Shock and disbelief continued to grip upon the remaining heroes and heroines, first upon seeing the Dark Lady capture Davis and sending him to her dark domain, and finally to now seeing their enemy's true face, which resembled that of their own team member, the Digidestined of Light, Kari Kamiya.
Continuing to remain in their shock, Lightbearer Ophanimon and the others watched as the rest of the Dark Lady's mask and her helmet dissolved into shadows, melting back within her armour and allowing her full face to be revealed, while her wings melted into her back.
Even the broken piece of the dark being's mask turned into a shadow and slithered to its creator, melding with the Dark Lady's being, this allowing the heroes and heroines to take in the true face of their foe.
Resembling Kari if she were around five years older, the alternate Kari's shining brown hair went down her upper back, while a dark glare filled her eyes, a sight that none had ever seen in the Kari they knew.
Taking the group's stupor to her advantage, the Dark Lady then waved her hand, where, to the shock of all, Lightbearer Ophanimon's being was consumed in light, her being separating and reverting back to Kari and Gatomon.
Both shocked to see that their enemy had forced them back to their normal forms with such ease, Kari and Gatomon's nervousness grew toward the Kari look-a-like.
Continuing to show her great power and turning her hand upward, the Dark Lady then watched with a smirk as tendrils of darkness erupted from the ground, the tendrils surrounding the heroes and heroines, who all knew that one wrong move could be dangerous for them as the darkness swirled around them, before they refocused on the individual before them.
"It's a trick." Tai then said, as though trying to convince himself more than anyone else as he added. "This isn't real."
"I can assure you this is no trick, big brother." The Dark Lady Kari said in reply, her cold tone causing most of the group to flinch, especially the venom in her voice as she called Tai big brother.
Looking between the Dark Lady and Kari, Novicmon found himself bewildered and horrified to see that the evil that had been destroying his world and one of the kindest people he had ever met were one and the same, and it was driving him crazy.
"How is this even possible?" Mikey questioned as he too shared in the confusion, the Red General also unable to figure out how there are two Karis, especially with everything they knew about the Dark Lady, or at least thought they knew.
"Really? You of all people I thought would figure it out, Mikey." The Dark Lady Kari commented as she began walking around the trapped heroes and heroines, adding with a vicious smirk. "Perhaps you're not as smart as you would like to believe."
In response to the alternate Kari's taunting words, Shoutmon glared at the dark brunette for her comment against his partner, while now understanding how their enemy knew about their enemies and his title of Digimon King.
"Ok, can someone explain this to me then?! Cause I am freaking out!" Tagiru then yelled, the Superstar feeling like a massive headache was coming to him.
"With all the different dimensions, and all the different Digital Worlds, it never occurred to any of you that some would be the same?" The Dark Lady Kari questioned back with a continued dark grin, seeing Haru's eyes widen as he figured it out.
"You're from another world, one like Davis'." The green haired Appli Driver then said, his words causing the others to look back at him, before looking to the Dark Lady as she continued to circle them.
"Correct, Haru." The leader of the Dark Tribe replied, surprising Haru and the others to know that she knew his name as well.
"Why…?" Their Kari questioned, getting her counterpart's attention as the brunette clenched her fist, overcoming the shock of seeing who her enemy really was as the anger at Davis' capture returned to her. "Why are you doing all of this? Why did you take Davis? Why are you destroying this world, Wizardmon's world?!"
The Dark Lady gave an amused chuckle to Kari's demand, which infuriated the Digidestined of Light a little, before her counterpart continued circling the group, her attention solely focused on the Digidestined of Light and telling her. "My story is the same as yours, with a slight twist, unfortunately."
"On my world, a powerful enemy tried to destroy not only our Digital World, but several others at the same time, which forced all our teams to work together, even them." The Dark Lady began to say as she gestured to Haru, Eri, Astora and the Appmon.
"We won, but I lost the most important person in my life." The alternate Kari then stated as the darkness swirling around the heroes and heroines came together, forming black silhouettes of two individuals, one lying dead on the ground and the other bent over, as though sobbing over the loss.
Kari in particular felt her breath get caught in her throat and her heart to also freeze as she realized that the figure lying dead was Davis, while the bent over figure was herself, or rather, her dark counterpart.
"I suppose I died in a way as well at that moment." The Dark Lady Kari remarked, before continuing in her tale. "I couldn't live with the thought that he was gone, that he would never be in my life again, that I would never be able to tell him I loved him."
"And so, I found the nearest cliff and tried to end everything." The fallen Digidestined then said, her worlds causing Tai, Sora, Gatomon, Agumon, Veemon and most of the others to look in horror, feeling their hearts ache to hear the pain this Kari went through.
"But instead of dying, I ended up in the void between worlds, the Data particles of my Davis protecting me as my body began absorbing the energy of the void." The Dark Lady then told her enemies, her words causing Novicmon's eyes to widen as he now understood the tremendous power the leader of the Dark Tribe wielded, that she had absorbed the chaotic power of creation itself.
"For five hundred years I remained sealed within that void, gathering strength and knowledge, and eventually becoming what you all see me as now, before arriving here. I then realized, if this power could do this for me, then it could bring Davis back." The Dark Lady Kari stated as she looked to the heroes and heroines, who were shocked as they now understood this Kari's plan, to bring her Davis back to life.
Despite this, none of them could comprehend why she was going so far, why she was stealing the power of Witchelny if her goal was to merely bring her Davis back, a feat they had seen her do with others before, until the Dark Lady continued in her tale.
"But as I began to find what I needed, I realized, what was I bringing Davis back to? A world that failed to recognize his achievements? One that everyone looked down upon him? No, he deserves far more than that, he deserves to be worshiped, to be a God." The alternate Kari told the heroes and heroines with a growing malice, her words causing ever her counterpart to look at her as though she had lost her mind, before the Dark Lady turned her head back to them.
"Mortismon is dead, his body destroyed, his spirit gone, but his power remains, necessary to hold the cycle of life and death in this world, locked away in a prison beneath the Dark Tribe's lands, protected by a seal that can only be opened by the 'touch' of all ten of his brothers and sisters." The Dark Lady then said, which continued to shock and horrify the heroes and heroines as they now realized the entire purpose of the war and why their enemy had been stealing energy from the primordial fragments, to open the seal and gain Mortismon's power.
"I spent years trying to find the perfect vessel for my Davis to return in, but all my efforts continued to fail." The corrupt Kari continued, before gaining a wicked smile as she looked to her foes and stated. "Then it hit me, what better vessel for Davis to return in than himself?"
Upon hearing this, Kari's eyes widened in realization as the one question she and the others had since they arrived was finally answered, causing her to look at the Dark Lady and stated. "You… you brought us here, you brought us to Witchelny!"
Kari's outburst caused the other heroes and heroines to pale, now realizing that they were not brought to this world in order to protect it, but as part of their enemy's grand design, while Veemon, Mikey, Shoutmon and Novicmon felt sick to see that their theory was correct.
"I brought Davis here, the rest of you just tagged along for the ride." The Dark Lady corrected, her words a continued shock to the heroes and heroines present, before Mikey stepped up slightly and asked the one question on everyone's mind.
"Why did you wait so long to take Davis?" The Red General asked, many in the group wondering the same thing as well.
"I was testing him, putting him in challenges that would not only test his strength, but to see if his body could handle Mortismon's power, and with the various primordial fragments he's used, he is more than capable." The Dark Lady said in reply, the dark Kari continuing in her response as she added. "I tried to take him back when we fought in the Frost Tribe's land, then I ordered Wraithmon to bring him to me, but it seemed to be the right thing to come claim my prize myself."
Continuing to circle the heroes and heroines, the Dark Lady then said. "With the necessary ritual claimed from Mortismon's book to safely transfer his power into Davis' form, I will then merge my Davis' Data with his and my beloved will be reborn as a God."
Holding out her hand, the heroes and heroines then saw a golden orb appear within the Dark Lady's grasp, where they could see a small cloud of golden Data particles moving within it, while Kari felt a familiar warmth emanating from within.
It was then that the Digidestined of Light realized that this was Davis, or to be precise, the Dark Lady's Davis, locked within the protective orb so that it would not dissipate or vanish from her grasp.
Though understanding her counterpart's motives, Kari looked to her fallen counterpart as she started to say. "You… you can't do this... Davis… he…"
"He will be a God!" The Dark Lady declared, her face turning into an insane smile as she continued and spoke. "He will be loved, respected and have the power to have anything he desires! And I will be at his side forever!"
Hearing the Dark Lady's dark declaration filled the heroes and heroines with fear and dread.
They already knew their foe was powerful, conniving and twisted, but now they knew that she had completely lost her mind, and that made her far more dangerous than they believed.
"I now have everything I need, and after fifteen hundred years, my Davis will return!" The Dark Kari announced with pride, before looking at her counterpart and the other heroes and heroines with a glare.
"You've done well helping Davis get this far, but your part in this is over, now get off my world!" She then called as she brought her hand up, where a black portal opened up above the detained heroes and heroines.
Seeing the portal, the group instantly realized that this was the same spell Jeri used with the Infinite Dark to send the reanimated villains into the void, this causing the group to cry out as they were all pulled within, the vortex closing behind them.
With the heroes and heroines now banished from sight, the Dark Lady held the orb close to her as her wings, helmet and mask reformed around her, before she went through a dark portal of her own, the dark Kari ready to commence her plans after centuries of waiting.
Nothing would stop her from reuniting with her beloved.
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Slowly trying to open her eyes, Kari felt nothing but pain coursing through her body as she looked around and found herself floating in a chaotic void, dark red lightning pulsating all over the place, with barely any light around her as she grit her teeth from the pain.
Looking around as best she could, Kari found Gatomon, Tai and her friends all floating around her, this including Novicmon, where she saw them in just as much pain as she was, each barely able to open their eyes as they felt their bodies being torn apart by the dark energies.
It was then that Kari realized that this was the Void, the empty, corrupting energy between worlds, and that the devastating force was slowly tearing her and the others apart.
Letting out a silent cry of agony, the brunette could hardly believe that her counterpart was trapped here for five hundred years, the Digidestined of Light unable to comprehend how she survived this pain, almost causing Kari to just let go, to give in and pray for her end to come.
But she couldn't, Kari couldn't give up.
Davis was in danger, and she needed to save him, she needed to save the man she loved.
As her eyes began to close and consciousness began to fade once again, Kari saw a black form approaching her, where the brunette believed she saw the upper torso of Eclipsemon emerge as the shadow mystic Digimon reached for her, before everything faded to black.
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Unsure how much time had passed, Kari's eyes snapped open as she sat up, the brunette pulling herself up with a startled shout and calling out for Davis, before feeling a comforting hand on her shoulder, looking to see Eclipsemon sitting next to her.
"Lie still, you aren't fully healed yet." The dark mystic Digimon told the brunette as he helped Kari lie back down, where the Digidestined of Light realized that she was lying on a makeshift bed in the middle of a courtyard, part of a ruined fortress.
Looking around, Kari saw the rest of her friends lying on similar beds, with Nyarukimon doing what she could to heal and treat Gatomon and Veemon's physical and mental injuries, while other familiar Digimon were helping out the others.
It was then that the Digidestined of Light saw all the tribe leaders and their councils, minus Fulgurmon, his advisors, ScorchTactimon and LightTactimon then approach them.
Even Sifakamon and Ajatarmon were amongst those present as they looked to the group with concern, before Kari turned her head and looked up to Eclipsemon, her look of confusion evident on her face.
"I sensed the Dark Lady's presence nearby and the spell she used." The dark mystic Digimon explained, telling the brunette as he continued. "The Dark Tribe has spells to shield themselves from the void's energy, so I entered where the rift opened and found all of you, bringing you here to the gathering point of the alliance."
"Thanks, Eclipsemon, we owe you." Tai said with a groan as he slowly sat up, the Digidestined of Courage feeling better than he did in the void, but was still sore from the pain his body had endured.
"We are grateful that you are all alright." Infernomon stated as he got the heroes and heroines' attention, the leader of the Fire Tribe adding. "I had prayed to Taiyomon, the Primordial of Fire, that we had not lost you."
"Indeed, Witchelny still needs your aid, especially now." Celestimon then informed, showing her own relief that the heroes and heroines were alright.
"Hang on a minute..." Sifakamon began to say, getting everyone's attention as he seemed to be counting the heroes and heroines, before he looked to Eclipsemon and stated. "You missed one. What happened to their leader?"
"Indeed, where is your leader, the one who helps form MagnaVeedramon?" Titianusmon questioned, the question causing the other leaders to look concerned, especially as the heroes and heroines looked at one another.
The heroes and heroines were still processing what they had learned, that their enemy was an alternate Kari, hell bent on using their Davis to bring hers back as a God, and that their presence in Witchelny had been a part of their enemies design from the beginning.
But despite the dark knowledge they now possessed, the heroes and heroines knew that they could not lie to their allies, not after all they had gone through together.
Turning to look at the tribal leaders of Witchelny, Kari and the others knew that they had a lot of explaining to do.
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Standing upon a balcony of her citadel, with both Wraithmon and DeathTactimon at her sides, the Dark Lady looked down before the massive army of the Dark Tribe, hearing the chanting, the roars, cheers and the call for battle amongst the dark forces as they looked upon their dark Mistress.
Legions of DarkWolfmon, Wargmon, Trenchmon, SkullWretchmon, SavageBeastmon, Yatevevomon, FeralCentaurmon, IronWolfmon, DarkReavermon, ShadowBasiliskmon, ShadowKnightmon, Umbramon, FellKnightmon, Necromon, AbyssalKnightmon, BloodMinosmon, VileToropiamon, FeralManticoremon, Entmon, OnyxKnightmon, SteelReapermon, SerpentKnightmon, DeathWendigomon, GrandUmbramon, DarkHydramon, DeathKnightmon, DarkGoremon, FeralCyclopsmon, SkullColossimon, ShadowColossimon, MarrowKnightmon, SkullWarGreymon, Lichmon and Serpentismon were below, chanting and cheering for the Dark Lady and their upcoming victory.
In the skies above, meanwhile, a fleet of Dark Arks hovered in the air as BlackGargoylemon, DarkThrallmon, DarkMothmon, MetalThrallmon, Spectremon, FeralHarpymon, Corvusmon, RavenKnightmon, SkullDracomon, BloodDracomon, RavenDracomon, ShadowDracomon and RustDracomon swarmed around the area, the Dark Digimon letting out shrieks and battle cries of their own.
Likewise, the remnants of the Dark Frost Tribe stood with their allies, ready to aid the Dark Lady in the battle to come as they pledged their loyalty to their new Mistress.
"Our enemies believe we are beaten, that they have won, but we are now on the brink of victory!" The Dark Lady declared, her words causing the massive army to cheer and roar in response.
"If they strike at us, then we shall put the fear of darkness back within them, we shall let them witness the birth of a new God, before being wiped from the face of this world, we will remind them who the true masters of Witchelny are!" The alternate Kari then announced, once more causing her servants to cheer, ready for the battle to come, the battle to decide Witchelny's fate.
Smirking behind her mask, the fallen Kari sensed the return of her counterpart and the others, but it didn't matter, nothing would stop the ritual, nothing would stand between her and her love.
She would burn the whole world down, just to finally tell Davis she loved him.
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Author's note: The origins and plans of the Dark Lady have now come to light, leaving the heroes with a better understanding of her plans. Will they stop her and save Davis? Stay tuned as the siege of the Dark Tribe will soon begin.