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Then, Galar

Hisuian - pertaining to Hisui, an inhabitant of Hisui.

A company of a hundred Galarians led Ishmael and the captive Logathrim to Wyndon, where he would face judgment from the Two Princes and the ruling King.

"You shall be blindfolded," the captain said. "No Man or Pokemon who has not dwelt in Galar for all their days may behold the secret paths and roads that we Gar-Danians take to Wyndon. We have no doubt that you shall not betray us to danger and foes, yet this is our law. I am not the master of the Law, and cannot set it aside. We have done much to aid you, and this small grievance is acceptable enough."

"A merry troop of fools we shall look!" Ishmael said. "We shall claim full amends for every fall and stubbed toe, if you do not lead us well."

"You shall have no claim," the captain said to Ishmael as he bound a cloth about his eyes. "I shall lead you well, and the paths are smooth and straight. Alas for the folly of these days! Here all are enemies of the Great Enemy, and yet we must walk blind, while the moon is high and the woodlands are under leaves of dark green! Indeed, in the days before the Downfall of the Mbelekoro, it is said that in nothing was the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divided all that opposed him."

"So little faith and trust do we find among your people!" said an Alolan as the long march began. "A Pokemon would have more grace, and perhaps a Logarian more subtly in his evil." A Galarian kicked the prisoner, causing the Logarthrim to utter a shriek.

"Trust we have, and safety, but caution stands in the Law," the captain said. "The Girdle of Sword and Shield, Dor-Cúarthol, has long defended us, but evil may breach it with a strength of numbers and guile. We live upon Galar, an island amidst many perils, and our hands are more often upon the bowstring than on the harp. Only twice in the Count of Time have we sent forth our ships and marched to the aid of the Free Peoples, once amid the Elder Days to map the world and learn the languages of its inhabitants, and again at the time of the War of Wrath, in which the Black Foe was utterly cast down. We believed that Evil had been defeated and that only peace remained for us. It was not so."

"If you did not know what the world outside was like in the Battle Terrible," Ishmael said. "Then how did you did you have the heart to leave your lands, or know when the time for war had come at last?"

"We have many spies and messengers amidst the wide lands that bring us new from far about," the captain said. "And we do not fear other lands. The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still, there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love and beauty is mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater for it."

"Some among us say that the Tree of Darkness will wither, and the hearts of Man and Pokemon shall no longer be inclined toward Evil," Ishmael said. "Peace will come again. Yet I do not think that the world will ever be like it was before the Great Fall, or the Light of the Twin Trees of Paradise as they were. That time, if it ever comes, lies outside the Knowledge of all the peoples."

As they spoke, the Alolans filed slowly along the roads of Galar, led by the ship-captain, while the other Galarians walked behind with the Logarian. The ground became smooth and soft, and after a while, they walked more freely, without fear of hurt or fall. Being deprived of sight, Ishmael found that his hearing and other senses had sharpened. He could hear the clear voices of evening birds, and smell the trees and trodden grass.

All that night the group marched on, until they fell the warm sunrise come and heard the early day-wind whispering among many leaves. Their guides would not permit them to unbind their eyes even then, and they could not climb. They walked on after a morning rest, and they passed out under the shining sun, out of the forest. Suddenly, Ishmael heard the sound of many voices around him.

They were given sight again, and Ishmael saw that they stopped before a mighty wall, and beyond the gates rose the roofs of houses, and in the midst, set on a dark terrace, stood aloft a castle of Men, and it seemed that it was thatched with hewn stone. Grey was its gates, and guards waited about it.

"Come in, Theon, Captain of the Havens!" a herald cried. "You are given leave to enter, and so are your quarry. The door-guards will keep watch over them in the Hall of the Two. Follow the doorwardens into the great castle and wait a little while."

The dark gates swung open. The Alolans entered, walking in file behind their guide. They found a broad road, paved with stones, now winding upward and climbing in short flights of well-laid steps. Many houses were built of wood and many doors they passed, and multitudes of the Folk of Galar. And at last, they came to the crown of the hill of Wyndon, and there they saw a high platform atop the terrace, and the guards waited by the gates with swords laid upon their knees, and a Pokemon of a kind that the Alolans did not know of.

"These are the doors before you," the guide said. "I must now return to my duty at the gate. Farwell, Men of the South! May the Two Princes and the Lord of Wyndon be gracious to you!"

He turned and went swiftly back to the road. The others climbed the long stairs under the eyes of many tall watchman, and the inscrutable Pokemon. Silent they stood above and spoke no word, until the captain stepped upon the paved terrace at the stair's end. Then suddenly they spoke with a clear voice a courteous greeting in their own tongue.

"Hail, comers from afar!" they said, and they turned the hilts of their swords at the travelers in peace. "We are the Doorwards of the House of the Two Princes and the King. Bromley is my name. Here I must bid that you lay aside all your weapons before you enter."

The Galarians gave their blades, their bows, and their quivers of arrows. "Keep them well," Theon said. "And it is not clear to me that the Twin Princes should require an absence of arms in their House. For we bring a Logathrim to judge, and he must be restrained by the threat of the sword and shield."

"The Corviknight shall not suffer him to escape," Bromley said. "And this decree was not of the Will of the Two Princes. Aelfric, Lord of the House of the Pillar of Snow, has said that no weapons shall be borne in the House. Folly it may seem, but the King does not oppose it, and the King shall have his way in his own castle. I believe that you are friend and folk worthy of honor, who have no evil purpose. You may go in."

The guards lifted the heavy bars of the doors, and swung them slowly inward on their rusted hinges. The travelers entered.

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Now, by Motostoke

In applying any sort of dialectical metaphysical principle to a spell, it must be remembered that Pokemon are governed by their passions. Many put themselves in unnecessary danger, enslaved to their instincts. Man has broken free of that limitation.

-Emrett Dialogues, compiled works

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"Yes, of course, mother," Marvin said, speaking to his parents through a comlink. "Magnolia said what? Oh. Okay. Good, see you later."

Marvin slid the Rotom Phone over the plazcrete table. "I can't believe it! She said I could go. It's all thanks to you, Miss Magnolia. My parents wanted to know how I met the authority on Dynamax Research."

"Ah, Dynamaxing!" Magnolia sighed. "People think Galar's Power Spots enable Pokémon to Dynamax and become gigantic, but due to the fact there are so few Galar Particles, many other conditions are needed for Dynamax. In the old days, hundreds of years ago, you could Dynamax anywhere in Galar. Before the Wishing Stars fell fifty-two years ago, it was difficult to Dynamax, even at Power Spots. Now, a Dynamax Band is one of the requirements for the process."

"Magnolia asked me to make the Simulator to help her with Dynamax and VR research!" Casey yelled. "But that wasn't the only reason we made it! There was another purpose: to train for our Gym Challenges!"

"You're going to challenge the Gyms?" Marvin said. "Good! When are you going to try?"

Henry shot a furtive glance at Motostoke. "We would like to, but it is difficult to qualify."

"What? Where I'm from, anyone can enter the Gym Challenge as long as they are a trainer-"

"In Galar, you need a recommendation to qualify for Gym Challenges. It was decided fifty-one years ago that there were too many prospective trainers in Galar, and that the system couldn't support the influx of new Gym Challenges. You may get in via the word of mouth of a trainer that the Association has deemed skilled, or from the Champion himself and members of the Pokémon League Committee. The Association checks the Champion's authority and prevents his choices from being biased. Companies and politicians have their own candidates. You can also get in based on a lottery, although lotto candidates usually are eliminated quickly."

"Sounds like a chaotic mess," Marvin said. "The Champion is Leon, right? Are you planning to get in based on him recommending you? Or something else?"

"That depends on the manner of our opportunity," Magnolia said. "All in good time. Anyhow, there's a TV special coming up on the new season of Gym Challenges tonight, and the Champion is scheduled to appear in it. But first, we must make some dinner. What would you like, dear?"

After a time, Magnolia had baked rice-fried curry laced with cooked apple slices. Henry activated the plasma screen, and the live program began at the stroke of eight o'clock.

"...now, we introduce our valued guest, a trainer who has successfully completed the Galar League challenge and won the Champion's Cup! Since making his debut as Champion of Galar, Leon hasn't lost a single battle! Meet the Monarch, the strongest Trainer in Galar!"

Leon did not enter the illuminated stage. After a few hurried conversations between the newscaster and an Association Representative later, the cause for the interruption was determined.

"The Champion has not arrived in Wedgehurst City yet and did not notify us of the delay...it seems as though a herd of wild Wooloo have wandered onto the tracks outside Wedgehurst, and there are now delays in the bullet train lines. We will return after this break."

"The tracks heading to Motostoke just outside Wedgehurst..." Magnolia mused. "That is but a small walk from here! Casey, ready the Vikavolt Drone! Send it north!"

...

From an elliptical storage compartment, Casey retrieved a strange device. It was shaped like a Vikavolt, but made entirely of flowmetal and plaz. A casing covered its memory verbitobrain, a hallmark of advanced metatronical craft. Operating a holographic controller, Casey directed the drone out of an open window and over to a halted bullet tram.

The video feed began, showing an image of Leon sprinting, followed by a horde of dozens of Wooloo. His Champion's Cape billowed behind him, displaying the names of influential League sponsors and the sigal of the Pokemon Association. Another turn of the camera showed a Charizard following behind the herd, edging them on.

Leon is guiding the Wooloo, while Charizard is keeping them in order. That's how he's guiding the Wooloo away from the tracks!

The Champion brought the Wooloo down a manure-stained path and into a fenced grazing area. As soon as the previous herd of Wooloo returned to their place, another swarm burst out of the open gates, mad with terror. What? Another group has escaped?

"A thousand prayers to Arceus!" a civilian said. "It has been like this for hours! The Wooloo break free, they bunch around the tracks! If those plasma braking systems weren't in top condition, they would be grease smears on the tram windows!"

Leon studied the grazing fields, and saw several unconscious Wooloo scattered in heaps. Pieces of pale fur were missing from the Pokemon's bodies, exposing desiccated patches of black skin. Curious...

"The problem isn't the tracks themselves. It has to do with whatever is inside the Wooloo farm. Right, Champion?"

Leon swirled around to look at the grassy berm near the tracks. "And you are...?"

Henry Sword and Casey Shield stood with their Pokemon across from Leon, by the entrenched field. They concealed their fatigue from the brisk sprint, wishing to appear capable and determined. "Casey Shield and Henry Sword, and we would like to help!"

Casey flew the Vikavolt Drone over the field. "Henry, you can count on my navigation! It's dark, but I think I've detected a cloud of dust in the field! Go with Sirfetch'd, now!"

Henry sprinted into the trodden plain. Casey shouted directions to him through a hidden earlink, allowing Henry to run directly to the source amid the frenzied Wooloo. Some great beast had taken the field as its own domain, uprooting the natural Wooloo population. It would end, now.

An Obstagoon grabbed a bleating Wooloo and threw it into the far borders of the grazing patch. It pointed its badger snout at Henry, and ran into the electronic lights of the hanging glowglobes around the tracks. A Obstagoon! That's the Pokemon that's preying on the Wooloo on the farm!

"Slam!"

Sirfetch'd brought its leek blade down on the Pokemon's wicked features, but the blessed blade was intercepted by the creature's immaculately timed block. "Obstruct!" a farmer yelled. "The spear isn't going to affect it!"

"In that case," Henry said, a strange fire igniting in his brown eyes. "Sirfetch'd, Quick Steps! Confuse this foul creature!"

With a flurry of feinted blows and leaps, Sirfetch'd ran about the Obstagoon, confusion showing in its shifty eyes. "It doesn't know what attacks to block!"

Sirfetch'd pointed the keen lance at the Obstagoon, and the bright tip grazed the creature's snout. A great nobility and secret flame was revealed within it, and it met the gaze of the Obstagoon and did not waver, for the light of Arceus was in its silver eyes. The Obstagoon blanched in fear, and fled into the night, and where it dwells now, none can say.

The last scattered her of Wooloo returned to the enclosure, and Leon and Henry closed the gate with a final bang.

Leon shook Henry and Casey's hands. "Your deeds here will not go unremembered. But I must now leave, for there is still time for me to reach my interview."

Magnolia appeared beside Leon. "It is good to meet you once again, Leon. These are my pupils and friends who have been aiding me in my research."

"All in good favor," Leon said. "How is Sonia doing? You must tell her to attend the Championship Cup when it begins!"

"She is still traveling. I will tell her of your request, but you must hurry away!"

Leon boarded the tram, and with a whiff of superheated steam and the thin, reedy whine of magnetic suspensors activating, the bullet transport left, leaving no trace of the Champion nor his acolytes. The wailing of the stricken Obstagoon could be heard far away, and Henry knew that such a creature, having faced the holy valor of Sirfethch'd, would never return to trouble the farm ever after.

Magnolia looked among Henry and Casey. "The fates have it! The plan has worked!"

Panting, Marvin arrived on his small legs. "What perfect timing, Professor! And what do you mean, 'the plan worked?'"

"Think, my child!" Magnolia said. "You mustn't be led to believe that Leon would have any trouble defeating the Obstagoon and herding the Wooloo back to the farm by himself! He is the Champion. But now, he shall remember two young trainers, full of passion and skill! Now, we might get into the League. Stranger things have occurred in the Count of Time..."

"And we didn't just defeat the Obstagoon," Casey said. "We stared it down and drove it away, so we probably seem full of both Knowledge and Willpower! Since Leon is good friends with the Professor, it doesn't hurt that we are her assistants either!"

Now

Leon stood by the deserted tram station, unsure of where he was. What a terrible sense of direction he had! Had the tram taken him back to Motostoke, or past Wedgehurst? And now he might be too late for the premiere...

The cawing of a lone Mandibuzz was interrupted by a peculiar sound. Step, clink, step, clink, step, clink. A stranger garbed in a black overcoat over a blue uniform had come out of the shadows, and now stood beneath a glowglobe lamp, whistling a strange song.

"Adaman was a Hisuian lord,"

"Of him the harpers sadly mourn,"

"the last whose realm was fair and free,"

"between the mountains and the sea."

"His sword was long, his lance was bright,"

"His shining helm from afar was seen,"

"The countless stars of heaven's field,"

"were mirrored in his silver shield."

"But long ago he rode away,"

"And where he dwelleth none can say,"

"For into darkness fell his Star,"

"In Dor Daedeloth where the shadows are."

Leon felt deeply stirred. "It is very beautiful, although sad. Who are you?"

Bronze Tercano threw back his hood, revealing his pale features. "It is a song of Adaman of Hisui, who threw himself off the pinnacle of the Heavansward Lookout and thus ended his life. But I do not come to speak only of fallen heroes and myth-cycles long past. There is a favor that I seek."

Incensed, Leon readied his hand over his Poke Balls. "I do not perform political favors, Chairman! If that is what you stoop to, then perhaps I was wrong to have supported you, Tercano!"

Smiling, Bronze took another step forward, his flowmetal foot making a regular clinking sound. "It is not what it first seems. I have allies, and I do not need the Champion of Galar for many things. But I know that you encountered two spirited young trainers earlier, who impressed you with a dazzling display of skill. I have many ears and eyes. And now I say what is required: you must have those two trainers enter the League."

"Why can't you do it yourself? What about these allies that you mentioned? You have contacts on the League Commission-"

"None of that!" Bronze snapped. "I as Chairman have a substantial part of my voting base that praises my neutrality in the League Tournament. I cannot recommend them myself. And the use of any pawn of mine to do such a thing will be fodder to my enemies, they are too easily linked to me. I tell you that this is necessary, the fate of Galar hangs in the balance! And since you have indeed seen a spark in these two, it is not wholly dishonest, hm?"

Bronze tossed Leon his metal emblem: a hawk covering a Poke Ball. "Know this, Champion. A time comes in every era, no matter the circumstances, in which massive change can be elicited from a single person. The time has come for you to decide if you would rather allow two trainers to enter the Tournament with your Chairman's stamp of approval, or be the one who contributed to the End of Galar as we know it."

Leon looked down at the curious emblem, and then looked back at where Bronze had been. The Chairman had vanished, the sound of his cyberkinetic foot strangely mute.

...

In a shadowy alley, Bronze pulled out an antique pager. Activating it, he sent two messages.

...

In Roria, a man sheathed a pulsesword, dismissing his class.

"Remember, my students, that the oaths you have taken cannot be broken. You have sworn to live or die at your posts. You are swords in the darkness. You shall wear no crowns and win no glory. You are watchers of the Ways. You are the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that shall wake the sleepers, the shield that guards this Free World against the Everlasting Darkness. You have pledged your life and honor to the Serpent's Fang and the Library, for this era and all eras to come!"

"We are the Serpent's Hand!" the sword-initiates chanted. "The Garden is the Serpent's Place! Glory to Elyon!"

The initiates filed out, setting their pulseswords in the stands where they had drawn them from. Before setting down to attend to his paperwork, the man received a message on a very special pager, hidden away within a mahogany compartment in his carven desk.

IT'S TIME. COME TO GALAR.

Jake Albans turned, and hurried out of his hidden training school.

...

"...and now we have come upon a successful resolution for the Vespiquen hive crisis. We must not be so enamored with money, land, and power so easily! This council is dismissed."

The delegates of Rosecove City stood and exchanged final pleasantries, satisfied with the compromise proposed by their mayor. The dark-haired woman stood to leave herself, until a pager concealed in her handbag began to beep.

GALAR. ROSE IS PLOTTING SOMETHING. COME NOW.

Tessa Woodhall picked up her pace, and exited Rosecove Town Hall.

...

"Hello, Leon."

"What's that? A trainer you would like to recommend? No, two?"

"Its been a long time since you have sounded so enthusiastic, my boy! I see. Find out more about them, and let me know. Goodbye..."

"Well, Oleana?."

Oleana sighed. "I'll get right to it..."

"...Chairman Rose."