From high in the air, Sora gazed down at Milleniumon's mountain fortress, frowning.

"NOW what are we supposed to do?" Jyou demanded.

Taichi's fists clenched. "We go in there and kick his ass again."

"I don't think it's going to be that easy," Koushiro said from his position on AtlurKabuterimon's back. "We don't know who he's got in there with him."

"And our friends...We might have to fight them." Mimi shivered.

"The sooner we get this over, the better," Garudamon said.

***

Ken opened his eyes slowly, looking around in confusion. "What...where am I?"

A woman spoke off to his right. "Are you feeling better now?"

The Keeper of Kindness turned his head in her direction and saw two high- heeled boots standing next to him. His gaze traveled up her body to her face. Two glowing red eyes set in a pale face stared back at him.

Ken tried to get up, but fell back to his knees. He continued to stare at LadyDevimon, knowing he couldn't get away from her. "Wormmon, where are you?! Daisuke! TAILMON!!"

"They're not here, Ken."

Ken turned to face Takeru, now very confused. "What's going on? What's LadyDevimon doing here?"

The demon woman opened her mouth, but Takeru shook his head. She glared darkly at the back of his head as he began to explain.

***

The older Chosen crept through the dark halls of Milleniumon's fortress, not quite sure where they were going or what they would find there.

Xuanwumon had warned them that some of their friends were being held there, and that they had been changed somehow, but when Taichi demanded to know how, she refused to say.

"What are YOU doing here?" a woman's voice hissed.

The Chosen all looked around to see who had spoken, and found themselves face to face with a woman who appeared to be half-leopard. Twin black tails angrily lashed the air behind her and her cat ears were lowered.

"Don't just stand there with your mouths hanging open like the fools you are," she hissed. "Answer me!"

*Must be one of Milleniumon's guards,* Gabumon thought as he evolved into Garurumon. "Fox Fire!"

Bastemon stepped out of the path of his attack and laughed. "You can't hurt me." She kicked him in his side, sending him into the wall. "But I can hurt you."

She looked around at the rest of them. "Who wants to try next? I could use some exercise."

***

Ken stared. "I must be dreaming. This can't be true."

The dark angel looked over at him. "It's true. You know it is."

Takeru glared at her. "Why can't you back off and let him sort through it on his own?"

"Because, little boy," LadyDevimon growled, "he doesn't have the time to do that. I don't like Tailmon much-actually, not at all-but even I wouldn't have done to her what Vamdemon's doing to her right now. And I know how much Kenjimon cares about her. So I'll help you save her."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Patamon protested. "VAMDEMON?!"

"I thought we got rid of him, but..." Takeru trailed off as what the other half of what LadyDevimon had said sank in. "Oh, my god...Tailmon."

Ken looked back over at him. "What about her?"

Takeru smiled weakly. "Don't worry about it. I'm probably wrong."

"Don't WORRY about it?" the former Kaiser shouted. "Tell me what's going on!"

Takeru looked away and shrugged.

"Takeru, please...I have to know. Is Tailmon okay? Is..." Ken paused and his eyes widened in realization. "Vamdemon? She told me about him...she said that he..."

Patamon and Takeru looked on in shock as Ken shifted into his digimon form. Two large, black-feathered wings sprouted from his shoulders and his clothes changed into a masculine version of his mother's.

His eyes glowed faintly red as he turned to them. "Let's go."

Takeru glowed briefly as he also changed. He now wore a set of armor that was decorated in blue and white. Two white wings grew from his back, and he held a sword in one hand. "I'm right behind you."

***

Daisuke rocked back and forth in the corner as he stared at Tailmon's nearly lifeless body.

"All my fault...all my fault...I shouldn't have asked them to come here today...all my fault..."

"It's not all your fault," a quiet male voice said.

Daisuke turned to face the semi-transparent speaker. "Who are YOU?!"

"I'm an old friend," he said, and looked down at himself. "Although I can't help her much right now...you can."

"You're wrong. I can't help anybody," Daisuke muttered. "Miyako, Hikari, and V-mon got 'Ringed because of me. Ken and the others disappeared. And Tailmon's dead."

"No, she's not. Not yet. Not if you do something to help her."

"What can I do?" Daisuke whispered, looking down at his hands. "I'm not special, like Miyako and Hikari. I don't have a digimon form."

"No, but you still have your Digimentals. You CAN help her, you just have to have Courage," the man insisted.

Daisuke slowly pulled himself to his feet. "Thanks for getting me to wake up and stop feeling sorry for myself. What's your name?"

"Wizarmon."