Chapter 14: The night before the battle

Millenniumon opened his eyes and looked around him. He noticed that everything around him was ruined. There was nothing left alive.

"Hum...What happened?" he whispered. He analysed the ruined and recognised the location he was. It was his temple. "Did I lose against the chosen children? What about Ryo?!"

Millenniumon stood up and ran at a hole leading to an exit. When he was out, he noticed that the sky was only black cloud, forcing the digital world to be in constant darkness.

"I don't remember this," Millenniumon noticed. He wasn't dump and knew pretty fast what was going on: "I have a lucid dream. That's good to know. I was worrying about the destruction of my temple and wondering why the digital world was forever in darkness."

Is it really a lucid dream Millenniumon?

Millenniumon heard a voice calling him. The Evil God looked around and saw nothing: "Who are you? Show yourself or I shall destroy you!"

You cannot destroy something that live out of the life and death concept, out of reality and dream concept, out of flesh and data concept and out of awareness and obviousness. I am everything and nothing. I am real and an illusion.

"What are you?" Millenniumon asked.

I am a part of you and also not a part of you.

"If you are everything you claim, how can I communicate with you?!" Millenniumon shouted.

A god can hear my quiet whispering.

"You are...the glyphs?" Millenniumon realised.

Maybe yes, maybe not.

"Stop being cryptic?!" Millenniumon ordered.

It is what I am and what I am not.

"Why are you communicating with me?!" Millenniumon shouted furiously.

I came here to you to give you some illumination.

"Illumination?" Millenniumon asked.

Have you ever wonder, why you, a digimon god, needed a human as a destined partner?

Millenniumon didn't reply when he heard the question, but he put his claw on his forehead and thought about it. "No. He is my destined partner and I'll do anything for Ryo to be by my side."

Have you ever ask yourself, why the Ryo of your reality never became your partner?

"Because I made a lot of mistakes and he became my sworn enemies. It's my fault if he turned against me. I should have been less cryptic with him," Millenniumon replied.

And you accuse me of being cryptic.

"Shut up!" Millenniumon shouted.

Have you ever ask yourself why you are a god?

"Stop with those questions!" Millenniumon ordered furiously. He tried to find the being, but saw nothing.

Have you ever wondered why you have the power to control time and change reality?

"I have great power! I am a God!" Millenniumon shouted back at the voice.

Beware Millenniumon. Beware. Your true destiny is starting soon.

"What?" Millennium said surprised by the sudden change of behavior of the one communicating with him.

Something resting in the void will eventually come out. The fourth attribute is coming back. The fourth attribute is coming back Millenniumon.

"The fourth attribute?" Millenniumon asked.

Beware Millenniumon. Your true destiny is coming.

"What do you mean by that?!" Millenniumon didn't hear anything. He felt nothing around him. "Answer me accursed being!"

Silence was the only remaining.

"My true destiny is coming?" Millenniumon asked himself.

He looked around and wondered why he didn't wake up yet. He sighted and looked around him. He saw another palace a little away He flew there and when he reached it, he saw it was a tall palace. He flew inside and landed on the ground. He looked around and heard nothing.

"I guess I am now in the lucid part of my dream," Millenniumon commented.

He walked deeper in the palace and didn't recognise anything he heard. He continued until he reached the throne room. He gasped surprised when he saw Ryo waiting for him on the throne of the Evil god.

"Definitely what I desire," Millenniumon whispered.

He walked near Ryo with a small smile. Ryo nodded at him and smiled back. Millenniumon presented his hand and the boy climbed on it. The god sat on the throne and moved his hand near his chest and his partner rested against his chest.

Millenniumon didn't really enjoy his lucid dream and thought more about who he communicated with. He looked at the dream Ryo and said in his mind: Why is Ryo my partner? I never really thought about it. Why was Ryo chosen to be my destined partner? I don't know. Why him and not anyone else? I don't know and I don't care. This question could be asked to the partner of the other chosen children. I'll make sure that this Ryo become my partner. I refuse to fail again.

He looked at Ryo and said in his mind: One day, this will become real.

Millenniumon opened his eyes and knew he woke up. He put his hand on his forehead and wondered what just happened.

"Hum...That was a weird dream. I don't understand any of this," Millenniumon put his hand over his forehead and grunted. "It's the first time the higher being communicated with me and it had to be so cryptic."

He stood up and walked in the temple, thinking about everything that happened during his dream. He didn't understand anything and that infuriated him.

"I have no choice, but to wait for the answers to come. I hate that," Millenniumon grunted.

He looked outside and saw it was still the night. He decided to distract himself and remembered when he watched the reactions of the chosen children when they received their gift. He smirked when he remembered their face. It enjoyed the fury he awoke in them, the fear and the tears he caused too. He smiled when he remembered Ryo reaction.

"He'll eventually warm to be," Millenniumon chuckled.

Millenniumon felt better thinking about the misery he caused to his enemies. He reached his throne and sat on it. He remembered when he saw that his temple was completely destroyed and he moved elsewhere.

"I did that in the other reality, but I'll try to stay at the same place this time," Millenniumon commented.

Ryo felt once again restless as he walked outside. He wondered if he'll meet Raziel again.

"The end is coming soon," Ryo said.

He looked at his reflection and saw his bruise where gone and the black eye almost subsided. The only thing remaining clear was the mark on his neck when Vamdemon grabbed him. He sighted and walked outside and saw someone sitting on a bench. Ryo recognised Raziel.

"There you are Ryo," Raziel said.

"You have anything else complicated to say?" Ryo asked curiously. He kept his distance from the man.

"Not really Ryo. You seem troubled by something boy. What is it?" Raziel asked with some concern.

"Nothing really big. Millenniumon just send us some weird gifts to me and the other chosen children," Ryo replied.

Raziel raised his left eyebrow and replied: "Him? Giving some gift? Are they that bad?"

"It's not really gifts, but mostly insults and strange warnings like he's always watching us," Ryo replied. He resumed what happened when the chosen children opened the gifts and read what it had. Raziel chuckled when Ryo finished explaining everything. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing really. It's just really...wasteful coming from this Evil god to send those things," Raziel replied. He then seriously said: "I am surprised he told you he's watching you every time. It's a little mistake, or he's confident enough to reveal some of his cards."

"There's one last thing. I didn't say what he gave me," Ryo said.

"It's about your gift?" Raziel asked.

"Yes. He put a heart on it and he also said in the end: Love Millenniumon," Ryo said sticking his tongue out.

Raziel laughed when he heard that: "That's...funny and ridiculous! Looks like someone got a crush on you."

"Shut up! It's just extremely weird! I'm sure he's just provoking me," Ryo replied.

"True. I do not really believe that either...If it wasn't for the fact that it's absolutely not worthy of him," Raziel replied.

The man stood up and walked closer to Ryo. Ryo felt nervous and maintained a distance from the man.

"Ryo. Why are you so nervous when I'm trying to move closer to you?" Raziel asked.

Ryo looked on the left and nervously said: "I...have my reasons Raziel."

"You're mistrust of man is worrisome Ryo. I won't ask about it again. Anything else you want to talk about?" Raziel asked.

"When you spoke of the different type of darkness, I do not know why one Millenniumon is. He acted mostly for evil purpose and also likes to hurt everyone," Ryo replied.

"If you are searching about his past. He was almost killed by the chosen children; a part of him to be exact. I don't understand how he miraculously survived, but there must be a purpose for him," Raziel replied.

"What's his purpose?" Ryo asked.

"I don't know anything about his purpose Ryo. I cannot find any answer about it," Raziel replied.

"There's another thing. He told me he got my destined partner back in his temple," Ryo replied.

"He didn't tell you the where or how he looks like?" Raziel asked.

"None of those two," Ryo replied.

"That's normal Ryo. He is playing a little mind game with you. You are the one who stood in his way and enjoyed it. What's dangerous is that he might eventually get bored and then, it will become more dangerous for you Ryo," Raziel warned.

"It's true. I know he is extremely powerful and his power over time is fearsome," Ryo said.

"I cannot say how everything will end when the final fight will come. Will you overcome the power of the evil god or will you succumb to it. It all depends on you Ryo," Raziel said.

Ryo knew it was about the keys and also if he could make Agumon evolve into his ultimate form. If he couldn't, he had not a lot of chance to defeat the evil god.

"One last thing Ryo. The will of the digital world send you one warning Ryo. Something is coming back from the nothingness and will threaten the digital world. Not just this one, but every digital world," Raziel said before standing up and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Ryo asked.

"I have nothing else to tell you Ryo. For now, it's all up to you. I will come back...After the fight against Millenniumon. I shall be back. Ryo. Your battle against Millenniumon is only the beginning," Raziel told him.

Raziel left Ryo alone. Ryo felt tired and decided to rest and not share what Raziel told him until he had more information's.

The day eventually came and Ryo woke up, his head resting against Agumon nose. Agumon woke up and the same time and the duo walked outside. Yamato and Gabumon finished preparing his stuff and saw Ryo and Agumon joining them. He nodded at them.

"Hello Ryo. Did you sleep well?" Yamato asked.

"Yes," Ryo replied.

"What about you Agumon?" Gabumon asked.

Agumon nodded and said: "Yes. I sleep very well Gabumon. You're already ready to go?"

"Yes. I was awake not too long ago and I couldn't sit down. After what Millenniumon send us, I can't let this getting me down. I'll show him what happen when he threaten my little brother," Yamato grunted, barely containing his fury.

"I don't want to let him believe he can do it Yamato," Ryo told him. He looked at the keys. "But I saw his power and we can't underestimate him."

"We only need one key left right?" Yamato asked.

"Yes," Ryo replied.

"The problem is that we don't know where we can find it," Yamato grunted.

"Where did you think the last one will be?" Ryo asked.

"Near the place Millenniumon ambushed us with his trap," Yamato said.

"We should go there once we defeated Piemon," Ryo suggested.

Yamato nodded: "That's a good idea."

Ryo smiled when he agreed with him: "We'll prepare ourselves too."

Yamato nodded.

Millenniumon sat on his throne and observed the chosen children preparing for their journey. He saw they divided into two. Ryo was in the team that will deal with Piemon while the others stayed behind just in case he wanted to ambush them.

"You think I'm going to time my time attacking you chosen children? This isn't a part of my plan," Millenniumon said alone watching them. "I just need to make sure the battle is harder by giving some help for Piemon."

Millenniumon tapped his fingers as he watched Ryo walked at the teleported to his destination.

"I have to be ready for the little help," Millenniumon said standing up and walked outside the temple.

AC: This is the end of chapter 14.

Chapter 15: Confronting Piemon.