Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.


Dawn of Darkness

Chapter 7: Inner Darkness Part 1: Evil's Motivation

"I'm not saying this again, Belial; Where. Are. They."

Belial just sat there smiling as Tai vehemently demanded for the whereabouts of his friends. The evil man's face held an expression that mocked the Digidestined leader, everything he stood for, everything he has done.

Finally, Belial moved, but just stuck his arm out, motioning Tai to the seat across him.

"I only want to talk.", he said lowly. "Please take a seat. Let's talk like civil people.".

"Not interested.", Tai growled.

Belial's smile widened, "I'm afraid you don't have a choice.".

"We always have a choice.", Tai declared as he whipped out his Digivice.

But before Agumon could Digivolve, a skeletal dog pounced out from the darkness around the three. The undead minion bit Tai's Digivice injecting a large dose of dark energy into the small device. The dog then let go of the digivice, retreating back into the darkness it came from. A dark aura was emanating from the Digivice in Tai's hand.

"Wanna fight now?", Belial asked mockingly. "Wanna risk Skullgreymon, or talk?".

Tai looked wide-eyed at the spot of darkness where the minion came from. He then turned his attention back to Belial, glaring heatedly at his smiling face.

"Take a seat.", Belial insisted louder than before. "Or do you want me to take something else away from you?", he asked rhetorically, nodding to Agumon.

Tai had no choice but to comply. He grabbed the steel chair tucked under the table in front of him. It was cold to the touch, as cold as the darkness swirling around him. But before he could sit, Agumon grabbed his hand and motioned him to bend down.

"Be careful.", Agumon advised quietly. "This is probably a trap.".

Tai nodded in response, sitting down across Belial.

"Now answer my question!", Tai demanded.

"Oh of course.", Belial conceded. He raised one of his hands, waving it in the musty air.

Suddenly, candles in the darkness flared to life, their light repelling the shadows around the three sentient life formes. With the darkness gone, Tai was able to see where they truly were; in a dome-shaped, steel bar prison. The bars were rusty, having not been tended to in a long time.

But what caught Tai and Agumon's attentions were the people outside the cage they were in; the younger Digidestined. They were sitting, all six chained to one pillar, heads down, eyes closed. But what Tai found ominoudly interesting was that they were wearing the same type of clothing Belial was, albeit a different colour scheme.

Tai then turned his attention back to Belial, "What do you want? Why'd you take them in the first place?".

"I needed to give you motivation to come here.", Belial replied easily.

"And now I'm here.", Tai said. "You got what you wanted let them go!".

"Let's talk first.", the man insisted. "Then when we're done and one of us is left standing, I'll let you walk out with them.".

A moment of silence passed. Tai was still glaring at Belial while all the man did was look back at Tai with his ever so present mocking smile.

"Why me?", Tai asked not letting his guard down. "Why pick me specifically? Why not any of the others?".

"Because you're their leader.", Belial said, stating the obvious. "You're the glue that keeps your team together and fully sane.".

Belial leaned forwards, pointing at Tai.

"But also, have you seen what those Digimon, those sheep, see the Digidestined as?", Belial asked. "You people, you 'heroes', represent hope for those stupid creatures. Especially you 'cause you're their leader.".

Belial smiled wider, "Imagine what would happen if you would fall.".

Tai stayed calm, "Why didn't you kill me then?".

"Bahahaha!", Belial bursted out. "Kill you? What would that do? Create even more rebellion from other Digidestined? No, no, no. No!".

The man calmed down, "I'd rather make an example out of you. That way the others lose hope in the battle against eternal darkness.".

"What's that supposed to mean!?", Tai demanded. He knew there was something really off about this guy. It was creeping suspicion and dark curiosity that implored Tai to listen on.

"You think you're the hero in all of this, don't you?", Belial asked rhetorically. "Of course you do. You're just like everyone else. But in reality, you're all no better than me.".

"Hey!", Agumon said finally butting in. "Tai is a hero. Along with the others! You can't dispute that.".

"What do you know?", Belial countered. "You're artificial data!".

That struck a chord in Tai. This man, he can insult him as long as he wants, but never insult Agumon. So, Tai angrily stomped around the table. He grabbed Belial by the collar of his jacket, putting his angry face straight in front of his smiling one.

"Don't you dare insult Agumon.", Tai growled. "He may be artificial but he's a better person you'll ever be.". With that, he delivered a hard punch to his face.

But then, Agumon noticed something odd with the young Digidestined. As Tai punched the enemy, the purple of the jackets the Digidestined were wearing glowed. Their faces, while still passed out, contorted into one with an expression of pain.

Agumon's eyes widened as he realized something, "Tai, stop! I think that's hurting them!".

Belial started laughing hysterically, "For an artificial life forme, you're pretty smart!".

Tai looked towards his friends, realizing his partner was right. But his sight lingered a little longer on Kari, whose face reminded him of when she was in the hospital after the Soccer incident.

He still felt gnawing guilt for that. He didn't want to hurt her again. So Tai felt he had no choice but to put him down and return to his seat.

"Look at you and your stupid morals.", Belial said mockingly. "Morals and 'light' prevent you from doing what truly makes you happy. I realized this in my time in the World of Darkness.".

Before Tai could say anything else, the man continued.

"You see Tai, we are more alike than you think. I was once...".

"We're nothing alike!"", Tai denied quickly. "You're a crazy monster.".

A moment of silence passed. The smile had left Belial's face when Tai interrupted him, annoyed that he did so, resorting to glaring back at him.

"Are you done?", Belial asked irritably. "As I was saying...".


"Digidestined."

Matt's eyes were wide in shock. Digidestined? A Digidestined did this? Weren't they brought to the Digital World to dispell the darkness, not plague the world with it?

"Belial was one of the Digidestined a few generations before you.", Gennai reminisced further. "They had another kind of threat back then.".

He gazed down ruefully at the calm liquid inside his small plastic container resting between his hands. The Digidestined sat around him leaned forward, anticipating more of the story.

"They faced darkness itself, not just a catalyst for it.", Gennai informed the teens. "The very darkness in each and every human manifested into one horrible creature.".

"So this creature...", Matt started, blue eyes shining with a curious glint. "What exactly was it made of? I know you said 'darkness in humans', but what exactly does it mean?".

"Exactly what it implies.", Gennai replied sagely. "Dark emotions such as loneliness, greed, and anger just to name a few. But what it is made of the most is the darkness that comes with broken dreams; hopelessness, misery, and endless despair.".

"That sounds freaky.", Mimi said, twirling her pink hair around her index finger. Beside her, Palmon nodded her big green head in agreement.

Gennai nodded solemnly in agreement.

"The gate to his world lied in the Digital World.", Gennai explained. "And it can only be closed from the inside. Because the Digidestined of Belial's time could not defeat the darkness incarnate, they had no other choice but to close the gate. And to do that, one of them had to stay inside. And Belial volunteered. Since then, he or his Digimon have never been seen again. Until now.".

He then sighed, "It was unfortunate the gate was not closed earlier. The creature had already captured so many people, trapping them within its twisted world.".

Matt's eyes brightened in understanding. He had a hunch where Gennai was going with this little story, his intuition kicking into high gear.

"I'm guessing he was corrupted from being there for so long?", He deduced.

Gennai nodded.

"And I believe that like Myotismon, he is also trying to send the two worlds into darkness.", Gennai theorized. "But not necessarily by force. Not yet anyways.".

Matt nodded, but a question lingered in his mind like an itch refusing to settle.

"Gennai, do you know why Tai came to the Digital World alone?".

Gennai turned his sights towards the ceiling of the cave, "He did not tell me. He would avoid the question everytime I inquire about it.".

Sora frowned from where she was. Whatever the reason, did Tai not know it was foolhardy to charge into danger alone? Whatever the reason, she did not see the logic in it, and despite knowing Tai for virtually her whole life, did not know his thought process. She felt a little betrayed. She thought they were way past hiding secrets from each other.

"Sora?", Matt called. The only response he got was of her standing up.

"I'm going to find out.", Sora said firmly. She looked down at Biyomon who was looking back at her worriedly, "Come on Biyomon, let's go!".

With that, both of them ran out of the cave. Matt sighed before running after her with Gabumon. When the others tried to follow, he motioned for them to stop.

"You guys need to stay here.", Matt instructed. "Someone needs to protect the cave while we're gone in case it gets discovered.".

Mimi opened her mouth to protest, but Joe quickly put a hand over her shoulder. When Mimi looked at him, he shook his head, telling her not to argue.

"Fine...", Mimi huffed, folding her arms.

Joe nodded to Matt, "You can count on us.".


"I learned something there."

Tai was still reeling from the story Belial told him. This man, this evil man sitting across him was a Digidestined. One alive a long time before he was even born.

On the other side, Belial had kicked his legs onto the table in obvious disregard of common manners. He was throwing a Digivice up and down, an ever so present smile on his face.

"In that world's madness, I learned that eventually, everything falls to darkness.", Belial stated. He sat up straight looking Tai directly in the eyes, "Your morals, your heroics, your 'light'. It's all one big joke for me to laugh at.".

"No it isn't.", Tai said strongly. "People are inherently good. I've seen more examples of it than I can count.".

"Okay. then answer this question truthfully.", Belial leaned back, chest high. "If I let you and your friends walk out freely and I just give up every last plan, would you just walk away? Or would you still try to beat me up? You know, for nearly killing you before and for torturing poor T.K.".

Tai opened his mouth to answer 'no', but something stopped him. Maybe it was his morals, the ones the evil man across him apparently laughed at. Maybe it was the fact 'no' was not the right answer. Because if he was being honest, beating him up seemed like a very promising prospect at this point.

If only the consequences were not so dire if he did, Tai would walk around the table, shove him to the ground, and make him pay for his crimes.

"It would be justice.", Tai said shakily, looking down. "If I were to beat you up, you would be getting what you deserved.".

"Bahahaha!", Belial howled. "Justice? Or revenge? I don't think there even is a difference.".

"Either way, you'll be getting what you deserve!"

"True, true.", Belial said, his laughter dying down. "But think about this: where does this need for backlash come from? Certainly not from your desire to bring justice.".

He then pointed to Tai, "It comes from anger, one of darkness' emotions. And you're not happy 'cause you can't act on it. Me on the other hand, I can do whatever I want!".

For the first time, Belial's face turned serious, "Your lust for revenge, your darkness, is instinct. And like all other instinct, will eventually take over. Your light, 'morals', don't stand a chance. ".

He then leaned back, his smile returning, "I realize all of this while others don't. I'm crazy, sure. That's a fact. But I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve.".

Tai couldn't take it any more. Sure, his friends would be in danger if he would hit the former Digidestined in front of him, but his anger blinded him for just a split second. He stomped over to the other side of the table, grabbing him and lifting him up.

"Tai!", Agumon shouted worriedly. He wanted to make sure his partner did not do anything he would regret later on. Like indirectly neing responsible for the deaths of his friends.

"You don't know anything.", Tai hissed loudly to Belial, his voice dripping with hatred.

Belial was enjoying this. He could see Tai's hatred getting stronger than his sense of reason. He could practically taste it. He smiled wider, relishing in his incoming victory, his point proven through the best example he could find.

"Oh really?", Belial said mockingly. "I've been observing you Tai. I've seen all your choices for the past few days. I wanted to see how you'd do faced with choice.".

Belial relished Tai's dark emotions before continuing.

"And let me tell you, you didn't disappoint.", he finished.

For a split second, Tai's glare morphed into one of confusion before returning to the expression of hatred that graced his face a few minutes ago.

"What do you mean by that?", he asked, giving Belial one hard shake while he did.

Belial leaned close to Tai's ear, "I know you didn't come to the Digital World fully out of goodness of heart. That decision was a selfish one on your part.". Tai winced in response, finding truth in the statement.

Belial noticed this and started laughing hysterically, knowing something else that would really hit home with the Digidestined in front of him.

"You know, the way you go after Sora, I would've mistook you for Matt.", he taunted.

Tai's eyes widened. "How do you know that!?", he asked loudly, his eyes betraying his fear. He was sure he had never told anyone but Kari! Kari and someone else, someone who had enough deduction skills to notice his feelings just through seeing their interaction.

"Bahahaha!", Belial cracked as shadows consumed his body. After a few minutes, the shadows dissipated, leaving Tai in horror of the man in his hands.

"Ben!?"


(AN): And now you kinda know Belial's motivations. And things are going to get darker in the following chapters, so stay tuned for that.

And now Tai knows Belial is Ben, and realizes all the things he could do with the information he has learned as Ben. This can only end very badly.

And as for the World of Darkness, I'll expand on that later. You guys aren't gonna hear about it until the second arc of the story.

And thanks for the reviews for the last chapter! I'm glad you guys are liking this story so far. I took two days to make this because this and the next chapter will change Tai's character.

Like it? Hate it? Any kind of reviews are appreciated, even criticizing ones

Laters.