The Golden Throne

Chapter 52: Men of fables

The melodic tweeting of Chatot filled the silence. A cool breeze brushed Hilbert's face, stirring him awake. He could feel his back pressing against a kind of soft cushion. He twitched his fingers and could feel the tips of grass blades- it was more pleasant to the touch than the loveliest bed ever crafted. Hilbert's eyes fluttered open, as if he had just awoken from an invigorating slumber.

Above him was a blue sky scattered with tufts of cotton-like clouds. The sun was bright, but it did not hurt his eyes nor was it hot. Hilbert sat up and noticed he was sitting atop a grassy hill. Before him was a most breath-taking view; vast green valleys and forests stretched out for hundreds of miles, and at the far end of the horizon were blue mountains. The air was cool and refreshing-- each breath seemed to give Hilbert strength. Something felt unreal about this place-- like it was too good to be true.

"You're home, Hilbert," a voice spoke behind him.

The voice sounded familiar. Hilbert turned around and saw the old man who had appeared in his dream. Except this time, he was dressed in a magnificent golden robe. On the middle of his chest was the symbol of the Odaran Empire. He held a sceptre in his hand, and perched on his shoulder was an odd-looking Pokemon. Its body shape was similar to the Pokemon Azelf's, and it was the size of an infant. It had large, oval eyes, and a long, feathered tail wagged behind it. Hilbert's eyes slowly widened with realization.

Hilbert gulped. "You're..."

"King Eburo of Odara," the man nodded, smiling.

"Your majesty," Hilbert stammered. He bowed his head. "It is an honour—"

"No." Eburo shook his head. "The honour is mine, for you have saved my people from a dark destiny."

"You came to me the night before... the vision- that was your doing," Hilbert said.

"I had to show you the visions of my final days. You needed to see the blood, the misery and destruction that prompted me to build the temple of Ris'dra, to seal Eilda away. You needed to understand how Odara's Prophecy of the Prophet came to be.

"Yet prophecy fooled even me, for the False Prophet managed to seize power even without Eilda. But you... you averted the Great Doom, Hero of Unova."

"I was just trying to keep everyone safe," Hilbert sighed. "I thought everything would end with the Zaff. I didn't stop to think that Ripley was behind everything."

"We were both fooled," Eburo said.

"I can never understand what drove her to such madness," Hilbert murmured.

"It wasn't madness that seized her initially- it was a strong sense of purpose. Destiny. All of us want to believe we're meant for something important in our lives. She was a victim of thoughtless cruelty, and when she happened upon the most despicable characters during her travels, purpose seized her. To fix the wrongs of the world was a responsibility she believed she was born for. Conquering it was the first step," Eburo said.

"By putting her country at risk of invasion?" Hilbert raised his voice.

"As justification to launch a counter-attack and invade the nations of the globe," Eburo nodded. "And she would have succeeded."

"She did succeed to invade one country: Merrilea." Hilbert sighed. "I failed there, your majesty. Because of me... because I failed to expose her... people died. I wish none of this had ever happened," Hilbert said.

"Weren't you the one who yearned for a grand adventure and the chance to be a hero again? Back before all of this began," Eburo said.

"I wanted to be a hero. I didn't want people to die!" Hilbert shouted.