Chapter 41: Chapter 41:Does Arceus likes Gold?
Ace clutched Smeargle tightly as both sat on Arceus's back, the godly Pokémon soaring through the air with incredible speed. Arceus raised its head, a glowing silver orb forming in front of it, before releasing a powerful Flash Cannon to intercept a Dark Pulse hurtling toward them. The collision caused a brilliant explosion of light and darkness, shaking the surroundings.
Ace's eyes were locked on the source of the attack—a grotesque figure shrouded in dark energy. Null's mouth opened wide, spewing an ominous black Flamethrower.
"That thing…" Ace muttered under his breath, holding Smeargle closer. "It's so… monstrous."
Arceus, encased in a radiant white aura, vanished from its position in a blink and reappeared beside Null. Ace's heart raced as he finally got a closer look at the terrifying creature.
'This is Null? Just a part of its soul looks like this?' he thought, his mind unable to comprehend the overwhelming malice radiating from the Pokémon. Smeargle let out a low growl, sensing the hostility as well.
Arceus didn't hesitate, charging up a Hyper Beam and unleashing it point-blank at Null's face. The attack sent the terrifying entity flying several kilometers, carving a path of destruction in its wake. Without wasting a moment, Arceus followed in pursuit.
Ace steadied himself on Arceus's back, his voice trembling but resolute. "Arceus! Do you know how to defeat this thing? This… part of Null's soul?"
Arceus's calm, echoing voice replied, "To defeat this fragment of Null's soul, we must knock it out. Its essence cannot be destroyed, only subdued."
As Arceus dodged a Draco Meteor launched by Null, the sheer shockwaves from the attack rippled through the air. Ace shielded Smeargle with his body, gritting his teeth.
'So… it's like a Pokémon battle? We have to knock it out?' Ace thought, his determination igniting. He looked down at Smeargle, who was clutching him just as tightly. "Alright, Arceus. I'll help you!"
Arceus glanced at him, a flicker of surprise in its golden eyes. "You? Help me?"
"Yes!" Ace shouted, gripping Arceus's ring tightly for support. "I'm not just going to sit here! Let me help!"
Before Arceus could respond, Null roared, its voice shaking the heavens as it conjured a massive Thunder from its maw. The jagged bolt of electricity tore through the sky, heading straight for them. Ace's instincts kicked in.
"Arceus, use Protect!" he shouted.
To his surprise, Arceus obeyed. A shimmering barrier formed around them just as the Thunder struck, dissipating harmlessly. Null flapped its dark wings, shooting into the sky as the void around it flickered unnaturally.
"It's using Phantom Force!" Ace yelled, clutching Arceus's ring. Smeargle held on tightly to Ace. "It's going to attack from an unexpected angle. We need to hit it before it gets the chance—use an all-around attack!"
"Hm," Arceus hummed in acknowledgment, its body glowing with a golden aura. The plates around its body materialized, spinning as it shifted to the Psychic type. A wave of psychic energy exploded outward, covering every angle.
Null emerged from the phantom dimension, groaning in pain as the attack struck it. The creature snarled in anger, retaliating with a massive Shadow Ball. Ace's eyes narrowed.
"Dodge it and use Imprison!" Ace commanded.
Arceus levitated higher into the air, avoiding the Shadow Ball with ease, and then activated Imprison. A red glow surrounded Null, restricting its moves.
Null roared in frustration, unable to use many of its abilities. As the creature thrashed, Ace felt a strange sensation coursing through his body. His eyes began to glow faintly, flashing in eighteen different colors before settling into a rainbow hue.
Arceus sensed the change and thought, 'My judgment was correct. This boy holds the power to fight against that so-called "death god."'
Unaware of what was happening, Ace shouted, "Arceus, use Judgment!"
Arceus returned to its Normal typing as all its plates glowed with divine power. Beams of light erupted from the plates, converging on Null. The monstrous Pokémon conjured black flames in a desperate attempt to defend itself, but it was futile. The light overwhelmed Null, and with an ear-piercing scream, the fragment of its soul dissipated.
Arceus's plates returned to its body, and the glow in Ace's eyes vanished. Ace blinked, looking down at his hands.
'What… just happened? Did something awaken inside me?' he thought, feeling a powerful energy lingering deep within him. 'Could I have… a golden finger like that "death god" who created Null?'
Arceus spoke, breaking the silence. "The fragment of Null's soul has returned to its origin. You have my gratitude, Ace."
Ace patted Smeargle's head, exhaling deeply. "I'm listening now, Arceus. Let's talk."
Arceus nodded, creating a swirling space-time rift in front of them. Without hesitation, it flew into the rift, carrying Ace and Smeargle into the unknown.
Arceus and Ace emerged from the swirling space-time rift, Ace's breath caught in his throat. The dimension they entered was like nothing he had ever seen before. Vast clouds stretched endlessly in every direction, shimmering faintly with an ethereal glow. Towering structures glinted with a radiant luster, their surfaces polished to a gleaming perfection. Ace's eyes darted from one wonder to the next—a gigantic golden tree with silver fruits that sparkled like stars, a colossal golden mountain that loomed majestically in the distance, and a flowing river of what looked like liquid silver energy, its surface rippling with a soft, otherworldly light.
"This… This is insane," Ace whispered, his voice barely audible as he tried to take it all in. Smeargle, perched on his shoulder, let out an amazed bark, its tail wagging furiously.
Arceus's deep, resonant voice broke the silence. "This is my resting place," the godly Pokémon declared as it gracefully walked across the soft, misty clouds. Its movements were smooth and deliberate, exuding an air of serenity and authority. "This space exists beyond the constraints of your world—a sanctuary where I may recover and reflect."
Ace looked down, realizing with awe that Arceus was walking on clouds, the soft surface somehow supporting all three of them. "Your resting place…" he muttered, his gaze still scanning the surreal surroundings. 'This place is unreal. It's like I'm in some sort of heaven.' His eyes lingered on the golden tree, its branches stretching high into the endless sky. The silver fruits gleamed like treasures. 'Why is everything gold and silver tho? Does Arceus have a thing for shiny stuff?'
Arceus approached the massive golden tree and lowered itself gracefully, resting beneath its sprawling branches like a majestic horse lying down. Ace and Smeargle carefully slid off Arceus's back, their feet landing softly on the clouds.
Arceus's eyes glowed faintly, and one of the silver fruits on the golden tree detached itself from the branch. The fruit floated down gently and landed in Smeargle's paw. Smeargle barked in gratitude, wagging its tail as it looked up at Arceus.
Smeargle, not one to waste an opportunity, immediately bit into the silver fruit, its eyes lighting up with delight as it devoured the celestial snack.
Ace raised an eyebrow, watching his Pokémon munch happily. "Of course, Smeargle gets a snack," he muttered under his breath, though a small smile tugged at his lips. He then turned his attention to Arceus. "Why does everything here look so… extravagant? Are you secretly obsessed with gold or something?"
Arceus didn't respond to the jest, instead conjuring a glowing golden chair behind Ace with a mere flick of its will. The chair seemed to materialize from the air itself, its intricate carvings and polished finish radiating divinity.
"Sit, Ace," Arceus instructed, its tone calm yet commanding.
Ace hesitated for a moment, before complying. He carefully seated himself, the chair feeling surprisingly comfortable despite its metallic appearance. 'A golden chair, huh? Seriously, does Arceus just really like gold? Maybe it's a god thing,' Ace thought, glancing around at the opulent surroundings again. Smeargle, now finished with its fruit, curled up contentedly at Ace's feet.
Ace adjusted his posture, crossing his arms as he looked up at the imposing figure of Arceus. "Alright, I'm listening," he said. "Let's talk."
Arceus's eyes glowed faintly as it began to speak, its divine voice resonating through the heavenly dimension. "You have questions, and I have answers. It is time you understand the gravity of the task ahead."
The serene yet overwhelming atmosphere seemed to thrum with anticipation as the conversation between mortal and god began.
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Pokemon:Ace's Adventures!)