Pokemon: Resurgence Chapter 95

Hi all, 

Here is the first chapter of thirty for the month.

Chapter 95

The night passed in restless vigil. Citizens moved through Pastoria's streets like phantoms, their faces etched with exhaustion and grim determination. 

Lucas watched from a rooftop as rescue crews worked. Someone had rigged portable generators to flood the affected zones with harsh white illumination. A child's cry echoed from a partially collapsed house three streets over. Rescue workers swarmed the structure, their voices carrying urgent instructions through the night air. 

Sabrina joined him on the rooftop, her clothes torn and dusty from helping with the rescue efforts. "Twelve people are still missing.”

"Could have been worse,” Lucas murmured. 

Sabrina linked her arm with his. "You're afraid of retaliation."

Lucas nodded. "Azelf won't ignore this. We forced Mespirit to retreat and defeated the church knights occupying the city. I expect a swift response."

"Will Azelf come on its own?"

“No idea.” Lucas frowned. “Azelf might still be cautious about my ties with legendary Pokemon. It’s more probable that it sends additional knight squadrons to see how I respond.”

"So what do we do?"

Lucas considered the question whilst watching the rescue efforts continue below. They needed to buy themselves some time and figure out their next move. He hadn't expected events to deteriorate this rapidly the moment he entered Sinnoh. The plan had been simple—infiltrate the region, locate Delia, Ash, and Misty, then extract them without drawing attention. Instead, they'd triggered a city-wide uprising and battled a legendary Pokemon within hours of arrival. Now they were operating on borrowed time.

“I know one card we can use.”

Lucas pulled out his phone and dialled Shichiro’s private number. The Kanto Prime Minister answered on the second ring, despite the late hour.

"Lucas? What's wrong?"

"I need a favour." Lucas cut straight to the point. "A big one."

"Go on."

"How quickly can you mobilise the army and position them along Sinnoh's southern border?"

A long pause followed. "That depends entirely on what you're planning."

"I want you to put some pressure on Azelf and the church while we work on resolving things on the inside. Things are escalating here. Azelf has another legendary Pokemon backing it, and it’s not going to accept defeat quietly.”

"I see. How much pressure are we talking about?"

"Enough to make them reconsider their next move."

Shichiro was quiet for several seconds. "I can mobilise several units within six hours. They will arrive at the border before lunchtime."

"That's perfect. Be sure to invite reporters and turn it into a big spectacle. A speech wouldn’t go amiss either.”

"Lucas," Shichiro's voice carried a warning edge. "If I do this, there's no backing down. The moment our forces approach their border, we risk violating the decree. Are you certain?"

"I'm certain. I don't think we'll have any problems as long as you don't invade the country.”

"Very well. I'll make the calls."

Lucas hung up. 

They may have bought themselves some time with Shichiro's military deployment, but what were they supposed to do now? They still had no idea where his friends were being kept. On top of that, there was all the other stuff happening. Could they simply ignore it?

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=

Morning brought no respite from the previous night's chaos. Lucas, Sabrina, and Crasher Wake gathered in the gym leader's private office, nursing cups of coffee that had long since gone cold. The main pool area of the gym was still closed, but the rest of the building was in good condition.

They were watching a live news broadcast on television. The lead story dominated every channel.

"—unprecedented military movement along Sinnoh’s southern border," the reporter said. "Sources within the Kanto Defence Ministry confirm that three full battalions have been deployed overnight, with additional units expected to arrive throughout the day."

The camera panned across a convoy of military vehicles, with rows of soldiers marching in formation beside them. Above, a squadron of flying Pokemon flew in a tight formation, each carrying a soldier on its back.

Crasher leaned forward in his chair. "What a sight. How did they mobilise so quickly?"

"Shichiro doesn't mess around," Lucas said. "When he makes a decision, things happen fast."

The broadcast cut to footage from inside a government building. A familiar figure strode down a hallway, flanked by military advisors and political aides. Shichiro's expression remained grim as reporters thrust microphones towards him.

"Prime Minister," one journalist called out, "can you explain the sudden military deployment? Are we looking at potential military action?"

Shichiro paused at a hastily arranged podium in the lobby. "Ladies and gentlemen, I come before you today with grave concerns about the safety of Kanto citizens."

We have credible intelligence suggesting that several of our people have been unlawfully detained within Sinnoh territory. It doesn’t matter if it’s one citizen or a thousand. Such actions will not be tolerated."

The reporters erupted into a chorus of questions, but Shichiro raised his hand for silence.

"Furthermore," he continued, "we have evidence of systematic human rights violations perpetrated by the so-called Arceus Church, which has established unauthorised control over Sinnoh's government."

“Uncle is not messing about,” Sabrina murmured. “He sounds really convincing.”

"The Kanto Region will not stand idly by while our citizens suffer under tyrannical rule," Shichiro said. "We demand the immediate release of all detained Kanto citizens and the restoration of legitimate governmental authority within Sinnoh."

A reporter managed to shout over the crowd noise: "And if these demands aren't met?"

Shichiro's expression hardened. "Then we will take whatever steps necessary to protect our people. Kanto's military forces are prepared to cross the border if diplomatic solutions prove insufficient."

The screen cut back to the news studio. "Sinnoh's government has yet to respond to these allegations. We'll continue monitoring this rapidly developing story..."

Crasher muted the television and leaned back in his chair. "Well, that escalated quickly."

"Good," Lucas said. "Azelf needs to understand there are consequences for its actions."

"You think this will actually deter them?" Sabrina asked.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Lucas stood and walked to the window, looking out at the city beyond. "But it will provide a huge distraction. They can't act with impunity anymore."

"What if they call Shichiro's bluff?" Crasher asked. "What if they decide to escalate instead?"

“Evidence suggests otherwise,” Lucas said. “Already, Azelf is sending the knights to protect the southern border. It doesn’t have time to bother with us at the moment.”

The Being of Willpower was diverting significant resources to defend the southern border, leaving it with limited capacity to focus on its situation.

They weren’t the only city that had overthrown the church’s control. The news was already reporting on several other cities that had retaliated against the church. Unlike their city, the others didn’t have to deal with Mespirit, so things were easier for them.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Lucas and Sabrina stepped outside the gym. He pulled out his phone to check the latest news updates when the air beside them began to shimmer, and a familiar yellow form materialised.

Uxie hovered silently beside them. The Being of Knowledge's twin tails swished through the air. 

I sensed the conflict from afar. 

"What are you doing here?" Lucas asked. "This is pretty far from Rota Castle."

The situation has escalated beyond what I initially anticipated. Mesprit is not acting of its own volition.

Sabrina snorted. “We saw it controlling the entire crowd. That seemed pretty deliberate to me."

But not by Mesprit's own will. I believe Azelf has been manipulating Mesprit for years, possibly since the church's founding. Its memories have been erased.

Lucas frowned. "You're saying Mesprit doesn't remember who it really is?"

Precisely. Azelf has kept Mesprit hidden and isolated, feeding it false memories. The Pokemon you encountered yesterday believes it serves a righteous cause. This is why I have come. I need to restore Mesprit's true memories, but Azelf has kept my sibling concealed until now. Yesterday's appearance was the first opportunity I've had to locate it.

"Can you actually reverse what's been done?" Sabrina asked. 

It will not be simple, but it is possible. The essence of what Mesprit truly is cannot be destroyed, only buried. I have the knowledge necessary to uncover those buried memories and restore my sibling's true nature.

"That's all very interesting, but right now I'm more concerned about finding my friends,” Lucas said. “Do you know where Azelf is keeping Delia, Ash, and Misty?"

You assumed they would be held in Jubilife City, at the church's primary headquarters. This assumption is incorrect.

"Then where are they?" 

Azelf would not keep valuable prisoners in an obvious location where they might be discovered or rescued. Instead, it has hidden them in a place of personal significance. Your friends are being held in the Valour Caverns, deep beneath Lake Valour.

Sabrina's eyes widened. "Lake Valour? But that's..."

Sacred ground to Azelf. The Being of Willpower believes the location provides both security and symbolic significance. 

"How do we get there? Is it heavily guarded?" Lucas asked.

The caverns themselves are naturally defensible, accessible only through underwater passages that connect to the lake's depths. The real challenge will be navigating the labyrinthine cave system and dealing with any psychic traps it has left behind.

"Sounds like a nightmare," Sabrina muttered.

Your presence will be a big help in navigating through them safely.

“Will Azelf be there?” Lucas asked. 

Not likely. Lake Valour is both Azelf's strength and its weakness. It will go there unless it’s totally sure of its victory.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Uxie ignored his question. I can transport you directly to the island, where the primary entrance to the cavern system is concealed. However, once you enter the caves, you will be beyond my assistance. 

Lucas looked at Sabrina, seeing his own determination reflected in her expression. They'd come this far already. Backing down now wasn't an option, especially with innocent lives at stake.

"We'll take the risk," Lucas said. "Get us there."

Uxie drifted backwards, its psychic energy beginning to envelop them both. The world blurred around them, and they found themselves standing on a small rocky island surrounded by pristine waters.

The lake stretched out in all directions, its surface mirror-smooth. Ancient trees lined the distant shores, their branches drooping towards the water as if paying homage to whatever power resided beneath the depths. 

Near the centre of the island, partially concealed by moss-covered stones, was what appeared to be a natural cave entrance. Lucas approached, peering into the black depths. Somewhere down there, his friends were being held prisoner. The thought steeled his resolve and pushed aside any lingering doubts about their mission.

"Come on," he said, pulling out a torch from his inventory. "Let's go get them back."

They entered the Valour Caverns together, leaving the sunlight behind as they descended. The torch cast dancing shadows on the rough stone walls as they navigated the narrow passageway. 

The first passage split into three separate routes within fifty metres of the entrance. Lucas examined each opening, looking for any indication of which path might lead deeper into the cave system. All three appeared identical—dark, damp, and unwelcoming.

"Left, right, or straight ahead?" Sabrina asked.

"Straight ahead," Lucas decided. "We can backtrack if we need to.”

They continued forward. The tunnel began to widen after several minutes of walking, opening into a series of connected chambers. 

The first psychic trap struck without warning.

Lucas found himself standing in a sun-dappled forest clearing, completely disoriented by the sudden change in scenery. Tall oak trees surrounded the space, their leaves rustling in a gentle breeze that carried the scent of wildflowers and fresh earth. 

The confusion lasted only seconds before familiar laughter reached his ears. Lucas turned towards the sound and felt his heart skip a beat. Sabrina sat on a picnic blanket spread across the grass, watching two children play amongst the trees. A boy with purple hair and sharp features chased a girl with blond hair and brown eyes around an enormous tree trunk. Both children looked to be around six or seven years old.

His children. The realisation struck him with surprising warmth. This was his family, his life, exactly as he'd sometimes imagined it might be during quiet moments with Sabrina. The boy had inherited his mother's psychic abilities, levitating fallen leaves with casual gestures. The girl displayed remarkable speed and agility, dodging her brother's playful attempts to catch her.

"Come sit with us," Sabrina called, patting the blanket beside her. 

Lucas approached without hesitation, settling onto the blanket and pulling Sabrina against his side. She leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder as they watched their children play. The contentment he felt was absolute—this moment represented everything he'd ever wanted but never dared to hope for.

"They're getting so big," Sabrina murmured. "It feels like yesterday we were teaching them to walk."

"Time moves too quickly," Lucas agreed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I wish we could freeze moments like this forever."

The girl stumbled whilst running, scraping her knee on a protruding root. She looked up at her parents with tears in her eyes, her bottom lip trembling. Lucas rose immediately, crossing to kneel beside her.

"Let me see," he said gently, examining the minor injury. He used his aura to ease the pain, watching as the scrape began to heal under the soft blue glow. "There. All better."

She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Thanks, Daddy."

The simple words filled Lucas with more joy than he'd ever experienced. This was perfection. This was everything that mattered.

The children stopped playing, their faces turning upward with expressions of growing terror. 

A roar split the air—deeper and more terrible than anything Lucas had ever heard. The sound came from everywhere at once, vibrating through his bones and making his teeth ache. Above the treeline, something massive moved against the sky.

Palkia emerged from behind the clouds. The legendary Pokemon's eyes focused on the small family below. When it opened its mouth, space itself seemed to bend and twist around the gesture.

"Run!" Lucas shouted, scooping up the girl whilst the boy grabbed his mother's hand. 

The attack came as a lance of pure spatial energy, tearing through the forest like it was made of paper. Lucas threw himself to the side, still clutching his daughter, as the beam carved a trench where they'd been running moments before. The heat from the attack singed his hair.

"This way!" Sabrina called, pointing towards a cluster of boulders that might provide cover.

They reached the rocks just as Palkia prepared another attack. Lucas pressed himself against the stone, holding his daughter close whilst his son clung to Sabrina's side. The legendary Pokemon's roar shook the earth, sending smaller rocks tumbling from the cliff face above them.

"I can't hold it off," Lucas gasped, his aura barriers flickering under the immense pressure. "It's too strong."

Palkia's next attack was different—not a focused beam but a wave of distorted space that swept across the entire clearing. Lucas watched in horror as the energy wave approached, knowing he couldn't protect his family.

The distortion struck them directly.

Sabrina and the children simply... ceased. Not killed, not destroyed, but erased from existence as if they had never been. One moment they were there, the next Lucas found himself alone amongst the dying trees, his arms empty and his heart shattered.

He fell to his knees, overwhelmed by grief so profound it threatened to stop his heart. They were gone. His family, his future, his entire reason for living—all of it wiped away by forces beyond his comprehension.

The spatial energy struck him, and everything went white.

When awareness returned, Lucas found himself standing in the same sun-dappled clearing. Sabrina sat on the picnic blanket, watching the same two children play amongst the trees. The boy chased the girl around the enormous tree trunk, both of them laughing with innocent joy.

"Come sit with us," Sabrina called, exactly as before. "You've been training all morning."

A chill of recognition ran down Lucas's spine. He approached the blanket more cautiously this time, his eyes scanning the treeline for any sign of the approaching horror. Everything played out identically. But now he waited with mounting dread for what he knew was coming.

"Run!" Lucas screamed, but his voice seemed muffled, distant. They fled through the dying forest again, reached the boulders again, and watched helplessly as his family was erased from existence again. Palkia descended to deliver the killing blow again.

The attack struck. Everything went white. The cycle began anew.

Lucas found himself in the clearing for the third time, his sanity beginning to fray at the edges. This time, he tried to change things—refusing to sit on the blanket, attempting to lead his family away before Palkia arrived, even trying to fight the legendary Pokemon directly with his aura barriers. Nothing worked. Every deviation from the script was gently corrected until events played out exactly as they had before.

Palkia killed his family. Palkia killed him. The nightmare reset.

Fourth time. Fifth time. Sixth. Each repetition carved the false memories deeper into his mind, until the pain of losing children who had never existed felt more real than his actual life. 

By the tenth repetition, Lucas no longer tried to fight or change anything. He played his role mechanically—sitting on the blanket, healing his daughter's knee, watching his family die, and facing his own death. The grief had become a constant ache, hollowing him out from within.

The fifteenth time, he didn't even run when Palkia appeared. He simply held his family close and waited for the inevitable.

The twentieth time, Lucas barely registered the cycle beginning again. His mind had retreated somewhere deep inside itself, leaving his body to go through the motions whilst his consciousness floated in a grey void of despair.

Twenty-fifth. Thirtieth. The numbers lost their meaning. Time became irrelevant. Existence narrowed to this single moment repeated endlessly—perfect happiness followed by absolute loss.

"Lucas! Lucas, wake up!"

The forest shattered like glass around him. Palkia vanished. The grief consuming him dissolved into confusion as Lucas found himself lying on the cold stone floor of the cavern. Sabrina knelt beside him, her hands gripping his shoulders.

"Are you okay?”

Lucas sat up slowly, his head spinning from the abrupt transition. Everything around them was exactly as it had been before the illusion took hold.

"How long was I out?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Almost an hour.” Sabrina's eyes searched his face. "What did you see?"

Lucas described the scene. Sabrina listened without interruption, her expression growing more troubled with each detail.

"That's one seriously messed-up illusion," she said when he finished.

"Was it actually an illusion, though?" Lucas rubbed his face with both hands, trying to dispel the lingering images. "The children felt so real. Every emotion, every sensation—it was more vivid than actual memory. I can still remember the weight of my daughter when I picked her up, the sound of my son's laughter."

"Lucas, listen to me." Sabrina crouched beside him, forcing him to meet her gaze. "The illusion was designed to trap you in an endless psychological loop until your body gave out from the stress. Don’t pay it any mind.”

“Were you trapped in the illusion?” Lucas asked. “What did you see?”

Sabrina shrugged. “It only worked on me for a few seconds before I broke out of it. We need to be more careful from now on.”

They stood and resumed walking deeper into the caverns, but Lucas found his thoughts constantly returning to the vision. The children's faces remained crystal clear in his mind.

"I keep wondering whether we'll have children in the future, and if they would look the same as what I saw," Lucas admitted.

Sabrina paused mid-step, turning to face him with an unreadable expression. "What did they look like? Describe them properly."

Lucas smiled despite the lingering melancholy from the illusion. "The girl was your spitting image, except she had my blonde hair and eyes. The boy looked more like me facially, but he had your hair colour and your eyes. At least one of them had psychic abilities.”

"Psychic children," Sabrina mused. "That would certainly complicate things.”

"Does the idea frighten you?" Lucas asked. "Having children, I mean. With everything that's happening—the enemies we've made, the dangerous situations we keep finding ourselves in."

Sabrina was quiet for several moments. 

"Sometimes," she said. "But not because of the dangers. More because I'm not sure I know how to be a proper mother. My own childhood was hardly normal, and with my abilities..." She shrugged. 

"You'd be brilliant at it," Lucas said with conviction. "Those children in the vision adored you completely."

"A psychic trap designed to manipulate you isn't exactly reliable evidence of my parenting potential," Sabrina pointed out.

They encountered two more illusions as they navigated deeper into the cavern system, but both were less elaborate than the first. Each trap became easier to recognise and resist as they learned to identify the telltale signs of artificial memory implantation.

The tunnels eventually opened into a vast underground chamber, its ceiling lost in darkness above their heads. An underground lake stretched across most of the space. On the far shore of the lake, three figures sat inside a shimmering dome of energy. Even at this distance, Lucas recognised them immediately.

"There!" he pointed across the water. "Delia, Ash, and Misty."

They ran around the lake's edge. The psychic dome containing the prisoners pulsed with soft purple light. Inside, the three captives appeared to be unconscious, their heads bowed and their bodies unnaturally still.

Lucas reached the dome first and pressed his hands against its surface. The energy felt warm against his palms but remained solid as stone. No matter how hard he pushed, the barrier wouldn't yield.

"We found them," Sabrina said. "Now we just need to figure out how to get them out."

Lucas examined the shimmering dome more closely. He channelled his aura into several focused strikes, watching blue energy crackle against the purple barrier.

"The best method is simply to damage it," he said, stepping back.

Lucas formed an aura, larger and more concentrated than usual. The lance of blue energy struck the dome's surface with a sharp crack. The barrier flickered for a split second before stabilising.

"It's working," Sabrina observed. "The barrier weakened slightly."

Lucas nodded and began launching bolt after bolt at the dome. Each strike caused the purple energy to waver momentarily, but the effect lasted only seconds before the barrier reformed. After dozens of attacks, his breathing grew laboured.

"This is taking too long," he muttered. "We need more firepower."

"Agreed." Sabrina retrieved two pokeballs from her belt. "Let's try a combined approach."

Lucas summoned Saphira whilst Sabrina released Kasumi. 

"Saphira, Dragon Pulse," Lucas commanded. "Aim for the same spot I've been hitting."

The Dragonite inhaled deeply, then exhaled a concentrated beam of draconic energy. The attack struck the dome with tremendous force, causing the entire structure to shudder. 

“Kasumi, Psychic," Sabrina ordered. 

The Alakazam's eyes glowed brilliant blue as it extended its psychic influence toward the dome. The barrier began to twist and warp under the psychic pressure, its purple glow fluctuating wildly.

Lucas continued his aura barrage whilst the two Pokemon maintained their assault. Gradually, the cracks spread further across the dome's surface. The purple light dimmed with each successive attack.

"It's failing," Sabrina said.

With a final, coordinated strike, the barrier shattered like glass. 

They rushed to the three unconscious figures. Lucas knelt beside Delia, checking her pulse. Strong and regular. He shook her shoulder gently, then more firmly. No response.

"Do you think you can wake them?" he asked Sabrina.

"Unlikely, but I can see what I can do," she replied, settling beside Delia.

Sabrina placed her hands on Delia's temples, her eyes closing in concentration. For several moments, nothing happened. Then her brow furrowed.

"Strange," she murmured. "She's conscious."

"What do you mean?"

"Delia is aware of everything around her, but she can't move. It's like her mind is trapped in her body." Sabrina paused. "I'm making contact."

Lucas watched as Sabrina worked, her breathing becoming deeper and more rhythmic. Occasionally, her fingers twitched as she navigated whatever psychic landscape she'd entered.

Minutes passed. Sabrina's face remained calm but focused, sweat beading on her forehead from the mental effort. Finally, Delia's eyelids began to flutter.

More time elapsed. Lucas found himself holding his breath as Sabrina continued her work. Gradually, Delia's breathing deepened, and colour returned to her pale cheeks.

Delia's eyes shot open in panic, darting wildly around the cavern before settling on the familiar faces above her.

"Lucas? Sabrina?" Her voice was hoarse from disuse. "How—where are we?"

"Safe," Lucas said. "You and the kids were kidnapped and imprisoned here."

Delia struggled to sit up, her movements unsteady. She turned toward Ash and Misty, both still unconscious. "Can you help them as well?"

"Already working on it," Sabrina said, moving to kneel beside Ash.

Lucas began explaining the situation to Delia whilst Sabrina worked on the children. As he spoke, something caught his eye. A small platform jutted from the centre of the underground lake, barely visible in the torchlight. Lucas stepped closer to the water's edge to get a better look.

"What is that platform for?"

The air beside him shimmered, and Uxie materialised without warning. Lucas jumped, nearly stumbling into the lake.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Lucas asked.

I'll knock on your head next time. Is that sufficient?

"Funny." Lucas steadied himself. "Did you manage to rescue Mespirit?"

Not yet. Azelf has hidden it again. It is frustrating.

"Well, at least we managed to find my friends." Lucas gestured toward the platform. "Hey, what is that platform for?"

It's the seat of Azelf's power. Do you know what this underground lake is?

Lucas shrugged. "Water?"

Not exactly. This lake is the accumulated essence of the church worshippers' faith. Azelf can't directly absorb it to grow more powerful. He needs to go into a state of dormancy to absorb the essence here. He uses the platform to sleep for months, if not years, to absorb it all.

Lucas stared at the vast expanse of water, his thoughts racing. "Wait, this entire lake is experience points?"

I haven't heard this term before.

"Never mind." Lucas pulled a small glass vial from his inventory, causing Uxie to watch him closely. He knelt at the water's edge and filled the container with the strange liquid.

He activated his Insight ability, focusing on the vial's contents. The description made him grin wildly. The vial of water was a weak experience potion, granting him one hundred experience points.

Lucas's excitement grew as he considered the implications. The lake stretched for hundreds of metres in every direction. If he could collect all this water, it would represent millions upon millions of experience points. The moral implications barely registered—allowing Azelf to consume this power would be far worse than claiming it himself. Better for him to profit from the accumulated faith than let a tyrant use it.

A shout from behind made him turn. Ash and Misty were running toward him, both looking groggy but alert. He quickly slipped the vial into his inventory and braced himself as they slammed into him with enthusiastic hugs.

"Would you take it easy?” Lucas gasped, staggering backwards. "I almost fell into the lake. It looks like both of you have put on some weight."

"Are you calling me fat?" Misty demanded, her hands on her hips.

"Not at all. I was referring to Ash." Lucas grinned. "He doesn't seem to have grown any taller, though."

"Hey, it's only been a few months," Ash protested. "I'm waiting for my growth spurt."

"Really. I have grown." Misty smirked. "Maybe you're doomed to be eternally a midget."

"Do you want to fight?"

"Nah, he might be stuck at the age of ten forever," Lucas said with mock seriousness. "Looks like no romance for you, kid."

"Shut it," Ash grumbled.

"As amusing as it is, we should really get out of here," Sabrina interrupted.

"Hang on. I need to speak to Uxie." Lucas turned back to the legendary Pokemon.

"Whoa, a legendary Pokemon," Ash breathed, his earlier irritation forgotten.

"You're only now noticing," Misty said.

Delia stepped between them, gently but firmly steering the children away. "Let's not disturb their conversation."

Sabrina remained beside Lucas as he faced Uxie again. 

"Earlier, you said this place is also Azelf's weakness," Lucas said. "What did you mean by that?"

Azelf is vulnerable whilst in its dormant state. Once it falls asleep, it won't wake up until it has absorbed most of the worshippers' essence.

Lucas stepped closer to the lake's edge, studying the distant platform. "Then we need to lure it into using the platform. Then we can think of a more permanent solution."

It won't be that easy. Azelf won't go dormant with how the current situation is. It knows it has lost too much influence to gain enough of the worshippers' essence.

"There has to be a way." Lucas frowned, glancing back at Delia and the children. "Why did it bring Delia and the kids here if this place is a weakness for Azelf?"

I believe Azelf was going to experiment with them.

"What kind of experiment?" Sabrina asked.

One that doesn't require it to rely on worshippers' fickle nature. Something abhorrent.

Lucas's stomach turned. "I don't think I want to know. How are we going to deal with Azelf then?"

We need to lure it here. If it knows I'm here, it should bring Mesprit along as well. If we manage to free Mesprit, we have a chance to subdue Azelf.

"I think I have an idea,” Lucas said. “What if we start taking away its precious experience points?"

Sabrina raised an eyebrow. "You're evil.”

"No, just a thief," Lucas replied. "Meowth would be so proud."

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas and Sabrina confront Azelf.

Thanks for reading.