Marcus was exhausted. He and Agumon had been searching for the missing Royal Knights for over a year now. He still couldn't believe that they had been missing since the battle with Yggdrasil. He hadn't realized just how much work restoring the Digital World was going to be without their help. He had offered his aid in the search for the five missing Digimon immediately after he found out. After all wasn't it partly his fault? He did fight them before the final battle with Yggdrasil. Marcus was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly missed his partner call out to him.

"Boss?" Marcus turned to Agumon, still slightly trapped in his thoughts.

"Ya?"

"I'm tired." Agumon plopped down on a nearby rock, his stomach growling lightly. "And hungry." Marcus laughed at his partner.

"Me too, buddy. Me too." Marcus sat down on a rock near Agumon. He looked around. The view was amazing. Sitting on the the mountainside, looking over the rolling hills and forests of the Digital World, had to be one of the best moments of his life. Though, he could do without the missing Knights.

"Boss? What are we gonna do? We've searched all over the mountain. They're not here." Marcus glanced over at Agumon.

"I don't know." He looked back over at the expanse of the world he now called home. "I really don't know. Maybe we should head back to the meeting point. Kentauosmon is probably already waiting for us." Marcus stood up and stretched. Agumon slowly followed.

"I just hate it, Boss. It feels like we're giving up." Marcus sighed.

"I know, buddy. I know." Marcus began to walk back towards the bottom of the mountain, Agumon following not far behind.

POV Change

The mountainside was quiet. No movement. No sound other than the wind moving through the rocks. A bright light flared up, growing in intensity, until a large circle was suspended in the air. The light died down as the circle solidified and took shape. Rings spun round and round through twelve chevrons. The light inside the rings glowed a soft gold as two dark shapes grew larger and more distinct.

A scream rang out as the figures flew out of the light and landed on the ground with a load 'THUD.'

"My Lady, are you alright?" The larger of the two said as they sat up.

"My arms hurt a little, but I'll be alright. You?" The smaller one said, also sitting up.

"I will be fine, but the gate..." Both turned and stared at the floating rings. The smaller one raised her right hand, her golden bracelet began to glow and the gate started to dissipate, though not as fast as needed. Several blurs flew past the two just as the gate closed. The shapes stopped a few feet away and turned around.

"You didn't think you could get away from us did you, child?" A voice sneered.

"You can't blame us for trying, now can you, Murmukusmon?" The 'child' said turning around, her companion inching closer to her.

"Of course not, but it wont help you in the end. No matter what the Goddess has asked of you to do, it wont help free her."

The child smirked. 'To bad for you she isn't trapped anymore.'

"Lady Rhythm, I will distract them. Run. Find the other Knights." The child, Rhythm, stared at her companion in shock.

"No, Knightmon! I won't let you do that!" Knightmon looked down at her. He was saddened by the tears he saw gathering in the corners of her eyes, but he knew how important she was to the Digital World. It's very survival depended on her. She had to live no mater what and he would do anything to protect her. This was his duty to protect his Lady.

"I am sorry, my Lady. Forgive me." Knightmon said as he turned to Murmukusmon and his flanking NeoDevimon. "Your opponent is me. Electric Slash!" Knightmon swung his great sword, waves of energy following in each movements wake. The enemy scattered and attacked.

"Guilty Claw!" Each of the NeoDevimon unleashed it's attack in unison. Four clawed hand rushing towards Knightmon. He stood fast as the blows made contact. Using his mighty sword he held himself up, he would not allow his Lady to see him falter. Looking over his armor clad shoulder, he pleaded with her to run.

Rhythm was torn as to what to do; run away as Knightmon wished of her or stay with him as her heart told her to do. She shook her head. She knew the answer. She had to go. She wouldn't make Knightmon's sacrifice go without reason. She didn't even look back as she turned and sprinted off down the mountain. She ran hard, as fast as her legs would take her, but it wasn't enough. She slammed into a wall of solid mass.

"Our masters do not want one of the Goddess' messengers to live. So I'm afraid you will have to die." Murmukusmon grinned as he towered over Rhythm, his large wings twitching. He raised his hand. "Goodbye, Chosen One. Necro Interrogation!"

Rhythm's eyes widened in fear. She screamed as she attempted to dodge the incoming attacked.

Marcus' POV

"Ahhhhh!" Marcus stopped in mid step.

"Boss?" Agumon said stepping closer to his partner.

"Ya. Let's go!" Marcus took off running towards where the scream had come from. They ran as fast as they could, dodging boulders and smaller rocks. One last turn and they saw it a rather large Digimon attacking what appeared to be a human girl.

Agumon's eyes widened as he focused in on the girl. "Boss! That's Rhythm!" That pissed Marcus off. He ran and did as he always did: He punched the Digimon. Said Digimon stumbled back a few steps before turning to face his attacker.

"Hey Agumon, you ready?" He held out his digivice.

"You bet boss!"

The DNA charge glowed bright in Marcus' hand."DNA charge! Overdrive!" 'Best to get this over with quickly.'

"Agumon double warp digivolve to...ShineGreymon!" The armor clad Digimon immediately got in front of the Rhythm, his partner not far behind.

Marcus focused his attentions on the her. He knew ShineGreymon would be fine on his own for awhile. Rhythm on the other hand, he wasn't so sure of. Her hat was sitting on the ground, the ribbons tattered. Her clothes and the hat itself were were smudged with dirt obscuring their true colors ever so slightly. She obviously had been through something and that something hadn't been a walk in the park.

"Hey, you okay?" She looked up fear evident in her eyes. "Hey now! I'm not going to hurt you! Remember me? I'm Marcus." She seemed to calm down, if only slightly. He picked up her hat and brushed it off the best he could. "Don't worry. ShineGreymon and I are gonna get you out of here, okay?" Tears began to collect in the corners of her eyes.

"Thank you, but I can't go. Knightmon," She took in a shaky breath. "I can't leave without Knightmon!" She looked determined. She wasn't going to be moved on the subject. Marcus gave he a small smile.

"Then we'll just have to get Knightmon then, won't we?" She smiled brightly.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Marcus smiled back and extended a hand, which she gratefully took.

He pulled her to her feet, letting go so she could brush herself off.

"Thank you again." Marcus just shrugged.

"I was in the area. Now, how about we find this friend of yours." Rhythm's eyes seemed to light up as she nodded her head.

"Last I knew he was this way!" She took off, only to stop short a few feet from Marcus, who was quick to step up.

"What's wr-" Marcus cut himself off as he watched a sRhythmously injured Digimon slash at another Digimon, reverting it into a digiegg. The injured Digimon dropped it's large sword and leaned on it heavily.

"Knightmon..." Marcus just barely caught Rhythm's whisper. When he looked towards her he saw tears running down her face. So that injured guy down there is her friend. He flinched as another digimon, the same type as the one before, came at him from behind.

"Knightmon! Watch out!" Rhythm yelled, snapping Marcus out of his thoughts. Fortunately, the warning had come just in the nick of time. Knightmon was able to raise his sword up again and slash at the incoming Digimon, a wave of energy slicing right through it. The second Digimon, too, was reverted to a digiegg.

The small digimon didn't hesitate in running toward her friend. Knightmon had protected her, just as he said he would, but at what cost? He had already been reverted to a digiegg twice, once because Yggdrasil malfunctioned and another because his data had been tainted and had to be purified. Rhythm just couldn't stand the thought him having to feel that pain again.

Knightmon swayed heavily, trying to regain his balance. He attempted to stab his great sword into the ground to steady himself, but somehow missed and fell forward, hitting the ground hard.

"Knightmon! Oh, Knightmon!" Said Digimon raised his head. His Lady was alright. She was safe. But what happened to Murmukusmon? Hadn't that Digimon gone after his Lady as the NeoDevimon attacked him? Had she fought them off?

Rhythm reached her friend and dropped to her knees. "Knightmon! Your hurt badly! This is all my fault! I should have -"

"My Lady," Knightmon cut her off. "I-I will be fine. But M-murmukusmon, did, did you?" Rhythm rested a hand on Knightmon's armored cheek.

"No. I didn't have to. Marcus saved me." Knightmon looked past her. Marcus, who had followed the girl to make sure she didn't get attacked again, stood awkwardly behind her.

"Don't worry about Murmu-who ever you said. ShineGreymon has it covered." Marcus said holding out a thumbs up.

"Thank you for protecting my Lady."

"Don't mention it. Really. It was nothin'." Knightmon turned his attention back to Rhythm. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"My Lady. Do not despair. I w-will be fine." She only smiled and guided his head to her lap. Stroking the armor gently.

"Rest now my brave Knight. You've earned it." Rhythm turned to Marcus. "He needs medical attention. I don't know how much longer he will last without it." She looked back at the exhausted Digimon in front of her. He had fought for so long. Had refused to digivolve to mega, just so that the enemy, whoever they were, would not know it who they were truly after. To protect her secret. It saddened her that she had to put him through so much and yet could give him so little in return.

"Boss?" Rhythm and Marcus both looked up at the approaching Digimon. ShineGreymon was walking towards them with another, larger, centaur-like Digimon.

"'Bout time you got here Kentaurosmon. You nearly missed out on all the fun!" The newest arrival stopped and bowed it's head a little.

"Forgive me. I was not aware that I was needed." Marcus just shrugged before walking towards his partner to get the full scoop on the fight.

"What about Murmukusmon?" Rhythm said, still looking at Knightmon, her hands cradling his head as he slept.

"He ran away not long after I joined in." Kentaurosmon replied. Rhythm seemed to deflate at the news.

"So he's still out there then." Rhythm looked over her shoulder at the two Digimon and the human between them. She smiled a small smile. This was what it was supposed to be like. Humans and Digimon working together. I warmed her heart to see it. Knightmon would be happy as well.

"Marcus?" Said human stopped his critique of ShineGreymon's performance.

"Ya?"

"Do you know a place where Knightmon can get help?" Marcus could hear the tears in Rhythm's words.

"Why don't we bring them to the Server Tree? He will be able to receive help there."

Rhythm looked up at Kentauosmon. "Please!? Please, save him!" Kentauosmon nodded.

"ShineGreymon, please pick up Knightmon. Marcus, You and the girl will ride on me." Everyone did as instructed and the five were off.

Murmukusmon's POV

Murmukusmon stood in the lone source of light in the room. The darkness around him was almost palpable. He knelt down.

"Forgive me, my Lords! I underestimated the strength of the Goddess' chosen ones. It will not happen again."

"It matters not. Soon our final members will be freed in both body and mind. Then we will reek our havoc across the Digital World." A voice rose from the shadows. Slow steady rumblings, like that of deep, throaty snores, also came from within the deep black veil.

"Yes. We will have to be careful though. The Goddess has been made aware of us." Another rumbled.

"We will have to lie low. Collect what strength we can, then make our next move." A third voice sounded from the darkness.

"Worry not my brothers. We have our trump card yet. She knows not of that. And besides, she has yet to be freed. She slumbers nearly as deeply as our brother here. We will not be thwarted this time." The first voice said, arrogance and cunning dripping from each word. "Murmukusmon, for now ready our army. When the time comes, they will be needed."

"Of course my Lords." Murmukusmon stood and left the circle of light. Entering the veil of shadows opposite the voices. Time was nearing. Soon. So very soon...