Chapter 162 – Spirits in the Marrow
Owen was able to tell his story to Amber over three days and two nights. The doctor visited every afternoon and every evening, only for Amber to stubbornly say that she would endure, even as her condition worsened and worsened until her episodes happened every hour. But they were brief and, somehow, she was lucid throughout.
He'd already told her so much. The broad strokes of everything that happened. The finer details of the parts she wanted to know more. She liked hearing about Remi. She thought it was funny how he'd chosen for a mate someone weak to his element, and now someone strong. She was focused on Amia, envious and offended at her replacement, yet satisfied, ultimately, at the fiery defense she'd provided as a substitute.
Daichi suggested Alex train to be hardier and sturdier. That he was too kind to enemies that had to fall. A Charizard whose name was Hardscale, and who traveled with the red-capped human, listened in occasionally and asked for details on the battles Owen had. He asked for demonstrations of his strength, which Amber also, through blurry vision, wanted to witness.
All the grace of her body had left her and she'd stopped eating the day before. Stopped drinking ever since the sun had set. Patiently, they helped wash her and keep her comfortable when she no longer had the strength to so much as sit up. Owen wondered if she wanted release now, but she only smiled and asked for another story. She was a little slower. Just a little forgetful, but Owen attributed it to fatigue.
He patiently repeated them and kept his tail flame near her chest to keep her warm. Her flame was like a candle's and perhaps even a breeze would have been enough to put it out. Owen feared Amber wouldn't have the strength to reignite it.
Each night, Daichi shivered but claimed that Amber's warmth was always and will always be enough. Owen didn't challenge him. He chose not to comment on the tears he sensed.
Owen's powers, without any spirits, had diminished significantly. Zena, the spirits dormant in this realm, was stronger, but even her powers were muted. They needed to sleep again, and eat again, even if it wasn't as much as everyone else.
But on that night, Owen couldn't sleep. He was plagued with the knowledge of his extra senses, which had only slightly dulled. Not enough to ignore the ever-weakening pulse Amber had.
The final things Amber said to him rolled through his mind.
"I know you will be strong," she had said. "These troubles… they're nothing after everything else. You will defeat that dark force."
He'd felt so overwhelmed and Amber's words had no substance. The way she said it with so much confidence… He wanted to be entertained. It was silly to think he could stand up to the gods and assume it would work out.
But she wouldn't have it. He was too good to lose now, after everything else he'd already overcome. That, he supposed, he couldn't argue with.
"I'm ready," she said.
Every night, the others of the clan visited her. There was a whole spiral of Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard to keep them warm. It was natural. It was how they always slept, no matter the age. Zena, out of place, tried to get comfortable and tried to respect that culture, but in some ways, their stay being so brief was a blessing for her.
Amber's heart was slowing down. Her breathing, too.
Owen held his breath and stared at the cloudless, starry sky.
Where did the spirits of this world go? He only recently learned that Kilo's was cornered off. Spirits were siphoned across their little patch of the aura sea, and before that stored dormant inside Necrozma. What of here?
He weighed it in his mind, over and over. If he would take her in. Ask her.
Consciously, he'd left out those details of the spirit. He wondered if Amber or Daichi would have figured it out anyway. But if he did… would she mind? Or would she want to rest and move on?
Would she want to fight? See his story's end? Or… was she already confident in how it would go?
So, the night before, he resolved that once she died, once her aura left her body… he would ask her then, where she would be free to go or stay. Entirely her choice. That wasn't selfish, right?
Or… maybe he'd say nothing. Should he have said something?
Someone whimpered. Sounded like a Charmander, but not Mu. Near Owen's left arm, one of the younger ones was having a bad dream. He shifted his weight and adjusted a wing, gently nudging the little one until he was awake, confused and trembling. His big eyes reflected the firelight of everyone's tails that speckled the clan's collective heap.
Owen tilted his head, inquiring.
Charmander said, "I don't like water."
It… startled him in such a little way. Of course he wouldn't.
"It was raining," Charmander said. "And I couldn't get home…"
Owen reached out to Charmander and pulled him close. He gladly nuzzled in against his chest, though he eyed Zena, across the way and sleeping near the edge of the heap.
"The water can't hurt you here," Owen whispered with a gentle growl. He looked skyward, guiding Charmander's eyes.
A gentle, warm air ran down his right shoulder. Someone must have sighed.
"See?" Owen went on. "The sky is totally clear."
Charmander oohed at it, eased by the starlight. He leaned into Owen's chest again and curled up, tail tip to his nose. In moments, he was asleep again.
Once again, Owen was the only one awake. He checked the sky again, scanned the crowd with his Perceive, and then checked the auras around him, as was his little, obsessive routine.
Amber's was fading… or it had already left.
He had half a mind to shoot upward but the little Charmander by his wing kept him from moving. Instead, he watched as that fading flame shrank like the end of a campfire. Nothing was rising out, no lingering spirit with unfinished tasks. This was a peaceful death, surrounded by a family of multiple generations, in the quiet of the night as the wind kept blowing and the stars kept shining.
There was not going to be someone for Owen to ask. Amber would not linger; she'd already given her answer.
And Amber knew. Only as the last of her faded away did Owen realize, of course, she'd known.
He'd only convinced himself that maybe he'd get to ask her anyway. That small comfort that maybe he'd have one last conversation. One more. Just one more.
What was the last thing he'd said to her? It was… it was…
Owen didn't know. He'd told her so much. Asked her things and answered even more. Maybe it was saying where one of the hatchlings was since she couldn't see them. Or maybe it was telling her about Zena's strength. Maybe it was a simple goodnight.
Maybe… it didn't matter.
Maybe it didn't matter.
He deflated, relief mixed with a deep, fulfilled sorrow.
Daichi said something but made no sounds. Owen read his lips, 'Goodbye.'
To Owen, the stars blurred into a beautiful swirl of glimmering, shining lights.
And, eventually, as it always did, the morning sun returned to hide them all away.
The body left behind was burned in a ceremonial pyre. Without the aura to protect it, it burned like any mundane material until all that remained was ash and bone. Daichi was meticulous about this, making sure that the flames were not too hot and that the bones were not damaged, only cleansed. This was a special technique passed down to him by his side of the family.
Owen stood beside them with Zena and Mu to observe the process. No words were exchanged to one another, but to the flames as the smoke rose into the sky and the ash was returned to the earth. They sent their messages to the dancing embers in the hopes that they would resonate with what Amber had become.
Even with his knowledge of aura, Owen wondered… Maybe it did. Or maybe it didn't matter to her anymore. She was satisfied. She knew what would happen.
This grief… was for those still alive. The fights they still had. Her story was over, and Amber had a long one. Maybe she was with her trainer again, the one she'd spoken so fondly of. Owen wished he'd asked more about her. He should have. He should have, but now she was gone. He'd never know.
He could… research it. For her. Unless that was… disrespectful.
Daichi tapped his bone club on the earth, calling Owen to attention.
"You have many trials ahead of you," Daichi said. "Challenges… impossible challenges still waiting in the world you now protect."
Owen nodded.
Daichi pointed at the ashen skeleton. "The bones have been strengthened. The fire used was special. An ancient technique. Take one now."
"Take… a bone?" Owen eyed the one Daichi held, then at Amber's burned remains.
His father nodded firmly. "From the leg, and you will be able to march. From the arm, you will have the strength to fight. From the wing…" Daichi trailed off. "I do not know what a wing does."
"It flies."
"As a bone."
"Oh."
So, it was more for… symbolism? Owen was surprised that his father's side followed something that intricate, but then again, it made some sense…
It still hurt to see his mother's skeleton in this way, and he had never considered, or pieced together, that Daichi would request this of him. But his father was a Marowak. He had to respect this at least a little.
But a whole bone was… a bit much, wasn't it?
Owen walked gingerly toward the bones, somehow hardened by the flames.
"I'll take this, then," he said. At the very end of her spine was the tip of her tail. There, nearest to her flame, if he had to take anything, he would take that.
"Her flame," Daichi asked.
Owen nodded. "I have strength. I have endurance. But… sometimes, I'm just scared." And it was okay to admit that, right? Even Zena was terrified. Everyone was. Everyone should be. That he didn't tell everyone here the truth of his world was a mercy.
Well, everyone but Amber… who was fully confident that he'd survive and triumph.
He wanted to take some of that courage with him. That light.
Daichi seemed to understand just by how Owen looked at it. The little vertebra was hardened by mystical fire. Gently, Owen slipped it into the satchel over his shoulder.
"When it is darkest, she will give you light," Daichi said. "That is a good choice."
Most of the crowd had dispersed by now. Everyone's flames were a little dinner while they mourned. Daichi, with no flame at all, merely kept his club closer to the ground.
"…Thank you," Daichi said, "for staying as long as you have. I heard some of your stories. You have a lot left to do, and not here. Not anywhere near here."
Owen's heart sank. Daichi already lost his mate, and soon, Owen would have to leave him, too.
"No," Daichi said quickly.
Owen jumped a little but caught Daichi's firm look. Even now, he was so perceptive…
"You must go. With her strength." He pointed his bone club at the end of her tail, which Owen now held. "Save your new home. I have mine, here. You have left the nest."
He lowered the bone club.
"I could not be prouder. We all are. And thankful that you returned."
Owen smiled faintly. "Yeah," he said. "But I'll never forget you, Dad. You helped raise me… and I can't leave that behind. So you'll always be with me." He tapped his chest.
"Good." Daichi nodded.
But Owen didn't have to leave just yet. For a little bit longer, he stayed with the others of his extended family, his clan, and helped with the rest of the rites of Amber's remains. Little by little, they grieved, they cried, but most importantly…
Owen could finally move on.
Human libraries were so tiny.
Zena could wrap her ribbons around entire books with no effort, flip through them, and squint at all the tiny letters. She tried to work the 'computers' but they were much smaller and even harder to read compared to what the Voidlands had.
The librarian was kind enough to guide her to the books she needed—ones about portals to other worlds—and apparently, those existed here! However, they weren't known much in this region, which made the source material scarce.
That meant she had to use the "Inter Net" to find more information.
What a strange device.
Several humans had passed in and out of the library during her research, murmuring to one another and pointing odd devices at her. She was confused about what it meant at first, but it didn't seem to be very harmful. When she waved, they waved back.
Did humans use those devices to see? Maybe some of them were visually impaired and used that technology. A lot of them pointed them at the ground while they walked, so it was very likely their eyes for movement, too. She resolved to ask Owen about it later.
"Bonjour!"
"Ah?" Zena perked up to see another human with a big grin and orange hair that went sideways like he'd been frozen in a windstorm. Something about him reminded her of the professor.
"Heard that you met my friend. Quiet guy, red hat?"
"Oh! Yes. He was the one who rescued my mate and I."
The human nodded, radiating confidence. "Heard that you were looking for a way to get home. Figure while I'm visiting, I'd help."
"Oh, that would be wonderful. I've been trying to look through the Inter Net for the information, but it's being very difficult and not giving me any answers."
The human pulled a chair next to her table and took a seat. "Hmm…" He analyzed the screen with a human's expertise. "Isn't that the computer's notepad?"
"I'm not sure what that is. The receptionist told me that if I typed in my 'search' on this computer, I would be able to get an answer. But it must still be thinking. Do you see the blinking line at the end of my question?"
"Ehh…" He scratched his hair. "Here, I'll help you."
He pressed on a red button at the top of the square and it disappeared. Then, he pulled up a new program with a lot of other buttons that she didn't understand. Then, he typed in the same question—"Portals that lead to other worlds."—and pressed a large key that said 'ENTER.'
Ah, that's what she'd forgotten to do. The 'ENTER' key. As if to enter a question? That's probably what it meant.
"So," the human said, "you're from a world where Pokémon talk and have whole societies like we do, huh? Not a human in sight?"
"Not one." Zena shook her head. "To be honest, I've never met a human before. They were just folk tales. Not to… offend, or anything. Er… I was under a lot of false impressions of humans."
"Oh, really?" he smirked. "Like what?"
"Oh, no, no…" Zena trailed off.
"No, come on! Not every day I get to hear someone's thoughts about humans from another world!"
"Well—my mate once thought humans ate metal, and that you were invincible to Pokémon attacks."
"Metal, and invincible, huh?" The wise human nodded. "Well, if only! But, whatever. You couldn't have known any better. Seems humans are pretty boring compared to those stories, huh?"
"The opposite! All this technology is so advanced! I only saw it in the Voidlands, and not at this level. Maybe humans themselves aren't too interesting, but what you've made…"
"Yeah, that sounds like humans, alright." He made an exaggerated shrugging gesture.
The human then looked through the strange new screens that the computer displayed. "So, portals to other worlds, right? We've heard about this before. Here's an article you can read and stuff. They're called Ultra Wormholes… Though y'know, if you've got the time, you should try talking with some experts in the Alola region. Pretty far, though, out in the middle of the ocean!"
"How big is this world?" Zena asked. "We could travel across the world in a day or so in ours."
"Wow! You're either really fast or your world's small. Only the fastest airplanes can do something like that!"
"I don't know what an airplane is."
"Ah-hehe…" He scratched his hair again. "I'm gonna talk with my rival. Maybe he'll have an idea."
"Thank you. I would appreciate all the help."
"No problem. Happy to help!" He turned and started to leave, waving as he did. "Smell ya later!"
"Oh." Zena nodded. A human whose primary sense was smell.
Humans were so fascinating.
Diyem, seizing Angelo's body, explained everything to Spice and the others on the team, which comprised herself, Leo, Jerry, and her two other 'thirds'—Enet and Amelia. Anam had been there for a little while, but then excused himself to help with more of the villagers while Diyem discussed things. All things considered, as the world's protector and figurehead, it was good that he was still trying to help.
He explained, thoroughly, the fragments he had, and his suspicion that one of the hidden fragments was tucked away in Destiny Tower itself, a clever hiding place and a devastating one if it was left unchecked. The world splitting apart was already thought to be the work of Necrozma being corrupted. The last thing they needed was a second of the top pantheon to be claimed by darkness.
Spice wasn't entirely sure about all the science or super-science behind it, but it added up to what she'd experienced before. If anyone could fix this, it'd be Arceus, and the fact that it wasn't fixed meant he was in trouble, or the world was in even bigger trouble than before. They had to get to Arceus in Destiny Tower.
Simple prayers were not getting a response. That was already bad.
There was just one problem with Diyem's evaluation, even after he took Angelo's body.
"You don't know HOW to get there?!" Spice blurted.
"I am," Diyem said calmly, "still thinking."
"So, you possessed this innocent artist before you came up with the rest of your plan."
"I saw an opportunity and took it. The optimism my core of light provides me is intoxicating at times."
Spice and Jerry both brought a claw or wing to their snouts.
"Rather than complain about my methods, can we depart?"
"Depart where?" Jerry growled. "You can't go ten feet without wandering into a different part of the world!"
The Aerodactyl gestured wildly behind him, where various houses were lost to distortion.
"Hmm. That's true." Diyem brought a hand to his chin while his tail dragged behind him with each step. Angelo must have complained because he rolled his eyes and picked it up shortly after, dusting off the brush end.
"Fix?" Enet asked. The Zoroark tilted her head.
"I can, in a sense," Diyem replied. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure how helpful that would be… nor how long it would last."
He was scanning the bubble of safety they were in now. It seemed analytical, but with how stoic Diyem was, he had no idea if it was because he had a plan, or wanted to look like he had a plan.
"I can manipulate Dungeons to an extent, as a divine being. Enet, you might also be able to do this."
"I help?"
"You help." Diyem closed his eyes and murmured something. He then nodded as if listening to someone. Angelo, giving advice?
"Well, we can help as much as we can!" Amelia called, rising out from Enet's mane. "What do you need?"
"…First, we should try to recover this town. It's a start. If we can find a piece of Kilo Village, that might make this easier as well… Restoring our headquarters means we can also restore our Teleportation network. That will allow us to get to Destiny Tower immediately."
"…Huh. Alright." Jerry nodded. "Credit where it's due. Only problem is, how does finding a 'piece' of Kilo Village help?"
"Mm. Let me demonstrate."
He finished sketching through the air. It looked like a cloud with raindrops falling.
Oh no.
"Oh, c'mon!" Spice quickly searched for shelter under a rooftop. Seconds later, a small drizzle formed, and seconds later it became a total downpour. "Between Jerry, me, and Leo, we kinda hate the rain!"
Enet lifted her mane in an offering to Spice.
"No thanks."
Enet sadly lowered her mane.
"What's the point of this?" Jerry called over the rain, hiding in the same shelter Spice had picked. Leo, who was a few seconds too slow, entered last, shivering, and blew fire into his hands.
"The water from Rain Dance, for a short while, has traces of the aura of the user in it. And my Shadow aura can be used to channel some control and dominion over Dungeon space. In other words, it can expand its influence…"
Diyem frowned and hummed. "There's a flaw in this plan. I don't know if I can expand that influence into Dungeons that are exactly adjacent to this one."
"Is that even possible?" Leo asked. "Two Dungeons aren't usually right next to each other. That's… simply not how they work."
"They do now because everywhere is a Dungeon." Diyem looked around.
"…Dispel?" Enet asked.
"Dispelling a Dungeon is… not something I'm aware of," Diyem admitted. "Someone with Radiance can seal it, and someone with Shadows can manipulate it. Destroying it is—"
The Zoroark growled in contemplation. "Both?"
"…Both." Diyem frowned. "I never tried. It was against my interests to suggest it to Anam at the time. But I doubt simply using Shadows and Radiance together will be enough. Still…"
"Try?" Enet suggested.
"Yes, fine. Try."
"Shadows and Radiance, eh?" Spice said. "Only supplier of Radiance is Enet and her spirits. Think you can teach my feral side how to do that?"
"…Well. I'm desperate. I'll have to try." Diyem approached Enet and craned his neck upward. She sniffed his fur hat.
"How?" Enet asked.
"My aura-tinged water is already spreading around this small localized area. It's already bleeding into other Dungeons. With luck, it might even bleed into areas that had once been part of this town. So, Enet, if you could put your aura into the water somehow…"
Enet tilted her head.
Diyem sighed. "Perhaps that's a bit much for me to ask," he said, pacing into the puddles forming in the road. "This is an incredibly complex process. A lot could go wrong. I think. Or maybe this is all theory with no practice and we're going about it the wrong way. Let's try—"
ZAP!
Diyem unceremoniously crumpled into the puddles face-first and stiff. Enet's fur was a lightning ball, electricity coursing through the water.
"Uh." Jerry waited.
Diyem was still on the ground, stunned.
"R-roll him on his side!" Spice called.
"Is he drowning?" Leo asked as Spice scampered out and into the water after Enet stopped charging it.
Spice rolled him up and checked his breathing. "Heal Seed!" she called.
Leo clumsily sorted through his bag and tossed one to her, which she fed into Diyem.
"Wait, does this work on you?" Spice asked.
Diyem coughed. "It works on the body," he grumbled, shakily getting to a sitting position. "Thank you, Enet…"
Enet ran a claw through her fur to take out the static. Amelia emerged from her mane, arcs of electricity still running across her flower petals.
"Well, she's the Electric Guardian. Makes sense that she can run her aura through the water like that…"
"My ears are still ringing," Leo murmured.
"But it worked," Diyem noted, pointing at the edge of the Dungeon. It was hard to tell at first, but the distortion was weakening… and beyond, more of the town was visible.
It was slight, and only for a few extra meters… but this "Shadow Rain" and "Electric Pulse" was enough to restore some of the town.
All they had to do was expand its range into the Teleporter…
"Well. Nice job, Diyem. That's our methodology out of the way."
"Should we use it to restore the town?" Leo asked.
"This distortion will come back. We're only temporarily reversing it," Diyem said. "If we want to stop it entirely, we need to stabilize the world itself all at once. I don't know how to do that yet… but obviously, Destiny Tower is a way to start."
He gestured forward. "Come. It's time to advance."
Team Alloy organized with their counterparts, Mhynt, Angelo Sr., and Brigid to mobilize an army of spirits. They'd gone to the edge of this particular 'Kilo era' and searched for their one easy ticket into the living world that wouldn't require Mhynt to sustain an energy-expensive wormhole.
They could only hope that Hecto was still around at the gateway.
Brigid led the way, looking pensive and nostalgic at the same time. Mesprit murmured to the others that he could sense a bitter sadness from her the closer they got to the white void at the edge of the spiritual mountain's caldera.
But then, the Aerodactyl stopped, puzzled. "He's… not here."
"What? But Hecto is always here." Angelo Sr. marched forward. "Hecto! Buddy, Zygarde?"
"…He may be busy in the living world," Lunala said.
"Now that I think about it," Demitri added, arms crossed, "I think I remember something about Hecto gathering himself up for something…"
"Hopefully he was able to achieve that." Mhynt folded her wings. Her body glowed with lunar energy. "If that won't work, then we will have to travel directly there with an Ultra Wormhole. I can create a rift. However… the spirits will struggle to exist, and may evaporate in that realm."
"…Will that… cause us to die twice?" Brigid asked.
"No. You will be drawn back to the Aura Sea and wind up here, from what I can deduce. But that's just as inconvenient for what we want…"
"Hmm…" Mispy closed her eyes.
"There are ways to persist in the living world as spirits. You usually need the power of a Guardian. Or, more specifically, divine energy. Holding one of Necrozma's light crystals, being a Guardian-summoned spirit, and so on can help."
"Ehh, divine ain't everything," Gahi said. "When we were out once fer a clash, I nearly evaporated out there, and so did these two almost." He gestured to Demitri and Mispy. "An' there's also Trina…"
The Snivy crossed her little arms, sitting between Gahi's antennae. "I don't like to talk about it. But I did evaporate quickly when I wandered out of the Dungeon. It wore me down… But I wonder if that was because the Voidlands already weakened my brand of divine power."
"Well, we should be fine," Demitri said, gesturing to himself, Team Alloy, and their sprite counterparts. "Mhynt, you're fine… Trina should also be revived, right?"
"I was revived," Trina confirmed.
"Then it would be the two of us." Brigid nodded. "Do you have a way to carry us along?"
"Carrying spirits into the living world is typically not… an easy feat," Mhynt said. "Still, we've seen examples of this before… but that's a lot of energy."
"I dunno." Gahi shrugged. "Maybe w—" He froze and stared blankly forward.
"…Gahi?" Demitri asked. "Gahi? You alright, buddy?"
"Yeah. I'm talkin' ter the letters in my head."
Uxie's shoulders slumped. "Please find a better way to phrase that."
The Flygon didn't seem to hear Uxie. Or was ignoring her. "Oh. Huh. Yeah. I c'n help." Gahi spread his wings.
"What? Just like that?" Brigid said. "That's a reversal."
Gahi's wings flooded with galaxy-black scales and shimmering flecks of white, like stars. "Guardian stuff. Got a whole spirit realm in me. Fergot that."
"A spirit realm within you… while you are also in the spirit realm?" Angelo repeated, rubbing his forehead. "Realms within realms…"
"They said I c'n carry a bunch pretty easy. A whole army ter summon if we gotta."
"They won't be very strong," Uxie remarked. "Mhynt should enhance him with Radiance to ease the burden."
"Well, we didn't plan to mobilize everyone. Only the best fighters." Angelo nodded. "I'll go back to inform Jin of the new plan, then."
Lunala nodded. "Then we will brute force it. Get ready, everyone. It's time to return to Kilo."
Destiny Tower was quiet again. Star had gone off to fly over Kilo to find patterns from above, scouting the world and its new distorted state. The Creation Trio did what they could to quell the distortions from climbing the tower more than it already had, driving things back to stabilize in the localized area. If Destiny Tower fell, it would be a massive blow to morale… was what Barky told himself.
In reality, he was terrified. All around him, reality itself was ripping apart at the seams. He'd had Dialga quicken time for Owen, but it was not entirely out of mercy. Owen could use the break, just as all of them could have. But Owen, Zena, and even Mu now had what none of the others did: A chance to find some idea, some external inspiration, for how to fix this mess.
He was thoroughly convinced that there was no way to save Kilo now. Their last bastion of hope, Necrozma, had been possessed by the very same dark power that had doomed Kilo before. Where Necrozma had gone afterward was still unknown.
Was he resisting? Was he imprisoning himself? Or was the battle between Nate and Necrozma enough to hold him off?
Why did he know so little? Why was it all such a fog?
Barky slammed his hoof on the top of Destiny Tower. An ethereal ringing accented his frustrations.
"Did I come at a bad time?"
Barky jumped, but only slightly. He tried to regain his composure swiftly.
"Ah. Ghrelle." Barky nodded. "Hello. No, I am… fine. I was channeling power to reinforce Destiny Tower."
"I see."
The Altaria fluttered toward Barky and landed gently on his back, bowing with grace and respect despite this. Normally this would be something he'd disapprove of, but he understood long ago that it was Ghrelle's way of getting to closer speaking distance without him having to lean forward.
She spoke softly, "I sensed your distress and came right away for some singing."
"Ah. That clear, was it?" Barky said, looking away. "It's certainly not that obvious…"
"I've always been an empath," Ghrelle reminded.
Barky nodded and paced to the edge of the tower again, overlooking the bubbly tapestry that Kilo had become.
"…Did I… make too many mistakes?" he asked. "Surely I could have prevented this."
"There is no way to know for sure," Ghrelle said, "even by us, frustrating as that may feel. But I do believe… you did what you thought was right. And all is not lost just yet. We only need a little more time and a little more power. A breakthrough. We still have resources working elsewhere.
"Perhaps we can contact Mhynt? I believe she is still out there, and she has Radiance. Or we can confront Necrozma? He may have turned, but he is not invincible. You can free him." Ghrelle cooed a little birdsong. Barky relaxed.
"Yes… perhaps I could…"
Ghrelle continued to sing, lulling Barky to a stupor. He drifted to his side. "Ghrelle…"
Ghrelle gently shushed him. "You need rest most of all. The world will last while we wait. Rest will give you the strength to make your next move."
"My next move?" Barky repeated. "I've hardly been able to think on that… All I see down below is… a ruined world, Ghrelle. I haven't heard from Aramé… Brandon is in the Voidlands, gathering Titans… You're all I have left."
Ghrelle hopped along Barky's body until she was next to his face. She caressed her cotton down against his cheek. "Then I will make sure I'm all you need."
Barky relaxed further and Ghrelle sang a gentle psalm to him, taking the deity back to a time when things were simpler. A time when he ruled, and the mortals worshipped. As his eyes flitted closed, he lost himself to Ghrelle's song, just as he always did, and let out a relieved sigh as the woes of the world temporarily became a distant memory.
