Eevee and Growlithe watched in horror as Kay's body went limp, collapsing to the cold floor.
For a moment, everything was still. The two Pokémons froze, their hearts pounding with fear. Was their trainer okay? Was he hurt? They couldn't tell, and that terrified them more than anything.
Eevee, desperate to help, immediately used Wish, hoping that the healing energy would restore Kay.
A soft, warm glow surrounded Kay's body after a certain period from using Wish, but nothing happened.
Eevee whimpered and tried again, pouring more energy into the move. Still nothing. The healing light faded into nothingness, failing to reach its target.
Panic surged through Eevee as it stubbornly continued using Wish, over and over, determined to bring Kay back. But with each failed attempt, Eevee's body grew weaker, its small frame trembling from exhaustion.
Growlithe, seeing Eevee struggle, tried a different approach. It unleashed Sunny Day, filling the room with artificial sunlight, hoping to warm Kay's body and wake him up.
As soon as the previous Sunny Day began to fade, Growlithe used it again, determined to keep the warmth surrounding its trainer. The fiery canine barked anxiously, nudging Kay with its snout, its eyes filled with worry.
Minutes passed, but Kay remained still, his body unresponsive. Eevee, now too exhausted to continue using Wish, slumped beside him, curling up close to his chest.
Growlithe did the same, laying down next to Kay, its warmth pressing against his side. The two Pokémons began licking his face, their soft whimpers echoing in the empty room.
Then finally, there was movement.
Kay's fingers twitched slightly, then his eyelids fluttered open. His vision was blurry at first, but slowly, the details of the room came into focus.
The first thing he saw was the tangled web of wires stretching across the ceiling. His mind was hazy, struggling to piece together what had happened.
A strange, wet sensation on his cheeks pulled him from his daze. He groaned and shifted slightly, trying to sit up, but the moment he moved, something soft and warm jumped onto his lap.
"Eevwee!" Eevee barked, its voice filled with pure relief.
"Growww!" Growlithe whimpered happily, nudging Kay's chest with its nose.
The two Pokémons clung to him, their tails wagging as they expressed their joy. Kay, still a little disoriented, let out a weak chuckle and wrapped his arms around them, pulling them into a hug.
He could feel their trembling bodies, the worry they had felt while he was unconscious. That alone told him how much they cared.
"Hey, hey... I'm okay," Kay murmured, patting their head gently. "I'm back."
But as he tried to recall what had happened before he fainted, his mind drew a blank. He could remember the pain; it was sharp and unbearable as if his body had been electrocuted from the inside out.
But now? Nothing. The pain was gone, as if it had never existed in the first place. He didn't feel weak or dizzy. In fact, he felt... normal.
Confused, Kay reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pokedex, hoping to check the time.
But the moment he flipped it open, he was reminded that the device was completely broken.
"Damn it..." Kay muttered under his breath. He had no way of knowing how much time had passed.
Had he been out for seconds? Minutes? Maybe even hours? There was no way to tell. And even worse, he didn't know how much time was left in the game. If too much time had passed, he might already be out of chances to win.
He let out a frustrated sigh but quickly shook off the negative thoughts. There was no point in worrying about what he couldn't control. All he could do now was move forward and hope that he still had enough time.
"Come on," Kay said, standing up with Eevee by his side. "We need to get out of here."
He walked toward the exit of the mysterious room, stepping through the doorway that led back into the dimly lit corridor.
But when he reached the entrance of the hidden pathway, he came to an abrupt stop. The door that had led him here before was now shut. Unlike earlier, however, a button was now clearly visible on its surface.
Kay frowned, eyeing the button warily. It hadn't been there before. Was it some kind of mechanism that activated after he entered? He didn't have time to question it. Without hesitation, he pressed the button.
With a loud metallic click, the door slowly rotated, showing the hidden pathway once again.
Kay wasted no time stepping through. He returned to the main corridor, his pace quickening as he walked toward the exit. But just as he took a few steps, a sudden voice echoed through the speakers above him.
"Five minutes remaining."
Kay's heart dropped.
Five minutes?! That meant he had been unconscious for far longer than he had expected. He had no time left to strategize or explore further. If he didn't reach the end of the labyrinth before the time ran out, it was over.
Without hesitation, Kay recalled Growlithe into its Pokeball to lighten his load, then took off running.
Eevee sprinted beside him, its small paws barely touching the ground, trying to keep up with Kay's sudden burst of speed.
"Come on, Eevee!" Kay urged, his breath coming in quick bursts. "We have to make it!"
Time was running out.
As Kay sprinted through the corridor, his breathing was heavy, but he was determined to make it in time.
He could see two paths ahead, one leading straight and the other veering to the right. He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing.
Which way should he go? Time was running out, and choosing the wrong path could mean failing the game.
Just as he was about to decide, Eevee barked loudly beside him, its ears perked up as it turned toward the right corridor.
Kay knew that Eevee was telling him to choose that direction.
Kay glanced at his loyal partner, then at the dark corridor ahead. He had trusted Eevee countless times before, and this was no different. Without further hesitation, he nodded. "Alright, Eevee. I trust you!"
With that, Kay turned to the right and sprinted down the new corridor. The walls around him seemed to stretch endlessly, but after only a few seconds of running, he noticed a faint glow illuminating the far end of the passage.
It was the exit!
It was the break he had been desperately hoping for. His legs burned from the relentless running, but he didn't care. Pushing himself harder, he picked up speed, his arms pumping as he dashed toward the light.
The closer he got, the brighter it became until, at last, he burst through the exit.
Kay staggered to a stop, panting heavily. He had made it just a few seconds away from the time limit.
Relief washed over him, and he bent forward, placing his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.
He felt his heart pounding against his chest, his lungs burning from the intense effort. He needed to work on his stamina; that was for sure.
As he straightened up, he took a look around. A large group of players had already gathered outside the labyrinth, sitting or standing in various spots.
Some were resting, while others were silently observing the scene. Among them, Kay spotted the Marowak man, standing in his usual imposing manner.
Kay scanned the crowd, noticing that the number of players hadn't dropped as much as in the first game.
The previous round had eliminated a lot of competitors, but this time, a larger portion had survived. Fewer players had been eliminated in this labyrinth.
Kay walked toward a nearby spot and sat down, still catching his breath. Only one more player arrived after him; a guy with a bruised face and a torn jacket who looked like he had barely survived whatever challenges lay inside.
See you in the next chapter...
If you liked the story, leave a review...
Drop some Power Stones...