The arena had turned quiet.
The mist from Lapras lingered.
The shimmering reflections of Jynx's psychic waves distorted the frozen ground.
Skylar stood alone at the edge of the field, battered but unbowed.
In his hand, he held a PokéBall etched in black and silver.
His heart was steady.
Time to turn the tide.
He whispered the name.
"Darkrai."
And unleashed him.
The PokéBall opened with a deep, chilling hum.
Darkness poured outward, swallowing the mist.
The temperature dropped even lower.
Shadows twisted across the ice as Darkrai materialized—
Floating just above the battlefield, his eyes glowing a haunting blue.
A nightmare given form.
Across the field, Lorelei remained calm.
Jynx, however, shifted uneasily, her aura flaring in warning.
Darkrai didn't speak.
He didn't roar.
He simply existed.
And the world around him shuddered.
The referee hesitated—
Then raised the flag.
"Battle begin!"
Skylar moved first.
"Dark Void. Spread pattern."
Darkrai raised one clawed hand.
A wave of sleep-inducing shadows rolled outward in pulses.
It didn't aim directly at Jynx—it spread across the field, weaving a net impossible to avoid without immense speed or psychic shielding.
Lorelei's eyes sharpened.
"Jynx—Barrier! Psychic cloak!"
A dome of shimmering light encased Jynx.
The first wave of shadows splashed harmlessly against it.
Skylar smiled faintly.
He hadn't expected it to be that easy.
He raised his hand again.
"Dark Pulse. Shatter her mind."
Darkrai's body pulsed.
Rings of black energy rippled outward, slamming against Jynx's barrier.
Each hit cracked the psychic shield a little more.
Each beat synchronized with Jynx's rising heartbeat.
The psychological pressure mounted.
Lorelei frowned slightly.
"Jynx—Blizzard! Disrupt his position!"
The air roared.
A violent snowstorm exploded from Jynx's hands, churning the entire battlefield into white chaos.
Visibility dropped instantly.
But Skylar didn't panic.
Because Darkrai didn't need eyes.
Only aura.
Only fear.
Within the blizzard, Darkrai drifted silently.
He felt Jynx's panic rising.
Her aura was bright. Erratic.
Easy to find.
Easy to strike.
"Shadow Claw. Silent approach."
Darkrai materialized behind Jynx—claws wreathed in darkness.
With one clean, silent slash—
He shattered the remains of her psychic barrier.
The ice cracked sharply under the force of the blow.
Jynx cried out, spinning to defend herself—
But too late.
Skylar gave the final order.
"Dark Void—point blank."
Darkrai's hand touched Jynx's forehead.
A burst of black energy engulfed her.
She stumbled.
Swayed.
Her limbs drooped—
And she collapsed into the snow, fast asleep.
The referee paused—
Waited the mandatory count—
Then raised his flag.
"Jynx is unable to battle! Victory to Darkrai!"
The field was silent except for the moaning wind.
Skylar exhaled slowly.
Darkrai drifted back toward him, the shadows swirling protectively around them both.
Skylar reached up and touched Darkrai's shoulder lightly.
"Well done," he said softly.
Darkrai didn't respond.
But the flicker of calm in his aura said everything.
Across the battlefield, Lorelei's expression remained unchanged.
But her next PokéBall was already in her hand.
She tossed it high.
A chilling mist rose anew.
An ethereal figure materialized—
Sleek.
Deadly.
Floating silently above the ice.
Froslass.
Ghost and Ice.
The battlefield darkened again.