NOTE: Once again, a lot of thanks to my reviewers! It's good to read your opinions about the story. Always. My thanks for: Chris Kugler, Darcey, Caro N., Dracotk, Silent Shadow and Fallen Angel of Hope.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Digimon (I guess now is when you say "Thank God!").
In the last chapter, TK gets involved in what seems to be the beginning of a new crisis. But this time, the objective was the Academy of Magic. Why? And most importantly, by whom?
CHAPTER 3
Death
Mina tried her best to focus the magic screen on Takeru, but she had to admit it was challenging. Behind her, the Digi-Destined watched the screen, some of them with more excitement than others, as it was still difficult for Ken and Kari to watch the quiet waters of the Dark Ocean without ignoring the fear and the calling of the Dark Side. Mina took a second to look back, and her eyes widened when she looked at Kari. Ken seemed to handle the situation with a cold head, looking at the screen with sharp eyes, focusing them in the possible crisis, and avoiding the memories that haunted him. Kari, on the other side, could barely handle the pressure without losing her consciousness. Her forehead was sweating, and tears of pain fell down her face. Her shivering called the attention of Tai and Davis, who carefully placed their hands on her shoulders, and guided her to a seat. Kari silently thanked them, but ignored their comments and faced the screen in a blank stare. Her fear was slowly going away as the monotone sight of TK flying over the sea calmed her, but it returned when she noticed several familiar shapes on the ocean's surface. Takeru's Black Wing spell made him a fast flyer, but Scubamon were even faster swimmers. This also called the attention of Mina and the other Digi-Destined, as they feared a possible attack from TK's back, but they were temporally relieved when the Digimon in the front tried to speak with him. However, their words weren't soothing ones, especially for Kari.
"You again!?" the Scubamon shouted. "Our Master demands you to bring our queen to him!" TK immediately stopped to face the sea Digimon. Kari and the other gasped at the possibilities. TK slowly began to speak. His voice sounded different across the dimensional gap, but it was firm and calm.
"YOU demand me!? Don't make me laugh!"
"Are you mocking the army of the seas, the followers of the great Dragomon, master of the Dark Ocean!?" the Scubamon leader shouted. TK showed a wide grin.
"You're nothing but idiots! Tell your ´master´ that he shouldn't try to mess up with forces he cannot control. He knows what I'm talking about. Besides, the only way he might get Kari would be over my dead body!" he shouted, and left with such a fast speed that it took a big effort for Mina to follow him with the magic screen. The Scubamon were left behind, as they returned to their underwater headquarters. Kari sighed in relief as the scene ended with no big conclusions, but her mind was once again filled with doubts.
"Does he REALLY care for me, after all? ……But…maybe he cares too much……"TK looked with sadness at the scene in front of him. The once impressing scene of the Academy of Magic had been consumed by the flames. He was too late. The 50-feet main gate had been destroyed with a giant battering ram, which lied burned next to it. It hadn't been just an isolate attack; it had been a full scale battle. "Only a huge army could have done this…" he thought. However, questions still remained in his head. What kind of force could have destroyed the main compound of magic scholars in three worlds? Some of the most powerful wizards and sorceresses lived full-time in that place. Who, or what, destroyed them? A horrible thought flied through Takeru's mind, but he removed it immediately. There was no way Evil could have returned. At least, not THAT soon. TK looked at the gigantic marble columns, or at least, what remained of them. Some of them had been an incredible sight, over 80 feet tall. But at that moment, he only saw the bases, as the rest lied destroyed on the black floor. TK's mind slowly scanned the area, searching for any other presences. There are…magic auras around…but…very few of them… There were still sorcerers around, but… What if they're the enemy? No…there would be more of them. Now, this would mean… If the enemy didn't have a magic aura, they were… Digimon? Maybe…Dragomon? No…he's not that stupid…Daemon? No…he's completely alone, he could be easily controlled. That leaves…no, it can't be…
TK rejected the other possibility almost immediately. Humans? How could a bunch of humans destroy a whole gathering of sorcerers? Not only the teachers and the students; most of the sorcerers and sorceresses in the human world had gathered in that place after the emergency call. Takeru couldn't find a possible suspect, but the crime had been done, so there had to be one. Someone inside? No way! Only an army could do this…or…the Chosen One…
But he knew he hadn't done it, of course. He decided he would think about it later, as his priority was to find survivors. He stopped walking and began running, looking around every room: classrooms, bedrooms, offices… He even recognized some of the places he had spent sixteen months in, studying the ancient arts of magic battling. But he also realized there were places he hadn't seen until that moment. In fact, most of the Academy had remained secret for him during his stay. But he had no time to admire the architecture, probably because there was nothing left to admire. Most of the fire had extinguished already, but the place was slowly collapsing. If there were any survivors left, he had to get them out of that place, and fast.
"Hello! Is anybody here!?" he shouted. The sound of his voice echoed until it faded, but there had been no answer. Only then, TK realized the stupid mistake he had made. Oh, great, I just called the enemy. "Hey! There's a lone sorcerer here! Come and get me!" he made a mental note to kick himself if he got out of there alive. Before he could keep walking, a female voice filled his head.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?""What the hell do you think you're doing!?"
Those were precisely Mina's words when she heard Takeru's shouting. Her voice echoed not only in Takeru's mind, but in the silent library, as she had shouted her thought aloud. Not only TK but the Digi-Destined got surprised when they heard her voice. Then, TK talked, this time, a loft quieter.
"Mina! I've completely forgotten you were watching. You scared the living hell out of me! For a second I thought the enemy was right behind me!"
TK wasn't able to see Mina's face, but she was angry. Very angry. For the first time, the Digi-Destined feared that she would explode right in front of them, as they would be in the line of fire.
"TK, are you completely insane!? You just called the enemy to you!"TK was surprised at Mina's reaction. She's…she's thinking of strategy! So she does have fighter instincts after all. I should have a practice fight with her sometime…
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I made a mistake. But I can take care of myself, you know? Don't worry about me."
The Digi-Destined watched how Mina's expression changed from sudden anger to complete sadness and anguish. She was about to cry.
"But this is different, Takeru! Something or someone was able to defeat the whole community of magic users living there. You ARE in danger, TK, and…AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT YOU!"
If Mina or any of the Digi-Destined had looked right behind them, they would have seen a silently crying Hikari Kamiya. But her reasons were completely different from Mina's.
"He has someone who worries for him, who takes care of him…then why does he need me for, after all?"
"Mina…thanks. I really appreciate your concern. But please, trust me. I'll be okay. Alrighty?"
Mina smiled as she heard Takeru's response. She blew him a kiss, as if he could actually catch it, for the surprise of all of the Digi-Destined.
"Okay. If you need to get out, just contact me. I really need to rest; I can't keep the screen any longer. Mina, out." And the screen faded in front of her. She cleaned her face with her right hand, as she didn't want to show her weakness, and looked at the Digi-Destined with a smile.
"I'm really sorry, but I got really tired. I couldn't keep the screen any longer. Man, I need a drink." She said, and gracefully dashed out of the library, leaving the Digi-Destined confused, and silent.
When TK lost connection with Mina, his glance changed again. His smile disappeared from his face, and his eyes carefully scanned the area, searching for the enemy. This time he walked slowly, avoiding any noise his boots could make. His black coat covered him in the eternal night of the Dark World, where light was a luxury of those with the power to challenge the Darkness. He noticed how the structural damage diminished as he walked deeper into the building. Once they got in, they only care about killing people. Destroying the building wasn't necessary. They weren't looking for anything; they just wanted to kill them all. And they had done a good job, as he noticed the first corpses on the floor. He wondered what had happened to the people guarding the entrance. Where were their bodies? Incinerated, maybe? He walked carefully, avoiding any contact with the dead bodies. He looked at all of them with the same cold face: from seven-year-old rookies, to thirty or forty-year-old seniors. Men and women, from young and healthy to old and wrinkly. For Takeru, they were all war casualties. All of them…even the rookies…why? These people died fighting, like the brave warriors they were. I must avenge them. It's my duty as a sorcerer, trained in this academy. Finally, he had reached the administrative section. The place just for teachers and directives. No student was supposed to enter that part of the building, yet he still found young bodies scattered around. All rules disappeared during the heat of battle, he thought. The whole place was destroyed; it was obvious that the battle had reached its climax in there. He tried to make his way there, and remembered the whole net of passages.
Let me see…two hallways go around this section, and there's a main hallway near here, the three of them leading to…the Resting Zone?
And then, he felt it. Infinitude of human presences gathered in one place.
The battle…is not over! There are people fighting there!He quickly dashed through the passageway, ignoring the multitude of doors to his sides, but a sudden sensation made him stop. He looked at the room he had stopped next to, and found the reason of his sudden move. There was someone alive in there. The body of a man in green battle robes lied behind a big, large table. When TK walked next to the injured person, he recognized him.
"Master! Master Davalos, can you hear me?" The man slowly turned to see TK, until the blue eyes met the black ones.
"Master, are you okay?"
"Well…I don't feel too well…Takeru…thank the Gods you're here…""Wait a second, I'll heal you…"
"Save…your…energy…to heal…the Master…"
"The Master…? You mean Tomari? He's alive!?"
"Of course…he's alive…he's the strongest one…around here…no one here can…match his abilities…well…except you…" Master Davalos grinned as he said those words.
"Don't talk nonsense! Where is he? Is he…at the Resting Zone?"
"Yes…the last of our forces…retreated there…with the Master…"
"Master Davalos, who did this!?"
"They won't…stand much longer…please, help them…you, the mighty Chosen One…can stop this madness…" TK tried to stop him, but the old master took his hand, and continued talking. TK couldn't do anything but watch how the black haired swords master faded away, talking to no one in particular.
"It's…incredible…how our entire race disappeared…in just one day…I attempted a Total Gathering…but it was just what they wanted…"
"They!? Who, Master, who!?"
"…they…were waiting…for the reinforcements to arrive…they attacked with everything they had…too much of them…thousands of them…we were weak, and now…we're destined…to disappear from this universe…good luck, Takeru…the Last Sorcerer…"
TK slowly got up again, holding Davalos' hand until the last moment. He whispered a last goodbye to the fallen soldier, and walked out of the room, preparing himself to battle. Now he was angry.
Mina made her best to keep the tears away, but it was very difficult. The Academy, the place where she had spent her childhood, her teenage years, the best years of her life (before meeting Takeru, of course), was destroyed. Completely destroyed. She thought of every single life lost in there. And what if...? The mere thought was horrifying. If all the sorcerers in the world had followed the rules and made the Total Gathering…
Mina cried in pain after thinking of the possibilities. She could be the only magic user left in the world. She and Takeru…
And now…Takeru is alone in that place…alone against who-knows-what…can he really take care of himself, against such thing?
The new thought made her feel an indescribable agony.
Of course he can! He's the Chosen One, who defeated the Evil! He can do it! But then…why do I have this horrible presentiment?
The door opened. To her surprise, Koushiro "Izzy" Izumi walked inside the room. Without saying a word, he sat on the bed, next to her.
"So, they sent you. I would have expected anyone but you." Mina said.
"Actually, Sora and Mimi are better at the cheering stuff, but neither one of them is available right now." He said with a soft smile. Mina could tell he was blushing.
"Don't worry. I don't bite."
"I wouldn't be quite sure of it."
"Hey!" Mina shouted, hitting Izzy on his right shoulder. After breaking the ice, Izzy went straight to the point.
"Mina, we want to see what's going on. And you're the only one who can use the magic screen. I know it's uncomfortable. I wouldn't know because I ignore a lot of things about the magic world, but we really need you to help us."
"I know, but…""TK might be in danger, and you know it. Kari won't admit it, but she wants to see what's going on. Ken wants to face the Dark World again, and Yolei is with him. Cody and Joe are very worried. I can't try to win an argument against them, so I had to come here and ask you to so something you don't want to do."
"And what about Matt, Sora and Tai?"
"Matt is having too much fun. Besides he still ignores the truth. And I guess Sora and Tai are just too busy with each other." He said with a smirk. Mina laughed happily, for Izzy's relief.
"Alright, let's go. I'll do it." Mina finished, and quickly walked to the door. Before she left, she looked at the redhead with a big smiled and talked.
"Has anyone told you that you're actually kind of cute?" Izzy blushed.
"Mina, I have a girlfriend. Remember Mimi?"
"Oh, yeah! But we should talk more often. After all, Takeru's friends are my friends."
"It would be a pleasure." Mina smiled at him again and left the room, followed closely by Izzy. "What the hell was that about?" Izzy thought again before entering the library.
Finally, TK arrived to the Resting Zone, a giant grassy area, thrice the size of a soccer field. But TK didn't have time to relax and enjoy the soft grass, because the enemy was right in front of him. In his mind, he silently agreed with Master Davalos. It was sure a large army. Hundreds of soldiers covered the whole place, gathered around one point in the middle. Closing his eyes, TK could feel more human presences slowly arriving to the scene. Reinforcements. Two groups, one from the east, one from the west. Approximately 50 men each, he thought. But TK regretted the time he wasted analyzing the scene when a loud cry of pain was heard through all of the Dark World. Before the enemy soldiers could notice, TK was already in the middle of the circle, looking at the last of the Magic Resistance. Magic Master Tomari had been the last to fall.
"Master! Master, please answer me!" TK realized that taking some seconds to study the surroundings had been the last mistake he would do that night. When he looked back, he met a pair of old, brown eyes. Lying helplessly on the grass field, he really showed how old and tired he really was. Three millennia had drained all of him. TK realized with pain that no magic would help him now.
"Ahh…young Takeru…if I just had your age…and your spirit…our laws…were our doom…you, the one who breaks all laws…will be able to survive…but you arrived a little late…and a little changed, too…I feel darkness within you…what happened?" Before TK could say something he continued. "It doesn't matter now…the only thing left now is your life…survive, your Takeru, and life each day to the fullest! Don't make my mistake…three thousand years can be a real pain…but I know my memory will live…in your memory…in Mina's memory…" TK tried to remove the dagger off Tomari's chest, but the old master stopped him. "Let me go, Takeru…you'll do me a favor…but please, now…fight! Fight for the pride of the Academy…fight, Takeru…my best student…"
TK stood up and faced the soldiers who had already surrounded him. His face didn't show any expression, even if his blood was boiling inside, anger corrupting his heart. He felt the call of the dark power and gladly accepted it, letting his soul be controlled by his wrath. The wrath of the Chosen One. He looked at the multitude of eyes looking at him. Their outfits were ninja-like, but their faces weren't covered. They showed arrogant grins, proud of the bloodshed they had created. The blood of their enemies covered their skin and the daggers they carried. Finally, a warrior in a red suit, obviously the squadron leader, talked to him, actually talking to everybody, as his voice was easily heard through the whole field.
"I guess you're the last one. Scared?""Why? Why did you do it?" TK asked, hiding any feeling he could have at the moment. In the real world, Mina and the Digi-Destined watched on horror at the scene, Mina's focused on the dead body of her master.
"He's dead…my master…he's dead…" Mina cried softly. She looked at the Digi-Destined, to find comfort in Koushiro's arms.
"I'm sorry, Mina…he was a great person…I know…" Izzy also looked surprised at the scene. He had made nice relationship with the old master, something really close to a friendship. But Izzy's sadness was nothing compared to Mina's.
"He was the closest thing to a father I had…he raised me…for fifty years…I was his daughter…I owe him so much…and now he's dead…and Takeru…"
The name made the group fix their eyes on the scene again. Now, TK was on the same situation as the magic master, if not worse.
"Why did you do it?" TK asked again, only to meet the red leader's arrogant grin.
"We follow our master's orders."
"Is there any way I can get to see this master of yours?"
"Ha! You, a pathetic sorcerer? Of course not! I will not allow my master's eyes to be corrupted with your sight!"
"Why do you hate our kind so much?" TK asked.
"They don't belong here! And our master knows that! The master knows humanity can take care of itself, without you pests!"
"For once I agree with you. Humans can take care of themselves, until certain point, of course. But that's not an excuse to destroy a complete race! What you did was selfish and horrible, and you must pay for it!"
"Really!? And tell me, what will you do, a pathetic young sorcerer, against out powerful army? You can't fight us, not even a hundred of us! What makes you think you could actually defeat us, and the reinforcements that are just about to arrive? You can't harm us! Sorcerers can't use magic against humans, and you know it!"
TK just sighed. Of course. The people at the Academy just tried to immobilize them. They never tried to destroy the threat. Our laws were our doom…that what he meant…
"Well, I always keep my promises, but this is a good occasion to break one. Then, now that you mention those reinforcements…" TK began.
The army made a quick step back when TK began charging dark enemy with his hands. Each hand holding a black sphere, just like Kazuo Hidekawa had done before him. When the spheres had the radius of his hand, TK pointed one sphere to the east and one to the west, while accumulating more energy. If it cost him any effort, he didn't show it, as the evil influence of the Dark World helped him use Dark Magic very easily. Before the black fighters could realize his intention, TK released the spell.
"Black Spheres of Doom!"
The two spheres traveled in opposite direction, until they disappeared behind the walls covering the Resting Zone.
"…they won't come." TK finished. Right after he said those words, two giant explosions covered the whole area, blinding the black ninjas and the humans looking through the magic screen.
"Impressive…" Izzy muttered.
"He won't show any mercy…" Ken said.
"That's…that's real dark magic…I can't believe it…" Mina said.
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When the smoke cleared away, the first thing the army did was looking for the threat. Much to their surprise, TK hadn't moved from the place he was standing, next to the dead body of Master Tomari.
"I guess now it's just me and you people." TK said softly. "Now, how will I get rid of you…" To his surprise, a soldier was just entering the area at the moment, making his way to the leader. The two men exchanged some phrases, and TK showed a slight grin when he saw the leader's reaction.
"What!? What do you mean ´they're all gone´!?"
"Just as I said, commander. They were annihilated. Not even the bodies are left there."
"It…it can't be possible. Each troop had 50 men!" When the leader looked at Takeru, he met an arrogant grin, just like the one which had disappeared from his face.
"You thought I was joking? Although, I must admire how you sent a scout before I made the attack. Quite impressive." TK said. "So, are you gonna fight or what?"
The leader looked at his soldiers, who nodded in silent agreement. They were obviously ready to fight, and they hadn't lost their confidence. Too bad. TK thought. I thought I could avoid this, but…I haven't had a decent training for a while, so…
The fighters didn't have a chance to attack before TK unleashed his next dark spell.
"Comet Crush" TK muttered as he jumped high in the air. As the enemies began to follow him up, a shower of meteors fell from the sky, filling the Resting Zone with a barrage of explosions. Only when the whole place was covered with smoke, Takeru let himself get back to the ground.
"Fools."
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Mina and the Digi-Destined gasped in shock at the scene they watched in front of them. Izzy hugged Mina tighter when he noticed she was having trouble keeping the connection.
"Too…much…dark energy…Takeru, what are you doing!?" Mina shouted. When she saw the others' confusion, she tried to explain briefly. "He's being corrupted by the forces of darkness! If he keeps like this, he's gonna lose control over his actions!" When she saw the panic on their faces, she looked at the screen again, where Takeru was softly landing on the ground.
"Don't lose your light, Takeru! Please, don't lose your light!"
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"Don't lose your light, Takeru! Please, don't lose your light!"
Suddenly, TK's eyes widened.
Mina, what's going on? But it didn't take long for him to realize.
The dark forces…I let myself be manipulated…my anger took over, and I took their lives without any regrets. In fact, I think I enjoyed it a little…
TK began sweating when the weight of his sin took over his corrupted heart. He could almost hear the laughs of his dark alter-ego, mocking him. He had to get out of there before something worse happened.
Why now? Why can't I control the darkness? What has changed inside me? Have I actually…lost my light?
Yes.
As he slowly walked away, he could listen to the voice of the leader, threatening him for the last time.
"We are the Sorcerer Hunters! We won't stop until you're gone for good! This will not be forgotten! You'll feel the wrath of our master!"
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So, my forces were destroyed by one single man. Impressing.
The Master looked at the door right before someone opened it. The man leaned on his knees and looked at the floor until the Master made a quick gesture. Then, the man got up and faced his protector. He found it awkward to realize that he was actually taller that his Master.
"Back so soon? I thought I wouldn't see you tonight."
"I had more than enough fun for one night."
"Oh really? Was it that productive?"
"Maybe. Any news from the main forces?"
"They were all wiped out."
"What!?"
"Do not worry, as they were successful. The Academy is destroyed. Completely."
"Yeah, but…"
"I know you lost a lot of your friends, but remember the mission is the priority."
"Yes, as you wish, my Master. But I must ask what happened."
"One man did it. A blonde man, with clear blue eyes and great powers." The Man's eyes widened when he heard the description.
"His name is Takeru. He lives with that sorceress, Mina Kirahashi."
"Really? How do you know?"
"Later. I'm tired."
"If I weren't tired, too, I would kill you right now for your insolence. But you're my favorite, after all. Good night." The man watched how the Master left the room, and walked inside a bathroom. He made his way to the balcony, while scheming and organizing the next stages of their plan in his mind. And when he relaxed and left the soft wind to blow on his face, and the clouds cleared away of the sky, the moonlight charmingly bathed the face of Ryo Asamiya.
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End of chapter 3…
Does that count as a cliffhanger? Anyway, I'm done with the introduction, now we'll make a quantum leap, and on to the REAL story! In chapter 4 we'll deal with TK's new "dark" problem, Mina's concern, Izzy having a serious problem, Ryo and his evil plan, as we prepare to chapter 5, and a horrible tragedy (lots of tragedies in chapter 5, if you're a Takari fan. In fact, that chapter won't be apt for Takari fans! But if you want to see the Takari story, you'll have to deal with the not-very-Takari parts!). Alright, any reviews and comments will be gladly accepted. See ya next time!
DaneelRush (daneel_ff@hotmail.com)