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Zacian could hardly believe her eyes, forced to watch helplessly as Minato fell to the ground. Her cry of defiance was all that alerted the others to what had happened; Seji, the half-conscious Asya, and even Zamazenta glancing over. For Zamazenta, the brief distraction won the Kommo-o war chief a free strike, landing a punishing Drain Punch on the Shield Wolf; Zamazenta howled as he was thrown back, and the deadly dragon stole some of his energy from him to replenish his own.

Zamazenta, despite taking the blow, rolled back onto his feet, shaking the delirium from his head, and resuming the battle. But Zacian's attention was solely on the Lucario who had sacrificed himself for her, lying bleeding on the swampy ground. She was in such a state of shock and denial that she didn't even notice Sash stalking around to her flank, licking the blood from his arm before flinging it to the side, making his cloak flutter behind him.

"I did warn him that I'd be tasting his blood off of my blade," he said out loud as he approached Zacian, who was too stunned to even look at the approaching Gallade. He flexed his blade arm again and held it up in front of his face. "Now... I believe I was about to kill a god," he remarked, his eyes glinting before he charged forward.

Just as Sash ran at Zacian, a shrill scream was heard from his right. He stopped to look and regretted it as a flaming form came flying across the moat toward him. Volcan, now Mega Evolved, was back, and plunged at Sash with a flaming kick leading his trajectory. Sash had no time to avoid the kick, forced to block it with his crossed arms; the kick sent him hurtling backward into a tree.

"You son of a bitch!" the furious Blaziken screamed, the flaming ribbons trailing from his hands blazing intensely with his anger.

Sash growled as he hit the tree, sliding back to his feet, and pulling himself away from it. He then grinned and looked back at Volcan with a crazed expression before Mega Evolving himself, brandishing his sleeker, sharper arm blades once he finished transforming.

"I am going to enjoy finishing what I started with you, Blaziken!" the murderous Gallade declared.

Volcan came forward like the snap of a whip, closing the distance between himself and Sash in the blink of an eye as he struck out with his fist. Sash's instincts were on point though, as he lifted one arm to block the hit and felt the strength behind it, seeing that Volcan had grown stronger since their last battle. He laughed maliciously as he swung his arm out, forcing Volcan's arm to the side before kicking out with his leg and following through with another slash from his opposite arm blade.

Volcan avoided the swing of the blade, stepping back before coming forward again with a fire punch aimed at Sash's face. When the Gallade dodged, he came in with a second punch with his other arm, this one going low toward the Gallade's hip. This time, Sash took the hit, grunting from both the impact and the searing burn he felt when he was hit. However, he still wore that grin as he glared back at Volcan, and his eyes gleamed briefly as he cast Trick Room to reverse Volcan's speed advantage and teleported behind him, lashing out with a heavy roundhouse kick of his own, then followed up with a Psycho Cut.

Volcan was struck before he could turn around, staggering after Sash kicked him, and letting himself fall onto his back to avoid the Psycho Cut, before throwing up his legs to jump back to his feet. As soon as he was upright, he exhaled a cone of fire that came out of his beak with a whoosh, like pressurized air being released from a container. The flames came out faster, and in a narrower cone than normal.

Sash quickly hopped back just as the flames were about to reach him, landing with a skid and laughing as he stood tall again. "You can struggle all you want, Blaziken... The more your speed increases, the faster I become. You're in _my_world now, and I'm going to enjoy every waking second of your agonized screams as I cut you down little by little."

Volcan met Sash's gaze, but didn't reply, knowing he was right... Volcan had let himself get caught in the trap, with Trick Room robbing him of what would otherwise have been an advantage. Now, it was a detriment... He needed to think of a way to escape, or at least survive until the Trick Room expired on its own... Easier said than done, considering who he was fighting.

While Sash and Volcan continued their fight, Zacian had finally snapped back to her senses and was now trying to nudge Minato with her nose, trying desperately to rouse him. "Minato! Minato!" She hollered down at him, trying to get him to respond to her voice, but every attempt was met with no response. The Lucario just lay there in a pool of his own blood, barely clinging to life with a glazed expression in his eyes. His breathing was light and rapid, he was fading fast.

He didn't have much time left before his life came to an end, and in Zacian's mind, there was nothing she could do to save him... She started to sniffle as she fought back tears of despair, slowly moving closer to the fallen Lucario and lying next to him, lowering her head to his level so she could see his glazed-over eyes.

"You stupid fool!" she whimpered scoldingly to him, "You utter, colossally stupid fool! Why did you put yourself in harm's way for me? Why did you risk your life for me?" she demanded, knowing that she wouldn't get the answers from him.

The tears she was trying to hold back came flooding out in full force, pouring down her cheeks and into the ground around her. She sobbed heavily as she leaned closer and pressed her forehead into his. 'W...What should I do...?'_she thought internally to herself. _'What can I do to save this noble warrior's life?? Please, O Lord of Creation, tell me how I can save him!'

Her tail swished behind her gently, then she twitched when her tail brushed against her sword, causing her to lift her head and look at the weapon for a moment. The gears in her head started to turn the longer she gazed at the sword, until it finally clicked. She did have a way to save him... But as she came to that realization, doubt started to come over her, making her second-guess whether it would work... Because if it didn't, Minato would more than perish.

'...No!' she firmly told herself, shaking her head back and forth furiously to clear that doubt from her mind, 'This will work! It must_!'_ she reaffirmed, slowly getting back to her feet, and using her nose to slide her sword closer to Minato's paw. Then she powered down from her armoured form back to her normal state and placed her paw over the Crown Sword and Minato's paw, closing her eyes and calming herself down.

"Minato of Team Phalanx," she began, pressing her paw down firmly into his, "You, who have committed the most noble and selfless act a warrior can ever perform, have earned both my respect and my admiration. In the short time we have known each other, you have managed to accomplish a feat not even my brother could achieve; a being I have fought alongside for several hundreds of years with... I now hear the words you have instilled upon me, and I vow to take those words to heart from this day forward."

She paused, feeling her life force slowly start to synchronize with the dying Lucario's, grimacing slightly as she kept it stable before she spoke again, "Alas, it is not your time yet, young warrior. Your friends, your colleagues, your family... They still need you in these trying times. If we are going to succeed in ridding the world of Calhoun's influence, we need your power. By yourself, you are powerful, formidable, but with my power - my Blessing... You will be undefeatable!"

The Crown Sword then began to shine as the bond between Zacian and Minato grew, slowly shining brighter and brighter until it became a blinding beacon that shone in the dreary atmosphere of the boglands, obscuring both her and Minato from view.

'Hear me, Minato of Team Phalanx.' Zacian's voice echoed from within the beacon of light. 'I am the Warrior of a Thousand Battles; the chosen wielder of the Crown Sword. With this power, you shall smite the darkness that threatens this world, and defend the helpless from any and all evil that dare bring about discord and chaos to them! I am Zacian, Royal Knight to the Kingdom of Calygrad... but you shall have the honour of knowing my true name!'

The beacon then changed into a tower of divine energy, shooting high into the sky, and even parting the clouds above as it continued to shine. The blinding light distracted the ongoing battled; the battered Zamazenta and the Kommo-o war chief, as well as Sash and tired and wounded Blaziken, and even the weakened and exhausted Asya and Seji looked on in wonder at the column of light that chased all darkness from the area.

From within the tower of light, Minato's paw clenched hard around the Crown Sword's hilt, and his eyes shot open as he and Zacian shouted out one word in complete unison.

'ZASHA!!!'

Then, as quickly as the light appeared, it faded; the area became as dark as it was before, save for the bright glow from the figure standing in front of a now exhausted Zacian. The glow began to dim, revealing the form of Minato, now fully healed from his injuries and sporting additions to his outfit. Along his shoulders rested a pair of golden pauldrons that spread outward like a pair of wings. Strapped to his legs were a pair of armoured greaves that covered his shins all the way up to his knees.

In his right paw... he held the Crown Sword...

Zamazenta, despite his fatigued and bruising body, was positively glowing with pride as he looked on at the scene unravelling before him. "Sister... You did it," he whispered.

"It can't be," Asya said breathlessly, as she immediately understood the marvel she had just bore witness to. "He is... Blessed!"

Volcan, despite his fatigue, allowed a proud smile to cross his features. "Way to go, buddy," he said.

The Lucario slowly drew in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled before he opened his eyes. They shone a brilliant gold just like the armour he wore, and he took a second to slowly look at the additions that he wore along his shoulders and legs before lifting the sword he held in his paw in front of him, understanding what had just happened.

He then turned to face Zacian, who was lying on her side and looking at Minato with an exhausted smile across her face. The Lucario turned and knelt next to her, staring deeply into her eyes and resting his left paw along her cheek before leaning forward and pressing his forehead against hers as a sign of gratitude.

"Thank you," he whispered gently to her, idly stroking her cheek.

"No... thank you, Minato." She whispered back to him. "You are the one who opened my eyes to my flaws. Consider this my way of expressing my deepest gratitude for saving me from myself..." She went on, then gave him a firm nod. "Now... It's time to put our power to use."

Minato nodded and stood tall, glancing at the Crown Sword once more and admiring its glow. He then swung it to his right, unleashing a torrential shockwave as he did, "I will not waste this gift, Zasha," he promised, and then looked over his shoulder toward the Mega Gallade that struck him down.

"Time for a little payback, you son of a bitch," he growled, turning to fully face Sash and began stalking toward him. "Take five, Volcan. Stay with Zacian while I clean up the trash."

"Be my guest," said the Mega Blaziken, stepping aside to make room for his friend, "Kick his ass for me."

"That's the plan," Minato returned, stalking past Volcan and continuing to approach Sash. "I hope you enjoyed that taste of blood you mentioned... Because I'm about to pay you back tenfold for it," he declared.

Sash only chuckled maniacally at Minato's claim, holding one of his arm blades in front of him. "Your shiny new power-up may have saved you from the jaws of death... But all you've done is give yourself minimal armour and a shiny new sword. I'll take great pride in shattering that blade into several hundred shards."

"Then by all means, go ahead and try," Minato beckoned, lifting his sword and pointing it at Sash. "Break my new 'toy.'"

Sash's eyes glinted again as he took off, teleporting to Minato mid sprint and swinging one of his blades at Minato and attacking with a Psycho Cut. However, to Sash's shock, Minato effortlessly moved the sword so that it blocked Sash's attack and completely nullified it, the Lucario still glaring firmly at his opponent.

"Did I say break my new toy?" He asked, a confident smirk slowly crossing his face. "Sorry... I meant to say 'help me break in my new toy,'" he said, then he swung his blade the rest of the way across, sending Sash flailing onto his back just from the sheer power of the swing alone.

The Mega Gallade sat up immediately after being blown back, flinching when he saw Minato hovering over him with the Crown Sword pointed toward his chest. He instinctively teleported away from the Lucario just as the sword pierced the ground, appearing a fair distance away from his opponent. He then conjured several metaphysical shards all around him and lashed out with Psyshock, hurling them at Minato while he turned to face him.

The Lucario continued to smirk as he watched the shards fly at him. "Now that's just precious." He remarked, quickly raising his sword and swinging it once again, creating another torrential burst of air that broke through the Psyshock and nailed Sash yet again, sending him flying onto his back next to Asya and Seji.

"Un...Unbelievable," The elderly Alakazam breathed, looking between his apprentice and Minato, unable to fathom just how powerful the latter had become.

The Kommo-o war chief abandoned his battle with Zamazenta, seeing Minato as the greater opponent, and making a beeline straight for him, roaring in fury.

The Lucario's ears pricked, and he turned to the charging armoured dragon, smirking as he waited until the last possible moment before darting out of the way of his opponent's strike, stopping at his flank and whistling to the Kommo-o to get his attention.

The Kommo-o rounded on him again, and shook its tail heavily, causing the scales at the end to ring loudly. The sound that the dragon emitted was nearly deafening, and when Minato winced, the dragon lunged again, and scored a powerful Drain Punch on the Lucario while he was distracted.

He grunted as he felt some of his power being drained away, quickly knocking the Kommo-o's arm away with the hilt of the Crown Sword, then turned and scored a direct slash across the Kommo-o's chest before pushing him away with Psychic. Once he was away, Minato felt his chest a bit with his paw, then smirked as he looked back at his opponent.

"That all you got?" He taunted, resting his sword along his shoulders. "I've taken harder hits from that guy and still walked away with barely a scratch." He further taunted, gesturing to Volcan with his head. "C'mon. Make me work for this victory, tough guy."

"E ?ai au i? ?oe!" The Kommo-o shouted back, baring his teeth and letting his tongue hang out of his mouth.

As Minato puzzled over what the Kommo-o had just said to him, the dragon slapped its thighs with its massive claws, chanting - or perhaps singing something the Lucario could not understand and causing his scales to rattle. "Ahaaina! Ahaaina! Kaua! Kaua! Ahaaina! Ahaaina! Kaua! Kaua!" He repeated, time and again, each word accompanied by either a slap to his thighs or crossing his arms to strike his elbow with a clenched fist.

What Minato did notice, though, was the dragon was visibly becoming stronger as he chanted and danced and rattled noisily, his muscles noticeably becoming thicker before the Lucario's eyes, as though months of strength-training were happening in mere seconds.

'Is he using Dragon Dance?' Minato thought, but something about this was different... Nevertheless, he frowned sternly and swung his sword to the side again, then beckoned the armored dragon to approach with his other paw, his confident smirk now a serious glare.

The dragon attacked; he moved with speed that Minato had not seen before, barely giving the Lucario time to guard against a dragon claw. The blow was harder than before, nearly buckling him under the force of the blow, before another Drain Punch struck him in the gut, giving more of his strength to the Kommo-o.

"Minato!" Volcan called, about to jump back into the fight to help his friend, but the Lucario quickly held out his paw to stop the Blaziken, slowly straightening himself and rubbing his stomach a bit as he felt a bit more tired than the last hit he took.

Despite that, he started to smirk again as he lifted his gaze to meet the Kommo-o's once more. This time he noticed that despite the energy he took from him, his opponent looked even more tired than he did, and despite his muscles bulging, he could sense that such power came at a cost.

"I'm fine," he assured Volcan. "In fact, I just figured out how to put him down for good."

"How? He's even stronger now!" Volcan asked.

But even before the Blaziken received his answer, the Kommo-o was coming again, rushing at Minato with its claws raised, looking at him like he was prey for the killing. Minato's smirk turned into a grin as he swung his sword, parrying the claws before they could even touch him. He then reached out and grasped at the Kommo-o with Psychic, halting him in his tracks and, with some effort, slowly lifted him up into the air.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, pal," he started to say, his words directed to Volcan. "But wasn't it you that once said power isn't measured by how much of it you have, but what you do with it?" he asked before jumping up and slamming the pommel of the Crown Sword right in the armoured dragon's face, dazing him as Minato cast him back toward the ground, skidding across the wet soil.

"Sure, you're more powerful than I am, even with this boost I've received," Minato stated confidently. "But did you really think I wouldn't notice how much strain that dance put on your body? Otherwise, why else would you resort to using Drain Punch right afterward?" he asked as he started to stalk toward his foe. "See, it's really unfortunate you decided to pick a fight with me... Because unlike those wild tribes you've no doubt fought and conquered in the past, I learn during my fights... And that's why you're gonna lose this one, chief."

Whether or not the Kommo-o understood him, Minato didn't know... But the tenacious Kommo-o did not relent. This time, he threw back his head, roaring to the sky as his eyes glowed a bright red, and when he came at Minato again, he attacked with reckless abandon, swiping and swinging at him wildly with no technique or measure, just fury...

Minato easily read through each of the enraged Kommo-o's swipes, watching him move with reckless abandon and sighing sadly. "Guess you found your hill to die on," he muttered, then when the dragon wound up for an overhead smash, the Lucario quickly dashed forward and ran his blade through the dragon chief, piercing right through him and causing the Kommo-o to freeze in his tracks upon being impaled.

"May you find peace in whatever afterlife you believe in," he whispered, then stepped back and pulled the Crown Sword out, swinging it away to fling the blood off its glistening edge.

The Kommo-o collapsed to the ground; a wild look still etched across his face even as the light in his eyes faded away...

"...Seji. We need to leave," whispered Asya, "We've failed..."

"R-Right..." Seji returned, already trying to reach out to Calhoun telepathically.

However, right as he did, Sash, Asya and Seji all felt an intense pressure around their necks, strangling them and lifting them up into the air, leaving them helpless in the invisible grasp that held them. Minato slowly stalked toward the three of them, pulling the Lycanroc close to him and holding her so her neck was pressed against the edge of his sword. He wore a furious glare as he stared her down, pressing the Crown Sword against her neck and threatening to cut her right then and there.

"...It'd be so easy to end all three of you right here and now. There'd be three less headaches to worry about, and Calhoun would be down his best strategist to boot," he growled at Asya, making sure she understood that his intent to kill her was no bluff. That said, he pulled his sword away and released his telekinetic hold on each of them, dropping them to the ground and leaving them coughing hoarsely as they caught their breath.

"But that would be too easy... and I'm not about to lower myself to your standards," he went on, pointing his sword toward each of them once. "Go back to your boss and give him a message for me. Tell him that his days are numbered... Tell him that I'm coming for his head, and that no dark force or demented god will save him from my blade."

No sooner did he say those words, the three of them disappeared simultaneously, his psychic grip disappearing with them. Volcan came running to stand beside him, looking around for any sign of the three. But not a trace of them remained.

"Seems Calhoun has been watching," said Volcan, "He must have had Mewtwo extract them before we could try to interrogate them."

"Not like they would talk anyway," Minato replied, lowering his sword to his side. "And like I said, I wasn't about to stoop to their level. They can run away all they want, but sooner or later, we'll catch up to them again... And I won't be so generous next time."

At that moment, Zacian heard her brother coming up beside her, and was surprised when he nuzzled her cheek. He had not done that in a while...

"Zacian, I am so proud of you," he said, smiling broadly, "You saved Minato, and in doing so you finally remember what it really means to be a knight."

Zacian looked back at her brother for a moment before she leaned into him and licked his cheek back softly. "I owe you so many apologies, brother," she said to him, looking at him with a look of regret. "All these years, I just assumed you were being overbearing, when you were just trying to protect me from my own hubris. I understand that now."

Zamazenta nodded. "Overtime, I grew to understand that you would not find the answer from me," he explained, "you would only find it through one who has walked your road before. In Minato, you found it, and the code of the knight with it once more. To put oneself before the many does not only mean fighting to protect the weak, but to also put their needs ahead of your own."

He looked at Minato, still holding Zacian's sword. "In this case, you shared your power with Minato in order to save his life. It left you weakened, certainly vulnerable to the enemy before us, but it spared him from the jaws of death. That is a true act of knighthood; self-sacrifice, for the good of others."

Zacian nodded back, staring at Minato and Volcan discussing matters among each other, including the new look the Lucario was sporting thanks to his divine power. "He is a worthy knight himself... Perhaps more worthy than either of us," she admitted, smiling softly. "Despite his arrogant demeanour, he never once lost sight of what was truly important, and he is very adept with his use of the blade. His home is in good paws with him there to protect it."

"Indeed," agreed Zamazena.

With that, Volcan turned in the direction of the temple. "Alright... We've only one thing left to do," he said, "let's go help Luke and Kage secure that Nexus, purge it, and go home. I've had about all I can stand of this miserable swamp."

"I think I speak for all of us when I say Amen to that." He said with a nod. "First thing, though." He turned and walked back toward Zacian and Zamazenta, slowly lifting the Crown Sword and offering it back to the sword wolf. "I think this is yours... Zasha."

Zacian looked at the sword, then at Minato, almost as if she were internally struggling whether to take it back, until finally she opened her mouth and gently took the sword out of his paw. The second she grasped it, her powers returned to her, and Minato quickly dropped out of his Blessed form back to his normal state.

With her powers restored, she stood back up again and placed the sword on her back again. "Hm. Shame." She began. "That armour looked good on you."

"Maybe... but sadly I can't wear it all the time." He returned with a wink and a smirk.

She smirked back, then gestured to the fortress. "Go help your allies. We shall patrol the shores in case they decide to come back."

"Indeed. We will talk more when you're done," said Zamazenta, "good luck."

With that, Volcan helped Minato onto his back, taking a running start at the moat before jumping across it. This time, he timed his leap perfectly to land on the islet and avoid the bog and dropped to one knee to let Minato climb off his back. With that, the two hurried into the temple, heading for the lower levels.

But it was then Minato sensed something was amiss. Some dark presence he somehow knew, and immediately shifted to his Aura Sense to confirm it. His blood ran cold as he recognized the Shadow Essence, embodied in a single figure below...

A figure already clashing with Luke, and one he knew too well...

"Volcan," he said, "He is here! Luke is in danger!"

~~~~~

Minutes earlier...

When Luke and Kage approached the large double doors, they did not know what to expect beyond. Even Kage, having never been down to this level before, could not even guess what they might find, let alone what awaited them, for what they found denied all logic and possibility. The chamber they entered seemed to be teeming with life, like an indoor arboretum or conservatory, lit by bioluminescent algae along the walls. Plants of many varieties, both from inside and outside the swamp, grew seemingly atop the very stones of the floors and walls, all of them seemed to lead back to the other side of the room.

Neither of the two could comprehend how this was all possible. In such a dark environment there should be no way for vegetation to even be possible to grow, and without proper soil to nourish them either. To be sure that he wasn't hallucinating, Luke slowly walked over and pressed his paw on the nearby wall, feeling the moss and algae along his digits before he pulled back. He could feel the plant life along his paw, so there was no question in his mind that this was indeed real, but he couldn't for the life of him fathom just how it was all happening.

Kage urged the Lucario to focus shortly after, pointing to the door ahead of them and taking the lead toward it. Luke snapped out of his amazement and followed the Greninja, both of them running full tilt toward it and shoulder-bashing into it as hard as they could. The plants around them seemed to be reacting to their presence, leaves and stems twisting away from them as though the plants themselves were alive and saw them as predators.

Briefly, Luke tapped into his aura sense, making sure they weren't in the room with a bunch of disguised plant Pokémon. But aside from himself and Kage, there were no other auras in that room. Only one, beyond the door itself.

Whoever the guardian was, he was inside the room with the Nexus. Their aura was gray, like a Dark-type's, but not black like a Shadow Pokémon. He at least had some relief that the guardian wouldn't be corrupted anyway. Whether or not he would be friendly, though...

"...I have a bad feeling about this," Luke remarked after he got a sense of what they were going to meet inside.

"All the more reason to stay on our toes," Kage pointedly remarked. "This guardian has been down here for a long time... Assume he's hostile until we can explain the situation to him."

They finally pushed the doors open, and there it was. The arched pillars containing a shapeless, empty void within their confines, resting atop a multi-tiered dais. The design was consistent with the other Nexuses Luke had seen, making him certain this was correct, but it was Kage's first time seeing it. That infinite darkness that looked too unreal to be possible, as if the shadows themselves were being contained.

The normally unshakeable Greninja couldn't hide his trepidation, blinking a few times to fully register what he was staring at. For a moment he felt his knees shake, as if he was genuinely afraid of the Nexus before him, but he did his best to push it aside and try to stay focused at the task at hand.

Luke saw Kage's trepidation out of the corner of his eye but chose not to say anything. He felt the exact same feeling when he and Minato went to seal away the Nexus down in the South Islands, and he couldn't blame Kage for feeling that intense feeling of fear. He slowly began to step forward toward the Nexus with Kage right next to him, clenching his paws at his sides to hide his own nervousness, keeping a firm gaze on the Nexus before him.

That was when they saw them; a single, large Pokémon in the chamber, seated in a sage-like, cross-legged position at the foot of the dais, its hands resting against the stone floor on either side. It was a simian-like Pokémon, with a body of thickly packed musculature, long arms and coarse black fur covering most of its body. The fur around its head turned up in two wing-like growths, which made its head look wider. It had pointed teeth visible on its closed mouth, jutting out between its lips.

Wrapped thickly around its forearms seemed to be lengths of thick vines, seemingly latched to the ground and leading back into the chamber they had come through. Hearing the two entering, their eyes opened. Green eyes, with slitted cat-like pupils and red sclera. They regarded the two plainly, before the figure slowly began to stand, lifting themselves on their long arms first before placing their feet.

They were big, Luke noted. As tall as Volcan and built like Katsumoto. The vines on its arms were still connected to those on the floor, swaying as it moved - seeming to have minds of their own.

"You enter a forbidden place," the ape-like Pokémon stated, "You should not be here."

Luke cleared his throat and dared to step forward. "Guardian of the Eastern Nexus, I come with peaceful intentions," he began, "My name is Luke, Captain of Rescue Team Valiant. We're here to cleanse the Nexus before one that has been cursed by the Shadow Energy arrives to draw power from this Nexus and break the seal holding Giratina at bay," he explained.

The guardian looked squarely at him. "One cursed by it?" he repeated, "And you say this being seeks to take this place for themself? Such a thing cannot be possible - those touched by the corruption of these places are doomed to madness and death."

"We've seen him in person. We wouldn't even be here if that was the case," Luke answered, "He's not only taken the corruption into himself, but he's also bonded with it. He's become a living Nexus himself, spreading the corruption to others with his influence." Luke hesitated briefly before he concluded, "We believe he is becoming the Blessed of Giratina himself."

That seemed to get the simian's attention. "The Blessed... Of the dark one?" He asked. "But..." he shook his head. "That cannot be! Giratina was sealed away - this being cannot be linked to him; it is not possible!"

This time Kage stepped up, staring firmly at the strange gorilla Pokémon. "The Nexuses are weakening. Giratina's essence is seeping out into the world, and if you don't let us seal this Nexus right now, not even you will be able to contain the darkness that exudes from this place," he said firmly. "As the son of Fusaku, and as the heir to the Kaeru Assassins, I demand you step aside and let us do our job."

This time, the simian glared at Kage. "My pact with the assassins does not give them command over me," he declared, "it was my grandfather who allowed them to make their home here, lest he would have cast them all from this place hundreds of years ago." He rose to his feet, slowly, but never taking his eyes off Kage. "Your insolence will not be tolerated, assassin. Leave this place, now."

"Damnit Kage," Luke growled softly, then lifted his paws up in surrender. "Please, forgive my teammate. He's blunt and to the point, but I promise he means well," he tried to explain. "Look, you have my word that we mean you no harm. All we want is to cleanse this Nexus and we'll be on our way."

"I will let no one approach this place of darkness," the simian stated, and as he lifted his hands, Luke could hear the foliage behind them rustling, as though moving on its own, or receiving his commands through the vines that led to his arms. "I will say it only once more. Begone."

"W-Wait, please! You have to believe us!" Luke pleaded, looking over his shoulder to the foliage coming to life behind himself and Kage. "We're not lying, I swear! There's someone who wants to use the power of the Nexus for his own goals, and we need to shut it down before he gets his hands on it!"

"And what proof have you that this being even exists?" The simian demanded. "Or that you do not work for him? I heard the sounds of battle upstairs - who is to say it was not _your_doing?"

At that, Luke felt something wrapping around his midriff, immediately trapping his arms against his sides. When he looked down, he saw multiple vines, wound together in a single thick rope, coiling around him like a snake. Luke gasped when he saw the vines wrapping around him, looking at the strange simian before he wheezed as the vines squeezed him tighter, forcing the air out of his lungs.

Kage quickly reacted by drawing his sword and cutting the length that were binding his captain, then turned and shot out a wad of Toxic gunk at the creature in retaliation, already having run out of patience in dealing with this sheltered fool of a guardian. The guardian ducked under the toxic spew and let out a savage shriek as he sprang into the air, arcing toward Kage with his fists raised for a Hammer Arm, but Kage was swift and managed to sidestep out of the way of the Hammer Arm, sheathing his sword and striking at the creature a few times with Power-Up Punch.

At that moment, Luke entered the fray and maneuvered behind the creature, grabbing him in a headlock and leaning back to try and restrain him.

"Dammit, listen to me! The battle you heard above was between the assassins and the cursed one's forces! We arrived with the Royal Knights to fend them off and help my teammate!" He said, gesturing to Kage. "We are not your enemies, Guardian! If you still don't believe me, then give me a chance to prove my case!"

The big ape-like Pokémon reached behind him, its huge hand grabbing Luke around his head and pulling the Lucario off him, surprising Luke with how little effort it took on the guardian's part to pull him off. The simian then threw Luke across the room, directly into the foliage that clearly was under his command, as almost immediately the Lucario was accosted by more animated foliage, pinning him down with vines and roots.

The guardian then turned his attention back to Kage, huffing angrily through his nostrils as he faced the Greninja. Kage leered dangerously back at the Guardian for a few moments of silence, then he straightened up and relaxed his gaze slightly.

"...Fusaku is dead," he finally said after a brief silence. "He fell during the battle you sensed up on the surface... at the claws of a former Assassin like myself looking to accost my clan's sacred treasure and rule over the Brotherhood himself. If he had succeeded, there's no doubt he would have stormed this Nexus along with my kin." He explained.

The ape paused as he heard Kage's words, considering him for a moment. "...Fusaku is dead?" he repeated, "How are you sure of this?"

Now Kage had his attention; clearly this ape, whatever they were, knew Fusaku personally. He had to choose his words carefully. "Because I saw him die," the Greninja answered, lowering his gaze slightly as he recalled that moment, "The ex-assassin, Sakkaku, ran him through right as myself, my team captain and his husband burst into the chamber of the Serpent... We were too late to save him."

"Sakkaku," the simian repeated the name with visible distaste. "I was told of him, but never saw him myself," he then recalled something. "...You said you are the son of Fusaku? What is your name?" he asked, narrowing his gaze.

"Kage," the Greninja answered, "formerly the next in line to lead the Brotherhood. I left to pursue a new life, and now serve as second in command to Team Valiant," he gestured to the pinned Lucario behind him.

The ape considered him for a moment, before rolling his eyes to where Luke was still struggling to free himself. With a wave of a hand, the guardian commanded the roots and vines to retreat, freeing Luke from them. Luke gasped as he was released, landing in a crouch and panting as he caught his breath, rubbing his torso as his body ached from being squeezed so tightly by the foliage.

"Ow," he groaned softly.

"Fusaku told me about you," the ape said, looking at Kage. "Your people do not give their names openly; few would know them... But he did tell me yours," he frowned, "So, it's true... Fusaku is dead?"

Kage nodded slowly. "Yes... he fell not too long ago," he answered softly. "My Captain speaks the truth about the Dark One, because I was once held captive as a means to take him, his team, and his husband's team out in one fell swoop... and he nearly succeeded in that endeavour."

The guardian nodded. "I see," he said. But then, his gaze turned sharply toward the stairs. "Hold... Someone else is coming," he said warily.

At that moment, Luke could hear footsteps coming down the stairs as he and Kage turned to face it. There, they saw the unmistakable silhouette of a Blaziken, hidden by the darkness coming down the steps. Luke immediately thought it was Volcan, but a sense of dread quickly ran over him when he started noticing the all too familiar features as they stepped closer.

"No!" Luke whispered, his eyes widening in fear.

"It's him," Kage said lowly, quickly reaching for his sword again, his eyes also widening.

Calhoun stepped into the bioluminescent light of the plants, finally revealing his amethyst-coloured eyes as he looked upon the trio with unmasked hatred. His wrists were already ablaze, betraying his readiness for a fight with the three gathered before him, and he breathed heavily, like he was trying to rein in his anger.

"Surrender the nexus to me," he said, his tone ice-cold, "or I will make sure you all die slowly."

All pretense of toying with them or taking any delight in their suffering or frustration was gone... Luke felt his heart thundering in his chest as he stared back at Calhoun, for that split second he nearly fell into panic; he had not anticipated seeing the Dark Blaziken himself... But it was clear, from both Calhoun's voice and his presence, that he had grown fed up with their interference.

Luke clenched his eyes tightly shut and forced himself to take in a calming breath, then let it out slowly and opened his eyes. He stared sternly back at Calhoun as he moved to step between him, the Guardian, and the Nexus, paws clenched tightly at his sides.

"You want this Nexus," he began, then started to get into stance. "You'll have to go through me first..."

Calhoun's eyes narrowed, and the flames on his wrists burned brighter. "So be it," he said, shifting his posture to a battle-ready stance. "I take it that Zarude behind you is the guardian... I suppose I'll have to kill him too."

"This Blaziken... Is he the one you were talking about?" the simian - Zarude, asked.

Kage nodded. "That's him. He's the cursed one."

"Kage," Luke spoke up suddenly, catching his attention, "Take the Guardian and step as far away as you can... I don't want either of you getting caught in the crossfire."

Kage narrowed his eyes slightly at Luke's statement. "I highly advise against that, Luke," he said firmly, "We should fight together. We have the numbers advantage, and Volcan and the others will be-"

"That wasn't a suggestion, Kage," Luke said in an elevated, angrier tone, his brow furrowing even further. "Step back. Now."

Kage was taken aback by the harshness of his captain's tone. He had seen him angry before, hell he had been angry with him in the past, but even he could sense that there was something going on with Luke. His anger was more focused, and he was trying to focus all that anger on the Dark Blaziken in front of him...

He eventually sighed and gestured for the Guardian to step further away from the imminent battle, stepping closer to the Nexus to give Luke the room he needed.

"This is my charge. I should be the one fighting," the Zarude Guardian stated, even as he stepped aside. Somehow, he knew he'd be no match for Calhoun, despite his claim...

"You'd be dead in a matter of seconds," Kage answered quickly, "Luke has been training exactly for this moment... He knows what he's doing."

"I hope so, for his sake," said Zarude, looking back toward the nexus behind them.

Calhoun stood ready, taking on his regular combat posture where he had his hands up to defend, but lowered in anticipation of using his legs. Luke knew the stance; Zheng had taught him about it, and though Calhoun was an undisputed master of the Capo Rapid-strike style, Luke knew what to expect - both from experience, and the source of the teachings. Still, he knew Calhoun was an unpredictable opponent either way... There might be tricks Luke had not even seen yet.

After staring at one another for what felt like an eternity, Calhoun made the first move. Luke knew the tell-tale signs of an incoming breath attack as Calhoun inhaled air through a partially open beak, and he wasn't going to allow him the opportunity. He quickly closed the gap thanks to Extreme Speed and struck Calhoun square in the throat with a heavy palm strike, making him gag and stumble back and giving Luke the chance to follow through with another heavy combo.

He dashed in and struck at the Dark Blaziken's chin with a punch, then ducked slightly and landed a punishing hook along his side, then followed up with a knee to his stomach to make him lurch, then finally turned and slammed into him with his shoulder. Each strike was hard, heavy, calculated, and launched with the intent to cause crippling damage to his opponent.

Yet even as Luke came to the end of his onslaught, Calhoun did not fall. Fighting past the pain, he struck back, exploding into motion and landing a powerful kick to Luke's side that sent him tumbling into the foliage. Calhoun pursued, racing at him in a blur of motion; Luke ducked out of the way of the incoming Jump Kick, sending Calhoun hurtling into the wall, but the dark Blaziken rebounded, seamlessly launching himself back at the Lucario with a whirling Blaze Kick to follow up.

To Calhoun's surprise, Luke was ready for such an attack. He actually _caught_the Blaze Kick in his paws, ignoring the flames and throwing Calhoun face first into the ground. Following through with the motion, he spun and held Calhoun's leg between his own legs and his arms, yanking it backward and bending it the opposite way, the sickening crack of his leg being dislocated filling the chamber that even made Kage cringe upon hearing it.

Calhoun screamed as his leg was dislocated. He leaned his head back and started to unleash a breath attack at Luke, forcing the Lucario to abandon his grappling and get away as a powerful Overheat erupted from Calhoun's beak, igniting the foliage around them.

Luke, clear of the fire, had to cover his eyes to protect them from the heat. But he still heard the sickening pop, before Calhoun came dashing out of the flames, racing toward him even faster than before, and landed a powerful Blaze Kick with his uninjured leg that sent the Lucario flying, his abdomen burned by the flaming kick.

Luke cried out and covered his stomach with his paws, trying to put out the flames that had sprung up there. His fur had been singed, but he was otherwise unharmed by the flames. He glared back up at Calhoun and assumed a heavy stance, stomping the ground and activating his Aura Surge, making the ground tremble slightly before he dared Calhoun to approach him again.

Calhoun came on hard and quick, darting left to right before he made another attempt at his opponent, this time attacking from Luke's left with a Mega Kick. The Lucario tensed his body and took the kick, gritting his teeth as he absorbed the damage but stayed where he was. He then grabbed Calhoun's leg with one paw and stepped in, elbowing him square in the chest and transferring all the damage he took into a Reversal attack that hit the Blaziken just as hard.

He followed up with a Force Palm with the opposite paw, then darted behind Calhoun as he was sent back and slammed a point-blank Aura Sphere right into his back. The dark Blaziken was sent soaring across the room by the Aura Sphere, landing on his hands and knees, now clearly hurt even as he shakily stood up again.

"You're... Much stronger than before," he admitted.

"You really thought I'd sit on my ass twiddling my paws after surviving that trap you laid for us in the South Islands?" Luke asked, anger practically dripping from his tone, bordering on malicious even, "I've been pushing myself far above my limits for this day... and this time, I'm not letting you escape again..."

"The fact you've been training is not what surprises me," said Calhoun, wiping his beak with the back of his hand as he faced Luke again, "More the _magnitude_of how much stronger you've become... You may even be selling yourself short at just how hard you've been training."

He returned to his fighting posture again. "But it will take more than that to stop me... I've come too close now; I will not be denied again. One way or another, I will have the Nexus."

"Over my dead body," Luke growled back, still holding his heavy stance and tensing his body, making his Aura Surge burn brighter around him.

Calhoun brought a hand to his chest, reaching under his feathers to touch the mega stone hidden there, and disappeared into a sphere of violet, crystalline light as he ascended to his Mega Evolved form. It was the first time Luke had seen the twisted form, bearing all of the traits of a typical Mega Blaziken - aside from the colours, and the ribbons trailing from his wrists were no longer comprised of fire, but they seemed to be a pure, dark substance that behaved much like tendrils with a will of their own, trailing along Calhoun's arm and waving about like they were reaching for something.

"If that is what it takes!" he declared before he and Luke clashed again.

The two of them moved with blinding speed, racing all around the chamber as they clashed again and again. Calhoun held an early advantage, his mega evolution granting him power enough to surpass even Luke with his Aura Surge, yet despite the disadvantage, Luke persisted, slowly but surely adapting to Calhoun's increasing speed even as he took some major hits himself, enough to momentarily drop him out of his Surge, then reignite it before charging back in.

Calhoun could barely fathom how Luke was able to keep up with him, let alone withstand the apparent power advantage he possessed; no matter how many times it seemed Calhoun struck him down the Lucario was back up, continuing the fight. Luke had caught on to Calhoun's technique, accurately predicting the way he executed most of his attacks, and he didn't dare use Overheat again knowing it would weaken him even further.

Eventually, he slipped up, missing another kick to Luke's head which allowed Luke to land a powerful Force Palm that threw the dark Blaziken into the wall. In that instance, Luke quickly tugged his scarf down and touched his own Lucarionite, quickly Mega Evolving and charging right at Calhoun before he could recover.

He slammed his paw into Calhoun's stomach with a Wicked Blow, knowing it wouldn't hurt him that much, but would further stun him long enough for his next move. He then swapped out from the Single Strike stance to the Rapid Strike stance, letting out a furious roar as he unleashed his Surging Strikes attack, assailing Calhoun with a barrage of lightning-fast attacks all along his pressure points, his Mega Evolved state giving his attacks a further boost to increase the damage he dealt to his opponent.

Calhoun recognized the attack but could do nothing to stop it; he acted too late, and suffered the onslaught in full, causing his entire body to go limp until Luke landed the final blow that threw him into the wall again, wheezing as the wind was knocked out of him.

Luke panted slightly after he finished his attack, standing tall and disengaging his Aura Surge, glaring furiously down at Calhoun. "You've lost," he said firmly. "Get back up again, Calhoun. See what happens..."

"That attack..." the dark Blaziken said, breathless as he looked on at Luke, his expression studious and reminiscent. "So... You've been training... With him."

"Both of them." Luke corrected. "I learned everything I could about the Single Strike and Rapid Strike styles, and through those teachings, I figured out a way to counter your Capo Variant of the Rapid Strike style," he explained, "Even went so far as to learn both the Wicked Blow and Surging Strikes, all for the purpose of taking you down for good..."

At that, Calhoun smirked. "Ah, but can you?" he asked, catching Luke off guard with the question, "You have me dead to rights now... I cannot beat you, that much is clear. So, what will you do?"

Luke did hesitate for a moment, but then he clenched his paws tightly at his sides as he steeled his resolve, glaring furiously down at Calhoun as he summoned forth his Metal Claw. "Something that should have been done a long time ago," he said as he started to step closer to the injured Blaziken, grabbing at his neck and forcing him against the wall, choking him as he raised his Metal Claw.

"Too long, you've been allowed to roam this world freely... Too long, you've caused so much pain and suffering to innocent Pokémon around the world. My friends... My colleagues, especially my husband!" he growled, squeezing Calhoun's neck tighter as he angled his Metal Claw toward Calhoun's chest. "When I was part of the new Council, I vouched against killing you, believing there was a chance you could be purified and redeemed... But now I see that there's no redeeming a monster such as yourself..."

He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again. "I'm not sorry for what I'm about to do, Calhoun... But I'm sorry that I must do it."

From the sidelines, Kage's expression went completely blank, stunned by the sight of Luke forsaking his one cardinal rule and going in for the kill. He blinked a few times and even pinched himself just to see if what he was witnessing was real, and indeed it was... Luke was intent on actually killing his opponent...

"...What's happened to you, Luke?" Kage whispered in disbelief.

Calhoun wasn't fighting back either... He was waiting. Waiting to see if Luke would actually do it... The Lucario grit his teeth, his arm shaking as he tried to muster the will to commit to the act, but something was holding him back. The angered look in his eyes started to give way to one of despair as he fought against his one principle. He knew Calhoun had to die... He _had_to... and yet he just couldn't bring himself to do it...

Calhoun grinned. "I thought as much," he said before he came forward in a blur, and slammed his knee into Luke's stomach, sending him hurtling backward.

Luke landed in a heap in the foliage behind him, having to clutch his stomach from the direct hit as he felt like his insides were liquefying from the intense pain.

"Everyone thinks they're ready to kill," the Blaziken went on derisively, "but when the moment comes, that is when they find out they're not."

With that, Calhoun breathed in, ready to unleash hellfire on the now-weakened Lucario. Kage and the Zarude started to act, but another figure intervened first as a second Blaziken - this one normal-looking, came rushing into the room, body ablaze as he raced toward Calhoun and forced the Dark Blaziken to call off his attack to duck under the flying form of Volcan. But Volcan did not arrive alone, as from the stairs came a second Lucario, dressed in armour and carrying a long, double-edged sword in his paws.

"CALHOUN!!" Minato roared as he sped toward the Dark Blaziken, rearing the sword back and coming down on him with an angled cut when he was in range.

Calhoun narrowly dodged out of the way of the sword swing, and continued to back away as Minato pursued him, giving Luke and Kage time to see - and gape, at the transformed Lucario wielding Zacian's sword.

"The Crown Sword?" Kage exclaimed, staring at Minato's weapon and his armour incredibly.

"Wha... He's Blessed?" Luke demanded as he got back to his feet, still holding his stomach and staggering from the pain. "S-Since when??"

Volcan's voice piped up beside Luke. "Long story," he said as he appeared by his husband's side. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'll live." Luke answered, still gripping his stomach, "He scored a direct hit on me, but I can keep going."

"You may not need to," Volcan commented, looking up at the ongoing battle.

Calhoun was swift, but Minato's power now exceeded his own and the Lucario's vicious onslaught left him little opportunity to strike back. Eventually, his dodges brought him to the center of the chamber, where Luke and Volcan stood waiting, bringing him to a stop as the three formed a triangle around him.

"Surrender, Calhoun," Volcan commanded, "not even you can take all of us."

"Or you can keep fighting and get turned into confetti. Your choice," Minato growled, pointing his sword at Calhoun. "I did warn your lieutenants that you wouldn't be escaping my blade the next time we meet."

Calhoun's gaze darted between the three individually. He knew that they spoke truly; that he couldn't beat all of them. His gaze turned in the direction of the Nexus, looking past Kage and Zarude as if they were not there while peering longingly at the dark void atop the dais. So close... Yet, between him and it, even if he escaped the three heroes, stood the guardian and Kage, waiting for him to make such a move...

Calhoun's brow furrowed with anger, his fists tightening to match. They thought for a moment he was going to try it, until he threw back his head and cursed. "Damn you all! One day, I will make you all suffer for this!"

With that, he vanished in a flash of light, calling upon Mewtwo's power to teleport him away, leaving the three to stare, pensive, as they expected him to reappear at any moment... But he never did.

"Tsh... Damnit!" Minato growled, lowering the sword to his side, "He ended up getting away anyway!"

Volcan let out a long sigh, and looked toward the Nexus, still guarded by Kage and the Zarude. "He didn't get the Nexus... That's all that matters," he said.

Kage looked out of the corner of his eye to the Zarude, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Still not convinced?" he asked the Guardian.

"I have seen all I need to see," the Guardian capitulated, nodding. "You were telling the truth all along... If another place like this can create a being like that Blaziken, then I cannot deny what must be done," he looked at Kage, "But... Can you truly destroy it?" he asked, skeptical.

"We've done it before," Volcan called over, "or rather, these two have." He gestured to Luke and Minato.

The two Lucario stepped up toward the Zarude, with Minato relinquishing his divine powers and returning the Crown Sword back to its rightful owner. "We cleansed the South Nexus, and a few other corrupted Pokémon in the past. We can cleanse this Nexus too." Minato reassured the Guardian.

The Zarude gave a slow nod and looked back at the Nexus. "For eighty years, I've guarded this place, and hundreds of years longer, my ancestors have watched over it," he stated, "I never thought the day would come when our watch finally ended... It almost doesn't feel real."

Luke stepped forward and gently placed his paw on the Zarude's shoulder. "Well, now you can live the rest of your life without this burden weighing you down," he said with a kind smile, then gestured for Minato to follow him as he began the process of cleansing the Nexus just as he did down South. Minato was quick to join him, standing at Luke's side and assisting him in the process, albeit with a more relaxed composition as he was no longer at risk of being corrupted thanks to his recent Blessing.

"...Volcan," Kage muttered to the Blaziken, gesturing for him to follow. "A word..."

Volcan looked at Kage, then at Luke and Minato briefly before he followed the Greninja while the two Lucario approached the Nexus. "Something wrong?" he asked.

"Something you should be concerned about," Kage said when they were out of earshot of the two Lucario. "...Before you arrived, Luke took Calhoun on by himself, even going so far as to order that I not interfere. Suffice it to say, his training had paid off. Throughout the first half of the battle, Luke was in complete control, and even after Calhoun Mega Evolved, he still managed to hold his own despite the increasing speed gap between them..."

Volcan only looked slightly surprised by this, but clearly still impressed. "He's come even further than we dared hope, if he could take on Calhoun alone," he said, almost reverently as he looked back at his husband.

"That's not what has me concerned," Kage cut in, his voice stern, "Him taking on Calhoun by himself is an impressive feat... But it's more the _manner_he took him on that concerns me. His tone, his posture... Even his strikes. They were harder than I'm used to seeing from him. He wasn't holding back in the slightest, and even after pinning Calhoun to the wall, he didn't stop... Normally after he deals a punishing blow, he relents and gives his opponent a chance to surrender, but this time... He continued to pummel Calhoun even after he was left helpless and defeated."

He then looked over his shoulder toward Luke for a moment, then back at Volcan again. "Volcan... he was going to kill Calhoun..."

This time, Volcan was taken aback. His beak hung open, staring at Kage as though the Greninja had just grown a second head. He sputtered, trying to form words, but he couldn't make a single coherent word as his mind reeled from what Kage had just told him...

Kage continued. "He had Calhoun dead to rights. He choked him out as he prepared to impale him with Metal Claw. He was ready to forgo his cardinal rule and end this war once and for all," he went on. "I believe this war against the Dark Crusade is starting to take its toll on him... He wants it to all be over, and he was considering going to extreme measures to make that vision a reality."

"But he... He'd never," Volcan tried to say, looking over his shoulder at Luke again, staring as if seeing him for the first time and absently fingering the ring on his hand.

Kage gently placed his own hand over Volcan's, forcing him to look back at the Greninja again. "Now, more than ever, Luke needs you... Not just because you're his husband, but to also remind him of who he is at his core... True, I was the one who was onboard with the idea of killing Calhoun to save millions of lives, but never in a million years did I expect Luke to actually take the suggestion to heart, even if in the end he couldn't do it. This war is changing him into something he's not, and only you can pull him back before he does something he'll regret."

Slowly, Volcan nodded to Kage. He didn't know what he could say in that moment, but he knew he and Luke had to talk - and soon...

Luke and Minato spent the hour cleansing the darkness from the Nexus. All the while as they did the two had an eerie feeling, like something deep inside that void was watching them even as they did their work. Luke was even more perturbed by the feeling, trying to shut it out as best he could, but the feeling persisted, which caused his focus to waver slightly. It was lucky for him that Minato was there to assist him and wasn't as bothered by the eerie feeling as Luke was, for he was still brimming with confidence thanks to his new power.

They eventually managed to cleanse the darkness together, sighing collectively as the Nexus was left as nothing more than an empty structure. They then turned back to Volcan and Kage and approached them with a nod each.

"It's done," Minato said with a nod, "Calhoun won't have access to this Nexus anymore."

Volcan nodded. "We did it, then," he said, "only one nexus remains now."

"And the most difficult one to find," Luke added, "The Western Continent is vast and with its own slew of hazards to avoid, not to mention the crippling heat."

"Not to mention with only one left to find, the Dark Crusade is going to be more desperate than ever to find it," Volcan added, "Even if we find it first, we can expect they will send _everything_at us to take it."

"I wish I could tell you where it was," Zarude commented, "but I do not know the locations of the other Nexuses."

"Honestly, I don't blame you," Luke offered with a shrug, "You've been under here for so long, unaware of what's happening in the outside world with only the Kaeru Assassins as your only company... It wouldn't have been fair to ask you either way."

"I appreciate the understanding," Zarude said, "And... I apologize for misjudging you. I did not believe what you were telling me to be possible. But seeing that Blaziken for myself, there can be no doubt. Somehow, even from his prison in the Distortion World, the dark god has managed to gain a follower to act on his behalf."

"No harm done. You were doing your duty and I was trying to do mine," Luke assured the Zarude, "Though... Now that the Nexus is cleansed, what will you do now?"

Zarude shrugged. "A fair question," he agreed. "I suppose I will return to my tribe and tell them that our duty to guard this place is at an end," he was silent for a few seconds before he continued, directing his question to Kage. "And what of the assassins? They are leaderless now, with the death of your father."

Kage sighed, looking down at the ground for a moment. "I am... Not sure." He returned. "I left the Assassins to start a fresh life... If I were to claim leadership, I would have to choose between going back to my life as an assassin or forsaking it and continuing my service with the Guilds."

Volcan hummed as he had a thought. "Not necessarily, Kage," he said.

Luke perked up and looked at Volcan. "You have an idea?" he asked.

"Consider this," Volcan began, "While Romulus was still a Guild councilor, he added new branches to the guilds. Any assassins who are willing could maybe sign on with one of them?"

Now it was Kage's turn to be intrigued, looking at Volcan inquisitively for a moment, then ahead of him as the thought crossed his mind. "Most of them will be opposed," he answered, rubbing his chin slightly. "...But having the Assassins on the side of the Guilds could give us a further advantage against Calhoun."

"It's a start," Volcan replied, shrugging, "Besides, better to have them with us than against us."

"In that case..." Kage said softly, looking at his sword strapped to his back. "...Then there's only one thing left to do."