The Firstborn Arceus named Giratina, whom He tasked to create the framework of reality.

The second He named Palkia, whose task was to weave the fabric of the cosmos.

The third He named Dialga, who was to bring movement to this creation.

Thus the Three were born, and thus began the Universe.

"So… remember anything yet?"

The words snapped my awareness back to my surroundings. We'd been walking for well over an hour by that point, following the riverside trail through the dark woods, and my new-found ally hadn't said a word the entire time.

Not that the silence bothered me. Something about the cool night air and quiet darkness just felt… right. As if it was how things were supposed to be.

"Still nothing," I replied. Not for lack of trying - I'd given myself another headache racking my brain for even a shred of memory, with no luck. Eventually, the pounding in my head had gotten bad enough that a silly little thing like remembering my entire life up to that point didn't seem like it was worth the trouble.

Artemis sighed. "Suppose a nice, easy fix to this whole mess was too much to hope for. I should know better by now."

I shrugged. "Hey, maybe this Guildmaster of yours will recognize me. Would make finding out who I was a lot easier."

"Yeah, and maybe I'll find a magic rock that gives me wings," Artemis quipped. After a quiet moment, she spoke again. "So, if you don't remember anything, what was that back there? I mean, I don't doubt the whole amnesia thing, but you obviously know how to handle yourself in a fight."

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I was a bit busy trying to fend off a crazy zoroark to stop and ask myself how I knew what to do. I guess it was just instinct."

"And this instinct told you to catapult me into the air with a dark pulse?" She shot me a glare. "Hate to break it to you, but your instincts have problems."

"I hope so, because they're telling me you're not going to let that one go anytime soon."

"'Cause I'm not," Artemis replied, flashing me an evil grin. "Still, looks like you're off the hook for now. We're here."

As the path curved ahead, the forest abruptly gave way. Beyond was a large, roughly circular lake, its smooth surface mirroring the moonlit sky above. At the distant center of the lake could be seen a small island, dominated by a single enormous tree that rose high above the surrounding forest.

"That's… big," I said, staring at the arboreal tower. The thing was huge, its vast network of branches stretching out over a good portion of the lake. There was no way something that massive could've grown naturally, I concluded. It must have been the work of a legendary, just like…

Like what? Where could I possibly have seen anything like this before? I concentrated, desperate to latch onto the memory before it slipped away, only to be rewarded with a renewed throbbing in my skull. Things really weren't going to be that easy, then.

"That's the Golden Tree," Artemis began, not noticing my discomfort, "Torterra's Guild is actually carved into the lower half - don't ask me how they did it without killing the thing - and Shimmerlake Village is built around the base."

I looked out at the island in the distance. "I'm going to go out on a limb and assume there's a boat somewhere around here."

Artemis grinned. "What, you don't want to swim?"

To my credit, I only briefly considered using an unconscious absol as an improvised raft. Appealing as it was, the idea was clearly impractical.

"...though it might be worth trying," I muttered. "Just to see if it works."

"Come on," Artemis called as she strode ahead, "the ferry's right over here."

As we followed the path to the lake's edge, I noticed a small wooden dock jutting out from shore. It was a very old structure, the wide planks worn from years of weather and heavy use, but it had clearly been well maintained. There was just one problem.

"Where's the boat?" I asked as I eyed the dock and wondered if the crazed absol had been joking about having to swim.

"Who said anything about a boat?" Artemis quipped. Striding out onto the worn platform, she glanced back and added "Don't worry, there's a ferry. We just have to call him first."

I followed her out onto the dock with a sigh. "You're not very fond of giving straight answers, are you?"

"Where's the fun in that?" With that, Artemis strolled briskly to the end of the dock, where a large bronze gong hung, suspended from an aged wooden frame. Drawing closer, I saw that the worn metal instrument bore the image of an ornate, fruit-laden tree, painstakingly etched into the surface. Despite its apparent age, the gong had obviously been well cared-for, and its bright shine starkly contrasted the worn frame and frayed ropes that housed it.

Of course, I had very little time to appreciate this, as, seizing the large padded hammer resting nearby in her mouth, Artemis struck the gong with as much force as she could muster. A deep tone rang out across the lake, resonating with both the crystal waters and my headache-wracked skull.

I stumbled back, ears ringing from the sound. "Was that really necessary?" I snapped.

"Yeah, it was," she replied. I didn't buy it, and my expression clearly said as much. "Really. Though that doesn't mean it wasn't at least a little entertaining," she added with a grin.

"You know, I don't think this ferry you mentioned is coming," I said, focusing my will into a thin wall of dark power in front of me. "It looks like we're going to have to swim after all. Here, let me give you a little push."

Before I could dark pulse the irksome absol halfway across the lake, however, I was stopped short by a deep, rumbling growl that, naturally, came from right behind me.

Turning slowly, I can face-to-face with an enormous gyarados, rising out of the water to tower over me. It was huge, easily twice as long as the dock we stood on, and I had the vague impression that I had seen knives shorter than its bared fangs. As the rest of my mind babbled in quiet terror, a more rational part pointed out that the giant serpent was speaking.

"That," it rumbled, "would be unwise."

I stared at the gyarados for a few seconds, quietly trying to determine how far I could run before being torn to many tiny pieces. Once more, Artemis interrupted my thoughts.

She was laughing. I glanced over at her, wondering of the little absol had lost whatever analogue of sanity resided in her twisted mind, only to have my attention drawn back by a strange, choking growl from the gyarados. It took me a moment to realize the sound was what passed for laughter on the gyarados' part.

"That never gets old!" Artemis gasped between fits. After another minute of quiet laughter, she regained her breath and spoke again. "I'd like to introduce Virgil, Shimmerlake's sentry. He'll be our ride to the island."

I blinked, staring at the giant serpent. After a moment, I managed to figure out how to speak. "So… he's not going to kill us then?"

"Not her, at least," Virgil rumbled, a grin spread across his wide maw. "What I do with you remains to be seen."

Artemis strode over to the gyarados' side. "I've never seen the old fish so much as raise his voice," she said. "Worst he does is scare visitors senseless. You should've seen your face!" With that, she broke down into another fit of laughter.

"I am well able to do more than simply frighten," Virgil chuckled. "Though I admit, your reaction was rather… entertaining."

"Great," I sighed. "Is this whole village full of psychopaths and sadists? Because I'll probably find more help from the ferals in the woods if that's the case."

"My apologies," Virgil replied. "I forget that Artemis' company can be… taxing for those unfamiliar with her. If you need aid, Torterra's Guild will be happy to provide it." Turning to Artemis, he added, "I assume that is why you have brought this one here?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Found him knocked out by the river. Couldn't remember anything besides his name, so I figured he got hit by some kind of psychic and brought him here. And I resent that comment," she added in a hurt tone.

Virgil turned, bringing his midsection alongside the dock. "Then it is best we bring him to the Guildmaster at once."

Artemis leaped out onto his broad back without hesitating. I decided that the gyarados probably didn't need to trick me if he wished me harm, and carefully followed her onto Virgil's rough hide. He slowly drifted away from the dock and, glancing back to ensure neither of his passengers were about to fall off, began picking up speed as he swam for the distant island.

The trip passed in relative silence. Artemis and Virgil spoke briefly, but only in hushed whispers. None of us, it seemed, was willing to break the midnight quiet. As we drew closer to the island, the Golden Tree rose high above us, obscuring most of the night sky. The sheer size of it became apparent as we traveled, reaffirming my suspicions that it hadn't grown naturally.

"Gyarados," I asked, looking to confirm my earlier conclusion, "that tree… it was created by a legendary, wasn't it? It's too big to be natural."

Virgil twisted his neck around to face me, an odd look in his eyes. "That would seem to be the most likely answer," he replied after a moment. "Rumor has it that it was a gift to the Guildmaster from Xerneas himself, for some past heroics on her part. Of course, the Guildmaster will say nothing on the matter, so it remains simply a rumor."

I eyed the gyarados for a moment, suspicion forming in the back of my mind. "Except...that's not entirely the case," I stated. "You know what happened."

Virgil chuckled in reply. "You are very observant. Yes, I know the story of the Golden Tree, but it is not my place to tell it. That right belongs to the Guildmaster alone, and I will not deny her the chance to share it when and how she chooses." He faced forward once again, adding "And please, Virgil is my name - I would prefer that you use it. I have no need of such formality here."

I nodded. "I'll try to remember that."

"Not that this conversation isn't absolutely fascinating," Artemis said, rising to her feet, "but I think we're here."

"Indeed we are," Virgil replied, pulling alongside a dock identical to the one we had left minutes before. Artemis jumped onto the wooden platform the moment he drew near, and I followed close behind her.

"Thanks for the ride, Virgil," she said, stretching. "Sorry I kept you up so late."

"It is no trouble," he replied with a smile. "Your work is worthwhile, and I enjoy the company." Turning to face me, he added, "I wish you the best of luck in finding yourself, Darkrai." With that, he swam off, disappearing into the water a short distance away.

"Come on," Artemis said, making her way towards shore. "The Guild's just up the path from here… what are you looking at?"

I hadn't moved from the dock's edge, and instead stood, staring out at the spot where the mysterious gyarados had vanished. "I never told him my name," I stated.

The entrance to Torterra's Guild was a set of large wooden doors, carved with the same intricate tree emblem I had seen at the dock. The doors were built directly into the side of the Golden Tree at the fork of two enormous roots, each several times wider than I was tall. At the top of each root was a large metal brazier, seemingly grown into the wood and lit with a brilliant white flame. Meanwhile, the Tree itself towered above us, its lower third ringed by even rows of windows set into its smooth surface.

Of course, knowing that it was probably willed into being by some hotheaded demigod in the space of about ten minutes made the whole affair a lot less impressive.

I followed Artemis to the doors, which, naturally, swung open under their own power as we drew near. Walking inside, I found myself in a large circular hall that spanned the width of the Tree. There were no windows on this floor, which left most of the room shrouded in darkness, though a handful of torches near the entrance blazed with the same strange white fire I had seen outside. At the center of the room was a large spiraling ramp, carved from the living wood of the Tree and broad enough for three average-sized pokémon to walk side-by side.

"Try to be quiet," Artemis said in a hushed voice as she led me towards the ramp. "Most of the Guild will be asleep at this hour, and we'll have to pass the bedrooms to get to the Guildmaster's chambers."

"You, being considerate of others? I never would have guessed." I replied, slightly louder than was necessary.

"Shut up!" she hissed. "Unless you want to find out what happens when you wake up half a dozen exploration teams at this hour, because that's something I really don't want to see again."

Climbing higher into the Tree, I noticed a regular pattern to the Guild's layout: each floor had a wide open area around the central ramp, ringed by rooms on all sides. The floors were completely dark save for the small white torches along the stairway, making it difficult to be exact, but it looked like each floor could easily house about a dozen pokémon with plenty of room to spare. We passed six such floors before reaching the Guild's uppermost level.

At the top of the ramp was another door etched with the familiar tree emblem, presumably the Guild's symbol. As we neared the entrance, Artemis turned to me and spoke. "This is the Guildmaster's room," she whispered. "Torterra's nice enough, but she can be a little… strange. Just be polite and let me do the talking."

I nodded in reply. After a moment's hesitation, Artemis nudged the door open, and we both walked inside.

The Guildmaster's chamber was built in the shape of a flattened circle, carved into one half of the Tree so that the entryway was against a wall. To our left and right were a pair of unmarked doors, while the far wall was filled with a single enormous window, before which was a small stone platform flanked by two large white-fire torches.

Guildmaster Torterra stood atop the platform, smiling warmly as we entered. To her right floated the small, blob-like form of a Reuniclus, too deeply engrossed in a the stack of papers suspended before it to notice our entrance. The Guildmaster greeted us as we approached.

"Ah, Artemis," she said, her slow yet surprisingly loud voice filling the room, "I'm glad to see you returned safely. Was your mission a success?"

"Yes, Guildmaster," she replied, briefly bowing her head, "though it didn't go quite like I planned it." I blinked in shock at her bowing - I hadn't imagined the absol was capable of that level of respect.

"I'm glad to hear it," the Guildmaster replied. "You can fill me in tomorrow. For now, I believe we have a more pressing concern." Stepping down from her dais, the Guildmaster calmly strode across the room, stopping only a few steps short of where I stood. Despite her quadrupedal stance, Guildmaster Torterra was only slightly shorter than I was, and could look me in the eye without much difficulty. It was more than a little intimidating.

For nearly a full minute, the Guildmaster just stood there watching me, her expression unreadable. Her brilliant green eyes, lined with the telltale signs of age, seemed to bore into me. After the first few seconds, I looked away.

Eventually, she nodded, seemingly finding me acceptable. "Yes… Virgil sent word to my secretary of your arrival," she stated, motioning to the still-preoccupied psychic behind her. "But I get ahead of myself. My name is Torterra, and this is my Guild. How may we help you?"

Bowing slightly, I spoke, choosing my words carefully. She seemed friendly, but I decided insulting the obviously-powerful torterra was a bad idea. "Thank you, Guildmaster," I began. "My name is Darkrai. Your friend Artemis found me unconscious by a river near here, with no memory of who I was or how I came to be there. She suggested that you might be able to help me."

The Guildmaster nodded, closing her eyes in thought. "I am sorry to hear that," she replied. "I am happy to help in any way I can, but I am not sure what, exactly, you believe I might do."

I frowned. "I was hoping you might know who I am," I said, concerned my one lead might be a dead end. "Do you recognize my name? Or... is there someone around here who might have known me?"

The Guildmaster sat silent for several moments. "Darkrai," she slowly replied, a strange look in her eyes, "I'm sorry to say I am not familiar with who you are, nor would anyone in this village recognize you."

I sighed, slumping in disappointment. "Thank you for trying, Guildmaster."

"Don't give up quite so soon," she continued, a gentle smile spreading across her face. "I may not have an easy answer to your problem, but that doesn't mean I can't try. Amnesia is a tricky thing - sometimes memories can be recovered, sometimes not. Whatever the case may be, our guild will assist you however we can."

"You think you can help restore my memories?" I asked, hopefully.

"I think our resident doctor would enjoy the challenge," she replied with a chuckle. "Failing that, I have a few... ideas of my own. For tonight, you will stay here with us. Tomorrow, we'll set about learning who you are." Turning to Artemis, she added, "Artemis, I'd like him to stay in your quarters tonight. As I recall, you still have an open bed, correct?"

The absol blinked in surprise. "Yeah, but-"

The Guildmaster cut her off. "Excellent. He will sleep there for the night - show him to it. I will speak to the both of you tomorrow." With that, she strode calmly to her platform and sat, looking out the window at whatever lay below.

Defeated, Artemis turned toward the door. "Come on," she said, "I guess I can tolerate you for one night. My place is on the fourth floor." I followed her onto the ramp without comment.

A few minutes later, we came to her room. Approaching the door, I noticed a small metal plaque mounted over it, previously hidden by the darkness. Squinting, I could just barely make out the inscription: "Team Exile," carved in simple footprint runes. Artemis nudged the door open without a word.

As we entered, a pair of the familiar white torches burst into flame. Blinking from the light, I took stock of the room.

It was built against the Tree's outer wall, with several small windows looking out onto the lake below. Against one wall was a broad wooden basin, filled with water from the small fountain that burbled within. Nearby was a low wooden table, its surface covered with countless scraps of paper. On the other side of the room were two simple straw beds, one of which was disheveled from frequent use, while the other seemed like it hadn't been touched in months.

Seeing the beds, I realized just how exhausted I had become. It had been a long night, and between the amnesia, crazy bandit attacks, and being scared senseless by a gyarados, I was surprised I was still standing.

"You can use the one on the left," Artemis said, indicating the less-used of the two beds. Slinging her pack down on the nearby table, she added "I'm fine with you staying the night here, but if you snore, I'm going to toss you out the window. Got it?"

"Got it," I replied, collapsing onto the bed. It was heavenly.

Artemis soon followed suit, and the twin torches extinguished themselves immediately after. Judging by the sounds of her breathing, she was asleep in less than a minute.

I lay sprawled on the bed, blissfully relaxed as I mulled over the night's events. I had a safe place to stay, and, with any luck, Torterra and her guild would be able to help me find out who I was and what, exactly, had happened to me. Artemis may have been a pain, but I didn't know what I'd have done had she not stumbled across me. I'd have to find some way to pay her back… both for her help and her little prank with Virgil.

I drifted off a few minutes later, my mind filled with thoughts of persim berries and plots of revenge.