Ch.85: March of Storm and Snow! Fated Warriors Approaching!

Standing at the Immensus Library exit, Tony and Indigo were making final checks on their supplies. While Tony was in charge of carrying provisions and camping gear, Indigo was tasked with carrying Callie. She strapped the ailing spider to her back with a few shadow bindings, swaddling her into a snug cocoon.

"Comfortable?" Indigo asked.

"I…feel ridiculous," Callie mumbled. "The snow will do me in by the time we step outside."

Tony slipped on his backpack. "Quit complaining. We need to bring you with us. Your knowledge in witchcraft may still be useful."

She sighed. "Just kill me already…"

Indigo patted her head. "Oh, you'll be fine. I'll keep you nice and insulated in there."

"Ugh…"

As Tony finished adjusting his bag's straps, he heard their allies approach them from behind. He smiled and faced the Maelstrom Alliance. "Welp, guess we're off."

Gene saluted. "Leave everything to Gene! Gene will take good care of everyone and keep us safe!"

"I'm counting on you, big guy."

Hazel smirked. "Try and stay out of trouble, hon. There will be no tomorrow if ya'll get yerselves killed out there. We may have to steal the spotlight right from under ya."

Yon nodded. "Swift is the great path. Treacherous in scale and cold. We—" Orville bumped into the Accelgor and knocked him over.

"We'll definitely keep the library safe! Don't want those bastards getting their hands on this gold mine again!" he exclaimed.

Wilbur crossed his arms and scoffed. "And you're sure it's a good idea to take the witch with you? I concur the journey will do her in before you reach your destination."

Tony nodded. "Since her shadow has all her contracts and abilities, the only thing she can provide is her witchcraft experience. It may give us an edge or a way to counter Evil Callista. Plus, we made a promise to take her with us, even if she's clearly stalling."

"Am not…" the ailing Ariados groaned.

M stepped forward from the group and bowed his head to them. "Well, I'll be taking my leave soon enough. I wish you luck on your journey, Tony Sapienti."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "Not going to stay and guard this place?"

"I have my own business to deal with, as I'm sure you understand." The old Alakazam chuckled. "You're a shrewd one, Sapienti."

He smirked. "Thanks."

Indigo looked between the two with growing puzzlement. "Uh, mind filling me in?"

"I'll tell you later." Tony looked around at the Maelstrom Thieves before spotting Wolf. He frowned as the teenage Raboot fiddled with his pockets and rocked on his heels, looking everywhere but at the Dewott himself. He sighed and approached his protégé, kneeling down before him. "Wolf."

Wolf closed his eyes and turned away. "Leaving already? Good riddance, I guess. I was getting tired of you taking charge of my team."

Tony smiled and ruffled the rabbit's head. "And they'll need a strong leader to look out for them. I hope you're up to the task."

"…" Wolf sighed as tears dripped from his eyes. "Y-Yeah. I will, I promise." He sniffled and wiped his face. "S-Sorry. I must look like a big baby…"

He shook his head. "You kids are still young. Don't grow up too fast."

"R-Right." Wolf blushed and meekly tapped his fingers together. He sighed and threw himself at Tony with a hug. "Th-Thank you for everything, Boss."

Tony smiled softly and patted his head. "Thanks for believing in me, kid." They pulled away, and Tony walked back to Indigo's side. "We've got a long trek to make for the academy. You all set?"

Indigo adjusted her shadow pack and nodded. "Ready when you are."

They turned to their allies and gave them one last wave goodbye. The Wild Fangs, the Maelstrom Thieves, and M returned their gesture in kind, with cheers from the bounty hunters and enthusiastic waves from the thieves. The couple backed away into the library doors and pushed them open. A golden light enveloped them as they stepped out of the pocket realm and into the bitter cold.

Tony and Indigo braced themselves against the howling winds as they marched through the snow. Indigo kept Callie bundled tight inside her shadow cocoon, insulating her from the storm. Tony pulled his hood over his face and buried his hands into his sleeves.

"Cold?" Indigo asked.

"I'll live."

"Hmm." She faced ahead, letting the silence linger for a moment with her arms crossed. She soon sighed and glanced at him. "About what we saw in that book…"

"…" Tony closed his eyes.

"You were serious, weren't you? You really think Apollo is the Shadow King? In spirit and mind?"

"…" He sighed. "It makes the most sense."

She glared. "I don't get it. He was the one opposing Dougal's whole thing on genocide. Why would he want to carry on his plans after all that fighting?"

"It's more complicated than that. We didn't know anything about the idol's potential at the time, only that it had the power to warp reality. However, we never fully considered the potential of all legends combining their power into one. I imagine it took its toll on Apollo's mind. He was the only one who could wield it because he was the most experienced and stubborn of all Pokémon at the time. He felt no temptation, or at least at first."

Indigo frowned. "He was connected to the hearts of all living things. He felt their pain—"

"And their deaths. He experienced the suffering of so many, and he was powerless to stop it. Not to mention, he erased his best friend from existence before reincarnating him. He and Dougal were tied together so that Apollo could see if the world truly could change after several thousand years. All of that, and the one jerk bombed it for everyone else."

Indigo glared. "People are the worst."

"Would you have been as understanding raised in that society?"

"…Fair." She shook her head and faced forward. "How are you going to bring this up to Wes and Flint? And how is this going to help us stop the Shadow King?"

"There's no physical weakness we can exploit, but the fact this isn't purely Apollo's shadow might be in our favor. On some level, he still has his pokemanity. We just need to remind him of the good in this world."

"A feat I don't hold in confidence."

"Neither do I." Tony scratched his chin. "I wish Pops was still alive. If anyone could help us, it's him."

Indigo frowned. "I'm sorry for your loss, Tony."

He shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm fine now. Still…"

"What?"

"I don't know. If Pops' whole plan was to temporarily seal the Shadow King away, you'd think he would've come up with a more permanent solution. He had five hundred years for the worst case scenario. Why would he bet everything on a temporary sealing spell?"

Indigo scratched her chin. "Hmm…" Just as she itched her brain for an answer, a shadow passed over the couple. She realized it was too dark to be a cloud, so she glanced up to see what it was. Her eyes widened. "What the—"

Tony stopped and glanced up, too. An airship was passing over their heads at a cruising speed. He couldn't get a good read of the flag, only able to see the underside and its gravity generators. However, as he focused on the ship, he felt a couple familiar auras aboard.

One wrapped in a calm, yet powerful orange, the other draped in a green resembling the essence of nature.

"Those are—" Tony's lips stretched into a wide smirk as the ship started to slow down and stop right over them. "Heh. Even after I told them they didn't have to visit."

Indigo gasped. "Wait, is that the Wasteland?!"

"Seems like it!"

They ran out from under the hull and glanced up at the main deck. Two heads popped over the edge, a Flareon and a green Mew. As soon as both parties made eye contact, smiles grew on their faces.

"TONY!" the Mew exclaimed, waving her hands excitedly.

"Looks like we caught up to you in time!" the Flareon added.

Tony crossed his arms and laughed aloud. "Seems you did! What a terrible host I am not waiting for your arrival!" He sighed and smiled to himself. It's been too long…

Dead Man's Mountain

With the Trial of Darkness behind them, Ella and her team started getting their supplies together in preparation for the journey to the Grandmaster's Magic Academy. Though the distance between them and the Snow Zone was vast, Saffiro would cut down most of the walking via portals. They weren't powerful enough to travel across Mysto, but enough to cut down the journey significantly. A few days at most.

Seth entered the cavern, munching on a bag of sour cream and onion chips. "What a shame. I was starting to get use to the company here."

Ella smirked. "Don't be disappointed. Ava's troupe will be staying with you. They'll keep you company."

He chuckled. "Lucky me, an entire circus to entertain this drab mountain. Well, I do hope your journey to the academy is swift."

Ebony crossed her arms. "And what will you be doing while we're busy saving the world?"

He shrugged. "Who knows? Guess we'll see when it comes to that." He tossed a chip into the air and caught it in his mouth.

During their conversation, Saffiro had just finished tracing a magic circle into the ground. It bared a symbol of fire wrapped in a stylized vortex. With one tap of his foot, his magic transferred through the lines and briefly lit it up.

Oswald peeked over his shoulder. "So, this'll increase the range of your portals?"

"More or less." The Hakamo-o rested his sheathed sword over his shoulder. "Going the maximum distance will wipe me out for a few hours, but if we want to make good time, some sacrifices will be made." He smirked. "Worth it to see our team leader again."

Oswald snickered. "She's taking it easy while we're fighting for our lives."

"Eh, we pressured her into it~."

"True, true." Oswald glanced over his shoulder and smirked at Cybil. "Bet you're missing your hourly cuddles from your favorite bombardier."

Cybil shot him a deadpan glare. "Don't make me shoot you."

"Kidding, kidding!" he exclaimed with laughter.

The gang heard footsteps echo through the cavern and saw Willow exiting the tunnels with a small knapsack hooked to her side alongside her sword. "If what Ella said is true, this nightmare's end is over the horizon. We must steel ourselves for the coming battle."

Oswald laughed, punching his fists together. "No sweat! I'll send them packing into the upper atmosphere!"

Ella set her bags down and frowned at Willow. "You sure you being here is alright? You must be awfully worried about Courtney."

Willow sighed. "I'm never not worried about her, but this nets us the best chance of her living a peaceful life. Besides, I trust your parents to take care of her. They're good folks."

Ella looked aside with a dry smile. "I suppose."

The Absol patted her shoulder. "Really, they are. For the short amount of time we were traveling, all they talked about was how much they missed you, and how they wish they did things differently."

"Sounds like them, yeah." She sighed and softened her smile. "When this is over, I hope we can have a fresh start. I'm not a kid anymore, but there's still a lot to make up for in the future."

Willow nodded. "And you keep fighting for that future."

Ella nodded back firmly. "Always."

Saffiro faced the ladies and said, "Sorry to interrupt, but are we ready to depart?"

Ella shook her head. "Not yet. We're still waiting for Ava, and I'm sure the troupe wants to wish us off before we leave."

Just as she said so, they heard the aforementioned Medicham exit one of the tunnels with a bag hanging over her shoulder. While the rest of them were in mostly high spirits, Ava had something of a reluctant expression as if something was weighing on her mind.

Ella narrowed her eyes upon noticing. "Hey, Ava. Are…Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"Hmm?" Ava shook from her deep thoughts before shaking her head. "Oh, no. No, I'm fine. The troupe will be by shortly to send us off. Um…" She scratched her cheek. "Actually, I needed to have a word with Willow in private."

Willow raised her brow. "With me?"

"I…have something important to share with you. A lot, actually."

"…" The Absol relented and set her belongings beside Ella. "Alright."

Ava nodded. "Thank you." She levitated her bag against Willow's and waved her along to one of the cave tunnels. "We'll be back in a moment!" She led Willow away from the cavern, still fighting against the lump buried deep in her throat.

The two women traveled deep into the mountain caves until they were completely out of earshot. As they walked, Willow could sense Ava's discomfort from the trembling in her steps to the way she was biting down on her lip. It worried her imagining what news awaited her, but she kept a brave face to alleviate the fortune teller's stress.

They stopped and faced each other. Ava folded her arms inside her sleeves and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She gave herself a moment to compose before looking Willow in the eyes. "I…cannot express through words alone how relieved I am to see you alive. After everything that happened in the last several months, this is the best news I could've asked for."

Willow frowned. "Is that what this is about?"

She shook her head. "No, but…well, you know."

Willow sighed, but smiled sadly. "Things got out of control before I knew what to do. You understand better than anyone protecting your family comes first. I ripped my way through shadows to keep Courtney safe."

"I don't blame you. So much was happening." Ava closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. "That said, I suppose you aren't fully updated on our situation, and I wanted to ease you into it gently."

"I'm already aware Team Ravenfield are hunting for the remaining keys."

"No, not that." The fortune teller looked aside, a glint shining in her eyes. "You see, during our last encounter with the Shadow King, we had a plan to temporarily disable him. It worked, and it bought us enough time to train and complete the remaining trials, but no such plan comes without sacrifice."

"What do you mean?"

"…" Ava paused to wipe her eyes. She shuddered as she tried to speak. "Morgan's the one who executed the plan. It was his idea."

"Morgan—" Willow's brow furrowed for a moment before realization dawned on her. Her eyes widened. "You don't mean…!"

Ava nodded. "Morgan fought valiantly to give us a fighting chance. The battle…costed him his life."

"…" Willow sat on her haunches and stared at the ground, her expression hollow and heavy. She placed a paw over her heart as tears brimmed around her eyes. "Morgan…no, it can't be."

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this. You haven't seen each other in years, and…I wasn't sure how else to break it to you." Ava crouched down. "I'm really sorry, Willow."

The Absol closed her eyes, tears peeking from the corners. She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes into her foreleg. "He was always looking out for others, putting other lives over his."

Ava looked aside. "You don't know the half of it." She shook her head. "But that's a story for another time. There's more to this conversation, actually. Morgan had a different goal in mind when he was battling the Shadow King."

Willow sniffled before looking up. "What do you mean?"

"He had spent a long time perfecting a spell to seal the Shadow King away, if only temporarily. He used his own body as a vessel to change the malignant spirit."

Willow blinked through her tears. It took a moment, working out the statement until a distant memory found its way back to her. "His body as the vessel. You mean…ripping the shadow out of his host?"

Ava nodded and shared a soft smile. "Morgan sacrificed everything to help Team Ravenfield and to rescue a dear, dear friend of ours."

Willow's eyes welled up with new tears. A mix of chills grazing her skin and warmth in her cheeks encompassed her body. Globs of tears rolled down her face, remembering the incident that occurred many, many years ago. The time where her life was thought to be forfeit, and when she sheltered herself away from the world to heal from her grief.

"A-Alex…" she whispered. "Alex is alive?"

Ava nodded. "He is. Alive and well."

"Alex…" Willow hung her head and choked on a sob buried in her throat. Her claws curled into the earth beneath her paws. Light cracks formed in her grip. "He's actually alive…"

Ava sighed. "I wasn't sure how to bring it up. Any of this. I know this is a lot to take in. Morgan and I have been busy ever since we reunited, trying to help the kids in their battle with the shadows. As much as we can do, at least. Throughout that time, all Morgan seemed to think about was rescuing our friend from his damnation."

Willow buried her face behind her paws and shuddered. "I just…I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling right now. Morgan, Alex, and all of this! How do I even…?"

Ava touched her shoulders. "I wasn't sure how else to bring it up. I wanted to ease you into this, but I didn't have the words. I figured bringing up Morgan's passing first would help."

"…" Willow wiped her eyes and lifted her head to face the fortune teller. "No, no, it's fine. I get it. This wasn't easy for you. I appreciate you telling me."

She smiled a bit. "You wouldn't believe how long I've been rehearsing this conversation."

"Heh, yeah." Willow sighed and looked away. She scratched at her foreleg awkwardly. "I had nightmares about Alex ever since I was brought back to life. I hated them. I hated thinking my fiancé was the monster in my dreams. I relied on Courtney to keep my attention off them, and I eventually stopped thinking about it. I didn't want to remember him as my killer. He's too good a person to do something so cruel."

Ava nodded. "He feels nothing but grief for what he put you through, and everything he put us through. Striking you, Garret, and Morgan down by his own hands. I can't imagine the courage he has to wake up and face that truth."

"Where…is Alex?"

"He's with Wes. They're actually at the academy we'll be traveling to."

"Oh." Willow looked down.

"You're worried about seeing him?"

Reluctantly, she nodded, scratching her foreleg harder. "What do we even say to each other? The last thing I remember was fighting him while under that thing's control. I haven't seen him since he killed me. We haven't seen each other since then. I'm not sure if I'm ready to confront him."

Ava caressed her cheek. "You two love each other more than anything, and he's likely feeling the same. I know it's scary, but you know in your heart you want to see him again. He isn't the man who killed you. He never was. The Alex Ghostwind I know, we know, is a kind man who would raid Hell and charge through demons to ensure your happiness. You would do the same for him."

"…" She hugged herself and leaned back on her haunches. "I'm nervous. I-I'm not sure if I'm prepared to—"

"Shh," Ava whispered, stroking her face. "I'll be there for you. I made the mistake of losing touch with you, but I won't leave your side ever again. Whatever happens, I'll still be here to help you. I promise." She pulled the Absol into a hug, holding her head against her shoulder. "Never again."

Willow's trembling diminished from the warm, soothing contact. She unfurled her forelegs from each other and reciprocated the hug, nuzzling into the crook of the Medicham's neck. Tears rolled down her face, but a quivering smile found its way onto her lips.

"I missed you so much," she whispered.

Ava stroked the back of her head, tears dripping over her own smile. "As did I."

Ava and Willow eventually joined back up with their group once they dried their eyes, and they stood by Saffiro as he prepared to conjure a portal. The cavern soon filled with the circus troupe, ready to wish the group safe travels.

Abby and Carrie ran to their mother and hugged her. "Please stay safe, Mom!" Carrie exclaimed.

"You better come back alive," Abby said, hugging the older Medicham tighter.

Ava wrapped them both in her arms and gave them an affectionate squeeze. "You girls be good for Dad, okay? Take care of Charlie and the troupe in my absence. I'm counting on you."

Abby sniffled. "W-We promise."

"Y-Yeah!" Carrie added through a sob.

Ava pulled away from them and smiled up at Vince, who was holding Charlie on his shoulders. She stood up and grabbed the little Meditite's hands. "Mommy will be back before you know it, sweetie. Be good to Daddy and your big sisters."

"Momma!" Charlie hugged her arm and nuzzled it.

Vince smiled. "They'll be fine, dear. You just go on and save the world."

Ava chuckled. "When has my life gotten so bad that that sounds like a normal statement?" She crouched down and gave the Hawlucha a peck on the lips. "Keep them safe."

"Did you have to ask?"

"Heh. Guess not."

Angel and Cheri approached Ella with a package in Cheri's hands. Angel hugged the Espeon. "Tell Tony we're cheering him on."

Ella hugged her back. "You have my word."

After they separated, Cheri presented the package to her. "When you see him, give him this. It's a care package we made to wish him luck."

Ella levitated the package into an extra space in her bag. "I'll make sure he gets it. Are you sure you don't want to come along?"

Angel shook her head. "I rather not give the boy extra grief if we're there. Seth assured us he'll keep us safe, and I'm willing to trust his word. You just tell Tony were delightning-ed that he's doing better."

Cheri groaned into her hand. "Oh come on, that one didn't even sound good!"

The motherly Raichu snickered. "Sorry, dear."

Ella laughed. "I'll relay the message."

Over with Saffiro, he finished channeling his magic through the magic circle on the ground. The blue light shimmering from it encompassed him, focusing his power as he gripped the hilt of his sword. Blue flames flickered off his scales, traveling toward the sword.

He glanced over his shoulder. "I'm all set. Time to go."

The group nodded and joined behind him. As he prepared the spell, the group looked back to the troupe as they all waved to them.

"Go kick some shadow butts for all of us!" Nebula exclaimed.

"Bye-bye, Madame Ava!" Micah and Susan cheered.

"We're rooting for you all the way!" Garland exclaimed, flashing them the thumbs-up.

"Tell Griffin I said hi!" Faye yelled. She froze as she felt over a dozen eyes looking at her. She blushed and tapped her stubby hands together. "Ahem, just to make sure he's alright and junk…"

Saffiro clutched his sword as the flames engulfed the scabbard. "Fuoco Blu: Porta della Fiamma!" He performed a quick draw, blue flames wrapping around the blade, and scarred the air with a burning slash. A vortex opened within the flames and transformed into a wide portal. He sheathed his sword and nodded to the group. "Let's move."

One-by-one, the group entered the portal. Cybil and Oswald saluted to the troupe while Ebony waved them down, tripping on her heels as she fell back into the portal. Willow followed after, and Ava waved to her troupe before disappearing into the vortex.

Ella lingered in front of the portal. She reached into her jacket and pulled out the Key of Darkness, turning it a couple times in her paw. She closed her eyes and sighed. We're so close. Once we get the missing keys back, we'll have them all. We can put this nightmare behind us.

She put the key away and hopped through the portal. With everyone cleared, Saffiro was the last to enter. As soon as he disappeared into the portal, it extinguished into a puff of smoke.

The troupe and company stared at the lingering smoke for a moment, now feeling the weight of their friends' departure. They had complete confidence in their success, but there was always that lingering bit of doubt that weighed on the mind.

Nebula was the first to speak, asking, "So, what do we do now?"

"Now—" Everyone turned to Seth as he balled up his chip bag and stuffed it inside his sleeve. He chuckled with a wide grin on his maw. "We make popcorn."

"…" The troupe was understandably lost on the Zoroark's remark.

Angel raised her hand and asked, "Can you elaborate?"

"I like popcorn," Cheri mumbled.

Seth chuckled quietly before saying, "Just because we're not going to the academy with them doesn't mean we won't be there at all. Master Cielo has plans in the next couple days, and what better way to support your allies than witnessing it from the comforts of home?"

The Wasteland

"INDIGO!"

Flint, Gwyn, and Ambrosine chuckled as a familiar sense of déjà vu hit them. As soon as the crew were made aware of the Dewott and Sneasel's company, they rushed to the main deck and crowded around their long, lost crewmate. Indigo accepted their welcome with open arms, laughing as they all smothered her.

"Okay, okay, I missed you guys, too!" Indigo exclaimed over her laughter.

Everyone pulled away, with Leigh the first to ask, "What happened to you? Are you okay?" She flashed her battle claws. "Tell me what that sick freak did to you so I can tear him limb from limb!"

Indigo chuckled awkwardly. "I may have beat you to the punch on that."

Ray grabbed her shadow arm and investigated it. "Should this be a cause for concern?"

Tony approached them, shaking his head. "I wouldn't worry. Long story short, I used a spell to give her full control over her mind, body, and soul. That shadow she's wielding has been fully integrated into her."

Leigh smirked. "Kind of badass, not going to lie." She then scowled. "And yet, that means I'm complimenting that bastard clown! I'm going to—"

Pain Train grabbed her by the wings and gently pulled her back. "O-Okay, let's calm down for a moment."

Rico walked up behind Indigo and embraced her tightly. "We're just so glad you're back. I was so worried about—" His eyes widened, and a blush crept over his face. "I-I mean, we were so worried about you."

Indigo sighed and smiled at the Scrafty. "The sentiment is appreciated, Rico." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, further reddening his face.

Tony leaned over Rico's shoulder with a wry smirk. "Try to savor that while you can, tough guy."

Rico snapped from his daze and glared at him. "You are really lucky you're guests on this ship."

"I'm sure I am."

"Alright, alright, enough crowding!" The Desert Beasts stood at attention as Arid and Graham descended from the upper deck. The pirate captain looked to their guests and said, "We're making a straight shot for the Grandmaster's Magic Academy, so I want everyone to get this ship into fighting shape before we land. We have to be prepared to leave once all the keys have been united."

"Aye, captain!" the pirates exclaimed.

Indigo saluted. "Aye, captain!"

Arid smirked. "Glad to have you back, shrimp. Now, get to work!"

"Aye!" The crew dispersed back to their posts.

Before Indigo followed, she remembered the shadow cocoon still attached to her back. "Ooh, right. Um, captain?" She detached the cocoon and gently set it down. "Tony and I neglected to mention we brought a…third party member with us." The way she glanced nervously at Gwyn sent a worried chill up the Mew's spine.

Arid crossed his arms. "Another passenger, eh?"

"She's really sick and needs medical attention. It's a long story."

He sighed and looked at Ambrosine. "Go with Indigo and see if there's anything you can do to help."

Ambrosine awkwardly scratched her arm. "Uh, right. Follow me, Indigo." She led the Sneasel below deck with the shadow cocoon in tow.

Once the girls left, Gwyn faltered against the back wall and slid to the floor. Her eyes were wide and almost vacant. "Don't tell me. That was…"

Tony sighed before nodding. "Callista, yeah. We've been calling her Callie recently."

Flint glared. "You actually brought her with you."

"Oh, don't judge me. If there's any tactical advantage we can get over the Shadow King, I'm taking it. Callie may be our best bet since she's an experienced witch."

Though Flint wanted to argue, he reluctantly sighed and relented. "Fine. Fine, whatever."

Graham scratched his chin, looking puzzled. "Why exactly were you two transporting her swaddled like a baby?"

"Ah, that…ties into her current sickness." Tony drummed his fingers together. "So, remember how I said I was going to see if Callie could figure out how to undo Indigo's brainwashing?"

Flint raised his brow. "Yeah?"

"Well, it obviously worked." Tony reached inside his coat and pulled out a wrapped dagger. "She calls them mind awakening daggers. If you stab someone with one, it'll alleviate any foreign effects on the mind and body and virtually liberate them. More or less, complete control over oneself. That's why Indigo can now control the shadow that was possessing her."

"I'm not liking where this is going…"

"However, some things happened, and Zaros managed to capture her. Aeternus corrupted one of the extra daggers and used it to split Callista's shadow from her body. He took everything, including her contracts."

Flint and Arid's eyes widened. "What?!"

"She's barely alive, too. Apparently with her current state—"

"Shadow and soul." The group turned to Gwyn, who finally lifted her head to look at them. "Without either of them, that ambition and life, the body is just a living corpse. Without a direct connection to her contracts, her body will eventually fail on her."

Tony narrowed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah. That."

Flint covered his face and groaned. "Are you telling us that Callista's darker personality is now completely liberated from her?!"

"Pretty much."

"Why are you so calm about this?!"

"Frankly, after the shit I've been through, it's easier to cope by not showing how terrified I am."

Arid growled. "Why would they go so far just to take her shadow?"

"It's not so much they just needed her shadow. They needed the contracts." Tony crossed his arms. "According to Callie, she was an instrumental part in making the Grim Ash puppets during the Gelid Peak Tournament. They were just prototypes for something else. They need one of her contracts to create the puppets, and these will likely be improved versions."

Flint narrowed his eyes. "That's right. Ella said they raided our village and…" He gritted his teeth. "Raided my dad's grave."

Tony glared. "I know this is a lot for you to take in, but it's very likely they're planning to make puppets of your ancestors…and your father."

"…" Flint growled and stamped his paw down. "Dammit all!" He paced around the deck, blowing smoke from his nostrils.

Graham crossed his arms. "Well, that certainly complicates things."

"You have no idea," Arid said. "I've seen Garret Ravenfield in action before. If they can make a puppet of him with his competency and fighting ability, we're all in deep trouble. And that's not even counting the other Ravenfield puppets."

"But maybe Callie can help us," Tony said. "I'm sure she can come up with a way to dispel the puppets. No doubt Aeternus has applied safety measures to make that a difficult process, but the alternative of fighting them isn't what I call promising."

He found himself glancing at Gwyn, who once more hung her head inside her arms. He sighed and bent down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"That's not to say I don't understand what you're going through right now. I'm really sorry I brought her with me, Gwyn. I know—"

"Stop." She lifted her head and looked up at him. Surprisingly, there wasn't a single tear on her face. "I said I was going to at least confront her. I promised you when we last spoke, and I don't want to be ruled by hatred. I let my hatred of witchcraft blind me. I want to talk to her at least once."

"…" He nodded. "Do it when you feel you're ready."

"I will."

Flint finally came back and huffed one last puff of smoke. "Please tell me you have some good news for us."

Tony looked aside. "Depends on how you stretch the definition."

"Why must you be so vague when you say shit like this?"

"I'm seriously." He stood up and dusted off his pants. "I've been going through the Immensus Library trying to find anything on the Shadow King and a weakness. I may have found something, but it depends on how we play our next move. I do know this, however. The legend exaggerated Apollo's willpower with the idol."

Flint's eyes widened. "Pardon?"

"He was never immune to its effects. It was just harder to tempt him. However, just like everyone else tempted by its existence, he used it more than he should've. It's…It's a really long story."

Arid glared. "Well, we have nothing but time."

Flint nodded. "Arid's right. If you believe there's something we can use, I'm willing to hear the whole thing."

Gwyn pushed herself up. "As am I."

Tony closed his eyes and sighed. "It's not a pretty tale, especially for you and Wes, Flint."

He glared. "I can handle it."

"Alright. Let's head inside, and I'll explain everything I learned."

Meanwhile, in the Storm Zone…

With the shadows retreating from the region, Aeternus' shadow monsters were left to their own devices without a voice to command them. They pursued forth by their own instincts, tearing down any Pokémon that stood in their way.

A small mountain village was the target of one such attack as civilians fled their homes and evacuated with the assistance of local warriors. The warriors that remained behind fended off against the shadow monsters, slinging spells and weapons in hopes of slaying the nearly unkillable beasts.

A Swampert wielding a spiked club raised the weapon over his head and slammed it into the earth, sending forth a way of mud and rock. The attack pierced through the shadow monsters' defenses and toppled most of them over. A Shadow Gastrodon persisted, baring its curved snaggleteeth and disgusting pair of arms extending from the back that dripped with black goo. It swung these arms and extended the fingers like ribbons.

An Ampharos stepped in front of the Swampert and sliced through the elongated fingers with his katana. The sliced-off fingers were flash frozen by the misty aura of his blade.

"There's too many of them!" Ampharos yelled.

Swampert growled. "We just need to slow them down and buy everyone time to flee." He looked up at the sky as an armored Swellow swooped by. "What's the situation?!"

"There's a bit of a hold up getting everyone off the mountain!" the bird said. "It might take another twenty minutes!"

"Twenty minutes? We don't have that kind of time." Swampert raised his club again, clenching it in both hands. "I've seen too many good men die to these monsters. I won't let them get past me."

Ampharos joined his side and got into position, clasping the hilt of his sword. "We will prevail, my friend. This, I swear."

Swellow dropped down, clutching a dagger in his talons. "Can't say I share your optimism, but whatever keeps you motivated."

The warriors tensed up as a Shadow Hariyama with an extra set of arms stomped out of the horde. A disgusting, fanged mouth split open along its face, and it roared at them before breaking into a charge. It thrusted its massive hands with great speed, ready to flatten anything caught in its way.

Swampert tightened his grip. "On my mark." They waited, keeping their feet planted, until the monster reached their effective range. His muscles tensed as he swung his club back. "Alright, now—"

A split second before they launched their counterattack, something struck through the monster's chest. The warriors' eyes widened at the long, purple coil that pierced its back and punched a hole where the heart was. The tainted organ, a shallow representation of its former self, was strung up on the coil gushing inky blood.

After a moment of silence, the coil retreated, taking the heart with it. The monster roared and stumbled onto its knees with blood oozing out from its open wound. The warriors watched the heart fly through the air and land in the hand of someone standing far away from both sides.

"Disgusting creatures." The newcomer, a Grovyle, crushed the heart in his grip, splashing the black blood over his face. "You're in my way."

The Swampert blinked in surprise. "Who…Who are you?"

The monster Hariyama regenerated from its crippling injury and set its attention onto the new bounty hunter. It roared and charged toward him with its fat fingers morphing into talon-like blades.

Ampharos gasped. "Dude, get out of the way! That thing will kill you!"

The Grovyle, Griffin, merely glared at the rampaging beast. He raised the bronze chain staff in his hand and sent it back into his personal arsenal. "Pathetic."

The monster lunged and thrusted one of its clawed hands at Griffin. In response, he casually lifted his arm before striking back with his palm. His blow cancelled out the monster's momentum, sending a shock through its entire body and stunning it. He dug his claws into its palm and forced it down onto its knees despite it towering over him.

The monster tried to retaliate with its other three hands, but was paralyzed under the oppressive weight of the bounty hunter's stare. Its eyes widened as it recognized the aura flowing around him, and cowered at the crippling difference in their pressures. It could sense the malice flowing through the bounty hunter. The shadow overlapping its body flickered away from him on instinct, remembering through collective consciousness of all shadows the imprint of this aura.

Griffin narrowed his eyes deeper and leaned toward it. The monster felt its skin burning as it stared into his red eyes.

"Die."

Like a balloon inflated with too much air, the monster ruptured into bloody shadow chunks from a geyser of spiteful magic. The warriors covered their faces as the black blood rained down on them. Griffin held up the monster's severed hand and watched it disintegrate into dark wisps.

After the corpse evaporated, Griffin turned his attention onto the rest of the horde, all of which recoiled from his stare. Though their instinct to kill all Pokémon kept them from running, they also recognized the volatile nature of the bounty hunter from past experiences. They weren't just staring at a Pokémon anymore, but something akin to a predator.

A beast.

Without turning to the warriors, he said, "Assist with the evacuation. I'll take care of them."

Ampharos gasped. "All by yourself?! Dude, there's too many of them!"

Swellow chuckled nervously. "Mate, he stared one of those things to death. I don't think he's the one you should be worrying about."

Swampert remained unsure of the bounty hunter's arrival, especially as he could feel the volatility of his aura just from the pressure it was giving off. However, it was clear they were facing an ally and not a bandit seeking trouble. As the Grovyle said himself, they had to assist with the evacuation first and foremost.

"…If you need back up, holler for us!" Swampert yelled.

Griffin gave a short wave in return. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Move it, you two!" Swampert ran back into the village.

"Ah, wait for us!" Ampharos and Swellow followed after him.

Once the warriors had fled, Griffin let out a breath he was holding and glared at the monsters. He scoffed at their numbers and approached them with no hesitance. To everyone else in the region, they were unholy juggernauts bent on genocide. To Griffin, they were trees that had to be cut down.

"Let me tell you the facts of life, you inky bastards." He extended his arms out and summoned a weapon to each. A scythe with a short handle and a jagged end appeared in his right while a giant, closed fan appeared in his left, tucking it under his arm. "Seeing your ugly mugs just reminds me of the shitty mood I've been in recently. Do you know how many innocent lives I watched fall because of you?"

The horde grimaced under the weight of his pressure. The ground split with each step he took, and the air vibrated with crackles of red magic. Griffin spun the broken scythe in his hand while opening the giant fan and presenting it to them as wind circled its frame.

"Want to see how many of you I can kill with one touch?"