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The Village Guardians Ch. 4-10

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+The Village Guardians Anthology+

-Chapter #4- Twilight Below-

Part #10

Written by Dr. Mack Foxx and Aaraboga Jones

Ages 13+ Suggested for Violence and Romance

Original Story, Characters and all other Original Content are Copyright 1987-2010 Philip "Dr. Mack Foxx" Byard and Aaron "Aaraboga Jones" Byard

Pokémon and all related content and characters are Copyright 1995-2010 to Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures and The Pokémon Company

[The Village Guardians Anthology]
[Chapter #4- Twilight Below]
-144-
The long, white marble corridor may have been brightly-lit, but this did little put Gremlin, Crystal and K-1 at ease. Although there seemed to be no traps, pitfalls or places where foes could wait in ambush in this supposed tomb, the Sableye, his Kirlia wife and K-1 were still on edge. After spending several minutes on a cautious approach towards the end of the corridor, Gremlin and company had arrived at their destination. All that remained was getting past a wooden, white-painted door.

"I hope we're not walking into a trap…" murmured K-1. The robot gently pushed his left foot against the door and it opened with little effort, revealing a large, brightly-lit chamber. The underground room was completely silent and heavily decorated. The floor was covered with deep red carpet with gold trim. Every last inch of the white marble walls and ceiling in the chamber were decorated with ornate carvings and reliefs. At the very center of the room, resting on a dais was an ornate coffin, which seemed to be made entirely of heavily-polished gold. In front of the coffin were three treasure chests: all of them made of polished dark oak with golden accents. Oddly enough, the air in the tomb was not stale.

"How odd…" remarked K-1, "This chamber has probably been sealed for millennia. Yet, everything looks brand new: as if all the stone and metal in here is freshly-polished."

"I'll bet we're the first ones to step in here since Gengar the Great passed away," suggested Crystal.

"I think it's safe to say that we are in no danger here," said K-1 confidently, "I detect no hidden panels or pitfalls. The walls, ceiling and floor are made of solid stone with nothing behind them but dirt and rock. At least that is what my scanners can see." K-1 began a slow approach with Gremlin and Crystal following close behind towards the glimmering coffin and the three chests resting in front of it. The two Pokémon and their robotic companion stopped in their tracks a few feet away from the three ornate containers.

"I wonder what's in these things?" asked Gremlin to himself. The Sableye walked over to the chest on his left. He looked over the fancy box for a moment before grabbing onto the lid. Gremlin pulled as hard as he could, but the lid would not budge.

"Most bizarre…" said K-1, "Maybe this one will open instead?" K-1 walked over to the treasure chest on the right and extended six of his robotic arms from his central compartment. The robot grabbed tightly onto the chest's lid and pulled with all his might, but he was also unable to open the stubborn container.

"What about this one?" asked Crystal, stepping towards the middle treasure chest. No sooner did the young Kirlia lay her hands on the ornate container when she heard a soft click, as if a lock had just disengaged.

"Oh?" said K-1 and Gremlin together, somewhat surprised at the sudden, yet gentle sound as their gaze fell upon Crystal. The Sableye and robot came alongside the stunned Kirlia. K-1 retracted his arms and closed up the panel in his center torso.

"Well?" asked Gremlin with a friendly smile, "Would you like to be the one to open it?" Crystal nodded her head and placed her hands on the wood and golden lid. With a gentle motion the top of the treasure chest lifted upward, revealing what lay inside. At first, the three friends were bewildered at the artifact that lay in the chest upon a small purple pillow.

"What on earth is that?" asked a puzzled Gremlin.

"It looks like some kind of crystal… a black one," said Crystal, "I don't understand… Why would someone spend their time making this fancy tomb in order burry this thing down here with two other locked treasure chests?" K-1 looked over the expertly-cut and polished dark gemstone. The jet-black rectangular crystal was roughly six inches long with one-inch sides and a perfectly square one inch top and bottom.

"I feel like we've overlooked something," said Gremlin with a heavy sigh, "Maybe there is some kind of task we need to do in order to unlock the other chests?"

"K-1, are you sure there are no hidden panels or switches in this room?" asked a confused Crystal. K-1 stood still and silent for a few moments as his keen eyes examined the large, dark gem.

"I do believe I have found a switch," said K-1, again opening up his chest panel to extend two of his intricate metallic arms. K-1 gently grasped onto the crystal with his rubber-tipped fingers and then proceeded to cautiously lift the dark gemstone from the treasure chest. K-1 moved the pointer fingers on both hands against the top of bottom of the crystal. Two hidden switches, each one only half an inch wide slid into the crystal. A low hum filled the room as a dark purple aura began to surround the gemstone. In an instant, K-1 figured out what he and his Pokémon companions had just discovered.

"What's happening, K-1?!" said Crystal fearfully, holding her husband close. Gremlin embraced his wife, not entirely sure what was going to happen next.

"Don't be afraid," said K-1 with calming voice to the scared Kirlia and startled Sableye, "This appears to be a Ghost Forme holographic projector of sorts. I can see strange runes etched all throughout the middle of this gemstone."

"Greetings, my friends and I bid you welcome to Twilight: the city of eternal dusk," said a benevolent voice from in front and above K-1 and his companions. The robot, Kirlia and Sableye looked up to see a transparent, life-sized three-dimensional projection of Gengar the Great. The ghost Pokémon ruler was dressed in his finest clothing with a golden, bejeweled crown resting on his brow. He was cradling a golden scepter, accented with more jewels, in his arms.

"Well…" said Gengar with a heavy sigh of despair, "By the time you reach my city and find this crystal, Twilight will have lain in ruins for over two millennia. Right now, as I record this message, the great army of the Blight has laid siege to my city. We've been cut off for ten days and I fear the morning sun is about to rise on my final day."

"So…" said Gremlin with awe, "This is Gengar the Great himself."

"Most definitely, my friend," cackled Gengar, smiling as his hologram descended towards the surprised Pokémon and robot, "I have waited for your arrival for many, many years. There is much I must say to you and very little time to do so."

"Hold on!" exclaimed Gremlin, "Are you actually talking to me?!"

"But of course!" said Gengar, laughing warmly as his transparent figure touched down on the floor, "Surely you don't think I would simply leave behind a crude memory storage artifact, did you? Of course not, dear friend."

"This is impossible," said Gremlin with disbelief, "You're dead… you were slain thousands of years go."

"Ah! But perhaps your mechanical friend here noticed the runes which I personally carved into this crystal?" said Gengar as he walk up to the wide-eyed robot, "K-1… that's a rather bizarre name, if you ask me."

"Funny," said K-1 with a smirk, "I wouldn't exactly say that 'G6' was an imaginative name for your golem."

"Touché!" laughed Gengar, "But, as you can see, I used Ghost Forme to create this remarkable device. Basically, the runes dictate that my essence will become trapped inside the crystal upon my death. Only upon activation by your metallic hands, K-1 am I now able to stand before you. Well, even if just literally in spirit form. I am completely unable to interact with anything physically now. What is that word? I believe you would call me a 'Hologram': an un-solid, three dimensional being of sorts being projected into view. I have slept these last several centuries inside the dark gem your hold in your hands, K-1, while my remains have long been sealed inside the coffin before you."

"Why did you do such a thing?" asked Gremlin with shock, "I thought you had declared such arts, like soul-trapping, as forbidden and punishable by death! My father told me this!"

"Ah… what was your dad's name?" asked Gengar to himself, gently stroking his chin with his right hand. The hologram appeared to snap its fingers with a realization, though no sound was produced by the incorporeal figure.

"Asmodeus," said Gengar the Great with a nod.

"Sheesh…" said Gremlin, "How could you possibly know so much?"

"Well, let's just say I spent a fair amount of time with a close friend," replied Gengar with a friendly tone of voice, "Their names escape me, but they were the king and queen of Olympus during the last years of my rule over Twilight. Being Gardevoirs, they could easily see into the future and foretold your arrival here, though they still had no clue what would become of me and my grand metropolis. As for the forbidden Ghost Forme arts you mentioned, I only did so in desperation. Besides, I only forbid others from using these particular arts as I did not want them to be abused. I trust you will not dare try to replicate my crystal, will you?"

"I will honor your wishes," said Gremlin resolutely.

"Fantastic!" said Gengar happily, his voice now taking on a more serious tone, "Now, time is short. There is only so much arcane energy stored in my crystal. When it runs out of power, I will vanish and be unable to interact with the world ever again."

"You mean… you will be locked inside that black gem forever?" asked a saddened Crystal.

"No," said Gengar reassuringly, "After our meeting here is over, I ask that you destroy the crystal. Doing so will free my essence and I will at least be able to journey to the afterlife." Gremlin nodded his head with affirmation.

"We'll do it," said Gremlin with unshakable determination.

"Most excellent," said Gengar happily, "I knew I would be able to count on all of you. Now, please take a seat. There is a lot I must discuss before my time is up." Gremlin and Crystal sat down on the soft red carpet next to each other.

"As you are aware, the Blight is responsible for the destruction of Twilight. I witnessed my city walls being breached, not long before I was slain by the power of the Black Pendant," explained Gengar, "However, I was not alone in the throne room on that day. An ancestor of yours, Gremlin, a member of the Order of Twining Shadows, stubbornly stayed at my side and out of sight to bear witness to what would happen to me and our home in the coming days. You see, after being mortally wounded, I used what was left of my power to disappear from my throne room and to the top of my tower with your ancestor not far behind. We watched, as I held onto life for a few more days in inexplicable agony, when the Blight caused a rift to open up in the ground below Twilight. Heavy Claw was so angry when his army couldn't find any treasure in my vast, white marble realm that he tried to have my great city destroyed. Gremlin: your predecessor stayed with me until I finally succumbed to my wounds. It took several minutes for Twilight to completely sink into the desert sands, giving you ancestor plenty of time to escape into the mountains to the east. The moment I passed away, my body was teleported into the golden coffin before you while my very spirit was captured by the black crystal you now hold in your hands, K-1. I actually slept the entire time between the 'Destruction' of Twilight and when you activated my little device. Nonetheless, I am well aware of how much time has passed since those dark days." Gremlin sat down on the floor and was absolutely motionless, deep in thought, for several minutes. It took quite a while for the stunned Sableye to fully understand all which Gengar had just spoken.

"So… my father and I are descendants of the only royal guard who refused to leave your side in battle?" asked a thoroughly confused Gremlin, "But, weren't you angry at him?"

"I was, at first," admitted Gengar, "Especially because he was dead-set on defending me. Of course, I already knew I was doomed and would stand no chance against the Blight's champion Mightyena and the Black Pendant. I stayed behind: one Pokémon giving his life so that hundreds of others might live. At any rate, I managed to convince him to stay out of sight and instead bear witness to my end and the destruction of Twilight. I ordered him to spread the story of the destruction of my city as well as myself; so that it might compel the free Pokémon of this land to fight back against the Blight with everything they had, knowing fully well how horrid the alternative was."

"I don't suppose you remember the name of my ancestor, do you?" asked a curious Gremlin.

"Oh, dear me… I should have told you that from the beginning," said Gengar the Great, somewhat embarrassed, "He was my highest-ranking guard and went by the name of Specter."

"I guess that explains why he refused to leave you behind," said Gremlin with a nod of his head, "He was fiercely loyal to you." Gengar the Great nodded his head once in reply.

"Indeed," said Gengar with agreement, "In fact, it was good to have him with me to carry out my last orders." A grin spread across the face of the ancient ghost Pokémon ruler.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Crystal with a gentle voice.

"Oh, I can't help but laugh at those stupid Blight Pokémon," cackled Gengar, "Despite ransacking the entire city for days; they never found any of my treasure or any of the city's famous artifacts. Well, Specter, the rest of the Order of Twining Shadows and I did spend a fair amount of time hiding every last bit of treasure and the most powerful of the artifacts that had been produced here in various places throughout the city. Other lesser relics of power were taken to a safe place by a small group of members of the Order of Twining Shadows who managed to escape Twilight well before the city was besieged."

"If you please, Gengar, I have a question," said Gremlin with a very respectful tone of voice.

"Feel free to ask, Gremlin," said Gengar cheerfully.

"How many members were there in the Order of Twining Shadows?" asked a curious Gremlin.

"There were over 2,000 members of this order in its heyday, which was not long before Twilight was conquered by the Blight," replied Gengar the Great, "I personally taught all of them how to use Ghost Forme to create various objects of power."

"Amazing!" said Gremlin with joy, "I didn't know there were so many in that ancient order! I always thought that my father, brother and I were the last descendants of the Order of Twining Shadows. Since ghost Pokémon do not die from old age, maybe some of them still live today or their lineage survives through their descendants." Gengar the Great closed his eyes, frowning as he bowed his head low with grief. Gremlin's feelings of immense happiness and hope were altogether dashed in but a moment.

"I'm so sorry, your highness," said a shaken Gremlin, taking a few nervous steps back from the Ghost Pokémon ruler, "I didn't mean to upset you. Did I say something wrong?"

"You have no idea…" said a saddened Gengar. Gremlin, Crystal and even K-1 were stunned as the holographic form of the once great Pokémon ruler began to weep bitterly.

"I can only estimate that you have bad news," said K-1 hesitantly and with a gentle voice, "Am I right?"

"I'm afraid you are correct, K-1," said Gengar with a heavy sigh as he turned his misty-eyed gaze upon the Sableye in his midst, "Gremlin, I hate to do this, but I do indeed have terrible news for you. The last time I met with the Gardevoir king and queen from Olympus, they gave me a revelation. The kind monarchs were very hesitant to tell me how, if certain events lined up as they had been foreseen, then Twilight would fall. Also, by the time I would be awakened by visitors to my own tomb thousands of years after my death, the Order of Twining Shadows will have almost vanished from the face of the Earth. Gremlin: you, your brother, mother and your father are the last of the Order of Twining Shadows." Gremlin was absolutely stunned at this news. He couldn't believe what he had just heard, even from the greatest ghost Pokémon who had ever lived. Somehow, Crystal had foreseen what was about to happen. She tenderly wrapped her arms around her mate in a tight embrace. Then, the loving Kirlia gently stroked Gremlin's back, hoping to console her grief-stricken husband as he began to cry out loudly in anguish.

"That can't be!" howled a sobbing Gremlin, "My aunts and uncles… my grand parents… cousins… I… I had wondered for years why I had not heard from them in decades, but… surely they can't all be dead!" Gengar the Great took a deep breath as his apparition floated down in front of the despairing Sableye. Gengar knelt down before Gremlin and spoke with a soft voice.

"I'm so sorry, Gremlin…" said Gengar with a heavy sigh, "I… I didn't mean to be so blunt, but I speak the truth. By now, they have all been discovered by the Blight and then murdered by Heavy Claw himself. They know, as I do, that any member of the Order of Twining Shadows is a great threat to them. Do you know why this is so?" Gremlin looked up at Gengar, tearing streaming down his face as he slowly swiveled his head bank and forth.

"Well, this is because the fate of Heavy Claw, as well as the Blight itself, is sealed so long as a descendant of the Order of Twining Shadows lives," replied Gengar, "I don't how, why, when or where, but you, your brother or your father will have a key role to play on the day Heavy Claw shall finally fall. With the death of that horrid Kabutops, the Blight will lose its last leader and any Pokémon left under his influence will be freed from their dark bondage by a member of the Olympus royal family. However, that is just the beginning." Gengar smiled in a friendly manner at Gremlin as the Sableye, his hope renewed, dried his eyes and soon regained his composure.

"What do you mean?" asked Gremlin.

"Once Heavy Claw is dead and the last bastions of the Blight finally defeated, the Order of Twining Shadows can finally be revived. Then, alongside the royal Gardevoir family of Olympus, the reborn Order of Twining Shadows shall finally face the great evil that has plagued this world for millions of years: the potent, vile spirit that currently has possession of the Black Pendant as well as an elderly male human. Sadly, my Gardevoir friends never foresaw who this man is, but he is a part of the family that would eventually found the first human settlement in the surrounding lands. The small village would be called Gardev: a name which would eventually become the name of the region of the world." Gremlin nodded his head with understanding.

"So… what does all of this have to do with me?" asked Gremlin, "What does this mean for my wife and K-1?"

"I need you to be strong, Gremlin," said Gengar, his voice filled with confidence, "For I hereby charge you with the responsibility of bringing back the Order of Twining Shadows." Once again, Gengar's words had struck Gremlin speechless.

"But… b-but… I-I… um…" stammered Gremlin. Gengar reached out with his left hand, gently placing it under the shocked Sableye's chin. Though the hologram could not physically interact with Gremlin, the Sableye still looked up and met Gengar the Great face to face.

"By no means do you have to do this alone," said Gengar in a reassuring manner, "Your father has taught you what you need to know to survive, while you have learned much on your own as well. You are a very powerful and a most capable leader, Gremlin." Gengar smiled as he turned his gentle gaze upon the pretty Kirlia at the Sableye's side.

"You also have a very lovely and loving wife to help you," remarked Gengar happily, "You could teach her how to use Ghost Forme to the same degree that you've already mastered, Gremlin."

"I guess you're right," said Gremlin, feeling a bit more confident, "But there is still so much I don't know. My father only knew so much about Ghost Forme: there has to be a lot more to learn. Heck! I don't even know how to read the written form of our own language! Besides you, your highness, there is no one else left on the face of the Earth who does."

"You are again correct, my friend," said Gengar the Great, "There are no living creatures in the world today who can read the written form of the ghost Pokémon. Indeed, there is also much you still have to learn about Ghost Forme. Even now, you really have only scratched the surface of this ancient art between the creation of your and Crystal's wedding rings, plus the exquisite pendant you helped craft for her. I'm not going to send you on a wild goose chase throughout the world either to collect the information you need. Instead, I have several gifts to present to all of you. Let's start with the library and my personal treasure trove." The sound of stone grinding against stone echoed throughout the tomb. A large section of the wall behind Gengar's ornate coffin slid back over 10 feet. The section of the wall then slowly slid to the left, revealing another room, but this much more voluminous than the tomb. There stood shelf after tall shelf of books on one side of the huge room. The other half was filled with piles of silver, gold and any precious stone Gremlin and his friends could imagine.

"Behold!" said Gengar the Great with pride, "My treasures."
"How could I have missed that?!" shouted a dumbfounded K-1, "My sensors should have detected that room, so long as it was not deeper than 200 feet in the ground!"

"I took great pleasure in making that treasure chamber practically impossible to detect or enter. The front face of the wall was only an inch or two of marble, while the entire room itself is incased with several feet of a special metal alloy. This metal is virtually indestructible, but you also cannot teleport into the room or phase through the walls to gain entry. If I remember correctly, there is a room in the Olympus archives made of this same metal. I imagine you have all seen it by now. Anyway, as you may have guessed, the books beyond in my little hidden room are all about Ghost Forme," said Gengar matter-of-factly. K-1 may have been like a kid in a candy store with so many books to read through, but now Gremlin was hardly enthusiastic with having to revive the Order of Twining Shadows.

"There must be thousands… no! Tens of thousands of books in there! Do I really have to read all of them?!" exclaimed Gremlin. Gengar laughed warmly to himself.

"Of course not!" laughed Gengar the great, "But I still need you to safeguard this library. While there are a mere 151 books all about Ghost Forme, the rest chronicle events during the tens of thousands of years that Twilight was in existence. Oh! And I am not kidding when I said those 151 books are all about Ghost Forme. In fact, they teach everything there is to know about Ghost Forme, save for the few 'Forbidden' arts, like the ones I used to create my soul-trapping crystal. At any rate, I expect you and Crystal to make full use of these resources to fully revive the Order of Twining Shadows. I know you will both work very hard and together to achieve this goal."

"I don't mean to be rude, your highness," said K-1 hesitantly, "But what of these treasure chests in your tomb?"

"Ah! I almost forgot!" said Gengar, his face red with embarrassment, "I have some special gifts for each of you. K-1: the largest book near the entrance of the treasure room. This will give you a perfect translation of the written form of the ghost Pokémon language, using the written form of Gardevoir as a guide. I suggest you go and read that book at once. You are going to need to that information very soon."

"Splendid!" said K-1 with glee, glancing over towards Gremlin and Crystal, "If you need me, I'll be busy scouring Gengar's generously-provided library for now!" The ecstatic robot made a mad dash into the vast archives of Twilight while Gengar returned his attention to Gremlin and Crystal.

"I have something much more special for each of you," said Gengar happily, "To start off: Crystal? Please approach the treasure chest on your left. What lies inside is meant only for you, my dear." The beautiful young Kirlia stood up, pausing only for a moment to gently shake her skirt and petticoats with her hands to even them back out. Crystal smiled and giggled with anticipation as she approached the sparkling treasure chest. Once the excited Kirlia was within three feet of the glistening container, the lock suddenly disengaged. A soft "Click!" from the locking mechanism broke the relative silence in the room.

"Hey…" said Crystal, looking up at Gengar the Great with a confused look on her face, "How come I couldn't open the chest before? It was locked tight."

"That's because you had not yet activated my crystal," replied Gengar matter-of-factly while chuckling warmly to himself, "Now, I hope you enjoy my little present for you." Just when Gengar the Great finished his statement, the lid of the treasure chest suddenly flew open, revealing a soft, deep purple interior in the fancy, golden container. Crystal stepped forward and looked into the chest.

"Ooh! What have we here?" said Crystal with glee, bending over slightly and reaching into the treasure chest with both hands. Her hands latched onto a pile of soft, silver fabric at the bottom of the chest. With a quick motion, Crystal pulled the fabric from its container and quickly discovered what appeared to be a cloak with a hood. The silvery fabric shone brightly with many colors in the brightly-lit room.

"This cloak is meant to protect you, Crystal," explained Gengar, "Please, put it on and you will see just how it will accomplish this." Crystal nodded her head and reached up to her head with both hands, gently pulling her tiara and flowing veil from her hair and off the Kirlia's back. She wasted no time in putting on the lovely cloak. A sparkling silver clasp helped secure the garment around Crystal's neck.

"Very good," said a cheerful Gengar, "Now, please put on the hood." Again, Crystal nodded her head in reply. Gremlin looked on upon his wife, wondering what would happen the moment the Kirlia's head was covering by the silvery hood of the cloak. No sooner had Crystal put on the hood when she suddenly disappeared from Gremlin's sight. The Sableye was awestruck at this sight and was also now very worried.

"Huh?!" exclaimed Gremlin with disbelief, "Crystal? Where did you go! I can't see you!"

"I'm right here, silly," said Crystal, giggling with glee. She looked down at herself, wearing the silver cloak and her sparkling wedding dress.

"The cloak serves two purposes, Crystal," said Gengar, "First, the fabric is very tough and will offer a good deal of protection to your body. Also, this cloak will make you completely invisible whenever you put its hood over your head." Crystal removed the silver hood: immediately, she reappeared, standing not far from the now-empty treasure chest.

"I know you will not misuse this treasure, Crystal," said Gengar confidently, "You may be powerful, but you could never face so much as one member of the Blight on your own. Hopefully, this cloak will help protect you as well as keep you hidden from those mindless murderers."

"I promise I won't do anything bad with this cloak," said Crystal firmly as a smile spread across her face, "I think it will look very good with my ball gown and ballet attire."

"I would imagine so!" said Gengar happily and with warm laughter, "You Gardevoirs and Kirlias always did have a good fashion sense. Just make sure you don't lose it. Even when Gremlin does master Ghost Forme, trying to remake this cloak would be extremely difficult."

"I understand," said Crystal, nodding her head once towards Gengar the Great. The ghost Pokémon smiled at the young Kirlia in a friendly manner, knowing fully well that he could trust Crystal. Gengar then turned his attention upon Gremlin.

"Now then, I have a few gifts for you, Gremlin," said Gengar with a firm, yet cheerful voice, "You will need to not only protect yourself, but you must give your all in order to keep your loving mate and your household safe. The artifacts I shall now bestow upon you shall help." A soft "Click!" emanated from the closed treasure chest on the right. The lid quickly lifted open on its own, revealing a soft, red and felt-like interior. Gremlin stood up: the Sableye taking a brief moment to also even out the petticoats under his wedding dress.

"I think its safe to say my gifts for you will be a lot less unwieldy than the traditional wedding attire of the Gardevoirs," said Gengar, laughing under his breath.

"No kidding!" laughed Gremlin boldly on approach to the open treasure chest. He stopped in his tracks and peered into the fancy container. To his shock, he saw what appeared to be an ornate sword, resting on top of a set of full plate armor. The objects in the chest were made of some kind of black metal, which had various Ghost Forme symbols etched all over. The armor and sword had a shiny, well-polished look to them.

"Now, please touch the armor," asked Gengar. Gremlin nodded his head and reached into the chest, touching the cool metal with his right hand. The moment his finger made contact with the armor, the entire ensemble: body armor and the accompanying sword, vanished into thin air.

"What in the world?! Is this some sort of joke, sire? Where did that armor and sword go?" demanded Gremlin. Gengar the Great erupted into gales of laughter.

"Do you honestly think I've been waiting down here for the last two millennia just to play a prank on you?" laughed Gengar so hard his holographic form's face was beginning to turn red.

"I guess not," said Gremlin with a heavy sigh, shrugging his shoulders, "Still, what just happened?"

"Why, my Ghost Forme armor has bonded with you, of course!" said Gengar with delight, "All you have to do is summon it. No matter where you are, the plate armor and sword will always be at the ready, prepared to help you in combat. Believe me, my boy; you are going to need these artifacts in the future."

"I don't doubt you," said Gremlin, "But how exactly do I summon that armor? Magic words? Some kind of dance? Do I have to belch the English alphabet in reverse?" Gengar laughed, once again.

"I do admire your sense of humor!" said Gengar, "I haven't enjoyed company this much in over 2,000 years!"

"But you were asleep that whole time in that black crystal," said Gremlin with a frown.

"Oh, yeah…" chuckled Gengar nervously, "I guess that is a rather inaccurate statement… Anyway, back to your armor. All you have to do is imagine yourself wearing it." Just then, a bright flash lit up the immediate area for a moment. The intense illumination faded as quickly as it had come. Gremlin was standing before Gengar the Great, still in his wedding attire. However, his arms were in the legs of the metallic pants of the armor, plus the upper half was wrapped around Gremlin's face. All while the confused and not very amused Sableye's left foot was now stuck in the helmet. Gengar slapped himself in the face with both of his hands out of frustration.

"You have to picture yourself wearing the armor correctly!" thundered Gengar the Great angrily, "Do so, and any attire you are currently wearing will land behind you, switched out in an instant by the armor suit and sword!"

"Oh…" said Gremlin sheepishly with his face colored a bright hue of red out of immense embarrassment. Crystal couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculous-looking mate.

"I don't think you stand much of a chance at protecting me while looking like that!" giggled Crystal.

"Maybe my foes will simply laugh themselves to death?" cackled Gremlin. Gengar's anger and frustration abated quickly. Despite being annoyed, he was still amused by Gremlin's way with words.

"How about you give that armor another try?" suggested Gengar patiently, "But this time: concentrate." Gremlin, nodding his head in agreement, was quite ready to be free of this rather embarrassing situation. Another intense flash of light lit up the elaborate tomb. But this time, when the light faded, Gremlin was now standing proudly, looking much like a miniature knight from a medieval era. The armor suit was covered with ornate, decorative patterns. Gremlin reached up, lowered his faceplate and drew the decorated sword from its elaborate back-mount. There were two things that seemed odd about this set of plate armor. First, the armor did not seem to restrict his movement. Second, the metallic garment and its accompanying weapon felt like they weighted absolutely nothing. Gremlin dashed about the room, leaping about and pulling off other acrobatic feats, amazed that the decorative plate armor made no sound whatsoever, despite plates rubbing against each other. In fact, the chainmail between the armor's joints didn't so much as let out a slight jingle with Gremlin's movements. As for Gremlin's wedding dress, in now lay on the ground, a pile of shimmering satin and fluffy tulle behind where the Sableye had been standing before taking a little test run in his new armor.

"Behold!" said Gengar with triumph, "The Shadow Armor and the sword I call the 'Soul Cleaver'. In darkness, your armor will make you completely invisible. That way, you will not have to rely solely on your own power in order to hide. Also, since it never makes any noise from your movements, you can easily sneak about in it. As for the blade, the Soul Cleaver, this enchanted sword can cut through just about anything, even the strongest metals on earth. The armor and sword are made from alchemically-treated metal and are practically indestructible. The Ghost Forme symbols, etched all over the armor and blade, dictate that these objects will bound permanently with the first creature who touches it. I completed the carvings of these runes right after laying these artifacts into the treasure chest before you, Gremlin. You will need these relics to protect you and Crystal in the years ahead as you rebuild the Order of Twining Shadows." Gremlin stepped up to Gengar's hologram, lifting the faceplate back up so he could see the ghost ruler face to face.

"Why didn't you make an armor set like this for yourself?" asked Gremlin, frowning at Gengar the Great, "You would have easily survived the fight against Heavy Claw and his hordes."

"That is not so, Gremlin," said Gengar sternly, "Even with artifacts of power like yours, I would have still fallen to the power of the Black Pendant. Remember: I gave my life so many others would escape from Twilight and live on. I also would have never had enough materials or the time to make a suitable army that would have successfully defended Twilight. Even if I had every last member of the Order of Twining Shadows spend all their time on such a project. I have accepted my fate as well as the fate of Twilight. I leave it up to you, Gremlin, son of Asmodeus, to revive the Order of Twining Shadows. You must play your part in the future to defeat the leader of the Blight. Only then, can you, Crystal, the royal family of Olympus and the Order of Twining Shadows finally confront the great evil that has plagued our world for many thousands of years."

"Shadow Mack…" said Gremlin with disgust.

"So… that is what that malignant spirit is called…" said Gengar with a snarl, "Gremlin, Crystal: I reiterate. I charge you with the revival of the Order of Twining Shadows. Between the artifacts I have bestowed upon both of you and my vast library, you will have the tools you need for the future."

"I'll do as you command," said Gremlin with confidence, getting down on one knee before the once-great ghost Pokémon ruler.

"As will I," said a very determined Crystal, kneeling next to her mate on his left side.

"I know you will not fail me. I'm sure of it," said Gengar contently, "Please: arise, my friends. Gremlin, I suggest you return to your wedding attire for the time being. I am well aware of the attributes of Gardevoir satin. The garment has to finish bonding with you. Simply imagine yourself back in your cloths and they shall return to you. As for the armor, it shall teleport to wherever you desire. Perhaps your home in Olympus would be a safe place for it?" The Sableye nodded his head as he and Crystal stood back up. With yet another bright and momentary flash of light, Gremlin was now standing before Gengar the Great in his shimmering and sparkling wedding attire. The Sableye looked up at Gengar with a worried look on his face.

"You don't think I look strange in this wedding dress, do you?" asked a worried Gremlin with great hesitation. Gengar the Great eyed Gremlin closely.

"You may look unusual," remarked Gengar, "However, I must admire you for adhering to the customs of another race. Besides, I can clearly see that you put your own personal touch in the design of your dress. The black, diamond-tipped bramble embroidery on white shimmering fabric is rather inventive."

"Plus he looks really cute in it," giggled Crystal.

"I would suspect nothing less from a devoted female Kirlia," said Gengar with a chuckle, "Just so you know, Gremlin, you can summon only the sword when you don't need or want the full armor with you as well. In fact, I would recommend that you refrain from using the armor until the day you actually confront the Blight. Otherwise, you will easily draw too much attention to yourself, something which should be avoided for now."

"Agreed," said Gremlin, "Then I'll just rely on the sword for now, but only if I really need it."

"Very good," said a cheerful Gengar the Great, "Using restraint, despite your powers and abilities, will serve you well."

"Gengar?" asked Crystal, "What should we do next?"

"You should gather up the library and treasures here," said Gengar, "I'm fairly sure you will have a way to transport all these objects back to your home in Olympus."

"That's right!" said Gremlin with renewed enthusiasm, "We have the S-5 Heavy Carrier and a few dozen robots to help us!"

"S-5 Heavy Carrier?" asked Gengar the great with immense bewilderment, "And what on earth is a 'Robot'?"

"Maybe…" said Gremlin hesitantly, "Maybe those questions would be left best unanswered. It could easily take hours to explain what those things are and what they do."

"Hours…" said Gengar with despair, "Time is one thing I have very little left of. My crystal will lose complete power in little more than an hour. We'd best get to work transferring my treasures at once. We certainly don't want any humans coming down here." Gremlin and Crystal froze with expressions of shock on their faces. Gengar was now more worried than he could ever remember in his entire life: even more so than when his city, Twilight, was besieged by the Blight.

"Don't tell me…" said Gengar with a heavy sigh, "Humans have already found this place haven't they?"

"I'm afraid the situation is much more dire than you think," said K-1, walking back into the main tomb from the library.

"What do you mean, K-1?" demanded Gremlin.

"Remember those piles of newspapers in front of the Alakaz Dance Hall?" replied K-1, "I read through every last one of them. Apparently, a group of researchers stumbled across this city by accident not long ago. To make matters worse, they absconded with several artifacts from Twilight, which are now on display at a few of the largest museums in Alakaz. These objects are only going to be on display for a few more weeks before more scientists will be called in to study them."

"That cannot happen!" said Gengar the Great, immense fear abounding in his voice, "Those Ghost Forme creations are not meant to be in the hands of humans! I have little doubt they would misuse them as terrible weapons of war or as tools of subjugation. Maybe some of my artifacts of power are still safe in the confines of the city? K-1! Did you see a folded up map in the library? It would have been between two pages of the book which gives a direct translation between the written forms of Ghost and Gardevoir."

"Yes," replied K-1, "I already have the map recorded in my databanks. I believe it has several places marked throughout all of Twilight. Is this where we will find more artifacts?" Gengar the Great nodded his head.

"You are correct," said Gengar, "Please check out all those locations as soon as possible. Hopefully, some of those relics remain undiscovered by the humans."

"Sure is a bit late for a scavenger hunt, huh?" said Crystal.

"I would say so as well," said Gremlin, "Are you getting tired, my love?" Crystal looked over at her mate.

"Now that I think about it… for some reason… I don't feel tired at all," replied the astonished Kirlia.

"Your cloak has one other ability," said a smiling Gengar, whose smile soon became a more serious expression as he now spoke with a stern tone of voice, "You will not become tired so long as you wear it. However, you must be careful not to overuse this attribute. You still must sleep; otherwise, you will eventually lose your sanity and die."

"I… I understand!" said a worried Crystal.

"You will be fine, for now," said Gengar reassuringly, "Just make sure you get some rest in the next few days and you will be fine. Besides, you will need to wear you tiara and veil as the lace that makes up the lace is more Gardevoir satin."

"I guess we better get started on this little venture," suggested K-1, "And we'd better move fast."

"Have G6 guide you through Twilight," said Gengar, "As for me, I shall wait here in my crystal for your return in this tomb. Don't linger and please return soon."

"Not a problem! We'll be back soon. I promise," said Gremlin with determination as the hologram of the great ghost Pokémon monarch vanished into thin air.

-145-
Gregory Allens, the leader of Team Shadow, was once again alone in his darkened throne room. He paused, hearing some kind of motion coming from the ceiling above, completely obscured by the dark shadows in the room.

"Ah," said Gregory happily, "I have been waiting for you, old friend." A dark shape dropped from the ceiling, landing ten feet in front of the smiling human. Needless to say, Gregory was not the least bit surprised to see a Kabutops standing in his midst.

"Why have you summoned me, Great One?" asked the Kabutops with a gruff voice as he knelt before Gregory. The ancient Pokémon's right claw was misshapen with several long points and serrated edges: a truly horrific-looking weapon.

"I am merely curious about your progress, Shatter Claw," said Gregory with a sinister smile, "You never cease to amaze me, my friend. I have, undoubtedly, the best security in the entire world, save for my nemesis. Despite this, you still manage to drop in for a visit now and then completely unnoticed."

"I am not here for your amusement, Great One," growled Shatter Claw with anger, "What is it you desire from me?" Gregory stood up and fearlessly approached the kneeling Kabutops.

"I trust you are following your orders," said Gregory confidently, "How much longer until you and your forces will be ready to attack the Gardevoir city of Olympus?"

"It may take months or even years to gather up my army," replied Shatter Claw with a heavy sigh and a snarl, "The remnants of the Blight are scattered all over the face of the earth."

"Nonetheless, I know you will do what has to be done," said Gregory, "You have never failed me before. Except…" Shatter Claw looked up at Gregory with a sneer on his face.

"Except for the final battle of the Great Pokémon Wars," said Gregory with bluntly. In an instant Shatter Claw was thrown into a deep, horrible rage.

"How dare you!!" howled Shatter Claw, "If you had given me the Black Pendant as I had requested, instead of to that feeble Mightyena, I would have crushed everything in my path! I would have severed the head of the so-called Kirlia king, after slaughtering his entire family on the battlefield millennia ago! Instead, you chose another over me! ME! …The single most powerful Pokémon in the entire world!"

"Your pride, arrogance and anger are as great as ever," snapped Gregory, "That is why I gave the Black Pendant to the Mightyena. You would have gone on a rampage: destroying anyone and everything in your path without hesitation! What good is conquering the world if there are no subjects to enslave? You would have failed me and then I would have had to personally put you down like the animal you are." Shatter Claw roared with indignation and hopped to his feet. Gregory moved not a muscle as the enraged Kabutops brandished his claws and charged towards him. The old man merely smiled as his eyes began to glow with an eerie, red light. Shatter Claw froze in his tracks, wide-eyed with shock as he could no longer move as a black aura surrounded his body. Gregory stepped up to Shatter Claw, a vile grin on his face as he met the angered Kabutops face to face.

"Once again, you prove me right," said Gregory, "I have been planning my final vengeance against Dr. Mack Foxx for tens of thousands of years. You only care about where your next fight will be and when you next meal will come. This is how you have lived for millions of years: an animal. A mindless animal… only under my guidance have you become so much more and you dare to defy me?! Perhaps you need a reminder of how weak you truly are!" Shatter Claw howled with agony as he felt his head, arms and legs getting pulled at away from his torso with immense force. A horrible cracking sound filled the room as the old Kabutops's joints began to break.

"Are you really no better than your hateful brother, Simon?!" thundered Gregory with hot anger, "He betrayed all of us thousands of years ago to the Olympus Royal Family! Now you dare to do the same to me in my own chambers?!" Gregory released his dark grip on Shatter Claw: the Kabutops dropped to the floor in immeasurable agony. Shatter Claw looked up at Gregory, a spiteful expression plastered on his face.

"Never…" snarled Heavy Claw, "Never compare me to the Hunted One… I'd sooner try to kill you than let you say such things!" Gregory looked down upon Shatter Claw with pity.

"Then I suggest you prove otherwise," warned Gregory, "You are far from expendable and the only one I know who could face the Guardians of Gardev head on. I know you won't fail me, but don't you ever forget your place."

"I'm not your footstool…" grumbled Shatter Claw.

"That is true," said Gregory, "You continue to serve me well, show no more outbursts of anger and YOU will claim the spoils of Olympus. The treasure, its people: they will be yours to toy with. Then there are the other Gardevoir settlements… I will allow you to conquer all of them with your army and everything and everyone in those cities will be yours." Shatter Claw gasped as he felt his pain beginning to fade.

"What…?" said Shatter Claw with disbelief, "What are you doing to me?" Gregory smiled at the Kabutops.

"Why, I'm healing your wounds," replied Gregory in a cheerful manner, "You are no help to me or yourself as a cripple. Your orders are to continue preparations for an attack on Olympus. After all, there is one other matter you should know…"

"And what would that be?" demanded Shatter Claw.

"I have seen the future…" said Gregory, "When you attack Olympus, you shall get an opportunity: one you have desperately wanted for many, many years…" Shatter Claw looked up at Gregory with his eyes opened wide.

"You mean I will get to fight the Hunted One? My horrid brother at long last?!" asked a surprised Shatter Claw.

"Yes," was Gregory's reply, "You will have your final confrontation with Simon and only one of you will walk away victorious." For the first time during this meeting with Gregory, Shatter Claw smiled.

"That will be a day to remember," said Shatter Claw with glee.

"Indeed it shall," said Gregory, "Now. You must be off. I'm about to meet with some of my high-level officers and you can't be seen with me. I shall await news of your victory."

"And that is the news you will receive," said Shatter Claw, standing tall and proud before Gregory, "Until we meet again: farewell and good luck to you, Great One."

"I don't need luck," said Gregory with a friendly smile, "And neither will you." The Kabutops nodded his head and with a great leap jumped up towards the darkened ceiling. Gregory didn't hear a sound as Shatter Claw grabbed onto the ceiling, quickly and quietly making his undetectable exit. Gregory sat back down in his throne. Soon, he would be meeting with Cyan Drake, his highest-ranking general and Grand Commander Argus, the most capable officer in Team Shadow, second only to Cyan. Gregory couldn't help but laugh to himself.

"It has taken far longer than I imagined to finally claim the artifacts of Twilight," thought Gregory with sheer delight, "If only that fool Shatter Claw had not sunk the city of eternal dusk into the desert, all of Gengar the Great's treasures would have been mine ages ago. Well, no matter. Argus's plan to stage a fake robbery at the museums of Alakaz is foolproof. I can only imagine what wonders will be discovered and the kinds of instruments of destruction I can craft from them." Gregory paused as pain suddenly shot down his left arm. More agony erupted from his chest.

"A heart attack…" grumbled Gregory to himself, "Great… I'm going to need to find a new vessel for the Great One's spirit sooner than I thought…" Gregory slammed his right fist down on a control panel on his throne. An alarm sounded in the throne room as Gregory fell to the floor with exhaustion.

"No need to worry, my friend…" said a voice a Gregory's mind, "You will survive this. We have several more years together. I shall not leave you until well after your 115th birthday. Only then will your body be completely unsuitable."

"That's another 10 years… most marvelous Shadow Mack…" said Gregory to himself, "I only wish I would live long enough to see your goals fulfilled…"

"You have served me well and will be rewarded," said Shadow Mack from in the old man's mind, "I promise…" Gregory took deep breaths as several soldiers rushed into the throne room.

"Sire!" said one of the soldiers in black armor, reminiscent of the style once worn by the agents of Cipher, "Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

"Get… get me to the… medical ward… on the double…" wheezed Gregory, clutching his chest with his right hand, "Heart… attack…" The two soldiers sprang into action, more than ready to give aid to their great leader. As Gregory's vision began to cloud over with darkness, the old man again heard Shadow Mack speaking within the realm of his mind.

"Enjoy your days while you can, Mack," said Shadow Mack, brimming with confidence, "Your end is coming… sooner than you can possibly imagine…"

>To Be Continued...
Original Story, Characters and all other Original Content are Copyright 1987-2010 Philip “Dr. Mack Foxx” Byard and Aaron “Aaraboga Jones” Byard

Pokémon and all related content and characters are Copyright 1995-2010 to Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures and The Pokémon Company
Written By :icondrmackfoxx: and :iconaaraboga-jones:
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Drydell-da-Vinci's avatar
My word, I never knew Gremlin would have such a big role to play in this next chapter, with all his new toys. =D Plus, we're finally getting a glimpse of the badguys! You guys are awesome!