Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever, own Digimon Frontier. All rights for Frontier go to Bandai of America and Toei Animation-I believe.

So, here comes the awaited Chapter Four!

Izumi Orimoto had been in the Digital World only a day, and she was already in grave danger. No spirits, no friends, all by her lonesome. She stood paralyzed, waiting for the loathsome, shadowed creature to lunge and kill her. It stood much taller than she, with large claws and... chains. Suddenly, it strikes at Izumi, her scream ringing out. This creature was going to end her life. But she didn't feel the claws rip through her skin. She, did however, feel a presure on her right shoulder, knocking her out of the way of the creatures claws.

"Izumi-Chan, are you all right?"Takuya asks her hasitily, standing quickly. He then offered his hand to the fallen Izumi. The girl stood with the help of her friend, feeling a bit secure. Though there was nothing to be secure about.

Junpei and Ren suddenly burst through the bushes, D-Scanners ready in case of emergency, but Junpei dropped his and gave a look happiness when he saw Izumi, "Izumi-Chan!" he exclaimed, with a large bit of admiration in his voice. Junpei obviously still held the blank infatuation for Izumi. Grown up or not, Junpei still was a teenage boy. Teenage boys did get feelings for a girl they considered pretty.

"Erm," Ren quickly and flatly interuptted, "I don't believe we've met."

Izumi popped up at the chance to ignore the desperate Junpei, "Ah, I'm Izumi! Izumi Orimoto."

"Ren" The coffe-haired girl said quickly, keeping her eyes on something other than the group. She suddenly looked closely at the clearing. No monster was in sight, nothing that would make the blonde girl scream. The clearing was obviously damaged, but most of The Digital World was damaged. "What did you scream about, exactly?"

Izumi cleared her throat after realizing the creature was gone, "There was a digimon here, but I guess it left before you guys could see it." She shruged, her blonde hair falling out of place onto her shoulder. She stood a bit over Takuya, yet a bit under Junpei. Her clothing was quite plain, but somehow was more impressive than the brighter clothes that Takuya wore.

Junpei stood up to her defense, "See, Ren-San, Izumi-chan had obvious reason to scream."

Ren, however, just brushed Junpei's protective outburst off, "Obviously, I did not see." She then spat something quite awful under her breath in Spanish, but no one could hear it other than Bokomon standing on her shoulder-who couldn't understand the language anyhow.

The other three didn't seem to notice Ren's spat, and continued trying to sort out their situation. "So, how you'd get to the Digital World?"

Izumi looked at the brown-haired Takuya, and then tried to recollect the sunny day she fell into the digital world.

The day was warm. Extremely warm, even for the month of July. Izumi had tried to stay inside, but even she was drawn outside when a large rumble shook the building violently.

Her mother had been speaking to her about attaining a job to make her money instead of just asking for money from her family. "Izumi, you are fourteen. You should be able to make your money." Her mother repremanded.

Before Izumi could ever interject with her argument, suddenly a crack sounded and

BAM! Izumi and her mother were lucky to stay on their feet, for dishes that were in the cabinents fell to the ground and split into many peices. The women rushed out of the debris littered house as quickly as they could, into the streets.

Many people gathered in the streets, all looking skywards. Bright colors lit up the sky, with one symbol gathering in the middle of the clouds. Izumi recognized it instantly. It was, after all, her symbol. The Symbol of Wind. Painted in the sky, right where her spirit was. The purple swirling clouds encircled the city square, as other colors raced arounds like birds. One lilac ribbon began racing, racing towards Izumi.

"That had to be awful!" Junpei recoiled in sympathy.

"I really don't remember what happened after that. All I DO remember is hard to understand." Izumi brings her story to a close.

"Explain what you think you saw." Takuya urged, hoping to sort the situation into some sense.

Izumi shuddered, and began another recallation...

When Izumi had first awakened, it had seemed like her eyes were still closed. She cautiously raised her hand in front of face, and her eyes barely registered the movement. No light at all. It was a moment of sheer terror. At first, she didn't even notice the red eyes lighting up. They were the same ones Takuya and Ren had seen on the train. Izumi, however, saw even more terrifying similarity in them. The red of Duskmon's cold eyes, a last sight for many. She tried to stay calm, an illusion she insisted to herself, however there was no tricking her. But, as quickly as they came, they vanished.
_
"Red eyes huh?" Takuya inquires, curious. His worry about what had attacked had disappated.

Izumi then brightened, "And after that, I was here, and that thing tried to kill me. The end."

In reaction to Izumi's words, Ren put her hand on her chin, in thought, "But that's not the end." Everyone turned to the once silent girl, curious what her opinon on the matter was. "I'm betting that the thing that attack Izumi is off biding its time. You don't just randomly try to rip someone to shreds, do you?"

All four thought for a long moment, while the sun set red. Izumi could swear to the fact that she saw Duskmon; Takuya could swear to the fact that the red eyes weren't Duskmon. While they all couldn't quite think, the world around them still worked. Digimon loomed in the shadows, rain clouds threatened overhead, and leaves licked Izumi's arms with the wayward breeze. The scene was perfect. Four Warriors gathered, six remaining aimless like the leaves. Almost defenseless.

Takuya suddenly decided that it was time to move, "We should find a town or something. Figure out a plan to keep safe."

Ren suddenly saw a big hole in the plan, "We're supposed to save the world. It's not like that's a safe thing." She remarked slyly.

Takuya put his hand on his chin, "Point... But we need a safe place to think, don't we?"

"Point." Ren admitted, but then jumped back in, "What about the fact that we seem to be in an endless sea of trees and thorns?"

Takuya proped his hands on his hips and gave an angry look, "Well, towns can be hiden!"

"Where!" Ren screamed, with a colder, angrier tone, but no emotion peaked. "Where in this forest would there be a town!"

At this point, Junpei comes between the two arguing, holding his thick arms out. "Now, we don't need you two fighting. Takuya-san, Ren makes a point. Ren-san, lighten up."

Ren is shocked by his remark, unsure of what to think. Her defenses had been shattered by that, the cold sheild broken. She stood frozen for a moment, while Izumi, Takuya and Junpei walked on to find a town. "Ren-han, move!" Bokomon commanded, tugging on her short hair.

She moved her feet sluggishly, staying behind the group at all times, not wanting to face them. Bokomon maintained a conversation so Ren wasn't completely forgotten about. It seemed to her that the only thing she was good for to the previous warriors was as dead weight, luggage really. Ren fiddled with the edge of her spandex shorts.

"Ren, why so quiet?" Izumi asked, stopping to catch up with the other girl. It had just then occured to her that Ren might've been quiet because she didn't know any of them.

"I-I" her knees felt like they would fold up like a girl about to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" in the Dallas Stadium; she quivered like jell-o.

"Guys," Izumi said cheerfully, "We'll catch up in a few. Go on ahead."

Junpei was about to interject, saying it would be too dangerous, but Takuya grabbed the boy by the collar of his eletric yellow shirt.

Izumi looked at Ren, trying to decipher the look on her face. Ren was trying to stay apathetic, but something seemed to be distracting her sharp focus; perhaps the feeling of being useless. "Your name is Ren, right?" Izumi asks, trying to end the scilence.

Ren nodded, silent.

"Why are you so shy, exactly?" Izumi asks, quite bluntly.

"Shy? I'm not being shy."

"Then what is it, why won't you ever talk?"

Ren then pushes past Izumi, catching up with Junpei and Takuya. They seemed shocked by her sudden reapperance, especially since she was stomping away from Izumi; Bokomon had to hold on just to stay on her shoulder. Izumi tries to catch up with her, but Takuya rests his hand on her shoulder, shaking his head.

The four had walked for hours before any more words were spoken. They saw lights at the bottom of the canyon. Bokomon promptly opens his book, "There's nothing about a settlement at the bottom of this canyon. It must be recent."

Ren and Takuya look at each other for a moment, "What do you think?" Takuya asks.

"It could be refugees from a village that got destroyed." Ren suggests, "Orrrr, it could be a camp of Digimon trying to attack a village."

"Either way, the Digimon could be hostile." Junpei adds in.

"Very true." Takuya nods his head, trying to think clearly. "What do you think we should do then?"

"I beleive you should come peacefully." An almost heroic voice from behind them says, "Or suffer the consequences."

All four turned swiftly. The voice was a tall digimon, dressed very much like a Greek warrior. He was extremely-for lack a better word-buff. His orangeish hair was quite wild-and there was a lot of it. He had winged sandal, which must've been his way of flying. Worst of all, he held a large sword-much bigger than any of the Chosen Children.

Takuya instantaneously stepped in front of Izumi, Junpei, and Ren. His leader instinct had kicked in on over drive. "Why should we?" The goggle-head growled.

The digimon lifted his sword into an attack position. "It seems you don't have a choice."

The children's every move was watched by the Warrior who had captured them. They were all nervous, and acutally quite exaughsted by the time they reached the encampment. When told to sit in a tent until called for, they obliged with a tinge of relief.

Bokomon, however, was not very relaxed, "Children, why aren't you forming some escape plan or evolving and saving us all?" He screamed at them, jumping up and down comically.

Takuya turned to the little Digimon, brown hair shifitng in an odd way. His eyes were almost glazed, to the point where you would believe he could fall asleep at any second. "Bokomon, there's nothing we could do."

Even Izumi gives him a look of shock. "Nothing to do? What do you mean!?"

Before Izumi could recieve her answers, the digimon from before grabs her by the scruff of her neck, "You're first." He growls.

In the main tent of the camp, the Digimon had litterly cornered Izumi. Many small Greek warrior like digimon with large spears kept her hostage in the leather tent. The blonde girl was tied to the chair by two Greek Nymph Digimon-who seemed to be acting like slaves or servents. Izumi strugled by instinct, panicing awfully.

The digimon who had first attacked the children smirked, "Calm down now. No one is going to hurt you." He attempted to console the girl, who kept shreiking and fidgiting. He finally yanked some of her blonde hair, causing her to calm her a small bit.

Izumi glared daggers at the digimon, "What do you want from me?" she growled, hoping that hostility was better than panicing.

The digimon ignores her glaring, "Answers. I want answers, young Warrior of Wind."

"Who are you?" She asks suspicously.

The digimon seemed to be expecting this question, "Hercmon. Gaurdian of the Gate from the Flame Terminal to the Forest Kingdom."

"F-forest Kingdom!?" Izumi deadpans.

Hercmon chuckled, "I will be asking the questions, child." He turned to the blonde, and their gazes met, startling blue on bright green. "Why did you and your friends try and cross the border?" He arks an eyebrow.

Izumi shivers, "We were lost." She lies, since she hadn't spoke to her friends to establish reason.

"Yet you seem to know about the Forest Kingdom." Hercmon ponders, "Why is that?"

"Who doesn't know about the Forest Kingdom." Izumi remarks.

"Hmph!" Hercmon clears his throat, and continues his interrogation, "Well then, we shall search your friends for any viable weapons or contact devices, and then we shall see of your fate." The way Hercmon said 'Fate' sent a shiver down Izumi's spine.

When the news of having to hand over anything that could possibly save their lives fell on Takuya's ears, his exaughsten snapped right out of his auburn eyes. His instant reaction was to hide his D-Scanner, but then realized that many soilders were around. And Izumi. He didn't want to embarass himself in front of her.

"IN all honesty," Ren whispered to Izumi, "I just hope they completely forget my bag. Hevan knows what's in that thing."

Izumi giggled, "Then why do you have it? Do YOU even know what's in there?"

"Not. One. Clue."

The girls suddenly burst out giggling, causing all of the servant/Nymph digimon to turn their heads, with staring eyes. The two stare at each other for a moment, as if to comprehend what happened-Ren espiscally, for bursting into giggling fits was not like her. Takuya and Junpei stared as well, the girl's conversation lost on them.

As one of the gaurd digimon began to search their few belongings, the children began discussing stratgies to escape. "What if I take the main gaurd out, while Ren uses her water powers as Aguamon to take out the rest of them?" Takuya suggests.

"No, that wouldn't work." Junpei interjects, "The nymph things would just over take us after you two tired yourselves out with the gaurds. They look sneaky." A dirty look from Ren, "No offense."

"No one else has a spirit, though." Ren reminds him, "What are Junpei and Izumi supposed to do in the plan? We can't protect them if we're too busy fighting."

Takuya makes a "Hmm" noise, "Good point, Ren-San. Then we need to sneak out after dark. Surely it might be easier to escape in the cover of night."

Izumi was the one who broke this plan, "Surely they'll have more patrols of gaurds at night. We won't be able to sneak past them."

"What if we create a big distraction, and sneak out then?" Junpei suggests, smiling broadly.

"That just might work... If I hadn't heard you." Hercmon's voice startled the children. "Hand the devices over." He sticks his hand out, obviously feeling like he had been duped. The first D-Scanner to hit his hand was Takuya's; The other children's followed. Except Izumi.

"Hand it over." Hercmon demands.

"No." Izumi says firmly. Takuya and Ren shoot Izumi looks, as if to say, you seriously want yourself dead?Izumi ignores them, still unflinchingly glaring at Hercmon.

Hercmon takes the girl by her hair, pulling her to the floor, and knocking the device out of her hands. "Izumi!" All the children cry out, though this wouldn't help their helpless friend. Hercmon places his foot on Izumi's back, so she couldn't struggle while the spear weilding digimon grab her pink and green D-Scanner.

When one digimon touches the device, he must suddenly drop it, as if it burned his skin. The next digimon-who had gloves- grabs it, but has the same results. Another warrior grabs it with his tail, but even the coarse fur proves no defense for the device's barrier. "What is it!" Hercmon screams, marching over to the group of warriors now practically playing 'Hot Potato' with the D-Scanner.

"Sir, it's too hot to touch" the tailed digimon explains, staring at Hercmon's winged sandals.

"Give it to me!" Hercmon demands, grabbing the D-Scanner. It does not burn him. However, the device glows in such a bright mannor that it blinds even the warriors in the cornor.

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION!"

Kazemon was radiant. With the gracefullness of a dancer, she manuvered the wind around her to completely disable any of Hercmon's soilders. They all held their arms up in surrender, one even ripped a peice of white cloth off of a soilder in front of him and held it up like a flag. Extending a long arm, Kazemon easily manipulated the wind surrounding a group of nymph digimon to where they could move to help their master. She finally turned to Hercmon himself.

"Wh-what! Do you think that riding yourself of my worthless soilders will do you any good!?" Panic was quite obvious in his voice, "You are a fool, Warrior of Wind!"

Kazemon ignored him, and buffeted him with wind, "Brezza Petalo!"

The wind threw Hercmon around like a rag doll, causing the warrior to be thrown out into the streets of the encampment, the D-Scanners being scattered around like petals in the morning breeze. All left in the tent quickly dash out, Kazemone taking flight. With her translucent wings spread out, she looked even more like a threat to Hercmon than before.

"Wait! Izumi-han!" Bokomon screams, "Don't anger Hercmon! He-"

Before Bokomon could ever finish that statement, Hercmon stood up swiftly. However, the digimon had changed. He now had grayish skin, devilish wings, large claws, and chains for weapons.

"He-he shouldn't do that." Bokomon remarks.

"That's the thing that attacked Izumi!" Takuya screams with a tinge of recognizition and guilt in his voice.

Kazemon gulps back her fear, deciding that if she stood there too long, she would have no chance of surviving. She hastily began kicking her long legs at Hercmon, "Roseo Temporale!" Hercmon swatted her away like a bug, and then began swinging his chains at her.

After cartwheeling out of the way of every attack, Kazemon begins to remember her ability to fly. She had completely forgotten about her wings, in the panic of escaping being tied up by Hercmon's chains. As she took to the sky, she saw her friends desprately searching for their scattered D-Scanners. From the height she had attained, it was hard to tell who was where, but they all looked alive and well. That was all Izumi cared about.

"HERO'S HELL!" Hercmon swung the longest chain at Kazemon's legs, and acheived grabbing her left leg. She shreiked in pain, for the ends of the chains seared her leg to the point where she swore it was on fire.

Back down with Takuya, Ren, and Junpei, they saw Kazemon suffer, while they sat unable to rescue her. Junpei finally picks up something that he belives is a D-Scanner. "It's so dark, I can't see whose it is." He remarks.

"Perfect. Just perfect." Ren spits bitterly.

Takuya grabs the D-Scanner from Junpei, without hesitation. "Not mine." He somehow is able to tell. He hands it to Ren.

"Nope." She then says. "So, we found Junpei's D-Scanner, and he can't evolve." She remarks blankly.

Kazemon then landed close to the others, then quickly transforming back into Izumi. Takuya rushes over to her, waiting for Hercmon to attack again, but before Hercmon barraged them, a lone figure barraged HIM, and he dissolved like mist in the night. "Wh-who is... that!?" Ren deadpans, total fear taking over her insticts.

"Duskmon!"

Author's Note:
Haha, did I scare you there? Well, check back in next time, as we discover what happens to the four. Reviews are appreciated. Hercmon is 100% my made up digimon, so don't go looking him up on Wikipedia. XD, love you guys~