Ch.134: Enemy of an Enemy! Twist and Turns Galore!

"Dougal Ravenfield, one of your earliest ancestors, inadvertently created the Shadow King," Tony paraphrased, rereading the shadow book. "And the Shadow King is actually the shadow of Apollo the Hero."

Griffin huffed. "And just like that, my family's bloody history just got knocked off its pedestal."

"Maybe not the best comparison," Gwyn cautioned, pointing at the hyperventilating brothers with Ella desperately trying to calm them down.

Morgan watched the train wreck of emotions unfurl with a mix of guilt and stoicism. He was expecting negative reactions, but not full-blown panic attacks. He stood up and raised his hands. "Boys, maybe you should take a deep breath—"

"What do you think we're doing?!" Wes and Flint shouted, cradling themselves onto the ground.

Morgan sighed. "I was afraid this would happen."

"Our family basically started a war!" Wes cried.

"Wes, our ancestor was a total psychopath!" Flint reminded.

"I'm still processing the shock here!"

Ella bared her teeth, growing irritated with their screaming. "If you two could keep it together for five minutes—"

"Crap, what if that's why our family keeps getting into trouble!" Wes realized fearfully. "Is our family inheriting Dougal's badness? Is that why I love treasure so much?! Is everything I know a lie?!"

"Seriously, cut it out—"

"We created our own nemesis," Flint mumbled worriedly. "Our entire life is tied to a man shunned through legend. Our family lineage is stained in blood!"

Ella growled. "Will you two shut up—" She gasped as vines suddenly bound Wes and Flint's mouths shut, as well as tied their legs together. Ella blinked, then looked back at Gwyn, who had her hand outstretched.

"Wes, Flint, listen to Ella and stop screaming!" Gwyn scolded, trying to hold back her tears. "Now is not the time to start freaking out!"

Tony crossed his arms. "Seriously, I get the news is shocking, but you two are being unnecessary jittery about all this."

Gwyn undid the vines. The Ravenfield brothers had a moment to calm down and sit properly, looking down shamefully for their behavior. The mood dipped to a sour spot with the team awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

Wes and Flint sighed. "Sorry," they mumbled.

Morgan shook his head. "I'm sorry to have dropped this news on you both. You had a right to know, though. Do keep in mind this is all I was able to piece together. Frankly, I know next to nothing about Dougal Ravenfield, or what truly brought Apollo to fall from grace. I just know the facts, not the details."

Flint looked up. "Dougal Ravenfield, the dark warlock, was depicted as an evil warlock who sought to eradicate the world with his potent magic. Regardless of the details, what motivates someone to just do that?"

Morgan frowned, then crossed his arms. "Grief, for starters."

Flint's eyes widened, then he looked away guiltily. "Sorry…"

"It's fine."

Ella sighed. "Look, regardless of the facts, you two shouldn't let it get to you. Your blood doesn't depict who you are. You two aren't crooked, unforgiving warlocks…ignoring Wes' numerous crimes over the years," she muttered under her breath.

Wes closed his eyes. "I just…I don't want to believe it. How can someone from our history do something some scummy? What drove him to want death and destruction?"

"Who knows," Morgan said, circling around the table. "Times were different in those days. Magic wasn't generally accepted then, much less known. The power could've driven him mad, or maybe something else entirely."

Flint sighed and fell onto his back. "I can never look at the legend the same ever again."

Tony crossed his arms. "Guess the Idol of Origin isn't quite the paradise bringer I was hoping for."

"The power of all the Legendary Pokémon gathered into one relic," Griffin muttered. "If even Apollo, stated to be the only one capable of wielding it, could fall for temptation, it's too dangerous to wield for anyone."

"That still leaves many questions," Tony reminded. "Was he driven mad by the power? Certainly fits with his M.O., but I'm not to keen to call it an open-and-shut case."

Wes glared. "There's something more to this legend, I know it."

Flint looked pleadingly at Morgan. "There has to be something else you know. Anything about Dougal or Apollo. I just don't want to believe our family line came from such a horrible man."

Morgan frowned. "Alas, that is all I know. I'd wager the only person who has the answers you seek—"

"—is the Shadow King," Wes finished gravely. "Or rather, Apollo."

Flint narrowed his eyes. "I wonder if Dad knew anything about this."

"Who's to say? We can't exactly ask him, unless we do your spiritual connection like with Priscilla."

"Yeeeeah, still don't know how I pulled that off."

Gwyn rubbed her chin. "You two said he told you that legend multiple times, right?" They nodded. "Well, assuming he did know about the family legacy, why would he tell such a grim tale and not fill in the details?"

Wes sighed. "Dad's always been a weird guy. Always keeping secrets, but always showering us with love and attention."

"We knew he had things to hide, but between the idol and our lineage, I'm not sure we even know who our father is anymore," Flint added glumly. "Or our family for that matter. Are we seriously the last of our lineage?"

Morgan sighed. "Ravenfields have a knack for trouble, and risky life expectancies. But for all the secrets, I know for a fact your father was a kind, thoughtful man who did everything for the benefit of others. One bad apple shouldn't taint your blood's history. I know from experience that the Ravenfield family is a certain kind of special, the enemies of Fate itself. But, honestly, who's to say such a title is a bad thing?"

Wes and Flint looked at each other warily, then at their friends who offered kind, sympathetic smiles their way. Was being the enemies of Fate a blessing or a curse on their blood? Why were they enemies to Fate in the first place?

Wes took a deep breath, then stared sadly at his companions. "Guys, I—"

Suddenly, a loud explosion in the distance cut the Umbreon off. Everyone gasped and looked toward the direction of the explosion. A plume of smoke broke through the trees, hovering around the Grand World Tree. They could hear the faint cries of villagers in the distance.

"What in the world's going on?!" Ella yelled.

"Something happened over at the tree!" Tony pointed out.

"Thank you for your insightful observation, Sparks," Griffin growled.

"Everyone!" The team turned around and saw Ava running to them, followed by Holly, Mack, and a limping Vernon. Ava raised her hands and yelled, "The Shadow King's tomb has been breached!"

The team gasped. "The tomb?"

Vernon leaned against Ava, catching his breath, then stated, "I sensed a disturbance by the Grand World Tree and rushed over as soon as I could, but I fear I'm too late." Vernon grunted and collapsed onto his knees. "Curse these injuries."

"Are you okay?" Wes asked.

"My fight with Flint took more out of me than I imagined. I can't perform my duties to protect the tomb."

Griffin glared. "Who's attacking the tomb?"

"I don't know, but you must hurry. The tomb contains more secrets than one might imagine. I beg you to stop those thieves at once."

Wes glared, then nodded firmly. "Leave it to us." He nodded at his team. "Team Ravenfield, roll out!" With cries of agreement, the team headed for the Grand World Tree.

"Wait for me!" Flint yelled, chasing after them, only to be held back by his leg.

Gwyn stopped. "But Flint, you're injured, too. And your magic—"

"I can still support you guys!" Flint assured. "Don't worry, I'll be fine—WHOA!" Mack suddenly scooped the Flareon off the ground and chased after Team Ravenfield.

"Enough saccharine pep talks! To battle!" Mack hollered.

"Put me down!" Flint complained.

Holly ran past Gwyn, shouting, "Hurry up!" Gwyn came to her senses and followed after.

Morgan, Ava, and Vernon were left to themselves. Vernon pulled himself up and said, "I hope they can defend the tomb. I fear what those thieves might find."

Ava glared. "But how did a thief know there was a tomb under the tree? Did they see it open up when we investigated?"

Morgan glared. "No, something about this isn't right. The only other people who could've known are—" Morgan suddenly felt a tight convulsion in his left arm. He growled and dropped to his knees, grasped over his shadow mark. "Agh!"

Ava gasped. "Morgan?"

Morgan's eyes flickered between red and black. His left hand contorted as veins of shadows pulse through his arm. "What's…going on?!" he growled.

"It seems…we have two sets of traitors in our sights."

Morgan's eyes widened. He whipped his head to his right, cowering in dismay. "No…"

"No, what?" Ava asked.

"He's coming."

Ava froze. "He? You mean…?"

Morgan stood up, quivering at the knees. "Ava, evacuate everyone from the area immediately. I need to help the kids."

"Morgan, you can't face the Shadow King!" Ava protested. "If you do, you might—"

"You think I don't know that?!" Morgan yelled furiously. Ava staggered back. Morgan clenched his teeth tightly, then softened in face of her terrified expression. "I know what I'm doing. Please, please just get everyone to safety. I need to put an end to all of this once and for all. If there's even a fraction of a chance I can improve Team Ravenfield's chances of beating the Shadow King, I need to confront him."

Ava bared her teeth worriedly, but relented to his demands. "Please…just promise me you'll be safe."

"…" Morgan turned away. "Take care of your family, Ava. Love and cherish them until the end." Gripping his burning arm tightly, Morgan took off after Team Ravenfield.

Ava dropped to her knees and pressed her hands against the ground. "Dammit, Morgan…" She closed her teary eyes. "You stupid, stupid idiot…"

The sealed door collapsed with the explosion and tumbled down the long stairwell. Arid was the first to peer down into the darkness before beckoning his crew to follow. He took the lead while the rest stayed close behind him. Banama and Graham took up the rear, keeping their eyes peeled for anyone following them.

Ambrosine produced a light with her magic and marveled at the walls. "Incredible. An actual piece of history kept in plain sight."

Cheshire huffed. "So, this is where they've been keeping the Shadow King hidden for so long? Not so secure if one guy could get in."

"Given it took five hundred years, I'd say the odds were favorable," Drake commented. "Still, it is overwhelming just breathing the air. How long do you think it took to dig all this out?"

Pain Train shrugged. "With a team of diggers, probably a day. If anything, you should be asking how long it took them to keep the place structurally stable."

Jeffery, perched on Leigh's head, glared at them. "Instead of gawking at the architecture, perhaps you all can focus on the task at hand?"

Drake held his hip. "And what is our task? All we're doing is trying to find out more about Ravenfield's family. Right, Ambrosine?"

Ambrosine pulled the book out. "Yes, supposedly. It says the Ravenfields played an intricate role in the war. The Grand Imperium War's history was supposedly immortalized in the Shadow King's tomb, perhaps as one final bit of mockery towards him."

Indigo smirked. "A joke on the king? Whoever designed the place knew what they were doing."

"Focus," Arid grunted. "We need to be quick about this. The shadows could be beyond the horizon as we speak."

Smith gulped. "Ah, lovely. Nothing worrisome about that."

The Desert Beasts reached the bottom of the stairs and headed down the corridor. Ambrosine raised her light and illuminated the paintings on the walls. The artwork certainly captivated the crew with its archaic, yet appealing style, save for the black streaks later down the wall, no doubt the Shadow King's vengeful mark.

Ambrosine stopped in front of one painting and smiled. "Do you think Flint would've loved to see the tomb?" she asked aloud.

"Uh, why should we care about him?" Zerif asked suspiciously.

Ambrosine squeaked and covered her reddening cheeks. "N-No reason! I didn't mention Flint!" She scurried farther down the hall.

Rico leaned over to Tyrone and whispered, "Ten bits says she's totally crushing on Flint."

Tyrone chuckled. "I don't blame her. He's a nice guy. Still, I'll take up your bet."

Ray caught up beside Arid and squinted at the wall art. "The entire history of the war painted throughout the tomb."

"Most of it depicts a massacre," Arid grumbled. "The last five years of the war were the only sign of hope pokemanity had. The forty-five years they waited for that hope was nothing but tragedy."

Ray glared. "The fact we held out for that long is an achievement itself."

"Agreed." Arid stopped and glared at one particular painting. "Wait. Ambrosine, shine your light over here."

After recovering from her embarrassing confession, Ambrosine raised the light ball up and illuminated the wall. A mural of a Meowstic brandishing a shield with a familiar crest on the front. A silver star that Arid was all too familiar with.

"The Star Amulet," he mumbled.

Rico leaned in closer. "That's Ravenfield's amulet. It looks exactly like it."

"Who's the chump showing it off, though?" Leigh asked.

Indigo squinted. "Is that…the hero of the Grand Imperium War?"

Ambrosine flipped open her book. "It has to be. The history books mentioned a survivor bearing a son who would fight in the army. Given how prominent this guy looks, I'm willing to bet this is the son, or the father. Maybe both? Ugh, yee old symbolism hurts my head."

Arid gently touched the wall and rubbed his fingers across the shield. "If this who we think it is, then Ravenfield's history is…oh my."

Jones nodded. "Seems like it. This was started a revolution on magic, therefore…"

Ambrosine frowned. "All of this means that the Ravenfield family holds a deeper connection into the past than we thought. Their entire lineage is one of…order."

"What a marvelous family," Arid commented. "I never realized just how much Ravenfield's history impacted Mysto."

"Uh, captain!" Banama suddenly chirped in. "If you're interested, you can ask him yourself!"

Arid sensed the incoming blast of magic heading their way and raised a sand wall. The familiar Mystic Beam obliterated the wall, but left the crew unharmed. They held up their arms to the sand and saw the figures appeared through the cloud. He could recognize the lead instantly.

"Wes Ravenfield."

Wes growled, digging his claws into the dirt. "All fun and games for you and Desert Beasts, isn't it? One moment you're invading a respected kingdom, the next you're trespassing onto sacred grounds. How low can you guys go?"

Banama's cheeks crackled fiercely. "Why don't you come and find out?"

"Gladly." The rest of the team gathered side-by-side with Wes, as did Holly and Mack. They raised their weapons, started up their spells, and prepared to attack.

Ambrosine staggered back worriedly. "Oh no."

Arid glared, then walked up to the front of the crew. "Everyone, stand down."

Team Ravenfield was taken aback as the Desert Beasts lowered their arms and stepped back. In the confusion, most of their side lowered their guard, aside from the bounty hunters and Tony. Tony commented, "Ah, the classic 'we come in peace' bit. I'm familiar with this tactic. Doesn't work too well on scumbags, and I gladly play the part of one."

Arid raised his hand. "This is no ploy or deception. I stand before you, not as an enemy, but as an ally."

Wes' eyes widened. "I'm sorry, what?"

Griffin bared his teeth. "What a load. You expect us to believe you after all the trouble you caused?"

"Believe what you will, but it would be unwise to start a conflict in such tight spaces. You wouldn't want to damage these walls, right?"

Flint bit his lip, then said, "He's right. We would be desecrating valuable history by tarnishing these walls. We should hear him out."

"Or," Mack interjected, "I could drag them outside and continue the beating there."

Ella glared. "No, I think I'm with Flint on this one." She glanced at Wes. "Your call, though. Think we can trust them."

Wes glared for a moment, then sighed in defeat. "Fighting like this would be a bad idea. Griffin, Holly, Mack, Tony, stand down. Now." Though hesitant, they obliged and lowered their weapons. Wes sat on his haunches and crossed his forelegs. "You wouldn't mind if I asked some questions just to be sure?"

Arid shook his head. "Ask away. I stand before you as an equal."

"Uh huh." Wes glared sternly. "First question, then. Why are you in the Swamp Zone? Did you come to take the rest of our keys?"

Arid shook his head. "We were not sent to take the keys. While I may have been aware of your trip here, I didn't expect you would still be in the area. Our ship broke down during an…unfortunate skirmish."

Gwyn raised her brow. "A skirmish? With who?"

"Who else?" Jeffery butted in. "I'm not sure if you all noticed, but we weren't exactly happy with our former bosses."

Ella's eyes widened. "You didn't…"

Arid nodded. "Due to an unfortunate series of events, we ended up cutting ties with the Tribe of Shadows, followed by a…memorable escape, to put it lightly." Arid glared. "There's been recent development within their numbers, and we may have uncovered their true goal with the Idol of Origin."

Tony smirked uneasily. "Guess we're not the only ones who did some digging."

Ambrosine gasped suddenly. "Oh, right! We also took these!" She pulled out the Keys of Fire, Water, and Storms. "Tada!"

Team Ravenfield staggered back in surprise. "Holy shit, you actually took the keys from them!" Ella gasped.

Ambrosine laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah. Totally part of a masterplan we've been developing. A slight bump, but—"

"She basically almost got us killed stealing them," Drake pointed out.

Ambrosine flailed her arms frantically. "I said I was sorry! Yeesh!"

Wes covered his mouth, rendered nearly speechless. "This…This is…"

Flint grinned. "I can't believe it. I thought we would never see them again. Regardless of what happened, you're amazing, Ambrosine!"

Ambrosine felt steam puffing off her deep red face. "A-Amazing? Me?" She covered her face and squirmed in place. "I-I'm not amazing, I'm not! Y-You're just saying that!"

Tony blinked, then grinned as he nudged Gwyn. "Found you a rival, Green."

Gwyn tilted her head. "Huh?"

Wes approached the pirates cautiously. "Hold on. I might be interpreting this wrong, but are you…giving us the keys?"

Arid glared. "In a matter of speaking, yes."

"What does that mean?"

"The power of the idol could turn my crew into the terrors of the sky. That has been our goal ever since we learned of its existence. However, recent revelations have…tempered my excitement and forced me to think more critically of my ambitions. In essence, I pass this same concern onto you if you and your friends will be the ones to repossess the idol."

Wes raised his brow. "Meaning…?"

"What do you hope to accomplish once the idol is found? It was locked away for a reason, and joining the keys together would grant opportunity beyond that of mortal comprehension. The power of the universe resting on the fingertips of a mortal is power too tempting to pass up. Have you ever stopped to wonder what will happen when the idol is found? What will you do afterwards? Leave it be wherever it lays dormant or do you intend to keep it for yourself, hoping not to be purloined by an ambitious thief?"

Wes bared his teeth. "I…haven't thought that far ahead. All I'm concerned about is keeping the idol out of the Shadow King's hands. That's what I've been working toward."

Arid scoffed. "If that were you're only mission, you wouldn't be wasting your time on this quest. Instead, you should've done everything in your power to find the Shadow King and put an end to this madness from the source."

"I can't beat the Shadow King, though!" Wes argued.

"Exactly, and that's why you need the idol. You risk everything you've worked towards on obtaining the idol first and wiping away the darkness before it can spread. You know you can't beat him on your own. You need the idol to eliminate him without hassle. First, it was fame and fortune, now it's your only means of surviving a losing battle."

Wes faltered, looking away with a discouraged frown. "Y-Yeah, well…" His ears drooped as he let out a defeated sigh. "What else can I do? I got my butt kicked the last time."

Arid shook his head. "I'm not discouraging your choice. I'm asking whether or not you are ready to accept the consequences of your actions. Are you strong enough to keep the idol out of his reach and use it to bring balance to the world?"

Wes hovered on his question for a moment, staring intently at the ground. He reached into his bag and dumped out their four keys into his paw. He held them up to the others, feeling the intense vibration of magic through their joined presence.

"Am I strong enough?" Wes muttered. He closed his eyes and sighed. "I…I don't know the answer to that yet."

"And you never will."

A tense gravity fell upon both the treasure hunters and the pirates. Their beings shook with a chilling aura permeating through the atmosphere. The keys jittered in Wes and Ambrosine's shaky grips, nearly spilling them out onto the floor. No one could move a limb, frozen in their tracks.

Griffin struggled to turn his head, gritting his teeth tightly. "You've…got to be kidding me."

A dark portal opened up behind Team Ravenfield, spilling out darkness through the halls. Figures rose from the floor, familiar figures that made both parties' skin crawl. Their auras, standing in close proximity of each other, unleashed a vile, disgusting aura that made those closest sick to their stomachs, quivering under its immense influence.

The Heralds of Darkness. Zaros. Nightmare. Callista's coven.

The Shadow King.

Wes finally found feeling in his legs and spun around, facing the malevolent beings while tucking the keys inside his jacket. "Shadow King…"

The Shadow King stepped forward, flicking his cape in the dark winds spewing behind him. "Ravenfield. Well, this is certainly a treat. I was made aware of your excursion to this backwater village, but I had not expected to confront you so soon." He pointed at the pirates cowering behind the Umbreon. "You can thank them for leading the way. Despite their recent treachery, they once again prove useful."

Arid growled. "Couldn't accept the fact we escaped, huh?"

"I don't allow traitors to live. Any who dare defy me don't deserve second chances. Once one goes bad, what's stopping the rest?"

Aeternus snickered gleefully. "Did you really think we wouldn't find you? Honestly, we just wanted to see how far you'd get before we had to step in."

"Then why the full party?" Tony taunted. "Can't handle these bozos, so you needed your homies to back you up like a chump—" Tony jumped back from Aeternus' Particle Beam.

Aeternus' grin grew after blowing on his smoking finger. "You can save the chitchat for later."

The Shadow King glared sternly. "If your record precedes you, you've already obtained the next key, making a total of seven." He extended his open hand. "Hand them over. All of them."

Wes stomped down. "No way! This time, I won't let you get away with a single key, you hear me?"

The Shadow King sighed. "Now, where did this annoying bravery come from? I'm almost certain I had you pleading for your life in our last encounter, like a scared child coming to terms with his end. The fun and games are over, boy. Hand them over and I might grant you a merciful death."

Wes bared his teeth. "I won't let you have them."

The Shadow King glared. "And who decided you can refuse me?" He extended his finger, charging a black magic through the tip. "You wouldn't be able to handle the idol's power. You're unworthy of wielding its power."

Tony scoffed. "And you are?"

"What rubbish do you incite, whelp?"

Before Tony could go on with his taunts, Griffin pulled him aside and whispered, "Sparks, not a good idea to rile him up. We still need to find a way out of here."

"How?" Tony grunted. "As if getting outside will do us any favors."

The Shadow King prepared to fire, but Aeternus pushed his hand down gently. "My king, let's not be too hasty." He spread his arms out in a grandiose fashion. "Do you see what I see?"

The Shadow King grunted. "Aside from my old prison, I doubt so."

"Oh, this is your old prison, but it's so much more." Aeternus sprung forward, landing on his knees. "This is the perfect stage to execute these pesky treasure hunters!"

Callista glared. "Puck, I know that tone of voice."

Aeternus smirked. "Kehehehehe. Why kill them here? So drab, so boring, and so uneventful."

"And less hassle," Nightmare reminded. "We're not here to play games, you mad clown—" Voss raised his hand, cutting Nightmare off.

"No, no, he might be onto something," Voss inquired, gripping his scabbard. "I, too, wouldn't want to kill my targets in such a bare space."

The Grim Ash trio tensed themselves with caution. "Anyone getting the sneaking suspicion something bad's going to happen?" Mack asked aloud.

Ella gritted her teeth. "I don't like where this is going."

"Can't you teleport us out?" Gwyn whispered.

"I barely know how to teleport myself."

Wes added, "And I don't know if I can get everyone into the Vortex Amulet in time."

Aeternus stood up and bowed to his king. "Dearest Shadow King, would you not humor my proposal? They're not going anywhere. They can't go anywhere. What I have in store, escape isn't just futile, it's unacceptable. They wouldn't dare leave if even the slimmest chance of their friends being in danger remains. Why fight when we can make them suffer?"

The Shadow King considered the strategist's proposal, then canceled his spell. "How so?"

Aeternus' smirk grew bigger. "I'll make sure they won't be able to flee this tomb, then we can pick them off at our own pace—"

Having heard enough, Tony suddenly rocketed out of the group with Quick Step and swung his leg into Aeternus' face, knocking the clown off his feet. "Like hell I'm letting you orchestrate your little funhouse!"

Aeternus, despite having Tony's knee pressed into his face, continued to smirk. "Oh, sweet little Tony, you know me so well." With a snap of his fingers, a pillar of earth shot from the wall and slammed into Tony, knocking him away. "A funhouse is exactly what I had in mind!"

Tony landed and attempted to run, but Callista deployed her darkness and pressed him against the wall. "Agh!" he cried.

"Tony!" his friends called out.

"Damn it, Sparks!" Griffin growled, pulling out Endless Regret.

"WAH!" The treasure hunters and pirates gasped as the keys suddenly sprang out of Wes and Ambrosine's grasps. They immediately lunged and grabbed them from the air, but were slowly being dragged along. They dug their heels in, trying to backpedal.

The Shadow King hissed in annoyance as he tried to attract the keys. "Voss."

Voss dashed forward and slashed the two, knocking them into their friends. He grabbed the keys, turned, and presented them to his master. "All seven keys, my king."

The Shadow King nodded. "Excellent."

"Oh hell no!" Voss glared, then spun around, parrying Griffin's aerial strike. Red and black magic crackled off their weapons, shooting all over the corridor. "Holly, Mack, get the keys!"

They dashed at the unarmored Electivire, but Voss quickly applied his armor over his torso, harmlessly bouncing the duo's weapons off. Griffin pushed off from the clash and kicked off the wall, slashing at Voss' face. Voss activated his armor and applied it all over his body, stopping Endless Regret in its place.

Zaros raised his finger and charged an attack. "Anyone else want to try?"

Reuben stood beside him, growling. "Mind shooting out Flint's legs first? I might consider turning his head into a paperweight."

The groups shuffled back, now panicking. "Great, now what?" Arid asked.

Aeternus laughed and raised his hands over his head. "What an absurd question, Davy Jones! Now it's time for the real fun to begin!" He slammed his hands down, sending a grid-like wave of magic to pass through the corridor. "Matter Shuffle: Great Labyrinth Chamber!"

The treasure hunters and pirates gasped as the floor started to shake and rumble, flowing like a solid ocean wave. The entire corridor shifted and twisted with movement, knocking everyone around.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What's going on?" Ray cried.

"The tomb is shaking," Leigh stated. "He's manipulating the entire underground." She stumbled around and tried to keep herself upright, but the shifting floors caused her to fall on her face.

Aeternus laughed aloud. "It'd be too easy to just kill all of you, so why not make it impossible for you to escape? Only one way out, and that's with a few bodies!" He grinned wildly. "No matter what you try, someone's going to die today! Kehehehehe!"

Banama sneered and dashed forward. "Lousy piece of—" Suddenly, his foot sank into the floor like quicksand. "What?!" He fell through up to his neck, flailing his arms to stay afloat. "H-Help!"

Everyone behind him suddenly suffered under the same terrain, sinking through near instantly. Jeffery and Leigh got in the air, but pillars of earth came down and piledrove them back into the floor, instantly drowning them.

"Leigh!" Pain Train cried. Before he could do anything, another pillar came down and dragged him into the liquid earth, too.

Ambrosine flailed her arms in a panic. "Someone help me! I can't—GLUG!" Some of earth spilt into her open mouth. Her voice drowned out as she sank through.

Flint gasped. "Crap!" He dove down after her.

"Flint, wait!" Gwyn called out. She dove after him as well.

Wes couldn't reach for his amulets, already chest deep in the earth. "Arid, turn this stuff into sand and attack them!"

"I can't!" Arid yelled as the earth dragged his gauntlet down. "Even if my arm were free, this stuff is more mud than sand at this point! I can't do anything!"

Aeternus laughed at their screaming as heads disappeared one by one. "This is only the beginning. If you don't drown, you get to play. That's your reward for learning how to swim. Kehehehehe!"

Tony, still trapped in Callista's shadow grip, tried to free his arm. A channel of electricity course through his arm. "Let me friends go, you dumbass clown!"

Aeternus grinned. "Tough talk from a trapped weasel!"

The Curse Weave, Barrett, drew a knife and pointed it at Tony. "This one might be troublesome. What's say we kill him now?"

Aeternus slapped the Lombre upside the head. "Absolutely not! He's my future protégé. Only I will decide when he dies."

"I've met stalkers with more tact than you!" Tony growled.

Aeternus smirked. "Feisty." He raised one hand and charged a beam through his finger. "I think you need to be taught discipline—"

"Purgatory Strike!"

A purple whip shot through the shifting corridor and struck direct hits on Callista's back and Aeternus' shoulder. Blood sprayed out from their gaping wounds as they howled in pain. Tony felt Callista's shadow arm vanish and fell into the shifting floor.

The Shadow King craned his neck and glared. "Wendrake."

The Hypno, panting heavily, glared intensely at his former allies, wrapped in a veil of string floating around him. His eyes blazed with an ominous red while his branding illuminated through his sleeve. Veins of darkness formed under his eyes, as did his sclera.

"I won't let you harm those kids," Morgan growled.

Voss glared. "You're resisting your true nature."

Morgan gritted his teeth tightly, then looked ahead. By now, everyone had completely sank into the floor, with only Tony partially remaining with his head, legs, and arms exposed. Tony stared worriedly at the unhinged doctor. "Pops?"

Zaros glared and aimed his finger at Morgan. "Shadow King, shall we eliminate him?"

"That depends." The Shadow King leered. "Do you wish to resist, Wendrake?"

Morgan huffed with darkness seeping through his teeth. "That depends. Do you remember what you asked me…all those years ago?"

"Hmm?"

"You asked…if I was happy with the abyss?"

"Where are you going with this?"

Morgan smirked. "I finally found an answer, but you'll have to wait…and see!" Morgan suddenly propelled himself in the air, rocketing past the Shadow King and tackling Voss.

"Huh?!" Voss reached for his sword, but Morgan bound him in string, locking his arms down.

"You've used this maze trick before, Puck!" Morgan yelled. "With all your magic keeping this place stable, even you can't tell where everyone is!" Morgan shoved Voss into the shaking earth, where the Electivire sank beneath the surface alongside him.

Nightmare gasped. "Voss still has the keys!"

"Puck, pull him out!" Callista yelled.

Before Aeternus could do so, a Lightning Shot struck him directly in the eye. "Agh!" Aeternus covered his eye, then scowled at Tony, who promptly flipped him off before sinking below the earth. "You little jerk!"

"Puck!" Callista yelled. "Bring Voss back!"

Aeternus growled furiously. "Oh no, they asked for it now!" He raised his hand and flailed them in circular motions. "I'm turning this entire place inside out and giving them hell to pay!"

Now even the tribe started holding onto themselves as the corridor shook erratically. They could hear the physical shifting the earth. The corridor they stood in shrunk to the size of a spacious cube. Aeternus finished by slamming his hands into the wall, completely solidifying his creation.

He laughed hysterically, head thrown back and hands high in the air. Nightmare gawked at the clowns burst of ineptitude. "What have you done?! Voss has all the keys on his person! If any of those damned creatures encounters him, they'll—"

"—get absolutely nowhere," Aeternus finished, speaking in a shockingly cold tone. He faced the boss shadow with an icy glare. "Wendrake attached himself to Voss. If I bring him back, Wendrake will be back as well. I made sure they were completely separated from each other now. I might not be able to figure out where Voss is anymore, but he can easily execute anyone who tries to steal the keys back."

Nightmare blinked in stunned silence. "Uh…"

Aeternus traded the cold demeanor away for his usual grin. "Besides, this makes things more fun. Everyone, from Ravenfield to pirate, have been mixed all over the place with no easy exit. They're trapped in here with us now. There's no way any of them can dig back up to the surface this deep down. They would need to be here at the top with any hope of making an exit."

Callista glared. "You actually thought all of this ahead?"

"I'm not a genius for nothing."

The Shadow King sighed. "Then Voss should be fine down there. Then let us get on with this scheme of yours."

Aeternus grinned excitedly, then turned to Callista's coven. "I'm going to need you all to go back to base. Zaros?" The Watchog nodded and, with a snap of his fingers, created a portal.

Isidore crossed her arms. "What for?"

"Oh? Why, you can't have a party without entertainment, right? This is a dinner and a show we're putting on, and the main course is to die for."

With all the twisting and turning she went through, Ambrosine was amazed her heart didn't act up in the chaos. Fortunately, she managed to spit out whatever earth nearly flooded her lungs and survived being tossed around like laundry in a whirlpool. Though now, it was dark and she had no idea where she was.

Though, she was laying on something soft and warm, which she found strange.

"Ugh, need some light," she grumbled. She raised her hand and casted a light spell. Once the corridor was illuminated, her heart sank.

Apparently that warm, soft thing she was laying on…was Flint's stomach. Her face was mere inches away from his, while the Flareon himself was recovering from his own head trauma.

"Had I known this would happen, I would've hung back," he grumbled. He opened his eyes, meeting gazes with a shocked and mortified Ambrosine. "…Hi," he greeted casually.

"H…Hi!" she squeaked. Ah, you've got to be kidding me! I ended up alone with Flint? This is so embarrassing! How can this get any worse?

"Phew! You two are safe!" Ambrosine's face drained of color as Gwyn suddenly came up behind her, smiling cheerily. "Thank goodness I was able to keep us together in those currents."

Flint smiled. "Nice work, Gwyn."

"Are you okay, Flint?"

"Well, everything hurts again, but I've grown numb to it."

"Great!" Gwyn held her hand out to Ambrosine, who continued staring dumbly at the Mew. "You okay, Ambrosine?"

"Uh…s-sure." She hesitantly took Gwyn's hand and rose back to her feet. "Th-Thanks."

"No problem!" She nudged Ambrosine's side playfully. "Good thing you fell on Flint. He's a convenient cushion." Ambrosine's face turned bright red.

Flint rolled his eyes. "Glad you think so well of me, sweetie."

Gwyn giggled and helped him up, offering a kiss on the nose as compensation. "Aww, you know I mean well."

"I guess," he said with a shy smile.

Ambrosine turned away, hiding her redness. I take it back! I rather be drowning right now!

Flint looked around their new surroundings with a worried glare. "I can sense Aeternus' magic all around us. I can't tell where the others are."

"Do we even know where we are?" Gwyn asked. "There's no way we'll be able to get out of here."

"I'm worried about what they might do to us." Flint turned to Ambrosine. "Hey Ambrosine?"

Ambrosine yelped, then spun around with a big grin. "Yes?"

"Do you have any way of getting us through this place?"

She calmed down and frowned apologetically. "I'm…afraid not. My specialty is mostly in medical practice. I'm not really a navigator."

Flint sighed. "Then I guess we should start walking."

"But Flint, you're still injured," Gwyn pointed out. "And now that it's the Tribe of Shadows, we can't risk anymore irreversible damage."

"True…"

Ambrosine bit her lip. She could see the brace on his back leg clear as day, and she knew it wasn't for whatever injuries he sustained earlier. She knew his injuries from his fight with Zaros would've left lasting damage. His doctor was clearly a miracle worker to fix the rest of his broken body, but Ambrosine felt terrible acting as only a bystander.

At least now, maybe she could make herself useful to him.

"It…seems were safe for now," Ambrosine pointed out, gaining their attention. "I can speed up his recovery before we find a way out of here."

Gwyn gasped and smiled. "Really?"

Flint grinned. "You'd do that? I'd appreciate it."

Ambrosine blushed bashfully, kicking at the ground. "It's w-whatever. Let's just be quick and get out of here." She rubbed her hands together, charging up her magic, then started working on the Flareon's injuries.

"Ugh," Griffin groaned as he pushed himself up. "I can still feel the room spinning."

"Tell me about it," Mack mumbled face first in the dirt. He peeled his face off the ground and shook the dirt off. "These guys are legitimately nuts. Do they seriously think separating us is going to help?"

"You heard what he said. Divide and conquer is their aim."

Griffin and Mack turned around, greeted by Jones as he helped Leigh and Zerif to their feet. Griffin glared cautiously. "So, you three got swept up with us? Swell."

Leigh rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. We're not thrilled by the outcome either." She dusted her front off. "Regardless, it seems we're stuck together until we find the exit. I don't suppose you could blast your way back to the surface?"

Griffin glared at the ceiling. "Hmm…probably not. I don't know how deep we are, but it would be too dangerous to carve a path back up." He raised his hand and emitted some of his magic, giving the hall a spooky red glow. "Doesn't seem like we're trapped, though. This hall goes on for a while."

Zerif bared his teeth. "Great, so we just aimlessly walk through a maze until we find our way back to those freaks of nature?"

"As if staying put will do us any favors." Griffin started ahead. "We got no time to waste."

"Who made you the leader?" Leigh snarked.

"Just go with it," Mack advised coolly, following Griffin with his arms behind his head. "We'll keep you pirates safe."

Leigh scoffed. "I think you mean we'll keep you safe."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Leigh growled, but reluctantly followed. Jones and Zerif, with no better options, conceded and followed the bounty hunters.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

After recovering from the shifting tunnels, Tony and Rico got into a mild disagreement regarding the Dewott's rash behavior. They traded kicks with each other, with Tony keeping a mostly cool disposition, though he was obviously irritated to be stuck with the Scrafty. Indigo and Holly also got swept up with them and were watching from the sidelines.

Tony explained, "What was I supposed to do? Let the clown have his fun while gawking like a child who discovered what naughty words meant?"

"You're the one who aggravated him!" Rico yelled, swinging at Tony's head.

Tony dodged the kick, saying, "Oh please, I know that madman better than you. He was going to do this regardless."

Indigo huffed an annoyed sigh. "If you two are done with your little debate, we have actual problems at the moment." Tony and Rico glanced at each other, then reluctantly eased up. "Thank you. Now, does anyone know how we're going to get out of here?"

Holly peered at the walls. "Hard to say. I can't sense anyone's magic down here. Aeternus' is blocking our senses."

Tony crossed his arms. "If I had to guess, this maze he constructed doesn't have an actual exit. I bet if we got to the highest point of this place, we could make an exit."

"You really think you can make an exit through solid ground?" Rico asked. "We don't even know how deep the highest point of this place is."

Tony smirked. "Well, complaining about it won't do us any good, seeing as how we might have limited oxygen down here."

"No arguing, you two," Indigo ordered. She sighed. Good grief, those books about love triangles weren't exaggerating.

Holly pointed down the hall. "We should start making ground before the shadows decide to hunt us down." The others nodded, then followed Holly through down into the darkness.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Jeffery squawked, darting around the tight hall in a fervent panic. "Captain, where are you?! If you can hear me, please tell me you're alright! I can't think straight! Somebody punch me—" His request was met with a swift right hook into the wall. "…It's not the same." He flopped to the ground.

Julius sighed. "Ugh, this be a fine mess we washed up into."

Joining the two pirates were Ella, who was combing dirt out of her fur, and Morgan, sitting back against the walls, holding his flask. It had a little bit of alcohol left inside. He didn't have time to refill it before realizing the shadows were coming. It made for a good stress reliever.

Morgan sighed. "I wish I got here faster. The best I could do was separate Voss from the others. As long as he has the keys, we shouldn't have to worry about them escaping. He can't make portals like the others."

Ella finally got most of the dirt off her face, then asked, "But how does that help us in the long run? Aside from you, none of us can take on the shadows, much less Voss."

"I have faith in your friends." Morgan stared at his flask, then reluctantly pocketed it. "It seems our only option is to find the exit."

"How are we goin' to find our way out?" Julius asked.

"Fortunately, we don't necessarily need a physical exit," Morgan explained. "Wes can use the Warp Tunnel to transport us out of here."

Jeffery pulled himself off the ground. "Warp Tunnel? Graham knows that spell, too."

"So, if we find them, they can get us out of here!" Julius grinned. "Genius!"

Morgan nodded. "All of you stick close to me. I promise to keep you safe until we reconvene with the others."

Ella nodded. "Alright, lead the way."

Lyra knocked on the walls of the maze, ear pressed firmly to it, while Banama, Smith, and Graham patiently waited for her input. Having learned they couldn't detect anyone with their sixth senses, Lyra resorted to using a form of sonar instead.

Smith calmly chewed on his fingernails. "So, this is how I die. I always thought it would be surrounded by women in a hot tub while under cardiac arrest from a poor ten years of gorging on food."

Banama patted his head. "Don't worry, Smith, no women would want to be around you anyway." Smith sighed and curled up on the ground.

Graham huffed with impatience. "Well, anything?"

Lyra, after a moment of examining the walls, faced her crew. "It seems everyone is at least separated into a group, that much is certain. I can't tell who's who, but no one's wandering the maze alone."

Banama nodded. "Better than nothing. What's the bad news?"

Lyra frowned. "I detected somebody with a body shape similar to that Voss guy wandering a few levels below us. He's lumbering along, but there's a potential path leading towards us."

Graham bit his lip. "Shit, that's bad. There's no way we can compete with him."

"We're doomed!" Smith cried.

"No, we're not." Banama stood up. "Lyra, do you think you can lead us to the others?"

Lyra nodded. "I should."

"Great. Lead us well."

Lyra blushed and covered her face, giggling. "I would, uh…appreciate it if you stuck close to me. To keep me safe."

Banama blinked, then looked away with an embarrassed blush. "Oh, uh…sure thing. Don't want anything to happen to you." He joined her side, putting one hand on her back, and followed her down the hall.

Graham grabbed Smith by his jacket and dragged him behind. "I have to wonder what happened to the captain," he mumbled under his breath.

As if fate dictated such, Wes and Arid ended up falling into the same part of the maze together. They stood hunched over, catching their breaths, and assessing their current location. They found themselves stuck at the end of a tunnel, pressed up to the back wall.

Wes sighed tiredly. "Arid, I have a question."

"What?" Arid huffed.

"Is it just me, or is this like the third time you and I got separated in a maze and ended up in the same place together?"

"Seems our rivalry…is strong than we thought," he heaved.

"It'd be funnier if our lives weren't in danger." Wes shook his head and stood up. "My head's pounding."

Arid stood up, then pressed his hand to the walls. "At least the ground's back to normal."

"So, mind telling me where we are?"

"Pretty far down, but it looks like everyone else is grouped up."

Wes sighed. "All fine and dandy, but now we need to get the keys back. Voss still has his hands on them."

"Fortunately, it seems like he was separated during the chaos," Arid pointed out. "We may have to use stealth to get them back. Neither of us have the firepower to break through that armor of his."

"Says you," Wes mumbled. "I'm assuming this means we have a truce."

"You and I share a common enemy now. Don't get used to it. As soon as we kill the Shadow King, we're going right back to being enemies."

Wes glared. "Fine by me. So, uh…" Wes looked ahead sheepishly. "Where to?"

Arid shook his head. "Good grief. I suppose we should start with—"

"Greetings everyone!"

Wes and Arid jumped as a voice echoed through the tunnels. Arid sensed through the earth again, but couldn't detect anyone ahead. "Where's that coming from?"

"The walls," Wes pointed out.

"Huh?"

Wes glared at the walls. "Aeternus is speaking through the walls. He's transmitting his voice through the walls with magic."

"Particle Magic. Freaky stuff."

"Isn't it a wonderful day? Look at us, three different friend groups finally meeting each other, one on one on one. Or is it two on one now? Naughty, naughty pirates. How dare you ruin a perfectly serviceable friendship? All for what? Because you were scared of not smiling ever again? I smile all the time, and I turned out great! But enough about me. It's time for some fun."

Arid scowled. "Whenever that man says 'fun', I feel like I'm going to be disemboweled."

"A dull leader would scold me and say, 'Kill them now. Don't waste time.' So true, yet so sad. Why kill off the bat? There's no presentation! No drama! It's all boring! Is this how you want to end such a fun rivalry? Hell no! We need to make it special! We need something to be memorialized through history!"

Wes bared his teeth. "What's he—"

"Wait." Arid pressed his hand down again, focusing on the vibrations through the ground. "I'm sensing more movement. People coming from nowhere."

Wes' eyes widened. "Don't tell me—"

Aeternus' laugh echoed joyously. "By now, some of the more perceptive of you lot have noticed more movement in the maze than normal. For you lucky few, congratulations, you have a head start on the game. That's right, we're playing a game. A fun game. A hunt. My goons, the shadows, Reuben's puppets; they'll be hunting you. That's the game."

Wes and Arid stood back-to-back as the rumbling footsteps echoed through the tunnels. They glanced warily at each other, Star Amulet activated and Harenae Gauntlet swirling with sand.

"Don't feel dejected. This is all to my design. It's normal to feel despair before my brilliance. We all eventually feel trapped by the roads ahead. I understand that better than everyone. I've had years to accept that road, but forge any path I desire." Aeternus laughed. "So, remember to have fun. Only rule? Don't die.

"Good luck. The hunt has already started."