Ch.143: The Branching Paths Ahead! Until We Meet Again!

News traveled quickly around the village after the devastating, underground cyclone nearly toppled the Grand World Tree. Questions were asked with Ava taking the brunt of the authorities' interrogation upon figuring out her involvement in the incident. Try as she might, the rumors regarding the shadows worsened among the villagers. The panic was getting worse and there was nothing she could do to quell their fears.

She answered the police's questions as best she could, giving all the details she got from Team Ravenfield. As far as they knew, there were multiple dead Anguis Grunts crushed under rubble, their leader whose current status was unknown, an Electivire who was thrown into a 'Get Lost' portal, and an Ariados still buried underground. Everyone else either fled or very likely survived the collapse. An investigation would be set up to dig up the remains and find clues regarding the criminals involved.

Of course, since Ava outed herself as a witness, she would need to stay for a while before she was cleared to go. She didn't like it, but better to oblige than cause a scene.

The sun had set some hours ago. Ava finally trekked back to the caravan, parked far out in the woods away from the prying eyes of the public. She spotted the faint flicker of light in the distance and quickened her pace. She came up to the mini campsite set up in front of the circus caravan, entering in on the miserable state of everyone.

Team Ravenfield, the bounty hunters, and Alex were seated around a fire with bowls of soup in front of them, but they all seemed untouched save for Alex's as he took meager sips from his. He ditched the Shadow King garb and traded it for one of Vincent's ringmaster suits. If times were different, Ava might have teased him about it.

She was just grateful to see him back.

Still, though her heart leaped for joy at his return, the miserable atmosphere hanging around Team Ravenfield brought her mood down. Nothing but droopy eyed, defeated faces, emphasized by the bandages worn around their injuries. Gwyn rested her head against Flint, both staring dully into the fire. Ella occupied herself by polishing her staff, though the reddened shade in her eyes told the fortune teller a lot. Griffin looked the sullenest of the group. Though he has calmed significantly, the tension in his body hadn't. Holly and Mack sat silently on either side of him, keeping their eyes on the fire. Wes just stared at his reflection in the soup, looking absolutely defeated in himself.

The only ones of the group not present were Tony and Ambrosine. Ava had a rough guess where Tony was, though. A few tears slipped from her eyes, but she flicked them away in defiance. As much as she wanted to shed tears, she had to remain strong for the kids. She cried enough for one day.

She approached Alex's side and sat down. She brought her legs to her chest, then took a deep breath. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

"Like crap," he mumbled back.

"How's the soup?"

He closed his eyes. "Feels like…the first bit of flavor I've had in a long time." No anger or tension in his body, either. She couldn't tell if he was drained for the experience or Morgan's death had numbed his mind.

Ava rubbed his back. "I'm sorry you had to be brought back like this, Alex. You've gone through so much only to see…" She stopped herself, shook her head, and leaned into his shoulder. "I'm just glad you're back."

"Yeah…" He exhaled heavily, drooping his head forward. "Good to be back."

Ava decided to let him rest up and faced the others. "So, where's Tony and Ambrosine?"

Wes glanced up from his soup. "Tony's…at Morgan's grave." The words shuddered in his voice. He turned his head away. "As for Ambrosine, she—"

"I'm here!" Ava saw the Steenee pop up from around the caravan and walk toward the campfire. "I was checking in on Tony to make sure his injuries weren't reopening." Ambrosine frowned. "He, uh…He and his family are still at the grave, so…they might not be back for a while."

Ava frowned. "Angel and Cheri. Poor things, I haven't even considered what they're feeling right now."

"Yeah. The kid was crying pretty hard over the dirt. I couldn't bear to watch." Ambrosine plopped herself down next to Flint, scooching a bit closer to his side. He didn't seem to notice, too wrapped in his thoughts.

Ava gripped the waist of her robe and looked down at her lap. "I should've done something more than just stick around up top and evacuate people. If I was down there, maybe Morgan could've—"

"You wouldn't have been able to do anything, Ava," Alex spoke up. He sighed and set his bowl down. "Morgan's actions…were calculated. Everything he did today, he did with purpose. I could sense it, deep within that void, that he was gunning to save me." He glared. "He sacrificed himself to save me."

Wes looked warily at the Scrafty. "And…how do you feel exactly?" he asked meekly.

Alex sighed, then looked at his hand. "You know anything about phantom pains? I'm getting those after having my arm torn to shreds. To think Morgan turned my arm to bloody chunks, yet here it is. Whatever Aeternus did to my body certainly helped Apollo."

"And, what about your memories?"

"My memories?" He looked quizzically at the Umbreon, then noticed his sad, trembling expression. It dawned immediately on the warrior what he was asking. "Oh, you mean…Johnathan Geno?"

Wes nodded. "Y-Yeah."

Alex sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Everything's fuzzy, but…I remember what happened after the avalanche. Just barely. After we lost consciousness, I felt myself being suppressed into the darkness. Next thing I know, I'm applying as a professor in Quartz Plain Village, probably to stick close to you and Flint. Apollo manipulated me into taking on a new identity. It felt like a fresh start, and I wasn't aware of it."

Wes frowned. "So, those things you said to us were…?"

Alex blinked, then smiled warmly. "Kid, regardless of what the king did to me, he couldn't fake kindness. Even if I didn't know it, I meant every word I said to you. I know I did. Maybe it was because you were Garret's sons, but you and Flint meant a lot to me."

Wes smiled softly, then gazed into the fire. "Just…wanted to be sure." He saw the faint smile on Flint's face, too, and chuckled a little under his breath.

Ella continued to mindlessly polish her staff, then sighed after being silent for so long. "I can't do this." She set Daybreak aside and stood up.

Ava looked up. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to check on Tony. Knowing him, he's putting on a façade for his family." She headed off into the woods.

After Ella left, Griffin finally decided to exhale the breath he was holding and straighten up. "Alright, I think we've been quiet on the matter for too long."

Wes glanced at him curiously. "On what matter?"

"Everything that happened hours ago. You can't expect me to believe we won or something. Look at us. Look at our injuries. These aren't battle scars to be proud of. They ripped and tore through us. We barely got out with our lives." Griffin glared. "You know for a fact a war's coming after this."

Gwyn picked her head up and said, "But, Morgan defeated the Shadow King. We did win, right?"

"Morgan stalled the Shadow King," Alex corrected. "Apollo's shadow is still alive inside him."

Wes' eyes widened. "What?"

Flint squinted in disbelief. "But I thought shadows died if their hosts died. We've seen it happen multiple times. Don't tell me Apollo is the exception."

Alex shook his head. "It's not quite that simple. Morgan didn't force Apollo to possess him, he sealed him away in his body. Apollo didn't die with Morgan. Morgan locked him in a corpse, one he'll never escape. Morgan made sure he couldn't be freed this time. It's like a tomb, one with a seal that can't be opened. Everything down to the bones. Safe to say, Morgan played one last trick on Apollo in their grand duel."

Holly glared. "What does that mean for him, though?"

"Well, I'm not sure how much strength Morgan put into the seal, but I can guess it was enough to start Apollo back to square one. We don't know if this will be permanent or a temporary setback. And we still don't know the current state of his heralds."

"Voss is lost somewhere in the world," Griffin muttered.

"Aeternus is missing," Wes guessed.

"And Callista was buried inside the maze," Gwyn mumbled worriedly.

Ambrosine glared. "Considering she has access to those scary demons, wouldn't she have broken out by now?"

"She might have teleported," Alex assumed. "Though, even if she didn't, I doubt she's dead."

Wes sighed. "In other words, both sides are at a stalemate."

"Pretty much."

Flint looked over at Griffin. "What do you mean when you say Voss is lost?"

Griffin threw a sideways glance over to Mack. The Sudowoodo sighed, then reclined back until he plopped his head to the ground. "The spell I used randomly teleports someone to any part of the world. Well, potentially. I'm pretty sure my range stretches as far as the entirety of Mysto. Maybe as far as the Alola region. Anyway, it does that and one other thing: completely screws up personal radar."

"I'm sorry?"

"Voss is now completely untraceable to everyone, and vice versa. We and his allies can't track him, and he can't track us. He's lost somewhere in the world. Any method of contact or tracking, whether crystal ball or aura sense, is completely useless. Voss is pretty much invisible to everyone until someone he recognizes finds him."

Flint glared. "Well, that's reassuring and demoralizing. Wouldn't he at least know the general location of wherever they were hiding out?"

"Voss won't return to the Tribe of Shadows," Holly said grimly. "He's lost, no way of tracking him, and now has the perfect opportunity to draw us out. He has the keys, and he knows we'll be aiming for them."

Wes glared. "He wants us to find him?"

"Specifically us," Griffin clarified, pointing between him, Holly, and Mack. "Finding him won't be easy. If he wants to stay hidden from his allies, he's not going to make the search simple."

Wes sighed. "We really have no choice then."

"But we can't delay securing the other keys," Flint brought up. "I know the last three mages are suppose to be strong, and maybe they can hold off one of the heralds, but…if the Shadow King can return…"

"That's another problem."

Griffin sighed. "So, we have to get the remaining keys, find Voss, and find wherever the idol is being hidden. I doubt that will be easy, either."

Gwyn rubbed her eyes and asked, "Where are the last three keys, anyway?"

Ava grimaced upon hearing her question. She didn't need to look at the map to know where they were. "About that…they're—"

"Hang on, I have the map right here." Wes pulled out the map and reviewed their last three checkmarks. After a quick scan, his face fell. "Oh…Oh no."

"Wes?" Flint questioned worriedly.

Wes looked over at Ava, who nodded to confirm his fears. He gulped, then faced his perplexed team. "Uh, there might be a slight problem with finding the keys."

Deeper in the woods, secluded far in the trees, lay a gravestone and a fresh mound of dirt. Tony, Angel, and Cheri sat in front of it with their heads low. Cheri trembled in place with dark tear stains running down her face. Her eyes were dried out and red from nonstop sobbing. Even though she couldn't produce tears, she whimpered softly, the only sound to break the silence between the three.

Angel, though she had a better hold of herself, stared at the gravestone with glistening eyes. Her voice was dried from the numerous prayers she offered, expressing her gratitude for everything the Hypno did for them. She wanted to pay him back for keeping their family secure. Now she felt more indebted to him than ever before.

Tony, aside from the droopy face, appeared the most stoic of the two. His ragged appearance tied the look together. The bandana that was used to cover his eye was replaced with proper bandages now. Blood was cleaned off and fresh bandages were applied to his chest, too, along with a dose of healing from Ambrosine.

He had apologized for shoving her earlier and accepted her help. Unfortunately, her magic didn't specialize in remaking new body parts. His right eye was torn to pieces, leaving him permanently blind on that side. All she could recommend was seeing a prosthetic crafter to make him a new eye. He was grateful for her help, though he wished she could've done more about the tears in his heart.

Tony kept the bloody bandana and tied it around his neck. He would have to wash it later, but he wasn't in the mood now. He had two items in his lap: Indigo's claws and Morgan's flask. He gently rubbed his hand against the claws as he busied himself rereading the same lines on the gravestone over and over:

Morgan "Pops" Tenebris

Year 5XX – Year 1052

"A better man than most. A great man, a hero, and beloved by the Sapienti Family. May you finally live in peace."

Tony closed his one eye and sighed. As his mind began to drift, his ears twitched to rustling leave behind him. He nearly fired Lightning Shot off pure instinct, but stopped when he saw it was just Ella.

She smirked dryly. "What a warm welcome."

Tony blinked, then looked away. "Sorry…"

Ella frowned, then approached the family. She patted Angel's back and said, "Maybe you and Cheri should get some rest. It's been a long day."

Angel exhaled through her nostrils, then stood up. "Yeah, we probably should." She stood up and kissed Tony on the head. "Try not to stay up for too long, Tony."

"Okay," he mumbled.

Angel picked up her daughter and cradled her in her arms. "Let's turn in for the night, Cheri."

Cheri sniffled dryly and covered her eyes. "M-Mr. Morgan…" Angel gently rubbed her head and carried her away, cooing softly into her ear.

Ella watched them leave for a moment before seating herself beside Tony. They sat in silence without looking at each other. Ella stared at the grave, reading the words Tony no doubt wrote out. She was the one who carved out the headstone. Griffin and Mack had the unfortunate job of transporting Morgan's body away. Even the morbid Sudowoodo felt uncomfortable carrying it.

Ella touched the stone and traced her paw over the text. She sighed. "I was wrong about him."

"Hmm," Tony hummed quietly.

"In the back of my mind, I kept telling myself he's dangerous, no matter the good he was doing. I couldn't let my guard down. I felt like he could've killed me before I had time to blink." She closed her eyes. "I wish he was here just so I could apologize for how inconsiderate I was feeling."

"You did nothing wrong," Tony mumbled. "You aren't in the wrong for the way you felt." He gently wiped his eye with the back of his wrist. "I'm sure he understood your feelings. You were looking out for your friends, right?"

Ella smiled lightly. "Even as you are, you're still offering helpful advice."

"As I am?"

"You can't full me with that stoic look. It's not you."

Tony narrowed his eye. "Can you blame me?"

"You aren't in the wrong for the way you feel, right?"

Tony didn't respond. He pulled his legs up to his chest and pressed his face into his knees. Ella stared at him silently, then frowned as his body started to shudder. She saw the tears dripping down his pants leg.

"I-I can casually move…at the speed of lightning and fight off threats bigger than most. S-So why…why do I feel so useless?" He gripped his pants tightly, gritting his teeth. "If I c-can't protect Indigo…or Pops, then w-what good am I? Pops didn't have to go and die. We could've all made it out alive. I don't…want to see anymore death. I got enough of that…f-from Fuego Village. I don't need to see more people suffering."

Ella frowned. "Tony…"

"All I ever wanted…was to protect the ones I love. Is that so wrong? When you're the fastest thing alive, and you can't protect everyone, what good are you?"

Ella shuffled over and wrapped her forelegs around him. "Come on, tough guy. Let it all out." She pushed his face into her shoulder and let him cry on her. Tony wrapped his arms around her and howled a pained sob. "Shh, shh, I got you. I got you…" She stared sadly at the gravestone. "I got you…"

"What do you mean they're in three separate locations?"

Wes set the map down in front of him. His team gathered around as he explained, tracing his paw across the parchment. "Ever since we left, we've been basically going in one straight line through all the zones. We started in the Earth Zone, then wrapped around the entire region before coming here to the Swamp Zone. The last three keys, however, are in three different locations on opposite sides of the region." He tapped the top, left, and right of the region's perimeter. "We're in the center of Mysto, so—"

"They're basically an equal distance from us, but it would take too much time to circle around," Flint finished.

Gwyn tilted her head. "Couldn't we just take a ride with the circus? Seems faster."

"Faster, yes, but not efficient." Wes picked up the map. "Let's assume we can't get the key on the first try. If we waste our time trying to combat the last three mages and earn the key, the Tribe of Shadows would already have a counterattack in mind. We can't assume they'll play passive anymore. They're going to actively hunt us now that we've taken their king out of commission for the time being."

Griffin glared. "And with Voss also a priority target, we'd be wasting even more time trying to get the keys back."

Flint sighed. "In other words, we're locked into an unfortunate predicament. There's no way we'll be able to acquire all the keys and find Voss in time, assuming we have time. We might actually be on a bit of a time crunch now."

Ambrosine raised her hand. "Okay, I might just be the only one wondering, but where are the last three keys exactly?"

Ava sighed, which gathered their attention. "I was afraid of what your reactions would be once you discovered this little travel dilemma. In all honesty, I've only been to one of the locations. Getting to the other two won't be easy, especially when dealing with the mages."

Wes looked at the map again. "The Key of Darkness is in the Earth Zone. The Key of Time is in the Desert Zone. And the Key of Space is deep in the region, right on the border between the Snow and Storm Zone."

Ava nodded. "The Earth Zone has a secret array of caverns most don't know about. They're deep underground. Probably deeper than the maze you all went through today."

"Swell," Griffin grumbled. "More caves."

"Hopefully nothing like that living cave when we fought Randolph," Gwyn muttered.

"The Key of Time is being held in a temple of sorts. I heard the mage, Cicely, is friendly with a particular group of mystics there. They ward off trespassers to avoid unnecessary killing. Don't know much about them, though." Ava glared. "The Key of Space, under Master Cielo's protection, is probably in one of the most secured, discovered realms of Mysto."

"A realm?" Wes asked.

"A pocket dimension he conquered to build his academy: Grandmaster Magic Academy, where the most talented magical users come together to learn advance arts of magic, enhancing their already impressive skills. If you recall, he was at the Gelid Peak Tournament scouting for new applicants. Can't get more secure than specially scouted students already equipped with powerful magic."

Griffin crossed his arms. "So, in addition to finding Voss, we have four separate objectives that need to be prioritized."

"If time really is a concern," Ambrosine brought up, "then there's no way we can do all of that before this inevitable war comes up. Not to mention, if they get the last three keys and locate Voss, we're screwed. They'll find the idol and—" Flint touched her shoulder, instantly calming her down.

"That's not going to happen, I'm sure of it." Flint glared worriedly at the map. "But she's right. This is way too much for all of us to get done together. We would be pushing ourselves over the limit, and we're not exactly in the best shape."

"And there is still the power gap between us and the shadows," Griffin grumbled. "We would need to dedicate all our time to training on top of finding the keys."

Gwyn groaned and clutched her head. "Way too much work."

Alex sighed. "Sorry, kids. I understand this might be a lot of pressure on all of you. You've got your whole lives ahead of you, but here you are trying to figure out the optimal course to save the world."

Wes narrowed his eyes. "All I'm worried about is what we should prioritize. One would assume finding Voss was more important, but we have no method of tracking him. Going after the keys, even with reliable transportation…"

"We have nothing to work with," Flint mumbled.

"Tch. You all are thinking too simplemindedly. That solution is obvious."

The group raised their heads and saw Tony and Ella reemerge from the woods. The Dewott kept his hands in his pockets facing off to the side. Wes smiled. "How are you feeling, Tony?"

"Like shit."

"Ah."

Griffin glared. "We're being simpleminded?"

Tony rubbed the back of his head. "Well, yeah, but I don't blame you. None of us are in the best mood tonight, right?" He sighed and gestured at them. "There's six Ravenfields—well, seven, I guess. And if what I gathered was right, we have four locations to prioritize. I think you can understand where I'm going with this."

Wes blinked, then looked at the map again. He narrowed his eyes, then looked up to everyone. "We would have to split the party."

"What?!" Flint gasped, jumping out of his seat. "Split the team?!"

"That's crazy!" Gwyn cried. "We can't do that! Uh…can we?"

Wes glared at the map. "It would cut down on time constraints and give us time to train without stressing ourselves. With our focuses divided, we could get the keys back before the shadows decide on a full-scale counterattack."

Griffin stood up. "Hold on, are we absolutely certain this is the best course to take?"

Tony shrugged. "What else you guys got?"

Ella narrowed her eyes. "He does make a good point—"

"But I just got here!" Ambrosine whined. "I didn't leave the Desert Beasts just to get split off into different parties!" She groaned and fell over from her seat. "What have I done to myself?"

Wes set the map aside. "I don't like this either, but we don't know the status of the shadows right now. We can't waste time debating over this."

"But we've done everything as a team," Flint reminded. "All the struggles we've been through, the obstacles we've overcome; we're stronger together, right?"

Gwyn nodded. "Flinty's right! Even if it's us vs. the world, we'll go down fighting linked by the arms!"

Wes raised his paws, trying to calm them down. "I get it, I get it, but we can't keep doing this like we always have. The shadows are getting stronger every day. We can't waste our time running ourselves ragged when we can make the job easier to finish."

"Think of it like this," Tony started as he sat down. "The shadows have no doubt been crippled by this little attack. Their heralds are down, their forces have been eradicated, and the Shadow King is currently out of commission for an indefinite amount of time. You guys have more time in the world now to get stronger and finish off this journey so you can secure that idol."

Griffin raised a brow at the odd wording. You?

Flint looked down thoughtfully. "I…suppose there's merit to that. Still, I don't like the idea of breaking up the team."

"Me either!" Gwyn cried.

"Again, I just got here!" Ambrosine complained.

Ella huffed, then raised her paw. "Whatever works out in the end is fine by me."

Griffin closed his eyes. "I guess if Wes is suggesting it, I have no reasons to object."

"Perhaps you all should look at this as a teaching moment for the next step of your journey." The team faced the woods as Vernon walked out from behind Alex and Ava, hobbling on his wooden staff. "You all have demonstrated your vast teamwork over the course of your journey. Now it is time for the next phase of your growth: understanding your inner selves."

Tony raised his brow. "This like hippie advice or…"

"I can sense the great bond harmonizing between you all. No doubt that bond will ripen with time as you each improve on individual strengths and weaknesses." Vernon bent down on one knee and bowed his head. "You have my respect, and I put all my hope into your success."

Flint winced. "Talk about putting pressure on us…" He sighed, then looked at his brother. "Well, I guess if everyone's in agreement…"

Wes glared, then nodded. "It seems like the most efficient option."

Gwyn twirled the short hairs left behind on her head. "I don't like the idea of leaving all of you, though." She sniffled as her eyes glistened with tears.

"Aww, Gwyn~!" Ella whined before sprinting over and hugging her. "You're going make me cry if you keep that up!"

Griffin shook his head. "Don't get the wrong impression, but I'm not torn up about this."

"It's true," Mack and Holly responded, earning a glare from the Grovyle.

Tony smirked at him. "You'll miss us."

"I'll hardly miss you," he grumbled.

"The feeling is mutual."

Wes picked the map up and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Alright, if we're going to do this, we need to make sure we know who's going. I already have teams figured out." He pointed at Griffin, Mack, and Holly. "You three? I'm putting you in charge of hunting Voss down."

Griffin glared, then bowed his head. "The role I was hoping for."

Mack smirked. "And you're bossing us to go along with this because…?"

"You two also want to kill him, right?" the Umbreon reminded.

Mack shook his head and chuckled. "Why do you have to make us out so transparent?"

Holly sighed, then nodded at Wes. "You can count on us to get the keys back."

"I know. For the Key of Time, I'm sending Flint and Gwyn after it."

"What?!" Ambrosine gasped, pulling on her leaves.

Flint raised his brow. "Are you sure sending Gwyn to the Desert Zone is the best option? We don't know how well she can grow plants in…well, sand."

Wes grinned. "And that's why I'm sending her with you. I figured it would be the best environment to train her magic."

Gwyn wiped her eyes, then nodded in agreement. "I suppose it would make good practice."

Flint sighed. "Alright, I'm not complaining with it."

Wes nodded. "Cool. Tony and Ambrosine, you'll get the Key of Darkness."

Ambrosine pouted and slumped to the ground again. "Yay…" She glanced over at Tony, who raised a brow at her. She smiled nervously and said, "N-Not that I have anything against you, of course!"

Tony huffed. "Uh huh…"

"That leaves Ella and me, who will go to Arcana Magic Academy for the Key of Space."

Ella grinned flirtatiously. "Ah, I see you wanted me all to yourself."

Wes blushed and hid his face behind the map. "Ah, well, I…heh…"

"Ooh, I'm going to enjoy this~," she purred.

Flint deadpanned at them. "Do one of us need to chaperone you two?"

Ella turned and winked at him. "Depends, do you need one, too?"

"…Shutting up now." He hid the blush on his face.

Ava raised her hand. "Since I want to continue Ella's, and given the path to the academy, it'd be best I lead the trip to Arcana."

Ella shrugged. "I got nothing wrong with that."

Wes rolled up the map. "Well then, I think we've got everyone sorted out. Any objections or alterations?"

Tony stood up. "Actually, I have one minor thing I feel worth mentioning before we finalize this."

"Oh, okay, what is it?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets and took a deep breath. "Not sure how to start this, so I'll just spit it out." He glared and stated, "I'm quitting Team Ravenfield."

Silence instantly hit the campsite as all eyes stared wide in disbelief at the stoic Dewott. Not a single twitch in his face to indicate a sick joke to lighten the mood. They expected jokes out of him, but his comical presence felt lackluster, though for understandable reasons. Even so…

Wes' jaw quivered. "I…I'm sorry, what?"

Tony shrugged. "Yeah, I'm…quitting the team."

Griffin shot off his seat and lifted Tony off the ground by his vest. "Explain yourself!" he growled.

Tony glared. "Keep your dragon breath to yourself, Hothead."

Ella stood up and asked faintly, "Quitting the team? W…What are you talking about?"

"You can't quit the team!" Gwyn cried. "Think of all the cool stuff we've done together!"

Flint glared. "Tony, where is this coming from? Are you seriously abandoning us after everything—"

"All of you just shut up and listen!" Tony finally yelled, scaring them into silence. His eye sparked with electricity. "Griffin, put me down." Griffin, a bit perturbed, dropped the Dewott back onto his feet.

Wes narrowed his eyes worriedly. "Tony, are you okay?"

Tony shuddered with a growl. "Look, I don't want to abandon you guys like this, but…I can't do this anymore. I just…I just can't with all of this." He lifted his hand to his bandaged eye. "I was stoked at the idea of freeing my wings and taking flight ever since I left the village. Traveling with you all has been the greatest experience of my life.

"But I've gone through Hell in one day and now I can't look straight anymore. Everything I've done was to keep the ones I love safe. Look at me. I can't get anything done! You guys are always pulling your weight, but what have I done to show myself? I haven't even been able to defeat a mage on my own, and it was my own bastard father! You guys have proven yourselves! You've been contributing! I've just been running around and getting surprise attacks off!"

Wes frowned. "Tony, you know that's not true. Of course you're strong—"

"Then why wasn't I strong enough to save Indigo?!" he screamed, clutching at his heart as tears ran down his face. "Or Pops?! I could've saved them, but I wasn't fast enough! I've been getting my ass handed to me while they fought their hardest! I could've saved Indigo, but now she's gone! The girl I love is gone! I failed to save her!

"Next thing I know, I'm writing on the tombstone of the man I looked up to as a father!" Tony clenched his fists, threatening to break the skin with his nails. "Do you know how scared I was when I was running through the maze? What if I didn't get to Flint in time?! That bastard Watchog could've killed him! What if I failed to save all of you if I had the chance?! All I ever wanted was a life without regret! I didn't want any of this being dumped onto me!" He fell to his knees and clutched his face. "What if…What if something happened to my mom and sister? What if they were killed?

"If I knew they would be tagging along with us like this, I would've n-never left the village. I would've stayed to support them. But no, they're here. They were that close to the same monster who took Pops away from us. I…I just can't deal with this anymore…"

No words could describe the turmoil in each teammate's chest. It only just occurred to them that Tony, despite the rough history and rivalry with his father, had never gone through these kinds of hardships before. Even Ella faced pain when Garret Ravenfield unexpectedly died years ago. She was there with the brothers. Gwyn, Griffin, Mack, and Holly understood that pain a little too well, and it may have hurt them the most to watch Tony breakdown.

Ava and Alex shared a knowing look with each other, also feeling the pain inside Tony's heart. Ava covered her eyes behind her sleeve, trying to hide the tears welling inside. Alex gently rubbed his shoulder as he looked awkwardly at the ground.

Vernon narrowed his eyes at the quaking Dewott, then stepped forward. "The turmoil in all your hearts still lingers. Though this is the next step in your journey, only you can decide where the path takes you, young ones."

Wes blinked with tears in his eyes, then looked back at Tony. He gulped, then approached him, sitting on his haunches and setting his paw on his shoulder. "Tony, have you been holding this in from us?"

Tony sniffled, snot running from his nose and tears from his eye. He wiped his face and faced the Umbreon pitifully. "I-I tried to keep myself together, wondering if everything will turn out alright. For a moment, I forgot about those fears and figured…maybe everything isn't so bad." He shuddered a cry and covered his face. "I was fooling myself just to save face—" He froze as Wes pulled him into a hug.

Wes felt the tears run down from his eyes. "I'm sorry, Tony. I'm sorry you've been feeling like this. I…I wish you told me sooner. I know what you're going through, believe me."

Tony blinked, then bared his teeth. "You've always been…so stupidly optimistic where it counts." He forced a sad, toothy grin. "Why are you always like this?" He hooked one arm around Wes and pressed his face into his shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. I get it." Wes pulled back and looked him in the eye. "What will you do, then?"

Tony wiped his face, then looked down. "I…need some time to figure things out. I need to know who I am first, and come to terms with my future." He sighed through his nose. "I made need to be alone for a while and clear my head."

Ella stepped forward. "What about your mom and Cheri?"

"They'll understand. I trust them to be safe with Ava and the circus. Better than having me as their sole protector." He shook his head. "I just…need some closure."

Wes sighed, then nodded. "Alright. I understand. Just so you know, if you ever change your mind, there's always a place for you on the team." Wes smiled softly. "We're friends after all."

Tony smiled weakly. "Heh. I'll…remember that."

Wes stood up, then looked at the rest of his team. "I think we can learn something from Tony." He glared seriously at them. "You all have been through a lot today, too. If anyone else wants to back out now, I'll understand. Please, don't put yourselves through any more pain."

Gwyn frowned. "But what about you?"

Wes pulled the Star Amulet out from under his shirt. "I made a vow to continue and ultimately surpass my father's legacy. Nothing's going to stop me from finding the idol and putting an end to the shadows. Everyone's suffered enough. I won't let anymore smiles die from gloom and despair. I'm coming to terms with who I am, too, and this is what I want."

The team stared in contemplation, awed by the Umbreon's maturity. Flint closed his eyes and sighed. "You…have always been my impulsive, troublemaker of a brother." He smirked and stepped forward. "I'm not backing out this now. You aren't the only one who wants to surpass Dad's legacy."

Ella flipped her bangs and stepped beside Flint. "I've got no plans settled for the future. Might as well use whatever time I have left."

Gwyn pulled her locket from under her shirt and peered at the photo of her and her mother. She wiped the tears from her eyes reading the 'Little Rose' written over it. She clasped it shut and stepped beside Flint. "I let fear hold me back for too long. Life will continue to nourish so long as I stand."

Griffin scoffed to himself. "I've dedicated my whole life to facing my trauma. What you all see as a tragedy is simple the path I've walked for years." He stepped beside Ella. "And I won't let another person walk that path."

Ambrosine squeezed in between Gwyn and Flint and waved awkwardly. "Heh, I've already made it clear why I'm doing this, so don't count me out already."

Wes smiled warmly at his teammates. "You guys are amazing." He grabbed Tony's hand and helped him up. "Cheer us on to victory, Tony."

Tony smiled softly. "Just don't go dying on me, too. I can't bear the thought of losing more family." His words brought tears to Wes' eyes.

Griffin interrupted the small moment with a prominent cough. "Ahem, yes, very sweet and all, but who's going after the Key of Darkness now? No offense to the newbie, but I don't think sending her off on her own is the wisest decision."

Ambrosine shook her head. "Oh no, I'm in complete agreement with you, no way!"

Wes winced. "Ooh, right. Hmm, let's see…"

As Wes reworked the plan, Ella took a few sideways glances at Ambrosine and noticed how she kept eying Flint. The red tint in her cheeks, plus the obvious signs she showed before the tomb was turned into a funhouse of death, told her what Ambrosine really wanted.

Ella rolled her eyes. This has bad idea written all over it, but she has a better connection with Flint than the rest of us. She raised her paw and announced, "Actually, I have a potential solution."

Wes blinked. "Oh?"

"Have Ambrosine go with Flint and Gwyn to the Desert Zone."

"Huh?" Flint and Gwyn questioned.

"Really?!" Ambrosine gasped.

Ella nodded. "She was with you two the longest out of all of us. Might be better she's with some folks she's semi-comfortable with than…well, Griffin, for instance." Griffin opened his mouth to object, but thought it over, then nodded in agreement.

Tony nodded. "Seconded. Plus, given they're not powerhouses like Wes and Hothead, might be best to have a healer with them."

Wes scratched his head. "Well, if they're no objections, then—"

"Yes!" Ambrosine flung herself onto Flint and hugged him, turning his face bright red. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She noticed the stares and backed off in embarrassment. "Uh, I mean—ACK!" Gwyn squeezed in and hugged them both.

"I don't mind! I'll make sure she's officially welcomed into the team!" Gwyn cheered, giving one tight squeeze for the Steenee. "I get a new best friend!"

Ambrosine gulped, then laughed awkwardly. "Yaaay…"

Wes raised his brow. "But wait, then who's going to get the—"

"Key of Darkness?" Ella finished. She willed her weapon to her side and holstered it. "Leave that to me."

Wes frowned. "You?"

"Yeah. I'll travel with Ava's crew so I can finish my training."

"Oh. Oh, that's…nice." Wes rubbed his foreleg awkwardly. "I was…looking forward to traveling with you, so…"

Ella smiled sadly. "Sorry Wes."

"No, it's fine. It's for the best. I've traveled alone before. No…big deal." He looked at the ground gloomily.

Alex frowned sympathetically for the Umbreon. Even if his memories were suppressed, he felt a strong kinship towards Wes and understood his troubles well. Alex never liked traveling alone.

He sighed and stood up. "You won't be traveling alone." He pointed at himself and grinned. "You've got me to keep you company."

Wes' eyes lit up. "Professor—I mean, Mr. Alex?"

He winked. "I figure if anyone should accompany you, it'd be your favorite professor." He laughed and lightly scratched his cheek. "Kind of strange I technically have a teaching degree."

Wes grinned brightly, his eyes sparkling like water in the starry night sky. "Thank you so much, sir!"

Alex grinned. "Of course, kid."

Ava frowned worriedly. "Alex, you just woke up from a shadow-induced coma hours ago. Are you sure—"

"I'm sure, Ava." He smiled at her. "Besides, if these kids need to get stronger, someone's got to toughen Wes up. I may have been asleep for all these years, but I'm still as strong as before. I'll make sure he reaches AMA."

Ava blinked, then smiled softly. "I…wanted to wait before I told you this until you got your strength back up, but I guess now you need a little incentive if you really want to do this."

Alex blinked. "Huh?" Ava took his hands in her and squeezed them gently.

"Willow is alive."

Alex's eyes widened, instantly glistening. His heartrate skyrocketed. "She's…what?"

"Alive and well."

"B-But…I…I…"

"Her father sacrificed his life to resurrect her. He brought her back to life, because he believed you two were meant to be with each other. None of us wanted to believe you were truly gone, and neither did he." Ava smiled brightly. "Willow had your daughter while you were gone."

"M…My…daughter?"

"Probably five or six-years-old. You're a father now, Alex." She cupped the Scrafty's cheek. "So please, if you're going to protect Wes, promise me you won't die along the way. Live…for Willow and your daughter."

"Willow…she's alive." Alex stumbled back, clasping his face. "I…have a daughter?" Tears welled up in his eyes, his breath became short, and his knees buckled under his weight. He collapsed onto his knees as teardrops dripped to the ground. "I…I…"

Alex broke out into hysterical sobs of joy, smiling like a fool. Team Ravenfield and Tony smiled fondly at him with tears in their eyes. Of all the pain they endured, it was nice to see some good brought back into a broken spirit's life. His cries were the only ones that night that brought a little hope back into their hearts.

The journey ahead looked that much brighter.

Despite protests, everyone agreed to stay in the village for the next three days to recuperate and plan their trips accordingly. Supplies, money, farewells, and everything else they needed for the long roads ahead. For the most part, their injuries had cleared up thanks to Ambrosine's healing magic and Gwyn's potions.

It was the early morning outside the village boundaries, with the young travelers stretching their legs and doing one last check on supplies before they headed out. Of course, they couldn't leave without saying goodbye to everyone, too.

Faye, who had joined to wish everyone goodbye, gasped when Griffin handed her his deck of Mythic Heart cards. "You're giving me your deck?"

Griffin nodded. "I wouldn't want it to be accidentally destroyed during the trip."

"But don't you have an extradimensional storage locker or something?"

Griffin smirked a bit. "Think of this as a promise I'll be back, then. I wouldn't mind if you taught me a few other games. I had fun learning from you."

Faye blinked, then covered her face as a blush formed. "O-Oh, um…o-okay!" She heard Nebula snickering behind her. "K-Knock it off!"

Holly and Mack poked at each other, laughing under their breaths. Griffin shot a warning glare at them, immediately switching them to innocent whistling. He shook his head and joined their side, though looked back at the embarrassed Sliggoo for a moment. After a moment, he smiled to himself and walked away.

"Toooony!" Cheri cried, gripping his vest and pressing her face into his chest. "Please don't leave again!"

Tony smiled softly, then looked up at his mother. Though she also looked sad, she smiled warmly at her son. He nodded, then bent down in front of his sister. "Cheri." She pulled her face off as he rubbed her head. "Your big bro just has to sort some things out for himself. I might be gone for a while."

She sniffled. "B-But, what if s-something happens to you? J-Just like…"

Tony frowned. "I promise, I will come back."

"Y-You can't promise that…"

He closed his eye, sighed, then smiled warmly. "Then you'll just have to trust me. I need to sort myself out, figure out who I am and stuff. I recommend you do the same thing." He tapped her on the nose. "I'm trusting you to keep everyone safe for me, especially Mom. I may be leaving the team, but I'll make sure to come back as someone you can admire."

"B-But…you're already cool."

"Heh. I know." He embraced her and nestled his head against hers. "For as long as you can, enjoy life. Don't grow up too fast."

Cheri sniffled, then cried into his shoulder and returned the embrace. "O-Okay…"

Angel bent down beside her children and wrapped her arms around them, gently nuzzling their faces. "Stay safe for the both of us, Tony."

"I will, Mom. I will."

Ambrosine watched the family hug with a bit of envy. She felt someone tap her shoulder, causing her to jump. "Ah!" She turned, then breathed a sigh of relief to see it was only Gwyn. "Oh…hey."

Gwyn had her shortened head of hair into a top knot bun. She smiled and asked, "Something wrong?"

"Oh no, I was just, uh…" She glanced back at the family, then sighed. "I…never really had much in the way of a loving family. Seeing them like that kind of…sickens me." Ambrosine frowned. "Wish I had something like that."

"Aww." Gwyn beamed cheerily. "Well, don't you worry! If you ever need hugs and friendship, you'll have me around!" She grabbed Ambrosine's arm and squeezed it with a hug. "We're going to be the best besties ever!"

Ambrosine grinned nervously. "I'm…looking forward to it." She glanced over at Flint, who was chatting with his brother. It'll be fine. I wanted this, right? I'll be traveling with my crush and his girlfriend. Nothing weird about that at all, haha.

Since Ella would be traveling by caravan, she hanged out on top of a trailer, lazily swaying her foreleg over the side. She smirked a little at Gwyn and Ambrosine. Either those two are going to get along well or Flint's going to have one awkward road trip. If you weren't such a modest guy, Flint, you'd be living out most guys' dream.

After Tony finished saying goodbye to his family, he met eyes with Griffin. The two rivals glared, then approached each other. Griffin towered over the Dewott, but Tony stood firm as he stared up at him.

Griffin scoffed. "What a shame I won't have someone to prove my superiority against."

Tony smirked. "Anything to keep that bruised ego of yours from cracking."

"Hmph." Griffin closed his eyes. "Let me part you with a piece of advice."

"Ah, are we exchanging one final bout of insults? Hope you brought your A-game, because I'm coming in with only the most verbose of comebacks." Tony cracked his knuckles and waited expectedly for the words to fly.

"Instead of suppressing your rage and letting it consume you, incorporate it into your ambition."

Tony blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

Griffin glared. "You're remarkably talented and skilled. While I understand the pain you are feeling, don't sell yourself short. I'm sure you'll come to find the answers you seek when you've reached maturity." He extended his hand. "Whether or not this is the last our paths cross, it has been an honor serving as your rival…Tony."

Tony's eye widened. "I…" He let the shock settle as he stared at Griffin's outstretched hand. He sighed and shook his head. "You bastard, I had a whole repertoire of insults to throw, too. Heh." He smirked and grasped Griffin's hand. "Then let me say farewell with some advice of my own. You embody rage, right? Don't rely too much on your weapons."

"Hmm?"

"I know you can brawl, so you need to do the opposite of your own advice. You're experienced enough to not let anger consume your judgment. Turn your body into the weapon instead."

Griffin glared. "I'll…keep that in mind."

Tony snickered. "Don't be surprised if I come back and surpass you."

"I look forward to the day I cut down that ego of yours."

A whistle directed everyone's attention over to Wes and Flint. Wes raised his paws and exclaimed, "If I can have everyone's attention! If you've finished with your goodbyes, we can get started."

Ella, Gwyn, Ambrosine, Tony, the Grim Ash Trio, and Alex approached the brothers. Flint nodded to Wes, who then tossed the map into the air. Flint's Guardian formed and, with one of Wes' conjured swords, slashed the map into three parts. Each Eeveelution of the team grabbed a piece from the air, showing off their locations.

"We each have our destinations and a set objective." Wes rolled his piece up. "This may be the toughest journey we've ever gone on. It's not too late to back down now, though."

Ella smirked. "You aren't getting rid of me that easily."

Gwyn pumped her fists. "I was unsure before, but now I'm surer than ever!"

"Uh, yeah, what she said," Ambrosine agreed.

Griffin nodded. "We'll scour the lands until we locate Voss. You'll have the keys back in no time, on my word."

Mack smirked. "Even if we have to blister the land!"

"We are not doing that," Holly scolded.

Tony sighed and shook his head. "You'll have my support wherever I am. If I do see any shadow activity popping up, though, I'll be sure to eradicate it swiftly."

Wes smiled. "Thanks, Tony."

"Hey, just because I'm leaving the team doesn't mean I'm completely out of the game." Tony smiled. "That spot on the team will still be open, right?"

"Indefinitely."

"I'll keep that in mind. I'll…I'll miss you guys."

Wes closed his eyes and sighed. "Yeah…Yeah, I think we all are."

"Can't believe we're really doing this," Ella mumbled. "Stills feels unreal."

"Like a weird dream," Gwyn added.

Griffin crossed his arms. "What do we do after we finish our objectives?"

"It'd be best if we meet up in one location." Wes tapped his chin for a second, then nodded to himself. "How about Arcana Magic Academy?"

Ella raised her brow. "Why there?"

"I figure if Cielo is the strongest of the mages, what better way to finish off our journey by starting from the last checkpoint?"

Ella smirked. "So, thematic reasons."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"You really do want your name to be remembered."

Wes laughed. "Yeah, well—" He froze as Ella grabbed his shirt and pulled him into a surprise kiss. His cheeks glowed bright red, even brighter after she released it.

She winked. "Take care of yourself, Wes~."

"I-I-I-I…" Wes babbled in a lovestruck daze. Flint gave him a light smack on the head, snapping him awake. "Th-Thanks."

Alex looked up at the sky and noted that the sun was rising higher and higher by the minute. He turned back to the team and said, "If we're all done here, we should get going. Not a second to spare."

Wes nodded. "Right, of course." He faced his team and grinned. "I…guess this is goodbye."

Gwyn giggled. "Let's not think of this as a 'We'll never see you again and never come back' goodbye. More like a 'See ya real soon, buddy ol' pal' goodbye!"

Wes' eyes widened, then he shot her a smirk. "Hey, you stole that from me back in Marble Stone."

"Hehe, guilty!"

Flint shook his head and smiled. "Well, regardless of what happens, this isn't a goodbye forever." He extended his paw out. "Far into the dangerous regions of Mysto, we'll still be Team Ravenfield."

Wes grinned and set his paw atop Flint's. "Agreed."

Ella joined in the circle. "You knuckleheads better stay out of trouble or so help me…"

Gwyn bounced on her toes, then settled her hand into the circle. "This is going to be epic!"

Tony closed his eye, smirked, and joined in. "And I'll be there to cheer you guys on in spirit."

Griffin placed his hand inside. "I have the utmost faith in this team. I pledge my loyalty to you all and our success."

The group turned to Ambrosine, who looked a little shocked. They nodded at the circle, like they were expecting her to join in. She gulped and asked, "Really? Are you sure?"

Wes grinned. "Hey, just because you're new doesn't mean teammates get left out."

"We're still letting this idiot do it, so why not?" Griffin stated, nodding at Tony.

"Ah, there's the insults," he grumbled with a smirk.

Ambrosine cautiously stepped toward them and raised her hand. With a moment of hesitance, she settled her hand over Griffin's. She took a breath, then said, "Thank you very much, all of you."

Wes nodded, then smiled at his friends. "Until we meet again in AMA. Altogether, Team…"

"RAVENFIELD!" they exclaimed, throwing their hands into the air.

"Team Ravenfield…!" Wes threw himself at them and pulled them into a group hug. "Take care," he finished softly. They wrapped their arms around each other, laughing to themselves. Griffin, normally adverse to hugging, wrapped one arm around the group and pouted off to the side.

Once they pulled apart, their journeys started. Wes and Alex nodded at each other and took off in one direction while Flint, Gwyn, and Ambrosine went in the opposite direction. Griffin, Holly, and Mack stretched their limbs, then raced off. Tony turned back to his mom and Cheri, waved, then wandered off into the woods.

Ella hanged back and waved with a sad smile as Cheri cried into her mother's blouse. Ella sighed, but smiled a bit as Ava lay a comforting hand on her shoulder. "How are you feeling?" Ava asked.

"Sad, but…happy?" She shrugged. "I don't know."

Ava smiled. "I know what you mean, don't worry." She stood up and dusted her robe off. "Now, how's about you help me make the final preparations before we get going? Not sure how long until we get to the caverns, but we'll have plenty of time to finish off your training."

Ella smiled. "I'm looking forward to it." She followed Ava back to the trailers, stopping for a moment to look back at Wes and Alex's fleeting forms. She narrowed her gaze as they disappeared through the trees, then sighed. "Don't worry, Wes. Nothing's going to hold me back." She continued after Ava.

And so, with the departure of Team Ravenfield on their epic quest to secure the remainder of the keys, comes a new chapter in their journey. What mayhem will unfold before them? What obstacles will they overcome? What will become of them in the dawn of a new era?

One thing's for sure, no matter how far they go, they know in their hearts that their souls will forever be intertwined by fate.

One Week Later

It was the dead of night in Sacred Tree Village, with the fresh grave of Morgan Tenebris remaining untouched and unseen. In the short span of time it had been made, flowers were already starting to grow around it, a sign of good fortune and peace in the coming change.

At least one soul may now lay to rest.

"Tch. Pokémon would write stories about the man who tricked the devil. Simple minds stroking their simple egos."

Pale yellow flames scorched the earth and incinerated the stems. A foot stamped down on their ashes with a shovel stabbing the mound of dirt. A wicked grin curled on the figure's face.

"Kehehehehe. You played a good trick, Wendrake, but every good trick is hidden behind a veil of illusion. A setback, this is, but not for long. Enjoy your reprieve, Team Ravenfield, but this is all for the will of the Shadow King. Simple minds stroking simple egos."

He dug the shovel down and scooped the dirt up. He kept digging down and down until he found a yellow arm. His grin grew wider.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. You still have me. I, your faithful servant, will help you bring about your dream of a world without suffering. All of this is for your perfect world."