Chapter 22- A Hero’s Last Stand
~Chosen Ones… the individuals blessed
with abilities to take them beyond any human or pokémon… always deemed as the
‘Saviours’ and one shall emerge every few generations… that’s what everybody knows,
but what they don’t realize is that fewer are worthy of the title than we
think… Simply being able to use the ‘Power of One’ isn’t enough… only those who
have overcome all obstacles and ascended to the highest level are worthy of
this title, and that’s only if you can make it past Level II… the cursed level,
where everything WRONG just seems to happen. Within the last thousand years and
all those chosen ones who emerged throughout that period, every single one of
them had failed… Sky Render is the first to have reached that level. As for me… I’ve overcome most of Level II’s ‘Curse’… but Ash
continues to struggle… his hatred against Kaiser Cult is pulling him back. The
hatred has continued grow uncontrollably, and now it has taken control of him.
Unless he can overcome the darkness in his heart, he will only be destroyed…
-Aquamarine
(Location- Kaiser Holy Grounds, Void Tyrannis)
“(hah… hangh…)” Ash was panting heavily. He was
exhausted and sweating. His face was horribly battered and his clothes were
stained with his own blood. His opponent was none other than the almighty
Kaiser Tyrant. “HAAAAAA!!!!!”
BAM!
“AAAAH!” Ash screamed as he was sent spinning through the air and hit the
ground. The Kaiser Tyrant had effortlessly countered his attack with that
staff! Ash struggled to get back to his feet, but collapsed once more
“Accept your defeat Chosen One, you have lost!”
the ancient sage spoke harshly
“No…” Ash got back up, “I’M JUST GETTING
STARTED!!!!” he howled and attacked.
Many hours ago, back on
Void
Tyrannis wasn’t at all like Goth’s ‘Dim Void’… in fact,
it was what inspired the Super Fiend. Unlike the Fiend’s dimension, time flowed
normally, and nor was this place much of a ‘void’. The sky was dark with black
clouds while its cold metal floor stretched endlessly. A thick mist hung over
the ground, hiding twisted metal, wires, and countless skeletons, still wearing
rusting armour and clutching ancient and broken weapons. This place was known
as a holy ground, because it was accessible only to the Tyrant himself… and
those he chose to do battle with, and add their skeletons to his collection.
Ash was fighting desperately, this opponent was nothing like the Kaiser
Knights. This sage’s power far surpassed any of them. Ash had long since called
upon the Power of One to aid him in battle, but he was still no match…
“Argh…” Ash struggled to get up, but he was in
pain. Blood ran down his forehead
“You are still alive?” the Tyrant looked down at
Ash
“Grrr…” Ash growled, slowly rising to his feet.
While his body, his head and even his heart was telling him to give up, he
can’t go on anymore, Ash refused to back down. The Kaiser Tyrant, the leader of
the Kaiser Cult and the source of all the evil, pain and misery darkening the
earth… he refused to stop! Snatching a sword from a fallen warrior’s hand
nearby, he charged forward “HAAAAA!!!!!”
“Kids these days…” The Kaiser Tyrant sighed as
Ash charged forward with the sword. The Tyrant stepped to the side, avoiding
him. “You charge in head first, neglecting to defend yourself, and not only
does it always fail, it is the only thing you do!”
CRACK!
The Kaiser Tyrant struck him with the staff. Ash
raised the sword in defence, but the Tyrant’s hallowed staff easily shattered
the chipped blade. What the Cult’s master said just was true. Since the start
of the battle, Ash’s strategy remained the same, he kept grabbing a nearby
weapon and charged forward, only to get beaten and then repeat the process all
over again!
“RRAA!” Ash spun and shot his fist at the sage’s
face, but he simply caught it. He pushed Ash’s arm to the side, knocking the
trainer off balance, and his other hand shot forwards, grabbing him by the
hair, “AGH!” he lifted Ash up by his hair,
“Those that are strong enough can fight well
without strategy, and those that are weak can do just as well with it. You
however, have neither.” Said the Tyrant
“No strategy, eh?” Ash smirked, “THEN WHAT DO YOU
CALL THIS!” He broke out of the his grip, and grabbed the Tyrant’s shoulders,
“HAIYAAAAA!”
BAM!
“Heh…” Ash had successfully kicked the Tyrant’s
face with his knee. Ash then let go, dropping to the ground, “OWW!!!!!!” He
clutched his half-broken leg. Ash quickly hobbled some distance away, and
turned around to face the tyrant, “Urgh…”
The Tyrant wasn’t hurt at all. “If that is all
you can do, then let me what I am capable of…” he raised his staff and pointed it
at the ground below Ash’s feet…
BOOM!
“WA!!!!” Ash exclaimed as the ground underneath
him exploded and he fell over.
“Do you not see my power?” asked the Tyrant,
raising his hands. Bits of scrap metal floated off the floor, into the air, and
Ash realized that it was the Tyrant who was levitating them! The Tyrant pointed
at Ash, and the debris shot at him like bullets…
“GRRR!” Ash put his arms in the ‘X’ position,
crouching and shielding himself… “ARGH!” He gritted his teeth. They hurt him a
lot, some of them cut into his skin. He looked up at the tyrant, “So… you’re a
psychic are you? Like Twin Dreamer?” asked, “Ah, that explains a lot of things”
he dropped his defensive stance and shrugged, “That must be it. Feh, Deceiver…
right, I knew those stories weren’t true…”
“What are you saying?” the Kaiser Tyrant stared
at him
“I’m just saying that there IS no Kaiser god!”
Ash pointed at him, “It’s nothing but a figment of a run-of-the-mill psychic’s
imagination! If you’re a psychic, then it’s easy to trick people into believing
in your religion!” he said, and then shrugged, “Man, to think I almost believed
a Kaiser God exists… that’s just embarrassing”
“SILENCE!” The Kaiser Tyrant shouted, his booming
voice threw Ash back
“WAH!” Ash exclaimed, tripping over
“I will not allow you to speak of our god in such
a manner!” the Tyrant yelled
“And why not? You Kaisers are all liars! The
keyword here is DECEIVER!” Ash straightened up, “The Knights saying they’re
thousands of years old, along with Goth, that gives me reason enough NOT to
believe anything! Those Knights are totally insane, and Goth is every bit as
whacked as they are! I won’t hear anymore of your lies! All I care about is
ridding the world of YOUR presence, and I’m gonna DO IT!” As Ash reached down to
snatch yet another warrior’s weapon, the Tyrant raised his staff, chanting an
incantation…
CRASH!
“AAAAH!!!” Ash screamed as lightning shot down
from the sky and struck him. Ash fell to his knees… “Agh…” it was stronger than
ones Pikachu always shocks him with, but bearable. Ash growled and got up,
“That attack wasn’t psychic… that was magic…! WAAAAGH!!” he exclaimed when the
ancient sage pointed his staff at him and the ground blew up in a fiery
explosion that threw Ash back!
“I stand at the top of the Cult, as the voice of
our god! My powers have transcended to levels unparalleled to any of this
world! There is no other on this earth as strong as I! Do you actually believe
YOU stand a chance?!”
“As a matter of fact…” Ash growled, “I REALLY DO!”
his eyes flashed with the Fiery Gaze, which startled the tyrant for just a few
seconds, “AN OPENING!”
BAM!
“There is more than just mechanical instruments
below my skin” the tyrant spoke as Ash fell dazed to the ground, feeling like
he ran straight into a wall. The Kaiser Tyrant had conjured a barrier! “This
magic is a blessing… power that has been bestowed upon me by our divine ruler!
Can you not see?” said the Kaiser Tyrant he continued talking “All around you
lie the bones of all my old opponents… warriors from countless millennia, of
every nation, every weapon, every style of fighting… and I have crushed them
all. You may be a Chosen One, but you are just a child… how can you hope to
compete with one such as I?”
“GRRR…” Ash growled and got up, ignoring the
pain, “GOOD FOR YOU!” Ash roared, grabbing a lance with his right arm and
lifting it up, “HAAAA!!!!” he shouted, throwing it with all his strength. The
great spear flew, even faster than a bullet…
“Too slow!” The Tyrant didn’t even deflect it with
the staff. He simply raised his left hand and caught it!
“You’re looking the wrong way!!!” Ash shouted,
catching the tyrant off guard, charging at him from a blind spot! He had thrown
that lance simply to draw his attention away, even if for a moment, “HAAA!!
I’LL SHOW YOU BY PUNCHING OUT YOUR DENTURES! EAT KNUCKLE, KAISER GEEZER!”
SMACK!
“AGH!” Ash fell to the ground. The Kaiser Tyrant
had simply held his staff up, letting Ash’s face run into it. Ash jumped to his
feet, refusing to stay down. “GRR… This old fossil isn’t an ordinary enemy…
His strength is truly incredible… and aside from his skills, he’s got more than
just psychic abilities, but actual magic! Still… if I stand here, I won’t get
anywhere… this is the battle that counts, and I’m not backing off!”
“I can hear your every thoughts, boy. Let me tell
you now, you cannot win”
“DON’T READ MY MIND!” Ash shouted, trying to
block out the Tyrant from penetrating his thoughts. Though he didn’t realize
it, the Kaiser Tyrant was too powerful, and the harder he struggled, the faster
he was rushing to his own defeat…
***
(Location- Rainbow Reef)
“Hmm…” Sky Render stood at the edge of a cliff,
his arms were crossed and he was looking over the horizon. The wind was blowing
“The wind… it’s telling me…” he said and turned around to Aquamarine
“Aquamarine… do you sense it?”
Aquamarine, who was sitting on the ground in
front of a fire and roasting some fish, shrugged “Hm… yeah. Sensed something a
while ago, wasn’t sure though…”
“Then you know that that this is a sign.” Sky
Render said. Sky Render had the ability to read the wind and understand the
future, while Aquamarine could do so with the waters. The wind blew again, a
lot stronger than last time, “It is happening…”
“Huh?” Aquamarine got up, sensing something “What
is it?”
“He is here” said Sky Render
“You mean HIM?” said Aquamarine, “No way, you’ve
gotta be joking” he said, but he knew Sky Render wasn’t the type to make jokes.
“No… it just can’t be…”
“But it is” said Sky Render “The Deceiver is
here… the Kaiser Tyrant”
“It’s just not possible!” said Aquamarine.
“There’s no way he’d come all the way out here. He’s at his castle, sitting on
his throne. He just has to be… He just has to!”
Sky Render picked up his sword “He is after
someone, but if it’s not me, then…”
“What? You mean Ash?” Aquamarine exclaimed, “The
tyrant’s here, and after Ash?!”
“That’s right” said Sky Render. As he ran to the
edge of the cliff, he noticed Aquamarine didn’t move. “What’s wrong?” he asked,
“Aren’t you coming?”
“No… I don’t think so” said Aquamarine
“Why not?” asked Sky Render
“I know your style. You prefer to fight alone,
not to mention I’m too weak and I’ll only get in your way, so go on, and fight
without me Sky,” said Aquamarine
Sky Render smiled. He knew how he felt.
Aquamarine had fought the Tyrant once and was defeated badly, almost killed.
Out of all the people in the world, Aquamarine feared no one except this
tyrant, and he wasn’t just afraid, he was terrified. Yet the reason he didn’t
want to come wasn’t because he was afraid, it was because he didn’t want to get
in Sky Render’s way. But Sky Render thought otherwise, “No.”
“Huh?” Aquamarine turned to him
“The Kaiser Tyrant is monstrously powerful, maybe
even more powerful than me. I need all the help I can get, especially strong
capable hands like yours because to go against him alone is rushing into
certain death” Sky Render smiled
“You mean…”
“Don’t put yourself down Aquamarine” said Sky
Render, “You are an extraordinarily skilled warrior. You’re already braver than
me and have more strength than I ever will. There is no doubt that one day you
will surpass me.” He turned to the cliff and jumped down, shouting “Come on
Aquamarine! We’ve got a battle to fight!”
“The Kaiser Tyrant… more powerful than Sky? Is
that even possible? And did he just say I’m braver and have more strength than
him? Did he just say that I’d SURPASS him?” he was in shock. Then he smiled,
“Though he’s wrong, if he has that sort of confidence in me, I’m not sitting
around and let it go to waste! Wait up Sky! I’m coming too!” He got up and ran
to the edge of the cliff and dove down
SPLASH!
Sky Render was on a raft, and could see
Aquamarine catching up. “Aquamarine!” he called, “Remember! The Kaiser Tyrant
is incredibly powerful, maybe more than me! When you get there, be careful, and
hold the fort until I arrive!”
“Right!” Aquamarine called as he was gliding
through the water, shooting right past Sky. The wind blew, filling the sails of
Sky Render’s raft. “LET’S GO!!!”
***
(Location- Void Tyrannis)
“(Pant… pant…)” Ash struggled to breathe. He was
bruised and bleeding heavily. Ash was on his knees, while the Kaiser Tyrant’s
beard wasn’t even ruffled. Ash fell to his knees, “(Too strong…)” He
thought to himself “(He strikes with incredible strength and as little
movement possible… the way he fights so flawlessly, this sort of perfection
only comes from years of experience! Years? Makes that, centuries! Is he really
telling the truth about being thousands of years old? No! It’s not possible!)”
“Done already?” asked the tyrant, breaking Ash’s
train of thoughts
“No…” Ash growled, standing up and wiping the
blood and sweat off his face. The power of one flashed once more, and his
energy was coming back. He had proceeded with fighting with his bare hands,
grabbing those ancient and rusted weapons were useless. They broke too easily,
and his fists alone would do more damage… which wasn’t saying much, because up
to now he had yet to land a decent hit!
“Impressive” said the Kaiser Tyrant, “It is not
your strength or the power of one that allows you to get back to your feet, it
is your determination.”
“If you think I’m impressive, then you should see
Aquamarine, or better yet Sky Render. They’re chosen ones too, and they can
wipe the floor with you even easier!”
“Aquamarine and Sky Render, I know them both, but
no not compare yourself to either of them, for they are far superior.” Said the
Kaiser Tyrant, “You should not even call yourself a Chosen One” Upon hearing
this, Ash immediately came charging at him, but the Tyrant hit him to the side,
“No, do not get me wrong. You are not truly a Chosen One until Level III, and
all the other levels are nothing more than trainees. Not only are you a Level
II novice, you are the weakest I have seen yet.” the Kaiser Tyrant sighed, “It
is over. You lose”
“GRR…” Ash growled, rising to his feet. “No… I
won’t…” he panted, “I won’t give up… I… I…” he clenched his fist and charged,
“I’LL FIGHT TO THE DEATH!!!!”
SLAM!
“AGH…” Ash was hit on the back of the neck. He
fell to the ground, unable to move
“Hmmm… a blow to that region should have killed
you, so why are you alive?”
Ash tried to move, but he was completely
paralysed. There was no point denying it now. Since the start, it was bound to
happen, and Ash was now defeated.
“And now for the final blow…” said the Kaiser
Tyrant, slowly approaching him. Ash struggled to move, but he couldn’t. The
Kaiser Tyrant reached him and pushed him with the staff so Ash was lying on his
back and facing up. The Kaiser Tyrant raised his staff, ready to end Ash’s life
when… “Hm? What’s this?” He stopped just short of Ash’s face. Ash’s eyes were
open. He didn’t even flinch. “You aren’t afraid”
“Stop delaying! Just finish me off!” Ash shouted
The Kaiser Tyrant stared at him, “One whose
spirit is unbreakable even in the face of death, eyes that shine with endless
determination, tell me boy, what is your name?”
“WHAT?!” Ash shouted, “I fought and defeated your
cult a million times, I destroyed your Kaiser Beasts and ravaged your shrines,
I am fighting you here and now, not to mention you’re psychic, and you don’t
even know my name?!”
“That is right. It is rather embarrassing…” Said
the Tyrant
“FINE!” Ash shouted, “It’s Ash Ketchum!”
“Ketchum?” The Kaiser Tyrant stopped, “Ketchum…
how interesting…”
“What are you talking about?!” Ash shouted
“Your eyes, when I looked into them, I felt as if
I have seen them before, and I have.” Said the Tyrant, “Ketchum… so he did have
a son…”
“Either you tell me what’s going on Kaiser
Geezer, or shut up and kill me so I don’t have to listen to your endless
yapping, you goddamn dried up old goat!” Ash shouted
Fortunately for Ash, the Kaiser Tyrant wasn’t
listening. He had begun speaking. “Several years ago, my Cultists fought
someone. It was a human, a pokémon trainer as we recall, but he was no ordinary
one. He was strong. Somehow he fought off my entire army without killing a
single person. This foolish individual tried to defeat the entire cult! And he
nearly succeeded…”
“Huh?” Ash stopped shouting and started to
listen.
“He and his pokémon fought like demons, and the
damage he did can only be compared to the treason of KN-01 Black Kaiser! When
my army of Cultists were defeated, I watched as the mighty Kaiser Knights and
their prototype Kaiser Beasts were defeated, and he was a match for the mighty
Red Kaiser! The bout between him and Red Kaiser would have gone on forever had
I not called him off to fight him myself. One by one his pokémon fell, yet he
refused to give up. He died with his eyes open, fearlessly welcoming death as I
struck the killing blow!”
Ash stared up at the Kaiser Tyrant. What was going
on? What was he saying?
“I remember him perfectly” The Kaiser Tyrant
looked down at Ash. “The resemblance is uncanny. His face… his strength, his
spirit, and his name… Ketchum!”
“WHAT?!” Ash shouted. He realized what the Tyrant
was saying. Eight years ago… the darkest day Pallet has ever seen. The body of
his father was found right in the middle of Pallet. Covered with countless open
wounds, the body’s right arm has been severed and the fingers on the left have
been removed, while the forehead had been crushed by something. Ash’s mother
had tried to keep him from seeing it, but she was too late… Tears were welling
in Ash’s eyes, and time stood still as his mind was flooded with more dark
thoughts.
The Kaisers… they were the source of his misery.
The death of his father, mindless Kaiser Beasts with the sole purpose of
destruction, Kaisers warriors who would kill innocent people without a second
thought… and these evils, it was one man who directed it all, and that man was
standing next to him… “So that’s what happened…” Ash spoke weakly, “You were
the one… to kill him?” As the Kaiser Tyrant raised his staff to administer the
killing hit, Ash spoke up, “Why is there so much evil…? Why… does it have to be
like this…? Is this what the world is like? Happiness… it has all been a lie.
Friendship… love… all… illusions…”
“That is enough!” the Kaiser Tyrant had enough of
Ash’s bellyaching and was going to kill him in order to shut him up. He raised
his staff and struck… “WHAT?!”
Ash’s hands moved and caught the staff. “Kaiser
Tyrant…” Ash spoke without any emotion. “Eight years ago… my father died, and I
wasn’t able to do anything about it. I was too young… too weak… when I learned
of his death, I also learned how cruel the world really is. Somehow I got the
idea that I could do what he did and get rid of all the bad people who do bad
things… so this would never happen again, and I’ve been fighting blindly ever
since. I actually thought I was changing the world, making a difference, but
now I’ve realized something…” he stared at the ground, “The world will never
change. I can try forever, yet it will refuse to change”
“With your ideals of taming it maybe… you can try
forever and it will always refuse” said the tyrant, annoyed, shocked that Ash
could move his hands, and even more that he caught the staff, “The world cannot
be tamed, but it can be conquered…”
“You’ve lived forever… but you still haven’t
conquered it, have you?” asked Ash
“Shut up!” the Kaiser Tyrant shouted and kicked
Ash, also pulling his staff out of his grip. He started beating him with it,
“Speak no more of this! I do not want to hear of your anguish, and I would kill
you just to shut you up!” he finally stopped and sighed, Ash was finally dead…
“AH!” The Tyrant stepped back, shocked.
Ash was not only alive, but he was getting up!
“Being a warrior means one thing… you die” Ash spoke, his voice had an air of
passiveness in it, “If you care for something… you feel pain for them… how
come? All my goals, my friends, everything I loved, they made me weak. They’ve
made me hurt, and they’ve hidden me from my real purpose… but now that I see
you, suddenly it all becomes clear…” Ash continued. As he said this, he began
to change. His hair was starting to stand, and his shoulders were hunched “Heh-heh-heh-heh…”
“Hmm?” the Kaiser Tyrant stared at Ash, wondering
what was going on
“Heh-heh-heh-heh!” A wicked, insane grin appeared
on Ash’s face “This is the world? Why didn’t I see it earlier? Heh-heh-heh!” he
laughed. His arms hung to the side and his head tilted a little “It is so dark
and evil! Just like you!” he pointed at the Tyrant. “To think I used to want to
protect it! Hee-hee! Why? After all, they already took everything away! They’re
stealing my life just as they stole my dad’s! Hee-hee-hee!”
The Kaiser Tyrant stared at him. Ash had
definitely lost his mind. He would have found this very scary had he not been
thousands of years experienced. As Ash continued to laugh, the Tyrant became
more irritated. Even if Ash was crazy, the Tyrant did not like being laughed at
by anyone. “ENOUGH!” he shouted
WHACK!
Ash flew and hit the ground. The side of his head
was bleeding. The Kaiser Tyrant sighed in relief, happy to have finally shut
him up, when… “You’re still alive?!”
Ash got up again, and his crazy grin was gone and
his face was serious now. “My father… was an honourable man.” He spoke coldly.
“He always fought for what he believed was right, and defended others who were
in need. Why did you kill him?” he asked, his voice even started sounding different.
“I hate you…”
“I…” This was really eerie. He was no longer the
gentle Ash Ketchum, or even the cunning warrior. He was a vessel of hatred,
insanity and a lust for revenge. “I am…” His fists were clenched so tight they
began to bleed, and his green gloves changed red with his own blood. “I… I
will…” It was like he was trying to say the hardest thing in the world. His
head shot up, and he screamed it “I WILL KILL YOU!!!!!”
***
(
“Huh?” Misty raised her head and looked left and
right “What was that?” She had sensed something, but she didn’t know what it
was.
“So you sensed it too” a voice spoke up
“AH!” she jumped. Turning around, she saw
“Hey” said
BONK!
“Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Misty shouted,
punching him over the head, “And what are you even doing way out here
anyways?!”
“Ow…”
“Uh-huh, and I guess by ‘adventuring’ you mean
fighting?” Misty crossed her arms, “Oh well… as much as I don’t like all the
pointless fighting, its probably the only choice we have. Ash realized it, and
I should’ve seen it too…”
“I see you haven’t given up looking for him. But
even if you find him, what will you do? What will you say” asked
“Well what would YOU do?” said Misty
“Nothing, because that’s all I can do…”
“You’re right” Misty sighed, “Sorry for hitting
you like that”
“It’s okay” said
“How come?” asked Misty
“Now I’m no Ebi, but I’ll give you two reasons”
said Gary, “Reason 1: He’s changed. His mind is warped and he is twisted. You
felt threatened by the ‘fighter Ash’? You haven’t seen nothing yet” said
“Pika” Pikachu nodded in agreement
Misty stared at them, “How do you know all this?”
“Sensed it, interpreted it” said
“Okay, okay… maybe some other time. But tell me…
something’s happened to Ash? You said he’s gone berserk? How can that be
possible?” asked Misty
“Hmm…”
“Hmmm…” Misty thought about it, then spoke up,
“His father?”
“That’s right” said
“Okay” Misty responded
“All right” said
***
(Location- Void Tyrannis)
“RRRAAAAAARRRGH!!!!” Ash screamed, charging at
the Kaiser Tyrant
WHAM!
“GRR!” Ash growled. The Kaiser Tyrant swung his
staff and sent him flying through the air, hitting the ground. Ash quickly got
up and charged again
“Again he attacks head first…” the tyrant sighed.
Ash’s constant failing move was really beginning to annoy him. He raised his
staff, it was time he disciplined the boy.
Before the Tyrant hit him again, Ash’s grabbed
the ground, digging his fingers into the metal floor and gripping it tight.
“RAA!!!” Ash growled when the staff hit him. Rather than being sent flying, he
kept his grip on the ground and withstood the blow. He quickly got up and
tackled the Tyrant in the stomach
“AH!” The Kaiser Tyrant exclaimed. He actually
felt pain!
“RRRR…” Ash snarled like a wild animal. He was crouched,
and both of his hands were gripping the ground hard. He looked like a tiger,
ready to pounce “RAAAR!” As the Kaiser Tyrant struck with his weapon, Ash
caught it between his teeth and swung himself, kicking the Tyrant’s face with
both feet and sending him sliding back a few feet. Ash jumped back and
grouched, ready to pounce again.
“So I see you are not as weak as I thought” said
the Tyrant, brushing some dirt off his face. “However, you are still no match
for me …” He held his staff up and started chanting in some strange language.
Energy seemed to be gathering around him, and surrounded the staff. “But let us
see what you are truly capable of… FACE THE WRATH OF THE TYRANT’S WHIP!
HAAAAA!!!”
“Huh? WA!” Ash saw the whip coming at him and
reacted just in time. He quickly jumped back, dodging it. It nearly hit his
stomach “That was too close…” he said, looking down. The shirt over his stomach
was ripped, “UNGH!” His eyes suddenly opened wide as he fell to his knees
“BLEAUGH!!!” he threw up and gasped…
“HM!” The Tyrant swung the beam whip again
“AH!” Ash quickly got to his feet and jumped back
before it hit his head. The Kaiser Tyrant swung it again, and Ash raised his
arm in defence…
SMASH!
“AAAAGH!!!!” Ash was sent flying to the side and
hitting the ground, but that wasn’t the problem. His left arm, it wasn’t
broken. Well at least the bone was still intact. “So that’s it… it hits with so
much force that it breaks everything… and even when I barely dodged it, that
force close to my stomach was enough to make me puke!” Ash clenched his arm.
“AH!” he jumped to the side as the Tyrant’s Whip came down, breaking into the
ground. Ash ran to the side as it came up from beneath. “WA!”
“Keep running fool” the Kaiser Tyrant spoke,
directing the whip at Ash. Even if Ash dodges it, just the force of the whip
being swung near any part of his body was more than enough to seriously hurt
him! “Do you think you can escape?”
Ash was terrified. He kept running, yet they were
closing in on him! Ash looked to the right and saw the whip coming at him,
“AAAH!” he dove to the ground and the whip passed over him. He rolled over and
looked up, his eyes opened wide, “AH!”
CRASH!
The whip came down, and Ash rolled to the side
before it crushed him. Ash dove to the left as it came up and jumped, flipped,
rolled, ANYTHING to get away from it!
“The way you try and avoid my whip at any cost,
you look ridiculous!” The Kaiser Tyrant was laughing. “But do you know what
would be even funnier? THIS!” he grabbed his staff with both hands and swung.
The beam whip snaked through the ground and smashed through the earth. There
was no way for Ash to dodge!
“WAA!” Ash screamed. Right before the beam whip
hit him, he kicked off the ground with all his strength, jumping high into the
air. Ash was gasping, but he succeeded in avoiding the… “AH!” he realized the
position he was in. He was up in the air, he couldn’t manoeuvre, and he could
see the beam coming at him! “NOOOOO!!!!!”
-CRACK-
“AGH…” Ash’s eyes were open wide. The world seemed
to come to a halt. His vision faded away. Everything was dark, and his strength
was gone. He couldn’t scream… he couldn’t move… he couldn’t breathe… and his
heart was no longer beating. Standing on the victorious down there, laughing
insanely, it was the Kaiser Tyrant.
-Thud-
Ash’s body hit the ground. There was no anger
left in him. It had been replaced with terror. His eyes were blind, he couldn’t
breathe or think, yet somehow he was alive.
“Hmm… still alive, I mustn’t have hit him hard
enough” the Kaiser Tyrant approached
“(No… stay away… please, don’t come any
closer… stay away… don’t hurt me)” these were the only thoughts passing
through Ash’s mind as the tyrant approached him
“So pathetic… clinging onto what little life he
has left, not at all like your father” the Kaiser Tyrant stood over him, “it
ends now…” he raised his staff… “HAAAAA!!!!!!!”
CLASH!!!!
“ARGH!” The Kaiser Tyrant slid back, but quickly
straightened up, “WHAT?!”
“Leave my apprentice alone…” Aquamarine stood
there. The power of one was shining bright and incredible strength and energy
surged through him. He turned and looked at Ash, “Ash! Come on! Don’t die now!
Wake up!” he started shaking him
“Aqua… marine…?” Ash said weakly, “Is… that you?”
“You’re alive!” Aquamarine said relieved, resting
Ash’s head on the ground, “Listen to me. I want you to relax. Calm your soul…
close your eyes, and trust me…”
Ash didn’t know what was going on. Pain was the
only thing he felt, and he was also blind. If anything, he was scared, but
Aquamarine said to trust him, and Ash knew that Aquamarine was one he could
trust. He closed his eyes, and calmed down…
“I shall ease your pain…” Aquamarine said
softly, closing his eyes and placing his hand over Ash’s heart “Your loved
ones pray for your safety… they worry endlessly about you. Each hour you
are apart from them is torture…”
Ash didn’t know why, but the image of his friends
appeared in his mind, the whole group. Along with his human friends was every
one of his pokémon he ever owned, even the ones that left long ago. Then there
was the people he met on his journey, gym leaders, rivals good friends.
Standing in front of them all were the three most important people to him.
Pikachu, his mother, and Misty… They all stood together, and they were watching
him. Their smiles made Ash feel calm
“You can feel their loyalty, friendship and
love. They know deep down that you are not gone from this world yet, and that
your kind self is not gone completely… they know that you will return to them… they
are waiting…” Energy was gathering in Aquamarine’s hand. “Take some of
my strength… and rise once again… as the one they love” He said
softly as his eyes slowly opened, “AWAKEN…”
There was a humming sound, and some sort of
energy was in the air. Ash could feel everything. His pain was beginning to
fade. His heart was beating again, he could breathe, he could think. Ash’s eyes
opened, he could see! Ash sat up, looking left and right, “Aquamarine… I’m
alive…” all his wounds were gone. His fear was gone, and tears filled his eyes,
but these were tears of joy, “You’ve saved me… not only from death, but from my
own evil… thank you…” he bowed to Aquamarine
“You’re welcome Ash” said Aquamarine, “Listen.
Though I took your wounds away, your strength hasn’t come back, and you’re too
weak to even stand up. Don’t worry. You’ve done enough. I’ll take care of
everything…” he turned around “Kaiser Tyrant! Not only did you try to kill my
friend, you also you almost tainted his soul with your evil! You shall pay for
your crimes! I will bring you to justice and destroy you!!!”
“Ah… the young Aquamarine…” said the Tyrant, “How
did you get here?”
“Quite easily! I sensed the power of this void, I
slashed the air with my trident and cut through the fabric of reality and tearing
an entrance of my own into this place!”
“To waltz right in here and challenge me, I see
you are still as brash and headstrong as ever. You haven’t learned your lesson
from our first encounter.” The Tyrant took a fighting stance, “Let us see if
you have improved at all since that time”
“This won’t be like last time!” Aquamarine
attacked. The staff and trident clashed with amazing strength. Aquamarine
thrust with one hand as his other reached down and grabbed his secondary
weapon, “CORAL CUDGEL!”
CLANG!
The tyrant was fast and raised his staff just in
time to deflect the coral cudgel. Aquamarine quickly grabbed his trident and
put away his cudgel. He jumped back and took a new stance, one that he used
when he was fighting seriously… “HAIYA!!!” he attacked, striking with his
trident. The Kaiser Tyrant deflected these ones easily, and Aquamarine started
attacking faster. “TIDAL SPEAR!”
CLASH!
The Tyrant had blocked it, and the force of the
blow made him slide back a little. He quickly jumped high into the air, pulling
out the Harpoon Gun, “HARPOON STRIKE!”
“You have many attacks, but they are inferior”
the tyrant he leaned over, missing the deadly projectile as it was embedded
into the ground.
“Oh yeah?” Aquamarine smirked, holding his
harpoon gun, “How about THIS?!”
“Hm?” the Tyrant turned around, and gasped, “AH!”
CRACK!
Aquamarine had caught him off guard. When his
harpoon was embedded into the floor, he had pulled with all his strength, tearing
a HUGE chunk out of it and sending it flying at him from behind! Aquamarine
darted forwards, “DEEP SKEWER!”
CHING!!!
“Heh…” Aquamarine laughed, “It’s over… HUH!?” he
gaped. At the end of his trident wasn’t the Kaiser Tyrant’s body, it was the
chunk of metal he had ripped out of the ground! Suddenly, Aquamarine felt his
trainer instincts kicking in…
“This ‘Deep Skewer’ technique you used, such a
simple attack, yet strong…”
“What?!” Aquamarine turned his head. He saw the
Kaiser Tyrant, standing at his left!
“Despite its strength, it leaves you vulnerable”
said the Kaiser Tyrant “LIKE NOW!”
SMACK!
“AAAGH!!” Aquamarine screamed as he spun through
the air. The Kaiser Tyrant had swung and hit him full across the face. Aquamarine
hit the ground, hard
“Do not be surprised young lad,” said the Kaiser
Tyrant, “I keep most of my abilities hidden from everyone. My own warriors
don’t even know I could teleport” he smiled
“Agh…” Aquamarine turned to the side and spat out
a tooth, and clutched his trident. “No… I’ve trained hard… I’ve been preparing
for this battle… I WILL DEFEAT YOU!!!”
Aquamarine attacked again, but the Tyrant was
deflecting everything with great ease! “You do realize I have been toying with
all of you since the start?”
“UGH!” Aquamarine was hit in the stomach, “AH!”
he exclaimed at his hand was hit, several fingers broke, “AAGH!” His shin was
cracked by a swing from the staff…
“HA-HA-HA-HA!!!” The Kaiser Tyrant laughed as
Aquamarine was thrown back. Energy was gathering around the end of his staff
“It’s… it’s…” Ash was shaking. He remembered this
energy that gathered at the tip of the staff… it’s that beam whip! “AQUAMARINE!
GET AWAY!”
“IT IS TOO LATE!” shouted that Kaiser Tyrant, swinging
the Tyrant’s Whip…
SLAM!!!
“Ah…” Aquamarine gasped, his trident fell to the
ground. He was hit on the side of his head, his skull cracked under the intense
strength. “Ugh… Sky… I am too weak…” he said weakly, “I’ve failed you… for the
last time…” he sighed, tears ran down his face “I’m sorry… Sky… I’m so sorry…”
he collapsed. Aquamarine was defeated.
“Another one has fallen to the Tyrant’s Whip” the
Kaiser Tyrant laughed, “You see what your inferior skills can accomplish?
Nothing! HA-HA-HA-HA…”
-CHING-
“AGH!” The Kaiser Tyrant’s eyes opened wide and
stumbled. Quickly using his staff, he straightened himself, not allowing
himself to fall. Across his back was a long cut, but where did it come from?
Everyone looked and gasped when they saw who did it.
“Ash, you are overcoming the evil within
yourself. Aquamarine, you were the one who saved him from it. You both stood
bravely to the overwhelming might of the Kaiser Tyrant. I very proud of you,
both of you” Sky Render sheathed his sword,
“Sky Render…?!” Ash gasped
“S… sky…” Aquamarine said weakly
“So the mighty Sky Render finally appears” said
the Kaiser Tyrant
“Kaiser Tyrant” Sky Render turned to him, “You
have had too much freedom. Your ambitions have killed too many people, and your
existence is a threat to this world. I will not allow it to go on.” As he
spoke, his body began to glow with the Power of One, but it was nothing like
that of Ash or Aquamarine… this power… this was Level III, a true Chosen one!
He shifted his feet, stepping into the proper position as he drew his sword and
held his fighting stance. “I am your
opponent now”
As the Kaiser Tyrant took his stance as well,
time was coming to a halt. No one moved, blinked or even breathed. Both Sky
Render and the Kaiser Tyrant stood, facing each other. There was a glint in
both of their eyes… “HAAAAA!!!!!!!!”
-CLASH-
Now that the
►TO BE CONTINUED