Advent: Explorers of Boundaries

♠︎Resonance

Elton paced back and forth, kicking at pebbles and muttering under his breath, clearly on the edge of snapping. He finally let out a frustrated roar, startling a flock of Pidgey nearby.

"Months!" he shouted, jerking his thumb back over his shoulder as though addressing someone who wasn't there. "Months wasted on some wild goose chase! That ghost Sceptile told us we'd find the Four Sword and, what, just vanishes into thin air? Figures." He crossed his arms, huffing. "Maybe that whole story was just a twisted joke. I mean, come on, no way is that demented Mismagius actually gonna show up."

Muffy, standing patiently beside him, gave him a gentle, understanding smile. She leaned in close and nuzzled him, her vines brushing his arms as she planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Honey," she said, her voice a soothing balm against his stormy mood, "I know you're frustrated. But since we're here… can we at least try to enjoy the Xam region?"

Elton groaned, his shoulders slumping. "Enjoy it? I mean, what's the point, Bae? We've had zero help, no hints, not even a glimmer of hope from that ghostly fiend. We could've stayed back with the Guild, maybe even gone on some joint missions with Team Radiant. But no, here we are, chasing myths and haunted stories. Like what gives? His storytelling totally rivals that of Xatu."

Muffy placed a vine on his shoulder and looked at him with calm patience. "Sometimes," she said softly, "things don't go as planned. But look around you, Honey. The Xam region is beautiful… Maybe this journey isn't just about the destination, but what we experience together along the way."

Elton sighed, looking away, his frustration not fully dispelled but somewhat softened by her words. He reluctantly let his arms fall to his sides, resigning himself to take in the landscape as best he could. But just as they turned to leave, a sudden, blinding flash of blue light exploded in front of them. They both staggered back, covering their eyes as the flash brightened, filling every corner of their vision.

"Ah, what in the…?!" Elton exclaimed, squeezing his eyes shut. The light was all-encompassing, almost ethereal in its intensity, and seemed to linger far longer than any normal burst of light should. But even with his eyes shut tight, Elton felt something strange — a peculiar warmth, like a distant memory surfacing from deep within him. It felt… nostalgic.

As the light faded, Elton opened his eyes slowly, blinking and dazed. A strange feeling of longing lingered, tugging at his mind. For a moment, he could almost see a shadowy memory of a beach, filled with familiar scents and sounds from a time long past.

"Uh…? You okay, Honey?" Muffy asked, her voice tinged with concern as she brushed a vine along his back, trying to soothe him.

"Yeah…" Elton murmured, shaking his head as if to clear it. "It's just… I felt… nostalgic, for some reason. It's like that light pulled something out of me." He scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed by the confession, then shrugged it off with a smirk. "Eh, never mind! Let's get moving, Bae."

But as they walked forward, Elton couldn't help but wonder. Maybe, just maybe, that flash was the first hint from the ghost Sceptile after all.