PARAGON
Remnants of the Great War Arc [36]
Chapter 45 : Decaying Peace
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Kalos Region - Laverre Forest
The moonlight wafted and curled around King Azett in a somber froth. Within the shadows of the darkened forest, amidst the tangled web of wooden branches, he alone stood illuminated. The grass at his feet looked teal in the liquid moonlight, and he rose to his full height, wearing the white majesty of the night like a cloak.
Glancing down at his fallen men, he stalked over to them slowly. His entire form brimmed with power, yet he didn’t notice it. Not yet. He knelt and checked their pulses. They were alive, and by all appearances, they seemed unharmed.
But what about me?
The overwhelming stimulation from before had already subsided, and now, he didn’t feel even a bit of pain anywhere in his body.
Clearly, something had happened here. Sir Zagreus said there was a Plate of Arceus. Azett hadn’t expected to find anything, but now, his men were asleep on the ground, and he had found something.
“Your Grace!”
A throng of men forced their way through the trees, pokéballs in hand, spreading out protectively around their king.
“Are you alright, your Grace?” one of them said. “We saw a flash, like lightning!”
Azett glanced around at them. Looks of alarm adorned every one of their faces, which only confirmed to him the reality of what had just happened. “At ease. I’m fine. Get these two back to town so they can be looked at.”
As some of his men obliged his order, another stepped closer to him. “Your Grace…what happened?”
Azett exhaled and started back to town himself.
“Your Grace?”
“I’d like to know that myself. Find the man called Zagreus immediately. And bring him to the capital.”
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The journey home was quiet and uneventful. The two guards who’d been knocked unconscious woke without injury, and although they apologized profusely for failing to protect their king, King Azett cast no blame on them. However, he also refused to speak of what had happened.
If that truly was a Plate of Arceus, then I, like the Guardians, will keep its existence a secret until I speak with Sir Zagreus. Shifty he may be, but he is the only one I can confide in on this matter. At the very least, he was right about this.
Luckily, due to missives they’d sent ahead, Zagreus was already waiting for them back at the capital when they arrived. Apparently, he’d never even left, having anticipated he’d be summoned.
Upon arriving home, Azett ordered a private meeting with him immediately, which they took in his solar over an afternoon feast.
“I apologize again for any disrespect caused before,” Zagreus said as he sucked on a bone noisily. “But, now you see the truth of my words.”
Azett leaned back in his seat and glanced outside as he licked the food from his teeth. “Kalos’ destruction, eh?” he muttered. He shook his head. “No, I still don’t believe that at all. Treacherous you may be, but a Guardian all the same. And I know you Guardians know things that only you know. So tell me more about these Plates.”
Zagreus nodded in submission. “Of course.” He pointed his knife at the king. “You are now what we refer to as a ‘Platebearer.’ One of Arceus’ chosen. The Plate you found rests within you.”
Azett lifted a hand to his chest. “Within me…?”
“Throughout history, certain figures, often those of great import like kings and heroes, have borne the Plates of Arceus. As of now, your destiny has become intertwined with that of the god Arceus.”
“The king of the Paragons, you called it,” Azett frowned. “The truth is, my own royal predecessors wrote of the Paragons. For now, your words align. Tell me, what is the nature of these divine beasts? Is it true that the Age of Carnage will not truly end until those creatures are destroyed?”
Zagreus shifted in his seat. “Your Grace. For me to answer that question, I would have to betray my King Aaron. Your question touches on the secrets kept within Guardian royalty. Although I would not deny you the knowledge necessary to save your kingdom, I do not mean to offend you further by disgracing your friendship with my king.”
Azett pondered his words, tapping the table absentmindedly. The destruction of Kalos… The destruction of the entire world… Eventually, he swept his hand aside in resignation. “You have already betrayed your king by sharing this knowledge with me. Tell me.”
The Guardian nodded respectfully. “Your Grace, the Paragons are pokémon not entirely dissimilar from those told of in legends across this land of Kalos. The stag of life, Xerneas, and the crow of death, Yveltal. Legendary pokémon. They are creatures of unparalleled power, incomparable to the multitudes that prowl the world now. However, the Paragons are in a completely separate category of their own. The Paragons, in turn, are incomparable even to the legendaries. If Xerneas and Yveltal are strong enough to be venerated as deities, then the Paragons are creatures of such limitless power, that it is no exaggeration to say that the very flow and fabric of reality is written by their every movement and breath.”
Azett’s frown deepened. “And with such power, their battles result in the decimation of our world.”
“Indeed,” Zagreus nodded. “Like the Plates, it is, perhaps, understandable why the Guardians would keep this information to themselves. Most people can barely tolerate living alongside even the weakest of pokémon. Spilling these secrets about the Paragons would extinguish any chance of the Guardians’ dream of coexistence coming true. If they knew just how far out of their hands their own lives are…”
Azett scowled, placing his utensils down. “Are you saying that everything I’ve built, everything my ancestors have built…this kingdom to protect humanity from the dangers of this world…all of it will vanish if the Paragons descend?”
Zagreus exhaled and nodded. “According to the royal chronicles, that is what has happened before. I confess my crimes only because, like you, I could not fathom such an unacceptable future. I cannot forgive my fellow Guardians for keeping these secrets, despite the effect they might have on the human consciousness.” He rubbed his hands. “Most egregious, however, is that they know of a way to stop the Paragons.”
Azett looked up. “What is it?”
Zagreus pointed at him. “The Plates, your Grace. Little is known about the rises and falls of our civilizations across time, but we do know one thing. Shortly before certain annihilation, the Plates begin to populate this world in greater numbers, as if seeking bearers.”
Azett sat motionless in his seat, his head spinning. “And yet annihilation arrived all the same, Plates or otherwise. Are you saying the Guardians simply stood by and let humanity perish again and again despite knowing a way to prevent it?”
“The Guardians believe that they alone possess the responsibility to bear the Plates. They don’t trust the rest of humanity with such powers, so much so that they could sooner raze a country like Kalos to the ground before letting a Plate fall into the hands of non-Guardians. Like Aura, they desire to keep the power of the Plates to themselves,” he spat. “Is it any wonder that they have never been capable of stopping the Paragons? As if one single order could ever hope to challenge the gods.”
Azett sat in silence. This doesn’t sound like the Guardians I met at all. And yet the Plates are real. “Aaron would never,” he said firmly. “Rin would never.”
“Wouldn’t they? What if I told you that right now, King Aaron is not in Rota? That he has left his country behind in search of the Plates, knowing that the arrival of the Paragons is near at hand?” Zagreus tapped his temple. “No matter what façade he and Jurock showed you, the Guardian royalty has always been the same. Do they wish to save humanity? I do not doubt that they do. But the preservation of their order from the Paragons’ destruction has always taken priority.”
The Paragons’ destruction, Azett repeated in his mind. That part agreed with the texts he’d read in Kalos Keep’s vaults too. A dark silt was settling over his heart as his head was forcibly turned toward the world’s black reality. “Just how many lives and civilizations do we sit atop now, after they were burned to ash by the Paragons?” he murmured. “Everything I’ve worked toward… I’ve tried to turn my lands into a utopia my ancestors…no, all of humanity, could be proud of.” He clenched his fist. “Are humans truly so weak that even now, we must rely on the shards of some god pokémon just to stand a fighting chance?”
“The weight of such a burden is not easy to bear, even with the power of a Plate,” Zagreus said, his voice dark. “You may be a Platebearer, but unfortunately, I cannot tell you much beyond that. Each of Arceus’ eighteen Plates grants a different gift, and only you can probe your own body and soul to learn which it is.”
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Azett opened and closed his fist, but he felt nothing extraordinary. He shook his head in frustration. “So, what about the other Plates? And how did you locate this one?” He frowned, then glared at Zagreus. “Why not claim its power for yourself?”
Zagreus pursed his lips and pulled off his glove. Azett grimaced.
His hand was charred black, mottled and rough. “I have no shame in admitting I tried. Alongside the ancient wisdom kept by the royalty of Rota was also a certain Guardian technique to heighten one’s awareness to the Plates. That is how I found it. As I approached Kalos City, I felt its power and rerouted north. But…this was the result. In the end, I was not strong enough to bear Arceus’ soul.”
Azett almost lashed out at him for not telling him about this potential outcome, but he no longer had the energy to devote to something so petty. Not after learning about what was coming. And, in the end, the Plate hadn’t rejected him. What was done was done.
“I’ve no doubt there are other Plates that have already begun to appear in other parts of the world,” Zagreus continued. “Likely, some will be discovered, and others shall become Platebearers like you. The Guardians will not seize them all.”
“What does it matter?” Azett spat. “Even with your knowledge, I alone don’t know where to start. How does one even begin to combat the destruction of the Paragons?” He sighed and rubbed his face. “This is a conversation I should be having with your king.”
“I will not pretend to understand what you’re experiencing now. But I have no doubt the Platebearers of times past were faced with the exact same dilemma.”
Azett closed his eyes and tried to zoom out to view the whole thing objectively. He considered Aaron and Rota, Kalos and his own people, as well as those across the world in foreign lands. He thought about the dormant power within him, the ancient scrawlings of his predecessors, and the grand archives of the Guardians. Lastly, he thought of pokémon. From his beloved Floette, to the bloodthirsty monsters that plagued his kingdom, and then to the deities called Paragons.
And at the end of it all, he came back to a single conclusion.
“Aaron… I must speak to Aaron…”
Zagreus shifted in his seat. “If you doubt the veracity of anything I’ve said, watch closely for letters from Rota. I think you’ll find that, in King Aaron’s absence, your correspondence with them will quickly dry up. And with it, your offer of an alliance as well.”
Candles flickered on the table between them, flames danced within sconces along the walls of his office, and sunlight poured in from the open balcony, and yet, King Azett felt a smothering darkness closing in around him. To bear a Plate also meant bearing the responsibility of saving humanity. That burden was heavy enough, and it was one he’d saddled himself with years ago when he donned the crown of his forefathers. The far heavier weight, the unbearable weight, was that of the futility of his struggle. Everything…everything… Was it all for nothing? When the Paragons arrive, everything will return to zero? And the Guardians are somehow complicit? There must be some mistake…
But even as he thought it, he knew it wasn’t true. He’d been a king plenty long enough to determine what hopes were worth clinging to, and what was simply wishful thinking. Perhaps I’ve known of this world’s destiny from the start. From the very first time I laid eyes upon those ancient notes. I simply averted my gaze from reality. Pouring myself into hollow salvations. A utopia? Did I ever truly think such a thing was possible, or was I just distracting myself from facing the inevitable future?
“Thank you, Sir, you may leave now,” he said quietly.
Azett felt his stomach contract and expand with every breath, his tired ribs creaking, his exhausted muscles aching. The sound of Zagreus’ farewell and the door closing behind him fell on deaf ears. For a while, he remained motionless. Dread snaked its way down his throat, suffocating him, and before he knew it, his cheeks were hot with tears.
Please, God. Arceus. Aaron. Anyone. Show me what lies ahead.
In an instant, color, light, and sound whipped past King Azett until nothing but void remained.
And the vision that assaulted him next was one of death and decimation. And dragons.
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Land of Rota, one year later
“Welcome home, my King.”
“Have you all forgotten? I told you to address me as usual,” Sir Aaron said as he swept through the entrance hall, surrounded by his many advisors.
Nearly a year had passed since he set out on his journey, and in that time, he had truly come to know the world. Beyond the stifling borders of Rota, Sir Aaron had borne witness to sights and sensations he’d never experienced before. From the icy highlands of the north, to the tropical swamps of the south, and the regal plains of the east, he had learned and learned again just how wondrous this world was. With the lens of fear that clouded the sight of so many lowered from his eyes, he had truly come to appreciate the love-filled ideals set forth by his ancestors. Above all else, he held one certain feeling deep within his heart.
This world is worth fighting for.
Ah, and the pokémon, too! So many species he’d seen, many of them never even described in the Guardians’ archives. Every new encounter brought a different emotion out of him, from joy and endearment, to disgust, and indeed, fear. They were awesome creatures, after all, and no two were alike. He’d caught all that had caught his eye.
Although he traveled anonymously, with Lucario at his side, those who knew of the Guardians identified him as one immediately, and more often than not, they came to him humbly with requests for help, usually repelling some wild pokémon or another. But in turn, they gifted him with stories about their lives and lands, more valuable to him than any sum of money.
Aaron took a certain pride in following in Azett’s footsteps. Like the eastern king, he too would use his journey to become an even better leader for the Guardians.
But perhaps the most intriguing part of his journey was his discovery of certain artifacts. One of the secrets of the Guardian royalty he’d learned after donning the crown was the existence of the Plates of Arceus. Three of them, he’d found, scattered across the world. He’d been drawn to them, by some inexplicable force. But after finding them, they had bonded themselves to him, burying themselves within him alongside his very soul.
He was a Platebearer now. One of the chosen few graced with a shard of Arceus’ divine power.
Luckily, the Guardian kings of the past had written to him about exactly this. A message from across the millennia.
“Have you sent a reply back to Kalos about their offer for an alliance,” Aaron asked as they walked through the halls of the palace.
His advisors shifted uncomfortably.
“We have not yet,” one of them spoke up. “We elected to wait for your return so that you could have the final say. Perhaps you’ve heard of the troubling news coming from the east?”
Aaron frowned. “No. What’s going on?” His journey had left him sorely out of the loop on current events, and even though he’d visited Kalos, he’d made a point not to head too far inland, lest he attract the attention of the capital. The last thing he wanted to do was cause a diplomatic mess for Azett.
“Kalos has increased the pace of their industrialization, and the size of their armies have swelled. Our scouts say they appear to have shifted to a wartime economy, though no such conflict seems to exist. They’re building up their military and navy, and they’ve become far more aggressive about securing their borders from wild pokémon. The latest report cited a number of no fewer than a hundred pokémon killed in a single month.”
“A hundred…,” Aaron repeated, in disbelief. “How is that possible? Their bodies are so tough… It’s hard enough just to kill one, even with the power of Aura.”
“They’ve developed new weapons, it seems. Or somehow learned of a weakness, we’re not sure. Many Guardians are appalled by their actions, but we’ve been able to keep them in line, for now.”
Aaron shook his head. “This is violent, even for them. But beyond that, they’re advancing abnormally quickly. I’ve never heard of anything like it.” Suddenly, his eyes widened. Could it be? He looked down and opened his hand. Has someone in Kalos discovered a Plate?
“The speed at which they’re developing is truly extraordinary,” his advisor agreed. “Their alliances with Unova and Galar appear to be finalized now as well, and both lands have undertaken similar agendas. Additionally, the latest reports say that the pokémon that aren’t killed are captured instead. It seems King Azett means to well and truly end his pokémon problem, both at home, and in the lands of his allies. By now, he must have amassed hundreds of pokémon.”
As their group rounded a corner, they came to a stop in front of a set of tall oak doors that served as the entrance to King Aaron’s chambers. Two royal Guardians stood without.
“We will discuss this further later,” Aaron said curtly. “For now, I must greet my wife. In the meantime, please prepare a ship for me. I intend to sail east as soon as possible.”
His many advisors nodded respectfully and shuffled away. Once they were gone, he nodded to the guards and pushed open the doors to his room.
Within, beyond the heavy drapes over his royal bed, sat the silhouette of Queen Rin, nestled in the darkness by the window. At the sound of the door opening, she immediately turned and stood. Her golden hair fluttered as she raced over and embraced her husband.
“I’m home,” Aaron said wistfully.
“After too long,” Rin said, her face buried in the crook of his shoulder. Withdrawing, she took a step back and glanced him up and down. “You’ve done it. You achieved the true purpose of your journey.”
Aaron shook his head. “Hardly. I only found three. Not even close to all of them.”
“Oh, Aaron, you demand too much of yourself… Three of Arceus’ Plates…no Guardian has borne so many in all of our history.”
“But it still isn’t enough,” Aaron sighed, pacing over and sitting on the edge of his bed. “I cannot stop the Paragons with so few…” He looked up at his wife. “And I cannot go to Azett with any false hope. He, who desires peace more than anyone.”
At the mention of the eastern king’s name, Rin’s expression darkened. “You should have seen him whilst you were there.”
“I couldn’t,” Aaron said after a long silence. “How could I face him after learning about this world’s destiny? The Paragons? The cycle of war and peace? It is far worse than he ever thought. The utopia he desires will never be eternal, so long as that ancient war persists.”
“His actions suggest he’s somehow learned of our fate all the same,” Rin said quietly. “Do you think he’s found a Plate?”
So she suspects the same. “I’m sorry, Rin. I have to leave again. I must go to Kalos.”
The Queen paced over and sat down beside him. She grasped his hands and squeezed them tightly, locking eyes with him. “Go. Help your friend. Only together….only together could you hope to save this world.”
Aaron smiled and stroked her hand with his thumb.
The next day, Sir Aaron received word that the Kalosian Empire, at the behest of King Azett, had murdered one hundred thousand pokémon.
Next — Chapter 46 : The Great War
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Apologies for the delay. On top of being extremely busy this past month, I found this chapter very difficult to write. I had to ponder on it quite a bit. Lots of rewriting and rereading to make sure I was catching everything. Also, structuring dialogue is hard for me, and there’s a lot of that in this chapter.
Honestly, for this exact reason, I probably should’ve gotten a beta reader a long time ago. I don’t know if getting one is even feasible now that we’re over 200,000 words :/