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Chapter 81

All I Have Searched For

No matter how much I ponder, I cannot understand precisely where everything went wrong.

I had thought that everything seemed to be playing out rather well. I had found Zekrom and was able to convince her to join my side through the means of establishing exactly who I was. After spending fifty years searching for her, the immense relief and sense of accomplishment that filled me as soon as she vowed to remain at my side was more reassuring and comforting than any torch in a dark and treacherous cave might be. I knew that with her help, I could find my body and with her at my side, we could defeat Rem's shadow. Perhaps we would slay it as individuals, or perhaps we would be forced to recombine into Rem to fulfill the deed. I personally do not care which anymore, now that I understand the true nature and origins of Rem's shadow. So long as that creature died, that was all that mattered.

I thought that because I had Zekrom and two companions to help aid me in my search, the past fifty years' worth of effort would finally pay off. Even though some of my companions were carrying heavy burdens that only grew the more this search for my body continued, I knew that they would be lifted soon. I knew that soon all of the pain would slip away from them and perhaps everything could be right again. There was nothing that could stop my plan now that I had Zekrom by my side.

But something did impede all of the progress I had made, and even worse, stripped me of everything I had gained. Nyx sacrificed herself to save myself and the half human, and then, as if the great creator himself truly spited me, the half human left as well. He abandoned me out of a blinding rage he could not release himself from, sending himself off to what I know is certain doom while I could do nothing to stop him.

Thus, I am where I am now; traveling alone to Cacturne Desert in the light of the afternoon sun. In a way, nothing has changed since I escaped my comatose body on that day fifty years ago. I am alone once more with only the slightest chance of what I can do to eradicate the Blight Demons from Shiron. I think this fire and ice dragon that the spirit denizens told me about can aid me, but I am not sure. I'm not sure if any of my actions mean anything anymore.

I'm beginning to think that perhaps all of this was my fault to begin with. Perhaps by being the very reason Rem's shadow existed, I am the catalyst for my current situation. Of course, Rem never would have had to split into Zekrom and I if that is true. I never would have known Zekra, the half human, or any of my other companions I have lost along the way. I would not be in this current situation if I, as Rem, had not been so foolish as to create that blight monster that calls itself my shadow.

I know I could blame the human for my tribulations and situation. The great creator had sealed away Rem's shadow long ago so that none might find it, but the human ruined that the moment he woke up the creature. If I wanted to be technical, the exact situation I find myself in would be the human's fault. If he had left it alone, then Shiron would not be plagued by Blight Demons.

And yet, I find I do not hold any hostile feelings toward that human. Whenever I think of the half that became a Cubone, I am not filled with a powerful burning that makes my blood boil. Instead, I feel an immense sadness wash over me that chips away at my heart every time they strike. I feel the sharp pain in my spine and I feel the cold, unsettling feeling that is the plague where the half human jabbed me the last we spoke. I should be angry with him for betraying me and leaving me to bleed upon that cold, cobblestone road in that hollow shell of a town. I know that any mortal creature would feel such a way. But I do not. Regardless of his actions in his whole state, in the end, he was one of my closest friends and understood me in ways that very few creatures can. Thus, one can imagine the sorrow that filled me when he left me behind as he became the very demon I vowed to kill.

Pokémon of fire may be considered temperamental creatures that wish to incinerate the world when their trust is betrayed and everything has fallen around them, but it certainly did not happen to me. My fire did not demand justice when the betrayal was said and done despite what I felt might happen if I were to be provoked enough. The fire within my soul that used to invigorate me became ash not long after the half human left me. There is no rage to be felt when that is so.

And yet, despite this cold in my soul, I still press on. I know that I cannot give up simply because my fire has put itself out. I have a duty that I know must be fulfilled after all of these years, lest I continue to disappoint not only the great creator, but my whole self. Rem would never want one of its fragments to submit to the gloom welling up in my heart.

I, Reshiram, was always meant to be a guiding and triumphant light, even in times of darkness and despair. Even if I cannot call myself that name until I truly am that magnificent dragon once again, I know I must live by his divine standards. Being in the body in of a mortal Quilava does not excuse me from my godly duties.

I arrive at Cacturne Desert after some time. Compared to many other deserts that I have traversed across in my many years of living, this particular one is not all that special. There is sand for as far as I can see with patches of browning foliage, and sometimes, a stray cactus sticks up from the ground and towers above all of the Pokémon dwelling below. Occasionally Pokémon of flight will perch upon the prickly arms of the plant, or a Sandile will poke its head out of the shifting sand for a mere moment before withdrawing itself from the outside world once more.

The only aspect of this desert that sets it apart from other deserts is what its title had made quite clear. Sometimes, the cactus I thought I saw were not actually cactus, but rather Cacturne remaining astonishingly still, so similar to ancient statues that have stood the test of time. They watch me with their haunting golden eyes as I pass them, but they do not follow me. Cacturne only hunt at night when their prey is weak and fatigued from traveling through the intense heat of the desert. They do not bother to stalk their victims in the bright light of day, and dusk will not come for quite some time upon this desert. Thus, I do not fret when I pass by any Cacturne and see their eyes momentarily fix themselves upon me. I remind myself that I can easily reduce their body to ash with a simple exhale of fiery breath. The same result might also be met if they dared to touch me if my quills were to be ignited.

I am also careful to avoid any suspicious spots along the sand. Krookodile and Trapinch are known to wait beneath the sand for unsuspecting prey to pass by. Then, they either leap out and snap their jaws around their helpless prey, or they watch their prey fall down into their conical pit and devour them soon after. Both are highly unpleasant fates I'd rather not meet. It's true that this body I inhibit has died already and that I could easily leave it to find another should I find myself in the jaws of a predator, but I would rather not. I have grown quite used to this body, then there is also the fact that fusing my spirit into the corpse of a Pokémon is a rather morbid and gruesome process. I have no intentions of going through such a disgusting process again unless I absolutely must.

Besides these two hazards however, there is nothing to fear from this desert. The heat does not affect me as severely as it would with other elements, and I do not hunger in this barren land. I made sure I ate plenty before I dared to step foot into this desert, as well as pack plenty of food in the bag I carry. Thus, all I must do is be wary of where I step and search for an enormous dragon. I imagine it should not be difficult to find.

I spend quite a time searching for this dragon. I avoid all of the obvious traps that the desert dwellers have established so that they might ensnare me, and I do my best to avoid the ominous gazes of not only the Cacturne, but also the Mandibuzz that sit upon their shoulders. I try to see if I can notice a glimmer of anything that is not green and brown in this sandy land.

That is when I see something in the distance. Quite far away from me, about five hundred paces away from where I stand, there is a shining object in the sand. I can't identify what it is from my distance, but it does seem to be a large object, much larger than anything else in this desert. When I see it, I hasten my walk and turn it into a sprint. I rush over to the object and within a matter of moments, I'm standing before the object that I had spotted from quite a distance.

Indeed, I find myself standing before what Sabre accurately described to be a fire and ice dragon lying in the sand, its limbs sprawled about and its eyes shut tight. It is a very strange sort of dragon, almost as if it were a mesh of various dragons put together in an uncoordinated fashion. Some of its body does hold what appears to be made out an ice-like substance, such as one claw on each foot and one half of its body holding the substance as well. But other parts of its body have a strange, white sort of plume, particularly on the other side of its body and within its strange tail. Whatever the feathers and ice do not touch are instead grey and dull with an odd metallic sheen to it.

As I assess it more, looking upon its size that easily dwarfs my own, I suddenly have an epiphany strike me. It strikes me with such force that I find myself without breath for a moment and my mind temporarily becomes blank. I did not understand why I did not think of this before. I had grown suspicious when Sabre explained to me that this creature had fallen out of the sky with no knowledge of its origins, but I had never considered if that were so because it hadn't existed until very recently.

I realize what stands before me is the very same creature that I saw fall out of Rem's shadow in that strange Unown dimension, that link between many dimensions of all kinds. I had only seen the creature fall from the shadow's body for just a moment before it was swallowed into the darkness of the dimension, presumably lost forever, but this very creature is unmistakably the same creature I saw on that day.

I'm not quite sure what to think as I gaze upon this dragon. Here I am, having finally found the dragon after searching for so long, and I find myself indecisive about my next decision. I know that I should awake this dragon from its deep slumber and ask it to assist me in my quest to destroy Rem's shadow. However, now that I know that this dragon had been within Rem's shadow for who knew how long, I am not so sure. What if this creature is a fragment of that shadowy dragon that will devour me the moment it sets its eyes on me? Is it nothing more than a Blight Demon with a more normalized appearance so that it might catch me off-guard?

I find myself unable to decide when these risks present themselves to me. Should I risk my own safety so that I might hopefully gain more power to accomplish what I have set out to do since I awoke on Shiron? Or do I abandon this being from within Rem's shadow and hope to find help elsewhere?

The answer becomes obvious when I ask myself this. There is no other help to be found. Zekrom is gone and the half human certain wants nothing to do with me anymore, presuming he is still alive. I shudder at the thought of that and feel a prick within my heart, but I ignore it to the best of my ability. I mustn't dwell on him anymore. He is gone and I will not be seeing again. I do not even know where he is, therefore it is pointless to think about him when our paths will no longer cross.

I must wake this dragon instead. I need it to help me so that I can kill Rem's shadow. I will of course die in the process, for that creature is a part of myself… but there is no longer any time to dwell in what I cannot change. This madness and terror that washes over Shiron and spreads further and further each day must stop.

With a deep breath, I grow closer to the dragon, and then stop before one of its massive eyes. Then, I push my paw into its head, right above its eye. I consider setting the creature on fire, as I know that this creature has ice attributes to itself, but then I realize the creature would believe I am attacking it if I were to do so. I certainly do not need this hulking dragon to believe I am its enemy.

Upon pressing my paw into its head, its grey eyelid disappears and I see a yellow eye fixate itself on me. I immediately back away from the dragon as it blinks a few times, its eye adjusting on me, its white pupil dilating and constricting. Then it lets out a snort as it shakes itself, as if to rid itself of any dust settling upon its body. I anticipate it to stand and tower over me, as any dragon of mighty stature would do to those before it, but this dragon does not. It instead moves its head towards me so that it can glare upon me with its both of its eyes while remaining sprawled out along the ground. I see it open its mouth, revealing to me a fair amount of sharp incisors that could easily tear me in two with one bite.

"Reshiram… we meet," the dragon says to me in a chilling voice, one quite befitting for its appearance.

"Yes… might I ask how you know that?" I ask it warily, not feeling comfortable in knowing it could determine that with ease.

"I too am a fragment of Rem," the dragon answers me. "I am what remained when you and Zekrom split away and disappeared into your respective dimensions. I am the Rem without. I am Kyurem."

Kyurem. It must be the husk of Rem, at least, I can only presume so. It certainly bears some resemblance to Rem's original form with the eyes and tail that no other creature quite has except myself and Zekrom. It even appears bipedal just as Rem was and bears the same sorts of claws, if covered in ice in various places.

I wonder why Rem had a husk when it split. When the human split, it only created a Sableye and a Cubone. There was no third being, no husk that was once the body of that human. Though, perhaps that was because the split was because of unnatural, Rem's shadow-related reasons. Rem willing split itself, and such kind of split is not the same as a human being forcibly ripped apart thanks to the blight.

Regardless, I choose not to dwell much in the details. I have more important things to attend to.

"So you are somewhat like myself," I say to it. "Kyurem, why were you within Rem's shadow? Why were you absorbed inside of it for so long and not slumbering amongst the dimension as Zekrom and I were?"

"I was found by the shadow before I could exist for very long," Kyurem informs me, sighing deeply. "When Rem tore itself into you and Zekrom and you two fled to your respective dimensions, I fell into Shiron. I could not control where I fell, for I was weak. All of Rem's energy went to the both of you. I was a hollow and empty husk, nearly lifeless. Then, before anything could be done, the shadow discovered me and swallowed me up into itself. It absorbed me and used my power to become more whole and to be stronger, just as it has done the same with Zekrom."

"So you were hidden from existence until Rem's shadow accidentally tore you out of its body," I verify.

"Yes. I have been there for a very long time," Kyurem agrees ruefully. "I have forgotten how the land feels beneath my feet as well as the wind beneath my wings because it has been so long."

I gaze upon Kyurem and at once I feel pity for it having to such a terrible fate. To be locked within Rem's shadow for hundreds of years, being able to do nothing, sounded most horrendous and torturous. Though I had once suffered a similar fate by remaining in a comatose state all those centuries upon Shiron, I imagine it is much worse to be within Rem's shadow. I still remember the cold and nightmarish voices that whispered things into my mind as that vile creature was attempting to consume me. I can still hear the voices in my mind sometimes when the world is quiet around me, and hear them say I am not adequate enough for my task, or that I am too much of a weakling to change the world. They whisper their ruthless words to me and it takes much of my willpower not to scream back at them and engage in an argument. I nearly shudder at the thought that perhaps these thoughts would have tormented me forever if I had been fully absorbed into Rem's shadow, had Nyx not interfered.

I look upon Kyurem once more and now see that it is rising to its feet. It does so with some difficulty, for it does stumble and grimace as it shifts all of its weight onto its hind legs, but it is able to stand after a short while. Soon I find myself in its enormous shadow and I see its frail wings spreading out, as if it intends to take flight at any moment now.

"Kyurem, wait," I tell it.

It looks down at me, but it says nothing. I take in a deep breath as I think over my next words very carefully.

"Kyurem, I need your help to defeat Rem's shadow," I say, humbling my voice so that I do not sound so demanding before a godly creature. Even if I too am one of the gods, that gives me no reason to act as though Kyurem and I are on the same level. I am not any better than any of the lowly mortal Pokémon thanks to being in the body of a Quilava. "I found Zekrom in Kuron… but the shadow has devoured her and intends on doing the same with me. I used to have companions as well that were aiding me in my quest to find my body and restore me to my true form, but they too are gone. I am all alone and unable to awaken in my true form, and even if I could find my body through some miraculous means… I do not think I can stop Rem's shadow alone. I need your help. I need you, fragment of Rem, to help me so that we might stop the chaos that has ensued ever since that shadow awoke from its slumber. Surely you must have seen the damage that has been caused if you were trapped within the shadow. Surely you must have seen all of this destruction and the lives it has ruined and tainted. You must understand everything that has happened. So please, help me. Help me find my body and help put a stop to this madness. This dimension and Kuron are running out of time."

Kyurem continues to look down upon me. It still does not say anything. I worry that it will take off and leave me in the desert by myself, but I do notice that its wings no longer seem ready to take flight. Kyurem seems more stationary than it did before. Thus, I try to take comfort in that and wait for Kyurem to give me an answer of sorts. I do not actually know if it will help me, but from how Zekrom was so eager to destroy the Blight Demons and that Kyurem is also a fragment of Rem, then surely it too will be willing to help me. Being trapped within Rem's shadow surely must not have been a pleasant experience either.

I wait patiently for its answer, trying to remain still and not allow any fire to make their way onto my quills.

At last, after what feels to me is an eternity, Kyurem speaks.

"I will help you."

I breathe out a sigh of relief.

"However, there is only one way I can help you," Kyurem then says to me, interrupting my temporary peace of mind. "It is unfortunate, but it is the only way after what has occurred between you and myself many, many years ago."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Long ago, when Rem split into you and Zekrom, something unfortunate occurred," Kyurem explains to me in a somber tone. "Rather than splitting its power evenly between you two, a vast majority of your power went into me. I absorbed it by accident as you two formed, and thus because of that, once you fell into a slumber, you could no longer awaken. Your body is weak and cannot awaken because it has no power. I have your power. It is flowing through me as we speak."

I am not quite sure how I want to take this information. I had always wondered, for the longest time, why I could never awaken in my true form when Zekrom certainly could. I knew there was a reason, but I could never find it despite pondering over it for fifty years. Kyurem's explanation for why that was certainly made sense, but I did not what to think. I had a difficult time accepting that my inability to awaken in my true form was because this Rem fragment accidentally absorbed my power into it before it disappeared.

"However, the only way you can obtain the power you seek due to these unfortunate reasons is to merge with me," Kyurem then tells me, interrupting my flow of thoughts.

"Merge… with you?" I say slowly, not quite following Kyurem's logic.

"Yes. Merge with me," Kyurem answers. "I can remove your spirit from that Quilava body you possess and have you enter into this body I currently inhabit. Then, once your spirit has merged with me, we can find the body that cannot awaken. When we find it, then I will release your power back into it and you can reawaken as your true form. However, I can only do so if you merge with me. Your spirit needs to gather up the traces of your power that I accidentally absorbed. I know that you might not find that to be pleasant, but it is all that can be done if you truly want my help and wish to truly be Reshiram once more."

I once again find myself at a loss. Admittedly, there once was a time that I did not want to merge with any fragment of Rem. I did not want to merge with Zekrom and become Rem once more because I had grown quite used to being an individual being. However, as time went on, I realized it was pointless to think that, for it did not matter what I thought when becoming Rem was perhaps the only chance I had to destroy its shadow. I couldn't afford to be selfish when so much was at stake. Now, I am mostly content with merging back with Zekrom to be the whole dragon we once were. I am willing to do so if I must.

However, upon hearing Kyurem suggest the idea for being one being for a temporary time, I find myself questioning my stance on the subject. I most certain would like to reawaken in my true form once again, almost more than anything else, but there's something in the thought of having to merge with this Rem fragment without that puts me on edge. I cannot determine the reason why. It speaks with a power only Rem held within it and it most certainly has not shown any sort of malice toward me. It has been quite benevolent and helpful, making this a less terrifying encounter than the one I had with Zekrom. Kyurem didn't attempt to kill everyone. I should merge with this Kyurem and allow myself to be Reshiram as I have always wanted. That is what I have always wanted, hasn't it? Why should I bother to hesitate?

"We will find your body soon, I assure you," Kyurem says to me softly, as though it can read my thoughts. "It will take two days at most. Do not worry about will happen when you are with me. You will be yourself again before long. You will hardly notice that you were merged with me."

I look up at the behemoth's eyes and I see it gazing down upon me with a powerful, but cautious tenacity. I feel as though a great weight is suddenly pressing down upon my back when I see those yellow eyes of it. I feel almost paralyzed.

But I know what I must do despite this unease burning in the fire of my soul. I must merge with this dragon for a temporary time. I must find my body again and stop Rem's shadow. There is no longer any time to wait. I must do the only thing I can. Any other help I could have had is gone. The half-human will never return, Nyx is trapped within Rem's shadow, Zekra is too broken to help, Zeverous is deceased, the shadowy human half has abandoned everyone, the Fellowship is corrupt, and any other help I had has long since disappeared.

I am alone and I cannot pass up this opportunity.

I am about to step closer to Kyurem and announce that I wish to merge with it, but something else happens. There is a sudden sound, like a scampering across the desert sand behind me. I do not get a chance to turn around and see what might be causing this commotion, for the entity presents itself to me. It puts itself in the space between Kyurem and I, staring at me with its piercing eyes. There is no emotion upon its face, nor any indication of what it might be. It only appears to be a living shadow of sorts.

That is when I realize what this creature before me is. I feel my muscles tense as I back away from the horrifying creature, feeling the fire in my soul slowly reduce to cinder.

"You-You're the Shadow Hunter," I stammer out. "You're it… you look exactly like the drawing on that newspaper I saw…"

"Yes I am," the monstrous demon says to me in a warbled voice that is almost difficult to understand. "I've been looking for you, Novus."

"How did you find me?" I ask it. "And how do you know my name?"

"I eavesdropped on your friends. They said you were here," the hunter tells me. "But you have no reason to fear me. I am here to talk to and cooperate with you."

"I think not," I tell the demon, making a small fire form upon the crown of my head. "I have heard what you do. I know that you slaughter all those you come across. I think there is no need for us to cooperate."

"I am not your enemy, Novus," it tells me instead. "I will not harm you."

Though I still doubt the validity of the demon's claim that it is a benevolent being, I am still startled that it knows my name. I know that it could know because I am in the newspapers that have been circulated all throughout Shiron so that hunters might find me and end my life… but there is something unsettling about this demon calling me by my name. It speaks my name in such a way that there's a hint of recognition in it, as if the two of us have met before.

The demon suddenly leaps away as Kyurem smashes an icy claw down upon the sand where it was standing. I back away further as the demon settles itself on the ground not too far from myself. Kyurem shoots it a malicious, fearsome glare as red, glowing lines begin to escape out of its back and latch onto its tail. It is not long before various parts of the white plume begin to emit a reddish glow, making the dragon appear similar to a burning fireball.

"You cannot trick us with your lies, Blight Demon," Kyurem growls at it. "Begone, or else I shall incinerate you until not even a single wisp of your former self remains."

"I am not a Plagued One," the Shadow Hunter says. "I suggest you not attack me or else I cannot give you something either of you desire."

Before I can comprehend the meaning behind the demon's cryptic words, something begins to emerge from its shadowy form. I watch with morbid fascination as a white object is tossed out of its body and rolls toward me, coming to a stop at my feet. It's a white sphere of sorts, appearing to be made out of marble or a similar stone. There are a number of grooves in it, but otherwise, it's a rather unremarkable item.

Still, I am curious as to why the demon as given this to me, so I reach out to grab it. The moment I set my paws against its cold surface, I suddenly feel a tremor shake through my body, as if I had just received an electric shock from Zekrom herself. However, it is not painful. Instead, the cold surface of the stone suddenly becomes warm, as though it were on fire. I even see it give off a red-orange glow so similar to that of the sunset.

That is when I realize what this stone is. I nearly lose my breath when I hold the stone within my paws, the truth dawning upon me.

This is my body.

This is my true form, sealed away into a spherical object.

"You wanted the fire sphere," the Shadow Hunter tells me, snapping me out of my haze. "I found it not too long ago. Take it, it is rightfully yours. Become Reshiram once again."

I still myself speechless as hundreds of questions run through my mind. This is without a doubt my body, but how did this Shadow Hunter find it when I have spent fifty years doing the same? Then not only that, I do not understand why it would willingly give me my body if it knew exactly what it was. If it truly was as malicious and bloodthirsty as the world claimed it to be, then it had no reason to give me my body. It should have kept my body and killed me in my much weaker state. The not only that, but it should have never known that I was searching for the sphere or who I truly am underneath this Quilava façade.

None of this makes any sense. This Shadow Hunter that stands before me… there is clearly more to it than I initially thought.

Before I can voice my thoughts and ask the hunter why it has returned my body to me, Kyurem steps forward and looks down upon me.

"It seems you have your body once more, Reshiram," Kyurem says to me. "Since this is so, it is best that we merge now if you wish to be yourself again. It will only take one second now that your body is right before us."

I look over at the Shadow Hunter to find that it has not moved from its spot. It is still staring at me with an intent gleam in its eyes, as if waiting for something to happen. I anticipate that it will strike and lash out at me, but it does not move. It remains as still as a statue, waiting. Waiting for what, I do not know. Perhaps it has tampered with my body so that when I merge with it something will occur.

"Very well," I tell Kyurem, looking back at it. "However… if something does happen to my body when I return to it, perhaps a corruption of sorts… withdraw me from it and put me back inside of this current body. You can do this, can you not?"

"Of course, Reshiram," Kyurem says with a solemn nod. "I can do that with very little difficulty. You do not have to worry about anything."

I take in a deep breath and slowly exhale, releasing all of my worries with it. I mustn't allow myself to be wrought with unease. I am finally going to be Reshiram once more. There will be nothing to worry about. I will have Kyurem by my side and together, we can stop Rem's shadow. I will be able to end all of this suffering.

"Alright. Let me merge with you," I tell Kyurem as I drop the sphere to the ground.

Kyurem smiles at me as it reaches down to grab me. I watch his eyes as its claws slowly close in on me. I cannot help but notice that there is something wrong with its eyes. They are glimmering with a strange light that I cannot help but find odd. Then also, there is something decidedly unsettling about its smile. Something…

I feel my spirit leave my body as Kyurem sets his claws on my head.

Everything goes black soon after.

…

…

…

…

When I come to it again, I am on the ground, my face buried in the sand. I cough as I pull myself out of it, and am quickly surprised by what I see. Instead of finding myself looking at the shadow of a large dragon, for the sun is directly behind me, I am seeing the shadow of a Quilava. All I have to do is look down at my paws to find that I am still a Quilava.

I am still Novus. I am not Reshiram.

I look toward Kyurem to demand why nothing has changed, but upon seeing it, my voice falters. Kyurem is still among me, but it is upon the ground and unconscious. It no longer harbors any sort of white plume about its body. Instead, it has taken on an even more frail state, its arms having shrunk greatly and has become quite smaller. It almost looks nothing like the dragon that I had spoken to moments ago.

But perhaps most striking of all is the alarming amount of black haze oozing out of its body, as though the sun were searing it alive. I only have to stare at that haze for a second before I understand why it seems so familiar. I realize I had seen that very haze hundreds of times in my lifetime.

That haze is Blight Demon energy.

Before I can think much more about this, I hear a shuffle of movement near me. I turn my head as quickly as I can to find myself staring at yet another astonishing sight. There are two creatures on the ground close to where I am, both of them quite exhausted and covered in a number of injuries. Though it is difficult to determine how much damage they have sustained, I can see that they have many cuts and possibly broken bones. They are both panting and fighting to keep their eyes open.

Though cautious, I make my way toward them and am better able to understand what they are. One is a Serperior-like creature that has many black streaks along his body, each streak oozing with black energy. I see a number of lacerations upon his body, revealing to me parts of the plant that grows within himself. All of his body is giving off the very wisps that Kyurem is also emitting. Next to him is a Mienshao-like creature, but she too has lost resemblance of normalcy. She is very similar to the other creature in that she has black streaks within the dark purple areas of her body. Her fur has become unhinged, as though she hasn't had a bath in weeks and stands upon edge just about everywhere. The whip-like parts of her arms have a noticeable edge to them, almost as if she had needles making up her fur. I get a strange suspicion that if she were to hit someone with the loose fur on her arms, she could potentially sever off a body part. Her paws, which are normally rounded and free of claws, have become rather grotesque. The paws have transformed into fingers, giving her three that are quite lengthy and almost claw-like, making for a rather unsettling appearance. Her teeth as well, from what I can see, have become rather jagged.

I notice that both of their eyes radiate with a sinister red light.

I cannot stare at these two for much longer, for they quickly notice that I have noticed them. They both look at me, and I watch as their eyes widen. They both glance at each other, and as if on cue, crawl toward one another. I watch as the Serperior coils around the Mienshao's entire body, and as he does so, the black haze escaping his body begins to thicken. Then, within a matter of seconds, the haze covers them completely, and they are a familiar creature.

They are the Shadow Hunter.

"Sorry, I cannot allow you to see my true forms just yet," it says to me as it rises so that it towers over me once again. "You will again, but not now. I will explain everything soon."

"You are two Pokémon," I state anyway. "What… what exactly are you? Why do you pretend to be one creature?"

"Everything will be explained soon," it tells me again.

"You were a Mienshao and a Serperior…" I say slowly, ignoring the hunter because I want my explanation now. "You no longer appear normal, but rather as demons. You're almost like… Wait."

I realize something when I think about the bodies I had just seen moments ago. Though those bodies are rather demonic, there is something uncannily familiar about them. And the more I think about it, the more I realize that perhaps I have seen this Shadow Hunter somewhere long ago in a time that seems to be centuries ago…

"I-Impetus? Syn?" I'm barely able to whisper aloud. "Is that you?"

The Shadow Hunter continues to stare at me blankly, but I see something shudder beneath its shadowy surface. I think I even see the two Pokémon give me gloomy stares from beneath their disguise. However, the weakness quickly passes and they walk toward the fallen form of Kyurem.

"We will explain everything soon. We promise," it says to me. "For now, we will explain something else. This Kyurem never wanted to help you. It wanted to absorb you and then take you back to the Primogenitor, where it fully intended on rejoining it so that nothing could stop it. We were only barely able to stop it before it did so."

"Wait, what do you mean?" I ask, baffled by this sudden change of topic and revelation.

"Look at the plague essence escaping its body," the hunter says. "This is a piece of Rem possessed by the Primogenitor. It was never alive. When it fell out of the Primogenitor in that dimension, it was a corpse. There was only a sliver of a spirit within it. It was only alive because the Primogenitor put itself into it and animated it, similar to what you do with that Quilava corpse you possess. It never wanted to help you. It has been lying to you this entire time."

The Shadow Hunter leaps onto the body of the fallen dragon and grabs onto a piece of its frail, icy wing-like appendage with a shadowy claw from its amorphous body. Then, with a mighty pull, it rips off the piece and withdraws it within its body. Kyurem does not move. It remains lifeless, just like a corpse would.

"We had suspicions it had malicious intents," the hunter goes on. "However, we had no proof. So we waited to see what it would do after it merged with you. When it became clear that it was trying to escape, we attacked it and split your souls apart. Then we forced your spirit to go back into that Quilava body just as we killed Kyurem and took back the energy it stole from you many years ago. It was a gruesome process and it brought us pain, but we succeeded. Now you can be Reshiram. Finally."

The Shadow Hunter throws the white sphere out of its body once again, as I presume it picked it up while it was fighting Kyurem, and lets it settle at my feet once again. This time, the stone has veins of molten rock going through it, and I can feel power pulsing through it. I do not have to touch it to know this. I can feel it in the very air, as it is changing the aura around me, calling to me.

"Wait, why can I not remember you attacking Kyurem when we merged?" I then wonder. "If we were merged, shouldn't I have seen you two killing it and separating our souls?"

"You were not merged. You were absorbed," the hunter clarifies. "There is a difference. You stopped existing. Trust us when we say there is a difference. If you truly merged, you would be conscious the entire time and had seen everything."

The Shadow Hunter leaps off Kyurem and then looks at me. I think I see some hesitation in its eyes and an uncomfortable twitch in its dark form, but it is difficult to know if that is the result of my imagination or not.

"We will meet again very soon," it says to me. "And when we do, we will explain everything. We will explain everything to all of you."

"What do you mean, 'all of you'?" I ask the hunter.

It doesn't answer me. Instead, it hurries along, disappearing into the desert. I consider chasing after it to demand more answers, but I realize it is pointless. I will not catch that creature with how quickly it is moving, and if it is true to its word, it will give me the answers I seek in due time. I do not know when this supposed promised day is, but I will have to be patient.

There are more important matters to take care of in the first place.

I look down at the stone at my feet, and I know what I must do next. With a deep breath, I place my paw upon the stone. I feel the intense heat rise from its surface, as if it wants to sear my flesh off, but I do not fret. I only keep my paw pressed against the stone and send my spirit into the stone.

That is when I find myself in nothingness. I feel the raging fire around me, lighting my world with its mighty and eternal flames. It burns all around me, licking at my formless body, but not burning me as it does so. It feels pleasantly warm and welcoming, and soon, it begins to envelop around me. The fire clings to me, becoming my body. It becomes my everything. It becomes my limbs, giving me the ability to move. It becomes my mind, filling me with thoughts of light and divinity. It becomes my power, invigorating me with such strength that not even a mighty monsoon could extinguish the bonfire that I am.

But most of all, it gives me something that I have not had for so long. Something that I have missed ever since I was forced to become a Quilava.

The fire grants me wings.

That is when the fire changes. It becomes white and graceful, melting into feathers. I watch them cover me and keep me safe as they form around me, becoming a more physical form of my spirit. And yet, even as these delicate feathers grow around me and fasten themselves to by soul, they do not dampen the fire that is me. They only conceal it to keep my power safe from those who are not born with fire in their souls.

Before long, the feathers stop forming. I find myself curled into a tight ball, the darkness surrounding me once more. And yet, the fire still burns deep within me. Stronger than ever before does the fire burn within me, tickling my throat and my tail.

I open my eyes and allow my wings to unfurl after hundreds of years of slumber, and I land upon the sand that makes up this desolate desert. I feel the grains shoot up and bounce off my body from the impact of my heavier form, but I am unaffected by their insignificance. As a Quilava they might have been bothersome to my feet, but no longer. No longer am I Novus, trapped within a Quilava who had died years ago.

I am Reshiram.

I am the flame that burns in the soul of every fire Pokémon!

I AM THE EMBER!

To announce my return to the world, I let the fire burning in my body finally free itself. I release the loudest roar I can, a roar of power that I have lacked for far too long. I listen to my cry of power I have been deprived of for so long as everything around me becomes doused in flames. I feel the fire burning within me escape my tail and incinerate the land around me, burning with far more power than my mortal body ever could, it wanting to roar with me. Everything becomes red and orange as the fire and I continue to roar out to the world that I, Reshiram, slumber no longer.

When I am satisfied, I silence my roar and my fire ceases as well. I find myself surrounded by shards of glass all throughout the sand beneath my feet, even more glass spreading out into the horizon for quite a distance. I cannot help but smile at the sight. How much I have missed holding this great power within me. My Quilava form was nothing more than an insect compared to my true self. It was so weak that it was incinerated in the flames of my return along with the bag that I had brought with me.

I lower my wings as I look up into the sky and see that the sun is still reasonably high in the sky. The hour of night will not come for quite some time. When I see this, I know that I need to settle upon a course of action. Now that I have finally regained my body and am at full power once more, I need to decide what to do with it.

The obvious answer is to of course to destroy Rem's shadow. I know where it is hiding, and I imagine there are ways to enter the spirit realm thanks to being a godly being. There is no difficulty in reaching it.

However, before I can spread my wings and set after that demon that has corrupted so much of the dimension that I have sworn to protect, I begin to remember that I cannot kill the shadow alone. I would be insane to think that I could. Despite all of this power I now hold within me once again, it is not enough. I saw what happened with Zekrom. I would only meet the same fate.

I need help.

At first, I cannot think of anywhere I could possibly gain help. The Blight Demons have overtaken much of Shiron already, and the Fellowship is corrupt and nothing but an appendage of Rem's shadow. Even Kyurem, the only help I thought I had left, has turned out to be just as dangerous as the Fellowship. There is no help to be found in this dimension anymore. However, the more I ponder, I realize that there actually is someone who can help me.

The half-human.

Immediately upon thinking about him, I feel weakened, as though Kyogre himself has doused me with a mighty jet of water. I remember the half-human's last words to me and the sheer amount of hatred and spite upon his face. I realize that at this moment he might be at Aurora Town because it is the time of rendezvous, along with perhaps others of our group… but I am not sure if I should see him. Perhaps he might be able to help me in some ways despite being a mortal, but that does mean he is there. He could be dead for all I know. He didn't seem to have any intentions of abandoning his vague suicidal mission.

But despite having these thoughts, I know that I should still return to Aurora Town and see perhaps if he is alive. Perhaps he might not want to see me anymore, but I still want to make sure he is alive. He was one of my closest friends, and I suppose he still is. It will at least put my mind at ease. I cannot afford to have a conflicted mind when I confront Rem's shadow.

Thus, after reaching that decision, I spread my wings and take off into the air. It is remarkably easy to do despite not having done so for centuries. Then, with the aid of my fire, I shoot through the air with the speed of a flaming comet, my fire trailing behind me as it pushes me along.

What I believe to be minutes later, I find myself hovering high above what I know to be Aurora Town. The fire that had been fueling my flight has now simmered down, making it so that I no longer glow with such a blazing aura. I slowly allow myself to lower into the town, using my wings to slow my descent even though I do not need them to do so. My body can do it on its own thanks to the godly energy I have flowing through my veins. However, despite my best efforts, I still land upon an empty square in the town with a loud rumbling. I send minor trembles throughout the town, and the cobblestone beneath my feet cracks from the pressure.

I almost feel remorse for being careless with my landing, but upon seeing the deserted and decaying buildings around me, I begin to realize that there are no consequences for my actions. I could have accidentally incinerated a vast majority of the buildings and there would still be no consequences. There are no inhabitants' lives that I can possibly disturb. There is no one in this area.

I am about to take off once more and investigate another area of the town in search of the half-human or any sort of indication of life, but I do not have to. I see a Zoroark sprinting toward me on all fours, moving with alarming speed. From behind her I can see a number of other Pokémon. Within a matter of moments, I find a large number of Pokémon gathering around me. They are at a considerable distance away from me and they are all staring at me with a mixture of amazement and terror, whispering things amongst each other. I peer down upon them, towering over them in my mighty form, finding it refreshing that I no longer have to look up to speak with most Pokémon. Now they look up at me, as they would do with any godly being, and I cannot help but allow myself to smile as my heart burns with pride.

Amongst these Pokémon I see the Zoroark I had spotted earlier at the front. I notice that she does not appear to be a normal Zoroark, instead appearing quite demented, similar to the Mienshao and Serperior I had seen earlier. I begin to suspect that this Zoroark is Zekra as soon as I notice that. However, I am not allowed to ponder her strange appearance for much longer, for I see something wriggling out of her mane. Before long, a head pops out of her hair, gasping and clawing his way out.

I quickly recognize that someone to be the half-human. He is alive after all, and he no longer holds the appearance of a demon.

He stumbles out of the Zoroark's mane, muttering something about how disturbing the inside of Zekra's mane was and the Zoroark making an equally disturbing remark in return. He is about to argue with Zekra further, but then he sees me, and he seems to freeze on the spot. I try to remain mighty before him, not wanting him to know that the fire within me is wavering at the sight of seeing him. I have no reason to fear him anymore. I am ten times larger than him and can easily crush him with my foot if he dares to attack me.

"Novus…?" he asks me, his voice quiet, but I am still able to hear him thanks to my improved hearing. "Is… is that you?"

"Yes." I answer him, finding I do not know what else to say to him.

Everyone around him begins to question what is happening, to which the half-human tells everyone that he will explain everything later and that they should all leave. They don't want to, insisting that they should stay, as a large and fearsome dragon such as myself should not be ignored, but the half-human commands them to leave with a power that I did not think he had in him. He speaks with unrelenting authority, as though he is a general of an army made up of a thousand warriors. When they hear his command, they do as he asks and they all depart. The only one that does not leave is Zekra, as all she does is hide behind a building nearby the half-human. She seems very reluctant to leave for a reason I cannot pinpoint. However, the half-human doesn't notice that she is still in the area and only makes his way toward me.

"So um… you found your body again," he says to me with reluctance.

"Yes. I am Reshiram again," I reply, tucking my wings into my body so I do not quite take up as much room. "And you are here just as we agreed on that day four months ago."

"Yeah… I am," he says to me quietly. "Zekra too. And other Pokémon."

I am about to question exactly who these other Pokémon are, but then the half-human sighs and stops before me. Then, before I can ponder what he is thinking, he wraps his arms around one of my legs. He is unable to completely encircle my leg with his embrace, for he is small, but I can still feel him. I cannot help but become startled.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," he says to me in a hoarse voice. "I left you… I betrayed you… all because I was being so stupid. All because I was so obsessed with murdering Yimtri. And you suffered all because I ditched you without a second thought… I hurt you…"

I look down at him to find that there are tears in his eyes. He's trying not to let them fall out of his eyes, but I know that it takes a tremendous effort to do so.

I find myself relieved at the sight of this. I had been deeply worried that perhaps he still wanted nothing to do with me or even worse, that he was among the deceased, but it seems that he is well. I do not understand how he is so and why he no longer appears to be a demon, and why Zekra with him when she supposedly wanted nothing to do with us either, but I know I can ask him later. I am willing to be patient. There are more important matters before me.

But regardless, I am not happy to see the half-human miserable. I know he is grieving and remorseful for his actions against me, and in some ways I am thankful that he feels so such sorrow for betraying me, but it is still never a pleasant sight to see him miserable. I sigh as I lower my head so that I can see the half-human at a more equal stance. I still tower over him, as I should, but our heads are at least at a similar eye-level.

"It is alright, Terron," I say gently. "I do not hate you for what you have done."

"I know… but I still abandoned you when you needed my help," he says to me. "You didn't deserve that. I abandoned you when you needed me most. You… you could have been dead thanks to me!"

"Yes, I could have," I admit, remembering how Kyurem had nearly devoured my soul. "However, I did not. I do not hold any sort of hatred towards you. I do not completely understand the circumstances as to why you became suicidal and what made you as remorseful as you are now, but I feel no hostility. Besides, you have returned here after all because you wanted to help me stop Rem's shadow, did you not?"

"Yeah… I did," he replies.

"Then that means that you still care about me," I say. "You returned because you want to help me with my goal. You knew that I might return here. That is all I need to know to forgive you."

The half-human doesn't say anything to me. However, I can tell that he understands that I am forgiving him. I feel myself smiling as I realize there is a way for him to no longer feel remorseful for his actions towards me. I know how to make his grieving process shorter.

"If you truly want to feel that I do not hate you, then help me defeat Rem's shadow," I say to him warmly. "I feel that there are some things I cannot do on my own against that monster despite what I have chosen to believe in the past. Perhaps you have knowledge I do not have, or you can aid me with the blight power that you now wield within yourself. How does that sound?"

The half-human looks up at me, and I can see his eyes wet with tears, but also hope. I cannot help but laugh a small amount. I keep my warm gaze on him and watch as slowly but surely, he too wears the same expression as I do.

"Yeah… I'll help you," he says to me with a determined glare. "I'll fight with you to the bitter end. Heh, as if you had to ask me to do that for you."

He releases my leg from his embrace as he takes a few steps back, allowing him to see myself with better clarity and without needing to crane his neck up so much. The despair in his eyes is no longer present, no longer drowning him. He is filled with light, there being a metaphorical fire burning in his soul now. It burns almost as bright as the fire I see within fire Pokémon.

I then spent the rest of the day with the half-human, asking him questions regarding his circumstances now that there is no longer any tension between the two of us. Zekra is very quick to join us not long after we initiate a conversation, but neither the human nor I mind her presence. It is quite joyful to see her again and hearing her perspective on what has happened while the half-human and I were away from her is intriguing to say the most. I find many parts of her story to be unsettling and difficult to comprehend, such as the fact that supposedly merged with her blight and became all-powerful in the process, but I am able to make an effort to understand her words. She even chooses to demonstrate her power to me by cutting a building in two with one swipe of her claws, as well as introduce me to her blight through an illusion. Admittedly, seeing all of that did make me completely understand everything about her, but it only made me even more unsettled and utterly disturbed.

I suppose that is a consequence of being friends with Zekra, however. I cannot think of many times she did not make me feel disturbed. It is only natural that she is so accepting of having a sentient blight living inside of her, merged with her, and speaking to her rather often from how I see it. I'm not sure I could do the same if I were in her position. Perhaps then Zekra's strange personality works to her benefit.

It goes long into the night before the two finish explaining their circumstances. The half-human admits that he wanted to have the shadow Sableye speak with me as well, as apparently he is now amongst our group once more thanks to the half-human's efforts, but there were complications. Thus, the shadow Sableye remains within the town, but he keeps to himself and his Fellowship, who is also with us in the town. He doesn't speak with the half-human unless he has something he wishes to discuss with him. Otherwise, he does not go anywhere near the half-human. He especially does not converse with Zekra, avoiding her whenever he can. He will not allow her to be with the half-human whenever he and the half-human have discussions with one another even. He instead tells the half-human to send Zekra away and refuses to make eye contact with her. The half-human ruefully explains to me that the shadow Sableye has been acting in such way since he and Zekra were reunited here in this town, wishing with much earnest that the shadow Sableye would not be so adamant about avoiding Zekra. He claims that he has tried to convince the shadow Sableye to be more friendly with Zekra and does ask why he behaves in the way he does, but the shadow Sableye will not say why. He only chooses to ignore the question, which is rather typical of him and does not surprise me in the slightest. I notice that Zekra becomes unusually timid and skittish when the half-human mentions these things about the shadow Sableye. She is nothing like herself and seems ready to bolt at a moment's notice with her muscles twitching and her pupils larger than they should be in the darkness that covers the night.

I am about to ask him exactly why the shadow Sableye refuses to acknowledge Zekra's existence, but I am interrupted by a rustling in the bushes close by. The three of us watch a certain shadowy creature emerge from the bushes and present itself to us. I find myself baffled at the sight.

I am quick to notice Zekra's pupils dilate and notice the strange red marks upon her body illuminate. They burn through the darkness rather brightly, almost as bright as a raging bonfire.

"What are you doing here?!" she screams at it, pointing an accusing claw at it.

"I am doing just as I promised you and Reshiram," the hunter says to her in a simple, unfazed voice. "I am here to explain what I am. It is finally time to do so, now that I have completed all of my work."

The Shadow Hunter begins to change. I watch as the darkness surrounding its body disappeared, evaporating in the air. As the shadows peel off its body, a long, winding figure slides off with it and settles itself on the ground. Before long, the strange Mienshao and Serperior creatures are standing amongst us. I notice that the injuries I had seen upon their bodies are no longer present. There are not even any scars, as if their injuries had never occurred.

"Wait a minute…" the half-humans says, his voice becoming wary and uncertain. "You guys are… no… no way… How could…"

"I know this is confusing to you, Terron," the Mienshao says. "But it's us, Impetus and Syn. We have returned and we have much to share with you."