Ch 53: The Heart of Reduka.
Serena and Pikachu kept staring at Ash as he lay unconscious in the healing area of the guardian guild. Serena could still feel his heartbeat and feel his aura still alive through their connection. Despite this, he was still laying there motionless.
It had been almost 2 days and he had made no progress. Occasionally the guardian healer would take control of some of Ash's senses with his aura to allow him to eat and drink.
"Pika." PIkachu said.
"Ash, I know you're in there. I want you to know I'm not leaving your side, not until you come back to me." Serena said with tears still in her eyes.
Ash's vision finally returned to him as he slowly opened his eyes and saw he was in his room back in Pallet town.
"Huh?" He said.
He got out of bed and looked in the mirror and saw himself as he was. However, he was in his guardian robes for some reason.
"What's going on?" Ash asked before he heard something downstairs.
Ash walked down the stairs to see all of his pokemon sitting around, sitting in the center of the room was none other than Serena.
"Serena? What's going on? How did we end up here?" Ash asked.
"We've always been here Ash." Serena said.
"What?" Ash asked.
"We've always been a part of you." Another voice said.
Ash slowly turned his head and saw it was Pikachu who spoke like the team rocket Persian.
"Huh?" He said a little freaked out. He had spoken to his pokemon through aura before , but not like this.
"Don't be afraid, we're just here because we love you." His charizard said.
"What the?" Ash said before he heard another voice.
"Calm down. You're not going mad."
Ash turned around to see Vaeron standing there.
"Vaeron?!" Ash said almost jumping.
"Come with me." He said as he lead Ash out of the house and through an empty Pallet town.
"What's going on? Why are we in Pallet town? How are my pokemon talking? How are you here?" Ash asked.
"This isn't pallet town, and those weren't exactly your loved ones in the flesh, and this isn't your home town" Vaeron said.
"Then what's going on?" Ash asked.
"We're inside your aura. Your subconsciousness"
"What?" Ash asked.
"Why do you think I'm here. When you found my tomb and synced completely to my aura you opened up a full connection to me. Now I'm a full part of you, and thus you see me here." Vaeron said.
"So back in the house." Ash started.
"All the ones you have opened a successful aura connection with. Your lover, and your pokemon. It is why you saw them there."
"How did I end up trapped in my own aura?"
"You are in an Aura coma, it happens when you bring up your ancestor's aura too much without being fully synced to it. Like you've been doing with Altair. It creates an imbalance between the two auras and you cannot control which is present."
"But I did that with your aura?" Ash asked.
"Not as much, besides eventually the imbalance was restored. If you want to escape this place and allow yourself to regain control of your aura, you must synch up with Altair's aura completely." Vaeron said.
"How do I do that?" Ash asked.
"You must finish his story. See where his final confrontation lead him and how it changed him. Once you understand the moment that truly made Altair who he was, you will be fully synched with him. Then his aura will not vie for control over yours."
The two walked out of pallet town only to find themselves in front of the mountain path.
"This is the path you must take. But you must be ready to see it, I have seen this memory myself. Just witnessing it may change you as it did me. I can only imagine what Altair himself went through." Vaeron said before he walked off.
"Wait Vaeron, can't you come with me?" Ash asked.
"I cannot, this is something you must do alone. Or should I say, just with Altair. Do not fret, you don't have to live the events. Just understand them, only then will you sync with his aura. Farewell my boy, may Reduka guide you."
Ash gave a determined look as he stared back down the path and slowly walked up it. As he continued up the trail, he felt his body grow lighter and lighter until he didn't feel it at all.
"Huh?" He said before he realized he was back a third person point of view overlooking Altair and Lucario.
"This is it!" Ash said.
He watched as Altair and Lucario made their way up the mountain path, sprinting through it and easily scaling over any obstacle in their way.
Eventually he was stopped by 4 Arceons wearing cloak like robes with tan cloth covering their heads except their eyes.
Beside each of them was an ancient Lucario and each had a short blade in their hands.
Ash felt something strange about each of these men. They didn't look or feel like psychics , they looked and felt like aura guardians.
Altair noticed it as well as he felt their aura strength.
"The master has been waiting for you Altair lbn-La'Ahad. He has asked us to escort you to him." One said.
"Where is his prisoner. I want to see her." Altair said as Lucario exchanged fierce looks with the other Lucarios.
"Follow us, we'll take you to her." Another said.
Lucario and Altair used their aura vision on the 4 Arceons and saw their aura was as red as a templar's.
He carefully followed them to a gate, the same gate Ash came across. Once they reached it, Altair noticed as another 4 of the aura Arceons leapt down from the rocky ridges above him and landed behind him.
Another 4 leapt off the gate walls and came to his sides, surrounding the two guardians with 12 of them and 12 Lucario.
Altair noticed each draw their short blades as he let out his own hidden blades.
"Drop your weapons and surrender yourself now." One said.
"No." Altair said.
"Very well." The same one said as each of them and their Lucarios took a deep breath and unleashed a series of aura spheres at the two guardians.
Just before they could hit, Altair and Lucario joined hands and unleashed a counter wave that blew through the hostile aura and hurled the 24 attackers off their feet.
Before he even knew what hit him, the same aura Arceon saw Altair acrobatically leap over him and slash his hidden blades across his throat as Lucario slammed into his Lucario with a Power up Punch.
Another 3 of the aura Arceons came at Altair using swift and acrobatic attacks like a guardian would. Also like a guardian, their aura enhanced their physical abilities. Altair, however, was on another level. He easily blocked each of their strikes before counter striking and killing the 3.
At the same time Lucario made his way through any of the other Lucarios that came at him.
Ash couldn't believe that there were aura using Arceons that weren't guardians. Still he knew that if there were psychics who weren't templars there had to be aura users that weren't guardians . Ash could tell Altair and Lucario were just as disturbed by this as he was, but it didn't distract him.
One by one Altair cut down the aura arceons until only him and his Luacrio were standing.
"So much for going in quietly." Altair said as Lucario nodded.
The two scaled over the gate wall and continued down the path occasionally being attacked by more aura arceons.
Eventually they got to a higher point in the mountain and saw something else standing before them. These were more familiar foes. Three tall psychics wearing templar like chainmail and tunics with 3 alakazams beside then and broadswords in hand.
"Enough of this, lay down your weapons and submit yourself to the master or be destroyed." The lead psychic said.
"You want my blades, come and take them." Altair said.
The 3 psychics and their Alakazams' eyes glowed red as they aimed their spoons and swords at Altair and Lucario.
Moments later a furry of rocks and chunks of the mountain were hurled at the two like a massive storm.
Altair either used aura barriers, or acrobatically leapt off or around each rock as Lucario did the same.
Eventually the two leapt off enough rocks to leap over the psychics.
When Altair landed he slammed his palm into the ground in between the 6 psychics, unleashing a pulse of aura that hurled them all back.
Before they could get up Altair slashed through each of them with his hidden blades as Lucario unleashed Metal claw on the 3 Alakazams.
After the psychics were finished, Altair and Lucario continued until they reached the mountain peak.
At the peak they saw a massive castle sitting there, the same castle Ash saw.
"It's the castle!" Ash shouted.
Altair and Lucario stared at the castle before they felt something strange inside.
"Can you feel that?" He asked.
"Grouu." Lucario growled nodding.
"I haven't felt something like this since Reduka came to us and gave us his tears." Altair said.
Moments later the ground began to shake as the castle main gate opened and the two saw and felt something coming out.
Soon they saw an entire battalions worth of Aura arceons and Lucario, followed by psychic knights and Alakazams.
Before long the 2 were surrounded.
Altair and Lucario gave intensive looks before they stood back to back.
The aura arceons and psychic knights came at Altair and Lucario with their pokemon beside them.
One by one the two guardian masters fought through them, piling up bodies and knocked out pokemon.
As they continued fighting, Altair and Lucario felt something else.
Moments later they heard 3 massive roars and looked up to see Aegon and his 3 mega dragons as they flew down and unleashed dragon pulses into the mob of attackers.
Once the Dragons were over them directly, Aegon leapt off with over a dozen other guardians.
Before long more guardians , including Malik and his Charizard flew in and joined the fight.
Coming up the side of the mountain were psychic knights Hospitalier and their pokemon as they attacked the aura and psychic arceons from their sides.
Altair and Lucario were confused at first but continued fighting until they met Aegon, Malik, and Garnier de Naplouse.
"Reduka smiles on us today my friend." Malik said.
"What are you all doing here, I said I needed to come alone." Altair said.
"We're a brotherhood Altair, no guardian stands alone. You taught us that Altair." Aegon said.
"But the man in the mountain's threat."
"We don't trust him. Robert De sable even said he wanted you Altair. We knew this would happen if you came here alone." Garnier said.
"Besides you can still face him alone, we'll just take care of his men. You find him." Malik said.
"Thank you my friends, even after I told you to stay away." Altair said.
"Safety and peace Altair." Malik said.
"Too you as well." Altair said before he and Lucario moved into the castle itself.
As they moved further into the castle they felt the power sensation grow stronger and stronger. Eventually they were stopped by a pair of Arceons without any weapons, just a pair of squirtle beside them.
Altair drew his blades, but soon felt that these Arceons weren't aura users or psychics.
"Who are you?" Altair asked.
"Servants of the master, he who will guide us into the light." One said.
"Master? You mean the man in the mountain?" Altair asked.
"The master will save all mankind, lead us to peace and prosperity." The other said.
Altair felt something wrong with these men, their minds weren't their own. A foreign power exerted influence over them.
Altair and Lucario walked past them and came across several more arceons and pokemon who were the same.
"Follow the master to the light."
"The future is grand."
"He is our savior." they all said.
Eventually they reached a large water garden in the center of the castle and felt the power very close.
As soon as they walked to the center of a tiled area they felt the power exert itself onto them.
"No!" Altair shouted as Lucario grunted. The two were now glowing yellow as they felt themselves turned around back towards the door and being held in place.
"What's happening?" Altair asked.
"So the guardian mentor comes at last." Another voice said.
Altair and Lucario looked up to see an old man standing on a balcony. The old man had tan skin with black eyes and a long grey beard. He wore a black robe jacket with a hood over his head a a white tunic underneath. On the side of his belt was a broadsword and in his left hand, a small sphere made out of solid gold with symbols glowing all over it.
Altair and Lucario felt more power in this Arceon than any they had ever felt before. They could feel the powers of a psychic , and an aura user in him just as the legends spoke.
"So you're the legendary man in the mountain. Al Mualim." Altair said.
"It appears that Robert De Sable got the message to you after all, it appears the fool could do something right." Al Mualim said.
"Why are you doing this?" Altair asked.
Al Mualim smiled.
"I found proof."
"Proof of what?"
"That I am the creator's chosen!" Al Mualim shouted as he held the gold sphere up and it the symbols began to glow white.
Altair and Lucario could feel more power in the sphere than anything they had ever felt. It was the sensation they had been feeling.
Ash also couldn't believe what he was seeing, the device felt almost like a tear of Reduka, only far , far stronger.
"That device, what is it?" Altair asked.
Al Mualim smiled again.
"A gift given to me, the most powerful relic ever created. The Heart of Reduka! All his power and all his wisdom locked inside, and only I am able to wield it."
"Where did you get it?"
"I learned how to create it. By combining a Tear or Reduka with a Ccale of Reduka, and an Amulet. I created this! It grants me unimaginable power. Enhances all of my abilities of psychic and aura."
"So that's what you did to those Arceons, you were controlling their minds."
"Indeed, making them the perfect people. Obedient, mindless."
"You trained Robert De Sable to take control of the lands for you." Altair said.
"He was my pawn. I intended on him doing away with you and Titus, so that I could seize control of rome and declare myself the emperor."
"So it's power you want."
"Yes, but not for myself. I am the one who will save all mankind from evil. I will unite us all and bring peace."
"By stripping us of our free will."
"A necessary sacrifice, as well as some others." Al Mualim said.
"You formed the Tull empire, got millions of innocents killed, for what your mad ambition!" Altair shouted as Lucario growled.
"For the greater good, true the Tulls killed many. But look what was forged from their existence, the romans, the templars, even you guardians."
"Do not seek to justify your actions, your a bigger monster than even the Tull emperor!"
"I am evil, I am necessary evil for the greater good. Rome will be mine, the world will be mine, the people and pokemon of the world will all be mine. I shall control them all, make the world perfect, a utopia for all of us!"
"You won't succeed, your templars are finished and your men here will soon follow."
"I know, that's why I need you."
"What?" Altair said.
"When Robert failed to kill you I realized he could not succeed, so I ordered him on a suicide mission to rid myself of his incompetence. I also need to get you a message. The truth is, you're my only hope of seizing power in rome, even with the heart I cannot control every living creature on the planet. But If I control rome, I can control enough of the right people's minds to fulfill my plans."
"If that's true why haven't you used that device to control my mind like the others?".
"I tried, when you first walked in here. But you aren't like the others, your mind is shielded by your aura. It is more powerful than any i've ever seen. More powerful than even mine when not enhanced by the heart of Reduka. That is why I need you to cooperate, open your mind and allow me to control you willingly. With you by my side, controlling rome will be easy."
"I'd rather die than help you!" Altair shouted.
Al Mualim smiled.
"It's a good thing I have leverage." Al Mualim said as Altair's eyes widened when he saw Maria being dragged forward by two aura arceons.
"Maria!".
"Let me go you bastards before I sever your cocks." She shouted trying to break free.
"Your lover's life is in my hands."
"Don't do it Altair! He's mad!" Maria shouted.
"Or perhaps they're another you love even more." Al Mualim said as one of the aura acreons lowered his blade to in front of Maria's stomach.
"No!" Altair shouted.
"No please!" Maria shouted as her feistiness turned to complete fear and some tears came out of her eyes.
"You will obey, or your lover and your unborn child will die!" Al Mualim shouted.
Lucario grit his teeth as he tried to break free. He had to do something, but was powerless to do so.
Altair said nothing before his eyes glowed blue and he unleashed a burst of aura that freed him from the grip of the heart of Reduka.
Before Al Mualim could do anything else he saw Altair let out his left hidden blade and held it to his own throat.
"What!?" Al Mualim shouted.
"No!" Maria shouted.
"Grouu!" Lucario shouted just as terrified.
"If you harm them, I will end my own life and you'll never get what you want. My guardians will defeat you." Altair said.
"So you will not join me, and I cannot compel you. It appears we have reached an impasse." Al Mualim said.
"No we are at an end. I have a new proposition for you Al Mualim. You believe the best way to raise a pokemon is through control and manipulation. I believe it is through love, trust, devotion. What if we test who is right?"
"How so?" Al Mualim asked.
Lucario looked at Altair and nodded.
"We have a Pokemon battle. My Lucario vs any of your pokemon. If you win, I will surrender myself to you. But if I win, you release Maria and end this madness." Altair said.
"H'mm, an interesting offer. One I am inclined to agree on. On one condition, your Lucario must face two of my pokemon. This is non negotiable" Al Mualim said.
Altair turned to Lucario who nodded.
"Done." Altair said.
Moments later Altair and Lucario stepped back to one end of the open area of the water garden as an ancient Lucario and Alakazam leapt down from the Balcony and stood in front of Altair and Lucario.
Altair touched his mega evolution stone as Lucario mega evolved.
At the same time Al Mualim's eyes glowed dark violet as he held up the heart of Reduka.
The device glowed white as the two pokemon mega evolved as well. However, Ash noticed that when the Lucario and Alakazam were mega evolved by the heart. They seemed slightly different than their normal mega evolved forms.
Altair also noticed that both these pokemon were not of their own free will. Al Mualim was controlling their minds.
Ash was very interested to see Altair and his Lucario in an actual battle.
"Begin!" Al Mualim shouted as his Mega Alakazam unleashed a powerful Psychic and his Mega Lucario unleashed Power up Punch.
The Mega Alakazam's eyes glowed red as he tried to hold Altair's Lucario in place with Psychic.
"Lucario use your aura to break free." Altair said.
Lucario tried to channel his aura, but the Alakazam's power seemed unnatural and he was held in place. Al Mualim's Mega Lucario smashed his fist into Altair's Lucario's face.
Altair grit his teeth as he watched his partner get launched back.
Altair didn't understand why Lucario wouldn't break free. But when he felt Al Mualim's two pokemon again he felt their power and realized it was unnatural. He looked up at the Heart of Reduka as it glowed. Al Mualim was using it to enhance the power of his pokemon.
Al Mualim's Alakazam used Double team and surrounded Lucario as Al Mualim's Lucario did the same.
All of the Mega Alakazams began using Psybeams as the Mega Lucario's sprinted at Altair's Mega Lucario trying to use Close combat.
"Use extreme speed with Close combat." Altair said.
Mega Lucario raised his arms before he used lighting fast strikes on each of the incoming Mega Lucario copies, destroying them one by one.
At the same time, he used extreme speed to acrobatically evade every incoming Psybeam.
When the copies didn't stop Altair had an idea.
"Use aura vision!"
Mega Lucario used his aura vision and his eyes glowed blue as he saw the real Mega Lucario.
As Al Mualim's Mega Lucario came at him, Altair's acrobatically leapt over him using extreme speed before smashing him in the back with Close combat and hurling him forward.
Al Mualim's Mega Alakazam's launched another barrage of Psybeams as Mega Lucario moved acrobatically around each before unleashing a barrage of Aura spheres that destroyed the copies one by one , until the real Mega Alakazam used a Psychic to stop the aura sphere and hurl it back at Mega Lucario who smashed it with a Power up punch.
He then acrobatically leapt up at Mega Alakazam only to have Al Mualim's mega Lucario use Extremespeed and sprint under him before grabbing his right foot and hurling him to the ground.
"Lucario get up!" Altair shouted before his Mega Lucario leapt up with a backflip.
Al Mualim's mega Lucario unleashed a close combat as Al Mualim's dodged or blocked each blow with the fighting style he and Altair had taught each other for years.
Finally he caught his opponent's arm and locked him in an arm bar before smashing him across the face with two Power up Punches.
Before he could unleash another strike, Al Mualim's mega Alakazam used Psychic and held him in place once again before Al Mualim's Mega Lucario recovered and unleashed a furious close combat right into Mega Lucario's body.
"Grouu!" Lucario grunted in pain.
Altair had never felt his partner in such pain before. They had never faced opponents with the power that the Heart gave these two.
"Don't give up!" Maria shouted.
Altair took a deep breath and used his connection to Lucario.
"Never give up, never give up until the end!" He shouted through an aura message as Lucario felt his partner's spirit fueling his own.
He felt like he was the strongest pokemon in the world as his eyes and body glowed blue and he roared. Mega Lucario broke free of the Psychic and unleashed a wave of aura that knocked Al Mualim's mega Lucario back and his Mega Alakazam off balance.
Before either could recover, Mega Lucario used extreme speed to sprint over to Mega Alakazam and unleashed a glowing Metal claw with everything he had.
The Mega Alakazam was hurled back into the wall and broke through half of it before reverting to his normal form.
"What!?" Al Mualim shouted.
As his Mega Lucario got up, Altair's used Extremespeed to sprint over and unleashed a furious close combat on Al Mualim's mega Lucario that knocked him out as well.
"No!" Al Mualim shouted as Maria smiled and let out a few tears of relief.
Mega Lucario was now breathing deeply, exhausted like he had never felt before as he reverted to his normal form. Still he smiled up at Al Mualim as Altair walked up beside him.
"Thank you my friend. You proved that devotion beats manipulation." Altair said before he looked up at Al Mualim.
"It's done then, release Maria!"
"No! You can't do this, I am the creator's chosen!" Al Mualim shouted.
"No, you never were." Altair said before Al Mualim scowled at him and turned to his men.
"Kill her!" He shouted before he turned back to Altair.
"No!"
"Grouu!".
As one of the aura arceons brought down his dagger, Maria head butted it and knocked it aside before bitting his arm and forcing him to let her go.
Once he did, she grabbed his dagger and slashed it across his chest before impaling the second one.
"What?" Al Mualim started before Maria slammed into him and forced him off the balcony and into the courtyard below.
"Kill him my love!" Maria shouted as Altair drew both hidden blades and sprinted at Al Mualim.
Just before he could assassinate him, Al Mualim's head shot up with his eyes glowing very dark violet.
Altair felt a great power in him, the same power he felt in his Mega Alakazam and Mega Lucario.
Altair and Lucario were hurled back by a wave of aura and Psychcic energy.
Al Mualim got to his feet and held the Heart of Reduka in the air as his entire body began to glow dark violet and began to change.
"What the hell?" Maria said as she saw the transformation.
Altair and Lucario got up and saw as Al Mualim had somehow transformed himself with the power of the heart of Reduka. He was now larger and his Arceon features of psychics and aura users were enhanced.
Altair felt the full power of his abilities like he had never felt in a person or pokemon before.
Al Mualim grinned and began laughing as he drew his broadsword and it began to glow black violet.
Mega Lucario was too weak to continue fighting, But Altair took a deep breath and began to glow blue with aura as he sprinted at Al Mualim.
Al Mualim raised his hands as a hurricane of debris flew from the walls and engulfed Altair, who tried to acrobatically avoid or block with aura, but was unable to.
The rock and stone raked across his body and smashed into him, forcing him to the ground.
"Altair get up!" Maria shouted.
"Grouu!" Lucario shouted.
Altair grunted as he got up and began panting before he sprinted at Al Mualim. When he reached him he unleashed a furious , but still precise attack with his hidden blades, using lighting fast acrobatic and swift strikes.
Despite this, Al Mualim was able to move faster than anything Altair had ever seen, and blocked each of his strikes. Finally Al Mualim struck back with his broadsword and hit Altair's hidden blades before knocking them aside and striking him across the face and chest repeatedly with aura and psychic powered first strikes.
Finally Altair brought his blades back up only to have them be hit by Al Mualim's broadsword that was empowered by his nearly limitless power.
Altair was hurled back like a rag doll and his hidden blades were shattered like glass and his mega evolution stone was knocked out of his bracers and flew back.
Before Altair could hit the ground he was caught by Al Mualim's psychic and smashed into the ground repeatedly like a toy.
"No!" Maria screamed before she grabbed the dagger and tried to jump down only to be restrained by Al Mualim's psychic energy as he laughed .
When Altair landed he coughed up blood and began breathing deeply as he stood on his knees, looking defeated.
Tears ran down Maria and Lucario's face as they watched Al Mualim slowly approach him.
"No, this can't be right. Altair can't die here, he just can't." Ash said as his heart pounded. But wait, Vaeron said this would be the end of Altair's story. Maria was already with child. What if this was it, what if this is how he died. Ash already watched Sir Aaron die, he didn't think he could watch Altair die too.
Altair slowly raised his head as Al Mualim stood over him with his glowing eyes and evil grin.
"Fool, you're powers are nothing to mine while I hold the heart of Reduka. Prepare to die!".
Lucario wanted to sprint over and smash Al Mualim's face in, but all his energy was gone. He could do nothing but watch his partner be killed. As tears filled his eyes he noticed Altair's Mega evolution stone had landed beside him.
He remembered the first day he showed it to him.
"It is a gift from he creator, only a those truly bonded can master Mega evolution. A true level of friendship. But we are at that level Lucario. You and I are partners, now and until our end." Altair said in Lucario's memory.
He grit his teeth before he thought of something. He didn't know if it would even work, but he had to try it. Altair was his partner and he loved him. He would try anything to save him. Even something as crazy as what he was about to do.
He ripped the Lucarionite out of his necklace and with all the strength left he hurled it forward before roaring.
Altair slowly turned his head and caught the Lucarionite before looking back up at Al Mualim.
With all his remaining strength, Lucario's paw glowed blue as he touched the mega evolution stone and sent everything he had left through his and Altair's connection.
That is when he felt it.
Al Mualim felt it as well. Maria looked down in disbelief as a colorful sphere surrounded Altair.
When it vanished Altair was no longer on his knees. He stood just as tall as the transformed Al Mualim. The spikes on his body had grown larger and he had two large blade like claws coming out of his middle knuckles. His body was also physically much large with massive muscles under his robe. Not only that, but he was now glowing with blue aura energy and his eyes continued to glow blue.
Black wavy stripes not covered his exposed skin like a Mega Lucario and his Al Mualim could feel his aura powers were like nothing he ever felt.
Ash couldn't believe his eyes, could Altair have actually Mega evolved in some way.
Lucario's expression changed completely as he couldn't believe it worked. Maria was just as dumbstruck.
Before Al Mualim could do anything else Mega Altair thrusted his glowing aura covered fist forward and slammed Al Mualim with a aura punch that hurled him back across the water gardens.
Al Mualim got up and tried another hurricane of projectiles , but Mega Altair moved faster than anything any of them had ever seen. He either avoided the projectiles, or smashed them with his strikes.
When Mega Altair finally reached Al Mualim, he unleashed a furry of strikes even faster than even Al Mualim. He used his fist claw blades to knock away Al Mualim's broadsword each time before he acrobatically or powerfully struck Al Mualim with his feet and fists.
Al Mualim tried to strike back with a powerful blast of aura and psychic energy, but Mega Altair's aura body absorbed it before he unleashed pulse of aura that hurled Al Mualim back.
As he did, Al Mualim tried one more projectile storm.
This time, however, Mega Altair acrobatically leapt up and off each of the projectiles before coming down on Al Mualim.
Before he could move, Mega Altair came down like a striking Lucario and slammed his right hand blade claw into Al Mualim's chest as he forced him onto the ground.
As Mega Altair stood over Al Mualim , he saw Al Mualim drop the Heart of Reduka. Al Mualim watched as it rolled away before he turned back to Mega Altair above him slowly reverted back to his normal form.
"Impossible, I am psychic and aura, I had the power of the creator in my hands. I was his chosen. How could you defeat me?" Al Mualim asked.
"Nulla, ut supra dixi. Numquam fuerunt." Altair said.
"So it seems. You have won then, go claim your prize." Al Mualim said as he looked at the Heart of Reduka.
"You held fire in your hands old man, it should have been destroyed." Altair said.
"Destroyed, you don't understand what it truly is. Yes it is a device of power, but also of wisdom. Do you realize what it told me. This land we live in, it is not the entire world."
"What are you talking about?" Altair asked.
"It showed me that there are other lands, west of the Silver mountains, Massive islands to the south. Across the sea more regions just as large as this one. Different lands, each with different pokemon, not native here."
"Diffrent pokemon?"
"Yes, other Arceons as well. My plan was to control rome and use their ships to spread to these other regions. Control them all, as I believed that the creator intended me to do. Now I see the truth, it was you, it was always you. He wanted you to have the heart. Find these regions with the help of the romans, and spread your wisdom to them all." Al Mualim said.
Altair was enticed by Al Mualim's words, if he spoke the truth, then he could find these other regions and other pokemon. Teach all the people of the world how to train and befriend pokemon. But what if Al Mualim was lying. The power of the heart corrupted him, it could do the same to himself.
"No, I will destroy it." Altair said.
"We'll see about that." Al Mualim said before he passed away.
Altair slowly got up and walked carefully to the Heart of Reduka.
As he got closer he could hear Al Mualim's voice.
"I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing of the wind. For in much wisdom is much grief,. And he that increases knowledge, increases sorrow."
As Altair reached the Heart it began to glow and show a holographic image of the earth.
Altair couldn't believe his eyes as he saw the world with regions beyond the region he knew.
Ash noticed the hologram of the world highlight Jhoto and began showing images of ancient versions of Feraligatrs, Tyranitars, Typhlosians.
It then showed Hoenn with ancient versions of Sceptiles, Swamperts, Mightyenas, Aggrons.
"Destroy it, destroy it as you said you would."
"I, I can't." Altair said.
"Yes, you can, Altair. But you won't."
As Altair stared at it, Maria and Lucario slowly walked up beside him in awe at what they were seeing.
Moments later they were joined by Malik, Aegon, and Garnier de Naplouse. Before they could say anything , they saw the globe and stood in awe.
Ash felt a strange sensation, his vision began to change as the castle vanished.
He stood on a while plane and saw Altair walk towards him.
"Altair!" He shouted in excitement.
"I've been waiting for you Ash, now you know what happened in the mountain." Altair said.
"I don't get it, did you really mega evolve? And the heart of Reduka?" Ash asked.
"I didn't exactly Mega evolve, what happened was a result of my deep connection with Lucario."
"Why didn't you ever teach other guardians to do that. I can think of a few other guardians who could have used that technique." Ash said.
"I tried, but only I was able to. I never truly understood why, even with the Heart of Reduka. I was the only one who could hold it without going mad. It showed me the other regions of the world. It showed me many things. But now it's time for me to show you something, and to free you from your coma." Altair said before he put his left hand on Ash's shoulder and his right hand on his forehead.
Altair's eyes glowed blue as Ash's glowed blue as well. He felt Altair's aura open up completely and sync up with his like it did with Vaeron.
When Altair finished he let go of Ash and stood in front of him.
"May Reduka guide you my descendent." Altair said before he vanished.
Serena and Pikachu had been waiting beside Ash for hours. They had both fallen asleep beside him.
Ash's eyes slowly opened as he saw the guardian chamber around him. He also saw Pikachu and Serena beside him.
"Serena." Ash said as he caressed the side of her head.
Serena slowly opened her eyes and saw Ash awake.
"Ash?!" She said
"Je viens de rentrer de mon amour, et je ne suis jamais repartir." He said before she grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him as tears of joy came rolling down her face.
"Pika?" Pikachu said as he was awakened by the sounds.
He saw Ash awake and quickly jumped onto his shoulder before nudging his head against his neck.
"Pika!".
Author's note
Yeah folks, I took a big gamble with this chapter, I hope it pays off.
I'm sure you have lots of questions after this one and I will answer them if they are sent via PM.
I need to reiterate with reviews, while I appreciate all reviews, I'd prefer more detail. For example sometimes I get ones that just say , "awesome chapter man." Which I appreciate, but if you could go into more detail of what you liked to I can learn and grow, it just helps me out.
With that being said this is the last of the Altair memories aside from something similar I did with the Vaeron memories in the last story.
So until next time, please review, comment, suggest, or ask(via PM)