Thick, hearty stew bubbled within a cauldron, set inside a giant cave fit for a great behemoth. And a behemoth he was—it was one of the few caves that Owen could comfortably rest in. He didn't care for proper houses, but he still liked to have shelter when it rained, so a cave worked just fine.
Beside him was a beaten and battered Riolu with wisps of shadow—his former form—still clinging to his fur.
The Riolu stirred, groaning. Then, he gasped and sat up straight. "Wh—"
Owen thumped his tail on top of him, pinning him to the ground. He screamed and roared, punching ineffectually, until he tired himself out again. Only then did Owen release him.
"Awake?" he asked.
"You..." Riolu snarled. "What did you do to my friends, eh?! Where—" He pointed, but then gaped at his blue arm. He turned his paws over in horror.
"We tied them up," Owen said, "carried them away, and sent them home."
"Yer lyin'..."
"Why would I?" Owen grabbed an empty ceramic bowl and a metal ladle, then handed Riolu a full cup of stew. Next to it was a steaming pile of rice, which Owen offered next.
Riolu stared at it, suspicious.
"Really. Poison?" Owen replied. "Why?"
"Dunno. Maybe y'did, and—"
Owen dumped the entire contents into his mouth and swallowed, and then took the bowl of rice next and did the same. Then, he stared, making a new bowl for Riolu, who grudgingly took it.
"So, what, I'm prisoner here?" Riolu asked.
"No. Once you get your strength back, you can leave." Owen made a larger bowl for himself.
"...Why?"
"To prove a point," Owen said. "I don't want to be your enemy."
"Look, I don't care what yer gonna say," Riolu growled. "Save it."
"All right." Owen set the bowl down and resumed meditating, eyes closed. He could see, without his eyes, Riolu sizing him up. Looking for an opening. And then, wisely, deciding against it. But it seemed like Riolu wanted to say something anyway.
Owen took another, smaller portion of stew for himself, eating quietly, feeling awkward. He wasn't sure what kind of small talk to make with Riolu. Maybe about the latest stories?
Just then, it felt like Riolu was about to say something, so Owen put those topics away for next time.
"Remi misses you, y'know," Riolu said.
The memory drifted away...
<><><>
Owen gathered everyone to the Radiant Tree, including Hakk and Xypher. After making sure Hakk and Marshadow in particular were away—in case Mhynt could spy through Hakk, and the same for Marshadow—he tried to hash out a plan of defense and offense. Scouts were already reporting strange movements to the west of town that usually meant Titan activity, but a lot of it. Owen was positive that was Dark Matter.
Then came the plan for those who had more strength. The guards were strong, yes, but none were Guardians, and none still had the strength of their living selves. Null Villagers were, in general, weaker on average than what they'd seen in Kilo.
"So, run this by me again," Gahi said, pointing at Owen. He made sure to poke a claw into his feathery chest. "Yer gonna go, alone, an' seek out Dark Matter personally, and we're supposed ter be fine with that?"
"No, that's only going to be if we lose," Owen said. "I'm not going to let Dark Matter draw this out to the point where he can... whittle us down and force us to stay only by this tree." He gestured to the behemoth behind him, which towered over everything else in the village. Up close, even Dialga looked small next to it. It seemed like it had grown.
"So yer just gonna turn yerself in?" Gahi asked.
"Yes. Because it's more likely to stop everyone from dying if I do. I think he'll only listen to me, out of anyone here in Null Village. But if I can avoid it, I will."
"We ain't gonna let you do that," Gahi said.
"I agree," Zena added, frowning. "This... this isn't going to work. He won't listen—you saw what he did! He's beyond help, no matter how he was in the past."
"It doesn't matter if he's beyond help or not," Owen said. "I said I could reason with him. If we're going to lose in strength, then we need contingencies!"
"And the contingency is to... give up," Zena said.
"Yes," Owen said. "Strategically."
"I don't like that," Mispy growled.
"This isn't like you," Demitri added. "You'd never talk about giving up a few moons ago. You're..."
"Owen... talk to us," Zena said. "Why are you so ready to give up?"
"I'm not!" Owen squeaked, clenching his fists. "It's just... an option, now."
"Now?" Mispy asked. "Why?"
"Did something change from last night to this morning?" Trina pressed, narrowing her eyes. "The only difference was that compass you broke. What did that change?"
"It wasn't that. It was—I..." He sighed. "I talked to Necrozma. In a dream. And the things he told me..."
"Wait, in a dream?" Demitri asked. "Necrozma? Are you sure? What if it was a hallucination, or a false dream from Dark Matter, or something?"
"What?" Owen said, incredulous. "Someone would impersonate Necrozma? I don't think Dark Matter can do that."
"Doesn't seem too hard to believe," Gahi murmured. "Dark Matter feeds on doubt, y'know? Maybe he can, uhh... grow it, too."
Owen flinched. In all this rush, he hadn't even considered that possibility. False memories, false dreams. No, those memories felt real. His feelings felt real. Right? Were those real? Or were they implanted?
Pink ribbons wrapped around his shoulders, pressing him down. "Owen."
"Huh?" Owen flinched.
"I don't think you should trust anything that comes from your dreams for now. Trust what you can see and feel. Okay?"
Her intense, red eyes left him transfixed. He nodded dumbly. All that confidence was gone.
Look at what's happened to you. The moment someone gives a command, you listen.
"No," Owen said. "I think it was real. I..."
"Owen..."
"I know I'm right!" Owen snapped, and this time Zena flinched. Owen felt a pang of guilt, but he pressed on defiantly. "I'm not going to let more people die, or Void, or whatever, because of something between me and him. I have plans. I have contingencies. I'm not just throwing myself to him and hoping it'll all go alright. O-okay?"
"Then what's your plan?" Gahi asked again. "C'mon, don't keep us in the dark here."
"I... can't tell that." Owen looked down. "If I did, Dark Matter could try to take it from you if we get separated. I don't want you to be valuable to him."
"So we just gotta blind-faith believe ya?" Gahi growled.
"Hmm..." Trina crossed her tiny arms. "You have spent all your life in the dark. Well, a large portion of your recent life. For you to keep us not fully informed..."
"...Means you have a good reason for it," Zena finished, looking displeased, but she relented. "Please, be safe, Owen. No matter what happens."
"I will," Owen assured. "Now, let's get ready. Gahi, I want you to fly me up when you can, okay? Through that portal." He pointed at the morning sky.
"Eh?"
"I think it's the same sky as Hot Spot. Which means if we go up, we'll be able to see what Rhys' team is doing. The whole top of Hot Spot was blown open, remember?"
"Oh, right..."
"Nevren is going to send surprise reinforcements through the other portal," Trina said. "From the portal he made in the Beammaker that's tied to someone in Null Village, possibly Palkia. How odd, using the Voidlands as a means to travel between two parts of Kilo instantly..."
"I heard some Dungeons can be like that," Owen said. "If the Voidlands is related to Dungeons, I guess that adds up..."
The ground rumbled. Footfall to the north. A tree fell somewhere.
"What was that?" Zena raised her head over everyone else.
Seconds later, an alarm sounded, howling across all of Null Village, and all of the guards were running into formation, some heading for the border, others falling in near the center of the village where the Radiant Tree stood.
"What's taking Nevren so long? He's never late," Owen mumbled. "We should have gotten a signal from him by now..."
"Clearly this is the one time he's decided to fall behind," Trina spat. "He will have to send his reinforcements when he can."
"Time to go," Zena said. "Owen, how quickly can you see from that vantage point?"
"I—right. I know what to do," Owen replied. "I'm tied to this tree. I can sink into it and appear on another part. Tested it yesterday. I can get up, come down and report what I see, and then go back again. No badges. They can't listen to what I'm saying if I report it person to person. I'll—I'll give fake orders through the badges."
"Clever," Mispy murmured with wide eyes.
More rumbling. The sirens quieted, but everyone was ready. Shouts overtook the howling alarms next, and Mispy must have heard her squad's name, because she prodded at Demitri and they both ran south. Gahi took to the skies, circling high above the Tree. Hakk and Xypher headed north. Zena kept to the Tree.
Owen, someone called—Klent.
What? Owen called back.
Don't forget about us, if you need help...
Right. Owen could still send them around through the Tree, but... What if you get captured?
Then free us later. We have faith that you will.
Owen didn't answer. He only nodded and gave Zena a quick hug.
"I'll be right here," Zena said, "defending the Tree with you."
Someone tapped Owen on the shoulder. Owen spun around and flinched, quickly getting on his guard.
It was Marshadow, but he held his arms up. "Nope, no orders ter attack yeh yet," he said. "Just sayin', I still wanna help if Dark Matter ain't tellin' me ter not. If y'ever wanna send Dark Matter a message directly, I've got a signal er two he told me I c'n do. I'll do it fer ya."
With tensed muscles, Owen nodded, but then said, "I'm sorry you're under his control."
"Yeah, real annoyin'," Marshadow replied, and there was a hint of genuine sorrow in his eyes that the rest of Dark Matter's commands disallowed. "Anyway, I'm gonna be in that building. ...Please win."
Tearing himself away hastily, Marshadow disappeared into the ground, a trail of smoke left behind.
That just left Owen and Zena.
"Be careful," Owen told her.
"You, too."
He hesitated, but then gestured for her to come closer, like he had a secret to share, a quiet order or tactic for the fight. Zena leaned in, attentive. Owen pecked her on the cheek, then stepped back, smiling a little. "For good luck."
She was stunned. Blinking. Her eyes had a hint of recognition in them, and Owen noticed a faint, golden glow where he'd touched. The light faded, and so did that expression, which melted to a little grin.
"I..." Zena shook her head. "I won't let anything get to the tree."
Owen hopped backwards. He fell into the trunk like it was water, swimming to the top.
<><><>
The sky boomed constantly. It was a low, unending rumble that seemed to originate from the vortex above Hot Spot, one that shook Rhys' chest and made it hard to breathe.
A chilling wind forced his fur to stand on end. The source was the icy Aggron that stood next to him. "Do not lose resolve now," she said, staring forward unflinchingly. "The roar is a call to battle."
"No, the call to battle is Nevren giving us the signal," Rhys said.
"Will it be through another one of his pets?" Step growled, knocking her arms together with a deep, dull noise. "To take so many days just to supply Nate with souls... disgusting... A mockery of life..."
Rhys gave Step an odd look, but didn't press the subject. Instead, he said, "No. This will be through Arceus, as intended. I do not know why he did not tell us about Lavender in advance, but I'm not going to question him. Perhaps he thinks there was a spy, somehow, listening to our telepathic conversations."
"Perhaps he is rightfully paranoid." She puffed a cloud of fog. "What is the signal?"
"Arceus will launch another Judgement attack upon Hot Spot. Only a single one. Then, if we need more help, we will call him for a second. We will see it coming." Rhys pointed east, not really looking.
"...Does this Judgement appear to be trails of holy light?"
"Yes, that's what it should look like. We've seen them before, when—"
"Signal."
Those same streaks of light were crawling across the sky—Judgement, from Destiny Tower. Was Arceus already going to fire? Nevren must have sent an alert already. And forgot to tell him. How polite.
"E-everyone!" Rhys called. "The time to approach is now! Now, now! Ahead! Ahead!"
They were already dashing right away on reflex. There was an army of mortal support further behind—the best of the Thousand Hearts, numbering in the hundreds, all they could spare. They wouldn't be entering Hot Spot; they would be firing at the vortex from afar, getting close without endangering themselves.
Moments later, Rhys heard from Arceus. Go now. Sorry for the hastiness. I had no choice.
We already are, but what? What happened? Rhys rushed forward with the others behind him. Volleys of elemental energy soared across the sky above. He glanced back to make sure everyone was in formation and other high-ranking Hearts were properly delegating tasks. Fliers carried ground-bound Pokémon to get closer to the vortex, aiming for direct hits, just like when it had originally tried to consume the sky above Kilo Village.
There is a storm rapidly expanding on the other side of the world. I see it across all horizons. Dark Matter is surely driving it forward as a preemptive strike.
What? Now?!
He was waiting for us to spread our resources. This is bad. We need to rush; going at our intended pace will lead to a pyrrhic victory. The rest of Kilo would be in ruins.
And finally, the Judgement beams of light slammed into the vortex from above, two ethereal forces colliding like a spear against a shield. Sparks of light went in all directions, most evaporating before it hit anything, but a stray blast left a crater hundreds of feet away from the advancing army.
Careful! Rhys shouted.
It tried to deflect. I won't let him do that again this time... Go in! Now! I've got his focus!
Rhys could only hope as he silently ran ahead. Step brought out her mate, as well as her two daughters and Alex. Willow had summoned Manny and was now riding his head, commanding him to fly faster on his Fairy wings. Behind them, the musclebound team flew in formation. Azu, Roh, and Verd had gotten accustomed to their wings, while a curious other trio briefly caught Rhys' attention. A Samurott, Cacturne, and Drampa. Something about those three were familiar, but he wasn't sure why. He shook it off; no point in dwelling on Manny's spirits.
How are the others doing? Rhys called.
Fine so far. Focus on your tasks and I will inform you of any change in strategy.
That would do. The entrance to Hot Spot sat ahead of them, radiating a malevolent, black haze. Rhys fired into it with an Aura Sphere, bursting it near the entrance. It was enough to dispel the haze, but he'd need to keep that up with a sustained sphere. "By me!" Rhys called, and their mission was on.
<><><>
Hot Spot's internals had been transformed into a shifting nightmare. The stone rocks were cold like ice, even to Step, who remarked that it reminded her of death.
But there weren't any wraiths. And that was a good start. The ominous aura felt draining to wade through, despite the atmosphere still feeling, physically, like air. Breathing was harder. Even Step, who did not have proper lungs, made gestures as if she had to pant and take more air in.
"Are you all right?" Rhys asked in a whisper, worried that they would be spotted even as they walked through Hot Spot's no-longer-familiar entrance.
"This land is cursed," Step replied.
Willow had taken refuge between Rhys' ears. ADAM was floating behind, buzzing and beeping. Even farther back, Har and his team looked winded just from the first corridor inside. Everyone else remained behind, leaving it to the Guardians, the mutant clones, and the former Hunter. They had Teleporters waiting to be called, and brutes and solid fighters to extract them should something truly go amiss. With the ceiling of the cave completely blown open, it made for an easy place to shoot upward with an explosive Aura Sphere, Hyper Beam, Blizzard... They had options.
Rhys reminded himself of that. The sense of dread was natural from an expanding, cursed Dungeon. He'd brought the few Escape Orbs that remained, too. They had options.
On a whim, Rhys focused his aura sensors and scanned the immediate area. Ever since he'd gone into the new, cursed Dungeon, he'd sensed nothing but malice in the air, blinding him. But he checked every so often anyway, just in case there was something to find in that darkness.
And this time, finally, there was. It was a faint and familiar light deeper in the cave, but Rhys couldn't remember who. Someone recent. He glanced back at Step and the others, who were close behind. He made a gesture forward, then advanced, but a cold spot of ice nicked his back.
He suppressed a hiss and glared back, but then Step pointed forward, then to the left.
Wraiths were swarming about just across the way. He'd been so focused on the light that he hadn't seen them with his actual, physical eyes.
This would be their first encounter within Hot Spot. Fighting just a few would alert the rest, and from there, they would be surrounded. They were outnumbered, and fighting mere wraiths would be a waste of energy. They were searching for Anam's body. That was their best chance at finding some weakness to Dark Matter within the physical world, and he was probably deeper inside.
ADAM buzzed weakly and produced a curious orb from Step's pouch. She glared at him, but he only held it up for Rhys to inspect. It looked empty, but when he tilted it, it gleamed like a transparent, glass window. Of course. If they wanted to get deeper without detection, this would have to do for now.
They'd modified it to work on everyone in a small area. They only had one. And with how many it would affect... It would only last a few moments.
Rhys glanced at Har next. The Charizard shook his head in response. He could not yet Perceive anything of interest. Lygo, Ax, and Ani were similarly alert, but they were present for combat. A pang of nostalgia distracted Rhys, but he pushed it aside.
A war was raging in the Voidlands. No use waiting. After finally nodding, Rhys whispered, "Stay close. We won't see each other. Use Step as a beacon." Because even if they were invisible, she was still cold.
"Do nothing foolish," Step muttered.
As quietly as he could, Rhys activated the orb, holding it firmly. It brightened for only a moment—he hoped the wraiths did not see it—and suddenly, it was as if Rhys was alone. He saw, if he squinted, faint outlines of his allies and very dim dark spots where their pupils would have been.
And, of course, the cold chill of Step nearby. He'd have to use that as a reference moving forward—and Step, assertive, took the lead. Her steps were slow and heavy, and they had to be careful not to disturb any loose rocks. They were thankfully able to cross the first passage without those distant wraiths spotting them.
He could see that light more clearly now. After focusing more, and making sure they weren't surrounded, Rhys tried to combine his senses. He saw... a statue, with his eyes, but the way it glowed in his aura sense meant it was alive. A living statue? That could only mean...
Yes, he saw it. Stone leaves. Firm eyes. It was a Shiftry, and wraiths occasionally passed him without a care. Perfect camouflage.
Rhys felt like he was being watched. The bright aura of that statue resonated with him. He was aware of their presence.
The arm, just barely, moved.
Arceus, are you there? Rhys called. This has become a rescue operation as well. I have found Valle. Inform Nevren and the others to distract Dark Matter when you can, if you can, as we go deeper. Valle is alive.
All this time? How?
I do not know. Perhaps he fooled them by already being a statue.
Then I will try.
Valle... All this time, he was here, enduring. Had Rhys known, perhaps he would have tried to rescue him sooner. But now, they had to go deeper.
Hold strong, Valle. We will rescue you soon.
He felt a warmth passing him and Rhys reached for it, feeling scales. He whispered to Har, "You can save him when we leave."
Har growled back, but must have relented.
In the end, he really was a lot like Owen.
<><><>
Owen felt useless. He sat on the tree, used as many vantage points as he could from branch to branch, and called down any orders to the ground level. Countless elemental attacks colored the sky in volatile and often changing lines. Clear water, red and orange flames, crackling electricity. All of it clashed with dark and explosive beams of seemingly pure shadows, like staring into a patch of blindness. From there, they would rapidly send messages to any squadrons that would need that information, and then Owen would run back to scout more.
Xypher and Hakk were among the flying squads that were more mobile, rapidly changing formations to give support on the ground. Most of their time was spent shooting flying Void Shadows that tried to flank outer ground forces. Compared to his usual, jittery self, Xypher seemed like a completely different Pokémon in the air. Graceful, deadly, and with a focused, lucid glint in his eyes. And every time he took down a Void Shadow, Hakk smiled with pride while helping from his back.
Meanwhile, Mispy and Demitri were near the northern edge of town. He saw Mispy's large form pulling injured Null Villagers to heal them before sending them right into the fray. Nods of approval were followed by even more injured. Mispy even took a few strikes to her body, yet she regenerated almost as quickly. Apparently, her healing that countered even the strange, dark powers of Void Shadows was rare and potent.
Most of the buildings were still intact, even on the far ends of town, thanks to their hasty but effective preparation. Angry shouts came from squad leaders as less experienced Pokémon got lost in the chaos. Occasionally, Owen flagged down a flying Pokémon with a wave—emphasized by making whole branches of the Tree wave with him—and sent coordinating orders to relieve pressure.
So far, most of the assault was coming from the western side of town. Void Shadows infested the forest densely there, to the point where the ground was more of their black bodies than the purple soil.
Most of the Void Shadows were being taken down by ranged attacks; Null Village knew not to engage directly with them if they could avoid it. The scouting towers had been repurposed to sniping towers; the gateways had become barricades. There were even traps set up that acted both as deterrents and beacons for areas of higher pressure.
But Nevren had come late, and upon realizing this, looked distraught. A rare sight. But seconds later, he sent the first wave of mutants inside.
Above him, they descended upon Null Village and joined with the guards with relative ease. It was surprising how stable they were. Maybe Nevren had prompted them... or maybe only the most stable mutants remained after all that had happened.
The ground rumbled from an explosion to the northwest. Owen fell backwards and into a tree branch, reemerging within a bushel of prismatic leaves to overlook the battle area. He saw dark bodies flying around like ragdolls. Void Shadows. So, the explosion was thanks to Null Village. Good.
Movement caught his attention. Left. From where he was, that meant west again. Same location as Dark Matter, which he could feel in his heart.
Titan. First one. And a big one, but far off.
Owen slipped into the tree and pushed his head out of the trunk only a few feet off the ground. "Hey! Titan is coming from the west! Get our blasters ready and I'll set up the Tree!"
A few heard him, but he'd been talking specifically to a Dragonite, one of the strongest guards in Null Village, who nodded and flew off.
Not sparing a moment, Owen disappeared into the wood again and stopped at the top, below the leaves but where most of the branches fanned out. There, he sat, cross legged, and closed his eyes. His hands felt hot from the energy within the tree and the leaves began to glow brighter.
Guide me, Owen thought in a whisper.
Spirits swam through the leaves, many of them strongly resembling Owen himself. Grassy Charmander that took his form ever since he'd acquired the Grass Orb. Klent led them, drifting through the leaves and at the top, while Amelia and those two mutant spirits he'd acquired helped channel energy through the branches. They drew from the crystal-encrusted spire that made up the tree's core.
You're aiming to the right, Amelia reported. Yes, right there!
Owen couldn't see well through the branches, but he had his focus ready. It was too bright for his eyes. He closed them, seeing the leafy outline of his feathers through his eyelids.
Here I go!
A deafening roar drowned out any other sound as the luminosity of the Tree redoubled. A beam of white-gold light shot across the sky, leaving nothing behind but the Titan's legs, which collapsed into a heap of disoriented Void Shadows. The rest had been dispelled.
Owen hopped through branches to get a better look, frowning. No Legend in the core that time, he remarked.
Left! Amelia shouted.
What? Another?!
There's another to the north as well.
You're kidding...
Owen prioritized the one to his left. It was a pincer attack. The Titan to the left appeared to be another four-legged one, but with a longer body, almost like a serpent that would coil around the tree and snap it in two.
Okay. I'll get another one ready. Owen rushed to the center—but just then, he caught a shadow in the corner of his eye that shouldn't have been there. He shifted his weight and fell into a larger branch, holding a breath he didn't have.
There was a dark splotch a few feet from the center of the tree. He recognized the size—Marshadow.
Owen? What's the holdup?
Marshadow's there.
What?
Do I go?
Seconds passed. Then, Klent spoke. Just be careful. We still need you to fire off those beams. We can't do it well enough on our own.
I can get Eon to do it. He's a Guardian, too.
Or maybe a human? Apparently, they can channel this energy pretty well even without your blessing.
He's both.
Owen steadily approached, emerging from the tree like it was water. The wood curved around him before settling flat. "Hey," Owen said warily.
Marshadow was hopelessly strong. He knew this much. There was nothing he could do to keep Marshadow away if he could help it, and perhaps they both knew. He also couldn't let Marshadow rile him up; managing the Tree and its beams of light required intense focus, almost like meditation. Heightened emotions was the last thing he needed when targeting Titans.
The ghostly fighter emerged in a sitting position, tilting his head. "Oi, how're yeh doin'?"
"Going to get another beam ready. Don't... try anything. I can zap you in here and there won't... It'll hurt."
Marshadow held his hands up. "Like I said, I ain't been given orders ter attack. Just ter pass a message."
Owen wasn't sure if he could trust that anymore... but he couldn't waste further time. He couldn't do anything about it. So, he focused on what he could, making sure his answers bought as much time as possible.
"Do you want me ter wait?" Marshadow asked.
"I'm concentrating."
His hands were hot again. The energy flowed through his chest and back out, getting stronger and hotter. Marshadow's form fizzled amid all the bright lights, but if it bothered him, he wasn't showing it. Or Owen couldn't see.
Distantly, a familiar roar—was that Gahi?—echoed. Then an earthquake, and laughter. Gahi was doing fine, it seemed. Crashing rocks and a speck of light suggested Mispy's Solar Beam had gone off next. Keep it up, guys...
The fighting was getting closer. He shouldn't be hearing these shouts from so high up. Were the Void Shadows advancing? Owen dared to peek, but the bright lights shot his vision instantly. He had to focus on the beam.
"So, how's that work, anyway?" Marshadow asked idly.
Owen didn't answer.
"C'mon," Marshadow said. "I'm curious. Seems like this takes time, not effort. Humor me a li'l."
Owen growled. If he didn't answer, Marshadow could become hostile. He could give some information to buy time, but also sent a signal to Zena below. He hoped she would see a flower trying to alert her of trouble above.
Owen finally answered, "I gather energy into my body and feed it back."
"Necrozma zap the technique inter yer head?" Marshadow asked.
Owen flinched, but maintained his hold. "I guess he did. Or maybe it's a memory. I'm feeling things out."
"Nice, nice." Marshadow nodded. "What happens if yeh stop?"
"I... don't really know. I guess I keep the energy."
"What's the energy?"
Was that safe to answer? No, Dark Matter must have already known this. Test questions? Maybe it was small talk. "Probably the same energy that powers Pokémon in general... It's being fed in by the light crystals and the spirits of my Orb."
"Same difference," Marshadow replied, leaning back. "One is little pieces of Necrozma's energy and the other is from spiritual energy, but it's the same energy, eh?"
"Why are you asking me this?" Owen asked.
"Hey, like I said, curious." Marshadow frowned. "Gotta know if yeh stand a chance."
It's enough! Amelia called. You have the right spot, Owen! Fire!
The second beam tore across the sky, this time to the southern, serpentine Titan. It skewered a hole through its long body and the rest of it collapsed inward, but that time, it withstood. Some of it remained.
No way! That one has a core!
What?!
Owen opened his eyes once it was safe enough.
"Yep," Marshadow replied. "Giratina."
The serpentine Pokémon floated in the air like it was water. Six spectral tendrils, three on either side, curled and extended like wings, tipped with red spikes. The leviathan's face was armored with gold mandibles, and Owen could swear it was staring directly at him. Through all the beams of attacks that were going through the air, through the prismatic leaves, those red eyes bore holes through Owen's skull.
"What's wrong with her?" Owen asked. "I... I defeated the Titan!"
"Mm, not enough. One blast on a core? Nah. She's still got that darkness in 'er. Heh. Would be scary if I weren't on 'er side."
"Giratina... I... I remember her. She was... Who was she? Someone important, someone who..."
"Ol' Dark Matter told me, actually," Marshadow said. "'Parently it's too late fer it ter matter. Want me ter tell yeh?"
"Who? Who she is? Giratina..."
"She was a real tough one ter crack, accordin' ter Dark Matter. Despite the whole... spectral appearance, she used ter be a real bastion o' light."
"Necrozma..."
"Yeppers. A disciple, just like you."
"She was a supersized Pokémon..." Owen paused. "Just like Emily—!"
"Hey, now yer puttin' it t'gether."
Owen saw flashes of Giratina in his mind. Faded ones, distant memories. They didn't interact much at all. And, for some reason, he also saw...
"Eh? That look in yer eye..." Marshadow leaned forward. "Necrozma unlocked that memory, did he? Or maybe yer seizin' it fer yerself..."
"...Madeline..."
A Goodra. A Goodra who had a striking resemblance to Anam, all those years ago. Giratina was her other half.
"Anam—where's Anam?" Owen asked.
Marshadow shrugged. "Last I heard, Dark Matter got him outta the way."
"Out of the..."
Marshadow didn't provide any further info, and Owen wasn't sure if it was because he was ordered not to, or he genuinely didn't know. Either way, though, that didn't matter. The chaos was getting louder; the Void Shadows were definitely winning.
No time. Owen thrust his hands into the tree again and focused on that energy.
"Gonna try shootin' 'em all down?" Marshadow asked.
"I have to. Gahi and the others can handle maybe one, but... but I need to support the rest."
"Yeah, I figure."
He gathered more energy, his tiny body barely able to support it all. But he was a conduit. He knew how to do this. Somewhere deep in his memory, in his past, it was telling him what to do. A light at the bottom of a deep, deep lake.
"Hey, wanna know something?"
"What?" Owen groaned.
Before he could react, Marshadow was upon him, holding him under the arms and pressing him back. Owen flailed his legs but he was already off the ground.
"Let—let go of me!"
Owen used a tiny bit of that energy to dig his claws into Marshadow's spectral flesh. It felt like dipping his hand into cold, tingly cake batter.
"That compass you broke is two-way," Marshadow whispered to Owen. "Sorry, I gotta hold ya still."
"What for?!"
"You ain't the only one who can fire from far off."
Owen struggled more, eyes darting left to a movement that he'd seen. His eyes locked with Zena's. Fury. And then a Hydro Pump that went directly over his shoulder, but Marshadow had pivoted to dodge it completely.
Snarling, the Milotic advanced, but Marshadow spared an arm to point a Shadow Ball at her. At that range, with Marshadow's corrupt powers... No!
And again, in the corner of his vision, he saw something coming. Rapidly. A dark beam of energy that sizzled in the air, whistling as it pushed the Voidlands' atmosphere aside.
Something primal took over. In that split second, Owen pulled his head back, felt his own neck bones strain from the contortion, and swung forward. He chomped down on Marshadow's arms. He didn't wait for a reaction; he chomped harder, ready to break his own jaw if it meant applying more force, and channeled some of the tree's energy into his teeth.
Marshadow cried in pain and that drove Owen's instincts harder. He thrashed, shaking his head, felt something rip between his teeth as an acrid ooze filled his sense of taste and smell. Zena was probably trying to get a good hit in, but they were moving too much. He felt ribbons grab his arm; he tried to follow them.
He jerked his whole body aside and focused, trying to cross his arms. He couldn't, but it was enough; a golden barrier appeared before him, narrowly blocking the blast from Giratina. If it hit his Protect, he hoped it missed Zena. He heard her cry his name, but she sounded distant.
But then he realized the ground was no longer below him. When he opened his eyes—after only a brief flinch—he was flying through the air. Falling. And the tree was already far, far away.