Yveltal had been flying for miles, transcending a vibrant world to one of dullness. Zir head wouldn't stop pulsing that something was off, and each metre away from the island seemed to confirm it. Humans were pretty much missing, as if an apex predator had unleashed itself onto the world. If anything, it must be a deadly virus.

Zir attention soon grew toward Sage Shrike. This young man was interesting, with that solemn gaze, slightly slanted. What could it mean, other than avoidance?

It couldn't have been anything more, could it? And yet... There was the cut, the grazing of the psyche. The splintering headache was a tide where zir dykes failed to handle, cracking and crumbling in the eventual flood.

Zir wings remained parallel to earth, bobbing up and down occasionally to stay in midair. But there was something else.

Something far sinister, an encroaching blade rending that pink sponge gradually, gradually, gradually, till there was nothing left to speed up.

In the horizon, black erupted slowly. It seemed a world of stasis till history surged onto the poor, delicate mind.

"I look forward to working with you." The pact was sealed. Zie was manipulated. Yvette was the cause.

Yet, that boy from before seemed so familiar. It had been some time since then. It had been hell, had been heaven, had been purgatory. Zie knew exactly what to think.

He was in the Exitium Cult.

Shadows zigzagged in zir vision, flickering, thin as filaments, seeking shelter in a savage kirk. Yveltal was nearing Anistar, a ravaged city zie wished never to visit again. But here zie was.

What first caught zir eye was a pair of antlers, a shimmering rainbow in every encrusted jewel, yet a dull sheen in the blue skin accompanied it. Such a sight was unlike anything he creature had ever beholden, and to be the witness to it was preposterous. The situation in itself was ridiculous enough, with the high-pitched moans rattling brick, marble, steel, glass. A vibrant mural depicting a shepherd and an ark blew up, reflecting a fragmented gaze of terror in them. Everything grew abrupt.

The antlers quaked, opposed the dark violet shadow shackles binding it to the top of the church, a crucifix in the middle of a pentagonal web. A pair of frontal limbs were attached to the cross, and the hideous sight rose in the air rather mechanically. On the roof, a petite figure sat and watched, and watched, and watched it all, eyes ablaze with distorted amusement.

"What's going on here?"

"These shadows came out of nowhere and sent Xerneas here. We need to free zir," the figure said.

Yveltal's wings darkened and gleamed duskily, and they swept across the air, a rotten energy and a putrid scent invading the senses. That trademark Oblivion Wing had to do the job.

And it did. Xerneas fell onto the roof with a whine and shook zir head.

Yveltal snapped zir gaze at the figure walking to the Life Pokémon. "Marshadow, I have awakened."

"What do you mean?" The Gloomdweller Pokémon blinked. "Did my Zone help you?"

Yveltal nodded. "I'm free from Yvette's control. I need to resolve all this."

"What about Zygarde?" Xerneas shot them a look as zie recollected zirself, preening zirself before looking at the dull sky.

"We'll head to Terminus Cave now."

Marshadow hopped onto Yveltal's scarlet back as Xerneas leapt off the church, zir hooves cutting the earth.

None of them knew what atrocities would await them there.

「」

Every human is Machiavellian.

That might have been far from the truth, but truth is a subjective, fickle dog. A damned Ditto.

This truth condemned Marshadow since time immemorial. Zie knew the other legendaries may not wholly share that view, but a majority did.

Humans, they observed, would do anything, even if it turned them into bestial entities. The end must justify the means. When one was capable of selfishness, one must learn to indulge.

Marshadow's thoughts rambled on and on till Yveltal touched down. Beside them, Xerneas panted, having not exercised for a while. As zie glanced at Terminus Cave, he realised that Zygarde had other guests.

The first to catch zir attention was the boy from the church, the same one who always attracted zir since a long time ago. By the looks of his subtle shudders, slanted gaze, triple blinks, tight smile, slightly flushed cheeks and a posture perpendicular to the earth, zie knew he had caught on. Yet, there was an apparent relaxation from time to time.

Neither spoke.

Stasis in darkness latched onto them like a persistent prick.

"I, as the one and only guardian of the Umbrage Zone, welcome you to my home," Marshadow finally uttered. "Someone must have distorted space to allow Darkrai in all the way from Sinnoh. But at least, that is out of the way now."

"Who's that kid? Is that even a kid?" Mei laughed. "You look strange."

Jade nudged her. "Mei, that's Marshadow."

"Marshmallow?" Mei lowered her gaze. "You were there that day. You were watching."

"I was. I did what I could to end it all."

"It was a success," Zayn said drily. "How are you legendaries connected to the Exitium Cult anyway?"

"I was used. Xerneas was just dragged in. Zygarde broke down since the ritual succeeded. Marshadow..."

"Stop it."

All eyes shifted to Mei, trembling again, under the siege of fear and its thousand rapiers.

"Mei, a trigger?" Jade whispered.

"What did you do?" Titan's fists were aflame as they charged toward Marshadow who sank into zir shadows to dodge. "You—"

"I'm timid and docile. Don't change that." Marshadow sighed and sauntered to Mei. "Look, no one could have known. No normal human, at least."

"We need to stop Yvette. Fast."

Marshadow shook zir head. "But the past intersects the now, Sage Shrike."

"Stop this, Marsh."

"I can't. They have to know it. The past is the key."

"But this isn't the right lock for it."

Gazes melted into the tor and the distances. It seemed as though the only ones left were Marshadow and Sage.

"It is."

"You want me to face it."

Zie nodded.

"You want me to tell them that."

Zie nodded.

"You want me to—"

"Yes. The four of us have reunited now. Isn't it about time?"

"No."

"Is ignorance really bliss, Sage? You and I are connected."

Sage lowered his knees. Heavy, ragged breaths beat against his nerves and the air and the cold stones.

"You and I are used. Experimented on. Thrown aside. You—"

"So what if you gave me that scar?"

"The contract. We have to undo it to save the world."

"I'm not a hero."

"You can fix your past mistakes."

"I never make mistakes. You know me, I'm perfect."

His smile broke. He clutched his knees, wheezing and blinking and keeping his hair down, his face straight, his neck parallel to his guilt-stricken feet.

"Do you remember the contract? The promise?"

"I do." A muted voice reduced to ashes was all he could muster.

"Every word?"

"Every word."

"Do you still want to lie?"

"I..."

"Do you?"

The stasis grew on him, a jinx, a jig, a lisp.
Each second, his heart would pound his soul into bits. Each second, his nerves would drum on his skull. Each second, his ego would crumple and crumble.

"Look at me."

They met each other's eyes. It was a locked gesture.

"I can't do this."

"You have to."

"I can't."

"You must fix this."

Marshadow clamped his face with zir warm hands. Sage's eyes bulged.

"This is getting melodramatic."

"Fine. I'll do it."

Sage swatted zir hands away and got up. His breath slid across thin air.

"I will take responsibility and control of my actions."