When speaking of the descending disaster, Calyrex subconsciously frowned. Even though more than three thousand years had passed, recalling the pain of the past still caused a visible shift in its emotions. However, Calyrex soon regained its composure and continued.
"For Me, whose power was at its absolute peak, that meteorite disaster was nothing. Borrowing the power of Spectrier, My mental and spiritual energy were fully elevated. The power of Astral Barrage, condensed from psychic energy, could effortlessly pierce through the meteors, blasting them into fragments."
"Thus, after resolving that meteor shower, I once again saved the subjects of the empire, and the power of faith grew ever more steadfast."
A glint of blue light flashed in Calyrex's eyes, which Aiden keenly noticed. The name of the Shadow Rider's ultimate move, "Astral Barrage," was likely an honorific title bestowed upon it by humans when it made its name known in that very battle. To be able to pierce a meteor in a single strike, Calyrex's strength in its prime was probably no less than a normal Rayquaza. As a King, its power was fully worthy of bearing this responsibility.
However, things were clearly not that simple.
"Originally, I believed the matter ended there, but after acquiring even greater and more formidable power, a faint unease stirred within My heart." Calyrex's voice seemed to carry a hint of regret. "Spectrier had granted Me the power to see through the past and foresee the future, but I was too arrogant in those days."
"I believed I could certainly protect My subjects and lead them in a happy and beautiful life for all eternity."
"Yet, while I was immersed in these delusions, a formidable enemy quietly emerged."
Three thousand years ago—the second disaster following the meteorites— Aiden quickly connected the past events he knew of, immediately blurting out his guess: "Eternatus?"
"Eternatus... is that what humans call it now?" Calyrex pondered for a moment before nodding. "The people of that time called it the 'Darkest Day'. Its emergence plunged the entirety of Galar into a bizarre red glow."
"Sunlight could not penetrate the red light, and everywhere fell into gloom."
"This peculiar energy also gradually eroded the sanity of the Pokémon, driving those with weak wills into a frenzy, their sizes swelling massively as they descended completely into madness."
"Their power was simply too overwhelming; the Galar Empire I had established quickly fell into chaos and was nearly utterly destroyed."
"To resolve the 'Darkest Day', I chose to depart from the Crown Shrine, embarking on an expedition to the other end of Galar."
"But—"
"I failed."
Calyrex paused, shaking its head powerlessly. "The silhouette of the 'Darkest Day' was like a mountain. Even riding Glastrier and Spectrier, the countless attacks We unleashed could not harm it in the slightest."
"In the end, My desperate, do-or-die charge was nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot; I was defeated utterly and completely."
Calyrex actually lost to Eternatus? Galar's history didn't seem to record it this way—
Aiden thought about it and seemed to figure out what happened. So, Zacian and Zamazenta hadn't appeared yet at that time, and Calyrex went to 1v1 it first? It was perfectly normal that it couldn't win. Even if Eternatus lacked prestige, the reason it lost to the Sword and Shield duo was because it was hard-countered; in a 1v1 against Calyrex, it had a massive advantage in every aspect.
Calyrex's prided burst damage was, at best, merely an itch to Eternatus, whose size had expanded countless times through Eternamaxing— Without Behemoth Blade and Behemoth Bash, anyone fighting it would just be dealing scratch damage.
"After that battle, the power of My faith began to wane, and I was forced to retreat to the Crown Tundra to heal."
"The invincible King falling before the very eyes of his subjects— that sense of defeat likely caused many to waver, doubting whether I was truly the 'Destined King'..."
Not only Calyrex, but even Glastrier and Spectrier's eyes flashed with a trace of lament, as if feeling the injustice on its behalf. But Calyrex itself seemed to take it very philosophically.
"Later, while recuperating, I learned of many events occurring in the outside world."
"At the height of the Darkest Day's power, a pair of heroic siblings appeared on the battlefield, wielding a sword and a shield, battling it for several months before finally sealing the Darkest Day back into the earth's leylines."
"A portion of humanity began to worship them, hoping they would remain in the Galar Empire to guard its order alongside Me."
"However, the heroes named Zacian and Zamazenta did not accept the people's invitation; they soon vanished, and no one saw traces of them for many years thereafter."
"And it was then that I began to reflect—"
"Am I truly a qualified King?"
Hearing this, Aiden fell into deep thought. Such a monumental disaster had occurred; not only had it failed to protect its subjects, but it had also been outmatched in power by two heroes who suddenly appeared. If it had been any other King with even a shred of selfishness, it wouldn't be surprising if they had turned to villainy at this point.
But Calyrex was different. From the moment it established its kingdom, its sole purpose was to fulfill its duty to protect its subjects. Therefore, it only reflected on its own shortcomings. And if even it could not accomplish this— Calyrex genuinely would seek out someone more fitting to be King, willingly abdicating in their favor.
No wonder the people of Galar called it the Sage King; it was indeed a very pure and selfless sentiment.
Under the gazes of Aiden and Cynthia, Calyrex spoke again leisurely, recounting the final fragment of past history.
"From that moment on, the thought of retreating from the world took root in My mind."
"The power of Bountiful Harvests I governed could resolve My subjects' needs for food and clothing, freeing them from the crisis of survival, but it consequently made them unwilling to develop and progress further."
"Perhaps, as I led them to expand territories and sow fields, the Creator already foresaw My mistake, and purposefully sent down the meteorite that awakened the Darkest Day as a warning."
"The path of humanity, ultimately, is something they must find for themselves."
Aiden raised an eyebrow, his expression slightly complex. Would Arceus really do something so superfluous?
It was honestly hard to say. Perhaps, just like Zacian and Zamazenta, who served as a "safety net" to protect Galar, the "Darkest Day" Eternatus was also a punishment meant to correct a misguided path. Just how far into the future had the Creator's eyes seen when making the world? How could an ordinary person like him possibly know?
He might as well just finish listening to the story. That "King" spoken of by the Galar royals still hadn't made an appearance yet. If even Calyrex didn't know of such a figure, then even if Sordward and Shielbert talked until the sky fell, it would be nothing more than grandstanding. This was the genuine ancestor; if they had the guts, they should resurrect their ancestor for a debate!
"After I remained in the Crown Shrine and withdrew from the world, humanity, just as I had anticipated, had no choice but to start relying on their own efforts."
"People picked up the long-discarded plows and, cooperating with the Pokémon, began their lives anew."
"The subjects who had once relied too heavily on Me finally rediscovered the power to stand on their own in nature."
"The Galar Empire collapsed of its own accord, and the emerging Galar Kingdom was built upon its ruins."
"I was deeply gratified, harboring no regrets even as the power of faith began to slowly dissipate."
"However—"
"Just as I was about to let go of my burdens and fall into a deep slumber, another event occurred."
At this point, Calyrex's gaze suddenly turned sharp.
"A charlatan from Kalos, using unknown deceitful means, usurped the throne, and leveraging the power of the Galarian people, launched a counter-offensive against Kalos, igniting a war of aggression that I had never imagined."
"This war that erupted within mankind produced no victors."
"The King of Kalos, after losing his partner, fell into madness, forging a devastating weapon that nearly destroyed his own kingdom."
Kalos was involved too?
Aiden and Cynthia simultaneously pricked up their ears, feeling as though they had just heard some earth-shattering lore. A war between Kalos and Galar— No wonder AZ had done something so extreme three thousand years ago; everything suddenly made sense.
"The weapon's power utterly consumed the Galarian warriors who had expeditioned to Kalos, leaving that false king and his forces forever on the soil across the sea."
"By then, I had been nearly forgotten by humanity, and My remaining power was less than a tenth of what it once was; thus, I was unable to stop them..."
"It was also from that time onward that Kalos and Galar forged a deep blood feud that remains unresolved to this day."
Calyrex's tone was filled with deep lament.
"Later, I too met that wandering King, and after conversing with him, I finally made up My mind— If there came a day when I, too, was blinded by rage and committed irrational acts, there would likely be no human or Pokémon in Galar capable of stopping Me."
"Rather than fearing such a future, it was better to seal Myself away, letting Me become a hidden corner of history entirely."
"Thus, I released the two beloved steeds that had followed Me for so long, quietly awaiting the moment I would be completely forgotten."
"After drifting through the millennium in a daze, until a few days ago—"
Halfway through its sentence, Calyrex suddenly looked at Aiden, its expression somewhat subtle.
"Faintly, I sensed the power of faith from humans once more after such a long absence, and by instinct, began to seek out My believers."
"And that led to our chance encounter at Freezington."
Aiden blinked, subconsciously pointing a finger at himself. So it was because of his appearance that Calyrex's original plan was disrupted? But for a former King to actually wish to silently fade away— perhaps his arrival in Galar was also part of Arceus's plan? That's right, everything was orchestrated by that Great One!
"This is a good thing!"
Seeing that the story had concluded, Aiden stepped forward with a grin, patting the bud crown on Calyrex's head as it sat upon its steed. Now that its power had recovered, patterns symbolizing the constellations had faintly emerged on the crown, and even a few pure white petals could be vaguely seen blooming at the top.
"After seeing how humans live today, don't you think you were being a bit arrogant?"
Aiden's words caught Calyrex by surprise, so it gestured for him to continue.
"After experiencing that crisis, perhaps humanity had already realized they couldn't solely rely on external forces, and that true resolution only comes from developing on their own?"
"Humans are complex creatures; even if a bad person occasionally appears to deceive others, the majority of people are still inherently kind. That's why the same tragedy hasn't repeated itself over these three thousand years."
"Furthermore, even though you deliberately concealed all clues about yourself, to this very day, there are still people in Freezington who remember your existence and await your return."
"Are you certain you want to let down your subjects' expectations?"
Aiden's tone carried a hint of teasing, but his words truly struck the most conflicted part of Calyrex's heart— Letting out a bitter smile, it could only shake its head.
"Perhaps it is as thou hast said. Maybe I was just being overly sentimental."
"There might be a more reasonable solution; entrusting this world to humanity does not necessarily mean I must depart."
"Reappearing in times of need to offer them guidance— perhaps that is not a bad idea?"
"Therefore, this time, I do not intend to interact with My subjects under the title of 'King of Bountiful Harvests' again."
"Like three thousand years ago, I shall remain in this Crown Shrine, which holds countless memories of the past, waiting for a turning point to arrive."
"The power Spectrier lent Me tells Me that this catalyst might not be too far off, yes?"
Calyrex's eyes were brimming with wisdom, and its gaze toward Aiden seemed to pierce through to the future. Did it know what was going to happen?
Aiden scratched his head, roughly understanding Calyrex's intent. Now was not the time for it to emerge from seclusion. When Chairman Rose's schemes came to fruition and Eternatus reappeared in the world— this King, who had once suffered a crushing defeat at Eternatus's hands, would undoubtedly reappear before its subjects in its peak form. And this time, it would reclaim its lost dignity!
"I sincerely look forward to the King's arrival."
Aiden nodded, essentially reaching a consensus with Calyrex. With this settled, there was no rush to make the Pokémon Legends series video about Calyrex. When Eternatus appeared, Calyrex would naturally show up on the battlefield to fight it, fighting side-by-side with humanity.
After bidding farewell to Calyrex, who remained at the Crown Shrine, Aiden and Cynthia did not linger. They soon boarded a train back to Wyndon.
"Are you not going to investigate a bit more? The legends regarding the Giants actually hold significant research value," Cynthia asked curiously. Even though she knew Aiden certainly had his own thoughts, her professional instinct as a mythologist still made her somewhat interested in the five Giants sealed within the Crown Tundra. After all, the Hoenn region only had three Legendary Titans; the existence of the other two might have been completely unknown to humanity in the past—
"We'll definitely find out when the opportunity arises in the future. Right now, Galar has more pressing matters to handle," Aiden replied casually. "The Masters Tournament has just begun, after all. Causing trouble for the Galar League at a time like this wouldn't feel right."
"That's true—" Cynthia nodded, looking back at Aiden. "In that case, I'll be waiting for you one step ahead at the Masters Eight tournament~"
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