[attr="class","nikita"]Upon reaching the entrance, the mist had thinned to the point of a light mist. Just outside the rough arch, sunlight could be seen—almost teasing in its joviality. It almost seemed to taunt them with the promise of peace. One taken just out of reach by the iron soldier before them. As its first attack sent Kazimir sprawling, Nikita hopped just out of reach of its deadly blade.

The dark energy cleaved the air in front of his stomach. The mist hissed around it as the blade completed its misdirected arc. A strike that would have warmed the earth with his entrails if it landed. With no Pokemon in the immediate vicinity, the detective lifted his gun to fire a bullet into whatever served as this thing's brain. Something made a bit difficult from the close range.

While trained in numerous self-defense techniques, he did not fancy battling a being of metal. Much like the other future forms they faced, this one’s exoskeleton was designed to be tough—a requirement in whatever hellscape they hailed from. With a series of beeping noises, the Iron Valiant lifted its blade again. This time it crackled with the energy of the earth. The smell of pine trees wafted throughout the area.

CRASH! The Houndstone—earlier vanished into a portal—reappeared in the space between it and his wan companion. Its appearance shattered the very fabric between this world and the next—leaving pieces of the veil scattered around it like mirror shards. Without missing a beat, the faithful hound launched itself toward the fairy-type with an open maw. Its Psychic Fangs aimed to cleave the beast’s staff in two with a single bite—leaving its greatest weapon out of commission.

[attr="class","samjerpoke"]

[attr="class","nikitatag"]Kazimir Wynter