Preview for a chapter later in the story. Looking to see if there is interest in the expansion of this story. Please read and comment. Thanks.
The figure lead Sora through a series of dingy and twisting corridors, only the dim glow of occasional candle fixtures differentiated the air surrounding her from the obsidian cobblestone walls and floor. Aside from the pair's footsteps echoing endlessly down the long passageways, the journey was bathed in an unsettling silence. Sora had desperately tried to remember their route, and to glimpse any sign of an exit, but looking back at ethereal hallways behind her only served to make her head spin and her stomach churn. It seemed as if this place, whatever it was, had been constantly shifting and changing as they traveled. She had no idea for how long they had been walking, however she quickly surmised that she had become hopelessly lost, forgetting the way back to the cells and the others. She became so focused on the figure slowly lumbering through the shadows in front of her that the bearer of the crest of love had not realized that she was violently shaking due to frayed nerves. Between the stranger's cryptic words, the ominous atmosphere, the digidestined having been found in cells, and her best friend suddenly missing in action; Sora was filled with a dread that threatened to overwhelm her. She could only move forward from here, and hope that this figure meant no harm to her and her friends.
What felt like hours passed, yet she did not fatigue, at least not physically; the tension between her and the stranger increased with each step forward, which cause her more anxiety than she would have otherwise thought imaginable. Perhaps so enthralled by her circumstance, that her likely aching feet did not register with her brain.
Suddenly, and without warning the figure stopped mid-step and for a moment stood at attention like a gargoyle, still and lifeless. This caused Sora to snap back to reality, and quickly backstep to avoid walking right into the gloomy statuesque character before her. Breathing heavily and cloaked in darkness, she stood there, waiting for the figure to say anything, to do anything. And after a moment he did, she could distinguish through the dim distance between them, that the figure raised its arm, methodically drawing an unknown symbol in front of the nearest wall. Sora could not discern this wall from the previous dark cracked stone that made up this labyrinth; yet knew there must be some meaning to this bizarre exploit. After a few seconds, a black cloud began to form, swirling and howling until the shape of an elaborate doorway materialized out of the haze.
A grand but disconcerting sight, wide enough to permit perhaps five of adult humans at once; the black steel gating on either side shimmered slightly in the faint candle light. Each dark steel post was adorned with a blood red iron spike, which must have been over twelve centimeters in length, culminating in a threating sharp edge. Though the base and center of this gateway was abnormally large, it too met at a single peak embellishing the top of the doorway. A winding line of the crimson steel followed the door's upper lining to its peak. Sora stared in a daze at the unsettling entryway, wondering if it would give way to an exit. However, it took her several moments to realize that this gateway was already open, for the space beyond it was somehow even darker than the labyrinth. Even the dim light of the candles on the wall behind them could not seem to pierce that void. She was, rather unsurprisingly, struck by an ominous feeling about continuing forward; when almost on cue, the figure spoke for the first time in what felt like hours.
Slowly moving his cloaked arm in the direction of the darkness. "This is as far as I shall accompany you, bearer of love. Continue through the gateway." He stated simply in that raspy voice, sounding much more like a command rather than advice.
Sora continued to stand there however, feeling as though she was at her wits end as she stared into the abyss before her. She wanted to ask him anything about the situation, but she had a bizarre feeling if she opened her mouth she would scream out in terror. Her muscles too seemed to lock up as she gazed beyond the gateway.
"Do not waste time, he does not have much left." Sora heard the voice this time as if he was behind her now, inches from her neck.
Out of pure adrenaline and instinct she spun around to face the cloaked figure. But there was nobody behind her, simply the candles flickering on the wall. She looked left, right, and back at the gate, but found she was suddenly alone in the corridor. The stranger's last words hung in the air around her. "…Taichi?" She uttered almost subconsciously, shaken as she tried to put meaning to the words the stranger just uttered.
Nearly paralyzed with fear, she knew now in her gut that Taichi was in danger. Still, she did not know if she could continue into the darkness alone. Until suddenly memories flooded her mind. Memories she had not reflected upon for years, yet they seemed to play out like a movie right before her eyes.
She was eleven years old again, strapped to a cold steel table, which sent a chill down her spine even now. She had been kidnapped by Nanomon, a virus machine Digimon who planned to clone her so that he might use the power of her Crest and Digivice for his own malicious purposes. She could only lay there as she was scanned, and her clone started to materialize on the other side of the room. Soon she would be replaced and killed, while her partner Piyomon would become a slave to Nanomon. It all seemed hopeless, until a familiar voice suddenly called out to her. Craning her neck all the way to the right, she could make out her childhood best friend standing in the doorway.
"Taichi!" Sora called out in unison with her eleven-year-old self, the sound reverberated down the labyrinth until it dissipated in the distance. Only for Sora to realize that she was still alone in the corridor. That memory felt so real… Back then Taichi had faced his fear of death by passing through an electrical fence to save her. When they were young teenagers, Mimi had told Sora how Taichi had cried for her that day, one of the only times anyone could recall seeing the bearer or courage shed tears. Taichi had blamed himself for getting her captured and seemed terrified that something might happen to her. She did not know why this memory choose to resurface now after all these years. However, one thing was clear to Sora, their roles were now reversed. Based on the stranger's words and the feeling in the pit of her stomach, Taichi was in danger, perhaps mortal danger.
Her hand gripped at her chest through her shirt, as she stood there, thinking of her childhood best friend. "Hold on Taichi…" She whispered to herself. Turning back towards the gateway, Sora clenched shut her fists and eyelids, and took off in a sprint straight through the entrance. I must face my fears, like he did that day…