"Those are..." Nessa muttered, dazed for a second before quickly snapping out of it.
At the same time, Shiro reached out and grabbed Marvin's shoulder just as the boy was about to step toward the crystal-covered field.
"These blue crystals might have some kind of hypnotic effect," he warned in a low voice. "Be careful. Don't stare at them."
Marvin shuddered and hurriedly backed away, moving to stand beside Allister and his Pokémon.
The masked boy, who sat steadily on top of his Dusclops, didn't seem affected. Instead, he kept scanning the area from his elevated position. Soon, he raised a hand and pointed toward a distant platform.
"There seems to be something over there."
Shiro rose on his toes to try and see, but the crystals blocked his view. Just then, Gastly and Dreepy emerged one after the other from his shadow.
"Gaasss!"
Gastly let out an excited cry, spinning a few fiery loops in the air as its black, round body flared with ghostly flames. Then, it floated higher and began drifting forward to scout the area.
Dreepy also lifted its body and looked around with curiosity before following after Gastly.
Shiro didn't stop them. He actually wanted his Pokémon to check out what was down there, to see if anything or anyone was still alive among the crystals.
Gastly soon reached the edge of the platform and the end of the crystal field. There, it spotted a bronze-colored cylinder shaped like an altar. Two carved slots rested at the top—one shaped like a sword, the other like a shield.
Wooden replicas of the weapons sat within the slots. But the props were worn and nearly rotted, their surfaces splintered and fragile, as if they'd crumble at the lightest touch.
Gastly hovered back and forth above them in confusion. But infected by Shiro's cautious mentality, it didn't try to touch anything. It turned around, ready to go back and report its findings.
"Dreeep!"
But Dreepy didn't feel the same.
Curious and energetic as always, the young Dragon-type was drawn in by the objects. From its perspective, they looked like harmless wooden toys.
Flying above the sword, Dreepy wrapped its tail around the handle.
"Dreee~"
The instant it lifted it off the altar, a wave of weakness hit its body. A heavy, irresistible drowsiness washed over it.
Thump.
Its bluish tail loosened instinctively. The sword slipped free and fell with a light clatter beside the pedestal. Dreepy collapsed next to it, fast asleep.
"Gaaas!"
Gastly turned and saw what happened. Shock ran through its whole body, making its ghost flames shoot up higher. It looked toward Shiro, then down at Dreepy, hesitating—should it report first or help?
Thinking about how everyone might give it judging looks if it returned alone, Gastly made up its mind.
Seeing Dreepy sleeping peacefully, the Ghost-type crept lower. After checking the area to make sure no people or Pokémon were nearby, it rushed forward, wrapped Dreepy in its ghostly energy, and began heading back.
"Gaa..."
Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion hit Gastly hard. It felt like it had just finished a full day of training without rest or food.
"...ssstly…"
Its body drooped, and before it could reach safety, it fell directly into the crystal field and drifted into unconsciousness.
"What's going on?" Shiro muttered. He'd been watching carefully and saw Gastly collapse midair.
There were no attacks, no moves, no signs of any human device or sound. Yet just like the B5 members scattered throughout the crystal field, it passed out without warning.
Before he could make sense of it, Drakloak shot out from his shadow. It zipped back and forth in panic, circling Shiro frantically.
Gastly was one thing, but Dreepy was still in there too!
"Alright, I get it. Don't worry." Shiro gently stroked Drakloak's slender body, soothing the agitated dragon with a soft voice.
The Dragapult line, known for fiercely protecting their young, grew anxious when separated from them, and Drakloak was no exception.
Shiro knew he had to go down himself.
"Allister," he called out, signaling for Dusclops to wrap its bandage around his arm. "I'm heading down. If I pass out, pull me back up."
Seeing the boy nod silently, Shiro turned to Marvin and Nessa with a final word of caution.
"Stay alert. Especially for any sudden wild Pokémon appearances."
Marvin nodded solemnly. He understood the warning; it was about the Sableye near the cave's entrance. If that creature took advantage of the situation and made its move, it could bring the entire cave crashing down. And if that happened, none of them would survive.
Without wasting another second, Shiro gripped Dusclops's bandage and descended.
The stone staircase carved into the cave floor was jagged and crude, as if hastily constructed. From above, the crystals hadn't seemed so overwhelming. But now that he was walking among them, Shiro felt as if he had stepped into a forest of glowing blue glass.
These crystals were strangely translucent, almost as if water might drip from them at any moment. Each one towered over two meters, some reaching five or six meters tall.
Shiro moved quietly, a small figure winding through a sea of shimmering blue. Twisting paths took him deeper and deeper, until he vanished into the crystal forest.
"Draaak!"
Drakloak hovered close, circling him anxiously while pointing the way forward.
Although there were no signs of any living creatures, Drakloak could feel two powerful presences lurking in the cave. It was like something was silently watching them from the shadows.
Shiro, however, sensed none of it. Focused, he pressed forward, stepping over fallen B5 members one by one as he advanced.
It didn't take long before he came across the slumbering Gastly and Dreepy, lying in the narrow path between two glowing blue crystals.
"Klooak!"
Drakloak rushed forward, gently grabbed Dreepy in his mouth, and darted back into Shiro's shadow. Then, it peeked out again to scout their surroundings.
Meanwhile, Shiro pulled out a Poké Ball and recalled Gastly from a distance.
"…Whew." A quiet sigh of relief escaped his lips. He was about to head back when—
"Human…"
A low, distant voice drifted through the air.
Shiro froze. He looked around instinctively. But there was no one there—no Pokémon, no person. Just the dazzling, shimmering crystals all around him.
"Human…"
The voice echoed again.
He scanned the cavern once more, then rubbed his temples and chose to ignore it. He turned and began retreating.
He figured it had to be Zacian or Zamazenta playing tricks, but without knowing their true intent, there was no use trying to communicate.
The best plan now was to get the B5 members out, neutralize the Sableye at the cave entrance, and escape.
"HUMAN!"
The voice suddenly surged in volume—sharp and commanding.
As Shiro kept walking, the path and the blue crystals around him suddenly began to spin. His body lost all balance and dropped downward uncontrollably.
He watched himself fall, unable to stop it. His eyelids grew heavy and slowly shut.
In the midst of darkness, an image slowly formed before his eyes—Zacian. The majestic blue-furred wolf, standing tall with glowing eyes, spoke slowly.
"Only those who complete the trial may take the Sword and the Shield."
...
Back on the ledge above, Marvin, Nessa, and Allister also staggered. One by one, they collapsed, succumbing to the same mysterious force.
At the entrance of the cave, a pair of gemstone eyes blinked faintly in the dark, glowing softly with an eerie blue light.
**
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