Chapter 34

Dawn

We stumble through the passages of Skyborne with the assistance of nurses. They are our escorts to our rooms. I loathe the idea of requiring help to do something as simple as going to bed, but we're still extremely weak, even after the meal of berries they gave us. A good night's rest and we'll be fine by tomorrow morning. But, bed rest is the last thing on my mind, now. What's lingering in my mind right now is a huge cloud of his words. His promise to reveal the truth tonight. I knew that the leaders sometimes keep secrets, of course. But, what could Grayos be hiding that's so very important?

We arrive at our bedroom and the nurses make sure that we are fine for the night. They are so kind to their patients, but they're a bit annoying too. As soon as they leave, I look to Blake who has read me like a book. "Dawn, welcome to my world." He mutters as he rolls his eyes. I grin at him.

"Alright. It's almost midnight. We better get out and go to the place where Grayos asked us to meet." I announce.

"Okay, but it's likely that there will be pokemon like that Ledian that'll have no problem with reporting us. Being out of bed after curfew without permission isn't allowed, you know." April states back. Blake just chuckles a bit and shakes his head.

"April, we made it out of Skyborne without getting caught and escaped the distortion world. We are masters of stealth by now!" Blake holds his chest high, acting so full of himself. I giggle at his huge ego. However, he is right. We won't have any problem at all.

"Follow me." I beckon the others out of the room. They follow close behind as we sulk out into the cave passages. Our trio creeps silently through the caves, not spotting any pokemon. Since it's the primary dragon training grounds, I lead the group. Again. It's not like I don't like being the leader, but I'm always the leader. I'm not even that good of a leader. Never had been.

I lead the group into the primary dragon training ground and I hold my breath. I float to the center wordlessly. It feels like an eternity ago that I sent that dummy to its watery end. It has been replaced with a brand new one, of course. But, the feeling and memory is still there. I can practically feel the water whirring around my tail, slamming into the dummy.

"Dawn?" Blake snaps me out of my trance. "Where is Grayos, anyway?" I turn to him.

"I'm not sure, Blake. He said here at midnight. Maybe we're in the wrong place."

"Sorry for being a bit late." I turn to the sound of the voice to find Grayos standing in the hallway. "Thanks for coming despite your injuries." I just nod. "So, are you three feeling any better?" He gives a warm smile at us, but my stare remains the same.

"Grayos, what are you hiding?" I ask just like I did in the infirmary. We stare at each other for a long time and he sighs like we're reenacting the scene from a few hours ago.

"Are you aware of the legend of how our world came to be?" He finally asks. I don't say anything. It's familiar, but I can't say I could quite describe it exactly. April, however, steps forward.

"The one with the Arceus and the three brothers?"

"That's the one." Grayos nods.

"Ontinous used to tell the little ones that tale as a bedtime story. Sometimes even to scare us when we've been misbehaving." April turns to me and Blake. "Long ago, before the world was created, there lived a pokemon named Arceus. He was immortal and had incredible powers, but he was also lonely. So, he decided to create a world where he wouldn't be so lonely. So, he did. To put the world in a stable order, he created three other pokemon who were brothers. The three brothers were Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. Arceus put each of his creations in charge of a different power that held order and balance in the new world. He let Dialga govern the flow of time, Palkia the order of space, and Giratina the realm of the distortion world. But, Giratina felt betrayed that his two brothers had such great powers and all he got was a reverse version of the world. So, he went to his creator and demanded more power. But, Arceus saw that the current order was good and peaceful. Arceus denied his request and, in rage, Giratina attacked Arceus. The two fought until both sides were very weak. Arceus then called upon the aid of Dialga and Palkia. The creator and the two brothers banished Giratina from ever crossing over to the real world or any other place other than the distortion world again." April finishes.

"That was most of it, but not quite. There's a little detail that no one ever mentioned in the past out of fear. Everyone wanted to pretend this part wasn't true, and eventually, it was forgotten in time." Grayos adds. "There is one single chance for Giratina to be forgiven by Arceus and released to go out into the real world. If Giratina can make a sacrifice to Arceus with three pure hearts, representing the three pokemon that fought to bring peace, then Giratina will be once again granted access."

"Three pure hearts?"

"Correct. Hearts that dwell inside three pure pokemon. Which just happened to be you three." Grayos nods at us. I blush a bit and lower my head. It's kind of embarrassing to be told I have a pure heart. But, my questions haven't been answered yet.

"Okay, that explains who that pokemon was and why he wanted us, but he said that he met us once before."

"Yes. After Giratina returned to the distortion world from the battle, he began a long rest that spanned millions of years. He lost a lot of power and energy. But, eventually, he gained enough strength to use one of his great powers. He has the ability to put pokemon with selfish hearts under mind control that is so powerful, it can cross dimensions. Legendaries tend to be quite egocentric and selfish, so they fell right into Giratina's trap. The mind control, I found out, works only if the pokemon is within a close distance to a portal to the distortion world much like the one you found at Spear Pillar. So, Giratina's new henchman searched the land for pokemon with pure hearts and they found a five-year-old Dratini, a three-year old Starly, and a three-year old Togepi." The three of us look at each other, processing Grayos's every word.

"So, how did we get out and into Skyborne, then?" I eye Grayos suspiciously.

"At the same time of your capture, I lived in Skyborne as a normal warrior with my two best friends, Kitiro and Leyorra. We lived normal and peaceful soldier lives up until the past leaders of Skyborne approached us and claimed we were the new heirs. While Kitiro and Leyorra were excited to be leaders, I wasn't so sure. I gained permission to go on a trip to meditate on this sudden change in my life and my wandering heart led me to Spear Pillar. Out of curiosity, I entered the portal in the center and found my way to a huge hollowed-out boulder where I saw him throwing three little pokemon in cages on a sacrificial altar. Giratina was reporting his soon-to-be greatest triumph and goal to his henchmen. Which was nothing less than to have the entire world's power for himself. At this news, I was so horrified and practically paralyzed. I was so used to a time of peace, I didn't know what to do. Giratina started to perform the sacrifice one at a time. His first victim being Dawn. I think that it must be why your evolution was stunted." I blink. All this time. Everyone was convinced I was cursed. In a way, I was. But, I now know why. It all lied in my past. I look to Grayos for more.

"I didn't take action until I heard your scream. I managed to break the cages and escape the distortion world with you three in my arms. But, the portal must have done something with your memories added to the fact that your minds weren't fully developed at such a young age. Anyway, I made it back to Skyborne with you safely. I pulled a few strings and kept a few mouths shut and you were enrolled as soldiers in Skyborne. When I rescued you, that's when I knew I had to be the dragon leader of Skyborne. It was the only way I could ensure that no one knew about your past. Because, if Skyborne knew that they are being attacked because Giratina had a hunch that you three lived in Skyborne, the leaders of Skyborne could have had you executed. Or worse, banish you from Skyborne and let you fall into Giratina's possession which would lead to the world's certain doom." Grayos takes a breath, but I need just a bit more.

"Why can't Giratina just find another pokemon with a pure heart? There must be more than just us!" I start to almost yell at Grayos. Why us? Why did this have to happen to us?

"There are certain rules to a sacrifice to Arceus. Giratina has to use a specific move and sacrifice a pure heart in order for it to work. And, once the pokemon with the pure heart is at that altar, the sacrifice must be completed with those pokemon only. When you three were placed on the altar when you were little, the three sacrifices had to be you and you only." Grayos explains. There is a long silence between us. I had a life before Skyborne. Maybe even a family, something that's forbidden in Skyborne. All that erased because of my heart. According to Giratina, it was ten years ago that I was about to die. Ten years ago that I entered Skyborne for the first time. It must have been ten years ago since the Wings of Legend started searching for me while I was here this whole time. Then, they found our location, but not us. We flew right into his home, making it so easy for him to capture us. I just can't believe it. This entire time. Then, something else comes into my head.

"So, you're saying that hundreds, maybe thousands, of warriors were killed because the Wings of Legend couldn't find us?" I demand. Grayos stares at me with sadness.

"Dawn, this isn't your fault. You-"

"But it IS! It IS my fault! If I wasn't in Skyborne right now, then Skyborne would never have had to lose all those warriors!" I scream furiously at Grayos.

"Dawn, if you would just listen-"

"NO! Everyone is dead because of US! They gave their lives to protect, not Skyborne, but US and they didn't even know it!" I let tears of fury stream in waterfalls down my cheeks. "How can you just throw away all those lives to save just THREE MEASLY POKEMON!?"

"DAWN! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Grayos barks above my voice, so small compared to his booming voice. "I know that many lives were lost in this war that I caused. I took you out of the distortion world and that drew the Wings of Legend to Skyborne. But, look at the alternative. If I decided to leave and not save you, the sacrifice would have been complete and there wouldn't be a world to live in anymore. It would all be controlled by Giratina and this world would be just like the distortion world. Completely empty of pokemon life besides Giratina himself. I couldn't just leave you three out in the wild. You'd be easily captured." Grayos tries to use a soothing voice, but it doesn't work.

"Then, kill us." I state firmly.

"What?" Grayos blinks.

"Kill us! That way, Giratina can't have us and Skyborne won't be attacked anymore."

"Dawn, I'm not going to kill you."

"WHY NOT!?" Tears stream down my face again. "TONS OF LIVES HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN! WHAT'S THREE MORE!? IT WOULD END THIS! FOR GOOD!" I break out into a sob and I lose energy fast. I still haven't recovered and I end up on the ground, coiled up, sobbing into my body. "P-please….please just kill me, now." I hear Grayos's feet walk over to my side. His clawed hand is gently placed on my back.

"Do your friends want that?" I slow down my crying and look up. April and Blake surround me.

"N-no, they probably don't want to die." I feebly answer him.

"That's not what I meant. You asked me to kill you. Do your friends want that?" I rub away tears against my skin and look into their eyes. So full of love and caring and hope. They practically send warmth into my very body. As if their very gaze is a hug in itself. I try to blink away tears, but they keep coming. "They don't want to see you die. Neither do I." I shudder a bit more as April and Blake embrace me. April starts crying into my skin.

"P-please don't die, Dawn. W-we love you." April's voice is muffled by her crying. I hug them closer to me with my tail.

"I love you, too" is all I can say. I feel Grayos's claw being lifted from my back and I hear the flapping of his wings carry him off. I don't look up, though. All that matters to me right now is my family.