Chapter 62: The Medallion Calls

Thomas Kasuto

Shendu Territory

3 Days

 

The waves of the ocean were all that could be heard. The sun was in the middle of the sky, and its light was reflected with a near-blinding glow on the surface of the water. The sand of the beach Zelda, Luna, and I stood on had been heated up quite a lot by the sun, and though I wore shoes, I could sense just how hot it was—mainly due to Luna’s complaints about it, as the young witch had taken her shoes off.

“Wouldn’t want these little beauties to get ruined,” she had said as she placed them into Zelda’s satchel before we arrived at the beach.

Zelda gazed at the vast ocean lying before us now. “This is my first time here,” she said. “To the ocean, at least…”

“I’ve never even been to Shendu Territory, let alone the beach,” I said. “The farthest east I’ve ever been was Elphierr Territory.”

“It’s…so beautiful…” The ocean’s sparkling light was reflected in my lover’s eyes; she seemed as completely mesmerized by the sight of the ocean’s water as I was with the sight of her beauty before me. “I could watch this all day…”

“As pleasant as that sounds, we have something we must do,” Luna said. “I’ll go see if I can find us a boat.”

“A boat?” I gave the witch a quizzical look. “Don’t you know some spell that will let us breathe underwater?”

“Of course I do! But, like most of my spells, that one has a time limit. That’s why it would be best for us to find a boat.”

“Couldn’t you just…magic one up?” Zelda asked.

“I could, but magic shouldn’t be depended on for everything. If you can do something with your own hands, you should do so.” Without any warning, Luna, in a single, fluid motion, removed her shirt. Neither of us were surprised, as this was something Luna frequently did at home. Her beauty and sexuality were two of the most dangerous weapons Lachesis had, possibly even more so than Pheragas’s axe, and Luna proudly and unashamedly used both to her advantage to lead to the downfall of countless nameless bandits. “Now, let’s see if I can find some poor, unassuming sap that I can…persuade…into letting us use his boat…” Luna had begun taking her long, dress-like skirt off until she was wearing nothing but her black and dark violet bikini. “Unless I don’t find anyone, this shouldn’t take too long. I’ll be back as soon as I can!”

“I should…I should probably…” Zelda’s face began to turn bright red as Luna walked away. “I…I don’t want my clothes to get wet…”

“You want to change? I can turn arou—”

“No, that’s okay; I did what Luna did,” she added quickly, and very, very quietly. “I…I’ve never worn one before, though…”

“You’ve never struck me as the type to wear a bikini before,” I said.

“…Me too,” she said quietly, nervously looking away from me as she began taking her boots off. “It must seem ridiculous, being nervous like this; what I’m wearing right now really isn’t too much more revealing than a bikini…”

“You don’t have any reason to apologize for being the way you are as a person,” I said softly. “To be honest, I find your shyness quite endearing. You’re really adorable when you blush like this.”

“Thomas…” Eventually, Zelda finished removing her clothes; she wore nothing but a blue bikini with a same-colored cloth wrapped around her waist. She was blushing furiously and trying hard to avoid my gaze.

“You do look very beautiful,” I assured her. “You may not ever believe me when I say it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”

“…T—Thank you…”

“Wow! Lookin’ good, Z!” Luna said. “I’m relieved to see that you’re getting less shy, dear.” Zelda’s face went completely red with embarrassment.

“Luna, did you find a boat already?” I asked.

“C’mon, Thomas; with a body like mine, I’m surprised I didn’t get a few marriage proposals in the process,” the witch joked. “See that man over there?” Luna pointed, and a good distance away stood a lone man next to a motor boat. “Biggest perv I’ve ever met — which is definitely saying something — but I was able to convince him to let just the three of us use that boat of his.”

As far away as the man was, we could see him wave, and Luna turned around to blow him a kiss. “C’mon, we’d better go,” she said, rolling her eyes as she turned to face us. “We have to get to that next Horcrux before the Bio Hybrids do.”

Michalis

10 Minutes

 

“Damn it; we’re too late!” The boat with three of Lilithmon’s enemies took off, leaving Sephyrus and me alone on the cold, windy beach. They were soon out of sight, and I kicked a clump of sand away in anger.

“Not necessarily, my son,” Sephyrus said. “Suppose we were to arrive here first; what would we do?”

“We would…find the Medallion,” I replied. “The Medallion of the Crescent Moon…the Horcrux we’re searching for…what else would we do?”

“And how, exactly, would we get it?”

“What do you mean?”

“The Medallion lies beneath the ocean’s surface, and I, without my ability to transform without DeathPhantomon’s jewel, would be unable to find it. Unless you are capable of Digivolving into something that can breathe underwater, we have no other way of getting it.” 

“So…we just wait for them to come back with it, and then we take it?” I asked. “Just like with the Stone?”

“Exactly,” Sephyrus smiled. “Michalis…how goes your…newest transformation? Have you attained flight yet?”

“Yeah, I’ve got my wings now.”

“Very good; I’m going to go to the restoration sight. When you retrieve the Medallion, bring it to me there as soon as you can.”

“Understood.”

Thomas Kasuto

2 Hours

 

“I think I…found something…” I climbed up into the boat, gasping for air, like Luna and Zelda before me, having been down in the water for longer than expected. In spite of having been down in the ocean before me, both women were still soaking wet, and their bikini-clad bodies glistened in the sunlight.

“Are you okay?” Zelda asked. I nodded.

“What did you find?” Luna asked.

“It looked…like a treasure chest,” I said. “I’ll bet…that’s where the Horcrux is. Luna…cast the spell again. I’m ready.”

“If you say so,” Luna said. The sorceress gently placed her hands over my shoulders as she began to speak in an eerie, incomprehensible language, as she had done before. “Okay, go!” I leaped out of the boat and once again dove down into the sea. In truth, I didn’t physically feel any different; it wasn’t as though I suddenly grew gills. However, it did feel rather weird to be able to breathe in water, and on several occasions, I found myself holding my breath.

Let’s see…where was it? For a few moments, I swam further and further down in silence until something caught my eye. A black treasure chest, caught between two rocks. That’s it! I made my way to the chest, and no sooner had I placed my hand on top of the chest than a giant, white tentacle wrapped itself around my arm. Oh, no…why now?!

“This is my treasure, Human!” I stared with horror into the featureless face of the Gesomon that held me in place. “Leave at once, or suffer the consequences!”

“No! I need what’s in that chest!” I shouted. I don’t even know if what I’m looking for is in there, though… I reached down for my sword and severed the Gesomon’s tentacle.

“You fool; you should’ve left when you had the chance! Coral Crusher!” I was barely able to wrap my fingers around one of the chest’s handles before one of Gesomon’s larger tentacles struck me across the chest, sending my flying through the water with the Champion level chasing after me. “You won’t get away from me that easily; Deadly Shade!” Gesomon squirted out a thick, black ink. Instantly, my eyes began to burn as the Gesomon wrapped his limbs tighter and tighter around my chest.

Damn it…I have to…lose this thing! Can’t let it…hurt Zelda… I tried in vain to swing the heavy, bulky chest, but Gesomon had me tied up too tightly to move my arms. Damn…I couldn’t have died…fighting bravely against one of those Bio Hybrids, huh?

“Fist of the Beast King!” A flaming lion’s head tore through Gesomon’s ink cloud and struck the Mollusk Digimon in the back of the head

“…Leo…mon…”

“Beast Sword!” Leomon’s sword cut through a majority of Gesomon’s legs, setting me free. Gesomon turned around, and when he saw Leomon he began backing away slowly.

“You okay, little buddy?” Leomon asked.

“Yeah…I’ll be fine…” the two of us began swimming up to the ocean’s surface.

“Oooh, Leomon, huh?” I heard the Gesomon ask, sounding somewhat impressed. “I’ve always heard stories of how strong Leomon was, but I never knew he could swim, too!”

 “Zelda saw that cloud of ink rise to the surface, so she and Luna sent me to check up on you,” Leomon explained, ignoring the Gesomon. In a matter of seconds, we had reached the ocean’s undulating surface. The Digimon Spirit climbed into the boat and helped me get the chest aboard before I climbed in after it.

 “Tommy, are you okay?! What happened down there?!” Zelda asked.

“It was a Gesomon,” I said.

“Did he use his Deadly Shade attack?” Luna asked. I nodded.

“It got in my eyes. I can’t see anything, now…”

“Oh, no! Luna, is there anything you can do for him?!” Zelda asked.

“This is the work of a Digimon’s attack, and damage from them can always be undone, dear,” Luna said. “However, it will require the use of a potion, one that I cannot make while we are out in the middle of nowhere. We’ll get him back to Shendu Territory, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Don’t worry, Thomas; we’ll get you back safely, and you’ll see again really soon!” Zelda said.

“I’ve always wanted to challenge you, Leomon!” I heard Gesomon yell.

Leomon sighed. “Yes, I know,” he said. “That’s what I did with my life before dying; fighting Digimon like you who thought they stood a chance against me. In fact…that’s how I died, Gesomon. That’s how I became a Digimon Spirit. If you wish to fight me, I have no objections, though. I will defend my master and her friends with every ounce of my strength!”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear!” Gesomon yelled. “Gesomon Digivolve to, MarineDevimon!”

“…MarineDevimon…One of the strongest Digimon to hide in the depths of the ocean,” Luna said breathlessly.

“…I thought they were blue, though,” Zelda said. “Why is this one red?”

What?! A Digimon with a rare coloration, and I have to be fucking blind!

“It happens,” Luna said. “From what I’ve read, there’s like a one in eight thousand chance of seeing a Digimon with a different coloration.”

God damn it, no! Why?! Of all the times to be blind, why now?!

“Leomon Digivolve to, SaberLeomon!” A monstrously loud splash violently shook the boat as the Digimon Spirit leaped into the ocean. “You three, go on ahead; I’ll deal with MarineDevimon.”

“No way! I’m not sticking around for this!” MarineDevimon screamed. “I wanted to fight Leomon, not this oversized monster! I’m out of here!” Another loud splash was heard, but still, I could see nothing.

“It doesn’t hurt, does it?” I heard Zelda’s concerned voice next to me..

“Well, my eyes are burning, but I’m getting kind of used to it by now.” I felt Zelda — at least, I’m fairly certain it was Zelda — reach down and give my hand a gentle squeeze as the boat began to move once again, heading for the shoreline.

“Yeah, the burning’s to be expected with Gesomon’s Deadly Shade attack,” Luna said. I heard the lid of the treasure chest open. “…You did a good job, Thomas. You found it.”

“The Horcrux? Is it in there?”

“Yes; this is it,” Luna said. “Oh, wait; I guess you can’t see it…Sorry. I was holding it up to…show you…”

I smiled. “Don’t worry about it. As long as the Bio Hybrids didn’t get it, I’m happy.” In a few short minutes, I felt the boat come to a sudden halt.

“We’re back, Thomas,” Zelda said softly. After I was helped out of the boat by the two women, my ears soon picked up the wingbeats of an approaching Digimon.

“…Something’s coming,” I said.

“What? Where?” Luna asked. I could hear her shifting around in the sand, looking around.

Interesting; my hearing seems better now that I’m blind… “It’s a flying Digimon; I can’t tell which direction it’s coming from…”

“Corona Blaster!” The sound of multiple attacks resonated in the air as they struck the sandy beach, sending sand flying everywhere. “I’ll take that!”

“That voice…Michalis?!”

“I claim this Medallion in the name of Lilithmon! Ain’t it lovely?” I heard BioBeelzemon ask.

“Where are you?!” And how long has he had wings?!

“Oh…are you blind or something? Well, that’s not my concern; I got what I came here for, and soon, Generalmon will walk Arcadia once again! Later, losers!” The sound of BioBeelzemon’s wingbeats faded away, and soon, he was gone.

“What…what should we do?” Zelda asked. “We can’t fight him…not without Thomas’s help…”

“I’ll have to try; even if I can’t see, I’ll still fight him,” I said.

“No,” I heard Luna say.

“Luna?”

“I’ll go after him,” Luna said. “I’ll fight BioBeelzemon, and if necessary, that Generalmon.”

“By yourself?!” Zelda asked.

“We don’t really have a choice, now do we?” Luna asked. “You wait here with Thomas; I’ll go get the Medallion back.”

“Will you be okay by yourself?” I asked. I felt so helpless, and useless, not being able to fight. This was a new feeling, and it wasn’t like the time in the desert when Apollomon told me not to fight. This time, it was…crushing…like I was being deprived of my sole purpose in life.

“I could send Leomon or Dynasmon with you, if you’d like,” Zelda suggested.

“No; I’ll be fine on my own,” Luna said. “I’ll be back soon. I promise.” I heard the sound of Luna’s footsteps fade into the distance.

“…Just don’t die!” I shouted. If anything happened to another friend when I could’ve been there to help out, I’ll never forgive myself…

“…Don’t worry. I would never be so cruel as to deprive Chrysania of her mother again.”

Chapter 61: The Phantom Unleashed

Thomas Kasuto

Mandala City

 

“You three are the ones who killed Lilithmon a year ago,” Belphemon said. The gigantic Digimon licked his lips.

“I’ve never heard of a Digimon eating Humans before,” Zelda whispered. Belphemon greedily looked down at her.

“You’re a bit on the scrawny side, Human woman; there’s hardly any meat on your bones at all,” Belphemon said. “I should save you for later, Human woman, so I can make you as fat as I can get you. A lot of fattening up would do wonders for your flavor! What was your name, again? I can’t quite remember.”

“The only thing you’re going to know is what it’s like to die a second time!” I retorted.

“…So…you think you can kill me, small Digimon?” Belphemon asked. “I don’t really care what you or anyone else thinks. Let’s just get this over with so I can go back to sleep! Gift of Darkness!”

“Come forth, Gigasmon!” As soon as Zelda summoned him, the Mineral Digimon reached up and caught two of Belphemon’s claws before they touched the ground.

“You wish to have a strength contest with me, Spirit?”

“Me no care how strong you is! Me will protect master!” Gigasmon said.

“Hah! Good luck with that!” Belphemon said. “My claws are clad in the flames of hell! You think someone like you could withstand their heat?!”

“What should we do?!” Statch whispered frantically. “There’s no way any of us could beat a Digimon this powerful! And I don’t wanna get eaten!”

“Oh, relax! I’m the one he’s going to fatten up!” Zelda whined.

“Should we go back and get Apollomon?” I asked. I looked calmly at Zelda, and admired how calm and composed she looked in the shadow of that enormous Digimon.

“I don’t think we have time for that!” Statch said. “Lilithmon is in Yew as we speak, summoning another Digimon! We need to hurry up and kill this one before that one gets out! But…I’m not big enough to fight a Digimon like this…”

“Big enough…Statuedramon, aren’t you capable of Digivolving?” Zelda asked.

“Not that I know of. I know most Rookie Digimon with a Human partner like me can do it, but I just don’t know how it’s done.”

“Without Apollomon to help us, Zelda, I think you might be the only one who can stop Belphemon,” I said. “The Digimon you summon are the only ones strong enough to stop him.”

“Enough! I grow weary of this!” Belphemon roared. “Lampranthus!” One of the chains coiled around Belphemon’s wrist moved on its own and struck Gigasmon across the head. The Digimon Spirit tumbled over backward and was struck again by two more of Belphemon’s chains before the larger Digimon swatted him away with his claws. Belphemon roared victoriously as Gigasmon vanished.

“…Okay. I’ll try not to let you down, Thomas,” Zelda said.

As if you ever could…I smiled as I watched as Zelda held up an arm to summon another Digimon. “Come forth, Dynasmon!” she commanded

“Dragon’s Roar!” Dynasmon unleashed an attack that struck Belphemon directly in the chest, managing to move the larger Digimon back a few feet.

“Eating Digimon Spirits is no fun,” Belphemon said. “Get out of my way so I can eat those Humans! Even though she’s way too skinny, that girl looks especially soft and tender…” Belphemon began to drool.

“Never; Breath of Wyvern!”

“Gift of Darkness!” Belphemon’s claws cut through Dynasmon’s attack, the flames of which dispersed into the air and vanished. Dynasmon was effortlessly swatted to the ground by the enormous talons before disappearing. “Done yet?”

“Come forth, Leomon!” Zelda yelled as the Champion level Spirit materialized,

“Fist of the Beast King!”

“Lampranthus!” Belphemon flailed the chains around his arms, striking Leomon across the side of his head and his shoulder before he could attack.

“No! Leomon!” She began to run to her Spirit’s side, but I held up my arm to stop her from getting any closer to Belphemon.

“Don’t worry; I’ll be fine…” Leomon, with a trembling arm, tightly grasped the hilt of his sword and removed it from its scabbard.

“Lampranthus!”

“Beast Sword!” Leomon quickly swung his blade, slicing clear through Belphemon’s chains before they were able to hit him.

“Gift of Darkness!”

“Leomon Digivolve to, SaberLeomon!” SaberLeomon, standing on his hind legs, was almost as tall as Belphemon; he let out a threatening roar that shook the entire city. Belphemon, with a look of near-concern on his face, halted his attack and drew his arm back.

“A Digimon the same size as me? I thought Machinedramon was the only one,” Belphemon said.

“I have people I’m fighting for; you cannot hope to be a match for me,” SaberLeomon growled.

“Well, either way, let’s try to make this quick,” Belphemon said. “I’m getting tired of all this moving around…”

“Howling Crusher!” SaberLeomon reared up on his hind legs and shoved one of his front claws into Belphemon’s chest. Blood came surging out, staining SaberLeomon’s yellow fur orange.

“…Well? Aren’t you going to scream in agony like everyone else?” I asked.

“I would…but…it’d take too much…of an effort…” Belphemon smiled and looked down at the three of us. “Well done…I completely underestimated you, so I held back…If we ever fight again…you won’t win…this easily…” Belphemon, still smiling, fell over lifelessly as his body turned to small bits and clumps of data.

“My lady, I shall be taking my leave for now,” SaberLeomon said before disappearing.

“We’ve got to go after Lilithmon now!” Statuedramon said.

“She said she was going to Yew, right?” I asked.

“Let’s go; she’s probably summoning that Digimon as we speak!” Zelda said. I gently took her hand in mine as the three of us left the submerged subcontinent of Mandala.

Sephyrus

Yew

 

“DeathPhantomon is free!” Lilithmon exclaimed. The three of us stood in a secluded area of the city, and we were hidden from sight by a few warehouses. The jewel lay on the ground at Lilithmon’s feet, and beneath it, a black hole opened up, with a rather large, cloaked Digimon quickly flying out of it.

“It’s good to be free again,” DeathPhantomon said. “Well, Lilithmon, it seems as though thou art keeping up thine end of the bargain after all. The punishment I had in store for thee will have to remain as little more than a fond, fond memory.”

“Oh…thank you, DeathPhantomon,” Lilithmon said.

“On the other hand…” DeathPhantomon continued. “It seems that thou art failing to keep us here once we have been brought back. Alas, SkullCaliphmon, Myotismon, and even Belphemon hath fallen in battle. Lilithmon…if this keeps up, thy sweet, enjoyable punishment will turn from dream to reality.”

“Belphemon’s dead, too?!” Michalis exclaimed. “How could a Digimon as big and powerful as him be defeated so soon?!”

“It shall forever remain a mystery,” DeathPhantomon shrugged. “Belphemon hast begun his near-eternal slumber upon once again upon returning to the Dark Area.”

“Rest assured, DeathPhantomon; I highly doubt a Digimon of your skill would fall as easily to those Humans,” Lilithmon said.

“Of this, I have little doubt,” DeathPhantomon agreed. “For I shall not face them in battle.”

“You what?!”

“It seems as though all those who face those Humans are destroyed. I shall make mine escape before they arrive.”

“You coward! How can you be afraid of two Humans and a Rookie level Digimon?!”

“Thou may call it whatever thou wishes to; I call it keeping myself alive, free from the Dark Area. And so now, I shall bid thee a fondest farewell.” DeathPhantomon bowed as well as he could for not having any legs, then flew away.

“Oh, well…maybe it is better this way,” Lilithmon sighed. “He is right; at least those Humans won’t be finding him…Well, come on; let’s get back to Mandala.” Michalis and Lilithmon began walking away, and I prepared to do the same, but I stopped when I heard someone approaching.

“You are too late,” I said as I heard Thomas and Statuedramon walk up to me.

“Too late…you mean…the Digimon…has already been summoned?” Statuedramon asked, completely out of breath, as if he had run all the way over here.

“Yes, but you have no reason to be concerned,” I said.

“Why is that?” Zelda asked.

“The Digimon we summoned, DeathPhantomon, has run away, so to speak. He has no quarrel with you, and would prefer not to share the same fate as his allies.” I turned around to look at the three. “If you are fated to do so…then you will fight him. Of this, I have no doubt.”

“So, where are you going to go for a Horcrux next?” Thomas asked.

“I am unsure. We do not know the locations of any more off the tops of our heads. It is actually quite possible that you will get to a few of them before us. But just know that we’ll always be there to get them back.” Without another look behind me, I walked off after Lilithmon and Michalis.

Thomas Kasuto

Saias’s Villa

20 Minutes

 

It was nearing the end of the day and close to sundown by the time we had made it back to the villa. Apollomon was the only other person that sat with the three of us in the living room as we retold what happened.

“Well, I’m impressed you all managed to defeat Belphemon by yourselves, and I’m even more pleased none of you got hurt,” he said.

“Statch and I didn’t really do much of the fighting; it was all Zelda and her Digimon Spirits that defeated Belphemon,” I said. I glanced over at the woman I love only to find her blushing in embarrassment.

“Well, nevertheless, I’m glad you weren’t hurt,” Apollomon repeated. “However, it is even more troubling to know that a Digimon like DeathPhantomon is roaming Arcadia freely.”

“What kind of Digimon was he?” Statuedramon asked.

“Again, I never fought him, so I only have a vague idea of what he is like,” Apollomon said. “From what I was told, however, I can only surmise that he was an exceedingly cunning and crafty Digimon, one who uses his surroundings, even the shadows themselves, to his fullest advantage, and on the rare occasions he was backed into a corner, he was able to change his form and regain the advantage he previously had. This is not a Digimon you will be able to defeat if you fight him unprepared; however, with the way he fights, there is no real way to be prepared for him.”

“Wow…how could we defeat someone like that?” Statuedramon asked.

“I am uncertain as to how he was ever defeated in the first place, unfortunately,” Apollomon said. “The friend of mine who killed him, Flamedramon, passed away before he was able to tell me how he was successful.”

“Flamedramon?! Hold on a minute—!”

“Oh, yes; he’s not the same Flamedramon we are all familiar with,” Apollomon added quickly.

“If he’s not targeting any of us, then we might not be in too much danger,” I said.

“That may be, but as long as he’s still out there, we should be on our guard,” Zelda said.

“So, what of the next Horcrux?” Statuedramon asked. “Even Sephyrus said that they don’t know specifically where any of them are, so what should our next move be?”

“Well…I have a few ideas of where some might be,” Apollomon said. “But it’s getting late. I’ll tell you what I know tomorrow morning.”

“…Fine,” Statch sighed. The three of us left the living room and began walking upstairs to our rooms. Zelda and I now shared a room, as well as a bed, while Statuedramon had a room all to himself.

“…Tommy?” Zelda asked as soon as I closed our bedroom door. “If Belphemon…if he had made me fat like he said he would’ve…Would you still love me?”

“Of course I would, sweetie!” I walked up to her and embraced her. “He could have fed you until you were bigger than he was, and I would still love you. I will always love you, no matter what.”

“…Thank you, Tommy. I will always love you, too…”

The Next Morning

 

“So, you said you had an idea of where some more of those Horcruxes might be?” Statuedramon asked. All the members of Lachesis stood in the villa’s living room, standing around a map of Arcadia that lay across a table in the middle of the room.

“…Possibly,” Apollomon said. “Over on the other side of the continent, near Shendu Territory…in the ocean…that is where the Medallion should be.”

“If it’s in the ocean, I might be able to get it,” Luna said. “I know of a spell that enables Humans and Digimon to breathe underwater.” Apollomon nodded.

“Good; you’ll go with Thomas and Zelda to Shendu Territory to find that Horcrux, then.”

Shendu...I don’t know what help I would be underwater, but…I glanced over at Zelda. Shendu Beach is said to be really beautiful…that’s something I’d like to share with her…

 “The next one, the Flute, should be somewhere in the Savage Prairie, in Elphierr Territory.”

“I was born in Elphierr Territory, so I know my way around that area,” Dianamon said. “I’ll go search for the flute.”

“And the next one, the Mirror, should be near Lake Viscaria in Lotisea Province.”

“BlackGaomon and I vill go and get dat vun,” Pheragas said. “I need to make up for de vun I lost.”

“You didn’t fail us, Pheragas,” Dianamon said. “None of us knew somebody else might be searching for the Horcruxes.”

“Everybody, proceed with extreme caution,” Apollomon warned. “It is extremely likely that each of your groups will be attacked by those seeking the Horcruxes. Chrysania, Statuedramon, and I will remain behind so not all of our members will be out at the same time, in case you all do get attacked.”

“You know, as much as I hate the thought of being left behind…that’s a really good idea,” Statuedramon said. Apollomon nodded.

“Everyone, make your preparations and depart as soon as possible.”  Luna, Zelda and I all left for our rooms to prepare for our undoubtedly long journey.

Chapter 60: Belphemon Awakens

Michalis

Mandala City

2 Days

 

I stood nervously at the very center of Mandala City, the place where Lilithmon seemed to be most at ease. I watched her face, wondering how she would react to the news I had just delivered. “I see…so, Myotismon has been defeated as well,” Lilithmon said. “Well, I’m sure he’s pissed about that; he was always the quickest to anger of the twelve of us.”

“I apologize, milady; such a thing should not have occurred while there was something I could have done about it,” Sephyrus said. “If Myotismon is too miffed about his predicament, perhaps I could—”

“Nah, let him be pissed off; even if he was alive, I’m sure he wouldn’t be too much happier.”

“So…milady, are your preparations complete?”

“Yes; I’m ready to begin,” Sephyrus nodded. “Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioPremenitmon!”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay without that gem?” Lilithmon asked.

“It is only a single attack I will be losing,” BioPremenitmon said, holding up his ankh. “Shadow Evolution was convenient, but losing it will in no way hinder me as I continue working with you, Lilithmon.”  Lilithmon wrapped her fingers around the vibrantly colored jewel in BioPremenitmon’s ankh and plucked it out.

“Michalis?”

“I know, I know…” My heart sank as I lifted up my left sleeve and looked at the silk cloth wrapped around my arm. Almost forgot it was there…Wonder if it’s as bad as it was the last time I checked? I sighed, beginning to unravel the cloth until it loosely fell into my hand. Lilithmon took it, ignoring the dark blood that stained it. The Silk had covered a festering welt that I had gotten when the blood of Beelzemon was injected into mine.

“What are the odds that the two of you would be in the possession of a Horcrux?!” Lilithmon asked giddily. She grasped my Jewel and Michalis’s Silk in her left hand, and stared down greedily at the two of them.

“It seems as though we are fated to prevail,” BioPremenitmon said, turning back into Sephyrus. “I was simply lucky enough to stumble upon this jewel in my youth, and I’ve kept it with me ever since.”

“That cloth has been wrapped around my arm ever since I was turned into a Bio Hybrid.” I spoke in an absent-minded voice, half-listening to the conversation as I examined my arm. “They told me that my ‘operation’ was a bit messier than others, and they used that cloth to stop the bleeding. Guess they forgot about it…” Well…I suppose it’s not nearly as gory and repugnant as it was before…At least the bleeding stopped nine years ago…

“Well, lucky for us that they did!” Lilithmon said. “This jewel is home to the soul of DeathPhantomon before his murder in Yew at the hands of Flamedramon — a different Flamedramon from the one we are familiar with, mind you — and this silk is home to the soul of Belphemon before his murder here in Mandala at the hands of Neptunemon.” 

“Rumor has it that Neptunemon lives still,” Sephyrus said.

“Really? Where?!”

“It’s rumored that he’s been frozen solid by an incredibly powerful Digimon up in Nymphaea Province.”

“Really…I wonder who could have done that,” Lilithmon mused. “Well, as long as he’s out of the way, I guess it doesn’t matter. Now, then…it’s time to revive Belphemon!”

Thomas Kasuto

Saias’s Villa

 

“What do you mean, they took the sword?!” I asked.

“I mean just dat,” Pheragas said, sitting across from us on a couch in the villa’s living room. He and BlackGaomon, who sat in Pheragas’s lap, were covered in soot and smoke, but appeared to be otherwise unharmed. Beside the two were Apollomon and Dianamon. Zelda and Statuedramon sat next to me. Luna sat in a chair nearby, and on the floor next to her lay Chrysania, sprawled out on her stomach and swinging her legs in the air.

“But…that can’t be!” Statuedramon jumped up and stood on the couch next to me. “The Bio Hybrids were on Marigold Spire; they brought back Myotismon right before we killed him! How could they have also been in Yew, taking the sword?!”

“It might not have been them,” I said. Apollomon glanced at me.

“What do you mean?” Luna asked.

“Just because a Horcrux was taken doesn’t mean it was one of the Bio Hybrids who took it,” the Mega answered. “Pheragas, you and BlackGaomon clearly heard your attacker say the word ‘Horcrux,’ didn’t you?”

“Yes; the Digimon that attacked us said that his master wanted the sword in his possession,” BlackGaomon said.

“His possession?!”

“Yeah…? What’s so weird about—”

“His possession,” Apollomon repeated. “The Digimon attacking you wanted the sword for his master, who he clearly stated to be male. Lilithmon is a woman.”

“Oh…”

“It’s kind of hard not to notice,” Statuedramon said in a dreamy voice.

“So that means that someone else is out gathering Horcruxes,” Dianamon said.

“And if they attacked the two of you to get it, then I doubt they have something in plan for them,” Apollomon said.

“Or us,” Pheragas added.

“Geez, this is turning into an even bigger mess than the one a two weeks ago,” Statch said.

“…Apollomon…can you think of any reason why Lilithmon would still need the Horcruxes after the souls have left them?” I asked.

“What do you mean?! They shouldn’t have any reason to keep them!”

Wow…this really is getting weird, then… I reached into my pocket, pulled out the stone that had once held Myotismon’s soul, and held it up for Apollomon to see. “After Myotismon was killed by Gigasmon…Sephyrus took the time to try and retrieve this…just like he did with the necklace.” Apollomon stared blankly at the stone. “Are you sure you can’t think of any reasons why they would still need them?” I asked.

“They…shouldn’t be of any use to her anymore…” Apollomon said.

“I can’t think of any reason, either,” Luna said.

“If they are taking the time to get the Horcruxes even when they don’t have any souls in them, it might prove wise to retrieve them before they have a chance to,” Dianamon said.

“And in the meantime, Sephyrus told us Lilithmon is already in possession of the Silk and Jewel Horcruxes,” Statuedramon said.

“The jewel…that may be DeathPhantomon,” Apollomon said. “And I’m fairly certain the silk was Belphemon’s. In Mandala, before Lilithmon’s first death, Seraphimon told me he saw a shred of Lilithmon’s sleeve float away soon after Belphemon vanished.”

“Then that means Belphemon was killed in Mandala!” Statuedramon exclaimed. “And that’s where Lilithmon and the Bio Hybrids are right now! And that means she could be bringing Belphemon back right now!”

“How powerful was Belphemon back in the old days?” I asked. “Did the friend of yours who killed Belphemon ever tell you that much?”

“Let me think…Neptunemon told me that Belphemon had held him off for quite a bit until he had finally one,” Apollomon said. “Belphemon is a Digimon large and powerful enough to strike down entire mountains with a single swing of his arms, but is usually too busy napping to actually do it.”

“So, he’s lazy, is he?” Statch asked. “Guess we don’t have to hurry, then.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure,” I said.

“On the contrary,” Apollomon interrupted. “When Belphemon actually is awake, he is a wrathful and destructive being; in fact, it was partly because of him that Mandala is now on the bottom of the ocean. It is advised that you leave as soon as possible, Thomas, and if possible, stop Belphemon from being brought forth from the Dark Area in the first place. Like, now.”

“What?! We have to go to the bottom of the ocean?! Again?!” Statch wined.

“Irene led me to a shortcut to Mandala in Yew when we went to kill Lilithmon last time,” I said. “It’s really close by; we should get there in about ten minutes.” And maybe…Michalis will be there…I’ll have to be prepared for the possibility of not just fighting him, but…killing him…Victoria’s son…

“Go as soon as you are ready,” Apollomon said. “And do not let Belphemon walk this earth again!”

Sephyrus

Mandala City

10 Minutes

 

“Boy, this sure is taking a while,” Michalis said. He yawned in boredom as he looked around the sunken city. “How come the others didn’t take this long?”

“It has to do with the ancient language Lilithmon is reciting,” I said. “In the ancient language, Belphemon’s name is almost one hundred syllables.”

“One hundred?! That’s fucking insane!” the boy’s jaw dropped. “I can see why that language is dead!”

“Conversely, the word meaning ‘antidisestablishmentarianism’ is only two syllables.”

“…Is there anything else I should know about the language?”

“Do not fear, Michalis; it will not be required of you to learn this language,” I laughed.

“It is complete!” Lilithmon’s voice echoed throughout the ancient city. Beneath the shred of Lilithmon’s sleeve that lay on the floor, a black hole appeared, and from it emerged the claws of an enormous Digimon. Soon, its head was in sight, and before too long, the rest of it. Belphemon stood, towering over the three of us. It seemed as though he were panting from exhaustion, though to me, it sounded more like roaring. “Behold; the triumphant return of the most powerful of my Digimon allies; Belphemon!”

“Enough of the idle chattering,” Belphemon said. “What’s for dinner?”

“Damn it, we’re too late!” I turned around, seeing Thomas, Zelda, and Statuedramon standing above a blue tile and gaping at Belphemon’s colossal figure.

“I was hoping we’d be able to avoid this,” Thomas said.

“Those three are the ones who killed me a week ago,” Lilithmon said. “They will do for now, won’t they?”

“Oh, good; I love the taste of Humans!” Belphemon greedily stared at Thomas and Zelda. “Especially the girls!”

“Bon appétit, dear Belphemon. We’re off to free another of our allies,” Lilithmon said. “Sephyrus, Michalis; with me! We’re going to Yew!”

“Yes, milady,” I said. Michalis and I quickly ran after her, with a roar from Belphemon being the last thing I heard before stepping on a different blue tile, headed for Mandala.

Chapter 59: Crimson Lightning and Golden Flames

Zelda

Marigold Spire

 

“Crimson Lightning!” Dynasmon quickly but gently placed us down on the mountain before catching Myotismon’s attack with his claws before it hit us. “Who is this miscreant that dares defy me?!” Myotismon asked.

“His name is Dynasmon,” Sephyrus said. “He’s a Mega level Digimon, and a master of both hand-to-hand combat and combat from afar, as well as in the air.”

“Master, eh? Dynasmon, you may call me Master!”

“I think not! Breath of Wyvern!” As Dynasmon summoned forth a gigantic dragon, Myotismon snapped his fingers. The flames of Dynasmon’s attack dispersed, much to the surprise of the Digimon Spirit.

No way! Dynasmon…is so powerful! How could Myotismon have done that?!

“There is nothing a Digimon like you can do to defeat me! Nightmare Claw!” Myotismon sent out a black, ghost-like entity that turned Dynasmon’s pure white armor a faded black. The Spirit, unable to stay airborne, fell to the ground, landing on his head before vanishing. “When you take me to Lilithmon, Sephyrus, tell her to expect an earful for letting SkullCaliphmon die! I might be the strongest Digimon among the twelve of us, but I’m not as strong as I could be without all twelve of us! Thanks to her, that might not ever happen!”

“Duly noted,” Sephyrus replied.

“And as for you,” Myotismon turned to face us. His face was scrunched with wrath, and I felt my knees tremble as his pale blue eyes glare down at us. “Expect an even worse fate for slaying my comrade! Grisly Wing!” Without hesitation, Statch jumped out in front of us and help up his shield.

“Dimensional Shield!” Myotismon conjured up a countless number of bats, and each and every one of them found their way into Statuedramon’s shield. When he swung his sword, his Sword of Dragon’s Soul attack took on a black hue before it struck Myotismon, who held up his cape to protect himself.

“Crimson Lightning!” Myotismon struck Statuedramon across the face and head multiple times until the Rookie Digimon lost consciousness, with blood slowly pouring from his nose and mouth. “You two are next!”

“Zelda, get down!” Thomas ran in front of me just as Myotismon’s attack struck him across the back.

“Thomas!” He fell to a knee briefly, and I ran over to him. Myotismon attacked again, and Thomas leaped back up to protect me.

“Don’t worry…I’ll…protect you,” Thomas whispered, grinning weakly at me before Myotismon attacked him once again. His face contorted with pain each time Myotismon attacked him, and I could hear his breathing grow more and more labored with each attack. Still, he did not falter, and through each attack, he held me tightly in his strong arms.

“Thomas, please…”  His breathing grew more and more labored, and he looked to be on the verge of passing out. In all my life, I had never felt as helpless as I do now, seeing the love of my life ruthlessly attacked.

“How is this Human still not dead yet?!” Myotismon asked, panting.

“This one has always been quite stubborn about clinging to life. He didn’t even die when I stabbed him in the chest,” Sephyrus said. I saw Myotismon’s expression turn from annoyance and exhaustion to surprise.

“How many times must I attack him until he dies?!” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the sunlight glinting off something. It was nearby, and I could easily reach it…

“It shouldn’t take too much longer,” Michalis said. “The back of his shirt’s all torn up, and his back is bleeding like crazy!”

“Then this will be the final attack! Crimson—”

“No! Please, don’t do it!” I worked my way out of Thomas’s limp arms and placed myself between him and Myotismon, my arms outstretched, as Thomas collapsed to the ground. “Please, don’t hurt him anymore!”

“Are you volunteering to be my first Human victim in over two hundred years?” When I didn’t reply, the Ultimate Digimon shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

“No…Zelda…”

This Digimon…Please, be strong enough to protect the man I love! “Come forth, Gigasmon!” A tall, large-armed Digimon appeared between me and Myotismon.

“You call me?” Gigasmon asked, looking at me over his shoulder. “Me help you if you want.”

“Ridiculous; you really think this grammatically-challenged imbecile can defeat me?!” Myotismon asked.

“Me not smart, but me strong!” Gigasmon cracked his knuckles.

“We shall see; Grisly Wing!”

“Quagmire Twister!” Gigasmon spun and spun, knocking away almost every bat Myotismon sicced on him while smashing all the others with his fists.

“Not bad, I suppose,” Myotismon said. “But if you are the best they have, then there is no hope for them to win! I will burn Arcadia to the ground as the sound of thunder resonates in the sky! And you shall be the first to be burned, Spirit!” Myotismon shrouded himself in swirling golden flames that roared as fiercely as the lightning from his Crimson Lightning attack. “This will hardly be a battle at all; simply an end!”

“You kill me, me keep coming back! Me Digimon Spirit! Me can’t die! Me loyally fight for whoever summons me! Tectonic Slam!” Gigasmon leapt up high into the air, and was followed by the flames.

“Perish, flawed one!” Myotismon screamed. Gigasmon fell through Myotismon’s golden flames as they soared upward into the air and surrounded him, not wincing once as they seared and burned his skin. After remaining airborne for what felt like an eternity, Gigasmon crashed down onto Myotismon, with his large hands placed around the evil Digimon’s neck as they crashed into the mountain, delving deeper and deeper through it until they popped on the other side and landed on the sandy, rocky ground below. As we weren’t very high up on Marigold Spire, I could easily see Myotismon’s sharp fangs when he opened his mouth to scream one final time before he died.

“Me do good?!” Gigasmon hollered up at me, wearing an expectant smile on his face.

“…Yes…you did just fine, Gigasmon!” I smiled back at the Digimon Spirit, who gave me an eager thumbs-up before vanishing.

“Well…Lilithmon certainly is going to be quite upset about the loss of Myotismon,” Sephyrus said calmly, and as he bent down to pick up the stone, a sword flew through the air, with its blade landing in the ground between Sephyrus’s hand and the rock.

“Myotismon’s soul is no longer bound to the rock…meaning it is no longer a Horcrux,” Thomas said as he limped over to pick up his sword. I gasped when I saw his back; his coat and shirt were completely torn up, and he was bleeding quite badly. “And yet, there you go, taking the time to pick it up, or rather, try to. Just like the Necklace; it no longer has SkullCaliphmon’s soul bound to it, and it is no longer a Horcrux, either…meaning it should be of no value to you. So why, then, do you take the time to retrieve them when they are empty of souls?” Sephyrus closed his eyes and smiled.

“You are right, Thomas. The Stone and the Necklace are no longer Horcruxes, yet it remains prudent that we keep them safe and intact for our lady.”

Thomas picked up the rock and placed it in his pocket. “Might you be willing to tell us why?”

“I would, but I’m sorry to say the details remain a mystery even to me. So, go right ahead; take the stone, if you feel that you must. Alone, it will not do you any more good than it will us…and when the time comes…whenever we wish it…we could easily take it back from you. Your trials are far from over; we are already in possession of the Jewel and the Silk. Once Lilithmon is finished with them, you will have two Mega Digimon to deal with in addition to Lilithmon…as well as us Bio Hybrids.”

“We will stop you.”

“I know you will, at the very least, try,” Sephyrus said. “Whether or not you are successful…It is entirely up to fate to decide who will win this. You or us. Good or evil. Light or darkness. Whichever of us the world deems to be more worthy of existing…that is who will survive.”

“We will not fail in stopping you,” I said. Sephyrus regarded me with interest for a moment.

“Michalis, are you ready to go?”

“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” the younger Bio Hybrid said. Sephyrus nodded and began his descent from Marigold Spire.

“Wait!” Thomas grabbed Michalis’s arm before he could follow Sephyrus. “…Lilithmon told me you were the one who murdered Victoria. Is this true?”

“…I’ve got no reason to deny doing it,” Michalis shrugged. I saw Thomas’s grip tighten around the boy’s arm. Michalis grinned through the pain, and even began laughing.

“How could you do it?” Thomas asked quietly, almost inaudibly. “She was your mother! She loved you! She…she was pregnant…”

“Yeah, she mentioned all of that before it happened,” Michalis said. “So? Is there something you were going to do about it? You wouldn’t actually go as far as to…kill me…would you?”

“…A few days ago, when I first learned what you had done, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t kill you, that I wouldn’t let myself fall to your level,” Thomas said. “She always told me not to let anger, revenge, and hatred get the best of me, not to let them guide me. Revenge is simply another name for murder, and there is no forgiveness for wanton murder. Any good man must always condemn it. Michalis…you will be my one exception. Victoria…please forgive me…but your son cannot be allowed to live…”

“You can do whatever you want; I will never regret killing her! She wasn’t my mother! Lilithmon is!” Michalis said. “Now, if you’re done speaking to that dead woman, there’s a profane bishop I need to catch up to.” After a moment, Thomas released his grip on Michalis’s arm. “See you later…‘bro’.” Michalis slid down the spire after Sephyrus.

“Why did you let him go?” I asked.

“I couldn’t do it…not with you watching…”

“We could have covered our eyes,” Statuedramon suggested.

“No; you’d have still heard it.” Thomas reached back into his pocket and pulled out the stone.

“Hey…wasn’t that rock purple a few minutes ago?” Statch asked.

“It was purple when it had a soul bound to it; it isn’t now that it no longer has a soul attached to it,” Thomas said. “But why would they still need it if it was devoid of souls?”

“Do you think Apollomon will know?” I asked.

“We should hurry back; if he does know, we might be able to use that knowledge against Lilithmon.”