Having returned to normal, Lugia spread an energy barrier around itself to ward off the black smoke. Its gaze swept over the others, lingering meaningfully on Liu Qing before moving away as though nothing had happened and settling on the Pearl of the Sea in May's hands. Blue light shone from its eyes, and the Pearl of the Sea immediately rose into the air. The closer it drew to Lugia, the brighter it became, until it resembled a miniature sun and began exerting a powerful suction.
The wisps of black smoke seemed to sense the danger and scattered in every direction, but none could escape the Pearl of the Sea's pull. They were drawn inside one after another. Once the final wisp had struggled in vain and been absorbed, the pearl's light faded. Now resembling a pitch-black stone, it fell into the sea with a splash.
"Sinful souls, slumber within the Pearl of the Sea forever!" Lugia's songlike cry rang out, and through Telepathy, everyone understood its meaning.
At the same time, the Temple of the Sea shuddered. The six points that had spread into a hexagram began retracting and folding inward. Seeing this, Liu Qing and the others hurried onto Salamence, Hydreigon, and the other Pokémon and took to the air. They watched as the temple gradually assumed a spiral shape. A transparent curtain of light soon enveloped it, and it sank into the sea.
"Mana..." Manaphy called reluctantly to May from her arms.
"Go on, Manaphy. Live happily in the Temple of the Sea. We'll definitely see each other again someday!" May knew that with the temple, Yaxia, returning to the ocean, it was time for Manaphy to leave as well. Although she was just as reluctant to part, she understood that Manaphy did not belong to her.