A Ballad for Icarus - A Historical Pokemon Quest

Imugi · Jan 18, 2025

[X] Forge a new blade.
[X] Quaxly.

sheep-dodger · Jan 18, 2025

Elpis said:
The weight you put on Ray must be too much already, her face red as she tries to help you back onto the bed.

Yes Aria, you figured it out, congratulations!

[X] Reforge your sword.
[X] Quaxly.

Krika · Jan 18, 2025

[X] Reforge your sword.
[X] Quaxly.

kichithewolf · Jan 18, 2025

[X] Reforge your sword.
[X] Quaxly.

NMS · Jan 18, 2025

[x] Quaxly.

If it weren't for Skiddles, I'd be voting for Chespin. But we do have a Skiddles waiting for us, so I go for the dancing duck, instead.

WaterWorld · Jan 18, 2025

[X] Reforge your sword.

[X] Chespin.

Inana's basically our sword, Perun's a bow or a spear if you squint and Skiddle's our mount; so let's throw a shield in there to protect all those people we're trying to save!

Also, guys, it's okay to have more than one Pokémon of the same type. It's not like we're going to walk into a room and explode because we have type overlap.

Reji8627 · Jan 18, 2025

[X] Reforge your sword.

[X] Chespin.

Illunima · Jan 18, 2025

[X] Reforge your sword.
[X] Chespin.

First of all, it was a nice chapter, me likey.
Second, Chespin to be our Shield and tank, and as it also represents our Fighting Spirit, what if it is one that defends as well? Also a bulkier pokemon and seems to be very cute. Chespin ftw.

And thanks for the chapter Elpis!

atpat:

Lyosha · Jan 18, 2025

[X] Reforge your sword.

[X] Tepig.

Half Moon · Jan 18, 2025

[X] Chespin.

The3rdCorinthian · Jan 19, 2025

Elpis said:
"Okay," you say, nodding. You understand the concept. So… "What does that mean?"

Ray slaps her hands over her face and sighs.

Oh we're a dumbass dumbass

Dubious Wisdom · Jan 20, 2025

There is clearly no connection between the prince and Aria. Nope, who could possibly see such a thing? /s

Time for them to find a whole bunch of personality similarities and do bonding

[X] Forge a new blade.

[X] Tepig.
I like Chespin more, but her fighting spirit doesn't need shyness

RiceRockRekt · Jan 20, 2025

Alrighty, I have a moment of free time, so let's see how far we get into "Be Proud" (of what? Being gay? I don't think Aria knows that).

Elpis said:
The knowledge that the walls around you are not simply a temple or a city, but a tomb, makes the experience much harder to swallow in retrospect. If you're not careful, it might become your tomb as well, joining that giant something that was murdered by Raikou and the first Olympians in eternal slumber when your journey has only just begun.

Aria being totally normal about going down through a necropolis. And she was so excited about her detective work...

Seeing what's funny about "that giant something" (which is definitely a thing you should say about a dead god Aria, definitely) is that not only are the Regis beside Regigigas like. The size of dudes. Regieleki especially is the shortest at 3'11'' canonically.

Wilhelm's trying to awaken the corpse of a manlet.

Elpis said:
Your hands are still twitching, streaks of black burns over your fingers announcing that Silvia was absolutely right and continues to be right about using techniques one wasn't practiced in. You'll see about getting that practice in for sure now, though perhaps starting with Inana. That's both less likely to blow up in your face and immediately more useful.

This is deeply funny. "Silvia was right...I shouldn't put my fingers in the wall socket, I should put them into the freezer, this will surely have fewer consequences" Aria says before she discovers Advanced Frostbite.

If Perun had won we'd definitely be seeing Aria come up with some kind of absurd conviction to keep electrocuting herself, which is tragic to lose.

Elpis said:
Cubone's still leading you forward, her tiny hands holding the bone club with such confidence. You can see the joy in her eyes when Sophia 'aaahhhs' and 'ohhhs' at her excellent navigation skills. The path you picked is warmer than the others, to the point where you feel uncomfortable.

You never thought you'd miss the Gilderan winter, but here you are.

Aria's Solian blood has finally hits its limits, laugh at her, laugh at her exceedingly.

Sophia and Cubone are just so. Dopey. Easily impressed goobers.

Elpis said:
"Ray," Sophia speaks up, causing the girl to glare up at her. "The way you fight isn't really conventional, is it? That's not something you learned at the temple, I reckon."

"It's not," she says, shrugging her shoulders. "Sol is not a country where someone can travel by themselves if they don't know how to fight. I learned on the go."

"Still," you join in, "the amount of stones you have hidden in your robes can't have come cheap."

"They're not real stones, they're… simulacra," she says. She pats down on her sleeve, and a lightning stone falls out. Holding it up against the light of the fungus, you can see its green sheen, the 'lightning in a bottle' spark in the middle. It's a bit paler than the ones you've seen before, but besides that nothing about it screams imitation. "The right kind of quartz can be filled with elemental energy, lightning is easier to me than anything else."

She throws it at you, forcing you to catch it. You can see the impurities on closer inspection, it feels much lighter than a real stone for sure.

. Hey what the fuck.

Ray the fact that you regularly plug in rocks like one charges a phone is a little more ridiculous than if you were just spending all your televangelist scam coin on Evolution Stone scraps.

This is amazing. What is she doing with her life.

Elpis said:
"Fascinating." You squeeze the quartz slightly, and it does release some sparks into your already burned hands. Ignoring the sting, it could break easily with just the slightest amount of pressure. "I don't know if you're brave or stupid, Ray. If you walk around with these all over your body, isn't there a risk if you're hit?"

"I simply don't get hit," Ray says. You try not to comment about her own inability to fight Wilhelm before he disposed of you so easily, but the look in your eyes must've been enough for her. "That asshole doesn't count."

"Sure he doesn't," you say, throwing the quartz back to her. She grumbles as she puts the stone away.

Aria that's some brave words about the one member of the squad who even landed a hit on him.

But yeah this is fucking. Hysterical. One wrong move from exploding like a pretzelized tesla coil. The fact Ray's alive kinda proves the "simply don't get hit 5head."

Elpis said:
"Elementalism," Sophia says. You ears perk up at the word. It's something you've read about in Lissy's book. Some of the heroic figures were said to control powers similar to Pokemon, either through prayer or through sacred objects. "Like in those children's books?"

"They're not fairy tales—" "They're not just for children!"

Ray and you speak at the same time, and she cuts herself off, giving Sophia a mean look. While you understand her anger and worries, her attitude has started to sour again as the trip up starts to take longer than expected. Unfortunately you can't attempt another attack like before to make her laugh right now.

"There's some people with certain dispositions," Ray says. She holds her hand up, and you can see just the tiniest bit of lightning in the air around her fingers. "Born on certain days, in certain places, or just some freak accident. Those who have caught the attention of deities, or powerful demons. They're not that rare either, you can't tell me you've never met anyone like me in Gildera."

You stop walking, giving Sophia a glance. She frowns, crossing her arms as she leans against the wall. It explains the strange energy you keep feeling when you touch Ray, she isn't just charged from all the stones she wears. That energy, it comes from her?

"No," you say, and Sophia shakes her head as well. "What you're describing is practically magic, isn't it?"

Okay, so we're getting into Human Typism!

This is interesting in a lot of ways, because this is something that is just like. A thing in Pokemon, in a rarely explicit sense, but very much present in Psychics and Ghost Channelers and weirdos of all kinds, so the fact the Gilderan party members aren't aware of this outside old folktales is interesting, further emphasizes how Gildera is distant from the old truths of Elysium.

Honestly, I would've assumed that Ray being perpetually electrified is because she grabbed the staff as a kid, but all things considered it might be that having this latent trait was why it went off like a nuke to begin with—

Elpis said:
"When I got to the vault, nobody was there. Usually there's guards there, but on that day there was a smell in the air and nothing else. So when I entered the vault, nothing seemed off. I got the staff, and my mother caught me."

She laughs, short and wistful.

"She was so angry, I've never been scolded by her before. I let go of the staff, and it exploded on the ground. Electricity everywhere, so much power, so much… destruction. All of it."

Elpis said:
"That's the high priest's staff," she says, sounding offended at the thought of a non-believer holding onto it. The man slams it into the ground, creating another loud boom and lightning crackling all over the place. "That bastard!"

You hold onto her collar before Gumi takes her forward to him, forcing the girl off the Jolteon. The Pokemon under her looks almost grateful to you, its size makes it an okay mount for someone like Ray, but she does not seem to have that much stamina.

"Careful, we can sneak up on him," Sophia says. You give her a nod, and Ray calms down for just a moment before joining your slower approach. Step after step, after step, after step— the cracks became louder, the lightning more fierce. Above the man's attempts to bash the staff into the ground, you can see something. It's so massive, yet hidden in the shadows of the cave.

It's at the halfway point to him where the staff-work stops. You stop as well, holding your hand up. Ray and Sophia join you, and the man turns around, no doubt aware of your presence.

He is wearing a mask, but his spindly form and strange taste in clothes is unmistakable.He tilts his head, and though you can't see his face you just know the exact smile that must be dancing on his lips.

"Wilhelm," you say. You sound incredulous, and Sophia's own low growl is the only thing that makes you realize just how real the sight in front of you is. Though some time has passed since your rough treatment of the man, there's no way he'd be up and about.

There's no way he's here and somehow got over the border!

"Ah, my reputation precedes me," he says, giving an exaggerated bow. "Indeed, it is me! Wilhelm the Fool, at your service, Miss!"

You don't know what kind of expression is on your face, but it makes him hesitate. He cups his chin with two fingers, bending forward as if that makes all the difference in recognizing you. Even this far away, in this dark of a cave, you can see his eyes through the mask. There is no recognition in them.

"Ah, you know me, but should I know you?" he asks. "I apologize, I don't believe we've met before."

You take your sword out, the Skarmory steel glowing blue in the cave as the fungi reflect off it, sending rays of the same color into every direction. Despite that clear indicator, he still does not seem to understand who you are.

Which leaves two possibilities: you left him with enough brain damage to completely erase his memory of your encounter, or he's not actually Wilhelm.

The twin blades that he used against you on his hip also look like they have a different grip. An impostor? An ally of his?

He raises the staff, and you find yourself reacting before he can even attempt anything. Inana is summoned from her Pokeball, and blocks the way behind you ask you run forward.

A Tauros appears, as if from thin air, dashing through the darkness only to be met with Inana's claws. Sophia and Ray begin moving as well, joining you as Spring, now released as well, and Gumi, help against Tauros.

"Ah, sorry," Wilhelm says, raising the staff far above his head. "I'm afraid the stage is not ready yet, ladies. Please, let me show you to your seats."

He slams the staff onto the ground again, and the lightning blinds you for a moment. Sophia reels back with you, leaving only Ray to continue, undaunted by the bright lights. Unfortunately his goal was not to hit you, it seems.

The ground under your feet begins to rumble again, like with Rhyhorn earlier, and what seems like solid rock becomes soft and brittle for a moment.

"Wilhelm!" you shout. The man spins the staff like a toy, slamming it into the ground again. "Wilhelm you bastard, I don't care if you forgot, I will make you remember!"

"I'll look forward to it, Miss," he says. Sophia stumbles, and you turn, reaching out with your hand before your own knees give out under you. Ray reaches him, holding onto a bright blue crystal that she slams down on his face. It explodes with a bright light, and you can hear the mask shatter under the weight of the water released by the gem.

The face under the mask is the same. It is Wilhelm. Though the hit was direct, he does not let that stop him. He slams the staff into her, and the electricity explodes between them, sending Ray flying backwards.

—When Wilhelm banging it like a bongo is nowhere near as ultra lethal.

...You know, I really wonder where this staff came from, considering everything going on in Olympia.

Is it a branch of Regieleki's corpse?

Elpis said:
"And the deeds of legends aren't? You just charged a sword with so much electricity it could've cut the stars from the sky."

That's different, isn't it?

That's just the right amount of energy in the right mineral, it's practically science!

It's… "Magic." The word tastes wrong on your tongue. As if fantasy has become reality in ways that even the deeds of ancient kings and heroes could not properly manifest in front of your eyes. But more than that, if not uncommon, why does Gildera not have people like this?

This is so funny.

Ray just describes something she can Do like it's no big thing and Aria and Sophia are like "That's wizardshit???" "You think 'Lightning Blade' isn't wizardshit?" "Uh."

Aria's concept of high vs low fantasy is bizarre in an unintuitively realistic way, because you get her going "Oh yeah of course there's an underground nightmare city where a god died, that's just like how Kael split these moutains apart":

Elpis said:
"The Undercity has been a rumor in many places," Justus says, leaning against the wall of his own office, where you've decided to wait and maybe annoy him a bit. "There's always something like this, it's in fiction, it's in history, it's in myth. The old heroes explored labyrinths, or people would speak of whispers under their feet."

"Is that far-fetched?" you ask. "The mountains were formed by the Sunsinger using his sword, after all."

Justus looks slightly doubtful for just a single moment. You guess he does not like the old stories too much.

But then when it comes to what she like, faces in her life, and how it directly impacts her, she's always suspicious and expectant of a more logical answer:

Elpis said:
Except that's not a blessing, is it? You narrow your eyes, and for one moment the girl smiles at you. The crowd becomes rowdy, people pushing and pulling you to get into the front, holdings bags of gold to offer to the priestess. You grab Sophia's wrist again and drag her out, walking towards the inn until you are finally away from the group.

"That was amazing!" Sophia says, her eyes once again lightning up in awe and joy. "A real blessing! Did you see it? There's people who have powers like that around? That's so—"

You want to point out what you saw, the distinct clarity of a charlatan at work, but you can't. Sophia's too excited about it, and you are not the kind of person who would deny someone the innocent joy of believing.

It's not that you don't believe in the gods or their powers, that the legendary magic they can grant people is fake. Absolutely, they are real, as real as Kael's Stand created the mountains that separated the Union from Sol. But there's always a seed of doubt of how active these beings are in the lives of people.

It's like. Clearly Aria thinks the time of legends has passed, and that these powers belong to pokemon alone, so she's always surprised when something takes a crack at that perceived boundary and reminds her that humans and pokemon are living in the same world with all that implies.

I do think it's so funny that she's going "Why doesn't Gildera have that?" like she didn't copy Silvia's horseshit specifically.

You think that wasn't "Elementalism"? That a bitch can do Sekiro Lightning Reversal???

Elpis said:
Are Solians really that different? Does living under the gaze of the Sun God grant blessings that those banished to darkness cannot hold in their soul?

...This uh. This phrasing is Concerning, though.

Elpis said:
"What exactly happened in that battle, we don't know," the grandmother continues. "But we know how it ended. Kael was facing the commander of the Union, whose name is no longer known. The Dread King was supported by a powerful deity, whose darkness spread over the battlefield and helped his armies by blinding only those it was facing. So Kael cried out to the heavens."

The girl shuffles forward on her chair, sitting on the edge as she leans over. "And? What happened?"

"Heaven responded. In seconds, the darkness was gone. Though Kael has lost most of his comrades in arms, hope was beginning to spread. From the sky descended the guardian of Sol, whose head is now on every banner in the Empire."

"Solgaleo!" the girl shouts, her hands hitting the table. She spills some of the tea, but doesn't notice even as her grandmother tells the maids to leave it. "The guardian of Sol, that's it, right?!"

"Indeed," the grandmother says, handing the girl a handkerchief. The girl obliges, taking it and cleaning the spilled tea off the table. "Solgaleo appeared in a flash of light, and the battle stopped. The Dread King tried to fight, but his power left him, the sunlight burning away his darkness and Kael took the time to negotiate."

The Dread King...

Seriously, what was his God, if the Skywrath Sovereign is Kyurem like I assume, that implies a lot about the shape of the Union and the Twin Kingdoms in turn:

Elpis said:
Ancient Elysium it used to be called. Nowadays it is the Imperial Continent. Though beyond it exist many other nations and cultures, often with conflicts of their own, here only four nations truly find their home. Sol to the east, Gildera landlocked between it and two nations beyond the mountains. While they call themselves the 'Twin Kingdoms', their royal families hate each other more than any Solian noble could ever hate the Gilderans themselves.

Fortunately, due to the rather problematic wall between them and you, and some remnants of the ancestral people that live on those mountains, they are too busy with each other to make any real attempt to invade across the mountains.

They say the ancestors of the Gilderans hail from there, Girallia and Titania— where the Union once formed to take over the continent a thousand years ago.

(Yeah uh. "Royalty eternally bound to each other that hates one another with all their hearts" is pretty Zekrom and Reshiram, huh?)

But the legends would probably just say the Skywrath Sovereign was the God of the Union, so that's unlikely to be the case, and even the idea that this was the Original Dragon that the Tao Trio split into doesn't quite track with the emphasis on Capital-D Darkness, so like—

. Huh.

Girallia and Titania

...

Girallia+Titania.

Giratina.

Elpis you piece of shit.

(I'm gonna be real for the past few weeks I've been coming around to "You know Giratina. Would make sense, huh?" but having my step by step to presenting that theory be cut off by looking at the nations named in the interlude and realizing they were a stupid pun is. Okay then!)

Elpis said:
"I really don't understand why you're surprised," Ray says, her earlier irritation once more slipping away to ponder with you as Cubone looks up at Sophia, confused. "Aren't you the same, Aria?"

Are you?

You think, and think, and think, but nothing seems to stand out. Except—

"I was never an early bird," you say, frowning. "But since coming to Sol, I wake up when the sun comes up. That's the only thing that's changed, really."

"That's one of those things," Ray says, nodding. Sophia's eyebrows rise, and the way she looks at you, as if there's something new and exciting, makes you shrink into yourself. "I don't think it's the blood that does it either, I've met Gilderans before with eyes like yours."

Sophia has such a one track mind. "I'm kinda so so on magic (After Ray tricked me about Santa being real)" "Well what about the universe proving that your princess knight liege is objectively special" "Real shit???"

Aria, you are unfortunately the chosen one. Ganbatte.

What's funny is that if we didn't know Solgaleo and Kael's descendants were bound by blood the natural assumption would be that Aria's like. A plant. Because of Skiddle.

Elpis said:
"Maybe it's the geography then," Sophia suggests. Your frown is stuck on your face now. "Elysium is the land of the gods, and Gildera… Gildera was punished by Kael. Maybe as long as they're stuck there, they can't truly be blessed by the sun and the sky."

It makes a disgusting amount of sense and suddenly turns your view of the whole conflict into a minor puzzle piece. Is the greed of man that Redwood was so convinced of something so much more than land and wealth?

"Or perhaps it's numbers," Ray says, shrugging at Sophia's reasoning. "In terms of population, Sol as a whole dwarfs Gildera, so finding people like me is more rare. Though I wasn't born like this, it's something that happened… after."

Freak accidents, right. You imagine it might have to do with the staff, or perhaps with what the accident did to Ray's mother. Perhaps that scar Drake left on Kael's Stand was not made by Typhon alone.

Genuinely very funny how everyone keeps flip flopping on which side of the debate they're taking.

Sophia, who thought magic was for fairy tales until this exact conversation: Maybe Kael had spited our souls for the crime of our ancestors?
Ray, Actual Wizard: Have you considered population size?

Also Ray is walking back to my initial assumption about when she got The Touch, which definitely isn't spinning the wheels further, no.

What the fuck are you implying Drake did, Aria.

Elpis said:
"What do I feel like?" you ask, grabbing Ray's hand. Sophia makes a choked sound, her eyebrows quickly furrowing in discontent. Ray looks surprised for a moment as that spark that happens whenever you touch jolts her to attention. "You feel like electricity, like my hair will start floating if I keep holding you. What about me?"

Ray looks unenthusiastic, but unwilling to fight you on this. Instead, she closes her eyes and concentrates. You see sweat on her brow after a moment, and the next spark causes your hand and hers to fly apart, not forceful enough to hurt but like magnets of the same polarity trying to meet in the middle.

"It feels like…" she tries to find words, opening and closing her mouth a few times before hooking her index fingers together, trying to pull them apart. "Like a tug of war. It's not some element, so I can't really put it into words."

A tug of war.

And though her own words fail her, you find that it explains more than you had hoped for. The world that you left behind and the world that is ahead of you are both part of what makes you whole, so perhaps whatever power is held in your soul, or heart, or mind, is tied to that divide.

. Huh.

Aria is elementally impure.

On a metaphysical level, she is Two, yes, the #2, things at once.

"What do I feel like?" you ask, grabbing Ray's hand. Sophia makes a choked sound, her eyebrows quickly furrowing in discontent. Ray looks surprised for a moment as that spark that happens whenever you touch jolts her to attention. "You feel like electricity, like my hair will start floating if I keep holding you. What about me?"

Ray looks unenthusiastic, but unwilling to fight you on this.

Sophia, calm your tits, Ray doesn't even want her.

[Marking another tally on the "Capella and Sophia are gonna go at each other like wolves" whiteboard]

This is such a straightforward explanation on what this even was—

Elpis said:
Your hand reaches out faster than your brain. You grab her by the arm, a spark of electricity exploding between you two that causes the inn to quiet down for a moment, everyone turning to you. You wave them off, and the world just returns to normal as you turn to Ray.

—That it's hysterical, Aria genuinely, not even metaphorically, has gay magnetism.

Elpis said:
"What about me?" Sophia asks, holding her hand up. Ray sighs, grabbing the hand softly. After just a few seconds, Ray lets go. "Nothing?"

"Nothing," Ray says. "It's really not a big deal for the most part, some people are good at certain things. I once met a man blessed by a wood spirit that could grow any plant in any season, most of these blessings are very minor."

Sophia still looks kind of sad. Her shoulders slump down, but before you could try to cheer her up, Cubone pokes her with the club, holding up her tiny hand. Sophia takes it, holding on with a single finger, and bending down so Cubone does not have to stand on tiptoes.

Cubone: [Squeaks what would translate as "Don't worry my lady, I think you're special."]

Pure of Heart, Dumb of Ass at its finest.

O Aria, whose blood mixes like the rivers Styx and Lethe, what pulls you apart?

The eyes on you are numerous, and your choices determine your fate more than any gods ever could.

While it is too early to truly decide what world opens up to you, you can learn more about this. Ray is a scholar as much as she is a priestess, and surely will not mind speaking to you about the various gods of the Elysian continent.

You decide to ask about…

[ ] The Dark King, whose name will forever be synonymous with the desecration of bonds.

~~[ ] The Skywrath Sovereign, patron of the Gilderan bloodline, defender of the sky between mountains.~~
This is something you can work on when you go back to Gildera and pick Skiddle up.

[ ] The Sun God, the patron of the Solian bloodline, who blesses the sky all over the continent.

[ ] The Twins, whose cries echo across aeons and whose temples are far to the west.

Hmmmmmmmmm. This is fascinating is what's what.

If I had been here I would've picked the Dark King because I love the darkness. And Giratina. And the darkness by which Giratina dwells.

Oh god though does that mean Ancient Elysium had to deal with Antimatter??? Is their concept of hell just the Distortion World???

The Twins...I wonder if they're Dialga and Palkia, or still Reshiram and Zekrom, it really depends on if Giratina was the Foreign God that created the Union, or if Kyurem only became entwined with the Gilderan people after they settled in its mountains.

The fact the vote about the Skywrath Sovereign is like "You can wait to hear about that shit when you get Skiddle back" is so funny, because the direct association with our shrub goat reminds me of my earlier theory of Gildera's God being Shaymin, which only gets stronger now given.

You know.

Giratina and the Sky Warrior.

But given the emphasis on Gildera's tutelary deity being responsible for the ice and snow of the nation, and the fact that Shaymin's blessings would be way more compatible with Solgaleo than what Aria's experiencing, eh.

Oh dang I spent too long yakking about god lore, I needa jet, this has been a fun teaser on metaphysics!

WaterWorld · Jan 24, 2025

RiceRockRekt said:
The fact the vote about the Skywrath Sovereign is like "You can wait to hear about that shit when you get Skiddle back" is so funny, because the direct association with our shrub goat reminds me of my earlier theory of Gildera's God being Shaymin, which only gets stronger now given.

You know.

Giratina and the Sky Warrior.

But given the emphasis on Gildera's tutelary deity being responsible for the ice and snow of the nation, and the fact that Shaymin's blessings would be way more compatible with Solgaleo than what Aria's experiencing, eh.

Actually you might be onto something here. Shaymin's only a Flying type for as long as it's in Sky Form, which it achieves through the power of gratitude/Gracidea Flowers during the day. It reverts to Land Form during the night or when it's frozen.

So it could be that Kael and Solgaleo punished Gildera by striping them of the suns warmth and turning Gildera into a land of darkness and snow, forcing Shaymin into a perpetual Land Form.

RiceRockRekt · Jan 25, 2025

Time flies and I still have a chapter to finish, let's get a mosey on, I haven't even met the dragon Aria is beefing with!

Elpis said:
This is not just a cave anymore. This is a temple, plain to see. A massive gate stops you, the language of the mural painted on it. Ray looks tense as her eyes trail over the writing.

"Careful," she says. Your hand moves towards your sword, and Perun looks up at the ceiling. You can see something up there, hidden in the darkness where the fungus can't reach. "There's a guardian here. I can't read the rest, it's too—"

You grab Ray by the collar and drag her out of the way as fire comes from above. Sophia draws her sword, Cubone jumping on top of the blade before she swings it with a force that breaks the earth under her feet. Cubone goes flying, her club slamming into a part of the ceiling and breaking off stone.

Oh, I LOVE this horseshit, probably the most physically impressive maneuver Sophia has pulled off onscreen and a combo tech with her newly caught bone buddy, great stuff.

So this is explicitly a guardian of the gravesite, I wonder what—

Elpis said:
Behind that stone, as if buried by it, is something big, scaly, and orange. The hole it used to breathe fire from begins to crack apart and reveal a Charizard, massive in size, and very unhappy at being woken up. Sophia catches Cubone, dodging the strong gust of wind that Charizard summons with its wings.

. Charizard???

Okay I guess that's why the vote was phrased as "dragon-like"! I suppose I would've expected a Charizard to be saved for something more explicitly connected to Kael in Sol, but...

Hm. You know this Charizard might be older than the Sunsinger's legend, if this bastard's been the guardian this entire time.

Might just be a passed down task from descendant to descendant, of course, pretty sure Aria hasn't leveled up enough for "1000 Years' Reckoning, Regieleki's Keeper: ALPHA CHARIZARD."

Elpis said:
You draw your blade, pushing Ray behind you. Charizard descends without any intention to break its fall, feet slamming into the ground until the entire cave begins to shake. Its tail flame is bright blue, even as the flames between its fangs are angry red.

Bro is just. Really cool. Phenomenal introduction imagery.

Do think it's funny that after a whole cave of emphasizing "A lot of these pokemon noticeably don't belong to this ecosystem and are Ground instead of Electric like they should be", the Temple Guardian is a fucking Charizard instead of a Ground or Electric-Type. Always keep 'em guessing.

Elpis said:
Cubone raises her hands up, saying something to the Charizard, and for just one moment the big lizard hesitates. Cubone jumps out of Sophia's arms, approaching slowly.

A moment later, it swings its body around and knocks Cubone back. Sophia catches Cubone again, her displeasure obvious as she points the sword at it.

[Cubone Uses Diplomacy!]

[It's Not Very Effective!]

The reminder that Cubone probably knows a lot of the pokemon explicitly installed as traps personally is fun, especially in how it almost stops Charizard from kicking a baby.

Almost.

Elpis said:
Charizard opens its mouth, but instead of flames, a sound comes out that sounds almost like… language?

Ray perks up, and walks forward even as Perun tries to pull her back by the hem of her robes. She looks… focused. Too focused for you to interrupt whatever is going on. She turns her head towards you. "It says that we're trespassing."

"You can understand it?" Sophia asks. You blink. Somehow, you can understand that it's speaking something that a human must have spoken, a long, long time ago.

Yet the language is not common Elysian, and so you cannot understand it whatsoever. At least you have Ray with you.

Okay, this is fun, a pokemon who joined the vaunted ranks of Team Rocket's Meowth.

Except it's not even a contemporary language. Which communicates the ancientness of this encounter, but also would be really fucking funny if the first humans Charizard encountered in this hole in centuries just straight up couldn't appreciate that it has a PhD in linguistics.

Aria: You know I could feel the vibes that this was a pokemon talking human. Somehow.
Aria: Would've been useless in this scenario, but I had the vibes.
Aria: Thanks for having more than vibes Ray.

Elpis said:
"Can you answer it?" you ask. Ray shakes her head.

"I can barely understand it, nevermind speaking. Maybe it can understand us like this, though."

Pokemon are very empathetic creatures, so it's worth a try. You sheathe your sword, raising your hands and addressing the Charizard.

"We didn't come here on purpose," you say. Cubone, injured but not unhappy, chirps up in confirmation to your words. "A man is using a powerful weapon to do something on the upper floors, he trapped us down here when we tried to stop him."

Charizard speaks again.

"Hallowed grounds," Ray says in translation. "Warriors who deserve peace. Something about… about graverobbing? We're not graverobbers, ancient guardian! We're victims of circumstance—"

Charizard roars. The sound echoes around you with a force that makes you lose your balance, your hands slapping over your ears. Perun roars back, not quite as loud, but still brave.

You draw your blade again, trying to ignore the pain shooting up your arm as you grip the hilt tightly. "Fine then, this is not gonna be pleasant."

[Aria Uses Diplomacy!]

[It's Not Very Effective!]

Perry. I love you.

"Maybe we can rely on pokemon empathy to get our point across" Aria the most famous Charizard in the world made a point to set his beloved trainer on fire every time they greeted each other for upwards of twenty years, this is not an empathetic species at the best of times.

Honestly though, I do have to wonder if Charizard is like. Aware. Of Wilhelm banging a lightning nuke on its roof. That might explain why it's so fucking agitated, but it's maybe straight up too old and cranky to really translate what's being said to it.

The fact it's a gravekeeper for departed warriors, rather than the god interred here, hm...

Elpis said:
Charizard agrees, which is why it aims at Ray first. You grab her shoulder and she spins with you, crushing a gem in front of her to cause a flash behind you. The flash blinds the guardian, giving you enough time to bring your sword up, catching its claws. Though strong, the lack of proper swing due to the flashbang gives you enough leverage to hold it in place for Perun to come down, stabbing its frills into its chest.

A flash of lightning later and Charizard takes a few steps back, flying up to create some distance. Cubone swings at it, but fails to hit. She climbs up Sophia's shoulder, shouting something.

Charizard says something in response, and Ray looks vaguely uncomfortable.

"I'm not going to translate that," she says, taking more of the quartz out of her robes. "Aria, you got a plan?"

Swag swag swag swag swag.

Ray: Oh your language is foul.
Aria: I miss Skiddle.
Ray: Wh—What does that have to do with anything??? Who's Skiddle?????

Love the combo play, smooth and efficient, Cubone is failing badly to contribute and has taken to starting a callout post on the world's oldest boomer.

Elpis said:
"Working on it," you say, holding your sword ready. Charizard does not make the same mistake twice, gathering flames in its mouth to spew from above instead of getting in close. The fire hits the ground where the Charizard stood, and then starts to move towards you. You jump to the right, rolling in the dirt to get out of the way. It singes your fancy new robe, and even Perun looks a bit miffed by the heat after its frill is caught in the intense wave.

You look around. If you can't ground that monster, there's no way you'll win this. Retreating could work, but that'll just set you back further. You're not one to run from your troubles, not if the only way forward is through that damn gate.

She's so grubby. "I AM going to kick this old lizard's ass for being dutybound to its ancient guardianship, the fuck you mean 'rerouting'?"

Love how the firebreathing description is just. How fighting dragons in Elden Ring goes.

Elpis said:
"Catch me when I fall," Ray says. You blink, opening your mouth to ask her what the hell she's talking about.

You don't get the chance.

Ray grabs something from the back of her robes, where you can see a large pocket she must hide some of the things she needs for her sleight of hand tricks. It's another stone, though this one does not look like quartz. Even in the distance, it feels cold and airy, like a deep breath in the woods of Gildera.

She slams the stone down, and a gust of wind sends her up into the air. Charizard… looks just as stunned as you are. Ray ends up shooting toward it like an arrow, barely missing it before slowing down towards the ceiling. Charizard, having dodged, moves to attack you again.

Ray comes down holding a lightning stone in her hand and pushes it into the Charizard's wings.

A loud bang, and Charizard begins to tumble down. Ray falls as well, and just like she had requested, you catch her, bending down slightly to cushion her. Charizard is clearly irritated at the attack, but cannot fly up again, one of its wings clearly injured by the very effective priestess.

Unfortunately the case that Ray is the coolest there ever was.

one of its wings clearly injured by the very effective priestess.

Is this like. Flirting for Aria. Making videogame references that aren't supposed to be diegetic.

Frankly incredible that this ancient and venerable Charizard thinks Ray is just as absurd as the whippersnappers do.

"it feels cold and airy, like a deep breath in the woods of Gildera" so that must be an Ice Stone! Wonder if it's a real one Ray saves for special occasions, lotta torque in that bitch.

Elpis said:
"Up top!" Sophia shouts. You see her and Cubone working together, coming down on Charizard with their weapons. The wings come together to form a shield around it, and though the sword is sharp and strong, the scales on this ancient guardian do not give in to human weapons or tiny Pokemon attacks.

The wings unfurl, sending another gust of wind out. Sophia and Cubone fly backwards, to your left and right as you let Ray down. You move your hand behind your back, grabbing your shield.

Oh, Aria's shield, huh?

Elpis said:
The shield is engraved…

[X] … with a depiction of Kael, wielding his blade. It's symmetrical and stylized, quite beautiful.

I'm sure that's get a completely neutral reaction from this random and not relevant to anything in particular Ancient Charizard.

I love how Sophia and Cubone are just. Failgirls. Swings and misses throughout.

Elpis said:
You see glint in its eyes. Something primal, and dangerous. You see the bright idea forming, and you know there's no way you can dodge what comes next.

Which is unfortunate because you don't think you can block it either. Charizard opens its maw wide and you see something come out of it. Not fire, but something that makes the air all hazy. It raises its head up, its tail coming all the way up to meet it.

Its mouth ignites into blue flames.

LOVE WHEN A DRAGON LIGHTS ITSELF UP LIKE A BLOWTORCH!

"Ah shit peepaw is getting smart" I have to laugh, Aria really just has the worst time.

Elpis said:
Cubone stands in front of you, quickly slamming its club into the ground. A wall of dirt shoots up, hardening along the edges. Sophia and Ray push up next to you, and you can see Charizard blow its flames onto the ground, creating a ring around it that expands outward until it hits the wall of dirt.

You push your shield against it, holding on as Cubone looks worried its wall will not hold. Sophia and Ray help you as the heat crawls around you, their hands on your back, giving you support even as everything in front of you threatens to crumble.

Holding The Line Holding The Line Holding The Line Holding The Line.

Elpis said:
"It's like a tug of war," you hear the echoes of your earlier conversation. Fear grips your heart. You cannot let it end here, you cannot lose to something like this.

You cannot lose to someone like Wilhelm.

So you let go of your sword and put your hand around your shield arm, pushing with your entire body against the overwhelming pressure.

Oh??? Bloodline Limit Release Imminent?????

"You cannot lose to someone like Wilhelm" Aria I admire that you plan on going down like a hater and having so little respect for a man that you're going to trick yourself into thinking that getting flamebroiled by an age old Fire-Type is somehow losing to him so you can bank on spite to survive.

Elpis said:
"Hey, Drake?"

"Yes, child?"

"How did you get so strong?"

You roar with energy you don't have, a powerful feeling welling up in your chest as the world around you descends into a haze. The edges of your vision turn black, you can feel bits of your clothes singed even as Ray scrambles to use water stones to dampen your environment.

"You might not like the answer."

Your voice becomes louder than the flames. Though all the strength in your body is not enough, you cannot accept giving up. If that light in you is not burning bright enough, you have to make it radiant. You cannot let this be the end. You cannot let this be the end.

You cannot let this be the end.

"The right motivation makes us surpass our limits, Aria. I cannot say what works for me will work for you."

You let go of your arm, crossing your arms behind the shield instead. The world around you becomes fire, and in that crucible you have to become someone Drake would be proud of. Someone your grandmother would love to meet again in the Elysian fields. Someone who always holds her head high.

"I will always be proud of you, Aria." - "You're a good child, Aria." - "Courage. Wisdom. Power. Hope. Faith. Love."

Silence.

Your mouth is still wide open, and you scream at the top of your lungs, but you cannot hear anything. You stand in the shadows as the sun rises in front of you. But it's not the shade you should be cast in.

Wugh.

EVERY DAY ARIA AND DRAKE GETS TO ME. EVERY DAY.

This is so fucking cool I love when the night touches the horizon and the world becomes aflame with a new dawn.

Elpis said:
The wall of dirt explodes, unable to withstand the heat any longer. The pressure, however, is gone. You see the path ahead, the light and the obstacle that casts it. The water stone explodes at the same time, creating just enough water to stop the heat for a single second.

You throw your shield, hitting Charizard's snout with a force that snaps its mouth shut. The heat cuts off immediately, and though some of it still hits your group it does not burn you to cinders, leaving burns that you can treat afterwards.

Fucking. Shield Claps it. Ridiculously funny. Aria will just throw her shit like a monkey and make that your problem.

Elpis said:
Of course, you can't stop now. You repay him by bashing the shield against his face, breaking his nose with a sickening crunch.

^ Literally the same senseless aggression.

Ray tossing in that discount Water Stone is kinda like frantically spraying coolant on a mech while the engine overheats.

Aria is the mech in this scenario.

Elpis said:
The sound returns, and your feet do not stop. You hit the ground running, catching the shield with both hands as it comes down and slamming it on the Charizard's head as it still reels from the sudden interruption. You do it again, and again, and again. Though what is now victim of your violence is a powerful and large Pokemon, which seems mostly annoyed rather than genuinely injured, you are reminded of that asshole in the woods.

Only it's not a Tediursa on the line this time, it's your friends, your partners, and your own life.

OH MY GOD ARIA LITERALLY MAKES THAT COMPARISON.

CHARIZARD ISN'T EVEN REALLY EFFECTED IT JUST THINKS SHE'S ANNOYING.

I don't even know who this is more humiliating for.

Elpis said:
Charizard recovers and knocks you back with a swipe of its claws, cutting the surface of your belly as you try to get out of the way.

Sophia swoops in, using her own blade to stop the followup attack and getting knocked down right next to you. It roars at you. You roar back, unable to find a human way to express yourself as your tongue lies heavy in your mouth.

Aria you are so. Senseless and diseased.

[Points] Wisdom Main by the way.

Completely and utterly incapable of using any of it when her blood is up.

Elpis said:
Ray throws another one of those flying stones, this time between you and the Charizard. The strong wind drags you away from your opponent. You scramble for your sword, still hot to the touch, and point it at Charizard. Perun barks up at you, and you give him a nod.

But then—

A loud slam. Dust and dirt knocked from the door. Charizard… stops. It turns around, looking at the door in clear confusion. After a moment of silence, another loud bang. Something behind it slams against it with an absurd force.

. Uh?

What the fuck is rocking to this brawl.

Elpis said:
You'd have taken the time to take a cheap shot at it, but the next slam makes it panic. It flies at the door, trying to hold it shut. Though menacing and powerful, it looks genuinely lost as the door is slowly being pried open.

ARIA THIS CHARIZARD IS GUARDING AN ANCIENT MAUSOLEUM.

YOU DO NOT WANT TO ATTACK IT WHILE SOMETHING IS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR FROM INSIDE THE MAUSOLEUM.

Elpis said:
Another slam causes the… hinges? To fail. You're not sure if it has hinges, probably some sort of locking mechanism using stones and gears from the inside. The door slams open with a force that knocks Charizard back. It opens to reveal the heroes of the hour.

Spring is on top of Tauros' back, using his vines to hold tight onto its horns. Inana is right in front of him, holding onto the vines and pulling on them, steering the rather dangerous bull.

. OH MY GOD???

Inana and Spring just keep doing this shit to Tauros's pussy, I genuinely feel bad for it, it's so fucking funny.

Thank. God though I thought we were about to get attacked by zombies or some shit.

Is it moe when an ancient and venerable tombkeeping dragon is forcibly conscripted into Looney Tunes nonsense? I think it's moe.

Elpis said:
Gumi is there, too, cheering from behind. Tauros… looks absolutely exhausted. It is injured, from the fight against the three no doubt, and now the slamming against the door with all its might even broke off part of its right horn. It falls down, unable to stay conscious.

Charizard looks lost, and you can't help but laugh in joy as Inana meets your gaze.

Aria: Hey Inana! I see we were both being annoying little shits to animals 5 times our mass!
Inana: [Chitters what would translate as "Yeah gurrrrrrrrl! Slay!"]

Ray being the MPV of basically this entire undercity arc while Gumi is just happy to be here makes me laugh. That Jolteon is doing dogshit and proud of it.

Tauros is gonna look at its face in the watering hole's reflection and remember this day for the rest of its life. RIP.

Elpis said:
"Inana!" you shout, smiling. "Perun!"

They react without any more words. Inana joins the fight with a powerful kick on Charizard's shoulder, where the wing meets its back, and Perun shoots forward a charged beam of lightning as that one moment of inattention gives you the upper hand.

Let's goooooooooooooo.

Elpis said:
Charizard roars in pain, and gets ready to retaliate.

Which is why the rest of the gang joins in. You can see Ray throwing Gumi one of the quartzes, and Gumi bites down on it, supercharged with so much electricity it begins to glow blue.

"Spring!" Sophia shots. "Hold it down!"

Before Charizard can recover, Spring's vines wrap around it. Gumi begins to run around the room, taking time to build momentum before slamming into Charizard with a force that knocks the poor wanna-be-dragon into a wall, all that electricity paralyzing it.

EVERYONE! IS! HERE!

Can't fucking believe Ray feeds Gumi her Dust crystals like fake shit Light Balls, bwahahahahahahaha.

the poor wanna-be-dragon

Aria Is Charizardphobic.

Elpis said:
The final blow comes from Cubone, who looks towards Sophia first for approval. She smiles, pointing at the still twitching Charizard with her sword.

"Winter," she names the little guide. "Get even."

Winter the Cubone stabs her club into the ground and pulls it out like a sword, rocks stuck to it to make a rather interesting mace. She slams the mace on Charizard's head, knocking it out. The fight is over, and you breathe a sigh of relief.

[Winter Uses Cragblade!]

[It's Super Effective!]

This is a very charming partnership and I loved this for being the moment Winter gets her name but honestly I really hope she evolves into Alolan Marowak. Because it'd be funny to do that to Sophia.

Elpis said:
Ray falls to her knees. You'd do the same, but Inana decides to jump at you with a force that knocks you onto your back instead. You wince, too happy to be bothered by the pain.

"Did you miss me?" you ask. Inana seems to notice what she's doing, jumping off you and crossing her arms, clicking her tongue. Perun stands next to her, imitating the pose and clicking his tongue as well, clearly mocking his senior. Inana swipes at him, and Perun dodges, laughing loudly at the now upset mustelid.

Team Aria is the bitchiest team on the block. Haters Forever.

Elpis said:
The relief is short-lived as something moves in the corner of your vision. Charizard stands up again, but this time, all the energy leaves you. You can no longer stand up, your hand will not be able to hold that shield again.

Winter says something to the guardian again, and your vision starts to darken.

Ooooooof, sorry bud, Bonus Boss Too Stronk, have to console yourself with the fact you made it to the cutscene.

Elpis said:
Drake stands tall, as he always does. His vigil never ends, and though he always looks like the weight of the world is on his shoulders, and his eyes grow ever distant, you wish to share his burdens.

Capella is currently being punished, leaving you two alone just weeks after you entered the Caer to become aspirants. The way she spoke to your teacher means a good week of cleaning duties, which have to be fulfilled after everyone is already turning in for the night.

There were strong words about that too, which just means that the punishment was extended by another week.

Drake simply laughed when he heard, softly like he always does, not loud or boasting. Not like other knights. He never was like anyone you've ever met before.

There's something about how Drake is now a subject of flashbacks, like the rest of Aria's childhood...

Also funny as hell that his opinion on Capella cussing people out begins and ends on "Lol. Lmao."

Elpis said:
"You look like you want to ask me something," he says. One of his hands holds some hard wood, the other a dull knife. Though the blade is gone and attempts to sharpen it have failed, it still remains the thing that he uses to carve things. It's one of his important heirlooms, he once said. All the things that the princess of Gildera gave him while he served her dutifully were precious to him.

...All the things the princess of Gildera gave him were precious to him...

Ough.

Elpis said:
"You are strong," you say, and his hand stills. "You are stronger than anyone, aren't you?"

"I don't know if that's true," he says, his voice low and full of something you have never felt before. Something that he always feels when his eyes grow distant. Something you know one day will be longing, as Capella described it. "I am strong, child. Stronger than many, but even I have things I cannot do."

"You can't carve the mountains between borders," you say, nodding. He smiles at you. "And you can't really cook either."

"Well, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses," he says.

Aria holds the important twin desires in that she wants to be Drake, but also ratio Drake.

As Capella describes it...Finding out how similar those two really were will be profoundly revealing, I truly believe.

Elpis said:
"But there are three things a knight needs to be a knight, in abundance."

"Courage. Wisdom. Power."

He nods. "They're the pillars of chivalry, a union of all that makes me whole. But they're not all that makes a person, because we are more than just knights."

"Hope. Faith. Love."

He nods again. "All desires are linked to these. Some yearn for them, some yearn for too much, some yearn for so little they become shells of themselves."

You try to understand, and though you know this kind of conversation would be harder if you had not grown up with the likes of the Flambergs, it is still not something you can grasp with the experiences you have now.

Arc Words Arc Words Arc Words.

To want something you can't begin to understand, to become the person you see all which you want to be.

Elpis said:
"How did you get this strong?"

It's a question you've asked before, when you saw him swing his sword once to defeat a dozen bandits. He did not answer then.

"You might not like the answer," he says, and you pout, unwilling to let his habit of cryptic reasoning be the end of this conversation. His hands begin moving again, carving into the wood and slowly revealing the form of a Psyduck. "The truth is, I can't tell you for sure. The right motivation makes us surpass our limits, Aria. I cannot say what works for me will work for you."

The Psyduck of Contemplative Strenggggggggth.

They're both silly.

Drake has a real kind of wisdom because he's always willing to admit when he's not quite sure of something, and he won't be the source of everything Aria needs to learn from in the world.

Which bums Aria out because Drake's really cool and she wants to be like that.

Elpis said:
"What did work for you then?" You move up to him, your hand coming up to the carving, your fingers holding the dull knife until he finally looks at you properly. "What do I need to do to become someone you can be proud of?"

"I will always be proud of you, Aria," he says, putting his tools on the table. He takes your hands into his, so big that a single one could wrap around both of yours. "What's important isn't how other people feel about you, but how you feel about yourself. Become someone you can be proud of, and I will forever be happy that we have met."

This is Drake. He is tall, and imposing, and his scars look scary.

But the biggest part of him is his heart. With a love so great that it would shame even Aphrodite, who inside of her could only hold the affection for a single world.

"One day you'll realize that I am not such a great man," he says, as if reading your mind. You blush, your thoughts ever obvious on your face. "If you find you can forgive me for not living up to your expectations, I believe it'd be my turn to turn red."

You laugh, ignoring the stinging in your eyes.

ugh

hurts bad

Forever be happy they have met...

One day, Aria will know who Drake was.

Will forgiving him change that he's gone?

Aria: Aphrodite was dogshit because she only had room in her heart for a dumb blue dot, and not the WHOLE UNIVERSE AND EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN IT.
Drake: Aria.
Aria: [Wearing her "President of the Commander Drake Fanclub" T-shirt] I won't apologize.

You have surpassed the Guardian of the Tomb. While your deeds will not reach the ears of the people, the world knows of your strength. To surpass impossible odds requires impossible ambitions. Drake's strength was born from his desire to keep the princess safe, and though you know he would have never admitted it, it was out of love.

As Drake once said, all three things are necessary. You are not really just a knight anymore, you don't only deal in chivalry, because chivalry is just too small for what lies ahead. You are Aria—

[ ] ...the Hopeful.
Not for the future, but for here and now. Not the knowledge but the instinct that everything will be alright as long as you keep your head up and face the world.

[ ] ...the Faithful.
No, not the faith in gods. The faith in people, in yourself. In your deeds, in your kindness that nobody can see, and the kindness in others that you wish to reveal.

[ ] ...the Loving.
Not for a person, but for the world around you. Drake loved a single woman so much that nothing in the world could stop him. Have you ever loved so much it hurts?

Ough.

Crazy how Aria's dad loved her mom, huh?

Elpis said:
Of course it won't be. Sol is the land of the sun, and even those who aren't born with a darker complexion end up visibly tanned by the sunlight of the eastern empire. As the border had many people born with mixed blood, nobody will doubt the request to pass through the gate on the way to the place that must be homeland to one of your parents.

Your mother loved you so much, Aria. Your father… he loved your mother.

It was the only time your grandmother spoke of your father.

CRAZY HOW IN ANOTHER TIMELINE GRAM GRAM FLAMBERG WOULD'VE SAID "Your father loved you just as much as her", HUH.

[ ] ...the Loving.
Not for a person, but for the world around you. Drake loved a single woman so much that nothing in the world could stop him. Have you ever loved so much it hurts?

Capella, I'm sorry to say, you're a lot like Drake in the way you really wished you weren't.

Elpis said:
He opens the scroll, and though it is not large the words 'marriage' are clear and bold and red and so loathsome.

Capella's body tenses up to such a degree, a Tauros could not move her from the spot.

Reeeeeeeeeeally wished you weren't.

Elpis said:

. HUH.

OKAY DAMN.

I uh. Guess that answers who the Skywrath Sovereign is!

Jesus Christ is that horrifying though.

"Is shit okay in Gildera" I couldn't possibly tell you.

WaterWorld said:
This sounds like Latios and Latias and I'm curios where they fit into the wider world.

...Oh yeah, right!

[ ] The Twins, whose cries echo across aeons and whose temples are far to the west.

Aeons, like the Eon Duo! That's the thread I was missing, I was like "Huh. That feels like a Keyword, but it's kinda lopsided in relation to the surrounding evidence about Space and Time vs Truth and Ideals", but sometimes the direct approach is best.

Magery said:
This one, I'm voting for as part of my quest to create the most toxic yuri possible between Aria and Capella, because you just know she's going to ask "but why couldn't you love me like that?" this way and I think that's beautiful.

Honestly I admire how hard you dedicate to this as your first and foremost battlefield.

Insane how this chapter adds so much more to the fucking. Catadora of all this.

"Okay so imagine you and this other girl were adopted by the same person you desperately wanted to impress."
"Uhuh."
"And like everyone likes her better, because of course they do, she's the best, she's gonna save the fucking world or some shit."
"...Which makes you mad, because—"
"Because no one gets to have her but me, they'll take her away and I'll have nothing left."
"...And she sees you as—"
"Not her sister, thank fuck."
"Oh yeah, that's good."
"That just means she sees me as her best friend."
"Oh yeah, that's bad."

Imagine this as a conversation between Capella and Skiddle once she reluctantly levels up her ability to talk to pokemon so she can complain about this.

Elpis said:
Here's a drawing by a friend of mine, thank you again

Yoooooooooo, compliments to the chef, because this is some fucking Cookingggggggg.

I love how violent and bloody and maniacal this is, Tauros being a butchershop all its own, Spring's undaunted determination as a weasel stands on his head, Inana's sheer WITNESS MEEEEEEEEEE as she readies to slice up some flank steak, love love love, crazy good atmosphere and snow effects that tie the foreground together, your friend made a stunner Elpis!

NMS said:
Okay, but why is Aria turning into Rayquaza?

Okay but now that you say it aloud the fact that it's Rayquaza specifically, singularly, is interesting because like.

Like we know Aria's Sunsinger blood is just as strong as her ties to Gildera, this chapter has been commenting on that extensively, but she isn't breaking open to reveal Solgaleo traits, it's one god and one god alone.

And...

Elpis said:
The wind bites through cloth and fur, carving glaciers into your blood and bone. Snow sits on your eyelash, blurring your vision as you try to look at the too-clear sky. Once, that sky felt like the ceiling in a prison you were born into, now you can see the freedom that it promises.

Though the sun is already rising the distance, some stars are still visible, glaring down at you from far above.

He roars again, wind whipped up around his body. It becomes visible to the naked eye, streaks of white and blue forming a furious storm. You shield your eyes, but when your feet leave the ground you realize there is nothing you can do. The ceiling of the shed blows up and away, and suddenly that beautiful clear sky feels like a cage once again.

You try to hold onto Skiddle, but the hurricane separates you with such a force—

Typhon grabs hold of you and drags you into the sky. This is it, you think. This must be where it ends.

Elpis said:
"Heaven responded. In seconds, the darkness was gone. Though Kael has lost most of his comrades in arms, hope was beginning to spread. From the sky descended the guardian of Sol, whose head is now on every banner in the Empire."

"Solgaleo!" the girl shouts, her hands hitting the table. She spills some of the tea, but doesn't notice even as her grandmother tells the maids to leave it. "The guardian of Sol, that's it, right?!"

Elpis said:
"Maybe it's the geography then," Sophia suggests. Your frown is stuck on your face now. "Elysium is the land of the gods, and Gildera… Gildera was punished by Kael. Maybe as long as they're stuck there, they can't truly be blessed by the sun and the sky."

~~[ ] The Skywrath Sovereign, patron of the Gilderan bloodline, defender of the sky between mountains.~~
This is something you can work on when you go back to Gildera and pick Skiddle up.

[ ] The Sun God, the patron of the Solian bloodline, who blesses the sky all over the continent.

"Sky" is a motif that comes up a lot in ABfI, it represents freedom, imprisonment, rescue, death, but what's interesting is that it doesn't belong solely to the Skywrath Sovereign, or even mainly, Solgaleo has equal claim over its blessings, and the Skywrath Throne's patronage has done nothing to change that Gildera is cursed for its transgressions (if it is).

Indeed, the Skywrath Sovereign is the defender of the sky between mountains—

Elpis said:
"Flying carriages," she says again, laughing at the look you must be giving her. "They're useless in Gildera, as the clouds are always thick and heavy. The Skywrath will not permit anyone else to take to the skies. You know Mudsdale carriages? Imagine that but with Pokemon capable of flight."

The buffer zone, in between the Solian and Gilderan walls, has weather not unlike Gildera proper. Of course, the one major difference you immediately notice is the lack of dark clouds. The Skywrath Sovereign travels over the kingdom, and with it go the clouds, so there is never a day where you can't see clouds far in the distance.

Welcome to Sol, Aria, Child of the Sun.

The world of snow and ice is behind you, now. You walk in the sun, and the sky looks so open and free—

—And it presides from dark clouds and biting cold, which, is not Rayquaza's M.O.

It is, however, Kyurem's, as a Legendary who has canonically iced over an entire city to proclaim the dominance of its master.

See, there's something I've noticing for the majority of A Ballad for Icarus.

A great deal of the Gods of Elysium...Are Extraterrestrial Pokemon.

Solgaleo, Lunala, the Starscourge (Eternatus or Deoxys), the Dark King (almost definitely Giratina), the Skywrath Sovereign (if it's well and truly Kyurem) and you know what's interesting about that in light of our first onscreen display of a Legendary in this fic being Rayquaza staring out of Aria's fucking eye?

Rayquaza is the Guardian of the Atmosphere.

It's the enemy of space born pokemon.

There's something, truly fascinating that you need to ask yourself when these dots start to connect.

Elpis said:
"Well, if there's a time to be sad, it'd be this week," she says. You blink the tears out of your eyes, raising your head to meet her eyes. "Solians are mourning the Empress' death, she died today, all those years back."

Her words reach your ears but your mind is occupied. Something in it makes you wonder, makes you feel, think, respond differently. You see her, but your eyes are unfocused. Was there something in the tea? Sophia doesn't seem to notice, and you try, try not to let her. You want to enjoy this evening.

"How old are you anyway?" she asks. You smile like a puppet, ready to answer, but the number on the tip of your tongue sounds wrong. It leaves your entire mouth numb, and you flinch as you bite on your lip so hard it draws blood. "Aria?"

"I… I think I'm seventeen?" you say, your voice wavering. Why seventeen? What did you miss? You think, you count the days since you left the Caer Rivenhold, you count the time when you would have been back to celebrate with Drake and Capella, with Lissy and Ruby.

Remember, Aria. You celebrate before they mourn, never on the day after.

"I'm seventeen," you say, quieter and more certain than before. "My birthday was yesterday."

Why was Isabella assassinated the day after her daughter was born?

Elpis said:
Of course it won't be. Sol is the land of the sun, and even those who aren't born with a darker complexion end up visibly tanned by the sunlight of the eastern empire. As the border had many people born with mixed blood, nobody will doubt the request to pass through the gate on the way to the place that must be homeland to one of your parents.

Your mother loved you so much, Aria. Your father… he loved your mother.

Why did the Emperor of Sol love his wife, but not his daughter?

Elpis said:
"Why is it that things in Gildera always come in threes," you ask, leaning back into the chair and staring up at the ceiling. "The king had three children, three great duchies, three knight orders. Why not two? Why not four?"

...Things in Gildera, come in threes.

Aria, the joining of two bloodlines that stain the sky with warmth and cold from beyond the planet's ken.

What if that had drawn something's attention.

What if that had made her eligible for another's claim.

Elpis said:
"What do I feel like?" you ask, grabbing Ray's hand. Sophia makes a choked sound, her eyebrows quickly furrowing in discontent. Ray looks surprised for a moment as that spark that happens whenever you touch jolts her to attention. "You feel like electricity, like my hair will start floating if I keep holding you. What about me?"

Ray looks unenthusiastic, but unwilling to fight you on this. Instead, she closes her eyes and concentrates. You see sweat on her brow after a moment, and the next spark causes your hand and hers to fly apart, not forceful enough to hurt but like magnets of the same polarity trying to meet in the middle.

"It feels like…" she tries to find words, opening and closing her mouth a few times before hooking her index fingers together, trying to pull them apart. "Like a tug of war. It's not some element, so I can't really put it into words."

A tug of war.

And though her own words fail her, you find that it explains more than you had hoped for. The world that you left behind and the world that is ahead of you are both part of what makes you whole, so perhaps whatever power is held in your soul, or heart, or mind, is tied to that divide.

What if the tug of war is a three way tie, locked by air...

Elpis said:
"Of course," you say, sitting down next to the fire, the book opening up to the first chapter. "A is for Atlas," you read, "who protects us from the stars."

"Are the stars dangerous?" one of the children asks. You notice that the girl who asked is not the only one who's decided to listen in on the reading. The girl that speaks up is looking at the sky. She is pale and scared, shivering against the cold even though the fire is so strong you can barely feel it yourself.

"No," you say, "because Atlas protects us."

Elpis said:
"It's just not the same anymore," Ray says. You nod. "So you don't want to go back?"

"I don't know," you say. Admitting this is the hardest thing you've had to come to terms with lately. "So many things make no sense, so many circumstances have led to this journey, and every time I look back at it I don't understand how I let these things get so out of hand. At first I said it was to keep my friend safe, then I argued about my desire to wander. Now I am here helping you because I can't say no when someone needs me."

...And Aria's will to become her true self apart from Gildera and Sol, and to protect the world that lives beneath the sky without borders, is making her all the more compatible with the Mediator of Land and Sea?

Elpis said:
Typhon's grip tightens around your arm, forcing you to look at him.

He says something. And then—

—you black out for a moment. A streak of green fills your vision—

Fellow readers.

We are in for Peak.

Phenomenal work Elpis, this is everything that makes it rewarding to stick to my normal posting style instead of skipping out on reviews to catch up. Looking forward to continuing this spectacular journey!

AmberGimlet · Jan 28, 2025

Alright, let's do this!

Elpis said:
You dream of a young serpent.

It is the lowliest of all creatures in the garden. It crawls on its belly, it has no legs or arms. No feet or hands. What it can grip, it can only grip with its mouth.

"Tell me of the sky," the serpent would say, as it cannot raise its head to look up. "Tell me of the world above us."

"It is cruel and indifferent," the fish says. "It floods our rivers, or it dries them out. Sometimes it freezes them."

"It is warm and giving," the lizard says. "It reveals the sun to wake me, and it hides it so I may rest. Sometimes, it sends fire down."

Neither lies, for the serpent knew that neither of them was a liar, and so if all these things are true, the sky must be vast and unknowable.

Down here, what little food it can find, the serpent cannot share with its friends. It is hard to survive, every day is a struggle against those who are bigger and stronger, those who are faster and have more wit.

But one day, the serpent knows, it will grow and devour the sky, and when it does, it will share its bounties with its friends. The fish will have all the water it needs, and the lizard shall have all the sun it requires.

Rayquaza... Fascinating discussion at play. Given the general vibes surrounding the Hoenn trio, this slant on their dynamic (friends, trust, the whole nine yards) is very interesting. This line of thought is extremely fitting for Aria as well. This is the kind of thing she would say under circumstances only very slightly removed from her current ones.

Elpis said:
Something stirs. Or someone. You look to your left, where Ray is sleeping with her mouth half open, drooling all over the sheets that were draped over you.

Dawwww she cares. I would say I didn't expect Ray to be the one doing this, but that would be a lie honestly. Party member get! But all jokes aside, this is very sweet. You really feel the way that Ray dumped a quest on Aria, who proceeded to live up to her expectations and beyond.

Elpis said:
You'd let Ray continue sleeping, but you're pretty sure she's cutting off your legs from the rest of your body and you'd rather not lose a limb like this.

Lol. Lmao even. Aria once again being crushed by her friends.

Elpis said:
She wakes up slowly, rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning," you say. The slow start becomes an abrupt and frantic flailing as she nearly falls out of her chair. She finds her footing by standing up, sending the chair backwards before wrapping her arms around you. "R-Ray, this hurts!"

She does not let go, so you try to get used to the pain.

Elpis said:
"You're such an idiot," she says. This seems like a familiar situation, though last time there was a softness that Ray simply does not grant you. "A big, big fat idiot."

"So I've been told," you say, wheezing out a high-pitched groan when her grip tightens. "Ray, please—"

Oh, like, Actually Crushed. This is so funny. For some reason Ray was not someone who could compress Aria in my head, but this is just great, happily reorganizing my views to accommodate this turn of events. Maybe between Soph and Ray, they can stop Aria from getting herself hurt as often... no? No, probably not. Oh well, they can try.

Elpis said:
You can see Gumi in the corner of the room, yawning at the sight before going back to sleep. For an Electric Pokemon in a place like this, she really has low energy.

I don't know if this is some kind of character foreshadowing or just a cute detail but it makes me happy either way.

Elpis said:
"The staff was a creation of Raikou, using it to unseal Regieleki was never its purpose. While the seal is still weakened, the part of Regieleki you defeated won't regenerate for a long while. They'll fix the seal right up before that happens."

Interesting, interesting. So basically Aria kicked the branch into dormancy but it is still technically unsealed and free range if it could somehow revitalize itself faster? Intriguing state of affairs.

Elpis said:
"That's good," you say, for lack of true understanding about the situation. In truth, the concepts and mythology of the whole matter have gone above your head for the most part, in the end you feel like one of those cavemen who were freed by the beasts. As long as you have a hammer, everything in front of you is a nail.

You look to the empty sheath. The Skarmory steel held up well for so long, the idea that a sword like this could shatter never crossed your mind.

She's very funny about this. The fact that this is wisdomaxxing Aria is just the cherry on top. She is so so wise and so. So stupid. Peak performance.

Shame about the sword though.

Elpis said:
"That's also complicated, you nearly killed yourself with that move," she says. You want to crack a joke, 'nearly killed' isn't dead yet, but the way she looks at you makes it impossible. "Your body's a conduit, whatever powers you have make it so you can channel energy easier, even if you can't produce your own."

Elpis said:
"So, imagine you're this dumb little gem. Kind of pretty, not very bright. So you draw energy into yourself, first when fighting the Charizard. You reach the point where you're full, so—"

Elpis said:
Ray slaps her hands over her face and sighs.

Ray trying to impress upon Aria the seriousness of the situation but getting waylaid by her extreme Aria-ness is just delightful. But regardless, this is a helpful explanation! Basically she has channeler powers but not any inherent energy generation, and also has a capacity to worry about.

Elpis said:
"It means you nearly killed yourself," Justus says, walking through the door. "And until that excess energy is out, your physical state will be terrible. Here."

He throws something at you. A… spoon. You raise your hand to catch it, and you do, but your fingers don't grip it right and it falls onto your lap. You frown, reaching out for the spoon and grabbing it.

Once again, it falls from your fingers. There's no strength in your grip, and for a moment your heart sinks into your stomach. You kick off the covers, forcing yourself to stand up. You lose your balance, forcing Ray to keep you upright.

"You say this is temporary?" you ask, your voice tight. The weight you put on Ray must be too much already, her face red as she tries to help you back onto the bed. Justus nods.

Elpis said:
"See it like recovery from a broken limb, except you can't just potion your way out of this. This takes time and patience."

Things you have in abundance, of course. You sigh, gripping the air with your hand and trying to focus the weakness away.

Elpis said:
Can't cry over spilled Moomoo milk, can you? Justus grabs something from the closet near the wall, walking over to hand it to you. It's a crutch, very simple overall, though it looks like it's been used for a long time before.

Oh. So serious business with this one, she really got messed up. The lightning damage probably isn't helping here. Also, Ray struggling to hold up Aria is just. So fucking funny. Used all her strength to give a bone-crushing hug and has none left to hold up all however many pounds of muscled otome knight suddenly leaning on her. Some kind of just desserts happening here.

Speaking of just desserts, Aria having to wait and recover is definitely a special hell for her. 'Trying to focus the weakness away' girl you have rocks for brains, c'mon. sdhgfhj she's so great.

Elpis said:
"No fighting, no stressful activities. And a balanced diet, if I see you with another one of those knight's rations in your mouth we'll have a serious talk."

You roll your eyes. For someone who was initially very unwilling to involve you, he sure has evolved into a mother hen.

I love Justus. 10/10 peak performance no notes.

Elpis said:
"The crown prince?" you ask.

"Yeah, apparently he was near the border," Justus says, sitting down at his desk and throwing his legs up. "The border guard you sent us to? Uten? He got the prince here pretty fast once he got the message. Bit late, though, you had already won by the time he got here."

the Crown Prince? Well. That's a pretty big name. Luck 100 roll on the cavalry. This could go some very interesting places.

Elpis said:
You want to agree, but the truth is that you cannot stand the idea of death. Even if it is more dangerous, you'd rather someone stay alive to face the law than to face the justice of steel.

Honestly this is a fun contrast against what a spiteful, brutal fighter she is. No I haven't stopped thing about "Hey, Champ". I will always be thinking about that.

Elpis said:
What a ridiculous display. That someone like Wilhelm has allies at all makes you break out in hives, the audacity that someone could stomach him long enough to participate in his plans.

dshjfhahd she's such a hater, please never forget this feeling in your heart. Honestly the funniest thing is that in terms of funny little guys, Wilhelm is like. Mild. Really feel like this is just Aria, which is fun.

Elpis said:
"Debora's gonna be just fine, she's bounced back from worse," Justus says, smiling softly. It's a strange sight on his face, you don't like it, but won't deny him his joy.

"you don't like it" what is her problem dfhjshjg. Aria??? You don't like seeing Justus smiling?? Where did that come from*?

*Aria making me ask that is why I love Aria.

Elpis said:
Speak of the knight and she will kick the door in— almost literally. The door to the office opens with such force it hits the other side of the wall, and you can see Justus' irritation at the crack that appears on the wood. Sophia walks in with swift steps, then throws herself onto the bed and wraps her arms around you, knocking you both into the pillow.

She does not say anything, and you don't have any air left in your lungs to do it either. It takes a few moments in which you look at Ray and Justus for help and just receive smug looks back.

Justus suffers every day. Knights have no context of collateral damage. And Sophia is not wasting words on delays and hesitations, just confirming her girl liege best friend is actually real and not an illusion. I love everyone taking a vindictive glee in making Aria reap the rewards of her stupid heroism.

Elpis said:
After a good minute, Sophia's iron grip loosens enough for you to wheeze out a greeting.

Put that on the list of things to work on. Breathing exercises because all your friends seem like huggers.

Funny. Very very funny. I bet she will actually do those exercises. Aria's ribs have hug-shaped dents in them.

Elpis said:
It seems that nobody came out uninjured, but everyone came back alive.

And that is worth all the pain you've endured and will endure in the future.

The world will do it's best to prove her wrong.

Elpis said:
There are a few familiar faces. You can see Uten, who waves at you in greeting before returning to his position of the stern and focused guard. There is the Centurion Argos, on his knees, a man holding a sword against his neck as he is forced to lower his head in front of the people of Olympia.

You can see a woman on a Mudsdale, not on the stage but still eye to eye with those that are.

And you can see a young man, a boy really, dressed in a uniform in golden and silver colors.

Mudsdale spotted! A golden and silver uniform, interesting interesting. Also, Centurion Argos is having a bad day, we love to see it.

Elpis said:
"Prince Kirean," you decide to compromise. He notices the lack of strength in your grip.

"I apologize, your deeds sound so great it is easy to forget your injuries," he says. "There's something I wish to discuss with you, though perhaps it would be better to meet in private after the criminals have been prepared for transport."

Elpis said:
You nod. "That makes sense, sorry, I'm not very familiar with the laws of Sol. We can meet after, of course, I still have to meet up with a few people now that I'm up."

"Of course, thank you," he says, giving you a nod. "We'll be setting up at the guard's barracks, do not be in a hurry, it will be a few days before we are ready to leave."

He seems reasonably reasonable. Always a plus in an authority. Here's hoping things stay that way!

Elpis said:
"I can't accept any money," you say. Ray rolls her eyes.

"Sure you can," Ray says. "It's really easy. Watch this. Half."
"Not in a million years, you little shit," Debora says, raising her nose at Ray. "I need you to accept at least enough to get a new sword, I know that the material is not something you can find in Sol."

Elpis said:
"We accept," Sophia says. You want to say something, but she does not let you. "It won't be able to replace that sword, I know, but the alternative is not getting it replaced for a while. You can't feed yourself with gratitude."

"Fine," you say. Sure gratitude won't fill your stomach but these people have suffered enough, haven't they? Cutting them a break isn't wrong! "But no more than the price of a sword."

"Of course," Debora says. She winks at Sophia for some reason. Sophia… winks back? You choose to ignore that.

they are absolutely clobbering her in the quote retweets. She's SO sulky meanwhile Sophia is putting her foot down to keep her girlliegebestfriend from going so hard to works herself beyond the bone. Feel like Debora, Sophia, and possibly Ray definitely discussed a plan before hand for getting Aria to take the damn money. All of them have that kind of personality. Plus, you know, the wink, obviously. Given her reaction when she woke up, I somehow doubt Ray would be willing to actually take half of the money for Aria, or if she did somehow spend it on Aria in some way.

Elpis said:
"You're a good child, Aria," Debora says. Any upset about being treated like one is met with that warm gaze of hers.

She is!

Elpis said:
You don't want to be the very best, but you will be damned if you can't be good enough.

So as your journey continues you are placed in front of many choices. As you have to rest now, you will have to let your Pokemon do the fighting.

But one day, when your hand can grasp your fate once more, you will need to pick a weapon.

The very best like no one ever was... except no not really. She'd rather not. I am abstaining from the votes this time around, but I did want to say that this is delightful.

Elpis said:
The guard's barracks are quite plain overall, which is suspicious. The money that was gathered never went into the place, or the equipment. You see rusty spears and swords, you see broken tables. The best that this place has to offer is right in front of you, the old desk of the Centurion that is now being used as a tea table.

Elpis said:
Sophia and Ray sit with you. Prince Kieran sits across, that eternal soft smile on his face. Maria is there too.

Alright alright, Prince time!

Elpis said:
The maid pours tea for you before leaving the room. You stare at the cup, calculating the probability of making a fool of yourself if you try to lift it right now and spill half of it on the floor. The alternative is Sophia's aid, which also seems a bit ridiculous to display in front of royalty.

You settle on simply enjoying the smell of the tea.

This is a little sad though. Given everything you've done he probably wouldn't think less of you for it; and also he wouldn't have a right to anyways, given your achievements. But Aria will be Aria.

Elpis said:
"To be honest with you, I don't know yet," Kieran says, answering your question. "I could do it with a heavy hand. There's some ways to do that—none which I would like to use, to be honest. Disowning nobility would breed malcontent, gathering greater forces to keep our own in check looks like preparation for an attack, and to be honest with you, the conflicts do not stem from one side alone."

Elpis said:
"It's not Spectrier Knights, though there are some who remember the old wars and aren't too keen on peace," Kieran says. "Seized goods have been reported, injured merchants who have sworn before the emperor that they were cut by Skarmory steel."

Sophia looks at you with worry, as if you are about to react badly. But the truth is, after all that has happened, you can just nod.

"The Glastrier Knights are a mess since Drake's death," you say, crossing your arms and glaring at the rapidly cooling tea. "And last I spoke with Redwood, he said war was practically inevitable, that there are forces that want another conflict."

Interesting, interesting. Feels like we're getting a good look at the Princely persona here. I do always enjoy it when someone lists out all the bad options that would make them hated first. Being open about things in a vaguely off-putting way, but kind of appropriate here. Also, huh Glastrier knights are attacking merchants. Would love to know what that's about! Especially since as RRR has mentioned, there might be someone impersonating them to turn people against them and generally stir the cauldron. They could also just suck, though, that is very possible.

Elpis said:
"Redwood? Mountain Bear Redwood?" Kieran says, his eyes lighting up like a child's. "You spoke with one of the captains of the Glastrier Knights?"

"Ah, yeah, sorry," you say, blinking away the surprise. He looks… so much like a child all of the sudden, it makes your defenses crumble. Maria looks embarrassed for him. "I was a Glastrier Knight, and Redwood was one of my teachers."

Heh. Cute.

Elpis said:
"Not what I had in mind," Kieran admits, "but not that bad of an idea. It'd probably be a small piece of land in Sol, establishing you as a true daughter of the land instead of a foreign national. You wouldn't need to actually live on it, give it some time and you can just sell it."

True daughter of the land.

"Borders and politics," you sigh, leaning into the seat. "Is it really that important for me to count as Solian?"

WE'RE GETTING LAAAAAAAAND! Okay Aria, you've gotta Fable 2&3 this up, and buy all the land ever. You can avoid all moral quandaries forever simply by throwing enough cash at the problem!

...lmao, but seriously, this is intriguing. I feel like given the vague trajectory of Aria's life, she is maybe going to end up more bound to that land than she expects.

Elpis said:
"We're going," Ray says. You frown, turning to her. She looks you straight in the eye. "You can't enter the capital without a really expensive permit, being invited means we skip the line. There's no way you're going to say no."

You raise your finger, ready to say no out of principle, but her eyes grow big and wet. Since when is this a we? Apparently Ray decided to follow suit with Sophia and just attach herself to your party.

~~[ ] Don't go.~~
There is no way you can say no to this girl right now.

[X] Accept your fate.

Fine.

"Fine." You sigh. The capital was on the way anyway. "But only if we can stop by the Tower."

Love the diagetic fake-out voting options, it rules. Very tastefully deployed too.
... am hoping sv doesn't try to count my quoting it here as a write-in vote or something though.

Elpis said:
Daughter of Sol, whose name carves mountains across continents, whose heart dwarves the size of the mad Titan. You find another letter in that fractured husk that would have become a god. - Imp rial. Soon you will be complete.

We almost have all the letters!

Really good chapter, thanks for writing, Elpis!

Elpis · Jan 29, 2025

Scheduled vote count started by Elpis on Jan 18, 2025 at 11:13 AM, finished with 26 posts and 19 votes.

13 people have voted
[X] Reforge your sword.
- Who?
- barty
- allmightytoaster
- Axel Fones
- Lyosha
- Sqw4l
- Shadowphyre
- sheep-dodger
- Krika
- kichithewolf
- WaterWorld
- Reji8627
- Illunima
7 people have voted
[X] Tepig.
- Who?
- barty
- allmightytoaster
- Axel Fones
- Lyosha
- Wobblegonnabe
- Dubious Wisdom
7 people have voted
[X] Quaxly.
- Sqw4l
- Shadowphyre
- sheep-dodger
- Krika
- kichithewolf
- Imugi
- NMS
5 people have voted
[X] Chespin.
- NemoMarx
- WaterWorld
- Reji8627
- Illunima
- Half Moon
4 people have voted
[X] Forge a new blade.

DaysOfGray · Jan 29, 2025

[X] Quaxly.

RiceRockRekt · Thursday at 2:18 PM

Back on the review grind, and much must be said about how funny "Lizard-Superlative" is as a chapter name, particularly when it's specifically the lizard Aria knocked herself unconscious failing to beat up.

Elpis said:
You open your eyes to a world full of softness. Though you expect pain, your body feels light. Even the burns on your hands have stopped throbbing. Your head is lying on something soft and comfortable, which makes the whole cave experience somewhat tolerable.

InB4 Aria finds out she's getting a lap pillow in T-Minus 5, 4, 3...

Elpis said:
You're not sure if you prefer this to pain, though. Pain is how you know you're alive. Yet as your eyes get used to the darkness, you find yourself staring up not at the Elysian fields or your grandmother, but Sophia, who is stroking your hair as she hums. She must've waited for you to wake up, rings under her eyes telling of her tiredness.

This is how you fumbled Capella, by the by. "You know I think I'd choose bleeding out in a trench over a woman's touch" Aria I would have all the affection in my heart if you were aroace but no you're just a gay idiot with a death wish, so maybe slow your roll.

Things that explain Sophia and Winter's instant affinity with each other: Getting really absorbed with girls while they dream.

Elpis said:
"You—" you begin, but your throat protests. It's sore, more so than the rest of your body, and for the first time in a while you find yourself speechless as Sophia looks down at you, her eyes lightning up like stars.

"You're awake," she says, in such heavy relief that the words take all the tension from her body. She slumps forward, pressing you down harder onto her thighs. "I'm so glad, you weren't breathing, your heart slowed down so much…"

There are no fungi here, but there's light. You try to look around, but with Sophia's iron grip on your head, you can't turn. You feel something hit your cheek, hot and damp, like harsh summer rain.

"We almost died," she says. Again is left unspoken. Once again, Wilhelm's actions have led you into a situation where death was around every corner. Once again, you fight against a foe that was out to kill you. Once again—No.

"This time nobody got hurt," you say, reaching out to cup her cheek. Maybe if you can calm her down you can free your head from her grip. "I'd see that as a win, right?"

Aria: Maybe if I rizz this girl up I can get head (back). [She doesn't know what rizz or head is chat]

I think what's baffling about Aria sometimes is that she's such a bleeding heart until someone's distress is about her and then her brain skips to "Okay how do I get this over with so I get full range of motion again." Whump is a genre without meaning to her. Hysterical.

Is Sophia lucky to have a girl who describes her as the summer rain and stars alight, or deeply cursed by the fact she doesn't want her head in her lap? Things that will come up in the Metal Gear boss fight dialogue when Capella finds her.

Elpis said:
"You got hurt," she says. You blink. You don't really feel hurt at all, if anything you feel like you could take on anything right now. Whatever possessed you at that moment left no marks and no wounds.

Only slight aches, something behind your eyes hurts slightly, but you can't quite call it 'pain'.

Things that are completely normal.

Don't even.

Don't even worry about what's behind your eyes.

Elpis said:

Totally fine.

Elpis said:
"Sophia," you say, your voice warm. "I'm okay, I promise."

Her face turns red from all the crying, but she obliges you nevertheless, letting go of your head and allowing you to sit up properly.

As you can see at every opportunity imaginable Sophia is damned to hell for having a liege who is blind as a bat.

A girl whose first stat bonus was "Awareness" everyone.

Elpis said:
You find yourself staring at… a burning tail. The Guardian sits there, its flame warming you and the others.

You reach over for your sword, but find it's not wrapped at your hip anymore. The Guardian growls at you, and your glare makes it… cower?

See this is what I mean about Aria being such a hater, a Charizard is graciously utilizing the flame that is its life to keep you warm and this is your response, shameful, ungrateful.

"The Guardian tried to kill her" and she's literally in a Pokemon fic she should know the genre conceits.

Elpis said:
"It's not gonna fight us," Ray says. You glance over to the side where Ray is leaning against the battered Tauros. There's some bandages around it now, though it's still unconscious from the beating it must have received. "It lost, so now it won't fight us."

"Sure," you say, doubt marring your voice. "It just tried turning us to ash so forgive me if I have my doubts."

Aria. Buddy.

You are in a Pokemon World.

This is how it works. Get with the program.

Awwww, Ray took care of Tauros, that's nice.

Elpis said:
The Guardian opens its maw and says something. It's… not something you understand, but somehow its feelings come through.

"You, err," Ray says, helpfully. "Sorry, that word's hard. The first syllable is ancient Elysian and means Lizard, but… superlative? What kind of language superlatives nouns?"

The Guardian turns to her and says something again, moving its hands as if that helps with the translation. Ray frowns, then nods, then frowns again, then looks like she swallowed something sour.

"Okay, lets just move on, Superlative Lizard, second syllable is… liquid? Sap?" she asks. Charizard roars loudly. "Fuck off, I didn't skip any classes your accent's just shit!"

"Ladies," you say, shaking your head. You feel a bit off, but Sophia's hand on your shoulder makes it easy to keep focus. "You're both pretty, please, just translate the gist of it, I don't need a literal translation."

Three haters in the room and somehow Aria remains the most disrespectful.

The translation squabbles are funny. "This ancient Charizard from when Elysium was fact instead of myth is hard to understand? It has a dumb accent!"

What's funnier about this is that the most obvious implication is that the Guardian is saying "Dragon's Blood" but Ray is getting hung up with why even the fuck Classical Greek has superlative as an adjective.

Elpis said:
Charizard grunts, then repeats its earlier sentence.

"You, Lizard-superlative Liquid-or-Sap," Ray says. "Ancient Pact, something something, an apology for thinking we were grave robbers. It says you bested it in combat, so now it'll listen to you until your pilgrimage ends."

...Why does a Solian Tomb Guardian adhere to an "Ancient Pact" with Aria on account of her having "Dragon's Blood"? You'd think it'd focus on how she's related to Solgaleo first and for—

. Wait.

...How many people would know to make the distinction that "This is a dragon."

(Honestly, it might just be that "Somehow, Rayquaza has returned" is a reoccurring thing that happened in Ancient Elysium, but I do think it'd be funny if "Whoops, All Dragon-Type Legendaries!" ends up being the myth arc revelation at some point)

Anyway, pokemon honor systems are fun because it's not even in doubt that the Guardian could have just flame broiled the crew after it woke up, but if you knock it out even for two seconds that counts.

Elpis said:
"Pilgrimage?" you ask, frowning. "I suppose that's what people would do when they come down here, but… I don't think I've got a Pokeball for you ready."

"No Pokeball," Ray says. Charizard nods. "Its life is bound to the Tomb. It'll die when it leaves, so think of it as a guest."

"A guest," you say, your voice dry. Of course, a guest, about 12 feet tall and very much the reason for Sophia's emotional state. You shake your head. "Fine then, we need all hands on deck when we go after Wilhelm."

Okay so the Guardian is immortal as long as it stays in the dead god tomb, okay, important context, that explains several things going on here.

Genuinely I do think it's really funny, but also extremely telling about Aria as a person that she's just. So poleaxed by the Guardian being so straightforwardly a pokemon about this, she's not used to that! Aria's whole grindset runs on "Oh, diplomacy has failed? Killing you then" because she's never been put in a situation where deescalation is like. Viable. And so her tendency to be consumed with grudges and first impressions kinda just swells unabated, which has been noted as a flaw in like:

Elpis said:
"Nobility doesn't change, does it?" you ask. "No matter what king or emperor, no matter what weather or what lands."

"Not all nobles are like that," Sophia says, though her retort is weak.

"And yet, when a noble is like that, it is rarely them who suffer for it." You purse your lips, not wanting to start an argument with your friend over class. Of course, the two of you have completely different views, as you have lived completely different lives.

A village girl who became a knight for money, and works for a Border Lord that, by all appearances, tries his best for the people of his territory could never share the views of a girl who was raised by scoundrels who call themselves nobility.

"I'm sorry," Sophia says. You frown, ready to give up on the conversation, how could she think of apologizing to you just because you're a little bit upset? She's not the target of your ire! But before you can speak up, she continues. "I agree, blood makes none of us better. But no one chooses who they are born as, Aria. Do they not deserve the benefit of the doubt?"
"They do," you say, feeling small. Your disdain has been far from productive, and while you find yourself ever annoyed by the concept, it's true that your expectations of them are higher than normal.

But isn't that what Noblesse Oblige is supposed to be about? Even if you believe that everyone should help everyone, is it wrong to think that those who have more and expect more can, in turn, have those expectations set on their shoulders?

Particular Ways.

"Pilgrimage?" you ask, frowning. "I suppose that's what people would do when they come down here, but… I don't think I've got a Pokeball for you ready."

Doesn't mean that Aria still wasn't like "Well if I had a pokeball" about it as her first impulse, so I'm sure she'll learn how to adapt to the grace necessary to make enemies into friends like the appallingly well suited for royalty princess classic that she is!

Elpis said:
You stand up, dusting yourself off before turning around and giving Sophia a hand. She takes it, standing up next to you, still somewhat shaken but nonetheless ready to carry on.

Inana and Perun are with Spring and Winter, holding something of a conversation while Gumi sits with Ray, yawning widely in boredom. You sigh, trying to come up with a plan isn't working out. Your brain is too jumbled.

Charizard makes another attempt to speak, and Ray rolls her eyes. "There's no way I'm translating that."

Okay, enough. You clap your hands together. "I can't think, it's too loud. So everyone just, be quiet, please."

You take a deep breath. The path forward is open, you have a powerful ally at your side. But something about the situation still stinks, there's no way Wilhelm sent you down here without some purpose. With the power of that staff, he likely could have killed you considering Ray's story.

While your body is fine, your brain is fried. Physical exhaustion would be preferable to the fog in front of your eyes that seems to form whenever you try to have a coherent thought. Something pokes you in the side, and you frown. "Not now, Skiddle—"

You blink the fog away. The darkness around you grows cold and distant, and you find your hand pushing Inana away before you pull it back so fast, your head starts spinning. Inana looks at you confused, then shrugs before pointing down towards the door that they had blasted open earlier.

"Sorry, yes," you say. Sophia gives you a look you can't place. Even Ray seems tense, as if those few seconds of silence had revealed something more. "Winter over there has been leading us up to go kick Wilhelm's ass."

Aria: I'm completely fine after I facetanked some dragon fire. It wasn't even dragon fire. It was lizard fire.
Aria: [Completely disassociating and starting to forget what she's lost and who she's with]

This is literally the first time Ray has ever heard Skiddle's name, and it's like. A bad time.

Inana doesn't care though. Which is funny.

Charizard makes another attempt to speak, and Ray rolls her eyes. "There's no way I'm translating that."

The language barrier really does add so much to this because Charizard could probably just tell everyone the lore they're missing but it's a boomer who hasn't seen the sun in millennia and Ray respects its opinions exactly as much as that description implies.

You take a deep breath. The path forward is open, you have a powerful ally at your side. But something about the situation still stinks, there's no way Wilhelm sent you down here without some purpose. With the power of that staff, he likely could have killed you considering Ray's story.

We do have to ask why the hell does Wilhelm have that much fine control with a lightning nuke artifact, but honestly my first assumption would have been that "If that man had cast Explodes You With Lightning there's a very good chance he would have Exploded Himself With Lightning."

We still don't know why Ray's alive when her mom died by being at ground zero with her, but...

...

Elpis said:
He slams the staff into her, and the electricity explodes between them, sending Ray flying backwards.

You catch her, fortunately in the right spot even as you cannot move forward. In an instant, everything turns dark.

The ground below you opens up and swallows you whole.

Seven red eyes stare down at you as, once again, you find yourself falling.

Elpis said:
You nod back, looking around once more for your other party member.

Ray is not lying down at all, you see. The hole above you closed, and as she was the final one thrown in by Wilhelm, she ended up stuck with her feet in the ceiling.

...The Staff can open and close holes in the mountain.

Elpis said:
"There's no choice," Ray says, sounding unusually serious. Her voice tightens further as she continues. "The energy in the city is off, there's lanterns of thunder stones popping left and right. Whatever's going on is probably related to the underground you found."

Well, you were hoping to have the joy of sharing yourself, but it seems the people that were sent out had loose lips. Hopefully not so loose that anyone overheard, though it hardly seems to matter now.

"As much as I dislike saying this, I agree with her," Sophia says. "I was doing my investigation at the guard's headquaters, the Centurion has gone missing as well and someone has reported cracks in the ground visible from the temple."

Something is stirring. You don't know what yet, but it does remind you of that old story in Lissy's book. Something so powerful, it practically electrifies the air with its presence.

Calling it caves would be too diminutive. The system of pathways under the city lead further and further, the temperature rising as stairs take you down. Ray looks unbothered, unlike Sophia, who has been holding onto your arm whenever a strange sound echoes around you. Her grip tightens when the soft whistling melody suddenly becomes a loud boom.

There is— a man. In the distance, holding what looks like a rather large staff. Ray recognizes it even from this far.

"That's the high priest's staff," she says, sounding offended at the thought of a non-believer holding onto it. The man slams it into the ground, creating another loud boom and lightning crackling all over the place. "That bastard!"

You hold onto her collar before Gumi takes her forward to him, forcing the girl off the Jolteon. The Pokemon under her looks almost grateful to you, its size makes it an okay mount for someone like Ray, but she does not seem to have that much stamina.

"Careful, we can sneak up on him," Sophia says. You give her a nod, and Ray calms down for just a moment before joining your slower approach. Step after step, after step, after step— the cracks became louder, the lightning more fierce. Above the man's attempts to bash the staff into the ground, you can see something. It's so massive, yet hidden in the shadows of the cave.

"Ah, sorry," Wilhelm says, raising the staff far above his head. "I'm afraid the stage is not ready yet, ladies. Please, let me show you to your seats."

He slams the staff onto the ground again, and the lightning blinds you for a moment. Sophia reels back with you, leaving only Ray to continue, undaunted by the bright lights. Unfortunately his goal was not to hit you, it seems.

The ground under your feet begins to rumble again, like with Rhyhorn earlier, and what seems like solid rock becomes soft and brittle for a moment.

Most of what Wilhelm has been doing with the damn thing has been banging the ground like a drum to make quakes and fissures.

Elpis said:
"When I got to the vault, nobody was there. Usually there's guards there, but on that day there was a smell in the air and nothing else. So when I entered the vault, nothing seemed off. I got the staff, and my mother caught me."

She laughs, short and wistful.

"She was so angry, I've never been scolded by her before. I let go of the staff, and it exploded on the ground. Electricity everywhere, so much power, so much… destruction. All of it."

"That's… an accident, that's not murder, Ray."

Nothing was said about how Mika died, the state her body was in. Was there a body to be found?

I'm starting to see some implications here.

"Ah, sorry," Wilhelm says, raising the staff far above his head. "I'm afraid the stage is not ready yet, ladies. Please, let me show you to your seats."

"Ladies," you say, shaking your head. You feel a bit off, but Sophia's hand on your shoulder makes it easy to keep focus. "You're both pretty, please, just translate the gist of it, I don't need a literal translation."

In other news, hey Aria, how does it feel to have the same taste for smarmy lines as Wilhelm?

Elpis said:
Inana says something while raising her arms wide. The Guardian stirs at her words, looking irritated. You can't quite make out what she's trying to tell you, pain behind your eyes flaring up as you give it a try.

"Okay, at this point I'm done with the cave diving," you say, rubbing the bridge of your nose. "Everyone, we're getting out of here. Winter, good job so far."

Winter smiles up at you, her tail wagging back and forth as she walks up to Sophia and holds her club up.

"We'll let the Guardian lead us the rest of the way," you say. Charizard gives a slow nod, still looking somewhat miffed at its door being destroyed. Nevertheless, it did not actually say anything more when the smaller Pokemon decided to jump on its back and let it carry them. Inana and Perun look at you to join them, but you shake your head, it does not look like a comfortable ride at all.

Aria, lying: Charizard Uppies look mid, I'm definitely not denying myself joy and wonder because I'm cranky.

Inana is probably saying some hot shit about her bronco riding carving a trail through the mountain like this isn't the Guardian's mountain, who can't really argue because it has to assume the position until they leave.

Elpis said:
Spring, who seems still a bit wary of Winter, decides to stay with Sophia, who has calmed down somewhat.

"There's a good chance we'll have to fight that man again," Sophia says, frowning. "If he hasn't already succeeded at what he wants to do, how are we going to make sure we can win this time?"

"I feel it in my bones," you say. It sounds like a joke, but you are not lying. Headaches aside, right now you feel like you can take on any foe, so why should Wilhelm be any different? "And because I think he needs us alive for something, which is why he hasn't killed us when he had the chance."

"Not that it matters," Ray says, her jaw tense as she bites down on her cheek. "We're getting that staff back."

The group moves on.

"I'm in the middle of an aneurysm but I am sooooo top shit right now" see this is what we call Being An Idiot.

Absolutely zero brain activity, it would've been so easy to lead with "Well we have a Charizard and he doesn't have his Tauros now" but that would've relied on some kind of tactical awareness that isn't thinking she's god's special little girl, as if being god's special little girl isn't why she got thrown off cliffs for her entire life.

Chat, Aria isn't even thinking about the seven eyed shadow being, she's cooked.

Elpis said:
The path is boring once more, and so you find yourself trying to hold a conversation with Ray while Winter is distracting Sophia, who is still very uncomfortable with Charizard walking in front of you all.

Here we see Aria having lost a great deal of appreciation for the wonders of Elysian architecture.

There's something to say about Sophia, a Bulbasaur haver, being leery about the Kanto Fire Starter. Mostly "Sorry your trauma feels like a Gen 1 joke homie."

Elpis said:
"Ray," you say. She looks up at you, matching the speed of your steps to keep up with you. "How much do you know about history?"

"Depends on what history, what period, what geography," Ray says. "I've spent most of my childhood in the priest's library, so I know quite a few things about history related to the gods."

"All of them?"

"Most of them." She nods. "Maybe not that much about the ones far in the east on different continents, there's one story I know about four beasts of ruin. It's related to the birthplace of the three beasts worshipped in Sol—"

"I'd love to hear about that one day," you say, nodding. "But I wanted to be a bit more specific."

She smiles softly, and gives you a nod to continue.

It has to be said that Ray has such a genuine enthusiasm for religion.

I feel like her and Lissy would honestly really enjoy talking with each other, so long as the conversation didn't devolve into how Lissy could juggle Ray like a couple of grapes.

Treasures of Ruin reference! Wonder what it's implying about where the Three Sacred Beasts come from, is it meant to be the China analogue of this universe, or literally Johto?

Elpis said:
"There's some stories I've never learned more about," you say. Your grandmother told many, yet time with her was so finite. Even if you asked a billion questions, she tried to answer them all, and yet— "Ray, what can you tell me of the Dark King?"

"Mythologically speaking, he's the counterpart to the first king of Sol," Ray says, sounding like a textbook. "Historically speaking, he's a warlord who held the attention of a powerful deity and challenged the status quo of the continent until the establishment of the four kingdoms."

"I know that much," you say. Sophia nods, no doubt also educated in the history of Gildera and Sol as any good knight should be. "I meant more information that's not filtered by years of historical retellings."

"That's more complicated," she says. "It's hard to explain short, too. The truth is that information about that time is very sparse because people tried very hard to erase that man's name, and worse, they succeeded."

You can't imagine a worse fate, to be forgotten so deliberately that nobody knows your name anymore. Though his actions, from the perspective of those who live a thousand years after his deeds, are reprehensible, you cannot truly see a difference between him and the invasions of Sol into Gildera in an attempt to take the rest of the continent for itself.

Dread King Loooooooore (and Aria being sad about Gran Gran).

Interesting, so the Union preceded Girallia and Titania as distinct nations too. This has interesting implications on where their names came from, but also the fact that apparently none of the four kingdoms as we know them had the gods they have until Kael made his deal with Solgaleo (or "Solgaleo"), the King in the Dark came before the Sovereign, the Twins, and especially the Sun.

The fact that people forgot who its champion was, and the name Giratina with it, is interesting in the newfound context of Olympia's buried history, what does it say that the Dread King couldn't be allowed to remain a memory? What did he represent that had to die, and what would that reveal of the continent's history if it failed to take?

Elpis said:
"If you ask anyone for a name other than 'Dark King', they'll call him 'Betrayer'. We do not know who or what he betrayed, some say he betrayed mankind, some say he betrayed a God. Whatever the case, his name will forever be synonymous with the desecration of bonds. There is a claim that the Royal Family of Gildera descended from him, though that's long disputed."

You imagine so, even if it were true they'd not admit it freely.

InB4 we find out this guy was Kael's ex and the breakup went apocalyptic.

"even if it were true they'd not admit it freely" Aria says, like that's someone else's problem and has nothing to do with why she has a turbine snake in her eye.

Elpis said:
"Gildera suffers his punishment all the same," you say. The people live free, yet their world is limited by mountains and their vision is hindered by trees and clouds. "A sin so heavy that a thousand years of exile could not repay it."

"That's one of those things that you'd need more education on," Ray says. You raise an eyebrow. "I don't mean to say you're stupid, I'm saying that's a thing people are still arguing about to this day. Did Kael draw the mountains up to trap the Union and their descendants, or did he draw a line in the sand to protect the very same from the wrath of the continent they nearly burned down?"

Your feet stop as you ponder the question. A perspective you've never considered before, yet something that leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. With the power of the Sun, Kael could have carved more than mountains into the earth.

Aria: It sucks that the people of my homeland have been irreversibly cursed for the crimes of some guy.
Ray: Maybe read a book that isn't for children before you make a statement on a millennium of theological discourse.
Aria: [Vine_Boom.mp3]

Honestly everything going on with the Sunsinger lore is like. Ace Combat Zero. Biiiiiiig dialogue on the purpose of borders.

I think what's funny about this is that before it got brought up in this arc I really assumed from Grandma Flamberg's Storytime Interlude that Kael just wanted people to stop stabbing him in the face.

Elpis said:
"Well, most people can't. But sometimes, people have a certain disposition. The content of their character makes the gods more inclined to hear one out. So Solgaleo listened. 'If I die here today, I will do it unbowed', he declared. 'But if it is not yet my time to die, O Starlight Eating Sun God, then hear out my plea.'"

"And it listened?"

"It did," the grandmother says, nodding. "He raised his sword to the sun and continued. 'I will protect everything the sun touches. From here, to the furthest reaches of the continent. Be it human, Pokemon, or the trees and flowers that give these lands their life.'"

The girl goes still. Her breath hitching in her throat as she imagines the scene in her mind. Her grandmother continues without any break.

"'So let my blood be your blood,'" Kael shouted. "'And let your lands be my lands. So that the bloodshed may end. So that my people know peace.'"

Solgaleo roars, its forehead touching the man's hand. The sword in his hand glows as bright as the sun.

"So then the newborn king carved the sunlight into the ground, creating the first border of Sol," the grandmother says. "The hills became mountains, and the Union army was banished from Sol by the Sun."

Kael took out Excalibur and said:

Elpis said:
"I do believe in sin," Ray says. "I believe in the world beyond."

She draws light into the air with her fingers, electricity dancing like fairies across the cave.

"And I still believe in magic, and as a person who everyone admires, whose name is synonymous with the belief of a better world, I do not believe Kael's intention was to punish the Union, or the Kingdoms that sprang from it. I believe he wanted an end to suffering, and pain, and bloodshed."

OMG Ray did the title drop.

View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=OXXMpcMiBUs

Waiting for her cover album.

I love how she got to say this, in all sincerity though, "My Oomfie Kael wouldn't be a christian about this."

Elpis said:
Stories of Elysium:

K is for Kael — who sundered the earth.

It was during that summer ten years after my dear friend, the young poet of Thebes, had passed. In searching for meaning, I found faith. Not my own, but that of others.

I asked how do you know that the Gods can hear you? That your prayers reach their ears? That your soul will find that kingdom and live in harmony with the spirits of your ancestors?

And they pointed at the sun.

"My friend, why do you weep?" The young poet once asked me. He looked pale and broken, from a life well lived. "I will be with Atlas, the shield in front of you. My teeth will cut the throat of the Starscourge, my eyes will shine like distant suns."

"None will mourn you," I said, "not the elders of your village, or the men of the mountains and hills. The land will not know your name, nor will any beast or flower shriek as if they were your mother."

"Must I be mourned?" he asked, his head tilting from one side to the other, his hands intertwining in mine. "Must we strive to be known, so that the riverbanks we used to stroll know our feet will never touch them again?"

I could not answer him. I always feared death myself, feared the unknown. I feared so much that the mere thought froze my limbs and heart, that one day people would no longer know my name. I decided to become someone who could not be forgotten.

I decided to sing of the sun.

Everyone believes in him! In the story that came from his—

.
.
.

"None will mourn you," I said, "not the elders of your village, or the men of the mountains and hills. The land will not know your name, nor will any beast or flower shriek as if they were your mother."

"Must I be mourned?" he asked, his head tilting from one side to the other, his hands intertwining in mine. "Must we strive to be known, so that the riverbanks we used to stroll know our feet will never touch them again?"

"Mythologically speaking, he's the counterpart to the first king of Sol," Ray says, sounding like a textbook. "Historically speaking, he's a warlord who held the attention of a powerful deity and challenged the status quo of the continent until the establishment of the four kingdoms."

"I know that much," you say. Sophia nods, no doubt also educated in the history of Gildera and Sol as any good knight should be. "I meant more information that's not filtered by years of historical retellings."

"That's more complicated," she says. "It's hard to explain short, too. The truth is that information about that time is very sparse because people tried very hard to erase that man's name, and worse, they succeeded."

You can't imagine a worse fate, to be forgotten so deliberately that nobody knows your name anymore.

Oh my god.

THE POET OF THEBES.

I can't fucking believe it I've made this joke twice, he literally WAS Kael's boyfriend!!! Epic of Gilgamesh Yaoi is real!!!

Me: [Crossing my arms behind my back as I stare over a ledge] They don't know the man made synonymous with bonds and their desecration was the love of Kael's life.

I can't believe it. I always thought the excerpt from Lissy's book was a snapshot from before the final battle with the Union, a testament to what drove Kael to become a hero to begin with, but no, no, it was in chronological order, because the conversation was literally:

I asked how do you know that the Gods can hear you? That your prayers reach their ears? That your soul will find that kingdom and live in harmony with the spirits of your ancestors?

And they pointed at the sun.

"How do you know that the gods will hear you and see to your peaceful rest?" "Bestie you just called down the sun." "You are DYING. I am ALLOWED to be SAD."

This is driving me insane.

Elpis said:
"I'm sorry," you say, blinking away a vision of a world far in the past. It's her turn to stop and raise an eyebrow, so you must answer: "I'm sorry for my words when we first met. I should not have cast doubt on your faith, Ray."

She snorts. "That's ages ago, and there's nothing to be sorry about."

"No, there is," you say, shaking your head. "I'm impulsive and judgmental, even when I know that people's motivations run much deeper than what I can see. You believe in something greater than you, and judging you for how you live it is shameful."

She does not respond, instead looking away from you. You think you made her angry, the tips of her ears lightning up in furious red.

"It's fine," she mumbles, and with the knowledge that she's not angry at you, you smile, continuing forward and further up into the tomb.

Awwwwwwww, this is sweet, Aria making this apology is so grown up and kind.

She's also continuing to be an idiot who understands nothing about the hearts of women, but that's standard issue Aria.

"That's ages ago" I know it must feel different for how long you've been stuck in this cave but that wasn't even a week back, admirable attempt at letting bygones be bygones but Ray. Come on.

You think you made her angry, the tips of her ears lightning up in furious red.

"lightning up."

Pffft.

You know considering how she just did a whole electric fairy light display, it's honestly completely possible that Ray blushes crimson lightning.

Elpis said:
"I've got my own questions," Sophia says, coming between you and Ray with a heavy step, pushing both of you apart. Ray rolls her eyes, and you change the speed of your walk slightly to give them both more space.

Sophia is soooooooooooooooooo normal about Aria's proximity to women at any given moment, nothing completely embarrassing going on here.

Sophia: Swiftly changing the subject so my liege doesn't realize thots are on her—
Aria: What?
Ray: You mean besides you?
Sophia: SWIFTLY CHANGING THE SUBJECT—

Elpis said:
"You said the Guardian has a name for Aria, right?"

"Yeah, though I really can't place the word. I was okay at languages, not great." Ray raises both her arms and swings them back and forth. "It's like— chrysalis. If it said caterpillar-superlative it'd translate to butterfly."

"So what'd be the superlative of lizard?" Sophia asks. Ray shrugs.

"I don't know," she says. "A lizard doesn't become anything, really. It might be a reference to a lizard-like Pokemon that we don't know, which evolved into something else."

Charizard says something.

Ray blinks. "Okay, good guess then. Something that was normal, like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. Considering it's an overgrown fire lizard, maybe that's what he's saying to you."

It's so funny to me that it's taking them this long to figure this out. "A lizard doesn't become anything" have you never seen a Dragon-Type before.

What's hysterical about this is that they're having this conversation in front of a Charizard with a blue tail flame. It's like none of these clowns ever heard of Mega Evolution. Hilarious.

The way they are constantly disrespecting an immortal guardian none of them have the intellectual capacity to parse a single sentence from.

This is like what Meowth has to deal with.

Elpis said:
"Liquid or sap," you say, frowning. "Maybe it means blood? Kin?"

Charizard nods. The sentence it said becomes slightly more coherent.

"Well, whatever energy came from you when you were kicking its ass, it definitely left an impression," Ray says. She gives you a smirk. "Maybe it thinks you're its mommy."

"Your sense of humor needs work," you say, your voice dry.

Look at how. STUPID. They are. The Guardian is trying to TELL YOU the FUCKING LORE, you DIPSHITS.

Ray having this beautiful discussion about the history of Sol and the faith everyone has in Kael only to follow it up with this completely sauceless rawdogging of a living testament to her kingdom's past, the utter dichotomy of this girl.

Elpis said:
"Nevertheless, I don't know what I did. I just got too angry, and too scared, and too annoyed to do nothing."

"That makes a lot of sense," Sophia says. You turn your head to her. "If you don't know what kind of energy runs through you, you can't use it. So it must've been a reflex, right? Involuntary, something that just comes natural to you when you're in a stressful situation."

"Adrenaline is good at that." Ray snaps her fingers. "If it comes out when you're fighting, that can help narrow it down, though we're not really in a position to experiment."

You hold your hand up, glaring at your palm. No fire, no electricity. Nothing that can be drawn from the air or come from the ground. Whatever lies inside, whatever your calling is, it's all you.

It's always been you.

Gonna love when this comes back around and I can use this image every time.

Elpis said:
So you clench a fist and carry on. "We'll figure it out when I kick that bastard's ass again."

"Yes," Sophia says, her own hands clenched in front of her chest.

"Hear, hear," Ray says, putting her hands behind her head and continuing forward. "I'm getting hungry, though."

So are you.

MEATHEADS FOREVER.

I love this girl gang. Their only thoughts are violence and food.

Alright, I gotta stop here, but I had a good time. I love how these idiots can spend several thousand words arguing about lore while missing the entire point, that's an important skill set for a writer.

AmberGimlet · Thursday at 5:16 PM

RiceRockRekt said:
Aria I would have all the affection in my heart if you were aroace but no you're just a gay idiot with a death wish, so maybe slow your roll.

RiceRockRekt said:
Awwwwwwww, this is sweet, Aria making this apology is so grown up and kind.

She's also continuing to be an idiot who understands nothing about the hearts of women, but that's standard issue Aria.

RiceRockRekt said:
You know considering how she just did a whole electric fairy light display, it's honestly completely possible that Ray blushes crimson lightning.

Capella might have to kill her for this one. Not even out of possessiveness, just to balance the karma. Anyways, yeah this part was cute and now that you mention it I would kill to see Ray blush crimson lightning. Aria is such an oblivious menace. but honestly it is really nice seeing her do this kind of thing. For all poking fun at her unhinged behavior + this is the Wisdom main is low hanging fruit, it does really show in moments like these; I've never felt like Aria's behavior is inconsistent with what we're told is the virtue she's embodying. This speech in particular feels like she hammered it into shape to her satisfaction before saying it. It's just, she's full force imp_rial charisma whenever she says anything she thought about for more than a second beforehand. RIP Ray.

RiceRockRekt said:
What's funnier about this is that the most obvious implication is that the Guardian is saying "Dragon's Blood" but Ray is getting hung up with why even the fuck Classical Greek has superlative as an adjective.

RiceRockRekt said:
I love how these idiots can spend several thousand words arguing about lore while missing the entire point, that's an important skill set for a writer.

Elpis did an amazing job of having that whole language discussion be pretty readable in its content to the audience while having the characters not get it while also make it believable and not eye-rolling that the characters weren't comprehending the implications. Incredible feat of finesse there.

RiceRockRekt said:
Genuinely I do think it's really funny, but also extremely telling about Aria as a person that she's just. So poleaxed by the Guardian being so straightforwardly a pokemon about this, she's not used to that! Aria's whole grindset runs on "Oh, diplomacy has failed? Killing you then" because she's never been put in a situation where deescalation is like. Viable. And so her tendency to be consumed with grudges and first impressions kinda just swells unabated, which has been noted as a flaw in like:

I love seeing characters who are volatile in this specific way. Aria is especially fun for it because of how hypocritical it is to a lot of her beliefs in how to act like a good and reasonable person, and it does lead to her checking herself a lot. But that never actually stops her from having this internalized attitude, so it's a neat unbalancing act.

RiceRockRekt said:
In other news, hey Aria, how does it feel to have the same taste for smarmy lines as Wilhelm?

I went in on a similar angle commenting their fight, but Wilhelm has rapidly shot up the ladder of favorites just for foiling Aria in being the exact same petty little hater. The fact that Aria is intentionally copying his lines and Wilhelm is playing along by referencing things he doesn't even personally remember is just. Beloathed foe of all time. I'm so glad he respawns because I want to watch them clash again.

I love medieval Team Rocket Admins.

RiceRockRekt said:
I feel like her and Lissy would honestly really enjoy talking with each other, so long as the conversation didn't devolve into how Lissy could juggle Ray like a couple of grapes.

I firmly believe both of them could continue to have a measured conversation while Lissy was juggling Ray like a couple of grapes, but only if they were doing it as a bit to mess with Aria. But in those circumstances, yeah, easy money.

RiceRockRekt said:
Honestly everything going on with the Sunsinger lore is like. Ace Combat Zero. Biiiiiiig dialogue on the purpose of borders.

Excited for the next arc boss pokemon battle to have flamenco spanish guitar. Would not even be out of place, tone-wise.

RiceRockRekt said:
Gonna love when this comes back around and I can use this image every time.

Aria is definitely on track to have some Honkai Impact: The 3rd shenanigans happen to her. She's enough of a hater to mantle Rayquaza demonstrably.

NMS said:
So, everyone just ignoring the Mega in the room?

RiceRockRekt said:
What's hysterical about this is that they're having this conversation in front of a Charizard with a blue tail flame. It's like none of these clowns ever heard of Mega Evolution. Hilarious.

Also, there sure are two mega pokemon huh! I unfortunately don't know enough about either of the games where mega-pokemon were introduced to speculate about the lore and cosmology that is implied by that, but it sure is very conspicuously A Thing.

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