T.K.'s eyes narrowed as the demon-possessed horde crowded the narrow ledge that led to the cliff atop which he stood. The creatures were so fervent in their need to attack him that two were shoved off of the ridge by their comrades, falling into the pit below with a feral cry that they would not be permitted to meet this human in battle. The boy's hand gripped the hilt of Michael's holy Sword tightly, feeling the sheer magnitude of the weapon as its vigor ran down his arm and into his mortal body. His trepidation about being consecrated as Paragon once again fell away as his soul fused with the exalted Crest of Heroes, now ready to battle against an opponent that it had been forged to meet.

But still... they were cloaked in mortal shells. They would not be defeated as easily as if they had remained in their true spectral bodies. And there were almost forty of them, if he counted right...

"Eloan... this is the time about which your father would have spoken. The time to receive his consecration as your own. Are you ready?" the human boy asked as he leaned down towards the other.

The young a'ladon had already taken a more firm grip on the hilt of his weapon, and assumed a position at guard by T.K.'s side. But despite his readiness, his eyes were downcast in shame. "I am ready Lord... though I am afraid that I will fail you before long. I am only my father's son, and not my father himself. You have already seen that I am no warrior."

The enemy was closing now, and T.K. took his eyes off of the horde to look at the boy. "Neither was T'Kai, Eloan, but he became one when his time was at hand. And you are your father's son, blessed as he was blessed. All that it took for him was to speak the faith that was in his heart." Now the human held the great, golden sword of Michael the Archangel out to the a'ladon boy. "Take hold of the blade, Eloan. Touch it and invoke your heritage. You are the scion of kings and the son of a holy Paragon. Receive the Light."

Eloan's paw was trembling violently as he stretched it towards the golden blade, and he seemed to falter after a moment. "Lord... I--"

T.K.'s eyes, engulfed by the blue halo of holy power, locked with those of the other. And now the Crest of Hope and the boy's spirit were bound together, and as one they spoke to the a'ladon child. "Eloan, have faith. The true believers are all servants of the One. As we are, we cannot do this alone..."

Eloan stood in awe as he heard the other speak. His father's charge to him! Lord Takeru served the One. His own father T'Kai had done the same. Could he do less and allow them to fail?

He stretched his trembling paw forward once again, and this time wrapped it tightly around the radiant edge of the Lord Takeru's sword. The sharp blade of the human's weapon warmed comfortably in the boy's paw without injuring him, and flickered briefly with an acknowledgement of him. Eloan's heart was now beating out a powerful rhythm and had never felt more alive as he murmured quietly in response to T.K.. "My father's faith is my own, and his Lord is my Lord. I shall serve the One."

The Sword of Ages exploded in divine joy and with a dazzling light that was beyond intense. The sigil of the Crest of Hope upon the hilt sent a burst of golden power past the cross-guard and to Eloan's paw where he held the blade, then down the boy's arm to swallow him in its aura. The onrushing horde of demon-possessed creatures stopped in place, many shielding their eyes against a holy presence that they could not withstand.

Eloan winced and bowed his head as his young body was transfigured by Heaven's Light, his chest broadening and his arms and legs lengthening proportionally. His snout and ears narrowed, and in response his senses quickly became infinitely more aware of what was happening around him. The sword in his right paw became lighter, though the boy was dimly aware that it was certainly his strength that had been altered and not the weapon's weight. Raising his arms with the thrill of exaltation, Eloan gave a wordless, joyous shout to his father's Master and the legions of Paragons past.

But now the onrushing horde was upon them, a'ladon and Saurian both. T.K. had shifted his grip on his massive, flaming sword and now held the hilt tightly in both hands as he advanced through the crowd, swinging the blade in massive arcs and cutting his assailants down as they advanced on him. Eloan, in contrast, leapt backwards and danced away from the remainder of the creatures, holding his blade in one paw while instinctively springing off of the black stone floor.

T.K. was now surrounded on three sides by a dozen of the creatures, his back to the cavern wall as the demon-possessed jabbed at him with their own blades that radiated varying shades of darkness. The golden light of the Crest of Hope was smothering the black magics of their unholy weapons, of course, but outnumbered as he was he could do little but hold his ground.

But then, as luck would have it, one of the Saurians ventured close and thrust his spear-like blade at the human boy's side. T.K. reeled away from the blow and swung his own weapon in a massive arc on the return, severing the lizard-like creature's head cleanly from its shoulders and sending its body to the floor in a widening pool of blood. The holy sword flashed as the skeletal spirit of the little imp was thrown from its protective mortal shell, and with a frail squeal of pain it was dispersed into thin air.

Eloan moved quickly to prevent himself from being surrounded in a similar manner, knowing that his own sword would not keep the creatures at bay as Lord Takeru's was. Driven by the instinct that his new, infinitely more athletic body brought, the boy leapt backwards and sprung off of the fingertips of one paw, landing in a crouch on the floor with his blade in front of him. He almost allowed himself a smirk, wishing that Ailora and Shay had been here to see that.

But he had no time to be pleased with himself, and rolled to the side as one of the advancing Saurians unleashed a stream of its dark, venomous spittle directly at his eyes. Two a'ladon warriors in a zombie-like state of consciousness suddenly appeared at the boy's side and made a move to run their short swords through his unguarded chest. But their movements were far too sluggish and stiff to assail him in his new body, and the young minstrel caught both of the smaller blades across his sword and forced them upwards. Then, with the same motion, he dropped to one knee and slashed at the unprotected legs of the pair. The single attack caught both of the creatures at once, tearing open the upper leg muscles of each and sending them to the floor with howls of agony.

"Eloan, don't kill them with the sword!" T.K. shouted breathlessly. "The demons are trapped inside of them while they're still alive. Try to force them off the cliff--!" And then the voice of the human boy trailed off into a wordless shout as he was swarmed under by his assailants.

Eloan's vulpine ears acknowledged the human Paragon's admonition at once, and without hesitating he caught one of the wounded creatures up by the collar of his uniform, hurling him from the cavern wall and into the magma far below the battlefield. Eloan was astounded at his new strength, but had no time to reflect on it now. Even as he slipped in the blood of the creatures that pooled on the floor at his feet, the remainder of the demon-infested army surged around him.

T.K. swung his blade around himself in enormous, two-handed arcs to create an impassible barrier to the creatures that pressed him back against the cavern wall. He could attack and possibly eliminate several at once with the Crest of Heroes as it was now, but that would leave his flank open to attack from the other side. He could set the air around them all on fire with the holy power of the weapon, but would it fell them all before one of their weapons was thrust into his back? He was mortal now, and fully intended to remain so, but that also meant that a single lucky thrust could end his life... and he dared not fail Kari so.

The faces of the creatures were twisted and distorted now, and the demons inside of each spat their hatred at him while feigning lunges towards whichever flank was exposed. The human boy caught a glimpse of the evolved form of Eloan fighting a fair distance away, and he silently berated himself for letting the two of them get separated. Michael's Sword in his hand could actually bring these possessed creatures a final death... Eloan's more mundane weapon could not. And he needed someone to guard his back while he dispatched their unholy opponents.

But then there came a cry from somewhere above him and at his back, and the name that the voice called for was one that the boy was not expecting to hear at that moment...

"T.K.!"

To turn would have meant death, but still he knew the voice. "Pegasusmon! Help!" he cried back.

"Takeru! Lord Takeru!" a shrill, female voice called. "Lord, catch!"

Out of the corner of his eye the young human saw a bright light falling towards him, and he recognized it at once... though why it was with Pegasusmon and Ailora and not with Kari he could not fathom. Now his blue eyes were once again engulfed in the holy halo of cobalt light, and the Crest of Heroes bound directly to his soul. Communication between the two was now completely seamless, and it knew instantly what his command would be.

Call it home... to us now... call it home...

And as Michael's Crest had bound to him, now Gabriel's called his name from a distance. And the boy Paragon, the last and only who had declined his ascension when it had come upon him, heard the clarion shout of the Ward... and understood it. And of course, its voice was the voice of Gabriel and of Cheyne and of the thousands of different embodiments that the immortal creature had ever worn.

I place myself between His Children and the Fallen, that they might know Peace. I am called to Joy, but called first to Suffer.

The Paragon's Creed. Perhaps Cheyne's own private message to him, though he could not pause to think on it now. And so he raised his left hand in a closed fist as the Crest of Light became as a volant streak of white fire that cut through the darkness of the chamber and fell to earth, exploding against the boy's forearm with a pyrotechnic discharge. The small army of the demon-possessed held up their hands to shield their mortal eyes against the glare of holy light, and one slipped over the precipice and into oblivion so desperate was he to escape the brilliance.

T.K. was staggered a moment as the great power of the Crest of Light coalesced into Gabriel's Ward, a long bracer that covered the boy's arm from the back of his hand to his elbow and would serve as his shield. He was still mortal, barely, but was now in possession of two relics of divine power, and the consequences of having both active and on his person at the same time nearly overwhelmed him...

...but not for long. The Crests of Hope and of Light both knew and respected him as their heavenly Masters knew and respected him, and they each submitted to his will with very little resistance. Now, as the army of a'ladon and Saurian warriors approached him again, the boy was able to counter their attacks in a manner more benefiting a warrior Paragon.

The first comer was an a'ladon soldier, who raised his sword high above his head and rushed at the boy with reckless abandon. T.K. quickly took in the position of the creature's allies relative to the first assailant, then dropped to one knee and leveled the Sword of Ages at it.

The fanatical assault came to a rather violent end as the furry creature succeeded only in impaling himself chest-first upon T.K.'s blade. Its eyes went vacant instantly, and it was only then that the boy Paragon heard the squealings from its throat as the small demon inside realized the position it had placed itself in. It could not divest itself from the mortal body that it had possessed until that body was dead, and though the human had pierced that mortal body he had not stabbed it through the heart in order to kill it.

Now the golden fire of the Crest of Heroes exploded throughout the sword's blade, and the holy power raged forth to not only char the insides of the a'ladon warrior's body, but also the infinitely more resilient body of the little imp that had taken possession of it. If the mortal shells that the creatures had possessed afforded them some vague protection from the raging inferno that Michael's Sword could unleash at T.K.'s command, they also held them safely until the more mundane blows of the weapon could cut through the flesh to cremate the imps from the inside.

As T.K. fought forward and into the larger crowd of the possessed, Gatomon and Ailora joined the girl's twin in the fray against the lesser. Pegasusmon stayed well away from the battle, and could only watch from a distance. Shay was still on his back, slumped against his equine neck, and the armored stallion dared not make any further move to jostle the crippled boy. As it was, he spoke to the young prince and described to him the battle as it unfolded, since the other could no longer even manage to raise his head to look.

"Gatomon and Ailora have fought their way through to Eloan's side, and now all three are standing together to defend one another's backs. They are surrounded by perhaps a dozen enemies, a'ladon and Saurian both. The footing is treacherous, as the floor at their feet is covered in blood. Another assailant is wounded on the floor just in front of Eloan... I believe that he is the source of the blood."

Shay's breathing was raspy as he spoke. "How... are the Saurians... armed?"

Pegasusmon's eyes narrowed, and he gave a very brief nod. Being battle tested himself, he understand the crux of the other's question. "With spears of a sort. Yes, that will be problematic. With Eloan so much taller than Ailora and both of them much taller than Gatomon--"

"What... what do you mean, taller?" The a'ladon interrupted. "Eloan... Eloan and Ailora are the same height..."

"If that is normally the case, then it may be that T.K. has caused Eloan to evolve. For he certainly is taller than her now. In any event, it will make it difficult for either of the girls to effectively guard his back against a spear thrust. And now he is shouting at them. It is hard to hear over the noise of the battle, but I believe that he is telling them not to kill their assailants."

Ailora chanced to turn and glare over her shoulder at her twin brother. "What?" she demanded, certain that she hadn't heard correctly.

"'lora, don't! I know it doesn't make any sense right now, but you can't kill them with your sword! Into the fire is the only way, else let Lord Takeru do it!"

The girl was hot, worried and angry now. Everything was going wrong, and she felt a sudden need to pour her temper out on the small army that surrounded them... only now, apparently she wasn't allowed to do that, either. The creatures were moving about them in a counterclockwise circle, and the girl was clever and fast enough with her sword to keep their spears from penetrating their position. But if they weren't allowed to fight back, how long could they keep it up?

Then a Saurian's spear whistled over her shoulder, cutting it deeply. Ailora gave a brief cry of pain, and instinctively thrust back with her sword.

The girl's thrust was true, and the blade pierced the Saurian's chest and impaled him there as the evil creature stumbled backwards and crumpled to the ground. But to her horror, the weapon remained held fast in the other's body and the hilt was wrenched from her paw even as her opponent lost his life to it. "Eloan!" the girl shouted, making certain that her brother knew that their defensive alignment had been breached.

The demon-possessed creatures surged around the trio as Eloan forced his way to the nearby cavern wall, almost dragging his sister and a struggling Gatomon along. He shoved the other two behind him, then passed his sword to Ailora and lifted the little feline digimon by her arms and literally threw her from the rapidly closing circle.

Gatomon was surprised, but was as graceful and nimble as ever and came down on all fours some distance from the a'ladon pair and their assailants.

Now Eloan intertwined his paws and quickly knelt on the ground, nodding his head at his sister. "Ailora!" he shouted.

The girl looked down. Surely he didn't expect to boost her out of the circle like he'd used to when they had been younger. She was so much heavier now than she had been at the time...

...but then, neither was Eloan the scrawny boy that had nearly collapsed beneath his sister's weight at the time. Now he was a true giant among a'ladon, and she didn't doubt for an instant that he could bear her weight. But even as big as he was... to leave him here alone...

"Eloan..."

The army was bearing down on them now. "'lora... I love you! Now go! Shay needs you!" And he nodded fiercely as the girl placed her foot in his conjoined paws, and then the twin children moved as one: Eloan lifting and Ailora springing forth from her brother's boost. The girl was flung well over the head of their assailants, and she cursed as she dropped the sword, bracing herself to land on all fours. At least she should have had the sense to leave the thing with her brother to defend himself with. Her arrival hadn't helped the boy any at all, instead it had only deprived him of his only weapon.

And now he realized it as well as the army moved in their zombie-like state towards him. The boy backed off in consternation until he found his back pressed up against the cold, uneven surface of the cavern wall. He was breathing heavily now, and looked for any crack in the oncoming horde that he might penetrate.

He found none.

He reached into the small pouch at his side, but came up with nothing more useful than his father's old whistle and the hilt of his father's broken sword. The army of the demon-possessed was so close now that he could smell their fetid breath and could hear the clicking of their long claws on the stone floor. Three spears went up as one, each one aimed directly for the boy's heart. Eloan closed his eyes and turned his head away. "Father..." he murmured. "Father... I've failed you. And soon will be at your side in paradise... Father."

And then there was a collective gasp from the assembled creatures. Eloan, back still to the wall, dared open one eye to steal a glance.

There was the golden form of the Paragon T'Kai, standing in front of his son with arms outstretched to shield him from the evil soldiers. There was a fond smile on the great, holy warrior's face as he acknowledged the boy. And then he took the hilt of the sword from his son and studied it closely. "To my side, Eloan? Yes, but not the final time just yet. I cannot put into words how much I long for your company, son, but you are not finished here." He nodded at the hilt of his weapon as he passed it back into the boy's paw. "Take your cue from Lord Takeru, son. Call it home..."

And now, as his father guarded him, Eloan pulled a deep breath into his lungs. The air around him now was sweet, no longer sulfurous, and at once it emboldened the young boy's spirit and set the holy blue halo loose to dance within his eyes. From far across the cavern Eloan could hear the blade that Jeron had pulled from the chest of the demon singing to him, and the metal hilt in his paws was now warm and surrounded by a powerful, golden fire.

Call it home, son...

The boy said nothing, and stood as a soldier to attention as his father's form vanished. He was holding the hilt of the weapon above his head as if in salute, and across the way he could see the blade as it rose like a golden star to the ceiling of the cavern.

And then that star fell upon the boy, streaking downwards to embrace the partner that it had lost so long ago.

T'Kai's holy blade was reforged in an instant of divine power, and now Eloan did not hesitate to attack. As the Lord Takeru's blade cut through the enemies at his side, so did his father's sword sweep away his own assailants. Several fell away at once, and those who did not were eradicated as quickly by a blade that had not been dulled by years of disuse. The demons inside sought to flee as their mortal shells were cut down, but Eloan was faster and ended their miserable existences with the golden fire that sprung forth from his weapon.

T.K. gave a wordless shout of anger as he cornered his three remaining opponents. His hands and clothes were bloodstained by this point, but it was no longer of any consequence to him. He was a Paragon at heart, if not quite in body, and could hear the Paragons of ages past singing their glory to him in a chorus as he destroyed the minions of their Enemy. The trio that remained snarled and hissed at him, and the Saurian opened its mouth to spray the black ichor of its race at his eyes... but the venom was at once checked and rendered harmless by the auroral bracer on the boy's left wrist. The a'ladon stabbed their spears at him in tandem, but the Sword of Ages easily sheared the metal blades off of the wooden shafts of the weapons.

And then the human boy rushed upon the trio, impaling the Saurian with his golden weapon and driving it back with such force that the blade not only thrust through the creature's body but also became imbedded in the cavern wall behind it. T.K. released his grip on the blade and turned to smash Gabriel's Ward into the face of his second opponent, and the blow was delivered with such force that the a'ladon's head snapped back and, in the process, shattered its spine in several places. Now turning, the golden-haired boy grabbed the last of the three by its furry collar and turned in place, hurling it over the narrow walkway of the cavern and into the deadly fires far below.

Now T.K. and Eloan were left alone in the center of the battlefield, as Ailora and Gatomon had retreated to the side of Pegasusmon. Both of the boys were breathing quite heavily, and behind a sweaty mass of blond hair there was a haunted look in T.K.'s eyes as he retrieved his weapon. With both holy artifacts active on his person at that moment, he had never been as close to Heaven as he was then. He could hear the stunned silence among the Celestial Paragons, they who constantly called him home to fellowship with them. And then, from among them, the voice of a young girl... one who had wielded Michael's Sword for a brief period of time almost six hundred years earlier.

"Les deux? Il ne devrait pas pouvoir faire cela..."

T.K. heard the exclamation, and then watched as the light bled from each of the Arms until they were once again back in their more mundane forms of the Crests. She was right, of course. He shouldn't be able to use them both at once. Not without accepting the exaltation that came with such power. He looked down at the Crest of Light that was fastened to his wrist by the seemingly innocuous silver bracelet that Kari had bound it within.

T.K. started, turning as he felt the others approach his back. Pegasusmon drew near to him gently, lest he jostle the crippled boy on his back, and greeted his human partner by resting his head against the boy's shoulder. The young human Paragon looked over them all, wanting to speak to them each of so many things and yet not having the time. Kari was in D'assan's grasp, and he would be forever damned if he was going to leave her there.

Eloan, evolved and with his Father's sword now whole and within his grasp.

Gatomon, who should not be in this world at all but back on Earth and at Kari's side.

Ailora, with a look in her eyes that said that she would have rushed into his arms in greeting were it not for the fact that she had found a much greater responsibility to Shay, who was limp and lay crumpled atop Pegasusmon's back.

And the armored stallion himself. T.K. placed a welcoming hand on the creature's forehead. Kari had evidently come to this world and now been captured because of it, but he had no words of blame for the digimon. He knew that Pegasusmon loved Kari greatly, and would have given all at his partner's request to keep the girl from coming here. The fact that he'd failed spoke mainly to Kari's stubbornness and, doubtless, the influence of the Other Side.

The eyes of the pair locked, and Pegasusmon peered at the boy with a seriousness in his eyes that spoke volumes of his concern. "T.K.? Are you still... you?"

T.K. smiled gently in return. "I'm still me, Pata. I can hear the call, but I haven't answered it. Not yet, though it pulls at my heart even now." And then he looked down at the limp form of Shay, and at Ailora as she gently held the young prince's paw in her own.

The girl looked up at him, tears welling within her eyes. "Lord... Lord Takeru... please. Shay's hurt so bad. You can't-- You can't let him die. I've believed in you all of my life, and now he does too. I'd always... always thought that nobody could mean to me what you mean to me, but Shay does now, even if he didn't quite before. I know what you feel for Lady Hikari, else you wouldn't be here, but I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Shay, Lord. There must be something that you can do for him. Please."

T.K. was moved, almost to tears by the girl's pleading, but had no words of comfort to offer her. For though he could use Michael's great blade to erupt mountains and carve his way through a legion of demons should it became necessary to, it could do nothing to save the injured boy. Already the young human could hear the ragged breathing in Shay's lungs begin to slow to a halt. He started to shake his head...

But at that moment, Ailora leapt forward and grabbed the human boy's left hand and drew it to her face, grasping it tightly with both paws and kissing it repeatedly. T.K. bowed his head and gritted his teeth in shame, but at that moment the Crest of Light on his wrist came alive and sent a jolt of power that ran up his arm and through his body straight to his heart. The human Paragon gasped as he once again felt the pull of Heaven and heard the holy call in his ears, and now his eyes were swallowed up in a silver halo of light as another voice intruded upon his thoughts.

But you can... The choice is yours, Takeru, as it has ever been.

The voice was Gabriel's, and it did not surprise the boy to hear it. The angel had gifted Kari with the Ward in its guise as the Crest of Light bare moments after Michael had laid the Sword in his own hand.

But she is not what you are. Young as you were, even you could not have held both then as you do now. And as it was your spirit that kept her alive, a certain part of you came to live within her. So it was in her to hold my Ward and employ its most basic of gifts... at least for a time, and until you matured to it.

The blade of my Brother... yes, it can cleanse the world to sanctity at your command. But you would not be holding it if you had any desire to use it so. In the end, it will both begin and bring an end to the Armageddon, and the timing of that battle is not yours to choose. But the skirmishes between our side and theirs? By all means. Defend the righteous. Strike the Fallen. You are Paragon, and no evil is in you.

But my Ward has a power as potent, if more benign. Great love is in you to be what you are, Takeru, and through that love you may make right what wrongs evil has wrought. In your years, you have come to understand the fight against the Fallen. But your understanding of all manner of love is still imperfect. Not of the love that you hold for Hikari or for those close to you, but love for all souls... even those that may not merit it.

"Ailora?"

The girl still had not released his hand, and held to it firmly... almost as though it were all that kept Shay clinging to life. "Lord..." Her voice failed her to a whisper past quivering lips, and she began again. "Blessed Lord, don't, please. Please don't say that you can do nothing for him."

T.K. placed his other hand upon the softness of the girl's head. And he smiled very gently. He cared for these creatures greatly, and with her help would try to see Shay through to life. "I can, Ailora... I can. But I must have your help now. I am fond of you and your race, and your family in particular that has loved me in return since time that has fallen from your histories. But it is a failing that I cannot love best without familiarity, and you alone can be the one to bridge the gap between my affection for Shay and love for him."

Still hand in hand, T.K. led the a'ladon girl to Pegasusmon and the crippled child atop his back. "To what end will you keep him alive, Ailora? Be certain that you do not ask this in the heat of passion at seeing a good friend on the verge of death, for the joining that you are pleading for will create a bond both eternal and unbreakable. As one who has been so bound, I promise that you will exist inside of him and he inside of you. You will be of one body and of one spirit. His pain and his joy and his strength and his sorrow will be yours, and yours his. It is the most complex promise given mortals to make."

Ailora's tear-stained eyes rose to meet his, and found that a silver fire danced within their blue depths. "Lord... I will forsake all others and everything to him. That was to be his Vow to me, as was yours to Her Grace. If you say now that I will pour out my life into his body to let his continue, I would not hesitate even for an instant."

The boy who was still human, and yet not human, nodded. It was what he'd had to hear. "No Ailora. Your sacrifice for him will be enduring, and will be one of great joy if you speak true. The hurt is mine to bear, and shall be my last, best gift to the two of you. As your father was so I am. I am called to Joy, but for those I love am called first to suffer."

And then the human boy took their conjoined hands and placed them, the girl's paw first, palm down upon the back of the young a'ladon prince. T.K. closed his eyes in silent commune with Gabriel's Ward. He was weak already, and this would make him moreso before the pending battle, but if it was given to him to bring healing as well as sanctity then he could do no less.

"His heart, Ailora... do you feel it? I will return to him the gift of life as I can, but you must guide it to where it is needed."

She looked pensively at the hand of the human boy as it covered hers, and swallowed deeply. "Lord? I... I'm frightened."

T.K. allowed himself a weak smile as Crest of Light gave him insight. It was speaking to him so quickly, and giving him instructions so complex that he almost missed the feeling of anxiety from the girl. "That you will fail him? All who love dread that one great failure. But be at peace. Your heart is great, and you are your father's daughter. It is not in you to fail."

Ailora opened her mouth to answer him, but her response trailed off into a wordless gasp as a sharp, tingling sensation started on the roof of her paw. She looked down at their conjoined hands, watching with astonishment as the impression of a soft, visible light ran from the pink talisman bound about the human's wrist, through his hand and hers and into Shay's broken form. And at that instant, she remembered what she was supposed to be doing.

But what...? She was no doctor. She would have asked Lord Takeru where she was supposed to guide this to, but her Great Lord was now clearly oblivious to his surroundings. His eyes were closed and his face inclined slightly upwards in a commune with powers that she could only guess at. Shay had said that his back was hurt, and she directed her consciousness inwards to that point. But along the way, she was struck with a greater concern. His heart... his breath...

"Shay," she murmured over the sound of his ragged breath. "Hold on, Shay. I'm coming."

The girl concentrated on the damage to the boy's organs, then gave a short gasp of surprise and of pleasure as the life seeping through her paw and into Shay's body found a vessel for its benevolent power. In her mind she could see the strands of pink light as they wove themselves into the body of the young prince, mending the damage that evil had wrought, and in her ears she could hear the boy as he started to breath easily once more.

Eloan looked to Pegasusmon, then to Gatomon. He'd placed his father's sword into the sheath at his side, and thanks to his evolution now stood eye to eye with the stallion. "When will we...?" He trailed off, as something appeared in the corner of his eye. "What's that?"

Gatomon turned where Pegasusmon could not, looking to where the boy had indicated. There was something... no. Only a shadow, she was certain. A dark shadow that looked to be moving only because of the red glow of the magma far below that provided light to the cavern. But it did appear to be moving very quickly and purposefully for a shadow.

But now Pegasusmon lifted his nose above the pair, and strained to sift through the thick odor of sulfur in the air. "Demon," he said gravely and in warning to the pair.

Eloan drew his father's sword in one fluid motion and held it in front of his face. A thin line of golden fire was still evident upon the blade, and the boy heard Gatomon as she fell into a combative crouch at his side. The eyes of each, sharp as they were, could now make out the form of the creature despite the effortless speed at which it was moving. At their back, Pegasusmon frowned. He wanted to call T.K. to arms, but knew from experience that he did not dare disturb the boy while in such a commune with the heavenly host. But this was all wrong. One that they missed?

"Truce!" called a voice from the shadows that moved. A thick, raspy voice that reverberated off the cavern ceiling and walls and far into the pit at their side. "Truce, once more. Your Master the Lord Takeru would not look kindly on your violating the truce that he and I have forged to save his Lady Hikari."

Eloan lowered his sword, looking into the shadows with astonishment. It lied. Certainly a lie. Lord Takeru would never...

He risked a glance down at Gatomon, who had not relaxed in her stance. She lowered her voice, and addressed Pegasusmon. "I say we kill it anyway."

"Even if it aids him in her rescue?" the golden stallion answered in a stern voice. "By his own admission, one of them was helping him. Honor the truce that it claims, but be ready to strike if the event of treachery."

"The certainty of treachery, I'd say," the feline warrior returned. But nonetheless she stepped forward and called into the darkness. "Truce, then! But no deceit, demon! The least hint of sorcery from you and we'll return you to the darkness shorter by a head."

Pegasusmon could feel the injured boy upon his back as he began to stir. With any grace at all, it would mean that T.K. would soon return to consciousness in order to handle this creature himself. Neither he nor Gatomon, nor the boy Eloan, he was certain, had the experience necessary to speak with the dark creature without risking their very souls.

And then the demon slipped forward from the shadows, leaving a blurred afterimage in its wake as it moved towards the three. Gatomon clenched a fist tightly within her clawed glove, but made no move to advance on the creature. It was, she noticed, in the guise of one of the a'ladon... much as the others that they had battled earlier.

But now Eloan gasped, and he lowered his blade until its keen edge was resting upon the ground. His eyes narrowed at the fiend as it approached, and the boy struggled to comprehend what he was seeing. It was clothed in a very fine attire, and upon its head rested a thin gold crown that encircled its brow above its ears. The boy took one single step forward, and addressed the other. "Jeron...?"

The king of the a'ladon, or at least a visage of the creature, turned to respond. "You may address me as such, if it pleases you," it answered, the harsh voice grating on Eloan's sensitive ears. And seeing the look of disdain on the other's face and misinterpreting it, he pulled open the front of his kingly robes to reveal a sickening black scorch mark upon his chest. "For the moment, we are... sharing this form."

Pegasusmon's eyes did not move from the creature, so intent was he on watching for the anticipated attack. "Is the king of the a'ladon dead, then?"

The demon, as Jeron, had obviously been hoping for a more animated response from the trio. The damage that the Sword of Ages had wrought upon the body was intense. His eyes rolled to T.K.'s uplifted face. "Wake him."

Pegasusmon shook his head slightly, to avoid jarring the young prince resting upon his back. "No. Not before he has finished."

"Do you command in the absence of your Master, then?" the other demanded. "Very well. Know that, even now, our mutual enemy is arming himself with the weapons of ultimate darkness. To him our Master has opened the armories of my home, and BaalMerodach has brought forth instruments of torment that have seen naught but fire and death for almost two thousand of your years. Takeru, even girt with the arms of the Exemplar, will not stand against him."

But Pegasusmon stood impassive before the creature. "You cannot be trusted in anything that you say. He has stood victorious over the indomitable before, and with the aid of the Father will do so again."

The eyes of the possessed king narrowed at the stallion. "You are staking all of our lives on knowledge you cannot possibly possess, beast."

Now Gatomon interrupted. "Enough. You do not command here, be you king or demon or both. If you have submitted yourself to T.K.'s ends then you will capitulate to his will or you will begone."

But at that moment the argument became extraneous, as Shay gave a loud inhale of a breath and tumbled from Pegasusmon's back. Ailora and T.K. both snapped from their respective reveries at once, with the girl kneeling at the side of the prince in alarm and the human boy staggering forward to lean against the golden flank of his partner. His breathing was heavy and sweat was dripping from his forehead to pool upon the ground, but he did remain conscious.

A moment passed in silence before Eloan spoke. "Lord?"

T.K.'s eyes fluttered open, and in a another moment he left the side of Pegasusmon to stand, unsteadily, upon his own feet once again. He nodded weakly. "Eloan." And then he glanced at the boy's side, and in surprise continued, "Jeron?"

Gatomon shook her head in silence, and T.K. caught the gesture of warning that she directed at him. Just beneath the robes of the king, the human boy could make out the boundaries of the scorched flesh that Michael's Sword had wrought, and he grimaced while locking eyes with the figure of Jeron. "BaalBerith," he concluded. "Did he invite you to take possession, then?"

"Some prefer shared immortality with a demon rather than risk death at the end of an angelic blade, Takeru."

T.K. tried his hardest to put upon his face the anger that he felt in his heart, but he was simply too weak to do so. "And you, in your way, would have neglected to inform him that his life was in no danger. We both know that the Sword of Ages cannot kill on accident."

The dark creature refused to be chastised. "It was his choice, Exemplar, and a willing one. You cannot unmake it for him, and there is no point in scourging his body to release his spirit. You have already sworn to the boy prince not to end his father's life."

The Crest of Hope was still within T.K.'s clenched fist, and now it leapt into life and quickly manipulated energy into matter to reforge Michael's holy blade in the hand of the boy Paragon. T.K. leapt forward, his eyes alight with blue fire, grabbed the creature by the collar and brought the golden sword within inches of the other's face. "I should finish you now, bastard of Hell!" he shouted, angry with the both of them for bringing about this end for Shay's father.

Moments passed in silence except for the sound of T.K.'s heavy breathing, and then, without fuel to burn, the fire went out in the boy's blue eyes. The tip of his holy blade lowered slowly to the ground, and he released his hold upon the other's throat. Berith was right. Even if Jeron had been deceived, there was no help for it now. In any event, he no longer had the strength left to argue the point. He leaned upon his weapon, and the demon looked at him in discomfort. "You have wasted your strength getting to this point, Exemplar, and squandered what little you had left by pouring it into the body of the male child. You would have been better served letting me convey you to this place. How do you hope to defeat Merodach now?"

"Father?"

Shay was on his feet now, with Ailora at his side, and there was no weakness or sign of injury upon the boy as he stepped between T.K. and Jeron. The eyes of the young prince narrow as he peered at the other... "Or not my father," he continued sadly. "So you finally gave in and joined your witches in their debaucheries? Surrendered your soul for power, father?"

Ailora slid a hand onto Shay's shoulder, and whispered into his ear questioningly. "Shay?"

"My father's counselors, Ailora. Aine and her sister Moya. Novices in the occult until they took on a more personal relationship with something that they called on for power. This is my father's flesh and my father's form, but there is little left of the soul that was his." The prince stopped, and grimaced. "Do I hit close to the mark, demon? Can my father even hear my words in his own ears?"

The other sneered at the boy. "He hears, child. And if you would have him back, aid in completing our mission instead of interrupting it! You have caused Takeru to expend far too much time and energy on your worthless self already. Now be silent!"

Ailora made as if to move at the creature, but her brother stopped her with a paw upon her shoulder. "Enough," he said, stepping between the other three a'ladon. "My Lord Takeru is competent to lead once again, and it is he who has authority over us all."

T.K., meanwhile, had made his way back to Pegasusmon's side. He placed a gentle hand upon the other's mane and leaned heavily upon his flank. "Pata?"

The golden stallion craned his head over his shoulder to look at his partner, and his eyes narrowed with alarm as he saw the pallor of the other's face and the tormented look in his eyes. "T.K.? What's wrong? What's happened?"

The boy managed a very weary shake of the head. "Don't ask, Pata, listen. Please. I don't think I have much time left to say this to you. I haven't got anything left... and I'm going to have to let the Crest of Hope take me to save Kari. I suppose that I should have known that at the outset, but was too stubborn to admit it. So I want you to take the others home. Get them out of here. If I do have to ascend to get Kari back, the battle between BaalMerodach and I is going to destroy this mountain. None of you can be in here when that happens."

The face of the winged horse fell. "So you've given up, then? You can't even try any longer?" And there was no condemnation in the voice of the creature, no guilt placed upon his young friend's back that he was not doing all that he could to avoid this. He knew, more than any other, what it had cost the boy to remain with them all so far, and could see how close the other was to tears of grief.

T.K.'s expression was haunted. "Patamon... I can feel it all now. Everything from the start...everything, Pata, and it hurts more than anything I could have ever imagined." He placed his hand over his chest. "Do... do you remember when Kari was dying all those years ago? When she'd given up and her heart was bleeding the life from her? I stopped it then, for her, but I've carried it inside me ever since. My heart has been ever bleeding with the same pain that hers did then, even if I kept it inside the whole time. And when I fought against Tai to save her? The bruises are still there, Pata."

"Don't ask me why, but it's all still there. Or is there again... I don't know which. When Lady Darkness poisoned my mind with her lust and dark magic? It's still there. The first battle against D'assan, when I came home looking so bad that mom wanted to rush me to the hospital? The fight against Roan and the Fiends, when I should have died?" He placed his hand on the opposite side of his stomach, and now as Pegasusmon stared he was certain that he too could see the enormous, gaping lesion just below the boy's ribs that was glistening with a thick, yellow ichor. The creature blinked once, and it was gone. Gone... but still... "Patamon... it's all still there."

"T.K..." the other started, and then stopped before he could choke on the lump in his throat. When he began again, it was in a much lower tone. "T.K., if you tell me... if you order me to leave then I will. But I'm asking you as a friend not to do that. I don't care what you become after this, and I don't care if you and the demon horde tear this mountain down around my head. If this is going to be your last battle, then let me stand beside you in it just like I've stood beside you in all of the others."

"T.K., I am mortal, and one day will be no more. If I join you now, and fall at your side, then there is no more noble effort that I could have ever fought for. And if I should live out my years in peace without you with me, I will have cursed myself every day until that time that I left you here at the last."

T.K., for his part, no longer felt any reservations about tears, and felt them begin to roll down his cheeks at the other's words. "I can't order you around, Pata. That's never how it has been between us. But I don't want you to see me like that, whatever happens. I want to be here and to tell you that I'll always love you, and to remember how it used to be. You saw what happened before; what I'm going to become. I don't want to be some powerful, indifferent... thing that stands over you and Kari and looks on you each as a little lost kitten in need of pity instead of a close friend deserving of love. You both deserve so much more than that. I can't save her from seeing me like that, but I can save you from it."

Now the silence in the cavern was noticeable, as the argument from the remainder of the little unit had trailed off into nonexistence. Pegasusmon turned to the others, and in particular to Gatomon, seeking input from them all.

But it was Eloan who first stepped forward to address the human boy. "Lord... I confess that I cannot possibly know what will happen down in that place. But I must believe that my father sent me with you for a purpose, and a purpose that has not yet been fulfilled. And so, if you will have it, my sword... such as it is, will stay in your service until the end."

Ailora and Shay were standing quite still, holding one another's paws tightly, and it was the girl who spoke for the both of them. "Lord, with your very life you have given back what evil would have taken from me. Having been the vessel for your power, I know what you have sacrificed on Shay's behalf where no other can. And so we both will remain with you until we see Her Grace at your side once again. Even if you were to command it we would not leave... we will serve you to redeem the price you have paid for him."

Gatomon looked genuinely surprised to see T.K. turn to her next, and raised a single eyebrow in response. "Do you even have to ask? Kari is as much my responsibility as she is yours... or at least very nearly. If you think for an instant that I'm going to see her married to a demon instead of to you then you haven't learned a thing about me since we met eight years ago. Not to mention the fact that I owe the sister Moya a few scars from our first meeting."

Jeron's back was to the rest. "Be blunt, Exemplar. I care nothing for you nor you for me. From the beginning our purposes have been intertwined. They remain so. You will not be rid of me until one of us falls, or else our mission is complete."

Pegasusmon laid his head on T.K.'s shoulder as he spoke. "T.K...? What kind of friend leaves at the last and when all hope is gone? Do you remember the story that you told me? Of how your God was abandoned at the last by his friends, and how deep was their regret? If I were to leave you now it would tear a hole in my heart that would pain me for the rest of my life. Yes, I know what you will become. But I do not believe that your love for me will cease, no matter how the Paragons regard mortals, because for me you are more than a friend, and more than a partner. I will remain with you until the end, and no power, good or evil, will diminish us."

The Sword of Ages was gone, and the Crest of Hope was within T.K.'s hand once again. Solemnly he placed it around his neck. They were staying... they were all staying, where he knew that they would. He was certain that he should send them all away, but could no longer muster the strength to argue. He was injured, badly, in both body and spirit and was so, so tired. But if his wounded leg could not longer support him, then Pegasusmon would bear his weight to the end. If his back ached with the pain of Shay's crippling injury, Eloan would guard it for him. If his heart ached with a tainted lust, then Shay and Ailora's great love would cleanse it. And if his stomach had been seared by demon-fire, then Gatomon would go before him to harry the demons back to the dark.

The boy bowed his head, and pulled in a breath that was no longer troubled by the smell of sulfur in the air. He was going Home. "All right, then," he said quietly. "The Blessing of the Father on us all. Let's finish this."