-1CHAPTER 21:

The Digi-Destined spend hours in the large chamber mourning the loss of Garudamon... Klaire stacked a pile of rocked over the area where Garudamon died and made a little shrine in her honor. She also made a small shrine for WereGarurumon.

Klaire: She called him her old friend… L

Mentally, they are exhausted… With Kokatorimon volunteering to guard, the others go to sleep for about 5 hours… They are awoken by Biyomon who tells them it is best not to linger here any longer.

Tyke looks at his Digivice 01.

Tyke: 6:07 P.M. ... Man... we lost track of time...

Rachel: Well how could we tell if it was night here? It is always gloomy above ground and there are storm clouds...

Palmon: It is always dark in this area...

GhostAgumon: It is the negative influence of the Nightmare Soldiers.

Rachel: Well it sucks... (Rachel gets up) Come on guys... we should get going now... If indeed it gets any darker during the nighttime hours, then it is a good cover for us to travel by.

Tyke: She is right... lets just go for it.

Klaire grabs the bag.

Rachel: We don't rest until we tear that fortress apart. (Rachel looks at her map on the Digivice01.) We are not far at all... we can make it there within an hour.

The Digi-Destined exit the main chamber and head up a set of gigantic stairs.

They then enter a semi-large room with a stone archway and exit into the dark woods. They come out on an incline, halfway up a steep hill.

Biyomon: I'll digivol...

Rachel: Don't... We stand less of a chance of being detected if we aren't bigger and faster... it is easier to spot you as Kokatorimon than as Biyomon.

Biyomon: Okay...

The Digi-Destined walk uphill always aware of their surroundings, listening for the slightest sound of something creeping in the forest.

A half hour later they stop when they hear the sound of sticks crunching.

Tyke: Shhhh...

Rachel grabs Tyke and they crouch down and the others take their lead.

Rachel: Look there… (She points in between the trees and for a second no one else sees it, but then they behold an eerie sight.)

About 500 feet away a tall slender figure in an ornate black cloak walks through the forest. Upon the top of the hood there are embroidered golden designs, and around the being's neck is what appears to be a purple amulet. The being moves serenely through the forest not even giving the children notice.

Biyomon: I get a strong powerful feeling from that thing...

GhostAgumon: It scares me...

Tyke: (Seems to go into a trance and stares at the creature.)

Klaire: Come on, we have to keep going. Hopefully that thing doesn't care about us.
Rachel tugs Tyke and he snaps out of it and they continue uphill.

MEANWHILE

Myotismon: So brother... the moment is at hand.

Devimon: Yes... everything is aligning perfectly...

Myotismon: Soon sister will leave to activate it... Have you gotten everything in order?

Devimon: Yes...

Myotismon: Good... Just so you know... the human with the BlackAgumon has managed to make him digivolve.

Devimon: Excellent... he has done that faster than even Garudamon could have done.

Bakemon enters through the wall into the room.

Bakemon: Master...

Myotismon: Do you not know how to knock?

Bakemon: Sorry sir, but it is urgent.

Myotismon: What is it... make it quick...

Bakemon: I was just at our Gym... all of our soldiers that were training there are gone... so is Garudamon...

Myotismon: WHAT!?

Bakemon: The arena has been destroyed. Not only that, but from the footsteps on the floor, I could see that hu…

Myotismon takes out a red laser whip.

Myotismon: CRIMSON LIGHTNING!!!!!!!!!! (Myotismon lashes Bakemon making him explode into red data particles.) (Myotismon absorbs the data.) That fool... She probably killed our troops and took her own life...

Devimon: She was bound to turn on us someday...

Myotismon: (Grumbles and storms away.)

MEANWHILE

Tyke, Rachel, Klaire, GhostAgumon, Palmon, and Biyomon reach the top of the seemingly endless hill that was the forest and look out upon their target...

The castle-like fortress. It looked like a gigantic black plant from a distance with all the sharp towers. The fortress itself was suspended up off the ground by what apparently looked like its stalk. It looked as if it was grown. Down below towards the bottom however it was thicker and there were caves leading into it. A moat that was connected to a murky river surrounded the base of this fortress. Toward the front of the fortress were humungous gates about 50 feet away from the cliff with no cover of trees. Unknown winged Digimon flew above the fortress... most likely guarding it.

The Digi-destined are currently on the edge of the woods on top of a hill, with the cover of the trees hiding them from view. Down the hill was the very end of the trees and after that, 600 feet of nothing but bare land before they could even reach the cliff edge toward the gates.

Rachel: This is going to be harder than we thought.

Tyke: It's never easy to overtake a fortress, is it?...

The Digi-Destined move forward down the hill at a quick pace.

About 15 minutes later they get down the hill safely and reach the edge of the woods and look out at the fortress.

Something catches Tyke's eye.

Klaire: Should we digivo... Tyke?!

Tyke springs out of the tree line and sprints out toward the fortress.

Rachel: What… What the hell is he doing!?

Tyke: Hey!

Nick: (Turns around.)

Tyke tackles him to the ground.

Nick: Umph! (Falls)

Tyke turns Nick onto his back and grabs him by the shirt.

Tyke: Are you guys crazy! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET YOUSELF KILLED!?

Gazimon: Get off of him! (Gazimon scratches Tyke.)

Tyke: Ahhh!

Tyke looks to his right at Gazimon who looks alarmed, and up at Frigimon.

Tyke grabs Nick by the collar and begins to drag him back to the tree line.

Nick: STOP! LET ME GO!

Tyke: Come on you two!

Nick: GET HIM OFF OF ME!

Frigimon: Hey! Nick! (Runs after Tyke.)

Gazimon follows.

Tyke wrestles with Nick the entire way but by dragging him to his feet and getting him in a headlock he easily overpowers him.

Frigimon: I am warning you! LET HIM GO!

Tyke throws Nick against a tree, turns him around, and pushes his arm against his chest so he cannot move.

Klaire: Nick…

Rachel: Oh great… (Looks up.) I hope they didn't spot you… (She looks at the Frigimon and has a quick flashback to how he attacked them in Freezeland.) How exactly did YOU make it through the desert? (She eyes him.)

Tyke: You were trying to take them on by yourself?!?

Nick: Yeah! I was! (Angry)

Gazimon: Let him go! (He stands on two legs and puts his paws on Tyke's arm and tries to pull him off.)

Palmon: POISON IVY!!!!!!!!!! (She extends her vines toward Gazimon and they wrap around his chest and she drags him back and he falls of his back.) (Palmon retracts the slack so Gazimon cannot interfere.)

Rachel: (Steps forward and calmly pulls Tyke's arm off of Nick.) Just talk to us… Why didn't you join up with us when you saw us in Freeze Land? We were worried about you.

Nick: I don't need you! You let Erin get killed.

Klaire: NO WE DIDN'T! (Everyone looks at her.)

Nick's face turns red and tears well up in his eyes. He puts his hands to his face and begins to cry, but tries to hide it. Rachel and Tyke look at Klaire shocked.

Klaire: (Yelling) WE DID NOT LET HER DIE, SHE DIDN'T MAKE IT! WE COULDN'T HAVE GONE BACK OR WE WOULD HAVE DIED TOO! THE SACRIFICE OF ONE FOR THE MANY!

Tyke: Klaire... Enough… (Tyke sees Nick has been broken down to the point where he is crying.)

Klaire: SHE WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO DIE TOO! SHE WOULD WANT YOU TO GO ON! WHAT CHANCE DO YOU STAND ALONE!? CAN YOUR DIGIMON EVEN DIGIVOLVE?

Nick just continues to cover his face.

Rachel: (Moves to be in front of Klaire.) WHAT!? You got here without having your digimon digivolve. We fought our way here.

Frigimon: Excuse me... I protected Nick... (He steps forward and pushes past Tyke to stand by Nick.) It is alright…

Tyke looks to Gazimon and Frigimon.

Tyke: Which one of you is Nick's partner?

Gazimon: I am... (Palmon retracts her vines and Gazimon is freed. He gets up.)

Tyke: Then who are you? (Points to Frigimon.)

Nick: He is my friend…

Frigimon: Nick fell out of the sky in Freeze Land... Fell pretty hard too. He needed help so I promised to protect him. He told me how he came to be here and I realized it was probably the nightmare soldiers that ambushed you children in the real world. I regret it now because ever since I mentioned that, he has been on a personal mission to get vengeance.

Tyke: Nick... We are going to attack the fortress... Doesn't it make sense that we work together?

Nick jerks his head away stubbornly.

Frigimon: Nick... even I cannot take on their entire army... we could use their help...

Nick looks at Frigimon in a defeated sort of way.

Nick: Okay...

Tyke: Then it is settled... We attack soon...

Rachel: We will get revenge Nick… I promise. Time to come up with a strategy...

Nick sniffles and stops crying.

Klaire: We are going to do this together...

Biyomon, Palmon, and GhostAgumon nod.
Rachel: All of us… (She looks at Frigimon and Gazimon.)

Frigimon: I dunno, what do you say Nick?

Nick: I'm ready.

TO BE CONTINUED...