Pokémon: Ad Astra Abyssosque

| THIRTEEN

MEA LIBERTAS MEUS CANOR

. . .

Silenced reigned around the cylindrical cavern, only the sounds of the flowing waves could be heard. Ash, Venti, and Ophelia stared at Dvalin's sorry state.

"We can do something for him, right? We have to, I-" Ash looked sadly in front. He remembers scenes alike this one from his previous adventures. "I can't bear to witness Pokémon in pain."

'I fear there is nothing more to be done, chosen one'

The bird answered. Ash and Venti turned their heads to stare at it, Ophelia continued her silent grieving at the side. But instead of their feathered friend, a woman stood in its place.

She's a woman with an athletic build, tanned skin, fiery-red vermilion hair which flowed down to her middle back and was braided behind her head. It was a few shades darker than Ophelia's. She wore something similar of that of Jean's, but with different color schemes. While the Grandmaster's was more blue, white, and gold, the "bird's" had maroon, white, and a bit of a lighter shade of dark blue as its main theme. She wore a small, gray hoop earing on her left ear— unseen form their line of sight if she had one on her right. 

By her hip hung a scabbard that carries a sword. It had an elaborate design of gold, white iron, and a small little gem at the handle. The back of the blade had the same iron material that dips down a bit off from the shoulder while the edge down to its tip was created with a glowing teal material.

She looked like a ghost, her outline glowed a soft warm shade. If you stare intently at her, you can see the cavern wall on the other side. It's like she was a hologram being projected. She didn't feel real.

'Since the day he'd been infected, no hope had been found for him to survive'

'No one had any hope left'

'Not even our beloved land'

Ophelia had turned her head, and was shocked of the lady that stood before her. The three were in stunned silence, but the woman continued, not caring of the questioning looks she's receiving. They let her talk as she pleased.

'Dvalin, and the rest of what you now call as.. Pokémon. Were created as a last resort for revival'

'Created in great abundance..'

'They were our last hope'

'And the symbol.. of our Archon's goodbyes'

She turned her head and stared at Ash. Amber eyes met his own. With that, he felt a sense of familiarity. It's like he'd seen her before, or heard of someone like her. Perhaps from one of Jean's stories. Or was it Venti's? "You're..?"

"Lady Vennessa.." A young starstruck dragon trainer answered for him. The olden Wind smiled at the girl. "The Falcon of the West."

'Correct, young Ragnvindr'

"But- But why are you here? Dvalin," He pointed at the Mondstadian legendary. "Why is he  here? The room. Our Pokémon. Everything. The bird? You're the bird- er, Falcon of the West. But the shard, you knew where it was. It- how- we- hah..." Venti is in his own kind of turmoil.