Chapter 6: Valuable Pieces

You can...

Give it to me.

Mystic Mountains: Outside the Withering Miracle

The voice was so clear.

I was certain it was coming from inside the Miracle.

I couldn't recall who the voice belonged to. All I wanted was to get closer...

It was like reuniting with a long-lost friend.

I couldn't help but take step after step toward the voice.

Sachiko pulled me back, and I came back to my senses.

A sea of Miramon spread out across the desert before me. It made me break out in a cold sweat.

The terrifying multitude of Miramon outside made the swarms of Miramon back in the mine seem like a cozy safe house in comparison...

We began retreating, intending to shelter back in the mine.

And then I heard a sound.

*CLINK*

It was like a barely perceptible fracture had appeared in a pane of glass near my ears...

It was faint, but unmissable.

I turned around to see Leon, of the Shadow Decree.

At some point, he must have retreated behind everyone. He was fiddling with a red crystal in his hand.

*CLINK CLINK CLINK*

In a series of snaps and pops, Leon smashed the crystal into a fine red dust.

As Leon swept his hand through the air, the dust dispersed into a shimmering red mist that surrounded and enveloped us.

Any exposed skin began to tingle upon coming into contact with the mist.

*BZZZ BZZZZZ*

As the red mist swirled, it was as if an invisible wave swept across the battlefield.

The desert, the Miracle, and the horde of Miramon all seemed to stand still for a moment.

I knew that feeling...

Back in the Union's underground testing site, it was what I'd felt when those Miramon attacked me in a frenzy...

Sheer terror.

But this time, a hundred times more intense.

*WHOOSH*

A swarm of tiny black dots burst out of the Miracle as it floated in mid-air, like a wasp nest had been disturbed...

They didn't look like much. But as they descended, it became clear what they were...

Miramon!

They streamed continuously into the horde of Miramon on the ground, adding to their already-massive number.

The horde, which had been scattered about the desert, slowly drew closer to us with purpose.

"Leon" pulled off his cloak.

And as it fell to the ground...

I saw a red figure...

It was... The man I'd seen over and over again in so many documents...

The man who'd found me and brought me to the Union...

... It was Yamato.

Mystic Mountains: Outside the Withering Miracle

*CHOOM CHOOM CHOOM*

Everyone was still reeling from the sight of Yamato.

A helicopter descended, dropping a rope ladder.

Yamato paid him no mind, but just snapped his fingers.

A red-and-black bolt of lightning cracked down and cleared away the approaching Miramon in an instant.

Witnessing this display of terrifying power, we were shocked into an oppressive silence for a moment.

Yamato strolled through the group as if nothing had happened and stopped next to me.

When Triki said he'd help me find Yamato, this wasn't what I had in mind...

I took a deep breath and asked my question.

Yamato's words left me speechless.

Was I really... going to embark on this fated path of Miracles?

Yamato didn't press me for an answer. Instead, he just began climbing the rope ladder.

The helicopter rose slowly and began flying toward the Miracle.

It seemed like it was because of that red mist...

That the Miramon had ignored Yamato's helicopter and swarmed at us instead.

Yamato's voice rang out through the air.

As Yamato departed, the Miramon surged toward us like a tidal wave.

Mystic Mountains: Outside the Withering Miracle

After fighting off several waves of Miramon, they still continued to stream out of the Miracle.

We were so close to the Miracle that the endless flood of gigantic Miramon threatened to overwhelm us.

Sachiko and the Shadow members were barely holding up.

*ROAR*

The ground broke open and a massive Miramon burrowed out of the desert, then howled toward the sky.

Mystic Mountains: Outside the Withering Miracle

*SWOOSH*

A flaming spear sliced through the sky and pinned the Miramon to the ground.

Several silhouettes appeared in the firelight.

What power! A single strike had wiped out Miramon that our entire group would have been unable to handle.

That strike had also cleared the Miramon from a large swath of ground nearby.

So that was the true power of the Union's elite...

The Union crew surrounded Sachiko, and it seemed that she knew them all quite well.

While the Union's elite Espers cleared the nearby Miramon...

The Shadow members were able to recover enough strength to retreat into the mine, albeit in a sorry state.

Before I knew it, they'd already disappeared into the intricate complex of mineshafts.

Feng Nuxi was about to charge forward when Gaius stopped her.

*SWOOSH*

The sky filled with flames once more, but it was completely different from the Miramon before.

Amidst the flames right in front of us stood a four-armed humanoid Miramon.

Mystic Mountains: Outside the Withering Miracle

Mystic Mountains: Outside the Withering Miracle

As the gargantuan Miramon collapsed and dissipated, I could finally relax a bit.

The effect of the red mist seemed to have dissipated as well, and the Miramon's attack had relented.

The Miramon horde began to retreat to the Miracle.

Feng Nuxi gave Gaius an exasperated look.

Hearing Feng Nuxi's words, it was like having the wind knocked out of me.

Even the Union Councilors couldn't protect themselves in this whirlwind?

Then next on my path...

What might await me...?

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from behind.

Mystic Mountains: Outside the Withering Miracle

Seeing Triki, Sachiko frowned in exasperation.

Triki pulled out a notebook.

Seeing that information so close at hand, I hesitated for a moment.

Sachiko smiled cheerfully as she held Yamato's notebook high.

Sachiko's positivity lightened the gloom in my heart somewhat.

Instead of wandering in a daze, we had to continue moving forward.

With that, Triki departed.

Gaius seemed a bit apprehensive.

The goal had become clearer. Sachiko and I bid farewell to the Union crew and proceeded to depart.

Next stop, Utgard.