Meaning of Forgiveness

by Tatiana Digiko

Being a Chosen was not something Kouji asked for, nor was it a responsibility he wanted. But after meeting Stingmon and the other Chosen Digimon, he began to truly understand his father's words. But when the lies of the past are brought into the light, with darkness attacking the people he loves, what will Kouji do? Will he fall to the darkness or will he rise?

7. Shackling Memories Part 1

Out of all the places I'd end up in, it just had to be the Dark Area! Ken sighed, his hands resting on his hips as he tried to take stock of their current situation. For some weird reason, he'd always found himself back here, running from an enemy that always remained out of sight but had no problem hunting them down and breaking them to the point of exhaustion and confusion.

He should consider himself lucky though. It could be worse. He could be in an unimaginable amount of pain while trying to hide from said enemy. He could be bleeding to death or having an asthma attack while alone somewhere. He could be trapped in a burning building again or shot or…

Yeah, anything was probably better than that.

Maybe being temporarily separated from his body wasn't all that bad. He no longer felt the pain that traveled up and down his spine with each movement he took. His lungs also didn't feel tight, like he was breathing through a straw or constantly out of breath, nor did he feel like he was dying. Which was great considering the way they got here was still kinda… blurry, and there was also the fact that he was starting to forget things the longer he stayed in this twisted realm. That was concerning, more than he was willing to admit, but Ken didn't have time to worry about himself right now, not when Millenniumon was completely out of it.

"Why?" His double ganger was huddled in the corner of the room, rocking himself back and forth as he mumbled about something. "Why him? What not me? Why? Not again. Come back. Come back."

"Hey, it'll be okay, Millenniummon? We'll figure a way out of here." His double ganger remained unaffected by his words. "Millenniummon…? Can you hear me?"

The evil god was not doing okay. He had been mumbling under his breath for several hours now. Ken had tried speaking to him before, but nothing seemed to snap him out of this panicked illusion he'd found himself in. It was unnerving to see him like this.

It had taken years to get to where they are now. Millenniummon was still sadistic and cruel at times, but he had mellowed out a lot over the years after coming to terms with each other. Although, the leaps he had to go through to get to that point made him realize why he never told the others. He wouldn't hear the end of it if he so much as mentioned his soul almost shattering and Millenniumon in the same sentence. He rubbed the back of his neck. Daisuke and Miyako wouldn't let him out of their sight and he wasn't quite ready for the interrogation. Wallace was the only one who knew everything that happened between the two of them. He was sure Hikari figured it out on her own but was choosing to stay silent for his sake.

Despite all the power and manipulation that monster caused, he couldn't push the other away. He couldn't abandon him when he had no one to turn to. In all honesty, he and Millenniumon were much too alike. Two gentle souls, forced to endure the pain and darkness pushed upon them by those who were supposed to be above such things. If it hadn't been for Milleenniumon, the Holy Beasts' seal would have never been broken, and the past he had cherished with Lucemon and the other would have never been brought to light.

The Holy Beasts' had locked away so many precious memories of his childhood. He had forgotten the Demon Lords that raised him, his friend Ryo, Agumon, V-mon, and all the other Digimon he had befriended and trained during the war. He had forgotten Bokomon and Neamon and so many others. He was glad to have all those memories back. Up until that point, he had felt empty, hollow even. Ken had always felt a piece of him was missing, but he never understood why.

Ken frowned in thought. It had something to do with Kami and his shattered memories. That he was sure of, but there were just too many unanswered questions to piece the missing link. The first time he had attempted to search for these answers was when Lucemon and Demon told him stories of their epic adventures in the Digital World way before the Royal Knights blindly followed Yggdraills' twisted orders.

While the tales of Lord Knightmon getting blasted across the Digital World were always amusing, there was another that piqued his interest: the Dark Area and the Creation. From his understanding, the Dark Area was originally where all life began, the spirit according to Barbamon. When the soul was stable and mature enough to leave that realm it would transition to the physical realm. This world had no name, but many had referred to it as Digital Prime or Witchelny depending on who he'd asked.

The story of creation was an interesting topic he would love to pick Millenniuimon's brain on, if he would just stop avoiding his questions. According to the Demon Lords the original gods that created their world came in pairs: one of light and one of darkness. The Gods of Light existed in the physical realm, while the Gods of Darkness existed in the realm of the shadows.

The Dark Area… it must have been Kami's home at one point, but how did he leave and why?

There was no way of asking Kami directly as his memories were scattered, mixed with hundreds of other memories Ken has been getting over the years, and asking Millenniumon was like pulling teeth. He was hiding something, but the look of regret and unbearable sadness always made him stop from pushing the evil god any further. Asking Beelzebumon or any of the others was also out of the question. They never once mentioned Kami whenever they talked about the ancient days. They couldn't even answer his questions when he asked. It was always that confused, "Kami? Who's that?" It was almost as if Kami's life, the connections he made, his loved ones, and his entire being had been wiped out from existence. Ken could only imagine how devastating that must have been.

Way before he had come to learn the fragmented spirit's name and the pieces of history he was able to recall, Ken had always felt this heaviness in the pit of his soul. He knew they were connected, but he hadn't truly understood how deep that connection was until a few years ago. Kami was the other half of his soul. Ken felt whole when he was near him, but then reality hits and then an overwhelming confusion settles in.

Kami barely remembered anything before the final moment of his death. This maiden he always talks about with such fondness in his voice, he could barely remember her name, let alone what she looked like and his beloved children… They were nothing more than faint silhouettes and muttered voices. Ken was at a complete loss. Kami's memories were scattered, fragmented at best, making it difficult to help him sift through the hundreds of thousands of memories they have received since Ken had been four.

He could still feel the phantom pains and heart-wrecking memories of all the reincarnations after Kami's death, but even Millenniumon confirmed something was not right. Kami hadn't walked this realm since his soul shattered eons ago, scattering across the two worlds. The Kami he had gotten to know since his childhood had been in a dormant-like state until Ken's birth. There was no way these memories were his.

Ken sighed, a longing in his voice. "I wish there was someone I could talk to about this."

Kami was still incomplete. Fragments of his soul were still missing, preventing them from filling in the missing pieces. Ken hated how broken their memories were. There was no way of knowing what was theirs and what wasn't and being in the Dark Area wasn't really helping. Ken knew without even asking that this place had once been Kami's eternal home and prison. He had spent his entire existence here. He had a pretty good idea why he kept being dragged to this place almost every other week. However, something about this place felt off. It felt unstable, twisted even.

The creatures that lived in this world were extremely dangerous. Ken was sure he would have been consumed long ago if Millenniumon and Anubimon hadn't put aside their difference to save him. Ken shivered at the memory. He didn't know what they wanted with him, nor did Kami. They were ancient beings, unable to feel anything but death. What was he going to do if one of those things found him again? Anubimon had to be on one of the upper levels of the Dark Area and then there was that creature.

Ken didn't know what it was. It was old, older than the other creatures they had come across thus far. And for some reason, it seemed to enjoy torturing him with these twisted games. Ken had been fortunate to escape unharmed, his memories intact for the most part. He was only alive because of Millenniumon's persistence and his twisted reasonings for protecting his vessel.

His gaze shifted back to the Evil God's shaking form. Millenniumon didn't like talking about his past. He preferred insulting others and making his enemies as miserable as possible. And yet, he was the first to confirm the existence of Kami and the world's recreation. Millenniumon refused to talk about the gods' genocide and the war that caused the original world to collapse, but he did mention something of importance: the convergence. During the genocide of the gods, the two realms became unbalanced and started to overlap.

It was also this unbalanced that threw the world into total chaos. With the death of the gods, their creations lost the abilities the ancient gods had blessed them with. They were normal and powerless, especially when up against the creatures Millenniumon dubbed the Twisted Ones. It was a fitting name. They were power-hungry, emotionless beings. It was nearly impossible to tell what they used to be. Their bodies were melty or ink-like and only showed their yellowish or red orbs when hunting their prey. Their claws and teeth were rigged and sharp, and… their strength was unheard of.

The mere thought of those creatures made his heart drop and a sickening feeling weighed heavily on his gut. Kami's gentle reassurance and Millenniumon's promise to protect him behind his cold indifference didn't help the uneasiness and overwhelming fear he felt, especially when the waves of an ancient tongue sliced into his soul every time he closed his eyes. How was he expected to stay strong when Millenniumon couldn't hear those sharp, sinister voices masked behind a childish voice?

"Kami-mama, why are you hiding from us? There's no need to run, no need to hide…"

"We only want to play."

"It has been so long since you last played with us. Don't you like us anymore?"

"Why did you trap us here?!"

An uneasiness filled his stomach once more, just like all the other times they accused him of trapping them here. He had no memory of ever meeting them, nor creating them during his time as the Kaiser and Kami didn't seem to recognize them either. There was a possibility that these creatures were one of the many that had been created during the genocide and sealed away when Kami recreated the world. The resentment was probably warranted. They had been trapped here for eons, left behind, forgotten as the rest of the world moved on from ancient times and evolved to a more modern era.

These soulless creatures, the Twisted Ones, had been abandoned, tossed aside, by their creators. They had every right to be furious at the man they perceived to be their father. But did he really deserve their twisted insults and harsh words just because he was the reincarnation of their father? Did Kami, who might not even be the god that created them back then?

Ken closed his eyes, shaking the ugly voices and dark thoughts away. Millenniumon would have certainly yelled at him again for listening to their lies. Millenniumon had not failed to remind him that the transgressions of his previous lives were not his to bare. They had lived their lives, now it was time to live his. Ken smiled softly. Who would have thought the big bad Composite God was such a softie at heart?

Kami certainly would have had a good chuckle if he had been here.

"Hikari… how could you do this? Why did you betray him? Why did you betray us?" Ken jumped surprised by the sudden burst of anger coming from his double ganger. Millenniumon rarely allowed himself to give in to his emotions. The Chosen just left the other alone when his mood became unbearable, boarding uncontrollable. The evil god had always been distant and aloof, but Kami seemed to be the only one willing to chase after him when he suddenly got into one of his moods and disappeared for hours at a time. Ken couldn't figure out the relationship between the two, but it was obvious they had some sort of history.

"He was your shadow and you treated him like trash!" Shadow? Ken frowned at his double ganger, uncertain what to do. The last time he had been this mad was when he had been assisting Kami in piecing together one of his fragmented memories. The memory they had restored was merely a glimpse of an interaction between him and several other Digimon. It seemed like a precious, loving moment but then it shifted showing Yggdrasill injured and saying something they couldn't quite catch.

It was that sudden shift, the moment where memories that didn't belong to Kami took form, that set Millenniumon off.

"What the hell is he doing? Why the fuck is he giving you guys his memories? The coward!"

"Millenniumon who are you talking about?"

Ken had never seen Millenniumon that angry on someone's behalf before, but it did beg the question of who his double-ganger kept mumbling threats about. And these memories…it was enough to give him a massive headache and night terrors for weeks on end, followed by a hollow, empty feeling he couldn't place.

Hikari? And then there was that name again. This wasn't the first time Millenniumon brought that name up. He would grow tense and furious whenever Ken inquired about it, and then the threats would soon follow. Judging by Millenniumon's recent behavior and with the little information he was able to gather over the years, Ken could only assume that Kami was one of the Shadow Gods. Ken ponders that for a moment. It made sense, given the current state of this place. Kami was the last of the Gods, it was no wonder those creatures kept going after them. But it didn't explain everything.

Ken knew he was grasping at straws. Kami didn't recognize the name and always had that distant look in his eyes whenever he brought it up. His eyes would lose that golden hue as he struggled to remember a part of his life that must have been extremely painful. Ken refused to push his other half when he was struggling to piece himself back together after being dormant for so long, but these memories and his Hikari… They were connected somehow.

If only he could get Millenniumon to open up somehow. Fat chance of that happening.

Ken shook his head sadly at the thought. He knew all too well the pain of being alone and the misguided expectations of others. Even with Osamu around, Ken had always felt like he didn't belong. His mother was a sweetheart, but she never stood up against her husband until it was already too late, and when he lost everything he just found himself in that swirl of loneliness and emptyness.

Despite all of that Ken knew in the end he would be alright. He had people like Daisuke, Julieanna, Miyako, and Takumi after all. And yet he wouldn't dare to tell them about those dreams. All those screams, the haunted looks, and the pain that wrecked his body as he felt their bodies slowly being torn apart… He didn't want to relive those dreadful memories day after day, let alone talk about them. He had come so close to completely losing his mind so many times in the past and yet he wouldn't wish these traumatizing memories on anyone.

Not his best friend…

Not his overprotective brother, his fiancee, or any of his other friends…

And his counterpart, a mere nine-year-old child was out of the question.

Ken frowned distastefully at the mere thought of the little boy getting these memories. That was the last thing he wanted. It was bad enough that the other was living in a world where there was a genocidal war between the Holy Alliance and Virus Court. He had been frightened for the child when he had been teleported there years ago. All he could do was hope the Demon Lords, Mummymon, and Archnemon were doing okay. Speaking of this counterpart, he hadn't spoken to the child in well over a month now. The last time they'd talked extensively was when he had been in a coma.

Despite the circumstances, he enjoyed talking to the other. His counterpart recently talked his ear off about all the cool things his parents had gotten him when they'd returned from their secret mission. In addition to all the pranks and other troubles, he and Beelzebumon had gotten into. Ken couldn't help but smile as the child told him with great enthusiasm how they sneaked into Demon's room and redecorated his bookshelf and walls with new coloring books and drawings. And by some miracle, the big bad Demon Lord didn't blow up like a balloon. Ken highly doubted that and he was pretty sure Beelzebumon got yelled at for that, but Ken knew better than to say anything. The innocent sparkle in his eyes, the way he'd jump up and down in his seat as he told him one crazy story after another, reminded him too much of his youth before it had been shattered. While he had lost his innocence and his childish joy way before his counterpart, Ken was unwilling to be the one to take it away from him. He was too young to be forced into a war he was not ready for and he could only hope it stayed that way until he was more mature and older.

No child should ever feel the pain and loneliness he'd felt when he first got them. What child wouldn't be traumatized as they relived their final moments? And what child wouldn't be heartbroken after losing their parent?

Ken glanced at Millenniumon as he whimpered more words he couldn't make out, concern eating at him. The two of them had gotten to know each other pretty well over the years. Ken didn't like to pry into the others' thoughts or memories, but there had been plenty of times in which he had no choice but to see the evil god's memories in order to help him, and… what he saw, he didn't like.

Many of Millenniumon's childhood memories were scattered and blurry, almost as if he was trying to hide from them. It was hard to determine who was in those memories as most were blurry silhouettes, but Ken had a pretty good idea of what had happened.

Way before the Holy Beasts came into power and started their path of genocide, there had been tension between those of the virus and vaccine. While there wasn't any outright bloodshed, there was isolation and discrimination on a variety of levels. The Virus Digimon had always been looked down upon by those who felt they had higher values and pathways to greatness. This division brought the Demon Lords and the other nobles together to form their own kingdom and to strive for some sort of peace. For a period of time, it had worked; but Millenniumon never forgot their words nor the isolation that was forced upon him as he advanced within the Demon Lord's army. Ken wasn't sure what had transpired between him and his siblings after Kami's death, but it must have been bad if the blurry images of them disappearing one after the other, their backs to him. Everything after that was nothing but feelings…

Abandonment.

Hurt.

Rage.

Betrayal.

Guilt.

Ken's heart went out to the Composite God. No one deserved that type of pain, that type of isolation. It would make anyone mad and… if he was being honest, he could have ended up the same way if the others hadn't come to the Digital World when they did. He wished things could have turned out differently. It would have been nice if Hikari and Takura remembered him back then, to attempt to help him from the start instead of seeing him as just another enemy to defeat as the Holy Beast wanted.

But what's done was done. He couldn't change the past and neither could Millennuiumon… well, he could but Ken really hoped he didn't have that mindset anymore after everything they had been through. With the exception of Hikari, Ken knew for a fact the others would lose it if they found out he had almost shattered his soul by removing the hatred that had manifested in that other world. Millenniumon had caused them all nothing but pain and suffering and he was the reason for becoming the Kaiser and for the attempt on his life all those years ago.

When he reflected on all the pain and suffering the other caused, Ken realized none of that mattered. Millenniumon was a child who had lost his parent and a rejected Chosen Digimon. He had been mistreated, abandoned, and betrayed over and over again. When something attacked him at the castle, causing him and Millenniumon to be temporally separated, Ken felt the pain. Millenniumon's pain. They had been together for so long that being separated now would have destroyed them both. The overwhelming hatred that surrounded Millenniumon's heart for countless centuries had been the only thing keeping Ken alive.

What he did had been risky and even Beelzebumon had yet to stop mentioning how stupid he had been for taking that thing head-on alone. But he had to at least try to help him. They needed each other, not just to survive but to learn and grow. In order to move past the trauma that had been holding him back, Ken faced the shadowy darkness of hate.

Ken, for his part, didn't really remember the fight. All he remembered were red eyes surrounding him as they created illusions of all his fears and past traumas, trying their best to shatter his fragile soul. Somehow he managed to chase the thing away, making sure it never returned. The next thing he knew Millennoumon was staring at him as the darkness lifted, leaving the two of them in a familiar meadow with a single bench under a massive tree. On that day, for the first time in years, they talked, not as enemies, but as comrades, friends…

It had been a new beginning.

He wasn't going to say it was easy. Millenniumon seemed very knowledgeable about the past and seemed to know things that the Chosen of Kindness couldn't really grasp. It was odd really, he would spend most of his time staring at the walls covered in Ancient Digimoji. Ken couldn't make sense of most of it and to be honest he really didn't want to. It would just be too messy anyway, but that didn't stop Millenniumon from wandering the halls outside their soul room. In that hallway, were so many doors, memories of the past. Millenniumon had made sure to lock away the memories he and Kami were not ready to face, especially the ones of the screaming Digimon. The Ken from the other dimension has been leaving his soul room more and more lately and neither one of them wanted him to stumble onto an unpleasant memory.

Despite that Ken knew something was on Millenniumon's mind. The way he acted around the others and the pups was pretty typical for him nowadays, but there were times when he would disappear and just stare at the wall with tears rolling down his cheeks. Both counterparts tried talking to the Evil God, but he would just brush off their concerns. It was so frustrating. He sighed, running a hand through his purplish-blueish locks. It was just something they needed to work on he guessed. His double ganger would come to him when he was ready. Ken glanced at the wall he had been staring at over the last couple of hours and the door of the cavern that had disappeared shortly after someone had knocked him out.

Something is not right here. When Wizarmon and that other Digimon had been escaping through a portal back to the Digital World, he had felt an ungodly amount of pain that felt all too familiar. It reminded him of the time before the Demon Lords gave him their crests to remove the seal that had been repressing his memories and sucking the life out of him if he dared to remember. It was the same type of magic, only this time it had been directed not at him per se but towards the Digimon it was meant to keep out.

Ken had always wondered why Beelzebumon or the others never attempted to return to the Digital World on their own when they clearly could do so. Now it all made sense.

So the Holy Beasts had a seal in place connected to their crests, he thought with a long sigh. Well, that explains why they could never return. Ken placed a hand on his chest. The pain had been less than desirable. In his weakened state, he had felt every nerve screaming in agony and he had heard the whisper of something dark, familiar even, mocking them as something cold and sharp tangled around their souls like a viper, yanking them out of his body and pulling them into an endless dark void.

"Millenniumon, we haven't been on his level of the Dark Area before." Determining where they ended up, hadn't really been that hard. The Dark Area was a cold place, filled with twisted, frightening-looking Digimon—the Twisted Ones as Millenniumon often refers to them as—that shouldn't exist. This place always made him feel uneasy with its multitude of levels and strange aura. His soul recognized this endless, multi-layered void as a place that had once been his home, but no longer. Even as Millenniumon aimlessly led them through the empty forest in hopes of finding some kind of shelter or an escape to one of the upper levels, he could still feel the oppressive air of the hunt. Something was hunting them and they were the prey.

Ken shivered, still feeling the coldness seeping into his bones as the shadow swayed back and forth, almost as if waiting for one of them to lower their guard. Whatever was hunting them this time was close and he feared he was powerless to stop it. The Dark Area was a dangerous place, and with Millenniumon lost to his thoughts and unable to hear him, it was hard to say what could happen.

Ken shook himself, trying to refocus on the problem at hand. Something was here, something bad, and it was hunting the both of them down. It was frustrating not knowing. Millenniumon clearly saw something after he changed into his Digimon form and began to take air. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember what that thing could be. The Dark Area was a pretty dark and gloomy place to begin with and trying to see anything without a good light source was difficult at best. Unfortunately for them, Millenniumon was the only one able to see in the dark, even with his digivice giving him some form of light.

Whatever he saw must have been hiding in the shadows. Ken hated the thought the moment it entered his mind. There were too many uncertainties, leaving Ken unsure of who to trust. If he couldn't trust his own eyes and instincts then the chances of them escaping this place was looking pretty bleak.

He couldn't be certain what Millenniumon saw from within the endless shadows, but he had a feeling it must have been some type of Digimon, whatever remained of it anyway. When Millenniumon was suddenly blindsided, causing him to crash near some kind of odd-looking cave, Ken knew whatever had been hunting them had gone on the offensive. He wished he had gotten a good look at their attacker, but instincts had taken over at that point. Before the dust and debris settled the Chosen dragged the injured and dazed digital god into the damp cavern of a suspicious-looking cave. The sound of footsteps echoed all around them until he stumbled into a cavern that seemed to be fairly hidden from the rest. He had let his guard down too soon, however, as within seconds something had hit the back of his head, rendering him unconscious.

When he finally regained consciousness, he noticed the door was gone. There had been nothing but a thick wall and hanging on it was a small lantern that lit the room. In the corner of the room was Millenniumon, who had been in the corner of the room, rocking himself back and forth as he mumbled something he couldn't understand. Ken had tried talking to him, to ask him what was wrong. But his concerned, comforting words fell on deaf ears.

This is all my fault. We wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for me. With nothing left to do and with Millenniumon out of commission, he had opted to inspect the room. He'd figured there must be some kind of hidden mechanism to open the door. But overall the cave looked pretty normal. It had high walls and ceilings that were sharp in certain areas, but smooth in others. The only odd thing he noticed was Ancient Digimoji on the walls, referring to the Digimon of the past and the genocide of the gods, and a Digimental he found short after waking up. Wait a minute. Genocide of the Gods? That was something Millenniumon refused to talk about.

Before he could take the time to analyze the text, he felt something sharp touch the back of his neck. He spun around just in time to see a shadow of darkness floating in-between him and Millenniumon. Millenniumon snapped out of whatever trance he had been in as hundreds of swirling red eyes opened from within that darkness.

"Mi-Mi-Millenniumon… what…?" Ken could barely hear his own words. The shakiness of his voice was only amplified by the paralyzing fear he felt.

"Ke-e-ch…" A whisper of a familiar voice entered the room, trying in vain to calm the numbness that had quickly traveled from the tip of his neck down his arms and then to the bottom of his feet.

"Ichijouji!" Millenniumon sounded far away for some reason as he felt his legs give out from under him. The darkness had quickly snuffed out the light, leaving little room for him to run or hide.

"No! Ke-"

"As fun, as this was, I bore of your son's interference. Don't you agree?" Ken trembled, fear edging into his core as eyes surrounded him. "I want to play some more, Kami." A laugh shouldn't be so chilling as hundreds, maybe thousands of eyes began to glow. Was this it? Was he a goner? No… Ken felt tears in his eyes. He didn't want to die like this. There were still so many things he wanted to do, needed to do. He couldn't leave his family and children behind. Not like this.

And just as before, before he was completely engulfed in darkness, his memories becoming foggy and nonexistent, he screamed.

"Wormmon! Help!"

---

"Wizarmon are you insane!" A variant of Bearmon adorned with a lab coat, surgical mask, gloves, blue and brownish-orange bandages on his left arm, and a stethoscope around his neck. "You could have killed yourself!" The Demon Man Digimon grunted at the brown bear as he was forced to sit in a chair on the other side of the room. It had been years, decades even since he last attempted to heal someone, let alone in this form.

Wizarmon briefly glanced at Kouichi before returning his attention to the Digimon in front of him. "I couldn't let the Tamer die." The words came out weaker than he expected, gaining Kouichi's attention immediately. He frowned at him, his brows lifting ever so slightly. Now that the boy didn't have the corrupted spirit, he was back to his old self, kind and sweet… just like his father.

Medical Bearmon clicked his tongue as he forced a vial of some blueish liquid down his throat. "This will heal up the cracks that formed on your DigiCore. No magic or physical activity for the next 24 hours and make sure to eat something. You're very pale." As the liquid burned down his parched throat, Agumon Hakase briefly turned his attention to them. He could see the approval of his actions and the worry in his dark green eyes.

"Well, you did a good job, gya. I'll give you that much." Agumon Hakase said as he went through the motion of looking over the Tamer's vitals. He adjusted the clear mask so it was a bit more comfortable over his mouth and nose, and Aegiomon placed a damp cloth on his forehead.

"Although, there are more injuries than I first anticipated." He flipped the page, a frown growing on his features. "Scarring around the lungs, swelling around the brain and ankle, bruising around the wound on his chest and legs, severe burns, fractures around his ankle…" The Digimon paused as he lifted his gaze to the Tamer's fiancée.

"Ken had a couple of close calls over the years," Julieanna elaborated as one of the puppies fidgeted in her lap. The older teen, Masaru, stood behind her chair, tending to the other puppy that wanted to be free of his confines. "His latest one was work-related." She bit her lip, unsure what to say to the other. "He got caught in an explosion and gunfire when attempting to save Yagami-kun. He was severely hurt, in a coma, and on life support for several months. The doctors didn't think he would make it."

The reptile Digimon scuffed at that. "They clearly don't know the Tamer that well, nor how to do their job properly either."

"Will he be okay?" Julieanna's voice came out soft, hopeful even.

"Don't you worry, miss. Your husband will be just fine." The genius didn't give anyone the chance to correct him as he continued with his rambling. "Thanks to Wizarmon, he's no longer in any immediate danger. However, it wasn't enough to heal his wounds completely. It is critical he gets plenty of rest. The swelling around his brain is quite large and will cause significant damage if we don't get it down."

Julieanna nodded. "Could that affect his memory? The doctors back at home mentioned that he has gaps in his memories and any more could end up being permanent."

The Digimon looked disgusted at that. "What kind of doctors are you talking to? With the right medicine and lots of rest, I can get the swelling down in a matter of days, maybe less. He will have some memory loss at first, partial amnesia if we are lucky, but it will return once his body has the proper time to rest and reboot so to speak."

Julieanna let out a sigh of relief, tears were bright in her eyes as she glanced at her fiancé. "I'm so relieved. Ken hasn't been sleeping well over the last couple of months and… he's been showing signs of memory loss due to the incident, I… I feared it would get worse."

Agumon Hakase nodded his head in understanding. "His memories will return in due time, for now, I suggest putting him into a medical state coma. This way his body will have the time to heal, while we focus on healing his other injuries."

Julieanna grateful for the Digimon, nodded. "If you feel this is for the best then okay. I trust you. What about Ken's other injuries? With the exception of the burns and his ankle, the scarring on his lungs happened years ago. It's not curable." The Digimon pulled out a syringe filled with the same color liquid that Medical Bearmon gave Wizarmon and injected it into Ken's IV. "This is a mixture of my own recipe, made from the finest healing plants and herbs in the Digital World. It's a powerful painkiller so he'll be able to rest easy as the medicine works to heal any internal injuries he has. However…" he frowned for a moment, looking more than a little troubled.

"Why am I getting a 'but' in that sentence?" The teen interrupted the tense conversation, a frown on his features.

"Well, under normal circumstances, this should be enough to heal an Adult-level Digimon. But his injuries are more severe than I first anticipated. He's going to need a much higher dose. I didn't make enough under such short notice."

"The medicine will help him rest easy and provide him with pain relief," Medical Bearmon said, trying to reassure the Tamer's family.

"But don't you worry," Agumon said with a smile. "We will be going out to get more ingredients for his medicine. This will cure the scarring, the bone fractures, and anything else the human doctors may have missed. I will also be making a cream to put on his burns. In the meantime, the Tamer needs to rest."

"So are you saying that Ken will be completely healed? The scarring on his lungs, the burns, everything?" The two Digimon nodded. Julieanna sat in her chair in stunned silence for a long time before the tears finally began to fall. The young pup looked up at her mother as the tears landed on her fur. "That's wonderful news. Thank you."

---

Stingmon knew this feeling all too well. The rising panic, the fear, the nervous thoughts, the sense of dread… this was the curse and delight of being a Chosen Digimon. Many Digimon would never get the chance to experience the partnership between a human and a Digimon. They would never get to know the overwhelming emotions that would invade their nerves and thoughts when their human partners' emotions reached them.

Those who were fortunate enough to work with a Tamer back then during the war could feel the human's emotions as a Tamer helped them evolve at the height of battle, but they didn't last and were mild and brief at best. Those feelings would go away as quickly as they came, but for a Chosen Digimon, it was intense and never truly went away.

His brother had once asked him about the bond between a Chosen and their partner Digimon, but he could never explain it in words. The connection he and Ken shared was different compared to the others. Why? It was… hard to describe into words and even harder to explain to others. Stingmon never had the need to explain things to his partner, at least not vocally. He already knew, already had an answer to his unspoken questions.

And yet… there was one thing he wished desperately wasn't true and never dared to ask— Ken's connection to Kami and the old ways. Stingmon never questioned Ken's strange ability to recreate the Digimentals, nor his ability to read Ancient Digimoji. Yet, his connection to the Ancient Guardians who swore an oath to protect the Gods of the Shadows eons ago left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Kami's entire existence had been nothing but a cruel joke. Out of all the Gods, Kami's endless kindness and empathy were why many of the Digimon today retained their free will and humanity. He was the reason why they existed today. It was that lack of empathy that caused all the other gods' creations to turn on them in the end.

Stingmon didn't pity those gods in the slightest. For all the pain they put Kami through, they all deserved to cease to exist… to be forgotten from the world. If only he had done more to help him.

Since his creation, the Dark Area has been his home for countless decades. Kami spent the vast majority of his timeless existence painstakingly creating his darling creations. With great care, he made sure each and every one of them was perfect both inside and out and was well-versed in the world they would one day be born into. This perfectionism and endless love often resulted in him being an endless target by the other gods. While they focused on creating as much as they could to keep up with the Light Gods' unreasonable demands, Kami took his time, creating a lot slower than the rest of them. Maybe that was why Hikari had been so animated to belittle their loving creator and to make him feel isolated and alone.

They should have done something. They wanted to do something to protect Kami's gentle soul, but Tukaimon would always stop them and instead call for the Dark Area's Maiden. When she was around, it was like their venomous words and harsh glares didn't touch him. He smiled more when she was around.

The beautiful and graceful maiden was Kami's shield, his sword, and his anchor. It was thanks to her they were even able to drag their creator's soul out of the Dark Area before he too disappeared forever. He didn't particularly like that they had to use the damaged body Hikari left behind, but what more could they do? Kami didn't have a body of his own and he needed one in order to survive outside the Dark Area.

But none of that mattered… because in the end, he had to watch the being that created him, that raised him, die in his arms.

"No, no. Kami-mama, please stay with me!" The ugly gashes he had sustained from Vamdemon's pets had yet to heal. The poison had started slow at first, but now the strange purple veins covered half of his body. They had spent weeks, traveling from one place to another in search of an antidote to this poison.

"I'm…sorry," came a weak voice as the insectoid struggled to make sense of what was happening. Why was the antidote not working? "This is all my fault. None of this would have happened if it weren't for me."

"No, that's not true, mama! You mean everything to us. If going into Vamdemon's domain in hopes of finding the cure for your illness is what we had to do then so be it. We knew the risks. We were prepared for the worst." It was thanks to those human children that they were able to evolve into these higher forms. The children were able to use these egg-like objects that Kami and the Maiden had created over the month to help fight against Vamdemon and those creatures from the fog.

"I know," tears slowly rolled down his cheeks. "I just wish I could have done more. All I ever wanted was for you kids to live in a world where you didn't have to worry about being attacked or consumed by this fog. I just wanted what was best for you, but I guess it wasn't enough."

"Mama, we are happy wherever you are. It doesn't matter if it's in the Dark Area, a random cave, or in the middle of the forest. We are alive because of you. We are able to see beyond the endless shadows because we have you." The young Digimon didn't know what else to say to make his parent feel better. He was getting worse by the minute and that truly scared him to his core. "Please save your strength. I'll find a way out of this fog and once we do we'll go to that oasis you like so much."

He continued the slow mundane task of trying to heal Kami's wounds in silence, but he became all too aware of the voices that surrounded them. Many were the voices of the fallen, those who had lost their way and turned their backs to the gods. Kami being the last of the gods closed his eyes to their cries. It was already too late to help them. They had made their choice long ago.

The insectoid glanced out into the fog. It was growing thicker by the minute and at this point seemed endless. It was unsettling. He had no idea which direction the forest was at, nor where the others were. Was it supposed to be behind him? Or maybe in front of him? Gee, he couldn't tell anymore. He stiffened, eyes narrowed, as he vaguely heard the voices of his siblings calling out to them and the sharp sound of the Maiden's sword. She sounded so far away and yet all around him at the same time. What was going on?

"The Dark Area and the Physical Realm were made by the essence of the Gods." Kami's weak voice suddenly broke through his thoughts. "Both realms would have been stable and lived on for eternity, but without the Light Gods, both realms would eventually collapse and consume each other. All life would cease to exist." The man grew weaker with each word he spoke and the light in his golden orbs was quickly growing dull and lifeless.

He wasn't sure where his creator was getting at. "But they are all gone now and Hikari…"

"Hikari was my other half. I was his shadow and without him to stabilize this world… A God of the Shaodw was never meant to leave the Dark Area, nor maintain both worlds alone. It took everything I had to prevent the two worlds from consuming each other."

Consume? He gasped as he frantically looked around. "But if the Dark Area is consuming this world, then what will happen to us? And what about the others? They are still out there. I'm sure they are looking for as we speak."

"Lost…" He closed his eyes again. It was only then he noticed the spider-like cracks spreading across his body. His body was…

"NO! Please don't go! Stay with me, please."

"I'm sorry, my child, my time is up. I can not hold this form anymore."

"No…" The God of the Shadows placed a small object in the insectoid's trembling hands. "What this?"

"You and your siblings and the humans you've bonded with have so much to learn, so much to live for. I am sad I won't be around to watch you kids grow up."

He looked at the small object, noticing the softness of the pink petals of the delicate-looking flower and the strange writing that was on them. "Wait, isn't this one of the Digimentals?"

"It is and this one belongs to you. This Digimental has the last of our life force… use it to create a new world and to seal the Dark Area."

"A new world?" Tears were rolling down his face. This couldn't be happening. Was he really…

"Promise me you kids will stay together even when I'm gone."

"I promise, please…" He couldn't hold back his tears as his creator's eyes fell shut for a final time, a small smile on his face, as his body, his soul, shattered in front of him.

And then he was alone.

Holding onto the last remains of his mother, his creator, his tears falling on the small flower he made a promise. "Kami, I promise. I don't care how long it takes. I will find you again… just wait for me."

The Digimental of Kindness. Stingmon knew one day Kami would return, but due to his soul shattering, he had taken longer than he hoped. Kami's soul wouldn't be complete though. A shard of his soul resided in the Digimental. It always reacted to Ken's emotions, no matter where he was in the world. He wondered what would happen if Ken ever picked it up. Would the memories of the past return? Would he remember his death or their cruelty? Would he remember the promise Stingmon had failed to keep?

Maybe it was best if he didn't remember. It wasn't like anyone else did anyway. V-mon, Hawkmon, Armadimon… none of them seemed to remember their beloved creator and Millenniumon… Stingmon wasn't sure what happened between the time the fog engulfed them and the time of his rebirth. But seeing Miellenniumon all set on destroying the ideal world Kami had wanted for them…

He didn't know what to make of him. Should he be mad at the other for everything he did to them? Yes, absolutely. He had more than one occasion, put his beloved partner's life in grave danger. But he couldn't find it in his heart to hate the evil god. Millenniumon was his elder brother, even if he had lost all memories of him. It hurt having been forgotten, but not all of it was bad. He had Ken.

Stingmon did his best to ignore the emotions flowing through him. When he finally reunited with his beloved creator, he knew things would be different. He had made a promise to protect him when they finally reunited. He just hadn't expected things to be complicated.

The first time they met wasn't exactly in the Digital World but in his dreams. Ken had been a newborn, so he doubted his partner even remembered this, but he remembered the grand halls and the royal-like structures that led to his soul room. Stingmon remembered seeing Ken with another. Stingmon remembered tearing up, stopping a few feet away from a man who was powerful, ancient, and familiar. His golden eyes softened as creator and son finally reunited.

"My child, you have grown so much over the decades. I am so very proud of you." Stingmon remembered the familiar warmth whenever his creator was near. His loving smile, innocent joy. It was him. It was Kami and yet he was different. He wasn't whole."I hate to place this burden on you but Homeostasis and Yggdrasill can not be trusted. We are not whole." His words caused a shiver down his spine as he held the sleeping child. "Just like Vamdemon they will stop at nothing until they get what they want. I can feel it. I fear of what horrors they will put him through, or the pain and suffering he will be forced to face in the future."

Ken-chan, we have been through so much together. The Holy Beast. Your parents. The Dark Spore. Alphamon… I can't run away from my problem anymore and let others do it for me. Even now as XV-mon and Meicrackmon fought Duskmon, the insectoid stared at the specter standing in front of him as Ken's emotions continued to slam into him. It was a comforting sight, knowing that pieces of Ken and Kami's collective soul were almost whole. He looked healthy and not as transparent as he was the last time he saw the fragmented spirit.

Kami? What's happening?

"We don't have time for your meaningless questions, you need to come with us to save your partner." Red eyes that didn't belong on a fourteen-year-old version of his partner glared at him, looking more than a little arrogant and worried. Millenniumon had always been a thorn in his side for ages. He was the reason he couldn't communicate with his partner like they used to. Ever since he got hit by that Dark Seed, the connection they shared had been kinda rocky. He hadn't been able to enter Ken's dreams, nor his soul room in a very long time.

"He is right. There is too much to explain, but Ken is in grave danger if we do not return to the Dark Area," the specter said with a frown gracing his features.

The Dark Area? Why would Ken be there?

"Shit, Meicrackmon watch out!" Stingmon, despite the numbness that had been coursing throughout his body for the duration of the fight, was able to look up just in time to see Duskmon suddenly disappearing and reappearing behind the Vaccine Beast Man. Beams of red collided with the Digimon sending her flying down to the ground. XV-mon rushed forward just in time to catch her, but not before being attacked by Duskmon's tornado. The two skidded to the ground and devolved instantly.

V-mon groaned. "You okay, Mei."

"Yeah, I think so. Why we devolved?" Duskmon might be cunning with numbing paralyzing abilities, but he wasn't exactly powerful. He didn't seem to have any significant control over his abilities and something about him just felt off compared to their last meeting.

"Shit, well, this isn't good." Stingmon glanced at Millenniumon, noticing what he was staring at. Not far from their location was the faded appearance of a black obelisk.

"No, how is this possible?" V-mon took notice of his shock and of the Dark Tower in the distance. V-mon stood there baffled. How was this even possible? Those things had been destroyed for decades and even if they'd managed to miss a few the reboot would have erased its data along with all the other original continents, islands, and structures. None of this made any sense. Only Ken, Millenniumon, and Archnemon had the knowledge to rebuild them and two of them were technically dead.

"Crossfire!"

"Saint Air!"

"Heaven's Knuckle!"

A wave of relief washed over them as a flaming tornado and a beam of light caused the dark Digimon to jump back. It sure had taken the others a long time to come to their aid. With the strange fog growing thicker with each passing minute, he feared that the past was starting to repeat.

"Well it's about time you guys got here. We were sitting ducks out here." Stingmon ignored his friend's comment as Angewomon and Aquilamon fluttered to their side, inspecting their injuries. She frowned at the trio as Angemon, Shutumon, Agnimon, and Ankylomon went straight for the enemy.

"Sorry. We would have come sooner, but some strange fog suddenly appeared. The citizens are going into a frenzy saying they saw red eyes and twisted-looking monsters."

"Red eyes?" V-mon spoke up, worry edging into his voice. "The only red eyes we've seen is this guy, but…" He trailed off unsure how to bring up the topic of the Dark Tower and the familiar sensation washing over them when it appeared. Then again the others had a flicker of recognition on their features so maybe there was no need to say anything.

"Well isn't this interesting," Duskmon's cold, mocking voice echoed around them as the dark fog grew in size, making it almost impossible to see if it weren't for Angewomon and Angemon's sudden glow and the Dark Tower flickering in and out of reality. "This world is so unstable that the Dark Area is starting to seep through again. Excellent!" His laugh was menacing and cold. It struck a coldness into his heart as he felt more of Ken's emotions through their bond. He was scared, really, really scared. "I didn't think it would be this easy to separate Ichijouji's soul from his body and trap him in the Dark Area."

Stingmon barely acknowledged the collective gasps from his friends and the children. The fury and fear that filled his body, that filled his soul, reminded him of that time. His gaze turned toward Millenniumon, who was surprisingly glaring at Duskmon. There was a protectiveness in his red orbs that the insectoid was certain was not a mistake. The evil god, his former enemy, cared about his partner. Did he remember their creator?

"Light Suit!" Stingmon returned his attention in front of him just in time to see Kouji break through the thick fog and make a dash toward his dark counterpart. His entire body was enveloped in some form of light energy, which took the shape of a biting wolf's head. Duskmon still laughing, raised his sword and collided with the other. The two struggled trying to get one up over the other.

"Well, well, well. Looks like Ichijouji's other brat is here as well. Good." Stingmon frowned at that, wondering what he meant by that. "Now that Millenniumon isn't there to protect your father from my allies, I wonder how long he will last. Will the twisted creatures of the Dark Area completely consume his soul?" The two exchanged blows one after the other, not even paying attention to Takuya and V-mon's collective agreement that they would save Ken before that even happened. But the stalemate between the two opposing warriors continued on with neither one letting up until Duskmon disappeared into the darkness, avoiding Wolfmon's attack.

"You coward! Get back here!" The Digimon just laughed at them.

"You have no idea of the things that exist in that world. The twisted monsters, abominations of the old that would tear weaklings like you limb from limb. That pest of a god and those damn Demon Lords had gotten in our way for the better part of the last thirty-two years." A seeping cold filled his soul.

Thirty-two years? No, this couldn't be true. He had to be lying to distract them from the task at hand. Duskmon or whoever he was wasn't going to make him doubt his beloved partner. Besides Ken had been through so much over the years, more than a single person should. It would only be natural for him to close himself off about certain moments of his life and not want to talk or relive them. But that does beg the question: why? Why hadn't he noticed the danger when they had been together for a good part of his childhood? Before getting separated, Stingmon had been by his partner's side every day. Ken had never mentioned getting taken by another world other than the World of Darkness.

Stingmon shifted his gaze around the dark fog in suspicion. Even if the other was telling the truth and Ken had been hunted and dragged into the Dark Area time and time again, Stingmon would have sensed his frantic emotions. He would have felt Ken's overwhelming fear, anxiety, nervousness, and uncertainty through their bond back then.

"But the Tamer is alone now, helpless… without his protectors." Stingmon jumped. Duskmon's voice was everywhere. Behind him. Next to him. In front of him. He was everywhere. He was taunting them… taunting him. "Even if by some miracle he manages to survive against the twisted ones, Shademon will just pick at his memories one by one, twisting it, devouring it, shattering it, until there is nothing left to save. He won't remember any of you. Not his brat. Not his beloved pest. Not even himself."

"No!" Suddenly, a familiar pastel pink light radiated from around Wolfmon's neck causing the Warrior of Darkness to shrink back as the light shammed into him, forcing him to retreat.

Wolfmon fell to his knees and devolved. Emotions he normally kept hidden spilled over with the knowledge that his father, the one person he cherished the most was in the hands of the enemy and in grave danger. Takuya walked over to his cousin, equally upset, and pulled him into a hug. Izumi walked over to her two friends to join in on the hug. The three children were oblivious to the crest flickering on and off.

"We'll bring him back. I will not stop until your parents and Masaru are safe with us." Izumi nodded in agreement, piping in her own words of encouragement.

"He's right," V-mon spoke up, his expression pretty grave as he looked around. "Whether we have our partners or not, Ken is our number one priority. Your journey to the Rose Morning Star can wait. The Dark Area is an extremely dangerous place. No one really knows who lives there, nor what happens to any Digimon that finds themselves there. If Ken really is there, we need to get him out."

"V-mon, what you are saying is an impossible task," Angewomon said, her hands engulfed in a golden hue as she continued to heal Stingmon's back. "None of us have the ability to enter that realm without dying ourselves. Just because it's physically located in the center of the Digital World now, doesn't mean it's small or easy to get into. We don't know what these Twisted Ones are, nor what part of the Dark Area Ken's in. Wondering aimlessly will only get us killed or infected, especially now that we know the virus is concentrated there."

"We are also in a bind," Angemon said. "The fog is growing thicker and those Dark Towers are still affecting us. If we get any closer we might devolve back to our child forms."

"All the more reason to find a way into that realm," V-mon interjected stubbornly. "If you're afraid that's fine, but as long as Ken is trapped there we need to act now!"

"He right," the specter said, a grave expression on his features. "Time is not on our side."

Millenniumon opened his mouth to retort something but was shut into silence as the Crest of Forgiveness, reacting to something, glowed once more. "Papa…" Kouji's hand rested over the glowing crest as it grew blinding. The light engulfed the child's body before expanding in every direction. Everyone shielded their eyes as the light traveled over them, chasing the fog and the Dark Towers away from their reality, and filling them with a familiar warmth that couldn't be described into words.

Ken-chan… From within the light, Stingmon realized they were in an unfamiliar forest. The trees were twisted and unnatural and the sky above them was dark and endless. In the distance were massive obelisks and other structures he couldn't recall seeing before in his youth. He got a bad feeling as he looked around, noticing how the shadows were moving and shifting unnaturally.

The familiarity of this place told him that he had indeed been transported back to the place of his birth, but at the same time, it did not feel like home. It looked different, felt different, it was tainted, corrupted.

"Stingmon where are we?" Stingmon wasn't sure what to tell the boy. It was just the two of them in his strange-looking forest. Could Ken be sending them a message through his crest?

"I'm not sure. This place could be the Dark Area, but not really."

Kouji looked at him for a moment, confusion creasing his brows. "What do you mean? Is this like an illusion or something?"

"That depends on your definition, child. The Dark Area does not exist in the physical realm, yet due to the reboot, it does. But it doesn't follow the rules that other worlds are forced to abide by, nor does it follow the flow of time. Time is abstract."

Kouji jumped surprised by the familiar voice. Spinning around on his heel, the boy's eyes widened as his gaze shifted from him to the two spirits standing behind them. Wait, can he see them?

"Who are…?"

"I am merely a fragment of what once was, Warrior of Light. A guide for your father until he is ready to face his destiny. I was a friend when he was lonely and scared, a doorway and protector of the ancient past, as well as a reflection of what we used to be."

"Destiny? Reflection?" Kouji's voice was soft, unsure. He couldn't blame him. He too was uncertain what this destiny foretold. It was as mysterious as the wind.

"My time in this realm has long since been forgotten, but you may call me Yami Kami or just Kami if you will." He turned his gaze over to his creations. "I have missed you, my dear children. You both have done well in my absence." Millenniumon averted his gaze, unable to meet his creator's gentle gaze. Was that shame he saw?

"Did you create the Digimon?"

"I have created many in my lifetime, but that is a story for any other time. One I'm sure your father would love to hear. Come we don't have much time," the specter said as he gestured to something in front of him. "The crest that your father gave you is a part of him. It will lead you to him. Since the barrier between the Digital World, Physical Realm, and the Dark Area is unstable, we have been transported to where the barrier is the weakest. We will see what has passed before standing before the gate to the Dark Area."

Millenniumon just glanced at him, wanting to say something, but held back. The forest around them shifted as images started to appear. "Millenniumon we've been walking in circles for hours. Maybe we should try a different path this time." Walking behind them was his partner and the Digimon Kaiser. The two seemed to be walking in some kind of forest surrounded by the same thick fog that currently surround them. "This is the fifth time we've passed this tree." Ken had pointed to a tree with a crescent moon carved into it."

"Papa!" Despite knowing it was a memory of sorts, Ken's son reached out for his father. Stingmon couldn't place into words the anguish that appeared on the boy's face as his hand went through him. "…"

Stingmon gently placed a hand on the boy's back. "Don't worry. No matter what happens we will bring Ken-chan home. We just need to understand where he's at."

The boy nodded as the space around them changed. This time they were in the air watching in absolute horror as some shadow-like creature emerged from the surrounding shadows of the trees and attacked Millenniumon as he hovered in the air with Ken on his shoulder. The attack came so quick and so fast that the Evil God was unable to deflect the attack and then they were free falling.

"Millenniumon, wake up! Millenniumon!" The shadow's eyes opened as they fell, revealing red obs that sent a sinking feeling through his chest. It was dangerous and evil, a hunter eyeing its prey.

Millenniumon frowned as he noticed the creature heading straight for Ken. "Wait, I don't remember this!" The frightening creature sprung forth towards the Tamer. From its shadowy body, sharp claws emerged. Its eyes never left its prey as it sought to grab the one person it wanted. But all they heard was a shriek of pain as Ken summoned a force field around them.

"Millenniumon, wake up! Millenniumon!" And then they were blinded by dust and debris as the two collided onto the ground. Their surroundings changed once more as Ken emerged from the dust, with an unconscious Kaiser over his shoulder, bolting into a nearby cave. The creature that had been chasing them disappeared into the surrounding darkness. Stingmon had a sinking feeling as the vision changed once more to find the two trapped in some kind of cavern.

"Ken…" Ken was cornered, his back against a wall as the shadows expanded, separating him and Millenniumon. Within seconds, Ken disappeared into the darkness and all they heard was his screams.

"Wormmon!" The fear, the raging emotions…this must have been the moment Ken had gotten captured. His legs gave out from under him, causing Kouji to jump. He couldn't find it in himself to say anything to the boy, nor soothe his troubled gaze. Why? Why does this always happen? All he ever did was wait around, hoping he was okay and would one day come back to him in one piece. But what if he didn't this time around? What if he was too late and lost him forever?

"Will…will he be okay, Mummymon?" Stingmon blinked, upon hearing Ken's voice. He sounded younger though. The vision that was now being shown to them brought them to a very lit-up cave. In the distance, Stingmon could vaguely make out the sound of a waterfall and other voices. The passage of time seemed to have passed slightly faster now from the last vision, considering Ken was pretty banged up as he lay unconscious on some kind of makeshift bed. Near his side was Mummymon, the nine-year-old boy, and an Alraumon.

Mummymon had paused in his treatment to turn his attention to the young boy. The younger version of his partner seemed upset and very close to tears, not even the other Digimon's comforting words seemed to be helping. "He'll be just fine, my lord. Ichijouji-san just needs to rest right now. Thankfully, his soul isn't as badly damaged as I first feared, but I will feel a lot better once we get him back to his body."

"How do we do that?" Alraumon asked, a small frown forming on her features. "None of us made a dent on those things. We are lucky to make it out of there alive."

"He mentioned something about a portal on one of the upper levels of the Dark Area," the young boy said with a small sniffle.

"Maybe that's where that abomination of a god ended up." Millenniumon puffed out his chest as Archnemon entered the room with a bowl of water. Giggling behind her was a Bancho Mamemon and a Liollmon who returned with various types of food and plants.

"Now, now Achnemon. There is no need to be mean to a fellow virus that is not here to take your insults." Piemon suddenly appeared behind her, causing the spider woman to jump. "Besides, whether we like it or not, Little Lord's counterpart needs Millenniumon to escape this realm."

"Piemon if the situation wasn't so dire I would clobber you right now!"

Mummymon sighed as he took the bowl of water and plants from his colleagues and proceeded to cut them up and mix them into some paste. Stingmon could only assume it was some kind of medicine. The insectoid was eternally grateful, but as the bickering continued for several minutes, he couldn't help but wonder. He frowned slightly. With the way they spoke and acted with each other and the other Digimon around them, they reminded him of…

"Mummymon and Archnemon were never meant to exist in your world. They are where they belong now, even if it's filled with conflict." Stingmon glanced at Kami then. What was that supposed to mean?

"What were you two thinking?!" Stingmon and Kouji cringed upon hearing the furious tone in Ken's normally gentle, kind voice. "Why would you just let him walk right into the portal, knowing how dangerous the Dark Area is? I told you to keep him away from here! It's not safe!"

Despite his rather fragile appearance, Ken still somehow had the energy to glare heatedly at Archnemon and Mummymon. The two Digimon in question shifted uncomfortably, while Piemon just snickered near the door. The clown just struggled as Ken's glowing orbs turned towards him. Wait, glowing? The Digimon of Kindness blinked, hoping it was just his imagination, but it wasn't. Ken's eyes were indeed glowing a golden hue and so were the markings clearly visible on his arms.

Where did he get those?

"Don't look at me," Piemon said, amusement in his voice, "they were the ones to open the portal. I just followed along, knowing they were going over their heads again." The two adults groaned, knowing Piemon was right and that Ken had plenty to say. And he probably would have if the nine-year-old and the other children hadn't gotten in front of the other's glaring path.

"Please don't be mad at them. They only came when you told me you were in danger." Whatever anger Ken had at the three Digimon died down for now, making him look tired and drained. It was a miracle he was able to stay conscious.

"But I didn't call you," he said with a frown.

"You didn't have to," the lion child said, his ears pinched. "He felt it. He just knew that something bad was attacking you, trying to harm you. When he told us what he saw we went straight to Mummymon and well…"

"The two of you share a bond, one stronger than any of us can understand," Piemon added, his tone turning serious. "When you accidentally came to our dimension, we knew you were someone we could rely on, that also needed to be protected. You helped answer our questions about raising a human baby and even helped us when Little Lord suddenly disappeared one night." Piemon for the first time seemed disturbed. "We had no idea that so Digimon would betray our Lords so quickly and attempt to offer the child over to our enemies. None of us would have been able to find him in time without you."

"What you did was amazing Ichijouji," Achnemon said lightly. She removed her purple shades, revealing amber orbs. "I don't understand what this Kami nonsense is about, but it clearly connects the two of you somehow. I know I have done many horrible things to you and your friends in the past. I want to make up for it." She gestured to herself and Mummymon. "That's why when our lord came to us, we knew we didn't have much time to act."

"We weren't fast enough to stop him," Mummymon said glancing at their Ken. The little boy looked close to tears. Seeing that caused his core to squeeze tightly in his chest. He hated it when Ken cried.

"Are you mad at me?" Ken exhaled deeply and just like that the marks and his eyes stopped glowing.

"No, I'm not mad," Ken said, giving the little boy a soft smile. "I'm grateful for the rescue. I wasn't sure what would have happened if you guys hadn't shown up when you did. Doesn't mean I like it though." The three children and Bancho Mamemon looked sheepish.

"Of course you don't. This place is nothing like home," Bancho Mamemon said as their lord climbed on the bed to give his counterpart a hug.

"That's because it's not. This Dark Area from my understanding used to be connected to a world that has long since been corrupted and destroyed eons ago. It existed when the world was recreated, but only succeeded in corrupting and isolating monstrous beings that have lost their humanity."

"Assuming they had one, to begin with," Alraumon and Liollmon commented under their breath.

"It's impossible to say what they used to be, but at this point, they are beyond dangerous and don't function like normal Digimon. They are what Millenniumon called the Twisted Ones. They are very dangerous creatures that seem to have the ability to change their appearance at will and mimic others. They are kinda like the Lost Ones, but they don't seem to have a mind of their own." Ken rested his hand on the boy's head, noticing how he was trembling slightly.

"Scary…"

"That's why I told you to stay away. Up to this point, they've only been toying with me and Millenniumon. But with you guys now here, they might become hostile, and," Ken paused for a moment before continuing, "I'm not in the best shape to deal with them right now. For the time being, we should be safe. The Twisted Ones don't seem to like light very much."

Despite the tense situation, Archnemon asked what they all must have been thinking. "Where is that annoying god anyway? He never leaves your side."

Ken let out a long sigh, knowing she was picking on the other again. "Millenniumon isn't that bad Archenmon. Yes, he has his moods, but he's doing his best with all things considered." Said god blinked, looking almost touched that Ken believed in him that much.

The woman just scuffed. "He's just as annoying as that pathic partner of yours. He can't even enter a cave without freaking out."

"I'll show that bug how annoying I am," Stingmon mumbled under his breath as Ken just sighed, not saying anything.

"Can we please get back on track?" Mummymon asked, not wanting the two to start fighting again. "I get those creatures are dangerous. Even with Piemon, none of us did any significant damage to them. We are certainly in trouble if we run into them again, but Archnemon is right. Millenniumon has never left your side for more than a few hours ever since you removed the hatred that surround his core. Where is he?"

Stingmon froze, forgetting Archnemon's rude comment. Ken did what?

"I don't know," he softly with a shrug. "This shadow thing with red eyes attacked me and separated us." Ken shivered slightly. "He's probably still trapped in that cave or hopefully managed to get to the portal, which was where I was heading before I got cornered, but this place…" He paused, trying to convey whatever was on his troubled mind. "I'm not sure if you're aware but the Dark Area has many levels. Each level has its own environment and Twisted Ones that are just as dangerous as the one before it. You can literally be walking for hours, days even, and only end up walking in a big circle without realizing it. Time is very abstract as well. Days here, it barely a second back at home, if at all."

"Shit," was all Bancho Mamemon said as he and the others looked at each other.

"Scary." All eyes shifted to the little boy hugging his counterpart a little bit tighter. The boy was clearly distressed as his eyes sparkled with tears once more. Stingmon chest ached at that. He hated this. While he was surprised to see Archnemon and Mummymon alive again after they had been killed and devoured by Belial Vamdemon all those years ago, he couldn't stop the guilt, nor the pain in his chest. It hurt knowing that his partner, his best friend, couldn't confine in him, to help him when he needed it. He had to rely on his former enemies to survive in a hostile environment all on his own.

"I know they are," Ken spoke in a calm tone to the child. "They scare me too," Ken sounded even more vulnerable than he had been a second ago. "I can't say what they must have been back then before they lost their way. But as far as I am concerned, trying to reason with them is out of the question. Believe me, I've tried. This is why I told you to never step foot in this world. Those things no longer have a soul. They will try to trick you lower your guard and if you do…"

Everyone was silent, looking extremely nervous. They entered its world without knowing what they were getting into. This was bad.

"Is that why you told me to never go through that door whenever I asked?" Ken nodded.

"There are things in those rooms that we do not wish you to see," Ken's eyes narrowed slightly as he shifted his gaze to the three lieutenants. "They are unpleasant."

"Are they bad nightmares?" The child asked, unaware of how close to the mark he was.

"I'm not sure," Ken lied to the child. Stingmon frowned. He was hiding something, but what? "Millenniumon's been locking many things in those rooms. With everything going on, I haven't really been keeping up with what he's been doing. Now if I can actually get him to answer my questions, then it would be a different conversation."

The child had posed his lips in thought. "What we get big brother…" Before he could finish his train of thought, Archnemon interrupted with a snort.

"Sounds like you know more than you're letting on." They never got to hear Ken's response as the vision slowly faded away leaving them with more questions than answers.

---

Hikari, why don't you ever fight back?

Since the beginning of time, the two had always co-existed and lived with one another in harmony. They were halves of the same soul after all, bringing life to a world that had at one point been void of said life, soundless, formless, and empty. Hikari Kami and Yami Kami had always been together. Just like all the ancient gods before them, they helped in the creation of life. The world they created had once been a gorgeous place. The gods and their creations once lived in peace as they learned to continue nurturing the land, care for the young, and eventually form relationships. There had been so many smiles and laughter from their children over the decades. However, at some point over the last decade, something changed. He didn't notice the change at first, but some of the humans stopped smiling, stopping seeking their help and guidance. They started acting cold, not just to their gods but to their own kind. Their creations had turned a blind eye to their creators and then the screams began.

"Hi-Hikari…" If only he had foreseen the dangers his other half would face in the physical realm, he would have tried harder to convince him not to go into that region. He wouldn't be trying so desperately to create Alphamon, Yggdrasill, and Belphemon so quickly, in hopes of saving his other half's life.

"Kami-mama, stop! You're hurting yourself!" Leafmon, at least his formless spirit anyway, floated with him in this endless void and he wasn't the only one.

"Mama, you'll disappear at this rate?" Tukaimon voice echoed around him as he, Chibimon, Upamon, and Pururumon joined their sibling. They all surrounded him, trying to get him to stop what must have been a suicide mission.

Contrary to what those in the physical realm believed, life started in this realm. The Shadows created the souls. They nurture them and give them their humanity, before being sent to the physical realm for their other halves to create their bodies.

But ever since his kidnapping and imprisonment, his other half, Hikari Kami, had been creating bodies at a rapid rate, way before he had the time to create their souls. It was so draining every time he created one life after the other. Despite being realms apart, he could feel his pain, his sadness, and his life slowly slipping from his grasp. He hated being unable to leave this realm. He hated that he was the last of the ancient gods.

He wasn't sure, who started his war, but it had been horrifying to watch their creations turn on them. One by one the Light Gods' were slaughtered in that realm, causing their dark counterparts to disappear forever. He had heard their screams, heard their cries, all this senseless murder, all this death, all this misery… what was the point of it?

He and Hikari were the last. He had been in the hands of some of the human monks, trying to escape the slaughter when he got injured and regressed into a child, unable to remember who he was. But they were all dead and Hikari would be too if he didn't hurry.

He closed his eyes, unable to contain the sadness and fear that was crushing him. "I have to…" Suddenly the comforting presence that swirled in this vast darkness came to his aid once again, trying to give him the strength he needed to finish the job. She had always been with him since the day he awakened in this realm, maybe even before that. Despite how lonely and dark it seemed at times, this vast darkness, the Dark Area, was home.

I'm sorry. I'm afraid this might be our last time. The entity whispered words only he could hear. She had always been with him. She would always greet him every time he opened his eyes, and every time he closed them, she would remind him of their dream to one day escape this endless darkness. It saddened him that the end was near and in his final moments he regretted he couldn't do more. The little ones would never get to see the sun, never feel the grass under their toes, nor know what it's like to not be a shadow. And as for the entity, it saddened him that he couldn't provide her a better life outside the Dark Area. No one deserved to be alone.

"Kami-mama!"

He couldn't remember when he had collapsed, nor when Alphamon had moved to catch him, to hold him, to reassure him that all would be fine. Before the three left to be born in the physical realm, Alphamon had handed him over to someone else. The arms he'd lay in were thin and slender as they wrapped around his middle, keeping him grounded against a female chest as pain coursing throughout his body.

"We're too late," his voice sounded muffled and far away as it echoed around in the darkness. "Hikari's dying." Despite this distance, despite the feeling of his form breaking apart, he heard Hikari's last words, heard his last wishes and hopes as he drew his last breath and died.

"Mama!" The children all surrounded him, unable to understand what was happening. "What's happening?"

"It's okay. Don't be scared, children," came the woman's voice. As he closed his eyes, unable to hear her words anymore, he found himself falling further into the darkness. In the distance, he saw a door that was wide open, revealing…

"Hikari!"

He tried to reach out, tried to comfort the other as they disappeared from reality, but then the door slammed shut in front of his eyes. His very being shuddered as their souls, once one entity in different plains of existence, separated, unable to communicate with one another. His arm fell to his side as he studied the door. The doorknob had refused to budge as he tried to pull the door open and banged on it, trying to do everything in his power to get to Hikari, his other half, but his efforts were in vain.

I'm alone… He fell to his knees, feeling the words strike his heart. Why are you always pushing me away? Have I failed you as your shadow? Do you really hate me that much? Hikari had always been rather distant, cruel even. He only ever acknowledged or spoke to him when they worked together to create their little ones, and even then he was quick to mock them. When they had some downtime, Hikari would close their connection, preventing him from communicating with the other. He had done his best to hide the pain and loneliness Light God's cold, hurtful, and often distant demeanor caused.

This didn't go unnoticed by the Shadow Gods who constantly belittled him. They were all gone now and he was alone. He closed his eyes, allowing the tears to fall. Why was he always alone in the end? Why was he always treated so horribly? What had he done to be hated by everyone?

"Kami-mama!" His eyes snapped open then not expecting Leafmon's voice to enter this space.

"Kami-mama!" Kami looked behind him to see another door brimming with light. It was so bright, so warm, so inviting. He walked towards it, hesitantly. What if this was a trick? What if it was only staying open until he got close enough for it to slam in his face again?

"Please wake up, Kami. The darkness doesn't have to be your prison any longer. We can change that. We all can start a new life together, but you must wake up." It took him a long time to register all the voices that were suddenly entering the suffocating vast darkness, calling out to him, beckoning him to enter the light.

While many of the voices calling out to him were his children, there were a few that he didn't recognize. "Please Kami wake up," came a female's voice. She sounded young, maybe mid-teens. "Pururumon and the others have been so worried about you ever since they saved us from those monsters. We've done all we could, but they need you. We need you."

As he listened to their voices, he took a small step closer to the door. Hearing that his children had put their little lives in danger for someone else, sent fear to his very core. But what really pulled at his core was the maiden he had spent his entire existence with. With her by his side, the darkness had always been his eternal home and endless prison since the cosmos' infancy. But this time it was different…something was changing. It was almost like he wasn't allowed in its space anymore. It wanted him to move on to something else and that was truly frightening.

"They're right. The world is a scary place, but that doesn't mean you should lose hope. You just have to find the courage to face it." Suddenly he heard a young male voice. "You can't disappear. Chibimon and the others need you." As the voice said that name, Chibimon's voice became loud and clear as the light engulfed him, chasing the darkness away, blinding him until he found himself… somewhere else.

For the first time since the beginning, he could feel something soft under his fingertips as he laid on what he assumed the beings of the physical realm called a bed. The room he found himself in wasn't really big. It was kinda dark with its smooth surface and high beams that ran across the ceiling and some of the walls of the cavern. On the other side of the room, three figures were sitting on makeshift chairs, seemingly trying to comfort his children. They all jumped when his little ones pulled themselves out of their warm embraces and sprung forth toward his bedside.

"Mama, you're awake! You're finally awake!" Kami felt the dragon's small warm body pressed against his chest and Leafmon, Upamon, and Pururumon weren't that far behind. Tukaimon opted to stay perched on the beam above them, silently watching his siblings and the humans they have taken a liking to from a distance.

"Mama," cried the voices of his children, but he couldn't do much in his state. What was going on? This was clearly not the Dark Area. Everything was too solid, too real. His eyes shifted a bit as he noticed a maiden in silvery armor, beautiful blue wings attached to her back, and a helmet that gave the appearance of a majestic butterfly. She smiled making his eyes widen in surprise.

"I'm glad you're finally awake. You've been asleep for a very long time. After Alphamon and the others left this realm to go after Hikari Kami, it has been in chaos ever since. Lately, Vamdemon has been building an army and attacking all that gets in his way. But that is nothing you have to worry about right now." Her voice was just as soothing as when they were in the vast darkness. "You just concentrate on healing, Kami. Let me handle everything."

He weakly opened his mouth, but found it hard to speak. But he hadn't needed to, she already knew. The beautiful maiden slowly removed her helmet, revealing brown orbs and long flowing brown locks. "My name is Hudiemon, but to you, my liege, you may call me Julieanna, Divine Maiden of the Shadows."

Julieanna… The name repeated in his mind softly, leaving a calming effect as the voices of his children seemed to drown everything out: the fear of being forgotten and alone, the soul-wrenching pain Hikari's abandonment left in the pit of his soul, and the strange feeling that something was just not right. As he feared the sound of shaking could be heard, followed by the distinct sound of battle.

"Shit, they found us," the human with brown spiky hair said as he jumped to his feet just then Leomon X stormed into the room, a grim expression on his feature.

"Vamdemon's troops have breached the outer walls of the hideout. We must hurry and evacuate to our secondary location."

"Secondary?" One of the female humans asked as the Maiden quickly came to his bedside and picked him up. He felt his body relax instantly as he laid his head on her shoulder.

"Yes, we knew the soul of a god would catch the attention of the Twisted Ones. It was only a matter of time before they found us. Now that Kami's soul has found his body it will be easier to lay low."

His mind drifted in and out of consciousness, barely noticing the change of environment and the passing of other humans and monsters as the group rushed out of the room and towards a different part of the cavern. The sounds of battle grew fainter and fainter as the group descended underground. Hours must have come and gone before they came to a stop. Kami in his weakened state opened his eyes just in time to see two familiar souls he had created centuries ago.

"Lucemon, Beelzebumon, we don't have much time. They are coming." The two Demon Lords were standing in front of a massive skeletal gate. The angelic boy gazed at him with concerned blue orbs.

"We felt his presence all the way from down here. It wouldn't be surprising that every Digimon and Twisted One across Witchelny felt Kami's soul being pulled out of the Dark Area."

"It is the first time he's ever left that realm," Beelzebumon added, his arms tensed against his chest. "Hopefully, he can adjust."

"He'll be fine," Lucemon reassured, his hand resting on the door. "Barbamon and the others are waiting inside. We have prepared some medication ahead of time."

"And food and rooms for the rest of you," Beelzebumon as he placed his hand on the door. The Crowns of the Seven Deadly Sins glowed brightly on the massive door before it opened, revealing a portal of swirling colors. One by one they entered the gate with Lucemon and Beelzebumon being the last before the doors closed shut behind them.

---

"Ichijouji! Ichijouji! Wake up!" Amethyst orbs brimming with tears shot open. Utter confusion was all he felt as he tried to make sense of the overwhelming memory. It was different compared to the others. Oftentimes, he would remember the lives that had met their tragic end, and other times he would be in some kind of garden talking to a woman who Kami called the Maiden. But this memory… it felt like one of many he and Kami had been slowly trying to piece together after they came in contact with a memory shard. None of them truly made sense, they just made the confusion even more pronounced, but this dream…this memory felt real.

Normally, when he had those dreams, he would watch from a distance, almost like an outsider looking in. Only this time, he saw through Kami's eyes, felt his pain in that moment, and relived his confusion and doubts. It was…

"Are you alright?" Archnemon still had her hands gently on his shoulders. She had stopped shaking them some time ago, only to realize he wasn't entirely there. A thumb gently began to wipe away the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. "That must have been some nightmare. I've been trying to wake you for the past fifteen minutes."

Ken didn't say anything for a long while as he tried to collect himself. "It wasn't a nightmare. At least, I don't think it is."

Archnemon frowned as she helped him get into a sitting position. It didn't take long to realize that Mummymon and Piemon had left at some point during the night. All the children were thankfully still fast asleep and even Bancho Mamemon seemed to have crashed after returning from his guard post. It must be Mummymon's turn, but where did that clown run off to?

"It's Mummymon's turn to watch the entrance and Piemon was saying something about the artificial Digimon we created earlier, but I wasn't really paying attention. Since we are safe for the time being, he went to investigate the rest of this cave in case we run into trouble." Ken nodded as he wiped away the rest of the tears that collected on his cheeks. He wasn't sure why, but this room they were in felt familiar. "Do you want to talk about it this time?"

Ken hesitated. This wasn't the first time Archnemon found herself trying to wake him up from a pretty bad dream. It ended up becoming an annoying habit of hers over the years, but one he appreciated very much.

She sighed. "Whatever it is, you're afraid, aren't you? You've been avoiding the topic for months now. I know a lot has been going on, especially with the discovery of your mother's body and the situation with your children, but you don't have to carry the problems of the world on your shoulders. Just because we are dimensions away doesn't mean we can't be there for you. I am more than capable of creating a portal to your world and locking you in a room until you spill everything," the words came out a bit bitter, harsh even, but eased up at the end, "but I haven't. I know that would only close you off more, especially with the children always around."

Archnemon removed her glasses, resting them on the bed next to her. "I hate seeing you like this. You are hurting and I have no idea how to help you. Lord Lucemon is worried about you, did you know that? He's afraid he did something to upset you." That caused Ken to raise his brows in surprise. "We might be worlds apart and can't afford to see each other every day like we want to, but we care about you too. We want to protect you. I don't know what is causing you to push us away. Whatever it is, it must be dangerous. It is enough to make you afraid, but you have to let us try."

It was hard to maintain eye contact with the Spider Queen without sinking back in guilt. She was right to worry about him. For years he had to face the pull and the creatures of the Dark Area alone. It was only within the last couple of years that Millenniumon started to get involved. The Dark Area, the Twisted Ones, and the strange creature with the red eyes were frightening. There had been so many times in which Ken thought he wouldn't make it back and yet, with his friends by his side, he was able to resist the pull on most days. When he couldn't resist that nagging pull Millenniumon would drag him out of that nightmarish realm. It worked for a while. He would go weeks without having to deal with those twisted monsters or those horrible voices thanks to the self-proclaimed evil god's interference. However, that was before the accident and however long he'd been in that coma.

He hated to admit it, but maybe Millenniumon was right. Those Dark Area creatures had been getting smarter with their attacks lately. It was hard to resist when he didn't have the strength to open his eyes. Ken knew his vulnerable state was the reason why they'd been stuck here initially and now they were separated.

"Do you know why I keep getting pulled into this place?"

Archnemon tilted her head a bit, looking somewhat relieved that Ken was opening up a bit. "You were pretty vague about it earlier, but it seems like this place used to be connected to the Digital World at some point, much like the World of Darkness."

"You are half right." She raised a brow at that. "I don't know enough of the past to understand what is true and what was covered up by the Holy Beasts." Ken ran his hand through his hair nervously. "What I've managed to piece together isn't very helpful. It would just make the situation more confusing than it already is."

"Let me be the judge of that."

Ken sighed. "We'll okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." Archenemon nodded and simply waited for him to begin his explanation. Where should he begin? "The Dark Area wasn't always like this: twisted, unnatural, a collision of different realities. It used to be the home of the gods that created the two realms. It was peaceful, lively I guess you could say."

"Gods? What type of Gods?"

"The Dark Area was the home of the Shadow Gods, while the Gods of the Light lived in the Digital World. Well, it wasn't called the Digital World back then, but you get the point. These Ancient Gods were a pair, they were halves of the same soul that existed in different plans of existence. The Shadows created the souls, and the Lights created the bodies. Now the Twisted Ones are creatures of the old. They are creatures that were born without a soul or those who have lost it at some point between their creation and when the two realities collapsed."

"I'm following so far. What does this have to do with you or this Kami person?"

"There was a war."

"What type of war?"

"I'm not sure," Ken responded, his features puzzled. "A lot of what he's shown me is pretty vague and not straightforward. I don't understand most of it and it's a touchy subject for Millenniumon," Ken let out a long sigh, which only earned him a snort from the female Digimon. "All I can say is that there was a war, maybe a disagreement among the gods or some form of coup d'état which resulted in their creations turning on them. I've been dubbing it the God Genocide for the past couple of months, but it's been difficult to get any information on the topic."

"That's a reasonable conclusion, so that means Kami was the last of the gods then. I remember Mastemon mentioning the original world was gone and was replaced with a new one. This could have set this realm to become unbalanced." She tapped her knee in thought. "And the virus… isn't really helping our cause. I can feel the virus pulsing all around this place… it's not normal."

"She's probably talking about Witchelny. Although, it is referred to as Digital Prime in some of the texts I've read. I did a little bit of research in the past and from my understanding, Witchelny used to be the home to many magical Humans and Digimon. But when the Light Gods were killed, and the Shadow Gods slowly began disappearing as a result the Dark Area began to overlap and eventually consumed the other world. This is why the Dark Area looks like a mismatch of different places.

"And what about Kami?" Archnemon asked, noticing he had gone quiet as he tried to figure out what to say next. She placed a hand on his knee, he hadn't noticed had been jumping slightly. Her brows were furrowed slight in worry. "Did he show you something?" Judging by his reaction, it had to be bad.

"A memory," he paused again. "I relived one of his memories when all the Gods were being killed."

"What?" Archnemon looked at him in utter bafflement, keeping her voice barely above a whisper to avoid waking the children.

"Archnemon, Kami is my past life. It's just that he's more like a fragmented spirit now if you want to be technical."

"Your past life? Ichijouji that doesn't make any sense," Archnemon, sharp as always, picked up on what had been bothering him for some time now. "How? That shouldn't be possible. You and Kami shouldn't be acting independently, if that is what you are saying. And besides, not even Mastemon can see that far back."

Ken was silent, unsure how to place his confusion into words. He knew she wasn't going to understand. She hadn't been there to see what he saw. She wasn't a confused spirit wandering around. She didn't have to deal with all these memories. "Well…" What should he do? "Maybe it's better if I show you." This was probably a bad idea. They were safe now, but that shadow creature could be anywhere. They could be attacked at any moment.

"Show me what?" Instead of answering, Ken lifted up his hand, palm out in front of him. Archnemon eyed the crescent moon birthmark curiously, confusion clearly on her features until it started to glow softly.

"Is that," her breath hitched as a small familiar orb materialized in his hand, "a digicore?" Unlike other digicores, this one was small, being a fraction of the size of Qinglongmon's digicore. Half of the digicore was smooth to the touch and as white as a freshly made pearl. It was what one would expect from an undamaged digicore, but the other half, well…

"In my dream, all the gods had disappeared from the Dark Area. The only ones that remained were Kami and the souls of his children that remained." Ken couldn't stop the overwhelming sadness he felt whenever he saw one of Kami's memories. Kami always had this lingering sadness around him, full of regret and longing. Ken didn't know much about Kami's past beyond what they were able to piece together, but he knew what it was like to feel so utterly alone and rejected by those around them. "His other half had been captured and forced to create bodies faster than Kami could create souls. It was draining the both of them."

"Bodies," Archnemon interrupted softly, her eyes glued to the digicore as she pondered over his words. "But wouldn't they be soulless?" He gave her a solemn nod. They would, wouldn't they? It would explain their endless pursuit and bleak outlook on everything. "That's not good. I'm assuming he died not long after that. There's no way he was about to keep that up forever."

"Kami felt his life slipping and as a last effort to save him, he pushed himself to create Alphamon, Yggdrasill, and Belphemon." Amber orbs widened, knowing how Ken felt about Alphamon and Yggdraisll. "Kami was too late. The Light God died and Kami started to disappear."

"Is that why the other half of this digicore is badly cracked and missing pieces?"

"No, his soul shattered at some point after he was pulled out of the Dark Area. During this time, the two worlds began to overlap. I don't think the Dark Area consumed the world right away, given that Kami does seem to have memories of his time on Witchenly." Ken grew silent once more as he stared at the digicore. There were still so many pieces missing and he feared what memories he would see when he found them. "When he disappeared, I'm not too sure where he ended up. It looks like he was still in the Dark Area, but it wasn't right."

"Not right? In what way?"

"There was this obsessive feeling like he wasn't wanted anymore. It's hard to pinpoint what most of these feelings were, but there was a door."

That got her attention. "A door?"

"Fate was cruel. He was on the other side." Ken closed his eyes, trying his best to hold back the anger and utter disappointment he felt. "All he ever wanted was to help his other half, even if Hikari treated him so poorly. But in the end, Hikari rejected his shadow, severing their link completely." Ken wasn't sure how he felt about this Hikari Kami. It was no wonder Kami blocked him out of his memories, Hikari had been nothing but cruel. It was clear now that his counterpart must be the current reincarnation of Hikari, his soul wasn't incomplete as far as he could tell and he didn't sense the other spirit either. That had to be a blessing in disguise.

"I can understand why you are so conflicted right now. It must be difficult trying to put up a front when you are being torn in so many different directions at once." Archnemon glanced at him sadly as his hand returned to his lap, causing the digicore to disappear. "Have you told anyone about this?"

"No, not really. It's not really easy to talk about and I haven't even touched the surface of the issue." A delicate brow raised ever so slightly. "The thing is I don't know how or why Kami's soul shattered in the first place. That's an issue in itself. I know something bad happened to him, and in all honesty, I don't blame him for being afraid. I wouldn't want to look for the other pieces of my soul either if all I remember is the bad." He wasn't sure how the other would handle being so badly betrayed and belittled all the time. If he was struggling to contain his emotions, he couldn't imagine how the Digital God would react. Maybe it was best that he and Millenniumon keep those memories away for now.

"Wait a minute," Archnemon's features tightened as she scanned his nervous features. "Have you been searching for these shards on your own?"

"Not exactly," he said weakly. "I've kinda been finding them by accident." Accident or not, the Spider Queen was not amused by the prospect of Ken searching for a deceased god's spirit shards and dealing with his memories all alone, the good and the bad. Not only was that incredibly stupid, but dangerous if he didn't know how to handle the intense memories. How was his mind still intact?

"When the gods died," Ken said, changing the subject, "Kami and the others were able to travel to the other side. I'm assuming at this point the world was slowly being corrupted with no one to maintain the two worlds. Kami's death must have been the driving factor that resulted in the Digital World being remade into the world it is today. There also seem to be some barriers in place. I could only assume it was due to what happened in the past."

"I spent a great deal of time in the Digital World after I was created by Oikawa. I don't recall any of the Digimon, nor the humans mentioning Kami."

"Sounds like this was the price for remaking the worlds." The two of them looked up to see Mummymon walking in. Piemon must have taken over his post. "I'm assuming the history of Kami and the other gods were erased from existence." When Ken didn't answer, he sighed. "That's really sad."

"Yeah…" Mummymon took a seat next to him, a comforting hand on his back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop. Piemon said you were going to need me."

"No, it's okay. How much did you hear?"

"Enough," he said. "We can discuss about that memory shard later." Mummymon had that 'you can't avoid me this time' look again. The Chosen of Kindness groaned. Mummymon had been pestering him ever since he found out about the Digicore several years ago. He was so annoying. "I am curious about the shattered soul thing. Where are they then?"

"Well, that's a bit complicated. You see when his soul shattered it kinda scattered across the different worlds. Kami's consciousness remained in this dormant-like state as half of his soul reformed into me. The other half became a variety of different objects."

"Objects you say. Hmm." Mummymon scratched under his chin, his gaze staring at the ceiling absently as he thought about something. " I do recall you having a nightmare shortly after you found that strange plushie." Ken remembered that. He wasn't sure what had caused a portal to open on his computer that day, but he had found a glitchy butterfly plushie when he had left Demon's Castle in search of Masaru in the other Digital World.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Do you remember when Ichijouji suddenly left the castle one night without Beelzebumon?"

"Well, yeah. He had been in the infirmary recovering from his injuries." She narrowed her eyes for a moment. "Wait a minute. You and Lord Beelzebumon had also been missing."

"Lord Beelzebumon caught up to us once we reached Server and I tagged along knowing how now dangerous it was. I know I mentioned it back then, but we both knew Ichijouji wasn't going to listen to reason. He was already ticked off by Demon's behavior, on top of the fact that Lord Ken had been ill from his milk allergy. I wasn't really surprised that he left without telling anyone."

Ken pouted a bit as he got a particular look from the female digimon. It probably wasn't one of his best ideas, but it was the only one he had at the moment. "In my defense, I didn't trust any of you." Ken's words felt like a knife that cut into both of the Digimon's hearts. "It isn't exactly easy to forget the faces of those who used to be my enemies. Some of you guys had a pretty negative view, which was not ideal for raising a child. That's not even including Demon and his rude behavior. He's lucky I didn't destroy his digicore for that stunt he tried to pull back then."

Both digimon had beads of sweat starting to form on their brow. "Yeah, good thing Beelzebumon and Lord Beelzebumon intervened when they did."

"You really did a number on the castle though," Archnemon added. It had been years since that incident and Ken had yet to forgive the Demon Lord of Wrath. He wasn't sure if he ever would. He had selfishly risked the lives of his children, and the young lord as well. That wasn't something he could simply ignore and forget.

"So about the plushie," Mummymon coughed, hoping to alleviate the agitation he was sure the brief conversation about a certain Demon Lord caused. "That was a memory shard wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was. Unlike the memory I just dreamed about, the memory from the plushie was pretty brief. The only thing I could really make out was that this Maiden and Kami were pretty close. But on the bright side, I learned that her name is Huddiemon and she's the Divine Maiden of the Shadow. I believe she might be the original entity of the Dark Area."

The two digimon looked at each other in surprise. "That's interesting. There is so much we don't know about this place, but that might explain why you keep being dragged here and why your soul is incomplete."

"How so?" Archnemon asked. "I'm still confused about that part."

Mummymon returned his gaze to him. "Maybe it's better if you explain this. I might just make this conversation even more confusing."

"Archnemon, due to Kami's soul still being incomplete his memories are all over the place. They are fractured, which makes things already confusing. Doesn't really help that he's afraid to hunt them down on his own, especially with those other memories."

"What other memories?" She frowned, not liking the hesitation and sadness in his voice.

"Do you remember how you died?"

"Kinda, I don't really remember Belial Vamdemon all too well. Bits and pieces really, but I know Mummymon remembers everything."

Ken nodded. He did, did he? "Now take that and multiply it by hundreds of thousands of innocent lives mixed in with pieces of memories you know are yours."

She gasped, eyes widening at her two companions. Mummymon simply sighed, while Ken turned his gaze toward his counterpart. The child was still sleeping peacefully, surrounded by his close friends. He was lucky to be free of such torment. "When I was four, before I accidentally sent myself to the World of Darkness, I started getting so many memories at once. I remembered seeing their childhoods, their families, their loved ones, their dreams… They were happy, at least until they died," his voice broken at the end, unable to contain his emotions. "Their lives were cut short and each one was just as bad as the last. Millenniumon's been locking those memories away for some time now."

Ken's fingers unconsciously twisted the edges of his loose nightshirt. "Even with the bad memories locked away, I don't know what to do about Kami's memories. They are too much. I don't want him to be sad again," he said softly. "As for what they look like, the fragments here took the form of the Dark Digimentals."

"So the rest must be in the Digital World, but what form did they take?" Mummymon wasn't sure how to answer Archnemon's question.

"Ichijouji, I understand why you haven't told your friends about this. It's a tricky situation, but why haven't you told Wormmon or one of the Demon Lords," Mummymon was gentle as he spoke, knowing this was a touchy subject. "They've proven that they would do anything to protect you. They are Kami's guardians after all."

"It's not that I don't trust them," Ken said as he hugged himself, closing his eyes for a moment. There was a reason he hadn't wanted to talk about this. "But them coming here would be a problem."

"What?"

"You need to understand all life used to originate here." When Ken opened his eyes, they saw the wall crumble. The sadness and the pain they saw were raw, heartwrecking. "Millenniumon is a special case, but Wormmon, V-mon, Hawkmon, and Armidimon were created here. Hikari never made their bodies."

"Does it really matter how they were created?" Mummymon asked. Before Ken could respond a small blue transparent butterfly, followed by a familiar voice echoed around them.

"The little ones are Divine Warriors of the Shadows, they will not fall so easily."

His brows furrowed. That voice…it almost sounded like…

Suddenly, a soft blue glow surrounded the small butterfly. The light expanded across the room and into the hallway. The light was so comforting and bright that the children were awakened by it. In the butterfly's place was an elegant woman dressed in butterfly-like armor. He couldn't see her face from under her helmet, but everything from her hair to the way she spoke reminded him of…

She smiled as his eyes widened in recognition. "Julieanna?"

"My liege. I have been excepting you." She reached out a hand towards him. "This level of the Dark Area is infested with feral Twisted Ones, corrupted by the virus. I will guide you to the portal."

"Are you sure we can trust her?" Archnemon quickly took a position in between them. Her amber orbs were narrowed slits as she eyed the other female suspiciously. Mummymon, meanwhile, glanced around the room, noticing how the dark shadows had been chased away by the light and were instead replaced by butterflies. There had to be a dozen of them now. "She could be that shadow creature from before." Three of the butterflies had left the room and headed in the direction of the front exit.

"I understand you might have questions," the Maiden of the Shadows said, her comforting aura never wavering, but there was an urgency in her voice. "But time is not on our side. Shademon is on the hunt and he will not stop until the Core of God is his."