[attr="class","alex"]a smile briefly roused in response to the reply. 

alex couldn't say he was just as fortunate as the little ghost but he hardly valued such a notion when it came to the rest. every time the rounding structure reflected the motioned flame, he was tricked into thinking they'd reached the end of their journey. 

the vastness wasn't as feeble as he'd original thought.

eventually, however — the familiar radiance of the moon cuts into the opening. lycanroc bounds further ahead, catching up with the infernape and eventually emerging into the opening. when alex lastly reaches the ending of the cavern, he stops to catch his breath.

"t—that was quite the hike."

one prominent bark seeks to grasp their attention. the graves atop the mountain are far more notable within the faint light. in the distance seems to be some formation of a pillar. one where a stone once settled.

samuel carter mission link.

the hike wasn't anything out of the ordinary for sam. he trekked the mountain daily. he ran the mountain every morning. it was a different path every morning, so he could make himself familiar with the mountain.

as he came upon the graves, the moonlight hitting them, he found himself smiling fondly. it was gorgeous, absolutely stunning, and anybody who said otherwise was a fool. he'd have to remember this spot for later use.

he looked to alex, seeing the clear fatigue, he regarded him kindly.

"i'll have my gardevoir teleport us back to the entrance of the mountain as soon as we've located the missing person."

alexander silph

[attr="class","alex"]"o—oh sure."

alex tilted his head in appreciation. 

as the group neared the ending, one sprawl of smooth stone resided a platform that seemed to be some grander form of a grave. however — upon closer inspection the pillar settled centre made it seem like a shrine. 

empty of what should've sat within.

"forced to do this, bounded by chain. i almost destroyed the world, i almost lost my power." alex knelt down to read out the riddle devised upon the surface. "have you seen anything like this before? it looks important." or maybe he'd just felt the otherworldly connection beneath a puzzle of words. the beginning of another adventure.

suddenly a figure poked up behind the shadow of the structure. they were visibly distraught and seemed as though they'd just woken up from a daze. 

alex extended a hand towards them. 

"lets get you home."

samuel carter // mission link.

sam's eyes focused on the text read. he watched as alex began helping the individual, and he called forth his gardevoir to teleport them all home.

but that text, it would stick with him.

forced to do this, bounded by chain. i almost destroyed the world, i almost lost my power. have you seen anything like this before? it looks important.

what did it mean?

alexander silph