Chapter 14: The Man Who Would Be God
Ash had found himself in a very difficult situation. Misty was still being held prisoner by Team Galactic and for all he knew Cyrus was close to his goal to summoning and controlling Dialga and Palkia. But standing in Ash’s way was Cynthia, who Cyrus had manipulated into keeping Ash from getting any further. Even worse was that Cynthia’s Garchomp defeated Ho-Oh, one of Ash’s strongest Pokemon. It seemed to Ash that there was very little way out, and it frustrated him to no end.
“I’ll say it again, turn back now!” Cynthia warned. “If you chose to keep fighting me I won’t go easy on you.”
“No way!” Ash said defiantly, though he was not sure how he was going to beat Cynthia’s Garchomp. Suddenly Riolu walked forward and stood to face Garchomp. “Riolu?”
Riolu looked back at Ash with a determined expression. For a moment Ash did not think that Riolu wouldn’t be nearly strong enough to take on Garchomp, but then he realized something about the battle he had just had using Ho-Oh. And it occurred to him that perhaps Riolu did have a shot at defeating Garchomp after all. Ash gave Riolu a nod, and Riolu turned back to face Garchomp.
“I can see from your expression that you’re not ready to give up.” Cynthia sighed. “Fine then… Garchomp, use Sandstorm!”
Garchomp roared and glowed momentarily with a blue light, and in seconds the area was enveloped once again by strong wind and sand. Just as before Cynthia and Garchomp vanished into the storm, but Ash and Riolu did not need to see them to fight.
“Now Garchomp, use Dual Chop!” Cynthia commanded.
“Riolu, dodge and use Force Palm!” Ash commanded.
Garchomp emerged from the storm on Riolu’s left with its wings glowing with a blue light. But seconds before Garchomp’s wings could land a blow, Riolu jumped up out of the way. The little jackal Pokemon flipped in the air and fired a blast of blue-green light from its right paw at Garchomp’s back. The attack caused Garchomp to cry out in pain.
“Now use Bullet Punch!” Ash ordered.
As soon as Riolu landed on the ground, it jumped forward with its glowing right paw and hit Garchomp in the left side of its face. Garchomp quickly recovered however and vanished back into the sandstorm.
“I have to admit I’m impressed.” Cynthia revealed. “Usually opponents have a hard time hitting Garchomp and avoiding its attacks in a sandstorm.”
“You don’t have to see an opponent with your eyes to hit him.” Ash pointed out. “That’s one of the things that Riley taught me.”
“It sounds like you have a lot of respect for Riley.” Cynthia observed. “Too bad your faith is so misplaced.”
“Look, you’re wrong about Riley!” Ash shot back, his anger rising again. “Cyrus lied to you! He’s just been using you all this time! He doesn’t care about you or anyone else!”
“That’s enough!” Cynthia scolded. “Do you really expect me to believe what you’re saying?”
“It’s the truth!” Ash insisted. “Right now Cyrus is trying to summon and control Dialga and Palkia so he can destroy the world!”
“You’re going to have to come up with a way better story than that!” Cynthia told him. At that moment Ash noticed that Riolu was having trouble standing up in the storm. “Garchomp, attack with Stone Edge!”
The dragon shark emerged again from the storm and came at Riolu from its left with two rings of rocks orbiting its body. In seconds a barrage of rocks hit Riolu as Garchomp zoomed past. When the attack ended Riolu was still standing, though just barely.
“Give up! You don’t stand a chance!” Cynthia told Ash.
“No, I won’t give up!” Ash said defiantly. “Not while Misty is still in danger, and not while Cyrus is trying to destroy the world! I won’t give up after Riley gave up his life and died to save me! I’ll take out you and anyone else who stand in my way!”
“What?” Cynthia said after hearing what Ash said about Riley’s death.
Just then Riolu cried out and its body began to glow with a white light strong enough to break through the sandstorm. Riolu began to grow taller and change in shape slightly. When the light finally faded Riolu had evolved into another Lucario.
“Quick Garchomp, attack with Dual Chop!” Cynthia commanded.
“Lucario, use Bullet Punch!” Ash commanded. Just as Garchomp emerged from the storm and came at Lucario from the right, Lucario turned with incredible speed and punched Garchomp in the jaw with its glowing right paw. At that moment, the sandstorm finally cleared. “Now use Aura Sphere!”
Lucario then brought its paws together, and between then formed a ball of blue light. Still only inches away from Garchomp, Lucario launched the ball right into Garchomp’s chest. The attack hurled Garchomp into the side of the mountain with such force it left a deep impression. After a few moments Garchomp’s unconscious body fell forward and hit the ground, drool had formed into foam on the sides of its mouth. Cynthia stood with an expression of utter shock on her face.
“Now get out of my way!” Ash demanded.
“No.” Cynthia said as she called Garchomp back to its ball. “No matter what you say I will not let you get past me to Cyrus.” Just then the Lake Guardians emerged from around the corner that they had been hiding behind during the whole battle. “What the…? Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit? What are they…?”
Mesprit then flew up to Cynthia and looked her right in the eye. Mesprit’s eyes then began to glow with a blue light and Cynthia’s mind was assaulted by the images and sensations that the three Lake Guardians felt when Cyrus tortured them to forge the red chain. Cynthia screamed and fell to her knees while holding the sides of her head.
“No… it, it can’t be!” Cynthia cried, as she had seen an image of Cyrus looking down coldly on the Lake Guardians as they were being tortured.
“Get out of my way!” Ash said as he shoved Cynthia aside and ran past with Pikachu and Lucario. The Lake Guardians followed close behind, though Mesprit stayed back only a moment to look at Cynthia before flying off with the others.
* * *
Meanwhile, Cyrus and Team Galactic had finally reached the large roof of the Spear Pillar with a depressed Misty. In the center of the roof was a tiangular alter surrounded by four crumbling pillars.
“It is time.” Cyrus spoke. “Place the orbs on the alter.”
Two female Galactic grunts, each holding a silver metal box, both nodded and walked up to the alter. They kneeled down and opened the cases, then pulling out the Lustrous and Adamant Orbs. The two girls placed the orbs on the alter and quickly walked away carrying the cases. The orbs then began to glow with pink and blue lights and float in the air.
“Now, come!” Cyrus called as he raised his arms to the sky. “Come forth and help remake this world!” In a blinding flash a pillar of pink and blue light shot up into the sky.
* * *
Near the foot of the Spear, Ash, Pikachu, Lucario, and the Lake Guardians stopped when the saw the blast of light shot up from the roof. The three Lake Guardians all nodded to each other and shot into the sky towards the roof of the pillar.
“This can’t be good!” Ash observed. “We have to get up there!”
Pikachu and Lucario nodded to Ash before the three of them continued running to the Spear Pillar. As they ran, the three were unaware that Cynthia was following them.
* * *
Back on the roof of the pillar, Cyrus, the rest of Team Galactic, and even Misty watched in awe as the pillar of light slowly began to fade. In the center of the pillar on the alter stood the legendary dragons, Dialga and Palkia. The two dragons roared and looked down at Cyrus.
“Now, unlock the Red Chains!” Cyrus ordered his minions.
Two male Galactic grunts, each one carrying a long silver case, both nodded and kneeled down to open the cases. Upon opening the cases, two long chains that looked as though they were made of rubies suddenly flew out of each case. Each chain then wrapped around the midsection of one of the dragons and then turned into a blood-like liquid. The liquid of the two chains moved and reshaped into two wheel-like rings. Dialga and Palkia roared in pain as they began to be shocked by red electricity from the rings.
“He’s done it!” Jupiter said excitedly. “Cyrus finally has control of Dialga and Plakia!”
“Yes, now we can reshape this world into a better one!” Saturn added.
“Now Dialga, ruler of time, and Palkia, ruler of space, I, Cyrus, who forged and control the Red Chains command you to destroy this world corrupted by spirit!” Cyrus called to the two dragons.
Before the dragons could act, three lights shot down from the sky and stopped above the three corners of the alter, quickly revealing themselves to be the Lake Guardians. Azlef took the rear corner behind the dragons, while Uxie and Mesprit took the remaining two. The gems on the foreheads of each guardian began to glow, and in moments a bubble of blue light surrounded Dialga and Palkia.
“What is this?” Cyrus demanded in a somewhat irritated tone. “So you three who corrupted this world with spirit dare to interfere? How did you survive the destruction of my base?”
“Stop this now!” a familiar voice called from the opening leading to the staircase of the pillar, causing Misty’s face to brighten. Everyone turned to see Ash arrive with Pikachu and Lucario.
“Ash! You’re alive!” Misty called with a tearful smile.
“So, you survived the explosion as well.” Cyrus observed. “And you even got past the little obstacle I arranged in case you did.”
“You monster…” Ash said in a low and hate-filled voice. “You’re going to pay for everything you’ve done! You hurt Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit, and because of you… because of you Riley is dead!” Ash’s news about Riley visibly shocked Misty when she heard it.
“So, Mr. Riley is dead.” Cyrus said indifferently. “I presume he was not as fortunate as you when the base exploded.”
“Riley and his Lucario stayed behind to buy us enough time to get out.” Ash said, sounding as if he were on the verge of tears.
“I see, then if he died because of his own foolish sentiment.” Cyrus said coldly. “You cannot blame me for his death, but the flaw of human emotion.”
“Shut up!” Ash shouted.
“What’s going on here?” a voice called from the stairway. A moment later Cynthia emerged and was visibly shocked by seeing Cyrus with Team Galactic and Dialga and Palkia. “It can’t be… Cyrus… is this all you’re doing?”
“So you failed in stopping Ketchum for me. But it does not matter now.” Cyrus replied. “Your usefulness to me has ended.”
“I didn’t want to believe what Ash had said about you before… or the things that Mesprit showed me…” Cynthia said with a hurt expression. “But it’s all true, isn’t it? Seeing you with Team Galactic and Dialga and Palkia in chains… I can’t believe that you’re… that you’re the same man I fell in love with.”
“Give it up Blondie, Cyrus only used you to help him get Dialga and Palkia.” Mars taunted. “He never cared about you at all.”
“He doesn’t care about you either!” Ash cut in. “Cyrus has been using all of you and everyone else in Team Galactic! He’s been planning to destroy you along with the rest of the world!”
“Yeah right kid. You really expect me to believe that?” Mars laughed.
“Ketchum speaks the truth.” Cyrus admitted indifferently, startling Mars and the other members of Team Galactic present. “I only assembled Team Galactic as a means to obtain the power to summon and control Dialga and Palkia. Once that goal is achieved, Team Galactic is disposable.”
“That can be!” Mars cried as she backed away from where she was standing behind Misty.
“In any case, it does not matter.” Cyrus continued. “I now control Dialga and Palkia, which means I can now put an end to this flawed world and create a new one, one which I will rule over as a god.”
“Doesn’t look like you can do that with Azelf and the others holding back Dialga and Palkia!” Ash pointed out.
“Ah yes, the Lake Guardians are doing their best to hold back Dialga and Palkia.” Cyrus observed, turning back to look at the alter. “Were it but one of the dragons that had been summoned they might be able to contain it, but their power is not strong enough to contain both. See for yourself.”
Ash looked and saw that the bubble of light surrounding the dragons was expanding slowly outward. At the same time, all three of the Lake Guardians looked as if they were struggling to keep the bubble in place.
“Azelf, Uxie, Mesprit, hang in there!” Ash called to the Lake Guardians.
“It is futile. I don’t expect their barrier to last for much longer.” Cyrus told him.
Suddenly a black spark appeared with the barrier between Dialga and Palkia, causing Cyrus to raise an eyebrow. In an instant there came an explosion of black energy that destroyed the barrier and knocked the Lake Guardians back to the ground. At the same time, Dialga and Palkia were blown off the alter and knocked out cold. The blood rings around their bodies were complexly shattered. Looming over the alter was an immense black shadow with a serpent-like body, bat-like wings, and red glowing eyes that stared down at Cyrus with rage.
“What is this?” Cyrus asked, looking visibly startled. “This was not supposed to happen!”
The shadow suddenly vanished and in its place appeared a swirling purple vortex that began sucking things in. Right away, Cyrus was pulled into the vortex, followed soon by Misty, who was standing not too far away from where Cyrus was.
“No! Misty!” Ash called as he charged heedlessly into the vortex, followed closely by Pikachu and Lucario. The Lake Guardians went in after Ash, followed by Cynthia, and after that the vortex closed shut.
