The tunnel sealed behind them with a sickening thud, but the tremors didn't stop.
Skylar and Misty were panting, barely on their feet. Froakie limped. Charmeleon's flame flickered dangerously low. Gardevoir clutched her head, still disoriented from the last psionic surge.
And then—
The wall behind them split open again.
Not like before.
This time, it tore—ripped apart by raw force.
A watcher—a larger one—stepped through, its eyeless face glimmering with violet light. Behind it came two more, moving in tandem like extensions of the hive's wrath.
Skylar stumbled backward. "They're not letting us go."
Misty stepped in front of him, arms wide. "We can't fight like this. Not in this state—"
But Skylar had already made his decision.
He stepped forward, between her and the creatures.
His hand trembled as he reached for something unseen—something within.
And then—his eyes lit with blue flame.
A sudden pulse of light erupted from his chest, flickering like wildfire over his skin. His veins shimmered briefly in silver, and the entire corridor was filled with a powerful, radiant aura.
Gardevoir gasped.
—"He's awakening. Finally…"
Skylar gritted his teeth, blood already dripping from his nose. The pressure was crushing, as though lifting the weight of the world with his soul.
But he held his ground.
The corrupted watchers lunged.
Skylar raised both hands and roared.
A dome of pure aura energy exploded outward—blue, silver, and gold—slamming into the advancing creatures and launching them back through the cracked tunnel wall.
But the impact reverberated backward too—and it tore through Skylar's body.
He fell to one knee, coughing blood, vision blurring. His aura flickered violently, threatening to extinguish.
Misty caught him as he collapsed.
—"Skylar!"
He fell into her arms, body trembling.
The tunnel ahead crumbled—finally sealed for good—but the damage was done.
His jacket was scorched. Blood leaked from his mouth and his side. His pulse was weak.
—"Why would you do that?!" Misty cried. "You idiot, you—"
He raised one shaking hand, brushing her cheek.
His voice was hoarse. "Because… you were behind me."
Tears streamed down her face.
—"You're not allowed to die, you hear me? You said we'd finish this together. That you'd win with your own team. You—"
The light in his eyes faded a little.
And then—
A blast of wind surged through the tunnel.
Lights flashed.
Voices echoed.
Footsteps thundered across the rock.
—"Skylar!"
Misty looked up.
Gary Oak ran through the dust, followed by two Ace Trainers and a Ranger medic.
Behind them, an Arcanine, Pidgeot, and a towering Rhyperior stood ready to level the mountain.
Gary dropped to his knees beside them. "What happened?!"
Misty sobbed. "He used his aura—protected me from a direct hit. The hive sent more—he held them off—but now he's—"
Gary's expression hardened. "We've got him."
He nodded to the medic, who began to work quickly.
Skylar opened his eyes slightly. "Gary… you took long enough."
Gary smirked. "You're still breathing, aren't you?"
—"Barely," Skylar muttered.
Gary leaned in, voice quiet. "You just bought Kanto a fighting chance. But don't ever play hero like that again. That's my job."
Misty didn't let go of Skylar's hand.
She didn't stop crying.
And Skylar, drifting into unconsciousness, felt one final warmth pass through him.
Not from the aura.
From her fingers wrapped tightly around his.