A/N: Whoo, this was getting a little long so I trimmed the one chapter into two. This one stands alone by itself although be warned, it's a little graphic in terms of what happened in Chapter Four. I actually even surprised myself with what I wrote since I had not originally planned on taking it in this direction. BTW, at the end, I refer back to that cute little dialogue in Midnight Blossoms between four year old Takeru and Hikari.

I should have addressed this before but as concerns Hikari being out of character. There are factors to why she is the way she is. I've tried to explain some of them but one of the bigger factors is explained in this chapter. Like I said in one of my notes earlier, it's a hard balance trying to reveal what I should and what I should not. However, in terms of relationship, I wanted to write something where the female was dominant in all aspects. Emotionally, Physically and Sexually, Hikari will be the one that controls this relationship. If you are waiting for Takeru to seize the reins, I'm sad to say that it won't happen. He will have his say in some things, that's unavoidable given the character I've given him but total control will always belong to Hikari.

That said, enjoy…

He had been inside the damp, dark dungeon for so long that time had finally begun to lose meaning. It did not help that they had strung him to the wall and left him hanging by his wrists. His arms had lost all feeling long ago. The oddity was that they had done nothing else. He had fully expected to be tortured much worse then this and they had completely ignored him.

Some time later, as he mused over the next stage of his plan, the door to his cell opened and Isuzu stepped inside. The two men that had led him down here flanked her on both sides. She stared up at him inscrutably, taking care to stay out of the reach of his legs.

"You are doing a lot better then many others," she said after a while. "The despair usually chokes the resistance out of them."

"I didn't get the Crest of Hope for nothing."

"You can still joke? That is impressive." Isuzu frowned. "What is it about you that I have not been told yet? He wants you left alone but he won't tell me anything else. It is starting to feel like I'm back with the Guardians."

"Is that why you turned your back on them?"

"It was one reason," Isuzu muttered. "The old man only expected obedience from us. He would not tell us anything else. Since switching sides, I have learned so much about our world and what this conflict is truly about."

"You did it just for information? No grandiose plans of your own? Even Sumeragi was not that messed up."

Isuzu rolled her eyes. "You just don't give up, do you? Your childish attempts to bait me won't work. You don't know me anywhere near as well as you knew Aidan and Jonathan." She smiled suddenly. "By the way, speaking of Aidan, being as useless to us as he is now, I decided to offer him up as a sacrifice to our Master. Consider it a present. What he will go through is beyond anything you could ever have done to him."

"I can be pretty creative."

Isuzu chuckled. "I will give you that but trust me, where he is now is not a place even you could have taken him. But, that's not what I came here for. Hold his legs gentlemen."

The two men stepped forward and seized his legs. Withdrawing a small syringe from the folds of her robes, Isuzu stepped forward and rolled up the edge of his pants.

"Don't struggle," she said looking up at him. "I don't want to plunge this straight into your leg."

"Your concern for my well being is touching."

She frowned but gave him the injection with a fairly gentle touch.

"What did you give me?"

"A chemical agent. If you do escape, there is no place you could go where we would not be able to find you. It's a little precaution I thought up considering the ease with which you let yourself be captured."

Takeru frowned but otherwise remained quiet, already beginning to mull over this newest wrinkle into his plans. The chemical agent was probably a coloured dye that would show up on their sensors allowing them to pick him out of a crowd even if he had changed his appearance. However, it was also toxic and would end up either killing him or making him very sick. He was pretty sure it would be the latter since he did have recuperative powers. The only thing he could do in response was to use his power to push the agent to an area of his body where he could contain it until he found the means to get rid of it. That much strain was sure to exhaust him though and he knew Isuzu had counted on that. So now it was a race against time. Would he be able to hold out long enough for his rescuer to show up?

"You're going to fight it. I can see it in your face." Isuzu shook her head. "You never did learn prudence."

"Perhaps not but I'll bet that I can hold out just long enough."

"Long enough for what? You won't be leaving here unless I let you and I don't feel quite so fondly about you anymore."

"You don't really think this will hold me, do you?"

"I've taken other precautions."

"They won't work."

"Maybe, maybe not. I won't be around to find out. He is sending me to deal with Hikari Yagami. You are to be left here. He will come for you eventually."

Takeru's heart lurched at the mention of Hikari's name. Fortunately, he was able to keep up his bored façade.

"The mission should not take all that long actually," Isuzu continued. "I have already set a plan in motion and by the time I get to Sever, all I'll need to do is a little cleanup. We have pretty much won this war. Think that over while you're languishing here."

Takeru stayed silent and watched her leave his cell. Then, he methodically beat back the panic that had risen within him at the mention of Hikari's name. She had taken care of herself for over two years since this war had first begun. He needed to stop worrying about her and start worrying about himself. There was a very real chance that he would be unable to contain the chemical agent within his body and even if he succeeded, there was still the matter of cleansing it from his body.

He would jump off that bridge when he came to it. There were other matters of concern before him. Who had she meant when saying that someone would come for him? From her tone it could only be her master. But from what he understood, the Valeru had no physical presence. He would need a body, which meant...

Takeru sighed. All he could do now was wait.

"Can you show me the truth of this place?"

The question brought a frown to Miharu's face. "Are you sure that is something you want to experience? I can see from your eyes that you've pieced together some things but you know what they entail."

"This is the Realm of Light, isn't it?" Hikari looked around at the fake garden. "But you're shielding me from it. That is why you sealed away my powers."

"This place would tear apart a person who is not used to it. I have been here so long that I have become a part of it. If you are not strong enough..."

"I know," Hikari interrupted. "Do not underestimate me. I could hardly be this realm's Avatar if I could not handle it."

Miharu shrugged. "Let me know if it gets too much."

White Light blazed suddenly, eradicating the scenery surrounding them. To Hikari, it felt like somebody had thrown her right into the sun. All of her senses were being overwhelmed simultaneously. The energy within her own body rose up in response and she felt her skin heat up considerably.

"Do not feel bad. No one person has ever been able to survive this exposure. I will shield you from it."

"No," Hikari growled. "I am not beaten yet, I can still..." A pain filled spasm rocked her body, driving her to her knees.

"Foolish girl. Your pride will get you killed."

Gathering herself, Hikari pushed back hard. It did not make any difference. An ocean had surrounded her and the waves pulsed around, battering her from all sides. With a loud scream, she pushed herself to her feet. That only increased the pressure but she stiffened her knees and stayed on her feet. Then, with all her determination and will, she began to push back once again. For a long time she kept the energy around her at a stalemate and then she began to push it back. It battled her with every step back but she could feel it bending under her will. Not quite unlike Takeru. The thought brought a feral grin to her face.

"FOOL!"

The voice echoed all around her. She lost her focus for a brief second but it was long enough for the Light to overwhelm her. A jolt of pain ran through her body and she found herself on all fours spitting up blood. Desperation lending her strength, she pushed back again. There was a little give but her strength ran out before she could capitalize.

As the light consumed her, she screamed. However, this time the light energy inside her pushed its way out. She kept screaming as the light poured out until finally blissful oblivion enveloped her once more.

Her awareness returned slowly and she found herself drifting through a clear white void. Her body felt weightless, feather-light. There were no emotions either, only numbness and the inability to concentrate. Her thoughts kept dissolving before she could properly form them. Still, it was an odd type of peace.

The change happened gradually. Images began to appear before her. Pretty soon, they had surrounded her and she found herself unable to turn away. And then suddenly, she was living the images.

He had volunteered to go out into the forest to gather firewood. Across the campsite, Mimi gave her a thumbs up sign and motioned for her to follow him. Grabbing her backpack, she did just that.

A little way into the woods, she stopped to change outfits. The skirt she put on was skimpy enough to substitute in any number of cartoons and the new bra accentuated just the right bit. Mimi had been right about the outfit. She did not quite feel like an over muscled tomboy anymore.

Now it was time to net herself a boy.

She found him not far away from where she had stopped. For a moment, she stopped and observed him. He had really grown tall over the last year and now towered a good head above her. There were other changes too but she did not dwell over them. All she cared about now was a kiss. Then they could finally move past this stage they had been hemmed up in for quite some time. He should have been the one to make the first move and she had given him several hints but he had never acted upon them. She was used to him being a lot more perceptive about what she wanted. His hesitancy was understandable but it made the first move her responsibility again. The way it had nearly always been in their relationship. With that thought in her mind, she stepped towards him.

He turned around as she artfully stepped on a branch to alert him to her presence. Watching his eyes widen when he saw her brought a slight smirk to her face. This was a type of vindication for all the tomboy jokes she had been subjected to over the years.

She began to walk forward in that way that Mimi had taught her.

"Ah... Hi... Hika..." he gulped, his face flushed. His eyes flickered downwards before he caught himself and snapped them back up. If anything, his face seemed even redder then before. The urge to tease him was overpowering but she quashed it. This was not the time to indulge in childish games.

Stepping up to him, she put her hands on his chest, staring up at him. He looked down, their eyes locking together. Hooking her leg behind his, she gave him a little shove. He fell backwards, a look of surprise on his face. Before he could think to get back up, she quickly knelt down and straddled his waist. He held up both arms and she grabbed and pinned them beside his head.

"This is your own fault for taking so long," she growled in a harsher voice then she had intended. The sternness in her own voice surprised even her. There was a darkness that seemed to be trying to enshroud her. Working past it, she leaned down. If it was possible, his eyes grew even larger. Their lips were mere inches apart when suddenly:

"Hikari," her brother's voice rang through the woods.

"Damn," she hissed under breath. "This isn't over," she warned, getting off her childhood friend.

The scene shifted and suddenly she was someplace completely different.

She was struggling with a man and they were both nude. He was a lot bulkier then her but his hands were tied behind his back. That made him easy prey for her. She hooked her leg behind his and pushed him down to the floor. He tried to spring back up but her foot on his chest kept him in place.

"Stay," she commanded sternly.

He glared up at her, his eyes filled with barely restrained fury.

"Still some fight left. What can I do to smash this last bit of resistance?"

He tried to kick her but she easily avoided the blow. Shaking her head with amusement, she sat down on his chest.

"There are so many things I have done to you tonight but there is one thing left."

"I won't say it, not this time."

She smirked. "Getting you to say it the last ten times was enough. I'm amazed you still have so much defiance left. There is still one thing left though that I haven't tried."

The air shimmered, reforming around her body. He looked up at her, shock writ plainly on his face.

"No, no way in hell. This is where I draw the line."

"What makes you think you have any choice?"

He bucked furiously and managed to throw her off his chest. She scrambled to her feet quickly and watched as he slowly got up. She could have taken him any time but chose to wait for him instead. That simple action would send its own message and he was smart enough to interpret it.

He charged her.

'Stupid fool of a man.'

She met his charge head on. He tried to kick her but she nimbly avoided it and wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug. Grunting with strain, she managed to lift him a few inches off the ground and held him tightly. He struggled but she weathered that assault. This would not have been possible when they had first started but by now, she had worn him down so much that his strength was nearly gone.

She squeezed him tightly, driving her fists into the small of his back. Despite all this, he still continued to struggle. The strain of holding him up in the air was getting a little too much for her.

"Damn it," she hissed. "Just give up and I promise it won't be that bad."

He kicked her in the shin as a reply. That infuriated her beyond belief. With a loud grunt, she threw him to the floor. Jumping up, she dropped an elbow onto his upper back. He gasped loudly and tried to roll away but she granted him no respite. Curling a fist in his hair, she put her knee into his back and pulled back hard.

Despite the pain, he renewed his struggle. However, his strength quickly ran out and she felt his body go limp in her arms. Letting go of his head, she let him flop forward. He moaned softly, which actually did make her feel a little bad. She pushed all that aside though and got to business.

The scene shifted once again.

His body writhed under hers, his manhood sheathed inside her. They were both so close to the edge. She looked down at him and a dark thought suddenly gripped her. This was the last moment they would have together for a long while. She had done a lot to ensure that he returned to her but what if that was not enough? She could not bear it if he left her again. Maybe a permanent reminder would leave a more lasting impression. She climaxed at that moment and raising her hand she clawed at his chest in the same instant that he achieved orgasm.

The scene ended and she felt herself falling as if an invisible weight was pressing her downward. With an abrupt stop, her descent came to a halt and with it came pain. Groaning, she opened her eyes.

"Quite an interesting life you've led."

Hikari looked sideways and saw Miharu standing over her. A crystal ball rested in the palm of her hand. Inside the ball flashed images that she remembered reliving only moments before.

That her memories had been on public display in front of this woman should have angered her. However, she felt too drained to summon any type of emotion. Instead, she just stared up at the crystal ball, watching the images within.

"You, my dear, are a marvel. You shook this realm to its core and probably would have won the contest if I had not interfered. In all my years, I have never seen such inner strength. You seem to be the very embodiment of the Light. I never would have dreamed that he could achieve such perfection. To think, a man shrouded in such complete darkness could know the light so well. It seems ludicrous and yet, here you are, before my very eyes."

"Wha..." Hikari murmured, "What..."

"... Did I do to you? ... Am I talking about? I suppose you must have a ton of questions. Unfortunately, I was asked not to reveal too much." She looked down at the crystal ball in her hand again. "I can clarify a little of what you have been feeling lately though.

The power of Light is one of the oldest in existence, second only to the Dark. Unlike every other power though, it was neither born of necessity nor simply existed to fill a void. Light willed itself into existence and you should respect the savage fury such an endeavour requires. It courses through your blood after all. And that, my dear, lies at the heart of your problems. Think it over sometime."

Miharu raised her head suddenly. "That damned Angel. He's trying to break through again. Still as stubborn as he ever was." She looked down at Hikari again. "I will tell you one last thing because you are of my blood and that takes precedence over even some vows. The man you love is not the man you should love. It was never meant to be that way." Her eyes flickered away again and she sighed. "It's time for you to leave."

"Wait," Hikari groaned, trying to sit up. However, she blinked and in the next instant found herself face to face with Angemon. The sudden change in perspective as well as the wave of fatigue that hit caused her to slump forward. Angemon's arms slipped around her shoulders, holding her gently.

"Why do I always end up with more questions when I go looking for answers?" She mumbled into his shoulders.

He did not respond but his arms did tighten reassuringly around her. It reminded her of Takeru and how perceptive he was towards her moods sometimes.

"Are you okay?"

He was also like Takeru in that he did not know when to shut up and let a girl think. Sighing, she pushed away from him. A little comfort was okay but she could not let herself get caught up in the illusion. There were too many other things that needed her attention.

"I'm fine. How long was I out?"

"A little over half an hour," Angewoman replied, handing Hikari a glass of water. "Did you learn anything?"

"I learned plenty but none of it seems particularly useful." Downing the glass of water, Hikari absently studied the crest emblazoned on the back of her hand. "I met a woman. Her name was Miharu. Do you know that name?" She looked up at Angemon, trying to judge his reaction.

Angemon glanced behind her almost as if asking permission. "She should know this," Angewoman said.

"Miharu Sanada," Angemon said softly, "was the woman that first enslaved us. Before her, the nine of us that accompany the Chosen were just like others of our kind. Our relationship with the Chosen changed us into what we became."

"Enslaved?"

"The first Chosen were tools. They were men and women brought into a world at the edge of destruction. There was little in the way of compromise or gentleness in them. They were what the world required and in the end, they made a huge sacrifice so that newer generations of Chosen would have an easier time."

Hikari suddenly put together something that had been niggling away at the back of her mind. "They gave up their souls, didn't they? To let us draw upon our powers directly with their souls as the link in-between. It explains how she was able to use my powers against me. We were linked all that time."

"How much did she tell you?"

Hikari frowned at the Angel. "You know a lot more then you have told us," she shot a glance behind her, "both of you do." Before either of them could speak, she held up a hand. "You probably have your reasons and I will trust in them. However, don't hold out on us too long."

Neither Angel replied to that.

"All right then, you two can leave now. And close the light on the way out. I'm going to try and get some sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

The two Angel's bowed and left the room.

It took a while for the Aal to awaken. WereGarurumon had left by then, saying that it made no sense for both of them to wait. He had been right, however, that left Yamato alone. With nothing better to do, he decided to explore his surroundings.

There was not that much to see.

As he moved further into the cave, he came upon an oddity. It was a painting of a man, carved into the cave wall. However, it was much more immaculate then he could have imagined any such work being. Or rather, he revised; it looked to have been flawless some time ago. A wide slash ran down diagonally across the figure in the painting. From that slash, cracks and fissures spread throughout the picture. The face of the subject was hardly even recognizable anymore. The only thing he could see was a shock of deep white that was probably supposed to be hair.

"Our Saviour," a voice rasped.

"I know," Yamato replied. "The great Setsuna Monou. Was this painting the source of his eternal life?"

"Yes." The Aal came forward. "We were the only ones that could do this for him. A painting to capture one's heart and mind and preserve it for the ages. Such a painting has the power to keep someone young forever. This one started to crumble twenty years ago when that slash first appeared."

"He was known for favouring the sword," Yamato muttered. Then turning around, he fixed the Aal with a steady gaze. "Kha'noth, wasn't it?"

The Aal bowed his head.

"Do you know of any other survivors?"

"Sadly, no. I had brief contact with another of my race but he died. For all I know, I may be the last one left."

"Fortunately, you're wrong," Were-Garurumon said, materializing out of the shadows. Both Aal and Man started at the sudden intrusion. "I have found a cave. There are a large group of Aal inside, about a hundred in all. We need to get there quickly and take care of the Spire in that area."

Yamato nodded, quickly stepping past Kha'noth. "We will talk about all this later," he shot over his shoulder as Were-Garurumon led him out of the cave.

From right to left their names were Leontes, Valerius, Murash, Vinaszh, Scortius and Cleander. From left to right, their names were...

Daisuke quietly repeated the names to himself over and over as the transport they were all in headed silently towards their destination. He, along with the six men, was confined in a small cargo room at the back of the transport. It had given him a chance to memorize all their names even if his original intent to socialize a bit had been ruined. The trouble was that the men seemed to hold him in awe. It made any attempt at a conversation awkward. So the best he could do was stare at them and run their names through his mind. All six of them sat opposite him staring back. It was a little ridiculous.

The transport shuddered suddenly and came to a halt. "We have reached the canyon," the soft tone of the pilot informed them over the speakers.

Daisuke quickly unfurled the map he had been given. "You all know your places." He waited for everybody to nod. "Good, get to them and hold for the signal. When it comes, be ready to move. Also, all of you will check in with me periodically. Make sure you don't miss your time frame."

All six men nodded solemnly. Daisuke rolled up the map and dismissed them. Getting off the transport presented a problem for him but it had also been accounted for. They had given him a mask that would allow him to breathe underwater. His body, toughened by biomerging, would allow him to survive the pressure.

All of this did not really prepare him for the sheer alien feel of the climate when he swam out of the transport's hangar. The world outside was completely dark. There was no light whatsoever. Thumbing the side of his helmet, he switched on a pair of headlights that provided him with enough illumination to at least see where he was going. Behind him, the transport turned around and retreated to a safer position. With a slight sigh, he began to head towards the location he had been given.

A short time later he found himself crouched inside a small cave etched into the wall of the canyon. There were similar structures located throughout the canyon and the other six had secreted themselves in them. Now all that they could do was wait.

With nothing to listen to but the soft beep of the radar and the voices of the other men as they reported in, Daisuke leaned back and closed his eyes. Rescue, it seemed, was unlikely to come. The Dark Ocean forces had probably picked up the signal he had sent out and had sent a company of Digimon to investigate.

A soft sound from outside the cave alerted him. He was halfway to his feet when a familiar voice said, "I come in peace."

Daisuke sat back down. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I would join you out here." The same young man that had visited him earlier stepped inside the cave. "We can continue our discussion from before."

"In that case, I should know your name."

"I have had many names. You can call me Komatsu, Naotaka."

Daisuke frowned. "I don't recall your features being Japanese."

"Atlantis was well known for its advances in Genetics, which I suppose was part of the problem. Still, it's too late to do anything about that now. More to the point, I can change my features at will." Komatsu ran his hand over his face and when he had finished, his features had taken on a more oriental cast. "This is how I looked seven hundred years ago."

"Oh yes, you are all immortals. Isis mentioned something about that. Did you know my ancestor?"

"The Great Sho Shinjo. He was a little before my time. There is not anybody in the whole city that could give you a first hand account of him. The original population had all passed on before we were able to devise a suitable method that would ensure our existence."

"You must have read some accounts of him. Tell me what kind of man he was."

"The libraries in Atlantis are all filled with gushing adoration for the man. We had something of a Patriotic Renaissance a while back. History has little meaning in such things. In other words, Atlantis lacks any such meaningful accounts or if any such records exist, they are held exclusively by the upper echelon of our society."

"Then how would you know whether Isis told me the truth or not? You seemingly have no point of reference."

"That would be true if I had not been to Sanctuary. Their library is the biggest collection of preserved lore I have ever seen. I learned a lot that I would regularly have been clueless about. For instance, I bet Isuzu never told you that Atlantis was the one that created Sho Shinjo instead of the other way around."

"What?" Daisuke said in confusion.

"Remember what I said about the advances Atlantis made in Genetics. Sho was their ultimate creation. A human being that could tap into this world's Mana the same way that the Aal could."

"You just lost me."

"It's the same basic principle that is behind the creation of the Chosen. Their powers come from the material they were created from. The same basic principle applies to the children of a planet. A world capable of producing life also produces energy that the inhabitants can feed of. The Aal, who are the natural heirs of this world could tap into the energy of this planet. The Digimon or as we used to call them, Spirit Guardians, can as well. We human beings could not do this because we were outsiders."

"Ok, so what purpose did all this serve? Why create a human being that could tap into the power of this planet?"

Komatsu shrugged. "I have no idea. Probably just to see if they could or maybe a power grab. The world was an entirely different place back then. Did Isuzu even tell you that much?"

"She did. It seems unbelievable though. How could someone change the entire world? You would need unimaginable power to do that."

"Perhaps the question you should ask yourself is which one of the Chosen possesses the trait that is inherent in just about every living thing on the planet? After that, all you need is a conduit that will let you tap into the energies of this planet."

Daisuke thought for a moment and then his eyes widened as he realized what the man had been hinting towards. "Do you know what happened to Setsuna afterwards?" He asked, leaning forward.

"No one knows. My own theory is..."

The radar suddenly came alive and radio chatter from the other people on his team filled the small cave. "I understand," Daisuke spoke into his communicator. "Everybody hold your positions until they are in range. We will be entering radio silence from here on out. Stick to the plan the Council has provided. The lead Digimon is to be captured, is that clear?"

A chorus of voices reaffirmed what he had said and he turned off the communicator.

"It's time for me to leave," Komatsu said, getting to his feet. "I will stay in contact."

"Wait," Daisuke said quickly. "The first time we met you mentioned we had a mutual acquaintance. Who is it?"

"Figure it out," Komatsu tossed back over his shoulder as he swam out of the cave.

Daisuke was about to reply when the radar beeped loudly again. It was his signal that the invading party had entered ambush territory. Rising to his feet, he exited the cave as well. Surprisingly, his visitor was nowhere to be seen.

Another soft bleep from the radar took his mind off that thought and made him focus on the task at hand. He could see a source of brilliant light far above his own position. They certainly weren't trying to mask their presence. Kicking his feet, he started swimming towards them.

"I'm moving in," he spoke into his communicator. "Pick your targets and start firing."

He was halfway to his target when the first shot was fired. The Digimon party came to a halt, which allowed his men to pick easy shots. By the time he had reached them, only the lead Digimon was left. Surprisingly, he made no move to defend himself. Daisuke paused, studying him for a bit. The Digimon turned towards him and Daisuke's eyes widened as he saw the contraption around his neck. A quick look was all he got though because in the next instant, the Digimon exploded.

The suddenness of it startled him. One minute he was there and the next he was nothing but floating bits of data. There was no mistaking the device he had seen around its neck though. Why would the Undersea Master need a Dark Ring to control his own Digimon?

Takeru raised his head as much as he could as the door to his cell opened. His strength was very nearly gone. Keeping the virus at bay had pushed his power to its limits. Even if he escaped now, getting back to the Digital World was no longer a certainty.

"You don't look like you're doing too well."

Takeru regarded the small, squat Digimon standing before him. "You're late," he rasped. "I should dock your pay."

"Getting through the security around this place was not exactly easy. And nobody mentioned Asahina's involvement. I have half a mind to just leave you here but a job is a job." The Ninjamon stepped forward and cut him free.

Takeru slumped down to the floor. A moment later something clattered in front of him. He pocketed the Digivice and then leaned back against the cell wall.

"All the data you asked for is there. This concludes my job. I trust you can make it out on your own."

"Would you stay if I said I could not?"

"Who knows?"

"I don't beg."

"Still the same as always." The Digimon shrugged. "In that case you are on your own from here on. When you're captured, I hope you don't give me up too easily."

"Bastard," Takeru mumbled under his breath.

The Ninjamon merely smirked and then turned away. Takeru watched him leave and then struggled to his feet. A wave of dizziness hit him at the sudden movement. After it had passed, he made his way out of the cell. A man was lying on the floor outside, a gaping hole in his chest.

A quick search turned up a dagger. He ran it across his palm. Bluish, green blood flooded out of the wound and onto the floor. After the flow of blood had ceased, he cut the sleeve of the man's shirt and made a makeshift bandage for his wound. Healing it would only be a waste of his already diminished power.

Pocketing the dagger, Takeru began to stumble down the hall. The sound of the Dark Ocean echoed all around him and it only got louder with every step he took. Gradually he noticed that his vision had begun to blur. He could no longer clearly see in front of him. He swiftly shook his head to clear it and suddenly found himself in a hauntingly familiar setting.

The beach looked the same as it had the day he had stormed it to save Hikari. Even the vacant light tower was still there, shining its light into the endless ocean. He looked around in confusion and saw a man sitting some distance away. He was seated on a stool and had a canvass in front of him on which he appeared to be painting something. As he approached, the man turned to face him.

"You just can't seem to keep yourself out of trouble, can you?"

"I know you, don't I?" Takeru replied.

The man nodded, his white hair shimmering in the pale light. "That was some time ago."

"Who are you?"

"Just a humble painter." The man turned back towards the canvass. "She's a beautiful woman, isn't she?"

Takeru looked at the painting. It was of a young, oriental woman around his age. Her hair was the deepest shade of black he had ever seen. Of course, that could just be the man's choice of paint. The best quality of the painting was probably the small mischievous smile that adorned the woman's face. It gave the painting a life like quality.

"I've spent a lot of time on this and I think I've managed to capture just a little of her spirit."

"I... How did I get here?" There was a surreal element to the whole thing, which made him hesitate.

"You will never escape as you are now. Look there." The man pointed towards the ocean.

Takeru blinked as his vision blurred again. When it refocused, he found himself high in the air looking down at the Undersea City.

"Do you see the smoke?"

Takeru nodded. The pillar of smoke rising above the main Citadel practically dominated the scenery.

"The master of this realm will soon have a physical body. When that happens, your chances of escape will disappear. He will know exactly where you are."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"For the moment our fates are tied together. I can help you escape but you must surrender completely to me."

"And if I don't?"

"Don't be a fool boy." The man's voice grew harsher. "You have lost a lot of blood. As capable as you are, you will never escape on your own."

"Yeah well, thanks but no thanks. I will take my chances."

"I thought it might come to this." The man said, his tone grim.

Takeru leapt back, preparing himself for anything. What he didn't expect was the man to snap his fingers. The sound reverberated in his ears, growing louder and louder until it drowned out even the waves of the ocean. He stumbled backwards, holding his head.

"I can make use of the power the Elders gave you." The man stepped forward and touched Takeru's forehead.

The ocean suddenly began to flood. Waves of water quickly surrounded them, rising higher and higher. Takeru held out for as long as he could but the cold water as well as the sound drumming in his ears overwhelmed him. The last thing he saw as the water swallowed him was the blurry image of the white haired man. He knew it from a long time ago when he had gone to the park with Yamato. It was there that he had first met Hikari and this man had been the one who had told him about her.

Until Next time everybody and thanks for the support.