Kay looked at the road ahead of him, the dimly lit path covered in dust, with cobwebs hanging from the walls like forgotten memories of an abandoned place.
The air was thick, filled with the scent of old stone and rust. Despite the eerie atmosphere, Kay didn't hesitate.
Without a moment of doubt, he stepped forward, his Pokémons following closely behind. As soon as they passed through, the stone door behind them shifted again, rotating back into place with a heavy thud, sealing them inside.
Kay barely spared it a glance. He had seen this kind of thing countless times in horror movies; the moment someone enters a hidden passage, the way back is automatically shut.
It was almost a cliché at this point. The only difference was that this time, it was real. Still, he remained calm. Panicking wouldn't help.
Before moving forward, Kay took a moment to inspect the dusty floor. His sharp eyes scanned for any signs of movement, any footprints that could indicate whether someone had walked through here before him.
After several moments of careful examination, he confirmed that the path had been undisturbed for a long time.
There were no other footprints except the ones he had just made. That meant no player had taken this route before him. Either they hadn't discovered it, or they had been too scared to enter.
His gaze then shifted to the walls. Lined along them were old, rusted lamps, their glass covers covered in dust.
But they weren't glowing. They had long since lost their light, leaving the passage submerged in near darkness.
"Growlithe, Ember on the lamps," Kay ordered.
Growlithe let out a bark before inhaling deeply, its mouth glowing with fiery energy. With a quick flick of its head, it released a stream of flames, striking the old lamps one by one.
The moment the fire touched the oil within, the lamps flickered to life, casting a faint, golden glow across the corridor.
The shadows danced against the walls, revealing more of the intricate stonework that had been hidden in the darkness.
Now that he could see better, Kay continued forward. The deeper he went, the more he noticed how untouched this place seemed.
The dust had settled thickly on every surface, untouched for what must have been years. There were no signs of recent activity, no hidden traps triggering as he walked. The only sound was the faint echo of his own footsteps.
After several minutes of walking, Kay finally reached the end of the path where a massive iron gate stood before him.
It loomed tall, its surface covered in strange markings. The gate's heavy metal doors were locked shut, but at the center, embedded within the gate itself, was a large, rusted wheel.
Kay stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he examined the details of the gate. The surface was covered in scratches, some deep, as if something had once tried to claw its way through.
Along the right and left sides of the structure, faded golden sparks were drawn into the metal, hinting at something electric in nature.
Realizing he needed more light to properly inspect the gate, Kay turned to his Pokémons.
"Growlithe, use Sunny Day."
Growlithe barked in response, then took a deep breath. Fire-type energy gathered in its body before it launched a glowing orb toward the ceiling.
The moment the orb reached its peak, it exploded into a warm, radiant light, illuminating the corridor with a bright orange hue.
The once-dim passage now glowed with a golden radiance, revealing the full structure of the massive gate.
Kay focused his gaze on the rusted wheel in the center of the door. It was clear now that this wheel was the key to unlocking the gate. Without wasting time, he grabbed onto it with both hands and began turning it.
At first, it barely moved. The years of rust had sealed it tightly in place. But Kay gritted his teeth and pushed harder, using all his strength.
Slowly, the wheel creaked to life, the sound of grinding metal echoing through the corridor. His muscles strained, his palms burned from the rough texture of the wheel, but he didn't stop.
After several moments, the rust began to give way. The wheel turned faster, and soon, the sound of clicking mechanisms echoed from within the gate. Then, he felt the resistance fading away.
He could pull it now.
Bracing himself, Kay grabbed the edges of the iron door and pulled with all his might. The heavy metal groaned as it slowly swung open, revealing a vast, open space beyond.
What lay behind the gate was unexpected.
The room stretched far and wide, unlike anything he had encountered so far. Wires hung from the ceiling, tangled like vines in an overgrown forest.
The air smelled of rust and old machinery. Scattered across the floor were dozens of abandoned machines like lawnmowers, industrial fans, washing machines, refrigerators, and even old ovens.
Some were overturned, others rusted beyond repair, but all of them carried the same strange presence.
As Kay processed the situation, he stepped inside the room without hesitation, his eyes scanning the abandoned space filled with old machines.
The dim light from Growlithe's Sunny Day flickered, casting long shadows across the rust-covered appliances.
However, as Kay observed the machines more closely, something clicked in his mind. He had seen these machines before. Not in this world, but in the one he came from.
His mind raced back to the Pokémon series from his previous world. These were the exact types of machines that Rotom could possess and control.
Lawn mowers, refrigerators, fans, ovens; each one a potential host for Rotom's transformations.
Yet, in all the books and information Kay had read in this world, there was no mention of Rotom or its unique ability to take over electrical devices.
That meant one thing. This world didn't know about Rotom.
His eyes gleamed with excitement. This discovery could be huge! But excitement was quickly replaced by caution.
If a Rotom were here, then it would be very possible that it would be dangerous because of the machines around him that could become hostile at any moment.
Kay adjusted his stance and motioned to his Pokémon. "Stay alert."
Eevee stood in front of him, ears perked up and ready to react. Growlithe, on the other hand, stayed close to Kay's side, its warm fur brushing against Kay's leg as it remained on high alert, prepared to defend him if necessary.
Kay advanced cautiously, moving deeper into the center of the room. The old machines stood like silent watchers. Kay's footsteps echoed against the metal flooring.
Then suddenly, from the shadows between the machines, multiple Ghost-type Pokémons emerged at once!
Their eerie cries filled the air as they darted toward Kay, their glowing eyes locked onto him like predators eyeing their prey.
"Eevee, take them on! Growlithe, stay close and provide backup from a distance!" Kay commanded without hesitation.
Eevee lunged forward, its small but agile body moving swiftly across the battlefield. After some time of battling, the battle was finally over.
Eevee stood victorious, panting heavily, its fur slightly ruffled from the hits it had taken. Around it lay the fading remnants of its fallen opponents.
Kay let out a breath before calling out, "Eevee, come here."
Eevee's ears perked up at his voice, and it turned toward him before trotting back, barking happily, "Eevwee!"
Kay crouched down, reaching out to gently pat Eevee's head. "You did great," he said, feeling the slight dampness of sweat and the warmth of battle still lingering on its fur.
But as he ran his fingers over its head, he noticed a small wound bleeding just behind Eevee's ear.
Kay frowned slightly before pulling out a Potion from his bag. Without wasting time, he sprayed it over Eevee's injuries.
The cool liquid shimmered as it absorbed into Eevee's fur, and within seconds, the wound began closing up.
"That should do it," Kay muttered, satisfied.
But before he could even stand up, without warning, a bright orange light sparked in the darkness.
Kay's gaze snapped upward, locking onto the floating figure that had just appeared in front of him.
It was small, with a body that looked like a living spark of electricity. Two jagged, lightning-like limbs extended from its sides, crackling with energy.
Its round, mischievous eyes gleamed as it hovered above the battlefield, observing him curiously.
There was no mistake, it was a Rotom. Kay grinned. His theory was right. This room was the base of Rotom.
See you in the next chapter...
If you liked the story, leave a review...
Drop some power Stones...