Paragon

Remnants of the Great War [37]

PARAGON

Remnants of the Great War Arc [37]

Chapter 46 : The Great War

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"Your Grace, our men are working as fast as they can, but it simply isn't possible to—"

"I don't care!" King Azett snarled, his eyes bloodshot. "The army's size has doubled, and every soldier needs a set of armor and weapons! Do not fail me, minister. Think of your children, no, think of your children's children. If you do not want their future to be swallowed in unparalleled desolation, you will carry out your orders as instructed."

His minister wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and nodded weakly, before scurrying away.

Azett slumped back in his throne. The iron crown on his head sat heavy, the weight of his duties threatening to crush him, yet he kept his head aloft. Failure was unacceptable.

This effort had started around six months ago, when Azett glimpsed a vision of the future. The arrival of the so-called 'Paragons, and what came after. The return of the Age of Carnage... Whilst I draw breath, that reality will never again defile this world with its depravity.

Toward that end, Azett had turned Kalos into a true empire, expanding its armies, doubling the production of grain, and forging weapons to crush any hint of pokémon activity within his territory.

But most importantly, he'd begun work on a secret weapon. An ultimate weapon, the designs of which had been enlightened upon him by Arceus' Plate. In the intervening time since he'd become a Platebearer, he'd learned much about what it could offer him. When he demanded an answer from it, it provided. And when he'd demanded a weapon that could fell the Paragons, the blueprints of that machine had been etched upon his mind dutifully. His hands had moved across the parchment nearly autonomously, as he sketched out the design revealed to him. When he handed them to his engineers and ordered them to build it, they looked at him in abject confusion, not even knowing what it was they were looking at. But how could they? This was wisdom imparted to him directly from the creature that had designed the very universe, according to Zagreus. And that wasn't the only knowledge that man had enlightened him to...

When the Paragons came, he would be ready.

The air in the throne room seemed dark and crimson, as did the rest of Kalos. Where once, laughter and mirth had filled its cobbled halls, now, only the iron conviction held by its king remained. The half-assed 'utopia' from before did not exist anymore. Now, all citizens of Kalos were expected to contribute to Azett's grand mission. He was well aware of the cost, but it was a trifling concern compared to the threat of the Paragons.

Even Floette had vanished about a week ago, shortly after Azett had issued the order to cull the many pokémon gathered to fuel his ultimate weapon. She normally came and went as she pleased, but her absence this time was noticeably longer. For some reason, even the Fairy Plate, as he'd learned it was, did not reveal her whereabouts to him. But, her disappearance was an easily forgettable matter with everything else at hand. Surely she'd reappear soon.

The doors to the esteemed throne room burst open. Everyone gathered turned toward the sound of the doors slamming against the stone walls, and one of his messengers pushed his way between them impatiently, before kneeling before Azett.

Azett frowned upon noticing the urgency of his messenger. His skin was slick with sweat and he was visibly shaking. His guards moved to intercept the man, but Azett put his hand up. "Fetch him a flask of water."