Due to the appearance of the Tyrantrum, Wallace on the platform
noticed the commotion and glanced over.
When he saw Lionel on the Tyrantrum's back, his eyes lit up, and he flashed a bright smile.
Lionel and Wallace waved in greeting.
Juan followed Wallace's gaze and, upon seeing Lionel, nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Then, the two turned back to continue their focused preparations for the festival.
As time passed and the sun rose higher, everyone's attention was focused on the massive platform by the lake.
Finally, the festival ceremony officially began.
Wallace and Juan stood side by side in the center of the platform. Juan stepped forward first, raising an ancient scepter.
He took a deep breath and began to chant in a low, resonant voice—an ancient hymn, its language obscure and difficult to understand.
As he chanted, the blue gem at the top of the scepter suddenly lit up, its soft blue light spreading out, instantly silencing the previously noisy lake.
All the boats stopped moving, and the people on board rose and bowed towards the sacrificial platform.
Wallace stood beside him, hands clasped together, his expression...
The teardrop-shaped ornament he wore on his chest began to emit a faint blue light as the Adamic prayer was chanted, and the light grew brighter and brighter.
The water vapor on the lake seemed to be drawn upwards, slowly rising, gathering and swirling above the altar.
Just then, the boats on the lake began to move.
The residents, navigating their boats in a certain order, slowly rowed towards the platform and then threw their offerings into the lake.
The colorful offerings fell into the water, creating ripples that quickly disappeared into the clear lake water.
... Finally, the Wailord tilted its body slightly, turning over all the offerings piled on its back and plunging them into the lake. The materials, rich in water-based energy, sank to the bottom, as if offering a sacrifice to the life-giving lake.
Meanwhile, a group of people from the Glass City, dressed in traditional attire, who had been waiting by the altar, stepped forward and began to dance a strange and ancient dance around Wallace and Lizabeth.
As Lizabeth's chanting of the incantation reached its climax, the lake began to ripple gently, no longer the ripples left by the passing boats, but a pervasive tremor emanating from the depths of the lake.
Above City, dark clouds drifted in, gradually gathering and obscuring the sun's rays, and the sky slowly darkened.
A light drizzle began to fall.
Just then, a faint buzzing sound reached everyone's ears; the sound was very soft, yet it seemed to penetrate the soul, sending chills down their spines.
The previously hushed crowd fell into a deathly silence. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the lake, their hearts pounding.
An invisible yet powerful pressure emanated from the lake, causing many to instinctively take a step back.
On the sacrificial platform, Lizabeth and Wallace's expressions also turned solemn. The elves around them all lowered their heads, gazing at the water, as if awaiting the arrival of something sacred.
The once clear waters of the central lake gradually darkened, as if a massive shadow was rising from the lakebed, enveloping the entire lake.
An invisible pressure spread, and all the elves around the platform lowered their heads, displaying extreme respect. The live stream chat exploded with comments, but the content was somewhat unexpected:
[Holy crap! Seriously? I live in Lavaridge Town. It was sunny just a moment ago, how come it suddenly started raining?]
[Upstairs, you too?! I'm in Petelberg Town, it suddenly started raining outside too, without any warning!]
[I'm in Pacifidog Town, it's raining too! This rain is so weird, there was no warning at all!]
Lionel didn't have time to look at the live stream chat; all his attention was focused on the huge shadow beneath the lake.
The shadow at the bottom of the lake grew increasingly dark, the blackness deepening, inspiring fear, like a giant whirlpool leading to an unknown world.
Countless people stared intently at the black lake water, their faces filled with shock and trepidation, their breath almost stopping.
The shadow moved slowly at the bottom of the lake, becoming clearer and clearer, a huge outline vaguely appearing.
Excitement gleamed in Wallace and Lizabeth's eyes. Juan's chanting became more rapid, and the blue light from the teardrop ornament on Wallace's chest almost exploded, forming a pillar of light that shot straight into the sky.
In the sea tunnel outside the lake, countless water-type Pokémon were rushing towards them.
Swarms of Water Pokémon skimmed across the water, Gyarados weaved through them, and even a few rare Kingdra were present. In the sky, flocks of gulls and long-winged gulls circled and soared, emitting cries.
However, just when everyone thought something earth-shattering was about to happen, the black shadow in the center of the lake began to slowly shrink, receding little by little like the receding tide, until it finally disappeared completely.
The powerful oppressive feeling that had enveloped the air also receded like the tide, and the lake surface returned to its clarity. The sky remained overcast, and the rain continued to fall steadily.
Juan and Wallace, on the platform, watched the lake regain its calm, their excitement fading, replaced by a hint of disappointment. They sighed softly.
The surrounding spectators also breathed a sigh of relief and began to whisper among themselves.
"That dark figure just now…could it have been Kyogre?"
"I thought I'd see the legendary Pokémon, what a pity."
"Even though we didn't see Kyogre, the scene just now was so breathtaking! This festival was definitely worth coming to!"
Lionel also felt a little regretful.
He had originally hoped to see what Kyogre of this world looked like, to feel the majesty of the legendary Pokémon that controlled the ocean, but in the end, he was disappointed.
Just then, the live stream chat exploded with comments, refreshing at a near-invisible speed:
[Holy crap! Streamer, look! Look up, look up at the sky!]
[Holy crap! My god! What's that thing in the sky? It scared me to death!]
[Look up! Look up! Streamer, look up quickly!]
His phone vibrated wildly, letting Lionel see the comments. He abruptly looked up, gazing at the sky over Sootopolis City shrouded in dark clouds.
Within the clouds covering Sootopolis City, an extremely massive shadow was slowly moving, almost covering half the sky.
The shadow's outline was indistinct; the only thing discernible was its enormous size, like a black mountain suspended in the air.
The clouds suddenly parted without warning.
The next second, a colossal beast appeared in the sky, its deep blue skin shimmering in the lightning, its body surrounded by surging, turbulent water.
Its golden, vertical pupils slowly opened, instantly locking onto the people on the Crystal Island. Its enormous wings flapped gently, and the black sea of clouds seemed to come alive, yielding and retreating to either side.
At that moment, the sky seemed to transform into an ocean abyss, showcasing the terrifying beast's majesty. Only the suppressed sound of rushing water and its deep roar filled the air.
Everyone forgot to breathe at that moment.
Kyogre has descended!
***************************
Thoughts on where the plot is heading? Let me know in the comments! If you're enjoying the ride, please leave a quick review and toss a few Power Stones my way. Every bit of support means the world! 🙌