WHOOOO I'm on an updating ROLL! (It's because there's nothing else to do at home now.. I have exams.. but I'm not in the mood to study n.n) I hope you guys like this chapter. I think this fic is almost done!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon

Oracle

Chapter 4: Enter Cehriel Nightrdragon

By: Koumiko

"So you have managed to escape my attack," A shadow was looking at a floating ball of dark energy that showed Ana and Adonis laughing in the forest clearing. "It won't be long until you meet me. It is your destiny, Anastasia."
.: Ana's POV :.

After a few hours of resting, I was able to stand. Adonis and I moved our sleeping gear next to the shade of a large oak tree, so that the heat wouldn't make us burn. He helped me lean on the tree carefully first then he sat next to me. A cool, (clean smelling) breeze blew. None of us talked for a while. I looked at the ground where Adonis and I lay the night before and saw the circle of wolf blood and some of my own around the ashes of our fire.

"Wow," I mumbled.

"I know," Adonis replied, as if he read my thoughts. "I can't believe we caused so much damage in the dark."

"Yeah," I replied.

"We make a pretty good team, don't we?" Adonis said, turning his head to look at me.

"Yeah," I said again, closing my eyes. "But we didn't escape completely. We have our own little injuries."

"We'll need to work on that," he said, laughing. I joined him. I felt glad to be alive, and to be with Adonis.

"I really am grateful for you saving my life," I whispered to him, patting his bandaged arm. Adonis looked at me with a goofy grin.

"It's no problem. Really. I'm always out to save those damsels in distress!" He exclaimed, striking a proud pose.

"So you're saying that I'm helpless?" I asked.

"Well, uh... no," he stuttered.

"Okay, good." I said. I started fumbling with the necklace again. This time, it lit up, and turned into the white floating ball, containing the Oracle.

"Anastasia," the Oracle said, this time stronger and louder.

"Oracle!" I jumped up, but realized too late when the pain in my back exploded. The Oracle looked at Adonis, who was also looking in awe.

"You must be her destined protector, Adonis," the Oracle said. Both of our eyes widened. How did she know his name?

"For your wounds, you should grind the leaves of the moonflower herb. They will help heal them and make you gain your strength faster." She continued.

"Um, how did you know that?" Adonis asked.

"The Oracle sees all things, past, present," she said, then she looked at me. "And future."

My heart stopped. She knew I had the visions.

"Anastasia, you must be wondering about your parents' deaths," she continued. Adonis then looked at me in shock.

"What?" He whispered to me. I ignored him.

"It is all linked to the one called Cehriel Nightdragon. He is the cause of all of this," she said, opening her hands.

"You mean he's the one who trapped you there?" I asked. She nodded. "What can I do?"

"You need to find him. You are headed in his castle's direction. You are closer to me, so I can speak with you longer, but now I must go." She gracefully bowed again and I bowed my head back, before she disappeared. The ball of light around the pendant disappeared, and the key landed back on my chest.

"You didn't tell me that," Adonis whispered.

"What?"

"Your parents. That they – died."

"Some things should be kept to oneself." I said.

"Why do you do that?"

"What?" I was starting to get annoyed with his questions that didn't make sense.

"You block me out. You won't tell me?" He said innocently.

"I don't think I should," I hesitated, before continuing. "Its just that – I saw more than their dead bodies... I saw how they died."

Adonis just watched, listening.

"I couldn't even do anything to stop it from happening!" I started sobbing. Adonis took my head in his arms and let me cry on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry I teased you," he whispered in my ear. I wrapped my arm around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Um," Adonis coughed. "Ana? Ana!? You're choking me."

I let go of his neck and sat back up.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. Adonis helped me lean back on the tree, and I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I saw him chewing something green, and his face was wrinkled.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

" Dis stuph is gwoss!" He said with his mouth full.

"What is that?" I asked as he spat the green things into a bowl.

"Moonflower," he said quickly, before he shoved another leaf into his mouth and started chewing. His eyes were tearing.

"Adonis stop that! It's bothering you!" I shouted, grabbing the plant from his hands. He regurgitated the leaf into the bowl. He sighed.

"Well, I think that's enough," he said, wiping his mouth. "Let me just go and clean it."

He took the bowl and ran to the stream near the clearing. I saw him straining the leaf with his hands and mixing water into it. After a few minutes of repeating it, he came back with a grin.

"There you go! Moonflower for the wounded!" He said proudly.

"HEY!" I shouted as he picked me up and helped me sit, my back facing him. He removed the bandages and spread the cold herb on my back. It stung for a little bit, but afterwards, my back felt less stiff. I took the bowl from him and also spread some on his arm and a little on his face.

"Thanks," he said.

"You know, Adonis, you're one amazing guy," I said to him, as I put a bit more of the herb on his cheek. His other cheek turned red from blushing. I laughed. "We should go before night falls. Or the wolves might bring some reinforcements."

Adonis nodded and helped me stand, and we set out going North-east. Or was it south-west? The Oracle had told us to go in the same direction as before, so we trudged onward from our campsite.

Several hours later...

"I think I see a clearing!" Adonis exclaimed. He was leading the way and pushed away the brush that was in our way. The trees had become wider apart and thinner, so I knew the end of the forest was near.

As we stepped forward from the last row of trees, we were overwhelmed by what we saw. The houses around the castle were all burned down, and ash covered everything. Adonis and I kept walking toward the castle, and I jumped as I saw some skeletons of people dangling from a noose next to a law building.

Adonis and I walked very closely together, both of us uncomfortable in the environment. There was no noise but the wind that gently rattled the legs of the skeletons. We finally reached the castle and pushed it open. The darkness greeted us.

"Hello?" I said out loud. My voice's echos replied.

The light of the Oracle began to glow again and she reappeared to us.

"Anastasia, Adonis, I will lead you to my prison chamber." She said. "Take those doors and walk to the end to another door on the right."

We followed every one of her instructions and after a few minutes of walking, we found ourselves in a large, dark dungeon, illuminated only by the Oracle's light. There were many doors around us that were probably the jail cells for the prisoners.

"Do you see that sculpture there?" The Oracle pointed to a large stone sculpture of an angel in the center of the dungeon.

"Yes," I replied.

"That is where I am imprisoned."

Adonis and I walked around the massive sculpture and examined the sculpture. Her wings were folded down, wrapping around her body almost protectively. The angel's face was carved delicately, since her facial expression was obviously sad and mourning. We looked closer at her hands which were almost in a prayer-like position, but several inches apart. I saw between her opposing hands a heart, and in the heart, a key hole. Around the sculpture was a large moat, almost 10 feet wide.

"Please, use the key and release me, quick!" The Oracle pleaded. She disappeared and the light became the key again. I took the necklace off from around my neck, and I was about to step forward into the moat when a man's voice interrupted me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

I turned around and found Adonis, with a sword to his throat by a man. I could not tell how he looked like because of the shadows, but he was tall, and bat-like wings spread out from each side of him..

"Who are you?" I asked, squinting my eyes, trying to get a better view of Adonis' attacker. He laughed.

"Tsk, tsk! You do not know? I am Cehriel Nightdragon."

Any guesses on who Cehriel is? Cya next update.. which will probably be "Promimse" chapter 3!

xoxo Koumiko