Chapter 31: The Rapist

Thomas Kasuto

Outside Braig’s Lab

 

“The man named Clive…he was the man who raped me almost nineteen years ago.” The news came as quite a shock to me, but at the same time, it made perfect sense; after all, Victoria had never once mentioned being married, and the one time she told me and Statuedramon about the loss of her child, she never mentioned who the father was, other than the fact that he was a knight.

“Well then, it seems I’ve made quite an impression,” Clive said. His grin was absolutely sickening. Victoria’s face was completely colorless as the man began walking toward us, and she didn’t respond to his words as she fell to her knees. “Well, I’d love to stay and chat, but apparently, that’s not my job!” Clive looked spitefully over his shoulder at Magnus.

“If you want the money I promised you, then you will do what I asked of you,” Magnus said. “But know this; I did not ask for your help because I sympathized with you, nor did I do it because I approve of what you’ve done in the past, you worm. I asked for your help because I needed it from somebody, so if you don’t do what I tell you to, you can be easily replaced.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Clive said, rolling his eyes. “Sorry, kid, but you’re going to have to come with us.” Clive grabbed Michalis’s arm and twisted it behind the kid’s back. Michalis’s face became contorted with agony as Clive pulled him away. “Maybe, when I have a day off, Victoria, you and I can—”

“That’s ENOUGH!” I drew my sword and thrust it into the lower part of Clive’s back. His grip on Michalis’s arm immediately loosened as he fell to the ground, screaming in pain as he clutched the bleeding wound my sword made.

“It pains me to have to dirty my blade with the blood of someone like you,” I said. “But if that’s what must be done, then I’ll do so without a second thought.” I began to remove my weapon from Clive’s back, and as I did so, the entire blade became encased in ice, as did the wound it made. “What…the hell?! What did you do?!” When Clive opened his mouth to speak, his voice sounded much darker, not at all like the relatively quiet voice he normally spoke with; this one sounded much more menacing, and was much deeper than before.

“My vessel’s  life was being endangered; I simply did what I had to so that the two of us could continue living. Oh, here’s your toy, by the way.” Clive stood back up and pulled my sword out of his back and dropped it on the ground in front of me, causing the ice covering the blade to shatter. My sword managed to escape unscratched, and I could see the wound on Clive’s back close up with ice. “Now, which of you wish to be the first to be forever subjected to my frozen hell?!”

“Clive,” Magnus placed his hand over Clive’s shoulder. “Or, whoever the hell you are; we retreat.”

“Retreat?! Why the hell should we retreat?! There’s no way they can defeat us!”

“Perhaps, but I have my reasons,” Magnus said. To my surprise, his eyes were fixated on Zelda, and he looked both concerned and intrigued. “Come on; let’s go.”

“But…what about the kid?” Clive asked, his voice returning to its original, more calm and quiet tone.

“Forget him; we can always get him later. Now, let’s go!” Magnus grabbed the back of Clive’s shirt and dragged him away.

“Should we go after him?” Zelda asked.

“…No. They’d probably just lead us into a trap; they could do so very easily if they wanted to,” I said. “We’ll run into them again eventually. For now, let’s just go back to Apollomon.” I turned to look at Victoria. “Are you alright? Can you stand?” When she didn’t respond, I knelt down next to her and gently placed my hand over her shoulder. “He’s gone now; I promise he’s not going to hurt you now, or ever again,” I whispered into her ear.

“...Thank you…Tommy…” I helped her stand up, and then turned to Michalis.

“You should come with us,” I said.

“No, I…I don’t need any help,” Michalis said. He looked very nervous, as if he was afraid I would strike him. “You shouldn’t get yourselves involved with someone like me…”

“We’re already involved,” I said. “Those two that were after you work with a few people that tried to kill my friends and me. I don’t know what they wanted with you, but I can say that whatever it was would not have been a very pleasant experience for you.”

“Please,” Victoria said. “Please, allow us to help you!”

“…Fine. I will go with you for now, but I will leave if it benefits me,” Michalis said. “Where will you be taking me?”

“We’re taking you to our boss, Apollomon,” I said.

“Wait! What about Irene and SlashAngemon?” Statuedramon asked.

“I don’t think they were here,” I said. “That note the knights left for us…did anything about it strike you as a little odd?”

“No, why?”

“We were able to read it,” I replied. “No knight I’ve ever seen has had legible handwriting.”

“What are you saying?” Zelda asked.

“I don’t think it was a knight who left us that note. Whoever did, I’m sure, is trying to provoke us into fighting the Valencian knights…someone like Abigail.”

“Abigail? You mean the lady who turned into BioLadyDevimon? Why do you think it was her?” Statch asked.

“She’s always had a bit of a manipulative streak,” I recalled.

“That’s a pretty big assumption to think someone would do that,” Victoria said. “What makes you so sure? Surely, there are a large number of knights with legible handwriting.”

“Perhaps, but one thing is for certain; we won’t be finding anyone in this place,” I looked up at Braig’s laboratory, which was still completely covered in ice. “At least, we won’t be finding anybody alive, and if we go in, we’re likely to freeze to death before we find anything. Also, if Irene and SlashAngemon really were taken by Valencian knights, they wouldn’t be kept here, where someone could easily walk in and find them, even before it became frozen over; those knights would’ve taken them back to their headquarters toward the center of Yew rather than a scientist’s laboratory such as this one.”

“So, that’s it? We’re just going back to Apollomon without them?” Statuedramon asked.

“You heard what Michalis said; anyone who touches that ice instantly dies,” I replied. “We can’t just wander in there without knowing what will happen to us. We have to go back.”

Magnus

Magnus’s Hideout (Unknown Location)

20 Minutes

 

“Why didn’t we do it?” Clive asked. He sat atop one of the many piles of empty crates scattered throughout my hideout. There wasn’t really any other way to describe the interior of the hideout; boring gray walls, gray floor, and piles upon piles of empty, wooden crates. There were two doors on opposite walls leading outside. “You spent most of the day bitching me out about how important it was that we get that kid, and then we just go and leave him behind?!”

“That’s enough, Clive!” I snapped. I stood with my back leaned against one of the hideout’s walls.

“You’ve never even told me why the kid was so important!” Clive continued rambling, ignoring me.

“Well…to tell you the truth, I was never told why, either,” I said. “All I was told was that I needed to find the kid and bring him back with me; I wasn’t given any explanation of why he’s so damn important or anything.”

“Okay, I can understand that part,” Clive said. “So, why, then, did we leave if we needed to bring him back with us?”

“It doesn’t matter why, okay?! We’ll get him eventually,” I said.

“…I noticed you were staring at that blonde girl practically the entire time,” Clive said. “Were you—?”

“I am NOT you!” I picked up my poleax and struck the pervert across the back of his head with the flat side of the axe’s blade, making him fall off the crates he sat on. “Look; I just got this really strange vibe off that girl. That’s all. I don’t know how to explain it; she just didn’t seem…normal.” I reached down and grabbed Clive’s hand and helped him stand up. “We’ll get the kid; don’t worry. We’ll try again tomorrow, okay?”

Chapter 30: One Survives

Victoria Kasuto

Saias’s Villa

 

‘SlashAngemon is dead. The insect has been felled by our hands. We will all take our time enjoying that cute girl that was with him before we gut her like the mercenary pig she is. The blonde girl gets it next.

The Honest, Hardworking Knights of Valencia’    

“Apollomon…what does this mean? What’s going on?!” Thomas asked.

“SlashAngemon and Irene…they’ve been captured by the knights of Valencia?!” Statuedramon yelled. “We have to go back to Braig’s lab! They might need our help!” 

“Please, Mr. Apollomon,” Zelda said.

“…Fine. I give you three permission to go to that damn place…just make sure you find out what happened,” Apollomon said after a moment’s thought. “But do not dawdle while you are there; find Irene and…and SlashAngemon if you can, and come back immediately.”

“Understood, sir!” Thomas said.

“Victoria,” Apollomon said to me. “You ought to go with them. I’m certain they could use the assistance of a swordswoman of your skill.”

“Of course, sir,” I bowed.

“Come on, we have to go now!” Statuedramon urged. The Rookie led us out of the basement and the villa, and began running as we got outside.

Abigail

 

“Well, this ought to keep them busy for a while,” I said. I sat atop the roof of Saias’s Villa, watching Thomas and his friends run to Braig’s lab in Yew. Sitting next to me was Irene. “See? I told you I’d take care of everything.”

 “…Yes…” Irene sadly watched as her friends grew smaller and smaller as they ran off into the distance.

“You don’t need to worry about them, dear; nothing is going to happen to them…” I placed my arm around Irene’s shoulders and pulled her into a hug. “Braig’s lab has been mysteriously frozen over. There isn’t anybody there who can hurt them, and the letter I placed on the door of this villa will lead them to believe that it was the knights who took you instead of us.”

“…I know…”

I don’t understand, though…who or what made Braig’s lab freeze over? Hopefully, that creepy old man died in there… Irene slowly placed an arm around my waist and returned my hug. Poor thing…she just hasn’t been the same since she killed SlashAngemon…Not that she really smiled much before…Irene began sobbing quietly once again. I pulled her in closer and kissed the top of her head.

Victoria Kasuto

Yew

45 Minutes

 

“I think we’re almost there, Victoria,” Thomas said to me.

“I never knew knights would do anything like this,” I said. “Do they seriously hate you guys so much that they’d go so far as to harm an innocent little girl?”

“The thought never actually crossed my mind, but I’m not surprised by the fact at all,” Statuedramon said. “I swear, if they’ve hurt one hair on Irene’s little head, I’ll…I’ll…” Statuedramon came to a sudden stop, and began looking around. “Does it…suddenly feel colder to you guys?”

“Not especially; why?” I asked.

“I don’t know…it just suddenly feels like I just suddenly walked into Nymphaea…”

“It can’t be that cold, or else we’d be feeling it, too,” Thomas said.

“Remember, Statuedramon is a Digimon, and a reptilian one at that,” I said. “He’s more sensitive to atmospheric changes than we Humans are.”

“Please don’t use my name and ‘sensitive’ in the same sentence,” Statuedramon grimaced. “But seriously, why do I feel so cold all of a sudden?”

“I’m no expert, but I have feeling that this might be why you’re feeling cold, Statch,” Thomas said. “Look over there.” Thomas pointed at what appeared to be a large building completely encased in ice.

“Wait a minute…isn’t that Braig’s lab?!” Zelda asked.

“What the hell happened here?!” Statch asked. “Come on, let’s go in; Irene might be—”

“No, don’t…you can’t…go in there…” a young man near Thomas’s age and height was limping weakly over to us.

“Hey, are you okay?!” I ran up to the young man and helped him stand up, placing his arm around my shoulders.

“You mustn’t go to that place…those who touch the ice are killed instantly…I just barely made it out in time…”

“What were you doing in that place? Did you work there?” Thomas asked. “Or were you—”

“Yes…I was one of the scientist’s test subjects. My name is Michalis…” As I got a brief glimpse of the back of the boy’s right hand, my heart immediately skipped a beat; on the back of his hand was an x-shaped birthmark.

Just like the one my baby had!

“I can’t remember how I found my way to this place; I’ve been here for as long as I can remember,” Michalis said. “I can’t remember very much of my life, though; it’s all the same…just one big blur…”

“Was there anyone else in the building when it froze over?!” Statuedramon asked. “A Digimon called SlashAngemon? A small girl with black hair, maybe? Perhaps a few Valencian Knights?”

“…As far as I know, I was the only test subject…a few scientists may have been there,” Michalis said. “But I was definitely the last remaining subject of theirs…if there were any knights, they would’ve been with the scientists that were about to preform another test on me just before the entire place froze over. The ice…it came so fast…”

“Where do you live, Michalis? Your parents must be worried about you,” I said.

“I…I don’t know…I’m not sure if I even have any parents…”

“Do you know your last name?” I asked.

“I don’t know anything about myself…other than my first name…”

“Is there anything we can to do help you?” Statuedramon asked.

“No, I…I don’t need any help.” Michalis removed his arm from my shoulders, and began staggering away. “I only came to warn you about this place…Please…just get away from this place!” Michalis slumped against a brick wall, nearly falling over, but still he continued to walk away from us.

“Michalis, wait!” I began running after him as a large poleaxe was flung, lodging itself into the wall in front of Michalis.

“Who’s there?!” Thomas shouted, drawing his sword quicker than I had ever seen him.

The time he’s spent with that mercenary guild has done wonders for his skills and reflexes, I see…

“No need to shout; we were going to show ourselves eventually,” a large, well-built man, followed by a smaller, scrawny, pale-skinned man, walked out of an alleyway. “We got business with the kid; we aren’t here for you.” The larger man removed his poleax from the wall -- a feat that would have proved difficult for anyone else, and yet one he pulled off with remarkable ease -- and pointed it at Michalis. “I’d come with me if I were you, kid; you don’t want to see my boss get pissed.”

“Boss?” Thomas walked over to the two men. “Do you two work with Abigail and Adrian?”

“Oh, so you’ve met those clowns, have you? Well, allow me to introduce myself; my name is Magnus, and this little guy behind me is called Clive,” Magnus said. My heart froze as the man called Clive stared directly at me, grinning.

No…no, it can’t be him…

“So, what were you promised for joining the cult of the deaf, dumb, and blind?” Statuedramon asked.

“I suppose I could tell you…” Magnus traced his fingers over the two gold bands around his left arm. “I love money, and I want money; lots of it. The lady boss promised me all the money I could ever want!” As Magnus continued to ramble about money, Clive’s eyes were fixated, staring unblinkingly at me.

“Well, hello there; we’ve met somewhere before, haven’t we?” Clive asked me. He stared straight into my eyes.

“No…you were taken in…they locked you away forever…” Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. “What are you doing here?! Why have you been released?!”

“I hardly think that’s any of your business, my dear,” Clive laughed.

“Victoria, who is that man?” Thomas asked.

“…The man named Clive…” I began to grow dizzy just thinking of the man…and what he did. “He was the man who raped me almost nineteen years ago.”

Chapter 29: Victoria

A/N: So, for those of you who are reading this, I would like to apologize for not generally posting on time. College is very, very evil to me :(
Now, with that said, enjoy this chapter! ^_^

Zelda

Saias’s Villa

 

Apollomon sat across from us on a couch in the living room of the villa. He looked neither angry nor confused at what we had told him; rather, his face went completely expressionless as we told him about Flamedramon, about Adrian, and about the Bio Hybrids.

“And SlashAngemon and Irene are still over there?” Apollomon asked.

“Yes, sir,” I said. “They said they’d be back by now…”

“Geez…I’m going to run out of people to send to that damn place,” Apollomon muttered. “Well…I’m glad you three are all safe. Don’t you go there again, though, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” Thomas said.

“That’s what you said last time; how do I know I can trust you when you say that?” Apollomon asked.

“If you didn’t still trust us, you wouldn’t be talking to us,” Statuedramon said. “Believe me; after what we saw back there, I know I don’t have any plans of going to that place any time soon.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Apollomon said. “Zelda, you told me Irene and SlashAngemon should be back by now, did you not?” I nodded. Apollomon sighed and nervously glanced out a window. “Very well…if they do not return within an hour, I shall send Dianamon to find them; she’s outside standing guard at the moment. Now, Thomas…”

“What is it, sir?” Thomas asked.

“There’s a woman down in the basement; she claims to know you,” Apollomon said.

“…Why did you put her in the basement?” Statuedramon asked.

“It’s not like that, damn it! Pheragas and BlackGaomon are still injured from their fight against Flamedramon. Luna and Chrysania are in town shopping for food and supplies, and with Dianamon standing guard outside, there wasn’t anyone left to treat their wounds. This woman offered to do so while I spoke with you about last night.” Apollomon began leading us to a stairway that led down to a door.

“Did she give you her name?” Thomas asked.

“No, but she had long brown hair and green eyes, and she wore a long black coat...kind of like yours, actually, Thomas. She was very beautiful,” Apollomon said, stopping in front of the basement door. “Does she sound like someone you know?” Without answering, Thomas opened the basement door and walked in.

“So, this is the guild you told me about,” a woman sitting next to a sleeping Pheragas and BlackGaomon said.

“…Victoria…” Thomas smiled wide as he walked over to the woman, and the two embraced. I had never seen him look so happy before; he’s always been so serious, so…solemn. It made me feel relieved to know that he was capable of experiencing such an emotion.

“That’s the woman he spoke about last night?” I asked Statch.

“Yeah…that’s her…” I looked over at Statuedramon, and noticed his eyes were filled with tears. “Even though we weren’t hers, she still acted like a mother to the both of us…And even though I didn’t need one…” Statch shook his head and wiped the tears from his eyes. “Damn it…I’m over 500 years old…I thought all my tears had dried up…”

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well,” Victoria said. She had let go of Thomas and walked over to Statuedramon and hugged him too. “I’ve read all the letters you and Statch sent me, but…reading them is nothing compared to actually being here with you two…”

“Victoria…You look great,” Statuedramon smirked.

“Are you kidding me? I’ve gained like, thirty pounds since I’ve last seen you two,” Victoria laughed.

“Well, considering you were severely underweight then, that could only be an improvement,” Statuedramon said. “How were you able to find us?”

“I was at an outdoor Bazaar in Yew when I saw Apollomon, and I recognized him from your description of him, and I thought he might have been the same Apollomon you spoke of,” Victoria said. “I haven’t received a letter from you in so long; I was beginning to get worried…”

“I’m sorry; we’ve both been very busy,” Statch said.

“We didn’t mean to make you worried,” Thomas said. “Oh, and before I forget, I’d like to introduce you to our new friend; this is Zelda. She’s helped us so much ever since we’ve met her. Without her, I…I don’t think I could’ve done half of what I did during my missions in the short time she’s been with us.” At Thomas’s words, I lowered my head, hoping nobody noticed that I was blushing.

“Oh, so this cute little thing is also a mercenary?” Victoria asked, looking over at me.

“Yes, ma’am; I try to help out as much as I can. I just hope it’s enough…”

“Nonsense; we are very fortunate to have such a gentle and compassionate young woman among us,” Apollomon said.

“And she’s a Summoner, too!” Statuedramon blurted out. “Oh, sorry, was I not supposed to say that?”

“No, it’s okay,” I said. “Everyone I’ve told so far was really impressed with me, and they’ve respected me; I’m just not used to being treated that way…”

“Well, now…It’s been a very long time since I’ve met anybody with that rare of an ability,” Victoria said. “It is said that Summoning is a divine, sacred ability, one bestowed upon the purest of souls, those that have been subjected to terrible hardships in life and yet do not hold any grudges towards those that have inflicted suffering upon them.” My heart sank.

Is that…really why I’m able to Summon? Because of what I am?

“But, Victoria,” Statuedramon interjected. “We ran into a bandit that was a Summoner; a bandit of all people! How was somebody like him able to summon?”

“Well, who said that old legends and prophecies like that always had to be accurate?” Victoria asked. “Do you remember that prophecy about a Digimon called Myotismon?”

“You mean, ‘The sky will be darkened by the wings of many bats?’” Statuedramon asked.

“That’s the one; about two years ago, I saw a bunch of bats flying around while a bunch of dead people started shouting the name of an undead Digimon king at the hour of the beast, and I sure didn’t see any so-called king show up and try to kill everyone!” Victoria said.

…Wasn’t she…fazed in the slightest when the deceased began talking?

“I have no idea what you just said, but I’m just going to smile and nod,” Statuedramon said.

“Well, anyway, I found this a while back, and I wasn’t sure what I should do with it…” Victoria reached into her coat pocket and pulled something out. “I’m glad I met you, Zelda. I’d like you to have this.” Victoria handed me the Talisman; the design on the front was that of the Digimon Leomon.

“Thank you, Victoria; I promise I’ll take really good care of him,” I placed the Talisman into my satchel with my other three.

“So, anyway, I’ve been thinking about joining your little group, Tommy,” Victoria said. “You haven’t got any objections, have you?”

“You know I could never say no to you, Victoria,” Thomas said softly. Victoria giggled.

“Ah, yes…how could I have possibly forgotten about your little…‘weakness,’” she said.

“I prefer to think of it as a ‘perpetual enamorment,’ rather than a weakness,” Thomas said. Victoria laughed once more.

“No wonder you were so keen on getting this young lady to join your guild,” she said.

“What…do you mean?” I asked.

“Oh, nothing…You know, you really are adorable, just like he said.” I felt my face began to heat up when Apollomon interrupted.

“Miss Victoria, you are more than welcome to stay with us for as long as you desire,” he said. “You are also welcome to join us, if you wish.”

“Well, thank you, sir,” Victoria said. “I just might take you up on that offer…”

“Excellent; now, is there anything that you’d—” Apollomon was interrupted when someone began knocking on the basement door.

“Apollomon! Apollomon…you need to see this!” A pale-faced woman stood in the doorway, gasping for breath, and her face was covered in sweat…or tears.

“Dianamon, what’s wrong? What happened?!” Apollomon opened the door, and Dianamon fell into his arms, sobbing. “What happened? Are you okay?!”

“R—read this…” Dianamon handed a piece of paper to Apollomon. After reading it, Apollomon dropped the paper.

“…What…the hell? Where the hell did you find this, Dianamon?!” Apollomon asked. I picked up the paper Apollomon had dropped and read it.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Thomas asked, reading the paper over my shoulder. My face had gone completely pale as I reread what the paper had said.

“What’s it say?” Statuedramon asked, trying to jump up so he could read it as well. I handed him the note, and as I did, I sank to the floor. I knew what all the words meant, but I just couldn’t understand…

‘SlashAngemon is dead. The insect has been felled by our hands. We will all take our time enjoying that cute girl that was with him before we gut her like the mercenary pig she is. The blonde girl gets it next.

The Honest, Hardworking Knights of Valencia’

Chapter 28: Shattered Life

Irene

Braig’s Lab

 

“No…oh, Goddess, no! What have I done?!” I dropped my bow and ran over to SlashAngemon. “SlashAngemon! Please…please don’t die!”

“Irene…do not concern yourself with me…” SlashAngemon, though he was gasping for air, was smiling. “I would never…hate you…I love you…you’re like a daughter…to me…and you…deserve all the happiness…in the world…” SlashAngemon breathed one last time, and then lay silent on his back, silent and lifeless. His data flew away, one small piece at a time. I became once again enveloped in a bright light, turning back into my original form.

“What have I done…?” I fell to my knees and screamed. What have I done?! I just murdered the closest person I ever had to family! Oh, Goddess, what’s wrong with me?! I ran out of the room, ran as fast as I could away from the room until I bumped into somebody and fell to the ground.

“I thought I heard somebody scream; are you alright, Irene?” I looked up, and through my tears, I saw Abigail. “…You did your job, didn’t you...” I nodded slowly, picking myself up off the ground. “Poor thing; that was too big of an assignment for you…” Abigail began wiping the tears off my face. “I’ll have to speak to the master about this; you’re far too gentle to be doing such horrid things…” Abigail continued to wipe away my tears, and as she did so, I flung my arms around her waist and cried uncontrollably. “There, there, sweet child…it’s all over now. You’re one step closer to achieving your desired goal…finding your dear mother…” I continued sobbing onto the front of Abigail’s shirt. My face was pressed up against her soft and comfortingly warm belly. “Please, don’t cry, sweet Irene…our dear little BioAquarimon…”

“What…should I do…? I can’t…go back to them…not after what I’ve done…”

“Don’t worry, dear; Auntie Abigail will take care of everything. Everything will be fine…”

Braig

A Valencian Prison

6 Hours

 

“What brings you here today, Sir Braig?” a prison warden asked me, beaming with pride, most likely due to the fact that I, a high-ranking knight, albeit a scientist, had chosen to visit his military prison among the many that stood throughout Yew. Whatever the reason, I didn’t care. All I was interested in was finding a new…guinea pig. And this prison, specifically made for military deserters and traitors, was the perfect place to find one.

“Oh, nothing special…I just have need of a prisoner for…a special experiment,” I looked through the list of prisoners and their information the warden gave me.

“A special experiment, eh? Well, who’s the lucky bastard, then?” the warden asked.

“I haven’t quite decided yet…” We were passing through cell after cell, each filled with prisoners who glared spitefully as we passed. Each and every one of them had been a knight at one point in their lives. “The one that’s all alone here…Clive…why is he alone?”

“He was sentenced for life without parole for serial rape and murder,” the warden said. “His main MO was rape, but all he said about the murders was ‘accidents happen.’ He was secluded from the other prisoners for their own protection, sir, as well as his own. Other prisoners have been known to attack sentenced rapists like him.”

“Take me to see him,” I said. “I believe I’ve found what I’m looking for…” the warden led me down a hallway and through a door into a room containing a single cell, with but a single man inside. Clive smiled at as we walked in; an eerie smile, one much creepier than my own; one so eerie, it sent chills down even my spine.

“Good day, gentlemen…what can I do for you today?” Clive asked.

“Knight Errant Clive Howell…serial number 12384…wanted for the rape of countless innocent women…shall I go down the list of your…special playmates?” I read aloud Clive’s profile, and began reading aloud the incredibly long list of the names of his victims. “…Amelia Fox…Victoria Kasuto…Amy Crown…”

“Is there a point to your visit, sir?” Clive asked.

“You’re being released,” I said. “Well, not quite…released from this prison, but you will be taken into my custody.”

“…Whatever you say, Chief,” Clive grinned at me as he was let out of his prison cell by the warden.

Braig’s Lab

1 Hour

 

“May I ask why I have been let out of prison, sir?” Clive asked.

“Sure; you’ve been chosen as another test subject for one of my experiments,” I replied.

“…What kind of experiments?” Clive asked. I turned around to face the taller man.

“Well…If all goes well, you’ll have the ability to turn into a Digimon! Isn’t that exciting?!”

“A…Digimon?” Clive gave me an odd look. “That’s…not possible, is it?!”

“Oh, it most certainly is; I’ve already had six successes, although one ran away from me quite some time ago, and one is still recuperating. I just fixed him up a few days ago, so he’ll still need a few days to rest.” I led Clive into a room in the back. It was a large and empty room, save for the bed in the middle of it surrounded by large stasis tubes.

“And…if all doesn’t go well?” Clive asked.

“I’ve only had two failures so far,” I admitted. “They were both trapped in their Digimon forms, unable to return to their Human forms like my successes. Worst case scenario is your death, but if you died…” I fastened the straps on the bed around Clive’s arms, legs, and torso. “Well, who would miss a rapist like you, eh?”

“Wait! I could die from this?!” Clive asked.

“It’s possible; likely even, but you needn’t worry,” I said. “I’ll be careful; real careful. My boss needs as many able-bodied pawns as she can get.”

“No, wait! I don’t want to do this! I don’t want to die!” Clive began struggling in the restraints, to no avail.

“You don’t have a say in the matter, Mr. Howell,” I held a syringe up against his arm. “The Digimon you become is also random; not sure how it’s decided. Anyway, the Digimon my subjects turn into might have to do with the subject’s personality. I’ll have to look into that one of these days…”

“NO! I DON’T WANT TO DIE!!!”

“Too late, rapist.” As I inched the syringe closer and closer to the vein in Clive’s arm, the entire thing became encased in ice. “What the hell? What just happened?!”

“I’m afraid I can’t let you kill this man.”

“Who’s there?! Who said that?!” I looked over at Clive, who was grinning at me. “What did you do?!”

“Oh, let’s just say I sold my soul to the devil.” The restraints on Clive also became encased in ice, and he snapped them off easily. “I met him when I was first locked away in that dingy cell…”

“What’s going on?!” The entire room was slowly and gradually becoming encased in ice.

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that,” Clive said. “Very soon…it will all be over for you.”

“Wh—” Before I could speak, I, too, became trapped in ice.

“Thanks so much for freeing me, sir,” Clive began walking out of the room. “I promise, I’ll make your death a swift and painless one.” I tried to talk, but my entire body was trapped in the ice. It all happened so quickly, that I didn’t have time to notice the chill the ice brought, my inability to breathe, my own panic. Clive snapped his fingers, and instantly, the ice shattered, and with it, my body.

Clive Howell

 

“There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” I looked down at the shards of ice and man on the floor, amazed by the lack of blood. I then looked down at my shadow. “Thanks, Satan.”

“I told you not to call me that, asshole! Would Satan freeze people to death?! No! He’d fucking burn them!”

“Regardless, I appreciate the help. Now, how do I get out of here…?” I began wandering aimlessly around the laboratory until I somehow managed to find my way out some ten minutes later.

“Just to be safe, I’ll freeze over the entire place, to make sure they don’t take you back. I can’t have my vessel dying on me, after all.”

“You do that…” I turned my back on the laboratory as my shadow encased the entire building in ice.

“It will be impossible to melt this ice, even with a fire attack from the strongest Digimon!”

“Fascinating…now, where should I go…?”

“Hey, you!” A man taller than me carrying a large poleaxe walked up to me. “Did you just ice over our entire base of operations?!”

“No, my shadow did,” I said, not bothering to look at the man.

“I am not your fucking shadow! That’s just where I happen to live for the moment! Get it right, asshole!”

“…Nicely done. I see you’ve recently been released from prison. Would you like to come with me?” I glanced over at the man. “My name is Magnus; I could give you work…if you’re interested.”

Chapter 27: Night of Farewells

Thomas Kasuto

Yew

45 Minutes

 

“Thomas, can we stop and rest for a moment?!” Statuedramon wheezed. “We’ve been running ever since we left that lab…” I stopped, looking up at the starry, moonlit sky. It was completely silent, other than the sounds of our footsteps on the sidewalk and our heavy breathing. The ground was wet, and the scent of rain lingered in the air.

“Sorry…I’ve just been thinking about what happened back there,” I said. “Neither of you are hurt, are you?”

“No, we’re fine,” Statch said. “I’m still a bit confused about Flamedramon, though…”

“I think that should be the least of our concerns…” I said. “Adrian…has he really betrayed us?”

“Yes, he did!” Statuedramon shouted. “The little prick betrayed us, all right?!”

I sighed. “Whatever; let’s just get back to Saias’s Villa before Apollomon sends someone else to find us.”

“Too late; I see someone coming right now,” Statch pointed at an approaching Digimon.

“Don’t worry; I think it’s SlashAngemon,” I said.

“I guess we aren’t in that much trouble, then,” Statuedramon sighed with relief. “If Apollomon was really pissed, he’d have sent Dianamon to get us…” I shuddered. Unlike Apollomon, an angered Dianamon was, unfortunately, a rather common sight. Seeing her get angry was the last thing I wanted to see after what just happened.

“True; you are in no danger of being severely reprimanded,” SlashAngemon said as he walked up to us. Behind him was Irene, who looked even more scared and nervous than she usually did. “But do not think you’ll get off without being reprimanded at all; after all, Apollomon did tell you not to go, didn’t he? And you, Zelda; you were supposed to bring them back, not go with them!”

“Don’t yell at her!” I snapped. “…I talked her into going with us. It’s my fault, not hers.”

“…I understand,” SlashAngemon smiled.

“Um…what were you doing there?” Irene asked quietly.

“I wanted to see if I could find the one who killed Saias,” I said. “We didn’t find whoever did it, but we did find…some other things that were of interest.”

“Really, now? And what have you discovered?” SlashAngemon asked.

“We found some more people who could turn into Digimon like Garret,” Zelda said. “And among them was Adrian.” Irene and SlashAngemon both looked at her with stunned expressions.

“Adrian?! You must be joking! Adrian would never betray us!” SlashAngemon shouted.

“He did! That son of a bitch betrayed us, and he’s a Bio Hybrid, too!” Statuedramon said. “He’s betrayed us, so just deal with it!”

“…That lab is where Humans are turned into those Bio Hybrids,” I said. “And if that’s not enough to cause confusion, we escaped because Flamedramon helped us out.”

“You mean the Flamedramon? The one who’s trying to kill everybody? That Flamedramon?” Irene asked.

“That’s the one,” I replied to Irene, making sure to speak quietly, as I did not wish to upset her. “Though, he did say he was only helping us because it benefitted him.”

“What the hell is going on here?” SlashAngemon whispered. “Flamedramon helping you out, Adrian betraying us, Humans turning into Digimon…” SlashAngemon turned his head to look at us. “I’m going to that lab. Thomas, Zelda, Statuedramon, you go back to the Villa. Irene, come with me, sweetie.”

“What?! You’re going to Braig’s lab now?” I asked.

“And after you reprimanded us for going, too,” Statuedramon said.

“I apologize for that; I was unaware of the situation,” SlashAngemon said. “I’ll be careful not to be detected, especially with the possibility that Flamedramon is still there.”

“We left close to an hour ago; it’s possible they’ve all left,” I said.

“Right; we’ll both be back tomorrow.” SlashAngemon and Irene took the directions we received from Lector and went to the laboratory.

SlashAngemon

Braig’s Lab

1 Hour

 

“There doesn’t seem to be anybody here…” Irene and I had been walking through the lab for nearly fifteen minutes. “If Flamedramon and the others were still here, we’d probably be hearing the sounds of fighting.”

“That’s a good point…” Irene whispered

“Irene, are you okay? You seem quieter than usual,” I looked at the small girl, who was looking steadily down at the ground.

“I’m…fine…this place…frightens me,” Irene said.

“I’m sorry; we’ll leave as soon as possible, okay?” Irene nodded slowly. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you; I promise.”

“…I know…”

“That room over there seems to be empty,” I said. “Why don’t you go through the things in that room, and see if you can find anything important…” Irene nodded again as she walked into the room I pointed to. “I’ll be in the room next door; come get me if you need anything.” No reply. I sighed. “I probably shouldn’t have brought her here; too dangerous…what was I thinking?” I walked into the room next to Irene’s and looked around at the various book lying around on the floor. One book in particular caught my attention. “Mythos of the…Dark Area?! What is something like this doing here?! The Dark Area is where all evil Digimon and the souls of Humans go when they die…” I picked up the book — a difficult task for someone with blades for arms — and placed it on a nearby desk, opening it. As I read through the book, I grew more and more confused by its contents, and when I read a particular sentence, my heart nearly stopped. “‘It is said that with enough Quintessence, one can open the door to the Dark Area, thereby releasing the darkness within…’ Who would want to…do something like that…?” As I prepared to read on, I heard Irene walk into the room, crying. Forgetting about the book, I turned around. “Irene, are you okay?! What’s wrong?!” Irene shook her head. “Did…someone find you?” Once again, she shook her head.

“I’m…sorry…” was all Irene managed to say through her tears. My heart sank.

“…No…I should be the one apologizing,” I walked over to Irene. “I shouldn’t have left you alone when you were so frightened; I shouldn’t have even brought you here in the first place…”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Irene repeated over and over.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” I asked.

“I don’t…have any choice…” Irene held out a small, trembling hand, and inside it, a strange, blue device.

“Irene…is that a Digivice? It looks like the one Garret had, according to Thomas’s description,” I said. “Where did you find it?” Irene began crying even harder as she placed her hand over the device, becoming enveloped in a blinding light; when it disappeared, Irene had grown several inches taller, and was wearing a blue evening gown. She no longer looked like the timid, adorable young girl I had grown accustomed to seeing every day; she was now a beautiful, adult woman. She was absolutely gorgeous…Sitting on the ground behind her was an urn overflowing with water and in her quivering hands was, pointed directly at my chest, a bow and arrow.

“I’m…so sorry…”

“…You’re with them, aren’t you…” Irene nodded, tears quickly streaming down her lovely face. For some reason, I didn’t feel angry. It was more like I couldn’t get angry. Even though I knew Irene had betrayed us, I couldn’t bring myself to hate her. I don’t know how to hate somebody I loved so much…

“This is why I didn’t want to come here…” Irene sobbed. “I knew you would…discover something…I knew I would be…forced to…to…”

“I understand,” I smiled at Irene. “Do what you must to me, Irene. Just get it over—” As I spoke, Irene released her arrow, which found its way into my chest. The impact and the pain knocked me back, and it hit me with a tremendous amount of force; it had nearly torn all the way through my back and hit the wall behind me. As blood came spilling out my wound, I fell to the ground, landing on my back.

“No…oh, Goddess, what have I done?!” Irene dropped her bow and ran over to me. “SlashAngemon! Please, please don’t die!”

Chapter 26: Bio Hybrid Fight

Thomas Kasuto

Braig’s Lab

 

“They force me to keep intruders out…disobeying them and allowing one in means they will bring an end to my life,” Andromon said.

“They’ll kill you for disobeying them?!” I asked. “Why would you willingly disobey them, knowing that?! And why would you wait until after our fight to do this?! You could’ve saved the both of us a lot of trouble, you know!”

“I wish for my life to come to an end,” Andromon said. “I told you about what I really am…a Human that was turned into a Digimon…I was originally created to be a Bio Hybrid, but they failed, and I am unable to revert back into my Human form…I live on as neither Human or Digimon…the easiest way to end it all is to be destroyed by my creators…they built me, so they can easily destroy me, but destroy me for no reason they will not…I fought with you to test your strength…stronger than me, you are, but strong enough to destroy me you are not.”

“…Okay, fine. I’ll…help you,” I said. “In return for my help, I expect you to answer all my questions, understood?”

“I shall answer only those that I know the answer to; that I promise,” Andromon walked weakly over to the door of the room, which had been forcefully removed from its hinges during the fight. “Come; follow me deeper into the lab.”

Zelda

 

“The Human girl and the midget Digimon who escaped during our previous encounter; why would you two be in a place like this?” Flamedramon asked.

“I am NOT a midget!” Statuedramon yelled indignantly.

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

“Who’s in charge of this place; do you know?” Flamedramon asked.

“I…believe it’s being operated by a man named Braig,” I said.

“The Humans capable of turning into Digimon…they seem to be after me. I’ve had a run-in with one of them the other day,” Flamedramon said. “I’ll destroy this place before it manufactures any more of those freaks…and that man named Braig is going down in flames.”

“No…I won’t let you…step foot in there…” Boltmon wheezed. The Digimon began to pick himself up off the ground, but Flamedramon shoved his foot on top of Boltmon’s head, which slammed it down onto the ground.

“Wait, don’t kill him yet!” Statch shouted. “I have a few questions I need to ask him!”

“What I do with this thing is my own business!” Flamedramon snapped his claws, and Boltmon’s body became entirely covered in flames. His body then began to disintegrate, leaving behind the body of the man we saw in Mandrake Town. Flamedramon removed his foot from the bandit’s crushed skull and walked toward the lab.

He’s…just like Gallantmon…

“You aren’t…going to try and fight us as well?” Statch asked.

“Destroying this place is a higher priority for me,” Flamedramon said. “Judging by the fact that you were surprised by your friend’s transformation into a Digimon, I’d be willing to guess they aren’t allied with you; is this correct?”

“…We don’t know anything about this place,” I said.

“Come with me, then; I’ll need all the help I can get.” Flamedramon walked into the lab.

“What should we do, Statch?” I asked.

“Thomas told us to wait here; we can’t let anyone else in the lab,” Statuedramon said.

“But…we already did let someone in, and that someone is Flamedramon,” I said. “Flamedramon the serial killer…”

“…Good point; let’s go.”

Thomas Kasuto

 

Andromon had been leading me down a lightless corridor through the lab; it had been a straightforward path, and every now and then, we passed by a dimly lit bulb, just enough of them to provide us with enough light to see through the entire hallway.

“Who was it that turned you into a Digimon?” I asked.

“It was…more than one…” Andromon said. “I never saw their faces, nor do I know their names. The name Braig remains unfamiliar to me…” Andromon opened a door and led me into a room before he suddenly stopped walking, and I bumped into him. “Up ahead lies someone in wait; two of them, to be exact.”

“How can you tell?” I whispered. Andromon said nothing, and began walking again.

“They are two Humans,” Andromon said. “Something different about them, there is…” The lights in the room suddenly turned on, momentarily blinding me.

“Oh, Andromon, you ruined my big surprise! So, so naughty…” a woman’s voice said. “Why did you have to lead the boy so far into this place? We needed him alive just a little while longer, but it looks like his end has come…and don’t think that you won’t be going unpunished, Andromon.”

“Why else would I lead this child into this room?” Andromon asked. “Doing so…makes you upset, I knew it would. Upset enough…to kill me, perchance?”

“…So…you’ve completely given up on life, have you?”

“Who’s there?!” I asked, trying to look through the blindingly bright lights.

“Oh, you really don’t remember me? Aw, now you’ve gone and hurt my feelings…” Whoever was speaking to me began walking up to Andromon and me. By this point, my eyes had adjusted to the bright light. The room we were in was nearly empty, save for a bed with a few straps to hold someone in place, and around it, several stasis tubes filled with what appeared to be deep blue liquid. “That was a very naughty thing to do, Andromon; our master won’t be pleased at all.”

“I care not; I only wish to end what you have started,” Andromon said. “My life…or, rather, what is left of it…”

“Silly boy; I would never be so foolish as to eliminate our pawn.” The woman strode past Andromon and approached me; I felt my knees weaken when I saw who it was.

“…Abigail…? Is that you?” I asked.

“Oh, so you do remember me after all? How…touching…” Abigail reached up and placed her hand on my cheek. “I was only seventeen when you left that foul city with that woman. Thomas…why did you leave me behind? I thought we were friends! I was your only friend in that damn city, remember?!”

“Abigail, forget about your past; we have work to do,” a familiar voice said. Abigail’s arm fell to her side as she turned away from me. The man who spoke strode up to Abigail, and the lovely young woman kneeled before him.

“My sincerest apologies, Father Sephyrus,” Abigail said.

“Sephyrus?! You’re here too?!” I asked. The kindly priest smiled at me as he approached me. “So, you made it out of Cyclamen before those bandits arrived!”

“Bandits…? Oh, yes, them,” Sephyrus glanced at Abigail.

“Why are you here? I thought all civilians had returned to Cyclamen when the bandits were defeated,” I said, and then turned to Abigail. “And you…when I returned to Cyclamen about a week ago…was it you I saw?” Abigail smiled, and nodded slowly. “What are you both doing here?”

Zelda

 

“Are you certain you know where you’re going?” Flamedramon asked, giving Statuedramon a look of annoyance.

“Of course I am; Thomas is my best friend, and I know exactly which way he would go in this place!” Statuedramon said. “I think…” Flamedramon sighed.

“If you don’t want me to burn this place to the ground with your friend in it, you will take me where I want to go!” Flamedramon shouted.

Why is he coming with us? Didn’t he want to kill us earlier? I was frightened by being so close to Flamedramon. I could hear my heart beating louder and faster; my legs were shaking so hard, it was a wonder I was still able to walk, and I felt a terribly nauseating sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. As we continued to walk through the brightly lit corridor, Flamedramon turned around to face me, gazing at me with slight curiosity.

“You…you somehow feel…different from other Humans I’ve encountered,” Flamedramon said.

“I…I’m sorry…” These words came out almost instinctively. He can tell, too?! It’s been so long since anybody’s noticed, I’ve almost forgotten about it… Unlike other Digimon, Flamedramon didn’t seem unnerved by my presence, and instead continued to gaze at me with curiosity. “I’m sorry…”

Statuedramon stopped walking. “Flamedramon, let me make one thing very clear to you,” he said. “I know you have this whole vendetta against all living things, be they Human or Digimon, but if I see you even try to hurt her, I will fucking murder you; no matter how much stronger you are than me, I will kill you with my bare hands if you hurt her or any of my friends.” Upon hearing Statuedramon’s words, Flamedramon turned away from me.

“I…have no intention of killing her,” Flamedramon muttered. “It was probably just my imagination, anyway…”

“Ah, very well said, Statch!” said a voice from the shadows of a nearby doorway.

“That voice…is that you, Adrian?!” Statch hollered.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Adrian stepped out of the shadows.

“You’re back! Does that mean you’re all finished with what you needed to do?” Statuedramon asked. Adrian approached us, ignoring Statuedramon. “Are you…able to come back with us? To Lachesis?”

Has he forgotten so soon? I gazed at the large man with uncertainty as he approached the three of us. Boltmon said it was Adrian who brought him here…where he was turned from Human to Digimon…does that mean—!

“Sorry, buddy; I’m not coming back,” Adrian said. “There’s…something I need to show you. Could you come with me?”

“Okay, sure!” Statuedramon smiled and happily walked behind Adrian as the large man led him further down the corridor. “C’mon, what are you waiting for, Zelda? There isn’t anything to be afraid of; Adrian’s a good person!” I quickly glanced over at Flamedramon before walking after Statuedramon, and I could hear Flamedramon’s footsteps as he walked behind me. “So, where are you taking us, Adrian?”

“I’m taking you to see Thomas, of course,” Adrian spoke slowly and nervously, as if he were afraid something would leap out of the deep shadows of the lab and attack him.

Is it…Flamedramon that he’s afraid of? I glanced over my shoulder over at Flamedramon, who was glaring at Adrian. I don’t blame him; I’m sick to my stomach with fear about him, too…

“Thomas should be beyond these doors,” Adrian pointed to a pair of doors, near the end of the corridor.

“Thanks for the help, Adrian!” Statuedramon reached up to push the doors open when Adrian smacked his hand away. “What the hell, Adrian? Didn’t you say Thomas was past these doors?!”

“Indeed I did, but I cannot allow you to see him,” Adrian said. “I was really hoping to keep you two alive a little longer, but since you know where this laboratory is, I’m afraid I’m just going to have to—”

“Fire Rocket!” Flamedramon shrouded himself in flames as he launched himself at Adrian, who pulled a nearby door off its hinges and protected himself with it. Flamedramon crashed head-first into the door before falling to the floor, carefully holding his aching head in pain.

“Flamedramon, what are you doing?!” Statuedramon yelled.

“This man cannot be trusted by anyone!” Flamedramon said as he picked himself up off the floor. “Only by those that are like him!”

“You realized what I am, then? You’re pretty smart…for a serial killer!” Adrian swung the door he was holding and struck Flamedramon across the head with it, breaking the door into two pieces. Adrian then kicked Flamedramon in the stomach, launching him through the doors he had prevented Statuedramon from opening. Adrian walked through the doors after Flamedramon, and Statuedramon and I followed quickly after him and into a large, empty room.

“Look, there he is!” Statuedramon pointed over at Thomas, who was standing behind a tall Digimon I’d never seen before.

“Hey, Abigail, Sephyrus, I’ve brought you something special!” Adrian shouted, dragging the unconscious Flamedramon behind him and holding up his left arm.

“A job well done, Adrian,” Sephyrus said. “Now, this nuisance can finally be rid of once and for all.”

“Thomas, what’s going on?!” Statuedramon yelled. “Who the hell is that woman, and that Digimon that’s standing next to you? And what in Arcadia’s name is Father Sephyrus doing in a place like this?!”

“How adorable; your little friend has no idea what’s about to happen, does he?” The woman called Abigail looked over at Thomas.

“You ought to enlighten him, then; we owe them that much,” Sephyrus said.

“Yes, sir,” Abigail reached into her cleavage and pulled out a device identical to the one Garret had as Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out another one.

“Oh, no…don’t tell me they’re—”

“Bio Hybrid DNA Charge!” Abigail interrupted Statch and slammed the palm of her hand on top of her device, which was colored black. “Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioLadyDevimon!”

“Bio Hybrid DNA Charge!” Adrian slammed the palm of his hand on the top of his device, which was colored brown. “Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioArbormon!”

“No…no way…” Statuedramon looked up at BioArbormon, who had dropped Flamedramon on the ground. “Adrian…you…you’ve betrayed us?!”

“Yes, I suppose you could say that,” BioArbormon said. “I was promised something by someone important; hell, all of us were promised something in return for our undying loyalty. And in return…we got to become these powerful beings, stronger than Humans AND Digimon!”

“I was promised nothing…” the Digimon standing in front of Thomas said.

“Nobody cares, Andromon,” BioLadyDevimon said.

“Adrian, you speak quite a bit too much,” Sephyrus said. “You really need to work on that.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” BioArbormon said.

“So…when you were dragged off by those knights all those years ago…you were taken here?!” Thomas asked.

“Yeah; I didn’t know about it at first, but after I could turn into this guy, I didn’t really care anymore,” BioArbormon said.

“I’ve been like this for nearly ten years now,” BioLadyDevimon said. “A few years after you left Cyclamen, I was given the ability to Bio Hybrid Digivolve.”

“…And what about you?” Statuedramon glared at Sephyrus. “Can you Digivolve too?”

“Yes, I can,” Sephyrus said. “Abigail and Adrian will be capable of defeating the three of you without my assistance, so I’m afraid you won’t be seeing what I can become. After you lot are out of the way, Flamedramon shall be dealt with, and then, the rest of your organization.”

“Sorry about this, Statch,” BioArbormon said. “…You know what? Actually, I’m not sorry; I’ve been promised something better than anything anyone at Lachesis could’ve ever given me!”

“Fire Rocket!” Flamedramon suddenly jumped up off the ground and assaulted BioArbormon, tackling him to the ground. “You, over there!” Flamedramon looked over at the Digimon Abigail referred to as Andromon. “Give me some help!”

“Flamedramon, what are you doing?!” Statch asked.

“What does it look like? I’m saving your sorry asses!” Flamedramon was kneed in the stomach by BioArbormon, who shoved him off and got back on his feet. “You’d better appreciate it; the next time we meet, don’t expect any mercy!”

“Lightning Blade!” Andromon turned his hand into a spike and hurled an electric bolt at BioArbormon, who leaped out of the way of the attack.

“Andromon, what are you doing?! You’re supposed to be on our side!” BioLadyDevimon snapped.

“We aren’t mad at you for leading the boy here, if that is the worry plaguing your mind,” Sephyrus said calmly.

“It had come to my realization that you are the only ones capable of ending my pitiful life,” Andromon said. “That was originally why I led Thomas here; so you would kill me. But now, after learning the rest of you were promised rewards for your service, while I’ve been given nothing after all I’ve done for you, I felt emotion for the first time in countless years; envy, wrath…after all I’ve done for you, I haven’t been given anything in return for my services!”

“You haven’t been given anything because you’re a failed experiment!” BioLadyDevimon said. “You and that clueless ogre, Boltmon…we shouldn’t have wasted our time with either of you!”

“You may not have told me much about what you’ve all been doing, but I know enough,” Andromon said. “You must be stopped!”

“Now you’re talking!” Flamedramon said.

“What about you? Why are you helping us?!” Thomas asked. “Weren’t you trying to murder us?!”

“I only assist you for my own reasons; these guys are a bigger threat to me than your guild,” Flamedramon said. “Now, go! Get out of here! Andromon and I will distract them long enough for you to escape! Flame Fist!” After Thomas ran over to us, Flamedramon shot flames from his hands between us and the Bio Hybrids. “Go, now!”

“Come on, let’s go!” Thomas said, quickly grabbing my hand and leading us out of the room and through the dimly lit hallways. My stomach was churning and my heart was pounding, but I felt a sense of relief wash over me as we finally found the door to the outside, where we were once again in the light of the moon.