Chapter 14: Snowpoint Temple

At last, the trio stood before the towering facade of Snowpoint Temple.

The air here was still, as if even the wind refused to intrude. Snowflakes drifted lazily down, settling onto the frostbitten stone. The sheer size of the ancient temple loomed above them looking oppressive and unyielding. An eerie weight pressed on their chests as though the building itself was watching.

Phillip adjusted his scarf, exhaling a cloud into the bitter night. “Ready?”

Phoebe’s voice was steady, but quiet. “No, but let’s do this.”

Ace stared at the massive doors, his breath tight in his lungs. “I doubt any amount of training could prepare us for what’s waiting down there but turning back isn’t an option anymore.”

Phillip smirked faintly, trying to cut the tension. “Then let’s quit yapping and get it over with.”

Inside, the first floor was almost dissonant with the weight of the temple’s reputation. Trainers and tourists wandered beneath the vaulted ceiling, admiring the columns and runes, their voices echoing cheerfully against the stone.

Some pointed, whispering, recognizing the three champions as they passed, but the warmth of attention only sharpened the chill in Ace’s chest.

The trio descended the stairs, leaving the voices behind. Only licensed trainers were allowed past the first floor, but wild Pokémon lingered in the dim corridors. Zubat and Golbat fluttered overhead, their screeches bouncing in the icy air, but none drew near.

The sharp tang of Repel clung to their coats, courtesy of Phillip, and the Pokémon veered away instinctively.

The deeper they went, the fewer people they saw. The air thickened, feeling colder and heavier as if the temple were swallowing them.

They slid across treacherous icy floors, Phoebe muttering curses every time her boots lost grip.

By the time they reached the lowest staircase, silence had reclaimed the corridors. No trainers. No tourists. No signs of life at all. Just the frozen breath of the temple itself.

At the doorway stood Candice. Her usual cheerful energy was dimmed, her face framed by the flickering torchlight. In her hand, she held a massive golden key.

“Why the long faces, you three?” she asked lightly, but her eyes lingered, studying them as though she could see the weight pressing on their shoulders.

Ace cleared his throat. “Didn’t get much sleep.”

“I can see that.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. She turned the key over in her hand, its surface worn smooth from generations of use. “No one’s been allowed beyond this point in years. We don’t know what’s down there anymore, hazards, dangerous wild Pokémon, or worse. So, stay alert, and if you value your lives, touch as little as possible.”

Ace nodded. “We understand, and we’ll be careful. Promise.”