Castle Visconti
There comes a time in a Forester's career where they must put the pinnacle of their training to the test and show what they've learned against unparalleled evil.
…Victoria and Felix forgot that part of their training.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
The Azumarill and Sylveon bolted around a hallway and sprinted away from the flood of darkness chasing them down. Clawed hands made of shadow stamped the walls and crawled after the fleeing duo, pulling along the mass of darkness cackling at their cowardice. Flames jettisoned from his gaping grin, burning bright scarlet.
"Where are you running, little Foresters?!" Itzal yelled.
"Why can't we be fighting the creepy ice lady again?!" Victoria cried.
"No one told us we'd be fighting the final boss!" Felix screamed.
Itzal reared back one hand and channeled a red orb of intense light. "Scarlet Moon!" He fired it down on the hapless pair, sending them flying in the blast.
"AAAAAA—" They reached the end of the hallway, ramming face-first into the wall. Locked in a dead end, they spun around and shivered as the gigantic shadow stomped his hands down and loomed over them like the silhouette of a demon cloaked in flames.
"Maybe killing you brats will draw out Stormbreaker. If not, at least you'll have the honor of suffering under the Scarlet Flame's glory~."
Victoria whipped out her boomerang. "I'm warning you! I've destroyed an entire building just by pouring a glass of water! Don't mess with me!"
Itzal cackled, sharpening his claws. "That just makes the chase more exciting!" He thrusted his hand down on the pair.
"Dodge!" Felix shouted.
The duo jumped in separate directions, avoiding being crushed. Keeping to her word, Victoria threw her boomerang at Itzal, aiming to taking out his eye—
It completely missed and flew down the hallway.
"Uh. Oh."
Itzal laughed. "What was that? Scarlet Moon!" He raised the red orb over the shivering aqua rabbit's head.
Felix reached inside his uniform and pulled out his playing cards. "Dealer's Edge!" He lunged for the shadow Gourgeist's arms and sliced through the wrists. The Scarlet Moon dropped out of the air and exploded on top of Itzal's head.
"Muddy Twister!" With Itzal briefly incapacitated, Victoria launched herself into a spiraling, muddy Aqua Jet. She crashed into Itzal's midsection and sent him towering form crashing onto the floor. "Hey, I got—"
A shadow hand extended out from the darkness and slammed Victoria into the ceiling. Itzal reshaped himself and melded the arm to his main one, clutching the Azumarill in his tight grasp. He opened his mouth, showcasing the flames billowing inside. "Scarlet—"
"Two Kind!" Felix leapt behind Itzal and threw two exploding cards into his back. Itzal flinched, dropping Victoria and turning his attention to the game-loving Sylveon. "Three Kind!" He threw three cards into Itzal's face, but the shadow monster barreled through the blast and slammed his hand down, throwing Felix back in the shockwave.
"Scarlet Inferno!" He exhaled, released a torrent of red flames that encompassed the hallway.
"Full House Strike: Double Down!" Felix leapt, jumping over the flames, and threw five empowered playing cards that detonated across the shadow's maw.
A shadow hand reached out, grabbed the Sylveon, and slammed his face into the burning floor. Felix screamed as the flames wrapped around his body. Itzal pulled himself from the smoke and laughed. "Become one with the Scarlet Flame—"
"Emergency Splash Zone!"
Itzal looked back as a tidal wave of muddied water poured down the hallway and blasted him away. The flames extinguished off of Felix, who dug an enhanced playing card into the floor to keep himself from being dragged along the current.
Victoria swam through the murky water and waved to Felix with a beaming smile. However, their torment was far from over as two shadow hands peeled from the walls and grabbed the pair, bringing them along for the ride.
The water crashed along the castle walls, throwing Itzal's shadow body back and forth as he barely stayed connected to the darkness. He reared in his arms and grinned demonically at the cowering duo in his grip. "Nice. Try. Scarlet Inferno!"
He exhaled a vortex of flames, extinguishing the flood instantly. Itzal shook himself off and rose to full height with the two pests squirming in his grip. He laughed, reared them into the air, and slammed them headfirst into the floor. He raised them up again and slammed them down again.
"Come on, you little cowards~! I want to hear you scream!"
Victoria squirmed her arms within his grasp, digging into her bag. "You're a…very mean clown." She pulled her arms free and tossed a myriad of glowing orbs into the air. "Super Surprise Boom Party!"
The bombs went off, dealing no damage to the Ghost-Type, but emitting a horrific flash that staggered and fizzled his shadowy form. "GAH!" He dropped the duo and shielded himself behind his arms.
Felix landed and fired four cards. "Four Kind!"
The cards exploded across Itzal, but the shadow Gourgeist pushed through without a care. He waved through the smoke and swiped his arm across the hallway, backhanding the duo into a wall. He threw his fist and nearly crushed them under it, only for them to roll out of the way in time.
"You two are stubbornly persistent." Itzal brushed some dust off his shoulders and grinned down at them. "All the more fun I'll have watching you burn in the scarlet's pyre."
Despite their shivering, they stood tall. Victoria raised her fists while Felix pulled out his playing cards. "Y-You may think you can bully us, but we're on our way to being full-fledged Woodland Rangers!" Victoria shouted.
"L-Like we're scared of some big, bad criminal like you!" Felix taunted. "Our master is ten times scarier than you!"
Itzal cackled. "Oh, I'm positively quaking." He launched his arms forward like pistons to crush the two. "We'll have that engraved on your tombstones—"
BZT!
A spark of lightning flew past the duo and bounced off the walls, slicing up Itzal's arms instantly. An explosion of lightning followed, startling the shadow ringmaster and throwing him back.
Victoria and Felix gasped as the bolt of lightning crashed down in front of them, transforming into none other than Jason. They hugged each other and squealed, "JASON!"
He stood up and glared up at the towering shadow. "Why am I not surprised?"
Itzal growled. "So, you finally found me?"
Jason reached behind himself and tossed Victoria's boomerang back to her. "A little birdie told me where to go."
She caught it and laughed. "Good luck charm strikes again!"
Jason pointed his dagger at the towering shadow and said, "You two, get out of the castle now. This is way out of your league."
"But what about—" Felix started.
"I'll be fine." His glare darkened. "I need to pick this bastard's brain for a moment."
The apprentices gave each other unsure looks, but ultimately agreed the fight was in better hands. They nodded and ran away, shouting, "Good luck, sir!"
Itzal reformed his hands and grinned down at the comparatively smaller monster. "Well, well, well. It's like a meeting of the minds. Two infamous forces finally trading blows. Or am I not enough for you after your bout with Grim Deadlock?"
Jason growled. "I've seen some heinous stuff over the years, so I'm pleased to tell you that you've reached my top five."
"Ooooooh! I'm so honored!" Itzal summoned fire from his hands and stretched his umbric form over the hallway, looming above the Pikachu and staring down at him with his sickening sneer and grin. "Still, I've seen your bout with Deadlock. If you had trouble cutting him down, you'll have a harder time cutting me down to size. Skill Hunter learned that the hard way."
"…" Jason clenched his dagger tighter. "You already confronted Harlow."
Itzal cackled, his voice booming like thunder. "That, I did!"
"…" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He flipped his dagger into a reverse grip. "I'm going to burn your insides to ash."
Itzal's grin stretched wide. "I'd like to see you tr—"
His eyes widened as Jason suddenly leapt up to his face and plunged the dagger through his umbric hide. He stared into the Pikachu's cold, remorseless eyes as electricity channeled into his blade, sparking wildly across the shadows.
"That wasn't a warning."
A rumbling rippled over the castle, shaking the hallway as Asterio navigated the umbra-displaced girls. Though he wasn't affected, the girls cried out as their dark dimension rumbled all over. He watched their two-dimensional forms flail across the walls.
"Monica?!" he gasped.
Monica pressed her hands to the wall and panted. "Doooooon't worry. I think I'm good."
Harlow shook her head and groaned. "We're getting close. Prince Asterio, do you see the Lord of Shadow anywhere?"
He looked around, glaring at the walls and ceiling. "I don't think he's on this floor. He might be above us. It sounds like he's getting into a fight."
"A fight…?" Harlow gasped. "Oh no, he must've found Jason!"
"We have to hurry!" Monica gasped.
Asterio glared. "Are you crazy? I can't risk dragging you into a fight between the Fairy Knight and that psychotic nightmare!"
"Your Highness, if I don't get close enough to observe the Lord of Shadow, I can't copy his technique and pull us out of here!" Harlow exclaimed. "We can't get free without taking a risk."
"I agreed to escort you to where he was, but I refuse to let you drag Monica anywhere near that fight!"
"You're being stubborn!"
"I'm being cautious! I still don't trust you!"
"I'm doing everything I can to help her escape, but not if you keep acting like this!"
"Listen, you—"
"Uh, guys?" Monica suddenly cut in as the shaking worsened. "Does anyone hear a dull, creaking noise?"
Asterio's eyes widened. With his attention back on his surroundings, he looked up to the sound of the ceiling's foundation caving in. As the battle intensified above, the ceiling was being weathered down until cracks started spitting open.
"Oh shi—"
The ceiling collapsed, and a large mass of darkness came careening down. Asterio floated out of the way as the giant shadow crashed down into the floor, breaking down to the next story below. His eyes widened as he saw a ball of electricity riding atop the falling darkness with a dagger stabbed into the umbric being's chest.
"Was that—" Asterio gasped.
"Jason!" Harlow exclaimed.
Asterio looked up as more of the ceiling came loose and collapsed over the hallway. "Shit! Acid Arm—" His voice was muffled out as the debris came crashing down over his head.
The towering mass of darkness crashed through several floors of the castle as lightning surged across his body. Jason kept his balance between the crashes, keeping his dagger plunged through the umbric hide with each successive impact.
The final floor caved in under Itzal's weight, dropping the pair into the ruins of the castle foyer. Jason pulled his dagger free and leapt off Itzal before the shadow Gourgeist crashed down onto the floor. Jason dug his dagger into a ruined column and rode down to the bottom.
Itzal pulled himself back together and rose to monstrous heights now that they were in a larger space. He shook the dust off his body and batted the sparks lingering off his umbric skin. The puncture wound burning off his chest soon sealed itself up.
Despite the pain he endured, he cackled with delight and glared down the Pikachu warrior. "Oooooh! Very few have been able to reach me with their attacks. Your mastery over electricity isn't to be scoffed at. Are the rumors true that you can't naturally project electricity?"
Jason ignored his prying and pointed his dagger toward the monster. "Where is Harlow?"
Itzal smirked. "Don't worry, she's alive. She'll be very useful to me once I've brought her back to Terrowin. He's had his eye on her for some time, not that I care for his plans. Oh, but he's spoken of the Foresters a lot since you decided to stick your noses into his business. You should've just gone back to terrorizing nobles."
Jason's glare deepened. "You won't get the chance to leave." Electricity sparked wildly through his fur, its usual yellow color gradually turning blue.
Itzal glared. "If I recall from your fight with Deadlock, your ability is Lightning Rod. Seems Ansaldo's electric cage had the opposite effect of what was intended. You've been syphoning off the electrified air this whole time, haven't you?"
"Care to find out firsthand?"
The ringmaster snickered. "It matters not. I've had my fun picking on those two cowards. My real target is you." He sprouted two extra pairs of shadow arms and sharpened the fingers into claws. "The light of the Scarlet Flame grants me power incomparable to any force produced by this world! I have embodied the truth of the universe through its majestic glow and will soon consume everything in glorious jubilation! A mere rat like you poses no threat to me!"
From where Itzal's shadow form connected to the darkness, scarlet flames spewed out and surrounded the foyer, blocking off all available exits. Jason didn't flinch even as the flames curled and surrounded him in a ring. His glare was fixed and unmoving, staring into the shadow's scarlet eyes like a volley of daggers.
"…Your name is Abasolo. Is that true?"
Itzal smirked. "What matters about my name? Are you a fan of my work?"
"Are you really an Abasolo?"
"HA! It doesn't matter what my name is! I only carry that name out of obligation. My only desire is to eradicate everything and spread the word of joy to all across Virdis, ridding us of this festering corruption once and for all!" He threw his head back and laughed as the flames flared wildly in conjunction to his joy.
Jason shielded his face from the growing flames, grunting through clenched teeth. "Now it all makes sense."
"Eh?" Caught up in his laughter, Itzal glared down at the Pikachu. "What was that?"
He spun his dagger into a reverse grip and took his stance. "Now I have all the more reason to take you down. Face me at your own risk, Lord of Shadow."
Back up the destroyed floors, piles of rubble lay by the crash site and hung dangerously by the holes leading down to the foyer. There was no sign of life at first until a dark, gaseous mist hissed from the cracks. A plume of dark fog poured out from the pile and collected together, taking on the shape of a dark hood and cloak with two piercing red eyes shining through.
The fog soon parted, though, revealing the relatively unscathed Asterio. He groaned, brushing dust off his shoulders and tattered cloak. "Ugh. That sucked."
He looked to the walls and spotted Harlow and Monica's shadows floating back into view. Monica pressed her hands to the wall and asked, "Asterio? Are you okay?"
He massaged his head and grumbled, "Aside from this splitting migraine, I'll live." He glared down the pit leading to the foyer and spotted fire and lightning clashing below. "That was unexpected. Thief, that's your target, right?"
Shadow Dimension
Melissa swam along the void until she got a better view of the action below. Everything looked just as murky as usual, barely able to discern the flames and lightning surging about, especially from the height she was observing from. However, among the fighting, only one thing stood out in the void: Itzal himself.
Suspended within the void, the Gourgeist raised his hands and seemed to be controlling his shadow form akin to a puppet. He floated within the vague outline of the creature marked by the smoky purple aura making up its shape. Based on what she could see, the vague outline was projecting itself out from the barriers dividing the void and the real world.
"I can see his real body," Melissa stated. "He's able to interact outside the void and with the three-dimensional space. Since he's still connected to this realm, that means I can just sneak up into his shadow form and possibly tackle him back into the real world."
Monica tilted her head. "Will that work?"
"Unless he tries binding Jason to this realm, too, I can't copy his technique without getting another look at it. However, if I copy his shadow form, maybe that'll be enough to break us free." She scratched her chin. "Though, I could perform a makeshift version of his shadow binding technique if I properly combine the appropriate moves. It didn't seem to require the Scarlet Flame, so I would be able to replicate it."
The smoky aura that was Asterio floated toward the shadow barrier. "Even so, you plan to drag Monica closer to that bastard? She might get hurt."
Melissa glared. "We don't have a choice either way. He doesn't plan on letting us go any time soon, so who knows how long we'll be trapped in here? Just count of Jason to keep him distracted long enough for me to make my move."
Though she could read his expression, she knew Asterio was contemplating the risks involved. She could see the shaking in his fists and the slight trembles of his smoky outline. Ultimately, however, the prince relented with a defeated groan. "Fine. You better keep her safe, thief. I won't forgive you if anything happens to her."
Melissa nodded. "I promise, I'll guard Monica with my life if I must." She grabbed the Alcremie's hand. "When we break loose, you grab Monica and get her to safety. Leave the fighting to Jason and me."
Asterio nodded slowly, still holding his glare. "Whatever. Just get her out of there."
Harlow nodded and pulled Monica along. "Follow my lead and do exactly as I say, got it?"
The shadow Alcremie saluted. "Okey-dokey, smoky!"
Asterio watched the two shadows float around the edge of the hole and descend down to the foyer. He restrained himself from following, otherwise he could garner unnecessary attention to himself. It pained him having to sit back while some monster was rampaging in his home, not to mention allowing a notorious criminal be his only chance of rescuing his friend.
And yet, he felt conflicted working with Harlow. That gnawing feeling in the back of his mind still ached in him. The previous night resurfaced to the forefront of his mind. Despite it not making any sense with the recent events in Verde…
That can't be anyone other than…Princess Penworth.
Itzal's mad cackling boomed through the destroyed foyer as he summoned dozens of shadow arms from his body, their clawed fingers burning in scarlet flame. "Scarlet Fiend Crush!" His arms swung like pistons, smashing down across the floor.
Jason's fur buzzed with electricity before he took off. He streaked through the foyer as a bolt of lightning, passing through the swarm of attacks before a single one could impact the floor. He caught himself on the wall and rocketed into the air, kicking the back of Itzal's head at the speed of lightning.
"RAH!" Itzal swung his arm to bat the Pikachu off, but he vanished in a flash. He watched the little thunderbolt zip across the foyer, ricocheting off surfaces and surrounding the Gourgeist like a net of lightning. "Scarlet Moon: Embers of Jubilation!" He crushed a red orb in his hand and fired out a volley of fiery orbs.
They bombed everything in their path, yet Jason pierced through the blasts and rammed into the shadow's chest, digging his dagger through the umbric hide. "Thunder Fairy Step: Plasma Cutter Z-Strike!" Electricity crackled out from the blade, turning in into a plasma cutter. Digging his claws into the shadow pumpkin, Jason sped up and sliced Itzal up the middle.
"GAH!" Itzal roared. Electricity spilled out from his face and split his head in two.
Jason caught the ceiling and immediately sprung back down. "Thunder Fairy Step—" He reared his hand back and channeled an electromagnetic aura through his palm. "Lightning Breaker Z-Palm!"
He slammed his palm down on the split Gourgeist, releasing a repulsive impact that collapsed the shadow into the floor, folding in on himself. A visible shockwave emanated from Jason's palm as it crushed the shadow and blew away the flames.
Itzal pulled himself out of the floor once the attack faded and swung his arm across the airspace. Jason spun and rolled over his fist, gripping into his hide and speeding up to the ringmaster's split face. Rearing back his electrified dagger, he swung and sliced across the neck. The force snapped Itzal's head back and left his shadowy complexion flapping as it peeled apart.
"Gaaaaah…" His split grin widened. "Fantastic! So, this is the power of the Fairy Knight!"
Jason felt darkness looming over him and quickly kicked off the shadow before his fist came crashing down on him. Itzal pulled himself up and twisted his face back together. He boomed with laughter, flames spilling from the corners of his mouth. His jaw widened and spilled out a volley of flames into the air.
"Scarlet Rain!"
"Storm Tango!" Jason dodged and weaved through the fiery rain with snap, precise movements. He flickered across the floor until he reached a wall. He jumped over the raining flames and kicked off the wall. "Plasma Cutter Z-Strike!"
"Scarlet Seekers!" Itzal fired a barrage of flames from his hand, each baring his cackling grin.
Jason raced through the flaming projectiles, slicing them apart as he ran and riding the explosion. Itzal tried to crush him under his hand, but he kicked off the floor a second time and sped past the crushing blow. He passed by the shadow's base and sliced across the connective tether.
He grunted as he looked back, seeing he only got a fourth of the way through. I should've raided the armory for a sword. My reach is shorter.
Itzal repaired his tether and slammed his flaming fist down, missing the speedy Pikachu. His smirk grew wider and wider, his joy reaching new heights. "Howl of Thunder. Flash of Lightning. Reticence of Wind. Oh, how your legends bring me such exquisite delight. What kind of horrors did you endure to achieve such infamy at such a young age?"
Jason ignored the ringmaster and dodged another barrage of stomping palm strikes. Flames jettisoned from each impact, spewing embers in his face. He flicked them away with his cloak and leapt to higher grounds on a crumbling pillar.
"Three monsters who rule over the criminal underworld. A killer who haunts the streets, a guild master who rallies his armies, and a lone warrior who slaughters those who oppose him." Itzal snickered. "Did you know there are some folk who despise your fame so much that they've dedicated themselves to besting you? You've become quite the icon, Stormbreaker!"
"Lightning Breaker Z-Palm!" Jason leapt off his perch, building up electricity through his hand.
Itzal morphed his body right as Jason swung his attack. Without a target to make direct contact with, his attack completely fizzled out. Itzal swiped his hand across the air and finally landed a strike across the Pikachu, swatting him into the collapsed stairwell.
"That's what it means to be the second most wanted man in Virdis, huh! You have all the power resting in your palm!" Itzal cackled louder. "So, why is it that you're so fixated on Last Autumn? What happened to being a petty thief?"
Jason pulled himself out of the rubble. With his dagger in a reverse grip, he fired out his phantom grappler into the ceiling and launched himself into the air. He fired again into the wall right as Itzal went for another swing, pulling himself out of danger.
"Plasma Cutter Z-Strike!" He bounced off the wall and sliced across Itzal's back.
"GAAAH!" Itzal spun around and landed a crushing blow down on the flying mouse. He raised his fist again and smashed Jason deeper into the floor. "Or better yet, why bother fighting them? Surely a dolt like you realizes you're fighting for the same future! Is it because you want to play the hero? Afraid to kill?"
Itzal summoned more shadow arms and tried to pulverize the Pikachu, but he bolted out of the floor and ricocheted onto the ceiling. He threw down smoke pellets in the shadow's face before grappling to another vantage point.
The shadow pumpkin blew the smoke aside with a single flick of his hand. "Did I strike a nerve? Are you afraid to kill? You've done it before. Everyone knows you and the Mortal Zeraora are the same person. You killed a knight, didn't you? So, what's so wrong about killing again? I find it quite therapeutic."
He stomped his hands down and crawled through the foyer, searching around the debris for the missing Pikachu. Jason kept his head low, navigating behind fallen pieces of the ceiling. Though his glare remained fixed and determined, he couldn't help the twitch in his brow.
"You think you're better than everyone for being a pacifist? Deep down, you're just a killer waiting for his next score. You've felt the urge, haven't you? That urge to kill still festers deep inside you. You're not better than any one of us. How long until you finally snap? Will you be the same, or will the bloodlust drive you mad?" Itzal smirked. "Don't act like the scum of this wretched land don't deserve a swift end!"
He saw a flicker of lightning and smashed his fist down on the spot. He searched his surroundings, spotting more traces of the lingering electricity flowing off the walls, yet he didn't hear the usual buzzing of the knight's speed bursts.
"You and your merry band of thieves won't have anywhere else to go. How long can you hold out on your morals? They won't do you any good." His grin curled to the point it was spiraling. "Then again, I'll burn you and Terrowin all the same! The Scarlet Flames have liberated me from all moral quandaries. I serve only to guarantee my eternal happiness—"
"Is that why you despise Ethel?" the knight's voice projected, finally responding to the pumpkin's prodding. "Because she held you back with morals?"
The shadow ringmaster's hollow red eyes widened for a second before bursting into flames. He clenched his teeth, seething with fire, and exhaled a furious breath across the foyer to flush out the unseen mouse. He slashed his claws over the walls, tearing down the foundation between adjacent rooms and halls.
"How do you know that witch's name?!" Itzal roared. "Don't you dare speak of her in front of me!"
"Flash and Crackle!"
Itzal turned just in time to see Jason exploding with blue lightning and launching himself off a wall. Faster than he could blink, the shadow pumpkin staggered back as a bolt of lightning cleaved through his neck instantly. The rush of electricity split over half his neck, causing his head to blow sideways and limply hang by the fewest of shadow strings.
Jason crashed into the floor and slid back on his heels, stopping against the opposing wall. His dagger smoked within his hand. His fur stood on end, the tips of the individual hairs blowing bright blue. He rose and glared up at the staggered ringmaster.
"You want to pry and mock me so much?" he taunted, raising his dagger toward the scowling shadow's nearly severed head. "If you can't handle your own demons, then I have nothing to tell you!"
Nine Years Ago…
Sparks danced off the stone walls of his ruined bedroom as he slashed his dagger into the smeared painting depicting the object of his hatred. The horrid likeness of King Penworth, etched in slashes and puncture wounds, dulled over time yet still bared the wretched sternness that made the child's blood boil.
"Penworth…" he growled, stabbing into the mural again.
"It's an attitude like that that concerns me. Letting you go in that state is a recipe for disaster."
Jason glared over his shoulder. "I didn't ask for your opinion."
Peering around the doorframe of his bedroom was a Mismagius, who held a weathered book in her tendril-like appendages. Though without much of a body, she wore a simple black, tattered cloak over herself. She flipped through the pages of her book, giving the Pikachu an amused side eye.
"You're young. Impulsive. You think you've got the world figured out. It's normal."
Jason sheathed his dagger. "Uncle Sherwood taught me everything I need to know. Now all I need is to take my revenge on the Penworths."
The Mismagius glared. "Not that I care to stop you, but a small child like you isn't going to get far. You should be enjoying your childhood. Your brother seems to think so."
Jason looked away. "I don't have a childhood anymore."
"…" She sighed. "Kids are so stubborn. You remind me of Lovel when he was a small pup. Vengeful sort. Look where it got him. Arrested and wanted. A menace still in hiding all because he wanted to speak out." She glared at the child. "You don't want to lead this kind of life, kid."
"Then what are you and Uncle Sherwood doing so far out here in the ruins?"
She shook her head. "You'll understand when you're older. It's not a child's business to get involved with our mistakes."
Jason scoffed. "Well, I don't care about any of that. All I want is to make Penworth pay."
"…Jason, I may not be your mother, but at least heed your uncle's words: you're still a child. No matter how much you have the world figured out, you'll never reach your full potential lashing out. If you want to stop a kingdom's corruption, there's a bit more to it than causing trouble. However, if you intend to help people suffering under unfair rule, I suppose that's a start. It's a big job for one child."
"…I'll figure something out."
"You and Eadwulf plan to travel Virdis?"
"I'm going to find a few people to help me get stronger, then we'll work together to get our revenge on Penworth."
The Mismagius smirked. "Our revenge? The people of the east don't care for Penworth."
"Shut up." He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder.
"…" She closed her eyes. "It always starts out as a few people. Sometimes you end up gathering those who want to lash out against an oppressed system. More than you intended." She frowned. "Just promise me you won't lose sight of your morality. Sherwood is just as much against you going on this revenge quest, but…"
"But what?"
"…" She smiled. "You'd be surprised how much a person can change when they meet all sorts of people. Virdis…isn't perfect, but it's filled with a wonderful assortment of people and experiences. I guarantee one day you'll meet someone who'll show you that this broken world can still be put back together. Perhaps…a new goal to dedicate yourself to."
"…" Jason stepped out of his bedroom. "I'll visit when I can."
"Hmm." She closed her book. "Take care, Jason."
"Goodbye, Ms. Ethel."
Enraged by the Pikachu's mockery, Itzal ignited his multiple arms in scarlet fire and rained down a flurry of punches. Jason sped through the forest of fists, running up behind Itzal and slashing him across the umbric tether. The shadow Gourgeist whipped his head around and exhaled a sea of flames. Jason leapt over the pyric flood and fired his grappler into the ceiling, swinging him over Itzal's position.
"Plasma Cutter Z-Strike!" With his dagger sparking in blue lightning, he kicked off the ceiling and sliced across the shadow's face. Electricity spewed out from the cut and caused the shadow to recoil.
"GAH!"
Jason kicked off from the monster, avoiding yet another punch, and landed on a wall. "I clung to death just the other day, Abasolo. If you're having this much trouble fighting me, it's clear your infamy wasn't earned from your strength."
Itzal dragged his claws across his face and brushed off the electricity. "You're suddenly in a mocking mood, Fairy Knight, but I bet you're still recovering from your encounter with Deadlock. You're only getting as far as you are thanks to Ansaldo's cage. Scarlet Moon: Embers of Jubilation!" He crushed a red orb in his hand and fired a flurry of flaming shots.
Jason dodged over them and kicked off the wall. He fired his grappler past Itzal's head and flung himself forward with his dagger reared back. However, the shadow was more than prepared for his attack as he melded his hands through the floor and summoned a legion of shadow arms.
"Shadow Stalker: Ten Thousand Lost Souls!"
Jason gasped. "Shit!" He fired his grappler behind himself and barely managed to throw himself out of the way. The hundreds of fists unleashed a barrage of punches that collapsed the rest of the ceiling, raining rubble down over the foyer. Jason swung and flew around the arms, but there were far too many to avoid. One clipped his side and sent him spiraling through the air, flying into the path of another fist that clobbered him into the remaining section of the ceiling.
The shadow fists faded, and Itzal pulled his out of the floor. He clenched them tightly, generating a scarlet glow up to the wrists. "Scarlet Fiend Claws!"
As Jason fell out from the ceiling, Itzal launched his arm across the foyer and smashed the Pikachu into the wall. Flames jettisoned from under his hand and torched the wall, spreading out to the ruined ceiling and floor. Cackling, he swung his other hand over the first attack, increasing the flaming torrent.
"Join the Scarlet Flame, you miserable fool!" Itzal roared.
A flicker of blue pierced through his clasped hands before slicing them apart. Jason leapt out of the flaming wall, throwing off his torch cloak, and gripped into Itzal's arm. With his plasma blade in hand, he dug into the hide and ran up the arm in a spiraling advance, erupting the arm in a twister of electricity.
Jason shot past the shoulder and split it upon leaping off. The entirety of Itzal's left arm fell off and dispersed into black smoke. Before he could turn and set the Pikachu ablaze, Jason already bounced off the opposing wall and slashed Itzal across the eyes.
"GAAAAAH!" He retracted his single arm and covered his face.
Jason landed on the floor and bared his sparking dagger. "My attacks can't reach you, you said? I specialize in manipulating bioelectricity. I know a thing or two about dishing out pain internally." His glare deepened. "Meaning your real body is still swimming around somewhere in there."
Itzal brushed off the sparks and growled. "Alright. I'm beginning to understand why Terrowin wants you ingrates out of the way." Darkness spewed from his left side and reshaped into a new arm. With a clench of his fist, he reignited it with scarlet heat. "But for what little your attacks do to reach me, it won't be enough to defeat me! Scarlet Inferno!"
He breathed down a vortex of flame. Jason fired his grappler behind himself and reeled away from the flames as they enveloped the floor. He ran up the side of the wall as Itzal directed the flames after him. Reaching the end of his path, Jason kicked off the edge of the ceiling and backflipped through the air as the flames arched after him.
As he flew over the foyer, he noticed some hovering near the base of Itzal's form, swimming toward him through the floor. It looked like two shadows acting independently of the ringmaster, and Itzal didn't seem to notice them.
Is that…? Jason glared and fired both phantom grapplers into the shadow's shoulders. "Touch of Zeraora!" Clutching the black cables, he unleashed a wave of electricity down and into Itzal's body.
"GYAH!" Itzal ceased his fire breath as the electricity wormed its way through his artificial body. He felt the sparks drawing toward his core, threatening to reach him. Acting fast, he snatched the cables and ripped them from his shoulders. "You're not having any fun while I'm around! I'm the master of games around here!"
Itzal spun the Pikachu by his grappler cables and reared back to fling him into the floor. Jason, acting fast, dug under his sleeves and pried at the apparatus clamped around his arms.
Pandora's emergency release switch!
After finding the right buttons, he pressed both down firmly, causing the cable pack attached to his back to break. The cables slipped out from his sleeves right as Itzal flung him up into the air. He harmlessly flew up while the mad ringmaster struck the floor with what were essentially a pair of whips.
"Eh?!" the shadow gasped.
Jason reached under his uniform and plucked out two small canisters half-filled with purple liquid. This ought to stun him for a bit! He dove for a wall and bounced off. "Hey, Abasolo!"
Itzal spun around and ignited his clawed fingers. "Oh, there you—"
Jason tossed the canisters into the ringmaster's flames and covered his head. The canisters ruptured and violently exploded. The air burst like a giant balloon, staggering the unsuspecting shadow who fell back and shielded his eyes.
"AAAAAGH!" Itzal removed his hands and looked around frantically. "What was—" His eyes widened. He knew words were coming out of his mouth, but the only thing he could hear was a loud buzzing. "WHAT?!" That blasted explosion deafened me?! That's what was powering his stupid grapplers?! What psychopath designed it like that?!
Jason crashed down on his back, wincing from the deafening blast. Though his own hearing was spared from complete rupturing, he felt some blood trickling down the sides of his head. Shaking off the dull pain, he pulled himself up and rushed down the distracted shadow, slicing across his tether once again.
"GAAAAH!" Itzal looked down and growled at the fleeing Pikachu. "THAT TEARS IT! SHADOW STALKER: LEGION OF THE LAUGHING SNAKES!"
His arms extended out and splits off, transforming into a myriad of specters each bearing their own cackling grins. They launched down, striking into the floor as Jason dodged through them.
His Storm Tango kept him from being blindsided for only so long, however. Pushing himself as hard as he was, despite the power he amassed, his injuries still carried over. He staggered on one heel, breaking his concentration just enough for the snake-like shadows to strike. They bit down onto his arms, body, and neck hard enough to draw blood. Some even split open his cuts from the previous night.
"AAAAAGH!" Jason screamed.
A grin broke out across Itzal's face. "My hearing…it's coming back. Oh, and what a lovely sound to be welcomed with." He grinned down at Jason as he hung trapped within his net of biting snakes. "You're not invincible, Fairy Knight. Guess even you are still susceptible to injuries like the common folk."
Jason gritted his teeth, biting back against the pain. "Screw. You."
Itzal formed a new pair of arms and ignited his clawed fingers. "I'd savor the moment, but you've proven enough of a burden. Enjoy being sacrificed to the Scarlet Flame, my miserable little pawn!"
"…" A smirk formed over the Pikachu's lips. "You're right, Abasolo."
"Oh? About what?"
"Being among the most wanted…doesn't make us invincible."
Shadow Dimension
The real Itzal glowered at the shade resembling Jason. "What the hell is he on about?"
"He's talking about me!"
"Huh—" Right as the Gourgeist looked down his construct, Melissa flew up and tackled him. "YOU?!"
She grappled around his arms, pinning them together. "You're not getting away from us! Monica!"
The Alcremie hurriedly swam up the construct and tackled into Itzal, too, pinning his arms down to the best of her ability. "We got him!"
Itzal struggled and shook in their combined holds, spewing flame furiously from the corners of his mouth. "What are you idiots doing?!"
Melissa channeled a dark aura around herself. A maniacal grin split across her face. "Jason served as a useful distraction. I've gathered just enough information to figure out your little technique. Absolutely fantastic!"
Itzal gritted his teeth. "What are you—"
"Now release! Binding Shadow Ritual!"
Jason watched as the shadow Gourgeist squirmed and roared. The shadow snakes biting into him fizzled away into smoke, dropping him onto the floor. He pulled himself up, covering his bleeding side, and smirked as the construct started to fizzle out as well.
"You made one fatal mistake, Abasolo: you took your eyes off my unruly rookie."
Itzal's construct shook and crashed against the walls in a struggle to maintain solidity. It was all for naught as the face expanded like a bubble before bursting open, jettisoning the three occupants from the shadow dimension. The rest of the body collapsed and crumbled into black smoke.
"WAAAAAH!" Monica screamed.
Melissa grabbed the back of her robe and tossed the screeching archivist up. "Your Highness!"
Asterio rushed down from the collapsed ceiling and scooped Monica into his embrace. "Got you!"
"Star Prince!" Monica cheered.
"Hang on!" He turned and flew off back to the upper floors.
Melissa kicked off of Itzal, sending him careening into the floor, and gracefully spun through the air before landing next to Jason. He smirked. "You are really something, Rookie."
She giggled. "I try." She then glared at the fallen Gourgeist. "He can pull people into the shadows with him and leave them trapped. That's how Monica and I ended up there. I'm surprised you understood what was going on."
He glared. "I'm actually quite familiar with this technique. It's the same one he learned from his mother."
"His…mother?"
Itzal picked himself off the floor and scowled at the Pikachu. "The only remnant of respect I have left for that witch. You…!" He pointed furiously at Melissa. "You stole my technique!"
She unsheathed her baton saber and aimed it at him. "Take a number."
Jason flipped his dagger into a reverse grip and shifted his stance. "Looks like you've lost your bargaining chip with Terrowin."
He growled through clenched teeth. "I've had just about enough of you and Last Autumn. All I want is to burn this stupid city to the ground! Is that too much to ask for?!" He slammed his hands down and erupted an inferno of scarlet fire around himself.
Melissa and Jason stepped back and shielded their faces from the flowing embers.
"Even if I have to tear this entire capital down piece by piece myself, I'm going to kill every last one of you!" Itzal sank into his own shadow, absorbing the flames with him. "Shadow Stalker: King of Laughter!"
A pillar of flame erupted out from Itzal's shadow, mixing with streams of darkness. The pillar shifted and reshaped itself, taking on the appearance of the Shadow Gourgeist once more. Its umbric skin lit up with flame-like tattoos coursing along the arms and body. Six burning red eyes opened up across the face as well as the pumpkin's haunting grin. Flames jetted out from his shoulders, transforming them into a flaming cape with a wildly flaring high collar.
"I'll turn you to ash and feast upon it in my new world!" he roared with his demonic cackle.
Despite the intimidating presence towering over them, Melissa and Jason merely shared a look with each other before shifting into attack stances side-to-side. "So, think you can handle another of the most wanted?" he asked.
She grinned. "He's nothing compared to Grim Deadlock."
Jason smirked. "Heh. This almost reminds me of—"
"Crypt of the Death God when Storm Breaker and New Moon fought the Dreaded One?"
"You read that one?!"
She grinned. "I'm slowly becoming a Journey of the Storm Breaker fan."
Sparks excitedly crackled off Jason's fur as his smirk stretched. "You remember what they said before they battled?"
"Oh, I most certainly do!"
They each put one foot forward, extended their arms, and clanged their weapons together with bright, confident grins shining off their faces as they stared up at the terrifying pyro of darkness. They each inhaled a deep breath and recited:
"Dreaded One, by oath of storm and night, we shall carve your nightmarish soul into the fabric of hopes and dreams!"
Asterio hurried through the castle halls to find a window to escape out. He held Monica firmly within his tentacles like he was cradling a delicate, unhatched egg.
The archivist looked back down the hall and asked, "Do you think they'll be okay?"
"…" Asterio closed his eyes for a moment. "I…think they'll be fine."
"Your Highness!" Right as he neared the end of the hallway, Asterio spotted the Gholdengo knight, Pietro, waiting for them. "Your Highness! Thank the gods, you're alright!"
He stopped and set Monica down. "Sir Pietro, get Monica to the safehouse with the others."
The knight shook his head. "Your Highness, I must stay behind and look for the princess. Have you not been feeling the vibrations in the castle? There's a—"
"Fight breaking out, I know." His glare darkened. "Get her to the safehouse now. I will deal with finding Evangelina and Romano."
"But Your Highness—"
"I am not taking no for an answer, Pietro! I can take care of myself. Besides…" He clenched his fin and growled. "Nobody comes into my home and threatens my family. I am ending this."
"…" Pietro sighed, knowing well there was no reasoning with the stubborn prince. "Please stay out of danger, Your Highness." He elbowed a nearby window and smashed it open before picking up Monica. "I'll take you to the safehouse, Ms. Gatti."
Monica looked back at Asterio worriedly. "Are you going to go back and help the Foresters?"
He narrowed his eyes, staring into her two shimmering orbs of innocent concern. He sighed, shaking with some hesitance, but nodded. "Yes. I'm going to help the Foresters."
She smiled brightly and nodded. "Alright! Kick that jerk's butt, Star Prince!"
Pietro's eyes widened. "Wait, the Forest—"
"Out!" Asterio ordered.
"Uh, right! I-I mean, yes, Your Highness!" Pietro leapt out the window.
Asterio peeked out and watched the knight scale down by just his fingers before reaching ground level. He ran off with Monica safe in hand to the safehouse, hopefully spared from the growing flames. He also noticed the sky was no longer covered in an electrified dome, a miracle he couldn't explain yet chose to accept.
"Alright…" He turned and darted through the hall, cloaking himself in a veil of darkness. "First things first, find my scythe." He growled through his teeth. "After that, I'm lobbing that clown's head off."
