Chapter 78: Strength of Heart

Bellaluna Rosalina

Black Rose Mountains

 

Small drops of blood fell from Parrotmon’s beak as he opened it, revealing that Chrysania’s left hand was hanging by a few threads. “What…what have you done to her?!” I asked, unable to control my sobbing. Poor Chrysania’s screaming filled the air. “She’s…just a baby…What kind of…monsters…could do such a terrible thing…to such a sweet…young…girl?!” I tried to force myself up, but Asuramon pushed his foot down harder on my back.

“Tell us what we want to know,” Asuramon’s blue-masked face said. “I don’t wish to see this child harmed any more than you do. Tell us. Now.”

“Or maybe you need another demonstration of what we’re capable of?” Parrotmon asked, forcefully raising Chrysania’s right arm.

“No…please…”

“Mommy…help me,” Chrysania said, her face wet with tears.

“…Your maternal instincts for this one are strong despite her not actually being your daughter, I’ll admit,” Asuramon’s yellow-masked face said. “It can be said that that is the source of your innermost power…but it is also your greatest weakness, Bellaluna. What kind of mother would just sit by as her beloved daughter gets tortured like this?”

“Why haven’t you told us yet? It’s obvious that’s the ideal thing for you to do,” Parrotmon said.

“If I…tell you…” I tried unsuccessfully to move my arms and wipe the tears from my face. “If I told you…you’d only use them to…hurt more people…more innocent children like Chrysania…”

“And if you don’t tell us, then an innocent person exactly like Chrysania will get hurt!” Parrotmon laughed. “Exactly like her…because it is her! Get it?!”

“Enough of the jokes, Parrotmon!” Asuramon’s red-masked face barked. “I’m not in a generous mood anymore, Bellaluna; I no longer care if your fake daughter gets hurt! Give us the power to use any Digimon attack! Give us Maleficia!”

“First…release Chrysania…and let me help her,” I said. “Then, I…I’ll tell you everything…”

“…Yeah, right; like we’re dumb enough to fall for that old ruse!” Parrotmon said.

“I don’t think she quite gets the message,” Asuramon said. “The hostage gets released when we get what we want. Convey it to her again, Parrotmon.”

“Gladly!”

“No! Mommy, help me!” Chrysania wailed.

“Let her go!” I screamed. “Don’t hurt—”

“Fire Fist of Shiva!” Asuramon punched the back of my head, nearly knocking me unconscious. Chrysania’s screaming filled the air as I heard Parrotmon’s beak snap shut around her other wrist.

I…have to…save her…And the only way I can is to use it…But…what if…I hurt her? It’s dangerous to use; it’s unpredictable and hard to control, and I haven’t used it since the day I found her…

“Well, Bellaluna? Are you ready to concede?” Asuramon asked.

I have to…It’s the only way I can save her…

“Well?”

“I think you knocked her unconscious, buddy,” Parrotmon said.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Asuramon barked.

“You guys…want Maleficia?” I asked.

“That’s why we’re here,” Parrotmon said.

“You want it…then I’ll give it to you!” My body became enveloped in a blinding, golden light.

“No! That light! She’s using it!” Asuramon gasped.

“I’ll make you pay…for hurting my baby!”

Zelda

 

“Chaos Disaster!” ChaosGallantmon’s lance pierced clear through Dynasmon’s chest. Dynasmon roared and punched the opposing Digimon Spirit in the face before disappearing.

“Good! Now, finish the job!” IceDevimon shouted excitedly. ChaosGallantmon slowly began walking up to me, avoiding looking me in the eye. “Remember to keep her alive…I’d like to be able to hear her scream.”

The Dark Knight came to a stop. “I…I can’t do it,” he whispered.

“Come forth, SaberLeomon!”

“I’m ready for action!” the Digimon Spirit said.

“…SaberLeomon? All I see is a Leomon,” IceDevimon noted. Leomon looked down at himself.

“Oh, my bad; I forgot to Digivolve!” Leomon laughed nervously. “All right, here goes; Leomon Digivolve to—”

“Judecca Prison!” ChaosGallantmon emitted a dark energy beam from his shield at Leomon, making him disappear before he could even Digivolve.

“No more hesitations, ChaosGallantmon!” IceDevimon said. “Do your job! Or else!”

“…I…I…I can’t do it,” ChaosGallantmon said. “I can’t hurt her…” The Digimon Spirit fell to his knees, facing me. “She…she still cares about me…even though I abandoned her when she needed my help…”

IceDevimon grimaced. “If you can’t do it, get out of my way!” he said. “Avalanche Claw!”

“No!” ChaosGallantmon leapt in front of me, protecting me from IceDevimon’s attack with his shield. “I won’t…let you hurt her!”

“You won’t let me? Don’t forget, I was the one who gave you power, and I can easily take it all away from you!” IceDevimon laughed.

“Chaos Shot!” ChaosGallantmon fired a blast of dark energy from his spear right at IceDevimon’s chest, sending him flying into a far-off cliff. “Zelda…I…”

“Thank you,” I said. “For protecting me…thank you…”

“I’m sorry…I’m so…sorry…”

“I know you are…But there’s nothing for you to feel sorry for,” I said. “You didn’t do anything wrong…” That…that’s what Luna was trying to tell me…Even now, I say it to Gallantmon when I don’t believe myself of being truly innocent… I smiled, laughing at my own patheticness.

“I will make it up to you, Zelda,” ChaosGallantmon said. “I will destroy IceDevimon…I’ll do whatever you want…from now on.”

“Gallantmon…”

“You’ll destroy me?! Good luck trying; Tundra Freeze!” A blue light shone down on us from the sky; ChaosGallantmon ran over to me and covered me, taking IceDevimon’s attack full on. The light vanished, and when I looked up, ChaosGallantmon was nowhere to be seen. In his place stood Gallantmon, exactly as I knew him before.

“You’re finished!” Gallantmon yelled. “Royal Saber!” Gallantmon’s lance fired a surge of light the punctured IceDevimon’s chest and sent the Champion level Digimon falling to the ground.

“How…how did you turn back?!” IceDevimon asked, attempting to cover the gaping hole on his chest with his hands. “What the hell happened?! Don’t tell me that girl had something to do with it?!”

“She did,” Gallantmon said. “It was her light…Her light brought me back to the way I was when we first met.”

“My…light?”

“Your kind and pure heart,” Gallantmon explained. “When we met…I was oblivious to such things…But now I know. Zelda…my desire to protect you gave me the power to be able to do so. And now…I shall finally do my job right…and destroy IceDevimon! Final Elysion!” Gallantmon’s shield fired a pure white beam that completely obliterated IceDevimon. Nothing remained of him when the attack ended.

“Gallantmon…you did it!” I exclaimed.

“No…we did it,” Gallantmon said. “If it weren’t for you…I’d have never been able to turn back into Gallantmon…I’d have never even thought of defeating IceDevimon. You…you helped me find not only the physical strength necessary, but…but also the strength of heart necessary to do so. Thank you, Zelda.”

“I…I’m glad I was able to help you so much,” I said. “And…I really am happy to see you again…Oh, Gallantmon, it’s been so long!”

“I’m sorry. I won’t ever leave your side again. That I promise,” Gallantmon said. “If there’s ever anything that you require, call me, and I shall get it for you.”

“Gallantmon...” I smiled up at the Exalted Knight, and suddenly gasped. “The Horcruxes!”

“The Sword, Flute, and Mirror?” Gallantmon asked. “I know where IceDevimon keeps them…are they what you desire?”

“They’re kind of why I came here, with my friend,” I said. “It’s important that we keep them away from the Bio Hybrids.”

“Understood,” Gallantmon said. “I shall find them for you and return posthaste.”