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Chapter 92
Fight To Die
The fearsome beast once again shot out of the Primogenitor's bodily lining, but this time it did not shoot itself at Zekra and Nyx. Instead, it landed a few feet in front of them before spinning its entire body around. The plague energy surrounding its short, stubby tail swiftly elongated, transforming it into a long, whip-like appendage with jagged spikes jutting out of it that were now seconds away from crashing into Zekra and Nyx. The two of them hurried out of the way of the oncoming tail, just narrowing avoiding being skewered as they retreated to the opposite wall of where the Primogenitor beast stood.
"THERE IS NOWHERE TO RUN. THIS IS YOUR HOME."
The dragon bounded back into the wall, merging with it in a matter of seconds so that there was not a trace of the monster to be seen. However, Zekra knew that the beast had not abandoned them. Though she could no longer see its insidious and demented form amongst her in the darkness of the Primogenitor's bowels, she could hear it. She could hear its body slinking through the muscles of the dragon, hissing and slithering with wet sloshing noises so similar to the sounds she made when she was slurping up warm and delicious blood from a fresh kill.
And yet, Zekra found she couldn't react to the events unfolding around her. Only minutes ago had she been trying to find Zekrom and Kyurem with Nyx. Only a short time ago had she freed the Darkrai from the Primogenitor's grasp so that they could find a way to truly defeat the beast whose belly they both found themselves in. Now here they were, sealed within a chamber, fighting an amalgamation of the dragons that were their salvation and the very dragon that they feared. Here they were, trapped with no way out as the mesh of creatures prowled about, waiting for the perfect moment to devour the both of them.
It had all happened so quickly that Zekra could barely process it. She still had a difficult time comprehending that she had been eaten by the Primogenitor and that she was roaming about its bowels. Not only that, but so many other things had happened that her mind couldn't quite wrap around either. Terron and Yimtri supposedly being dead after an incident, Impetus unquestionably being dead after being chomped in two by the Primogenitor, Nyx still being alive and sentient despite being absorbed into the Primogenitor for so long… all of these things and more swarmed in her head. Each and every one of these thoughts flooded her mind, making everything happening around her feel so surreal and disconnected.
Without Venri in her mind to snap her out of it, Zekra felt her thoughts swirl aimlessly within her mind like leaves in an autumn breeze.
Zekra, you need to focus.
The Zoroark's mind exited its chaotic state as soon as she heard the familiar voice echo through the walls of her skull. She looked over to find that Nyx was eying the walls as she filled her claws with an ominous, violet power that flickered dangerously.
I know that you have a lot on your mind right now. I know that everything is happening very quickly and that it is taxing for you. I know that you want to mourn for those that have been lost. But I need you to focus. You can mourn and think about what has been happening after all of this is over. I need you to remain in the present. There is a way out of this predicament even though the odds seem against us right now.
How? That thing… it's got Zekrom and Kyurem. You said we need those two if we ever want to beat the Primogenitor.
We need to rip Zekrom and Kyurem out of that monstrosity. It will not be easy, but we can. Then after they are free, they should reawaken and we can all leave this dreadful place together.
Right… that makes sense. And we can do that by doing the same thing I did to free you, right? Will that work?
It should, but I suppose there is only one way to find out. If not, then I suppose we will have to kill this monster instead.
It was no sooner than Nyx said this did the beast emerge from the wall behind Zekra and Nyx and swipe at them with its long, grotesque claws. Nyx swooped above the arc of the attack while Zekra ducked instead, allowing the two to remain unscathed. The monster withdrew its claws back into the wall, but Nyx was too swift for it. She grabbed one of the beast's claws with her own before sinking her tips into its black, oozing flesh. The purple energy streaming from her claws swiftly seeped inside of the creature's flesh. She then yanked her arm back with all her might seconds later. Her claws ripped straight out of the dragon, and escaping from her claw tips were tiny, black, and tendril-like shadows. They clung fast to something within the dragon, but could not seem to drag it out into the open.
Zekra hurried over to Nyx's side and grabbed her other hand. Together, they pulled back, causing the unseen beast from within the wall to let out a great, anguished roar. It retreated its claws back into the wall with more vigor, nearly yanking Zekra off of her feet, but she held fast and continued pulling, refusing to let the claws slink back into the wall. She tightened her grip around Nyx's hand as she slowly started dragging Nyx closer to her. She made tendrils leak out of her feet's claws and dig themselves deep into the Primogenitor's tendril-infested "ground", keeping her rooted to the spot. She grit her teeth as she grabbed Nyx's elbow and pulled her closer. Once she had a strong grip, she continued, grabbing the spot right above Nyx's elbow as the Darkrai continued yanking back her own tendrils out of the dragon.
When Zekra had her grip tight around the spot right below Nyx's shoulders, she let out a loud cry and tugged back with all her might.
All of Nyx's tendrils came flying out of the beast's claw, allowing the beast to finally retract all of its body into the wall. Zekra's tendrils relinquished their hold upon the ground as she flew backwards from the lack of resistance. She crashed into the ground a few feet away, but was able to right herself up without feeling any sort of throbbing on her back. She shook herself off for just a moment, and then hurried over to Nyx before looking down at the mess that was the Darkrai's tendrils upon the ground.
Nyx's tendrils were tangled amongst one another, squirming and writhing against one another as if they were nothing more than a pile of worms. They flopped about with no meaning or direction as they remained outside of Nyx's body, occasionally letting out unnatural whining sounds that Zekra thought resembled the yowls she had heard from hatchling Pokémon when they were in great pain.
But most of all, Zekra saw that within their tangled and wriggling forms, they were all attached to something very large. Something not as monstrous as the beast that was slinking through the Primogenitor's bowels, but still a beast that could tower over Nyx and Zekra if it were standing upon its feet. All of their ends were latched deep into a ferocious dragon of a frail, icy form. The dragon did not move even as the tendrils slithered over it, nor did it show any signs of life. It only lay there motionlessly, eyes closed, tendrils sluggishly digging through its innards.
Zekra almost couldn't believe that something so monstrous had been ripped out of the beast's body in one piece. She didn't understand how something so large could come out of the monster's much smaller claw. However, she quickly realized it was probably the same as with Terron and Yimtri when they had been devouring Pokémon. Somehow they could shrink Pokémon after ensnaring them in their grasps so that they might fit within their bodies.
It wasn't out of place to think that Nyx could do the exact same thing. Perhaps she had shrunk this icy dragon after her tendrils were able to wrap themselves around him and brought him to his normal size once he was out of the monster's body.
This is Kyurem. However, I do not think he will not be awakening. His spirit is too frail and the Primogenitor has tampered with him too much for him to do anything.
So this is him… well at least we got him. Too bad he can't make this whole thing easier. He's kind of useless right now…
He will be useful when we get Zekrom. He will be even more useful when we are reunited with Reshiram. He is necessary for the merging, even if his state is quite pitiful now.
The Darkrai then retracted all of her tendrils back into her hand with harsh, wet slapping sounds as they released their hold on the fallen dragon. Once they had all disappeared inside of her body, Nyx fired a ray of ice from her palm. The beam struck the icy dragon and swiftly encased it in a large block of frigid ice that Zekra knew could not be shattered with ease. She wasn't even sure it could be melted in a matter of seconds either.
This should keep him safe until we get Zekrom. I do not see that beast breaking him out of there so easily.
Good. I guess we just have one dragon left to get then! Maybe this'll go just as fast and then we can get out of this creepy place!
Zekra thought she heard Nyx sigh dejectedly within her mind, but was not able to dwell in the thought for long, for a pair of eyes manifested in the walls near the two. Zekra growled gutturally under her breath as the dragon stuck its head out of the wall. It seemed to shoot them a resentful glare before opening up its maw and spitting out a wave of blue, crackling energy at the ground. The moment it hit the ground, ice spread out from under it, freezing everything beneath Zekra's feet into a frigid, slippery surface. She almost fell over as it manifested beneath her, forcing her to get down on all fours and sink her claws into the icy surface.
The moment her claw tips pierced the frigid ground, a jolt of burning pain suddenly went up Zekra's arms. She let out a loud yelp as she jumped into the air and swiftly turned into a Skarmory, refusing to hover no less than a few feet above the ground.
Zekra winced as the remnants of whatever had hurt her continued to burn at her muscles until it finally subsided, leaving a dull ache.
It electrified the ice. It is trying to make it so we cannot have a proper foothold and rip out Zekrom.
Zekra glanced down to see that Nyx was right. Every few seconds, a small shower of sparks would emit from various parts of the ice, followed by a low buzzing. There was not a single place where the electricity would not strike, making the entirety of the ground a painful hazard for Zekra.
Great, just great. Ugh, I should have known that getting Zekrom wasn't going to be easy.
Zekra saw Nyx fire a ray of black energy at the exposed head of the beast, but it swiftly ducked back into the wall. The energy struck the wall just as the beast disappeared, tearing into the wall and creating a small hole that led to a hollow area within the wall. However, it quickly patched itself up with multiple tentacles, and within a matter of seconds, the wall repaired itself completely.
Maybe we can still rip out Zekrom if we can get ahold of that beast's claw again or something. Or even its head. We can try pulling Zekrom out from the air, because I doubt that thing is going to come out into the open again like before.
Or we can pull it out of the wall further and then we can use its body as a foothold. That is assuming that it is safe to do so and its body will not lash out at you the second you set foot upon it.
Well we've got to try something!
It was then that the snout of the beast emerged from the wall once more. It emerged with its jaws wide open, revealing dozens of sharp teeth. But most strikingly of all, in the back of its throat were dozens of bright lights that blinked in and out of existence.
Zekra couldn't even pondering the sight that she had seen so often in Primogenitor creations before Plagued Ones emerged out of the beast's maw and threw themselves at Nyx and Zekra. Ripples went over Nyx's body for just a second before she split into five Darkrai. Her copies swiftly went after the oncoming demons, tearing them apart with their claws and their own versions of Nyx's elemental powers. Flashes and blue, yellow, and black streaked through the darkness of the Primogenitor's bowels as each of the Plagued Ones were vanquished one by one.
The original Nyx shot the draconic beast a glare before her eyes glimmered with a bright blue. There was an unnatural screeching sound as it was suddenly yanked out of the wall by an invisible force. It dug its front claws into the ground before the lower half of its body could follow suit, screeching and yowling as more and more Plagued Ones erupted from its mouth. However, it was futile. Nyx only created more copies of herself, sending them after the myriad amount of demons before glancing over at Zekra.
Pull out Zekrom now.
Zekra wasted no time in swooping over to the massive beast, swerving out of the way of any incoming Plagued Ones or bolts of electricity streaking through the air, and then descended right onto the base of the dragon's neck. Even though a good amount of its body was still concealed with the wall, Zekra could see that the dragon was not the same now that Kyurem had been freed from its grasp. Somehow, it seemed smaller than before, as well weaker. Its form seemed less misshapen, and it appeared to resemble the true Primogenitor rather than an amalgamation of multiple dragons.
Zekra reveled in this small victory and then dug her claws into the back of the dragon's neck. She felt Venri's tendrils squirm out of her body and descend into the dragon, searching for Zekrom. She could feel uncomfortable wriggling beneath her feet, but she did not move from her spot. Instead, she only watched with gritted teeth as her tendrils continued snaking their way down the Primogenitor, crawling through its shadowy, eldritch mass.
Zekra felt something sharp prick against the bottom of her feet, and immediately knew it was time to go. She swiftly retracted the tendrils out of the dragon before diving off of its body. Jagged spikes shot out of the spot where she once stood only seconds ago. They sprang up out of the body, shooting higher and higher until they impacted the ceiling, raining down fleshy, black debris into the chamber. The debris writhed for just a moment as it fell upon the icy surface of the ground and then became limp just as the hole in the ceiling repaired itself.
So close. Should have known that wasn't going to work.
Zekra changed into a Flygon as she watched the spikes seep back inside the dragon. It shook itself before releasing a loud, thunderous roar that penetrated the air and made Zekra want to cover her ears. Something black and dagger-like shot out of the dragon's maw, and before anyone could stop it, the object dug itself deep into Nyx's chest.
Nyx and her numerous clones cringed just as they finished off the last of the Plagued Ones in the room. The clones convulsed for just a moment and their bodies warped into unnatural states before they abruptly exploded, leaving only one Nyx in the room. However, she was not any better off, for she soon dug her claw tips deep into her head. The white wisps escaping from the top of her head seemed to fray out as the tendrils escaping the bottom of her dress-like form elongated, curling toward the ground.
The dragon seemed to smirk before pulling itself back into the wall, disappearing from sight. But even with the dragon out of sight, Nyx's condition did not seem to return to normal. Darkness spread into her eyes, painting them a deep black as the growth around her head seemed to become more jagged.
In no time, Zekra found herself staring at a very unnatural version of someone who was once a powerful ally. The object embedded into Nyx before was no longer present. It seemed to have been absorbed completely into her body.
"Nyx…? Nyx, are you okay?" Zekra asked, deciding to speak aloud.
The Darkrai's single, exposed eye locked in on Zekra. Zekra couldn't help but shudder. There was no soul behind that black pool that was now her eye.
There was only a demon.
"No… No, don't do this to me, Nyx! Don't tell me that it got you!" Zekra cried.
The Darkrai gave no answer. She only created a dark sphere in the palm of her hand, and then flung it at Zekra. The false Flygon swooped out of the way, narrowly missing the nightmare-inducing attack, before shooting the Darkrai a desperate gaze.
"Come on, snap out of it! I really don't want to have to fight you!"
The Darkrai shot a frigid beam at Zekra, prompting her to loop out of the way. Zekra sighed ruefully as she saw the blast impact a wall and create a number of large ice crystals upon its surface, but knew what had to be done. She made a tight frown, and then opened her maw and spewed out a burst of dragon fire at Nyx. However, the Darkrai proved too swift and darted out of the way just as it was to strike her head. Then, once the last embers dissipated into the air, Nyx shot a bolt of electricity shot out of her palm. It zipped through the air in a jagged pattern, zipping around wildly before it struck down toward the Zekra. Zekra proved to be just as quick and avoided the shot before retaliating back with another burst of dragon fire.
Nyx only avoided the attack before firing yet another lightning bolt, and it was only a matter of seconds before the two were flying around one another in the massive chamber, avoiding one another's lethal attacks before firing one of their own attacks in return. They zipped through the air with the speed of bullets, swerving and diving at the subtlest hints of a flash. Occasionally something would strike one of them, but it would never do more than graze their flesh and leave them with a fleeting burn that would cool itself within seconds.
Neither of them was making any significant strikes against one another. They were only creating a tempest amongst the chamber as they flew around one another, neither relenting in their bombardments.
Zekra would occasionally switch out her forms, such as from a Flygon to a copy of Nyx herself to even Reshiram at one point, but it did little good. None of her forms could produce a power that could catch Nyx off-guard.
She only continued to perpetuate the stalemate the two had locked themselves into.
I have to defeat Nyx somehow. And fast too. Everybody outside of here can only last so long against the Primogenitor. I need to knock her out, or at least make it so that she's not possessed. But she's just so fast that I can't even touch her…
Unless…
It was then that Zekra knew what she could do. She wasn't certain if it would work, but she knew she couldn't keep up this dance between her and Nyx. Her muscles ached and she wasn't able to avoid attacks as quickly anymore. Too many times had she taken an Ice Beam to the leg or a bolt of lightning to a wing. If it weren't for Venri and her regenerative powers she still held, she knew she would have fallen by now.
In her current Ninjask form, Zekra descended upon the monstrous ice block that held Kyurem within it. She changed back into a Zoroark and sank her claws into the ice, but did not feel a jolt of pain. She felt a chill seep through her bones, but there was not a single volt of electricity shooting through her nerves.
Good, Kyurem isn't affected by whatever that dragon thing did to the ground. Alright, this can work.
She looked up to see that Nyx was eying her from high above, as well as creating a black sphere within one of her hands. Zekra quickly filled her claws with her explosive plague energy, making them radiate with a bright red light. Then, before Nyx could fire the sphere growing in her palm, Zekra dug her claws into the ice with more force and released the energy from her body.
A brilliant explosion went off around the Zoroark and filled room. It erupted from Zekra's claws with such force that she could even feel the ice beneath her breaking apart. So much ice shattered beneath Zekra that that parts of Kyurem's head became free from the icy prison. However, Zekra hardly paid this any mind. Instead, she watched Nyx as she fled from the oncoming wave, but had nowhere to go. She swooped into the ceiling for refuge, but it was futile. Nyx got caught in the blast and her screams echoed painfully all throughout the chamber as it attacked her plagued essence. The ice covering the ground beneath Kyurem shattered as Zekra's blast continued to ravage the chamber, its loud shattering sounds mixing with Nyx's screams as she crashed into the ground.
When the light finally died down and all of the blast's energy had dissipated, Zekra found Nyx collapsed on the ground. Her body seemed tattered and leaked of black energy, but it was Nyx's eyes that caught Zekra's attention the most. They were no longer bottomless pits of darkness. They were still a deep black, but there was now a flicker of blue within them, struggling with all its might to stay afloat and overcome the darkness.
"Come on, Nyx! Snap out of it!" Zekra cried. "I need you here right now!"
"NO. SHE IS NOT YOURS. SHE IS MINE."
It was then that the monster's face appeared in the wall right behind Nyx. It ripped its head out of the fleshy membrane and rapidly descended its open jaws upon Nyx. The blue in Nyx's eyes flickered rapidly and her claws twitched sporadically, but she seemed unable to leave her spot on the ground. All she could do was helplessly watch the dragon prepare to make her its next meal.
"NO!"
Zekra dug her palms against Kyurem's head so she could launch herself forward with as much as force as possible. But instead of leaping forward, something else happened. Venri's tendrils swiftly exited her claws and wormed their way inside of the icy dragon, connecting to something deep within it. Zekra could not leave her position upon its neck, nor could she pry her claws free from its dry and chilling flesh.
"No… No, I have to save Nyx! What are you doing Venri?!" Zekra screamed as she continued to futilely yank her claws out of the dragon.
A brilliant yellow light suddenly radiated from Kyurem's eye sockets.
Zekra ceased her struggling and gazed down at the growing light.
What the…
Something rumbled underneath Zekra, nearly making her lose her footing atop the dragon.
"GRRRRRAAAAAA-OHHHHHH!"
The former corpse of the dragon suddenly stood up on his two hind legs. Zekra tried to leap off his bulky mass, but found that she was stuck to his form. All she could do was hang on tight as the dragon launched himself at the beast about to eat Nyx. With a speed that seemed impossible for his bulky and disjointed form, he closed the distance between him and the monster, taking Zekra with him. When he was right before the monster, he snapped open his jaws, shattering the ice that had been holding it closed. Then, he clamped his pointed fangs down open the monster's slender neck.
The monster let out an anguished scream as it retracted itself back into the wall, but Kyurem would not let it. He only bit down harder upon the dragon before throwing his head back with all his might. The monster flew out of the wall and collapsed on the ground, whining and yowling as it desperately scrambled to right itself up.
"K-Kyurem! You're still alive!" Zekra cried as a wide smile made its way onto her face.
The dragon did not glance back, nor do anything to acknowledge her presence. He only threw back his head and let out another primal roar before rushing forward. He pounced upon the shadowy monster and landed upon its back, stamping the beast down into the ground. He dug his talons deep into the dragon's flesh as he bit down upon its neck once again, pinning it beneath his weight. The monster thrashed and shrieked, flapping its wings and snapping its own jaws at Kyurem, but the ice dragon would not relent. He only released his firm grip around the dragon's neck just as it was to snap its jaws around Kyurem's neck, and then clamped his own jaws back down upon the top of the monster's neck, right beneath its head. Ice soon seeped out from beneath Kyurem's jaws and spread upward, slowly encroaching its head.
The eldritch creature released another loud shriek and locked its gaze onto Kyurem. Zekra could very distinctly see a bright blue light forming at the back of its throat that was growing more brilliant with each passing second.
"Kyurem, look-"
The ice dragon jerked the monster's neck to the side before Zekra could finish just as the light shot out of the monster's throat. An azure sphere crackling with black energy flew into a nearby wall, ripping a massive hole within the Primogenitor's membranes that seemed to keep going deeper and deeper into the Primogenitor without cease. Zekra even thought she heard the Primogenitor howling in the outside world as the last of the light seeped out of the chamber.
Kyurem's creeping ice finally surrounded the monster's head, and within a matter of seconds, they managed to completely seal it behind their thick walls. The monster still thrashed beneath Kyurem and clawed at him furiously, but there was at least some comfort in knowing he could not devour them or launch any true attacks. With Kyurem pinning it down beneath his enormous weight, it was now in a somewhat vulnerable state.
Zekra almost couldn't believe that this once powerful, nightmarish beast had been brought down almost easily thanks to Kyurem. She and Nyx hadn't even been able to hurt the monster, and yet Kyurem had effortlessly snagged it from its hiding spot, inflicted significant damage, and made put it in such as susceptible position.
"But how…? How are you doing all of this?" Zekra couldn't help but wonder. "You're… You're supposed to be dead, aren't you?"
Kyurem didn't respond, only removing his jaws from the beast as he avoided a nasty set of claws to his face. Zekra watched as the frigid, wing-like appendages jutting out of its back suddenly shook with a great force. They trembled, as if an earthquake were resonating through the both of them, and then watched a network of cracks appear along the ice's surface.
With a loud smashing sound, the ice broke off the appendages, and Zekra soon found herself staring at two grey, tendril-like attachments. Each had two glimmering spikes at the end of them that both seemed to give off an ethereal light. Zekra eyed them in awe as the dragon shook them, ridding himself of the ice particles still clinging to the shafts.
Then, he plunged them into the monster's chest.
Zekra felt a jolt of pain go up her arms, making her let out a yowl as she pulled back on her claws. However, they remained embedded within Kyurem's flesh as he dug the spiked ends of his appendages deeper into the monster.
"Hey, hey! What are you doing?" Zekra demanded. "Hey!"
The monster made a muffled screaming sound from within its icy prison before its exposed flesh seemingly started to ripple and writhe. Multiple tendrils then slunk out of its chest and wrapped around Kyurem's appendages and legs. They crawled up his limbs and made their way toward his head and Zekra. Zekra could see something at the very tips of each of the tendrils, something that she thought resembled a gaping mouth filled to the brim with sharp, needle-like teeth.
"Come on, we need to go!" Zekra insisted as she tugged her claws back. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but we need to get away from those freaky things!"
She could still not break free from Kyurem, nor did the dragon show any signs of withdrawing his appendages. He only stood upon the monster and watched the coiling tendrils with a cold glare.
"Kyurem!"
It was then that the tendrils ceased to slither up his body. They became frozen in place, as if time had stopped for them. And then, they were suddenly torn off of his body and flung towards the ground. They all splattered against the hard surface and squirmed in place, but none of them rose up. They only remained glued to the ground, writhing and struggling like worms being flayed alive. The rest of the beast's body was soon to follow suit. Though it had been thrashing and slashing at Kyurem moments ago, now it was lying still. Its legs and claws would twitch and shudder, but it could do no more than that.
Help Kyurem.
Zekra's ears perked up at the sound of the familiar voice. She looked to her side to find that Nyx was close to Kyurem, collapsed on the ground. She was lying on her stomach and trying to hold herself up with one hand while outstretching the other hand toward Kyurem. Zekra couldn't help but notice that though her form had reverted back to normal, her eyes were both illuminating with a brilliant blue light that nearly lit up the entire chamber.
Kyurem wants to free Zekrom. Help him.
"Help him? Well how do I do that?" Zekra asked her with a baffled stare. "I'm kind of stuck to him right now. I can't rip my claws out of his head!"
Give him more of your power. Give him more than you already are. I will hold down this beast while you do so.
It was then that Zekra realized what was going on. Though it seemed that the dragon had spontaneously gained life, it was actually still quite comatose. With its soul so frail and its body so weak, there was nothing it could do to awaken. It could only remain dormant and useless, a husk of its former self.
Zekra's plague had given it life. When her claws had sunk into its body, it had most likely felt the plague within in her. Then, perhaps because it beckoned to Venri or because Venri saw what great potential await, Zekra's plagued energy connected with Kyurem and reanimated it.
Zekra had done exactly as what the Primogenitor did whenever it found Pokémon; she had given the soul power and life through her own life energy.
The Zoroark couldn't help but gasp in awe as this revelation dawned upon her. She glanced down at Kyurem to find that his gaze was still fixated to the monster beneath him, caring not for her presence.
"Whoa… so this is what it feels like to control Plagued Ones…" she stated as her voice drifted.
Zekra. Focus. I cannot hold down this beast for long.
"Right, right," Zekra said, shaking her head. "Alright, here it goes. Kyurem, rip Zekrom right out of there! Get her back for us so we can get out of here!"
Zekra dug both of her claws deeper into the dragon's head and immediately felt more of her energy leave her. She felt a wave of nausea and vertigo overcome her as her energy seeped out of her body and went straight into Kyurem. However, she forced herself to tolerate it and continued to feed the dragon both her energy and Venri's.
Pink light radiated from Kyurem's appendages, channeling through way down from the tip to the base of the dragon's body. A black sphere was soon to form within his stubby, hollowed-out tail. Zekra watched as the two lights grew brighter and brighter, almost blinding her while the beast beneath the two of them seemed to melt. It grew smaller and smaller, becoming a murky puddle as a light fell over Kyurem, concealing him completely. Zekra felt him morph beneath her feet, shifting and growing. She pulled back her claws out of pure reaction, and was surprised to find that her claws ripped out of Kyurem's flesh. And yet, Kyurem did not fall and become comatose once again. He only continued draining Zekrom out of the beast while the radiant light only seemed to become even more brilliant.
Zekra swiftly leapt off of Kyurem and landed beside Nyx. Then together, the two plagued Pokémon watched as the beast completely disappeared, melting completely into the ground. Seconds later, the light shrouding Kyurem vanished, and the two beheld a magnificent sight.
Kyurem now stood tall upon his stronger legs, now holding the same appearance as the beast when it had absorbed both Kyurem and Zekrom. However, there were two small differences. The first was that its body was no longer shrouded in complete darkness. Its amalgamated body of ice and black hide was not tainted with plague any longer. But most of all, the head was no longer the Primogenitor's head. It was no longer a wispy head of darkness with white eyes that seemingly gazed deep into the souls of its victims.
It was now Kyurem and Zekrom's head, fused together, not a trace of Primogenitor in its deep and radiating yellow eyes.
The moment Zekra gazed at the great dragon that stood before her and Nyx, she knew that the two of them had succeeded.
They had rescued Kyurem and Zekrom from the shadow dragon.
"We did it!" Zekra couldn't help but wallop. "We actually did it!"
It was then that the great dragon finally seemed to notice the two puny Pokémon beneath it. It swiveled its head toward them and immediately bore its jagged teeth with a ferocious growl that rumbled throughout the chamber. Any excitement within Zekra's heart died as she immediately backed away from the beast.
But just as Zekra began to think that she would have to subdue the massive dragon, it stopped growling. Its fierce glare melted as a more cautious, almost gentle expression came over it. The behemoth slowly made its way toward the two before stooping down so that Zekra and the dragon were nearly at the same eye-level. It gazed down at the Darkrai still collapsed on the ground with an almost pitiful stare.
"Nyx, is that you?" the amalgamated dragon asked in a voice that distinctly sounded feminine and commanding.
"Yes. Are you free at last, Zekrom?"
"Yes. I will admit that I do hear voices within my mind that do not resemble my own now that I am inhabiting this new form, but I am at least free from Rem's shadow."
"Voices… you mean like the Primogenitors?" Zekra asked anxiously, resisting the urge to back away further from the dragon.
"Hah, ah no little Zoroark. The voices I hear are not its," the dragon said with a soft smile. "I would know after being trapped within that shadow's body for quite some time. I imagine that the voices I hear now are the husk's."
"Well that's good… I think," Zekra said quietly.
"We are glad that you are finally free, Zekrom. I am sorry that Cubone Dimitri, Reshiram, and I could not save you before. You must have suffered greatly."
"It wasn't your fault. You three never could have known that Rem's Shadow was out there. All that matters now I suppose is that I inhabit a form once more."
The dragon then gazed up, and her soft expression became hard and resolute.
"Reshiram is fighting with Rem's Shadow right now, isn't he?"
"Yes. He is fighting it along with two of our other companions. I do not know how much longer they will last."
"I thought so. I can feel him dwindling as we speak."
The dragon snorted loudly, causing some sparks to fly out of her tail and disappear into the ground. She gazed up at the ceiling for a moment longer, and then set one of her claws down beside Zekra and Nyx.
"Come. We must escape this place. I know exactly what must be done to stop Rem's Shadow once and for all."
Zekra grabbed Nyx and carefully carried her over to the dragon's claw. The two slowly made their way onto her tough hide until they were both resting in the middle of her palm. As soon as they were, the dragon raised her clawed hand and slid the two into a groove at the back of her neck. Zekra and Nyx both gripped at her rough hide as white tendrils sprouted out of back and latched onto the sides of her tail. Blue light flooded out of her tail that swiftly seeped into her tendrils and made the rest of her body give off a blue hue.
"Hold on tight," Zekrom warned with a low growl.
"Oh I don't think you have to tell me that…" Zekra muttered under her breath.
The magnificent dragon threw back her head and let out a mighty, carnal roar before she took off. Zekra and Nyx held on tight as the dragon put its claws close together and formed a sphere of blue and white light. It crackled with electricity as it grew larger and larger as the dragon increased the distance between her two claws until it was half the size of her body. Then with yet another roar, she flung it at the ceiling and sped right after it.
Zekra and Nyx watched the sphere slam into the ceiling, instantly freezing everything it came in contact with. However, the sphere didn't dissipate the moment it crashed into the Primogenitor's flesh. It only dug straight through it, drilling its way through the dark tissue and creating a tunnel large enough for the dragon to fit through. Zekrom wasted no time in disappearing into the newly-crafted tunnel just before the tentacles could close up the entrance. She hurried through the darkness and followed after the light with haste, only barely able to stay ahead as the tendrils continued repairing the tunnel right behind her tail. Numerous times the tendrils would wrap around the end of her tail and Zekra was sure that they would be ensnared within a grotesque mass of tentacles that perpetually surrounded them at every angle, but Zekrom always managed to break free before they got a strong hold on her.
After what seemed like an eternity, Zekrom's sphere finally created an exit out of the Primogenitor, and a light flooded down into the tunnel. Seconds later, Zekrom emerged from the tunnel and allowed Zekrom and Nyx to behold the outside world once more.
They were still in the Primogenitor's twisted dimension, and still residing close to the very pinnacle of its grotesque tower. The flooring still oozed with an unnatural purple haze and Plagued Ones still flew about everywhere they looked, filling the skies like great storm clouds ready to erupt with lightning.
All was not well for their friends. They were all still alive miraculously enough, but their movements were not as swift as before. Crystelle and Len still stood atop the great spire of the tower, leaping and sprinting about as Plagued Ones chased after them before retaliating with attacks of their own. However, there was a moment's pause before they could spring away from any oncoming Plagued Ones or even obliterate them. The two were obviously very tired, having fended off hundreds if not thousands of the blighted demons while Zekra was within the Primogenitor. It was amazing in itself that they had not yet collapsed from exhaustion.
But what was more impressive than their fortitude was Reshiram's. The pearly dragon of fire, with his feathery plume burnt and tarnished and his wings bleeding from many puncture wounds, still fought. With his power never relenting and his spirit never dying, he chased after the Primogenitor in the air, the two of them swerving in a number of complicated aerial maneuvers that Zekra thought were impossible for beings of their size. They clashed and they struck at one another with all the might of true dragons, roaring and spitting pillars of fire at one another. Even as the Primogenitor released Plagued Ones from his body and launched them at Reshiram, the white dragon refused to let them touch him. The second he saw them, he would create a large ring of burning embers to surround his body. Then, he would release it, sending the blazing power into each and every Plagued One coming toward him, incinerating them within seconds. The moment all of the demons vanished, Reshiram would then resume his assault directly at the Primogenitor.
The two Rem dragons were locked in aerial combat, and though neither one of them seemed to have the upper hand, Zekra could see that Reshiram as faltering. Though he fought with all his might and the very fire that was his soul radiated through his sapphire eyes, his breathing was hastening and he seemed to require more effort to stay afloat.
She knew that he would soon fall. Everyone resisting the Primogenitor in this dimension would. They were all weary and tired from their struggles with the shadow dragon.
Everyone, that was, except the very dragon that Zekra and Nyx stood upon.
The second that she saw the Primogenitor in the chaotic sky, closing in on Reshiram and readying to bite his neck, she let out a ferocious growl. She zipped over to the pinnacle of the tower and with a cry, released a relentless flurry of icy shards down upon the platform. Len and Crystelle both ceased their running as they swiftly braced themselves from the oncoming storm. Every single Plagued One chasing after them was sliced to pieces by the projectiles. A few shards nearly impaled them, but the dragon was careful not to aim in their general direction and continued her assault until every last Plagued One in the area was gone.
The moment they were, she lowered herself until she was mere feet above the pinnacle. Then, she grabbed Zekra and Nyx from off her body and gently set them down right beside Len and Crystelle.
"You have done your part," the dragon told them as they made their way off her claw. "Now let Reshiram and I finish this once and for all as one."
Then, faster than lightning, the dragon hurried toward Reshiram. Zekra and Nyx watched with their other two companions as she swooped in upon the dueling dragons so far into the distance. Then, just as the Primogenitor was to sink its teeth into Reshiram's neck, she blasted it with a barrage of ice shards. They sank into the Primogenitor's flesh, causing it to roar in anguish as it reeled back. The icy dragon then grabbed Reshiram by the claws upon one of his wings and dragged him away from the shadow beast.
At first, Reshiram recoiled at the sight of dragon before him. He lashed out, roaring fiercely before spitting out a ball of fire, but the dragon maneuvered around it with ease. Then, she said something to him, quelling his hostility. He seemed to sigh as she continued talking, ruefully glaring down at Zekra and her companions with the slightest hints of longing. However, it was only a momentary sight, for he soon strengthened his stare and brought it back to the dragon before him.
Then, he closed his eyes and bowed his head. The tendrils latched onto the dragon's tail pried themselves free and swiftly dug themselves into Reshiram's chest. Reshiram didn't even flinch as his body slowly lost its physical form. An orange energy filled the tendrils as Reshiram's body disappeared, glowing with an ethereal power that radiated as brightly as the very sun itself.
When all of Reshiram's form had faded from existence, the tendrils connected back to the dragon's tail, and a bright light enveloped the being. A loud roar emitted from the light as its size and structure grew, filling the dimension with its radiance. Zekra and her companions couldn't help but drop open their jaws as the being grew twice the size of the original dragon.
"NO!"
The Primogenitor let out a banshee-like screech as it darted after the forming being. Multiple tendrils shot out of the back of its throat and reached for the light. But just as they were to coil around the light's form, the being abruptly soared into the air with a grace and speed that far outmatched Zekrom's.
The light surrounding the being faded, allowing everyone to see that a new being was before them.
It was still a draconic creature of mighty stature and held itself high just as its old form always did, but no longer did it hold a body of ice. Its bipedal body was now plated with an iridescent metal, shimmering in the glow of the swirling colors of the ethereal sky. Its arms retained their muscular form, but no longer did they stoop so closely to its feet. Now they seemed to be at a more comfortable length with a set of fearsome claws to top each of them off. Protruding from its back were a pair of wings that bore a heavy resemblance to the Primogenitor's very wings, but they were not tattered and ruined. Instead, they were strong and mighty enough to conjure up a tempest that could last for hours, and the claws upon the tops of the wings were as sharp as daggers. The talons upon its feet were curved and dangerous and seemed to glow with an ethereal power that seemed blessed by Arceus himself.
But most surprisingly of all, the dragon's tail had not changed drastically. It was still the very same tail that each of the Rem fragments held, a cauldron-like appendage with a great amount of fur-like steel streaming out of it. The tendrils that had been latched onto the previous dragon's tail and back were still present, though now emitted a new color every few seconds, just as the Primogenitor's own body did.
It had finally been done. The three Rem fragments had finally merged together after centuries of being apart.
Rem had been reborn.
"NO! NO THIS ISN'T HAPPENING!" the Primogenitor screamed.
It flung itself at Rem with its ghostly claws posed to strike. He latched onto the dragon's scaly hide, forcing the dragon to plummet down with it as it hissed and snarled. Its eyes flashed multiple times as multiple Plagued Ones seeped out of its maw every moment its mouth was open for the briefest of seconds.
"YOU WILL NOT WIN! YOU DO NOT GET TO DESTROY EVERYTHING I EVER WORKED FOR! YOU WILL NOT TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY FROM THE SHADOWS!"
The Plagued Ones sank their teeth into Rem's hide, sending their essence into his soul in an apparent attempt to corrupt or subdue him. Once about a hundred Plagued Ones had latched onto Rem, the Primogenitor sank its claws into Rem's chest and began to pull apart the tissue with all its might.
"YOU WILL NOT TAKE AWAY THIS WORLD FROM US!"
Rem only gave his shadow a stern glare with his narrowed, yellow eyes before they became alit with white power.
"No my shadow," Rem spoke, his voice deep and commanding yet subdued all at once. "It's over."
An ethereal light suddenly sprouted out of the spots along his body that the Plagued Ones were embedded into, evaporating them instantly. The Primogenitor stopped moving for just a moment as it shirked back, as if suddenly afraid of its other self. Rem snorted as he swiped his claws at the shadow dragon, reacting so quickly that the Primogenitor was unable to avoid the attack and went careening off Rem's body. Rem ceased his descent as straightened himself out for just a moment, and then sped after the shadow, swifter than a lightning bolt. He grabbed the shadow around the neck with both of his claws, and then hurled it toward the very pinnacle that Zekra and her companions were standing upon. The four scurried out of the way as fast as their weary legs could carry them just as the shadow crashed into the spire, churning up a massive tidal wave of murky darkness that rolled toward the fleeing Pokémon. Zekra hurriedly shifted into an exact copy of Rem as she grabbed everyone off the floor and soared into the air, just barely passing over the wave of murk before it could engulf them.
Just as she set everybody back down and reverted into a Zoroark, she saw the Primogenitor writhe and struggle to its feet. However, just before it could right itself up, Rem landed right on top of its back and slammed his claws down upon its neck. The Primogenitor struggled and opened its maw, but Rem was swift to take one of his claws and force it down upon its muzzle.
"We are settling this, once and for all," Rem spoke, folding his wings into his body. "I was too weak to do this so many centuries ago when I first created you… but after seeing the damage that you have caused and the suffering you have inflicted upon both of the dimensions I watched over as fragments… I know what must be done."
"NO… NO YOU WON'T WIN!" the Primogenitor screamed, even as its mouth remained clamped shut. "THIS WORLD IS MINE! ALL OF THE DIMENSIONS AND WORLDS WITHIN THOSE DIMENSIONS ARE FOR MYSELF AND THE SHADOWS! THEY DO NOT BELONG TO YOU LOATHSOME HOSTS!"
Rem opened his massive jaws wide as if to laugh or reprehend the struggling shadow's ludicrous cries, but then Zekra saw that there was actually a light at the back of his throat. Zekra watched as Rem fired the white light down upon the shadow's back, digging deep into its dark flesh as the monster screamed and yowled like a caged animal. Dozens of wispy, transparent beings resembling Pokémon drifted out of the Primogenitor's body and scattered away, either ascending high above or darting far away into the distance.
As the beings left the Primogenitor's body, its form seemed to shrink. Rem kept his tight hold on the shadow as it soon became three-quarters of its original size, though still struggling and thrashing with all the strength it had in its more behemoth form and more. Rem wasted no time in firing another beam of light down upon the Primogenitor's back, causing dozens more trapped spirits to depart from the shadow's body.
"STOP KILLING THEM! STOP! STOP TAKING AWAY THEIR ONLY LIFE!"
The Primogenitor shrank once again.
Rem blasted another beam of light into the shadow's body.
"YOU'RE REUNITING THEM WITH THEIR HOSTS!"
It shrank again. Another blast from Rem. More spirits left the shadow's body.
"YOU'RE SENDING THEM TO THE SPIRIT REALM!"
More light. More spirits leaving the Primogenitor.
"YOU'RE MAKING THEM GET SMOTHERED OUT AGAIN BY THE HOSTS!"
Zekra had to close her eyes. She could not bear watching the sight of the shadow struggling and begging any more. Even if it had ruined her life and so many others' with its actions, she could no longer witness the sight of it being stripped of its power, howling painfully.
"I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THEM LIFE! I WANTED THEM TO LIVE A LIFE YOU HOSTS WOULD NEVER LET US HAVE!"
"YOU ALWAYS SMOTHERED US OUT!"
"YOU ALWAYS LEFT US IN THE DARK TO FESTER SILENTLY!"
Zekra continued to see more flashes of light from behind her eyelids. However, she didn't dare open them. She only continued to ignore the pained yowls and the insistent begging of the shadow.
This is what I wanted. Zekra told herself. I wanted the Primogenitor to die. I wanted it to suffer just like I did after it killed everyone I ever cared about. My whole town, my parents, Zev, Syn, Impetus, Tear, Yimtri…
So why…
Why does it hurt to listen to hear it die?
"I WANTED TO GIVE THEM A WORLD THEY COULD DWELL IN WITHOUT YOU HOSTS TO TRAP US!"
More flashes of white in the red surrounding her vision.
Am I scared of dying?
"A WORLD WHERE WE BELONGED AND WOULD NO LONGER BE ALONE!"
Another flash.
Do I really not want to leave this world? Why would I be scared? I can be with Tear again… I can reunite with him in the spirit realm…
The rest of Shiron could keep on living.
So why…
Why does all of this feel so wrong?
"A WORLD WHERE WE COULD BE HAPPY AND HAVE MEANING!"
Zekra forced herself to open her eyes. The Primogenitor was no longer a hulking and nightmarish dragon that filled the pinnacle with its mass. It was now a tiny, almost frail dragon hatchling the size of a Zorua, held down by Rem's massive claws. It did not even squirm as it remained pinned beneath the massive dragon, as if it had finally given up and had resigned itself to its inevitable death. It only stared up at Rem, the subtlest hints of what appeared to be tears leaking out of its white, almost innocent eyes.
Rem glared down at the monster with a frightening ferocity, but Zekra knew that he was not feeling as strong as he appeared. She saw how his claws were not clutched as tightly to the Primogenitor as they could be. She noticed how the light flowing out of his body and radiating like an aura was not as potent or bright as it was once.
Zekra looked over at Nyx to find that she too was the same. Though collapsed on the ground and shrouding her face with the hair-like wisps streaming from her head, Zekra could see her body lacked any vigor. She knew it wasn't just because Nyx was exhausted from the fight from within the Primogenitor.
"Fine. You don't want to listen to me," the Primogenitor said, its voice now child-like. "Kill me then. Put an end to everything I've done. Save Kuron and Shiron. Kill everyone I ever put my essence into and let's all go to the spirit realm."
Rem gave a deep sigh, but did not remove his penetrating gaze from his shadow. He only steeled his gaze as he opened his maw and formed a black sphere at the back of his throat.
The Primogenitor closed its eyes.
"NOOOO! NO, REM, STOP!"
Rem abruptly closed his jaws and looked over toward the source of the desperate, passionate scream. The Primogenitor did the same. Everyone did.
It was Zekra who had made the scream. She had barely realized what she had done until she saw everyone staring at her.
"I… I don't…" she babbled, not even sure why she had made the outburst in the first place.
"Zekra, Rem has to do this," Len told her in a calm but forceful voice. "If he doesn't kill that thing, it's just going to keep polluting everyone with its plague. It won't stop until everyone in Shiron and Kuron under its control. It might not even stop until it spreads to other worlds."
"I know… I know that," Zekra said, shaking her head. "I know this has to be done. I just… there's something about this that isn't-"
I WANTED TO GIVE THEM A WORLD THEY COULD DWELL IN WITHOUT YOU HOSTS TO TRAP US!
Wait… Wait… Zekra realized as the Primogenitor's words echoed loudly off the walls of her mind.
A WORLD WHERE WE BELONGED AND WOULD NO LONGER BE ALONE!
Alone… Don't want to be alone…
A WORLD WHERE WE COULD BE HAPPY AND HAVE MEANING!
A world… where shadows…
"No," Zekra suddenly said with such force that Len almost recoiled back. "No, we don't have to kill the Primogenitor to end all of this. We don't have to die to make all of this right."
"Zekra, what are you talking about?" Crystelle asked cautiously. "We can't stop the plague as long as that thing is alive. You heard it. It wants to make the whole world a place for its kind. It doesn't want to stop…"
"No, it wants a world where shadows can be happy," Zekra corrected.
Zekra could feel her claws trembling, but she paid them no mind as she made her way over to Rem and his shadow. Once she was standing before the two most powerful beings she had ever known, she glared straight into Rem's eyes.
What she was going to say next was going to sound insane. She knew it would. And worse yet, she would be saying it to a literal god that she knew could obliterate her with ease. However, she was ready to say it. She wasn't going to let everyone who was plagued die.
"Rem… synchronize with your shadow," she commanded him.
The great dragon gawked. Zekra saw his wings twitch and almost flare up, but the deity kept himself composed. His befuddled expression soon mellowed and he only glared back at Zekra.
"Synchronize with it? Why would you dare say such a thing?" he growled at her with a voice that made the ground beneath her tremble. "Have you forgotten what this monster has done all these years? Or do I need to remind you of the great tragedies that have befallen your life?"
"You don't need to remind me," Zekra responded just as firmly. "I remember everything. I remember all the pain, all the depression, all the rage, everything. I'll never be able to forget any of that."
"Then why would you even think about making the suggestion that I should synchronize with his monster?" Rem asked. "Why should I ever synchronize with a monster that has ruined countless lives? Why should I allow this THING inside of me when it is the very embodiment of destruction and death?"
"Because it's you, Rem. The Primogenitor is you, whether you want to admit it or not."
The behemoth dragon released a carnal roar at the Zoroark, causing a gale to erupt from his maw and blow Zekra back. However, she refused to be moved. She sank her claws into the ground and slid Venri's tendrils out of her body and into the ground. They held her in place until Rem finally ceased his roar, though it did not quell his hostility. He brought his massive head down to Zekra's level so that he was only inches away from her, and then grit his teeth together. Zekra was sure that those teeth were so sharp that they could snap her in half in one bite.
"You should be grateful that I was once close to you when I was Reshiram," Rem growled under his breath. "Had the circumstances been any different, I would have obliterated you on the spot. Now silence your tongue, Zekra, or else I might not be so merciful any longer."
"Rem, I know you don't want to admit that the Primogenitor is you," Zekra went on, ignoring the dragon's thinly veiled threat. "I know what that feels like. I told myself the same thing when I first met Venri. She was everything I hated about myself. She was my bloodlust, my crazy thoughts, my irrational ways… she was all of that stuff and more. But… she's still me. She always has been, and always will be."
Rem didn't seem very impressed, but he showed no indication of wanting to lash out at Zekra. The Zoroark sighed internally that she had made it this far, but knew that she couldn't stop. She had to keep going. She waited a moment to see if Venri would appear within her mind or reality, but sadly she never manifested herself. It seemed that whatever the Primogenitor had done to Zekra and Venri was still affecting them.
"I know it's hard to accept that something vile and evil could be inside of you," Zekra said gently. "We all don't want to admit that we have certain thoughts or act in certain ways. We tell ourselves that we should fight our inner demons and that we'll get stronger by doing that. We figure, we don't need them if they're just the bad parts of us. But… it doesn't work that way.
"They are us. If we fight them, we get rid of a part of ourselves. We get rid of the strength that we could get from them. We think we're strong, but really, we're just weak. We're just constantly struggling, fighting with ourselves and always feeling so exhausted. We're always going to be weak because we're always fighting with ourselves and never wanting to hear what our demons… our shadow… want to tell us."
Rem's gaze started to soften. He briefly glanced back at his shadow, still pinned haplessly beneath his claws. Zekra felt her heart soar, but refused to allow her pride overwhelm her. Her job was not yet finished.
"Rem… it's okay. You don't have to be ashamed that the Primogenitor was you. All it ever wanted… was for you to listen to it. It just wanted to be with you. It never wanted to hurt you or make you a bad Pokémon. It only wanted to help you the best it could."
Zekra then glanced over at the Primogenitor to find that it was staring at her with a soft, pitiful glimmer in its eyes.
"And you… you're not really enslaving the world," she said. "You just want all of the shadows to be happy. You don't want any of the shadows suffering like you did. That's why you brought them to life, right?"
"Yes. I wanted us all to be free. I wanted us all to live a life we could never have," the Primogenitor said with a nod. "A life that our hosts would never let us have because they would constantly reject us, over and over again no matter what we did."
The Primogenitor seemed to sigh.
"I am sorry for the mess I have caused, however. I wanted to free the shadows and let us all live in peace and happiness… but I know that I have caused great suffering everywhere. I know that none of you will ever forgive me for what I have done… but I know that I am truly sorry for all of the destruction that I have caused in an effort to find meaning and happiness in an existence without my host."
Zekra smiled a little before she looked back up at Rem. She found that any hostility in his eyes was now gone, and now there was only a dim glimmer within his eyes. She even thought she saw tears forming in the forms of his great yellow eyes.
"Rem… your shadow doesn't want to hurt you," she told him. "Your shadow just wants to be with you again. So… just accept that it's you. It's okay that it's done some terrible things. It's okay that it's from you. It's just a side of you that sees things differently than you do.
"Synchronize with your shadow and let it finally be happy… and we all don't have to die today."
Rem glanced back at the shadow, finding that it was now smiling at him. The great guardian closed his eyes as he continued holding down his shadow, refusing to look at Zekra. Zekra only waited where she was, her soft smile unwavering even in his unsure moment.
The great dragon finally opened his eyes, and then looked back at his shadow. He paused, as if still uncertain of what to do, eying the shadow cautiously as it gave him a cautious stare of its own.
Then, Rem finally withdrew his claws from the Primogenitor, allowing it to wriggle free and stand upon its feet. However, it did not run away, nor did it attack Rem. It only remained before the massive dragon towering over its tiny form, its eyes glimmering with an earnest hope.
Rem watched his shadow for a moment longer, and then gave it a gentle smile.
"Let's become one, once again, my shadow," Rem told it. "Let us synchronize."
Zekra's smile brightened as tears formed in her eyes. She watched the shadow dragon bowed its head toward its true self before lifting its eyes. She could see that they were glimmering with a bright light that no longer seemed to bore deep into her soul.
"Thank you… thank you, Rem," it told him, its voice barely above a whisper.
Then, it rushed toward him with the vigor of a child and leapt straight into his chest. The moment it came in contact with his steely hide, it sank right into his body, merging with him instantly.
A light came over Rem as the shadow became one with his soul once more, as did the entire pinnacle around them. Zekra watched as all of the murk shrouding the flooring clear away, bringing back the whimsical and wondrous landscape that had populated the spire when they had first arrived. Flowers bloomed out of the ground as petals burst into the air and pastels colors swept through the dark and dreary pinnacle. Within seconds, she, Crystelle, Len, and Nyx were within the paradise that they had first came across, mystified by all they saw as glowing lights drifted into the air above.
"Everything's going to be okay…" Zekra said as she watched the lights fly into the sky. "We're all going to live…"
Zekra smiled as she glanced over at Nyx, ready to celebrate with her that they had finally succeeded in their mission to stop the plague. They had won, and they weren't going to die. They were going to live to see another day and to continue on with their lives without thoughts about the plague ever again. As the two remaining blighted Pokémon on the team, Zekra was quite eager to mark this achievement with Nyx.
"We did it!" Zekra cheered. "We won! And we didn't even have to kill the Primogenitor! Can you believe it? This is-"
It was then that Zekra realized that something was horribly wrong.
Nyx still lay collapsed on the floor, completely motionless. However, there was now something else about her that was even more alarming.
Golden spheres were rising out of her body and dissipating into the realm. Zekra swiftly got down and turned Nyx over onto her back, allowing her to see that she was still awake. However, there was now a misty look over her eyes that seemed to be growing thicker and thicker with each passing second so that Zekra could not see the blue in Nyx's eyes.
"Nyx! Nyx, what's going on?" Zekra asked frantically.
"My time… I have lived too long, Zekra. My blight is disappearing… and I am too… We're both going away now…"
"Wait, what?!" Zekra cried. "No! No, our blights aren't supposed to die! Rem is synchronizing with the Primogenitor right now! I thought… I thought that was going to let us live!"
"Apparently… it will not…"
It was then that Zekra's mind ached terribly. Her vision blurred as her body suddenly felt heavy. She fought to stay on her knees, but something kept pulling her down. She wanted to claw at it, to fend off whatever was dragging her down, but she found she lacked the strength.
Unable to resist any longer, she gave up and let herself fall over. She could barely register herself hitting the glassy surface as her eyes regained some clarity and focused in on Len and Crystelle's faces appearing beside hers. They both had their eyes wide and their maws twisted into uncomfortable, frightened grimaces.
"Zekra! Zekra, get up!" Crystelle cried.
"Zekra! Answer us!" Len screamed as well.
"Zekra! Zekra, come on! Don't do this to us!"
"Zekra, you need to open your eyes!"
"Whoa… whoa! What's happening to her? What's growing under her?"
"I don't know! Just get her away from it!"
"Yowch! It's like she's on fire! I can't touch her at all!"
"Find something to grab her with then! Gah… Rem! Rem, help us!"
Zekra wanted to ask what was occurring around her body. She truly did so that she could prevent whatever it was from continuing.
But she could not.
All she could do was close her eyes and fall into a deep void.
She could hear Len and Crystelle screaming her name and panicking over her condition, over and over again. Their voices rang clearly into her ears, but she could not respond to them. She could only remain in her abyss as their voices slowly grew fainter and lost their meaning, fading into the darkness that surrounded her as muffled cries.
Then, seconds later, there was nothing.