Ragnarok is well known for being sinister in many ways. Being at its core basis a being of a parasitic nature, it makes him very difficult to defeat without true risks. And yet we still haven't discovered the truth behind his 'immortality'...
Defeating an enemy that never seems to die, that appears to constantly return does make things very complex...for all of us...

Chapter 17 : Through the flames of friends...

The sun slowly rose above Phoenix City, although in the meantime, Krasus was keeping to himself deep underground the city.
Today was the day. He would return Regan, Kari and their digimon partners to the Digital World. Of course, knowing the children, they would want to make some goodbyes to the Tamers first. And that would have to come after the school time of the Tamers.

Krasus had started to remove some of the many devices he had put up in his hideout, while silently pondering at the same time...Many things had happened indeed...but he wondered most about the aftermath of those events...

Suddenly, one of the devices started to flare up, and immediately, Krasus felt up a wrongness, coming out as a warning from one of his many scrying spells.

It appeared that there was still something odd somewhere rather far away in this world...
But it shouldn't be anything too hard for Krasus to handle on his own. There were no reasons to why he should warn out the children to this. He could easily deal with this on his own.

With that, he prepared out a spell that would send him in the place where he sensed the disturbance, readying himself to put an end to this loose end...

---

"This should keep him busy enough..." he thought.
Ragnarok stared out at his reflection in a mirror, showing out none other than the face of Kylee Henke. He had successfully managed to possess and take over Kylee's mind, and now her body was his, her soul brought into submission...

'Kylee' kept looking at herself with some interest, a pondering look present in her face.
"Well...I must say, I never really took any consideration in any previous hosts, but I'd say that in appearance, Kylee Henke, you'll be quite fine...Especially for what I will do thanks to you..." 'Kylee' mused to 'herself' as 'she' gazed in the mirror.

"Hey Kylee, are you gonna stay locked in the bathroom all morning or what?" the tired voice of Impmon asked from the other side of the door.
"Okay, okay, I'll be out soon...geez..." 'Kylee' replied, sounding a bit annoyed.
Then 'she' looked at herself in the mirror again...before smiling darkly. "I won't need Kylee for too long though..."

---

Regan slowly started to stir up. For once, he found the bed to be surprisingly comfy.
"Good morning Regan..." a familiar voice rung in his ears. Regan turned his head, looking at his other side only to find his nose inches from...Kari's face...
"Gyahhh!" Regan quickly pulled back and rose up, almost falling down from the bed at the same time. "What's wrong with you Kari?!?"
Kari only giggled a bit at the sight of Regan's flustered expression. "Not much...although I liked seeing that peaceful face you had when you were sleeping..." she said on a seemingly kind tone...which only made Regan feel more uncomfortable... "Why's that?" he replied with a bit of a moan.
Kari's smile started to fade as she looked away somewhat. "...Maybe...because it made me glad to see a peaceful smile on your face...because I haven't seen those often from you..."
"Oh..." Regan realized what Kari meant...
In all those times he had been in the Digital World...when had he really been content?
A few times maybe, like when he finally found his sister in the Digital World, but most times...he was fairly neutral, and concerned...
Now that he thought about it...Regan didn't had a lot of happy moments...
Most of his time in the Digital World has been laced with pain...and even deaths...
Regan then felt someone grip his right hand gently. "You changed Regan." Kari said, sitting closer to him.
"That was obvious..." Regan darkly said.
"Not just in that way Regan..." Kari said a bit sadly. "What I mean is that you've been through some many changes ever since you got in the Digital World...and it's perfectly fine..."
"Heh, is it?" Regan sarcastically asked.
Kari's eyes looked a bit down. "I know...No one else might have been through such radical changes like you had...not even me..." she added. She then released Regan's hand, holding her own hands together tightly instead, now looking uneasy.
"I often considered myself...to be the one...who had gotten through perhaps the most radical changes...the one who had gone through the most because of her crest...
...To be honest...It..." Kari went on, but hesitated.
"It made you feel different, isolated from everyone else..." Regan continued darkly.
"Y-Yes..." Kari replied. She took a long breath. "Because of that...I think you can understand some of my problems...
But when I met you, I didn't thought at first you would be so complex..."
Regan scorned. "Who would? It's literally like I've been 'made' so that everyone thinks I'm just an ordinary human while I'm not. And the way it was made can fool up anyone about it at first sight. No one would be suspecting that the 'Child of Life' is actually a boy with a fraction of a dragon's soul."
"I know...And only those who would actually be spending a lot of time with you would realize that..." Kari continued. "But...when we discovered the truth about that...when we all faced Korialstrasz, at the Core..."
Regan looked ready to interrupt again, clearly unpleased about that.
"I know what you'd want to say. There's no need for that...
But with all that happened that day...I couldn't help it...
Because I knew and understood everything you were going through...To feel so different.
Even if in your case, it's a lot more complex and deeper than for me, I still understood all of it, and to be honest, I'm not saying I still understand the whole depth of it. I don't think any human person would be able to. Not even me.
But...at least...I know a good part of what you've been through...and what you're still going through..."
She looked a bit down, more at her tightened hands...
"That...That's why I've always wanted to help you Regan...I just can't help it...but it feels a really good thing to do." She added.
"Because I'm a Digidestined? And a really important one?" Regan asked, a bit darkly.
"No. Because you're a friend. A good one." Kari answered surprisingly swiftly. In a sense, Kari even surprised herself about being so quick to answer that...
Regan's darker look started to fade a bit...turning to a more saddened look. "Kari..."
In a sense, he knew a bit more about how Kari was. The first time he had met her he had been thinking she was some sort of strong leader. But with time, he realized how actually fragile and vulnerable she could be. Yet she was trying so hard to be some sort of leader for all the Digidestined there, considering she was the only one with true experience about the Digital World.
That was also why he tried so hard to help her...no matter what...
After all...Kari...she does matters to Regan...and quite a lot...
"I'm sorry Kari. To have been nothing but a burden...I don't guess I've been quite impressive lately..." he said.
"...None of us has actually...all of us had our dark moments..." Kari started.
"Still...I can't say I make one heck of a good Digidestined sometimes..." Regan said, looking down. It was clearly his turn to be more depressed.
Kari only showed concern before thinking. "Regan..." she said on a more serious tone. "Do you really want to know how much I think of you as a Digidestined?"
Regan looked a bit up and uncertain, seeing that unusual serious tone and expression from Kari. Now he felt more like a kid being lectured by his parents.
Her expression softened and she smiled sweetly. "I'd say you couldn't have been doing any better Regan..."
Regan got a bit surprised. He didn't thought she would consider him that good. Mainly since most of the time, it's Lizomon who does the work, not him. And he felt really uncomfortable under that smile from Kari...
"And heck, it ain't just because of me doing the big work Regan!" Lizomon suddenly interrupted. The two children suddenly looked toward the room's door, seeing their digimon partners at the door frame, looking that they had been there since a good while now...
Now Regan felt a lot more uneasy and uncomfortable, partly because of the comments, but also knowing that Lizomon and Gatomon were listening on the conversation for the whole time...and Kari too seemed a bit uneasy about that fact.
"Hey, if you're a little worried about that little talk you two have been having..." Lizomon said as he jumped on the bed, while giving out a little nudge on Regan's arm as he winked slyly at him(which didn't helped the situation at all...) "You don't have to worry about anyone else learn anything about it."
"Don't worry. I won't let Tai learn of that one..." Gatomon added with a smile of her own. "Or pretty much anyone else for that matter...Okay, Krasus might be an exception though..." she finished with a bit of an annoyed frown.
"You know, it's not like we're some-" Regan started.
"Couple?" Lizomon finished with a smile.
Both children blushed.
"Meh. Dunno if we can say you two are a couple or not." Lizomon added as he paced somewhat on the bed. "But I think it's obvious what you two are right now : Some really good friends.
And it's only natural that good friends have to help out each other, so it's fine by us. Even if some others might look at this with a different eye..." Lizomon added on a sneakier tone.
Kari fidgeted a bit regarding what Lizomon just said. "Well Regan...I was thinking about something..."
"What exactly?" Regan said. He didn't felt that comfortable with what had just been said.
"Would you mind that we spend the rest of the day together, going on around in the city?" she asked, a bit more uneasily.
Regan paused, now looking even more uneasy.

"...This isn't a date...right?" he asked.
"N-No! Nothing like that, really!" Kari said, backing away slightly, blushing as well. "It's just...after all...today might be the last day we'll really have some peace before we'll go back to the Digital World..." she said.
"You know, you could also say the True Digital World..." Lizomon added.
"...We don't need to say that." Gatomon added.
"Still, we never made mention of that to the others, right?" Lizomon replied.
The others remained silent about that fact.
Although right now, what weighted more in Regan's mind was whether or not he should accept Kari's 'offer'.

"...Alright...I'll go on with you Kari..." he added.
"Oh, you're going to do that?" Lizomon asked.
"And you're not invited." Regan glared at Lizomon.
"No can do Regan. We will be coming around, whether you like it or not. You can bet we want to keep a good eye on your guys." Lizomon said. "But no worries. We'll be keeping up our distances..." he added with a smile.
"And you're not against that Kari?" Regan asked to Kari.
"Well...I guess we should be okay with that. Besides, I don't think they'd want some 'similar' events to...happen again..." she added, a bit more uneasily.
"Fine..." Regan said. "Just let me go change up and I'll be coming soon." He said as he got out of the bed and took his clothes before going for the bathroom.
As he closed the door, Kari still looked at the bathroom's door, slightly relieved.
"Thanks Regan..." she muttered.

---

"Uhhh..."

She had finally started to wake up...only to find her previous nightmare having ended for another one...
Kylee found herself in that same distorted landscape she had seen some times ago, only this time, greenish flames now flared every now and then.
And to add it up, she wasn't exactly well either...considering she was 'restrained' on some dark pole...
More or less that is. Mainly because her hands and feet were half-'inside' the pole, while trails of green flames were wrapped all around her...some even passing through her.
Along with some that were firmly attached to her stomach and head...

"Well...looks like someone is waking up here..." a darkly familiar voice spoke...before a shadow rose out of the ground and took on a humanoid shape before revealing the presence of Ragnarok, darkly smiling.

"R-Ragnarok..." Kylee muttered.
"Enjoying the place? I hope you don't mind the...'redecoration'..." Ragnarok said, smirking. "But I guess you aren't going anywhere, are you?" he added.
"Y-You damn..." Kylee started, but she felt far too weak to be able to do something. "I don't get it...You got my body now...so why didn't you..."

"Killed you? Erased your soul?" Ragnarok interrupted. "My good little Kylee, you are quite the short-sighted one, aren't you?" Ragnarok said as he started approaching the restrained Kylee. "Because I need you alive. I think that would be obvious...

While I can have no problems handling out that simplistic human body of yours, your soul is still of use to me..."

No doubt Ragnarok didn't destroyed her, but was keeping her in a weakened state, just to be sure to keep control of her body. If Kylee was fully recovered, then maybe she could try to fight. She couldn't accept Ragnarok being so successful right now. They had beaten him, and yet he still finds the way so that he could potentially kill all of them!!!
She tried pulling on her limbs, trying to move, but the only thing she did was to feel briefs wave of pain throughout herself.

Ragnarok chuckled. "Oh please, as if you had any chances for that...I told you, you're too weak-minded. And soon...I'll be able to get my proper revenge...along with a more fitting body..."

"W-Who?" Kylee asked desperately. "Krasus?"

Ragnarok sneered. "No. That old one is far too strong willed to be even possessed. He could be able to stop me completely if he would be around...
But no, I'm not interested in him.
Regan on the other hand..."

Of course! Ragnarok was once 'born' from Regan! And ultimately, it always appeared that Ragnarok wanted Regan, but what exactly would happen if Ragnarok would succeed?
Kylee shuddered at that thought...as her head fell down as much as possible as it was due to the bonds.
Ragnarok chuckled once more. "Don't worry my good little Kylee host. Soon, I will be whole once more...and you will have served your proper purpose for me..." he said as he touched Kylee's cheek with a finger, before sliding it further down to her chin and removed it from her face.

"Heh...I don't think you can win Ragnarok..." Kylee said darkly, slowly raising her head.
"Why's that little girl?" Ragnarok asked with another sneer.
"Right now, you control my body, right? That means you have to 'be' me.

I don't think that a psycho like you could imitate me." Kylee said with a dark smile.

Ragnarok only showed up a dark smile of his own. "Oh, I'd love to bet on that one!" he replied out sinisterly. "But that would be a lost cause." He added, raising his hands in the air and making a shrug as he turned away from Kylee. "But since you're probably so curious, and I should also have some manners as a guest to my host, I guess I can show you how I'll be going on...
Have fun enjoying the upcoming show...
After all, you got the best spectator seat for it..."

With that, Ragnarok became engulfed in shadows before vanishing away.

And suddenly, Kylee's vision suddenly changed. She could still see that she was in her 'distorted mind'...but she also saw...the real thing...

She could see herself walk the road, dressed in her school uniform, heading out for school, school bag on the back and Impmon walking alongside 'her'.
The vision blurred...before what Kylee now saw...was 'her sight'.
She saw exactly what 'Kylee' was seeing. She could feel everything 'she' would.
...and she had no control over any of those current actions...
She was a prisoner of her own body...

"Hey Kylee!" a voice greeted her ears. She turned her head to see Riza and Veemon approaching, the boy dressed in school uniform.
"Riza!!! It's not me! It's Ragnarok!" Kylee wanted to yell, but that didn't came out of her mouth at all.
"Oh, you think it could be that easy eh? Watch this." the voice of Ragnarok echoed out in her mind...and she felt her mouth opening to speak. "Hey there Riza." 'She' said, on a bit of a tired tone.
"What's wrong Kylee? You don't look that great." Riza said as he neared her with a concerned face.
'Kylee' sighed. "Sorry...had a nightmare last night..."
"Yeah, I get what you mean..." Riza said on a sympathising tone. "Heck, I wonder how I was able to sleep last night. I just kept thinking of all that just happened yesterday."
"Well, that too..." 'Kylee' added, saddened. "Today...they're leaving..."
"Yeah...I had almost forgotten they'd had to leave..." Riza said.
"Oh well, it was fun for a while when they were here..." Impmon replied, crossing his arms at the back of his head.
"You know Impmon, can't say if being close to dying when fighting that Ragnarok freak is actually some 'fun'." 'Kylee' said, annoyed.
"Oh...yeah...sorry..." Impmon said.
"Well at least, we'll be able to give them some proper goodbyes before they'll leave after school..." Riza said.
"Yeah...At least this time...it'll be a better end..." 'Kylee' said, smiling a bit as they neared the school's entrance...

Kylee was shocked. She couldn't believe what she felt and saw...
It was her...and it wasn't.
If Ragnarok was acting as her right now...he was doing it with a horrifying perfection!!!
"N-no..." Kylee muttered, her mouth shaking.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And she heard Ragnarok laugh triumphantly.

---

Whether this was a date or not, Regan couldn't be certain about it, but a part of him wished he said 'no', while another part of him was happy that he said 'yes'. Whatever was his real thoughts on the subject, he couldn't really go back on that considering that right now, he and Kari(dressed up in her other clothes) were now calmly walking side-by-side in the streets of Phoenix City. Also, both Lizomon and Gatomon were following, but from a farther, and hidden distance.
"So, what are we gonna do for the whole time? Just walk around the whole city?" Regan asked, a bit sarcastically annoyed.
"Oh not really. I think there's a few things we could do together, to have fun." Kari replied with a smile.
"Alright then..." Regan said with a false dramatic sigh. "Lead the way."

---

Kylee couldn't believe it...
Ragnarok was actually capable of imitating her with unexpected perfection!!!
She helplessly watched as she saw 'herself' talking happily with other friends during the break time.
She knew that 'she' was smiling, yet no doubt a darker expression waited beneath that false smile...
And no matter how hard she screamed, no one heard the plights of the trapped soul...
No one besides her captor that is...

---

A little bit boring. That what school appeared to him. But he also understood the insects' logic about school. To teach out younglings about knowledge to use when they would be older.
Bah, it didn't mattered to Ragnarok. All he had to do is keep playing the role for the moment...
After all, that time is barely much a breath in the life of an immortal being...
Ironically, constantly hearing the screams of Kylee also added up to Ragnarok's mood.

Oh yes...Things were definitively falling into place right now...
And soon...he would truly be unstoppable...
He would soon be whole...

---

While Regan and Kari had entered an arcade store, both Lizomon and Gatomon watched from a tree close to the store's main window.
Right now, both Regan and Kari were playing against each other in a game apparently. Some sort of 'hockey on table' game apparently.
"You know, I'm a bit glad." Lizomon said, perched on a branch as he watched.
"Glad that it'll soon be over?" Gatomon asked as she remained standing on the same branch, aside Lizomon.
"Not just that. I mean about Kari." He replied. Gatomon shot a bit of an annoyed expression at him. However, Lizomon didn't retaliated with some arrogant smile, but kept a serious glance, still gazing at the two playing children.
"What I mean is that I'm glad Regan got to meet Kari. He learned much from her, and I'd say he deserved to get her as a friend.
Regan suffered so much in the past. While it didn't seemed like it, he never was truly okay with his life, especially since he knows now that his life was actually made on purpose. He pretty much is...an artificially created human...although it's more of a controlled birth. Krasus worked very cleverly to make sure that Regan would be as inconspicuous as possible as a human.
And to add it up, he lost his dad when later in his life, and his mother told him Krasus was the one responsible of his father's death." Lizomon said.
"The truth is, that Krasus is indeed, partly responsible of his death..." Gatomon added.
"Yet most of it was his dad's responsibility. He's the one who sacrificed his life. He did it clear of mind." Lizomon replied. "And then there was that strange sickness at Regan's school, with him being the only one who didn't got sick.
Those events really made Regan feel a lot different from anyone else."
"Kari was also a bit of a lonely person too...considering she was often sick when she was young. She couldn't get along with lots of people because of that." Gatomon said.
"Ironic to say that it's the exact opposite of Regan. He's brimming with health. Pretty much an advantageous side-effect of having a dragon soul's fragment instead of a human soul. His body is even more empowered than it would. And a full dragon soul would have only made him inhuman..." Lizomon said, finishing darkly.
Gatomon only nodded before looking back at the store, seeing Kari scoring a point against Regan. "At least Kari got better with the later years..." she said with a smile.
"And I'd say its thanks to you Gatomon." Lizomon said. "Your influence in her life considerably changed her. It's just like she said it to Regan. What she didn't say though is that Digimon can change your life more than you can think..."
"Ironic that with Regan, it looks more of an extreme change..." Gatomon said.
"True..." Lizomon replied, looking as Kari made yet another point. But Regan was able to soon score a point of his own.
"At least despite all those problems we had, we were able to make sure our partners changed in a good way..." Gatomon said, smiling.
"Yeah..." Lizomon replied with a smile. Then he frowned. "Still, one thing is still bugging me right now..."
"What is it?" Gatomon asked.
"Ragnarok." Lizomon answered. "Last time we faced him, he wasn't alone. He had his 'Chaos' with him. Or rather, ChaosRyumon. This time though...we haven't seen ChaosRyumon, although Ragnarok did made a Bio-Modification based on ChaosRyumon."
"Maybe because he wasn't able to bring him back...or he preferred to use Parallelmon instead." Gatomon said.
"Maybe..." Lizomon mused darkly. He remained dark.
"What now?" Gatomon asked.
"Something ain't right..." Lizomon muttered.
"What is it?" Gatomon asked, straightening, thinking of some unknown incoming attack.
"Regan..." Lizomon muttered again, eyes narrowed.
"What? What's wrong with him?" Gatomon asked. She didn't saw anything wrong with him."
"He's not even really playing...He's letting Kari win on purpose..." Lizomon said.
Gatomon paused, mouth half-open. "That was the problem? Regan's letting Kari win?!? You call that a problem?!?" she asked, anger rising.
"Well it's more because Kari was the one to bring him outside to have some peaceful time. She wanted to make Regan happy, not that he tries to make her happy. Geez Regan, stop being an idiot sometimes..." Lizomon said.
"You think Kari would notice what Regan's doing?" Gatomon asked, peering with a narrowed gaze.
Lizomon kept a slight gaze at the window, and saw Kari who seemed to frown, before she looked disappointingly at Regan, and started to say some things. Regan started to look hesitant.
"Yep, she noticed." Lizomon said with a smile. "Way to go Regan. Congrats on being an idiot right now." He added, still smiling slyly.
It now looked that Kari was pouting while Regan was looking apologetic, trying to make amends to Kari. She looked at him again, obviously bringing out some matter before Regan's head went down and he nodded. With that, both went on opposite sides of the table for the game, and restarted their game.
"Now she wanted him to start all over again...and she surely wants Regan to be more serious this time..." Gatomon said with an amused smile.
"Heh, despite all he knows, despite all those powers he has...
Regan rather lack some skills when it may come to girls..." Lizomon added with a smirk.
Now this time Gatomon shot a real annoyed glare at him. "This has nothing to do with that Lizomon..."
Lizomon only chuckled.

---

School day was slowly coming to an end. The bell had just ringed, signalling the end of school.
And now Ragnarok was smiling within Kylee. The moment was soon at hand...
"Stop this! Please!!! Stop it!!!" the voice of Kylee came into his mind. She had kept pleading over and over again for him to stop. There wasn't anything else should could do besides that and screaming. She definitively was at the edge.

"Stop now good little host? Oh, why should I?" Ragnarok mentally replied, just while he was also happily talking to Riza and some other 'school friends' at the same time, smiling happily at them just as he was smiling evilly within...

No doubt that soon the others two would be around...Time for action was very soon indeed...
"Bye guys, see ya tomorrow!" 'Kylee' said, waving at her friends before leaving the school, Impmon in tow.
"See ya!" a few other friends yelled back.
"Hey Kylee, wait up!" Riza said, followed by his partner.
"No worries Riza, I'm waiting." 'Kylee' said as 'she' slowed her pace slightly.
"So, are we gonna go to their hideout?" Riza asked.
"No...I don't think we'd be doing the goodbyes there..." 'Kylee' said, thoughtful.
"Huh? Where then?" Veemon asked.
"Lizomon showed us a place yesterday. A park. It was there that they arrived in our world the first time. I think it would be better there..." 'Kylee' said.
"...Yeah, you're right Kylee. Let's go then..." Riza said.
"Yeah..." 'Kylee' muttered.

But within, Ragnarok smiled even more.

Impossible! How could Ragnarok knew?!? How did he even knew about the park, or his discussion with Lizomon yesterday?!?
"Mmm...you seemed troubled little Kylee..." Ragnarok said as he reappeared to Kylee. "Let me guess, you're wondering why I seem to be so perfect in imitating you, right?" he asked sinisterly.
Kylee said nothing, besides watching helplessly.
"In fact, it's all thanks to you." Ragnarok said.
"What?!? Me?!?" Kylee said. "How?!?"
"Your memories, your feelings. All of this, I can read them, I can see them, I can feel them as much as I want.
That was the reason why I kept you little Kylee...so that you would serve as my 'guide' to imitate you...And you've helped me a lot up to now..." Ragnarok said, smiling.
Kylee's mouth opened wide in shock.
"Keep it up little Kylee. We're soon over...Very soon...Mwueheheheh..." Ragnarok said as he started to chuckle...then exploded in laughers as he vanished in darkness again.
Kylee helplessly watched with despair where Ragnarok was a few moments ago.
Ragnarok was going to succeed...He was going to win despite all their efforts they had put up against him...
...and it was all her fault...
Tears fell from her eyes as her head fell down.
"It can't end like this...please...
Anyone...anyone, hear me...help me...
...please..."

---

"Darn it, I still can't get over it." Regan said darkly, holding his chin tightly with a hand, his expression deeply serious.
"Regan..." Kari said, a little bit worried. "Don't you think you're taking that a little too seriously?"
"You know Regan, she's right." Lizomon added with his usual tone.
"Choosing some sort of gift for them isn't that much of a hard thing." Gatomon added.

They were in a small trinket shop...choosing a few things to offer out as little parting gifts to Riza and Kylee.
While Kari had chosen a simple ring with a fake purple gem for Kylee, Regan hadn't managed to choose anything...and his frustration was becoming obvious...

"Judging from his looks, I'd say we'll have to wait quite a while before he'll have chosen something." Lizomon said calmly.
"Problem is, Kylee and Riza are probably over with school now. Shouldn't we go meet them?" Gatomon said.
"Well, as soon as Regan is done with choosing his gift, we'll be going." Kari answered.
"Nah, you two can go on without me and Lizomon. We'll catch up later." Regan said.
"You're sure it's a good idea?" Gatomon said.
Oddly enough, Kari seemed uncertain.
"Is there something wrong Kari?"
"Uhhmm, well..." Kari started, looking hesitant.
Lizomon simply arched an 'eyebrow' as he brought up a little smile, seeing how Kari was acting.
"Regan...there was something I wanted to ask you..." Kari said.
Regan brought up a concerned look to Kari. "What is it?" he asked.
"...I'd like that...we make...a promise..." Kari said, flustering slightly.
"A promise?" Regan repeated, a bit curious about what would have made Kari so hesitant about it, and also, why did she asked for that right now?
"Most often, when we've been travelling together in the Digital World, we've been watching each others' backs. Of course, we do this because we're worried about each other...
But...there was something else I'd want..." Kari started.
"What is it?" Regan asked
"Regan...Would you promise me...That, no matter what, we will return home...together?" Kari asked.
Lizomon simply closed his eyes at hearing those words, remaining neutral. But he understood Kari's reasoning.
And so did Regan. He understood perfectly what Kari meant...
Indeed, both Regan and Kari were watching each others' backs when they had to, and helping out the other Digidestined in the Digital World as well.
But what Kari actually referred to...was Regan's own selfless actions when he often brought his own life at risk to the extreme when protecting others...like when he blocked the path for all the other Digidestined so that he would go face ErebosRyumon alone, the first time they met Ragnarok in his new human form...

That's what she actually referred to...Regan's various times when he critically risked his life to save others...

Slowly pondering, Regan thought deeply about this.

"Will you promise me...Regan?" Kari asked, offering her right hand to Regan.
Regan remained silent for a while...before he opened his eyes. And he took Kari's hand tightly with his own.
"Yeah, it's a promise." He answered; smiling as he raised their hands to their faces...as a pink and red glow slowly surged from within their hands...from their respective crests...

Kari smiled gently as well. "Thank you Regan..." she said.
"Hey, we're friends after all..." Regan said. Kari only smiled again at that.

"I'll go on ahead then. I'll wait for you at the park." Kari said.
"Yeah...I don't think there's a more perfect place than there. See ya soon Kari..." Regan said kindly...before he frowned. "...As soon as I manage to choose something..." he added, rubbing his hairs frantically. Lizomon only chuckled while Kari giggled as she left.

When she left the shop, she smiled again, hopeful...
There was hope...more than ever now...

---

"Here we are." 'Kylee' said as they arrived at the park.
"Geez, never thought they had actually arrived here the first time." Riza said.
"Well Lizomon also said they arrived here the second time too. Impmon added.
"I wonder if there isn't anything special related to the Digital World here...Maybe that's why they always landed here when they came in our world..." Veemon pondered.

"Maybe..." 'Kylee' muttered, as she gazed away, a slight empty gaze in 'her' eyes...
"Kylee? Is there something-" Impmon started as he neared Kylee.
"Look out!" 'Kylee' suddenly shouted.

Forms of darkness suddenly bursted out of the ground in various spots around them, taking on the shape of some lizard-like monsters as they roared and hissed.

"The hell? What's that?!?" Impmon said as one of the creatures suddenly lunged at him, but he quickly leapt away.

"These can't be those black things from Ragnarok, right?!? He's dead!" Veemon said.
"Let's just check later Veemon!" Riza said, taking out his digivice and a card. "Digi-modify! Armor Digivolution, Activate!"

"Veemon, Armor Digivolve to...FlameDramon, the Fire of Courage!!!"

"Impmon?" 'Kylee' asked as she took out her own digivice.
"Ready!" Impmon said.

However, one of the monsters suddenly went for Impmon, completely twisting itself into a formless mass of darkness that shot out tendrils, grabbing Impmon by suprise.
"Impmon!!!" 'Kylee' yelled.

The tendrils raised Impmon high in the air, before they flung him away, sending him colliding on a tree with a very loud cracking sound...and Impmon slumped on the ground.
"Impmon!" 'Kylee' started going for her partner, just as other creatures went for her.
"Get them FlameDramon! Riza said.
"Fire Rockets!" FlameDramon yelled before throwing several fireballs at the monsters, scoring perfect hits with each of his projectiles.

"There's too many of them! We're gonna get overwhelmed!" FlameDramon.
"These should do the trick. Digi-Modify! Power Modify and High Speed Plug-In B!"
FlameDramon quickly felt the sudden increase of power and speed in his body before quickly taking to action. With blazing speed, he started launching fire balls while moving like a rocket everywhere, taking out the remaining monsters in only a few moments.

"That wasn't so hard." FlameDramon said as he de-digivolved.
"Kylee, is Impmon okay?" Riza asked as he came up to Kylee, who was checking on her partner. Veemon soon came in too.
"Yeah...he looks fine...but out..." 'Kylee' said.
"Geez, way to end up that day. I wonder what those things were..." Veemon said as he came up closer.

"No!!!"

'Kylee' suddenly reached forward...and grabbed Veemon by the neck before she threw him with enormous force, sending him crashing into a metal pole.

"K-K-Kylee?!?" Riza said, stepping backward in fear.

'Kylee' raised up and looked at Riza sinisterly...before 'her' eyes flared red for a moment...

"A bit too naïve to trust up a girl you care for, eh little Riza?" 'Kylee' said...but not just with Kylee's voice...There was another voice in the mix...

"...Ragnarok?!?" Riza said.

'Kylee' only grinned before 'she' seemed to lunge at Riza, but instead flames came bursting from her right arm, taking on the shape of a giant clawed hand which rushed at Riza.
The poor boy barely evaded the enormous flaming hand before it slightly retracted, then made a large backhand swing at Riza...this time catching him up with full force in the face.
Riza went flying backward...before collapsing in the grass...and ceased moving.

"N-no...It can't be...Riza..."

"Aww, patience little Kylee..." 'Kylee' said outloud, using her 'normal' voice again. "It'll be soon over..."

Ragnarok sensed two more coming...
Perfect...

Both Kari and Gatomon neared the park, Kari a little bit thoughtful about their upcoming departure...until they suddenly heard a scream...along with some monstrous roar.
Surprising, they both darted forward...to see something close to the lines of a nightmare...

Impmon, Veemon and Riza were all knocked out cold on the ground...and there was a large monstrous reptilian beast of darkness standing on its hind legs which was slowly going for Kylee, who was kneeled close to Riza.

"Gatomon!" Kari said as she took out her digivice.
Gatomon nodded as she started to glow...

"Gatomon, digivolve to...Angewomon!!!"

The angel digimon quickly aimed up her left arm at the beast.
And just as Angewomon readied her arrow, the monster turned its head toward the angel, noticing its presence.

"Celestial Arrow!"

The light arrow went soaring in air before it stopped dead into the monster's chest who went gurgling and flailing before it exploded in black smoke.

Angewomon de-digivolved as Gatomon and Kari quickly hurried to Kylee and the unconscious Riza's side.

"Kylee! What happened?!?" Kari asked.
"Some...strange monsters...They looked like Ragnarok's old monsters..." 'Kylee' said.
"It's all right now Kylee...they're all gone now..." Kari said.
"Where's Regan?" 'Kylee' asked, a bit worried.
"He should be coming soon." Kari replied.
"Good." 'Kylee' added before suddenly rising and punching Gatomon with unsuspected force.
And Kari barely looked at 'Kylee' to see her darkly smirk...which was followed by an unexpectedly strong backhand hit to the head, causing her to fall on the ground, her head spinning before she blacked out, in complete confusion.

"N-no...it can't end like this...Stop it!!! Now!!!" pleaded Kylee once more.
"Don't be too worried Kylee, you did perfectly, but now your usefulness has come to an end." Ragnarok replied.

And suddenly, Kylee's body jerked before she fell on her knees, coughing...before greenish flames and black smoke poured out of her mouth.
Kylee shook for a good while, her mind completely spinning...she brought a hand to her face...
Wait...her hand to her face?
Stunned, Kylee actually looked again at her own hand, and flexed her fingers, which perfectly responded to her mind...
...which meant Ragnarok wasn't in her anymore...
But now, realizing what were his last words...Kylee dreaded to know what other host Ragnarok might have decided to take...
Footsteps neared her before she noticed the shadow of someone coming to her...and suddenly found herself gripped by the neck, and lifted in the air before seeing the face of the one who had just held her...

Kari Kamiya.

Or rather...Ragnarok within Kari Kamiya...

Considering the fact that she was now smiling darkly at her, flares of flames visible in her eyes.
"Like I said Kylee, I didn't used you for that long. Besides, I don't think you'd be really convincing to Regan...and it'll be so much better for Regan to be attacked by the one he cares most for...don't you agree?" Kari, or rather, Ragnarok said.

'She' then threw Kylee straight into the trunk of a tree before she fell down, her head still spinning, her mind and body in clear state of confusion. It was clear Ragnarok wasn't so nice with her body.
Kylee tried to focus, but her vision started to blur...before she fell down, all the while, seeing the smirk on the face of Kari...Ragnarok's smirk...

Things were now perfectly falling into place. All of Regan's friends had been dealt with for now, leaving only Regan and his partner for now, which were coming soon, according to Kari's memories. And taking control of her body in her unconscious state was an easy task too.

He would enjoy her screams if she would wake up while he'll deal up with Regan while using her body...

But now one last detail remained...

"Something's weird in the air...smells like smoke..." Lizomon said.
"Smoke? At the park?" Regan asked, a bit concerned.
"No...not just that...smells a lot like those dark monsters Ragnarok had made before!" Lizomon replied.

Both quickly hurried to the center of the park...to find an unexpected scene...

They saw Kylee, Riza, Impmon, Veemon, and even Gatomon all unconscious, and some of them wounded...and in the middle of the place, was Kari, on her knees, a hollow gaze in her eyes.

"Kari!!!" Regan yelled. She jerked and looked at him, surprised. And when he came up close to her, she almost broke into tears, throwing herself in Regan's arms, much to his surprise.

"K-Kari...what happened?!?" Regan asked, completely caught off-guard.

"R-Regan..." Kari said with a sob. "It was...It was Ragnarok...He came back..."
"Ragnarok?!?" both Lizomon and Regan said.
"Where is he now?!? What just happened?!? How did he survived?!?" Regan asked repeatedly while trying to confort her.
"A-A host...he had a human host..." Kari answered, still looking shocked.
"Darn it..." Lizomon cursed. "Who did he used as a host?"
"...It was Kylee..." Kari said.

Regan's heart skipped a beat. "Kylee?" he started, shocked, then his expression darkened. "That damn Ragnarok...if he's still around, I'm going to break him apart!" he added in anger.
"Question is, 'is he still around?'" Lizomon said.
"I-I think he is..." Kari said, still sobbing.
"Everything's okay now Kari..." Regan said calmly.
"No doubt though, he's probably close by..." Lizomon said.

"Closer than you think."

Sharp pain coursed through Regan as he suddenly backed away from Kari, just as she withdrew away her hand...which was now covered by flaming claws...

With pure instinct, Lizomon quickly started to dart forward, however Kari suddenly whipped her hand around her, bringing out a blazing line of flames that suddenly spread out and struck Lizomon, sending him flying away...

But the dragon digimon didn't gave it up that quickly. Beating up on his wings, he realigned himself in the air before starting to dive down once more...
...but enormous walls of flames suddenly raised up, forming an enormous dome of fire around a large portion of the park...and blocking straight into Lizomon's path.

The digimon stopped inches from the wall before he punched the wall, but with no results.
"Damn it!!!" he cursed.
"Just where the hell are you Krasus?!? We need you now!" Lizomon yelled.

Inside the dome, Regan had half-fallen on a knee, looking in shock at Kari.

The flames on her hand faded before she rested it on her hip. "Are you that surprised Regan? Or just so predictable?" she said.

"...Ragnarok?!? But, how?!?" Regan said, still in shock.

"I first have to thanks Kylee for having been a useful host when my former body was shattered by 'yourself'." Kari said...but with a different voice...Both her normal voice...and Ragnarok's... "And I also have to thank her for having been so useful to take on another host in the meantime..."

"You damn beast! Get out of Kari's body now!" Regan angrily yelled.
"Oh I will Regan...although it'll be more on the lines of taking on a new, more proper body...or more specifically, your body!" Ragnarok replied.

"Y-You..." Regan started, but remained silent as he grunted from pain. He looked farther down at his stomach, where Ragnarok had left three bloody marks from his flaming claws...

"I'm not gonna let you take my body...Besides, you know you can't control me." Regan said darkly.

"Oh, I didn't forget that detail my good Regan...But you see, I've just hit you with a special little poison of mine. It'll slowly weaken you up, and can potentially kill you as well...although there is a cure for it...which is me...

Oh, and I made it just for you, ain't it nice from me?" Ragnarok said with a dark smile...or rather, a dark smile on Kari's face.

"And you think I'll accept your cure? Don't count on it. I'll find a way to cure myself without you.
Besides, Krasus will probably show up soon." Regan replied, slowly getting back up as best as he could.

"Oh, about him...I laid out a little trap far away on this little world, just for him...
Well, I couldn't have him get in my way, riiiight?" Ragnarok said, making a shrug with 'her' shoulders.

Regan almost paled. Ragnarok had carefully planned out his moves to try to get him...And now...he was alone...against Ragnarok...who was using Kari both as a host, and a shield.

"Alone young Regan? I rather doubt it?"
"Huh? Are you..."
"Your true shadow, of course. You seem so forgetful about me Regan."
"Ragnarastrasz...but...how can you...be?"
"Well...you could say I am rather obstinate...rather like 'someone' else you should know well...
Jokes aside, remember that you are me, and despite your human state, you have hold of things ordinary humans would not."
"Such as?"
"Draconic knowledge. My knowledge."
"I've never used your knowledge before!"
"On the contrary Regan. Your crest powers are all derived from my essence. Whenever you shielded yourself and others, healed others or even summoned my presence to aid you, it is all drawn from the ancient knowledge that exists within myself...which is also yourself...
So, despite what you think, you are not alone, and there is much you can do...Let myself guide and aid you, understood?"

"Just give it up, and it'll just make things easy Regan." Ragnarok said before 'she' suddenly raised 'her' hand, summoning a massive greenish fireball which was then hurled at Regan.

The fireball exploded straight on Regan, just as he had started a defensive gesture...

The flames kept consuming whatever shield Regan had obviously summoned...
Ragnarok grinned. Of course Regan would be trying to protect himself with his usual shield trick...but that wouldn't last really long...

Suddenly, a massive crimson shockwave erupted from the flames, completely snuffing them away...before the shockwave exploded on Ragnarok, sending 'her' flying back before crashing on the grass.

"Ragnarok...there were some things you forgot in your calculations..." Regan started, slowly standing fully upright, eyes closed.
"The fact that...I am never alone!!!" he yelled, opening his eyes brightly.
And one thing Ragnarok actually noticed when 'she' raised was that the wound he had previously inflicted on Regan...was gone!!!

"H-How?!? Impossible!!!" Ragnarok yelled.

"Not as impossible as you'd think...when you add up a certain factor..." Regan said...before he gave out a strong glare at Ragnarok.

Ragnarok kept a dark gaze at Regan...before he sneered. "Whatever. You still won't last long anyway."

With that, Ragnarok leapt at Regan with surprising speed, and he barely had any time to raise up his hand, forming up yet another shield, blocking out a kick sent by Ragnarok, which banged hard on the shield before Ragnarok leapt back.

"Man...Never thought he would go that fast..." Regan thought. "Or maybe it was Kari that never really showed up all she could do, thanks to her Bio-Modify...or it's just Ragnarok's amplifying everything he has on Kari right now...Probably that."

"Regan? What are you doing?" a voice suddenly intruded in Regan's mind. For a moment, he stood in shock before recognizing the voice : Lizomon.
Regan had nearly forgot that Lizomon could still talk to him thanks to a link that was created between the two of them ever since their very first Bio-Merge...A link that could allow both to not only talk to the other, but see and hear what the other felt. No doubt Lizomon was now checking up on Regan, since he was locked outside the fire dome made by Ragnarok.
"I'm a little busy at the moment if you didn't noticed..." Regan mentally replied with a 'sour tone'. "Could you try to find Krasus? Ragnarok said he had made a trap for him!"
"On my way!" Lizomon mentally replied. "And go kick out Ragnarok's ass for all of us, will ya? I know you can do it!"

"Riiiight..." Regan thought. He did not felt as much confident as Lizomon might be. After all, he wasn't the one fighting Ragnarok who currently was using Kari as a host body. While he didn't hesitate to use wild and dangerous powers, Regan was partly unsure about the powers that were at his disposal...

Ragnarok crouched low, a dark smirk visible on 'her' face before she charged right at Regan, but suddenly jumped before slamming the ground with heavy force, creating out a large fire wave on the ground, straight at Regan, who had to leapt sideways to evade it. Regan then raised his hand before he slammed it down on the ground too, creating a red shockwave of his own aimed at Ragnarok, who simply leapt high in the air to evade it.

"What's the matter Regan? Despite those new powers, looks like you aren't even trying to fight. What's wrong eh?" Ragnarok said sarcastically as he landed.

Regan only gave him a glare.

"Oh...you want to save Kari eh? How adorable..." Ragnarok sneered. "But if you do want to save her, if you want me to leave her, you can still accept to become my new host. And I promise you I'd leave her alone."

"As if..." Regan snorted. "If I give myself to you, you might spare her at first, but you'll kill her and everyone else soon after.
Along with this entire world...and you'd go world after world...
There's no way I would let you do that."

"Well, I guess I'll have to go rougher..." Ragnarok said.

With that, 'his' back arched forward...before large fiery wings erupted from Kari's back. Flames started to spiral around Kari's right arm as well.

Ragnarok held his right hand at Regan. An immense blast of light and flames erupted from Kari's hand, going straight for Regan. Regan quickly brought up a shield, but he felt an immense pressure when the blast struck his defences. That attack was a lot more powerful than anything else Ragnarok had used before...

"It's just so impressive...
Really impressive. To say Kari hold such enormous power...and she's just so shy in using it. She barely ever wants to use it, yet she doesn't seem to realize her enormous potential...
Well, I'll be doing her a favour...by combining up her powers with mine..." Ragnarok said, smirking darkly at the end.
With that, Ragnarok readied up another attack...

---

She woke up, burning pain flowing into her body...And it took massive effort to open her eyes, not trying to fall again into unconsciousness...
Only to realize she was in some sort of twisted nightmare...
Kari didn't exactly understood what had happened. The last thing she remembered was that strange dark smirk on Kylee's face...A smirk reminiscent of Ragnarok...

But she now was restrained in some sort of twisted place, by flaming tendrils that seemed to have penetrated her own form, completely pinning her to some sort of pole behind her.

But just as she had started to get some sort of bearing, she also started to see something else...

Herself...attacking Regan...But it wasn't her...
Then it dawned on her...

It was Ragnarok. As impossible as it seemed, he was still alive...and maybe...he had somehow been in Kylee...

...before he went in her...

"N-no...Regan..." Kari muttered.

She then saw 'herself' launch out some sort of withering blast at Regan, which clearly send him down on the ground. He did tried to fight...but he was hesitating...

"No...I can't...I can't let that happen..." she muttered again, in despair.

"Regan!!!!!" she yelled with all her strength, as she saw Ragnarok ready to attack once more...

---

The lastest blow send by Ragnarok had pummelled Regan on the ground with heavy force. He probably felt a bit lucky to not have any broken bones...yet...

Ragnarok stood on the ground, flames and light mixed in his hands as he prepared another attack. One strong enough to finish up Regan once and for all...

Regan gritted his teeth, as he tried to ready himself as best as possible...

Ragnarok started to raise his hands...then he froze, before he started to jerk slightly, his expression contorting into uneasiness, then pain...and then, despair?

"R-Regan!" The voice just said, coming out of Kari's mouth...but it didn't sounded like Ragnarok at all...It clearly sounded as...Kari's?!?

"K-Kari?!? Is that really you?!?" Regan said, confused and shocked.

The wings in Kari's back started to faze before slowly dissipating. Her body was shaking badly.
Somehow...she was able to fight off Ragnarok's presence in her! But...for how long?

"Re-Regan...you...you have to stop him!!! Ra-Ragnarok...H-He's in me!!!" she said, each word clearly requiring a large amount of strength to pull out.

"I know that...but...what can I do?!?" Regan said, still confused. He was shocked by that sudden turn of events...and yet...he just didn't knew what to do...

"You-you can st-stop him Reg-Regan....You ha-have the po...the power to...do it! Y...Your crest...can do it!" Kari said, still sounding despaired. The flames on her body had all but faded, but there was clear fear present in her face, as she kept struggling against Ragnarok's presence.

"P-please! Seal him! D-Do what-whatever it ta-takes...to des-destroy him!!!" Kari shouted.

"...But...But Kari! I can't do that...If I would...then you...you could be..." Regan started, but stopped, hesitant.

"Y-You have to, pl-please!!!" she pleaded.

"And what about our promise?!?" Regan replied in anger. "You made me promise that we'd go back together, and you want to break that now?!?"

"I...I'm....I'm sorry..." Kari managed to say.

Tears started to flow down from her eyes. "Please..." she pleaded again.

Regan's head went down, his right hand tightened heavily.

Kari gasped, before she started to jerk. Something was wrong with her...
However, just as Ragnarok seemed to regain control, someone came from behind Kari.

Riza. He brought up his arms around Kari, holding her as tightly and as best as he could.

"Let me go you wrench!" Ragnarok spoke, struggling. Despite that he had seemingly regained control...his powers and capabilities were still held back by Kari...

"Come on Regan! Do it!" Riza said. "I won't be able to hold out for long!!!" he said.

Regan remained silent, uncertain.

"Many times before Regan...it was you who committed much for her...This time...now it is her..." the voice of Ragnarastrasz echoed in his mind.

"Kari..." Regan muttered, trying to hold off tears...

Then with a yell, he brought up his right hand, which flared up with crimson light...before he opened it wide, aimed at Kari.

An enormous blast of crimson light and electricity emerged from his arm, taking on the shape of a roaring dragon's head...

And just as it neared, Riza released his hold on Kari, pushing her forward as he threw himself on the ground.

And as he did, Kari stood up, arms held out...once again holding control against Ragnarok...

"Thank you...Regan..." she muttered the dragon head neared her...

The head's maw went down right on Kari, before all the red energy covered all of Kari's body, as raw discharges of power came out from her in all directions.

A terrifying scream came out of her. Something that wasn't human at all...

Then...the light ceased...and she fell on the ground, unmoving...Just as the fiery dome that was surrounding them ceased to be...

Riza panted as he saw the display of power cease.
"You okay?" Regan asked. He was standing beside him, one hand held to him.
"...yeah..." Riza muttered before starting for Regan's hand...but hesitated when he saw it was Regan's right hand...

With a bit of a sigh, Regan held out his left hand instead. Riza gladly took it as he rose up.

"...So...what did you do?" Riza asked hesitantly.
"...What I had to do..." Regan darkly said. He then winced, not looking well. "But it took out a lot from me..." he said, a bit weaker.

"Y-y-you fo-foolish...foolish insssssects..." a voice rasped. The two boys looked toward Kari, to see her rising up...with flames in her eyes.
"D-Do you...Do you think I will give up like that?!?" Ragnarok said.

Riza stepped back in fear. It looked like Regan hadn't completely wiped out Ragnarok...
"I-I-I wi-will not...give i-it up yet!!!" Ragnarok said.

Regan looked darkly, before he smirked darkly. "Oh, is that so?"

His reaction stunned both Ragnarok and Riza.
"Obviously, you still want me more than ever now..." Regan started, smiling almost evily.
"But think about it, with all the powers I've displayed thanks to Ragnarastrasz's knowledge, it's obvious I have the power to create...but also the power to destroy..."

Regan then brought his right hand on his heart. "What if I used that power on me eh?"
Riza gasped, as Ragnarok looked even more shocked.
"You wouldn't dare!" he shouted.

"You think so?" Regan replied, now really smiling evily.

For a moment, Ragnarok had just remained there, shocked and angry...before Kari's body jerked once...and a massive amount of greenish flames suddenly erupted from Kari's mouth and eyes, going straight for Regan as it took some hideous shape, unleashing out an unearthly roar.

Regan smirked...and brought his right hand forward, just as the 'thing' neared him...and a massive discharge of red electricity and energy was unleashed from Regan, completely piercing through the flame 'thing', and overlapping it.

The creature screamed and squirmed in the air...before it exploded...

"W-What was that?!?" Riza asked. "What did you do?!?"

"I...I bluffed." Regan said with a weak smile.
"You what?!?"
"I didn't really do what Kari wanted. I just did some huge damage on him, which probably put her unconscious too.
Despite all the powers I have, I doubt I would really be able to truly destroy Life willingly, except his own that is..." Regan explained.
"So...you actually beat Ragnarok with a bluff?!? How would you know he'd go for you?!?" Riza asked.
"Easy. He wants me more than anything else. I'm his key to ultimate power, in a sense. So if I killed myself, he'd lose it all." Regan said.

"Could you try to go find Krasus and Lizomon now?" Regan asked.
"Uhh, why?" Riza asked, a bit uncertain.
"Because I'm not feeling so well after having used so much of my strength..." Regan said weakly...before he collapsed on the ground, ceasing to move...

Riza remained uncertain for a moment, but he snapped out of it, looking all around, at all the unconscious people.
"Uh, right! I'll go try to find them! I don't think you'll go around Regan, but stay here!" he said before he ran away.

A few moments after he was gone...some smoke started to appear, gathering up...

"I-I-I...I w-wo-won't a-all-alllow i-it!" the completely distorted voice of Ragnarok said from the small flames and smoke that slowly started to reappear.
"I-I-I wi-will no-not let y-you w-w-win R-R-Re-Regan!!!"

With a roar, the weakened remains of Ragnarok hurled itself at the unconscious Regan...only to be blasted backward by a blast of light.

Squirming in pain from the light, it 'looked' toward the source of the attack...

Seeing, Riza, Lizomon...and Krasus.
While the first two looked fine, the elder mage looked a bit more wounded, with several burn marks on his cloak, and one at his face.

"A clever trap it was Ragnarok...but not enough..." Krasus said, his hand held toward Ragnarok.

Ragnarok simply roared, uttering incomprehensible things.

"This is for all those that were harmed by your actions..." Krasus muttered before his gaze narrowed.

A display of lights, flames and sparks pierced Ragnarok from all directions, the energy consuming him as his form started to grow smaller, seemingly devoured by Krasus's spell before his flaming form completely vanished...

It was over.
Ragnarok was gone.

"Regan!" Lizomon said, as he looked at his partner, worried.

"We can't waste anymore time. I will bring us all to my hideout to heal their wounds." Krasus said.

With that, he executed a teleportation spell, taking all the Tamers and Digidestined, along with their Digimon elsewhere, into his hideout, while at the same time, another spell slowly repaired the damaged caused by the battle in the park...

---

And in a deep place...
Deep somewhere...in the darkest corners of Phoenix City's corners...
Somewhere...

Red eyes opened, glowing...