(Leo POV)
Dracozolt roared as electricity exploded through the chamber, causing dozens of crystals to answer its cry with flashes of yellow-white light. Leo stared at the enormous Fossil Pokémon standing between them and the final passageway, already preparing himself for what looked like another brutal trial.
Princess stepped forward while Kitsfrost moved beside her, both clearly ready to fight despite everything they had already endured. Saphira floated slightly higher as Dracozolt lowered its massive body and watched them with narrowed eyes.
For several seconds, neither side moved. Then, without warning, the enormous Pokémon abruptly straightened and allowed the electricity surrounding its body to disappear.
Leo blinked in confusion and muttered, "What?" Dracozolt ignored the question and instead stared carefully at Princess before turning its attention toward Kitsfrost.
Its gaze lingered considerably longer on Saphira, and Leo could have sworn the Fossil Pokémon looked increasingly uncertain the longer it studied her. Finally, Dracozolt turned toward Leo and released a deep rumble from its throat.
The Pikachu that had guided them through the sanctuary immediately stepped forward and began chirping rapidly. Bertha listened closely before her eyebrows slowly rose in surprise.
Leo turned toward her and asked, "What did it say?" Bertha glanced at Dracozolt before answering, "Apparently, Dracozolt isn't challenging you."
Leo looked toward the enormous Pokémon and relaxed slightly. "That's surprisingly considerate of it after everything else we've fought."
Bertha shook her head almost immediately. "Not exactly. You probably shouldn't celebrate yet."
Dracozolt stepped to the side, revealing a massive stone doorway covered in ancient carvings behind it. Electric currents flowed through the markings like glowing veins, while the Pikachu pointed directly toward the sealed entrance.
Bertha smiled faintly before explaining, "Apparently, everything until now was only the entrance trial." Leo stared at her, then at the enormous doorway, before slowly looking back toward Bertha with disbelief written across his face.
"You're joking," Leo said, desperately hoping she was. Bertha simply shook her head and answered, "No, I'm completely serious."
Princess folded her arms and released an annoyed, "Snivy," clearly sharing Leo's opinion. Leo immediately pointed toward her and said, "Exactly. At least someone understands how ridiculous this is."
They had fought their way through multiple trials before reaching this point, with Princess and Kitsfrost battling until exhaustion while Leo himself had barely managed to defeat an Eelektross. Apparently, all of that effort had only earned them permission to reach the actual entrance.
Saphira suddenly began laughing from beside him. Leo turned toward her and said, "You've done absolutely nothing during these trials, so you don't get to laugh at us."
"Mew," Saphira replied without the slightest trace of shame. She continued laughing until Leo sighed and gestured toward the doorway.
"Let's just go before something else decides we need another entrance test." The ancient doorway slowly opened as electricity moved through its carved markings.
The world beyond the doorway was not another cavern, and Leo immediately stopped after stepping through. Sunlight touched his face, making him genuinely wonder for several seconds whether they had somehow emerged outside again.
Then he looked upward and realized there was no sky above them. Instead, enormous crystals stretched across the distant ceiling, glowing with enough light to imitate natural sunlight across the hidden realm.
The world before them extended farther than the sanctuary above, filled with rolling hills, dense forests, and rivers of pale-blue water. Electric Energy saturated everything around them, yet it didn't feel violent or chaotic like many of the elemental currents throughout the Wild Lands.
Instead, the energy moved with a strange rhythm that almost reminded Leo of breathing. He stepped farther inside while Princess and Kitsfrost followed, and even Saphira became unusually quiet as she studied the surroundings.
Claire walked through behind them and stared across the artificial horizon before saying, "Well, this is definitely more than I expected." Cynthia's expression became increasingly serious as she replied, "This wasn't naturally formed."
Bertha crouched and placed one hand against the ground, remaining silent for several seconds before shaking her head. "No, it wasn't. Whatever created this place either possessed an incredible understanding of Electric Energy or had a very long time to shape it."
Leo looked around the hidden realm and asked, "So what exactly is this place?" Nobody had time to answer before something yellow moved across the distant landscape with incredible speed.
The figure crossed an entire hillside before Leo's eyes could properly follow it, disappearing almost as quickly as it had appeared. Another yellow blur followed, and then several more began appearing across different sections of the hidden realm.
A figure eventually landed atop a stone formation several hundred meters away. Black fur, yellow markings, a long white mane, and piercing blue eyes immediately made Leo recognize the Pokémon.
"Zeraora," Leo said quietly as another appeared behind the first. Then three more arrived, followed by ten, until Leo eventually stopped trying to count them.
Princess moved closer to him while Kitsfrost became completely still. Even Saphira watched the gathering Pokémon with obvious interest as more Zeraora appeared across rocks, trees, cliffs, and sections of open grass.
Claire's expression changed as she said, "There shouldn't be this many of them gathered in one place." Cynthia nodded and added, "Finding even one outside the Electric Domain would already be unusual."
Bertha stared toward the surrounding hills as realization slowly appeared on her face. "This isn't actually a sanctuary for Electric-types, is it?"
Leo understood what she meant almost immediately. "The sanctuary is protecting this place."
The Zeraora began gathering around them without showing any sign of aggression. Some were smaller and obviously younger, while others were enormous adults covered in scars from countless battles.
Several radiated enough Electric Energy that Leo's skin tingled despite the distance separating them. This wasn't a random gathering of rare Pokémon but an organized tribe that had lived here for generations.
Their Pikachu guide stepped forward as one of the larger Zeraora landed silently in front of them. Old scars crossed its arms while its sharp eyes briefly examined each member of Leo's group.
The Zeraora exchanged several sounds with Pikachu before shifting its attention toward Leo, Princess, Kitsfrost, and Saphira. It eventually studied Cynthia, Claire, and Bertha as well before turning around and beginning to walk away.
Leo watched it for several seconds before saying, "I'm guessing that means we follow." Claire raised an eyebrow and asked, "You sound awfully confident about that."
Leo started walking and answered, "I'm not confident at all. I'm just getting used to mysterious Pokémon expecting us to follow them without explaining anything."
The settlement was unlike anything Leo had expected, mainly because there were no buildings resembling anything created by humans. Instead, the Zeraora appeared to have shaped the environment itself around their needs.
Caves had been carved into nearby cliffs, while massive trees grew around platforms made from dark stone. Crystal formations provided natural lighting, and several enormous pillars distributed Electric Energy through glowing channels beneath the ground.
Young Zeraora raced between the structures while adults trained throughout the settlement. Some sparred against one another, while others meditated beneath trees as electricity slowly moved across their bodies.
Leo couldn't stop looking around, and Princess seemed equally fascinated by everything they passed. "This is definitely a civilization," Leo said quietly.
"Snivy," Princess agreed while studying two young Zeraora sparring beside a tree. She barely noticed Saphira beginning to float toward one of the nearby crystal pillars.
Leo caught Saphira's tail without even looking at her. "No, and don't even pretend you weren't about to touch it."
"Mew," Saphira complained as she tried to pull free. Leo tightened his grip slightly and replied, "We've discussed this problem multiple times now."
Princess laughed while several younger Zeraora watched the exchange curiously. One pointed toward Saphira and whispered something to another, causing Saphira to immediately puff out her chest with pride.
Leo noticed the reaction and sighed. "Please don't accidentally start a cult while we're here."
"Mew," Saphira replied confidently, which somehow made Leo trust her even less. He shook his head before continuing after their guide.
Gradually, the settlement became quieter as they moved farther inward. The younger Pokémon disappeared, the warriors stopped training, and even the constant sounds of electricity began fading into the background.
They eventually approached an enormous hill with a single tree growing at its summit. Unlike the pale-yellow tree near the sanctuary entrance, this one's leaves were almost completely white while blue lightning occasionally traveled between its branches.
Leo slowed when he noticed something sitting beneath the tree. At first, he thought it was simply another Zeraora resting beneath the branches.
Then she opened her eyes, and the entire atmosphere changed.
Nothing visibly happened around them, and there was no explosion of power or overwhelming burst of Electric Energy. Yet every instinct Leo possessed suddenly screamed that the Pokémon before him was fundamentally different.
Princess froze beside him while Kitsfrost lowered its body instinctively. Saphira's playful expression disappeared, and even Cynthia, Claire, and Bertha became completely serious.
The Zeraora beneath the tree slowly stood and revealed herself fully. She looked old, but there was an enormous difference between appearing old and appearing weak.
Her fur had faded from bright yellow into pale gold across several areas of her body. Thin silver markings crossed her arms and chest, while multiple scars remained visible beneath her fur.
Her eyes were a deep electric blue, and the energy surrounding her felt wrong to Leo in a way he couldn't completely explain. It wasn't corrupted or unnatural, but simply far greater than anything a normal member of her species should have possessed.
Leo had encountered powerful Pokémon before and had stood near beings capable of reshaping landscapes through raw strength. This felt different because the Zeraora wasn't intentionally releasing any pressure at all.
This was simply what naturally existed around her.
Leo swallowed before quietly saying, "That's the leader." Nobody disagreed with him.
The older Zeraora accompanying them bowed deeply toward the female beneath the tree. Every other Zeraora visible across the hill immediately followed its example.
The leader's gaze slowly moved across the newcomers before eventually stopping on Saphira. For several seconds, neither Pokémon moved as they silently studied one another.
Saphira tilted her head while the Zeraora leader narrowed her eyes slightly. Then, unexpectedly, the ancient Pokémon smiled.
Saphira smiled back immediately, which caused Leo to look between them suspiciously. "I don't like whatever silent conversation the two of you are having."
Princess nodded in agreement while the leader finally shifted her attention toward Leo. His joking expression immediately disappeared once those ancient blue eyes settled on him.
The Zeraora walked forward with quiet steps until she stood only several meters away. At that distance, Leo realized she was noticeably taller than the ordinary members of her species.
Bertha spoke quietly from behind him. "I don't think she's merely old."
Cynthia answered without taking her eyes off the leader. "Neither do I. Something about her existence has gone beyond what a normal Zeraora should be capable of reaching."
Leo glanced toward them and asked, "What exactly do you mean?" Cynthia's eyes remained focused on the ancient Zeraora as she began explaining.
"My grandmother once described Pokémon who survived long enough, trained long enough, or experienced something extraordinary enough to move beyond the natural limits of their species." Cynthia paused briefly before adding, "If those stories were accurate, then what we're looking at might be a Pokémon that has achieved transcendence."
Leo returned his attention toward the ancient Zeraora. "So she transcended the normal limits of a Mythical Pokémon."
Cynthia nodded carefully. "If what I'm sensing is correct, then yes."
The Zeraora leader watched them silently before slowly lifting one hand. Lightning immediately began gathering around her claws.
Leo's expression changed as he muttered, "Oh, that's definitely not good." The older Zeraora beside them pointed toward a massive field beneath the hill.
Leo looked toward Bertha and said, "Please tell me that gesture doesn't mean what I think it means." Bertha smiled awkwardly before answering, "I'm fairly certain you're being challenged."
Leo stared toward the leader while she stared calmly back at him. "You have got to be kidding me."
Her smile widened.
Leo stood alongside Princess, Kitsfrost, and Saphira in the center of the enormous field. Cynthia, Claire, and Bertha had been directed toward the edge of the arena, making it obvious that this trial belonged specifically to Leo and his partners.
Leo wasn't particularly pleased by that realization. Across from them stood the Zeraora leader alone, looking completely relaxed despite facing four opponents at once.
Leo glanced toward Saphira and warned, "No going crazy just because she's strong. We still don't know what this trial is actually supposed to accomplish."
Saphira frowned and replied, "Mew," but Leo kept his expression serious. "I mean it."
Princess looked toward him, causing Leo to add, "The same rule applies to you. Don't do anything reckless just because you want to prove yourself."
"Snivy," Princess responded confidently, while Kitsfrost gave Leo an innocent look from beside her. Leo sighed and said, "And that definitely includes you."
The Zeraora leader watched their exchange with visible amusement. She made no attempt to adopt a battle stance or gather additional power.
Leo could already tell something was wrong with the situation. She simply stood there and waited as though the possibility of losing had never crossed her mind.
Leo exhaled and lowered his body. "Fine, let's see what she actually wants from us."
The battle began before Leo could blink.
One moment, the Zeraora stood across the field. The next, Princess disappeared as a violent shockwave erupted through the arena.
Leo spun around and watched Princess slam into the ground nearly twenty meters away. "Princess!"
She rolled several times before finally stopping. Despite the impact, Princess forced herself upright almost immediately.
Leo's eyes widened when he realized the Zeraora leader was already standing in her original position. She hadn't seriously injured Princess, and that was somehow more frightening than if she had.
She could have done far worse.
She had simply chosen not to.
Kitsfrost attacked first while Saphira moved almost simultaneously. Leo rushed forward from another angle, hoping that three attacks arriving together might force some kind of reaction.
The Zeraora vanished before any of them reached her. Kitsfrost missed completely while Saphira twisted in midair to search for their opponent.
Leo suddenly felt something touch his shoulder. It wasn't a strike, merely the gentle contact of several claws against his clothing.
Lightning exploded across his body.
Leo was launched backward and struck the ground hard enough to empty his lungs. He rolled several times before pain spread across his back and forced him to fight for breath.
Despite everything, Leo pushed himself upright. By then, Saphira was already trying to fight the Zeraora leader directly.
The word fighting was probably generous.
The Zeraora moved around every attack with almost insulting ease. Saphira teleported behind her, only for the ancient Pokémon to turn before she even reappeared.
Saphira attacked from behind as her paw gathered energy. The Zeraora raised one finger and stopped the attack completely.
Saphira's eyes widened in disbelief. The leader casually flicked her forehead.
Saphira immediately became a pink blur flying across the field. Leo stared after her and muttered, "Oh, that's ridiculous."
Princess attacked with all four vines while Kitsfrost rushed from the opposite side. The Zeraora stepped between the vines without allowing a single one to touch her.
Kitsfrost struck from the side, only for the leader to catch it using her tail. Leo's mouth opened slightly as Kitsfrost was gently tossed across the field.
Princess's Leaf Blade descended immediately afterward. The leader blocked the attack using only two fingers.
"Snivy?!" Princess cried in disbelief.
Leo rushed forward and shouted, "I'm with you on that one!"
His body moved almost entirely on instinct as he attempted to attack, adjust, observe, and search for any weakness. The Zeraora leader simply looked at him.
For one brief instant, Leo thought he saw approval in her eyes. Then her palm gently touched his chest.
The world disappeared.
Leo opened his eyes and found himself lying on his back again. The artificial sky glowed peacefully overhead, making the entire situation feel considerably more insulting.
His whole body hurt while Princess lay several feet away. Kitsfrost was slowly getting back onto its feet, and Saphira floated upside down only a short distance above the ground.
Nobody had won anything.
They had barely managed to fight.
Leo started laughing despite himself. Princess slowly looked toward him and released a confused, "Snivy?"
"That wasn't a battle," Leo said as he pushed himself into a sitting position. "That was organized bullying."
Saphira groaned in agreement while Leo looked toward the Zeraora leader. She remained completely untouched and wasn't even breathing harder.
No sweat.
No injuries.
Not even slightly ruffled fur.
Leo stared at her in disbelief until she calmly gestured toward them. The meaning was obvious.
Continue.
Leo's smile disappeared. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
Princess forced herself upright while Kitsfrost moved beside her. Saphira floated properly again despite the irritation on her face.
Leo looked toward all three of his partners. None of them wanted to quit.
That was enough for him.
"Fine," Leo said while forcing himself back to his feet. "Again."
The second round was worse, although not because the leader hit any harder. It was worse because Leo now completely understood how impossible victory actually was.
They couldn't overwhelm her through numbers. They couldn't outspeed her, surprise her, overpower her, or even force her to defend herself seriously.
Every strategy failed almost immediately. Every combination collapsed the moment the leader decided it should.
Yet she never actually finished the battle.
That was when Leo began understanding what was happening.
She could have ended the entire challenge during the first second. Instead, she had deliberately allowed them to continue.
Princess was knocked down again and immediately forced herself upright. Kitsfrost took another strike and did the same.
Saphira was sent flying across the arena and returned without hesitation. Leo hit the ground hard enough that his vision blurred, but he still stood again.
The battle slowly stopped being about winning. Instead, it became entirely about continuing.
Leo's breathing grew heavier as exhaustion spread through his body. Princess's movements slowed while Kitsfrost's legs began trembling from repeated impacts.
Even Saphira had stopped smiling.
The Zeraora leader remained unchanged.
She appeared directly in front of Leo before he could properly react. He barely managed to raise his arms before a controlled strike sent him sliding backward.
Leo somehow remained standing.
Barely.
The leader watched him carefully while Leo wiped a thin trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. "You're testing us."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
That was enough confirmation for Leo.
He laughed weakly and added, "You could've mentioned that before beating us halfway into the ground."
The Zeraora disappeared before he could say anything else. Leo immediately braced himself for another attack.
The strike never came toward him.
Instead, electricity erupted toward Princess.
Leo moved without thinking.
He simply moved.
The blast struck him instead.
Pain tore through his body as electricity overwhelmed his senses. Leo screamed before hitting the ground hard enough that his entire body went numb for several seconds.
Princess's eyes widened as she cried, "SNIVY!" She rushed toward Leo without hesitation.
The Zeraora leader appeared between them.
Princess attacked immediately.
She wasn't trying to win anymore.
She was trying to reach Leo.
Her vines whipped forward one after another while the leader blocked every attack. Princess continued anyway.
Kitsfrost joined her from another angle as Saphira appeared beside Leo. "Mew!"
"I'm fine," Leo answered weakly, despite both of them knowing that wasn't remotely true. Saphira's expression changed as she turned toward the ancient Zeraora.
Something dangerous appeared in her eyes.
Leo immediately grabbed her tail.
"No," he said firmly despite how weak his voice sounded. "This isn't that kind of fight."
Saphira stared at him for several seconds. Slowly, the dangerous energy gathering around her disappeared.
Leo forced himself upright while Princess and Kitsfrost continued fighting. They were still losing just as badly as before.
They were still refusing to retreat.
Leo smiled weakly. "Idiots, every last one of you."
Saphira moved beneath his arm and helped him stand. "Mew."
"Yeah," Leo answered with a tired laugh. "Let's go help the other idiots."
Together, they returned to the fight.
Leo eventually stopped counting how many times he hit the ground. At some point, pain simply became another piece of background information his mind acknowledged before ignoring.
His world narrowed until only four things mattered.
Princess, Kitsfrost, Saphira, Stand back up.
The Zeraora leader continued knocking them down without ever seriously injuring anyone. Every strike carried exactly enough force to test their limits without crossing them.
Leo understood now that there was no victory waiting at the end of this fight. The ancient Zeraora had never expected them to defeat her.
She wasn't measuring their strength.
If strength had been the deciding factor, the test would have ended the instant it began.
She was watching what happened after strength stopped mattering.
She wanted to know what they would do when exhaustion took away technique and pain stripped away confidence. More importantly, she wanted to see what happened once there was no reasonable possibility of success.
Would they abandon one another when protecting someone became inconvenient? Would one of them hide behind the others when standing at the front became painful?
Would they surrender simply because continuing became difficult?
Once Leo understood that, something about the battle became strangely easier.
He stopped trying to defeat her.
Instead, he focused entirely on his partners.
When Princess stumbled, Leo moved to cover her. When Kitsfrost overextended, Saphira pulled it away before the leader could capitalize on the opening.
When Saphira became frustrated and tried to force the issue, Princess used her vines to slow her down. Whenever Leo's legs nearly gave out beneath him, all three Pokémon immediately moved in front of him.
The leader watched every interaction.
Her attacks gradually changed.
They became more complicated rather than stronger.
She began attacking their formation, patience, judgment, and trust instead of merely overwhelming them physically. Every new exchange seemed specifically designed to create opportunities for one member of the group to abandon another.
At one point, she deliberately created three separate openings. Each one looked like an opportunity for them to finally land a meaningful attack.
Leo recognized the trap at the last moment. "Don't take them!"
The Zeraora leader smiled, then she attacked anyway. All four of them went flying across the arena. Leo remained on the ground for several seconds before laughing.
"That was incredibly rude." To his surprise, the Zeraora leader actually chuckled.
Leo immediately froze while Princess stared at her in disbelief. Saphira sat upright as Kitsfrost tilted its head curiously.
The leader finally relaxed.
The pressure surrounding the battlefield disappeared.
Just like that, the battle was over.
Nobody understood at first.
Then the surrounding Zeraora began pounding their fists against the ground.
Thunder rolled through the hidden realm as hundreds of members of the tribe joined them. The sound became almost deafening.
Leo slowly pushed himself upright and looked around in confusion. "Did we actually pass?"
Bertha shouted from the edge of the arena, "I think so!"
Leo looked toward the leader as she calmly approached. Princess struggled upright beside him while Kitsfrost followed.
Saphira floated next to Leo, looking considerably less dignified than she probably wanted. Her normally smooth fur was completely disheveled from repeatedly being thrown around the arena.
The Zeraora leader stopped directly in front of them.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then she crouched and gently placed one hand on Princess's head. Princess froze before slowly relaxing beneath the gesture.
The ancient Zeraora moved next to Kitsfrost and did the same. Afterward, she gently touched Saphira's forehead.
Saphira blinked several times.
Finally, the leader looked toward Leo.
Her hand rested against his shoulder.
Warm Electric Energy flowed through his body.
It wasn't enough to completely heal his injuries, but it dulled the worst of his pain and allowed him to breathe without feeling like his ribs were protesting.
Leo exhaled slowly and said, "Thanks. I appreciate that considerably more now than I would've before the beating."
The leader smiled, then she gently tapped his chest. Directly over his heart.
Leo understood then, the battle itself had never truly mattered. The earlier trials measured skill, adaptability, teamwork.
This one measured something different. It measured what remained when skill wasn't enough. When talent wasn't enough.
When victory itself wasn't possible.
Leo looked toward his partners.
Princess was exhausted but still standing.
Kitsfrost could barely keep its legs steady.
Saphira's fur looked like she had been thrown through a thunderstorm.
Leo suspected he looked considerably worse than all three.
Yet every one of them was smiling.
Leo started laughing again and said, "Worth it."
Princess stared at him before replying, "Snivy."
Leo immediately corrected himself. "Mostly worth it."
Saphira slapped his arm.
Leo laughed again.
The Zeraora leader turned away and began walking toward the enormous white-leaved tree. After several steps, she glanced over her shoulder.
She was inviting them to follow.
Leo looked toward the others.
Cynthia smiled while Claire shook her head in amusement. Bertha looked far more relieved than she had during the battle.
Princess stepped forward first.
Kitsfrost followed beside her.
Saphira floated close to Leo.
He sighed before beginning to walk after the ancient Zeraora. "Apparently, we're still not done."
The leader's ears twitched.
Leo could have sworn she laughed again.
Together, they followed her toward the enormous tree.
Behind them, the Zeraora tribe continued watching.
As Leo followed the ancient leader deeper into the hidden realm, one thought refused to leave the back of his mind. The Zeraora had somehow transcended the natural limits of a Mythical Pokémon.
Yet throughout their entire battle, Leo had never once felt her use anything approaching her full strength. Not even remotely.
For some reason, that thought excited him far more than it frightened him.