When Seadramon turned and looked at him Matt didn't really know what to do so he kicked up at the water and caused as much of a distraction as he could. Behind the giant monster he could see others slowly but surely reaching land. Sora and Joe were climbing out of the water already and TK and Mimi were catching up. His plan was working. He heard a splashing sound behind him and saw that Gabumon had come to join him.

"Matt please! We have to leave!" the dog panted. He was soaked and barely recognisable with his silvery-blue fur all spiked up and dripping. He looked pathetic.

"Not until everyone else is safe!" Matt insisted. He was a strong swimmer and was confident he'd be able to reach land before Seadramon got angry enough to charge at him, but Gabumon was insistent –

"No Matt! It isn't safe! Seadramon could kill you!" Matt didn't want to hear what he already knew and feared so ignored Gabumon and swam straight past him back towards the angry Seadramon. Only now, Seadramon's attention wasn't focused on Matt but back on Mimi and TK who were almost on land, Joe and Sora poised at the edge of the water to help them out. Damn! Matt turned back to Gabumon who was panting behind him,

"Gabumon we have to do something! Shoot Seadramon from behind!" Gabumon looked ready to argue but Matt shot him his stoniest face and the Digimon complied. He fired his Blue Blaster right at the back of Seadramon's head – it worked – Seadramon roared and turned away from Mimi and TK. Matt was poised to swim to the left but Seadramon fired its own attack right towards them. Matt had no choice but to turn right, right into Seadramon's tail. Matt gasped as he turned headfirst into the red, leaf shaped tail, it smacked into him face-first and Matt was dunked under water.

He was utterly disorientated, water gushed into his mouth and he choked and spluttered as it burned his throat and lungs. He powered to the surface and gasped in the life-giving air. He blinked hard to get the water out of his eyes but before he could gather his bearings he saw the raid tip curl around his waist and was jerked out of the water.

Matt panicked, he tried to wriggle free as he rose into the air hoisted upward by the tail which was still slowly coiling around his waist and chest. He tried to move his arms but they were pinned down by the impossibly strong grip of Seadramon's tail. He tried to scream but the air was trapped in his chest and he struggled to even breathe. Seadramon roared triumphantly and began to swim at top speed at the others. Matt felt himself be jerked backward and his neck jolted onto his chest. He winced in pain – he'd have whiplash from that – he prayed that that would be the worst of his injuries but as Seadramon's grip on him slowly but surely tightened he feared he was going to be proven wrong. The juddered to a halt and Matt saw that the other Digimon were doing their best to fight off Seadramon, Patamon – TK's little Digimon – was flying right in front of Matt and was trying to get Seadramon to release him by attacking the tail, but it was no use.

"Don't worry Matt, we'll save you!" he squeaked but Matt could barely see the orange creature – his vision was dwindling and he was struggling to breathe. This was it. This was his death, his end. He was scared, he wished that it would just happen instead of being dragged out like this. He didn't want anyone to know he was scared so he tried to just appear outwardly calm – inside he was screaming, crying – if he could just talk to someone, if someone could just hold him – why did he have to do this alone? He thought of his Dad and how he'd react to the news, he thought of him Mother – why hadn't he been to see her recently? Why was he always putting that off? He thought of TK, TK who was only meters away from him, at least TK was safe, they should just run, get away from this place, from the lake, then they'd be safe – he'd know that TK was safe.

And not just TK. What about Sora? And Joe? Hell, all of them! Mimi who he could have killed for wrecking his car, Izzy whose obnoxious personality grated on Matt so much and Tai whose ego irritated Matt like no other. They had to get out of here! If he didn't make it so be it – but he was not going to die in vain! Matt gathered the last of his breath and screamed at TK

"RUN!"

A bright white beam of light burst from Matt's pocket, momentarily blinding him, from way down below Matt heard a voice cry out

"Hold on Matt! I'm coming!"

Then everything went black.

TK stared in horror as his brother screamed out for him to run away. There was nothing he could do but watch as the energy visibly drained from Matt's body. He saw his brother gasp and then his head lolled onto his chest – TK's heart skipped a beat, this couldn't be happening! Not to Matt! He watched in silence, any second now Matt would raise his head again and everything would be marginally better. Nothing happened.

TK found himself on his knees.

"No!" he said in a strangled voice that sounded nothing like his own. Someone placed their hand on his shoulder, it was Mimi. She held him close to her tightly. TK didn't say anything, he didn't even look at her – his eyes were fixed on the lifeless body of his brother. Around him people were yelling, Tai had tossed his already soaked t-shirt aside and dived into the water in a feeble attempt to help Matt and Joe was rummaging through his first aid bag as if it would somehow have the solution to their problems within.

As all of this was happening around him, a white beam of light burst from Matt – everyone stopped and stared, it was just like what they'd seen when Tai had been in danger that afternoon. Down in the water Gabumon suddenly began to glow with the same white light and TK watched in amazement as the dog like creature began to grow bigger and bigger. His fur turned silver and ice blue and his limbs grew longer and stronger. In a flash Gabumon was replaced with a giant wolf-like monster.

It gave a powerful roar and sprung out of the water straight at Seadramon. Everyone watched as the wolf's enormous claws buried themselves into Seadramon's chest. Seadramon screeched in pain and fired its attack right at the evolved Gabumon.

"Go Garurumon!" shouted Patamon suddenly breaking the silence around them. Inspired by the little monster's faith TK stood up and joined in the cheering.

"Come on Garurumon!" he yelled, secretly hoping he was saying the right name – he could have sworn it was Gabumon – "get him!"

Spured on by the encouragement, Garurumon gave a second roar and began to swim at top speed towards Seadramon, but Seadramon was prepped for the attack. TK watched in dismay as the sea dragon fired an icy spray right at the wolf which slowed him down remarkably. Garurumon struggled against the force of Seadramon's attack. Icicles formed over the great wolf until he was frozen solid – it was like something from a movie! TK couldn't believe what he was seeing – it couldn't be over! It just couldn't!

As if his thoughts had been heard by Garurumon, the ice around him began to crack, slowly at first until it exploded away into thousands of tiny pieces.

"HOWLING BLASTER!" roared the wolf and he fired an emormous blue force into Seadramon. It hit Seadramon straight in the face, it recoiled and in shock dropped Matt into the water below. Without thinking of anything else, TK joined Tai in the water and they raced to get to Matt.

Meanwhile Garurumon fired at Seadramon again and again, wrecking the monster in the process. Seadramon screamed in terror and with one final swish of its tail, raced away down the lake.

TK had no time to celebrate, he and Tai were closing in on Matt who was floating face up on the water. Tai got to him first, he awkwardly held his face towards Matt's whilst trying not to tip him under the water at the same time

"He's not breathing!" Tai yelled.