[Despite a few setbacks, the website for my series is fully up and running now, and undergoing frequent updates. Expect one in the Original Digimon section soon. Now get out some good music, because this chapter is one of the most action-packed in recent memory. Enjoy…]
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The sun shone down coldly in the Western Quadrant. The steep, rugged mountains of Baihumon's making could be seen in all directions. Fresh snow lay on the ground, marked by two sets of footprints—one set huge with two toes and the other relatively small and clad in shoes—leading into the bustling industrial center of Snowy Ridge. It was a rather poorly-named city, considering as it was on a lake rather than atop one of the surrounding mountains, but such oddities are hardly unusual in any world. Though there was fresh snow around the city, only a small amount was to be found within its stone and iron core.
"I don't like the feel of this place," said the first traveler, the human known as Ryo who was still clad in a heavy brown cloak that left his head uncovered.
"Smells strange…" Cyberdramon said with a growl.
They still stood outside the city, but already they knew something was awry.
"Are we sure this is the place that had the bombing only a little while ago?"
"Positive."
"Well, as long as you're sure."
Just then they saw three Tankmon heading their way.
"Here comes trouble…" said Cyberdramon.
"Relax, let me do the talking. I'm sure they're only local guards."
Cyberdramon stayed quiet, but he definitely did not relax. The Tankmon arrived shortly enough and quickly encircle Ryo and Cyberdramon. Their weapons were ready to fire, and they didn't look like they would be the first one's to speak.
"Um…hi," Ryo said after a few tense seconds.
"Leave now!" the Tankmon ordered in their mechanical voices.
"But we were just—"
"You have three seconds to comply! Three, tw—"
Before they could get any further, Cyberdramon made his move. With a single broad swipe of his left claw he tore all three Tankmon apart.
"Problem solved," said Cyberdramon as the shredded parts of the Tankmon still fell on all sides of him.
"Something tells me that's just the tip of the iceberg," said Ryo.
"Not a problem." Cyberdramon cracked his knuckles. "I like crushed ice."
"I hope so, because I didn't exactly think to bring any modify cards along this trip. It's up to you."
"Let's get going."
"Right," Ryo agreed. Cyberdramon quickly grabbed Ryo and flew toward the center of the city.
By then, Setomon had regained consciousness. Now reduced to only one inexperienced guard, the Blimpmon's crew had decided to touch down at the nearest edge of the wasteland, which was luckily only a couple of hours away. A few of the crewmembers opted to remain behind with the Blimpmon, while the others escorted the passengers through the harsh terrain to the nearest town. Setomon, however, came to believe that his time with these digimon was at an end and chose to head off on his own, following the sounds and smells of his surroundings. That was how Setomon came to be alone again, wandering in the baking heat.
The area, though at the edge of the wasteland, was still quite arid. There were, however, a few shrubs and grasses to be seen, and the occasional stagnant pool of water. Nevertheless it was hardly any kind of place to make a real home in Setomon's view. The tireless sun and the rocky ground underfoot slowly wore away at Setomon's will to continue. There were no trees for shade and no smooth stretches of sand or healthy grasses. As Setomon walked his head drooped lower and lower. His tongue began to loll out and he panted with every breath. His padded feet were cut by the small, sharp rocks that littered the ground as far as his eyes could see. In time, Setomon finally decided to lay down for a rest. He flopped down on the ground in some of the dry grasses near a small puddle of water. He let out a long breath and closed his eyes.
"Why bother?" he asked of himself.
He rolled onto his side, but felt something under his head. He rolled back and scratched whatever it was free of his hair. It was his digivice, which he had some time ago clipped onto a lock of hair so he wouldn't drop it. He looked at it thoughtfully.
"What do you think?" he asked of it. "Was Kabukimon right?"
The digivice, of course, did not reply. Setomon gave a long sigh.
"Kabukimon fought with honor, but he ended up dying for it. Beelzemon…he won, but he was so cruel. Are those the only ways?"
A warm breeze passed him by, causing the grasses to whisper to one another.
"If they are, then maybe I don't want to fight at all. But it seems like I never have a choice. Those bad digimon always come after me. I didn't choose for all of this to happen. I didn't choose for Guilmon to die. I didn't choose to meet Jenomon. I didn't choose to let Kabukimon get killed…"
Setomon's eyes slowly opened as he realized the truth.
"…Or did I?"
It all became clear to him.
"I chose to leave File Island with Guilmon. That's why all of this has happened. That's why everything has turned out like it has. That's while all those good digimon are dead. Because of me."
The grasses whispered amongst themselves once more.
"They're all dead because of my choice."
Setomon did not shed a single tear. Instead he rose to his feet once again, snatched up his digivice, and continued on his way.
"Behind!" Ryo shouted.
Cyberdramon quickly spun around from the already mangled opponent in front of him and drove his claw up through the chest of the Mekanorimon that was trying to leap onto his back.
"Good work," Ryo said with a smile.
The two were now in the center of the city, where they had found not only an enormous number of mechanical digimon waiting to tear them limb-from-limb, but also an inexplicably missing civilian population.
"Come on, Cyberdramon," Ryo said after observing the fallen machines all around. "We don't have much time before even more spot us."
"What are we looking for?"
"Anything that seems important."
"Just take a look around. No normal digimon. Lots of bad guys."
"You know what I mean. Just keep your eyes peeled for something that these guys might be protecting."
"Intruders!" shouted a Kokuwamon that had just stumbled upon them.
"Get them!" shouted the four that immediately joined the first.
"We don't have time for this," said Ryo.
"Allow me." Cyberdramon grabbed the body of the Mekanorimon he'd just torn through and lobbed it at the Kokuwamon.
The Kokuwamon fled as quickly as they could so as to avoid being crushed under several tons of scrap metal.
"Nice," said Ryo. "Now come on! There's a lot of ground yet to cover."
"Halt!" ordered two Gardromon that appeared from around another building.
"We don't have time for this," said Ryo.
Cyberdramon unexpectedly grabbed Ryo and pulled him up onto his back as he took to the air. Ryo grabbed on tight as the wind and scenery rushed past him. Cyberdramon weaved expertly in between buildings, through tight corners and under sky-bridges.
"There!" said Cyberdramon.
Ryo twisted around to see where Cyberdramon was looking. He saw dozens of tightly-packed factories, but one particular one was badly damaged. There was a large hole in one of the walls and a smoke tower had been knocked over. The area was abuzz with activity.
"Wait here…" said Cyberdramon.
"Wha—"
Cyberdramon swooped in low and then performed a roll that caused Ryo to lose his grip. Ryo dropped like a stone…right onto a rooftop not ten feet below. The fall gave him just barely enough time to curl up into a ball so he could hit the ground in a roll. Cyberdreamon meanwhile headed into the fray. He landed right in the middle of dozens of mechanical digimon who were apparently moving heavy machinery and manufactured goods from the factory to some uncertain location.
Cyberdramon hit the ground hard; so hard in fact that the cement cracked under his feet. He rose slowly up to his full height, growling as he grew. His first opponent came in fast. It was a Gardromon who was ready to crack Cyberdramon's head. Cyberdramon merely kicked the mechanical mon in the stomach, shoving him back into a line of workers. Cyberdramon stood again, motionless. He was now completely encircled by angered digimon.
One of them, another Mekanorimon, cried out, "An intruder!"
"Eliminate the target," said a second.
"And then complete the loading," finished the third.
All three Mekanorimon charged at once. Cyberdramon struck the one before him with a punch to the chest while the other two grabbed his shoulders from behind. Cyberdramon pulled out of their grasp and spun around, kicking one in the side and sending it plowing into the other. The first Mekanorimon came back with a series of jabs from its sharp claws, but Cyberdramon sidestepped or ducked every one of them before dropping to the ground and kicking the Mekanorimon's feet out right from under him. Cyberdramon shoved himself up into the air just in time to avoid a shot from one of the other Mekanorimon's Twin Beams. He performed a back-flip in mid-air and came down hard on the mechanical digimon's cockpit, crushing the glass dome and everything inside. Cyberdramon jumped back down to the ground as the Mekanorimon wobbled, fell, and exploded. The other two came at him as fast as they could, hacking and slashing with their fearsome claws. Cyberdramon once again dodged their blows with ease. After one attempted strike, Cyberdramon grabbed the Mekanorimon's arm before he could pull back and yanked the appendage right out of its socket.
"Need a hand?" asked Cyberdramon, letting the arm drop.
The two Mekanorimon stood with unemotional looks on their cold, metal faces. The extracted arm writhed on the ground with the last of its electrical energy.
"Threat level larger than expected."
"Do we flee or engage?"
"Engage, of course."
"He is…"
"…The enemy."
The dozens upon dozens of other mechanical digimon that had up until then been merely watching or transporting equipment suddenly all dropped what they were doing. Their eyes flashed red and all turned their focus to Cyberdramon.
"The threat must be eliminated."
"The Grand Scheme will be preserved."
"Time to die," Cyberdramon said with a growl as he got his claws ready for an ever more intense battle.
The two remaining Mekanorimon from the first fight charged, one in front of the other. Cyberdramon lunged at the same time. He drove his right through the first Mekanorimon and into the second. When they stopped struggling, Cyberdramon peeled them off his arm and let them drop.
"Who's next?" he asked.
Instantly, all of the other digimon charged him together. He kicked a Hagurumon into the crowd, sliced a Gardromon down the middle, crushed a few Kokuwamon under his feet, punched his way through a few Tankmon, and kicked a few Mekanorimon around. And still they kept coming. Cyberdramon was letting his punches and kicks fly in every direction, taking down one after another in a fearsome frenzy. But they were still all round him. He clawed off a Tankmon's arm as it was firing at him and turned it back on its owner. He picked up a Mekanorimon by its arms and swung it wildly around, pummeling any digimon that came close. One brave Gardromon tried to leap at him, but Cyberdramon released the Mekanorimon just in time to send it flying right into the Gardromon. Cyberdramon hit a BigMamemon in the face with a flying kick and sent it rolling back into the crowd, crushing a few digimon. He balled his hand into a fist and let an advancing Giromon have it right in the face, launching it well beyond the mob's edge. A small army of Mamemon became shrapnel when Cyberdramon started hitting them back into the crowd at speeds fast enough to send them bursting through their allies' bodies. A MetalMamemon became the victim of its own Smirk Bomb when Cyberdramon punched the attack right back.
And still Cyberdramon kicked and punched his opponents on all sides and still they came. One Mekanorimon was able to come up from behind and grab onto him, but a quick elbow to the face took care of that. Another Giromon came up ready to let loose with his chainsaw, but Cyberdramon backhanded him into the crowd. A Gardromon jumped over the incoming Giromon and tried to score a punch on Cyberdramon, but Cybderamon caught its fist, grabbed on tight, and kicked the machine's body so hard that the Gardromon's body went sailing back while its arm stayed put. Cyberdramon then used the severed arm to bludgeon a few Hagurumon, Solarmon and Kokuwamon that had gotten a little close for comfort. A Clockmon came in ready to strike with his mallet, but Cyberdramon stepped out of the way of the falling weapon and threw the Gardromon's arm at Clockmon's face. Cyberdramon was so busy taking care of Clockmon that he was unable to keep from being tackled from behind by a Tankmon. The beast was too heavy to escape from instantly, and soon there were even more digimon piling on, biting and scratching and clawing whatever part of Cyberdramon's body they could get at.
"Cyberdramon…!" said Ryo as he watched the writhing mass of digimon that had engulfed his friend.
Cyberdramon was not about to take this kind of insult lying down. A great yell could be heard welling up from deep within the pile of monsters, growing louder and louder with every passing second. Despite how deep within the crowd it was, the yell shook the ground and buildings, echoed off the mountains, caused the lake to tremble and the skies to pull back. And then it all came to a peak when Cyberdramon exploded from the crowd in a rage, tossing and ripping the machines from his body, kicking and clawing those that held on. His fangs were bared, his muscles bulged, his rage peaked. One after another he pummeled his enemies, but just as before they came. Two Mekanorimon charged him from opposite sides. He jumped and kicked both in the head. Another Clockmon came up, swinging its mallet wildly. He dodged it twice on the inside before letting Clockmon have it with a solid punch to the face. Clockmon hadn't even hit the ground though by the time a MetalMamemon came up and tried to let Cyberdramon have it with his fearsome Metal Claw. Cyberdramon blocked the strikes, which scratched his tough, metallic hide. After a few blows Cyberdramon had had enough and simply batted MetalMamemon away, sending him into a crushed Mekanorimon. A whole line of Datamon came in, launching their Nano Swarm attack from their fingers. The tiny bombs raked Cyberdramon's body up and down, and it became clear to him that there was only one way to attack this line: right through the middle. He lunged forward, getting right in among the Datamon. They tried to wrap him up in their tentacle-like arms, but he tore their weak bodies apart, snapping arms, casings, and glass skulls. They never stood a chance. A whole circle of Mekanorimon came at him together. They were within inches when Cyberdramon decided that he'd had enough he took to the air with such force that the incoming Mekanorimon were all knocked down. Now, however, he found himself open to projectile attacks from every digimon on the ground, so Cybderdramon had to do some of the fanciest flying of his life in order to avoid being brought down. He went higher and higher, avoiding attacks on all sides. And finally, when he was high enough, he flipped right over and faced his enemies with both claws out at his sides.
"Deletion Claw!"
Cyberdramon slammed his claws together in front of him and let it all out. His terrifying attack absolutely cleared the ground of life. The extreme rapidity and undeniable power of the Deletion Claw simply shredded the machines that had covered the ground. They fell one after another, some with dozens of basketball-sized holes in their bodies. Nothing was safe from Cyberdramon's rage as he pounded through one opponent after another. None of them stood a chance. On more than a few occasions he got a few digimon with one hit, and he'd usually keep it up until both machines had been utterly annihilated. A few minutes later, when Cyberdramon's attack slowed to a stop, all that moved on the battlefield was the dust and debris picked up by the wind.
Exhausted from the fight, Cyberdramon panted as he lazily flew back to the rooftop where Ryo still stood. He landed and kneeled for a moment. Ryo regarded him quietly.
"You did well," was all he said.
Cyberdramon sucked in air for a few minutes longer. "Get on," he finally said.
Ryo calmly climbed up Cyberdramon's back and the two of them flew back down to the battlefield. There they found the rapidly disintegrating bodies of the mechanical digimon, as well as the various pieces of equipment they had been carrying.
"You know," Ryo said as he studied some of the parts and manufacturing equipment, "I think this stuff is supposed to be for making weapons."
"Weapons?" asked Cyberdramon as he kicked aside a broken Tankmon.
"Yeah," said Ryo. "Some of these pieces look like upgrades for Mekanorimon. And these over here look like they go with Tankmon. And here are some pieces for Hagurumon. And this over here looks like a whole lot of ammunition. I'd hate to say it, but it looks to me like someone's getting geared up for a war."
"War?"
"Yeah."
Just then, Ryo's digivice began to beep. He quickly drew it from his pocket and held it up. A holographic circle spread out from the display screen and there appeared his mother's face.
"Ryo, we need to talk," the image of Elena said.
"How can you—"
"I'm afraid there's little time to explain that. Things have changed. You need to return to your own world immediately. Don't ask questions."
"But Cyberdramon and I are in this city in the west and we discovered all this equipment. I think someone's getting ready for a major battle."
"I'm sorry Ryo, but you've got to leave."
"Look, I'm not going anywhere until I get a decent explanation."
Elena sighed. "Okay. Meet me in the Tiger Gate as soon as you can, alright? I'll tell you what I can, but after that you've got to get yourself home."
"I'll get there as soon as I can."
The image disappeared and Ryo shoved his digivice back into his pocket.
"Cyberdramon!" he called out.
"We leaving?" Cyberdramon asked.
"Yeah. We'll have to come back later for all this. Let's go."
"My dear, what makes you think you CAN go?" asked a very sultry feminine voice from above and behind.
Ryo quickly turned around and both he and Cyberdramon looked up to see a dark figure slowly descending to the ground. It was LadyDevimon.
"And just who are you?" Ryo asked suspiciously.
"I, dear boy, am LadyDevimon of the Demon Corps, the personal guard of the Destroyer."
"Don't forget me," said a dry, cruel voice.
Cyberdramon and Ryo turned around to see another figure had appeared directly behind Cyberdramon.
"I am also from the Demon Corps," he explained. "You may call me…SkullSatamon."
"We're here to do the Destroyer's will," LadyDevimon explained. "And he wills us to see that operations here go smoothly."
"You have caused us to fail," SkullSatamon continued. "Those who go against the Destroyer's will must pay with their lives."
"Playtime is over, boys," said LadyDevimon as she extended her deadly claws.
Setomon lay in the grass again. He could see a great mountain rising up on the southern horizon, as large as any he had ever seen. The breeze was more constant now, more cooling. But while Setomon knew he still had a long journey ahead of him, the end of it felt closer than it had back on File Island. It felt much closer.
He lay in the tall, arid grasses, his tail swishing back and forth like a fan. The sky overhead was perfectly clear, as it always was. Suddenly, Setomon heard a noise. His head shot up out of the grass and he looked around nervously, grass shavings floating down off his mane. What he saw was a sphere of pure data just rolling along the ground like tumbleweed. Setomon groaned. It was not the first time since leaving the Blimpmon that he'd encountered one of these data packets. Beyond keeping from touching them, Setomon had lost his interest in such things. He had larger concerns now.
"What do I do, Guilmon?"
The wind blew and the grasses rustled, but Setomon perceived no answer in their sounds.
"What can I do? I guess I could go back to the island. I could also just find somewhere and settle down."
Setomon paused to bury his head in the grass.
"…Or I could keep going."
Setomon cringed in a sudden jolt of pain.
"I don't want to, but I have to. The dreams…I have to find him. I have to find that creature. I have to find Amadeus. Only when they are gone can I sleep peacefully."
The wind picked up its pace momentarily and then calmed once again.
"I guess I don't really have a choice anymore. No matter what I do, I just can't seem to escape the path I've set off on. I wonder, did I ever have a choice? I've always been at someone else's mercy. I followed Elecmon up the mountain whether I wanted to go or not. I followed Guilmon off the island because I thought I was supposed to. I kept going the same way we had been going. I've been doing what Setomon said, following her through this wasteland."
Setomon's expression sank.
"She said I was free, but I'm not. I'm not free at all. I've never made a choice. I don't even think there is such a thing as choice."
Setomon was silent for a short time. The wind and grasses moved just as before, completely ignorant of his presence.
"I could keep going, return, or stay. But I've already chosen to keep going. I just don't have a good reason why yet."
He was silent for a few more minutes.
"Dammit."
Setomon closed his eyes and let the wind run its fingers through his mane. The wind was blind. It couldn't tell whether it rustled grass or hair. It didn't matter. For once, Setomon could lay and rest, completely hidden and forgotten by the world. He heard more sounds.
"Stupid data packets…" he said, keeping his eyes closed and curling up a little more.
"Think again!" he heard a sinister voice say.
He felt three weapons rudely shoved up against his head from all sides. His eyes shot open and he knew he was surrounded. Three nearly identical figures in red stood all around him.
"Don't even think about moving," said the first of them.
"We're under orders to make sure you don't get any further," said the second.
"So don't make this more painful than it has to be," said the third.
"W-who are you?" Setomon asked nervously.
"We are the three FlaWizardmon."
"Armor digimon all."
"And your executioners."
"Who sent you?" Setomon demanded with a little added confidence.
"Someone who no one refuses."
"Now if you are just about done, we really do have a schedule to keep."
"Just one more question," Setomon said slyly.
"What?!" demanded all three FlaWizardmon.
"Do you feel lucky?"
"Huh?"
One of the FlaWizardmon felt something poke his shoulder from behind. He spun around only to be met with the sight of Setomon's tail right in his face. Setomon used his tail to give the FlaWizardmon just enough of a nudge to send him tripping back over his would-be prey and into his companions. At the same time, Setomon lashed out at the legs of the other two with his previously docile claws, pulling their legs out from under them. Setomon was able to leap away in the confusion, putting about twenty feet between himself and his adversaries, who had already recovered their composure.
"How unfortunate that you've decided to make this hard," the first said with obvious frustration.
"We'll just have to end your life as painfully as the possible," said the second.
"And I might add we have grown exceedingly skilled in that area," the third said with a wicked smile.
Setomon said nothing. He was too busy studying them. This was his first chance to get a clear view of the three and he didn't want to miss anything. They were humanoid in form, first of all, but were short in stature—no more than four feet tall at the greatest. They were also clad in ornate, though functionless red clothing. They appeared very flashy but they were probably ill-prepared for a direct attack. They were also physically thin, though possibly quite athletic. Each carried a pair of rods as their weapons, one red and one blue. Their faces were sinister, gray, hidden under their wide-brimmed hats.
"Not in the mood to talk?"
"That's just fine."
"Kill him!"
The three FlaWizardmon sprung into action…literally. While the outer two ran off to circle around Setomon, the center one jumped right at him. Setomon leaped back out of the way just as FlaWizardmon came in and struck the ground where Setomon had stood with his rod. The attack was delivered with such force that the ground exploded when struck, tossing dirt and grass in every direction. Setomon was awe-struck at the sight, and unable to keep from being grabbed from behind by the two other FlaWizardmon. The third FlaWizardmon quickly stood again with a grim expression and aimed his red rod at the captured Setomon.
"Fire Cloud!"
A stream of flame exploded from the FlaWizardmon's weapon, shooting at Setomon. Setomon Closed his eyes, bit down, and made his move.
"Fire Flash!"
A wall of fire shot up around Setomon, knocking back his captors and absorbing the attack. Landing on his feet, Setomon turned his attention first to the FlaWizardmon that stood before him. His eyes burned with the same intensity as the flame around him and he lunged forward. The FlaWizardmon jumped into the air though, landing behind Setomon and rejoining his two companions. Setomon's flame dissipated as he turned around again to face his adversaries.
"He's a tricky one."
"But still…"
"…We can handle him."
All three FlaWizardmon drew out their blue rods, so now they all carried a weapon in each hand. They charged at Setomon with their weapons raised. The lead FlaWizardmon struck first, swinging his blue rod at Setomon's face. Setomon shifted to the side but had to duck immediately to avoid being clobbered by another FlaWizardmon. Setomon jumped back to avoid being caught on the snout by another blow, but his luck ran out when he was caught on the side of the head by a fierce strike. It wasn't enough to knock him over, but it did open him to even more blows. He was being pummeled from every angle. Their attacks fell upon him even faster than he could feel them. Finally the lead FlaWizardmon gave him a solid kick to the jaw, tossing him through the air and onto his back.
The three FlaWizardmon looked at one another and nodded. They slowly spread out around Setomon in a circle as he struggled back to his feet. His face was battered and bruised; his legs trembled as he rose again. But he was not afraid. He was not weak. He had made his choice, and that was not to die.
The FlaWizardmon swung their rods out wide and Setomon felt a strong force surround him. The FlaWizardmon had filled the air with something.
"Magic Ignition!" they all shouted, striking their red and blue rods against one another.
The air exploded in a terrible inferno. Setomon was tossed, set on fire, robbed of his air. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see; all he could feel was the intense pain all around him. He was about to die and there was no way out. Once again he had no say in his fate. Once again the choice had been made for him.
But then he sensed something. Time seemed to slow down and the pain became unimportant. He heard his digivice activate. He knew what it meant. He could remember his dream; there was no ignoring it now. He remembered everything. He was a human in his dreams, and he had met with that Amadeus again. Amadeus had placed something into his digivice. The digivice contained a new code, a powerful code. Setomon would be able to digivolve with it once more and save his life. But the code was evil. He didn't know how, but the code possessed an evil aura, a power to change who he was. He feared it, but it was his only way to survive. That was what Amadeus had meant. This was Setomon's choice: digivolve and become evil, or die and remain free, remain himself. But Setomon had already made his choice, and he knew he wasn't free.
The three FlaWizardmon watched the swelling inferno with glee, proud as ever of their success. They were ready to turn and leave, but something happened. The flames started to go out of control.
"What the—?" all three asked at once.
Suddenly the inferno exploded. The flames that had previously been concentrated were tossed out in every direction, scorching the three FlaWizardmon and terrain alike. At the source of the explosion stood pillar of flame, stretching from the ground to the sky, twisting and turning, frying everything it touched.
"Setomon…digivolve to…!"
The three FlaWizardmon all looked up in terror. The pillar of fire suddenly dissipated, sending flame and scorched ground flying in every direction. And there, where it had been, stood a figure. He was a huge, hulking beast at nine feet tall. His gargantuan shoulders and arms dwarfed his short, yet powerful legs. His savage, sloping brow was covered in spiked red hair. Around his waste was a leather belt with a steel buckle; hanging from his left ear were a pair of steel earrings. He wore a large iron ring around his left ankle, a few leather straps around his left wrist, and steel beads on a few locks of hair that hung down behind his ears. There were patches of black fur in designs on his face and on top of his enormous hands, as well as three black strips on his right shoulder and one on his left leg. His tail was shorter than before, but maintained the same basic look. His fur was colored in a pattern similar to how it had been when he was Setomon. One of the more startling features about this new form, however, was the pair of giant canine teeth jutting from his upper jaw and hanging nearly to his thick chest.
"…SaberSetomon." he growled in a much deeper voice than before.
One of the FlaWizardmon, overcome by fear, turned and started to run. SaberSetomon's attention was grabbed instantly and he made a terrific leap through the air, landing right in front of the relatively puny digimon with a thunderous crash. The FlaWizardmon had only enough time to shake in his boots before SaberSetomon pulled his arm back to strike.
"Inferno Fist!"
SaberSetomon's arm was engulfed in flame and he delivered a punch of immense power right to the FlaWizardmon's chest. The armor digimon never stood a chance. He was thrown back nearly a hundred yards, bounced once, and disintegrated before he hit the ground again.
The two remaining FlaWizardmon were infuriated. They charged SaberSetomon together, yelling at the top of their lungs. As soon as they were in range, SaberSetomon merely swept them out of the way with a grand swipe from his arm. The two of them were tossed and landed in a heap some twenty feet off to the side. As soon as they were up again, SaberSetomon was right on top of them.
"Stay back!" they both shouted.
It was too late. SaberSetomon clasped his hands together to form a single fist. He lifted his hands up over his back and then brought them down again very hard, right onto the FlaWizardmon. They were slain instantly.
With the FlaWizardmon silenced, SaberSetomon was alone again. His breathing was short and heavy. His shoulders pulsated with every breath. His pupils had shrunk down, and there was warm blood on his hands. The choice had been made.
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The sun shone down coldly in the Western Quadrant. The steep, rugged mountains of Baihumon's making could be seen in all directions. Fresh snow lay on the ground, marked by two sets of footprints—one set huge with two toes and the other relatively small and clad in shoes—leading into the bustling industrial center of Snowy Ridge. It was a rather poorly-named city, considering as it was on a lake rather than atop one of the surrounding mountains, but such oddities are hardly unusual in any world. Though there was fresh snow around the city, only a small amount was to be found within its stone and iron core.
"I don't like the feel of this place," said the first traveler, the human known as Ryo who was still clad in a heavy brown cloak that left his head uncovered.
"Smells strange…" Cyberdramon said with a growl.
They still stood outside the city, but already they knew something was awry.
"Are we sure this is the place that had the bombing only a little while ago?"
"Positive."
"Well, as long as you're sure."
Just then they saw three Tankmon heading their way.
"Here comes trouble…" said Cyberdramon.
"Relax, let me do the talking. I'm sure they're only local guards."
Cyberdramon stayed quiet, but he definitely did not relax. The Tankmon arrived shortly enough and quickly encircle Ryo and Cyberdramon. Their weapons were ready to fire, and they didn't look like they would be the first one's to speak.
"Um…hi," Ryo said after a few tense seconds.
"Leave now!" the Tankmon ordered in their mechanical voices.
"But we were just—"
"You have three seconds to comply! Three, tw—"
Before they could get any further, Cyberdramon made his move. With a single broad swipe of his left claw he tore all three Tankmon apart.
"Problem solved," said Cyberdramon as the shredded parts of the Tankmon still fell on all sides of him.
"Something tells me that's just the tip of the iceberg," said Ryo.
"Not a problem." Cyberdramon cracked his knuckles. "I like crushed ice."
"I hope so, because I didn't exactly think to bring any modify cards along this trip. It's up to you."
"Let's get going."
"Right," Ryo agreed. Cyberdramon quickly grabbed Ryo and flew toward the center of the city.
By then, Setomon had regained consciousness. Now reduced to only one inexperienced guard, the Blimpmon's crew had decided to touch down at the nearest edge of the wasteland, which was luckily only a couple of hours away. A few of the crewmembers opted to remain behind with the Blimpmon, while the others escorted the passengers through the harsh terrain to the nearest town. Setomon, however, came to believe that his time with these digimon was at an end and chose to head off on his own, following the sounds and smells of his surroundings. That was how Setomon came to be alone again, wandering in the baking heat.
The area, though at the edge of the wasteland, was still quite arid. There were, however, a few shrubs and grasses to be seen, and the occasional stagnant pool of water. Nevertheless it was hardly any kind of place to make a real home in Setomon's view. The tireless sun and the rocky ground underfoot slowly wore away at Setomon's will to continue. There were no trees for shade and no smooth stretches of sand or healthy grasses. As Setomon walked his head drooped lower and lower. His tongue began to loll out and he panted with every breath. His padded feet were cut by the small, sharp rocks that littered the ground as far as his eyes could see. In time, Setomon finally decided to lay down for a rest. He flopped down on the ground in some of the dry grasses near a small puddle of water. He let out a long breath and closed his eyes.
"Why bother?" he asked of himself.
He rolled onto his side, but felt something under his head. He rolled back and scratched whatever it was free of his hair. It was his digivice, which he had some time ago clipped onto a lock of hair so he wouldn't drop it. He looked at it thoughtfully.
"What do you think?" he asked of it. "Was Kabukimon right?"
The digivice, of course, did not reply. Setomon gave a long sigh.
"Kabukimon fought with honor, but he ended up dying for it. Beelzemon…he won, but he was so cruel. Are those the only ways?"
A warm breeze passed him by, causing the grasses to whisper to one another.
"If they are, then maybe I don't want to fight at all. But it seems like I never have a choice. Those bad digimon always come after me. I didn't choose for all of this to happen. I didn't choose for Guilmon to die. I didn't choose to meet Jenomon. I didn't choose to let Kabukimon get killed…"
Setomon's eyes slowly opened as he realized the truth.
"…Or did I?"
It all became clear to him.
"I chose to leave File Island with Guilmon. That's why all of this has happened. That's why everything has turned out like it has. That's while all those good digimon are dead. Because of me."
The grasses whispered amongst themselves once more.
"They're all dead because of my choice."
Setomon did not shed a single tear. Instead he rose to his feet once again, snatched up his digivice, and continued on his way.
"Behind!" Ryo shouted.
Cyberdramon quickly spun around from the already mangled opponent in front of him and drove his claw up through the chest of the Mekanorimon that was trying to leap onto his back.
"Good work," Ryo said with a smile.
The two were now in the center of the city, where they had found not only an enormous number of mechanical digimon waiting to tear them limb-from-limb, but also an inexplicably missing civilian population.
"Come on, Cyberdramon," Ryo said after observing the fallen machines all around. "We don't have much time before even more spot us."
"What are we looking for?"
"Anything that seems important."
"Just take a look around. No normal digimon. Lots of bad guys."
"You know what I mean. Just keep your eyes peeled for something that these guys might be protecting."
"Intruders!" shouted a Kokuwamon that had just stumbled upon them.
"Get them!" shouted the four that immediately joined the first.
"We don't have time for this," said Ryo.
"Allow me." Cyberdramon grabbed the body of the Mekanorimon he'd just torn through and lobbed it at the Kokuwamon.
The Kokuwamon fled as quickly as they could so as to avoid being crushed under several tons of scrap metal.
"Nice," said Ryo. "Now come on! There's a lot of ground yet to cover."
"Halt!" ordered two Gardromon that appeared from around another building.
"We don't have time for this," said Ryo.
Cyberdramon unexpectedly grabbed Ryo and pulled him up onto his back as he took to the air. Ryo grabbed on tight as the wind and scenery rushed past him. Cyberdramon weaved expertly in between buildings, through tight corners and under sky-bridges.
"There!" said Cyberdramon.
Ryo twisted around to see where Cyberdramon was looking. He saw dozens of tightly-packed factories, but one particular one was badly damaged. There was a large hole in one of the walls and a smoke tower had been knocked over. The area was abuzz with activity.
"Wait here…" said Cyberdramon.
"Wha—"
Cyberdramon swooped in low and then performed a roll that caused Ryo to lose his grip. Ryo dropped like a stone…right onto a rooftop not ten feet below. The fall gave him just barely enough time to curl up into a ball so he could hit the ground in a roll. Cyberdreamon meanwhile headed into the fray. He landed right in the middle of dozens of mechanical digimon who were apparently moving heavy machinery and manufactured goods from the factory to some uncertain location.
Cyberdramon hit the ground hard; so hard in fact that the cement cracked under his feet. He rose slowly up to his full height, growling as he grew. His first opponent came in fast. It was a Gardromon who was ready to crack Cyberdramon's head. Cyberdramon merely kicked the mechanical mon in the stomach, shoving him back into a line of workers. Cyberdramon stood again, motionless. He was now completely encircled by angered digimon.
One of them, another Mekanorimon, cried out, "An intruder!"
"Eliminate the target," said a second.
"And then complete the loading," finished the third.
All three Mekanorimon charged at once. Cyberdramon struck the one before him with a punch to the chest while the other two grabbed his shoulders from behind. Cyberdramon pulled out of their grasp and spun around, kicking one in the side and sending it plowing into the other. The first Mekanorimon came back with a series of jabs from its sharp claws, but Cyberdramon sidestepped or ducked every one of them before dropping to the ground and kicking the Mekanorimon's feet out right from under him. Cyberdramon shoved himself up into the air just in time to avoid a shot from one of the other Mekanorimon's Twin Beams. He performed a back-flip in mid-air and came down hard on the mechanical digimon's cockpit, crushing the glass dome and everything inside. Cyberdramon jumped back down to the ground as the Mekanorimon wobbled, fell, and exploded. The other two came at him as fast as they could, hacking and slashing with their fearsome claws. Cyberdramon once again dodged their blows with ease. After one attempted strike, Cyberdramon grabbed the Mekanorimon's arm before he could pull back and yanked the appendage right out of its socket.
"Need a hand?" asked Cyberdramon, letting the arm drop.
The two Mekanorimon stood with unemotional looks on their cold, metal faces. The extracted arm writhed on the ground with the last of its electrical energy.
"Threat level larger than expected."
"Do we flee or engage?"
"Engage, of course."
"He is…"
"…The enemy."
The dozens upon dozens of other mechanical digimon that had up until then been merely watching or transporting equipment suddenly all dropped what they were doing. Their eyes flashed red and all turned their focus to Cyberdramon.
"The threat must be eliminated."
"The Grand Scheme will be preserved."
"Time to die," Cyberdramon said with a growl as he got his claws ready for an ever more intense battle.
The two remaining Mekanorimon from the first fight charged, one in front of the other. Cyberdramon lunged at the same time. He drove his right through the first Mekanorimon and into the second. When they stopped struggling, Cyberdramon peeled them off his arm and let them drop.
"Who's next?" he asked.
Instantly, all of the other digimon charged him together. He kicked a Hagurumon into the crowd, sliced a Gardromon down the middle, crushed a few Kokuwamon under his feet, punched his way through a few Tankmon, and kicked a few Mekanorimon around. And still they kept coming. Cyberdramon was letting his punches and kicks fly in every direction, taking down one after another in a fearsome frenzy. But they were still all round him. He clawed off a Tankmon's arm as it was firing at him and turned it back on its owner. He picked up a Mekanorimon by its arms and swung it wildly around, pummeling any digimon that came close. One brave Gardromon tried to leap at him, but Cyberdramon released the Mekanorimon just in time to send it flying right into the Gardromon. Cyberdramon hit a BigMamemon in the face with a flying kick and sent it rolling back into the crowd, crushing a few digimon. He balled his hand into a fist and let an advancing Giromon have it right in the face, launching it well beyond the mob's edge. A small army of Mamemon became shrapnel when Cyberdramon started hitting them back into the crowd at speeds fast enough to send them bursting through their allies' bodies. A MetalMamemon became the victim of its own Smirk Bomb when Cyberdramon punched the attack right back.
And still Cyberdramon kicked and punched his opponents on all sides and still they came. One Mekanorimon was able to come up from behind and grab onto him, but a quick elbow to the face took care of that. Another Giromon came up ready to let loose with his chainsaw, but Cyberdramon backhanded him into the crowd. A Gardromon jumped over the incoming Giromon and tried to score a punch on Cyberdramon, but Cybderamon caught its fist, grabbed on tight, and kicked the machine's body so hard that the Gardromon's body went sailing back while its arm stayed put. Cyberdramon then used the severed arm to bludgeon a few Hagurumon, Solarmon and Kokuwamon that had gotten a little close for comfort. A Clockmon came in ready to strike with his mallet, but Cyberdramon stepped out of the way of the falling weapon and threw the Gardromon's arm at Clockmon's face. Cyberdramon was so busy taking care of Clockmon that he was unable to keep from being tackled from behind by a Tankmon. The beast was too heavy to escape from instantly, and soon there were even more digimon piling on, biting and scratching and clawing whatever part of Cyberdramon's body they could get at.
"Cyberdramon…!" said Ryo as he watched the writhing mass of digimon that had engulfed his friend.
Cyberdramon was not about to take this kind of insult lying down. A great yell could be heard welling up from deep within the pile of monsters, growing louder and louder with every passing second. Despite how deep within the crowd it was, the yell shook the ground and buildings, echoed off the mountains, caused the lake to tremble and the skies to pull back. And then it all came to a peak when Cyberdramon exploded from the crowd in a rage, tossing and ripping the machines from his body, kicking and clawing those that held on. His fangs were bared, his muscles bulged, his rage peaked. One after another he pummeled his enemies, but just as before they came. Two Mekanorimon charged him from opposite sides. He jumped and kicked both in the head. Another Clockmon came up, swinging its mallet wildly. He dodged it twice on the inside before letting Clockmon have it with a solid punch to the face. Clockmon hadn't even hit the ground though by the time a MetalMamemon came up and tried to let Cyberdramon have it with his fearsome Metal Claw. Cyberdramon blocked the strikes, which scratched his tough, metallic hide. After a few blows Cyberdramon had had enough and simply batted MetalMamemon away, sending him into a crushed Mekanorimon. A whole line of Datamon came in, launching their Nano Swarm attack from their fingers. The tiny bombs raked Cyberdramon's body up and down, and it became clear to him that there was only one way to attack this line: right through the middle. He lunged forward, getting right in among the Datamon. They tried to wrap him up in their tentacle-like arms, but he tore their weak bodies apart, snapping arms, casings, and glass skulls. They never stood a chance. A whole circle of Mekanorimon came at him together. They were within inches when Cyberdramon decided that he'd had enough he took to the air with such force that the incoming Mekanorimon were all knocked down. Now, however, he found himself open to projectile attacks from every digimon on the ground, so Cybderdramon had to do some of the fanciest flying of his life in order to avoid being brought down. He went higher and higher, avoiding attacks on all sides. And finally, when he was high enough, he flipped right over and faced his enemies with both claws out at his sides.
"Deletion Claw!"
Cyberdramon slammed his claws together in front of him and let it all out. His terrifying attack absolutely cleared the ground of life. The extreme rapidity and undeniable power of the Deletion Claw simply shredded the machines that had covered the ground. They fell one after another, some with dozens of basketball-sized holes in their bodies. Nothing was safe from Cyberdramon's rage as he pounded through one opponent after another. None of them stood a chance. On more than a few occasions he got a few digimon with one hit, and he'd usually keep it up until both machines had been utterly annihilated. A few minutes later, when Cyberdramon's attack slowed to a stop, all that moved on the battlefield was the dust and debris picked up by the wind.
Exhausted from the fight, Cyberdramon panted as he lazily flew back to the rooftop where Ryo still stood. He landed and kneeled for a moment. Ryo regarded him quietly.
"You did well," was all he said.
Cyberdramon sucked in air for a few minutes longer. "Get on," he finally said.
Ryo calmly climbed up Cyberdramon's back and the two of them flew back down to the battlefield. There they found the rapidly disintegrating bodies of the mechanical digimon, as well as the various pieces of equipment they had been carrying.
"You know," Ryo said as he studied some of the parts and manufacturing equipment, "I think this stuff is supposed to be for making weapons."
"Weapons?" asked Cyberdramon as he kicked aside a broken Tankmon.
"Yeah," said Ryo. "Some of these pieces look like upgrades for Mekanorimon. And these over here look like they go with Tankmon. And here are some pieces for Hagurumon. And this over here looks like a whole lot of ammunition. I'd hate to say it, but it looks to me like someone's getting geared up for a war."
"War?"
"Yeah."
Just then, Ryo's digivice began to beep. He quickly drew it from his pocket and held it up. A holographic circle spread out from the display screen and there appeared his mother's face.
"Ryo, we need to talk," the image of Elena said.
"How can you—"
"I'm afraid there's little time to explain that. Things have changed. You need to return to your own world immediately. Don't ask questions."
"But Cyberdramon and I are in this city in the west and we discovered all this equipment. I think someone's getting ready for a major battle."
"I'm sorry Ryo, but you've got to leave."
"Look, I'm not going anywhere until I get a decent explanation."
Elena sighed. "Okay. Meet me in the Tiger Gate as soon as you can, alright? I'll tell you what I can, but after that you've got to get yourself home."
"I'll get there as soon as I can."
The image disappeared and Ryo shoved his digivice back into his pocket.
"Cyberdramon!" he called out.
"We leaving?" Cyberdramon asked.
"Yeah. We'll have to come back later for all this. Let's go."
"My dear, what makes you think you CAN go?" asked a very sultry feminine voice from above and behind.
Ryo quickly turned around and both he and Cyberdramon looked up to see a dark figure slowly descending to the ground. It was LadyDevimon.
"And just who are you?" Ryo asked suspiciously.
"I, dear boy, am LadyDevimon of the Demon Corps, the personal guard of the Destroyer."
"Don't forget me," said a dry, cruel voice.
Cyberdramon and Ryo turned around to see another figure had appeared directly behind Cyberdramon.
"I am also from the Demon Corps," he explained. "You may call me…SkullSatamon."
"We're here to do the Destroyer's will," LadyDevimon explained. "And he wills us to see that operations here go smoothly."
"You have caused us to fail," SkullSatamon continued. "Those who go against the Destroyer's will must pay with their lives."
"Playtime is over, boys," said LadyDevimon as she extended her deadly claws.
Setomon lay in the grass again. He could see a great mountain rising up on the southern horizon, as large as any he had ever seen. The breeze was more constant now, more cooling. But while Setomon knew he still had a long journey ahead of him, the end of it felt closer than it had back on File Island. It felt much closer.
He lay in the tall, arid grasses, his tail swishing back and forth like a fan. The sky overhead was perfectly clear, as it always was. Suddenly, Setomon heard a noise. His head shot up out of the grass and he looked around nervously, grass shavings floating down off his mane. What he saw was a sphere of pure data just rolling along the ground like tumbleweed. Setomon groaned. It was not the first time since leaving the Blimpmon that he'd encountered one of these data packets. Beyond keeping from touching them, Setomon had lost his interest in such things. He had larger concerns now.
"What do I do, Guilmon?"
The wind blew and the grasses rustled, but Setomon perceived no answer in their sounds.
"What can I do? I guess I could go back to the island. I could also just find somewhere and settle down."
Setomon paused to bury his head in the grass.
"…Or I could keep going."
Setomon cringed in a sudden jolt of pain.
"I don't want to, but I have to. The dreams…I have to find him. I have to find that creature. I have to find Amadeus. Only when they are gone can I sleep peacefully."
The wind picked up its pace momentarily and then calmed once again.
"I guess I don't really have a choice anymore. No matter what I do, I just can't seem to escape the path I've set off on. I wonder, did I ever have a choice? I've always been at someone else's mercy. I followed Elecmon up the mountain whether I wanted to go or not. I followed Guilmon off the island because I thought I was supposed to. I kept going the same way we had been going. I've been doing what Setomon said, following her through this wasteland."
Setomon's expression sank.
"She said I was free, but I'm not. I'm not free at all. I've never made a choice. I don't even think there is such a thing as choice."
Setomon was silent for a short time. The wind and grasses moved just as before, completely ignorant of his presence.
"I could keep going, return, or stay. But I've already chosen to keep going. I just don't have a good reason why yet."
He was silent for a few more minutes.
"Dammit."
Setomon closed his eyes and let the wind run its fingers through his mane. The wind was blind. It couldn't tell whether it rustled grass or hair. It didn't matter. For once, Setomon could lay and rest, completely hidden and forgotten by the world. He heard more sounds.
"Stupid data packets…" he said, keeping his eyes closed and curling up a little more.
"Think again!" he heard a sinister voice say.
He felt three weapons rudely shoved up against his head from all sides. His eyes shot open and he knew he was surrounded. Three nearly identical figures in red stood all around him.
"Don't even think about moving," said the first of them.
"We're under orders to make sure you don't get any further," said the second.
"So don't make this more painful than it has to be," said the third.
"W-who are you?" Setomon asked nervously.
"We are the three FlaWizardmon."
"Armor digimon all."
"And your executioners."
"Who sent you?" Setomon demanded with a little added confidence.
"Someone who no one refuses."
"Now if you are just about done, we really do have a schedule to keep."
"Just one more question," Setomon said slyly.
"What?!" demanded all three FlaWizardmon.
"Do you feel lucky?"
"Huh?"
One of the FlaWizardmon felt something poke his shoulder from behind. He spun around only to be met with the sight of Setomon's tail right in his face. Setomon used his tail to give the FlaWizardmon just enough of a nudge to send him tripping back over his would-be prey and into his companions. At the same time, Setomon lashed out at the legs of the other two with his previously docile claws, pulling their legs out from under them. Setomon was able to leap away in the confusion, putting about twenty feet between himself and his adversaries, who had already recovered their composure.
"How unfortunate that you've decided to make this hard," the first said with obvious frustration.
"We'll just have to end your life as painfully as the possible," said the second.
"And I might add we have grown exceedingly skilled in that area," the third said with a wicked smile.
Setomon said nothing. He was too busy studying them. This was his first chance to get a clear view of the three and he didn't want to miss anything. They were humanoid in form, first of all, but were short in stature—no more than four feet tall at the greatest. They were also clad in ornate, though functionless red clothing. They appeared very flashy but they were probably ill-prepared for a direct attack. They were also physically thin, though possibly quite athletic. Each carried a pair of rods as their weapons, one red and one blue. Their faces were sinister, gray, hidden under their wide-brimmed hats.
"Not in the mood to talk?"
"That's just fine."
"Kill him!"
The three FlaWizardmon sprung into action…literally. While the outer two ran off to circle around Setomon, the center one jumped right at him. Setomon leaped back out of the way just as FlaWizardmon came in and struck the ground where Setomon had stood with his rod. The attack was delivered with such force that the ground exploded when struck, tossing dirt and grass in every direction. Setomon was awe-struck at the sight, and unable to keep from being grabbed from behind by the two other FlaWizardmon. The third FlaWizardmon quickly stood again with a grim expression and aimed his red rod at the captured Setomon.
"Fire Cloud!"
A stream of flame exploded from the FlaWizardmon's weapon, shooting at Setomon. Setomon Closed his eyes, bit down, and made his move.
"Fire Flash!"
A wall of fire shot up around Setomon, knocking back his captors and absorbing the attack. Landing on his feet, Setomon turned his attention first to the FlaWizardmon that stood before him. His eyes burned with the same intensity as the flame around him and he lunged forward. The FlaWizardmon jumped into the air though, landing behind Setomon and rejoining his two companions. Setomon's flame dissipated as he turned around again to face his adversaries.
"He's a tricky one."
"But still…"
"…We can handle him."
All three FlaWizardmon drew out their blue rods, so now they all carried a weapon in each hand. They charged at Setomon with their weapons raised. The lead FlaWizardmon struck first, swinging his blue rod at Setomon's face. Setomon shifted to the side but had to duck immediately to avoid being clobbered by another FlaWizardmon. Setomon jumped back to avoid being caught on the snout by another blow, but his luck ran out when he was caught on the side of the head by a fierce strike. It wasn't enough to knock him over, but it did open him to even more blows. He was being pummeled from every angle. Their attacks fell upon him even faster than he could feel them. Finally the lead FlaWizardmon gave him a solid kick to the jaw, tossing him through the air and onto his back.
The three FlaWizardmon looked at one another and nodded. They slowly spread out around Setomon in a circle as he struggled back to his feet. His face was battered and bruised; his legs trembled as he rose again. But he was not afraid. He was not weak. He had made his choice, and that was not to die.
The FlaWizardmon swung their rods out wide and Setomon felt a strong force surround him. The FlaWizardmon had filled the air with something.
"Magic Ignition!" they all shouted, striking their red and blue rods against one another.
The air exploded in a terrible inferno. Setomon was tossed, set on fire, robbed of his air. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see; all he could feel was the intense pain all around him. He was about to die and there was no way out. Once again he had no say in his fate. Once again the choice had been made for him.
But then he sensed something. Time seemed to slow down and the pain became unimportant. He heard his digivice activate. He knew what it meant. He could remember his dream; there was no ignoring it now. He remembered everything. He was a human in his dreams, and he had met with that Amadeus again. Amadeus had placed something into his digivice. The digivice contained a new code, a powerful code. Setomon would be able to digivolve with it once more and save his life. But the code was evil. He didn't know how, but the code possessed an evil aura, a power to change who he was. He feared it, but it was his only way to survive. That was what Amadeus had meant. This was Setomon's choice: digivolve and become evil, or die and remain free, remain himself. But Setomon had already made his choice, and he knew he wasn't free.
The three FlaWizardmon watched the swelling inferno with glee, proud as ever of their success. They were ready to turn and leave, but something happened. The flames started to go out of control.
"What the—?" all three asked at once.
Suddenly the inferno exploded. The flames that had previously been concentrated were tossed out in every direction, scorching the three FlaWizardmon and terrain alike. At the source of the explosion stood pillar of flame, stretching from the ground to the sky, twisting and turning, frying everything it touched.
"Setomon…digivolve to…!"
The three FlaWizardmon all looked up in terror. The pillar of fire suddenly dissipated, sending flame and scorched ground flying in every direction. And there, where it had been, stood a figure. He was a huge, hulking beast at nine feet tall. His gargantuan shoulders and arms dwarfed his short, yet powerful legs. His savage, sloping brow was covered in spiked red hair. Around his waste was a leather belt with a steel buckle; hanging from his left ear were a pair of steel earrings. He wore a large iron ring around his left ankle, a few leather straps around his left wrist, and steel beads on a few locks of hair that hung down behind his ears. There were patches of black fur in designs on his face and on top of his enormous hands, as well as three black strips on his right shoulder and one on his left leg. His tail was shorter than before, but maintained the same basic look. His fur was colored in a pattern similar to how it had been when he was Setomon. One of the more startling features about this new form, however, was the pair of giant canine teeth jutting from his upper jaw and hanging nearly to his thick chest.
"…SaberSetomon." he growled in a much deeper voice than before.
One of the FlaWizardmon, overcome by fear, turned and started to run. SaberSetomon's attention was grabbed instantly and he made a terrific leap through the air, landing right in front of the relatively puny digimon with a thunderous crash. The FlaWizardmon had only enough time to shake in his boots before SaberSetomon pulled his arm back to strike.
"Inferno Fist!"
SaberSetomon's arm was engulfed in flame and he delivered a punch of immense power right to the FlaWizardmon's chest. The armor digimon never stood a chance. He was thrown back nearly a hundred yards, bounced once, and disintegrated before he hit the ground again.
The two remaining FlaWizardmon were infuriated. They charged SaberSetomon together, yelling at the top of their lungs. As soon as they were in range, SaberSetomon merely swept them out of the way with a grand swipe from his arm. The two of them were tossed and landed in a heap some twenty feet off to the side. As soon as they were up again, SaberSetomon was right on top of them.
"Stay back!" they both shouted.
It was too late. SaberSetomon clasped his hands together to form a single fist. He lifted his hands up over his back and then brought them down again very hard, right onto the FlaWizardmon. They were slain instantly.
With the FlaWizardmon silenced, SaberSetomon was alone again. His breathing was short and heavy. His shoulders pulsated with every breath. His pupils had shrunk down, and there was warm blood on his hands. The choice had been made.