Author's Note: I apologize for yet another delay in updating this story. Other things just seemed to keep coming up this week. And it doesn't help that I'm working on more than one story at the moment. The thing is though I was able to write this whole chapter in like two hours. I guess I don't know what's with me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
Chapter 9: Dragon of Destruction
With the arrival of Gennai, all of the Digidestined united in the central boardroom of the building. It was clear to everyone that Lucemon had finally made a move. Though none of them knew just what that move was. Still, it was quite a relief in a way. Waiting for a disaster is sometimes worse than the actual disaster itself. As soon as everyone had assembled, Gennai began to explain what Lucemon was up to.
"Lucemon is trying to revive a powerful dragon that was sealed away by Yggdraisill thousands of years ago before the rebellion of the Seven Lords." Gennai began. "No one knows exactly how this dragon formed. But when it appeared it evolved quickly and its power went out of control. It possesses the power of the Digital Hazard."
"Digital Hazard?" Izzy asked.
"A type of power that can wipe out the Digital World if left out of control." Gennai explained. "It is very rare in Digimon. Those who posses it bare its mark somewhere on their bodies. Lucemon himself has this power."
"Well if Lucemon had the power of the Digital Hazard, then why is he trying to revive this dragon?" Arthur asked.
"Because the dragon could be considered the very incarnation of the hazard itself." Gennai answered grimly. "The very presence of this dragon causes damage to the environment around it. Lucemon wishes to destroy the Digital World and remake it from scratch. Because he no longer has the help of his fellow lords, he intends to use the dragon to help him do the job faster."
"The our objective seems clear." Arthur said to the group. "We must destroy Lucemon before he revives the dragon."
"I'm afraid it might be too late for that." Gennai told him. "Right after Lucemon escaped and met with all of you, he immediately went to the Digital World and began undoing the seal. As it is now I doubt you can stop him."
"Does anyone have a Plan B?" Matt asked.
"…If we can't stop this dragon from being revived, then Team Excalibur will have to handle Lucemon alone while the rest of us take care of the dragon." Tai decided after a moment.
"You realize that T.K. and I are part of Team Excalibur, right?" Kari pointed out.
"Why help them and not us?" Davis asked somewhat angrily. "Are they suddenly better than we are?"
"Kari and I were brought together with Arthur and his friends to fight Lucemon, so that's what we intend to do." T.K. answered.
"We must all keep in mind that we all face the same enemy, which makes us all one team." Arthur pointed out. "Besides, this dragon may be a threat, but Lucemon is a greater threat still. And the Harmonious Ones picked T.K., Kari, myself, and the rest of my team because we have the best chance of beating him."
"He's right." Tai agreed. "Besides, once we take down the dragon we can help Team Excalibur."
"Well if T.K. and Kari are going to fight Lucemon, then Ryo and I will help fight him too." Rika declared.
"We will?" a somewhat surprised Ryo asked.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're afraid to face Lucemon." Rika replied.
"Of course not, I'm just surprised that you're so eager to help T.K. and Kari." Ryo responded.
"I have my reasons." Rika stated as a small blush appeared on her face.
"Okay then, the Tamers will help Team Excalibur fight Lucemon." Tai agreed. "Meanwhile, Joe, Mimi, Yolei, and Cody will stay here."
"Why do we have to stay?" a surprised and somewhat outraged Yolei asked.
"Things could get pretty ugly and we need someone to stay here and protect the human world." Tai explained. "And as much as I hate to say it, you guys aren't strong enough to help out in this battle."
"I'm afraid he's right." Cody agreed. "Our Digimon are the only ones who can't reach their Mega forms. We wouldn't stand a chance against Lucemon or the dragon."
"Besides, our job is just as important as theirs." Joe pointed out. "You can count on us Tai."
"Then let's head out to the Digital World." Tai declared.
Several minutes later the group was flying through the skies of the Digital World on the back of Imperialdramon, heading towards the location that Gennai gave them. As they got closer they started encountering small groups of NeoDevimon. Though they were easily dealt with by Imperialdramon's sheer power. Soon enough they could see Lucemon in the distance. The demon lord of pride was hovering high in the sky over a large shape engraved in the ground that looked similar to the Nazca Lines of Peru. The air was filled with the sound of Lucemon's low demonic voice chanting a spell in the hate filled language of the Seven Lords.
"I think we made it in time." Cindy said optimistically. "It looks like he's still trying to break the seal."
Just as Cindy said that however, Lucemon finished the chant with a swift gesture of his arms and then fired a beam of black energy into the ground in the center of the symbol. The beam lasted only for a moment, and soon a pillar of fire erupted from the ground. From this pillar emerged a massive red dragon with a humanoid upper body and a serpent-like lower half. It looked as if it was completely covered in armor, and on the white armor of its chest was a glowing red symbol of three triangles connected to the points of a fourth center triangle and a circular line. The group took this to be the symbol of the Digital Hazard. Green acidic saliva dripped from its fanged mouth, and its massive wings were colored like fire. The land around the creature seemed to be destroyed as the creature breathed.
"No way!" Rika exclaimed as she gazed at the dragon. "Megidramon?"
"Are you saying that you're familiar with this Digimon?" Izzy asked.
"It's a long story." Ryo answered. "The short version is that a friend of ours made the same mistake Tai made when he force Agumon to evolve into SkullGreymon and ended up with Megidramon."
Meanwhile Jason was looking at the action though a pair of binoculars he had brought with him, and he saw Lucemon fly off.
"I think Lucemon is headed towards some ruins that aren't too far away from here." Jason told the group. "It looks like some sort of Roman temple."
"Then that is where my team shall go." Arthur told everyone. "If you'll kindly set us down here we'll be on our way."
With that, Imperialdramon landed and Team Excalibur and the Tamers got off. In a flash of light they all Biomerged with their Digimon and headed off. Though Seraphimon and Ophanimon hung back for a moment.
"Hey Kari." Tai called to Ophanimon. "Be careful, okay?"
Ophanimon nodded after a moment and then flew off.
"Don't worry, I promise to make sure that Kari comes back safely." Seraphimon said to Tai in T.K.'s voice before flying off to join the rest of the team.
"You okay?" Matt asked Tai as the Digidestined leader watched Team Excalibur fade into the distance.
"Yeah, I think so." Tai said after a moment. "I guess they can take care of themselves now, huh?"
"They're not the same little kids we used to worry over." Matt agreed. "I'm sure they'll be fine."
"Matt is right." Izzy agreed. "Right now our focus should be on Megidramon. I've been watching it since it emerged, and it seems that its very existence is somehow causing the data that makes up the Digital World to break down."
"Then we better stop it before there's nothing left!" Davis declared. "Take him down Imperialdramon!"
With that Imperialdramon flew off to fight the dragon of destruction.
"Let's help him out Matt!" Tai said to his old friend.
Matt nodded and both Agumon and Gabumon began to glow.
"…Warp DNA digivolve to… Omnimon!" Agumon and Gabumon cried as they combined into the white knight and took off after Imperialdramon.
"You help too Biyomon!" Sora commanded, causing Biyomon to nod and begin to transform.
"Biyomon warp digivolve to… Hououmon!" Biyomon cried as she transformed into the golden Phoenix.
"Let's help out too Tentomon!" Izzy commanded.
"You got it!" Tentomon replied as he began to glow with a bright purple light. "Tentomon warp digivolve to… HerculesKabuterimon!"
With that the four Digimon charged towards Megidramon. When the four got in range, Imperialdramon opened with a blast of the positron laser cannon on his back. Omnimon followed with blasts from his supreme cannon. Hououmon added to the attack with a blast of golden flames, and HerculesKabuterimon fired off a massive ball of purple electricity. All the attacks hit Megidramon dead on, but when the smoke cleared the dragon seemed unharmed. It countered with a powerful roar that knocked its four attackers to the ground. It was a few moments before they got back up.
"That thing really is powerful." Sora said with a somewhat frightened expression.
"Is it too late to call those Team Excalibur guys back?" Davis asked.
"We don't need them to take this thing down." Ken said with a determined expression. "Take it up a notch Imperialdramon!"
"You got it!" Imperialdramon called back. "Imperialdramon mode change to… Fighter Mode!"
With that Imperialdramon changed to his more humanoid form. He then detached the laser cannon now on his wrist and inserted it into the opened mouth of the dragon face on his chest.
"Giga Crusher!" Imperialdramon cried as he fired a sphere of white light from the cannon.
The attack hit Megidramon, but once again the dragon seemed unharmed. Megidramon then countered with a maelstrom of green flames breathed from his mouth. HerculesKabuterimon managed to deflect the flames with another ball of electricity.
"Man, how the hell are we supposed to take this thing down?" a frustrated Davis asked.
"We need to figure that out fast!" Tai told the others. "The sooner we take down Megidramon, the sooner we can help Team Excalibur fight Lucemon, and they're going to need all the help they can get!"
Author's Note: One of the reasons why I decided to split the teams up yet again was to make the battles a little easier to write. Plus a battle with Megidramon was just something that seemed interesting to me. So now there are only two chapters and an epilogue to go. In the next chapter the epic battle between Team Excalibur and Lucemon begins.
In the meantime please review and let me know what you think.
