Chapter Five: Into the Shadows

The torches came to an end at a small oak door. I pushed it open, revealing the room that I have called home for the past three weeks. But there was now a second bed placed on the opposite wall as mine. I moved over to it, placing Moonshade on it. I watched her mindlessly, amazed by her body. She was so beautiful, but my eyes caught sight of the scar on her shoulder, and I was reminded of how she was cast to live in exile. Turning away I moved to the other bed, and sat on the edge. Removing my boots and gloves, I allowed my mind to wander. The emperor seems… Disappointed in Moonshade. I don't know if he was just feeding on me, but he seemed reluctant to save her. I lay down on the bed, looking at the many decorations that hung on the wall. When the emperor came to me he allowed me to bring my possessions, but of course, no people. I couldn't bring my wife, Sophia, or my newborn son and heir to my empire Caleb. I looked across the wall, at the many swords that covered it. My collection. Each time that I fought an opponent that used a new style, I took his sword as a reminder of the style. I couldn't help but miss my wife, and my son. Sophia, she stood beside me when I was a small boy, under rule of Braccudum. She supported me when I became the leader of our clan, even when my family did not, and when I led my clan against Braccudum's forces, and took over his kingdom, she stood beside my side.

I replayed the day that the emperor came into my life in my mind. I had just returned home, from a great battle with some clansmen, who thought they could defeat me and take my throne. My wife, waited for me in the great hall, relieved to see me. And my three-week-old son was asleep in her arms. I can still remember the smell of the food

From the banquet. My wife had prepared a feast for my return, and I swear that she invited half of our kingdom, and had enough food to feed the gods. We ate throughout the night, swapping grand tales of other warriors, but eventually I left the great hall, and dinned with the soldiers, who ate in the courtyard. I could spend time with the clanlords, spend hours with them, but it was spending time with the men that fought beside me, it was with the soldiers that I felt at home with. But it wasn't until the ale was gone, and the food eaten that he appeared to me. I was in my room, ready to turn in when he appeared. At first I assumed him to be a guest that had wandered away from the others, but he talked about the trouble in our world, which had met my ears, but had not yet brought me trouble. Other lands had begin to disappeared, but mine was untouched.

I remember fighting with him, and being effortlessly beaten down, I remember how I explained to me about coming. It was there that I admitted defeat, to fight him would only guarantee death. It was there that I pledged my allegiance to him. It felt wrong to leave my kingdom to die, but there was nothing that I could do, and as a warrior, I had learned to accept casualties. I have failed my people, but as I looked across the room at Moonshade, I promised to myself, that I would not fail her. Finally I drifted into sleep, into my peaceful slumber.

In the woods, around the fire.

We sat there for hours in silence, which was normal, but it wasn't the same silence. I could tell that she was thinking about him… Thinking about what ever he did to her. As she tossed another log onto the fire my eyes caught sight of her foot. She was favoring it, and I could see why. One of her claws was gone, could that be what he did? A slight breeze rattled the leaves on the trees, and brought the cold numbness back into my body. Moving in closer to the fire I continued to think. I have never seen Renamon fight, outside of our battles. She has never struck anyone out of anger. I mean… She's been called names on occasion. When things get tough we do argue. And on the rare occasion when we lose a battle things get rather ugly afterwards. I've yelled at her… Both Takato and Henry have said things. But she didn't let it bother her, not once had she showed any anger towards us… She'd just sit there and apologize. What could this boy have possible done? Finally I couldn't take it, I couldn't stand this awkward silence anymore.

"Renamon… Please tell me what's wrong." I started. Standing up I made my way to her side. She waited for a few moments before opening her eyes and looking at the star filled sky.

"It's…Nothing Rika." She replied. But I moved closer to her, nothing? You tried to kill him!

"Renamon. I can tell that it's bothering you… Please let me help." I pressed on. It hurt, knowing that something was wrong with her, and not being able to help her. She dropped her gaze from the sky, and closed her eyes again.

"Rika… It's not your problem. I can deal with it." She spoke. Her words hit me hard. Wasn't my problem? I felt like screaming at her. But that would only make matters worse. Instead I wrapped my arm around her, and began to speak before I even knew what I was going to say.

"Renamon, You're my partner, and I'm you're tamer. Seeing you like this is my problem." Once again she looked to the sky, as if the stars would give her the answer. We stood there for a while, I couldn't think of anything to say, and she just starred into the sky. I turned away, moving back to my place across from her.

"Rika… I don't know where to start." She spoke. I felt a little relieved now, that she would at least give me the chance to help her.

"The beginning is always a good place." I smirked. She looked across the fire at me. Preparing to tell her story.

In the corridor, with Cortez and the Emperor.

"You wanted to see me?" I spoke entering the corridor. He turned to face me, once again with that purple haze draped around his eyes.

"Yes. We need to speak about Moonshade." He answered. We began walking down the corridor. The haze disappeared from his eyes. And he began floating down the corridor.

"What about her?" I questioned.

"I am starting to think that having her with us is a set back." He stated. The words took a little bit to sink in, but I understood, he was debating sending her back.

"How so?" I questioned, afraid of what he might say.

"When I found her I thought that she'd be a useful warrior, and better yet something that can be used to break Cory. But now that she is here I can feel her fears, and her love for you." He paused, giving me a chance to defend her.

"Sir, she can be trained to defeat her fears. And with us, we can help her overcome her fears." I argued, keeping my voice a calm as possible.

"You can train a person to confront their fears Cort, but they can't be trained to forget their fear. And her fears, she will be put through them, and she will fall."

"Just what does she fear?" I questioned.

"She fears pain. She fears being hated, alone, and she fears fighting." He explained. I thought about what he was saying. It would be hard, but I will help her to overcome these fears, I won't let her slip away from me.

"We can help her overcome these." I stated. We entered the room that I have begun to think of as the throne room, and the Emperor turned to face me.

"Anyway, we can debate the possibility of removing her fears later. The major set back to my plans is the fact that you two have fallen in love." We stood in silence, I could feel him prying into my mind, a feeling that I have given up fighting.

"Are you saying that love is a weakness?" I questioned.

"I am." He answered while turning away and heading to the throne in the center of the room. This room sent chills down my spine. The only light was from the purple haze given off by the Emperor. And this is where he works his wonders, this is where he made his plans, and constructed his world.

"Love is not a weakness. I believe that love is a strength, it can help you fight." I argued. But the look on his face didn't change.

"Love is no strength, it will give you a reason to fight. But it will never give you strength to fight. Love will eat at your power, and both of you will grow soft. This I can not allow, this is why she must go back." His voice echoed through the room. But his words hit me hard. I knew that fighting him would only ensure my death. But he was wrong, and I longed to prove him so.

"I think that you are wrong…. And beg that you give me a chance to prove myself." I pleaded. He sat there, running ideas through his mind. Once again I could feel him probing my mind, but once again I didn't bother fighting it.

"Fine. When I first came to you, you were unable to touch me. Through your training you have grown stronger. Fight me. If you can land a blow on me then she will stay, but if you are unable to, she goes back." His words spun in my head. A fight… To keep her here. I will fight for her, I will not fail her.

"Fine. I'll do it." I spoke. He raised into the air, a smirk stretching across his face.

"Good. Now, lets begin." The haze pulled him higher up, untill he was touching the ceiling. Pulling my warhammer from behind me, I prepared myself for the fight of my life. But oddly enough, I wasn't afraid, or worried, I was simply excited. Pulling the steel hammer in front of me I allowed my body to fall into my fighting stance.

"Bring it!" I hollered at him.

Around the fire.

I starred into the fire, feeling its warmth surge across my body. From the beginning? Is it really that simple? I once again looked into the sky, wishing that I would wake up from this nightmare. But no, this was no dream… "Renamon?" Questioned Rika. She grabbed my arm, and pulled me closer to the fire, closer to her. I sat next to her, wishing that she wouldn't have to hear this, but no, I should, I must tell her.

"Rika… After the fight, I can't remember what happened. But I was falling." I paused, trying to think of another way to explain this. "I was, high up in the sky… Falling." I turned towards Rika. Starring into her eyes. There was something there that I had never seen before. It wasn't her normal annoyance, or anger, she wanted to know what happened, she wanted to help. "I hit the ground and couldn't see anything… I blacked out… When I woke up I was in a house, and he was sitting next to me, watching me." My arms fell from their side, as the memories flooded back to me… He was so lonely, I wanted to help, but then he… He tricked me. As the memories came back, so did the pain. Rika didn't say anything, but she didn't need to. She just placed her hand over mine, and waited for me to continue. "I thanked him for helping me. And tried to leave, I wanted to get back to you. But he stopped me, and told me that I was the first creature he had seen in weeks. He wanted me to stay, he was so lonely." I paused. Thinking of how he looked, how kind he had seemed. But it was all a mask. A way of tricking me. The fire shrank back, as another branch crumbled. Reaching over I took another from the pile I had made, and tossed it into the flames.

"Renamon… You don't have to tell me if you don't want to… I'm sorry for asking." She spoke. I looked into her eyes once again. I need to tell someone, I need to tell her.

"No that's fine… I didn't want to leave him alone, so I told him that I'd take a look around and come back… He made me promise to come back, and then I left." Why? Why couldn't I have just left him? And tried to find a way back. " I walked a few miles, he was right, there were no people, no dogs, nothing… And after a while the world itself just stopped." I continued. I remembered the black void. The emptiness. I began to drift in my thoughts, but Rika brought me back.

"So, what's happening to our world, already happened to his." Rika spoke more to herself then to me. I nodded my head, trying to hold in the tears. For a few moments we sat, watching the crackling fire.

"I returned to his house, and he had a meal prepared, so I joined him." I could feel a tear trickle down my face. Wiping it away before Rika noticed I continued with my story. "He… That bastard drugged me." I spat. Rika looked into the flames of the fire, the blazing fire, but no amount of flames would warm me, I started shivering as my mind replayed those cursed memories. Rika turned away from the fire. Not looking at me, but above me, at the moon. I turned, also watching. Normally I would be focusing at the moon, but there was no way my mind could focus, no way I could allow sleep.

"Renamon…. What did he do?" She asked, not taking her gaze from the moon. I tried to speak, but couldn't get any words out. Even though my body shivered from the cold I could feel sweat trickling off of me. Sweat? Or tears? It doesn't matter. Once Rika hears this, hears how week I was… It won't matter. I struggled to make any sound, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't say it. I didn't want to see her face when she heard. So I closed my eyes. Which didn't help. Instead of peaceful darkness I saw him. I felt him. Tasted him.

Elsewhere…

I griped my hammer, already nervous. So this is my fate? A continuous gamble, Fight after fight, Then so be it. I scanned the room, knowing that somewhere within these stone walls was the emperor, somewhere within this darkness. I stood there waiting, straining my eyes to see, focusing my ears outward, searching for movement. Suddenly the purple mist was all around me, not touching me, but circling me. Like a wolf pack, I thought to myself. In one fluid movement I stretched my hammer out, swinging it through the mist and spinning around with it. The mist vanished, but this time I could see a figure, standing just out of my reach. Laughing at me.

"So you do live? I was beginning to wonder if you had gone and died on me." He chuckled. I lunged forward at him, using ever bit of force my body had to hit him. But he effortlessly dodged under and struck me in the chin. The pain was hardly noticeable, he was just playing with me. I made to strike at him again, but he was gone. Once again I tensed my muscle, trying to find out where he had moved. But couldn't find anything.

"Come! Fight me! Won't you stop playing games!" I hollered. My voice echoed through the room. And as my voice carried out I lowered my hammer, focusing my mind. Stretching my mind out, trying to find him.

"Nice try Cort. Do you really think that mere magician tricks can get me? But yes, let's start this battle shall we." He taunted, his voice seemed to come from no where, and everywhere at the same time. It started more of in my head. But the mist had re-appeared. This time in the far corner of the room. Lifting him to the ceiling. I stepped towards him, ready for anything, ready to once again fight him for my love. "Your soul. It's drenched with blood. Drenched with failure." He continued. His eyes now filled with the purple mist.

"Shut up." I whispered. But he continued, once again within my head.

"You carry more death then the grim-reaper himself, you are an angel of death! You have killed man after man, but have never found happiness, never found peace. And tonight you shall fail, and once again another death will be by your hand!"

"SHUT UP!" I hollered, flinging my hammer at him in my rage. But it was simply pushed away by the mist, and landed behind him.

"Yes! Show me your anger. Lets see just how far that can carry you." I was about to dash at him, to crush his skull with my bare hands, but something snapped under my feet. Looking down I could see a skeleton, the arm crushed under my foot. "Cort. I'd like you to meet a few people, well, you already know them, and they know you." He chuckled. I looked back up at him, lost in confusion. And the sound of thousands of bones clinking against the floor filled my ears. Skeletons pulled themselves off of the floor, filling the room, but beside the noise I could still hear him chanting within my head. "See, you killed them, and now they're not to happy. Cortez, meet every man you have slain, every man whose soul bites at your ankles." The mist wrapped around my hammer, lifting it up, and thrusting it at me. "Now fight!"

I reached my hands out, trying to catch the hammer, and did. But the force sent me sprawling back to where I had started. I was only down for about three seconds, but already the bodies were on top of me, biting at me, stomping on me, clawing at my body. I pushed them away, pushed through the pain, and finally once on my feet I swung my hammer around, shaking the bodies off. My head began to pulse as the emperor's laughter rung through my head

The bodies climbed back onto me, no matter how hard or fast I hit them. Their long fingers dug into my skin like claws, but pain was something that I Have been forced to live with. I shrugged it off, ignoring the pain. I MUST find a way to get rid of these skeletons, I can bash them all day, but if they keep getting up it will be pointless. I don't want to lose, I don't want to lose her. I swung the hammer around as more bodies joined the fight.

"My dear, Cort." He taunted. "It seems that you can't muscle your way out of this." His laughter once again erupted in my head. But he was right, I couldn't fight my way through this, and even if I could they'd just get back up! It hit me all at once, magic, if I can't beat a path through them, I should try using magic. I continued twirling my hammer, slamming it against the closest skeleton as my thoughts continued to speed away. It is a major risk. I'm not that skilled in magic, but it just might be my only chance. I slammed my hammer on the ground, kneeling on my knee and focused as hard as I could. The bodies piled on, biting and scratching at me. Each and every limb screamed with pain, but I could feel the heat, I could feel my weapon as all my body poured with heat.

"What's this, admitting defeat?" He smirked.

I opened my eyes as fire jolted from my body. The skeletons were scorched back to damnation as flame filled the room. I'm winning, I am winning! The fire disappeared with the last skeleton, and it was just me and the emperor. Picking up my hammer I marched towards him, The feeling of joy charged within me, I'm not losing her. I stopped about an arm length away from him, he wasn't trying to move, or even fight. Is he admitting defeat? I raised the hammer above my head, ready to end this.

"I win." I sneered. He looked down at me, still not moving away.

"So it seems." I brought the hammer down upon him, my eyes studying him, waiting for him to make his move. But as he hammer grew closer to him I saw something emerge from the mist. It jumped up towards me, and I pulled the hammer back just in time to block what seemed like thousands of knives from gouging my face. I slid back, tumbling over my own feet. I hardly hit the ground when this new opponent was after me again, a new wave of knives sprayed over my body, some stabbed into my arms. I leapt to my feet to face my attacker, but when I saw her my breath froze in my chest. Standing in between the emperor and me was Moonshade. The Emperor burst into laughter as she slammed into my stomach, sending me sprawling backwards.

"You win? What a laugh!" He taunted as more mist filled the room making it damn near impossible to see. Once again I climbed to my feet, but this time I raised my hammer ready to defend my self. I looked around the room trying to see through the mist, but I couldn't find either Moonshade or the Emperor.

"Moonshade, please don't do this. What's wrong?" I called out. My arm burned with pain from the diamonds. But I had to continue, I had to finish. " Moon-" I was cut off as she bolted through the mist, leaping into the air she kicked at my face, but as I brought my hammer up to block a trail of diamonds following her sliced into my chest. I couldn't match her speed, her grace, I could feel her hands slide across my back as she snatched at my hammer. I tried to keep hold but she eased it out of my hands and dashed back into the mist. My hands clasped onto my chest, trying to pull as many of the diamonds out as his voice called out again.

"What's wrong Cort? Why can't you fight? I thought love was a strength!" He burst into another fit of laughter.

"Leave her out of this!" I hollered into the mist. But there was no answer, just more of the damned laughing. I herd running behind me, and as I turned around Moonshade leapt into the air again, not striking me but sending more diamonds cutting into my face. I turned with her as she jumped over me, but this time she did not disappear through the mist, this time she turned to face me, and behind her stood the emperor. I glared up at the emperor through my blood soaked hair. Something was wrong with Moonshade, this was her, but she was…. Asleep, almost.

"New deal, beat her and she stays." The Emperor spoke.

"That's not what we agreed on."

"I truly don't care, that's the deal." With that said she lunged at me, throwing punches and kicking at me. I blocked what I could and let the rest hit me, her blows were strong, but wouldn't e enough to take me out.

"Come on Cort! You weakling fight me!" She bellowed. I brought my hands up as more diamonds flew at me.

"Please, Moonshade I love you don't do this." I pleaded. Both her and the emperor busted up laughing.

"Love? Love is pathetic. I hate you Cort, you slaughtered all of them, pretending to be my hero! If you won't fight me then I'll kill you!" diamonds seemed to surround her as she fought me, her flail of blows striking all over my body, and then the hail of diamonds came, swarming over me. My entire body screamed in pain as I fell to the ground. She stood over me, still gathering diamonds for her finish. I couldn't move, couldn't fight, my entire body drooled blood. I've lost…. Again.

"Well Cort, looks like it ends here. Don't fear though, I'm sure all of the men and women you killed will be awaiting you in Hell, but don't forget, love will save you." The Emperor taunted. My blood began to boil within me as he spoke, along with something that I could never remember feeling, fear, fear of death, of what would become of me when I died. I sprang to my feet, catching Moonshade off guard, I grabbed her neck and lifted her off of the ground, allowing rage to take me. I hurled her to the ground as hard as my muscles allowed. She slammed onto the ground and screamed out in pain, but no it didn't end there. She arched her body on the ground, screaming in pain and groping for her back, which I probably shattered. But I leapt on top of her, slamming my fists against her stomach and chest, again, again and again. Her body bounced off of the ground after each blow, but I didn't stop, I kept striking her as tears formed in my eyes, I could feel her ribs snap under my fists.

"Please! Cort Stop STOP!" She hollered. Tears formed in her own eyes as she squirmed and screamed in pain. I don't know how long I stayed there hammering on her, but when I stopped her face was bloody and beaten, I don't think a single one of her ribs remained intact. She sobbed uncontrollably and was struggling to breathe.

"Very well Cort, you win." Spoke the emperor. The mist disappeared as he came back to the ground, Moonshade whimpered and whined, her breaths getting shorter each and every time.

"Wha- What have I done?" I whispered.

"You, you've won, you've proven me wrong, feel better?" He taunted.

"Help her!" I sprung to my feet and dashed at the Emperor, grabbing the collar of his shirt. "Use your magic and help her!" I hollered at him. But he just smirked at me and pried my fingers open.

"Can't, the damage you've done is beyond my repair today, but if she carries on through the night I should be able to help her tomorrow." He chuckled. With that he turned and left, vanishing from the room. I ran back to Moonshade, crouching down beside her and pouring my tears onto her body.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please." I wept beside her for a few moments before realizing that she was asleep, or un-conscience, one of the two. I slid my arms under her body, lifting her twitching body up, and carried her back to our room, where I lied her in her bed, and climbed in with her, crying myself to sleep.

Back in the forest with Renamon, Rika and Cory.

"You what?" I gasped, it was as if he had slammed me in my stomach, I turned to face Renamon, who was sitting by the fire, starring into the fire, tears rolling down her eyes. I walked over to her. She was crying? For the first time since I ever met her she was crying. "Re-Renamon, this it true?" I whispered. There was a few seconds of silence, the only noise was the constant crackle of the fire, which was now seeming to burn cold. Renamon closed her eyes, and bobbed her head.

"Ye-Yes it's true." She whispered as more tears poured down her face. I collapsed beside her, lost in what to say. How could I have let this happen? Why wasn't I there to help her? I wrapped my arms around her, and began to cry with her. "Sorry… Rika, sorry I wasn't strong enough." She whispered. Her words dug into worse then any nails or knifes could, I embraced her, starring into the fire.

"Renamon, You are strong, please, please Renamon. This isn't your fault." I spoke. We sat there crying together for what seemed like the longest time, I couldn't think of anything to say, of anything that I could do.

"Please… Please forgive me." Whispered Cory. We both looked up at him, I had nearly forgotten about him. About this bastard. I glanced at Renamon, she starred up at him through her watery blood shot eyes, and then turned back to the fire.

"Forgive you?" I hollered. I rose to my feet as my hands clenched into fists. "FORGIVE YOU?" I lunged at him, connecting my fist with his jaw. He swung backwards, and just lay there. I walked over to him as a tear fell from my face. Hitting him again, as hard as I could a trickle of blood dripped down his chin. He didn't try to run, or fight but allowed me to punish his body. I hit him time after time, but it didn't make me feel any better.

"Why? Why did you do it?" I questioned, pulling him to his feet and preparing to hit again.

"Because… I think I'm going crazy." He spoke. I threw him down as Renamon placed her hand on my shoulder.

"Please, Rika… Not now." She whispered. I turned away from Cory, looking up at Renamon.

"Ok, get some rest, I'll be there in a minute." I spoke. Part of me wanted to kill him, but now I need to be with Renamon, I need to make sure she was ok. I turned back to Cory. "This isn't over. You stay right here where I can see you." I growled at him. I turned away and went back to the fire, next to Renamon, we lied together until sleep carried us both away.