Chapter 50 – Shadow's fade

It was chaos onboard the Shadowpiercer… At one end, the members of Team Rocket fought it out with Rose's henchmen. At the other, Ash, Sylveon, Oshawott and Zacian did battle with Shadow. The usually plush interior was fast being reduced to a rubble of smashed furnishing, broken glass, fires, and smoke as the carriages proved too small to contain the battles.

Zacian's sword and Oshawott's Seamitars clashed with the needle conjured by Shadow as they crashed their way through the cars, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

"Give it up Shadow," Zacian snarled, as she brought her sword up to parry a strike from above. "You can't win."

Shadow did not reply to her, but instead his red eye fixed on Ash. "I wonder boy. You could have elected to break us free from this infernal machine, to protect your two Pokémon from perishing. Left there on the roof, their death is almost certain. Yet you choose to be here and fight along side Zacian. But I suppose that, whether you indeed truly care about one of them, is something I've seen to be less than true. I suggest you call off your attacks and, for your sake, have a Pokémon that can teleport. The longer it takes for you to get them somewhere to heal them, the closer they slip to death."

Ash's heart skipped a beat. Was he right? Should he have Ashachu and Charizard with Pikachu and the others. Had Pikachu managed to get out.

"Don't listen to him Ash," growled Zacian. "He's trying to get inside your head. Make you question yourself. Drive a wedge between us. None of us are safe while he lives…. AHHHH."

She threw herself and gave a violent swing of her sword, which Shadow seemed only just able to block with his own. At the same time, Oshawott attacked him from his now open and vulnerable side.

Shadow had no choice. He retreated, turning his back, and moving swiftly up the carriage. He was surprisingly quick. There was something spooky about the way he floated along above the ground, made worse in the dim light of the carriage.

"Come back here. You're not getting away you coward." Zacian bolted after him, leaving Ash and his two Pokémon to follow.

But being on a train there were few places to retreat to. And Shadow soon found himself at a dead end. He had reached the Shadowpiercer's engine, the final carriage now that the train was being hauled from the other end, and a definite dead end.

Few times in his long life had Shadow felt apprehension or fear. This was one of them. Blade was trapped somewhere further up the train and standing between him and the Sneasel were the little hero bitch and her allies. Could he win against them…he didn't know? And now they would be able to corner him.

"Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, Shadow." There was a soft growl as Zacian prowled into the locomotive's cab, flanked on either side by Oshawott and Sylveon and with Ash behind. "Our past catches up with us all. And there's a lot in yours coming after you. I've had to live without my mate now, because of you. I've had to live with what you did to him. Now you face the consequences."

Shadow raised his needle. "I confess I don't not recall your mate. So many have died that I doubt I would recall him, even if you told me his name. But I'm sure he screamed just like all the rest. And now you will join him."

Shadow to take a run at Zacian, pointing his "sword" at her. She brough hers up to block it, as Oshawott came in from the side once again. But this time, Shadow reached out and grabbed him by the throat.

The pain came as a shock to Ash. It felt as though there were an invisible hand on his neck. He gasped for air unable to breath. Was this what Oshawott was feeling…What Shadow was doing to him. There was an explosion of pain throughout his entire body. Shadow had thrown Oshawott from him, sending Oshawott flying into the console at the end of the cabin.

…. Coupling one detached…Door opened…

A low, monotonal feminine voice echoed through the locomotive, and something flashed across the screens. Ash felt a cold draft hit him in the back. He spun around to see the corridor he had just come from…moving away.

The locomotive had detached from the rest of the train, which was quickly pulling ahead. The Engine not being under power, was starting to slow down, being left behind by the rest of the train. Oshawott must have flicked some switch when he landed on the console causing the couplings to come undone.

Shadow saw his chance. With a massive bout of strength, he managed to push Zacian off him, and made a bid for the exit.

"Whoa!" Ash was caught off guard. He saw Shadow coming but had no time to get out of the way or do anything to stop him. Shadow shoved him hard in the chest, knocking him to the ground, before flying out the door and onto the tracks.

"Oh no you don't! Get back here and face me, you coward!"

Ash managed to push himself up, in time to see Zacian leaping out of the open door at the rear end of the engine after Zacian. "Zacian!" He scrambled to his feet and rushed over to the door, followed by Oshawott and Sylveon.

In the faint light coming from the inside of the locomotive, the Shadowpiercer ahead, and Shadow's red eye, he could make out the two Pokémon wrestling with each other. It was only as he stood in the threshold of the door and looked out that he noticed the train appeared to be crossing a viaduct or bridge. The ground on either side of the tracks seemed to disappear into darkness…

"Zacian," he called out. His heart pounded as he watched the two Pokémon thrash from side to side, dancing towards the edge or the abyss. "Look out…"

Too late. In one heart stopping moment, he watched as Zacian lunged, pushing Shadow over the edge, but loosing her own footing. For a second, they seemed to teeter on the side of the bridge, as if frozen. Then the pair fell, dropping out of sight.

"NO!"

"Sylvee."

"Oshawott!"

Ash gave a cry, echoed by his two Pokémon. Instinctively, he reached for his Pokéballs before remembering… "Oh yeah, I left Yveltal with Pikachu, and Charizard…" He couldn't finish the sentence. "Bulbasaur…"

Could the grass type pull her up with her with his vines. It was a long shot, but Ash had to try right? He took the ball of his belt and prepared to throw it, before being distracted by something.

He noticed it first out of the corner of his eye and raised his head. A great pillar of orange flame had burst out of the roof of one of the carriages of the Shadowpiercer. It shone bright – against the black of the night it was almost blinding, leaving an ark burned Ash's eyes. Then…

KABOOM!

Something burst from the inside the train and shot up into the sky with considerable speed. A dark figure, visible only by the orange flames at it's tail, that left a streak across the sky. As it climbed higher, it begun to ark towards them.

Ash gasped. Had Team Rocket, or whoever was in control now, fired a missile. But then, as the object begun to dive back to earth, he saw it wasn't a missile or an object at all… It was…

"Charizard…" Ash's heart skipped a beat. As it got closer Charizard's spiny wings, his head, arms, and torso slowly came into view. Upon catching sight of Ash, Charizard open his mouth and spat out another jet of flame.

In the light from the fires Ash saw to great relief, his partner sitting astride the flame Pokémon's back. "Pikachu!" He raised an arm and waved, and to his delight, Pikachu waved back, letting out a cry of "Pikapi!"

As Charizard started to drop down toward them, Ash called out to him, "Charizard. Zacian fell. She needs your help."

"Rawarh." Charizard gave a curt nod, before swooping around and diving down beyond the sides of the bridge.

Would he get to her in time? Would he be too late? Could Zacian survive a fall that far? Could Shadow? Ash waited with bated breath, his heart thumping away in his chest.

"RAAWAHHH!"

A second later Charizard flew up from under the bridge, Zacian standing perched on his back, just behind Pikachu. Ash felt a great sense of relief. He couldn't help but punch the air triumphantly and shout out, "Way to go Charizard."

"Zard!" Charizard gave another roar and belched a yet of orange flame lighting up the night sky.

The moment of triumph however was short lived, as a second later another Pokémon flew up from out underneath the bridge. While it was almost hard to make out in the dark, there was no mistaking that gleaming red eye.

Shadow… riding on the back of another winged Pokémon. Ash whipped out his Pokédex and held it up.

Corviknight. The Raven Pokémon. This Pokémon reigns supreme in the skies of the Galar region. The black lustre of its steel body could drive terror into the heart of any foe.

Corviknight looked like a giant raven, however it was covered in steel like feathers that made it look as though it were dressed in a bird suit of armour. Despite its terrible looking beak and talons, its most prominent feature was the pair of blood red eyes set sunken in its head.

"Where did that come from," he mumbled before shouting, "CHARIZARD! Behind you!"

Corviknight was fast. It shot through the air like a fighter jet closing the distance between itself and Charizard quickly, Shadow brandishing his sword.

[Pokémon]

"Behind you…" Charizard heard his trainer's cry and turned his head over his shoulder in time to see the oncoming Corviknight, bearing it's Darkrai rider aloft. He belched a jet of flame in its direction.

Corviknight however was fast. It avoided the attack by swooping underneath Charizard and reappearing by his other side. "Rwahh!" Charizard snapped his head around to the other side, his eyes and maw opened wide in surprise.

Shadow raised his needle and threw himself, not at Charizard exactly, but at Zacian on his back. He jumped off his Corviknight steed and onto Charizard's rear, grabbing his tail with one claw and thrusting his needle forward with the other.

"ZAAARRRDD!"

Charizard yelled out as he felt the painful tug on his tail, jarring his bones. The needle grazed the side of his left wing, slicing it open. The flame Pokémon gritted his teeth and beat his wings furiously, trying to keep himself airborne despite the pain and weight.

"Pika."

Pikachu closed his eyes and gripped onto Charizard for dear life. He had tucked Ash capped, in which he had stored the Pokémon Ash had given him. Zacian turned and parried Shadow's lunge, their two swords clashing together with a clink that rang out through the night air.

"You've failed Shadow," Zacian snarled. "You failed to kill Charizard. You've failed to protect Blade. And you're going to fail to kill me! You can't hold on. You're a failure at heart Shadow."

"A failure. M." Even now, as he clung to the end of the dragon like Pokémon desperately trying to keep himself airborne, locked sword to sword with Zacian, Shadow's voice remained the same. Monotonal, deep and cold. "A Pokémon called legend becomes the servant. The plaything. The tool even. Of evil humans. Subserviently doing their bidding. I may have killed many but at least I am true to myself. You are a coward and a fool, and you will die."

"We'll just see about that," Zacian growled.

"Rwahhh…Zard!" Charizard felt strain in his back and in his wings. It was costing him every effort to try and keep from plummeting to the ground. To keep his centre of gravity level enough to keep the Pokémon on his back from falling.

All while worrying that Shadow would attack him, either plunging his needle into his back, or again going for his exposed neck and throat. He couldn't shake him off without risking Pikachu and the other's lives. All he could do was hope Zacian could protect them.

As it soon transpired however, it was Pikachu who he should have been more worried about. Crouched in the middle of Charizard's back, between his beating wings, and being squashed by Zacian, holding on for dear life.

The poor mouse had rarely been so terrified. His eyes were squeezed shut, his ears folded back and covered his head with his paws. Pikachu's breathing came short and sharp. He was hyperventilating, and not taking in enough oxygen with each breath his drew. He felt dizzy, panic flooding his system, overwhelming him…

"Pi pi pi PI PIKA CHUUUUUU!"

It was a moment of pure terror driven defensive instinct. His little Pika brain automatically reacting to the situation and the threat in the best way it knew how. He let off a powerful shock of electricity, temporarily illuminating the night sky.

Charizard's muscles contracted as the electricity coursed through his body. He was overcome with pain. He let out a great "Rwahhh," of pain. His body had frozen; he couldn't move his wings. The flame Pokémon felt himself drop like a stone.

Cold air and snow rushed around him as he fell through the blackness towards…He had no idea what, he couldn't see the ground in the darkness. He cried out and snarled, desperately willing his wings to work. Desperately willing Pikachu to stop discharging.

[Pokémon]

"Charizard…Pikachu! Ashachu too."

Ash felt completely helpless as watched the electrical display in the sky that was Pikachu's discharge, followed by the burning orange streak that told him Charizard was falling to the ground. If he had a psychic or flying type on hand, he might have been able to do something.

But he couldn't even safely jump free from the still speeding (though slowing) locomotive as it made it's way across the viaduct. He looked desperately from the falling Charizard to his two other Pokémon, whose expressions reflected his thoughts right now.

"Sylvee Sylveon."

"Rott!"

With a thrill of horror, the three of them watch Charizard fall below the viaduct.

[Pokémon]

"This is the end for you, Zacian," said Shadow coldly. His voice was still even even as they plummeted to the ground. "The hero of many battles. Fitting that this should be your last."

Zacian did not take the bait. She concentrated her energy on keeping her opponents sword at bay, her eyes darting around, taking in her surroundings, as best she could in the dark.

"Such is your arrogance Shadow that you've failed to notice your one fatal flaw. You see, using that attack you can't give an inch. But my maw is still free, and there's one more attack I can use."

Zacian opened her mouth and small pink orb of energy gathered between her fangs. Had Shadow's eye been capable of widening it might have done so. And for the first time the tone in his voice change, from cold and menacing to one of surprise.

"That's not possible!"

There was a blinding flash of pink light followed by an explosion. Charizard felt as though a giant paw and sized him, scrunched him up and hauled him like a baseball. He was suddenly tumbling and spiralling through the air. He no longer knew where he was. In the dark he was unable to determine the ground from the sky.

SMACK!

Pain exploded through his entire body as he felt himself come into contact with something hard. Intuitively, he realised he must have finally reached the ground. Slowly he forced himself back to his feet. Everything hurt, and he felt a massive stabbing pain in his right foot when he put weight on it.

"RWHAAAA." He let out a cry, before closing one eye and gritting his teeth. Now, more than ever, he had to be strong. "P-Pikachu…Zacian. Where are you."

"I'm right here Charizard," came the squeaky, shaken reply of Pikachu. He felt something move on his back and realised with relief that the little electric mouse must have managed to cling on there the whole time.

"You okay Pikachu? Where are the Pokéballs?"

"There right here. I've still got em?"

Good…at least that meant Ashachu was safe…

"Charizard."

Charizard felt someone else sidle up beside him. He swung his tail around, and in the glow if gave off was able to make out Zacian's face.

"I give you…" Zacian pressed her head against Charizard's flank and put a paw on his side. Her eyes lit up and waves of pink energy begun to emanate from her body…

[Pokémon]

Shadow hauled himself off the rocky ground. He ran his long spindly fingers over his body as he gasped for air. Pain and exhaustion…two sensations he had almost forgotten, having encounter few challengers capable of bringing them upon him.

Zacian's moon blast had knocked the air from his lungs and dealt him some serious damage. The crash landing onto such a hard service hadn't helped. He gazed upwards. High above him was the viaduct. He could just make out the lights of the train in the distance.

He couldn't spot the Corviknight anywhere. "Coward must have fled," he cursed silently. When this was over and he had his Blade back, he would return for it, and show him the price of abandoning him. Corviknight had a family too…Wouldn't that be something!

But first there was Zacian. Shadow knew that, if he were ever to see Blade again, he would have to end this…and her…soon. That blasted Charizard and Pikachu too. And that little brat, Ashachu…. The one who had started this all. He would die. He looked around. Where were they.

And then he saw the flash of orange flames….

[Pokémon]

"ZARD!" Charizard felt his strength slowly return to him. His aches and pains disappearing. Whatever Zacian was doing, she was healing him. He couldn't help himself… He held his head up high and flew a jet of flames into the sky.

Zacian took a deep breath and lowered he head. "My gift to you. My aura. I will not allow Shadow to murder another innocent Charizard. Your kind has suffered more than enough."

"RWAAH!" Charizard roared again, spewing out another bright orange blaze of fire. His sudden euphoria however was cut short when Pikachu gave a frightened squeak.

"Pika!"

He lowered his head to see Shadow moving silently and menacingly towards him. Where it not for the flames, he would have been almost invisible in the night.

"Into the air. NOW."

Charizard felt a jerk and a pull on his tail and back as Zacian climbed up onto him once more. He outstretched his wings and took off into the air, rising above the Darkrai.

Zacian stared down at the Darkrai. "It's over, Shadow. I have the high ground."

Shadow just glared at her with his gleaming red eye. "You doubt my power!"

"Don't try it."

Shadow launched himself at her, shooting into the air like a jump jet. As he neared the hovering Charizard, Zacian leapt from his back and, with a hard flick of her head, slashed the Darkrai with her sword in one fluid motion.

The blade made contact with Shadow's body right where his torso met his waist. The thinnest point of his hourglass figure. And then, to Ash and the other's astonishment, Shadow seemed to split into two.

The lower half of his body, the tunic like portion of his robe like body, fell away leaving only his upper half; torso, legs and arms rising into their air. Whether due to pain, or the understanding of defeat, he let out a terrible, high-pitched cry, that echoed through the landscape.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

What appeared to be blood, large black droplets, rained down, causing Charizard to raise a claw, Pikachu to shrink back behind his wings to avoid being hit with the blood. There was a dull wet thud as the two halves of what had once been Shadow landed on the ground in front of them.

"Rwhaa." Charizard dropped down and landed on the ground beside the top half of Shadow's torso. Zacian slid off his back to inspect, approaching carefully, his snout extended.

Remarkably, Shadow had not been killed. He managed to use his two arms to push himself up, as far as he could, to glare at Zacian. The wolf like creature now towered over him, gazing at him with pure loathing on her face, and sense of victory in her eyes.

"You've taken so much from so many Shadow," she growled. "And now you get to die like so many of have at your hands. Alone, disfigured and dismembered and in agony. Knowing you'll never see your loved ones again, surrounded only by your enemies and with no loved ones by your side…. Charizard."

"Rwahhh." Charizard reared his head and blasted Shadow with his flamethrower.

Fire engulfed the reaper like Pokémon's form and a terrible shriek echoed through the mountain side. "Ahhhhhhah!"

"Oh Arceus." Pikachu curled himself into a ball, his paw firmly pressed over his eyes, so he did not have to watch the grizzly scene unfold.

Even Charizard gave a distasteful grunt and turned his head away. Zacian continued to stare at the Pitch-Black Pokémon as he burnt, he fires blazing in her eyes, a stoic expression on her face.

"He was a Charizard too. My mate. He had a family, other Pokémon who you ripped him from. Who were tortured almost as much as he was by you? He was my mate, Shadow. I loved him."

Zacian sniffled before turning her back to the dying Darkrai and walking back over to Charizard.