Auroria Town – Northern Cliffs
The path to the final Gym wasn't paved.
It wasn't marked with banners or welcoming lights.
Skylar had to follow a narrow trail winding along the cliffs, battered by salt spray and freezing winds.
At the top, carved into the rock itself, stood a fortress of ice.
Clear crystal towers rose into the sky, reflecting the gray clouds above.
Massive gates, wrought from frozen steel, stood half-open, revealing the shimmering blue interior.
It looked less like a Gym—
And more like the palace of an ancient winter queen.
Skylar adjusted his jacket against the biting cold.
He stepped forward.
As soon as he crossed the threshold, the temperature dropped sharply.
Frost formed along the seams of his boots.
Torches burned with pale blue fire, casting eerie reflections along the crystal walls.
At the far end of the grand hall stood a figure.
Tall.
Elegant.
Radiating calm power like a glacier.
Lorelei.
Former Elite Four of Kanto.
Master of Ice.
She regarded him with piercing, aquamarine eyes.
When she spoke, her voice was smooth as polished ice.
"Skylar of Sinnoh."
He bowed slightly, respectful.
"You've come for your final badge."
"Yes," he said simply.
Her lips quirked faintly—not quite a smile, but close.
"Many think strength alone will carry them through their final challenge."
She stepped forward.
The sound of her heels against the ice was sharp in the vast silence.
"But power is meaningless without adaptability. Without resilience."
She stopped a few meters before him.
"In this Gym, you won't simply battle me."
Her hand extended to the side.
An immense ice door rumbled open, revealing a swirling blizzard beyond.
"You will undergo the Ice Trial."
Skylar tensed.
He wasn't surprised.
Not really.
Someone like Lorelei wouldn't accept mere brute force.
She would want to test everything.
Mind.
Heart.
Teamwork.
Resolve.
Skylar met her gaze without fear.
"I'm ready."
Lorelei nodded once.
"Three phases await you."
She lifted a gloved finger.
"First: Survival. Cross the Frozen Garden, a labyrinth of ice where the storm is strongest. Only those who can adapt—and shield their team—will pass."
A second finger.
"Second: Synergy. Work with your Pokémon under harsh conditions to overcome obstacles, puzzles, and wild encounters engineered to force creative solutions."
A third.
"And finally—Me."
Her gaze hardened.
"In the heart of the Glacier Sanctum, you will battle me in full strength."
"If you succeed—you will earn the Glacier Emblem, your final badge."
Skylar inhaled the icy air deeply.
Felt it burn down his throat.
Then exhaled.
And smiled.
"I accept."
Lorelei's lips curled slightly—true approval, this time.
She gestured toward the roaring storm beyond the door.
"Then step forward, Skylar of Sinnoh."
"Face the cold."
"Face yourself."
"And prove you are worthy to stand among the Champions."
Skylar took one last look behind him—
Toward the town.
The ocean.
The path he had walked.
Then he faced forward.
And stepped into the storm.