Hi all! Its me again!!! Miss me? Sorry bout the cliffy but I had to keep up the suspense! Lol. Anywho…
Kaede: oh for heavens sake! Just shut up and start the story already!!
sticks out her tongue meany. Leave me alone! Fine, and on with the show!
Kaede: What a freak…
Chapter 15Desperate times call for Desperate Measures
Vahimermon was watching the Tamers almost lazily from his high position above them. His body was pale yellow and he looked like a sort of gentle cross between a dog and a monkey. The colour on his arms faded slowly to white, starting at the wrist and ending at the fingertips, which were pure. His long, feline tail did the same, fading at the tip to white. There was a small green pendant on his forehead and his eyes were a deep, navy and sapphire blue. His ears were shaped like Impmon's and his face was completely white, the yellow around it making the white look like a mask. A long ribbon-like strip of silky material hung from his left wrist; wrapped twice around it, hanging down in two pieces. His chest was white and he had white at the tips of his toes. Ryo, who had knelt down to try and help Rika to her feet, glared up at the new Deva.
"What are you doing to her?" He yelled. Vahimermon turned his gaze slowly to Ryo and then to Rika. His eyes widened slightly and he smiled.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. A moment please…" He floated down towards them and when he was close enough to the ground, he uncrossed his legs and stood on his feet. The intense power he was creating dimmed slightly now that he wasn't using it too fly and the air around them - which seemed to have been shivering in Vahimermon's presence – calmed down. The instant his feet had touched the snowy floor, Rika's eyes snapped open and she was able to stand again. She looked up at Vahimermon, her breathing still a little heavy and uneven.
"Please forgive me," he said, bowing his head too her. "A mere slip in my concentration. I quite forgot about the fact that I had linked my mind to yours." Rika stared at him as if she thought he were insane.
"You did what?" She exclaimed.
"I linked my mind to yours. An easy process actually. You see, those visions you had were actually my own. Merely what I was seeing transferred to your mind and therefore to your eyes. Do you understand?"
"Are you telling me you were the one that showed me the river…and the three Deva?" Rika asked. Vahimermon nodded, clearly happy that she understood so easily.
"Precisely. And I must apologize once again. I believe you almost drowned the second time I showed a vision. I was quite unaware of the fact that you were underwater." Before Rika could respond, Takato butted in, stepping between her and Vahimermon.
"Wait a minute. Aren't you a Deva? Why aren't you attacking us?" He said suspiciously. Vahimermon held Takato's gaze before sighing softly.
"It is true, I am a Deva, yes. But, unlike the others, I am not a mindless killing machine. You could say I was a flaw in the program."
"What do you mean a flaw?" Henry asked. Vahimermon sat down in the snow and crossed his legs again, folding his arms in thought. He shut his eyes and bowed his head.
"When the Sovereign created us, they were filled with pure anger and hatred. This is why the Devas are all Virus types. Evil Digimon designed to destroy. I was the final Deva created, so when I came into being, the hatred the Sovereign passed to us was no more. There was not enough to make me evil and thus I abandoned my brothers. I have no desire to mindlessly destroy you humans and your partners."
"That's why you helped us, right?" Alice asked. Vahimermon nodded before continuing.
"I was not the only flaw in the Sovereign's plan however. There was one other who did not receive the virus. Whentuhmon was the Deva created before me, but because she still had the final remains of the evil Deva power, the Sovereign were able to take it away from her, which is why she is now a rookie once more." Jeri stooped down and lifted Remoraemon into her arms.
"So she's a good Digimon like you?" She asked. He nodded and stood up.
"Come, I will explain everything to you once we are safe. I believe you were headed for the Distorted Village? A very good place to hide…shall we?" Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked towards the staircase. The Tamers watched him go, all slightly apprehensive.
"Do you think we can trust him?" Kenta asked.
"Yeah. I mean, what kind of Deva just walks up to you and says 'high, my name's Vahimermon and I wanna be your best friend'?" Kazu added.
"I'm not too sure myself, but I guess we don't have a choice…" Henry said, folding his arms thoughtfully. Rika shook her head and started walking after Vahimermon. The Tamers looked at each other before running after her.
"He's telling the truth," she said, not turning to look at them, choosing rather to walk on.
"How could you possibly know that?" Alice asked. Rika shrugged nonchalantly.
"Dunno; I just do. I can sort of feel it. I know it sounds weird, but I think we can trust him. After all, he won't be the first Deva to have joined us." She looked at Lopmon and Remoraemon to make her point more clear. Takato glanced at Henry, who in turn, looked at Ryo. They all shrugged and Takato grinned.
"Well, if he really is telling the truth, then we have one less Deva to worry about, don't we."
"Precisely," Ryo nodded. "So, lets catch up to him before he disappears." The Tamers hurried after Vahimermon, walking directly towards the spiraling stairway.
"Vahimermon, Remoraemon mentioned a new form of digivolution, have you got any idea what it might be?" Takato was sitting with the rest of the Tamers in the Distorted Castle. Vahimermon had told them about exiling himself from the Devas and following them around the Digital World. He had also given them a piece of very upsetting news…Tuzeremon was alive. According to Vahimermon, the Tamers hadn't really destroyed him because his body hadn't been fully manifested in the real world when they had beaten him.
"A new form of digivolution you say? Hmm…I have heard tales of a legendary digivolution, but that is only a myth. Perhaps you meant the double digivolution, Remoraemon?" She nodded at Vahimermon and he put his head in his hand in thought.
"Yes, a truly powerful digivolution and almost impossible to accomplish." There was a collective groan at this.
"Almost impossible?" Henry asked. "You mean it has been done before?" Vahimermon nodded.
"Once, years ago, the digital world was ravaged by a terrible virus. It took a physical form and started destroying the Digital World. Legend tells of four Digimon that combined to become one unstoppable super being. Together, they destroyed the virus, but not without being destroyed in the process. The digivolution drains you of all energy…they were lost along with the virus." He looked around at the Tamers and Digimon, who were all watching him intently, listening raptly to his tale. He smiled and waved his hand and the air around them started to fuzz before the entire area changed and they were sitting in mid air. Below them, was a huge temple, surrounded by a lush forest and a wide river.
"Wow…" Jeri whispered.
"It's beautiful," Alex agreed. Vahimermon spread his arms and the Tamers floated down to the soft grass.
"This is the Temple built in recognition to the four Digimon that saved our world. Long ago it looked like this; beautiful…magnificence in a solid form. But now…" He clicked his fingers and the Temple blurred and when it became visible once more, it was in ruins. "It is here that Digimon once came to train, to learn the art of the double digivolution. None succeeded. Now that the Temple is no more, it will be near impossible to learn." Vahimermon clicked his fingers again and the Tamers were back in the Distorted Castle. It had merely been an image and Vahimermon told them this.
"Is the real Temple far from here?" Alice asked. Vahimermon glanced at her and nodded.
"The Temple lies on the forth level of the Digital World; the only way to gain access is to pass a gruesome test. No Digimon has been allowed into the Temple's realm for over a hundred Digital years."
"Do you think if we went to train there we might stand a chance against the sovereign?" Rika asked seriously.
"It would be possible, but very difficult. You intend to go there?" He asked. She nodded and the Tamers all gave approving comments.
"Very well, I will lead you there if you wish. Get some sleep tonight, it is a very long and grueling journey." The Tamers got up and walked up the huge Grand Stairway in the front of the Castle. Rika had never been here before so she simply followed the others to the bedrooms.
"We'll have to use two rooms. There are too many of us for just one room," Ryo said, opening two doors directly opposite each other. As he stepped into one door, the sky suddenly became dark and lamps flickered to light along the halls. Rika yawned and followed Ryo, Alex, Alice and Henry into one room while the others took the room opposite them. It had been a long day. The battle and long walk had caught up with them now and the soft beds were very inviting. There were a few calls of "Goodnight!" across the hall before it became silent again. Rika curled herself up under two blankets and sighed softly, allowing her eyes to drift shut.
"Do you think we'll be able to get through the test?" Said a voice. Rika's eyes shot open and, without moving, turned her eyes towards Alice and Henry, who were having a whispered conversation.
"Sure. We have our partners with us and there's nothing we can't do when we work together," Henry replied.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I guess I'm just a little nervous. Living with my grandfather, I never really had a chance to get close to kids my own age; we move around a lot you see. I've never had a chance to work with a group…"
"I'm sorry," Henry whispered. "But you'll see, we might make a lot of mistakes on the way, but we always manage to do what we need to in the end. Don't worry about it; you'll be fine. We look out for each other and if no one's there for you, I'll be there, ok?" Rika smiled and shut her eyes again. She was sure that Henry wouldn't want her listening to his 'private conversation' with Alice. Actually, when she thought about it, Henry spoke to Alice a lot like Ryo spoke to herself. This made her smile again; Alice had found a friend she could rely on and she wasn't ever going to lose him.
"Wake up, we have a long journey ahead of us." Rika groaned and swatted at the hand that was shaking her shoulder.
"Go away, Ryo!" She said angrily, rolling onto her side.
"My dear girl, I am not Ryo. Now wake up!" Rika felt a heavy blow to her mind and she shot out of bed. Her eyes were wide with the shock, but she instantly knew who had awoken her.
"Oh," she mumbled tiredly. "It's you, Vahimermon." He smiled at her and nodded.
"Quite, now come along. The others are waiting downstairs." She grumbled grumpily but slipped out of the warm bed and followed him downstairs to where the Tamers were waiting for her.
"Sleep well, Rika?" Jeri asked. Rika shrugged and turned to Vahimermon.
"How long will it take us to get to the Temple?"
"If we move quickly…about three days," he replied.
"And if we fly?" Alex asked.
"It will cut the time in half," Vahimermon said simply.
"Is the test really as hard as you said, Vahimermon?" Alice asked. He nodded and she sighed. Henry gave her a reassuring look and she relaxed a little.
"Well, let's get going. We have a long trip ahead of us," Takato said cheerfully. The Tamers all nodded and left the Distorted Castle. The stairway in this area only went one level in both directions, so they would have to find a different one in the level below them.
When they reached the bottom of the stairway, the Tamers found themselves in a beautiful forest that looked like the front of a Christmas card. Hundreds of tress were covered with fresh, white snow and the moist ground beneath them was almost untouched by the frozen weather.
"Wow…" Suzy said excitedly. "It's beautiful!"
"Yeah…" Ai agreed. Mako pouted, making a quiet comment about it being mushy, girl's stuff.
Jeri giggled at them and strolled into the forest, her hand linked with Takato's.
"Amazing. It's almost as if the forest is calming the snowstorms. Nothing has been harmed or frozen here," Alice whispered, as if it were a crime to speak loudly in such a beautiful place.
"Maybe it's an enchanted forest," Ryo suggested.
"I wouldn't be surprised; in the Digital World anything goes," Henry agreed. Rika looked around the forest and a memory flashed in her mind. She had been here before, with Renamon. After she had met up with Ryo the last time she had come here, she and Renamon had gotten lost and had somehow arrived here. Back then it had been just as beautiful and magical. She wondered briefly if the lavender trees were still intact after the river had exploded the way it had.
"Which way, Vahimermon?" She asked. He pointed deep into the forest, towards a place were it became a little dark.
"We must journey through there. The road gets overgrown, we can't fly here," he explained.
"Well then I guess we're hoofin' it," Ryo said with a smile.
"It'll be nice to walk in such a beautiful place," Jeri sighed. The Tamers followed Vahimermon once more, this time into the depths of the forest. They wound in and out of the trees; sometimes walking beside the sparkling river, other times deep in the forest. By the time it was dark, it seemed like they had made absolutely no progress, but Vahimermon insisted that they were very close to the next stairway.
"We should rest. If we fly tomorrow, we will reach the test by midday. You will need all your energy if you are to succeed," he said. Kazu yawned when the light disappeared and the night became slightly cooler. It wasn't cold here, just a little chilly. The Tamers unrolled their sleeping bags and blankets and settled for the night. It had been an uneventful day, but two long walks in two days were enough to wear anyone out.
"Hey Wildcat?" Ryo whispered, when he was sure the others were asleep. She turned to look at him, being careful to be quiet.
"Yeah?"
"Are you sure Vahimermon is telling us the truth? I mean, what if he's leading right into a trap? I know you said you can feel it, but what if he's messing with your head?" Rika smiled at his concern and shook her head.
"Don't worry, Ryo. Vahimermon is for real. He's not trying to trick us. Think about it, if he wanted to kill me, all he would have to do is concentrate and he could short circuit my brain," she replied. Ryo watched her for a moment before nodding.
"You're right. Goodnight Pumpkin."
"Goodnight, Ryo."
"Alright, Digi-Modify! Hyper Wings activate!" A giant set of shining white wings sprouted out of Growlmon's back and he took flight along with Bueramon, Cyberdramon, Taomon and Beelzemon.
"Fly towards that mountain range! Keep your course steady and we will be there before nightfall." Vahimermon was sitting cross-legged in Taomon's Talisman Spell dome. Rika looked down to the passing scenery below them. They were flying over a snowy valley in which hundreds of Jagamon and Frigimon were playing and fighting. They had found the stairway early in the morning and were now only a flight and a test away from learning how to double Digivolve. This was their only chance to beat the sovereign and they weren't going to pass it up.
The five Digimon flyers were tearing up the sky as they flew towards a mountain that was shaped like a hut. It was round and jagged at spots, with misty clouds hanging over it's peaks.
"If we travel at this speed we will get there in a few short hours," Vahimermon said, clearly impressed. And he was right, including several stops to allow the Digimon to rest, the flight took them no more than four hours. When they landed at the foot of the stairs, a pink Digimon carrying a long spear greeted them. He was no more than a ball of fur with white, tattered and stitched wings.
"Hello there, yup yup. Are you here to gain entrance to the Temple?" Takato looked at him a little confused before he held out his D-Power.
"Piximon. A magical data type Digimon."
"That's right, yup yup. I am Piximon, guardian of the Temple gates. If you wish to gain entrance you must complete my test."
"We'll do anything we have to," Rika said determinately. Piximon nodded and waved his spear.
"If you are here to enter the Temple then you must first prove your strength yup yup. Awaken my slumbering friend! We have visitors!" The earth rumbled and shook and a huge crack split the earth. A massive Digimon started forcing his way out of the crack and when he was fully arisen, he roared loudly and snarled at the Tamers. He was twice the size of Zhuqiaomon and looked twice as mean. His body was bulky and incredibly muscular and he looked somewhat like a spiked turtle. His hide was made of razor sharp spikes and his long swishing tail was covered in metal blades. He had curving teeth that protruded out of his mouth like knives. His body seemed to be made rocks and boulders and he had bright green eyes.
"W…what is that thing?" Kenta whimpered.
"The only thing blocking our way. Lets get it!" Rika held out her D-Arc and Ryo, Takato, Henry, Alice and Alex all did the same.
"Bio-merge Activate!!"
Sorry it took so long for me to post this, but I've been forbidden to use the computer during the week L. Sad isn't it.
Kaede: Yes, almost as sad as the length of this chapter. Only six pathetic pages?
What? I don't have to make them all ten pages or more…
Kaede: Whatever, just don't let it happen again!
Meany…