CHAPTER 48
"Hmph." Slowking sighed, repeating his last action. Rylan was sent flying backwards into the ground again.
"Slowking, give me the key…" Rylan panted, getting to his feet once again. "We can save this world. We can work hard to make it the best it can be."
"It will be the best it can be when I'm calling the shots," Slowking responded. "But if you think your will is any stronger than mine, by all means, continue to try and land a blow on me."
Rylan ran towards Slowking a third time, only to meet the same treatment from his enemy. The psychic energy used to fling him backwards was starting to drain his stamina.
"It's only a matter of time before I get hold of Giratina," said Slowking. "And when that time comes, you all will be in its domain, and I will be opening my ears to the voices of Pokémon from all over this world. They'll be begging, pleading for me to let them out. They'll gladly accept my reign. As will you."
"Forget it," Rylan said. He rushed toward Slowking again and was thrown back consequently.
"Your body won't support you much longer," said Slowking. "I'm not even using my full power on you, and you're already struggling to move. I'll make this simple for you. Cease this folly now. Beg me to be your king. I won't harm you any further."
"I said forget it!" Rylan snapped. "I live life the way I choose to live it!"
"Clearly," Slowking sighed as he flung the weakened Rylan back again. "You choose to reject paradise. You are a fool. Now, beg."
Rylan moaned in pain and struggled to get to his feet again. He was starting to feel dizzy.
"Beg, Rylan," said Slowking.
Rylan did not beg. Too exhausted to run, he walked toward Slowking, his fist balled up.
"Beg," Slowking repeated, sending the helpless Rylan flying back once more.
Rylan managed to stand up once again. Slowking started to look quite angry.
"Beg, I said," he spat. "Are you really this much of a fool?"
Rylan wiped dirt from his mouth and gave Slowking an unwavering stare that suggested both defiance and determination. He clenched his fist again and hobbled toward Slowking.
Slowking did nothing. He watched as Rylan approached him. Rylan made it within a few inches from Slowking, then raised his arm, attempting to punch him.
Infuriated, Slowking used his power to seize Rylan again. Rather than fling him back, however, this time he moved Rylan over the side of the north ledge. Slowking suspended Rylan there, letting Rylan see the long drop below.
"You were fortunate enough to catch my eyesight the first time you fell from this ledge," said Slowking. "I saved you from certain injury and dropped you off safely among the beautiful flowers of Floral Meadow. If you continue to be a fool, you may not be so fortunate this time! Now, beg!"
Rylan said nothing in response. His glance rose from the perilous drop below him to Slowking's irate expression. He then slowly shook his head.
"BEG!" Slowking shouted. He tightened his psychic grip on Rylan. "PLEASE-!"
It happened too fast. Someone was coming closer. Slowking turned his head, horrified. He inhaled sharply, attempting to exhale a mighty Hydro Pump. The water barely began to expel from his mouth when a swift set of claws pulsating with dark energy struck a clean blow on the side of his face, knocking him back and sending him falling over the north ledge.
The psychic grip dissipated. Rylan began to plummet downwards as well.
"No you don't!" shouted Zorian. He leaped over the side of the ledge, grabbed his brother's paw, and flung him back up to safety.
Rylan coughed and tried to comprehend what was going on. He could feel a fist clenched tightly around his own. This fist was holding the completed Key of Renewal as well.
Rylan looked down over the ridge. His brother was barely hanging on to him.
"Z-Zorian!" Rylan gasped. "What are you doing?"
"I won't let you fall from this mountain a second time," said Zorian.
"I can barely feel my arms! I can't pull you up!" Rylan cried. "Can you climb?"
"I'm trying, bro…" Zorian replied. Rylan could hear the soft scraping sounds of his brother's clawed feet digging into the stone ledge, trying to find something to hold on to. "I may have to fall."
"Don't let go of me!" Rylan shouted. "Don't you dare!"
"You need to play the Key of Renewal," said Zorian. "The ridge is about to be swallowed up. If we wait any longer, we'll both fall."
Rylan turned to look behind him. The entire stone ledge was indeed covered in the aura from the Distortion World. It was ripping apart quite rapidly.
"Take it," Zorian said. He tucked the key into his brother's fist.
"Zorian, don't!" Rylan cried. "We can figure this out!"
Zorian smiled reassuringly at Rylan, then released his grip and fell. Rylan reached out, but it was too late. His brother plummeted out of sight.
"ZORIAN!" Rylan bellowed as tears began to flood his eyes.
The Key of Renewal glistened softly in the moonlight. Rylan knew that this was the only thing he could do. This is what his brother wanted. This is what the world needed. He needed to act now.
He stood up slowly, drastically enfeebled by Slowking, and placed the teeth of the key to his lips. A melody began to play in his mind, and he let his fingers guide him as the melody began to find its way to them. It was as though the key itself was instructing him.
Rylan blew into the key as if playing a piccolo. The melody tugged at his fingers, helping him play. In his mind, he could hear a beautiful accompanying chorus. It felt like the world itself was singing the tune of its salvation.
As he played the song, the Moon started retreating back to its original place in the sky. It then set and made way for the sunrise.
All around him, the clouds of aura from the Distortion World began to disperse and vanish completely. The world was returning to its original state.
The melody stopped playing in Rylan's mind, and thus he finished the last note and lowered the key from his lips. The key then began to shine brilliantly and rise up into the air, taking Rylan with it and draping him in a brilliant cloak of light.
"Rylan!" Vulpix and Buizel ran up to the north ledge and watched as the key took Rylan higher.
Rylan's light began to fade. Once it did, Rylan was gone. He was an irregularity no more. He was home. The key drifted down slowly, and Vulpix caught it before it reached the ground.
"Rylan…" Vulpix sobbed softly. Buizel hugged her to his side, and she wept in his embrace.
"I'm not sure what to say," said Buizel. "I wish I knew."
"It's okay," said Vulpix. "I know how you felt about him. But I'm still really going to miss him."
"I know," said Buizel. "I don't want to rush you or anything, but the sooner we get off the mountain, the better. We need to give this key back to Starmie."
"You're right," said Vulpix. "Let's get going."
The two Pokémon made their way to the cave near the lake, which surprisingly started to calm down. The maelstrom was soon gone, and the lake had become peaceful.
While taking a moment to converse with Wise Old Starmie, Vulpix and Buizel returned the Key of Renewal to her. Gallade, Nidoran, and Wingull reunited with the two, and much to their good fortune, Starmie offered to teleport them home. They accepted the offer and found themselves in the forest near the guild in an instant.