The giant flaming pillar that had been Ho-oh slowly began to dissipate.
For a long time, the flames had dominated the sky above Phoenix Forest, burning so brightly that night itself seemed to have been pushed away. Now the column weakened, its edges thinning as streams of fire peeled away into the air like burning silk. The overwhelming light faded gradually.
Silas watched silently in awe along with everyone present.
None of the Eeveelutions moved from their places around the platform. Even after the trials had ended and every challenger had failed, their attention stayed fixed on Ho-oh. There was no disappointment in the crowd, only reverence. To them, the trials were not merely about victory. They were part of something sacred.
Eventually, the pillar collapsed inward, leaving only Ho-oh's flaming body hovering above the platform.
For a moment, the legendary phoenix remained suspended in the air. Then the flames extinguished as Ho-oh crashed into the ground.
The impact was heavy enough to send a tremor through the platform, and several weaker Pokémon near the front recoiled instinctively. Silas's eyes widened slightly as Ho-oh's body lay motionless against the stone.
"Did it just die?" he muttered.
The words left his mouth before he could stop them, though he didn't truly believe it would be that simple.
He was right.
A second later, Ho-oh's body ignited once again.
This fire was different from before. It did not erupt outward in a massive display of force. Instead, it consumed Ho-oh inwardly, reducing its body to burning ash that glowed with deep gold and crimson light. The ash swirled in place, rising from the platform in a spiraling motion as if guided by an unseen will.
Then something formed within it.
A healthy Ho-oh emerged from the burning ash, its body restored and its presence stronger than before. Silas felt the difference easily.
The pressure in the air had changed. Ho-oh's aura was no longer expanding wildly like it had during the ritual. It was stable now, condensed and refined, as though the rebirth had purified something within it.
Hermes responded without being asked.
"Based on common lore, the divine Ho-oh's rebirth can transform a landscape. It is estimated that the energy rich environment is due to multiple rebirth rituals occurring here."
That made sense.
The typeless energy, the blessed lake, the accelerated recovery, the strange vitality of the entire space, it all now made sense. Phoenix Forest had been shaped by repeated exposure to Ho-oh's rebirth over countless cycles. Each festival had likely left behind traces of divine energy, gradually transforming the forest into the sacred environment it was now.
Madam's gaze shifted toward the place where Ho-oh's body had burned away.
Her expression sharpened.
"Silas," she said quietly, "this is your lucky day. If we can get that sacred ash, Froakie will most definitely be saved."
Silas's attention locked onto the ash. His heart tightened at the mention of Froakie.
Everything they had gone through in Mount Silver had started because of that goal. The battles, the risks, the near-death experiences—all of it had been tied to finding something capable of curing Froakie's damaged body.
And now the answer might be directly in front of him. Before Silas could move, Ho-oh turned. The legendary phoenix flew toward them.
The crowd parted naturally, Pokémon stepping aside without hesitation as Ho-oh descended. It landed before Silas and Madam with a grace that made its massive size feel almost weightless. The heat coming from its body was intense but controlled, pressing against Silas's skin without burning him.
Ho-oh stared directly at Silas as a majestic voice entered his mind.
"It has been a long time since a human managed to get so close to me. How did you find your way into one of my personal spaces?"
Silas didn't dare lie.
He explained everything carefully, starting from their escape into the underground river, the poison forcing them deeper, and the mysterious current dragging them through the underwater rift. He left nothing important out. Standing before a being like Ho-oh, withholding information felt more dangerous than honesty.
Ho-oh listened silently.
"Interesting," Ho-oh said at last. "So there is a Jolteon among you and I sense a strong presence of aura as well."
Its gaze shifted. First it was on Madam's Jolteon then it moved on to Monferno.
Silas felt Monferno tense slightly beside him, not in fear, but in instinctive awareness.
Ho-oh's attention was not something any Pokémon could ignore. After a brief silence, Ho-oh seemed to come to a decision.
"Human, I sense no evil from you so normally I would reward you for getting this far but I cannot be sure that you are worthy. So, this will be my test to you. Stand here before me in one year's time with a team of six Pokémon at the Pseudo-Elite level."
Silas's mind sharpened instantly.
That was not a casual request. It was a nearly impossible demand for an ordinary trainer, especially one as young as him. Even with Hermes, Phoenix Forest, and the opportunities he had already found, reaching that standard would require relentless growth.
But impossible did not mean unreachable.
Ho-oh then produced two feathers.
Both floated in the air before Madam.
One was red, glowing with dense fire-type energy. The other was silver, carrying a sharp, clean flying-type energy that seemed to hum faintly in the air.
"These are a gift to you, human woman," Ho-oh said. "I have been watching your generosity with the Pokémon here since you arrived. Do unto others as you would have them do onto you. Since you were generous, I will return the gesture. You may choose one."
Madam stared at the feathers. For once, she seemed genuinely caught off guard. She recovered almost instantly. Without hesitation, she chose the fire feather.
Ho-oh's gaze remained steady.
"Your Pokémon won't gain the power of an Entei from this, but its fire-type potential will be elite."
Madam bowed her head slightly.
"Thank you. I will not waste it."
Silas could hear the sincerity in her voice.
Madam was not easily impressed, and she was even less likely to show gratitude openly, but even she understood the value of what had just been offered. A gift from Ho-oh was not something that could be measured with ordinary resources.
Then Ho-oh turned its focus back to Silas.
Three orbs appeared.
One yellow.
One blue.
One red.
Each contained terrifyingly dense power, and the moment they appeared, the surrounding air seemed to tighten.
"These can only be claimed if you fulfill our bargain. They are similar to the power stored in the statues."
Silas stared at the orbs. Yellow for Raikou, blue for Suicune and red for Entei. His mind immediately began calculating possibilities, but one thought rose above everything else.
Froakie.
"Lord of the Flame," Silas said carefully, "may I take the Sacred Ash now instead of a year from now?"
Ho-oh's gaze shifted.
"Humans have always been the kings of flattery," it said. "You also have a surprisingly strong and pure aura. Why do you seek my Sacred Ash?"
Silas released Froakie.
The small Pokémon appeared weak as always, though the time spent in Phoenix Forest had clearly improved his condition. Still, compared to what he should have been, Froakie remained fragile.
"I am literally here to find a cure for him," Silas said. "I would be content forfeiting the elemental treasures if it meant curing Froakie."
Ho-oh fell silent.
The silence stretched long enough that Silas had to force himself not to speak again. He knew better than to rush a being like this. Ho-oh was considering him, judging not just his words but the intent behind them.
Finally, the legendary phoenix spoke.
"The care you show your companions is admirable. For your courage and character, I will grant you a favor, but I will not give you the Sacred Ash. The energy contained within is to nurture this entire space."
Silas felt both disappointment and relief at the same time.
The Sacred Ash had been the goal, but if Ho-oh said no, then trying to forcing it would only harm Froakie.
"Thank you," Silas said sincerely.
Then he asked the only question that mattered.
"Without the Sacred Ash, how can I heal Froakie?"
"With my power, of course. Bring the little Pokémon to me."
Silas approached carefully.
Every step was deliberate. He avoided sudden movements, keeping his body language calm as he carried Froakie forward. When he reached Ho-oh, he gently laid Froakie at its feet.
Ho-oh lowered its gaze. A majestic golden light spread across its body.
The glow condensed slowly, gathering into a golden orb in front of its chest. The orb compressed further and further until it became no larger than a droplet of water.
That tiny golden droplet drifted toward Froakie. The moment it touched him, it was absorbed directly into his body. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then Froakie began to glow.
The same majestic gold spread across his small body before solidifying into a giant golden sphere with Froakie asleep inside. The sphere hovered slightly above the ground, warm and radiant, pulsing gently with each passing second.
Silas kept his composure.
Ho-oh's pride as a Pokémon deity would never allow it to deceive someone so much weaker than itself. If it chose to help, then Froakie would be helped.
"Your Pokémon's injuries are significant," Ho-oh said. "The healing process will be slow. Even after it emerges from the sphere, Froakie will need about a month afterward for his body to fully recover."
Silas nodded, a month was nothing compared to never recovering at all. Ho-oh spread its wings, preparing to leave, but then stopped.
Its gaze turned toward Monferno.
"Your potential with aura is incredible. Why not follow me?"
The psychic link remained open, allowing Silas to hear the conversation clearly.
Monferno looked up at Ho-oh with respect.
Then he refused.
There was no hesitation in the response. Monferno wanted to remain with Silas and see how high they could climb together.
Ho-oh regarded him silently for a moment.
"What a pity."
Then the legendary phoenix took flight.
Its wings beat once, sending a wave of warmth through the clearing, and then Ho-oh rose into the sky, leaving behind the golden sphere containing Froakie, Madam's chosen feather, the Sacred Ash, and three elemental orbs that could only be claimed one year later.
Silas could not bring himself to care that Ho-oh had tried to poach his partner.
Monferno had refused and that was enough.
Madam hurried toward the priceless treasures, and Silas followed immediately. They were careful not to disturb the elemental orbs or Sacred Ash knowing that would be in bad faith.
When they finally returned to base camp, everyone was in high spirits. The festival had ended.
Froakie was saved. One year from now, Silas vowed to return here stronger than ever and claim his prize.