The obligatory disclaimer that nobody reads or cares about. I do not own digimon. I only own any original characters I create and any original digimon that I create. But, ultimately they would all span from the original digimon concept that again, I DO NOT OWN.

CHAPTER ONE
A Samurai's Journey Is Endless

"I have long since lost who I am. My life, my world, my family... I barely remember any of them. It is becoming a task in itself, simply to know my own name."

Isaac Vale drifted through his thoughts as he wandered through the forest. They were all too familiar to him; in fact, they were forced on him by his own doing. It had become a routine of his, to remind him of who he was and where he came from. The task though, had become more difficult with each passing day.

Isaac took in his surroundings as he went on. Before the forest, there had been endless stretches of hills that, with the assistant of a low sweeping breeze, created the illusion that they were actually swaying. Upon entering the forest, Isaac had become flanked on all sides by armies of towering trees that stretched high to the heavens, yet still managed to hang low to the ground with their reaching twig-like fingers. The sun was high to, baking the world below like a hot potato. Since passing the hills, not even the slightest of breezes dared to challenge the heat. One could say that the sun or maybe the forest forbids such a challenging action.

Still, Isaac pushed on, wearing nothing more than dirty cotton bottoms, a baggy white shirt and cowl, and a pair of old sandals that had evidently seen many miles of travel. Isaac wrapped a hand around a makeshift staff, which currently was being used as a walking stick, although it clearly had the appearance of a weapon of sorts. It was Isaac's most cherished possession, serving him well through the years. He had crafted it from a tree branch, almost six years ago, and still it stood as strong as ever.

The desert heat burned him, and as he wiped a hand across his soaked brow he could feel the warmth the sun had left on his moist skin. The temperature was also doing well to hinder his movements, draining the energy from him and slowing his pace until he was barely walking. Isaac felt like collapsing right there, just giving up for the day and resting on the dirt path, or maybe up against a tree. At this point in time, he didn't care.

He couldn't though, if anything, it would only serve as a way of worrying his friend, Kotemon. The little samurai digimon was the only thing keeping Isaac sane. He was mostly silent though, at least lately. He used to be a chatty sort; an oddity considering the family he came from. But, the passing months had seen Isaac become more preoccupied with his thoughts, and as a result he had grown distant. Now the two rarely exchanged words. Kotemon really only became extra vocal when he wanted to let Isaac know he was hungry, or tired, or that danger approached.

Still, a quiet friend was better than no friend was.

The two had spent the better part of the past four days walking, which could probably explain why Isaac felt so worn out. They stopped only for food and water, and at night they would rest. There was no purpose to their long distance travelling, no destination to get to. Isaac was searching for something that wasn't listed on any map as a location, and Kotemon was just bound by his friendship and loyalty to follow. It was really nothing more than a way of occupying their time. Isaac had spent every year of his life, since he was seven years old, living in the Digital World. He could navigate the lands as good as the next digimon. So, there was no chance of getting lost.

The Digital World was his home, but a part of him longed to return to his real family, a family he had not seen now for almost ten years.

Currently, he was left alone with his thoughts. He was able to drift across blurred images of his parents and his sister. It had been that long since he had seen them, that he was afraid to ever find them again for fear of not recognising them. Any conversation at this point would be welcome, because the pain that came with being alone was growing to become too much to bear.

Kotemon had taken off though, scouting the area ahead like he always did. He was trained in stealth, so even in the day his diminutive shadowy frame could go unnoticed in the most open of spaces. If anything, he was efficient and especially driven to keep Isaac safe. He donned heavy gear at all times, always ready for battle, but despite that the heat did nothing to halt his enthusiastic pace. As Isaac crested the next bank – one that felt like a steep mountain, but in reality was not even steep enough to qualify as a small hill – he noticed Kotemon bounding through the treetops towards him.

He must have confirmed to his own satisfaction that the area was safe, because he made no effort to disguise his approach. The small digimon moved like a shadowy ball, maintaining a relatively blurry speed. As he leapt from branch to branch with a faint hint of a skip in his step, his bright yellow eyes pulsated behind his protective mask, the only light to pierce through the darkness. He dropped from a low hanging branch as Isaac passed beneath him, landing on Isaac's head with a touch of grace.

"Find anything interesting up ahead?" Isaac asked, glancing up at Kotemon and flashing a weak smile.

"Yes indeed. The Leaf Ninja Village is not far from here," Kotemon explained with a hint of excitement. Perhaps he was tired after all, or knowing his appetite, he was probably just hungry. "We should be there in about twenty minutes, if we keep moving at the snail's pace you're setting."

"I'm sorry, buddy," Isaac apologised. "The heat is just a little intense today. I'll try and be quicker."

"It's no matter, I can wait."

"Are you sure," Isaac asked, "I mean, if you want you can go on ahead and wait for me there."

"No, no. I'll stay with you," Kotemon insisted as he hopped off Isaac's head.

"Thanks, buddy."

And so the pair pushed on. In the quiet, Isaac could hear Kotemon's stomach rumbling. He was clearly eager to fill his face with whatever delicacies the village had to offer. The closer they got to where the village was located, the more familiar the sights became. Isaac had visited the Leaf Ninja Village on four separate occasions growing up. Having been raised in the Red Azura Village, he had been surrounded by characters the likes of those that would dwell in such secretive locales. It had been a few years since his last trip there, but Isaac hoped that he would be welcomed as warmly as he had been on past visits.

The trees grew taller near the centre of the forest, and they huddled together like small armies. The bushes grew thicker to, concealing the ground with a carpet of vine tendrils stretching out for an eternity. The sun began to lose its grip, as an everlasting shade was cast over the world surrounding Isaac by the legion of flourishing trees as their clustered leaves intermingled above.

It made it difficult to navigate, if one hadn't already been shown the way. The entrance to the village itself was hidden to the untrained eye. Two trees stood side by side like soldiers on guard, a space of about six feet between them. From a stranger's perspective, it looked like nothing more than further forest life, but to those few who had seen the village, it was a makeshift gateway covered in foliage. And when pushed apart, it revealed the inner design of a stretch of camouflaged tree huts constructed from bark-wood and straw.

It wasn't the most elegantly designed village, but every aspect had a purpose to serve. The trees, blocking out the sky, protected the village from any aerial eyes that tried to sneak a peak. The huts were camouflaged strictly to remain hidden in plain sight. The village grounds were patrolled by several digimon, all identical in appearance, but separated by personality. They were the Ninjamon; the protectors of the village. They were the tireless foot soldiers whose presence was a visible deterrent, to ensure the safety of those that had chosen the secret village as a place to make their home.

They were less intimidating than most digimon, appearing as large heads with arms and feet. One could never be entirely certain on whether or not they possessed actual bodies. They each wore a crimson mask over their eyes that topped itself with a small tuft that made it resemble a gnome's hat. Still, the steely demeanour accompanied by the sharp and deadly ninja swords they carried on their backs was enough to instil an air of caution when approaching them.

They were quick to. The moment Isaac stepped into the village, he felt the cold steel of a blade as its tip grazed his throat. He glanced down, daring not to move. The small Ninjamon came up to Isaac's waist, just barely. A shadow was cast over his face, but Isaac could see the gritted teeth and look of hard determination present on his features.

"What business do you have here, human?" Ninjamon barked. There was a clear hint of distaste in his voice when he spoke the word 'human'.

"We don't mean you any harm," Isaac assured the tense digimon. "We were just hoping that you would grant us a place to rest for the night. We have been travelling for many hours."

"We, of the Leaf Ninja Village, do not grant sanctuary to humans," Ninjamon stated, firmly. "Your kind are a plague on our world. Popping back and forth like this was a vacation spot."

"I always thought that the Leaf Ninja had a very liberal policy on welcoming outsiders," Kotemon said, interjecting himself into the conversation. "Many times in the past has this village granted us a place to stay."

The Ninjamon, who had quite clearly established himself as the leader and speaker of the village, relaxed a touch. He stepped back, still cautious, and slowly withdrew his sword and slid it back into the sheath on his back.

"Interesting," he said, with a pondering thought. "You have been here before."

"Yes, we have," Isaac replied.

"A human and a digimon." Ninjamon pondered further. "Why then, you must be Isaac Vale from the Red Azura Village." There now seemed to be a presence of excitement in Ninjamon's voice.

Isaac forced a smile, although he still felt slightly uneasy. "Yeah. That's me, I guess."

"Well then, of course you may rest here," Ninjamon said with a smile, ushering Isaac into the village. "Tell me, will Azuramon be joining you?"

"Ummm, no. He is still working to repair the village." There was a strong sense of guilt in Isaac's voice. "The final battle with ShadowSamuraimon… it left the village in ruin."

"And you left?" Ninjamon inquired, judgementally.

"I vowed not to return until I was reunited with Kotemon," Isaac explained. "But, when I found him… I don't know… I felt as if I could not go back. At least not yet. I was responsible for the attack on the Red Azura Village, and until I redeem myself… I cannot return there."

"Ah, yes. Words spoken like a true samurai." Ninjamon spoke, proudly. "You have been raised well, but I must warn you… even should you find this redemption you seek, it will not change how you feel inside. You will always believe that you need to do more, to accomplish more. But, that is what it means to be a true warrior."

"Right, a samurai's journey is endless." Isaac recited. It was the words Azuramon had spoken to him when Isaac was merely a child. Even now, they stayed with him as most other memories continued to fade.

"Indeed, it is," Ninjamon agreed. "But, such talk is not necessary. I am sure you will find your path. Until then, we shall eat."

It was amazing how often digimon ate, almost as if they had bottomless pits for stomachs. Their appetites just never seemed to be completely attended to. Fortunately, Isaac was more than willing to take the time out to answer the hunger growing inside him.

The head Ninjamon showed Isaac and Kotemon to a small, empty hut. It was only marginally big enough to fit Isaac's large size, but it would make a welcome change from sleeping out in the open like he and Kotemon had been doing for so long. There was a bed crafted from several pieces of wood and layered with straw, not the most comfortable of choices, but adequate once you got used to the irritating pokes from any stray strands.

Then, the rest of the day proved to be moderately eventful, but in a good way. The Ninjamon were extremely welcoming, in fact, their generosity and eagerness to please Isaac left him with a sense of strange concern. He couldn't recall them being so friendly towards humans, out of all the digimon they were on the side that were strongly against the presence of humans in the Digital World. Of course, his past visits had been welcomed with open arms, but Isaac secretly knew that they only tolerated him because of where he came from and the company he kept.

There was a feast late into the afternoon. Isaac ate his fill and spent the rest of the meal watching in amazement as the Ninjamon, and Kotemon especially, wolfed down a variety of the foods that had been prepared. Some of the younger Ninjamon gathered at Isaac's seat, hoping to be riveted by some of his tales of adventure with the great and powerful Azuramon. The village seemed to worship the great samurai digimon as if he were of royal descent, or a deity of some kind. Isaac did his best to bring some life to what tales he could tell, but truth be told, talking about Azuramon only brought him pain.

Still, if it kept them peaceable towards him, Isaac would do his best to keep up their spirits.

Fortunately, the night approached quickly and soon enough Isaac was fast asleep, and dreaming.

"You can not defeat me, you pitiful insect."

The powerful voice boomed with authority as ShadowSamuraimon strode across the battlefield, looking to finish off his opponent. His four arms gripped a set of impressive dark blades that donned skulls at the centre of their hilts. His jagged black armour crunched and grated with his every movement. The sky had grown dark, no doubt a reflection of the digimon warriors evil intentions. Still, the sun managed to maintain a presence, and as its dim rays bounced off the steel surface of ShadowSamuraimon's swords, they created brilliant flecks of silver that cut through the dull air.

He didn't move with any kind of speed, if anything, every step he took was drawn out like he was purposely walking in a form of slow motion. His black heart knew no remorse, no forgiveness, and he would wade in his opponent's inevitable defeat for as long as he possibly could.

CrystalAzuramon struggled to get to his feet. He lay battered and broken on the opposite side of the battlefield, his once sparkling, majestic crimson armour had now been scorched and cracked by his enemy's relentless attacks. The noble digimon had fought with valour and honour, but as Isaac stared at him from afar, he couldn't help but feel that his friend, his mentor, was only prolonging his downfall.

Azuramon had been the only type of father figure Isaac could remember. He had raised him, trained him, and taught him right from wrong. So, it pained him to see him in such a fallen state, like a knife cutting violently through his sides. He had not been strong enough to battle ShadowSamuraimon in his standard form, but Kotemon, in his ultimate form of Kyukimon had willingly given himself to the fight. They had fused together to become the legendary CrystalAzuramon, but even in such a formidable form, ShadowSamuraimon had dominated the battle.

Now, Isaac was faced with the possibility of losing two that were extremely close to him.

"Noooo! CrystalAzuramon, get up!" Isaac pleaded with every ounce of volume he could muster.

"Silence child!" ShadowSamuraimon snapped. "And watch as I destroy your friend." He flashed a sadistic grin Isaac's way, and it sent a cold shiver down his spine.

"SHADOW OF THE RONIN!"

ShadowSamuraimon roared to the heavens as he punched his arms out firmly, positioning himself in a towering pose. His stature reminded Isaac of the old Greek statues he had seen as a child, in books. Odd, how such small and insignificant memories still managed to stay with him. The gargantuan black warrior was massive and intimidating; the added shroud of darkness that enveloped his frame only sought to further emphasise his dark presence. He remained still, if only for a moment and then several clones of himself separated from his body.

They shifted to the sides, one after another, until they formed a complete line, each one mimicking the digimon's original pose. Six shadow versions of himself flanked the evil digimon, each one as imposing as the next. Behind his black visage, ShadowSamuraimon smiled and his chest expanded with heavy pride as he took in a breath.

Then, in a flash they each shot forwards and disappeared with a flicker, like a light bulb that was struggling on its last vestige of energy. Isaac immediately shot a look at CrystalAzuramon as he finally succeeded in pushing himself into an upright stance. He was weak though and unable to muster any kind of defence.

The first clone flashed in front of him, sliding across the burnt ground in a low crouch and cutting across CrystalAzuramon's waist with a swift and effective slice. Then another appeared, before the crimson samurai could steady himself. It dropped from the sky like a swooping eagle, cutting down across CrystalAzuramon's wounded body with a single flash of steel. He stumbled back as each blow struck him. The second was followed by a third, and then a fourth. By the sixth attack, CrystalAzuramon was barely holding himself up. He stabbed the point of his transparent, crystal katana into the ground and used it as a means to keep him steady and on his feet.

ShadowSamuraimon swept in, the seventh and final assailant. He glided across the ground like a ghost, before exploding into an impressive leap. The sun seemed to cast a bright backdrop, making him look more of a shadow than a digimon. His four blades came down, with force and venom. They cut through the air softly, leaving a whispering trail of wind behind them.

All Isaac could do was watch, his pleading cries drowned out by the reverberating echoes of ShadowSamuraimon's battle cry.

"Nooooooo!"

Isaac sat bolt upright on the straw-filled bed he had been given to rest on. His face was drowning in a cold sweat, despite the cool night breeze that now swept around him. There was a knot in his stomach, a sickening feeling as a result of his dream, and he struggled to fight the urge to vomit. It wasn't the first time he had dreamt of that destructive battle. Ever since he had lived it, it had plagued his slumber on frequent occasions.

He assured himself that it was just a dream, that he was not reliving the nightmare again.

As he glanced around, Isaac noticed first and foremost that Kotemon was nowhere to be seen. It didn't trouble Isaac at all, in the safety of the Leaf Ninja Village; there were no existing threats. Kotemon was most likely raiding the food supplies, getting his fill and stashing some supplies away for when he and Isaac left in the morning. But, there was a rustling coming from outside. Something or someone was moving in the bushes. Of course, this would be a natural occurrence within any village, but something tugged at Isaac's cautious instincts and suggested that the rustling was more threatening than one would first imagine.

Isaac leaned to his side as he slowly edged himself out of bed. He wrapped a tight hand around his staff and crept across the floor to the hut entrance. He peered out through the doorway opening, but the village was empty. There should have been several Ninjamon at least, but not a single patrol passed by Isaac's wandering gaze. He began to feel tense, on edge; something didn't feel right. As he listened he could hear noise coming from the far side of the village; it was a distant chatter, as if there was some kind of meeting taking place.

The question that now entered into his mind was "what could they be meeting about at such a late hour?"

Then, the rustling hit Isaac's ears again.

It came from his left, and instantly his combat instincts kicked in. He shifted his feet as he crept out through the door and turned swiftly with his staff at the ready. Kotemon burst out the bushes, and Isaac had to use his past training to redirect his staff before it clobbered the little digimon clean on the middle of his head. His yellow eyes were glowing brightly, yet they had darkened. Isaac detected a hint of concern about his digimon partner, but he first thought that it was down to Isaac almost knocking him unconscious.

"Sorry, little buddy," Isaac said with a soft smile. "I didn't know it was you."

Kotemon was silent for a second.

"Kotemon, what is it?"

"Trouble," Kotemon said in a whisper. "We need to leave… right now!"