Life was not meant to exist here. Everywhere he looked: death. Death in the blood red sky, death in the ugly twisted ground, death in the gelatin air, death by the hand of evil agents, death from above, death from below, death on every side, the world inside the D-Reaper was a sea of death. Crushing his bones, a thousand tons of chaos weighed down his every move. His armor was melting in the sun-like temperatures. Inside Gallantmon, Takato felt his mind being torn apart by that terrible, omnipresent roar. No, life was never meant to come in here, death sat firmly enthroned in this realm. Maybe it would be impossible to knock it off.

Gallantmon planted his foot into the ground and shoved himself high into the air, hoping this time he would make it to the prison in the top that held his friend. But gravity, a fiend long fought, thwarted him again. Why, Takato wondered, why in a place that took all the laws of physics and threw them out the window was his greatest obstacle gravity. This place didn't even seem to obey the laws he had become accustomed to in the Digital World. It set its own laws, the cheating bastard.

"Why does the computer always cheat?" Takato screamed to the crimson heavens.

*But Takato? I don't cheat! Well maybe in Go Fish, but only because Impmon takes all my bread if I loose.*

*Guilmon, you're a Digimon, not a computer.*

*Oh, okay! I won't cheat anymore.*

Takato shook his head, trust his giant lizard goofball to totally throw off the mood. They were in a fight to the death, and he was still thinking about small thing like that? It kind of made him smile.

Takato's thoughts were cut off by the ground rising up to great him again. Pain shot up through Gallantmon's legs as he slammed back into the ground. It was getting worse and worse every time. The biomerged digimon didn't know how many more times they could fail before they disintegrated. Henry had said that Shibumi had written the program on the red card so that they could fight inside the D-Reaper, but for some reason it felt wrong. Maybe Shibumi had made a mistake, but there was no time to figure out what had happened. This was their only chance to get Jeri back – and he was not missing it.

"Alright let's try this again!" The mixed voice of Guilmon and Takato roared. Pulling the bits of strength scattered throughout their body and souls Gallantmon prepared to make another leap. In the back ground they could hear their friends fighting a giant monstrosity of death. With how weak they were feeling Takato didn't think the others had much longer either. Time was running out, precious time, precious energy, precious life slipping away like sand between their fingers. Gallantmon kept roaring, partly in defiance of the world shacking rumble of the D-Reaper partly because it felt good.

Little dots of energy - energy they didn't think they had – gathered up in their armored legs. Maybe they could reach Jeri this time, Gallantmon felt like he could do it. With this new found strength the Holy Knight threw themselves into the sky.

"Why do you try so hard to resist?" Takato flinched when the mutilated voice of Jeri echoed through the sky. The D-Reaper had stolen everything about Jeri… everything but her happiness – that was his fault. "Humans cause pain, humans kill, humans are too chaotic, humans serve no purpose, they do not deserve to exist."

Gallantmon cut through a batter of the D-Reapers agents. "NO! You don't get to decide that! It's you! YOU don't deserve to exist!" Another wave of enemies burst from the vertical column of the Mother D-Reaper. Anger burning bright Gallantmon swatted three of the five away with his lance. Using the last two like stepping stones they propelled themselves farther up the monster. "Humans are more than that! We make mistakes, yes, but we can fix them. Our emotions don't make use weak – all the time. I know some times we cause pain, but there are times when we're happy. I laugh when I'm happy, Jeri laughed when she was happy. Do you know what means to be happy, what it means to have friends?

"You can't know, because you don't have a heart. A heart doesn't make you weak, or chaotic, or wrong. Having a heart makes you strong! Having a heart mean-" But Gallantmon never got to finish telling the D-Reaper what having a heart meant. From the central pillar holding the D-Reaper's most evolved section burst the scaly blue-green figure of the J-Reaper. Fingers interlaced she brought down her hands in an almighty smite of fury. Gallantmon was knocked from the sky like an annoying pest.

Sakuyamon had just dodged the deadly edge of a scythe when she heard a terrifying crack resound through the air. Turning to look at the Mother Reaper where Takato was fighting Rika was just in time to see Gallantmon impacted the ground with a sick thud. Sakuyamon, both the digimon and human halves, felt their heart jump in to her throat. "Gallantmon," the warrior shaman managed to croak, before she too was flung from the sky.

The force of the blow that removed Sakuyamon threw her across the chasm that separated the pillars of the Mother and Cable Reapers. So when she landed - easier than her friend but still painfully – she was not far from the crater that Gallantmon had made. The Holy Knight, honor bound to save his friends or die trying, was pushing himself to one knee. His chest plate was splayed with spider-web cracks, and his helm had taken a distinct concave shape. The dragon-esk visor that had once sat upon the Digimon's brow now hung lopsided, covering one of his stern gold eyes. Battered and bruised, the knight pushed himself from the ground to stare at the monolithic form of the Mother D-Reaper.

"S- Sakuyamon," Gallantmon's voice rung hallow, "are you alright?"

Something in Rika's mind froze stiff. That was a voice she had never heard before, and never expected to hear from her Goggle-headed companion. It was a voice that masked insurmountable pain, through sheer determination he was pushing aside pain, regret, impossibility, and hopelessness. Despite the everything going on around her, Rika paused and wondered how it had come to this. "Yeah," Sakuyamon groaned and pulled herself up, "I'm fine but you're not, Gallantmon."

Gallantmon didn't even have the energy to shake his head, "I've got to do this."

"No you don't Takato, we can pull back, regroup. Come up with some new plan, maybe Henry's dad can fix that card." But Gallantmon wouldn't listen to her pleas. The armor of his right hand transformed itself in to the knight's signature lance, it was hardly a weapon anymore through. It was so damaged it might have been a piece of scrap metal from the junk yard. As Gallantmon righted his shoulders one of the red enameled plate guards snapped off and fell to the ground, "We can't let it win."

Inside Sakuyamon Rika wanted to scream with frustration. Why did everyone she knew have to be so bull headed? Just as she was about to let loose on the Google-head and his pet about how stupid they were being she heard Renamon chuckle. *You are very stubborn too, Rika.* The furry let out of her and she sighed, "Alright, you stupid goggle-head. But under one condition; take my hand."

"Huh?" Takato's voice echoed from Gallantmon's helm, "What?"

"We're going to help you moron!" Rika fumed, really could he be that dense?

"Ahh, okay." Gallantmon clumsily reached out and slid his hand into Sakuyamon's grip. The shaman Digimon frowned. The knights grip was so weak, it almost felt like she was holding up his whole arm. Sakuyamon felt something like sand slipping through her fingers. *Rika* Renamon's voice echoed through the link of their shared mind, *I don't know if what you're thinking of is even possible*

*It's possible, it's just like modification - only different*

*Even if it is possible, I don't know if they can handle it. Look at them…*

*No, if anyone can do it, it's them.*

*Okay* Renamon finally relented. "Are you ready Gallantmon?"

"Ready for what?" If Gallantmon had any visible facial features he might have raised an eyebrow. But Sakuyamon took a deep calming breath, steeling herself for what they were about to do. Keeping her voice calm and steady the shaman answered, "We are going to transfer all our power to you so that-"

"No! You can't do that you might-"

Barely keeping her voice level Sakuyamon snapped over Gallantmon's protests, "I said you could go on one condition. This is it."

The force of Sakuyamon's voice silenced any further protests from Gallantmon. Slowly he tightened his grip on her gloved hand and he nodded. Sakuyamon bowed her head, muttering. At first Gallantmon didn't feel anything, no rush of energy, no blast of wind, nothing. But slowly, as if something were moving through the dim mists of antiquity, rising up from some long forgotten past a wave of nostalgia engulfed the broken holy knight.

Quietly at first the shaman demon Digimon began to chant, "Oh, four winds, guardians of this troubled world, hear my sincere plea. Take all the power of my body, my soul, my mind – I send to him all the power within my core, my heart I now freely commit!" The final words rolled off Sakuyamon's lips as a mighty declaration, cementing her decision before the world the D-Reaper was trying to destroy.

Then, like a star brought down to earth, the link between the two mega-level Digimon began to shin with power. Rika felt the energy of Sakuyamon begin to waver. Like water swirling down a drain the glow of power began to flow through her hand into Gallantmon. The energy seemed to come from everywhere, like air she hadn't noticed it, but now that it was gusting like the wind she could feel all the vast reserves she had had at her disposal. Oddly enough the combined human-Digimon didn't fear for herself, not at first at least. She wondered if Takato and Gallantmon really could handle the power she was giving them. In that second of fear, the flow faltered and slowed, but Rika would not allow it; if there was to be any hope, it had to lie with Takato, he was the only one google-head enough to try the impossible – and impossible was their only chance.

From their end of the link Takato and Guilmon felt a torrent of power rushing in. It was like drinking from a geyser. Over whelming didn't even begin to describe the amount of power that was flowing from Sakuyamon. Inside the Digicore Takato felt the temperature drop. He had never noticed it before, but being inside Gallantmon was warm, like soaking in the bath. Sakuyamon's energy was cool, like a breeze on a summer day – still comfortable, but different.

The two energies were at odds with is Gallantmon's body. They pushed and pulled at his data, threatening to tear it apart and disperse it to the D-reaper. Gallantmon barely felt Sakuyamon's hand slip away through all the internal turmoil. Opening his eyes the hybrid human-Digimon saw her fall, armor-less, naked, defenseless. Something in Takato snapped, it had snapped once before and the percussions had nearly destroyed the digital world, but this time the purpose was different. The fire that began to flow through him was not revenge but it burned in his veins the same. Fueled by his desire to protect his friends, his family, his world, the forces at play in his body began to spiral out of control.

The cool rush of Sakuyamon's gift seemed to burn with their intensity of frozen wrath. Gallantmon's fires of guardianship flared bright enough to melt stone. The force on Takato felt the energies press against him burning and freezing. Then finally through the winds of power Takato heard Guilmon, *Takatomon! I feel like Digivolving!*

GALLENTMON MODE CHANGE

GALLENTMON CRIMSON MODE

Despite the sensation of having all the air ripped out of her lungs, Rika still managed an awed breath as the crimson holy knight materialized before her. When the new form of Gallantmon turned to face her she caught his eye and felt her heart skip a beat, the golden eyes were laced with the same color as his enameled armor. Those kind of eyes seemed to take away ever bit of trouble, they were aegis' in themselves, guardian shields.

"Are you alright, Sakuyamon?"

"Yeah… That took more out of me than I exected." Gallantmon nodded gravely and turned back to face the towering Mother D-Reaper. Something flickered inside his new power, something poetic. On a whim Takato tapped into that shard of power. Words began to flow out of his helm, "Now will all I am, my honor I now commit, to turning this CRIMSON TIDE!" The currents of the sea of energy now contained within his body began to flow into Gallantmon's hands. In one hand formed a deadly sharp sword, his Gallantmon's other hand materialized a glowing duel tipped spear. From these glowing tools a tsunami of scarlet power rushed forth.

When the wave of power broke against the vertical wall of the Mother D-Reapers massive central core the entire world shook. The Crimson Tide shoved itself skyward, melting, corroding, burning the think cables of the D-Reaper. Far across the canyon the wave crashed into the mountainous Cable Reaper. The hellish creature shrieked in pain, no other attack that the Tamers had launched had had anywhere near this effect. Before this they might as well have been throwing water balloons at the abomination. The mega-level Digimon had only felt a flash of warmth wash through them before the terrible screams of the Cable Reaper.

As the ripples of his initial attack began to fade Gallantmon flexed his new found wings. "I'm off!" Launching himself into the sky Gallantmon immediately felt the difference between his two forms. Previously he felt gravity pulling back from the moment his feet left the ground. Here, now, gravity held no power over him, he was free to fly! "You pitiful creatures!" Jeri's chopped up voice cut through Takato's elation, "You all will be eliminated!"

"No," For all the emotions swelling inside of them, Takato thought their voice was amazing calm, "We will survive. With the hearts of my beloved friends behind me, pushing me forward, I will cut you from this world with this CARMINE BLADE!" The hordes of the D-Reaper didn't even have time to fully materialize before they were cut to ribbons by Gallantmon's red, glowing sword. Like crimson lightning the Gallantmon's blade slid through the Agents of the D-Reaper with no resistance. It was like swinging the sword through air.

Even with his new power the mega-level Digimon was out classed in one important aspect: number. The Mother seemed to have no limit to the amount of obstacles she could throw out. For every Agent the holy knight destroyed the Mother had time to create five more. It was like trying to drink all the water in the ocean. They kept coming, rushing in to meet their doom on the tip of Gallantmon's deadly sword. But the D-Reaper could afford a war of attrition. For every moment he was delayed, Takato felt more and more of his strength seeping away. The air in this place was toxic, it pulled the life out off all who breathed it. While Gallantmon still had energy to burn, there were others, like the depleted digimon-girl below him that had no time left.

"Humans are weak! They attempt things that are impossible for them, they try to do things that cannot be done. In the end they always fail, leaving nothing but pain and destruction in their wake. It is humanities destiny to fail! It is inescapable! You may try a thousand times, but what is impossible is impossible – what is destine is destine – what is fated is fated. Every venture is failed from the start, you cannot succeed!" The D-Reaper mocked from every side. Contrary to their intent the words didn't dishearten Gallantmon. Instead the fires inside of him burned brighter.

"NO! YOU ARE WRONG!" Takato felt the his fury push more energy back into his wings. Suddenly he was beyond the reach of the swarms of the D-Reaper's Agents. He was flying too fast for them to reach him. "We can choose our own destiny. We are not doomed to fail! If we never succeeded, how did we get to where we are? How have we survived this long? Humanity is not a failure! Our destiny is made by the decisions we make; our choices determine the type of life we live – if we succeed or fail. If we try heard enough we will succeed! And I will succeed at destroying you!"

Gallantmon was now level with the coral colored sphere of the D-Reaper's cornel. The six eyes set deep in the mask-like structure that capped the Mother focused on Takato. Then suddenly, as if some super natural creature had dropped her into reality at its pleasure, the J-Reaper was blocking the Gallantmon's view of his final goal. "Then you choose," she screamed with her mangled voice, "to die first!" The mega-level digimon didn't even see her move, but the force behind her fist was enough to tell him that she was moving very, very fast.

Were his helm made of normal metal (aside from being corroded to oblivion at this point) the J-Reaper's punch would have been enough to turn his face into a bloody crater. Gallantmon's head was protected from become concave, but he was still thrown back quite always. The next fist was planted squarely in the knights breast plate, the one following that was marked for his chin. The J-Repaer, her scaly blue skin hardly resembling Jeri at this point, was moving too fast for the eye to see. Gallantmon had no time to recover from the blows, by the time he could register the pain of the first attack, its follow up was already bearing down on him.

Instinct from Gallantmon's digital half moved his arm to block a blow aimed for the left side of his head. A miracle in itself Gallantmon caught the J-Reapers super-powered fist before it sent him to the ground. "Not, first." Gallantmon croaked, "You will be first." With all the physical strength he could muster in that instant, Takato and Guilmon flung the D-Reaper's most powerful agent away. She slammed against the cornel, when she pushed herself away Gallantmon could see a thin crack marring the previously impervious shell.

The J-Reaper was closing fast, moving so fast she was just a blue blur she rushed Gallantmon. Where the idea came from Takato couldn't say, he drew his spear back. For one second, an infinitesimal moment of time stretched beyond its limits, he was still. The potential for movement burned with in him, filling ever seam of his armor was the capacity for violent, powerful movement, but in that second the perfect balance and tension pulling at him from every direction held him still. Like a light turned on, a switch in reality so quick and simple that he might not have noticed it but for that one moment of total stillness, he was fulfilling that potential, he was in motion.

The tip of his mighty spear cut past his ear leaving behind a quiet hiss as the air moved back to fill the space the spear had once been. True to his word, J-Reaper was the first to feel Grugnir's deadly sting. It's thirst for justice unquenched the mighty spear cut straight through the scaly hid of the J-Reaper and continued on its fated path toward the kernel undeterred.

From below Sakuyamon watched the spear come in contact with hereto hidden shields protecting the kernel. Colliding in a Technicolor explosion of light and sound the attack dug its way through octagon after octagon of layered shielding. When the scrapping and scratching reached a deafening point and the light and colors burned to look at, the D-Reaper's defenses shatter like panes of sugar-glass. The spear shot forward as if it had never stopped and plunged through the crack made by the body of the J-Reaper. The useless carcass of the J-Reaper fell from the sky, landing in the valley between the defeated Mother and the squirming Cable Reaper.

The opening in the kernel wasn't big enough for Gallantmon to slip through, but through the fissure Takato could see a girl – Jeri – trussed up by crimson cables. Stuck, splitting the red cables that tied her wrists, was Gallantmon's shining spear.