The battle raged on—but Skylar and Misty were losing ground.
Hard.
Charizard was locked in a brutal midair brawl with Garchomp, claw against claw, flame against scale.
Gyarados fought three opponents at once, his roars shaking the cliffs, but even his strength was flagging.
Milotic was weaving barrier after barrier but could barely keep Staraptor and Honchkrow at bay.
Darkrai blurred from shadow to shadow, avoiding capture but burning energy fast.
Squirtle lay bruised by Misty's feet, clutching his shell tightly after taking a direct hit from Drapion's tail.
And Riolu…
Riolu darted between Tyranitar's heavy blows, dodging with instinct more than strategy.
Then it happened.
Tyranitar's tail slammed down.
The force split the stone.
And Riolu slipped—staggering.
Skylar didn't think.
He moved.
He sprinted between Riolu and Tyranitar's descending fist.
The world slowed.
CRACK.
Skylar felt the impact shatter into his ribs, tossing him backward like a broken doll.
He crashed into the rocky dirt, gasping as pain bloomed across his chest.
Riolu screamed, rushing to him.
"Skylar!!" Misty shouted from across the field.
But there was no time.
A new volley of attacks erupted.
A Stone Edge from the enemy Rhyperior cut across the battlefield—jagged, merciless.
Misty shoved Starmie out of the way just in time.
But a shard caught her side.
Blood splattered across the gravel.
She staggered, clutching her ribs, biting down a cry of pain.
Squirtle cried out, trying to help her.
Skylar rolled onto his stomach, coughing blood, forcing his broken body upright.
He saw Misty bleeding.
He saw his Pokémon faltering.
And he saw the Shades—relentless, silent, unfeeling.
He wiped blood from his mouth.
"Not…"
He pushed onto his knees.
"…giving…"
He stood, legs shaking.
"…up."
The Shades pressed the attack harder.
Tyranitar roared, sending more rocks crashing down.
Lucario blurred toward Darkrai with a deadly Aura Sphere ready.
Weavile danced through Arcanine's weakened flames, preparing a finishing blow.
The battlefield was chaos.
And Skylar's mind blazed with one thought:
Protect them.
All of them.
Gyarados struggled to shield Misty with his massive body, taking heavy hits from Honchkrow and Scizor.
Milotic erected another water barrier, but it cracked under the coordinated pressure.
Charizard, wounded and burning from impact wounds, refused to fall—his tail flame still bright, still roaring.
Skylar's aura flared.
It wasn't conscious.
It wasn't trained.
It was instinct.
Protect.
Protect.
PROTECT.
A ripple of silver-blue light burst from him for a moment.
Not enough to stop the attacks.
But enough to make the Shades hesitate.
Their Pokémon flinched mid-strike.
Their rhythm broke—for just a heartbeat.
Skylar gasped, the effort draining him further.
But it was a chance.
The smallest window.
And he knew:
They had to end this.
Now.
Or they would all die here.
Across the battlefield, Misty wiped blood from her chin, breathing heavily.
Her eyes found Skylar's.
He nodded.
Broken.
Bleeding.
But standing.
And together—
They would fight until the last breath.