Author's Note: I gave my best stab at translating Witchmon's attacks off the cards. Unfortunately, my Japanese is imperfect, and I'm not entirely sure I got it right. If anyone out there knows for sure what her attacks are, I'd really appreciate it if you could tell me. Thanks!
Dawn over the Continent of Light was truly something worth seeing. As the sky in the east grew gradually lighter, going from deep violet to azure to rose, the world came alive with the sound of birdsong, as avian Digimon greeted the new day with a thousand voices. Then the sun burst above the horizon, beaming down on the acres of flowers, refracting through the dewdrops until they shone like diamonds, turning their snow-white petals the color of flame. The blaze of colors, the joy of song, the sweet scent of the flowers, and the soft touch of the morning breeze combined to make this one of the most breathtaking experiences in the Digital World.
Unfortunately, nobody was awake to see it.
It was well after sunrise when the group of visiting humans finally bestirred themselves and prepared to begin their day, but that had been expected. Considering how long the party of the previous night had gone on, even the palace servants had been granted a chance to sleep in, and no one would have expected guests to rise before the staff did. Despite the leisurely start, they still all reported to breakfast to find that it was still having its finishing touches set out, even though it was a simple affair. That was fine with them. After the lavish meal of the night before, no one had much appetite, and were pleased enough to find nothing more pretentious waiting for them than bread and fruit. The group gathered around a table to discuss their forthcoming journey.
"I guess this is going to be the last time we actually get to eat off a table for a while," Takuya commented, smearing jam on a piece of bread. "Hey, Bokomon, you know everything. Where do you think we should begin searching for these Fabled Artifact things?"
"Personally? I would look wherever there's the least chance of something trying to jump out and eat us," answered Bokomon. "This was supposed to be a vacation for you, after all. But if you're really determined... I suppose one place is as good as the next. The Fabled Artifacts have been lost for centuries. That's why they're called Fabled Artifacts. All that's left are a few rumors and scraps of legends. The best I can give you are guesses and hearsay. For example, there's a story that one of the Artifacts was hidden somewhere in this building eons ago, to protect it from... something-or-other. My sources weren't very clear."
"What good is that?" Kouji wanted to know. "No offense to Ophanimon or her castle, but I didn't plan to spend all my time hanging around here."
"Maybe we can save that one for last?" Tomoki suggested. "By the time we find the others, we might be glad to come back someplace safe for a while."
"Or maybe," Izumi piped up, "somebody's found it already. Like me, for example."
Everyone turned to stare at her. Seeing that all eyes were on her, she tugged at the chain that hung around her neck, lifting it up so that everyone could see the jewel that hung from it.
"Ooh, pretty!" Neemon enthused. "Can I hold it? Can I? Please?"
"No, you cannot!" said Bokomon. He turned to face Izumi. "Where in blue blazes did you get hold of that?"
"No idea," she admitted. "It was just... I had a really strange dream last night - at least, I thought it was a dream. I thought I was walking through the palace until I found a hidden door, and when I opened it, this was there. Then I woke up, and I still had this necklace with me, so I just hung on to it. Something told me it was important."
"Let me have a closer look," said Bokomon. "No, don't take it off - I'll come over there."
Bokomon hopped onto the table, picking his way around bowls and platters, until he was standing in front of Izumi. She held up the gem so he could see it clearly. In the strong morning sunlight, it sparkled more than ever. He gave it a thorough examination, turning it this way and that, observing how the lights inside it shifted.
"Yes..." he said at last. "There's no doubt in my mind. You've found the Star of Guidance!"
"That's a star?" said Neemon dubiously. "It looks more like a necklace to me."
"It's figurative, you dolt," Bokomon snapped. "The Star of Guidance is the name for the gemstone. Its power is that, when properly invoked, it will guide its owner to whatever they need most. Just as a traveler can find their way through the wilderness by following the stars, the holder of the Star of Guidance can follow its light to safety. Among all the Fabled Artifacts, it alone has the ability to choose its owner - its magic allows it to identify the one most suited to carry it. That's what my notes say, anyway," he finished, brandishing his book. "Evidently, it has decided that Izumi is a worthy carrier, and so it has guided her to it."
"Well, I could have told it that," Junpei muttered, to no one in particular.
"This is a great honor, Izumi," Bokomon went on. "If I were you, I would keep that necklace with you at all times. Never take it off. Never give it to anyone, not even one of your friends. It has chosen you, and it will obey only you for as long as you keep it."
"Great. Now I get to spend the rest of the trip carrying a rock," said Izumi. "Oh, well. At least it's pretty... and it's not nearly as heavy as it looks like it would be. I'll keep it safe." She tucked it back out of sight, hiding it beneath her shirt so that all that could be seen was a bit of silver chain.
"See that?" said Takuya. "I knew we could find those Artifacts! We haven't even been here a whole day, and already we've found one!"
"It found us," Bokomon retorted, "because it was already here in the castle."
"Bokomon's right. We don't need to get cocky," Kouji agreed. "If we're really going to make any kind of progress, we ought to have some kind of plan. Hmm..."
"So, if you were a Fabled Artifact, where would you hide?" asked Junpei.
"How should I know?" Kouji retorted. "I've never been a Fabled Artifact."
"You need more imagination," said Tomoki. "If I were a Fabled Artifact, I'd hide somewhere cool, like a big castle or a dungeon or something."
"That's fine, but most of the Artifacts can't think for themselves," said Kouji. "They're not going to just choose where they get to spend their time."
"Actually, he might have a point," said Kouichi thoughtfully.
Kouji blinked, as if surprised his twin was disagreeing with him. "What do you mean?"
"Well, powerful tools don't usually just lie around anywhere," said Kouichi. "They get used by powerful people. Even if they're originally found by someone ordinary, sooner or later, either someone more powerful will hear about it and take it, or the person who finds it will become powerful. Powerful people don't live in holes in the ground. They build palaces and fortresses and dungeons and things to rule from."
There was a moment of silence. Then Kouji said, "That made a lot of sense. Good thinking, Kouichi."
His brother smiled. "Well, you know what they say - two heads are better than one!"
"Especially when one head belongs to a guy who has to doubt everything he hears," Takuya piped up.
"I'm the voice of common sense in this group," said Kouji nobly.
"And what am I - diced Ogremon food?" Bokomon muttered.
"You're really more of the wise mentor type," said Izumi, who knew when someone needed flattering. "We wouldn't know what to do without all your information."
"Right," Junpei agreed. "So... you know the way around this place better than we do. Know where there are any castles or ruins or anything?"
"Not many," said Bokomon slowly. "The closest one I can think of offhand is the Temple of the Fallen Moon, and that isn't really the kind of place you go for fun. It's more the kind of place you stay far, far away from."
"Yeah, well, that's what you said about the Continent of Darkness, too, and we got through that all right," Takuya pointed out.
"Define 'all right'," said Kouji.
"Hey, it would have been okay if we hadn't kept running into monsters," Tomoki said. "But Cherubimon's good again, and the Legendary Warriors should all be on our side now, and we dealt with Lucemon, so it ought to be okay, right?"
"Except that we don't actually have the Spirits with us anymore," Kouji pointed out. "How are we going to defend ourselves against danger? And don't tell me, 'Oh, it'll be okay, something will work out.' Walking into something we know is dangerous when we know we're unprotected is just stupid."
"If we didn't want any risks, we wouldn't have agreed to do this in the first place," said Takuya stubbornly.
"There's a difference between taking a calculated risk and being rash," Kouichi said. "I'm not saying we shouldn't be trying to find these Artifacts. I think that just the fact that the Star of Guidance has reappeared after all these years is a pretty good indicator that we should. Now, can we at least agree for the sake of peace and quiet that we ought to go at this carefully?"
"All right, all right," said Takuya. "How far away from here is this temple, anyway?"
"Several days' journey, I'd estimate," Bokomon replied. "The Trailmon tracks go around it, so we'll have to walk."
"Fine. That should be plenty of time to find out what we're up against," said Izumi. "And who knows? Maybe we will find something to help us. I mean, we do have the Star of Guidance, and it is supposed to help you find things..."
"It will!" said Bokomon. "If you but ask it, it will lead you to whatever you need most."
"Sounds great," Kouji said dryly. "What's the catch?"
"Um..." said Bokomon, deflating. "The catch is that what you want and what you need are two entirely different things... and that you might not recognize what you need when you see it... and that you might get so tied up looking for what you need most that you might overlook something else that could be useful."
"Great. Now I'm sorry I asked," said Kouji.
"It will still help us," Izumi said. "I just know it. This thing didn't wake me up last night just because it was lonely."
"That's good enough for me," said Takuya. "I, for one, say we set a course to the Fallen Moon Temple. Unless anyone has a better idea?"
There was some uneasy shifting. Kouji said, "I guess as long as we're careful, we ought to be able to handle it. After all, we may not be Legendary Warriors anymore, but we're not completely helpless, either."
"Well, if Kouji says it's okay, I guess it's okay," said Takuya, half-teasing. "The Fallen Moon Temple, it is, then!"
There were nods and murmurs of agreement, some more enthusiastic than others. All of them were so intent on the moment that no one noticed a dark shadow flicker past one of the windows.
An oddly shaped object was flying across a clouded section of the Digital World's sky. A closer inspection would have shown that it was actually a Digimon - not a bird or insect, as one might expect, but one of feminine humanoid aspect. She lacked both the feathery wings of an angel and the leathery bat-wings of something demonic. As a matter of fact, she wasn't even aloft of her own power, but was instead hurtling across the sky on a twiggy broomstick, clinging with a death-grip to its handle. Her flight path zigzagged erratically, sometimes swooping high into the air and becoming lost in the cloudy sky, and sometimes dipping toward the earth, where she had to dodge crazily to avoid running into trees and rocks. It might have helped if she had opened her eyes a bit more, but she seemed too terrified to do more than occasionally open one eye a crack.
At last, her destination drew near. Looming up before her stood a small building, a mound of stone too small to be called more than a house, but with a grace of design that made it appear larger and grander than it really was. It might have even been called beautiful if it had been cleaner and brighter, but that was hardly the case. It was built of ancient black stone, cracked and crumbling in some places, overgrown here and there with dark, slimy-looking moss. Its windows were unlit, hardly distinguishable from the stone itself, and the whole of it was sunk into the shadows of the black forest until it was hardly visible at all. Nevertheless, the flying Digimon recognized it as soon as she saw it, and she altered her course to meet it. Panting with fear and exertion, screwing up her courage, she dove for the largest downstairs window, pressed herself to her broomstick, and hoped for a painless landing.
As luck would have it, she whizzed through the window with just enough clearance that all she did was lose her pointed hat as she shot through it. She pulled her broom to a sudden stop - too sudden, and she nearly fell off. Shaking slightly, she dismounted and looked around to see if anyone had been around to witness her embarrassing near-fall. There was, which was bad, but a closer look showed that it was only Wisemon, which could have been worse. At least her brother wouldn't scold her too badly.
"Honestly, Witchmon, when are you going to learn to control that thing?" he demanded in his deep, grating voice. He spoke without any emotion but annoyance, but that was normal for him. Wisemon addressed everyone, family and strangers alike, in the exact same tone.
"I'm trying," she said, trying not to sound like she was whining. Her hands still shook from the wild flight. "It's just... it goes so fast..."
"That shouldn't matter. Flying is supposed to be second nature to you," her brother replied. "It shouldn't leave you looking like you barely escaped with your life. You're just lucky Lilithmon isn't around to witness your continued failure."
"I'm sorry," said Witchmon, hanging her head. "I'll try harder."
"I'm sure you will," Wisemon replied. "So, have you anything to show for your journeying?"
"Yes," she began, "but I don't think-"
"That's right," answered Wisemon. "Your place is not to think. You are to let Lilithmon do the thinking. Tidy yourself up and make your report... and make it quietly. Lilithmon will not be forgiving if you break her meditations."
Witchmon murmured something polite and went to look for her hat. She found it lying on the floor, looking somewhat worse for being dragged through the damp clouds, and it had collected a few dead leaves and twigs from her forays through the woods. She shook it out as best she could and set it back on her head, trying to tame her tangles of red-blonde hair back into some kind of order. Then she hurried to catch up to her elder brother, who was already walking down the hall that led to their ruler's inner chamber.
Witchmon continued to try to put herself in order - discreetly, of course; Lilithmon had told her again and again that she ought to make everything she did look effortless, graceful, just as the lady of the manor did. With movements that she hoped were unnoticeable, she picked off bits of debris from her clothing and tried to smooth the wrinkles from her long red dress. Then she realized that Wisemon was watching her out of the corner of his eye, and she gave the effort up as futile. Wisemon, at least, never seemed have need for cleaning and straightening. His long dark robes never showed any sign of wear and tear, and all that could really be seen of his person were two golden eyes glinting from within his cowl. He always seemed calm and self-assured; it was no wonder that he was Lilithmon's preferred servant. Witchmon knew from painful experience that, no matter what she did, she would never measure up to her brother's example, much less to Lilithmon herself.
They entered the lady's throne room and paused respectfully at the doorway - or at least, Wisemon did. Witchmon took a few steps into the room, intent on delivering her news and momentarily forgetting her protocol, and Wisemon had to reach out and block her way before she stopped. Lilithmon, resting calmly on the throne, gazed out at nowhere as if she had not seen Witchmon's mistake. Even so, Witchmon gazed at the floor in shame.
Lilithmon was, in all respects, a remarkable Digimon. In looks, she appeared at first glance to be a human woman, but a woman of such perfect proportions that she seemed utterly unearthly for her beauty alone. Her face was perfectly sculpted, her skin bone-white, her lips red as blood, her eyes as deep and dark as the furthest reaches of the universe where stars were only distant dreams. Hair the color of shadows was elaborately pinned around a golden crown. Her shapely body was draped with a kimono-like gown of black and violet silk. One of her hands was human, with long slim fingers and bright red nails... and if her other hand was a claw, it was a golden claw, as slender and elegant as her human hand. If the black wings of demons adorned her back, they were still so graceful, they could have as easily been taken as scarves adorning her dress. There was not a part of her that didn't seem to be perfectly designed to inspire both awe and fear.
More remarkable was her past. She was very old - some people guessed that she had been born at the beginning of time, and some said she'd been around longer than that. The only thing that could be proved with certainty was that she had been alive when the beast and human-type Digimon had been at war with each other. Lilithmon herself had led a contingent of humanoid warriors - Devimon and Lady Devimon, Piemon and Vamdemon, Mummymon and Pharohmon, all creatures who walked by night. She had been powerful, then, for her power came from the fear and suffering of living things, and such energy was always strongest during times of war. Some had whispered that she intended to crush the beast-type Digimon entirely, and rule the human-types as their new queen.
Then Lucemon had come, bringing his ideas of peace and compromise, and Lilithmon had been forced to back down. She would never agree to serve a ruler who advocated peace, but there was no chance of overthrowing the Angel of Light with her dark powers. She might have been strong enough to conquer half the world, but when the entire Digital World was caught up in its nauseating worship of the angel, Lilithmon had known it was time to sneak away, to wait, and to plan. Years went by, and she had watched Lucemon go power-mad, to be finally defeated by the ten Legendary Warriors. That should have been her chance, but no sooner had Lucemon been deposed, when the three Great Angels stepped in to take his place. When Cherubimon had made his division from the other Angels, she had approved, and offered to help him, for she embraced his ideals of chaos, but he had not trusted anything that looked like a human. She had been forced to go into hiding, burying herself in the darkest part of the Dark Continent until the entire world had all but forgotten her existence. The darkness suited her. Years of hiding had bred in her a fierce love of privacy, and anyone who blundered into her path without invitation was likely to be tortured into nonexistence - not only to increase her powers, but to fill the unfortunate intruder's mind with so much pain and fear that they would never remember who it was they had seen. The only ones who were allowed to look upon her face were her closest servants, who were just now standing in the doorway, waiting to be recognized.
"Witchmon," said Lilithmon at last. Her voice was soft, slow, soothing. Listening to it for very long could easily put one into a trance. "You have returned to us at last. Tell us, have you seen anything on your journey?"
"Yes, I have! The Legendary Warriors are back!" Witchmon blurted. "I mean, not the real Legendary Warriors - I mean, they are real, but they're not the Digmon, they're the humans, the ones who defeated Lucemon - not from back then, you know, but a couple of years ago, when they came back, and-"
"Witchmon." That one word, spoken with no particular inflection, was enough to halt the flow of chatter. Witchmon stared back at the floor again, face flaming in embarrassment. Lilithmon's eyes dropped ever so slightly, just enough that Witchmon could be sure they were locked on her. "Witchmon, Witchmon, whatever am I going to do with you? How many times must I tell you, a proper lady speaks slowly and calmly, no matter what the circumstances? How can I understand your news if you are so flustered that you hardly seem to understand it yourself? Now. Let me hear you speak again, and do it properly this time."
"Yes, my lady," said Witchmon obediently. She took a deep breath, schooling herself into some semblance of calmness. "I wish to report that the six humans who carried the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors returned to Ophanimon's palace in the Continent of Light at approximately six of the clock last evening."
"There," Lilithmon said gently. "That wasn't so hard, was it? Now, was there something else you wish to add, or did you bring me this news just so that I might be informed?"
Witchmon tried not to cringe at the implied rebuke; Lilithmon ordinarily wouldn't care of Ophanimon had been visited by a group of human warriors or a plague of gnats. Lilithmon only cared about what concerned Lilithmon.
"There is, my lady," she said. "I overheard them talking, and it appears they plan to set out in search of the Fabled Artifacts."
Lilithmon then did something remarkable: she twitched. It wasn't much, just a small involuntary movement, as if she meant to pull a shawl around her to hold off a chill. Then it was gone, leaving her with her normal, vaguely amused mask.
"I see," she said. "Well. This is... unanticipated. I am under the impression that when these children returned to their own world, they left their Spirits behind. Is that not so?"
"Yes, my lady," said Witchmon. "They were talking about it during their morning meal. They are worried that they might meet something dangerous, and not be able to fight it."
"I see," Lilithmon replied. She indulged in a moment of quiet thought, propping her chin on one elegant finger as she stared off into space. At last, she said, "Did they happen to say where they might be going?"
"To the Temple of the Fallen Moon, my lady." Witchmon took a deep breath and added in a breathless rush, "I believe you ought to know that they've already found the Star of Guidance!"
Again there was that twitch. A strange glint crept into Lilithmon's eyes. "Do they know how to use it?"
Witchmon was stunned; ordinarily, she would have been rebuked for speaking so hurriedly. She was so surprised, she gave what would have normally been an unacceptable answer: "I don't know."
"You don't." Lilithmon glared at Witchmon, as Witchmon had known she would. "Perhaps what you mean is that you did not listen long enough, or that you were too impatient to hear it all. I should punish you. Still... if they have it, it is only a matter of time before they learn to use it. If they truly seek the Fabled Artifacts, then it will lead them..." The sentence hung in the air, sounding oddly unfinished, as if she had meant to say exactly where it would lead them, but had forgotten what she wished to say. She stared off into space a moment longer, then let her gaze snap back down on Witchmon. "It is my desire that these children never find another Fabled Artifact. You know where they are and where they are going. You are in the best position to stop them."
"Me?" Witchmon squeaked. "Fight the Legendary Warriors? But they've destroyed so many things more powerful than me already..."
"That was when they were Legendary Warriors," Lilithmon said. "They are powerless now, weaker than the weakest hatchling. You are an Adult-stage Digimon. You will defeat them, and you will bring me the Star of Guidance as proof that you have done so."
There was only one answer to a command like that. Witchmon knelt subserviently. "I will do as my lady bids me."
She rose, trying to be graceful, and managed only to step on the hem of her dress. She tried not to stumble, with limited success, and walked off. Behind her, she could hear her brother's deep voice, growing distorted by distance behind her: "...my sister is a willing servant, my lady, but she isn't very reliable... to question your authority, but she hardly seems... hate to see something happen to her... likely to make mistakes..."
Witchmon shrugged it off. As long as she could remember, her brother had served as Lilithmon's most trusted servant and advisor. He had watched over Witchmon when she was just a hatching herself, and had persuaded Lilithmon to take her on as an apprentice. Lilithmon had not wanted another servant, but Wisemon had insisted that his sister be properly cared for, and given the guidance in the black arts that only a master sorceress like Lilithmon could supply. It wasn't their fault that Witchmon had always been a failure. They had done their best for her. She simply hadn't been working hard enough, and she certainly had no right to go around feeling hurt if they wanted to scold her.
Re-entering the main hall, she reluctantly collected her broom. While she stood there, contemplating having to mount and ride once more, her cat familiar came gliding out of the shadows to twine around her ankles. She smiled. Here, at least, was one creature who never judged her. Why should he? He was a part of her, born from her own data the way her clothing and broom had been, and tended to act more on her moods than his own volition, but he seemed so alive that she considered him more as a pet than an extension of herself. The cat's name was Cat; as far as she knew, there were no other such creatures in the Digital World, so the title was serviceable enough. In appearance, he looked just like an ordinary cat from the Human World, except that when he moved, he seemed to stream out a bit, like flame in the wind. Right now, since she was trying to comfort herself, he tried to comfort her, too.
"Come on, Cat," she said, mounting her broom. "We have a mission to run for Lady Lilithmon... and this time, we're going to do it right!"
There was nothing to do but walk. Once breakfast had been finished with, the children had been eager to embark on their journey, so they had taken one last opportunity to get properly clean before they set out, gathered their things, and said goodbye to the Angels and those palace servants who had come to see them off. Now they were trudging through the fields of flowers that filled this part of the world. The palace was too far behind them to be seen anymore, and there were no other landmarks right now for them to see. All that was visible were the flowers and grass at their feet and the sky above.
"We would have to end up in the most boring part of the Digital World," Takuya complained.
"Oh, I don't know," said Izumi. "I think it's kind of pretty. It's a nice change after being in the city for so long."
"You have more patience than I do," said Kouji. "It was nice for a while, but now I'm starting to wish it had something to liven it up a bit."
Bokomon consulted his book. "If my information is correct, we should be drawing near the end of the flower fields and drawing near a river. Will that suit you?"
"That will be fine," Kouji said, "and I didn't mean to complain."
"Yeah, even if it is boring," added Takuya, "I'd rather be bored here than anywhere else."
"Hey, I know!" said Tomoki. "Bokomon, tell us more about these artifacts. What are they like? What do they do?"
"Yeah, that's a good idea," said Junpei. "Tell us some of those legends you're supposed to know."
"I do know them," Bokomon said. "As for the Fabled Artifacts... hm, let me see. Well, the Star of Guidance, you already know about. The other six are the Light of Love, the Staff of Order, the Blade of Courage, the Pipes of Peace, the Pool of Knowledge, and the Shroud of Life. In the early days of the Digital World, all of them were used to assure peace, prosperity, and general well-being. The Light of Love is said to be a light that shines like a star on earth, and those who gaze at its light will be filled with gentleness and compassion for their fellow beings."
"Sounds like a nice thing to have around," said Kouichi.
"Yes," Bokomon agreed. "Unfortunately, legend also has it that the Light was captured by a wicked Digimon, and it became corrupted, inspiring only obsession and selfless, mindless devotion to whoever held it."
"Slavery," muttered Junpei in disgust. "We're definitely getting that one back, before someone else does."
"While you're at it, search for the Staff of Order," said Bokomon. "Its purpose was once to bring calmness out of chaos - it was said to have the power to halt even a great war. Eventually it was turned to the purpose of rallying armies and enforcing their obedience. Likewise, the magical Blade of Courage that freed its carrier from their fears became a weapon of destruction that turned whoever held it into a bloodthirsty monster. The Pipes of Peace were once able to make music that would still fears and soothe anger were put to the purpose of bringing lassitude and apathy. These are the four who were corrupted."
"In that case, I think Junpei's got it right," said Takuya. "Finding those ought to be our first priority."
"What about the other two?" asked Izumi. "The Pool of Knowledge, you said, and..."
"The Shroud of Life," Bokomon finished. "The Pool is... well, my references weren't very specific about what it is, but supposedly it shows images of the past and present to whoever invokes it. Its powers are too passive to be corrupted, but it would still be dangerous in the wrong hands. As for the Shroud... it is perhaps the most powerful of all. It heals the wearer of any physical damage. Anyone who wears it will be invulnerable to any harm."
Takuya whistled.
"Ouch," said Kouichi. "Just imagine, if Lucemon had one of those..."
"...we wouldn't be standing around here talking about it," Kouji finished. "Bokomon, answer me something."
"Yes, Kouji, what is it?"
"Why hasn't anyone decided to look for these things before now?"
"Because," answered Bokomon patiently, "up until just a short while ago, nobody even remembered they existed. We were all a little distracted by Lucemon and Cherubimon and the sixty million other things that were going on."
"Well, we'll find them now," said Tomoki, his voice resolved, "and if we can't get them back, we'll destroy them, so nobody will ever use them to hurt anybody!"
There was a moment of silence. It had been a good while since they'd heard their cheerful- natured friend speak with such grim conviction.
"He's right," said Kouji at last. "If these Artifacts turn out to be too powerful to be safe, we owe it to the Digital World to destroy them."
"I hope it doesn't come to that," said Bokomon. "I would hate to go back home empty- handed."
"Well, look at it this way," said Izumi. "At least you'll have lots more to write about!"
"That's true," Bokomon said, and looked somewhat more cheerful.
"That was pretty cool!" said Neemon. "Tell another story!"
Bokomon glared at him. "Honestly, can't you keep a serious thought in your head?"
"No, not really. Is that bad?"
Takuya laughed. "Well, why not? It isn't like we've got something else to do right now."
"Yeah, tell us a story!" said Tomoki. "You've gotta know at least a million of them, after all those books you've been reading!"
"Do you know anything about those pictures in the hallway outside the library?" asked Izumi. "I remember looking at one last night. There was one with a lady Digimon with wings, and she was standing in front of a pool."
"Funny you should have noticed that one. It features the Star of Guidance - one of the few Artifacts we have any kind of picture of," said Bokomon. "It is a lovely story... a bit of a romance..."
"Aw, I love love," said Neemon.
"Yeah, me too," Junpei said. "Go on, Bokomon, don't hold out on us. Tell!"
Bokomon wasn't so humble that he could hold out against having people he liked and admired begging him to share his vast knowledge with them, so he gave in and started telling. His studies had given him some knowledge of how a story ought to be told, and the story was dramatic enough that everyone was quickly caught up in the tale of the lovely young Digimon maiden who had sought to find her lover, who had vanished in the epic battle between the beast and human-type Digimon. Her deep longing had resonated with the Star of Guidance, allowing her to find it, and through it, find the healing spring to save her dying paramour. The tale did help pass the time; when everyone had their mind on true love and dire peril, little things like tried feet became secondary.
As the sun slid past its zenith, the terrain became gradually rougher. The smooth plains they had been traveling turned to rolling hills. The flowers thinned out, to be replaced by tall grasses and the occasional clump of trees. The group tried to walk close to these when they could; walking out under the full noonday sun was hot work, and they were grateful even for a few moments of shade. At the top of a particularly tall hill, everyone felt the need to pause and catch their breath.
"I've gotten out of shape," Bokomon complained, collapsing into a patch of soft grass. "I don't know about you all, but I've gone as far as I can."
"If you're hinting I have to start carrying you again, you can forget it," said Junpei. "If we have to walk, you have to walk, too."
"But your legs are longer than ours," Neemon protested.
"Hey, don't worry about it," said Takuya. "We're not in a big rush. We can take it slow until we get used to hiking again."
"If we're going to rest, I think we should do it in a more defensible position," said Kouji. "Sitting on top of a hill in the middle of nowhere, well... we aren't exactly inconspicuous as it is. Anyone can tell we don't belong here."
Izumi was only half paying attention. She stared off into the cloud-dotted sky, her face to the breeze, letting it cool her face and tug at her hair.
"The wind is changing," she said softly. "I think it's going to rain."
"She's right," said Junpei, equally quiet. For once, he wasn't staring at her, despite the pretty picture she made. He was looking out at the clouds. "I hear thunder."
"That's funny," said Kouji. "I don't hear anything."
"Well, those two would know," Takuya replied, shrugging a bit. "Anyway, maybe you're right - maybe we should look for some shelter."
"How about over there?" said Tomoki, pointing.
Everyone looked in the direction he indicated. Between the sky and the earth, they could see a smudge of dark green. Beyond it, the land looked wilder and hillier, and there were the faintest suggestion of mountains, no more than blueish shadows against the sky.
"A forest?" Kouichi wondered aloud.
"Maybe even a river," his brother agreed. "More plants grow around rivers, don't they? Either way, it's got to be better than what we've got here. Good job, Tomoki."
Tomoki glowed with the praise and jumped to his feet. "Okay! I'll lead the way!"
The others grinned a little at his enthusiasm and set out behind him.
It took longer than they expected to reach their goal, but they found it completely worthwhile when they got there. The dark line they had seen at a distance turned out to be a row of trees, flourishing along the bank of a pleasant brook. Its far side was edged with rocks of every size, with a few overhangs that might make shelter from rain or predators. Sticks of wood cast along its banks would be ideal firewood.
"You couldn't ask for a better spot," said Kouichi. "Let's set up camp here... at least long enough to have lunch and see if it's going to rain or not. Or am I the only one who's hungry?"
"I guess breakfast was a long time ago," Takuya admitted. He peered speculatively at the water. "I wonder if we could catch a fish? Are there fish here? I mean, do they have those in the Digital World?"
"We do, and you can catch them," said Bokomon, "if you have anything to catch them with."
"I suppose we could make a rod out of a branch," said Takuya doubtfully.
"What would you use for a line?" Kouji asked.
"I dunno. Maybe a vine or something." Takuya glanced around, but no vines were forthcoming. "Or maybe not."
There was a moment of disappointed silence. They had been given some food supplies when they'd left the palace, things like dried fruit and hard bread that wouldn't go bad, but they were only enough to last a few days. Everyone would be a lot better off if they could round it out with food they found along the way. At last, when it seemed like they would have to give up the dream of fresh fish, Junpei said, "I have some fishing line with me."
Everyone stared at him. Izumi asked, "Why on earth would you have that?"
"I always have it with me," he said, taking out a ball of thin, clear wire. When pulled out a length of it, it was nearly invisible. "I use it in my magic tricks, because it's so hard to see. You know, for making it look like I'm moving stuff without touching it. Any good magician has a supply of this stuff." He shrugged, looking embarrassed. "I'm so used to bringing my bag of tricks with me, I guess I just brought it all out of habit."
"Well, it's sure going to come in handy now," said Takuya.
"Great," Kouji agreed. "Since you've got the supplies, how about you see if you can catch some fish. Kouichi and I will scout around and see if we can find shelter. Takuya, you're in charge of finding firewood."
"Who put you in charge?" said Takuya, but it was only a token grumble. He loped off to see if he could find any decent-sized sticks.
"The rest of us ought to do something, too," said Izumi. "Maybe we could look around and see if there's anything growing around here that's edible."
"An excellent idea," said Bokomon. "Why don't Tomoki and I go that way, and you and Neemon go that way? He may not be good for much, but he at least knows the difference between what he can eat and what can eat him."
With their tasks thus parceled out, the group set to work with a will. After a few minutes of experimenting with stepping stones, the twins made it across the river without doing more than getting the cuffs of their jeans damp, and within a short while had identified a rocky overhang that would hold them all comfortably and still keep off the worst of a rainstorm. Once they had cleared it out a bit and made sure there was nothing unfriendly lurking inside, they joined Takuya in collecting firewood, and soon had a cheerful blaze going. A few minutes later, Tomoki, Izumi, and the Digimon returned bearing armloads of vegetables. Last but not least, Junpei appeared, grinning broadly as he displayed a string of fish. Once that happened, there was some confusion over what exactly they were supposed to do with a fish once they had it, but Tomoki surprised them all by taking over the task. It seemed that after his success in the Burgermon village, he had taken an interest in cooking, and since fish was common in Japanese cooking, he'd developed an aptitude for preparing it. It was more difficult to do using a borrowed pocketknife than with proper kitchen utensils, but it got done in the end. With a pleasant sense of satisfaction, everyone settled down to enjoy themselves.
Meanwhile, Witchmon was mired in uncertainty. She had easily found the children, isolated as they were on the open prairie, but she had hesitated when it came to actually attacking them. What should she do? Should she swoop down on them when they were out in the open, and risk them seeing her and taking action? Or should she wait until they were in more defensible territory, knowing full well that anything that would protect her would probably protect them as well? She couldn't make up her mind, with the end result being that they had walked right past her without taking any harm. Now they were firmly dug into a highly defensible spot, and she was not entirely confident in her ability to pry them out again.
"Oh, what do I do, what do I do?" she wailed, wringing her hands. "I can't go back and tell Lilithmon I didn't even try to fight them. Do I sit here and wait for them to come out? Do I attack them anyway? What do I do? I have to do something." She took a deep breath. "All right, Wtichmon, get hold of yourself. It's just a bunch of defenseless human kids and a couple of little Digimon. You are a valued servant of Lilithmon! You ought to have the power to beat them six times over. All right? Okay! Go for it!"
The children, contentedly nibbling on their lunch and unaware of any trouble, were suddenly surprised by a rushing noise that didn't seem to have anything to do with the wind. They looked up and saw a remarkable personage looking back at them. She seemed less like a human being than a caricature of one, with attenuated limbs, large glowing eyes, and a bizarre costume consisting of a long red dress held in place by numerous leather straps on her waist and arms. Reddish blonde curls tumbled crazily from under a peaked hat, and she perched on a broomstick that she shared with a vicious-looking black cat.
Kouji jumped to his feet, ready to run or flee. "What the heck is that?"
"It doesn't look friendly, whatever it is," Tomoki replied.
"That's a Witchmon," said Bokomon, ever ready to distribute useless information. "An Adult- level Digimon with many magical spells. I can't imagine what one would be doing this close to Ophanimon's palace."
"Would 'looking for us' be too paranoid an answer?" asked Takuya.
"No, it wouldn't," said Witchmon. "For your information, I'm here by the orders of the mighty Lilithmon! ...Though maybe she didn't want me to tell you that. Oh, well, it doesn't matter, because I'm here to destroy you! How do you like that, huh?"
"Not very much," Kouichi replied. Lowering his voice, he said, "What are the odds of getting away from her?"
"Could be better," said Kouji. "We were counting on the river giving us a little protection, but since she can fly, she's got the advantage. She can just sit out there and shoot at us until she hits us or the roof caves in."
"Time to run away then," said Takuya with a sigh. "Darnit! I hate running."
"Um, are you guys done talking in there?" Witchmon called. "I really wasn't kidding when I said I have to destroy you. Oh, and I need that Star thing, too. Do you think you could hurry up and get out here?"
"On the other hand," said Takuya, "outsmarting her sounds like a distinct possibility."
"Hm," Kouji mused. "You could be right. Any ideas?"
"There was another overhang a little ways back there," said Kouichi, gesturing. "Remember? We looked at it and decided it wasn't safe. There were too many loose boulders along the top of it. It looked to likely to cave in..."
"Say no more," said Takuya. "Okay, then, let's get over there and start loosening boulders, and someone else can try to lure her over there."
"What are you whispering about?" Witchmon called. "If you don't come out of there right now, I'm going to make you come out! At least, I think I am."
"We're coming out!" said Takuya. "Look, see, here we come!"
There was a wild scramble as humans and Digimon seemed to explode out of the cave and scatter in all directions. Witchmon stared at them in consternation.
"Hey, no fair! Come back here!" she shouted. When no one did any such thing, she said, "All right, now you've made me mad! I'm going to hunt down every last one of you!"
"As if you could!" someone - she couldn't tell who - shouted from within the trees.
Just beyond her vision, Izumi, Tomoki, Junpei, and the Digimon were assembling in a small group. Somewhere in the distance, they could hear the rest of the group rushing upstream.
"Should we follow them?" asked Tomoki.
"No, not yet," Junpei replied. "They're going to need some time to get ready. We've just got to keep this wacky witch busy for a few minutes first."
"Right," agreed Izumi, nodding. "And I think I know how to do it, too."
Without waiting to consult with anyone, she dashed off in the direction she had last seen Witchmon. The others watched her with expressions of uneasiness.
"Should we be letting her run off like that?" asked Neemon dubiously.
"We have to," said Junpei, still staring worriedly after her. "She can take care of herself, and we have to keep Witchmon distracted. Come on, guys, let's scatter. We'll be more effective if we spread out."
The others nodded, and each took off in a different direction, spreading out along the length of the stream. Peering out among the trees, they could see Izumi having her faceoff with the strange flying Digimon.
"Hey, you! That's right, you with the broom! I'm over here!" she shouted.
Witchmon turned so suddenly, she nearly fell off her broomstick, and her cat squalled. She tried frantically to steady herself and fixed Izumi with an angry glare - all the angrier because her enemy had seen her make such a fool of herself.
"What are you making so much noise for?" she snapped.
"You're looking for the Star of Guidance, right?" asked Izumi.
"Yeah..."
"Well, I know where it is, so if you want it, you'd better come and get me!"
She ducked back into the trees. Witchmon made a move to follow her, then stopped, glaring.
"How am I supposed to know you aren't trying to trick me, huh?" she called. "I'm not just following you in there for no good reason!"
"Oh, yeah?" called Izumi, stepping back into sight for a moment. "Then what do you call this, huh?"
She held up the Star for all to see. Even in the gloom of the trees, it shone with its own light. Witchmon gave a cry and went shooting forward, hand outstretched. Izumi darted aside, and Witchmon barely missed crashing into a tree. By the time she had collected herself, Izumi was gone again. The witch paused, listening, waiting for any sign of movement. Ahead of her, something rustled.
"I have you now!" she called triumphantly.
Zooming forward, she swatted at a trembling pile of leaves. Bokomon put his head out and blinked at her in his best impression of stupidity. Witchmon stared back.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Just an innocent Digimon minding my own business," he answered.
"Oh. Have you seen any humans running around here?"
"Yes! They went that way," said Bokomon, pointing. "And that way, and that way, and that way."
"Oh," said Witchmon. "Hey, wait a minute, didn't I see you with those kids earlier?"
"Um... Well, that's my cue to go! Bye!"
Bokomon dove into the leaves. Witchmon scrambled at them, but couldn't manage to catch him, and she snarled in frustration. This was turning out to be harder than she'd thought! She wasn't used to thinking for herself, and having eight minds arrayed against her was more than she was ready to deal with. She racked her mind, trying to decide what to do. The little Digimon wouldn't have pointed her in the direction his friends had gone, but then again, he had pointed in all directions, so at least one human must have gone one of those ways... She shook her head. This was much too confusing!
"Don't give up yet!" someone shouted. She turned and saw the youngest of the children watching her from the opposite bank. "You haven't even caught one of us!"
Witchmon gave a yell of frustration and tried to catch up to him. He darted off into the trees, calling more taunts. She tried to follow, but the trees were too thick for her to fly through easily, and there were too many places for a slender young boy to hide.
Meanwhile, Junpei was crouching behind a stand of shrubs, waiting for his moment. The bushes weren't that much cover, and he knew that if Witchmon actually came close enough to look for him there, he would be found in an instant, but his friends were doing a good enough job distracting the enemy that he figured his chances were good. His confidence lasted up until the point when he heard something rattling through the underbrush. He tensed. Certainly nothing that flew would make that much noise... but as clumsy as Witchmon seemed to be, she might have decided a ground search would be safer... and his friends would know better than to make so much noise if they were heading towards him...
At least, most of them would. Just as panic was starting to creep up on him, a furry face appeared in front of his, and he nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise.
"Don't do that!" he said.
Neemon hung his head. "Sor-ry."
"Well, that's okay," said Junpei. "What are you doing over here?"
"Kouji and Kouichi and Takuya say they're ready," he reported. "I don't know what they're ready for. Do you?"
"I could make a guess," he said. "Look, find the others and pass the word along... if you can remember it that long."
"Okay!" said Neemon, ever agreeable, and scooted off. Junpei shook his head. He didn't put too much faith in Neemon's memory.
"Well, let's see what kind of a magician I really am," he said. "Well, here goes nothing. Time to go on stage!"
He crawled out from behind his screen of bushes and headed for the brook. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear Witchmon still searching vainly for the others. The sound encouraged him; as long as she was still looking, it meant everyone else was all right.
"Hey, Witchmon, looking for this?" he shouted.
More rustles. A disheveled-looking Witchmon came out of the woods, somewhat the worse for wear, her flowing gown speckled with dead leaves and bits of debris. She eyed him warily.
"You're going to play another trick on me," she accused. "I'm tired of people playing tricks on me!"
For a minute, she sounded so frustrated and unhappy that he almost felt sorry for her, but he remembered what she planned to do with his friends if she caught them and steeled himself.
"You're looking for the Star of Guidance, aren't you?" he asked.
Witchmon narrowed her eyes. "You haven't got it. That girl does."
"She gave it to me for safekeeping," he said. He opened his hand, letting her see something sparkling there. "You don't really think the other guys would leave something that important with a little girl, would you?"
To himself, he thought, *I don't believe I just said that! I sure hope Izumi didn't hear me talking like that about her...*
"Well, maybe..." said Witchmon uncertainly.
"Hey, you don't believe me? Come over and have a look! I'll hold still," he said.
Witchmon looked skeptical. "Why would you want to do that?"
"Hey, do I look like the kind of guy who likes to fight?" he said. "I just want to get this all settled peacefully, and if I can persuade you to go away by giving you this stupid rock, that's what I'll do."
Seeming persuaded, Witchmon began drifting forward - slowly watching him for any signs of wanting to flee. He continued to stand still.
"That's right," he whispered. "Come over and have a good look."
Witchmon came as close as she dared and leaned over. Junpei's hand moved, too fast to follow, and she suddenly found a burst of fire rushing up to meet her face. She jumped backwards with a shriek, and Junpei turned and ran. Witchmon blinked, momentarily light-blinded, but now he wasn't making any effort to try to conceal himself. He was sprinting up the bank of the stream as fast as he could travel. Within a few yards, he was joined by the rest of his companions.
"That was a neat trick!" Tomoki enthused. "How did you do that?"
Junpei held up the blackened remains of a match. "Flash paper... That's a kind of magician's tool, a kind of paper that burns really fast and bright when you set fire to it. The trick is learning how to set fire to it without setting fire to yourself too."
"That was well thought out," said Izumi approvingly. "Junpei, can I say something?"
He looked at her hopefully. "What?"
"If I ever hear you talking about me like that again, your chances of ever getting a date with me are shot."
"I didn't mean any of it! Honest!"
Following Neemon's lead, they eventually came to a place where a number of jagged rocks were jutting out over the edge of the stream. Boulders were strewn haphazardly, some balanced in precarious ways. It looked as if someone could just sneeze and set off an avalanche. Takuya, Kouichi, and Kouji were all standing at the edge of the dropoff, huddled behind a collection of large rocks.
"Are you ready for us yet?" called Bokomon. "If you aren't, you'd better be soon!"
"We're all set!" said Takuya. "Everybody get back here with us!"
They crowded behind the rocks and went into a huddle.
"How far behind you is that Witchmon?" Kouji asked.
"Not nearly far enough," Izumi answered. "Are you sure you guys can pull this off?"
"We can if she flies under the overhang," said Kouichi.
"How are you going to get her to do that?" asked Junpei.
"That's kind of the catch," said Kouichi. "We're going to need some kind of bait."
"You mean one of us has to stand under there and keep her busy until you dump a load of rocks down on her? That's crazy," said Junpei. "We'll get squashed!"
"Not if you move fast enough," Kouji replied. "If you stand just under the overhang, you should be safe long enough to get out of the way."
"I'll do it!" Tomoki volunteered.
Takuya looked worried. "Are you sure about that?"
"I can do it. I'm smaller and faster than the rest of you. I'll be the safest."
"Well, if you're sure..." said Takuya.
Tomoki didn't answer. He simply scooted off to take his place under the jutting rocks. The others saw no choice but to let him go, so they simply ducked out of sight and hoped for the best.
They didn't have long to worry about it, because a moment later, Witchmon came soaring along one her broom. She was more than frustrated now; she was wildly angry. Her eyes glowed so brightly they almost obscured her face, and her singed hat and hair gave her a sinister look.
"Brace yourselves," Kouji whispered.
"All right, that does it!" Witchmon bellowed. "You people show yourselves this instant, or I'll make you really sorry!"
"Oh, no," Tomoki lamented loudly. "The scary Digimon is after me, and I'm cornered here without anywhere to hide!"
"Aha!" shouted Witchmon victoriously. "Now I've got you! You won't get away from me this time!"
She swooped toward him. The children moved into action.
"Now!" Kouji shouted.
Everyone braced themselves against the rocks and pushed with all their strength. At the sound of Kouji's shout, Tomoki jumped backwards, rolling out of the way and hurrying for the safety of the forest. Witchmon was not so lucky. She saw the rocks hurtling down on her, but was unable to move her broom fast enough to avoid being buried alive. She gave a shriek that quickly became drowned out by the sound of falling rocks. Then there was silence. Dust hovered over the heap of rubble where Witchmon had been visible a moment ago. There was no sign of her now. Tomoki, brushing sand off his clothes, climbed up to join his friends.
"Told you I could do it!" he said.
Izumi peered over the edge of the drop. "Is she gone? Did we get her?"
Bokomon came to join her. "I don't see a data ring. If she'd been destroyed, we should be able to see one. I'd assume she's just dazed. We should think about making a retreat, before..."
Rocks exploded, and Witchmon came shooting out of the rubble like a rocket. Her clothes were torn, and her hat looked slightly crushed, but other than that, she still seemed to be in perfect health... and absolutely furious.
"You asked for it!" she shouted. "I told you I'd make you sorry, and now I will! Prepare to meet your doom! Aquari Pressure!"
She hurled a bolt of something bright at them, and suddenly everyone felt themselves blinded and surrounded by light... but light with weight, that pressed down on every inch of their skin, so heavy they couldn't move, and the air was being slowly crushed out of their lungs...
Then the pressure abated. They looked up groggily, rubbing at their aching skulls and gasping for air. A glance at Witchmon told them she didn't feel much better; she was leaning against a tree with a hand pressed to her forehead.
"Ow," she whimpered.
"Better give it up, Witchmon," said Kouji, pulling himself to his feet to glare defiantly at her. "You're outnumbered, out-thought and outmatched. Better go back to wherever you came from and tell your boss you were beaten."
Witchmon glared at him - a bit unsteadily. He continued to give her a cold, level stare. Finally, she seemed to decide it wasn't worth the effort.
"You got me once, but you won't do it again!" she said. "Lilithmon will prevail!"
She jumped on her broom, snatched up her dazed and staggering cat, and charted an erratic course up into the cloudy sky. Kouji sank back to the ground. His defiant act had cost him the last of his energy.
"That wasn't a whole lot of fun," said Kouichi. "Is everybody still in one piece?"
"I think so," said Izumi, pulling herself to a sitting position.
"Did somebody get the number of that truck?" Junpei moaned.
"Don't complain," said Bokomon, checking to make sure his precious book was all right. "We're lucky to be alive."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Takuya, not sure if he should be offended or not.
"Weren't you listening when I told you about her? That was an Adult-level Digimon. Like Raremon, Woodmon, Wizarmon..."
"So what?" asked Takuya. "We've dealt with those kinds of Digimon before. I mean, sometimes it was easier than other times..."
"Yes, but you did that when you were Digimon - powerful and Legendary Digimon, I should add. You faced her as humans. You have no natural defenses against attacks like that. She used her most powerful attack against you, and you aren't even bruised. It doesn't add up. She should have been far more powerful..."
"So she's a klutz," said Takuya. "Anybody could see she's not all there... Still, that wasn't exactly the way I'd planned to spend this trip. Maybe we really should be thinking about being a little more careful."
"So are you still determined to go to the Fallen Moon Temple?" asked Bokomon hopefully.
"We've got to go somewhere," Kouji pointed out. "You heard that Witchmon. She's going to go back to her boss, and she's probably going to find reinforcements. We want to be as far away from here as possible when that happens."
"I was afraid you'd say something like that," Bokomon sighed.
"Well, this has just been great," Takuya muttered. "I wish we still had our Spirits... we woulda kicked that freaky chick's tail. What else is going to go wrong?"
"Uh, Takuya," said Junpei, "I hate to bring this up, but I think it's..."
There was a flash of lightning and an answering clap of thunder. Rain came sheeting down, soaking everyone in an instant.
"...going to rain," Junpei finished unhappily. "Rats. Why couldn't I have been right about something good?"
"Are you sure we can't stay somewhere dry until this is over?" asked Izumi, without much hope.
"And suppose this Lilithmon character decides to send some kind of sea creature after us next?" asked Kouji.
She sighed. "I knew someone would say something like that."
"Well, I guess there's no help for it," said Kouichi. "We'd better clear out."
They squidged off into the forest, dripping rainwater. Takuya looked balefully up at the heavy gray sky.
"I get the feeling someone up there really doesn't like us," he muttered. "Oh, well. Welcome back to the Digital World."