Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Passage Through Shadow - Prelude to a Storm ❯ Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. I do not claim to own Digimon. Toei own Digimon and Sensation Animation (formally known as Saban) make the dub. This is for fun not profit.

Please R&R

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Passage Through Shadow

Prelude to a Storm

Part Four

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Next morning Hikari watched as her former companions entered the Digital World and headed off purposefully along a long overgrown trail.

"Where are they going in such a hurry?" she murmured. Devimon looked at the screen.

"They must be looking for a copy of the prophecy of shadow and light." He said. "The Child of Fate left the originals of her prophecies in well guarded places because they have powers beyond simply foretelling possible futures and this one is in the Crystal Cavern of Dreams. Which is where that trail goes. It's odd though I would've thought Gennai would have had a copy."

"Should we let them get to it?" She asked.

"There's no reason why not… the Child of Fate's defences will stop them getting to it if they aren't supposed to and she be pissed off if we stop and they are supposed to find it. Upsetting any of the original five is not the course of wisdom." He paused. "But we should run our test beforehand. The Cavern of Dreams is dangerous and they'll likely be too exhausted to digivolve anyway once they get out."

"Okay." A brief flicker of concern passed over her face.

"Don't worry, Kamiya-sama, they'll be fine. I don't think Gennai would've sent them there if they weren't supposed to find it." He said.

"Okay." She nodded and hit some keys to deploy and activate her new 'toy'. "Who should I send to test it?" She mused. "How about some Boogeymon? Those won't give them too much trouble but in numbers will force them to digivolve."

"Good idea!"

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The digidestined rounded a bend and entered a clearing in front of the Crystal Cave only to find themselves surrounded by Boogeymon. One of the demons moved forward.

"Halt in the name of the Shadow Queen." He said. The Chosen Children looked at each other and then ordered their Digimon to Digivolve. Miyako and Iori had to Armour their digimon since they hadn't naturally evolved anyway but Daisuke, Ken and Takeru waited to see if their digimon could. They failed.

"What am I going to do?" Ken whispered as Daisuke armour digivolved Veemon to Flamedramon.

"Keep Wormmon out of the way." It was Pegasusmon who replied. Ken nodded and picked his digimon up. While the others fought a surprisingly short battle he looked around trying to figure out what Hikari was using in place of a control spire. It took him only moments to spot it.

"Woah!" he whispered as the Boogeymon ran away. The others turned to follow his gaze. Hovering above the trees was a large glowing diamond that looked like it was carved from obsidian.

"Well it's more attractive than a Control Spire." Miyako said ironically as she motioned Halsemon to attack it.

"Feels different too." Ken told her as Halsemon fired at it. They gasped as the object moved out of the way. "She's built defences into it!" He added in surprise.

"Test successful. Thanks for your help, Chosen Children." Hikari's voice came from the vicinity of the diamond. "Prototype system return to base for analysis." The thing hovered a moment longer then flew off at high speed.

"I think we've just been had." Iori noted.

"Not much we can do about it now." Daisuke said. "Let's get into the cave."

The others agreed and they walked into the forbidding entrance.

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"Are you sure they'll be alright?" One of the hooded young women asked the other as they observed unnoticed from the shadows.

"Have a little faith. All will happen as it should."

"I wish we could help." The other protested.

"We're seven years and several centuries out of date. If we get directly involved it'll mean that a disaster has happened that only we can sort. That isn't going to happen."

"But you are going to nudge them aren't you?"

"Yes, Gennai wants me to. He told Tapirmon to tell me weeks ago. The current Chosen Children are about to start getting occasional cryptic emails from the Child of Fate."

"Do you think they'll realise?"

"I've already dropped a hint." The Child of Fate replied. "Hikari knows you know and when Fate catches up with him Takeru will know too even if they haven't realised before then." She paused. "And I think that the others will realise soon enough."

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It was dark inside the cave -- too dark. All light had vanished as soon as they had stepped beyond the threshold. It was eerily silent as well. Daisuke could not hear his own footfalls and when he tried to call out to the others he was aware that the sound did not carry beyond himself to the others. The mouth of the cage had been large but he still stretched in all directions and breathed a sigh of relief when he encountered no resistance. He wasn't enclosed and darkness wasn't something that scared him. He began to edge forward cautiously uncertain of his footing. He paused when he noticed something odd. He bent down to confirm what he had felt with his feet. His hand met noting… there was no floor. It was as if he was suspended in a vacuum. He was certain that he could not go back so the only way was forward. He took a breath and lifted his foot then froze.

"What is your name, quester?" The voice that seemed to come from all directions was somehow familiar but he couldn't place it.

"Daisuke Motomiya." He replied.

"What do you seek here, Motomiya-kun?"

"A prophecy that we've been told lies within this very strange cave."

"You aren't exactly in the cave, Motomiya-kun, you're dreaming." The voice informed him. It sounded almost amused.

"I'm asleep?" He asked. More than a little confused.

"I didn't say that. You aren't exactly asleep but you are dreaming." There was a pause. "One final question. What is your crest?"

"I hold the Digimentals of Courage and Friendship." He replied.

"That is true but it is not what I asked. You have a crest what is it?"

"I have a crest? I don't remember." He admitted. "I didn't even know I had one but I suppose it makes sense. It must be one of the things I've forgotten. Does that mean I fail?"

"No. You pass." The voice said after a pause. "All this test requires is that you tell the truth as your heart understands it." It paused. "But you will need your Crest to succeed in what is coming. Good Luck."

"Thank you." Daisuke straightened his shoulders and walked through the door that appeared in front of him.

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Ken was fairly certain that what he was currently experiencing was not real… at least not exactly. He seemed to be walking along a path in a forest for one thing and he was alone for another. He knew that he should be in a cave with the others. "Okay, so I'm in a cave called the Crystal Cavern of Dreams." He murmured to himself. "So it's a good bet that this is some sort of a dream."

"Very well spotted, Child of Kindness."

"Where are the others?" Ken asked.

"They are right beside you in their own dreams."

"This is some sort of test?"

The voice laughed warmly. "Virtually everything in life is a test, Ichijouji-kun, but yes this is a test."

"So bring it on…"

"It's already begun. This is the first of two tests. The test of truth." There was silence. "Do you know why you are so drawn to the World of Darkness."

Ken's mouth went dry. He'd never told anyone that but if this was a test of truth he knew he mustn't lie about it so he considered. "My first inclination is to say I don't but that would be a lie. I do. To the place not the darkness even though the darkness overwhelmed me once and I think it could again." He bowed his head. "I don't know why… at first I thought the darkness in it called to the darkness in me but now I'm not so sure. I think something other than the Darkness calls to me but I don't know what."

"Again, well spotted." A door opened in front of him. "You've have spoken the truth as you know it. Go and seek your destiny for if you don't it may find you instead and overwhelm you."

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Takeru looked around in confusion. He knew that he should be in a cave with the others in the Digital World so why was he alone in his bedroom at home in the real world? This was extremely strange.

"This is the first test, Child of Hope. The test of truth. You must pass it to reach your goal. Tell me, Takiashi-kun, do you love Hikari Kamiya?"

Takeru panicked. This was a test of truth so he couldn't lie but how could he admit to loving an enemy of the Digital World? If he loved her. "I-I-I think so." He said finally.

"You think so?" The voice asked gently. "I do not judge your answers, Takeru-kun, except by their truthfulness. You need not fear my reaction."

"Thank you." Takeru bowed his head and let tears he'd been holding back. "Yes I love Hikari Kamiya. Yes I still love even now. That's wrong isn't it?"

"You can never love too much or too well, Takeru-kun, only too little and inspite of what they say love is never foolish but rather it is the heart of what makes you human. Remember that." His bedroom door opened to darkness. "You may pass."

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Miyako stood outside the cave and yawned before looking over at Iori who was sitting in the shade of a tree. "You failed as well?" she asked.

"Yes, I heard a voice." The boy replied. "It asked me some questions and then told me I had not answered from my true heart and so could not pass onwards. It said my anger had cut me off from my heart and I must calm it if I was to understand what I already knew. Then suddenly I was here."

"It spoke to me as well. It asked me what my worst character trait was and when I couldn't answer it said that I in my heart I knew it and must learn to accept myself for who I really knew I was and learn to control myself or I would do great harm." She sighed and yawned again. "I have no idea what it meant. What an odd test."

"Obviously you do but don't want to admit it. And what's wrong with the digimon?" Iori asked with a yawn of his own. "I can't wake them up."

"I don't know." Miyako yawned again and frowned. "But I'm really sleepy myself." She settled down next to Iori.

Iori considered for a moment. "I'm exhausted too… I think the cave must have drained us somehow…" He looked back at the cave entrance thoughtfully.

Miyako followed his gaze. "Oh dear… do you think the others will be okay?"

"I don't know, Miyako-san." He replied with that same thoughtful frown. "I hope so."

"I don't know if I can stay awake." Miyako said. "I think I'll email Yamato to come and keep an eye if he can. I don't think we could defend ourselves at the moment.

"Good idea." Iori yawned and dozed off.

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"Where are Miyako and Iori?" Daisuke wondered as he found himself sitting in a cave next to Ken and Takeru. The walls of the cave were radiating a soft light and appeared to be made of some sort of quartz. "And where are our digimon?"

"You friends are outside." The voice he'd heard earlier spoke quietly. "The digimon are not needed here and the other two children failed the test."

"Are they alright?" He asked in concern.

"Yes. Just a little tired. To be honest it's the three of you who are in danger."

"We are?"

"If you fail this second test you don't leave the cave… and while we wouldn't let you starve… "The voice paused, "Well, tell me… are you feeling tired?"

"This place is draining our energy." Ken said. It wasn't a question. "If we don't succeed the drain will kill us eventually."

"So what's the test?" Daisuke asked.

"Firstly you must choose who takes the test. Only one of you can. If you pick the right one he'll pass the test. Pick the wrong one and he'll fail."

"WHAT!" All three said.

"Are you saying we only have a one in three chance?" Takeru said.

"No… the Child of Fate was good enough to leave you a clue. Look behind you."

They turned and saw an inscription on the wall.

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"Of the three who pass my defences

The one who can, cannot fail.

The two who can't, cannot succeed.

Therefore pay heed to my words.

The one has two things.

The two have one thing each.

Each of the two has something the other hasn't

One of the two has two of the thing he has.

But the one has both the thing they have

And the thing that they have not.

Though actually they have both as well

Just not in their possession yet.

And though he has two things

The one can only use one of them

By his own choice and he is not alone in this.

And in spite of what he does have,

He feels like he has nothing right now

But he is wrong

As he will learn.

So heed my words and choose wisely questers.

If you do you will leave this place

With more than you came for.

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"A riddle." Ken murmured. "Let me think about it."

"Okay." The other two agreed and he read it again thinking hard. After a moment he looked up. "It's Takeru."

"How on earth do you work that out?" The blonde asked.

"It's quite simple really. I have a crest and Daisuke has two Digimentals."

"And you hold the crest and Digimental of hope!" Daisuke apparently could follow Ken's logic. "And you've been pretty damned depressed about Hikari."

"Yes that is logical." Takeru conceded. "I think you're right." He rose to his feet and took a step forward before vanishing.

"Well done." The voice said when he was gone. A soft light coalesced in the centre of the cave and the two boys jumped as their digivices beeped at them. They looked at each other as something appeared in the light. "These belong to you and you are going to need them."

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Takeru found himself in another chamber without exits. In front of him he could see a scroll on a pedestal.

"This is what you seek, Child of Hope. You must take a copy because the original may not leave the cave. It is too powerful to allow to be where it may fall into the wrong hands."

Takeru stared at the scroll and considered. He supposed that he could copy it character for character into his d-terminal but that would take too long. "Take a copy." He mused. "How?" he wondered. Suddenly he knew that this was the final test and he knew how to copy it. He pointed his digivice at the scroll and watched data stream into it then he pointed it at the d-terminal and watched the prophecy appear on the screen.

"Well done." He was told.

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"Don't they look sweet?" Ali said in a mocking tone as she and the two recently returned counter-destined observed Miyako and Iori from nearby. The two children were fast asleep while Yamato and Gabumon watched over them. "Shall we go down and make our presence known?"

"This is going to almost too easy." Kage said then added. "Ishida is mine." He glared at Logan as if daring the other boy to challenge him on this.

"I knew that you'd say that." Ali shrugged. "I don't have any objection to you taking Ishida. I'll deal with the two sleepy heads and Logan can go and collapse the cave on the other three." She chuckled. "Three Ultimates versus one Champion and a bunch of sleeping Rookies. I like these odds."

Logan looked up from where he was regarding Kage suspiciously and nodded. "It should work." He looked down at his digimon. "You up for this?"

"Yep!" BlackAgumon replied.

"Lets go then!" Ali said and held up her digivice. The other two joined her and a few moments later Necramon, BlackMetalGreymon and Okuwamon burst into the clearing with their partners. Yamato just about had time to digivolve Gabumon before Kage landed on top of him and began punching.

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R&R