Chapter 83: Gathering Information

Thomas Kasuto

Saias’s Villa

Living Room

 

“Dianamon and Pheragas…are both dead,” Apollomon repeated.

“W—what…you…you mean…” BlackGaomon grabbed his head as it shook in disbelief, and he collapsed to his knees.

“They’re both…dead?” Chrysania asked tearfully as Luna placed her arms around the young girl.

…Something…isn’t right…

“No…no, that can’t be!” Statuedramon exclaimed, dropping his sword and shield to the floor as he gazed up at the near-lachrymose Mega level.

Something’s…just not right…Why would Apollomon be here? Zelda looked up at me, teary-eyed and frightened before pressing her face up against my arm. He…doesn’t look very—

“Who did it?!” Statuedramon asked. “Who killed our friends?!”

“Oh…it was…the Bio Hybrids,” Apollomon said. “It was just the two of them. They…they allowed me go, so I did…”

I looked away from him. “…Pathetic. Our friends get killed, and you just come crawling back here without tearing the heads off of those bastards? They just let you go?” I demanded.

“Thomas!” Statch gave me an angry glare.

“They…they did let me go,” Apollomon said. “There was nothing I could do to help them…”

“Even though you’re a Mega level Digimon capable of easily overpowering those two? Did you just stand there and watch while our friends were killed?!”

“Thomas, that’s enough!” BlackGaomon said.

“I…I need to get some rest,” Apollomon said. I watched him with narrowed eyes as he walked up the villa’s stairs.

“…You didn’t need to say any of that,” BlackGaomon said after a moment. I sighed quietly and began to leave the room. “Hey, where are you going?! If you’re going to antagonize the Boss any further, then I won’t—”

“Let me?” I asked derisively. “Apollomon is back, BlackGaomon, so you are no longer in charge.”

Once at the top of the stairs, I walked into Apollomon’s empty bedroom and closed the door behind me. I was surprised by how late it had gotten; I could see through the window that Apollomon now looked out that the sun had set entirely, and the moon had just begun its slow ascent to the middle of the sky. “You aren’t covered in wounds, Apollomon.”

“…They…they let me go, Thomas,” Apollomon said. “I…didn’t have to fight—”

“So, you’re just going to let me believe that they were killed while you stood there and did nothing?! Damn it, Apollomon, how much do our friendships mean to you?!”

“They…mean everything to me. You know that, don’t you…Thomas?”

“I don’t know who the hell you think you are, Apollomon, but…the real Apollomon has a large scar on his back that he received as a lance wound from a knight called Lector.”

Apollomon’s head turned around to look at me, grinning. “Oh…is that so? My, my, my…how frightfully careless of me to forget! How embarrassing…I usually have quite the eye for detail; since it was a creature of the male gender, I paid not as much attention as I do to the ladies.” Before my very eyes, a scar began to materialize on the Mega level’s back. “Is that better?”

“…DeathPhantomon.”

“Thou art…quite an intriguing individual, Thomas,” DeathPhantomon said, changing his shape from that of Apollomon to his cloaked, scythe-wielding form. “Thou wast never fooled by a mere illusion…but how could thou see through it, I wonder?”

“Isn’t it obvious by now? Apollomon would never—” 

“Yes, I am quite aware of Apollomon’s benevolent reputation,” DeathPhantomon interrupted. “But when thou first laid thy eyes upon me…even then, thou had suspicions as to the true identity of what you saw! Thy words, thine actions! How couldst thou be aware of whom I really was at the time?!”

“That…was a test; truly, I thank you for falling for it,” I said. “I know what you are capable of, DeathPhantomon…from the endless nightmares to the form changing. I knew you would use that ability to your advantage somehow. If you really were Apollomon, I’d have been punched in the face for talking to you like that.”

“So…thou risked getting attacked in order to find out if what you saw was really me or not,” DeathPhantomon laughed. “Thou holds fear in thy heart for me, do you not?”

“I know about your abilities…all your special tricks, and all of your weaknesses, but that doesn’t mean I know of a way to counter them all,” I replied. “So…Pheragas and Dianamon aren’t really dead, I take it.”

“How would I know? I’ve never come in contact with the brutes,” DeathPhantomon said. “For all the knowledge I possess, they could very well live. As you know, I have somewhat of an aversion to Digimon who use fire attacks. I just combust so easily; made almost entirely of cloth, if thou weren’t aware.”

He took the bait. Again. What a fool…Should I try getting more out of him…? “That’s a badass-looking scythe you’ve got there.”

DeathPhantomon held up his weapon, and I could hear him laugh slightly. “Yes, I suppose it does have its own unique charm, does it not? Oh, how I cannot wait to make Lilithmon scream and shriek and cry with this! What part of her should I jab its blade into first, do you think? I wouldn’t wish her dead, so perchance an arm or a leg? Or perhaps I could rake it across her back…? Oh, but I’m also fond of navel torture, and Lilithmon has such a cute one, after all…Decisions, decisions, decisions…”

“…I would be very willing to bet that there isn’t a Digimon around who could defeat you in combat as long as you have that scythe,” I said. “And I’m not even a betting person!”

“Oh, yeah? Well, thou would be wrong!” DeathPhantomon snickered. “Fire attacks completely burn through me! Also, if this crystal sphere around my neck gets pierced, I’m done for. Thou claims to know everything about me, and yet failed to know this much?”

“…You’re right. I didn’t know that,” I said. “But thanks so much for telling me everything I needed to know.” DeathPhantomon turned to face me just as I drew out my sword and thrust it into the crystal sphere hanging from his neck. In an instant, he fell to the ground, dead and turning into small specks of data. “Cannot be defeated by conventional means…seems that that equates to fighting dirty.” I laughed to myself as I sheathed my blade. “Well, I certainly don’t mind adopting a wily fighting style if it means we’ll all have an easier time defeating Lilithmon and her cohorts.”

“Thomas, what just—” BlackGaomon barged into the room and fell silent upon noticing I was the only one in it. “Where is Apollomon?! Thomas, what have you done to him?!”

“Apollomon…was never here,” I said. “That was DeathPhantomon.”

“What?! So then—”

“Dianamon and Pheragas are fine, BlackGaomon. DeathPhantomon never came into contact with them and Apollomon, and I seriously doubt the Bio Hybrids would, either, considering how powerful Apollomon is.”

“…And you’re sure that was DeathPhantomon, and not Apollomon?” BlackGaomon began cracking his knuckles.

“Yes, I’m certain; he turned into his ghostly form and we spoke for a bit.”

“…Well, all right. We’d better head downstairs and explain to Chrysania that they aren’t really dead,” BlackGaomon said. “She’s been crying ever since you went upstairs.”

Lilithmon

Mandala City

 

DeathPhantomon is the only one left…besides Cherubimon and myself, of course. I looked at the ten Horcruxes that lay on the ground before me. I feel so…violated, having only that one around…like he’s thinking about me in a way that I’d rather not be thought about, and especially not by him… I shuddered as I thought of the hovering Digimon. …I guess I wouldn’t mind it if, say, Sephyrus, had thoughts like that. At least he’s a perfect gentleman, and rather easy on the eyes, too… I glanced at him from afar, and giggled. Or maybe he already does? If he doesn’t…ooh, I could order him to!

“Milady, is everything alright?” Sephyrus asked.

“What? Oh, yes, yes, of course!” I looked down and away from the man, blushing when I realized the way I had been thinking about him. “I, uh…I just want to be left alone for a while…”

“Of course, milady.” Sephyrus bowed and proceeded to leave. I looked back down at the Horcruxes.

“As soon as DeathPhantomon gets back here…I’ll free the rest of you,” I whispered to the inanimate objects.

“Oh, I do believe you’ll free us sooner than that.” I looked around the ancient city, trying to discern where the voice came from.

“Look down, stupid!”

Generalmon and…Lupinemon? “Where are you, my friends?!”

“I already said; look down!” I did as I was told, and saw that the glass of the Clairvoyant’s Mirror, Hydramon’s Horcrux, had lit up. In it, I could see the faces of my ten friends, rather than my own reflection.