Till The End Of All
By CyberDracomon
Chapter 6 of 26 - Fate
Ragnadramon loomed over the two fallen Digimon, both still withering from the attacks of the Mega level Digimon. MagnaAngemon looked like an explosion had hit him, with cracks in his armor, shield, and helmet. His beam sword wasn't even functioning and his wings laid limp on the ground, barely twitching. Angewomon looked worse, with small cuts all over her body, her shallow breathing the only sign that she was still alive. TK and Kari both looked on in horror, fearing what was to come next.
"It seems they have more energy than I thought..." The dragon roared. "I was expecting them to lose their forms... It must be the power they received from Azulongmon. No matter, that will soon be rectified." With that Ragnadramon flew up higher into the air, keeping his eyes on the two crippled angels. He stretched his arms out, burying his claws into open space, as if bracing himself. His eyes suddenly went from gold to bright white, and the area around him began bending and twisting like an abstract painting. "Coming of Ragnarok!" The space around Ragnadramon shattered as he screamed his attack, making the area quake. TK and Kari fell to the ground from the force of the tremor, but neither took their eyes off the sight. Ragnadramon opened his mouth, screaming as he fired a massive, transparent blaze of energy down at MagnaAngemon and Angewomon, hitting them with tremendous force, enough to shatter the ground beneath them. Both screamed in pain, their bodies quaking violently from the sheer force being hammered down onto them. Over the loud thundering the attack was causing, TK heard Kari cry out. He suddenly became frightened, remembering how close she was to Angewomon upon the attack. Without thinking TK ran to where he heard the scream, finding Kari desperately trying to keep her ground under the force of the attack. TK kneeled down beside her and held her tight, keeping her as safe as he could manage. He turned to their Digimon, who had stopped screaming, now either too exhausted or in too much pain to scream. Suddenly both angel Digimon began to glow faintly and both stopped shaking. Ragnadramon cut off his attack, letting go of the space around him, letting it shape back into it's normal form. He watched as the debris blown from the ground fell back down to the earth, along with the two Digimon, who were now back to their basic forms, far too weak to maintain their Ultimate levels. TK couldn't believe they were being dominated so easily by this enemy, not after how many trials they had gone through in the past. Piedmon, Apocalymon, Diaboromon, MaloMyotismon, none of them could have prepared them for this.
"Much better..." The dragon said, satisfied by his performance. "To think you two even slightly aided in saving this world so many times over must be a joke..." TK looked on in anger, but it was a futile attempt at showing bravery. Inside he was frightened at the brute power of his opponent. He looked over at Kari, who had her head down and eyes closed. He noticed a few tears dripping from her eyes, obviously upset over Gatomon getting hurt so badly. Of course he was just as worried about Patamon, but he could do little with Ragnadramon hovering over them.
Just then TK heard something from beyond the border of the clearing. Apparently Ragnadramon heard it, as well, as he was now watching the direction it came from. Before TK could tell where it was coming from something exploded form the trees and toward Ragnadramon. It went by so fast all TK could make out were white and blue blurs. Ragnadramon had better reflexes and dodged whatever it was, still watching it. It stopped between TK and Kari, turning at the dragon Digimon in defense. It looked like a massive white tiger, but with blue stripes instead of black. He also wore armor on his claws and head, all mostly in blue. What TK noticed the most was his waist, were a dozen Digicores circled around his midsection, similar to the ones covering Azulongmon.
"Leave them, dragon." It warned, his voice as booming as Ragnadramon's. "The western region is under my rule." TK wasn't sure what was going on now, he didn't even know the Digimon he now owed his life to.
"Baihumon..." Ragnadramon snarled. "I thought you were still playing babysitter to this hemisphere." Baihumon roared at the dragon, bringing his vicious fangs to bear.
"I said leave, spawn. Now!" The tiger commanded. Neither Digimon showed any signs of backing down, however, neither one intimidated by the other.
"If you insist on protecting them, I believe I have no choice..." The dragon said, surprising TK and Kari by the sudden answer. "...after all, this world would begin to crumble upon your death and then the Cataclysm would be robbed of that pleasure." The threat didn't phase Baihumon, who held his ground against Ragnadramon. TK looked at the dragon, only to now notice the same cracks in the air, this time forming behind him. Once it was as large as Ragnadramon, it blew out, sending shards everywhere and leaving a hole in the air behind him. "Protect them if you wish to waste your time, you can't baby-sit them forever..." With that the dragon flew backwards into the hole, disappearing into it's darkness. TK watched as the shards returned to the hole, flying back into place and sealing itself up until it had returned to normal.
TK was relieved to have Ragnadramon gone, but this new Digimon that had appeared held an intimidation factor as strong as the dragon. It was easily three times the height of TK and much longer, looking like a very brutish tiger. He held Kari close, who didn't look anymore thrilled than TK did. The tiger Digimon looked down at them, observing them closely.
"...My apologies for startling you." He said. It took a moment for TK to take in the apology, relieved as he did. "I am Baihumon, the western guardian of the Digital World. Azulongmon told me to expect you." TK released Kari, standing up and then helping Kari to stand. Her eyes were still fixed on Gatomon's motionless form in the middle of the rubble.
"Our Digimon..." She said, still a little in shock from the attack. "Will they be alright?" Baihumon turned to the small Digimon, looking over their condition.
"Do not worry, they are very strong." He said. "Bring them to the temple, they can be healed there. I will escort you there in case Ragnadramon returns." TK was relieved to hear that, the last thing he wanted was another encounter with such an enemy... He and Kari walked over to the rubble left behind by Ragnadramon's last attack, stepping carefully over the loose rocks and debris until they reached their Digimon, both picking them up in their arms. TK could barely stand to look at Patamon, who looked more beat up than he had ever seen him. Kari was just holding Gatomon against her, trying to keep her eyes off of her partner's wounds.
"Let's go..." TK said, trying to get their attention off of the recent events. "The sooner we can get this done the better." Kari simply nodded, obviously trying to focus on their quest as much as possible.
"The temple is just ahead, on the path I cleared out." Baihumon pointed out. "No other Digimon will interfere with our passage." With that Baihumon walked off, back down the path he had so suddenly cleared out upon his entrance. TK and Kari exchanged an unsure glance before following after him, now completely unaware of what to expect.
**********
After a while TK and Kari found themselves walking beside Baihumon through the jungle, which now featured a convenient path all the way to the temple. Their Digimon partners still showed no signs of recovery, both motionless in their arms. TK still found it hard to believe this was done by one single Digimon, even if it was a Mega level.
"Baihumon, what exactly was that Digimon?" TK asked, suddenly curious. "He seemed a lot more powerful than any normal Mega." Baihumon nodded, not stopping or turning his head to explain.
"Ragnadramon is the spawn of the Cataclysm." He explained. "He was born into his Mega level, like myself and the other guardians of the Digital World. His birth took place between realities, giving him even more power. What you saw him do was control the reality around him, shaping it into portals and attacks at his own will." TK had taken a guess he was doing something like that, after seeing other Digimon do similar things. None had any control over it, though, unlike Ragnadramon.
"At least you scared him off before he could do any more damage." Kari said. "There would have been no way to beat him if you didn't..." Baihumon suddenly stopped before hanging his head a little lower, a gesture neither human expected.
"If it were only that easy..." The tiger Digimon said. "What you saw back there was a rouse, just a bluff to make him leave. He wouldn't have destroyed me, knowing it would cause the Digital World to become unbalanced, but even if he did attack I would not have stood a match... His power exceeds my own, I could not have defeated him." TK was surprised to say the least. After knowing how powerful Azulongmon was it was hard to believe another guardian had an equal outside the guardians.
"But we've seen Azulongmon easily beat Mega level Digimon." Kari said, remembering BlackWarGreymon's attempted attack on him. The tiger Digimon shook his head in response.
"Azulongmon would fair no better." Baihumon explained. "Since giving up two of his Digicores to you and your friends, he has become the weakest of the four guardians. I am third strongest and would only fair slightly better. Maybe the strongest of us, but I can not be sure of that..." TK still found that hard to believe, but hearing it from the guardian's own mouth it was hard to dispute. Hearing about the guardians so much, TK suddenly felt a little curious.
"Let's just keep going." TK suggested. "Can you tell us a little more about the guardians of the Digital World? Just to keep off topic for a while..." Baihumon looked back at TK, then nodded, realizing they were probably as stressed out as possible right now. He continued walking, TK and Kari following beside him.
"There are four of us, as you know." He said. "Azulongmon in the east, Ebonwumon to the south, Duchoumon to the north, and myself in the west. Each of us is responsible for maintaining the balance of the Digital World. Without us this world would break down and collide with other worlds, similar to the times this world has collided with the world of darkness and the real world, but on a much larger scale." TK remembered Kari's demonstration on the various worlds and what would happen if they collided. This explained why that didn't happen and he was relieved to know it.
"You said the guardians were born into their Mega forms." Kari said, just now remembering that note. "How is that possible? Did the Digital World just create you four one day?" TK doubted that possibility, and a shake of the head from Baihumon confirmed that.
"Originally the Digital World was maintained by a single Digimon, Goddramon." He explained. "This Digimon commanded immense power, unmatched by any other, and he was responsible for holding the Digital World together. As humans increased their technology and computer networks, however, the Digital World expanded, creating more of a strain on Goddramon to maintain this world. As it grew, his power weakened, and one day he realized he would not survive much longer. Before he was destroyed by the rush of the Digital World's expansion, he divided his power into fourths, creating each guardian, already in Mega form. We then took over, each guarding a different section of this world. We were given the capacity to grow in power, something Goddramon was unable to do, being the highest point of power in this world. We also formed the current balance that the Digital World has to maintain itself, making sure we do not suffer the same fate as our creator." TK didn't know what to say, now learning the history of the Digital World was something he never imagined, nor could he have imagined the levels of depth it reached. Apparently Kari was just as amazed, no longer asking questions. Instead they continued on in silence, expecting to arrive at the temple any time now.
**********
The group walked for another half hour, not speaking or asking further questions. TK looked down at Patamon in his arms, who was only showing a few small signs of recovery, small wing twitches and slightly stronger breathing. He looked over at Kari, who still didn't want to look down at Gatomon's many scratches. He couldn't blame her, if Patamon was that cut up he wouldn't be able to stand seeing him so hurt, either.
"We're here." Baihumon announced. TK looked up, just now noticing they had reached another clearing, but this one was filled with a fairly large temple. It was obviously very old, with moss and ivy growing on the walls and the corners showing some aging. There was a large doorway in front, and over it was a crude, very old painting of a white tiger, obviously symbolizing Baihumon. TK was about to ask something when Baihumon continued forward, eventually entering the temple doorway. TK and Kari followed, unsure of what they were to see.
Inside the temple was dark, only lit by a few torches on the wall. It was in better shape than the exterior, but still with a few cobwebs in the corners and cracks in the walls. Along the hallway were various letters, very much like the ones Izzy was so interested in so long ago. All his years coming to this world and TK still didn't know what a single character meant. The group reached the center, which was very open and tall, with torches along the curved wall to light it well. The circular room lacked detail, save a small altar in the center and a long, stone spike pointing down at it from the ceiling.
"Lay your Digimon on the floor and stand back." Baihumon said, turning to face them. TK and Kari both glanced at each other, both looking for some idea as to what would happen. Not finding an answer, both kneeled to lay their Digimon down, then stood to take a few steps back. "Do not worry. In the confines of this temple I can restore their health." TK and Kari watched as Baihumon concentrated, building up a bright blue aura. The tiger Digimon looked down at the two small Digimon, sending a beam of the blue energy down at the two Digimon, covering them in blue light, letting them vanish within it. By the time Baihumon let up and allowed the aura to die, both Digimon looked like they were back to normal, without a cut or bruise on either one. Kari smiled, walking over quickly and picking up Gatomon. TK did the same to Patamon, waiting for his partner to come around. After a minute he opened his eyes, at first in a daze, but quickly regained his senses.
"Where's Ragnadramon?" Patamon asked quickly. "Did we get him?" TK couldn't help but find some humor in his friend's reaction.
"Sorry, you got your butt kicked." TK said jokingly. Patamon drooped his ears a bit, apparently hoping he had faired better than that.
"We'll get him next time." Gatomon said from Kari's arms, obviously regaining her own composure. "At least we know what were up against now." Kari hugged Gatomon a little tighter, glad she was back to normal.
"Now that you are both feeling better." Baihumon said, getting everyone's attention. "There are things we must discuss about what awaits you." The four knew this was coming eventually, though after seeing Ragnadramon they had to admit to being a little more than worried about what could be after that.
"The Cataclysm..." TK said, knowing what Baihumon was getting at. The tiger Digimon nodded, glad TK was as perceptive as Azulongmon had said. "What is it, exactly? Is it a Digimon?" Baihumon shook his head, sending a feeling of worry into TK.
"Cataclysm is the mistake of the guardians..." Baihumon said. TK could hear some obvious regret in his voice as he spoke. "As you know the Digital World is held together by a constant balance of light and dark that we guardians created to make it easier to maintain this world. Many times this balance is broken by a Digimon such as Myotismon or Apocalymon that brings an unanticipated, evil force into this world. This shifts the balance, making it difficult to keep this world together. Many times the Digidestined, you two especially, have been there to destroy this force and regain the proper balance. Unfortunately this has also lead to the balance shifting the opposite way, removing some of the necessary darkness in the digital world." TK had trouble accepting the idea of necessary evil, but admitted it to being true. Without it, it would be impossible to know what good was. "We did not want to rely on the Digidestined forever, knowing it was wrong to force humans into our affairs. Instead, we decided to go against our usual method of balance. Instead of forming smaller, evil Digimon that could do little harm, we formed this energy into a non-physical form, a contained concentration of the evil energy, just enough to balance this world. This started after your defeat of Apocalymon and was increased by the destruction of Digimon like MaloMyotismon and Diaboromon. Unfortunately we did not anticipate how powerful this concentration became, and it eventually grew a consciousness of its own, breaking free from our control and entering the Digital World. The destruction of Andromon's city was the result of this escape." TK couldn't believe it, to think the guardians were responsible for something so destructive was unreal, more than he could have imagined. Kari was in the same state, not sure what to think.
"How can we beat something that powerful?" Gatomon said, in a more focused mindset than the others. "None of us are nearly as powerful as a guardian, let alone all four of them." Patamon was worried about this answer, feeling a little more than intimidated by all of this.
"That is where Ragnadramon may be an asset." Baihumon explained, now confusing the four even more. "Cataclysm made sure it's own spawn was as strong as the most powerful of guardians, which most likely weakened it a great deal. It is probably hiding somewhere where none of the guardians can find it, waiting to recover the power it sacrificed to create Ragnadramon. All you must worry about is Ragnadramon, if you can defeat him the Cataclysm will be simple to destroy. That is the purpose of your quest." Baihumon turned and looked to the altar, as if expecting something. "Kari, I need you to place your Digivice into this altar." Kari looked at the altar, now noticing it had a small pit in the top of it, big enough for the Digivice to fit. She walked over, pulling out her Digivice as she did, and placed it into the groove, then stepped back to watch. In a few seconds the altar began to glow a dim pink, it's brightest point under the Digivice. She looked up at the spike, noticing it was also glowing pink, but it's color was growing brighter bit by bit. When it became as bright as Kari could stand it fired a pink bolt of energy down into the altar, sending a flash of light that filled the room. TK and Kari had to close their eyes from the intensity of the light. Kari opened her eyes when the light faded, now seeing only her Digivice with the pink glow, which eventually faded with the glow of the altar.
"...What was that?" Kari asked simply, unsure of what just happened. Baihumon walked up to the altar, taking a closer look at the Digivice.
"Your Digivice now contains a fraction of my own power." Baihumon explained. "This along with the power you hold and the power you are yet to gain will be the tool in which you can destroy the Cataclysm with." TK took note on one part in particular, "yet to gain". Somehow he had a bad feeling just hearing that.
"You mean there's more?" TK asked, a worried tone to his voice. After all that had happened just getting to one temple he was worried to learn of this.
"Each guardian has his own temple." Baihumon explained. "Each has sacrificed a piece of their power to give to you. You must venture to each temple and collect this power. Without all four, I can not ensure that you will destroy the Cataclysm." TK felt some relief, it sounded easier than some of the things he was fearing.
"So where are the temples?" Patamon asked. "It's kind of hard to go to places you don't know the location of." Kari walked over to take her Digivice back, looking down at it. Other than the screen glowing very slightly it looked no different despite the power it now held.
"The map Azulongmon gave Kari is improved with each temple you visit." Baihumon explained. "It now shows how to access Azulongmon's temple. You'll find each path is harder than the last, but you need not worry about wild Digimon impeding you. Even the most evil of Digimon know how vital your quest is and will not interfere." TK was relieved to hear that, at least it would be a safer quest than most they had been on.
"Somehow I doubt Ragnadramon cares about that." Gatomon said. "Can't the other guardians stop him?" Baihumon shook his head, again a regretful appearance on his face.
"As it is I risked a great deal leaving my post to aide you." He explained. "Cataclysm's presence in the Digital World makes the four corners more unstable than any evil force we have ever dealt with. The other guardians will not be able to leave their posts to assist you. However I am confident in your ability to defeat Ragnadramon." TK was glad someone was, it helped his own spirits that were still damaged by how easily he had beaten both of their Digimon in their strongest forms.
"So next is Azulongmon..." Kari said, returning her Digivice to her pocket. "How do we find the Cataclysm once we have all four powers?" Baihumon hesitated before regretfully shaking his head.
"That is up to you two alone." He said. "All we know is that it is beyond the reach of any of the guardians, but that could mean any place outside the Digital World, including the worlds of darkness, wishes, even your own. There are also sections of the Digital World that no guardian has authority over, such as the data void you and our friends found yourselves in during the fight with Apocalymon. After all you have been through I have no doubt you will find it, though. I wish you luck in your journey." TK looked over at Kari, hoping for some relief from the sudden pressure he felt in his body. She, unfortunately, looked even more lost possibly in more pressure than he. After all it was her that would carry that power to Cataclysm and her that would destroy it. All he could do was hope this quest would be short and the Cataclysm could be stopped before it could do more damage.
End Chapter 6
Coming Next: Chapter 7 - Gateway
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By CyberDracomon
Chapter 6 of 26 - Fate
Ragnadramon loomed over the two fallen Digimon, both still withering from the attacks of the Mega level Digimon. MagnaAngemon looked like an explosion had hit him, with cracks in his armor, shield, and helmet. His beam sword wasn't even functioning and his wings laid limp on the ground, barely twitching. Angewomon looked worse, with small cuts all over her body, her shallow breathing the only sign that she was still alive. TK and Kari both looked on in horror, fearing what was to come next.
"It seems they have more energy than I thought..." The dragon roared. "I was expecting them to lose their forms... It must be the power they received from Azulongmon. No matter, that will soon be rectified." With that Ragnadramon flew up higher into the air, keeping his eyes on the two crippled angels. He stretched his arms out, burying his claws into open space, as if bracing himself. His eyes suddenly went from gold to bright white, and the area around him began bending and twisting like an abstract painting. "Coming of Ragnarok!" The space around Ragnadramon shattered as he screamed his attack, making the area quake. TK and Kari fell to the ground from the force of the tremor, but neither took their eyes off the sight. Ragnadramon opened his mouth, screaming as he fired a massive, transparent blaze of energy down at MagnaAngemon and Angewomon, hitting them with tremendous force, enough to shatter the ground beneath them. Both screamed in pain, their bodies quaking violently from the sheer force being hammered down onto them. Over the loud thundering the attack was causing, TK heard Kari cry out. He suddenly became frightened, remembering how close she was to Angewomon upon the attack. Without thinking TK ran to where he heard the scream, finding Kari desperately trying to keep her ground under the force of the attack. TK kneeled down beside her and held her tight, keeping her as safe as he could manage. He turned to their Digimon, who had stopped screaming, now either too exhausted or in too much pain to scream. Suddenly both angel Digimon began to glow faintly and both stopped shaking. Ragnadramon cut off his attack, letting go of the space around him, letting it shape back into it's normal form. He watched as the debris blown from the ground fell back down to the earth, along with the two Digimon, who were now back to their basic forms, far too weak to maintain their Ultimate levels. TK couldn't believe they were being dominated so easily by this enemy, not after how many trials they had gone through in the past. Piedmon, Apocalymon, Diaboromon, MaloMyotismon, none of them could have prepared them for this.
"Much better..." The dragon said, satisfied by his performance. "To think you two even slightly aided in saving this world so many times over must be a joke..." TK looked on in anger, but it was a futile attempt at showing bravery. Inside he was frightened at the brute power of his opponent. He looked over at Kari, who had her head down and eyes closed. He noticed a few tears dripping from her eyes, obviously upset over Gatomon getting hurt so badly. Of course he was just as worried about Patamon, but he could do little with Ragnadramon hovering over them.
Just then TK heard something from beyond the border of the clearing. Apparently Ragnadramon heard it, as well, as he was now watching the direction it came from. Before TK could tell where it was coming from something exploded form the trees and toward Ragnadramon. It went by so fast all TK could make out were white and blue blurs. Ragnadramon had better reflexes and dodged whatever it was, still watching it. It stopped between TK and Kari, turning at the dragon Digimon in defense. It looked like a massive white tiger, but with blue stripes instead of black. He also wore armor on his claws and head, all mostly in blue. What TK noticed the most was his waist, were a dozen Digicores circled around his midsection, similar to the ones covering Azulongmon.
"Leave them, dragon." It warned, his voice as booming as Ragnadramon's. "The western region is under my rule." TK wasn't sure what was going on now, he didn't even know the Digimon he now owed his life to.
"Baihumon..." Ragnadramon snarled. "I thought you were still playing babysitter to this hemisphere." Baihumon roared at the dragon, bringing his vicious fangs to bear.
"I said leave, spawn. Now!" The tiger commanded. Neither Digimon showed any signs of backing down, however, neither one intimidated by the other.
"If you insist on protecting them, I believe I have no choice..." The dragon said, surprising TK and Kari by the sudden answer. "...after all, this world would begin to crumble upon your death and then the Cataclysm would be robbed of that pleasure." The threat didn't phase Baihumon, who held his ground against Ragnadramon. TK looked at the dragon, only to now notice the same cracks in the air, this time forming behind him. Once it was as large as Ragnadramon, it blew out, sending shards everywhere and leaving a hole in the air behind him. "Protect them if you wish to waste your time, you can't baby-sit them forever..." With that the dragon flew backwards into the hole, disappearing into it's darkness. TK watched as the shards returned to the hole, flying back into place and sealing itself up until it had returned to normal.
TK was relieved to have Ragnadramon gone, but this new Digimon that had appeared held an intimidation factor as strong as the dragon. It was easily three times the height of TK and much longer, looking like a very brutish tiger. He held Kari close, who didn't look anymore thrilled than TK did. The tiger Digimon looked down at them, observing them closely.
"...My apologies for startling you." He said. It took a moment for TK to take in the apology, relieved as he did. "I am Baihumon, the western guardian of the Digital World. Azulongmon told me to expect you." TK released Kari, standing up and then helping Kari to stand. Her eyes were still fixed on Gatomon's motionless form in the middle of the rubble.
"Our Digimon..." She said, still a little in shock from the attack. "Will they be alright?" Baihumon turned to the small Digimon, looking over their condition.
"Do not worry, they are very strong." He said. "Bring them to the temple, they can be healed there. I will escort you there in case Ragnadramon returns." TK was relieved to hear that, the last thing he wanted was another encounter with such an enemy... He and Kari walked over to the rubble left behind by Ragnadramon's last attack, stepping carefully over the loose rocks and debris until they reached their Digimon, both picking them up in their arms. TK could barely stand to look at Patamon, who looked more beat up than he had ever seen him. Kari was just holding Gatomon against her, trying to keep her eyes off of her partner's wounds.
"Let's go..." TK said, trying to get their attention off of the recent events. "The sooner we can get this done the better." Kari simply nodded, obviously trying to focus on their quest as much as possible.
"The temple is just ahead, on the path I cleared out." Baihumon pointed out. "No other Digimon will interfere with our passage." With that Baihumon walked off, back down the path he had so suddenly cleared out upon his entrance. TK and Kari exchanged an unsure glance before following after him, now completely unaware of what to expect.
**********
After a while TK and Kari found themselves walking beside Baihumon through the jungle, which now featured a convenient path all the way to the temple. Their Digimon partners still showed no signs of recovery, both motionless in their arms. TK still found it hard to believe this was done by one single Digimon, even if it was a Mega level.
"Baihumon, what exactly was that Digimon?" TK asked, suddenly curious. "He seemed a lot more powerful than any normal Mega." Baihumon nodded, not stopping or turning his head to explain.
"Ragnadramon is the spawn of the Cataclysm." He explained. "He was born into his Mega level, like myself and the other guardians of the Digital World. His birth took place between realities, giving him even more power. What you saw him do was control the reality around him, shaping it into portals and attacks at his own will." TK had taken a guess he was doing something like that, after seeing other Digimon do similar things. None had any control over it, though, unlike Ragnadramon.
"At least you scared him off before he could do any more damage." Kari said. "There would have been no way to beat him if you didn't..." Baihumon suddenly stopped before hanging his head a little lower, a gesture neither human expected.
"If it were only that easy..." The tiger Digimon said. "What you saw back there was a rouse, just a bluff to make him leave. He wouldn't have destroyed me, knowing it would cause the Digital World to become unbalanced, but even if he did attack I would not have stood a match... His power exceeds my own, I could not have defeated him." TK was surprised to say the least. After knowing how powerful Azulongmon was it was hard to believe another guardian had an equal outside the guardians.
"But we've seen Azulongmon easily beat Mega level Digimon." Kari said, remembering BlackWarGreymon's attempted attack on him. The tiger Digimon shook his head in response.
"Azulongmon would fair no better." Baihumon explained. "Since giving up two of his Digicores to you and your friends, he has become the weakest of the four guardians. I am third strongest and would only fair slightly better. Maybe the strongest of us, but I can not be sure of that..." TK still found that hard to believe, but hearing it from the guardian's own mouth it was hard to dispute. Hearing about the guardians so much, TK suddenly felt a little curious.
"Let's just keep going." TK suggested. "Can you tell us a little more about the guardians of the Digital World? Just to keep off topic for a while..." Baihumon looked back at TK, then nodded, realizing they were probably as stressed out as possible right now. He continued walking, TK and Kari following beside him.
"There are four of us, as you know." He said. "Azulongmon in the east, Ebonwumon to the south, Duchoumon to the north, and myself in the west. Each of us is responsible for maintaining the balance of the Digital World. Without us this world would break down and collide with other worlds, similar to the times this world has collided with the world of darkness and the real world, but on a much larger scale." TK remembered Kari's demonstration on the various worlds and what would happen if they collided. This explained why that didn't happen and he was relieved to know it.
"You said the guardians were born into their Mega forms." Kari said, just now remembering that note. "How is that possible? Did the Digital World just create you four one day?" TK doubted that possibility, and a shake of the head from Baihumon confirmed that.
"Originally the Digital World was maintained by a single Digimon, Goddramon." He explained. "This Digimon commanded immense power, unmatched by any other, and he was responsible for holding the Digital World together. As humans increased their technology and computer networks, however, the Digital World expanded, creating more of a strain on Goddramon to maintain this world. As it grew, his power weakened, and one day he realized he would not survive much longer. Before he was destroyed by the rush of the Digital World's expansion, he divided his power into fourths, creating each guardian, already in Mega form. We then took over, each guarding a different section of this world. We were given the capacity to grow in power, something Goddramon was unable to do, being the highest point of power in this world. We also formed the current balance that the Digital World has to maintain itself, making sure we do not suffer the same fate as our creator." TK didn't know what to say, now learning the history of the Digital World was something he never imagined, nor could he have imagined the levels of depth it reached. Apparently Kari was just as amazed, no longer asking questions. Instead they continued on in silence, expecting to arrive at the temple any time now.
**********
The group walked for another half hour, not speaking or asking further questions. TK looked down at Patamon in his arms, who was only showing a few small signs of recovery, small wing twitches and slightly stronger breathing. He looked over at Kari, who still didn't want to look down at Gatomon's many scratches. He couldn't blame her, if Patamon was that cut up he wouldn't be able to stand seeing him so hurt, either.
"We're here." Baihumon announced. TK looked up, just now noticing they had reached another clearing, but this one was filled with a fairly large temple. It was obviously very old, with moss and ivy growing on the walls and the corners showing some aging. There was a large doorway in front, and over it was a crude, very old painting of a white tiger, obviously symbolizing Baihumon. TK was about to ask something when Baihumon continued forward, eventually entering the temple doorway. TK and Kari followed, unsure of what they were to see.
Inside the temple was dark, only lit by a few torches on the wall. It was in better shape than the exterior, but still with a few cobwebs in the corners and cracks in the walls. Along the hallway were various letters, very much like the ones Izzy was so interested in so long ago. All his years coming to this world and TK still didn't know what a single character meant. The group reached the center, which was very open and tall, with torches along the curved wall to light it well. The circular room lacked detail, save a small altar in the center and a long, stone spike pointing down at it from the ceiling.
"Lay your Digimon on the floor and stand back." Baihumon said, turning to face them. TK and Kari both glanced at each other, both looking for some idea as to what would happen. Not finding an answer, both kneeled to lay their Digimon down, then stood to take a few steps back. "Do not worry. In the confines of this temple I can restore their health." TK and Kari watched as Baihumon concentrated, building up a bright blue aura. The tiger Digimon looked down at the two small Digimon, sending a beam of the blue energy down at the two Digimon, covering them in blue light, letting them vanish within it. By the time Baihumon let up and allowed the aura to die, both Digimon looked like they were back to normal, without a cut or bruise on either one. Kari smiled, walking over quickly and picking up Gatomon. TK did the same to Patamon, waiting for his partner to come around. After a minute he opened his eyes, at first in a daze, but quickly regained his senses.
"Where's Ragnadramon?" Patamon asked quickly. "Did we get him?" TK couldn't help but find some humor in his friend's reaction.
"Sorry, you got your butt kicked." TK said jokingly. Patamon drooped his ears a bit, apparently hoping he had faired better than that.
"We'll get him next time." Gatomon said from Kari's arms, obviously regaining her own composure. "At least we know what were up against now." Kari hugged Gatomon a little tighter, glad she was back to normal.
"Now that you are both feeling better." Baihumon said, getting everyone's attention. "There are things we must discuss about what awaits you." The four knew this was coming eventually, though after seeing Ragnadramon they had to admit to being a little more than worried about what could be after that.
"The Cataclysm..." TK said, knowing what Baihumon was getting at. The tiger Digimon nodded, glad TK was as perceptive as Azulongmon had said. "What is it, exactly? Is it a Digimon?" Baihumon shook his head, sending a feeling of worry into TK.
"Cataclysm is the mistake of the guardians..." Baihumon said. TK could hear some obvious regret in his voice as he spoke. "As you know the Digital World is held together by a constant balance of light and dark that we guardians created to make it easier to maintain this world. Many times this balance is broken by a Digimon such as Myotismon or Apocalymon that brings an unanticipated, evil force into this world. This shifts the balance, making it difficult to keep this world together. Many times the Digidestined, you two especially, have been there to destroy this force and regain the proper balance. Unfortunately this has also lead to the balance shifting the opposite way, removing some of the necessary darkness in the digital world." TK had trouble accepting the idea of necessary evil, but admitted it to being true. Without it, it would be impossible to know what good was. "We did not want to rely on the Digidestined forever, knowing it was wrong to force humans into our affairs. Instead, we decided to go against our usual method of balance. Instead of forming smaller, evil Digimon that could do little harm, we formed this energy into a non-physical form, a contained concentration of the evil energy, just enough to balance this world. This started after your defeat of Apocalymon and was increased by the destruction of Digimon like MaloMyotismon and Diaboromon. Unfortunately we did not anticipate how powerful this concentration became, and it eventually grew a consciousness of its own, breaking free from our control and entering the Digital World. The destruction of Andromon's city was the result of this escape." TK couldn't believe it, to think the guardians were responsible for something so destructive was unreal, more than he could have imagined. Kari was in the same state, not sure what to think.
"How can we beat something that powerful?" Gatomon said, in a more focused mindset than the others. "None of us are nearly as powerful as a guardian, let alone all four of them." Patamon was worried about this answer, feeling a little more than intimidated by all of this.
"That is where Ragnadramon may be an asset." Baihumon explained, now confusing the four even more. "Cataclysm made sure it's own spawn was as strong as the most powerful of guardians, which most likely weakened it a great deal. It is probably hiding somewhere where none of the guardians can find it, waiting to recover the power it sacrificed to create Ragnadramon. All you must worry about is Ragnadramon, if you can defeat him the Cataclysm will be simple to destroy. That is the purpose of your quest." Baihumon turned and looked to the altar, as if expecting something. "Kari, I need you to place your Digivice into this altar." Kari looked at the altar, now noticing it had a small pit in the top of it, big enough for the Digivice to fit. She walked over, pulling out her Digivice as she did, and placed it into the groove, then stepped back to watch. In a few seconds the altar began to glow a dim pink, it's brightest point under the Digivice. She looked up at the spike, noticing it was also glowing pink, but it's color was growing brighter bit by bit. When it became as bright as Kari could stand it fired a pink bolt of energy down into the altar, sending a flash of light that filled the room. TK and Kari had to close their eyes from the intensity of the light. Kari opened her eyes when the light faded, now seeing only her Digivice with the pink glow, which eventually faded with the glow of the altar.
"...What was that?" Kari asked simply, unsure of what just happened. Baihumon walked up to the altar, taking a closer look at the Digivice.
"Your Digivice now contains a fraction of my own power." Baihumon explained. "This along with the power you hold and the power you are yet to gain will be the tool in which you can destroy the Cataclysm with." TK took note on one part in particular, "yet to gain". Somehow he had a bad feeling just hearing that.
"You mean there's more?" TK asked, a worried tone to his voice. After all that had happened just getting to one temple he was worried to learn of this.
"Each guardian has his own temple." Baihumon explained. "Each has sacrificed a piece of their power to give to you. You must venture to each temple and collect this power. Without all four, I can not ensure that you will destroy the Cataclysm." TK felt some relief, it sounded easier than some of the things he was fearing.
"So where are the temples?" Patamon asked. "It's kind of hard to go to places you don't know the location of." Kari walked over to take her Digivice back, looking down at it. Other than the screen glowing very slightly it looked no different despite the power it now held.
"The map Azulongmon gave Kari is improved with each temple you visit." Baihumon explained. "It now shows how to access Azulongmon's temple. You'll find each path is harder than the last, but you need not worry about wild Digimon impeding you. Even the most evil of Digimon know how vital your quest is and will not interfere." TK was relieved to hear that, at least it would be a safer quest than most they had been on.
"Somehow I doubt Ragnadramon cares about that." Gatomon said. "Can't the other guardians stop him?" Baihumon shook his head, again a regretful appearance on his face.
"As it is I risked a great deal leaving my post to aide you." He explained. "Cataclysm's presence in the Digital World makes the four corners more unstable than any evil force we have ever dealt with. The other guardians will not be able to leave their posts to assist you. However I am confident in your ability to defeat Ragnadramon." TK was glad someone was, it helped his own spirits that were still damaged by how easily he had beaten both of their Digimon in their strongest forms.
"So next is Azulongmon..." Kari said, returning her Digivice to her pocket. "How do we find the Cataclysm once we have all four powers?" Baihumon hesitated before regretfully shaking his head.
"That is up to you two alone." He said. "All we know is that it is beyond the reach of any of the guardians, but that could mean any place outside the Digital World, including the worlds of darkness, wishes, even your own. There are also sections of the Digital World that no guardian has authority over, such as the data void you and our friends found yourselves in during the fight with Apocalymon. After all you have been through I have no doubt you will find it, though. I wish you luck in your journey." TK looked over at Kari, hoping for some relief from the sudden pressure he felt in his body. She, unfortunately, looked even more lost possibly in more pressure than he. After all it was her that would carry that power to Cataclysm and her that would destroy it. All he could do was hope this quest would be short and the Cataclysm could be stopped before it could do more damage.
End Chapter 6
Coming Next: Chapter 7 - Gateway
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