When Alex and Shalin held both levers down simultaneously, the sound of metal grinding against metal could be heard from around the corner. The iron bars blocking the way to the interior of the mountain spire dropped into the floor.
"That did it! Thanks, Alex!" Shalin cheered.
"Couldn't have done it without you!" With that, she and Kiara jogged through the now-open door frame, excited to see what was beyond.
After a short hall with a moderate upward grade to it, Shalin gasped at what she saw. The two were able to behold an almost castle-like grand hall, several paintings depicting large bird Pokémon alongside humans dressed in strange clothes. She circled the room, taking many photographs for her report on the ancient marvel. Light filtering in from balcony entrances on the west and east sides kept the hall reasonably well lit. There were large candlesticks scattered about, roughly half of them haphazardly on the floor, the other half still standing. Whatever wick had been on them had long since been used, and all of them were quite dusty.
One mural that particularly caught her eye at the top of the east staircase leading to the outdoor balcony on that side. It depicted a kingly figure and what one could only assume was his prince, standing next to two big Braviary that were feeding from their hands. The two humans and their birds were both armored, their protective gear bearing the insignia of three crossed feathers: one red, one white, and one blue.
"It's almost like this place is Fortree City before Fortree City was even thought of," Shalin remarked. She noticed Kiara was having a hard time keeping up; she withdrew the Pokémon and kept Tari's Poké Ball in her right hand, just in case.
Shalin advanced up the stairs to the eastern balcony, paying no heed to a draft that was coming through at the top of the staircase when it split left and right. She stepped onto the balcony, and found six Sunflora were dancing in the bright light that seemed to pierce the thick clouds covering the balcony. It was a mystery; while the balcony itself was receiving direct sunlight from above, the clouds surrounding it were so thick that she could not see more than a few feet beyond the rail. It was a good thing she had her Scolipede at the ready, because the wilds did not seem at all happy about the girl's intrusion!
"Tari, cover for me!" Shalin cried, releasing the big insect. As soon as they saw the Poison-type, their flowers all began glowing a faint yellow that rapidly increased in brightness as time passed.
"Don't let them use their Solar Beam, Tari! Show them your Poison Tail!" The venomous bug-type built up speed circling the edge of the balcony, skewering two of the six before they could finish charging up their attacks. Just as he was about to show another Sunflora her sharp, toxic tail, all four had finished charging their devastating Grass-type attacks.
"Oh Arceus!" Shalin shouted as one of the Sunflora shot its concentrated beam of sunlight at her. She dove out of the way a split second before it would have impacted her--right into another of the wilds' attacks. She let out a loud scream as the solar energy grazed her right side. Sensing the urgency, Tari was quick to sting the rest of the wilds with her venomous tail. She quickly came to her trainer's aid.
At least Shalin was able to stand on her own. Thankfully the part of the Solar Beam that struck her wasn't where the energy was most concentrated, but it still burned pretty harshly. She would need to get it looked at once she got back to Fortree City. After the confusion of battle, she noticed a small
COMPASS sitting on an end table, but its nose did not point toward magnetic north; it instead pointed to her northeast.
"It's like this compass is tracking...something else..." Shalin said between deep breaths. She stumbled back into the empty grand hall and sat down to ensure she couldd properly treated the Solar Beam wound in the best manner her supplies would let her.
Alexei Ivanov NAME SPECIES STATUS
Shalin Human ♥♥♥
Flit Yanmega Good
Kiara Litleo Fair
Jugan Snivy Good
Prance Stantler Good
Tari Scolipede Fair{WC: 703}
{PC: 5}