~And here it finally is, Part VI of The Shadow Realms! I hope I didn't keep
everyone waiting too long, this was kinda hard to write. But anyway, R, E &
R!!! (Have I explained the meaning of that yet? To those who don't know, it
means Read, Enjoy & Review!)~
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The Shadow Realms: Part VI - The Golden Tetrahedron
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"Hey, Ruki-san," Ryou looked terrible; his spiky dull brown hair was falling in messy locks into his face, there were deep shadows under his sky- blue eyes, which were sad and listless, and he was so thin and pale he looked like a ghost, "Fancy seeing you here."
His easy grin was still intact, though looking very worn. Ruki was too shocked by his appearance to reply. Ryou looked so much older, and much of him, especially his wrists and ankles, which were weighed down with heavy rusting metal shackles, was covered in blood.
"R-Ryou!" Ruki finally managed to gasp out, "W-what happened to you?"
Ryou's handsome face abruptly darkened; he suddenly looked almost as menacing as his partner Digimon Cyberdramon, "Him."
That single word, spat out with such venom that Ruki trembled to hear it, expressed all that Ryou could not, did not want to say. It was accompanied by a contemptuous motion of the boy's chin towards the figure hunched over at the table before them.
Ruki looked more closely at that figure and suddenly felt cold, "Who is that?"
"Shadowmagemon," Ryou snarled, "The vilest, lowliest, darkest creature that ever soiled this plane of existence. He stole Cyberdramon's Digiegg and used it to trap me and imprison me here. Then he used his dark powers to-to corrupt Cyberdramon while he was still in his Digiegg."
Ruki noticed that he was struggling with the words, and that he was utterly dry-eyed, yet the pain that passed over his face was such that it was as if he'd cried out all his tears a long time ago, and had nothing left.
"But how could he have?" Ruki asked quietly, "You were with us the whole time."
"No, I wasn't. Remember when I left the group for a little while and set out to search for Cyberdramon's Digiegg? Why do you think 'I' came back so quickly? He captured me then," Ryou whispered, "He used digital matter to- to create a copy of-of me. This clone was sent to destroy you guys. I couldn't do anything to stop him. All this time, all these years since you went back to the real world, the Ryou who was with you was the clone... and I was here."
Ruki stared at him, speechless with shock.
"The clone's name was Kai..."
***
"Okay, lemme get this straight," Miki said slowly, "You guys are all Tamers, except for you - she glanced at Kai - and you all have partner Digimon, once again except for you. - she shot another look at Kai and everyone else nodded - Okay, so two of you, no, wait, three of you have been captured by an evil Digimon and imprisoned in his castle? Oh, and two Digimon were captured too, and one became evil... And one of you is a clone of one of the three that were captured... All right, I'm confused here. 'How' did that-that Rei guy get captured again?"
"Ryou," Hirokazu corrected her, scowling at what was apparently the indignity of having Ryou's name spoken wrongly in his presence; now that he remembered what Ryou was really like, Hirokazu had once more reverted to fan boy mode, though not as much as before, and not nearly as much as Kenta, who was clamoring that they go and storm Shadowmagemon's castle to bust Ryou (completely forgetting Juri, Ruki, Renamon, and possibly Cyberdramon) outta there right 'now'.
"His Digimon..." Kai threw up his hands in exasperation, and turned to Takato, Jenrya, Hirokazu and Kenta, "I wasn't there when it happened, so I can't exactly tell her exactly what happened. You guys were, you explain."
All four boys sighed reluctantly.
"Momentai," Terriermon said soothingly, which didn't at all have the effect he desired.
"All right, I'll start," Takato offered, "I created Guilmon, a long time ago. - He pointed to the red dinosaur Digimon, who waved and said hello - I drew him, and then I got a blue card, then a D-Ark - He held up the device - And then he came. No wait, first I got the blue card, 'then' I drew him."
"Takato, that didn't make much sense," Jenrya reprimanded his friend, "What he means is, well, I suppose you know about the blue card and D-Ark part, since you've got one, but what Takato did... He drew Guilmon on a notepad, and slashed it through that slot you've got on your D-Ark. - At this Miki looked down and nodded as she ran her fingers over the slot - The digignomes - they're a type of digital creature that can, sort of, grant wishes or something - created Guilmon, and he came to the real world. I got Terriermon from a computer game, and Ruki got Renamon when she looked into the Digital World and was chosen as her partner."
"Ruki-san was one of the ones who was kidnapped, right?" Miki inquired, receiving a glare from Terriermon for interrupting his Tamer.
"That was rude, Jen," Terriermon remarked.
"Yes, Terriermon," Jenrya replied absently, "Yes, she was, anyway, Katou- san - that's the other girl who's missing - got a D-Ark sometime during the time when we were fighting the Devas - Oh, shoot, now we've got to explain all that..."
Everyone heaved a collective sigh, as Jenrya looked to the other Tamers for help, and together they all launched into an excruciatingly detailed account of their adventures in the real world and in the Digital World 4 years ago.
***
Quite a while later...
"And so Katou-san, Ruki and Ryou-san are in Shadowmagemon's castle right now, as well as Ruki's Digimon Renamon, and Ryou-san's Digimon Cyberdramon, who got, well, corrupted, and we've got to go and rescue them," Takato finished, as everyone else heaved a huge collective sigh of relief.
"Uh, Takatomon? I'm hungry," Guilmon whined as his stomach growled and made all sorts of odd noises.
Takato threw up his hands and gave a half-grin in amused exasperation, "Aren't you always?"
"Tell that to my tummy," Guilmon protested, clutching the part of his body in question.
"You must be either very brave or very crazy," Silvemon told the Tamers, "Shadowmagemon is one of the most powerful Digimon that ever existed; some say he used to be the leader of the sovereigns, the guardian of the border between the worlds, and he was the one who created the digignomes from his own Digicores. He certainly is older than any of us, and there is a possibility that he is even stronger than the sovereigns themselves put together."
"Great, just what we needed," Hirokazu said sarcastically, "More rabid sovereigns."
"Hirokazu!" Takato, Jenrya and Kenta all rebuked him loudly at the same time.
Miki just chuckled and Terriermon called out, "You said it, Hiro!"
"Well, guess we're crazy, then," Kai grinned, addressing Silvemon, "Whatever happens, I-I mean, we- are going to get Jur-I mean, Ryou, Ruki, Katou-san and the Digimon outta there."
The blue-eyed boy had somehow turned a violent shade of scarlet. Hirokazu whistled.
"If I hadn't known better, I would've sworn Kai's face just turned into a setting sun."
"Shut up, toothpick."
"Don't call me that!"
"I'll call you what I want to call you!"
"Stop mimicking Ruki!"
"Stop insulting me!"
"WILL YOU GUYS CAN IT?!" Jenrya roared; instantly, silence fell, "Thank you."
He quietly sat down, ignoring the fact that everyone was staring at him as though he'd just grown three extra heads.
"Wow," Kenta was looking at the blue-haired boy in awe, "Didn't know you had it in you, Jenrya."
"Oh, shut up," Jenrya retorted good-naturedly.
***
"Ryou. You've been here for the last four years?!" Ruki whispered, staring at the boy slumped in his chains beside her.
She couldn't even begin to, and didn't want to, imagine what it was like, being locked up in this horrid castle with that-that 'thing' that was sitting before them. Ruki looked at Ryou's limp form, broken by such long confinement; she knew he was a wanderer, and couldn't bear to be locked up.
'It must've been hell for him,' she realized, with a strange fleeting feeling that went as quickly as it came, 'What was that? Never mind... I have a feeling I don't want to know...'
Ryou didn't reply; he must've known she wasn't expecting an answer. Ruki had to admit that he was worthy of admiration; though his situation had been hopeless as could be, he hadn't given up, and still defied his captor. And yet... there was something gone in him now.
Ruki tore her violet eyes from the Tamer beside her; it made her feel... so... angry. What right had anyone to do this to someone? Moreover, to do such a thing to one of her friends? And yes, she was forced to admit that Ryou was her friend. Why else would she react so strongly at seeing him hurt like this? Her roving gaze landed on the dark form of Shadowmagemon, still hunched over something on the low stone table in the corner of the room. Ruki's slender hands curled into fists and her bright eyes flamed with hatred as she looked between him and Ryou. In that moment the tawny- haired girl knew only one thing.
'He will pay for what he did.'
***
Just then Shadowmagemon rose gracefully to his feet and turned his darkened face towards his prisoners. Ruki and Ryou stiffened beneath his invisible gaze and both glared back defiantly as the unnaturally tall creature, his head brushing the ceiling, gave a soft, cruel chuckle.
"I think I will give you two some 'alone' time. Isn't that kind of me?" his hidden features twisted into a none-too-pleasant smile, "However, I would not advise trying to escape from this room. Not unless you wish to be blasted into oblivion by NeoCyberdramon's Annihilation Flare."
Shadowmagemon's smile widened as Ryou let out a snarl. Ruki was muttering a string of curses under her breath. How in the world were they going to get out of there?! The Dark Prince turned and was about to leave the room when he turned back, smiling cruelly at Ruki.
"And perhaps I should inform you that your little vixen will be joining NeoCyberdramon shortly," Shadowmagemon chuckled delightedly again, "Oh, you human weaklings are 'so' entertaining. Sayonara, my distinguished 'guests'."
And he swept out the door, still laughing, his black robes billowing behind him.
"Cyberdramon..." Ruki heard Ryou growl under his breath.
"NeoCyberdramon's-" Ruki's eyes widened, 'No, it can't be.'
"What Cyberdramon is now," the blue-eyed Tamer beside her sighed, "He's controlled by Shadowmagemon now... AND THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT!!!!"
Ruki instinctively shied away from him, startled by his sudden and very violent outburst. Ryou was panting as he recommenced struggling against his chains, rivulets of blood coursing down his thin arms.
"Renamon, no," Ruki whispered, hanging her head.
Suddenly a flash of Renamon's voice went through her head and she smiled slightly, "Yeah, I know those chains're strong. Ryou here's been trying to bust his way out of them since, well, since before we got here. Just keep on trying."
"Ryou, stop it," Ruki said suddenly, "You'll only hurt yourself that way. We've got to find a way to destroy these chains, or to unlock them. If only one of the Digimon..."
Ryou raised his spiky head and smiled weakly at her, "Never mind escape. I'm doing this to pass the time."
This sentence caused Ruki to stare worriedly at him for a moment as he resumed his damaging exercise, then suddenly sounds from her other side made her turn around. Juri was stirring slightly, her eyelids fluttering as she struggled back to awareness.
***
Meanwhile, in the underground dungeon, the other Tamers and their Digimon were trying to find a way to escape from what had become their prison, and to formulate a plan to somehow rescue their three comrades and their two Digimon from Shadowmagemon's castle.
"We'll have to travel far, I'm afraid," Kai sighed, "And we can't use the data streams to save time, though I wish we could. They're notoriously unpredictable and you could end up anywhere."
"We kind of noticed," Takato said dryly.
"So where is this castle?" Jenrya asked, always the practical one.
"Well, according to what I remember, it's somewhere that can't be reached by ordinary means," Kai replied, suddenly looking even more unhappy, "The only way to enter the Shadow Realm is through a portal that changes locations every day, and to enter the portal, you have to find the Key, which is said to be disguised and very well guarded."
"You've remembered correctly, then," Silvemon nodded, confirming Kai's uncertain words.
"Great!" Hirokazu yelled, "And what's the bad news?"
Kai smiled slightly, then his face grew somber, "The Dark Prince's castle is extremely well guarded, and very vast. Rumor has it that he has invisible servants, mutated types of Digimon, floating all about the Shadow Realm, ready to devour anyone that dares to enter that place."
"Well, isn't it just the paradise vacation I wanted?" Miki remarked, "We have to find a portal that changes places all the time, 'after' we find a Key that's guarded 'and' disguised, and 'then' we have to go to the Shadow Realm, fight our way through invisible monsters and hordes of Digimon, while looking for our friends in a castle that could hide a small country, and 'then' we'd probably have to face Shadowmagemon himself. Piece of cake!"
"Momentai," Terriermon agreed from his position on Jenrya's head.
"Um, guys?" Kenta ventured nervously, "Maybe we should get out of here before we discuss that."
"And before Guilmon gets so hungry he eats us all," Terriermon put in, eyeing the restless red dinosaur a tad anxiously.
"Okay, then... What should we do?" Takato asked everyone.
"Well, assuming that that hole in the castle floor we fell down hasn't been sealed off yet..." Jenrya mused, "If we all climb on Guardromon, maybe we can just fly up and out."
"It's worth a try," Kai agreed.
"Uh-huh," Miki and Hirokazu said at the same time.
Kenta shot them a sulky look. Saying things at the same time as Hirokazu was supposed to be 'his' job. Jenrya, spotting the spectacled boy's discomfort, grinned and patted him on the shoulder, which of course only served to make Kenta angrier.
"Think you can carry this lot, Guardromon?" Hirokazu asked his partner, grinning.
"I don't know," Guardromon scratched his head with a brown metallic finger, "As gluttonous as those two are... - he glanced discreetly at Terriermon and Guilmon - Maybe we should get to where we fell, first."
All of them walked out of the torchlight into the darkness whence they'd come, and Silvemon's soft glow served to let them see a little better. Soon Kenta had discovered a small point of light above their heads. The rest craned their necks to get a better look at it.
"I'm surprised we were actually able to survive a fall of that height," Jenrya remarked as he examined the small light.
"Let's just be glad we did," Kai said into the gloom.
"C'mon, everyone, hop on Guardromon!" Hirokazu called from his place on his partner's shoulder.
"Get on my back, Miki," Silvemon told her Tamer.
"Um, okay," Miki replied, a little uncertainly.
But she placed her hands on Silvemon's back and vaulted lightly on. She'd taken some gymnastics when she was younger, due to her Mom's obsession with having a - what'd she call it again? - Oh yeah - perfect little lady. Miki snorted; in that matter her mother had been sorely disappointed. Well, Rai could have another kid at any time if she wanted to, judging from the amount of men and boys alike who constantly turned up wherever she went. Miki rolled her eyes as she made herself comfortable on Silvemon's furry back.
'Animal magnetism.'
When everyone was comfortably installed, Guardromon and Silvemon slowly rose towards the pinpoint of light above them. The combination of the hum of Guardromon's rockets and the soft swish of Silvemon's black wings was somehow soothing. Everyone relaxed somewhat, even Kenta, who was extremely afraid of heights. Suddenly Guardromon crashed into an invisible wall that sent waves of electricity crackling over his brown frame.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"
"Somebody do something!" Hirokazu yelled through gritted teeth as he was hit by the electric shocks, along with the rest of the children and Digimon Guardromon was carrying.
"Hiro. kazu . Can't." Guardromon was struggling to get the words out around the pain of the electric shocks that were short-circuiting him.
What he was trying to communicate, however, became apparent when his rockets suddenly died and Guardromon plummeted downwards into the darkness, taking his riders with him.
"This is so stupid, Silvemon, we've gotta do something!" Miki yelled as she watched the others fall.
Silvemon folded up her wings, readying herself for a dive, when suddenly Hirokazu's voice rang out in the pitch black of the hole, "Card Slash! White Wings!"
There was a flash of white light, and soon Guardromon came floating back up slowly towards Miki and Silvemon, having sprouted six glowing white wings from his back.
Hirokazu was handing a card back to Takato, "Thanks, chumley. For a moment there I thought we were going to end up flattened on that stone floor."
"No problem," Takato smiled as he pocketed the card, "But that invisible wall."
"Silvemon?" Miki inquired, "What are we going to- "Lightning Scythe!" - Oh, okay, then."
Her partner had just slashed her tail through the invisible wall, which had gone up in a flash of ghostly purple, and soon everyone was standing on the edge of the large hole in the ground in the torchlit corridor of castle.
"Wow," Miki breathed, admiring the high vaulted ceiling, "Nice castle you've got here."
"It's not our castle," Hirokazu said irritably, "I think I'm gonna start getting tired of these torches pretty soon."
"Let's get going, shall we?" Jenrya interrupted.
"Um, how do we get out of here?" Takato asked.
The rest were silent.
"You 'don't' mean we're lost?" Miki said incredulously.
No answer came.
***
Shadowmagemon sat at the high throne of the Council Chamber in his castle, looking over his five most high-ranked servants. More lurked in the shadows at the side, but he paid them no heed. At a motion of his clawed hand, one of the five, a tall black one that looked somewhat like a velociraptor with curly spikes and silver plated armor all over it, moving with easy, predatory grace, stepped forward, bowing and then raising his pale blue slit-pupil gaze towards the Dark Prince.
"What tidings from the South, Feragmamon?" Shadowmagemon asked the Perfect casually, twirling a small poisoned throwing dart in his long fingers.
"I've finally managed to learn some things about the Golden Tetrahedron," Feragmamon informed him calmly, "It is linked to one of the Chosen Children, who call themselves the Tamers, but I am not certain which."
"Excellent," Shadowmagemon nodded, "I wish for you to continue your gathering of information in the south. See if you can learn more about the Chosen Child whom the Tetrahedron is linked to."
"Yes, Master," Feragmamon bowed and backed up to join his fellows.
"As for the rest of you," Shadowmagemon ordered, "I will give you the task of hunting down the Chosen Children and their Digimon. Do not harm the Tamers, but weaken their Digimon as much as you can and bring them back to me, along with their human partners, or destroy them if they are too weak. And eliminate the one who has no Digimon. I have no further use for him."
The four others bowed, and as they all exited the Chamber Shadowmagemon smiled to himself, 'Chosen Children, coming here once again will be your doom.'
***
~Whoa! The Tamers are in trouble! And what's this Golden Tetrahedron Shadowmagemon and his subordinate were talking about? Who is it linked to? What will happen to Renamon and the prisoners? Find out in the next chapter of Shadow Realms! So how was this chapter? The plot thickens! I know I've only got one Digimon fight so far, but be patient while I try to learn how to play the damned card game! (I have no idea how to play it) I don't know what I was thinking when I put Miki down as a good card player, jeez, can someone help me out here? I don't know how to play the Digimon card game! Okay, well, thanks to all the wonderful people who reviewed my story, hope you guys liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks!~
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The Shadow Realms: Part VI - The Golden Tetrahedron
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"Hey, Ruki-san," Ryou looked terrible; his spiky dull brown hair was falling in messy locks into his face, there were deep shadows under his sky- blue eyes, which were sad and listless, and he was so thin and pale he looked like a ghost, "Fancy seeing you here."
His easy grin was still intact, though looking very worn. Ruki was too shocked by his appearance to reply. Ryou looked so much older, and much of him, especially his wrists and ankles, which were weighed down with heavy rusting metal shackles, was covered in blood.
"R-Ryou!" Ruki finally managed to gasp out, "W-what happened to you?"
Ryou's handsome face abruptly darkened; he suddenly looked almost as menacing as his partner Digimon Cyberdramon, "Him."
That single word, spat out with such venom that Ruki trembled to hear it, expressed all that Ryou could not, did not want to say. It was accompanied by a contemptuous motion of the boy's chin towards the figure hunched over at the table before them.
Ruki looked more closely at that figure and suddenly felt cold, "Who is that?"
"Shadowmagemon," Ryou snarled, "The vilest, lowliest, darkest creature that ever soiled this plane of existence. He stole Cyberdramon's Digiegg and used it to trap me and imprison me here. Then he used his dark powers to-to corrupt Cyberdramon while he was still in his Digiegg."
Ruki noticed that he was struggling with the words, and that he was utterly dry-eyed, yet the pain that passed over his face was such that it was as if he'd cried out all his tears a long time ago, and had nothing left.
"But how could he have?" Ruki asked quietly, "You were with us the whole time."
"No, I wasn't. Remember when I left the group for a little while and set out to search for Cyberdramon's Digiegg? Why do you think 'I' came back so quickly? He captured me then," Ryou whispered, "He used digital matter to- to create a copy of-of me. This clone was sent to destroy you guys. I couldn't do anything to stop him. All this time, all these years since you went back to the real world, the Ryou who was with you was the clone... and I was here."
Ruki stared at him, speechless with shock.
"The clone's name was Kai..."
***
"Okay, lemme get this straight," Miki said slowly, "You guys are all Tamers, except for you - she glanced at Kai - and you all have partner Digimon, once again except for you. - she shot another look at Kai and everyone else nodded - Okay, so two of you, no, wait, three of you have been captured by an evil Digimon and imprisoned in his castle? Oh, and two Digimon were captured too, and one became evil... And one of you is a clone of one of the three that were captured... All right, I'm confused here. 'How' did that-that Rei guy get captured again?"
"Ryou," Hirokazu corrected her, scowling at what was apparently the indignity of having Ryou's name spoken wrongly in his presence; now that he remembered what Ryou was really like, Hirokazu had once more reverted to fan boy mode, though not as much as before, and not nearly as much as Kenta, who was clamoring that they go and storm Shadowmagemon's castle to bust Ryou (completely forgetting Juri, Ruki, Renamon, and possibly Cyberdramon) outta there right 'now'.
"His Digimon..." Kai threw up his hands in exasperation, and turned to Takato, Jenrya, Hirokazu and Kenta, "I wasn't there when it happened, so I can't exactly tell her exactly what happened. You guys were, you explain."
All four boys sighed reluctantly.
"Momentai," Terriermon said soothingly, which didn't at all have the effect he desired.
"All right, I'll start," Takato offered, "I created Guilmon, a long time ago. - He pointed to the red dinosaur Digimon, who waved and said hello - I drew him, and then I got a blue card, then a D-Ark - He held up the device - And then he came. No wait, first I got the blue card, 'then' I drew him."
"Takato, that didn't make much sense," Jenrya reprimanded his friend, "What he means is, well, I suppose you know about the blue card and D-Ark part, since you've got one, but what Takato did... He drew Guilmon on a notepad, and slashed it through that slot you've got on your D-Ark. - At this Miki looked down and nodded as she ran her fingers over the slot - The digignomes - they're a type of digital creature that can, sort of, grant wishes or something - created Guilmon, and he came to the real world. I got Terriermon from a computer game, and Ruki got Renamon when she looked into the Digital World and was chosen as her partner."
"Ruki-san was one of the ones who was kidnapped, right?" Miki inquired, receiving a glare from Terriermon for interrupting his Tamer.
"That was rude, Jen," Terriermon remarked.
"Yes, Terriermon," Jenrya replied absently, "Yes, she was, anyway, Katou- san - that's the other girl who's missing - got a D-Ark sometime during the time when we were fighting the Devas - Oh, shoot, now we've got to explain all that..."
Everyone heaved a collective sigh, as Jenrya looked to the other Tamers for help, and together they all launched into an excruciatingly detailed account of their adventures in the real world and in the Digital World 4 years ago.
***
Quite a while later...
"And so Katou-san, Ruki and Ryou-san are in Shadowmagemon's castle right now, as well as Ruki's Digimon Renamon, and Ryou-san's Digimon Cyberdramon, who got, well, corrupted, and we've got to go and rescue them," Takato finished, as everyone else heaved a huge collective sigh of relief.
"Uh, Takatomon? I'm hungry," Guilmon whined as his stomach growled and made all sorts of odd noises.
Takato threw up his hands and gave a half-grin in amused exasperation, "Aren't you always?"
"Tell that to my tummy," Guilmon protested, clutching the part of his body in question.
"You must be either very brave or very crazy," Silvemon told the Tamers, "Shadowmagemon is one of the most powerful Digimon that ever existed; some say he used to be the leader of the sovereigns, the guardian of the border between the worlds, and he was the one who created the digignomes from his own Digicores. He certainly is older than any of us, and there is a possibility that he is even stronger than the sovereigns themselves put together."
"Great, just what we needed," Hirokazu said sarcastically, "More rabid sovereigns."
"Hirokazu!" Takato, Jenrya and Kenta all rebuked him loudly at the same time.
Miki just chuckled and Terriermon called out, "You said it, Hiro!"
"Well, guess we're crazy, then," Kai grinned, addressing Silvemon, "Whatever happens, I-I mean, we- are going to get Jur-I mean, Ryou, Ruki, Katou-san and the Digimon outta there."
The blue-eyed boy had somehow turned a violent shade of scarlet. Hirokazu whistled.
"If I hadn't known better, I would've sworn Kai's face just turned into a setting sun."
"Shut up, toothpick."
"Don't call me that!"
"I'll call you what I want to call you!"
"Stop mimicking Ruki!"
"Stop insulting me!"
"WILL YOU GUYS CAN IT?!" Jenrya roared; instantly, silence fell, "Thank you."
He quietly sat down, ignoring the fact that everyone was staring at him as though he'd just grown three extra heads.
"Wow," Kenta was looking at the blue-haired boy in awe, "Didn't know you had it in you, Jenrya."
"Oh, shut up," Jenrya retorted good-naturedly.
***
"Ryou. You've been here for the last four years?!" Ruki whispered, staring at the boy slumped in his chains beside her.
She couldn't even begin to, and didn't want to, imagine what it was like, being locked up in this horrid castle with that-that 'thing' that was sitting before them. Ruki looked at Ryou's limp form, broken by such long confinement; she knew he was a wanderer, and couldn't bear to be locked up.
'It must've been hell for him,' she realized, with a strange fleeting feeling that went as quickly as it came, 'What was that? Never mind... I have a feeling I don't want to know...'
Ryou didn't reply; he must've known she wasn't expecting an answer. Ruki had to admit that he was worthy of admiration; though his situation had been hopeless as could be, he hadn't given up, and still defied his captor. And yet... there was something gone in him now.
Ruki tore her violet eyes from the Tamer beside her; it made her feel... so... angry. What right had anyone to do this to someone? Moreover, to do such a thing to one of her friends? And yes, she was forced to admit that Ryou was her friend. Why else would she react so strongly at seeing him hurt like this? Her roving gaze landed on the dark form of Shadowmagemon, still hunched over something on the low stone table in the corner of the room. Ruki's slender hands curled into fists and her bright eyes flamed with hatred as she looked between him and Ryou. In that moment the tawny- haired girl knew only one thing.
'He will pay for what he did.'
***
Just then Shadowmagemon rose gracefully to his feet and turned his darkened face towards his prisoners. Ruki and Ryou stiffened beneath his invisible gaze and both glared back defiantly as the unnaturally tall creature, his head brushing the ceiling, gave a soft, cruel chuckle.
"I think I will give you two some 'alone' time. Isn't that kind of me?" his hidden features twisted into a none-too-pleasant smile, "However, I would not advise trying to escape from this room. Not unless you wish to be blasted into oblivion by NeoCyberdramon's Annihilation Flare."
Shadowmagemon's smile widened as Ryou let out a snarl. Ruki was muttering a string of curses under her breath. How in the world were they going to get out of there?! The Dark Prince turned and was about to leave the room when he turned back, smiling cruelly at Ruki.
"And perhaps I should inform you that your little vixen will be joining NeoCyberdramon shortly," Shadowmagemon chuckled delightedly again, "Oh, you human weaklings are 'so' entertaining. Sayonara, my distinguished 'guests'."
And he swept out the door, still laughing, his black robes billowing behind him.
"Cyberdramon..." Ruki heard Ryou growl under his breath.
"NeoCyberdramon's-" Ruki's eyes widened, 'No, it can't be.'
"What Cyberdramon is now," the blue-eyed Tamer beside her sighed, "He's controlled by Shadowmagemon now... AND THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT!!!!"
Ruki instinctively shied away from him, startled by his sudden and very violent outburst. Ryou was panting as he recommenced struggling against his chains, rivulets of blood coursing down his thin arms.
"Renamon, no," Ruki whispered, hanging her head.
Suddenly a flash of Renamon's voice went through her head and she smiled slightly, "Yeah, I know those chains're strong. Ryou here's been trying to bust his way out of them since, well, since before we got here. Just keep on trying."
"Ryou, stop it," Ruki said suddenly, "You'll only hurt yourself that way. We've got to find a way to destroy these chains, or to unlock them. If only one of the Digimon..."
Ryou raised his spiky head and smiled weakly at her, "Never mind escape. I'm doing this to pass the time."
This sentence caused Ruki to stare worriedly at him for a moment as he resumed his damaging exercise, then suddenly sounds from her other side made her turn around. Juri was stirring slightly, her eyelids fluttering as she struggled back to awareness.
***
Meanwhile, in the underground dungeon, the other Tamers and their Digimon were trying to find a way to escape from what had become their prison, and to formulate a plan to somehow rescue their three comrades and their two Digimon from Shadowmagemon's castle.
"We'll have to travel far, I'm afraid," Kai sighed, "And we can't use the data streams to save time, though I wish we could. They're notoriously unpredictable and you could end up anywhere."
"We kind of noticed," Takato said dryly.
"So where is this castle?" Jenrya asked, always the practical one.
"Well, according to what I remember, it's somewhere that can't be reached by ordinary means," Kai replied, suddenly looking even more unhappy, "The only way to enter the Shadow Realm is through a portal that changes locations every day, and to enter the portal, you have to find the Key, which is said to be disguised and very well guarded."
"You've remembered correctly, then," Silvemon nodded, confirming Kai's uncertain words.
"Great!" Hirokazu yelled, "And what's the bad news?"
Kai smiled slightly, then his face grew somber, "The Dark Prince's castle is extremely well guarded, and very vast. Rumor has it that he has invisible servants, mutated types of Digimon, floating all about the Shadow Realm, ready to devour anyone that dares to enter that place."
"Well, isn't it just the paradise vacation I wanted?" Miki remarked, "We have to find a portal that changes places all the time, 'after' we find a Key that's guarded 'and' disguised, and 'then' we have to go to the Shadow Realm, fight our way through invisible monsters and hordes of Digimon, while looking for our friends in a castle that could hide a small country, and 'then' we'd probably have to face Shadowmagemon himself. Piece of cake!"
"Momentai," Terriermon agreed from his position on Jenrya's head.
"Um, guys?" Kenta ventured nervously, "Maybe we should get out of here before we discuss that."
"And before Guilmon gets so hungry he eats us all," Terriermon put in, eyeing the restless red dinosaur a tad anxiously.
"Okay, then... What should we do?" Takato asked everyone.
"Well, assuming that that hole in the castle floor we fell down hasn't been sealed off yet..." Jenrya mused, "If we all climb on Guardromon, maybe we can just fly up and out."
"It's worth a try," Kai agreed.
"Uh-huh," Miki and Hirokazu said at the same time.
Kenta shot them a sulky look. Saying things at the same time as Hirokazu was supposed to be 'his' job. Jenrya, spotting the spectacled boy's discomfort, grinned and patted him on the shoulder, which of course only served to make Kenta angrier.
"Think you can carry this lot, Guardromon?" Hirokazu asked his partner, grinning.
"I don't know," Guardromon scratched his head with a brown metallic finger, "As gluttonous as those two are... - he glanced discreetly at Terriermon and Guilmon - Maybe we should get to where we fell, first."
All of them walked out of the torchlight into the darkness whence they'd come, and Silvemon's soft glow served to let them see a little better. Soon Kenta had discovered a small point of light above their heads. The rest craned their necks to get a better look at it.
"I'm surprised we were actually able to survive a fall of that height," Jenrya remarked as he examined the small light.
"Let's just be glad we did," Kai said into the gloom.
"C'mon, everyone, hop on Guardromon!" Hirokazu called from his place on his partner's shoulder.
"Get on my back, Miki," Silvemon told her Tamer.
"Um, okay," Miki replied, a little uncertainly.
But she placed her hands on Silvemon's back and vaulted lightly on. She'd taken some gymnastics when she was younger, due to her Mom's obsession with having a - what'd she call it again? - Oh yeah - perfect little lady. Miki snorted; in that matter her mother had been sorely disappointed. Well, Rai could have another kid at any time if she wanted to, judging from the amount of men and boys alike who constantly turned up wherever she went. Miki rolled her eyes as she made herself comfortable on Silvemon's furry back.
'Animal magnetism.'
When everyone was comfortably installed, Guardromon and Silvemon slowly rose towards the pinpoint of light above them. The combination of the hum of Guardromon's rockets and the soft swish of Silvemon's black wings was somehow soothing. Everyone relaxed somewhat, even Kenta, who was extremely afraid of heights. Suddenly Guardromon crashed into an invisible wall that sent waves of electricity crackling over his brown frame.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"
"Somebody do something!" Hirokazu yelled through gritted teeth as he was hit by the electric shocks, along with the rest of the children and Digimon Guardromon was carrying.
"Hiro. kazu . Can't." Guardromon was struggling to get the words out around the pain of the electric shocks that were short-circuiting him.
What he was trying to communicate, however, became apparent when his rockets suddenly died and Guardromon plummeted downwards into the darkness, taking his riders with him.
"This is so stupid, Silvemon, we've gotta do something!" Miki yelled as she watched the others fall.
Silvemon folded up her wings, readying herself for a dive, when suddenly Hirokazu's voice rang out in the pitch black of the hole, "Card Slash! White Wings!"
There was a flash of white light, and soon Guardromon came floating back up slowly towards Miki and Silvemon, having sprouted six glowing white wings from his back.
Hirokazu was handing a card back to Takato, "Thanks, chumley. For a moment there I thought we were going to end up flattened on that stone floor."
"No problem," Takato smiled as he pocketed the card, "But that invisible wall."
"Silvemon?" Miki inquired, "What are we going to- "Lightning Scythe!" - Oh, okay, then."
Her partner had just slashed her tail through the invisible wall, which had gone up in a flash of ghostly purple, and soon everyone was standing on the edge of the large hole in the ground in the torchlit corridor of castle.
"Wow," Miki breathed, admiring the high vaulted ceiling, "Nice castle you've got here."
"It's not our castle," Hirokazu said irritably, "I think I'm gonna start getting tired of these torches pretty soon."
"Let's get going, shall we?" Jenrya interrupted.
"Um, how do we get out of here?" Takato asked.
The rest were silent.
"You 'don't' mean we're lost?" Miki said incredulously.
No answer came.
***
Shadowmagemon sat at the high throne of the Council Chamber in his castle, looking over his five most high-ranked servants. More lurked in the shadows at the side, but he paid them no heed. At a motion of his clawed hand, one of the five, a tall black one that looked somewhat like a velociraptor with curly spikes and silver plated armor all over it, moving with easy, predatory grace, stepped forward, bowing and then raising his pale blue slit-pupil gaze towards the Dark Prince.
"What tidings from the South, Feragmamon?" Shadowmagemon asked the Perfect casually, twirling a small poisoned throwing dart in his long fingers.
"I've finally managed to learn some things about the Golden Tetrahedron," Feragmamon informed him calmly, "It is linked to one of the Chosen Children, who call themselves the Tamers, but I am not certain which."
"Excellent," Shadowmagemon nodded, "I wish for you to continue your gathering of information in the south. See if you can learn more about the Chosen Child whom the Tetrahedron is linked to."
"Yes, Master," Feragmamon bowed and backed up to join his fellows.
"As for the rest of you," Shadowmagemon ordered, "I will give you the task of hunting down the Chosen Children and their Digimon. Do not harm the Tamers, but weaken their Digimon as much as you can and bring them back to me, along with their human partners, or destroy them if they are too weak. And eliminate the one who has no Digimon. I have no further use for him."
The four others bowed, and as they all exited the Chamber Shadowmagemon smiled to himself, 'Chosen Children, coming here once again will be your doom.'
***
~Whoa! The Tamers are in trouble! And what's this Golden Tetrahedron Shadowmagemon and his subordinate were talking about? Who is it linked to? What will happen to Renamon and the prisoners? Find out in the next chapter of Shadow Realms! So how was this chapter? The plot thickens! I know I've only got one Digimon fight so far, but be patient while I try to learn how to play the damned card game! (I have no idea how to play it) I don't know what I was thinking when I put Miki down as a good card player, jeez, can someone help me out here? I don't know how to play the Digimon card game! Okay, well, thanks to all the wonderful people who reviewed my story, hope you guys liked this chapter! Please review! Thanks!~