Chapter 32: The Ultimate Weapon

Sir Mercer and his Metagross trembled as they stood on the battlements of a castle that less than a day ago didn't exist. The colossal fortress, made entirely of crystal, rose up from beneath Geosenge town like a deadly flower, looming over the nearly deserted settlement.

The town's inhabitants had yet to return since Korrina and Rollo's Company rescued them, leaving just Sir Mercer's Galar troops/Pokemon and only them. The routiers could've been heard for miles as they ate, drank, and partied in the various homes, shops, and other buildings without a care in the world.

The Galar knight heard footsteps approaching him and slowly turned to see Baron Xerosic and his Malamar directly beside him. Both wore incredibly satisfied expressions as they stared out at the Galar soldiers.

"My, my lord. They followed me here."

"Oui, which is why they should be honored as the very first to become purified."

Mercer's heart raced, and he started to look desperate.

"My lord, I-"

"You are beyond blessed that Duke Lysandre took your recent contributions into account and showed you mercy which you don't deserve. The chance to live forever with us in the new world, freed from hedonism. Your men are no less guilty than all the others and will pay the ultimate price."

"Gross." Metagross and Mercer both went pale as several thousand of Lysandre's men manned the walls alongside ninja/samurai from the Rocket Clan.

Further up, Celosia, Mable, Aliana, and Bryony stood on the rising battlements with the same expression as Cerosic, while at the very top, Malva stood with Giovanni and Proton.

Giovanni beamed as he'd never done before while aiming his palm at Mewtwo. A small gemstone embedded into his gauntlet lit up, and the legendary psychic Pokemon unleashed a boat-sized psycho cut through the air, shattering a boulder to pebbles.

"Such power, mine to control!" Giovanni laughed.

Malva shook her head while stroking Houndoom's head.

"You haven't seen anything yet." The Duchess chuckled. Giovanni and Proton both looked back up at the castle's pinnacle where Lysandre stood beneath three Legendary Pokemon, Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygarde, their eyes glowing red like the Tear of Reduka, which had changed its color since Lysandre touched it.

The Duke's eyes almost seemed to bleed a black substance through his now translucent skin, yet he smiled like a madman while looking at the partying routiers below.

"Let's see what you can really do!" Lysandre held the tear up, and all three legendary Pokemon began channeling their power together into a crystal spire between them.

Serena held her swollen stomach tightly while resting inside a prison tower with AZ. Their chamber provided both with a view of the town and the Galar routiers inside.

"Run! Run! Please!" AZ screamed while violently thrashing about at the crystal bars covering the window, nearly cracking them with his unnatural strength. Despite this, his efforts proved fruitless as none of the routiers heard him. Two of Lysandre's men-at-arms standing outside the cell chuckled.

"Continue d'essayer, continue d'essayer. It won't make a difference. Judgment has come for them."

Serena breathed heavily and tried to stand up when she felt the castle shake and heard a strange surging noise.

"Serena, don't look!" AZ sprinted over and covered her eyes.

"AZ, what's happening? What is Lysandre going to do-" Serena heard what sounded like the most powerful Pokemon move she'd ever heard hit the ground. After a few moments, everything went silent, and the Galar couldn't be heard.

"Non." AZ trembled, and Serena heard Lysandre's men cheering in unison. AZ had gotten up and shook while staring down at the town. Serena didn't quite know why she did so, but the Princess got up and peered out to see what had happened.

"Ahhh!" Serena screamed, her face turning pale.

Sir mercer almost lost the breath from his lungs when he saw the blinding light fade away from Geosenge town. The buildings and all non-living material looked completely unharmed, but the grass, trees, Galar, and their Pokemon had all turned to stone. Looks of fear, lament, and confusion still upon their faces.

"Thus our new world begins!" Xerosic laughed.

Malva similarly cheered until she saw Lysandre covered in sweat while breathing heavily.

"Lysandre!" She tried to race over, but he held his hand up.

"We're, we're fine." He panted. Malva, Proton, and Giovanni saw all three legendary Pokemon looked similarly exhausted.

"We just need time before launching another attack."

"Ha! You'll have all the time in the world, my friend! I never thought you'd pull it off, but here we are!" Giovanni laughed.

Serena clenched her eyes shut and held her swollen stomach while crying.

"Serena, I'm sorry." AZ broke down entirely and fell onto his knees while tears dampened half the floor.

"I'm responsible for all of this! My sins have brought this upon the world!"

Serena opened her mouth, but no words came out. However, she did hear something else in the distance.

"Eh?"

After a moment, AZ and many of Lysandre's men heard it too.

"Quoi?" Malva and the others peered off into the distance as the chanting and marching noises grew louder and louder.

"Espoir! Espoir! Espoir!"

"Espoir." Serena muttered.

"Non!" Celosia shrieked.

"It can't be." Serena forced herself up and gazed out the window.

There, the army of Kalos and the army of Galar had arrived, abandoning all previous banners in favor of a single unified flag carried across both armies.

Serena covered her heart when she saw the blue iris banners waving in the wind. Any man not carrying a banner held out a blue iris flower and held it out in defiance of Lysandre.

"Espoir! Espoir!"

"Hope! Hope!" The Galar echoed in their language.

Mercer turned pale when he saw his own side, including King Victor sighting alongside the Kalos.

"So, two Kings have come against us." Malva chuckled while turning back to Lysandre, who still panted heavily.

"I need more time!"

"Hmp, we can buy you time!" Giovanni laughed while commanding Mewtwo forward.

All across the crystal castle, Lysandre's crossbowmen and Rocket archers raced into defensive positions alongside their Pokemon.

"Let them have it!" Earl Gordie roared as he directed a dozen trebuchets and rock-type Pokemon in a volley against the castle.

This attack had little effect, as the crystal walls only cracked slightly upon impact, causing the defenders to laugh. That was until the Kalos artillery moved into position.

Clemont stood with his father and Pierre as they directed twenty massive cannons.

"Fire!" Clemont's guns did what the trebuchets couldn't, and over a dozen cannonballs shattered through portions of the wall, taking many defenders with them.

Ash, Red, and countless others stood ready to advance as the ranged attack continued.

"Gre!" Greninja shouted, pointing to the spire.

"Regardez!" Many gasped when they saw the three Legendary Pokemon.

"Xerneas." Tori muttered, looking slightly heartbroken when she saw the Life Pokemon under Lysandre's control.

"We don't have much time! He'll use the Ultimate Weapon again soon!" Calem roared.

"We don't have a choice them. We must attack now!" Daniel roared louder.

"Oui! Clemont, cease fire! Everyone else, charge!"

"Charge!" Victor echoed to his Galar forces.

The ground shook as both armies raced across the field or through the air. A dozen Galar knights gigantimax'd their Pokemon while dozens of Kalos chevaliers mega evolved theirs, including Ash, Red, Alain, Daniel, Calem (not his Greninja, a Blaziken), Rokusho, Felix, and Korrina.

"Grawww!" Count Grant charged in on his Tyrantrum with Ash's close behind.

The sheer number of attackers, mixed with the damage caused by Clemont's barrage, prevented Lysandre's forces from organizing an effective counterattack via crossbow volleys. The Duke's troops didn't dare try sallying out either, for any such attempt would've easily been swallowed up within minutes.

"We're coming Princess!" Arnaud roared when he and his men reached the walls and began setting siege ladders.

Two gigantimax'd Pokemon blasted one section of wall clear, then crouched down so their troops could use them as a makeshift staircase inside.

Meanwhile, in the air, Ash rode Charizard Z with Lucario and Greninja in his arms and Talonflame beside him.

"Grauuu!" Alain flew in on his Charizard X, providing cover for Charizard Z, who had to carry his companions.

"We've got you!" Alain shouted as he and his Charizard X brought down a pair of Rocket Samurai on Fearows.

Ash remained focused on trying to find Serena when Greninja warned him of a great danger.

"Quoi?" Ash's eyes widened when he saw Mewtwo floating above them with glowing eyes.

"Pika!?"

"Grouu!?"

"Grauuu!?"

"Ancient Power!" Mewtwo raised its right hand and unleashed an avalanche of glowing boulders.

"Dragon Pulse! Iron Tail!" Charizard Z and Pikachu dealt with as many of the rocks as they could, but too many came, knocking out a pair of Galar Corviknights and a Kalos Altaria, as well as their riders.

"Thunder."

Ash grit his teeth when Mewtwo brought down a bolt of thunder greater than even Pikachu's. Charizard Z tried desperately to evade, but such a massive attack would prove impossible.

"Dragon Claw!"

"Grauuu!" Ash's team gazed in awe as Daniel flew in on his Charizard Z and slashed the Thunder apart.

"Dragon Rush!" With another thunderous roar, Daniel and his Charizard Z charged straight for Mewtwo, who didn't flinch.

"Psychic!" Giovanni laughed as Mewtwo held both hands out and ensnared Charizard Z, or so he thought.

"Nani!?" Giovanni muttered in disbelief when he saw Charizard Z break free from the psychic move almost instantly. Before Mewtwo or Giovanni could react, Charizard Z struck Mewtwo and sent him flying through the air like one of Clemont's cannonballs, even smashing through one of the towers.

"Mewtwo!?" Giovanni raced after him while Daniel turned towards the Legendary Pokemon atop the spire.

"Leon!"

"Right behind you!" Duke Leon had already Gigantimax'd his Charizard, who began scaling the castle while Charizard Z flew beside him.

Ash exhaled in relief and quickly went back to the walls.

"We're coming, Serena!" He leaped off Charizard Z beside Greninja, Pikachu, and Mega Lucario.

"Let's find her!"

"Phox!"

"Charr!"

"Cham!" Charla flew in behind Talonflame, who carried Delphox and Pancham.

From there, Ash was soon joined by Rokusho, Alain, and Monsieur Rauol as they fought their way through groups of Lysandre's troops and Rocket shinobi.

Serena's Pokemon did less fighting and instead focused more on finding her.

Felix, by contrast, shook when he saw Giovanni further up the castle. At one point, nothing would've stopped him from going after the daimyo. But now, his heart pulled him to Ash and Red, who fought in separate areas.

Red remained on his Charizard Y, fighting alongside other flyers and brought down many of Lysandre's knights as well as Giovanni's Samurai. From there, he saw the battle grow unbelievably intense. Galar and Kalos troops fought side by sight against Lysandre's troops/allies.

Bede joined Philip, Zach Grant, Kabu Michael, and more. Under different circumstances, he might've found such a sight inspiring, but at the moment he could only think about stopping Lysandre and saving Serena.

That was until Charizard Y growled with immense satisfaction while pointing to Celosia on another wall.

"Ohhh, poor Celosia." The Count chuckled.

On that wall, Celosia and Mable desperately tried to fight off the oncoming attackers with their Mega Manectric and Houndoom. Despite this, their troops steadily fell against the onslaught of Galar and Catalan troops pushing against them.

"Merde! We need to fall back. We need to-" Celosia started before her body turned pale.

"Celosia, Celosia. Vous essayez de courir ?" A very dark voice said. Celosia's legs wobbled as she turned to see Korrina encased in a suit of armor, standing directly across from her with Mega Lucario beside her.

"Did you really think you could escape me, Celosia?" Korrina's evil grin caused the noblewoman to wet herself.

Mable backed up before hearing something or someone else behind her.

"Celosia. Remember me?" Mable and Celosia yelped when they saw Bea and her Machamp behind them. Like Korrina, she also wore a suit of armor and smiled.

"You had me shot."

A series of dark laughs followed as Don Miquel, and Allister halted their troops.

"Please! Do something!?" Celosia pleaded to the noblemen.

"I don't think so." Don Miquel laughed.

"She's all yours baby." Allister added.

Serena heard two familiar screams from the level above them and perked up.

"Celosia? Mable?" Moments later, she and AZ saw a bloody keystone fall from the next battlement and roll into their cell.

Serena slowly picked up the keystone and smiled.

"What happened?" AZ muttered.

"Korrina happened." The Princess beamed.

AZ took in everything that was happening and regained himself, the color instantly returning to his face.

"There's still a chance! Serena, move!" The moment she did so, AZ charged the crystal bars keeping them inside like a Tauros. Serena almost couldn't believe her eyes when she saw him smash through them as if made of glass.

"Attendez! You could do that the whole time!?" Serena shouted angrily.

"Oui, but there was no point. I couldn't fight an army alone."

Serena gave a slightly sheepish look upon realizing he was right.

She slowly followed him out of the cell but quickly saw AZ begin scaling the walls like a Primape.

"AZ, where are you going!?"

"To stop Lysandre and destroy this terrible weapon forever!"

"Wait!? Merde." Serena muttered while sweatdropping. Unfortunately, fighting was still intense on that level, and Serena saw no clear way to the Kalos troops. Not only that, but her symptoms made climbing down the side impossible.

For a brief moment, she considered waiting back in the cell until some Kalos troops arrived but spotted a squad of rocket shinobi and Samurai heading that way.

"Merde!" The Princess had no choice and ran as fast as her pregnant body would allow.

"Pour Kalos!" Serena didn't see the pair of Kalos Knights on Noivern fly in behind her before intercepting the Rocket warriors, but unfortunately, they didn't see her either.

"Bonjour, Princess." Serena froze, slowly turning towards a doorway where Aliana emerged, a Mega Gengar beside her.

Serena grit her teeth and backed up, bumping into the parapets.

Alaina smiled with cold ruthlessness, as did her Gengar.

"The Duke kept you alive in case we needed blood again. But, given the circumstances, I'd say your usefulness has reached its end."

Not too far away, Charla desperately searched for Serena when her eyes widened upon seeing the Princess backed against the parapets.

"Char!"

Serena gave Aliana a defiant look before turning back to her swollen stomach.

"Aliana, please, I'm pregnant. I'm begging you." Tears flowed down her eyes, but the noblewoman wasn't moved.

"Shadow Ball!"

"Gar!" Serena backed up out of pure instincts and fell off the wall.

"Ahhhh!"

"Charr-Grau!" Serena clenched her eyes shut and held her stomach before feeling a pair of strong arms grab her.

"Huh?"

"Grauu!" Serena opened her eyes and saw herself in the arms of a dragon-esk Charizard.

"Charla?"

"Grauuu!" Charla's eyes flowed with tears as she licked Serena's face.

"Charla!" Serena hugged her Charizard back, at least until another Shadow Ball nearly hit them.

"Bring them down!" Aliana roared as her Mega Gengar kept up his attack.

"Grauuu!" Charla moved Serena onto her back when the Princess realized she still wore the piece of Charizardite and looked at Celosia's keystone.

"Charla! I trust you!" Serena shouted while touching the keystone.

Aliana and her Mega Gengar saw Charla transform into a Mega Charizard X and roar.

"Grauuu!" Charla looked at her new Mega form with awe and approval.

"Shadow Ball!"

"Dragon Pulse!"

Charla dodged the incoming attack and then blasted the Mega Gengar into a wall.

"Dragon Claw!"

"Grauu!" Charla showed no mercy and flew in like a cannonball, slashing Mega Charizard into Alaina, sending both tumbling to the ground below.

"Charla! Merci, merci!" Serena teared up again as she hugged her Charizard X's head tightly.

"Grauuuu!" Charla similarly teared up but then pulled away from the battle, hoping to get Serena to a safe distance.

Meanwhile, Red continued his offensive, eventually spotting Calem and his Greninja in combat against Baron Xerosic. However, the Kalos King didn't fight alone. King Victor and his Rillaboom similarly fought against Proton.

Red almost blinked when he saw Victor knock one of Proton's teeth out with a punch.

"Come on! Entertain me!" The Galar King laughed after parrying another one of Proton's strikes and punching him again.

Red almost laughed but instantly stopped when he saw Sir Mercer and his Metagross above the two Kings.

"Grauuu!" Red lowered his visor and nodded.

Sir Mercer and his Metagross jumped when they saw Red land in front of him, his Mega Sceptile flipping himself up beside him.

The two knights and Pokemon stared each other down, Mercer's face turning red.

"No more running. You die today, bastard!" Mercer snarled while Mega evolving his Metagross.

However, to his surprise, Red slowly raised his visor and looked at Mercer eye-to-eye.

"I'm sorry your Rhyperior is dead."

"What?" Mercer and his Mega Metagross looked utterly baffled by his words.

"I'm sorry we killed your Rhyperior." Mega Sceptile similarly showed genuine remorse, causing the Galar knight to pause.

"You, you, gaaahh!" Mercer and his Mega Metagross charged. Red didn't fight with feral rage like Mercer, instead, calling upon everything Pierre taught him. The fight wasn't easy or short, but Red gained the advantage.

After a successful parry, he trapped Mercer's arm and locked his leg, flipping him onto his back. Once there, the chevalier took out a dagger and stuck it against Mercer's throat.

Mega Sceptile similarly brought Metagross down and pinned him against the edge.

Mercer's fiery rage didn't subside, and he snarled at Red defiantly.

"Rot in Hell!"

Mercer braced himself for the dagger, but nothing came.

"What are you waiting for!? I killed your damn priest!"

Red stood there and stared back at Mercer.

"Oui, you did. But the thing is, he forgave you."

"What?"

"Alakazam." Mercer slowly looked up and saw an Alakazam standing over him.

"You!?"

"Ala." Alakazam exhaled deeply and placed something on Mercer's chest.

The Galar knight trembled when he saw a pendant of Reduka resting there.

"Hating you won't change anything. The real enemy is the man atop this tower. Goodbye, Mercer." Red got up with Sceptile and Alakazam before continuing on.

Sir Mercer and his Metagross trembled. The Galar knight slowly picked up the pendant and stared back at it, then Red.

Author's note

The final battle has begun!

Serena is safe, for now, but how safe is anyone with Lysandre's ultimate weapon?

The next chapter will be less big picture battle heavy and more individual duel heavy

So until next time,

Please review, comment, suggest, or ask (VIA PM)