By: 7 of 11
Chapter One

A dark tower rose into the night from the peak of a mountain. A single light burnt near the top, casting flickering shadows over the surrounding area. Without warning, five shadows flew off the building, silhouetted against the full moon. A loud, insane, cackling followed them.

The Digidestined were currently trudging through a shallow marsh. "I hate this!" complained Mimi, as she tried in vain to keep her clothes dry. "All this muck is disgusting!"

"You won't get any argument from me on that one, Mimi." Muttered Matt. "My shoes are so caked with mud right now that I can barely lift them!" The others nodded their assent.

"I'd complain too, except I'm too tired to complain!" said T.K. "And we can't even rest here, because there's no place to sit down!"

Izzy suddenly pointed through the mist shrouding the swamp. "Hey, look! There's some solid land!" Everyone looked where he was pointing, and sure enough, a bank of land rose out of the mud ahead. "We must be at the end of the marsh!"

As soon as they reached the bank, the group sat down, relieved. "I hope we're through the worst of it," Said Sora. "First Cybermon attacks us," she brought her left hand subconsciously to her left side, where she had been injured by a Pulse Cannon blast during that battle. "Then, we have the mountains, the canyon, and now that marsh!" Sora ticked the ordeals off on her fingers as she recited them.

The most recent additions to their group-Jake and Zegimon-looked at each other. "We should be through it," answered Jake. "Zegimon's never been farther than this before, but he has pretty good vision, and he says its just straight forest from now on."

Joe looked up from scraping the mud off his shoes to respond, but never got the chance. A gigantic battle-axe imbedded itself in a tree right above his head. "YAAAH!!!" he yelled in surprise and terror. A cruel laughing filled the area.

There was another 'whoosh' of air, and a grove of trees in front of the Digidestined was cleaved in half by another axe. Standing behind the trees was a gigantic Digimon, which kind of looked like Ogremon, just much more powerful and stronger. The new Digimon laughed again.

Izzy immediately had his analyzer program up and running. "That's Goblinmon, Ogremon's fully Digivolved form! He's strong, and is an expert with his battle-axe! If you aren't careful, he'll really cut you down to size!"

"He's mine!" shouted Zegimon. "Zegimon digivolve to…KAMOMON!" The immense lizard prepared for battle. "Flame…Agh!" Kamomon was hurled from his feet and tossed into the muck of the swamp, splashing the Digidestined with goop.

Where Kamomon had been attacked, the air started to ripple, and solidify. It formed into a Minotaur-like Digimon, who wore steel gloves on his hands. Izzy was soon at it again. "Now you see him, now you don't! That's Invisomon! He can turn invisible at will, and his Drain Energy attack can leave anyone out like a light!" Invisomon snickered, and vanished once again in much the same way he had appeared.

"I don't like this! Gabumon digivolve to…GARURUMON!" Garurumon leaped into the air at Goblinmon. "Howling Blaster!" Goblinmon awaited the attack calmly, then dispersed the energy harmlessly with a swipe from his axe.

Suddenly, Garurumon was wrapped up in a spray of thread. A spider Digimon crawled out of the forest, drawing a scream from Mimi. "I hate spiders!"

"That's Arachnomon! This spider isn't the type you can squash under your heel, it has an armored carapace that is as strong as titanium!" Supplied Izzy.

Before any of the Digimon could digivolve again, another Digimon appeared besides Arachnomon. It looked like a three-headed dog, each head looking at the Digidestined hungrily, as if contemplating which would make the best meal.

"Cerebrus was the guardian of the underworld in Greek mythology, and Cerebrusmon fits the description perfectly! His attack, Wrath of Hades, is one of the most powerful attacks in existence!"

Kamomon, still dripping mud, lined up next to Garurumon, who had clawed free of the string. The two Champions leapt into the air at the three-headed Digimon. A small blur, however, shot in from apparently no where and kicked Kamomon in the nose, knocking him down, then rebounded to land on Garurumon's back. Both of the larger Digimon fell to the ground. The blur resolved itself into a little man, dressed entirely in green, and wearing a little top hat.

"If you catch one of Leprechaunmon's four-leaf clovers, don't think you're lucky! They have razor edges, and he can throw them like knives!" The little elf grinned sadistically at Izzy, and as if spurred by his words, threw a trio of deadly shamrocks right at Tai and Sora, who narrowly missed getting hit.

Jake looked at the four Digimon he could see, and randomly guessed about where Invisomon was. "Come on, we can beat them, they aren't that hard!"

"Patamon digivolve to…ANGEMON!"

"Agumon digivolve to…GREYMON!"

"Biyomon digivolve to…BIRDRAMON!"

"Gomamon digivolve to…IKKAKUMON!"

"Palmon digivolve to…TOGEMON!"

"Gatomon digivolve to…ANGEWOMON!"

"Garurumon digivolve to…WEREGARURUMON!"

"Kamomon digivolve to…METALKAMOMON!"

The Digidestined got ready to fight. "Needle Spray!" yelled Togemon, trying to score a hit on Arachnomon.

Arachnomon had other ideas, however. "Mandible Slash!" it chirped, and closed its jaws around the walking cactus, which cried out in pain.

"I'll help you! Celestial Arrow!" Angewomon pulled back her bowstring and released an arrow straight into Arachnomon's heart. The spider screamed in agony and dissolved into dust.

"Hey! One shot from Angewomon's Arrow and we defeat an Ultimate stage Digimon! We really are getting stronger!" exclaimed Tai.

"Wrath of Hades!" yelled one of Cerebrusmon's heads, Izzy couldn't tell which. A ring of fire suddenly appeared around the whole group, enclosing them in. The ring extended as far as they could see in the sky. The ring started to contract.

Kabuterimon flew up into the air. "Oh no you don't! Electro shocker!" the ball of electricity hit Cerebrusmon dead on, not doing any real damage, but stunning him enough to stop the attack.

Goblinmon leapt at Greymon, his battle-axe missing by inches and splitting a rock in two. "Don't forget the orders Tsunonrimon gave us!" the monster yelled.

A ghostly voice echoed through the forest. "Right! Drain Energy!" Ripples emanated from no particular spot, and all of the Digidestined felt themselves growing much weaker. It wasn't long before every single one of them was asleep.

The group finally woke up to T.K. screaming. "What is it, little guy?" asked Matt, concerned.

"The Digimon took…they took Angemon and Angewomon!" This got a gasp from everyone, as they looked around. The two angels were indeed gone!

Chapter Two

"Calm down, T.K., Kari." Reassured Sora. "I'm sure we'll find Angemon and Angewomon soon." She looked over at where Izzy was typing furiously at his laptop. "What are you doing, Izzy?"

Izzy's eyes never left the screen for a second. "Each Digimon has an individual stream of data, which varies from Digimon to Digimon-much like DNA in humans. By searching for specific groupings of data-in this case a group of a Goblinmon, a Leprechaunmon, an Invisomon, a Cerebrusmon, and Angemon and Angewomon, we should be able to track…Got it!" his laptop beeped. All of the Digidestined clustered around the computer whiz. The screen showed an overview of the entire Digital World, as if from an airplane, and slowly zoomed in on individual sections, until it was focused on a dark, gloomy, fortress. "Angewomon and Angemon are being held here."

"So what are we waiting for?" Asked Jake. "Let's go get them!"

"Wait!" shouted Gabumon. "Remember, Goblinmon said something about orders from somebody called Tsunonrimon. Who's he?"

No one had an answer. "Well, I guess we can suppose that they all work for him, whoever he is." Said Matt. "The question is, are we powerful enough to take him on, whoever he is?"

"Well, we're going to find out." Answered Sora. "One way or another."

Angewomon had no idea where she was. The last thing she remembered was dueling with Cerebrusmon, then the attack from Invisomon and…her head hurt. When she had gathered enough of her wits to examine the situation, she looked around. She was lying on some sort of rack, unable to move, yet she didn't see any wires or chains holding her. Across the room, Angemon was bound to a similar structure. He, too, was just coming around.

Angewomon started to wonder about the attack that had hit her. It was a most curious effect. It had drained her energy and her will to fight; yet apparently had not physically drained her power, because she was still Angewomon. If she had been robbed of her power, she would have deDigivolved back to Gatomon, or maybe Salamon.

"It's no use pretending to be unconscious further, I can see you are awake." Angemon jerked her head to the side, noticing the third figure in the room for the first time. It wasn't hard to see why she had missed seeing the person in the first place, as the woman was draped in a black cloak which blended in perfectly with their surroundings.

"Who…are you?" whispered Angewomon.

"Who am I?" the woman laughed coldly. "I am the future ruler of the entire realm of both the Digital World and the Human World. I am your future master. I am that who will destroy the Digidestined once and for all. I am," she seemed to hunger for this line. "The Dark Queen Tsunonrimon!"

"And you hold a grudge against the Digidestined why?" asked Angemon, struggling to move against his invisible bonds.

"Oh, don't try and struggle, it's quite useless. You are being held to the table by pure Dark Magic, even a holy warrior such as yourself is powerless against this magnitude of evil." She walked over to Angemon, and lifted his chin, seeming to stare straight through his faceplate. "You want to know why I hate the Digidestined so? I shall tell you then." Tsunonrimon pulled back the cloak of her hood, revealing a face so exquisite that it could have been chiseled out of stone. Yet among her beauty was a malignant aura of evil, which distorted her image into that of something unholy and terrible. "They destroyed my mentor and father, the Lord Devimon. And for that, they shall pay with their lives."

Angemon looked at her defiantly. "You mean I destroyed Devimon. He was pathetically weak. If you are anything like your father was, the Digidestined shall defeat you easily."

Tsunonrimon just smiled, refusing to be goaded. "So it was you who dealt the mortal blow to Lord Devimon? Oh, then my plan is even more ironic! This will be so much fun to watch the Digidestined die at my hands!"

Angewomon looked at her. "What exactly is your plan? What do you want us for?"

"The mighty Lord Devimon, as well as being my father, was also my tutor and mentor." Tsunonrimon removed her obsidian gloves, and her pale hands shone in the dim light. "His one weakness was that he learned no real offensive techniques, but I have corrected that. However, he did spend time teaching me his personal favorite technique." Her hands started to glow a dark black, as she walked to the two angels. She pushed the two frames together with a clang. "And now, I shall use it on you two." Tsunonrimon raised her hands. "Fitting, isn't it. Touch of…"

The wall suddenly tumbled in, courtesy of MetalGreymon. The rest of the Digidestined and their Digimon all followed. T.K. saw Angemon strapped to a wire frame, some lady with her hands on both Angemon's and Angewomon's shoulders. "Angemon!"

Jake stood in front of T.K. "Give Angemon and Angewomon back now! Or else get ready to fight us!"

The woman looked at the Digidestined with an air of contempt. "But of course." She waved her hand and both the angels tumbled to the floor.

T.K. and Kari ran over to their Digimon, to check if they were okay.

Tai looked at Jake, then at Matt. "I don't like this." He said at last. "This was too easy. What is she up to?"

Kari hugged Angewomon. "I'm so glad you're okay, Angewomon! Angewomon?" Kari looked up at her partner, surprised that she wasn't responding. Angewomon was looking down at Kari with an eerie aura of stillness around her. "Angewomon? What's wrong?"

The woman laughed. "Oh, but I forgot to mention one teensy little bit of information. Angemon and Angewomon are working for Queen Tsunonrimon now!"

T.K. looked at Angemon in horror, and slowly backed away. "Angemon! What did she do to you?"

"I merely gave him a future, little boy. And now, as a test of their loyalty to me…Angemon! Angewomon! Get your Digidestined and bring them with me!" Tsunonrimon commanded.

The angels did what they were told. Angewomon held Kari tightly, refusing to let go, even when Kari kicked her. Still holding their partners, the angels walked back to Tsunonrimon.

"Kari!" shouted Tai, who jumped at Tsunonrimon.

The Dark Queen waved her hand, and Tai froze in midair, unable to move. "Do not try my patience, child." Tsunonrimon warned. "These two Digidestined and their Digimon partners belong to me now!" She started to back away, and leapt into the air. A sphere of energy started to coalesce in the palm of her hand as she floated there. "Black Magic!" Tsunonrimon hurled the ball at the seven remaining Digidestined. The ball exploded before it reached them, pummeling everyone with dark energy. The stone walls of the tower started to crumble.

Tsunonrimon turned her back on the destruction she was wreaking. "Come, Angemon, Angewomon!" Still holding their Digidestined, the angels floated into the air beside her, and the trio flew over the horizon.

"Matt!" yelled T.K., struggling to escape Angemon's iron grip.

"Tai!" shouted Kari, who was pummeling her ex-partner with her fists. "Help us!"

"T.K./Kari!" cried both Tai and Matt, when they recovered enough from the pain that was tormenting them. But it was too late; both of them were gone.

"No!" yelled Matt. "We've got to go after them!"

Mimi weakly sat up and adjusted her hat. "But how, Matt? I don't think any of us can even move a muscle!" Matt turned, and his heart sank. All of the Digimon had reverted back to their Rookie forms, and they looked too tired to Digivolve. The same appeared to be true of the Digidestined.

Jake got to his feet. "Okay, lets think about this logically and rationally."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN LOGICALLY?" bellowed Tai. "THEY TOOK MY SISTER!"

"Hey, hey!" Jake backed away from Tai. "I mean, lets look at the situation. Tsunonrimon apparently has Angewomon and Angemon on her side, and they've taken T.K. and Kari. Our Digimon are all in their Rookie forms, and I doubt any of them have the energy to digivolve." There was a murmur of assent from all the Digimon at this. "However, we do know the general direction in which Tsunonrimon is taking your sister, Tai, and your brother, Matt." He pointed over the horizon where the group had disappeared.

Jake paced back and forth as he spoke. "Apparently, Tsunonrimon is incredibly powerful, right, Izzy?"

Izzy nodded. "Her power level is read as higher than that of a Mega Digimon. Whatever she is, none of our Digimon can take her on alone."

"Anyway, it's a given that we need to send a search party. The question is, who can go? Sora, it is obvious that with your still-healing injury, you can't." Sora looked crestfallen, but she apparently understood why she couldn't go on the rescue. "We can't leave her here alone, though. So some of us have to stay." He sat down. "Zegimon, Agumon, and Gabumon are the only Digimon in our party that have reached their Mega stage yet. So if we are going to stand a chance against Tsunonrimon, we need all of us there, and besides which, she has your siblings. As for the fourth member of our group, we need a Digimon that can fly, as Kamomon can only carry so much weight. So I propose that Matt, Tai, Mimi, and myself go rescue T.K. and Kari, while Joe, Izzy, and Sora stay behind." Neither of the three being left behind looked too happy about these arrangements, but everyone agreed.

"I don't think I can digivolve now," said Zegimon. "I'm still worn out."

"It's okay," assured Jake. "My plan is that we hike a while and wait for you guys to regain your energy, then you Digivolve and take us to Tsunonrimon. Any other suggestions?" There were none.

"So what are we waiting for?" asked Matt, impatient. "Let's get moving!"

The three staying behind bid good luck to the search party, and Matt, Mimi, Jake, and Tai hiked off into the growing darkness.

Chapter Three

"Let me go, you old hag!" Kari struggled against the invisible ropes tying her down.

"Oh, its quite useless to resist. Besides, it won't matter in a short time." Tsunonrimon removed her gloves and stared out a window at the mining quarry below her palace. "If you want to be let go, just ask." She imperceptibly flicked her wrist, and T.K. and Kari could suddenly move again.

Both of them climbed to their feet. "Why do you want to hurt us so badly, anyway?" asked Kari.

"You know, your partner asked that very same question. The fact is, that you Digidestined killed my mentor and father, the Lord Devimon. And for that, you will all die." Tsunonrimon said rather matter-of-factly.

T.K. looked at Tsunonrimon in disbelief. "You hate us for that? But that was over…" He tried to remember how long it had been, but all the days in the Digiworld just seemed to blend together. "A long time ago." He finally concluded. "Why did you wait all this time?"

Tsunonrimon smirked. "I believe it was one of your human philosophers who said, 'Revenge is a dish best served cold.' And that is unbelievably true."

Kari didn't know what they were talking about. Oh sure, she had heard stories from the others, but that was like reading a book or watching something on TV. It didn't seem that real to her. However, she decided to try and bluff Tsunonrimon. "And Devimon was pathetically weak! We beat him easily! You shouldn't be that hard, if your…father," she practically spit out the word. "Was that powerless against the Digidestined!"

Tsunonrimon's whirled around faster than Kari would have thought possible, and backhanded her across the cheek. Kari's world spun as she was thrown across the room. "Kari!" shouted T.K., running over to Tsunonrimon, and kicking her in the shin as hard as he could. "You hurt Kari!" he shouted, and brought his foot back to kick her again, but he was suddenly lifted off his feet as she grabbed him and threw him into a wall. He sank to the floor.

With T.K. out of the way, Tsunonrimon stalked over to Kari. "How DARE you!" she hissed, and brought her hand back up. However, before hitting Kari again, she stopped, and a wicked smile grew on her face. "Angemon," she commanded. "Come here and teach this impertinent brat a lesson!"

Angemon silently walked over to Tsunonrimon and Kari. "As you order, my queen." He brought his staff up above his head, and then whipped it back down in a blow to Kari's side. She cried out in pain.

The recovering T.K. looked at his partner in horror. "Angemon!"

Tears welled up in Kari's eyes, more from the pain of being betrayed than the excruciating pain of being hit with Angemon's staff. Tsunonrimon threw back her head and laughed coldly.

Sora looked into the small fire that the three of them had built. "I wonder where the others are, and how they are doing?" She sighed. "It kind of hurts to not know what is happening to your friends, don't you agree?" Izzy and Joe nodded.

"Well, I think that if we don't hear from them by morning, we should follow them. That way, if they are in trouble, we can help, but we are listening to the others for now." Said Joe.

"Why, Joe, is that an actual thought of your own?" kidded Izzy. "I'm surprised!"

Sora smiled at this, but inwardly, she wondered where Tai was, if he was all right. 'I hope he's okay…' she thought.

At this moment, Tai and the others were coming up on Tsunonrimon's palace, riding on Kamomon's back. "Look over there!" shouted Mimi, pointing with one hand and holding onto her hat with the other. "Do you think that's where they are?" she asked.

"It's worth a try!" Matt yelled back.

Suddenly, hordes of Digimon boiled out of the windows of the palace and flew towards the Digidestined, and they didn't look friendly. "I'd say this is the place!" said Palmon. "Let's go!"

"Palmon digivolve to…TOGEMON!! Digivolve to…LILLYMON!" Lillymon leveled her Flower Cannon and knocked several of the attackers out of the sky.

"Gabumon warp digivolve to…METALGARURUMON!" The metal Digimon froze a whole section of the approaching Digimon with the Ice Wolf Claw attack.

"Agumon warp digivolve to…WARGREYMON!" WarGreymon spun around and ripped even more of Tsunonrimon's henchmen to shreds with his claws.

"My turn! Kamomon warp digivolve to…DRAGOMON!" Dragomon activated his Wing Shield and plowed through the steadily shrinking cloud unharmed. Now through the first line of defense, the Digimon prepared themselves for battle.