Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Warriors of Destiny ❯ The Last Stone ( Chapter 6 )

Warriors of Destiny 7

Destiny's Doom

I do not own Digimon in any way shape or form.

"Just what are you?" Taichi demanded the creature.

"I am the demon king, Nomived!" he growled.

{AN: Nomived is Devimon spelt backwards. I couldn't come up with a wicked sounding name… Does it sound evil?}

"Well, it's time for us to throw away your crown and slice your throne in half!" Taichi sneered, "attack him with everything you've got, warriors of destiny!" Screaming and whirling his morning star, Taichi approached Nomived without fear. He jumped and smacked his morning star against his giant leg. The ball of his morning star began to glow bright orange and it sent a blast to Nomived's neck.

"He's crazy!" Yamato gasped, "He's going to get himself killed!"

"Puny mortals!" he growled. "You cannot defeat me!"

"We have to attack him with everything we've got," Daisuke said. "We can't let him win!" He approached Nomived, swinging his sword.

"Daisuke, don't let that thing touch you!" Ken warned weakly and grunted. Takeru lent him his arm.

"Are you going to be all right?" Takeru asked.

"Soon hopefully," he replied.

"How do you destroy something completely evil?" Mimi wondered out loud.

"With teamwork," Miyako answered, raising her staff. She use wind to keep him from coming any closer to the others.

Takeru shot a stream of arrows at Nomived. They didn't do anything to him.

"There's a force field or something around him," he said. "What are we supposed to do?"

"We have to break the force field," Koushiro said. "There must be a weak spot in it somewhere. Hmm." He scanned Nomived head to toe. It didn't look like there was a force field around him but there was something protecting him, as if he were immortal. Then he saw something around his neck. Like a crest, an amulet--yes, that what was giving him the power!

"It's the amulet!" he shouted, "We have to destroy it!"

"Give up now!" Nomived shouted. An invisible force knocked Sora, Taichi and Daisuke back.

"You shouldn't get so close to him!" Yamato scowled Taichi.

"It's the only way I'm supposed to fight him!" Taichi snapped.

"This is it," Koushiro muttered under his breath. He held pointed his staff up at the amulet around Nomived's neck. He chanted a few words and a bright violet beam hit the amulet, breaking it into many pieces.

"My talisman!" he growled and began to shrink to the size of a human. "You'll pay for that!"

"We can win now!" Koushiro announced, "Stand together!"

"Back to darkness with you!" Taichi screamed, smashing his morning star into the demon's ribs.

Yamato started to play a battle hymn on his mandolin to hype the others up. Fight my friends, he thought, let my song keep you fighting. Don't give up!

"Can you fight now?" Hikari asked Ken.

"I can try," he replied, unsheathing his sword.

Hikari raised her wand and the rest of the warriors held their weapons up. Their weapons began glowing and so did their bodies in the color of their crests'.

"This is it," Taichi said, "our destiny!"

******************************

Gennai walked throughout the wilderness around his home. He had his magical sword with him and a look of sadness, loneliness and resilience on his face. A dart hit the ground where Gennai was about to step.

"You can come out now, Piedio." Gennai said softly.

"A long time it has been, hasn't it my friend?"

"Just show yourself, coward," Gennai said. "I've been waiting for this even longer than you have so can we just get on with it? I knew you would show yourself sooner or later, traitor."

A young man landed on the ground facing Gennai. He had yellow-orange hair that fell down to the middle of his back, black eyes and he had a black diamond decorated on his cheek.

{If you haven't figured it out, this is a 'human' Piedmon. Because Gennai was the one who saved the crests and Piedmon tried to steal them, I think they make good archenemies}

"Is that any way to talk to a friend?" Piedio demanded. He was dressed in black and red.

"You're no friend of mine, Pedio," Gennai said. "You killed our master. He knew your real attentions and you killed him because he wanted you to leave."

"I had more right to stay at the convention more than you or any of the other disciples!" Peido screamed. "But that doesn't matter anymore. He was weak and dispensable!"

"You weren't there for the knowledge, you were there for the power," Gennai said. "You didn't care if any one got hurt as long as you got what you wanted. That is not what Master Hirokei taught us, you traitor!"

Pedio tightened his hand in a fist, "there was more than just knowledge to be gained at that stupid school! Join me and you will see! I'm better off without Hirokei or you or the others! You are weak!"

"Never," Gennai said. "I will not betray my master, even if he is dead."

"So be it," Pedio grunted, "then you shall join him! Give my regards to the old fool when you see him, won't you?" He pulled out his sword that looked like Gennai's except its glowing blade was red.

Gennai blocked Pedio's attack in time. "One of us is going to walk away from this fight," Gennai said, "and I won't allow that to be you!"

*************************************

Their weapons and crests shot out bright beams toward Nomived. The demon screamed and stumbled back then lashed out to them. Since Taichi was the closest warrior, he slashed him from his left shoulder to his rib, making him drop his morning star.

"Taichi!" Hikari screamed.

"You are coming to the darkness with me," he growled, taking Taichi by the throat, "prepare yourself mortal, to serve darkness for eternity!"

"N-never!" Taichi gasped. "You cannot make me do it! I will fight it!"

"You are brave, mortal, but stupid to think you can overthrow evil!" Nomived laughed manically as a vortex appeared behind him and dark fog and ghouls and ghosts were sucked into to it. He pulled Taichi into the vortex and it began to close up.

"Taichi, no!" Hikari cried, tears forming in her cheeks. She started to flee to the vortex before it closed up but felt a tug on her hand.

"Don't do it, Hikari!" Takeru warned, "You can be lost forever!"

"But I must, Takeru," Hikari said, "He's my brother!"

Realizing Takeru would do the same for his brother, Takeru let her go. "Be careful."

"Oh, Taichi," Sora whispered to herself, shaking her head and turning away, "why did you have to be so brave?"

"Taichi, I'm coming!" Hikari shouted, "I'm coming for you, dear brother!"

The others watched Hikari fly into the dark passageway into the netherworld, wondering if they would see her or Taichi ever again.

***************

"Taichi, can you hear me?" Hikari yelled. "Please answer!"

She was flying in complete darkness but she was still able to navigate and see. She was the only light in the darkness. Her whole body was glowing with a massive pink energy. Scary sounds filled her ears, wailing and hooting and growls. She tried not to look around her, keep her eyes ahead. The tunnel she was flying in was tight and narrow and on the walls were severed hands, trying to grab at her.

"Let me go!" she hissed, picking up speed, "don't touch me!"

"Leaaave this plaaace," they chanted, "danger, evil...you will end up like us if you stay. This is not a place for mortals or fairies."

She forced herself not to listen to their sick pleading and continued to fly through the tunnel.

"Taichi! Taichi!" she shouted again. "Give me a sign that you're okay! Can you hear my voice? Answer me, please, Taichi!"

She heard Nomived's wicked laughter further down the passageway. It gave her the motivation to make her fly harder. She beat her wings 1000 times a minute, heading to the end of the tunnel. She wound up in a circular room and screamed at the sick and disgusting ritual she found.

"No! D--don't!"

"Ahh, you are just in time!" Nomived said, pausing from stabbing Taichi through the heart. There were black candles all around the room but even lit it still looked dark. Taichi lay down on a stone table, unmoving. His eyes were wide-open blank and unfocused.

"Taichi, get up!" Hikari urged.

"He cannot hear you," Nomived said.

"What are you going to do to him?" she demanded.

"I need his soul and heart," Nomived said. "So we can change him into one of us."

"I won't let you!" Hikari screamed. "He won't either! My brother just won't give up! He has more courage than you can even imagine!"

'Hikari?" Taichi's subconscious mind said. 'You came to get me?'

"It is too late," Nomived said. "You cannot save him. Say goodbye to your brother, fairy!" He brought down the dagger down to Taichi's heart.

"No, wait!" she screamed, flying to the alter, "spare my brother! Take me instead!"

*************************

The others paced around worriedly. "What's happening in there?" Daisuke demanded, "Where are they? We should've gone after her! Let's go now; there can still be time!"

"Silence!" Sora shouted. "All we can do now is wait."

"Wait?" Daisuke muttered, "wait? Just wait? I can't do that! I feel so helpless standing around here!" he stormed to Takeru, "why did you let her go? You stopped her then you let her go! Why? Why?"

Takeru did not answer.

"Tell me now, elf!" He grabbed him by the collar.

"It was her brother in there," Takeru pushed him away, "I'd do the same for my brother too! You just don't understand! You don't know what it's like to have a brother or sister ripped away from you most of your life! Do you even have a brother or sister?"

"Yes, a sister," he said, "so?"

"How would you feel if you never saw her again?" Takeru said. "Hikari hasn't seen her brother in years and they were just reunited. She can't bear to lose him again just like I couldn't if I lost Yamato! I didn't want to let her go but I did because I understand what it's like to lose a brother!"

"That's enough, Takeru," Yamato said, pulling him away. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You were right behind him," Takeru said, turning to his brother's chest, "Nomived could've taken you but he took Taichi!"

"I know," Yamato said. "I know."

"I didn't want to let Hikari go but I--" his voice broke off. "I just hope she's okay!"

"Where did Nomived take Taichi?" Miyako asked.

"The Netherworld, no doubt," Koushiro said.

"Is there anyway we can get there?"

Koushiro shook his head, "not that I know of."

"Taichi will survive," Takeru said, "we have to believe that. He's brave and he's strong. He won't stop fighting."

"He's just a warrior, boy," Sora said flatly, "no god."

"It doesn't matter," Jyou said, "If anyone can get out of there alive, it would be Taichi."

'Taichi, you fool,' Sora thought, 'why didn't you just let us fight together? We almost had him. Come back, please come back.'

****************************

"What?" Nomived demanded.

"Let me be your sacrifice," Hikari compromised. "I'll take my brother's place. Just let him go, please!"

Nomived grinned, "I see that bravery runs in the family."

"Take me," Hikari repeated. "The others need Taichi to lead them. I'm just a fairy."

"If I free him you will promise to serve with us for eternity?"

She nodded. "I swear it."

"Done," he growled and waved his hand over Taichi and he came into consciousness.

"Wha?" he mumbled.

"Your sister has decided to take your place, mortal," Nomived informed.

"What?" Taichi swallowed and raised his voice an octave higher each sentence. "What do you mean? What are you going to do to my sister? Where are we?"

Nomived did not answer him but instead he snapped his claws and two demons grabbed Taichi and pulled him off the altar as two succubussess {AN: unless you've played Diablo and know the creatures I'm talking about, a succubus is like a gargoyle-witch, female-fallen angel that lives in hell.} took Hikari by the arms and placed her on it. Taichi tried saying her name but she kept her head hanging and didn't say anything.

"What are you going to do to her?" Taichi demanded. He tried wriggling but he suddenly felt so weak in this dimension. The demons' claws dug into his skin.

"Exactly what I was going to do to you," he said. "Aw, such a beautiful creature," Nomived said, dragging his claw down Hikari's face. She forced herself not to do anything.

"Get your hands off her! Don't you touch my sister!" Taichi shouted. "Hikari, fight back! Fight back!"

"She will make quite an addition to my collection of slaves," Nomived said. "Like my succubussess here."

"You're going to turn her into one of them?" Taichi questioned, "A monster?"

"We'll snip off these pretty wings and get her some new ones, won't that be nice?" Nomived said. "But first I'll remove this unnecessary crest here."

"Hikari, use your magic wand on him!" Taichi begged, trying to get out of the demons' hold. "Don't let him hurt you, even for me!"

He reached his hand to her crest but he was unable to touch it. "What?"

A beam of pink light came from her crest as it lifted above her chest to Nomived's face.

"The dark cannot touch the light," Hikari said, flying off the altar, "and the dark cannot turn off the light. I am the light and I will conquer the darkness! I will not be a slave of darkness for you!"

"Y-you tricked me!" Nomived gasped. "You knew about this!"

Hikari glowed bright in a pink aura as she held out her wand. "Of course I did. It was the only way to save my brother," she said. "Now it is time for you and your minions to see the light and tremble at its brightness!" Sparks flew from her wand and into Nomived's heart, forcing him up on the wall. "I will change darkness into light. Your evil will no longer prevail as long as I am the destiny warrior of light!"

"Stop her!" Nomived shouted, trying to move, "destroy her!"

But before they were able too, more beams of light emitted from Hikari to the demons, forcing them upon the walls too. The circular room was now glimmering with immense pink light. Taichi thought it was pretty but it was even too bright for him. He shielded his eyes with his arm.

"Enough, Hikari!" he yelled, "You'll drain all your strength!"

Hikari didn't stop. She kept going until all the demons of the underworld are groaning as the light beams tore them apart. They were gone and unable to cross into the mortal realm again.

"The light will shine through the darkness for all eternity!" she shouted with all her voice then pummeled down to the floor.

"Hikari!" Taichi shouted, running to pick her up. "Speak to me!"

"We have to get out of here," she gasped. "My light will show us the way, hurry. Let me fly."

"No, you can't fly," Taichi said. "Your wings are all tore up. They need to heal. I'll carry you through the darkness, sister, you just show me wish way to go."

"Very well," she held out her wand and blasted a long pink laser down the tunnel. "Don't let the hands touch you." She warned. "Just keep moving."

***********************

"What is that light?" Ken asked, "It's beautiful!"

"Can it be?" Takeru mumbled, "No, I don't believe it! Hikari and Taichi made it!"

Taichi walked out the dark world carrying Hikari. "Nomived is gone forever." He reported, "we don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Is Hikari all right?" Jyou asked, walking over to her.

"She broke her wings and used a lot of energy," he said. "I suppose she'll be all right with some rest."

"I'm fine, really," Hikari winced.

"I'll have to bandage your wings anyway," Jyou said and looked at Taichi. "How about you?" Jyou asked. "Do you need any healing?"

Taichi smiled, "I'll be all right. I just want to get off this island!"

"We thought we lost you," Mimi said. "We were all worried."

Taichi caught Sora's eyes and he sat his sister down and Takeru immediately wrapped his arms around her.

"Sora," Taichi said.

Sora eyed him, holding her arm. "About time you came back," she muttered.

Taichi tilted his head, waiting for her to say she was worried about him, or missed him--anything. But what she said next was nothing like he wanted.

"Your sister was worried about you." She said offensively. "You should be careful next time. If you weren't so brave she wouldn't have broken her wings to save you, or should I say foolish?"

Taichi gasped at her insensitiveness and she turned her back on him. Wasn't she worried about him too?

"Let's hurry and get off this island," she said. "Even with Nomived gone, it still unnerves me."

"Agreed," Koushiro said, "Gennai is waiting for us."

The sea dragon was waiting for them at the shore with the mermaids.

"Well?" said one of the mermaids.

"The evil that plagued this island is gone now," Jyou said. "However, you still might want to keep your distance from it for the time being."

"We thank you."

********************************

"Do you know what you have become, Pedio?" Gennai demanded as he dodged his attack. "If your heart wasn't turned to the darkness then you would have inherited this place."

"Then I'll just have to steal it from you!" Peidio growled, lunging at him and Gennai held his sword up to block his attack.

"No! I was destined to be the one to train the warriors of destiny," Gennai said. "You would have killed them! They are on their quest to find the destiny stones. Darkness and evil will have no place here any longer!"

"Your puny destiny warriors are no match for the dark power of Nomived!" he shouted. "My dark master will destroy them!"

"You sold your soul to the dark demon lord?" he gasped. "Pedio, why?"

"He is what made me what I am now!" he retorted, "because of him I am stronger!" Pedio slashed his sword side to side. Gennai jumped and sliced his sword through the trunk of a tree. It fell onto Pedio.

"I told you I would be the one to walk away from this fight!" Gennai shouted.

Pedio laughed insanely, even though all his bones were crushed. "But you won't get very far!" he groaned with a grin.

"What?" Gennai mumbled. Then he felt a sharp pain in his neck. He reached his hand to it and pulled out a poison dart. When did that happen?

"The poison will kill you in a matter of moments," Pedio said, "It goes straight to the heart."

"I will find an antidote," Gennai said.

"Good luck," Pedio muttered, "It is hard to find. Now that you have fulfilled your destiny, you have faced your doom!"

Gennai sneered and beheaded Pedio in one quick movement so he wouldn't have to listen to his evil laughter.

The poison began to take effect. "Must…find…antidote…"

******************

"Let's rest here for a bit," Taichi said. "But I want to get back to Gennai's mountain before it gets too late. We're just a few miles from his home." He walked to a stream to wash his face.

"I have a feeling he's in trouble," Hikari whispered as Jyou started to bandage her broken wings.

"Don't worry about Gennai," Jyou said, "he's the most powerful warrior in the land. There now, they should heal in three days. Don't try to fly now."

Hikari sighed, "all right."

"I'm glad you're all right, Hikari," Takeru said. "I didn't want to let you go, but I did because I have a brother too."

Sora looked over at how cozy Mimi was with Yamato. She sat next to him as he played his mandolin and she whispered sweet nothings in his hear. Then she looked over at Koushiro and Miyako. He was teaching her the different kinds of wildlife and how things grew. The way the fairy, Hikari and the elf, Takeru conversed with each other made Sora realize what she could have had, but ignored. There were three couples in the group who obviously cared a lot about each other, but Sora had none in her heart of stone. She wondered how she ended up with the crest of love if she never had any or knew what it was like?

'What have I done?' she thought sadly. She sighed and walked to Taichi, still splashing water on his face.

"Taichi?" she whispered.

"Yes, we should get going," he said quickly, wiping his face with his arm and turning around. He looked surprise when he saw Sora standing five feet in front of him. 'What now?' he thought.

"I have a confession to make, Taichi," she began.

"What?" he demanded. "We don't have much time."

"Yes, I know," she said. Now he was being bitter with her and she knew he had every right to, given the way she was treating him, treating everyone in the group. "I want to apologize."

"Apologize?"

"Yes," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to say those things to you when you came back. And I lied…Hikari wasn't the only one who was worried about you. I was worried too. If I hadn't been so cold, I would have gone after you. But Hikari left to get you. Then I wasn't just worried about you, but her too. She's just a fairy. She's not a warrior like me. I was just so angry at you…and me too…oh, Taichi, you fool…why did you…why did you have to be so damn brave? Why? Why?"

"I'm the courageous warrior," he said simply. "I have the crest of courage. I live bravely because it's the only way I know how."

"I saw the look on Hikari's face when you were pulled into that dimension, that look of fright and love. You two have something that I never experienced before. Your sister loves you very much and she was willing to risk everything to bring you back to us."

"She did," he agreed, remembering how Hikari gave herself up for him.

"I really am sorry for the way I have been acting," she apologized, "we're supposed to be a team and I--" she broke off, realizing how hard it was for a person like herself to apologize for anything. Apologizing just wasn't something she did; even if she had made a mistake.

Taichi walked up to her, cupped her chin and kissed her forehead. "I forgive you," he said.

Sora smiled bleakly.

"You've been alone most of your life," he said understandingly, "this is new for you."

"I'd thought that I would never see you again, Taichi," she admitted.

"I came back, didn't I?" he reminded. "I'm alive, Sora. There is no need to worry about it anymore." He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm all right, Sora. I've come back."

Sora's eyes--that were once always dry and cold--were now wet with tears. "Oh, Taichi."

Taichi stroked her hair. "You know I would come back. I'm not hurt. Gennai told me to lead the group and that is what I attend to do. The destiny stones have been found, Nomived is dead and the land is safe from all darkness and evil. We are all right."

She sniffed and stepped back as she wiped her tears away. "Yes, I know that now. I'm just so relieved that you're all right."

"Nothing can keep me away," he said, "understand?" he cupped her face and kissed her on the lips. "Nothing."

She nodded.

"Now, let's get back to Gennai so we can celebrate!"

"Love to," she said.

************************************

"Gennai, we're back!" Taichi announced loudly as he led the group to the large house. "We've found the destiny stones!" He and the others stepped inside. "Gennai! Gennai!"

He didn't come to greet them, as Taichi had expected. The warrior frowned. 'Where is he?' he thought worriedly. He turned to the group. "Something's wrong. You all search the house. I'll check outside."

"I'll come with you, Taichi," Koushiro volunteered, "I know where he likes to train."

"He could be anywhere," Taichi said. "He would have greeted us by now."

Koushiro checked all around the one place Gennai trained all the time while Taichi walked farther from the house.

"Gennai, are you here?" Taichi said. "We've returned!" His warrior instincts surfaced and he held his morning star up ready to club whatever enemy he encountered. He heard someone step on dry leaves. "Come out!" he shouted and he gasped. "Oh no…Gennai!"

"Taichi?" Gennai mumbled. His face was very pale and he held the poisoned dart in one hand and his sword in the other. He smiled weakly. "I knew…I knew you would come back. I knew it. I never doubted you…ugh…" Gennai got too weak to stand and he stumbled as he tried to get to Taichi.

"Gennai!" Taichi dropped his weapon and caught his mentor before he hit the ground. "What happened? Who did this to you?" his concern turned to anger. "Tell me who did this to you and I will make him pay!"

Gennai held up the poisoned dart, "I was…poisoned…"

"Koushiro! I found him! Come quick! Koushiro!"

"What? What?" Koushiro ran frantically at the sound of his voice and stopped short when he found Taichi holding a dying Gennai. "Oh no."

"Quick, take this to Jyou and hurry!" Taichi ordered, holding out the poisoned dart. "He was poisoned and we need the antidote!"

Koushiro took the dart and ran back to the house, calling for Jyou.

"Hold on, Gennai," Taichi said. "We'll get you the antidote. Don't die, we need you!"

"Taichi, listen carefully to what I have to say," Gennai said. "I'm going to tell you the name of my crest and I want you to keep it to yourself."

"No, Gennai, don't."

"My crest is the crest of destiny," he said. "I was destined to train you and now that I have done that you are on your own now."

"No, Gennai, please!" he begged. "You are stronger! Don't leave me alone!"

Gennai ripped off the crest and placed it into Taichi's hand. "Don't let go of your destiny, Taichi. Don't let go of your courage. Keep your courage growing strong. Keep my crest and sword. They will protect you."

"I can't," he whispered. "They belong to you."

"Where I am going I'll have little use for them," he said with a sad smile on his face. "I have waited a long time for you to come and now I can finally rest."

Taichi lifted Gennai up and started to carry him to the house. "I will not let you die!" he shouted, breaking into a run. "I won't!" He barged inside and the others all looked shock at Taichi carrying the weak Gennai.

Taichi lay him down on a cot and started yelling for Jyou, "Jyou, the antidote, quick!"

"The antidote is hard to find," Gennai said, "you won't find it in time."

"Get him some water!" Taichi shouted, "something to eat! We can't let him die after everything he did for us!"

They spread out to get whatever they could to keep Gennai from dying.

"Koushiro is helping Jyou prepare the antidote now," Miyako announced, "We just need a few more moments."

"Gennai, who poisoned you?" Taichi questioned, "tell me!"

"Pedio…I walked away but not far…he was once my friend…"

"Pedio?" Hikari mumbled.

"He's becoming delirious now," Miyako said. "We're losing him."

"I knew he would come to my mountain for a fight and for years I would train, prepare myself…we both lost…"

"Don't talk, Gennai!" Sora commanded, "You must save your strength before Jyou returns with the antidote!"

"I have fulfilled my destiny, disciples," he said, "now you must fulfill yours without me. I'm sorry I can no longer teach you. But this is destiny." His eyelids closed and he was gone.

"No!" Taichi screamed. "You can't leave us!"

Hikari began to sob and Takeru pulled her to him to let her sob into his chest. Mimi stood speechless and Yamato was too shocked to play anything.

"We have the antidote now," Koushiro said.

"You're too late," Miyako whispered.

Jyou looked down at the flask in his hand. All that hard work and research for nothing, Gennai was gone.

"Bring him back," Taichi muttered, rising to his feet. "Now."

"What?" Jyou mumbled.

"You heard me," Taichi said. "If you really call yourself a healer, bring him back right now."

"I can't do that!" Jyou gasped.

"Resurrect him! Just what kind of healer are you?"

"Taichi, stop!" Hikari shouted, "Gennai is dead and there is nothing we can do now!"

"He's the best one out of all of us," Taichi said, "we can't…" he groaned angrily and stormed out of the house.

"Who poisoned him?" Koushiro asked.

"Pedio," Miyako answered, "whoever that is. We weren't able to understand him, but he said something about waiting for him."

"That's it!" Koushiro gasped, "that is why we never saw Gennai sleep and he was always training himself so hard. He knew he would have to fight Pedio again someday so he was preparing himself."

"We should've been here to help him," Mimi mumbled, "He was so good to us."

"Let's follow Taichi," Sora said, "and bury Gennai."

They found Taichi standing over a headless body.

"So, that must be Pedio," Koushiro said. "They ended up killing each other."

"If he was still alive I'd break his neck," Taichi grunted.

"Taichi, we should bury Gennai now," Hikari said.

"Where?"

There was a moment of silence as they looked around for the perfect spot and finally Iori spoke.

"There," the youngest warrior said, pointing at a large and spacious tree, "right under that tree."

"Why?" Ken asked.

"My grandfather told me when a warrior is laid to rest under a tree his spirit lives inside the tree forever." He replied. "It's the perfect spot."

"Let's go," Taichi said and carried Gennai over there.

They buried him silently and straight faces. Yamato was still too sad to play anything, even a mourning funeral song. For the women, they sobbed quietly. It seemed like the longest moment. Jyou bent down and put a wooden cross at the head of the grave. Taichi looked at Gennai's crest of destiny and his sword and left it on the grave.

"He wanted me to keep the crest and sword," he said solemnly, "but they belong to him. I just can't take them."

"He was the greatest warrior who had ever lived," Daisuke said, "there's no way we could ever become like him."

"He was the supreme warrior of destiny," Taichi said. "The greatest of us all."

:sniff: oh, how sad! I didn't mean to have Gennai die but I think it makes a good ending.

Next Chapter: Epilogue