Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Back with a new chapter! I'm surprised I was able to plan this so easily and get it out to you guys this quickly. I was expecting it to take a while, and yet here it is! An update for Trinity will most likely be next, and then I'll be back to this story!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 257: The Demon of Lust

DarkAngelicmon

Cyber, Western Hemisphere, Digital World

DarkAngelicmon slowly opened his emerald eyes, and lifting his head he glanced around the dark room in confusion, uncertain of his surroundings.

Where am I?

The damp stone walls were unrecognizable to him, and there were clumps of moss growing out of the cracked concrete that made up the floor beneath his body. The ceiling above him glistened with moisture, and only two torches burned in the brackets on either side of the thick, wooden door to his left. There were iron bars across the window in the door, and it appeared to be the room's only exit. Though DarkAngelicmon was quite sure he had never seen the room before, it still felt somewhat familiar to him, and for reasons he couldn't explain it made him uneasy. The room itself was cold, and for some reason he was lying on the floor.

This place feels wrong. The air is thick with darkness...

DarkAngelicmon took a moment to sift through his memories, but despite his efforts he was unable to recall why he was lying on the ground in the dark, nor could he remember how he had even ended up there in the first place. At first glance he appeared to be the only person or digimon in the room, but that was merely an illusion. Though his vision was obscured by the darkness, he could sense the presence of another digimon in the room.

A celestial digimon.

The presence felt familiar to him, but despite his sense of recognition he was unable to recall where he might have felt that same presence before. There was a fleeting memory of names and faces that flashed before his eyes, but the moment passed before he could make sense of it.

An evil presence. The taint of darkness is thick.

DarkAngelicmon slowly climbed to his feet, and stretching his wings he glanced warily around the dark room, his black spear materializing effortlessly within his hand, almost as if were an afterthought.

Letting it rest at his side, he shook out his dark hair and spoke softly in the darkness, his quiet tone floating through the air like a wraith in the dim torchlight. "Why do you hide from the light?"

"The light is my enemy," a voice replied, her icy words cutting through the darkness. "Just as the light is your enemy, so shall it be mine."

There was movement off to his left, and whirling around he watched calmly as a dark form detached itself from the thick shadows that hovered in the farthest corners of the room. The female digimon stepped gracefully towards him, and tilting her head to the side she continued to observe him with obvious interest.

"LadyDevimon."

The female digimon nodded silently, and once again moving towards him, she laid a hand on his arm to keep his spear at bay. "Do you know who I am?"

DarkAngelicmon was silent for a moment, and reaching up to catch a lock of her silver hair between his fingers, he said, "You are the BlackGatomon that was my servant. I was instructed to look after you and nurture your development. It seems our master has plans for you as well."

"I am still your humble servant, if that is what you wish," LadyDevimon replied, bowing her head in a show of subservience. "Though our master's orders rank above all others, I am still yours to command."

DarkAngelicmon let go of her hair, and as the silver tendrils fell back into place he allowed the spear in his hand to disappear with a flash of purple light. "It appears my efforts to train you were not in vain."

"It is your power that allowed me to take this form," LadyDevimon said quietly. "I am here because of the thick darkness that penetrates your soul."

"What do you mean?"

LadyDevimon smiled, and placing a hand against her chest, she said, "You really don't remember. I can see that plain as day."

Faces. Human children. My home...

DarkAngelicmon remained silent, and turning his face away he gazed instead into the flames of the torches, his memories tugging at him from somewhere deep inside his tainted heart.

"I will never succumb to your evil. The darkness will not take me so easily, as it appears to have claimed you."

"No matter," LadyDevimon said quietly, once he had made it clear that he had no interest in responding to her cryptic words. "The past is the past, and that is where it shall remain. We fight for the same side now, and all that matters is our master's vision."

"And this is what my master intended all along? I was to aid you in your development so you could reach your true potential as LadyDevimon and one day join our ranks?"

"Our master always intended for me to join your inner circle ever since the day he found me and took me into his care," LadyDevimon replied. "I am no longer merely a simple servant. I am now one of the elite, and I'm sure our master will use me to his advantage. Do you object, my lord?"

She is an angel digimon. Unlike the others, she will be able to sense Lucemon's presence. She will know he is following the Digidestined. She will know he is close by. I cannot allow this to happen. I cannot let her interfere. I cannot allow Lucemon to be put at risk...

DarkAngelicmon shook his head, and smiling in amusement, he said, "We seem to be short a commander with the tragic demise of BlackWidowmon. You will do nicely as a replacement."

"I can see how much her passing has upset you," LadyDevimon said dryly, tossing her head. "The way you grieve for your comrades is truly admirable."

"Indeed, I almost shed a tear for her. A rather inconvenient setback, I must say. But now that the issue appears to have solved itself, I'm quite sure I will make a full recovery."

"But of course," LadyDevimon replied, bowing at the waist.

DarkAngelicmon waved his hand at the shadows stretching across the floor towards them, and speaking with an edge to his voice, he said, "What is this place? It's cramped and dirty, and the air is foul. Wherever we are, the accommodations are atrocious, and the hospitality of our host needs to be addressed immediately."

LadyDevimon gestured towards the door, and growing quiet DarkAngelicmon could hear faint steps coming down the corridor towards them. The footsteps stopped just outside the door, and a moment later it opened with a squeak of rusty hinges. A robed figure stepped inside the room, and the two digimon who were always present at his side unless out on a mission entered just behind him, their dark forms causing the torches to flicker violently in their brackets.

DarkAngelicmon held his ground, and lowering his emerald gaze to the concrete floor, he said, "My lord, it is always a pleasure to be in your company. Do you have need of my assistance?"

The Ruler of Darkness slowly came towards him, and reaching up to touch his cheek, the robed figure said, "I see you are awake. How are you feeling, my faithful servant?"

DarkAngelicmon frowned, but he dared not flinch away from his master's touch. Though the sensation of his master's gloved fingers touching his skin chilled him to the bone, he made no indication that it affected him in the slightest. "I'm fine, my lord. Why do you ask?"

The Ruler of Darkness remained silent, and gesturing at the room with a sweep of his arm, he said quietly, "Do you remember this chamber?"

DarkAngelicmon shook his head, and turning his face away, he said, "This room is unfamiliar to me. Where am I, and how long have I been here?"

Persiamon and Phelesmon stood on either side of the door, their sharp gazes watching their master's every move. Unless he had business for them, the two never seemed to leave their master's side, and their constant presence meant the Ruler of Darkness could not be so easily attacked. The Digidestined were going to have their work cut out for them, at least as far as saving the Digital World was concerned.

But what about Lucemon? Would the Digidestined be strong enough to protect the celestial rookie?

I cannot hope to save him if I am forced to fight alone...

"This is the castle," the Ruler of Darkness said quietly, the whisper of his words receding into the shadowy corners of the room. "We are far beneath the dungeons in a place where not even the Digidestined could find us. The thick darkness that thrives here obscures all knowledge of these chambers lying far beneath the surface of the castle dungeons. These corridors cannot be scanned and put on radar even with the D-Coder Digivices. Here, we are blessedly free from prying eyes."

"I see. Even I was unaware of these secret rooms, though I suppose that was intentional."

The Ruler of Darkness stepped back from him, and folding his hands together in the sleeves of his robes, he said, "Very few know of the existence of these passages, those few being myself, Persiamon, and Phelesmon. Only a fool would dare to expose the existence of such a place to his unreliable servants."

DarkAngelicmon moved to stand next to LadyDevimon again, and gesturing with his hand, he said, "Dare I assume then that myself and the lovely LadyDevimon here are not so foolish as to be exempt from your ambitious plans going forward? Now that we know of this place, the knowledge gained cannot be undone."

"It could be, but that isn't my intention," the Ruler of Darkness replied, sounding amused. "I have revealed the existence of these chambers to you because both of you have a very important role to play in the near future. You two are an essential part of my plans, and I have high hopes that you will not fail me. This chamber is only the beginning, and soon all will become clear to you."

DarkAngelicmon placed a hand against his heart, and frowning, he said, "How long have I been unconscious?"

"A week," the Ruler of Darkness replied, sounding unconcerned. "The same amount of time that you have been confined to this chamber."

A week? But then that would mean...

DarkAngelicmon was shocked by the news, but he was careful not to let the surprise show on his face. "Why?"

"An experiment of sorts," the Ruler of Darkness said softly, not sounding the least bit apologetic. "I had need of the dark energy coursing within your body. It was that dark energy from you that allowed me to bring LadyDevimon into existence. BlackGatomon was an excellent test subject. Everything worked out according to plan. I must say I am very pleased with the results. And it is all thanks to you, my faithful servant."

For the first time he could remember, DarkAngelicmon was at a loss for words. He felt used and violated, and it caused a surge of anger to swell deep within his heart. His data had somehow been used to give BlackGatomon enough energy to digivolve into LadyDevimon without his permission, and there was nothing he could do about it. The fact that his data had brought such a repulsive creature into existence disgusted him, and a sense of regret made him long for the companionship of his two old friends.

Have I truly become such a monster?

"You have grown quiet," the Ruler of Darkness commented, a slight edge to his voice. "Is there something troubling you?"

It is all my fault. If anything happens to Lucemon because of her, I have no one to blame but myself. Lucemon weeps for what I have become, yet I have no tears to shed for myself. I must become stronger. I must protect my friend...

"Not at all, my lord. I was merely reflecting on our mission. Before I was brought down here, I was in the process of tracking Gennai's movements with the others to find the Spirit Chip. If I have been down here for a week then..."

"It has been almost four weeks since the Digidestined were last seen in our world," the Ruler of Darkness said quietly, folding his hands together behind his back. "Gennai and his allies have had a little trouble finding the next Spirit Chip this time around. They were still in the process of searching for it when I brought you down here to assist me with BlackGatomon's digivolution. While you were in my care, Vampiramon and the others continued to survey Gennai and his companions."

"I see..."

"For almost three weeks the search was futile, but now at last it appears we can continue with our plans regarding the Spirit Chips," the Ruler of Darkness continued, a note of anticipation in his words. "Just last night Gennai and his allies were finally able to locate the next Spirit Chip, and now that it has been found I once again have need of your assistance."

DarkAngelicmon raised his eyebrows, and crossing his arms over his chest, he said dryly, "I must admit I'm shocked that Vampiramon and the others were able to track Gennai successfully without my help. I spent almost three weeks searching with them, and it was all in vain, and now I hear they were able to keep Gennai in their sites long enough to learn the location of the next Spirit Chip without me. What an embarrassment."

"Do not be too upset, my servant," the Ruler of Darkness replied in a soothing tone. "Since I knew you would be out of commission for a while, I had Persiamon and Phelesmon helping out behind the scenes, so to speak. And of course Vampiramon and the others were none the wiser for it. You may rest assured that your talents have not been overshadowed by those worthless fools."

"Well, that's certainly a relief. You have need of my assistance then? I am always at your service, my lord. What would you have me do?"

The Ruler of Darkness studied him for a moment, and when he spoke his tone was all business. "It is early in the morning here in the Digital World, and the sun is on the verge of rising. Now that the location of the next Spirit Chip has been discovered, I have no doubt that the Digidestined will arrive here in the Digital World this afternoon to search for it. The Spirit Chip lies somewhere deep within the Ice Caverns on the continent of Net. You must journey there with Vampiramon and the others to steal it from the Digidestined once its power has been activated. Do I make myself clear?"

DarkAngelicmon gave his master a respectful bow, and nodding his head, he said, "I will do as you command, my lord. What of LadyDevimon here?"

"She will be staying here with me for the time being," the Ruler of Darkness said shortly, motioning for the female angel to join him at his side. "There are still a few things I need to discuss with her before she is ready to join your group. Once her path has been set, the Digidestined will fear her very existence."

The Digidestined are not afraid of your fallen angel, my lord. They will not fear her any more than they fear me. Only a Demon Lord will incite fear in their hearts. Best to be prepared, dear master of mine.

The words were in his heart, but he was wise enough to remain silent. He had no doubt that was his master's eventual plan, and if the Ruler of Darkness was to succeed then the situation would become much more difficult, particularly for the Takaishi twins.

The boy has what I have lost. Matty, the key to my very existence. Do not lose hope. Without you, I am lost. And if I fall, Lucemon will not survive the darkness...

"Come now, my faithful servant. Persiamon will show you the way out," the Ruler of Darkness said quietly, gesturing towards the door. "Make haste to the continent of Net. I will be looking forward to your report when you return."

"Yes, my lord. I will not fail you."

"See that you don't," the Ruler of Darkness replied, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "And don't forget about Lucemon."

I will not forget. If you harm my friend, your death will be swift, my lord.

Leaving the Ruler of Darkness in the company of LadyDevimon and Phelesmon, DarkAngelicmon silently followed Persiamon out into the corridor. As he passed through the torches, he thought he saw something moving in the darkness, its violet eyes gazing at him hungrily from the furthest corner of the room. He ignored it, though, and keeping Matty's image focused firmly in his mind, he turned his back on the shadows and proceeded to make his way back above ground.

Back into the light, where he hoped the darkness could not touch him.

Lucemon

Net, Northern Hemisphere, Digital World

Lucemon stood atop a large cliff, the snow melting between his toes, and gazing down into the valley below he spotted the entrance to the Ice Caverns, which was half buried by snow drifts. The temperature was chilly, but Lucemon did not feel the cold. The strength of the light burning deep within him kept him warm, and so did the fierce determination surging within his heart.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" MarineAngemon asked, hovering leisurely at his left shoulder.

Lucemon nodded in agreement, and smiling at the little mega, he said, "Indeed, it is a wonderful sight to behold. You did well tracking Gennai's movements, and you were able to do so without being detected by Vampiramon and her allies. Even my old friend wasn't able to catch you in the act. I am very impressed."

"It was nothing," MarineAngemon replied, beaming at the praise. "I'm just glad I can be of some use, but...DarkAngelicmon. He hasn't been searching with the others for the last week or so, and he wasn't with them yesterday when Gennai and the others finally located the Spirit Chip. Where do you think he is, I wonder? I hope he's okay..."

Lucemon watched the early morning sun sparkle off the deep layer of snow stretching across the entire valley, and shaking his head, he said, "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough."

"Aren't you worried?"

Lucemon turned to face his small friend, and nodding, he said softly, "Of course I'm worried. It's not like him to miss out on the action. The Ruler of Darkness must have had other plans for him."

"What kind of plans do you think?"

"I'm not sure I want to know."

"Lucemon..."

He has been on Cyber this past week, but what he may be up to...I cannot even make a guess. What have you been doing, my old friend?

Lucemon wrapped his arms around himself, and gazing back down into the valley, he said, "Though I fear for his safety, we must concentrate on the task at hand. Sam and his friends will be coming here this afternoon to claim the Spirit Chip, and we need to be ready for when that happens. We traveled all night to get here, and I am weary from the journey. We must rest so we can be ready for this afternoon."

"If that's what you want," MarineAngemon replied. "There are trees down in the valley that might make for a nice resting spot. Why don't we try there?"

Lucemon was content to humour MarineAngemon's suggestion, and diving off the cliff he caught the air current and proceeded to make his way towards the small grove in the valley below. In the distance the sun was still rising, and deep within him he felt a shift in his heart that indicated his old friend was on the move. DarkAngelicmon had just left the continent of Cyber, and once he arrived on Net the fate of the Spirit Chip would begin to unfold.

Don't lose hope, my friend. Somehow I will find a way to save you. Wherever you are now, Masato Takaishi...Please, lend me your strength...