Chapter 21: Cycle of Shadows!
One last round! And somehow Epsilon had to get the situation under control again! How had the duels turned so much in this second round? Suddenly it seemed as if there was absolutely no way through, neither against Aurora nor against Kel! But they had to try! With a changed plan. It was logical not to start with Tyantrum, in order to have him available if Kel didn't start. And Polarna vatra had clearly noticed this too. So if the fossil fought the first fight he would meet Kel and at least this seemed to be an encounter that still worked in Slash's favor!

So this was the new plan. Tyrantrum stepped onto the field, facing his opponent! The change of plan was not based on the most complex plans and therefore it was obviously no particular secret to Aurora and Kel, which is why the Ninetales had taken the lead again this time. And immediately created a terrible foundation. Tyrantrum's victory was not exactly to be expected and then Slash would have to catch up immediately, defeating Kel without their best counter!

But well, first they had to wait out the first duel anyway, as decided as it seemed. And in this one wanted to Aurora start as usual. Hail and Aurora Veil. A classic technique, especially powerful against a Pokemon like Tyrantrum, as it reduced his power while this was the only thing that the fossil exceeded his opponent. That's exactly why he didn't want to let Aurora get away with the same old trick and stopped her before she could start by using Stone Edge, which immediately delivered a powerful hit. Aurora was annoyed by this start, but she remained very certain that she still had the advantage. Accordingly, she now created her own battlefield, filled with icy ground and icy spikes, which gave her agility and took it away from Tyrantrum.

The fossil immediately countered by using Earthquake, which seemed at least semi-effective. Some of the spikes were apparently more unstable and thus broke immediately, while others remained. It was those others that Aurora of course immediately tried to exploit. However, Tyrantrum actually was able to keep some control. Aurora tried to outwit him with agility, but the fossil had long known how to handle speed due to his own slowness and training with Zeraora. So he kept calm and preferred to break the spikes himself one by one, while keeping an eye on his enemy, whose surprise attacks seemed rather ineffective as a result, sometimes even counterproductive if Tyrantrum counterattacked with the battle rock he carried with him.

So a change of plan was in order, the Ninetales noticed as much. But these were clearly not her strength! How could she defeat Tyrantrum if he didn't fall for agility? More distance! Above all, moon power, which would be a very powerful attack against the fossil! Especially since it also had a striking weapon, but unlike Zeraora, it could not reflect energy projectiles, only physical ones.

However, that did not stop the rock from at least blocking energy. The full force of a Moonblast tried to find its target, but each time Tyrantrum simply swatted it away as if it were nothing more than an annoying fly. The duel, which Epsilon had considered to be a foregone conclusion, was currently turning out to be very different. Aurora was more agile and her hits more powerful, but her agility did not help her as long as she could not trick her opponent to get in any hits. And since speed was not enough, she apparently had no more ideas for such tricks, while Tyrantrum was able to fight more and more confidently!

"Team Slash takes the lead once again! The next duel could decide the tournament!"
"Well, I have to admit... I didn't think it would go well."

Zeraora clearly showed that he shared the thought that Epsilon had already had. At the same time, however, this fundamentally changed the situation at hand.

"So what now? How confident do you feel against Kel?", Epsilon asked her team's leader.
"Well... let's put it this way... we should prepare for the two-on-two. I don't think I could do much better than you did last round."
"If you're already prepared for defeat anyway... you certainly don't mind if I try it again, right?"

Team Slash's leader was visibly surprised by this request. The first encounter between the two had not been close, it almost seemed more like an embarrassment for Epsilon. Kel countered everything she could do and was simply stronger!

"You want to do that to yourself again? We both know that it won't go well!"
"An Epsilon doesn't let herself be shown up twice! I definitely can't guarantee that I'll win, but I now know what he's up to and I'm ready! Plus, we'll have the element of surprise, you know yourself that they're 100 percent counting on you, right?"

Zeraora couldn't contradict that, even though he was obviously still unsure.

"I mean... sure. But how exactly are you going to do anything? What does knowledge help you if all you know is that every trick you have is nullified? You only know that you're going to lose!"
"You said yourself that you don't believe you can beat him! So, if I think I can maybe do something, why shouldn't you let me take over?"
"Very well! But Tyrantrum and I will take over the third round!"

In the end, the electric Pokemon had been persuaded, so that Epsilon stepped up onto the field. Their opponent had been no secret, due to Polarna Vatra's team size, but that same opponent seemed almost incredulous at his rival. But he wouldn't complain. It was a free victory! And with that thought, the round began!

A thought that Epsilon knew. A thought that she often used to her advantage when her opponents carried it within them. A thought that she had trained herself to stop having years ago. Overconfidence. And it was precisely this overconfidence that was an important part of her strategy in this fight! Kel immediately created his little fireball again, which was supposed to prevent Epsilon from having any access to the shadows. And the Arcanine immediately threw himself at his opponent, knowing that she would hardly have a chance to defend herself. What she did have, however, was experience. Experience from war which she had tried to convey to Polarna vatra, but which the duo, or at the time still trio, had rather ignored.

And that experience advised her to use a rather calm start to the fight. She already suspected an immediate attack, but only dodged it with a single step and immediately countered with a claw strike. She then tried to use the shadow cast by the Arcanine to reach her sword, but Kel was more than ready and the fireball prevented any attempt. But this was nothing unexpected.

Instead, now in a less advantageous position, Epsilon jumped back, once again out of the opponent's reach. Last time she had not been able to win with long-range combat and close combat did not offer her any chance either. But what might be the way forward was to let Kel truly force the close combat, which he could apparently force without risk, in order to use the knowledge of his will to create a risk. The best attack here was neither attack or defense. Simply standing still at a distance from the opponent that was large enough for the Zoroark to react to anything the Arcanine might try would be!

And Kel noticed what Epsilon was planning, but he had to come up with a way to deal with it. Yes, he wasn't really in danger, since Epsilon couldn't exert any offensive pressure, but he wanted to be able to end the duel himself and not just stand there silently. He would have liked to punish any reaction, but none came. So Kel decided to use Earthquake first, so he didn't have to bet on getting into close combat. But this was exactly what Epsilon had been waiting for, her rigidity breaking at the first sign of the attack as she shot forward, her claws extended for a strike. A strike that the Arcanine was ready to dodge. Without knowing, however, that he hadn't been the target. Instead, Epsilon struck directly in front of the fireball, so that her own claws created a gust of wind that blew the burning gas away a little. Long enough for Kel to not be able to react before Epsilon took advantage of the situation and drew her rainbow-colored sword.

"Enough of these games! Do you want to fight properly now?"
"I wouldn't say I want to, but I will! Take your blade then! After I arrived, you led me to Aurora and Polar, who turned me into a new Pokemon. And a fighter. A fighter who is superior to you! I'll make you regret having helped me back then!"

A fighter who is superior to Epsilon? Could such a thing ever be? She had already beaten the Plot Emperor in a one-on-one duel and had proven to him that she was not someone anyone wanted as an enemy. And yet Kel had decided to challenge her! After this duel, he would hopefully reconsider the whole thing! Because a true battle of the giants began. Despite everything, Kel's close combat was simply superior. The sheer power behind every blow, the precision of every claw strike, the speed with which movements were made. And all of this... all of this spoke in Kel's favor, but there was also a problem. Was this duel against Epsilon really a close-ranged fight?

After all, the Zoroark had a sword. It wasn't massive but it was still enough to keep at least a little more distance than the reach of Kel's claws. At the same time, both fighters could block every blow, but Epsilon with an object and Kel with claws, which were still part of himself thus hurting the fighter.

All this was about to change. A Flamethrower from Kel hit the blade, was dampened, but the Arcanine was immediately ready for another blow. He jumped at the Zoroark like a wild animal at its prey, but of course the blow was blocked. By a blade that withstood the blow, but whose grip in Epsilon's hands waned. Instead, the blade shot across the field, immediately sending a new ball of fire next to Kel to prevent any chance of another one being made.

The Zoroark looked up briefly, startled. She needed her weapon, so the last fight would not repeat itself. Again and again. Over and over. Just like the course of the world, the cycle of the sun, the cycle of shadows. It will always rise, shine, push away the clouds, it doesn't care what happens in the world below. When blood soaks the seas, the moon will judge, but the sun doesn't even know what is happening. Peace and war are nothing to her. And this is why some Pokemon will prefer the shadows! The shadows see good and evil, true and false. Emperor and murderer.

The blood in her mind, the sin in her blood, the Zoroark's vision blurred as the light fell on her face. She had come too far, had achieved too much! She was the hero! She had always been! And no one could judge her! For she was the world's judge! She could not be defeated! Especially not by an Arcanine! She had seen a home burn and overthrown a demon! She had been given a second chance! A chance that the Pokemon that she had led to peace wanted to tae from her? She could not see another world burn! She would see her dreams come true! And thus, she would win!
Without really controlling it, Epsilon moved, alone, without her blade, faster and more precisely than her confused enemy, the blows weaker but more numerous. She seemed to disappear into shadows that were not even there, almost invisible in her movements. Who was this Zoroark? And what had she done to Epsilon?!

And at the same time... Kel sensed that this fight would be a difficult one. More difficult than would be worth it. He already had three pieces of the Plot Armor, all of them stored in the cabin for these fights as he was not needing them to quiten down voices. And Epsilon herself would soon hand him the very last one anyways. Why fight a battle as if it was for life and death?

"It's over! After many seasons, Team Slash can secure their first title!"