Digimon: Silver Star Story

Episode Twenty: The Nanza Dream

The guards recognized the Alliance as they made their way through the Nanza Outpost.

Biyomon observed the guards as they gave them nods of respect, though in Mimi's and Lilika's case, that respect was tempered with a certain…lust. This was immediately remedied when Izzy gave them a glare that, if looks could kill, would have murdered those guards ten times over. Not a very easy thing to accomplish, as humans really have only one life.

The little bird Digimon giggled. It was so entertaining to watch the Digi-Destined of Knowledge and Sincerity interact these days. They still spoke normally enough, but if their little search in Lann was of any indication, they were growing much closer without any assistance from any of them. Stolen touches when they thought no one was looking, small smiles to one another, especially in the last day. If anything, it seemed to have become even more prevalent.

Tentomon buzzed up to her, insect eyes almost twinkling. Of course, that could have been because of the fading sunlight. "It's almost time," he whispered. "Let the planning commence anew."

"Good. The other Digimon are going to help us." Biyomon grinned. "It's going to be very interesting, if not fun." With seven champion Digimon, they felt they were prepared to play matchmaker. Now, though, they needed the right setting...

Little did any of them suspect that Izzy and Mimi were actually waiting for them to do that, curious as to what their strategy would be, and who they would ask for help. Phacia was probably not on that list, and neither was Jessica, as they would both be back at the Shrine. And Nash was immediately crossed off, simply because they didn't want his help.

The Six, who had a great deal on their minds, wouldn't be asked either. And it was for good reason, as they were discussing their latest vision, one that involved Lemia Ausa…

-
Takeru walked through the hall ways of Vane Magic Guild, his fellow Guardians right behind him as they headed for the Guild Head's office. Any mages they came across stepped to the side in deference, but were summarily ignored. None took offense, due to the seriousness of the situation. As such, they reached their destination without delay.

"Enter," was the only thing said, before he could even knock. Without even pausing, he quickly entered, the other five following suit. This wasn't the first time they had come to Vane, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Lady Ausa looked up as the six Guardians entered her office, none of them smiling. "Ah, Guardians," she said in greeting. "Thank you for coming."

Takeru bowed to her. "Your prayer to the Goddess was heard, and its reason understood," he responded. "We have come to hear the details."

"Of course. Please have a seat." She waited until they had done so, before turning toward her map of Lunar. "As you already know, the forces of the heretics have managed to reach the Magic Guild outpost in Nanza, and completely destroyed it. There were no survivors," she reported. "Within a week's time, they will be at the Barrier itself. Reconnaissance has determined that they have summoned demons from beyond the Void to assist them."

Angelus's posture stiffened at this bit of information. As the second oldest Guardian in Existence, he was well aware of the rules regarding demon summoning. He had seen firsthand the price that was paid to summon even one demon. To summon a large number of them, there was a good chance the price was even greater. It was now clear why there were no survivors. He felt Angelica give his hand a squeeze, letting him know that he wasn't alone in his thoughts.

"How large is the attack force?" Ami asked, latching onto the tactical aspect of the briefing far more quickly than the others. She was always the most level headed of them

"Three hundred humans, and almost a thousand demons. Enough of a threat for the Nanza Barrier to request reinforcements. I have sent a group of seventy mages, all new graduates… which brings me to reason of asking for you." She sat back down. "They are all strong and capable, but not experienced. They especially do not have any understanding concerning demons, save for whatever they've read in books. I would like you all to teach them what they need to know about them.

Takeru nodded in understanding. "Of course. We'll be more than happy to do that." He paused for a second. "Who is in charge of the attack force?"

Lady Ausa sighed. "My daughter, Lemia. The Council has decided that this is to be her final Trial."

Hikari winced at that. As someone who wanted to have children of her own, she felt for the woman before her. "We'll do everything we can to bring her home to you, Milady," she assured her.

"I would appreciate that. Try to bring them all back."

Takeru nodded, before rising again. "We shall do our best."

-
"…The way I see it," Gatomon said, as the group went over to the stables, "there are two possibilities, both which are obvious to even Sailor Moon. One, Lunar has finally screwed our brains over, and we're making this stuff up. Two, we aren't making this up, and we are actually seeing the Guardian's life stories."
Kari raised her hand. "I go with number two," she stated. "There's no way I can make this kind of stuff up."

Amy nodded. "I concur. After all, I'm a reincarnated princess of Mercury, and Greg has visions of the future. This wouldn't be the first time such a thing occurred." She said nothing else, as some of those memories weren't very happy, and a few were a little too explicit for young ears.

T.K. grinned. "Hey, at least it stopped that freaky dream."

"True. I have been getting a decent amount of sleep."

Greg chuckled as he handed his horse's reins over to a stable boy. "So, where's Kyle?" he asked. "He still in that cell?"

The boy chuckled. "No, he actually does sober up sometimes," he replied, as Jessica and Phacia entered. "Actually, he's on patrol on the Southern Nanza Road."

Jessica sighed, both relieved and disappointed at the same time. This meant she wouldn't see him again. On the one hand, there wouldn't be an argument about his conduct and decisions. On the other hand… well, Kyle was the only one who was willing to stand up to her without being threatening about it.

"Are things really that bad between the two of you?" Phacia asked in disbelief.

"...We have a disagreement every now and then," the younger lady replied after a moment's thought. "It's usually just the same disagreement. He's actually quite sensible most days." Okay, that was stretching it a bit, but when compared to a good chunk of his forces here…

"Hmm..."Phacia wasn't really buying it, but she elected not to pursue the matter, as it really wasn't any of her business.

"When will he be back?" Greg asked.

"It should be tomorrow morning," was the answer. "The bandits tend to strike more so at night, and Kyle prefers a straight up fight to keep his skills honed. In the meantime, you can sign in the visitor's section for the night."

"Thank you."

Patamon grinned. "Guess Kyle isn't all talk after all."

"It's keeping him sober that's the trick," Jessica threw in, adjusting her shoulder bag. "Well, let's take care of our restocking needs right now, then get some shut eye. We've got a bit of ride tomorrow to get to the Shrine."

-
The cafeteria was pretty damn loud.

This was Luna Two's opinion as she sat down next Alex with a tray of food, observing the chaotic mass of humanoid beings moving around them. If there was ever a reason for Alex never to be a life long adventurer, here it was.

Alex chuckled as he took in Luna's slightly worried expression. "I'll admit," he said, "I never thought any place could be like this, even for a moment! I don't think I'll ever join up here!"

"I'm just glad that we're going to be leaving tomorrow!" Luna Two replied. "They all look like they want to jump me the first chance they get! Where's Nall?"

"He went with the cats to try and 'catch some fish,' meaning that they're going to try and steal some from theirs without getting caught!" He grinned. "I don't think they'll be successful!"

Of course they did. Why was she not surprised? "Was Gatomon with them?"

"Nope!"

"Good. At least one of them has some common sense."

Alex chuckled. "It may have more to do with the fact that she was enjoying a hearty piece of chicken!" He looked at her for a second. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly, the humor leaving his expression. "You look even more tired than before."

Luna Two sighed. "I've been thinking a lot more since we visited Dibella's Shrine," she replied. "I mean, it was a very nice sojourn, and we learned quite a bit about a few things, but none of what we learned helps me understand my dreams." She rubbed her eyes. "And they are becoming more frequent."

"More frequent?"

"I'm more convinced than ever that they're trying to tell me something important. I just wish I knew what it was."

Alex nodded in agreement. It was a challenge if there ever was one, especially considering how long she had been dealing with it. It was one that they could have done without.

"How are T.K. and Kari?" Luna Two suddenly asked, reminding him that she wasn't the only one having the dreams.

He smirked. "Pretty good, as far as I can tell. They don't seem to be getting hit as many times, and their Digimon partners are following suit." His smirk grew. "Amy and Greg are busy talking to Serena and Darien about Dibella's Shrine to give the Dream any real consideration."

The blunnette had to laugh at that. In the short time that they had known her, it had become apparent that so long as there was knowledge to be had, Amy would steamroll through any hardships she was suffering through to get it. She almost felt sorry for Serena.

Almost.

-
The first thing about Nanza that Hikari noted was that it was pretty damn empty.

According to her research, the Barrier was home to at least six hundred warriors, as well as a full civilian staff employed for cooking, cleaning, and maintenance. A paltry small force for a fortress of this size, but in times of peace, there was no need for anything larger.

Again, in times of peace. There should be at least another thousand troops here, so where were they?

"Don't worry, Hikari," Takeru whispered to her. "They're most likely patrolling the pathways, and keeping an eye on the attack force."

"I'm well aware of that, honey," Hikari replied. "But I would think that they would have left enough warriors in case of infiltration." She took a look around. "Of course, I don't see any of the civilian staff here, so they probably evacuated them to the Goddess Shrine."

It would definitely make sense. The Shrine was always considered neutral territory in times of war, and thus could house refugees for extended periods of time without fear of attack.

The problem lay with their current enemy. The heretics believed that Althena was a demon who had brainwashed the populace. Althena's Shrine would be first place they would strike, as it was where the Goddess Tower was located.

Hikari focused her attention on the mages behind them. More specifically, their leader as she gave out her orders.

At first glance, Lemia Ausa definitely looked the part of a leader. Her dirty blond hair, kept immaculate due to her upbringing, was tied back. Her garments were crisp and clean. She kept herself straight and tall, exuding confidence. And her voice was unwavering as she spoke.

But Hikari didn't need to be a Guardian to know that she was nervous. Her hands were shaking slightly, her breath was slightly accelerated, and she was sweating slightly. Breaking away, she walked over to her, waiting for the last mage to be dismissed. "You okay?" she asked quietly.

Lemia started a bit, before relaxing. "I'm fine, Milady," she replied, as the tension left her shoulders. "It's just my first command mission… and I'm wondering if I'm making the right call."

"Ah… first command jitters. I've been there."

"What happened?"

Hikari shrugged bashfully. "It wasn't the greatest first outing in history, and it was pretty boring." She smiled. "It was also peacetime where I was assigned, so the most important things I had to worry about was inventory and maintenance."

Lemia returned the smile a little hesitantly. "Lucky you."

"Very lucky. Of course, my first fire mission was far more action packed, but I wasn't in command at the time."

"Well… I'm certain you did a good job." Lemia's smile became a little more mischievous. "Can I assume that your hair eventually grew back?"

"Ye… hey!"

Well, at least she was more relaxed.

-
Patamon was currently seated on one of the balcony, looking out over the fortress without really seeing anything. He had wanted some peace and quiet from the rest of the group, and he knew T.K., Kari and Rini needed some quality time with their families.

"You seem pensive."

His eyes shifted to see Gatomon sitting down next to him. He was still surprised by this minor feat, even though he should know better. She was a cat like digimon, after all. She'd make a damn good sneak thief if she wanted to. He was wasn't surprised that she had found him, though. He smiled sadly. "Oh, just thinking about Dibella's Shrine, and what we learned there," he replied. "All those people just wanted to live in peace, and they ended up dying as pariahs to the rest of Lunar."

"Oh." Just thinking about it herself made her feel morbid, and she slouched. "Now you've made me sad."

"Sorry."

The two of them sat there for a few moments quietly, thinking about everything they had witnessed and learned. Not just Dibella's Shrine, but also everything they had experienced in their lives. Which made them realize that they had seen and endured quite a bit more than the average Digimon.

"T.K. and Kari are worried about you," Gatomon finally spoke up. "You've been pretty quiet for the last few days."

Patamon shrugged. "I hate fighting," he replied. "That goes without saying, of course… but I'm wondering… when will we be forced to take lives."

"That's par for the course for us."

"Not when you think about it. We Digimon are digital data. We don't really die, we're just reformatted. I know this… because it happened to me."

Gatomon had definitely not known that. "When?" she asked.

Patamon blinked, before realizing that she didn't even know. No one had told her, apparently. "It's not something T.K. or I like to talk about," he said. "It was during our time on File Island, battling Devimon. He had absorbed just about every single black gear on the island, increasing his power to near ultimate levels. The others had been beaten. It was the first time I digivolved to Angemon, and I was the only one left standing. I had to use all of my power to destroy him. I was forced back into a digi-egg, though that didn't last too long, but I know T.K. had bad dreams about it for a few months." He looked out at the fort. "Devimon was most likely reformatted as well, so there's a good chance we'll encounter him again."

"Oh." There wasn't really anything else she could say to that.

"All of these people, on the other hand... they have only one life. They die, that's it. No coming back."

It took a moment to realize that he was returning to their original topic, and not even a moment to figure out what he was talking about. "You're worried that we'll have to start killing," she guessed.

Patamon nodded. "It's not a question of if, but when," he stated darkly. "We're in the final days of peace here, and I can definitely say that we'll be in the middle of this, no matter what we do."

"… You know, I liked it better when we had fun between battles. None of this serious stuff."

"You know what? Me too."

-
"Takeru!" Lemia shouted. "You have one coming in from behind!"

Takeru turned, his sword moving in an arc that made it seem like a natural extension of himself. It caught the attacker in the head, spinning him around for a moment before he fell to the ground, quite dead. Pausing to take a breather, he surveyed the area.

Over a dozen battles were raging in his immediate vicinity between the followers of Althena, and the forces of the Vile Tribe. Almost a dozen battles were waging throughout the Nanza Barrier, as the attacking force was near to one thousand, five hundred warriors.

The Guardian of Hope was left wondering how they had come to this. How did they manage to be outmaneuvered so easily.

At first glance, it looked like Lady Ausa's information was spot on, as the enemy attempted to scale the wall. It was a strategy they had expected, since they knew that it was most likely a distraction. So Lemia had ordered half of their forces to be stationed underneath, in the barracks.

This proved to be the correct course, as a contingent of heretics tried to gain entry by actually tunneling underground. They had promptly found themselves in a bottleneck, the mages liberally destroying them before they could even set foot within.

However, they soon learned that this too, was a distraction.

As it turned out, somehow, someway, the heretics were able to get their hands on a portable teleportation rune. With that, they were able to take them by surprise. As a result, the Guardians had been forced to abandon their posts, and engage the enemy on the ground.

Hikari kicked another one, sending him soaring like a football, as she made her way to her beloved's side. "The Guild forces are starting to buckle. There's only fifty mages left!"

Angelica flew over to them, slamming both of her feet into another one's neck, and sending its head rolling, literally. "And there's still around eight hundred enemy troops! We won't be able to hold them off much longer!"

Takeru looked around, hating the rules that bound him and his kin. If he had been an Omnipotent, he would have wiped the enemy out with a single snap of his finger. But because he was a Guardian and their opponents empowered, he was forced to fight at their level. Of course, if he was an Omnipotent, then he wouldn't have been able to become involved at all. "Okay, then. Angelica, go and help Lemia! Hikari, find Ami and Mage Ghaleon! Have them pull back to the food depot, gathering as many of the surviving mages as they can! We need to set up a defensive position!"
Angelica took flight again, releasing arrow after arrow into the throng of demons as they began to make it over the wall, giving the mages enough time to fall back. She landed next to Lemia, who was still doing an impressive job of defending herself. "Lady Ausa, we need to pull back to the food depot!" she shouted.

Lemia nodded, then released a powerful holy spell, hitting four at the same time. "Agreed! All mages, fall back to the food depot! Fall back!"

Quickly, as the majority had found themselves already near the area in question, the surviving mages began heading to the food depot. As the largest structure in the village, it boasted enough food for the villagers during winter time, and to re-supply any wayward travelers.

Ryo turned to look at the retreat. "Ami!" he shouted, getting her attention. "They're falling back to the depot!"
"Then so are we!" Ami sliced another demon in half, then jumped up, bringing her hands together. "Planetary Laser!" she bellowed, calling out her most powerful attack.

Instantly, a blast of sheer power, the collective powers of the five elements, issued from her hands, blasting downward to raze the enemy line. Almost fifty demons were destroyed instantly, vaporized by the sheer power of it. The rest of them halted their forward advance, knowing better than to get too close. Despite the fact that it lacked its full power, it was more than enough to put the fear of Althena into them.

Ryo merely picked one up, swung him around, then threw him into the thickest formation of demons, taking them all out. A strike, if there ever was one.

With the enemy halting temporarily, the five Guardians and Lemia ran into the depot, slamming the door shut behind them. "Barricade the door!" Lemia shouted. "I want five mages to the top of the tower, to stop any attempts to burn this building down!"
Ami created a shield around the structure, further ensuring their continued survival. "The only way they can get at this place now, is through that door," she said.

Takeru grinned, sheathing his sword. "You were always better at shields than the rest of us." He turned. "Hikari, go with them. Until Angelus returns, we're just going to have to wait them out." He touched her lips with his briefly. "Be careful, and keep your head down."

Hikari smiled reassuringly. "I always do," she replied, flying up to the second story.

Takeru sighed, and leaned back against the wall. He pulled out his medallion, stared at it for a second, then entered into a sort of meditative state,. It wasn't as refreshing as sleep, but it would serve to keep his wits about him for the next several hours. Ami and Ryo would know to rouse him from it if the enemy should move to attack.

Angelica looked out the window, watching the thronging mass of demons outside begin setting up a perimeter about seven feet from the depot. "At least Angelus managed to convince the noncombatants to evacuate," she said. "Because it looks like they're planning to do the same thing we are."

Lemia nodded. "I agree. Ghaleon?"

"Yes, Lady Ausa?"

A mage, pasty white, and bearing the pointed ears of an elf, had spoken. He was one of the more promising guild members, having shot through the ranks into elite status by the time he was fifteen. There were those who said, that by the end of the year, he would become Vane's most powerful magician, and even become its Premier in the future.

Lemia pointed at the door. "If anything that doesn't appear to be human, elf, or beastman tries to get through that door, kill it," she ordered.

Ghaleon bowed, then stood in front of the door, hand raised. It was sometimes difficult to believe that he was an adolescent, given how mature he acted most days.

Angelica sank to the ground, rubbing her left arm fretfully. It always began hurting when she was near any member of the Vile Tribe. She still had the scars of her stay in a Vile Tribe prison camp. For ten long years they had whipped her, tried drugging her, had cut her, and also physically beat her with their bare hands. One of the more sadistic guards had his way with her, managing to find a way to keep her docile. They threatened to do the same thing to one of the other prisoners. Angelica had been forced to beg them to take her, and not harm anyone. She still remembered the pain, a pain that would continue for many years.

Angelus, acting without orders, had gone in to get her out. The other prisoners, who were all stout believers of the Goddess, had helped conceal her, and managed to smuggle her out, where the male Angelic picked her up, and flew her out of there.

That had been almost fifty years ago, and it had taken almost thirty of those years to regain her confidence. The Guardian government had cleared her for duty a year later, and had sent her back to Lunar. Three weeks later, she had helped liberate that same prison camp, cheering like she was still one of those prisoners.

And now she was here, hoping that her beloved would return with reinforcements…

-
She regretted thinking those words now.

In the middle of night, Luna awoke suddenly, gasping as she did so. The dream that had been haunting her had struck again. And it had chosen this particular night to strike.

Grumbling, the young woman got up, making sure to not disturb Alex as she did so. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she began stumbling to the door.

On the way there, she ran into an equally bleary eyed Amy, who was following a similar path. They said hello, nice running into you, that sort of thing. Then they headed out the door.

By the time they reached the mess hall, both were wide awake in shock. And for good reason.

"You've been having the same dreams as us?!" Amy asked in disbelief. "But how is that possible?"

Luna shook her head. "I don't know. The other five are having them too?"

"Big time."

The two girls pondered the situation as they opened the door to the kitchen…and stopped, staring.

"You took your sweet time getting here," Greg said, eating some ice cream, while T.K., Kari, Patamon, and Gatomon were scooping up some from a large container.

Amy sighed. "Did you use your powers?"

"No, just took an educated guess. If we're here, then you would be here as well." He turned his gaze to Luna. "I'm surprised to see you though, Luna. I'm guessing you've been having the same dream as us?" he asked.

Luna sat down on a stool, and picked up a spoon. "Yes, and I'm really starting to hate it."

"Tell me about it," Kari grumbled. "I'm only nine year sold, and already I feel like I'm fifty. I want my own dreams back."

"Join the club." Gatomon spooned some more and popped it into her mouth. "And things were going so well, too."

Amy said nothing, instead spooning some of the ice cream, and following Gatomon's example. "This is good," she mumbled appreciatively.

Greg grinned. "And should my girlfriend have any female weaknesses, it's chocolate ice cream."

T.K. had to chuckle at this. "Too true, but it's really a weakness all humans share."

"Not us!" the two Digimon sounded off as one.

"You've eaten more than we have!"
"So, we found that we like chocolate! It doesn't mean-"

"Yes it does," Amy interjected, grinning widely. "You're hum-mon."

"Cute. Really cute," Gatomon growled mockingly.

Luna started giggling, enjoying the groups banter. "It really is incredible to be able to trust your friends so easily."

"It took a while, as all friendships do." T.K. looked at her. "I'm guessing for you, it's a little difficult to trust anyone."

Luna swallowed another mouthful, thinking for a moment as she did so. "With the exception of Alex, it took me almost four years to trust Ramus with anything of mine. He was patient, though, letting me make the choice."

Patamon nodded. "He may have been a con artist, but Ramus was loyal to his friends, and had a sense of honor." He paused. "What about Nall?" he asked.

Luna's humor began to reassert itself. "Oh, I base Nall on my observations of all big mouths," she replied, grinning mirthfully. "I find him funny…and more of a mouthpiece for Alex."

"So we've noticed," Amy noted around another helping of cold delight. "Does he always hold the threat of death over the fur ball's head?"

Luna's smile grew mischievous. "Yes, as T.K. and Patamon know all too well."

T.K. shook his head in amusement, remembering that day. "We had to stop him from killing Nall after the older boys…made a small mistake."

"They left you and the girls behind, didn't they?" Greg asked knowingly.

"Yeah. How'd you know?"
"A very good guess."

"Sounds like you peeked," Gatomon decided to accuse him.

"I'll ignore that jab at my honesty."

Kari started laughing. "I'm soooo glad we're getting along."

Luna started giggling as well. "Yes. With friends like you, who needs enemies?"

"Me," Patamon replied immediately," if only to give me some variety in my opponents. Fighting you guys all the time would become very boring after a while."

Everyone erupted into laughter at that.

-
A series of spells issued from the remnants of the mage attack force, striking the first wave of enemy soldiers and turning them to slag in the first few moments of battle before they could get close enough to the depot.

Throughout the night, the heretics had had supplies brought in, allowing them to replenish their magical reserves fully. The mages, armed with several Star Lights and healing nuts, wouldn't have been able to hold out… if they hadn't had the Guardians to back them up. They went a long way to change the complexion of the battle. As beings of infinite power, they would naturally be the primary target to focus on, regardless of whatever plans that had been concocted.

In this case, they decided to step outside to attack directly, while Lemia and her group aided them from depot's upper levels. The demons, predicably

Hikari, whose scepter's were blasting chunks in their enemies lines, was having the most success, as her attacks were holy based. Angelica, an angelic warrior who was also the best archer in Guardian history, was sniping them as she strafed them above, never giving them a stationary target. Takeru, Ami, and Ryo, who were more proficient hand to hand, simply waited for them to get close, then started slashing.

However, more and more soldiers were arriving on the battle field, and those five, despite their powers and abilities, were no gods. They wouldn't be able to protect everyone for long, especially since they were forced to fight at the demon's level, even with the mages helping them with spells.

Takeru cut another one in half, grunting slightly as his arm throbbed from a blow that had gotten through his defenses. "We can't hold out for much longer!" he shouted. "Ami, see if there's another way for the mages to escape! Angelica, use a Heaven Charm, and force them back so we can get back inside the depot!"

The two followed their instructions. Ami left her position, and started scouring the walls, and the ground for a hidden exit. Angelica bellowed, "Heaven Charm!" releasing a blast wave of pink energy, decimating another line of warriors. The rest of the regiment fell back, not wanting to experience that kind of power firsthand.

Ami's search turned up nothing, and she quickly returned to her previous position "Takeru, the only way out is through that door!"

"Perfect." The Guardian of Hope had expected that, though he didn't like it. It wasn't very reassuring.

"Any ideas?" Lemia called down, hitting another one before it could hit Ryo. "We're almost out of magic here!"

Takeru thought long and hard. Nothing came readily to mind. "Ryo?" he asked. "Anything you want to tell us?"

Ryo shook his head. "We've been at this for eight hours already. The mages are about out of supplies, and the five of us are not capable of multiplying. So, unless Angelus comes charging over that hill in the next minute…"

"…We're screwed!" Ami finished, frustrated. "And I'm fresh out of ideas!"
Angelica landed, using her remaining power to generate a shockwave that knocked the enemy back once again. Wings disappearing, she pulled her short sword out. "Well, if this is where we die, it's been a pleasure serving with you all!" she declared.

It was starting to look like that, but the Guardian of Hope wasn't about to throw the towel in just yet. All they needed was one good shot. A distraction that the heretics wouldn't see coming.

Suddenly, the skies above them began glowing very, very brightly. It was almost as if the Goddess herself was becoming involved. An impossibility in every sense, as Althena was bound by Omnipotent law to not become directly involved in mortal conflicts.

Not that the heretics knew that.

The demons, truly believing that Althena herself was coming to destroy them, turned their attention away from the depot, looking up. Their human summoners, realizing something was up, began to collect themselves to teleport to safety.

By the time they realized that the light show was a distraction, it was too late.

Angelus, who had just arrived and had been hiding in the clouds, flew downward, Excalibur out and raised. With a mighty war cry, he unleashed a powerful burst of holy energy, destroying a good part of the remaining force

At that same time, more than five hundred Meribian troops came from the right gate, entering the fray with a mighty war.

And they were not alone. A hearty beastman laugh sounded off with him, the usual sound of one of the beastmen on the attack.

"Who is that?" Angelica asked in surprise.

Takeru took a look as well, blinking a little to show his disbelief. Of all of the people to see, he wasn't it. "That's Mel deAlkirk! He's the most feared pirate of the seas of Lunar!"

"Then what is he doing here?" Ami asked calmly, despite the surprise.

"Um, fighting the enemy?" Ryo replied, giving them the obvious answer.

"Wait…they're others with them. And it looks like a slovenly hick! Another pirate, and…a demon!"
"Don't call them, slovenly hicks!" Takeru shouted. "I was one once, ya know!" He blinked. "Hold on…did you say a demon?"

Hikari looked. "Well, if he is a 'slovenly hick,' he's a handsome specimen of one," she replied admirably. "Almost as handsome as you, husband."

"Excellent save, my Love. CHARGE!"

As Takeru shouted that, the mages charged out of the depot with Ghaleon and Lemia leading the way, jumping out of the windows and the front door, using the last of their magic to cast spells on the enemy. When they ran out, they simply brought their staves into play, using them with deadly efficiency.

Angelus simply came in, hitting hard and fast. His sword seemed to have a life of its own, cutting through the enemy masses with ease. Hell Mel did the same, a great big grin on his face. Not a surprising aspect in the beastman psyche. They enjoyed a fight with a vigor that could be frightening.

The farmer, however, was doing a surprisingly good job as well. Using a blade obviously purchased in a small village, he nevertheless used it like a soldier would. He had a warrior's instinct, Takeru noted, and a warrior' skill. He figured that he was trained by one.

With reinforcements now here, the Guardians of Althena cut loose, moving at speeds that only others of their civilization or gods could dream of when facing against Empowered. In a matter of an hour, the seventeen hundred demons had been diminished to a hundred fifty. An easy force to contend with.

With no options besides surrender, retreat, or fighting to the death, the survivors took the second, leaving behind their wounded and dead. A ragged cheer erupted from the mages, pumping their fists into the air in victory. The Guardians joined them in the little celebration for a second.

The Battle of the Barrier was over with. Against all hope, they had held.

Lemia finished patting the back of another mage, then went and shook Ghaleon's hand. "Your plan worked," she said, impressed. "You were able to accurately predict where Angelus was going to emerge. Keep this up, and you might become a general in Vane's forces."

Ghaleon bowed once. "I only live to serve the Magic Guild, Lady Ausa."

"Please, call me Lemia. You earned it today."

"Very well…Lemia." Ghaleon observed the newcomers, as the Meribians started fanning out, searching for any stragglers. "And who are these fine young warriors?" he asked.

Angelus pointed. "The demon is Sheyra, the exiled princess of the Vile Tribe," he replied, rolling his eyes as some of the younger human gasped in shock. "It's a relatively recent event in her family life. This is Jonathan. Last names aren't important where he's concerned. You all know Mel deAlkirk via reputation, of course." He pointed at the young man. "This is the newest aspiring Dragonmaster, Dyne of Burg."

"Aspiring Dragonmaster, huh?" Lemia grew thoughtful as she gave him a once over, then smiled. "I am Lemia Ausa, the Guild mistress's daughter. And this is Ghaleon, a hot young elfish intiate from the Guild. He was the one that came up with that brilliant plan that you lot unknowingly helped make successful."

Dyne took Lemia's gore covered hand, and gave a clean part of it a faint brush of his lips. "I would greet you more properly, but it appears that your hands cannot stand anymore punishment."

Lemia took the comment in stride. She gave him a small smile in return.

Angelus chuckled. "Dyne, besides being an aspiring Dragonmaster, is also a hopeless flirt. He has to hit on every single woman he come across."

"Ah. You were right, Ghaleon. He's a 'slovenly hick, though a well behaved one," Lemia said, smirking. "Well, it's certainly a pleasure to meet you, Dyne. And thank you for your help."

Dyne grinned. "Likewise, Lady Ausa, and you as well, Ghaleon…"

-
"Last night was good," Luna Two replied, stretching slightly. "The seven of us drowned our sorrows over chocolate ice cream. You?"

"Dreamed of a red head," Matt replied, telling the truth. "Then woke up to the sound of six Digimon whispering excitedly amongst themselves."

Greg grinned, putting his saddle back on his horse. "Finalizing their plans for Izzy and Mimi, no doubt."

"Oh, hell yeah." Matt looked at Garurumon. "And how are you this morning, buddy?" he asked.

"I'm feeling fine." He gave his right shoulder blade a small twitch. "Except for my shoulder blade."

T.K. looked at him. "What were you doing last night?" he asked.

Surprisingly, Garurumon and Biyomon blushed. "I'd…rather not answer that question, for fear of incriminating myself," the Champion Digimon muttered.

(And if that wasn't enough proof for you,) Ginny said cheerfully, (I don't know what is!)

Izzy and Mimi keeled over in laughter. "Thanks for giving us our proof!" Mimi gasped out, leaning against a pole to stay upright. "You two are something else!"

Agumon frowned. "I was wondering what all of that grunting was in that one closet," he said. "But, how do a bird type and a dog type Digimon mate?"

"Verrrry slowly, I'd say." Palmon's eye twinkled. "Next thing we know, it'll be Izzy and Mimi doing the mating dance."

The two in question turned to look at the walking cactus, before Izzy turned his attention back to his bag. "Care to repeat that?" Mimi asked sweetly.

"Not really," Palmon replied mirthfully.

"Didn't think so." Mimi looked at Izzy, who was busy looking at his computer. A quick glance at the screen saw that he was doing it so he didn't meet Mimi's gaze, for fear of erupting into laughter once again. Mimi grinned as well. 'Too late anyways, Palmon,' she thought, grinning. 'We already came close to the home plate.'

Luna Two and Amy stared at Mimi, then each other. "Do you get the feeling that those two are hiding something?" the pure blue haired girl asked.

Amy shrugged. "Let them have their secrets. We need to get moving again if we want to get out of the Nanza Pass today. And Mimi isn't someone we really want to ask. We might not like the answer."

"I agree, on all counts" Alex said, getting on his horse. "It is about time we returned to Vane. Is everybody ready?" A resounding "yes" answered his question. He grinned. "Too bad we missed Kyle this time. It would have been nice to see if he remembered us from before. Well, then, let's get going."

As one, with a few last farewells to some of the others, the Alliance began heading out of the Nanza Outpost, unaware of the eyes watching them from afar. Watching them all for a moment, then running at near light speed, heading for Vane.

Knowing that the Alliance's luck was about to change for the worse.

Hi everyone. Sorry it took so long to upload, but when the current crisis occurred, work became more hectic.

Anyway, the next chapter will be where I'm going to start diverting from what I originally wrote. I'll also be working on the next chapters of my new story, so that should be updated.