Disclaimer: My story, but the Digidestined characters obviously do not belong to me.
Chapter Twelve
Yamato bent down and picked up the shiny object, just as Matt and the rest of them reached him. His eyes widened at the familiar object. A thin gold chain with a heart shaped locket with a teardrop and the sun imprinted on the gold cover.
"A locket? Whose is that?" asked Mimi.
Tears welled up in Yamato's eyes as he thought of her…Sorana. "Your daughter's locket," choked Yamato. All this time she was alive? That bastard kept her locked up all this time? Oh if only I knew you were still alive, I would have rescued you. I thought you had died with Tai and Mimi!
"Daughter?" asked eleven astonished people.
"Did I hear right?" Cody questioned.
"Sorana. Mimi, Tai, you have a daughter that you named after Sora," said a teary eyed Yamato.
With a reddening face Tai asked, "We uh-I-uh-Mimi and-uh-we have a-uh," stuttered Tai.
A deep blush settled on Mimi's face as she gently took the locket out of Yamato's hand. She gently opened it up and stared at the two pictures. "She's beautiful," Mimi said in awe as tears flung to her brown eyes.
Tai closed the locket and put it around Mimi. "We'd uh better uh get going."
Yamato merely nodded as he once again took the lead.
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"Master, it is time."
"Excellent," Daficus said as he looked down at his gold watch. 6:66, the hour of the beast. Time for the Darkening to begin, he thought with a smile. He floated over to wear Sora lay unconscious and gently touched her cheek. "Time to wake up Precious. I don't want you to miss this." Ah yes, the start of a new age. An age of pain, torment, fear, and best of all, blood…The blood of the innocent painting a new world…Hell…
Something cold was touching her cheek and Sora turned her head. "Ohhhh…" she groaned.
"Sora, You're waking up I see. Stay right there, I have a surprise for you," he whispered in her ear before departing from her side.
Sora shivered slightly from his voice as her eyes fluttered open. Surprise? Uh oh, what is he talking about? She went to go move a lose strand of hair out of her eye but to her horror, she found she could not move. "What?" she gasped. With her head tilted, she was able to spot chains around her wrists and ankles! Oh wonderful! Why me? Why is it always me who gets chained up? Just like in that stupid pyramid! No! I have to get out of here, thought a panicked Sora as she began a fight against the shackles and chains. She pulled, and she tugged.
"Arg," she cried out in frustration as she closed her eyes. I have powers, right? So, why not try to use them! Her eyes remained clamped shut as she cleared her mind. The only thing she thought of was getting free. I've got to get free, I've got to get free, I've got to get free…
Her eyes flew opened to reveal a pair of glowing silver eyes. Heat began to swell up in her wrists as the chains glowed with a silvery light. She could feel the metal weakening under her psychic influence until…
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"Look!" yelled Kari.
"That's it! The castle!" Cody added.
Unconsciously, all of them stopped to stare at the dark, formidable castle. It towered over all the trees with its deep gray bricks and barred glass windows as the castle's shadow held an air of fear. Vines with thorns circled around the castle as a giant iron gate with protruding metal spikes ran along the intricate designs of demons, gargoyles, and spirits.
"That doesn't look like fun," Yolei said.
"Yes, but we have a job to do," remarked a very courageous Tai.
Yamato practically growled at the castle of Daficus. He could still remember and hear the cries of his friends being painfully and slowly killed behind this gate. Of course, he was never able to get further than these gates…and now…hopefully they would make it beyond these walls…
"Well guys, be careful 'cause I can't watch you all the time," Joe said.
"Be resourceful if you're in any danger and try to escape," Izzy wisely said.
Mimi's hand squeezed Tai's as she added, "There's no turning back now."
"Don't worry, we'll make it through this or my name isn't Davis Motimiya."
"Are we just going to stand around and talk all day?" asked an impatient Tk.
"Yeah, let's not waste any more time," Ken agreed.
"So, let's get going!" commanded Matt. Hang on Sora, we're coming…
"Everyone, take out your sacks," Yamato smiled. Hang on Sora, we're coming …
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Slap!
Pain shot through her cheek as her eyes stopped glowing. "Awwww, did I hurt the little Princess?" asked a familiar voice that sent chillingly cold shivers up and down her spine.
"You?!" exclaimed an angry Sora.
"Don't ever do that again, understand? Or else, I will kill every one of the Digimon and humans in front of your eyes. And I will take them out of their jail cells one by one, leading them to a very painful death…crucifixion and burning. Now is that what you want?" asked Daficus as he cupped her chin.
"No, you wouldn't…"
"Do you want to test me?" he challenged.
"No," she said resentfully.
"Good, now I want you to stay put and don't try anything. I will put three guards around you and they have my permission to hurt you. Now ready for the surprise? You get a front row seat of the sacrifice."
Sora grunted. Some surprise, she bitterly thought as her gaze noticed the semi-circle of eighteen wooden stars in front of her. What's with the stars?
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Kari's hand wrapped tightly around Tk's as their footsteps echoed in the damp dark halls. "TK!" Kari whispered.
"What's the matter, Kari?"
"There's nothing or no one-" Kari's voice was cut off by a crash. Her eyes widened as Tk put a finger to her lips before she spoke.
"Just follow me," Tk whispered in her ear. And together, they crept up to the stairs, the source of the noise. They sucked in their breaths as they cautiously poked their heads around the wall to see…
"Tai!" Kari yelled in surprise and relief.
Mimi helped Tai up as she said, "We headed upstairs since we found nothing but-but…" Her eyes began tearing up as Tai finished the sentence for her.
"Prisoners. Women, Men, children, infants, and Digimon being burned and tortured," he said dully as he put his arm around Mimi, rubbing her shoulder.
Tk opened his mouth but was stopped by a scream.
"Sora!" They yelled.
"You guys that's Sora!" Yamato's voice said over the communicator.
Tai pressed his. "Does anyone know where it came from?"
"Not from anywhere inside the castle," Izzy said on the communicator.
"Everyone get down to the middle level!" demanded Matt.
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Sora's eyes followed the demons' actions as they tied each victim's wrists and ankles to the wooden stars that lay in front of her. She wanted nothing more than to break free from these chains but then he'd kill every one of his prisoners. And with these stupid guards hanging around, it is impossible to escape and free them. What am I supposed to do now?
Her eyes closed shut. What can I do?
Screams shot through her ears echoing as her eyes flew open. A gasp flew out of her mouth at the horrid sight in front of her. Long, hot metal nails were driven through the hands of the innocent as their blood rolled down the wood, staining the ground below.
"Noooooo!" She screamed as her head went back and forth between each tortured victim. "Stop it!"
Daficus glanced in her direction and smiled cruelly at her horror stricken face.
"Please…" choked out Sora as tears made a path down her cheeks.
Long agonizing streams of pain ripped through Sorana's little hands as tears streamed down her face, for what seemed like a cruel eternity. Her eyes closed shut as soon as she saw a knife being lifted. She did not want to see what was coming. Oh mother…father…I miss you…I wish you were here…the pain…it's too much for me…
Tears welled up in Sora's eyes as she saw knives made out of diamonds and crystals being lifted. She didn't know why, she didn't know how, but one little girl stuck out from the rest. "Sorana! Nooooooooooooooo!!!"
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"Good, everyone's here," Matt said.
"Does anyone know where the scream came from?" Yamato asked with wild eyes.
Tai turned to Izzy. "Izzy? Any ideas?"
"The only thing I know is that the scream was from somewhere outside," Izzy replied.
"Well, what should we do?" asked Yolei.
"We'll split up into pairs again and look for a way outside," Tai told everyone.
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Sorana's eyes flew open at the sound of the voice. What?
"May your pain soon be over. Please don't be afraid," Sora whispered as her salty tears covered her face.
Every Digimon and human on the wooden stars all looked at Sora, whose mouth became dry as she could see and feel every emotion they were feeling. A wave of regret, pain, sorrow and fear ripped through her body as she watched their eyes shut. She could feel the regret of those who never told their loved ones that they loved them, the pain of those who could do nothing to stop Daficus, the sorrow of those whose loved ones died and suffered at the hands of Daficus, and the fear of what was to come upon their deaths. As their eyes closed, her tears were blinked back as a moment of peace swept over the sacrifices. It was as if her words were heard and felt.
A peaceful smile fell onto Sorana's and everyone's lips as several voices filled her head, saying "Thank you Sora."
You're welcome, she thought as bittersweet tears rolled down her face as she silently watched the knives descend slowly.
Tell my future parents I love them…
"I will," Sora whispered as the wind picked up her tears and carried them far away. Her head fell back down as her eyes squeezed shut as the knives simultaneously plunged into the hearts, which at the same time she felt an agonizingly burning pain shooting through her heart. Tears sprung to her eyes as her mouth opened to scream, but the feeling was so intense that she passed out, thinking "Oh dear God!"
Daficus walked up to her and ran his hand through her hair. I am sorry my dear. I guess you weren't told that you'd feel the same pain they felt in their hearts before they died. "Well, there will be much more suffering on your part," he said as his head turned upwards. His eyes glistened as they took in the fast approaching dark clouds. Too bad she has to suffer so much. I almost feel bad. If this doesn't happen then the gate will never be opened and my father will never be reborn again.
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