The entrance to the ruins was cramped, but after navigating the narrow passage, Feng Che emerged into a sprawling underground plaza.
Two corridors branched off from either side of the hall. In the very center stood a colossal stone statue of a Sigilyph.
By the time Feng Che arrived, Winona and Steven were already locked in combat with the ruin's guardians. Swarms of Sigilyph were pouring out of the side tunnels, their bodies covered in patterns that resembled ancient Unown scripts. Their heads, shaped like the Unown 'I', featured two glowing cyan eyes and a black crest. With their colorful, striped wings and tails, they hovered using pure psychic energy, launching telekinetic assaults on the intruders.
"We were ambushed the moment we stepped in! There are too many of them!" Winona shouted over the din of battle.
Sigilyph possess a unique ability to link their minds, synchronizing their psychic power into a collective blast that rivals the destructive force of a Legendary Pokémon.
"Go, Greninja! Incineroar!" Feng Che released his heavy hitters. "Combine your power—Dark Pulse!"
Greninja condensed a massive, swirling orb of dark energy, while Incineroar exhaled a continuous beam of shadow from its fiery belt. The two attacks fused into a snarling dragon of darkness that tore through the Sigilyph ranks.
Sensing the threat, the guardians retaliated in unison. Dozens of Psybeams merged into a single, rainbow-colored pillar of light that descended from the ceiling.
BOOM!
the collision of darkness and light shook the very foundations of the mountain. Earth and stone cracked as a violent tremor rippled through the ruins.
"Look out!"
Feng Che lunged forward, shoving Steven out of the way just as a massive boulder shattered against the floor where he had stood. The ceiling began to collapse, and within seconds, a wall of fallen rock completely sealed off the corridors.
Feng Che and Steven were cut off, trapped in one of the side passages.
On the other side of the rockfall, Zinnia prepared to have her Noivern use Boomburst to clear the path, but Winona stopped her.
"Don't, Zinnia! These ruins are ancient and structurally unstable. If we use that much force, the whole ceiling might come down on us," Winona warned. "Feng Che mentioned his Togetic has a map. Both of these side paths should lead to the central Trial Grounds. We'll take the other way and meet them there."
Inside the Blocked Passage
"Steven, Togetic just warned me that the ruins are on the verge of collapse," Feng Che said, leaning against the damp stone wall. "We have to avoid using high-power moves. One wrong blast could bring the whole mountain down."
He looked at his Pokémon and sighed. "Togetic tried to tell me earlier, but my team was too fast to act. I guess speed isn't always a good thing."
Steven nodded solemnly. "Lead the way."
"According to the map in Togetic's memory, there are three primary trials we must pass to reach the heart of the ruins," Feng Che explained.
Trial of Antiquity: Identifying and categorizing ancient relics.
Trial of Alchemy: Synthesizing specific medicinal draughts.
Trial of Combat: A final test of strength against the guardians.
"Once we complete these, we'll receive the rewards and be teleported out," Feng Che added. He kept one detail to himself: Togetic had also mentioned a Hidden Trial—a challenge against two manifestations of Unown. Only by defeating them could one gain true control over the ruins and its hidden treasury.
"We need to bypass the Sigilyph patrols. Togetic, find us a shortcut."
No sooner had he spoken than the sound of fluttering wings filled the air. A group of Sigilyph drifted through small holes in the ceiling, firing Psybeams at their position.
"Togetic, lead the way! Corviknight, focus on evasion!"
Mewtwo, Feng Che called out telepathically. Sigilyph are Psychic-types. Scan them for me—I want any with Green-tier potential or higher.
Understood, Mewtwo replied. As they flew, Mewtwo systematically scanned the swarms. Whenever he spotted a high-potential candidate, he used a surgical psychic strike to disable it, followed by a well-aimed Poké Ball.
As they sped through the tunnel, more Sigilyph joined the chase. Their beams struck the walls, causing more tremors. Corviknight banked through the falling debris, using Air Slash to cleave through falling rocks that threatened to pin them.
The pursuing Sigilyph weren't so lucky. Several were crushed by the shifting stone, their numbers thinning as the environment itself turned hostile.
"Togetic, how much further?"
"We're close! But we have to cross the Great Falls!" Togetic chirped.
"Falls?"
The roar of rushing water grew deafening. The air turned misty and cold. Suddenly, a wall of cascading water appeared before them—a massive underground waterfall. Togetic dived straight through the curtain of water.
"Steven, hold on to your Skarmory!" Feng Che yelled.
Corviknight used Brave Bird to gain the momentum needed to pierce the falling torrent. Feng Che felt a crushing weight slam into him—it felt like being run over by a truck. The sheer pressure of the vertical river made his ribs groan.
If I hadn't reinforced my body with psychic energy, I'd be a pancake right now, he thought.
They burst through the other side into a cavernous chamber. Togetic was already hovering there, waiting.
Feng Che shook the water from his hair and looked back. Steven emerged a moment later, looking bedraggled. His silver hair was plastered to his face, and his clothes were soaked through.
"That was too close," Steven panted, clutching his chest. He looked down—below the ledge where they stood, the base of the waterfall was a churning pool filled with the serrated fins of Sharpedo and Carvanha. "If we hadn't made that jump... we'd be lunch."