So here we are finally! Our hero has made his arrived into the Digital World! What strange new creatures and adventures will he discover? Only one way to find out!

Thank you for your patience up until this point. I wanted o set up a solid base before I thrust it all into where the main story is going to take place. From this point now the story will begin to progress at a much more steady pace. We also introduce a few new characters in this chapter, and partners of course!

Enjoy!

X-X-X

Chapter 4

As I fell down the proverbial rabbit hole I felt my body go light, then heavy only to go light once more. Images flashed passed my eyes of strange landscapes and faces of people, and creatures I couldn't recognise; some human, others digimon?

The ride itself lasted about ten seconds, ten of the wildest seconds of my life mind you, before feeling my body being thrust forward as I came to the other end of the portal.

Landing on my feet, which was impressive enough given the force I had come out of the portal with, I took a moment to get my head in order, shaking off the light travel sickness. Moments later I could see to my side Agunimon had also appeared in the Digital World alongside me, and looking back the portal we had come through closed as quickly as it had opened - to a much lesser fanfare. Within moments we were left, in the middle of where to which it had delivered us.

I looked around where it had in fact left us – it appeared to be some kind of settlement. Well that may have been a little generous; it had been a settlement, what was left of it now remained. The buildings were essentially domes of various sizes, with some more regular angular buildings between them – the largest of which looked like an old school house which wouldn't have looked a miss in any regular neighbourhood...but the windows were either missing, or smashed, and those still in shape had grime and dust coating them. The buildings looked weathered, with rust and plaster falling from them, what little colour remained drained away to dull shades – wood splintering in the beams. This place was abandoned, but why, what had caused this?

"This used to be a thriving village many years ago" I turned looking at Agunimon, as I walked over to one of them, and placed my hand on the wall, it was cold – like death.

"What happened to it?"

"The Dark Lords, this is what they have done to my world – and what they will do to both of our worlds if we give them the chance". I felt as sadness in his voice, and a pang of it hit my own conscience too, how could anyone do something like this? I looked down to the side and saw rubble at my feet with something reflective buried just beneath the surface. Kneeling down I carefully dusted away the debris and picked up the item – a broken photo frame? The photo within it had long since faded, and though the forms in the picture were different, even I recognised what it was meant to be...a family shot. I stared at it for a moment, trying to remove some of the dust to get a better look. Realising as I saw what looked to be a happy family, this world really wasn't all that different as my own...I placed it back down on the ground carefully, and turned to Agunimon,

"You said others would be waiting for us?" I walked back into the middle of the street, stepping over cracked asphalt and stone "Do you know where they are?" I couldn't see any obvious welcoming committee.

"They are meeting us at a small inn here in town; it's not far from here" Agunimon waved me over as I jogged over to close the distance and made our way down the street. All the while I kept looking at the buildings around us. Not able to shake this feeling as if something or one was watching us.

The place wasn't very large at least, and within a few minutes we came to Y-shaped intersection, and in the centre of it a building which looked as if it had weathered things a little better than the rest of the town – for one the door was on straight.

We got closer and the door opened up, I could hardly believe my eyes – other people! Actual humans! I know Agunimon had told me to expect others but to actually see them in the flesh, well it made me feel a little more comfortable – I wasn't the only human out here! Behind them also followed out two digimon as well, to which I could only assume they were the partners of this pair. One was a red dinosaur like creature with black tattoos on its body. The other was a tall, humanoid yellow furred fox who stood about as tall as me.

The two humans walked over to us, the fox behind the female, and the dinosaur behind the male. They smiled, and both offered their hands out

"So you finally arrived! It's good to meet'cha! I'm Regas, and this is Lorna!"

"A pleasure to meet you, glad to see you arrived in one piece" I shook the hands of both of them, and bowed politely to their respective partners too.

"Oh yeah! These are our partners, Guilmon" the dinosaur waved his paw "...and Renamon, she is Lorna's partner" Renamon offered her paw out, and we shook, being cautious of the rather sharp looking claws at the end.

"Thanks! I'm Jaredin Snow, but everyone just calls me Snow, and this is my partner Agunimon".

After exchanging pleasantries, I looked around at our surroundings and back to the building to which they came out of "So, what's the plan? I was told by Agunimon you guys had been here before?"

"Well, right now getting everything ready for the journey to Central Terminal" Lorna spoke up "It's going to be a long trip, but we can tell you more inside! It might not look it, but this place can be vicious!" Lorna and her partner began making their way back inside the building,

"Heh, Don't worry about Lorna, she's a little over-cautious but she does have a good nose for danger, come on, we have a warm stove, and food too! We can discuss what we are going to do over stew!" Regas then followed suit with Guilmon, leaving just myself and Agunimon outside.

"They seem nice" I smiled, looking up to Agunimon who nodded in agreement

"I had the chance to speak to them before leaving to find you; I think you will all get along well. They are sensible and honest" he stepped forward and I followed him on inside to the Inn, feeling the heat immediately as I stepped in the doorway, and the smell of something delicious cooking away...

X-X-X

We got settled down into what was the dining area in the Inn, with us all sitting at the table with a warm bowl of stew in front of us, a map in the centre of the table which showed a large landmass, with various different features.

"So, this is us, and the town we are in" Regas pointed to a small set of crudely drawn houses in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere "This, is Central Terminal" he traced his line along the map to the west, until finally stopping atop a marker which looked alot busier "This is the most busy part of the Digital World, and the only major population centre. As you might expect..." he traced around the map "It's pretty much the centre of everything"

"That looks a long way away..." I looked at what was between us and Central Terminal on the map. Aside from a lot of nothing, there appeared to be a mountain range in the way, and a wood, or jungle? "How exactly will we get there? And what is in Central Terminal?" I looked up to both Lorna and Regas, the former piping up

"The journey will take several days, we need to cross the flats we are in now – then climb up to Pinnacle Station in the Boreal Mountains, pass through down into the Forest of the Lost, before finally coming to the Central Plains...all the while dodging the Dark Lords minions, who will no doubt be hunting for us the whole way...once we reach Central City we will be safer, but – nowhere is completely safe, not in this world" she paused and locked her gaze with mine "Central Terminal has an important individual living there, the Digi-Elder, he lives in the city and is the one who creates pairings, and also ensures that the destined make their way safely to this world. He also is the inventor of our digi-vice" she pulled out her own, placing it on the table

"The 'Forest of the Lost'?" I looked up to them "Why does that not fill me with hope? Why not 'The Forest of happiness and rainbows'?" I chuckled; whoever named them certainly had a flare for the dramatic. Regas picked up on my humour, and smirked

"It wouldn't be a challenge otherwise! Don't worry though, with our Digimon, and with you with us now, we can't possibly fail! The Dark Lords have been trying for months to get me and Lorna, but they suck" he immediately got an elbow in the side from Lorna

"That's not to say they haven't tried, we have had a few close calls, but, Regas is right – so far so good, and with you joining us, and Agunimon the odds are most certainly in our favour"

"You mentioned an elder too?" I cut in as they chided one another "So, he is the one responsible, for me and Agunimon being paired?" they both nodded, Regas being the first to respond

"No one knows why, or how the Elder does it...no one really knows what the Elder is to be fair! Digimon, or human, neither, or perhaps both!" he leaned back slightly on the bench, "All we know is he is the one who choose us, and brought us here...we have been trying to get to him ever since we learned he existed...have alot of questions for the old guy"

"I bet" I smiled "Well, I am sure once we find him; he can at least give us some direction!" the room agreed vehemently.

For the next couple of hours we got talking about the plan, and how to cross into the mountains which were bitterly cold, and none of us had really prepared for an Arctic expedition. For the most part we hoped the pass was open and we could use that for shelter for the best part of our journey.

I also took the opportunity to get to know my fellow destined a little better. Regas as 19 years old and still in education, first year university – studied mechanics, so pretty handy when it came to fixing things. He seemed laid back enough, and pretty easy going. Guilmon too definitely fit him well, as Agunimon had informed me they were known to be trouble-makers, but more in an innocent playful way than anything else.

Lorna was 20, and was currently between jobs. She had left school at 18 and never really looked back, drifting from place to place until she finally came across Renamon. She was cool and calm, but methodical – she would look at a situation and weigh up the risks, and act accordingly. Again Renamon fit her to a too, a silent type who didn't really talk much, and let her actions do the negotiating.

We talked about the adventures they had already had in this world, coming here about the same time six months ago, with the intention of laying down the ground work for when the third member would appear – me, apparently. They had done alot of intelligence gathering, and saving groups of Digimon here and there, but tried for the most part to keep a good distance between themselves and the Dark Lords.

I also got the opportunity to learn more about whom it was I was going to be going against. Three of them in total – Devimon, Myotismon and then one which was only referred to as 'Shadowmon'.

Devimon was the Lord of the lands we were currently in, and was known to use force and manipulation to get what he wanted, and was likely going to be the one whose minions we were going to run into the most whilst we travelled to Central Terminal. He was also thankfully the weakest of the three Dark Lords, and so by all accounts would avoid direct confrontation with us.

Myotismon was more or less not a threat right now due to recently being defeated by the previous warriors who had come to this world a few years ago. Lorna and Regas didn't really know much about what had happened due to only recently coming here themselves . However what they did know was it had been a huge battle, and that they weakened him to such a point it would be many years before he would come out again to threaten the Digital World. It had however had an impact on the Digital world itself, and it was still healing from that battle, this town was one of its many victims.

The final one 'Shadowmon' was something of an enigma. The newest of the Dark Lords only appeared during the last few years but had done so in such a way that they had subjugated the other two lords to his will. They were the one in charge but no one had ever seen its face, or actually what kind of Digimon it was. Apparently it acted through proxies, taking control of other digimon's mind, and making them act against their own will. Though again like Myotismon since that day they had also been conspicuously absent. Lorna floated the idea they may well have been defeated at the same time as Myotismon, but no one knew for sure. The rumours were that, as it name would imply it was waiting for its moment to strike once more

After a while, I stood up and looked around the room – we had been sat in here for a fair while and I for one was in desperate need to stretch my legs!

"I'm just going to step outside for some fresh air, ok?" I looked around the room, and made my way to the door

"Don't wander too far; it's going to be dark soon!" Regas called out from the corner he had settled in, and with a wave I made my way out the room, and through the front door outside.

I felt the cool breeze hit me as I spotted a bench nearby and walked on over, sitting on it and then leaning my back down, looking up to the sky, taking a deep breath as I watched the skyline. The way the clouds moved here was just the same as back home...however occasionally what looked like a bright beam shot across the sky, revealing a grid like appearance behind it – the constant reminder this wasn't home anymore.

It felt so real though, so, familiar. It was as if I could be sitting out in the parents back garden, lying down in the grass as I took in the world around me. It was just a shame about all the damage to this place; I hoped the whole world wasn't like this...Just thinking about all the pain and suffering these guys must have gone through, I wondered how much of it was caused by us humans, and the way we treat data?

I turned my head to the side, looking over once again to that large school like building down the road. I bet in the past it was beautiful if the features on roof were anything to go by. Atop it were the broken metal remains of what was once a large, dome window. I could imagine being inside looking up, seeing light falling down from it and basking whatever place in—wait!

I shot up, something was inside the building! In one of the windows on what I assumed was the second floor I saw a face...a, human face!? I blinked and as quickly as it was there it had gone. I remembered what Regas had said as I stood up and took a couple steps forward – if someone really was inside that building, and if this place was dangerous at night, then surely...I had to find them, if someone was in trouble I couldn't just stand around, no one else here was going to help! They might be like us too, and be frightened and confused if they just arrived here.

Looking back at the Inn for a moment I considered going back inside for the others, after all they might be trapped, or need some help getting out. I decided however it would be worth at least checking out the scene first before going for help – if I could help the person get out, and bring them down myself it shouldn't take too long, I couldn't keep replying in Agunimon for everything, it wouldn't be fair.

Running over to a doorway, with a door hanging off it, I carefully examined the door to see if there was any way in which it would budge...jammed. Putting my hands on its side, I carefully, but firmly began pulling back on it, hearing the aged wood creaking as I applied more force. After a few seconds my efforts paid off and the door began to budge, pulling it carefully into an upright position, enough so I could at least slip through under it on my hands and knees.

Coughing as dust rose from the floorboards; I got inside and pulled myself to my feet. The entire building seemed to be an old wood structure, dried and damaged from time and battle. The broken and damaged windows let streams of light come through the various ruined and open doorways, holes in the walls also dotted across the corridor, with floorboards hanging from the roof – I was amazed this building was still standing! Exposed drywall, and bricks littered everywhere, with debris strewn across the floor. I pulled out my phone, intending to use it as a torch and was pleasantly surprised when I looked at the battery...it was charging? "Strange and stranger..." I muttered under my breath, as I turned on the light and scanned the hall as I slowly walked on down.

My footsteps echoed down the derelict, and around the building. Peaking my head into rooms I could see remains and reminders of this places former life. Desks piled in the centre, chairs broken and damaged, chalkboards with layers of dust, and damaged counters – I bet at one time this place would have been a model school.

Remembering that I had seen the person on the second floor, I soon found a staircase which lead on up to the other floors. Cautiously pressing my weight on each step I made my way on up, avoiding holes as the floorboards creaked heavily, threatening to give out at any moment. Dust dropped from the ceiling and from above I was certain I could hear something – I was close.

Arriving on the second floor, I was greeted with two corridors, one straight ahead and another to the left. Having lost all orientation since entering, I closed my eyes and again tried to listen for the sounds. Only hearing the wind echoing through the empty halls and damaged walls for a moment, I then heard it again, a sound of...crying? It was coming from the left! I quickly made my way down, and looked at the various doors – these one being wood, with glazing built into the upper part, frosted though mind you. I finally came to the door at the end, the sound clearer now – definitely crying, and definitely female.

"Hello! Is anyone in there!?" I tried the doorknob but it was jammed shut. I pushed harder and barged it carefully with my shoulder, as dust from around the frame fell around me. Still jammed. I could still hear the crying, I had to get in there! They might be hurt!

"Ok, step away from the door; I'm going to break it down!" I backed up a little, pressing myself against the wall on the opposite side of the corridor "I'm coming in!" I then charged at the door with all my weight.

When my shoulder connected with the door I felt the simple lock and hinges snap, as the door fell forward into the room, with me landing on top of it. A dust plume rose around me as I began coughing heavily, having taking an unfortunate deep breath as I fell on through the room.

"He-Hell-o?" I spoke whilst attempting to kneel, coughing as I looked ahead and the light in the room faint as I waved my hand in an attempt to clear the dust cloud. "Ar-e you, h-hurt?" I saw a form ahead of me, and smiled for all of a moment before realising that wasn't a human...no, that definitely wasn't a human at all! The crying stopped, and then turned to an evil cackling laugh

"Got'cha! Human!" It wasted no time, and launched straight at me!

X-X-X

Meanwhile...

"They have arrived..." I looked to Devimon, as I spoke clearly, and coldly "I can feel their presence in the digital plane" I stood up from my dark throne, walking to the centre of the chamber, and staring into a pool on the ground, a map of the digital world appearing seconds later.

"What would you have me do, my lord?" he spoke with respect...as he should

"Deal with them, but remember – I need Snow alive, the others I have no use for"

"Of course, my Lord – It shall be done" he bowed, and then disappeared into the shadows back to his realm. I continued to stare down at the map, the marker indicating where their portal signature had appeared. A cruel smile pulled at my lips

"So it begins again..."