Null Realm ~ Blacklight Eternity

[Namohysip]

There was no permanent floor in the Null Realm that had been populated by the Blacklight, in a space between worlds, not quite its own reality, but not quite nonexistent, either. Not anymore.

Wisps of light that resembled solar flares raced past them from far away. There were no stars yet, only gas-like clouds and other foreign material and semi-materials floating this way and that. Similar to the Reverse World, floating platforms occasionally, tenuously came into being, with small black specks sprouting from it with tiny white dots where heads would be. They stared emptily at the new arrivals, and then mindlessly went about their business before disappearing just as spontaneously. It was like they were acting out memories of where they had come from, soulless caricatures of the denizens of Cibus.

When Team Spectrum and their backup walked along, a floor appeared for them. In fact, a lot of things seemed to spontaneously appear for them. Those who wanted to swim could swim through water that appeared around their person; those who flew would be able to find a tailwind wherever they wanted. In this Null Realm, they were all creator gods, infused with Divine power thanks to Pop's help, and they were about to assault the owner of this unstable domain.

<><><>​

It was somewhere ahead. Like a magnet, like resonance, something echoed with their power further ahead. Innately, the team knew where they were supposed to go, despite the otherwise directionless atmosphere.

"Here we are," Diyem said, his voice echoing. "Eien. Did you provide Arceus with our extra power?"

"I did," Eien replied.

"This is gonna suck," Soda muttered. "Oh well. I'll back you guys up."

Xernatus tapped a hoof on the ground. "I can feel it... The power that... created me. I'm... this thing's child, aren't I? ...I hope... we can save it."

"As long as you have me with you, this'll be easy," Sword said with a confident smile. "What form should I take, huh? Doggo? Catto? Drago?" As she spoke, she flipped between them at will.

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut facepalmed. "... I already regret these decisions. Who did we let pick the cavalry, exactly?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa's steps related little to any actual surface. Her paws made contact with crackling energy, not a solid surface. Her experimentation with defying gravity gave her some small help in coming to terms with the effect it had on the mind and body, but hell, if wasn't even the weirdest thing to happen since entering Destiny Village...

Stick by each other, she sent to the team. We fight 'til this is done.

 

[Namohysip]

"...Something about this place..." Owen trailed off, walking forward with caution. Eventually, he didn't trust the ground, so he took to the air, drifting forward the same way. As Brisa suggested, and Diyem corroborated, they stayed close, avoiding crowds of those strange, Blacklight illusions.

"Are they real?" Cal asked Diyem.

"No," Diyem replied. "I sense no life from them. They are extensions of the god of this world and nothing more... Automatons, no more sentient than your tail. Still... If this keeps up, they may one day form spirits. A self-sustaining world of misery could be born here if we don't stop it now... And the spirits may be siphoned away from Cibus itself."

"Leave it to Dark Matter to make things heavy," Soda muttered, snapping his claws. "Damn. My illusions aren't working the way they should here."

"I feel a bit... drained, too," Xernatus admitted. "But this was to be expected, wasn't it?"

"Yes." Diyem channeled his Shadows. They seemed weaker. "This will have to do. I am focusing my power on Team Spectrum to make sure they can still be at their best. Eternas, you should do the same."

"Already on it," Cal said, her ectoplasm rippling and hardening. "Let's do this..."

They continued through the strange, fragmented world. Houses rose and appeared out of nowhere, revealing strange depictions of mishmashed memories. A large creature loomed over a family, berating them using words that sounded like a language, and yet could not be interpreted at all.

A while later, it showed a ghostly Pokemon fleeing from the apparition of a lithe Pokemon, perhaps a Gardevoir. There was a Totodile sitting on the beach, weeping in front of a Bidoof before that depiction, too, disappeared. Ahead, a Kyurem stomped an Axew into the ground, grinding his bones while the frozen, shattered remains of a Hydreigon lay in a field. A nearby Snivy only watched in paralyzed horror. A Charmander guarded a Riolu, while a sphere reminiscent of Dark Matter's core goaded them.

The atmosphere was getting heavier. They pressed onward. They had to, even as the strange flares in the atmosphere threatened to blow them all away. They held strong and walked past the illusions. They were starting to look more familiar. Two Pokemon trapped in a cave in some unknown plane, starving, dying, yet they refused to speak to one another. A great dragon of colorless light lay on a rooftop, isolated, as life went on around him. A canine struck out at a meek, trembling mirror of himself, only for those same injuries to appear on the attacker. Two Charizard fought; one stayed stationary. The other desperately aimed to kill. A Meganium lay in a forest, alone as darkness closed in and illusions tore away at the body.

"That's..." Owen trailed off.

"Ignore it," Diyem said firmly. "It's just ahead. Look."

It was coming into view amid the thickening atmosphere. Just as Pop had depicted from the vision, there was a great, central core that obscured whatever was within, protected by five glowing embers. Each one was a different power.

Sssssst!

Diyem held out his hand and wing, and everyone stopped. A swirl of energy appeared in front of them. It seemed to be countless forms at once, an illusion that switched between any form in its memory, or perhaps all of them, shapeless, almost incomprehensible to stare at for too long.

They endured. They had endured enough already, and they could endure more.

And then, it spoke.

̴"̵Y̶o̶u̴'̵r̷e̵ ̴h̶e̷r̶e̶.̶"̷ ̵

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv stuck close to Dill as they trotted alongside the group. This place was so foreign, alien. It almost reminded them of that platform they woke up on, but yet it was so different at the same time. The flares, the floating platforms, the apparitions...it was like nothing they'd ever seen before.

Their eyes couldn't help but wander as they saw the Meganium.

That was...

Nevermind that. They had to stay strong.

They continued along with the group, only to stop as they did. An incomprehensible illusion, sending Saltriv dizzy the longer they looked at it, before they turned away.

And then it spoke.

"Yep. We're here," Saltriv responded with a flick of their leaf.

This was it.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa eyed a familiar scene of misery from her own not-so-distant past. That was herself with Starr, as shinx and litten, in that pit... So, the Eternal Blacklight really did people its private realm with suffering after all. Not just suffering, but...

Sufferin' without meaning. Sufferin' without context. You spent a couple nights of anguish in that cavern, but it led to a friendship and a love that lasted much longer. Maybe... This thing's like Diyem afore he were changed. Incapable of peace or happiness.

And yet, had it not once been an Eternatus? Did it not have Eien's potential for feeling? Brisa couldn't know. These mysteries were beyond her expertise; fighting the goddamn thing was not. She flexed her wrist and felt tiny loops of Shadow and Radiance dance around each other, just as Zeraora had demonstrated to her. Yeah, she had her powers yet. They'd pull through.

̴"̵Y̶o̶u̴'̵r̷e̵ ̴h̶e̷r̶e̶.̶"̷ ̵

And then at last, they faced the Eternal Blacklight up close.

Saltriv spoke first. Then Luz—

"How d'you do?" asked the unflappable Eterna. "Any chance we could talk this out?"

Brisa couldn't help but smile to herself. Nah. There'd be a fight, wouldn't there... But the team were idealistic sorts, very nearly to a 'mon. They owed it to themselves to give it a chance.

 

[Namohysip]

Cal, meanwhile, thought to the others. Is it real?

No, Owen replied. This is a projection. Don't bother attacking.

Shadow appeared near Dave during a psychological moment of weakness, shivering. Dave scoffed at this, muttering to Shadow not to let it bother him; the Eternal Blacklight operated on misery. There was no point in falling for it.

The others were similarly unaffected, for now. They knew not to fall for its tricks. They'd spent the better part of a year fighting them; this was trivial.

"Ta̸l̴k̷?̷" it said, and then paused. "...L̷e̸a̸v̵e̴..."

"We can't do that," Diyem said.

"We're here to free you," Owen said. "You're... suffering. We can help. Just... let us take you somewhere better. Okay?"

"...I̷t̷'̸s̷ ̶a̶l̸l̶ ̶a̷ ̷l̴i̷e̵..."

"It's not. You just can't see."

Countless changing eyes stared at them all at once. Then, it looked down and away, as if dejected.

"The eternal truth... Everything is... a struggle. Śuffe͢ring̀... I know all of it. A whole world's... suffering. It's too much... it's so much... But even worse... is trying to l͟͝i̡͞ȩ. To be... happy. To fake... your smiles. All of you... are suffering. I͘ ̸w̨i̸ĺl͞ m̡ake͘ y̧òu͏ a̡l̴l͏... śe̶e͏ ̀th̴e͢ t́͟r̶̶̡͞ư̷͢t̵̵̢̛͡h͏̶́̕."

Voices echoed from nothing, all around them.

"And then... we can change it."

"I will make a world..."

"Where suffering... will stop being hidden..."

"And ̶w̢ę ͠can a҉l͘l̕ b̶e fr̛èè."

This dude's fucking insane. What is all this?! Cal growled, feeling something inside of her churn with disgust, then longing, and then disgust at that longing.

Get ready. Something in the air is changing. Owen tried to flex his claws, but the air energy was too thick. They needed a moment to get their tempo going.

He's stalling, Diyem warned. Everyone! Locate a target and get ready. Like we planned. Rehearsals. And remember--our allies are not linked like we are. Be ready to work with them!

 

[Cresselia92]

As soon as the chaotic entity finished speaking, there was a slow clap. Then, the clapping became stronger and faster, almost cacophonous.

“Oh, wow. Really, wow. Congrats for telling us old news. Life has suffering, death, angst, whump, and all that yadda yadda. Everyone knows all of that, bud!” deadpanned Petram, staring impassively at the incarnation of the Blacklight. After witnessing his father’s horrors in his mind for so long, that was nothing in comparison. “Well, how about this for an eternal truth?” He pointed his claw. “You’re wrong, and we’ll prove it — right here, right now!”

“I concur here,” commented Icetales, getting into his fighting stance. “Dismissing the good of someone’s life just because of being subjected to pain… that is not based.”

Petram gasped in delight, then showed a double thumbs-up to the other fox. “Yo! Nice job finding a way to use that word, Daddy!”

“What can I say?” Icetales smirked. “Even an archaic prince can learn modern terms.”

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa braced herself, bright plasma flickering across her zeraora form.

"We're on," she called. "Form up, set up, don't hesitate!"

The team was better-honed than ever, and they had allies on the field, too. Good ones. Brisa didn't have a bond with Ionys or Xernatus, but people she cared about sure did. She was glad to see Eien alongside Diyem. And Sword—

"Hey Darkwhite," called Brisa, with that wild grin she'd developed of late, "I better see you breakin' yer all-time asskickin' record, motherfucker! Let's go!"

Two of the spheres of energy corresponded to light and shadow. The team had an answer to that. Brisa sprinted through space, leaving a trail of lightning, with a meteoric Starr and stellar Astrid close by. Time for them to put a year's training and the experience of a million Colosseum matches to their ultimate use.

 

[Namohysip]

Rocky's Core no longer reached out to the Outworlds; this time, it seemed that this realm itself, between the realms, was tearing apart to allow interference from outside. Perhaps the Overseers had something to do with it...

After everything was said in that brief exchange, where it seemed like they were all staring quietly at them, it seemed like there was nothing more that could be said.

Perhaps it wanted to add something. If it wanted to, it never followed up. Its mouth, or mouths, or its presence of mind, opened, and no words came. It shook its head, sighed, and disappeared.

And then, it started to move.

Now! Get into formations, now!

That barrier is completely invincible. Look at the trails of light! ...We have to take down those five flames! After that, the shield should become vulnerable!

This thing... It has multiple protections. These flames are just the start. Then that shield. Something is deeper inside... That must be its true body.

I can't see anything inside. Owen flew up high, ready to fall into formation. I'll tell you when I do.

A new presence echoed in their minds, and for once it was a pleasant one.

I sensed a spike in energy. You're about to fight. Good. Time for us to send you some power... Eien!

I'm here!

Activate it, now!

And suddenly, red electricity struck at all of Team Spectrum, including the Void Eternas. "G-gah!" Owen fumbled in his flight, but then looked at his hands. This felt familiar, but the madness that came with it... wasn't there. It was controlled.

I can't give you the same techniques I'm capable of, Eien said, but maybe this will help us for the fight...! Try to get used to it quickly!

Eterna Energy surged through the team, massively increasing their size!
Their max HP doubled!

...But even with that massive increase in size, the Eternal Blacklight was dauntingly larger. In this world, even this temporary boon was nothing to this thing's celestial scope.

"Now THIS is more like it!" Soda shouted, hopping back with a smirk. It didn't really change his speed, either. In this realm, familiarity was what drove everything around them, including themselves.

Owen called, "We're sorry it's come to this--"

"I'm not!" Cal amended.

"--But this is for the sake of... everything!" Owen glanced at Petram. "You have your 'truth'... and we have ours. We'll show you which one is right!"

The Eternal Blacklight is attacking!
Five Flames of Power appeared!

Each one has 10,000 HP and Last Word!

The true Blacklight is protected by an opaque barrier... It can't be broken until the flames are snuffed out!
Special Condition: Keep Diyem up for the whole fight!

 

[IFBench]

As Eterna Energy surged through them, Saltriv dashed towards one of the flames, Burhalla right next to them. They'd do this. They'd win this! They'd stop the Eternal Blacklight, and save it, too!

Turning their head towards their partner as they ran, they asked, "Are you ready?"

 

[Sudmensch]

Reeling from the surge of energy, he ran alongside his partner.

“Yeah. Yeah… this it is, huh? I’m nervous.”

He was quiet for a second.

“In case something happens, this, uh, might be weird at this point, but! Hah… I-I love you, Sal,” the Feraligatr managed as he ran.

 

[IFBench]

"Yep. This is it, but we can do it! I believe in all of us!" Saltriv proclaimed, laying a vine on Dill's shoulder.

"I love you too, Dill," they said, smiling at their partner, before turning back towards the flame they were running towards, eyes filled with determination. "Let's do this, together!"

 

[Sudmensch]

“Yeah!” Dill roared, briefly holding that wonderful vine on his shoulder before he charged.

 

[Flyg0n]

Koa howled, a loud rallying battlecry. His spirits were high and he felt more confident than ever. The Blacklight's words washed over him, and he barely paid them any mind. He'd faced himself in his darkest, and they could overcome this. He glared at the Blacklight, delighting in the new power thrumming through his limbs.

"It's time you face the truth."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa put a dynamaxed fist into a dynamaxed palm, and popped her knuckles with a resounding crack.

"This'll do nicely."

Brisa used Bright Arcflash! She sustained a burn, activating her Guts, charged her next electric attack, and gained +1 Defense and Resistance!

 

[Chibi Pika]

So this was what it all came down to. A goddamn huge leviathan made entirely of twisted pain and suffering that was generating its own personal hellworld to drag Cibus into. Charming. And yet it didn't even feel like their most impossible mission. Not when they'd gone up against so much together.

"You guys are gonna have your work cut out for you figuring out how to reform this thing, that's for damn sure," Starr said as her fur lit up with Radiance. "Let's just focus on beating it down first."

A writhing mass of shadowy energy loomed overhead. It wasn't hard to guess what to hit it with.

 

[Namohysip]

Skara’s Spectral Boon V buffed Koa!
Ashwood’s Nullify protected Starr!
Ashwood’s Nullify protected Vix!
Miles’ Shield protected Brisa!
Seyka’s Blink sped up Mellow!
Launchs’ Shield protected Koa!
Cuicatl’s Surge buffed Owen!

Saltriv's Void Acceptance prepared Brisa, Koa and Mellow to wield the Blacklight!
Saltriv's pure words rallied Starr, Koa and Vix!
Mellow held out a massive tea party with Brisa, Starr, Koa, Saltriv and Icetales, and let them set up!
Icetales took tea with Koa!
Mellow's Tailwind boosted the whole team's Speed!
Icetales’ Diamond Dust soothed the team!
Vix's Brilliant Justice protected and drained Koa, Icetales and Starr!
Vix’s Justice drained some of Brisa’s Radiance!
Dave's Brilliant Determination protected Vix!
Dave copied Vix’s Speed!
Brisa's Brilliant Paragon pushed herself and Starr to their limits!
Starr's Void Catharsis soothed and healed herself and Brisa!

Koa's Volt Switch dealt 258+800 damage to the Eterna Flame!

"Very good. Keep pace!" Diyem commanded, looking left and right carefully. "It's preparing something... Let's take out those flames quickly!"

Diyem spotted Koa striking one. Despite the ethereal nature of it, those flames were solid and corporeal, like there was a solid core to them. At least that made it easier to strike.

But he needed time to prepare, and it looked like the allies of Team Spectrum were trying to get their momentum.

Diyem's Ritual activated! He opened with Abyssal Ritual!
Eien's Absorption activated! Interacting with Eien allows the use of one move with negative effects, without the negative effects, and Eien will take it instead!
Ionys' Mischief activated, giving him great evasion!
Xernatus' Healing activated! Those who interact with Xernatus heal for 100 HP and have their ailments and debuffs cured!
Sword's Energy activated! She gained Sure Crit+∞!

Diyem used Abyssal Ritual, getting to +2!
Diyem used Blinding Replica, creating Shining Burden on Mellow! She and Diyem gained +2 Protect!

Eien used Eterna Stockpile, gaining +1 Valor!
Eien used Eternabeam on the Eterna Power, dealing 203 damage!

Soda used Blinding Mirrors! Vix and Dave gained an extra layer of protection!
Soda used Hone Claws, gaining Attack and Accuracy!

Xernatus is charging Geomancy...
Xernatus used Moonblast on the Living Power, dealing 61 damage!

Sword used Swords Dance!
Sword used Behemoth Blade on the Divine Power, dealing a CRITICAL 688 damage!

"Gahh, these guys are tough!" Sword said. "I think we need to get our groove in! C'mon, guys!"

"I'm... trying," Xernatus said. "I hope my healing can help...!"

"Shit, that wasn't a good hit," Soda muttered, spotting Eien's paltry blast. "We need to get more momentum! Tempo, tempo!"

"I--I'm not good at fighting, give me a moment--" Eien called.

"How the fuck are YOU not good at fighting?!" Sword called from far away.

"Enough! Watch out! It's active!"

And just then, all of the flames let out a pulse of their own energy, striking everyone.

All of the Power Flames main attacks struck thrice!

The Shadow Power used Abyssal Nil against Koa, Mellow, and Diyem!
Diyem: Protect, then 102!
Koa: Lauchs took two blows for 993, and then one Protect was blocked!
Mellow: Protect, then a grazing 322!

The Light Power used Blinding Sol against Vix, Dave, and Soda!
Vix: Protect, then a grazing 107!
Dave: Protected!
Soda: Protect, dodge!

The Eterna Power used Eterna Madness on Brisa, Starr, and Icetales!
Brisa: Blocked!
Starr: Blocked, dodged, and then a grazing 44!
Icetales: Partial grazing 270!

Starr and Icetales resisted getting Confused!

The Divine Power used Divine Arms on Sword and Owen!
Sword: 732
Owen: 192

The Living Power used Life Drain on Bahamut and Xernatus!
Bahamut: Dodged, and then a grazing 36!
Xernatus: 525

Xernatus lost some Speed! Bahamut resisted losing Speed!

Something within the barrier in the core lashed out, taking aim at the North zone with Blacklight Beam!
Brisa: Dodged!
Icetales: 610
Saltriv: Protect!
Starr: 702
Eien: 906

The five powers pulsed in sync and collectively used Eternal Blacklight Surge, gaining +1 Valor!

"F-fuck!" Sword was already panting, sporting a nasty wound on her side that shimmered with silver energy, like it had struck her very spirit. "I--I'm fine!" she announced. "But I gotta get defensive next turn, s-sorry."

"Stay by me," Owen said firmly. "I'll try to give you some barriers!"

Sword glanced at Owen. She thought she'd seen a Lucario, but it was just her imagination.

"I'm--I'm not doing too well, either," Eien said. "If I could get some assistance, or, ah, perhaps I can make do..."

Diyem glanced worriedly toward Eien, but he had to focus. He needed to keep his ritual progressing...

Soda looked like he was in good shape; he was more concerned for his allies.

Xernatus seemed lost, unsure of what to do with himself as he charged up.

Shadow Power: 10000
Light Power: 10000
Eterna Power: 8739
Divine Power: 9312
Living Power: 9939

 

[Sudmensch]

"Grimer slime! Agh... h-how you doing, Sal?" Dill asked.

 

[IFBench]

"I'm ok!" Saltriv replied, waving their leaf. A sphere of light formed above the group, shining down on the team. "Just need to stay strong!"