Chapter 103: After He Left
Later, the Earth Kingdom's flying forces were met at the Royal Capital by five hundred of Goldie's Beedrill and the Pokémon from the academy. They were swiftly defeated.
On the main battlefield, the Earth army retreated into the mountain tunnels, only for a strange earthquake to cause a massive collapse, crushing all twenty thousand of them.
When the Royal Dragon army arrived at the enemy capital, the people welcomed them, leading them straight to King Sakaki. He did not resist. He could have escaped, but when he felt the life of his own Beedrill fade away, he no longer wanted to run. He finally understood the bond between a trainer and their Pokémon. Ambition, unification... none of it mattered anymore. He poisoned himself with the venom from his own Beedrill's stinger, and died.
The war was won. The Royal Dragon Kingdom celebrated.
But on such a day, some people could not be happy. The news of the "Guardian Dragon" Alan's death was a heavy blow to a select few.
In a small courtyard near the palace, Ryuuki stood on her balcony, staring into the dark sky. "Mom? Is there news?" she asked, her eyes lighting up with hope.
"...Lord Alan, was sacrificed," her mother said, her voice heavy.
Ryuuki froze. She stared at her mother's face, her nose turning red. She shook her head weakly, tears she fought to hold back clouding her vision. Her mother's heart ached as she pulled her daughter into a tight hug.
"I don't want to..." the little girl whispered. "I don't want to! Waaaah..."
Ryuuki finally broke down, sobbing hysterically. "I don't want Alan to die! I don't want to!!"
In the Royal Palace kitchen, Hestia was humming a gentle tune, heating a bottle of milk. She overheard the maids whispering in the corridor.
"Should we tell Hestia? ...No! We can't! ...She'll find out sooner or later... Once she knows Lord Alan has died in battle, then..."
Hestia couldn't hear the rest. The world became silent. When she came back to her senses, she was curled up in a corner, the kitchen in a mess around her. She was still holding the warm milk bottle. What was the use of it now? The one who was supposed to drink it was gone. She didn't cry. She just stayed there for a long, long time.
A year passed. Outside the Royal Capital, in a field of flowers, a stone monument stood.
"Scyther..." The old warrior was visiting for the first time, placing flowers that could only be found on Mt. Silver in front of the stone.
"I clearly wanted him to stay with me forever," a quiet female voice sounded from behind. It was Liz, accompanied by Hestia. In just one year, she looked much older, with strands of white in her auburn hair.
She walked to the grave, stroked the tombstone, and then sat on the ground. "I shouldn't have let him take the sea route..." she sighed, consumed by guilt. "Have I become the rope that tied Alan's life? I just wanted him to be free, to live for himself."
She hugged her legs, wrapping the white cape tightly around herself. Suddenly, the cape seemed to gain a familiar warmth, as if Alan were hugging her again.
"Alan, I miss you again," she whispered, burying her head in her lap as tears streamed down her face.
A crystal tear melted into the soil, and in an instant, a bright, beautiful little flower appeared. Liz reached out to touch it, but her fingers passed through it like a mirage. She looked up, and though there was nothing there, she knew.
He was there.
[Inorin Note:
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