Chapter 5: The Beginning of Chaos

"You see the darkness
Riding above the clouds
With storm and sword.

What hope have you
In the midst of chaos?"

Year: January 1, 2307
Location: DigiClub outside Hawk Territory, Americanus South Tri-Border

A hawk flitted down from the branches of a great oak that extended out of pack land over the DigiClub, her eyes sharp as she alighted atop the strange building.
A darcmon followed a moment later, the angel digimon wary as her partner returned to human form. "It is not safe here…not for our kind."
"Shh… It will be fine Griffo, don't forget why we came."
"And why did you come Holly? Seeking ignorance again?" A shadow had slipped from the club below them and now stood watching both neko and digimon, her bat-like wings curled around her shoulders like a cloak.
"Fang, is that your name now?" Holly dropped to the ground beside the other neko, waving for her partner to follow. "It's not like you to back out of deals."
"This is not a deal you want to make, but then what do I care? Do you have my payment?"
"Yes, the cursed ones are under pack protection…you should know which packs." Holly smiled as she pulled out a scrap of paper, flattening it so the older girl could see. "They use the spirit barriers for camps, here's a list of the ones they frequent."
Fang started to reach for the paper but pulled back at the last second, her hand instead going to her bag. "Good, good…don't say I didn't warn you." She pulled out a carefully wrapped package, shifting the cloth just enough that the contents could be seen.
Holly's smile changed at the sight of it, her hand releasing the paper as she took the small package. "This is exactly what we need to fight back."
"Fight fire with fire huh? Don't count on it playing nice, they're called dark for a reason." Fang snatched the paper from the air and turned back towards the DigiClub, her gaze now carefully guarded as she left the two to their prize.

Year: May 12, 2308
Location: DigiDestined Base, Americanus North Pack-Neutral Border

Ryan was leaning against one wall of their makeshift base, half asleep when Crystal suddenly hissed. He opened his eyes and glanced towards her to see that her eyes were filled with fear.
Strike was beside her in a moment, looking equally worried "What is it Chris?"
"Something bad" she shook her head, not even noticing that he used the nickname she hated "I saw a blazing phoenix attacking a school..."
Rachel ran in at that moment, her eyes huge "There's trouble downtown, three digimon are attacking!"
Strike glanced between the two girls a moment then snatched up his digivice and took off.
"Where's Wild?" Ryan called, grabbing his own digivice but pausing in the doorway.
"Already there" Rachel replied, taking off after Strike.
Ryan nodded and he and Crystal took off after them.

Location: Rock Pick County, Americanus North Neutral

It took twenty minutes to get from their alley to the main street but once there they could see the attackers.
A digimon that looked like a birdramon but had the fangs of a snake was descending upon the school while a winged ape was making a pothole out of the street. Further away something that looked like a cross between a tiger and a horse was making mincemeat out of a school bus.
Strike stopped as close as he dared and tightened his grip on his digivice "We have to do something"
"But we can't digivolve" Crystal murmured, taking in the whole scene.
"We have our tokens and I have an infinity token" Wild replied, pulling out the rare treasure.
"How did you find that?" Ryan asked, keeping one eye on the monsters while he studied the token.
While they were talking the tiger-horse had finished with the school bus and was padding towards them, an evil smile on its face. "Look what we have here, the DigiDestined come to save the day." He gave a cruel laugh, his shape changing into that of a boy with dangerous red eyes and deep brown hair that hung down his back like a horse's mane. His hands might as well have been claws and he had the ears and tail of a tiger as he stepped closer.
Rachel started, always the gentlest of the group, and ducked behind Strike.
The other two monsters took on human forms as well, one a girl with fiery red hair and gray-brown eyes with the fangs of a snake and the wings of an eagle, and the other a boy with crow black hair and wings and ape-like feet.
The first one, the tiger-horse, smiled to reveal sharp feline-like teeth "I'm Chaos you losers and Pride sent me to kill you"