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SPOILER: Click to show

{Optimal Mood Music}

Fire rages upwards, Her Light shining through every crack in the wall. The purifying flames rise high into the sky, as if combating against the mere forces of nature. Fire versus Water. The storm rages on with a furious, howling wail of the Winds, but little can stop the Ritual now that it has begun. Two Powers, eternally opposed. Forever and Always. The Empty and The Watchman. Neither Good nor Evil, both simply Are what they Are. And perhaps, the world shall never know the truest depths of what they are. Perhaps that is a good thing.

The Sun, The Soul, The Tenacity, The Hands.

And the Survivor.

Four Beings remain, One Being wise enough to find freedom then and now. Identities all still their own. But, for how long? Wickman's words provide an answer now, but perhaps they shall not suffice forever. Four are now Known, aware of the Unseen, and forever shall be. One does not simply forget the Truths witnessed this night, even should One desire to do so.

Perhaps one day, It shall find you.

Or They.

Or Him.

Or Them.

Or even Her.

But tonight, is not that night. Tonight, Four Defined Beings drink, bonded together, not just for their own existence, but for those they Know. That they shall be bonded along with their Hearts, Minds, and Bodies. For there is said to be no other way.

Drink after Drink after Drink after Drink is drank.

As the last drop is swallowed, the world begins to grow brighter and brighter. It is Blinding, Uncompromising and Cruel. And yet, is it Warm, Comforting, and Gentle all the same.

At some point, the realization begins that the glowing is not coming from the world. But inside You. A glance around the room reveals everyone's eyes are shimmering with the same intensity as the Stars within the sky. The frozen Moon in the East and the burning Sun in the West rose upwards between all. Eyes twinkling just like the will of the Stars that filled the chamber. Flames filled the entire Safe House, but nothing that was not supposed to burn was harmed. The floor erupted in a blaze beneath their very feet, dancing across skin as it rose higher up, yet no harm came to those who were Known. Music of the Heart echoes within over and over again, The Empty's Thunder can not overpower the Beauty no matter the ceaseless attempts.

Knowledge. Passion. Willpower. These words are Embraced, Welcomed, Encouraged. That we are Different, is what makes us the Same. All are Unique, as they should be.

As the Glow of the World begins to overwhelm, Darkness long but a forgotten memory, eventually all that is, is Light.

Her Light.

It as if the World no longer exists for a brief moment, and yet it is also forever. A void where Everything always has, and always will exist. Every color seen and unseen fills the endless halls.

This is nothing like The Empty at all.

This is Everything. Visions of Memories long forgotten dance at the corners of your sight. Memories of Home, of Childhood, of Family. Both Positive and Negative play out before you, just out of reach. It is as if all present are reliving all that one is, like that of a movie screen within the mind's eye.

But you did not come here Alone. You are Bonded Together. Memories suddenly dance in front of you of those who you are with. Memories of The Sun, The Soul, The Tenacity and The Hands. They all play out before you. Like a kaleidoscope of color and emotions. It is intense, it is overpowering and overwhelming. Focusing on just one proves impossible as every memory is bonded to a dozen more.

And then, even new memories come. Stories of Tragedy and Horror, Fear and Anger, Regret and Sorrow. They play out with unfamiliar faces, voices echoing, and emotions unlike your own, or their own. Visions of those who have suffered by The Empty.

The Passion, The Dedication, The Teacher, the Heart.

There are here because of you. You summoned them from The Empty.

For the briefest of moments, and yet longer than one could fathom, you are part of something greater. Something impossible. Something beautiful. A bond closer than one could ever fathom. Understanding, hearts and minds laid completely bare. Defined and Understood.

But The Watchman has no need to keep you here. Their task is done. The Watchman keeps watch. They have seen all that you are, every inch of one's being, and they are not found wanting. It feels as if words are being spoke, but none make sense. A presence forms beyond your understanding, but undeniably there. She is Here.

And then, she is gone.

And you wake up from her dream.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Optimal Mood Music}

Laying atop a burned platform within the middle of the abandoned village, daylight has already breached over the horizon. The clouds have parted, revealing the warm embrace of the sun overhead. All were within The Chamber's Light for what must have been the entire rest of the night, protected, safe, and still retaining a mind of their own.

No walls remain, not even a home to take shelter within. Just a burned platform, barely standing amidst the ruins of the old town. It was as if the place had been burned down years ago, even though it was simply just last night. And should one search the Village one shall find the old Lighthouse once suffered a similar fate.

It's a cool Summer's day, the early morning breeze refreshing and welcoming. The smell of salt and fish in the air, as if it was just another normal day.

If it were not for your memories, and the memories of others, there would be no proof of what happened any longer. All notes are gone, the eyes are long gone, the seaweed has returned to normal. The water is calm and still, the occasional fish swimming below without care. It is as if nothing ever remarkable had ever happened here.

The Sun, The Soul, The Tenacity, and The Hands. The ones who are Bonded.

And The Survivor. The one who is Free.

The world might be normal again, but you know the truth now. The mysteries hide between the boundaries of logic and reason, making themselves known when they so choose to. And eventually, it might attempt to claim you again. But this time, you'll be ready. This time, you will never be blind again.

After a few minutes, a small UI Notification pops up, informing you of a Quest Complete. All before vanishing from your Quest Journal, as if it was never there to begin with.

Just right before one could leave, a sudden splash in the distance finally draws attention, making a sound in the otherwise quiet village. Four fish floated in the water all together, the Magikarp glancing upon those who remain. Your eyes deceive you, seeing scales, whiskers, fins and gills, but your mind knows the truth.

You bonded with them too, after all.

The Passion, The Dedication, The Teacher, and The Heart.

Their minds are finally free.

Laguna closed her eyes as she re-appeared within the Everworld, focusing on all the little details that had never mattered before now. The stale air that blows from a door closing, as if Seta had a room upon to themselves within the grand hall.

Seta's words were the same as they always were. Unchanging, never different. The only alterations began whenever she had been finally allowed to take a trial. She idly wondered, just how the caretaker of the dead felt? Who were they, deep down?

Laguna slowly looked up at the cloaked figure, scanning over their golden mask, empty, without features.

The statues wore masks of Pokémon, those lost and currently wandering the vermillion halls. But, what about him?

Did he ever need saving?

She supposed it didn't matter just this second. She was here for her friend. Diving deep into the whirlpool to try and save her Cetoddle, hadn't worked out as planned. She Whited Out, and Bertha was taken to the Everworld regardless of any physical pain or suffering they might have experienced.

At least, she hoped it was painless.

She finally pulled her mind from her wandering thoughts, focusing on why she was here. A frown formed on her face, and yet she nodded all the same.

"Seta, I'd say it's good to see you again, but we both know I never visit without a reason. I'm here for Bertha." Her voice would warble a bit, but she forced herself to remain strong. "There was... a whirlpool. I had no choice but to try and spare them suffering herself. I... I sacrificed myself, this time. I tried. But, it wasn't enough. I failed."

Laguna let out a deep breath she didn't know she was holding. "Bertha refused to let me do it at first, she didn't want to see me hurt. And, I suppose... I know what that feels like."

"For her to be clutched by the jaws of fate, even when I tried to do everything to save her. It's not fair, but the truth is, it never will be. It's up to me to make it right. I know Bertha is waiting for me, to finally save her."

Her eyes slowly drifted back down to the ground, admittedly feeling nervous. It had been a long time since she had come, was she even ready? Almost every Trial in the past had involved such pain, such struggle, but was that only because that's what she needed? Some lesson to be learned from it all? Or was that because she couldn't find a path through change that didn't involve hurting herself?

The floating frozen platforms that sliced up her arms, legs, and broke her nose. The freezing cold rapid river that swept her downstream and nearly drowned her. The endless desert sands, where the force of her Pokémon's presence burned her.

She needed a moment.

Tabby's Trial had been different. She was just in a koi pond with thousands upon thousands of Magikarp. It was peaceful, there had been no need to wound herself. And yet, she attempted to grab nearly every single fish until she tired, exhausting herself even then.

Maybe it was just her.

She was determined to do things differently this time, if she could.

Maybe she couldn't help it but view the most painful option as the only solution, but that wasn't healthy.

Was this all something that Seta was teaching her? Or was she somehow teaching herself?

"You of all people, know I can not promise that I won't be back. The world is dangerous, and sometimes we lose people we care about. But I will never sit idly still when there is a chance I may yet help them."

"So, please? Take me to Bertha? I need to tell her I'm sorry."

Laguna couldn't even warn him, her neck still being squeezed so tightly it was as if her head was going to pop.

She watched helplessly he let loose a Moongeist Beam, which the Xurkitree seemed to take with absolutely no difficulty at all. It seemed to continue moving all the same, a terrifying threat to behold. It was as if this Ultra Beast moved with purpose, a violence she hadn't seen before. Not even-

This was still her fault.

It began using Laguna like a weapon, swinging and smacking the woman wildly against the remaining Pokemon who were trying hard to avoid hitting her, but it was too late.

She tried to scream as she watched Orion get knocked down by the remnants of her flames, but couldn't. All she could do is cry.

Tears dripped down her cheek, bruises covered her digital body, and electricity once again fried her nerves. Eventually, at some point, her eyes just shut, unable to take any more pain.

All the while, her own Nihilego seemed to finally stop moving.

The Nihilego tossed and turned, almost uncontrollable. It seemed to still attempt to mimic Laguna even from a distance, but with the woman now tangled up in the wires of the Xurkitree, ripping and tugging hard against the wires, it didn't seem to know what to do.

It was a tangled mess, almost folding in on itself as if it had lost its shape, its identity, if it even had one of its own to begin with. Even as it was attempted to be untangled, it seemed to just continue twisting and folding in, over and over again.

The electricity crackled across Laguna's body as she attempted to combat the wires herself. She wasn't a fighter, she wasn't even trained in combat. But she was angry. Anger blinded, she couldn't see how badly she was hurting herself, her Pokemon, and even Orion.

A scream ripped from her lips as burning skin met sparking wires, attempting to grip and pull with all her might, but fighting an alien with such a fluid physical shape meant the battle wasn't in her favor. One wire slipped around her neck, and suddenly she was choking. The lack of oxygen immediately made the flames on her body die out as swiftly as they began, Laguna reaching up to her neck to try and grab the wire, only to find no grip. She choked and gasped, desperate for air that would not come as she was tossed and dragged across the ground like nothing more than a doll.

It wasn't until she was held upright into the air, dangling like a puppet with no strings, that she saw the Nihilego. It was mimicking her own suffering, dragging across the ground, and almost certainly in visible pain. And yet, it was so easy to tell that it was not a mockery, that pain was genuine, shared.

It was in that instant that she finally realized what she had done. Her eyes shot wide, even as her vision was fading fast. She had caused this. She didn't even try to pacify the Xurkitree, she just saw red. Her self-absorbed quest for vengeance got Orion hurt, his Pokémon friends hurt, and seemed to seriously twist up the Nihilego, who had been making such good progress.

What was she doing?

Laguna couldn't even find the breath to apologize, before she felt electricity suddenly flow through her veins, and like a ragdoll she was tossed down onto the road, slamming her head into the concrete.

"Laguna?"

The stars were massive, beautiful, like something she had never seen before. There were very few things that made her speechless in this game, but this was one of them. If only the game allowed her to take screenshots, this absolutely would be her computer's background for a while. So stunning-

"Laguna!"

Bertha's shout suddenly ripped her attention away from the heavens, returning back to the world below. The whole boat had tipped forwards, descending. They had been so focused on the stars above that they didn't notice the-

"Whirlpool!" Laguna shouted incredibly loudly, swiftly moving to grab the oars and start rowing as fast as she could, but it was no use. She couldn't dream of competing against physics. But this was far more than that. It was so massive, so all-consuming, that it had to be far bigger than the Guzzlord before.

She tugged hard against the waters currents, only for one of the oars to be twisted out of her hands with a violent twist, nearly ripping her shoulder out of its socket. Left with just one oar, the other swiftly pulled away, they had no chance of fighting this.

All the while, Bertha was gripping the side of the boat with their fins tightly, squeezing hard to not get tugged away and dragged down like before. "Laguna! What do we do?"

Her heart sank, looking up at Big Bee, as if he might have an answer, but hope was not in her heart. Truth is, she didn't know what to do. "... It locked us out of our UI, so we can't disconnect. It's... It's a scripted death, isn't it?"