Why do I have these powers, why am I the person I am? I never asked for these abilities, I didn't choose to be a murderer. They're in danger, I'm the danger. I tried warning them, but they didn't listen. There's nothing I can do, I never asked for this.
"Fall back! We can't beat them!"
A swarm of Pokémon bore down upon a group of retreating soldiers. The soldiers had been separated from the main group since the Steelix attack and had been pursued relentlessly since then.
The soldier who'd been giving orders turned around, firing his energy gun at any nearby Pokémon. His gun short-circuited from the overuse, the blue canister sizzling. Unfazed, he dropped his weapon and grabbed a pistol from his belt, firing bullet after bullet.
"Fall back I said!" shouted the soldier. "I'll hold them-"
A Blaziken leaped forward, its leg smashing into his arm before he could finish.
The soldier was sent flying, crashing into one of his teammates and throwing them onto the ground.
"God damn it," coughed the soldier, clutching his arm. "We can't do anything."
"Watch out!" shouted a woman from behind them.
There was a squeal of tires behind the soldiers as a large, boxy vehicle charged forward. The driver swerved around the fallen soldiers, drifting the car and causing it to crash into the Blaziken.
The driver's door flew open as a man wearing a red and blue hoodie leaped out, four tentacle-like appendages appearing on his back.
The man dashed forward, using his Speed Form to quickly move between the soldiers and pull them away. At the same time, a tall and bulky man stepped out of the car, stone armor forming around him.
"Leave. I'd rather not fight right now."
The Pokémon looked at each other, hesitant. However, one plucky Ambipom leaped for Bran, unwilling to back down.
Bran didn't hesitate. Taking a step back, he raised his arm and blocked the Ambipom's powerful tails as it struck, bringing his knee up and striking it in the stomach. Throwing it backward, he slammed a hand on the ground, causing the earth in front of him to erupt and hit the group of Pokémon.
The Blaziken got to its feet, its legs glowing as it charged for Bran. Gladio sped in front of it, shifting to Defense Form as he blocked its attack. Psychic energy gathering in his hands, he blasted the Blaziken into a building.
The soldier who'd been fighting back rose to his feet, clutching his limp arm. His face was a mask of frustration and anger, his teeth gritted as he fought through the pain.
"You're Accursed, aren't you?"
A woman nearby grabbed the man's uninjured arm. "Johnson, drop it. These people helped us."
"For now, they did. It's foolish to trust them. No number of deeds will convince me otherwise!" shouted Johnson as he was pulled back. "I hope all of you die trying to achieve whatever it is! Achieve whatever it is you're trying to achieve! You aren't fooling anybody!"
Bran ignored the man, his fist glowing as he powered Ruination. "Final warning."
The group of Pokémon shrunk back, looking at their fallen allies. Many of them began turning around, reaching a decision. Seeing the number of Pokémon retreating only served to convince the ones who'd been thinking of fighting to flee with their lives.
Bran watched them leave for a moment as Gladio appeared next to him. Satisfied that they'd all left, he allowed his stone armor to crumble around him, turning back towards the car.
"Let's go."
"What about the soldiers?" asked Gladio. "Shouldn't we make sure they found shelter or escaped?"
"You heard Johnson, or whatever his name was. We're not wanted around here. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way."
"Doesn't it bother you though? That despite everything we're doing, people still believe us to be the bad guys?"
"People will believe whatever they want to believe. I'm not fighting for them, so why should I care what they think? I'm not going out of my way to use my powers to protect those who can't stand up for themselves. It's a cruel world out here, so I can't blame them for worshipping a stronger power and believing everything said power says."
"I guess you have a point," sighed Gladio, opening the driver's seat. "It doesn't sit right with me though."
"Eh, you have your philosophy, I have mine. No need to make a fuss about it, so long as it doesn't get in the way of anything."
"What are you guys talking about?" asked the lavender-haired girl in the backseat, her legs outstretched as she rested them on the front armrest.
Bran looked at her, his brown hair once again hiding his eyes. "Put your feet down, Celica."
"Make me."
"Would it hurt to listen to what I say for once?"
Celica stared placidly out the window, feigning ignorance. "Oh, you were talking to me? Sorry, I thought the car assistant was speaking for a moment. I've gotta ask, how do you keep your voice so monotonous?"
"This is my regular voice. Using my normal voice takes less effort than sitting in a car and doing nothing."
"Are you trying to say something?"
"What Bran's trying to say," said Gladio as he tried to stop the conversation from escalating. "Is that you haven't done much in the way of fighting since we first rescued you."
"So? Didn't you guys say that you'd protect me?"
"Well sorry," said Bran, his voice showing no sign of sarcasm. "But I'd rather not invest time in protecting someone if they're incapable of doing so themselves."
"Geez, you're so cynical," sighed Celica, putting her feet down. "What happened?"
"It's not your concern."
"Why not? Worried that your backstory isn't dark enough?"
"You really like grating on people's nerves, don't you?" asked Bran. "If I had to say, you don't really act like someone who's on the run. Now that I think about it, you never explained why you were being hunted."
"My reasons for running aren't your concern. But if you must know, I decided some time ago that I was no longer going to live in fear. After all, life is short, so why not have one hell of a time living? Life gives you lemons? GO make some lemonade."
"Honestly," said Gladio, starting the car. "You're not wrong there."
"Of course I'm not wrong, I never am wrong. Which is why I tried convincing you guys to leave me behind earlier, but we're stuck in the same boat now. If you're going to be my bodyguards, might as well make the most out of it."
Bran stared out the window. "We're not bodyguards, we just have common interests."
"Fair. Hey, now that I think about it, we are kind of similar. Don't you also want to live without regrets? That's why you make a point not tying yourself down with others."
"It's common sense. No one wants to live with regrets."
"Except masochists."
Gladio gave her a confused look, the car slowing a bit. "I don't think you're using the word correctly."
"You get my point, shouldn't be so hard for a geek like you. What's your story anyway? Who exactly is this Faba guy you're looking for?"
"He was my mentor and a friend. We spent so many days in the lab together, sharing a love for science. Until the day he got pulled into an Ultra Wormhole, I was too late in saving him."
Celica looked away, suddenly looking apologetic. "Oh… I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," said Gladio, causing Celica to flinch. "We both survived the fall into this world. But he was kidnapped by one of the Gloom Organization's Chosen. But now that I have a power of my own, things will be different. Not only will I save Faba, but I'll put an end to the Gloom Organization."
Celica didn't respond, her thoughts elsewhere as she stared out of the window. Gladio noticed her change in demeanor but decided not to push further. If he had to guess, the mention of Ultra Wormholes brought unpleasant memories.
"It's strange," said Bran suddenly. "But we haven't encountered any Gloom Organization members. The soldiers we encountered before seem to form some other organization."
"You're right," agreed Gladio. "Perhaps the two forces are at odds with each other. The presence of Pokémon means that the nearby conflict is between this other group and Pokémon. This would also explain the massive earthquake we experienced earlier. Other than a Chosen, only a Pokémon of sizable power could've done that."
"Then we should head somewhere else. This other group doesn't have any ties with the Gloom Organization and hence won't bring us any closer to your mission."
"That's your plan?" asked Celica. "Drive around until you find the Gloom Organization? I don't see how that'll help."
"Not just the Gloom Organization," said Gladio. "But one of their higher-ups. By finding one, we can track them back to their base of operations. From what I could tell, they don't seem to have any special means of travel."
"So, you're stealthily stalking them."
"Yes."
"I don't know," said Celica, a smile playing on her face. "But Bran isn't exactly the ideal stealth partner. After all, he's a bit… how do I put this delicately?"
Bran didn't even turn. "Here's an idea, don't."
"Awww, what's the worst I can say about you? It's just that your stone armor makes you seem a bit… chunky. Though even without it-"
"I think you don't understand the difference between fat and muscle," said Bran, his voice completely dry. "Though I can't blame you. Some people just lack the latter."
"You're only saying that cause I'm a girl! I can't believe you!"
"Gender has nothing to do with this."
"Scientifically speaking," interrupted Gladio. "Women tend to have lower muscle mass than men."
"Science is a field dominated by men and thus is biased towards men," argued Celica. "Because of this, all science 'facts' should be judged by a jury consisting of an equal number of females and males who do their own research as a group. Of course, this group should be completely independent of the Gloom organization's judicial system."
"I think you're reading way too much into this," said Bran.
Celica sighed, a half-annoyed expression on her face. "Can't you tell I'm joking? Geez, you guys really need to loosen up a bit."
Gladio raised an eyebrow. "We are still in the middle of a warzone. But it's nice to know you're looking out for us. Thank you."
Celica smiled. "I mean, we're practically friends now, right? You could say hardship and fate forced us together."
Bran remained silent, his eyes watching the road ahead. Suddenly, a man in a black business suit and a black fedora appeared a few meters in front of them, having come out of nowhere.
Gladio shouted in surprise as he swerved the car, causing it to turn sharply and drift, careering off the road and causing it to crash into a streetlight.
Fortunately, the car's armor prevented too much damage from being done to the passengers inside. Physically, everyone was fine, though Gladio and Celica were shaking up. Celica was especially pale, her eyes widened.
"Everyone okay?" asked Gladio, twisting around to try and spot the man, who'd disappeared.
"I'm fine," answered Bran, opening his door and stepping out. "No sign of the guy though."
Gladio looked concerned as he got out and helped Celica exit as well. "So, you saw him as well. Was he merely an illusion?"
Celica was shaking. "N-no. He was completely real. He teleported away the moment you saw him."
"Correct as ever my dear," said a smooth voice from the top of a building.
Everyone turned in unison, staring at the tall man seated upon a small building. The man had short silver hair, most of it hidden beneath his fedora. A black prism mask covered the right side of his face.
"Long time no see, Celica. I trust you've been eating well?"
Both Bran and Gladio were surprised by this. Celica only bristled, her hands clenched.
"Andras! What the hell are you doing here?"
Andras tutted, shaking his head in disappointment. "How many times must I reprimand you for your choice of language? It's a delight to see you too my dear. Though I should be the one asking you what you're doing here. With two men older than you nonetheless."
"Shut up," growled Celica, her voice low. "You never cared for me. I was only a tool for your master. I'm done serving a sick bastard like you."
Andras sighed. "And to think you once called me Father. Even if your aptitude for sorcery is mediocre at best, your potential as Lunala's vessel proved indispensable. It's time for you to come home, Celica. Greater things await you. This long chase has had its ups and downs, but your Father's finally here after more than a year. You're not escaping this time."
"Lunala's vessel?" asked Gladio.
"Oh?" said Andras. "She never told you? My, what a secret to keep. Really Celica? You never told your companions here that you're not a Chosen?"
"Shut up!" shouted Celica, bat wings sprouting from her back as she fired a blast of ghostly energy at him.
Andras teleported away, appearing in front of the building as he casually walked to the side. "Too slow. Now, where was I-"
Celica flew for him, missing again as he teleported behind her and kicked her into the building.
"Is this all you're capable of? I expected more from one of the Grafted! And you in general. After all, you're the one who causes all the Ultra Wormhole disasters!"
Sensing Gladio's presence behind him, he raised a hand and blocked Gladio's combined appendage, flinging him backward with inhuman strength. He dodged another bolt of energy from Celica.
"I'm disappointed, daughter of mine. You could've been part of something so much greater than you. Yet you chose not to return home. And what has that caused you? The pain of suffering of others through the calamities you leave behind. "
"I didn't choose for this!" shouted Celica, uselessly trying to punch her father. "You forced these powers on me, even though I can't control them! You never left me a choice! It's because of my pursuers that my powers activate."
Andras grabbed her arm, slamming her into the ground. "And why do they pursue you?"
Gladio shifted to Speed Form, attempting to strike while Andras was distracted. However, Andras swiftly teleported above him, sending bolts of dark magic flying at Gladio. At the same time, Celica's wings glowed as she launched a Moongeist Beam, separating herself from her father as he flew backward.
"What if I want a say in how I live?" she shouted, landing on the ground. "Get this, old man. I don't want to become part of The Consumer, I want to be free of you, your master, and all of his little puppets. And if I have to kill you and the rest of the Gloom Organization, I'll do it!"
"Oh, you poor fool," sighed Andras, shaking his head again. "You never had a choice, Celica. From the moment Phoebe gave birth to you, your life was in my hands."
Celica's eyes brightened in rage as she dove for Andras. "Don't you dare speak her name!"
Andras only grinned and teleported behind her. However, Bran saw it coming and stomped his foot, sending a wave of earth rippling forward and striking Andras before he could react.
"Is it true?" asked Bran, his voice different, his armor nowhere to be seen. "That you're the cause of the Ultra Wormholes?"
"You can't be serious," said Gladio, approaching him. "Didn't you hear? Andras works for The Consumer!"
Bran ignored him. "My life was destroyed by the Ultra Wormholes. The people I cared for were gone. Do you know what that means?"
Celica looked at Bran, her expression showing betrayal. "Bran, please. I never meant-"
"But it still happened, didn't it? People's lives-mine included-were destroyed because of you."
Andras watched from a distance, his expression satisfied. Gladio on the other hand, stared at Bran in disbelief.
"If The Consumer gets his hands on her, then things will be much worse," said Gladio. "Don't let the words of the enemy make you hesitate. Think about who the villain here is!"
Celica looked to be on the verge of tears. "Please Bran, listen to him!"
Bran clenched his fists for a moment. Closing his eyes, his stone armor formed around him, ending with his Ting-Lu mask.
"You will call me Omen," he said, his voice ominously muffled. "Once this is over, we part ways. Clear?"
Celica looked like she wanted to argue but didn't get the chance as Andras walked towards them, his hands raised in a defeated shrug.
"I guess heroes will be heroes. I was hoping Bran Raisin over here would desert you. Oh well, fighting a Grafted and two Chosen is more fun anyway."
"Make no mistake," said Omen. "I'm no hero. I simply wish to exist in this world without fear of dying. But when push comes to shove, I'll be the bad omen that brings about your ruin."
Andras smiled, stretching his arm and cracking his knuckles. "Fine then Let's get this over with."
Andras disappeared immediately, causing everyone to look around as he didn't reappear. Suddenly, a lamppost came flying towards Gladio, nearly cleaving him in two had he not dashed away from the attack.
Andras reappeared behind Celica, with a spinning kick, only to disappear and strike Gladio as he appeared, knocking him to the ground before reappearing a few meters away from Omen, sending bolts of dark magic at him.
"He has a limited number of instant teleportations he can use in a short burst!" shouted Celica, her wings glowing as she absorbed light through them. "Otherwise, he has to wait a few minutes for them to recharge. He can also only teleport within twenty meters of his current location!"
"Zero sportsmanship," muttered Andras, teleporting some distance away from the three of them. "I can do more than teleport you know."
"Yet you seem unable to shut up," retorted Celica, sending multiple shadow spheres flying forward.
Andras teleported away, blasting the spheres with dark bolts of magic as they curved toward him. Gladio rushed forward, psychic energy surrounding his appendages. Shifting to Attack Form, he hurled multiple balls of energy at Andras, multiple explosions appearing where they landed.
Andras laughed as he somersaulted over the chaos, sorcery surrounding his leg as he struck at Gladio, who quickly shifted to Defense Form and used his appendages to block. Andras merely teleported behind him as Celica attacked, striking Gladio and blasting Celica through her shadow attack.
Omen used the opportunity to get close to Andras, throwing a fist at him. Andras caught his attack, only for dark energy to appear in Omen's hand and spread across Andras', burning him.
Letting go of Omen, Andras brought his other hand to the ground, causing an explosion of magic to knock his opponent backward. Blocking the attack with his stone armor, Omen spun around and struck Andras, stomping a foot on the ground and causing the earth to rise and quake.
Andras teleported away, landing on top of a building. He channeled his magic through the roof, causing it to break apart as the rubble flew into the air. Omen sent another wave of power shooting forward, cracking the building and causing fissures to appear beneath it. Forcing Andras to teleport away after sending the rubble storm flying at them.
Gladio gathered all four appendages in front of him, using Psycho Boost to disintegrate the rubble. Flipping around, he morphed the four appendages into two hands, catching Andras as he appeared behind him.
Andras threw Gladio's appendage arms back, driving his knee into Gladio's stomach. Gladio took a step back, firing psychic energy from his own hands before using the appendages to strike at Andras. The man blocked the attack, only for shards of rocks to hit him as Omen charged forward.
"Having to deal with-"
Andras didn't get to finish his statement as Celica dove into him, the two of them crashing into the ground. Andras kicked his daughter off of him, teleporting away.
Only this time, Celica had grabbed him. He charged a bolt of magic, but it did little as she activated Shadow Shield. Grabbing her father, she flew into the air, her wings glowing with light she converted into energy.
She dove towards a building, smashing Andras through the wall. With a scream of fury, she dragged him across the ground and threw him into the air, unleashing a Moongeist Beam.
"I forgot how strong being a Grafted made you," said Andras from behind her, his suit tattered, armor showing beneath it. "Unfortunately, you can't hit a teleporter."
He gathered a bolt of magic and thrust it forward. However, there was no target.
"Forgot I'm your fucking daughter, didn't you?" asked Celica, having teleported behind him.
Celica grabbed her father and dove to the ground, slamming him into the ground. Without letting go, she flared her wings and flooded him with a surge of lunar energy, drowning her surroundings with light.
Gladio and Omen ran towards them, covering their faces from the overpowering light. Suddenly, there was a crackle of black and red energy. Celica was thrown backward, blood dripping.
"I wish I didn't have to do that," rasped Andras, rising to his feet. "Forbidden techniques… always have their consequences."
Andras' clothing was completely burned away, the armor beneath sporting many signs of damage. The non-armored part of his face had major burns, and his left eye closed. As for the hand bearing the Necrozma emblem, it was red and newly scarred, the emblem glowing a bright red.
He walked towards Celica, his other hand glowing with his regular dark magic. "How The Voidcaller handles using it regularly is beyond me. You put up a fight, a strong one."
Gladio rushed forward, firing bolts of psychic energy. "Not while I'm still here!"
"Oh please."
Andras teleported away, leaving Gladio's attacks to collide with a building. Reappearing over Celica, he placed a hand on her, only for an explosion of energy to strike him and the surrounding area, throwing Gladio and Omen back as well.
Celica's eyes glowed as she shrieked, the very fabric of reality seeming to shake as the world turned red. Tears flooded her eyes as she screamed in pain, rifts in reality beginning to tear open.
"Shit," said Bran, his mask disappearing. "We have to leave, now."
"Can't we stop this?" asked Gladio, trying to keep steady as the earth shook.
"Not without killing her. It's either that or we die! Let's go!"
Bran turned to leave, but the gravitational pull of a nearby portal began to pull him in. Cursing, he reformed his mask, becoming Omen once more as he created a wall of earth to separate him from the portal.
Gladio switched to Speed Form and grabbed him, pulling them both away as the barrier began to crumble. All around them, portals began opening en masse, sucking in debris and closing as they pulled some sort of mass.
As Celica collapsed, a smaller, differently colored portal opened behind her. Before it could pull her through, Andras teleported behind her, grabbing her and teleporting as the portal began to claim him.
However, he didn't disappear instantaneously. He and Celica's silhouettes flickered inside the portal, their images seeming to stretch on for infinity. With a loud crack, Andras and Celica appeared a few meters away, Andras nearly collapsing.
"Wait!" shouted Gladio, seeing Andras limping away with Celica over his shoulder. "We can still save her!"
"You're in over your head," said Omen. "Can't you see? She's the cause of all this!"
"And a worse fate awaits everyone if she's taken. Didn't you hear what would happen if she's taken back to The Consumer? She gets fused with him and most likely loses her life! Are you going to stand by and let that happen, knowing you could've done something?"
Omen's mask faded, and Bran's face appeared once more. "This is why we shouldn't have been involved with her. Do you know how hard is it to live with the fact someone died because you weren't able to save them? I know this sounds selfish, but I'll be able to live with myself knowing I didn't get involved because she was the reason behind so much suffering."
"People who stand by are equally as guilty as those who perpetuate the act. Think about it, Bran! Think about why you were Chosen! Please, Bran, we don't have time to argue! Andras won't remain incapacitated for long."
Bran stood silently amid the roaring Ultra Wormholes. "I was Chosen because Ting-Lu sensed my despair, my despair at having my life destroyed before my own eyes, the despair of those close to me destroyed. I was given my power so that I may be able to live in the hellhole of a world. That's just how nature is Gladio. It always takes from the weak. If the weak can't stand for themselves, then involving yourself with them only sets you up for despair."
With that, Bran turned around. "I'm sorry Gladio. But you and I are different, two sides of the same coin. We couldn't see eye to eye."
Gladio opened his mouth but closed it. "I… I see. Goodbye, Bran. I hope we'll see each other again."
Gladio sped off, chasing down Andras. He knew the man was hurting, the effort he used to escape the wormhole had to have been too much. What Gladio needed was a higher view.
Part of him felt wrong, he felt like he'd abandoned Bran. But, what could he have done? Gritting his teeth, he leaped upwards, shooting into the air, much to his own surprise.
He'd find Celica, he had to. He wasn't going to let someone die on his watch.
Andras sprinted down the street, holding an unconscious Celica over his shoulder as he escaped.
He couldn't believe his luck. He had sowed seeds of dissent among the Chosen and now was reaping the fruits of his success. With the two of them arguing, he could get away long enough for his personal sorcery to recharge, allowing him to perform a long-distance teleport without interruption and escape this wretched place. With the Ultra Wormholes far behind him, he was practically safe.
He turned down another street, ignoring the pain radiating through him as he focused his sorcery to strengthen his body.
Suddenly, he saw a person approaching him from down the street. It appeared to be a woman with flowing blonde hair and red plate armor. He could make out a massive sword sheathed at her waist.
"Halt," said the woman, her hands poised carefully over her sword.
Andras stopped. He knew he had to play this carefully. The woman was easily recognizable as Gawain, Aurora's Knight of the Sun.
"Do you need something?" asked Andras, remaining perfectly calm. "I need to retreat from this place as soon as possible."
"Who are you? And who is the girl you're carrying?"
"My name is Logan Aquamarine, a high-ranking sorcerer in the Gloom Republic military branch. This girl is one of the Accursed and has been classified as a global threat and is the cause behind the Ultra Wormhole calamities."
Gawain thought for a moment. Nothing seemed out of place with his story. And if this was a member of the Gloom Republic, then there was no reason for her to step in, especially when she had her own priorities.
"Very well. Be on your-"
A movement from above caught Gawain's attention. Stepping towards Andras, she drew her sword, fire exploding forward as she did so.
The incoming person slammed into Galatine's feet first, flipping over as the rebounded off the sword.
Gladio landed on the ground, his appendages shaking away and lingering flames.
"Let go of Celica, she did nothing to deserve such a fate!" shouted Gladio, not caring there were two people, he'd fight both of them if he had to. "It's her life to live. It's not up to you to decide what happens to her. And if she wishes not to sacrifice her life for The Consumer, then so be it!"
Gawain looked surprised by the mention of The Consumer, but she was careful to hide it, her reaction unnoticed by the others.
"Ah, The Consumer," said Andras, his voice dry and sarcastic. "An urban legend conducted by your kind to justify your actions. When will you give up your lies, Accursed?"
"You know very well they aren't lies, Andras. I don't know-"
Then, Gladio paused, a thought occurring to him. Why would Andras need to lie if the armored woman was on his side? Surely someone as well equipped as she would have to be a high-ranking member.
As for Andras, his sorcery was nearly recharged. He merely needed to buy himself a bit more time. "Say what you will, it'll do you no good. I'd love to stay and defeat you, but I have other, more pressing matters."
Before Gladio could react, Andras leaped backward, intent on escape. However, Gawain thrust her left arm forward, black chains shooting out from her gauntlets and wrapping themselves around Andras' arm.
"You will go nowhere, Andras."
Andras cursed inwardly. Gladio had revealed his real name. He could fix this, all it needed was a little charm.
"Andras is the name I give to my enemies," he said, his voice completely calm.
"What about The Consumer?"
Andras hesitated for a moment. "Don't tell me you believe this fiction. This story of a powerful, evil being who leads the Gloom Republic."
"This being you speak of is Necrozma's Chosen," said Gawain, looking Andras directly in the eye. "He's the real leader behind the Gloom Organization, not Justin Wolf. From what I was told, he's looking for a way to strengthen his forces by capturing and using the power of the Legendary Guardians."
Andras froze, disbelief forming in his face. "You couldn't possibly… only the Chosen are aware…"
"That's not all I know. There are multiple Chosen who work for you, despite telling the public that all of them are dangerous criminals. To make matters worse, the Gloom Organization is the reason the invasion started, the people behind the Shadow Pokémon that used to appear. You're the ones spinning lies here."
Andras paused, his face expressionless. Finally, a slow smile split across his face as he slowly began to clap, Celica perched precariously over her shoulders.
"Congratulations, you've figured out the Gloom Republic, or should I say Organization? Either way, what are you going to do next? Expose us?"
"That would be the right course of action."
"Oh please, you and I know that isn't possible. The Gloom Organization controls this region, more than your little princess does."
"Aurora doesn't control people. She helps them."
"Control can take many forms. Benevolence can become a manipulation. How do you think the Gloom Organization grew so powerful and became the symbol it is now?"
"You use people's fear to influence their beliefs," said Gladio bitterly. "Then you prove their beliefs correct, further reinforcing your ideals."
Andras laughed. "Quite the intellectual you are. Indeed, the Gloom Organization takes advantage of fear. You see, fear is the driving force behind humanity. Without fear, we couldn't survive nor strive. The fear of failure makes us work harder, the fear of scarcity makes us gather and hoard, and the fear of Pokémon is what drives us to create weaponry and countermeasures. Without fear, there'd be no point in all these things."
"And no point to the Gloom Organization."
"Correct again. You see, this invasion had to happen and was going to happen eventually. With no apparent threat, the people were growing complacent. But now that their fears are brought in front of them, the Gloom Organization has a 'purpose' once more."
"Yet, the Mestian Defense Force is doing a much better job at curbing the invasion than you are," said Gawain.
"As yes, the little ragtag army. I'd worry about them if I were you. According to a little birdie, this invasion is about to become a lot stronger, much stronger indeed."
Gawain narrowed her eyes, the grip on her chains tightening. "What are you talking about?"
"I don't want to spoil the surprise. No, I must leave if you don't mind, sleeping beauty here might wake up soon, and that's going to be another stressful father-daughter talk. So, if you don't mind-"
Gawain's gauntlet glowed, flames racing up from her gauntlet and through the chains. Andras' eyes widened as black sparks exploded from his hand, shattering the chains around his arm and leaping back before the fire could touch him.
"Oh, so you intend to rescue the girl. If I remember correctly, you're popular with the orphans, always going about, bringing hope and joy to those you visit. Now why on earth would you want to save the person responsible for the Pine Orphanage Incident? Or have you forgotten?"
"The Gloom Organization has no business with a young girl like her, especially after all that you've done. Even if she must be contained, it won't be with you."
"Well, I regret to inform you that I am her father. With her mother dead, I hold custody of her. If you want to argue this case, I suggest hiring a lawyer."
Gawain didn't respond. Taking a step forward, she summoned a wave of heat around her, powerful flames rising through the air. Andras slid behind a car and thrust his leg out, sending the car flying towards her.
Galatine whirred to life as flames sprouted from the sword. With one swift motion, she split the car cleanly in two, both halves flying apart from each other. Bringing her left arm forward, she extended her black chains once again, fire trailing across the edges as the chains lashed for Andras' legs.
Andras raised two fingers, teleporting in the air away from the attack. Before he could summon his magic bolts, Gladio tackled him in mid-air. Using all four appendages, he grabbed Celica while using his hands to summon a sphere of psychic energy, throwing it at Andras and knocking him to the ground.
Andras got to his feet, magic spheres appearing around him. With an annoyed growl, he flung the spheres at Gladio, energy crackling through the air as they flew.
Gawain stepped in front of the attack and conjured multiple sets of flaming spears, launching them toward the projectiles. Billowing flames surrounded by magical energy filled the air, dust flying from the eruption.
Andras appeared out of the cloud, dashing straight for Gawain. Raising her sword, she used it to defend herself as Andras began unleashing a flurry of blows. Each of his strikes sent magic exploding through the air, pushing Gawain back.
Gawain parried a roundhouse kick and stepped back, thrusting Galatine into the ground and sending massive heat waves pulsating through the air. Andras teleported atop a building, only to leap away as two flaming spears exploded where he'd been standing.
Andras looked around, trying to see where Gladio had gone. This girl was merely wasting his time, the focus of his mission was to capture Celica, not fight Chosen or other sorcerers.
Unfortunately for him, he didn't get much of a chance to look around as another wave of fire surged towards him, nearly burning him had he not teleported away again.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you?" asked Andras, folding his arms. "At least try and hit me. What good is a massive close-range attack against someone like me?"
Not receiving an answer, he began to charge a bolt of energy in his good hand. However, he felt an intense source of heat behind him. Whipping around, he raised his arms as multiple fire spears hurtled toward him, exploding on contact and creating a massive burst of heat.
Andras hit the ground, the armor around his arms damaged and warped from taking the brunt of the attack. He cursed as he staggered to his feet, he hadn't realized Gawain could summon the spears from a distance.
"Do you yield?" asked Gawain, Galatine pointed directly at him. "There is no need for you to die today."
Andras stared at her, the dots connecting in his head.
"So that's why they call you a knight, huh? No thanks, I have better things to be doing."
Before Gawain could attack, he teleported behind her, his right-hand glowing red. Black and red magic exploded forward, throwing Gawain into a wall.
Without stopping, red energy crackled across his arm, his armor breaking off as red lines scored themselves into his arm. With a sweeping motion, he sent a red crescent flying through the air, the attack speeding into a red blur.
Moving purely on instinct, Gawain leaped to the ground, the attack passing over her. However, the attack cleanly sliced through the row of buildings behind her, causing them to come crashing down.
Andras broke into a sprint as everything crashed around him. With a desperate leap, he threw himself clear of the destruction, landing painfully on his damaged arm.
Getting to his feet, he looked at the rubble behind him, and then to his lacerated arm.
"At least she had a burial."
Andras turned around, mustering the strength to break into a run. Gladio hadn't gotten too far, he could still feel Celica's presence, something that only worked when the distance between them was less than a kilometer. He only had to get to a high vantage point and look from.
Suddenly, the world around him brightened, the sun itself seeming to grow in power. Looking around in confusion, he could feel the heat rising behind him. But it couldn't be. Altering the weather wasn't something sorcery could do.
"... Purifying all impurities. Haze of flames."
Andras' eyes widened and turned around. Many meters away from where he'd left her, stood Gawain, holding a somewhat damaged Galatine. Orange light radiated around her, her eyes glowing as fire surrounded her.
"Unleash your heat, Galatine!"
A massive storm of fire exploded from Galatine, the harsh sun fueling the flames as they spiraled down the street with an earthshaking roar, Orange flames ripped through the street, melting almost everything they touched. As the flames flared and scattered through the air, nothing was left in their wake.
Gladio looked behind him as he felt heat wash over him. Despite how far he was from the battle, the massive pillar of flame that rose into the air was still blinding, its heat touching everything.
Such power," said Gladio, watching the flames in awe.
Who was this mysterious armored woman? The way Andras had reacted to her knowing about The Consumer made it unlikely she was a Chosen. Considering the world he was now in, it seemed likely she was a sorcerer. Could they really achieve such power?
Gladio was filled with so many burning questions, his excitement over the turn of events growing. Since entering this world, there'd been so many things to learn. However, now wasn't the time to research.
Celica shifted in Gladio's arms. "H-Huh? Where am I? What…"
Opening her eyes, she saw Gladio looking down at her. Realizing her current position, she freaked out and twisted around, causing Gladio to land on the floor as Gladio dropped her.
"Are you okay?" asked Gladio, after recovering from her jump scare.
"Y-Yes!" said Celica quickly, jumping to her feet. "Don't carry me like that next time. I'm not some sort of princess."
"Of course," said Gladio, not flustered at all. "How are you feeling?"
"Light-headed, sore, and very pissed right now," answered Celica, a small smile on her face. However, the smile faded as she looked around.
"Where's Bran?"
Gladio looked away, his shoulders dropping. "He… left."
"It was because of me, wasn't it?" asked Celica, her eyes downcast. "Because of who I am."
Gladio shook his head "It's not your fault. Bran's a complicated person, that's all."
"You don't need to make me feel better. All of this is my fault. I was the one who-"
"So, you've finally accepted it," said a raspy voice from behind her. "Good to see you're finally taking responsibility."
Celica turned around, horror filling her face as she saw the person before her.
It was Andras, the prism half mask, purple eye, and silver hair were proof of that. Other than that, however, it was hard to recognize him.
His armor was largely destroyed and melted, burns appearing along his chest. His right arm, now cauterized, had deep red scars in it, red crackling energy surrounding it.
"Y-You used Azazel's Wrath," said Celica, her voice shaky and cold.
"Yes Celica, do you remember it? The sorcery I used to end her life?"
Celica took a step back, tears welling in her eyes. "N-No."
Gladio stepped in front of Celica, psychic energy surrounding her. "Step away Andras. Have you seen yourself? You're in no condition to fight. I'm giving you a chance to leave now before I'm forced to fight."
Andras ignored him, the black and red energy appearing on his hand. "You know resistance is futile Celica. Submit to me now and you won't have to witness another pitiful life wasted, trying to protect you. There isn't anything you can do, not against the strongest sorcery ever crafted."
"Stop it!" shouted Celica, tears streaming down her face as memories flooded through her. "P-Please."
"Despite the powerful sorcery passed down to her, despite the opportunity you had as our daughter, she wanted you to have a 'normal ' life. To be free to live however you wished. A foolish idea. Your destiny was set the moment you were born, whether as a powerful sorcerer or Lunala's vessel. Your life was and still is in my hands. Phoebe died for nothing."
Celica's eyes glowed in fury as she let out a scream, purple energy exploding around her as wings sprouted from her back.
"DON'T YOU DARE MOCK MY MOTHER'S SACRIFICE!"
She charged for Andras, blowing past Gladio and knocking him to the ground. She grabbed Andras as he unleashed another bolt of Azazel's Wrath, the red and black magic slashing a deep gash through her side.
Ignoring the pain, her wings glowed white as she smashed Andras through a building, flying into the air and diving through a parking garage. Throwing him into a wall, she sent a storm of shadows surging towards him.
Andras teleported away, sending red crescents flying at her. Rather than dodging, she fired a blinding Moongeist Beam, diminishing the magic before diving for Andras, slamming her feet into him.
She grabbed him and slammed him into a wall, punching him over and over.
"I. Will. Make. You. Pay!" she shouted, each word punctuated with a blow.
Andras kicked her, and grabbed her arm, spinning her around and throwing her through the wall. Using his other arm, he sent bolts of dark magic hurtling towards them, all of them landing on target.
However, Celica was unfazed. She surrounded herself in shadows and charged through the attack, any sense of self-preservation gone. She didn't flinch as another crescent cut a gas across her leg. Her eyes burning with an intense rage.
Andras stepped back in fear as Celica attacked once more, each attack stronger than before. Orbs of shadows crashed into him, blasting him onto the street.
Celica stepped towards him. "I will kill you, Andras. I'll make you suffer for what you did."
Andras coughed weakly, the injuries he sustained catching up to him as the last of his magic faded. "Is… t-that what… she would've wanted?"
Celica flinched, her eyes burning with even more hatred. "You don't get to lecture me about what my mother would've wanted!"
She took another step towards him, only for her to nearly collapse, blood flowing from the wound on her leg.
"You took a lot of hits back there," said Andras, gazing at his ruined arm. "Not a very intelligent-"
"Shut up!" shouted Celica, raising a hand "You don't get to talk to me like that, Andras. You are dead to me."
A crack sounded through the air as the world began turning red. Energy swirled around Celica as a rift began forming in the air. This time, however, only one rift formed, right behind Andras.
Andras realized what was happening as well. "N-No! You can't do this!"
"You thought I wouldn't be able to take your life, to kill you with my own hands. And you're right, I can't stand the sight of blood. But guess what, I'll make sure you die on the way through. I'll never have to see you again Andras, and that brings me comfort."
Andres screamed as the portal began pulling him in. In desperation, he tried activating his teleportation sorcery. Before he could make any progress escaping, Celica used her other hand to send a burst of energy into the small building behind him, causing it to collapse on top of him, dragging him into the portal as it fell.
"I hope you rot in hell you sick bastard," muttered Celica, falling over.
Inside of a large, gloomy room, a short, slightly rotund man sat hunched over a magical creation. Surrounding him were various artifacts, crystals, books, and other tools he used.
The man wore a simple black robe, with purple lines running across it. A large cowl was currently pulled over the man's head as he worked.
An unexpected magical hum pulled him out of his work. Looking up from what looked to be armor, he turned and got off his seat, navigating through the crowded room until he found what he was looking for.
Transfixed into the wall were several crystals, each of them pulsating a different color, except for the pink one. The pink one had always been dim since the capture of Marshadow. It seemed her recovery was never going to happen.
But now, the silver crystal was dim. Had the man noticed earlier, he would've seen the crystal gradually dim up until this point. Before he could deduce this, however, the crystal went cold, shattering into multiple pieces.
The man froze, staring at the crystal shards. This couldn't be possible. A sorcerer of his caliber? The idea was unfathomable, yet here there was undeniable evidence across the floor.
The man took the time to contain his panic, trying to figure out what to do next. Nom, he knew what he had to do next, but the very thought scared him. After all, his master was still in recovery from his previous fight. To disturb him was playing with fire.
However, this news was of utmost importance. Running across his alchemy lab, he reached a box bound in magical chains. Reciting a long incantation, he unsealed the box and reached in, producing a crystal filled with gray smoke.
Crushing the crystal, he allowed the smoke to envelop him. After a brief disorienting moment, he found himself in a long hallway that stretched out into a never-ending darkness behind him. In front of him, however, sat a large throne, brimming with sorcery.
"O Blinding One, Master and Consumer of Light!" said the man, bowing towards the figure seated on the throne. "I apologize for disturbing you!"
The figure on the throne shifted slowly, their gaze locking onto the man in front of them. "Godfrey. I don't believe the Throne of Restoration requires repair or recharge. What brings you here?"
Godfrey didn't raise his head. "I bring grave news, Lord Consumer. Andras has… passed on from this world."
The Consumer was silent, his features completely shrouded by the darkness of the room. Godfrey quivered in fear of his presence. No matter how many times he's seen him, he could never rid himself of the fear that he'd be killed for doing one wrong action.
"It is no coincidence," said The Consumer after a moment.
"Pardon me for asking, O Blinding One. But what do you mean?"
"Lunala's vessel has begun her awakening, I can sense the Grafting taking effect. No doubt it was the murder of Andras that caused her awakening."
The Consumer stood to his feet, his movements seeming impossibly slow.
"M-Master!" said Godfrey, nearly rushing forward. "I apologize for how I convey myself, but you mustn't go! You're still recovering from your last fight! I shall send for the Voidcaller, or The Ideal One to handle-"
"Silence."
Godfrey immediately went quiet, watching as The Consumer descended from the throne.
The Consumer was a tall and powerfully built man. Black prism armor covered his body, black spikes growing from his helmet-like armor and across his back. What normally would be hands were two sharp claws, white triangles in the middle.
The Consumer wasn't wearing any man-made armor. The armor-like prism that covered his body was a part of him, far more durable than anything man-made, whether through magical means or not.
"I will hunt the girl myself. You are to stay here and finish the task I gave you. Whether I capture the girl or not, send forth the armies. Have they been turned?"
"Y-Yes, Lord Consumer. Over ten thousand Shadow Pokémon are ready."
"Good. We will force Zygarde's hand. The creature has been hiding out for the past few days. I want the rest of the cells found and contained. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, Master Blinding One! Of course, I'll see to it that everything is carried out, Lord Consumer!"
The Consumer walked down the hallway, his speed growing as the effects of the throne wore off. "Our objectives will be completed. This world will know fear."