Author's Note: Ok, so first off, don't get mad for the wait, please! I was almost done and then I had one of those "Oh dung, I have to have learned Japanese in two days!" moments (you know the ones). So it was all dropped and I completed my CAS (Google it, for it is too evil for me to describe here... on second thought, remain innocent, don't Google it), ya! No more CAS for me, except for the interview, but that doesn't count as much! And then I was like, "AHHHH! IB Tests! Homework! Choir Concert! AHHH!", but then there was a snow day. Ya! And I almost finished it except for the final editing. So then I did that, but I was like, "Dude, this is twice as big as the chapter you (reader) are about to read!" So to save you from more headaches than are necessary, what was originally 20 pages is now only 10. You are welcome ^^. Hence, after some expansion and editing, Ch.2 shall be up, but don't expect it too fast. Also, I have taken some liberties in altering the dialogue, and to some extent the characters. I maintain that this is my prerogative as a writer and if you don't like it, feel free to tell me so and why, but don't expect any change to come of it. I'm a vain little creature. Hmmm... lost my train of thought there. Well, here goes! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I am not making any sort of profit off of this ore intending any copyright infringement or claiming that I own anything but those original ideas presented which are mine. Don't sue me, I have no money.
There are three moons in the night sky, one red, one yellow, and one blue. They huddle close together, yellow larger than red larger than blue, and they all move at different times. Yet somehow they remain together throughout the night. I know because I've watched them. There were times when I all I did was lean against the wall in my alcove and stare at the moons. I'd like to say I found them amazing, but that's a lie. Nothing amazed me, nothing frightened me, nothing touched me. I was cold... remote. I was Duskmon, Warrior of Darkness, servant of Lord Cherubimon.
No, the moons weren't beautiful or mysterious or symbolic. I didn't have any delusions about their significance or emotional reaction to their presence. There was no reason for me to be staring at them the way I did, the way I seemed to do every night. I thought... never mind. Insignificant and pointless musings. They had nothing to do with my mission and therefore no place on my mind. I wasn't there to think or feel, I was there to cover the world in darkness. Anything else was superfluous. But still... it was just... so strange. Ever since the moment I came into being I hadn't left Lord Cherubimon's Tower, I knew that. The sangria stone and porous structure were all I'd seen; the pools of water, dark pits, and rock trees much more familiar than my own reflection. This was my lair, these were my shadows. Where I belonged. And still I was uneasy, like there was constantly someone standing right behind me. They would never know I suspected their presence, of course. I was the master of deception (or so I thought), master of shadow. No one could ever read me. Despite all this, despite my rationalizations and solitude and familiarity, those little lights in the sky worried me. The three glowing moons were alien and, no matter how long I stared, never became commonplace. That wasn't the way it should have been because I'd never seen anything different, anything that would make the normal appear abstract. This was all there was. Just this.
That's really what I found so perplexing about the celestial rocks. Their appearance, composition, location, and meaning were all insignificant, and I still felt compelled to stare at them. Regardless of the irrationality of it, I stood and watched. As if with prolonged exposure their secrets would be revealed. Yes, the secrets I knew they didn't have. The truth I didn't actually care to know. My secrets. The secrets I knew my own mind was keeping from me. The secret of why I should gaze at the same moons every night, live in the same hole, observe the same idiots, and it should all still be so bizarre.
But I exagerate. It sounds like I cared about my own motivations when in truth that was not so. At all. I was aware of my shock and didn't want to find its roots. Sometimes out of sheer boredom I would consider my position without taking any action. That was my place. My existence was defined by three things: absolute apathy, absolute loyalty to Lord Cherubimon, and absolute, eternal, darkness. Other things occasionally dripped into my mind from the world around me, but they didn't stay long. Like water on duck feathers, they lingered for a moment and then slid off without a trace. I would take no action nor consider any truth until Lord Cherubimon directed me to do so. So I waited for him to instruct me. No rush, no urgency. No curiosity or passion. I remained isolated. Biding my time in the shadows where I belong.
For the most part my 'comrades' knew well enough to leave me alone there. They were always involved in one frivolous scheme or another, thinking themselves very clever and useful, schemes I wanted no part of. Perhaps they were trying to serve Cherubimon, perhaps they were just bored. Whatever the reasons, they stayed out of the lair and on the move. When they were within the walls I'd watch them, wondering how it was that I, Master of Darkness, could possibly be expected to function with such individuals. At first it was little things, collecting fractal code, establishing a fan club. Then they began talking about a group of human children who had stumbled upon the other spirits and I gave up pursuing them completely. The fact that they were talking and not boasting meant they hadn't managed to take care of the humans and get the Spirits like they were supposed to. Imbeciles. I watched them with contempt and they left me alone... for the most part. There were few exceptions. This was one of them.
"Duskmon, your presence was missed by Cherubimon. Dost thou think thine self so far superior to the rest of us that thou canst simply ignore a summons?" Mercurymon, Legendary Warrior of Steel. "Or perhaps tis thine sloth that binds you to your poses." Of all the idiots, he was the most intelligent. Had to give him that. He had a thumb in every pie and was even attempting to bake some of his own behind all our backs. An admirable effort, but his silver tongue could never fully conceal the truth. I knew his mind without ever exchanging more than three words with him, if that. This was our first actual conversation.
"Lord Cherubimon does not require my appearance at such meetings," I stated in a monotone, my gaze not moving from the moons. "He doesn't need to watch me; he can trust in my obedience." Unlike the others, Mercurymon picked up on the insult immediately. I might have smiled at the barely contained anger in his voice if I'd cared to.
"Thou doth question my loyalty whilst thou remains safe within these walls? We are sent to collect the Digital World's fractal code and thou doest nothing. Our numbers dwindle and thou art idle. Methinks it is your devotion that is lacking."
"Grumblemon was stupid and weak. Now he's gone. None of that is my concern. Besides, I'm not the one hoarding important fractal code." He let out a hiss of anger and his armor clinked as he shifted uncomfortably. I did smile, a hidden, twisted grin that would have chilled anyone's blood. Lord Cherubimon and I shared a mind, what he knew and chose to share with me funneled in through the darkness that bound me to him. I could hide nothing from his eyes. "Did you think we wouldn't notice? You really are a fool."
"And thou art the paragon of wisdom, I take it," he barked back.
"I am Lord Cherubimon's servant," I said coldly, finally turning to fact him my carmine eyes luminous reflections in his mirror body, all humor lost. "As are you. You would do well to remember that." No clever come backs. But he wasn't leaving either. "Tell me why you're here. What purpose do you have for discussing this with me?"
"Thou art Duskmon, Legendary Warrior of Darkness. I came to remind thee of thine place."
"Ironic."
"Thou shouldest be fighting by our side, not cowering in the shadows! If thine true wishes are to serve Lord Cherubimon, thou wouldest assist us against the humans!"
"The human children? You're asking for my help with your babysitting problems?"
"They posses the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors."
"They're human. They don't know how to use them."
"Come now Duskmon, of all Digimon thou must know the deceptions of the flesh." He was right. I approached him slowly, staring into his face icily. Mercurymon smiled down at me, raising his arm to show me the mirror shield secured there. "Correct?" Turning my head slightly, I gave him a dangerous look. His smile remained, taunting me, daring me to prove him wrong. Slowly, almost, dare I say it, timidly, my gaze moved to my own reflection, regarding it analytically.
I was small, even smaller than The Warrior of Water, Ranamon. Human sized. My eyes were wide and unblinking, irises large, pupils little more than black pricks in the red ocean. What would have been white in a human eye was black and non reflective, void. They peered from beneath locks of thick, black hair, which also fell before my ears and breathed on the base of my neck. A black, metal mask with no distinguishing markings covered my nose and mouth, following my cheek bones to my ears, and my skin was deathly pale. I was waring a black, tight shirt with long sleeves. Or sleeve, as it turned out. The black material covered my right arm down to the wrist like a second skin, then extended into a fingerless glove. The hand itself looked disproportionate, long and thin, with spider fingers ending in claw-like points. Bands of semi-circle, crimson metal lined the sides of my waist and ribs (protection, I suppose) and a strip of armor along my outer arm began with a yellow horn at my shoulder down to a thick black circlet around by wrist, secured by similar bands above and below my elbow. The armor was accented with crimson to look like steel feathers, strong but flexible. I was wearing simple, dark grey pants made of a slick material that allowed me to move silently and plain black boots. The less than exciting nature of this attire was more than made up for by my final appendage.
My left arm was... unnatural. The sleeve had been torn off, leaving just the shirts ragged edges to brush the hard flesh. It's difficult to describe just how that flesh looked looked. My skin was rufous, tough and scaly, like birds feet only red. The exoskeleton continued seamlessly down my arm, breaking only at the joints to allow me motion, and ended in a three fingered hand. Two of these seemed about the same length, which was probably a good 12 centimeters, and the third would have looked no different except is started closer to the wrist. All three ended in conical, white, razor sharp talons. Weapons used to draw blood.
My reflection was like the moons, the way it had always been and still somehow wrong, and I reacted to it the way I reacted to the moons. I stared. All in all, especially in comparison to the other Legendary Warriors, I didn't look that imposing. No one looking at me would have suspected my power. I preferred it that way. I liked the deception of this form, the smallness of it. The way it could fit into places, lurk in the darkness the way none of the others could even imagine. Perhaps I appeared weak, but I could sense the fear emanating from Mercurymon. I could feel his suppressed trembles as he approached me for his own ends. It was a dangerous game he was trying to play, one I would keep a close eye on. His plots had been useful to Lord Cherubimon so far, but the moment they ceased to be beneficial I would be there, ready to terminate.
"You're referring to me," I said bluntly, taking a step back. Not out of any kind of emotion, just to put some physical distance between us. "Is that your excuse for failure? That these humans are like me? Pathetic."
"If thou wilt refrain from speaking for me," he snapped, lowering his arms to his sides, leaving himself open to an attack. I assumed it was a sign of confidence and tilted my chin down and stared at him coldly through my bangs. "I will make clear my reasoning." He received no response. Twisting his mouth into a very unattractive knot, he continued in a lower voice. "There is power in those Spirits, power that will be very useful in the foreseeable future." Something about his blatant disloyalty, his veiled suggestion that he might use the Spirits instead of Lord Cherubimon, aggravated me. I felt the new but not completely alien desire to hurt, to strike an opponent and show them I was better, smarter, stronger.
"Don't think I don't see what you're doing," I spat, loosing my cool composure and striking at his weakest part. "Perhaps you can get Ranamon and Arbormon to do your menial labor, but I will not be manipulated." He struck back at my pride.
"Art thou perhaps afraid of the little humans? Is the almighty Duskmon worried that he shan't do any better than the rest of us?"
"If I want them dead they will die."
"Thine tongue seems mightier than thine blade. All I have done is state simple facts and thou attackest me with all ferocity, yet these humans stand in the way of Lord Cherubimon's plans and thou art lax." I didn't think the quip warranted a response. I turned my back on him and returned to gazing at the moons. This conversation was finished and he knew it. Mercurymon spun around, irritated, and sent one last taunt over his shoulder before leaving. "Perhaps thou shouldst consider my words before returning to thine moping." I watched him disappear out of the corner of my eye.
"Hmf," I snorted, folding my arms. "Traitorous moron. Never the less, he has a point..." I thought it over for a moment, coming quickly to a decision. The humans did have the Spirits, Spirits Lord Cherubimon wanted. And the other Legendary Warriors were either too weak or too preoccupied to obtain them. It looked like I was going to have to take action. "Those humans have become quite an annoyance. They need to be restrained..." I murmured, sliding back into the shadows.
If I thought finding the humans would be difficult, I was very wrong. Any one with half a brain would have skirted the edges, determined the probability of returning alive and made the rational decision to stay away from the Dark Continent. They practically walked onto my door step and presented their Spirits to me on neat little bamboo platters. Any one with basic reasoning skills would have avoided my attention. They were waving nets to catch it like a butterfly. Needless to say I was somewhat less than impressed. One would think that the 'no one has ever returned' and big, black gate to nowhere would have been effective warning signs, but apparently that's not enough to keep a group of persistent pre-teens from their urgent mission. Instead they came marching into the Dark Continent like it was nothing more than a twilight park. Careless of the danger. Aware, yes, very aware. Their screams and starts echoed through the trees from time to time. Yet careless. They continued to press on into my territory, despite the stillness, despite the quiet that was far more dangerous than any attack, flies spiraling into my web. No, the hard part wasn't finding them, it was watching them.
There were four boys and a girl. She was tall and blond, green eyed and purple clad, jumpy. A boy who was always close to her, large, in a blue and yellow jumpsuit. The two were easily startled, glancing into the darkness around them frequently. The smallest was kept in the center, sheltered under a huge orange hat, somewhere between annoyed by and grateful for their patronization. Leading the pack was a boy with wild brown hair and goggles, brown gloved hands held easily behind his head, bright red shirt and jacket almost glowing in the gloom. They followed him unquestioningly, his determination infecting the others. All except one; the boy at his flank. In utter contrast he was carefully groomed, his rugged blue jacket and ponytail of dark hair carefully tailored to create the desired effect. His bandana held stray locks out of his fierce blue eyes and his hands were thrust defiantly into his pockets, shoulders held back. He alone could sense me, feel my eyes on his back, or maybe it was just his nature. He continually glanced into the shadows, not out of anxiety like the others, but in anticipation of the attack I was so intent on delivering. I felt the cold hatred boil up within me quite immediately, tempting me to act before the time came. There was... something about him. Something familiar, aggravating. Then I knew him. Warrior of Light.
I remember a bright light... It flickered and then was gone.
The humans did not appear to be the ultimate threat Mercurymon had described, what with their frolicking and joking about writing books with the little Digimon tailing them and playing with the luminous moss and a band of Pipisumon. Somehow, I had doubted his initial analysis, but this was just ridiculous. Grumblemon must have been a much greater idiot than I'd originally thought; these children hardly looked qualified to hold scissors, much less Legendary Spirits. Taking those Spirits should have been child's play, no pun intended. I had almost decided to finish the job myself and return to the lair, when Arbormon joined me. No doubt sent by Mercurymon as another pawn. Extra insurance incase his coercion hadn't worked on me. I wasn't attacking, so it was a clever bit of insurance. However, while I was as small as the humans, a shadow behind every tree and eyes constantly at their back, Arbormon had a much less subtle approach. Whether he viewed reconnaissance as pointless, deemed his previous experience with the humans sufficient, or just didn't think about it, Arbormon waisted no time watching the humans or gauging the battle ground. He jumped right into the humans path, Digivolved into Petaldramon, and began devouring trees and small Digimon indiscriminately.
He was very large and would have literally squished the humans had they remained such. After dodging the first attack, each pulled out a small, uniquely colored device and were surrounded by glowing periwinkle data. What was encased was small and pathetic. What emerged was far from human. The Legendary Beast Spirits had been given form. Still I was unimpressed. Their attacks struck Petaldramon's mossy flesh, leaving deep scars which pulled back together almost instantly. I was disappointed, really. My absolute apathy did not include the alleviation of boredom, and I had almost gotten my hopes up for a fight. Four legendary warriors against one, a rather incompetent one at that, and this was the best they could do? Very, very disappointing. Just when I was about to return to the lair, Petaldramon made his fatal mistake. He taunted his opponents while they were down and then failed to change his strategy. One cannot give an enemy the weapon of wrath, and then remain predictable. Petaldramon tried the same attacks that had worked seconds before, but this time the humans were ready. In a corny display of friendship and team work, the little human children brought down the mighty Warrior of Wood. If that wasn't embarrassing enough, it was the Warrior of Light that took his Best Spirit. My 'ally', stripped back down to Arbormon by my opposite. He'd lost his usefulness while the humans proved to be worth at least a little of my time. Maybe they'd amuse me a bit. It was time for me to make my entrance.
"Arbormon, now will you give up attacking us," demanded the Warrior of Fire harshly. One had to admire his tenacity, even me... if it weren't so annoying. Arbormon was quite lost for words, so I answered for him.
"Don't worry, he will no longer bother you," I said, slipping from the shadows into the dimly lit clearing. There was an audible hiss of surprise from all; the humans stared at me with expressions of absolute confusion, my small frame and black-red eyes contrasting sharply with Arbormon's almost pot-like structure, making me seem less of a threat.
"Duskmon!" My icy gaze shifted from the humans to my fallen comrade, laughing at the excitement in his voice. "Well, here comes the cavalry! A friend in need's a friend indeed, right?" My expression didn't change. His faltered. "You are here to help me, right? Together we're strong enough."
"Alone I'm strong enough," I corrected in a monotone. They all froze.
"Who is this guy," muttered the girl. I payed no attention. The humans would know soon enough.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You lost your Beast Spirit, Arbormon. Without it..." I raised my avian arm, extracting a savory gasp from the onlooking humans as they noticed, and from my comrade as his situation began to dawn on him. The tension was tangible; no one dared move. This was where I liked to be. I stared at my talons contemplatively, enjoying the dark power at my fingertips. "You are useless."
"Wha-" I pulled my talons through the air in an upward cut. Waves of purple-black energy flew from their tips and converted him back to data before he could finish the protest. This data flowed into the palm of my left hand and a digi-egg flew back to the Village of Beginnings. The useless warrior was gone and it was my turn to have a go at the humans.
"I will be your opponent now." The looks of absolute shock and horror on their faces almost made me smile. They were absolutely paralyzed, trapped in my paradox.
"Who are you," the Warrior of Light barked, shattering the spell. I turned slightly, starring directly into his eyes, unblinking. He did not recoil, much to my annoyance.
"Duskmon, Warrior of Darkness."
"Well, that explains the outfit," commented the Warrior of Fire.
"Takuya," chided the Warrior of Wind. "Don't make jokes."
"Why not? I mean, look at the guy! If it weren't for the eyes... and that arm, he'd be just like us. We defeated Grumblemon and Petaldramon, what's so intimidating about him?" As if to prove his point, this Takuya turned to face me, sending out a pathetic excuse of a fire ball in sheer arrogance. My eyes glowed crimson and the shadows reached out swallowed the flame. "Oh. Well, that's one thing, I guess."
"Execute," I said ominously, discarding any attempts at verbal play and allowing the periwinkle bands to envelope my body. When I emerged I was as large as any of their Human Spirits, clad in red and black ribbed armor, with long, pale hair and a skull helmet. My hands were dragon skulls and large, red eyes stared coldly from my shoulders, chest, knees, and feet. Waved crimson blades slid from the dragon's mouths and I stood ready, relaxed and expectant. "So, you think you can best me? That I am as weak as my brethren. Come, show me your power." With that I swung my sword through the air, sending a wave of red energy speeding towards them. They dodged, but the attack still left a long scar in it's wake, proving my point regardless.
"All he did was swing his sword," cried the Warrior of Ice.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," cautioned the Warrior of Wind. Wise girl.
"Come on guys," yelled the Warrior of Fire. "We're Legendary Warriors! We can't loose!" Oh, I could have laughed! Did they not realize that I too was a Legendary Warrior? One in his own environment, no less? He flew at me, obviously thinking that his speed and strength exceeded my own. Clearly he had never experienced the power of darkness. I enlightened him. In a slight, smooth move, I side-steped his attack, grabbed his elbow, and tossed him carelessly over my shoulder. As the humans gathered around their fallen leader, I advanced.
"I knew you were weak, but not to this extent. Perhaps I should give you the opportunity to surrender before I destroy you."
"This guy's hard core! Forget our Spirits, he just wants us out of the picture," mumbled the Warrior of Thunder. The Warrior of Light stepped in front of him defiantly his gravel voice challenging.
"You could give us that opportunity, but we won't take it!"
"You are very foolish creatures." They ignored me.
"Lobo-Kendo!" Next moment the Warrior of Light had a blade of light and he was swinging it at me with all the ferocity of our age old struggle. He was fast, but I was faster. I blocked his blade with ease, holding off his entire strength with one arm.
"Each of your attacks seems to get weaker, not stronger. You must know you can't beat me," I taunted logically. His jaw tightened, the truth of my words sinking in. "Give up, let the darkness end you," I whispered.
"A little help, you guys!" His calls were answered. They swarmed me, throwing everything they had at once. It wasn't enough. I flipped clear, floating in the air above them and reciprocating, using minimal effort. They weren't worth any of my energy, especially when my only intention at this point was to play with them.
"Deadly Gaze." Red beams shot from my eyes and the dragon's mouths of my hands. They scattered like sardines, managing to avoid the actual blow, but just barely. "What's the matter? Fight me. Surely you have more power than this."
"Don't... underestimate us! We're just getting warmed up!" I turned to find the Warrior of Fire regaining his feet. "You want power? I show you power! Wild Fire Tsunami!" A tornado of flames came at me, engulfing when I didn't even bother to dodge. There was no pain, but I couldn't move either. Not a total failure, but still far from impressive. Still too weak for me to bother with.
"Takuya, get out of there," yelled the Warrior of Light.
"Why? I just defeated him!" Hardly.
"All of us combined couldn't defeat him and you think you did it by yourself?!"
"Well... yeah."
"Just come on!" The annoyance was tangible.
"I mean, I hit him pretty good..." The voices faded and the power of the storm waned. I used my arm to cut through the flames and then, with one sharp sweep broke the wall, unharmed.
"We're not finished yet," I breathed coldly. But they were already gone, vanished into the gloom. Perhaps they thought they could run, get away somehow, hide. They couldn't. Not from me, not from the darkness. I allowed the periwinkle data to surround my body and transform me back into my much more mobile small form. And I pursued. Relentlessly. A few hours, maybe more. Lord Cherubimon wanted those Spirits. It was my purpose to do his bidding. Destroy the light... That's the reason I told myself anyway.
Yet there was something more to it. A feeling. For you this might not have been extraordinary; however, I didn't have feelings. I'd locked them all away in the darkness, my joy, my pain, my desires, all drowned in inky blackness. I felt nothing, I could feel nothing. I was Duskmon. And yet now I felt this.... I can't seem to find the word... hunger, this need to follow the humans. Mercurymon and Ranamon were both more than capable of taking care of the problem, more willing. It gave them pleasure to take life while I couldn't really care either way. As a result they had previously been the hands of Cherubimon in the Digital World. I waited, savoring the numbness and inaction the darkness of my heart brought. I'd been out before, collected a bit of fractal code here and there, but I'd never paid any attention or put any effort into it. For the first time I was interested. I wanted to continue. Their fervent retreat proved they didn't share the sentiment, but I didn't care. I wanted to face the humans again.