Posted on: September 30, 2009

Fc: Lalala this took too long to get out....eh, look at it this way, four more major chapters left!


Chapter 10
Neptunmon, the Seafarer

Fatherless and Mother less- what in the Digital World does that mean!? "Why are all these riddles so darn vague?" Takuya complained.

The rest of the group stood silently, waiting… thinking, hoping something would cross their mind. "The answer must be related to the spirits somehow." Kouichi voiced, everyone nodded in agreement.

"Doesn't a fire roar?" Kouji asked suddenly

Takuya shook his head, "No, they 'roar' to life, but that's it."

The dark haired bearer of light furrowed his eyes. "No way! I've heard people refer to a roaring fire before!"

"Fires do not roar!" Takuya argued back.

Zoe sighed holding her head, "The only thing roaring is the headache you two are giving me…"

Everyone snickered as Takuya and Kouji dropped their argument, for fear of Zoe's wrath if they were to continue. Silence followed as the team settled into hard core thinking. Flybeemon watched the group curiously as they thought about the riddle.

These riddles aren't that hard are they? He wondered to himself.

JP stared off into the distant skies, watching dark clouds form over head. Oh that can't be good… "There's a storm coming." He announced as a deep rumble in the distance made everyone jump.

"Thanks for the heads up." Takuya retorted, a bit shaken from the thunder.

JP bit his tongue and said nothing to the goggleheaded leader. Now wasn't the time to start an argument. There was a spirit to be retrieved.

The storm in the distance drew closer, growling like a hungry tiger, and flashing lightning. Thunder crashed again, making JP flinch. Suddenly, it dawned on him.

"Thunder!"

Kouji raised an eyebrow, "uh… we knew that JP, but thanks…"

"No! The answer to the riddle! It's Thunder! It's my element!" JP exclaimed excitedly.

Everyone turned to Flybeemon, who was smiling. He nodded, "You may enter, Warrior of Thunder." He stepped to the side as the gates creaked opened. Musty smelling air rushed forth from the inner workings of the temple. JP cautiously took a step forward, glancing back at the team. They nodded and smiled, urging him on.

JP entered the temple, not looking back a second time. The gates closed once he was fully inside the temple. The floor lit up with a blue, electrical like energy, surging through ornate patterned carved on the floor. The light pulsed, as though it was trying to say something.

He walked forward hesitantly, his confidence faltering momentarily. JP shook his head as he continued down the corridor, "There's nothing to fear…" he told himself.

"Nothing to Fear indeed."

JP nearly had a heart attack as he whirled around to come face to face with a masked warrior. He was a tall, muscular, human shaped warrior. His head resembled that of Ikkakumon. He had broad shoulders and a well toned chest, clad in red. The part that spooked JP, was the fact this warrior was see-through, like a ghost.

"Who are who!?"

The warrior smiled, "I am Marsmon, The Digital God of War and Protector of the Spirit of Thunder. Come; let us walk to the spirit's resting place." He glided towards JP, passing trough him and continued down the hall. JP blinked and ran to catch up with the God of War.

"So you are the young human who once had my dear friend's spirit." Marsmon mused aloud.

JP looked up at the Olympian Digimon, "You knew Beetlemon?"

"Yes, After Lucemon fell from grace, and you Digidestined returned home, the warriors were left to rebuild. I and the rest of the Olympus Twelve descended and helped the warriors start the world anew. The Warriors befriended us and when their time came to pass, they left their spirits in our charge."

The paired turned the corner and entered a long, wide room. The room lit up as they entered with the same blue energy, casting the room in a bright blue glow. JP saw a sandstone platform of sorts, upon it sat brilliant navy blue and golden yellow armor. He glanced at Marsmon who nodded slightly.

JP raised his D-Tector, and called the Spirit of Thunder back to the device. The screen illuminated with the symbol of Thunder glowing brightly.

"Lucemon is rising again. Our time in this world is limit. You and your friends must hurry; you need to stop him before it's too late. Good luck young one." Marsmon advised before disappearing completely. The room plunged into darkness, startling JP momentarily.

He inhaled deeply, reminding himself he was a Legendary Warrior, and didn't need to fear the Dark. Heck, one of his closest friends was the Warrior of Darkness. He held up his D-Tector as a single ring of blue data appeared and spun around his hand. He scanned the data.

"Execute! Spirit Evolution!"

The Digital transformation began as blue data swarmed around JP's body. Sturdy, navy blue and golden yellow armor formed around his chest, back, forearms and legs. His helmet took on the shape of a stag beetle as an orange bodysuit covered the rest of his body.

"Beetlemon!" The data vanished leaving the Legendary Warrior of Thunder standing where JP had been moments ago. With his heighted senses, JP quickly found his way to the entrance of the temple.

He burst from the dark inner workings of the temple. "DESERT STORM!" a shrill voice cried out as a wave of sand and wind slammed the group. JP shielded his eyes, squinting to see the attacker. Kazemon bolted past him, readying an attack.

"Hurricane Wave!"

"Lightning Blitz!"

The combined force of the lightning and wind attacks fizzled out the sand storm. Kazemon gave him the thumbs up as the pair turned to face their attacker. A silvery-gray, dragonfly like Digimon hovered across from the group of six humans and Two Warriors. It snarled as it analyzed it's new opponent.

Flybeemon landed beside the Legendary Warriors, fear and anger etched on his face. He gritted his teeth, "That's SandYanmamon. He's nothing I can't handle, you must go." Flybeemon stated flatly, staring down the dragonfly Digimon.

"Are you nuts? We can't just leave you here alone!" Beetlemon replied in shock.

Kazemon nodded, "We can help!"

Flybeemon shook his head, "My duty is to protect this temple; yours is far more important."

"But-"

"Desert Storm!" SandYanmamon beat his wings vigorously, stirring up a fierce combination of wind and sand. The unarmed Digidestined held up their arms to protect themselves from the attack, the wind blowing them back.

Flybeemon leapt into the air, "Lightning Sting!" he shot a bolt of red color lightning from his stinger, aiming directly at SandYanmamon. The sandy dragonfly deflected his attack with ease.

Kazemon and Beetlemon glanced at each other, nodding once. Kazemon leapt into the air, creating a wave of wind from her fingertips, "Hurricane Wave!"

Beetlemon wasted no time in charging his fists up with electrical energy. "Thunder Fist!" He charged at SandYanmamon, slamming his hand into the great bug.

That only seemed to make him madder. "Bottom Cutter!" SandYanmamon shot straight at JP, then changed course last second heading straight for the Digidestined.

"NO! Get away from them!" Beetlemon shouted as he went after SandYanmamon.

Danny and Sam dove to the side as SandYanmamon zipped overhead. Takuya pushed himself and Tommy to the ground, also abstaining from any harm. Kouichi stood rigidly, fear paralyzing him to the spot. Kouji dove as SandYanmamon was almost on top of him, pushing Kouichi out of the way.

Kouji cried out in pain as SandYanmamon's claws hooked and dug into his shoulder. The dragonfly pulled away, ready to strike again. Beetlemon and Kazemon, both seething with anger were on top of him before he could move.

"Tempest Twist!"

"Thunder Fist!"

"Lightning Stinger!"

SandYanmamon didn't stand a chance against all three attacks at once. He cried out once as his body turned black and his data code appeared. JP raised his D-Tector and wordlessly scanned the monster.

"Kouji!" Kouichi knelt beside his younger twin, having a panic attack. Kouji lay on the sandy ground, blood seeping from the open wound in the shoulder. His breaths came in ragged gasps of pain.

Flybeemon examined the boy quickly, "Luckily, it's not too deep, but you need to get him help."

"How far away is the nest town?" Zoe asked anxiously.

Flybeemon shook his head. "The closest town is Sea-Breeze Village, it's a day by Trailmon- even longer on foot," The red Digimon said grimly.

"Just point us in the right direction." Takuya said firmly, taking charge.


"How ya feeling buddy?"

"I'd be better if you'd stop bugging me to death." Kouji replied irritably.

The brunette grinned sheepishly. Kouichi rolled his eyes with a light smile. "He means well, brother."

"He meant well on several near death experiences too…"

The group laughed. Kouji was definitely feeling better. They managed to luck out and run into a MarineAngemon who was able to heal the Child of Light's injured shoulder. He too was headed to Sea-Breeze Village, a small fishing village on the coast. MarineAngemon happily lead the group to the small town and told them of a fantastic place they must visit; The Temple of the Seas.

The team decided as a whole to wait until Kouji's shoulder was healed enough to venture onto the Temple and hopefully gain another spirit. It seemed the finally could journey to the sea cliffs where the temple was to be.

They began their hike up the hill around the beach to reach the sea cliffs mid morning. Most of the trip was uneventful and quiet, marred only with the occasional bickering between Danny and Takuya. Kouji grasped at his injured shoulder involuntarily as a small amount of pain shot though it. Sam cast the dark haired boy a worried look. He smiled as if to say 'don't worry about it'.

"Well these are the cliffs, but I don't see any temple." JP stated, pointing out the obvious.

Kouji glanced at Takuya, "Did we come to the wrong place?"

"MarineAngemon said there was a temple here…" Tommy reminded, "On the sea cliffs that face the sun rise."

"You can't see the temple from there!" a friendly voice called to them. Everyone looked to find the voice, "Down here!" The team looked over the edge of the cliffs and spotted a marine Digimon. Her indigo colored head looked like a cross between a shark and a torpedo. Sharp rows of teeth lined her jaws.

Sam called out to the Digimon, "Where is the Temple of the Seas?"

The Digimon laughed, "Beneath the surf and waves, The Temple of the Seas is by the sea itself!"

"You can't be serious…" Danny muttered darkly, peering down over the cliff side. "How do we get to it?"

She laughed again, "You must be the Digidestined. I am Tylomon, Guardian of the Temple of the Sea. You must answer the Temple's riddle before I can allow you to enter!" she exclaimed almost playfully.

The group sighed, yet another riddle. This was getting really old really fast. "Let's have it!" Takuya called back to Tylomon.

"Okay! It cannot be seen, and cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, and cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under the hills, and empty holes it easily fills. It comes first and follows after, Ends the life, kills the laughter." Tylomon recited almost solemnly as she finished.

"It's not a very happy riddle is it…" Kouji remarked, "I doubt it's Light. It's too dark and morbid."

Danny glanced at him, "Well it's clearly not Death. Death can't fill holes…"

"That's because it's Darkness!" Kouichi exclaimed, "It's the only spirit that makes sense!"

Tylomon giggled again, "Darkness is it!"

Kouichi stared at her, "um, where is the Temple?"

She grinned showing her sharp teeth, "To enter, you must climb down the cliff a few feet silly human."

"We're standing ON the Temple?!" JP exclaimed, shocked. The group leapt back a bit, startled.

The marine Digimon laughed again, "Well, where else would it be? It can't be beneath the water, that's just silly!"

The team ignored the guardian's childishness as Kouichi carefully climbed over the edge of the cliff. Kouji watched his brother until his head vanished from sight. "Be safe," he whispered to himself

Once over the edge, Kouichi found himself on a ledge about a foot wide. He carefully climbed along the ledge, until he found a dark alcove in face of the cliffs, hidden by vines and moss. He carefully pressed through the foliage.

The air was cool and damp. Kouichi realized he was already inside the temple once he passed the vines. He felt along the wall, walking carefully down a dark passage. Though he couldn't see a thing, he strangely knew where he was inside the temple.

"Young traveler. Free yourself from the wall and walk without hesitation." A deep male voice said. Kouichi pulled away from the wall of the tunnel, finding he could see in front of him. A tall figure stood before him. The figure looked like a samurai at first glance, his armor made of dark teal scales. Kouichi noticed the figure from the waist down looked like a great fish.

"I am Neptunmon. For many years I have kept watch over the Spirit of Darkness. It is time that he returned to his true place." He turned and beckoned Kouichi to follow.

Kouichi followed the spirit of Neptunmon down an incline, before coming to a stop. Before Kouichi surrounded by a crystal clear pool of water, sat a well-known set of black armor, adored with gold and black lions. The boy held his breath as he took in the simple beauty of the cavern.

Neptunmon inclined his head, "His place is with you."

The boy nodded, and bought out his D-Tector. His hands shook as he held the small gray and black device in front of him. The spirit flew into the device, lighting up the device. To Kouichi, it was receiving his spirits for the first time.

"The time for indecision is over, you must locate the last four spirits. Evil is growing stronger each day."

Kouichi nodded firmly as Neptunmon's image faded. He gripped the device tightly in his hand, letting a single blue ring of data flow around his hand. "Execute!"


Fc: Two people got the riddle right on the first try, so I'm offering them BOTH a request or a sneak peek.

EDIT

Apparently the riddle is from the Hobbit, which I didn't know. oops. I found it online and have since lost the website, But the Riddle is from the Hobbit, and credit should be given where credit is due!
Thank you Draco-rex for catching this!