Hello again! Whoa, six reviews. You guys really liked the last chapter, huh?

This was supposed to be a short chapter, but like so many "brief" chapters, it ended up being looooong lol. You have been warned. Drama, drama everywhere, with a little humor stuck here and there and even a little romance. It's about to get crazy here...

Revision Notes: Mostly fixing up on Digimon pronouns and adjusting things in the Beast Spirit/ Frontier Children scene. Other than that it's just more details and minor corrections.

Disclaimer: There are a lot of Digimon running around in this chapter, and I own NONE of them. Nor do I own any DigiDestined or Frontier kids.

Now I'll shut up and let you read.

Data Set 9: With a Kiss of Fire, the Bridges Burn

They would do it. There had never been any doubt about it. They knew they were going to do it as soon as they heard Bokomon's words read aloud by Sakuyamon. It seemed such a small price to pay to restore the Digital World to its former glory, six humans giving up their humanity to save a whole universe. Now they waited, as Sakuyamon worked on the last details of the ceremony and some Rookie Digimon cleared the table of their meals' remains.

Tommy, cocooned in blankets and shivering, was sitting with JP on a yellow couch not far from the table, smiling as the chubby boy described how he was going to build a gourmet's town as soon as he digivolved and became one with his Beast Spirit. In an overzealous moment the yellow-eyed child accidentally shot out a lightning bolt from his hand, incinerating one of the blurred paintings on the wall. The boy with pale blue eyes laughed as JP rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.

Not far off Kouichi was lying on a red couch, his eyes closed but not sleeping. His twin brother Kouji hovered over him, a hand on the black-eyed boy's forehead. He was comforting his couch-ridden sibling, telling him with a reassuring smile that he wouldn't have to deal with his migraines much longer. Afterwards Kouji turned away and coughed violently into his sleeve. There was a fresh splotch of red on the bandana boy's jacket.

Takuya and Zoë sat on a green couch together, but the lavender-eyed blonde was too wrapped up in a conversation between herself and her Beast Spirit Zephyrmon to pay much attention to the gogglehead beside her. Instead the glowing brunette just stared up at the white-coated ceiling, some of the paint peeling away to reveal the green-brown stone underneath.

So this is it, huh? I guess Kouji was right. We could never turn our backs on the Digital World even if we tried. And now we're about to give our human lives for it. If we only had checked on the Digital World sooner, maybe it wouldn't have had to come down to this…but…

He stood up and took out his cellphone, orange and white, and flipped open the top with a sharp cracking sound. The distinctive noise was enough to break Zoë out of her schizophrenic trance, who started blinking and whipping her head around in confusion. Nearby Tommy had fallen asleep against JP's rotund belly while the yellow-eyed boy was massaging his lower arm with a pained expression. The twins had switched places, with Kouji lying on the couch breathless while Kouichi stood over the white-eyed child and consoled him.

"Takuya?" the lavender-eyed girl asked, gazing up to the brown-haired boy beside her.

"I'm going to call Ms. Kamiya," the shining goggle-bearer explained, dialing a number on the cellphone as he walked toward the unveiled window. "We need to let her know that she won't need to make dinner for us, after all."

IIIIII

"Lopmon warp-digivolve to…Cherubimon!"

The brown-and-pink doggy-rabbit's Mega form was enormous. He was mostly colored white with some yellow in the jester-like frill around his neck, and two golden rings set on his towering bunny ears. He bore a friendly smile as he lowered his back to island-level.

"Woohoo!" shouted Terriermon, eagerly hopping onto his twin's back as Willis carefully came aboard. "You guys haven't ridden on my bro while he's Cherubimon, have you? It's awesome! He's the best theme-park ride around."

"Now Terriermon, we're using Cherubimon to cover more ground faster," lectured the blonde brainiac, helping Kari get up on the massive white Digimon while Davis and Strabimon scurried up by themselves. "This isn't a pleasure cruise. We're taking the straightest route."

"You mean he won't be doing any loop-de-loops or anything?" whined the white-and-green doggy-rabbit, plopping belly-first onto his brother's pure white fur as the gentle giant began to move forward. "Man, that sucks."

"Terriermon!"

"I mean that stinks. Whatever."

Kari had just gotten comfortable when her cellphone began to beep out the tune of Missing by Evanescence, causing poor Strabimon next to her to jump and bristle up. She scrambled for her mobile, snapped it open, and put it up to her ear.

"Takuya, are you and the others allright?!" she questioned anxiously. It never occurred to her it might have been some staff from the school trying to get in touch with her.

"…Yeah, we're okay," answered Takuya's voice on the other end.

"Oh thank goodness," the girl with short caramel hair replied, putting a hand over her chest and letting out a sigh of relief. The others riding on Cherubimon's back gathered close so they could hear what the child on the other side had to say.

"You okay? You sound kinda funny, like you got a dose of helium or something," stated Takuya, oblivious of all his eager listeners. "Maybe it's just the phone, though."

"Well…it's a long story," Kari replied, chuckling a little. "Where are you guys?"

"We're in the Temple of The Timeless," he explained. "It's like this huge stone castle in the middle of nowhere."

"Temple of The Timeless," Kari echoed, pointing to the palace in the distance and looking at Strabimon, who nodded. "Yeah, we know where you guys are. We see it on the horizon."

"You see it? You guys are in the Digital World?"

"Yeah," answered the brown-haired girl. "Listen, we're coming to get you. The Digimon here want to sacrifice you to the Beast Spirits because they think that will restore the Digital World."

"Yeah, we know," Takuya replied.

"So just hang in there until-"

"Ms. Kamiya."

"Yes? What is it?" asked Kari.

"It's okay," he spoke. "You don't have to come for us."

"...Huh? W-What are you talking about?! Of course we're coming for you!"

She heard a sudden gasp over the phone.

"Takuya?!" she called out, her distressed tone drawing the others around her nearer.

"…No really, don't worry about it," Takuya eventually replied, some pain in his otherwise serene voice. "We've decided. We're going to do it. We're going to give ourselves to the Digital World."

The words clumped in Kari's throat.

"We're DigiDestined like you," the voice on the other end continued. "You're willing to give your life for the Digital World. So are we. So don't come for us, okay? This is our choice."

"No, don't do it!" cried out the girl with short caramel hair. "There's got to be another way to save the Digital World! Don't throw your lives away!"

"Say hello to my parents and Shinya for me when you go back," Takuya went on. "Tell them the truth. They deserve to know."

"But Takuya-!"

"Here, give it to me," ordered Davis, snatching the cellphone away from Kari and putting it up to his own ear. "Takuya, this is Davis. Look, we're coming to get you guys whether you like it or not! We're not going to let them slaughter you like lambs because of some hocus-pocus prophecy, even if it is for the sake of the Digital World!"

"Davis-" Takuya began, a bit breathless.

"We're not going to let it happen!" barked Davis. "Those Beast Spirits are supposed to protect you, right? Then why do they want your lives? No guardian would ask for that!"

"Davis…" Kari began.

"Calm...calm down…" Takuya rasped, his breathing growing harsher. "Don't…"

"No I won't calm down! I'm not going to stand by and let these Beast Spirits eat you guys alive! You kids have got your whole lives ahead of you, as humans! You weren't born just to be a Digimon's food or host or whatever! I want you guys to live!"

"…Please…" Takuya whispered between gasps. "…Please don't…"

Davis listened until the breathing on the phone became less strained.

"We'll find a way to save the Digital World," Davis spoke, his tone calmer. "A way where we'll all go home. Together."

"…Why do you value my child's humanity over the lives of countless others in this world?" Takuya's voice spoke at last, a cold growl to the words. "It is not like he will cease to exist. He will always exist."

Davis narrowed his eyes as he listened to the voice on the other end.

"Together we will protect this world, and I will protect him. When we are one, humans such as yourself won't be needed in the Digital World and no more of your kind will need to suffer. My child agreed to this. This is his will."

The connection was cut. Davis stared at the dead cellphone in his hand.

"…Dammit!" Davis hissed, snapping the mobile shut and gripping it tightly. "How could they be so stupid?! That…that wasn't Takuya, not that last part. It…It must've been that Beast Spirit inside of him. Gaaah, those idiots! How could they trust something so obviously heartless?!"

Strabimon was silent, his light-blue fur on end as his lean body gave a quick shudder.

"The nerve of that Spirit, calling Takuya its childlike Takuya belongs to it, like he's already part of it," the falsely young brunette hissed. "And how could it have been Takuya's will if it didn't let him speak?! Man…what happened to the good ol' days when all you had to do to free somebody from mind control was to break the black ring on them?"

"…We've got to hurry," Willis spoke, his hands gripping hard into Cherubimon's fur. "Those kids aren't going to last much longer."

IIIIII

When Takuya came to, Zoë's worried face was hovering over him, her hand resting on his hot forehead. Just beyond her he thought he saw a dim shape, far too massive to be a human's, also crouched over him. But within a moment it vanished.

"Look who's finally up. How are you feeling?" asked the shining blonde, helping Takuya sit up. The radiant goggle-bearer realized that his head had been lying in her lap, and would have started blushing if there hadn't already been a feverish red tinge to his cheeks.

"…What happened?" asked the orange-eyed boy, holding his head.

"You passed out after you finished your call with Ms. Kamiya," explained Zoë, as her brown-haired friend shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch. "You hung up, took a couple steps forward, and then just collapsed. Gave us all a heart attack. It was probably because you were exhausted from that fever of yours, on top of everything else."

"Really…I don't remember…" Takuya replied, looking up at the ceiling. Now that he thought of it, he didn't remember the last half of his conversation with his teacher. "By the way, where is everyone?"

"Sakuyamon started escorting them out to the Moloch Chamber one by one after you blacked out. That's the place where we're going to become one with our Beast Spirits," replied the lavender-eyed girl. "Kouji went first to prove he wasn't scared, then Kouichi started getting real anxious without his brother and went next, then JP volunteered, and she just left with Tommy."

"And soon we'll be going there too," Takuya concluded.

"Yeah…"

For several minutes nothing was said.

"Hey…you scared?" Takuya asked, looking at Zoë and smirking.

She turned to him and smirked right back.

"Of course not."

More silence followed.

Looking down, the glowing goggle-bearer noticed a purple splotch on the side of her shirt. A battle scar from the food fight in the park, he realized. His torn shirt still smelled faintly of fruit punch, now that he thought of it. But that was a week ago. That was a lifetime ago…

"But…" Zoë added, looking to the side. "I wish I could've said goodbye to my family, you know, to explain everything to them and stuff. I don't know what Ms.Kamiya's going to tell them…"

"I told her to tell my family the way it is," Takuya answered. "…But yeah, I wish I could've seen them, one last time. Shinya…I hope he understands."

"He's a sweet kid," the shining blonde replied, smiling.

"Sweet? He's a little brat!"

"Well, he does have you as a big brother. You're just a fine role model for him, after all."

"C'mon, I'm not that bad!"

"Says the boy who once filled Kouji's shoes with ketchup when he wasn't looking."

Both of them laughed, their happy noise filling the otherwise empty room.

"But maybe it's better this way, you know," the shining gogglehead commented, one hand over his abdomen. "I don't want them to see what we're going through. They'd be scared. Well, Shinya might think it's cool to have a brother that glows in the dark."

He let out a laugh that ended in a shivering sigh.

"It's better this way. I know it's better this way."

Zoë studied his mild smile with a serious expression and gently laid her hand over his, feeling the intense heat coming from it. His hand turned upward and squeezed hers tightly. The orange-eyed child's serene grin faded as he looked away from her. She felt him shudder.

"It's okay, Takuya," the blonde bathed in golden light assured him, her hand squeezing back. "It's okay."

They heard Sakuyamon's footsteps echoing from the dark hallway.

"Zoë…" the shining goggle-bearer whispered, turning his face toward the lavender-eyed girl, her hand still in his firm grasp.

"Takuya-"

Suddenly his lips were onto hers, swallowing whatever words she was going to say. A small whirlwind swirled around the two of them in reaction to Zoë's surprise, but the wild air soon died away as her body relaxed and she closed her eyes. Several seconds passed by before their lips parted.

"Don't be scared, okay?" he spoke, putting a hand on her shoulder and smiling.

Sakuyamon came from the hallway. Using the couch as support, Takuya stood up.

IIIIII

"But shouldn't they be able to digivolve on their own at his point?" questioned Kari, turning to Willis. "The children, I mean. Back in the real world they couldn't digivolve because they were flesh and blood. But here they're data. What's keeping them from digivolving naturally?"

"That's what worries me," admitted the blond brainiac, his sight set on the lone castle that Cherubimon was flying toward. "Their bodies have been through so much hell already, they may be too weak to digivolve naturally. It depends on how much damage the Beast Spirits have already done to them when they were in the real world."

"But if they're too weak to digivolve, then they can't sacrifice them, right?" asked Davis, turning to Willis. "I mean, the Beast Spirits can't eat them all up if they don't have enough power."

"They'll use the key," Strabimon interrupted, his arms folded as he glared at the stone temple ahead. "It's been suspected for a long time they will need to use the key for assistance."

"The key?" asked Veemon, the blue-and-white Digimon giving the lanky humanoid canine a curious look.

"It's said that the purest light of digivolution is stored in the key," Strabimon elaborated, turning to Willis. "When the key is activated, any Digimon will digivolve regardless of their current energy or condition. It's said it can even take a Rookie all the way up to a Mega at once, it's that pure."

"So they're going to use that on the kids?" questioned Davis, looking at Strabimon incredulously. "Damn, that's not much better than the Beast Spirits, forcing them to digivolve whether they're strong enough or not…"

"It was likely it be used on them whether they had the strength to digivolve on their own or not," stated the light-blue lithe wolf. "It's a big risk letting them digivolve naturally, with all the corruption in the common digivolution. They wouldn't take that chance with the Divine Bearers."

"Corruption of the common digivolution?" asked Kari.

"The decay in the Digital World's functions makes digivolving naturally and rebirthing a hazardous move," explained Strabimon. "If I digivolved now, I would probably become a mindless monster because of that corruption. That's why I'm still a Rookie Digimon. Been a Rookie Digimon ever since I can remember, really."

"You're a Rookie Digimon?" asked Davis, giving the lanky humanoid canine a wide-eyed stare. "You don't look it at all. I thought you were a Champion for sure."

"No, there are very few pure Champion Digimon out there," answered Strabimon. "Most sane Digimon you meet are at the Rookie level. There are a few armor-types, and there's the amazing blessing of Sakuyamon, but otherwise we're all Rookies."

"Sakuyamon?" asked Gatomon, watching the dozing Terriermon with envy.

"She's a Mega, the only pure Mega," responded the dog-demon with the ragged black scarf. "She's the leader of the Temple of The Timeless."

"So she's the one trying to sacrifice the kids, huh?" snarled Davis. "Guess we'll hafta go through her first."

"No, she is only a kind soul following the ancient prophecy," Strabimon stated, closing his eyes. "She doesn't want to sacrifice the children any more than us, but she believes that it must be done because the prophecy says so. Her only fault is too much faith. I'm sure if we told her otherwise, she would stop immediately."

Davis was quiet.

"Strabimon! Yo, Strabimon!"

The group on Cherubimon's back looked to the left. Flying up to them was a red insect about two feet tall, built like a ladybug. Carried in its claws was a tiny sand-colored puppy, a large golden collar around its neck.

"Hey Strabimon! Who's this big-" the scarlet bug began in a boyish tone, before noticing the people sitting beside the light-blue canine. "Whoa, man! Humans! Real live humans!"

The green-eyed creepy-crawly buzzed over to Kari, making her jump.

"Hi there! I'm Tentomon! It's so awesome to meet you, human!"

"…H-Hello human," the tan-hued pup greeted in a girlish voice as the scarlet bug put it down, a small shy smile on its face. "I-I'm Salamon."

Strabimon grabbed the back of Tentomon's neck and pulled him away, bringing the bug's big green eyes up to his slanted ones.

"Show the humans some respect," the lithe wolf with the ragged black scarf growled.

"O-Of course," squeaked Tentomon, giving a nervous little laugh.

"Dude, chill out Strabimon," responded Davis, looking a little surprised. "We don't mind Digimon coming over to us to say hello."

"Sorry. Tentomon here is the…excitable type," the lanky humanoid canine explained. "Sometimes he shocks others when he's like that. We're old friends, so I should know."

The tiny baby canine skittered away from Kari and hid behind Strabimon's leg, peeking around the taller demon-dog with a meek grin.

"I-I'm glad to meet you, humans," she spoke. "But…you're not part of the six, are you?"

Kari shook her head solemnly.

"We've come to find those six children."

"Oh…I-I didn't think you were them…"

"Wait, the six Divine Bearers are already here?!" exclaimed Tentomon, still in Strabimon's grasp. "I knew something big was gonna happen soon! I just knew it! Oh boy, if we hurry maybe we'll get to see them! Are you guys going to see them now?! Huh?! Huh?!"

A small bolt of electricity shot up from the scarlet bug's back, zapping Strabimon and causing him to let go out Tentomon.

"Whoa! I'm sorry Strabimon! Are you okay?!"

"…This is why I didn't want you near the humans…" grumbled the light-blue demon dog, fur standing up from all the static.

"Eheheh…"

"Of course we're going to go see them! We're here to save them!" barked Davis, glaring at the castle that still loomed in the distance, but was slowly drawing closer.

"S-Save them?" questioned Salamon, looking up to the far taller Strabimon.

The lithe wolf-demon clenched his black-gloved fist.

"There has been a grave mistake by the ancients," he growled as he looked away from the golden-collared pup.

"You can't be serious," commented Tentomon, flying closer to the pale-furred canine. "Aren't the ancients always supposed to be right and stuff?"

"I trust these humans over the prophecy," spoke Strabimon, looking over to the scarlet insect. "The ancients gave the humans their Beast Spirits to protect them, but the properties of the real world are much different than our world. Whenever they tried to protect the children, they only hurt them because that world made them unable to digivolve. The children were driven here by pain, not prophecy. Sacrifice was never part of the plan. That is never what the ancients wanted."

"Strabimon…" Tentomon began. "…You're totally right. I don't get why I didn't see it before. It's just wrong! I mean, I thought they would digivolve as soon as they got here and get it over with. But if they've just been hurting all this time…no way, the ancients would never be so cruel!"

"That's right," agreed Salamon, her nervous stutter gone and her face serious. "The ancients just wanted the humans to be happy. They left the Beast Spirits to look after them. Why would they plan to make sacrifices of them against their will?"

"They wouldn't," stated Strabimon firmly. "They would never do such a thing."

"We've gotta tell Flamon and the others!" exclaimed the red bug, zipping around lanky canine's head. "You know where they're at, Strabimon?"

"It's not my business to babysit that idiot pyro and his friends," muttered the light-blue lithe wolf, folding his arms. "And there's no time to search for them. We're running out of time as it is."

IIIIII

The dark hallway seemed so long, Takuya wondered if it was real.

He was supported by Sakuyamon as he trudged through the shadows staining the stone path, occasionally stumbling, with his shining body the brightest and only radiance in the restive black. The floor was a deep purple in the dark, but shiny scarlet under his lighted feet. There was a dim glow far away.

He felt hot, too hot, yet he relished that heat like it was that of the womb. It was soothing the pain in his muscles and abdomen, reducing it to a restless numbness. And he couldn't help but feel that a towering masked dragon was trailing his steps, his massive head lightly touching his back to help him move forward without falling.

He thought he saw Shinya, the young boy walking beside him talking to him with a wide smile on his face. But when the fevered gogglehead reached out to rustle his hair, there was no one to touch. He stood there for several seconds, his glowing hand hovering over where his little brother should have been. Sakuyamon asked him what was the matter, and he told her it was nothing and moved on with a sigh.

Takuya thought he saw others too, like the angelic female figure of Ophanimon, or the simple and diminutive forms of Bokomon and Neemon. He almost felt the gentle touch of Ms. Kamiya as the caramel-haired teacher laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder, or the playful pat on the head by Davis the noodle-cart master and part-time janitor. The radiant goggle-bearer could've sworn that the traveler Willis had taken his purple baseball cap, waving it about as the fair-haired adult talked about nothing particularly important, but his hat and goggles were still there when he touched his head.

The walls waved. The floor rippled. The walls of the hall twisted themselves in ways Takuya knew was impossible. They were so many familiar voices echoing around him, though no one spoke, but their speech was blurred together to the point where the orange-eyed brunette couldn't pinpoint the voices' masters or their words.

My child…

Takuya lifted his head, his orange eyes widening.

"BurningGreymon…" he spoke.

The brown-haired goggle-bearer smiled. He wasn't alone.

The unidentified voices slowly faded away, driven off by voices he recognized, those of the other element-haunted children. Their laughter and chatter grew louder as he and Sakuyamon exited the blackened tunnel and entered the Moloch Chamber.

The first thing Takuya noticed when he came into it was just how big and round the room was, its purple-painted walls encircling him and reaching high up to the sky outside like the shell of a egg. Six holes were punched through the top, the feeble light outside pouring down on six gilded thrones, each perfectly and widely spaced. In four of these thrones were his friends, prattling among themselves from their golden seats. The light from outside and the children's golden glows made the red floor around them shine. In the middle of the room was a short stone pillar.

Suddenly a small white creature flew up to his face, causing the orange-eyed goggle-bearer to startle. The tiny animal had wide eyes and huge ears tipped with purple, and there was a symbol of two overlapping triangles on its forehead. It hovered before him, bearing a happy smile.

"Hi! What's your name, human?" it asked in a squeaky voice. "It's funny, you know, how all you humans go by different names. We Digimon just call ourselves whatever type of Digimon we happen to be. Maybe we should start doing that, if the humans do it."

"Well you guys don't have to do it just because we do it," replied the orange-eyed youth, rubbing the back of his head. "Then again, there's no reason that you guys can't do it if you want to. Ah, whatever. Anyway, I'm Takuya."

"I'm Calumon!" chirped the little white creature. "I'm the key!"

IIIIII

"What is it, Willis?" questioned Kari, looking at the fair-haired boy's solemn expression as he stared ahead to the ever-approaching palace of stone. Resting in his lap was the Book of Bokomon, opened to one of the drawings of a masked dragon with fiery wings, BurningGreymon. Davis was behind them, explaining the wonders of the real world to Strabimon and the others and smiling at their amazed reactions. Veemon and Terriermon were assisting him with their sound effects.

The blue-eyed boy looked back at his gogglehead friend and smirked slightly.

"Leave it to Davis to only be grim for so long," he commented, turning his gaze back to the castle.

"He's just as worried as we are," Kari assured. "You know how Davis is. The more he talks, the more nervous he is. He's just trying to calm his nerves."

"I never said it was a bad thing," replied Willis with a smile.

Kari also looked on to the isolated castle of stone.

"…How do you think we'll get the Beast Spirits out of them?" she asked, after a brief silence.

"…I don't really know all the details about how they're connected to the children," the blond brainiac admitted, gaze kept steady. "All I've seen are their effects on the kids while they were in the real world, and not the Spirits themselves. This book's pretty vague about it too. Considering they're data, though, we'll probably have to remove them while the children are still in the Digital World."

He became hushed again, as excited chatter from Tentomon and Salamon was heard behind him.

"They'll probably have to be sent to real-world hospitals once we finally free them from the Beast Spirits," Gatomon started to speak, laying on her belly and watching the looming palace with a twitching tail. "They were already pretty bad off before they came to the Digital World. We'll have to figure out how to take the Spirits out of them fast, once we get to the children."

"Those children…" Willis began, unable to keep his gaze on the castle. "So weak already…"

He gripped Cherubimon's fur tightly in his hands.

"Willis?" asked the gentle white giant in a deep voice, turning his head to look at his human partner. In the background Davis and Terriermon were laughing at Veemon's imitation of a cow.

"…I didn't want to say it in front of Mr. Black-and-White back there," the blue-eyed boy continued, gesturing to Davis behind him. "But…with all the strain put on their bodies by the Beast Spirits and the attempted and resisted digivolutions…they have internal injuries, I can tell. They're only going to be worse when we get there. Even now…even now they might be depending on their Beast Spirits for strength. If it's a slow integration process leading up to the final digivolution, which I suspect it is, they might be the parasites now instead of the Beast Spirits."

"Willis…"

"…I'm scared, Kari," the fair-haired child confessed, his brilliant blue eyes staring down into the whiteness of Cherubimon's fur. "Scared that we're going to save the children only to have them die in our arms. I…I'd rather have them just digivolve and be consumed by the Spirits then have them die like that. I…I keep thinking of Lopmon, when he had the virus that turned him into a monster…"

Kari put a hand on his trembling shoulder.

"We can't think like that," she told him gently. "We have to at least try."

Willis quietly nodded, though he didn't look up.

"We're almost there," Cherubimon announced, as the group upon the flying rabbit's back looked up to see the brown-green palace almost on top of them. Davis's expression turned serious as he and the other Digimon scurried up to the front to get a better look.

"Hey, there's some Digimon down there," stated Gatomon, lifting up a black-clawed paw to point at a small rock island floating near the towering palace.

There were three Digimon, in fact. The first was a seal-like creature, white with purple markings, long zigzag ears, and a small tuft of orange fur on top of its head. The second was an elephant-like animal, the top of its body brown with wing-like ears while the bottom half was nothing but a dusty purple cloud.

Both of these Digimon were frantically trying to calm the third of their group, a much taller lanky mammal that somewhat resembled a lion with its flowing orange mane. Its matching tail of fluffy fur swished from side to side as it paced back and forth, tears brimming in its bright green eyes. Its body, tan with white markings, pulsed with white light.

"It's Flamon and the others," stated Strabimon, narrowing his slanted eyes. "That fool, always letting his passions rule him. He'll digivolve at this rate."

Strabimon leapt off Cherubimon's back and landed on the dull ground below, sprinting over to the trio of Rookie Digimon. The seal-like Digimon noticed him first.

"Strabimon! Perfect timing!" it greeted in a boyish voice. "Me and Tapirmon have been trying to talk some sense into Flamon, but he just won't listen to us!"

"Since when does Flamon listen to anybody?" questioned the light-blue canine dryly, gazing at the lion-like shining Digimon still pacing back and forth. "What's set him off this time, Gomamon?"

"The humans," explained the white-and-purple seal. "When he saw the humans in the dining room earlier, he started crying and ran outside."

"You were crying too, when I met with you after you saw the humans arrive," Tapirmon stated in a cool boyish voice, turning its elephant-like face to the orange-tufted mammal. "Almost bawling, really."

"Well yeah, that's true," admitted Gomamon, looking a little embarrassed. "It's weird. As soon as I saw them I felt tears running down my cheeks, I dunno why."

"High-strung too," added the half-gas creature. "Screamed out when Doggymon shouted Boo! behind your back."

"Eheheh…"

"Will you promise not to digivolve yourself while I calm Flamon down?" asked Strabimon, walking toward the pulsing orange-maned Digimon. "And what about you, Tapirmon? Did they have any effect on you?"

"I've yet to see them, and probably never will at this point," admitted the elephant-like Digimon, looking to the side. "But all the other Digimon were happy and in wonder when the Divine Bearers arrived."

"I see," replied the lean wolf wearing the black scarf. "Flamon!"

The lanky humanoid lion abruptly stopped his pacing and turned to Strabimon with tear-blurred emerald eyes.

"It's not fair, Strabimon!" Flamon exclaimed in his young voice, shaking and looking at the lifeless earth beneath his feet. "I was so excited to see them, the humans. I didn't know what they were going to be like, but I wanted to see them so bad, like they were old friends coming home or something. But when I actually saw them…talking and laughing even though they were obviously in so much pain…I even saw the one with the goggles turn to me and smile. Smiling like his life wasn't important. But it is! They all are! They're too important to be sacrificed. They don't deserve this! They don't deserve this at all! What were the ancients thinking, making them hurt so much?!"

The white-marked Digimon let out a yell and began glowing brighter, tongues of flame circling around him.

"Flamon, stop it!" snarled Strabimon, grabbing the lanky lion's arm. "Listen Flamon, you want to save them, don't you?"

The ribbons of fire around faded away and the glowing grew dimmer as the emerald-eyed Digimon looked at Strabimon's thin face.

"Of course I do. There's…there's nothing else I want to do more."

"Then don't turn into a monster, and come join us and the humans instead."

Flamon's eyes looked past to the lithe light-blue canine and to the enormous gold-and-white rabbit floating down to the island's level, bearing both people and Digimon upon its back. Gomamon's mouth fell open, while Tapirmon's eyes widened.

"…You're going to save them?" asked Flamon, eyes glued to the great gentle giant waiting for him and his friends.

"Of course," spoke Strabimon, nodding and smiling slightly. "But we must hurry."

IIIIII

"Hey Kouji, you look nervous," teased Takuya, kicking his feet as he sat in his gilded throne. It was amazing that he still had the energy to waste on such a pointless motion, but now the glowing gogglehead felt a rush of vigor bordering on hyperness, even though he should have been exhausted. He must be feeding off of BurningGreymon's power, he realized.

Zoë had just come in, escorted by Sakuyamon to the empty throne between him and Kouji and greeted by Calumon. He still had trouble believing that that tiny In-Training Digimon had the great power of digivolution sealed inside him. It had held the power on and off during the centuries, depending on the state of the Digital World. Upon its will the happy white creature would release the light from the red mark on its forehead, enabling all of them to digivolve at once.

He was glad that they would change all at the same time, that no one would need to digivolve by themselves. So much power was sealed inside them that the process of becoming one with the Beast Spirits would most likely be a painful one. He didn't want anyone alone for that. He didn't want to be alone for that.

The shining brunette noticed Boarmon standing in the shadows of the hallway, watching them without a word. The glow of his ever-burning body gave him away. Although he wasn't the digivolved form of Bokomon like he had claimed, he was still a friend to Takuya. He guided them here to save the Digital World, after all.

Briefly he thought back to the humanoid lion Digimon that he saw while he was still eating at the dining hall feast, the one who began weeping when the orange-eyed boy saw him. Why did the emerald-eyed creature start crying when he smiled? He and the others were going to save this world for Digimon like him.

"Nervous? Whatever, Takuya," the white-eyed boy replied with a smirk, his voice so rough and torn that the shining goggle-bearer could hardly believe it was his friend's. "But geez, I'm sitting here waiting to be digivolved and all I can think about is how I'm going to miss the next episode of D.Grayman. Isn't that stupid, Kouichi?"

"Huh?" asked his black-eyed twin, who until then had been staring up at the ceiling of the Moloch Chamber and saying nothing.

"Don't you think it's funny that I'm obsessing about a TV show when I'm about to become one with KendoGarurumon?"

"…What's a TV show?"

"…You know, a program they show on the television that you watch and stuff. Most of them are crap, though."

"…But what's a television?"

Takuya closed his blazing orange eyes and leaned his head back on the velvet padding that was at the top of his gilded throne, as the conversation between the twins became increasingly one-sided. Despite the purple pillow's softness it wasn't very comfortable.

God, I was so scared, when it all started. I valued my humanity so much. I valued myself so much, like I was so important. And I called myself such a gallant person. How could I have been so selfish, valuing myself over the Digital World? I shouldn't have been afraid. I should've known it was you, BurningGreymon. But don't worry, I'm ready now. I won't run anymore, BurningGreymon. I'm ready.

He felt the heat nested in his heart grow warmer.

Sakuyamon was going from child to child, kneeling down in front of each throne to sprinkle each child's hair with holy water and to fasten them in place with sturdy black bonds built into the golden chairs. The twins were already bound by the time Takuya noticed the kitsune lady's actions. Right then she was just beginning to secure JP into place.

"Oh man, feels like I'm about to go on a carnival ride!" the chubby boy stated, laughing a little too loudly as Sakuyamon pulled two dark belts across his chest, one over the other in a crisscross pattern. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please keep your arms and legs in the vehicle at all times."

"Also make sure to remove all loose items and articles of clothing before the ride begins," Kouji continued in a similar announcer tone. "You first, Mr. Gogglehead!"

Smirking, Takuya tossed his purple baseball cap and his goggles into the center of the circular chamber, along with a set of collectible soccer player cards, hitting the short skinny pillar in the middle of the room. Zoë also threw her lavender hat, comb, and perfume bottles into the pile. Tommy discarded his oversized mushroom hat and a couple of toy robots. JP dug into his pockets and pulled out a deck of cards, some paper flowers, a plastic magician wand, a rubber chicken, a collapsible top hat, another rubber chicken, a long, long string of multicolored cloths tied together…

"Good God, JP, you brought all that magic stuff with you?" Zoë asked, laughing. "I can't believe you sometimes."

"What? I always carry these things with me," defended JP, as he lobbed the mass of childish items into the growing heap in the middle of the room. "You never know when a little magic trick will come in handy."

"You never cease to amaze us," teased Kouji, looking almost dignified in the position that the black bonds held him up in.

"Hey, it's your turn guys," pointed out Takuya, looking at the white-eyed boy and pointing to his own now-bare head. "Time to lose the bandana, Kouji."

"But I'm already strapped in!" protested the black-haired boy.

Kouichi looked antsy as he realized he couldn't empty his pockets either.

"I'll get your stuff!" chirped Calumon, floating over to Kouji and starting to undo his bandana. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, there should be my cellphone in my right pocket," answered the glowing white-eyed boy, as the small white creature took off his shiny black bandana. "Oh yeah, make sure to turn off all cellphones guys."

"Right," the others echoed, as all yet-bound children brought out their mobile devices and pressed down on the End button, causing the portable communicators to give off one last chorus before falling silent. They pitched the now-quiet machines into the central mass of abandoned items. JP's arm was bound with three black bands, his other arm and his legs already arrested. Sakuyamon went over to Tommy and dribbled a little blessed liquid from the amethyst bottle in his plain brown hair.

Calumon had just managed to put Kouji's phone to sleep and was now depositing the mobile and the bandana into the heap of human possessions. Floating over to Kouichi, it searched his pockets and pulled out his cellphone and a photo of a group of smiling black-haired people, with the twins standing in front.

"Ooh, who are these people?" asked the curious big-eared animal, examining the picture by tilting it back and forth in its tiny paws.

Kouichi stared at the photo with wide dark eyes, tilting his head slightly. But he said nothing.

His twin also stayed silent, looking away from his brother.

"Oh well," Calumon responded, flipping open the cellphone with a little effort and pressing down on the End button, making the device cry out with a feeble jingling sound before the screen turned black. The small white creature carried off the items to the mass of individual things without another thought.

"Allright, so everybody ready?" asked Takuya, as he saw Sakuyamon approaching him. "All aboard! Too Tooooo!"

The Moloch Chamber exploded with laughter as the lady Digimon with the golden fox mask trickled some celestial water onto the orange-eyed boy's head, cooling his scalp. Then she took the two criss-crossing bonds and strapped them across his chest. They felt tight, almost restrictive, against his skin and clothes.

"Oh god, Takuya, that was perfect!" Zoë roared, the last one free to clutch her gut in her great fit of laughter. "Do it again!"

"Too Tooooo!" howled Takuya, as three black bonds fastened his arms to the throne's arm-rests. The laughter burst out again, and the shining goggleless boy began to laugh too.

"Too Tooooo!" mimicked Calumon, gliding in circles around the room. "Too Tooooo!"

Takuya's laughter finally faded into a sigh, as each of his legs became bound against the base of the gilded throne with three black bonds. Without a word Sakuyamon got up and began to head toward Zoë, the last free one.

Takuya could only move his head now, and surveyed the room as the laughter died down and the others began to more tranquilly talk with each other. The kitsune lady in golden armor was dusting Zoë's hair with divine drops. He heard Kouji go into another coughing fit.

It wouldn't matter really, but he wished he could hold their hands. But his arms were tied down by obsidian straps, and the golden seats were too far apart. All the gilded throne had to give for comfort was cold gold to hold. He couldn't take his eyes off the baseball cap and goggles lying helplessly on the scarlet floor.

Calumon was gliding over to the thin narrow pillar in the center of the room, the one surrounded by their surrendered belongings.

IIIIII

The DigiDestined and their companion Digimon broke through the doors of the Temple of The Timeless like an ethereal tidal wave, startling the Digimon inside.

"What? More humans?"

"Why are Strabimon and his friends with them?"

"The Book of Bokomon never said anything about this!"

The rapid tide of Digimon and humans didn't stop to explain. They only rushed straight ahead.

"Do you know where the kids might be?" asked Willis, Terriermon and Lopmon riding on his shoulders. Cherubimon couldn't fit through the doors, so he had to revert to his brown-and-pink Rookie form.

"They'd be in the Moloch Chamber by now," answered Strabimon, leading the way and not looking back.

"The Moloch Chamber…" repeated Willis, his blue eyes glaring at the crimson floor. "God, what a name…"

They tore through the myriad twisting halls of stone like floodwater. The shiny scarlet floor mocked them with echoes of their frantic footsteps. Suddenly the grim green-brown and vivid red gave way to stark white with pastel carpets and poorly-done paintings. They were couches of all colors scattered everywhere, with no rhyme to reason to their placing. In the middle of the room was a polished rosewood table, perfectly clean. The group paused to catch their breath.

"What is with this room?" wondered Davis, looking around at the odd décor. "These guys sure have weird tastes."

"Just ahead…" Strabimon gasped, using the rosewood table for support. "Just ahead is the Moloch Chamber. We must…"

Galloping from the shadowy corridor, exposed by his self-produced light, came Boarmon, halting right at the entrance of the hallway leading to their intended destination.

"Stop! What are you doing?!" demanded the flaming pig. "The ceremony is about to begin. No one but Sakuyamon is allowed past his point. This includes other humans."

"Let us through!" barked Strabimon, fur on end and teeth bared. "You're making a grave mistake!"

"Boarmon!" called out Doggymon, as the bandaged golden canine and Patamon rushed into the room from the opposite hallway. "What's going on? Why are these humans here?"

"Takuya told me that these humans and their Digimon friends might come to interfere with the ceremony," Boarmon growled, stomping his foot and letting out a snort. "And I will be true to his wishes to stop you!"

"Please listen to us!" cried Kari, stepping forward. "You mustn't go through with this! They're just children! They shouldn't be used like this!"

"But the prophecy says that they would do this by their own will, and they are," Patamon replied, flying forward some. "Sakuyamon gave them a lot of chances to walk away, but they refused them all. It makes me sad too, but this is what they wanted."

"Yeah, that's right!" Doggymon echoed.

"Is it what they wanted or what the Beast Spirits wanted?!" snapped Davis, clenching his fist and glaring at the living barbeque. "It's not the same thing, you know!"

"Davis-" Kari began.

"The will of the children and the will of the Beast Spirits are becoming one," stated Boarmon coolly. "There should be little difference between their opinions."

"How do you know that, Boarmon?!" snapped Flamon, stepping forward with flames circling his body.

"Get back!" ordered the giant swine, spitting some fire at the lion-like Digimon and causing it to retreat. 'What makes you think that you can just barge in and change things at this point?! Do you realize what the consequences could be if the ceremony was interrupted by the likes of you?! Both the Digital World and the children-"

Then the screams began, six young voices rolling out of the dark tunnel behind Boarmon. All the words died in the flaming pig's mouth, his beady eyes growing wide and his mighty blazing body shivering.

"The…children…"

All the others were silenced as well, except for the low whimpering of Doggymon and Patamon. Outside of the one exposed window a multi-colored rain of light was starting, forming a film that was connecting the fragmented bits of barren rock and land outside.

"No…" Davis spoke, his wide brown eyes fixed on the blackness of the tunnel, where the screams were blasting from like an oversized megaphone. "Dammit Veemon, Strabimon, we've gotta-"

Strabimon's expression was one of wide-eyed horror, tears flowing freely from his slanted eyes and down his cheeks. Looking around, Davis saw that all of the lithe wolf's friends all had the same terrified countenance and were weeping silently and without restraint.

"W-Why are you crying like that?" questioned Boarmon, his body shaking more as he looked to the glistening crimson floor beneath his feet. "This…This is…they knew this…this is…what they…"

"Strabimon…" Davis called to the crying canine.

"…Stop it…" he hissed, trembling violently. "Stop it…Stop it…Stop it…Stop it…"

"Strabimon-" Kari called.

"Stop it…Stop…it…STOP IIIIIT!" Strabimon screeched, shouting at the top of his lungs as a bright white light enveloped him. "STOP THIS RIGHT NOW! STOP IIIIIIT!"

"Strabimon, calm down!" demanded Boarmon, his widened eyes now locked onto the pale-furred wolf's glowing form, the human screams persisting in the background. "If you digivolve now, you'll become a fiend! These children are sacrificing themselves so Rookies like yourself can become proper Champion Digimon. Don't throw away that gift they're paying so dearly for!"

The humanoid demon-dog with the ragged black scarf only shone brighter and yelled out louder. One by one the other crying Digimon squeezed their eyes shut and began to wail and glow.

"Calm down, all of you!" the flaming pig cried out, taking a step back.

"JUST STOP IT! STOP HURTING THEM!" shrieked Strabimon, though his scream couldn't overcome those of the children. "This is never…THIS IS NEVER WHAT WE WANTED!"

Completely consumed by the light, the lanky young wolf began to grow and change, taking the shape of a much taller Digimon. As the others behind him were also submitting to the light, the white glow of Strabimon's new form faded away.

He was covered in grey-blue metal armor, with a blue-and-white scarf trailing behind him. He wore a mask of a wolf that covered the upper half of his face, but the face not hidden resembled a human's. Short blonde hair stuck out behind his head. In his grasp was a long metal sword.

"No way," spoke Willis, taking out the Book of Bokomon that had been Strabimon's copy and flipping through the pages, staring at the other changing Digimon in wonder. "Couldn't be…"

The Digimon that had been Flamon was still glowing faintly from the light of digivolution, and was now a creature covered head to foot in red and gold armor. His mane had been bleached from blazing orange to pale gold, and a crimson mask adorned with horns laid over his face.

The Digimon that had been Salamon was now a very human-looking Digimon, so different from her baby canine form. Great lavender moth wings sprouted from her back, and her eyes were covered by a pale metal visor. Clothing colored faint amethyst covered her hands, chest, and feet. Her hair was a dusty purple.

The Digimon that had been Tentomon was now a bipedal insect colored cobalt and gold, with proper hands instead of claws. A large horn protruded from his head. His body was packed with muscle.

The Digimon that had been Gomamon hadn't grown much taller in his Digivolution. Now instead of a seal he was a short bear made of snow and ice. He was clothed with forest-green headgear, boots, and a vest.

The Digimon that had been Tapirmon now looked nothing like his half-elephant, half-gas form. Instead he was a warrior bound in black armor, sealed with gold. The bit of his face that could be seen past his feline mask was like a human's. He bore a dark shield that was shaped like a roaring lion.

"These…these are…" began Davis, eyes wide.

Boarmon fell to his knees.

"Lobomon of the Light, Agnimon of the Fire, Kazemon of the Wind, Beetlemon of the Lightning, Kumamon of the Ice, Lowemon of the Darkness…" Willis spoke, flipping through the drawings of Bokomon's tome. "The Legendary Warriors, the human-type Spirits!"

Lobomon, once Strabimon, gave Boarmon a steady, firm gaze.

"Will you let us pass now?"

IIIIII

It hurt. Oh god, it hurt. It was like his blood was becoming boiling magma in his veins. His stomach was being ripped apart, Takuya was sure of it. And the heat, it was like a massive sadistic anaconda, crushing him in its torrid coils and wringing the breath out of him. He wanted to do something, anything, to make it all go away, but the black bonds held him down no matter how much he writhed.

He heard the others screaming too, just as ensnared and powerless as he was. Kouji at the mercy of light, Kouichi drowning in darkness, Zoë assaulted by wind, JP the plaything of electricity, Tommy isolated in ice. If only he could do something to free them from their element's thralls. Why…Why did he ever agree to this?

When he couldn't scream anymore and gulped in relished air, he opened his heavy eyes.

He was sealed away in a pillar of red light. Around him the others were also locked away in their own towers of radiance. Some of them were still screaming and thrashing, but others like him were hanging limp in their thrones. All the light made the floor red, so bright, glistening red.

In the middle of the room was Calumon, the emblem on its forehead gleaming crimson. It was frozen in place by fear, its innocent expression horrified and wide tears welling up in its big eyes. At the mouth of the hallway was Sakuyamon, her head turning away from the scene and the golden staff shuddering in her grasp, causing the many rings on it to chime hysterically.

That's right…this is…for them…to save them…

Yes, my child, we will save them

"BurningGrey-"

A sudden surge of searing power tore through Takuya's limbs, causing the goggleless boy to shriek in pain. His head drooped forward, hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

"It hurts…" he croaked, sobbing. "It hurts…so much…"

I know, my child, I know

Takuya felt a long, thin tongue lick his tear-tainted visage. The brunette turned his head up sluggishly to see a semi-transparent masked dragon gazing upon him with a rueful look.

"Burning…Grey…" he began, feeling his heavy head leaning forward.

Takuya felt his chin being lifted up by one of the Beast Spirit's magnificent blazing wings, forcing the crying child to gaze upon the crimson wyrm.

This will be the last time you'll ever be helpless. And even now you are not alone

The goggleless boy turned his sight to the rest of the room. Everyone else was weeping too, softer cries of pain replacing the screams, but around his companions he saw the vague shapes of the other Beast Spirits soothing their hosts. KendoGarurumon was halfway into Kouji's lap, whining tenderly as he licked away the white-eyed boy's tears and the blood leaking from his mouth. Zephyrmon carefully ran her clawed fingers through Zoë's long blonde hair, embracing her with her wings while singing to her in a nameless beautiful language. JagerLowemon purred as he rubbed his face and body across Kouichi's legs over and over, occasionally changing his route to rub his face against Kouichi's wet cheeks instead. Large Korikakakumon held little shivering Tommy in its massive arms, his burly limbs going right through the chair in his half-real state, and groomed the young boy's hair with his tongue. MetalKabuterimon only placed one of its cannons on JP's shoulder gently and gave off a humming noise, but then again it was a tank Digimon, so its affections were limited.

Takuya noticed something else too. Above the haunted children's heads halos were forming, each made of the child's element. Right now those halos were fragmented, existing in two or three pieces slowly rotating around, but the longer he watched the more complete the halos became. He couldn't life his head to check, but he was sure that a disjointed halo of fire must by orbiting right above his head too.

The goggleless boy drew breath in sharply and squeezed his eyes tightly as he felt his muscles seize up desperately. The room began to spin like a demonic merry-go-round.

"Burning…" he found himself rasping, the scorching liquid seeping out of his eyes scalding his cheeks. "Burn…ing…"

The long thin tongue slipped over his sweat-drenched forehead and his closed eyes, as the boy struggled to get air into his lungs.

Hush. It will not be much longer now…

"…My child," Takuya heard himself speak, in his own voice, as he felt his orange eyes open.

He heard the others starting to speak as well, only it wasn't their words they spoke as their eyes began to glaze over. Calumon whipped his head about the room, eyes wide with confusion and fright. Pieces of the fragmented halos were fusing together.

"You will never be alone anymore," Takuya spoke, hearing only his own voice but knowing it was the masked dragon who spoke, its tongue still caressing his face. "Everywhere you go fire will guard you, surround you, become you."

"The light of the sun will empower you, the light of the moon will refresh you, and light of the stars will show you everything," spoke Kouji, Legendary Warrior of Light.

"Lava, the blood of the world, will become your blood," continued Takuya, Legendary Warrior of Fire, feeling his head droop and the tongue strokes fade away. His heart was an inferno.

"The wind will take you anywhere you desire, for you are their child and they are your parents," spoke Zoë, Legendary Warrior of Wind.

"Every tendril of fire and rush of heat will obey me, for I am their sovereign," Takuya spoke, suddenly unsure if it was his words or the Beast Spirit's that passed through his mouth. At least the pain was fading now, and his breathing was becoming calmer and less labored.

"With my thunder and lightning I will blast away the decay to make way for the pure new land," spoke JP, the Legendary Warrior of Lightning.

"My fire and magma will build new mountains and carve out new valleys, melting the broken world into one land once more," the orange-eyed boy spoke, his body growing numb and his mind becoming enveloped in a overpowering miasma. His breathing grew shallower.

"For this task we will become one, and to watch over his world we will remain one," spoke Tommy, Legendary Warrior of Ice.

"No one else will ever disquiet the peace of my new world, and its dependency on the real world and its humans shall be cut," spoke the Legendary Warrior of Fire, barely able to draw in breath even though his lungs begged for it.

"The shackles of humanity discarded, nothing can hold me back from what needs to be done," spoke Kouichi, Legendary Warrior of Darkness.

"So I, the bestial side of fire-"

Takuya's sight was growing dark.

"I, the bestial side of light-"

"I, the bestial side of wind-"

"I, the bestial side of lightning-"

"I, the bestial side of ice-"

"I, the bestial side of darkness-"

"-Will rule over and protect this new world," spoke the goggleless boy, his eyes finally closing.

IIIIII

"Hang on, Takuya, hang on!" yelled Agnimon, as he and the other human-type Legendary Warriors rushed down the blackened hall with the DigiDestined and their Digimon close behind. "Dammit BurningGreymon, why are you doing this?!"

"The screams stopped a while ago. I hope we're not too late," stated Willis, further behind the other two humans. "At least when they were screaming we knew they were still alive…"

"Don't talk like that!" snapped Davis, glaring back at the blue-eyed youth. "They're still alive. They've got to be…"

"Kouji…Kouji, I'm so sorry…" Lobomon muttered to himself, the wolf-masked knight running just ahead of the pack. "This was never supposed to happen…Kouji…the prophecy…it was never a prophecy…it was just Bokomon's good wishes…the last part…that was just describing regular digivolution with the spirits…not this…not this…"

They rushed past a silent kitsune in golden armor without even noticing her presence.

The group of rescuers came to the Moloch Chamber, the room huge and silent. Gathered in the middle of the room were the children's belongings, ranging from beloved hats to rubber chickens to a photo of a smiling family. Standing on a thin pillar encircled by the forsaken objects was a small white Digimon, looking around terrified. Unconscious and glowing in their glided thrones were the children, bound by black bonds.

Upon seeing the humanoid Legendary Warriors enter, the white creature's eyes widened and the tears that were brimming in its eyes flowed freely. It started bawling loudly and fled the room, the glow of its red mark fading. The shining of the children also darkened away.

The Legendary Warriors dashed to their humans, ripping off the dark bindings with their bare hands. They lifted the children from their golden thrones, now marred by intense energy burns, and carried them to the center of the room. The DigiDestined met them there.

"Are…are they…?" began Kari, looking at the children's impassive faces with worry.

"He's still breathing," spoke Agnimon, gazing down to the goggleless brunette slumbering in his hold with a relieved smile.

The caramel-haired girl studied the faces of the other Legendary Warriors, who each smiled and nodded in return.

"Oh thank God," she answered, sinking to her knees. "We made it in time."

Davis and Willis grinned and gave each other a high-five, though the fair-haired boy still looked a bit anxious. Their Digimon mimicked them, though Veemon had to give two high-fives instead of one. Gatomon just smiled.

The hatless boy in Agnimon's arms stirred faintly. The others were also beginning to come to as Davis hurried over to the red-armored warrior of fire, his human companions going off to check on different children.

"Takuya!" he called, as the goggleless youth opened his orange eyes. "How're ya feeling?"

"…Okay, I guess," the brunette boy replied a little quietly, surveying the room and then the fabled Digimon carrying him. "…Oh, hey Agnimon. Long time no see. Can you put me down now?"

"Think you can stand?" asked the golden-haired flame master.

"Yeah…"

Agnimon carefully placed the brown-haired child onto his feet, who managed to stand up straight after a little uncertain wobbling. He was just as tall as he was right now, Davis realized. How different he looked at eye level, his baseball cap and goggles gone. It made the boy look older somehow. Around them the other children were being placed onto their feet as well, bringing cheerful looks to the other two DigiDestined's faces. Willis looked especially relieved.

Davis placed a hand on the goggleless child's shoulder.

"Let's go back to the real world, Takuya."

His orange eyes gazed into the DigiDestined's with an almost innocent expression.

"Why?"

The boy's shoulder became scorching hot, causing Davis to cry out and quickly withdraw his hand. There were burns on his palm when the DigiDestined looked at it.

"Davis!" shouted Veemon, running over to his human partner.

"Takuya!?" exclaimed Agnimon.

The chocolate-haired boy looked up from his hand to the hatless youth, who was now surrounded by an aura of heat. His orange eyes were cold and narrow.

"You…" he began. "The voice on the phone…"

Davis heard the cries of the other DigiDestined and humanoid Legendary Warriors as the other children summoned walls of their own elements to keep the others away. Their eyes were arctic and slim just like the goggleless boy.

"I'm the Legendary Warrior of Fire," spoke the boy with Takuya's voice. "That's all I need to be. Is that a problem, human?"

A halo of fire, whole and burning brightly, formed above the orange-eyed boy's head. A halo materialized above the other children's heads as well, each of the appropriate element. Suddenly all the children gave off a brilliant gold radiance, blinding the DigiDestined and the humanoid Legendary Warriors.

When Davis opened his eyes and the artificial sunspots evaporated from his sight, there were no children to be seen.

Where Zoë once stood was a mystical, graceful creature that almost passed as human. Its face was entirely hidden by a dark lavender mask, and a crest of long rainbow feathers flowed from the top of its head and all the way down its back. Except for its midriff, upper legs, and the tips of its hands, all mirroring the flesh of a person, its slender body was covered in a light purple outfit. It hovered in place, gilded wings on the sides of its oversized green sleeves. In its left hand was a silver rapier.

Where Kouji once stood was a towering metal lupine, two golden swords in its firm grasp. Its armor was painted white with blue stripes, with a few touches of gold and silver. Though its stature was like that of a strong human, its metallic face was clearly that of a snarling wolf. Its eyes shone scarlet.

Where Kouichi once stood was colossal obsidian lion, sharp wings of golden metal jutting out of its back. Patterns of yellow and red were traced on its dark robotic body. Six black spikes, three on each side, framed its feline face. A golden beard not unlike those of ancient pharaohs was on its chin, and there was a large ruby embedded in the middle of its forehead. Its shining scarlet eyes bore a cool, almost bored expression.

Where little Tommy once stood was an enormous humpbacked ram, its eyes a frosty blue and its hooked brown horns stretching over ten feet across. Its body was almost entirely cloaked in thick light-blue fur, with some of it tied up into ponytails by long red bands. Six black spikes stuck out of its bulging back, three on each side.

Where JP once stood was a gargantuan creature made up of two insects. The lower part was a bronze-colored bug with six beady eyes and huge jaws, with six sturdy silver-and-bronze legs sticking out as its sides. From the top of this beetle's head emerged the torso of the second insect, a cobalt-and-gold bug that was only vaguely human in shape. It had long scythes for arms and a tall horn coming out of its head. From its back six golden insect wings were spread out. There was no face on the cobalt bug.

Where Takuya once stood was a gigantic masked dragon standing on all fours, its massive burning wings illuminating the purple and scarlet of the Moloch Chamber. It had a mane of golden hair behind the red-and-white false face, and its body was encased in crimson armor. Two thick iron collars clung tightly to its massive neck. Its eyes were as blue as the brightest sky.

The monsters gazed down at the humanoid Legendary Warriors and DigiDestined gathered at the center of their circle, their eyes wintry.

"…Too late," Davis whispered, feeling his heart freezing under the beast's cold stares. "…Oh God, we were too late."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIII

...Yes, I know that's the most evil cliffhanger ever, but that's how it turned out. And the conclusion is only a chapter away...a chapter that will be out by the end of the month, or very early next month.

Now let's see how much you guys know...as I said, I own no Digimon in this chapter, including the ones that Takuya and the others digivolved into. Can you guess which Digimon I used before I announce their names in the final chapter? Hint: They have never appeared in the anime, but they ARE mentioned. Also, anyone happen to know where the name Moloch comes from? Hint: It has to do with paganism, dark paganism.

NEXT CHAPTER:...well, you'll just have to see won't you? XP

Cya! We're almost there, folks!