.

Emily asks, "Now what?"

"I think it would be best if you two just went onto Narra Town and continued through the Pokemon League. There's no 8th gym- not since the First Augur disappeared- but maybe you can find a leftover badge so you can enter Victory Road." Calreath sighs as he turns to the unconscious Zenith in Zachary's hands, "As for my nephew, let's say that we bring him to Sonata Hills so that he can have his treatment. Just like the leader of Abyssal Cult, we will have them treated before they pay their crimes."

"I hate to see one of our family members pay for their crimes, but he deserves it..." Ash sighs.


As they get back to the Crystal Caves, the other members are in relief that the Infernal Cult is gone, but then it makes them worried.

Ash asks, "Arceus, who is SHE? And why don't you tell me about her?"

Arceus sighs and says, "She...I can't tell you much because I don't know about her...but from what I know, she was Giratina's first Chosen...you see...Giratina and I had a fight, but we decided to end in peace...but she didn't. Which is why we threw her into the Mirror World..."

"So...we need to stop her from her ambitions? Things are getting really complicated..." Ash sighs as he bumps into his bed and starts thinking.


Now here is the end of Infernal Cult, the next one will be the Darkrai Cult, and I am excited to write the next chapter.