Chapter five: Temple of Eternal Night

Kai blinked, trying to make sense of what he saw. Could it be a wild Pokemon? He nudged Collin, who was huddled on his side, oblivious to the eerie spectacle. "Hey, look at that," he pointed.

Startled, Collin squinted into the darkness. "What is it?" he asked, straining his eyes to adjust to the dim light.

"I don't know," Kai replied, a hint of fear creeping into his voice. "Something's out there."

Collin bolted upright and reached for his backpack where he'd placed his flashlight. Clicking it on, he directed its beam towards the lake. The light momentarily illuminated the ripples on the water but did nothing to reveal what lurked behind those frighteningly luminous eyes.

Kai and Collin exchanged anxious glances before deciding to approach the lake cautiously. As they neared, the air grew colder and a chilling breeze swept past them, making their hairs stand on end.

Kai hesitated, looking at Collin for reassurance. "We... we should probably check it out, right?" 

Collin swallowed hard. "Yeah... yeah, we should." 

They made their way slowly to the lake's edge, their hearts pounding in their chests. The eyes seemed to move deeper into the water as they approached, sending an icy shiver running down their spines. Yet, they determinedly pushed on, inwardly praying that it was just a wild Pokemon. 

Just as they reached the water's edge, there was a sudden swirl of movement from the depths. The surface of the water broke and a magnificent creature emerged, its scales glinting in the moonlight. It was massive, with bared fangs and sharp claws that scratched at the shore.

Silence fell like a shroud around them as the two boys stared at the creature in awe and terror. It was nothing like a Pokemon they had ever seen. Its red glowing eyes bore down upon them.

Its gaze was unfathomable, hungry, and filled with an eeriness that sent shivers down their spines. The creature opened its mouth, baring large fangs that were illuminated by the pale glow of the moon. 

Suddenly, it let out a deafening roar that echoed through the tranquil forest, causing birds to take flight from their perches in fright. The boys could do nothing but stand rooted in place, their eyes wide with terror. Their bodies refused to move despite the adrenaline coursing through their veins.

Before they could comprehend what was happening, the creature lunged at them. Kai and Collin barely had time to react as they leaped aside, narrowly missing the monstrous jaws snapping shut where they had been standing.

The air was filled with the creature's foul breath as they scrambled away from it. The sight of its gleaming scales and the danger it posed revived them from their fear-induced paralysis. Collin's hand automatically went for his Pokeball belt.

Collin breathed, his voice shaking as he fumbled to release a Pokémon. "Go,Salandit !"

With a burst of light, the lizard-like Pokemon erupted from its ball, landing between the boys and the menacing creature. Salandit flicked its tongue out, observing the threat and standing ready at Collin's defense.

"Use Smokescreen," Collin commanded, his voice steadying as he focused on the battle.

The Salandit obeyed immediately, spewing a thick cloud of smog that quickly engulfed the area. The sudden darkness provided a brief respite, giving Kai and Collin a moment to gather their wits.

Kai didn't hesitate, reaching for his own Pokeball. "Go, Mudkip!" With another flash of light, his own 

Mudkip appeared, ready for battle. Kai felt a wave of relief wash over him at seeing his faithful partner beside him.

As the smog dissipated, the creature's glowing red eyes appeared once again. It let out a ferocious roar as it charged forward, its teeth leaving deep gashes in the ground where it struck.

Kai's eyes widened in disbelief at the sheer power behind each bite. He had never seen such ferocity in a single creature before.

"Mudkip, use Mud Slap!"

THe creature looking at the pathetic amount of mud just lifted itself a little bit in the air. Mudkip was quick on her feet and moved to dodge the massive creature.

"Keep using Mud Slap!" Kai cried desperately. "We can't let it get too close!"

But as the creature continued to approach, its enormous size and strength became more apparent. It was clear that they would not be able to keep it at bay for long.

"Mudkip, try an water pulse!" Kai called out frantically.

A wave of water appeared at Mudkip's command and surged toward the monster in a mighty crash.

"Salandit Belch!" Collin shouted, hoping the poison-type would be able to weaken it enough for an attack.

As Salandit fired off a stream of poison at the monster, it showed no signs of slowing down. Instead, it just washed off it's thick scales like it was nothing.

Kai and Collin exchanged nervous glances. "This isn't going to work," Kai muttered under his breath.

Collin nodded in agreement, his expression grim. "We need to fight back if we want to survive."

Kai nodded. "But what can we do? That thing is massive!"

"Well," Collin replied with a shrug. "Maybe we can lead it away from our campsite? It's too dangerous to stay here."

"You're right," Kai said resolutely.

Running down the path away from their campsite, the boys heard a blood-curdling roar behind them as the creature chased after them. Its piercing gaze was fixed on them, and it showed no signs of letting up. It didn't have legs it looked like a huge water serpent. With wicked white teeth paired with deep crimson eyes that shook Collin to his core. It was a gyrados.

Collin tripped over a loose tree root and stumbled forward onto the ground. He looked up in terror as the creature loomed over him, its massive jaws open wide. Kai immediately rushed towards him, scooping him up in his arms and dragging him to safety.

"Don't look back!" Kai shouted as he carried Collin away from the beast's snapping jaws. "Just keep running!"

They ran as fast as they could through the dark forest, the sound of fast waves approaching them echoing behind them as the Gyrados smashed through trees in pursuit. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of running, they came to a stop at the edge of a cliff overlooking a valley below.

"We're trapped!" Collin gasped breathlessly. "That thing is gonna eat us!"

The water was flooding after them with the gyrados riding it like a surfer. It let out a deafening roar as it plunged toward them.

Kai held on tight to Collin as they plummeted toward the lake, bracing himself for impact. But just as they were about to hit the water below, a massive wall of ice erupted from beneath the surface, catching them in its frozen grasp. The Gyrados let out a howl of pain as it struck the impenetrable barrier head-on, sending shockwaves through the forest.

Collin blinked in astonishment at the sight before them. "What.. just happened?"

"I think...we're saved," Kai replied shakily. He turned to face the mysterious savior who had just rescued them, A lapras pod was approaching them swiftly the leader an nareled Lapras with scars over it's body.

The massive Lapras pod began circling the thrashing Gyarados, their cold eyes narrowing as they prepared for battle. The naraled leader let out a deep, commanding cry.

Immediately, the other Lapras opened their mouths and a barrage of ice beams shot forth, encasing the Gyarados in a thick layer of frost. The raging sea monster roared in defiance, shattering the ice with its powerful body.

Kai and Collin watched in awe from the water's surface, clinging to each other as the violent waves rocked them back and forth. Mudkip and Salandit held on tightly to their trainers, treading water furiously.

The naraled Lapras charged forward, cloaking its body in swirling vortex of water and ice. It slammed into the Gyarados with the force of a tidal wave, causing it to reel backwards. The other Lapras followed up with more ice beams, freezing parts of the sea monster's body.

But the newly formed beast would not go down without a fight. Opening its cavernous maw, it unleashed a deafening hyper beam that cut through the Lapras ranks, scattering them.

"This is too much!" Collin shouted over the roaring chaos. "We need to get out of here!"

Kai could only nod mutely, his eyes wide with terror as he witnessed the titanic clash unfolding before them. Their Pokemon looked up at them fearfully, clearly outmatched.

As if sensing their desperation, the naraled Lapras let out another booming call. In an instant, an immense tidal wave formed and came barreling towards Kai and Collin.

"Hold on!" Kai yelled, gripping Collin and their Pokemon tightly as the massive wall of water crashed over them.

The world went dark as they were engulfed in the swirling torrent. Kai could feel himself being pulled along at incredible speeds, tumbling head over heels without any sense of direction. He held his breath as fresh water flooded his mouth and nostrils.

Just when he thought he would black out, they burst through the surface, landing roughly on solid ground and gasping for air. Collin lay beside him, coughing up water as Mudkip and Salandit shook off the lingering droplets.

As Kai's eyes adjusted to their new surroundings, he was struck by the sight before him. They were in some sort of ancient ruin, with crumbling stone structures and weathered statues lining a central courtyard filled with crystal clear water. Looking up, his heart sank as he realized they weren't under an open sky, but rather in a vast underground cavern. What he had initially thought was the sky was actually a ceiling blanketed with glowing, pulsating moss that seemed to be alive, bathing the ruins in an eerie luminescence.

Kai felt a shiver run down his spine as he examined the otherworldly environment. The cavern walls stretched impossibly high into dimly lit recesses, disappearing into shadowy oblivion. The air was cool and damp, carrying the musty scent of ancient stone and stagnant waters. All around them, the crumbling ruins exuded a disquieting aura of antiquity that hinted at unknowable secrets from eons past.

Collin came up beside him, Coughing water out of his lungs. "Where are we?" his expression one of amazed trepidation. "Where are we?" he whispered, his expression one of amazed trepidation. as if afraid to disturb the unsettling silence.

Kai could only shake his head slowly. "I've never even heard of a place like this existing," he murmured back, "But whatever it is, I get the feeling we weren't meant to find it."

The faint, pulsing glow of the moss cast an oscillating luminance that danced across the weathered stones, creating an almost hypnotic ambience. Kai found himself equal parts entranced and unnerved by this subterranean marvel as a multitude of questions swirled in his mind. What civilization could have built such a place? What mysteries did it harbor?