Previously Spiral Castle (V.iral E.mpire S.yndicate HQ)

[Remijio Mendoza]

Chris watched as Marcus knocked his hand away, he was surprised by the coldness of his skin it was no longer warm like it once had been. However, when he herd Marcus's words he smiled he could feel the warmth in his words, even if he couldn't feel it in his skin. His eyes watered for a moment "Marcus, you always worried too much about me...Can't you see that you don't have to worry about me so much anymore, when I came here I remembered all the times we've been through, you have saved me a million times over, I've watched you change so much and yet I can still see the same Marcus who I would face the wrath of a thousand demons for" He said. He smiled at him and stepped closer as Marcus put his hand on his shoulder "But I now realize I have also grown and changed since we first came here, I'm not longer the childish Chris who always needed you to save me anymore" He said. As they returned to the library Chris hardly noticed. He seemed to glow for a moment "You've spent so much time worrying about me you've failed to see when you need my help as well" He said. His eyes now had happy tears in them "For once I want to be the one to save you, let me show you how much I've changed" He said. He then leaned towards Marcus "...I've always wanted to tell you just how much I need you...how much I love you...let me be here for you...let me save you" He said to him before kissing Marcus for what seemed like the first time ever. However, as he kissed him Chris glowed with digisoul and they symbols that looked like wings on his digivice emerged from his back one black one gold while Chris's eyes glowed purple with the symbol of the crest of destruction on his forehead. It seemed like for the first time he had reached his full digisouls potential. His wings then grew and wrapped around him and Marcus. It showed he was ready to make the deal, he wanted to be in the digital world with him, and had no intention of leaving.  

[-InsertEgoHere- Liger]

((I kind of wish you wouldn't do that so much... sweatdrop ))

Marcus would take on the kiss and feel the warmth of Chris's digisoul enveloping the two of them. After a moment he would break away, causing the connection of digisoul to break as well. "Chris... I don't want you to make this deal. At first I thought I did... but I don't." He would step away from Chris shaking his head. A dark blue aura would begin to course around his body. "Please... I care deeply about you, it's the only reason it hurts to say this..." He would wrap his arms around himself as if the thought of what he was about to say was causing him physical pain. "Stay away from me..." He would fall to one knee and then look up at Chris with orange eyes locked into Chris's eyes.

Paramiere and Cadaiver turned their attention to the recently arrived tamers. The clown would cross his arms and watch as the darksoul began to overpower Marcus.
"It would appear that he wants nothing more than to push the boy away." The clown would say to Jou. "A passionate flame, dying to the cold truth."
"Huh?" The fairy digimon would turn her attention to Cadaiver with a puzzled look. "Whatever do you mean, Mr.Clown?"
"Dark tamers are genuinely an unstable clan of human tamers. At the drop of a hat, they may become possessed and even go as far as attacking their own allies." The guilmon would stand next to the two and shake her head.
"For him to know this and seek a precaution truly shows that he had grown well."

The digitamamon would stand next to Lucemon, somewhat oblivious to what was really going on. All he could tell was that there was darksoul present and it was calling out to him. "Cha... os?"

Lucemon would begin to grow bored with the situation and would then call out. "Ummm... Excuse me! Not to ruin the hallmark moment going on, but I need an answer and I don't like to be kept waiting!" The angel would tap his foot continuous with his arms crossed out of irritation.  

[Remijio Mendoza]

(Yeah and I wish he would at least return the reaction at least once -.-)

Chris watched as Marcus broke the connection and step away from him. He reached his hand out towards him but the digisoul he produced prevented his touch. He grew silent for a moment "..but Marcus.." He began to say as if to argue. However, it was then that he herd the digimon and frowned it was apparent Chris could do little to help him now, but maybe eventually he could...maybe. "Alright Marcus...I understand" He said his voice for once hiding the emotion he felt, he wanted more than anything to help him and was hurt by the fact he couldn't and had to leave him. He turned to Cadaiver and Paramiere "Please, I know you probably despise me and think of me as a pest, but please take care of him for me....don't let him lose himself...don't let him die" He said. It was then he turned from them "Sorry Lucemon, no deal" He said. He then turned and began to leave the library, however before he could he turned back to Marcus, "Good bye Marcus, I hope you know how much you mean to me" He said. He then turned away and left a single tear fell and hit the library floor. It was then he decided he'd get revenge on Lucemon, revenge for taking away the one man he loved. He rubbed his face and felt the tears and shook his head, he had done so much of that recently and he vowed to never cry again. He also promised himself to never fall for anyone again, he never wanted this to happen to him again.  

[-InsertEgoHere- Liger]

Marcus would break the gaze and look down at the ground. A stray tear would escape his eye and slide down his face, stinging as it made a trail down to his chin.

Both Cadaiver and Paramiere would nod at Chris. Paramiere would understand the most as she now had some compassion for the friend of her tamer.
"See you around Deimos." He would say with an emotionless tone. He would wave and then turn his head back to Marcus. He and Paramiere would step from standing in front of the door so that Chris could get out.

Lucemon turn, watching Chris leave. "Keh, you know you're making the biggest mistake of your life, right?" He would start to float off the ground spreading his wings out. "I should kill you as you know of our plan, but something tells me... you'll keep your mouth shut." He would flash the boy an evil grin. He would then look down at his hand, flexing his fingers. "Either way, if you change your mind, I give you an invitation back to the castle."

((Do you need an escort?))  

[Remijio Mendoza]

Chris refused to look back, he knew if he did he would likely break, and in a way he had. Marcus had told him had he joined he would've died eventually, he let out a small laugh at the irony, did he know how much he was dying at the moment, did he know that Chris knew that once he was back in the real world he wouldn't be able to make it. Even now the mere though of Marcus and his fate haunted him. He thought of the time he and Marcus had spent together it felt like he was bleeding. He resisted every urge in his body to just break down. No, he couldn't do that he couldn't let them think they'd won even if they had.

As they left Demios turned to the two digimon he had met, "Goodbye, I wish you both happiness in your endeavors" He said a bit solemnly. He watched Chris as they left, he could feel his pain and hurt radiating from him, he was sure if he could everyone else could as well. However, he didn't have the heart to tell him that.

Chris continued to walk and soon they reached the hall of statues. He shook his head feeling his sadness and anger grow. As much as he promised himself he wouldn't cry he found it harder and harder to hold back. He shook his head and his eyes glowed a dark color. "Why must I suffer, why must I feel this pain, why!" He yelled. His fist glowed as he punched one of the statues. His fist was so strongly coated by digisoul it caused it to be destroyed. His digimon looked at him with concern "...Destroy them....Destroy them all!" He yelled to his digimon. Suddenly they were rushed by his digisoul. "Now destroy them, let them feel my pain!" He yelled possessed by his rage and heart break. Suddenly each of his digimon began to team up and attack until all the statues had been destroyed. Chris at this point didn't care if they were art or if they were digimon.  

[-InsertEgoHere- Liger]

As the door closed behind Chris, it would seal shut and lock. The room would go quiet. All eyes would shift from one another and then towards the sounds of sobbing. One would notice that it was Marcus who was making the pathetic sound of defeat. The tears would come steadily now as like he'd never done before.

Lucemon would turn and look at the boy. He would shake his head and then start to walk towards Marcus. As he stepped, his body would become coated in 1s and 0s before finally coming to stand before Marcus in his Ultimate stage. "Will you give it a rest? You wanted this and now you have it... Stand up before your master!" The dual winged angel would glare down at the boy, resting his hands on his hips. "If you're going to be a dark tamer, a real one... you need to cast away such meaning less emotions!" He would then give the boy a swift kick that would send Marcus sliding like a rag doll.

Both Cadaiver and Paramiere would try to jump into the fight, but would be stopped by both Ocelot and Jou as both servants moved with their hands stretched outward. "No interference will be necessary."
"If you want your little tamer to be the best that he can be, then you'll have to allow this process to go along without delay." The lillymon would have great smile across her face as he held the ChaosPiedmon back.

The lucemon would walk after the motionless boy shaking his head. "I can't believe that you're so easily defeated!" He would been down and grab Marcus by his neck, lifting the boy into the air. "Where is that fire that you had before you came here? Did you seriously allow that ignorant child to walk out the door with it?!"  

[Remijio Mendoza]

Chris looked at what was left from his digimon and his attack on the statues most that was left behind was rubble and destruction. He smirked "...thats right suffer" He said darkly. However, he was irritated that his rage and pain hadn't lessened. It seemed he was in the possession of his emotions. He remembered a room he had walked trough and headed to it. The room was lined with suits of armor. "...destroy them" He said darkly. His digimon then took off and attacked the suits of armor effectively doing all they could to obliterate the suits of armor. Although one might not see it on the outside he was suffering on the inside. Each suit of armor that he attacked appeared to be a person he knew and cared about or had helped him before his eyes before they were destroyed. One of the helmets rolled over to him and he swiftly kicked it sending it flying across the room. "He will pay for all he has done" He said to himself. The last one appeared to be Lucemon before him and he stuck it himself sending it flying.  

[-InsertEgoHere- Liger]

"Uck..." Life would come back to Marcus as both of his hands rose to grab a hold of Lucemon's white gloves. "It... it didn't go... anywhere!" A spark of digisoul would begin to arise from around Marcus's body. "Now if you don't mind... put... me... down!!" The digisoul would begin to intensify with Marcus's growing desperation.

LucemonCM would glare at the boy and the raging digisoul that would whipping around like vines. "Fine then... that's what I like to here." His frown would turn into a wicked smile as he would then throw the boy across the room. "I was beginning to wonder if my trust was misplaced." He would say with a laugh.

Marcus's body would be flung, but instincts would take over as the boy curled his body and flipped to land on the ground on both his hands and feet. His body would skid and nearly hit a book stand. "Well... did you?" The boy would stand and place his hand on the opposite shoulder and twist it around as if he were preparing for a fight.

"That we'll have to see."

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As Chris rampaged through the halls, life would come to the thought-to-be-lifeless suits of armor. A group of Knightmon would come to life and retaliate against Chris and his digimon. Off in the distance, an orb-like figure would be watching the fight and then rush off to tell of what it had seen.  

[Remijio Mendoza]

Chris turned as he noticed the suits of armor coming alive, this caused him to actually smirk "Good, I was hoping this would get interesting" He said. He then looked at his digimon "If it moves and fights make sure it falls" He said darkly. Naturally only two of his digimon were in a state where they could effectively fight them, but he wasn't about to let that slow them down on their rampage. "Artemis Demios combat ready" He said. He then looked at Skylar and Dante "You two work defense" He said. His digimon then stood in a line up where the strongest were up front.

Demios started first, as the knightmon came towards them he extended his sword. "Gate of destiny" He said as a gate opened and began absorbing the advancing digimon. He then got into a fighting position ready to attack once his gate closed. Once they gate vanished Demios began to violently swing and slash at the enemy knightmon.

Artemis also stood in front and when the gate vanished he smirked and began to fight, he used his cats eye hypnotism on a couple of them and then powerful lightning paw attacks on others.  

[-InsertEgoHere- Liger]

The cat digimon's attacks would bounce off the armor of the Ultimate level digmon and hypnotic attempts would all fail as the knights continued to move against the cat digimon. The Angel's attacks would be more effective, but the numbers would continue to grow. It would almost appear as if there was some source constantly creating more of these zombified knight digimon.

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Paramiere and Cadiaver would still be tense as the aggression between their tamer and the Demon Lord started to subside. They would look at each other, hoping that they would not have to fight against the main source that they held in such high regards.

"See about what?" Marcus would stand and walk towards the angelicly demonic digimon. "What more do I have to do to earn your trust?! I bore your curse, pushed away all those that I care for, what more do you wish to take from me!?"

The digimon would chuckle at the boy and look down into Marcus's evil orange eyes. "Isn't it obvious? The very thing I want is the thing that makes you most important to me, but for me to have it would mean that you would lose your validity to me and therefore lies our problem." Lucemon would cross his arms and shake his head. "The thing I want most from you is your highly aggressive nature, your will to carry on, that one thing that seems to grow with each moment, changing it's shape and form to best fit the situation. What I want most is... your digisoul!"  

[Remijio Mendoza]

Artemis frowned as his attacks failed to harm the knights, but he wasn't about to give up. He knew his claws could be as sharp as saberleomons. So he quickly began hacking and slashing at them.

Demios noticed their growing numbers and frowned, without the use of digivolution he knew they were easily outmatched, but he still raised his sword and used another gate of destiny before he went back to attacking with his sword.

Chris frowned he wondered how long they could keep up the fight, he still had the fire burning in him to keep foolishly fighting but he didn't want to see his digimon fall to such an opponent. He looked at his two lower level digimon and smirked "Why don't you two look around" He said to them. They nodded before they began to attempt to find a way to stop the enemy digimon.  

[-InsertEgoHere- Liger]

An orb of light would appear in the Library and then materialize into a digimon. This digimon would be cloaked with two orbs circling around him. "Lord Lucemon, there is a bit of a disruption going on in the castle. What would you have us do about it?"

The Lucemon would look from Marcus to the digimon. "Ah, Wisemon... I figured it would be you. Yes I know of the disruption, but I'm not bothered at all about it. Tis merely a boy letting off steam on an endless army. Twas a failed love that would lead to his own demise."

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In an instant, there would be the sound of rumbling as Knightmon would come from a passage behind Chris. There would then be the flapping of wings as white gargoylemon would be coming from the air, filling the massive ceiling with their paleness. The decorative digimon would have Chris and his team surrounded, each with blades (Knightmon) pointed at the humans and beams in their mouths (Gargoylemon) ready to turn them into statues.

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"So you would have us do nothing?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I would have you do..." The angel would wave away the digimon and then turn his attention back to Marcus. "Now then... about that digisoul of your---"

"It's Chris, isn't it?" Marcus would try his best not to show concern, but it wouldn't be enough. "Chris is the one that you're talking about."

"Hmm? Why yes it is... what of it?" The digimon would raise his eyebrows in amusement, wondering where this would soon be heading.

"If... if I gave your my digisoul, would you spare him?" Marcus would ball up his fists and look down at the ground.

"NO!!! Don't do it! That boy is not worth it!!" Paramiere would cry out in objection. "If you give up your digisoul, then you will be of no use to anyone. Open your eyes, you fool!!" Paramiere would glare at the boy with her golden eyes. She had had enough of the manipulation going on and wished only to leave this place.

"Quiet you!" Ocelot would attempt to strike the guilmon, but would be hindered by ChaosPiedmon.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." the clown would say with a chuckle as he was now in front of Paramiere with a blade pointed at the panda digimon.

"Interesting... you would do that?" His eyebrows would be raised as he listened to the boy and ignored what was going on behind him "Why yes... I would actually." He would point at the Wisemon, signaling for the digimon to not lave yet.

"Hey, Kid... I don't know if you know the importance of your soul in this world, but if you're going to give it up for some other person... by all means... Do it." Cadaiver understood what Marcus was going through, not through personal experience, but merely understanding the ways of bargaining and that some things are just worth it. He would gladly give up something of his if it meant that he would get himself an angel to have his way with.

Marcus would look up at the clown digimon, surprised as this was the first time he'd heard Cadaiver being serious. He then looked back to Lucemon with a frown, "Yes I would and I will..."

Lucemon would snap his fingers and the Wisemon would be gone. "Very good..."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

As the Knightmon would bring their swords up and then down at Chris, it would seem as if time was slowing down on them. Two spheres, one red and one orange, would appear circling around Chris and his digimon. "ETERNAL NIRVANA!" A voice would call out. The two sphere would then start to glow and then wisp the group away from the castle.

[You're being sent to File Mountain, you can post your reaction here if you'd like. Also from there, you can control Wisemon as you would please since he's yours...]  

[Remijio Mendoza]

Chris turned as he looked around, he and his digimon were obviously outmatched. He couldn't help but smirk he thought it was a rather fitting end "Good, I didn't want to be here much longer anyway" He said. He looked at each of his digimon who also knew they couldn't win. They nodded to him and lowered from a fighting stance to a passive one. Each one had a look of serenity and acceptance of fate. The digimon would then go to attack them with fatal blows. Chris looked at the incoming swords and his eyes watered "Marcus, I hope we meet again in the after life" He whispered. Strangely a black feather blew by them and as it passed it turned white. It was then the swords would strike Chris and his digimon, however before they could hit two orbs appeared and everything would slow down and then stop. Chris had a terrible feeling now, but before he could respond they were all teleported away. "Marcus!" Chris yelled before vanishing all that was left behind were slowly falling pure white feathers.

[Chris and company exit to file mountain]  

[-InsertEgoHere- Liger]

With Wisemon gone, Marcus would figure that Lucemon had sent him to deal with the situation. On the inside, Marcus was beating himself up for once again letting his emotions dig him into an even deeper hole.

"Well then..." The angel would rest his hands on his hips and look around the room, "I held my end of the bargain... now it is your turn." He would stretch an arm out to the tamer and smile widely. "Give me that precious soul of yours."

Marcus would tense up now fully realizing the depth of the situation. He began to think back at how much his digisoul meant to him and how much he'd used it for. He remembered back to when he first mastered summoning it and using it to digivolve Destin to his champion form and then on up to ultimate. He then began to recall all the bad he had used it for, the killing of so many innocent people and digimon. His mind then drifted off to the life of an annoying, yet innocent boy, Kazu. With that in mind, his hand would erupt with digisoul and then be driven into his chest. "You gave your world so I guess... I guess I too must do the same." He would wince in slight pain as he felt an essence coming out of him and manifesting in his hand in the form of a red orb. As the red orb would glow, a ring of digicode would circle around it. Marcus would then fall to one knee as his body felt rather weak from having a very essential part removed from his body.

Lucemon would look at it with a wide smile and his body would tremble with both joy and anticipation. "So... So this... this is a digisoul!? It's so BEAUTIFUL!!" The digimon would begin to dance as he gazed at the pristine sphere. "I must have more of these... I MUST!!" Finally getting over his joyously creepy reaction, the digimon would start to approach Marcus and then grab the sphere, pulling it into his gloved grip. "So... precious..." He would say in a whisper as he then moved to hold the sphere up for all to see.

Paramiere, the guilmon would groan and shake her head, refusing to believe the level of stupidity presented by her tamer. "Cadaiver... why did you not stop this?"

The chaosPiedmon would look down and respond, "For what reason? After all this time, have you not realized that Marcus will do whatever he wants to? No amount of words will reach that boy once his mind is set." The clown would shake his head and sigh. "I just hope that he's ready to deal with the consequences of this one..." The clown crosses his arms and looks at the boy with a frown.

With his digisoul no longer in his possession, the boy named Marcus would start to lose himself. His body would grow constantly weaker as he felt as if he was going to pass out. "So... you have what you wanted... what happens to... me?" He would weakly look up, using his noodle-like arms to support him.

"Well.." Lucemon would respond. "Without your digisoul, you're really of no use to me." He looks at the sphere and then down at the boy. "I really should just end your misery right now, shouldn't I?" He stops and ponders, becoming oblivious of those around him.

The Digitamamon would be rather drawn to the dark energy held within the soul sphere. He would start to approach it ever so slowly, almost as if he were in a trance. "Cha...os... my have... Chaos..." A dark entity would start to shift within the egg and fire out at the LucemonCM's hand, taking in the digisoul. "NIGHTMARE SYNDROME" the spirit would call out.  

[-InsertEgoHere- Liger]

A black blob would fire from the opening in Digitamamon's shell and latch itself on the angel's extended arm, taking in the sphere that was held there. Energy would begin to flow into the egg digimon's body.

"Why you little!" Lucemon would slap the face away and prepare a bolt of energy in his other hand, ready to fire on the egg-like digimon. "You Abomination, I'll do away with you!!!"

"Wait!!" The chaosPiedmon would call out. "If you destroy that digimon, Marcus's digisoul will be lost with it!" He would push passed the two digimon blocking his path. "To work so hard to get this and then throw it away so easily, that would be quite foolish."

"Cadaiver... What are you doing?!" Paramiere would whisper towards the clown.
"Silence..." He would hold a hand up to the guilmon and would then look back towards LucemonCM. "Think on this before you act harshly. Oh my journeys with this tamer, I have come to see many tamers who possess digisouls of the brilliance. Spare this digimon and you can use him to gather the souls of many others." The clown digimon would bow to the angelic digimon. "Give us the boy and we'll be sure to gather souls for you, my liege."

Halting his attack on the spasming digimon, Lucemon would turn towards the ChaosPiedmon with eyebrows raised. "You speak wise words, clown. I feel as if you're the real threat here. Nonetheless, I accept that thought. Go forth and bring me more human digisouls!" He would cancel the attack and then look over to Marcus. "Oh... I guess we should do something your tamer, no?" Crossing his arms, he would walk over to a nearby desk and pull out a vial and toss it to Cadaiver. "With him being soulless at the moment, he won't be of much use to you, but with this liquid, he should gain back some of his strength."

The clown digimon would catch the vial and examine it's contents. "Thank you sire, you are most gracious."

The Lucemon would sit and shake his head. "A little too gracious. Take him and that wretched egg out of my sight." He sighs and goes back to reading a book that was sitting there.

Cadaiver does as he is told and walks over to pick up Marcus's near lifeless body and throws it over his shoulder. He then pulls out Marcus's digivice and points it at the Digitamamon. "De-realize..." he says in a voice that mimic's Marcus's. The device reacts to Marcus's voice and sends a beam of light out towards the digitamamon, turning it into data and then absorbing he. The ChaosPiedmon then walks towards the exit with Paramiere, the guilmon following after him.

[Cadaiver and Paramiere rejoin w/ Marcus & exit Spiral Castle]

With the group gone, Ocelot and Jou relax and look at one another wondering what had just happened.

"Go with them... I do not trust that clown one bit, he is too smart, too clever, too much of a threat to us and our plan." Lucemon speaks to the two without even looking up from his book.

The two nod and leave to join up with Marcus.

[Pandamon and Lillymon Join Marcus's party, exiting Spiral Castle]