On the high platform, Mavuika spoke again, her voice resonating with fervor: "No matter how many times I witness the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame, my heart still surges with emotion. It is you who reaffirm my belief that, after countless sacrifices, we will inevitably usher in a future as blazing as the sacred flames."
"Warriors! This is both an order and a plea: Crush the Abyss and secure victory and glory for Natlan!"
The crowd roared in unison: "Yes!"
Kachina, lagging slightly behind, still declared with unwavering resolve: "Y-yes! Yes!"
Amidst the thunderous applause, the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame drew to a close.
-
Outside the Stadium of the Sacred Flame:
"Traveler, Paimon, I've finally found you!"
Mualani located Lumine and Paimon.
"Thank you for cheering on Kachina. She's truly grown stronger; I lost fair and square this time. Though the sting of defeat lingers, I'm also genuinely happy for her... sigh, such conflicting emotions."
Mualani: "Hey, how about we go for a stroll to clear your heads? Kachina and the others are heading to the Night Warden Wars next. Let me show you around Natlan."
Paimon: "Sounds great! Lumine, what do you think?"
Lumine was lost in thought, her head bowed. Paimon asked curiously, "Lumine, what's on your mind?"
Lumine: "I'm a little worried about Kachina. This is her first time participating in the Night Warden Wars, right?"
Mualani: "To be honest, I'm a little worried too. But with experienced and powerful comrades leading the way, nothing too serious should happen. Ishkab is incredibly skilled—I'm confident she'll take good care of Kachina."
Lumine remained silent. That's exactly what I'm worried about, she thought.
Having journeyed through five nations, each plagued by major crises, Lumine had come to recognize her own nature as a walking calamity. If she hadn't come to Natlan, she might not have felt this apprehension.
But...
Now that she had arrived in Natlan, her experience told her something was likely to go wrong. Yet this feeling was vague and elusive, hard to put into words.
Mualani: "Glory always comes with risk. If victory were guaranteed, no one would take pride in it, would they?"
"I believe she won't fall easily. Her Ancient Name is Uthabiti, after all. So we should focus on doing our part..."
Kinich stepped forward. "Mualani's right. Trust my sister—she's incredibly reliable."
"Oh, Traveler, you don't have a place to stay yet, do you? Why not visit the Scions of the Canopy? In Natlan, most of the Adventurer's Guild members come from there. You might find it interesting. Besides, I'd like to host you on behalf of my sister..."
Before Kinich could finish, Mualani cut in. "Hey, Kinich! Invitations should go to whoever asked first—and that was me!"
Turning to Lumine and Paimon, Mualani said, "The People of the Springs are our tribe, living alongside the Koholasaurus. It's the perfect vacation spot! Let me introduce you to our customs and traditions—I guarantee you'll love it there."
In the end, Lumine and Paimon decided to visit the People of the Springs first. But before that, they had an even more important task: to pay their respects to the Pyro Archon and share the information about the Pure Soul and the Abyss.
Paimon: "Kinich, what are your plans now?"
Kinich: "I'll head home to help my sister care for her small animals and dry the medicinal herbs. I'll also deliver some ceremonial artifacts to the Scions of the Canopy. Now that the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame is over and I didn't manage to place well, I should get back to my duties."
Paimon: "Was it because you didn't have enough points?"
Kinich: "Yeah, I got a bit injured during the team competition and lost two crucial matches in the individual competition. They were all old rivals; we win some, we lose some—it happens."
Ajaw: "Ha ha! Serves you right for locking me up at the gathering! Karma caught up to you! Tough luck, buddy! I hope you have as much 'good' luck every day as you did during the competition!"
Kinich turned to Ajaw, his expression unreadable.
Ajaw: "W-what do you want? If you dare lay a hand on me, I'll tell your sister!"
Kinich: "..."
-
In the wilderness of Natlan, Angie and the Captain had been there for quite some time. Instead of visiting any tribes or disrupting the Natlanians' normal lives, they focused on clearing out the wilderness of monsters.
During their time in Natlan, Angie encountered Ororon.
Initially, Ororon had been secretly following the Captain and his group, convinced he was well-hidden. However, he had been discovered from the very beginning.
The Captain chose to ignore him and instructed others to do the same, making no effort to conceal their conversations.
Eventually, Ororon revealed himself, openly asking about the Captain's plan. Upon learning they were searching for Citlali, he offered his assistance on the condition that the Fatui wouldn't pursue her.
The Captain agreed, and Ororon temporarily joined the Fatui.
As they traveled together, Angie discovered Ororon to be an exceptionally kind-hearted person, sometimes a bit awkward but remarkably intelligent and full of his own ideas.
Angie often listened to him talk about the vegetables he grew in his fields. Intrigued by his descriptions, she asked him to pick some fresh produce for her.
Since the fields weren't far and Natlan had just concluded the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame, no one was likely to notice their excursion.
At Angie's insistence, Ororon took her to his fields and brought back a generous harvest of fruits and vegetables, which Angie distributed among the Fatui Soldiers as rations.
She also kept some for herself. It had to be said, Ororon's produce was truly exceptional—large, flavorful, and intensely aromatic. Was this due to Natlan's intense sunlight? They seemed even sweeter and more complex than the ones from Sumeru.
Angie sat on a rock, munching on a carrot, while Ororon stood beside her, asking, "What do you think are the chances of the Pyro Archon's plan succeeding?"
"I don't know," Angie replied, "but the Captain's plan has a high likelihood of success. If possible, I believe the Captain would prefer to adopt the Pyro Archon's plan, but... so far, the Pyro Archon's plan hasn't yielded much positive feedback."
"I can sense the Captain's heavy yet upright soul," Ororon said. "That's why I'm willing to help you. Your goal is to save Natlan, which aligns with my own aspirations."
"Oh?" Angie handed the half-eaten carrot to Ailina, who was about to take a bite when Angie added, "Hold this for me."
Only then did Angie turn her attention back to Ororon. "You can sense the Captain's soul?"
"Due to certain circumstances..."
"Then sense mine too. What kind of soul do I have?" Angie asked.
"Pure, kind, and upright," Ororon replied. "You're a good person too."