"From us?" Madelyn asked, her voice trembling with both concern and curiosity. The revelation that Shadarkai had been protecting humanity for thousands of years had left her stunned and overwhelmed.
"From you," Shadarkai whispered, its ancient voice echoing through the chamber. The Pokémon's shadowy form flickered, the dim light reflecting off its towering figure. Madelyn could sense the weight of age and weariness in Shadarkai's presence.
Lara Drake, the renowned Pokémon archaeologist, couldn't contain her astonishment. "But from what?" she inquired, her eyes wide with fascination.
"From Memordrax," Shadarkai replied, its voice carrying a haunting resonance. The whispers that accompanied its words sent a chill down everyone's spines.
Cynthia, the League Champion, furrowed her brow in confusion. "Memordrax? I've never heard of such a Pokémon before," she admitted, her voice tinged with curiosity and concern.
"That is not surprising," Shadarkai responded, its form flickering with a touch of discomfort, likely due to age and the recent battle they shared. Madelyn, driven by an innate desire to comfort this ancient Pokémon, approached Shadarkai without hesitation. She gently laid a hand on its side, radiating her affection and empathy for Pokémon.
The touch seemed to evoke a sense of gratitude from Shadarkai, as it released a soft sigh. Madelyn found solace in knowing she could bring comfort even to a being as ancient and powerful as Shadarkai.
"Memordrax is part of you, all of you," Shadarkai stated, pointing at Madelyn, Cynthia, and Lara. The revelation sent shockwaves through the group. Cynthia and Lara exchanged bewildered glances, struggling to comprehend the significance of Shadarkai's words.
"Part of us? What do you mean, Shadarkai?" Cynthia asked.
"It lives in the collective unconscious," Shadarkai continued, its voice carrying a hint of foreboding. "It lies dormant, consuming, waiting."
Madelyn couldn't help but feel a surge of anxiety in her chest. "But why?" she asked, her voice laced with desperation.
"To destroy everything," Shadarkai replied, its tone growing darker. The weight of its words hung heavily in the air, casting a somber mood over the group. They all shared a collective gasp, realizing the magnitude of the threat they faced.
Madelyn's curiosity stirred. She settled on the ground, resting beside Shadarkai, her affectionate nature compelling her to offer solace to the ailing guardian. "But why? Why does it seek to destroy everything?"
Shadarkai's response carried a darker tone, hinting at the somber truth. "To destroy everything is its purpose. It is parasitic. Its feeding gives it power. It is its nature."
Madelyn probed further. "But what purpose did you serve? Why did you take our memories?"
Shadarkai's words hung heavy in the air. "To diminish Memordrax's power. It was part of a plan devised by ancient civilizations, enacted to safeguard all life. The whispers you hear—the echoes of countless lost memories—are now denied to Memordrax."
Madelyn felt her heart ache for Shadarkai, burdened with such a colossal task and harboring a sacrifice no one had known about. "You've done so much to protect us. Thank you, Shadarkai. We're here for you now."
Lara's gaze fell upon the metal tablets. "But what about all the Pokémon that have disappeared? Elibite, Glizwing, Metaleon... where did they all go?"
"An unfortunate consequence of my intervention," Shadarkai replied, its voice filled with remorse. The burden it carried weighed heavily on its heart, knowing that its actions had resulted in the disappearance of many beloved Pokémon.
Shadarkai continued, its voice growing weaker. "I am old. I am dying. I can no longer halt the consumption. Haven't you seen pieces of my being disintegrating? Isn't that how you found this place?"
Lara mentioned the enigmatic symbols they saw on Route 209, and the whispers Lara and Madelyn heard. "That was you?" Madelyn asked, her voice tinged with a mix of surprise and confusion.
Shadarkai, its form shimmering with fading light, seemed to wince at the mention of the symbols. "They were an unintended consequence of my weakening state. The power that resides within me, in my attempts to shield the memories, has become unstable."
Madelyn's brows furrowed, trying to grasp the complexity of the situation. "So, those symbols and the whispers... were they a side effect of your struggle to protect us?"
Shadarkai nodded solemnly. "Indeed. The symbols were never meant to be released, but my diminishing power caused them to seep into the physical world. They were a beacon that inadvertently drew you closer, exposing a part of the truth."
Madelyn couldn't bear to witness more Pokémon suffering or see the collapse of civilizations and the loss of cherished memories. "You've carried this burden alone for so long. We'll help you, Shadarkai. We'll put an end to Memordrax's consuming presence."
Shadarkai, understanding, mustered the last of its remaining energy, conjuring a flash of darkness and opening a portal before them. Its words came forth, feeble yet resolute. "Your Pokémon... they are healed. Go. Enter the dimension of the collective unconscious. Stop Memordrax."
The group exchanged glances, confirming their newfound purpose. They steeled themselves for the unknown as they stepped through the portal, ready to face the enigma that was Memordrax and restore balance to the collective unconscious.