Aredia City was located on a ancient water reservoir, discovered by Psychic and Water-type Pokémon in ages past. Once the old capital of Roria, even farther times signaled it as an powerful outpost of the Nurian Empire, when the prophets of Hisui still walked in the far north, and the world was young and still glowed with the power of creation. Indeed, in the east lay the mighty capital of Nuria, now abandoned after the terrible end of the Empire. Located in the rain shadow of the Ered Nisce, or the Frostveil Mountains, the desert ruins had become a haunt for every lost soul and creature. Rumors abounded, however, that a great Pokémon, fleeing from Unova, had made safe the nethermost hall of the cyclopean passages, and controlled the very tides of victory.
After dropping Tess off at a hotel and leaving a note saying where he had gone, Bronze had gone of into the desert to the ruins. Before he challenged the royal Gym Leader, he should go and investigate the ancient wreck. If his hunch was right, Team Eclipse would come here as well and see if the rumors were true, and he could be there to stop them.
Stopping at a lone rest stop on the way, Bronze ordered some noodles and took a seat to watch the news.
"The Board of the Pokémon Association has recently revealed that Team Eclipse has threatened the Pokémon League, and has formed a independent nation-state. This claim for sovereignty will not be recognized, and the Pokémon League will still continue as planned, although it will be moved to Johto and more extensive security precautions will be in place. Rorian Gym Badges will still be required for admission. When asked to comment of Team Eclipse's gunship, a externally dangerous weapon used in the terrorist attack on Anthien City, they responded by saying that they had figured a way to detect the ship, despite its seeming invisibility, and also emphasized that the gunship's destruction was a central part of their campaign against Team Eclipse. In other news, abnormal weather events have been increasing with alarming strength..."
So, he would have to go to Johto now. Oh well. If Team Eclipse had threatened the tournament, then putting in more security seemed to b only course possible.
On other things, Bronze was less clear. He worried that his parents might not be treated well by Team Eclipse, since there intended usefulness had expired. However, they might still be used as leverage, and their other skills as archeologists could be of us to Team Eclipse. As for Jake, if Team Eclipse had wanted to kill him, they could have when they captured him. Cypress, or whatever was controlling Cypress, wanted Jake for some reason, although why Bronze could not discern.
After paying the tab, Bronze left into the brutal night. Clutching his ready-prepared cloak tighter in protest of the howling winds and bone-breaking cold, Bronze almost missed the mechanical heat on Anthien City. However, being exposed to normal air had virtually revived him, and gave him the strength to go on.
Crossing through the debatable and desert land, Bronze noticed, glinting in the pale moonlight, a great, rushing river far away, coming out of its source in the Frostveil Mountains, and going down into the sea. The Sereghir, or the Bloodflow, was so named for the patches of iron residue that floated on the waters, giving it a somewhat reddish hue.
In that moment, Bronze swore he had a vision of a group of ten companions, drifting down the river in several great boats with their Pokémon, going ever southward. He blinked, and the sight was gone, as if it were a awakened ancestral memory.
After many hours of weary walking, and some encounters with unscrupulous characters that had quickly escalated into midnight battles, Bronze was thrilled to finally see the red granite gateway and ruined courtyard of the great dwelling.
As he approached, Bronze peered into the inky blackness of the cracked-open gates, knowing that the abyss held a expanse far larger than the outside appearance gave. Some of the tunnels were so deep and forgotten that they had not been discovered except by the aid of Ground-types. Deep in hidden vaults, wicked things lurked, old and foul things that were not Pokémon, remnants of a darker age.
Truly, it was a wonder of the ancient world. The great carvings and proud gates demanded a old, pristine reverence of the ancient builders, even now. But it was failing, rotting, turning back into the dust and heat from which it had came. The great halls seemed enraged at humanity, maddened at the senseless battle in which its high walls had been desecrated and the empire that dwelt within it had fallen in a final storm of blood and fire. It truly was a old place, housing memories of forgotten eras of whose likenesses would never come again.
Bronze knew he would need to use Chameleon's fire to navigate the labyrinth, although he silently wished he had a good pair of night-vision goggles. Whatever he would find, better him than Team Eclipse.
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Koga knelt before the carven statue of Ho-Oh in the topmost floor of the Tin Tower. Despite his ill memories of the legendary bird in the plot of the Masked Man, the ninja still felt a need to pay reverence to the great avian.
Then, what was that? Did he just glimpse a small flash in the eyes of the statue? Or were his heightened senses simply playing tricks on him? But there it was again! A unmistakable gleam in the eyes of the brilliant birds image! It glowed again, brighter! Ho-Oh was returning!
Koga heard the sound of slow, measured footsteps behind him. Turning quickly, Koga was met with a man in the shadow of the doorway, clapping slowly as well. The only feature Koga could see was a tall, well-built man and two glowing red eyes.
Koga sent out Koffing. "Show yourself! You know something about this statue, yeah? Koffing, Toxic Smoke!" Green vapor flew out of the Pokémon's holes, enveloping the stranger with a cloud of burning gas which would have made most suffocate. Yet the stranger seemed completely unaffected, even amused. Eyes glowing brighter, he began to speak.
"Well, Koga, do I look like a man who would fall for a ninja's tricks?" The figure let out a bone-chilling howl of a laugh. "I am afraid you will find me to be a different opponent then most you have seen." Koga didn't know what to make of this man. "I don't care who you are, or how power you want me to think you have. I have beaten men like you before." The figure (slithered?) through the smoke, becoming weirdly distorted. "Ah, my friend, I am far more then a mere man."
Stepping out into the sunlight, Koga viewed a smiling man with raven dark hair, a black and orange uniform and a handsome, yet cruel face. The man seemed was definitely much older than he appeared, although that only made him more knowledgeable and dangerous. He had seen this kind of uniform before. What was it? Team Eclipse! Yes, that was it. What this strange man wanted was tied to the statue glowing, definitely. Koga readied his shuriken in one hand, while the other went to the hilt of his katana.
The figure slowly raised his hand, and Koga's shurikens flew out of his hand and into the air, coming back to him and stopping just a hairs breadth away from his head. Closing his eyes as well as making a grasping motion toward Koffing and Koga's Poke Balls, the man made both the Pokémon and Capture Devices flew off Koga's belt and through the open door behind the demon. That's what this man was. A demon.
The stranger laughed. "Oh dear, I appear to have forgotten to introduce myself. I am Lord Cypress of the Eclipse Alliance, and I am afraid that you are a obstacle in my mission to reclaim the great bird Ho-Oh." Cypress clenched his fist, and Koga was dragged up into the air, a powerful force around his neck. Thinking fast, Koga made one last attempt at survival.
"Wait!" he gasped. "I challenge you to a duel! Me against you, no Pokémon, no magic or tricks! Just raw skill with a blade!" Cypress considered this, and finally let Koga leave his psychic grip. Sadistically grinning, Cypress agreed with the proposal. "Well, it seems pride is my downfall again! I do feel as though I must demonstrate my skills with a blade to none other then the Ninja Lord of Johto!" Koga silently was relieved. If he could simply figure out a way to best Cypress, or escape, his plan would have worked.
"Well, I can't beat you with your powers, and you can't beat me with my blade." Koga picked up his katana and began inspecting it for flaws, as he always did before a battle. "You can go downstairs and pick a blade from the wall stands, although they might be a bit brittle." Cypress was amused. "Do you truly think I am that idiotic? You would simply escape through the window. But then that presents a paradox, does it not? How can I fight you with a blade if you will escape while I fetch one?" Koga was silent. "But, Master Ninja, I do have a blade."
Grasping the air with his hand and concentrating deeply, Cypress pulled a brilliant blade of purple fire with a black stone hilt out of space. Holding in a ready stance, Cypress was no longer smiling. "I hope this sword lives up your standards, Ninja Koga. Perhaps you should be less quick to judge a persons inventory based on how they appear. Ready!" Koga pulled his blade into a guard, and Cypress rushed forward.
Cypress widely swung, staying out of retaliation distance while sparks flew of the hellfire and caused Koga to constantly maneuver and deflect them to avoid being burned. He couldn't get a opening to strike without being scorched. The blade gave a wide horizontal swing and cut through a wooden support, cleaving it like butter. Seeing the surprised look on Koga's face, Cypress relented and explained himself. "Of course, this blade will cut through any ordinary material. But I judge that it will not break your blade. If your order has not shirked on its rituals, it should have been blessed in the Tin Tower itself, nearly negating the soulfire. It is also made of a very durable and light steel alloy, and it should hold, even in a prolonged block." Cypress lunged, and the combat resumed.
True to his word, Koga managed to block the flashing blade without ill effect. Proving his point, Cypress continued to resume his wild attack. Koga could not strike back due to the flaming waves. Eventually seeing a opening, Koga jumped back and pulled out a small canister of freezing gas. Spraying at his opponent, the flaming sword definitely dimmed, and its wielder hissed and spat with rage, trying to clean the subzero spray out it his glowing eyes.
Seeing that the sword was no longer spraying deadly flames, Koga swung his blade, only to be met with a feeble block. Now far more angry at having his advantage ruined, Cypress stood up and roared in Koga's face, and combined with a swift kick to the solar plexus made the ninja stumble backwards, trying to regain his ground. Cypress charged and bore down on Koga, only to be met with another block.
Cypress was now using only pure skill, something he was not lacking in. However, Koga was more experienced, despite Cypress being physically stronger. Continually, Koga would get a small cut or laceration on Cypress through his flaming guard, although throughout the battle, Koga noticed them healing. He would have to get a stronger hit in to slay his adversary.
Koga leaped out of the fray and flew through the open window, balancing himself and jumping up to the roof of the great tower. Cypress followed him, jumping twice in midair onto the roof, continuing the duel.
The two continued to exchanged cuts and parries, and they seemed at a stalemate. Then, to his horror, Koga vaguely noticed his blade smoking. The dark magic of the Eclipse Lord's weapon was leaking into the katana, gradually wearing it down. Cypress noticed this too, and licked his lips in anticipation of eventual victory. The moment of overconfidence, however, allowed Koga to duck and dodge the oncoming parry, and plunge his blade into Cypresses heart.
The demon coughed, and then dropped his sword. Falling down, Cypress and blade slid down the angled roof and rested on the outcropping, eyes blank and confused, looking up into the midday sun.
Koga was about to go and finish him off, glad that he had tricked the evil man into playing on Koga's strengths, instead of using his own abilities. Koga was just about to plunge the blade through Cypress's neck, when he suddenly found himself unable to move his weapon. He tried again, to no avail. Then Koga saw the purple smoke rising out of the wound.
Cypress got up, terrible fury painted on his features, as the wound closed and he summoned his blade once more. "Such a shame you didn't get me in the head, hmm? GAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Cypress screamed and began slashing at Koga with incredible strength. The ninja was now able to fight back, but the relentless onslaught and the shock of a nearly dead foe returning with such strength gave Cypress the opportunity to slice Koga's sword hand clean off.
Screaming with pain, Koga fell to the ground as both limb and blade fell over the tower roof to the surface far below. Slumped in agony and defeat, Koga begged Cypress to end it. "Kill me. It is the only way."
Cypress seriously considered this for a moment, and then shook his head. "Me, kill such a man as you? I think not. For your skill, I will mend you." Cypress concentrated, and a portal opened up, through which Koga could see his blade and severed hand on the ground below. Cypress grabbed the limb, and attached it to Koga's cauterized wrist. With a muttered incantation, the hand had reattached itself to the ninja.
Looking at the newly healed limb, Koga was shocked that this man would do such a thing. Cypress answered before he could ask it.
"Why would I fix your wound, and spare you? I assure you, it was not out of kindness. Rather, I believe I will personally see to it that you will see your daughter die, consumed by a sky of horrors at the end. Perhaps I will attend to her sooner...despite her training, I will best her as I have defeated you." Koga was furious. He was completely powerless, and the man seemed to be literally drinking his hatred.
Cypress continued. "I must admit, you have diminished the power of my blade. It will require a harvest of many more spirits to regain its potential. I did not return your sword to you, however, as I believe you would have interfered with my continuing plans. Now, look to the sky!"
Koga looked up, and there was Ho-Oh, coming with colors of all hues shining of its pristine wings. Giving a angry call, its plumage reflected the radiant prism of light coming from the sun. Cypress was shaking with joy. Lifting his arms to the sky, he cried out to the great bird.
"Ho-Oh! Lord of Many Colors! I give you a offering of enjoinment to me, so that your radiance may be used to further my cause. Consider this well, o luminous one, for the new earth is coming in the old ones destruction. Great honor will be given to you and your power if you accept this cause, as the glorious appearing of you in my armies will desolate the foes of the new world! As the supreme and rightful ruler of the domain of light, you wish in your heart to serve me. I leave this to your great mind."
Ho-Oh did not even give a thought to this. Rather, it talked directly into Cypress and Koga's minds, something the ninja had never known it to be able to do.
"Why do you trouble me with your wars and rumors of wars? For I was cast and chained, a mindless beast, only a time ago. Why should I listen to you, one who reeks of perdition, and fight in your service against the inhabitants of the world? You were cast out of the high places like a terrible flame, and now you inhabit the body of a son of earth who has given himself body and soul to you. The judgment which you proclaim to be true and well is but words of war coming from the mouth of a false prophet. For I had taken a girl, many women, a boy, and many men in the control of the Masked One. With my brother, I wrecked destruction not as the One intended for us. I set myself against you, Evil One, so that you may not emboldened by the wine of power that I would give you, as other men and woman have drunk over the eons and have perished because of it. Leave this place, and do not return."
Cypress eyes glowed so intensely Koga was predicting them to burn his face. "A rebuke you give me? So be it! If you have regretted the long bonds of control placed upon you, then I will punish you sevenfold for your indolence! Drink my wrath!"
Pointing a hand at the great bird, Cypress shot beams of shifting, baleful light at Ho-Oh. The energy collided with the radiant being, and Ho-Oh screeched and writhed in agony as the violet beams of power covered it. With a final cry, Ho-Oh crumpled down, radiance quenched, onto the roof of the Tin Tower. It was a terrible sight.
Cypress materialized a Master Ball in his hand, and captured Ho-Oh. Turing to Koga, he gave a parting remark. "I believe my deed has been done, despite your noble, although foolish efforts. Perhaps the signs I have performed here will give you a sort of reverence of me, and you will soften your heart against my word. For if you wish for the safety of the things of love, comfort, and all that is good to you, it would be wise to join my cause. I am sure your daughter could be spared, with your encouragement. Dwell on this."
Cypress closed his eyes, and disappeared from the roof.