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The spiritual needle forged by Xerneas from its final remnant of consciousness had no precise coordinates.
It followed only a faint, instinctive trail the residual scent of the nightmare drifting through the cosmos.
The method had been desperate. The odds of success were infinitesimal.
Yet perhaps fate itself could no longer bear to watch the world crumble. Against all probability, the needle found what it sought.
It tore through the void and arrived before the sleeping form of Arceus.
Bathed in golden radiance, the invisible spike shimmered into visibility.
Without hesitation, carrying the final hopes of Kael, of Xerneas, of the entire Pokémon world, the needle drove forward—
Straight into Arceus' chest.
A resonant hum rippled through space.
The low, airy rhythm of slumber abruptly sharpened.
Arceus' closed eyes opened.
Emerald patterns flared within its pupils.
Unlike certain tempestuous Legendaries known for volatile tempers, the Creator showed no irritation at being awakened.
In the instant the needle touched it, Arceus absorbed the lingering consciousness embedded within. Every event unfolded clearly in its mind.
Its gaze shifted slightly.
Its expression did not.
There was no anger.
No shock.
As the origin of the world, Arceus possessed not only power capable of rewriting universal law but a rationality that surpassed all living beings.
That its unintentional nightmare had nearly destroyed the Pokémon world did not provoke emotional turmoil.
Yet indifference was not apathy.
This was its creation.
A world it had shaped with its own will.
It would not allow it to collapse.
Centuries of rest had restored its strength.
Its four hooves stepped lightly through the void.
Space blurred.
Galaxies streamed past like flowing rivers of starlight.
In a single motion, Arceus crossed the vast gulf between stars and descended above the wounded planet.
It gazed down upon the fractured world beneath its feet.
Then gently inclined its head.
The nightmare essence could be erased with ease. There were countless ways to dissolve it entirely.
However, the tangled consequences left in its wake revealed that the threads of causality, suffering, and loss were far more complex.
Hundreds of years of devastation had carved scars deep into the world's heart.
Arceus could purge the nightmare in an instant.
But it chose not to do so directly.
Its error required something more complete.
The golden ring at its waist blazed.
The four emerald jewels ignited with searing brilliance.
A tide of pure white light vast beyond comprehension poured downward.
Space seemed to birth a second sun.
The planet below was swallowed in radiance.
Land.
Sea.
Forest.
Everything bathed in cleansing brilliance.
Heaven and hell are separated by a single thought.
The rotting haze of nightmare dissolved like frost beneath spring warmth.
Threads of entangled fate unraveled under the distortion and reversal of time itself.
The flow of causality rewound.
Slowly—
The world returned to what it had once been.
To an era before the Nightmare Seeds.
Before corruption.
Before despair.
Sunlight streamed gently through a clean windowpane, casting warm beams across a soft bed. Dust motes floated lazily in the golden air.
"Ael! Get up!"
"I'm coming, Mom!"
Platinum-blond hair gleamed beneath the morning light.
The young voice rang with excitement.
Ael adjusted the red-and-white Poké Ball cap on his head, a confident smile tugging at his lips. His bright eyes shone with anticipation.
Today was special.
Today, he would receive his first Pokémon.
In this era, every League citizen who turned ten earned the right to adopt a partner Pokémon from their local Pokémon Center.
Trainer.
Breeder.
Coordinator.
The future depended on personal choice.
Ael had grown up watching League Championships.
He wanted to be strong.
"I wonder who my partner will be…"
Heart racing, he rushed out the door under his parents' laughter and reminders.
"If it's a Machop, that'd be amazing."
Trends shifted over time in subtle, unpredictable ways.
A popular League champion.
A viral broadcast.
A string of unexpected victories.
Like dominoes falling one by one, small events shaped a generation.
In this world, the Machop line had become one of the most sought-after Pokémon species strong, dependable, and admired.
Ael hadn't gone far when a cheerful voice called out from a side street.
"Where are you racing off to, little Ael?"
He turned.
A young woman with short red hair jogged toward him, dressed in athletic gear, clearly just finishing her morning run. Sweat glistened across her brow, adding to her energetic presence.
"Sister! I'm running late—talk later!"
Before she could respond, he had already dashed off down the street.
She shook her head, amused.
"That kid…"
Then it clicked.
"Oh, Right."
"Today's the day."
Understanding dawned across her face.
As a League trainer herself, she knew exactly what today meant.
"With that boy's talent, he'll go far," she murmured, recalling the countless times he'd hovered around her own Pokémon, eyes filled with wonder.
A soft smile touched her lips.
Then she laughed at herself.
"Still a long road ahead."
She resumed her run, footsteps tapping lightly against the pavement as the morning carried on.
And somewhere beyond mortal sight—
A god watched quietly.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!