The Crimson Queen | Leon x OC

CHAPTER 17 -Trial Of The Ruins

Continuation of Chapter 16 - The Purification Quest

TRIAL OF THE RUINS

Azalea's eyes widened slightly. "A Bronzong?"

Charles quickly brought out his Rotom Phone to scan it. His Rotom Phone said, "Bronzong, the Bronze Bell Pokémon. One slept for over 2,000 years until it was accidentally awakened at a construction site."

Noticing its intimidating glare, Professor Rowan spoke up, "It must think we're here to cause trouble."

Bronzong made an angry and intimidating growl, flipping around and aiming its bottom at them. Realizing what was about to happen, Charles spoke up sternly, "This is bad. We must run while we can! It's going to use Flash Cannon!"

Professor Rowan protested, "But we need those documents. Without them, we can't find the artifacts."

Azalea stepped forward, facing Bronzong, and put her hands up as a sign of surrender and innocence. She spoke in a gentle and soothing tone, "Bronzong, we mean you no harm! We're not trying to destroy the ruins."

Charles, wearing a worried expression, stood beside Azalea. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked sternly.

Azalea ignored him and continued to speak to Bronzong, despite its imminent attack. Still in a gentle and comforting tone, she said, "Please, all we want is for you to give us back those documents."

Normally, Bronzong and other intimidating wild Pokémon wouldn't listen, but Azalea was different. For some reason, Bronzong felt a sense of ease, honesty, and truth coming from her. Usually, it would have attacked other trespassers despite their attempts to communicate, but Azalea's voice and aura were different. They made Bronzong almost friendly toward them.

Bronzong slowly lowered itself to the ground, causing Charles and Professor Rowan to be stunned and shocked. Azalea, on the other hand, kept her warm and soft gaze. Bronzong slowly gave the documents back to them.

Professor Rowan grabbed the documents and thanked Bronzong. "Thank you."

Soon, Bronzong left, leaving the three of them alone.

Charles sighed, addressing the two of them. "Come on, we must find them before more Pokémon come."

The trio continued deeper into the ruins, scanning for any signs of evidence or clues that could lead them to the artifacts, while being cautious of their surroundings. Suddenly, they found themselves in a vast, ancient hall, dimly lit by shafts of sunlight filtering through cracks in the ceiling.

Azalea whispered, "We must be getting closer..."

As they ventured further into the hall, they came across a large stone slab adorned with intricate carvings and symbols depicting an ancient ritual involving light. In the center of the chamber stood a pedestal with a crystal lens atop it. They surveyed the room, noting several mirrors and crystalline structures positioned around it, though many were misaligned. Runes carved into the walls glowed faintly as sunlight touched them, indicating their significance.

Charles groaned, recognizing the challenge ahead. "Argh...it's a puzzle. I hate puzzles."

Professor Rowan consulted his document, identifying the puzzle as the first trial: The Light Alignment. He approached the pedestal, experimenting with the mirrors to direct sunlight through the crystal lens. However, without proper alignment, the light scattered, failing to hit the intended runes.

Azalea sighed in frustration, noticing the puzzle's complexity. "This can't be good..."

Suddenly, a Spiritomb materialized before them. Charles smirked with excitement, eager for the challenge. "Finally, a challenge!"