Fire and Ice
Fear
By the Empress of the Eclipse

Disclaimer - I don't own Digimon.

Matt opened his eyes and for a few moments, was completely confused about the fact that he still couldn't see anything. Then he remembered why.
Reaching out, he tried to find Sora or Gabumon in the darkness. He hated this, he hated the feelings of panic that swept over him every time he remembered that he was blind.
"Sora?" he whispered.
A hand closed over his.
"Sora," Matt whispered.
"Actually no."
Matt froze. He opened his mouth to scream but suddenly all he could do was helplessly cough. His lungs were on fire, he thought he was going to cough them out.
"Maybe you shouldn't have separated from your friends?" Helmon's silky voice whispered to him in the blackness "Perhaps if they were here, they could help you. Instead of Love, who's completely fast asleep."
Matt struggled to pull away from Helmon's hand, trying to stop his coughs and choke down his own fear. Reaching out with his free hand, he punched blindly, trying to break away. A feeling of incredible weakness swept over him and his arm dropped.
"Oh dear. Tired are you?"
"Let...me...go!" Matt gasped out.
"Don't be so silly."
Matt closed his eyes, even though it made little difference. He was going to die alone in the dark and Sora would wake in the morning to find his body on the floor. If Helmon even left a body. He was going to die without ever saying a proper goodbye to TK or Tai...
Even thinking Tai's name was enough to send a wave of despair through him that sapped his small amount of remaining strength. With a pitiful moan, he sank down the wall. He heard Helmon laugh softly and knew he was beaten.
* * * *
Tai sat awake by the fire, poking it gently with a stick. He couldn't sleep. His nerves were jangling.
'You have to go. Something's wrong. Something's going to happen. Something bad's going to happen. Something bad's going to happen!'
"Stop it!" Tai hissed, shaking his head.
Scrambling up, he walked over to Kari to check her first. Her head was pillowed on her arm, Gatomon snuggled under her other arm. She was clearly fine. Tai walked over to TK next. TK appeared fine too, his breathing deep and even. He could hear Davis's snores from all the way over where he was standing but walked over anyway. He couldn't help noticing that Ken had spooned up to Davis while he was asleep, his head pillowed on Davis's shoulder, one arm draped over Davis's body. Tai blinked, slightly startled by that. Then he shrugged and slowly walked round, checking each person. They all appeared fine, curled up with their Digimon, sound asleep. Even Agumon was fast asleep, looking quite happy.
So why was he so jumpy?
Tai sat down by the fire, drawing up his knees and staring pensively at the flames. What was wrong with him? Why did he feel so bad?
'Maybe you're thinking about Matt...'
Tai shook his head obstinately. He wouldn't think about Matt, he wouldn't. What had happened wasn't his fault! It wasn't!
He could almost hear someone laughing at him.
'Who're you trying to kid Yagami?'
Tai swallowed and shook his head again. He WOULDN'T think about this!
A rustling noise made him jump. He groaned softly. This was stupid. He had to relax instead of leaping around like a rabbit.
"Tai?"
He looked over. Iori was giving him a sleepy stare.
"Did I wake you?" Tai asked.
"Were you making that funny noise?"
"What funny noise?"
"The slithery one."
"No," Tai said "You must have imagined it. Go back to sleep."
Iori shook his head.
"I heard a slithery noise," he said insistently.
"You imagined it," Tai repeated. He wasn't in the mood for Iori's trade-mark stubbornness.
Iori ignored him. He stood up and glanced around him.
"There's something out there Tai," he whispered.
"Iori," Tai began, exasperated.
"You'd do well to listen to the little one," a soft voice hissed from nearby.
Tai slowly stood up, looking around.
"Who are you?" he asked "Where are you?"
"I'm over here."
The voice could have come from anywhere. Tai swallowed, struggling not to panic. Iori was looking scared too.
"Who are you?" he shouted.
Around them, the other Digidestined were stirring awake, alerted by Tai and Iori not even vaguely attempting to be quiet.
"I? I'm the World Serpent. I am the creature that even the Kraken fears. I'm one of your worst nightmares!"
"Stop trying to milk it and show yourself!" Davis yelled.
There was an explosion from the bushes. Tai barely even got a good look at whatever it was; just a glimpse of damp glittering scales and huge jaws. Then he heard Joe give a terrified shout and realised that the thing had grabbed him. But before he could even react, Kari screamed from behind him and Tai realised that Fenrirmon had put in another appearance.
"KARI!" he yelled, leaping at the wolf Digimon. Fenrirmon easily knocked him sideways. Gasping for air, Tai staggered up again, only to suddenly feel incredibly weak and need to sit down.
"Tai! What's wrong? Get up Tai!"
Izzy was frantically tugging at him arm. Tai pushed him away.
"Get Kari!" he gasped hoarsely "Save Kari!"
Izzy nodded quickly and moved away. Tai closed his eyes, fighting the strange feelings sweeping over him.
*Can't....keep...up...any more....*
Tai frowned. What was that...?
*What?*
*Tai?*
Before he could puzzle anything out, something struck him like a sledgehammer. With barely even a whimper, Tai went down.
* * * *
Sora opened her eyes from a series of increasingly uneasy dreams. She was instantly on her feet.
"YOU!"
Helmon turned an icy, triumphant gaze on her. One hand was closed round Matt's wrist. Sora couldn't tell if Matt was unconscious or dead. His face was bluish with an expression that would almost have broken her heart. He looked so lost... "Let Matt go!"
"Oh shut up."
Helmon held out her hand. Sora felt herself lifted up and slammed into the wall of the cave with almost enough force to knock her out. Staggering to her feet, she gripped her Digivice.
"Biyomon!"
Biyomon digivolved. Not for the first time, Sora thanks Azulomon for leaving them with the powers of his spheres or whatever they were. Having Garudamon there made her feel much safer.
Helmon gave her a contemptuous look.
"You think THAT can stop me?"
Sora gulped. She wasn't certain. She was all alone and they hadn't been able to defeat Helmon with a combined attack...
"Sora?" Matt croaked faintly "Sora?"
"It's okay Matt!" Sora called, keeping her voice strong "I promise you, it's okay!"
"Hurt..."
"I know. But we'll make it better!"
Helmon laughed and held up her hand again. Garudamon jumped into the air.
"Wing Blade!"
Helmon easily avoided the attack.
"Blue Blaster!" Gabumon shouted, trying to help. Sora rushed over to where Matt was huddled. His eyes were still closed and he lay floppy in her arms.
"Matt, come on!" she whispered "We need you! Come on!"
"I can't Sora..."
"You have to!"
"I...don't...Tai..."
"Tai's not here remember?" Sora said nervously.
Behind her, she heard Gabumon cry out in pain and winced.
"I know," Matt whispered "But I thought...heard him. Just now. Then it went dark..."
Sora shook him, desperate to keep him awake. "Matt help Gabumon Digivolve!" she shouted "You can do it Matt! We're your friends! You use our friendship! Think about TK! Think about everyone else! We're your friends!"
Matt's eyes opened. Even though Sora knew they couldn't see her, she turned Matt's face towards her.
"No friends...alone..."
"No!" Sora cried.
"Alone..."
Sora frowned. Every time after Helmon had attacked, Matt had been despondent, pessimistic. Maybe that was Helmon's influence?
"We're your friends Matt! Even Tai! And we won't desert you!"
She shook him.
"Ignore whatever Helmon's made you think! It's a lie! We're your friends!"
She tightened her grip on his wrists.
"We're. Your. Friends. Matt!"
"Sora...."
Matt shivered and suddenly went frighteningly limp in her arms. Sora heard Garudamon's shrill pained scream and looked around in time to see her Digimon de-digivolve down into Yokomon.
"NO!"
Helmon laughed.
"Move out of the way little girly," she ordered "Give me my prey. I've earned him, don't you think?"
"No!" Sora shouted "Matt's my friend and you could never earn him! I've promised to take care of him and that's what I'll do!"
She stood up and stood protectively in front of Matt, her fists clenched.
"What are you going to do? Fight me?"
"You bet! I could beat you easily!"
Sora was less confident than she sounded about that.
"You'll lose."
"But I'll still be protecting Matt! I'll die protecting him if I have to because that's what I promised to do!"
With a startling stab of bravery, she lashed out, catching Helmon across the face. Helmon stumbled backwards, slightly to Sora's surprise.
"Gabumon!"
Matt's yell made her jump. Then Gabumon digivolved to MetalGarurumon.
"I think you're busted lady!" he growled.
Sora darted over and scooped up Yokomon.
"Yoko? You feeling okay?"
"I'll live," the Digimon croaked, smiling "I feel stronger already."
"Maybe that's Matt," Sora suggested.
Matt had actually stood up. He was clutching the wall for support but his teeth were gritted and he was obviously determined to stay upright.
"You can't defeat me boy!" Helmon snarled but Sora noticed that she sounded less sure than before.
"Really?" she shouted challengingly "You aren't sounding quite so brave now! And nice bruise!"
Indeed, a red mark was raising on Helmon's cheek. Sora hadn't realised that she had quite such a strong punch.
"You are a pitiful child!" Helmon shouted "And so is he!"
She gestured at Matt. Matt obviously couldn't see it but he didn't seem to have to.
"I'm not pitiful!" he shouted "I am strong! I am! I can do this..."
"Who are you trying to kid?" Helmon enquired politely.
"Don't listen Matt!" Sora shouted "You're right! You are strong! Don't listen to this old Hag!"
"I am a God!" Helmon screamed.
"Yeah, right!" Sora snapped back "You're a Digimon with delusions, that's what you are!"
"You little..."
Helmon moved towards her. Sora gulped.
"Metal Wolf-Claw!" MetalGarurumon shouted. He threw Helmon backwards. Helmon stood up.
"I'll be back," she said very quietly.
Then she vanished.
Sora insanely ran to Matt and lowered him down. Matt leaned his head on her shoulder. He was trembling.
"Thanks Sora," he said. "Are you all right now?"
"I think so..." Matt said slowly "But..."
"But what?"
"Just...just give me a moment to think..."
Matt was frowning.
"She said she was a God," he said slowly.
"Yeah," Sora said "So? Like I said, delusions."
"No," Matt said "I'm not so sure..."
He struggled to remember what she'd said when he'd first come into contact with her.
'People no longer worship us in our own world...'
"She is a God," Matt whispered "Sora, she wasn't lying. She and the others...they're all Gods!"
Sora stared at him.
"What do you mean?"
Matt told her about the conversation he'd had when he'd first met Helmon. Sora listened in growing horror.
"But...but that must make them invincible!" she gasped.
"But they aren't!" Yokomon said "We defeated Helmon!"
"She was defeated, not destroyed," Sora said.
"We must be able to win," Tsunomon said "Otherwise you wouldn't have been called back here."
"We have to tell the others," Sora said "They don't know. We need to tell them and plan."
She looked at Yokomon.
"Yoko? Can you Digivolve into Birdramon? Then we'll be able to find them."
"I can try."
Matt reached out blindly. At first Sora was confused but then Tsunomon hopped into his arms and she understood.
"Sora," Matt said "I...I think something's happened to the others."
"What do you mean?" Sora asked puzzled.
"I...I don't know," Matt said slowly "Maybe it was just Helmon. But when she was holding me I felt...felt something. And I got the impression that something was happening. To the others. To Tai."
Sora frowned.
"Well, we won't know until we go," she said "Yokomon?"
"I think I can."
"Then let's go," Sora said firmly.
* * * *
"Tai? Tai! Tai, wake up!"
Tai didn't want to. His head hurt and it was so nice to be asleep, a nice deep sleep...
"Dammit Tai, wake up!"
Someone slapped his face.
"TAICHI!"
Tai moaned.
"Tai, please wake up! We need you!"
It seemed like his sleep was over. Tai's eyes flickered open slowly.
"Tai! Thank God!"
It was Davis.
"Davis?" Tai muttered "What's wrong?"
Davis was shivering. He carefully helped Tai sit up. But it was Iori who spoke.
"Joe's gone!" he wailed "That snake-thing took him! Joe's gone!"
Tai stared at him.
"The others? Kari!"
"She's here," Izzy said quietly.
Tai looked round. Izzy was holding Kari in his arms. She was grey and unconscious.
"Although for how much longer, I'm unsure," Izzy said "Tai. The antidote. Now."
Tai scrabbled in his pocket and handed it over.
"Does anyone remember how to apply it?" Davis asked.
Izzy nodded. Kari drank the few drops of antidote he gave her.
"Let's see how that works before giving her any more," Izzy said.
Tai looked around at the others. They all looked bumped and bruised and weak. Iori was looking especially miserable and was obviously worried about Joe. Gomamon was curled up quite silently near the fire. He was obviously very distressed at having been separated from Joe. Tai rubbed his head muzzily.
"What hit me?"
"Didn't see," Izzy said bluntly.
"How's Kari?"
Tai crawled over and knelt beside them.
"She should be okay I think," Izzy said.
"We'll have to wait until she is," Tai said.
"We can't WAIT!" Iori cried "We have to go after Joe!"
"I'm not going anywhere until my little sister is okay!" Tai yelled angrily.
"Stop it!" Mimi said "All this fighting makes my head hurt!"
Tai glowered at her. Mimi swallowed. Normally Sora or Kari made sure that everyone was sensible. Now she was going to have to.
"Okay," she said "Tai's right, Kari can't do anything while she's sick and someone has to take care of her. But Iori's right, we have to go after Joe."
"And how do you propose we do that?" Tai snapped "The thing that took him could be anywhere!"
"It's left an easily notable trail," Mimi pointed out, pointing at the crushed vegetation where the snake had been "We can follow that."
Tai grudgingly nodded.
"You have a good point," he said.
"I'll go!" Iori said instantly.
"I'll go with Iori," TK said.
"Izzy and I will stay with Kari," Tai said.
"I'll go with Iori and TK," Mimi said "We'll be fine on our own."
"I'll go with you!" Yolei said instantly.
"Okay," Mimi said "But no one else."
"I don't think we should split up," Ken muttered but no one heard him.
"See you guys soon I hope!" Izzy said "Make sure Joe is with you!"
Mimi, Yolei, Iori and TK set off along the trail with their Digimon and Gomamon. Ken watched them go silently.
"Ken?"
Ken looked at Davis.
"I wish they weren't going," he muttered "I have a bad feeling about it."
Davis touched his arm.
"They'll be fine," he said "We have to stay and look after Tai and Izzy."
Ken nodded but didn't look convinced. Obviously, the idea of splitting up again worried him. Davis squeezed his arm.
"Come on Ken," he said "Don't you crack up on me! I need you! Everyone else is going insane; I can't be the only normal person!"
Ken smiled at him. It was a rather weak smile but it was a smile none-the-less.
"Don't worry Davis," he said "I won't crack up."
"Well good," Davis said firmly.
For a second, the two just stared at each other. Then Ken sighed.
"Come on," he said "Let's go and get Tai away from Izzy. I think Izzy would like to look after Kari properly, without Tai fluttering over him.
Davis nodded and the two of them walked over to the huddled group beside the fire.
* * * *
Joe woke up feeling very groggy, slightly sick and feeling as though his head and arms were very, very heavy.
"Ow..."
"Awake I see?"
Joe opened his eyes, blinking dazedly.
Then he realised that he was hanging upside down from the ceiling.
"AHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHH!"
He began struggling and kicking but stopped very quickly as he realised that (a) the floor below him was a very, VERY long way away and (b) the floor below him consisted of very, VERY sharp rocks.
"Stop making that revolting noise," the strange voice hissed.
Joe twisted his aching head round to see the speaker. Then he screamed again.
One half of the cavern was filled with a very, VERY large snake. It was beautiful in an art gallery sort of way. It had glittering, iridescent green and golden scales with big red-purple eyes.
And very white teeth. Very long, sharp white teeth.
And it was about the size of a jumbo jet.
It took a great deal of self-control and a remembrance of a fear of looking stupid and cowardly in front of other people that stopped Joe wetting his pants.
Instead, he screamed again.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The snake simply stared at him until he stopped. Then it moved closer.
"How boring," he said "Trust my sisters to take the best children. I hope the Child of Love and Sincerity is better than you. Still..."
He glided nearer.
"Put me down!" Joe yelled "Put me down NOW!"
"Put you down?"
Joe didn't like the way that sounded.
"On flat ground slowly and carefully!" he said.
"Oh don't be silly."
The snake's forked tongue flickered over him. Joe grimaced.
"Oh ew...."
"Oh shut up."
Then something happened. Joe wasn't sure what. But suddenly the world seemed to crash down around his ears. He gave one last hoarse scream, then passed out.

End of Part 8.

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