"There's nothing here that belongs to you, outsider..."
Watching the mysterious Arceus speak, the Chieftain, though shocked, calmed himself down and tried communicating.
Of all the previous chieftains, he most cherished peace, not wanting to see his people bleed and sacrifice for meaningless battles.
They had already paid too much in sacrifices to reclaim Apayado.
"Whether it belongs to me is not for you to say. I can already sense its presence."
A gust of wind blew through, making the outer skin of the tent rustle loudly.
The Shandia People lived in simple leather tents, having gained little advantage in battles with the Sky Island people, often resorting to guerrilla warfare.
The tribe's residence was periodically relocated, making tents more suitable for their lifestyle.
A giant vine grew where they lived, while a massive piece of gold floated down from above.
"Melted into the gold? That's quite a clever hiding method."
He could feel his Plate within that piece of gold; evidently, the Lunarians had done this to prevent its discovery.
It seemed that this Plate had been lost hundreds of years ago, with Shaina and King only preserving some records through word of mouth.
Seeing Arceus take down the gold piece, the expression of the Shandia Chieftain changed.
"Outsider, put that down, it doesn't belong to you."
The Shandia Chieftain picked up his weapon; the piece of gold concerned a promise, they had already broken faith once, and couldn't do so a second time.
But for Arceus, these words were akin to Outrage; any creature coveting his Plate was unforgivable, and an overwhelming presence emitted from his body.
Such was his aura, dominated by the Dread Plate, a fearful force swept through the Shandia village, pressing all to the ground, young and old alike.
"Lord Arceus...is angry..."
"Lord Arceus, let us take care of these guys, you don't have to remain angry."
The aura wasn't directed at them, but it still caused heart palpitations; even Jack and Maria found breathing difficult, and Yamato felt Arceus seemed somewhat unfamiliar.
"No need, I'll give you one last chance, explain yourselves, or destruction will be your fate."
Standing before the Chieftain, Arceus gave his final ultimatum.
If it were the original Arceus, the phrase "doesn't belong to you" would have been the ultimate taboo, but the current Arceus was willing to offer a chance for explanation.
"That is...the ancestral promise...we guard it on behalf of others, unless you kill us all, you won't take it away!"
In the end, he stood up defiantly against the fear, even though Arceus had withdrawn the oppressive force, it was a remarkable feat indeed.
"Your reasoning is sufficient, but what you were guarding was mine all along. It was my people who hid it here. Now that I've awakened, I've come to reclaim what is mine, do you understand?"
"How do you prove it?"
"A word of advice, keeping a promise is an admirable trait, but overestimating oneself is foolish."
Arceus said nothing, proving everything through action; under his power, the Gold Block began to melt, soon revealing the Plate within it.
His power triggered the Plate to radiate brilliant light, ultimately merging back into his body.
"Do you believe now? Only I can wield its power; your promise has been fulfilled, and fulfilled well."
Matters regarding the Plates often led him to act impulsively, making him more irritable than usual, but once calm, he was reasonable.
It was undoubtedly the ancestors of King and Shaina who made the agreement with the Shandia People, and for centuries, they had honored the promise.
"Put down your weapons, these people are not enemies. Doctor, go check their health."
He then sensed the Plate's attribute, giving Yamato a peculiar look.
...
Soon, the misunderstanding was clarified; Arceus and his company were not raiders, just reclaiming what was theirs. His actions had proven the item was his.
Despite his unusual appearance, the Shandia People held greater respect for him; their faith viewed diverse animals as divine.
Earlier, they too acted rashly; nonetheless, this primitive tribe was simple in nature, celebrating once the misunderstanding cleared, having fulfilled their ancestor's promise.
This was a promise made over four hundred years ago when their legendary warrior Kalgara was still young.
Their ancestors had an encounter with the Lunarians; the Lunarians healed them, and they accepted the task of guarding the Plate.
They were not greedy for plunder, but faithful guardians; thus, Arceus' previous actions were excessive.
He instructed his subordinates to bring back supplies, commencing another feast, during which the wandered Kodol and company arrived just in time.
Pulled into the bonfire party, they barely understood what transpired.
"Father, you were really scary just now..."
"Did I scare you?"
"Not really, but that version of you..."
"Don't overthink it; I occasionally get angry. Just have fun, and be good if you don't want me angry in the future."
She agreed wholeheartedly for now, but whether she'd remember it later was uncertain.
The young Shandia People danced around the bonfire, pulling in members of the Hundred Beasts Pirates, while the Chieftain spoke to the youth.
"We've honored an ancestral promise! Hundreds of years passed, and what we guarded returned to its rightful owner! This is a favorable sign; the promise between Great Warrior Kalgara and Norland will surely be fulfilled!
We will reclaim our Apayado! The sound of the Golden Bell will surely echo across the sky!"
"Oh!"
Among the cheers emerged a curious question.
"Grandpa, what is the Golden Bell?"
Seeing Yamato and other children asking, the Chieftain wasn't upset, instead began recounting a Shandia story, a tale passed down through generations...