Chapter 27
Out of Madness
The members of Team Vendetta and Vantis could only gaze at the Sableye before them, completely petrified in disbelief and terror. They wanted to believe that everything Yimtri just said was part of his insane ranting, but no matter how much they wished to believe that, they knew that the Dusk Mines leader spoke the truth. They could feel such truth all around them as the dungeon's atmosphere wafted through their spirits.
Dusk Mines and its inhabitants were corrupted by the being known as Erebus that lived inside Erebus Woods. It was amplifying their bloodthirsty and insane tendencies. That was why everyone in that particular Fellowship had such unnerving atmospheres about them. It all made sense now.
And yet, this truth brought no relief. It only brought forth horrible implications that completely nulled the group's ability to speak.
"Your bravado has faded away," Yimtri stated in disgust. "The will you five showed just moments ago ceases to exist. Of course, that is to be expected when one learns the truth of Erebus Woods. I certainly remember my own reaction to the undeniable truth…"
The Sableye scowled and let out a scoff.
"I thought you children might have been able to retain such audacity," Yimtri said as the shadows encasing his claws became darker. "But no, you can't. Your spirits are too weak. You cannot bring it upon yourselves to make the first strike. Fine, then. Your choice has been made."
The Dusk Mines leader's eyes began to glow with an eerie, ethereal green light – then, with a blinding flash, Yimtri's five opponents found themselves unable to see. As they tried to blink away the blurriness from their eyes, Yimtri sped toward Terron with a claw poised to strike.
Instinctively, Terron threw his bone at the Sableye, shortly followed by the other. Hopefully, it would stall him and give the others a chance to attack.
Much to Terron's horror, Yimtri not only managed to catch one club, but both of them in his claws. With a mocking smile, he immediately proceeded to snap the bones in half as if they were made of twigs and tossed them aside.
Terron felt as though his entire body suddenly became encased in solid ice.
Now without weapons to defend himself, Terron could only watch in terror as the Sableye leapt at him and sent three, deep slashes into his chest. Terron cringed in pain as the wound stung with such intense and bitter cold, but he was not allowed to rest long. Yimtri grabbed him by the neck and swiftly dragged him away from the group and into a cluster of trees. Terron desperately tried to breathe, but the Sableye's claws were so cold and were dangerously close to crushing his trachea. Just when Terron thought he was going to faint from lack of air, Yimtri tossed him to the ground. The Cubone coughed violently as he looked around, finding that his vision was clear was once more, the blurriness from Yimtri's flash having subsided. He could see his companions in the distance, so far away from him.
Terron tried to call to them, but his efforts ceased when another claw came down on him, and then another. Yimtri enthusiastically sent a ceaseless flurry of spiritual-infused claw attacks at the Cubone, rapidly cutting away at his skin. Terron feebly tried to strike the Sableye several times, but as to be expected, the attacks went straight through him.
"How does it feel, knowing all of your efforts are futile?" Yimtri asked sadistically. "Does it make you want to give up on everything and let yourself die? Well, if it does, don't worry. Erebus has a place for you not too far from here, my precious little Terron. I'm sure you'll like it oh so much."
Just then, a vine slapped Yimtri away from the Cubone. He was tossed along the ground until he crashed into a nearby tree, making the attached Riolu corpse shift slightly out of place. Terron wearily looked to his side to find Syn as he retracted his vine. The Snivy glared intensely at Yimtri as the Sableye managed to get to his feet.
"Heh, so it's the hopeless child that is the first to attack me," Yimtri laughed. "And here I thought you were just a feckless neophyte, losing the will to struggle against Erebus Woods… not to mention your meaningless life."
Syn grit his teeth as he dashed forward, his tail leaf becoming imbued with power. As Terron tried to think of a way to help him, he was suddenly met with something tackling him from behind. It held him down with sharp claws, nearly drawing blood as the claw points touched his skin.
Though he had no idea who was keeping him down, Terron sent a backwards kick at the one behind him to the best of his ability.
THUD!
The unknown creature released the Cubone and gave off low whines. Given this chance, Terron stood up and turned around to face this threat head-on. Just as he was about to swing his fist at the enemy, he saw, to his surprise, that his assailant was Zekra.
She was rubbing her forehead with a paw, shaking it irritably. Yet, as soon as she saw that Terron was up, she let out a snarl and quickly changed into a Zoroark. She flinched for a brief second, but was quick to recover. Her claws glistened with malicious red energy as she brought them down upon the Cubone. Terron hastily ran from the spot, just barely avoiding the claws.
"Get back here, Yimtri!" Zekra cried. "Give us that Escape Orb!"
"Zekra, it's me, Terron!" the Cubone shouted. "You're just seeing things!"
"Don't try to deceive me!" Zekra spat. "I can hear your voice! I know it's you, Yimtri! Your weird mind tricks won't work on me! Now give me that orb so we can get this over with already!"
Terron grimaced as he avoided another swipe of her claws. Zekra was no doubt hallucinating, but Terron didn't know why. They were past that part of the dungeon. And not only that, but she claimed that Terron's voice sounded just like Yimtri's. That never happened in the lava-filled area of Erebus Woods.
It was then that Terron noticed Impetus and Vantis off in the distance. He was about to call out to them, but stopped when he realized that the two of them were attacking each other. Based on what they were screaming at each other, they too thought that the other was Yimtri.
No… they're having those hallucinations too! Are Syn and I the only ones who can actually see normally?! Ugh, I've had enough of these stupid dungeon tricks!
Zekra's attack connected, sending Terron skidding along the grass with deep streaks in his back. The false Zoroark leapt at him, pinning him down with both her hands. She stared deeply into his trembling eyes with a murderous glint.
"Give me the Escape Orb!" Zekra demanded.
"For the last time, I'm not Yimtri!" Terron urged desperately. "I'm Terron!"
Zekra let out a snarl as the illusion light flashed through her eyes. She released one of her hands and raised it above Terron's heart, claws drawn to tear out his heart. Terron's eyes widened as he attempted to get out of Zekra's grasp, only to find that she kept her grip firm.
"If I was Yimtri, then how would I know that you joined the Fellowship because the Plagued Ones ruined your life and you want to make them pay?" Terron asked hastily, trying to bring some rationality into her brain. "How would I know that they killed everyone you knew, if I never met you until today?! How would I know that you and I were the founding members of Team Vendetta?! Because I'm Terron and you told me those things!"
The Zoroark froze in place as her grip loosened on the Cubone. She looked into Terron's eyes cautiously, as if waiting for something to happen. A few seconds later, her eyes became large as she released her hold on her friend.
"Terron! It… it is you!" she cried. "But, it doesn't make any sense! I wasn't confused! I know I wasn't! Confusion doesn't make the voice match whoever you're seeing! It always sounds like the one who's really there!"
"Well I don't understand it either, but at least you're back to normal," Terron said as he got back up.
He glanced toward the brawling Impetus and Vantis, seeing the Mienfoo narrowly avoid a beam of dragon fire. Terron looked back at Zekra with a glare filled with dedication and tension.
"I'm going to stop those two," Terron stated. "I think I can snap them out of it. While I do that, I want you to go help Syn take care of Yimtri. I'd do it myself, but I'm pretty useless against him. So, it's up to you. That is, until I get more help. Don't let me down, Zekra. I know you can do it."
Without even waiting for her reply, the Cubone took off to go stop the senseless fighting. Zekra called out for him, but he continued on without her. He had made a resolve and was dedicated to finishing it. The Zoroark frowned in dismay at seeing him go, but she knew she couldn't dwell on that. There were more important tasks to focus on, specifically, the new task she had been given seconds ago.
Zekra glanced around for a brief moment until she spotted two glowing lights in the distance: Yimtri's eyes. She secured the team's bag tightly around her side before dropping to all fours and chasing after the lights. Soon, she was able to make out the little Sableye as she drew closer. She growled fiercely as soon as she saw the real Yimtri and picked up her speed.
When she made it to the Sableye, she found that he was standing over a weakened and downed Syn, wearing a twisted, victorious smile. The Snivy wasn't unconscious yet, but his eyes were so weak and it seemed they would close at any minute…
Just as Yimtri was to send a claw down upon the child, Zekra shot forward and sent the red energy into her claws. She didn't know precisely what this kind of power was called, but she had seen her brother use this power once and knew that it would help here. She snatched up the Sableye in her glowing claws and quickly pinned him against the vacant spot of the nearest tree. She let out a loud growl at the deranged leader, baring her teeth as the energy in her claws became brighter.
Yimtri casually glanced at the claws imprisoning him before bringing his attention back to Zekra. A quiet laugh escaped his maw as he flashed her a smile.
"Well well, if it isn't Zeverous," Yimtri said eagerly. "It's been a while since I last saw you. I see you haven't forgotten that I can't phase out of your claws when you're using Night Slash. Pesky little dark powers you have."
Zekra became stiff. She nearly dropped the Sableye upon hearing her brother's name, but managed to compose herself enough to keep her hold on the leader. Yet, the shock was still very apparent in her eyes and Yimtri was quick to notice it. His smile only seemed to widen.
"Oh, you think I forgot you?" Yimtri asked. "Heh, I couldn't possibly forget the only Zoroark I've met. Not after everything you've done for me. Helping me gain so many evolving stones… fulfilling the tasks none of my members could do… using your illusions so greatly… heheh, how could I forget? And Erebus never forgot you either. It's still waiting for you, Zeverous. You can't run from it."
Zekra said nothing. Right now, she held the Sableye at her mercy. She could land an easy blow, grab the Escape Orb, and get out of the dungeon. But… everything Yimtri was saying right now was stopping her from doing just that. He knew her brother. He knew things that no one else ever did. There was always the possibility that he was bluffing… but the look in Yimtri's eyes was so convincing. Even through the malice and insanity that coursed through those jeweled eyes, Zekra could see the honesty. That pure, uncorrupted honesty.
The shock from such a revelation left her stunned and sent rapid amounts of thoughts into her brain, obliterating her focus.
"So Zeverous, are you coming back to Dusk Mines?" Yimtri asked. "You've been gone too long. I want you back. Erebus wants you back. We all want you back. You can't run away. Oh no, you can't just try to escape when you realize what Erebus is doing to you. You have to live through it! Just like the rest of us! You have to let Erebus completely take over your life!"
Suddenly, Zekra felt something sharp pierce into her waist. With a loud cry, she dropped the Sableye and reverted back into her true form. She wearily looked over to her side to find that Yimtri's shadow was withdrawing itself from her flesh and merging back into the ground that held thick drops of her blood. Another jolt of pain shot up her spine, depleting a significant chunk of her energy. Yet, it was not enough for her to feel fatigued.
"So you really weren't Zeverous," Yimtri chuckled as he got to his feet. "You merely took on his form. Such a convincing act you Zorua and Zoroark can put on when you pretend to be others. I thought there was something suspicious about the way you were reacting to his name. How do you know him? Were you one of his targets?"
"Targets… what do you mean…?" Zekra asked quietly.
Yimtri smiled evilly as he plunged straight into the ground. His form seemed to melt upon contact with the dirt, becoming a wispy puddle of darkness as he merged into the ground. In a matter of seconds, what was once Yimtri was now completely gone from sight. Zekra quickly began moving, trying to lessen her chances of getting hit by the underground Sableye. He was somewhere below her, and she couldn't afford to take a blow. She had to stay alive until Terron got the others. Outnumbering Yimtri was the only chance they had of winning against him.
A shrill, pained cry came from behind. Quickly, Zekra turned around, only to come to a horrifying sight. Syn, who she had forgotten about until now, was in a startling state. The Snivy was streaming with black wisps and his lifeless eyes were wide open in sheer terror. His mouth hung open vacantly as his legs twitched. His head rested against the Sableye's side, who was looking down upon him with his usual grin. His right claw was coated in the very wisps that rose from the Snivy's body.
He had never been trying to attack Zekra in the first place. It was all a trick.
"Syn!" Zekra shrieked. "What… What did you do to him, Yimtri?!"
The Sableye let out a quiet cackle as the wisps continued to flow out of his paw. Zekra shot toward the Sableye, becoming a mirror image of Yimtri this time. Again, a wave of pain overcame her, nearly causing her to revert back to normal. Yet, she pressed forward and rushed at the true Yimtri. Her claws became encased in the black energy.
"So now you're taking on my form? You can truly copy my appearance and abilities so well with that Deception Amulet, but it's a shame that you can't copy the same amount of power I wield."
Without warning, something intangible surged into Zekra's back. It sank into her soul, filling her entire being with an agonizing cold. It became difficult to breathe, and whenever air did come into her lungs, it brought such a burning sensation. Zekra fell to the ground as her form shifted back to a Zorua. The chill disappeared from her body, but just as she started to get up, she felt something approach her from behind.
Before she could understand what was happening, Zekra was suddenly face-to-face with Yimtri. His claws were holding each side of her head, and he was mere inches away from her face. Yimtri's shadow was seeping through the air all around her, waiting to strike at a given command. Zekra cringed at the sight of seeing him so close to her. She tried to change into a different Pokémon, but the second the light filled her being, the shadows shallowly sliced a part of her and prevented the transformation.
"Sorry, but I'm afraid escaping isn't an option," the Sableye said. "You're trapped like this."
"You… you were with Syn!" Zekra cried. "I saw you! How did you get me from behind if you were right in front of me?!"
The psychotic leader started to laugh as he dug his claws into Zekra's face. She grimaced and shook her head, but the claws only went deeper.
"Because that me you saw with that child was a false me," Yimtri answered. "A decoy. It's a power I have, you know. I can create a copy of me to take any unwanted damage. It's a little power called 'Substitute'. You've seen this before, remember? Remember my unconscious body Terron was mentioning after you found him? The one you never saw? Well, that was a decoy just like the one you saw now. As soon as I was revived by Erebus the very moment you arrived, I left that decoy there so I could steal my bag back without anyone suspecting me. Once that decoy's time had been used, it went away, which is why you never saw it and ended up making Terron spot me sooner than I anticipated. But alas, it was no issue. You five didn't do anything to stop me when I was being healed."
He grinned.
"Oh, am I boring you with my explanations?" Yimtri asked. "Did you not want to hear how such a power works? I would have thought you'd listen so you could use it to your advantage. Of course, how can you even use it to your advantage when there's no guarantee of whether or not the me you attack will be a decoy or not?"
Zekra swallowed hard.
"We're going to defeat you," she said under her breath. "We're going to get out of here. You can't beat all of us at once."
"Oh, I know that," Yimtri replied calmly, catching Zekra off-guard. "You're right. But you fail to realize something, little child."
Shadows sprouted from the claws embedded into Zekra's flesh. She let out a scream as the ghostly energy coursed through her, bringing forth the virulent cold wherever it went. The voices of demons filled her thoughts, whispering maddening things to her. As the sounds polluted her mind and the cold made her insides lose feeling, she saw Yimtri give her a sinister smile.
"… I don't have to defeat all of you at once."
"AAAAAAHHH!"
Terron, Impetus, and Vantis immediately brought their attention to the source of the bloodcurdling screaming. It was so far away, and yet, the voice's identity was so clear.
"Zekra…" Terron whispered in despair.
He had just finished his task of bringing Impetus and Vantis back to normal. It had taken him much longer than he expected due to their intense stubbornness. Whatever had been altering their perception of reality had truly done a fine job. But now, because he had wasted so much time, Zekra had no doubt fallen. That cry he had heard was the desperate plead one gave before their world vanished. He had heard it many times before from countless Pokémon, but it always had that same, distinct sound of shattered hope in it, no matter who or what gave the cry.
Terron could feel himself trembling.
Impetus, on the other hand, ran toward the direction of the scream with such dedication burning in her eyes. She did not wait for the two to follow her.
"Impetus! NO!" Terron cried, his voice cracking from the bitter feelings harbored in him. "You're going to die! Your attacks won't work on Yimtri!"
"I do not care," the Mienfoo said. "I must fight to escape. Even if I die trying, I would rather die giving it everything I can than running away like a coward."
Terron grit his teeth. There was no stopping her once she made a decision. He closed his eyes tightly as he tried to hold back the tears.
"I'll help you. I'm your leader. I promise to keep you safe."
Terron opened his eyes to find the Flygon was crouched down, waiting for Terron to get on his back. His eyes were reflecting the truth behind the statement he spoke. There was no fear; there was only bravado.
The Cubone nodded slowly as he got onto the Flygon. Terron didn't know how he would be able to fight since his attacks did nothing to Yimtri, but at least he had Vantis with him. Vantis would surely be able to attack the Sableye with success.
Once Terron was securely sitting on the dragon, Vantis rose a foot into the air and took off after Impetus. Terron tensely gripped his hold on Vantis as the Mienfoo came into view. When she saw the Flygon flying besides her, she leapt into the air and landed on his back right behind Terron. Her fur blew wildly in the wind as she held her firm glare, not even a hint of unease in her eyes.
When the three had flown a ways, Vantis was able to spot Yimtri among the many trees. With a low growl, he dove down beneath the canopy and landed a few feet away from the Sableye with a dull thump. His two passengers leapt off his back, where Impetus was quick to hold a hostile stance while Terron uneasily glanced around.
He found Zekra and Syn collapsed around each other, both of their bodies streaming with darkness as their bloodshot eyes remained open in vacant terror. Neither of them were moving, and it certainly didn't look like they were breathing…
"No Terron. It's not as you think. They're not dead. Oh no... no they're not."
The Cubone turned his head to find the Sableye leaning against a tree. He now carried two bags with him. One was his original satchel, and the other was Team Vendetta's shredded bag. And yet, despite having more bulk upon him, the Sableye did not seem to be so bothered.
"So you've come back," Yimtri said, neither amused nor aggravated. "And you brought your friends with you. It's quite a change from seeing you all alone, separated from the others as I tear you apart. It's such a change. And yet… there is so much that hasn't changed."
He let out a low laugh as he removed himself from the tree.
"Such as the fact that you cannot defeat me," he said.
Yimtri's eyes became bright once more before letting off a flash, the very same kind of flash he had caused at the start of the battle. The three Pokémon flinched at the sudden light, their vision once again become filled with fuzzy lights. Without warning, Terron felt something tackle him. He and the unknown being tumbled along the grass, narrowly avoiding trees in their way.
By the time the world stopped spinning for Terron, he felt the entity put a foot into his stomach, followed by a paw pushing his neck into the ground. When Terron gained his eyesight back, it came as no surprise to find Yimtri holding him down. He thrashed around, but Yimtri's hold did not relent.
The ghost chuckled at the sight of Terron's useless struggling.
"Just look at how pathetic you are," Yimtri laughed as pressed his claw into Terron's throat, making the Cubone squirm even more. "Here's the brave little Cubone who was so determined to leave Erebus Woods, now lying at the hands of a mere Sableye. Heh, what a pitiful sight."
The atmosphere that drifted around the Sableye seeped into Terron. His breath shortened as the terrible aura went through his body, filling him with the strongest and most ancient emotion known to all.
Fear.
But it was no ordinary fear. No, it was the fear of the unknown that was now crawling through Terron's heart and soul. It was the fear of the most absolute unknown ever conceived.
Dying.
"You can feel it, can't you?" Yimtri asked diabolically. "Yes, of course you can. I see it in your weak eyes. It's what every creature feels when the deepest, blackest dread stares them in the eyes. Relish the feeling. Let it consume you. Just as it consumes those who belong to Erebus."
"Never…" Terron muttered, doing his best to fight back against the all-encompassing fear.
Yimtri let out a spiteful laugh as the claw holding down Terron became encased in shadows. They dug into his flesh, increasing the power of the fear. His willpower faltered, like a candle flame in a mighty gale. The darkness invaded his mind, triggering horrifying images which danced upon his mind's eye. Terron squeezed his eyes shut as he held on to what remained of his willpower; the will to stay alive.
I have to live… I have to fight back…
The fear amplified, causing Terron's head to twitch slightly.
The Sableye gave Terron his unsettling smile as he pressed his claw deeper into the Cubone.
"It'll be over soon, my precious Terron," Yimtri said. "You'll join Erebus, and it will welcome you. Just like it did with me."
Is this how things end…? Will I actually die here? Without ever knowing who I truly am?
…
…
…
…
No, it can't end like that.
I have to get out of here.
I have to find out who I am.
I can't die without knowing what happened to me!
NO! I WON'T!
Without warning, the dread flooding his mind ceased. Terron opened his eyes to find that Yimtri had been blown off of him and was now being tossed across the ground. Team Vendetta's bag came flying off his person and settled onto the grass in a messy heap.
Terron quickly sat up, panting as his renewed strength came back. Standing before him were Vantis and Impetus, both faced in the direction of the Sableye with such vigor burning in their eyes. Upon Vantis's back were Syn and Zekra, both still in their tainted state.
Yimtri dug his claw into the ground, bringing himself to a halt. When he saw the five reunited Pokémon, a wave of disbelief overcame him.
"You two! You were supposed to attack one another! The light was supposed to have warped your vision so that you would see each other as myself!" he cried. "How are you not suffering from such?! It affected you before!"
"Because that particular ability you used doesn't always hit the target," Vantis answered with strength and firm resolve. "And besides, you really thought we'd be stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice? We know better than to keep falling for your little mind games!"
The two children upon Vantis's back tumbled off as he shot toward the Sableye, his maw filling with a draconic energy before releasing it upon the deranged leader.
Impetus turned her head to Terron. Her eyes reflected the unbreakable will that lingered within her soul.
"I will assist Vantis," she said. "Grab the bag and bring back Zekra and Syn. They will be needed to end this. We cannot fight Yimtri by ourselves. Combined efforts must be used."
Terron nodded as the Mienfoo took off after the Flygon without another word. He hastily retrieved the bag that had been separated from Yimtri and brought it over to his immobile companions. He took out two Oran berries and stuffed them into their mouths, praying that the fruits' healing properties still worked on the Pokémon. Hopefully they hadn't fainted yet and still clung to consciousness…
The light in Syn and Zekra's eyes returned as the Oran juices trickled down their throats. They sluggishly came back to reality as the black streams vanished.
"Ngh, it's finally gone," Zekra moaned as she chewed down the berry. "The voices are gone…"
Syn spit out the berry in his mouth and released a few raspy breaths. Terron picked up the berry as was about to give it back, but Syn pushed it away. He shook his head as his eyes became bright crimson. His Overgrow ability was activating once more.
"We have to use all the power we can," Syn said as the powerful aura streamed from his flesh. "We have to give it everything. I need to use every bit of power I can muster up if we want to escape."
"You're not in pain?" Terron asked reluctantly as he put the bag over his shoulder.
"No, there's no pain," Syn replied, vines sprouting from his collar. "It's gone. I feel nothing except this power. It will fade soon, but until then, this will help us get out of here. We need full power to defeat Yimtri."
He rose to his feet with little effort and looked upon the Cubone with such tranquil determination smoldering in his eyes. When Terron saw this, he gave a nod of understanding and extended a hand to Zekra. As she put her paw in his and was pulled up, her form shifted to that of an Absol. She gazed upon the Cubone before crouching down, allowing Terron and Syn to climb onto her back. With them in tow, she sped to the battlefield, her feet running so swiftly across the grass.
"Terron, I know you can't hurt Yimtri in your current state," Zekra said. "But, I can fix that. So if I attack you… don't be alarmed. I'm just giving you power to fight."
"Alright then," Terron replied affirmatively. "I'll be expecting that."
Seconds later, the three arrived to find Yimtri blasting an airborne Vantis with spheres of dark energy. The Flygon was doing his best to avoid the projectiles, but quite a few were still managing to strike him and sink into his body with the sound of an explosion. Impetus was upon the ground, trying to think of ways to harm the Sableye.
Terron and Syn jumped off Zekra's back just as her form started to change. When the light was gone, she was now a Mareep, somehow remaining fierce despite its unthreatening appearance. With a loud cry, a bolt of electricity escaped her fur and flew at Terron. It struck his skull with such painless precision, allowing Terron's body to become charged with the power of static.
He ran toward the Sableye, letting out a battle cry as he felt the electricity course through him. Yimtri cast Terron an odd stare, unable to see what had changed about the Cubone. Terron took this chance to ram his skull into the Sableye's face.
Though he went straight through Yimtri, he knew that his attack had done its job. The Sableye was screaming frantically as the static ran through him, sending waves of pain into all of his nerves.
"You're not supposed to be able to hurt me!" Yimtri screeched. "Your attacks are supposed to be useless! Why do they suddenly hurt now?!"
"Because he's not using just his power!" Zekra answered. "It's mine too!"
She transformed into a Sableye as she rushed toward Yimtri, her claws becoming encased in dark spiritual energy. Yimtri grimaced as he sent his shadow after her, only to suddenly find himself trapped within a tornado of sharp leaves. His shadow ceased to attack as the leaves sliced into him, tearing off pieces of his body.
Syn brought himself up from off the ground and sent his vines into the organic maelstrom with one swift motion. They tied themselves around the Sableye's body before ripping him out of the mass of leaves and sending him slamming into the grass.
"This isn't supposed to happen!" Yimtri cried. "You're all supposed to be attacking each other while I finish each of you off one at a time!"
"You really thought you could get away with that?!" Zekra said in disgust. "You really thought that you could separate us for good?! You thought you could win by isolating all of us and finishing us off with your stupid tricks?! Well sorry to disappoint you, but that plan was doomed from the start!"
Zekra closed the distance between herself and Yimtri and sent six deep slashes across his body. Her temporary Sableye claws ripped through the cape around his neck, shredding new holes into it. He let out an agonizing wail as his spiritual body began to show through the gashes.
"Your plan might have worked for a while, but it had no chance of lasting this long!" Syn proclaimed. "And now that you have to deal with all of us, you're the one who's the powerless weakling!"
"SILENCE, YOU INCOMPETENT LITTLE WORM!" Yimtri snarled.
"Now, Vantis!" Syn cried.
The Snivy tossed the Sableye skyward, sending him high up and flailing wildly. As Yimtri helplessly tried to gain some kind of control, Vantis zoomed toward him with a tail radiating with an intense concentration of energy. The dragon let out a roar before slamming his tail into the Sableye, sending him flying back down. A mere second later, the Sableye crashed into the ground, debris and dust flying up into the air.
"I get how you work now," Vantis said vehemently as his muzzle twisted into a scowl. "You can only win if you single us out. That's why you separated us and made us believe that our friends were you. You can't actually take on swarms! You can only manipulate them into attacking one another while you pick them off one at a time! But now that no one falls for your usual tactics, you can't do anything!"
Without warning, the ghost flew out of the large dust cloud and tackled Terron to the ground. His eyes were bright with the seething rage he held within.
"YOU'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO SUBMIT!" Yimtri screamed, his voice becoming distorted as a delirious desperation filled his words. "STOP RESISTING ME AND JUST SUCCUMB ALREADY! I WILL NOT FAIL WHAT EREBUS COMMANDS ME TO DO! JOIN WITH EREBUS!"
"NEVER!" Terron shouted. "We're escaping from Erebus, no matter what you do! You can't stop us! You're nothing but a pathetic mess!"
"SILENCE!"
Yimtri plunged his claw into Terron, but before he could make contact, he felt something cold slam into his face. As he was knocked to the side, the Sableye found Impetus standing over him, her fist clenched tight with shards of ice scattered all around her. Cold steam rose from her paw. Standing a few feet away from her was a Weavile that wore the Deception Amulet around its neck.
"Your end has come," Impetus spoke, her gaze unwavering from the Sableye. "We will not kill you, but you must fall in order for us to leave. Do not hold anything against us. We had no choice. You are long gone."
"YOU FILTHY-"
Before Yimtri's sentence could be finished, the combined powers of three Pokémon rained down upon him. A breath of scorching flames fell from Vantis's gaping maw. A bombardment of explosive seeds burst out of Syn's hands. A mighty storm of ice shards blew from Zekra's mouth.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUGGGHHHH!"
Dust filled the air all around the Sableye as the attacks impacted him. When the three could no longer hear his screams, they terminated the power still flowing through their beings. Vantis drifted to the ground as the five gathered around the hole that held Yimtri. When the shroud disappeared, all that remained was a motionless Sableye with a ruined satchel around him. He had been defeated.
The five let out exhausted sighs.
"It's over," Zekra breathed. "We've won."
"Finally," Syn sighed. "I feel so weary… like I'm going to collapse any second now…"
As the others congratulated each other for the victory, Terron and Vantis carefully descended into the crater and stopped before the Sableye. They could see Yimtri breathing shallowly as his feeble body rested. So much of his flesh had been torn away and charred, leaving behind only his spiritual self. Most of his organic body was crumbling away before their eyes.
"Sorry, Yimtri," Terron said under his breath. "I'm sorry things had to be this way."
"To think that he had been suffering with this inside him the whole time I knew him…" Vantis said quietly. "He's been like this for twenty years… and no one suspected anything. And not just him; his members too. They've all been like this, but they never told anyone. They've just been suffering in solitude. All because they felt they had to keep giving us the evolution stones for bribery material…"
Terron didn't know what to say.
When Vantis said nothing more, Terron reached for the bag the Sableye still held. It was time to go back to Dusk Mines. And then after that, he would go back to the place he called home: the Aurora Town Fellowship.
He grabbed the strap of the satchel.
Without warning, a violet claw shot out of the ground and snatched Terron's wrist. Terron screamed in fright as another claw sprouted from the dirt with a dark sphere forming in its palm. Before Terron could understand what was happening, the ball left the claw and sailed into the Cubone.
Terron closed his eyes and anticipated the agonizing cold and bitterness that would come.
It never came.
Terron opened his eyes to find that Vantis was in front of him, spreading out his arms defensively. His face twisted in pain as dark wisps streamed from somewhere along his hidden front.
"Taking the brunt of my attack, are you? Well that seems to have taken quite a toll on you! But not as much as this will!"
Vantis suddenly swatted Terron with his tail, sending the Cubone flying out of the crater and into the grass nearby his teammates. When he found he could move again, Terron hastily made his way to the rim of the hole to see what was going on. His friends watched with him.
The defeated Sableye the team once saw was now gone. There was only a weary Sableye standing before Vantis, his claw sunk deep into the Flygon's body as he struggled to remain standing. Yimtri had used his decoy trick once more. Somehow, he had managed to avoid the final blow the team sent him and left a decoy to take the attacks. Yet, he was still weak. He looked as though he would collapse at any moment.
Yimtri gazed up at the Flygon, seeing Vantis's wide, tortured eyes as the claw remained embedded in his body.
"Heh, so I guess this answers whether the western or northern Fellowship leader is strongest," Yimtri chuckled. "Of course, the result might have been different if you hadn't used yourself as a shield…"
Vantis let out a choke in an attempt to say something, but nothing came.
"Succumb you disgusting-"
Before he could finish, Yimtri was abruptly ripped away from the Flygon by a violent tug upon his cape, freeing Vantis from his claw. The Sableye was brought out of the crater and forced to the ground, where he was quick to find himself facing a mirror image of himself. It scowled at him with such ferocity as it pinned him there with one claw. In its other claw was a fully-charged Shadow Ball.
It leapt back as it fired the glob into Yimtri's face.
Zekra landed a few feet away and watched with the others as an explosion went off around the Sableye. He was blown forward from the attack, skidding along the grass until he stopped by the feet of the children, his eyes facing up into the sky. The four gave him suspicious glares as they encircled him, waiting to see if he would finally admit defeat. Syn and Zekra kept their hands filled with their energies just in case he needed more convincing with that.
The Sableye feebly craned his neck to look upon the ones surrounding him. The light in his eyes was dimming.
Yet, in that moment, the four could see the true Yimtri staring up at them. The Yimtri that did not wish to fight and was a merely a pawn of the dungeon. The Yimtri that only wanted to help the children escape Erebus Woods, not trap them in it.
"You've… defeated me…" the Sableye said, his voice filling with a melancholy joy. "You didn't let me... defeat you…"
He smiled weakly.
"I'm… so glad… But now… you must hurry. Hurry… and leave Erebus Woods… while you can…"
And with that, his jeweled eyes ceased to give off their glow. He fell limp, lying upon the ground, completely lifeless as dark wisps flowed from his body.
The children waited for a moment, making sure that the battle had finally ended and that another copy of Yimtri would not appear.
Nothing happened.
"Syn, bring Yimtri to Vantis," Terron instructed. "We're leaving."
The Snivy wrapped his vines around the Sableye as Zekra changed back to normal, where the five then went into the crater without another word. There, they found Vantis collapsed in the dirt. The spot where Yimtri had sunk his claw into was oozing with strange streams that matched his body color. The children cringed at the sight.
"You truly think you can escape, don't you?"
The four glanced up. The voice of the dungeon was speaking once more. Erebus was here.
"Did you not hear my words and the Sableye's from before? You cannot leave once you are here. Even if you manage to leave this particular home of mine… I will always be watching you from every other Mystery Dungeon you venture through. You will always be in my sights. There is no such thing as 'escape'."
Terron frowned as he reached into Yimtri's satchel and pulled out the previous orb that held their salvation.
"Escape Orb… activate," Terron muttered.
The blue sphere shattered in his hands, bringing forth a heavenly light that engulfed the six Pokémon in its wake.
"Enjoy your temporary victory. I await your inevitable return to my many homes."
Erebus Woods Entrance
When the brightness had faded from his vision, Terron found himself standing where he had been just earlier this morning with the others. He looked up at the afternoon sun, taking in its warm rays that he now grew to cherish. He removed the bandages from his body to find that his missing flesh had been restored. He still felt the fatigue from the previous battle, but at least he had managed to regain his skin.
"We made it," Terron said pleasantly. "We're alive…"
Without warning, Syn's body fell forward and collapsed onto the ground. The power of his Overgrow faded away as he winced, feeling the pain that he had delayed for so long. His grip on the Sableye released as the vines slithered back into his neck.
"Come on, Syn," Zekra said as she went over to him. "You have to get up. We need to get away from here before Erebus sucks us into the dungeon again… come on."
She nudged his head, only to find that he wouldn't respond. With a sigh, Zekra transformed into a Zoroark and gently bent down to pick up Syn.
"Gah!" she gasped.
She cringed as another wave of pain shot through her. Her eyes became hazy as her form shifted back to normal and landed right next to Syn. It wasn't long before her eyes closed and her breath became shallow.
"Not you too, Zekra!" Terron cried. "Come on! Stay with us! Impetus and I can't just carry all of you! Wake up!"
There was no answer from any of the four unconscious Pokémon.
"Come on… wake up…" Terron said, his heart breaking in despair. "We have to get out of here… Please…"
"BY YVELTAL'S NAME! YIMTRI! YIMTRI!"
Terron and Impetus looked behind them to find a familiar Turtwig running toward them as fast as her legs could manage. A few feet behind her were a group of four Pokémon, three of which that had their limbs tied together with thick ropes. They were a Croconaw, Breloom, and Graveler. All of them wore uneasy glances as a Kecleon occupied the back of the group, serving to help the Turtwig in guiding the bound Pokémon with a stern gaze. Yet, as soon as it saw the Sableye, the Kecleon's eyes became wide with dread.
The Turtwig stopped in front of the collapsed form of the Sableye. She gasped for breath as she looked upon the Dusk Mines leader, on the verge of crying.
"You said everything would be okay…" she whispered, her voice broken. "But look at you! Look at what happened to you! It happened again, didn't it?! Why did you have to go to Erebus Woods when you knew this would happen?! Was your intention really worth it?!"
Chloe shut her eyes as she held back the forming tears. She bashed her forehead into the ground beneath her as she let out uneven, raspy breaths.
A few seconds later, she opened her eyes and cast a powerful glare at the Pokémon she had brought with her.
"All of you! I won't toss you into Erebus Woods if you get these six back to Dusk Mines!" Chloe shouted, her voice showing none of the misery she had been displaying seconds ago. "I'll pardon your crimes that you committed to the Fellowship if you can safely get them out of here!"
"You… you can do that?" the Croconaw of the group asked in disbelief. "I thought the Fellowship didn't allow-"
"I'll make sure it's possible!" Chloe stated firmly. "Now get to it! Before I change my mind! And if you even try to escape from here, I'll be the one to personally give you a slow and agonizing death for your punishment!"
With a swing of her head, a dozen leaves left her body and sliced the ropes binding the group. Without wasting any more time, the three criminals and assistant transporter surrounded the group. The Croconaw picked up Syn and Zekra and held one under each arm while the other three worked together to carry Vantis on their backs.
Chloe gazed upon the Dusk Mines leader for a brief moment, her eyes filled with remorse. She gently grabbed the back of his cape with her mouth and led everyone back to the Fellowship, silently dragging the Sableye with her.
The very second that the group entered the Dusk Mines Fellowship, the members within were quick to notice how lifeless their leader was. Without asking what had happened, two ghosts released him from Chloe's hold and took him elsewhere. Everyone around them became unhinged by the sight and bolted after the Sableye in a rush of panic, uneasy screams filling the air. Thankfully, not many Pokémon were inside of the Fellowship, so the stampede caused harm to no one.
Once that commotion had ended, the group brought Terron and Impetus into the guest room that they were using for their stay. The Croconaw carrying Zekra and Syn gently placed them on their beds. Once they had been set down, the water-type assisted the others in carrying Vantis away to the medical wing to take care of his more urgent injuries.
Chloe watched the Pokémon disappear for a brief moment until she brought her attention back to the only conscious members of Team Vendetta.
"I'm glad to see that you are still alive," she said, her voice bittersweet. "But… I cannot stay with you. I must stay with my liege. I'll return to check up on you, but until then, stay here and rest. Call the ghosts if you need anything from us."
The Turtwig silently left the room. She cast the children one last stare as she stood next to the doorway. There was reluctance in her eyes.
"I'm sorry for everything you had to go through."
The door closed, and Chloe was no more.
Terron and Impetus had kept their eyes on that door for what felt like an eternity. Chloe hadn't come back. They weren't sure how much time had passed. Perhaps it had only been a few minutes. Perhaps a few hours. Maybe even a whole day had gone by. They didn't know for certain. Yet, they found they couldn't do much else. They could only sit there and wait for their friends to wake up while eating Oran Berries. Neither wanted to speak until then.
We lived. We made it out of Erebus Woods.
So why don't I feel happy?
Why do I feel this depression drowning me?
… Of course. It's because of what happened in order for us to escape…
Terron sighed. He took off his helmet and set beside him before rubbing his head.
Just then, he heard the Zorua stirring from her long slumber. Terron watched her wearily open her eyes. She glanced around for a brief moment before spotting the Cubone and Mienfoo across from her.
"Hey," she said. "We made it out of Erebus Woods, right? This is Dusk Mines?"
"Yeah, it is," Terron replied with a nod. "Everything's fine now. Syn's still asleep, but we're all safe."
"And Vantis and Yimtri?" she then asked.
"Recovering from their own injuries," Terron said quietly. "But hopefully, they'll be fine. They're leaders of the Fellowship after all."
"I hope so too," Zekra simply said.
Silence passed between the two friends. Terron's mind filled with the thoughts he needed to share with Zekra regarding what he knew about his name. Yet, he found bringing them up now to a very awkward thing to do after all they went through.
He wasn't sure if he could take anymore fatigue in any form.
Impetus quietly got up from her seat and wandered to the door. She grasped the doorknob in her paws and slowly opened the wooden door.
"Impetus, where are you going?" Terron asked.
She cast him a frown.
"Giving you time to talk," she replied. "Get it done. I'll be elsewhere. I'll come back before that Turtwig comes. Now talk to each other. Get rid of the pain both of you share."
Without another word, she shut the door behind her. Now, all that remained in the room were the two friends and the still-slumbering Syn. They looked at each other with nervous glances before averting their eyes.
No one said anything.
"… no, I have to talk to you," Zekra suddenly said as she brought her gaze to the Cubone. "I can't keep waiting for you to get better."
With resolution shining in her eyes, she leapt off the bed and stopped right in front of Terron. Her gaze was smoldering.
"Terron," she said. "I want to know why you won't talk to me anymore. I thought I could wait for the problem to fix itself, but that's obviously not working. So talk to me. Tell me what's bothering you."
Terron grit his teeth as he felt anxiety wash over him. He wanted to remain silent, but he knew he couldn't do that anymore. He had to face this problem he had created between himself and Zekra. He couldn't let his closest friend remain in so much pain. With courage and a firm resolve, he returned the stare Zekra gave him.
"Do you remember the day that the Plagued Ones attacked us?" he asked.
"Yeah, I remember that day," Zekra grimaced. "I don't remember seeing those abominations… but I remember what happened afterwards."
"Well, there's something that happened that day that I didn't tell you about," Terron began, finding it difficult to look at Zekra in the eyes. "When those Plagued Ones attacked… they didn't attack me. They talked to me and tried to get me to go with them. And, they told me things too. One of those things… it was something about you."
Zekra held her gaze, but a quick flash of unease went through her eyes. Terron found he had to close his eyes to continue. He couldn't look at her.
"… I'm not really your friend, am I?" he asked hoarsely. "I'm… I'm just someone you're using to keep your other Terron alive, aren't I? Tha… That's why you named me Terron, right? So you could pretend he was still here in my place? I'm not really here to you… am I? I'm just the old Terron now… not the amnesic human to you… aren't I?"
He couldn't see Zekra's reaction, but based on how her breathing suddenly became short, he knew all he needed to know.
The sounds of the Zorua's trembling whimpers filled his ears.
When nothing was said after so long, the Cubone slowly started to walk away. His heart was fractured into a million pieces, but he refused to show that in front of Zekra. No, he didn't want his false friend to see his weakness. He only wanted to get away from her.
Before he could even take five steps, something furry pushed into his front and prevented him from going any further. The Cubone slowly opened his eyes to find Zekra pressing her head into his chest. Though he couldn't see her eyes, he knew that she was crying. Her warm tears were trickling onto his feet.
"So all this time… it was because of me…" she muttered. "All this time… you wouldn't talk… because you found out why I call you Terron. You wouldn't tell me anything… because you found out the truth…"
The Cubone remained quiet.
"It's… my fault…"
Zekra sank to the ground and buried her head into her paws. Her sobbing increased.
"I'm… I'm sorry! I'm sorry for doing this to you!" the Zorua wailed. "I… I just wanted my friends back! Everyone I knew had just died when I found you… and there was no reason to keep going. I had no one in my life left. My friends… my parents… everyone! They were all gone! There was nothing left for me! I became desperate to find a reason to keep living. So when you told me that you had no idea who you were and you didn't have a name, I saw my chance. I thought I could pretend you were one of my friends, and then I could pretend all was still well. I could pretend none of this ever happened. It'd just be me and Terron… going on a trip like I always wanted to with Zev. Terron and I… traveling Shiron as my other friends and family stayed home back in Blackoak Town…
"But then we joined the Fellowship and I found a real purpose to keep living: to avenge everyone. But… you were still Terron to me. And no matter how much I wanted to get rid of that idea… I stuck with it. I wanted to pretend I still had one of my friends with me. I didn't want to be in the Fellowship with some random human-turned Pokémon I barely knew. So, I kept believing you were Terron to make things easier. I knew I'd have to tell you the truth someday, but I never wanted to because I knew you'd want to leave me after finding out…
"I'm so sorry… human. You can leave me if you want. You don't have to be my friend anymore. I'm a terrible Pokémon, and you don't deserve me and my messed up ways. You should be with someone better. I'll leave you… so you can find a better friend…
Zekra couldn't say anymore. She continued to cry before the silent Cubone. He gazed at her, his eyes completely blank.
No words were exchanged.
The Zorua picked herself from off the floor a minute later, managing to get ahold of herself. She glanced at the Cubone with a broken stare.
"Goodbye," she said. "If the others ask where I went… just tell them I went to where I truly belong…"
She slowly headed for the door, showing no signs of stopping. She reached for the handle and…
CRASH!
The Zorua suddenly found herself on the floor, covered by a Cubone that was holding onto her for dear life. His body trembled as tears streamed out of his eyes.
"Don't go!" the Cubone cried. "Please don't go!"
"But… I thought you didn't want me as your friend anymore…" Zekra tried to say.
"I never said that!" he said. "You just came to that conclusion!"
"But… I'm a terrible friend…" Zekra reasoned. "I used you… I was so selfish…"
"That might be true, but you still care about me," the Cubone replied. "That… That's all I wanted to know. I just wanted to know if you still cared about me. And now that I know that for sure, I don't care about anything else. Everyone has a dark side to them… and that's just something we have to learn to accept. As long as you still care about me… then I can put up with that side of you. Knowing that you're still my friend is all that really matters."
Zekra, for the first time in a long while, gave a genuine smile as a relief filled her. She felt like crying again, but decided that she had cried enough today.
The two sat there, wrapped in each other's embrace for a moment before separating. As they wiped away their tears, they found Syn staring at them from his bed with a pleasant smile, his removed bandages resting beside him. They smiled back.
The door beside the Cubone and Zekra opened, revealing Impetus. The three were going to say something, but before they could, another Pokémon appeared beside her.
It was Chloe.
"It looks like all of you are awake now," she said. "I'm glad all of you are okay. I feared that your recovery time might have taken a while since… well, you know why. Anyway, my liege has just woken up as well. He's quite alright for all of the injuries he sustained. He just needed a simple Heal Bell upon regaining consciousness and he became good as new. But now, he wishes to speak with you four at once. There's something he wants to talk to you about."