[you know the drill by now, so why should I bother? I don't own anything!]
{VERSION UP and starting animation plays....}
Cameron … wake up … all is well now….
Buck struggled to open his eyes - every fiber of his body ached, refusing to do as he wished. A bright light finally urged him to raise his eyelids, revealing the friendly face that beamed down at him. She looked so young, almost as he remembered her from twenty-four years in the past….
"Mother?" he croaked, his tongue moving around dried blood in his mouth. "I … didn't expect you here…." He tried to move his head, take a glimpse of his surroundings, but was halted by his mother's kind words.
"Stay still, Cameron," she whispered, taking Buck into her arms. Buck could feel her soft hands on his bare back, winced as she brought a wet cloth to the again-broken wounds there. "Your wounds were fatal … or would have been, if I had not found you."
"So … I'm dead?" Buck managed, turning to look into his mother's face. "We're in the Golden Land?"
Buck's mother shook his head before bringing the wet cloth to the wounds on her son's chest. "You will not see the Golden Land for years to come, Cameron," she replied with a smile; "and neither shall I."
"But Frank, and the digimon - where are they?"
The woman set down the cloth and lay Buck down again onto the cold ground. "The Guardian brought them to the Center - they're waiting for you there."
Buck tried to nod in reply, but he started to feel stiff all over. "Thanks," he muttered, easing his eyes shut. "Mother," he then said after a while, "what was it that you wanted me to find all those years ago? You know, from that note you left behind."
He could hear a small chuckle from his mother, just as he could remember from years bygone. "Cameron, did the Guardian sound the Trumpet of Hope?"
Buck nodded.
"Then you will learn the truth at the end of the Seven Year Darkness," came the soft reply as Buck fell into unconsciousness once again….
Backstep 13
Deus Absconditus
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Location - the Center
Time - unknown
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"Buck! Come on and wake up already!"
Buck shot upright at Frank Parker's impatient shouting, not noticing until moments later the sharp pain that ran through his back. He turned about, finding the chrononaut and the two digimon crouching to his left, and the white-clad Guardian kneeling to his right. All of them seemed to have rather relived expressions on their faces.
"What … what happened?" Buck asked, looking down at himself - he was wearing what he had worn at NNL the last time he had been there. "Did I miss something?"
"We were afraid you were going to die!" Elecmon cried, leaping into Buck's arms. "You were terribly wounded by Black War Greymon - the Guardian had to find and heal you!"
"Oh," Buck replied, looking up into the kneeling Guardian's shielded face. "Well … thanks," he sheepishly said, climbing laboriously to his feet.
The Guardian just gave a nod of consent.
"So, what now?" Buck asked, turning to face Parker. "Are we going home anytime soon?"
"I hope so," Parker grumbled. He scanned the windows upon the perimeter of the Center: the doors to the Digital World and Earth were still the only ones open. The Earth portal was opened out to the Fuji Television headquarters in Tokyo, but this time the area around the strange building was scattered with the debris of burnt-out cars and other hunks of twisted metal.
"Frank, are you really sure you want to go to Tokyo right now?" Tentomon called out. "It didn't seem like Owsley was at the Embassy."
"We still have food at the American Embassy!" Parker exclaimed. "Remember what that Japanese kid - what's her name - oh, yeah, Miyako, gave us when we first met her?"
"The guards probably ate it all up by now," Buck sighed. "Besides, if we're going to get home, we might as well wait until we see New York or some other American building in that portal." He sat himself down again by the Guardian's feet.
"Yeah, that's true," Parker sighed resignedly, moving to Buck's side. He sat and looked up at the Guardian. "So, how much longer until that gate opens somewhere in America?"
"I could return you to your friends if you so wished," the Guardian lowed, his voice somewhat weak. "But not now."
Buck looked up at the Guardian, seemingly puzzled. "Why?"
"The Archangel Ophanimon wanted me to tell you a tale," he replied, lowering himself further to be even with Parker and Buck. "She believed it would aid you for the next seven years."
"Oh, yahoo," Parker cheered rather sarcastically. "Story-time by the campfire."
The Guardian smirked - the first time he had done so - and finally lowered himself to a sitting position. "I am glad you are excited, Francis," he chuckled. "Now let me begin my tale…."
Before the creation of Earth or the Digital World, there was only the Inner Sanctum of the Golden Land. In there lives a being who goes by many names. In your world, he is known by many as God; in the Digital World, the Supreme Deity or the Sovereign. His true name is Deus Absconditus.
(Buck: That's Unseen God in Latin!)
Now, one day, the Supreme Deity chose to create humans, digimon, and the other creatures that roam your world. He created the world known as 'edhen to house them. But one day, the dragon, who used to be one of the three Archangels, brought strife to that land. In a final attempt to prevent war, the Deity created Earth and the Digital World - Earth to house humanity, the Digital World to be home to digimon.
(Frank: What about that dragon?)
(Guardian: He was sent to a different world: the Dark Ocean. Would you let me continue?)
(Frank: Oh, sorry. Go ahead.)
Ever since ancient times, there have been numerous portals between the Earth and Digital World. This is what accounts for sightings of what you humans call 'mythical creatures'. These ancient digimon were like gods to humankind, and man worshipped them … for a time.
Perhaps a few years before what you call the Common Era, prophets came to tell of the coming of one known as the Faithful and True. They said he would be partly divine - which, in those days, meant half-digimon. People feared this: previous crosses between human and digimon had turned out bad.
(Buck: Like what?)
(Guardian: The minotaur on what you call Crete.)
(Buck: Oh.)
Years later, the second Guardian, who guards Time itself, came down to a woman in the ancient world. This woman was one of the Chosen, whom the Deity had selected to protect. But since this Guardian had come to this woman, she was now an Elect, selected from the Chosen to bear the Faithful and True one.
The Faithful and True had an anticlimactic birth, and a troublesome life. He told of a time when humans and digimon would once again live in peace - but it would only come upon a great sacrifice.
(Buck: What happened to this … Faithful and True one?)
(Guardian: I was getting to that part.)
The Faithful and True was put to death at a young age - but his death did not bring the peace he had told of. It instead sealed the Digital Gates that allowed humans and digimon free passage to each other's worlds. It created this place, which guards the Golden Land. And in creating the Center, the Faithful and True created choice.
(Buck and Frank: Choice?)
There are many portals in the Center because they each lead to a world in which different choices were made. There is one in which humans have had no contact with digimon since the sealing of the Digital Gates; in another, the Digital Gates were opened years after their sealing, and digimon can still pass freely.
(Buck: But what else happened to the Faithful and True?)
He did not remain dead. Being part divine, he was resurrected days later. I, Guardian of the Center and Deus' Chosen People, sent him to the Inner Sanctum after that. Years later, before the Faithful and True one's mother died, the second Guardian brought her to the Inner Sanctum and made her a digimon … one of the Archangels, to replace the Dragon.
Centuries later, by time in your world, the dragon who had caused strife in 'edhen returned, this time with three other great demons. The Deity made the Archangel who was once human to return to Earth, to reincarnate the Faithful and True. After she finished her task, she returned to the Digital World - and was captured with the other Archangels by the dragon.
So for the first time in millennia, the Supreme Deity selected five children - the Chosen Children - to rescue the Archangels. Unlike the Chosen People, the children had digimon partners.
(Frank: Did they succeed?)
(Guardian: You should know, Francis; you and Cameron were of that group.)
(Frank and Buck: So that's what we did!)
These children destroyed the dragon's minions and imprisoned the dragon in the Dark Ocean. After the children's victory, they returned to Earth - but their deeds had only paved the way for other children to protect the Digital World.
"Thus ends my tale, Francis and Cameron," the Guardian concluded, bringing himself to his feet.
"Did all of that really … happen?" Buck asked, slowly rising to his feet to ease off the pain in his back. "It sure wasn't in my history book."
"Do you think ancient people wanted future generations to know about digimon?" the Guardian asked. "I think it would terrify them to know that we digimon do exist. Humans feared digimon, Cameron - they worshipped them instead of the Supreme Deity who created them!"
"That makes sense," Parker scoffed, standing up. "So, could we go home now?"
The Guardian nodded. "You may, Francis - but you must know that you cannot return to your team's headquarters in Nevada."
He knows where Nevada is? Parker asked himself as he looked incredulously at the Guardian. "Yeah, right."
"Francis … there are no computers in the facility you call Never-Never Land," the Guardian said sternly, looking down at Parker. "Your team moved out to Chicago."
Parker laughed, turning to walk out to the gate that would lead back to Earth. "You've gotta be kidding me," he chuckled, Tentomon flying behind.
The Guardian produced the Omega Blade and pointed it at the portal, and the imge changed to that from inside NNL. There were soldiers in the hangar before the Sphere - American, no doubt - bringing in weapons of all scopes: handguns, grenades, bombs … almost enough to fill two artillery storage units.
"Your government has designated Never-Never Land to be the storage place for weapons during the Seven-Year Darkness," the Guardian continued, bringing down his sword. "The soldiers are there to protect what you call the Sphere from the demon that will rule your world."
"Great," Parker cursed, turning on his heel to face the Guardian. "So what now?"
"Actually," Buck interrupted, "I'd like to get some of my stuff from my apartment in Manhattan. I mean, with almost a month having passed on Earth, I guess I could get there, no problems at all."
"Now that you mention it," Parker muttered, "I'd like to check on my ex-wife and son."
"Where do they live?" Buck asked.
"Arlington."
"Then it is settled," the Guardian lowed, raising his sword again at the portal. This time the image changed to that of Capitol Hill, surrounded - like the Fuji TV headquarters in Tokyo - by the charred remains of motor vehicles. "You are free to go."
Parker and Buck nodded in consent and ran out towards the gate, their digimon following behind. "Thank you!" they called out in unison before the shattering gate signaled their absence.
The Guardian, exhausted, leaned on the railing of the dais, staring off at the portal ahead. Parker and Buck were running off through the road, hoping to find a taxi. Noting the lack of motor traffic, the Guardian knew they would not find one.
Another shattering sound resounded through the Center, bringing the Guardian to attention. The being that had entered floated to the Guardian's side and laid low her weapon.
"Ophanimon - what are you doing here?" the Guardian asked, shocked.
"I came to thank you … for finding Cameron," the Archangel replied, a kind smile upon her lips. "I appreciate that."
"It was a challenge, Archangel. He was already dead. I had to search the Golden Land for him. That was not a major task, but convincing him to return was trying."
"Oh. How?"
"He envisioned himself with his mother. Cameron spent more than half his life without her."
Ophanimon sighed and bowed her head. "I know." She looked back at the Guardian again. "You know that you have to return to Earth soon. For Tsion."
The Guardian nodded. "Yes. I know."
"Alright." She turned and floated off the dais, her violet hair streaming behind her. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Guardian, I have one last request for you."
"What is it?"
"Protect Cameron for me, would you? Cameron was Elected to be bound to you - protect him somehow, alright?"
The Guardian nodded again. "I will." He sighed. "You know, you should have let me tell Cameron the identity of the Faithful and True one."
"He has to learn that on his own, Guardian," Ophanimon whispered, the response echoing throughout the Center. Reaching a hand beneath her armor, she pulled out two sheets of paper. One was a note, the paper yellowed with age and the blue ink now bordering on translucent gray. All that was now legible were the words seek the truth.
The other paper was a photograph, dated 1976 in the corner. It was in black and white, depicting a six-year-old Cameron Williams playing catch with his violet-haired mother.
A tear emerged from beneath Ophanimon's helm, landing loudly on the photograph. Without hesitating to wipe it away, she tucked the papers beneath her armor again.
"Cameron will find out eventually," she whispered at last, disappearing in a flash of blue light and a shattering noise to the Eastern Gate.
{'Til the End of the World, ending credits and animation plays....}
[I know, the past few chapters have been rather short by my standard. The next issue is the Special Issue, which will be another multi-parter! They are (in order): 'Til the End of the World (lyrics only), Frank Parker's image song, Cameron Williams' image song, Chloe Steele's image song, a new FAQ for parts 07-13, and the definite (but not final) cast of characters for the entire series - including characters that won't be introduced until MUCH later in the story! And, of course, I'll try to summarize the next few parts of the series - which Left Behind fans may already know to an extent.... So until next time, wait for the information-filled Special Issue of DIGITAL CONUNDRUM!]