A Rose Made of Shadows

Chapter Sixteen

The summit of the mountain was flat. Covered with floor tiles, it was apparently carved out by Team Blade to make room for their plan. At one end of the summit was a huge machine. This machine was basically a huge box with spikes on the top arranged in a circle, and they surrounded what appeared to be some sort of laser. At the front of the machine was a control panel, and a set of cables seemingly connected the machine to the reactor deeper inside the mountain. It was nighttime by this point, and the air was nice and cool. Despite being at a high altitude, it wasn't as cold or windy as you might think. The sky was clear, and countless stars twinkled brightly amidst a full moon. In the distance, a single Lunatone was flying around.

As Raizel rushed up the stairs and into the open, she suddenly stopped and gasped. On the opposite side of the summit was Rosa, who was already at the machine pressing buttons while the machine gave off a faint purple glow. Raizel didn't move. And just as everyone else climbed up the stairs and caught up with Raizel, Rosa pressed a button that made the machine give off a bright flash, and it sounded like the machine was charging up.

"Yes, everything is working smoothly..." Rosa said, stepping back slightly from the machine. "I have to admit, these people certainly did a good job in making this, even if they are quite pathetic in the long run..."

The machine suddenly made a whirling sound as the top of it where the spikes were located glowed brighter and brighter, until a powerful purple beam of light shot out from it high into the sky. Then, when it hit the highest point in the atmosphere that clouds are able to form, a wave of thick purple clouds spread out from the beam in all directions. The clouds moved rather quickly, and blocked out the night sky entirely.

"W-What's going on?!" Sapphire said in a panic.

Back at the native's village, the chief was busy having dinner at a bonfire with the other villagers and Ethan when the clouds emanating from the summit began to cover up the stars.

"Hey, look!" Ethan said, pointing upward. "The sky's getting covered!"

Everyone else looked up in horror and thought the gods of nature were infuriated with them. Children started crying and ran to their mothers. Even the chief was terrified.

"What is this?" he said. "The night sky is gone, and now darkness falls on us... the wrath of the gods..."

And back in the city, Icy was hosting a late-night beach party with many other people from the community. This wasn't the same beach from earlier, but rather a beach located right in front of the city and that's only open at night.

"How much longer will the party carry on for?" Epicguy asked Icy, who was eating popcorn.

"As long as all of us are still alive and don't drown or anything," Icy replied.

"Didn't Rashaun drown a few hours ago?"

"He almost did, but Ho-Oh saved him," Icy said, looking at the waves lap onto the shore, where Infinity was still buried in the sand by Sylvee. "No one expected that."

"Hey Icy!" a voice called from a beach house. It was Danny, who was being chased by Larz. "A little help here?!"

Icy sighed, knowing that Danny stole Larz's popcorn cart again. "Nah, I'm good," Icy said nonchalantly, eating more popcorn.

"Dammit Icy!" Danny said as he turned a corner while pushing the popcorn cart along in a hurry.

"Get back here!" Larz said, turning the corner after him.

Icy went over to get a smoothie, and then sat down in the warm sand. He gazed out into the ocean for a while, and then looked towards the mountains.