A/N: well everyone seems pretty content with the way things are going so far, so I'll just continue to let the fic write itself. Thank you everyone for letting me know what you want, it helps keep me focused. Let's see here, this is kind of another boring chapter, man I've been making that the trend lately. But I hate rushing into the plot without giving decent background, which your probably realized from Lord of the Nightmare Soldiers seeing how it took me forever to make Matt the new Lord and even longer to have the other Digidestined learn of it. Anyway this is another development chapter, it's mostly meant to introduce the others and kind of move everyone a little closer to the big confrontation.
Sorry EllaJ.W there's still no good brotherly love moments yet, but I did through in some sibling love to tie you over until Matt and TK reunite.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Digimon, but things do change…
~*~*~
Total darkness encompassed everything, wrapping the air itself in a black blanket. Eternity felt short and meaningless compared to this imperishable eclipse. The darkness filled everything, even your very soul, making you forget the meaning of light and the gift of vision. The perpetual black seemed to confine you, chaining you to its effects, and yet you could still feel yourself wandering blindly through it. You could feel your hands cutting through the still air in search of something solid. But the groping and crawling did nothing; there was nothing to find amid the eternal night. Finally the effects of the blindness takes its toil and you can see no other option but to cry out into the void around you, hoping that something will hear your peals and take pity upon you.
So that is what she did. She forced her voice to break the silence within the darkness. She shouted out a "Hello", praying that she would be heard. Her cry crashed around her, echoing back ten times as loud. The sound was so overwhelming that she was forced to bring her hands to her ears in order to block out the blast. However these efforts to save her sensitive eardrums from the pounding abuse of her own voice were useless, the sound slipped past her hands and into her ears. Finally the echo died away leaving a sharp ringing in its place.
She realized quickly her mistake and so she lowered her trembling hands slowly and a note not to speak again. Now she had no other choice but to crawl and grope blindly in the darkness. She had no other choice but to search the endless void, she could not call for help, the punishment for such an effort would be far worse than the reward could make up for.
As she crawled she felt her bare knees and hands rubbing raw, as thought she were skidding across rough concrete, but she could feel nothing beneath her. It was as though she was floating and yet she still felt her skin splitting. She wanted to cry, but she feared the pain her whimpers would cause and so she remained as silent as possible.
For what seemed like hours she crawled and searched the darkness, but nothing entered her path. Finally she felt her strength leave her and she fell to her stomach and curled into a tight ball, burring her face in her abused hands. Tears of fear slipped from her eyes, stinging the raw flesh on her hands, but she ignored the pain as she allowed her mind to wander. She was so confused. She didn't know where she was, or how she had gotten there. She didn't even know if this was real. She only knew that she wanted it to end. She wanted the darkness to peal away. She wanted to be back in her bed, with the comfort of knowing that her older brother was sleeping right above her on the top bunk. She wanted the darkness to end, but for some reason this only seemed to cause it to grow.
It wasn't until she began to shiver that she realized how cold it had become. Before it was neither cold or warm, but now she felt the stillness interrupted by a chilling breeze. Cautiously she removed her hands, which were now sticky with blood, from her tear-streaked face and looked around. To her surprise the darkness was gone. The endless black had been replaced by many shades of gray.
She now found herself lying on a cold brick floor. There was a ceiling above here with many holes, rays of dull light beamed through the holes allowing her to observe her soundings. Her ruby eyes still sparkled with unshed tears as she took in every detail of the room.
It appeared to be some short of courtroom. There was a section for the jury and a bench for the judge, both of which were made of charred wood, as though fire had tried, but failed, to reduce them to ash. Upon the walls hung faded and dirty tapestries, which concealed parts of the old, crack, brick walls.
After scanning over the room she turned her attention to the floor which too was crack and dirty. Some time past before she finally willed herself to get up. Slowly she moved to sit up stirring the dust beneath her, which caused her to cough. To her relief though the sound of her coughing did not come echoing back as her voice did when she cried out into the darkness.
Once she had settled her nerves she willed herself to stand. Her legs shook beneath her but she ignored it. The wind continued to blow a piercing cold, but she paid no mind to it. Instead she cast one last glance at the room around her, before her eyes finally fell upon the courtroom's door, the only article in the room which seemed clean and whole.
She bit her lip in thought as she forced herself to walk to the door. Taking a deep breath, she summoned all of her courage and then pushed the door open.
Everything was void of color. The world stood before her as a sea of lifeless gray. Above tenebrous clouds hung low in the sky, creating a wall between heaven and earth. The sun fought desperately to penetrate this wall, but ultimately it was no match. The day's lamp still managed to send light to the otherwise blackened world, however, the light came down tainted and livid.
A loud harsh gale blew like the breath of a demon upon her, and she was forced to wrap her arms around her body in a feeble attempt to remain warm. Other than the wind there was no sound coming from the city before her.
She didn't recognize the city, but it didn't matter, instinct told her that she was in the Digital World. She required no conformation, she simply knew that the ruined before her was the world that she had strove to protect since she was a young child.
The lurid scene was more horrifying than she had ever imagined. Not even the combined effort of the Dark Masters had reduced the world to such a bleak existence. The city before her looked like a graveyard. The metropolis was made up of abandoned and broken buildings. It reminded her of the pictures she had seen in history books and on the news. Pictures of the effects of war and how it leaves nothing but death behind it.
She knew now that it was coming. War was on the world's doorstep, and this would be the end result. A world once flourishing and beautiful would become nothing more than a phantom.
Finally she fell to her knees and began to weep. Not even the power of Light could save the Digital World from itself. How could good prevail when there is no evil? How could light survive when it is divided between so many and abused by all? This was their future, a world of lifeless gray.
"Kari?"
The sound broke through the wind, silencing the gale's howl.
"Come on Kari, wake up."
The livid clouds rolled back and a bright golden sun shone down upon the world, giving her hope, then the vision vanished and she was met with a comforting darkness and the warmth of her blankets.
She moaned softly before her eyes fluttered open. It took a moment for her vision to clear, but once the blur was gone the ruby orbs focused on two chocolate brown eyes, staring at her with great concern.
She blinked a couple of times as she tried to clear her mind of the dream that had caused her so much distress. Finally she found herself calm again and was able to slowly push herself up into a sitting position.
"Tai," she whimpered softly as she looked into her older brother's worried eyes.
Instantly relief flooded into Tai's dark brown eyes, and a small smile pulled at his lips. "Thank goodness you're awake," he expressed as he pulled his younger sister into his arms, "I was beginning to worry there for a moment." He confessed, allowing his emotions to dance freely in his voice.
Kari returned her brother's embrace, gripping at his shirt tightly as tears fell from her eyes.
"Tai it was so horrible!" she moaned sadly.
Tai stroked his sister's back trying to calm her, "It's okay, it was only a dream."
He tried to sound strong and in control, but within he was breaking down as well. He had woke nearly half an hour ago to the sound of his sister's whimpers and when he tried to wake her she didn't stir. He was almost tempted to get his mother, but he knew his sister's dream was no common nightmare. Kari often suffered from visions. They could never truly figure out what had caused the young Child of Light to have this "gift". Izzy had brought up the theory that perhaps when the Digital Entity had possessed her it left some sort of inscription upon her, causing Kari to perhaps see through the Entity's eyes. Whether or not this was true was never proven, but to Tai what caused the visions didn't matter. All that mattered was his sister suffered and he could do nothing about it.
Kari cried on her brother's should for some time, gaining strength from his courage. Once she felt her nerves settle and the tears stop, she slowly pulled away, then whipped her reddened check with the long sleeve of her light pink pajama top.
Tai continued to stare at his sister with concern as she lowered her head, fixing her gaze upon her yellow comforter. He wanted to wait until she was ready to talk, but it seemed like she had slipped into some sort of trance.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he questioned gently. He didn't want her to feel obligated to talk to him if she really didn't want to, but he hated seeing her in any sort of pain. He would gladly take on a hundred times more suffering if it meant she would never have to suffer again, but unfortunately he could find no way of rescuing her from her pain, and so all he could do was stand by her and help carry the burden.
"I," she began shakily. She wasn't even certain if she wanted to remember the vision, let alone discuss it. But the worry in her brother's eyes pained her greatly, and she knew she had to do something to ease his worry. "I saw the Digital World. It had been ravaged and raped by war. There was nothing left but ruin." She whispered softly.
She was fifteen now. No longer a child but a young woman. She had fought wars, led rebels, and was a lady of the court. While other girls her age were concerned with appearance, boys, and popularity, she focused her thoughts upon keeping peace between governments, fighting off evil should it ever reappear in the world, and protecting two worlds from darkness. No one so young should be concerned with such things, and yet she could not imagine her life without these burdens.
Tai felt his insides grow cold with fear. The very thought that a war would break out in the Digital World was more than he could stand to consider. He was the leader of the Digidestined. He was responsible for all the Chosen Children. What would he do if one of his own stood against the very system that he swore to protect? Quickly he shook his head, banishing the thought. His sister was suffering; it was selfish of him to dwell on his own fears while she was haunted but such grief.
"Kari," she addressed his sister calmly as he rose his hand to her face. Gently he whipped away what was left of her tears and lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "I know it all seems hopeless now, but we have to have faith. Matt is one of us, he'll find away to avoid this war." He spoke in full confidence. He was convinced that his best friend would appease Azulongmon, after all, giving in a little was better than war.
"But what if he doesn't Tai?" she questioned almost desperately, "What if there is a war? Where will we stand? Both Azulongmon and Matt have kept us in the dark about practically everything. Where do we stand if they go to war?"
Tai dropped his hand from his sister's chin. He had been in denial this entire time. His sister was certain that war was inevitable. TK was certain that Matt would "fix" the problem before it got out of hand, and the rest of the Digidestined were divided on the issue.
He did know one thing; many of the Digidestined still found it difficult to accept Matt as the Lord of The Nightmare Soldiers. Even after all these years they hated the thought of one of the own leading the South. Tai wasn't a fool; he knew his group well enough to know that they would side with who ever held out the longest. The leader that declared war first would instantly be named the enemy of the entire world, even if the declaration were reasonable. Even if he didn't like it, he would have to stand where the majority of his fellow Digidestined stood. Much like his best friend had a responsibility to the Nightmare Soldiers, so did he have a responsibility to the Digidestined.
"We'll deal with war when, and if, it comes." The brunette finally announced, giving his sister a reassuring look. "I know the vision you saw must have been horrible, but your visions are never written in stone. Maybe by knowing what could lie ahead we can avoid it."
Kari nodded in agreement. There was still hope. Even if there was a war, it didn't necessarily spell the end. For now they had to remain strong and have faith in one another.
"Thanks Tai." The Child of Light expressed as she gave her brother a hug of gratitude.
Tai returned the hug, pleased to know that he was able to help his sister in this small way.
The two siblings pulled apart, both exhausted and ready to go back to sleep, but a beeping sound instantly drew both of their attention to Kari's D-Tector.
Kari crawled past her brother and out of bed. She walked slowly over to the computer desk where both her D-3 and D-Tector lei beside her bother's digi-vice. She picked the small palm pilot device up and flipped the cover to reveal the screen.
"What is it?" Tai question as he rose from the edge of his sister's bed and walk over to where she stood.
"It's an e-mail from Gennai." She explained slowly, "He wants all of us to meet him at Primary Village as soon as possible."
Tai's eyes instantly fell to the floor, a feeling of dread washed over him as he wondered why this meeting was necessary.
"I'll call everyone and have them meet us here." Tai announced, earning him a nod from his sister.
"I'll pack out backpacks." Kari explained before setting her D-Tector down and heading out into the kitchen to collect some previsions.
Tai watched his sister leave the room before turning his gaze to the sliding glass door. His dark eyes fixed upon the world outside.
'The sun hasn't risen yet,' he thought with a tired yawn, "I wonder if it will come up at all."
~*~*~
The firmament seemed all the more threatening as the sun began to rise. The brilliant light hit the curtain of black clouds causing blue and white lightening to flash and streak dangerously over the heavens. No land was spared by this impenetrable darkness. All was covered by the looming shadows, causing pandemonium to spread like the black plague over the creatures of the world. Though it had barely been a day since this malefactor spread it wings of death and destruction over the land, already riots and anarchy had claimed many of the smaller, less developed communities. It was though once the light was cut off so was any sense of reason. The creatures worked quickly to secure themselves at the expense of their neighbors. The possibility that the witching hour would lay eternally over their world was more than any could bear to consider.
All governments worked through the night to prepare themselves for what fate had in store for the Digital World. The Southern continent was no exception to these endeavors. Military, industry, and politics labored long through night to secure their own people and their territories. Though the elements fought against them, the South was still able to accomplish much before dawn. The sea turned and rumbled, fighting to spill its waves upon the land while attempting to drag all vessels into the deep, but the harbors and navy endured this challenge and still made ready for possible war. The wind shrieked like a hungry bird of prey, but its threatening cries could not hinder the soldiers and scouts both on the land and in the air. The creatures of the South worked tirelessly through the night and even the shadows, which concealed all light, did not hinder their efforts. At last the black dawn had come, and all was ready for war.
Four large black werewolves stood at attention upon an exalted platform. Each stood as still as stone, facing the outside of the platform. One looked to the north, one looked to the south, one looked to the east, and one looked to the west, all standing guard over their charge. Their muscular arms hung at their sides while their large paws with sharp gray claws flexed in and out of a fist. Even these great beast, with their combat attire, long snouts, sharp teeth, and piercing gray eyes, were anxious at their post.
They were charged with an honorable task, guard the precious carriage in the center of the platform. The carriage stood on four large glistening silver wheels with digi-code embossed around the rims. It stood high off the ground, with the polished silver points, which lined the rim of the square, flat roof, pointing in the air. Other than the bright silver, which added lavish decoration, the carriage was completely black. It had a small rectangular door, with a long silver handle to open it and a silver step to help enter the inside on both sides. There were three windows on both sides. One for each passenger and then one upon the doors, however, these windows did little good to those outside, as the obsidian glass was only transparent from the inside. The carriage was relatively impressive though for its purpose many believed it to be too plan.
And so the BlackWereGarurumon stood silently around the coach, which glistened like a jewel upon the smooth stone platform. The guards only company was the six Devidramon, which were already latched and ready to carry the carriage and its passengers over the many miles that separated the Southern region from the Eastern lands.
All was ready for the coach's glorious ride on midday, but that was some hours away. The passengers of the great ride were still scattered over the land, each attending to matters of importance before they ventured into the clouded future. While most of the passengers were in councils and meetings, the most important passenger was no where to be found. He had vanished from the knowledge of his companions several hours ago and now waited in exile until midday drew near.
Dear Yamato,
Our fears are at last becoming realities. The other regions are uniting under Azulongmon. They wish to go against the South. They wish to bring closure to an age-old rivalry. The scars caused during the rein of Piedmon have never fully healed, and now they have been ruthlessly reopened, spilling fourth the very life of this world. And it would appear that the curse, which led Piedmon to his fall, has resurfaced once more.
As your scouts have probably reported to you, Iris has been attack. A swarm of savage insectiod digimon from the North came upon my home and ravaged it. Many of my innocent people were killed while defending their homes and their liege. I am not trying to antagonize you. I do not want you to use these new facts as grounds to go to war. Though we are in Southern territory, Piedmon released the three islands from the Southern rule long ago, however, we still wish to honor our allegiance with you. We are small countries but we will fight beside you should the worst occur. We shall support you whether it is in war or peace. But know that we now have a personal issue with the North. We have no representation in council so just as we will honor our allegiance, so do we ask you to honor yours. Represent us in council and question the North on the attack upon Iris. Should there prove to be evidence against Xuanwumon, then the Three Islands will go to war, with or without the aid of the Nightmare Soldiers.
And now I must speak to you on a more personal issue. I am sure you have felt it. Your senses and instincts are keen and you wisdom great. There is no doubt in my mind that you have felt how unsettled the world has become. The spirits of the deceased, unable to reconfigure and return to the world, cry out an omen. The darkness which spread over the world in the Ancient era has returned. This storm in the heavens carries a very similar feeling. A feeling of hopelessness. You remember the feeling, you've felt it once before. When the great destroyer Apacolomon broke free from behind the wall of fire he brought pure nothingness with him. I know the feeling is not as strong as it was then, when the darkness wrapped around you tightly like burial cloths, but it is the same absolute nothingness. This is the third time the world has suffered under this shadow of doom.
The first was in Ancient times. A utopian world was shattered and utterly destroyed. That destruction was aided by a powerful Celestial digimon. This destruction was meant to be final and complete, however the Celestial digimon betrayed the ideal of nothingness and aided in my survival, as well as the survival of some of my kindred. The second darkness was brought to its full power with the aid of Piedmon. He reconfigured the world, making it easier to conquer and destroy; however his efforts failed. You and your fellow Digidestined stopped him and the world rebuilt itself again. Now what can be said of this new darkness? Is its purpose the same as the first two? Dose the mind behind this storm wish for the creatures of this world to kill each other off until there is nothing left? I wish I could give you better council, but I know not what will happen next. All I know is that darkness can not act alone. Each time it has required the aid of a powerful pawn. Now I fear that you are to inherit this title. Be wary of your choices Yamato, whether just or not, they will be used against you. May the Spiritual Ring give you strength during these trying times. Remember you are master of your choices and fate.
With all my Strength,
Ophanimon
Slowly the white paper was folded up and returned to its off-white envelope. The letter had been written in golden ink, which swept across the paper in beautiful strokes. The letter had been written in Southern digi-code, however, the title on the envelope, which was also gold, was written in the common alphabet. Once the letter was secure within the envelope, a shaky hand dropped the off-white paper to the ground. The envelope remained there unmoved and ignored, while the hand that had been holding it was placed in the lap of the one who had been reading it.
Yamato Ishida, Lord of The Nightmare Soldiers, and ally to Lady Ophanimon, inhaled the warm air around him, holding his breath for a second, then released. He went through this action three times before his body responded and his muscles relaxed. Once he was calm again he shot the neglected letter on the ground an accusing glare.
He had hoped that the letter would offered some solutions to the many problems on his plate, however, his trusted friend's words only presented him with more worries. He had read the letter four times before he had finally returned it to its envelope and each time all he found was another burden.
So the North had apparently attack the capital of the Three Islands. If this attack had been an organized assault by Xuanwumon, or another leader of the North then war, at least with this region was inevitable. But if the attack was merely some rouge act, then war could still be avoided. The Three Islands were in the Southern territory, and so The South had a responsibility to represent the islands in any sort of council.
'Why would Xuanwumon attack the Three Islands? Very few even know they exist.'
The blonde thought tiredly to himself. A yawn of exhaustion escaped his lips as he leaned his head back and rested it upon the metal rods, which held up the exquisite gazebo he was sitting under. He had tried to remain in the hall, but too many servants and soldiers were running about attempting to get their task done. Eventually the noise grew irritating and he was forced to seek refuge high in the mountains.
"After three years of peace everything I worked for comes crashing down. I knew it would be difficult, but I never thought it would come to something like this. The others are going to be so disappointed when they find out how far this has gone. And if we go to war, what would they think then?"
'They would think the truth, that you failed them.'
"Shut up!"
The blonde hissed aloud. The voice was rarely loud enough for anything it said to be distinguishable, but a lack of rest and stress often empowered the voice so that it could mumble, and sometimes even scream, inside his head.
The young Lord often wondered if it was stress, insanity, or some sort of "gift" that enabled this voice to have a say in his mind. He often found himself thinking about his predecessor; perhaps Piedmon too had a voice trying to sway his judgment. It could have very well been a tool, a way to keep a balanced viewpoint on all issues, but whether it was a gift or a curse did not matter, all that mattered was that he hated it.
'You hate yourself. You feel you have failed everyone by allowing these talks of war to go so far.'
'Perhaps I did fail them.'
The youth thought bitterly to himself as he considered what a war could do to his fellow Digidestined.
'Perhaps.'
The voice agreed reasonably.
'Or perhaps you are simply doing what needs to be done.'
The voice offered, causing the blonde to sit up straight as if he was frighten of where this argument was going.
'How long has your people suffered under the injustice of this world? How long has Azulongmon played martyr? He is going to convince everyone that he is a victim and that your people are cruel monsters.'
Yamato was confused by the voice's approach. It had never been on his side. It had never done anything but run him down, making him feel weak and helpless.
'Azulongmon may have a few personal issues with the South, but that doesn't mean he'd let them rule his judgment. He is the greatest of the digi-gods. He is no fool.'
'Of course he is not a fool. He is wiser than you think. Look out how well he has manipulated the rest of the world, and now it seems that even you are effect by his sugar coated words.'
This time the voice was harsh, as if it were agitated with the youth's hesitation to accept its council.
Yamato gritted his teeth. He wasn't sure what to believe now. In his past experiences Azulongmon had proven to be somewhat unreasonable, but that didn't mean he was power hungry or out for revenge.
The young Lord took a deep breath, then closed his eyes, allowing the cool wind to swept over his face and through his hair. Once he has savored his amount of the fresh mountain air, he opened his eyes once more and looked around.
Green leaves mixed with red and white petals littered the stone floor beneath him. The debris was pushed about by the wind while red and golden light beamed unto the floor. No matter how horrible the word outside was, he could always find sanctuary here. Even though the garden was high in the mountains, enchantment prevented the looming storm from making its mark upon this sacred place.
The lamps in the garden still shone down in brilliant gold, while pure white snow still drifted slowly from above. The darkness in the sky seemed so far away with the light from the lamps forcing it back.
'TK… it was his crest that freedom Azulongmon. He hates fighting, how will he feel once he finds out about this possible war? I wonder if they even know about what's happening here. With all the excitement I haven't had a chance to contact them.'
'Do not think of them now. They are your greatest weakness, and the very thought of them could drive you to make a poor choice in council. Do not consider what is best for them, they have their world to escape to, but your people have one home alone, and it is being threatened. Your charge is to take care of them. Do not let them down by bringing in such unimportant factors such as your friends.'
The voice persuaded, sounding, for once, like a wise councilor rather then a tormenting tongue.
'But they are important.'
Yamato tried to argue, but was not able to finish as the voice interrupted.
'They have no place in this war. They're job is to fight against great evils which threaten both worlds, however, this is a war, much like the wars in your own world. There is not an issue of good and evil, it is merely a battle between one government and another.'
Yamato could find no argument for this. He had spent the last three years living in fear of the taunting voice, and now that fear had finally broken him down, causing the voice to hold a great deal of influence over his judgment.
"It's getting late. I should do." The blonde announced, hoping the voice would agree to leave him in peace as he returned to his duties.
As usual the voice silenced. It only spoke when he was alone; it would not dare to utter its opinion in the presence of others.
Once it was obvious that he would receive no further interference from the voice, Yamato slowly climbed to his feet. He stretched his tired limbs, shaking of the relax feeling he gained from staying seated so long. Once he was mobile again he took a quick look around. Over the years this lonely garden had become his favorite place. He found a peace here that he could find no where else. Although the voice inside his head often interrupted his peace, it seemed to be far less dominating when he was here.
"I have to go." He whispered affectionately. "I'm sorry I could not stay longer, and I'm sorry that I only seemed to come to you with my problems. I suppose that even in death some things do not change."
Grief entered his voice as he spoke. His blue eyes glistened with tears of mixed emotions as he looked upon the marvelous statue placed in the center of the gazebo.
"Please govern my words and watch over the others. You are our guardian angel."
He whispered his final farewell to the statue of his fallen general Ladydevimon, before bending down and picking up Ophanimon's letter. Once he had the letter, he gave the statue a grin and a wave before turning and heading to the exit of the garden, bracing himself for the darkness that waited outside.
~*~*~
The four guards surrounding the great coach were growing restless with each passing moment. The platform on which they stood was high in the air, bringing the werewolves that much closer to the tempest in the sky. Nervously they shifted from one foot to another, even such great warriors as they could not deny the dread, which entered their hearts at being so long exposed to the horrific elements. Despite their unease they remained with their faces emotionless and their gray eyes as cold as frost coated iron. It was an honorable task, guarding their Lord's carriage, and gratitude alone would keep them there no matter how great the storm became.
The large demon dragon digimon, Devidramon, would yawn and shake their heads as if bored by the waiting. Two of the six dragons had already shut their eyes as if sleep was slowly lulling them in. Unlike the guards, which stood around them, the Devidramon were barely effected by the storm. It seemed as though they did not even notice the flashes of blue lighting and the crashing of deep thunder. The icy wind did not cause them to shudder, and the lack of light was all the more welcomed by these nocturnal digimon. They were an excellent choice this journey. They were strong fliers and the lighting had to be very powerful to harm them with their thick scales. These dark creatures would have the honor of carrying their Lord to the East, and the very dread that their presence brought would keep most of the curious onlookers at a distance.
"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean in times like these it usually isn't a very good idea to have your leader skipping around in other regions."
A gruff voice rose above the hissing wind causing the BlackWereGarurumon to stand at full attention and the two Devidramon to snap their eyes open.
"Naturally you wait until after I've announced it to argue." A smooth voice stated in agitation.
"To be fair, I argued with you about it in the throne room. You're dad's right, you do only hear what you want to hear." The first voice announced.
"It is a well known fact that all teens have selected hearing." The second voice explained with a chuckle.
The BlackWereGarurumon stole a quick look at the stairs, which led up to the platform. Two silhouettes made their way up the long case, while fighting against the harsh wind.
Both figures seemed to have gone silent due to the wind drowning out their words. As they climbed the steps their shadowed forms slowly became more distinguishable. The figure leading the way up the steps was tall, though not nearly as tall as his companion behind him, and was concealed in a tattered black cloak. The second figure was broader than the first and wore a dark green cloak, which was in far better shape then the black one his companion wore.
Finally after struggling with the wind, which attempted to blow them off the steps, the two reached the platform. Both the BlackWereGarurumon and the Devidramon stood at full attention, knowing, without needing to see, who had just arrived.
They walked up to the carriage in silence, then the first figure turned around and leaned against the large carriage.
"Are you nervous?" the larger figure asked gently.
The figure cloaked in black lifted his head, allowing his friend to see his deep blue eyes, which seemed to reflect the flashing lighting above, causing them to glow.
"My heart feels like it's trying to beat out of my chest." the second figure responded truthfully.
At this the figure in green placed a large paw on his companion's shoulder before answering.
"You're not alone Matt." The gruff voice stated with so much conviction that it caused his friend's blue eyes to glisten with tears. "You're never alone, and even though I won't be there to stand beside you, just remember I support you and believe in you. Do what you have to do."
"You've always supported me WereGarurumon," Matt stated, unable to hide the quiver in his voice, "Even when you knew I was making the wrong choice, you stood by me."
"This time there is no wrong or right." the green cloaked figure explained slowly, "I wish they're was. Life was so much easier when it was all good and evil. Now you have to wonder what there is to believe in. If no one is wrong than does that mean that no one is right. When there is no evil, and good is forced to fight against one another, that is when you loose faith in everything. But no matter what happens, you have got to have faith in yourself, Matt. You are the Lord of the Nightmare Soldiers, and no matter what decision you make, I know it will be for the best of your people. I think it will all work out in the end."
After WereGarurumon had said this Yamato pushed himself off of the carriage and wrapped his arms around his partner. WereGarurumon returned the embrace and for a moment the two just stood there afraid to let go, knowing that after this day nothing would be the same again.
Finally the sound of soft footsteps climbing the stairs forced the two to pull away and dry their tears.
WereGarurumon knew that this council would have a great effect upon his partner. He hated the fact that he could not be there with his best friend, standing as if on trial before the rest of the world, but he has his own duties to attend to. He was no longer a mere protector of the Digidestined of Friendship, but was now the commanding General of the Nightmare Soldiers. In the absences of their Lord he was in charge. He took on the role of Consort, attending to eternal affairs, while putting off all foreign affairs until his Lord returned. Now his charge was not simply his Digidestined, but also his people.
Yamato looked to the stairs as his trusted General, Renamon, led two armored maiden digimon up the steps. They were sorceress, warrior, digimon named Kuzuhamon. They were one of the possible final evolutions for Renamon. Their lean but fit bodies were clothed in violet armor, while a golden mask concealed their eyes. Platinum blonde hair flowed behind them in ribbons of light gold, while staffs of brilliant gold were held out in front of them. They were powerful and enchanting digimon, but even in their glory they did no compare to the general who led them. Renamon's charm and grace seemed to surpass all other Nightmare Soldiers. None except the fallen Ladydevimon, held more charm.
Once upon the platform Renamon bowed and her two subordinates followed her action. Once they rose, Yamato addressed them calmly.
"This is our greatest test. We are a people of honor and virtue, but how long can these qualities endure these evil days. Doubt has already entered our hearts, but we can not let this doubt rule our judgment. Though the worst may come, we must remain strong and true. I have no doubt that war is now inevitable, and it will be this war that tests our character. Remember to think slow and show mercy, and for my return, prepare for the worst."
Renamon and WereGarurumon nodded, knowing that their friend was not going to act in denial. The signs were evident to all, crowds were crying, demanding war. There was no longer a point in pretending that all would be resolved peacefully, though everyone hoped that it would. They had to be prepared for the worst, otherwise they would be caught off guard.
"Well let's get this show on the road." Yamato announced with a smile, trying to chase away some of the sorrow in his Generals' hearts.
The two Kauzuhamon took their place upon the front of the coach. One took up the reigns while the second held a bronze compass, which pointed east.
"Be careful my Lord." Renamon gave her farewell, trying to hide her sadness and fear.
Yamato smiled from underneath the hood of his tattered cloak.
"Don't worry," he stated reassuringly, "I'm not alone."
After he offered his final farewell, he went through the coach door, which was being held open by WereGarurumon. Once inside and seated the young Lord looked to his partner, giving him a quick nod and a small smile. WereGarurumon returned the gesture then shut the door.
Yamato would ride the long journey to the East alone. He wanted solitude and silence before he went before the world.
Once WereGarurumon shut the carriage door both he and Renamon backed away from the black ride and waited.
Kuzuhamon quickly glanced over at the Generals, and once she saw that they were ready, she brought up the reigns then brought them down again.
Instantly the Devidramon responded to the command and took to the air.
WereGarurumon and Renamon stood upon the platform and watched as the black carriage disappeared among the shadows of the sky, carrying with it the most valuable thing in the hearts.
~*~*~
"And he didn't even say why?"
The level of shock within that question almost caused him to laugh. Of course he didn't say why. When had the Digidestined, who had risked their lives time and time again, ever been shown the proper respect. When had they ever been in on the loop? It never matter how crucial the information was or what role they'd play, they were always left in the dark.
"No, there was only a message requesting all of us to meet him at Primary Village."
Tai listened as Joe and Kari continued to converse, but soon he lost interest, as he already knew all the information his sister was giving the oldest Digidestined. Soon the brunette's mind began to wander. This practice of giving the Chosen Children fragments of information had become a common trend. They were not allowed to attend any of the council meetings between the regions, nor were they allowed to aid citizens of the East or South. It wasn't long before even their right to journey in the Digital World had been taken away. Now they could only come to the Digital World if they had an official escort, and they were only allowed to travel in neutral zones.
To Tai these new conditions were outrageous. They had given up their childhood, their very innocence for this world, and now it felt as though they were slowly being pushed out of the affairs of the world they loved. Apparently both Azulongmon and Yamato had agreed to putting these conditions on the Digidestined. They both claimed it was for their safety, but the Leader of the Digidestined was no fool, and he knew that the hierarchies of the Digital World had more in mind than their safety when they decided upon these conditions.
"We should probably get going right?" Davis questioned, as he stood from his place on the floor. "I mean, whatever he has to tell us it's got to be pretty important."
The group of misfits began stirring from their places scattered about the room. None of them were really inspired to do anything, however, the sorrel hair boy's optimism did give them a bit more enthusiasm.
As the others began moving about gathering their packs and coats, Tai remained where he was, watching each of them closely. Each of their faces were set in a contemplative frown; they were all lost in their own concerns. Each of their eyes seemed to glisten with the many tears they were holding back with determination. It was ripping them all apart. They couldn't bear to see the Digital World fall into war and darkness again, and the fact that one of their very own was at the center of all of the tension only fueled their wretched state.
"TK, are you ready to go?"
The soft solicitous words of his younger sister drove Tai out of his own musing. The ruby-eyed girl was looking worriedly at her dear, childhood friend.
None of the others seemed to notice the blonde's zombie-like state, as they were all too busy with gathering supplies for their journey.
"TK," Kari's voice was filled with concern as she slowly places a hand on the boy's shoulder.
The sudden contact startled the blonde out of his reverie. For a moment he didn't' acknowledge the girl sitting next to him, instead he simply looked forward, blinking a few times as if to ward off the return of some grievance.
"Are you okay?" Kari questioned once The Child of Hope finally turned his gaze to her.
Tai frowned as he watched the scene. As if well rehearsed, TK put on a huge confident grin. His baby blue eyes sparkled cheerfully and all traces of worry faded from his face. None except for his older brother had the talent to put on such a remarkable mask so quickly and with such ease.
"Other than the fact that it is way too early to be out of bed, I'm fine." He expressed with a chuckle.
Kari seemed just as unconvinced as her older brother, but she didn't voice her doubt. Instead she put on her own mask, grinning with mock relief, then practically jumped off of the edge of her bed. "Well then let's get going!" she announced loud enough for the whole group to hear.
They all smiled brightly, feeling the warmth of her light beaming from her like the golden rays of the summer sun.
Tai too smiled at his sister's enthusiasm. He was happy to see the Child of Light smile, even if he knew it was all an act. Sometimes that was all the Chosen Children had. If they couldn't feel real peace and happiness than they'd fake it for the sake of each other. Somehow, it just made everyone feel better to pretend everything was all right.
"Mimi's meeting us there right?" Cody questioned, as he took his place with the others around the computer monitor.
"Yeah, she said she wouldn't miss it." Sora answer, having been the one that told the absent Chosen of the gathering.
Yolie took a quick sip of her energy drink before whipping out her D-3 and shoving it towards the computer screen. "All right everyone, hang on to your red bull!" she announced with authority, "Digi-Port open!"
With this command the familiar sight of the Digi-Port appeared on the blank screen. One flash of light later and the room was empty and quiet.
~*~*~
The cries rang out at various pitches, mixing with the booming above. Frantically a little red creature with electric blue stripes dashed about, attempted to silence the cried, but finding his efforts useless. There was nothing he, or his group of volunteer assistance, could do. The fresh digimon continued to cry in their cribs as if some horrible pain was ailing them. Exhaustion was the only thing that put an end to their wails, as after a few hours many of them would simply cry themselves to sleep.
Even a sacred place like Primary Village was not spared from the storm in the heavens. It raged above them, bringing a chill of death with it. The fresh digimon were terrified by the phenomena above, and many of them were catching cold from the chill in the air. The caretaker of the new digimon, Elecmon, was at a loss of what to do. He had pleaded with those of higher status to help in some way, but ultimately there was nothing that could be done. The storm covered the world, and so there was no safe place for the infants.
However, Elecmon's call did not go unanswered. Many great and powerful digimon where now at Primary Village, helping the little digimon in any way they could.
"Gennia, instead of just standing there waiting, why don't you pick up a bottle and help." Elecmon shouted above the noise.
Gennia looked very calmly back at the care taker digimon, then replied. "I can't, they should be here soon." He replied apologetically.
It was not that he did not wish to help his dear friend, he certainly preferred tending to babies as opposed to giving the children, he loved so much, such bad news. But there was nothing he could do, he had to follow Azulongmon's orders.
Elecmon was about to snap at his friend again, the stress of his situation finally taking its toll, however, before he could speak a flash of light flooded from the TV screen sitting on one of the soft, colorful blocks, which served as walls for the boundaries of the village.
The light shot out quickly and with ten figures materialized from the beams.
"Would you please get off me!"
"I would if there wasn't a pile of people on me!"
"Ow! My leg!"
The various shouts rang from the group as they began to untangle themselves and rise to their feet.
"You would think that after all these years we'd find away to not fall into a dog pile every time we go through the port, but no… someone thinks it's good togetherness time." The sound of Joe's sarcasm only caused a few aggravated groans to rise from the rest of the group.
"Hey, you're the one who's always saying we should do more things together Joe." Davis argued, having been the one to label going through the Digi-Port as "togetherness time".
"Suffocating me is not what I meant!" Joe barked, still sore about always being at the bottom of the pile.
The group laughed as Joe's face turned bright red with frustration.
Tai, laughing loudly, walked up to Joe and threw his arm around the older boy's should. "Joe, it's nice to know you haven't lost your since of humor." The brunette stated with a huge grin.
At this Joe sighed and his shoulders slumped in defeat, causing the group to laugh again.
"Nice to know you're all in such a good mood." The sound of Gennia's youthful, but wise, voice drew the group's attention out of their temporary merriment and towards their mentor.
"Gennai, was up?" Davis questioned in a friendly greeting.
Gennai smiled, somewhat sadly, in response to Davis' cheerfulness. Upon seeing how happy the group was a moment ago, he was almost tempted to tell them it was a false alarm and to go back home, but catching sight of Kari instantly changed his mind. The girl was starring at the sky above, her ruby eyes reflected each flash of lighting, and there was an understanding in those orbs, which almost caused the robbed man to cringe.
At first, none of the children had noticed the blackened sky and the screaming fresh digimon, they were all to lost in their joke, but soon they all noticed the Child of Light's expression, causing them to turn their own gaze above.
"Gennai?" Ken questioned softly, as he kept his eyes fixed upon the heavens.
Gennai sighed then answered, "Come on children. I'll take you to your partners, we have much to discuss." He explained, bringing the children's attention back to him.
"But we have to wait for Mimi." Yolie argued, but before she could say any more another flash of light shot out from the TV screen, then faded leaving, behind the Digidestined of Sincerity.
Mimi quickly jumped to her feet and began dusty off her faded blue jean-bell-bottoms, then turned her attention to straightening her light pink sweater.
"Mimi!" Yolie cried upon seeing her predecessor.
At this the auburn hair girl looked up and smiled. "Hello everyone!" she chirped with a smile, "What's going…" a loud bang of thunder stopped the gleeful teen in mid sentence, causing her to turn her attention to the sky.
"Welcome Mimi, we're glad you could make it." Gennai greeted bringing, the girl's attention to him. "Now if you'll all follow me, I'll take you to your partners, then we can get started."
The group nodded and silently followed the young Gennai. They could tell that whatever news he had to share with them, it certainly would not be good.
To Tai it felt as though they were in a funeral precession. The group walked in single file, each with their heads down and their feet dragging. Gennai led the group silently; he seemed afflicted by some great menace, waging war within his own conscience. It was an odd thing to consider, Gennai never showed anything but absolute confidence in front of the Chosen Children. To think that there was something so loathsome that even their mentor felt overwhelmed by the mere thought of it, certainly frightened the young leader. If something was too great for the digital being and his hierarchies to work through, than how much more frightening would it be for the Chosen.
Though many possibilities of what this meeting was about had entered his mind, the Digidestined of Courage tried not to consider them. 'Ignorance truly is bliss, and the longer I go without knowing, the longer I gave to cling to what is familiar to me.'
Sadly the leader's few precious moments of peace within ignorance were shattered all too soon, as Gennai halted, causing the group following him to stumble to a stop.
"We're here." The digital man whispered.
The Digidestined locked eyes with multiple orbs of various colors. Instantly the gloom of the precession melted away as the warmth of friendships, constantly tested but never yielding or breaking, flooded through them, chasing away all other feelings.
Eleven youth ran and embraced eleven colorful and diverse creatures. A few shed tears, while others laughed; all of the emotions, which had been locked away suddenly broke free, spilling fourth like a flood.
For a while the digital being remained silent. He stood off to the side, watching the reunion with satisfaction. He was pleased that even with the heavens obscured and the chill of coming death in the air, there was still some light and some warmth. The Digidestined and their partners were all truly remarkable. Children ripped from their home and everything they knew, forced to fight a war for another world along side alien creatures that were just as young as them. Now they were warriors, experienced in the ways of war, and this was something that the digital man was forced to remind himself.
"If you'll all take a seat, we can get started."
The odd group turned their attention to the man, who was now sitting on the soft green grass, waiting for them to join him. Disappointment entered both the Digidestined and digimon's eyes, but they said nothing. Forcing a smile and a nod, each being walked slowly towards the man and sat down.
Gennai waited until the group seamed situated, then spoke.
"As you all know, there has been some conflicts within the Digital World over the last year." He began slowly, hoping to choose his words correctly. "The… disagreements between the East and South have yet to be resolved, in fact, you might say they've become worse. Yamato is still unwilling to let any representatives of the East, or any other region for that matter, into Southern territory. To make matter worse, a few months ago Yamato closed off the boarders to the South. No one has been allowed in or out without his permission. This put an end to trade between the South and the other regions. Not having access to some of the South's resources has been very damaging to the other regions. Basically, Yamato is determined to bring Azulongmon to his knees without declaring open war."
Gennia paused for a moment, collecting his thought, but did not have a chance to continue as Izzy interrupted.
"I'm confused," the Child of Knowledge began, "Why would Matt cutting off trade be so damaging to the other regions? Aren't all the regions self-sufficient?"
His inquiries were unexpected, but welcomed, by the digital being. He knew the Digidestined ultimately knew very little about the governments in the Digital World, and the fact that they were now showing some interest was very relieving. "Each region is sufficient as far as natural resources go. We all have things like coal, timber, and plenty of food sources. And as far as quantity for these things goes, the other three regions are way ahead of the South. The West, for example, has the most coal and digicromaziod mines in the world. The North has the most timber and fishing grounds. While the East has plenty of rare herbs and such. But there is one resource these regions don't have plenty off, and that is alchemy."
Bewildered looks were exchange by children and monsters, before finally returning to the source of their bewilderment.
"You mean that old medieval practice of turning normal metal into gold and stuff like that?"
Instantly confused eyes fell upon Davis, who was steadily growing annoyed.
"What?!" he demanded in offense, "I'm not all looks you know."
The goggle-bearing teen crossed his arms over his chest as his face fell into a mock pout.
"Oh trust us Davis, we definitely know you are not all looks." Yolie replied with a dismissing wave of her hand.
At this Davis jumped to his feet and glared at the violet hair girl sitting at an angle from him. "What's that suppose to mean?" he questioned in anger.
At this Yolie retaliated by rising to her feet as well and balling her gloved hands into fist. "You know exactly what it means Davis!" she snapped in return.
"Maybe I don't!" Davis replied, "Maybe, you should come over here and explain it to me." he sneered with a cocky smile.
Yolie too put on a confident grin as she answered, "Oh please, I'd have better luck explaining it to a three-year-old."
Davis was about to reply, when the sound of Joe's irritated voice interrupted. "Would you two please knock it off!" he barked, causing both of the younger teens to blush in embarrassment, before returning to their places on the ground.
Gennai watched the scene silently, knowing that it was safer to interrupt two pit bulls fighting over a scrap of meat, than it was to get between Davis and Yolie. After everyone had calmed down again, he composedly cleared his throat and continued.
"Yes, alchemy here in the Digital World is very similar to the old practices in the real world, only we have success here. You see, alchemy here is turning nothing into energy, it's a form of sorcery. Instead of using coal or timber to fuel cities, alchemy allows us to use thing like air, water, and worthless material. It's what creates electricity here. Unfortunately alchemy is still somewhat undeveloped, and energy sources grow unstable quickly. The South is constantly improving alchemy, and they write the spells, or digi-codes, needed to keep things operating." Gennai sighed, as he thought of all the damage being cut off from the South's knowledge and recourses had already caused.
"So it's kind of like when I went into that factory here on File Island and changed the code in the battery. The South writes and maintains these codes." Izzy thought aloud, as he soaked up this new information like a sponge.
"But I don't get it, why is it that only the South can write these codes. Can't you write your own?" Ken questioned in confusion. He had a vast knowledge of how power worked in the Digital World. As the Digimon Emperor he wrote and used many alchemy codes to turn raw material, and sometimes even darkness itself, into power sources such as the dark towers.
"We've tried, but we're centuries behind them." Gennai explained, "The South is the birth place of these power sources, it was the early wizard and sorceress Nightmare Soldiers who first began practicing alchemy. Now the South sells these power sources to other regions in exchange for coal, timber, and digicromaziod. The mines in the Southern territories remain untouched because they use our exports instead. Now, not only do they control the alchemy energy sources, but they also have plenty of reserved resources like coal and timber. Ultimately, even though we out number them at least a hundred to one, they are still far more equipped for a war."
At this last sentence everyone looked up in shock.
"War?" Tai questioned in complete disbelief. "Who said anything about a war?"
At this Gennai flinched. He was suppose to be explaining the possible war, instead he started justifying the war without explaining that it was on the horizon. "Well you see, cutting off these power sources, refusing to allow official investigations, and now this storm above, all seem to be viewed as hostile actions on the part of the Nightmare Soldiers. Matt has opened a gateway for a war. The last council to decide whether or not the world will go to war, begins this evening. And I was suppose to come here to invite all of you to attend." Gennai mumbled the words out.
He certainly didn't want to bring the Digidestined into this struggled, especially since it would be against one of the own, but he had no choice, order were orders.
Tai was at a loss for words. His eyes were locked upon the ground. The deep brown orbs seemed to flicker like a dying flame. There was so much he didn't understand, and while he wished more than ever that he had simply heard Gennai's words incorrectly, he could tell by the sight of his companions that that was not the case. It had been a year in the making. The tension had slowly built up like water collecting behind a dam. Now that dam seemed to finally break under the pressure, and the water rushed through taking out homes and lives as it moved.
What would a war mean for the Chosen Children? Where would they stand when the time comes to decide?
"Naturally," Gennia spoke softly, trying to chase away some of the uneasiness that had befallen the group, "You are not required to attend. The choice is yours."
The group still remained silent. Many of them were breathing quickly, while others simply stared forward at a loss for words.
"How…" the Child of Hope whispered, sounding terrified as he spoke, "How do you know that this storm is my brother's fault? And what is this storm exactly?" he questioned, making certain to emphasize the words "my brother", as if to give a wordless threat to anyone who spoke out against his beloved older brother.
Gennai sighed; he was both physically and mentally exhausted. "We know that it wasn't any of the other regions. We also know that the energy matches that of the Dark Ocean, a world, which you brother has full control over. What it is exactly, we do not know, however, we do know that it is dangerous."
"Look, Matt has fought for three years to keep the peace, he wouldn't just go power hungry on us all of the sudden. And I know Sorcermon will tell you the same thing during this meeting." Davis argued with his arms crossed over his chest. To him, even considering the possibility of Matt turning on everyone was outrageous.
"Actually, Yamato will be attending this council himself. He should be arriving in the East very soon." Gennai explained, once again earning him the attention of the group.
Before anyone could speak or even think of what could occur at this council, TK jumped up, with a determined look upon his face and announced, "I'm going!"
"TK…" Kari began softly, wanting to argue. Ever since her dream she had been haunted by some chilling menace. There was something more behind this possible war, and whatever it was, it frightened her greatly.
"Kari, I've got to go." TK explained kindly, thankful for his friend's concern, "He's my brother."
This argument seemed to be all the logic the Child of Light needed and she smiled encouragingly.
"I'm going as well." Tai announced as he rose from the grass followed by Agumon. "Matt is still one of us, and we need to be there for him, and for the Digital World."
At this everyone nodded in agreement. In truth, they all dreaded this upcoming council, but they all felt a certain responsibility, which led them to decided unanimously to go.
"All right then," Gennia announced with a smile, attempting to cloak his apprehension, "I have a train waiting. It will be a quick ride from here to the East, so if you'll follow me, I'll take you there."
Those who were still seated stood and silently took their place behind the digital man.
To Tai as they walked from Primary Village to the near by train station it no longer felt as though they were in a funeral precession, instead it felt as though they were marching off to their own deaths.
~*~*~
Well like I said kind of slow, and definitely not my best work. Anyway, the next chapter may take a little be longer to get out seeing how I think it's going to be a long chapter. A lot is going to happen in the next chapter so be prepared for emotional trauma and some action. And well I think that's everything. As always please review.
Oh and The Fallen Ones is holding a fanfic challenge. Check out my author profile for details. It's a neat chance to try something different and win a prize while doing it, so check it out.