Chapter Twenty-One
The Battle

There was nothing to do in the dark but sleep.

Davis had died in dreams before. At least he thought he had, he'd always wake before the end. This time it was too much like the real thing: flashes of pain, the creature's face, his friends' cries muted under his struggle to breathe.

He woke gasping. His eyes flashed open to black and it was hard not to think he'd landed himself in some ring of hell that reserved itself for the kind of guys that kissed their friend's girlfriend.

Maybe it would be easier to believe he was alive if he could see his own hands.

Izzy asked more than once if he was okay when he sounded half dead himself. And then, over the sound of his own wheezing, Davis heard a door.

Izzy went silent.

Davis shoved fresh tears from his eyes and tried really hard to pull himself together. Kari's hand had gone hot and clammy in his palm and he released his hold on it, worried he'd crushed her fingers. Then, with as much stealth as he could manage, he fumbled around until he found the needle that had been imbedded in his skin.

Scraping clicks paced the floor. As they came closer he went still, barely daring to breathe even though his lungs still ached for air.

"So one has woken."

Well, there went the element of surprise.

The voice that spoke was so tired and worn that it seemed impossible that it belonged to the digimon Izzy had claimed was responsible for all of this. Davis gave a silent curse and wondered if he had some kind of super night vision. He clenched the needle in his grip.

"Your creature killed him," said Izzy. "Now I understand what you've been doing."

"Do you?" Animamon's voice took on a tone of amusement. "Well, whatever your theory may be, I wasn't planning on the Child of Miracles to return to his body so soon. I hoped you could control it."

Davis tensed. Miracles? That was the egg that released Magnamon, but honestly Davis had never thought of it belonging to him. It really just seemed to pop up when he needed, well, a miracle. Right now wouldn't be a bad time for it to show up actually.

"I can't," Izzy argued. "There's too many voices. And the creature's body is failing. It's impossible for me to communicate with it anymore."

"Then you may find more of your friends joining you."

Panic burst into Davis's throat.

"You can speak, Child. I know you're there," said Animamon.

Hands shaking around the needle, Davis spat, "Bring them back. No one else is going to die."

In mere seconds, metal creaked and before Davis could move, a force knocked him off his feet, throwing him into his cot. He immediately jumped up, flailing the needle aimlessly in the dark, trying to impale his attacker. He felt it sink into something that gave way like soft fleshy skin. He immediately jerked it back.

"Oh, just a little closer and you may have stabbed her carotid artery," said Animamon. "That wouldn't have ended well."

Davis's heart pounded. Who did he hit if it wasn't Animamon? He reached forward and his hands hit a body, suspended where Kari's cot had been. Warm liquid dripped onto his hand and the needle clanged to the ground.

"Son of a bitch." Davis slid a hand over Kari's shoulder and found it slick with blood. "Put her down!"

"I could, but I wonder if death here might be a mercy. She won't even feel it this way. Her soul will just remain trapped in my world forever. At least until the creature destroys that body as well."

"Leave her alone!"

"My desire has never been to kill you," Animamon said, an eerie soothing lull to his voice. "But I may rethink my position if you threaten me again."

Her body slumped back into it's cot and Davis kept his shaking palm pressed on her wound.

"Kari." He tore at a sheet and used it to stop the bleeding, voice choking in his throat. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

And then a presence. Davis could feel it in the dark and wondered how he hadn't noticed the difference before, the aura that seemed to encompass the digimon. It felt like something more than a body, like the prickling sensation of being watched, tickling his mind.

Animamon set something on Davis's empty cot.

"Without your IV, you'll be needing sustenance," said Animamon. "You needn't worry. I have no intention for the digidestined to remain in that world as they are. They will all be brought back eventually."

"For what purpose?" asked Izzy.

"Ah." Claws scraped along the concrete. "I've come to discover the flaw in these creature's designs. You aren't bonded to these digimon's souls, in fact, many of them are already at odds with you - so many of the volunteers were."

"They didn't sound like volunteers," Izzy said.

Animamon continued, ignoring him. "But a bond could truly unify you as one. I knew this from the beginning of course, but there was no way to conquer your partners without my immediate defeat. But seperate… Only the digidestined had the capability to create my joined world. Capturing you defenseless humans first was the only way."

Davis didn't have to be as smart as Izzy to understand exactly what Animamon was hinting at.

"And now your digimon come willingly to my doorstep, worn from war."

"You're sick," said Davis. "If you even touch Veemon-"

"If that was what you wanted, why did you do this to me?" asked Izzy. "Why wouldn't you wait for Tentomon?"

"There is still enough of you left to mold with your partner. And you have been a valuable test subject. You understand, I first needed to see if it was possible at all," said Animamon. "Who better than you to be the first to step foot into my world anew? After all, you laid the foundation for it, though only by my hand could it have come to fruition. Digimon and human - so much more powerful together. Imagine a creature: truly combined and bonded, without weakness. We can achieve perfection."

"I can't live like this," Izzy said, voice too flat for his words. "Even if you succeed in joining us with our partners, you, you're only creating death."

A loud boom shook the ground and Animamon's voice went strangely somber.

"You may be right."

...

...

Up until this point, Matt thought he understood what it was like to be hollow.

He'd felt it when his parents split up, when he fell under the spell of darkness in the digital cave, when Sora had told him it was over. It was that emptiness that formed somewhere between the pit of his chest and his stomach. Now he realized those moments had been mere hints, shadows of the real thing.

Matt watched as Sora poured them each a cup of tea with her shaking hands. Her eyes were puffy and red. When Ken took his, she placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. He kept staring at the table.

"So, you're saying some type of monster did this?" The question came from Tai, who still sounded like he was choking back the lump in his throat.

Ken gave a slow nod. "It's been following me ever since I left."

"And it's not a digimon?" Sora asked.

"Yolei and Davis saw another one just like it before this one attacked us. It was a corpse."

"What are the chances it followed you here?" asked Tai.

Ken looked incredibly guilty. "I think it's after me personally. It...it could've killed me, but it–" He stopped, his cheeks tightening over his bones. "I should go. I don't want anyone else to die because of me."

"You aren't going anywhere," said Matt.

"Matt's right. There's no way we're letting you face this alone," said Tai. "This place is going to be your only protection for miles. We're just gonna have to come up with some kind of plan."

Matt watched Ken's body tense, but the boy remained silent. Their small group grew quiet enough to hear the muffled crying and voices from upstairs.

"I… I can't believe he's gone." Tai's face was grief stricken. His fingertips rubbed hard into his eyes and when they fell, he was looking at Matt.

"We never should have split up," he said. "This is all my fault."

Matt tried hard to keep his face stern. "We thought we'd be right back. From the way Ken described it, there was nothing any of us could have done."

But it was Sora who really told him what he needed to hear.

"You can't blame yourself for this, Tai," she said.

Tai ran his hands into his hair, pressing his forehead into his palms. His shoulders shook and Matt felt the hollow pit growing inside.

Footsteps entered the hall and Joe appeared in the dining room, looking hopeless.

"Kari's asking for you, Tai."

"Okay." Tai breathed weakly and wiped his face on his sleeve. He stood and disappeared into the hallway and then they could hear his heavy footsteps heading up the staircase.

"How's Yolei?" Ken asked.

"Mimi and Cody are taking care of her. I gave her some medicine for the pain. It's just over the counter stuff, but it should help bring her fever down some."

"And the infection?"

Joe grabbed the frames of his glasses just to give his hands something to do. "I had some antibiotic ointment. It's not really supposed to be used with open wounds and it's made to avoid infection not to cure it. Without the proper medical supplies I can't… I haven't been trained yet. It's pretty bad."

"Is she dying?"

"I don't know. She seems to be doing better since I gave her the medication. She's sleeping, but she'll probably want to see you when she wakes up," Joe said.

Ken took that as his cue to leave.

"What happened to them?" Joe asked as Ken exited the room. "It looks like she was attacked by some kind of animal."

Matt pushed himself from his seat. "I'll let Sora explain it to you."

"Where are you—"

He cut Sora off. "Checking on TK."

Upstairs, Matt found his brother standing in the doorway of the shared bedroom, watching Ken and Cody sit diligently by Yolei's bedside. Mimi was pressing a cool compress to Yolei's forehead and wiping away her own tears.

TK turned from the scene when he noticed Matt behind him. "Hey."

"Hey."

Yolei let out a soft moan and they all held their breath waiting to see if she was waking. Her lips moved and, through a bunch of nonsense Matt was sure he heard what sounded like Davis's name.

TK instantly took off down the hallway and Matt went after him.

When he reached the end, he stopped and stared out a window, pulling his cap low over his brow. Matt just stood there, waiting for him to speak. He learned a long time ago that TK wouldn't talk until he was ready and even then, Matt wasn't sure what to say.

Davis was his protégé as much as Tai's. And they'd left him to die.

The weather outside was mild and the late afternoon sun was bright. It made the dark inside of the hotel just that much more depressing.

"I wish," TK finally spoke, still watching the bright outdoors, "I wish things hadn't ended like they did with Davis. I was so angry with him. I was glad when we split up. I didn't want to be near him. Or see him and Kari… It all seems so stupid now."

TK turned, tears welling in his eyes. Matt noticed that the bruise from his fight with Davis was barely lingering, just a blotchy spot of yellowish brown.

"I thought I had more time to get over it," he said, rubbing his palms over his eyes. "And now Kari… she's never going to forgive herself for how they left things. How am I going to live with this, Matt? How do I live with the way I left things? He wasn't even the one who… He was my friend." The tears started spilling fast now, his cheeks working to hold them back. "How do I?"

Matt slid a hand over his back, but TK was already shaking his head, shoving that stupid baseball cap so low Matt couldn't see him.

"I just need a minute, okay?"

"Okay," Matt said, hearing his own voice crack. His hand fell from TK's back and he watched him lean against the window frame, crying alone.

As Matt headed back down the hallway he could hear Tai speaking softly to his sister. Suddenly TK's words circled around, weighing down his footsteps. He stopped and stared at them, long enough for Tai to notice.

It seemed stupid now, to fight with him, to still feel so betrayed when he'd known for a long time it had been coming, when he'd never held it against him before.

But something still held him back. Maybe it came from years of being bitter, or maybe the hollowness never really left once it had made its home inside you.

…

...

She seemed so small. Their age difference and her boisterous personality had always made her seem so much bigger, even when Cody had finally surpassed her in height.

Yolei was never meant to look like this, so sunken and pale and sad. Her body looked lost in the bedsheets, like she barely took up room. Without her glasses, her eyes seemed small and her hair was so dull from dirt that everything disappeared but her wound. It was encompassing. Ken's makeshift bandage had been replaced with sterile gauze, but it was quickly soaking through.

She trembled and Cody watched Ken grab her hand. He had been sitting by her side since he'd returned from telling the others his story and he told it in bits and pieces to Cody, looking more worn with each word. Cody worked very hard to keep the emotions from taking over his face. He needed to be strong for them now.

And despite Joe's suggestion, Ken wouldn't rest. He just sat there, watching.

Yolei gave a tiny gasp, face tightening in pain and they all seemed to lean forward. Joe strode across the room from where he had been speaking with Mimi and placed a hand on her forehead. The lines in his face told Cody he didn't have good news.

"She still has a fever."

Ken whispered, "Yolei?"

Her eyes fluttered open, glazed and aimlessly searching. Cody assumed it was delirium that made her so unable to focus until Joe handed her the broken glasses they had set on the bedside table.

Yolei put them on her eyes and seemed to gain some clarity. "Thanks," she said. Her voice was scratchy and weak and her head turned stiffly as she took them all in.

"We… found…you." Each word came out slowly and seemed to drain her energy.

"You should rest," Cody said.

Yolei's hand wiggled in Ken's and he released her so she could take hold of Cody's. Her squeeze was weak. Tears began falling from the corners of her eyes and Cody felt his own stinging.

"Do they… know?" she asked Ken.

He nodded and Yolei's tears became a steady stream, rolling into her pillow.

"Feel like… I'm dying," she choked. "Davis… it was… for nothing."

"Don't say that," said Cody. "He died with honor. He's a hero." And then guilt surfaced, coming up in his throat. "We never should have left you. I'm sorry, Yolei, I'm so sorry."

Another weak squeeze pulled him together. It wasn't time to lose it, not in front of her when she already knew far too well the consequences of his decision. If he could go back, he'd just stay and wait instead of heading toward that useless light. Maybe then...

Yolei took a deep shuddering breath and Cody could feel her shivering despite the heat in her skin.

"I want… my mom." She reached up to wipe her tears, looking embarrassed at the admission. "Cody… tell her, dad… tell them I love them."

Ken's chair screeched. Cody saw him press a hand to his eyes as he stormed to the window. Yolei watched him for a moment before shutting her eyes, squeezing out the remainder of her tears.

"You can tell them yourself when we go home, okay?" Cody said.

"You… take care… of Hawkmon."

Cody shook his head and his silence caused Yolei to open her eyes again.

"Please," she begged.

"You aren't going to die."

"You… don't know… that."

"You've got to fight, Yolei. Don't give up." Cody's voice cracked and he stilled his face for a moment, not allowing himself to cry. "Don't make me tell them you're gone." He looked up at Joe. "Tell her she's going to be fine."

Joe rubbed his mouth, his expression heavy.

"You're going to be fine, Yolei," Mimi said as she pulled a chair up to the bedside. She brushed a sweat soaked strand of hair away from Yolei's face, combed it back with her fingers, and by the side of the bed she took Cody's hand, giving it a firm squeeze as fresh tears surfaced in her eyes, sharing in the guilt.

"I…" Yolei choked on a sob. "I… don't want… to die."

"You just need some more medication." Joe reached into his bag of supplies and dumped a number of pills into his hand. "Can you help her sit up?"

Together Cody and Mimi lifted her and she let out a pained whimper. Cody placed pillows behind her back to help make her comfortable. He could smell the faint odor of decay coming from her wound and felt his stomach churn.

Yolei took the pills that Joe handed her, but even small sips of water made her wince. She collapsed from exhaustion and her eyelids grew heavy.

"Wanted to… go to college… get married… have babies," she mumbled in a voice that vaguely sounded like a typical Yolei whine. It made Cody feel a very small bit of hope.

"You will," Mimi soothed.

Yolei didn't seem to hear her as she faded in and out, eyes finally settling closed.

"How is she?"

Cody turned around to see Kari, who didn't even bother to wipe the tears still wet on her cheeks. Tai's face looked just as grief stricken as they surveyed Yolei's labored breathing.

Gravely, Joe said, "She's really sick."

Kari took Ken's seat, watching her DNA partner in silence, while Tai collapsed on the bed beside them.

"What are we going to do?" Cody asked Tai. "We have to get her to a hospital."

"I don't know."

The time passed by slowly as they kept watch over her. The longer she slept, the less peaceful she became. Her breath would change to a sudden gasp, eyes flickering open only to close again. Each time, Cody worried it could be her last.

And then came the fever dreams. Her face had tightened in terror and she looked as if she was screaming, but didn't have the strength to make the sound. Disjointed words came then, bits and pieces of her nightmares and among them, her desperate cries for Davis to keep breathing.

Kari covered her mouth with her hand to hide her audible sob and Ken finally left his post by the window. Cody watched as he shakily grabbed a sharpened, blood-stained stick from the floor and stormed out of the room.

"Ken?" Cody called after him.

When Ken didn't respond, Tai stood and made his way to the window. Yolei had begun to mumble incoherent nonsense.

"Where's he going?" Mimi asked.

Almost a minute passed before anyone spoke.

"Shit!" Tai cursed. The word went on repeat as he ran from the room.

Cody heard Sora's voice in the hallway. "Tai, what's going on?"

Tai must've simply sped past her because just a moment later they heard Matt say, "I'll go see what's up."

Footsteps followed Tai down the stairs and into the kitchen. There was the sound of rattling dishes and then Matt's voice again.

"Tai, what the hell are you doing?"

Sora and TK walked into the bedroom, both bewildered.

"Do you guys know what's going on?" Sora asked.

Downstairs, they heard the front door burst open. Cody released Yolei's hand and went to the window that Ken had been staring out of.

The sun was bright and inviting and the trees rustled in a gentle breeze.

Then, less than a half mile away, something more than the breeze shook the treetops, whipping them violently in all directions. Below, Tai disappeared into the tree line, soon followed by Matt. Cody could hear Tai's muffled voice shouting for Ken.

He turned to the others with wide eyes.

"It's here."

…

...

The woods were eerily silent.

Besides his own voice calling for Ken and Matt's voice shouting behind him, Tai could hear nothing. Dead leaves and foliage crunched under his feet as he ran, mixing in with the sound of his own heart pounding in his ears, but he couldn't hear or see any sign of Ken. Tai cursed aloud and hoped he hadn't lost him.

Ken was obviously too emotional to think straight. Tai himself had to admit a part of him would have liked to rip the monster apart for what it had done, but how were they supposed to fight it? Tai's hand trembled around the butcher knife he'd grabbed from the kitchen. In all honesty, he didn't think it'd do much good after hearing the story Ken had told, but it was better than facing the monster empty handed. And for the first time since he was a reckless kid, Tai was terrified. For what he'd stumble upon, for what Ken might do, for going in without any sort of plan.

Suddenly all he could think of was Agumon. Was this how he felt charging into battle? He always seemed so ready and eager that Tai never really wondered if he'd been scared.

"Damn it, Tai! Wait up!"

Matt sounded farther behind and out of breath.

Tai picked up his pace, desperate to get to Ken before he did anything stupid, but mostly to lose Matt. There was no sense getting anyone else involved. He was just hoping to grab Ken and get the hell out of there before the creature noticed.

After running awhile without any evidence of Ken or the creature, Tai stopped, trying to decipher a noise in the thick woods. He tried to still his breathing, but still nothing. What if he had gone in the completely wrong direction?

The woods swayed and then...

"Why are you doing this?"

Tai followed the sound of Ken's voice to a small clearing and there he found them.

The creature's sickly head hung low, almost eye to eye with Ken, who stood there, stained stick trembling in his hands. The creature's body was rotting: heavy blotches of yellowish flesh exposed decaying muscle beneath its pallid skin. It was so emaciated that Tai could clearly see each rib and its stomach sunk so far in that its hip bones protruded.

"Why not just kill me?" cried Ken. "You know who I am, don't you? Why did you attack them? They had nothing do with who I was before!"

Tai watched the drooping skin around the creature's mouth tighten.

"I won't let you hurt anyone else!" Ken shouted.

"Y-y-y-" The creature's voice seemed to house many beings and the noise it made was as if they were all gagging. Then it stopped and its large Adam's apple moved beneath the loose skin of its long, thin neck as it swallowed.

It took a step forward and a dinosaur-like foot landed just in front of where Tai stood. A huge clawed hand swung down while Ken stood, waiting.

Tai took the chance without a moment's hesitation. He ran, skidding to his knees behind the creature's foot. The butcher knife slid behind it, slicing through its Achilles' heel, spilling blood behind him.

An anguished cry echoed through the forest.

"Ken!" Tai shouted but his voice was barely audible above the monster's screaming. "What are you thinking? Get out of here!"

Ken stared at Tai in shock, his mouth gaping open. Another horrid cry turned his attention back to the creature and his face hardened with resolve.

"It killed Davis! Yolei is dying!"

"Damn it," Tai groaned, pushing himself from the ground to avoid being trampled. "I just got lucky! We gotta go before it kills us too!"

The creature's cries came to a halt and its long arms twisted in their joints, bending with a sickening snap as it fell to all fours. It turned around, dragging its injured foot as it searched for its attacker.

"Shit!" Tai yelped, dodging the hand that came crashing down at him. He scrambled into the trees as the monster began to crawl after him. For the first time, he got a good look at its face. The rotting loose skin seemed to drip from its jaw as it drew back to reveal rows of sharp teeth. Its black eyes reflected the look of horror on Tai's face.

It was so close, he could smell the decay. Just when he thought he was done for the creature flew backward, screeching and screaming. The wooden spear was sticking out of the side of its belly and Ken stood just feet away, looking astonished it had made impact.

The creature yanked it out, causing blood to squirt from its wound in short pulses, and within seconds the weapon had become splinters in its powerful grip.

"We gotta get out of here!" Tai shouted as the creature's neck twisted to gaze over its shoulder at Ken. "Run!"

"We'll just lead it back to the others. This has to end here," Ken argued. The sunlight reflected the tears that were streaming down his face. "I'm the one you want!"

The creature lifted its rotten hand.

"No, Ken!"

"I deserve this."

Tai couldn't believe what he was hearing. After all this time, even with all their forgiveness and support, Ken still hadn't forgiven himself. His mind flashed back to the story Davis had told them about his first DNA evolution with Ken and the suicidal path he had been set upon.

For a moment Tai felt almost as if he were channeling his young protégé as he screamed, "Live!"

The single word that Davis had screamed at Ken years ago caused the boy to dodge the creature's incoming blow just in time. Ken rolled on the ground and shot to his feet.

A rustle in the foliage turned Tai's attention to the forest and Matt burst into the clearing. His blue eyes were wide with panic. There was the creaking sound of breaking wood and Tai saw that in its fury, the creature had snapped a tree in half. It came down in slow motion, the heavy top of limbs and leaves hurtling at him from above.

"Tai, watch out!"

He felt himself being yanked backward. The tree crashed with a heavy thud just in front of his feet and Matt let go of his collar, wheezing.

"Thanks!" Tai breathed in relief and gave Matt his best smile. "You know, you should really stop smoking."

"Shut up."

A roar of voices seethed from the creature's mouth as it swung again at Ken, who's only weapon now was a large rock. Ken barely evaded the next blow. Claws dug into the earth where he had been standing, pulling up dirt and roots.

At this point it was clear that Ken had been right about one thing: this had to end here. The creature was too bent on destruction. If they tried to run (if they even could outrun it), they would lead it to the others.

Tai took off, ignoring Matt's voice yelling at him to stop. While the creature was distracted, he could try for the other Achilles' heel. They'd have a better chance if it couldn't run. Hurdling over the fallen tree, he made his way towards them. It moved to the side then, swiping its great hand at Ken and Tai had to slide beneath its belly in order not to be trampled.

Then its desperate attempts to grab Ken came to an abrupt standstill. Matt's shouts stopped, leaving the forest eerily silent. Tai scrambled to his knees as its giant body slowly shifted. Its long neck lowered and its head came upside down through its arms to stare directly at him.

The hand shot out so fast that there was no way to dodge it. Fingers closed around him, snapping him up and pulling him through its arms, crushing him as it lifted him into the air.

The split seconds that passed felt like a dream. He could hear Matt and Ken shout for him but they sounded muffled, miles away. He could barely breathe and each second that the creature squeezed, Tai felt like his ribs would crack. His hand that held the knife was still free and he used all his strength to stab it into the creature's palm, dragging it deep.

With a bellowing scream, the creature loosened its grip. Gasping as it tried to shake him loose, Tai held fast to its fingers and pulled himself onto its wrist, yanking the knife out with him.

Then without warning, the creature flung its hands to its head, cradling its skull in agony for what seemed like no reason. It moaned and it sounded more sad than in pain.

Tai nearly fell with the movement. He slid down its wrist and onto its giant forearm. Rotting skin came loose beneath his fingertips, but the creature didn't even seem to notice the trail of destruction Tai left as its multi-voiced cries continued. And there, beneath its stretched pale skin, throbbed a vein in its neck.

Tai stretched forward with his knife. The creature jerked and his gaze wandered below to the drop beneath him. He closed his eyes and a million memories burst through his mind, like his life playing on fast forward, lingering on failures and regrets.

He jumped anyway.

…

...

What happened in mere seconds seemed to last an eternity.

Ken watched as Tai flew from the creature's arm and landed just below its ear, using his knife as a stronghold. It sliced through the rotting flesh like butter as he slid across the beast's throat. A waterfall of blood gushed from the wound and a huge clawed hand came slamming into the one responsible.

Tai's screams were only drowned out by the creature's gurgling cries. Ken staggered, flashbacks colliding with the present. Matt's agonized shouts were too like his own and he swore in the chaos of his mind that he heard himself cry out Davis's name.

The creature came crashing down.

Ken flew backward to avoid being squashed by its massive head. It landed just in front of him, spilling red across leaves and debris. The creature's black eyes fixed on him and, for a moment, Matt's shouts for Tai and Ken's thoughts of Davis faded into the background.

Labored breaths tumbled through the creature's lips, blowing over Ken so heavily that his hair flew back. Blood pooled around loose skin and those eyes that had seemed so hideously evil softened with tears.

It was weeping.

Ken's entire body shook as it let out one final shuddering breath and the tortured life in its eyes disappeared, leaving them blank and soulless.

"Tai!"

Ken finally drew his eyes away from the lifeless monster to see Matt prying Tai from beneath its hand.

When he joined them, Ken could tell by the shallow movement of his chest that Tai was unconscious but alive, which was more than he had expected. His right arm, however, was completely mangled below the elbow, twisted and dangling awkwardly from its joint. Blood was quickly soaking through his shirt sleeve.

"Tai! No. Oh, God. Don't be… You can't do this." Matt was pulling him into his arms, shock and panic widening his eyes. Ken realized he hadn't noticed that Tai was still breathing.

"He's alive," Ken said. "We have to get him back to the hotel."

Matt gave a long stuttering inhale. "Okay." He began to heave Tai onto his shoulder. "Okay, alright, Tai, I got you."

The movement must've rattled Tai awake, because soon the only thing they could hear were his roars of agony. It took a while before Ken could decipher words.

"Oh, fuu-uuu-uuck!" he screeched. "I'm, my, nnnn agghh, my arm!"

It bounced uselessly against Matt's back with each step they took and a long slew of curses followed.

"You're gonna be okay," Matt choked out. "Just hang on."

Tai didn't seem to hear him. His eyes were clouded with pain and confusion and they began to roll back into his head as he once again lost consciousness.

"Wait!" Ken demanded, taking off his blazer. "He's losing too much blood." Matt obeyed and Ken tied the sleeves tightly above Tai's elbow, creating a tourniquet.

Tai faded in and out of consciousness throughout their journey. Each time he woke, his cries of pain grew quieter. Matt was breathing heavy beneath the weight, but when Ken asked if he could carry Tai, he refused.

After, Tai mumbled, "I'm sorry, Matt."

"Don't you dare say that." Matt's voice was hoarse. "You are not allowed to apologize right now."

"I need to."

"No you don't."

Tai groaned and his eyes grew heavy again.

Tears squeezed from the corners of Matt's eyes. "You idiot."

And somehow, through the pain, there was the slightest ease that passed over Tai's tortured face before he slipped back into the dark.

When they finally saw the hotel through the trees, Ken heard voices calling their names. He could vaguely make out outlines through the foliage.

"Over here!" he shouted.

Kari was the first to appear with Sora and TK on her heels. Ken felt a sharp pang in his chest as she stifled a sob at the sight of Tai's limp body. He didn't wake at her desperate calls.

Sora's eyes were wide and glued to Tai's shirt sleeve, stained with red. "What happened?"

They kept moving, Matt's footsteps growing heavier as they reached the hotel's manicured lawn.

"That monster." Matt seemed to be having trouble getting his breath and he gave a loud swallow, shifting Tai's weight. "He killed it, but his arm..."

"We have to get him to Joe," said Ken.

Matt had already moved on, giving a sharp "no" when Sora asked if he needed help and they ran together toward the hotel steps.

But Kari had stopped. She turned to Ken in violent despair. "Why would you go after that thing? After what it did to Davis? Why would you?"

Guilt bubbled up Ken's throat, choking him. He couldn't speak.

TK placed a hand on Kari's arm. He looked completely shaken and worn, but his words came out calm and firm. "Kari, go. Tai needs you."

Kari dashed tears from her face and followed the others inside, but TK lingered. And even though no words passed between them, Ken could see a wave of guilt mount on TK's face, just as heavy as his own. He tugged on the rim of his cap and turned to the door, giving Ken a moment of privacy.

It was only then that Ken realized he was crying. He turned, fingers shoving tears from his eyes and grasping the bridge of his nose. Despair seeped into every surface, knowing what waited for them inside.

"I'm so sorry," he gasped when he realized TK was still there, waiting for him. "I didn't, I didn't expect anyone to come after me."

A hand grasped his shoulder. Gave it a hard squeeze.

"You shouldn't have gone alone," TK said, his voice far softer than it had been before. "We should've been there."

And Ken knew exactly what he meant without him having to say more.

…

...

If this was what it was like to be a doctor, Joe was considering a different profession.

He tried to convince himself that in a hospital with the right equipment and support, he wouldn't be so exhausted, but he knew, more than anything, it was the stress of the responsibility that was really weighing him down.

Yolei hadn't woken since Ken, Tai, and Matt bolted into the forest and despite the medication, her fever wouldn't break. Maybe if she was a stranger, Joe could disconnect himself enough to handle the situation professionally, but he felt completely lost. The panicky kid was begging to break through the doctor mask he was wearing.

The tension in the room didn't help. Everyone else had gathered, arguing about whether to follow the others or to wait for their return. They figured Matt and Tai would stop Ken from doing anything crazy and it was best to let them be, but eventually TK had enough and decided to go after them. Kari and Sora had been hot on his heels.

The sun had sunk in the sky when Joe heard Kari screaming in the distance. Mimi limped to the window and after a moment, gasped, "It's Tai! He's hurt!"

Joe immediately prepared what little first aid supplies he had left, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He didn't know what to expect, but he assumed the worst. He checked on Yolei one more time to make sure she was stable and was giving instructions to Cody when Matt came in the door carrying Tai on his back.

"His arm!" Matt cried as Joe helped him lay Tai down on the bed beside his other patient.

Kari and Sora crowded around him and Joe asked them to give him room. Below a makeshift tourniquet, Tai's right arm was twisted and blood soaked through his long shirt sleeve, already staining the sheets. Joe grabbed a pair of scissors and began to cut through the fabric to assess the damage. When he peeled it back, he had to hold back the urge to vomit.

Mimi sobbed behind him. "Oh, Tai!"

The arm was beyond crushed, the only thing that held the forearm to the elbow joint were strips of mangled muscle and tendons coated in blood. Even if it hadn't been almost completely detached, there was no saving it, not here without the right tools or real doctors. The bone was completely splintered, spearing purple skin. Even Tai's fingers were swollen and lifeless.

"Give me your belt," Joe whispered, holding his hand out to Matt. When he didn't respond, Joe turned to him and saw he was staring at the mangled mass in shock. "Matt."

Matt's eyes never left Tai as he undid his belt and handed it to Joe who created a stronger tourniquet above the sleeves of Ken's blazer.

The pressure pulled Tai from the dark. His eyes were clouded and unfocused as he gasped with pain.

"Tai, I'm going to have to take care of your arm. It's going to hurt."

"Already hurts," Tai moaned.

Kari grabbed his good hand and it seemed to take Tai extra effort not to squeeze.

Joe let them be for a moment and approached Sora who looked on the verge of being sick. "I need some type of wooden utensil and the sharpest knife you can find, okay?"

"Joe, his arm…"

"Can you do that, Sora?"

She gave a silent nod and took off downstairs to the kitchen. Joe took a minute to regain control of his breathing. When Sora returned, Ken and TK were behind her.

"What can I do to help?" asked Ken.

"Help Matt hold him down." Ken nodded obediently and Joe turned to TK. "Take Kari out of here."

"No, I'm not leaving him."

TK touched her hand and she yanked it back.

"No."

"You'll have to stand back," said Joe.

Kari reluctantly let go of her brother's hand and Ken took her place.

"Okay, Tai, I want you to bite down on this." Joe placed a wooden spoon in Tai's mouth.

His eyes were wide and wild and so full of fear. "You're gonna cu'i'off, arn you?"

"Yes," said Joe.

Tears rolled from the corners of Tai's eyes and his teeth dug deep into the wood. "M'ready."

"Hold him down."

Matt and Ken each grabbed Tai's biceps. Joe could hear someone running from the room. Anxiety raced through his veins and his heart pounded so hard that he was sure he would pass out, but he fought it away, knowing Tai's life counted on him. They were all counting on him.

"Okay, Tai, on the count of three."

Tai closed his eyes, already panting. His face tightened in anticipation.

"One…"

Joe felt weak as he held the knife in position.

"Two."

He brought the blade down quick, but he still had to saw through the thicker tendons. Tai's cheeks puffed up with heavy breaths and the wood cracked from the pressure of his teeth. The room filled with his screams. Joe ordered Matt to help control spurting blood vessels so he could cauterize the wound and he suddenly understood why his father had always been so hard on him about his anxiety, why he had sometimes seemed so cold.

There's no room for feeling when you're responsible for someone's life.

…

...

Death was a relief.

The pain had been so surmounting that when it left him and he entered the cool darkness, it felt like going home.

Izzy closed his eyes, tried to still the shaking of his limbs and not wonder where the pieces of him had gone after, when the creature's body had failed, losing grip of its souls. They certainly didn't return to him.

It had been coming sooner or later, whether by violence or decay, Izzy had felt the creature fading. He could just barely make out Davis's voice asking if he was okay. He didn't answer.

All those digimon that were sacrificed to make up that creature were gone now, free from their tortured existence, but they would never go to primary village just like he would never be whole again. Izzy suddenly felt as if he was getting the raw end of the deal. Maybe death, a final death, was the ultimate freedom in the end.

The booming sounds of battle shook dust onto his head.

"Izzy, what happened?" Davis asked again.

"It's dead," he finally whispered.

"Wait, what? Do you mean that thing? How?"

"Tai slit its throat."

"You've got to be kidding me. Dude, if anyone could do it, Tai could! That's so badass!" Davis's praises suddenly faded and Izzy could hear him swallow. "Wait…what's wrong, did someone get hurt? He's not dead is he?"

"Well, he's not conscious here yet."

"That's true," Davis said, going quiet for a moment to listen, but the breathing remained the same. "Are you okay? You weren't answering me. You didn't... feel it, did you?"

"I seem to be most connected to it when I sleep. I guess it's the soul's way of coping with being conscious in two places at once. " Izzy paused, deciding against telling Davis exactly what he had experienced. "Ken came after it."

"He found the others?" And then in a voice far softer, Davis asked, "How was he? Could you tell?"

Ken's face, torn and guilt-stricken, surfaced in Izzy's memory and he once again felt it might be better to leave Davis in the dark. It was probably easier for him not to know about Ken's obvious suicide mission.

"He was upset. He said something about you and Yolei."

"Wait, why Yolei? She wasn't there?"

"He said she was dying."

"What? Why?"

When Izzy had no answer, Davis grew very silent. There was a scuffling sound above them and muffled shouting.

"Do you really think our digimon are out there right now?" he asked.

"Maybe," Izzy said, scared of what might happen if they did show and Animamon attempted to carry out his plans.

"They're gonna win," said Davis, but all the usual surety of his voice was gone and it came out more like a question than a declaration. "Veemon'll save us, I know it."

Izzy slumped against the wall, feeling a sharp ache in his arms as they hung above him and he suddenly couldn't recall the pieces of himself that he'd known so clearly before they faded into the unknown.

He wasn't sure it even matter if he was saved now.