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When Sash stepped out of his room that morning, he was met in the corridor by one of the fortress' guards, who had just been coming to see him. The Krookodile had a message from Calhoun, asking Sash to head up to the roof of the fortress to wait for him; it was time for his next mission. Though Sash had only recently recovered from his defeat at Azure and in the Boglands, he was more than ready to wet his blades with the blood of his enemies again...

Upon his arrival on the roof, he found he was not alone. Tory was there, standing in the shadow of the cliff, his wings draped around him like a cloak. He looked up at Sash briefly before shutting his eyes again; he seemed almost to be trying to sleep... But Sash knew better - he was trying not to be noticed, by anyone else who might come along.

Ever since he had joined the Crusade, Tory - or, as he was known by his real name, Toromona, had always been the very definition of a 'strong silent type'. His behavior was anti-social, speaking only when spoken to and rarely more than a few words at a time. This reclusive nature gave the impression he was shy - perhaps he was... But it only concealed the true killer that lay beneath; a fact even Sash had to acknowledge about him - the Decidueye was as efficient of a killer as Calhoun himself.

The presence of Tory suggested they were going to be working together. That was an unusual arrangement; Tory always worked alone. With the Crusade's manpower at the lowest it had ever been, Calhoun had to change his approach in more ways than one - including how he deployed his two most dangerous enforcers... His only enforcers now, Sash thought...

The two were soon joined not only by Calhoun, but by the infamous Black Titan, following close behind him. Eberon was still showing signs of wear from his battle with the Blessed Typhlosion in Port Azure, but he carried himself with the same power brutality he always had, wearing a perpetual scowl and looking ready to lash out at the nearest hand.

Calhoun addressed his two colleagues first, clearing his throat before he spoke. "The time has come to launch the attack on Gladiator City," he said, "If both of you are ready to begin?"

"I have been ready since we arrived at this Arceus forsaken place." Sash remarked, extending his arm blades, and grinding them together. "I can't wait to drive my blades through that traitor's heart..."

"Indeed," agreed Calhoun. "Unfortunately, I cannot commit more people to this mission; we don't have anyone else. So, this is the plan," he crossed his arms as he continued. "Eberon is going in first. His presence will draw out Team Phobia, and that will be where you come in; when they come to engage Eberon, ensure that none of them survive, but Romulus himself is the priority target - whatever else happens, he must die."

"And what if Eberon fails?" Tory asked.

Behind Calhoun, the Incineroar remained impassive, showing no reaction to Tory's question. Either he did not understand what Tory had said, or he did not care.

"A battle with him is certain to weaken Team Phobia regardless of the outcome," Calhoun continued, "If he should fail, the corrupted Swords of Justice will step in. Even Team Phobia cannot stop all three of them."

Sash noticed a hole in Calhoun's strategy, causing him to turn and look at the Dark Blaziken curiously. "...Why not just send us in all at once?" he asked. "It sounds like you're making this unnecessarily complicated."

"I cannot," said Calhoun, looking at Eberon over his shoulder. "When Eberon cuts loose, I can't be certain he won't turn his wrath upon the Swords of Justice as well. He does know they are here, but they are the ones who defeated him in the first place, and he has not forgotten that."

Again, Eberon did not react to being talked about even while he was present. His ear twitched, and his hands flexed, but he said nothing, nor did he even look at Calhoun... He only kept staring into the distance, looking down the fjord toward the sea. 'Mindless brute,' thought Sash; nothing more than a blunt instrument, waiting for something to swing at... All that power, broken by an unending sea of hatred.

"Besides," Calhoun went on, "I have another objective for you two. One of equal importance to our success," he faced them again, "I have no doubt Romulus has already called for reinforcements; whatever Seji has told him, he cannot be allowed to pass along to his friends. Find Seji, silence him, and then burn Romulus' records - his office, his home, the homes of his teammates; anywhere he would be keeping documents. There must be _nothing_left. Make certain Romulus and his teammates are dead before you set out, and then return to the fortress as fast as you can."

At that, Sash started to grin from ear to ear, that bloodthirsty gaze returning at the mention of running through his former master on his blades. "Now you are speaking my language..." He remarked, licking his lips sadistically.

"You do not wish for us to bring Seji back?" Tory asked.

"No point," said Calhoun, "He made his choice... Now he must face the consequences for it." With that, Calhoun turned to the stairs. "Wait here a moment."

He left the two only for a short time, before he returned and handed something to Sash. "Make sure to feed this to Eberon on your way to Gladiator City," he said lowly, "It's drugged to help keep him calm, and hopefully will keep him from attacking the Swords of Justice." He stopped whispering as he finished, "Once the city is in sight, let him loose. Allow him to cause all the destruction he wants; he may even do part of your mission for you," he added with a grin.

"Understood," said Tory, nodding slowly.

"When do we depart?" Sash asked, already feeling his bloodlust rising.

"Immediately," said Calhoun, "The sooner this mission is done, the sooner we can carry out our next objective. Unfortunately, we have no boats that can accommodate all six of you, so you will have to go overland to reach Gladiator City. Stay by the coast - follow it south, and you should reach the city. If you only walked, though, it would take a week, so do everything possible to speed your journey," he looked pointedly at Sash.

Teleporting six Pokémon would be difficult, even for Sash, but it was not impossible for him. At his best, he could make the seven-day journey take only two or three, and he knew the way to Gladiator City - he had been there before. Sash gave Calhoun a nod in response before he, Tory and Eberon departed, heading back into the base to gather the corrupted Swords of Justice before they began their journey...

~~~~~

Romulus took in a long, slow breath as he awoke, and his keen nose immediately picked up the presence of another scent... One he did not immediately recognize. Years of hard-earned instinct immediately flared with him, setting his hackles up as he at first believe the smell to belong to an intruder, come to do him harm. He sprang away, all four paws pushing off the bed and launching himself over the foot to land noisily on the floor beyond.

The motion roused the Lucario sharing his bed, feeling the mattress caving beneath her and the sense of paws on her belly as Romulus leapt away. Luminara bolted upright, half expecting to find an attacker in the room. She had not been sleeping for long, and it took a heartbeat for her to remember where she was, and to find Romulus at the foot of the bed, poised to strike...

Then, his body relaxed, and he raised his head again, jaw dropping as he realized who he was looking at. "Luminara," he said, almost silently.

A tense silence fell over the two. Then she started to smile a bit before shaking her head and chuckling slightly before she slid out of the bed, taking a moment to stretch before she spoke again.

"I suppose it was to be expected, given the circumstances," she stated calmly as she approached the Houndoom. "Did you rest well at least?"

"I did," Romulus replied, taking a step closer to Luminara as she approached. "I just... am not accustomed to waking up with someone sharing my bed."

She lifted her paw as if to disregard his actions earlier. "It will take some time getting used to it, but don't stress yourself out," she assured him as her paw came to rest along the back of his neck. "I know you wouldn't knowingly hurt me."

"Never," he said, leaning back into her paw.

At any other point in his life, Romulus would have never allowed anyone to get so close to him... But Luminara was the exception; he did not fully understand it, but he felt absolutely safe in her presence... It was the one time in his life that he allowed himself to lower his guard, and did not feel wrong in doing so...

He stepped closer to rest his head against her midriff - careful to keep his horns from catching on her chest spike or her arm by aiming them away from her dominant paw, letting her continue to caress the back of his neck as he breathed in her scent. The Lucario smiled broadly as he got close to her, moving slightly so they were more comfortable and lifted her other arm to embrace his head, holding him close to her body and idly stroking down his neck.

"I have missed you dearly, Romulus," she whispered to him softly.

"I have missed you as well, Luminara," he replied, lifting his head to look up at her; his expression was indecipherable, unable to show what he was feeling because he did not know how... "Yet, I am not sure I understand why... I cannot remember a time I ever felt like this, about anyone."

At that, Luminara tilted her head curiously. "You've never fallen in love before?" she asked, perking an eyebrow up.

"...No," he replied simply, if hesitantly. "I've never allowed myself to get so close to anyone before now... It felt like I was exposing myself to a vulnerability; something my enemies would use against me..." He looked away from her then, as if ashamed...

Luminara let out a small sigh, understanding his reasons for denying himself such a privilege. "I suppose that is fair," she admitted. "However, what if you were falling in love with someone who is capable of looking after themself?" she asked pointedly, "Would you feel less exposed then?"

His gaze lingered on Luminara for a while before the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I suppose it would feel less like a vulnerability in that case," he admitted. "But... Is that what is happening?" he lifted his head, leveling his gaze with hers and bearing a face that seemed desperate for an answer to his questions. "Is it really possible that I'm... Falling in love?"

"Well, I don't know about you..." Luminara answered, her face turning into a small grin as she leaned in close to nuzzle him. "...But I know I am,~" she concluded, her cheeks starting to turn a deep shade of red.

He leaned in as she nuzzled him, brushing his cheek against hers before he pulled back, and leaned in again, his lips parting and meeting her in a soft kiss, allowing some of his weight to rest against her. Luminara met him halfway, pressing her lips back against his and engaging in a tender, yet passionate kiss with the Houndoom, letting him become accustomed to the feeling before she started to slide her arms tighter around him and pull him even closer.

Romulus held the kiss for a time, savouring it even more than the time Luminara had first kissed him at Team Warmachine's island. He broke the kiss after a short, tender moment, pulling back to gaze into Luminara's eyes again. "So, it's really true then," Romulus whispered, "...The Hound of Terror really has fallen in love."

"It would seem so," Luminara concurred, still blushing even after they stopped kissing one another. "However, as much as I'd like to continue exploring this budding relationship... I believe we have business to attend to."

"Yes," he agreed, almost reluctantly, but he pulled himself from Luminara, and sat down beside the bed waiting for her. "...Shall I send for breakfast? My cook makes an amazing omelet, and I have freshly made sausages to go with it."

"That sounds delightful," Luminara answered with a nod. "I am feeling quite peckish after such a restful sleep."

Romulus cast a look at a clock on the wall. "He should be in now. I'll go ask him to prepare a meal for us," he said, and began walking over to the bedroom door.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, out in the city, Team Phalanx had - as agreed, pitched in to assist Team Phobia with patrolling the town. With information provided by Revane, Volcan and Luke visited security checkpoints throughout the city, while their teammates were distributed to areas of high importance to assist with the guards, including the storehouses, the hospital, and the dockyards - all areas deemed high priority in the event of an attack.

It was close to eight o'clock, and Luke and Volcan had finished their sixth tour of the city, coming to the security checkpoint at the main gate. They noticed increased activity at the police stations, which they soon understood was a shift change - a completely new array of Pokémon guards taking the place of the night patrol. They stayed well out of the way of the guards and climbed up to the top of the wall where they found Minato and Lashanne standing together by the watch tower.

Lashanne was the first to notice the two coming over, hearing their footsteps on the wooden walkways of the wall. She nudged Minato to let him know, and they turned to greet their Captain and his husband.

"All good here?" Volcan asked.

"All good," Lashanne replied, "It's been a quiet morning."

"A little too quiet if you ask me," Minato remarked with a hint of unease in his tone. "I'm starting to see why Romulus was getting so paranoid... I'm starting to feel anxious, like the calm before the storm."

"I can't really blame him," said Volcan, "He knows now that Calhoun's out to get him, and the Crusade still has at least one of their sneakiest killers to deploy. It's a small wonder Romulus is staying where he can best defend himself."

"It's costing him considerably, though," Luke stated, looking at his husband. "You saw how he looked when we met him in his office... He hadn't slept for at least five days; maybe longer," he shuddered before continuing, "He was an utter wreck..."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think he was scared," Lashanne remarked, crossing her arms.

"Either way, in that state, he wouldn't be able to protect himself," added Volcan, "So it's up to us then. We need to keep this city as safe as we can until the others arrive. Then, he held up his hand, clenching it into a fist so tightly, his knuckles audibly cracked. "We can finally take the fight right to the Crusade, and put an end to this..."

The way Volcan spoke those words sounded unfamiliar to the ears of his friends and husband, detecting a note of... Something else, in the way he spoke.

"...Volcan?" Luke asked, taking a step away from the Blaziken and looking at him with concern. "Are you alright?"

Volcan jerked as if he'd received a shock, turning to look at Luke. "Ah... Sorry, love," he said. "I guess I was..." he trailed off, unable to find the words.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Luke asked.

Volcan let out a sigh. "If only because I'm not sure of it myself," he admitted. "There's this... Burning in my heart; it's been there since just before the battle of Azure... I think."

Lashanne's eyes narrowed. "...Is all of this fighting starting to get to you, Volc?"

"...Maybe," the Blaziken admitted, not refuting the possibility that the Delphox was right.

"Guess your fighting spirit's starting to work overtime." Minato remarked. "You did mention you were feeling restless after the battle; that you were unable to rest properly. Think that might have something to do with it?"

Volcan nodded. "It's probably part of it," he said, "It's like Torolf said; it's a warrior's instinct... I know a big battle is coming, and I can't escape this... anticipation it's filling me with."

"Perhaps you ought to speak with Mother when we next see her. She might know some meditation tips that could help you out," Luke offered.

Volcan opened his mouth as if to protest, but stopped himself, taking a moment to consider Luke's suggestion. "...Maybe," he agreed, "I need a clear head, going forward... I can't let this... whatever it is, distract me."

He then changed the subject, looking at Minato and Lashanne. "Well... We better get back to our rounds," he said, "You two take care, okay?"

"Sure thing," said Lashanne, unable to keep a note of uncertainty out of her voice as Volcan and Luke turned and walked away, waiting until they were out of earshot before she spoke to Minato.

"I know I'm good at reading people," she began, "But you've known Volcan a lot longer than me... So, I hope I'm not the only one who can tell he's a little bit... off, right now."

"No, you're definitely not the only one," Minato answered, looking over his shoulder back at his friend. "It's like he's... distracted about something, and I think he knows what it is. He just doesn't want to tell us."

"He's been acting like this ever since you guys came back to Azure," Lashanne added. "The Volcan we know is still there, but it feels like there's something... darker, hiding below the surface too. Something that really wants out."

Minato grumbled slightly, crossing his arms and looking down slightly. "...For now, it's best not to try and provoke it out of him." He stated. "Whatever he's hiding, I'm sure he'll do his best to keep it reined in. Especially considering what we promised each other when we reunited back at Hadleigh."

"Let's just hope he can," said Lashanne, reaching out her paw to grasp Minato's. It was rare to see the Delphox worried, but she certainly had reason enough to be...

Minato cast a glance her way, noting the concern both in her tone and in her posture and responded by gently pulling his paw out of hers and wrapping his arm around her, resting his head gently against hers.

"He'll be okay," he assured Lashanne, "He's a survivor. He's been through hell and back... He'll pull through."

"I certainly hope so," she replied as the two continued walking together, following the wall to do their rounds...

Elsewhere, Caulin and Koa - after waiting until daylight, decided to explore the city together. Caulin considered asking Jora to come with them, but the Salazzle had been sleeping when they were ready to leave; rather than disturb her, they left her to her rest, and Caulin took the Zeraora with him.

As Caulin took in the sight of the city from above, on the cliff overlooking the widespread community below, he was still in awe about how unlike the city was to anywhere else he had been before. The architecture, the layout, and how different it was from how Tristan had always talked about it... Caulin may not have been shocked to see the city as the Aggron was, but his expectations had certainly been exceeded, seeing it for the first time.

"Man... Tristan always said this place was the pits when he lived here, but..." he trailed off, blinking a few times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "It's almost like I'm in Hadleigh, minus the art. Hell, it may be even bigger," he concluded as his eyes scanned over the majority of the city.

"So... Much..." Koa commented, taking in the city below in awe. "Nothing like... Village... Bigger... Stone houses, colour of sand."

"Well, this place is built on the edge of a desert. Guess it'd make sense that they'd be built out of sandstone," Caulin answered, looking back at Koa with a small smile. "...Wanna check it out? You might learn a thing or two down there." He offered.

Koa looked at Caulin, giving another tilt of his head before he caught on to what the Lucario meant. "Yes! Want to see... Sit-ee, close."

"No time like the present then!" Caulin said excitedly, taking his large paw into his own without thinking and leading him down to the city center. He felt that warmth in his chest building up, just like before when he was with Koa. He still didn't understand why he felt it, but he did know that it felt good, and he wanted to hold onto that feeling as long as possible.

They rode the elevator down from the second level, descending slowly to the city proper. Caulin could hear the gears and machinery of the elevator working as they descended, and Koa watched and listened with wary fascination as they were carried down the cliff side to the ground level below. When the elevator jerked to a stop, the Zeraora jumped slightly, startled, and Caulin had to reassure him before they stepped off.

Asking for directions, they found their way to the city's main market, seeing the plaza abuzz with activity as merchants sought to peddle their wares, and the surrounding ring of shops sat with open doors awaiting customers.

"So many shops, it's making my head spin," Caulin muttered, looking left and right as he and Koa meandered through the busy street. One shop did catch his attention amid the others, and he started to grin as he suddenly pulled Koa after him as he ran toward a clothing shop.

"Let's start here!" he said excitedly, "I think it's time to educate you on what we call 'clothes' here in the city!"

Koa followed Caulin diligently, though he was clearly puzzled by what had the young Lucario so excited. Once inside, he quickly scanned the interior and led Koa to a section that advertised many forms of headwear, taking a duster off its rung and holding it to Koa so he could examine or for himself.

"Let's start with something easy," Caulin said. "This is called a hat. You wear it on your head." He explained, pointing to the hat, then to his own head to better explain what he meant.

"Hat," Koa repeated, testing the word and taking the item, examining it.

"Yea, that's right." Caulin answered with a nod. "Try it on," he said, gesturing for the Zeraora to put the hat on his head.

Koa looked at Caulin again, and then lifted it onto his head - only to accidentally put in on backwards, causing it to fall off. He was quick enough to catch it, and Caulin stepped over to help him put it on properly.

"Sorry, heh. I guess I shoulda mentioned it had to be worn a certain way." Caulin stated, adjusting the hat so that it fit comfortably on Koa, then brought him to a mirror to look at himself. "So? Whaddya think, huh?"

Koa studied himself closely in the mirror, looking up at the hat resting upon his head. There were holes for his ears, and he twitched each of them, then smiled. "Comfortable," he said, speaking the word slowly.

"You like it?" He asked gleefully, smiling from ear to ear. He then looked past Koa toward the outerwear section of the shop and had an idea. "Well, I think I know just the thing to complete the look~" He added, once again leading Koa away from the headwear section and toward the outerwear section, pulling a long, sleeveless coat off a rung.

"Here's another easy one." Caulin said as he held up the item. "There's a lotta different names for this, but mostly we call these 'coats,'" Caulin explained. "You've seen my Dad wear something like this, right?"

Koa nodded, looking over the coat carefully. He seemed to understand how to put it on, and turned his back to Caulin, letting him slide it over his arms. He moved around in it, but seemed less than pleased about the coattails, which hung down to his calves.

"Tripping?" he asked, concerned.

"Huh?" Caulin asked, then looked at the tails and clued in on what he was talking about. "Oh! Well... hmm. I guess that could be an issue, but then again, I always see my dad fighting comfortably in his coat, and it goes down about that far," he remarked, rubbing his chin slightly. "Do you like it though?"

"It... Feels... Okay," Koa answered slowly, turning and rotating his arms in the coat, deciding that despite his reservations about the length, he did like how it felt.

Caulin smiled again, then nodded softly before he asked. "Do you uh... Wanna keep it?" He asked. "I have some Poks on me. I could... ya know, buy it for you if you wanted." He offered while blushing heavily.

Koa smiled excitedly. "I keep it?" he asked, looking down at himself.

"Yea. I just gotta buy it first before we walk outta the store with it," Caulin answered quickly. "The register's over that way. Cmon," he said, once more grabbing Koa's arm and leading him to the register to pay for the items.

At the register, a Watchog wearing an apron tended them. The price of the coat and hat were almost too much for Caulin to afford; even across the world, clothing was expensive. That said, Caulin did pick up a thing or two from Lashanne about haggling and was able to bring the price down a few Poks after much convincing. Despite that, he was still left with a nearly empty wallet after they walked out.

"Damn... that almost cleaned me right out," he muttered, counting what was left of his pocket money. "Still, it was worth it. Now you look like you could be the new Sheriff of these parts," he added with a snicker.

Koa gave that signature tilt of his head when he didn't understand something - an act which Caulin found so ridiculously adorable. "Sher-iff?" Koa repeated the unfamiliar word.

'Arceus, why is he so cute when he does that??' The Lucario screamed internally, unable to hide his deep blush as he stared back at Koa. "Y-Yea. A sheriff is... it's like what Uncle Volcan's team is, but it's just one guy. A Sheriff protects and runs a small town, keeping it safe from bad guys." He tried to explain.

"Protect," Koa repeated, tilting his head - back this time, and then his ears stood up as he seemed to come to realize something. "Protector... Like a Guardian!" he exclaimed, pointing at himself.

"Yea, exactly!" Caulin answered with a nod. "Only instead of guarding a weird portal thing, you're guarding a whole town full of Pokémon." He further explained, before he hummed a bit and had an idea. "I wanna get you to try something for me," he said, "Grab the brim of your hat and give it a small tip," he says while doing the motion himself, "and say 'Howdy, partner.'"

Koa did as instructed, mirroring Caulin's pose and gripping the tip of his hat with his paw, tipping it as Caulin did - almost pulling it off in the process, but he eased up on the pressure and tried again. "How-dee... Partner," he repeated.

Caulin couldn't help but laugh at Koa's attempt, reaching over and sliding his arm along the Zeraora's shoulders gently. "Hehe, good enough~" he stated. "You're a real fast learner, ya know? Sooner or later, you'll be talking as if you were born in the city."

"Jora, good teacher," Koa replied, "teach me much about life on East Continent. Very different, life on islands."

"Yea...Yea, she is," Caulin agreed, still looking right at Koa, that warmth in his chest starting to burn even hotter the closer he got to Koa. "You're lucky ya know. Most guys that get attacked by those creeps don't often get a second chance at life."

"Owe it to," he pointed at Caulin, "Father, and... Uncle?" he tested the word, once more speaking one he wasn't familiar with. "Save me. Give me new life, Jora care."

"Kinda like how my Uncles took Ignus in and adopted him." Caulin pointed out, inching a little closer to Koa. "In a way, Jora kinda adopted you into her family, and I'm glad she did." He said in a softer tone. "Cuz I got to meet you too... and I'm really glad for that."

Koa smiled and nodded. "Happy, too," he agreed, "Home, friends... Not alone anymore," he added with a hint of melancholy. "Did not... Like. Be alone. Fate of Guardian..." he frowned, his expression darkening. "Was not... Happy. Alone..."

Caulin's smile started to fade after hearing that, and the burning in his chest intensified even further. Without thinking, he gently turned Koa to look him dead in the eyes and slid both arms around him, holding him close and rubbing his back slowly.

"Hey... As long as I have anything to say about it, you'll never be alone again." He said with a firmness in his voice. "I promise... I'll always be here for you, Koa." He added, gently bumping his nose into the Zeraora's.

Koa's smile matched Caulin's, and the Lucario felt Koa's big paws slide around him, hugging him tightly. He felt the vibration in Koa's throat and chest, letting Caulin know that Koa was purring again, comfortable in the presence of the Lucario. Caulin started blushing heavily as they held one another, his paws clutching onto Koa a little tighter and trembling slightly, almost like he was afraid to let him go.

'What the hell's happening to me? Why do I... just wanna keep him close like this?' He thought to himself as he slowly pulled back from the embrace to look Koa square in the eyes. 'Is this what Uncle Volcan felt when he fell in love with Uncle Luke? A burning desire to just...' his thoughts trailed off as he found himself slowly leaning closer to Koa, his heart now thumping like a drum in his chest.

Koa's smile faded, puzzled. He didn't pull away, but whether he knew what Caulin was thinking of, it was uncertain...

"Hey boys!"

The voice of Volcan broke the tension, making Caulin jump and Koa turn away, seeing the Blaziken and older Lucario walking into the square heading their way.

"Wasn't expecting to see you two here," Luke added with a nod and smile.

"H-Hey Uncles," Caulin stammered, trying to save face and hide the blush he had on his cheeks.

"Hey, nice new threads, Koa," Volcan commented, seeing the long duster and hat that the Zeraora was wearing.

"Yea, you look like a modern-day cowboy," Luke added in approval, "Did you buy that?"

"N-No, I bought it for him. That and the hat," Caulin answered.

"Oh. Well, that was nice of you," said Volcan, smiling at the younger Lucario, "It's a good look for him."

It was at that moment Koa decided to repeat the gesture Caulin had taught him, tipping his hat and saying, "Howdy partner," with surprising clarity compared to when he did it the first time.

Volcan and Luke looked at Koa, blankly. Then, Volcan turned his gaze to Caulin. "...Just what've you been teaching him?" he asked.

Caulin shrugged. "I just thought it'd be cool for him to say, given he's got the look." He answered, gently wrapping an arm around Koa's shoulders. "I think he'd make a good Sheriff someday."

"Perhaps, if he's willing to live here permanently and endure the searing heat for days on end," Luke pointed out.

"Agreed. Hopefully he doesn't overheat in that outfit," said Volcan, "Like I said, good look, but Luke might be right regarding the climate."

"I guess that's fair. At least he has a souvenir to take home with him," Caulin remarked, smiling at Koa.

Deciding to move the conversation forward, Volcan changed the subject. "So, how you boys enjoying your first visit to Gladiator City?" he asked.

"It's a little hot for my taste," Caulin answered honestly. "But it's nothing like how Tristan said it was. This place feels bigger than even Hadleigh."

"I don't know about bigger than Hadleigh, but it's certainly nothing like we were expecting," Volcan agreed, "I think Tristan was more surprised than any of us to find how much it's changed."

"He almost looked... Melancholic when he saw this place," Luke added, losing his smile for a moment.

"Yeah, he did," Volcan agreed again, "He fled this city to escape its destitution, and eventually landed on Arc... Now he comes back to find it's now one of the greatest cities in the world. I don't think he was really ready to find out just how much Romulus changed this place."

"I wasn't ready to see it for myself," Luke pointed out. "Don't forget, before Romulus saved us from the Palossand down south, I thought he was no better than the menace we were fighting," Luke stated, then looked at the city around him. "Seeing this place as it is... I fully realize just how wrong I was about him."

"I think a lot of us were, love," said Volcan, putting his arm around Luke. "I admit, I thought him little more than a thug when we first met him, letting Phanto get away with scaring people and getting upset when we bamboozled him with that illusion trick... But, there was a lot more to him than any of us knew."

Silence fell over the four of them; Caulin and Koa remained silent, seeing how the conversation had seemed to move away from them unexpectedly. Realizing this, Volcan looked at the boys sheepishly. "Sorry. Think we kinda drifted off there," he said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Eh, it was bound to happen at some point, right?" Caulin said with a shrug. "Well... I think we're gonna go grab some food. You guys done with your patrol or something?"

"Yea, Minato and Lashanne came and swapped places with us." Luke answered. "We're just taking a tour of the city ourselves; getting familiar with its layout."

"You know... We should go see Romulus. We still need to debrief with him," said Volcan. "Suppose he's back in his office by now?"

"Let's hope so." Luke said with a nod. "There's a lot we need to go over with him."

Volcan nodded. "Alright boys; we'll see you two later," he said to Caulin and Koa.

"See ya, guys." Caulin said with a wave, then turned to Koa. "Let's grab some food. All that shopping's worked up an appetite."

Koa nodded in understanding, falling into step with Caulin as they two continued through the marketplace to find the nearest restaurant or concession. With that, Volcan and Luke headed for the colosseum, to seek their host...

Luminara could hardly believe what she was seeing when Romulus unfurled the plans across the table, quickly realizing what she was looking at after only a moment of studying them. She did not know what she had expected when he'd said he wanted to show something to her... But what he presented to Luminara was far beyond her expectations.

"You are the first one outside of my team I've shown this to," he said as she studied the map, waiting to see what she thought.

Spread out on the desk before her were the plans for a cross-continental rail line, stretching from his city, all the way to the north, with several other destinations in between. By far the most ambitious plan she had ever seen and knowing it to be even more so given the desolate nature of the land over which it would cross. But the plans had been drawn up, along with a list of possible ideas to fund the project, written along the side... He had evidently been thinking about this for quite a while.

"Romulus, I..." Luminara began, but she couldn't finish her sentence as she continued to gawk at the map unfurled in front of her, dragging her paw along the path where he planned to construct his project. "This... is one ambitious goal. How do you plan to see it through?"

Romulus let out a sigh. "I don't yet know..." he admitted, "I'm still trying to find a way to accomplish it."

"Well for starters, this probably should wait until after Calhoun is defeated." She stated, taking her eyes away from the map to look at him, then gently placed her paw along one of his horns. "That being said, I am confident you'll find a way to make it a reality. You've transformed this city from what it once was, after all."

"A small undertaking by comparison," he said with a wry smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "But, one I truly feel is worth pursuing. The West is a dangerous place, and what few communities that are here are divided, distrusting of one another; they keep everyone at a distance, and don't cooperate beyond minor trade. I feel like this rail line would be a first step in bringing real change to this land; with the danger of crossing the desert mitigated, there is more incentive for true cooperation. Perhaps even unity."

"But, like you said," he added, "It must wait until after the current crisis is resolved. That, and I am still trying to find out how to secure funding for such a project; even as wealthy as I am, this project would bankrupt me before it was ever completed."

Luminara hummed as she rubbed her paw along her chin, casually glancing around his office until she found a picture of the Colosseum, which made her narrow her eyes as a thought came to mind. "Well... This place is called Gladiator City," she said as she turned her gaze back to Romulus. "Perhaps a competition might help raise the funds necessary for your project?"

"That is a fine start, but even the revenue I collect from gladiatorial matches throughout the year are not even close to-"

Romulus was interrupted when there was a knock at the door. Clearing his throat, he called out. "Who is it?"

"Volcan and Luke," came the reply.

"Come in," said Romulus, moving to roll the plans for the rail line back up again as the door opened.

"Good morning, Rom-" Volcan started to say, but stopped mid-word when he saw Luminara was also in the office. "-ulus," he finished, "and, Luminara too, apparently."

"Good morning, boys." She said with that motherly smile and tone of hers, stepping over to give each of them a quick embrace. "Did you two sleep well?"

"As well as we could, given the circumstances." Luke answered after he embraced her, then looked between her and Romulus. "Uhm... Any reason why you're here?"

"Oh, well... I felt it was appropriate that I accompany Romulus back to his office after he had enough rest, and he was just showing me a few things before you two arrived." Luminara answered without batting an eye.

Romulus, wisely, did not add to the explanation, knowing putting in anything would likely make the two suspicious. They weren't ready to reveal their budding relationship to anyone else just yet...

"Okay then," began Volcan, clearing his throat. "Anyway, Romulus... We wanted to have some time to debrief with you, regarding what you learned from this 'asset' you mentioned," he said, getting right to business.

"Ah, of course," replied Romulus, getting up from his chair, "Turn your attention to the map on the wall here," he directed them.

Romulus did not have the means to handle a meter stick, nor was he tall enough - even on his hind legs, to reach the spot he wanted them to see. "Follow the patterns; look ninety-one squares from south-to-north, and thirty-two squares from the east, right on the coastline of the land."

Volcan, tracing the directions with his finger, found the spot Romulus mentioned, nearly halfway up the entire length of the West Continent itself as displayed on the map. He tapped a spot where the land parted like a pair of arms, opening itself to the ocean and stretching inland. "There's a fjord here," he said.

"Correct," replied Romulus, "Now, follow it all the way to its western end, almost to the next square, right where the land comes together again."

"Here?" Volcan asked, resting a talon on a spot on the map, which had been dotted with a black market before.

"Yes. According to the defector, that is the location of the Crusade's final fortress," said Romulus, "That, and a few other locations they've been disclosing to me, are the extent of their operations here - look for the tacks; multiple colours."

"I see them," said Volcan, touching several of the tacks with his talon. "Two... Four... Six... Eight... Damn, the Crusade controls all of these locations too? There must be almost two dozen tacks up here... What are these places anyway?"

"Mines, encampments, hidden bases - some for recruitment, others hidden sanctums with provisionary caches - everything they are involved in on the side," explained Romulus.

"How in the hell did he manage to do all this in so short a time?" Volcan demanded, incredulous as his mind reeled at the logistics of what Calhoun had accomplished in the Western Continent, making his actions in the east pale by comparison. "Calhoun was corrupted only two years ago! All of this would've taken at least that long to accomplish, yet he's also been operating in the east while building all of this?"

"Not quite," began Romulus, "Calhoun started the Crusade, true, but what it began as was a coalition of bandit factions here in the West. From what I have learned, the locations you see were once the hiding places and territories of multiple bandit factions, all of which he unified by force to form into his Dark Crusade. He systematically eliminated their leaders and put himself in their place, gaining control of their assets in the process. Alone, most of them were not a threat to anyone but travelers, but once he brought them together, they became much more."

"All this information from one defector?" Luke asked as he studied each location for himself. "There's no way any of his grunts would know this kind of information... Whoever decided to abandon the Crusade has to be at least a Captain among his ranks."

"You don't know the half of it, Luke," said Romulus, flatly. "Perhaps it's time for you to see for yourself."

"...Should we gather the rest of our teams first, or...?" Luke began to ask, already feeling wary of what Romulus was trying to hint at.

"I leave that up to you," said Romulus, "He's not far. I've kept him close, where I could keep an eye on him," he spoke as he began heading to the partially open door, pulling it open with his paw and leading the way out of the office.

Sharing quizzical looks with one another, Volcan, Luke and Luminara followed Romulus into the corridor. He made his way down the hall to the right, passing one guardsman on patrol - who stopped to salute as Romulus passed. "At ease," Romulus bade him, letting him continue on his way.

The four of them eventually came to another door. This door was also guarded, by a pair of Bisharp, covered in multiple battle scars to show they were no strangers to combat. These were not Centurions, clearly - neither Luke or Volcan had seen any Pawniard since they had arrived in Gladiator City, deducing that these were probably former gladiators that Romulus had turned to guards.

"Brace yourselves," Romulus said, cryptic, and ordered one of the Bisharp to open the door they were guarding.

They did as instructed, lifting a bar from the door and unlocking it with a key gripped in one of their gauntlets. The door opened noisily, the hinges squeaking from lack of use, and they saw a small room - roughly the size of Romulus' office, waiting beyond. Like his office, there was a desk, but also a bed resting against the back wall. A single candelabra provided light to the room, illuminating the figure seated at the desk, a book held between their hands...

Volcan choked, beak falling open when he saw who was seated at that desk and began babbling incoherently. Luke's mouth also hung agape as he stared at the figure inside, only instead of babbling like his husband, he was blinking rapidly, as if trying to judge whether he was hallucinating or seeing the real thing.

The figure's ear twitched as he heard Volcan's babbling, gently placing a bookmark on the page he was currently reading before gently closing said book and placing it on the desk next to him. He then stood up and stepped into the light, revealing to them an elderly Alakazam standing tall with his arms behind his back, a bereft expression on his face.

"...So, we meet again." He said calmly, lifting a hand from behind his back to run along his mustache.

As Volcan came to terms with who he was seeing, shock soon turned to incredulity... Then, to fury.

"Romulus..." he began, breathing heavily, before his next words exploded from his beak. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND_?!"_ the Blaziken screamed at the top of his lungs.

Outside, as Minato and Lashanne were finishing another tour of the wall, Lashanne's ears shot up, her eyes widening in surprise as her gaze turned toward the colosseum, hearing the screaming voice that came out from within, missed by most of the sentries as they lacked her or Minato's keen ears. The Lucario likewise looked up in alarm, recognizing the voice all too well.

"What the heck?" Lashanne asked, her voice matching the surprise on her face.

"That was Volcan!" Minato remarked, sharing a stunned expression with the Delphox before he looked back at her. "We should go see what's wrong."

"Yes, we should," the Delphox replied flatly, not even with her usual sass as her mind reeled wondering what Volcan could have been screaming about with such volume...

Elsewhere, Caulin and Koa had been on their way back to the Diplomat's Manse, passing the arena as they took the long way toward the ramp, when they too heard Volcan's voice erupting from within the confines of the stone structure.

"...Vol...Can?" Koa asked, slowly, apparently recognizing the voice as Caulin did.

"Yea, that was him," Caulin answered, looking back at the Zeraora with a firm nod. "He sounds like he might be in trouble. We gotta go help, come on!" He stated before bolting ahead as fast as he could toward the Colosseum.

"I mean... What in the name of all things... Is HE doing here?!" Volcan demanded, pointing at Seji, "Do you have any idea of the things he's done?!"

"Volcan... You need to calm down," Romulus stated.

"To HELL_with that!" Volcan shot back, his wrists igniting as the first signs of battle fury began to show as the Blaziken lost all semblance of restraint. "This fucking bastard has been with the Crusade longer than anyone else we know of; the things he's helped Calhoun do, not to mention being the mentor to the murderous maniac that put this scar on my back, murdered Caulin's grandfather, Arceus knows _how many people on Arc Island, and almost killed Minato at the East Nexus!"

"Volcan, calm down!!" Luke exclaimed at Volcan, trying to turn his attention away from Seji and get him to look at him. "Getting riled up won't get us anywhere-"

To Luke's dismay, Volcan wasn't hearing him this time. Something in the Blaziken had snapped, and even as Luke spoke, he was already turning to the room with Seji, the flames on his wrists burning brighter... Luke knew what was about to happen even before it did, as Volcan's legs tensed...

Apparently, Romulus saw it as well. "Revane!"

Immediately, as Volcan sprang, the Dusknoir appeared, and his huge hand caught the leaping Blaziken in midair, pushing him back where Volcan fell onto his hindquarters, jolted and whiplashed by the sudden stop of his momentum. There, the Dusknoir remained, positioned between Volcan and Seji, ready to stop him from continuing his attack...

The hallway became silent then. Luke and Luminara stared at Volcan as if seeing him for the first time, while Romulus and Revane remained steadfast, watching him intently. Behind Revane, Seji held his composure despite Volcan's attempt to attack him, letting out a soft sigh and lowering his gaze slightly to the ground.

"I expected such a reaction, given the circumstances..." Seji stated with a melancholic tone.

Volcan's breathing was heavy, his gaze on the floor, staring at nothing. But slowly, his breath steadied, and the flames on his wrists began to die down as he calmed. His expression - wild and furious at first, softened, blinking his eyes several times until he regained his focus, and finally lifted his gaze.

"Wha... What just happened?" he asked.

"You snapped," Romulus said, plainly, "You were about to attack Seji, without any provocation. Had I not had the foresight to post Revane here before revealing him to you, you might well have succeeded."

"I... What?" Volcan asked, seemingly not understanding what the Houndoom was saying.

"No doubt I deserve more than what you would have done to me, Volcan, but I say from the bottom of what's left of my heart, that I am here to help secure victory against Calhoun..."

Luke then turned to look at Seji, his expression angered as well, but his curiosity far overtook his frustration toward the Alakazam. "Why though?" he asked, getting back to his feet and standing before him. "What brought about this change of heart? After loyally following that psychopath while he destroyed Volcan's home, murdered countless Pokémon, and nearly destroyed my home as an act of retaliation... Why change sides now?"

Seji sighed heavily. "...Because I have seen what Calhoun is turning into." He stated solemnly. "I was purely a part of his Crusade for the means of continuing my Archaeological studies. My position of power was merely a byproduct that served as an end to a means." He explained before he turned to look off at the wall absently. "He's no longer a man anymore... He's truly becoming a monster... a puppet to the Cursed One himself-"

"We know about that," Luke interrupted him.

Seji looked at Luke, alarmed, before he coughed and continued. "I only wish I had realized sooner what he was becoming, but... It is too late to dwell on the past now..."

He then turned back to Luke with a nod. "I do not expect forgiveness or leniency. Captain Romulus is offering me a safe haven here until the calamity passes and I offer what intelligence I know about Calhoun's operations. Once that is done, I will accept the full punishment for my, and by extension, my pupil's actions toward you all... It is the least I can do to atone my transgressions..."

Volcan remained silent even as Seji spoke, still lost in his own head as he struggled to come to terms with both the situation, and his loss of control only a moment before. Luke, taking his attention from Seji, looked at his husband, studying his face... Yet, what he saw in Volcan's expression did not remind him of the man he'd given his heart to. If anything, Volcan looked more like he did the day Luke first him... Lost, scared, and unable to remember himself.

Then, they heard footsteps coming their way, followed by the voice of Lashanne, looking past them to the figure still being guarded by Revane. "What... The... FUCK. Is he doing here?!" Lashanne demanded.

Revane's singular red eye rolled to look in the Delphox's direction, thinking she might also attack the Alakazam as Volcan had tried to do. Romulus turned to look behind him at the newcomers, seeing Lashanne, Minato, Caulin and Koa lined up in the corridor.

"Seems the secret is out, then," the Houndoom said, flatly. "I trust _you_are not planning to attack our 'asset' as Volcan just did?"

"You're KIDDING me!! He's the asset?" Minato blurted out, already looking to step forward, his paw flexing, ready to summon his blade. Alas, Luminara was on him already, appearing beside him and grabbing his arm before he could call forth his sword.

"You even so much as move, and I will be forced to subdue you," she warned him sternly, the two of them locking eyes and shooting daggers at one another.

Caulin was silent for a time as he stared at the elderly Alakazam before him, with Seji staring back at him still wearing a solemn expression. Caulin started having vivid flashbacks to the day he lost his grandfather to Sash, instantly triggering his rage and causing the young Lucario's expression to contort into one of pure, unrestrained fury. Sparks began erupting around him as his temper shot up, followed by a shockwave as his aura exploded around him just as it did with Sash, his paws cracking as he clenched them tightly at his sides.

"...Caulin..." Seji said softly, but was interrupted when the Lucario suddenly pointed at him.

"The _FUCK_are you doing here, you old geezer?" he exclaimed angrily, "What, two cities weren't enough for you to destroy or terrorize, now you're here to try and claim another?"

"Caulin, please..." Seji stated, lifting his hands up as a gesture of surrender, "You have every right to be angry, I will not refute that, but please... For once I ask that you believe me when I say that I am here to help you."

"BULLSHIT!!!"_Caulin exclaimed. "You helped Calhoun destroy my home! You let him kill my mother!! You didn't even _try to stop Sash from killing my Grandpa!" he listed off, his outstretched paw unclenching as an Aura Sphere appeared in his paw. "You're not on anyone's side but your own, so give me ONE good reason why I shouldn't blast you to hell right now!"

Caulin's answer came not from Seji, but from Romulus, whose patience had finally run out. The Houndoom rounded on Caulin and snarled at him so sharply that Caulin's heart leapt into his throat, losing his focus on the Aura Sphere and falling onto his backside as he stumbled back from the Houndoom out of sheer instinct. His courage waned as quickly as it came, looking at the infuriated features of the Houndoom, teeth bared and embers passing between his teeth as he growled, and even Minato had become still in Luminara's grip, with Lashanne and Koa likewise backing away from the Houndoom.

"Enough,"_Romulus growled. "From _all of you."

"For once, I agree with Romulus," Luke added, stepping in and shooting glares at Caulin, Minato and Lashanne. "It's clear that Seji has had a change of heart and is willing to cooperate with us to bring Calhoun down. I get that you all are angry, but right now he's under Romulus' protection. That means none of us are allowed to even touch him while he's here," he stated firmly. "Is. That. Clear?"

Caulin could only gulp and nervously nod his head quickly, still frightened by Romulus' display of intimidation even as he scooted away from the Houndoom. Minato scoffed angrily and yanked his arm out of Luminara's grasp, crossing his arms and turning away from her as he forced himself to calm down.

"Romulus..." Lashanne put in, not quite ready to give up yet, "With the greatest possible_respect... You _can't tell us you actually trust Seji?"

"I don't," the Houndoom returned crossly, his eyes still carrying a glare as he regarded her. "I've given Seji no such indication. If you will all take a look at his neck, you will see for yourself."

At that, all eyes went back to the Alakazam, and they saw that he was wearing an accessory that no one had noticed before. Seji tilted his head back to give them a clearer look at the item, seeing a silvery-metal band around his neck, tight enough that it couldn't be removed easily, and secured by a lock on the side.

"What's that?" Volcan asked, numbly.

"A new invention, using the same method as was used to create the Siphon Chains," replied Romulus, "So long as Seji wears that item, his powers are locked away. He cannot teleport, he cannot use his Psychic abilities. While he is a consultant in the ongoing battle against the Crusade, he is still a prisoner, and as Luke stated, under my protection. So, none of you are to set foot near this room without my say-so; if any of you do so, you will deal with me. Is that clear?"

No one spoke in protest. Not even Lashanne, though she was massaging her temples with her paws, as if trying to suppress a headache. "Last question... Is there a bathroom nearby?" she asked.

"Back up the hall... Why?" Romulus replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Because I need to throw up," the Delphox replied, turning on the heel of her foot and walking away without another word.

Romulus watched Lashanne leave, his gaze shifting to Koa briefly - who had stayed silent throughout the conversation. His expression was neutral, not understanding what was happening, but he stayed close to Caulin, in a show of support for him.

"...Introductions later," said Romulus, "All of you need to step out for now. We'll continue our debriefing when you all are in better spirits for it." He turned his gaze to Volcan, then - no longer glaring, but still stern. "_Especially_you," he added before he began to walk away, heading back to his office.

Revane remained where he was, having not said a word, and on guard in case anyone else made another attempt on Seji. Luke gently helped Volcan back to his feet and began escorting him out of the room, followed by the others, shutting the door behind them once they were all outside. He then turned back to Volcan and grabbed at his arms firmly, looking at him with a mix of concern and sternness.

"Care to explain just what the hell that was all about?" he demanded firmly. "I know you said you were feeling uneasy, but to attack a prisoner like that unprovoked?"

"I... I don't know," Volcan admitted, lifting his hands to his head, his gaze falling to the floor, toward Luke's feet but not staring at them. "I... Seeing him just... I couldn't stop myself," he went on, most of his words incoherent, shaking his head and blinking his eyes several times.

"Well, either way, Romulus is right," Luke said as he turned to look at Caulin and his father respectively. "You, Minato and Caulin were ready to outright attack him blindly. We were clearly not ready to deal with this revelation, so I think it best we all take the rest of the day to cool off before we proceed further."

"I concur," Luminara added with a nod. "Seji seems to have grown a conscience and decided to make amends for what he's done. Until we defeat Calhoun, he remains under Romulus' protection."

Minato scoffed. "Of course, you'd take his side..." He remarked venomously.

Luminara turned to look at Minato with a firm glare of her own. "I am his mother," She pointed out. "And you'd do well to hold your tongue, young man."

"Don't talk to me like I'm some coddled brat," Minato spat back angrily, "You're only getting involved in this war out of a guilty conscience, just like Seji is right now. You could have single handedly ended this conflict and prevented your own son from endangering himself and his comrades several times over!"

"I've already given you my reasons as to why I did not get involved," Luminara reminded Minato. "And until you curb that attitude of yours, I'll continue treating you as such. What kind of example are you setting for your son by lashing out in such an unprofessional manner?"

"Oh, _I'm_setting a bad example?? Says the woman who, I repeat, let her own son endanger himself and his allies three times over unnecessarily!" He stated, elevating his tone as he stared Luminara down. "Yea, Mother of the year, ladies and-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence as he suddenly found himself against the wall, pinned at the neck by Luke's forearm as he held him there, glaring dangerously at the elder Lucario.

"Utter one more derogatory comment about my mother again, and I'll see to it personally that you are locked up and chained in a cell until this war is over." He stated in an unnervingly calm, yet venomous tone of his own. Once he was certain his message was received, he backed away from Minato and forced himself to calm down.

"We're all on edge right now," he commented as he rubbed his eyes, "I'm taking Volcan back to our room for the time being to help calm him down... I suggest you all do the same."

No one said anything to that, but ultimately decided to do as Luke suggested. Volcan cast one look back at Seji's room, still being guarded by Revane, and the two Bisharp who had now returned. The Dusknoir, as before, had not spoken a word, yet Volcan had the sense that Revane was silently telling them all to leave, as Luke suggested. With that, he let Luke lead him away, his steps slow as he once again thought back to what had happened when he'd lost control so suddenly...

_ ~~~~~ _

Outside of the city walls, on the dunes of the great desert, Sash and his group finally appeared, the Gallade nearly falling to his knees with exhaustion as the taxing of teleportation across such a vast distance caught up with him... Though he had arrived ahead of schedule, the cost of doing so was high, as it had taken everything he had to give to do it.

But they had arrived, in only a single day - half the time he had anticipated...

Ahead of them, he could see the low, fortified edges of Gladiator City, its walls - meant to keep out the dangers of the desert, a familiar sigh to him. Likewise, to Eberon, who upon looking upon the city, his eyes were drawn immediately to one thing in particular, standing taller than any of the walls. His teeth bared and his pupils shrank to the size of beads as he looked at the colosseum, already flexing his claws in rage-fueled anticipation.

After taking a few moments to catch his breath and regain some of his stamina, Sash eventually pushed himself back to his feet and glanced at the Incineroar, noticing how tense he was and smirking slightly as he addressed Eberon's rising anticipation.

"Looks like he's eager to get things started," he remarked.

"Best to let him loose, then," stated Tory, "Let him be our opening, and bring our primary target into the open."

"Don't need to tell me twice." Sash replied, stepping away from Eberon as his grin grew malicious and bloodthirsty. "Go on, Black Titan... Destroy everything in your path." He commanded.

Needing no more encouragement, Eberon threw back his head, arms raised as he roared in fury at the sky. With that, he broke into a run, making a beeline toward Gladiator City...

On the wall, a sentry happened to notice an approaching dust cloud, too small to be the beginnings of a sandstorm. He peered at the cloud curiously, vaguely able to make out a shape inside of it... Then, his eyes widened in horror. This sentry - a long-time veteran of the guard, had been in Gladiator City for many years, and he - more than many of the younger cadets around him, immediately recognized who he saw...

"Sound the alarm!" he screamed, unable to keep the terror out of his voice, "Sound the alarm! The Black Titan has returned!"