Melemele Island.
After passing through Mahalo Trail, the territory guarded by the Dominant Lycanroc, Li Wei and Cynthia followed the steep, barren mountain path upward and finally reached the summit.
Just then, moonlight pierced the clouds and spilled like mercury across the ground, illuminating the scene before them.
Rather than natural ruins, it looked more like an open-air temple forgotten by time.
The platform was quite spacious, but it lacked the smooth finish of human workmanship, instead bearing nature's ruggedness and the erosion of ages.
There were indeed traces of human handiwork here, but time had worn them away.
Square stone pillars covered in intricate reliefs lay scattered around them. Most had broken and toppled, yet they could still imagine the magnificent colonnades they had once supported.
Cynthia crouched down. "Look at the bases of these pillars. The original columns might have been over 1.2 meters in diameter."
The stone had taken on a grayish-white hue, weathered by centuries of wind and rain, and gleamed beneath the moonlight.
The stone bases formed a square arrangement, suggesting that a temple-like building had once stood here.
Judging by the thickness of the bases, it must have been a truly magnificent structure.
Perhaps something like the Temple of Karnak?
Whatever it had been, it had vanished into the river of history, which Li Wei found a great pity.
Quite a few Pokémon still made their homes in the abandoned Ruins of Life.
When Li Wei, Cynthia, Lucario, Zeraora, and the other Pokémon arrived, the residents hid at a distance and watched curiously.
A slightly bolder Alolan Marowak approached Li Wei and Cynthia, carrying a bone club burning with blue flames.
"This is for you."
As a reward for its courage, Li Wei handed it a small jar of Pokéblocks.
"Marowak!"
A stillness shrouded