What they felt while stepping through the gateway can only be described as like walking through Molasses or Jell-O or something like that. The pressure exerted on their bodies was intense, and even the most seasoned of them felt like passing out. The moment they thought that suffocation was imminent the world belched them out. Technically they fell through the dimensional fabric into space, each gasping for air.
     “Ow. Pain,” Kirinis and Lina said in unison, “owww... agony.”
     “Figures I’d forget my inhaler in my other jacket,” Alex said as he cast a Diem Claw spell around himself for fresh moving air. He took a few deep breaths before saying, “Ahh... I never knew air could taste this wonderful.”
     “You guys are strange,” Gourry said, “I don’t feel anything.”
     “You never did feel anything, yogurt brain,” Lina said as she kicked Gourry in the butt, “especially above the collar!”
     “So, where the hell are we?” Celia asked, glancing around. The others joined her in this action, since their landscape was nothing like what they saw around Trabia, and it certainly couldn’t exist on earth. Alex added that it looked like nothing he’d ever seen in the digital world.
     “So this means....” Lina said, glaring at the other four.
     “It means we’re lost,” Kirinis replied before sighing. “Bloody wonderful.”
     “Keep feeling that hopeless,” a creepy voice said as lightning bolts tore through the sky above them, all combining into a single bolt that struck where the five had been seated seconds earlier. More bolts struck where each landed, giving them little time to concentrate for spell casting.
     “Oh hell,” Lina grumbled as she managed quick jumps with Ray Wing, “I can’t fire off anything big.”
     “Feel the hammer of justice,” they heard Amelia shout, “Visfarenk!”
     A moment later Guile sailed over their heads, Amelia following close behind with glowing fists of justice. Zelgadis came to the top of a nearby ridge, his body having returned to stone during the jump through space and time.
     “Hurry up and stop him,” Zelgadis said as he leapt down to them, “his power levels are off of the scale.”
     “Which means that at any moment something unexpected could happen,” Celia said seconds before Amelia crashed into the ground at her feet.
     “You O.K. Amelia?” Lina asked as she fished the princess out of an impact crater.
     “No, I’m not O.K.,” Amelia grumbled as she rubbed the grapefruit sized lump on her head, “that Mister Guile sure hits hard.”
     They all felt the surge in the localized energy, and Alex immediately knew it was familiar. ‘No way,’ he thought as he took a stone of summoning from his pocket, the stone glowing white, ‘there is no way that he could have survived. Not all of those battles.’
     “But I did survive,” the creepy voice said as a crimson glow came from behind a hill, “and I’m here to make your lives miserable.”
     They saw Guile step to the top of the hill, then watched in awe as his body glowed and split into two identical beings, one pitching forward to land face first in the dirt, the other standing and laughing maniacally. The laughing Guile’s mask changed from golden to crimson moments before his body underwent a remarkable transformation, growing in size and changing into a combination of a B 52 bomber, robotic body, and humanoid. Alex’s jaw nearly dropped, since the face looked very familiar.
     “Release the light from the dark,” he changed under his breath, the stone in his palm glowing brighter, “deliver us from the shadows...”
     “Mister Alex?” Sylphiel said in awe as she watched Alex cast the spell of summoning.
     “Alex, what are you doing?” Gourry asked, blinking in disbelief.
     “Who are you?” Celia asked the monster, glancing over at Alex, “And why does Alex seem to dislike you so greatly?”
     “You can consider me a wandering spirit,” the creature said as it picked Guile’s lifeless body up and tossed it away like so much refuse, “I was in your world for a while, having lost my body in a series of battles. Then a portal opened up one day and pulled me into this world. Here I felt a strong power... I believe it was called Ultimecia. When that left I wandered until I found a place to inhabit, called Trabia. Now I have found people to destroy, and one of you feels familiar.”
     “You still haven’t told us your name,” Zelgadis said as he took out his own stone of summoning.
     “You can call me Myotismon. Or, in this form, Malamyotismon,” the creature said before laughing evilly.
     “That's all we needed to know,” Lina said as she unpinned her stone of summoning and held it aloft, “since in about a minute you’re going to be nothing but a memory. King of the dragon race, come forth and grant us your power. Please protect those we love....”
     “Supreme king with the watery soul, grant me the power of your tidal rage...” Amelia chanted as she held her summoning stone aloft.
     “Holy beast of protection, you who protects all life, come before us and deliver us...” Zelgadis chanted, his stone of summoning glowing.
     “Guardian goddess of the ocean deep, she who calls forth powers both calm and turbulent. Come before us and grant us your strength...” Kirinis chanted as she held her stone aloft, an aqua blue glow surrounding it.
     “So you’re calling your little friends,” Malamyotismon said, “I hope this party will be nice, since I have a surprise for your little guests.”
     “You bet it’s gonna be a big surprise,” Sylphiel said as she held her materia aloft, angel feathers blowing around her, “Holy warrior of light, come forth and battle back the darkness...”
     “Stormy swells, bring forth a hero from the brine filled depths. Battle back the darkness with a lightning quick attack....”
     ‘Now to hope that we get him,’ Alex thought as his materia glowed blinding white, “Unleash the light unto the dark, enlighten all those locked in the shadows....”

     “Hurry up Seifer. We need to get back to Garden as quickly as we can,” Anassa shouted from her motorcycle.
     “What do you mean me hurry up. You’re the one with the gas guzzling machine,” Seifer replied over the radio, since he was cruising above the tree line with Irvine, courtesy of a Ray Wing.
     “Enough, both of you,” Fujin said, acting as the voice of calm and reason, “we can’t argue like this when our friends might be in trouble. If they need backup, we’ll have to get along as a team.”
     “Well... you’re enjoying that jet board of Zell’s way too much,” Anassa said in a childish manner, glancing over at Fujin, who was indeed riding a jet board, and none too clumsily for a first timer.
     “What do you mean by ‘enjoying’?? I’m trying to avoid falling off and breaking every bone in my body.”
     Irvine swooped down from the upper level, keeping pace with Fujin with a Ray Wing. “You’re doing just fine,” he said, “I’m here if you fall off.”
     “And we’re here if you need any backup,” Anassa added, the sensors on her cycle going off of the scale. She glanced at them before muttering, “Damn. We have a meta class monster up ahead. Range.... twenty clicks and closing.”
     “Visual confirmation in five seconds,” Seifer said, “Tho I have him in my sights now.”
     Anassa clicked something on her handlebars, and the main headlight slid down, a large caliber plasma cannon emerging. She clicked something else and a targeting sight appeared on her windshield. “I’ve got visual,” she said as a large insect like creature appeared from the brush, “and the shot is MINE!” she shouted as she pressed the trigger switch, the cannon firing off a shell that tore through the insect like a hot knife through butter. The recoil nearly threw her from the moving bike, but she managed to hold tight and keep going.
     “Nice shooting Tex.,” Irvine said, giving her a thumbs up, “and I can make out the lights of Trabia in the distance.”
     The group broke out into clear plains seconds later, Trabia Garden in the distance looking like a large decorative tree or something. The town of Trabia was off in the distance as well, though not nearly as lit up as the Garden was.
     “We’re almost home,” Fujin said.
     ‘And we’re almost back together,’ Irvine thought as he regained altitude, ‘and soon, hopefully, we’ll be able to help the others when they need us.’

     In the main command room of Trabia Garden stood Squall, Quistis, and Zell, all three looking over tactical data recorded during Guile’s performance and from prior battles in the area. Jessica and Tenal were with them, as well as a few specially chosen students of the garden who had some experience with happenings in the area. A warning klaxon went off, shattering the silence in the room as people punched up tactical data and outside scanning information. A second later a minor shockwave shook the room.
     “What the hell was that?” Zell asked as he looked to the others, who shrugged.
     “It came from the South East quadrant,” one of the students said, “bearing seven - oh - nine mark three - oh - two.”
     “Four life signs detected,” another student, this one a female, said, “according to the heat signatures they’re two males and two females.”
     “And the shockwave came from the explosion of some sort of shell,” Tenal said, “I’m guessing a cannon shell.”
     “Anassa’s motorcycle is equipped with such a device,” Squall said, “so it might be our forward scouting party.”
     “Then you should go and meet them,” Jessica said. As the three Balamb SeeDs ran out the door she added, “Hold up. I’m coming with you.”
     “Right,” Quistis said as they stopped, “just hurry up.”
     “Tenal, you’re in charge until I get back.”
     “Yes Ma’am,” Tenal said, saluting, “Will do ma’am.”
     Jessica turned her head to Tenal as she left and said, “And stop calling me ma’am, will ya. I’m your age for pity’s sake.”
     “Yes Commander.”
     “That’s better.”
     Then she was gone.

     In Trabia’s motor pool Jessica caught up with Squall and the other two, who were preparing one of the jeeps for departure. The mechanic was in the process of having a meltdown since three people he didn’t know were about to take out one of his newest vehicles, but when he saw Jessica there he quieted down, since when the commander shows up it’s usually important.
     “Meltdown, no need to go critical mass. We’ll bring her back in one piece,” Jessica said as she climbed into the passenger's seat, “And that’s a promise.”
     “All right commander,” Meltdown said, saluting, “Good luck.”
     Squall cranked the engine and put the pedal to the floor, laying a patch of rubber as they screamed out of the garage like a bat out of hell, leaving Meltdown to wonder if he had just trusted his vehicle to somebody mentally unstable or what.
     Once they were out in open air they powered the headlights and other lights to max. so that their friends would find them. A few seconds later they saw an answering flicker of a couple of lights spells and a wavering headlight set. Squall slammed on the brakes, turning the wheel to the side so that the jeep would stop faster. A moment later Irvine and Seifer landed, both looking rather distressed. Fujin and Anassa pulled up a short time later, each one sharing the general mood of hopelessness and whatnot.
     “We were too late to help them,” Seifer sighed, running his fingers through his hair, “I can’t believe that Alex plunged in without waiting for us!”
     “He knows what he’s doing,” Squall said, putting a reassuring hand on Seifer’s shoulder, “and he also did what he thought was right at that moment.. I’m sure he didn’t know you were behind him, otherwise he would have waited.”
     “I guess you’re right. But still...”
     “We’ll get our chance to help him,” Irvine said as he hugged Seifer from behind and nuzzled his neck, “we just have to wait for his signal or something like that.”
     “We’ll all wait for that and watch for it,” Quistis said, “Jessica has the students of Trabia working in the command center, and they’re monitoring the countryside and everywhere around here. If anything happens they’ll know, and they’ll let us know.”
     “I guess that makes it a little better,” Seifer said, “but how do we break this to Adderson?”
     “The same way you broke it to us,” Jessica said.
     “But what if he gets violent?”
     “Then he gets violent.... but if he really, truly, has feelings for Alex he won’t be like that. If anything he’ll be relieved to know that you at least tried, and if anything happens he’ll be one of the first to know.”
     “I guess that makes it a little better.”
     “Let’s get back to garden,” Anassa said as she shivered, “it’s getting chilly out here, and I just want to go in and warm up a little.”
     “Yes, in sounds good right now,” Fujin said.
     “Then let’s go,” Squall said as he hopped back into the jeep. Irvine and Seifer hopped into the back of the jeep and a moment later they were off towards Trabia Garden, hair blowing in the breeze and engines shattering the silence of the early morning.

     Back on the battlefield the seven summoners held glowing stones aloft, the incantations having been spoken save for the name of their esper. When they saw an opening in Malamyotismon’s defenses they finished the summonses, columns of light surrounding each of them in the color of their gem.
     “Tidis!”
     “Alexander!”
     “Bahamut!”
     “Leviathan!”
     “Madeen!”
     “Hydra!”
     “Angemon!!”
     The cries of summoning echoed across the land, an eerie feeling snatching all who had tried to summon an esper. Something just was not right.
     “You fools, you cannot summon your espers, for I have sealed them,” Malamyotismon said before cackling evilly.
     “How... how can this be possible?” Lina asked, looking at the gem she held, “there should be no way for him to seal them or their power.”
     “He can’t get away with this,” Kirinis said, “we need a way to send him packing.”
     ‘Alex, what’s wrong?’ Alexander spoke in Alex’s mind, ‘The gateway won’t let me through.’
     “Gateway?” Alex said as he gazed upward, towards the sky, or what passed for a sky. A faint point of light was visible admidst the swirling gray and black clouds. A bubble was formed against the light point, effectively trapping everything on the other side.
     “I have won, and you are now trapped. You are doomed, for you have entered a world of despair, where your souls will be consumed by darkness. There is no place for you to hide, nor hope for you to escape,” Myotismon said, “so give in to your fears and release your power unto me.”
     “Not this time,” Alex said, swallowing the lump which had formed in his throat, “I was in the battle against you with the digidestined, not once, not twice, but three times, and each time we sent you packing to another dimension or to the afterlife.”
     Myotismon looked at him carefully, noting all the changes which he had undergone since some of the earlier battles. “You... you are the digidestined whose presence I felt here?”
     “You guessed it,” Lina said, answering for Alex, “his friend TK knew how to use a spell called the Demon Slayer, which you got several tastes of in the past.”
     “And we have several new spells to use against you,” Celia said, her eyes glowing golden as she began to summon the power required for her own spell.
     “Celia, save your energy,” Zel cautioned, sensing Myotismon’s energy level, “we’ll save your spell for the finishing move.”
     Several energy blasts sailed at them, striking a hastily formed barrier and being absorbed. A moment later the barrier glowed again and sent the energy back at Myotismon, who leapt out of the way in time to see where he had been standing destroyed by the blast.
     “Crimson Mist!”
     Blood red fog poured from Myotismon’s shoulders, wafting across the land at them. Any living thing the fog touched was instantly destroyed.
     “We’re not strong enough to defeat him,” Amelia said as she clung to the end of Zel’s cape. “Mister Zelgadis, I’m scared.”
     “Trust in your powers,” Zelgadis said, “we can’t give in to our fears.”
     Another blast struck their barrier, cracking it down the center. Zel and Lina turned to see Sylphiel on her knees, tears pouring from her eyes as she wailed at the top of her lungs.
     “Sylphiel, snap out of it,” Lina shouted as she erected her own barrier over Sylphiel’s.
     “Sylphiel, I’m here for you,” Gourry said as he lifted the frightened shrine maiden into his powerful arms. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
     “The fog’s eating through the shield,” Kirinis said as she set up her own barrier.
     “We can’t run,” Alex said, noting the canyon which had suddenly formed behind them, “and hiding is well out of the question.”
     “Then now is the time to fight,” Lina said, a magic circle forming beneath her, “Lords of darkness of these four worlds, as my word as thy bond, grant me all the power, grant me all the strength which you possess. Lords of these dreams that terrify, sword of cold and darkness, free yourself from the heaven’s bonds. Unite with my power, unite with my body, and let us walk the path to destruction together. Power to smash even the souls of the gods. Ragna BLADE!”

<music: Initial D Knights of Fire>
     A black blade of darkness formed in Lina’s hands, crackling with vicious energy. She swung it a few times before pointing the blade at Myotismon, a look of determination upon her face.
     “What do you plan to do with that tooth pick, clean my fangs?”
     “Queen who shines in the heaven’s nights sky, sword of light and holiness. Free yourself from hell’s bonds. Become one with my power, one with my body, and let us walk the road to justice together. Power to cleave apart the heavens and split open the sky. Goddess Blade!”
     A blade of glowing silver white formed in Celia’s hands, more solid than Lina’s Ragna Blade, and more decorative than the crackling blade of blackness. She held this towards Myotismon, a silvery wind swirling up around her feet.
     “Another toothpick, this one with an interesting hum to it. I think we’ll call that a water pick.”
     “Guys, the shield won’t hold for much longer,” Kirinis said as she dropped to her knees, her energy draining as the shield held away the crimson fog.
     “Then it’s time to reinforce this,” Alex said, a magic circle of rainbow colors forming beneath him as a globe of orange formed in his hands, floating above them. “Aura Barrier!”
     A dome of flame orange formed around them, sealing out the fog and giving them cover for the time being.
     “Grisly Wing!”
     Energy bats struck the barrier, draining some of the energy and weakening the shield as a whole. Kirinis dropped to one knee from the energy drain, but managed to maintain consciousness as Alex winced from the strike.
     “I wish Fujin was here,” Kirinis said as Zelgadis treated her to a healing spell, “I really wish she was here.”

     Across the bounds of time and space Adderson and Rajin were taking turns pacing around the conference room. Karna and Tenal joined them in this maddening exercise. Finally, Adderson snapped.
     “It’s been three hours! Where in the nine hells could they be?!”
     “I’m as worried as you are,” Rajin said, “but until we hear from the scouting party we don’t know what’s happened.”
     As he said that the door to the room slid open, allowing Seifer, Irvine, Anassa, and Fujin to enter. Adderson practically leapt across the room, grabbing Seifer by the collar. Before he could ask his question, though, the red cross knight shook his head and looked sorrowfully at the floor. He released his grasp, muttering, “Damn!” under his breath as he walked back across the room to gaze out at Trabia’s countryside.
     “We were too late,” Irvine explained to the other three in the room, “By the time we reached the gateway they had already entered and it closed behind them.”
     “Bloody hell,” Karna said, “so that means we’ve lost them.”
     “Until they find a way out, yes,” Anassa replied. She sighed and held her fingers to her temples, “God, there are times I hate this job.”
     A ghostly voice wafted through the air in the conference room, causing all to look around in amazement.
     “Guys, we need help,” the voice said as a screen appeared, showing the ongoing battle, complete with stereo surround sound. “We can’t hold out much longer against our enemy,” the voice added.
     “That voice,” Adderson said, looking up at the screens, “it’s Alex’s.”
     “We’re currently trapped in a world of despair,” the voice continued. “And our enemy is Malamyotismon. He has been defeated three times in the past by the digidestined of earth, and moved here to see what he could get away with.”
     “How can we get to him?” Seifer asked as he watched the barriers around the Slayers take another direct hit from Myotismon, “we can’t get there on our own.”
     “Use Ridley to reach us,” the voice said as a red gem on a golden chain appeared in the middle of the room. Irvine and Seifer reached to take it, only to stare in awe as it floated over to Adderson. “The dragon knows the way to reach us. You need only summon him.”
     The screens flickered at that point, and vanished, the voice disappearing with the screens. After several moments of awkward silence Irvine said, “So, who’s going to the rescue?”
     “I’ll take Irvine, Seifer, Karna, and Fujin with me,” Adderson said as he stood, “if I can I’ll open a gateway home using my gravity powers.”
     “Are you sure Ridley can hold and carry that many people?” Karna asked as he strapped his samurai sword to his back.
     ‘You don’t know me very well,’ Ridley’s voice said to each of them, ‘I could carry all of you, but Adderson knows what is best for this rescue mission.’
     “Then let’s get ready to go,” Fujin said as she strapped her chakram to her back, “Adderson, summon our ride please.”
     “With pleasure,” Adderson said as he held the stone aloft, “Dragon of Darkness that sleeps in the inferno, come forth and burn our enemy to ashes. Ridley!!”
     The gem glowed, and outside they could see a ring of fire forming in the sky. From the ring came Ridley, arching his back as he back flapped to come in for a graceful landing.
     “Our chariot awaits,” Karna said as the group exited the conference room.

     Once they were outside the four chosen by Adderson for the mission climbed onto Ridley’s back, taking comfortable seats on the neck ridges and holding on for dear life. Adderson bounded up the extended forearm, leaping high into the air, grabbing Ridley’s highest ridge, and flipping onto the dragon’s neck.
     “Shouldn’t we change our clothes before we charge to the rescue?” Karna asked, noting that Fujin was sitting side saddle due to her dress.
     “Don’t worry about me,” Fujin replied, “I’m a big girl who can take care of herself, thank you very much. We need to hurry, and taking time to change would be a waste of time we don’t have.”
     “Then off we go,” Adderson said as Ridley took them aloft, the wind from his wings blowing the hair and clothes of those below. The dragon blushed as Anassa had a Marilyn Monroe moment, and sent a telepathic apology her way before they leveled out for flying.
     ‘We’re heading towards the old castle,’ Ridley said to them as he stretched his body flat, flapping his powerful wings, sending them ahead at a powerful pace. A streamlined dome of energy formed around them, courtesy of Fujin, who brushed her hair back into place.
     “Figured we could use a wind screen,” she explained, adjusting the strap on her chakram.
     “Thanks,” Irvine said as he released the death grip he had on his hat.
     ‘Five seconds until escape velocity is reached. Hang on tight.’
     “Alex, we’re on our way,” Adderson said as reality began to bend and warp around them. A second later a sonic boom echoed across the countryside as they split open the heavens and jumped through before the hole sealed. They were on their way.

     “Crimson Storm!”
     Multiple bolts of blood red lightning struck the barrier, weakening it still more. By now Alex’s hands were burning through the leather palm gloves which he wore, and his face was twisted by a mix of pain, weakness, and determination.
     “Give up and give me your power,” Myotismon said, the storm continuing. “Give in to your fears.”
     At that moment it was a very appetizing offer. Bestow a shit load of power unto some already too powerful dark lord. Watch him overload as you lay dying. Feel satisfaction as they go nuclear and catapult your body across the bounds of time and space to safety. Yet some little voice in each of them kept telling them not to give up. Fight on and help will be there soon.
     “Never doubt the power of innocent dreamers,” Alex said as he unsheathed a samurai sword from subspace, “never doubt the dreams of innocent children. Never doubt your worst nightmare.”
     As he said this the dome shrank downward, opening around him as it took on the shape of a bagel. His sword glowed brilliantly as he held it aloft, crimson lightning striking it. An aura of blood red surrounded him as he leapt skyward, more of the lightning striking the blade to charge it with dark energy.
     ‘I need to hope my formula and equation aren’t off,’ ran through his mind as he felt his limit skill unlock to add itself to the power within the sword. ‘The last time this was tried Lina and I were using Xellos as a combination lightning rod and amplifier. Well, now is the time to try.’ “Dragon.... CRISIS!”
     A wave of light and darkness tore through the area as he swung the sword downward. Myotismon blinked out of space for a brief moment, reappearing behind Alex. A moment later the young mage was wrapped up in Myotismon’s steely grasp.
     “I know what you fear, and I can read your thoughts. Do you know what you’re thinking?”
     ‘Alex, don’t give in to him. He’ll kill you, then kill the others.’
     “I’m thinking... that my friends are going to kick your sorry ass into next week!” Alex replied as Myotismon began to crush him.
     “Damn,” Lina said as she released the Ragna Blade spell, “we can’t win against him. He’s just too powerful.”
     “Not you too Lina,” Zelgadis said.
     “Mister Zelgadis, don’t tell me you’re not scared too.”
     Zelgadis thought for a minute, then decided thinking was a bad thing at that moment. “Yes Amelia, I am afraid, but I have to face my fear and protect my friends.”
     “He’s finished,” Myotismon said as a pair of sharp tendrils emerged from his back and moved around to spear Alex, both zeroing in on the mage’s chest. Alex closed his eyes and began to recite a song in his mind which he had heard somewhere before. One that was surprisingly fitting for the situation he was in at that moment.
     ‘Sometimes I want to cry, pour my tears softly at the corner of the Yodo River. Thank you very much...’ “Life is tough and it’s just a life. FIGHT!!”

<music: Fight On from Iczelion>
<Life is tough and I have to fight on and on!>
     Alex’s body was surrounded by a golden glow as he spoke the last line of the song, which filled the area and blinded all. Then there was silence.

     High above the ground a ring of fire formed, and from that came Ridley and his passengers, none the worse for wear after the jump through time and space. A blinding golden light was visible from the ground below, filling the sky above, and leaving the SeeDs to wonder what was going on.
     “Whose energy is that?” Karna asked as he began to sense the magnitude of what was going on down below and without them.
     “It’s Alex’s,” Adderson and Seifer said in unison, “he’s in trouble.”
     “Why aren’t the others helping?” Fujin asked.
     “Because they’ve been incapacitated,” a creepy voice said. A moment later Myotismon appeared before them, a sword of crimson energy in his hand. “Prepare to meet your own fates!”
     “Time for you to meet your own fate if you harmed our friends,” Adderson said as he leapt from Ridley’s back, his clothes glowing as armor formed, his sword appearing on his back. He drew his sword as a cape formed, clipped to his shoulders, the symbol for Warrior Universe appearing on it. “Gravity Cutter!”
     He swung the sword downward, twin discs of green energy flying from the blade. Myotismon blinked as the energy blades struck his armor and ricocheted off into space.
     “Was that supposed to hurt?” Myotismon asked, smiling evilly. A cold shudder ran down Adderson’s back.
     “Mega.... TORNADO!”
     A twister of pure energy poured from Fujin’s weapon, catching Myotismon and hurling him half a mile away in a matter of seconds. As soon as her attack ended she shouted, “Dive!” while spurring Ridley to fold his wings and drop like a rock. Adderson watched for a moment before following them.
     “What the hell are you doing?!” Adderson asked when he caught up to the others.
     “Finding out what happened to the others,” Fujin said, averting her gaze from the ground. One neck cracking minute later they were on the ground, all a tad disoriented from their sudden landing. Fujin glared at Ridley before saying, “What in the nine hells just happened here?!”
     ‘We were getting too close to the ground so I put on the brakes,’ Ridley replied, breathing smoke from his nose, ‘I’m not so stupid that I’d crash into the ground.’
     As the group began to look around for the source of the golden light, Ridley said telepathically, ‘I’ll be returning to the gem.’ before he blinked out. The gem glowed for a moment as the esper returned to its home dimension. ‘Call me when you need some help.’
     “So where are the others?” Karna asked as he looked around, “Alex! Lina! Zelgadis! Miss Celia! Miss Kirinis? Where are you guys?!”
     “I can’t sense Alex anywhere,” Irvine said, “it’s as if he’s failed to exist.”
     “Don’t say that,” Adderson said as he sheathed his sword, “he can’t be dead. They can’t have left us.”
     “You will bow down before me and beg,” Myotismon said as he blinked in before them, several bolts of lightning illuminating him. A massive wave of force pressed down upon them a moment later, crushing them to the ground.
     “Never.... never doubt the power of an innocent dreamer,” Seifer said as he dug his gunblade into the ground and leaned on it for support.
     “I’ve heard that before, and it didn’t help your friend much. In the end he was overwhelmed by my power, as you will soon be.”
     “By the nine hells and the thirteen signs of the zodiac,” Karna said as he struggled to remain standing, “there must be some way to finish him.”
     “Fujin could always try summoning Ithika,” Irvine said, glancing over at the silver haired wind wielder, who looked back and shrugged.
     The force pressing down upon them increased exponentially, giving them little chance to really decide a course of action. Myotismon cackled evilly as a pair of shoulder mounted energy cannons opened, globes of dark energy forming between the pylons.
     “You are finished, and there is nothing you can do about it. Nightmare Wave!”
     Two large globes of darkness fired from the cannons, directed into the center of the group. A miracle saved the group as a scythe of astral energy sailed over their heads and slashed through the two globes before boomeranging back around to return to the wielder. Myotismon looked up to see a figure cloaked in shadow, a golden glow surrounding them. “Who... who are you?!”
     “Just what I was waiting to hear,” the figure said, smiling as he launched into an introduction, “From the silent star, Saturn, a warrior sent to protect the light. I am the silent angel, the soldier of death and rebirth, Warrior Saturn!”
     The golden glow around the person increased in intensity, illuminating Alex, who was still dressed in what he had been wearing for the dance, only now he was holding an astral scythe. A golden glow was definitely visible in his eyes, blotting out the usual brown. He leapt from where he was standing, executing a reverse flip as he sailed down for a landing. He landed in a crouch, the astral scythe increasing in size.
     “So, you knock me out of commission for a short while and think you have the right to destroy my friends,” he said in a voice that was definitely not Alex’s, “Do you really think I’d let you harm Miss Lina Inverse while I still had a use for her?”
     “That voice...” Adderson said as he erected an energy dome to block the pressure wave, “But it can’t be....”
     “It’s the voice of the Lord of Nightmares,” Karna said, “and she sounds pissed.”
     “The source of all chaos,” Fujin said, “but.... but how?”
     Myotismon fired several more energy globes, these directed at the glowing figure. The globes struck the figure and passed through their body, leaving the others to wonder what was really happening. Myotismon arched an eyebrow and continued his assault, tearing down the figure until nothing was left except for the golden glow.
     “Go, get out of here while I hold him off,” the disembodied voice of L-sama said, “you’ll find your friends about a quarter of a mile west of here. Go, quickly, before my energy is used up.”
     “You heard the dark lord,” Seifer said as he clipped his gunblade to his belt, “We need to MOVE!”
     The other four regained their feet and followed Seifer’s charge in the direction the voice had indicated, leaving trails of dust in their wake. The voice soon regained a body, this one similar to Lina’s in size and hair type, except it had golden hair and black and golden clothes.
     “You’re not going anywhere big boy,” L-sama said as a large scythe formed in one hand, “I’m not through with you yet.”

go to next?
or return to the insanity?