Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Digiquest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero ❯ Storming the Fortress ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter 13

By Time Lady

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Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or Quest for Glory

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They each checked their packs. Each one made sure they were well stocked with potions. Takeru also safely stowed the dispel potion Aluramon had prepared. All daggers and swords were carefully sharpened. Despite Ken fighting his urge to do some extra nighttime wandering, they all managed to have a good night's sleep. Shortly after sunrise they all ate filling meals. "We need to be sure we're at full strength," said Daisuke. Then, armed and ready, they set out.

"Are you sure that is it?" asked Takeru. The Antwerp bounced and hopped.

"If you look at the rock wall behind it," said Ken, "it kind of looks like a door."

"Okay. Let's get this thing out of the way," said Yamato.

"Leave that to me. YAAAAHHH!!!!" Daisuke drew his sword and rushed at the alien creature.

"Daisuke don't!" shouted Yamato a fraction of a moment too late. The younger fighter ran at the Antwerp and stabbed his sword right into it. The resulting explosion threw everyone off their feet. Next thing they knew, there was at least a dozen tiny Antwerps hopping around.

"What the. . .?" said Ken as he picked himself up off the grass.

"I tried to warn you," said Yamato, brushing himself off. "Gennai said if you stab an Antwerp, it explodes into a bunch of little Antwerps."

"Now you tell me," growled Daisuke as he pushed three Antwerps off his stomach.

"Can you find a lock on this door?" Ken asked Takeru.

"It must be hidden," returned Takeru as he ran his fingers over the door.

"Must be protection against being discovered," sighed Ken. "I can't pick a lock if I can't find it."

"Who needs to pick the lock?" Takeru concentrated a moment. After a few gestures, they heard a click. A section of rock swung open.

"Can I learn that spell?" asked Ken.

"Not if you don't have the mana."

"Enough talk. Let's go," said Daisuke.

"Hold it!" Yamato grabbed Daisuke's arm.

"Now what?" asked Daisuke impatiently.

"Just wait." Yamato peered into the darkness. He heard something approaching. "HIDEN GOSEKE!" he called into the cave. They heard a shuffling something retreat. Once the sounds stopped, Yamato said "Okay. We can go."

"What was that?" asked Daisuke.

"The password that got us past something nasty," returned Yamato. "Come on."

Yamato led the way into the darkness. A faint luminescence gave just enough light for them to see where they were going. A constant drip of water from somewhere in cave began to make all of them a little edgy. They walked for a good ten minutes until they reached daylight.

The cave opened out behind a hedge. Cautiously they dropped down. Takeru peeked out, then lowered his head. "There's one Minotarumon out there on guard duty," he whispered.

"Leave him to me," whispered Daisuke.

"Wait. I have another idea," returned Takeru. He began gesturing.

The Minotarumon paced back and forth. "Guard duty again," complained the Digimon. "Toro not like so much guard duty." Suddenly it began to yawn loudly. Next thing the adventurers heard was snoring.

"Okay," said Takeru. "Now's our chance."

Stealthily Ken slipped ahead of the others. He quickly picked the lock, then waved to the others. Motioning for silence, Yamato led Daisuke and Takeru out of hiding. Takeru cautiously cast another calm spell while Daisuke and Yamato opened the massive wooden door.

They were in for a surprise on the other side of the door. "Man oh man, they just couldn't make this easy," said Daisuke. The way to the entrance was a load of booby traps, though not ones anyone with a modicum of sense couldn't avoid. Takeru pointed out a tripwire, a hole trap, and a loose bridge. "Let's go," he whispered.

As the group forged ahead, they suddenly found themselves besieged by archers. Yamato and Daisuke used their shields to block most of the arrows. Takeru threw a few flame darts at their attackers, forcing them away from their posts, while Ken picked the next lock. They tumbled into what appeared to be the brigands' eating area. Yamato and Daisuke held off several brigands while Takeru and Ken barred most of the doors. To evade further brigand attacks, the party slipped through one of the doors and barred it behind them.

"Abandon mope, all ye who enter here!" called a voice behind them. Weapons drawn, they turned and realized they were in a rather extraordinary room. The entire floor was a crazy maze leading to various doors. At the far wall, on a platform, under a sign labeled "ME" sat a Gekomon. The Gekomon wore an outfit that appeared to be a cross between a wizard's costume and a jester's costume. "State your case before I case your estate!"

"Wait!" Takeru held out his hand to stop Yamato and Daisuke. "Are you the Baron's Gekomon?"

Gekomon's eyes widened. "You know me? Have you come to take the child from the band?"

"By child, do you mean the Baron's daughter?" asked Yamato as he sheathed his sword.

"Yes," said Gekomon. "Ten years ago, I left to find her. It took me two years, and I've remained with her ever since."

"Then why didn't you try and bring her home?" asked Daisuke.

"I couldn't break the spell. So I've stayed on, posing as her warlock." Gekomon stood. "I couldn't just leave a pretty young girl to grow up surrounded by rogues. Someone had to defend her honor."

"Still. . . you should have sent some sort of notice to her father," said Ken.

"Perhaps," agreed Gekomon. "She's a lot like her father. She took the brigands and turned them from your garden-variety thugs to well organized raiders. I'm glad you came along though. As soon as the snow clears, she plans to move the band out of the valley. If that happened, there would be no chance of the spell ever being broken. Toro and I have been wracking our brains trying to find a way to free her."

"Toro?" asked Yamato.

"The Minotarumon. We found him when he was still a Terriermon. He's kowtowed to the brigand leader ever since. He makes sure the brigands don't give her any bull." Even Daisuke groaned at Gekomon's joke.

"Hasn't she tried to go home?" asked Takeru.

"That's part of the spell. She doesn't remember who she really is. All of her memories have been taken away. Speaking of the spell, you guys have something to dispel the spell?" Gekomon stared at them expectantly.

"We have a dispel potion," said Takeru.

"Good. Be sure to splash it on her quickly. Otherwise you might find yourself skewered," explained Gekomon. "She'd give ol' Swordy Lordy a run for his money."

"Swordy Lordy?" asked Daisuke.

"You know, the Blade Braggart. He who shows off in the courtyard. One day she asked him to show her how to use a sword, but he told her flat out that he wouldn't waste his time teaching a 'mere female.' She ran to me in tears. She was only seven at the time," reminisced Gekomon.

"Yeah, that sounds like the Weapons Master," agreed Yamato.

"Now she can teach the Weapon Windbag a thing or two," said Gekomon with a nod. "The Baron would be surprised to see his daughter now."

"So what about this maze," asked Ken. "How do we get through it?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," chuckled Gekomon. "This one will have you rolling in the aisles." With that, Gekomon pushed a button. His pedestal rotated, closing the wall behind him.

"Oh great," muttered Ken.

"Come on, how hard can it be?" said Daisuke.

Fifteen minutes later, they finally made their way to the end of the maze. "How hard can it be," griped Ken.

"Okay, that's enough. We're almost there," said Yamato. "You got that dispel potion ready?"

Takeru pulled the bottle out of his pack. "Got it."

"Right. Daisuke and I will keep her busy. You splash her with the potion. Ken, watch the door."

Cautiously Yamato opened the door. The four slipped inside and barred the door. They made their way down a hallway and through another door, which they then barred. They found themselves in a room filled with unimaginable treasures. Ken's eyes widened at the sight of all the riches. A cloaked figure sat at a desk. Looking up, the figure saw the heroes and leapt over the desk, rapier drawn. Yamato parried to block the blows. "NOW!" he shouted.

Takeru pulled the cork out of the bottle and dashed the dispel potion all over the figure. The cloak fell away. A glow suffused the figure of a young woman, who then looked up at them in wonder. Her golden hair fell loose about her face, her blue eyes sparkling with a new sense of clarity.

"I. . . I know who I am. . . for the first time in years, I know my name," she said. "I know that I am Catherine von Spielburg!"

"You remember?" asked Daisuke.

"You don't know how good it feels to be able to remember your own name," said Catherine. She looked at the faces of her four rescuers. "I used to wish that I wasn't a brigand's child. I would imagine that I was an enchanted princess."

"You really were enchanted," said Takeru.

They heard a loud pounding at the door. "We don't have much time," said Ken. "I think we've been discovered."

"Yes," said Catherine. "I have to hurry home to my father. He must capture the brigands before they make off with the treasures."

"Good idea," returned Yamato.

"Gekomon!" shouted Catherine. Gekomon came running. "Gekomon, I'm me again!"

"Your dad will be glad the spell's been repelled," said Gekomon, a broad smile on his face.

Takeru glanced over at Catherine's former desk. His senses tingled. On the desk sat a small hand mirror. "What's this?" he asked as he picked it up.

"Oh, that's Wizardmon's magic mirror," said Gekomon. "I borrowed it from Jijimon, who borrowed it from Wizardmon. I thought it might break the spell on Catherine."

"I'll take it back to Wizardmon. But first, I have an idea," said Takeru.

"You're welcome to it," said Gekomon. "Now, Catherine, do you finally remember how that amulet you wear works?"

Catherine pulled an amulet out from her tunic. "It will take me instantly to the castle, right?"

"Exactly," returned Gekomon.

"Oh," she said as she remembered something, "but it won't take all of us, will it?"

"No. Only the two of us. We need to make our getaway while we can still get away," Gekomon reminded her.

"There's a secret passage over there," said Catherine, pointing to the wall. "It will lead you back into the forest."

"I suggest we use it, and quickly," said Ken. "They're starting to batter down the door."

"Thank you again," said Catherine. "Come to the castle as soon as you can." With that, Gekomon took Catherine's arm. The former brigand leader pressed three of the gems in her amulet. She and Gekomon faded out of site.

"I don't think this door is going to hold much longer!" shouted Ken.

"Then let's get out of here!" said Yamato.

"But. . . ," began Daisuke.

"The odds may be as much as twenty to one," said Yamato, grabbing his arm. "The leader has been taken care of. Let's let the baron handle the rest."

"Move!" shouted Ken. "Before they break the door down!"

Takeru led the way through the door, down a maze of tunnels, until one tunnel seemed vaguely familiar. They found themselves outside, a couple of dozen baby Antwerps hopping around. "We made it," sighed Ken as he dropped to the grass.

"Hey guys, you know something?" said Daisuke. "We're heroes! We've rescued both the baronet and his sister, and taken care of the brigand leader and brigand warlock!"

"It's not over yet." Yamato gazed levelly at the younger fighter.

"But we've beaten the brigands!" returned Daisuke.

"There's one last thing that needs to be done to complete the countercurse," Takeru reminded him. "We still have to drive the curser from the land. And that means taking on Babamon Yaga."

Ken groaned.

"Don't worry," said Takeru. "This time I have a plan. Ken, I need you to tell me everything you can about what happened when she cast the spells on you."

<to be continued>

Author's note: The next chapter is actually THE END! Yes, it's taken a while, but its been worth it.

I've decided I'm finally going to take a section of the space I have for the Mystic Manor Homepage and turn it into a section for my Digimon fanfiction.

Actually, I will be turning it into several showcases, one for each of my story "sections."

I will be dividing it into the following sections:
Digimon Fairy Tale Theater (all of my fairy tales, including "A Digi-Tale")
Digiquest for Glory
Angels (the stories of Takangemon/Karangewomon)
A Teacher's POV
and one section for the miscellaneous other stories I'm working on (the Doctor and the Debutante may get it's own section later).

The problem?

I CAN'T DRAW!!!!!

Since I can't draw, my best friend the artist is bogged down with her classes, and my other friend the artist is otherwise occupied, I am putting out a request for art.

What am I looking for?

I'm looking for:
Logos
Background images
Other artwork

I'm looking for anything inspired by any of my Digimon stories that could be put up with the different stories.

I'd like to get started on the pages around Christmas (2 weeks, no school, little more planned than my mother's cataract surgery and running every hour every day for a week to put her eyedrops in), so I'll be accepting anyand all art through then (and probably afterwards as well).

Thanks all!