Chapter VII: Through Death

Raising his head, the elegant creature shot a look of pointed disdain at the wall before him as if it had done something offending—when in actual reality it hadn't, only having served as something for the Creator to lay his furious wrath upon.

Deciding that he did not want to see more of those visions that he had just received moments ago—it was Fate delivering their predestined futures that had to take place sometime or other—he wheeled around, measuring his anger in even steps, making his way out of the choking corridor and into the throne room.

I will review these visions once more, Arceus decided, murmuring the thought to himself in a quiet tone. I may not have control over their fates, but knowing exactly what they are going to do will bring some relief.

He willed the images to resurface in his mind once again, despite his torpid reluctance to do so—and rapid clips and scenes of Fate's untimely delivery came rushing before his eyes like one of those glitchy movies that humans had invented.

"I do not see how they will be able to avoid this destiny," he sighed, watching the video-like projections playing out before his eyes once again. "It is, after all, woven by Fate themselves."

Despite the fact that he was the Lord—despite the fact that he was Arceus, he was as human as much as he was a ruler, and that meant his emotions pierced his soul just as sharp—if they didn't stab deeper, that was; after all, he had been around for a long time, and that meant that he'd seen far worse than any other Pokemon.

Of course, it could also mean that he had been numbed with the passing of time, sweeping past him like the fleeting touch of a gale, but that wasn't the case then.

"I feel sorry for Sachi," he mumbled to himself in a quiet tone. "But Fate has ordered me to have it done. Yes, it has to be this way—this is the only way that the world's balance and order can be restored once more. It may have to result in the break of one's life, but Fate has said that it is a trivial sacrifice for the benefit of the world."

His heart was heavy as he whisked the images away from his mind, heading away from the throne room he often avoided, but his mind was already made up—he would not get involved in the final battle.

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The redhead wrapped the old scarf around his mouth, the tattered fabric providing some semblance of added warmth against the harsh weather that the snow had brought. His jacket was zipped up tightly, and he shoved his hands in his pockets, refusing to take them out and fearing an instant freeze.

Still, he couldn't resist the shudder passing through his body, and Xerneas shot him a concerned frown, bounding to his side and touching her nose to his side. That alone sent a wave of warmth coursing through each vein, and he smiled up at the Legendary with a grateful expression.

"Can you feel anything?" His voice was quiet, an effect from the garment over his mouth. "I mean, since you're Yveltal's counterpart and all..."

The cervine-like creature raised her dainty head, letting out a snort that created a cloud of frosted mist in the air and flicking her gaze back to him. "Certainly, I do," she replied. "We are not extremely near, so as to speak—we did have that break in the Pokemon Center."

Sinking further into his coat, he was about to offer an apology for tiring so easily, but the creature shushed him, shaking her head slightly. "There is no need to apologise," she insisted. "It was not your fault that you were immobile for six months. There was nothing you could do."

Nodding, the both of them pressed on, trying to ignore the biting cold that seemed to like thwarting their progress. He was worried more than anything—he still had no idea what following Sachi was all about. The boy was just concerned about his employer.

After all, even Xerneas had seemed to express concern for the situation—and the little bits and pieces that he'd witnessed was all very alarming—but the puzzle sections wouldn't fit themselves together just yet. He was confused, and no one seemed to give him a straight answer—he was tired of all the riddles he had been fed.

His partner turned—as just as he'd asked the silent questions in his mind, he was answered almost instantly as a fresh wave of nausea rolled over him, his stomach lurching violently and forcing him to crumple over, eyes wide open in shock and agony causing his hands to claw at his throat at a desperate attempt for air.

"I will try to answer this as best as I can." A deep voice rumbled at the back of his mind, and an image of the avian Legendary's silhouette—Yveltal—flashed in front of him. "However, I cannot grant you all your memories—I do apologise for that. It is against my Lord's orders."

His once terrified eyes slipped close as a final gasp for air betrayed him, black spots growing and flashing before him and erasing bits and pieces of the scenery around him. Xerneas' voice was muffled, drifting farther and farther away before disappearing altogether.

All the air had seemed to rush out of his lungs at once, driving any trace of colour out of his vision and plunging his world in an inky blackness—only with a faint promise ringing in his ears that he would obtain the answer he so desired.

Yveltal's power coursed through his veins as if they had a will of their own; but they seemed focused on one intent alone—his brain, where a surreal hallucination had started to sketch out abstract forms of pale, muted colours onto the dark canvas he stood on.

To be perfectly honest, he wasn't even sure if he was even standing at all—he felt nothing but a strange emptiness below his soles, as if he was just floating and falling in this strange stratosphere.

The movie was now ready to play, however, and he now had no choice but to fall into the waiting dream.

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Life was an abstract concept, and Arceus had modified this wide postulation and condensing all knowledge on this topic into a single Pokemon.

Xerneas had been born—no, created—a pale, sickly individual, but as she grew, she seemed to sap the strength and warmth from her brother and counterpart Yveltal to grow into her present namesake. She blossomed from the time going by. but however—

—the embodiment of Death had shrivelled in the meantime. Once filled with youthful vigour, that life inside him had rightfully dissipated, leaving him a sombre, pitiful shadow of what he'd used to be. Hatred and questioning—why him, he'd shout, he'd never done anything wrong—had grown over the former kindness and justice in his heart.

Yet, out of the matters he couldn't bring himself to understand, one stood out to him in particular. His opposite had never hated him; instead, the worse he got, the more she approached him—the more she showered him with her undying love.

He supposed that he shouldn't be surprised—Xerneas, after all, had grown far too kind. The way she'd used her powers for gifting others with life nearly bothered on abuse; she left little parts of herself everywhere, bits and pieces of life that were insignificant to her immortal soul.

But he got the feeling that she was being too stupid—and, when he'd gone on a flat-out rampage out of a sudden meltdown, she was the one that had approached him. In the midst of his fury-tinged vision, where no sane Pokemon dared to step within a fifty mile radius of the Legendary, she had walked up to him fearlessly.

It was then that he had finally, for the first time, understood his sister's intentions—he could see every sincere action taken as she settled for the most idiotic thing of all—momentarily halting his riot by nuzzling straight into him.

The more fragments Xerneas left behind, the more twisted her altruism had shaped itself—it had gone from simple acts of pure-hearted goodwill to save and restore to a warped sense of desire—a desire to give more than she possibly could. A desire to give out life eternally through her own death.

Even as a Legendary, she wasn't immune to the deadly strike piercing through her tender belly, a blind attack fuelled by rage and hatred, drowning out the true voice of his prior mellow self.

He only recognised his mistake moments later, and even then, it had been far too late—Life had approached him with the intent of death, and all he could bring to others was despair and misery—as an embodiment of Death, it was all he could do.

"Don't say that," a weak voice laughed out, and a late sob caught in his throat, obsidian eyes stinging with tears even the Creator would be unable to hold back. He knelt down, cradling his sister's dying body as gently as he could, and gazed at her with an expression of utter regret. "I wanted to die."

Yveltal could feel his anger subside with that very tone—he'd forgotten how melodic the cervine's lilting voice had been. "Death isn't always bad," she mumbled into his side. "It brings peace and solace, and sometimes...we know when it's coming. And we're waiting for it."

"Stop it," the Legendary muttered, but the usual bite from his gravelly voice was gone, the crack mid-sentence as clear as day. "I killed you. I don't deserve you saying these words to me."

"Yveltal..." He'd nearly missed the ghostly whispers, and stilled at her plea. "This is the only way I can save you. Through my death, I can give life forever—this is what I want, and what this world needs to grow into a more beautiful place."

As her eyes slipped shut, cobalt irises shielded by paper-thin lids as her mouth curled into a sad, eternal smile, he could only stare at the scene, the crimson ichor pooling around the creature and marking her as yet another Pokemon passing away—proving that she was, in the end, another merciless victim of his wrath.

When dawn broke, life spreading through the forest faster than ever and bringing colour to even the dawning oranges and pinks of the morning sky, the greenery's occupants would describe the scene as something shocking—touching, yet macabre.

Against the branches of a slowly wilting tree—gone was the baby blue of the plant's usual shade that teemed with a special radiance—nestled a splotched cocoon.

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ohoho i actually updated this what a fookin miracle lmao xDD idk why but i could feel the feels from this while writing--nah i'm just getting too attached

welp i have nothing else to say aHAHA

Anyway, thank you guys so much for 731 reads and 112 votes! I really appreciate your support gais <3

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~ nyxia ☆