"WHAT HAVE I DONE?" Devimon said, in shock over what he had done to Angemon.

"You murdered him; your best friend. Isn't that obvious?" a voice said from behind Devimon, and when he turned around, he saw that it was Grademon. "This is low, even for a Devimon."

"But, I…I didn't mean to! I was just…trying to stop him from leaving…" Devimon said, trying to stand up.

"No, you weren't."

"What?"

"Sure, some small part of you may have been trying to stop him from leaving, and I believe you truly regret what you did to your friend, but above all else, the only thing you were doing was following your master's orders."

"Grademon, there's no need to be so rough with him," a woman said from behind Grademon.

"I apologize, Sanzomon, but it's the only way to get through to him," Grademon whispered to Sanzomon, then turned back to Devimon. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?" Devimon asked.

"The one ordering you around has just forced you to murder your best friend. Will you still work for him or not? The decision is up to you."

"I…I'm not sure…"

"YOU'RE NOT SURE? YOU'RE BOSS JUST ORDERED YOU TO MURDER YOUR BEST FRIEND, AND YOU'RE STILL CONCIDERING WORKING FOR HIM?" Grademon roared.

"Grademon, this isn't why we're here," Sanzomon said gently, but seriously. "We're not supposed to tell him which side to join, but to help him make up his mind." Sanzomon took Devimon's hand, the one covered in his friend's blood, and placed her hand over it, causing the blood to glow. When the glow disappeared, the blood was still there.

"What did you do?" Devimon asked.

"No matter how hard you may try, that blood will not remove itself from your hand. Whenever you see that hand, you will be reminded of what you did to Angemon," Sanzomon said. "Loyalty is a wonderful virtue to have, Devimon, which is what makes you so special among others of your species. Will you retain this loyalty, and remain working for Deltamon? Or, will you fight against what turned him evil in honor of Angemon's memory? Whatever you decide to do, the blood will remain, so you will never lose your resolve." Sanzomon turned around and began to leave, followed by Grademon. "Always remember, Devimon; you are a living being. You have free will. Make up your mind. Whatever you decide to do, go ahead and do it." Faster than the blink of an eye, Sanzomon began to glow, then vanished; teleporting her and Grademon to another part of the Digital World, leaving Devimon alone to ponder her thoughts alone in the dark forest with his blood stained hand.


After much thought, Devimon decided to fly back to where his master lived, but, on the way, he ran into his friend, Airdramon. "Devimon, what's wrong?" Airdramon asked. "You were gone for a while, so Deltamon asked me to go search for you."

"Airdramon, Angemon's dead," Devimon said in a voice almost too quiet to hear.

"Angemon? Wow….so that means we're the only two left of our original group, huh?"

"Yes…Airdramon, I…I've been thinking of leaving…"

"Leaving? Why?" Airdramon asked, exasperated.

"Oh, think about it, Airdramon; Deltamon's changed, and I don't mean his appearance! It's like…he Digivolved into a total monster!" Devimon said.

"I don't really know what you mean…he…he seems like the same old Deltamon to me…"

"Stop deceiving yourself, Airdramon!" Devimon said, showing him his blood stained claw. "This blood…it's Angemon's." Airdramon gasped. "Deltamon ordered me to kill him!"

"That…that can't be!" Airdramon said.

"He ordered me to kill our friend, Airdramon! That's why…I have to leave. I'm going to search for a Digimon who can either undo what Phelesmon did to Deltamon, or destroy Phelesmon once and for all. And Airdramon…if you truly had fun, way back in the day when Deltamon was his same, harmless self…you'll leave too." Devimon turned around, preparing to fly away from Airdramon. I finally understand what Grademon and Angemon were trying to tell me. Staying with Deltamon, even out of loyalty…that was just mindless self-deception. Well, no more! It's time for me to take action!

"Devimon!" Airdramon called out after him, making him stop. "If you really want to undo what's been done to Deltamon, then, you should go to the human world. That old human named Shibumi that was with those Digidestined, I'm sure he knows something. Go see him."

"But…we're incapable of going to the human world!"

"Not totally incapable. Master just now gave me the power to travel between both worlds, so I shall give this power to you, my friend," Airdramon said as both he and Devimon began to glow with a golden light.

"Airdramon…thank you…" Devimon said, glowing a bright gold as he transported to the human world. When he got there, he arrived in the same park, near where Shibumi was waiting patiently for the Digidestined to arrive. "Excuse me, but…" Devimon said awkwardly, walking up to Shibumi, startling the old man when he saw the Digimon. "Have you not been going to the Digital World?"

"Uh…maybe?"

"Then that must mean you're Shibumi!" Devimon said excitedly.

"Yes, that's what I go by," Shibumi said, confused.

"Sir, I apologize, but you're going to have to come with me," Devimon said, grabbing Shibumi's arm and placing the hand that didn't have blood on it over his mouth, and, after glowing bright gold, transported the both of them to the Digital World.