The tremor faded as quickly as it had begun.
But the silence that followed felt heavier than before.
People in the streets of Ignivar Town looked around nervously. A few whispered to each other, while others simply continued their work as if nothing had happened.
Elior stood still in front of the Ignivar Volcanic Research Institute.
Infernyx's flames flickered slightly, reacting to the heat rising from the ground.
Voltiger's sparks crackled nervously.
Lunashade's shadow stretched longer across the stone street.
Professor Kaedra looked toward the ground with a serious expression.
"…That was deeper than the usual volcanic shifts," she said.
Elior frowned.
"So the volcano is active?"
Kaedra shook her head.
"No. Ignivar's volcano has been dormant for decades."
She turned and looked toward the tall flame-shaped tower behind her.
"But there are things beneath this town."
Elior raised an eyebrow.
"Things?"
Kaedra studied him for a moment, then looked at his Pokémon.
Infernyx.
Lunashade.
Voltiger.
"…You might actually be the right person to see this," she said quietly.
She gestured toward the institute.
"Come inside."
Inside the Research Institute
The building was filled with shelves of volcanic rocks, glowing crystals, and ancient stone fragments covered in strange carvings.
Elior walked slowly through the room, studying the displays.
Voltiger jumped onto a nearby table, curious about a glowing stone.
Infernyx's flames reflected off the polished obsidian walls.
Lunashade remained near Elior, its silver eyes observing everything.
Professor Kaedra stopped in front of a large stone tablet placed in the center of the room.
"This was discovered thirty years ago," she explained.
"It was buried deep beneath Ignivar Town."
Elior stepped closer.
The tablet was covered in ancient symbols.
In the center was a strange carving.
Three shapes.
A flame.
A shadow.
And a bolt of lightning.
Elior froze.
Infernyx's flames flared slightly.
Voltiger's sparks jumped wildly.
Lunashade's shadow darkened.
Kaedra noticed immediately.
"…So you feel it too."
Elior looked at her.
"What is this?"
Kaedra crossed her arms.
"An ancient record."
She pointed to another part of the carving.
Below the three symbols was a massive shape drawn beneath the earth.
Something enormous.
Something sleeping.
"This tablet describes an ancient guardian," Kaedra said.
"Something that sleeps beneath this region."
Elior felt a chill run through him despite the heat of the room.
"A Pokémon?"
Kaedra nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Her voice lowered.
"And according to these carvings… it awakens when certain energies appear on the surface."
Voltiger sparked nervously.
Infernyx's flames flickered.
Lunashade remained completely still.
Elior swallowed.
"What kind of energy?"
Kaedra looked directly at him.
"…Resonance."
The room fell silent.
Meanwhile…
On a rooftop across the street, two cloaked figures observed the institute through a small scanner.
Agents of Team Umber.
One of them spoke quietly into a communicator.
"The subject has entered the research institute."
A pause.
Then a voice answered from the other side.
"Good."
"Continue observation."
The agent looked toward the building.
"…The resonance energy spike is increasing."
Another voice spoke through the communicator.
"Then Phase One is nearly complete."
The agent's eyes narrowed.
"And Phase Two?"
The response came coldly.
"Phase Two begins tonight."
Back inside the institute, Elior stared at the ancient carving again.
Flame.
Shadow.
Lightning.
All connected to the sleeping figure beneath the earth.
His three partners stood beside him.
And suddenly—
The ground trembled again.
Slightly stronger this time.
Infernyx's flames rose.
Voltiger sparked violently.
Lunashade's silver eyes glowed.
Professor Kaedra whispered one sentence.
"…Something below us just moved."
Far beneath Ignivar Town—
Deep within the ancient caverns—
Two glowing eyes slowly opened.
And for the first time in centuries…
They were fully awake.
And the journey continues...