Void Core

[Namohysip]

There was no gravity here. No background, and yet still there was a presence. Flickering colors and flames like candles in space drifted this way and that, some of them aimless, some with purpose. Far, far ahead, in the corner of everyone's vision, was a deep, purple flame much larger than the rest. Even more numerous were countless black orbs that eclipsed any light that they could see...

Voices came from the orbs of light. Familiar voices--confused, frightened, irritated sounds from those who had been consumed by that devastating attack. And while it took a while, they would probably realize that they themselves were among those orbs--they had no head to move, no eyes to blink, no body whatsoever, only a point of light in this great void.

...What.

And then Diyem's words echoed in all their minds.

What in the world is happening up there? ...Oh. I see. So Joule killed some of you.

A sigh. The sea of darkness churned.

Don't panic and explain. Count yourselves. Who all died?​

 

[Virgil134]

As Cabot floated there he felt... nothing. Or at least physically. Mentally he felt all kinds of things. Sadness, because of the way he had to leave Pleo behind, knowing he'd never be able to see the Shade again. Regret, because he failed to save Cibus. At least there was a chance the rest of the team would be able to finish things. But also... Shadows. He was surprised that they had lingered, but he figured it must have been a consequence of using that power right before death when he was already nearly corrupted. At least, it had saved Pleo's life.

Upon hearing Diyem's voice, Cabot looked at the other orbs around him, before speaking up.

"Cabot here. Joule's attack sucked some of us in and killed us instantly," he said. "I don't know who else is here, but I count at least six."

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Where... "

"Where... Am... I?"

Cynthian's voice sounded hollow and wispy. She could at the same time feel absolutely nothing, yet various presences lingered around her. Those voices... was it Diyem, and Cabot?

"Did we save Joule? Are we dead?"

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave started to awareness and realized that he couldn’t breathe a good few panicked seconds before realizing he didn’t seem to need to. Fuck.

Diyem was talking to them, talking about them being dead. Right. He’d mentioned that if they died in Cibus he could bring them back, hadn’t he. Weren’t they supposed to reappear in Veritas City, though...? What was this place? Everything was dark and creepy. Were they in talking Pokémon Hell or something?

“I’m here,” he grunted. “Where the hell are we?”

 

[Fusion]

...

. . .

. . .

". . . Huh?"

Vix was expecting to feel something. Melted wax, being torn bit by bit, a powerful, bitter cold... Those were what she was feeling up to about a minute or so ago. Everything was kind of just... not all that feely. What happened?

What in the world is happening up there? ...Oh. I see. So Joule killed some of you.

Oh right... death happened...

It was a lot more tame than Vix thought, almost made her so silly about being so scared if it. Stupid even. "I'm... I'm here, wherever the hell here is." Looking around and only seeing lights, but hearing voices, was kinda jarring. It might have been the fact that she didn't have eyes, but her own light seemed to flicker ever so slightly. "Where is here, again?"

 

[windskull]

Nip was vaguely aware of a feeling of nothingness, but he was still disoriented. He could see, but could make little sense of his surroundings. He could not move, though, and could not feel his arms, or legs, or anything.

Diyem's voice sounded in his mind, followed up by several others he couldn't identify the location of. Cabot. Cynthian. Dave. Vix. They were all here with him. Dead. How did he- oh, right.

Despite Diyem's demand to stay calm, dread began to settle into his... well, not his stomach, since he didn't seem to have one, but his very being. No, he couldn't be dead. No, this couldn't be what the great beyond was supposed to be, right? besides, they were supposed to go back to Veritas if they died here, right? Back where Diyem was.

...But Diyem wasn't in Veritas anymore. So what did that mean for them?

"I-I'm here," Nip answered in a shaky voice. But he couldn't bring himself to say more.

 

[Namohysip]

"I'm here, too," called another voice, shaken like all the others, but he was keeping himself together. "Is Cal safe?"

I don't know. She isn't tied to me, and they're still fighting as we speak. I do not know what is happening beyond correspondence from those in the Reverse World through their badges.

Owen let out a sigh of what might have been dread. It was hard to tell when he was just emulating the feeling of sighing. "What's going to happen to us now?"

I didn't expect so many of you to die at once. I'll... need time to sort out how to summon you. But right now, you are... part of my being. You are within the fabled Voidlands. My Voidlands.

As he spoke, the darkness continued to churn. There were far more presences than just those who had died. Were these all...?

The ocean of darkness pushed the team back. For now, I know where I can put you. I'll do what I can to give your spirits form within this place... but beware. The Voidlands, even under my control, draws out your darkness like you'd never experienced before.

 

[Dragonfree]

Draws out your darkness -- "Hold up, the fuck's that supposed to mean?" God, if Shadow was going to get even more insufferable somehow he was going to explode.

 

[Fusion]

"Fucking seriously?" Vix groaned. She had a rather decent handle on her shadows, at least compared to most of the team, but how fucking bad was it going to get here? She already fucking died did she need more bullshit on top of that?

How fitting for a disappointment such as yourself.

Vix let out an aggravated groan. "Mother fucker... At least fucking wait for me to get a body?"

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot hummed. He supposed it made sense. They were tied to Diyem, and with him no longer being in Veritas their souls logically wouldn't end up there. And if these Void Lands were the only place he had to offer them... That said, if he understood Diyem correctly there was some good news in all of this.

"So this means you are able to create new bodies for us in Cibus then?" he asked. "As much I like the idea of going home, I'd rather not return just yet. We have unfinished business to take care of."

 

[Namohysip]

Well, I have some bad news for you. I don't know if you'll be able to return to your home while I'm on Cibus any longer. We're stuck here until I find a way to leave. Hmph... but yes. I should be able to revive you. But, I need time. I don't think I have the power within me to properly revive all of you right now... My powers are still weak. I'd... need to find some other way.

The storm continued. Waves upon waves of darkness gently pushed them deeper into the abyss.

So, I believe it is time for you to go. Get ready...

It felt like they were going faster.

 

[Dragonfree]

I don't know if you'll be able to return to your home while I'm on Cibus any longer.

Fuck.

And then he yelped as they zoomed into the abyss.

 

[windskull]

Not being able to go home? That part didn't really bother Nip. What was more worrisome was the idea of being trapped in this vast emptiness, with or without a body. He had little time to dwell on it, though. He had just enough time to say "our shadows?" Then he, too, was rushed away.

 

[Fusion]

Guess there wasn't any backing out now. She was now entirely stuck here, trying to do this hero thing. Same as everyone else. How aggravating.

 

[Adamhuarts]

Though she lacked a body, a wave of cold overcame Cynthian. In the worst of times, her habit to huddle up at home in her flower pot for months on end flared.

Cynthian had failed again, hasn't she? She'd tried, she'd made promises, but she had failed like every other time in the past. It was over, and now Cynthian just wanted to crawl back to her abode, alone. But then...

Well, I have some bad news for you. I don't know if you'll be able to return to your home while I'm on Cibus any longer. We're stuck here until I find a way to leave.

"No... You can't do this! Take me back! What more do you want from me? I've already fai—"

Cynthian was abruptly cut off when she got pulled into the abyss.

 

[Virgil134]

Well, I have some bad news for you. I don't know if you'll be able to return to your home while I'm on Cibus any longer. We're stuck here until I find a way to leave.

If Cabot still had a face his mouth would now be open in stunned surprise.

"What?!" he hissed. "Are you fu-"

But before Cabot could say anything else, he too got pushed away by the wind.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa was the last to die, holding stubbornly onto life as long as she could before the blacklight vaporised her body.

The agony turned to darkness, and then to a confused, torpid fugue.

She shouldn't be conscious. She'd expected her soul to be annihilated if it were possible, and if by some chance it was not, to be restored to her body back home without memory of her time on Cibus. Yet she existed, if thought was proof of existence.

It would be better to have been reduced to oblivion. But she persisted, and so must pursue her duty. No rest.

But she couldn't rouse herself to listen to the vague voices around her, or to perceive her surroundings as real. She could only think, over and over, of the choice she'd made. To risk herself for Starr, and throw herself away for Astrid.

She should have saved at least one other.

The darkness pushed her down, and she went, her mind eating itself as fell.

She should have done more.