Chapter 6

Locomon Station- Crystal Tundra

The kids arrive at the Crystal Tundra where the local digimon are holding a massive evacuation. Tons of Digimon are lined up at the evacuation gateway and many are holding the signs that the end is near. Leokumon taps the shoulder of one of the guard Digimon that are blocking the access to Crystal Mountain.

"Hey, we need to get through"

"No can do, sir! This is for your own safety."

Kayden walks up to the digimon's face and says, "Why not? Who cares if a couple of punks go in?"

Sablemon walks up too, "Yea! We can handle ourselves!"

Hina says, "So much for being all in it together."

Kayden backs down, grits his teeth "I mean… why not"

Sablemon backs down with him twiddling his toes.

Milo pats him on the back and smiles at him as if saying 'good job!'

Jijimon approaches them, "Well that is a story for me to tell you kids… I have been waiting for you…" Jijimon nods at the Digimon who allow them through the outskirts of what looks like a large wall of ice and jagged crystals. He leads the kids to a small hut, "OK Who are you, old man? I don't just follow old men into-" Kayden asks rudely.

Frankie smacks him on the backside of the head, "I'm sorry… may we have your name sir?"

Jijimon rubs him beard, "I am Jijimon, I am one of the few remaining guardians to the entrance here. The Digimon you met was named Blackchessmon and Whitechessmon. They have also been here since the beginning."

Babamon comes in with cookies and warm milk, "oh the kids are here, good. I made some fresh snacks!"

Babamon places it down on the table and sits right next to him. The cottage is a warm and welcoming place and big enough to fit them all. "Please sit down, this is going to take a while."

Kayden is reluctant to let his guard down. Leokumon looks at him, "It's going to be fine, it seems there something important we need to know"

Kayden plops down along with Sablemon. The others all relax now that Kayden has calmed down.

Jijimon picks up a picture book that was made by babamon, "A long time ago, this place used to be known as the ancient forest. There were many rare and powerful Digimon that used to rule this end of the world, overall the world used to be bigger entirely."

He flips the page, "One day, something we digimon call an extinction event happened and the server condensed itself and turned it all into what you see now, digistal. Digistal is the hardest material known to Digimon kind breaking it is impossible except for the few remaining ancients. Suddenly rifts opened up everywhere, from them a darkness formed and made Digimon turn on each other. Many Digimon died or became apart of a monster known as Abbadomon who consumed what flowed from the rifts and started to materialize out of the ruin."

Jijimon turns the page, "Then the few and the strongest of all the Digimon came together and defeated Abbadomon with the help of the rangers and royal knights. The battle even opened the door between our world and the Dark Area, there the darkness spread everywhere."

Jijimon looks at the tamers, "Children, you must know you have to reach the top of that mountain. You cannot fly over it and you can't force your way through it."

Frankie asks, "what do you mean?"

Jijimon answers, "If you fly the crystals will shoot you from above and kill you, the digistal that the walls are made of are impossible to break. If you cause too much commotion the ancients that guard the mountain will come and kill you. Even then Abbadomon still remains locked within the maze where he was sealed."

Bugsy says, "Why do we need to do this? What's the point… I wanna go home…"

Jijimon says, "You are free to leave the exit is that way, but those who run away will just meet their ends faster. Children I know you are scared but there is one way forward from here on out. Turn back now and all is lost."

Bugsy cries and Frankie calms him down, "Don't worry big bro is here"

Elmurtemon exclaims, "But Bugsy you and me, we can do anything together…"

Gatormon, "But who has Frankie? I do! So don't worry cause I'm your brother's brother!" Gatormon smiles.

Jijimon coughs bringing the attention back to him and flips the page, "The first trial you must pass the mazes, which are covered in rifts and pitfalls. Inside ancient Digimon still reside protecting their territory. They care not who you are and what you are supposed to do, only the strong of the strong can pass them."

Kayden says, "Which is me!"

Sablemon chimes in, "Yea!"

Jijimon flips the page, "Next you must climb up to the mountain and make it to the cave on top where the all seeing one rests. Though inside that cave even I do not know what horror you must face. The final trial has only be reached once by the ones who came before… now who were they…"

Jijimon flips the page, "Ah yes the young Digimon rangers, that's right."

Kayden scoffs, "Digimon rangers?! Oh this will be easy. They are a joke!"

Sablemon scoffs with him, "A joke!"

Yvette says, "I don't know if that's bravery or foolishness comrade, but we will learn from your dead body."

Kayden rolls his eyes, "You'll see!"

Milo says, "Ha, don't worry Yvette I'll support Kayden if we get into trouble"

Leokumon and Rei look at each other, Rei has a feeling that she needs to go, she should have been here a long time ago. Leokumon gives her a nod, "I know, I feel it too. My heart is pounding we need to do this."

Jijimon takes all that he hears that they are ready to enter the maze. He then stands everyone out and leads them to the rift that takes them into the Maze. "There is no turning back".

Everyone walks through into the unknown.

Meanwhile, at the locomon station Cryspalesdramon loses their data tracks due to the nature of the Tundra. He sees his old friends Black and White chessmon guarding the entrance to Crystal Mountain. He approaches them, "Ah hello old friends, have you seen children around?"

White answers, "Why yes, many already evacuated out of the city why?"

"My master has sent me searching for a rude delinquent boy and his squirrelmon escorted by a miniature leomon like digimon"

Black answers, "Jijimon already took them to the mountain, you know we can't let you through without a tamer right?"

"Oh no… I will be back friends. I must go tell my master immediately!" Cryspaledramon exits though the evacuation gateway to Main City. He flies to the highest skyscraper where Dorbickmon is already there.

"Where is master?" Cryspalesdramon asks.

"Master is busy" Dorbickmon says.

"It is important! I found him! He is in much danger!" Cryspaledramon exclaims.

Both dragons yell out, "Master TOMOKI!"

Tomoki runs out, "What?"

Cryspaledramon is anxious, "He's at Crystal Mountain! We must hurry! The infection is spreading to the Tundra now! There isn't a lot of time also the tiny leomon is there Master!"

Tomoki runs in and calls in back up without hesitation.

Tomoki reaches his computer to make an emergency call "Cain get Abraham and Anikai, we found him and the trilobyte carrier. Crystal Mountain. ASAP."

Tomoki gets his suit out and powers on. The evacuation gate below starts to glitch out and shuts down for the moment. Anikai arrives as fast as he can. Anikai and Tomoki inspect the gateway and it's completely damaged, the infected must have already overrun the Tundra.

"We can access the Minato Server through the old access point, I'll have to set up the dial up but we should be up and going in a couple of hours."

Tomoki sighs, "Fine, I'll see if I can get a hold of Chang and Sumati"

The dragons look at each other worried for their master's sanity.

Digimon Entry- Gatormon

Level: Rookie, Type: Data, Attribute: Mini Kaiju

Gatormon is a relaxed and happy go lucky Digimon normally. It takes a lot to get under his rough reptilian skin. Gatormon is one of the largest rookies and the toughest but fighting isn't is priority. Food and good times is what this Digimon is about. He's known to crash parties and funerals merely to eat the buffet. Everything is right in his world even if it's on fire and he's relaxing on a lava flow. Though be warned if you do manage to anger a Gatormon he holds a grudge stronger than a cat and will just eat you if he finds it necessary.