The mist thickened until the world itself seemed to vanish.
The arena was no longer an ice field.
It was a realm of ghosts and nightmares.
Skylar stood tense, cold breath misting the air.
Across from him, Lorelei raised her hand.
And between them floated Froslass—
Her pale figure barely visible in the swirling storm.
Elegant.
Deadly.
Beside Skylar, Darkrai hovered silently.
No growl.
No battle roar.
Just a calm hum of dark energy.
The two shadows faced each other.
The referee dropped the flag.
"Battle begin!"
Skylar wasted no time.
"Dark Pulse! Wide spread!"
Darkrai extended both arms outward.
A blast of dark energy rippled across the battlefield, flattening the mist around him—
Revealing—
Nothing.
Froslass had vanished.
Skylar's eyes narrowed.
"Stay sharp. Aura trace."
Darkrai closed his glowing eyes.
Extended his senses outward.
Behind him.
A whisper of cold.
Skylar shouted.
"Shadow Claw—counter now!"
Darkrai twisted with supernatural speed, slashing backward.
His claws met—
Nothing.
Only mist.
Then a blast of Ice Beam struck from his right flank.
Darkrai grunted, recoiling as frost spread across his left arm.
Skylar swore under his breath.
Froslass wasn't fighting straight.
She was hunting.
Using the battlefield itself as her weapon.
Lorelei's voice rang across the storm.
"Froslass—Blizzard Veil. Phase Shift."
The entire arena became a nightmare.
Walls of snow and ice erupted, moving, twisting.
Reflections and afterimages of Froslass shimmered everywhere.
Each flicker moved independently—some attacking, some retreating.
It was impossible to tell which one was real.
Skylar clenched his fists.
If he attacked blindly, Darkrai would waste energy.
They had to be precise.
"Darkrai," he called softly.
"You know what to do."
Darkrai's aura flared.
He closed his eyes again.
And then—began moving forward slowly.
Not attacking.
Not reacting.
Feeling.
He floated calmly through the blizzard.
Every illusion passed harmlessly by him.
Every fake Froslass phased through without resistance.
Until—
A sharp spike of fear.
Of desperation.
Real.
Skylar saw it too late.
The real Froslass launched a surprise Shadow Ball straight at Darkrai's chest.
"Protect!" Skylar shouted.
A shimmering shield of darkness flared up around Darkrai.
The Shadow Ball exploded harmlessly against it.
Darkrai's eyes snapped open.
Locking onto the real Froslass.
"Now," Skylar whispered.
"Dream Eater."
Darkrai shot forward like a blade.
He didn't attack directly.
He reached through the ice.
Through the mist.
And pulled at Froslass's spirit.
Feeding on her fear.
On her exhaustion.
Froslass screamed.
Mist flared violently.
She was visible—real.
Vulnerable.
Skylar seized the opening.
"Dark Pulse—direct shot!"
Darkrai unleashed a compressed sphere of black energy.
It slammed into Froslass point-blank.
She was thrown across the field, smashing into a glacier pillar.
Silence.
Froslass hovered weakly.
Barely able to float.
Her body flickered—phasing in and out like a dying candle.
But she raised her arms again.
Refused to fall.
Lorelei's voice rang clear.
"Froslass—Destiny Bond."
Skylar's heart sank.
He knew the move.
If Darkrai struck now—if he defeated her—
He would fall with her.
Darkrai turned his head slightly.
Waiting.
Silent.
Asking.
Skylar hesitated.
Could he risk Darkrai here?
Could he afford another loss so soon?
But he saw Darkrai's aura.
Burning faintly.
Tired.
Wounded.
And yet proud.
Ready to finish what he started.
Skylar lowered his hand.
"Go," he said softly.
"End it."
Darkrai moved.
Faster than thought.
A final Shadow Claw raked across Froslass's chest.
She let out a soft, broken sigh—
And crumpled into mist.
At the same time—
A ghostly chain wrapped around Darkrai's legs.
Pulled him down.
He collapsed to one knee.
Then drifted downward into unconsciousness.
The referee stood frozen for a heartbeat.
Then raised both flags.
"Both Pokémon are unable to battle! Double knockout!"
Skylar exhaled slowly.
He pulled out Darkrai's PokéBall and recalled him gently.
"You were amazing," he whispered.
The shadows faded from the arena.
Only two Pokémon remained now.
And Lorelei's last fighter.
The final clash was approaching.
And it would decide everything.