In The Dark
Part Twenty Four: Go Gently...
---
Standard Disclaimer Thingie: The plot, while heavily borrowed from the original series, belongs mostly to the author. The characters, while slightly altered from the original series, belong mostly to Toei Animation and various other people. Don?t sue, don?t steal. If you do either, you shall face the wrath of Chimeramon.
...
Chimeramon? Oops.
---
For the last two days, Chimeramon had raged about the desert, setting anything that lived on fire and burning the rotting corpses. The smell of death and burnt flesh hung in the air, thick in the oppressive heat.
Sandstorms raged constantly outside the protected tower, even shielded as it was. The guard-slaves were battered with sand. Seventeen Airdramon, six Monochromon, and twenty Tyrannomon were lost trying to destroy Chimeramon.
The Kaiser was furious.
Wormmon had dared not come within a kick?s distance of his master since the news of Chimeramon?s return had reached the base. He hid under available furniture and listened at doorways to hear what he wished to know. Ken paid no attention to him ? did not seek him out to shout at him or give him an order.
The tiny green caterpillar digimon crept down to the polished basement where the slaves had been kept. No longer did his master send them out to fight for his amusement, nor did he keep many within these dungeon walls. Most of the captives had been sent to fight the monster or to guard the tower?s walls. It was silent as always, only his feet clicking across the polished floor.
At the end of the hall of locked doors was another locked door, and Wormmon halted here, staring upward at the thick iron handle. He was silent, thinking, alone with his thoughts, wondering why he had never noticed this doorway before. For some reason that he could never quite explain, the presence of this door gave him hope.
Hope.
A feeling that Wormmon had scarcely dared to feel since the first leaves of autumn had fallen from the trees. He leaned against the door, wondering what could be behind it to cause him to feel this way. He took a few steps back and looked up at the polished wood. It was only a door, he reminded himself, and nothing more.
Only a door.
The six tiny legs clattered down the polished stone floors again, leaving behind the hallway and the door at the end of it.
---
The sun began to rise again over the desert and the hidden oasis, but this time there was one fewer creature asleep within. Daisuke stood at the edge of the stream, listening to the silence of the night. There was no sound of battle, but that did not mean that the fighting had stopped.
The entirety of the previous day and part of the night had been spent in argument and discussion. Should the Chosen seek out the Kaiser?s hidden base and take advantage of the possibility that it might not be as well guarded as before? Or should they do their best to return back to the village until the monster had gone?
No conclusion had been reached, but Daisuke knew that the time to act was slipping away. There was little hope that Ken?s forces would be able to defeat the monster on their own ? they?d had little success so far ? and if it continued its rampage unchecked, then before long every creature in the desert would be destroyed, living or dead, master or enslaved. His mind was made up, and he knew there was no time to convince the others.
He would need to act quickly, and he would need to act now, before the others awoke to stop him. He slipped on a pair of boots and borrowed Takeru?s cloak to shield him from the sun as well as the cold. The blond boy stirred softly, but didn?t awake.
I?ll return it, Daisuke promised silently. He lifted his still-sleeping partner in his arms and disappeared into the dawn. He had no need for Miyako?s spells to show him the way, he could feel it within his blood, drawing him to his destination. He was long gone before the others awoke seeking breakfast, and it was another hour before they noticed he had gone and thought to follow him.
---
There were varying degrees of reactions from the other Chosen, but none were surprised. Miyako shouted a bit and then grumbled under her breath; Hikari simply sighed and rubbed her eyes.
?Is he crazy?? Takeru wondered, scratching his head. ?He hasn?t got a clue where to go, and he can?t expect to defeat the monster by himself.?
?Maybe he is crazy,? Iori conceded. ?I think, however, that he needs to do something, no matter how futile it may be.? The youngest Chosen frowned in thought for a moment. He had been in agreement with Daisuke the evening before ? that something, however little or useless, must be done, and done soon.
---
V-mon awoke after a half-hour of walking, also not surprised to find that his partner had taken action. He looked around him for a few moments and then asked, ?Do we have any food??
Startled by the voice from nowhere, Daisuke stopped dead in his tracks and then looked down at his partner. Suddenly, he found something, he wasn?t sure what, amusing, and laughed. It was a few moments before he recovered, and then he set his pack down and gave the blue digimon a few of the rations that he carried. He didn?t bother eating, but he did drink a long gulp of water from the canteen.
?Where are we going?? V-mon asked when he had eaten his fill and had some water. He stood and followed his partner.
?North,? the boy replied, certainty in his voice. ?Ken?s base will be where the desert meets the snow.?
?Where the desert meets the snow...?? V-mon echoed. ?Is it far??
?Probably,? Daisuke answered, a wry grin on his face now. ?I expect it will take most of the day to reach.?
---
?We gave him enough of a head start,? Takeru sighed when all had been packed or disposed of and they were ready to set out. ?Let?s hope we can find him.?
?He wouldn?t be daft enough to leave tracks behind, would he?? Miyako asked.
?If he did, the shifting sands would have erased them some time ago,? Iori answered. ?Can anyone read anything on their digivices? I can?t.?
Hikari shook her head. ?I can?t, either. He must be too far away by now. Which way do we go, then??
Seven pairs of eyes turned toward Miyako.
---
The sentries at the tower had been ordered to search for Chimeramon, to be alert of his presence, but little else. They hadn?t expected to see a lone Chosen and his partner head directly for the tower from the desert side.
In truth, only one of the creatures that inhabited the tower noticed Daisuke?s approach, and that was a tiny green caterpillar. He spotted the figure amidst the endless pale sands, but alerted no one of his arrival.
If he had, he wasn?t certain his master would have cared much. The Kaiser was more preoccupied with Chimeramon, who was engaged in battle with six Tyrannomon and two Airdramon some distance to the south. He held no illusions that they would be successful in controlling the monster ? Chimeramon was his creation, and he knew that nothing short of a miracle would halt his advance. Still, he had to try, at least, to keep the monster away from the tower until he?d finished his next creation ? a binding that would be powerful enough to enslave the Chimeramon as the rings and spirals had not yet done.
Instead, Wormmon hid amidst the shadows, invisible as was possible. He slept little, and when he did, his dreams were filled with the door at the end of the corridor ? the door that had given him hope. The door opened and a bright white light filled the hall. Then he would awake, in darkness still.
---
?Well, we haven?t been attacked yet,? Daisuke observed. ?Is it luck??
V-mon peered up at him from the sandy ground. ?Extraordinary luck, if that?s true.?
He nodded, a strange grin on his face. ?My luck?s not that good,? Daisuke agreed. ?Do you think perhaps the Kaiser has decided to be polite??
?Maybe he?s not at home right now,? the digimon suggested.
?Ah. That?s possible. So much to do, so little time.? He squinted through sweat-filled eyes toward the structure in the distance. ?A break for mid- day meal, maybe?? he suggested, sitting down hard in the sand and seeking some more water from his pack.
V-mon was never one to turn down food. He agreed, helping his partner devour another portion of the rations, careful to not eat too much, as they had little and there was little chance of replenishing the food. ?We might arrive sooner if I evolved,? he suggested.
?That?s true.? Daisuke pushed back the hood of Takeru?s cloak and wiped his brow. Even with the protection from the sun, the heat was intense and his skin still felt raw and sore. ?But no, save your energy for the battles to come. I?m sure there will be a few.?
A light breeze danced across the wasteland, throwing the sand into the air. V-mon noticed it a second after his partner. ?A storm coming?? he asked.
?I can?t be so lucky as to travel in the desert for one day without one. Come here, it won?t be long now.?
The wind blew steadily after a moment, and then with a ferocity. Daisuke pulled the pack of rations and his partner close to his chest and pulled Takeru?s cloak around them all. Then he hunched over in the sand, shutting his eyes and mouth.
---
Even from around the corner, Wormmon could hear his master?s shouts.
?Another blasted sandstorm!? There was a click of heels on the stone floor, and he knew he was whirling to face the north. ?And on the other side, a blizzard! I know it?s too much to ask that the weather cooperate, but my own servants??
Cautiously, the tiny caterpillar peered around the bend in the wall. A row of Mushmon stood, fearfully awaiting sentence. The Kaiser was cruel to his slaves, and when they displeased him, he made certain they were aware of it. When they were sent on duties, their red eyes remembered nothing, made no decisions on their own, but when they were scolded, they recalled it all. Thus, it was only the pain they would remember.
?Sorry,? one of the digimon whispered meekly, which was, Wormmon knew, precisely the wrong thing to say in these situations.
?Out of my sight!? the Kaiser bellowed, overcome suddenly with such rage he could barely speak. A few Geckomon, eyes glowing red, led the offending group out.
There was a long silence when the Kaiser was left alone. He did not speak, and Wormmon did not expect him to. He rarely felt the need to explain his thoughts to those beneath him. Even when he was alone, he did his planning, his thinking, in silence.
?What do you want?? he demanded, but it was with less ferocity than before.
Wormmon hesitated, saw no one else about, and then anxiously crept into the room. ?I just thought you should know ? ,? he began.
?Anything that I should know I already know,? the Kaiser snapped. ?Nothing you have to tell me could be in the least bit useful.?
?Yes,? Wormmon said, agreeing. ?But, Ken - .?
He whirled away from the window, and now his own eyes were red. ?What have I told you?? he asked, a voice ragged with anger, sleeplessness, hopelessness. ?Never use that name in my presence.?
?Sorry, Master,? Wormmon answered. His whole body was quivering now.
In a flash, the energy was gone from his Master?s voice. Slowly, he sank down into a chair, two fingers pressed against his temple, in the grips of a massive headache. ?Leave me be,? he said, his voice like a plea. ?Just go ? away.?
Wormmon was not likely to do anything of the sort. The voice he?d heard then was not the Kaiser?s, but the voice of his partner. The first time he had heard such a voice in many weeks. Hesitantly, he stepped forward. ?Ken??
The moment passed, and Ken was gone. ?What do you want?? was the snapped reply.
?I ? nothing, Master,? Wormmon answered, slowly scuttling away. ---
The storm raged for a full half-hour, during which Daisuke was nearly certain he was drowning. When he thought he could take no more of the pummeling, the wind suddenly shifted, and the storm ceased.
?It?s ended?? V-mon asked. ?Our luck has changed!?
Daisuke brushed the sand from his hair and scalp. ?Maybe,? he said. ?Maybe not. We still have far to travel, and we just lost some time.? He pushed the hood back from his head and squinted in the sunlight toward the blurb on the horizon he was certain was their destination.
---
?We won?t reach him before the sun sets,? Miyako said with certainty. ?Even if we fly. I don?t know if he will reach where he?s going before then. I still cannot see his destination.?
?I don?t understand how that?s possible,? Takeru said. ?Daisuke knows where it is, and you don?t??
The young mage shook her head, as befuddled as he. ?I don?t know, either.?
?Should we go, then?? Hawkmon asked. ?If we?re going to reach him before nightfall, then we?d best leave now. It?s already past noon.?
There was a short silence, and then Hikari answered. ?Yes, let?s go, and let?s hurry.?
---
Takeru?s cloak had another purpose, Daisuke discovered. The sun was beginning to sink, and there was far to travel, and now the cloak served to warm him as well. He continued walking, trekking through the seemingly endless sands, the cloak wrapped around him, and V-mon in his arms once more, safe within the folds of protection.
They?d seen no life save a few meager cacti, and no digimon at all but a few skeletons. In the distance, they could once again hear the monster?s screams, and the calls of whatever digimon had been sent out to fight it.
?If Ken created that monster, then why would he send the Airdramon after it?? V-mon asked.
?He can?t control it any longer,? Daisuke explained. ?If he doesn?t send the Airdramon after it, it?ll destroy anything, I?d guess.?
?And more,? said a third voice.
?And more,? Daisuke agreed. It took his tired brain a moment before he realized that this voice was not of his partner. ?Who?s there??
?You?re lucky you haven?t been spotted, you haven?t been fried, and you haven?t been buried in sand,? the voice continued. ?I doubt you will be lucky enough to survive the cold night with only that cloak.?
In the slowly dimming light, Daisuke spotted the creature that had spoken. It was a tiny green creature, nearly hidden beneath the sands, taking shelter behind a cactus. ?Wormmon??
The digimon sighed. ?Hello.?
There was a long moment of silence, as neither Daisuke nor V-mon could think of anything appropriate to say. Wormmon sighed again. ?Follow me, then,? he said, and headed away.
?Ah...to where?? Daisuke questioned, though he knew the answer.
---
It was evening and the light was nearly gone when they reached the tower. Wormmon had led them behind cacti and through the sands in confusing directions, but they?d arrived.
?You shouldn?t come in,? Wormmon warned. ?But I?m sure you will.?
Daisuke laughed. ?Well, yes, that?s why I came all the way across the desert!?
?I know,? Wormmon answered, sighing once more. ?Be careful.? Then, before any more could be said, he was gone.
On the top of the tower were sentries, scanning the skies but not the ground. Slowly, Daisuke pressed himself against the cold stones and slipped as quietly possible along desert side of the building. He wondered if he need bother. The guards never once glanced in his direction.
There didn?t seem to be any sort of entrance on the desert side of the tower. Wormmon had explained that the main gates were along the northern side, but he couldn?t be certain of how else to enter.
?I go my own way,? he?d said. ?I do my best to keep out of the way. Sneaking another in or out ? I?ve never done it before. The place is very strange, really. Sometimes you will find doors that you never saw before.?
?Was it built with magic?? V-mon had questioned, but the caterpillar didn?t know.
?It was here. Ken didn?t build it, and I don?t know who did or how.?
They?d traveled a good distance before sitting to rest. Daisuke shook his head. ?I don?t know, V-mon. Maybe we should just walk up to the front gates and announce ourselves. There?s no way in on this side.?
?Well, if there?s no other ?,? V-mon began, but then stopped, gone from sight and hearing.
---
Miyako had been right ? there was no chance of reaching Daisuke before sunset. It was dark, and although she was certain they?d headed in the right direction, he was no where to be seen. Only extensive sands and a few scattered cacti.
They?d set down shortly before sunset and had wisely decided to wait until morning to resume their search. It was cold, and there was no wood to be found.
?There are no trees,? Hawkmon noted glumly. ?There is no campfire.?
?And that means no way to cook dinner,? Armadimon agreed, groaning.
Takeru had been scanning the horizon for signs of anything. ?No, no trees,? he agreed. Only cacti, and not many of them, either.?
?Will cacti burn?? Iori questioned. There was a long moment of silence.
?It?s worth a try,? Patamon stated optimistically.
---
?V-mon? Where are you?? Daisuke whispered rather than shout as instinct told him to. There was no response, of course, and he was now alone in the increasing darkness. He groped about for a moment, searching for some sort of a gap in the wall ? a secret lever that his partner had perhaps activated, and then felt his feet slip out from under him. He sat down, hard, and then slid downward rapidly.
It took him a moment to realize that he was sliding, feet first, through a chute. He could feel the coolness of the metal with his hands, but try as he might to brace himself or slow his progress, the smooth material simply went on propelling him forward through complete darkness.
Obviously, he was heading underground, beneath the tower. The air felt cooler around him. The journey then came to an abrupt end, and Daisuke felt his knees collide with a cold stone floor.
After spending a moment to mentally check for hurts or pains and discovering nothing major, Daisuke pulled himself to his feet and tried to look around him and saw nothing but darkness.
?V-mon?? he whispered into the silence. His words were swallowed. There was no echo.
There was a clicking sound in the distance. Daisuke listened, wondering if he ought to hide, but not knowing where to hide if such were the case. He stood still and silent and tried to make as little noise breathing as was humanly possible.
?Well, you?ve made it. Home sweet home, I suppose,? said a voice, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. Wormmon was at his feet, a small but brightly burning candlestick beside him that he?d somehow managed to carry with him.
In order to recover from the shock, Daisuke sat down on the floor ? there was no other place to sit. He took deep breaths to calm himself, and had just managed to do so when another voice interrupted his thoughts from behind him, startling him again.
?Not much of a home,? V-mon commented, looking around him. ?You don?t live here, really, do you??
?Not in this part,? Wormmon answered. ?No one really comes down here. You?ll be safe for the night. Stay down here and be quiet and you won?t be found.? He started to walk away, the steady clicking of his feet echoing in the silence.
?Wait ? until morning? What do we do then?? Daisuke called after him.
?I don?t know,? the caterpillar?s voice floated back in response. ?You?re the one that decided to come here.?
?He?s right, you know,? V-mon pointed out.
?Yeah. I never think these things through, do I?? Daisuke looked around him again now that the candlelight had improved the visibility.
They were in a rather large room ? at least it seemed large in the narrow range of the candlelight. The floor beneath them was cold gray stone, unswept in many years and so covered with a thin layer of dust and dirt. The walls were made of the same stone. There were no windows, which was expected as the room was below ground. There was no exit that could be viewed with the candle?s assistance.
The most striking feature about the room was the things within it which included (aside from the two unnoticed visitors) many shelves of books lining the walls and many wooden boxes covering the floor. Some of them were open and appeared to contain strange metallic items that Daisuke couldn?t begin to guess the function of.
It was the boxes which first attracted him ? not being a very avid reader. He began to rummage through one of the crates and discovered many metal pipes.
?What do you think these do?? he wondered aloud, not expecting a response.
?I should guess they were once used for plumbing,? V-mon returned dryly, searching through another box. He found a few gears and some other odd mechanical objects. ?Koushiro would have a lot of fun in this room ? all the books and all the funny gadgets.? He picked up an odd instrument and stared at it for a few moments, trying to determine its use. When he couldn?t, he tossed it aside.
?No weapons, nothing of real use,? Daisuke muttered to himself, tossing a few more pipes of varying thicknesses and a few wires. He sighed and gave up on the boxes. ?I wonder if the books are of any help.?
?Can?t be any less helpful than this stuff.? V-mon was examining another strange contraption which involved a few wires on spring attached to a metal box. He watched the wires bounce around for a few moments before tossing it aside.
?Oh, the books will be of great help to you one day,? said a low voice, and both the boy and his partner turned to see another figure emerge from the shadows at the edge of the candlelight.
?Who are you?? Daisuke questioned.
The other spoke with a deep voice that sounded oddly familiar and strange at the same time. ?That?s not for you to know. Not yet.?
?Then when?? V-mon asked.
?Why are you here?? Daisuke wanted to know.
?One could ask the same of you, boy,? the other returned, a sharp tone of voice. He stepped out of the shadows, clad in a black robe. No part of its face or hands was visible. It was unclear if the creature were a human or a digimon.
?I?ve come to end this battle ? this war,? Daisuke replied. ?I?ve come to free the slaves and finish this because I want to go home.?
The robed figure seemed satisfied with the response. Its head bobbed up and down. It walked slowly past them toward the nearest bookshelf. It made no move to grab a book, but one slowly floated off the shelf.
Having seen enough levitation magic himself to be not entirely surprised, Daisuke merely watched as the volume in question floated towards him and then opened. The pages flipped rapidly and then came to a stop on a page. ?This particular prophecy will be of great help to you in the future. It would be beneficial for you to recall it.?
He squinted at the small type on the page and then read: ?The...six day resurrection and the child of light??
?When you return home you ought ask someone about it,? the figure remarked casually. ?I doubt any of the palace wizards would know of it, for none of them dabble in dark magic. Still, take this book with you as proof.?
?I don?t understand. What does this have to do with ? ,?
?It has nothing to do with anything at the moment,? the figure interrupted sharply. ?You?re not meant to understand it. That?s why it?s a prophecy. I?m giving this to you as a gift because you?ll need it in the future. If you are so ungrateful as to question my motives....?
?No, no, not ungrateful. I just don?t understand why you?re telling me this.? The book slowly sank into Daisuke?s waiting hands, still opened to the same page.
?You will understand eventually. Don?t make me regret this.?
There was a flash of fire that appeared from nowhere and then disappeared just as rapidly. When it had died, the figure was gone, and there was only the candlelight remaining.
###
The cacti had burned a bright, hot fire through the night, but with the arrival of the sun it had long since died. Miyako had been left on the last watch, but her exhaustion had conquered her determination and vigilance, and she slept along with the others.
The sun was not fully risen, and the light was still dim when Hikari awoke. The night chill had not yet departed, and she sat for a moment, shivering in the cool morning air.
It was not the cold which made her shiver, but she could not name what had.
She couldn?t return to sleep, so she sat for a moment, wrapping her cloak tighter around herself and trying to recall anything she might have dreamt.
---
The candle had died, but from somewhere a light was peeking into the basement room and shining directly on the eyes of the sleeping body on the floor. He rubbed at them for a moment and then turned over, but this caused him to turn directly onto a sharp piece of metal.
Daisuke sat up, rubbing at the offended area of his back and muttering to himself under his breath. Now fully awake, he decided to abandon all attempts at further sleep.
---
There was much distance to travel and much to do, and so, after waiting until the sun had fully risen, Hikari awoke the others and urged them to eat quickly. It would not be wise to sleep unprotected under the harsh desert sun.
Breakfast was eaten hurriedly, without the use of a cooking fire. Each took a few sips of the remaining water, and then the camp was demolished. Less than an hour later, they were ready to resume their trek across the harsh sands.
---
The basement hiding place wasn?t much more inviting in the morning. A single sunbeam poked through a section of the wall where the building stones had broken near the ground.
There was only a small amount of rations left over from the evening before, and these served as the morning meal. Daisuke drank half his remaining water and let V-mon have the rest. Then he wrapped himself in Takeru?s dark cloak, strapped his pack to his back ? heavier now with the addition of the book, but lighter with the subtraction of the food and water ? and searched for an exit from the basement.
There was no door, but at one side of the room a tiny, ramshackle, wooden staircase rose toward the upper levels. Daisuke cautiously tested the first step before slowly ascending. It held his weight, but creaked loudly, and he hoped it would not attract attention.
There was no door at the top of the climb, either, only a doorway. As quietly as possible, Daisuke crept toward the edge of the doorway and peered around.
Beyond the doorway was a hallway, lined on each side with heavy doors, wooden monstrosities edged with iron and sealed shut with iron locks and bolts. The floor was stone as it was below, but here it had, by some force ? perhaps of magic ? been made smooth and shiny. It was empty of anything living or dead, and there was no sound.
For some reason, the very existence of the doors in this hallway sent a shiver down the spine of the human intruder. Seeing nothing, Daisuke left the relative safety of the doorway and ventured into the hall. In the silence, his footsteps sounded loud to his ears.
?What is this place?? V-mon asked, and although he whispered, the silence made his voice sound louder than usual.
Daisuke shook his head. ?Nothing, now. Everything?s gone.? He turned, looking up, then down the hall.
?All right. What was it before?? his partner tried asking. ?Daisuke??
He?d turned and headed down the hall, quicker than before, head tilted to one side as though he was listening to some unheard summons. V-mon hurried quickly to catch up with him.
?A dungeon, I think,? Daisuke answered while he walked. ?The heavy locks, the doors...I think this is where the slaves were kept. There are none left now, though, they?re all needed elsewhere, to defend this place.?
?Where are we going??
At the end of the hall there was another door, but this one was made of only metal. ?I wonder what?s behind this,? Daisuke mumbled to himself.
?Probably something dangerous,? V-mon replied. ?Let?s go.?
?Probably something important,? Daisuke returned. ?I want to know. I want to see it.? He stepped forward and put his hand on the thick iron handle.
?It?s probably locked,? V-mon sighed.
The handle turned and the faint sound of metal grating could be heard.
---
By noon, they?d traveled some distance and stopped for a rest, which was very much needed as they?d walked all morning.
There was no shade to be found, but they rested in a low valley of sand where they might be more inconspicuous.
While the others rested their feet and drank tiny sips of water to cool their thirst, Miyako climbed the side of the nearest dune and scanned the horizon as far as she could see. Hawkmon took to the air, flying as high as he could overhead. When he had searched in all directions, he returned to the ground once more. He said nothing, only shook his head in slight bewilderment.
Miyako sighed as well, nodding, for she hadn?t expected to find anything. She shut her eyes and gathered the wind to her for the second time that day.
---
The door creaked open, and for a moment Daisuke could see nothing but total darkness. He wished he had thought to bring a lantern with him on his trek, or at least some candles.
?Baby flame,? said a harsh voice, and ball of fire lit the room. After a moment, the darkness grew thinner, and a torch was lit. A small Agumon stood, his face half shrouded in the dark. ?Baby flame,? it said again, and another torch came alive, this on the other side of him. Two other small figures ? Gazimon ? became visible behind the Agumon ? they were holding the torches in their paws.
All three of them had glowing red eyes, sharp against the darkness.
?None may enter,? the Gazimon stated in unison.
?We must guard the power source,? the Agumon agreed.
?Power source?? V-mon echoed. ?What power source?? They did not answer.
?V-mon,? Daisuke whispered, turning away from the guards. ?If we destroy whatever this power source is....?
?Then perhaps the slaves will be freed?? V-mon finished. ?Maybe. But what is this power source? And what does it power??
?I don?t know,? he answered honestly. ?But I have this feeling that destroying something that they,? he gestured toward the guards, ?don?t want us to destroy has got to be good for us, right??
The blue digimon considered this for a moment, thinking carefully. ?Let?s do it.?
---
The wind had grown considerably in strength up higher on the dunes, but in the protected valley they were mostly safe from the vicious sands.
Takeru watched Miyako from his safe spot on the ground. ?It?s amazing, I think,? he said after a few moments.
Iori, seated beside him on a boulder that peeked out above the sand, agreed. ?She?s progressed so much, it?s hard to imagine that just a short while ago she could do so little, and now this.?
?I have never been so pleased to be so near to the ground,? Armadimon stated, watching the sand as it whipped around at high speeds overhead.
?I think it?s slowing now,? Patamon noted. As he spoke, the sand seemed to slow, and then dropped to the ground in a shower of tiny granules.
?Did you see anything?? Hikari called up the side of the slope.
?Not much to report,? Miyako replied once she had descended to the lower ground. ?I can sense where he traveled, but the trail?s worn thin. He?s already there, wherever he is.?
Hikari frowned, but didn?t appear surprised by this information. She was silent for a while, thinking.
?What do we do now, then?? Iori wondered. ?Ought we to keep following, even though we don?t know our destination??
?I wish he?d waited for us,? Takeru grumbled. ?If he knew the way, then why didn?t he just say so? And how could he know the way??
?I don?t think he knew,? Miyako sighed. ?I mean, I don?t think that he knew that he knew, he just started walking and ended up going in the right direction.?
?So you?re saying it was luck?? Patamon questioned in disbelief.
?No, I wouldn?t say it was luck,? she answered. ?More like an instinct, maybe? I don?t know that I understand it any better than he does.?
?Can you follow the trail?? Iori asked.
Miyako sighed. ?It will be difficult, if not nearly impossible, but I think so.?
?Hikari?? Tailmon asked. ?What do you think??
---
?V-mon armor evolve!?
For a moment, a blinding light prevented the Agumon and the two Gazimon from seeing much of anything. Then it faded, and a din of voices clouded the mix.
?Fladramon!?
?Baby Flame!?
?YAAAARGH!?
The last sound was shouted, in unison, by the two Gazimon, who threw themselves into battle with a vicious abandonment, clinging to the evolved digimon?s legs and scratching and clawing at the unprotected portions.
Preoccupied with the Gazimon, Fladramon was barely able to shield himself from the Agumon?s attack, but managed to recover in time. ?Fire Rocket!? he called back, and blasted the Agumon. It was thrown back by the force of the attack, colliding harshly with the stone wall and deleting.
?Get...off,? Daisuke grunted. He?d latched on to one of the Gazimon and was pulling with all his might, trying to detach the grey, long-eared creature.
His partner took a more direct ? and violent ? approach to removing the other creature. ?Knuckle Fire!? His fist now a flaming fireball, Fladramon scored a direct hit on the offending digimon, knocking him to the ground. It shook its head, long ears flapping, and managed to recover enough to stand ? just in time for another well timed ?Fire Rocket? to serve him the same fate that the Agumon had found.
Daisuke meanwhile, had managed to detach the other Gazimon, causing both himself and the creature to fall backwards into the cold stone floor. ?Go ?way!? the digimon shouted, sneering viciously. It lashed out with one of its paws, but Daisuke blocked it with his arm before the blow could reach his face.
Fladramon was taking aim for another attack when a loud screech stopped all three of the combatants. The building itself shook violently and small pieces of gravel rained down from the ceiling above.
?I don?t like the sound of that,? Daisuke said.
?You won?t like the sound of this, either,? the Gazimon sneered. ?Paralyze Breath!? It had opened its mouth to deliver the attack when the screech echoed again and the building shook once more. The ground shook, and the ceiling even more violently. Daisuke released his hold on the Gazimon, instinctively backing away. More stones fell down from the ceiling. The Gazimon delivered the attack, but it met only the stones, to which it did no harm.
Fladramon took advantage of the separation. ?Fire Rocket!? he called, deleting the Gazimon before it could attack again. ?We?d better get out of here,? he warned.
Another violent shake rocked the building. ?I don?t understand,? Daisuke called over the noise. ?What were they guarding??
They looked around the empty room, but it appeared to be devoid of anything of value. A short distance away, though, was another staircase leading down. ?I?m not sure that it?s wise. I think this building may be collapsing,? Fladramon warned.
Before Daisuke could open his mouth to add his own thoughts on the matter, the building shook once more, and even more debris rained down from the ceiling overhead. A loud, distinctive shriek filled their ears, and then a hole appeared in the level above them and a monstrous face glared at them, hungrily.
For a moment, time stood still. Daisuke stared at the fearsome monster, and the monster stared back. Neither moved.
Then the monster opened its teeth-filled mouth. The temperature rose. Daisuke regained control of his senses and dashed as fast as he could toward the stairway he?d just noticed. Fladramon paused long enough to blast a ?Fire Rocket? toward the creature?s eyes.
Another screech signaled the monster?s attack, and the room filled with fire. Daisuke nearly flew down the stairs, diving below the level of the floor just before the flames reached where he had once stood. There was a moment of tense silence, and then a shout could be heard.
From the opening at the top of the stairs came a tiny blue blur that launched itself into Daisuke?s arms.
---
?If we wait,? Hikari answered slowly, ?the answer will become clear.?
There was a confused silence following this statement, but it didn?t last long. In the distance they could hear a familiar shriek of rage, and though it was far off, it could be heard from far away.
?It?s returned!? Takeru realized first. ?Where is it?? He scrambled up the side of the tall dune, sending sand flying about. He scanned the horizon, one hand shielding his eyes from the sun. ?I can?t see it.?
The others followed him at a slightly more subdued pace. ?We need to follow it,? Hikari said, still speaking in the same tone of voice ? slow and thoughtful, as though recalling a dream.
?Of course,? Iori nodded. ?If the monster wants to make its way to Ken, and that?s where Daisuke is, then following the monster will lead us to Daisuke.?
---
?Chibimon?!? Daisuke asked in disbelief, but the tiny blue digimon shook its head, gesturing for silence. Again they heard the angry shriek, and again the building shook. There was a moment of silence and then the noises repeated themselves, but sounded further away. Both Daisuke and his partner breathed a sigh of relief.
?That thing?s powerful, whatever it is,? Chibimon reported when they were certain they were safe from the monster?s attack. ?I?m not sure all the Chosen together could defeat it.?
Daisuke sighed dejectedly, but was not surprised at the information. ?I knew it was too strong for us to take on, but what is there to do?? he wondered. ?And now what? To come all this way and have accomplished nothing? That monster will destroy this whole building, and us and Ken inside it, unless we find a way to stop it. There?s got to be a way.?
?Do you see that light?? Chibimon asked.
For the first time, Daisuke turned to see his new surroundings. This room was wide and long, but with a low ceiling and no other exit besides the one they?d come through. In the center was a metal pole, and in the center of that was a glass case.
The light was coming from inside the glass case.
---
Wormmon was concerned, the slaves were confused and frightened, and the Kaiser was angry.
Even angrier than usual.
The stone tower, which stood where the desert met the snow and had stood for countless generations, was falling to pieces. Chimeramon?s screeching was continuous, his fire blasts constant, and he rammed into the building, destroying walls and generally greatly compromising the structural integrity.
At first, the Kaiser met these attacks with the expected response from such a despot: he shouted and he ordered his slaves about. With dwindling forces, he sent the slaves to attack the invading monster and each time they were defeated ? either deleted outright or accidentally freed, at which point they simply ran away as quickly as possible. Or flew, if they were so able.
After some time, though, it became increasingly obvious that the defensive options were not having much effect. This caused the Kaiser to react with even more shouting.
Wormmon had wisely stayed out of the way.
Now though, hidden beneath a chair, Wormmon noticed the same pained expression come over his Master?s face as had appeared earlier. This time, however, the pain seemed to be even greater. He clutched his head in both hands and tried to sit down in a chair, but missed and instead sank to his knees on the floor.
For a few minutes he groaned and moaned, and then mumbled, so quietly that Wormmon had to strain to hear him: ?No, go away and leave me be.?
?Ken?? the small caterpillar ventured to ask.
A pained cry escaped his Master then, and Wormmon felt his spine tingle with fear.
Then, it was all over.
?What is it?? the boy questioned, his voice somewhere between exhaustion, pain, and controlled anger.
Wormmon hesitated, hating to bother him for nothing. ?I ? I could fight it, you know.?
The Kaiser had returned in full. ?You?? he scoffed, cackling with amusement. ?I have no time for jokes, runt. Be gone.?
---
?What is that?? Daisuke wondered, stepping closer to the light. He raised one arm to shield his face.
Chibimon leapt from his arms and took another few steps toward the glass case. ?Whoa!? he said suddenly, and the light grew even brighter. A moment later, V-mon had reappeared.
?How did that happen?? Daisuke questioned, astonished.
?I think that whatever that light is, it?s powerful,? his partner answered. ?Maybe it?s what we?re looking for.?
?I hope so.? Daisuke walked slowly closer to the glass, still shielding his face with one hand. The closer he stepped, the more intense the glowing became. By the time he had reached the source, he had shut his eyes defensively. He reached out blindly, groping along the smooth glass, searching for an entry. He felt it move beneath his fingers, and squinted to see it move upwards, opening for him. He reached in, and his fingers met a warm, smooth object.
?Can you get it?? V-mon asked, eyes squeezed shut.
?I?ve got it,? he answered, and slowly removed the item from the glass case. The light dimmed slightly without the glass to reflect it, and he opened his eyes wider. ?I don?t know what it is, though.?
V-mon opened his eyes a crack and squinted at the object. ?It looks sort of like a digimental,? he commented.
?So it does,? Daisuke observed. He grinned widely and then held the object away from him. ?Let?s try it then. Digimental up!?
---
They?d been walking for a few moments, debating whether or not to evolve and fly to their destination, when another loud screech broke the desert silence. In distance, a violent sandstorm could be seen, and behind the flying sands was visible a tower built of stone.
A beacon of light suddenly rose directly out of the center of the tower and the storm. The winds parted and the sands stopped flying. Following the light was a strange creature none of them had ever seen before. It appeared to be glowing, as though the light was coming from it. It was surrounded in a golden-colored armor, and when it shouted out its name, they could hear it, even across the distance of the desert.
?Magnamon!?
For a moment, the travelers stood in confused wonderment and the sight they saw. It was Hikari who broke the silence.
?That?s what I was waiting for,? she explained. ?Let?s go. Digimental up!?
---
The side of the stone tower was now completely destroyed. The only exit from the wide, low-ceilinged room was to head upward or to head out the side of the tower.
Daisuke charged up the rickety flight of stairs and back through the room where he and Fladramon had defeated the Gazimon and the Agumon. He stepped nimbly around the piles of rubble and entered the connecting, smoothly polished corridor.
At the end of the corridor was another flight upwards. He ran on, knowing his destination would probably be the top floor.
---
Wormmon stared out the window with a faint glimmer of hope and confusion, an expression that was, amazingly enough, mirrored on the Kaiser?s own face.
Amazingly, Magnamon appeared to be defeating Chimeramon ? or at least damaging it much worse than any previous combatant had been able to. Punch after powerful punch was thrown into the monster, each fist a glowing blur. The light coming from the powerful digimon was blinding.
Chimeramon screeched with rage, more rage than ever before, because now he was hurt and feeling actual pain. The monster opened its mouth and let loose its fiery breath, but Magnamon appeared unharmed. The glowing aura that surrounded it absorbed and diverted the flames.
Chimeramon was made with the parts of different digimon, and its breath was not its only attack. It also had powerful claws and legs, and it struck out with these now, the sharp claws clanking noisily against Magnamon?s seemingly impenetrable armor. It screeched again with frustrated rage and opened its mouth once more. Magnamon darted swiftly out of the way and the fireball crashed violently into the side of the tower.
---
The wall collapsed under the force of Chimeramon?s attack. Daisuke had to stop his hurried climb up the stairs to shield himself from the falling debris. ?Watch it!? he called, peering out of the side. Neither of the fighters paid him much heed, and another fireball collided with tower, this time effectively blocking the stairwell.
Daisuke muttered a curse under his breath, realizing that he wasn?t going to get to the top of the tower that way. He was contemplating jumping down to the ground below when a shout caught his attention.
It was Miyako, calling his name. Aboard Holsmon, the young mage flew as close to the building as possible. ?Jump!? she shouted. ?We?ll catch you, I think.?
It was not the most encouraging of statements, and he was not eager to do so. ?You think?? he retorted.
?All right, fine!? Miyako returned. ?Stay there and die then. Or get on!?
He knew she was right and there wasn?t much choice, and so, after a moment of planning, he took a few running steps and leapt with all his might from the tower. For a brief moment he was flying, hovering in midair, and then the ground came rushing out and he reached with his arms and caught hold of feathers.
Holsmon let out an involuntary screech of pain and was unbalanced for a moment, tilting dangerously to one side. Miyako reached out and clasped the dangling Chosen by his wrists, then pulled with all her might until he was safely aboard. Holsmon righted himself and gently carried them both to safety on the ground a few feet away.
?A note or something before you leave might help, you know,? Miyako scolded him before they?d even set food on the sands. ?You can?t expect us to come back and save your silly self each time you run off thinking you can save the world yourself.?
?And stealing my cloak as well,? Takeru grumbled, arms folded.
?Ah, um...sorry,? Daisuke mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck as he muttered the apology.
?Look out!? Iori warned.
A giant fireball, launched by Chimeramon, was heading directly for them. Instinctively, all scattered, but it was closing fast. In a flash, Magnamon was between them and the attack, the glowing aura once again negating the power of the fireball.
The aura was weakening, though.
?He needs help,? Miyako observed. ?Go on, Holsmon!?
?We might have a chance against him now,? Takeru noted optimistically. Within moments, the rest of their partners had joined the attack against Chimeramon.
---
Atop the stone tower, the room was shaking violently, and it was all Wormmon could do to make sure he was still attached to the floor and not sent flying. Ken was still staring out the window, tightly clutching the window frame as he watched the battle outside.
?Master, we must leave this tower. It?s falling down around us!? Wormmon called. He ducked under a chair to avoid the pebbles falling overhead.
?Leave? I can?t leave this place. I won?t leave!?
Wormmon stared in complete disbelief. ?If we stay in this place, we?ll be killed!? He made his way back toward the window. ?If they don?t destroy Chimeramon, he?ll destroy you.?
?Nonsense,? the boy replied. ?Chimeramon will destroy the Chosen, they won?t be able to defeat him. And then I shall use him to battle, other, greater foes, and take more land.? He was laughing now, feeling triumphant. Wormmon stared in astonished horror.
---
?I don?t understand it,? Iori noted. ?Even as strong as Magnamon is, he isn?t defeating that monster. He?s doing much better than we did originally, but he?s still not winning.?
?It doesn?t seem to have any weaknesses,? Miyako agreed. ?I wonder if there it?s even possible to destroy it.?
Hikari hadn?t spoken a word since they?d arrived, and she watched the battle with a stoic silence and intense focus. ?He?ll need outside help,? she stated then, so suddenly that the others jumped at her words.
?Outside help from who?? Takeru asked, confused.
---
?No, Master,? Wormmon answered after a moment. ?You won?t. He?ll destroy you, and he?ll destroy everything else in this land.?
For a moment, his Master seemed to understand him. For a moment, his eyes were his own once more, and there was clarity in the world.
Then the moment passed, and it was simply mad eyes staring back at him with confusion and disbelief.
The slaves that had been freed accidentally were retreating from the tower in large hordes, but some had stayed behind to free others, and so the flee of digimon continued, running and flying directly passed the window that Wormmon now peered out of. He waited a moment, watching the fleeing masses and considering something in his mind.
?I?m sorry,? he said, after a long silence had passed and then he leapt off the ledge.
---
?An Airdramon?? Daisuke questioned. ?I don?t ? no, wait!?
Of the fleeing slaves, one Airdramon had broken free of the masses and was making its way toward the battle. Upon closer inspection though, it was possible to see, even from a great distance, that there was a tiny green blurb atop the head of the Airdramon.
?Is that Wormmon?? Miyako wondered.
?I think so,? Takeru answered.
Daisuke ran a few paces toward the battle and shouted up toward the small caterpillar. ?Wormmon, no! You don?t have to do this! I could....?
If Wormmon heard, he didn?t answer.
?No,? Hikari said, shaking her head slowly. ?I don?t think you could.?
The giant Airdramon transported the little green worm as close as possible to the battle, and then Wormmon began to glow. Not a massive, powerful glow as like the one Magnamon had emitted on first appearance, but a little aura of his own.
?I hope this helps,? he stated in a quiet little voice, and Magnamon, seeming to understand the situation entirely, just nodded consolingly. Then, the Airdramon flew closer, and Wormmon leapt from the head of the flying serpent and collided with Chimeramon.
The faint aura the small caterpillar had been giving off slowly faded and hovered in the air for a few moments. Slowly, Magnamon?s own golden aura regained its original strength, and then grew in intensity until anyone trying to see him had to look away lest they lose their sight.
?Extreme Jihad!? Magnamon shouted, and there was a screech of anger and pain from the monster that cut off suddenly as it was deleted.
---
The smoke and sand slowly cleared away, and a figure became visible, dashing across the sandy wasteland.
?Wormmon!?
Chimeramon was gone, the Airdramon had fled, and the freed slaves had vanished. All that stood now in the desert were the Chosen and their partners.
---
He wandered, searching for his partner, and then a tiny voice called out: ?Daisuke! Daisuke!?
A small blue blob a short distance away bounced up and down so that he could be found, and then ceased, too exhausted to continue the movement. ?I?m tired,? he mumbled, yawning.
?Chicomon?? Daisuke asked, his voice a concern. He lifted his partner in his hand. ?I can?t believe you did it.?
?Not by myself,? the little baby digimon answered. ?Wormmon helped. I couldn?t have done it without him.? His voice was tired, as though he was about to fall asleep right then and there.
---
?Wormmon? Wormmon!?
?I?m here, Ken,? the tiny caterpillar responded. And he was, lying in the desert sands and looking quite horrible. ?I?m sorry.? He was glowing, but with a pale glow, not a healthy glow, and then there were shining things floating in the air. Pieces of him.
For a long moment there was silence in the desert. Gently, the boy who had once been Kaiser, once been Ken Ichijouji, and now was neither of the two, lifted the little caterpillar into his arms and cradled him.
?You?re sorry?? he questioned, his voice a soft whisper. ?I caused this. I?m sorry. Don?t go, please.?
?I?m sorry, Ken,? Wormmon answered. ?I don?t want to.? He shut his big blue eyes and sighed out his last breath.
There was nothing more to say, no more words that would be suitable for the occasion. Slowly, the loyal Wormmon disappeared until nothing remained.
There was a long silence, and Ken was alone with his tears and the sand.
---
Daisuke was the one who found him, crouched in the sand over where Wormmon had last been, tears still streaming down his face.
?Ken?? he asked, hesitantly.
He was no longer the Kaiser, none could say that he was, for the things which had made him so were gone, and now he simply looked once more like Ken Ichijouji, a sad young man crying in a desert.
He lifted his head, his hair falling limply around his face, and he met eyes with the one who had once been his friend and once been his enemy, but there was no recognition in his eyes, only a bit of fear and sadness. ?I must go,? he said, though it wasn?t a reply.
?Go where?? asked another voice, and it was Miyako, who had appeared two heartbeats after Daisuke.
?I need to be alone,? he answered, and then he was gone ? as though he?d never been there. ---
The End? Well, of this part anyhow....
To compensate for the fact that this last chapter is much later than I had promised, It?s also longer and (I think) pretty action packed. Wee.
It?s late now and I?m tired, but I?ll try to answer a few questions I think might arise:
Yes, cacti can burn. I looked this up somewhere and they can burn.
Who was the guy that gave Daisuke the book? What was the book? I?m sure some of you can guess as to what the prophecy states and where I want to go with this, but if you haven?t, stay tuned. I will write more of this, even if it takes forever to get it out.
Um... that?s the only questions I can think of. Aside from a few that I won?t bother to mention (what the (!# is this? comes to mind). If you think of any that you simply must have answered, leave a review or send me an email (turquoisecowexcite.com) and I?ll try to get back to you with a semi- coherent reply, and if I don?t, I?ll shove the answer in the first chapter of the next section.
If I still don?t then, email me again, your message might have been eaten or destroyed. ;;
Anywho, thanks for sticking with this story to this point. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and all your support. ::waves::
Part Twenty Four: Go Gently...
---
Standard Disclaimer Thingie: The plot, while heavily borrowed from the original series, belongs mostly to the author. The characters, while slightly altered from the original series, belong mostly to Toei Animation and various other people. Don?t sue, don?t steal. If you do either, you shall face the wrath of Chimeramon.
...
Chimeramon? Oops.
---
For the last two days, Chimeramon had raged about the desert, setting anything that lived on fire and burning the rotting corpses. The smell of death and burnt flesh hung in the air, thick in the oppressive heat.
Sandstorms raged constantly outside the protected tower, even shielded as it was. The guard-slaves were battered with sand. Seventeen Airdramon, six Monochromon, and twenty Tyrannomon were lost trying to destroy Chimeramon.
The Kaiser was furious.
Wormmon had dared not come within a kick?s distance of his master since the news of Chimeramon?s return had reached the base. He hid under available furniture and listened at doorways to hear what he wished to know. Ken paid no attention to him ? did not seek him out to shout at him or give him an order.
The tiny green caterpillar digimon crept down to the polished basement where the slaves had been kept. No longer did his master send them out to fight for his amusement, nor did he keep many within these dungeon walls. Most of the captives had been sent to fight the monster or to guard the tower?s walls. It was silent as always, only his feet clicking across the polished floor.
At the end of the hall of locked doors was another locked door, and Wormmon halted here, staring upward at the thick iron handle. He was silent, thinking, alone with his thoughts, wondering why he had never noticed this doorway before. For some reason that he could never quite explain, the presence of this door gave him hope.
Hope.
A feeling that Wormmon had scarcely dared to feel since the first leaves of autumn had fallen from the trees. He leaned against the door, wondering what could be behind it to cause him to feel this way. He took a few steps back and looked up at the polished wood. It was only a door, he reminded himself, and nothing more.
Only a door.
The six tiny legs clattered down the polished stone floors again, leaving behind the hallway and the door at the end of it.
---
The sun began to rise again over the desert and the hidden oasis, but this time there was one fewer creature asleep within. Daisuke stood at the edge of the stream, listening to the silence of the night. There was no sound of battle, but that did not mean that the fighting had stopped.
The entirety of the previous day and part of the night had been spent in argument and discussion. Should the Chosen seek out the Kaiser?s hidden base and take advantage of the possibility that it might not be as well guarded as before? Or should they do their best to return back to the village until the monster had gone?
No conclusion had been reached, but Daisuke knew that the time to act was slipping away. There was little hope that Ken?s forces would be able to defeat the monster on their own ? they?d had little success so far ? and if it continued its rampage unchecked, then before long every creature in the desert would be destroyed, living or dead, master or enslaved. His mind was made up, and he knew there was no time to convince the others.
He would need to act quickly, and he would need to act now, before the others awoke to stop him. He slipped on a pair of boots and borrowed Takeru?s cloak to shield him from the sun as well as the cold. The blond boy stirred softly, but didn?t awake.
I?ll return it, Daisuke promised silently. He lifted his still-sleeping partner in his arms and disappeared into the dawn. He had no need for Miyako?s spells to show him the way, he could feel it within his blood, drawing him to his destination. He was long gone before the others awoke seeking breakfast, and it was another hour before they noticed he had gone and thought to follow him.
---
There were varying degrees of reactions from the other Chosen, but none were surprised. Miyako shouted a bit and then grumbled under her breath; Hikari simply sighed and rubbed her eyes.
?Is he crazy?? Takeru wondered, scratching his head. ?He hasn?t got a clue where to go, and he can?t expect to defeat the monster by himself.?
?Maybe he is crazy,? Iori conceded. ?I think, however, that he needs to do something, no matter how futile it may be.? The youngest Chosen frowned in thought for a moment. He had been in agreement with Daisuke the evening before ? that something, however little or useless, must be done, and done soon.
---
V-mon awoke after a half-hour of walking, also not surprised to find that his partner had taken action. He looked around him for a few moments and then asked, ?Do we have any food??
Startled by the voice from nowhere, Daisuke stopped dead in his tracks and then looked down at his partner. Suddenly, he found something, he wasn?t sure what, amusing, and laughed. It was a few moments before he recovered, and then he set his pack down and gave the blue digimon a few of the rations that he carried. He didn?t bother eating, but he did drink a long gulp of water from the canteen.
?Where are we going?? V-mon asked when he had eaten his fill and had some water. He stood and followed his partner.
?North,? the boy replied, certainty in his voice. ?Ken?s base will be where the desert meets the snow.?
?Where the desert meets the snow...?? V-mon echoed. ?Is it far??
?Probably,? Daisuke answered, a wry grin on his face now. ?I expect it will take most of the day to reach.?
---
?We gave him enough of a head start,? Takeru sighed when all had been packed or disposed of and they were ready to set out. ?Let?s hope we can find him.?
?He wouldn?t be daft enough to leave tracks behind, would he?? Miyako asked.
?If he did, the shifting sands would have erased them some time ago,? Iori answered. ?Can anyone read anything on their digivices? I can?t.?
Hikari shook her head. ?I can?t, either. He must be too far away by now. Which way do we go, then??
Seven pairs of eyes turned toward Miyako.
---
The sentries at the tower had been ordered to search for Chimeramon, to be alert of his presence, but little else. They hadn?t expected to see a lone Chosen and his partner head directly for the tower from the desert side.
In truth, only one of the creatures that inhabited the tower noticed Daisuke?s approach, and that was a tiny green caterpillar. He spotted the figure amidst the endless pale sands, but alerted no one of his arrival.
If he had, he wasn?t certain his master would have cared much. The Kaiser was more preoccupied with Chimeramon, who was engaged in battle with six Tyrannomon and two Airdramon some distance to the south. He held no illusions that they would be successful in controlling the monster ? Chimeramon was his creation, and he knew that nothing short of a miracle would halt his advance. Still, he had to try, at least, to keep the monster away from the tower until he?d finished his next creation ? a binding that would be powerful enough to enslave the Chimeramon as the rings and spirals had not yet done.
Instead, Wormmon hid amidst the shadows, invisible as was possible. He slept little, and when he did, his dreams were filled with the door at the end of the corridor ? the door that had given him hope. The door opened and a bright white light filled the hall. Then he would awake, in darkness still.
---
?Well, we haven?t been attacked yet,? Daisuke observed. ?Is it luck??
V-mon peered up at him from the sandy ground. ?Extraordinary luck, if that?s true.?
He nodded, a strange grin on his face. ?My luck?s not that good,? Daisuke agreed. ?Do you think perhaps the Kaiser has decided to be polite??
?Maybe he?s not at home right now,? the digimon suggested.
?Ah. That?s possible. So much to do, so little time.? He squinted through sweat-filled eyes toward the structure in the distance. ?A break for mid- day meal, maybe?? he suggested, sitting down hard in the sand and seeking some more water from his pack.
V-mon was never one to turn down food. He agreed, helping his partner devour another portion of the rations, careful to not eat too much, as they had little and there was little chance of replenishing the food. ?We might arrive sooner if I evolved,? he suggested.
?That?s true.? Daisuke pushed back the hood of Takeru?s cloak and wiped his brow. Even with the protection from the sun, the heat was intense and his skin still felt raw and sore. ?But no, save your energy for the battles to come. I?m sure there will be a few.?
A light breeze danced across the wasteland, throwing the sand into the air. V-mon noticed it a second after his partner. ?A storm coming?? he asked.
?I can?t be so lucky as to travel in the desert for one day without one. Come here, it won?t be long now.?
The wind blew steadily after a moment, and then with a ferocity. Daisuke pulled the pack of rations and his partner close to his chest and pulled Takeru?s cloak around them all. Then he hunched over in the sand, shutting his eyes and mouth.
---
Even from around the corner, Wormmon could hear his master?s shouts.
?Another blasted sandstorm!? There was a click of heels on the stone floor, and he knew he was whirling to face the north. ?And on the other side, a blizzard! I know it?s too much to ask that the weather cooperate, but my own servants??
Cautiously, the tiny caterpillar peered around the bend in the wall. A row of Mushmon stood, fearfully awaiting sentence. The Kaiser was cruel to his slaves, and when they displeased him, he made certain they were aware of it. When they were sent on duties, their red eyes remembered nothing, made no decisions on their own, but when they were scolded, they recalled it all. Thus, it was only the pain they would remember.
?Sorry,? one of the digimon whispered meekly, which was, Wormmon knew, precisely the wrong thing to say in these situations.
?Out of my sight!? the Kaiser bellowed, overcome suddenly with such rage he could barely speak. A few Geckomon, eyes glowing red, led the offending group out.
There was a long silence when the Kaiser was left alone. He did not speak, and Wormmon did not expect him to. He rarely felt the need to explain his thoughts to those beneath him. Even when he was alone, he did his planning, his thinking, in silence.
?What do you want?? he demanded, but it was with less ferocity than before.
Wormmon hesitated, saw no one else about, and then anxiously crept into the room. ?I just thought you should know ? ,? he began.
?Anything that I should know I already know,? the Kaiser snapped. ?Nothing you have to tell me could be in the least bit useful.?
?Yes,? Wormmon said, agreeing. ?But, Ken - .?
He whirled away from the window, and now his own eyes were red. ?What have I told you?? he asked, a voice ragged with anger, sleeplessness, hopelessness. ?Never use that name in my presence.?
?Sorry, Master,? Wormmon answered. His whole body was quivering now.
In a flash, the energy was gone from his Master?s voice. Slowly, he sank down into a chair, two fingers pressed against his temple, in the grips of a massive headache. ?Leave me be,? he said, his voice like a plea. ?Just go ? away.?
Wormmon was not likely to do anything of the sort. The voice he?d heard then was not the Kaiser?s, but the voice of his partner. The first time he had heard such a voice in many weeks. Hesitantly, he stepped forward. ?Ken??
The moment passed, and Ken was gone. ?What do you want?? was the snapped reply.
?I ? nothing, Master,? Wormmon answered, slowly scuttling away. ---
The storm raged for a full half-hour, during which Daisuke was nearly certain he was drowning. When he thought he could take no more of the pummeling, the wind suddenly shifted, and the storm ceased.
?It?s ended?? V-mon asked. ?Our luck has changed!?
Daisuke brushed the sand from his hair and scalp. ?Maybe,? he said. ?Maybe not. We still have far to travel, and we just lost some time.? He pushed the hood back from his head and squinted in the sunlight toward the blurb on the horizon he was certain was their destination.
---
?We won?t reach him before the sun sets,? Miyako said with certainty. ?Even if we fly. I don?t know if he will reach where he?s going before then. I still cannot see his destination.?
?I don?t understand how that?s possible,? Takeru said. ?Daisuke knows where it is, and you don?t??
The young mage shook her head, as befuddled as he. ?I don?t know, either.?
?Should we go, then?? Hawkmon asked. ?If we?re going to reach him before nightfall, then we?d best leave now. It?s already past noon.?
There was a short silence, and then Hikari answered. ?Yes, let?s go, and let?s hurry.?
---
Takeru?s cloak had another purpose, Daisuke discovered. The sun was beginning to sink, and there was far to travel, and now the cloak served to warm him as well. He continued walking, trekking through the seemingly endless sands, the cloak wrapped around him, and V-mon in his arms once more, safe within the folds of protection.
They?d seen no life save a few meager cacti, and no digimon at all but a few skeletons. In the distance, they could once again hear the monster?s screams, and the calls of whatever digimon had been sent out to fight it.
?If Ken created that monster, then why would he send the Airdramon after it?? V-mon asked.
?He can?t control it any longer,? Daisuke explained. ?If he doesn?t send the Airdramon after it, it?ll destroy anything, I?d guess.?
?And more,? said a third voice.
?And more,? Daisuke agreed. It took his tired brain a moment before he realized that this voice was not of his partner. ?Who?s there??
?You?re lucky you haven?t been spotted, you haven?t been fried, and you haven?t been buried in sand,? the voice continued. ?I doubt you will be lucky enough to survive the cold night with only that cloak.?
In the slowly dimming light, Daisuke spotted the creature that had spoken. It was a tiny green creature, nearly hidden beneath the sands, taking shelter behind a cactus. ?Wormmon??
The digimon sighed. ?Hello.?
There was a long moment of silence, as neither Daisuke nor V-mon could think of anything appropriate to say. Wormmon sighed again. ?Follow me, then,? he said, and headed away.
?Ah...to where?? Daisuke questioned, though he knew the answer.
---
It was evening and the light was nearly gone when they reached the tower. Wormmon had led them behind cacti and through the sands in confusing directions, but they?d arrived.
?You shouldn?t come in,? Wormmon warned. ?But I?m sure you will.?
Daisuke laughed. ?Well, yes, that?s why I came all the way across the desert!?
?I know,? Wormmon answered, sighing once more. ?Be careful.? Then, before any more could be said, he was gone.
On the top of the tower were sentries, scanning the skies but not the ground. Slowly, Daisuke pressed himself against the cold stones and slipped as quietly possible along desert side of the building. He wondered if he need bother. The guards never once glanced in his direction.
There didn?t seem to be any sort of entrance on the desert side of the tower. Wormmon had explained that the main gates were along the northern side, but he couldn?t be certain of how else to enter.
?I go my own way,? he?d said. ?I do my best to keep out of the way. Sneaking another in or out ? I?ve never done it before. The place is very strange, really. Sometimes you will find doors that you never saw before.?
?Was it built with magic?? V-mon had questioned, but the caterpillar didn?t know.
?It was here. Ken didn?t build it, and I don?t know who did or how.?
They?d traveled a good distance before sitting to rest. Daisuke shook his head. ?I don?t know, V-mon. Maybe we should just walk up to the front gates and announce ourselves. There?s no way in on this side.?
?Well, if there?s no other ?,? V-mon began, but then stopped, gone from sight and hearing.
---
Miyako had been right ? there was no chance of reaching Daisuke before sunset. It was dark, and although she was certain they?d headed in the right direction, he was no where to be seen. Only extensive sands and a few scattered cacti.
They?d set down shortly before sunset and had wisely decided to wait until morning to resume their search. It was cold, and there was no wood to be found.
?There are no trees,? Hawkmon noted glumly. ?There is no campfire.?
?And that means no way to cook dinner,? Armadimon agreed, groaning.
Takeru had been scanning the horizon for signs of anything. ?No, no trees,? he agreed. Only cacti, and not many of them, either.?
?Will cacti burn?? Iori questioned. There was a long moment of silence.
?It?s worth a try,? Patamon stated optimistically.
---
?V-mon? Where are you?? Daisuke whispered rather than shout as instinct told him to. There was no response, of course, and he was now alone in the increasing darkness. He groped about for a moment, searching for some sort of a gap in the wall ? a secret lever that his partner had perhaps activated, and then felt his feet slip out from under him. He sat down, hard, and then slid downward rapidly.
It took him a moment to realize that he was sliding, feet first, through a chute. He could feel the coolness of the metal with his hands, but try as he might to brace himself or slow his progress, the smooth material simply went on propelling him forward through complete darkness.
Obviously, he was heading underground, beneath the tower. The air felt cooler around him. The journey then came to an abrupt end, and Daisuke felt his knees collide with a cold stone floor.
After spending a moment to mentally check for hurts or pains and discovering nothing major, Daisuke pulled himself to his feet and tried to look around him and saw nothing but darkness.
?V-mon?? he whispered into the silence. His words were swallowed. There was no echo.
There was a clicking sound in the distance. Daisuke listened, wondering if he ought to hide, but not knowing where to hide if such were the case. He stood still and silent and tried to make as little noise breathing as was humanly possible.
?Well, you?ve made it. Home sweet home, I suppose,? said a voice, and he nearly jumped out of his skin. Wormmon was at his feet, a small but brightly burning candlestick beside him that he?d somehow managed to carry with him.
In order to recover from the shock, Daisuke sat down on the floor ? there was no other place to sit. He took deep breaths to calm himself, and had just managed to do so when another voice interrupted his thoughts from behind him, startling him again.
?Not much of a home,? V-mon commented, looking around him. ?You don?t live here, really, do you??
?Not in this part,? Wormmon answered. ?No one really comes down here. You?ll be safe for the night. Stay down here and be quiet and you won?t be found.? He started to walk away, the steady clicking of his feet echoing in the silence.
?Wait ? until morning? What do we do then?? Daisuke called after him.
?I don?t know,? the caterpillar?s voice floated back in response. ?You?re the one that decided to come here.?
?He?s right, you know,? V-mon pointed out.
?Yeah. I never think these things through, do I?? Daisuke looked around him again now that the candlelight had improved the visibility.
They were in a rather large room ? at least it seemed large in the narrow range of the candlelight. The floor beneath them was cold gray stone, unswept in many years and so covered with a thin layer of dust and dirt. The walls were made of the same stone. There were no windows, which was expected as the room was below ground. There was no exit that could be viewed with the candle?s assistance.
The most striking feature about the room was the things within it which included (aside from the two unnoticed visitors) many shelves of books lining the walls and many wooden boxes covering the floor. Some of them were open and appeared to contain strange metallic items that Daisuke couldn?t begin to guess the function of.
It was the boxes which first attracted him ? not being a very avid reader. He began to rummage through one of the crates and discovered many metal pipes.
?What do you think these do?? he wondered aloud, not expecting a response.
?I should guess they were once used for plumbing,? V-mon returned dryly, searching through another box. He found a few gears and some other odd mechanical objects. ?Koushiro would have a lot of fun in this room ? all the books and all the funny gadgets.? He picked up an odd instrument and stared at it for a few moments, trying to determine its use. When he couldn?t, he tossed it aside.
?No weapons, nothing of real use,? Daisuke muttered to himself, tossing a few more pipes of varying thicknesses and a few wires. He sighed and gave up on the boxes. ?I wonder if the books are of any help.?
?Can?t be any less helpful than this stuff.? V-mon was examining another strange contraption which involved a few wires on spring attached to a metal box. He watched the wires bounce around for a few moments before tossing it aside.
?Oh, the books will be of great help to you one day,? said a low voice, and both the boy and his partner turned to see another figure emerge from the shadows at the edge of the candlelight.
?Who are you?? Daisuke questioned.
The other spoke with a deep voice that sounded oddly familiar and strange at the same time. ?That?s not for you to know. Not yet.?
?Then when?? V-mon asked.
?Why are you here?? Daisuke wanted to know.
?One could ask the same of you, boy,? the other returned, a sharp tone of voice. He stepped out of the shadows, clad in a black robe. No part of its face or hands was visible. It was unclear if the creature were a human or a digimon.
?I?ve come to end this battle ? this war,? Daisuke replied. ?I?ve come to free the slaves and finish this because I want to go home.?
The robed figure seemed satisfied with the response. Its head bobbed up and down. It walked slowly past them toward the nearest bookshelf. It made no move to grab a book, but one slowly floated off the shelf.
Having seen enough levitation magic himself to be not entirely surprised, Daisuke merely watched as the volume in question floated towards him and then opened. The pages flipped rapidly and then came to a stop on a page. ?This particular prophecy will be of great help to you in the future. It would be beneficial for you to recall it.?
He squinted at the small type on the page and then read: ?The...six day resurrection and the child of light??
?When you return home you ought ask someone about it,? the figure remarked casually. ?I doubt any of the palace wizards would know of it, for none of them dabble in dark magic. Still, take this book with you as proof.?
?I don?t understand. What does this have to do with ? ,?
?It has nothing to do with anything at the moment,? the figure interrupted sharply. ?You?re not meant to understand it. That?s why it?s a prophecy. I?m giving this to you as a gift because you?ll need it in the future. If you are so ungrateful as to question my motives....?
?No, no, not ungrateful. I just don?t understand why you?re telling me this.? The book slowly sank into Daisuke?s waiting hands, still opened to the same page.
?You will understand eventually. Don?t make me regret this.?
There was a flash of fire that appeared from nowhere and then disappeared just as rapidly. When it had died, the figure was gone, and there was only the candlelight remaining.
###
The cacti had burned a bright, hot fire through the night, but with the arrival of the sun it had long since died. Miyako had been left on the last watch, but her exhaustion had conquered her determination and vigilance, and she slept along with the others.
The sun was not fully risen, and the light was still dim when Hikari awoke. The night chill had not yet departed, and she sat for a moment, shivering in the cool morning air.
It was not the cold which made her shiver, but she could not name what had.
She couldn?t return to sleep, so she sat for a moment, wrapping her cloak tighter around herself and trying to recall anything she might have dreamt.
---
The candle had died, but from somewhere a light was peeking into the basement room and shining directly on the eyes of the sleeping body on the floor. He rubbed at them for a moment and then turned over, but this caused him to turn directly onto a sharp piece of metal.
Daisuke sat up, rubbing at the offended area of his back and muttering to himself under his breath. Now fully awake, he decided to abandon all attempts at further sleep.
---
There was much distance to travel and much to do, and so, after waiting until the sun had fully risen, Hikari awoke the others and urged them to eat quickly. It would not be wise to sleep unprotected under the harsh desert sun.
Breakfast was eaten hurriedly, without the use of a cooking fire. Each took a few sips of the remaining water, and then the camp was demolished. Less than an hour later, they were ready to resume their trek across the harsh sands.
---
The basement hiding place wasn?t much more inviting in the morning. A single sunbeam poked through a section of the wall where the building stones had broken near the ground.
There was only a small amount of rations left over from the evening before, and these served as the morning meal. Daisuke drank half his remaining water and let V-mon have the rest. Then he wrapped himself in Takeru?s dark cloak, strapped his pack to his back ? heavier now with the addition of the book, but lighter with the subtraction of the food and water ? and searched for an exit from the basement.
There was no door, but at one side of the room a tiny, ramshackle, wooden staircase rose toward the upper levels. Daisuke cautiously tested the first step before slowly ascending. It held his weight, but creaked loudly, and he hoped it would not attract attention.
There was no door at the top of the climb, either, only a doorway. As quietly as possible, Daisuke crept toward the edge of the doorway and peered around.
Beyond the doorway was a hallway, lined on each side with heavy doors, wooden monstrosities edged with iron and sealed shut with iron locks and bolts. The floor was stone as it was below, but here it had, by some force ? perhaps of magic ? been made smooth and shiny. It was empty of anything living or dead, and there was no sound.
For some reason, the very existence of the doors in this hallway sent a shiver down the spine of the human intruder. Seeing nothing, Daisuke left the relative safety of the doorway and ventured into the hall. In the silence, his footsteps sounded loud to his ears.
?What is this place?? V-mon asked, and although he whispered, the silence made his voice sound louder than usual.
Daisuke shook his head. ?Nothing, now. Everything?s gone.? He turned, looking up, then down the hall.
?All right. What was it before?? his partner tried asking. ?Daisuke??
He?d turned and headed down the hall, quicker than before, head tilted to one side as though he was listening to some unheard summons. V-mon hurried quickly to catch up with him.
?A dungeon, I think,? Daisuke answered while he walked. ?The heavy locks, the doors...I think this is where the slaves were kept. There are none left now, though, they?re all needed elsewhere, to defend this place.?
?Where are we going??
At the end of the hall there was another door, but this one was made of only metal. ?I wonder what?s behind this,? Daisuke mumbled to himself.
?Probably something dangerous,? V-mon replied. ?Let?s go.?
?Probably something important,? Daisuke returned. ?I want to know. I want to see it.? He stepped forward and put his hand on the thick iron handle.
?It?s probably locked,? V-mon sighed.
The handle turned and the faint sound of metal grating could be heard.
---
By noon, they?d traveled some distance and stopped for a rest, which was very much needed as they?d walked all morning.
There was no shade to be found, but they rested in a low valley of sand where they might be more inconspicuous.
While the others rested their feet and drank tiny sips of water to cool their thirst, Miyako climbed the side of the nearest dune and scanned the horizon as far as she could see. Hawkmon took to the air, flying as high as he could overhead. When he had searched in all directions, he returned to the ground once more. He said nothing, only shook his head in slight bewilderment.
Miyako sighed as well, nodding, for she hadn?t expected to find anything. She shut her eyes and gathered the wind to her for the second time that day.
---
The door creaked open, and for a moment Daisuke could see nothing but total darkness. He wished he had thought to bring a lantern with him on his trek, or at least some candles.
?Baby flame,? said a harsh voice, and ball of fire lit the room. After a moment, the darkness grew thinner, and a torch was lit. A small Agumon stood, his face half shrouded in the dark. ?Baby flame,? it said again, and another torch came alive, this on the other side of him. Two other small figures ? Gazimon ? became visible behind the Agumon ? they were holding the torches in their paws.
All three of them had glowing red eyes, sharp against the darkness.
?None may enter,? the Gazimon stated in unison.
?We must guard the power source,? the Agumon agreed.
?Power source?? V-mon echoed. ?What power source?? They did not answer.
?V-mon,? Daisuke whispered, turning away from the guards. ?If we destroy whatever this power source is....?
?Then perhaps the slaves will be freed?? V-mon finished. ?Maybe. But what is this power source? And what does it power??
?I don?t know,? he answered honestly. ?But I have this feeling that destroying something that they,? he gestured toward the guards, ?don?t want us to destroy has got to be good for us, right??
The blue digimon considered this for a moment, thinking carefully. ?Let?s do it.?
---
The wind had grown considerably in strength up higher on the dunes, but in the protected valley they were mostly safe from the vicious sands.
Takeru watched Miyako from his safe spot on the ground. ?It?s amazing, I think,? he said after a few moments.
Iori, seated beside him on a boulder that peeked out above the sand, agreed. ?She?s progressed so much, it?s hard to imagine that just a short while ago she could do so little, and now this.?
?I have never been so pleased to be so near to the ground,? Armadimon stated, watching the sand as it whipped around at high speeds overhead.
?I think it?s slowing now,? Patamon noted. As he spoke, the sand seemed to slow, and then dropped to the ground in a shower of tiny granules.
?Did you see anything?? Hikari called up the side of the slope.
?Not much to report,? Miyako replied once she had descended to the lower ground. ?I can sense where he traveled, but the trail?s worn thin. He?s already there, wherever he is.?
Hikari frowned, but didn?t appear surprised by this information. She was silent for a while, thinking.
?What do we do now, then?? Iori wondered. ?Ought we to keep following, even though we don?t know our destination??
?I wish he?d waited for us,? Takeru grumbled. ?If he knew the way, then why didn?t he just say so? And how could he know the way??
?I don?t think he knew,? Miyako sighed. ?I mean, I don?t think that he knew that he knew, he just started walking and ended up going in the right direction.?
?So you?re saying it was luck?? Patamon questioned in disbelief.
?No, I wouldn?t say it was luck,? she answered. ?More like an instinct, maybe? I don?t know that I understand it any better than he does.?
?Can you follow the trail?? Iori asked.
Miyako sighed. ?It will be difficult, if not nearly impossible, but I think so.?
?Hikari?? Tailmon asked. ?What do you think??
---
?V-mon armor evolve!?
For a moment, a blinding light prevented the Agumon and the two Gazimon from seeing much of anything. Then it faded, and a din of voices clouded the mix.
?Fladramon!?
?Baby Flame!?
?YAAAARGH!?
The last sound was shouted, in unison, by the two Gazimon, who threw themselves into battle with a vicious abandonment, clinging to the evolved digimon?s legs and scratching and clawing at the unprotected portions.
Preoccupied with the Gazimon, Fladramon was barely able to shield himself from the Agumon?s attack, but managed to recover in time. ?Fire Rocket!? he called back, and blasted the Agumon. It was thrown back by the force of the attack, colliding harshly with the stone wall and deleting.
?Get...off,? Daisuke grunted. He?d latched on to one of the Gazimon and was pulling with all his might, trying to detach the grey, long-eared creature.
His partner took a more direct ? and violent ? approach to removing the other creature. ?Knuckle Fire!? His fist now a flaming fireball, Fladramon scored a direct hit on the offending digimon, knocking him to the ground. It shook its head, long ears flapping, and managed to recover enough to stand ? just in time for another well timed ?Fire Rocket? to serve him the same fate that the Agumon had found.
Daisuke meanwhile, had managed to detach the other Gazimon, causing both himself and the creature to fall backwards into the cold stone floor. ?Go ?way!? the digimon shouted, sneering viciously. It lashed out with one of its paws, but Daisuke blocked it with his arm before the blow could reach his face.
Fladramon was taking aim for another attack when a loud screech stopped all three of the combatants. The building itself shook violently and small pieces of gravel rained down from the ceiling above.
?I don?t like the sound of that,? Daisuke said.
?You won?t like the sound of this, either,? the Gazimon sneered. ?Paralyze Breath!? It had opened its mouth to deliver the attack when the screech echoed again and the building shook once more. The ground shook, and the ceiling even more violently. Daisuke released his hold on the Gazimon, instinctively backing away. More stones fell down from the ceiling. The Gazimon delivered the attack, but it met only the stones, to which it did no harm.
Fladramon took advantage of the separation. ?Fire Rocket!? he called, deleting the Gazimon before it could attack again. ?We?d better get out of here,? he warned.
Another violent shake rocked the building. ?I don?t understand,? Daisuke called over the noise. ?What were they guarding??
They looked around the empty room, but it appeared to be devoid of anything of value. A short distance away, though, was another staircase leading down. ?I?m not sure that it?s wise. I think this building may be collapsing,? Fladramon warned.
Before Daisuke could open his mouth to add his own thoughts on the matter, the building shook once more, and even more debris rained down from the ceiling overhead. A loud, distinctive shriek filled their ears, and then a hole appeared in the level above them and a monstrous face glared at them, hungrily.
For a moment, time stood still. Daisuke stared at the fearsome monster, and the monster stared back. Neither moved.
Then the monster opened its teeth-filled mouth. The temperature rose. Daisuke regained control of his senses and dashed as fast as he could toward the stairway he?d just noticed. Fladramon paused long enough to blast a ?Fire Rocket? toward the creature?s eyes.
Another screech signaled the monster?s attack, and the room filled with fire. Daisuke nearly flew down the stairs, diving below the level of the floor just before the flames reached where he had once stood. There was a moment of tense silence, and then a shout could be heard.
From the opening at the top of the stairs came a tiny blue blur that launched itself into Daisuke?s arms.
---
?If we wait,? Hikari answered slowly, ?the answer will become clear.?
There was a confused silence following this statement, but it didn?t last long. In the distance they could hear a familiar shriek of rage, and though it was far off, it could be heard from far away.
?It?s returned!? Takeru realized first. ?Where is it?? He scrambled up the side of the tall dune, sending sand flying about. He scanned the horizon, one hand shielding his eyes from the sun. ?I can?t see it.?
The others followed him at a slightly more subdued pace. ?We need to follow it,? Hikari said, still speaking in the same tone of voice ? slow and thoughtful, as though recalling a dream.
?Of course,? Iori nodded. ?If the monster wants to make its way to Ken, and that?s where Daisuke is, then following the monster will lead us to Daisuke.?
---
?Chibimon?!? Daisuke asked in disbelief, but the tiny blue digimon shook its head, gesturing for silence. Again they heard the angry shriek, and again the building shook. There was a moment of silence and then the noises repeated themselves, but sounded further away. Both Daisuke and his partner breathed a sigh of relief.
?That thing?s powerful, whatever it is,? Chibimon reported when they were certain they were safe from the monster?s attack. ?I?m not sure all the Chosen together could defeat it.?
Daisuke sighed dejectedly, but was not surprised at the information. ?I knew it was too strong for us to take on, but what is there to do?? he wondered. ?And now what? To come all this way and have accomplished nothing? That monster will destroy this whole building, and us and Ken inside it, unless we find a way to stop it. There?s got to be a way.?
?Do you see that light?? Chibimon asked.
For the first time, Daisuke turned to see his new surroundings. This room was wide and long, but with a low ceiling and no other exit besides the one they?d come through. In the center was a metal pole, and in the center of that was a glass case.
The light was coming from inside the glass case.
---
Wormmon was concerned, the slaves were confused and frightened, and the Kaiser was angry.
Even angrier than usual.
The stone tower, which stood where the desert met the snow and had stood for countless generations, was falling to pieces. Chimeramon?s screeching was continuous, his fire blasts constant, and he rammed into the building, destroying walls and generally greatly compromising the structural integrity.
At first, the Kaiser met these attacks with the expected response from such a despot: he shouted and he ordered his slaves about. With dwindling forces, he sent the slaves to attack the invading monster and each time they were defeated ? either deleted outright or accidentally freed, at which point they simply ran away as quickly as possible. Or flew, if they were so able.
After some time, though, it became increasingly obvious that the defensive options were not having much effect. This caused the Kaiser to react with even more shouting.
Wormmon had wisely stayed out of the way.
Now though, hidden beneath a chair, Wormmon noticed the same pained expression come over his Master?s face as had appeared earlier. This time, however, the pain seemed to be even greater. He clutched his head in both hands and tried to sit down in a chair, but missed and instead sank to his knees on the floor.
For a few minutes he groaned and moaned, and then mumbled, so quietly that Wormmon had to strain to hear him: ?No, go away and leave me be.?
?Ken?? the small caterpillar ventured to ask.
A pained cry escaped his Master then, and Wormmon felt his spine tingle with fear.
Then, it was all over.
?What is it?? the boy questioned, his voice somewhere between exhaustion, pain, and controlled anger.
Wormmon hesitated, hating to bother him for nothing. ?I ? I could fight it, you know.?
The Kaiser had returned in full. ?You?? he scoffed, cackling with amusement. ?I have no time for jokes, runt. Be gone.?
---
?What is that?? Daisuke wondered, stepping closer to the light. He raised one arm to shield his face.
Chibimon leapt from his arms and took another few steps toward the glass case. ?Whoa!? he said suddenly, and the light grew even brighter. A moment later, V-mon had reappeared.
?How did that happen?? Daisuke questioned, astonished.
?I think that whatever that light is, it?s powerful,? his partner answered. ?Maybe it?s what we?re looking for.?
?I hope so.? Daisuke walked slowly closer to the glass, still shielding his face with one hand. The closer he stepped, the more intense the glowing became. By the time he had reached the source, he had shut his eyes defensively. He reached out blindly, groping along the smooth glass, searching for an entry. He felt it move beneath his fingers, and squinted to see it move upwards, opening for him. He reached in, and his fingers met a warm, smooth object.
?Can you get it?? V-mon asked, eyes squeezed shut.
?I?ve got it,? he answered, and slowly removed the item from the glass case. The light dimmed slightly without the glass to reflect it, and he opened his eyes wider. ?I don?t know what it is, though.?
V-mon opened his eyes a crack and squinted at the object. ?It looks sort of like a digimental,? he commented.
?So it does,? Daisuke observed. He grinned widely and then held the object away from him. ?Let?s try it then. Digimental up!?
---
They?d been walking for a few moments, debating whether or not to evolve and fly to their destination, when another loud screech broke the desert silence. In distance, a violent sandstorm could be seen, and behind the flying sands was visible a tower built of stone.
A beacon of light suddenly rose directly out of the center of the tower and the storm. The winds parted and the sands stopped flying. Following the light was a strange creature none of them had ever seen before. It appeared to be glowing, as though the light was coming from it. It was surrounded in a golden-colored armor, and when it shouted out its name, they could hear it, even across the distance of the desert.
?Magnamon!?
For a moment, the travelers stood in confused wonderment and the sight they saw. It was Hikari who broke the silence.
?That?s what I was waiting for,? she explained. ?Let?s go. Digimental up!?
---
The side of the stone tower was now completely destroyed. The only exit from the wide, low-ceilinged room was to head upward or to head out the side of the tower.
Daisuke charged up the rickety flight of stairs and back through the room where he and Fladramon had defeated the Gazimon and the Agumon. He stepped nimbly around the piles of rubble and entered the connecting, smoothly polished corridor.
At the end of the corridor was another flight upwards. He ran on, knowing his destination would probably be the top floor.
---
Wormmon stared out the window with a faint glimmer of hope and confusion, an expression that was, amazingly enough, mirrored on the Kaiser?s own face.
Amazingly, Magnamon appeared to be defeating Chimeramon ? or at least damaging it much worse than any previous combatant had been able to. Punch after powerful punch was thrown into the monster, each fist a glowing blur. The light coming from the powerful digimon was blinding.
Chimeramon screeched with rage, more rage than ever before, because now he was hurt and feeling actual pain. The monster opened its mouth and let loose its fiery breath, but Magnamon appeared unharmed. The glowing aura that surrounded it absorbed and diverted the flames.
Chimeramon was made with the parts of different digimon, and its breath was not its only attack. It also had powerful claws and legs, and it struck out with these now, the sharp claws clanking noisily against Magnamon?s seemingly impenetrable armor. It screeched again with frustrated rage and opened its mouth once more. Magnamon darted swiftly out of the way and the fireball crashed violently into the side of the tower.
---
The wall collapsed under the force of Chimeramon?s attack. Daisuke had to stop his hurried climb up the stairs to shield himself from the falling debris. ?Watch it!? he called, peering out of the side. Neither of the fighters paid him much heed, and another fireball collided with tower, this time effectively blocking the stairwell.
Daisuke muttered a curse under his breath, realizing that he wasn?t going to get to the top of the tower that way. He was contemplating jumping down to the ground below when a shout caught his attention.
It was Miyako, calling his name. Aboard Holsmon, the young mage flew as close to the building as possible. ?Jump!? she shouted. ?We?ll catch you, I think.?
It was not the most encouraging of statements, and he was not eager to do so. ?You think?? he retorted.
?All right, fine!? Miyako returned. ?Stay there and die then. Or get on!?
He knew she was right and there wasn?t much choice, and so, after a moment of planning, he took a few running steps and leapt with all his might from the tower. For a brief moment he was flying, hovering in midair, and then the ground came rushing out and he reached with his arms and caught hold of feathers.
Holsmon let out an involuntary screech of pain and was unbalanced for a moment, tilting dangerously to one side. Miyako reached out and clasped the dangling Chosen by his wrists, then pulled with all her might until he was safely aboard. Holsmon righted himself and gently carried them both to safety on the ground a few feet away.
?A note or something before you leave might help, you know,? Miyako scolded him before they?d even set food on the sands. ?You can?t expect us to come back and save your silly self each time you run off thinking you can save the world yourself.?
?And stealing my cloak as well,? Takeru grumbled, arms folded.
?Ah, um...sorry,? Daisuke mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck as he muttered the apology.
?Look out!? Iori warned.
A giant fireball, launched by Chimeramon, was heading directly for them. Instinctively, all scattered, but it was closing fast. In a flash, Magnamon was between them and the attack, the glowing aura once again negating the power of the fireball.
The aura was weakening, though.
?He needs help,? Miyako observed. ?Go on, Holsmon!?
?We might have a chance against him now,? Takeru noted optimistically. Within moments, the rest of their partners had joined the attack against Chimeramon.
---
Atop the stone tower, the room was shaking violently, and it was all Wormmon could do to make sure he was still attached to the floor and not sent flying. Ken was still staring out the window, tightly clutching the window frame as he watched the battle outside.
?Master, we must leave this tower. It?s falling down around us!? Wormmon called. He ducked under a chair to avoid the pebbles falling overhead.
?Leave? I can?t leave this place. I won?t leave!?
Wormmon stared in complete disbelief. ?If we stay in this place, we?ll be killed!? He made his way back toward the window. ?If they don?t destroy Chimeramon, he?ll destroy you.?
?Nonsense,? the boy replied. ?Chimeramon will destroy the Chosen, they won?t be able to defeat him. And then I shall use him to battle, other, greater foes, and take more land.? He was laughing now, feeling triumphant. Wormmon stared in astonished horror.
---
?I don?t understand it,? Iori noted. ?Even as strong as Magnamon is, he isn?t defeating that monster. He?s doing much better than we did originally, but he?s still not winning.?
?It doesn?t seem to have any weaknesses,? Miyako agreed. ?I wonder if there it?s even possible to destroy it.?
Hikari hadn?t spoken a word since they?d arrived, and she watched the battle with a stoic silence and intense focus. ?He?ll need outside help,? she stated then, so suddenly that the others jumped at her words.
?Outside help from who?? Takeru asked, confused.
---
?No, Master,? Wormmon answered after a moment. ?You won?t. He?ll destroy you, and he?ll destroy everything else in this land.?
For a moment, his Master seemed to understand him. For a moment, his eyes were his own once more, and there was clarity in the world.
Then the moment passed, and it was simply mad eyes staring back at him with confusion and disbelief.
The slaves that had been freed accidentally were retreating from the tower in large hordes, but some had stayed behind to free others, and so the flee of digimon continued, running and flying directly passed the window that Wormmon now peered out of. He waited a moment, watching the fleeing masses and considering something in his mind.
?I?m sorry,? he said, after a long silence had passed and then he leapt off the ledge.
---
?An Airdramon?? Daisuke questioned. ?I don?t ? no, wait!?
Of the fleeing slaves, one Airdramon had broken free of the masses and was making its way toward the battle. Upon closer inspection though, it was possible to see, even from a great distance, that there was a tiny green blurb atop the head of the Airdramon.
?Is that Wormmon?? Miyako wondered.
?I think so,? Takeru answered.
Daisuke ran a few paces toward the battle and shouted up toward the small caterpillar. ?Wormmon, no! You don?t have to do this! I could....?
If Wormmon heard, he didn?t answer.
?No,? Hikari said, shaking her head slowly. ?I don?t think you could.?
The giant Airdramon transported the little green worm as close as possible to the battle, and then Wormmon began to glow. Not a massive, powerful glow as like the one Magnamon had emitted on first appearance, but a little aura of his own.
?I hope this helps,? he stated in a quiet little voice, and Magnamon, seeming to understand the situation entirely, just nodded consolingly. Then, the Airdramon flew closer, and Wormmon leapt from the head of the flying serpent and collided with Chimeramon.
The faint aura the small caterpillar had been giving off slowly faded and hovered in the air for a few moments. Slowly, Magnamon?s own golden aura regained its original strength, and then grew in intensity until anyone trying to see him had to look away lest they lose their sight.
?Extreme Jihad!? Magnamon shouted, and there was a screech of anger and pain from the monster that cut off suddenly as it was deleted.
---
The smoke and sand slowly cleared away, and a figure became visible, dashing across the sandy wasteland.
?Wormmon!?
Chimeramon was gone, the Airdramon had fled, and the freed slaves had vanished. All that stood now in the desert were the Chosen and their partners.
---
He wandered, searching for his partner, and then a tiny voice called out: ?Daisuke! Daisuke!?
A small blue blob a short distance away bounced up and down so that he could be found, and then ceased, too exhausted to continue the movement. ?I?m tired,? he mumbled, yawning.
?Chicomon?? Daisuke asked, his voice a concern. He lifted his partner in his hand. ?I can?t believe you did it.?
?Not by myself,? the little baby digimon answered. ?Wormmon helped. I couldn?t have done it without him.? His voice was tired, as though he was about to fall asleep right then and there.
---
?Wormmon? Wormmon!?
?I?m here, Ken,? the tiny caterpillar responded. And he was, lying in the desert sands and looking quite horrible. ?I?m sorry.? He was glowing, but with a pale glow, not a healthy glow, and then there were shining things floating in the air. Pieces of him.
For a long moment there was silence in the desert. Gently, the boy who had once been Kaiser, once been Ken Ichijouji, and now was neither of the two, lifted the little caterpillar into his arms and cradled him.
?You?re sorry?? he questioned, his voice a soft whisper. ?I caused this. I?m sorry. Don?t go, please.?
?I?m sorry, Ken,? Wormmon answered. ?I don?t want to.? He shut his big blue eyes and sighed out his last breath.
There was nothing more to say, no more words that would be suitable for the occasion. Slowly, the loyal Wormmon disappeared until nothing remained.
There was a long silence, and Ken was alone with his tears and the sand.
---
Daisuke was the one who found him, crouched in the sand over where Wormmon had last been, tears still streaming down his face.
?Ken?? he asked, hesitantly.
He was no longer the Kaiser, none could say that he was, for the things which had made him so were gone, and now he simply looked once more like Ken Ichijouji, a sad young man crying in a desert.
He lifted his head, his hair falling limply around his face, and he met eyes with the one who had once been his friend and once been his enemy, but there was no recognition in his eyes, only a bit of fear and sadness. ?I must go,? he said, though it wasn?t a reply.
?Go where?? asked another voice, and it was Miyako, who had appeared two heartbeats after Daisuke.
?I need to be alone,? he answered, and then he was gone ? as though he?d never been there. ---
The End? Well, of this part anyhow....
To compensate for the fact that this last chapter is much later than I had promised, It?s also longer and (I think) pretty action packed. Wee.
It?s late now and I?m tired, but I?ll try to answer a few questions I think might arise:
Yes, cacti can burn. I looked this up somewhere and they can burn.
Who was the guy that gave Daisuke the book? What was the book? I?m sure some of you can guess as to what the prophecy states and where I want to go with this, but if you haven?t, stay tuned. I will write more of this, even if it takes forever to get it out.
Um... that?s the only questions I can think of. Aside from a few that I won?t bother to mention (what the (!# is this? comes to mind). If you think of any that you simply must have answered, leave a review or send me an email (turquoisecowexcite.com) and I?ll try to get back to you with a semi- coherent reply, and if I don?t, I?ll shove the answer in the first chapter of the next section.
If I still don?t then, email me again, your message might have been eaten or destroyed. ;;
Anywho, thanks for sticking with this story to this point. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and all your support. ::waves::