Chapter 40: Fate Unstoppable

Zelda

Cyclamen City

10 Minutes

 

After a few minutes of searching, I was finally able to find Hannah in one of the less broken-down houses, sitting by herself in the middle of what seemed to be the house’s living room. Though, based on how badly the house was actually damaged, it could very well have been any room. Amazingly, there was a lit bulb that illuminated the room, apparently having avoided destruction.

“Zelda...It’s been so long. I...I’m glad you're safe and alive,” Hannah said, smiling gently at me as I sat down on the floor in front of her and a fire that she had started to keep warm. “You’ve grown into such a strong and beautiful young woman...so different from the adorable little girl I vowed to always protect after our father abandoned us.”

“Strong and…beautiful...me? Do you…really think so?” I asked nervously, blushing slightly as Hannah nodded. I continued to smile as she began stroking my hair. “Well, I’m not so sure that I’m strong, and I know I’m not very pretty, but if you say I am…then I’m glad I grew up to be someone like you, then; it's what I’ve dreamed about since I was a little girl. I always felt like a bother to you, having you protect me from the people in our village...and our mother...”

“You could never be a bother to me, sweetie,” Hannah said, a slightly shocked expression on her face. “I loved watching out for you like that; it made feel that, even though I’m one of the Marked, I had a purpose in life. Do you remember when those kids were throwing rocks and stuff at you, and that one hit your face and made you bleed?”

“Yes...you...stabbed and murdered some of them...” A look of repulsion suddenly spread across my face, though Hannah didn't seem to notice.

“That’s why I was gone for so long, dear…I was tracking down the ones that had escaped. You’ll be glad to know that I have successfully killed each one of them,” Hannah said, smiling proudly as I felt a dizzying sickness come over me. “And do you remember that one time when our mother was being especially cruel to you?”

“You'll have to be more specific,” I said, growing more and more nauseated by the second.

“I was...speaking of the first time she actually, intentionally harmed you,” Hannah said. “Even though she was kind of drunk at the time…”

How could I forget? That’s how I got the scar under my eye…

“She always just yelled at us — mainly at you, for some reason — but she never once harmed either of us until that night...when she tried to forcibly remove our Marks…you remember what happened next, don't you?”

“Yes...you stabbed and murdered her…after she passed out…” I said. “After you found her lying unconscious on the ground, after she had cut the skin off my hand…you killed her…”

“Yes; I have never been more proud of myself than at that moment. I really felt that I had finally done something right, and that I had done a good job protecting you,” Hannah sighed, a relaxed look on her face. She continued to stroke my hair, eventually brushing away the hair that covered my face. “It’s such a shame, really...”

“…Anna? Do you…ever regret murdering those innocent kids? Or our mother, perhaps?” I asked.

“Hmm? Oh, not at all, and besides; those kids were far from innocent if they were making my baby sister cry...I was just thinking about how much of a shame it is that such an ugly scar like this one would cause you to hide your pretty face,” Hannah gently ran her thumb over the scar under my right eye. “When we were young, I always loved looking into your eyes. They’re so beautiful, even prettier than sapphires, and I loved how much they lit up the few times you smiled back then...”

“Oh, Anna…I…I missed you so much,” I said.

“I’ve missed you too, sweetie,” Hannah said. “I thought about you each and every day we were apart.”

Thomas Kasuto

 

“What do you think it was that Lector wanted to tell us, anyway?” Statuedramon asked. “He told us why he wanted us to go with him, didn’t he?”

“I don’t think he ever did; I guess we’ll find out why when we get there,” I said.

“Thomas…I have another question,” Statuedramon said nervously.

“Yes, what is it?”

“Well, you know how Zelda said that she has Human and Digimon blood?” I nodded. “How…is that even possible? How can Humans and Digimon…”

“I suppose only certain kinds of Digimon can do that. Either way, I’d rather not think about how it’s done,” I interjected. Statuedramon sighed. “…What’s wrong?”

“Well…let’s just say it’s possible I might have a child…of the Human variety…You see, I don’t quite remember using—”

“Good night, Statuedramon.”

10 Hours

 

All through the night, I lay on my back, unable to sleep with the loud, echoing cacophony of noises made by Statuedramon — most of which was snoring — that disrupted the peaceful silence. Now, as the sun was low in the sky, I deeply regretted not having moved farther away from my friend during the night. It was a wonder that I ever got any sleep at all, having him around.

“I sure slept well,” Statch yawned. “How ‘bout you?”

“No comment.” I looked away from the shorter Digimon, noticing that Zelda was approaching us. To my relief, she wore her usual, lovely smile across her face.

“Good  morning,” she said. “How did you two sleep last night?”

“I slept great,” Statch said.

“I was with Statuedramon all night long,” I said.

“So, you didn’t sleep at all?” Zelda asked.

“Not a wink.”

“You’re mean, Thomas!” Statch whined.

“And you deprive me of sleep,” I retorted. “So, where’s Hannah?”

“She promised she’d come with me to meet you, but I don’t see her,” Zelda said. After a moment, she breathed in and sighed. “You know…The Marked can be either Human or Digimon, and we have attributes of both.”

“So, what attribute of Digimon did you inherit?” Statuedramon asked. “You look like a Human to me.”

“As I said the other night, I’m able to eat quite a lot. It’s because I’ve inherited a Digimon’s voracious appetite,” Zelda said. “I imagine all the other Marked are like that as well.”

That explains a lot… I thought back to each and every time I’ve witnessed her out-eat Statuedramon while her belly showed only a small bulge. She must have a bottomless pit in her stomach…I’d better be prepared to cook an entire mountain of food for her when we get back home.

“It also seems as though we stop showing signs of aging after a certain point, and we may even have a lengthened lifespan due to our Digimon heritage. And yet…Hannah and I appear as Humans on the outside. Because we have attributes of both Humans and Digimon, we are treated as being neither by both races, and instead, we are given our own, separate race, and treated like dirt.”

“…I’ll make sure you are never treated that way again,” I whispered. She smiled bashfully at me.

“Oh, Hannah, there you are,” Zelda said. Her older sister began slowly walking up to her, cautiously glancing toward Statuedramon and me.

“Because we are neither Human nor Digimon, the two races created by Goddess Arcadia untold thousands of years ago, we are treated like some form of an accident, like an insult to the very goddess that created them,” Hannah said. “Because of this, we are forced to live far away from both. We Marked must do the same. Zelda, I am going to have to forbid you from seeing these two ever again.”

“What?! You forbid me?! What right do you have to say something like that?!” Zelda asked. I stared at her. It was the first time I had ever seen her angry. Her eyes shined intensely, and her voice was filled with a very passionate rage.

“I have every right to do so!” Hannah said. Without any warning, she immediately and hurriedly took off her shirt and turned around. In the middle of her upper back was the symbol that revealed she was one of the Marked. “This is why we can’t be with them. This is the reason you cannot be friends with them. We are different from them. We cannot coexist. You and I should not even exist in the first place!” I sighed, and looked sadly down at the ground. To my left, Statuedramon was staring up in wonder at Hannah’s bare chest. I smacked him upside the head, and he instantly looked away.

“Hannah…I…I told them what I am, you know,” Zelda said. “They still want to be with me…They still want to be friends with me…” A single tear fell down her cheek.

“…We’re leaving this city shortly,” Hannah said, turning around as she began putting her shirt back on.

“…I’m not going with you,” Zelda said.

“What?!”

“I’m…sorry. I love you, Hannah, and I’m happy to know you’re still alive, but I…I just can’t be with someone who thinks the way you do. Thomas and Statuedramon…they’re my best friends. I told them what I am, and it doesn’t make any difference to them what I am.”

“Zelda, you can’t be serious!” Hannah exclaimed.

“Hey, I hate to interrupt, but I think we’ve got a really big problem,” I said.

“What is it now?!” Hannah asked. I pointed to the ground; Hannah looked down and gasped. Forming around all our legs was a thin layer of ice, swiftly increasing in size.

“Oh, no,” Statch groaned. “Clive’s back!”

“Glad to see you haven’t forgotten about me!” Clive said, stepping out from inside a demolished house. “Be honest; did you miss me?”

“Unfreeze me and fight me head-on, Human coward!” Hannah shouted.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that; I’m not much of a fighter by myself, unfortunately,” Clive said. “Besides, you ladies look so…exquisite, trapped in my ice. Sometimes, my ice merely traps others without any harmful side-effects, sometimes it can kill in an instant, while other times, it can slowly drain one’s life away. That’s my favorite way of doing things. I do wonder, though; will your final breath be a scream of terror? Or, will it be little more than a sigh as it escapes past your sapphire lips? Or perhaps you’d prefer to save your scream for when I press my own lips against yours…or will you do it when I…touch…you? Ah, so many possibilities, so little time from now until the time you all die…”

“Flame Fist!” A thick swirl of flames wrapped itself around all four of us, melting the ice that had trapped us. “Fire Rocket!” Out of nowhere, Flamedramon, covered in flames, leapt through the air and crashed into Clive and pinned him to the ground.

“Who are you?!” Hannah asked.

“This is Flamedramon,” Zelda said. “He’s one of the Marked, like us.”

“You…are one of the Marked?” Hannah asked.

“I would not lie about something that I was at one time murdered for,” Flamedramon said.

“…Flamedramon, is it? I have a request for you,” Hannah said. “Take my baby sister and leave this city. Take her far away from this man; take her wherever you think is safe for her to be, but please; just get her away from him.” I was honestly uncertain if she was referring to me or Clive.

“Well, how could I possibly say ‘no’ to my fellow Marked sister? C’mon, Zelda; let’s go,” Flamedramon said.

“Wait, Hannah, what about you?!” Zelda asked.

“I’ll be fine; trust me! I returned to you after six years, didn’t I? Well, I’ll return again, but this time, it’ll be sooner!” Hannah said.

“Thomas! Statuedramon!”

“We’re staying,” I said. “We’ll go back to Saias’s villa after we’ve dealt with this guy.”

“C’mon, let’s go,” Flamedramon said. “I’ll take you to that…villa, if you want. I won’t even burn it down.”

“…Okay. Please, be careful; all three of you,” Zelda said.

“Don’t worry; nothing’s going to happen to us,” Statuedramon smiled at Zelda as Flamedramon took her away.

“So, it’s just you three I get to freeze, then? No problem; I’ll make sure to make this as enjoyable as possible,” Clive said. “For me.”

Zelda

 

“So, where is this villa you speak of?” Flamedramon asked. The two of us had begun to run from Clive.

“It’s north of Yew,” I said. “There’s a forest behind it; that might be part of Lotisea Jungle.”

“North of Yew…Well, that shouldn’t take us so long. Only a few hours if I carry you and run…You don’t mind, do you?”

“Zelda!” The sound of someone calling my name brought our run to a halt.

“Who said that? Who’s there?!” Flamedramon asked. I looked to my left just as a small girl walked out of an alleyway.

“Irene?! Irene, is that you?!” I asked.

“Yes…it’s me,” Irene said. “…I…I’m sorry if I made you worry…”

“Oh, I’m so relieved to know you’re all right! Everyone got a note that we all thought was from the knights…saying they were going to…”

“No…it wasn’t because of the knights that I was gone for so long.”

“Well, that’s good to hear! Everyone’s been real worried about you! Hey, where’s SlashAngemon?”

“…SlashAngemon…is dead…”

“SlashAngemon is…oh my god…”

“He’s dead…because of me,” Irene said. Tears began to fall from her eyes to the sandy ground.

“No, Irene; you can’t blame yourself for—”

“I murdered him!” Irene said. This was the loudest I’ve ever heard her speak. “I…I killed him!”

“Irene…what…you…”

“He’s dead because of me. Just like…the two of you will be.” Irene pulled, of all things, a Digivice from the pocket of her dress. “Bio Hybrid DNA…Charge…” The small girl placed her palm over her Digivice, enveloping her in a blinding light. “Bio Hybrid Digivolve to…BioAquarimon…”

“Irene…you…you’ve been a Bio Hybrid this entire time?” I asked.

“I’m sorry…Zelda,” BioAquarimon said, tearing up. Picking up her bow, she aimed an arrow at me. “I’m not going to be able to go back with you.”

Thomas Kasuto

 

“You two…stay out of my way!” Hannah yelled, taking another swing at Clive with her lance.

“No can do; the two of us have a grudge against this guy, too,” I said.

“I’d be happy to fight all three of you at once,” Clive suggested.

“Fuck off!” Statch swung his sword at the rapist, who ducked out of the way at the last second.

“This man needs to pay for what he did to my little sister!” Hannah said.

“What?! What did he do to Zelda?!” I asked. “What did you do?!”

“I keep telling you; I never actually did anything to her!” Clive said. “I swear…Nobody listens anymore these days…”

“Don’t act like you care about her! You know she’s different from you!” Hannah yelled at me.

“That doesn’t matter to me! That doesn’t change the fact that she’s my friend! I care about her the same as I care about any of my other friends!” Hannah glared at me for what seemed to be the longest time after that.

“This man raped and impregnated our surrogate mother,” Statuedramon said. “If anyone should be allowed to murder him, it’s the two of us!” Hannah glanced at the Rookie Digimon.

“If you’d like, I could freeze over all three of you at once,” Clive said. “It would save me the trouble of having to fight you. Actually, I think that’s what I’m going to do!” Clive held up his hands, which then became surrounded by ice. “This ice…it will freeze you all in a matter of seconds, sapping away your life before you know it! Fate sure is a bitch, ain’t it? See you all in hell!”

Zelda

 

“Irene, why don’t we talk about this?” I suggested.

“No…I can’t go back,” BioAquarimon sobbed. “I can’t…I killed one of our own…why would they welcome someone like me back?!”

“Irene…I’m sure that…well, maybe…Apollomon might be willing to forgive you…”

“Zelda, let me handle this,” Flamedramon said, stepping between me and the Bio Hybrid.

“Flamedramon, wait—”

“I’m not going to kill her,” Flamedramon whispered. “I’ll just knock some sense into her. Flame Fist!”

“Goddess Urn!” From the urn resting on the ground behind her, BioAquarimon unleashed a thick blast of water that doused out Flamedramon’s attack before striking him, knocking him backward onto the ground. “Do me a favor and don’t underestimate me, Flamedramon; as I am now, I’m a Mega level Digimon.”

Her voice…her voice is filled with despair, but…she sound so much different…Her voice is filled with confidence, too…

“Damn it…she’s so…powerful,” Flamedramon said weakly.

“I don’t deserve forgiveness for what I have done…for what I am about to do; I know that,” BioAquarimon said. “I have been ordered…to eliminate both you and Thomas. This is a direct order…from the only person who can help me find the person I’m looking for. This fate…is unstoppable…”

Chapter 39: Unforgivealbe Sin

Thomas Kasuto

Cyclamen City

 

“So, what kind of crimes have these people committed?” I asked. Flamedramon shook his head.

“…It is not for me to say what this crime is,” he said reluctantly.

“Don’t know it, do you,” Statuedramon said.

“Yes, I know it! I just don’t feel as though I have the right to tell you what that crime is…when someone else can do a much better job of explaining,” Flamedramon said. “All I will say is this; those who have this mark, even if they have not committed the crime, are still affected by the crime. The goddess sees these people as little more than refuse for having committed this crime and, as such, she has denied such people the right to exist. Those who follow her teachings to the letter…they act accordingly, and cruelly mistreat and occasionally murder these unfortunate people.”

“Damn it, Flamedramon, what did they do?!” Statuedramon asked. “Flamedramon? Hey, where did he go?!” I, however, ignored the Rookie as he looked around in vain for the missing Digimon.

“This symbol…what could it mean?” I asked.

“Well, if Flamedramon hadn’t run away, I could’ve forced an answer out of him!” Statch grunted.

“I don’t think that would have been a very good idea,” I said.

“Well, yeah, but I…Thomas, someone’s coming!”

“Where?” Soon, the sound of approaching footsteps filled the air, as did the sound of someone calling out our names.

“That voice…Zelda!” The two of us looked around eagerly for our friend, and within a matter of seconds, she emerged from behind a collapsed house. Noticing us, she immediately began running over to us.

“Zelda, are you okay?!” I asked as she threw herself into my arms. “Clive didn’t do anything to you, did he?! You’re not hurt, are you?!”

“No…no, he didn’t do anything to me,” Zelda said. “I was just…so frightened while I was with him. I couldn’t sleep at all last night…”

“I’m glad you’re alright,” Statuedramon said.

“Yes…and in the morning, the four of us can go back to Saias’s villa,” Zelda said.

“The four of us?” I asked.

“Yeah; you’re not going to believe it, but I finally find my sister, Hannah!” Zelda jumped up and down excitedly.

“You did?! That’s incredible; where is she?” I asked.

“She’s right over…” Zelda’s smile faded when she saw a woman, the same woman Statch and I encountered last night, standing behind her and glaring. “Hannah, what’s wrong?”

That woman…she’s Hannah?!

“You’re friends with these two?” Hannah asked.

“Yes; they’re my best friends,” Zelda said. “Is that…going to be a problem?”

“Have you forgotten the way Humans and Digimon have treated you in the past?” Hannah asked. “Or do you just not care?”

“No. I haven’t forgotten, but Thomas and Statuedramon would never do what the people of Adonis did!”

“…Perhaps not, but I…” Hannah turned away. “I’m sorry. I just can’t bring myself to trust these two. Come see me when you’re ready to leave.”

“Hannah, wait!” Zelda called after her sister. Hannah, however, did not turn back as she walked away.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Maybe it would be best if Statch and I left.”

“No, you don’t have to,” Zelda said. “I’m glad you’re here; it’s felt like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the two of you…” Zelda began turning around to face us when she suddenly stopped. “…That…what is…that…?” She was looking pale-faced and wide-eyed at the wall Flamedramon had taken me to.

“Oh, that? Flamedramon led us here earlier,” Statuedramon said.

“That symbol…did he…did he tell you anything about it?”

“Yeah, he told us a few…interesting things about it,” I said.

“…No…no…Thomas…I…I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…” Zelda had begun slowly backing away from the two of us just as tears began falling down her face.

“Zelda, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“I’m so…sorry…please, don’t…hit me…don’t…hurt…” In a panic, she raised her arms to cover her face.

“Zelda, I would never hurt you!” I said, completely shocked by what she had just said and confused by what was going on.

“You don’t need to be afraid of us,” Statuedramon said. “We’re not going to hurt you…and we won’t let anyone else do it, either.”

“Whatever’s wrong, you can tell us,” I said. “Please; we want you to feel better.” She continued breathing heavily for a few seconds, but soon, the look of fright disappeared from her face, though she still looked quite wary, and was still crying.

“Thomas...Statuedramon…I'm so sorry. I know I should have told you this earlier, but...I was afraid. I didn’t want you…you to hate me...because of this secret…” Zelda sobbed, more and more tears running down her face as they glistened in the light of the newly risen moon. “You and Statuedramon were the first friends I had ever made that weren’t Spirits; I just didn't want to lose that friendship!”

“Zelda, you know I could never hate you, no matter what your secret is,” I said, trying not to look at her. For some reason, her tears made me feel...uneasy. It made my heart feel weird to see her so sad... Damn it…It makes my chest hurt to see her so sad…

“The same goes for me, Zelda,” Statuedramon said, reaching up to grab hold of her hand. “You’re a very important person to the both of us; no matter what, neither of us could ever hate you.”

“Please, tell us your secret, Zelda; I promise, neither of us will get mad at you, nor will we hate you or anything like that,” I said. “If you're just not ready to say it yet, I understand, but just know this; if you ever need someone to confide in, I’ll always be there for you. If it ever gets to be too much for you, and you need a shoulder to cry on, I shall provide.” Tears were pouring faster and faster down her face at my every word, and though I continued to feel this strange sadness in my heart, I could tell she was happy. After a few moments, she slowly lifted up her right arm, revealing the slight but noticeable gashes on her forearm.

“Who did this to you?” I asked, gently grabbing hold of her wrist.

“Oh...it was Flamedramon,” Zelda said. Anger flashed across my face, so she quickly added, “Oh, he didn't mean to do it; he was just kind of in a hurry…”

“That's no excuse for hurting you!” Statuedramon shouted. Zelda forced herself to smile through the tears, and slowly, she reached over with her left hand and pulled off the glove on her right hand, which she held up to show me. On the back of it was an odd symbol — the same one that was on the wall Flamedramon led Statch and me to.

“Thomas...Statuedramon...I'm one of the Marked.” Both Statuedramon and I gave her a blank look.

“What's that?” Statch asked.

“There is both Human and Digimon blood flowing through my veins; this mark is proof of that.”

So…that’s what the symbol Flamedramon showed us meant…Zelda had stopped crying — much to my relief — and, though she still looked quite upset, she didn't have the same look of fear in her eyes that she did when she first started crying. Was Flamedramon…trying to tear us apart because of something like that?! The bastard…

“What do you mean...Digimon blood?” Statuedramon asked, slightly in awe and slightly in confusion. “I didn't even know that Humans and Digimon could...you know...”

“…You were upset we would hate you because of something like that?” I asked. “Flamedramon…told us that Goddess Arcadia sees you as refuse, that you aren’t supposed to exist…Is that because you have Digimon blood in you?”

“It’s not just that I have Digimon blood in my veins. Cyprus is a harsh and barren province, comprised of sand as far as the eye can see. Considering the terrain, it’s no surprise to anyone that it would give birth to such a stringent religion, or that its people would be so earnest and resolute. The village where me and my sister lived, Adonis, was among those strictly religious settlements, and followed the teachings of the Goddess Arcadia to the letter...one of those laws — the one that was the most stressed — is that Humans and Digimon are completely forbidden from…from intermingling.” Zelda paused, and cast a nervous glance at me. “My parents both broke this law, and because of it, my father abandoned me and my sister, Hannah, in that village. He was so afraid of being found out, that he left us behind; he treated us like trash and left us with a cruel and abusive mother, and never came back…because he was so ashamed of the Mark that he had been emblazoned with. The people in the village...they were even worse. Since, by the standards of Goddess Arcadia, those who carry the mark aren’t supposed to exist, they were unbelievably cruel. Some ignored us, but most yelled at us, insulted us, spit at us, threw things; they’d even attack us...” Zelda moved aside the clump of golden hair that had long been covering her right eye, and underneath it, a thin, but rather long scar. “This scar is the result of my own mother doing just that.” Zelda let down her hair once more, and then looked back down at the ground. “That...is what I am. I am a violation of the sacred goddess’s number one rule. This is why, everywhere we go, Digimon insult me and try to attack me, like Meramon did in Linnea. I...I'll understand if the two of you—” Before Zelda could finish her sentence, I walked over to her and hugged her, clearly surprising her.

“See? What did I tell you? There's nothing you could tell us that would make us hate you,” I whispered.

“The fact that you have Digimon blood running in your veins has nothing to do with how much we care about you,” Statch said, giving Zelda's hand a little squeeze. I released her and looked her straight in the eye.

“You’re our friend, Zelda; nothing will ever change that.” Zelda slumped down to her knees, tears once again welling up in her eyes.

“But...according to the goddess who created this world, I don't exist! I—I…”

“If that’s really what a so-called loving and benevolent goddess thinks, then I don't want anything to do with her,” I said as I also bent down onto my knees. “I care about you too much to just abandon you just because some faceless goddess claims you don't exist.” Unable to control herself anymore, Zelda burst into tears and threw herself into my arms, sobbing uncontrollably into my chest. As she continued to cry, I noticed the strange feeling in my chest welling up once more.

What is this strange feeling? I thought. Am I...could I possibly be...falling in love with her? As I looked down at her, I smiled slightly at the thought, and hugged her small, trembling body tighter and closer as she continued to cry.

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry I didn’t…trust…you,” Zelda said after a few minutes.

“Hey, don’t worry about it; you’ve obviously been through a lot because of that mark,” I said. “But just know this; the mark may have made you experience things a girl as kind and as gentle as you should never have to experience…but I will never let those things happen to you ever again.”

“Thomas…thank you…so much,” Zelda said. After a few moments, she eventually stopped crying, much to the relief of the odd feeling in my chest and dizzying knot in my stomach. “Thank you…for not hating me.”

“I could never hate you,” I said as I wiped away a lone tear that was resting on her cheek.

“The members of Lachesis…what about them? If they find out about what I am—”

“They could never hate you. Especially Chrysania; it seems she’s come to think of you as a big sister.”

“…Chrysania…I can’t wait to see her again,” Zelda said.

“I know what you mean; her cheery smile is quite contagious, isn’t it?” Statch asked. Zelda nodded. “I’ve got a question, though; do you remember a little while ago, when Saias brought us to his villa, and you ate more food than a Human of your size should have been able to?”

“Yeah, when we were in Linnea in Etemon’s castle, I remember seeing you eat as much as Statch,” I said. “How did you do that?”

“Oh, that…that was because of the Digimon blood in me,” she replied. “It seems that every Human Marked inherits a Digimon’s appetite, in addition to increased longevity of varying lifespans. Because of that…I just always feel like I’m hungry when I’m not eating. I’ve gotten used to it, and I’ve grown accustomed to the hunger pains from when I tried eating less so as not to arouse suspicion of what I really am, but even so, it still hurts a lot when I eat less than I normally do…”

“Zelda…” I gently placed my hand on top of her shoulder. “I wish you would’ve told me you were hurting so much…”

“I’m sorry…I just didn’t want anyone to find out about what I am…”

“Well, we can go back to Saias’s villa tomorrow morning, and when we do, I can make you the largest meal you’ve ever seen,” I said. “The next time you’re hurting…I want you to tell me, so I can help you feel better.”

“Thomas, you can cook?!” Statch asked. “Why did you never tell me?!”

“Because I knew you would bother me during a job until I gave you something to eat,” I said.

“You’re mean!” Statch pouted. “Even if you are probably right…Actually, make that most definitely correct…”

“Okay, okay; I’ll make something for you, too…”

“Thank you, Thomas. I really appreciate it,” Zelda said. “In the morning…can we start heading back to the villa in the morning?”

“Of course we can. Oh, but first, we’re going to need to find Lector,” I said. “I think he wanted to tell us something…”

“Ah, who cares about that knight?” Statch asked.

“Thomas…is it okay if I spend the night with my sister?” Zelda asked.

“Of course it is. You don’t need to ask for my permission for anything.”

“Thank you, Thomas. For everything.”

Chapter 38: The Mark

Thomas Kasuto

Cyclamen City

 

I couldn’t believe it. We had searched all night long throughout this damn city, but we still didn’t see any sign of Zelda. And now, the moon had nearly vanished from sight, and the sun was peeking out over the horizon.

“I can’t believe we didn’t find her,” I said. “We searched all night, and not one sign of her…”

“Hey, Thomas, who do you think that woman was last night?” Statch asked. “She looked…kind of like Zelda…”

“We’ve no way of knowing until she tells us,” I said. “Come on; let’s continue our search. Zelda’s got to be around here somewhere…She has to be…”

Zelda

“Rise and shine, little lady,” Clive said, hoping to wake me. Not that it was necessary. I had been awake all night, too afraid to fall asleep. Fortunately, Clive had been true to his word, and the two of us even slept on opposite sides of one of the many destroyed buildings of the city. However, this did not stop the fear, and even though Renamon stayed with me all night, and was still here with me now, I was still scared. “Glad to see you didn’t try to escape last night. Not like it would’ve worked; I’ve got good hearing. If I had heard you moving from that far away, even while I was asleep, I would’ve known.”

“Well…I’m glad you kept your word, too,” I said.

“And everyone’s happy!” Clive exclaimed. Turning to Renamon, he asked, “So, are you going to be staying with us this whole time, or what?”

“You think I’d really leave Zelda alone with someone like you?” Renamon asked. “As the two of you have requested, I will not attack you unless you give me reason to, but don’t think I’m leaving her behind for a single second with someone like you.”

“Ok…I guess I don’t really blame you,” Clive said. “So, as long as we all keep our hands to ourselves, nobody gets hurt.”

“Yes; so you say,” Renamon said.

“Well, whatever; I’m going to go see if I can find us something to eat,” Clive said. “Don’t want you dying on me; Magnus would kill me if you did…” Clive gave the two of us one final look before walking away.

“…If I were to die…Magnus would kill that man,” I said to myself. “If that man dies…there would be one less problem Thomas would have to deal with…”

“Zelda, what are you saying?!” Renamon asked.

“If I were to die, that man would be killed for it,” I said. “Don’t you see? I have to—”

“NO! Out of the question!” Renamon shouted. “Don’t you realize how many people would miss you if you went away?! How can you even think of saying something like that?!”

“No one would miss me,” I said.

“That’s not true! I would…And what about Thomas and Statuedramon?! What about everyone at Lachesis?!”

“If I told them what I really am, then they would hate me. That way, nobody would be sad if I were to—”

“What about me?!” Renamon asked. “What about Vajramon?! Don’t you think we’d be sad if you died?!”

“I’m not doing this to end my life, Renamon; I’m doing this because I know Magnus would kill Clive if I died,” I said. “We cannot let someone like Clive roam free, and I feel like Magnus is the only person strong enough to kill him. He needs to be stopped…at any cost…”

“WHAT ABOUT YOUR SISTER?!” Renamon shouted. “YOU’VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR HER FOR OVER SIX YEARS; ARE YOU JUST GOING TO GIVE UP ON YOURSELF BEFORE YOU FIND HER?!”

“…Hannah…if you are able to find her…please tell her I’m sorry…even though I don’t deserve forgiveness.” I stood up off the ground and walked over to a sharp rock, but before I could pick it up, Renamon’s paw gripped me tightly around the wrist.

“Zelda; I am not going to let you kill yourself!” Renamon said. “I care about you too much to let anything happen to you, and I know Thomas and Statuedramon feel the same way, no matter what you are!”

“Renamon…I—I’m sorry, but I—”

“Jeez, I go away for six years, and you’re already thinking about killing yourself?” I turned around, and the person I saw standing close behind me was someone I never thought I would see again.

“Hannah…oh, Hannah, it’s really you!” My older sister walked up to me and gently placed her arms around me, pulling me into a hug after placing her cherished lance on the ground.

“I’m sorry I was gone for so long,” Hannah whispered. “Oh, and Renamon’s with you, too; how have you been? I haven’t seen you in a while, either.”

“I’m fine,” Renamon said.

“I’m so glad…you’re okay…” Tears had begun to form in my eyes as I embraced my sister for the first time in what seemed to be a lifetime. “When we split up…I waited for the longest time, but you didn’t return…I set off looking for you, but I…I just couldn’t find you, no matter where I looked…”

“I’m sorry, Zelda; I shouldn’t have left you alone that long without saying something; I really didn’t think I would have taken that long,” Hannah said. “Now, who was being mean to you? Who made my sweet baby sister cry?”

“Oh…no one…I’m just so…so happy to see you again,” I said.

“I’m back,” Clive said unexpectedly. “I wasn’t able to find anything for us to eat.”

“Who is that?!” Hannah asked stiffly.

“That’s the man that threatened to assault your little sister,” Renamon said. I stared at the Digimon Spirit, and to my surprise, on her face was a small, but quite smug grin. “Just playing the part of the puppeteer, Milady…”

“By Goddess Arcadia, I am fucking sick of people being mean to you!” Hannah crouched down and picked up her lance before walking over to Clive. I called out to my sister for her to stop, but she ignored me.

“Renamon, why did you do that? We don’t know Clive’s capable of!” I said.

“Don’t worry; I remember how superb a fighter Hannah is. There’s no way Clive will be able to defeat her in a head-on fight,” Renamon said.

“Any last words?!” Hannah yelled at Clive.

“I’m sorry; who the hell are you?” Clive asked.

“I am sick to death of the cruelty people like you show to my little sister; she’s the sweetest and gentlest person on Arcadia! She wouldn’t harm a Flymon!”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t so much a touch her!” Clive protested.

“He threatened that if she tried to escape, he would find her and kill her,” Renamon said.

“Oh, that does it; you are so dead!”

“What?! I didn’t say anything about killing her!”  However, Clive’s objection was in vain; Hannah had already begun madly swinging her lance in the air, narrowly missing Clive’s throat and head many times. “Okay, okay; I’m out of here!”

“Get back here, you bastard!” Hannah yelled. “Damn it; he got away…Zelda, sweetie, I’ll be right back, okay?”

“But…Hannah, you don’t—”

“I promise I’ll be back soon, sweetie.” Hannah smiled gently at me, and then took off after Clive.

“Trust me; she’ll be okay,” Renamon said. Without warning, the fur around her neck stood on end.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Something’s here…someone’s here! Someone powerful…” Slowly, I turned around, and standing behind me was yet another person I never thought I’d see again.

“I need to talk to you,” Flamedramon said.

Sephyrus

 

“I thank you all for coming here today, my comrades,” I said. Standing before me were my fellow Bio Hybrids Abigail, Adrian, Irene, and Michalis.

“Whatever; just make this quick,” Adrian said. “The boss has a job she wants me to do.”

“Same here,” Abigail said. For reasons yet to be explained to me, Abigail kept her arm wrapped around Irene, and the younger girl had the most forlorn expression of sadness on her face.

“Why are we here?” Michalis asked.

“Yesterday…Magnus was killed.” This remark was met with squabbles of protest and surprise from the other Bio Hybrids. Their concerns and confusion were of no surprise to me. They were still Human. I had been lost long ago to the darkness, so Magnus’s death left me feeling as emotionless as ever.

Zelda

 

“I need to talk to you,” Flamedramon said.

“Flamedramon, what are you doing here?” I asked.

“Ever since I found my way out of that laboratory with Andromon, I’ve been trying to find you. There’s…something I need to ask you.”

“…I understand. Renamon…can you leave us alone for a moment?”

“If I’m not going to leave you alone with Clive, what makes you think I’ll leave you alone with Flamedramon?!” Renamon asked.

“It’s okay; he’s not going to hurt me,” I said.

“…Very well. I will take my leave of you for now.” Renamon began glowing, and in an instant, she disappeared.

“Zelda…you were born in the desert, weren’t you?” Flamedramon asked.

“Yes; I suppose it is rather easy to tell, isn’t it?” I asked.

“True; Humans from the desert dress in thin, light, and revealing clothing to avoid becoming overheated from the sun,” Flamedramon said. “People from the desert…they can be very cruel to those who do not share in their beliefs.” I sadly looked down towards the ground.

“Yes; they strictly follow the teachings of the Goddess Arcadia,” I added.

“You…you are just like me,” Flamedramon said.

“W—what do you mean?”

“You’re one of the Marked, aren’t you?” My heart nearly stopped when I heard that word.

He knows…he knows what that is? I…what should I do?! “I don’t…know what you’re talking about…”

“Don’t play dumb with me!” Flamedramon snapped. Reaching out, he grabbed my right arm by the wrist. His sharp claws dug into my skin, made me bleed; the pain was intense, as if I was being burned, but I did not cry out. “It’s right here, isn’t it?!” With his right claw, he yanked off the glove covering my right hand, on the back of which was the tear-shaped symbol that had caused me so much pain, agony, and ridicule in my youth. Flamedramon stared at the symbol, the symbol that signified that I was one of the Marked. “This…is what I’m talking about.”

“You…knew?”

“When we were at the lab, I had my suspicions. That’s why I had to follow you; I just had to know if you were like me.” Flamedramon let go of my arm and handed me my glove, and I promptly placed it back on my right hand, covering the fearful mark. “I had actually heard there was a wall mural with that very symbol. It is said that there is ancient writing on it, giving information about us, and I was hoping it would tell me more about myself.”

“Like what?”

“…Twenty years ago…I used to be a Human. I had the mark, too…and I was murdered because of it,” Flamedramon said. “Some benevolent force out there — perhaps it was the Goddess Arcadia herself — saw fit to give me life once more, and when I awoke from what I thought was to be my eternal rest, I had the form of this Digimon…rather than the 10-year old Human boy I was when I was viciously slain.” 

“…Is this why you’ve become a murderer?”

“If other people are going to deny my right to exist, what other choice do I have? Everyone…everyone except for the Marked, like the two of us, must perish! I’m surprised you aren’t doing the same.”

“No…no, I could never do what you do!” I said. “I’m part of a mercenary guild, but I don’t even like sending the Digimon I Summon to hurt the bandits we’ve been ordered to get rid of…” Flamedramon stared at me for the longest time.

“So…that’s how you are,” he finally said. “I suppose that isn’t a bad thing. I had heard you were a Summoner, so I thought you would be able to help me.”

“I could never help someone who only thinks of hurting others!”

“Fine. I’ll be going, then,” Flamedramon said. “…Your friends. Do they know what you are?”

“No…that’s probably why they’re still my friends,” I said.

“If they ever do find out about you…if they begin to hate you…I will find you. You will come with me…and you will help me,” Flamedramon said. I said nothing in return as the Digimon vanished into the distance.

“Damn it…I couldn’t find him!” A voice came from behind me.

“Hannah…” I turned as my older sister walked up to me, cautiously looking around the demolished city.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to find him, Zelda,” Hannah said. “But I promise; I will not let that man hurt you. Nobody will hurt my baby sister ever again…Oh, Zelda; I’m so happy to see you again!” Hannah pulled me into another comforting hug.

“…I’ve missed you so much, Hannah…” I flung my arms around her slender waist. The two of us stood, embracing each other, and I wished this moment would never end.

Sephyrus

 

“Dead?! What do you mean Magnus is dead?!” Adrian asked.

“Forgive me if I don’t seem shaken up,” Michalis said. I saw Irene glance up at Abigail.

“Who…who was Magnus?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“Magnus…was very easily the strongest among all of us,” Abigail said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d have been capable of taking us all on at once and emerge victorious…”

“So, how did he die?” Adrian asked.

“He was fighting Thomas and Statuedramon, from what I’ve been told,” I said. “Statuedramon was somehow able to get BioBlastmon to turn back into his Human form.”

“Statuedramon?! That little runt?! But…he’s only a Rookie! BioBlastmon has strength comparable to that of a Mega!” Adrian shouted.

“Statuedramon was not the one who killed Magnus, though,” I continued. “Apparently, the knight known as Lector stabbed him in the chest after he had reverted to his Human form.”

“Why the hell would he do a thing like that?!” Abigail asked.

“Because I ordered him to.”

“Oh, I’m so glad you could join us,” I said. A man had just entered the room we were in.

“Who’s there?!” Adrian asked.

“Everyone, please welcome our newest comrade and — if I may say — strongest Bio Hybrid…Knight Commander Saias.”

“Saias? The Knight Commander Saias?! How’d he get to be a Bio Hybrid like us?” Adrian asked.

“He’s been one of us for quite some time now,” I said. “Ever since I battled him in the woods behind his villa and dragged his half-dead body over to Braig’s lab before it froze over.”

“So, why’d you order Lector to kill Magnus?” Abigail asked.

“Because he was weak. Apparently, Magnus was about to tell Thomas everything about what we do before Lector showed up,” Saias said.

“So, does he know about you?” Adrian asked. “Lector, I mean?”

“…No. He still thinks I’m dead.”

“I also called you all here to tell you something else of vital importance,” I said. “Apparently, it has been discovered…that quintessence is incapable of bringing others back from the dead like we once thought.”

“What?!” Abigail asked.

“I’m afraid that this information changes a few promises made,” I continued. “Promises made to bring others back to life…Well, whoever wished for such a thing is going to have to live with the fact that whoever they wanted revived is forever deceased.”

“Really? That’s interesting,” Michalis said sarcastically.

“You are all dismissed,” I said.

“Jeez, talk about a big waste of time,” Adrian said as he and the others, including Saias, left. Abigail, however, remained behind, and Irene stayed at her side, holding on as if for dear life.

“What the hell do you mean, quintessence can’t bring someone back to life?!” Abigail asked.

“I mean exactly what I say; nothing more, nothing less. You are dismissed, Abigail.”

“You can’t expect me to continue working for you, knowing that!” Abigail said. “You can’t expect me to risk my life for nothing!”

“Oh, are you saying you would rather be slaughtered? Because I can make that happen…if you decide to refuse our orders.” Abigail glared at me, but before long, she walked away in a huff and stormed out of the room.

Thomas Kasuto

 

The sky had grown from a pale blue to a deep, violet orange. The sun had almost vanished from the sky, and the shadows of demolished buildings were lengthening. “Well, that’s one more day wasted, and still no sign of her,” Statuedramon sighed. “The sun’s starting to go down…maybe we should call it quits for the day?”

“You can give up if you want to, Statch, but I won’t rest again until I find her,” I said.

“I didn’t say I was giving up altogether! Look; this is a fairly large city; there must be lots of places we haven’t checked yet! I’m just saying that when the sun goes down, it’ll be more difficult to find her in a place this large!”

“Even when the sun does go down, I’m not going to stop searching for her.”

“Admirable determination. But I wonder; do you think she really wants to be found?” A voice from behind me said.

“…Flamedramon?!” I looked up and gasped, nearly choking.

“What are you doing here?!” Statuedramon asked. “If it’s a fight you’re looking for, then—”

“I came here looking for something,” Flamedramon said. “I found what I was looking for a little while ago, and I thought I should show it to the two of you.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Come with me.” Statch and I reluctantly followed Flamedramon around the corner of a building. The sky had become completely dark, and many stars were coming into view as he led us through Cyclamen. At last, we stopped at a brick wall with an odd design on it. “There was supposed to be ancient writing here that gave information about this symbol…but they have worn away with age. Whatever. You two are familiar with who Goddess Arcadia is, are you not?”

“How could we not be? She’s the one who created all life,” Statuedramon said. “She raised this continent out of the ocean, and those that were the first created by her named it after her…Arcadia.”

“What is this?” I asked, looking at the design on the wall. It was golden and tear-shaped, and it was surrounded by three triangles: one red, one blue, and one green.

“The Goddess Arcadia is a loving and benevolent goddess, with a heart vast and gentle enough to forgive the crimes of even the most wicked of souls,” Flamedramon said. “However…there is one crime this so-called loving goddess refuses to forgive. Those who have committed the crime and all of their descendants from now until the end of time are forever emblazoned with this mark.”

Chapter 37: Anguish

Thomas Kasuto

Magnus’s Hideout

 

“Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioBlastmon!” The light that emanated from Magnus’s Digivice vanished; where he had once stood was now a terrifyingly large Digimon, whose head just barely missed the ceiling. “Tell me…do you still feel as though you can defeat me?!”

“Not…really, no,” Statuedramon’s eyes were fixated on the huge Digimon.

“Well, no matter; either way, I’d still pummel you! Final Subago̅n Punch!” BioBlastmon raised his fist and slammed it down toward the two of us.

“Statch, we’ve got to catch it!” I shouted. Before the enormous Bio Hybrid could hit us, Statuedramon and I held up our hands and caught his fist.

“Well, now…don’t know how you two managed to stop me…” BioBlastmon struggled to bring his fist down further, but to no avail. “But this ends now; Diamond Tail!” BioBlastmon swung his tail through the air, striking the two of us. The Bio Hybrid laughed maniacally as we soared through the air and crashed into a pile of empty crates, destroying them. “Before I destroy you…is there anything you’d like for me to tell you? You can ask me about anything.”

“Tell…us?” I climbed out of the rubble of the destroyed crates.

“I’m not as big of an asshole as Adrian or Sephyrus, you know,” BioBlastmon said. “Is there anything you’d like to know?”

“Yes…could you tell us…about quintessence?” I asked.

“Quintessence? …Why would you ask about something like that?” BioBlastmon asked.

“You said we could ask you about anything, right? Well, I want to know about quintessence,” I said.

“…Fine. It’s not like I was going to let you live, anyway,” BioBlastmon muttered. “So, before I begin, what exactly do you know about it?”

“We already know how it’s formed; we just want to know why all you Bio Hybrids need it,” Statuedramon said.

“…You’re wasting your time, then. I only know how to extract it, just like the two of you. I don’t know why we need it,” BioBlastmon said.

“You can’t be serious!” I said.

“Sorry; I make it a personal policy to never tell a lie. Now, are the two of you done asking questions?”

“Damn it, we only asked one question, and you didn’t even answer that one!” Statch said.

“…I’ll take that as a yes; Diamond Machine Gun!” The crystals covering BioBlastmon’s body all began to glow.

“Don’t worry; I’ve got this; Dimensional Shield!” Statuedramon held up his shield just as BioBlastmon fired the crystals from his body at us; however, every single one of the crystals fired were absorbed into Statuedramon’s shield.

“What?! No way! What just happened?!” BioBlastmon asked.

“Sword of Dragon’s Soul!” Statuedramon’s sword fired an icy-blue projection from it that struck BioBlastmon directly in the chest. The enormous Digimon yelled in pain when the attack hit him, and to the  Bio Hybrid’s surprise, his Digimon form vanished, leaving Magnus behind, struggling to stand up.

“No way…for a Digimon of your stature to be able to defeat me in one hit…it’s unthinkable,” Magnus said.

“If that’s all you’re capable of, then we’ll be leaving to find our friend now,” I said.

“No…wait! You want…to know about quintessence…don’t you?” The two of us turned to face him.

“You told us you didn’t know anything,” Statuedramon said.

“Yes…I did. Quite obviously, that was a lie…Even when I said it was a personal policy of mine to never lie…yeah…that was also a lie…but now…you two deserve to know,” Magnus said.

“…Why are you telling us?” I asked. Magnus shrugged.

“Who knows? Nobody’s ever defeated me before…Not even any of the other Bio Hybrids…I suppose I just sorta…respect the two of you…for being able to do what nobody else could,” Magnus said. “Now, listen up; quintessence…if enough of it is gathered, it can be used to—” Magnus was interrupted when the doors leading to the room suddenly swung open, shattering the ice that covered it.

“Lector…what are you doing here?” Statch asked.

“What do you think? I’m here to help you,” Lector said. Brandishing his lance, he ran forth and impaled Magnus in the chest with weapon.

“Lector, what the hell are you doing?!” I yelled. I watched in disbelief as blood began to spill from Magnus’s chest and onto the cold, steel floor.

“He was about to tell us something important!” Statch added.

“Doesn’t matter; my order from the higher ups was to see that this man died,” Lector said. Weakly, Magnus reached up and wrapped his hand around the lance just as Lector forcefully pulled it out. Magnus fell to the floor in a heap, large pools of blood flowing from the hole in his chest.

“Magnus! What were you going to say?!” Statuedramon asked. The Bio Hybrid tried to speak, but all that came from his mouth was blood. He motioned for me to get closer, and as I did, he whispered something into my ear before dying. “Lector…he was about to tell us what the other Bio Hybrids were doing!”

“That doesn’t matter. The orders were to eliminate this man,” Lector said. “And…to eliminate anyone who may he may have exchanged information with.”

“Information…you mean…”

“You two did not speak with this man; do I make myself clear? If anyone asks…” Lector looked away. “Now, I’m going to have to ask that the two of you come with me.”

“We can’t; Clive’s taken Zelda to Cyclamen!” I said. “I’m not going anywhere until I get her back!”

“…I’ll send one of my subordinates to Cyclamen immediately. You two must come with me.”

“Forget it, Lector! We’re not going anywhere with you until we save our friend!” Statuedramon said. “Why are you making this so difficult?!”

“Because those are my orders!” Lector said. “Besides, you can’t go after Clive with just the two of you! You don’t know what the man or his shadow is capable of! At least go back to the villa and take Apollomon with you!”

“We don’t have time for that! You remember why Clive was in jail in the first place, don’t you?!” I asked.

“…He was…imprisoned for life without parole for rape and murder,” Lector said.

“Exactly! That’s why we can’t go with you! We aren’t going to let someone like that spend another minute alone with Zelda!” Statuedramon said.

“…Fine. Go on; go to Cyclamen,” Lector said. “But you will return to me immediately after you find her; understood?”

“…Yes, sir,” I said.

Zelda

Cyclamen City

8 Hours

 

Cyclamen was in as bad a state as it was the last time I was here; run down, destroyed buildings everywhere. At least the corpses are nowhere to be seen… The sun had set a while ago, and the moon hung low in the night sky.

“Well, I guess here is as good of a place as any; just as desolate as any other part of the city,” Clive said. “We’ll stop here for the night.” I looked at the man, unsure of what he was thinking. “Look, you don’t have to be that afraid of me; Magnus told me not to…” His tongue ran across his upper lip. “…touch…your….soft…supple…little…body…so…I…won’t. Trust me; I’m fucking scared of that man. But, if you try to escape…or, if you try to summon one of your Spirit friends…I’m going to have to hurt you, and I really don’t want to see that pretty face of yours messed up.” My heart was beating faster than it ever had before; I was absolutely terrified by the thought of being alone with this man, and the reality was infinitely worse.

“…Mr. Howell…is it alright if I…make a request?” I asked.

“Depends on what it is.”

“May I…may I summon Renamon?”

“Now, why would you ask that, knowing what I would to do you if you tried that?” Clive asked.

“I’m sorry…I just don’t want to be alone. I’m scared…please…let me summon her…”

“…Fine. But you’d better make sure to tell her not to attack me,” Clive said.

“…I know.” I reached into my satchel and pulled out Renamon’s talisman, summoning my friend.

“Is something wrong, Zelda? You look scared,” Renamon said.

“That man…please, don’t attack him,” I whispered.

“I understand,” Renamon said. Smiling, Clive walked away. “Why not?” she whispered.

“If you attack him…he’ll hurt me,” I said. “Can you…stay here with me? I don’t want to be alone with him…”

“Of course I will, Zelda. I’ll stay with you as long as you need me to,” Renamon said. The two of us sat down behind a pile of rubble on the opposite side of Clive. Renamon placed her arms around me and never let go all through the night, and I did the same to her.

Thomas Kasuto

20 Minutes

 

“Cyclamen City, once again…” Statuedramon sighed. “Well, at least we’ll be the only ones here; we won’t have to deal with those annoying assholes that used to live here, right? And with the bandits that wrecked this place all gone, we shouldn’t find anyone here! Well, other than Zelda, and…Well, you know what I mean.”

“Don’t be so sure; Vajramon may have defeated all the bandits that were here last time, but more bandits could’ve come here. Places like this are a safe haven for them,” I said. At least the corpses are nowhere to be seen… Statuedramon and I continued our way through the damaged city, finding no signs of anybody around.

“Do you think maybe they didn’t go to Cyclamen?” Statuedramon asked.

“No; you saw the way Clive acted around Magnus. He was definitely afraid of him,” I said. “If he had disobeyed him like that…Clive knew what would have happened to him. They’re here.”

“Or maybe not here yet?” Statuedramon added.

“Yes, that’s another possibility…”

“Well, there is somebody here,” Statuedramon said. “Up ahead…I can’t tell who it is…but it looks like a big group of people.”

“Let’s go check it out,” I said. The two of us quietly crept over to the people Statch saw. “Bandits…I told you there would be some here.”

“I never doubted you,” Statch replied. “Should we do something about it? It looks like they’re surrounding someone. Look; they’re all facing the same direction.” We crept closer and closer, trying to get a better view of what was going on, when suddenly, a huge lance swung through the air, toppling several of the bandits over, to the shock of several of the other bandits. Several of them had run away, but most of them advanced toward the person who had killed their allies; a tall, young, blonde woman.

“Fighting a group that large by herself?” I asked.

“A woman after my own heart,” Statuedramon chuckled. “C’mon, let’s help her!” The two of us ran forth, jabbing our swords through the backs of two bandits that were about to ambush the woman from behind. When the woman heard them fall to the ground in a heap, she turned around and noticed the two of us. Glaring, she turned back around and stood still, ignoring the bandits around her. “I take back that last comment; apparently, she expects us to do all the work ourselves! Dianamon or Zelda would never do something like that!”

“Statch, quit complaining and focus on the battle!” I said, lopping off the head of one bandit. Not long after, the two of us were nearly done driving off the cutthroats.

“Well, that's the last of 'em!” Statch said, removing his blade from a bandit's gut. Looking over to the young woman, who hadn't moved an inch since she noticed us, he asked, “Hey, are you all right, Miss?”

“They're all gone; have they hurt you?” I asked, placing my hand on her shoulder, but as I did, she flinched and slapped my hand away.

“Hands off; I don’t let fucking Humans touch me!” the woman snapped, an angry look on her face. “And I don't need to be saved by any of you vile scum!”

“Vile...Human?” Statch had a confused look on his face. “But...you're a Human, too, aren't you? Or are you a Digimon?”

“Oh, shut up, you digital parasite! I’m not like either of you bastards! Get the hell away from me!” The young woman stormed off in a huff, leaving the two of us behind.

“…What the bloody hell just happened?!” Statch asked.