The interior of the carriage was dim and still, lit only by the filtered light coming through the silk-draped windows. Saintess Elira sat in silence, her pale hands resting lightly in her lap. Her white-and-gold robes shimmered faintly with embroidered glyphs that pulsed once in a while with soft, divine energy.
Outside, the Paladins of Light rode in formation. Steel armor clinked faintly as hooves clopped in unison against the winding road. Within the carriage, all was quiet except for a single voice.
"My lady," one of the paladins called softly from the driver's seat, not turning around. His tone was respectful. "Are you well?"
There was a pause.
Then: "I am," Elira said gently, her voice distant. "Thank you."
The paladin nodded, satisfied, but Elira wasn't finished.
"...Those people we passed earlier," she said, gaze still fixed outside. "Who were they?"
The paladin blinked. "Travelers, I believe. A merchant's wagon, by the looks of it. Adventurers with him. Nothing unusual."
Elira said nothing.
Her eyes remained fixed on the fading horizon, where the group had been. A boy with a green scarf. A Lycanroc at his side. A rather absurdly round Bidoof in his pack.
Nothing extraordinary, and yet…
'Why?' she thought. 'Just for a moment, I could feel it Arceus's energy. Raw, faint… and strange.'
But it was gone as quickly as it had come. A flicker in a dream.
She lowered her gaze.
'Perhaps I am tired. We've traveled far already.'
-----
The Church of Arceus had recently begun a continental pilgrimage, a ceremonial journey retracing the route taken by the first high priests during the early days of the Ravelle Kingdom.
The Saintess's goal?
Re-consecrate elemental shrines believed to be fragments of the Original Arceus's presence.
Bless frontier towns and reinforce faith in the wake of growing rumors about "crimson-eyed beasts."
Conduct private communion rituals at ancient sites only the clergy knew the deeper truth her visions had become more frequent. The church feared something was changing in the balance of the world.
---
Meanwhile ,miles down the road,peace was, as usual, a distant dream.
A cluster of wild Pokémon had descended from a rocky ridge Sandslash, a couple of Graveler, and an aggressive Rhyhorn barreling toward the path.
"INCOMING!" Jareth roared, already summoning Lairon and Rhydon.
Fena groaned, leaping from the wagon. "Can't we have one normal day?!"
"Apparently not!" Shion shouted, looking Kiba .
But before he Could Gave order, he paused… then looked down at the second Poké Ball on his belt.
He hesitated. "We could use the firepower."
Click.
The ball burst open, and Golurk emerged with a thunderous boom, shaking the nearby trees as it landed heavily.
Dust exploded around them.
"...I immediately regret this," Shion muttered.
Golurk stood tall, its eyes glowing as it surveyed the battlefield.
The Rhyhorn, to its credit, paused… then charged anyway.
"Golurk, use Shadow Punch!" Shion commanded.
Golurk raised one massive fist, stepped forward
and smashed the road in the process, sending rocks flying and launching Dunlin's cart three feet into the air.
"My cabb!, my goods!!" Dunlin shrieked from inside, holding onto a shaking box of ceramic pots.
Bidoof popped out of Shion's pack, fur standing on end.
"WHAT IN THE DIVINE—oh. Golurk. Figures."
Jareth tried to keep his Rhydon from panicking. "Tell your stone mountain to WATCH HIS STEP!"
"Golurk, maybe, uh..use smaller steps!" Shion yelled.
Golurk responded by swinging again this time knocking a Graveler directly into the sky, where it disappeared over the ridge.
Kiba was out now, dashing alongside Golurk, trying not to get flattened in the crossfire.
Fena, ducking a stray Rock Slide, threw a glare at Shion. "You couldn't have sent out Kiba first?!"
"I'm sorry , okay?!"
Eventually, the wild Pokémon scattered between Rhydon, Roselia, Kiba, and Golurk's overwhelming presence, the fight ended quickly.
But the road?
A warzone.
Cracked ground, scattered rocks, two broken wheels on Dunlin's cart, and a new crater that smelled faintly of crushed berries and regret.
Golurk stood in the center, perfectly still.
Shion approached it, panting. "...Good job. But maybe don't... do that again."
Golurk said nothing. Just… hummed.
He returned it to its Poké Ball with a sigh.
"Effective, but terrifying," he muttered.
Bidoof gave a half-snore from the pack. "That's what you get for putting a titan on a hiking trail…"
---
That evening, they made camp under a cliff's overhang, using salvaged supplies and a very patched-up wagon.
As Shion sat by the fire, roasting skewered jerky, he thought about the momentary glance through the church cart's window earlier that day.
That girl… the one they called the Saintess.
Was it possible… she Know something ?
He looked at Bidoof, who was now curled up beside the fire, legs twitching in its sleep.
"Is she connected to you?" Shion whispered.
Bidoof snored louder.
Shion sighed. "Of course you're asleep…"
And the fire crackled softly in reply.
The fire crackled softly, casting long shadows across the faces of the weary travelers. The scent of roasting berries and jerky filled the air. Kiba was curled up by Shion's side, head resting on its paws, while Bidoof lay half-on, half-off a bedroll, making strange chewing noises in its sleep.
Shion held up a Poké Ball in his palm the one containing his newly acquired Golurk and turned it slowly, watching the soft shimmer of the etched runes catch the firelight.
"Hey…" he started, breaking the quiet. "I've been thinking."
Jareth looked up from cleaning his armor. Fena sipped from a cup.
"How the heck," Shion said, squinting at the ball, "does this little wooden ball hold something as big as Golurk? I mean, it's a ten-foot earth golem! The ball is... this big." He pinched his fingers for emphasis.
There was a pause.
Fena arched an eyebrow, then let out a half-snort.
"You really are a country boy, huh?"
Shion rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling awkwardly. "Well... yeah."
Jareth smirked but didn't interrupt. He was curious what Fena would say.
Fena stretched and sat upright. "Alright, lesson time."
She pulled out a worn bronze-etched Poké Ball from her own satchel and tapped it lightly. A soft whirrr and warm glow pulsed from its seam.
"You ever heard of apricorns?" she asked.
Shion blinked. "They're... fruit, right?"
"Technically, yes. But their shell is durable, and when combined with Tumblestone, a type of reactive ore, it creates the basis of this," she said, holding up the ball. "Old tech. Ancient, really. Our version is a refinement of something invented far to the East, across the sea in the continent of Kazahn that's where the first Poké Balls were made."
"That far?" Shion asked, amazed. "So the first one wasn't invented it here in Elvaris?"
Fena shook her head. "Nope. The Ravelle Kingdom adopted the knowledge about two hundred years ago, after some early explorers returned with one. Our scholars reverse-engineered the process and adapted it for Elvarian stone and apricorns. Most people don't realize how foreign the concept of the Poké Ball is."
Shion looked down at the sphere in his hand with newfound reverence.
"But how does it work?" he asked.
Fena smiled. "It's a blend of aether binding and spatial distortion. When a Poké Ball activates, it releases a pulse that disassembles the Pokémon's body into stored energy, capturing their essence while preserving their consciousness. That's why a well-trained Pokémon recognizes you even after being inside one."
Shion's jaw slowly dropped.
"Basically," Jareth said with a grin, "they shrink."
"That's… kinda terrifying," Shion admitted.
"Depends on your perspective," Fena said. "They're not hurt. Most Pokémon find it comfortable it's like sleep, unless they're injured or distressed."
Fena continued, now warmed up to her lecture. She pulled out another Poké Ball a silver-colored one with pale lines shaped like vines.
"This one's a Lure Ball
made with Lurberry instead of apricorn. Best used on water-types or Pokémon drawn to shiny bait."
She placed it beside the standard one. Then a third.
"This is a Heavy Ball. Denser, made with Black Tumblestone. Great against bulky Pokémon like Rhydon or, say, Golurk. Not so great if they try to dodge you can't throw it far."
Shion leaned in with awe.
"Others include:
Feather Balls super lightweight, great for flying-types,Net Balls woven with silk and infused with Bug-type lures ,Dusk Balls – react to low light or caves,Quick Balls give a massive catch boost if used on speedy Pokemon."
"And don't forget," she added with a smirk, "the Luxury Ball, for pampering spoiled Pokémon."
Bidoof stirred in its sleep. "Use only the finest for your god…"
Shion groaned.
Fena leaned back, arms behind her head, and stared at the stars.
"You'd be surprised how many adventurers don't understand their tools," she said. "Poké Balls aren't magic,they're old science wrapped in mystery and ritual. You'd do well to remember that."
Shion nodded, gaze still fixed on the ball. "I thought it was just a tool. But now it kinda feels like a contract."
Jareth chuckled. "That's one way to put it."
They fell into a quiet rhythm after that. The stars twinkled overhead, the fire crackled, and a soft wind swept the plains.
---
Later that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Shion sat by the dying embers. He held up Golurk's Poké Ball again.
Even now, he could feel the faint thrum of power from inside. Not violent. Just… still. Quiet.
"I have so much more to learn," he muttered.
Then he glanced at Bidoof, now half-buried in the blankets.
"Especially with a 'god' that sounds like a snoring Wailmer."
A low grumble came from the blankets.
"I HEARD THAT."
Shion grinned.