2nd Autumn Moon, 908 – Telo Martius Jailhouse

After the successful arrest of the supposed prison break the previous night, the four prisoners were transferred to a separate jailhouse awaiting their pending execution match. Melissa, Terrowin, Vilde, and Galus sat in the back of their dingy cell with the meek Dragapult quivering in the far corner.

"Galus scared," he whimpered.

Melissa leaned over and petted his head. "Shh, shh, it's okay. You'll be fine."

Vilde glared. "Commander Harlow, say the word, and I shall destroy everything that stands in our way."

She smiled sheepishly. "Uh, you don't have to call me Commander."

"Understood, Commander Harlow."

"…Well, okay then."

Terrowin leaned against the wall and yawned. "How long is this going to take? I'm an old man, and all this anxiety isn't good for my heart—"

"Quiet, you!" He flinched as Nemesis slammed his mace against the cell bars. Standing on the other side of the bars, Jason could be seen rolling his eyes at the Charizard's brutish behavior. "I'm already pissed off having to keep watch of you troublemakers. This is beneath my status!"

Terrowin smirked. "My apologies, Commander Nemesis. It must feel so degrading being reduced to simple guard duty by your emperor."

"Not…another word," he growled.

Melissa narrowed her eyes. "So, you're Commander Nemesis?"

He faced the bars and snorted smoke down at her. "Yeah, I am. Got a problem with me, runt?"

"…" She clenched her fist. "Oh, you have no idea."

Jason sighed. "Nemesis, stop aggravating the prisoners. We don't need them speeding up the execution match…or changing who will be executed," he muttered.

"{Are surface dwellers always this noisy?}" Jason looked across the hall and saw the Tinkaton prisoner, Alfhild, who glared daggers at the Pikachu. He returned the expression in kind with sparks surging off his cheeks.

Melissa raised her brow. "Friend of yours?"

"Nope."

Galus leaned over Melissa. "Earth friend? {Are you Subterran, too?}"

Alfhild's eyes widened. "{You are Subterran, too?}" She groaned. "{The king is going to have a field day with this.}"

"{Save Galus! Galus don't want to be executed!}" he cried, curling himself around Melissa for comfort. She awkwardly patted his head.

Nemesis slammed his mace against the bars again. "All of you, shut up!" He pointed his mace at Alfhild's cell. "And not another word out of you, too! Consider yourself lucky Emperor Nero hasn't thrown you into the colosseum!"

Jason glared. "You know she can't understand you, right?"

"Oh, she can understand my anger just fine!"

Alfhild rolled her eyes. "{Land skitters.}"

Vilde glared. "Why exactly are we being held up? How long does it take to set up an execution?"

Jason sighed. "Emperor Nero is postponing your execution. He had to deliberate on a matter with his advisor."

Terrowin chuckled. "Has he finally accepted my proposal?"

"One can only hope not," he grumbled.

The jailhouse entrance opened, and someone came marching down the hall. Nemesis and Jason stood at attention and saluted as Gemini approached the cell door with Saturn on standby. Arms crossed behind his back, he nodded at Nemesis to open the cell door. He did so wordlessly and cracked the bar doors open. Saturn marched inside, grabbed Melissa by the ears, and forced a pair of shackles to her arms.

"Eh?" she gasped.

Gemini explained, "Emperor Nero wishes to have a private audience with you, Skill Hunter Harlow. It seems your battle last night left him…intrigued. Take this honor for all it's worth for you may never get another chance at it."

"…" Melissa glared. "Fine."

Jason grimaced. Melissa…

Nemesis slammed the bars shut as Gemini and Saturn marched off with the Buneary in tow. He scoffed. "What does that bastard want with that runt, anyway?"

Terrowin smirked. "One can only imagine…"

Melissa was taken around the jailhouse to a connecting building. After Gemini opened the door, Saturn threw her inside before the door slammed shut, locking from the outside.

"Ugh. Rude," she grumbled, picking herself off the floor.

"My apologies if their hospitality is not up to your standards, Skill Hunter." Melissa's eyes widened as she faced forward. Inside the connecting room which resembled a prison warden's office was the emperor of New Chariot himself, who was reclining in a chair with a cup of tea in hand. He blew on the steamy drink before taking a sip. "Though, they could've been much worse."

Melissa narrowed her eyes. "You…"

Nero set his cup down and gestured to the seat in front of the desk. "I asked the warden to take the hour off. It's just you and me for the time being."

"Seems foolish locking yourself in the same room as your assassin."

He smirked. "Think you can beat me, then?"

"…" After adjusting her shackled arms until they were in front of herself, she plopped into the empty chair, scooting herself closer to the desk.

Nero pulled out a second teacup and poured hot tea into it. "Here you go. Enjoy." He pushed the cup toward her, but she didn't accept it, only scowled at it. He snickered. "Something wrong?"

"I don't accept drinks from strangers."

"I'd hardly call us strangers, but…" He lifted the teapot over his maw and poured some tea onto his tongue. He clicked his tongue in satisfaction and set the pot aside. "It's not poisoned."

Her glare deepened. "A friend of mine once told me of a teapot that could be used to conceal two drinks and dispense them separately in secret."

"So suspicious, but clever girl." Nero leaned forward on the desk, resting his chin atop his hands. "I'm not here to stir trouble, Skill Hunter. I've decided to view you as a worthy subject of interest."

She scoffed. "So, you don't have a problem with me being in your colosseum just because I'm a girl?"

"On the contrary, you've drummed up much entertainment even from one match. It's a novelty having you in our colosseum. I don't deny your skills. One of my girls comes from a clan of assassins, so I know not to underestimate frail-looking creatures. You also possess a strange ability to manifest techniques from seemingly nowhere, ones that are not your own."

"…" Melissa's glare deepened.

"It reminds me of a prisoner we used to have. My father recognized she had some innate power that would be beneficial to the Martius family, though she was still a child at the time. Probably a teenager by now." He noticed the strange look Melissa was giving him and quickly shook his head. "Not my idea, believe me. Still, she possessed remarkable firepower, and the sensation I felt from watching you reminded me of the same aura she gave off. That tells me you have something special about yourself."

Melissa pulled herself deeper into her chair. "If you so much as ask me to join your harem, I will—"

"Though I find you to be a remarkably attractive young woman, Skill Hunter, I have no such interest in pursuing further conquests. My girls as is are all I need." He snickered. "But the interest of using your power for the New Chariot Empire does come to mind."

Her ears drooped. "What?"

"It must feel demeaning rotting away in that dungeon only to come out to the surface for the people's entertainment. Your skills would be better served alongside your Forester brethren, that being assets to the empire."

"…You want me to join the empire."

"You're going to be executed soon. Why not just take the opportunity while you can? Buckshot Vilde and the Dragapult have worn out all the entertainment they can muster, and I have no interest in preserving Terrowin's life. You? It'd be a waste to let your talents die out with them. Wouldn't you rather rejoin Stormbreaker and the rest of your friends on the winning side?"

"…" Melissa glared. "Do you honestly think I can be manipulated so easily?"

"Let's face the facts, Skill Hunter. You're going to die tomorrow, or you're going to walk out of the colosseum and try this all over again only to be captured again. Why waste the energy pointlessly cycling through the options? It's better to stick to one guaranteed path toward success than opting for the unstable path."

"Is that why you devalue the notion of peace so readily?"

His smirk stretched. "Now, where did you hear about that?"

"…" She looked away awkwardly.

"Heh. Doesn't matter. Whatever you think you heard, it's true. Peace doesn't exist. That's the simple truth."

She scowled. "Then you're an idiot."

"Oh? Elaborate."

"What do you mean elaborate? If I have to explain something so simple to the likes of you, what point is there in explaining it?"

"You say simple, but what even is peace? It just sounds like children playing pretend, safe in their fantastical creations where good triumphs over evil, and destruction bears no consequences in the end. One of the hardest truths anyone can accept is this: before creation must come destruction. We chop down forests to build homes. We manipulate rivers to create dams. We rend mountains to plunder their resources. There isn't anything in this world created from nothing. Everything has a cost, and peace is no exception."

Melissa clenched her fists. "What are you trying to say?"

He flashed his shark-like grin and laughed. "How can you possibly advocate for peace without destroying the enemy that opposes it?"

With Melissa gone, silence hung over the jailhouse. Nemesis and Jason kept to their posts, the latter silently worrying over the Buneary's current position. Galus shivered behind Vilde, who kept a steadfast attitude glaring through the bars. As for Terrowin, he played with a collection of seeds in the palm of his hand, spinning them round and round.

The old Sceptile glanced up, noticing the occasional flare-ups of Nemesis' tail. He chuckled to himself, earning a sharp glare from the irate Charizard. "What?!" he roared, causing Galus to jump and curl up even tighter behind Vilde.

Terrowin laughed more clearly. "You seem agitated. Perhaps I was on point that you find this form of guard duty degrading. Your malice against Emperor Nero must be a lot to contain."

Nemesis growled. "Silence, old man, or I shall execute you on the spot."

"Oh? You would kill a defenseless old man?" He sighed. "I'm hurt."

Nemesis scoffed. "Don't play up that act. You are no ordinary elder. I am familiar with the conquests you led thirty years ago. Your death will bring great pride to the soldiers you were responsible for slaughtering during your reign."

Jason narrowed his eyes. I almost forgot how much trouble Last Autumn caused back when they were first active. Even New Chariot understood the threat they posed.

Terrowin sighed. "Commander, that was a long time ago. I'm a changed man. How could you be so cruel to a soul who wishes to do good for his region?"

Nemesis snorted. "Good? This region would be better off subjugated under the heel of the emperor, even if it's that delinquent, Nero."

Terrowin smirked. "Would it? I foresee a more peaceful vision of this region's future, one where the notion of war doesn't have to be the constant. You're the ones strangling this land under the iron shackles of war. Why is that?"

"Because that is the birthright of New Chariot." Nemesis placed his fist over his heart and huffed smoke from his nostrils. "I will fight for the empire even to my death!"

"Oh? So, you don't mind being viewed as a monster?" Terrowin scratched his chin. "It's troublesome being viewed in such ways for one's entire life. I would know. I carry that stigma. Not with pride, but with necessity. The people need to know my infamy as to better understand what I'm fighting for now. You and I hold onto a strong sense of pride."

"Bah! Don't compare the pride of the empire to your crimes." Nemesis slammed his mace against the bars and glared down at the Sceptile. "You have brought great unrest to all of Virdis. Ruined lands, warfare across borders, the destruction of several towns and villages, and the attempted destruction of the New Chariot Empire." He shook his head. "I will never understand why Lord Tiberius was willing to give you a chance, but it's the only thing I can credit Emperor Nero for: seeing through your lies."

Terrowin shrugged. "I'm a good negotiator, what can I say?" He rested his chin on his hand and chuckled. "And what have you accomplished recently? Hmm…oh, that's right. You were responsible for the execution of King Foirbeis, weren't you?"

"…" Nemesis scoffed. "Is that something I should be ashamed of? I proudly carried his decapitated head across the battlefield to send a message to the Umbra Clock Kingdom. A display of dominance towards their inevitable subjugation! My actions will be remembered across history! You? You will be forgotten. We will make sure of it as your flesh is torn to ribbons during your execution. Your death will be celebrated before being forgotten across the history books! I will be immortal!"

"…" Terrowin closed his eyes and chuckled softly. "Immortal?" He covered his face and laughed.

And he laughed.

And he laughed.

Laughed and laughed and laughed.

Nemesis and Jason stared at the Sceptile as he doubled over, bursting with laughter that rattled the jailhouse. Everyone stared at him in shock, even Alfhild as she tried to tune out the conversation across from her. This wasn't the same old man she was ordered to accompany. He almost looked maniacal.

Terrowin settled his laughter, dragging his hand down his face. A soft murmur of laughter lingered across his lips before finally turned his gaze back to the startled Charizard. "You want to be immortal? You think far too small, Nemesis."

A long silence hung in the air as Melissa glared daggers at the smug emperor who was casually sipping his tea. His words made her stir in a boiling pit of magma born from the rage festering in her heart. The way he spoke and acted with little regard to the world around him…

What kind of creature was he?

"You're a fool," Melissa growled.

Nero spun his chair around, facing his back toward her. "Really? Well, you're the one who refused to elaborate, so I'm not sure who the fool in this room is."

She glared. "How can you be so cruel as to act like peace requires the sacrifice of others?"

"Isn't that what you Foresters did back when you were woodland thieves robbing from the rich?"

"That's different—"

"Is it? Is it really?" Nero set his cup down and leaned into his chair. "The rich and powerful have all the money in the world, thus any blow to their wealth would hardly affect them. No one can make that kind of money without doing some harm. That's the thought process that pushes down those feelings of guilt, isn't it?"

"That's not—"

"What does it matter who you rob from? Who cares if your vigilante justice is sought in the name of bringing down a corrupt force? Congrats, you brought down some evil noble who has been destroying orphanages and getting away with it. Oh my, you exposed a greedy landowner who has been pushing people out of their homes. You must feel like heroes!" He smirked. "Because from your perspective, they're the villains of your story."

"…" Melissa's glare deepened.

"But then, what does that make a group like the Freaks? The Savage Kin? Outlanders? Any criminal who does what they do for power and gain? Do they see themselves as the villains? Hmm, some, maybe. Others? They think they're rebelling against a world that has wronged them. Would you seek to help the Outlands, Skill Hunter?"

Melissa grimaced. "Well, obviously not, but—"

Nero gasped mockingly, spinning around in his chair. "But how will they ever find peace? They just want to be free from the oppressive stranglehold of the law! How can you deny them their peace, Skill Hunter?" He laughed through his grin, falling back against his chair. "Like the fine arts of a museum, peace is subjective! There is no true definition of peace for one's peace is dictated by their views. That is what you're fighting for!"

Melissa stood up in her chair. "See here! The Outlands is hardly a place people go to for refuge! I doubt even the Outlanders themselves would call it peaceful. Even if it's somewhere to escape from society, it's not somewhere one can rest easy in."

Nero chuckled. "Alright, bad example, I suppose. Still, you seem determined about something. What is it you seek?"

"…" She sighed. "To unite the ten kingdoms together in harmony."

"My, oh my! What a lofty vision." Nero snickered. "And how did you plan on pulling the New Chariot Empire into your little vision?"

"…" She looked away.

"I do recall you bombing my streets when you made that grand entrance. And I believe you were here to, I don't know, assassinate me." He smirked. "Gee, it's almost like you had to kill me to make any progress pulling the empire to your side. How peaceful."

"…" She growled through clenched teeth.

"But that doesn't sound like the vision of peace you've been propagating. It's almost like you have to cause a little destruction to make something new." Nero tutted in disappointment. "I don't appreciate being lectured by hypocrites, Skill Hunter."

"Jerk," she growled.

Nero rolled back in his chair and laughed. "But war? It all ends the same! Destruction on both sides to gain something from the other! There is no debating it, and I'd rather choose the option that needs no debate. All creatures want something, Skill Hunter, and if they can't get it through polite means…" He leaned onto the desk again and smirked. "Well, that's when the drums of war play their song."

"But a region cannot be sustained by war alone!" she yelled. "Even if you did take over the entirety of Virdis, what comes afterwards? Then you would have an empire of peace."

"Would I, though?" Nero asked. "Because, as far as I see, runts like you will always hate me. Resistances will always crop up no matter how strong my influence over the region becomes. Besides, regions beyond Virdis are always rich for the taking." He examined his claws and snickered. "And even if my rule becomes unstable, if I were to die for my ambition, so what?"

"So what?"

"Why should I care what my ambition brings? What does it matter if I were to die for my empire? If I fretted over success, I'd end up like my brother: overworked and dead." He laughed through his smirk. "It's far too much for one croc. So, why bother with the details when I could just live my life? Live without regret?"

Melissa frowned. "Living without regret?"

He sighed. "That's the problem with today's world. Everything is decided through debate and deliberation. Focusing so highly on intangible concepts that hold no bearing over a person other than the imaginary shackles we place upon ourselves. Death and greed are two concepts in this world that are certain. We all want something, and we all share the universal currency known as time. We waste that time debating over what is and what isn't. To seek peace is to force order upon the entire world, but everyone wants something that'll always conflict with another's greed. That's why I don't care about the rest of the world. As long as my people get to live fulfilling lives, who cares if the world around us has to burn for it?"

"…" Melissa's ears drooped. "You don't actually believe that, do you?"

He laughed quietly. "Did I strike a chord with you, Skill Hunter? Is my brutal outlook of the world too much to bear?" He sighed. "Peace and war are not sustainable. They'll constantly fluctuate because, as long as there are two people in the world that hate each other more than anything, there will always be despair and grief. I chose the path of war. If the empire were to fall, at least my people were born into accepting that possibility. The falsehood of peace coddles the unprepared."

"But that's not fair to your people. You can't just say peace is unsustainable if you don't advocate for it, or at least try and make it reality."

Nero laughed bitterly. "That's the problem, I've already seen the efforts needed to bring peace. Maybe my brother was incompetent. Maybe he wasn't suited to become an emperor." He shook his head. "But his actions illuminated one fact of life: peace doesn't come without great sacrifice, and someone will eventually stomp out those sacrifices in favor of their greed."

"…" Melissa swallowed a lump in her throat and whispered, "You believed in his vision once, didn't you?"

Nero's eyes widened briefly. "Hmm?"

"You…believed in your brother's dream once. Is that the reason?"

Terrowin leaned back against the far wall, taking a deep breath and resting his drumming heart. He shook his head, letting loose the last of his laughter. "My apologies. I haven't laughed that hard in ages. Thank you, Commander Nemesis."

Nemesis narrowed his eyes. "Was there something amusing about what I said, old man?"

"Oh? Amusing? Hmm, I suppose so. Perhaps." Terrowin rested his arms across his lap and turned his gaze toward the ceiling. "I just found your notions of immortality quite…well, to use a more pedestrian term, silly."

Nemesis snorted. "Silly? You find my desire to outlast history for my actions on the battlefield silly?"

"Well, by your culture's standards, not at all. It's an admirable goal, I'm sure. No, I find issue with your usage of immortality. You believe your image will last the tests of time?" Terrowin shook his head. "How tragic. Do creatures of this generation really abuse the weight of that word? Immortality? Just another word to mean status?"

Vilde raised his brow. "What are you getting at, old man?"

Terrowin scratched his chin. "Nothing more than plain rubbish. Nothing is truly immortal. That kind of honor belongs to…something more ancient, I suppose. But to truly be immortal? There's a responsibility and weight to that privilege. It's not a gift one should take so lightly, and it's not the honor you think it is. After all, I carry the burdens of my grandfather's legacy. His…immortality, if you will."

Jason glared. "Wha…?"

Nemesis growled. "Get to the point."

"Let me tell you all a story about my grandfather, Prince Ogden. Proud, confident, and nurturing. He cared about old Virdis more than anything. He would do anything to keep it safe, even during those times of peace. Even if their military wasn't necessary at the time, he took up arms as a knight, making valiant friends who shared in his vision to protect the peace of Virdis. It was almost unheard of, but he cared only of upholding the beliefs of his homeland.

"However, such lofty ambitions couldn't be upheld without paying the price. Sad as it might be, peace can't last forever. Even eight hundred years of peace couldn't be maintained. Some things just weren't meant to be, and Grandad was caught in the middle of that inevitability. Didn't stop him and his allies from fighting back. Thus was the start of the Ten-Way Invasion."

"Ten-Way War," Nemesis corrected.

"Hmm. To my bloodline, it was an invasion." Terrowin shrugged. "But I digress. Regardless of their strength, ten armies fighting over our land was far too much. We were nothing more than obstacles in the way of taking hold of the elementium running beneath the earth. Eventually, the kingdom crumbled, and my grandfather was forced to accept the reality that was bestowed upon him, but that didn't stop him from plotting.

"He burned many bridges in the following years. Friendships died, families lost, and he kept plotting to take back Virdis by force. He knew things the ten kingdoms didn't, so he just needed to bide his time until he could take everything back from right under their noses." Terrowin shook his head. "Alas, plotting for so many years takes its toll, and my grandfather even considered at one point residing to the new rule of Virdis. That's how I would eventually come to be when he settled down with a lovely Dragonite, and my father would be born. Grandad did believe for a time that he could just forget the troubles of this world and pass on peacefully.

"But then reality reminded him why he fought for his home in the first place, because war was still rampant across Virdis. He lost his wife, and he lost his son. The only thing that could be salvaged…was the egg that would become his grandson. Me. He would die, and I would carry out his will. His mission to force peace back onto the ruined region that once flourish with the most beautiful forests. I was a child of war, and that was the curse I had to carry out in his stead."

Everyone stared at the Sceptile in shock (except Alfhild, who didn't understand a single word he said). Everything he said laced with such tragic undertones, and he said it with the candidness of reading a shopping list. How long has he had to process the horrors his family went through?

Terrowin laughed quietly. "Two hundred years is a long time, yet I am the grandson of the eldest prince of Virdis before the invasion. It was so long ago, yet I feel the impact of that time."

"…" Nemesis glared. "How could you possibly know all of that? I thought you said you were born as the last of your bloodline."

Terrowin smirked. "I know some of Grandad's secrets, and I guess you could say I had some outsider help to…catch me up to speed." He glared at the cocky Charizard. "Do you want to know what the point of that story was?"

"…What?"

Terrowin raised his wooden hand toward the bars. "A true immortal is a god. Everything else touched by mortal hands will one day wither and die. That is the purpose of my hatching, why I survived for so many years. You, Commander Nemesis, cannot comprehend just what I am. And you have no idea what two hundred years of bitter resentment can accomplish when you have all the time in the world. You will die one day, and you will suffer for your pride."

"…" Nemesis snorted and turned his back to the Sceptile. "Crazy old fool."

Terrowin shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you." He closed his eyes and leaned into the far corner of the cell.

Jason's gaze lingered on the old Sceptile a moment longer before setting his eyes forward, trying to shake off the brief chills that passed through his bones. It was brief, but he sensed the spirit of an Inherited Will flowing through Terrowin as he told his story.

Compared to Melissa's…

Compared to Jet's…

Compared to hers…

Terrowin's aura felt like a sea of roots rising up from below and strangling everything to dust.

And why did it remind him of the trees in the Forbidden Forest?

An uncomfortable silence hung between Melissa and Nero, the latter digging his claws into his arm as he kept his gaze low from the Buneary's thoughtful stare. It annoyed him being pitied for something so trivial.

He flared his nostrils and turned himself away from her. "My brother was an idiot. There's nothing more to say on the matter."

"That doesn't sound like it to me," Melissa said. "You couldn't have started out like this. Something must've been responsible for your outlook on the outside world." She frowned. "What else but seeing someone you once cared for causing great harm for his good intentions?"

"…" Nero groaned. "If you must know, Mercurius Martius was a visionary for progression. He saw the decades of war heralded by the New Chariot Empire and the neighboring kingdoms. Our conquest against Great Gate led to an alliance, and our feuds with Algus has led to much bloodshed on both sides. We've been encroaching on Umbra Clock's territory for some time until I took the reins to demolish them. He wanted to put an end to all of that. Of course, that's not something you can change overnight. New Chariot was born on the backs of conquerors. That is our legacy. Even the very status of emperor is a conquest. The Martius family stole the reins of rule from the previous royal family, and we've held power ever since.

"Mercurius was more of a scholar than he was a fighter, so it made sense he had the attitude to become emperor. I didn't really care either way. I was born into wealth, so I exercised my status as it was intended. I had everything I could ask for: money, women, entertainment, and combat. A simple life I would proudly bathe myself in. I had no desire for politics. I left all of that to Mercurius."

Nero paused for a moment, clasping a hand over his eyes and sinking into his chair with a deep sigh. "Mercurius had good intentions, but he was a lousy councilman. Like everything in this world, money was the deciding factor. Can't have big lofty dreams without money. He could've just emptied our treasury, but he needed to go big. He dismantled our military to appear more peaceful to our enemy. He diverted a huge chunk of our taxes and resources toward seeking treaty with Algus. He kept saying that if we could sway Algus to our side, it'd show that we could end conflict without bloodshed. Peace could be achieved."

"…But that never happened," Melissa guessed.

"A group of soldiers who acted as negotiators were killed when they entered Algus territory. They weren't stupid. If the empire known for their brutal military tactics suddenly came up on your land with gifts and requests for peace between borders…hell, I would've killed them on sight. Mercurius' tunnel vision was so narrow, he couldn't see how much of the empire was burning around him. Even after that, he still kept going and going. He eventually raised the taxes so high that poverty rates began to spike, but he didn't care. He just kept saying that it would all be worth it as soon as Algus and the rest of Virdis saw us as their friends. He was convinced that all the harm he was doing would be undone once we demolished the brutality our name carried." Nero covered his face, doubling over with bitter laughter. "He so desperately wanted to stop the fighting, and I was an idiot for not seeing the harm he was doing sooner."

"Nero…" Melissa mumbled.

"I eventually went out to some of our towns to see what his good intentions brought, and all I found were people barely surviving off a couple coins and dead bodies from discharged soldiers. That was the result of my brother not knowing how to run the empire."

"…" Melissa leaned forward. "I'm sorry that all happened to you, but that doesn't mean what your brother did will happen again. I would never—"

"Can you even guarantee that?" He glared over his shoulder. "Can you say with absolute certainty anything you accomplish in the future will be done without the sacrifice of others? No good intentions come without a price, no matter how small or how big. Peace is a reprieve. War is certain. Because in our very nature, desire will always take precedence over morality." He swung back around and slammed his fist on the table. "And even if you create that world under your vision, what happens after you die?"

"H-Huh?"

"Even if you were to keep this peaceful little world the way you want it during your lifetime, that can all change as soon as you pass on to the next life." He shook his head. "And how can you guarantee your actions won't spawn radical groups who twist your vision beyond what your intentions dictated? The sad fact is that Pokémon are wild, unpredictable creatures. There will always be wars. The sad, brutal truth. Peace will never last forever no matter how advanced our society becomes. So, why should I even bother fighting for peace across the region when I can at least guarantee in my lifetime to give comfort and luxury to my empire?"

"…" Melissa looked away.

"Poverty is practically extinct here. No one wants for anything anymore. Sickness is an inconvenience at worst. Those who join my military fight to protect their families from succumbing back to those dark times. I don't care who I have to destroy to maintain the empire's status. And when I die, unless someone comes to take my place, I know the state of the empire will radically change. Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse. But I will at least die without regret for what I did. I will never allow falsehoods of peace destroy my home ever again."

"…" Melissa took a deep breath before facing the Krokorok emperor. "I will never stop fighting for a future where everyone can live together peacefully."

"And you'll never accomplish it without paying the toll."

She glared. "Then you don't know who I am. For as much as my dream is nothing more than a dream, I would choose to sacrifice myself first to guarantee everyone gets to live without the fear of loss or hate. Are you willing to put yourself on the line to fight for your dream, Emperor Nero? Do you even have a dream for the empire's future?"

"…" Nero sighed. "We're done here."

With a swift clap of his hands, the door opened, and Gemini made his way inside. He seized Melissa by the shackle chains and pulled her from her seat. "Back to your cell, Skill Hunter."

As he dragged the Buneary out, Nero leaned forward on the desk and said, "Enjoy the next twenty-four hours while you can, because the five of you will spend the last few minutes of life having your flesh torn apart."

Melissa looked back in confusion. "Five?"

"I believe you've been acquainted with your cell neighbor. No use in leaving her to rot when we can just squeeze every drop of entertainment we can out of her."

Melissa stumbled as Gemini tugged on her shackles. As she set foot outside the office, she looked back one last time, glaring at the emperor. "You want entertainment, Emperor Nero? I'll leave you and your audience stunned."

He smirked. "I can't wait."

Gemini slammed the door shut behind him, leaving the Krokorok to himself. Free to himself, Nero sank back into his chair and picked up his cooled cup of tea. He took a delicate sip from it before crushing it inside his fist. He wasn't bother by the blood dripping down his arm as he stared listlessly at the ceiling.

"What's the point in hoping for a bright future? Nothing lasts forever."

Night

Despite the impending execution, most of the group was able to fall asleep. Galus lay curled up beside Vilde, shivering from a night terror. Vilde groaned in his sleep and draped his arm over the Dragapult's back, calming the dragon's nerves just a little. Terrowin slept in the corner, snoozing soundly, and Alfhild slept in the middle of her cell, snoring like a train.

Only Melissa remained awake, sitting in front of the bars in a meditative posture. She couldn't sleep, not after her confrontation with Nero. There was too much on her mind now, and she wasn't confident in how she wanted to approach her worries.

Thankfully, a distraction came her way as something rustled the wind. She opened her eyes and found Jason standing on the other side of the bars.

"…Hey," she mumbled.

Jason pulled a dagger out from behind his waist and electrified the blade. "Stand back. I'm breaking you out."

"Jason—"

"I agreed to the prisoner plan, not this. I am not going to stand back and watch you partake in a literal death match." Before he could press the dagger to the bars, Melissa reached through and touched his arm. "…"

Melissa sighed. "We can't risk the plan when we've come so close. I'm going to take part in the execution tomorrow, and I'm going to win."

Jason frowned, but sheathed his dagger reluctantly. "I've been hearing murmurs of what's to be expected tomorrow. I don't like your chances fighting whatever they're keeping locked up below the city. They say it's a monster unlike anything seen above the surface."

Melissa glared. "I'm not going to run away. I need to prove a point." She glanced over her shoulder. "Besides, I won't be fighting alone."

Jason grimaced. "Mels…"

"I'll be fine."

"You don't understand. Your teammates consist of a half-injured Armorouge, a cowardly Dragapult, a distrusting Tinkaton who only speaks Subterran…" He glanced warily at the Sceptile snoozing in the corner. "And him."

"…" Melissa sighed. "M-Maybe we should give Terrowin a chance—"

"What?!" he growled through gritted teeth while straining to keep his voice down.

"J-Just hear me out. Terrowin and I are in the same boat here, so it wouldn't hurt if we…let him in on the plan a little—"

"I told you not to talk to him," Jason stressed. "Mels, he's a manipulative tyrant who caused havoc throughout Virdis over thirty years ago. He's not someone you can just trust."

"I-I know, but—"

"Wait…" He frowned. "Don't tell me he's been trying to…?"

"…" Melissa sighed and reached through the bars, taking Jason's hand in hers. "I didn't give him a definitive answer, but…given our options, whatever he's proposing would be in better hands with me than with his other candidates."

"Melissa," he growled, though with concern in his tone.

"I didn't say yes to anything, I swear. I just…" She sighed. "I don't know. I know Terrowin's a bad guy, but I genuinely want to hear him out. He and I just want to bring peace to Virdis. Yes, his methods are horrendous, but…if possible…"

Jason's ears drooped. "Mels…"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, I…I didn't mean to upset you. I was just…shocked meeting him. He isn't anything like what I've been told about Last Autumn's evil mastermind." She stared Jason in the eyes. "Look, I'm not going to agree to anything, but I do think the plan will go off better if we have him as a temporary ally for the plan. Might as well have some extra firepower by our side, right?"

"…" Jason clenched his eyes shut and let out a deeply irritated sigh. After calming himself down, he returned a neutral glare. "I'll go along with whatever you think is right, but I won't hesitate to cut him down if he tries anything."

"Thank you, Jason."

"Just…please don't make me regret this."

She leaned into the bars just enough to kiss his nose. "You have nothing to worry about."

"That doesn't really instill confidence in me," he joked. He squeezed her hand gently, a brief shudder passing through him, then he asked, "What exactly is your plan?"

"Promise me you won't be mad."

"Oh no…"

Melissa sighed. "What I'm asking is incredibly selfish and risky, but…I think we need to execute the Pandora Assault."

"…" Jason paused to take another deep breath, clutching her hand tighter. "You are so lucky there are metal bars between us."

She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"…Alright. I'll send the letter to Eadwulf."

3rd Autumn Moon, 908 – Fort Gladius

After managing to complete their chores for the afternoon, a group of Foresters gathered outside the prying eyes of the patrolling solders and joined Eadwulf as he read over the letter delivered by Lillia's little fan club earlier. Everyone was trying to read over the Nuzleaf's shoulders, curious what prompted the notice.

"…" Eadwulf sighed. "I had a feeling she would call for that."

"Call for what?" Enora asked. "The hell's going on?"

"Did something bad happen?" Sadie gasped. "Is Melly okay?"

Marie glared. "Something tells me that's not the issue."

"…" Eadwulf tucked the letter in his waistband and faced the group. "Change of plans. Girls, gather the explosives and start planting them around the dam."

The girls' eyes widened in surprise, yet also with clear signs of delightful mischief. "Oho! I've been waiting for this," Enora said through a furious grin.

Fabrice stroked her prickly back before asking, "Why the suddenness?"

"Melissa called for the Pandora Assault."

Klaus' eyes widened. "EH?! You're kidding!"

Marie sighed. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

Basil, who seemed a bit weather lately, snickered. "How delightful. Our dear thief as embraced her chaotic side again."

Eadwulf crossed his arms. "Remember, follow Pandora's instructions exactly, and make sure the bombs are hidden."

Shingo bowed. "Leave that part to me. I know a thing or two about concealing traps."

"Good. Once Petra comes by for her routine checkup on us, I'll have her send word back to Umbra Clock." He glared over his shoulder toward the south. "I never expected this day would come so soon, but I guess Melissa deems it worthy of our time."

Ursula laughed. "What are we waiting for? Let's show these soldiers how much we appreciate their hospitality." The Foresters nodded and broke off back to their assignments, giddy to finally start their scheme.

Once everyone was gone, Eadwulf pulled the letter out again and skimmed down to the bottom of the page. "Speaking of chaotic…"

"P.S. Eadwulf, I have a favor to ask you. This is a selfish request of my own, and I don't want Melissa thinking I'm doubting her abilities, but desperate times are upon us and you're the only person I can trust to get the job done efficiently."

Eadwulf narrowed his eyes. "Jason…"

"When you and the Nature Spirits gather in Telo Martius…kill Emperor Nero."

Meanwhile…

Deep below the streets of Telo Martius, leading the way by torchlight, Nero, Gemini, and a squadron of guards descended the stone steps of an underground chamber. Their steps echoed through the spacious chamber, growing louder and louder the deeper they went.

"How long has it been since we've had a proper execution?" Nero asked. His smirk grew. "This is going to be fun."

Gemini frowned. "Are you sure it was wise to stick the Subterran prisoner into the execution? Five against one—"

"It won't matter. Adding a little chaos won't hurt anyone…except them." He shrugged. "Besides, she's too dangerous to be kept on her own in the colosseum or as a slave girl. Better to just kill her off with the rest of them."

Gemini glared. "Still, is it wise to get rid of Skill Hunter Harlow? She would make a valuable asset to the empire if we only convinced her—"

"There's no convincing her at this rate. I did all I could." Nero examined his claws and scoffed. "It makes no difference to me."

Gemini sighed. "You're far too easygoing. Just like when we lost that Pignite prisoner."

"Probably a blessing for the both of us," he grumbled. He shook his head. "Gemini, if I worried myself over every little detail that went awry, I wouldn't be living the luxurious lifestyle of an emperor. I'd just drown myself in the despair of work, much like my foolish brother. Whatever happens, I will have no regrets."

A thunderous, almost demonic roar rumbled through the chamber, rattling the guards and even Gemini. Shivers crawled up Nero's back, yet the dread only made him even more excited as black sparks surged from his eyes.

"Speaking of no regrets, our executioner sounds well rested."

The group reached the bottom of the steps, and one of the guards raised the lantern, shining a light on the slumbering giant nestled in the empty chamber. It was a monster that towered above all of them even as it lay sleeping on the floor. Each breath it took released a gale of hot wind in their faces, and its snoring made their ribcages quake with vibrations.

"I've…never been this close to it before," one of the guards murmured.

"S-Same," another whispered.

Nero laughed, spreading his arms out and confidently approaching the slumbering beast. "Your slumber ends here! Your services are required for the execution of a lifetime! Five worthy sacrifices for one glorious show of entertainment!"

A pair of eyes snapped open, shining red like blood, and focused down on the Krokorok emperor. The monster stirred, rising off the ground, and stood on its two towering legs. Each step caused the earth to shake, nearly knocking the guards over. The monster was like a massive shadow stretching off the walls of the dark chamber, looming over them with eyes filled with hunger.

Nero laughed with greater excitement. "Give us your best performance! Eh, Tyranno?"