One week later...

Bronze grabbed his bag tightly, and stepped through the crumbling gateway to the Logarian Ruins, the ancient City of Caves, Atun-Kaah. Located in a vast fissure with a vale opening to the coastlands, Bronze could see the remnants of buildings of all sorts carved into the ravine walls, including along the path he and Tess were walking on. It was about time that they headed to Frostville, anyway.

Tess's bag proudly showed her Harvest Badge, won a day after Bronze had received his. Tess had also met Crystal a few days ago, and was asked if she felt that she could travel with a Pokedex. Tess had honestly answered and declined the offer, as she was not strong enough to meet the demands that came with it. Bronze had disagreed, but Tess had assured him it was in her best interest.

Bronze marveled at the elaborate stonework, and the sheer ingenuity of the way the city had been carven into the cliff face. The empire had not actually fallen due to invasion or internal conflict, but rather as the result of a Pokémon. Bronze had talked with Arvin through the past week, and he could remember the tale clearly.

Logaria had been blessed by Arceus for its noble leaders, and had spread and prospered through the ages. Even the Nurian Empire at its height could not move against it. After the fall of Nuria, and the supposed defeat of the Enemy, the northern empire eventually settled into complacency. Its leaders became quite wicked, and the attitudes of the people also reflected the growing decay. The Hisuians, who once tarried from the havens at Jubilife Town to Shaaman-Pah, stopped the travel with sadness in their hearts.

Once the giant Regigigas moved to Roria for a time, the Logarians had attempted to capture it and use it to build up their towers and temples to the sky. Regigigas escaped and exacted its terrible wrath upon the empire. The capital burned, and was blasted into oblivion, while the armies were burnt up like kindling. Indeed, only a small portion of the empire's cities remained, and Bronze was standing in the middle of it.

After another few hours of travelling and battling with wandering trainers, the two moved around the sheer face to reveal a massive arch-shaped hole in the mountain rock, which Bronze knew to be the opening to the snowy route approaching Frostville City.

Bronze sent out Charizard, and the pair of adventurers flew down to the glistening gate. What made Tess freeze, and Bronze's blood boil, was that there were three members of Team Eclipse stationed at the entrance. Two had their faces visible, but the central one was hooded, and just a bit shorter.

Bronze and Tess had had enough. They sent out Electivire and Garchomp, and blasted the two unhooded grunts Pokémon into submission, before slamming the goons into the ground, unconscious. Magnezone levitated some rope around the grunts, restraining them. Bronze and Tess moved to defeat the central goon, when Bronze noticed that they were wearing a Admin's uniform.

Taking advantage of Bronze slight moment of delay, the hooded trainer sent out a Infernape and Dhelmise. Tess's Haxorus took on the Infernape, while Electivire fought the Dhelmise.

The hooded trainer raised his arms in a attempt to stop the battle. "Wait, Tess, Bronze, stop, please listen to-" Bronze had Charizard pin the admin to the ground, preventing him from speaking. The voice was unnaturally distorted, but it sounded vaguely familiar.

The admin shot out a Fearow and it began to fight Charizard, freeing the Eclipse member. He looked at Bronze, pleading with him. "Bronze! Please, listen! I don't want to hurt you-" Bronze sent out Onyx, the bulk of the rock snake filling the battlefield. The hooded trainer sent out a Leafeon and Zebstrika to fight the new contender.

Bronze sent over Magnezone to restrain the admin, vaguely aware that he had known a trainer with some of the same Pokémon. Magnezone created a charged field around the admin, preventing him from moving.

"Alright, show yourself!" Bronze yelled, as Magnezone threw off the trapped admin's hood.

Upon seeing the admin, Bronze blinked, hoping to clear away the dust in his eyes. But his eyes were clear.

It was Jake.

Bronze stood, in trancelike disbelief, not being able to fully process the fact that Jake must have somehow escaped and found them. Bronze snapped out of his stupor and yelled at Tess, who was beating the Infernape to dust with her Garchomp.

"TESS! TESS! STOP FIGHTING! ITS JAKE! ITS JAKE! GET OVER HERE!"

Tess quizzically looked over to Jake, and nearly fainted. Getting up again, Tess looked very pale, and ran over to Jake and gave him a massive hug, as Magnezone had lowered the electrical barrier.

"Jake! Jake! How did you escape? We have to get you to someone we know! Lets go! Go! Tell me all about what happened! Do you know what Team Eclipse is planning? How did you sneak out in a admin's uniform? Were those other guys deserters too? How did you get new Pokémon? Jake? Jake?"

Jake looked at Tess and Bronze with a very sad look, appearing far older than his fourteen years. "Tess, I didn't escape." Tess and Bronze were confused. "Wait, what?" Bronze took a second to process this, and finally figured it out. "Your a spy! That's amazing! How did you convince Cypress to make you an Admin? Come on, what's Team Eclipse's endgame? Jake?"

Jake was very quiet. He looked at Tess, and slowly spoke. "Tess, please, listen to me, and don't be angry. I am trying to help you. Cypress is going to succeed. He is going to leave this world in complete ruins. If you come with me, I can grant you safe passage to the new world. My only choice was to join Team Eclipse, and then come back to get you. Do you understand?"

Bronze snorted. "Ha ha, Jake, funny. Stop talking like you would to Cypress. You don't need to milk him here. Come on, get on Charizard!" Bronze turned to leave. As he didn't hear Tess or Jake walking, Bronze turned back to see Tess looking very pale, and Jake even more sad. Bronze was getting angry. Why wasn't Jake moving? Didn't that guy know when he was being rescued?

Jake spoke again. "Bronze. Tess. Trust me. Cypress somehow learned to build a machine that will allow him to transport him to a place where he can create a new world. No one can stop him, not the Pokedex Holders, Gym Leaders, Champions, International Police, anyone. If we don't join him, we will die. Come with me, and I will tell you everything. Please, listen to reason."

Bronze thought of quite a lot of foul things to say, but Tess beat him to it.

"YOU ARE INSANE! Do you have any idea of who you are working for?! He will kill anyone and anything, including you! He is evil personified! I don't care what you say, because I will never, ever, join Team Eclipse, oh, I'm sorry, the Eclipse Alliance. No matter what twice little bowtie you put on what they say, it doesn't matter. Team Eclipse is worse then anyone who has ever terrorized the world! And if you work for that evil man, I will fight against you until I die! What do you say, admin?"

Jake looked wounded. "Tess, I know what Cypress is! There isn't any Cypress anymore! He's been taken by something else! If you join me, we can work to overthrow him! We will bring peace and prosperity to the new world, without Cypress."

Tess continued screaming. "WHAT?! That is what you are going to say? You can't defeat the demon, even with our help! If you actually think that your little argument makes me want to help you, you can go to hell, Jake! Wake up! Come back!"

Jake was now very angry. "If you aren't for me, you are against me! You are going to burn, Tess! There is no way around it! Cypress is going to get his way, no matter what anyone throws at him!"

Bronze solemnly spoke. "Only evil speaks in absolutes. I am sorry, Jake. I hope you will wake up one day." Bronze had Onyx blast Jake over the mountain ridge, far out of sight, while the admin's Pokémon ran after him.

Tess collapsed, shaking with sobs. Bronze didn't feel anything but a dull anger. How dare Jake ally with Team Eclipse! He had turned his back on everyone, everything, even the world. What right did he have to go along as a patsy for Cypress? How could he not see that he was being used?

Tess got up, wiped the tears from her eyes, and steeled her eyes in a most uncharacteristic display of anger. "Bronze, we have to keep on going. Jake will wake up, one day. He is just confused right now. He isn't gone, just lost. And I am going to fight Team Eclipse eve harder to free him. Cypress had him under some spell, and his death will mean that Jake can be freed. If we go on, then we will get strong enough to fight back even harder. Remember that." With that, Tess turned and ran into the archway, her Pokémon following her.

Bronze felt new conviction. Looking at his Pokémon, he thought about what Tess had said. "Are we going to go after Tess? Are we going to help Jake come to his senses? Come on, everyone!" All his Pokémon showed their affirmation in some way.

"Okay! Let's get to Frostville and see what we can do!"

Bronze and his Pokémon took off running into the snowy path.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald walked through the village of Meteor Falls. They saw the Elder and Zinnia waiting for them, along with several other village members.

"My friends!" The Elder exclaimed. "Your arrival is most appreciated. Do tell, why have you come here again now that the threat of Grand Meteor Delta has passed years ago? Perhaps it is related to some other evil that we have no knowledge of?"

Ruby grimly agreed. "You are correct, ma'am. I would say that the people we are up against now are far more dangerous than any meteor. They are going to destroy the world completely if they get their way." The Elder was disturbed. "In that case, we will fight against whoever you speak of. But that is not the only reason you have come to give us this information, is it not?"

"Course' not!" Sapphire said. "We're gonna need yer help if we're gonna defeat Team Eclipse! This group 'as been taking legendary Pokémon for themselves, and we thought that we could try to turn the tables on 'em." Zinnia realized what she meant. "Are you talking about using the Dragon Lord to fight these people? You must be in deep trouble if you are considering this...I do trust you, despite past events. The fact that you wish to harness Rayquaza's power given your long-standing nobility makes me believe that this is even more of a wise choice of action."

Renza was still skeptical. "Still, what evidence is there that you would need the Dragon Lord's abilities to fight off these earthly foes? Are you not capable of doing such a thing yourself?" Emerald responded to the point.

"If you think that we are fighting any ordinary group, you are wrong. The leader of this organization, Team Eclipse, is hardly human at all. He is something else, far more dangerous than anything the world has ever seen. He is moving in the shadows, unpredictable and deadly. We still don't even know his endgame. But with my green orb core, the Rayquazaite, and the skill of the Draconids, Rayquaza will be able to help us to stop Team Eclipse from destroying the entire world."

"I am sure you meant that we would aid it!." A voice echoed from the shadows of the rocks around the village. Ruby turned to the voice and sent out Mumu. "Whoever you are, come out!"

A man stepped out of the shadows, and to Ruby's disgust, it was none other than Emrett, dressed in linen robes and carrying a staff. Sapphire and Emerald sent out their Pokémon, while Emrett simply smiled. The Elder looked at Emrett with suspicion. "I do not know your face. How have you come to our village? It would be in my right mind to have you captured."

Emrett bowed low. "Please, Great Elder, I do not come bearing ill will to you and your kin. I am a simple servant of the One True Lord, and the universal Spirit-Force, and my own familiar, the illustrious Ba-al Enamorus, who has only recently reformed from the Abyss."

Ruby glared. "Don't listen to him! He's dangerous. Team Eclipse sent him to stop us!"

"Dangerous?" Emrett chuckled. "I don't even have any Poke Balls! If you are afraid of me, then perhaps you have something to hide." Ruby bit his lip, and then realized that Emrett wasn't going to fight them, at least not in a physical way. His silver tongue would do the combat.

"Very good. Now, honorable Draconids, I bring good news to you. One of your oldest predictions has been fulfilled, one even older than the prophesized meteorite."

Renza gasped. "Are you talking about...the Promised One?"

Emrett nodded his head. "I pride myself in my knowledge of your culture, and your society is actually descended from the old prophets of Hisune, or ancient Sinnoh. Of course, you all know of the great prophecy. The Great Arceus decreed in elder days that he would send his very essence to earth in the form of a man, to deliver the nations from evil."

"I say, with no lie in my heart whatsoever, that the very leader of the Eclipse Alliance is the foretold savior of the world. He is one, the only, almighty, Lord in the Flesh. All who seek to oppose him shall fall. Join us, and make a new world together! He who has ears, let him hear." The Elder closed her eyes, seeming to ponder these words.

"You truly have said this in honesty, without deception. I suppose you do believe that your master is the Promised One. But I do not trust you. The honorable Pokedex Holders have warned against you, and many false prophets come and go through the world. What proof do you have, beyond simple belief?"

Emrett raised his arms to the sky. "I have been given power by my supreme master to declare his authority and proclaim signs in the heavens. Look to the airs!" Emrett pointed at the sky, and flaming burst of lightning echoed through the suddenly cloudy sky.

Emerald was not deterred. "Don't listen to him! He is simply tricking you with Pokémon! His master taught him this sort of sorcery!"

Emrett looked at Emerald. "Trickery? Do not speak! Behold my power!" Emrett held out his staff, which to the Draconids amazement and the trio's horror, transformed into a whip with the head of a snake, hissing and spewing venom.

Emrett cracked the whip, and bowls of food appeared in front of the Draconids. The bowls levitated, and duplicated themselves over and over again. Emrett clapped, and the cloud over the sun disappeared, but the day star was now over three times as bright. Renza jumped forward, shielding his eyes from the blinding light.

"No one can have this power without evil! I do not trust you. Ruby, Sapphire, you were right! Despite your black magic, the power you have is nothing compared to the Original One!" Emrett maintained a wry face. He gestured at Renza, and with a "Well, you're dead!" Renza dropped stone still, gray as ash.

Zinnia and Sapphire yelled with rage, but Emrett froze them with his stare. "Do not worry. If I can slay him, I can bring him back! Wake up." Renza scrambled to his feet, confused. "Of course, I can't stand insolence. Your dead again!" Renza fell down, gray once more. He glared at the Pokedex Holders. "Those fools are here to deceive you. Do not trust them, for they are as serpents in our midst!" Emrett then transformed his whip into a staff again, and hit it against the ground. A stream of clear water rushed out, flowing uphill.

Emrett stopped performing miracles and addressed the terrified group. "My Lord's patience has not run out on you. Only the servants of the one true Lord can make such signs! If you wish to swear loyalty to me and the Promised One, please raise your hand." Several Draconids raised their hands, terrified. Emrett beckoned to them, and they came in a small group of seven, standing next to Emrett.

"Well done! Of course, the next woe is to come. Do you see that cloud of dust coming through the village entrance?" Indeed, there was a cloud, rushing towards the seven converts. "Those are desert asps, coming to slay those who joined out of fear, not loyalty. I hope you will reconsider the offer to rashly summon the Dragon Lord." The seven tried to run, but they were frozen in place by some spell. The cloud reached the group, and everyone could hear screaming and hissing coming from it.

The cloud left, leaving the mutilated bodies of the seven Draconids. Emrett raised his arms, and the Elder was pushed out of the crowd by some unseen force, and was frozen next to Emrett. "Let your leader be a further example of what happens to those who defy my master's will!" No one could do anything. Emrett transformed his staff into a sword, and swung in at the Elders neck.

Crash! A blue shape bolted from the hills around the village, and with incredible speed, blocked Emrett's swing. The shape also impaled Emrett with a incredibly sharp blade, seemingly coming from its head. The Elder collapsed with fright, and then ran away to the Pokedex Holders.

Ruby could not believe who it was. Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, and Keldeo stood, ready to fight, along with Lance riding Cobalion, Pryce in his ice body, Cyrus on Terrakion, and Lysandre in his wheelchair. Virizion was just recovering from blocked Emrett, and looking at the shaking body.

Emrett got up, healed from the deadly blow, and gaped at the squad of former villains. He sent a bolt of fire from his staff at Cobalion, but Lysandre sent out Gyarados to extinguish the blaze. Lance sent out his Dragonite, and it blasted a Hyper Beam at Emrett. The wonder worker teleported to the side, but the Hyper Beam bent mid-flight and slammed into Emrett, sending him flying.

Terrakion and Cyrus charged at Emrett, but with a final, hateful look on his face, Emrett vanished in a blinding light.

Sapphire was in shock. "Wha...what are y'all doing here? Why are ya helpin' us?"

Lance gave a grim smile. "Sometimes I think that myself. All of us have tried to destroy the world sometime or another."

"So, basically, we're the bad guys." Cyrus said. "All on the run from the law." Lysandre moved in front of Virizion in his wheelchair. "I seems that the Swords of Justice have deemed us worthy partners to destroy this menace that now threatens the world, regardless of our past mistakes."

"Indeed," Cobalion said. "We will continue to aid these men in our own journey to defeat the Evil One. Seeing that we have made safe this place once again, it would be wise to continue to Roria, seeing that the wonder worker will tell his master of our presence. Goodbye, Pokedex Holders, and friendly Draconids. we fought the Enemy in past eons, in time immemorial before there were even any humans. We have tired of the devices of Man, and we detest his quick satiety with good. If your kind had only remembered what had gone on in the past, then we would not be facing this threat, or it would not be so great. Still, we bless you, and we will carry your names in our hearts ever after."

The others turned to leave, and Cyrus looked at a pile of rocks to his left. "Mars, Saturn, Jupiter." Three head popped up, two woman and one man. "Yes, sir!" They said simultaneously. "Stay in this place, until I tell you otherwise. I believe that your being here will be most welcome." The three former Team Galactic commanders saluted Cyrus and went to meet the other Draconids.

Keldeo bowed to the Elder, and ran after the others far into the distance.

The Elder and Zinnia hugged, while the Pokedex Holders ran over to Renza. Sapphire checked for a pulse, and it was there, but weak and thready. Renza seemed to be in a state of half-death, affected by some curse. Some Draconids carried Renza inside the Great Hall, while the Elder and Zinnia discussed this event with the three Pokedex Holders.

The Elder spoke first, very pale. "This man, if he does serve the Promised One, is the most powerful being we have ever seen in the village, outside of the Dragon Lord. If he returns in anger, then even more devastation will follow. I cannot condone awakening the Dragon Lord now." Zinnia was furious, at Emrett and the Elder. "Are you serious? His organization will destroy everything anyway! Regardless of what that demon wanted us to think, we need to find Rayquaza to combat this threat!"

The Elder put a hand over her face. "I will not join them, as the true Promised One would never harm those who were loyal to him. But, we cannot give you the full support of the Draconids to have the Dragon Lord aid you. But listen closely..." Zinnia and the Pokedex Holders leaned in to hear the Elder.

"Zinnia, you are to take the Rayquazaite, and accompany these three as they search for Rayquaza. You will have the green orb core as well. If Emrett returns to see if we have aided you, we will show a fake Rayquazaite. Go, quickly!"

Zinnia saluted the Elder. "Yes ma'am! We will go at once. Thank you!" The Elder smiled, and handed Zinnia the Mega Stone.

The three climbed aboard Sapphires Troppy, and flew off into the sky.