“Hello?” Emiko asked calmly, hiding her anxiety as she answered the phone.
       “Hello, Mrs Niwa,” a boy’s voice replied from the other end, “put Dark on, please.”
       “Dark? Is that a person?” she pretended to think, “oh, isn’t that the art thief?”
       “It is about your son’s condition.”
       “Who is this!?” Emiko demanded angrily, “I’m not in the mood for pranks.”
       “Put Dark on,” the voice insisted with more force. Emiko lowered the phone with a perplexed expression.
       “What is it?” Kosuke asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
       “They’re asking for Dark,” Emiko responded, “but no one is supposed to know Dark is here.”
       “Except the Hikari boy,” Kosuke whispered, “but why would he call us right after breaking out of the basement?”
       “Maybe he wants to gloat,” Dark grumbled, his pride still damaged after being given a dose of his own medicine. “Let me deal with him,” he stated as he took the phone. “Commander?”
       “Hello, Dark,” Satoshi’s voice replied in his usual emotionless tone, “how is Daisuke?”
       “You’ve got some nerve asking about him,” Dark growled, “maybe you weren’t smart enough to figure it out, but when you left, you took Krad with you. Damnit, I was making progress.” He sighed, “no, of course you knew what you were doing. Look, it’s not working anymore. You keep pretending to care about Daisuke and it’s heartless of you.”
       “Please, Dark,” Satoshi replied, his voice showing no change in emotion, “allow me to explain. I realize you thought you could force Krad to tell you what you needed to know…but it does not work that way. I want to help you save Daisuke. That’s why I had to escape. I have been trying to talk Krad into accidentally revealing information and I did find some things out.”
       “So, you got Krad to spill the beans?”
       “I have information, but I don’t think he told me anything he did not want me to report to you.”
       “Oh really? Why didn’t he tell me this stuff yesterday?”
       “Krad, like you, prefers to be in control of his circumstances, Dark. I doubt he would have revealed any more than he did if he remained in captivity.”
       “You’re comparing me to that bastard?” Dark asked incredulously, “you’re not as smart as I thought.”
       “Go ahead and complain, Dark,” Satoshi replied impatiently, “but it does not change the fact that you two have things in common…and it does not help Daisuke.”
       “We’ll talk about this later,” Dark stated, “just tell me what you found out and I might consider it.”
       “Daisuke’s consciousness has been transferred to a world Krad has imagined for him.”
       “We thought that’s what happened. If you’re just going to tell me everything we already know, this is a waste of time.”
       “I’m not finished.” Dark stopped and waited for Satoshi to continue, “still, Krad does not have to ability to create new things…not like my ancestors could.”
       “But you just said he made one for Daisuke.”
       “He did not create anything new. Neither you nor Krad could possibly create on that scale. He simply took something that already existed and changed it. In this case, he took an alternate reality based on an item that exists in this world and fashioned it in a way that would suit his needs. Although he could not create new beings or locations, he could rearrange them or remove them entirely. I do not know what he has done to the reality Daisuke is stuck in, but if he removed you from it, then you cannot possibly save him.”
       “So you’re saying he’s as good as dead?”
       “Quite the contrary, Dark. Krad would have no reason to leak this information unless it would spur progress in this game of his. I do not think he deleted you from his world. I think he wants you to find a way into his world and locate Daisuke there.”
       “Why would he want that?”
       “That, I cannot tell you. However, I have one more piece of information. This item I referred to that the world is based on…it must be something both Krad and Daisuke came in contact with recently.”
       “Really? That shouldn’t be too hard to find…Krad doesn’t exactly get out very often.”
       “I’m afraid it is not that simple. If I come in contact with something, so does Krad. If Daisuke comes in contact with something, so do you.”
       “You mean I have to search every item both you and Daisuke have touched recently?”
       “Luckily, no. The item would have to be something that already contains power. Something magical.”
       “Which leaves…”
       “Your area of expertise…Hikari artwork. There are other possibilities as well…items containing remnants of the souls of the dead…or even items that originated from Krad or yourself. Recently dropped feathers, for example, still contain shadows of your inherent magical power.”
       “I suppose that narrows the list down a bit…”
       “Yes, it does. I suggest you focus on artwork you have recently…borrowed…I will investigate elsewhere.”
       “You?”
       “Of course. I’ve already explained that I do not want Daisuke to fall victim to Krad’s…game. I’m going to help you get him back. Just remember this: once Daisuke is safe, you and I are enemies again.”
       “That’s a given, Commander.” Dark hung up and allowed a half-smile to display itself on his lips. Despite his concern for Daisuke health, the darker parts of his being were almost amused by the new excitement.