Lol... finally, Moonlight's Shadow comes to a close. The second last chapter of this whole story is here.
Thank you to all who have surived to this day and reviewed last time!
REMEMBER! This is not the last chapter, it's the second last. The last, is the aftermath, or epilogue if you should so wish to call it.
That is the final installment of Moonlight's Shadow.
Please stick around, because it's coming out either tomorrow and the day after.
Thank you, and enjoy!
Moonlight's Shadow Chapter 24:
For the Greater Good
Shadow shook her head from where she stood with Koja, the two Pokemon surveying the field of the hour long battle silently. Inferno, Zan and Ditto had already left, having being forced away by Koja. The scattered bodies of the once infamous Council lay dead and stiff on various parts of the slope, Shadow forcing herself to look away at the Vaporeon she fought. She… was an innocent, grabbed in the Council by her power and had been caught up in the brutal clutches of war.
The Umbreon looked ahead where she and Koja would have to trek to the summit to meet the Dark Lord. She had no idea why she going, why she was beside him now. They both knew that she would be virtually no help and probably more of a hindrance then anything. This did not explain why Shadow still faithfully walked beside him, as if she were also walking to her death or why Koja dismissed everyone away- except her. Perhaps, dying alone without a single soul to care and be with you in the last moments of your life, was even worse then the already gruesome fate Koja had.
The two crawled slowly up the unforgiving mountainside, its sides steep and rocky. They could've flew with Koja's new found powers. They could've made the mountain forge a path for them, with the power of earth at Koja's beck and call. But they didn't. They only glanced at each other, and pulled each other up when the other slipped or fell.
It seemed to take an eternity to get to the top, the plateau. And even then, eternity seemed to take too little time to pass. Shadow didn't feel the creak of weary bones or bruised limbs. She was remaining calm, as was the Absol beside her. Inside her deepest nook, her deepest valley, the Umbreon was shaking- but those feelings had to stay inside. She couldn't buckle and shake. She was past that, right?
"The moon looked nice last night." commented Koja, breaking the silence,
"It did," replied Shadow, unsure why Koja borught it up at this sudden time.
"Maybe when my time comes, and I'm up there... they'll let me stay with the Moon."
Shadow nodded mutely, unsure of why he said it.
"At least then, I can watch you at night."
The Umbreon nodded again, wondering with pain how he could talk aobut his own after life and death so easily.
Koja smiled, "You'll understand one day."
The bond between the two of them wasn't rock hard, concrete strong. It wasn't the strongest thing that ever lived and never would be. It was fragile, brittle. But it was strong enough for both of them to make it to the top.
The top.
Shadow gazed around the flat, rocky piece of land that was the top of the mountain. It was almost eerily silent, the only sounds being that of the wind. It looked deserted… but there was such a distinct feeling… such a certain presence of something watching them… something watching them with such a… precise intent.
Shadow closed her eyes and dipping her head, she spread her inner self out through the plateau. Tendrils of dark energy weaved around rocks and dead trees, trying to find, trying to locate that being. She could feel its power… it's immense power- but where was it? It certainly knew they were there but it had yet to make an appearance. Shadow swallowed in anticipation, wondering what this 'Dark Lord' might be. This… thing, had made the Gods tremble and quake with fear which a single whisper of its name. The Immortals, they, those divine beings had not even seen or touched this creature but still, they felt it, and trembled.
To think that an Absol, even pumped unnaturally with immense with power could stand up to such a thing… Shadow shook her head. She knew she shouldn't falter in her faith of Koja but even so, it was almost seemingly impossible…
Shadow snapped her eyes open suddenly as her tendrils of power and inner self snapped back into her being with such frightening speed and velocity that Umbreon gasped and coughed out blood. It felt like a thunderbolt had hit her heart full on. She… had found the creature though. Her head turned towards a large boulder to her right. Koja followed her gaze.
Immediately, the Absol bent his head, his tail sticking straight into the air and opened his mouth, letting a large ball of fire erupt from his mouth. It catapulted through the air, streaking through the wind so fast that Shadow only had enough time to snap her head towards that boulder to be able to see it explode. Huge shards of hot rock came crashing through the air and the Umbreon scampered backwards to avoid them, all the time, her eyes transfixed on what was left of the boulder, smoke shrouding her vision.
Soon enough, a figure could be made out, a hazy outline in the grey smoke. Shadow opened her mouth, startled. This… Dark Lord. His form, so small… He was the same size as she and Koja… Even Inferno was bigger then this thing…
A creature, the size of an Umbreon, not even bigger than a Growlithe, stirred fear and terror in the entire group of Gods and Goddesses of legends!? It seemed impossible. But her eyes, her keen blue eyes that kept blinking in disbelief… they did not, they could not deceive her. Shock turned into fear as the figure started to very slowly, move towards them. There is something most frightening about an unknown thing, that you can see but know not what it is… stepping calmly and quietly, almost peacefully towards you- and all you inner senses are screaming that you should run.
Beside her Koja was struggling with his shock, her emotionless mask switching constantly. The Absol drew a deep breath. And both Pokemon had the same thought. Time to see…
Who or what this thing really was.
Koja exhaled, letting a gentle breeze blow away the remaining smoke.
Their eyes widened. This… This wasn't what they expected.
Shadow wanted to run, to tear her eyes away. The striking resemblance… So much the same from those age old descriptions… A complete mirror image…
The one and only- who else could it be?
Lord Koja. The Pokemon, the soul, who made so much effort, bore so much pain to make the race of Evees great.
But. If he was good?
Why did all her senses scream that he was evil?
--------------------------------------------------
For a minute, the small group stood there. Shadow made no noise, her mouth seemingly unable to produce sound. Koja just stared, not knowing exactly… who, this creature was- but there had to be something so much more sinister then the small form he was currently using. Power crackled and snapped at the air surrounding the Dark Lord and the Absol looked closer, seeking some small clue in the creature's appearance as to what species it was. He found none… It was impossible to tell. He was some sort of hybrid Eevee maybe… Koja drew his breath back.
The Pokemon's cool blue skin had drops of clear water running down it, freezing into shards of ice every other few seconds. It looked almost like a Va- suddenly, the water and ice on the Pokemon seemed to melt… into flames, from blue to yellow, to orange and finally into a fiery burning red. Bright yellow fur grew out out of the once blue skin and what was not yellow was a reddish orange. Again and again, these transformations took place, each form only lasting for a few moments. Each form had a distinct familiar sight to it, but the Absol could not place what it was still…
Finally the beast began to talk.
"So… You've finally come."
Shadow and Koja didn't speak. After all, conversation (which actually sounded quite civilized) wasn't what they were expecting… Something more along the lines of a massive, powerful beast which could destroy both of them with a single swipe of his claw seemed more likely… But then, it could be a disguise anyway.
"I suppose your so called Gods sent you here, didn't they?" a sound of contempt made its ways into the Pokemon's features, "And they can't even stop little ole me. Come now, talk or something. Or are you both just all brawn and no brain. What a pity."
Shadow quickly found her tongue, the more they talked, the more time Koja would probably have to live, "Are you… The Lord Koja?"
The beast shrugged, "I was. The one who is so important to you Eevees and your brethren- if I remember my past from ages gone."
"What… are you?" This was now Koja, his whole body quivering from head to toe, the Absol ready for battle.
"I'm a genetic mix of the five elemental eons." The Dark Lord changed quickly through them as an example, "It comes from… a lot forces battling in me."
Koja nodded, understanding, his eyes apprehensive, waiting for this seemingly meaningless banter to explode into pure combat.
"B-but… Why?" asked Shadow, "You gave our, my race so… much. You're too good… You can't… be the Dark Lord."
"But I am, dear child, I am." A wicked grin was stretched wide across his face, "You doubt my power?"
"No, she doesn't." Koja shook his head and stepped in front of the Umbreon, suddenly realizing that their foe had the advantage here, he could choose to attack at any moment now…
From behind Koja, Shadow craned her neck, "But… why? Why go against the Gods? They granted you the power to-"
Lord Koja cut her off, his voice gaining a bitter tone, "Granted me power. Perhaps that's why half the world thinks I'm dead and the other half alive. They couldn't keep any of the truth in. Mew didn't spew some nonsense and give me the power I needed. I was basically dead when I reached the heavens… before I was kicked down again. The power that's been passed down to you, was a centuries worth of collecting energy and imbuing and empowering every single freaking stone I found."
He spat onto the ground. Shadow was about to shake her head, proclaim it was all a lie, but her gut shook her head. It was the way he said it… the pure venom in his eyes, the raw emotion… The Gods began to shrink into something small inside of her, as the Umbreon realized… that they weren't half as great as the legends made them out to be. Koja himself looked uneasy. Was this all in vain?
Who were the real ones at fault, the real enemies?
There was something odd, something off putting to learn that your Gods, the divine deities in your world weren't up to your expectations, that they could have fault, that…
"They're not perfect. Far from it in fact. All they have is power and a lot of years behind them." Snapped the Dark Lord, "Can you now see why I made an army, ran round the land, searching for followers… They need to fall. They are not wise. They are far from holy. Do you want to go on living in a world where your Gods have the same moral faults as any mortal? That all they have is accumulated wisdom?"
Neither spoke a word, Koja starting to tremble in confusion. Was he meant to kill this thing… or not?
"But they care for us… They love us…" tried Shadow weakly.
"Lies. Again." Snarled the beast, "I was turned down by every God in this world, just because I wanted the power for my race. Deny it all you want, I don't mind. It's a lot scarier living in the world with the truth humming in your ears, your towers of refuge, destroyed. After all, someone's going to die here anyway."
Koja gritted his teeth at the way the Dark Lord said it. So matter of fact… Like chatting conversationally. Shadow was torn. Her beliefs, her religions… all shattering in a single second. It was painful. Death would be only too sweet if she could only get away from this suddenly wretched world… This whole wretched universe?
But could she? The Gods controlled heaven and hell… Shadow took a deep harsh breath, reality crashing down on her.
All the lives of the Pokemon before her, the leaders, the priests- they'd been living in a complete and utter lie.
"I know I'm dying here." Murmured the creature, "I don't hate either of you. In fact, I wouldn't want to kill you. I expected… someone older… someone I could hate… Someone who had as much vengeance for me as I have for the Gods. But you're both… still so young- so innocent."'
Lord Koja sighed, clenching and unclenching his right paw.
"Your evil! I know it!" retorted Koja, "This is a trick- any stupid person can pull off some rap about the Gods become some kind of-"
"What do you define good," interrupted Lord Koja smoothly, "What do you define evil?"
Koja opened his mouth to rattle off another reply but he didn't get the chance.
"If I'm evil kill me. I know you have the power to do so."
The balatant outright statement caused both Shadow and Koja to freeze in their tracks. At their young age, they stilled held the ideal that life was too beautiful to let go.
"If I'm good, what are you going to do? If I'm evil, it'd be so much simpler, wouldn't it? What do you define good, what do you define evil? Everyone has their own ideals, yours seem to be different to mine…"
"Why… Why the bloodshed… Why your crazed followers… Why all this?" The Umbreon's tone seemed to have a plead on it.
"Because I wanted my life to some meaning… Because I wanted the Gods, the Pokemon of the World to see that even mortals can have power, that even mortals can turn immortal. That the Gods are not the only ones who are special. That the world can know that heroes and role models don't have to be divine, power and goodness combined can be someone other then a God. That mortals can do extraordinary things. I'm not saying I'm good, or powerful, or anything else. I'm leaving the route for mortals open, open to surpass any mortal boundaries for future generations."
The beast turned to look far down, far far down, at the battlefield below, "I know my followers understood that much, I'm just waiting for the world to see it. But my time has come, the world won't see it if I'm alive to tell the tale, or in a couple of years. It'll take time. Time which my old body cannot handle or muster. I've had enough of this world."
At this, the Dark Lord turned his eyes tiredly towards Shadow, signaling that some of his words were specially for her.
What he meant, Shadow did not fully understand. But at least she could remember them until she did.
The eyes swung to Koja next, another look, another message.
Destiny. Fate.
You have yours and I have mine.
It just so happens that when they cross…
We have to die.
For the greater good.
For the greater good.
Something clicked in the Absol's eyes and Shadow looked at him, confused, unsure of what was going to happen next.
But.
But, the Umbreon knew what was going to happen.
Her conscious mind just refused to admit it.
Of course, it had to know, sometime.
The seconds ticked by. The Absol came nearer to the beast.
"Please…" cried the Umbreon.
But she suddenly stopped, remembering there would be no divine deity listening, no one to save her, no one to save him.
No all mighty lord to swoop down to save the day, to let every side of the battle be free and happy.
The seconds slowed down, but still the Absol kept walking.
Shadow's world suddenly seemed so much bleaker, so much greyer…
So pointless, so wretched.
But something clicked in her own eyes as she remembered…
Lord Fate.
So she called, she pleaded in her mind, so sure… sure that this new god or higher power would listen, would turn the tables.
But alas. Fate listens to few, and offers little comfort.
It only whispered, for the greater good.
Shadow didn't understand, not like the two Pokemon before her.
She would, one day, but not today-
"No… No… No…!"
Silent screams echoed in the air and the Umbreon's mouth opened and closed, trying to make sound come out. The world was lonely with no one to call on. She crept forward, her ears suddenly magnifying the almost soundless footfalls Koja made by tenfold. She had no idea why her paws were moving, walking… She just felt she… had to do it.
Had to stop them… Had to try…
Koja was inches away from his target now and Shadow realized with sudden despair that she'd never get there in time-
The Absol's head snapped around as he raised his paw towards the Dark Lord.
"Just remember, kid. Life goes on."
She opened her mouth to speak, but Koja's paw moved towards the Dark Lord quicker then it should have and in less then of a second, Shadow world crashed into pure white.
Fiery searing white, burning white, painful white.
Sound screamed high low, her eardrums wanting to explode.
The Umbreon vaguely felt rock fragments crash into her rib cage, breaking it… but that was nothing, nothing like the total pain and hellfire that was ravaging her body.
It ripped through all her senses, sending blazing fire through her viens, her legs, her stomach, her head…
Was there anything this power white, this power would not attack!?
What was happening!?
The Umbreon tried to keep her eyes open but they were forcefully shut, her eyes burning from the bright light.
Shadow felt fear rock through her as she felt her mind slowly leave her body, the pain receding to numbness as death tightened its clutch on her.
Stop! Please… Stop!
But, there is reckoning with death, you simply have to fight.
And so Shadow did. She was young, and even if her world seemed bleak and pointless, it was still a world. A place to live, to laugh, to grow.
And to maybe follow the older Koja's path.
She was going to die- but not now. Not on this worthless plateau, not in this searing heat!
As if giving a final thrust, a final push, Shadow felt her own body welcome her.
The Umbreon opened her eyes and slowly looked around
The air was completely silently, as if she were deaf, as if she could hear nothing.
She could smell nothing, feel nothing, see nothing… but endless white.
Was this a void, where the dead went, was it heaven, was it hell?
No. It neither. Shadow slowly saw the white recede, not noticing at all that her fur was almost all gone and her body badly burnt and full of broken bones.
The plateau looked like hell had been and went. Trees were ripped and torn, boulders had shattered into mere pieces. The ground, which had been pure rock, had deep craters in it. But… no beings… None alive or dead.
Shadow looked around, the wind digging into raw wounded skin and singed fur.
There. She… found them.
Oh good gods no… No… no… no….
No body… at least not one that would be recognizable. The Absol's proud horn was almost gone, the pure bone had been eaten away. His fur all singed, his skin an black, unearthed after his fur had been burnt away. But not even his skin could last that blazing inferno. Some parts of it had been ripped and bone was revealed to the surface, his eyelids shut, the whole body a pitiful sight.
Shadow didn't bother to look at the other heap of bones there.
Heaving sobs were coming up her chest, her eyes beginning to fill with tears and stepped nearer.
She walked next to him, laying her head on his.
When the Gods came, when they came to see the results, all they found was an Umbreon staring them with eyes that screeched a certain something.
What is was, could not be described in mere words, but it ripped at their emotions, it came colder then any icy storm, angrier then any temper, and more anguished then any soul that had ever lived.
And then the words, sounds that could be interpreted finally came…
For the greater good she whispered, for the greater good.