The group took flight once more, the leathery wings of Salamence and the Dragonites beating rhythmically as they soared through the distorted skies. The landscape beneath them was a chaotic tapestry of impossible phenomena. Strange, flowing rivers of light snaked through the air like ribbons, defying gravity and any semblance of logic. Floating boulders rotated in spirals around invisible centers of gravity, their slow, deliberate movements hinting at unseen forces that governed this strange realm.
"Look at those," Jake pointed, his voice quavering. Suspended mid-air were mirrors of various shapes and sizes, their glass surfaces reflecting glimpses of the real world. A sunlit forest shimmered in one; a tranquil beach appeared in another.
Natalie followed Jake's gaze, her brow furrowing. "Gateways, maybe," she mused.
"They're probably showing paths back to our world, but who knows how they work."
As they flew further, the distorted scenery became even more bizarre. Gravity wells dotted the landscape, swirling debris and fragments of objects in endless spirals. Some pulled upwards, others sideways, creating an unnerving sense of disorientation. Jake gripped Salamence's saddle tighter, his knuckles white as he fought the vertigo creeping over him.
Finally, their destination loomed in the distance—a massive stronghold that seemed to warp the air around it. It was a sprawling, multi-leveled castle, but its construction defied reason. Different sections appeared to be from entirely separate worlds, their architectural styles clashing violently. A Gothic tower, its spires piercing the darkened sky, jutted out beside a fortress wall reminiscent of medieval Europe. Nearby, a domed structure of golden metal glimmered faintly, its style echoing ancient Eastern designs.
The entire castle was a patchwork monstrosity, as though pieces of different places had been forcibly glued together. Jagged seams where the sections met glowed faintly with a sickly green light. The air around the structure was thick with a palpable sense of dread, and a low hum, almost like a heartbeat, reverberated through the ground.
Jake shuddered. The sight of the castle made his stomach churn. The Pokémon, too, seemed affected, their movements jittery and uncertain. Each time one began to shake or growl, Jake leaned forward, whispering soothing words and stroking their scales. Somehow, his calm presence steadied them, and they pressed on.
"We need to stay out of sight," Natalie said as they circled the castle cautiously. "There's no telling what's inside that crazy-place."
As they hovered at a safe distance, Natalie's sharp eyes caught movement below. In a vast garden filled with metallic sculptures and strange, jagged formations, figures were scurrying about. The Sleepers were methodically searching every nook and cranny, peering into crevices and overturning the metallic objects.
"They're looking for something," Natalie muttered.
"Or someone," another guard added grimly.
"Do we have any messages from the other side?" Natalie asked, glancing at one of her subordinates.
The guard fiddled with his walkie-talkie, and to their surprise, it crackled to life. A faint voice came through, distorted but recognizable.
"It's Frank Prochazka," Natalie said, her eyes widening.
"Uncle Frank's here?" Jake's voice trembled with a mix of hope and fear.
Natalie's gaze darted back to the garden.
"If he's here, we'll spot him. We need to stay hidden and watch for a few minutes."
"But we can't just leave him! It's too dangerous—they might catch him, too!" Jake protested.
"Jake, if they're searching for him, it means they haven't found him yet," Natalie reasoned.
Jake opened his mouth to argue further, but the shiny Dragonite began to tremble again. Natalie immediately signaled Salamence to fly over, and Jake leaned forward to calm the Dragonite.
Meanwhile, Frank had already infiltrated the nightmare castle. Years of ranger training served him well as he navigated the shadowy halls with precision, evading patrols of Sleepers. His Houndstone, Goofy, padded silently at his side, its spectral body blending seamlessly into the castle's eerie atmosphere. He let the Pokémon regularly sink back into his shadow to recuperate energy which also helped in keeping the Pokémon's mind clear.
To create a diversion, Frank had Houndstone conjure a phantom character. The illusion crept through the metallic garden, drawing the Sleepers' attention with faint rustling and movement. As the Sleepers chased the fake shadow, Frank and Goofy slipped into the castle unnoticed.
Inside, Goofy sniffed the air, its ghostly tail wagging as it locked onto Monika's scent. Together, they pressed deeper into the castle, moving closer to where Monika was being held, all while the sinister hum of the castle grew louder.
As the group of guards circled the nightmare castle, a sudden explosion shattered the eerie silence that had been hanging in the air. The sound echoed like thunder, causing the air around them to crackle with tension.
Natalie's instincts kicked in immediately. "Salamence, fly over there!" she commanded, her voice sharp and unwavering. The massive dragon obeyed without hesitation, followed closely by the two Dragonites.
As they drew closer, Jake's heart leapt into his throat. Below them, there was a large cobblestone square, the stones cracked and uneven from the explosion. A thick, swirling sandstorm churned violently over the area, reducing visibility.
"Fly lower!" Natalie ordered.
Salamence obeyed, the wind rushing past them as they descended. The air whipped around their faces, but it was clear now—through the hole in the castle wall, the storm was pouring out like some uncontrolled beast.
Jake squinted into the chaos. And then he saw them. His uncle Frank, holding Monika in his arms, was running from the breach, desperation in his movements. Houndstone trotted closely behind them, feeding energy to the sandstorm and growling low as it looked back at the entrance.
"It's them!" Jake exclaimed, his voice a mixture of relief and joy.
Natalie's lips pressed into a thin line. "Now!" she shouted.
With a synchronized movement, all three dragons dropped into a sharp dive. The air whistled as they plummeted lower and lower, nearing the storm and the fray below.
And then, the reason for the chaos became clear. From the depths of the hole in the wall emerged a monstrous figure—its shadow stretching long and wide, looming over the others. Dusknoir. But not just any Dusknoir. This one was nearly double the size of any they had ever seen, a hulking, twisted version that stood at an imposing four meters tall. Also unlike standard Dusknoir, this one was in pure black colour.
"That must be the one the Duskull told us about!" Jake gasped, his voice filled with awe and fear.
Dusknoir fired Shadow Ball after Shadow Ball, each dark orb sizzling through the air toward Frank and Monika. Goofy, the ever-loyal Houndstone, darted around the attacks with surprising agility, but even it knew that a single hit from one of those balls could take it out in an instant.
Jake's heart sank as he noticed the strain on Goofy's movements. The Pokémon had clearly been pushed to its limits after keeping the portal open earlier.
Without warning, a guard on the orange Dragonite leapt onto Salamence's back and barked an order.
"Dragon Rush!"
The Dragonite, now bathed in a brilliant blue light, dove faster toward the battlefield. The light around it morphed into the shape of a giant dragon's maw, creating the illusion of a massive meteor streaking through the air. The Dragonite hurtled toward Dusknoir with the full force of its power.
"That's great… just let the entire castle know we're here," Natalie muttered, her eyes scanning the scene below. The air was thick with tension as the battle unfolded.
The guard behind Natalie shot her a quick look. "We have to save them. That's the mission."
Natalie clenched her jaw. "I know, but this has to be quick. We can't engage the whole castle. And our Pokémon get distracted and confused like every five minutes."
Jake opened his mouth to add that he could calm them down, but the urgency of the moment drowned out any objections.
The colossal Dusknoir, now aware of the incoming threat, raised its massive arms to defend itself. It growled low, the sound reverberating through the air like a storm about to break. The blue light from Dragonite grew brighter as it barreled toward the dark figure, pushing through the storm and the chaos.
"Faster, faster!" Natalie urged, her eyes locked on the massive Dusknoir. Salamence flapped its wings furiously, pushing harder, the wind tugging at Jake's hair as they dove straight for the creature. The tension in the air was suffocating, but the urgency of the mission drowned out all else.
As the Dragon Rush closed in on Dusknoir, the possessed beast's glowing red eyes narrowed. It swung one massive arm toward the incoming Dragonite, ready to swipe the attack away.
Jake held his breath as he watched the confrontation unfold before them.
The moment had escalated into something truly epic. As the first Dragonite, enveloped in bright blue energy, descended toward Dusknoir, there was a fleeting moment of hope.
The energy coiled around the Dragonite like a comet, glowing fiercely against the darkness of the nightmare castle. Everyone, from the guards to the surprised Sleepers, watched with baited breath as the Dragonite crashed toward its massive opponent. The sky seemed to tremble with anticipation, the battle's outcome hanging in the balance.
Then, with a deafening roar, the explosion of blue energy collided with Dusknoir, sending shockwaves across the entire square. A blinding burst of light enveloped everything—dust, debris, and the very air itself seemed to crackle with the force of the blast. The ground shook beneath them, a tremor of raw power that sent a ripple through everyone's hearts. For a moment, it seemed like victory was within their grasp.
Frank, his face tense with determination, looked up at the smoke-filled sky, squinting through the chaos. With a sense of urgency, he waved toward the guards. "Here!" he shouted.
The guards responded immediately. Dropping from the sky in a fast descent, they landed with practiced precision, releasing their Pokémon—Sceptile, Ceruledge, Incineroar, and Bisharp—who quickly took their positions, prepared for the worst. Their eyes flicked towards the cloud of smoke, hoping to see their powerful enemy defeated.
But then the dust began to settle.
A chilling silence fell over the battlefield.
Dusknoir floated in the center of the square, seemingly unfazed. One of its massive hands wrapped around the neck of the orange Dragonite, who was struggling to break free from its grasp. The guards froze. Their worst fear was realized. The powerful Dragon Rush barely affected the huge ghost. And the massive, dark figure of Dusknoir was holding the Dragonite as if it were nothing more than a toy.
"Don't look!" Natalie shouted, her voice trembling. She swiftly covered Jake's eyes, but the horror had already seeped into the young boy's heart. He could feel the terror radiating off of everyone around him. His own pulse raced with a deep, fearful understanding of the situation. Meanwhile, Frank did the same for Monika, pulling her closer into him, his protective instincts flaring as the nightmare unfolded before them.
The sight was unbearable.
Dusknoir's other fist came down with brutal force, striking the Dragonite's face with a sickening sound. The entire group flinched, but the real horror came as they watched the lifeless body of the Dragonite crash to the ground, its body crumpled and broken.
"Noooo!" the fallen Dragonite's trainer screamed, his voice breaking with anguish. His body shook violently, as though the loss had robbed him of all his strength. He stood frozen, shuddering uncontrollably, unable to process the death of his Pokémon, his bond shattered in an instant.
The shiny Dragonite, its eyes wide with disbelief, could only stare at its fallen sibling. The bond between them, so strong and deep, now felt like a distant memory. Its wings twitched, but it remained motionless, paralyzed by grief and fear. The whole group felt the despair, the weight of such quick loss bearing down on it like a suffocating cloud.
The other Pokémon, sensing the rising terror, began to tremble in fear. Salamance, Ceruledge, Incineroar, Sceptile, and Bisharp all stood at the ready, but none of them dared move. Their eyes were wide, watching the colossal Dusknoir floating above the cripled body of the lifeless Dragonite. Every one of them could feel the fear emanating from the others. It was as if Dusknoir's mere presence was enough to freeze them in place.
"Fight from a distance!" Natalie ordered, her voice sharp with authority, but laced with a strain of fear. "Now!"
Without hesitation, the Pokémon sprang into action. Salamance unleashed a torrent of dragon fire, Sceptile released a storm of razor-sharp leaves, Incineroar and Ceruledge sent out flames that twisted and writhed like serpents, and Bisharp launched precise strikes of dark energy. All of them combined their attacks, hoping to overwhelm the massive specter that stood in their way.
But Dusknoir didn't even flinch.
It casually swept the attacks aside as though they were nothing more than a passing breeze. Each strike that met Dusknoir was absorbed or deflected with ease. The Pokémon could see the massive creature beginning to shift, its eyes narrowing in cold determination. The fear grew palpable. It was as though nothing could stop it.
The shiny Dragonite remained frozen in place, its eyes locked on the crumpled body of its sibling. Grief and shock had paralyzed it, and it couldn't bring itself to take flight, to fight. Its mind raced with disbelief—how could this happen? How could its brother be gone? It felt as though the very foundations of the battle, and its sense of hope, had crumbled in an instant.
Meanwhile, the fallen Dragonite's trainer, his face twisted with horror and desperation, recovered enough to scream for vengeance. "Haxorus! Drampa!" he cried, summoning two more of his trusted Pokémon to the field. "Destroy that thing!"
Haxorus appeared first—a massive, reptilian creature, its large, angular head framed by two tusk-like fangs that jutted out from its lower jaw. Its scales were a deep green, with faint yellow markings running across its sides. The air around it seemed to crackle with anticipation, its eyes gleaming with fury. Its muscular frame rippled as it let out a fierce battle cry, the ground beneath its feet vibrating with the sheer intensity of its presence. It took a wide stance, its claws digging into the ground, ready to unleash its full power.
Alongside it came Drampa, an elegant dragon with a long, serpentine body covered in pale blue scales. Its soft, wispy mane of white fur billowed around its neck, and its face, gentle yet full of wisdom, was framed by two large horns. Drampa's wings unfurled, almost delicate in their appearance, but their sheer size was imposing. Its large, kind eyes reflected the resolve to protect its trainer and strike down the menace before them. Despite its calm demeanor, there was an unmistakable power radiating from it, the air shimmering with its potent energy.
Both Pokémon, under the direction of their trainer, began to glow. Their bodies pulsed with the force of Dragon Dance, a swirling aura of energy enveloping them as they readied themselves to strike with everything they had. The air around them seemed to bend, their power growing by the second, their movements quickening in preparation for the final assault.
But Dusknoir, undeterred by their display, slowly turned its head, locking its cold, unblinking gaze onto the approaching pair. Its large hands twitched, and a dark, malevolent energy coiled around it. As the two dragons prepared to launch their devastating attacks, Dusknoir's arms rose in a slow, deliberate motion, as if it were preparing for something much greater than mere brute force. The ground trembled under its power.
Haxorus and Drampa charged forward, but before they could release their attacks, Dusknoir raised its arm and swept the air with an effortless motion, sending a wave of eerie energy toward them. The sky seemed to darken as shadows twisted and writhed around the massive ghost, swallowing everything in their path.
Haxorus roared in defiance and slashed with its claws, but the shadowy tendrils wrapped around it, pinning its movements and dragging it toward Dusknoir. Drampa, wings flapping in desperation, tried to dart around the attack, but the shadows encircled it too, rendering both Pokémon immobilized in the grip of Dusknoir's power.
The fear among the group intensified as they realized they were all hopelessly outmatched. The combined strength of the two dragons, with their battle-enhanced speed and power, was being effortlessly crushed by Dusknoir's dark aura. Even as Haxorus and Drampa struggled, Dusknoir continued its slow, methodical advance, its eyes never leaving its prey. The ground quaked with the weight of its presence, and the other Pokémon felt the overwhelming pressure of the situation.
"Call them back. Now, while you still can!" Natalie shouted urgently at the trainer of Haxorus and Drampa. Both Pokémon were locked in a desperate struggle, their bodies tangled in the dark, sinister tendrils of Dusknoir's shadowy grip. Despite their earlier Dragon Dance boosts, they were no match for the ghostly behemoth.
"Now!!" Natalie shouted again, her voice sharp with desperation. Without waiting for a response, she sprang toward the pale trainer, her hand connecting with his face in a quick, firm slap. His eyes snapped open in shock.
"You want to lose them as well?!" she hissed, her eyes blazing. The pale trainer blinked rapidly, shaking his head as if waking from a trance. With trembling hands, he fumbled for the Pokéballs, raising them into the air.
Fortunately, it worked and a moment later, both Haxorus and Drampa were drawn back into their Pokéballs with a flash of red light, their struggling forms disappearing into nothingness.
The other Pokémon, still circling the hulking Dusknoir from a distance, continued to unleash their most powerful attacks, but the ghost seemed to absorb the energy with an eerie indifference. Every blow from Salamance, Ceruledge, Bisharp, and Incineroar felt like it was dissipating before it even made contact.
"We need to leave. We've found Frank and Monika. We need to leave now!" Natalie ordered, her voice unwavering in the face of the mounting chaos.
One of the guards quickly released a Flygon, while another sent out Charizard. Both Pokémon flapped their wings, preparing to fight, but the trainers quickly held them back, explaining that they needed to fly their group to safety.
With a sense of urgency, the group began to scramble onto the backs of Salamance, Flygon, and Charizard, eager to escape the looming threat. Just as they were about to take off, the green Dragonite finally lifted its head. It stared at the chaos with eyes full of rage, its body trembling with a sense of vengeance.
"Come on!" its trainer shouted, his voice desperate. "We need to leave!"
But Dragonite, its eyes now alight with fury, refused to move. Its trainer's plea went unheard.
"Return!" the trainer called again, but the red beam of the Pokéball failed to pull Dragonite back, its stubbornness clearly written in the sharpness of its gaze.
"What's going on?" Jake turned to Natalie, clutching her tightly as she held him securely on Salamance's back.
"I'm afraid Dragonite wants to fight that monster," she said grimly, her grip tightening around his waist to keep him steady.
"But..." Jake began, his voice wavering, but was cut off by Natalie's sharp command.
"We need to leave," she shouted, her words cutting through the tense air. The guards quickly recalled their Pokémon that couldn't fly, leaving only the ones able to carry them to safety. They hovered, waiting for Dragonite to make its decision.
"Come on, we need to leave!" Dragonite's trainer yelled, his voice quivering with a mix of panic and frustration.
In that moment, Dusknoir unleashed a devastating Shadow Ball, aimed directly at Salamance, where Dragonite's trainer was seated. Salamance narrowly dodged, veering to the side with incredible speed. Dusknoir, however, didn't relent, sending more Shadow Balls in rapid succession toward Charizard and Flygon.
Meanwhile, the green Dragonite raised its head and let out a terrifying wail, a cry that started as a desperate shout but morphed into something far more eerie. The sound soared higher and higher, its pitch piercing and filled with sadness, fear, and hopelessness. The air around them seemed to crackle with the force of the sound, and the people and Pokémon alike clutched their ears, overwhelmed by the emotion pouring from the dragon's cry.
The sheer force of Dragonite's wail seemed to affect even Dusknoir, who halted its relentless attacks and turned its attention toward the green dragon. Slowly, it floated toward Dragonite, its dark, hollow eyes locked on its target. The tension was palpable as Dragonite continued to wail, its voice full of sorrow.
But then, something shifted. As Dusknoir advanced, Dragonite's sadness morphed into fury. The light in its eyes burned brighter, and its wail turned into a roar of rage, filled with an intense desire for revenge. The very air around Dragonite began to shimmer with raw energy, its body glowing with power as the emotion behind its cry manifested in a terrifying display.
"Fly higher!" Natalie screamed, her voice urgent as the Pokémon began flapping their wings in preparation to ascend, but even they hesitated, unwilling to abandon Dragonite.
The Sleepers—cloaked figures emerging from the shadows of the square—were closing in fast.
Frank shouted from his perch atop Flygon, "Watch out! Fly higher!"
The guards quickly shouted orders as Charizard and Flygon began firing off powerful attacks to clear the way. Charizard's Fire Blast scorched the air, while Flygon released a Sandstorm with blinding intensity. Salamance, too, unleashed Dragon Breath, pushing back the advancing Lunatones of the Sleepers, clearing space for their retreat.
But down below, Dragonite's transformation was far from over. From its body, glowing with incandescent light, a Twister began to swirl in form of raw energy. A powerful gust lifted the square as the tornado of energy expanded, silhouettes of dragons forming within the vortex. The swirling winds also seemed to carry Draco Meteor, its meteoric flames streaking through the twister as it swelled larger and larger. It was as if Dragonite was summoning every ounce of strength, not just to defend itself, but to destroy everything in its path.
Then, with a deafening roar, Dragonite stopped crying. The square fell silent, the eerie calm before the storm. Jake's heart pounded in his chest as the tension held in the air was almost unbearable. The silence felt as if time itself had stopped.
And then, Dragonite released its fury. The combined move, now brimming with energy, hurtled toward Dusknoir with unstoppable force.
The whole square held its breath as the massive mega Twister, infused with Draco Meteors and Dragon Pulses, finally struck the giant Dusknoir. The ghost was caught within the cyclone, assaulted from all sides by the relentless barrage of attacks. The air seemed to tremble with the sheer force of the onslaught.
"Look!" Jake cried, pointing at the shiny Dragonite. The proud creature seemed to wither before their eyes, its brilliant green scales getting more and more dulled each second, its majestic form more and more hunched and trembling. It was as if the very lifeforce of the Pokémon was being drained away by the energy required to maintain the colossal Twister.
"No, no, no!" its trainer shouted, his voice breaking. "Do not give up on us, Dragonite! DO NOT GIVE UP!"
As if summoned by his desperation, the Sleepers sprang into action. "Attack it!" one of them shrieked, and a swarm of Lunatones surged forward, their glowing eyes locked on the fading Dragonite.
Natalie, her face a mask of determination, shouted, "Stop them!"
Salamence, Flygon, and Charizard unleashed a storm of powerful attacks. Dragon Pulse, Sandstorm, and Fire Blast tore through the advancing Lunatones, scattering them like leaves in a gale. But despite their efforts, Dragonite's energy was failing fast.
"STOP IT, DRAGONITE!" its trainer screamed, but his words seemed to fall on deaf ears.
Jake turned to Natalie, his young face pale but resolute. "I think I could help," he said, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
Natalie hesitated, but Dragonite's trainer nodded fervently. "Let him try!"
"Cover us!" Natalie ordered after a quick pondering.
With a whispered command to Salamence, she guided the dragon down through the chaos. Lunatones swarmed their path, but Salamence fought them off with fierce determination, blasting them with Dragon Pulse before landing next to Dragonite.
Natalie and Jake leapt down. The boy, trembling but determined, reached out and placed his hand on Dragonite's scarred, withering body.
"Do not give up," Jake whispered, his voice steady despite the fear in his heart. "We need you. You're so strong, you can't give up."
For a moment, it seemed hopeless. But then, Dragonite blinked, its glazed eyes clearing. It let out a soft, exhausted cry as the Twister began to dissipate. The Dusknoir, once trapped within, hovered in the square, its dark aura gone, its colors restored to their natural, ghostly hue. Nobody realized that Jake's voice through Dragonite and his Twister reached even Dusknoir and help him break free of the Sleepers' enchantment.
Natalie wasted no time. She pulled Jake back onto Salamence as the Lunatones closed in.
"There are too many!" one of the guards shouted as Salamence, despite its ferocity, began to falter under the relentless onslaught.
"You will serve our dark lord forever," a deep, guttural voice growled from the darkness.
"Look!" Jake shouted again, pointing at the Dusknoir. Freed from its bonds, the ghost's eyes glowed with fury, but this time, the anger wasn't directed at them.
The Dusknoir turned on the Sleepers and their Lunatones, firing a relentless barrage of Shadow Balls that scattered their ranks. Salamence roared and joined in with its own Dragon Pulse, while Charizard and Flygon, circling above, rained down attacks to clear the path.
"Come back," Dragonite's trainer whispered, holding out the Pokéball once more. This time, the red light enveloped the creature, and it vanished inside. The trainer clutched the ball to his chest with expression of relief on his face.
The combined force of the guards and the freed Dusknoir created an opening.
"Go, now!" Natalie shouted.
Salamence surged upward, with Charizard and Flygon close behind. The pale guard on Flygon was still watching the lifeless orange body lying on the ground in the middle of the square.
"Good bye, my friend," he whispered with tears running down his face.
The air seemed to hum with urgency as they raced away from the square and the chaos below.
Jake's heart pounded as they soared higher and higher. "What about the Dusknoir?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Natalie and the guards exchanged grim looks. Frank, his voice weary, answered, "We can only hope it's strong enough to hold them off and escape."
The ride back toward the portal was filled with a heavy silence. Jake clung tightly to Natalie, his mind reeling. Relief washed over him in waves as he realized they had found Monika and Frank, but it was tinged with the bitter aftertaste of fear and loss.
He couldn't shake the images of the first Dragonite's broken body lying on the ground and of the shiny Dragonite, its body trembling as it poured every ounce of its strength into the Twister. Jake's chest ached at the thought that such a magnificent creature might never fight again.
Natalie, sensing his unease, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You did well, Jake," she said softly. "You helped save us all."
Frank, riding on Flygon, looked back and gave his nephew a tired but grateful smile. "You were brave, kid. Braver than most adults I know."
As they neared the shimmering portal that would take them back to safety, the group collectively exhaled. The oppressive darkness of the battlefield gave way to the faint light of dawn breaking in the real world.
The moment they stepped through the portal, they were greeted by the familiar sight of the gym. They all felt a profound sense of relief, but also an unshakable heaviness in their hearts.
For the first time in his young life, Jake had seen the true stakes of the battle against the Sleepers.