Chapter 6
As soon as the chains broke free, Tai grabbed Izzy steadier so he wouldn´t fall as it was easy to see he couldn´t support himself.
Opening his eyes, Izzy shifted unsteadily until he was supporting his own slight weight a little.
He looked up at the faces of people he hadn´t seen for so long.
"We need to get away from her as soon as possible."
Joe whispered as he and Matt lowered the chains to the ground and Tai made quick work of removing them from around Izzy's frame.
"Hey Iz," Joe smiled and Izzy stared at him blankly for a long moment before he smiled faintly, but Matt could see that it hardly reached his eyes as he looked tired and broken.
Tai tightened his arms around the smaller boy's body without speaking and Izzy turned his gaze to him, hesitating for a moment before reaching for Tai's hand.
Immediately slipping his hand around his, Tai smiled and pulled them both to their feet, allowing Izzy to lean on him until he found his balance.
Pain flashed through Izzy's eyes, but he didn't make a sound as he moved to support himself completely.
"We'll get you out of here," Tai whispered, getting a tiny smile in return while Joe moved to Izzy's other side to support him.
It worried Matt for a moment that Izzy had still not spoken, but then he realised that the other's throat was probably sore.
He watched Joe and Tai help Izzy move through the entrance on the cave, supporting his elbows as they walked before taking up the lead.
When they exited through the cave entrance a loud alarm suddenly went off, Izzy tensing between them.
"We have to get the hell away from here before they find us," Matt said and they automatically hurried forward.
But the sudden speed was too fast for Izzy and he tripped, letting go of Tai's hand so he wouldn't take him down with him.
Tai immediately kneeled down beside him to help him back up, but saw how tired and weak the other looked, unable to get up on his own again.
"You need to change us," he whispered as he looked around for something to carry him on before a thought came to him. "Remember when we were playing with Tentomon and Agumon?"
Izzy looked up to him in fear, slowly shaking his head.
Matt had no idea what Tai was talking about but he kept quiet when Joe made no indication of interrupting, waiting quietly as none of them would leave without the quiet redhead.
Tai wrapped an arm around Izzy's waist to support him as he pulled him back to his feet and kept it there as they moved forward.
"There is no way we'll make it out of here without some help. Help that we cannot give as our Digimon aren't with us. We need your help Izzy; they can't hurt you if they can't find you, right?"
Frightful eyes nodded slowly and a golden glow came to them as he glanced around nervously.
"What are you talking about?" Matt whispered confused, unable to keep silent longer.
"Keep walking, no matter what happens and follow us," Tai ordered them, ignoring Matt's question.
Izzy's gaze turned to the wall that came up before them and to Matt and Joe's shock it split before their very eyes, allowing their small group to pass through, closing right behind Joe again like nothing had happened.
They reached another wall and Izzy repeated the same trick, opening every single wall and suddenly they were outside of Spiral Mountain.
Tai abruptly stopped and turned to Izzy. "Now."
Izzy's black eyes shined with the golden glow once more as they heard various Digimon in the distance, but Izzy kept his gaze at Tai, not paying attention to anything else and suddenly Matt felt something down his spine.
He panicked for a moment, but it wasn't hurtful, more like a soft hand was guiding him to the ground and soon the feeling disappeared again.
He looked at the others to ask if they had felt it too when he saw that in their places now stood three small Digimon.
He was pushed forward to run by a Koromon, who also pushed a confused looking Bukamon forward.
"Don't be scared, guys. I'll explain later, just follow me for now," the Koromon with Tai's voice bounced back to a small Motimon and Matt decided to listen to him, especially with those other Digimon coming closer.
Matt followed them confused, surprised by the fact that he no longer had any arms or legs anymore; he was changed into a Tsunomon.
"Oh...okay," he somehow wasn't too surprised anymore by anything that happened in the Digiworld and began to bounce after the others, away from Spiral Mountain and into the surrounding forest.
Entering the forest, they stopped bouncing hurriedly to a normal paced bouncing so they wouldn't draw attention.
Matt waited almost fifteen minutes to ensure they were safe before turning to Koromon Tai.
"Care to tell me what the hell happened back there?"
The Bukamon looked down at Matt with his black eyes. "I believe Tai asked Izzy to change us into Digimon to allow us to escape undetected."
Koromon Tai nodded and looked at the little Motimon that stayed close to him.
"So you do have powers?" Matt asked softly and Motimon Izzy nodded, not saying a word.
Quickened footsteps behind them made them fasten their bouncing in an unspoken agreement, hoping the approaching Digimon would pass without incident.
But soon they saw two Gazimon approach them. "You four, what are you doing here?"
"Damn, why don't we ever catch a streak of luck," Matt cursed under his breath as they turned to them.
"We heard the chosen children were nearby and wanted to see them, but got lost in the forest."
Matt had no idea how Joe came up with the lie so fast, but it seemed to work.
Matt saw Izzy shift closer to Tai when their gaze fell upon them, but he didn't make a sound.
"Gazimon, why are you not searching for Faith?"
The Gazimon jumped at the sudden harsh voice of the female that appeared out of nowhere and Matt's heart jumped as Arukenimon and Mummymon approached.
"We found these four sniffling around the place," the Gazimon pushed them forward.
"We weren't sniffling, we got lost," Matt said before he could stop himself.
He quietly cursed himself, but Arukenimon actually smiled. "Let us guide them out of these woods then, shall we?"
She began to walk and the Gazimon pushed them to follow her.
Tai kept Izzy close to him and Joe stayed closely at his other side while Matt instinctively moved to walk behind him so he was protected from all sides if they should suddenly decide to attack.
He wondered if they'd have their Digimon's powers now that they were technically Digimon, but hoped they wouldn't have to find out.
He didn't like the way it was going, knowing there was no way she would let them go without a fight if she saw through their disguise. Not when they were without their Digimon as he doubted Izzy would be strong enough to protect them.
He swore mentally again and followed his friends as they approached the edge of the forest and Arukenimon turned to them with an evil smile.
"So, here we are so why don't you show yourself, little one."
She moved around them as more Gazimon appeared.
"Can't we attack them?"
"No, we cannot take the risk of accidentally killing Faith."
She stopped in front of Tai and Matt saw her look down with a growing smile.
Following her gaze his heart clenched as he saw Koromon supporting Motimon, who looked like he was going to faint.
He felt himself grow and shrink again as Izzy did frantic attempts to hold up the spell, too weakened to protect them for much longer.
He'd be a very easy target for the clearly eager Arukenimon, who saw the same fatigue as Matt did.
"Let go, now!" Matt screamed and suddenly they shifted back into their original forms as Izzy was unable to hold it up any longer.
Tai and Joe both tightened their grips on him so they could protect him from attacks and Arukenimon glowed in evil laughter.
"Kill them all, except for Faith," she ordered.
One of the Gazimon dashed towards Tai when suddenly a blinding white light appeared before them, blinding everyone in the clearing.
TBC