Heroes Pass The Torch

Standing on the edge of a cliff I look down over six figures gathered in a forest clearing. The unsung crowned bow Yumi and the next Yumi, crowned sword Zacian and the next Zacian, crowned shield Zamazenta and the next Zamazenta. Sat facing each other with varying looks on their faces at the moment to happen soon. Stepping forward off the cliff I take a plunge to the ground four hundred feet below me. Descending rapidly with the air currents howling in my ears my body is enveloped by ghost energy.

Turning phantasmal I grab the cliff side causing a jet of dark purple fog to gush outwards. Digging my fingers into its rocky soil a blast of ghost energy rockets me off into the forest. Hitting the ground fog rolls out into the surroundings with my gaseous form rising up. Looking around with my eyes being a red irised color, my state of being returns to flesh. Being a fleshy human once more I step on a shadow and use Shadow Stalk to move quicker. Shadows blurring slightly with me passing through them, the surroundings quiet.

By the time it's almost midnight my figure reappears behind Zamazenta as he stares his daughter down. The three crowns chuckle at the sight of their children jumping at my appearance. Materializing a solid black fedora from dark energy I tip it towards them with a playful smirk. Looking at them though I notice how they're acting, two aren't ready while one is acting like they are. Won't last long if I guessed this ceremonial ritual right, confirming it won't hurt though.

"What's the process in detail?"

Yumi the unsung crown stretches his large frame as the arrow quivers on his sides rattle. His bow on his back gives off a blood thirsty feeling as my scared sibling speaks. His voice is relaxed and carefree while he points at the kids.

"For a crown to pass on their duty we must hold a knighting ceremony of sorts. Doing this we pass on our combat experiences and methods to grow stronger to the next generation. However, during this the soul echoes of those we've killed on the battlefield will try to seek revenge. So we usually take turns to guard the children but with you here we can all focus on the ceremony."

Nodding at this I split my self into four other parts using Death Copies. The four newer versions of me holding a different weapon in their hands as we walk to make a pentagram. The two lower points have Colt Python and Beretta M9 between them as their guns are loaded with a crisp clicking sound. The left point has the Stoner 63, loading it with a belt of various bullets mixed together. The right point has my Hk417 loading a custom made six hundred round magazine into it. I have nothing but a sword, knives, a shield, and bow to use as my death copies use my weapons. Planting my sword and shield into the ground I hold my bow, a arrow of psychic energy materializing between my fingers.

With the five of me making up the pentagram, the actual outline of it fills the night with a cyan blue green glow. A boundary forming with the five of us standing silently as guards. Zamazenta speaks up his voice rumbling as he sighs.

""Soul Boundary" its been a thousand years since I saw you use this last little brother. Last time was during the "Shadow Tide" when legends and pokemon alike turned into shadows thirsting for destruction. But the scale this move was on was grander, lethality to quell the shadows was guaranteed at a price. Which wasn't much of a problem for you, your darkness was already working with you."

"""""Because the mission comes first for a soldier, and right now I have a clear mission. So I must constantly work with the darkness in my mind and heart, as an attack dog that breaks only gets put down by its superiors. Which given its everyone you've killed that includes the shadows from all those years ago. So that thing will seek the children to get back at you three so this is for their safety, as a tainted soul can't be tainted anymore."""""

My voice echoes five times when my mouth opens to speak, the surroundings becoming quieter. Flames of icy blue energy representing souls lighting the woods up one by one. My siblings and nieces and nephews bodies glowing slightly at first till their bodies become covered in the aurora of the crown. Drawing my arrow back my sights lock onto a dark blue flame, as it pops showing its owner, a shadow Tyranitar. My psychic arrow flies curving around the corrupted pokemons tail attack and zipping through it left eye. The soul bursting into fragmented soul shards, an electric arrow is nocked next and released with a thunderous trail.

The arrow ripping through a dozen souls before exploding into a flash bang light. Blinding the surrounding souls temporarily, gun fire sounding off with a slow but methodical tempo. As the banishment of souls begins Yumi is the first to speak up towards the next unsung crown.

"I the crowned bow, the unsung hero of the battlefield, that carried out the assassinations and destructive sabotage during war times. Have decided it is time to pass on my crowned title, to pass on my experiences, my knowledge to you my successor. With it comes the burdens of the past and future resting on your shoulders."

Nocking five poisonous arrows I fire them and let them explode into the surroundings. The souls that touched them erupting as the poison corrodes their soul quickly. Raising my bow quickly I block the blades of an Aegislash katana pair, grabbing my sword I swing it. The ghostly swords wail in hatred as they explode into soul shards. Planting my bow into the ground. I take up my shield as well banging my sword on it as my knives free themselves. Taunt attracting the souls around my area to charge me. The Bow of the battlefield speaks up in a nervous voice seeing the waves of souls coming and being destroyed.

"I accept your past as my own, to protect the region and the world I will not seek glory. I will live in the shadows as the unsung hero using my bow to silence the enemies leadership, to cause mayhem amongst the enemies, and to protect the sung heroes."

"Then I leave it all to you. Make me proud princess, I'll be watching."

Saying those words Yumi's body swirls into gold and green dust before enveloping his daughter. Her bow gaining a tint of a gold lining with her glow releasing a golden color. Aiming my Colt Python I blow the head of a corrupted Entei off its neck shattering the soul. Firing once more the neck of a Ekans explodes as a ghostly bullet hits it. Activating one of my own moves "Bullet Hell" my gun glows gray with the light of a move. One pull of the trigger firing six shots at once, each shot a random energy type of mine.

"I the crowned sword, the blade that cuts down all that stand in my way. In order to protect region and world I cut down traitors, friends, and enemies alike to protect all I could. I pass on my blades sharpness and intent to protect to you, my successor."

The rattling gun fire of my Stoner 63 cuts down the incoming souls, peppering them full of holes. Bullets of various attack moves firing from the barrel along with exorcism rounds. A Spearow breaks through the bullet barrage and collides with the soul boundary. The boundary reacts by grabbing onto the soul with watery tentacle and swallowing it whole.

"I accept your sharpness and intent, to hone my blade and mettle in defense of those I must protect. My blade will drown in the blood of my enemies."

Hearing the young sword of the battlefield, Zacian turns to gold and blue dust before stabbing through his heart. His pained grunt sounding out as his body gains a golden glow. My knives shredding an Onix in armor to pieces as the soul shatters. Firing the last bullet in my mag I eject it and slap a new one into my HK417 as the other hits the ground. Firing a bullet I watch an Infernapes head fling backwards before it shatters. Firing two more rounds two shadow Latios and Latias shatter with the bullets digging into their eyes.

"I am the crowned shield, the absolute defense of allies and those I deem worthy to protect. Offer up my strength, my unbreakable will, my unmoving defensive power, and my responsibility to block all harm to you, my successor. The path ahead will try to break you, to get past your defenses to those behind you."

The last crowning starting has sent the soul echoes into a frenzy to kill my charges. Creating a second Beretta M9 with Dark and Psychic energies I unload bullets and mag after mag into the souls. A shadow Suicune rams the soul boundary getting devoured by it, my soul feels sick. But the shadow corruption doesn't do anything else.

'Why should you protect them all? Your death, let your darker feelings out and have a bit of fun~ it'll be a blast.'

Ignoring the voice that just whispered into my ears I cut a Metagross in two as Sword Dance activated. My sword and knives glowing a steel silver color with black tainting the energy. Swinging my shield sideways, the metallic surface crushes a passing by Dutrio's skulls in. Two shadow Victini's hit the soul boundary and the previous voice gets aggressive.

'Why do you ignore me like all those years ago? Do you not wish to let your darkside show freely?! Why do you not want this?! Why ignore the feelings to see all those delicious sights during war once more?'

"Because, I am my own demon, darkside? That's my PTSD and psychosis constantly speaking my head. Compared to listening to them and acting upon those urges freely, you're just a child. A child who drags forth destruction for those with no experience at letting it vent. I don't need the power of shadows so keep talkin kid, you may get an aneurysm from my stubbornness."

Headbutting a Buffolant violently I knock it back into a Zangoose. Raising my Colt Python I fire through their bodies into a Gallade. Chuckling I egg the souls on with a finger like they just aren't trying to get by me seriously.

"I accept, defending is what I'm made for!"

With those words Zamazenta followed the previous two examples but impaled the young wolf's eyes. With the three having complete crowns, unlike the incomplete forms in Sword and Shield. I holster my guns and sheath my sword. Creating countless dark knives in a dome shape. Death energy is blasted into the remaining souls scattering them to the wind. As the dome melts into the shadows my knives sheath themselves once more. My death copies fading with the blowing of some wind, my guns fading back into their respective spots on my body.

The soul boundary drops when a shadow Keldeo's horn pierces through my armor into my heart. Looking at the soul echo I grab its neck and yank its horn from my heart. Snapping its neck with a twist of my fingers a grunt escapes my lips knowing what it was about. But I can't be bothered to care as the seed of shadow in my chest is devoured by my own darkness. Stretching my limbs I walk towards the dying trees while a feeling of something grabbing my shoulders is felt.

From what the three children see is my shadow elongating itself and grabbing my shoulders. Silently cackling at the weak attempt to drag it forth with that last attempt. I truly was already corrupted by the shadows of dark feelings long ago during the shadow tide. That entity which is sealed within the unstable boundaries of the world just can't tell. Guess god of shadows is fuckin blind huh?