Chapter 431: Something About Arceus (4)
~Third POV~
[Johto-Sinnoh Region, Meanwhile, Sinjoh Ruins (Lance Side)]
The spatial fabric of the Mystri Stage rippled like disturbed water as the focus shifted from the frozen stillness of Dialga's defeat to the chaotic, shifting battlefield of the Dragon Master.
Lance stood tall atop his Dragonite, his cape snapping in the violent spatial winds. Unlike the static cold of Pryce's battlefield, this area was a kaleidoscope of overlapping dimensions.
Palkia roared, its pearl-encrusted shoulders glowing with an ethereal pink light as it tore rifts in the air, attempting to swallow Lance whole, "GRAOOO!!!"
Lance's gaze locked onto Palkia. He roared, pointing towards the Spatial Pokémon, "Dragonite! Go!"
*Zoooom*
His Dragonite, its scales gleaming, surged forward with a powerful beat of its wings, a defiant roar echoing through the chamber. Lance, astride its back, felt the familiar surge of adrenaline as he commanded, "Dragonite, Hyper Beam! Don't let up!"
Palkia roared, offended by the direct assault, "ROOOAARR!"
*SHIIING*
With a mighty swing of spatial distortion, Palkia unleashed a Spacial Rend, attempting to tear a hole and send the incoming attack into another dimension. The purple energy of Spacial Rend clashed with the golden beam of Hyper Beam, twisting the space around them.
But Lance knew Palkia's tricks. He yelled, his voice carrying above the clash, "Not so fast, Palkia! Dragonite, redirect! Send it back!"
*Swooosh*
With an incredible display of agility, Dragonite, glowing with Viridian Force power that subtly flowed around Lance, twisted its body, its eyes gleaming with fierce determination. The Hyper Beam, instead of vanishing, seemed to bend, caught in a rapid motion of redirected energy, twisting back through the newly opened spatial tear and smashing right into Palkia's side.
*BOOOOM*
A cloud of smoke erupted where the attack landed. Palkia stumbled, letting out a surprised cry of pain, "GGRRRR!"
Lance grinned, a spark of the thrill of battle in his eyes. He quickly followed up, "Nicely done, old friend! Now, stay on the offensive!"
However, the Hyper Beam had forced Dragonite to recharge, its fiery glow dimming for a moment. Palkia, recovering swiftly, saw its chance.
*CRACKLE*
*WHOOSH*
A torrent of frigid energy erupted from its mouth – Ice Beam, aimed directly at the vulnerable Dragonite. Lance's eyes widened, countered, "Dragonite, quick!"
*Shiii*
He felt a sudden drain, a subtle power from the Viridian Forest within him instantly mending Dragonite's strained muscles, allowing it to move despite the recharge period as he ordered, "Dragon Dance, now!"
Dragonite roared, "Draoooo!"
*Wooosh*
Dragonite began to move as it spun, a whirlwind of scales and power, dodging the Ice Beam by a hair's breadth. The move boosted its Speed and Attack, making it an even more formidable opponent.
Lance commanded, his voice ringing with renewed confidence, "Good work, partner! Now, Dragon Pulse!"
*FWOOSH!*
A pulsating orb of draconic energy gathered in Dragonite's mouth. The Dragon Pulse shot forth, impacting Palkia…
*THWACK*
The Spatial Pokémon roared in frustration and pain, the super-effective damage rippling through its form. Palkia, enraged, unleashed another Spatial Rend, aiming directly at Lance and Dragonite, "RROOAARRR!"
*RIIIPPPP*
The air tore open, threatening to pull them into a fractured reality. Lance ordered, a cold calculation in his eyes, "Extreme Speed! Get in close, Twister!"
*Zooom*
Dragonite, moving with impossible velocity, became a blur, evading the Spatial Rend as it closed the distance. Followed up by a powerful vortex of wind erupted from Dragonite, slamming into Palkia and pushing the massive legend back, its growls of annoyance rumbling through the stage.
*RMBL*
Palkia countered, summoning glowing rocks that launched towards Dragonite. Lance's eyes widen seeing the Ancient Power being used.
*CRUMBLE*
*CRACKLE*
Lance shouted, predicting the move, "Dragon Tail!"
*THWACK*
Dragonite's powerful tail swept around, deflecting the Ancient Power fragments with a forceful hit and simultaneously pushing Palkia back further. Lance yelled, sensing an opening, "Dragon Pulse, finish it!"
*PEW*
As Dragonite began to charge another Dragon Pulse, a shimmering Power Gem materialized before Palkia, ready to unleash a dazzling, destructive force as it roared, "GRAOOOO! (TAKE THIS!!)"
*CRACKLE*
But before Palkia could fire, a streak of icy blue energy shot across the stage. Pryce's Delibird, agile and precise, intercepted the Power Gem with a swift Ice Beam, "DELI! DELI! (Oh no you don't!)"
*CRACKLE*
*THUD*
The Power Gem was encased in ice mid-air, harmlessly freezing and dropping to the floor as it shattered into dust. Lance and Palkia both reacted with surprise.
Lance exclaimed, though a grin already tugged at his lips, "Pryce?!"
The old Ice-type master chuckled, his Swinub waddling confidently beside him as he replied calmly to the Dragon Master, "Just decided to lend a frosty hand, Lance! Don't look so surprised!"
Lance's grin widened, renewed determination as he replied, "Hmph. Took you long enough! Alright, Dragonite, Dragon Pulse!"
*BOOOM*
The Dragon Pulse, unimpeded, slammed into Palkia. The legendary staggered, genuinely hurt and annoyed by the combined assault.
Lance declared, his eyes burning with renewed resolve, "Now, Palkia, prepare to witness true power!"
He raised his left arm, revealing a glinting Mega Ring with its radiant Key Stone. Lance inhaled deeply as he declared with his Viridian Force radiating off him, "Dragonite, beyond evolution! MEGA EVOLUTION!"
*FLASH*
A vibrant orange stone, Lance's Dragonite's Mega Stone, flared to life, resonating with the Key Stone. A blinding pillar of light enveloped Dragonite. Its form shifted, grew, and solidified into Mega Dragonite.
As it transformed, Dragonite grew larger, its scales became even more iridescent, soft wings sprouting from its head, a gleaming pearl forming on its tail, and its overall presence radiated an overwhelming power.
The roar echoed through the Sinjoh Ruins, making the very stones tremble, "DRAOOO! (I'll defeat any enemy for you, Lance! EVEN GODS SHALL FALL!!)"
*RMBL*
Mega Dragonite roared, shaking the field itself. Lance felt an unparalleled surge of connection with his partner. He remembered the humiliation of his defeat by Azure's Mega Scizor, the first time he had witnessed such evolution, the sheer audacity of Azure's bond with his Pokémon.
In his past life, driven by a misguided desire to reset the world and purge humanity's corrupting influence, he had led the Elite Four down a dark path. He, blessed by the Viridian Forest with the power to communicate with and heal Pokémon, and even subtly influence Dragons, had believed only a select few were worthy.
That defeat, and Azure's unwavering belief in human-Pokémon coexistence, had shattered his skewed ideals. A bitter pang of regret pierced him. He had sought to destroy the world he now vowed to protect.
Lance thought, his mind racing back to the days of the Elite Four, 'I remember.... I wanted to wipe the world clean to save the Pokémon. I thought humans were the poison. But then I met Azure. I saw his bond with his Scizor—the way they moved as one, the way Mega Evolution wasn't a command, but a conversation. I lost that day, but I found a reason to fight for the world, not against it.'
This was his chance to atone, to prove that he had changed, that he was worthy of Arceus's trust. He thought, the Viridian Force pulsing within him, strengthening his resolve, 'We fight for all, Dragonite! Let's show them what we've become!'
He aimed for a finishing blow as he declared, "Dragonite, Hyper Beam!"
Palkia, still reeling, retaliated with a furious Hydro Pump. A wall of water surged forward, threatening to engulf the Hyper Beam.
*SSSSSCCCCRSSSHHH*
Pryce interjected smoothly, "Delibird, Blizzard! Swinub, Freeze-Dry!"
Delibird flapped its wings, unleashing a chilling Blizzard, "DELI! DELI! (One icy blizzard snow cone coming right up!)"
*WHOOOSH*
The Hydro Pump froze mid-stream, transforming into a massive, jagged ice sculpture that shattered harmlessly. The Hyper Beam, unimpeded, slammed into Palkia once more, dealing massive damage.
*BOOOOOM*
Palkia cried out in pain, its body sparking with energy. The Spatial Pokémon tried to counterattack but stumbled.
*WOOOOSH*
*CRACKLE*
Pryce's Swinub, quick as a wink, had darted in, unleashing a potent Freeze-Dry that froze one of Palkia's large, arm-like structures. The super-effective hit made Palkia roar; its movements momentarily stiffened, "GRAOOOO!!!"
Ignoring the frozen arm, Palkia, now furious, focused its rage on Pryce. It unleashed another Spatial Rend, ripping towards the Ice-type trainer, "GRRRRRR!!"
Pryce merely smiled, a knowing glint in his eyes as he openly mocked the Master of Space, "Oh, do you now?"
*RIIIPPPP*
The Spatial Rend struck its mark. For a moment, Palkia seemed satisfied. It even flinched, momentarily stunned as if it had hit something substantial, while simultaneously being pelted by Delibird and Swinub's Blizzard and Mega Dragonite's powerful, twin Hyper Beam from its horn and tail.
*Crack*
But Palkia's eyes widened in confusion as the 'Pryce' it had struck crumbled away into a shimmering dust of ice. Pryce chuckled, materializing from a shimmering illusion on the other side of the stage, his Froslass hovering nearby, its ghostly form almost imperceptible as it cackled at Palkia's mistake.
Pryce smirked as he coldly scolded the Master of Space, "A simple trick, really. You legends have such short tempers."
Before Palkia could fully reorient itself or locate the real Pryce, it was hammered by a barrage of attacks: Delibird and Swinub's relentless Freeze-Dry, followed by Mega Dragonite's searing Dragon Pulse.
*SWOOOOSH*
*BOOOOOM*
Palkia roared, a sound of pure, unadulterated fury, "GROOOAARRR!"
*SHINNG*
It unleashed another Spacial Rend, this time aimed squarely at the agile Delibird and Swinub, ignoring a Dragon Pulse from Mega Dragonite that bounced off its side. Pryce commanded, unflustered, "Delibird, grab Swinub! Fly!"
*Whooosh*
Delibird swiftly scooped up its smaller partner into its sack, darting into the air, flapping its wings just as the Spatial Rend tore through the space where they had been. "Swinub, Ice Beam, its leg!"
Swinub cried, "SWINUUB! (On it!)"
*FWOOSH*
Swinub began firing a concentrated Ice Beam from its perch. The attack struck Palkia's other leg, freezing it solid.
Pryce yelled, "Now, Lance!"
Lance roared, pressing the advantage, "Dragon Pulse!"
*PEW*
Palkia, hampered but not defeated, countered with a desperate Hydro Pump, blasting away the Dragon Pulse. But just as it did, Delibird and Swinub descended, punishing it with another super-effective Freeze-Dry.
Lance called, trying to overwhelm Palkia's defenses, "Twister!"
*SWF*
But the spatial legend merely flexed its power, and the Twister was easily dispersed, fading into nothingness as if it had never been. Palkia, seeing an opening, launched a Dragon Pulse…
*CRACKLE*
But again, Delibird intervened with a swift Ice Beam, freezing the attack mid-air. Swinub followed up with another Freeze-Dry, stopping it completely.
*SWOOOSH*
Palkia was taking massive damage, its roars becoming more strained, its movements sluggish. It was clearly exhausted, panting heavily, but it still managed to gather its remaining energy, forming a formidable Aura Sphere.
*PEW*
Lance shouted his command, knowing this was their chance to finish it, "Dragonite, Hurricane!"
*WOOOOSH*
Mega Dragonite unleashed a swirling vortex of powerful winds, colliding with the Aura Sphere. The two attacks dissipated in a violent surge of energy.
Both Pryce and Lance surmised that Palkia was truly at its last legs. Its massive chest heaved with each strained breath. This was it.
Palkia, with a final, desperate burst of power, fired a Spatial Rend. But Lance and Pryce were unconcerned.
Lance roared, his voice ringing with triumph as he declared, "Now! All together! Blizzard! Finish it!"
Pryce's voice echoed, his eyes gleaming, "You heard him, you two! Let's send this space-dweller packing!"
Delibird, Swinub, and Mega Dragonite unleashed a combined, devastating Blizzard, "DELI! SWINUUB! DRAOOO! (ON IT!!)"
*FROOOSHT*
The icy tempest enveloped Palkia, evading its final, desperate Spacial Rend and slamming into its immobilized form. The roar of the blizzard drowned out Palkia's own pained cry as the legendary Pokémon was overwhelmed, encased in a shimmering layer of ice, its power finally, decisively subdued.
The golden ring around Arceus's waist pulsed with a soft, rhythmic light as the dust settled around the frozen forms of Dialga and Palkia. The Alpha Pokémon remained motionless, its crimson eyes glowing with the wisdom of the beginning.
Unaware of all, the Avatar of Arceus remained motionless. The Original One was observing the Trial with curiosity from another realm beyond…
/////
[Unknown Void]
While the physical battle raged, Arceus moved through a different plane—the realm of thought and memory. It had peered into the souls of the two men who had just defied the pillars of existence.
Arceus processed the data of their lives with the cold precision of a creator, yet with a burgeoning sense of wonder. On Pryce, it reviewed itself, "A man who sought to master time to mend a broken heart, only to find himself lost in the cracks of eternity. He has turned his guilt into a shield of ice. He does not fight for power, but for the chance to be the man he once was before the mask took his soul. A living paradox who atones through the very elements he once sought to command."
After reviewing Pryce's life at the trial, the focus turned to Lance's thoughts and memories. On Lance, it reviewed itself, "A leader who once viewed humanity as a plague, willing to burn the world to save the voiceless. Yet, through defeat, he found the strength to protect the many. He has learned that the true fire of a dragon is not found in destruction, but in the warmth of a bond that transcends species."
Arceus's internal monologue resonated within the silent chamber, "Perhaps the world I created has evolved beyond my original judgment. These two carry the weight of their sins and use it to anchor the world."
Arceus turned its focus to the center of the stage. There, the air was a chaotic swirl of violet psychic energy and pitch-black shadows.
As the deity who had birthed countless universes, Arceus could not bear to see his creations descend into ruin. And so not long ago, Arceus summoned a solitary soul from another world, commanding it to change everything.
This was not new to Him. It was precisely why, when one of its avatars met Jack Knights, the Guild Master of the Guild of Gamers, during the Hoenn Tragedy of the giant Meteor that nearly ended that world due to the humans' greed, enslaved Rayquaza.
When the chance came, Rayquaza left the planet as it was destroyed, no longer caring about the humans and Pokémon. It was when one of its avatars encountered the Guild Master that, thanks to him, the planet was saved with his otherworldly powers, as its avatar brought judgment during that time, which was the first time they met.
They battled, of course. Both at the time, at a draw, and after the battle began to finally spoke after comparing their strengths.
Both encountered one another as they spoke. And with permission wanted his Gamers to come to his many worlds, as it would be rude to invade without asking permission from the universe's creator. The Guild Master created a proposal that each of his Gamers will make his world safer if they're allowed to grow as their avatar accepts the deal.
It also helped Him overview potential humans Arceus could need to send into his worlds that needed help and save His creations if they ever picked his world to gameplay. Thus, Arceus took great interest as it watched Azure's progress and steps needed to avoid disaster for all.
Now, as Arceus watched this Gamer's journey unfold, Arceus felt a rare sense of satisfaction observing his actions. The divine voice resounded across the void, vast and timeless, "Continue forward, Gamer."
Arceus's gaze lingered, unblinking, as the flow of fate continued below.
/////
A/N: Hope you liked the Chapter!