This new chapter is a result of the story being cut up into multiple edited sections. Should make it a bit easier to navigate, I hope!
Act 2: Bloodied Legacies
"History is written by the victorious." - Winston S. Churchill
Around half an hour later, the ceremonial bells installed on the upper levels of the Museum of Alto Mare generated several melodic chimes, signaling the arrival of the afternoon hour. Realizing that it was time to inspect the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare once again as a part of their daily routine patrols, both legendary Pokémon made their way into the cathedral after dismissing their 'fans' that kept them held up with their constant requests of interacting with the duo.
"Looks like it's going to be another routine day here," Raiden drawled with an uninterested attitude, his facial expression giving off the notion that he wasn't looking forward to the day ahead of him. "Shouldn't Lord Siegfried and Lady Laia know that delegating the two of us to take care of such a trivial task is a potential waste of resources?"
Shogo loosed a chuckle at his partner's comment. "I wouldn't say that. At least it gives me time to formulate ideas for future missions we'll have to attend to." He was rather grateful for these perambulation tasks, as they were more or less a time where he could simply kick his mind back and decide how to tackle the next foe that his superiors assign him to eliminate from the equation.
"Maybe I should heed his words to heart…but at least he has the connections that helps him find what he needs to accomplish those assassination missions," Raiden thought, knowing that with Shogo's status of being a prince, he had the associations to find even the most ambiguous targets in hiding.
Making their way into the museum, several guards armed with spears and shields greeted the two Latios with utmost respect, as they were supporting units of Alto Mare's Elite Cadre. "Good afternoon, Raiden and Shogo," the squad leader welcomed the two with a salute. "As always, activity at the museum and the DMA itself has been usual. No suspicious activity or anything, but it's better to be safe than sorry."
Shogo returned the guard's greeting with a courteous smile. "That's good to know. Your squad will be relieved of their duties for now, so go enjoy the weather outside."
Upon his announcement, the younger squad members flew into a cheer; it was clear to the legendary Pokémon that the recruits that were at their early twenties at the oldest were getting rather bored of their task of constantly acting as mindless sentinels for the Alto Mare Museum. "Thanks a bunch, Prince Shogo!" they rejoiced in chorus before running out of the elegantly constructed structure and into the afternoon sun. The squad leader was then left by himself with a sweatdrop, as their display of lacking a strong sense of duty made him wonder one thing: why the heck the supreme guardian of their haven would have ever considered the adolescents as acceptable candidates as defenders of the Water Capital.
"They're just kids so cut them some slack," Raiden reminded the older human male. "I'd be bored too if my task as an Elite Cadre defender was to constantly march in predetermined lines from dawn till dusk."
The squad leader released a small sigh. "Well, I guess. Suppose I shouldn't be holding up your time anymore. I'll see you two later." He bowed respectfully before making his way back to the patrol he was supervising.
The pair of Eon Pokémon nodded wordlessly at the gesture of the human before focusing their attention on the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare that stood before them. Visitors of all kinds were surveying the holy machine alongside them, as the instrument (and the museum itself) was often considered as a sacred place of pilgrimage for the mortals that lived in the city. As a way of paying respect to the legendary Pokémon, it wasn't an uncommon sight for humans praying in front of the machine, placing incenses on specially constructed shrines in various areas of the museum, or simply trying to have a friendly discussion with some of the Latias and Latios that were currently on station in the Arcean complex themselves. In the other areas of the historical site were exhibits that displayed the profiles and stories of those who had a prominent mark on the city itself, defenders and invaders alike. Alongside them was an assortment of featured stories that told the ancient saga of Alto Mare as a whole.
But to Shogo and Raiden, the DMA generated anything but a positive impression. Being born and raised in the Arcean-blessed sanctuary during its early days after its inception, the two had experienced their own violent pasts that involved having to safeguard the oceanic place of safety from unwanted company. The world they lived in was an age of bloody conquests and feuds waged by unscrupulous and power-hungry warlords across the world, and the era could only be described as one where characteristics of corruption, treachery, and violence were the norm. Alto Mare was spared from the tainting grasps of the outside world mainly because it was so properly defended that no invasion from outside sources around the world would be ever be able to approach the city without fearing the wrath of Siegfried and his Elite Cadre. But their continuous efforts of upholding the security of the island city were not without its narrow escapes.
"Remember when an entire armada complemented with a complete force of barbarians attempted to make landfall on Alto Mare?" Raiden questioned his rival, remembering the event as if it was just yesterday. He paused his question before adding, "Makes me sick just thinking of those repulsive humans that only had the impulses of pillage, rape, and slaughter on their shattered minds."
Shogo nodded once in response. "No doubt. Everyone that had the unfortunate luck of witnessing that fateful day would come to the acceptance of just how fragile peace is. Then, it gives me all the more reasons to hone my skills while travelling the world…even if some of the happenings discolor my untainted blue feathers at times." The image of him going toe-to-claw with a feared pirate on the high seas etched a small grin on his sharp visage.
The emerald-cloaked Latios shrugged. "Maybe it's Lady Laia's compassion that has saved the invaders countless times from a grisly fate considering most of us approve of vanquishing them beforehand, yet she doesn't."
"Most likely. Laia's not one to seek violent solutions, even if it is during a reasonable moment with no other alternatives possible," his companion answered. It was certainly something that he respected the first Latias for in spite of their vastly different personalities and views on sensitive opinions.
Having learned of the existence of the Water Capital and the deity guardians that resided in it, a feared warmonger originating from what was now known to be the central region of Kanto launched a campaign of subjugation of the home that Siegfried crafted with his own life force. Though most of his goal remains unclear to this day, none of the Eon Pokémon in the city was willing to let his efforts of labor bear fruit. An entire navy of vessels that relied on the wind for movement and navigation, loaded hundreds and thousands of devoted and zealous combatants that were driven into a frenzy just hearing about the wonder of Alto Mare forced a landing on the city one morning, the ominous warships releasing their cargo of primordial-minded soldiers into the metropolis's streets. Any sort of resistance that Alto Mare's citizens deployed against the aggressors were quashed, for their soldiers and Pokémon, having never faced an opponent this ferocious and obsessive of war, had no chances against the battle-hardened veterans. That was, until the consecrated defenders of the Arceans decided it was time to intervene.
Raiden placed his right claw on his chin and hummed. "It dawned on my realization that the DMA could be deployed on a moment's notice and with the manipulation of the city's water canals, transform it into a force to literally drown all the attackers and sink their vessels."
"Correct, but do remember one fact. The usage of the DMA may result in the temporary death of the one it draws its life power from," Prince Shogo pointed out, his eyes running across the hieroglyphic markings of the machine. Being the dialect of the Arceans, only a full-fledged member or individual that has spent at least over a century studying the language of the divine would be able to understand what they meant. "For when Alto Mare's reckoning draws near, the volunteer will lend their life essence to the defense of the city and judgment of the sinful…," he thought mentally.
As the mortal humans and Pokémon failed to defend the city, Siegfried, Laia, and the entire Alto Mare Elite Cadre descended on the invaders akin to an army composed entirely of irate deities. However, it was not just the brutality of the maddened raiders that intimidated them, but their true motivations that drove them into war. Or to be more specific, the false accusations and promises that their leaders assured them with that shocked the Eon Pokémon the most. A quick scan of the minds of the crazed barbarians revealed several horrific truths in regards to their intentions; things such as consuming the heart of a slain Latios would grant them immortality and the power of a Pokémon of the same name, or forcefully enslaving and breeding with a Latias would allow their faction to raise a next-generation tribe of unmatched soldiers against rivaling powers. Even Siegfried himself was horrified, as he was unable to imagine what kind of leader of a nation would be willing to go that far to achieve something that was virtually impossible to begin with.
"It was certainly a hopeless conquest on their part, but…it had to be done. If they enslaved us, not that it was even achievable in the logical sense…can you imagine the terrors they'd inflict to us?" Raiden questioned as he admired his left claw. It felt like yesterday when he literally punched one of the many attacking marauder to pieces with a psionic-powered Dragon Claw.
Shogo grimaced with disgust. "Don't even make me think about some unkempt savage trying to eat my heart over my limp body. While none of our kinfolk lost their lives on that day, we owe a great amount of debt to the mortals that initially held them off before they were besieged under their might. And to think this only happened fifty-five years ago…"
"Time flies in peace, but it certainly never does during hours of conflict." Raiden had simply acquiesced with the reality of the current realm they lived in: in order for peace to be achieved, they had to be primed to fight some of the most devastating battles that they would experience in their lives. Little did both know that a surprise guest was about to pay them a visit.
"Hmm, shocking them both would be fun. I still have plenty of time left on my break before I have to get back to Lady Laia anyways!"
Both Pokémon were so immersed in the conversation of the memories they could never evict from their minds that they failed to notice a figure levitating behind them, even with their advanced psionic senses. The individual eavesdropping on their conversation could not help to keep her silence, since she was so eager to have a session of chitchat with the two. Jumping on the two while squealing happily, the Latias caught both Raiden and Shogo by absolute surprise that they nearly mistook her as a threat. After coming to the realization that it was nothing more than a playful act from Lena, Raiden's younger sister. The older sibling of the duo released a troublesome-sounding grunt before scolding his sister, while the latter nuzzled him with her feathery head in a loving fashion.
"Lena, I've told you plenty of times to stop surprising us like that. We're on duty, so we don't have time for your fun and games," Raiden chastised his sister with a rather disapproving look. Shogo couldn't help but try to hide his snickers, since his partner always failed in terms of trying to get his younger sibling to listen to him.
"Glad that I don't have a younger sister myself," the Dragon Prince cogitated while chucking to himself mentally.
"Aww, Raiden! Isn't there a time where we can actually get some playtime together?" Lena pouted in a whining fashion. "I know you're a crucial part of Siegfried's Elite Cadre, but that's no excuse to constantly ignore my requests to spend time with you!"
Raiden rolled his eyes at his younger sister. She was a relatively standard-looking Latias without any distinctive features whatsoever, save for a tiara manufactured with diamonds and steel originating from Dialga's world adorning her head and a necklace with the heraldic sign of Alto Mare's Elite Cadre, personally given to her as a gift by Leon himself. "Might I remind you, you should be spending more time with Lady Laia and learning the proper lessons in your role as an Arcean representative."
Lena snorted under her breath in a slapdash fashion. "But Laia gave me some free time, and I decided to use that free time to come here and look for you!" she returned cheerfully, grinning widely at her clearly frustrated brother.
"Oh, brother," the Latios donning the emerald-colored cloak grumbled under his breath. "She brings a ray of sunshine into my life, but there are times that I just can't stand her personally…especially with the fact she has a tendency to shake me out of my sleep at five in the morning." He definitely prayed to Arceus that his younger sister did not hear his thoughts.
Fortunately, Lena was too busy interacting with Shogo to read her sibling's distressed mind. "Hello Prince Shogo!" she greeted cheerily, looking up at the much larger Latios with a face of adorableness. "How are you on this wonderful Wednesday afternoon, your majesty?" The Latias concluded her tease with a girlish giggle from her lips.
Shogo affirmed her question with a single nod. "Great. Just finished some training with your brother and I'm currently on duty of overseeing the safety and security of the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare. After my errands are finished, I plan to head down to the beach and go surfing for a bit as a part of my relaxation exercise routines." His eyes caught notice of the necklace that hung from her neck-the insignia imprinted on the jewelry item piqued his interest. "Hmm, I didn't recall you wearing that…especially when you never showed any concern towards joining Siegfried's Elite Cadre. That, and isn't that item only available to the graduates that have passed the training required to join?"
"Oh, you mean this?" Lena traced her right claw on the necklace before bringing it up in her palm. "Don't you remember, silly? Leon gave it to me as a special present to commemorate the hundred-year anniversary of his career in the organization. While he had possession of this since his graduation, he only recently gave it to me as a thank you present for what I've helped him through!" She could still remember how the young Latios nearly exploded from the blush he was displaying when the Latias accepted his gift with open arms.
Shogo placed his claws together with a somewhat nervous-looking smile. "Ah, how silly of me indeed. I must've forgotten with all the recent assignments and training I have to cope with," he convincingly spoke, trying to hide his lie. In reality, he only wanted an appropriate subject of discussion, as he was unable to think up of a suitable way to continue the tête-à-tête without feeling awkward in general.
"Speak for yourself, Shogo," Raiden telepathically spoke into his mind. "I told you she's unbearable at times, but did you have to try and falsify a question there just to keep the conversation going?"
"Be quiet," Shogo utilized telepathy to respond appropriately. "At least I didn't try to shoo her away with the clearly blatant attempts that you always try to pull off. Am I not correct?"
Tapping the handle of his Chrono Shinken, the Latios shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps so, but that's family for you," he sighed mentally before continuing his train of thoughts with, "So that's why you decided to drop out of the royal blood you were always born with from the very start. At least you don't have any siblings to deal with."
"Wrong again," the Latios with a royal background spoke aloud, unaware of the fact he had just done so. "Remember that poor kid Leon who was orphaned and never knew his true parents? Well, I see him as a brother. Lord Siegfried couldn't devote all of his attention towards taking care of the heartbroken boy, well, at least when he was first taken in. From what he and Laia told me, the two found him abandoned in a forest located in the continent known as Johto right across the sea, to the west."
Lena's ears twitched slightly; upon hearing the mention of her one object of affection, she darted over to Shogo at the speed of a Hyper Beam and begged him to tell her more straight away. "Oh, what about Leon? I want to hear more! He's a funny one, but he never seems to talk about his background." It was certainly one of her goals to know more about the young yet adamant and courageous Latios.
"Ah, the youngest member of the defense unit," Raiden recalled. He remembered how Leon was amongst the physically smallest and youngest of all the Pokémon assigned to the division. This didn't prevent him from standing out with countless achievements and distinctions, though. "He certainly does not fail to impress me one bit at all…and that's saying a lot."
Ignoring her older brother, the Latias shook Shogo's claws rapidly as she pleaded him to explain the backstory of the one that she secretly admired. "Can you tell us the story behind him? Pretty please?"
Rolling his eyes in surrender, Shogo gave her a curt nod. "Alright, I'll tell the story, but don't go around blasting it to the others, especially those in the Elite Cadre. I don't think Leon needs the impression that he is the only Arcean of our kind that did not know his parents." A rapid nod and a cute-sounding "mhm" from Lena was the confirmation that the promise would be carried out. "I suppose it would be a good idea that I'll tell this story via sight-sharing. Raiden, you're welcome to join in too, if you so desire." He eyes generated a lustrous glow as the memory-sharing process began. "I hope Cornelia won't scold me for this," he surmised quietly. Laia's personal aide was known to be extremely strict, especially with information that only certain Arceans were allowed to learn of.
Realizing that there was nothing better to do at the moment, Raiden tapped into his mental powers and as if he was living the memory as it exactly was well over a thousand years ago, saw the history behind the youthful Latios. Within moments, he was treated to the scene of a thick forest that was mainly left untouched by humanity's influence currently under the wrath of a heavy shower.
Ilex Forest, 2nd Century A.D.
A torrential rainstorm, coupled with the angry boom of thunder rampaging violently in the air and lightning bolts dancing across the sky in a state of frenzy, descended over the environment of the lush and thick undergrowth of Ilex Forest. The frightening weather had caused all of the local wildlife to retreat to any form of shelter on hand. Those who were not able to were forced to hide under any forms of cover that was readily available. But the thunderstorm wasn't the only thing that were afraid of; there was something in the woods, and it was causing a legendary Pokémon, along with her newborn child that was clinging onto her back with all his strength, to flee for their lives. Although their pursuer was nowhere in sight, both mother and child could sense the monstrosity closing in on them.
"Hold on, dear! We'll clear this forest very soon!" the Latias warned as she tucked in her arms and skillfully navigated her way around the forest with acrobatic twists and turns, all the while praying to Arceus that her child wouldn't lose her grip.
The newborn Latios, his size no bigger than the average human child, clutched his claws around his mother's neck, puzzled with his father's absence. "What about daddy?" he asked with a clueless voice, wondering where his other parental figure was.
"I'm sorry, but that's something you shouldn't know right now," the Latias responded as a means of avoiding the question. She did not want to reveal the awful truth of what really happened to her beloved mate, and the identity of their unknown assailant.
Being an entity that could only be described as a chaotic and nightmarish living being that only craved for death and helpless prey, the corrupted creature was locked onto its prey, closing in with alarming frequency. Whatever it was, both mother and child were purely horrified of what it was capable of, especially after what it did to the older Latios.
It all started when the couple planned on a leisurely flight through the Johto region with their newborn child. Being a pair of roaming Pokémon, the world as a whole was the home; they were constantly on the move, roaming the world and ate, rest, play, and slept wherever they went. All of that changed when a thunderstorm materialized from a clear sky and forced the family to make landfall at once in the fear of being struck by a stray lightning bolt. Only after descending into the local forest did they become conscious of the fact that they made a terrible mistake; a horde of bipedal demonic beings immediately converged upon them with the intent of tearing the trio of Eon Pokémon to pieces with their wicked claws.
Upon detecting the imminent threat, the father of the family went into battle. The moment the unidentified monstrosities unleashed a series of feral roars and screams, they charged at their lone victims, confident in their size of numbers to easily overwhelm and slaughter the foolish victims that were unwise enough to fly straight into an ambush.
"Hold on!" the Latios told his dearly loved mate before he generated a brilliant orb of psionic energy from deep within his body. Allowing his mental energy to coalesce into a force that was virtually unmatched by any kind of earthly opponent he had to cross claws with, he unleashed the Luster Purge at the pack of grisly-looking beings tinted with a dull-green coloration.
Shrieking in a mixture of agony, fear, pain, and rage, the eyesores were literally vanquished from existence by the signature move of its legendary progenitor. The more fortunate victims had their very molecules and atoms dissolved by the bombardment of mental energy, while the unluckier ones had a limb or a major body part blown off before they were subjected to an excruciating death via blood and/or nerve loss. Thinking the path was clear, the father Latios was just about to continue his path with his mate and child following closely…until a new enemy decided to make an appearance to greet the family. Its putrid body emerged from the trees as its very footsteps corrupted the environment with a vivid blue-shaded mutagen as it advanced.
"Well done. It seems your kind is more than capable of warfare just as my masters have hypothesized…perhaps it is time to field-test that theory firsthand. That way…the invasion will be a definite successful one once it gets underway."
Latios gritted his teeth, sensing tremendous amounts of dangerous energy that would prove to be detrimental to him, his mate, and their recently born child should they remain continually exposed to it. Knowing that this tainted beast would not let them escape without a battle, he turned to his mate and nodded once.
The Latias knew what he was going to do. She didn't need any further words as she took flight through the forest's maze-like environment, and only after a minute of escaping did she hear the terrifying screams of her mate, followed by the maniacal laughter of the very entity that he had volunteered to stay and fight against moments earlier. Her actions of fleeing the area only seemed to stimulate the beast to pursue them with even more desires to inflict further wretched agony and pain on the victims in its sights.
It felt like a thousand years as the spaceborne entity resembling a demonic creation had the Latias and her child cornered. After slaughtering the Latios and feeding on his remains, the vile creature, plagued with a deadly mutagen and driven by an unknown voice alongside with the instincts of a killing machine, moved forward and prepared to deliver the same fate to the mother and child.
The Latias wasn't about to go down in a defenceless manner, but even this only proved to speed up her death even faster; before she was even able to raise both her claws to generate a Dragon Pulse as a desperate method of repelling the marauding creature, the attacking being transformed the swivelling mass of tentacles on its right arm and morphed it into a blade-like weapon of some kind before using it to slash at the Eon dragoness's neck, its action inflicting a near fatal cut to her throat.
Her vision grew faint as he senses began to fall numb. Gurgling copious amounts of blood from her mouth, she collapsed to the forest floor and perished rapidly from blood loss and intoxication from the mutagen that ravaged her body at an unprecedented level of speed.
"I would have had my sweet ways with her, but my master grows impatient with each passing second. You, boy…you will prove to be a suitable present to my collection and superiors alike."
Without a parental figure providing a sense of comfort and security, the child Latios did the only thing he could. He shook the limp body of his mother and pleaded her to get up; even though it was all but obvious that she had passed on.
The entity cackled devilishly at the current scenario on its hands. It had never imagined the prospect of killing two legendary Pokémon so rapidly, especially after what his commanders have warned him about in the dangers of attempt to tackle one head-on. Needless to say, it savored in its victory and deciding that a trophy was in order, reached his left arm forward-a platinum-tough limb coated with the very same crystals that were formed from the pathogen that empowered its body-and prepared to claim his prize: the now helpless and orphaned Latios.
The child gasped in terror as he abandoned his mother's dead body before frantically crawling and struggling through the wet muck to escape his captor. His futile gesture of fleeing the inevitable only encouraged the being of an unknown origin more, as its booming laugh of vileness resonated with a clash of thunder in the evening sky.
"Laia, retrieve the child and secure him from any further harm. I will deal with the monstrosity myself."
Just as the virus-infested individual was about to come within arms' reach of his victim, a Dragon Pulse exploded against its chest and sent him crashing into a tree trunk. Its size and weight far surpassed the object that cushioned his force of impact could withstand, and thus it snapped into two. Hissing with rage at the sudden intervention, the being quickly regained its footing as it faced the being that had the nerves to attack him: another Latios, but this one had some minor differences. His primary torso area was enclosed with a shield-like crest resembling the chestplate that Dialga possessed, while his wings had a silver and navy-blue coloration to it. Last but not least, his claws were armed with a pair of dual black and grey-colored blades on each arm.
The being then shifted his eyes to the being that the Latios referred to as Laia. She was a standard Latias to say the least, save for a gold-colored scarf that was neatly wrapped around her neck and flowed gently in the air, even in the middle of a raging torrential downpour.
"There, I've got you," Laia comforted as she quickly secured the orphaned Pokémon with her claws, making sure to quickly dry him up with the blessed scarf to ensure he wouldn't get sick from the harsh, cold weather.
"…mommy?" the befuddled child asked, completely lost on what was going on at the moment.
"Oh no, the terror he suffered…he's so confused at the recent chain of events that he doesn't even remember who his parental figures are anymore," Laia thought with distress as she eyed the baby Pokémon with a mixture of concern and sadness. Hoping to comfort the juvenile Latios in any way possible, she nodded as she gazed deeply into the child's eyes with her soft, amber-tinted irises. "I'm not your mommy, but I'll do my best to substitute for her."
Blinking in confusion of what the Latias had just said, the infant asked the same question once more. "What happened to mommy?"
Sighing mentally and knowing there was no way of hiding the actual truth of what happened to the parent of this orphaned legendary, Siegfried's mate decided to explain the reality in a more subtle manner. "Mommy is sleeping now. She wished for me to take care for you from now on. Rest assured, she is resting peacefully at the moment," Laia pledged in the most promising voice possible.
The extraterrestrial monstrosity clicked its teeth at the sight of the two interlopers. Having lost its chance of securing a prized capture for its masters, it turned to face Siegfried, who was fully prepared to face it in battle.
"A cybernetically-enhanced fusion of other alien-like species, known as their moniker as a Sentinel, a specialized combatant unit that was created for war by an aggressive spacefaring species. This is a matter that I must report to Lord Arceus or one of his subordinates at once, even if this one happens to be a prototype infiltrator," the first Latios analyzed, carefully assessing the threat levels of the attacker that originated from the stars. Relieved with the truth that they managed to save the child Latios from a macabre fate, he focused his attention on eliminating the assailant that was responsible for the deaths of the former's parents. "Pray to Arceus that you're prepared to reap what you had just sown with your actions," he announced as rivers of rainwater seeped on his feathers.
"Reap what I have sown?" the Sentinel mimicked his words in the most taunting voice he could utter from his ravaged vocal cords. "You should be the one that should be on the receiving end of that comment, Arcean. You deprived me of my prey, and you shall join the two I have just slain very soon."
Siegfried ignored the empty threats of his opponent before he shifted his eyesight to Laia and instructed her with, "Keep the hatchling secure. I will handle this."
The first Latias nodded without saying anything, although she did pray for her cherished mate to remain unharmed.
The Sentinel didn't waste any time in starting the battle for its vengeance against the interlopers that had disturbed it from the killing spree it was indulging itself in; the same crystalline right arm of the part-organic/part-cybernetic behemoth was raised at the general direction of its adversary before it shifted into a cannon of some sort. Resembling the head of a draconic creature, the weapon generated a bright glow of blue before it hummed to life and without warning, fired several shots of energy that contained both corrosive and explosive properties. "I'll savor the moment of claiming your head…and perhaps, I'll torture your mate if I'm in the mood," he seethed lustfully as the thought drove his mind into a frenzied state.
Sidestepping quickly, Siegfried evaded the incoming projectiles as they detonated against the surface of some trees in the area. Globs of acid generated by the blasts proceeded to eat away at the trees rapidly, reducing the consumed properties to nothing more than the liquid of the same type that melted the exterior wooden surfaces of the affected vegetation. "Arceus needs to develop a counter to this new typing soon…our fighting skills will only get us so far. This Sentinel already knows who I am, so it's clear it's no stranger to our tactics," he deduced before counterattacking with a unique move of his own.
Once he noticed the Sentinel attempt to recharge the so-called Dragonhead Cannon, he enclosed his claws together before a pulsing orb that generated constant wisps of blue-shaded energy was slowly amassed into existence in his armored claws. From the attacking extraterrestrial's eyes, it was a move it did not anticipate that an Eon Pokémon would ever hope of wielding in an eternity…
"No…it can't be…Siegfried…is an Aura Guardian!?" the part cybernetic and organic machine, whose sole purpose was to commit slaughters and indulge in the most sinful acts conceivable, cogitated with a combined mixture of rage and shock simultaneously. Frozen in a state of meeting an Aura wielder, previously surmised to have been all but extinguished as a result of a devastating civil war several decades ago, the alien stumbled back slightly as its ravaged self attempted to formulate a strategy against an element it was gravely weak against, due to its metallic and rock-based properties.
Siegfried released his grasp on the Aura Sphere and as if the globe of spiritual energy had a mind of its own, tracked down its target and rocketed towards the still-terrified Sentinel. "Yes, I am indeed one and definitely not the last," he announced after catching the words of fear within his opponent's despoiled conscience.
The victim on the receiving end of the first Latios's unique attack, only learnable by a selected handful of Pokémon and humans alike howled in pain as its metallic arm was dislocated right from its joint and separated from the sickening creature's body. Streams of its body fluids spurted from the damaged vessels, wires, and other connections that linked its body with the artificial limb; while it was clear that his foe had suffered tremendous mental and physical damage, Siegfried could still sense the alien's life force staying at an all-time high strong.
"Impressive…so the Aura Guardians aren't extinct after all considering I have been blessed with the honor of facing one myself…," the Sentinel hissed with delight. "The ones I faced during the Great War were even barely worth the honor of falling to my blade."
Siegfried flexed his body to empower himself, planning to conclude the battle as soon as possible. "And I will be the very last Aura Guardian you will ever hope to do battle with," he declared with confidence.
"Is that so?" the cybernetic monstrosity insisted in a rather impertinent tone. "For an ancient and wise being they always declared you to be, you aren't living up to your expectations here…"
Grasping the fact that his opponent was only trying to stall out enough time to regain his energy or find a method to turn the tide of the battle around, the Latios decided to simply end it right there. "Speak for yourself, fiend." Those were the final words that met the hearing organs of the celestial nightmare from the stars before Siegfried delivered the coup de grâce.
Flexing his right claw, he hummed to himself before a sword of shining energy with the shade of a sapphire crystal gleaming brilliantly in the sun, composed of the same force that he utilized to summon his Aura Sphere earlier, materialized in his right hand. Before the Sentinel could even know how it was even possible for a Latios to wield the powers of Aura, Siegfried had already brought the sword down and through the midsection of the corrupted extraterrestrial killing machine. Before the zealous soldier from the void could counterattack or defend itself in any manner possible, its vision immediately failed on it as it felt the spiritual weapon cleave through its armored skull.
The Sentinel released a gurgled roar of pain before its body was cleanly bisected in half. Copious amounts of blood, metal parts, and plagued organs splashed across the forest ground before being promptly washed away by the rain. Dispelling his Aura sword, he heaved a rather heavy sigh before returning his attention to Laia and the rescued baby Latios.
"How is he? Is he injured?" Siegfried asked with apprehension while surveying the child, who was now soundly asleep and without a care in the entire world in Laia's reassuring claws.
Laia shook her head while making sure the sleeping Latios cradled in her arm would be sheltered from the harsh weather raging around them. "He'll be fine. It appears that he thinks I'm his mother now. But he's only four weeks old at best…so I can't exactly blame him. This event will pass by him like a bad dream." This was because of the underdeveloped memory system that Eon Pokémon in their infantile stage possessed. As legendary Pokémon as a whole grew at a much slower pace than even the mortal beings with the greatest lifespan, their slow development was one of the side effects that came with their borderline infinite years of existence.
"We'll take him in," the first Latios decided without even taking any time to think about the situation. "Alto Mare will be a safe place for him to grow, learn, and nurture. Nevertheless, I need your agreement on the decision."
The Dragon/Psychic-type dragoness smiled affectionately. "Of course my dear. Forsaking him in his greatest hour of need would be a choice that I would never bring myself to fulfill." She looked at the innocent child one last time before gently kissing his forehead, and the action caused the infant to squirm comfortably in her soft grasp.
As a way of paying his respects to a dead member of his own kind, Siegfried placed his right claw on the dead body of the Latias that was murdered by the Sentinel moments before they had arrived to their aid. Moments passed, and the body dissolved into the rainy sky. As the foreign invaders had the ability to destroy the souls of those they slaughter in battle, it was a disappointing recognition to the Aura-empowered Latios that he was unable to salvage the soul of the fallen Eon Pokémon. "Rest in peace. I will ensure that your child will be raised with all the care and fidelity that I can provide for him," he thought, hoping that somehow, the departed mother would be able to hear his words and hopefully, rest peacefully in the life after death and beyond. He just hoped that Cornelia and Cobalt, even though both were his subordinates, wouldn't mind accepting an outsider into his ranks.
As the first Latias and Latios departed towards Alto Mare, the vision slowly began to dissolve on itself as everything faded to black before its observers returned to the contemporary plane of existence.
Unidentified Planet, Andromeda Galaxy
Across the vast distances through space and time, in a distant whirlpool of stars millions of light years away from the Milky Way Galaxy, a single planet that easily rivaled the size of Jupiter, the largest planet in the Solar System that Earth was located in. Left relatively undisturbed with the exception of a ring of asteroids that orbited around it as if it was a defense mechanism of some kind, the planet levitated quietly in the blackness of space itself with no other neighboring worlds in its vicinity.
This one planet, unlike the many other celestial bodies it neighbored, was unique in its own properties of material and matter that made up its general composition. It was a living being, and it had only one reason to exist: consume other worlds and saturate its intended victims with the very essence that made up the terrain, oceans, and landscape of the gleaming blue planet. It hungered for infinite knowledge, power, and the souls of its victims. It was the only method it could sustain itself before the very mutagen that made up the foundation of its biosphere would eventually collapse on itself, due to a lack of sufficient sustenance to keep the corrupted matter at an optimal level. To this end, it was the reason why no other planets existed in the sector. It had consumed them all, whether it may be organic or non-living materials.
On this very day, the 'brain' of the planet made an astounding discovery in its everlasting hunt for sentient life to assimilate and devour along with the wretched enemies that doomed the planet and its denizens. The one being that commanded the entire planet's defenses and infrastructures had unraveled the location of the home of the so-called Eon Pokémon. They knew they were highly respected and valued by their allies, given their draconic and psionic properties that granted them both immense power and knowledge.
Conveniently located on the so-called Jewel of the Arceans known as Earth, it would come to the knowledge that consuming Alto Mare would allow it to secure a beachhead for future assaults against the world.
The planet hungered for both. It would claim it, and integrate the spoils of its success into its hive-mind structure. But first, it had to discover a way to weaken its target before establishing a full-scale invasion to acquire its intended prize.
It recognized the guardians' source of downfall after several moments of surveying them from across the universe. Knowing that the strengths were in their minds and relatively pacifistic nature, it knew what to do. It had to disrupt them mentally before the path of the invasion could be paved.
It would accomplish this by unleashing a deadly yet difficult-to-detect wave of viral energy that would plague their minds and the home they lived in and slowly wear them down like rust would do to steel. Once that was done, its loyal servitors would easily overrun the home of the guardian deities of the Water Capital and possess a strategic position for their next plans of consuming one of the grand jewels that represented the pinnacle of sentient life blessed by the Arceans.
One of the surviving flagships that acted as a refugee vessel, then later converted to a planetary attacking unit, was already en route to its intended target. Though exhausted and weary of the previous battles, the thought of exacting revenge against the Arceans boosted the morale and spirits of the troops onboard tenfold. Even better was that the warship carried one of its most trusted commanders, a veteran of countless battles that has claimed enough Arcean lives to fill an entire nation's land.
With the Arceans fully occupied in reclamations and hunts for the last of his combatants across the universe, it could rest on its laurels knowing that none of Arceus or his top figureheads would be able to reach Alto Mare in time.
With its natural sensors locked onto Earth, it released a wavelength that resembled a blue-tinted solar flare and directed the mysterious force towards its intended target: a lonely little island in the Pacific Ocean that the infiltrators had claimed to be designated as Alto Mare.