Chapter 71: The Diadem of Spiritual Balance

Thomas Kasuto

Nymphaea Province

2 Days

 

Nymphaea Province is a cold and barren province that is not too different from Cyprus Desert to the south. The blizzards there are similar to the desert’s sandstorms, only that the blizzard is constant, rather than frequent. Nymphaea, however, does not have any human population to speak of to my knowledge, and even Digimon, even ice Digimon like Frigimon, are a rare sight.

“How are you holding up?!” I asked, being forced to yell over the loud roar of the never-ending blizzard of the province.

“I’m fine!” Zelda replied. Her petite frame was bundled up in a thick, padded blue coat, and she wore a red scarf around her neck. Not used to the cold, she huddled close to me to help keep herself warm. I, of course, was feeling quite fine, having been here before with Victoria, and wore nothing in addition to my normal attire. “Are you sure you aren’t cold?!” she yelled.

“No, I feel good!” I shouted back. On numerous occasions during our trip up here, I had attempted to offer her my own coat, but she immediately refused whenever I did so.

“‘No! You’ll freeze to death! I’m surprised you haven’t frozen yet!’” I remember her saying at least fifteen times. I smiled.

Life would definitely not be the same without her, I thought, smiling down at the shivering woman as she came to an abrupt stop. “What’s wrong?”

“…I can feel this ice moving,” Zelda said. “It’s shaking…as if something’s underneath the surface…Something big…”

“This entire province is made of ice over ten miles thick,” I said. “If whatever’s down there comes up, there’s no danger of the ice breaking and us falling into the ocean. It’s probably just a Drimogemon.”

“…No…it feels too big to be a Drimogemon, and not quite as steady or smooth,” Zelda said. “Whatever it is, it’s getting closer; we should—” She was interrupted when the ice in front of us split open. I grabbed hold of her arm instantly and stepped back as an enormous, bestial Digimon climbed out of the hole formed, facing us.

“I thought I heard Human footsteps up above,” the Digimon said. “And just when I was getting ready to go home after working for so long…”

“You…you’re a Zudomon, aren’t you?” I asked. “I apologize if we’ve disturbed you—”

“Nah; you did no such thing,” Zudomon said. “I was just on my way back home after finding the Horcrux.” My heart skipped a beat.

“The…Horcrux?!” Zudomon’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“So…you do know what those are.” The behemothic Digimon snorted “I was wondering why Humans would come this far north…My master told me there might be Humans who know about the Horcruxes…”

“Who are you?! Who’s your master, and why are you out looking for the Horcruxes?!” I asked. Zudomon grinned.

“You know what my master told me to do? What I should do if I encounter other people who know about the Horcruxes?” Zudomon asked. “He told me…to destroy them!”

“Ah, crap…”

“Vulcan’s Hammer!” Zudomon slammed his hammer down on the ice, sending numerous jagged icicles in our direction.

“Zelda, look out!” I pushed her to the ground just before any of the icicles could hit us. The Ultimate Digimon then jabbed his left claw at us, but missed, sending snow flying everywhere. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you…”

“We should get out of here,” I said frantically. “I’m not strong enough to protect you from a Digimon this big!”

“Leaving so soon?” Zudomon asked. “You’re not going to leave without this…are you?” Zudomon held out his left claw; sitting at its center was the Diadem, which gleamed and sparkled madly as if light were shining on it. Its right half was pitch black, while its left half was purest white, giving the impression that it would make it impossible to find in the snow were the black half buried or obscured from view.

“I wouldn’t ask you to fight a Digimon this dangerous,” Zelda said. “Only a Digimon could defeat another Digimon as powerful as Zudomon. Come forth, Vajramon!”

“At your service, milady,” Vajramon said, drawing his swords.

“Be careful, Vajramon!” Zelda called out, but Vajramon had already begun attacking the other Ultimate Digimon. “Vajramon! Don’t let him put that crown on you! If you do, you’ll turn—”

“Terra Blade!”

“Vulcan’s Hammer!” Vajramon’s swords made contact with Zudomon’s hammer; sparks flew through the air as steel collided with steel.

“Deva Blade!” An energy beam shot forth from Vajramon’s blades and knocked Zudomon’s hammer out of his hand before repeatedly striking the Sea Animal Digimon with his swords.

“You bastard! Enough of this!” Zudomon reached out and grabbed hold of Vajramon’s neck. “I’m late enough as it is without having to fight you!”

Vajramon ignored him and dropped his swords into the snow. The Spirit grabbed Zudomon’s arm and hurled him over his own back to the ground. Snow went flying everywhere, and Zelda and I became partially buried in the miniature avalanche that flew through the air before crashing back down to the ground when Zudomon landed.

“That ought to do it,” Vajramon said, looking down at Zudomon before the Sea Animal Digimon turned into dispersed data. “I apologize for not being more careful, milady.”

“No…that…that’s okay,” Zelda said, digging herself out of the snow as I did the same. “Thank you…We…we’re done here…”

“If that is all, then by your leave, I shall excuse myself,” Vajramon said before vanishing.

“Zelda, are you okay?” I asked once finally digging myself out of the snow. My heart skipped a few beats when I looked at her. Sitting atop her head was the Diadem. Oh, my god…how did that happen?! Zudomon must’ve dropped it when Vajramon…Oh, my god! Quickly, I reached for the Diadem and removed it from Zelda’s head. “Zelda! Are you okay?!”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked. Her voice sounded emotionless, almost monotoned. “What are you looking at me like that for? I’m fine!”

It…it’s already begun! My heart sank as I looked down at the Diadem in my hand; its black half almost seemed to be glowing.

It took us another three days to return back to Saias’s villa, and in that time, Zelda and I didn’t speak to each other. With each passing day, I could see her usual gentle, loving, and caring face gradually turn expressionless. By the time we arrived at the villa, she looked quite annoyed, even angry. She threw the front door of the villa open and strode inside, shoving a passing-by Chrysania to the floor. Ignoring the girl’s cry of surprise, Zelda stormed upstairs to our room and slammed the door shut behind her.

“Are you okay, Chrysania?” I asked, helping her stand up.

“Chrissy falls all the time, Tommy; she’s used to it!” the young witch replied with a huge smile on her face and an expectant look in her eyes. “So, what did you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“When girlfriends get mad, it’s usually because their boyfriends did something stupid,” Chrysania said. “So, what did you do?” By now, she was jumping up and down with anticipation.

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Yeah; that’s what they all say…”

“No, I mean…the reason she’s mad — well, I guess I wouldn’t really call it mad — well…the reason she’s like this...it’s not because of something I did…”

“Oh…does that mean she has another boyfriend that did something stupid?”

“What?! No! She doesn’t have—”

“Ooh, what a pretty crown!” Chrysania interrupted. “Is that the whore-something you two went to Nymphaea to get? I’m not supposed to wear it, right? If someone wears it, it’ll turn them evil, right?”

“Yes, Chrysania. That is exactly what will happen.”

“Thomas? Is there something you would like to tell me?” I looked behind me and saw Apollomon looking down at me.

Chapter 70: Conflicting Forces

Thomas Kasuto

Saias’s Villa

1 Day

 

“I never want to see that damned jungle again as long as I live!” Statuedramon said rather loudly. “I must’ve tripped over those tree’s roots a hundred times! And it’s not even noon yet! And don’t even get me started on that Cherrymon!”

“Look on the bright side, Statch; with Horusmon dead and the Mask retrieved, there should be no more reason for us to go there anymore,” I said. At least for now…

At last we reached the villa, both of us hot, tired, and hungry. Upon opening the front door, the two of us walked in and entered the living room, where we saw Apollomon sitting alone on a couch.

“What took you two so long?” he asked.

“I apologize, sir; it seems the rumor about the Cursed Woods was true,” I said. “It is the doing of a Cherrymon.”

“…And you made it out alive?!” Apollomon asked. “Well, whatever…Welcome back, guys…”

“You okay, boss?” Statch asked.

“Sorry…I’m just tired,” Apollomon said.

“That wound Lector gave you is still acting up, huh?” I sat down on a couch across from the Mega Digimon and looked at him with concern. It had been almost a month since he had been stabbed by Lector, and although Digimon heal from injuries faster than humans, his was a wound that I feared may affect him for the remainder of his life, however short or long that may be.

“Hasn’t Luna been treating it?” Statch asked.

“She has…and she’s the reason why it hasn’t bled at all since the day he stabbed me,” Apollomon said. “Still hurts, though…He probably messed up an organ or two pretty badly…So, how did things go in Lotisea?”

“Horusmon was freed, but he got killed by Deckerdramon,” Statch said. “Also, the two Bio Hybrids made off with the Mask.” Apollomon rested his forehead in the palm of his hand, sighing.

“That…leaves us with only one Horcrux left to find,” he said after a moment.

“The Diadem, right?” I asked. Apollomon nodded. “If you’d like, I can go right now—”

“No, not yet!” Apollomon interrupted. “There are a few things you must know first, besides the fact that this Horcrux is somewhere in Nymphaea, and it would be foolish to rush in to try and find it.”

“…Yes, sir,” I said. “So, what do you need to tell me?”

“Within each person, there lies two conflicting forces; yin and yang; light and dark; good and evil,” Apollomon began. “In some people…the light is much brighter than in others, and with other people, the darkness is far deeper than other people. The Diadem of Spiritual Balance…it seeks to counterbalance those two forces by reversing them.”

“Reverse…light and darkness? What do you mean?” Statuedramon asked.

“If someone with a pure heart like Zelda were to wear the Diadem, the Horcrux would bring about her inner darkness, no matter how deep within her it may be, and if someone evil were to wear it, then their inner light would shine forth, dispelling all darkness within. That is the power of the Digimon whose soul is trapped within that object…that is the power of Lucemon.”

“So…all we have to do is not wear the Diadem, and we’ll be fine?” I asked.

“You must not allow the Bio Hybrids to get their hands on that one,” Apollomon warned. “If they do…”

“Sounds like end of the world time,” Statch said.

“No. It would be far worse than that.” Apollomon clasped his hands over his knees, forcing himself to stand up. “I…considered going up to Nymphaea in your stead; trust me, if it were up to me, that is what would happen. However, Dianamon…refused. Quite vehemently, I might add. You know how she gets…”

“Yes, sir,” I smiled. “I don’t mind going to Nymphaea; I like it cold.”

“If you say so,” Apollomon said. “I doubt the Bio Hybrids would be willing to rush in to that raging blizzard, so you can take your time getting yourselves ready for this job.”

“Yes, sir,” I repeated. I left the living room and made my way to my bedroom, where I found Zelda alone and reading a book in our bed. When she saw me enter the room, she dropped the book and ran over to me, giving me a big hug.

“I’m so glad you’re back,” she said. “I miss you so much when you’re out like that…”

“I’ve missed you, too…” I placed my arms around her petite body. “Are you feeling better? From…from what happened in Shendu?”

“Yeah…Thank you, Thomas. Talking with you the morning after we got back really made me feel better.”

“I’m glad I was able to help.”

“So, were you and Statuedramon successful?” Zelda asked.

“I’m afraid not; the Bio Hybrids got to the Mask and released Horusmon before getting away with the Horcrux,” I said. “That leaves us with only one Horcrux left to find.”

“The Diadem in Nymphaea?”

I nodded. “I’m going to get ready to leave soon, and when I go…Zelda, I don’t want you to go with me.”

“…Why not?” she asked, a sad, guilty expression crossing her face.

“Nymphaea is a harsh and unforgiving land, Zelda, far worse than the desert of Cyprus Province. Also, with this being the last Horcrux, the Bio Hybrids will fight harder than ever to get it before we do.”

“Thomas, it’s because of that reason that I want to go with you,” Zelda said. “No…it’s because of that reason that I am going with you. Ever since I first met you, Thomas, you’ve always protected me…While you were in Lotisea, I decided that I would do the same for you. I may not be able to convince you to not protect me, but at least allow me to protect you while you’re protecting me…Please? With the Digimon Talismans, I can take care of not only myself, but you as well…”

Damn it…I just can’t say no to her when she makes that face at me…It’s just so damn cute…And she does have good reasoning, too…Maybe I should let her come with me…

“I...I understand if you want me to stay behind,” she continued. “I wouldn’t want to get in your way…”

“You could never be in the way,” I said. “Of course you can come.” I must be the worst boyfriend in the world, letting her come with me into such a dangerous place… My heart sank slightly, but when Zelda smiled at me, it rose back up.

“Thank you, Thomas,” she said. “I promise; I’ll do everything I can to help you!” I nodded.

“We’d better start packing; it’s going to be a long trip,” I said. “Remember to dress warmly when we go.” Zelda blushed slightly.

“I guess I…do always kind of dress like this, don’t I…” Zelda looked down at herself. “I’ve never been that far up north, so I’ve never had to dress warmly before, and I’ve just always felt the most comfortable wearing clothes that Humans in the desert wear…”

“And you look good in them, too,” I added. Zelda smiled and kissed me.

“What about you? I’ve never seen you dress for cold weather, either,” Zelda said.

“I’ve been to Nymphaea many times before,” I said. “It was while I was training with Victoria, before I met Statuedramon — I doubt he’s coming with us, by the way; Reptile Digimon like him can’t stand the cold. We didn’t stay for very long, but it was just long enough for my body to be able to tolerate temperatures that low, so I’m fine as I am now.”

Chapter 69: The Cursed Woods

Thomas Kasuto

Deckerdramon’s Temple

Lotisea Province

 

Horusmon glared down at Statch and me; his red eyes were glowing, and it seemed as though he were peering into our souls. He was quite large and made an imposing first impression, with his muscular arms crossed across his broad chest. The two of us stared up and into his eyes, and I calmly placed a hand over my sword hilt, ready to fight.

“You have been freed, oh mighty Horusmon,” Sephyrus said.

“I am aware,” Horusmon said, his gaze never shifting from us. “Where is Lilithmon? There are things I must say to her.”

“She…could not make it here, I’m afraid.”

“Is that so…Tell me, are you two the ones responsible for the deaths of my brethren?” Horusmon asked.

“Yeah…that was us,” Statuedramon said. He spoke in a low voice, and I could see that he had taken a step back. I, too, was nervous, but I kept my ground. Horusmon grinned, which looked quite odd for one with a beak.

“It is a pleasure to meet the two of you.” Horusmon bent down on one knee before us. “Murdering my brethren…it must not have been an easy task.”

“Horusmon, what are you doing?!” BioBeelzemon asked. Kneeling before us, he was still taller than even I, but just barely. He looked deep into my eyes, and I could clearly see the honesty of his words.

“I want you to know…that I truly respect the two of you,” Horusmon said. “People like you…who fight with all your heart and soul to do what you believe is the right thing to do…I harbor no ill will against you. However, it seems as though that I will be forced to destroy you if I want freedom for not only myself, but my allies as well.”

“Yeah?! Just…just try and stop us!” Statuedramon said. On cue, I drew and brandished my sword at the tall Digimon, who jumped back to avoid being hit.

“I’ll do my best!” Emitting a loud, bird-like shriek, Horusmon opened his beak as he took flight, and a ball of black flames formed in his mouth. “Ebon Flames of Purgatory!” From the sphere, Horusmon unleashed a thick stream of black flames that filled the entire room and shrouded it in their darkness.

“Thomas, get behind me!” I did as I was told, knowing my partner was a better match against the Mega Digimon, and Statuedramon held up his shield, which absorbed some of the flames spewed by the Mega Digimon. “Sword of Dragon’s—” Suddenly, the flames came to an abrupt end, and Horusmon came soaring down close to us.

“Thunderous Judgment of Mighty Osiris!” Horusmon crossed his arms, and from the opening in the ceiling, a huge bolt of lightning descended towards us. I closed my eyes and breathed in, knowing what was coming next.

“Dimensional Shield!” Statch held up his shield, which absorbed the lightning bolt. “Sword of Dragon’s Soul!” Statch’s sword fired a yellow projection that directly struck Horusmon and completely enveloped his body in its electrical blast. Horusmon fell to the ground, his skin burned black and falling off, and the feathers on his wings ruffled up and spread across the room. “Wait…that did it?! Did we actually beat him already?!”

“Ha…not bad,” Horusmon wheezed. “But this…is far from over…”

“We’ll see about that!” Statuedramon shouted.

“Hathor’s Gentle Embrace!” A spectral pair of feminine arms, adorned with jewelry, wrapped themselves around Horusmon’s chest. The Mega Digimon became covered with a white light, and in a brief moment, his injuries disappeared, his skin returned to normal, and his feathers returned to their customary, sleek appearance.

“…Well…that sucks…” Statch said.

Horusmon turned his head toward the smaller Rookie. “While I am fighting for my friends, I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that our plans prevail! Ebon Flames of Purgatory!” Horusmon opened his beak once more, but before he could attack, JewelBeemon flew towards us and pulled us out of the way.

“JewelBeemon, what are you doing?” Statch asked.

“You should not have endangered yourself like that,” I said as the tall Ultimate set us down on the ground several feet away from Horusmon.

“I apologize…but I just couldn’t stand…just watching my friends fight anymore,” JewelBeemon wheezed. “But this time…I’ll fight alongside you, and there’s nothing you can say to me to change my mind!”

“Stubborn jackass,” Statch muttered.

“Admit it; he reminds you of someone, doesn’t he?” I asked, thinking of the Digimon I was addressing.

“Hmm…nope.”

“…Whatever. We appreciate your assistance, JewelBeemon,” I bowed.

“Thank you, Thomas.” JewelBeemon thrust his spear into the ground and glared at Horusmon. “You who rose from the depths of the Dark Area and defiles this honored sanctuary of light…You shall be purified! JewelBeemon Digivolve to, Zamielmon!”

“…The Wood-Spirit General,” Horusmon said calmly. “Interesting…even with an injury such as that, you still aim to fight?” Horusmon glanced down at Zamielmon’s blackened arm, which hung limply at the Digimon’s side.

“It doesn’t matter…because I will defeat you, demon! The World Shot!” Zamielmon fired an enormous arrow that seemed to dwarf even the tall Horusmon in size. Horusmon, however, did not even look up. He held up his left arm and stopped the arrow with a single finger.

“This is the coveted power of a Death General? Pathetic! Ebon Flames of Purgatory!” Before Horusmon could attack, the wall behind the king’s throne opened up, revealing itself to be a doorway. Bright beams of light burst out from the door, obscuring all from sight.

“Smokey Fang!” As Horusmon turned around to see what was happening, he was greeted with a faceful of missiles, all of which exploded on impact and created a dense, smoky cloud that filled the room. The sound of heavy footsteps resonated, and as the smoke cleared, I saw Horusmon flat on his back, alive but appearing to be unconscious. Standing above him was an enormous Digimon.

“Deckerdramon…is that you?” I asked.

“Thomas…Statuedramon…how good to see you two again,” Deckerdramon said. “What’s it been…two years? What brings you two back to Lotisea, my old friends?”

“This Digimon,” I pointed at Horusmon. “We’ve been trying to stop him and his evil buddies from being freed from the Dark Area.”

“Freed from the Dark Area? That sounds bad. Not to mention impossible,” Deckerdramon said. “But…if you two really are trying to do this, then it must really be true.”

“Hathor’s Gentle Embrace!” Horusmon began glowing once more, and in the blink of an eye, his injuries disappeared.

“And that’s why he’s not dead yet,” Statch said. “Man, I hate it when we have to fight enemies who can heal themselves!”

“You know, Statuedramon…the only way you can get around an ability like that,” Deckerdramon began. “Is to hit them so hard the first time, they don’t have the energy to do so. Observe; Crocodile Cannons!” From his back, Deckerdramon unleashed a barrage of missiles at the opposing Mega. Horusmon was instantly obliterated, and nothing was left of him when Deckerdramon’s attack ended, save for a few stray ebon feathers. “And that’s how it’s done.”

“Oh, sure; that may be easy for you to do, but for those of us that don’t have missiles everywhere on their body, I think that would be a little difficult, don’t you think?!” Statuedramon asked. Deckerdramon laughed.

“I suppose you make a fair point,” he said.

“Oh, and by the way, King Earh is dead,” Statch added.

“Earh? Who was that?” Deckerdramon asked. “I know every one of the royal family by name, and the name Earh is unfamiliar to me.”

“…Sephyrus was right,” I said. I glanced swiftly around the room as a dawning realization struck me. “Sephyrus! Damn it, they both got away! And they had the Mask, too!”

“That’s okay; we’ve still got a lot of the Horcruxes,” Statuedramon said.

“We only have the Stone! That means there’s only one left to find!” A thought suddenly came to mind. “Deckerdramon…do you know anything about Horcruxes?”

“Horcruxes? Not much; why do you ask?”

“That Digimon, Horusmon, was freed from one, and so were his other allies; we’ve been going around the continent stopping some bad people from freeing the Digimon whose souls are attached to them, but even after we’ve finished killing the Digimon that was freed, they still take the time to retrieve the Horcruxes. Do you know why they might do that?”

“It’s simple; even though the Digimon’s soul might no longer be bound to the Horcrux after they have been freed from the Dark Area, the traces of their soul still linger within the object. With that, the caster of the spell can use the soulless Horcruxes to open a gateway to the Dark Area. I…do not claim to know how that is done, but I do know that is the only reason why they would possibly still be collecting the Horcruxes after their target Digimon was freed.”

“A gate…to the Dark Area?!” Statch gasped.

“Yes; a gateway that will enable him or her to free the Digimon of the Dark Area,” Deckerdramon continued. “If something like this ever occurs…Arcadia may never know light again.”

“…We have to make sure they never get the Stone, and the Diadem if we can help it,” I said.

“I’m afraid that’s all the information I can give you on that subject,” Deckerdramon said. “However, if you need my help, do not hesitate to contact me; I will help you and Lachesis in any way I can.”

“Thank you, Deckerdramon,” I said.

“Count on…my support as well…” Zamielmon walked up to Deckerdramon, and turned back into JewelBeemon.

“JewelBeemon! Are you okay?!” I asked. “You shouldn’t be walking around!”

“I’m…fine,” JewelBeemon said. “It’s just…a minor injury…I’ll be fine in a day or so…

“No, you will not,” Deckerdramon said. “That injury…that burn…I’m afraid your arm may never move again.”

“Never move…again? But then…how will I…guard this place?” JewelBeemon asked.

“I’m afraid you cannot, in your condition,” Deckerdramon said. “You will be required to resign.”

“…Resign? But…”

“JewelBeemon…your life is more important than this job. Please…for your own safety…resign.”

“…All right. I…resign. But…that doesn’t mean I can’t help out. Thomas…Statuedramon…whenever you come to request for Deckerdramon’s help, expect some from me, too,” JewelBeemon said. “It’s…the least I can do…”

“JewelBeemon…” I began.

“We’ll see you again soon,” Statuedramon said.

“Uh…Excuse me…” A tall man dressed in yellow-green robes nervously walked up to us. He had long, silver hair, though in spite of its color, he looked quite youthful. “Is…has Earh been removed from the throne?”

“Yes, sir, he has,” I said. “He was killed in doing so, but he has been removed nonetheless.” The man bowed to me.

“You have my gratitude, sir,” the man said.

“You…aren’t you Lord Syra’an?” JewelBeemon asked. “Myrddin Syra’an? That is who you are, correct?”

“Yes, my friend,” the man said in a pleasant voice. “I am…the rightful king of this fair city. Unfortunately, Earh had been on the throne for as long as I can remember…he had even banished my family from ever visiting the temple. But now…he is gone…”

“I am pleased to have been of service to you, Milord,” I said, returning the man’s bow.

“No…it is I who is grateful,” King Myrddin said. “What are your names?”

“My name is Thomas Kasuto, and this is Statuedramon. We work for a mercenary guild known as Lachesis.”

“A guild, you say? That is very admirable,” King Myrddin said. “I am forever indebted to the two of you, and your guild, Lachesis. Please…if there ever comes I time when I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will do everything in my power to help your group, and I shall ensure that each and every one of my descendants knows of this debt as well.”

“You are very gracious, Milord,” I said. “We gratefully accept your generous offer, but if you’ll excuse us, we must return home. Our guildmaster is expecting us.”

“Of course, of course,” Myrddin said politely. “I apologize to have kept you so long.”

Lotisea Jungle

3 Days

 

“Just a few more twists and turns on this path, and we should be home in just a few hours,” Statuedramon said.

“Our journey home is going by faster than our journey to the temple,” I noted. As accustomed as I was to long journeys on foot, the careful maneuvering around the intertwined roots of the trees of Lotisea made our trip much more tiring than usual.

“Yeah…I wonder why that is?” Statch asked. “Damn it, what’s with all of this fog?! It’s the middle of the day, but it seems like it’s getting thicker! And why does it look like its blue?!”

I stopped walking. It really is…blue! “Statuedramon…do you remember the last time we were here? With Ienzo?”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Last time…you mentioned the rumor about this place?”

“You mean how the trees seem like they move around, and…oh. Oh. Oh, no…”

“Statuedramon…it seems that the rumors just might be true, after all,” I said, looking around uncomfortably. The fog grew thicker. The trees’ leaves rustled madly, and when the fog grew less thick, the trees looked as though they had, in fact, moved. None of them were in the same place as they had been.

“Thomas…you told me that this was only a rumor!” Statch said, his voice growing more and more panicked.

“Calm down.”

“You calm down! By the Goddess, we’re going to get lost here forever! We’re going to—”

“Statch, shut up!” I yelled. The fog was nearly gone by now and hung low to the forest floor.

“Who are you? Why do you disturb the forest’s slumber?!”

“Oh my god!”

“Statch, calm down!” I hissed. I think I know what Digimon this is…

“For disturbing the forest’s slumber, I shall subject you to—”

“Hold on just a minute…Cherrymon,” I said.

“…You know of me?”

“We did not come here to disturb anything,” I replied.

“My senses say otherwise.” The fog vanished completely, and before we knew it, a colossal Cherrymon stood before us. “The scent of the Dark Area lingers upon the two of you. For the past several days, all across the continent, I have sensed the darkness of the Dark Area growing ever larger…and ever closer to swallowing up the entire world,” Cherrymon said. “You two…are the ones responsible for the spread of darkness!”

“No, we’re not! We’re trying to stop the darkness from spreading!” Statch yelled.

“There are two Humans who turn into Digimon; they are the ones spreading the darkness,” I said.

“Humans turning into Digimon?!” Cherrymon gasped. “That…that can’t be…But with the spread of darkness…And you say you are fighting the darkness?”

“Several Digimon from the Dark Area have been called forth from the Dark Area, Cherrymon,” I said. “We were there for some of them. But also…we fought against them. We sent them back to the Dark Area.”

“…Do you speak the truth?” Cherrymon asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“…Very well. If it is as you say…then you may go,” Cherrymon said. “But know this; if you have lied to me, the Illusion Mist will grow thicker and thicker…and you will never be able to leave these woods. You will be doomed to wander here for the rest of your life…until you perish. The Cursed Woods…that is where you now tread. And those are its rules. If you can abide by them, and escape…then you win. And you shall never again be bothered by the rules if you are to win but once.” Fog surrounded Cherrymon once more, and he completely vanished from sight. Statuedramon looked up at me.

“…Well, now what do we do?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked back. “We did not lie, so we’ve nothing to worry about. Let us be on our way back home.”

“Wait…are you sure about this?”

“Of course I am. You…believe that we’re doing the right thing, don’t you?” I asked.

“Well, yeah, but…I don’t know…” he looked down at the ground. “I know you are fighting back…but what about me? I can’t even Digivolve…I just get in the way…”

“Statuedramon, that is not true,” I whispered, bending down to look him in the eye. “There’s no other Digimon I’d rather have as my Partner. You know that. You’ve gotten me out of more predicaments than I care to remember. Remember what Apollomon told you; what’s important is not how well you fight, but why you fight.”

“…Yeah. Okay. Let’s go. Thanks, buddy.”

“Anytime, buddy.”

Chapter 68: The Mask of King Earh

Thomas Kasuto

Deckerdramon’s Temple

Lotisea Province

 

“Up ahead is the king’s throne,” JewelBeemon whispered, stopping in front of a marble column. “I would like to remind you that, even though we suspect his mask might be the one you seek, there is no guarantee that it is, so do not get your hopes up. Also, make sure you do nothing to…offend His Royal Highness.” JewelBeemon looked directly at Statuedramon, and the Rookie Digimon’s eyes shifted nervously. “Let me do the talking; King Earh is very…particular about whom he speaks to, so I am more likely to succeed, but that doesn’t mean I will succeed.”

JewelBeemon left the cover provided by the column and approached the throne, kneeling, while Statch and I watched from behind the marble column. “My liege; please, hear my humble request.”

“What is it you desire, JewelBeemon?” came the reply. The voice sounded rather bored, almost impatient, but not quite irritated. It was almost tempting to take a look at him, but I did not wish to reveal our position and cause any unnecessary uproar that may ensue, so I made certain that we both remained hidden.

“Some friends of mine; they seek something very valuable. It is an item of great importance, one that will put its owner in great peril if he or she refuses to relinquish it into the hands of my friends. We believe…this object may be in your possession, Milord.”

Wow, he’s a good speaker…

“Okay, JewelBeemon; you’ve got my attention,” the king said. His voice sounded a bit more worried. “What is it you seek?”

“Your mask, Milord.”

“…What?!”

“Forgive my impertinence, Milord, but we have reason to believe that the mask you wear could pose a threat to your life,” JewelBeemon continued. “As a guard of the royal temple — and, of course, His Royal Highness — it is of great importance that I…”

“That you…what?! Go on, JewelBeemon; say it!” his voice rose in anger.

“Milord, I must ask that I…take your mask. But only for your own protection, sir!”

“Absurd! Absolutely ridiculous!” he snapped. “Call those friends of yours over here!”

“At once, sir!” Statuedramon and I walked up behind the Ultimate Digimon. The king sat atop a large throne whose back was against a wall, and with the mask he wore, it was impossible to tell what mood he was in. He wore a large black cloak that covered his entire body. The room itself was square-shaped and surrounded with marble columns, and there was an opening in the ceiling, presumably for flying Digimon to use. It seemed as though nearly every area of the temple was still outdoors. Standing next to the king was a Butterflymon.

“So…these be the whelps that request my mask?!” King Earh asked. “And what do you want it for, I wonder?”

“It is as JewelBeemon says, Milord; leaving the mask in your possession will prove to be very dangerous,” I said.

“Two evil Humans that can turn into Digimon are coming for it!” Statuedramon said. “Well, it’s not the mask itself, but what’s inside the mask that those two are coming here for!”

“Humans turning into Digimon?! How ridiculous!” Earh stood up and walked over to us. He was a tall and large man, reaching nearly the height of JewelBeemon, but his cloak and mask kept any part of his body from being seen. “I ought to throw the two of you in the dungeon right now for…well…Just because your story is so ridiculous and I say so!”

“Sir, we don’t actually have any dungeons here,” Butterflymon said.

“We don’t? Oh…well…I guess you two get off lucky, then! Now, get out of my sight before I decide to let somebody execute you!”

“We should go,” JewelBeemon whispered, grabbing our arms and taking flight, flying us out of the room. In a few moments, we landed at the entrance of the temple.

“Damn it; why didn’t he give us that mask?!” Statuedramon said. “That stupid, useless, son of a—”

“There is no point in lamenting the past, Statch,” I said. After being hoisted into the air by the Ultimate Digimon, I had to readjust my coat. “It seems to be highly unlikely that we’ll actually get the mask at the current moment. The only thing we can do is wait for the Bio Hybrids to arrive and drive them off. Maybe then, King Earh will believe us and give us the mask willingly…”

“And even then, you’ll have a slim chance of getting it,” JewelBeemon added.

“Yeah, but still…JewelBeemon? Are you…okay?” Statch asked. The Insect Digimon’s head was moving around rapidly, as if he were looking for something. “JewelBeemon?”

“Spike Buster!” JewelBeemon turned around and tossed his spear into the shadows, striking the outer wall of the temple.

“Ouch!” said a raspy but familiar voice from the shadows. “That was rude, damn it! I haven’t even done anything…yet.” The shadows began moving on their own until they took the shape of a lizard.

“BioPremenitmon!” Statch exclaimed.

“Nothing gets past you, does it?” From the shadows, the Bio Hybrid that Statch called out emerged. “I’ve been looking for the mask for a few days now, but I haven’t been able to find out which one it is. There are just so many in this damned temple,” BioPremenitmon said. “Of course…that was before you two arrived. Thanks to you, Thomas, I now know which mask I need to free Horusmon!”

“…Did you guys take the Sword?” I asked.

“The Sword? I thought you…got to it first,” BioPremenitmon said.

“The Mirror and the Flute were also taken; were you two the ones who took them?” I asked.

“…So, it really wasn’t you who’s been taking them…” BioPremenitmon sighed. “It seems that there’s someone else that’s claiming the Horcruxes as their own besides our two groups.”

“Someone…else?” I asked

“Claw of Phantasms!” yelled BioPremenitmon.

I barely had enough time to draw my sword before BioPremenitmon swung his claws at me. Though my weapon was able to stop his attack just in time, I was still knocked down when my side was struck by his thick tail, an act which caught me off guard long enough for the Bio Hybrid to shove me to the ground. My entire torso throbbed with the pain of being hit and falling to the ground. “You’ve been a pain in my ass for the longest time, Thomas!” BioPremenitmon wrapped his claws around my neck.

“Get off of him!” Statuedramon yelled as I heard him draw his sword. I tried to move, but the Bio Hybrid shoved my body against the wall. His palm dug into my throat, and when I tried to draw breath, he would press down harder.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” BioBeelzemon swooped down from the trees, landing between me and Statuedramon. “You wouldn’t want your pal’s head to be blown off, would ya?”

“You two will die…right here and now!” Statch yelled.

“When we…first met,” I said. The Bio Hybrid’s hand was wrapped tightly around my neck, making it difficult to speak. “You were…a priest. That…orphan girl…Larraine…you were so kind to her…”

“It was only part of the job. I had no real affection for the wretch,” BioPremenitmon said.

“If she could…” I croaked.

“‘See me now…what would she think of the man who had treated her with such kindness saying such horrible things about her…’ Was that what you were going to say?” BioPremenitmon interrupted. “But you see…That’s something that will forever remain unknown. The girl is no more; whether she was eaten alive by a SkullScorpiomon or starved to death and buried under all the sand of Cyprus Desert…I highly doubt she’s capable of thinking anything anymore.”

“BioPremenitmon, stop wasting time; we need to get that mask!” BioBeelzemon said, turning his head to face us. “Kill him or don’t kill him; just make up your mind!”

“Spike Buster!” JewelBeemon thrust his spear into BioBeelzemon’s left arm. The Bio Hybrid dropped the gun he held in his right hand and wrapped his claws around JewelBeemon’s spear, attempting to remove it from his arm. The grip around my neck loosened as BioPremenitmon turned to look at his comrade; I took a shuddering breath and grabbed my sword, striking the Bio Hybrid across the neck. The wound, however, was not very deep, and blood fell out in minute drops. His eyes widened in pain and his fists clenched as he endured the pain, until I delivered a sharp kick to his stomach and knocked him over.

“I told you to hurry up!” BioBeelzemon shouted.

“Shut up! Let’s just go and get the mask before it’s too late!” BioPremenitmon said. “Claw of Phantasms!” BioPremenitmon’s claws tore through JewelBeemon’s spear and sliced it into several small pieces. The two Bio Hybrids ran into the temple, leaving behind a trail of blood drops as we followed them. We followed the trail all the way into King Earh’s throne room, where we were greeted by a huge cannon aimed at our faces.

“Corona Blaster!”

“Guys, look out!” JewelBeemon jumped in front of us just in time for BioBeelzemon’s attack to strike his right arm.

“JewelBeemon!” I yelled.

“That…is for getting in our way!” BioBeelzemon said, beginning his walk to the throne. The Ultimate Digimon’s arm had been severely burnt and blackened.

“JewelBeemon, are you okay?!” Statch asked.

“Yes…I…I will be fine,” The Insect Digimon said. “Just go! Get the mask…and if you can…if you feel that you must…protect the king…”

“What is the meaning of this?!” Earh’s booming voice echoed through the room. “Who are you two?!”

“Oh, I think you know who we are,” BioPremenitmon said. “We’ve come…for your mask.”

“My mask?! Absurd! If I wouldn’t relinquish it to one of my own bodyguards, what makes you think I’ll give it to you?!”

“Because I would be more than happy to use force to get what I want.”

“H—How dare you speak to me in such a way! Have you any idea who I am?!”

“Oh, we know everything about you, King Earh,” BioBeelzemon said. “That is…if you really are the rightful king of this place.”

“O—Of course I am! Why would I sit on this throne if I weren’t a king?!”

“Let me tell you a little story,” BioPremenitmon said. “Once upon a time, there lived a perfectly normal man in a city in the forest. One day, the man got greedy and decided to take something he had no right taking…the king’s throne. With the special powers of a certain mask he found, he forced the king and his family out of their temple and claimed the throne as his own…over one hundred years ago.”

“W—What are you saying?” Earh asked. “You…know? How could you know?!”

“Sir, what are they saying?” Butterflymon asked.

“In the year 631, Earh found a mask that allowed him to control time itself, and ever since then, he’s used it to keep himself young and forever the king of this city,” BioPremenitmon said. “He refuses to take it off because once he does, he will die! That is the price one must pay to use the Mask of Ages Past for as long as you have, Earh!”

“So, how do you want this to be?” BioBeelzemon asked. “Do you want us to kill you while wearing the mask? Or do you want to take the mask off and die?”

“No…no, I don’t want to die! I don’t deserve to!”

“You don’t deserve to?! Of course you do!” BioPremenitmon said. “Who was it that took the throne he had no right taking?! Who was it that used the powers of a Horcrux he had no right using?!”

“Enough of this! You threaten the life of my king, and I will not tolerate it!” Butterflymon jumped between Earh and the Bio Hybrids. “Sweet Pheromone!”

“Out of my way!” BioPremenitmon shoved Butterflymon aside and thrust the sharp end of his ankh into her stomach, instantly killing her.

“No…no, please, I don’t want to—”

“Enough simpering! It won’t help you where you’re going!” BioPremenitmon grabbed the front of Earh’s shirt and, with his other hand, removed the mask that covered his face. As the mask was removed, Earh’s flesh promptly melted away, followed by the muscles and sinew until only his skeleton was left, falling to the ground discarded as a piece of trash before promptly turning to dust and flying away in a breeze.. “Horusmon, I call to you from the other side!” BioPremenitmon began speaking in the ancient language, and the mask in his hand began to glow.

“Stop him! Before another Digimon comes from the Dark Area!” I shouted.

“Double Impact!” BioBeelzemon fired his shotguns at the ground, inches away from hitting Statch and me. “You two ain’t going anywhere near Sephyrus!”

“What do we do?!” Statch asked.

“There’s nothing you can do…except watch and wait!” BioBeelzemon snickered.

“It is done! Horusmon is freed!” The entire room became cloaked in a bright light for a brief moment. When it dissipated, I saw a tall, hawk-headed Digimon standing before us, glaring down.

Chapter 67: Courage and Beauty

Thomas Kasuto

Lotisea Jungle

4 Days

 

“According to this map, we should be arriving at Deckerdramon’s Temple shortly,” Statuedramon said.

“And since when do you know how to read a map?” I asked.

“Pheragas taught me a few days ago.” The Rookie Digimon stopped briefly and looked at the compass he held before walking again.

Wow. He actually looks like he knows what he’s doing. We haven’t even gotten lost once, and he hasn’t walked into a single tree…yet.

“Okay, do you see those big trees up ahead? After we pass them, we’ll have reached the temple,” Statuedramon said.

“Halt!” An electrical attack shot down from the trees and struck the forest floor, just inches away from where Statuedramon stood. The attack made Statch leap into the air with surprise, and I looked up to see where the attack came from. “Who goes there?!”

“Hey, if you’re going to attack us and ask us who we are, the least you could do is show yourself!” Statuedramon said. After a brief moment of silence, the sound of an insect Digimon’s wings buzzing filled the air, and soon, standing before us was a Digimon I recognized as JewelBeemon.

“This area is sacred, and trespassers are not permitted,” JewelBeemon said. “Leave immediately, or I will be forced to make you leave.”

“Wanna bet?!” Statch asked.

“Statuedramon, don’t antagonize him!” I whispered.

“But we’ve been here before!” he whined. “We weren’t treated like this last time!”

“Last time? You two have been here before? Then…might the two of you be Thomas and Statuedramon?” JewelBeemon asked.

“Yes, sir, that is us,” I said. “I apologize for any inconvenience the two of us may have caused…”

“…I suppose this is what comes of being a guard to the royal temple; everyone seems like an enemy,” JewelBeemon said. “It seems my solitude has driven common courtesy from me. Please, come with me into the city.”

“Oh…Thank you, sir,” I said. JewelBeemon turned around and began leading us the rest of the way through the forest and into the city Statch and I had visited roughly two years ago. Nothing about the city seemed to have changed; the buildings and roads were all constructed of white marble, giving the city an ancient look to it similar to the one Mandala had. Humans and Digimon casually walked around the peaceful streets with carefree looks on their faces.

“Even today, I find it difficult to believe that this city was nearly destroyed by that vicious group of cutthroats,” JewelBeemon said. “If not for the two of you, these innocent civilians would not be living the lives they have now. I thank you two from the bottom of my heart.”

Every way I turned, there was a Human or Digimon, gaping at the two of us in awe, waving, or both. It had been a long while since the two of us were welcomed as we were by the joyous passersby of a peaceful settlement, and nearly as long since coming upon a village that still had people living within its borders.

“It seems that, because of what you have done for them, they have come to revere you two as heroes,” JewelBeemon said.

“No matter how many times it happens, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to being treated as such,” Statuedramon said.

“So, what brings you here today?”

“We’re looking for something, actually,” I said. “We need to find a mask.”

“A mask? You’ll find none in the city, I’m afraid.”

“But…there just has to be!” Statuedramon said. “And we need to find it before some very bad people do!”

“…It isn’t here,” JewelBeemon insisted. “Do either of you know the dogma that we of Lotisea live by?” Neither of us said anything. “There are two aspects of life that we here believe transcend all others…courage…and beauty…The courage to protect what truly matters, and the beauty of life itself. The teachings of these two aspects are divided among the two genders. Our young males are trained on the finer aspects of courage, as courage without wisdom is foolishness, and courage without direction is far worse. Our young females are trained to have a love and appreciation of all life on Arcadia, no matter how evil it may appear to be. Everyone here, for the most part, strictly adheres to these teaching, but, as to be expected, there are a few who do not. Men who show a selfish cowardice in the face of danger, choosing to save themselves over others…women who are impure of heart and soul, choosing not to honor and respect the values of life…In our beliefs, there is no worse crime to commit. Those who do commit these crimes are punished, and forced to wear a mask. A man who acts as a coward…will be forced to hide his face in shame like a craven, and a woman who is not beautiful — and by that, I mean of heart and soul, and not her face — will also be forced to wear such a mask to cover her eyes to prevent others from peering into her unclean soul, as we believe the eyes to be windows to a person’s soul.”

“Wait, so…do you guys have masks here or not?!” Statuedramon asked.

“We do, but there are none in the city, as I said,” JewelBeemon continued. “They are kept in Deckerdramon’s Temple with our ruler, King Earh.” JewelBeemon suddenly stopped walking. “Our king…he wears a mask.”

“Is he a coward?”

“Statuedramon!”

“…Our king is the one who decides who is to be punished by wearing a mask, and yet he himself wears one…Thomas, why are you looking for this mask?”

“This mask houses a portion of the soul of an evil Digimon, and we need to find it before some evil people release that Digimon from the Dark Area, using that mask. The mask, while it still has the Digimon’s soul in it, is called a Horcrux, and it also gives its holder a small part of that Digimon’s abilities.”

“…That’s it. That’s the mask you seek. The Mask of King Earh is the one you search for.”

I stopped walking abruptly. “That’s quite an accusation to make,” I said. “Are you certain?”

“…It has to be the one he wears,” JewelBeemon said. “Why else would our king, our leader, wear a mask? In addition, there are many rumors going around that King Earh is not our rightful king, and that he took the throne forcefully from the true king or queen.”

“How is he as a ruler?” Statuedramon asked.

“…I am not supposed to say a thing like this…But King Earh…is the worst. He isn’t an especially cruel person, and he doesn’t derive pleasure from hurting others, but he…is very demanding and pushy, and he can be perceived as selfish and arrogant, depending on whom you ask. Above all, he isn’t cut out to be a ruler of any kind.”

“Well, should we go speak with him?” I asked. “If his is the mask we seek, we must get it away from him as soon as possible…”

“And if it’s not?” Statch asked.

“Then we won’t have to worry about fighting Sephyrus and Michalis to get it from him.”

“The king sits atop the throne in Deckerdramon’s Temple,” JewelBeemon said. “Come with me; I’ll take you to see him."