Fan:Rengoku

In a strange place, Sarah awoke in a field of grass. Her head was throbbing, the light hurt her eyes, but she felt strangely peaceful. She soon realized the air she took in had a strange warmth, that the light that at first hurt was bathing her in bliss. Once her eyes adjusted, she could see the more features of this strange world. She could see that the sky was in fact a golden yellow on the horizon, the sky a heavenly blue. Also before her was a silver sea, where many statues stood submerged. As Sarah picked herself up, a gentle breeze tossed up dozens of white pollen to greet her.

“Where am I?” she thought aloud, realizing the plain of grass was actually just a strip of land leading as far as the eye could see. Naturally curious, and with no other options, she walked the path into the horizon.

The strange path went on for what felt like forever. As she moved past the blades, she had a better chance to view her surroundings. In the sky were thousands of stars, crowded together in clusters and groups. Also above, were two large moons, one to her left and another to her right. Both shined a mesmerizing blue, with the sun nowhere to be seen. Sarah also analyzed the statues. Many were merely fragments. An arm with a sword, a torso with no head, mere pieces. But she could tell they were knights, or perhaps nobles, from their ornate armor.

After awhile, Sarah didn’t know if it was an hour or a hundred years, she realized she wasn’t tired or sleepy. The moons, and the unseen sun weren’t moving either. In fact, everything seemed to be at a standstill. She desperately reached for her D-tector, only to find it wasn’t there.

“Where am I!?!” she said, more desperate and with an aura of fear,” Takuya! Kudamon! Emma! Anyone!?!”

As she turned, looking in all directions for some change, the path changed before her eyes. She turned around to see she was on a platform at the end of the road. A slightly stronger wind blew, turning her head so she was three young women, about her age. One, a blue haired girl in a white collared shirt and blue skirt, looked her in the eye and said,” Welcome, Miss Agrawal.”

“W-Where am I!?!” she demanded again, on the brink of crying as she yelled,” WHO ARE YOU!?!”

“Faith,” the blue haired girl said in a peaceful, dull and bored tone.

“Maria,” said the red haired girl, with a royal red jacket and black skirt.

“Grace,” said the green haired girl, dressed in a green sweater and black skirt, like her sisters,” What is it you wish to know?”

“Where am I?” Sarah asked as Maria answered in a cute girl’s voice,” a world between the Digital world and Earth. You can see from the planets on the horizon.”

Now knowing just what the “moons” were, she asked,” Why am I here?”

“Your data has been corrupted,” Faith answered,” Essentially, you’re in the purgatory between Earth and Digitia”

“That’s what happens when you can’t die in Digitia,” Grace said, leaving Sarah to ask,“ Digitia?”

“Digitia, the Digital World,” Maria answered. Sarah looked at them, confused as she said,” I never knew it had a name. We just called it the Digital World.”

“I expected as much,” Faith said, still clearly bored,” It seemed only natural the world’s original name would be lost in time.”

“Oh, alright,” Sarah said. With a sudden shock, her eyes widened as she asked,” Wait, I’m dead!?!”

“No,” Grace answered,” Your data’s just corrupted, or in your case a piece is missing.’

“Terminus….” Sarah thought aloud, asking,” But how do I get back?”

“That’s up to your friends,” Maria said,” They’re the only ones who can retrieve your stolen piece of Fractal Code.”

Sarah put her hand to her chin, trying to think of what to ask next. Still in her thinking position, she asked,” If this is a Digital purgatory, then why are you here?”

“We died, long ago…” Faith answered, smiling at a somewhat interesting question,” You don’t know our story, at least not yet.”

“Once you do, you’ll understand,” Maria added.

“Can you be saved?” Sarah asked, but Grace replied,” No, we can’t be saed. And even if we could, our mission would be for nothing.”

“Mission?” she asked, only to have Faith reply,” For millions of years we’ve studied Digital World, and all it’s chaos. Most of that time was spent waiting.”

“Waiting for what?” Sarah asked, to which Grace replied,” you, and your friends.”

“Epsilon was released several hundreds of years after we entered Digitia. Of course, that’s nothing in comparison to how long we’ve stayed here. We’ve watched as he destroyed Digimon, brought chaos on Digitia, and we’ve been searching for a way to stop him,” Faith stated in an ominous tone.

“But given our current state…” Maria added,” …we couldn’t help much…”

Sarah sighed, thinking about the deep secrets of their adventures. As their journeys, their memories, poured into her, she asked,” I’d like to thank you, but I don’t know how you helped us. Please, what have you done?”

The girls exchanged glances, as if they were talking telepathically. Grace looked at Sarah and said,” We reconfigured the data of those who’ve been lost.”

“Basically, we raised the dead for you,” Maria said with a kind smile,” See these statues? These are the forgotten warriors of the Digital World. For each of you, a resurrection, a gift from those who want to watch you succeed.”

“I-I……I don’t know what to say…..” she said, overwhelmed by their kindness. But it was Faith who told her,’ Say you’ll destroy Epsilon. Save our homes, and don’t let the hundreds of lives sacrificed be wasted. Save our home, and yours.”

Sarah looked at her, desperate and worried as she asked,” But I don’t know what’s next. Takuya, Michael, everyone’s lost in the desert. We don’t know where to go. We’re basically going blind searching for the last Station!”

“That’s why we brought you here,” Grace answered,” If you follow the brightest star, right under Seraphimoon, you’ll find yourself in a pyramid. Once there, head north. You’ll find the Station.”

“But…could I ask one more question…?” Sarah said. Maria simply nodded, signaling Sarah to continue,” What happened to Ophanimon, and Seraphimon, and Cherubimon?”

Faith merely closed her eyes and said,” Safe, as mere Rookie level Digimon. As are all the fallen you see before you.”

“But none of you will awaken the Celestial Trio,” Grace added,’ Other warriors, much stronger, will join you.”

Sarah was about to speak, but with a shock her head began to throb. Pain overwhelmed her. She clenched her head, gritting her teeth as her senses went wild. She felt sand on her face, embers on her skin, and in the background she heard Takuya, yelling inaudibly.

“You have to go now,” Faith said calmly,” Look above you Scheherazade. By the end of your journey both these worlds will be dead. A new dynasty, whether it be good or bad, will dawn on these planets. Nothing will be the same.”

‘What happens next depends on your action,” Maria added,” We’ve done all we can to turn the tide in your favor.”

“This is a bridge in your life,” Grace said with a grin,” Your life has been a path, and your adventure is like a bridge. If you cross successfully, the road is paved in gold. But fall in, and the tides of evil will take you.”

Sarah could hardly process what they were saying. Pain overwhelmed her. She couldn’t take it. All she could hear were her friends echoing. As the scream she let loose flew through this strange dimension, the girls summoned their power. With circles of light, formed from their hands, they destroyed the ground below Sarah. She fell into an abyss, taken back to her friends. The chasm filled with glittering water, huge ripples scattered everywhere, and silence resumed. Sweet, clear, unaltered silence…

“Should we leave now?” Grace asked Faith, who merely nodded her head and declared,” I’ll perform reconnaissance. Maria, watch the gates. Grace, keep us informed on the children’s status.”

Faith raised her hand, energy wrapping around her wrist. Light formed in her palm, creating a gust that blew in all directions. The light grew, brighter and brighter like an exploding star, until she was gone, like a ghost. The other girls did the same, vanishing, ready for their part in this tale. But with each second, even you should be able to feel Epsilon’s power growing, expanding like a disease. Can even a miracle stop him…..?