Yuga and the other two followed Jirachi, going down the stone steps into the belly of the mountain.
On both sides of the stone steps were smooth rock walls, and one could tell they had been carefully polished. As soon as Yuga and the others entered, one oil lamp after another upon the rock walls automatically lit up, though no one knew what kind of mechanism was hidden within.
According to Jirachi's introduction, the lamp oil inside the oil lamps on the rock walls was refined from the fat of Walrein, and it could be stored for a very long time without deteriorating.
But as for where the Walrein fat used to refine lamp oil came from, thinking too deeply about it was terrifying, and the three of them did not dare to ask.
After walking past the long stone steps, Yuga and the others entered a spacious circular domed chamber. Upon the dome were painted many totems of dragon-type Pokémon—small ones such as Dratini, Bagon, Gible… and large ones such as Dragonite, Salamence, Garchomp… all of them were present.
And the one surrounded at the very center by all the dragon-type Pokémon totems was the belief of all the Dragon Clan—Rayquaza.
Rayquaza was a Legendary Pokémon of Hoenn, and the origin of the Dragon Clan was also in the Hoenn region. How they had come to settle in Sinnoh, Yuga and the others did not know.
They asked Jirachi, but Jirachi only said it was due to a fortuitous chance.
According to Jirachi, the Dragon Clan who once lived here were the most orthodox branch of all Dragon Clan, but as to where they had ultimately gone, Jirachi always remained evasive.
The Dragon Tamer of the outside world, the Draconid People, and the Village of Dragons were all merely the Remnants of the Dragon Clan—offspring left behind after the Dragon Clan had intermarried with other tribes. But those who had lived here were genuine, true Dragon Clan.
Their existence was even more ancient than the Dragon Clan, the Draconid People, and Village of Dragons.
But unfortunately, all of them had vanished!
Yuga guessed that the disappearance of the Dragon Clan was related to the disappearance of the Legendary Pokémon in ancient times. Otherwise, King Robi, who sought the mystery of the disappearance of the Legendary Pokémon, would not have gone to such great lengths to try to find this place.
Yuga thought this way and also asked Jirachi about it, but Jirachi only looked deeply at Yuga without answering. Yet Yuga became even more convinced that he might very well be right.
The entire domed space was empty and hollow. Only in the very center was there a stone platform. Iris asked in puzzlement: "What are we here for? There's nothing here at all!"
But Jirachi asked everyone instead: "Do you know what place this is?"
The three of them looked around once, but truly could not see what this place could be used for. Surely it could not just be a warehouse? Thus, all three shook their heads.
"This was once the place where the Dragon Clan bred their magical beasts!" Jirachi said.
In ancient times, Pokémon were not called Pokémon, but were referred to as magical beasts or monsters. Having always been in slumber, Jirachi still used the old terms.
The three of them were immediately shocked, their mouths opening wide: This place could be used to breed Pokémon?
"You brought us here for the sake of what?" Yuga asked doubtfully.
At that moment Jirachi's figure flashed, and in an instant it appeared above the central stone platform in the domed space. They saw it flicker with bright golden light, the radiance cast down upon the stone platform, and the platform rumbled as it split apart in the middle.
After the platform opened, below it appeared a pool. Only, inside the pool there was no water, but instead were placed one oval-shaped stone sphere after another, about one hundred of them.
And in the very middle of the stone spheres, there was placed a very regular spherical crystal. The spherical crystal was several times larger than the oval stone spheres, and its placement in the middle made it extremely conspicuous.
Only, the surface of the spherical crystal was dull and without luster, as if it had been covered with a layer of dust.
"What are these?"
Yuga and the other two walked to the edge of the pool and asked in puzzlement.
"These are magical beast eggs left behind by the Dragon Clan, their final heritage entrusted to me before they disappeared," Jirachi said unhurriedly.
Magical beast eggs? Were those not Pokémon eggs?
The three of Yuga looked at the stone spheres in astonishment. No matter how they looked, they were merely some stones, and they did not look like living things at all—at most, their shape and size were somewhat similar to Pokémon eggs.
"They are all dead." Jirachi seemed to see the thoughts in Yuga and the others' hearts, so it spoke out to explain. "It has been far too many years since the Dragon Clan disappeared…" Its tone carried a faint trace of desolation and remembrance.
So that was it—they were already dead… No wonder!
"Since they are already dead…" then why bring us here to look at them…
Before Yuga and the others could even ask the doubts in their hearts, they heard Jirachi say: "I want to resurrect them…"
Resurrect? The three of Yuga opened their mouths in disbelief. Dead Pokémon eggs could still be resurrected?
Perhaps it was because they had been astonished too many times today, opening their mouths too many times, that now the corners of their mouths seemed to hurt a little.
"Only, with my current power it is still not enough, so I need Giratina's help…"
As it spoke, Jirachi looked toward Giratina, which had followed them in from behind.
How am I supposed to help? Giratina also looked at Jirachi in puzzlement. It had some faint ties with the Dragon Clan here, and if it could lend some aid, it did not mind extending a hand.
As long as it did not require too much effort…
"I need to borrow the power of the Millennium Comet…"
The reason Jirachi could awaken now was precisely because of the power left behind many, many years ago by the Millennium Comet.
At that time, Jirachi used part of the Millennium Comet's power to separate the Dragon Ruins from the Distortion World, and another part it left in the earth of the Dragon Ruins, in order to ensure the prosperity of the Dragon Ruins.
Now it had retrieved that part of the Millennium Comet's power, but it was still not enough. It needed to borrow once more the power of the Millennium Comet.
"But the Millennium Comet…" Yuga began to speak but then stopped.
The reason it was called the Millennium Comet was because it passed through the Pokémon world only once every thousand years, and only when Jirachi saw it could it borrow its power to awaken.
But just a few years ago, the Millennium Comet had only just appeared at Forina in the Hoenn region. If it wanted to borrow its power again, would it not need to wait another thousand years?
Yuga finally asked the doubt in his heart.
Jirachi explained: "It is true that the Millennium Comet passes through our world only once every thousand years, but for it to fly out of the Pokémon world is not something that can be completed in just a few short days. Often, it takes many years. It is only that, after a certain period of time passes, ordinary people can no longer see it at all.
Forina in the Hoenn region is the most suitable place to observe the Millennium Comet, and it is the only place where it can be seen for seven days in succession. That is also why members of my kin often slumber there…
But now, the Millennium Comet has not yet completely flown out of the Pokémon world. It… is right above Sinnoh!"
When Yuga and the others heard this, they suddenly understood.
"Then with the power of the Millennium Comet, those Pokémon eggs can be resurrected?" Alice asked.
Jirachi shook its head. It flew above the pool and stopped above the spherical crystal in the middle, then said: "It also requires the aid of its power."
"What is this?" Seiryu asked curiously. He had already noticed earlier that this crystal, unlike those oval stones, was different.
"The Dragon Clan called it the Dragon Crystal Stone."
This Dragon Crystal Stone was discovered by a Rayquaza while traveling through outer space, and afterward it was gifted to the Dragon Clan.
Of course, this Rayquaza was not one of the two Rayquaza that Yuga knew, but rather an even more ancient existence. Only, it had long ago vanished into the long river of history, just like the Dragon Clan.
The crystal possessed a peculiar power that could interfere with the lives of dragon-type Pokémon. And it was precisely because of this crystal that the Dragon Clan were able to nurture one powerful dragon-type Pokémon after another, allowing them to become the strongest among all the ancient peoples.
Therefore the Dragon Clan called it the Dragon Crystal Stone.
Unfortunately, the power of the Dragon Crystal Stone had now nearly disappeared.
Jirachi's purpose was precisely to use the power of the Millennium Comet to reactivate the Dragon Crystal Stone, and then to use its power to resurrect the Pokémon eggs left behind by the Dragon Clan.
After hearing Jirachi's plan, the three of Yuga all felt it was truly miraculous. Those Pokémon eggs that had already turned into stone—could they really be revived? They expressed doubt about this.
Even Giratina did not believe it.
What do I need to do? Giratina looked at Jirachi and asked.
"You open the Distortion World, so that I can establish contact with the outside world!" Jirachi said.
Giratina nodded. That was not difficult.
When do we start? Giratina asked again.
"Now!!! I do not have much time."
As soon as it finished speaking, Jirachi's body shone with dazzling light. Yuga and the others saw that the dome of the space above them was slowly opening, and the sky of the Distortion World appeared right above their heads.
Jirachi gave Giratina a nod, and they saw Giratina's form suddenly change. In the blink of an eye, it had flown outside. After letting out a long roar, a column of black energy spewed out from its mouth, and then wave after wave of indescribable spatial ripples spread outward.
In a wilderness area of the Sinnoh region, on the surface of an unknown lake, a vortex suddenly appeared—this was the entrance that Giratina had opened, leading from the outside world into the Distortion World.
Jirachi moved its body slightly and discovered that it was now able to connect to the outside world. It then flew to the space above the Dragon Crystal Stone, hovering less than one meter above it.
Then Jirachi's expression suddenly twisted, and from its abdomen a single eye slowly opened. It looked somewhat hideous, making the originally petite and adorable Jirachi appear somewhat frightening.
Jirachi's Miracle Eye.
It was precisely by relying on this unique Miracle Eye that Jirachi could borrow the power of the Millennium Comet—this was their special racial gift!
Opening the Miracle Eye seemed to be an extremely painful matter for Jirachi. Its expression grew uglier and uglier, and at the same time the Miracle Eye opened wider and wider.
When the Miracle Eye was fully opened, a golden pillar of light suddenly descended from the sky and fiercely poured into Jirachi's Miracle Eye. At last Jirachi could not help but let out a groan of pain.
That golden pillar of light was the power of the Millennium Comet.
In the skies of the Sinnoh region's unknown wilderness, the Millennium Comet suddenly appeared. Countless wild Pokémon all simultaneously looked toward that star with the long trailing tail, that could even be seen in the daytime.
When the power of the Millennium Comet descended, the golden light pillar poured into the vortex on the lake's surface, and around the lake more and more wild Pokémon gradually gathered.
These Pokémon were each stronger than the last, and all of them bore greedy expressions as they looked at the golden light pillar in the middle of the lake. But at the same time, they were too intimidated by its power to dare move forward.
No one knew how long it was before finally a Pokémon could no longer resist the greed in its heart and suddenly lunged toward the golden light pillar.
It was a Staraptor, incomparably mighty and majestic. Judging by its aura, it was at least a master-level Pokémon. Its figure was quickly swallowed up inside the light pillar, and immediately afterward a shrill, miserable scream echoed out from within the light.
The Staraptor had flown into the pillar for less than ten seconds before it flew out again.
Compared with the high-spirited vigor when it had rushed in, when it emerged once more it was utterly wretched, its entire body wrapped in golden flames (perhaps flames), and most of its feathers already gone.
After it burst out from the light pillar, it fell straight into the lake, but its howls did not cease. It struggled and thrashed in agony upon the lake's surface, rolling over and over, while the golden flames on its body did not diminish in the slightest.
Finally… Boom~~
A loud explosion rang out upon the surface of the lake, and Staraptor's body suddenly burst apart, blasting the lake water into flying spray scattered everywhere, yet Staraptor's corpse was nowhere to be seen.
It had exploded into nothing… or rather, not even fragments, not even powder, remained.
The power of the Millennium Comet was something that even Jirachi wanted to bear yet suffered endless pain from, and it still had to rely on the Miracle Eye—how could a mere Staraptor possibly withstand it?
With this sudden turn of events, the Pokémon gathered around the lakeshore all scattered and fled in fright, utterly terrified out of their souls.
That had been the overlord of this entire region, one of the most powerful existences in the wilderness!
Yet it was not long before some Pokémon once again quietly crept back, though this time they hid in the shadows and no longer dared act rashly.
Yuga and the others silently watched Jirachi as it painfully received the power of the Millennium Comet, yet they were completely unable to offer even the slightest bit of help.
No one knew how long had passed before finally Jirachi had received enough power. The Miracle Eye slowly closed, and that golden pillar of light also disappeared with it.
In the unknown wilderness area, the Millennium Comet slowly vanished from the sky, and the vortex upon the surface of the lake also faded away. The wild Pokémon who had been secretly watching let out a sigh of relief even as they felt regret.
Although I did not obtain that mighty and unknown power, others (Pokémon) also did not obtain it—fortunately, fortunately!
Inside the Dragon Ruins.
Jirachi swayed unsteadily as it landed atop the Dragon Crystal Stone. Yuga could even sense the vast power hidden inside Jirachi's small body, and feared that if it were careless for even an instant, that energy would explode out of its tiny frame and blast every person and Pokémon present into shredded fragments.
(So terrifying…)
Jirachi's body began to glow, twinkling like a star, and soon specks of energy like tiny dots floated out from within its body, drifting down onto the Dragon Crystal Stone, whereupon they were absorbed.
With every bit of energy that the Dragon Crystal Stone absorbed, it grew brighter, as if its dull, gray body was being slowly dusted clean.
This process was extremely slow. Yuga and the others waited, and waited, and waited—for seven entire days.
Finally, on the seventh day, Jirachi had poured all of the Millennium Comet's power into the Dragon Crystal Stone, and the Dragon Crystal Stone transformed into an incomparably beautiful star.
The Dragon Crystal Stone had truly been reactivated!
Just as Yuga and the others were wondering with curiosity how Jirachi would use the Dragon Crystal Stone to revive the Pokémon eggs, they saw Jirachi suddenly unleash a full-powered attack of Swift Stars, striking the Dragon Crystal Stone and shattering it.
As the Dragon Crystal Stone cracked open, streams of golden liquid energy flowed out from within. They somewhat resembled that liquid honey-like nectar Yuga had once seen in Amber Castle.
Only the liquid energy flowing from the Dragon Crystal Stone was far more brilliant, far more splendid, and at the same time rippled with a strange aura of life itself.
In no time, the entire pool was filled with the liquid energy flowing from the Dragon Crystal Stone, and those dead Pokémon eggs lay quietly at the bottom of the pool.