Chapter 92: Doomed to the Darkness

Thomas Kasuto

Nymphaea Province

4 Days

 

“It’s been over a week,” I said, looking around at the snow and ice-covered desolation. “We’ve left Neptunemon alone in this place for eight days…”

“He’ll be fine,” Statuedramon said. He sighed, and a white vapor escaped from his snout. In spite of the cold, he continued walking forwards with us, and hadn’t complained once. “He was frozen in place by IceDevimon for about one hundred years; I’d think battling a Digimon he’s already killed should be a cakewalk for him.”

“And that’s precisely why I’m worried,” I said, glancing over my shoulder at the Rookie Digimon. “He was frozen for such a long time; surely his battle instincts have been dulled quite a bit in that time, not to mention the fact that his body must be unused to moving, and the sudden change of being freed from the ice. I’m surprised he’s even alive, since IceDevimon’s ice usually kills whoever touches it in an instant.”

“But…he was frozen inside of that ice, and he’s still alive,” Zelda said incredulously.

I nodded in agreement. “Yeah…The Digimon of the Celestial Vanguard…they’re really something else.” The eternal blizzard of the province had been raging ever since we set foot in this frozen wasteland, picking up where it had left off when Belphemon momentarily ended it as we left the province several days ago. I found the perpetual coldness of this land very refreshing compared to the scorching winds of the desert. I looked ahead, faintly making out two huge figures in the distance through the blinding snow. “I think I see them!”

“Where are they?!” Statuedramon asked. One of the figures was thrown into the air, landing on the ground in front of us. “Neptunemon!”

“Ugh…you…three…” Neptunemon looked at us. “Did you…find it?”

“It’s right here, Neptunemon,” Zelda said. She held the lance that had once belonged to her sister in her hands, which were trembling from the cold. The other figure in the distance jumped up and landed on top of Neptunemon.

“You…bastard…How…are you this strong?!” Neptunemon asked.

“There’s no need for you to know that,” Belphemon said, beginning to laugh as Neptunemon coughed up blood.

“GET OFF OF HIM!” Statuedramon hurled himself at the larger Mega, who swatted him away with one of his chains. The Rookie landed on top of me as I was about to attack, burying us both in the snow as we hit the ground.

“Rejoice, Neptunemon,” Belphemon said. “The death you’ve been longing for is nearly here!”

“No…please don’t…kill me,” Neptunemon said.

“Interesting choice of words for you to use, since you were the one to kill me over five hundred years ago!” Belphemon roared.

“Come forth, SaberLeomon!”

“Fuck off!” Belphemon struck the Digimon Spirit with his claws as soon as he appeared, making him vanish once again. “Gift of Darkness!” Belphemon thrust his claws into Neptunemon’s neck. Neptunemon’s body thrashed around in agony; his arms flailed in the air helplessly as blood escaped through the hole in his neck, staining the pure white snow a deep red.

“NEPTUNEMON!”

“Heh heh heh…right where you got me last time,” Belphemon said. “Serves you right. Now…scatter into oblivion!”

Statuedramon and I dug ourselves out of the snow just in time to see Belphemon forcefully jab his knee into Neptunemon’s chest before the dying Digimon’s data vanished.

“Neptunemon…” Hannah’s lance slipped from Zelda’s fingers, hitting the red snow the same instant as her tears.

“That’s it…you’re fucking dead!” Statuedramon shouted. Belphemon stuck his claws into the ice before Statch, looking down at him.

“I have heard of what you are capable of, Rookie,” Belphemon said. “They say you bested Hydramon and Machinedramon in a matter of seconds.”

“We will not fail,” I said, bending down to pick up Hannah’s lance.

“You could still hope…to succeed…but it will not grant you anything apart from a swift and painful death!”

“If you really think you can…then just try getting past me!” Statch and I turned around; Gallantmon stood behind us, staring down Belphemon.

“Gallantmon…I thought…you left,” Statuedramon said. “I saw you in Mandala last time, but I forgot to ask…”

“…Things happened,” Gallantmon said. “…Since I stayed in this realm for as long as I did, it seems I am capable of coming over whenever I please.”

“A Spirit crossing over all by himself? Unheard of!” Belphemon scoffed.

“Belphemon; you and many others are responsible for my master’s grief,” Gallantmon said.

“Your master?! Last I checked, you Spirits still have your own free will, and are able to make decisions for yourself. Yet, you claim this girl to be your master?!”

“…Yes. There was a period of time where I had left her, and at a critical moment, all because I was selfish. Even so…when we met up not too long ago, she treated me with kindness, and was concerned about my well-being, even when I attacked her. You are right; even as Spirits, we do not have what you would call ‘masters,’ but this girl… I possess an overwhelming urge to protect her, and even though I am dead, she treats me as an equal. Zelda…is my master! Royal Saber!” A surge of lightning fired off from Gallantmon’s spear struck Belphemon in the face.

“If this is all the strength you possess…this will be over very quickly!” Belphemon said. “That is good…I’m beginning to get drowsy…”

“Then allow me to permit you an eternal slumber! Final Elysion!”

“Lampranthus.” Gallantmon became surrounded in black flames, stopping him from attacking. My shaking hands gripped the lance I held tightly, and without thinking, I ran forth and thrust the tip of its blade into Belphemon’s leg. The Mega Digimon roared violently, trying to swat me away with his claws and chains, but failing. I looked up, looked at his face; his eyes were narrowed in intense agony, and his breathing was labored.

Odd…a small prick like this shouldn’t be causing this much pain…

“I don’t understand it either,” Gallantmon said, as if reading my mind. “But I ought to use this to my advantage…shouldn’t I?”

“Give it everything you’ve got, buddy,” I smiled.

“Final Elysion!” Gallantmon’s shield unleashed a devastating beam of light from its center aimed directly at Belphemon’s chest. The resulting explosion left a cratering and bloody hole where the attack hit. Blood came spilling out his chest in large spurts, and dripping from his mouth in small droplets, as he fell, dying, to the red snowy ground. Breathing faintly, he slowly shifted his eyes to look at me. I stood my ground, still somewhat amazed by the fact that such a large Digimon had been defeated. I had seen him fall before, but this time, his power was at its zenith.

“Not…bad…but…you…haven’t won yet,” Belphemon gasped. “Don’t even think…that this means…you have any hope of winning…Your hopes…are doomed…to the darkness…” Belphemon closed his eyes one final time, and disappeared. I let out a sigh of relief, picking up the spear that fell to the ground when Belphemon turned back into small bits of data.

“We…we actually got one of them,” Statuedramon said.

“Yes…And now…only eleven remain,” I said. “And with one gone, their power diminishes.”

“So you think,” said a celestial and feminine voice.

I turned around and saw a pair of glowing, golden eyes staring down at us from atop an icy slope.

Chapter 91: City of Dread

Generalmon

Acacia City

Shendu Territory

2 Days

 

The deed has been done. In but a few days’ time, the entire city of Acacia lay in ruins before me. The first of my tasks had been to kill the royal family of Shendu Territory, all of whom lived in this city. I had been nearly successful; I had murdered the emperor and empress. Their children, however, who had been taken away by the strongest of the surviving guards, had all escaped to parts unknown to me. With their leaders dead, the people of Acacia had soon begun to riot in the streets. Many had fled at the first sight of me; some, however, had foolishly approached me, and they now lay dead on the ground. With the populace all but demolished, my next task had been to lay waste to the city of Acacia itself. Buildings lay in scattered piles of rubble before me. The scent of death lingered in the air. The moon was at the center of the black, midnight sky. I looked at my surroundings, admiring my work. A cool breeze wafted through the gaps in my armor, creating a quiet, metallic clang that broke through the silence. My halberd, Europa, rested on the bloodied ground at my feet.

“…After all this time…justice…has been bestowed unto this city…This city of dread…” My voice was carried out by the wind, and echoed faintly. Above me, a dark cloud loomed between the full moon and myself. A red lightning bolt shot down from it and struck the earth behind me.

“…Generalmon. I see your skills have not been dulled during your stay in the Dark Area.”

“Hello…Cherubimon.” I turned to face the Digimon that had joined me. “My skills must be nothing compared to yours…You were not left to rot in the abyss of Hell.”

“Perhaps…but all the same…I am thankful you are an ally of mine, and not an enemy,” Cherubimon smiled.

“My sentiments exactly, my old friend.” Cherubimon smiled, and began looking around at the ruined Acacia.

“…What exactly was your grudge with this city about, Generalmon?” he asked.

“It was a long time ago; more years than I care to admit,” I said. “It all began…long before my soul became steeped in darkness…”

~~~

The body of my best friend lay before me, soaked in her own blood. She was a Human, but our different races never caused any form of conflict between us. We had always been there for each other…When I had lost my axe, Europa, and become surrounded by enemies, Celina Rosalina was there for me; when Celina gave birth to the adorable daughter her late husband had impregnated her with, I had been there for her…and when Celina had been ambushed by Shendian Knights…I…unfortunately…was not there for her…Because of my tardiness…she had been ruthlessly slain as a part of a nobleman’s game. The nobleman…I know not his true objective, but for his own amusement, Celina had been killed by a horde of knights he sent out. He was a distant relative of the emperor of Shendu at that time, and so I traveled to visit the emperor. I pleaded with him to look into the affairs of his corrupted cousin, and I was promised a swift justice would be dealt unto him. And so I waited…and waited…and waited…and still no justice. Celina Rosalina’s infant daughter grew up into a beautiful woman, and eventually came to have children herself; without any parents, I looked after Celina’s daughter her as my own. Days passed by…and they soon turned into years…As if trying to apologize for not being able to protect Celina, I always stayed near one of her descendents, and protected them with all my might whenever it was required of me to do so. Many years had passed, and sill no word about the mastermind of Celina’s heinous death. The corrupted ruler had died, to my relief, but his successor had continued the sick “game” his predecessor had played, whatever it was. Soon, one hundred years had passed, and the “game” continued. Many others had died, all to satiate whatever unwholesome desires gripped at those noblemen and women. As the years passed by, my rage increased…and with it…my darkness. At that point in time, I had become a member of the Order of the Enchantress. I thought…I thought that by joining that organization, I would have the power to set things right. But when I did find the power necessary, it was far too late for anything good to happen…

~~~

“So…that’s your story,” Cherubimon whispered.

“Yes…the two of us are alike, aren’t we?” I asked. Cherubimon nodded.

“Indeed…I joined the Order after Lilithmon. I didn’t want to leave her with the other Digimon of this group, even though I myself am a Celestial Digimon, like Seraphimon…I stayed with her in the darkness too long, and I became corrupted.”

“Yes. We are alike…and so we are friends…right?”  The two of us exchanged glances.

“We were both born as good Digimon, and we were both destined to descend into the pit of Hell; I, the Guardian of Knowledge, and you, the guardian of the innocent. Just look at us now…Arcadia…She would never forgive me for this transgression. And you…once a protector, and now a murderer.” Cherubimon sighed, and shook his head. He tilted his round head up, and looked at the moon. “Time is a most wondrous thing, is it not? In its flow, societies flourish and prosper; in its ebb, lives are lost, becoming nothing more than faded memories forever lost in the shadow of time.”

“…Yes…We really have changed…the question is; was this change for the better? We gained the power we both sought, but at what price? Our souls. Our souls are forever doomed to wander for all an eternity in Hell…”

“Unless we are successful.” Behind my helmet, I smiled at Cherubimon’s words.

“And there is but one way to…and that is to ensure the destruction of Lachesis.”

Cherubimon nodded. “Speaking of whom…Several of Lachesis’s members are on their way to Cyclamen City,” he said. “They seek Neptunemon’s lance in the hopes of defeating Belphemon the Indolent.”

“…The odds of that occurring are exceedingly low,” I said. “But just to be sure…shall we venture to Cyclamen?”

“I shall do as you wish, my friend.”

Thomas Kasuto

Cyclamen City

2 Days

 

“I see this place is as…loathsome as ever,” I said, surveying the landscape of the still-ruined city. “Sends a chill down my spine every time…” I looked down at the ground, observing the shadow I cast due to the sun’s bright glare.

“This…this city is where…she…where Anna…died…isn’t it?” Zelda asked.

“…Yeah.” I looked down at the petite young woman; her eyes were fixated on the ground, and filled with sadness. She looked as though she were ready to cry. “Zelda…I’m sorry…”

“Tommy, I already told you; Anna’s death was not your fault,” Zelda said solemnly and calmly.

“Well, okay, that too,” I said. “What I was apologizing for…when we first became a couple…I promised you that every day, you would be smiling. I haven’t been doing a good job of keeping that promise lately, have I…”

“Tommy…I…it’s okay…you can’t blame yourself for what’s been happening lately,” Zelda said. She looked up at me and gave me a forced smile. “I…I’m fine…really, but…could you tell me…how it happened?”

“You mean…how she died?” Zelda nodded slowly, almost unnoticeably. “That is…the one thing I cannot tell you. All I will tell you is that it was IceDevimon who did it.”

“…I understand…”

“Do you want to wait here while I go find the lance?”

“…No. I’ll go with you. Even if she’s there…I’d want to see her…one last time…”

Hmm…Maybe…I should tell her how it happened….Well…at the very least, there won’t be a half-decomposed corpse to traumatize her for the rest of her life…That’s not something she needs, after all she’s been through. I took a brief look around the ruined city. “Okay…we were…over in that direction when it happened.” The three of us walked through the sand-covered rubble that lay scattered throughout Cyclamen.

“This isn’t a very large city; Cyclamen isn’t as large as Yew or Acacia, so we shouldn’t have to be here for too long,” Statuedramon said.

“…That’s good to know,” I said. “The sooner we can get out of this damned city…the sooner we can go back to Nymphaea to help Neptunemon.” After clearing past a particularly large piece of debris from Sephyrus’s old church, at long last, we found Hannah’s lance, lying on the ground and covered in sand.

“So…this thing really belonged to Neptunemon, huh?” Statch picked up the lance, dusting the sand off of it and examining it. “Looks pretty powerful.”

“We don’t know for sure if it once belonged to Neptunemon or not,” I said. “But if he thinks that it is…then he’ll fight with us.”

“Oh, I get it,” Statch said. “And we won’t even be lying very much, because for all we know, it could be his! And as long as he thinks it’s his, then he’ll fight better with it than if he doesn’t believe it’s his!”

“Precisely.”

“…Tommy…where’s Anna’s…where’s her body?” Zelda asked. “I don’t see her anywhere…”

“Oh…it’s…been over a month since it happened; there’s a lot that could’ve happened,” I said.

“…Oh…I was hoping I could see her one last time…But with her body nowhere in sight…”

“There was never a body.” My heart jumped at the voice that just spoke. I turned around and spotted a huge Digimon covered in armor.

“You…are you Generalmon?” Statuedramon asked.

“Indeed I am,” the Digimon said. “And you three must be the ones responsible for the death of my brethren.”

“What do you mean…there was never a body?” Zelda asked. Generalmon’s helmeted head turned to face her.

“Sephyrus told me. I’m unsure how he knows; it may have been the other Bio Hybrid who told him,” Generalmon said. “Before Hannah was killed, she was covered in ice—”

“GENERALMON, SHUT YOUR MOUTH!” I yelled.

“A Digimon known as IceDevimon froze her completely solid,” Generalmon continued. Tears began falling down Zelda’s reddened cheeks.

“Generalmon, I’m warning you!” Statuedramon said.

“All he had to do is snap his fingers…and she shattered into a million pieces…all while she was still alive.”

“N—no…my…my sister…was…” Zelda fell to her knees; tears were slowly falling down her flushed cheeks.

“Killed in such a horrid fashion, no?” Generalmon asked. “Her death may have been instantaneous, but even so, it must have hurt a great deal.”

“H—Hannah…Hannah…”

“That’s enough, Generalmon!” I shouted, brandishing my sword.

“Are you angry? Do you hate me? Then take that rage and direct it at yourself, swordsman,” Generalmon said. “It was you who was unable to save that girl. You, Thomas Kasuto, were the one who stood by and watched as she was brutally murdered…completely useless.”

“No…it wasn’t…it wasn’t Tommy’s…fault,” Zelda said in a small, shaky voice as she stood up.

“…Is he that important to you?” Generalmon asked.

“…More than…anyone,” Zelda replied.

“Is he so important to you that you’re forgiving him for the death of your beloved sister?” Zelda stared at the large Mega Digimon. I could hear her breathing harder. “Show me how important.” Zelda placed a trembling hand into her satchel and pulled out a Digimon Talisman.

“Come forth…Dynasmon…” The Exalted Knight appeared before her, facing Generalmon, whom Zelda pointed at. “Make him…go…away…”

Generalmon snapped his fingers, and a huge axe materialized in his gauntlet-covered hands. “Dæmon Icircumflex!” He swung his axe in the air and struck Dynasmon in the chest, sending the Spirit flying through the air into a building behind him. I reached for my sword once more, but Generalmon held up his hand to stop me. “Don’t be reckless. Do you want to end up like the girl you couldn’t save? Do you wish to end up with your body scattered into a million pieces?”

“We’d have to fight you anyway; it might as well be now!” Statuedramon said.

“You…don’t stand a chance as you are now,” Generalmon sighed. “Behold…my mastery of gravity; Ars Prima!” Statuedramon and I slowly lifted off the ground as Generalmon watched.

“What the hell’s going on?!” Statuedramon asked as our legs dangled helplessly below us.

“Ferreo Pugni Dæmonis!” Generalmon leaped up and punched us both in the face; the knuckles of his gauntlets grew spikes as he did. His attack sent us both hurtling to the ground in front of Zelda. “You see? Every little thing you do to stand against us…all of it is pointless.” Statuedramon and I stood back up, facing the Warrior Digimon.

“You haven’t…beaten us yet!” Statuedramon said.

“It seems that you are correct. Allow me to fix that oversight; Daemon Icircumflex!” Generalmon struck us both with the side of his axe’s blade, making us fall to the ground once more. “You are now about to witness…my true strength. Strength that your witch was lucky enough to have avoided seeing,” Generalmon said. “Ultimum Artium!” Generalmon raised his axe high into the air when the projection of a large dragon crashed into him, knocking him to the ground. Dynasmon flew out from the rubble and struck Generalmon in the face.

“My lady has ordered me to deal with you,” Dynasmon said. “And deal with you I shall! Breath of Wyvern!” Dynasmon summoned forth another dragon, this one larger than his previous, and attacked Generalmon with all his might. The attack resulted in a large explosion that kicked the sand and dust that covered the city’s debris up into the air.

“All right, Dynasmon! You got him!” Statuedramon exclaimed.

“No…my attacks are not strong enough to mortally wound someone like him,” Dynasmon said. “The three of you should leave this city as soon as you are able.” Statuedramon and I looked at each other, and nodded.

“Thank you for your help, Dynasmon,” I said. Dynasmon turned his head to look at Zelda.

“Just make sure she stays safe…That is all I want.”

“You think we wouldn’t?” Statch asked. Dynasmon bowed his head, and vanished. “Well, I guess it’s back to Nymphaea for us, then…”

“Well, if we’re lucky, Neptunemon’s already done, and we won’t have to deal with Belphemon,” I said. “Zelda…are you okay?”

“…Yeah…I’ll be okay,” she whispered. “Don’t…don’t worry about me. We have to get back to Neptunemon…”

“Can you stand? Or do you need me to help you?”

“No, I’m fine. Please…don’t worry about me…” Zelda stood up, smiling a forced smile at me. “Let’s get going, shall we?”

Generalmon

30 Minutes

 

“You let them get away.” I lay on my back, staring up at the dark grey sky. The clouds above were dark, and nearly black, like my own soul…

Cherubimon hovered in the air above my fallen body, looking down at me. “Why did you tell me not to interfere before we arrived here? If you had let me battle alongside you, then they would not have gotten away.”

“…I am aware of that, Cherubimon,” I said.

“So why, then, did you allow them to escape?”

“…Because this is fun.” Using my halberd as support, I forced myself to stand up, ignoring the small pain I felt in my ribs. “This war…it is very entertaining, don’t you think? This war between the Order of the Enchantress and Lachesis…Who do you think will win?”

“You don’t think they have any chance of winning, do you?” Cherubimon asked.

“…Who knows…” I looked down at my armored hands. “Their witch…is powerful…And…she looks…familiar to me…If we were to fight again, I do not know if I could defeat her.”

“Then defeating her shall be my job, should we ever cross paths,” Cherubimon replied. “That is…if you don’t have a problem with me doing do.”

“…Yes…I do.” I looked up at the towering Cherubimon. “No harm is to come to their witch. We shall annihilate their entire group, and any allies they might have, but we shall spare the witch…even if…temporarily. There are…questions I have for her.”

“…I understand, Generalmon.”

“I shall be returning to Mandala,” Cherubimon said. “I will stay at Lilithmon’s side for as long as she has need of me to do so.”

“Very well. I shall return to Acacia, and pick up where I left off.”

Chapter 90: Land of Ice

Thomas Kasuto

3 Days

 

“Thomas, it’s starting to get dark out,” Statuedramon said, looking around at the perpetual white of Nymphaea Province; the ice, the snow, even the sky at night was white in this province. “Shouldn’t we stop and rest for the night?”

“No. We’ve officially entered Nymphaea Province. We’ll need to stay active at night when it’s colder, because if we go to sleep now, we’ll freeze. We’ll be sleeping during the day, when it’s warmer.”

“Are you sure about that? Either way, this place will be really fucking cold…”

“Why do you think Victoria always brought us here during the day while we trained with her? It’s always warmer during the day, even in a place like this. We’ve just got to keep moving, and we’ll be fine.”

“So, why aren’t you cold?” Zelda asked. “You’ve even offered to give me your jacket like you did last time…”

“Yeah, I’ve been here all those times you came here with Victoria, and I’m cold!” Statch said.

“This is only the second time you’ve been here, Zelda, so it’s normal for you to still be affected by the drastic drop in temperature, and Dragon Digimon like Statuedramon are cold-blooded. Cold-blooded Digimon are much more active in the warmer areas of the continent, and are very sluggish in the colder areas. Of course, Statuedramon is usually sluggish anyway, so there’s not much difference.”

“That’s only when I’m hungry!” Statch protested.

“And you’re always hungry,” I said.

“This is true…”

“Thomas…did Victoria really train you two in this place?” Zelda asked. “Wouldn’t you have been five years old at that point?”

“No, she didn’t start training me until I was eight, when we found Statch,” I said. “It wasn’t until I was ten that she brought me here. She lived in Valneva Territory, so it would only take an hour or so for us to reach Nymphaea for our training to begin.”

“I always hated those training sessions,” Statch said. “She and Thomas always did it in the nude, so I guess I can’t complain as much…”

“In the…nude?! Thomas, how did you manage that?!” Zelda asked, a look of bewilderment and slight embarrassment on her face.

“She trained me to the point where it wouldn’t bother me anymore,” I said. “She watched over me at all times to ensure I would continue to move. Needless to say, I feel quite fine with all of this.”

“She should’ve trained you in the desert, buddy; you have difficulty with hot temperatures like I do with cold temperatures,” Statuedramon said.

“…I asked her about that. She said…she didn’t ever want to go back to the desert,” I said. “At the time, I only knew that she had been there before, but now…I have a feeling that’s…where Clive…”

“…I see…” The three of us continued to walk in silence through the night’s blizzard for what felt like an hour, Zelda’s shivering hand clasped in mine for warmth.

“Thomas, it’s getting really hard to see,” Statch said. “Do you think…maybe we should go back? Can we at least stop at a place close by, like in Valneva Territory? We could come back in the morning—”

“No! We came here knowing it would probably take a few days before we found Neptunemon, and I intend to stay here until he’s found!”

“But what if he isn’t here anymore?!”

“We can’t afford to think like that; we need to find as many allies as we can to help us,” I said. “I…I will not give up until Neptunemon is found, no matter what!” An intense, bloodcurdling roar shook the very air without warning, causing even the blizzard to slow and diminish.

“Zelda…please tell me that was your stomach,” Statuedramon said nervously.

“Statuedramon!” she protested in her oft heard embarrassed voice.

The solid ice we stood on shook as something heavy, something large, began walking toward us. Even through the remnants of the blizzard, all we could see were two red eyes, glowing, and a colossal figure.

“Something’s approaching us again,” I said. I gripped the handle of my sword and stepped in front of Zelda.

“Do you think it could be Zudomon?” Zelda asked.

“I doubt it; even if Vajramon didn’t kill him, there’s no way a Digimon his size could’ve made a sound that loud.” The Digimon began walking toward us again until we could clearly see its monstrous, bestial face.

“No way…this guy of all of them?!” Statch asked. “He was strong enough before, but now, with all twelve of them free…”

“Well, if I believed in it, this would be what one might consider an ironic twist of fate, no?” Belphemon asked. “That, here, I would meet up with the three who sent me to the Dark Area the second time…Tell me, what brings you three here?”

“We…we’re going to find a way to defeat you!” Statch exclaimed. “All twelve of you!”

“Defeat us?! Hah!”

“We will not allow you to continue your twisted plans of world domination,” I said. “Whatever it takes, we will stop you!”

“World domination? Do you really think we’re doing all of this for such a trite, meaningless reason as that?!” Belphemon asked. “No! We are more complex than that! What we want…is the freedom to do what we desire! It is our freedom that we really want…”

“If you really want freedom, then stop doing things that make others take that freedom away!” Statuedramon said.

“…You don’t understand. I didn’t expect you to, though,” Belphemon sighed. “Having freedom…entitles us to do as we wish.”

“…What do you want to do with your freedom?” I asked. “What is it you really want?”

“All of us…almost all of us are Virus Digimon,” Belphemon said. “It’s in our blood to do the things we do. I think you know what they are. Doing those things…it gives our lives meaning…it gives us purpose.”

“Hurting innocent people gives your lives meaning?!” Zelda asked incredulously.

Belphemon grinned. “Yes. It does. It is all merely…an instinct for us. Second nature. We feel like we have no greater purpose in life than to inflict pain and suffering on others,” he said. “That being said…allow me to give my life meaning…by destroying you three! Lampranthus!”

“Thomas, get back!” Statuedramon jumped in front of me, holding up his shield as one of the chains wrapped around Belphemon’s arm struck the Rookie Digimon down. “Wait…what? I thought…that attack did something different…”

Belphemon laughed. “You are aware of how all twelve of us have powers unique to us? Foreign to other Digimon of our species?” he asked.

“Then…your power; what is it?” Statuedramon asked.

“My power…is the ability to alter the memories of all those I wish. With that power…I am able to make my enemies forget what my attacks do so they will be unable to properly defend themselves. It’s kind of fun, don’t you think?” Statuedramon glared at the huge Mega. “Although…I haven’t actually used it yet. It seems you’ve forgotten all on your own.”

“…Seriously?!”

“Now, stand still so I can cut you all up into little pieces!” Belphemon shoved his claw into the ice before us, narrowly missing Statuedramon by a few inches.

“Come forth, SaberLeomon!”

“Howling Crusher!” Zelda’s summoned Digimon Spirit rushed forth and swiped his enormous claws at Belphemon, who caught them in his own hands.

“The Digimon that defeated me last time...I wonder…are you truly capable of doing so again?” Belphemon asked.

“I am!” SaberLeomon roared. “Twin Fang!”

“Gift of Darkness!” Belphemon swatted away SaberLeomon’s attack and clawed through the Spirit’s face. “Well…I’ll take that to be a ‘no,’ then.” SaberLeomon roared one last time before disappearing.

…The Digimon…who defeated Belphemon five hundred years ago…it was Neptunemon! “Let’s get out of here!”

“For once, I agree!” Statuedramon said, following behind Zelda and me as we took off.

“Go ahead, run all you like!” Belphemon snarled as he began to chase after us. “You can’t escape destiny!”

“Hey, look up ahead!” Statch pointed to a huge wall of ice. “There’s a cave there we can hide in!”

“Statuedramon, that opening looks large enough for Belphemon to follow us in there!” I said.

“Well, all we have to do is keep running around in that cave until we find some part of it where Belphemon can’t follow us!”

“And if we don’t find a place like that?!”

“Well, if we don’t go in there, we’ll have to fight him anyway; this way, there’s a chance we’ll lose him,” Zelda said.

“Fine, let’s go!” We ran into the cave where, to my relief, Belphemon was unable to follow us. Instead, the beast stood outside, trying to forcefully claw his way in, but to no avail.

“See, what did I tell you? You just need to learn to trust me a little more!” Statch grinned.

“…Yeah…I’ll do that next time…Sorry…”

“Eh, no harm done. I’m not usually the most reliable guy, anyway…”

“Then you were very out of character just then. Keep it up.” I sighed, sitting down to catch my breath. “Zelda…are you okay?”

“…Up ahead…I see something,” she said, pointing toward a pathway.

“Thomas…I smell a Digimon,” Statuedramon said. “And I’m not talking about Belphemon, either…But I do not recognize the scent…”

“Well, let’s go see who it is, shall we?” I asked. “Whoever it is, I doubt it’ll be worse than Belphemon.”

We walked down the icy path until we came into a large room. The room was empty, and it was made entirely of ice. There was an opening in the ceiling that allowed one to view the sky. In the middle of the room stood a huge Digimon encased in ice.

“…That’s him,” Statuedramon said. “That’s the Digimon whose scent I caught…”

“Who do you think it is?” Zelda asked.

“Do you think…it could be Neptunemon?” I asked. “None of us have ever seen him before…”

“Well, if it is, then we should probably unthaw him,” Statuedramon said.

“I’m on it!” Zelda said. “Come forth, Dynasmon!”

“You desire my services, milady?” Dynasmon asked, kneeling before Zelda.

“I need you to unthaw that Digimon,” Zelda said.

“Understood.”

“Don’t hurt him, though!” Zelda added quickly. “Just melt the ice, okay?”

“I understand, milady,” Dynasmon said. “Dragon’s Roar!” Dynasmon fired two flaming orbs from the palms of his hands at the frozen Digimon. The ice shattered and melted away instantly. The Digimon’s eyes blinked once…twice…

“Excuse me…sir? Are you okay?” Zelda asked. The Digimon’s head turned to look at us.

“…You…were you the ones who saved me?” the Digimon asked slowly.

“Yes, Dynasmon here was the one who unthawed you,” Zelda said. Dynasmon bowed his head modestly before disappearing.

“Can you tell us who you are?” Statuedramon asked. “And what are you doing in a place like this?”

“My name…is Neptunemon,” the Digimon said.

“Neptunemon?! The Neptunemon?!” Statch asked.

“I take it…you’ve heard of me?” Neptunemon asked.

“We came here looking for you,” I said. “We need your help, Neptunemon. Lilithmon and her allies are back.”

“You don’t say…I though all of the nonsense was over with four hundred years ago, when Lilithmon killed herself…” Neptunemon shook his head. “I came here to get away from all the bloodshed, and I thought I would never have to fight again until I encountered a Digimon calling himself IceDevimon froze me here. Tell me; what year is it?”

“It is the year 798,” Zelda said.

“798…about a hundred years, I’d say, give or take a decade or two,” Neptunemon said. “Well, I was never very good at math. Or battling, I’m afraid; I gave my spear away before coming here to Nymphaea so I wouldn’t have to fight again.”

“You what?!” Statuedramon looked at Neptunemon with scorn in his eyes. “But…if you don’t have your spear…then…”

“Take it easy, I didn’t say I wouldn’t help you out,” Neptunemon said. “But…without my spear…I may not be very helpful to you…”

“Who did you give your spear to?” I asked. “If we find it for you…will you use it to help us?”

“I gave it to a Digimon blacksmith called Vulcanusmon. He undoubtedly modified it and gave it to whoever wished for it.”

“…Tommy…” Zelda turned to look at me; her eyes were wide with shock and curiosity.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Anna…my sister, Hannah…she didn’t talk about it much, but…one time, while we were both in Adonis Village, she told me that her spear was one once used by a legendary Digimon…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Statch protested. “What the hell are the odds of that?!”

“If you feel as though it belongs to your sister, then I implore you to go search for it,” Neptunemon said. “If you truly wish for my help…then that spear may be the key.”

“Couldn’t you just use like, a giant icicle or something?” Statch asked.

“No. My spear, the King’s Bite, was different from other weapons. It had a mind of its own…and would always do as I commanded,” Neptunemon said.

“…I have a feeling this means we’re going to…Cyclamen,” I said.

“Just one problem,” Statuedramon said. “Belphemon’s standing right outside the only way out of this cave; as soon as we escape, he’ll tear us to shreds!”

“Belphemon? If its Belphemon…I should be able to hold him off…while you three escape,” Neptunemon said. “After all, Belphemon was my target Digimon four hundred…ish…years ago.”

“Are you sure about this, sir?” Zelda asked.

“Certainly. Lilithmon and the others all had to be stopped…many years ago, just like I’m sure they must be stopped now. Lead me to Belphemon!”

“Very well. The entrance is this way.” I led the four of us to the cave’s entrance where, to no surprise, Belphemon stood waiting for us.

“Allow me to go first,” Neptunemon said. “Wave of Depth!” Neptunemon created a surge of water that shot through the mouth of the cave and struck Belphemon, knocking him to the ground. Neptunemon quickly slid through the cave’s mouth.

“Neptunemon…it’s been a while,” Belphemon said. “That attack you just used…was it not the one you used the caused Mandala to sink to the bottom of the ocean?”

“You three, go!” Neptunemon shouted. We nodded, and ran out from behind the God Man Digimon. Belphemon merely laughed as we did.

“Go on; run away,” he said. “It’ll be that much easier for me to kill your friend!” Zelda looked back as Belphemon and Neptunemon continued their fight.

“Don’t look back!” I said. “Keep going! We have to get to Cyclamen!” Damn, I never thought I’d ever say that…

Chapter 89: Landslide

Seraphimon

Black Rose Mountains

12 Hours

 

“Apollomon! Apollomon, where are you, damn it?!” I landed clumsily on a peak’s edge. My ten golden wings were drooped with exhaustion from the latest wasted hour of searching for Apollomon. Several of my feathers were still badly singed from Hydramon’s attack. “Damn it…where…could he be?!” I looked toward the sky; the dark clouds were as thick as ever, and no amount of sunlight shone through…that is, if it were daytime. I’m pretty sure it is, though…Not that that matters. I need to find Apollomon! “Oh, Apollomon…where did you go?”

“Seraphimon, is that you?”

“…You’ve got to be kidding me…” I looked down and saw Apollomon walking with Dianamon and BlackGaomon alongside one of the many cliffs littered throughout the area. “Apollomon…WHERE ARE THE OTHERS?!” I flew down and landed in front of the Mega Digimon. “WHERE ARE THEY?!”

“Seraphimon…I felt it best that we separate into smaller groups for the time being,” Apollomon said. I stared in silence at my old friend.

“…You…actually thought that would be a good idea?! Do you not remember how strong these Digimon are, Apollomon?! Do you not care for the well-being of your comrades?!”

“…Of course I do, Seraphimon, but I just thought it would be better for us to be in smaller groups for mobility and to decrease our chances of detection.”

“You know damn well that won’t make the slightest difference! You know who we’re dealing with, Apollomon! You know your friends will be found, damn it! What will you do then? You can’t protect them if you’re far away from them like this! Or do you just care more for the Digimon members of your group than you do the Humans?”

“Seraphimon, for fuck’s sake, calm down,” Apollomon said. “I care about all of my comrades equally, even more so than I do myself.”

“…You’ve changed, Apollomon,” I sighed. “You…you used to be the best at figuring these kinds of things out…”

“I’m not the one who changed,” Apollomon said. “The one who changed…is you.”

“Wha—”

“Lilithmon’s death…Ophanimon’s betrayal…they changed you, Seraphimon, and not for the better. You are supposed to be an Angel Digimon, and yet you think of nothing more than bloodshed, or rather, how you can get yourself involved in it.” A small chill ran up my spine that made my ten wings twitch restlessly.

“Apollomon, I…how did you…know?”

“When you formed that group, the Celestial Vanguard…who was the only one who you knew beforehand? Who was your best friend all those years ago? Seraphimon…we’ve been friends long enough for me to know exactly how it is you’re feeling. You cannot…allow yourself to be consumed by your wrath. What happened with Ophanimon was not your fault, and there isn’t a single person who thinks that it was. There was nothing anybody could’ve done to help her. It’s all in the past now, and there’s nothing to be done about it. For now, we have to deal with what’s happening now in the present, and not what happened in the past, or even what will happen in the future.”

“Worrying about our futures…can come after making sure there is a future to worry about…right? Isn’t that what you always used to say?” Apollomon nodded. “But, Apollomon…what if…what if I’ve already been consumed by my rage?”

“…All of us will just have to press onwards. If it ever becomes too much for you to handle…you can quit, you know. With or without you…Lachesis will continue to fight against the darkness spread by Lilithmon.” I stared blankly at Apollomon for the longest time before sighing.

“If you are going to fight against Lilithmon…then I am going with you,” I said.

“…Glad to have you with us, old friend,” Apollomon said, holding out his hand. I held out mine as well when a high-pitched shriek pierced the air. The four of us looked up and saw a large Digimon flying around in circles in the dark, cloudy sky. “Damn it, they’ve found us so soon?!”

“Apollomon and Seraphimon! I have been given orders from Lilithmon!” Horusmon shouted. “I have been ordered to take the both of you directly to Lilithmon! If you do not resist, I will not harm your two friends down there!”

“N—no way…What should we do, Apollomon?” BlackGaomon asked.

“We fight, obviously,” Apollomon said. “Arrow of Apollo!” Apollomon unleashed flaming arrows from his hands at the flying Digimon, all of which missed.

“…I should’ve known you’d refuse,” Horusmon said. “Obviously, you don’t trust me…and you were correct in not doing so! I am impressed, Apollomon!”

“Horusmon, come down here and fight us!” I yelled.

“If you didn’t fall for my trick, what makes you think I’ll fall for yours?!” Horusmon shrieked. “Ebon Flames of Purgatory!” Horusmon struck the side of a cliff with his attack, creating a massive explosion that sent huge boulders raining down on us. It all seemed happen instantaneously; I looked up just in time to see the explosion before the boulders came crashing down on all of us and I blacked out.

Thomas Kasuto

Saias’s Villa

Living Room

 

“Apollomon, Dianamon, and BlackGaomon haven’t made it back yet?!” Statuedramon exclaimed.

“I am afraid dey have not,” Pheragas said, shaking his bald head. “Looking back, it vas probably not a good idea for all of us to split vays like dis…”

“C’mon, now; this is Apollomon and Dianamon you’re talking about,” Luna said. “The two of them are both Mega level Digimon; I’m sure they’ll be okay.”

“And there’s also Seraphimon too, mommy,” Chrysania chimed in. “He’s probably just as powerful as Mister Apollomon, so they’ll all be really okay!”

“Still, it worries me that they’ve been gone this long without returning,” I said, exchanging glances with Pheragas.

“…Thomas, listen to me for a moment,” Pheragas said. “Before we parted vays vith Apollomon, he told me something important about de Celestial Vanguard.”

“What did he say?” Zelda asked.

“One of dem…might still be alive.”

“Digimon have pretty long lifespans; isn’t it possible that all of them are alive?” Statuedramon asked.

“Perhaps…but Apollomon knows not dare locations…Oder dan dis one, dat is.”

“Who is it?” I asked.

“His name is Neptunemon,” Luna said. “There’ve been rumors of a Digimon matching Neptunemon’s description being sighted heading toward Nymphaea Province about fifty years ago.”

“Fifty years?! How does that help us?!” Statuedramon asked.

“According to Seraphimon and Apollomon, Neptunemon isn’t the sort of guy to travel around a lot; he just picks a spot and sticks with it for a few decades.”

“So…there’s a chance that he may still be there?” I asked.

“I tink it may be de only chance ve have,” Pheragas said.

“…All right. I’ll be going then,” I said, turning to leave.

“What, so soon?” Luna asked. “Don’t you want to…I don’t know…rest up a little bit? You just got back, after all…”

“I don’t have time to rest, what with everything that’s been going on,” I said. “Zelda, Statuedramon, you two can come with me if you’d like, but I’d rather you—”

“Of course I’m going with you!” Zelda said. “Tommy, you’re always looking out for me; please let me do the same for you!”

“And you’ll need my shield in case you run into any of those Digimon,” Statuedramon added. “Goddess knows you’re no good without me around!”

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Statch,” I said.

Statuedramon laughed. “I’m ready to go whenever you are, Thomas,” he said.

I looked over at Zelda, who nodded in agreement with the Rookie. “All right,” I said. “Let’s go, then.”

Chapter 88: Into the Realm of Darkness

Thomas Kasuto

 

I suddenly came to when a sharp, throbbing pain in my head woke me up. I looked around, and saw almost nothing. A torch with a very small, near-extinguished flame nearby kept a small area around the three of us illuminated. We appeared to be in a long hallway of sorts, the architecture of which reminded me of Etemon’s Castle in Linnea, as everything appeared to be composed entirely of stone. However, nearly everything that could be seen was dusty and covered with sand, even the air. That trap Linoan set up for us…it must’ve taken us all the way into the desert…But what is this place? Some kind of underground building or castle?

“Thomas…”

“Zelda, are you okay?” I whispered. I didn’t know why I was whispering; it just seemed to be the thing to do in this dusty, underground hallway.

“I’m…fine…But can you help me stand up?” Zelda took my hand, and I gently hoisted her up. “Thank you…So, where are we?”

“I was just wondering that myself…”

“Isn’t it obvious? That bitch Linoan sent us down here!” Statuedramon said. “I knew it was a trap, I knew—”

“Is there…any chance that Linoan didn’t have anything to do with this?” Zelda asked.

“No, it was definitely her,” I said. “When we were falling, I saw her smiling.”

“…I see…”

“Damn it, I was expecting a trap, but nothing like this…”  I shook my head in disbelief and looked up. Nothing but darkness, except for where the torch shone.

“If you knew she was leading us to a trap, why did you follow her?!” Statch asked.

“I thought she might’ve been leading us to one of Lilithmon’s allies.”

“That’s why you went?! Isn’t that a reason why we ought to avoid following strange, creepy, yet incredibly beautiful young women we don’t know?!”

“Well, we’re going to have to fight them sometime, right? It’s not like we can just let them live, and do whatever they want, right?” I asked.

“Yeah, but—!”

“Statuedramon, we can argue about this later all you want; right now, we need to work on getting out of here.”

“Fine, fine…” The three of us walked in silence through the dark corridor, occasionally passing by a lit torch until we reached the end of the hall. Statuedramon was about to press on when I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. “Hey, what’s wrong? Why’d you do that?!”

“…You shouldn’t be too hasty in a place like this,” I whispered. I picked a rock up off the stone floor and dropped it in front of Statuedramon; the rock landed on something, and without warning, the floor opened up. “See that, Statch? A tripwire…If I hadn’t stopped you, you’d have fallen into that pit and landed on all those spikes down there.” The trapdoor closed by itself.

“Is it safe to pass?” Zelda asked.

“As long as we don’t touch the tripwire, we should be fine,” I said. “Here, give me your hand.” Reluctantly, Zelda held out her hand, and when I took it in mine, it was trembling noticeably. “We’ll be okay…We’ll get out of this, like you said,” I told her.

Zelda nodded, and slowly, the two of us walked over the tripwire. “There, we made it!” I said, and Zelda nodded again as Statuedramon followed us over the tripwire. “Are you okay?” I asked her. In the light of a nearby torch, I could see that her face had gone completely pale, and she was breathing heavily, but quietly.

“I…I’m fine, Thomas…I just…” Zelda looked around nervously before looking back up at me.

“It’s okay,” I said.

“I…I’m scared, Thomas…With everything that’s been going on, I…I just feel so frightened all of a sudden…” Zelda was looking steadily at the ground. Statuedramon’s words from earlier today came back to me.

For the first time in my life…I’m actually afraid. I’m not scared that I might get killed, but that I might get killed without having done everything I could have done to protect my family. Zelda stepped closer to me and grabbed onto my arm. Everyone…is losing confidence over what happened. Am I…the only one who hasn’t…? No…that isn’t true. Lilithmon and her friends are stronger than before, and if I die, then…then I won’t be able to keep Zelda and Statuedramon or anyone else safe…I just can’t allow myself to think about those things. All I can do is think about each challenge as they come to us, one at a time. If I focus on only the one thing at a time, everything should turn out fine. I stopped myself from thinking any further before the words ‘and if everything doesn’t turn out fine’ entered my head. I looked down at Zelda, and gave her trembling hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Guys…I think I see something up ahead,” Statuedramon said. I looked up and saw a tall figure advancing very slowly toward us. The torch flames went wild, glowing brighter as the figure passed them.

“…That’s him,” I said. “It’s SkullCaliphmon…”

“Thomas…I was hoping I would find you in here!” SkullCaliphmon said. “You boner…after you killed me last time, I’ve been waiting to get my revenge on you, so I had Lupinemon trick you into landing in my castle. Do you like it? I designed it myself.” I let go of Zelda’s hand and walked toward the Mega Digimon. “Over five-hundred years ago, I raised this castle up from the sand.”

“Thomas…if I couldn’t kill Hydramon a few days ago, then you definitely won’t be able to kill SkullCaliphmon,” Statuedramon said.

“Statuedramon, I want you to take Zelda and get out of here,” I said. “I might not win…but I’ll fight him off for as long as I can…”

“Thomas!” Zelda cried in protest.

“Oh, how adorable! The little bonehead thinks he stands a chance!” SkullCaliphmon laughed.

“Statuedramon…keep her safe for me.”

Statch nodded, but before they could move, SkullCaliphmon cried out, “Sirocco Sword!”

I raised my sword, prepared to defend against the attack when Zelda pulled me out of the way to the ground.

“Come on!” Statuedramon grabbed both of our arms and dragged us away from SkullCaliphmon, who began laughing again when we passed the corner. The two of us struggled to our feet and began running.

“Zelda…why—” I asked as we followed Statch through the gloomy corridor.

“Tommy…do I still need to tell you?” Zelda smiled at me. “After my sister…you were the first person to show me kindness after a lifetime of cruelty and sadness…I love you, Tommy, and I don’t ever want to see you throw your life away…okay?”

“…I’m sorry…”  The feelings and thoughts I felt at that moment were cut off by the frantic and shaky voice of Statch.

“Guys, dead end up ahead!” he exclaimed. I looked up, seeing that our running had led us straight up to a wall.

“Oh, good; and here I was, starting to get bored out of my skull!” said a nearby voice. I turned back around and saw SkullCaliphmon smirking at us. “It was fun, though…chasing you around like this…but I’m afraid I must dispose of you now.

“Get behind me,” Statuedramon said, holding up his shield. SkullCaliphmon held up his two-bladed sword, prepared to swing it.

“Sirocco Sword!” A loud crash from behind us interrupted SkullCaliphmon. The wall caved in, and a surge of flames tore through it and surrounded SkullCaliphmon.

“What are you waiting for?! Get out of there!”

That voice…is it—

“Flamedramon, is that you?!” Zelda asked excitedly, climbing through the hole in the brick wall.

“Yeah…it’s me,” Flamedramon said. The Digimon helped us climb through the exit he made, and the four of us began running as fast as we could away from the castle.

“Oh, Flamedramon! I haven’t seen you in so long! Where have you been? I was so worried about you!”

“Ah, come on…why would you worry about someone like me?” Flamedramon asked. “After everything I’ve done, too, you were still concerned about me…”

“…Do you not want me to worry about you?”

“I…uh…oh, jus—just keep running, damn it!”

“Where are you taking us?” Statuedramon asked.

“…We’re going to Acacia,” Flamedramon said. “Rumor has it there’s an incredibly powerful Digimon Talisman there.”

“Oh, is that so?” The form of a large Digimon materialized before us.

“DeathPhantomon!” Flamedramon gasped. Seeing the Digimon I had just recently killed was somewhat unnerving, but not so much as his presence, his voice, and his deep, red eye.

“…SkullCaliphmon’s slacking off if the lot of you were able to escape,” DeathPhantomon said.

“Stand aside!” Flamedramon said. DeathPhantomon’s only visible eye narrowed with disdain.

“…Thou art not the Digimon I knew,” DeathPhantomon said. “Even so…thy presence makes me ill. Thou must be dealt with!”

“Stand back, everyone!” Flamedramon shouted. “Flame Fist!” Flamedramon’s attack hit DeathPhantomon’s body directly.

“…Just as I had suspected…thou art not nearly as strong as the other I fought. I erred in believing otherwise,” DeathPhantomon sighed. “Mirage of Darkness!” DeathPhantomon’s eye began to glow, and both he and Flamedramon became surrounded in darkness. Flamedramon’s screams cut through the silence of the night, and the darkness began to fade away. To my horror, I saw Flamedramon laying in the sand, clutching his chest in pain.

“Flamedramon, are you okay?!” Zelda ran to the fallen Digimon’s side.

“It…it was…Abigail…Abigail was here,” Flamedramon said.

“No, it wasn’t,” I said. “That was one of DeathPhantomon’s tricks…you can’t let that Digimon get to you, Flamedramon!”

“I…I know…” Flamedramon forced himself up, to DeathPhantomon’s annoyance.

“Oh, dear…I thought if I turned my form into that of the woman he loves, he’d have lost the will to fight,” DeathPhantomon said. “Verily, will I have to take a different approach…”

“Bring it on…I’m prepared for whatever it is you’ve got!” Flamedramon said.

“In that case, I bid thee Welcome…to My Nightmare!” In an instant, Flamedramon fell to his back, his eyes wide open in terror, both glowing bright red, like DeathPhantomon’s.

“Flamedramon!” Zelda began running to the screaming Digimon, but I quickly grabbed her arm to keep her from being attacked by DeathPhantomon.

“Do not fear for his safety…all that is happening to him…is only confined to the boundaries of his own imagination,” DeathPhantomon said.

“Flamedramon! Flamedramon, I’m coming!” Zelda exclaimed.

“Into the Realm of Darkness!” A huge shadow formed beneath Flamedramon, swallowing him up as quickly as it had appeared.

“Flamedramon! Flamedramon…” The shadow disappeared completely when Zelda approached it. “What…what did you do to him?!”

DeathPhantomon snickered. “I sent him…to the realm of darkness,” he said. “Quite obvious from the name of my attack, is it not?”

“The what?! You mean the Dark Area?” Statuedramon asked.

“No, not that place…Verily, is Flamedramon forever locked in a nightmare, doomed to wander in the shadows for all eternity…what better punishment for the Digimon who killed me over five hundred years ago?!”

“But…that wasn’t the same Flamedramon who you fought,” Zelda said tearfully. “He…he’s one of the Marked…he has nothing to do with—”

“That matters not!” DeathPhantomon interrupted. “He was of the same species…and his punishment was better than what he truly deserved.”

“How…how could you?!”

“You may all run along now,” DeathPhantomon said.

“What?!”

“Nya ha ha…and earlier, I criticized Lupinemon for almost letting the lot of you go…” DeathPhantomon sighed. “I suppose I merely enjoy threatening others…and torturing. Torturing is fun, too.”

So…this is what DeathPhantomon is truly capable of…If I can just destroy that jewel around his neck…

“I am only giving you this one opportunity to escape, mind you. If you chose not to do so…then thou shalt join Flamedramon in the infinite nightmare for the rest of your days!”

DeathPhantomon…with all of his allies free, he’s too powerful…But…if we…if we wait until later…when a few of the others are gone, when he will be weaker… “Statuedramon…Zelda…let’s take his advice.”

“What?! Weren’t you the one hoping to run into one of these freaks?!” Statuedramon asked.

“No…not DeathPhantomon,” I said. “Not…yet.”

“Not yet? Hey, what do you mean?”

“Thou art a clever one,” DeathPhantomon said.

“…Come. Let’s go.” I turned from DeathPhantomon and began walking north toward Celosia Province.

“Well, if we aren’t actually going to fight him, then where are we going?” Statch asked.

“Let’s just go back home for now,” I whispered. “Maybe Apollomon and a few of the others will have returned by now…”