PARAGON
Remnants of the Great War Arc [39]
Chapter 48 : Hero on Strings
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Aaron pitched forward, blood gushing from the hole in his chest. He coughed, and a spat of blood splattered onto the ground in front of them. His form flickered, azure Aura spasming on the outline of his body.
“Sir Aaron!” Ash leaped forward and caught him before he hit the ground.
At the same time, Pikachu leaped into the air and wreathed himself in electricity. Thunder boomed and snapped, and a jagged bolt zapped toward Zagreus. But the rogue Guardian simply raised his hand. A vortex of darkness whirled within his palm, swallowing the Thunderbolt whole, leaving him completely unharmed. Pikachu landed back on the ground and growled, his ears and tail twitching in anger.
“There won’t be any of that this time,” he said, with a voice like slime. “Admittedly, I underestimated you, Ash. I’ll wear this wound forever thanks to that.” He tugged at the grisly white scar that cut across his face diagonally, where the Electric Plate had maimed him.
Ash simply glared back at him, holding Sir Aaron’s body protectively. Lucario lay behind them, unmoving, but groaning.
“You,” AZ rumbled.
Zagreus turned to face him again and bowed. “I apologize for my extended absence, your Grace. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure of your intentions, wasting away in that jail for so long. When you finally returned to the world, I figured it’d be wiser not to interfere in your plans until you made a decisive move.”
Aaron shifted in Ash’s grip as if trying to stand.
“Please don’t move, Sir Aaron! You’ll make it worse.” Ash tightened his grip on the Aura Master as he stared down at the wound on his chest, still bleeding profusely.
Aaron coughed, but he seemed to force his breathing to steady. He leaned up slightly so that he could face the others. “Azett,” he wheezed. “Do you know this man?”
Zagreus looked back with a smirk, reveling in his former king’s agony.
AZ glanced at Zagreus, then down at Aaron. Then, he started walking toward him.
“Stay back!” Ash yelled. Electricity flashed to life on his hand, and though Zagreus looked amused, AZ didn’t react.
He came to a stop far enough away so as not to provoke Ash. His eyes hadn’t left Aaron. “How pitiful. Can you even stand?”
Sir Aaron’s form flickered again, and he clutched Ash’s knee for support as he lifted himself. Ash tried to stop him, but Aaron brushed him off. With some effort, finally, the Guardian King stood again, albeit hunched over. His body also seemed slightly translucent, as if it was beginning to fade.
Ash frowned and Pikachu watched on curiously.
“Of course I can,” Aaron said with difficulty.
AZ’s eyes narrowed. “Good,” he said. Then, he turned back to face Zagreus. “Hold his limbs, I’m going to crush his skull.”
Alarm saturated Zagreus’ face in a heartbeat as he glanced between the two men.
“Very well,” Aaron said.
A second later, both kings blitzed forward, nothing more than blurs of blinding light. The ground ruptured exactly where Zagreus had been standing, soil and rock blooming skyward. The air beside it wavered, then expelled a shower of shadows into existence, Zagreus wafting out from the darkness.
“What are you doing, your Grace?!” Zagreus shrieked, dodging as Aaron’s arm cut toward his ankles. “I serve you!”
“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?!” AZ roared, launching a punch that would have taken off Zagreus’ head if he hadn’t ducked a moment sooner. Instead, it felled a line of trees behind him, their trunks snapping as they fell aside. “I am the bearer of the Fairy Plate! I know everything about the natural world, including the truths written upon your soul! All those years ago, you lied to me about a Guardian attack! You never once served me! Your loyalties have only ever rested solely with yourself!”
Zagreus screamed as he ran from the two legends. Ash could only watch in disbelief as the two men who’d been fighting to kill each other just moments ago were fighting side by side. All he could do was try and stay out of the way and keep Lucario safe. To that end, he’d pulled its body to the edge of the clearing, away from AZ and Aaron’s ruthless pursuit, with the help of Blastoise and Charizard, who watched the battle carefully, making sure their master wasn’t in danger.
As Zagreus streaked away from AZ, Aaron curved around and fired a lightning-quick Aura Sphere that hit his leg before he had a chance to defend. Even before he had a chance to fall, AZ was on him, and he grabbed Zagreus by the neck and hoisted him into the air, then slammed him against a tree.
“Despicable little rat,” AZ snarled as he tightened his grip.
Zagreus’ face was nearly purple, and his eyes bulged in their sockets. The scar across his face turned crimson and began to bleed. “Bas…tard…!” he choked out. Shadows weaved together in his seizing hand, and his fist closed around another knife. With a spasm of his arm, he thrust it into AZ’s side.
AZ grunted and released his grip, stumbling back, and Zagreus fell to the ground and vomited. But before he could recover, Aaron was on him, mere inches away. However, alone and injured, he could do little as Zagreus leaped back and roundhouse kicked him away. He glared at the two fallen kings.
“You bastards will pay for this!” he screeched, his voice hoarse. Then, he seemed to notice Ash. His bloody face scrunched into a maniacal snarl. “And you!” he spat, stomping toward Ash. “Thief! That Plate was mine!”
Ash’s eyes narrowed, and as he raised his arms, electricity began to crackle upon them. Pikachu glared at Zagreus from atop his head, and Charizard and Blastoise both began priming attacks.
However, Zagreus was not deterred. Instead, a pitch-black miasma began to curl around him as he approached, shining with a darkness of pure power.
Ash grit his teeth. What is that? Is that some sort of Aura? Or is he actually a Platebearer? Whatever it is, it was able to hurt Sir Aaron and AZ. He spared a glance at the two men, but both still seemed incapacitated. Refocusing on Zagreus, he tried to calm his nerves. Plus, the way he took Sir Aaron by surprise… I need to be careful!
Not a moment after he thought it, Zagreus vanished in a thickened haze of smoke.
No choice! Arceus, please let this work!
Time to use that. A technique Ash had only practiced a few times, if it could be called that. Even more risky than deploying his electricity surgically to augment his pokémon’s senses.
He would use his electricity to augment his own senses.
His vision vanished for half a second and he physically felt the sensation of a wisp of electricity passing across his brain. He almost passed out right there and then, but he quickly located Zagreus before he could. The rogue Aura Guardian was behind him; he’d slithered right between Charizard and Blastoise.
Now, Gengar!
The dark steel of Zagreus’ knife flashed in Ash’s eyesight, but a moment later, it vanished as Gengar yawned up from Ash’s shadow and closed his stubby fist around it, blade and all. As the rest of Zagreus’ body reformed, he grunted in surprise, trying to pull his arm free. Gengar’s grin stretched so wide it nearly touched his eyes. He cackled, and yanked the dagger from Zagreus’ hand. And before he even realized what had happened, Gengar flipped it around and released a low chortle, before sticking it straight in Zagreus’ left eye.
“AGGGHHHHH!” Zagreus screamed, the shadowy mist dissipating from his face as he fell back, clutching his wounded eye, which was now dumping blood.
Blastoise and Charizard both spun around in anger, and before Ash could command them, a column of water and a column of fire roared down at Zagreus. Steam burst skyward in a blazing blossom, but a single flap of Charizard’s wings dispelled it. There would be no cover for the Guardian traitor to escape.
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Zagreus’ clothes clung to his body, mangled and burned, as he crawled away pitifully. Somehow, he’d protected himself. He whimpered in agony as he rolled onto his back, trying to stagger to his feet. Yet, he collapsed again.
This time, coming face to face with a growling AZ, who had just managed to sit up. The color drained from Zagreus’ face as AZ’s fist began to shine, his face steeped in pure hatred.
“Fuck!” Zagreus wailed. Shadows boiled beneath him and swallowed him whole just as AZ's fist came crashing down.
The ground exploded beside him with a blinding boom, and Ash shielded his eyes, his mind still a bit numb from his use of the Plate.
When the dust cleared, Zagreus was gone. AZ leapt up and glanced around wildly, almost like he was trying to sniff him out. Then he closed his eyes, and opened them a second later. “Run while you still can, you miserable wretch!” he roared, his voice echoing through the ruined forest.
The clearing fell quiet, save for the downpour of rain that soothed the wounded battlefield. Ash got back on his feet and his pokémon looked at him with worry. But his attention was squarely on AZ, who hadn’t yet moved.
Then he began walking. Toward Aaron once again.
Sir Aaron was only just getting back to his feet. He hadn’t gotten hit again, but clearly, Zagreus’ knife had done far more to him than to AZ. Besides his body flickering in and out of existence, his hair had gone almost entirely gray, and he looked gaunt and weak.
“Wait!” Ash yelled, stepping toward them. They were just working together! Why were they fighting again?!
“I’ve had that man in my sights for some time,” AZ said to Aaron. “I thought you might want to mete out some justice. But, another failure.”
“Oh, are you suddenly thinking of me?” Aaron croaked.
Ash winced at the sound of his voice. He sounded like an old man. Like he belonged anywhere except right here.
“I’ve never stopped thinking of you,” AZ said. “The attack fired by my ultimate weapon. The one on its way here as we speak. Aren’t you curious how I was able to use it now, after all this time.”
Ultimate weapon? Ash’s stomach dropped. What is he talking about? Is that what N and Zinnia were after in Kalos? Yet he’d said it’d been fired. Gooseflesh broke out across Ash’s skin, fearing the worst.
Aaron was hunched over, and he tried straightening himself out. His eyes widened, the skin on his face crinkling. “You preserved it… The Aura of the hundred thousand… After all this time…” His eyes turned to sorrow. “For use against me.”
“Now do you understand the depths of my hatred for you?” AZ growled.
He began stepping forward again, and Aaron could only watch feebly as he approached.
Light flashed in front of AZ, but he jerked his head back at the last second, narrowly avoiding a shaft of lightning thrown by Ash from across the clearing. AZ glanced over at him.
“Get away from him,” Ash said.
Charizard and Blastoise were circling around toward AZ, while Pikachu aimed to cut between him and Sir Aaron.
“You’re on my list as well,” AZ said, stretching his body to alleviate the stress coming from his punctured torso. “Are you so eager to die?”
“No. But I do have a few questions for you. What are the Paragons?”
AZ grinned, though Ash couldn’t tell if it was devoid of anger and amusement, or contained both. “Hm? You don't even know about the Paragons?” He bared his bloodstained teeth, and laughed. He looked back at Ash, and laughed again. “Oh, you poor soul,” he said through his hollow mirth. “Aaron’s wretchedness knows no limits. He’s set you on a path that will lead you to an early and terrible death.”
“What are you talking about?” Ash demanded.
He glanced over at Sir Aaron, but the man didn’t seem to be listening. His eyes were glazed over and the only sign of life remaining was the soft crackle of azure energy across his weakening form.
“You’re a Platebearer! Now, your destiny has become intertwined with that of the God Pokémon. The trajectory of your souls is utterly inseparable. Even if you were to discard your Plate, as Aaron did his, you have already been submerged in a current that you are powerless to resist! Look at him! He hasn’t been a Platebearer for three thousand years, and still, his fate will be decided by my ultimate weapon, borne of the Fairy Plate! Such is the nature of Arceus’ champions. You will live and die by the Plates, for a certainty.”
Ash glared at AZ, at his monstrous visage, dripping with blood and dirt and hatred. Just the fact that those words were coming out of his mouth made Ash want to deny them. And that self-important grin, saturated in malice and righteousness. Frankly, it made him sick.
He raised his hand, electricity ringing his fingers. “Withdraw and Protect, Blastoise!” he roared. “Charizard, Flamethrower on Blastoise!”
Immediately understanding, Blastoise leapt and spun in the air, retracting himself into his shell, and as it hit the ground, a harsh glow began to seep out from the holes. At the same time, Charizard reared back and unleashed a torrent of fire straight at his water-type partner, completely undeterred by the falling rain. The fire disappeared into Blastoise’s neck hole, and spat out his four limb holes. Then, Blastoise spun into the air, spitting flames as he barreled toward AZ.
AZ’s eyes widened, before scrunching his face into a fierce growl. He brought his arm in front of him and knocked Blastoise away, a tidal wave of fire falling atop him.
“Blizzard!”
While still in midair, Blastoise’s body popped out, smoke streaming from his limb holes, and after angling his cannons at the giant, he fired two rays of ice straight through the veil of fire, before landing solidly on his feet.
“Aaaargh!” AZ howled as ice crystallized on his burned skin. “What is this?! This shouldn’t hurt me!”
Ash gritted his teeth as he felt pain course through him. He was beginning to reach his limits with his use of the Plate. Even imbuing his power in his pokémon’s attacks so they could hurt AZ was beginning to become too taxing. But if AZ’s weapon, whatever it was, had been fired, then he needed to defeat him now.
AZ ripped through the ice, yet patches of his skin tore off with it, and he grimaced. Before they could recover, he fired a point-blank Moonblast that sent Blastoise barreling back through the trees, then ran straight at Charizard. The dragon caught his grapples and snorted angrily, at eye level with AZ. As they fought for dominance, Ash ripped out Blastoise’s pokéball and recalled him before he could get too far.
Charizard began to bear down on AZ, forcing him back. Yet AZ’s hands began to glow, and before Charizard could react, they exploded, and he roared in pain as he collapsed to the ground, smoke billowing up around him.
He wasn’t defeated, but Ash recalled him as well.
AZ smiled, though he clutched his arm where the skin had peeled off. “Don’t take out your rage against me. You should savor the opportunity for bloodshed. Aaron was right. Fear is still omnipresent, even if the masses don’t know about the Paragons. I confess even I could not escape its tempest, but what of it?” He licked his lips. “As a fellow Platebearer and as a man who knows everything, take it from me. You might as well enjoy Arceus’ depravity, like I have.”
“I don't fear Arceus or whatever the Paragons are! And the only depraved one I see here is you!”
“Hahaha. You will, Ash Ketchum.” He tightened his fists as he circled toward Ash, blood dripping down his arms. “As of now, you are nothing more than a hero on strings. Strut and dance however you like! In the end, it makes no difference. For we are mere humans. And they are monsters!”
“I’m nothing like you,” Ash growled. By now, the stench of blood was beginning to make his eyes water. He was reminded of the carnage left behind at the World Prison, yet this was almost worse because the source of said carnage was right in front of him.
“Perhaps not. But you, like me, are now enslaved to a destiny already written. Flail about impotently. But you will never rise above the ceaseless war. Believe me. I tried.”
“Get ready, Pikachu,” Ash said.
As Pikachu leaped off his shoulder, cheeks crackling, Ash saw Lucario moving his master away from the battle and thanked him silently. This is everything I’ve got!
Ash opened his hand, and pure white power spasmed into being around him, gusting about in a cyclone. Stray electricity caught the falling raindrops and illuminated the entire clearing in a throbbing cage of lightning. The grass disintegrated at his feet, and the soil beneath hardened, then cracked in an instant.
Pikachu shuddered as his body absorbed the sudden flood of power, and soon, he became so saturated with it that he began floating off the ground.
AZ glanced around warily and raised his arms. For the first time since Ash arrived, AZ made a defensive move. A gleaming shield burst into view around him, and he smirked from behind it.
Pikachu rolled in the air, rising higher and higher, static fluttering around him like a maddened hive. His cheeks had now turned white and sagged on his face.
Black spots wavered in Ash’s field of vision, but he forced himself to remain conscious as he summoned every last bit of power within him. His training this past month in building up his Aura, just like Sir Aaron had instructed, was now coming to a head. As he transferred the last of it to Pikachu, he forced himself to look upon AZ’s foul visage.
This is for Anabel.
“Three Heavenly Bolts!” Ash roared, his own eyes blazing with blinding power.
In a millisecond, the electric discord vanished, and the clearing went dark. Then, in the air, Pikachu lit up like the sun. His eyes, cheeks, and stripes upon his back all shined like spotlights. His tiny hand closed around the air, and Ash and AZ both shielded their eyes as a towering lightning lance thundered into existence within. He did the same for the other hand, and a second lightning bolt conjured into his grasp. With a vengeful screech, he opened his mouth, and his entire body went rigid. His zigzagged tail jerked into a straight line, and his entire body became engulfed in a rippling shaft of unbroken electricity: the third bolt.
Now, he began falling straight toward AZ, as a stark white, three-pronged trident. As he neared AZ, he let loose a battle cry, before slamming both effulgent bolts in his hand down, and not a moment later, flipping in the air to release the last one.
A sonic boom burst through the clearing, knocking Ash off his feet, but he didn’t have a chance to get up before the bolts crashed down on AZ. A thunderous bang exploded in every direction, blasting through the ground, trees, and sky alike. AZ’s silhouette disappeared under the hood of the blinding power, and the three spears of electricity spasmed wildly as they remained lodged in the ground right where he’d been standing.
Then they collapsed, and what little remained of the clearing now vanished as a white nova blossomed, razing everything in its vicinity and beyond.
Next — Chapter 49 : Sir Aaron Albrecht, King of the Aura Guardians
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