Chapter 13, Part 5 - Rising Spirits

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Both Trevor and Luka immediately became subject to a bitter, cold wind upon finally reaching the stairway's apex and first stepping foot onto the peak of the Temporal Tower, the already gloomy weather having suddenly taken a turn for the worse. A sharp chill traveled through Trevor's spine the instant he set foot onto the dungeon's apex, not necessarily due to the bitter weather or the sheer distance he currently was from the ground, but primarily from the giant pair of red eyes which now glowered over him, unblinking and intense.

On the opposite end of the circular platform in which Trevor and Luka now stood towered a colossal beast draped in shadow, the only visible part of him amidst the darkness being its piercing eyes as well as the diamond-like gemstone embedded on its chest. A brief flash of lightning which broke through the thick layer of storm clouds which hung from overhead would reveal the beast's identity in droves, its shimmering blue scales, silver armor, and imposing aura were all made plain to see amidst the dozen thick marble columns which surrounded it.

"So this is... a genuine Mythical..." Trevor murmured in reverent, fearful awe before steeling himself to speak clearly. "Excuse me... Dialga, sir? Can you hear me?"

The corrupted Mythical furiously stamped its metal-plated feet onto the floor in response, the resulting shockwaves causing Trevor to tightly grip a nearby column for fear of being swept backwards and falling fifteen stories from the air. Luka similarly avoided such a fate by grasping onto the Meowth's tail, much to his audible displeasure. The hurricane-like force of Dialga's attack gradually faded away into nothingness just in time for the first signs of rain to begin descending from the heavens, a slight drizzle at first, then evolving into a downpour which transformed the circular battlefield in a reflective surface.

Peering into this watery mirror marked the first time since entering the Barren Continent that Trevor was able to take note of how disheveled he looked, from the way his matted fur and whiskers sagged from the weight of rainwater to the way his tired eyes were now lined with shadows. And yet, despite everything, the Meowth's pupils continued to shine on with spirited conviction, his sense of determination unwavering.

Upon seeing that the two intruders before him remained standing, Dialga bellowed out a pained, drawn-out howl which caused both Trevor and Lukas' hairs to stand on end; the way in which their echoing voice shuddered and cracked as it slowly climaxed into an ear-splitting scream made the Mythical seemed as if it was crying out in pain as opposed to trying to appear intimidating. It was then that Trevor focused his attention towards the long, winding chain constricting the Mythical, controlling them against their will while simultaneously slowly depriving it of strength with the cruel passage of time. The twisted cruelty of the device only made the humans that much more determined to somehow free the Mythical from their crimson shackles.

"The chain must be forcing Dialga to act hostile as a sort of... horrible self-preservation instinct." Trevor murmured gloomily, "It's sickening..."

Trevor's attention was then drawn towards a peculiar gash which lay around the front of the chain, the gaping crack nearly splitting a section of the device in two a remnant of Zephyr's solo attempt at destroying the chain which had resulted in his missing arm. The Meowth abruptly flashed back to the illusory Groudon which he had encountered in the Ruins, and more specifically, to how he and his team were able to overcome the monstrous behemoth by targeting its specific weak spot...

"That crack in the chain..." Trevor muttered firmly towards Luka, "That's our target."

Dialga let out yet another piercing howl of agony, then suddenly reared their head backwards, a pale, white light resonating from its agape mouth. Both humans stood transfixed for a while, unsure of what exactly the Mythical was doing, when Trevor's mind suddenly recalled the somber narrative Vul had relayed during the day of the Legends' return.

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