Chapter 84: The Gate to the Dark Area

Lilithmon

Mandala

 

“My…friends?” I gasped. Looking back at me in the mirror were the ten heads of my friends.

“How adorable; the tart wished to be left alone,” Hydramon said. “When on the contrary…”

“She is far from alone,” Generalmon said.

“My friends…It’s so good to see you,” I said nervously. “But…how is it you are speaking with me?”

“Hast thou forgotten what I’m capable of?” DeathPhantomon asked. “With the crystal sphere around my neck, I can observe the actions of anyone I so desire!”

“And with my abilities, I am able to project our images through DeathPhantomon’s pendant and onto the Mirror…my Horcrux,” Hydramon said.

“Oh…yes. What a…truly wonderful ability,” I said nervously. “It…makes me proud to call you all my friends!”

“Your sentiment will subside in due time,” SkullCaliphmon said. “Prepare to say bone-voyage to it!”

“Your punishment is nigh,” Machinedramon said.

“All of you are still going on about that?! I can still free you!” I shouted for what felt to be the hundredth time.

“And how do you plan on doing that, now that all of our Horcruxes have been emptied of souls?!” Belphemon roared.

“Don’t doubt me! I know of a way!” I said. “Do you think I have been wasting time here…this time?! I know of a spell, utilizing all of the Horcruxes I have made, which will open the gate to the Dark Area until the last of you is freed!”

“I’ve a question for you, Lilithmon,” Myotismon asked. “Can you be trusted? You live still; you could easily abandon the ten of us.”

“What are you talking about?! Of course she can’t be trusted!” Lupinemon snarled viciously.

“But if we all desire our freedom, we’ve no option but to do as such, even if it pains us,” Lucemon said. “Lucemon included.”

“I care not if she can or can’t be trusted!” DeathPhantomon laughed. “Either way, I’m going to get my scythe into her!”

“Now, about this spell, Lilithmon,” Hydramon said. “What are the details of it?”

“It’s very simple, really,” I said.

Thomas Kasuto

Saias’s Villa

Living Room

 

“DeathPhantomon has been killed,” Statuedramon said.

“That leaves only Lilithmon,” Luna said.

“No…no, this is very bad!” Statch said. “Thomas, don’t you remember what Deckerdramon told us a few weeks ago?”

“…Yes. With DeathPhantomon out of the way…she’ll be able to open the gate to the Dark Area,” I said.

“…Sorry, what?!” BlackGaomon asked.

“We think that Lilithmon might know of a spell that requires the use of the Horcruxes once they are free of souls,” Statuedramon said.

“Wait, when the Digimon were freed, the portion of their soul that was in the Horcrux left the object and joined the Digimon, didn’t it?” Luna asked.

“Yes, but the traces of their soul remains,” I said. “All Deckerdramon told us…was that once she had all of the Horcruxes, and only after they had been freed of a soul…that was what she would do. It’s the only reason why she would still keep the Horcrux once it became emptied of souls.”

“And that might be what she’s doing now,” Statch added. “It…it might be too late…”

“No. No, it’s never too late,” I said. “This might be our last chance to stop her! If she succeeds…then we may never defeat her!”

“So…you’re going back?” BlackGaomon asked.

“It’s a lot more urgent than it was last time,” Zelda said.

“As Thomas said, this might be our last chance to defeat Lilithmon,” Statuedramon added.

“…All right. Go on, then,” BlackGaomon said. “Go…go and kick her ass!”

“We’ll do that!” Statch nodded. “The three of us…will win.”

“Make that four,” Luna said. “Because I’m going with you.”

“If mommy’s going, then Chrissy’s going—”

“No!” Luna interrupted. “This is way too dangerous for you, sweetie. Just…just stay here with BlackGaomon…Be a good girl, and mommy will be back soon…”

“…Okay…”

“Well, shall we go, then?” Statuedramon asked, leading the way to the front door.

Michalis

Mandala

 

“See…by laying out your Horcruxes this way, in the shape of a magical array…I am able to use my magic in junction with it, thereby opening the gateway to the Dark Area until the last of you has been freed,” Lilithmon said.

“Lilithmon…are you certain of this?!” I heard Myotismon ask. At Lilithmon’s request, Michalis and I stood far away from her in case of the event that something should go wrong.

“This just seems a little…farfetched,” Generalmon said.

“There’s no chance of this little plan of yours backfiring, is there?” Belphemon asked.

“Guys, why do you think I’ve been here in Mandala ever since I freed SkullCaliphmon? Why do you think I sent Sephyrus out to free you instead of going myself?” Lilithmon asked. “I didn’t want to waste any of my magical energy doing so! I knew I would have to do this at some point, so I stayed here, dormant, building up my magical energy. Now, it is at its peak, and I am ready to free you!”

“Lilithmon, why could you not have just done this at the beginning?” Hydramon asked.

“I should hope that was obvious; I didn’t even have all of them at once up until now,” Lilithmon said. “This spell requires the use of every Horcrux the user has made.”

“This all just seems very…coincidental,” Lupinemon said. “Almost a little…ridiculous…”

“Well, worry not; in a few moments’ time, I’ll have freed every last one of you!” Lilithmon raised her arms up above her head; the ten Horcruxes emitted a black light. The ground, even the air seemed to tremble and quake. “…Something…is wrong…Something else…is needed…Michalis…come here for a moment, sweetie. Mother needs your help.”

“Sure thing.” I walked up to the Mega Digimon. “What do you need, moth—” I was interrupted when Lilithmon jabbed her right claw into my neck. Blood came spurting from the wound and my mouth as Lilithmon raised me up into the air. “Moth…er…why?”

“You…were useless to me anyway,” Lilithmon said, dropping me in the middle of the magical array. “But you will do quite well as a sacrificial pawn.” As I lay, dying, Lilithmon’s smiling face flashed before my eyes…as did the smiling face of Victoria.

Sephyrus

 

Even though I knew what was about to happen before she killed him, angst did not rise in my heart, nor did I avert my eyes. I did not feel a twinge of sympathy, or remorse, or the slightest amount of sadness as Michalis died, and I watched with indifference as his body was consumed by the black light. Instead, I smiled as the doorway to the Dark Area opened itself.

“Welcome, my friends!” Lilithmon exclaimed.