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Wyndon

An immediate effect does not always have an immediate visible result. Things that are done with swiftness and efficacy may require long practice to do and long patience to see carried out.

-Emrett Dialogues, compiled works

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Sonia found herself seated across from Ego-Akari at a table in the conference hall within a minute after the end of the deliberations. It had been about military operations, mostly. She sampled the drink that was prepared for her: Apricorn-coffee. She recognized a fruit within it, the soft Galarian melon called paragal.

"Tercano's commanders have some pretty strange military theories," Ego-Akari said, trying to do away with the unusual Hisuian mode of speaking. The possession of Nessa's body was an uncomfortable necessity, but Akari had a premonition that she would be a valuable asset. "The dominant philosophy is that women should be allowed into the armed forces because an all-male army would inevitably oppress the population. But without the army, there would have been no civilization!

"I don't find this a curious theory," Sonia said. "My grandmother told me much of it."

"But they said...I've never heard of something so vile, not in all my days in Hisui!"

"The other part of it?"

"Yes! They said that the all-male army had a strong tendency toward...homosexual tendencies."

"They're not speaking about criminal indecency, Akari. It's more about sublimation, deflected energies and the like. Adolescent attitudes, just boys together, jokes designed purely to cause pain, loyalty only to your pack-mates...things of that nature. Surely you've seen that?"

Akari scowled. "They also mentioned that war crimes were only prevented due to the strong code of Rorian decency. But they also said more about breaking out of adolescence and becoming essentially terrorist-"

"More modern garbage, Akari," Sonia said. "Bronze's commanders love to wax philosophic. Also, Tercano once said that women find it easier to mature."

"I understand that. As Iscan said to me once, 'carry a child within your womb for nine months, and that changes you.' It's a compelling transition from childhood to maturity. But still, more present insanity! I do not understand all of this technology."

"How so?"

"You've moved beyond a survival and scarcity economy to wealth creation. Now all work is mostly in service and manufacturing. I was a farmer. My friends were farmers or warriors. There were hardly any artisans in old Hisui. But now! Everyone is making and mixing and battling and sculpting. It's frightening. It's an affront to the natural order of things!"

Sonia noted the dislike mixed with admiration in Sonia's voice. "That is the way things have changed. Most people have forgotten what came before."

"These times are...are pagan! Just before we sat, I overheard two men asking each other if we were in a...a relationship!"

"Ah, that's another mark of the times as well. What did you do in ancient Hisui with homosexuals, Akari?"

"We had none!"

"You saw none."

"You damned Galarians," Akari muttered. "You'll try anything. And Tercano has his wrongs. Nessa told me that there is no Council of Elders. There is no self-governance! Tercano controls everything! But our foes are worse. If they can, will they unmake all of Middle Earth?"

"I think so," Sonia said. "That is why they work through human beings. I don't understand most of it, but I'll tell you what I can."

"As for Bronze, if the Powers must tear and break me to pieces in order to destroy our enemies, Arceus's Will be done. Is the High Elder that sits in Hisui powerful enough-"

"He has no power in the matter. Yanase Berlitz cannot fight. And you would not want to destroy Bronze Tercano. It has been tried and worse things resulted from it."

"Are we powerful enough to meet them in plain battle?"

"We are two women and some Pokemon."

Akari shook her head. "That means nothing. I was alive during the time when hope resided in seven people, and most of them were children or women. And we conquered and destroyed the Evil Djinn."

"That could not happen now. They have a weapon called the News and Press which by people would be deceived. We would die without being heard of."

"But what of the Faith? Are those who are loyal to Arceus yet all corrupted? What of the Priesthood?"

"The Faith of Arceus has torn itself into pieces since your day and speaks with a divided voice. Even if it were made whole, Arceanians are only a third of the people in Galar. There is no help here. There are no princes or kings left that could destroy the Association."

"Then we must call on the Powers, or...or the Emperor! Do you have a Logarian Emperor?"

"Bronze is the Logarian Emperor. The Powers are aiding him in defeating our other enemies, for which purpose you have been called back to defeat."

Akari's voice died away. She sat still for a minute, wrestling with a picture of a world that she had never envisaged. Eventually, she spoke again.

"This is a cold age to which I have awakened. If all of this land is heathen, then we must look into foreign lands. It would be lawful to restore things back to the way they were. Should we find not even some among the pagans that are not wholly corrupt? There were tales in Hisui of Men who knew not of Arceus but worshipped a just Elohim and adhered to Natural Law."

Sonia sighed. "You do not understand. The poison of that hideous strength that the Rorian Priesthood and the Evil Djinn sowed was brewed in Roria and other lands, and then spat out to the whole world. However far you went you would find the machines, the empty thrones, the crowded cities, the false writings, and men maddened with false promises and soured on true mysteries. The shadow of one dark wing is all over Earth."

"I think this is the End," Akari said. "It was said that the world would be like this before the Last Battle."

"There have been many Last Battles," Sonia said. "And the way that I have spoken of to end the growing Darkness is the only way. The Dark Lord, the new one, holds all of this world to squeeze as it wishes. But they made a mistake, or there would be no hope left. There is still strength in Roria and Galar. Also, if their own evil will had not broken the frontiers and let in the Dark Powers, this would have been their moment of victory."

Slowly, very slowly, a smile came to Ego-Akari's face. There was an almost animal expression of half-human cunning in her eyes.

"Well," she said. "If all is entrenched in evil, the fox faces the hounds. But had I known who you were in relation to the body that I indwell, I think I would have been more agreeable. This world has changed and not for the better."

"But change it must."

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Akari began to respond, but was interrupted by a tremendous and sudden snap as of a whip, and then a dull thump. Where the central podium had been, there was a confused and disorderly mass of persons and Pokemon that all scrambled to their full faculty.

"Ah, this must have been caused by some form of teleportation!"

"I have seen the gods! I have seen the gods and I do not wish to do so again!"

"Gerrof me, Leon! You're pinning my leg!"

"Why are there bloodstains on this podium?"

"Hush, Small Ones! We have guests."

Sonia raised herself from the table, looking at the tangle of bodies and forms. "By my Lord and livery! It's Zacian and Zamazenta!"

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Wyndon

The entire purpose of removing emotion from secular affairs and state matters is to enforce the delusion that all concepts can be reduced to unfeeling states no different than a definite integral. I present this as false, but in what way can religion be tolerant if it is a bureaucracy tasked with enforcing its own edicts?

-Rose Venport, collected sayings

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Bronze stood beside Mewtwo and Cobalion, looking far out around the chamber. Soldiers and delegates were arriving within the vast room, and then quickly turning away to deliver the news that the Grand Bashar had returned. Ego-Akari and Sonia were standing beside a table, looking down at the disorderly company.

"Welcome!" Bronze shouted. "Come and have counsel with us!"

"I see you've made it back in one piece," Sonia yelled back. "And with Zacian and Zamazenta! Should we assemble another proceeding?"

"That would be wise. Run and tell all that you see that the Grand Bashar has returned to turn the tide of the war!"

...

The crowd assembled quickly.

Before the tide of adulation reach a peak, Bronze had Henry, Casey, and the other members of his company return to the stands by Wilhem and Platinum, while allowing Raihan and Magnolia to stay by his side. The Swords of Justice waited, silent and immutable, while the crowd gaped and leered. Mewtwo had flown to the pinnacle of the council hall, standing sentinel for sudden attacks, along with Latios and Latias.

Zacian and Zamazenta prowled around the Grand Bashar's podium, looking menacing enough in their glorified forms to deter even the most fanatical Rorian from approaching their idol. The Rusted Shield and Sword had been left beside the platform, ceaselessly guarded by a small garrison of Rorian Commandos. In the chamber, thousands of dignitaries, lawmakers, trainers, and wealthy citizens came and sat in waves.

Bronze looked down at the wooden dais, still covered in faint bloodstains from where Emerald had met his doom. The blood felt as though it had covered his hands, making them sticky with the sanguine fluid. How many people had been killed because of his actions? The Jihad? The attack on Galar? The Darkest Day? The Battle of Earth?

There was no time to do anything but defeat the enemy.

Once the proceedings came into order, Bronze was introduced by Aziz, the captain of all Rorian Commandos. "And now he has come! Bronze Tercano, the Grand Bashar of the Army of Roria! Our people owe him an eternal debt of gratitude for many things, and now that he has returned, one more reason will surely be added. We have recruited many powerful beings to our cause! An evil cult in the Crown Tundra has been eradicated! May his name be revered forever as a Hero of Humanity!"

"Suffer me to speak," Bronze said. "I have a guest today, three guests. The first some of you may know as Rei Berlitz."

"Thank you, sir," Ego-Rei said. "I have found the world much changed. All of you present might be confused about how I returned from myth, but I assure you that I am Rei Berlitz."

Rumors abounded in the audience. Surely this was not Rei Berlitz, the hero of legend who overthrew the Evil Djinn with the Prison Bottle, within the body of the Galarian Champion? Platinum and Wilhem looked at Leon as if he might suddenly share the likeness of one of their ancient ancestors.

"I see that some of you wish to use metal weapons to defeat our enemy, the New Eclipse Order," Ego-Rei continued. "But I speak as one with a certain knowledge that no others have! That cannot be done. This is a battle not only of flesh and blood, but of spirits, and principalities, and Dark Lords. We must use magic, if the word does not offend you modern folk. Are there spell-crafters among ye? Come and fight!"

Several Association witches and wonder workers began to stand, but Bronze quickly forced them down with a single command. "No! That cannot be done any longer, Rei! The soul has gone out of my wonder workers. I think that they could only awaken the world a little to fight my foes. And remember this, Rei: the spirit that could have been used to make spells and the like back in your days no longer is here. Such things are now unlawful to Arceus. Even back in your time, the magic we need was never very lawful. I forbid you from speaking of it. The Original One does all things for each, and one of the purposes of bringing you back was so that other souls might be saved."

"I am sorry," Rei said. "But if I am not to work for you in the Hisuian way, then I am afraid you have merely brought a useless heap of memories into being. For I am no longer a man of war, and if it comes to point or edge I avail little."

"Not that way, either," Bronze said, hesitating like a man reluctant to come to a point. "But Rei makes a fair point. No power that is merely earthly will serve against the Dark Lord. Certainly, we must stick to our prayers, but you see here arrayed before you Zacian and Zamazenta, two Elohim out of most exquisite antiquity."

"And what can they do?" Platinum said. "Surely, they must have great power, but what of the hideous strength of our foes?"

"That does raise a point, fair lady," Zamazenta said, causing Platinum to nearly topple in surprise. "But have no fear. If Eternatus falls, his legions will follow him into the Abyss. For we do not need to teach you that there are many lesser gods beneath the Original One. We have both stood therefore before Celebi herself in the Halls of Death, and before Dialga and Palkia in the Halls of Origin. It is by their strength, and by the strength of others greater and lesser than them, which we will destroy our enemies."

"Has not our Lord said that we are not to intervene in the counsels of Men and Pokemon until the End?" Virizion interjected. "Or is this End beginning to come to pass?"

"It may be the beginning of the End," Bronze said. "This is a perilous time. As history becomes more defined, each Typhoon Struggle becomes more and more likely to be the last. But I know nothing of a law that states that Arceus may not send down the Powers except in times of great peril. But if men learn by science and natural philosophy to contact and disturb such beings, then what law states that they cannot respond? Why do Legendary Pokemon, as we call Elohim, respond when called? Because they must!"

"That would kill them," Cobalion mused. "Few exceptions to the Law of Death come my way."

"And how should you expect to stop our enemies?" Red asked. "Rei, what wisdom comes from the past that you know of? Were you a friend of the Princes of Truth and Ideals? Did you know the One With The Mission or AZ?"

"Not at all," Rei said. "I must say to great disappointment that I am not sure what I am yet to do, along with Adaman and Akari, others who have returned. But the time will come."

"I think it will," Lusamine said in her alien voice, twisting in her tank. "The future says it must."

"Listen!" Bronze pleaded. "We will set out with the Vengeance Fleet and meet the New Eclipse Order in noble combat. Zacian and Zamazenta are to defeat Eternatus. I am to kill Jonathan Rowell Cypress and his jester Emrett myself!"

There was a roar of appreciation from the crowd, so very violent and bloodthirsty that even Bronze had not been expecting such a thing. He had begun to touch a raw nerve of power, and was now extracting what was contained therein. The Second Rorian Jihad had built and now was spilling forth like a great breach in a colossal dam, a dam that was the collective consciousness of the population.

Taken by the crowd's fury, Bronze said what else he had to say.

"We must try harder! Accept whatever losses are necessary! Waiting has cost us too many lives. Think of the warships, the captured cities! Think of my own Jihad! Knowing all that we have weathered to reach this one point, it would be a fool's gambit to cease our march!" His words cut like the sword of a mercenary. "Yes, death to the New Eclipse Order!"

The great hall continued to rumble with enthusiasm, as if a great beast was coming out of hibernation. "Death to the New Eclipse Order! We must go to Castelia!"

"For the Saints of Arceus and the Ransom!" the Swords of Justice cried.

Like a cry within a vault, the words were reflected again and again, growing in potency. "For the Saints of Arceus and the Ransom! For the Original One!"

"We will ride forth and crush all who oppose us!" Bronze cried. "For the glory of Arceus and the Will of the Gods, I proclaim that the Vengeance Fleet is to be launched this very week! We will meet the enemy machines and annihilate their legions like kindling! Many will die, yes, but the price of victory will always be a bitter gall to swallow. Who will fight? I command you to stand and say what you have to offer! The Rorian Confederation is to follow me into battle, but there are other factions here that are not exempt from their duty to protect the world."

And one by one, each present faction put a stake in the battle.

"The Aether Foundation will fight," Lusamine said. "We must destroy all threats to Pokemon-kind. My abilities will be for you to use."

"The International Police and the remnants of Macro Cosmos will fight," Oleana and Green said. "We can spare ten thousand operatives, five hundred war-Pokemon, and a single superfrigate."

"Celestial Holdings will send their available resources," Sun grumbled. "But we can hardly spare a single bulkhead! Do not expect much."

"The Ranger Union will also send forces from Fiore," Professor Hastings said, sitting in a floater chair and flanked by Ranger guards.

"Expect one thousand mercenaries from remaining Devon Corporation resources and eighteen ballista frigates!"

"Reports from the Martian Colonies indicate that they are amassing a space-based force!" a Martian representative announced, a second-generation inhabitant, standing nearly seven feet tall. "The United Lunar Coalition has also confirmed that the Eclipse manufacturing facility on the Moon has been destroyed, although satellite imagery shows facilities in Rustboro and Undella producing more combat mechs and frigates."

"The Holy See of Sinnosui will provide thaumaturgical protection and waveform shield generators," a Neo-Hisuian priest said. "Deus vult! Arceus wills it!"

"With a contribution of five hundred warriors, the Order of Swordmasters will be put under the command of Bronze Tercano," Jake said. "We are the watchers of the Ways. That is all."

"The Order of Bibliographers will ally with Bronze Tercano," Tess said. "I cannot confirm nor deny that any force from outside mainstream spacetime will come to aid us. In short, no other universe has responded to our calls to help, not even the civilization beyond the Ways in Ultra Space. This universe stands alone."

Alone. The thought was a terrible one. In the face of the vague concept of a larger multiversal entity that could provide some sort of relief, the complete lack of communication bore horrific implications to Henry. There were many worlds. Did the entities or civilizations outside of their sphere of influence believe that this one was not worth the expenditure to save?

Other organizations promised to send support to the Vengeance Fleet, adding to the already formidable force stationed above the city. Although the regional armies and their supporting levies had been reduced to scattered remnants from the lightning-fast attack, there were always a few more stragglers that managed to flee to Galar or Roria. Even the Pokemon Fan Club had promised to send psychological aid.

"Then it is done!" Bronze said. "But I wish to say another thing. Although we might be small, the organization of the Pokedex Holders has suffered much at the hands of this Great Enemy. Two of our members were slain in the attack. As Chairman of the Pokemon Association and a Pokedex Holder, I declare that each Pokedex Holder is to be given a superfrigate to command and a full earldom in a city of their choosing once we have won this battle!"

"What?" Diamond cried. "I don't know how to command an army! What is this supposed to mean?"

"A full earldom?" Sun yelled. "Is this nepotism I sense?"

"You dare accuse the Grand Bashar of nepotism!" someone cried.

"Quiet!" Bronze cried. "I believe that the Pokedex Holders are capable of what I ask. If not to command, then to give hope. If there are any that wish to file an official complaint against me, they may do so through the usual channels. Are there any more questions?"

"Yes!" Crystal asked. "This is a mad scheme. How can you be certain that these Elohim will fight for us? We have Mewtwo. Is it not enough? Why did you have to delay?"

"We have fought the Dark Powers far longer than any of you," Terrakion said. "We will not be called cowards, and none of us will shirk our duties. We know war and have a love for it, for all the fighting that has gone on in the Heavenly Spheres is beyond your minds."

"I see."

"Then all is settled!" Bronze cried. "The battle to decide the fate of Men and Pokemon-kind is to begin! We go to war!

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The Typhoon Struggle: Part I

They have dared the white republics up the capes of Sinnosui,

They have dashed the Southern Sea round the Lion of the Sea,

And the Bashar has cast his arms abroad for agony and loss,

And called the kings of Sutherland for swords about the Cross,

Where, risen from a doubtful seat and half-attainted stall,

(Rei Berlitz of Hisui is hidden in the smoke)

The last knight of Hisui taketh weapons from the wall,

The last and lingering troubadour to whom the bird has sung,

(Rei Berlitz is girt and going forth)

That once went singing southward when all the world was young,

In that enormous silence, tiny and unafraid,

Comes up along a winding road the noise of the Jihad,

Strong gongs groaning as the guns boom far,

Now Rei Berlitz of Hisui is going to the war.