Be proud of me, meh peeps! Completed this chapter in less than a month's time! Sure it's shorter than I wanted it to be, but it's still twenty-four pages on Microsoft Word, so that's good enough for me! (Plus, if I try to continue with this chapter, it'd take forever because I've been getting caught up watching the Olympics. Being a runner myself, I love watching track. Bolt FTW!)

I was super duper happy I could get this out so soon (so soon as in less than two months...), because on the 20th I start school again. Bleh. Not fun. And that means that updates will slow down again. I'll try to work really hard on it, but I don't know how much I can do since I'm taking an advanced-placement english class and that requires a lot of work. I've procrastinated on my summer homework because I was taking the time to finish this for you guys (so please be happy with this one...).

Anyway, enough of my complaining, onto the more important things. One, I decided I'm not killing off Lekismon yet and I'm saving it for the next chapter, and two, something that will deter my updates is a special one-shot I'm planning out to commemorate the third anniversary of Wherever You Will Go. It's...uh, different. It'll have the Frontier gang and my dear OC Mirai (of course, otherwise I'd have no plot), and...well...you'll just have to see. It'll be posted on this fic's anniversary: November 12th! (Save the date, loves!)

Takuya: And believe me, it's not very fun. I've seen the outline she's writing out and I think I just may die at the end of it. =.=

Shut up, Taku! *tackles gogglehead down to shut him up* You're gonna ruin it! But don't worry, he's not gonna die! Well...no he's not gonna die! Why would I kill off my favorite character of all time? *hears Takuya groan in annoyance* Oh, c'mon, Taku! It's not that bad! *picks him up and dusts him off*

Onwards! This chapter was a fun one to write. I didn't have much problem with writer's block, and I'm making a transition into Mirai's personality. I'll mention right now that she is still a little emotionally unbalanced. But a change like she went through kind of requires some sort of side effect like that, and over time, she'll become more stable.

Also, you'll notice I changed a couple things in the Celestials' backstories. I decided to do so because I was caught thinking too hard about Cherubimon's words and eventually I actually started feeling sorry for him. I have no idea where it came from, but Cherubimon quickly became one of my favorite characters to work with.

Oh yea, and since some people are just a little annoyed with my Japanese inserts, whenever someone decides to swear (which happens less and less as the story goes on, showing some developing maturity on Mirai's part), I'll just do English. But with Patamon's nicknames for Mirai and Koji (Mi-chan and Ko-kun), they will remain the same with the Japanese name honorifics.

Okay, now that I'm being distracted by Olympic highlights again, I'll end my author's note here. Taku, care to do the honors?

Takuya: *groan* Alright. There's way too much that I do for you... Enjoy chapter 35, during which I think Kimi lost the last little hunk of her mind. (Me: What?! You be quiet!) Hugs and kisses and all that shizz...

Chapter 35

"I think a good idea is to call this Operation: Free Ophanimon!"

The following morning, we departed almost reluctantly from the dome of which we stayed, as it was a sort of haven for us, because now we were off. Desolate land spread out all around us, two high cliffs jutting out on both sides of us, leaving us to walk the straight path they made toward Cherubimon's castle.

It wasn't as though we could've stayed in that oasis, however. Reason being, as soon as all of the members of our party left it, the little world inside turned to static and the things that we could once see clearly blurred, before the entire area just dissipated into nothingness. It was as though someone had made it just for us as some sort of rest stop. That seemed to be the general consensus, so before our departure we had taken a few moments to give a silent thank you.

But now as we were, walking in a almost single file line, listening to Takuya, who was standing in the front of the pack, go on and on about his title for our current goal to finally rescue Ophanimon, I had to make an objection, "Takuya, it's not an operation, it's a mission. A mission is an objective that we need to achieve; it'd be an operation if we had a plan, which we don't." We're just going in and winging it after that, like we usually do, my mind added, even though I didn't get to put that in, as the Warrior of Flame had already decided to contradict me.

"Since when did you become a dictionary? Besides, if we say it's an operation, it sounds a lot better than Mission: Free Ophanimon. You gotta admit I'm right there." He turned back and started to walk backwards so that he could freely give me a smirk. His arms were crossed and I was surprised that he was actually retaining his balance as well as he was.

I glared at him. It really did sound better than using mission. "But it's incorrect. Don't you know your own language?"

Zoe took this time to step into the space in between us. "C'mon, guys! We're almost to the Rose Morning Star!" she exclaimed cheerily, not the tone that I was expecting her to have when trying to get us to stop bickering, "So we can just store up our anger against each other and take it out on Cherubimon! We have to save Ophanimon whether it's an operation or not." She then slung her arms on both of our shoulders and pulled us close so that we were sort of sandwiching her in a half-hug. Her happy tone didn't change. "But also, you shouldn't be arguing over something so irrelevant. I thought you guys were childhood friends, but you fight like you're siblings."

We looked at each other at her wording. The fact that she related us to siblings was almost too ironic to believe. But then looking at the brunette's face, I noticed something that I didn't think that the Warrior of Wind did, something that I almost missed, had I been just a wee bit more distracted. I couldn't say it amused me or anything relating; it just stuck in my mind and realized that maybe I had to get a little bit more intuitive. The sight of him made me break out into the smallest of smiles, leaving him with a bit of confusion as to why my expression had suddenly changed. Things were going to go well for that boy, I knew, after we get through the trials of the Digital World and defeated Cherubimon. For the first time in God knows when, I could truly be happy for him. I think I misread him before. But that's all right. He'll be happier this way…

"Okay, this is getting awkward, so moment's over; let's go." I pushed myself out of the Italian girl's embrace and began to move on again. My eyes transfixed on our destination ahead. In the sky shades of purples and reds swirled downwards, spiraling within the corrupted darkness. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought that it actually looked quite beautiful.

We came to a break in the two funneling cliffs and it opened to a vast, barren area just past a drop-off. In the center of it all, was a structure unlike any that I had encountered before. It protruded from almost nothing, shaped upward from a narrow stem-like structure, flaring out like a flower to make a bowl-shape. Rising up from the center of the bowl was an abnormally-designed tower hued in a vibrant red, topped off by strange plate-like panels that fanned out slightly.

All around the formation were rocks floating about, suspended by a force I knew not of. They dotted the air around it, moving about as if in slow motion.

"This is..." Takuya's voice emerged from just behind me, and when I glanced back only just barely out of the corner of my eye, I saw he had that stern, leader-look on his face that he was ever-so good at making. "...where Ophanimon is?"

Thrusting my hands into my pockets, I looked the area up and down, trying to make heads or tails of this place. It definitely seemed like a place that Cherubimon would have as his home base. "Ya know, no one ever clued me in on what the Rose Morning Star actually is..." It's only been a gazillion chapters since I first heard about it...

Without warning, the Warrior of Flame's D-Tector made a sound similar to that of someone adjusting the tuner of a CB radio to find a desirable station and after he pulled it from his pocket, the symbol of Ophanimon became visible on the screen and the Celestial's voice rang out, her voice soothing and full of confidence, "All of you have done well to reach here. You are here with the Spirits of the Twelve Legendary Warriors, so Cherubimon can be..."

"Cherubimon's here?" Koji's eyes grew wide at the sound of the corrupted Digimon's name and I watched as his whole body went completely rigid.

Ophanimon's voice remained completely calm, making me wonder if she really had as much faith in us as she sounded like she did. A little voice inside me that she truly did believe in us to complete her tasks. "That's right. Cherubimon is here." At that moment, several long streams of Fractal Code rose to the top of the tower from various locations in the Digital World. "Digital...data..." Static overtook her voice and the connection was interrupted.

"Ophanimon!" Takuya began to press all of the buttons of his Digivice frantically, trying to retain the link, but it was all in vain. "...she's gone." His eyes moved upward towards where the Data was going. "That Data... It must be all that his Warriors have obtained for him until now."

"What does he want all that Data for?" When Zoe spoke and my gaze turned towards her, I couldn't help think about the injury the illusion of Cherubimon gave her and how it ruined her hat that all-too well played a part in defining her. Looking at her, her little, lavender, cat-ear hat long-abandoned, it just seemed that a part of her was now missing.

Tommy looked downward at his shoes and suggested Koichi might know, causing JP to pipe up and say to Koji, "Hey, Koji, your brother was on the dark side, ask him what gives!"

At his wording, I turned and gave the Warrior of Thunder a hard stare. That was so uncalled for... I furrowed my brows and my voice came out hard to defend the oldest twin, who was only staring back at us as if he had only heard his name, "You talk like he's not even here."

And to further support my words, one annoyed blonde approached him and gave him a hard jab to the stomach with her elbow, causing his face to contort and a wimper escape his mouth, but the girl would have none of it, "Now, that was subtle, Palazzo. You ever thought of becoming a diplomat?"

I turned away to see Koji approach his brother, and the boy answer, despite how rudely an answer was demanded of him, "I'm sorry. All I know is that Cherubimon is gathering a lot of Data. I have no idea why, though." He frowned at his own shortcoming and lack of knowledge.

Takuya approached the boy and slung his arm around his shoulder in a chummy sort of way. "No worries, buddy! At any rate, we should take this chance to find Ophanimon and save her!"

I gave him a disbelieving expression, crossing my arms across my chest, skeptical of his statement. Take this chance? It's almost like saying, "Let's use this convenient opportunity as we pass through!" I huffed before I started my objection to the way he put all of his words together, "Nice sentiment and all, Takuya, but how do you suppose we get up there and rescue her unnoticed? For all we know, Cherubimon could already know that we're here standing practically at his doorstep."

"We'll have to catch him off-guard, when his defenses are down. That's the only thing we can hope for. Although there will probably be traps along the way."

Neemon was the main one to react to his statement, his eyes bulging like cake dishes. "TRAPS?" Apparently Neemon doesn't like the sound of that... He looked to Bokomon. "I'm too young to be caught in a trap! They want the big bunnies for dinner, not me!"

"Up until now, Takuya and the others have surmounted all of the obstacles they've faced," Bokomon responded, glenching his paws and looking like he knew exactly what he was talking about, as if we were true Warriors all along and not clueless idiots that wandered around lost in the beginning, "I don't believe there is any trap here that they won't be able to handle." His face suddenly lit up and his eyes glittered worse than Edward Cullen's face, "Isn't that right, my dear Takuya?"

In response, Takuya looked discouraged and even a little scared, his voice confirming what I read on his face, "Er... I think we should give up..."

The Digimon instantly stopped his sparkling and his eyes shrunk down to itty bitty dots.

The Inheritor of Flame laughed, grinning in his goggle-headed manner. "Gotchya!" (That pretty much scared the crap out of Bokomon) He then got his game face on, pumping his fists. His brown eyes were consumed with a raging fire. "Let's do this!"

All of the Legendary Warriors around me withdrew their D-Tectors and this drove me to do the same. I curled my fingers around the cold metal and looking down at the Digivice colored silver and burgundy, I pressed the side button to activate the scanner. A ring of Data appeared around my other hand, its brilliant blue hue shining, and I slid it along the top of my Digivice. "Execute! Spirit Evolution!"

It had been so long since I had taken on the form of my Human Spirit that I had almost forgotten what it felt like. It was irreplaceable, that feeling of power surging through me that only my Human form could provide, so unique to that of my Beast and Polymerization. Each gave me a sense of control, but all ever-so different from each other. "Gryphanimon!"

All of us taking on Human forms, we began our ascent towards the Rose Morning Star, silent of mouth as we went. This is it, was my first thought, beat Cherubimon and we can go home. Finally, after all of this time. We came so far and have gone through so much; I almost can't believe this will be our final battle. From under the metal plate that covered my mouth, I involuntarily let a satisfied smile break out onto my lips.

My feathered wings pushed me upward past one of the large floating rocks just as Lobomon leapt up to it. We locked eyes and neither one of us said a thing, merely for the reason there was nothing to be said. But then he opened his mouth and his eyes grew bigger, only for me to turn to look at what he was staring at and then—

BAM!

"Okay, who the hell put that rock there?" I rubbed my head where a new bump was located while taking the time to give each of the Warriors individually-designed glares, even though under it all I was consumed in embarrassment. Because of the fact that I just bashed right into the side of a rock that I probably would've been able to see from a mile away, they all could've easily figured out I had been busy looking at one sexy Warrior of Light.

...Guilty as charged.

I heard Agunimon yowling, he was laughing so hard. I wanted to punch his lights out; he knew exactly what just happened there, and he wasn't afraid to fully acknowledge it. Tears were streaming out of his face and he was rendered immobile because of his current state of mind.

Standing still in mid-air, my wings keeping me uplifted, I crossed my arms and scowled. "If you're about done, can we go?" My body under all of the armor felt warm and claustrophobic, closing in on me more and more with every moment of silence, and my temper went up hand-in-hand with my consuming feeling of discomfort. It didn't help when he merely daintily wiped his eyes, and spurts of laughter continued with their escaping. "Takuya!"

Apparently he caught the whininess in my tone as soon as I did and didn't hesitate to call me out on it. "Mirai!" He showed me a grin, taunting me for my momentary childishness, and I just narrowed my eyes at him before continuing my flight up to the bowl of the Rose Morning Star.

We came to the area, which turned out to be fairly flat, and there was a single, tall door standing alone in the middle of the emptiness. It was an intricately-designed door with designs that had meanings I couldn't understand, like one would find at a highly-esteemed courthouse or an old, Roman Catholic church. To golden, Roman-style pillars accompanied the wood door on either side, leading up to elegant trim above in the shape of an arch.

What the hell is this doing here? I wondered initially. But then a twinge in the back of my mind, maybe it was my Spirit of Time talking to me, told me to be ready for anything to come out and greet us with bared teeth. After all, it was just a random door in the middle of nowhere in enemy territory, blocking our way to the Cherubimon's lair. It wouldn't take an idiot to figure out that it wasn't just there for decoration and to make the barren land look pretty.

We stood before the door, gazing up at it. It had to be easily forty feet tall, probably a lot more. Agunimon grew close to it, his blue eyes going up and down it in his inspection of it, questioning, "Is this the entrance to the castle?"

Beetlemon, Kazemon, and Kumamon walked to the other side, and found it to be the same as on the side the rest of us were on, made obvious by their comments upon it. "But this gate... it's not even a proper gate," Beetlemon noted, moving back to our side of the gate.

As they joined us again, I stared hard at the area just above the gate, trying to see a distortion in the space where we might be missing something. Folding my arms across my chest, I wheezed in slight annoyance, "And if this isn't it, where would the real entrance be?" I nibbled on my bottom lip, pinching my eyelids together to try to squint, looking for some sort of details that we might've missed. "It doesn't make any sense to me..."

In a flash, two red capes suspended in air appeared from absolute nothingness, and from them, two weighted chains were thrown in our direction. The weights had several spikes protruding and a wide, open eye imprinted onto the surface where it was smooth. The capes turned out to be cloaks sported by two ghost-like Digimon that bore high resemblance to the Grim Reaper with their phantom appearance and golden-colored sickles.

"Your souls..." one of them began, and as neither one possessed a mouth, I couldn't determine which one was speaking. Both sets of eyes were staring at us, a cold, icy blue brought out of the complete darkness made by their hoods draped over their heads. "...will be torn to shreds!"

"Those are Phantomon!" Bokomon exclaimed in alarm, pointing at them with a shaking paw. His eyes were wide and round, filled with so many things that I couldn't identify from the distance away he was from me. "They're the Digimon Shinigami!" So they are like the Grim Reaper... Digimon Shinigami...The Digimon gods of Death... "They can hold spirits captive in the pendants around their necks, and they can see through dying creatures!"

One lunged forward with its scythe in the ready, held back in preparation to strike. It's blade shimmered in the light, and I could see my reflection within it. "Shadow Scythe!" He sliced at Agunimon's face, but was too slow in motion, as the Flame Warrior merely had to take a step back to avoid getting his head chopped clean off his shoulders.

He averted his direction of attack and his next swipe knocked Beetlemon clean off his feet and onto his back. Phantomon tried to approach and give a finishing move, and in instant reflex, Lobomon and I took up the space in between them and occupied it to protect the Thunder Inheritor, my fellow Warrior of Light drawing out his Lobo Kendo, and I held the plate on my arm secure with my opposite hand as if holding a pistol, ready to fire.

I could see him just out of the corner of my peripheral vision, poised, and the light from his sword crackling like electricity. It reflected in his intense, crimson eyes as they locked onto Phantomon's form, following it around while making some sort of strategy.

Everything happened so fast, I almost missed his nod to me as he charged the Phantomon with the skill of an experienced swordsman. His sword followed through smoothly with the motions he willed, but it was as though the ghost had teleported just as the sword was about to slice through him. I took this as my chance, and when it had reappeared, fired a Tempest Arrow at my target. It just narrowly missed, and I cussed hard in my frustration.

From behind me somewhere that I wasn't sure of, a black and piercing yellow beam shot past me, which I recognized as Löwemon's Shadow Meteor attack, and came closer to hitting the Grim Reaper Digimon than I had, but still his attack was just barely off, because as it turned out, our foe was faster than our attacks. There had to be something that could hit them and do damage, but so far, our attacks weren't making that idea seem very likely.

I turned to look at the lion Warrior and gave him a thumbs-up, realizing a smile wouldn't be seen with my mouth guard. I made a consolation. Even though we couldn't hit the little devils, we could still keep them away and prevent them from gaining time to attack us back.

My vision veered over to where the others were fighting the other Phantomon. They, too, despite their array of attacks coming from every direction and of various Elements, were of no use against it and its unmatchable speed. It wasn't progressing at all in the way that probably any of us had originally assumed when first taking them on. This seemed like a battle that just might go on forever with the only thing accomplished being exhaustion.

The two Phantomon met together just above the door and stared down at us like we were something pleasing to the eye to eat as their next meal. I happened to randomly notice without real reasoning that the symbol emblazoned on the doorway just behind where they were levitating looked a lot like the symbol marked on the front of one of Sakkakumon's orbs. The Crest of Light, my Spirit told me from within the very back of my mind.

Then they disappeared into nothingness once again, the area grew too thick of silent for it to bring me any comfort whatsoever. My eyes scanned around hastily, desperately trying to sense some sort of movement with the instincts that my Spirit provided me with. I was ready with my Tempest Arrow again, as that attack having the ability to immobilize the target momentarily in the bounds of Time, it would give us a slight advantage if I was accurate.

"Be careful, everyone!" Bokomon called from afar, his voice sounding worried, even though he wasn't engaged in the battle. "Their mantles will transport you to another dimension of the Digital World!" What does he mean by that? Their necklaces?

We spread out into a circle to spot out all angles, Lobomon poised on my left, Agunimon on my right, and before me was the gate. I didn't feel safe with my back turned towards the openness, so with my back pressed to the door, maybe not a completely wise move, I remained on my guard. If they were both to approach me, I knew with a hint of confidence, I could hit them with my attack point blank, even if there were no Warriors present to assist me.

But then Beetlemon disappeared. I wasn't sure what was happening until it did, a red cloak encasing him and suddenly he was just gone. And in less than a second later, so was Kazemon, in the exact same manner. There was no escape. She hardly had enough time to exclaim her fellow Warrior's name before she suffered the same fate. Kumamon was gone an instant later, not a single sound being able to escape from his mouth before he was taken.

Agunimon approached me, on the edge of his emotions. His eyes were burning with flames fiercer than his Element could provide him with, and his fist was clenched with a blaze flaring up to his wrist. "We have to attack them!" He ground his teeth, his gaze moving around to the few of us who were remaining, Lobomon, Löwemon, and I. "It's the only way we can—"

In that instant, he was gone.

"Takuya!" I was consumed in my anger and sprang from my self-assigned post. "Show yourselves!" I shot my attack madly about, keeping from attacking the twins, but rather unconcerned with the direction of which I fired as long as my ambitions resorted in hitting one of the Phantomon. They will pay. They will die...

"Get down!"

I was shoved down to the ground, caught severely off-guard from being thrust off my feet, and one of my attacks blindly shot off into the darkness. Pivoting my body and craning my head around to scan the situation's progression, aching slightly from the unsuspected move, I caught sight of Lobomon towering over me for that split-second, which felt more like the single blink of an eye, before he was taken away by the Phantomon.

It took me a millisecond to get back up to my feet, engulfed in my emotions. I had almost forgotten to get back onto my guard with the thoughts in my mind distracting me. He saved me. He let them take him instead of me... Breaths came out short and choppy as I tried to regain the composure that was running away from my outstretched fingertips. I couldn't put how I was feeling into words. A loathing grasped my throat and threatened to choke me. "Come here and meet your Fate!" I screeched, forgetting the world around me and closing my wings around me like an unbreakable barrier. Heat encased me and I let out a scream that ripped my windpipe into pieces. "Burning Oras!"

"Mirai, get a hold of yourself!"

That voice…Nii-san! My nii-san! I flared out my wings and the flames that devoured the area tapered down. My breath came out raspy and my eyes felt dilated. I looked around. Where is my nii-san? I know I heard him. He was here, I'm certain of it. My gaze fell upon Lӧwemon, the only living entity in my sight, and I began to doubt my thoughts. Did I just think I heard my nii-san, but really it was Lӧwemon in reality? He sounded…just like him… And if it was just Lӧwemon, how did his voice make it all go away?

I scanned around, searching for the bodies of the Phantomon. I saw nothing. Nothing but the Warrior of Darkness positioned with his shield facing me, having blocked the intensity of my uncontrolled attack. I just—it would've… "Koichi, I—" My eyes caught sight of the flaring of a cloak and I shot a Tempest Arrow, again another miss. They were merely playing with us. "—it's my fault! I'm sorry, Koichi!"

From nowhere, a Phantomon's voice rang, taunting us with how far they've gotten when we were just running scared, "Foolish children. Once they have entered these crystals…" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the flash of one of the orbs suspended on a golden chain. "They can never escape it a second time." Then, the ghost Digimon's voice seemed to come from all angles, like it was moving about our heads in the manner of a persistent fly. "And so…they die."

"Gryphanimon." Lӧwemon's voice saying my Spirit's name drew my eyes to him and my silence allowed him to continue without missing a beat. "They have to have some sort of weakness. We're defenseless without a way to detect their locations."

I nodded in agreement. "There has to be something…" My instincts kicked in, acting without my compliance, and my body lunged, one leg stretched and arced in a mastered motion. In the nothingness, the arch of my pawed foot connected with something solid. To my surprise, the scythe of one of the Phantomon materialized and was sent spiraling off near the gate, the blade cutting through the earth and sticking into place. At my uncontrolled action, I broke out a small smile. Thank you, Spirit.

"Don't be cocky just yet, little Warrior of Time."

My heels spun me around, but there was nothing to see. I had gotten out of sync with my Spirit instincts. I felt the force of a Shadow Scythe slash across my chest, cutting through my armor. I was knocked off my feet and onto my back. A stinging feeling was spreading throughout my body like a disease, and it felt like something inside of me was shattering. "W-what the hell?" I clutched my chest and could do nothing but release my Spirit Evolved form, returning to human state. It eased some of my pain, but my insides felt like they were being ripped apart.

"Mirai!" Lӧwemon approached me quickly, his voice sounding detached as if his mind was somewhere else. "What happened?" His knees were bent and his body followed their poise, ready for some sort unsuspecting attack from any given angle.

My mind made me see everything with distortion and my focus kept being deterred. I couldn't tell what direction I was actually looking anymore. "I—I'm not sure. One of the attacks hit me, but that's as far as I know." My nails clawed into my chest, trying to stop whatever was going on inside me that was ever-so disorienting. I squeezed my eyes shut, mustering up whatever control I had left, and when I opened them again, only one thing appeared in my vision. "...wait." Dragging myself up to a crouch, feeling dazed, I told the Warrior beside me, "Do something to keep them away from me…I—I think I have something." I allowed my eyes to do the rest of the talking.

He stared at me for what felt like forever, but must've only been a split-second in reality, as in an instant, he was Slide Evolving to JӓgerLӧwemon. "Ebony Blast!" The pistons in his back recoiled time after time, and he sent bursts of Dark energy in every direction. His crimson eyes shined back at me, giving me the a-okay to do whatever I had in mind.

Hopefully this works… I staggered up to my feet and ran to Phantomon's abandoned sickle. I pulled it from the ground and grasped it tight with both hands. Spirits of Time, give me strength. Please, I'm begging you. "Spirit, you better have pointed this out to me for a reason!" I yelled through clenched teeth, sweat streaming down from my forehead, extending my arms back at my side and thrusting the blade into the air. It spiraled wildly, accelerating with a velocity I never provided it with and curving in an upward angle at an abnormal degree, and the tip slammed into the Crest of Light above the door, shattering the design into millions of pieces of stone.

A blaze of light escaped from where the Crest once was etched, spreading throughout the entire area like a sharp razor of energy more intense than what I lighthouse could provide. The two Digimon Shinigami that once were unseen now appeared in full form, one lacking the scythe that I had used for its unveiling from cloaking. The orbs suspended on the golden chains around their necks gleamed in the light, and I thought for certain I saw silhouettes held inside them.

I ached more than before, my arms now strained from the weight of the blade, but I refused to let that shut me up. After all, I was one of those stubborn DigiDestined kids. "Lӧwemon, now!"

He grasped his spear with both hands the instant it materialized and charged forth, spinning it like a baton. "Shadow Lance!" He moved with such momentum that not one muscle could move within my body as he thrust the tip of the blade through both Phantomon, piercing through both enmities as if they were made of paper. They were enveloped with complete, solid blackness as their Fractal Codes appeared around their bodies. I heard the sound of their amulets shattering, and accompanied with that sound, the Warriors once captive inside them emerged. As did a small, contented smile on my face. Thank you, Spirits…

"The evil that fills your heart…" The Warrior of Darkness's lance disappeared and was replaced with his D-Tector. "…will be buried and laid to rest in my Darkness." He flicked his wrist and swiped it along their Fractal Code. "This Digivice will purify you." Sparks began to shoot from the scanner and the Data was entering the device. "Fractal Code! Digitize!" In mere moments, their bodies disintegrated and the two DigiEggs that took their place floated off to where they belonged.

My pain instantly dissipating as they Digimon were purified, I deemed this moment worthy of a pump of my fist. "Yeah! You got 'em, Lӧwemon!" Nice stabbing. You'll make a fine assassin one day… was my initial thought.

I tried not to feel awkward as I stood with the Human Warriors, being in my un-Evolved form, but my consolation was that I was still taller than Kumamon. They didn't seem to notice my slight discomfort, caught up with the Warrior of Darkness and his most recent victory. The lion Warrior kept his deep eyes upon Lobomon as the wolf let out his simple words, his face solemn and seemingly lacking the sentiment that his words were offering, "Thanks, Koichi."

As the Darkness Inheritor gave a single nod, the doors of the gate gave the sound of someone unlocking them and some force caused them to swing open. Feeling up to my full strength once again, I Spirit Evolved back into my Human form, and we went onwards through the open gate, the doors swinging silently shut behind us.

"I can't see me stalking nobody but you for all your life! When you're with me, baby, the skies will be blue for all my life! I call you up at two a.m. I wake you up, and hang up the phone, and do it again! Haha, that's what you get for going out with other men! So happy toge—!"

"Agunimon, will you SHUT UP?!" I snapped, trying so hard not to blast him with one of my attacks, as we were currently climbing an endless spiraling staircase that went up the tower and so if I happened to unleash an attack, it might just destroy the stairs... and possibly us. "It's as if every single moment that no one is talking, you have to sing something stupid!" I was mentally pinching the bridge of my nose and shaking my head, and I would've physically if it had been worth the effort.

"Oh, but it's just so good!" I could hear the sheer Takuya-ness captured within his voice, and for a single moment, I forgot that he was a Legendary Warrior.

A groan escaped my mouth. "I don't care!"

Moments after my words fell out, we came to the top of the steps. It opened through a wide doorway into a strange room. Everywhere there were stairs, leading in all directions, hued with a deep purple color that matched how the sky had appeared from outside. Floating about were peculiar window-like panels, glossed over by a texture that had the colors of Fractal Code. And from seeing this, for once the Flame Inheritor asked the right thing that everyone else was probably thinking, "What in the world is this place?!"

And if one of us had to be smart, the other one had a right to be sort of deranged with a response. That, this time, was me. "It looks to me like a funhouse that lacks all the fun!" Instantly, I went over what I just said and realized that it didn't really make much sense. "Wait, a funhouse without the fun is just a house…and this is not just a house."

"Well, kudos to the decorator for at least being original," Beetlemon stated as we walking through the weird room without a particular direction in mind. "The only place you can find a room like this is in the Digital World. Make something like this in the real world and people would think you're psycho. Kids would spread rumors of you and your house and dare each other to go inside. And when that first foolish child turns your doorknob..." He broke out into maniacal laughter and the rest of us either facepalmed, groaned, or both.

Kazemon shook her head, her gloved hands placed on her hips as she muttered, "Some boys…"

From every nonexistent corner of the room came an unfamiliar roar, echoing about against invisible walls. A window floated about before us and a dark silhouette with crimson eyes appeared, outstretching one clawed hand out toward us. It cried out and we slunk back out of its reach. It looked like an abnormal, unnatural evil, a corrupted form that once held goodness and pure emotions, and then its being was twisted about into something inhumane and black-hearted.

All at once, all of the windows revealed the beasts inside, and they all reached out towards us. Upon gazing at their forms, I realized that they were all different. They're all different types of Digimon…all tainted by the hands of evil… I drew my eyelids closer together and made a frown. Even though I knew we were heading into the lair of our sole enemy, for whatever reason I hadn't anticipated there would be so much foul emotion here, captured within the hearts of those deemed worthy of malevolence.

"Why are they here?" I wondered aloud, my mind continuing my brooding, They appear to be captured beyond their will—and with the darkness inside them, this is the only way they can beg for freedom. If there was something we could do to help them, something to liberate them from their captivity…

A distinct, ear-piercing gonging interrupted my thoughts. It quelled the trapped deities, and they drew back their arms and again receded back into the depths where they had come.

"Whatever that is, it stopped them," Agunimon noted, but still holding a semi-combatant pose for the possibility for a threat still existing. His crystalline blue eyes scanned about for the source of the sound, but like the rest of us, saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"I believe it's called a bell, buddy," I retorted with a little bit of self-satisfaction dancing in my tone, using his own term against him and giving him a smug expression written in my eyes. "It sounds like a church bell, but there's nothing here that could produce that sound, unless there was a bell tower that we never saw when we were outside."

A voice proceeded the bell tolls, coming out clear as if the owner of it was standing right beside us, "This is the Hall of Shadows. All those that have fallen prey to Cherubimon's treachery are locked forever within." From seemingly nothingness, a figure began to emerge, of whom I figured was the one that was speaking. "Their wills are only present with the desire for freedom, and intertwined with the tainted emotions of Cherubimon, they have no boundaries, aside from the physical prisons they're perpetually encased within, when their yearning takes hold into greed." If I said that made any sense, I'd be a total liar. Why does everyone here have to speak in code?

Agunimon spun around to face the on-coming stranger, his cautiousness of the identity revealed easily in his voice, "And just who are you?!"

"My name is Oryxmon; I am not your enemy." His tone became clearer when he drew closer, as did his appearance. He was a goat Digimon that stood much taller than us in our Human Spirit forms, possessing the bell that we had heard around his neck just below the gorget around his neck that was inscribed with coils of the Digimon language. Covering some of the bell with its length was a long beard that extended down from a blunt chin set upon a solid face mostly concealed by a metal plate. Golden-colored horns curved back from behind the plate, and deep eyes stared at us filled with what seemed to be recognition as he continued his words, "Cherubimon's castle is a deadly labyrinth filled with pitfalls and traps, but I can lead you safely to Lady Ophanimon."

The Warrior of Flame looked back at the rest of us, his face contorted with feelings of suspicion towards the newcomer. "What do you think?" was all he asked, but it was enough for all of us to know what he was speaking about.

"I don't know," Lobomon spoke, saying exactly what I probably would've, "I don't know if we can trust this guy." His red eyes were filled with so many things that I couldn't decipher in such a short time, and just by taking a single glimpse of the Warrior of Light, I could see that he had much on his mind. "After all, why would someone that claims to be on our side be here of all places?" He turned his head, interrupting me and my task of reading his face.

Agunimon averted his gaze off of us and back to the Digimon standing before us. "Tell us! What proof do you have that we can trust you?!"

Oryxmon remained silent, his face unchanging and his eyes unblinking. He has no way to prove he's fighting for us… The silence pacing about us, its heels tapping against the invisible floor with each step, raised its voice to a thick, unnerving note. It took its time, running its fingers down the cheeks of each of us, and all we could do was stare past its distracting form at the Digimon before us, who was unaffected by the intrusiveness of the silence. He wasn't even fazed—despite that the rest of us were staring and questioning the scene that our eyes were telling us we were indeed seeing—when Patamon, that crazy little orange daredevil, just merely laughed, flew over to him, and plopped himself down on the goat's head.

"Well…if that's not suicide, I don't know what is," I muttered, noting the little pre-Celestial's shot in the dark about Oryxmon's allegiance. But then again, my intuition seemed to add, he did in fact hold a lot of authority and knowledge in his past life. Maybe he personally knows this guy. There's really no way of confirming this, though… "But I guess we have no choices but to either trust Oryxmon or climb on his head and retrieve Patamon, but I personally really don't feel like doing that."

Everyone just looked at me for my statement, namely the last part, but no one said anything regarding it. I didn't make eye contact with any of them, for the reasoning I might get involved with a conversation that involved how dumb my words were, and so I looked up at the Digimon that towered above us, remarking, "Well, lead the way, Goatie Man!"

As he turned to lead us, I heard a distinct groan escape his mouth, and instantly, I knew he didn't appreciate me very much. But nonetheless, he took us out of the room, and as soon as we got out of its doorway, we found ourselves running up a staircase…that was tipped as is if we were running on the wall… How…interesting… The gravity didn't affect us, even as it began to spiral and we were running a course a lot like a rollercoaster track, the only thing deterring us is the slight nausea of the path's twisting.

And then there was the blinding sensation of the room at the top of the steps. The walls seemed to be made of multi-colored crystal that casted hues of the entire spectrum, a big change from the room previous, and light reflected from every square inch, casting away all shadows from every nook and cranny. Only after Oryxmon said that Ophanimon was being held captive in a sphere above us did I realize that there was indeed another being inside this room aside from us, and it seemed that all beams of light pointed up to her.

"You made it. The Legendary Warriors have returned once again. It fills my heart with such joy and warmth to see your faces." The imprisoned Celestial's voice rang out like sweet-sounding chime. There was something about her voice, something new that I hadn't ever heard when she had contacted us through our D-Tectors. I couldn't place my fingers upon it, and even as Beetlemon and Kazemon summoned their attacks to try to break her free, it perplexed me. I yearned to hear her voice again, and when she spoke, I focused on the notes that played in her voice, "Thank you, Children. But please don't waste your powers and abilities on me; for I am not what you have come to save. There is a greater purpose for your presence here, but before you put your efforts into your task, it is required that you learn the reason why you have been beckoned here to the Digital World.

"Ages ago, in a time much like this one, there was a terrible war that nearly destroyed this world. A fierce battle raged between the Human and Beast Digimon, the two rival clans that sought dominance over the other. In the midst of their battle, Lucemon appeared and ceased the fighting, bringing peace to this world and ruling it with wisdom that was filled with equality and compassion.

"However, soon after, Lucemon grew mad, corrupt with the love of power, tormenting and oppressing all Digimon and eliminating all of the pure emotions he once held true. His heart had turned black, and all he sought was destruction. It was then that the Twelve Legendary Warriors rose up from the ashes of this burnt world, carrying the right of truth and light in their hearts, pure emotions that had been lost... Oh, how bravely they fought against Lucemon and the evil of his injustice, their only objective being the salvation of those suffering and afflicted, and after finally defeating him, the Twelve Warriors disappeared. From where they had left off, Cherubimon, Seraphimon, and I worked together to bring peace and harmony to the Digital World once more, keeping the tranquility that the Ancient Warriors sought to obtain."

"Hey! That's the same story that Seraphimon told us! Do I have déjà vu, or is this franchise addicted to repeating things to signal plot importance?" Neemon piped up, interrupting the whole solemnity that had overcome all of the Warriors.

Bokomon began to stretch the yellow rabbit's waistband, saying in the process, "You ninny! I can't believe you'd be so inconsiderate! Toei Animation works hard to—" We all cut in.

"BOKOMON!"

If Ophanimon was offended by the interruption, she didn't show it in any given way. Moreover, it didn't sound like she even noticed that anyone had filled the gap between her the two parts of her story. She went on, her voice still like crystal, "...But it wouldn't last. Seraphimon upheld our system of law and order, Cherubimon protected all of our knowledge and legends, and I fostered the appreciation of all life and love. And yet… it soon became obvious that Cherubimon's ideas and philosophies were quite different from ours…"

An image of Cherubimon, a variation of the dark, sinister once-Celestial that appeared in no way evil appeared in my mind. His eyes were full of tears, his voice clinging to feelings of desperation, as his words echoed around within my skull, "To honor these simplicities is absurd! Law, order, love! This world is an untamed frontier—chaos is its natural state, but you Human-type Digimon can't understand this! In all chaos, there lies opportunity if you only open your hands to harness it!" And in a flash, he was gone.

I faded back into reality the instant the Celestial above began to speak again, "Seraphimon and I decided to meet alone to try to find a way to reconcile our views with those of Cherubimon, but when Cherubimon found us talking together, he misunderstood our intentions. He thought we were trying to undermined him and subvert the beliefs he held."

Again I found myself trapped within my head, the pure, yet troubled Cherubimon the center of my vision. He sat upon a cliff, gazing upon the Rose Morning Star, its design in the sky swirling into its mystical shape, maybe for the first time. He looked so hurt, so lost, so emotions lost in his emotions. "Seraphimon and his laws are only meant for the Human-type Digimon; his system of rule is unjust and narrow-minded. It's up to me to give the Beast-types a new system of order, and we shall prove to the Human-types that we demand more than parity…" I could only watch as a dark shadow overcame his being and he cried out in a way that seemed so weak, so helpless, so vulnerable, so…so…

…so similar to me.

This was the first time I felt empathy towards that Digimon. I had misjudged just what had made him so wicked and heartless; really, he had a heart. He had been fighting for his kind. He was merely misunderstood, and he took the validations of his fellow Celestials' actions as an affronting of his own convictions. The laws of Seraphimon were misinterpreted by him as a way to stem the Beasts, and he was acting in impulse upon the offense. He wanted to defend his kind. Wasn't what all just leaders would do for their people?

Suddenly, this whole thing seemed so wrong to me. It seemed like all Cherubimon wanted to do was good, yet it was that spark of evil that had twisted him into the creature we were sent to fight. Where did this whole scenario suddenly fall apart? And how?

"Our world exploded into the chaos that Cherubimon desired. We were treated like traitors by his followers. He had convinced the Beast-types that we were the cause of all of their problems, leading them in an aggressive campaign against the Human-type Digimon, and he had become a monster steeped in evil." Ophanimon's words had the devastation of the newly-spawned war's flaring behind my eyes, the sounds and feelings of death and destruction pulling my senses into pieces.

I couldn't stop it; I couldn't shut my eyes and look away. It was all captured inside me. I didn't want to see the pain and the hurt that mutiny had caused—there was already too much of it that had gone on all around me. Yet somehow, this felt so much worse. It was as though I was merely a bystander; I knew I couldn't change what I saw—it was the past, it was the reason we were here, it was what that touch of evil had created—but still, something inside me stirred. It felt like a force deep down was awakening and opening my eyes even wider.

"Seraphimon! From now on, I am the law of this world! And you—" I could almost feel the energy of Cherubimon's Lightning Spear within my Memory Aura as it pierced through the chest of Seraphimon and I heard his scream of agony. "—are nothing!"

It felt as though I was floating above the scene, my feet above the ground, and I was peering down at Ophanimon holding her fellow Celestial's battered form. "Seraphimon, no!" A jolt went through me as she snapped her head up, her gaze burning right through me, to Cherubimon. I saw the tears seep down her cheeks from under the helmet that concealed her eyes. "I will do whatever you ask of me, but please, I'm begging you! Please, spare his life!"

The scene escaped from my mind like breath being stolen from me. My mouth opened and my voice came out before I had fully realized the words that I wanted to say, "He… he was corrupted because of his jealousy towards Seraphimon. Cherubimon loved Ophanimon, but he knew that Seraphimon's heart was bound closer to hers than his was… He wished to create conflict as a way to kill Seraphimon… so that Ophanimon would forget of her love for him and maybe accept Cherubimon…" My eyes turned slowly off of the place on the floor they were locked upon and moved over to seek Lobomon's face. His expression was as morose as mine was. "He declared injustice towards the Beasts for a reason to justify waging war…"

I looked up to where the Celestial was being held, and even though I couldn't see her, her image was imprinted in my mind from my visions. "And with your world in turmoil, you called for us in another world, hoping we would help." I thought back to that phone message, the one that inspired me to run from home in a desperation to find self-worth, and how far I had come since then. Since that day that I had decided I was going to fake my identity to somehow trick Fate. "You called it a game…a game to determine our futures…when really, it was a game to set Fate into balance."

"A Fate that wasn't set by Ophanimon…"

We all stiffened at the voice. We could hear him, but he was nowhere in sight. He was toying with us, just as everyone before us. But only cowards hide from their enemies and joust cruel words from under cover, Cherubimon. Even you should know that… "Do you think it was by my carelessness that the Legendary Warriors have gotten this far? Ophanimon, you were right by calling it a game. It is a game, but you weren't the one that created it. You were like my little puppet, doing things of my desire without your knowledge. I merely allowed them to get this far; the pawns that served me were deterrents. I was here the entire time, waiting to play a little game of my own when it's game over for them all…"

"What are you saying?" Ophanimon's voice had a droplet of fear. Of all of the occasions we had heard her voice, all those times she spurred us on by speaking of the next threats, the next challenges, there had never been any fear.

The corrupted Celestial let out a chortle. "The Twelve Legendary Warriors are here and within my grasp. When I combine them with the Data I have collected, total control of the Digital World will at last be mine. I'll have done what Seraphimon has always been afraid to do. And it is all thanks to you, my lady…" His form materialized from within the light. "You and these humans have brought my plan to fruition." His bright, yellow eyes grew narrower and his mouth curved into a smirk. "Let's end it…"

From all around us, my ears picked up something that sounded sort of like whispers. I couldn't define what they were saying, or if that was truly what they were, but it was like they were murmuring some sort of spell. And as they did so, the symbols of our respective Elements present on our armor began to glow.

The Warriors around me questioned the reasoning and all I could do was look to Cherubimon. He outstretched his arms and declared, "It has all come to this. Your Spirits will become mine and you children will be eliminated. Game over." He let out a roar and grabbed Oryxmon by his horns. He whipped his body around above his head, ignoring the cries of pain that came from the helpless Digimon's mouth. In fact, he seemed to receive pleasure at the sound.

"Stop! Why are you doing this?! Don't you realize Oryxmon's innocence?!" Agunimon snapped, his position revealing that he was close to lunging into the fray to fight Cherubimon. "How could you be so heartless?!"

At the words, Cherubimon merely smiled. "He has served his purpose. He has led you here to your doom, and his presence here is no longer welcome. He has outlived his welcome." Pursing his lips into a deeper smirk, he threw his arms down, slamming Oryxmon to the ground and disintegrating him into Data, shattering his DigiEgg into countless shards. As we only stared at the scene before us, his words came upon us like stepping on broken glass, "It amuses me that you are still taken aback by my brutality. Just goes to show that under your armor, you're all just pathetic children. But soon you will realize it is all for a greater cause. Your Spirits are what I desire, and I will use all the pawns I require to obtain them.

"And I was one of your pawns as well." Lӧwemon stepped forward, his feet silent when they contacted the floor in a rhythmic motion, his face turned up towards the once-Celestial. His crimson eyes were filled with such sentiment, most of which I couldn't even begin to identify. "You drove me to attack my brother—my twin brother—and twisted my reasoning to do so to make me think it was necessary! If anyone has outlived his welcome, it's you."

Cherubimon looked pleased that the Warrior once his follower was defying him to his face. "You were my most willing puppet, assuring that my bidding would be carried out, convinced that it was your duty. By using you, I made certain that all the Spirits would arrive here, both Human and Beast alike, all in a way that made you believe that it was by your own choice. Call it…disguised operation, if you will." He flexed his long, narrow fingers, appearing distracted.

This time I could hear the lion Warrior's footsteps as he pounded forward. "You manipulated me! You're nothing but a heartless, selfish devil with the only thing coming to you being a painful end! You're the one that is gonna receive game over!"

The dark angel Digimon let out a hard cackle, clearly entertained by Lӧwemon's threat. "Even though you turned against me in the end, you proved yourself to be the most valuable of my servants. Many had been bonded with the Spirits of Darkness before you, and those who failed the test were destroyed by its power, locked away in the depths of this castle that you have familiarized yourself with previously." So is that what those creatures in the floating windows were? They were test subjects to receive the Spirits of Darkness?

As he floated down to rest his feet on the crystal floor, the Darkness Inheritor placed his arms in an X-shape across his chest. "How would you like to see this power for yourself?" He growled and the area around him distorted. "Shadow Meteor!" The attack formed at the lion's mouth on his chest, but the beam that was released was noticeably thin and weak, allowing Cherubimon to easily block it by outstretching his palms toward it. "What happened to my attack power?"

I looked about and the answer came quickly. "It's the lack of Darkness here! There's nothing to absorb energy from because this room is filled with light!" When I was speaking, Cherubimon chuckled at my response and used the chance to grab Lӧwemon, demanding the return of his Spirits. I felt my anger welling up and I readied myself. "I won't let you hurt him, Cherubimon!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Takuya and Koji De-Spirit Evolve and begin to Evolve into their Fusion Spirits. I didn't want to wait for them. "Strike of Thoth!" I darted forward, the claws on my armored feet, and leapt up.

I pivoted my body around, angling one leg to strike him, but even with the speed I possessed, it wasn't fast enough. His free hand swatted at me as if I was a pesky insect, and I felt myself thrown back. The sheer force shoved me into the wall and in an instant I felt the pain of crystal shards piercing through my armor and into my skin underneath. My mouth released a raspy cry and I tasted blood on my tongue. Why…why do I still have blood? Avaruusmon had once told me it was because I willed it, but I thought that was passed… Do I still will flesh and blood over Data?

As I watched BeoWolfmon and Aldamon spar against Cherubimon through burning eyes, Kazemon, Beetlemon, and Kumamon tried to assist me. My head was spinning around in circles and when I spat blood on the crystalline floor, it made multiple, crimson splatters that all looked exactly the same. My comrades were duplicated, so when they told me to try to support myself upon them, I didn't know who to reach for. Instead, I allowed my eyelids to create darkness all around me, and I murmured, "Just please…please, don't let go of me…"

Explosions rang in my ear, cusses from the two Fusion Warriors in combat resonated within my skull, Cherubimon's laughter haunted me in a wide-awake nightmare. I felt someone's grip on me disappear and someone call out Koichi's Human Spirit's name. Yes…help Koichi…take care of him. Take care of him and Takuya and Koji… My eyes surprised me by snapping open. In a second, my voice told me why, "I can't make them do everything to protect the ones I love the most…"

I planted my feet hard on the ground, trying my hardest to ignore the dizziness that plagued me. Cherubimon had Aldamon. I would not let that fly. De-Spirit Evolving, I retrieved my D-Tector from my pocket. "Execute! Polymerization Spirit Evolution!" My ambitions swirled and knitted themselves together with my potent power. All of the handicaps that I had sustained were diminished as soon as I felt the new energy flowing through my veins. "Ryoushinmon!"

I drew my Soul Sword from its sheath. It glowed brightly with the power manifested within its design. I charged forward, the sword set into place. My feet launched me upwards; my hands were placed skillfully on the hilt as if from years of practice, and brought it down at Cherubimon's wrist. The blade sliced through like his body was made of butter, the removed hand bursting into bits of Data and dropping Aldamon to the ground. I landed in a crouch next to him, my weapon held out horizontally before me, ready for another assault. "Are you okay, Aldamon?"

He glanced at me, a small smile etched on his face. "Yeah. Thanks, Ryoushinmon. I owe ya one."

"You owe me nothing, Takuya." My eyes veered back to the enemy before us, in a moment growing wide at what I saw. What I witnessed was Cherubimon cackling from the amusement he received from my petty attempt at damage and his hand beginning to regenerate at a rapid rate. I felt my heart suddenly drop like a ball of lead. "How…?" Does he really have enough power to restore himself so easily? It seems just so impossible…

We backed up to stand with BeoWolfmon as he let out the words, "Nothing works here."

My head turned towards him and then at Aldamon, neither one of them holding emotions on their battle-scarred faces as they gazed back at me. The Fusion Warrior of Flame saw my look of slight perplexity and responded, "I think it's the light. It throws all of our attacks off-course somehow and makes them totally useless." That explains why I heard so much cussing… "So I suggest that we take this battle outside! What do you say, BeoWolfmon?"

He got a half-grin on his face and replied with a hint of Takuya-like confidence, "I'm in." His irises were trained into mine, despite that mine weren't visible in my current Spirit form. "Ryoushinmon, I think you should stay here and find a way to rescue Ophanimon. We can hold Cherubimon off until you get her free." It was obvious what he was implying. His face said all of the words he didn't, "Stay here, Mirai. This way, you'll stay safe. I don't want you to get hurt."

I only nodded in compliance, and I watched as they both pounced forward, getting a grip on Cherubimon, and thrusting him and themselves through the wall into the outside world. My gaze remained on them until I could see them no more, and then turned to the other Warriors, saying, "Okay, guys. Let's get to work on Operation: Free Ophanimon." Oh crap, I just went along to Takuya's stupid mission title. I am not gonna tell him that…

"How are we gonna get her free?" Kumamon questioned while he and the others gathered around to think up a sort of plan. His eyes were filled with hopefulness, a deep desire to find a way to succeed. After all, we had come so far for this one objective.

Bokomon looked about the room before suggesting as if the answer was as plain as day, "We need to bend the angle of those bars of light. That are what's making up the prison."

My fingers danced around the hilt of my sword while my mind swam around in a similar manner. "Wait." I took a moment to stare at where I had been thrown against the wall in combat. It hadn't retained the luster that it originally possessed. Moreover, it didn't produce or reflect any light. "If we just destroy the walls. That should prevent the light from reflecting up to the ceiling." I let a grin come across my face. "It's wall-breakin' time!"

All of the other Warriors let out a supportive cheer and we went to work. Bokomon, Neemon, and Patamon decided to instruct us where to attack, and we complied with an eagerness that was more intensified with every passing moment. I slashed my sword at practically every inch of the mirror-like walls, the edge of the blade never beginning to dull. It was as though my Soul Sword knew just what we were fighting for and desired to help with our cause.

I looked up from my destruction-reeking just in time to see one very blonde moment spark from the Warrior of Wind when she decided to try to break the wall with a Love Tap and failed at it miserably. "Did you really just try to do damage by attacking the wall with your butt?"

She pouted at my rhetorical question and countered, "Asks the one that flew into a rock while staring at Koji." Touché. She saw my defeated frown and brought back a smile. "Okay, let's try this again." She backed away from the wall and became enveloped in Fractal Code. "Slide Evolution! Zephyrmon!" Her Beast appeared in the butterfly's place and I could feel a significant rise in strength just from the single change. "Hurricane Gale!" Razors of wind shot from the motions made by her hands, clearly more effective than her butt-assault, and shattered that portion of the wall into pieces. "That's more like it!" Triumph brewed in her bright blue eyes.

"It seems you only have one more place left that's holding Ophanimon's cage to the ceiling!" Bokomon called out to us, causing us all to look upward.

Before none of us could make a single movement, Cherubimon burst through the wall. He cast forth a dark gust that consumed Beetlemon, thrusting him to the floor and out of his Human form. Then another sort of blast of energy withdrew his D-Tector from his pocket and pulled it up into the dark Digimon's grasp. "At last, the Spirits of Thunder are mine." He looked at the Digivice with satisfaction for a mere moment before turning to Koichi and Tommy, who Slide Evolved into their Beast Spirits to better defend. "This should be interesting."

I made eye contact with Zephyrmon, who was checking on JP for injuries. "We have to free Ophanimon. JӓgerLӧwemon and Korikakumon are buying us time."

She nodded. "Right." And led the way to the top of the room, the power of Space allowing me levitation. The light was much more intense here than it ever was from on the floor, but I could still make out the Celestial's form encased within. The Beast of Wind looked at me, her eyes solemn. "We have to knock it down!" She put all of her weight into her tackle against the cage only to recoil back and cry out after making contact. "It seems like it's almost made of electricity."

The sounds from down below only distracted us from our objective. One attack from Cherubimon was all it took to deprive both Koichi and Tommy of their D-Tectors. Time was running short, and the corrupted Celestial turned his eyes up to us like we were nothing but prizes to him at the fair or something. His eyes glimmered with hatred and bloodlust. "Which one is next? It really doesn't matter, because both of your fates are the same."

I titled my head to one side, letting my form drop gracefully to the ground. My arms were dropped to my sides limply, not wishing to put up a combatant pose at the current moment. "I'm next." Allowing a distinct amount of curiosity come over my expression, I noted bluntly, "If only you were right." His expression changed slightly to something I didn't bother reading and I continued, "The fates of Zoe and I are not the same. I will not allow it."

He chortled at my words. "Oh, how far you have come in distance, but how little you've progressed in mentality, Warrior of Time. You believe that you have a hand in the result of things, that you have significant power to make a difference. I offered you time and again to join me, so that maybe you can hold the ability to create change, but you have only been stubborn. When you refused, I created physical beings of the Spirits of Space with the evil that is contained within you, and toyed with you repeatedly after that for you to see the unique opportunity you were receiving. However…" His gaze flickered off from where he had come and then back to me in a flash. "…you had become too attached to that Warrior of Light to turn from him. Instead of the powers I was offering you, you had opened up your heart to hold onto that weak emotion that you foolish creatures call Love."

Crossing my arms across my chest, I took in his words. He wasn't lying, I knew that and I could confirm it simply. A sigh escaped my lips, "Oh, if only the love of power was overcome by the power of love. Only then would this world know what peace is…" I closed my eyes, huffed, and then opened them again. "You should know this well, Cherubimon. You sought love at first, but then with Seraphimon's fall into stasis, you were consumed with a greed for power." I inserted a taunting note into my voice when I continued, "Who, dare I ask? Who did you seek to obtain the affections of?"

An ear-splitting roar escaped from his mouth, shaking the ground under our feet. "You know nothing, Warrior of Time! You sought love from one being here that doesn't even belong in the Digital World and you play your mouth as if you know all! I will correct you of this error!" He created a long, dark lightning bolt within his hand and his fingers curled around it. It crackled and sizzled with the foul emotions he poured into its formation. "Lightning Spear!"

It was almost simple to avoid the attack that was thrown at me. My words had gotten him frustrated for one primary reason, the truth that was contained in them. Spear after spear was thrown at me and I avoided them with graceful movements that came natural to my Polymerization Spirit, all the while my lips still moving, "I'm sorry I can't be perfect, but you know my words are true." I pivoted my body around, evading the attack by mere inches. From the lack of distance I could feel its intensity, its energy spurred from the foul emotions of the creator. "I'll admit it, Cherubimon, you're right. I was naïve, foolish, and cocky. I thought things really mattered as long as I had my teeth sunken into them, as long as I played God with every little situation."

I felt my bangs sliding across my cheek like smooth fingertips caressing me. I thought of all he had told me. "And I'll also admit that I had considered your offer. More than I'd like to say. Sometimes I'd lay awake, not only wary of your servants attacking while my defenses were lowered, but because your proposition was appealing to me and I caught myself considering it." An exasperated breath escaped me. "But you were exceedingly right when you say I became attached to Koji. If it weren't for him, I would've turned from the Legendary Warriors long ago."

A smirk snuck onto my face. "At least it worked out for me. Sorry, Cherubimon."

He snarled something illegible at me and reached out to take me in his fist, but at that moment, sparks showered from above and Ophanimon's elegant form floated down, taking a place in between us. Her hands were outstretched, reminding me instantly of how Seraphimon's Data was displayed when Mercurymon was using it to end Takuya within the church in Sakkakumon. "Cherubimon, this must stop! I won't let you lay a hand on this girl!"

He stopped his approach, his eyes widening at the being standing in all of her radiance before him. "Ophanimon, if you don't remove yourself and cease this meaningless defense of these worthless children, you will die beside them." Despite his words, he didn't seem even remotely facially-supportive of his threat to hurt her. Even through all of the evil that taints him, he can't deny his feelings. He can't bring himself to destroy Ophanimon…

The angel kept her head pointed up to him, her voice firm. "I care not what happens to me, just as long as these children are spared. I know they can help the Digimon—they can save the Digital World and restore it to how it once was. Nothing good can come from hurting innocent, blameless lives…" She put her hands back to her sides before continuing, her voice growing quiet, filled with sentiment, "I know you have been hurt, you were led astray by the torments of life, off the path of virtuousness, and I can help you, Cherubimon. But you just have to let me."

He leaned in as if he wished to see her face and scan it for the truthfulness hidden with her enmity. "You…you would do that…for me?" His eyes grew wide with surprise and a little bit of an emotion that made my heart a little warm that I knew so well.

Ophanimon allowed a smile to dance on her lips as she floated to him and placed her hands upon his head, causing a white light to erupt from her fingertips. "Of course. I would sacrifice anything for you. You are a dear friend and you have more than a worth to me."

Before she could do or say anything more, Cherubimon was enveloped in a dark haze that overtook his entire body, sending the elegant Celestial reeling back with a pained cry. He yelled out in a way that shattered all of the colorful mirrors around us and revealed the tainted color that they concealed. His eyes were daggers as he stared down at her form. "A friend! Your words would be severely different if I was Seraphimon! Friend would be the least of your words!"

Her face again became solemn, realizing the meaning of his words. A light formed in her palms and the Warriors' D-Tectors materialized. As she cast them to their rightful owners, a beam of radiance appearing on their screens when they returned to them, her voice carried, "I cannot choose where my heart wants to go…"

Everything suddenly went white, and in mere moments, we were outside. As soon as I realized Cherubimon was nowhere in sight, I De-Spirit Evolved and joined the group. A weight was lifted off of my being when I saw Koji and Takuya, unharmed aside from a few little cuts and bruises. I attempted to hold my peace about this for as long as I could muster. There was no need for me to be an emotional sap when no one else was being one.

"What the hell happened in there?" Takuya questioned, taking his D-Tector back from Zoe as Koji did the same. He turned it around in his fingers like he was trying to re-familiarize himself with its every curve and design. He stared hard at the screen, his eyes rigid.

"I'm not sure," the Italian girl responded, causing a few notes of agreement from a couple of the others to arise. She turned towards the place we once were. "But Ophanimon is still in there. She confronted Cherubimon and he didn't react well to her words…" Her emerald-hued eyes cast away and off to the side. Her expression was so glum; I couldn't begin to imagine what she was thinking about. There were so many things to be morose about here.

I took up a place standing next to Koji and let out what was on my mind, "He's been driven mad because of what started as mere jealousy for Seraphimon." My eyes, like Zoe's, went up to that tower where they were combating. The place reminded me of an upside down top that kids played with. "But it's come to this. I can hardly believe the same Cherubimon in there is the same one that fell for Ophanimon when the Digital World was still at peace…" It was then I suddenly realized just what the Warrior of Wind was so downcast about. This whole situation was just a twisted love story. She had the biggest heart out of anyone I knew; I could be certain that she had empathy for the Beast.

None of us were sure what exactly happened in that next moment, but without a warning, the tower burst with a crimson light. The sheer magnitude of the attack brought us down to our knees. Through the burning that the intensity cast upon my eyes, I made out Cherubimon above us, reeling back from the force. His cry of agony hurt my ears; not from the volume of which his voice escaped his mouth, but the emotions thrown into it.

I pulled myself back up to see him crash into a floating rock, shattering it into many smaller chunk, and fall onto a surface just below us. His fingers dug into the stone, holding on so he wouldn't fall into the darkness below. He struggled to keep his grasp and as he slipped more and more, I found myself unable to watch.

I cast my head away and fought to keep that image out of my head. Why is this bothering me so much? Do I really feel this much compassion to someone that has ended so many lives? A familiar, friendly face materialized in my mind, his bright eyes bringing me no more questioning. DemiVeemon… His words echoed within my mind, still imprinted in my memory like he had said them moments ago, "I got the wrong impression of her, too, thinking that she didn't care, but it's the little things she did for our world that proves to me of her love for it!" I imagined how he had looked at me when I held him in my arms, Fractal Code encompassing his small body. "I remember a time… long time ago, Davis… He thought he had no friends… He was only concerned of himself and let others get hurt. He let me get hurt. He let everyone down by refusing to make a sacrifice he needed to. But in the end, he made the right choice and really earned the Crest of Friendship. I know you can earn your own Crest of Friendship, too. Just remember you really do have friends…"

That was how it was. I developed bondage, made a relation between Cherubimon and I. I couldn't deny how much I cared for this world and the creatures in it. This creature just was dealt a bad hand by Fate; it didn't make him any less of a Digimon that belonged here. That, I realized, was why I had that feeling in the bottom of my stomach that he didn't deserve such an end. The fact came to me that he had mercilessly destroyed many innocent Digimon, but it still didn't erase the fact that he himself was also a Digimon. He possessed emotions and feelings like all of the others—after all, the root of all of this was a pure love he had felt towards someone that merely considered him a friend.

My head turned at the sound of Ophanimon's voice resonating from Takuya's D-Tector. He slid it out of his pocket as her voice rang to the ears of each one of us, "Children, I am sorry. I have failed to stop Cherubimon. He proved too strong; the evil that has taken over his heart is much more powerful than I had anticipated. I had hoped to purify him…" Her voice stuttered, showing just how weak she had become. "…but alas, I failed… Thank you for journeying so far and enduring so much. I am grateful to all of you for the courage you have displayed."

A roar coming from Cherubimon interrupted the transmission. A deeply-colored aura surrounded his figure as he began to pull himself up to safe ground. I heard Koichi's voice, but I didn't look away from the struggling Beast-type as he spoke, "Even with all of Ophanimon's strength, not even she could beat him. But then, how are we supposed to?"

The angelic Celestial's voice cut through our feelings of negativity. "Children, I beg you, please don't lose hope! You must gather your Spirits together as one. Only then will you become truly unified… and with unity, great strength comes from buried deep within your hearts…"

Koji went to Takuya and faced him, his own D-Tector in his hand, trying to draw near to better hear her voice and maybe better comprehend what she was saying. "How do we do that?" he questioned, and as if the sound of his voice was a trigger, his and the Warrior of Flame's Digivices began to emit a multi-colored beam from their screens. Apparently he decided it was a good idea to add in a distinct mumble, "Oh, maybe that's how…"

"With the last of my strength, I evolved the two of your D-Tectors…" As her voice drew weaker with every word, the design of their devices changed in a flood of intense light. The ring around the screen was now round and the color schemes changed, Koji's from white and blue to a deeper blue and black, and Takuya's reversed, the body of it now red and the grips black. "And with this new power, I send you my best wishes and all my love…"

I peered at their new designs after Ophanimon's voice faded and JP, glancing at his own D-Tector, said in a grumble, "All of our D-Tectors are still the same? That's not very fair to the rest of us. I don't get it." He frowned, looking as though he was blaming his Digivice.

Even if he didn't even see my look, I gave him one anyway. One that consisted of my eyebrows furrowed and a nonchalant positioning of my lips. "JP, it's a known rule here in the Digimon world that the gogglehead and the loner always evolve further than all the others. Sad, but true." Although I was given another Spirit so I'd have a role in this fanfic in this part and the readers don't get too bored…okay, I have to stop breaking the fourth wall now…

"Lookie up to the sky!"

Patamon's sudden exclamation pulled us from our thoughts and our eyes up to where he was flying. The air tried to strangle me as I found myself watching Ophanimon's DigiEgg floating up from her grave. It disappeared into the horrid clouds above, out of sight, but a little voice inside me told me that that image was going to haunt me until all of this was over. Just watching what little remained of the being that called us here to the Digital World, the one that spurred us on battle after battle to get where we were, the one that had more faith in us than anyone else. If there was a god, a supreme being here, then Ophanimon must've been made from him.

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. I'm not about to get emotional now. There comes a time when every emotion is due, and now is not the time for sorrow. My teeth pressed into my bottom lip and I stepped over to Koji. His ocean-like eyes graced me with a look of tenderness and support as he interlaced his fingers with mine. I could feel his steady heartbeat through his hand and all of a sudden it felt like it was suddenly my own lifeline. If he's remaining strong, then I should as well…

"Ophanimon…" My eyes traced over to Takuya as he stared hard at his D-Tector. "I swear, your sacrifice will not be in vain…" He closed his eyes and grew silent a moment, as if he was wishing to speak to the fallen Celestial without his true words. When his eyes opened again, he looked to each of us, his mouth pressed into a straight line and his irises burning with purpose. "We can't waste any more time here. We have to figure out how to unlock this new power." He has that air about him again; that air that gives off such drive. That leader-like instinct that just takes over when it needs to. He knows exactly when to take on that big brother role…

My fingers grasped my own D-Tector and I looked down at it, scanning for something I hadn't noticed before, like a switch or button that I'd never used. "She said to gather our Spirits together. That—" I shook my Digivice near my ear and listened for a rattling sound. "—doesn't really help."

The gogglehead near me started clicking buttons on his new Digivice, his hero complex suddenly dissipating in his attempt of trying to figure things out. It wasn't really working, unless his intention was to cause a million different beeping noises all at once. "If anyone can figure it out, it's me! After all, I am the Warrior of Flame!"

"Try the Warrior of Lame," I retorted flatly.

He ignored me and my pathetic excuse for an insult (I really could've come up with something more original), despite the fact that he certainly had heard me (hence the frown he suddenly had on his face). This whole can't-get-the-new-D-Tector-to-work situation had gotten him pretty frustrated in a rather short time. He huffed in exasperation and mumbled with a bit of irritation, "Man, a hint or something of some sort would've been nice. Or at least an instruction manual."

"Even if it had come with an instruction manual, Takuya," I began, giving him a skeptical expression for his words, my voice causing him to look from the device in his hands to me, "You'd be the last one to read it. It's not like you have a personal library filled with educational books at your house that you read daily—unless you call manga and Marvel comics educational." Besides, my mind added, who actually does read instruction manuals?

A narrow-eyed expression was sent to me from his direction. "Let's stay on track here." His voice revealed he was sorta annoyed with all of the cheap shots I'd been taking on him. Honestly, I couldn't blame him, though. It must've been a rough life with people always giving him sarcastic remarks. But it wasn't our fault: He just made it so easy.

Then he took a breath, slow and relaxed. He looked to each of us and closed his eyes. "We all have to search inside ourselves for the answer. Ophanimon said unity comes from deep inside ourselves…" And with those words, the rest of us followed suit in his quiet state. "…Feel the strength buried within…" Our words came, connecting together as our thoughts unified into one solution.

"When power…"

"…and feelings…"

"…are one…"

"…we can…"

"…evolve…"

"…together..."

"That's it…"

I couldn't explain the things that I felt brewing inside of me. It was though I wasn't just holding Koji's hand through this, but I was holding everyone's hands. I could feel their presences near me, drawing close to my heart. Thud-thud thud-thud… A sound resonated in my ears. Was that…their heartbeats? Was this strange, yet alluring feeling the cause of our unification? I was absorbed into this feeling—I was immediately addicted to the sweet, sweet warmth that it let off; it was like a drug.

My ears caught the sound of the other Warrior's voices. They were sending the Spirits they had acquired into Flame and Light, first Earth to Flame, then Water into Light, Wood to Flame, and Metal into the Light. I felt my body moving seemingly under some sort of control, my hands slipping out of Koji's. I could feel one heartbeat growing louder as my feet stepped without my permission. My voice came out quiet, without emotion, and I didn't know what was happening until my lips parted for words, "Space into Flame…"

Upon the roar of Cherubimon, everyone's eyes snapped open, roused as though none of what just happened was reality, but just some sort of dream. I looked to Takuya as his voice came out stern and without the faltering of doubt, "We possess all of the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors! With the power of our unity, nothing can stand in our way!" His D-Tector erupted with light, shooting like a lighthouse's beacon up into the dark, dark sky.

Koji took up my hand again, his fingers sliding in between mine before I had realized he had done so. His beautiful irises came on me and then flickered off, suddenly focused on the far distance. His brows were furrowed into an expression of full severity. "We've overcome everything so far—there's no way we can surrender now!" His grasp on my hand tightened and with his opposite, he raised his D-Tector into the air. It mimicked Takuya's, bursting with a beam of piercing light.

It was as though the instinct was engraved into our beings, the words being vocalized as if memorized previously by our subconscious. The rest of us, with our D-Tectors in the same way as Takuya and Koji's, followed an impulse written inside of each of us.

"Ice into Flame!"

"Wind into Flame!"

"Thunder into Light!"

"Time into Light!"

"Darkness into Light!"

I was pushed backwards at the energy released from Koji's D-Tector when he and Takuya activated their new evolutions, Data bursting in many coils around their hands. Their voices were synchronized, entranced by the power that had been awakened. "Execute! Unified Spirit Evolution!" The sheer intensity that was discharged from the activation was blinding. I could feel its power from how close I was to them in the midst of their transformation. It was beyond anything that I had ever felt—raw, yet controlled. It reminded me of my Fusion Evolution, but with so much more strength. Even though the cocoons of Fractal Code surrounded each of them, I knew something truly remarkable was taking place.

"EmperorGreymon!" Takuya's form was a tall, heavily-armored Warrior. His shoulders and knees were plated with the faces of dragons, as were the plates covering his fists. His face was rather small, three points protruding from either side and atop his head. His face was concealed and his bright eyes were deep-set. A long, double-edged sword was strapped to his back, and on several places on his armor were crosses emblazoned.

"MagnaGarurumon!" Koji's Spirit reminded me of a jackal. Except blue. He wasn't as heavily armored and had a much slimmer form. Firearms were held in each hand, one more laser gun-like and the other more like a machine gun, and barrels protruded from his shoulders for further weaponry. Two blade-like things jutted out from his back for a use that I wasn't certain of.

I smirked inevitably. "Dude, that is awesome…" I muttered, but my attention was caught by my own Digivice making a strange noise. My eyes drifted down to it and the screen was illuminated with the figure of Ryoushinmon's Spirit. She's not part of the Twelve. She was only created by tapping into the powers of Space and Time. And since she's not a real Warrior… My gaze shot back up to the two Unified Warriors floating before me, my mouth slightly agape at my revelation. …I can fight.

The instant feeling I got from my realization was a sense of worth. I could actually make up for those fights that I refused to partake in and live up to the Legendary Warrior name that I had once abused as though it had no meaning. "Yo! Guys!" The others turned to me at my sudden call and I let the copper-colored ring of Data appear around my hand. "Check it!" A very Takuya-like grin danced on my lips when I received looks that were a mixture of surprise and confidence.

My finger pressed the button to activate the scanner. It skit across the Data— "Execute! Polymerization Spirit Evolution!" —and the coils extended and surrounded me. My thoughts circled around one factor as I was empowered with the strength of my Spirit: I had worth. Before now, I felt I was cheating against all of the other Warriors and skating by as they did most of the work. I didn't assist them in their efforts when we first arrived, only finding reason to do so when our paths crossed Duskmon's, and even then, I had been nothing but a burden. I could make up for all of that. I could make the difference that I didn't find necessary before that I now found ever-so vital.

Until now, I had assumed too much of myself. I had to have been at a low point for even Cherubimon to know me well, a low that had made me even an enemy of my closest friend without a hesitation in mind. But I was done running; I was done attacking tasks with merely half-effort; I was done with my denial and lack of ethics that made me believe I didn't have to regret any acts of selfishness; I was done deceiving myself into thinking that this was all coincidence when really this was all Fate, and it was Fate in its purest form that provided me with this Spirit to redeem myself with. "Ryoushinmon!"

After all, ryoushin means conscience.