Dark Qivuit: I'm glad you liked the battle. The words simply came to me as I typed them out, and I'm glad with how it turned out.
coughkouichicough: Out of all the Dark Knights, Aceromon is my favorite. That's why I spent so much time on his character. And you know how the main villain operates - he talks big but prefers to save his actions for better times. And no, he isn't the Knight of Darkness. That character has yet to appear…
dark672: Thanks.
Jaina Moon Child: Muchas gracias for the review. I'm glad you liked it.
Digi fan: Well, maybe they won't show themselves, but you'll learn more about them…
Kara: Come to think of it, I don't know who would have won. It's up in the air. And yes, I've come up with the character of the Knight of Darkness, but I'd prefer to keep it a secret right now…
Gemmanigirl: See? What did I tell you? Not all bad guys are truly bad…
Cyrus Arcanum: Seal of…Funkditude? Okaaay….
Requiemkei: Thanks.
Alrighty! Next stop, chapter 11!
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Digimon: Frontier Legacy
Chapter XI: Legacy of the Dragons! The Beast Spirits Transformed!
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The Dark Knights were kneeling in front of the Dark Force's throne, waiting for their master to speak. They were called in only minutes before, and as always there was no telling what their twisted-minded leader had in mind. No one dared to speak out through worry of being attacked. They had already learned this lesson the hard way when they were created. They instead kept quiet, until finally, the Dark Force spoke.
"My loyal Knights," he said, "it is almost time for me. And before you say anything…" He aimed this at Lenadoramon, who looked like he was about to crack a joke. "…It's not what you may think. Every fifty years I must go into a state of comatose to re-supply my vast amount of power. I will be incapable of any kind of action during this time, and nothing must happen to my body while I recover."
"So how long will you be like this, may I ask?" Empressmon said.
"At maximum, five days," the Dark Force replied.
"How come we didn't know about this?" Thesiamon asked.
"Because none of you were created over fifty years ago, of course you wouldn't have known."
"And what do you want us to do for the time being?" Aceromon asked.
"You are all allowed to go out and do what you will during my period of absence."
"Cool!" Lenadoramon shouted. "But, uh, what about those humans? Shouldn't we keep going after them?"
"Well, yes, we can't exactly let them get any kind of rest while I'm out. Just be sure to keep a close eye on them. If they do anything out of the ordinary that may affect the tide of this conflict, do something to stop them. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," the four Knights responded simultaneously.
"Very well. In that case, you're all dismissed." The four Knights bowed and casually left the throne room.
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Things had certainly changed ever since the group reunited. They had since trekked the land at a slower pace than before, and there was less discussion between them. Ryan was in the lead, taking in the scenery around him, though his mind wandered. The group was different since the time they first arrived, maybe a little too different. Leo had become a notable leader, making sure that everyone got out of a critical situation safely. Aaron was now like the reason of the group, pointing out the pros and cons of the plans the group came up with. Snow had her own form of reason, though it showed up more in battle than in actual conversation. Asuka was the heart, putting others before her and being sure that everyone was okay, both in body and mind. Ryan, himself, on the other hand, seemed to have changed very little. He didn't have much when it came to critical thinking or combat ability. Even though he had an equal voice in group decisions, he would normally go along with what everyone else said. All he really wanted was to get stronger with each passing day. Perhaps his increasing view of his friends and the world around him was the change in him. He didn't know, and for the moment he didn't really care.
Ryan turned his head to check on everyone else. Archivamon was right behind him, continuously scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary or threatening. Leo was a few paces behind, his hands in his pockets and his eyes looking downward. He had a look of discomfort and almost embarrassment in his eyes, though he was doing what he could to hide it. Asuka had distanced herself from the group, especially the team leader. The reunion in the arena had apparently left an air of unease between the two, and they had decided to keep it low for a while. Aaron and Snow were in the back, fully concentrated on the road ahead. They were acting as if nothing had changed in the last few days.
The group flinched when they heard a shrill beeping. As if by instinct, they brought out their devices and looked around for any sign of enemy activity.
"You can relax," Archivamon said. "It's just my communication program." He tapped a button on his left wrist, and a holographic image appeared in the air. Three cloaked figures could be seen in the image, and the group instantly recognized them as the Sacred Three.
"Chosen ones," the first being said, "we have urgent news."
"It concerns the other spirits," the second added.
"You must come at once," the third finished.
"Okaaay," Aaron replied, "but how are we supposed to get back?"
The first being slapped his forehead. "Oh, how stupid of me. Hang on a second." The transmission cut off, and before anyone could question this strange action they were blinded by a light from above. A few seconds later, the light vanished, the Chosen with it.
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The Dark Knights were walking through the long hallway. The left side had literally hundreds of windows, each overlooking the enslaved city and surrounding landscape. The sun was setting, its rays shining through the windows and leaving a golden glow over the four warriors. They all had relieved looks on their faces, mainly because of the time off they were given.
"So, what's everyone going to be doing?" Lenadoramon asked, trying to spark up a group conversation.
"I believe I'm going to hit the bazaar," Empressmon said. "It's been a while since I've gotten the chance to shop for anything."
"I don't really have any plans," Thesiamon said. "I might just hit the gym or someplace like that."
"I am going home to rest," Aceromon replied. "I still need to recover after that last battle of mine."
The Knight of Wood chuckled. "You mean before you go out and fight that flesh-bag again?" Before he could break down laughing, Aceromon had his blade out and pointed at his head.
"I will not be beleaguered by your unnecessary remarks," the Knight of Steel growled. "Besides, I gave my word to our master that an incident like that would never happen again."
"Okay okay!" Lenadoramon said exasperatedly, "Just don't make me into kindling!" He breathed a sigh of relief when Aceromon withdrew his sword.
Aceromon took a few steps away from the group and said, "I'd better be off. I'll see the rest of you in a few days." There were a few quick farewells before he tapped a button on his chest and teleported away.
"Well, I'm off, as well," Lenadoramon said, opening one of the windows and stepping onto the sill. "If you need me, I'll be in my usual spots." He gave a quick double-fingered salute before jumping out into the open air. As if he were a certain superhero, he shot out his vines and swung through the stone buildings into the distance.
"Showoff," Thesiamon said to herself. She turned when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Say, Thesiamon," Empressmon said, "since you aren't doing anything in particular, why don't you tag along with me?"
"I don't know," the Knight of Earth replied. "I'm not really 'into' the kind of things that you're into."
"Oh come now, when was the last time you did something enjoyable?" Thesiamon was about to reply, but Empressmon quickly added, "besides training yourself for combat?"
"Well…come to think of it…I don't remember."
"Exactly my point." Empressmon grabbed Thesiamon's arm and dragged her down another hallway before she could protest. "Come on, let's go have some fun."
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The sanctuary was as dark and dank as it was when the Chosen had left on their quest. The room was suddenly filled with a bright light, and the silence was replaced by combined screams and groans. The Chosen struggled back to their feet after this bizarre form of teleportation, rubbing their sides and backs in the process. They had landed before the table where the Sacred Three sat, waiting for their heroes to collect themselves.
"Next time you do that, be sure to warn us," Leo groaned.
"We apologize," the first being said. "However, it was the fastest way of getting you all here."
"Onto more pressing matters," the second being stated, "as of a few minutes ago, we have been able to locate the remaining spirits."
"About time," Aaron said. "I was wondering when the others would finally show up."
"So, does this mean that we'll turn into Beast-type Digimon with them?" Asuka asked.
"Yes, and no," the third being replied. "You see, the spirits were to be transformed when reclaimed by the new Chosen, and the Beast spirits are no exception."
The first spoke next. "As you know, when the five of you received your Human spirits, they were enhanced, changing you into the Legendary Knights. Once the Beast spirits are found, they will change you into far greater creatures." A wave of his hand activated a holographic display in the middle of the table. Pictures of stone inscriptions flashed before the Chosen's eyes, and they murmured at the images they contained. Mostly at the fact that they all of the scenes depicted reptilian monsters with wings…
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The bar wasn't all that crowded that afternoon. It sat in the middle of the Dark Force's city in an area where few dared to pass through. It was a simple setting, with the traditional bar with rows of shelves stocked with mugs and bottle upon bottle of various concoctions. There was a pair of billiards tables off to the side, a couple warrior Digimon playing a friendly game at one of them. At a table in the far corner, some of the more shady Digimon were playing a variation of Texas Hold Em,' with high stacks of multicolored chips before them and cards in their hands. There was another Digimon at the piano, playing a soft and soothing tune to give off a casual mood.
Lenadoramon entered the bar with an exhausted look in his eyes. He sighed as he took his usual stool at the bar. A Digimon clad in shogun armor was asleep in the seat next to his, surrounded by several beer bottles. The Knight of Wood shook his head in disgust and turned to face the bartender. He stood about six feet tall, wearing a white collared shirt with a black bowtie, black pants, and a cream white apron over them. He seemed like a good fellow, with a wise face and calm eyes. His four arms may have appeared weak and feeble, but they didn't need to be for his line of work. He was busy cleaning a mug with a rag with one pair while the second brought out a set of bottles. "Usual?" The Digimon asked in a gruff accent.
"Sure, why not?" Lenadoramon replied in a I-don't-give-a-damn tone. The Digimon handed him the bottle, which he took in one of his large hands. A slender vine came out of his wrist compartment and entered the bottle, sucking up its contents slowly.
"Why you look so down? Don't tell me you got beat up again."
Lenadoramon sighed deeply. "You don't know the half of it, Barmon. You know, I've always wondered why I'm actually working for him in the first place. Sure, I mess up sometimes, but that doesn't mean I should get punished for that."
"Well you know how our master is about these kind of things…"
"Then why doesn't he go all out on everyone who screws up?" The Knight of Wood squeezed the bottle tightly, and it shattered under the stress that it was put through.
"Whoa whoa, take it easy," Barmon warned.
"TAKE IT EASY!" Lenadoramon was on his feet, now, and his rant caught the attention of the other Digimon in the bar, even the one who was sleeping. "HOW CAN I TAKE IT EASY WHEN I COME CLOSE TO DYING, THEN GET EVEN CLOSER TO IT THANKS TO MY MASTER! I'M FED UP WITH BEING TREATED LIKE THIS! AT THIS RATE, MY MASTER'S ENEMIES WON'T BE THE END OF ME - HE WILL!" He slammed his balled fists into the surface of the bar, cracking the mahogany. He then sat back down, breathing heavily. The other Digimon went back to their businesses.
"Feel any better?" Barmon asked.
"Get me another drink and I'll think about it."
"You know what I think," the bartender said as he handed Lenadoramon another bottle, "I think he's using you as an example. You know, to show his followers what they should and shouldn't do, and what will happen if they do things they shouldn't do. If you can edge up your 'game' a little, then your troubles might come to an end."
The Knight of Wood sighed. "You think something like that is even possible?"
"Hey, anything's possible, you know that. Just don't let the treatment get you down, 'cause that'll only make things worse."
Lenadoramon sat up, a more confident look in his eyes. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the drinks, and for the advice." He tossed a few coins onto the bar. "Better hightail it out of here before I stir up trouble like I did last time, huh?"
Barmon chuckled at this. "Got that right. And by the way, you owe me a new bar."
Lenadoramon gave his version of a grin. "Hey, I've got time. I'll have one carved out in a day or so."
"Appreciated," Barmon said, returning to cleaning out a mug. "Take care, now." He got no reply, for Lenadoramon was already out the door.
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"Dragons…" Ryan gasped to himself.
"I don't believe it," Snow added.
"Kind of ironic when you think about it," Aaron said. "First we had the Legendary Knights, and now we have the Legendary Dragons."
"One reason why we chose such transformations," the second being commented. "We have looked into mankind's cultures and discovered the depictions of humans and dragons fighting each other to the last. They showed the incredible prowess and strength that both sides wielded."
"The Dragons, like your Knight forms, have their own strengths and weaknesses," the third being said. "The key is to utilize both forms to triumph over the evils of the Dark Force."
"Okay, now that we know the goal at hand," Leo piped up, "where and how exactly do we find these spirits?"
"That will be no trouble at all," the second being replied. "For this quest you will be transported to the general area of each spirit. After getting your hands on each one you will be brought back here for rest before heading back out again."
"And how long is this going to take us?" Snow asked. "It's got to be less time than it took to find the other spirits."
"That all depends on the swiftness of finding your new spirits," the third being replied. "There's no approximate time of acquiring them."
"Figures," Snow sighed.
"Well, it's going to take time to prepare the portal to the first location," the first being said. "I suggest that you all get some rest."
"There are rooms within the sanctuary that you can use," the second being added. "We will call upon you when it is time to go."
"Archivamon, would you be so kind as to direct the Chosen to the guest rooms?" The third being asked.
"Of course," the Machine Digimon replied. "Come along, children." He walked out of the briefing room, the Chosen close behind.
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"Didn't I tell you this was going to be fun?"
Empressmon and Thesiamon had been at the bazaar for hours, and quite frankly Thesiamon was tired of it. While she browsed, Empressmon was grabbing things left and right, telling the vendors to 'put it on her card.' Thesiamon turned to face the stack of boxes and bags that contained everything her friend had bought in the last few hours. She sighed at the ridiculousness of it all.
At the moment they were in the middle of a beauty parlor. It was a unique place, considering all the different types of Digimon that came in to make themselves more, how shall we say, presentable. It took a lot of coaxing to get Thesiamon inside, but then again, she didn't know what she was in for or what she had to do. As soon as she learned the truth, she wanted out. For one thing, she didn't want to remove her helmet, feeling embarrassed that she didn't have a normal head of hair. Second, she was always used to going around with dust and grime on her body and clothing. To top it off, she was never used to this kind of treatment, and she regarded the hordes of salon workers with what Empressmon considered disrespect. At present an angel Digimon was working on Thesiamon's nails, while another was doing what she could with the Knight of Earth's short red hair. Empressmon was lying down on a table, where a water-elemental Digimon was gently washing the scales of her tail, while another was massaging her back.
"You call this fun?" Thesiamon grumbled. "This is humiliating! Where's the smashing and thrashing? I want some action!"
"My dear Thesiamon," Empressmon playfully scolded, "you need to learn that not all things in life revolve around 'smashing' things. You have to kick back and enjoy yourself once in a while."
Thesiamon huffed. "You do that all the time," she mumbled under her breath. She gasped when one of the stylists began tugging at her fur. "What the hell do you think you're doing!"
"Well, if they're going to give you a proper bathing, they're going to have to get you out of those rags of yours."
This was the last insult. "That's IT!" Thesiamon lost it, forcing her arms out of the grips of the stylists and waved them in the air. "I've had ENOUGH of this!" The ground quaked, forcing everyone in the parlor to duck and cover. The tiling before her split apart, and sand and dirt rose into the air, blinding everyone in the room. When the dust settled, the parlor was short one short-tempered Digimon.
"Oh my," Empressmon said, "I guess she couldn't handle the glamorous side of a girl's life. Such a shame."
"You telling me," one of the stylists said. "She stormed her way out of here without even paying for her makeover!"
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The two rooms that the Sacred Three had prepared for the Chosen weren't anything special. The walls and ceiling were the same dull onyx color, as was the furniture. That windows were pretty tall, and one could get an exhilarating view of the forest below and the black mountains in the distance. Night had fallen, and the Chosen would have been left in the dark had it not been for the dozens of candles that lit up the room. They decided to have the boys sleep in the larger room while the girls got the smaller one.
At the moment, Leo was lying on his bed looking up at the ceiling, deep in thought. Ryan was jumping on the second bed, having nothing else to do. Aaron, on the other hand, was skimming through an old book he found. Unfortunately, he couldn't understand the unknown language the pages contained, and there were no pictures to tell any kind of story. Feeling his head hurt, he closed the book and put it back on the shelf he had found it on. "So, how long do you think it's going to take to find these other spirits?" He asked.
"Doesn't really matter," Leo replied, "as long as we get them before someone else does."
Ryan stopped jumping on his bed and sat on it. "I'm just worried about what will happen after we get them."
Leo gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"
"Well, my grandpa Takuya told me about his adventures here. He said that there came the time when he and his friends went to search for the Beast spirits so that they could take on a new threat that had arisen. He also said that when they each obtained those spirits, they weren't able to control their immense power, that they went feral and attacked whatever they thought was a threat, including each other. What if that happens to us?"
"Can't really control what happens, can we?" Aaron said. "If something happens, it happens. We'll deal with it when the time comes. Besides, you make it sound like they were able to control their Beast spirits in the end."
"Well…yeah, eventually."
"Then don't worry about it. If your grandpa and his friends could control the Beasts, then I don't see any reason why we can't do the same with the Dragons."
"Besides," Leo added, "don't you wonder how cool it's going to be you become a dragon? You'll get to fly around, be able to smash the bad guys, breathe fire…"
"Maybe you," Aaron said, "but I don't think it'll work out that way for the rest of us. Something tells me that the Dragon spirits are going to have powers based on the elements we have right now."
"Cool!" Ryan piped up, his attitude turning around. "That means I get to breathe out lightning or something like that!"
Leo grinned. "Who knows? I guess we'll have to wait till we get them to find out…"
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The girls had taken to their temporary living quarters almost immediately. Snow was leaning on the windowsill, looking out to the three full moons that had begun to rise. Asuka was laying in bed, facing the wall. "How am I going to deal with this?" She said absently.
"Something on your mind?" Snow asked.
"I don't really want to talk about it."
Snow groaned to herself. "Here we go again with you bottling everything up. If there's something wrong, you should talk to someone about it and get it out of your system. The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be to express what's going through your mind."
"Well…it's just that…I don't really know how to say it in words."
"Is it about the other day?" She didn't get an answer. "Is it about what happened after that battle?" Still no answer. "It's about your little bit with Leo, isn't it?"
Finally, Asuka replied, "yeah, you might say that."
"No wonder you've been acting so uncomfortably. You're embarrassed about it, afraid of what it might mean for the future."
"Well, how would you feel if you hugged your best friend who almost got himself killed?"
"Good point."
"So, what should I do about it?"
"Well, I think you should talk to Leo about it. What happened back there was just a sudden emotional action, and something like that shouldn't affect how the two of you act around each other."
Asuka repositioned herself so that she was facing her friend, and she gave a weak smile. "You sound like you know what it's all about."
Certain thoughts ran through Snow's mind, though she didn't show it. "Yeah, you might say that. The important thing is to not feel ashamed about it. We all need to make strong bonds if we want things to work out in the end, and what happened the other day is no different. Just don't let it affect how you behave, or it just might make things worse."
Asuka's smile became stronger. "Thanks, Snow. I really mean that."
"Anytime."
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The room was filled by a brilliant white light as Aceromon completed his teleportation. He gave a weary sigh as he bent down and detached the mace on his right arm. The chain disappeared, and an attachment that resembled a hand took its place. Though it looked normal, it appeared that it wasn't a part of his natural form, but the truth was unknown. Careful as to not cause further pain to his recent wounds, he raised his arms and grabbed either side of his helmet. He removed the helmet and lay it on the ground next to his mace. He looked at his face in the mirror next to him. His face resembled that of a humans, albeit his skin was a silver color. His forehead and cheeks had several old scars on them. His black hair was filled with moisture from having the helmet on for so long. His bright gold eyes then scanned the room for any sign of his lifelong companion. He heard footsteps coming from the other room, and he smiled when Andronamon stepped into the room. She walked over to him and gingerly wrapped her arms around his neck. Aceromon returned the hug, being careful not to put too much strength into it. Their eyes met for a few moments before their lips met in a passionate kiss. This embrace lasted for a few seconds before they slowly broke apart.
"I've missed you," Andronamon said.
"Not as much as I've missed you," Aceromon replied.
"I was worried about what had happened to you."
"It's alright, now. Somehow I was able to clear things up with my master. I vowed to him that I would never go out on my own looking for a fight with that human again."
"Can you keep such a promise? I mean, I know how much this fight with the Knight of Fire is to you and everything."
"It's either keep my word of die from breaking it, and I feel that we'd both prefer that I stay alive for a long time."
"You must be tired after everything that happened," Andronamon said, leading Aceromon into their bedroom.
The Knight of Steel sighed. "You wouldn't believe it if I told you."
The Android Digimon grinned. "Try me," she replied.
Aceromon chuckled as he began to tell her about everything that had happened over the last few days…
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Morning had come, and after a brief breakfast the Chosen were called back into the main briefing room. They children all had determined looks on their faces, anxious to get the next part of their mission started.
"Are you all ready?" The first being asked.
The Chosen nodded.
"In that case," the second being said, "it is time to send you to the first location." The coordinates were brought up on a screen above them, and suddenly a multicolored portal appeared on the ground before them.
"Good luck," the third being said, "and may the gods protect you." The Chosen gave no reply as they each stepped into the portal, Archivamon right behind them. The portal then vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and the Sacred Three were alone with their thoughts on the outcome of the new quest…
To be continued…
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The hunt for the Dragon spirits first takes our heroes to a city in the sky. Here, mercenaries come to try and collect the bounties on the Chosen's heads. The enemy takes to the skies, and the Chosen need to find a way to combat the new aerial menace before it's too late.
Next time: Fly to Your Dreams! Jetdramon's Memories!
