Author's Notes: And here is chapter 4! Thanks to my wonderful reviewers: Pride1289, Kyer, Sync the Dragon Tempest, The Real Axel Wildfire. I'd give you money, but I'm poor. :P
I don't own Digimon...(I wonder does anyone actually go around trying to sue people who don't put this disclaimer up)
The Second Empire Chapter 4: Wizardmon's Journey
10 weeks later
The small base was a flurry of activity as four hundred digimon prepared fervently for the rapidly approaching zero hour. Although Operation Vanguard was not a combat mission, each digimon knew that their success or failure would alter the outcome of this revolution. Failure, they knew, meant certain death, not just for them or their team, but for the entire Digital World. They could very well be the only beacon shining against the darkness, and they knew the could not afford to let the beacon be extinguished. Tapirmon scurried about, followed by aides, as she made final checks on supplies the teams would be taking. Kokatorimon and Gargomon did some last minute briefings with several teams, and Drimogemon and conversed with his squad leaders, making sure the base even with so many troops gone. Digimon packed and repacked supplies for the year long mission under the watchful eye of team leaders, who themselves were observed by platoon commanders. Wizardmon surveyed the scene with little expression in his eyes, then turned and floated silently through the base, finding Ogremon. Wizardmon found Ogremon in his private study, poring over a map of Server. Wizardmon floated through the door without bothering to knock and settled himself a foot above Ogremon's bed.
"Yeah?" grunted Ogremon without looking up. They had all become used to Wizardmon's unusual methods of entry.
"Nothing too important. I will be leaving on a solo mission while Operation Vanguard is in progress. I am leaving you in charge while I am away. I will also most likely be out of contact for much of the time, so you are pretty much on your own," said Wizardmon.
" 'K," grunted the ogre. "Have fun."
"Thank you," replied Wizardmon dryly, then floated upwards slightly before turning around. "You should also make the parting address to the soldiers."
"No problem," said Ogremon. "Cya."
"See you in a year then," said Wizardmon.
Wizardmon floated through the ground and shot upwards. His translucent body flickered slightly before completely phasing out of existence. It appears there are perks to being a ghost, he thought.
Not knowing where or even why he was going, the ghost-wizard lay back and let the winds take him where they wished. After floating around for several hours, the wind ceased and Wizardmon descended from the sky into the square of a small desert town. Unlike the large cities and tall skyscrapers Wizardmon had seen all too often, this town was humble in appearance, hovels created entirely of sandstone rising no more than one or two storeys. Something clicked within Wizardmon as a sudden wave of emotion overcame Wizardmon. Yes, he thought. This was where I first met Gatomon. Tears sprang to his eyes as he remembered the small white cat digimon who saved his life and became his best friend. It has been almost three hundred years, he thought. Gatomon would have been reborn a long time ago, her memories reformed. She probably won't remember me even if we met face to face, he thought sadly. It appears there is a curse to being a ghost as well.
He watched partnered digimon "playing" with younger human masters, while older masters and their partners worked on something or another. To be precise, Wizardmon noted, it was more that the digimon worked while the masters gave orders. Everything from plumbing to building new hovels, it was the digimon who did all the work. Wizardmon repressed the urge to gag, or worse, attack the town. Not the wisest thing to do, he knew, since a town of this size could still house some five thousand masters and their digimon. Wizardmon angrily whirled around and disappeared from the town. Soon, he thought. Soon you will free, my friends. Soon.
Discarding his invisibility and ceasing to hover, Wizardmon walked into a nearby forest as the sun was setting. This was where Gatomon took him after he passed out, he reflected. He could see the exact site up ahead, where the small cat had lit a fire and waited for him to wake up. He stopped at the edge of the clearing, shocked seeing a human defiling such a sacred place. A human, in Gatomon's camp! In HIS camp! The heretics!
The human, who was training her partner, a Tentomon, heard Wizardmon's gasp and turned. A sinister smile formed on her lips as she saw the perfect opportunity for her digimon to get stronger. "Tentomon!" she called, "attack!"
Tentomon obediently moved in to attack Wizardmon. Charging, the insect digimon released a deadly super shocker.
Wizardmon, emerald eyes glowing with rage, lifted his staff and blocked the lightning bolt. "Impertinent fools!" he shouted, anger shrouding him like a red haze. "Magical game!"
A flash of light illuminated the clearing. Rocks and trees turned into bits of data as the swirling energies met them in a cataclysmic explosion. When the tempest subsided, the Tentomon was nowhere to be seen, deleted data streaming towards Primary Village to be reborn. A few chunks of charred flesh were all that remained of the human, testament to the Champion's power. And why shouldn't I be strong, asked Wizardmon. I am here to fight the darkness. I cannot afford to show mercy to it. For the Tentomon, however, Wizardmon took off his hat and held it against his chest as he bowed his head in memory of the innocent Wizardmon was forced to kill. I am truly sorry, Tentomon, he thought, but I promise you, your sacrifice will not be in vain. I swear it upon my honour as a fellow digimon.
Wizardmon left the clearing and journeyed onwards. His pilgrimage took him all around the Digital World. Wizardmon didn't care about distances. He had a year to make his pilgrimage and find whatever he needed to. And as a ghost, time meant little to him. He could travel from File Island to Server and back in a day by flying. He travelled, visiting the places he and Gatomon used to go. Even though they were under Myotismon's employ, the two would always find time together. He went up to a mountain where he and Gatomon would often go to when they had time off. It had the most stunning scenery he had ever scene, meadows of green grass and yellow daffodils. The peak overlooked at shining river far below, bordered by green trees. It had none of the darkness associated with Myotismon and his castle. He and Gatomon would laugh and play, and at night they would lie on their backs and stare at the stars, enjoying the tranquil moments. They would turn towards each other and he would lose himself in her sapphire eyes, clear and bright, unlike the cloudy blue her eyes became when she was around Myotismon. Wizardmon clenched his teeth, tears flowing freely as memories returning to haunt him. Underneath the starlit sky, Wizardmon collapsed to the ground, weeping for the friend he had lost so long ago.
Wizardmon woke up the next morning, refreshed. Although as a ghost he did not require sleep, he enjoyed the rest it brought when it came. He knew where he was headed next. Swiftly, he got up, thankful that dew has little effect on non-corporeal creatures such as himself. He flew upwards and soared towards his destination. Strangely enough he still had no idea why.
The air became denser and the sky darker as Wizardmon approached the castle. Once a bastion of light for Gennai and his followers, the fortress fell into the darkness when Myotismon secured it, and even Oikawa's spirit was unable to purge the place of its taint. Wizardmon wordlessly dropped onto one of the towers overlooking the gates. Pulling his cloak closer around him, the ghost walked inside, trusting his gut feeling to lead him to wherever he needed to go in this maze of hallways and corridors. He knew no sane – or even insane – digimon or human would venture into this place. But for some reason he still felt uneasy. Probably this is why nobody goes here, he thought. He shook his head, clearing his mind of doubt, and continued deeper into the fortress.
After several hours of mindless walking, Wizardmon was forced to admit he was lost. He frowned. He knew his way around the castle flawlessly, and though it had been almost three hundred years since he had set foot in the castle, he was fairly certain it did not change that much, especially since there was no evidence that showed any change. It was almost as if time itself has stopped in the castle. Then Wizardmon looked around for the first time. This was not Myotismon's castle. He had been to every corner of it, and nowhere did it resemble what he saw now. Instead of a hallway, the place looked more like a natural tunnel or cave. The walls were still made of stone, but it was natural instead of the carefully crafted blocks that constructed the fortress. Everything was grey as well, instead of the golden-brown of Myotismon's castle. Wizardmon frowned, but he felt that he should continue down the tunnel. Clutching his staff more securely, Wizardmon gathered together some energy in his other hand, forming a half-cast spell that doubled as a small light. Feeling slightly more secure, Wizardmon continued.
A light fog gathered around Wizardmon as he plodded onwards. Exiting the cave, Wizardmon surveyed the scene around him. What he saw made his eyes widen in disbelief. He was standing on a shore that extended on either side in a semi-circle. On his right, the shore sloped upwards. At its peak, a lighthouse stood as if guarding the mouth of the bay. Everything, himself included, was a dull greyscale. The light from the lighthouse provided little comfort; if anything, the black light made the whole place even worse. Wizardmon had no idea where he was, but he was fairly certain he was not in the Digital World anymore.
A disturbance from behind him caused Wizardmon to turn quickly. Something was coming from the sky, and fast. The spell in his hand flared to life, a blinding sphere of electricity blazing in the uniform darkness.
"Thunder ball!" he called out, sending the orb hurtling towards the dark shape. The enemy countered with a horde of bats, which collided against the electric attack, negating it. Wizardmon's eyes widened some more. No, he thought. It can't be… "Myotismon!" he cried out. "Show yourself!"
A cruel voice laughed. "Close, wizard, but no cigar. There's no Myotismon here."
Wizardmon frowned. The voice was far too high to be Myotismon's baritone. Who…?
The digimon appeared in front of him. Dressed completely in black, the digimon was female, with long grey and white hair and a mask that covered her upper face, except for her glowing red eyes. A dark spirit hovered over her left shoulder, eyes glowing the same shade as its master, and bound to her by a silver chain.
"LadyDevimon," he said grimly.
"The same," grinned the fallen angel digimon. "Darkness Wave!"
A second swarm of bats emerged, flying towards Wizardmon. The ghost-wizard raised his staff and unleashed a lightning arc, deleting the bats. A second bolt of lighting closely followed the first one, this time aimed at LadyDevimon. "Magical Game!"
LadyDevimon laughed as she batted the lightning away easily. "You think your Champion level attacks can defeat me?" she taunted.
As much as he hated to admit it, Wizardmon knew LadyDevimon was right. Although Wizardmon was unusually strong for a Champion, he knew that LadyDevimon's power was far beyond his. He would have to be extremely lucky to win against the demoness. Not trusting his luck, the wizard turned tail and fled, LadyDevimon in pursuit. He barely registered in his mind the irony of the whole situation, that a ghost should fear getting killed. However, he didn't want to see what would happen if the demoness was able to kill him.
Wizardmon spied a cave ahead and dove into it, hoping that LadyDevimon won't be quite as fast when her ability to fly was disabled. He ignored the warning his mind was screaming at him about a dead end. He concentrated on simply staying alive. The bats that LadyDevimon were sending after him nipped at his heels, a concrete reminder of the dire situation he found himself in.
Soon, Wizardmon found that running had become slightly easier. Dimly he observed that it was because the path was sloping downwards. He turned a sharp corner, having some satisfaction in hearing more than one bat crash into the wall behind him. He turned another corner, and exited the tunnel into a large cavern. It was empty except for a single pedestal in the middle of the room. Not wasting any time, Wizardmon flew upwards, hoping to disappear through the ceiling. He was surprised when he bounced off and fell to the group, a large bump appearing on his head. He was cornered, with no alternative but to fight. Wizardmon gathered as much energy as possible, then waited for the fallen angel to arrive.
Several seconds later, LadyDevimon burst through the entrance, only to be met by a powerful electric attack. Taken by surprise, the demoness had little time to prepare a defence and took the full brunt of the attack. The fallen angel screamed as electricity coursed through her body, racking it with excruciating pain. When it stopped, however, the injured demoness shot forward with her left hand. "Darkness Spear!"
Wizardmon ducked behind the pedestal and hoped for the best. When nothing hit him, he looked up. LadyDevimon was striking indiscriminately in blind fury, crushing everything beneath her Darkness Spear. Seeing his chance, Wizardmon prepared a spell…
…and gasped as a lucky shot impaled his shoulder. His cry of pain brought LadyDevimon to her senses, who saw that she had hit her quarry. So, she thought, the fool was hiding underneath the pedestal. The fallen angel walked forward and raised her hand to strike him. She would not kill him, yet. She would play with him first, and watch him squirm under her and here his cries for mercy. Yes, she thought, she would have some fun first. LadyDevimon brought her hand down.
A flash of pink light flooded the room and stopped LadyDevimon's hand. It surrounded her, holy radiance cleansing her of her sins and restoring the fallen angel to her former glory. White and grey hair turned golden, and the black mask transformed into an iron helmet. White clothes grew out of black ones, and eight white wings unfurled to replace the black ones. The evil spirit hovering above her shrieked as it burst into data. The former demon looked around, free from evil, her eyes falling on the wounded wizard and the stone pedestal he lay under. On the pedestal a symbol of an eight-pointed star glowed faintly in pink, remnants of the holy light that purified her. The crest of light, Angewomon recalled.
"Kari…," whispered the angel, who then collapsed. Light surrounded her, and when it cleared, it revealed a small, white cat.
"Gatomon…"
Author's Notes: And the action starts! Yes, Gatomon's going to be in this, but no, it won't turn all mushy...for now anyway. If something happens later, then...
I also found a story (Legacy by Fruitloop Trooper, Chapter 14) where a possessed Jeri (From Digimon Tamers) displays similar thoughts as Wizardmon does. Not quite the same, though.
Did you know? This chapter was twice the length of the first one! They're getting longer and longer!
Review please! (waves hand around in Jedi mind trick gesture) Oh. By the way, if anyone finds plot holes they'd like me to fill, please put that in your review too.
