Tripping over a root, Erik almost yelled out, but held his breath. The energy from the nature all around him was invigorating. He couldn’t imagine having ever been able to sleep.

Shrugging on his pack, Erik looked for a moment at his surroundings. The new dawn sun had risen slightly, just visible over the rocky mountain peaks. All around him were gigantic pines, firs, mixed pleasantly with hardwoods, oak, cedar, even cherry. The sun cast soft green and scarlet rays, setting the fern-covered forest floor ablaze with vibrant color. Erik could not even find the fallen tree that he had been thrown through—his back still reminded him of it.

Erik smiled, then drew his five Pokémon. Tossing the balls softly on the grass, all emerged, one by one, and sleepily began to explore their new surroundings.

Bulby trotted here and there, testing his vines, seeing how close he could get to the top of a tree by pulling himself up. Buttergirl played happily with Tiny, their giggles of laughter clear in the fresh mountain air. Oddball herself jumped onto Erik’s shoulder and rubbed against his head. In response he affectionately scratched hers.

"Morning. What’re you doing up so early?" Erik turned to see Isako walking over to her pack.

"I couldn’t sleep."

"How’d I know? With dreams like yours, it amazing you handle it as well as you do." She remarked with a yawn, throwing out three Pokéballs. "Mindstorm, Nillin, Zyler—C’mon, wake up—go play while I fix breakfast."

"I was about to ask how you know about my dreams; then I remembered that you’re Isako." Erik replied, smiling as he saw how well Mindstorm, Zyler, and Nillin—Kadabra, Butterfree, and Venonat, respectively—got along with his Pokémon.

Isako laughed at that. "Well, we might as well wake everyone else up." She started to move towards the others.

"Wait—I’ve got an idea…" Erik said. With that, he gestured towards some vines hanging on an oak tree. Almost instantly they began to seek out the sleeping members of the group, wrapping around them and picking them up, shaking them awake.

As the group awoke, Isako and Erik almost fell down laughing at their reactions.

<><><>

Amidst glares, Erik recalled all his Pokémon, save for Oddball, as did Isako, and sat down and reached for his scroll. His eyes ventured to his robe’s inside pocket as his hands found nothing. "Hey…my scroll’s gone!"

"Mine too!" Isako said.

"First Julius, then our scrolls…what’s next?" Matt wondered aloud.

"Oddish! Oddi odd…" Oddball said.

Erik laughed, then stifled it. "Oddball, this is not the time to be making jokes at Matt’s expense."

"Odd…"

"What did she say?"

"Oh, nothing…"

"Can we please move on?" Rachel asked impatiently.

"Of course… First thing’s first… we need to get down from this mountain." Josh said.

"Maybe not…" Isako said…

"What do you mean, maybe—" Josh was cut short by a brief, intense flash of light, then a lurching sensation as they fell several feet onto concrete. "Oww…."

"Um…sorry…" Isako said. "You’d think I’d be able to get the height right…."

Her voice echoed, as did everyone else’s.

"Where are we?" Erik asked, ever the one to want to know more.

All around them was destruction. Skyscrapers stood with windows shattered, entire sides scorched black by fire. Cars lay abandoned and rusting in the streets, while the eerie sound of silence oppressed them in a place that should have been bustling with activity.

"Oh no…" Isako had all the color drained from her face.

Josh was at her side in an instant. "What is it?"

"This…this is where I grew up…Catikani city…it’s the largest city on…on the Dedrumont Islands…" Isako’s voice dropped to a whisper. "My home…my family…" With this she broke down into a fit of tears, clutching tightly to Josh.

<><><>

After Isako had recovered somewhat, Erik ventured a question. "Isako…why did you bring us here?"

"While we were getting to know Julius, he took me aside, and told me that…that I should see his handiwork…at my home… He made it sound like he had…he had fixed it up and stuff…" She sniffed.

Erik straightened, his expression hardening. "Friends," he said, "I am afraid that my worst fears have been confirmed. This immensely powerful being, Julius, is our enemy."

"Well, obviously." Rachel said. "I would think so…"

"So much for a dramatic mood…" Erik murmured under his breath. "Isako…" he said gently, "I know this is hard for you but…could you try and sense the extent of the damage?"

Isako took a breath and closed her eyes. A faint, dark purple glow surrounded her, and then fell, a gasp escaping her lips. When she opened her eyes, it was pure shock.

"There are only three cities he hit…but…the damage was so great that it…it’s taken everything." She said, eyes wide.

"Everything? What do you mean?" Laury asked.

"I mean everything. All life in these cities, or almost all of it, is gone. Dead, killed, not there, not existing! It’s all gone…these cities are all that’s left…" A look of longing crossed her eyes for a moment, then she stared hard at Erik. "We’ve got to stop him."

"How?" Erik asked.

"With the only things that can."

"Whoa, wait a second, you don’t mean…No, Isako, you’re crazy! You have got to be kidding! There’s no way we’re going to use those!" Matt exclaimed.

"Use what?" Rachel asked.

Isako answered her. "The Five Stones."

"No!" Matt roared, his voice echoing loudly. "Not even the top scientists can rate how much power even one of those things has! There’s no way we can even think about using all of them!"

"Wait a second! Calm down, Matt." Erik held his hands up to try and pacify Matt. "Isako, what are the Stones? I take it they’re pretty powerful…"

"Yes." Isako said. "The Stones are ancient sources of mystical power. Some have used them to create what is called magic, some have even been traced back to the possession of Merlin, who, incidentally, was proved to have existed. One has immeasurable power, but I fear that even one will not be enough to defeat Julius.

"Matt, I understand that you do not want to use them, but we have to consider who we’re facing. If we do not use them, and take the chance of trying to defeat him ourselves, we may find ourselves in mortal danger, even killed.

"And, Matt, I do not think you know this. The Stone that was in Catikani is missing. I think Julius has it."

At that, Matt’s jaw opened slightly, which he quickly set again. "You’re right. We need to use them all."

Distant thunder boomed. Erik looked back to the west; sure enough, black clouds were approaching fast.

"Isako, please tell me that all the Stones are here, on Dedrumont." Rachel said.

"Yes. Of course. The Stones were all brought here to be studied by our top scientist, Chistopher Yann. He…was…the leading scientist in the study of the Stones."

"Where can we find them?" Josh asked.

Erik glanced nervously back to the west. A cold wind had started up; the ominous black clouds were almost upon them. Erik felt a drop of rain fall on his cheek; in response, he pulled his robe’s hood up.

"Uh, guys, about this storm…" Erik said.

"The only one I know of is in Klanit Town; a good ways to the northwest. We’ll have to travel west to Screnic City, then follow the path north by west to Klanit. But there’s one problem…" Isako said.

"The thunderstorm?"

"What?" Laury asked.

"Between here and Screnic it has always been dangerous; with Julius’s influence here, I fear the Scyther that live on that route may be much more violent and evil than ever before…"

"Look!" Erik said, as the rain began to drizzle more steadily. "I hate to break it to you guys, but if you wouldn’t mind, there’s a storm coming and some shelter would be nice…"

The rain began to fall harder, and downpour in seconds. They were soaked, hoods up.

"Actually, I don’t think we can spare time to wait it out." Rachel said. "As for the Scyther, well…" Bright red mist flowed and formed into a blade that burned of fire in her hands, steam from the rain hissing harmlessly off of it.

Without a word, the other Masters called their weapons. Isako pointed the way, and they began to trek westward.