Chapter 61: The Quartet of Shadows?
The big day was dawning. The sun was just rising and the duo had decided that even if crossing the mountain took the whole day, they would not rest until it was all over. The mountain range in front of them looked like a wall. Not one that locked in what was inside, no, more like a barrier that was supposed to keep out everything outside. It was as if the center was calling to Aurora. She knew it was here. Only about two kilometers separated the duo from the foot of the mountain.

And that was a matter of around 20 minutes. Up close, the mountain now stretched out much more mightily than it had appeared from a distance.

"Are you ready, Aurora? As soon as we go up there, there will be no turning back!"
"And now we still can turn around or what? No way! So come on, the author is waiting."

The Ninetales had just taken the first step when a voice sounded behind her.

"Not so fast now, alright? It's not just the author who's been waiting for you!"

A familiar voice. Aurorus! Full of hatred, Aurora turned to her former friend and saw that he was not alone. The shadows, the Plot Elite, whatever you want to call them, were all gathered. Darkrai, Eternatus, Aurorus.

"We still have things to discuss, don't we?", the fossil continued.
"Go away! All three of you! Epsilon has lost, so you too must accept defeat! We have more important things to do!"

Eternatus, however, seemed to have little understanding.

"Epsilon may have fallen, but we are still continuing her mission!"
"Well, Endynalos wants that at least. I'm just here for revenge, I don't care about Epsilon!"

Darkrai just stared at the ground in silence.

"Besides..."

Once again, malicious glee appeared in the former league leader's eyes.

"It's been so long since us shadows were all united for the last time! Marshadow, come join us once more!"

While Aurora didn't quite understand, Marshadow joined the ranks of the previous trio.

"Well, what do you think now, Aurora? What did you think? Four teams were involved in the league meetings. Team Nordika, including Darkrai. Team Fossil, including me. Team Slash, including Epsilon herself! Did you really think your ranks were free of us?"

The whole thing still seemed more like a dream to Aurora.

"Excuse me? Polar, what is going on? Is this some kind of joke?"

The shadow stepped forward a single step so that he was now standing in front of the rest of his group.

"No. Aurora, I'll introduce myself to you again and explain everything to you. I'm Marshadow, or Polar, whichever you prefer. The Shadow Spy of the Plot Elite. My specialties are gathering information and deception. After the encounter at the iceberg, Epsilon decided that I should accompany you."
"So… you knew everything? From the beginning? And you still lie to my face so calmly?"

Aurorus, who obviously saw himself as a kind of leader of the elite, immediately reacted to this aggressive question with laughter.

"That would be great. You think I'm crazy, but man, you don't know Marshadow's bullshit!"

A dark sideways glance from the shadow followed.

"Let me speak! I am a spy through and through. And I am firmly convinced that no one can pretend they don't know anything when they do. That's why I didn't receive any knowledge from Epsilon. I knew as much as I told you."
"And yet you are a traitor! I am your sister! Why are you doing this? Why do you stick with Epsilon?"

A spark of disappointment was reflected in Marshadow's eyes.

"I only want peace, just like back then. But when I came into this world... I received the power of the Plot Elite and Epsilon was the only one fighting for peace."

At this point, however, the debate took a turn, a twist that no one had foreseen. For the first time, Darkrai raised his voice.

"And she was wrong, damn it! Epsilon was never right, and neither were we! And I refuse to stand for any kind of revenge here."

He turned to Aurora.

"Whether you trust me or not doesn't matter. I saw your victory over Epsilon and knew that Aurorus would be planning. I only came along because I can't stand this shit anymore. I just wanted peace! And after all that happened I cannot believe that Epsilon's way to peace is rightous!"

Dark power began to gather in his hand as he stood in front of Aurora, his back turned to her.

"And if you all want to fight for these rotten ideals, you'll have to get past me first!"

Unsure if she had actually wronged Darkrai or if this was a deception, the Plot Warrior heard her brother speak again. A familiar orange energy gathered in his hand. Plot energy.

"That's why I joined your team Aurora. I gave Epsilon information and kept you busy, for example at the day of the Champion's Duel. I delayed you so that you wouldn't have time to undo Darkrai's false registration."

He was interrupted again by Aurorus.

"And believe me! He was SHIT at his job! Like, half of his information was straight up wrong! Without him, Epsilon could have greeted you on the volcano herself! And at the iceberg for your second visit!"
"Let me speak, damn it!"

While Aurorus flinched, Eternatus spoke up for the first time.

"Only if you put away that Plot energy! You know what this Ninetales does with that!"

Again, the only answer was a cold look.

"Well, can I finish my explanation? I traveled with you, experienced everything. And every meter of the way I knew: I was a traitor. That is my destiny as a spy. And yet I made my own decisions. Eternatus, I know very well what Aurora is capable of with the Plot power of others. That's why..."

Without warning, Marshadow shot the Plot attack forward and Aurora recognized the truth of his words. She immediately jumped in front of Darkrai, right into the attack. She was filled with endless power as Plot flew through her veins. Marshadow was now standing next to her again.

"That's why it took me like two days to know that I would not betray you, Team Polarna vatra, but the Plot Elite! Because you were what Epsilon believed to be! I gave Epsilon false and correct information, in a mix that was not too suspicuous and yet helped you. So then, Eternatus, Aurorus, do you still want to fight?"

Relieved, the plot-stricken one turned to her brother.

"You just really scared me, you know that?"
"I kept lying once again, I know. But it was my best shot to give you Plot power with no risk whatsoever."
Darkrai rose his voice, satisfied.

"And suddenly the tables have turned, haven't they? The Plot Elite once had five members, Epsilon has fallen and the remaining four are now facing each other! In battle or not, you two decide!"

Calm, but breathing heavily, Eternatus turned to the only team partner he had left.

"Once more it will just be the two of us... just like back then on the cliff, with your "Masterplan". How about we actually work as a team this time?"

Now a little less exuberant, the scientist answered.

"Very well. This time I have more than enough stuff for the both of us!"
"Can you do me a favor and pass me your backpack?"

The fossil hesitated briefly, but then pulled out a golden bottle and took the bag.

"I'm keeping my secret weapon!"

Well, that did not sound ominous at all... Still very calm, Endynalos took the bag with the remaining potions and searched through them briefly before pulling out a bottle of dark blue liquid.

"What were these again?"
"Bombs!"
"Excellent."

Endynalos immediately threw the bottle to the ground, aiming directly at Aurorus, who was thrown against the side of the mountain.

"But... Tern, what's that about?"

It was now that the dragon's previous eerie calm disappeared.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! I'M fucking SICK OF YOU! OF THIS WHOLE GROUP! NONE OF YOU SEE THE TRUTH! EPSILON FOUGHT TO HER LAST BREATH AND WE WERE DESTINED TO FOLLOW IN HER STEPS! BUT THOSE TWO...!"

He emphasized the last two words with disgust as he pointed to the shadows at Aurora's side.

"They'd rather betray the truth of our master! And you... you're not fighting for our goal, but for your insane desires! I don't need you, I don't need anyone! Is there anyone else who wants to turn on me? Oh wait, there is nobody left anyway! Do you want to join that group too, Aurorus? Are you going to turn against me too?"

Without warning, Eternatus opened the bag of potions over his head and all the liquids poured over the huge dragon, who immediately began to scream, flooded with strange colors.

At that moment, Aurorus jumped up in panic and stood next to Darkrai, which Aurora did not take well.

"Fuck off! Leave! I don't want you here! You're nothing but a madman!"

The fossil answered, his exclamation coldly as rarely before.

"And yet I am rational and a strategist. Even I recognize that the only enemy in this situation is Eternatus! With all the potions on his side... I have no idea what he'll be able to do! So don't worry, when this is over I'll be gone, but in this fight I'm on your side!"

At the same moment, bright light and more screams penetrated the eternal dragon until the hustle and bustle slowly died down. Bright colors now radiated from Eternatus' body. Whatever stood before them now... it was no longer the same Pokemon.

"All this power. Endless might. Dimensions in one. The vision of the visionless one. Revenge for the fallen queen, a mission of the highest servant. The power of endless worlds, endless stories, a single truth! What follows Epsilon is Zeta. The power of eternal prophecy. Zeta Eternatus. Zeta. Zeta…"

Once again a loud roar pierced the silence, the sound alone so powerful that Aurora had trouble not being blown back. Seven spheres began to circle around Eternatus. Or whatever this being was now. They resembled dragon's past orbs, but were many times larger. Each of them represented a color of the rainbow, number seven was pitch black.

"What are these powers? Such endless power from such small bottles? I should have seized your potions before, Aurorus! If Epsilon has fallen, then I must complete the master's work! The next generation of the Plot, Emperor Zeta, is dawning! Aurora, you think you are the true Plot Warrior just because Epsilon overshot her target in frustration? Nothing has changed! Even my innermost burdens shine through all this anger! And now witness my superiority, traitors and misguided!"

A roar followed again, this time it was meant to create fear and show dominance. Aurora still found it difficult to assess Zeta's true power, but Aurorus seemed more sure.

"There is no shot we can beat THIS. Not like this, not against him."

Still angry at the mastermind of the Plot Elite, Aurora answered as she thought.

"If you want to give up, then go right ahead! I will fight and I will win, as I always did!"
"There is more to this fight than just victory, Aurorus! We have to continue here, whether we want to or not!", Marshadow followed up.

However, it seemed as if the former leader's words had a different message than the two siblings had initially understood.

"He is overpowering! We cannot win in battle. But..."

He glanced at the bottle he had taken from his bag.

"We can seal him away. Forever. Aurora, fuck, why am I even saying this, I need your help. This bottle contains the essence of a distant dimension. When I throw it up to Eternatus, destroy it with an attack. A portal to a sealed-off dimension will spring from it. It was actually intended for you, but... this feels more important!"

An immense mistrust caused conflicting feelings in Aurora, but she knew: For one last time, she should probably trust Aurorus.

"Fine by me! So let's get this over with!"

Aurorus immediately did what he had promised. He threw the bottle high in the air, directly over the Plot Dragon's head. A Blizzard not only hit it, but also shattered the bottle. Aurorus had not promised too much. A huge portal opened immediately, a strong suction led into it, Eternatus only centimetres from being sucked in. But... he didn't move.

"What did you expect to happen? Have you not seen me fight Team Nordika? Have you not seen what made me a god in the league even before ascending further? I am what happens when the unmovable object and the unstoppable force become one! You disappoint me. But alright, it's my turn now!"