A Digimon Frontier Fanfic
By Sakura Martinez
Author's Notes:
And now, the final arc of the story begins.
I had planned on updating yesterday but, our Internet connection keeled over and died for some reason. It's annoying, I know.
I can't promise you all that this would be as long a chapter as the previous ones but, I can tell you all that it will be as "meaty" as before.
Anyways, thanks are in order for those who reviewed the story and even to those who could not find time to review after reading the chapters. I know how busy life could be but, it would be nice to hear your thoughts on the chapters.
I won't prolong this part of the story as I doubt people actually take time to read them, lol. So, all I say, if you are reading this, is that I hope you enjoy this chapter.
End of Author's Notes
The Rabbit on the Moon
The Crystal Castle
The world's history is a divine poem of which the history of every nation, every kingdom, is a canto and every man a word. It's strains have been pealing along down the centuries, and though there have been mingled the discords of warring cannon and dying men, yet to the philosophers and historians - the humble listeners - there has been a divine melody running through the song which speaks of hope and halcyon days to come.
"We meet again, sister." Chaos greeted as he walked forward, through silver archways that were as tall as mountains and just as wide. "How long has it been since I awaited for such a reunion as this."
The Halls of Lunesca were a sight to behold. It was a long corridor with a long set of stairs at the far end which led to the Goddess of Light's throne. The walls were high yet were incomparable to height against the archways. They gleamed like diamond under the brightness of the sun's rays yet their shimmer were not painful to the eyes rather, it was soothing.
When you look at the ceiling, you will find nothing there save for the twinkling stars dancing in the vast expanse of the sky. An occasional shooting star can be see passing by leaving stardust in its wake.
Braziers, in the shape of dragons were placed along the corridor holding bright, white flames which in turn gave the room a glow unlike any other. Golden linings could be seen glinting under the light of the braziers.
An ethereal smell, difficult to describe, hung in the air.
At the top of the long staircase stood a beautiful woman with pale complexion. Her hair was long and flowing behind her back. It was silver in color but brighter and more lustrous than any known silver to man or elven. A circlet made of pure, white gold clung to her forehead. It had an emblem on the middle, a rune carved out that, when translated to the human language meant "Moon", "Light" and "Life".
Her lips were redder than the ripest cherry. Her body, well endowed, was covered with white, silk dress that flowed and wrapped around her body, fitting her perfectly. Her eyes were the same color as the moon, if not more richer and deeper than the moon's silvery hue. Her whole body glowed with a beautiful light and she radiated power.
She looked down and right at Chaos, still inhabiting Seraphim's body, her eyes held love as she looked at him. Love and pity. In his wake, she showed no sign of fear.
"And so you have come, brother." Lumina said, her voice was melodious and soft yet full of power that flowed through the hall. "I see that your destructive tendencies are still very much present within you."
"And I see that you still cling on blind faith to what humans can accomplish." Chaos retorted, taking a step forward. Undeterred by Lumina's gaze. "But they have fallen, dear Lumina. Your precious Chosen Ones - the Children of Promise - cannot hope to defeat me. They are not as strong as you once believed."
"They will prove victorious in the end." Lumina said, her voice unwavering. "And history will once again repeat with your downfall. It will always be like that, Chaos."
"Ah, but you are thinking that I am doing things just as before." Chaos said, a hint of amusement in his voice that he did not bother to hide. He continued his ascent to her throne, and towards the throne beside her that had been empty since he was banished. "Perhaps you should think outside the box as I have."
Lumina eyed him cautiously. Chaos was still a long ways from her. A thousand and more steps up the stairs leading to her throne. She didn't like how he had said it but she knew he was plotting something.
Before Chaos could take another step, Lumina raised her hand above her head. Her movement was swift yet graceful. From her hand she summoned just enough energy that could push Chaos back.
Chaos smirked as he was pushed back to the entrance of the hall. "Interesting. Your powers have not deteriorated over time."
Lumina glared at him. "Do not think for one second that my power is waning. The time you think like that would be the time of your downfall."
They stood in awe and disbelief. Never did they expect to find themselves in this place, high above and overlooking Endlessia.
They looked around, taking in all that they could see, for they know that no mortal - regardless of their race - had ever set foot on this place for more than a century. Even though the stories of this place existed, none could ever prepare anyone for what reality would bring them.
They were standing atop a pedestal made of limestone and decorated with the same gems of different color that the Gates of Gaia had. The edifice stood before the same architecture that they had used to traverse to this place - the Gates of Gaia. The Gates of Gaia on this side were as run-down as the other, only allowing a few glimpses of the beauty and glory it once held as a prized artifact.
A staircase, short and made of the same material as the pedestal, connected to the ground which was littered with grass and various kinds of floras and faunas - something that you would not have imagined to see in this place. Despite the foliage, no other living creature existed.
Trees could be seen over at the distance, though it was not something they had seen before, for these trees had white leaves and golden branches and trunks that glimmer and shined with or without the aid of light.
The edge of this plane-like world, could be seen and, if you peered over them, you would catch a glimpse of the stars and other heavenly bodies, the planet, Endlessia, loomed just below.
On the northern edge of this place lay the most beautiful castle they had ever laid eyes on. A place of power, no doubt, made of crystal with a spectrum of colors. It stood proud and time seemed to stand still around it. If kings and queens would lay eyes on it; if emperors and empresses could see it; if nobles were to gaze upon it, surely, their mouths would water and perhaps they would be willing to wage war in order to get hold of this enormous castle to make it their own. Such was human greed.
"We're in Lunesca..." Kouji mouthed in awe.
"L-Lunesca?" Gaped Junpei, not daring to believe what he heard was correct. "You can't be referring to Endlessia's moon! You don't mean that Lunesca, right?"
Shinya, although as awestruck as they were, was amused at what Junpei said and asked, "How many places called 'Lunesca' do you know of, Junpei?"
Junpei did not answer him. He, like everyone, still gawked at the sight of the crystal castle as they descended down the steps of the pedestal and made their way towards the castle.
Takuya could not believe that he was where he was. He had heard of the legends that speak of the fabled crystal castle and he had marveled at the stories when he was a child believing that they were true, a belief that had wavered when he grew up. And yet now, standing in its glory, the Castle of Lunesca proved to him that some legends do have facts in them.
He was staring at the beautiful castle when he felt at tingling sensation in his mind. First it was soft, then it prickled his thoughts and his consciousness. When he was about to dismiss the sensations, they suddenly grew in intensity and he heard a voice he had not thought he would hear again so soon.
"You must hurry, Takuya." Izumi spoke in his mind. Yet, knowing that she was communing with him through his mind, he felt as though he was standing beside her. "Chaos is already inside the great halls of Lunesca."
Just as she said those words, and even before he can comment on them or wrap his mind around them, her voice and the sensation that prickled his mind, vanished.
"We don't have time to gaze at the marvel of this place." Takuya reminded them of their mission, the same way that Izumi had reminded him. "We have to hurry. The goddess may need our help, Chaos is already in the castle."
Of this, Kouichi agreed and soon, everyone remembered that there were more pressing tasks at hand than to sight-see. Without any arguments, they rushed towards the castle in a much hurried pace than before.
Lumina's eyes dared not leave Chaos. Her scrutinizing gaze would have been enough for anyone who meets them to run for their lives, even though that would prove futile.
Chaos stared at her the same way knowing that this is a battle that could last for eons should they both decide on it. But, he had not the patience to allow this battle to be a prolonged one. No, he had waited centuries and more for this day when he finally returns to Lunesca's walls and overthrow the rule that has caused his demise for so long. His patience, if there was any to begin with, has been depleted a long, long time ago.
He was far stronger now than ever before. His reign, or should he say Emperor Seraphim's reign is already far and wide and he had reigned them under fear. Fear that caused many anguish and suffering that in-turn made his subjects unhappy, unruly and angry. Civil wars had started between knights who believed they were doing good and the rebels who want to cut their ties from the kingdom and see that the king be dethroned.
Chaos grinned knowing that compared to where Lumina was drawing her strength, he was now more powerful than her.
Their battle resumed when Chaos decided to attack, sending bolts of dark energy at Lumina who did not move from where she stood and instead, simply raised her hand and raise a barrier around her in the process.
The dark bolts of energy exploded when they contacted the barrier yet they did not serve their purpose in causing pain to the goddess for she was unharmed. The same could not be said to the crystal walls behind the goddess, which had been reduced to nothing more than the purest of shards.
Chaos' grin widened. He cared not for the castle and he knew how much Lumina valued it. He wanted to incur the goddess' wrath - her anger would make him that much stronger.
Lumina, of course, knew her brother well. She knew the implications of feeling anger towards something and how it fuels the God of Darkness' powers. She had learned to calm her emotions long ago, and new that even when Lunesca turns to rubble, she could easily bring it back to how it was.
Their battle raged on, with Chaos' initiating the offence, all the while Lumina did not move from where she stood and should she attack, it was only to force Chaos further back from the throne.
"I will not let you corrupt the Thrones of Lunesca." She had told him.
They had heard the explosion that had rocked the halls of Lunesca, as well as the series of other explosions that soon followed it, and they knew that Chaos had engaged Lumina in a battle that could spell the doom of all.
They wondered how well they could fare in such a battle knowing that they are nothing compared to the gods of lore.
"Could the goddess really need our help?" Tomoki could not help asking in between breaths as they dashed through the long halls of Lunesca, shaking away the curiosity to gaze at the walls and behold them.
"If she didn't," replied Kouji who tried to shake the feeling of exhaustion within him, "then what is the point in raising Chosen Ones like ourselves?"
Takuya found himself nodding in agreement to how Kouji had viewed things, from the corner of his eye, he saw that Shinya and Katsuharu also felt the same sentiment.
"The question isn't whether or not the goddess needs our help but...what is it that we can do to help?" Katsuharu said. "Whatever it is that we can do, one thing is sure: this is not our battle alone and neither is it the goddess'."
They soon found themselves climbing a set of stairs that coiled around the middle of the hall. They could not really count how many steps it took to get to the top but, when they got to the top, they were met with another corridor, this one much shorter than the previous one they had traversed and, in the far end of the hall, opposite them, were large platinum doors that were slightly ajar.
From the opening on the door, they could see glimpses and flashes of light. The sound of the battle between the two gods echoed through the halls.
They gripped their weapons tighter and took hold of whatever courage was in their hearts for they knew that they needed more than just strength alone to survive whatever lay before them.
"Whatever happens," Shinya found himself whispering to Takuya. "I am honored to fight along side you, Takuya."
Takuya was surprised at Shinya's words but he showed it in just a brief moment. His mouth then twitched into a small smile, his eyes twinkling with vigor and determination. He nodded knowing that Shinya meant what he said.
"Likewise." Was the only word he could muster, although he knew that words were not really necessary. "Though I would appreciate it if you won't die on me without helping me find our mother first."
Shinya grinned. "Of course."
But even as he said those words, and as they made their way to where the battle was raging, he could not help but wonder if he could indeed keep that promise.
To be continued...
Post Author's Notes
Like I have said, this chapter isn't as long as the previous ones but, I did try to add more spice to it, if not make it have the same "volume" in regards to story-telling, as the other chapters.
As I have also said, this marks the beginning of the final arc of the story. This final arc is only a few chapters long and hopefully the end would satisfy everyone who had stick with the story through the years.
Although we are still quite a ways away from the end of the story, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support, and for being patient when I am unable to update for a long while.
Anyways, the next update will come by early this week (as early as Wednesday perhaps). I will try to finish this fanfic within the upcoming week and, after that, start with a new fanfic.
I do hope that you guys will review the remaining chapters (including this one) and, if you have been reviewing, that you will continue to do so.
Until the next update, this is Sakura Martinez saying, "PEACE" and signing out! Ja ne!
End of Post Author's Notes