Slowly we're coming to the end of the story; I guess the story will be over in 4-5 chapters + 2 epilogues. I hope you enjoy this one.

Disclaimer: Jeg ejer ikke Digimon.

It was in the middle of the night when Wingdramon found a small cave at the coast at the coast where they could spend the night. Half of the Digidestined were already sleeping. Tai, Sora and Mimi gently woke the sleeping up while Joe and Matt checked the cave out. Yolei and Ken walked arm in arm, silently to the end of the cave and prepared themselves for the night. "Don't worry Digidestined I'll watch out for you. I don't have to sleep, I just need some rest."

Sora put a hand on Wingdramon's head. "Thank you, good night."

Wingdramon made some noises that sounded like a gentle laughter. Sora walked into the cave, Yolei and Ken looked like they were already sleeping, Mimi was sleeping on Izzy's chest; Davis, Cody, Matt and Joe were in a discussion, she sat down besides Tai. "Hard day, huh?"

"You wouldn't believe it, if you weren't part of it." He sighed. "Every time we enter the Digiworld it gets worse. And now one of us had been killed, thanks to a miracle he came back, but you know…."

She wrapped her arm around his head and pulled his head against her chest. "I know Tai, I know, but even in the darkest night there is hope and you'll find beautiful things." With a smile she pointed at Kari and T.K., which where cuddling in a corner of the cave.

"I can't say that I'm surprised, but I'm too tired to talk to them now." He snuggled his head more in Sora's chest, acting like she was a pillow. Sora gave him a kiss on the back of his head. "Good night Tai."

"Good night beautiful."

Some say love, it is a river

That drowns the tender reed

Some say love, it is a hunger

an endless aching need

The Digidestined woke up pretty late, so it was already midday when they climbed on Wingdramon to head to the Shivering Islands. Their flight was rather uneventful, but soon they noticed that it was constantly raining ash around the Shivering Islands, accordingly they weren't able to see much of the islands. Izzy helped Wingdramon to navigate through the turbid air. They landed on the main island of the Shivering Islands; on the island should be the third aspect.

"There's no way the aspect is on the surface of this island." Said Izzy when he looked at the many cliffs and spikes that covered the island.

"You're right there must be a cave or something similar." Said Tai who used his binoculars to get a better overlook of the island.

"Hey guys I think I found something interesting; this looks like footsteps." It was Matt who pointed at the ground. Izzy quickly examined them. "There's no doubt these are footsteps."

"We should give it a try and follow them." Suggested Tai, no one had a better idea and there wasn't a saver way to leave the cliff they were standing on.

So they walked down the small trail and followed the footsteps. They already waked around island on the trail for over an hour, the ash burned in their eyes and the sulfuric air made breathing difficult and painful. At first they were very happy when the footsteps lead them to a tunnel into the volcano, but the tunnel wasn't any better it was really hot and sticky inside. They followed the tunnel until they entered a bigger room. "Be careful if we have to fight, we shouldn't let our Digimon digivolve into big Digimon they could blow up this whole room."

Suddenly they saw something moving. The aspects of Mimi, Kari and T.K. enlightened the room a bit more and revealed a few Woodmon and Mushroomon.

"Stun spore!" 'The Mushroomon emitted dangerous spores that paralyzed the Digidestined's Digimon. Tai and Sora stood close to another tunnel. Sora pushed him and Agumon into the tunnel. "Run you have to escape get the aspect."

Tai was confused he had never seen Sora so determined and confident. "Don't worry, just go; we'll take care of the rest."

Tai looked deep in Sora's eyes and nodded, he and Agumon ran away from his friends a few tears left his eyes.

"Welcome my friends."

"Puppetmon!" Screamed the Digidestined in unison, their Digimon were already paralyzed.

"How beautiful, all Digidestined in a small room unable to fight. Ok someone is missing, where is your beloved leader?"

Davis quickly looked at Sora than made a step forward. "I'm here."

"Are you fuckin kidding me? Where is the other one, the one with the Agumon?" the Woodmon pushed the Digidestined closer together. "TELL ME!" He yelled at them.

No one answered him. "Fine, Master Daemon wanted you alive, but I guess he wouldn't mind if I kill one or two of you".

He pointed at Matt. "You, you killed me once now let's see if you can comeback when I kill you." He punched Matt in the face, Matt stumbled and fell.

Puppetmon came closer to Mimi. "Where is he? If you tell me I won't hurt you a lot." He slowly brought his finger towards Mimi's neck.

"No!" Izzy quickly stepped forward and pushed Puppetmon away from Mimi. Puppetmon became furious. "How dare you? You want to be a hero? Let's see how quick a hero dies. Any last words?"

He wrapped his fingers around Izzy's throat. Puppetmon's fingers felt like a vise.

"Mimi I love you. I just want you to know, that the time I shared with you was the best time of my life. I regret nothing."

"Oh how cute two lovebirds and one of them has to die, how heartbreaking." Said Puppetmon with a cruel laughter.

Mimi spoke with tears in her eyes. "Izzy I love you two, but you won't die today, we'll have a lot of time in the future we'll share together and we won't regret anything."

I say love, it is a flower

And you, its only seed

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snow

Lies the seed that with the sun's love

In the spring becomes the rose

Mimi's tears fell on the aspect around her neck, the paralysis left Palmon's body and Mimi's Digivice started to vibrate and to glow in a bright green.

Palmon Warp-digivolve to Rosemon.

"Rose Rapier." The Digimon swung its glowing whip and hit Puppetmon's arm, it broke with a loud crack, and Puppetmon's fingers lost their grip around Izzy's throat. Izzy fell down to his knees and was heavily coughing, but he was able to breathe again. Rosemon looked at the Woodmon and Mushroomon. "If you leave this cave now and never collaborate with the Dark Masters again, I'll spare your life. If you stay, you'll share Puppetmon's fate."

With that said Rosemon swung its whip again to attack Puppetmon, now with two damaged arms it was unable to block Rosemon's attack. Puppetmon flew across the room and crushed into the wall. "Please end it quick, don't let him suffer."

Rosemon nodded and walked over to Puppetmon. "Rose Rapier."

Rosemon rammed his stiff whip straight through Puppetmon's head it dissolved in to data. In the meanwhile the Mushroomon and Woodmon had left the room in a hurry. Mimi was now at Izzy's side. "Are you okay?"

He was still heavy breathing. "Yeah it's alright."

Mimi helped him to stand up and hugged him as soon he was on his feet again. Izzy wrapped his arms around her. They stood there silently, happy just enjoying their embrace.

"Alright we should search Tai now." Matt had taken the role of the leader. Again Mimi, Kari and T.K. enlightened the tunnel a bit as the Digidestined followed Tai's track.

Tai and Agumon walked through the darkness; their only source of light was the small flame that came out of Agumon's nostrils. He didn't know how long they had walked, but it had gotten a lot warmer in the tunnel 'I guess we come nearer to the core of the volcano' he thought. Eventually the saw a poor red light at the end of the tunnel, with every step they came nearer to the lights they saw that it wasn't the end of the tunnel instead on the walls of the tunnel were millions of small red crystals that produced the light. With every step the tunnel became a bit bigger, until the tunnel ended. Suddenly they stood in front of a statue that looked like a bird and behind the statue was a wall of fire. "Zhuqiaomon." Whispered Agumon.

"Finally a victim." Tai and Agumon turned around in shock and looked at the shadows in a dark corner, where the voice has come from. Slowly a contour came out of the shadows, a female contour they knew too well. "LadyDevimon."

She smirked. "The one and only."

"Tai let me Digivolve."

"No Agumon it's too dangerous a fight between Digimon could destroy this cave and bury us under tons of stone and hot lava. But feel free to attack her."

"Pepper Breath!" LadyDevimon easily dodged the attack and quickly closed the gap between her and Tai. "Stop fighting or I'll have to hurt your girlfriend." She said with a diabolical smile.

"What? If you touch Sora I'll kill you."

"I would love to see you trying to het mi." she said and laughed at him. LadyDevimon wasn't looking at Agumon while she made fun out of Tai. "What do you want LadyDevimon?"

"Oh nothing I just need you as my hostage."

"Pepper Breath!" LadyDevimon saw the attack to late and got hit right in the face, the attack hadn't caused much damage but had caused a lot of pain, and she slapped Agumon and made him fly across the room, unconscious he fell to the ground.

"Change of plans: I'll hurt your girlfriend, I'll make her suffer, I'll cause her so much pain she'll cause the day she had entered the Digiworld for the first time and it will be your entire fault. And she'll curse the day she had met you for the first time." Her diabolical grin had just become bigger. Tai punched her right in the face; she didn't saw that on coming. A small line of blood came out of her lips.

"Oh you want to play? You won't survive this game. Darkness Wave!" Tai dodged the attack by the skin of his teeth, her attack hit the ground and a part of the ground crumbled away and revealed a stream of hot lava underneath it.

'Damn! Agumon is still unconscious and I have to fight against an ultimate Digimon.' Tai desperately tried to figure out how he could survive this, but with no success. Tai again was barely able to dodge the attack; he tried to make a counter attack, but now focused and prepared LadyDevimon was too fast for him. He had to fight a fight he couldn't win.

But suddenly the eyes of the statue started to glow red and Tai felt an energy he never had felt before, a red and orange aura now covered his body and it looked like his fists were burning. With new confidence and determination he attacked LadyDevimon again, much to his and her surprise he was now as quick as her, and he was able to punch her hard into the stomach. It had been a very painful hit and LadyDevimon went from furious to mad, nearly insane and charged at him. "Black Wing!"

Her left hand became a black spear ready to impale Tai. The energy inside him guided his body, Tai spun around and dodged her spear and he kicked as hard as possible against her knee followed by a punch against her chin. Tai turned around his own body axis, he grabbed her wings the heat in his hands increased and LadyDevimon screamed in pain as Tai burned her wings and pushed her over the cliff. She fell into the hot lava and screamed even more when the hot liquid covered her whole body and took her away.

She didn't knew why that boy had been able to defeat her, but she wasn't dead yet. Somehow she had been able to pull herself out of the lava stream, but she was heavily damaged and weak. Slowly everything started to become darker around her and soon she was alone in the dark and dreamed a dream of revenge.

The red aura around Tai disappeared; exhausted he fell to the ground barely able to catch a breath.

"Tai." Agumon looked with big eyes at his partner. "That was unbelievable. How did you do that?"

"I don't know, but it wasn't me buddy." Tai pointed at the statue. "I think it was Zhuqiaomon."

Suddenly Tai heard more voices and steps; he was relieved when he saw his friends. As quick as it was possible for him he walked over to them and pulled Sora in a tight embrace. Mimi told him what had happened in the room when he had left and Tai told them about his encounter with LadyDevimon. No one, not even Izzy, was able to explain what had happened with him during that fight the agreed that must have been a miracle caused by Zhuqiaomon's power.

"Don't worry Tai. It was a bluff from her." Sora tried to calm her boyfriend down. "So can we get the aspect now and leaf this island?" Asked him Izzy.

Tai walked closer to the statue until the statue started to speak: "Only the brave will be able to claim the aspect of the vermilion bird of the south."

"Come on Tai you can do it." Said Sora very confident and encouraging.

"Why me?"

"You haven't noticed yet, haven't you?" Sighed Izzy.

"Noticed what?" Asked Tai very confused.

"It's just like in Datamon's pyramid during our first adventure." Now that Izzy had said it, it was very reasonable. His goal was behind a dangerous obstacle and only with courage he'll be able to reach his goal. He took a deep breath and walked into the fire.

The flames surrounded him, but nothing else happened, the flames didn't burn him, actually they didn't even feel hot. He made two more steps and he stood in a very small chamber with a small altar in it and on the altar was the aspect of Zhuqiaomon. He walked closer to the altar and the aspect became a pendant similar to the ones of Mimi, Kari and T.K.. He made a little bow in front of the altar then turned around and walked through the flames again, nothing happened to him although the other Digidestined could feel the immense heat of the flames. With a big grin on his face he showed them his aspect.

They walked them same way back they had used before, it took them two hours to walk back to Wingdramon. Exhausted but happy they climbed on his back and flew away from the Shivering Islands.

"O no." Said a shocked Izzy while he was looking at his laptop.

The chapter is over and I leave you alone with this little cliffhanger. If you have read this chapter carefully you may have recognized the bonus teaser for my next project.

As always pls R&R, I need your feedback and I see you soon.

Here is the mandatory hint for my next project:

Andrew "Andy" Ishida (14, male) Pichimon

sayonara