//------------------------------// // 268. Blood Bathory pt. 4. // Story: Baa-Ram-Ewe! // by Darkonshadows //------------------------------// -Ransei, ocean south of Fontaine, Prison Castle, Pom- “Imagine how much more trouble we would have gone through if I hadn’t found Sinistea… why are you here anyway?” It took me that long to think of the question. “One of my friends is a water Pokémon.” The purple teacup ghost stated with a sad tone. “This place has been weird and while I like the aesthetics… they too mean and not the fun spooky we ghost types enjoy. I’m sure I would have survived the castle collapsing, but given that my friend is already rescued, then I can get out here with you guys!” “Right there with you on that.” Given that Shine agreed, I guess ghost types really liked spooky, dark and seemingly abandoned places. That didn’t mean they liked malicious stuff, so it makes sense given this castle was all of that and the only lights were chandeliers we were avoiding like a plague and candles that were everywhere. “We’ve rescue just about everyone, you and Primarina here are likely the last ones we haven’t gotten out.” I made Sinistea perk up easily after stating that. The castle deciding to go into magical lockdown and is actively trying kill everyone inside was troubling, I’m fairly sure I’m not the only one that was silently panicking on the inside. We were sitting on the large metal spheres and resting before we try the upper floors. “You know… I could just Trick-Or-Treat everyone and…” Shine was making the offer and I calmly put a hoof on her back. “Do you have the energy for that, also it would be a bad idea to split up in any capacity. Can you make us hover and or fly in ghost forms?” My statement caused Shine to pause. “Think about the pit trap and ceiling smashers that almost got Dolly, how would we have gotten out of the pits under the effects of being ghosts if we can’t climb and can only pass through walls only being capable of walking on solid ground? We’re not splitting up for any reason, even if your just a few feet away, because anything can happen in this castle if its related to skewering, stabbing and cutting us up with sharp pointy implements possibly laced with chemicals to make us bleed excessively.” I pointed out the guillotine still buried in the floor next to the metal spheres we were sitting on for emphasis. There’s also the fact that I only had so much blood in my body and anemia can come easily to me compared to Shanty who had a far hardier health. “Oh... well… I’m not exactly a Gourgeist that is highly capable of hovering or floating around… which sadly translates into my Trick-Or-Treat move, I don’t like fighting very much which is why I try to stick to utility moves. Not like it matters if I can’t get someone outside with that barrier you and Sinistea saw being in the way and is powerful enough to stop ghosts.” Continuing to rub a soothing hoof up and down Shine’s back, I decided to cheer her up a bit. “Also there’s another reason why I’m not asking you to use Trick-or-Treat on any of us, we’re keeping it for emergencies and you’re conserving energy better than anyone here.” That and we still had to search around the upper floors for a way to that balcony Sinistea saw. “Also if that barrier can prevent ghosts like Sinistea from escaping…” “Then if I tried to Trick-Or-Treat some of you and you suddenly got injured outside the castle by hidden traps… that… made to bleed us out…” I calmly wrapped Shine in a comforting hug as she started crying. We had somewhat similar personalities. “I really don’t like this place.” “None of us do.” I said trying to sound calm. “Also I don’t like fighting either, but sometimes we have to in the course of protecting others that can’t protect themselves. Now come on, there’s a battle to save the water Pokémon of Fontaine outside and we need to get out of this castle so they can really get started on destroying it.” There was no bravado in my voice, not that anyone expected it of me and I was glad my friends understood me so well despite constantly seeing me as a hero. -Fontaine Peninsula, Bathory Battle- Evan, Motochika and a Loudred were moving forward as half a unit as they were reaching the front line the two kings bust out into song as some of their Pokémon were retreating from the glowing red eyes of the controlled Pokémon. The Miltank line was holding thanks to the help of the sudden influx of Riolu defenders, one Riolu even evolved in the course of protecting a Miltank making the other Riolu look on in awe and suddenly they were more determined than ever to hold the line. “When you take a look behind you, what do you see~?” Motochika sang as he strummed on his guitar, he leapt up and stomped his left food down on a Krabby, a crab Pokémon, with enough force to knock it out and sent bubbles spewing from its mouth. “We’ve been hanging onto this thing, that’s really good enough for me~!” Evan sang as he rammed his skull home into a Tympole, a small tadpole water Pokémon, sending it into unconsciousness. The Tympole was quickly picked up by one of Motochika’s Frillish, a small jellyfish ghost Pokémon, from his control breaker units. They were somehow immune to whatever Bathory was doing to control them and a quick application of some ghostly or psychic energy would break her control over them. Another Frillish grabbed the Krabby as the Bidoof Rolled forward and pushed back a massive number of Pokémon. The control breakers always prioritized children first, then any older Pokémon that can be quickly grabbed and set free from Bathory’s control. “So tell me what have you found, when life is pushing us all into the ground~.” Motochika’s guitar glowed and he slashed a Wartortle, the slightly large evolved form of a Squirtle, across the chest before bashing it over the head with a ‘kabong’ noise. “When fighting our way to the top, might take us all down-~!” Both Motochika and Evan were focusing on reaching Bathory, the Skitty Squad was also stuck in deep as they quickly reached the centerline of the battle with the help of the Bidoof’s making the opening for them. Evan pointed with his left paw to one of the logs that had been launched onto the battlefield balance on a rock, Motochika nodded to him as they seemed to share a thought and motioned to the Loudred. The Loudred got the idea of what they wanted from him, he grinned and agreed to the silent plan immediately. Loudred charged forward creating an uproar using a move called Uproar, blasting sound and charging straight into the enemy. Each pulsing blast wave pushed them back and grouped them up. “When things fall apart, we got to keep it together~!” Evan sang as he fired off energy stars into a crowd of Pokémon being pushed back by Loudred blasting sonic energy from his ears. “Where ever you need me, I’ll be there by your side~!” Motochika sang as he pushed down on the other end of the log with Aqua Jet and sent Evan flying into the air towards the group that Loudred was gathering together with its Uproar. Motochika did so as he fought off the blade arms of a Kabutops, a rock and water type that was a cross between an aquatic shelled beetle and a mantis. Its blades flashed forward trying to hit him and he deflected it with his shell blade in his right paw and blocked it’s other with his guitar. Opening his mouth Motochika fire a Water Pulse at point blank and sent the Kabutops skidding right back into the group and got caught up in the Uproar attack pounding a group of various controlled water pokemon. “I want you to know, that we’re brothers forever~!” Evan sang as he kind down curled up and spinning rapidly, he uncurled and his tail glistened like solid metal. He slammed his Iron Tail into the ground with enough force to knock down the twenty or so Pokémon clumped up, including the Kabutops. “If more trouble pops out, then we’ll both stand and fight~!” Evan grinned as Motochika joined him when their forces descended on the prone controlled Pokémon and started dragging them back to their side of the field to the north. Looking ahead across the battlefield they could see Jiri’s unit fighting close to the sands, they were getting swarmed. Jiri’s spear had seen better days, but it was holding up because she was charging it with Normal Type energy and her bear friends were slightly spread out and beating back anything in melee range while trying to avoid range blasts of scalding water from the Wimpod and the Wishiwashi swarm monsters. “Castles will stand, but they won’t last forever~!” Evan and Motochika sang as they pushed beyond the center line staring down the castle under the dark storm to the south covered in a very visible barrier of energy. As they joined Jiri’s unit, a barrage of move based artillery fire dispersed the Wishiwashi leaving them exposed to attacks. “Save who we can, we’ll be by right by your light~!” “With a gathering of friends, we’ll get through whatever, because we all be pushing straight through the other side~!” Jiri sang with Evan and Motochika. Jiri crouched down and launched in a horizontal bounce that sent her sailing through a huge swath of Pokémon reopening a path to the beleaguered and still fighting Skitty Squad. She leapt up normally after landing and brought the tip of her spear high into the air before smashing down onto a Quagsire’s, an evolved Wooper that had arms, head. Jiri’s unit capitalized on that by charging the suddenly Wimpods that had been causing so much trouble. The several Wimpods units were each beset by a bear of Jiri’s unit, they didn’t get much chance to retreat before entire units were taken down by a single bear each. The regrouping forces of the Alliance armies surged forward creating a bulge into their enemy’s side of the field, Bathory clutched at her head as she tried to sing, but it was drowned out by the music played from the Loudred’s at the fort and Evan’s and Motochika’s singing. Aurora had woken up and Fontaine’s people were emboldened by their kingdoms leaders making a personal forward push and taking to the field. “We’ve got this Bathory running, do they think they can really hide from me~?!” Motochika sang his anger making his leaders aura brighten as he strummed his guitar and charged forward as the Controlled Pokémon started faltering and some were even breaking free of their own willpower to attack Pokémon at their sides. Bathory was quickly losing control of the fight. “Open your eyes and realize, that Bathory to us is still a mystery~!” Evan stated as they finally reached the tired Skitty Squad, he leapt in front of Captain Skeeball and used Protect to block a hyper beam that cracked his shield. The retaliation to someone attacking their king was the entirety of the Skitty Squad suddenly turning as one and returning fire with a barrage of sweeping ice beams that froze several of the several Wailords in the ocean making them incapable of bombarding the battlefield with their Water Spout attacks. The reduction in area attacks allowed the Medical Miltanks and Freedom Frillishs supporting backline to move forward and start aiding some Pokémon sooner than they otherwise would have as they won’t be constantly bombarded from across the field. Grit already had the siege artillery halfway to where they need to be to start attacking the castle. “How can we go back to having fun, unless we keep this trouble on the run~?” Skeeball could see her husband was still among the Wailords that were still free and launching long range attacks from the ocean, a Water Spout from one of the remaining Wailord surged for her and it was partially blocked by a Solar Beam ripping across the field of battle from the Ludicolo squad back at the fortress where their six Sunny Day orbs were empowering them with rapid fire beam attacks. “I just want my husband back, though he weighs a solid ton-~!” Another Water Spout fired for Skitty Squad was intercepted and slowly a hovering Wailord to fire Water Spouts at the other still free Wailords, Captain Skeeballs smile lit up the world as tears spilled from her seemingly closed smiling eyes as a massive shadow came to hover over her Skitty Squad. Her unit… was once again full and not missing any members. “Dad!” The four Skitty Squad kittens of Skeeball shouted up to the sky as the Wailord swung around and hovered above them raining blast after blast down on anyone that came close to his badly battered family. Wilhelm had heard his beloved Skeeball singing and when he saw her battered form and her courageous heart still putting up one heck of a fight, he was enraged to the point he immediately broke free of Bathory’s control without prompting. “When their battle falls apart~.” Skeeball started as she surged forward for the clamshell stage. “We have to bring it together~!” Wilhelm roared above them. “No running ahead, we won’t leave anyone behind~!” Evan sang as he sprayed numerous Pokémon with his Swift attack, energy stars burst into the enemy lines that were growing smaller by the second. “Never apart, we’re all stronger than ever!” Jiri rose with a Miltank tending to her injuries, bracing herself on her spear she raised her spear to the sky and held her shield aloft as her unit gathered around her. “If we get cornered, then we’ll fight side by side~!” The Blastoise known as Bartholomew stated as Grit sent him ahead to fire a hydro cannon at a closer range on Bathory, the cannonball sized blast of pressurized water burst into Bathory’s stage apart and diluted the poisoned blood sending everywhere. Bathory flopped into the sand and then propped herself up on her flippers, she opened her mouth and a sonic screech sent a huge blast of water towards them the enclosing teams of fighters. “We all have our part~!” Wilhelm blocked the wave with a Water Spout blast as Evan and Motochika sang and didn’t look worried for a second. “We’re in this together~!” A Golduck sang as he and the Dutiful Duck Batallion charged forward spears, swords and shields raised to take out the remaining land bound water types down in a quick manner that Bathory just couldn’t make them match when they were under her control. There were only Pokémon in the water that were still under Bathory’s command, her poisoned blood pool had weakened her ability to recover from things and the destruction of her stage the bool pool was splattered everywhere and ruined even more while also having stopped her music entirely. “Fighting for all the things we believe~!” Evan spat more energy stars that struck Bathory’s face and Motochika slashed at her and he narrowed his eyes and leapt back when she swiped out with a flipper and it took out a large section of sand that the flipper shouldn’t have been able to reach. “I want you to know, that we’re brothers forever~!” Motochika and Evan sang to each other, Motochika continued to rock out on his guitar even as he fired a water pulse and the way the water blasted around Bathory’s form revealed a different shape hidden behind her visible form that they were looking at. “All the way to the end, we’ll be courageous and free~!” “Enough!” Bathory screeched and the sound wave made both Evan and Motochika flinch back, Motochika putting his guitar in front of himself to take the brunt of the sound blast. “You’re not a Primarina…” Motochika said after a moment of looking at Bathory with narrowed eyes. “Drop your disguise, show us your true form!” “Make m…agh!” A brilliant beam of electrical energy struck Bathory and her disguise dropped away as she was covered in the light of the attack. “HAVOC----!” Screamed Skeeball who continued to push Bathory back to the water, after the attack end she fell over breathing roughly. Wilhelm, her giant whale of a husband, lowered to sitting on the ground and putting his flippers around her tiny form in a protective manner. The kittens started nuzzling into the fins of the giant. “Take… that… you witch!” “Who dares… call me… a witch!” The true form of Bathory revealed itself when she spread her wings out and stood up with a roar revealing that she was much more dangerous than the innocent Primarina form she previously showed. “Huh, would you look at that.” Jiri stated from behind the gathered Pokémon facing down a monster unlike any other. “For once, there’s a dragon I actually want to take down, on purpose!” There were sharp purple edged black wings, three red claw at the bend in the wings, two massive bloody looking talons on each foot as the dragon form of Bathory stood tall and glared at them with wild eyes. The Dynamax Stone started glowing and it had them all wary. The belly of the black hearted dragon was purple under underneath a thick scruff of white fur around her neck and thicker at the back. Her tail ended in a sharp barb whipped about in promise of eventually skewering someone through. The most notable features though, those were on Bathory’s head. Two huge ears shaped like speakers, far bigger and more powerful than the Loudred that was personally escorted Kings Evan and Motochika to this point. Beneath the ears were red spiked nostrils flowing up her head in a V-shape. “Ice type bear just wants to state that…” Cubby the Cubchoo tried to say something quickly, but was immediately hit with an explosive boom of noise as the ears on the wyvern flicked forward slightly, the attack had been too insanely fast for him to dodge and almost took him completely out of the fight immediately upon impact and bloodied his now pained and coughing form. The noise tearing into him in an exceedingly painful manner. “It’s… a Noivern... weak to ice… tar-targeted m-me for that… ugh.” -Boss Monster: Vampire Dragon Carmilla ‘Bloody’ Bathory, Noivern of Sound Destruction- “Cubby, NO?! Medic!” Jiri cried out as she stowed her spear and her unit gathered and started to lift and move him to safety as one. They were already battered, so neither Evan nor Motochika stopped them from evacuating. “Anyone that has an ice type move to the front!” Motochika shouted using the Loudred as a loud speaker. “That won’t help you at all… because… it’s time for this monster to ‘GROW’!” The wild eyed Bathory started increasing in size as the clouds above swirled with red energy and she was struck with a bolt of red energy that turned her from an already large wyvern dragon into a gigantic monstrous being glowing with dark power and now her eyes were glowing a pale pink. Her back and wings became covered in spines and her bladed limbs became even sharper, her normal sized fangs elongated and she started looking truly monstrous when she roared. “Ehahahaha, whoever poisoned all my tasty blood will pay for their insolence, all of you will pay in blood Eeeehahahaha!” The bone chilling laughter wasn’t helping Motochika make his next order easily, as the monstrous dragon prepared to flex her ears again at that size… “She’s Dynamic Maximized, everybody fighting retreat, anyone with ice type attacks hit her with everything you have!” Motochika ordered as he and Evan narrowly escaped the explosion of destructive noise that had been fire at them, but a well time lightning bolt struck the large dragon in the right eye saving them from being directly hit by the impact that would have ultimately shredded them. Several more lightning bolts struck out against the Flying Dragon type, doing negligible damage. -Dazzle- I was staring at the monster. “The lightning bolts aren’t doing much to her!” Aside from distracting her Smolder. So it definitely wasn’t her weakness. “Also that is one big ugly bat that looks too much like a wyvern for my tastes!” There was a look of rage in Smolders eyes, something was up with her and how her eyes were getting angrier and angrier at the monstrous true form of Bathory. “Keep hitting her, we can’t let her focus an attack on those people on the ground!” I looked down as the rain slowed down to nothing and saw Evan firing constant Swift attacks at her as he retreated, for all the power he could put behind them they weren’t doing much to Bathory. “Wait, stop firing lightning! The rain is letting up and we don’t want her finding us up here!” Ocellus immediately stopped firing lightning bolts from the cloud and we had a good position to watch as the battle shifted to Bathory’s favor as hundreds of Aurora and Fontaine Pokémon were aiming their attacks upwards. Of course how much favor when you were one against many depended on the quality of said one who could fight like an army, Dynamax was where one became an entire force unto nature itself. Hundreds of attacks were striking out at the monstrous Pokémon, but even at her size she was dodging them and launching powerful blasts of destructive sound that were taking down Pokémon left and right. A single strafing blast of sound tore chunks out of the ground and inexorably altered the landscape and sent Pokémon flying left and right. I am so glad that I’m not down there, but I felt sorry for the Pokémon getting caught in those attacks. The whale covering the Skitty Squad used Noble Roar move and fired with a Water Spout afterwards, but the sound of Bathory’s screeches created a veritable wall of defense. It was not only that, the sound of Bathory’s voice was disabling any weaker Pokémon just from the pure skull rattling shockwaves she was putting out when not doing attacks. “… how… how are we supposed to fight something like… like… THAT!” Ocellus was shivering and whimpered and I patted her. “Get us back over the fort, we spent too much time gathering lightning only to find out it’s not as useful as we thought it was.” I saw Smolder about to jump off the cloud to go after Bathory and grabbed on to her, she was thrashing wildly as I pinned her against the soft fluffy cloud. “Let me go, must get that wyvern!” Smolder seemed incoherent and I looked at Ocellus who was staring at her worriedly. “Oh right… dragons hate wyverns with a passion…” Ocellus quickly latched onto Smolder and she kept thrashing and trying to break free of our hold. “Smolder…. calm down or I will stop dating you.” The effect was immediate like a switch was flipped and Smolder shivered while keeping her eyes closed, she started whimpering and carefully wrapped Ocellus in a needy looking hug. “Please, don’t stop being the centerpiece of my hoard Ocellus, my one true prize above all else, I’ll be good.” Smolder whispered quietly whimpering and keeping her eyes close and not looking in Bathory’s direction. “I just can’t stand wyverns and that… ‘thing’… is bringing out a feral side of me. I can’t look at her without feeling sick to my stomach or enraged!” She didn’t see Bathory as a person anymore, not that I did either, but Smolder had gone to a disturbing level of volatile of wanting to attack something that was more than ten times her size and probably several times more deadly than the small orange dragon. That would not have ended very well at all had I not stopped her. “I know, but I need you here now… with me…” Ocellus looked to be in pain. “So much malice…” -Smolder- My eyes opened and widened, I quickly started to direct the cloud away from the battlefield as the treasure closest to my heart was in danger. My protective instincts were overriding the fury and viciousness in my heart that told me to rip out that wyvern’s throat for thinking it can even come close to a dragon like me. It was sobering, but Ocellus mattered more to me than that feeling, she mattered more than anything and the malice that wyvern was putting out was hurting her as it began to spill out all over the battlefield. I’m sure that anyone could feel that! -Bathory Battle- A large ballista bolt made from a tree struck Bathory and shattered into hundreds of pieces against the Dragon type’s scales around her belly and only pushed her back. Bathory was emanating hunger and a viciousness that could be felt all across the battlefield as she flew. “Switch targets to the castle, we can’t do a thing to that beast. She might be getting some extra power from that castle of hers and Pom’s unit might be counting on us to get them out!” Grit ordered and the artillery unit Pokémon working the artillery siege engines reoriented. He couldn’t retreat, but he could surely draw Bathory’s attention from their beloved kings of ‘Rhythm’ and ‘Heart’. “Hammer that barrier and draw her to us and off our leaders! Artillery Corps, Two birds, one stone!” “Two birds, one stone!” Clawitzer, Clauncher, Octillery and various other artillery related Pokémon units responded. Nothing says Grit like staring danger in the face with a chill attitude. Despite his injuries keeping him from being a major player on the battlefield. An injured ‘Grit the long slinger’ grinned and was ready to face a deadly foe with all of his ballistic friends. Bathory was massive, fast and exceedingly dangerous, the kind of combination that the heroes on the ground were all hard pressed to match. A lone figure charged forward across the battlefield sometimes rolling where they could, it was small, it was pink and it had large vibrant eyes that stated their purpose as the figure bravely pushed forward as everyone was in retreat from the massive monster. Their attacks doing minimal or even no damage at all. Maiden Jig was not losing King Evan to this monster! Bathory opened her mouth and the spilled blood of hundreds of Pokémon she had injured in such a short amount of time started flowing and gathering into a large red orb in front of her and a stream starting flowing into her open mouth. All the damage anyone was doing was quickly becoming a moot point as Blood Bathory started to feed off of the very battlefield itself with her blood pool ruined. She was practically gorging on all the freshly spilled blood caused by her shredding noise attacks. -Prison Castle, Pom- We were about at the top of the right side staircase and very wary given nothing happened as we climbed the steps aside from some ominous creaking noises. When we heard the roar that shook the world and a haunting laughter followed. Whatever had made that sound was massive and we were all shivering at the implications, I’m almost glad to be stuck inside a murderous castle and not on the battlefield right now. At the top of the stairs we saw the bloodbath room and the throne room beyond, there was also and east and west corridor up here that were narrower than the ones below. “Which way?” I turned to the Sinistea and tried to float out through the walls, only to find he couldn’t pass through them. “Okay, we can no longer rely on ghost typing to avoid the traps!” “Nnnnn…” Whimpered a shivering Shine as Sinistea came back rubbing his purple ghostly liquid face. “Okay there should be at least a balcony either to the east, west or one out the back of throne room.” Sinistea looked a little confused, I think this place is starting to mess with my head. “Okay, we search the throne room! If we can get to a balcony we’ll try to get outside the outer walls and will circle back around to the front.” I moved forward and my right ear twitch I stopped as a guillotine slammed into the floor of the archway leading into where the blood bathtub and fountain were. Once the guillotine slide back up I quickly passed through the doorway followed by everyone. “… Do you think that Bathory would risk her blood bathing area with traps?” “She might, if she’s on Cruella and Splatter Phoenix’s level of deranged.” Dolly didn’t move past me and neither did anyone else, we were too afraid of setting off another trap ones that were notably magically guided at this point. I took one step forward and then pivoted and bucked a chain away with my hooves wrapped more thickly in wool send it away from me, the chain then like a snake suddenly swerved back at me unnaturally to attempt to lash me. I dodge back and looked to my friends. “We’re fighting our way.” I said calmly and as succinctly as I could be given my heart was going a mile a minute as various chains started to droop from the ceiling all slowly starting to creepily point our way. “Simple answer, force our way through, RUN!” We all started moving as one as the chains moved like tentacles trying to strangle, entangle, ensnare and tear at us as we circled around the bloody bathtub and liquid churning fountain for the throne room. I fire bark blast after bark blast to knock the chains back and or destroy them, Dolly popped into the air to block and deflect with her board preventing me from being caught off guard as we moved. Shine was using Mystic Fire at full blast form her lower half to melt them away from us as she toddled forward. Primarina had enough strength to created bubbles of water that she seemed to have some kind of mental control over to slow the chains down. We were all protecting her as she slid into the throne room. Quetal flicked an aerial ace that protected Shine, but a bladed chain got his right arm. Shanty quickly cut the chain with a double hoof axe shaped arcing attack, even then he was already bleeding profusely. A spear at the end of a chained scraped past my wool as I dove for the throne room, Shanty followed soon after as did Sinistea and Shine fending off the chains that stopped at the edge of the room. “Ugh…” Quetal fell over and I noted the pools of blood leading up to him and Shanty started flowing towards the blood filled bathtub, after a moment he started glowing and he was revived by the reviver seed before we could even give him a Sitrus Berry. “But I… only got scratched once…” “That was apparently enough for the castle to drain you dry in seconds.” Shine whispered in horror as we looked at the chains hovering their and pointing to us, one covered in Quetals fresh blood dripping over the bathtub of churning red liquid. The chain was soon clean as if it had never cut into Quetal’s flesh, except for the rusty looking very tip of it. I turned and started walking forward towards the throne. Nothing happened, there were no traps here and behind the throne was an open balcony to freedom. Also a table and a few chairs, the table had something on it… a note that read. “Please, I beg of you end the phantasm of my life and death, destroy that blood bath and what it truly represents, the throne room is only safe because this note says it is- signed the Elizabeth Bathory, the one that came before the Carmilla that I now am.” I looked to the others we all had a look of concern on our faces at this mysterious note. We could have left right this instant, but… Bathory… at least ‘Elizabeth’ and not ‘Carmilla’ left a door open for people to escape through provided they could survive the traps. I sighed… and slowly turned around to begin walking back towards the entrance. “Where are you going, the exit is right there?!” Quetal had right to be afraid, he almost died here. “Bark Buster!” I fired a solid looking wad of through the entrance to the throne room from my throat, the glob landed beneath the fountain and exploded upwards at it. Through Dolly’s vision I vaguely saw the image of a blood covered wolf tearing into the fountain in the middle of the bathtub trying to damage it to the best of its ability and it did damage, just not nearly enough though. The chains tried to attack the wolf, but they couldn’t do anything to it before it disappeared. “Dolly, remember when you said I needed a target to practice this on?” Dolly nodded with a grim grin as she glared at the fountain. A burst of energy shot past and started damaging the fountain and it started to tilt as Quetal was also glaring at it. We were safe in the throne room and we had ranged attacks. I fired a barrage of solidified magical energy at the fountain, each blob of energy exploded upwards into it with increasingly devastating force like I was launching a pack of magical wolves. They slashed the edges of the tub, they slashed at the fountain and they were trying to ultimately destroy it. Only, I wasn’t alone. A blast of Mystical Fire burned at the blood in the large floor bound bathtub coming from Shine. Quetal continued to spit stars at the tub. Sinistea lit the blood on fire with a strange blue flame and the castle shuddered and we could feel something akin to a screech going throughout it. Afterwards he started hitting it with psychic energy like what the Psyducks had used against us. Shanty launched a riptide into the tub spraying the blood with salt water causing it to start coagulating as the fountain crumpled into the blood of the tub. The entire castle started shaking under our thunderous assault. Dodo fired a cupcake loaded with what looked like gummy worms, potato chips and what smelled like cola? Ew… but the sentiment was appreciated. “Aero!” Dolly called out and this increased the power of the mystical flames Shine was spewing. The wind also sprayed the blood out of the bathtub and damaged it heavily the floor of the room started creaking. “I may not understand who you were, but this one is for you.” Primarina stated before she inhaled and then let out an echoing burst of beautiful sound from her mouth that rumbled the whole room shaking its very foundation to the core. The bathtub soon collapsed into the floor and then broke the shredder on the floor below. The entire castle pulsed as if something just went horribly wrong. Good. Looking out the balcony the barrier was weakening and something shuddered. “Okay, now we can get outside and try to reach the castles entrance… and let’s make it fast!” I turned and ran as did the others following me, trusting me to lead them out of this death trap alive. The castle shuddered and buckled as something hit it, was the weakening barrier under attack? I don’t know what we just did or why it felt very important and like the right thing to do, but we did it. Elizabeth, whoever you are, thank you for the note. -Bathory Battle- The blood ball suddenly dropped to the ground much to the consternation of Carmilla Bathory who had been controlling it and think haughty thoughts about their inability to do any permanent damage to her. The healing giant monster suddenly looked wide eyed when it finally felt something was very much off. Slowly the flying vampire dragon turned to the castle and felt someone had done something that just made it impossible for her to control blood. A part of the castle collapsed as ballista fire started to break through the barrier around the Prison Castle known as Cachtice. -Carmilla- Phantasms shouldn’t be capable of being destroyed like that… right? The phantasm shouldn’t be vulnerable to regular people or such normal means, RIGHT?! No… no-no-no this couldn’t be happening!?! Not to someone of my incredible might and power! Why the concept of bathing in blood should be absolute to my legend! Unless… my legend doesn't have as much power in this world... or another legend was taking place as to overwrite my own that gives me such incredible power... there's also the possibility of Elizabeth existing at the same time as me... A cold chill just ran down the spine of the currently giant vampire dragon, one that made them realized they should have worried about the intruders much sooner as there was a variety of possibilities that had suddenly tagged her for a huge downfall. -Origin Space- Arceus smiled upon his brave children, Bathory's sudden realization of it all was also interesting in and of itself. He looked at one Pokémon in particular hanging upside down in the forest near the quickly built wooden fort.