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For the briefest of moments, Isaac found himself consumed by an ungodly blasphemy. As glowing, golden eyes and the crawling darkness of thick MIASMA made their way towards the Glalie, the priest thought that maybe this was a being worth worshiping, this man who could so readily conjure the miracle of night and cast it upon the world. [break][break]

The Glalie must have thought so too, the priest mused silently, because what once appeared to be indiscriminate fury calmed as the Underboss spoke with wonder and reverence. The Shadow ceased its thrashing at the surrounding ghosts and returned the golden-eyed gaze of its messiah, red eyes growing wide with curiosity. [break][break]

He had done well, Isaac thought with new smug satisfaction. He finally managed to find his voice again, [break][break]

“I will admit, this is my first acquaintance with a Shadow Pokemon,” the priest chuckled breathlessly, [break][break]

“But they do possess a rather umbral sort of majesty, I must admit.” [break][break]

He paused, and suddenly considered the circumstances that had lead him to this dark hole. This could be the beginning of something rather magnificent, he imagined, [break][break]

“I also have some sort of theory of how we might produce more of these specimens, if it should please you to hear it.”

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As it turned out, whatever fearful spell had beset the guests in this mansion was dispelled just as quickly as it had overcome them. With a sudden rush of wind, the locked doors slammed open, and whatever terrible malady that had plagued the other man simply vanished. Isaac felt incredibly relieved, and he smiled genuinely as St. Claire regained his senses, [break][break]

“Oh, thank heavens you're alright!” [break][break]

He relinquished his hold on the other man's arm and turned to the enigmatic Lady Tudor to relay the good news. But, how strange – he could have sworn that she was standing right here just a moment ago. Isaac frowned, confused, but was distracted from this mystery when his companion spoke up again. [break][break]

Another change had overcome him, the priest soon came to realize – gone was the strange affectation to his voice, and gone was the mask he wore, in more ways than one. At least that charming smile remained, and that was good enough for Isaac. He slipped off his own mask with one hand and took Paxton's own with the other, and smiled warmly at this new introduction, [break][break]

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, paxton concordas. Truly.” [break][break]

Isaac wouldn't hold it against him for that bit of trickery; many men wore many masks for many reasons, after all. It was a reality that the priest himself was well-acquainted with, but he could sincerely appreciate Paxton's desire to set the record straight. Revelation was vulnerability, an extension of trust, and the priest was not keen to betray it. [break][break]

Though they were free to leave, and Isaac imagined many would take the immediate opportunity to do so, it would be a pity to leave the night so soured by their ordeal. Distantly, the priest thought he could still make out the notes of some ghostly melody; his hand slipped from Paxton's, and when he spoke again, he bowed deeply at the waist, [break][break]

“Before we abscond from this place, would you allow me the privilege of a final dance?”

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Since he had last met the Underboss in Sootopolis, Isaac had been wracking his brain to come up with something that might prove his worth to the man. [break][break]

Money was the first thing that came to mind, but the priest didn't have much to spare, and certainly didn't have enough to offer anything worth noting for someone so entrenched in Rocket's hierarchy. Power was the second thing that came to mind, but how did you give that to someone, exactly, when they had already had such cutting teeth and sharp claws? [break][break]

That certainly was a hell of a question, but it was one that received a rather serendipitous answer in the form of a rumor about this very cave. Another had once plumbed its depths and emerged with a terrible prize – maybe there was some scrap left for Isaac to pilfer. That was how he had first found himself in the corpse of Granite Cave, scavenging its depths like the vulture he was. [break][break]

Of course, that was a task far easier said than done. The cave (or what was left of it) was well-guarded indeed, and while Isaac had managed to charm his way past the guards once or twice by assuring them that he was there to aid the displaced wildlife, other locals had seemed to see right through him. The Gibles certainly had, and Isaac had the bite marks to prove it. [break][break]

But just when Isaac was ready to give up (and drown himself in the surrounding waters, because facing the Underboss empty-handed was a fate worse than death), he had spied something glittering in the dark on his second of the three nights before the Underboss would come back for him. Something floating, something dancing, something melodically singing to him, an ethereal angel flitting by some stretch of shoreline not far from the cave. [break][break]

A Nihilego, Isaac later came to learn, from the Ultra Deep Sea that lie just beneath the cavern. [break][break]

Now, maybe it was just the sleep deprivation at this point, because Isaac was running on just a two hour power nap he had taken on a park bench back in town, but his first instinct was to follow the floating Ultra Beast. And that was exactly what he did, chasing it deliriously across the sand while it stayed just out of reach, like a mirage, like a maddening dream, until it suddenly slipped away from view. Its immediate disappearance confounded Isaac, until he nearly tripped over the narrow entrance to an unseen tunnel. [break][break]

Oh, this was exactly the thing the priest had been searching for! He could have cried for how ecstatic he was, even as he tumbled down the rabbit hole and into the dark below, and maybe he did shed a tear or two when he finally reached the bottom and found himself in the cold, dank bowels of this dead place. Isaac at least let out a pitiful yelp when he finally stumbled upon that stone angel again, finally reaching it, only for it to turn and loose some sort of vile toxin in his direction. [break][break]

On the bright side, Isaac at least had the foresight to reach for a Pokeball when this little altercation occurred, and could at least shield himself behind the Glalie he had summoned when the Ultra Beast tried to saturate him with its vile ichor. The Nihilego, thankfully, slipped away after this one-off 'warning shot'. The Glalie, on the other hand, did not come away from this exchange unscathed. [break][break]

But, in the end, this had turned out to be what Isaac would call a 'happy little accident'. Sure, he was now more or less trapped in this tunnel, because the entrance he came down was far too steep for him to climb back up. And sure, the Glalie he brought with him had seemed permanently altered by that encounter, hide blackened, teeth gnashing, exuding a dark, otherworldly aura that made Isaac want to cry and wretch all at once, but it wasn't all bad. He finally had something to bring back to the Underboss, and he at least had a pair of other Pokemon who were able to keep the beast (mostly) contained until Isaac could figure out how to bring it to heel. [break][break]

He contemplated this predicament, eyes bleary and stomach churning from the past few sleepless nights, when a voice suddenly rang out through the dark. Isaac screamed, and it took every bit of willpower he had left not to soil himself, [break][break]

“Good heavens, man!” [break][break]

From the far end of the tunnel, maybe some twenty or so feet away, red eyes suddenly darted towards the new presence that occupied the space. The Cofagrigus and Runerigus that cornered it didn't dare follow suit, lest they be torn apart by the rabid Shadow, [break][break]

“I – I – oh good Lord, you nearly gave me a heart attack,” the priest sputtered, until he remembered what exactly he had come here for. Panic gave way to jubilation, and Isaac suddenly grinned wide, [break][break]

“I do apologize for the rather... unorthodox choice in location, but I can assure you that I've found something quite special.” [break][break]

Wide eyes moved from the Underboss to meet the scarlet gaze that leered back hatefully, [break][break]

“Yes, quite special indeed. Would you like to have a look for yourself?”

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The other blonde looked as though he would fall over any minute. Isaac followed him (or rather, allowed himself to be guided by him), but felt a new pang of concern when St. Claire snapped at some passing patron. Isaac thought to reach for him for a moment, until he bared his teeth, ready to snarl like a badly trained Mightyena. Against his better judgment, Isaac did reach for his arm, now, even as St. Claire grasped for something, and held the limb with a steady but gentle grip, [break][break]

“Control yourself, my friend,” he whispered harshly, pulling himself close to the other man, [break][break]

“We'll find a way out of this, I'm sure of it.” [break][break]

Isaac looked back over his shoulder to see two ghosts cleaning up the debris with fearful haste. He grimaced at the sight of it, and at the sound of laughter that began to fill the air around them. Whatever bravado he attempted to conjure to soothe his acquaintance evaporated as the cackling and jeering grew to a crescendo. His grip on St. Claire's arm grew tight, [break][break]

“This – this can't be real.” [break][break]

It had to be some sort of prank, some unearthly illusion cast over the crowd by a pack of incorrigible ghosts. It simply had to be – if not, then who had just whispered into his ear? [break][break]

Isaac suddenly relinquished his hold on St. Claire's arm and looked around wildly, from the other man, to Elise Calcifet, to the orb that now lay where the bits of alabaster once stood. He turned back to the girl with a faint hope that she might have maintained some of her sense, [break][break]

“Lady Tudor, what – what say you? Surely this is all some... elaborate prank? Or ruse?” [break][break]

One that had certainly gone on far too long, [break][break]

“Though, whatever the case, we simply must seek some help for our friend.”

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Questions delighted Isaac to no end. He waved his hands and gestured excitedly as he continued, [break][break]

“Oh, no need to fret, my friend! Why, if curiosity were blasphemy, then humankind itself would have been doomed from the start!” [break][break]

Though, in a sense, Isaac supposed that they already had been, but for entirely different reasons. His excited gesticulations faltered for a moment, before he shook his head, as though the action would rid himself of that dreary thought, [break][break]

“That's the thing about faith, you see. It is simply to believe in something unquestioningly. To give yourself wholly, an expression of vulnerability, to a higher truth, even if it is one that our paltry human logic simply cannot comprehend.” [break][break]

He swept his arms out wide, beaming brightly, with grandiose flourish, [break][break]

“Such as, how all of the world came to be from a simple egg!” [break][break]

A gray lump waddled in the snow nearby, and it turned its head to listen to the noisy human and his yammering. Hali hopped up to the Aron and watched it curiously as her trainer continued, [break][break]

“Though there have recently been from some apocryphal texts that describe Arceus fighting ancient giants or some such nonsense before making, well, everything, but you needn't pay any mind to such drivel. That sort of talk is the real blasphemy.” [break][break]

The Togekiss, having heard much of this talk before, YAWNed groggily and floofed out her feathers further to trap whatever warm air she could muster. The metal Pokemon next to her yawned too, until it slowly sank into the slow, succumbing to the sudden drowsiness that had overtaken it. Isaac turned and tossed a Pokeball at the Pokemon before regarding his human companion again, [break][break]

“Oh, and Hearthome is in Sinnoh, I should have you know. Lovely region, absolutely steeped in ancient knowledge. Have you ever been?”

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The left hand path reaps dark rewards, and Isaac accepted it gladly, even as claws bit into his skin, drawing pinpricks of blood. This was simply the first of many offerings, the priest resolved, [break][break]

“Three days,” Isaac reiterated. [break][break]

He'd have to conjure up some sort of miracle to produce something of worth in just a measly three days, but there were many tales of fanatical supplicants of Arceus who had accomplished similar works in similar time frames. Isaac swallowed down his nervousness and smiled, wide and genuine, at the dagger-mawed Underboss, [break][break]

“Consider it done. I look forward to when next we meet, my friend.” [break][break]

The Dusknoir lurking in the nearby shadows fidgeted listlessly, eager to depart. What strange times they lived in, for a specter to be so unsettled by the dealings of mortal men.

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Yes, yes! That Umbreon was finally gone! Maybe now Isaac could get on with – [break][break]

The smell of ash on the wind immediately dashed what few hopes the priest could conjure up. He glowered further, leering, and spat a curse as scattered cinders brushed against his face and hands. The little burns that started to pepper his skin were nothing compared to the RAGING FURY his Togekiss now faced down, though, [break][break]

“Curse you!” he shrieked, as Hali barely managed to dodge a fierce swipe from the Arcanine, [break][break]

“You don't realize that I mean to raise you from your lowly perdition! You spit in the face of a destiny far greater than you could ever fathom!” [break][break]

The Togekiss shrieked as her wing was caught by another burning swipe. Her body shimmered with a faint, hazy blue light as she summoned up a SAFEGUARD, but it certainly wouldn't be enough to stave off the worst of the Arcanine's fury. Isaac cursed angrily, realizing that it was finally time to secure his escape, [break][break]

“I won't forget this!” [break][break]

He took a few shaky side-steps towards the bird, but wavered, wracked by a sudden pang of fear at the thought of being torched by the dog's flames. Isaac reached out an arm towards his bird, hoping that he could bridge the gap to seat himself upon her back and take fight, [break][break]

“You will rue this day, you villain!”

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