When it left Hikaru alone, there was a sound of scratching noises coming from where she sat, like something was trying to escape, it stopped suddenly, and was replaced by a chorus of sobs, underneath her was something crying, this snapped Hikaru enough out of her funk enough that could talk "Who is done there" she asked but still distant in tone, she was still not fully herself yet.

"Human" it squeaked loudly, its voice trembling, it was terrified, and it took it a bit to calm down before it spoke again "it's horrible, it torments us for pleasure, and feeds on our fears"

"What is it, the one is doing this?' asked Hikaru still sitting, still talking regardless of not being fully mentally there, seeing from her glassy expression.

It came back before the little digimon could answer, its immense form sliding into the room, still cloaked in the illusion of the forest, making it hard to tell what its actual size was. "Another one of your companions is on their way here, I shall feast on their fear, and then kill them" it now walked up to Hikaru, and touch her on the forehead with one of its claws, it was cold and felt like bone. It backed back away and before it left "I'll make sure you watch me kill them, if you scream I'll kill them quicker, it's up to you" it now was gone leaving Hikaru alone with the little sobbing digimon again.

Digimon Sync chapter 20 "Shadow Play"

The forest was huge and seemingly unrelenting, the wild woods seemed to go on forever, tree after massive tree, and Takajin followed the light of his digivice, as it cut through illusion showing him massive footprints. He thought to himself they looked like something that he might have been shown in school, but nothing came to mind making him wish he paid attention instead of sleeping through most of his classes. He was hoping that whatever took his sister wasn't something dangerous.

His sister had to be somewhere, he was going to find her no matter what, as he finished, he suddenly into something, it nearly knocked the digivice out of his hand, he regained his balance, he looked to see what it was and realized it was Juniko scared, and breathing heavily, and she was panicking, and was talking a mile a minute. "Calm down please I can't understand you" he said to her.

Juniko took a deep breath, and stood up, since when she had run into Takajin had knocked her off her feet "a horseman came out of nowhere, it knocked the foxfire sphere out of Mikuni's hand, and she turned into a toy head. I ran away since nothing seemingly touches it" she said still in a slight rabid pace, but she was understandable now.

"Whatever it was now has Hikaru, for some reason a figure appeared to me in white cloak, and told my digivice would guide me to her" Takajin gestured the glowing light coming from his digivice, it was still streaming out into the forest cutting through the darkness.

What Takajin had said seemed to snap Juniko out of her panic attack, then she tripped and landed face down, but seconds later she was back on her feet like it had never happened, she was scanning where the light from Takajin was pointing "did this cloaked happened to glow, and turn into a ball of light and fly into the air?" she asked thinking about something.

"Yes?" said Takajin still wondering what was up with that person, and who the heck they were.

"I met her too in Tabula Rasa, she gave us a warning to get out of that city because it was dangerous, but I couldn't leave with you or Hikaru.' Said Juniko now scratching her chin, like how she always did when she was deep in thought about anything that was confusing to her.

"I wonder who or what she really is, or if she is really someone we should trust and she might be a member of the Kurokami Brigade for all we know, but she could be a guardian some we can really trust like Sorami" said Takajin forgiving Sorami for all she had put them through like there might be some good reason she had put them through these ordeals these several months including the one they were in now. It could be some sort of training that they must have needed a lot of.

Juniko screamed as the horsemen without a head rode out ahead of them, then composed herself as it turned as Takajin touch her shoulder, and whispered into her that it's only an illusion, the thing that was attacking is over there. "So that thing is a distraction, so that thing could sneak up on Mikuni and smash the foxfire sphere, what is doing this then?"

The digimon stepped out of the shadows, its dark skeletal frame towering over them, it maw agape, but it still talked "cleaver little children, prepare to die" it said while its form shift like black liquid, like it was made of the darkness itself.

"I'll take care of this get out of here Takajin" Juniko pulls out her digivice, and Mikemon digivolves into Kunoimon, She then charged at the shadow digimon, she dodged its attacks.

Kunoimon hissed at the dark digimon, she produced Kunai blades in between each of her claws, she threw them with almost deadly accuracy, they hit dead on, but did very little damage at all, and ricocheted to the ground, then vanishing.

-Forest Cave-

There was more of these digimon all over this cave, all terrified out of their minds, but no matter what she wanted to do, Hikaru was too scared to even move from where she sat, whatever it was what if it came back and saw her moving. So she just sat there fearing for her very life, if she didn't do something she would die or if she did something she could die too, she didn't want to die, this fear had been magnified since she had that incident as a child where she ended up outside the protective field of Digitopia.

(Flashback)

A little Hikaru ran through a field of wild flowers, it was a nice and sunny day, with no clouds in sky, she had sneaked out of the royal estate. She wanted to get flowers for her mother since it was her birthday, she heard there were some very pretty ones at the edge of the kingdom, she had to get the best ones for her mother no matter how hard they were to find. She wasn't there alone, Juniko was there with her, she was on the other side of the field searching too, and Juniko was about two years younger than she was but seemed more mature if she wasn't falling on her face all the time.

Things were good in Digitopia, a peaceful kingdom, untainted by the world around it. In the distance Hikaru spotted, some pretty blue flowers, she ran toward them, the flowers petal glistened in the sunlight as she got closer to them, they seemed to suddenly ripple as she got close to them. It was too late, before she realized what happened, and was standing outside the protective field, staring right into the eyes of a Vilemon. It licked its lips as it spotted Hikaru, and clicked it fangs, as it got ready to charge and rend her into food, and it was hungry for blood, and just as it was about to charge a hand grabbed hold of her pulled her back into the protective field.

(Flashback end)

She didn't know what to do, she had to do something, but what should she do, she wanted to do something though her fear prevented her from doing it, she was still traumatized from what Kitsumon had done, and was just regaining composure, this monster did not help things, she finally stood up, her legs were like lead weights, and they shook like crazy making it impossible to walk.

"Are you insane, stay where you were, it will kill you if you don't stay put" a voice whined from the darkness.

"It will punish us if you leave, I don't want to die" said another voice from across the cave, and it shook its cage madly, hoping that might startle Hikaru into sitting down.

Hikaru crumpled to her knees, and began to cry, her fears taking hold once again, she was not going anywhere, she was just too afraid, standing for a minute was the most she could do at this point, she now sat on the cold ground. While wild digimon called at her to stay where she was, and not to go anywhere. In front of her a ball of light appeared, and turned into a cloaked figure, with her hood down, but her back was turned to her, long blood red hair billowed down her back.

-Unknown-

Juniko was losing the one sided battle with whatever this thing was, Kunoimon wasn't strong enough to even put a dent in it, she watched hopelessly as her digimon partner got knocked around like a rag doll by enormous black skeleton Dinosaur digimon, Juniko gasped every time Kunoimon was stuck aside in one of her attacks, it was horrible to behold.

"Fear" it hissed happily, and then continued sniffing the air, "keep it up I am enjoying this so much, this will make your deaths all so sweeter to me" it craned its neck making a cracking nose as it did so, oh how impolite of me I didn't introduce myself, I am PhantomGreymon"

The name sent chills down Juniko's spine, and made things worse, it the reputation of Greymon type that has been around for centuries but usually as an unstoppable for justice and not one of evil but this one was. She needed to calm down, this thing was trying to make her more afraid to make itself stronger and it was working, and she didn't want to give in more to this evil thing that now has a name, she had to protect Takajin, he meant too much to her to let him die, she clinched her right hand into a fist. Kunoimon started to glow; both she and Juniko were enveloped in light that turned into spheres.

But this was interrupted as the spheres of light were engulfed in darkness, as PhantomGreymon grabbed them and began to squeeze, inside them Juniko and Kunoimon where screaming loudly as they were slowing going to be crushed to death.

Takajin gritted his teeth, and cursed the fact that he couldn't do anything about this, he started picking up rocks and throwing them at PhantomGreymon, he wished deeply that Sunmon was there, where ever he was get here soon, at that moment he noticed the cave, PhantomGreymon had been standing in front of it all this time, his sister was in there, maybe he could sneak away. But then he saw that PhantomGreymon was staring at him, and at his feet were Juniko and Mikemon, both of them were out cold.

"You Son of a Lilithmon" Takajin cursed loudly, he now hated this digimon, first PhantomGreymon kidnaps his sister, had turned Mikuni into a toy, and now he is going to kill his best friend, and he couldn't do anything about it now, it was like the world was conspiring against him for some reason, fear and anger was swelling up in him, he was feeding the thing hated the most and he couldn't stop himself from doing so. All was lost now for him and his companions. Takajin's digivice began to glow, but that filled him with dread, he had to stop it, PhantomGreymon would just stop like he did before with Juniko, when did Sunmon arrive, and why didn't he announce himself or did something to help. The digivice only glowed, it didn't engulf him in light, and his partner wasn't anywhere in sight.

The Skeletal form of PhantomGreymon was standing like it was tempting him, it maw wide open like it wanted him to hop right in; Takajin heart beat like a jack hammer thinking about. "Now behold the true power of fear" it said as it brought up its foot to crush Juniko. Then both of her and Mikemon were gone, PhantomGreymon looked around for them as if they had crawled off, but they were no where in sight.

Now standing beside Takajin was Huang, and stepping out of the forest was Dracomon, "They are safe Kitsumon got them out of here" said Huang glaring at Takajin in disappointment "you nearly got her killed your highness" he mocked in disgust. "Now I'll deal with this" he then tossed Sunmon to Takajin.

Huang charged with Dracomon at PhantomGreymon, not letting Takajin retort what he had just said to him, or warn how stupid was being, which is what he was actually doing, but Huang didn't hear him, in unison him and Dracomon attacked PhantomGreymon seemingly driving him back, but it still hissed happily for some reason, then Huang and Dracomon were enveloped in dark sphere that had emanated from PhantomGreymon himself. Inside them Huang stood alone staring at a beach, "hope is only an illusion your true power should be despair, it can make you stronger, and you can have you revenge" said a voice from all around.

The beach vanished as if sucked into a red void. It was filled violent images of Huang's parents as they were tortured by the Kurokami Brigade member scythe. "Let fear be your weapon, I'll help you learn true power" it said as PhantomGreymon appeared in front, but it wasn't exactly PhantomGreymon, it was himself with its face, it put its arms around him in a tight hug. He always wanted to get stronger this thing knew it, and wanted to give him that power he so craved.

Stop it a voiced called from the darkness, it was bright light in the distance "Vengeance is a poison for the heart" Juniko said looking directly into Huang's eyes, as she suddenly out of the darkness, she was image brought to him by his conscience quoting what the real one had said, when they were at Tabula rasa, She was the first one to ever crack emotional defenses in a long time since he lost his family.

"No don't listen to her, she should not talk that way to you, she was too weak to take vengeance herself and doesn't know the true power of despair, she will lead you to death" said PhantomGreymon growling in annoyance, its hiss seemed to shove Juniko away.

"What happens when your actions ruin someone's life and you become as bad as the people you swore revenge on, what happens then?" asks Juniko's voice, as she appears again.

"Compassion is weakness, the only path that will get you what you want is despair, and causing people to tremble at your feet, you should not care who you hurt, they are all beneath you, they are insects not even worthy of breathing the same air as you, none of them have experience your pain"

"My Pain, my despair, my hatred" said Huang, he was thinking, did he even have hope at all, why did he get this chip, when it was the opposite of what he was. The truth was he didn't know anything to with that emotion possibly

"Fear and despair go hand in hand, now join, and show them your true power" PhantomGreymon version of Huang extended his hand to Huang.

The room slips in two, the other half of the room is the beach again, and standing there is Juniko, and behind her is Takajin, Hikaru, and Mikuni, Juniko walks toward him "There is hope if you let us in" she offered her hand to Huang as well.

Huang reached out his hand, and before it was apparent, who he was reaching for, it all shattered, and he and Dracomon fell to the ground, the black spheres had been shattered, and standing behind PhantomGreymon was a strange looking digimon, and what was more strange was for once the moon was visible it reflected in the strange digimon's blades, standing beside it was Hikaru. The digimon started to dance toward PhantomGreymon.

"No one messes with my little brother or my follow digidestined" said Hikaru, with a look on her face that if looks kill, that anyone getting that look would have exploded within seconds "Show how much I fear him now, Crescemon, now I want to hear it scream"

At that moment Crescemon stopped dancing and started slashing blades into PhantomGreymon, it shrieked every time its blades passed through the dark digimon, PhantomGreymon crumpled to its knees, but disappeared, and reformed behind Crescemon.

(Cave flashback)

"I'll didn't give you that chip and digivice, to cower in darkness, I gave it to you so your kindness would out shine it, your friends need you, these digimon need you" said the figure lighting up the cave showing Hikaru all the cages "and don't you see your brother light

When she said that Hikaru noticed a little flicker aimed right at her face, and it was slowly, in that light she felt her brother's love it cut through her fears, and a fresh tear stream down her cheek, her brother was coming to save her but heading into a trap she must do something about. She now saw Moonmon in one of the cages huddled in the corner of it sobbing. Hikaru stood up and walked over to it, opened it, humming softly to her digimon partner, as she reached into the cage.

Hearing Hikaru humming all the digimon in the cave started to hum too, and settled down, and she opened all their cages, they broke out in cheers of hail digidestined, and cheerful laughter.

Her fears were suddenly all gone for once in her life she feared nothing, she stroked Moonmon, and she purred happily, Hikaru picked up her digimon partner "our friends need us, are you ready" she put Moonmon down, and they are both enveloped in spheres of light.

(Cave Flashback end)

Crescemon quickly turned, her blades turning into a bow, and she fired an arrow of ice point blank into PhantomGreymon's maw, and froze his face, it shattered but his head reformed, it growled and took swings at Crescemon, but they missed as she danced around its claws, it getting more angry with every miss, before buried one of her blades in his chest. He disappeared and appeared again its massive kept it from keeping up with its smaller opponent, as she emptied another volley of ice arrows into its back, the moon was making Crescemon stronger and faster.

While PhantomGreymon was distracted by Crescemon, Kitsumon had went into the cave and rescued those who had been cursed by the breaking of the foxfire spheres, and turned them back into people "I am sorry I dragged you guys into this but being in the presence of this digimon is like poison to me for some reason" she said after restoring Mikuni back to normal.

"What the heck?" said Mikuni as she spotted Crescemon going toe to toe with PhantomGreymon, did she wake up in a bizarre alternate reality where Hikaru was actually useful.

PhantomGreymon shattered its way out of the ice, Crescemon was encasing him with, but each time he seemed to get smaller like he was losing chunks of himself every time he was hit with ice, but it was because of the decreasing amount of fear he could feed on, since he was getting his ass kicked. All the people feared him less. "Huang help me, I'll show you true power" it said

Huang raised his hand toward PhantomGreymon like he was ready to shake hands with the demonic digimon, it was like he was in some sort of trance with no control over his own body.

Crescemon spotted something glowing inside PhantomGreymon, whatever it was had been exposed by a previous attack, she stabbed into it, something shattered and fell to the ground, and burned away into dust blowing away in the wind, "As long as there is fear, I shall be there" said PhantomGreymon breaking like a mirror, its pieces fell to the ground "I'll return" were its final words.

The moon disappeared in the sky, Crescemon de-digivolved back into Lunamon, and fell into the awaiting arms of Hikaru, who hugged her digimon partner tightly.

All the illusions around making it possible to see all the various wild coming out of hiding, and those that come from the cave, all the digimon of the wild woods were saved, things could now go back to normal for them, and travelers that have to come through this forest, even though there were still dangerous things in this forest, it was nothing Kitsumon could not handle. In the distance Juniko spotted Wilhelm and his wagon, and Kitsumon explained why it wasn't destroyed like it appeared to be before, as they hopped in the back of it to continue their journey.

After a few more hours of travel, the edge of the forest was in sight, and the smell of ocean filled the air it was invigorating after the time spent in the forest, it was a relief that they finally were out of that horrible forest. The harbor was filled with assorted sizes of boats, its people seemed very friendly, but for some reason Kitsumon was waiting for them there, she smirked playfully as they stopped beside her, she wanted to speak with Takajin, she yanked him out of the wagon by his shirt sleeve.

"I forgot to give you this" said Kitsumon pulling an amulet out of her pocket, "this is a gift to you guys for helping me clearing my forest of that thing, I hope it is useful to you" she then kissed him on the cheek, she turned to see Juniko ducking back into the wagon. They needed to charter a boat, went out leaving them alone, with a sea town of merchants, traders, and some that looked like pirates, Mikuni looked at anyone that came near the wagon as a potential threat, it was hard to blame with all that they had been through.

Takajin eyed the amulet he had been given, it had a strange symbol in some sort of strange language, it bothered him that he should know what it meant but didn't, it looked very familiar for some reason, he twirled the amulet between his fingers, he looked over at Huang, who was still staring out into nowhere as he was still recovering from mental of what happened to him in the wild woods.

Juniko was excited about traveling by boat, something she only read about in books, it had always been a dream so waiting for Wilhelm to return was pure torture, she had seemingly recovered what happened when PhantomGreymon had interrupted her and Mikemon's digivolution, she only suffered from a few broken bones, her left arm that was in a splint, and a bruise over her right eye.

Hikaru seemed like her old self again, cheerful and sweat like all the stuff that had happened to her didn't happen at all, she smile at Takajin, when she noticed he was looking at, it made him feel so relieved, hopefully her fears are the thing of the past, and won't come back again, but that was too much to hope for, when crap hits the fan she might regress.

Wilhelm returned with good news that a ship of supplied meant for the guardians is heading to the sanctum, and the boat that it supposed to take them anyway as stated in the letter, and he told them that this was his time to part ways with them, he had a business to run, and they cost him more money than it was worth, but he would miss them dearly, he hugged each one of them as they left his wagon, and they headed off to get on their boat.

The boat was large, it was filled men of various shapes and sizes, all very tidy, they all seemed to be in a hurry to get everything on board, a small man dressed in a grey, smoking a green pipe, made his way toward them. "my name is Captain Hawkin, welcome aboard my ship The Tajiri" he said gesturing them on board.

-Forest Cave Entrance-

another man in grey leather armor, he wore black shades, and a scarf over his face, he was tall with brown hair, he walked over and picked up something and dusted off what looked like shattered digichip "Renegade to Beautiful sky, Project Omicron, subject was destroyed by digidestined children, , tweaking and continuing with the project" he left fading into the shadows. "We are the Light and the Purifying Flame"

A shadow appeared in front of the cave, it formed into the face of PhantomGreymon, and then faded away, the shadow trailed across the forest in the direct the man in leather went in.

-To be Continued-

Will the digidestined reach the guardian, and who are these strange people with the code names, to answer these questions, and more, please tune into the next Digimon digital monsters!