The pillar used for sealing instantly stirred up distant memories in Silas's mind.
Back then, in order to find this very pillar, he had searched all over Glaseado Mountain and Casseroya Lake. In the end, he only discovered it tucked away in some obscure corner after checking a guide, which made the memory all the more unforgettable.
"Cyc?"
Cyclizar moved closer to his feet, letting out a worried call.
"I'm fine. I just remembered something from the past that wasn't very pleasant."
Silas gently patted Cyclizar, signaling that there was no need to worry.
He withdrew his gaze and looked toward the two professors.
Better not release that deer for now. Without a proper way to handle it, it would be a disaster.
Reality was not a game. Those four Pokémon, in the lore, had records of destroying an entire empire.
Silas strongly suspected that the Treasures of Ruin themselves were incarnations of four natural disasters.
The cauldron represented earthquakes, the sword represented avalanches, the tablets represented drought, and the beads represented fire.
Any one of these disasters would throw Paldea into chaos.
Fortunately, their power could not influence the entire Pokémon world like Groudon and Kyogre. Otherwise, in terms of destructive capability, they might even surpass those two.
Out of the corner of his eye, Silas noticed the two professors enthusiastically discussing the pillar.
He had to persuade them.
"Professors, have you found anything?"
The two shook their heads. This was the first time they had seen something like this.
"I do have a guess," Silas said slowly. "The patterns on the pillar look like part of a bronze cauldron."
With that hint, the two examined it more closely. The more they looked, the more it resembled one.
In Paldea, anything related to a bronze cauldron immediately reminded them of a legend from the empire era.
"Could it be…?"
"It's possible."
The two exchanged cryptic remarks, their brows furrowing at the same time. If that were true, then not only could they not destroy it, they would have to inform the League to protect it.
"Professor? Is there a problem?" Silas asked.
"In the legends of Paldea, the bronze cauldron symbolizes disaster. It is not a good sign," Professor Turo explained.
"It is said that during the empire era, a merchant brought four treasures from a distant eastern land. From that point on, the once prosperous kingdom began its decline."
"Since then, people have called those four items the Treasures of Ruin, and the bronze cauldron is one of them."
"Mom, what happened to the four treasures in the end?" Arven asked curiously after listening so intently.
"They were said to have been sealed away somewhere in Paldea by a mysterious trainer," Professor Sada replied.
"As for this pillar, we believe it is related to that seal."
"Then what should we do now? Pull it out or…"
"No. Until we understand the situation, we should leave it as it is."
Even with their vast knowledge, neither of them dared to act rashly when it came to something tied to the legendary Treasures of Ruin.
The safest course of action was to maintain the status quo. Even if it turned out to be wrong, at least it would not make things worse.
"When we return, we'll look into records at Blueberry Academy. Once we confirm the details, we can decide what to do."
"Rotom, contact the League and have them send someone to guard this place."
"No problem, Rotom."
Watching their reactions, Silas felt relieved. He had been worried they might recklessly experiment like in Area Zero, trying to uncover the sealed Pokémon.
Having the League send professionals to monitor the site was the best possible outcome.
With a direct line to the League, the professors quickly made contact, speaking in rapid Paldean dialect before Professor Turo finally ended the call.
"The League will send trainers immediately. Mr. Silas, if you have other matters, you may leave first."
"Alright."
Silas nodded, said goodbye to the three of them, and called Cyclizar as they headed down the snowy mountain.
As soon as he arrived back at the berry tree, five Pokémon approached.
"Did you all have fun? No fighting, right?"
"Charca!"
The normal Charcadet turned its head away, unwilling to even glance at the Toedscool. If not for the human's presence, it would not have let them off so easily.
The shiny Charcadet covered its mouth and giggled softly.
But its expression soon changed when Silas took out three Nest Balls and placed them in front of the Toedscool.
"Scool!" ×3
Having already made their decision, the three Toedscool did not hesitate. They extended their tentacles and tapped the buttons on the Nest Balls.
The Poké Balls opened and drew them in.
With a soft chime, the capture was completed instantly.
"Sorry to have you stay inside the Poké Balls for a while."
The three Nest Balls shook lightly in his hand before becoming still. Silas shrank them and hung them at his waist.
When he looked up, he met the gaze of the shiny Charcadet.
It clenched its little fists nervously, gathering courage.
"Charca… Charca!"
"Yes, Cyclizar and I are about to head back."
Silas nodded.
The shiny Charcadet's mood visibly dropped. It let out a very soft cry.
It had heard before that Silas came from a distant region. To a small Pokémon that had never even traveled to the nearby lake, his departure would mean a permanent farewell.
Meeting friends for the first time only to lose them forever was not something it could take lightly.
Even the normal Charcadet lowered its head, looking equally upset.
Silas stepped forward, crouched down to their level, and spoke gently.
"You two little ones… do you want to come to the ranch with me? Food and lodging included."
As he spoke, he extended his hand toward them, his gaze steady and sincere, waiting for their answer.
…
Back at the snowy mountain, near the glowing pillar.
A trainer with extremely heavy dark circles had arrived beside the two professors. On his shoulder rested a Komala that seemed to be asleep at all times.
Unlike usual, this Komala was not hugging a log, but its trainer's arm, showing how close they were.
"Elite Larry, have you not slept for a long time?" one of the professors asked.
"I'm fine. I slept four hours about thirty two hours ago."
Larry replied weakly, his attention fixed on the pillar ahead.
"This is the one?"
"That's right. We suspect it may be related to the Treasure of Ruin, the bronze cauldron."
"The League is short on manpower for now. I'll have Braviary stay here temporarily. You don't need to worry too much."
He removed a Poké Ball from his waist, releasing a large bird Pokémon.
"Scree!"
Braviary spread its wings and let out a loud cry, declaring its presence to all the wild Pokémon nearby.
Boom!
A sudden thunderbolt tore through the sky without warning. Like a silver serpent, it struck Braviary mid-flight, leaving it scorched.
High above the clouds, Miraidon retracted its crackling claws. Its wings unfolded, its legs shifted into propulsion mode, and pale blue flames burst forth as it shot forward like a meteor, leaving the Paldea region behind on its return journey.
This trip to Paldea had not only achieved its goal, but also brought unexpected gains.
Silas looked down.
From within his coat, the two Charcadet poked their little heads out, curiously looking around.
It was their first time flying, and they could not help but take it all in.
And with every passing moment, their anticipation for the ranch grew stronger.
(End of Chapter)