"Someone must have launched a massive attack from the surface. We need to be careful," Brandon muttered, bracing himself against the trembling walls of the Starry Sky Shrine.
"Regirock, use Dig and forge a new path to the surface."
Brandon realized the tunnel he had used to enter was no longer stable; he needed an alternative escape route immediately.
The Predator Descends
On the surface, General Julian watched the churning magma from his bridge. "Excellent. Fire the Ice Beam," he commanded.
A thick, crystalline blue beam erupted from the still-glowing cannon of the warship. Upon contact, the flowing lava flash-cooled, hardening into black volcanic rock in seconds.
"Let's head down. That much noise should have put an end to whatever fight was happening below," Julian said with a fanatical glint in his eyes. He clenched his fist. "This time, I'm bringing Jirachi back as my crowning collection piece."
Meanwhile, on a small hill not far from the devastated tower site, the earth buckled. Regirock emerged, carrying a disheveled and soot-covered Brandon.
"Dammit... the Hunters bombed the Tower," Brandon growled, looking up at the massive warship hovering over the smoking crater. His fists were white-knuckled with frustration.
"General Julian's fleet... their target was Jirachi after all. They say his only hobby is collecting Steel-types; he was never going to pass up a Wishing Star."
Brandon whistled, summoning his Staraptor. "I have to report back to the Pope. There are other sites recorded in the scrolls where Jirachi might appear, but I don't know if we have enough time before the comet arrives." He vanished into the night sky, heading back toward the Temple.
Empty Sanctuary
When Julian and his men finally breached the Starry Sky Shrine, they found it cold and empty. The chamber was filled with massive icicles and scarred by battle, but the pedestal was vacant. Most tellingly, a large hole had been bored through the ceiling—the clear escape route of the person who had beaten them to the prize.
"General! There are traces of the Three Titans everywhere," Shumoto reported, holding up a high-tech sensor. "If our readings are correct, the archeologist Brandon was just here. He either took Jirachi himself or knows exactly who did. We've also picked up residual energy signatures from the Wishing Star."
"So, a mere archeologist thinks he can snatch my prize?" Julian sneered. "I recall he controls the Three Titans. He has Registeel, and the Garden family has Heatran... my collection is almost complete."
"Change course for the Garden Estate," Julian growled. "Tell them to hand over the Heatran, or the Steel General's wrath will turn their precious gardens into a sea of fire."
The Ultimatum
Back at the Garden Estate, Feng Che found Yuan Xiong and Yuan Na staring at a letter, their faces pale with worry.
"What's happened?"
"Master Feng Che, thank goodness you're back. Look at this," Yuan Xiong said, handing him the parchment.
Feng Che scanned the text. A mocking smile touched his lips. "Hmph. They really think our family is easy prey. Now every stray dog thinks they can bark at our gate."
"As long as I'm here, neither this family nor Heatran is up for grabs. If they reach for us, I'll take their hands."
He dropped the letter onto the floor. To Feng Che, now a Champion-level trainer, the threat of a mere hunting guild was negligible.
"Master, Julian is a notorious criminal in Sinnoh. He's ruthless, and he commands a warship with enough firepower to level a city," Yuan Xiong warned. "Even the League avoids a direct confrontation with him."
"Don't worry. Shaymin alone could dismantle him," Feng Che said coolly. "He relies entirely on his high-tech toys. Strip those away, and he's nothing but a loud-mouthed bully."
Seeing Feng Che's unshakeable calm, the two elders finally felt a sense of relief.
"By the way, contact Celestic Town," Feng Che added, his expression turning grave. "They need to know that the Temple and the League aren't their only problems. The Volkner family, the Bertha clan, and the Pastoria Temple are all moving into position."
"What?!" Yuan Xiong gasped. "Why would the elemental clans turn on them? We've provided them with so many resources!"
"Greed," Feng Che explained simply. "We've made them too wealthy, and it has fed their ambition. They believe that if they help the Temple crush Celestic Town—our primary shield—then the Garden family's vast riches will fall into their laps."