Sprout Tower creaked.
It wasn't loud—not cracking or splintering—but soft, like breathing wood. The giant central beam swayed rhythmically, a great brown column said to be as old as the tower itself. Carved into its base were stories older than any trainer league: serpents of leaf and flame, monks in prayer, towers burning and rebuilt again.
Kael stood just inside the entryway, staring up into the dark spiraling ascent above. Dust danced in beams of morning sunlight. Echo trotted forward cautiously, her silver fur flickering as if she were catching light from two suns at once.
"Welcome," came a voice from the shadows.
A monk in rust-colored robes stepped from behind one of the great wooden pillars, hands folded in front of him. He looked older than time—face lined, eyes gentle but penetrating.
"You are the boy from New Bark," he said.
Kael hesitated. "How do you know that?"
"The winds carried your name. And the Pokémon beside you… she carries something ancient."
Kael blinked. "You mean Echo?"
The monk stepped closer, eyeing Echo with reverence. "The silver one. Born not of evolution, but of resonance. Her presence stirs the Tower. It has not moved like this in many years."
Kael glanced up. The great central beam was swaying slightly more than before, its deep groans echoing up through the rafters.
"Is that… normal?"
The monk smiled faintly. "Nothing in this place is normal."
He gestured up the staircase. "Climb. The sages are waiting."
Kael climbed in silence, the floorboards creaking under each step. Sprout Tower was layered like the rings of a tree, and with each floor, the air grew thicker with incense and memory.
On the third level, Kael reached a broad wooden hall where three monks knelt around a large bronze bell, its surface etched with fire patterns and swirling vines. They didn't look up at first.
Then the bell rang.
Dong.
A deep, resonant tone that seemed to pass through bone and spirit alike.
All three turned their gazes to Kael.
"The bell recognizes you," said the center monk. "And your Pokémon."
Kael felt Echo press against his leg.
"What is this place, really?" He asked. "I mean, I know the legends, the tower swaying with the spirit of Bellsprout, but… this feels bigger."
The right monk nodded. "Because it is. Sprout Tower is more than a symbol of balance. It is a place where the veil between worlds is thin. Where the past can be heard… if you know how to listen."
The left monk stood, walking slowly toward Echo. "Your companion resonates with something long buried. A memory not hers. Not yours. But something shared."
Kael knelt beside Echo. "She's… changing. But it's not into one of the normal evolutions. No stone, no bond. It's like she's waiting for something."
The center monk reached into the sleeve of his robe and pulled out a small wooden tablet, handing it to Kael.
Carved on the surface was a symbol Kael had only seen once before—at the shrine in the forest.
The crescent eye surrounded by jagged lines.
His breath caught. "Where did you get this?"
"It was given to us long ago. We were told to pass it to the one who came with the echo of silver in his steps."
Kael turned the tablet over in his hands. The wood felt strangely warm.
"Do you know what it means?"
The monk's gaze was solemn. "Only that it is tied to the Burned Tower. And to the one who walks with both the living and the lost."
"Morty."
The monk nodded. "Yes. But the Burned Tower is not yet safe for you. You must first understand what walks beside you."
Kael looked to Echo. Her fur shimmered faintly in the incense light. She didn't look frightened—just watchful.
"Then what do I do?"
"You must journey to the Ruins of Alph," the left monk said. "There is a chamber newly uncovered. It reacts to Pokémon with unusual resonance."
Kael stood slowly. "Will I find answers there?"
"Perhaps. Or more questions."
The center monk raised a hand. "Before you leave, a gift."
He stepped aside and revealed a small satchel tucked beside the bell. Inside were five Luminous Tags—charms made from pale stone, each etched with swirling patterns.
"These will shield you from the shadows that gather in places touched by flame."
Kael took them carefully, bowing his head. "Thank you."
He turned to leave, but before he descended the stairs, the bell rang again.
Dong.
This time, Echo lifted her head and gave a soft cry.
And the swaying of the tower slowed.
Outside, the sun was high, and a breeze stirred the cherry blossoms lining the temple gardens. Kael walked slowly, the wooden tablet in hand, Echo close at his side.
He glanced at the symbol again. The eye. The jagged lines.
He had seen them now in two different places. The shrine. The Tower.
And according to the monks… the Burned Tower was next.
But not yet.
Ruins of Alph first, he reminded himself.
There, he hoped, the fragments of his father's path—and Echo's purpose—might begin to fit together.
Back in Violet City, he paused at the Pokémart just long enough to restock and mark his map. As he left, he saw a familiar figure by the city gate.
Lira.
She looked up, flipping a Pokéball between her fingers.
"So," she said casually. "You made it out of the Tower."
"You were watching?"
She shrugged. "Had a feeling. Sprout Tower doesn't usually let just anyone walk out with relics."
Kael held up the tablet. "You know what this is?"
"Enough to know the League wouldn't like it," she said. "Most trainers come to get a badge. You came out with a story older than Johto."
He met her eyes. "You're still headed to Ecruteak?"
"Eventually," she said. "But now I'm thinking Alph first. I've heard the ruins are acting strange lately."
He smiled faintly. "Then I guess we're on the same path."
Lira smirked. "For now."
They walked toward the southern gate together, the horizon wide and golden before them.