Black flames began to billow from his body, licking relentlessly at his flesh.
"These flames are burning away my soul," the Earth Priest muttered, his voice hollow. "Even so, if I defeat you right here and now, my soul will be redeemed."
"This will be a one-on-one battle. To the death."
"Go, Golurk!"
Golurk resembled a towering golem sculpted from earth and clay, retaining many distinct features of its pre-evolution, Golett. Most notable were the mysterious, enigmatic spiral patterns etched across its body—though the central spiral on its torso had vanished, replaced by jagged, crack-like scars and button-like formations.
Golurk possessed the innate ability to transform, tucking its legs into its hollow torso to convert its waist into a jet propulsion thruster, enabling it to streak through the skies at sonic speeds. In its flight configuration, its hands could function normally or retract into its wrists to form dual auxiliary boosters.
The Earth Priest's Golurk was colossal in size. As it materialized, the priest produced a jet-black feather, channeling the dark, oppressive energy radiating from it straight into the giant golem.
Golurk instantly grabbed its head in agony, its eyes steadily dyeing a pitch-black hue.
"Forgive me, Golurk, but I must carry out the Sky God's will, or I shall face divine retribution," the Earth Priest whispered, a tremor of guilt in his voice. "I have no choice but to sacrifice you."
As the dark miasma poured into Golurk's frame, three pairs of ethereal black wings sprouted from its back. Simultaneously, two massive, heavy-caliber cannon barrels materialized over each of its arms, their hollow, blackened muzzles locking directly onto Feng Che.
"Go, Decidueye."
Feng Che's shadow stretched and warped as Decidueye stepped gracefully onto the battlefield.
"We meet again, Feng Che."
A towering black silhouette detached itself from behind Golurk, shifting into the grotesque, shadowy head of Ho-Oh. Its crimson eyes stared down at Feng Che with unbridled hatred.
"Thanks to you, I've been sealed away once more."
"I was scorched by the Sacred Fire, and a portion of my stolen power was returned to Lady Ho-Oh. For that, you will pay."
"Now, enjoy the spectacle of the Four Priests running you through a gauntlet."
The Sky Monster's chilling gaze locked onto Feng Che, its red eyes swimming with bottomless malice.
"Sky Monster, your lackeys are just marching like sacrificial ducks to their slaughter," Feng Che retorted with an open, mocking sneer. "If they want to throw their lives away, I'll gladly oblige."
"You are courting death!"
Provoked in front of his subordinates, the Sky Monster flared with rage, though it managed to rein in its fury just as quickly.
"Let's see how you manage to beat my followers. Even if they fail, my seal will break soon enough. And when it does, I will usurp Ho-Oh and become the true Lord of the Sky."
With a final, mocking note, the Sky Monster dissolved into a flurry of dark feathers and vanished into the fog.
Down on the battlefield, the roaring Golurk aimed its heavy barrels straight at Feng Che.
Bang.
A concentrated Shadow Ball rocketed from the muzzle.
"Decidueye, use Leafage!"
A sharp twang of a bowstring echoed through the air. The incoming Shadow Ball was intercepted mid-air, detonating in a brilliant flash of light.
"I see," the Earth Priest murmured thoughtfully. "Decidueye pierced the core of the Shadow Ball, detonating it prematurely."
"Keep up the pressure! Unleash a barrage of Shadow Balls, Golurk!"
Golurk locked its twin cannons on target, and in an instant, the sky choked with glowing, black-electric spheres crackling with dark energy.
"Decidueye, use Leafage again."
With another light pluck of the bowstring, a glowing arc of emerald light swept across the sky, bursting into a blinding shower of razor-sharp needle leaves.
Bang, bang, bang!
The Shadow Balls detonated in rapid succession, the concussive shockwaves forcing even the hulking Golurk to stagger back several paces.
The earth trembled beneath their feet. When the billowing black smoke finally cleared, Golurk's body was riddled with embedded leaf blades, making the golem look battered and thoroughly wretched.
Yet, the shadowy entity clinging to Golurk's back began drinking in the surrounding black fog. Miraculously, the wounds on the golem's body vanished at a rate visible to the naked eye.
"As expected of the divine power bestowed by the Sky God—truly magnificent," the Earth Priest beamed, a cruel smile stretching across his face. "To think a Pokémon could recover so instantaneously! Golurk, shift forms and use Shadow Punch on Decidueye!"
Golurk hauled its massive arms high into the air as thick tendrils of dark energy flooded its fists. With a deafening boom, both of Golurk's fists detached entirely from its forearms, their bases igniting with rocket propulsion.
"Decidueye, use Shadow Sneak."
Decidueye melted instantly into a tangle of black smoke, slipping seamlessly into the shadows. At the same time, Feng Che utilized Teleport, blinking away from his spot just as Golurk's devastating Shadow Punch pulverized the ground where he had stood moments before.
Boom! Boom!
The shockwave blasted away the lingering black fog. Meanwhile, dark energy surged over Golurk's empty arm sockets, and within seconds, a fresh pair of heavy fists materialized in place of the old ones.
"Decidueye, hit Golurk with Leaf Blade."
A subtle, calculating gleam flickered in Feng Che's eyes.
This Golurk was drawing on the Sky Monster's power to continuously regenerate. If he wanted to end this quickly, he had to find its weakness.
"Mewtwo, do you sense any structural weaknesses in this Golurk?" Feng Che asked mentally, seeking counsel from his legendary partner.
"I scanned its physiology with psychic energy just now," Mewtwo's calm voice echoed in his mind. "Its sealed chest cavity houses a massive concentration of concentrated energy sources. That core is what drives Golurk's propulsion and movement."
"The Sky Monster's miasma is merely acting as a catalyst, forcing that internal core to over-yield energy."
"Feng Che, keep your focus entirely on the battle," Mewtwo added firmly. "I will handle your personal safety."
Golurk's tactic of targeting the trainer directly was brutally underhanded, and Mewtwo held zero tolerance for fighters who broke the rules.
"Understood. I leave my defense in your hands," Feng Che nodded. "Decidueye, launch a continuous Leaf Blade assault!"
Moving like a phantom assassin, Decidueye slipped effortlessly through the shadows, materializing intermittently to drive glowing leaf blades deep into Golurk's armored frame.
Before long, Golurk was bristling with glowing green blades.
"It's useless, Feng Che!" The Earth Priest laughed aloud, emboldened by the display. "Golurk regenerates instantaneously. No matter how many attacks Decidueye lands, it's all in vain!"
He had initially feared that drawing the first match against Feng Che was a death sentence, but the Sky Monster's borrowed magic was proving entirely unstoppable.
As he watched another volley of leaf blades sink uselessly into Golurk's regenerating flesh, Feng Che decided the time was right.
He raised a hand and snapped his fingers.