In the deep, deep blackness, the blackness of the void, 'neath the parched, thirsting lands where no thing remains free. a noise. A noise to deafen the nearest creatures, were there any. A summoning. THE DARK LORD WANTS MORE SLAVES. HE WANTS MORE POWER. HE SUMMONS THE EVIL EMPEROR THAT IS ONCE AGAIN AND HIS CLEVER CONTRAPTIONS. but soon, soon he will learn how to make his own Rings, more powerful still than those of the puny human. Then we he reign fully, not relying on the Emperor or the enslaved digimon.

Chapter 3 - Falmon

"Like this," said KT, holding out her digivice to a blank computer screen. It was the end of another school day, and she, Jake, Ali and Leviomon were assembled in the computer room. Jake looked sceptical. "How can that thing send us to a whole other dimension?" he scoffed. "Through the computer?" KT blushed. "Yes, actually," she said. "Wait!" said Ali. She had long, blonde hair and pretty eyes. "We can't go yet, Breddy and Paul aren't here. "How about you tell us what these signs mean while we're waiting?" Jake asked her slightly sarcastically. "Since you've somehow gained all this sudden knowledge." KT scowled and showed hers to them both. "See this, on the front? That's the crest of Fortitude. And on the back. is the crest of Knowledge." Still angry at him, she snatched Jake's from him. "Your first crest is that of.resilience. Stubbornness, in other words. hey!" As he poked her in annoyance. "Alright, alright. your other one's Courage." Timidly, Ali held out her own digivice. KT took it gently, almost apologetically. "OK, on the front is. hmm. ah yes, I think it's affection. Not surprisingly, the basic one on the back's reliability." "I see," said Jake, "these represent our, sort of, main characteristics." KT frowned. "I suppose so, but I think they more represent major characteristics deep inside us that we need to find and use." KT said. Jake shrugged in a display of nonchalance, but KT could see a hidden interest. With a crash, the door flew open, and two children burst in. One was a girl with long brown hair who was about KT, Jake and Ali's age; the other was a young boy with dark green, spiky hair. "Breddy! It's about time," said Jake. "I'm sorry, my mum made us take a load of food with us." KT looked hopeful. "But we ate it on the way so you won't have to carry it in the Digital World!" Said Paul cheerfully. KT's face fell. "KT was telling us what our signs - on the digivices - meant," Ali said enthusiastically. "Mine mean Affection and Reliability, hers are. Fortitude and Knowledge, and Jake's mean. something and Courage." "Resilience." Jake said sullenly. Clearly he was still sulking. "Oh, cool!" Said Breddy. "KT, KT, what are mine?" She thrust her digivice into KT's hands. It was white with yellow fixtures. "This one's difficult. I think your main sign means Speed, and the other Love." Breddy looked overjoyed. Jake shook his head in disbelief. Someone tugged at KT's sleeve, and she felt a digivice pressed into her hand. "Tell me mine!" Paul commanded. Jake sighed while Breddy and Ali looked adoringly at the young boy. "OK." KT said with a smile. "This one means Sincerity, and that one on the back means Friendship." Jake rolled his eyes. "OK, KT. Now that that's over with, why don't you show us how to get into this. Digital World?" KT tossed her head and strode past with her nose in the air - she would show him! She bent down and typed in a complicated password which somehow came easily to her fingers. The familiar screen came up, with the black box. She did not even have to think to type in another password. Then she stood and turned to the others. "Hold out your digivice like I told you," she said firmly. They obeyed; all except Jake, who was already standing in the middle, waiting, with his digivice toward the screen. Feeling affronted, as if he had taken away her right to tell him what to do, she stood beside him. Everyone watched the computer. Just as Jake was opening his mouth to say something scornful, the little lightbulb flashed on. The stream of light coming from the computer room was quite spectacular. Several kids from different years ran fearfully to see what was going on, worried that perhaps one of the computers was exploding. But when they arrived, there was no-one there, no smoke - only one computer was on at all, and an older student turned it off without really looking at what was on the screen. The pupils dispersed, looking vaguely disappointed.

Meanwhile, Jake, KT, Leviomon, Ali, Breddy and Paul were lying in a collapsed heap on the ground. Ali picked herself up, shaking. Her mouth opened and closed, but as she stared around her in amazement nothing came out. Breddy stood and laughed in awe, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Jake rolled over to where KT sat looking smug, and said, "KT?" She looked at him, wide eyed and innocent. "I- I'm sorry I didn't believe you. You were right, all along. And I gotta admit, this is pretty cool." With that, a lot of tension seemed to vanish from her face, revealing a smile of true happiness; but also, Jake noticed, a deep worry creasing her forehead just slightly. "What's wrong?" He asked. Then memory hit him. Several days ago, Siathuri, her older sister, had gone missing. Siathuri was in high school, in the same year as Sora, Joe, Matt and Tai. She and Nabruine, her best friend and Paul's older sister, had simply disappeared from her room one night after school. The police had said the only clue was what looked like some kind of internet game was left running on her laptop. Jake frowned. His first impression of the Gate had been that of an internet site. "Wow, cool! Jake, look, we get new outfits!" Breddy was ecstatic, turning around to see the full extent of her new clothes. They consisted of a lime- green sleeveless top and short shorts of the same colour, with yellow edging. Delicate pink gloves came up her arms and when she twirled her hair was multicoloured with braids. "This helmet's pretty neat, it covers up my hair," admitted Paul, who was now in a white shirt and short-sleeved, baggy overcoat. Jake looked down at himself, his gaze taking in knee-length brown shorts, a black belt, a neatly tucked in yellow T-shirt and a pair of thick gloves with flame patterns. "Hey, come on, you guys! Let's get going! We need to go find your Digieggs right now! I wonder what your digimon'll look like, what do you think? I like your shirt, Jake! I wonder how the others are getting on, too. Hmm. I think Jake's'll be a fiery digimon!" Leviomon, as usual, was not lost for words. KT rose and began walking down the hillside. Breddy and Ali walked behind, chatting and admiring the scenery. Paul trotted on several steps ahead to scout out the new land. Leviomon pattered along in front of KT, nattering on without seeming to really care whether she was listening. Jake walked in silence beside her, and for a minute she was afraid that he was cross with her again; but gradually she felt his hand slip comfortingly around hers and give a reassuring squeeze. Before long, they were talking and laughing as if nothing had ever come between them. The woods, when they entered, were dark; but it was a green darkness, full of leafy light and noises, more pleasant than creepy. Each of them were in fact talking and thinking about the same things: what would their digimon be like? How was it possible for this other world to exist? KT noticed that they were walking along something that was almost a path, a broad strip where the grass had nearly been worn away. She asked Jake about this, and he replied dryly that it was probably all those other Digidestined. Suddenly, they heard a shrill squeal from behind them. "Eeeeeeeek! Help, help! Get them off me!" Jake swerved round to run back, KT hard on his heels. As they reached the other two girls, KT recoiled in revulsion; Jake began to laugh. "How could you laugh at something like this?" Ali cried in outrage. She was busy kneeling beside Breddy, who had evidently fallen, and was peeling off her what looked like a multitude of giant green slugs with staring eyes on stalks. KT wanted to help, but just couldn't bring herself to touch the disgusting creatures. "Those are Numemon," she said. Ali gave her a Look. "Oh yeah, like that'll help. They're terrifying our friend and alerting anyone else in the vicinity that we are here - and you're gonna save us by telling us what they are." Ali had brought up, even if she didn't know it, a vital point - Breddy was in a state of panic, lying on the floor and screaming loud enough to attract many more, far more dangerous creatures, thought KT. At that moment, Paul skidded around the corner, panting. "Quick! Quick! You guys, get off your butts and come look at this!" He glared at Breddy. "Come on, girl, this is no time to lie around and meet the local wildlife!" And he hared back up the track. Jake stared after him. "Wow, for a little kid, that boy's got a sharp tongue and a quick mind," he said in admiration. You mean he's a cheeky beggar, thought KT sullenly - she knew Jake was really right. "Jake, help me get these off her," Ali sighed pleadingly. Jake reluctantly bent over the quivering lump of slugs and plucked one from the girl between finger and thumb. He stared at it thoughtfully, then wrinkled his nose in distaste and threw it several yards away. Leviomon appeared out of no-where and dived into the green mass, babbling happily, and tossing Numemon left and right. With this added help, all the Numemon were soon left watching resentfully from beneath the undergrowth. "Let's go see what Paul's found," said KT. The foursome ran over in the direction the younger boy had taken. Leviomon remained a moment longer to poke his long, sticky tongue out at the remaining Numemon, then scuttled after KT and the others.

It was an enormous clearing in the dark woods. Sunlight beamed down upon them, dazzling them so they could not see. When they could, they still did not move. In the centre of the glade was a huge rock, taller than five Mermons standing on top of one another. Its point was a sharp as a needle, seeming to drive into the fiery ball of the sun. And nearly at that point, almost too high up to see, was a round green splotch. "That's an egg," said Leviomon. "There's two more, one either side. One's yellow, one's pink." "How do we get up there?" KT asked slowly. "You can't fly, Leviomon, not even as Mermon." "Maybe it's through there," Paul said, pointing at the base of the vast structure. There was an impressive entrance, with pillars leading up to it and carvings around. KT didn't like it - she privately thought it looked like a big, dark mouth waiting to swallow them all whole. But Jake was already striding toward it, with Paul jogging to keep up and look around with curiosity. The girls hesitated a moment, but then Ali stepped boldly into the dark entrance. Not wanting to be left on their own, Breddy darted inside and KT was about to follow. But suddenly, she heard a noise. It sounded like a roar, and not very far away. The earth shook with a pounding as of heavy footfalls. KT muffled a scream and ran in after the others.

It was pitch dark inside the rock. KT fearfully felt her way along a straight, broad corridor. A shriek came from up ahead. KT ran on to see what had happened, but found herself tripping over a large, soft object. She landed on top of it with a shout of surprise. The object gave a grunt and shifted beneath her; then KT realised it was Breddy. There was a sound of tapping footsteps coming towards them. "Breddy? KT? You OK?" KT sighed with relief - it was Jake. "Paul and Ali are waiting up ahead. This is ridiculous, we can't go up the entire thing in pitch blackness." Jake said in frustration. KT agreed, Breddy even more so as she picked herself up, feeling bruised and squashed. It turned out that Breddy had tripped over a step, the first in a long flight which they now ascended with Jake's help. "Is that you guys? Thank goodness, we were getting terrified!" Paul's voice called out of the darkness. With some careful manoeuvring using each other's voices and feeling for the walls, floor and friends, they were all eventually seated. "Right," said Jake. "I reckon I've got this fairly figured. Those Digieggs up on top are Breddy's, Paul's and Ali's. This isn't the way to get to them. My egg's sure to be in here somewhere. So, Breddy and Ali take care of Paul. You three are gonna have to climb up the outside of this rock. I'll search the inside with KT." KT could only assume he was using a lot of guesswork based on all the fantasy stories he read, and the colour of the eggs. "There's one fairly major problem," said KT nervously. "When I was still outside, I heard roaring and stamping. It was coming nearer, and did not sound happy." Jake sighed. "OK. KT, take Mermon and try to hold off whatever this new horror is." "But Jake, then you'll have to explore this place on your own, in the dark. At least the monsters outside we can see." KT said. "I won't let you do this, not on your own." "No. You and Leviomon will be needed outside." "Where is Leviomon?" KT asked suddenly. She called his name, despite hissed warnings from her friends about attracting other monsters. But he was not there. "He must still be outside!" KT whispered in horror. Wordlessly, Breddy, Ali and Paul rose. "Good luck, Jake!" KT called desperately behind her as the other three practically swept her off her feet in their hurry to get out. Jake stood in the dark, listening to the last echoes of KT's words, and feeling rather more afraid than he would have admitted.

KT emerged into the light once more. Again, it dazzled her eyes; still, she heard Leviomon's tired voice call out: "Hydro bomb!" There was a brief silence, then a crash as of surf pounding the sands. Something enormous roared in irritation, and loads of tiny voices growled and laughed nastily. As the flashing stars faded from her eyes, KT saw a gigantic shape rearing up and partially blocking the sun. It looked like a green dinosaur with two curved tusks coming out over its shoulders. It was surrounded by small rodents with slitted eyes and gnashing teeth, and - KT noticed with dismay - tails which let them swim. They were amphibious. Leviomon was exhausted. He lay, chest heaving, on the ground, helpless to do anything. KT spotted him and cried out, for Tuskmon was looming over him with one powerful foot raised, ready to bring it down on his delicate body. Just as Tuskmon lowered his foot with crushing force, KT dived recklessly underneath and grabbed Leviomon, hugging him tightly to her and rolling out of harm's way. "Digevolve, Leviomon, you've got to digevolve now!" KT shouted in panic. But Leviomon was too tired, and the best she could do was crouch in a crack in the rock and hope Tuskmon didn't spot her and her digimon.

Meanwhile, Ali, Breddy and Paul had spread out to three corners of the gargantuan rock. Each looked at the other two, sharing in a glance all their fear and discouragement as they turned their gaze up, up until their necks hurt; and they could just about see the tiny specks of colour which were their Digieggs. Then, as one, their eyes hardened with determination, they nodded to wish each other luck, and with a chorus of yells sprang upon the rock surface and began to climb. It was surprisingly easy to climb - all the cracks and fissures made excellent hand- and footholds. Still, it was a painfully slow process as they held on with three limbs, searching for a hold with the other. The bellows of an enraged Tuskmon rolled over them. At one point Paul, curious to see what was going on down below, peered between his legs. It was a terrible sight. They were about a hundred metres up, he estimated, and still climbing. His knees started wobbling as he looked down again. "Paul, don't look down!" Breddy called, noticing the boy. When his face rose, it was as white as a bedsheet. His legs were quivering with terror. "It's all right! Just keep climbing - maybe your digimon will have wings, eh? You never know!" Breddy's voice was getting higher and higher with panic at the state of him. But then, to her relief, he seemed to calm down, and a bit of colour returned to his face. Just as he grabbed a projecting rock and started pulling himself up to it, he said to Breddy; "It's not the height that was worrying me. We'd better move a little faster, I think." "Why.?" Breddy began, but he was already several footholds up when he answered. "We've got trouble on our heels!" Breddy looked down hurriedly, and screamed. A swarm of seething brown bodies was scrabbling rapidly up the rock at twice the speed the humans were going at. They were Gizamon, with lolling tongues and needle-sharp teeth. Evidently Ali, too, had noticed them, because there came a voice from Breddy's other side: "Breddy, don't panic! Come on, they're just like brown rabbits." "Yeah, brown rabbits with huge fangs which are going to push us off this horrid rock!" Shrieked Breddy. But she got the message, and her movements became quicker and more strenuous as she strained to get further away from the monsters.

Tuskmon was furious. Three of his quarry were far too high up for him to reach, and he had lost the other one, with the annoying blue lizard. He roared in frustration, and lashed his thick tail against the side of the rock. It shuddered, and a shower of debris rained down into his face, further enraging him. But then, he heard a far more satisfying noise: the sound of several human screams. Pleased, he though hard for a few moments, his simple brain associating the screams with the rock shaking - if slowly. Having figured this out, he looked back at, then punched the rock. Small cracks spread out from where his fist had landed, and some larger rocks fell down. This time, though, he was ready, and stepped nimbly out of the way. He growled with evil pleasure as more screams sounded. Then, an idea finally occurred to him. He slowly, casually stomped back a few paces, and lowered his head, leaving the two, brightly coloured tusks driving straight out and forwards.

With a shout of triumph, Paul's fingers finally found a ledge that went on further than he could reach. With a last effort, he pulled himself up by his arms, and sprawled on the flat surface in relief. A snarl from below reminded him of the peril he and the others were in, and he clambered wearily to his feet. But there was no further to go: in front of his very eyes was a large, green egg with pale designs on. The front one, slightly at an angle, he recognised as Sincerity; even though he could not see more than a thin line of the reverse, he knew would be Friendship. Hardly daring to breathe, he let both hands rest upon the Digiegg. Summoning his courage - though his curiosity did most of the work - he gripped the egg more firmly and tugged with all his might. It seemed stuck. He pulled and pulled at it, but it would not budge. A horrible sensation crept over him - what if he was not to have a digimon after all? With more determination than ever, he heaved with all his strength. The egg, suddenly, was not wedged at all. With a cry of surprise and fear, he found himself falling backwards, reaching helplessly for the ledge, for some sort of grip. but there was only the air rushing in his ears, faster and faster, and a pillar of green light shining brightly into the sky, and his sister's voice screaming his name. And then, just as he was sure he was about to hit the ground, something warm and fluffy hit his back instead, levelling out his descent into a smooth curve, and finally depositing him gently on the grass. Stunned, he looked around; though he had a feeling of what to expect. Sure enough, a digimon stood there. It had long, dark green fur - the same colour as his own hair, he noticed ironically - light green paws and ear- and tail-tips, and its ears and tail themselves were simply enormous. With a bound, it leaped briefly into the air, showing off how it could glide using these; then alighted and gazed in fascination at Paul with twinkling eyes like black buttons in all that fur. "Hi" it said, "I'm Mossmon."

Breddy had witnessed Paul's fall with a screech of fear and pity - not just fear for him, but also for herself, having seen what could happen. Now she gazed in wonderment at the small green animal that had saved his life, far below. "Breddy! Come on, hurry!" Ali's voice cried in agitation. She was many metres above Breddy, and with mounting panic Breddy looked down closer to hand. The Gizamon were close enough for her to see their beady black eyes and rotting little teeth, and she whimpered in terror. Ali broke through to her once more with a desperate shout. Breddy looked up, pale-faced and wide- eyed, and began to climb with renewed vigour. Ali had reached the top, but her egg sat untouched in the rock face, such was her thoughts for her friend. Actually, had she thought a little harder, a digimon might have been able to fend off the Gizamon; but right now she was busy encouraging and bullying Breddy alternatively. "Come on, you're nearly there. just another few steps, what are you hanging about for, you lazy. person!" Ali was not much good at insults. Suddenly, Breddy screamed. One of the leading Gizamon had made a huge leap to land on her foot, and was about to sink its teeth in when she shook her leg and sent it howling out to fall to its death. Three more snarled their vengeance and recklessly attempted the jump, their spiky, fish-like tails thrashing the air madly to propel them on. One didn't quite make it, bouncing off the rock and falling to join the first; but Breddy found to her dismay that the other two had grabbed a leg each, and their claws dug in painfully. They were much heavier than they looked, and she knew that she could not bear their weight and hers. Sobbing, she realised she was not going to reach the top, which now seemed so very far away. Then, like a flash of lightening, a hand reached down all that distance and grabbed her weakening arm. Another came to hold her tightly, and then Ali's grim face appeared over the edge. "BreddygetyourbumuphererightnowpleaseIcantholdyou muchlonger!" She gasped in one frantic breath. Breddy scrabbled at the rock, climbing quite literally for her life. Inch by inch, she gained height and got that little bit further, wailing as the Gizamon bit savagely into her legs but never letting go to swat them off. For one, final instant she despaired as Ali's hand let go of her wrist, waiting for the ground to pound the life out of her, clenching her eyes tight shut. but nothing happened except the Gizamon's growling getting closer. She opened one eye, and was just in time to see Ali drop the two Gizamon that had clung to her, over the edge with as much frankness as if she was simply taking out the trash. She looked around, and was startled and immensely relieved to find herself on a ledge, with two eggs in front of her. One was white with yellow designs - those of Speed and Love. The other was purple, with pink designs; not surprisingly, of Affection and Reliability. Shakily, Breddy got to her feet. Ali was standing there, and gave her a nervous grin and a pat on the back. Both of them took a deep breath to calm their nerves, then a snarl from behind reminded them that the danger was not over yet. As one, they stepped forward and seized hold of the eggs.

"KT! We gotta run, he's gonna charge! Yelled Leviomon. KT was feeling horribly trapped - if she ran out, Tuskmon might see and attack her; if she stayed, she might be crushed when he charged, if the rock pillar fell. She looked down at the trusting eyes of her reptilian digimon, and then looked at the opening to Tuskmon and her friends. Just then, from outside there came another tremendous roar. KT, fearing it to be Tuskmon charging for the rock, took her chances and scurried out, running as fast as she could. Leviomon slithered beside her. Suddenly, he stopped. "Look! It's Jake!" He cried. KT spun round, flooded with joy. Then this changed to awe as she beheld the creature that had made that final roar. She was beautiful, standing tall and proud on two legs. Over short, tawny fur she wore a gold breastplate and a prehistoric-style loincloth. Her face was similar to that of a lion, the mane forming long, wavy hair beneath a narrow, stylised metal face-mask, not large or heavy enough to be called a helmet. Purple patterns and designs snaked their way up both wrists, and played over her face. She wore heavy white boots with little golden wings; a reflection of the elegant, graceful white wings which cascaded from her shoulders. In her hand she held a long staff with a glowing ball inside pieces of wood at the top. This she pointed at Tuskmon, taken aback and snarling in fury as she had interrupted his charge. "Pure Ray!" She cried in a voice that was deep and powerful. A beam of bright light blasted from the end of her staff and hit Tuskmon full on, sending him flying head over heels into a solid treetrunk, which promptly snapped under the force. His tail twitched, sending several avidly watching Numemon squelching through the air; his eyelid flickered, then closed. "Oramon, is he. dead?" Jake's voice, tiny by comparison, said in the ensuing silence. The regal feline bent to sniff the dinosaur. "No," she said, shaking her head, "but he has learned his lesson, and will not trouble us again." Her long, whiplike tail flicked before diminishing with the rest of her to become a waist-high, yellow creature with red, yellow and orange spikes around her head and in place of a tail, and three black claws on each wrist to serve as fingers. Falmon, thought KT. She smiled wearily at Jake and KT before rising onto two legs from where she had fallen and tottering over to hug Jake. Overcome with the emotion of it, Leviomon dashed up and hugged KT from behind, hitting her in the back of the knees in his enthusiasm and knocking her over. She groaned, then seeing the love in his dancing eyes immediately forgave him. Suddenly, their attention was caught by two bright pillars of light, pink and yellow, which rose up high into the heavens without fading. Both recognised light rays like this, and their happy glances met as they raced over to the rock. They skidded to a halt, Leviomon narrowly avoiding crashing into KT again, and gazed up to the pinnacle of the rocky spire. "Hey!" A shout came down to their ears, of two voices. Even with both girls evidently yelling in unison, Jake and KT could barely hear them. Jake's brow creased in a frown - there was one problem still to overcome. How were they to get down? A twig snapped behind them, and all four friends whipped round in alarm. But no monster stood there; only Paul, with a smile on his face and a moss heap in his arms. "Wotcha got there, Paul?" Jake asked curiously. Suddenly, the heap exploded in his face. Jake fell back, caught completely off his guard; KT stepped back too, but both recovered themselves when they saw Paul laughing fit to bust. "Not funny," Jake growled. Now he could see the long ears and tail, the pale paws, the bright black eyes. "Oh yeah, don't worry about Breddy and Ali," said Paul casually. The other two stood flabbergasted at this proposition, but Falmon explained. "Mossmon's gonna fetch them down by gliding like a hang-glide", she said. Sure enough, Mossmon was soon no more than a green splodge in the high distance. This remained tiny for about a minute, then began to grow again. Finally he alighted, Breddy having let go of him as soon as her feet touched the ground. A purple digimon clung to her fearfully, gazing around with large green eyes before dropping onto four stubby legs with relief. "At last!" she said. "I know I might one day be able to fly, but that height was just way over the top!" She was reminiscent of a light purple cat with three tails and yellow markings. Two tiny, decorative but useless pink wings sprouted from her shoulder blades. "This is Kittamon! Isn't she gorgeous?" Breddy's eyes were shining dreamily as she looked at her digimon. At that moment, Mossmon deposited Ali, who promptly gathered everyone round in a group hug. A pink digimon with long legs and ears and purple patches on its back and eyes, laughed from its position on her back and jumped down to join the others. "Hi, I'm Aramon," she said cheerfully. She had a stubby creamy mane and long tail of the same colour, and her feet, though paws, were black as hooves. KT surveyed the gang and their digimon with wide-eyed delight. At last they were complete! "We're all together now. But this isn't over, far from it!" Jake said emphatically. "We've got a score to settle here, and if the others want to run around after their friend they're more than welcome to. I say we tackle this Dark Lord now, before any more damage is done!" They all nodded in agreement. "Hadn't we better get back first?" Breddy asked. Everyone looked at each other in sudden shock. "Can. anyone remember the way?" Paul asked. They looked at the woods, all as dark and gloomy as any forest - nothing looked familiar. "I bet it's that Dark Lord fiddling with things again!" KT cried angrily. "That does it! He's not going to let us go home, so we'll just have to remain here until we defeat him!"