Far removed from the horrors of war, a company of three watched the smoke rise from Luminity. Clashes echoed in the distance, the agonised roars of a great many Pokemon camouflaged within. As the afternoon sun vanished behind the clouds, a purplish mist crept out from the windows of the keep, the seat of power over the city.

Of the three, the Dusknoir was the first to spot it; the Gardevoir and Marshadow with him both searched for something else.

“I see the essence. Do you?” the Dusknoir’s voice boomed.

Gardevoir was the first to respond. “Absolutely, Hein. It’s happened. She’s no more…”

Marshadow crossed her arms, the wispy horns on her head flickering from side to side. “Can just say it up straight, y’know. She’s dead.”

“..Yes, that.” Gardevoir sighed. “No time to joke around. We should go.”

“Indeed.” Hein began to float towards the city. “Before we leave… we all remember who we are looking for, yes?”

Terez nodded. “George. I made a promise to him, and I won’t let him down now.”

“The zippy red one,” Sisu said. “Blitzer. But hey, you both said they stick together. Saw it for myself too. If we’re lucky, we can get ‘em outta there together.”

Hein shook his head, the wispy end of his ectoplasm twitching as his antenna vibrated. “Do not count on it. The Renegades are bound to move fast once they reveal their true colors… we have a small window to act. Assume we won’t find them together… if so, we won’t be seeing each other for a while.”

“Mhm.” Sisu hopped down the hill, her feet sinking through the dirt. “No worries. Am used to being alone, can’t say I’ll hate it. Maybe he does, I dunno. Anyway, I’m ready.”

Terez sighed, then walked after the two ghosts. “This is what it all comes down to… well then. Let’s get to it, shall we?”

Hein nodded. “May the Creator’s light guide our paths.”

* * *

With a thud, the Queen’s head hit the floor. Purple mist seeped out of the tears in her scales, the glow simmering away. All the doctors present reeled back whimpering,, one even screaming out in a daze. It took just one to start running for the rest to follow, and the remaining guards and butler didn’t stick around for longer afterwards. In the end, Artanouk was left standing, unflinching, undisturbed.

George’s mouth nearly fell open, and it took every last bit of discipline to keep it in place. In one eyeblink, their enemy, the source of all the wrong in the world had been taken care of. Swift. Merciless.

‘What… the…l?’ George shook his head. “Art? Hello?” he asked out loud, staggering back.

Blitzer’s tail fell to the ground, the flame simmering against the carpet. “Wh-what just happened?! Did he just-”

“Kill ‘er?” Skal smacked an arm with a flat claw. “Eyyup. Just like that. Ain’t no stones off my chest. Crazy bitch had it comin’.”

“Excuse me?” George scowled at the Aggron, looking as if he’d woken up sucking on a lemon that morning. “We are better than this! We weren’t just going to take care of this like a bunch of gangsters. Actually let the world see her fall down, then put her in prison. So no one can-”

Skal let out a sharp growl, loud enough to knock the dust off the shelves. “Tch. ‘Course yer gonna be like that. ‘Course.”

It was then that Artanouk cleared his throat, and turned to face them. His feathers were ruffled, and he had a blank, emotionless stare on his face.

“Ahem. If I may, I would like to explain this course of events in detail. Skal, If you would kindly busy yourself with something else for the time being. Immediately.”

The Aggron repeatedly bashed his tail into the ground, leaving a notable dent in the floor. “D’ye want me on standby, or?”

The Empoleon prince held up an arm; the same arm he’d struck the Queen in the neck with. “Please. Go tend to the surrendered Soldiers. I will handle this matter myself.”

“Have it yer way then,” Skal grumbled, before stomping his way out the door. He looked annoyed, as if something had been taken away from him. Nevertheless, he obeyed, leaving the prince – or king, perhaps – alone in George and Blitzer’s company.

“I can explain all of this, I promise,” Artanouk began. “But before I start… you probably have questions. You certainly have opinions on the matter. I would appreciate it if you shared them with me right now.”

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George still scowled, but held back for now. He could hear Blitzer fidgeting with his claws, struggling to piece things together. Though his faith in the positive was low, he decided to let his friend have the first word.

“Ergh…” Blitzer groaned. “This… is difficult. On the one hand, I hate her. She ruined my life in every way possible. She’s a tyrant, a monster, she’s got no morals, and… she pretends like she didn’t know any better. But on the other hand… George is right.” He looked Artanouk in the eyes. “You shouldn’t have just killed her off like this. There’s so much she had to answer for, and… well, we’re never getting that now, are we?”

The Empoleon sighed, giving a stiff shake of his head. “Believe me, this was not necessarily how I imagined things, either. But people aren’t always who they seem to be,” he said. “It’s odd, isn’t it? Despite having lived by that philosophy for many years, I still surprise myself to this day. But I have my reasons.”

George’s gaze sharpened. “And what are they, then?”

Artanouk nodded. “Come, walk with me.”

“You better have good reasons,” said George as the king walked past.

“That I do. Starting with history,” Artanouk said as he pushed his way through the front door.

“Come on, George,” Blitzer said, his voice shaky. The Charmeleon still hoped for the best, though he didn’t sound confident. George patted his shoulder as they walked out. Just before the door closed behind them, he looked over his shoulder. There rested the body of the queen, mouth closed and with all the dark power stripped from her body.

For a split second, it looked as if she were crying.

Artanouk led the way deeper into the keep. Whatever Soldiers remained had fled by now, and no black scarves had taken their place. Statues and portraits of Pokemon filled the halls, not a speck of dust to be seen. Everything was pristine, yet abandoned. Perfect, yet nothing. Sterile.

As they walked through the building, Artanouk took his time gathering his thoughts. He looked like he was struggling with something. George squinted at the back of his head the whole time they walked, all without saying a word. If one were to kill someone, surely the conflict should’ve come before that.

“First things first,” the Empoleon said, just as they walked past another walled garden. “She and I have quite the history. When she betrayed not just me, but everyone in the cabinet, it all came as a surprise. All this time I had placed my trust in her, and she rewarded that trust by gathering an army behind my back.”

The king sighed. “And believe it or not, I didn’t consider doing it even as she tried to kill me first. She was a dear friend of mine as a noble, something I cherished. But her final words to me… gave me doubts.”

“Final words?” Blitzer asked, tail swaying back and forth. “What did she say?”

Artanouk breathed in deep. “That this conflict would end with one of us dead. And that deep down, she had always resented me.”

“R-really?” Blitzer got ahead of the king, causing the Empoleon to stop dead in his tracks. “What made her feel that way?”

“Hmph.” Artanouk resumed walking; they were nearing a stairwell in the centre of the keep, one which headed up the main tower. The highest point in all of Luminity.

“Truth to be told, I am not sure myself. She… was a rather authoritarian type, however. Even back in those days, she had to be reigned in rather frequently. She saw it as a sign of strength, and the contrary as weakness. And that was my ‘undoing’ in her eyes, I suppose. I accepted help from unconventional sources.”

George tilted his head back, as they began to walk up the stairs. “You don’t sound excited about it. Unconventional sources. As if you were doubting them yourself…” ‘I don’t like where this is going.’

Artanouk nodded with his back turned, more concerned with ascending the steps than to stop and look back. “In a way, you are right… I had my concerns about this friend of mine I am referring to. An advisor in my cabinet, shall we say… somewhat peculiar. He doesn’t appreciate the spotlight.”

“Why would that be a problem?” George asked.

“I was getting to that…” The king hummed. “You shall see in a moment.”

George gritted his teeth inside his mouth, hands inching closer to his scalchops. ‘Shall see? I don’t like the sound of this. Not one bit. If it has to be seen, and not said… then what is he hiding? And where are we going?’

The stairs went on forever, each step a bigger challenge than the one before. Up in the tower, most doors had been locked, and the lone exception led to some kind of bathhouse… on first glance, that was. A pedestal resembling an altar stood in the middle of the waters, shrouded by steam… had the Queen been using it beforehand? A large groove ran through the steps, big enough for the body of a Serperior to fit.

Once close to the tower’s peak, Artanouk picked up where he left off.

“You see, I have been keeping close with this friend of mine for a long time now. And though I had my doubts about him, his wisdom shone through. His insight into the ways of Pokemon were unmatched. He taught me much about myself. And he still does to this day… even though he cannot be seen.”

“‘Cannot be seen’?” George resumed scowling as they reached the top.

Wind pelted his face, as the ravaged city and its walls spread out underneath, the smoke still rising from burning buildings and the fields of strife in the distance. Yet despite the damage, no smoke or soot could be smelled. Not a hint of mud or blood, even with the winds rolling down Mount Stalwart, little trails of black vapour pouring out of the peak, Instead the air was fresh, and cold. Bone chillingly cold, worse than even the Whitiaran winter.

Fearing the worst, George grabbed Blitzer by the claw, and yanked him back as he tried to follow Artanouk to the edge. The Charmeleon shot a worried glance his way, his tail flame remaining dim. In the end, neither said a word to each other, nor took another step forward.

Artanouk put the tips of his arms onto the edge of the tower, and tilted his head up towards the peak of Mount Stalwart. “The Seal…” he muttered to himself, then cleared his throat. “In truth, my friend and advisor has been struggling for a long time. He needed my help just as much as I needed his.”

He breathed in deep through his mouth. “And I truly did need him. Once upon a time, I was but a brash, naïve Empoleon, striving to follow in his father’s footsteps no matter the cost. I was raised to see others as lesser. Beneath me. For I had royal blood. I was the heir of the throne, destined to rule Eravate with a ‘fair fist’...

As wind swept over the tower, he dismissively scoffed at the caricature of who he once claimed to be.

“Now, I am a different man. Calm, yet serious. Harsh, but understanding. Ready to do what it takes to make this world a better place. Thanks to him… I serve a higher cause now. One that will make Eravate a better place.”

Just then, a thunder struck the top of Mount Stalwart, and the ground roared out in pain. Every last speck of dirt shook, and all plants, buildings, and Pokemon caught within were merely passengers on the ride. George and Blitzer were caught off guard, eyes wide with panic.

“George…” said Artanouk, still calm and stationary.

“What is going on?!” Blitzer asked, his voice pitched high like a Charmander’s.

The distant echoes of a shatter reached their ears, having come from Mount Stalwart alongside the wind. All eyes were drawn there… just as a massive black tendril crept out of the mountain, and pierced straight through the sky above the world. Clouds were blasted away, the peaceful blue sky turning into a disturbing purple. Soon after, a second tendril broke out of the mountain, and struck the sky like a dagger between the ribs.

George’s breathing intensified. He couldn’t believe his eyes. It was as if the world was being torn apart.

“Artanouk…?!”

“I’m so very sorry. You deserved to know this sooner. Your friend did, too. But the time has come at last.”

The King lowered his head, folding his arms behind his back. As the world’s cries of pain filled the air, George and Blitzer watched as Artanouk’s arms were drained of colour. All the blues and steel turned a lifeless, dark grey, a cloud of vapour gathering around his body. His armoured body was next. From his feet, to the tips of his trident, all became claimed by the shadowy vapours.

And once the process was finished, he finally turned around, and stared at them with glowing purple eyes.

“People aren’t always who they seem to be.”