My legs tremble as I slide off Corviknight’s back. The pace of the last few hours is sapping my energy. My whole body aches and I’m exhausted. Thanks to the cold in my bones, I haven’t slept well before and since Ghetsis dragged N and me into the tower, sleep has been out of the question.

  Amethio disappears behind the doors of the headquarters faster than I can follow. It takes a few breaths before my legs carry me inside as well.

  It seems strangely cold inside the building and I don’t know if I’m shivering or if they’re actually running the air conditioning in September. Shoulders hunched, I drag myself after Amethio, whose destination is the conference rooms, where I’ve ended up on more than one occasion. He seems to know exactly which one Hamber usually waits in, and as he leads us through one door, we end up at our destination.

  Hamber stands beside the oversized meeting table, his hands clasped behind his back. He conveys the perfect image of a butler who one would hardly believe to be serving Gibeon directly. There is neither a smile nor any other emotion on his face. Instead, he gives us a piercing look.

  “Welcome back.” He nods, barely perceptible. “As instructed by Master Gibeon, I would like to point out once again that he expects full commitment and no waste of the valuable resources provided here.”

  Without further ado, Hamber pulls a black velvet pouch from the pocket of his jacket, which he gently places on the table.

  “Domino, Master Gibeon has high hopes for you and your ability, and that you know how to use the Light Stone.” His shoulders slump as if he wants to soften his next words. “Should you succeed with your plan and actually summon a Pokémon from this stone, Master Gibeon wants you to keep it and consider it an investment in your skill.”

  Saliva hangs dry in my throat. I don’t know if I’m up to Gibeon’s great demands. In his eyes, he is already investing in me becoming a useful professor one day. Now he also seems to see a heroine in me who can solve all problems with a Legendary Pokémon. He almost seems a little insane.

  Still, I take the stone. Ultimately, I have no other choice. It’s the last option we have before all we are left with is goodwill. This damn stone will either strengthen me, or we have a big problem on our hands.

  When Hamber finally tells us to take a seat, none of us dares to argue. He sets out drinks for us so I can take some painkillers, and when he sits down opposite us, it seems I’m about to crush the glass in my hands from the tension.

  “I take it you’re familiar with the legend surrounding Unova?” Hamber seems to scrutinise us, his brow raised visibly.

  “Everything that can be found in the books about it,” Amethio replies.

  “Then let me tell you that Unova cannot be ruled by one person alone. The legends speak of the two dragons of Unova, and also of how a part of them was lost in the split.” Hamber folds his hands on the table. “If one alone tries to change the world, it could push the Pokémon’s power to its limits. Unova has always been divided between these two powers. If one person tries to take over everything on their own, they will exhaust themselves and the Pokémon. They will both have to pay too much for a change that they will no longer be able to control.”

  While I can’t make a sound, Amethio’s astonishment grows. What we both understand is that N and Zekrom will die if they try to change all of Unova in one fell swoop. But some gaps remain.

  “What makes you so sure they won’t make it through?” In the end, Amethio tries to fathom the unknown.

  “The legends. They told of the first team of heroes who split the dragon. Then of the hero team that waged war against each other until the Pokémon turned their backs on this world.” Hamber’s fingers seem to crush each other. “However, the official tomes never reported on the frightening writings that were hidden, burned, or forgotten in ruins.”

  “There’s more to the legend?” Reluctantly, I lean forward. The pills are slowly taking effect and my senses are focussing on the essentials again.

  “Failed summonings were deleted from the records,” explains Hamber. “In between these two big events, there were other people who wanted to get hold of the dragons or were looking for a world they liked. These people were burned, eaten, torn to pieces and removed from the world.” A sigh escapes him. “Sometimes one dragon thought it had found someone. But since they both came from one and are counterparts, it takes two people to represent and communicate with each other. Everyone who has tried to change Unova on their own has died trying.”

  “Just like that?” Part of me has certain expectations, the rest of me doesn’t know what to do.

  But Hamber shakes his head. “These dragons enter a bond with their heroes. Change takes strength and determination on both sides. It is a cycle that won’t be fulfilled if only one side functions. All those who have tried have aged years within a few weeks. Young people have passed away as senior citizens and adults have simply turned to dust at some point.”

  My mouth opens automatically, but I can’t manage a question before I feel Rotom vibrating in my pocket. It has realised this moment is too important to alert me to a call loudly. Instead, it vibrates discreetly so I can look at the unknown number before I swipe it off.

  “It’s a bit like the legend of balance in the Yao region.” Meanwhile, Hamber continues the topic. “The legends there about pride and humility end up the same as here in Unova. Two sides have to go hand in hand to create something good. Anything else leads to misfortune.”

  It puts our position in an understandable picture and also leaves enough room to imagine how N will end up without a suitable counterpart. If we do nothing, he will destroy Unova and himself.

  When Hamber takes a quick look at his watch, he clears his throat. Amethio and my attention are already glued to him, but he seems to want to make sure none of his words escape us. Perhaps because all success now rests on our shoulders.

  “You’ll find the regional champions near the Victory Road. If N plans to prove he’s the strongest here, he’s somewhere there.”

  N already set his sights hours ago and I can hardly imagine the fights there taking that long. Then again, he’s trying to beat the best of this region and I have hope they’ll give their all to keep him happy – maybe even united.

  Still, I’m not half as quick on my feet as Amethio. He’s ready to prove himself in the eyes of Gibeon – whatever it takes – while I’m not even sure we can do it. There’s no other choice, though, and as I straighten up to nod decisively at Amethio, my stomach turns. Everything inside me seems frozen, as if I’m still in cold storage, and my muscles are reluctant to move.

  This time Amethio lets me go first and only when we are outside is everything in his hands again. His Corviknight is all that can get us out of here and although it has already covered many kilometres today, it swells its chest. It’s only midday. The warmth will stay with us for a little while longer, but the tiredness in my bones matches the late night.

  Even on Corviknight, I’m haunted by the feeling that things could take a turn for the worse. The Light Stone, which now rests in my skirt pocket, doesn’t give me the feeling that I can change anything. Yet it is something special, just like the one Zekrom came from. However, it somehow lacks life and when Amethio’s Pokémon launches us into the air, my insides tighten a little more.

  If his Pokémon gives it everything it’s got, we’ll be at the Victory Road, very close to the Pokémon League, in about an hour. That’s where N has taken up residence to prove he’s at the top. Presumably, he’ll be streaming all of this. Surely the cameras and the online services responsible for them, which Spinel told me about, will help people recognise him as the strongest trainer in Unova.

  I can feel my fingertips twitching. The temptation to just reach for the Rotom Phone and see what situation the champs are in is strong. But I’m sure it would only further strain my nerves and I don’t need to watch a broadcast of a fight where I already know who’s winning. It’s unthinkable that a normal team could easily take on a creature like Zekrom. It would probably take a small army targeting this one Pokémon with specific attacks.

  But N has more than just Zekrom on his side and his team won’t let him down, even if he plans to release them all one day.

  Without further ado, I rest my forehead on Amethio’s shoulder and close my eyes. I wish my head would spin less in circles, fabricate less worry, and focus more on taking small steps. First, we have to get there. Then we need to grasp the circumstances and then we need to act. One step at a time. However, it is challenging to think about anything other than the result. All the things I would have to say to N and all the possibilities that will either break my neck or ensure he finally escapes from his father’s wild demands.

  The blackness behind my lids allows for far too many images, so I tilt my head slightly to the side and open my eyes to look at the region below us. Time passes quickly up here. Castelia City is no longer within reach, and I’m sure it will barely take two more breaths before Corviknight lands.

  Meanwhile, the green expanse stretches out below us. Tall trees and wide meadows, with houses rising from time to time. Everything seems to blend in a little with its surroundings and it looks as if the people here live in harmony with nature – just like in Alola. The truth is, however, that a few factories wheeze and the air in the streets is sometimes a little stuffy. Hardly noticeable, but it’s something that will probably get worse over the years. At least that’s what some magazines discuss from time to time. If you use the internet, it’s impossible to miss all these things.

  As the snow-covered mountains rise to our right and a striking wooden bridge comes into view nearby, the league also seems to be just a leap away. The quiet sight conveys no sense of danger, as if nobody is there and we have come here for nothing. But the closer we fly, the more worn the building looks. Cracked walls mould into the sandy ground of the mountain. Splintered rock still crumbles to the ground in some places and as Corviknight comes in for a landing, I also notice the collapsed pillars around the edge that once held the League’s Poké Ball emblem.

  Up close, it resembles an old, abandoned ghost mansion – gigantic, but long forgotten among its surrounding rocks and stone platforms whose cracks run far too deep. The ground here is so brittle I hardly dare to slip off the Pokémon’s back at first. However, I can’t keep Amethio waiting forever and we generally don’t have enough time for second thoughts. So I push myself to the ground and take a deep breath.

  My legs are as soft as pudding, and I barely make it one step before I cast an uncertain glance over my shoulder. Amethio is calling his Corviknight back, and I know I won’t be alone. Still, the unease sits deep within me; even as I push forward, straight to the entrance of the League.

  The heavy posts beneath each load-bearing stone slab seem unshakeable, though they are damaged and cracked. The double-door entrance is wide open. Climbing the steps takes only a few blinks and when I look inside, I am struck by an unusual heat. The smell of burnt hair is in the air, combined with charred fabric and the strangely acidic odour of burnt power cables. The sand-coloured tiles beneath my soles echo my movements in a slight reverberation, and when I arrive in the first large room, I immediately notice the broken statue.

  Only the pedestal is still standing, but the attached sign can no longer be read. No matter how you look at things, N was here. The only question is where I can find him. There are four paths that presumably lead from here to the Elite Four in this league. Four paths, each of which N will have taken to face all those at the top of this region.

  “We have to go this way.” Out of nowhere, Amethio speaks up, so I whirl around to face him.

  He’s standing in front of a dimly lit panel that reminds me vaguely of the warp tiles in Lusamine’s little castle.

  “Do you think this is the way to the top?” My brows lift.

  “I know it is,” he returns stiffly. “After you defeat the Elite Four, the path to the top is activated. This one warp tile takes you to where you usually fight your last big battle of the region.”

  All I can manage is a vague nod. I know Amethio is probably right and I can trust his words, but part of me hopes he’s wrong. That we’re all wrong and the silence here isn’t because N has already been here and left nothing behind.

  Still, I push my way over to my companion and step onto the warp tile with him. Just like back then, my world seems to distort within seconds. Colours blend into an earthy brown, the surroundings blur, and only when I blink a few times while my stomach turns does a new room come into view.

  The ceiling above us resembles a fan that has been brutally torn open at one point. The hole is big enough to push our submarine through. Directly below, on a battlefield for aspiring champions and their last great opponent, chaos has broken out. From down here, at the foot of an endless staircase, you can see little more than the mighty figure of Zekrom.

  Before Amethio can warn me, I’m off and running. The steps strain my muscles, the last bit of energy I can muster. But I don’t stop once on the way up, and just as I climb the last few metres, N’s scenario comes into sharp focus.

  Tiles shimmer reddish at my feet. A man in a striking blue suit and with wild black and white hair lies on the ground. Next to him, a woman presses both hands on a part of his upper body. Her face is ashen, while a Musharna beside her trickles gentle Dream Mist down onto the stranger. Between them, a girl my age, her purple clothes dirty and her eyes blurry behind her round glasses. She doesn’t move, nor does the pink Pokémon at her feet, which is still remotely recognisable as a Jellicent.

  The only ones who still haven’t given up, even though their Pokémon seem barely able to stand upright against Zekrom, are two men. One of them in yellow, loose-fitting trousers, the other in clothes reminiscent of long desert hikes. In front of them is N – just as I had sent him away a few hours earlier.

  My presence doesn’t go unnoticed. It almost seems as if he has been waiting for me as he turns his head in my direction and smiles happily. “Domino!”

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “You ... won?” I don’t know what to say, let alone ask. All I’m left with is the obvious.

  N, meanwhile, lets out a hum of approval. “I’m now the strongest trainer in Unova.”

  It is these words that make Mienshao fall over as if it can finally stop fighting, while the Bouffalant present lowers to its front knees. They both accept their defeat and although their trainers stand tall and strong, they seem to know this defeat can no longer be averted.

  “We can finally change this world for the better.” N briefly turns his gaze away, up through the hole through which the sun is warmly penetrating the interior. Simultaneously, Amethio arrives at my side, unable to comment on the scene before us.

  “Boy, I already told you during the fight, but you’re making a mistake.” With a heavy stride, the older trainer takes a step forward. His red mane, already faded to dull orange in most places, gives his demeanour a strength that seems out of place. “What sounds good at first doesn’t have to end up that way. You’re still young. Dreams and ideals are great things at your age. But let me tell you once again that you will regret your decision if you act on it in this way. Neither Zekrom nor the power living in it are weapons that can be bent like that. They will-”

  “Devour me ... you already said that.” A sigh overcomes N before he turns his gaze away from the sky and turns his attention to the stranger. “But if your way would have been the right one, then I wouldn’t have won. The champ Alder couldn’t win against his challenger. None of you could. Because none of you can stop change. Or someone who has a firm resolve. My father told me about you. You left the League here in the care of others to go travelling because ... you lost a friend. A Pokémon that succumbed to its illness. But instead of fighting to make things better, you ... went around and didn’t ... change a thing.”

  It’s not a fair comparison. Worse, it has no foundation, almost as if he expects someone to go out of their way to change the world for the better after a loss. As if a person can turn misery into something wonderful if they try hard enough. Even if there’s no evidence for it.

  “You’re making it too easy for yourself!” In the end, the stranger behind Alder moves forward a little. His bushy, blond eyebrows drawn together, he raises his hands as if he wants to fight N – man to man. But Zekrom’s growl prevents any silly ideas. Instead, his dark brown skin seems to turn grey.

  N, meanwhile, addresses me again. “I’m glad you’ve joined us. My father is probably already waiting for us to report.” A thin smile forms on his lips as he holds out his hand to me. “Will you come with me? I can make room for both of us and I’m sure whatever happened between you and my father ... we can create something new together.”

  “N ... you know how I feel about that.”

  “But you’ve seen my father and I are in the right.” His hand lowers. “Otherwise Zekrom wouldn’t have heard me.”

  “Are you sure?” I can’t move. “Are you sure that’s why Zekrom heard you? Did you ask?”

  He opens his mouth, but closes it again. His silence is the answer to my question, and it’s hard to believe he’s still the same. Everything in him seems to hide under the demands of his father, as if this is where he belongs. That he hasn’t even talked to Zekrom only proves he’s afraid of the answer – of another component that seems vague and unsteady and frightening.

  “I don’t have to ask it,” N finally utters. “If Zekrom didn’t agree with my path, it wouldn’t be standing by my side right now.” He takes a step back. “It must be hard for you to understand all this. You’re very attached to your team. Of course, you’d be looking for a flaw in all of this.” He briefly points outside before Zekrom lets out a thunderous sound and the ground beneath us shakes. Tremors ripple up the walls and, as if it were perfectly normal, I move closer to Amethio.

  Everyone here looks around as if we can find the problem in the immediate vicinity. But apart from the hole in the roof, there are no windows here. Uncertainty is all we have left.

  “Domino ... you should think about the Pokémon and how many of them are suffering. You should think about whether a drastic alternative might not be the answer to the problem after all. Because it will help the Pokémon, our friends, quickly. The nuance you’re looking for ... that would take years. Maybe even a lifetime. Maybe even more. Time we don’t have, because no human will ever live that long. And you’ll never be able to say your attempts have achieved anything, because you can’t keep track of all the people.” His eyelids droop. “I understand what you’re saying. I really do. We’ve talked about it many times and you’ve always made your point ... but ... Domino ... do you really believe that this can work? That we can create a world ... where everyone is happy, and no one has to suffer?”

  Clenching my hands into fists, I take a breath and push any doubts away. “Is it wrong to want to believe we can make a difference? Weren’t we given all this to make it work?”

  “Were we even given all this willingly, or did we just take it?”

  “Do you really think the Pokémon would let us just take? Do you think all this would work like this if the Pokémon didn’t want it to a certain extent? They are stronger than us and they can be dangerous. Many people have already died because of the power of Pokémon ... and many Pokémon have died at the hands of humans. In the end, it’s a gi-”

  “The Pokémon are too kind-hearted to do anything other than bow down to us!” interrupts N. “They want peace, which we shamelessly exploit!”

  “Who said that?” My voice rises unintentionally as I dig my nails into my flesh and take a step towards him. “Your father? Did your father say that? And you believe him because you’re afraid of what will happen if you don’t agree?”

  His lips quiver as he opens his mouth. There are probably a thousand things he’d like to say. I know that feeling. I don’t know how many times I’ve been in this position myself. But the silence that dominates between us doesn’t allow for any further speculation. Instead, N shakes off our conversation as if it has never happened.

  “Domino ... I hope you’ll understand me one day.” He pulls back, moving closer to Zekrom until he swings himself gallantly onto the dragon’s back. “If you want to help me, the gates of my home are open to you. You can see it from here now. And ... if you are not on my side ... then leave. Leave this region and don’t come back. Please.”

  He doesn’t give me time to object before Zekrom rises into the air and I’m left here with the others. The light of the outside world seems surreal in these seconds and only the chiming of a Rotom Phone draws my attention back to this warped situation.

  Amethio next to me is looking at his device. His mouth twisted, a snort escapes him before he shows me what’s going on in Unova. The news seems to overflow. Subtitles run over reports that all show the same thing: a castle that has burst through the ground out of nowhere. Some have even got hold of video footage. These are images showing a mighty building breaking through the ground as if it had previously been buried. The ground splits, dust swirls around and for a moment, it all seems a little too fictional to be real. But the shots show how the mighty walls rise, how they encircle the League and how countless mechanical staircases extend to reach this place from all sides. Windows flash in the sunlight, ready to shroud this place in darkness long before the sun sets.

  “This can’t be real.” My voice is so quiet I can barely hear it myself. It disappears behind the roar of a man – the one with the yellow trousers and thick brows.

  “We can’t be intimidated now!” he begins so loudly I want to cover my ears. “Caitlin, Shauntal, take Grimsley to a hospital. It’s fast to reach Lacunosa by plane.” Then he whirls to me and Amethio. “You two aren’t with us, but I’m sure you want the same thing we do: stop these lunatics! Alder and I wi-”

  He is interrupted when Alder raises his hand. Eyes closed, he seems to prepare himself for the circumstances before looking directly at us. “He called you Domino, didn’t he?”

  Hasty nodding on my part confirms his question.

  “I see... I can’t deny that I’m surprised to see you here. But I suppose if you know this boy ... N ... you understand him. You share a gift, after all.”

  My shoulders tighten. He knows something. He’s aware of things about me I’m sure my father hasn’t told everyone. It’s another one of those connections I want to indulge in. But in these seconds, it’s more important that I take care of N.

  “You and your friend,” he nods briefly to Amethio, “should follow him. I think the only thing that can save this boy now are the words of a friend. From someone who understands the world in roughly the same way he does. Someone who is like him.” He turns his head briefly to his companion. “Marshal, Plasma will gather at the castle. While these two take care of the boy ... we should do everything we can to get our hands on the mastermind.”

  He gets confirmation so hastily that I’m hardly surprised to see him here as champ. He’s a man who can exert control without cornering anyone. Quite unlike Ghetsis, whose words are his only weapon – apart from his strong Pokémon.

  Within a few breaths, we all get a role, and Amethio doesn’t give me time to think all this through as he lets Corviknight out of its ball again to mount it. I have no choice but to follow him and watch as the others move, too. The moment we take to the air, the women of the Elite Four rush to take the injured man away, while the two men quickly descend the stairs and disappear. Everyone is pursuing a different goal – one that becomes clear as Corviknight carries us through the wrecked roof and we emerge facing the oversized castle before us.

  It is exactly as it was shown on the news. The mighty walls have almost completely enclosed the League. Mechanical staircases reach down to us everywhere, as if they would storm the Elite Four at any other moment. Meanwhile, the sun glints in the endless windows, giving everything here a deserted glow.

  “Where should we start?” My gaze glides from one staircase to another. There are doors everywhere that could lead us into different corridors. “Do you think he’s somewhere on the upper floors? Where Zekrom has space?”

  “It’s possible.” Amethio seems as clueless as I am. Still, he directs Corviknight straight over to a door until we jump off just above the stairs and take the last few steps on foot.

  The grey facade of the building seems to get darker with every step. Sunlight burns onto the heavy stone, but can’t fight the shadows that gather here unnaturally. The goose bumps that cover my whole body don’t go away even when we reach the entrance and Amethio pushes the door open. Dirt and small stones scrape across the floor, preventing the barrier from opening fully while screeching on the tiles.

  In the end, we both have to push sideways through the entrance. Behind it, an endless corridor embraces us. Chandeliers still sway slightly from side to side and the artificial light they cast on the floor is barely perceptible. Meanwhile, endless doors line up one after the other. When I look up and down the corridor, I can see at least six of them. Six rooms in which N could be hiding. Six rooms that will either take us to our destination or cost us time that we shouldn’t waste. Who knows how long N plans to wait?

  “We should check the corridors,” Amethio suggests in the meantime. An idea I can’t refuse because I don’t have a better one.

  So I follow him, hurrying along the hallways and trying to ignore the ornate paintings on the walls and the expensive statues on every corner. Looking towards the end of the corridor, I imagine how easy all this would be if we turned around the next corner and bumped into N. It would save us the search, the chaos, and the anxiety that any moment could be too late.

  But as we turn around the fourth junction and Amethio is already slowing down, it’s not N who confronts us. Instead, we meet three old men. The wide robes on their bodies are vaguely reminiscent of Ghetsis’, but with far less flashy splendour than that of their leader. They all wear the emblem of Plasma on their clothing – on the collar, on the chest, on the shoulder – and none of them move when they notice us.

  “As you would expect. Master Ghetsis told us you would try to stop our honourable intentions by showing up here,” one of them begins, his chin raised. The yellow robe on his body doesn’t match his gaunt face.

  But I can barely focus on him as I recognise the purple clothes and the ugly, haggard grimace of the man who locked me in cold storage on Ghetsis’ orders. However, I don’t get a chance to hiss at him or throw anything in his face before Amethio raises a hand and glances briefly over his shoulder at me. “I’ll take care of this.”

  It’s a way to move forward. Still, my motions remain hesitant. I’m sure Amethio will get all this sorted out, but letting this guy get away without being able to give him a thrashing – it’s one of those tantalising possibilities you don’t want to see go. But I need to find N. His safety and my last attempt to make a difference are more important than a vendetta against an old man.

  Reluctantly, I leave the scenario, turn on my heel and choose another turn-off in hope Amethio will follow as soon as the opportunity arises. Unlike me, he knows how to push through.

  Every breath runs like fire over my lips. Heat builds under my uniform and the steady clacking of my heels thunders in my ears. It shimmies along the walls, making my heart race, and I can’t shake the thought that this castle is frighteningly empty. For Plasma to have enough members to cause real trouble in Unova, these corridors are deserted. Nobody stops me. No one prevents me from grasping the cold doorknobs and peering into endless bedrooms and study spaces.

  Dark red curtains dim the light in every room. Carpeting warms some interiors, while dark wood as furniture creates luxurious accents. Gold ornaments have been carved into pillars, perfume hangs in the air, and no matter how far I walk, this labyrinth of a castle seems to exude the same charm in almost every corner. No differences. No life. Similar to a historical estate that you look at one last time before taking a different path forever.

  This is where N spent most of his life. He has led his existence in this building for years – never completely alone and yet unable to get to know the world he is trying to judge.

  Pressing my lips together, I shake off the thought before rushing into the next room and hitting my foot on something. The knob slips out of my hand, my body topples forwards and I barely catch myself with my hands before I hit the floor unsteadily.

  Carefully, I push myself to my knees. In front of me is a small toy railway whose tracks run through the whole room – along boxes and mats, all the way to a bed that seems far too small for N. It takes two blinks of the eye to capture the world in front of me. Below me, a carpet of clouds radiates sky blue. The walls have been painted purple – decorated with blue splotches – and the furnishings are so lavish they seem almost overwhelming. In one corner, children are invited to play basketball on a small court. Someone has thrown an oversized toy bus into the net. A wide skateboard ramp stretches along an entire wall. Next to it is a small trampoline that could be great fun for two children, but isn’t suitable for someone like N.

  A worn sign with the words “Natural H.G.” hangs from a box full of balls. Dust has collected on them.

  I run one hand over the toy. The dirt sticks to my skin until it is dark grey. Tightness in my chest makes every breath difficult, stinging and causing me to swallow hard. It’s just like Zoroark told me. This room is N’s true home. A place he’s outgrown and yet has been kept in like a toddler. He has lived more confined than I have ever had to experience. Ghetsis probably lectured him here; talked him into nonsense that put N in this position.

  All for purely selfish reasons.

  All because Ghetsis’ desire for power demands a puppet to hide behind when things get messy.

  I take another look at the railway. Some things in this room seem strangely familiar. A bit as if I recognise them from my childhood. I wouldn’t even be surprised if I’ve been here before, considering that Ghetsis had his eye on me a long time ago. Somewhere in between, N and I may really have come into contact with each other before. But neither of us can remember it – even if N is sure that we’ve never actually met.

  In those seconds, I think anything is possible. Even his words about the dimensions and the associated possibilities that we may have met before in another world, another timeline.

  “You actually followed him.”

  The sudden voice behind me makes me whirl around. In the next breath, I catch sight of Ns Zoroark. Its black shape, the red mane – it hasn’t changed a bit and yet it lacks any lustre in its eyes. The little spark of mischievousness that it carried before has disappeared.

  “I ... can’t leave him behind,” I reply, tensing my shoulders. “I can’t leave N alone. Not in this state.” My legs shuffle in Zoroark’s direction. “Not after I learnt he’s afraid of his own dreams.”

  “Do you think you can save him?” With its ears laid back, its hunched figure looks crestfallen. “Do you think we can help him?”

  “I don’t know.” All I have left is what little honesty I have remaining. “But I haven’t given up yet.” Gently, I place a hand on its fluffy arm. “And you shouldn’t give up either. Not yet. You love him. So you should fight for him until the last bit of hope shatters.”

  It doesn’t answer, nodding instead with difficulty. Silent swallowing lingers between us for a breath. Then Zoroark lets out a snort. “I’ll take you to him. N hopes you’ll come. That you ... will support him.”

  “Or that someone will beat some sense into him.” Eyes narrowed to slits, I purse my lips. This bit of humour, this lightness – I want to hold on to both. For the sake of hope, because I don’t know how much longer I can believe I can get him out of this somehow.

  Zoroark’s ears twitch in response and for a moment I realise that there is still a faint hint of faith inside it. Something that drives it to lead me out of this room, so I hurry along the corridors again.

  The walls pass me by with the same eternal glamour and after the third turn at the latest, I have lost my orientation. All I have left is Zoroark, whose long tail remains my only focus. It seems to lead me along endless paths, up two staircases, until it pushes open a wide double door, behind which a spacious, almost barren room awaits us. Only the white marble path in front of us, adorned with a midnight blue carpet, seems to exist.

  When I dare to look past Zoroark, it is the golden throne at the other end of the room that outshines everything else. It eclipses the water on either side, the countless banners of Plasma, and almost N, who rests on it like a lonely child. He’s far too small for this thing, far too unsuitable for a room like this – here he’s just a person who would be better off somewhere else.

  Without further ado, I wipe my damp palms on my skirt. Then I stride past Zoroark, straight towards N, whose gaze rests tensely on me. Probably we both realise right now that these circumstances are not what we had hoped for. I’m not here to join him, and he’s not here to keep trying to convince me.

  As I stop on the wide reception area – a few metres away from N – I take a deep breath. Then I put my hands on my hips and bow my head.

  “I can’t leave.” Slowly, I raise my eyes before giving him a thin smile. “Not yet.”