The group was interrupted by a low but prominent crack! A thin glowing line split the crystal growth around Keldeo's keyhole. The crystal fell away, disintegrating into murky gray dust and leaving behind the floating, sword shaped keyhole. It pulsed lethargically with a blue and red light, as if struggling to remain lit.
Clink gazed at it sorrowfully for a few moments. They looked to Kupara, who nodded encouragingly. Then Clink floated up to hover before the group. They rattled their keys loudly to gain everyone’s attention before speaking. “I must thank all of you again for coming to my aid. Alone, I would not have the power to confront this malaise. But here, bonds and will is strength. I am certain we can prevail.” Their tone was confident and professional now. They couldn’t afford to waver or doubt, not in this.
They paused, steeling themselves. “I don’t know what we will face inside. Domains of legends are shaped by their nature. But ever since they have become hostile, their domains have responded in turn. We should be ready for anything. As I said, you won’t be in any mortal danger but... Your bodies can still experience pain. And there are pokemon living in those domains who may be in danger.”
Looking across the whole group, Clink tried to meet each of their eyes, human and pokemon alike. There was the barest hint of well veiled guilt from past events, and concern for them. “I would not force anyone to harm themselves for my world, even if you cannot perish here. So if you wish to leave... you may.”
Clink waited a few moments to see if anyone wanted to leave, then continued. “This is the domain of Keldeo, practicer of the flowing sword and defender of justice. Yet when last we spoke he drove me out by threats of force. I know not what state he is in now, but it is unlikely he will be pleased at our intrusion.” As they spoke, they turned to the glowing keyhole and raised up a matching key with a sword shaped tip. They inserted it into the shimmering lock.
The air thrummed for a moment, and a sharp sea breeze cut through the air, tinged with an unpleasantly pungent scent. Then the lock began to expand, morphing and shifting until it appeared as a blush gash hanging in mid air, wide enough even for a mamoswine sized pokemon to fit. “I can sense enough to know we should enter somewhere safe... That is all. When you are ready, simply enter here.”
The time had come.
With that, Clink floated through the portal, leaving the others to choose to follow...
A glittering blue sea stretches out before the group, ruffled only by the barest of breezes. They had arrived on a small island. A small beach with pale bluish sand stretched in front of them and rocky hills stretched behind them. Trees with straight sturdy trunks and large dense leaves grew along the hills. Thick vines girded the trunks. Whatever lay behind them couldn’t be seen, blocked by the vegetation and steep slope. At least not without walking up to check on it...
Ahead, ominous purple storm clouds choked the horizon, marring the otherwise peaceful expanse of sea. Squinting quite hard or having particularly great eyesight one could just barely make out a massive crystalline structure in the distance, like an island constructed of rock and crystal.
Closer than that was a single island, bigger than the one the group currently stood on. Vibrant trees and a bright sandy beach could be seen...
Scattered around, just visible on the horizon, smaller specks of islands could be seen, though they were quite clearly much too far away to be worth visiting.
Clink looked around uncertainly. “We have to cross the water somehow...” they mused. “Keldeo might be out there, where the storm is.”
But how to cross such an expanse. Even a strong swimmer would likely struggle to make it to that first island...
