Advent: Explorers of Boundaries

Chapter 44: Savior's Doubt and Chosen One's Burden

As Alex and Kevin continued their journey, both focused on their individual goals, they remained unaware of the crucial connection between their missions.

It wasn't until they stumbled upon a frozen-in-time factory faced with destruction due to the explosion that was halted when Time stopped, an eerie scene of destruction along with a poster of Penny the Lilligant near the factory, that Kevin's emotions spilled over, prompting him to curse out Penny’s name. Alex, curious and puzzled by the mention of Penny the Peacemaker, finally asked Kevin why he had taken her life.

"It wasn't a simple decision," Kevin began, his voice being indifferent. "But Penny wasn't what she seemed. She was working against the peace we were striving for. My orders were clear—to remove any obstacles hindering the creation of a new, peaceful world."

Alex stopped in his tracks, processing Kevin's confession. With a mix of disbelief and understanding, he probed further, urging Kevin to share the full extent of his purpose.

As Kevin delved into his story from the Future, Alex listened in disbelief, his eyes widening as the gravity of Kevin's words sunk in. Kevin detailed the potential catastrophe that Penny the Lilligant could have unleashed had she remained alive.

He painted a grim picture of chaos and destruction, recounting how Penny had planned to destabilize regions like Zafaria by introducing weapons, biohazards, and other nefarious elements. Worse yet, she had manipulated events to shift blame onto innocent parties. 

The most horrifying revelation was about a deadly virus engineered by Penny, an unprecedented threat that had wiped out half of the planet's inhabitants. Kevin spoke of the catastrophic world war between regions, which had plunged the world into a nuclear winter for decades, leaving devastation in its wake and reducing the global population to a mere fraction.

"The legendaries obviously survived, but regular pokémon were reduced to critically endangered," Kevin continued solemnly, "but Penny, Alex, she harbored the soul and intentions of a demon. Her actions were nothing short of apocalyptic. I did not experience this but I was told the details since I too found it harsh and unfair for ending that Lilligant's life."

Alex could hardly comprehend the magnitude of the horrors Kevin described, realizing the immense danger that Penny had posed to their world and the necessity of her removal, even at the cost of her life.

As Kevin continued, he revealed the final cataclysm looming over the planet in the future, a dire event triggered by the release of a terrifying entity from its ancient prison. "And this is where I enter, Alex," Kevin explained, "that creature goes by the name of Necrozma."

Recalling his first encounter with the prism menace, Kevin recounted how he, along with Solgaleo and Lunala, faced off against Necrozma in an epic battle on Earth. However, the situation quickly spiraled out of control when Necrozma seized Solgaleo, absorbing its power and transforming into a colossal, shining prismatic dragon whose radiance surpassed even that of the Milky Way galaxy.

"We tried everything, but we couldn't even scratch it," Kevin said solemnly. "Eventually, every legendary on Earth, except for Mesprit, Uxie, and Azelf, gathered along with a few Pokémon, and the battle for Earth began."

The gravity of Kevin's words hung heavy in the air, conveying the immense threat that Necrozma posed to not just Earth, but to countless worlds.

As Kevin delved deeper into the catastrophic events, he described how Ultra Necrozma's power surged to unimaginable levels, absorbing the light from the stars and unleashing devastation across not just the Solar system, but numerous others as well. The once-vibrant Earth was reduced to cosmic debris, and many legendary Pokémon met their end in the cataclysmic onslaught.

Survivors, including Kevin and Lunala, found refuge and protection from the Lake Trio. However, their respite was short-lived as a chilling transformation took hold. "The Lake Trio," Kevin recounted, "they shielded us, they were giving Ultra Necrozma a lesson that it would never forget, but then they changed... into something monstrous."

Alex's eyes widened in shock as Kevin vividly described the transformation of the once-noble protectors into creatures from nightmares, known as the Dark Pixies. The abrupt shift from guardians to grotesque entities added another layer of horror to the already grim tale.

Kevin's recount of surviving the chaos wrought by the Dark Pixies was nothing short of miraculous. "The Dark Pixies emerged, using their powers to turn everything into feral, brainless beasts bent on destruction," Kevin explained. "But me and Lunala were granted immunity by an omnipotent force. It also bestowed upon me and Lunala new powers, including the ability to see in the dark, a crucial skill in the devastated Future Earth."

With these newfound abilities and immunity, Kevin's mission began in earnest. "My role was to find six instruments scattered across the lightless future and bring them to designated individuals in the present timeline," Kevin revealed. This task was not just about retrieval but about safeguarding the future from the horrors unleashed by the Dark Pixies and Ultra Necrozma.

Kevin's revelation left Alex stunned, his mind grappling with the weight of Kevin's past and the immense burden he carried. The mention of an omnipotent force granting immunity and new powers in such dire circumstances was a testament to the gravity of the situation as well as making Alex draw a possible connection to The One.

"I had to endure all this destruction and hardships," Kevin confessed, his voice heavy with remorse. "From where I came from, I was in a vastly different Universe. One where Pokémon don't exist and these individuals known as Humans exist. I was... to put it lightly, Hitler reincarnated... I caused so much suffering. No wonder why that force made me suffer and realize how much of a monster I am and lose Lunala."

The gravity of Kevin's words hung in the air, his past actions contrasting starkly with his current demeanor. The journey of repentance and realization he described was a testament to the transformative power of redemption and the strength needed to confront one's darkest deeds. Alex listened in somber silence, the weight of Kevin's story settling heavily upon him.

Once Kevin was done. Alex, now contemplating a possible connection between their destinies. "Are you... the Chosen One?" Alex's question hung in the air, prompting a shocked reaction from Kevin as Alex remembered The One's advice to locate the Chosen One.

"Yes... the one and only. Chosen One at your service... I hope what I told you doesn't make you hate me," Kevin replied, his tone a mix of humility and apprehension.

Alex shook his head in response, expressing his belief in second chances. Then, he dropped a revelation that stunned Kevin: he too hailed from a human world, devoid of Pokémon, brought into this realm by an omnipotent force known to Alex as The One.

Kevin was left speechless by this revelation. As Alex described The One's appearance, Kevin's confusion grew, as he had perceived this force as Zoroark speaking in Old English. However, the significance of Alex's revelation wasn't lost on him.

"Ar-are yo-you the Savior?!" Kevin stammered in excitement, his eyes wide with newfound realization and hope.

Alex was taken aback by Kevin's emotional outburst but understood the gravity of the situation. With tears of joy streaming down his face, Kevin reached for the final instrument, an ocarina, and extended it towards Alex.

"Huh?" Alex's uncertainty was palpable as he hesitated to take the instrument.

"Take it, Savior. This will fix the future and every timeline that is the same in the Multiverse. Please!" Kevin pleaded earnestly, his voice filled with hope and desperation.

As Alex reached out to take the instrument, a massive portal materialized, its edges shimmering with raw power as it distorted the fabric of space itself. A golden, prismatic tail emerged from the portal, knocking the ocarina away before Alex could grasp it.

Kevin's expression shifted drastically from tears of joy to tears of frustration and hopelessness as he witnessed his archnemesis emerge from the portal.

"Bloody hell! How?!" Kevin's curse echoed as Ultra Necrozma made its imposing presence known. The sight of the colossal prismatic dragon brought a wave of dread and despair over them, overshadowing the glimmer of hope they had moments ago.