The mountain tops loomed above us in layered silhouettes, their peaks catching the violet shimmer of dusk. The adrenaline from finally defeating Drayden still hadn't left my body as Skyla, Dakashi, Zoey, and I began our hike toward the secret entrance to Victory Road.
The wind cut across the cliffside, carrying the scent of pine and distant snowfall. Skyla walked beside me without speaking, our shoulders brushing as we followed the narrow trail downward.
Dakashi's shadow glided silently along the rocks at my feet. Three miles north, he murmured in my mind, the words like ripples across deep water. The path will not be gentle.
"I didn't expect it to be," I whispered.
Skyla squeezed my hand again and tilted her face into the breeze. "Feels like the world's holding its breath," she said softly. "Like it knows what you're about to do."
I honestly couldn't believe it either. Just a few months ago, it'd only been Zoey and me on this crazy little journey of ours. As we went on, Zoey found new companions and battle buddies in Simon, Trilla, Nick, Swampert, and Scizor, and I somehow ended up with a woman I'd idolised for years. Now I had the eight gym badges required to take on four of the most powerful trainers on the planet.
The trail curved around a ridge, and the distant thunder of falling water reached us. A white curtain poured down the mountainside, lit pale blue by the fading sky. The closer we got, the stronger the roar became until it filled my chest like a drum.
A narrow river spilled from the base of the falls. A thin mist curled around our legs as we approached. Skyla brushed droplets from her eyebrows, excitement bright in her eyes. "Hidden entrance behind a waterfall," she teased. "Classic."
I forced out a small laugh, but when I looked at the torrent again, my throat tightened. "This is real," I said quietly. "Skyla… this is the start."
She turned to me, her voice gentle. "It's the next step. And you're not taking it alone."
Dakashi's form stretched upward, shaping itself against the spray. His outline flickered, almost shivering in the moonlight. The tunnel is behind the left side of the cascade. Stay close. The current will try to push you off balance.
I nodded, summoned my team one by one, and let their presence steady me.
Zoey stepped forward first, crimson mane whipping in the mist. Dramatic terrain again, she muttered. At this point, I think the League designs things specifically to stress us out.
Simon hovered behind her with a low hum through his wings. Trilla floated up beside me, her hand touching my shoulder in quiet reassurance. Scizor emerged with a metallic click, eyes narrowing as he assessed the cliff walls. Swampert lumbered into place with a soft, protective rumble. Nick materialized last, arms folded, jaw tight, gaze fixed on the waterfall as though daring it to defy him.
"Alright," I breathed. "Here we go."
We stepped through the falling water. Cold slammed into me. The roar drowned everything, soaking me to the bone. Then my hand found rock. A hidden opening waited behind the cascade, narrow and carved by old hands.
The tunnel beyond sloped upward. Blue torches flickered along the walls, casting long shadows that swayed with every breath of wind. Skyla kept her hand on the small of my back, steadying me whenever the incline sharpened.
At the top of the rise stood a carved stone archway. A dragon sigil curled across its surface, wings folded inward, the eye at the apex worn smooth by previous challengers.
I reached out and touched it.
The stone vibrated beneath my fingertips. Dust drifted from the carved scales as the sigil glowed softly, blue as moonlight on water. The archway rippled outward like disturbed glass, and the tunnel beyond reshaped itself into a rising path of dark stone.
Skyla let out a breath that trembled just slightly. "That's it. Victory Road."
My heart thudded in my ears.
"Then let's climb," I whispered.
And surrounded by the ones who had gotten me this far, I stepped through the light of the archway toward the long ascent and everything it meant.
By the time we climbed the last of the stone steps, my legs were shaking from the effort and the altitude. The path opened into a wide plateau carved directly into the mountainside. A massive dome of black stone rose from the center, its surface polished smooth as obsidian and glinting under the moon. Two enormous double doors stood at the front, each one engraved with curling dragon motifs.
Skyla let out a low whistle. "They really don't do subtle, do they?"
I didn't answer at first. My attention was fixed on the pedestal that stood before the doors. Seven narrow slots formed a circle around an eighth, each one shaped exactly like the badges inside my pack.
My heartbeat quickened.
This was it. No turning back.
I pulled the case from my backpack and opened it. The badges gleamed under the torchlight.
I took a breath.
One by one, I slid each badge into its slot.
Cilan's Leaf. Lenora's Basic. Skyla's Jet.
I paused before pushing that one in, glanced back, and gave her a dramatic wink.
Skyla flushed scarlet. "Really?" she muttered, but she was smiling so hard it almost pushed dimples into her cheeks.
Next came Burgh's Insect. Roxie's Toxic. Clay's Quake. Marlon's Wave.
Each badge sank into its notch with a soft click. The stone beneath the pedestal began to tremble, and faint vibrations began to move through the terrace.
Only one badge remained in my palm.
Drayden's Legend.
I pressed it home, and the moment it locked into place, the entire dome shuddered. Dust trickled from the engraved dragon wings. The tremor rolled outward beneath our boots, and the doors groaned as they pulled apart, releasing a gust of cold air from within, as if the chamber had been sealed for centuries.
A long corridor stretched forward, lit by pale-blue torches. At the far end, the path split into four arched tunnels. Each one led to a tall stone door etched with a single word.
Ghost, Psychic, Fighting, and Dark.
Skyla stepped up beside me, awe creeping into her voice.
"Four trials. Four masters."
I felt the weight of it settle across my shoulders. Not dread, but focus.
Zoey moved closer, her crimson mane brushing my arm. Left to right, she suggested. Feels traditional. And spooky enough.
Dakashi's shadow rose behind us, stretching tall against the torchlight.
"You will face them," he said, voice deep and steady. "But their aces are mine."
I turned toward him. "Dakashi, you don't need to."
His presence intensified, shadows thickening around the floor.
"You rise to meet your future here. Their strongest would attempt to break you to test your worth. That is a burden I will not allow you to carry alone."
Skyla exhaled slowly. "Remind me never to get on his bad side."
"Ghost first, then," I said.
Together, with Skyla and Zoey at my side, and Dakashi's shadow leading the way, I stepped toward the door marked Ghost.