It came as a shock to both Kaden and Isa when they found little to no life as they climbed the tower. The only signs that people were still around were the freshly burning flames on the walls of the tower. Each floor bore resemblance to the last, only differing in minor details such as hallways and windows.

Soon, they found a floor much different from the other ones. It defied all nature, a garden taking up the main area of the floor. There were a few trees growing, and even a small pond. A light breeze from a balcony made its way through the plant life in the garden. The balcony the wind was blowing from was expansive, spreading nearly the entire eastern wall, allowing for sight across the entire city of Luminia and then some. Both were amazed, looking out over the city. "We really are high up. It's kinda like that tree in the village, huh?" Isa leaned an arm against the railing, reaching his other hand over to feel the wind.

"They are a bit similar." Kaden smiled a bit as he looked over Luminia. "Although a lot's changed now. You see that there's getting to be some darker land around us, don't you? I guess that means those invasion stories were right."

"I can't believe it's only been a week since that started." Isa pulled his hand back up, turning around. "Let's just keep going."

He looked straight ahead, stopping. A woman in the white and gold armor of a Patron was standing in the garden, holding her hand up to an extremely tall Pokemon. The wind caught her dark brown hair, blowing it around like leaves on a tree. "Life does go by pretty fast, doesn't it?" She said, remaining in her looking up at the Pokemon.

"How did you know we were here?" Kaden demanded, already reaching for his sword and holding a hand out, ready to point Houndoom to attack.

"As if I wouldn't? You should know the Patron by the name of Aurora now, no? She sensed some legendary Aura moving about the tower and I was sent to meet the two of you." The woman shook her head, finally turning to look at Isa and Kaden. "I will not allow you to pass this point."

Isa noticed something off about her. The woman's left eye was a deep green with the other covered by a white patch. "What's your name?" He promptly asked, stepping forward in a slow motion while keeping his hands in her line of sight.

"What does it matter to you?"

"Ayana? Is that your name?" He confirmed it in his head as she answered, only a few feet away from her now. Her face twisted into a shocked expression, taking a step back.

"How did you know my name?"

"It is you!" Isa grinned, taking a couple steps closer. "Don't you remember me?"

"Halt!" She screamed, pulling her sword and pointing it. "I know no one by the Aura of the Life Pokemon, not even Valencia herself. If we had met, I would know."

"Ayana, you're being ridiculous, it's me, Isa!" He pleaded with her, noticing her free hand trembling. "Remember our village? All that time we spent together as kids? You were my best friend, and when I lost you I pretty much lost half of my life. Now you're finally here!"

"If what you say is true, then you will fight to prove it so." Ayana looked at the ground, placing both hands on her sword and pointing it to the air in front of her. "Duel with me. Each may use one partner Pokemon, but no outside involvement is allowed." At this comment she gave a glare to Kaden.

"It's a trap, don't do it." Kaden spoke calmly, returning Ayana's glare. "I'll fight for you."

Ayana rolled her eyes, taking a hand off the sword and pointing at Kaden. "I thought I challenged him to a duel, not you. I suppose you wouldn't know anything about a fair battle though, would you? Garchomp, prevent him from getting involved."

The Pokemon standing next to her, Garchomp apparently, let out a roar and stomped a foot on the ground, causing sand to begin swirling around it. It became a violent storm before the sand was moved to concentrate around Kaden. He held his arms up to his face to block the sand, planting one foot back in the ground to keep balance.

"What was that for?"

"I have seen him in battle before, and therfore I do not trust him to play fair. Don't worry, it won't harm him unless he tries to make a move to free himself, he should know this." Ayana looked at Kaden as she spoke, as if directing her comment directly at him. "He will be free to go as soon as we are done, and from there the result of the battle will determine where you go next."

Isa looked back at Kaden, and finally back to Ayana. "Alright, I accept your challenge." He formed the pose, looking down at Sandslash who was already at his side. "You can have the first move."

Ayana smirked, looking over to Garchomp. "Everyone says that, and that's the last mistake they all make. Garchomp, Mega Evolve!" Ayana reached for a necklace, grabbing it tight in her hand. Around Garchomp's fin, a rainbow light began to shine. A light came from under Ayana's hand to match, and the two beams connected. There was one more flash around Garchomp before it transformed, the fins becoming razor sharp and growing in size. "Now, Dragon Tail."

The Pokemon let out a tremendous roar, jumping in the air and letting its tail gain a blue glow to it. "Sandslash, freeze it to cancel it out!" Sandslash extended its deep blue claws and jumped in the air to meet Garchomp, pushing them against the tail similar to two swords.

On the ground, Isa ran ahead to Ayana, putting his sword in front of him to defend from an attack. She took the bait and stepped forward to meet him, swinging her sword horizontally towards his chest. At the last second, she slid onto the floor, making the cut run just below his knees. As soon as Isa picked up on the movement, he jumped up, but not high enough to prevent the attack. He yelled a bit as he was knocked down, immediately reaching his free hand to the cut. "Come on..." He mumbled, relaxing a bit as the pain dulled down.

There was a loud noise above Isa, causing him to quickly look up. Both Sandslash and Garchomp fell to the ground, landing swiftly on their feet. Neither showed sign of injury, although Sandslash seemed more exhausted than Garchomp. "Good work, can you go with Icicle Spear now?" Isa pulled himself to stand up, a bit shaky but still manageable.

"Earthquake, now!" Ayana pointed ahead, jumping onto Garchomp's back. It in turn jumped into the air, only touching the ground slightly to send the ground into violent tremors before soaring back into the air. It knocked both Isa and Sandslash to the ground, leaving them both temporarily immobile. Ayana came back down to the ground, looming over Isa. "You've got an interesting style of fighting, that's for sure. But it's an honest one, and considering your teacher, that's an accomplishment in and of itself."

"Thanks. You know what else he taught me?" Isa grinned, using his legs as a springboard to jump up and backwards, grabbing the sword he had dropped earlier. He then pointed ahead, Sandslash unleashing a rush of icicles from its hands, each one making a land somewhere in Garchomp's body. It let out a tremendous roar that sent vibrations through the whole room.

"So you did pick up on some of his tricks." The glare Ayana sent his way was one that caused him to freeze up for a moment. "Garchomp, recover and Sand Tomb on the Sandslash." The Pokemon did as told, and soon Isa noticed a flurry of sand beginning to stream around Sandslash, even a bit throughout the whole room. The distraction was just enough time for Ayana to charge at Isa again, sending forth a wave of attacks. Isa struggled to knock each one back, eventually stumbling back and letting out a few heavy breaths.

He glanced over to Sandslash, who was making fierce attacks to try and break free. "Come on, Sandslash, I know you can do it." The Pokemon looked back to Isa with a sort of nod.

Before Isa realized what was happening, the bracelet on his right hand started to let out a rainbow glow, one coming from the stone that Xerneas had given to Sandslash as well. A few clouds of ice formed around Sandslash, cancelling out the sand around it. "Icicle Spear on Garchomp, and spray a layer of ice on Ayana's legs!"

With almost blinding speed Sandslash moved, first sending a few of the spears flying at Garchomp. Ice flew everywhere, freezing the ground where Sandslash moved. The attacks were enough to make the dragon fall to the ground, another flash of light showing that the Pokemon had gone down and reverted back into its standard form. Sandslash pivoted around, throwing the spear in its hand like a javelin to land right around Ayana's feet, creating a whirlwind of ice below her. "How did you do this?" She demanded, attempting to move away.

"Xerneas called it a Z-Move." Isa approached her, dropping his sword onto the ground. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you lose your eye?"

"Someone I called my friend long before I became a Patron blinded me. He was blinded by his feelings, and in turn blinded me." Ayana's other eye glanced nervously to her blind one before looking back at Isa. "But what does it matter?"

Isa lifted a hand up and closed his eyes, reaching out to trace a hand on Ayana's face. She immediately rose her sword to him, but stopped as he traced out the exact line on which she had been scarred. "How did you get your necklace?" He asked.

"It's a bracelet that used to belong to someone I knew, and I strung it to make a necklace when I outgrew it. Why does it matter?" Ayana screamed, pushing his hand away. "You're supposed to be killing me! I'm a Patron, and you're the rebel trying to destroy everything I stand for. You've defeated me, don't just humiliate me by leaving me alive."

Isa let out a small laugh. "I can't believe it." He held his left hand up to the necklace she wore, showing the blue rose that matched the necklace perfectly. "Do you remember now?" Ayana continued to stare at him confused until she finally realized, her eye growing in shock and hands darting to cover her mouth.

"Oh my gosh, Isa? Is that really you?" When Isa nodded, she threw her arms around him. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"You thought you'd never see me? I thought you died! At least you had some comfort knowing that I was safe at the village!"

"The village? Valencia told me that the village had been destroyed as soon as you returned after fighting that Knight due to the fact that they were tracking you. I thought that you were dead!"

"Wait, she told you that? The village was around for years after that. It only just recently got destroyed by the attacks that have been happening all over Axiom. That's why I'm here, there was no where else to go."

"The village was destroyed? Who all survived? Did Rika?..."

"Kaden and I were the only ones who made it, and we don't even count since we were both away from there when it happened."

"That's what I thought." Ayana glanced at the ground, clearing her throat. "So how did you end up travelling with someone like him?" Ayana asked, pointing to Kaden.

"That's a long story, and I'm sure we can both tell you, right Kaden?" Isa turned to look back at Kaden, who was kneeling on the ground, checking himself over to see that the sandstorm hadn't hurt him too much.

"You want me to pair up with her?" Kaden sent a glare of death to Ayana. "She tried to kill me, twice!"

"You tried to kill her, what makes you any different?" Isa asked, causing for Kaden to glance downwards in shame. Ayana instead walked towards Kaden, offering him a hand to pull him up.

"I don't know much about you, but I do know that you've tried to kill me several times, and for that I'm not just going to forgive and forget. However, it seems that you've earned Isa's trust, and that's a story I'm interested in hearing. I don't expect us to become friends, or even to an extent put up with each other, but I do ask that you at least show me your story, and I hope that you will allow you to tell me mine." There was a slight hesitation before Kaden grabbed her hand, pulling himself up before immediately letting go.

"..Thanks." He looked up at her for a moment before turning his eyes back to Isa. "We'd better hurry. There's no way a battle on that level didn't cause some attention. I'll go first."

Kaden spoke up, telling Ayana near everything he had told to Kaden. He told her about the powers, how he had met Yveltal, and a bit of being a Mercenary.

"So you never chose to do it?" Kaden nodded to Ayana's comment. "Sounds like me. Isa's told you his side of that story when we were kids, but my side goes that right outside of Axiom, Valencia found me. She told me that my home was destroyed due to the fact that Isa and I had been disobedient, and it was either become a Patron or die in the Dark Lands. I took it and I've been training ever since. Part of the training was some form of a confrontation to Darkrai that took away our memories, but I guess there was at least a bit of it left inside that acted like a switch for me to remember everything else."

"Makes sense. I'll take your word for it. I just hope that you'll take mine." Kaden offered his hand out to Ayana for her to shake it, looking up at her with a bit of a smile.

She grabbed it firmly. "Those stories aren't something you can just fake, I get it. I still don't expect that we'll become friends, but I'm certain that we can at the very least get along and not kill each other. I'll come with you two, if not just to get some answers for myself."

"Any reason's good enough for me."

Isa watched his friends with a smile before feeling a tug on his pants. Sandslash looked up at him with a proud expression. "You did great, buddy. Let's keep that up, okay?" There was an over enthusiastic nod from the Pokemon.

"Ready to get going?" Kaden gave Isa a slap on the back, jerking Isa's head up.

"Yeah. One thing quick. Ayana, can you send Garchomp over here without it attacking me?" Isa asked. She nodded and the Pokemon slowly approached Isa. He held his hands up to its fins, healing the wounds. Before Ayana could ask about it, Isa spoke up. "I met Xerneas a few days ago, and it gave me some of its magic. So now I can heal. Guess I'm the Saint and you're the Duelist now."

Both laughed. "I guess the tables have turned quite a bit."

"If you two are done getting sentimental, then we need to get a move on. I really wouldn't like to run into any other Patrons. They'd probably be a bit less than happy when they see that one of them has switched sides." Kaden and Houndoom were already standing near the next stairwell, motioning for Isa and Ayana to join them.

"I haven't switched sides quite yet, you know. There's still a chance you're just scamming me." Ayana's face turned into a bit of a frown when Kaden spoke, but she eventually joined him. "Isa, you coming?"

"Yeah." He ran to catch up to him, and together the three began to climb the last stairwell in the Central Tower.