Even for the hardened explorer that had been to the most inhospitable corners of Hoenn, this was unsettling. Spine-chilling, even. "It's hard to say," Shalin answered Sven. "That's why the League has tasked me with learning as much about the rifts as I can. It would not surprise me if the space in the rifts combines to form an area larger than all Hoenn." As Shalin's eyes shifted about the entrance chamber, she pondered Sven's question. "It wouldn't surprise me; I've already found a sundial that can manipulate time. It was terrifying to mess with. Making the sun go backwards in the sky was... wild."

Shalin nodded upon the idea of a base camp. "Good idea. There's one by the rift's entrance, but we're so far from there that we need one outside the temple. I get the feeling we're going to be in and out of there a lot." It wouldn't take long for them to get a functional camp running.

Thankfully for the trio, the Espathra hadn't noticed them yet, making Shalin's prowess as a sniper deadly. Closing one eye, she steadily aimed just below the base of the neck of one of them. While such a blow wouldn't be lethal, it would almost certainly incapacitate them. With Chamomile's assistance, Shalin would be able to get the jump on them and take most of them out. A parting LUMINA CRASH seared Shalin and her mount. While she was able to shrug off the initial blow, it left both of them glowing a sickly purple color. Those familiar with the species knew it was LUMINA CRASH's lingering curse, corroding away the protection Starr's mind and Shalin's SYGNA SUIT conferred against energy attacks.

In a similar flash of violet from the ceiling, an illusion masking a wooden treasure chest vanished. The only problem was the chest was hanging from the ceiling upside down, in apparent defiance of gravity. "What in the world...?" Shalin mumbled. "And I thought a floor of lava and a ceiling of ice was wild. Just when you thought you've seen everything..." With the coast clear, Shalin briefly dismounted Starr to investigate the mystery using her Flygon, Sandy. It was quickly apparent that, as things were, opening the latch while it was upside down would be tedious at best. "I don't have a Pokémon that can easily hang upside down. If only I had a Crobat or something..."

While she was close to the eye-covered plate, Shalin steadied her AVIAN BOW the best she could, though her mount's humming wings made that easier said that done. After one arrow bounced off the plate's edge and snapped in two, the second hit its mark. The eye closed, and two clicking noises preceded a subtle grinding noise coming from the chamber's center. From a small pedestal rose what appeared to be a fragment of Sceptilite. Shalin scooped it up and flew back toward Elise and Sven.

You got a Sceptilite Fragment! This is your 1st one!

"It's faint..." Shalin said as she held the green, hard object in the palm of her hand, "...but can you feel the Infinity Energy radiating from it? It's got to be part of a Mega Stone!"

Once they were done, Shalin swapped ride Pokémon back to the green Espeon and led the way west. Several Swoobat hung from the ceiling of the tunnel-like confines beyond. Several large floor switches that looked rusted out, one on the ceiling and the rest on the floor, caught Shalin's attention. "What is going on here? Why is half the stuff in here upside down?"

The comms units were localized, as well, meaning they could stay in touch with one another as long as they didn't wander too far from anyone else. "Fancy!" Shalin replied with a smile as she put her earpiece in. "So they've got the Gym Leader on a wild Swanna chase here, too," she mused, knowing Josh personally. "Doesn't surprise me. He's a good kid, but he's a different kind of adventurous. Definitely one of those people that puts the 'two hundred miles an hour' in 'two hundred mile an hour tape.' " That term emerged from a different kind of racing in motorsports, but it was much the same to her: high speed competition she wanted nothing to do with.

"On it, Sven!" Shalin cried. "Coming for you as soon as I can!" Starr darted through the wide open chamber, paying attention to neither the mural on the wall nor the Yanmega on patrol as her rider guided her past the quicksand on the northwest side of the chamber and to a staircase leading to the basement.

The basement Sven was trapped in was sandy and dark, its only light source a pool of superheated molten rock on the far end from where the researcher was at. If he were to walk around, he would see that he was trapped: an almost prison cell-like observation platform let him survey the room quite well if he could solve the lighting issue. The only way out was blockaded by a large, cubic hunk of stone with the image of a shining sun on each of its faces. If the explorer had a flashlight on him, he would find that the dark-colored stone reacted to intense light. With the cell was also a second, smaller chest. If Sven were to prop it open, he would find a SCEPTILITE FRAGMENT.

You got a SCEPTILITE FRAGMENT! This is your 2nd one!

When Shalin descended to the basement, she would be able to see very little, as well, lighting the room up with Starr's DAZZLING GLEAM. The extremely bright light caused the sun stone to disintegrate, but it also woke four Magcargo that looked none too pleased to be aroused. They hurled bursts of LAVA PLUME and EARTH POWER toward the explorers from the safety of the magma pool, making melee attacks from most Pokémon unhelpful. Provided Sven and Elise were able to handle the fire-types, the magma would cool and let the trio cross to an alcove on the far side. Within they would find not just a SMALL KEY, but perhaps something more valuable: a DUNGEON MAP.

You got a SMALL KEY! This key can open any one lock. You can use it only in this dungeon.

You got the DUNGEON MAP! Blue rooms are the ones you've visited. Your location is the purple room. The dark rooms are the ones you haven't visited yet.