I almost didn't get this chapter up today. But I promised I would and I did. Writing has been a bit slow (I went on a trip to Canada, where I lived when I was born until I was 2, and I guess dealing with dozens of identical old people who remember me in diapers drained my inspiration. Hopefully I'll be back on track soon.)

Anyway, now things get interesting.

Disclaimer: Like, I don't like own Digimon. I like don't wanna get like sued or anything! (Okay, I'm running out of disclaimer personalities. Got any suggestions? Anyone?)

Old Demons

Chapter 8: Two-faced Traitor

It started as a dream. Muffled screams coming from nearby – perhaps the other side of a wall. Then someone called out an attack. An explosion. More screams. Someone laughing. A door banged against a wall, then another. Someone called his name, shook him.

"Kouichi!"

Kouichi sat up, knocking Gotsumon off the bed. "Kouichi, you've got to get out of here!" Gotsumon cried. "We're under attack!"

"What?" Kouichi gasped, struggling to stand up.

"Is that your favorite word or something?" Kouichi glared at the little rock Digimon. "Now you look like your brother. Come on!" They ran out of the room, heading for the stairs. "I don't get it! He's never come here before- Hey! What're you doing? Ya gotta keep moving!"

Kouichi had stopped dead at the top of the stairs. He had a sudden flashback to a year earlier- a mad dash for the stairs, flying down the steps, ankle turning awkwardly, hitting the landing. And then-

"Deadly Gaze."

A section of ceiling collapsed a few feet away. Kouichi's grip on the railing tightened. Gotsumon tugged on his shirt, but he didn't notice. As the dust settled, Duskmon emerged; his eyes focused on Kouichi. Gotsumon let go of Kouichi's shirt and stumbled down a few steps.

"Hey, kid!" Gotsumon yelled. "Let's go! He'll tear you to shreds!"

Kouichi didn't move. "You go. I'm staying here."

"Humans," Gotsumon muttered. "Can you really stop him?" Kouichi nodded grimly. The little Digimon took off down the stairs. Kouichi and Duskmon watched him go, then turned to each other.

"You think you can beat me?" Duskmon asked.

"No. But I can get you to leave these people alone. You came here for me – we both know it. So take me and stop hurting them. They're innocent."

"Innocence means nothing." Duskmon paused. "But you are correct in saying I came here to get you." He nodded. Kouichi reluctantly stepped forward. Duskmon picked the boy up in a strong, surprisingly warm hold. The evil Digimon blasted a hole in the wall and walked through, silently carrying his former host into the marsh behind the Gatehouse.

>->

Kouichi woke alone. It took him a moment to get his bearings, but it came back to him in a rush. Duskmon had been carrying him through the marshes when he had fallen asleep. Now as he blinked at his surroundings, he couldn't help but gasp in surprise. He was lying under a pine tree, one in a line of pines and palms. The sun was setting to his right. On that side of the tree line was a pale gray desert that looked extremely hot. Exactly at the trees, the desert became an ice field, perfectly flat and white.

The sun disappeared, though it made little difference in terms of visibility. Kouichi did notice a drop in temperature. He wasn't about to venture onto the ice, and he didn't want to stay where he was, so he set off into the desert. The sand was still hot, warming his feet through his sneakers.

The dunes made for difficult travel: in an hour his legs were aching and he had traveled less than a half-mile. When he reached the top of the next hill, he collapsed. The trees were still clearly visible behind him. Kouichi was starting to regret coming this way. He dug his fingers into the warm sand. To his surprise, it was icy just a few inches from the surface. He couldn't imagine what the ice field would feel like. Either way, I lose, he thought. I hate this place.

Kouichi turned his attention to the nearby dunes. Halfway up the nearest dune, a dark stain caught his eye. He followed the smear down the slope to a sprawled form. A familiar dark ponytail fanned out over the body's back.

Kouichi tensed. "Kouji. Kouji!" He took off, tired legs causing him to stumble. In the end, he slid down to his brother. He reached out a hand, feeling like he was having a seizure. Oh, god. Don't let him be-

Before Kouichi could work up the courage to touch his brother, to check for life, Kouji let out a groan. He rolled over, blue eyes meeting Kouichi's. "You're alright!" Kouichi gasped. "I was so worried! Kouji…I don't know what I would've done if you had—"

"Get away from me." Kouji stood up, clutching a wound in his side. He glared at Kouichi, slowly backing away.

"What happened?" Kouichi's eyes were wide; his whole body shook. He stood uneasily, reaching a hand out towards his brother. Not moving, Kouji eyed him suspiciously. Kouichi tried again, realizing Kouji wasn't going to answer. "Who did this to you?"

"As if you don't know!"

"But I don't!" Kouichi protested. "I want to know what happened. I have to know. Who did this? They won't get away with it."

Kouji frowned and backed farther away. "I don't understand you. What, did you think I wouldn't recognize you?" Kouji winced, clutching his side, and fell to his knees. Kouichi started forward, but a glare from his brother stopped him. "After all I've done for you," Kouji said brokenly. "I thought you'd changed. Now you're hurting people again – your own family! But this is worse than when Duskmon was controlling you. You're in control of him now."

"No, Kouji! I'm not doing anything! He's—"

"I never thought it would come to this," Kouji whispered. Kouichi felt his eyes sting with tears. Kouji looked up, tears running down his own face. Gasping, Kouji's eyes went wide with terror. Slowly, shoulders slumped, he lowered his head hopelessly. "Go ahead," Kouji said. "Just kill me already."

A sword thrust forward, piercing Kouji's stomach. Gagging at the blood, Kouichi turned away. He tried to fight down nausea and dread. When he saw Duskmon's arm withdrawing the sword, a cold rage filled his mind, driving out – temporarily – all grief.

Fractal code surrounded the arm and, presumably, the rest of Duskmon. The bluish light consumed his vision. When it cleared, he saw only his own arm, red-gray-tinted at the fingertips with Kouji's blood, surprisingly vibrant for Dusk. His eyes trailed over to Kouji.

The younger twin was breathing shallowly. Kouichi knelt down, taking his hand. Kouji looked at him with cold, cloudy eyes. Wanting to say something, Kouichi opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Suddenly, Kouji's form dissolved in a burst of static. Someone laughed. Kouichi looked up. Duskmon stood over him.

"What did you do to Kouji?" the boy screamed.

"Nothing, yet. And if you meant the thing you just saw – that was just an illusion."

"What?" Kouichi's head was reeling, both from repeated shocks and emotional exhaustion.

"An illusion," Duskmon repeated. "And I must say, you have quite the imagination. I created this illusion with every intention to take full responsibility for killing your brother, but you took that pleasure from me. One has to wonder why."

Kouichi drew his knees up and rested his forehead on them. "Just leave me alone," he pleaded. "Or, better yet, kill me now."

"Giving up on your brother so soon?" Kouichi stared at the Digimon. "Who's to say I don't have your brother? You wouldn't want to leave him all alone, would you?"

"He's better off without me. I'll just hurt him."

Duskmon's eyes glinted in the semi-darkness. He raised his hand, charging an oil-black sphere. "Then I'll just have to protect him from you." The sphere grew, beginning to glow red at the edges. "Soul Assimilation."

"Shadow Meteor!" A second energy sphere collided with Duskmon's outstretched hand. The two attacks merged, creating a miniature explosion. Kouichi and Duskmon were both thrown backwards. Recovering more rapidly than the human, Duskmon was on his feet in seconds. Kouichi looked up to see Duskmon, brandishing his sword, and Lowemon, lance in hand.

"What are you doing here?" Duskmon demanded.

"Sorry, but I found your hospitality less-than-pleasing," Lowemon said.

Growling, Duskmon charged forward. Lowemon dodged the sword, circling around the corrupt Legendary Warrior, and let loose another Shadow Meteor. The attack connected, causing Duskmon to stumble. As he regained his balance, the eyes on his armor focused on Lowemon. "Deadly Gaze." The energy beams sent Lowemon sliding back, leaving a trench. Duskmon leapt after him and Lowemon barely managed to bring his shield up in time to block the sword.

As Kouichi watched, he found himself sensing what Lowemon did. Kouichi felt every blow Duskmon landed; he sweated as if he were the one fighting. A part of him knew that it was their bond that allowed for this strange link. But when Duskmon's Deadly Gaze had hit Lowemon, Kouichi had experienced a moment of smug satisfaction. He didn't know where it had come from, and it had vanished almost instantly, but it scared him.

"Dark Coffin!" Lowemon had managed to get to his feet, lance still locked with Duskmon's sword. When he called out his attack, Lowemon dissolved into a purplish-gray mist. The mist surrounded Duskmon. Suddenly, dozens of spikes formed out of the mist, impaling him repeatedly. Duskmon collapsed, and Lowemon reformed.

"Don't think you've won," Duskmon growled. A red cloud surrounded him. It thinned to purpled, and Duskmon was gone.

Oooo. When did my mind become this twisted? A few chapters ago,GaliStar07 said something about Duskmon torturing Kouichi. Well, I'd already written this chapter, so that made me laugh (manically, of course.). Not physical torture, but torture nonetheless.

The next chapter is the first designated explanation chapter. There's only two, and though they are somewhat tedious,they really do help. I'm almost half done with this story! I can't believe it. I'm more than half done with what I have written. Yay!

Okay, so the character pics from ATTWT are taking longer to do than I expected, but I'll have one for you next time. Besides, I wanted to get this chapter up.

Review!

-Child of Healing

Word count: 1534