Lucien stood frozen before the radiant creature, its entire form blazing with the brilliance of the sun itself.
Even from a distance, he could feel its overwhelming pressure, an ancient, divine power that seemed to weigh upon the soul.
"This Volcarona's strength," he whispered, "it's no weaker than the colossal Dragonite from the anime… or even the two ancient Pokémon sealed near Pallet Town."
Yet beyond that sheer might, there was something else, an aura of sanctity, a quiet holiness that made Lucien instinctively lower his head in reverence.
At that moment, he finally understood why the tribes of old had worshipped this creature as the embodiment of the sun, a living god descended from the heavens.
He swallowed hard, the heat in the air trembling around him.
The Volcarona looked down at the human with calm, sapphire eyes. Gone was its earlier fury; now its gaze carried only gentleness and depth.
"Volcarona…" Lucien breathed.
The moth gave a low, melodic cry. Then, spreading its six blazing wings, it turned and drifted gracefully back into the depths of the ruins.
It paused at the entrance, tilting its head as though beckoning Lucien to follow.
Lucien hesitated, glancing toward the Darmanitan watching nearby. When none made a move to stop him, he stepped forward, following the creature's glowing trail.
He climbed a moss-covered staircase flanked by cracked stone walls until he reached the summit, an ancient altar crowning the top of a pyramid-like structure.
And there, within a shallow recess of stone, lay a single Pokémon Egg.
Its shell was marked with fiery crimson patterns that pulsed faintly, as though a tiny heartbeat echoed within.
The Volcarona gazed down at it, eyes soft and full of maternal warmth.
Around the altar, the Darmanitan formed a protective circle, standing guard with solemn expressions.
Lucien stopped short, stunned by the sight. "What is this…?"
The instant his eyes met the egg, a string of words surfaced unbidden in his mind:
[Ultra-Ancient Volcarona Egg]
Mother: A Volcarona that has lived for thousands of years, its power reaching divine-level.
Note: This egg should have hatched long ago, but for unknown reasons, its vitality became unstable and it fell dormant. To sustain it, the mother has spent millennia nurturing it with the flames of her own life.
Lucien's throat tightened.
The ancient moth gave a soft, trembling chirp. Its body swayed slightly, the light of its wings flickering. It was dying, holding on only through willpower and love.
Even so, it would not abandon its child.
In its fading vision, it saw something, hope.
Long ago, it had known humans. Those humans had prayed to it, offered their trust, and drawn warmth from its light.
Their faith had once given it strength… but no flame burns forever.
Now, after centuries alone, the Volcarona could see into the hearts of mortals, and in Lucien's heart, it saw no greed, no malice, only sincerity and compassion.
A memory stirred within it: a voice from long ago, echoing from another world.
"When the time comes, a human of pure heart will arrive. Entrust your child to him."
At the time, the Volcarona had doubted the voice. But now, standing before Lucien, it understood.
This was the one.
With a weary flutter of its wings, the Volcarona let out two soft cries. At once, one of the Darmanitan stepped forward, lifted the glowing egg with careful hands, and approached Lucien.
The great ape-like Pokémon stretched its arms upward and gently placed the egg in his arms.
Lucien blinked, stunned. "This… you're entrusting it to me?"
The Volcarona's body began to glow with renewed brilliance, the golden fire washing across the chamber until it painted the stone walls crimson.
It looked one last time at its child, then at Lucien, and began to dance.
Flames spiraled outward, forming radiant circles of light that rose toward the cavern ceiling.
It was Fiery Dance.
However, this time, the Fiery Dance was not meant as an attack; it was an act of inheritance.
Golden-red light continuously radiated from Volcarona's body, illuminating the entire cavern. Its brilliance was dazzling, blazing like the sun itself.
As if moved by a divine will, waves of golden light poured from the heavens, converging upon the Pokémon egg in Lucien's arms. The entire scene was resplendent and magnificent, like a breathtaking fireworks display in the darkness of night.
Yet surprisingly, the fire's energy did not feel scorching, instead, it was warm.
The Darmanitan blessed by Volcarona watched on, their faces filled with sorrow and grief, yet powerless to stop what was happening.
Volcarona's life had reached its end. This was the last thing it could do for its child, to pass down its own essence of flame, filling the egg's flaws and allowing it to hatch and grow like any normal Larvesta.
Amidst the blinding brilliance, Volcarona's body slowly dissolved into motes of starlight, scattering across the cave.
It had chosen to depart.
When the light faded, the cavern dimmed once again, and the glow on the Pokémon egg gradually disappeared, returning to its normal state.
However, the information hovering above it had changed:
[Ancient Volcarona Egg: An egg that has inherited its mother's essence of flame. The rhythmic pulse within it shows that it may hatch at any moment.]
Lucien's expression wavered with confusion.
What did this mean?
That Volcarona had entrusted its child to him, a human it barely knew, so easily?
Before him, the Darmanitan wiped away their tears; a few even broke down completely, crying out in anguish.
Lucien: "…"
Just then, Geralt's voice echoed from behind.
He reignited his torch, hurried forward, and asked anxiously, "Your Highness Lucien, are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Lucien shook his head, then briefly recounted what had transpired.
Geralt's eyes widened in disbelief.
Dratini and Servine also turned their gazes toward the warm, glowing egg in Lucien's arms.
"In any case, let's return and rest," Lucien said softly, holding the egg closer.
Everyone present, humans and Pokémon alike, had suffered injuries of varying degrees. With Volcarona gone, it was best to return to the territory for treatment.
"Yes, Your Highness!" Geralt responded.
Before leaving, however, Lucien turned to look at the Darmanitan, as well as the small Fire-type Pokémon nearby.
He asked, "Now that the Volcarona is gone, what will you do next?"
The Darmanitan and Darumaka were Fire-types who had lived here only because Volcarona's presence made this underground cave as warm as a volcano, a perfect habitat.
But now, with the Volcarona gone, the special ecosystem had vanished. The cave was growing colder and darker, no longer suitable for them.
"Daruma…"
The Darmanitan looked uncertain, unsure of their next move.
Seeing this, Lucien thought for a moment, then offered, "Why don't you come back with me?"
After all, it's said that the droppings of Darumaka and Darmanitan are warm, in some cold regions, people even collect them and hold them in their hands as natural hand warmers to ward off the chill.
...
Bonus @600 P:S
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