Garchomp, Gardevoir, and Infernape exchanged looks. Although what stood before the army was a withered tree, they all felt a pressure like Mewtwo's bearing down on them, leaving them unable to breathe.
"Xerneas..."
Diancie stood before the tree, pressed her hands together, and closed her eyes in devout prayer.
A green light appeared on the withered tree and Diancie, while a steady, wise female voice sounded in everyone's minds.
"Diancie, I know why you have come."
"Hmm?"
Diancie opened her eyes and stared motionlessly at the withered tree.
Just then, the withered tree suddenly burst into radiance. Green light spread outward, and the surrounding plants instantly began growing wildly.
A deerlike Pokémon slowly materialized, its antlers shining with glasslike, rainbow-colored light.
"Ye Qing? If possible, I truly would rather not meet you."
Xerneas gazed at Ye Qing. Although she had stood in this tropical rainforest in the form of a tree, every Pokémon was her eyes and ears, so she knew of Ye Qing, the source of calamity.
"Huh? What's this got to do with me? I don't think we've ever met..."
Ye Qing's face had been full of reverence, but hearing Xerneas's words instantly made him feel like absolute shit.
"Never mind. All of this is fate's design."
Xerneas offered no explanation, simply synchronizing her Fairy-type power with Diancie.
"Close your eyes and follow the guidance of the Fairy-type power."
"Okay!"
Diancie nodded earnestly, closing her eyes and carefully sensing the Fairy-type power within her.
Just as Xerneas released her power, on the other side of the forest, several Star Team members were using a crane to carefully lift the Cocoon of Destruction out of a deep pit filled with Death Energy.
"Wonderful! Just one more step! Just one more step and we'll succeed!"
Mu Linsen's eyes were bloodshot