The third chamber wasn't a room.
It was a void.
Cyrus stepped through the doorway expecting another cathedral hall… but the stone beneath his boots dissolved into endless black, stretching forever in every direction. Above, floating impossibly high in the darkness, a single stained-glass window glowed like a moon ripped out of the cathedral and hung in the night sky.
Ceruledge walked beside him, swords low, armor humming. Even his flames dimmed—swallowed by the abyss.
A voice drifted across the void.
Silky. Echoing. Ageless.
"Welcome, challenger."
From the dark emerged Lady Saelira, the Ghostlord of Noctopolis. Her black robes faded into mist, and her veil shimmered with the same colors as the window overhead.
"You have crossed the path of grief… of fear… of memory. Now, you face the sovereign of spirits."
Cyrus swallowed.
"Alright."
A tiny giggle flicked across the chamber like a pebble skipping water.
"Ooooh, this place is spooky~"
Hoopa's disembodied sing-song.
Cyrus ignored it.
Saelira raised her hand."Let the final trial begin."
A Pokéball ignited in violet flame.
Round One — Gengar vs. Chandelure
A Chandelure spiraled upward, its blue-white flames swirling like a hungry vortex.
Gengar shot forward instantly, cackling, spinning upside-down just because it amused him.
Saelira's voice echoed:
"Chandelure—Infernal Will-O-Wisp."
Blue flames burst outward in a wide halo, circling the battlefield like floating, cursed satellites.
"Gengar—Shadow Ball!"
Gengar launched a spiraling dark orb.
Chandelure drifted aside, elegant and eerie, then retaliated—
"Flamethrower."
A roaring blast of ghostfire ripped toward Gengar.
"Dodge and Hypnosis!"
Gengar slipped through the air like smoke—vanishing, reappearing behind Chandelure, eyes swirling in neon spirals.
The chandelier wavered—
—flickered—
—and slumped, flames guttering.
Cyrus snapped his fingers.
"Dream Eater!"
Gengar hurled himself into the sleeping Chandelure with a delighted shriek and devoured the nightmare energy in a burst of purple light.
Chandelure's flames extinguished as the illusion shattered.
Saelira bowed her head.
"First spirit fades."
A soft whisper floated down from nowhere:
"Gengaaaar ate the dream like candy~"
Cyrus grit his teeth.
Hoopa was having too much fun.
Round Two — Ceruledge vs. Froslass
Saelira lifted her second Pokéball.
It opened with a burst of frost.
Froslass emerged, floating like a ghostly bride over a frozen graveyard.
Cyrus pointed forward.
"Ceruledge—your turn."
Ceruledge stepped forward silently, flames gathering around his blades.
Saelira lifted her hand.
"Froslass—Hailbound Curtain."
The void erupted into a freezing storm. Snowflakes froze midair, suspended like razor-thin shards of glass, forming a deadly, hovering field around Cyrus and Ceruledge.
"Ceruledge—Shadow Sneak!"
Ceruledge vanished into darkness—reappearing above Froslass with a downward slash.
Froslass streaked aside with supernatural grace and whipped a beam of cold straight into Ceruledge's chest.
"Frost Breath."
The icy blast cracked across his armor. Ceruledge slid backwards, boots scraping sparks across the invisible floor.
Cyrus clenched his jaw.
"Bitter Blade!"
Ceruledge's blades ignited orange-red. He dashed forward, carving through the frozen air, slicing into Froslass with a flame-steeped strike that drained energy and restored strength.
Froslass shrieked, ice mask fracturing.
Hoopa's little voice drifted close—too close:
"Oooh, hot sword wins against cold ghost~"
Cyrus snapped, "Not helping."
Froslass floated shakily, cloak fluttering like torn fabric.
Cyrus cut his hand downward.
"Finish it—Shadow Claw!"
Ceruledge vanished in a streak of black and purple—reappeared right behind Froslass—and slashed.
The ghost collapsed into glittering frost.
Saelira lowered her hands.
"One more test remains."
Round Three — Tyrunt vs. Mimikyu
Saelira's final Pokéball rose.
Its glow was deep void-purple.
A cold wind whispered across the chamber.
When it opened…a Mimikyu emerged.
Crooked Pikachu disguise.
Empty eyes.A head tilt just a little too far to be natural.
Even Hoopa stopped giggling.
Cyrus whispered, "…yeah, of course."
Saelira's voice sharpened."Mimikyu—Play Rough."
The fairy suddenly blitzed forward, clawing and slashing in a chaotic frenzy.
Cyrus reacted fast."Tyrunt—go!"
The little cobalt dinosaur burst onto the field, roaring and stomping hard enough to crack light across the void floor.
Mimikyu slammed into him mid-summon—but Tyrunt held, teeth bared.
"Dragon Tail!"
Tyrunt spun, tail glowing, smashing straight into Mimikyu's fake Pikachu head.
The wooden head snapped clean off, rolling across the floor.
Mimikyu shrieked—unholy and furious.
"Ancient Power!"
A glowing boulder blasted directly into the now-exposed ghostling.
Mimikyu skidded far across the black expanse.
"Crunch!"
Tyrunt charged, jaws glowing.
Mimikyu lunged with a desperate Shadow Claw—
—but Tyrunt clamped down hard and slammed it into the floor.
Silence.
Saelira raised her staff.
"The trial is complete."
Badge Ceremony
The void dissolved like melting ink.
Light poured down from the stained-glass window above, washing color back into the world.
Cyrus exhaled—long, shaky.
"Holy crap…"
A delighted whisper chimed from the unseen rafters:
"Cyyyrus woooon~! I knew he would! Heehee…"
He ignored it completely.
Saelira approached, placing a cold, ornate emblem in his palm.
"The Specter Badge. May the spirits watch over you—and whichever follows you."
Cyrus held it up. A silver crescent surrounded by tiny ghostly flames.
Ceruledge walked beside him, silent but proud. Gengar reappeared upside-down because of course he did. Tyrunt stomped happily.
Cyrus smiled softly.
"Good work, team."
Hoopa's voice chimed again, light and amused:
"Oooh, what will we play next~?"
Cyrus did not dignify that with an answer.
He just walked forward, badge shining in hand, into the bright corridor leading out of the Ghostlord's domain.