X-X-X
We walked down the passage for a good ten minutes. The path was fairly straight with various pieces of rubble and mining equipment scattered around. The track itself looked as if had seen better days, times had not been kind, as rust appeared in sections which appeared to be flooded from various leaks coming from the roof, or small brooks of water emanating from the side of the wall.
The most eerie thing about the place though was the silence, wind blowing in from various places but being unable to identify where, and how. Occasionally in the distance we thought we heard movement, even talking – but nothing. It was as we were walking down, the lights from our phones creating various shaped and formed shadows along the walls, and floor that I was reminded of the old horror stories I used to get told as a kid. One particular tale about a boy who got trapped in a mine, and hunted by skeletons seemed to stick out – and so with each new side passage or alcove I was waiting to see one, just lying there – even though certain in my head digimon didn't make skeletons when they died, I couldn't be sure.
We were also being cautious for any of Devimon goons hanging around; we knew that they were in this mine, someplace, but not too sure where it is they made camp, if it was even a stable camp at all. It did get me wondering though why Devimon would have taken over the mine in the first place. It wasn't the direct route between the east and west of the continent from what I had been told, and other less perilous rotes existed. Could he be using it for economic reasons? Did Digimon even have an economy system like ours? It still didn't make sense though, he could have simply enslaved the miners, or something to that effect...what was keeping them here? Something didn't add up in my head, I was missing the important pieces of the puzzle.
Whilst I mused, we continued onwards, mostly in silence. It seemed we all had the same idea, wanting to keep our profile as low as possible, occasionally Regas would whisper something to Lorna, but she seemed to be having none of it, pushing him away and shaking her head in disagreement to something.
"Wait up guys..." I came to a sudden stop, just as the tracks did too. Looking ahead of me was a small round chamber, about the size of a tennis court. It had 2 more passages running from the opposite wall, each having more tracks, and around it several boxes, storage containers and rope; however the most important thing was the rocks pilled in a circle in the centre of the room, the remains of ashes sitting in the centre – a fire pit!
Agunimon stepped forward first, scouting the room out, with Renamon and Guilmon not far behind him; we stuck by the entrance waiting for them to give us the all clear. After about a minute or so, Agunimon nodded and waved us in – taking the steps forward we immediately put ourselves down in front of the fire.
"Looks like someone was here recently..." I muttered, poking at the ashes in the centre, the remains of some unburned wood to the side.
"Well, they aren't here now at least" Lorna added, as our partners placed some wood in the pit, we helped in making sure as much of it was pilled in the centre as possible, before Agunimon used his innate ability to make fire, to light the centre of it. Watching it start out as a small spark, and slowly building up to a reasonably sized fire, illuminating the room and provided some well needed warmth as he all shook in our clothing, putting ourselves as close to the fire as possible.
When I did, I hadn't realised just how cold I was, looking down at my skin it had gone really pale, and when I touched the ends of my fingers I couldn't feel a thing at first, having lost all feeling to those each one. Still shaking I placed my hand close, feeling it burn before pulling back to a more reasonable distance
"So...cold..." Regas muttered to the side as our partners settled in beside us. When Agunimon settled in beside me, I felt the air around him was warmer than usual, and realised he must be turning up the dial on his internal thermostat. I smiled and sat closer to him, the combined warmth of the fire and Agunimon soon began to thaw me out, and after a short while I could move, then feel my fingers, removing the makeshift wrap from around my palm finally.
"Thanks buddy" I smiled, rubbing my hands together as the others in the room appeared to have life returned to them also, Renamon with her arms around her partner, and Guilmon using his own paws to warm up Regas' hand...team work at its finest!
Once we all felt like human beings, we got ourselves settled down properly, and took a proper look around the room which we were in. From best guess it seemed to be some kind of hub, seems like the two tracks on the opposite wall had shipments come up, and then they were sent outside via the track on the other side. Many of the boxes in the room were empty too, with one of two having what looked like coal stored at the bottom.
As we were digging though, aside from the odd piece of torn cloth, and remaining ore, I found something a little more interesting, a small book tucked down beside a pile of rocks, and an old, half-destroyed crate. Carefully fishing it out, it looked ancient – bound in brown leather, which time had faded much of the colour from.
"Hey, I found something" I called out to the others whilst I carefully opened up the front, realising this thing could fall apart any at moment,
"What is it?" Lorna popped her head over my shoulder, whilst Regas moved to the front and shone the light down on it. It was heavily damaged; alot of torn pages and water damage had destroyed much of the contents. One page midway through however seemed to be in fairly good condition, and showed some kind of map – tracing my finger along a couple of the passages, a tunnel on the right side looked familiar! Walking up to where we came in, the others watching me curiously, I pointed down the tunnel, and then turned, looking at the book, the connection clicked!
"This path here is the tunnel we just came down" the others rushed back over, checking my logic as I watched them too make the same connection I did
"He's right, you know" Regas also, turning on the spot, as if tracing it along in his head "It would seem the entrance we came in, is here...so, we want to head..."
"...this way" I traced a route on the page, which went past another smaller area, which was down the left route, and then into a much larger area, which had in faded ink across the top 'EXIT'. "I bet that large open area leads all the way to the other side of the mountain" not knowing the scale, or if anything was marked accurate in this book, it was a chance, a really big one – but thinking about it logically. We had no idea where we were in the mountains, enemies were potentially in the shadows and with no other markings to go by, it may be the only chance we had.
"One problem though" looking to Rosa as she spoke, she pointed down the left passage "If that leads to more open areas, it also could be a trap...I just have this gut feeling". Nodding in agreement, I approached the passage, shining my light down it
"Agreed, but, I can't see another way, and like you say we don't have the liberty of time...so long as we are careful, and don't get too ahead of ourselves, I think we should be fine – worse comes to worse, our partners are here, right?" patting her shoulder, reassuring her she cracked a faint smile and nodded in agreement
"True, true...well, let's get started, no time to waste?"
With that agreed we got ourselves packed back up, now much warmer than we had been, and significantly more mobile inside these caves. We made our way down through the left path. The inside of it had looked similar the one passage we had entered by, however was alot narrower. Below our feet once more were the tracks which carts would have followed when this was still in use. From time to time we would come across old pieces of equipment here and there, as we traversed the tunnel.
The path continued to slope downwards still too, just as when we entered, heading deeper within the mountain. The sound of wind had now gone, leaving us only with eerie silence, the occasional drop of water landing in a still pool of water which had formed within these tunnels, echoing all around us. I also thought I could hear something else, something in the far distance – not sure at all what it was though, almost as someone was breathing deeply, but had a raspy undertone to it. Looking to Agunimon though, and the other Digimon they didn't seem to be too disturbed by anything though, and I imagined they had much sharper senses than any of us...so it must have been in my head. Still, the overwhelming that we were being watched still followed me...I didn't like it, not one bit
As we descended further, walking for a solid 30 minutes, between muttered talk of ghost stories, and strange sounds I could finally see something coming from up ahead. Light poured in from the bottom of the passage, and as we got closer, and it got brighter we could also hear the roaring sound of a fire. Had someone else made camp in here? Was it Devimon's minions?
Not taking any chances, Agunimon and Renamon all took point now, Guilmon keeping to the back with Regas, making sure nothing sneaked up on us. We got closer, and we stopped just short of being able to see what was inside the room, or who might be waiting for us. Ducking behind an old, water damaged barrel, Agunimon and Renamon both slowly and carefully sneaked the rest of the way down to investigate.
As they disappeared into the light of the chamber, thoughts began to run through my head as to what they might have seen. Images of a large fire in the centre, with a whole bunch of minions, of various sizes and colours gathered around, then jumping at them and attacking wildly...the thought of which sent a shiver down my spine. I knew both of them were more than capable of holding their own in a fight, but still, the idea of them fighting those kinds of odds did make me uncomfortable. The other end of the spectrum also ran through my head – a lonely old man with a weathered backpack sat beside him as he also took shelter from the raging storm outside, cooking a slow heat meal over the fire which he had made...only to be suddenly surprise as both our Digimon appeared, inviting them to join him.
As much as the latter image amused me slightly, it was also the one I knew was less likely to be the case – so far as to say this place didn't feel like the location to meet kindly strangers, deep within the stone of the mountain.
Tense moments passed, as I peered my head to the side, still nothing from them, however no sounds of a scuffle, or a fight either. The others were getting restless too, as I scanned there dimly lit faces, the same expression which I imagine was on mine too was present – a mix of concern, and curiosity. The moment seemed to pass like minutes, as we awaited some, any kind of indication as to what might have been going on down below – when finally it came.
From below, we could see the familiar figure of Agunimon, the light behind him creating a long shadow up the shaft, as he waved us on down. Needing no other encouragement I stood up from behind the old barrel I had used to hide myself and made my way quickly down the remaining part of this tunnel, the others close behind me.
As I got to the bottom, and finally a peer into the room I could see why it had taken so long for them to be sure – it was large, much larger than the map in the book had led me to believe. The map made it look as if it was perhaps the size of tennis court; perhaps a little bigger...this was more like an Olympic stadium. A high doomed roof covered up, which had formed on it several stalactite and stalagmites mirroring them on the ground. The rails on the ground progressed forward in a straight line right into the next tunnel – but between that were pieces of equipment I had never expected to see.
Heavy loaders, diggers, bore-hole mining equipment – really huge drills, the size of a tunnel! All of it laid abandoned, and most of it looked as if it had not moved in a very, very long time – rust having formed on alot of it, and others just falling apart.
"No obvious traps we could see, but we should still move with cautious" Agunimon leaned down to us, as we pointed up atop one of the old huts here, where Renamon was scouting just a little bit up ahead.
"Walk lightly?" the others agreed, and sticking close to Agunimon we made our way on through this particular cave.
We kept to the rails, thinking it was going to be the best way for us to spot anything which looked untoward, being more familiar with it than perhaps anything else in the room – and the most normal looking this for us humans too. Keeping a slow, but measured pace I took up the rear, letting Lorna lead, as Renamon kept ahead also.
As we got about halfway, looking to either side I could spot several other tunnels which seemed to lead off from this one – remembering the map however, they certainly weren't on there before, I distinctly remember this room being pretty much a one way ticket into the much, what I could only imagine, colossal chamber ahead.
As we were about to pass them however, I saw something – it was only a shimmer, a glint of something to the side, next to one of the derelict machines near to the mouth of one of these other tunnels. Curious, and a little intrigued, I paused and glanced over again, seeing if I could spot it once more. By this point Agunimon had also stopped behind me, his gaze following my own as he stepped forward, looking for whatever it was had caught my attention.
"I saw something...I was sure of it..." I muttered over to him, as he stepped out slightly, and peered around a corner. As he did, I felt a strange chill running down my spine, a sudden draft on my neck which made my hairs stand on end. Quickly turning on the spot, I once again saw the same glimmer, this time from the opposite direction. "Agunimon, it's over here now!"
"Wait, what?" He turned to me confused, but he must have caught something as he immediately looked upwards, and then back to me with look of shock and surprise, shouting out as he began running at me "Snow! MOVE!"
Barely having time to react my gaze moved upwards, as from the shadows of the roof I saw some form of net beginning to fall from the ceiling!
Knowing that even if I had seen it coming I wouldn't be able to get away, it fell the short distance, almost on top of me already. I put my arms up in some vain attempt to prevent it from landing on me with full force, as I closed my eyes and look down, preparing for the worst.
Not even a second later though, I felt a heavy force being applied to my side, forcing me to lose my balance and fall to the ground. My eyes snapping open as I hit the floor, turning onto my side as I pushed against the cold dirt of the floor, I looked up and my eyes widened in horror
"Agunimon!" to my shock he had rammed straight into me, knocking me away from where the net was going to land, just as it fell and caught him in it instead. Looking on from floor I watched as it landed hard against him, pinning him in place. Frozen on the spot, feeling no small amount of panic begin to well up inside of me – by this point the others had turned and seen what was going on and were also coming back.
"Well, well...I had only intended to catch he human, but this will work quite nicely too" a cold, and cruel voice echoed throughout the chamber, accompanied by a laugh which dripped with malice
Pulling myself up as I kneeled, holding my side as it throbbed from the impact I saw someone appear from the shadows just behind Agunimon, the figure forming from the darkness into that of something vaguely feminine, the shadows shifting and morphing as it took shape.
Wasting no time, I got up and rushed over to the net and I tried to pull it off, in an attempt to free my partner. As I did, taking the bound rope it was made off in my hand, I tugged at it hard, Agunimon also trying to pull it off from over its head – but it refused to budge, neither of us could seemingly lift it over from his body – stuck in place by some kind of other worldly force. As the cruel laugh got clearer, I began to panic, desperately pulling and tugging at the prison, using all my strength, going red in the face as I leaned back, digging my heels into the ground, putting every last muscle I had into action, but it wasn't enough – finally I felt my grasp fail and I fell backward, stumbling but managing to remain on my feet, breathing ragged and looking upwards at the now fully formed demon hovering in the air...
"Haha, There is no point in struggling. That net will never budge, Agunimon is mine, and mine alone" the owner of the voice was one which was half-woman, half-demon. Looking upon her I could tell immediately without even having to know her name she was bad news.
I realised too, despite appearance she was a digimon – with her tattered dark wings, and arm which was grossly ill-proportioned in comparison to the rest of her. The arrogant air she carried with her also, she was supremely confident in herself, smug to a fault...and at this point in time, with my partner trapped, and myself exasperated – she certainly had the upper hand.
"LadyDevimon!" Agunimon turned and growled out, fire beginning to form around his armour. I watched as he surrounded himself with a shield of flame, the temperature around him rising rapidly. I backed away him, watching him trying to burn the ropes around him, praying in my mind he would be successful.
"Well, well you know who I am, impressive...well, don't worry, you are going to know more than that soon about me...my newest slave" the tone in her voice did not fill me confidence, the thought she could take him as a slave terrifying me, surely she couldn't succeed!
Still...in the darkest part of my mind, the threat scared me, as part of me believed she could do it...No! I wouldn't let her; she was not going to take my friend away from me!
"Let him go, now! Agunimon, fight it! You can do it!" I cried out, reaching into my pocked and pulling out my digi-vice, clutching it hard in hand. I was prepared to jump in there if I had to...I wasn't about to let her touch him! The look on her face though, her smile just grew wider, as she threw her arms out, as if she was enjoying this! Like she wasn't even threatened by the idea!
"Oh, I'll let him go, don't you worry – watch now as I take away your partner, and use him to destroy your friends...and then...I will have him kill you!" from her longer, more dangerous arm she reached out to Agunimon, a dark glow emanating from around her palm, which reached up to the tip of her claws. She swung it around to Agunimon as the energy jumped from her, into him! I saw the look in his eyes begin to fade, the normal deep blue being replaced by a grey...and then a dark, crimson red...just like her own.
"Stop! Stop it now! Let him go!" I attempted to move back over to him, intending to pull off that net and stop whatever it was she was doing! Before I could though, I felt a pair of arms pulling back on my own, looking back both Regas and Lorna had a hold of me and both Renamon and Guilmon running in front. "Let go! Let go of me!" I tried to pull off my two companions, but they simply pulled back harder as they dragged me away from Agunimon and the fight which began, as Renamon leapt into the air, and Guilmon fired at him.
"You can't! Snow, let our partners take care of this" Lorna growled through gritted teeth, as both she and Regas struggled to pull me back, and I continued to pull against them furiously.
"Oh! This is just adorable!" the net around Agunimon was lifted, and for a brief moment I thought he might actually be able to get away, expecting him to turn around and show that witch what for...however the moment it was lifted, the look in his eyes remained, and a menacing grin formed on his face...I could immediately see something was wrong...something was very wrong!
For a moment, time stood still to me, that single moment as I watched his form engulf in flames, before launching it out at both Renamon, and Guilmon. The witch behind him with a smile, a smile that radiated hatred and darkness – she was enjoying this. Realising what she had done, it made my entire body go cold. She had control of him...she was guiding his actions...A surge of anger forced me to action as I shouted out in frustration, using every last ounce of power in my body
"Let go of me...let...go!" I struggled free of my two companions and threw myself onto my knees, on the floor. Still holding my digi-vice I looked at the screen, and pressed whatever buttons I could in a mad scramble for it to help me. "Come on...Agunimon!" it was no use, the thing just wasn't responding, at all! I growled in frustration and looked up to see him once more throwing another attack at Guilmon who narrowly dodged to the side as the fireball flew past him, hitting the wall at the back of the room.
"We have to get out of here!" Regas shouted over the commotion, and, looking to him I pulled myself to my feet, shaking my head vehemently,
"No! I refuse to abandon him! He would never do the same to me, so I won't leave him like this!" I narrowed my eyes, looking back to him, feeling my heart break at the realisation there might actually be nothing I could do...
"Dude! We can't win! He is a champion, and a legendary! Our partners can't do anything but hold him off, and with LadyDevimon too, we have no chance we have to run!" Regas pointing her out, as the wooden barrels beside us catch fire from a stray fireball, exploding just to our side.
Feeling tears behind my eyes, I wouldn't accept that, I couldn't accept that!
"I can get through to him! I can do-"
"YOU CAN'T!" Lorna stepped forward between me and Regas, a look of both anger, and determination plastered across her, "We will get him back, I promise you! Right now though we have to run...Snow..." putting her hands on my shoulder, she looked me dead on in my eyes "...I know you want to help him, I know you want to save him – but we got to do this, we need to re-group and come up with a plan...please, there is no way we can win this fight, not yet!" lowering her hands from my shoulder, she held one out for me "Please?"
Looking at her hand for a second, I then peered over my shoulder, seeing Agunimon launch another attack out at Renamon, destroying the crate she was just on top of, narrowly missing becoming fried fox. She launched an attack back – I could see clearly it was having no impact. Be it Agunimon' own strength, or that of LadyDevimon I didn't know...but I could see too it was a battle we were going to lose...and it broke my spirit to accept that...
Seeing all the scenarios running through my head in that instant, and what could happen to Agunimon, me, the others – I felt my heart become heavy as the realisation of what Lorna said began to sink in. She was right, we had to go. As another attack connected with Renamon, hearing her cry echo through the chamber I realised that even though I wanted to save my partner, I wanted to be there for him...right now, in this place, at this time, that wasn't going to happen. I didn't have the power needed to save him, none of us did right now...
The frustration inside me grew, the anger, the sadness – the tears which had been threatening my eyes trickled down my cheek. Lowering my head, the reality finally settling in...
"Let's go" I muttered softly, but clearly. If it was just me I would have done something, anything – but I couldn't risk my friends, these people and their partners – I couldn't ask them to risk themselves for a fight which could bring even more sadness. I didn't want that, I didn't want others to feel what I was feeling right now, that wouldn't be the right thing to do...
"Renamon! Guilmon! Let's go!" I felt something enter my hand, and turning saw Lorna as she held my hand in hers, the faintest sign of tears in her eyes too, as she put on a brave smile, "Let's get out of here, ok?"
I paused, looking down at her hand for a moment, tightening my grip in resolution with a nod
"Ok" was all I could manage to say before turning, walking at first before breaking out into a run, turning back as I watched Agunimon stop attacking and just stand there, LadyDevimon smirking as both she and my partner just watched us leave... watched us run away – my friend now in the thrall of the enemy. Using my free hand to wipe away the tears we made our way into the dark tunnel we had originally intended to go down, and kept on running.
I didn't look back, I couldn't look back – I didn't want to risk seeing my partner bearing down on us, threatening to kill all of us – all at the mercy of LadyDevimon! She was going to pay! She was going to regret what she did today!
"Are they, following?" Regas panted out between breaths, as Guilmon and Renamon kept to the rear in case they continued to chase after us
"No, seems like – they have left us alone for now" with that piece of news from Renamon, we slowly began to slow down, having ran for at least a solid couple of minutes we finally came to a stop. Releasing my hand from Lorna' I Placed it on the wall as I panted and wheezed trying to catch my breath, wishing I was somewhat fitter at this point. Hearing the others behind me do the same as Regas collapsed to the ground, and Lorna leaned back against the opposite wall.
Turning back, I looked back the corridor – in a way wishing he had followed us...perhaps on his own we could have taken him, and brought him under control. Still though, the look in his eyes, that deep red, blood...it was the colour of blood, that scarred me, chilling me to my core at the thought of what he could potentially do to us if he used his full power...
Kneeling down on the ground, my heart felt like a stone – I knew that Agunimon was here to protect me, and he had done so previously, risking his own life whilst fighting Coredramon. Now however, when he needed me to do the same, I ran – I ran away from him and left him in the clutches of the enemy. I had failed him...we were partners, and partners were supposed to be there for one another, not abandon the other at the time of greatest need.
Once against the tears of frustration prickled at my eyes, as my body shook in anger and frustration. Unable to contain it any longer, I clenched my fist hard, and launched it at the wall, hitting it hard – my eyes clenched shut as I failed to control myself, feeling my fist throb from the hit, however something unexpected, feeling the stone wall, move?
"OW! Hey there, watch where you're punching kid!"
"w-What!?" My eyes snapped open, hearing a new and unfamiliar voice – the others too immediately turned towards me, stepping forward as the light now fully focused on the supposed wall I had just hit.
From the shadows appeared a form, as the light illuminated it further until we could see it was a Digimon...made of, rocks? It looked up at us with its yellow eyes, and waved it hands in a friendly gesture
"The names Gotsumon! Now why are you all down in these mines?"
X-X-X
"Well, they ran away? Pitiful. Never mind, we shall see them again, isn't that right my pet?"
I internally growled at her. I was like a passenger in my own head! I could see what was going on but had no control over my actions!
"Yes, Mistress" the voice was mine, but they weren't my words! The foul magic she had worked over me had taken full control, I was helpless, just as I was in the battle.
My friends throwing themselves at me, fighting me, as I just took the attacks and dished them straight back out! Hurling fire across the chamber at them...but, at least she had failed at her primary objective – Snow. I had at least saved him from this fate...
The look in his eyes as I attacked the others, I knew he wanted to help, I could sense it within him, the emotions that were stirring through him were strong – but...he was right to run. The others can take my attacks at least...all it would take would be one fireball on Snow and it would be over...I knew he be back through, like me I could sense he wouldn't be willing to leave me like this, just as I would be if he was captured...I would fight to the end of worlds to free him...
"Come now, Agunimon – I have plans for you, we have a surprise to arrange for when your little friends come back to find you" I felt my body being surrounded in darkness, as she transported us away from his chamber, into another one...I resolved in my head, I would fight you LadyDevimon, every moment, of every second, I will fight against your control! And when I am finally free...it would be your end!