The story Diantha told wasn't complicated.
To summarize: three thousand years ago, the Kalosian king created the Ultimate Weapon to resurrect his beloved Floette.
If it had ended there, it might have simply been a romantic tale of love and devotion between a human and Pokémon.
However, afterward…
That same king intended to use the Ultimate Weapon to annihilate any humans or Pokémon that could threaten Floette's safety.
This ultimately led to Floette's bitter disappointment and departure, and the weapon itself was sealed beneath Kalos, lost to history.
The story was brief, yet Diantha's retelling was vivid.
But rather than the emotional story of the king and Floette, Elias was entirely focused on the Ultimate Weapon, which was repeatedly mentioned.
Based on Diantha's description, this weapon was both capable of destroying countless lives and reviving the dead—a contradiction that perfectly matched Lysandre's previous words.
"That's essentially the story," Diantha concluded. "I read about it in some old family texts when I was a child."
"It might sound a little unreliable at first, but if we set aside some artistic exaggerations, there's likely a kernel of truth," she thoughtfully added.
"I see. Thanks for telling me," Elias nodded slowly, lost in thought.
After confirming that such a weapon genuinely existed, his breathing involuntarily quickened a little.
He'd finally found a promising lead after so long spent searching for a way to heal Diancie.
If the Ultimate Weapon truly was as powerful as described, it might not only cure Diancie's condition but perhaps even extend her lifespan.
Yet Elias quickly regained composure.
Since it had been so long, Diantha's account naturally had gaps.
The exact location and method for activating the Ultimate Weapon remained uncertain, merely hinted at vaguely.
He'd still have to investigate this himself.
"Elias," Diantha suddenly interjected, anxiety clear in her voice. "The Ultimate Weapon is extremely dangerous. If possible… I'd prefer you avoid it altogether."
Seeing Elias's deeply thoughtful look made her inexplicably nervous.
She was still strongly opposed to him pursuing something so obscure and dangerous—especially since she felt that, with Elias's abilities, he might actually uncover it.
Noticing Diantha's worried expression, Elias gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, I was just curious."
"Even if I seriously searched, there's no guarantee I'd find anything after all this time."
Hearing his reassurance, Diantha finally sighed in relief.
"That's good, then…"
---
[Not long afterward, Diancie and Fennekin came upstairs searching for you.]
[Even Ralts gave Diantha a suspicious look, clearly questioning her own trainer's intentions.]
[Apparently, your disappearance had lasted long enough for the Pokémon to grow suspicious.]
[It was quite late, so the time soon came to switch off the lights and sleep.]
[However, just as you were heading upstairs, Diantha's home phone suddenly rang.]
---
"Elias… It seems to be for you," Diantha whispered, gently tapping Elias's shoulder.
Surprised, Elias couldn't help but feel puzzled.
He hardly had a wide social circle, and it was already so late at night—who could possibly be calling him?
With that question in mind, Elias slowly took the phone.
"Not coming home at night? You're finished!"
As soon as Elias put the receiver to his ear, an icy-cold voice sounded through it.
The voice was so familiar, Elias froze on the spot.
But by the time he recovered, only a steady dial tone remained.
Elias: "…"
That was definitely Cogita.
Clearly, his decision to stay out without informing her had pushed her to grinding her teeth in frustration.
Great. Seems he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.
Elias couldn't help but rub his temples.
---
[Cogita's call was only a minor incident. Soon after, you brought the two Pokémon to the guest room for sleep.]
[During that time, Ralts attempted to sneak into your room, only to be coldly dragged back by Diantha.]
---
"La-lu!"
Ralts squirmed angrily, protesting loudly in Diantha's arms.
Seeing this, Diantha narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Wait until I'm allowed to go over, then you can think about it."
She lightly flicked Ralts's forehead, speaking coldly.
"Laa…"
[Late at night, after Diancie and Fennekin had peacefully fallen asleep, you quietly flipped through the books you'd borrowed from Diantha's library.]
Rustle—
After writing down another note, Elias finally put down the book he'd been reading.
After extensive research, he'd now clearly identified two possible paths to heal Diancie.
The first was the recently discovered option—using the power of the Ultimate Weapon to restore her health.
But the difficulties were apparent: no one knew the weapon's precise location or how to activate it.
The second option was something Elias had figured out himself:
Find the Life Pokémon Xerneas, and request its blessing to cure Diancie's condition.
Neither option was clearly superior, as Xerneas was similarly elusive.
Where Xerneas usually resided, or whether it was hidden somewhere deep in slumber, all required investigation.
No matter which path he chose, Elias would have to race against time.
Before the current large diamond's energy was completely depleted, Diancie's health had to be fully restored.
This time limit wasn't long—six or seven years at most.
Thinking of this, Elias let out a long sigh.
Things would certainly get busy from now on.
If the Pokémon they'd encountered a few days ago had been Xerneas instead of Yveltal, things might've been much simpler.
After some consideration, Elias decided to pursue both options simultaneously:
He'd research Xerneas's habits and try to locate it, while also cooperating with Lysandre to investigate the Ultimate Weapon.
Whichever path succeeded, the results couldn't possibly be bad.
Elias had a feeling: while both paths seemed challenging, they might not be as insurmountable as they initially appeared.
As Elias finalized his decision, Diancie—still asleep nearby—frowned slightly.
She mumbled softly, seeming dissatisfied, as if dreaming of something unpleasant.
---
A/N: In Pokémon canon, Lysandre was actually quite decent in his youth. It was only after becoming disillusioned with the people and Pokémon of Kalos that he planned to activate the Ultimate Weapon for his great purge.
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