Anne awoke with a start. She thought she heard something yelling from far off. Qidamon saw this, too.

"Wha? What happened?" mumbled Jonathan. He was apparently roused, but still half-asleep.

"Sounded like something yelling," replied Anne, now feeling wide-awake.

"It was," said Qidamon solemnly, dread in her usual light, airy voice. "The balance is bending so far out of contortion. If we're not careful, we'll have the apocalypse staring us right in the face."

"Oh. How typical," said Jonathan dryly. "I thought balances were made to be broken?"

"No. The balance is never broken, just bent. Any time darkness is defeated in any shape or form, the balance bends in favor of light."

"Let me guess. Vice versa?"

"Quite. But not only is it bent out of shape, if either side grows too strong, their power multiplies dangerously. This is why the death of the guardians was so important…we're not just losing an important Digimon, but darkness is also gaining two, three times the power as well."

Anne was the first to realize what this meant and shot up. "Wait, are you saying that PetitDracomon has been getting even more and more powerful than he would've if he'd just killed any Digimon as strong as the guardians?!"

"Yes. The balance is bending in his favor. Which most likely means he has evolved to his Mega form."

"Oh God," said another voice behind them. Matt had apparently been listening.

"You must leave immediately," Qidamon continued. "Otherwise, Dracomon will seek you out first."

"Dracomon…?"

"PetitDracomon. I told you, he has evolved. Go. But I must warn you…many deceptions will lie ahead of you. I bid you good luck."

~:~:~

Dracomon glided down the corridor with silent wings. He hadn't noticed how wide the halls were last time he was here. Perhaps he was too distracted at the time. He growled, remembering the woman's disrespect. Now look at him. He quietly assured himself if he ever encountered her again, he would give her his gratitude. If this "master" would approve. Perhaps he should ask "it"—which reminded him suddenly of why he was here.

He reached the stone, circular room with the broken skylight. Except it wasn't broken anymore. He landed softly, folding his still bladed wings as he glanced around the chamber. Yes, this room had definitely expanded since his last visit. Yet he knew it was the exact same place. How extraordinary.

Bigger than you thought, hm?

He knew at once what the voice belonged to as he focused on the swirling black mist in front of him. "What have you called me for?"

For the same reason as last time. Only slightly different.

"I need details."

Ah, yes. This time, I offer that we band together. As equals this time.

"And as equals the last time."

No, wait, what I said was an understatement. I have seen the balance. You are, of course, much stronger than me.

"Yet I cannot harm you unless you have a solid form. Get on with it."

Yes, yes, I suppose… This time, though, I have my mind set on such larger things than the humans' destruction. Whatever happened to world dominance? That way, we can quite possibly make much more use of the creatures.

"I note how you say 'we'."

Why shouldn't I?

"I have not made any deal."

He thought he heard a cold laugh. Clever. Very clever. But think of it. It won't take long for me to take a solid form. After that, we can be partners, you at the front, being so much more powerful than I.

It did seem tempting. "Where is your little friend?"

Jacquelyn? Tell you what, I don't know. I haven't been receiving response from the communicator. Well, wherever she is, I no longer have use for her. She is a mere mortal.

"I quite agree."

So, do we have a deal?

He mulled things over in his mind. Then…

"Yes."

Good, good, very good.

"How long will it take for you to solidify?"

Not long. Of course, I will most likely need your help.

"What d'you mean?"

What I mean, my lad, is that my solidification doesn't happen naturally. Once the balance is in the correct proportions, someone will have to recite an incantation. Only then will it work. I do hope that someone will be you, my dear friend.

Its last word hung in the air for a few moments. A silence filled the air. Then Dracomon decided to risk a question. "Tell me…are you digital or not?"

Another cold laugh. Time will tell. Right now I am Cyber. This very estate exists in the Cyber. Only the interior, though, of course. Any passageway outside leads directly to the Digital World or the Real World.

He knew that the Cyber was the state of existence between both worlds. Neither Digital, nor Real, the Cyber was a highly dangerous place where most new data was created. It also served as a shortcut to the Real World from the Digital World and vice versa…but more about that later.

~:~:~

"Tell me AGAIN what's going on?" said Kyomon for about the umpteenth time in a row.

"We have to find this Dracomon and put him out of commission," snapped Shedramon, rather irritated by this time. "Will you please mind shutting up?!"

Anne, however, was too preoccupied to listen to the heated argument that followed. Qidamon had said that many deceptions lay ahead, but what did that mean? I mean, they should've been the last ones to say anything about deceptions—

WHACK.

Something had smacked her in the back of the head, sending her flying into the foothill ahead. It was Kyomon. Apparently Shedramon had gotten a bit TOO annoyed and had thrown him, though probably not directly at Anne. She growled, shoved a dazed Kyomon off her, waved a repeatedly apologizing Shedramon off, and got up. Jonathan was trying his hardest not to laugh and Matt had given up ages ago. Anne glared at them both. They were entering some sort of a jungle, it appeared. She sighed and continued on. But not five minutes later she'd stumbled on another foothill and tumbled down it. It was a lot steeper than the other one. She growled and cursed under her breath.

Then she turned over.