Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 119 - Darkness Rises

Owen's blood turned to ice. Zena froze in place. It came from where Owen had pointed, on the thin wall that separated their room from an alley between the buildings.

"Zena," Owen said softly. "Complete guess, but... did Demitri and Mispy come back home yet?"

"They shouldn't have gone far," Zena whispered. "Dark Matter can't come inside the city, can't he?"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

No, he was unmistakably on the other side of the wall. He wanted something.

"Stay here," Owen said.

"No," Zena replied, and they stared at each other, both their breaths held.

"Then stay close," Owen conceded, and they both left their room.

It was dark out, which meant nighttime thanks to the new sky. And for a moment, Owen considered going back and ignoring he'd heard the knocking at all.

The darkness provided little comfort. Owen's legs locked up, primal fear tugging at the back of his mind. No flame. That was normal, though; he didn't have a flame anymore. But his mind was tricking him. It meant he was dying, and he had to hide to recover. He had to hide.

"Owen," Zena said gently.

He remembered. "Right. Let's go."

And there, between the buildings and in the dark, was a Charizard with a black flame. In his hands were the torn horns of a Goodra, which he made a point to toss away only when Owen was close enough to see it.

No introductions, no welcomes. Dark Matter only said, "I am here to discuss your surrender."

This was different from the last time. Owen did not feel that same dark, oppressive aura that had permeated the air from before, and, looking behind him, Zena looked neither fatigued nor tired. Null Village was immune to his dark aura, so long as that Radiant Tree remained.

So for him to come so brazenly into town, knock on their building, and then request a surrender from Owen? It was silly. So silly that Owen laughed.

"My surrender? What?" Owen asked, and he was disturbed that he felt like he had been speaking to an old friend.

"Yes," Dark Matter said, crossing his arms slowly.

"I think you've gone insane," Zena said flatly. "Surrender? Why, when your power gets weaker by the day?"

"Where do you get that impression?" Dark Matter asked.

"Your influence is even weaker here," Zena said, and Owen, emboldened, stood straighter. "You must know that we are about to strike you down."

"Mm." Dark Matter closed his eyes, and Owen had a feeling he wasn't really weighing or considering anything. Was he only pausing so Zena could reflect on her own words? "You are wrong. My power continues to grow. I am here to accelerate things and request your surrender early and put an end to this tedium."

Zena scoffed, looking to Owen. "Let's go. I don't want to risk him trying anything."

"You're free to." Dark Matter shrugged. "I'm only being practical. I'm getting impatient."

"You can't even corrupt me." Owen stepped forward.

Dark Matter glared in response, shifting his weight.

Owen pressed. "What makes you think you can win?"

"...Mm. I see." The dark-flamed Charizard sighed through his nose, similarly black embers escaping. He walked forward and Owen stepped back on reflex; another step forward.