Kingdom Digimon part 26
"Show Me You're Brave Heart,"
The darkness that surrounds them swirling like the great winds of a hurricane as the wind roars in their ears. It began to decrease in strength gradually the darkness began to fade. TK and Patamon had lost sight of Zeximon, but they knew he was still the one in command of things at the moment. Patamon was anxious to digivolve, but TK held him back from it. Organization members loved hearing themselves talk and monologue. The longer he draws this out, the longer TK has to prepare a plan to stop this guy. With their loss of power they'd have to fight smarter not harder. However, he was startled to see when the darkness did break apart they were no longer in the Digital World, but at Heighten View Terrace the place where he saw his first Digimon battle between Greymon and Parrotmon. But, why are they here?
"You're probably thinking to yourself, why are we here," Zeximon's voice sounds out from above TK and Patamon. They both look up sharply to see the Nobody floating in the air with his hands behind his back, but still no weapon. "Because, this is where it all began wasn't it. Where you all were gifted with your powers, where you all were chosen to be Digidestined,"
"How do you know about that?" Patamon questioned especially since they had only just learned their own history quite recently.
"Oh please, you have no idea the amount of data we have on you guys. Seriously, it's a lot, even I haven't been able to read through all of it, it's mostly theories though and that's dull,"
"Why bring us here?"
"To speak, since you seem so set on stopping me," He uses air quotes around the phrase.
"Not just you, all of you guys. You can't keep trying to use us!" TK says angrily.
"Well look at poppet, trying to start making his own decisions," Zeximon says placing a hand on his hip. He phases out of sight before appearing right next to TK so that they stand shoulder to shoulder. TK flinches but makes no other movements. "It's too little too late kid. You're done, your friends are going to lose against Piedmon, and we'll claim them ourselves the hard way if we must,"
"What do you guys want with us huh?" TK asks, since it's been the one question that's been plaguing his mind.
"Seriously, you have to ask?" Zeximon gives, what TK assumes since he can't see his face, a questioning look. The Nobody sighs exasperated. "All you heartfull creatures are so dense it's sad. But to make it simple for your feeble mind, we want to use your power to gives ourselves hearts,"
TK blinks confused, "What?"
"You Digidestined have the ability to make dreams and wishes come true. You all represent the key characters to making a heart, eight noble traits. We must then create Nobodies for you to create eight corrupted traits since having a heart of such goodness is not truly what makes a heart. Be doing this we can create our own hearts, so that we may be able to change, Digivolve, or experience our own kind of evolution,"
"You guys just wanna get stronger?"
"Do you really think we care about strength with all the power we have at our command? You were crushed by Xemmon without him exerting much effort if he did at all. You can't understand the emptiness we feel inside of us, the longing to be complete people. We can only operate off of what we remember a heart feels like,"
"So, all of you guys just pretend to have feelings?"
"We couldn't feel if we wanted to, and believe me, we do want to," Zeximon says placing a hand on his chest.
"Why not just ask us to help you?" TK asks.
"We've learned to thrive in darkness, our views on good and evil are a little messed up without a heart. I can't say you'd all agree with the methods we'd employ," Zeximon shakes his head as he walks away from TK. "If you want to help surrender, and harness the dark powers that are around you,"
"No way!" TK exclaims.
"Then we go about this the hard way," Zeximon waves his hand for a book to appear before him. "Lexicon summon," Dark Portals appear on his right and left. Out of the one on his right appears a Greymon and the other a Parrotmon. They both growl as they focus their attention on TK and Patamon.
"Now?" Patamon questions. TK nods as his Digivice begins to shine brightly. "Patamon Digivolve to…Angemon!" The angel Digimon stands proud and true in his true champion form instead of some corrupted version. Zeximon smirks as he points his hand out for Greymon to unleash a Nova Blast attack. The huge fireball smashed into the ground just where the angel had been before taking flight. The explosion of the dust whips in TK's face forcing the boy to hold his arms up to block it out. Angemon notices Parrotmon flying towards him at a fast speed, so the angel Digimon raised his staff to defend. He deflects the bird Digimon's rushing attack then spins his staff neutralizing the electrical blast from it's feathers.
"Watch out behind you!" TK calls. Angemon had barely time to react as he only felt the heat of Greymon's attack before barreling out of the way of the large fireball for it to smash into Parrotmon. Angemon sighs with relief ashamed he hadn't sensed that attack coming. He looks to Greymon to see the Digimon open its mouth to unleash a different kind of attack.
"Nova Flame!" It exclaims shooting a powerful stream of fire out of his mouth. Angemon gasps not used to seeing such an attack from Greymon but reacts quickly. He raises his staff to create a barrier with it that pushes back some of the flames as he tries to move away. However, Parrotmon smashes into Angemon's barrier keeping the holy Digimon between a rock and a hard place.
"Angemon," TK says with a concerned voice.
"You could save him ya know," Zeximon says in a calm, almost teasing, tone of voice. "You know what you have to do, just raise up that Digivice and take back the power. Save him, before you lose him all over again,"
TK stood in total shock and fear. The one thing he feared was losing Angemon again, but he couldn't fall again. TK reaches for his Digivice holding it in his hands. He wanted to believe in his Digimon and believe that he was strong without those dark powers. But, how can he start all over again? He needs power now, not later. He doesn't have the time to unlock his crest and discover his true power. He needed the power now!
…
…
"But I know better," TK says now clenching his Digivice tightly in his fist. "Angemon, those Digimon are made of darkness, you can destroy them!" TK raises his Digivice for a light to shine brightly.
"Yes, I understand," Angemon had taken his own dark power for granted. He never been on the struggling end of a fight for so long while trying. He wasn't accustomed to it, but he knew that TK believed in his strength. Angemon took his staff to raise it over his head. "Heavenly Typhoon!" Angemon exclaims he spins his staff creating a tornado made of golden winds. The winds sucked in Parrotmon and Greymon both at the same time. Both champion level Digimon are at the mercy of the wind surprising Zeximon. Angemon flies outside the tornado pulling his glowing fist back. "Hand of Fate!"
He unleashes a golden beam of light that shoots out piercing both Digimon in one blow. The creatures only let out gurgles of discomfort before they go to darkness from once they came. Zeximon isn't pleased with this show as he opens up more Dark Portals to unleash more Greymon and Parrotmon. The multiple targets don't ruffle Angemon's disposition in the least. He raises his fist for light to shine out form it making the monsters of darkness wince. Angemon pulls back his fist then quickly swings it across his body unleashes another beam of light. The holy energy completely decimates the dark creatures putting Zeximon on edge. He sees Angemon rush him directly holding his staff above his head. Zeximon raises his tome blocking the staff but the blow carried a lot of power behind hit. It threw the tome into Zeximon's chest as he went sliding back on his feet.
"Don't wanna give up do you?" Zeximon questions. Angemon holds his staff up illustrating his answer to the question. "Let us move onto the next stage then."
Zeximon raises his hands for the darkness to swirl around them again. Angemon quickly rushes over to TK folding his wings around the boy to shield him for what may come out of this darkness. Once the darkness did subside they see that they are in what they recognize as the gate room in Myotismon's castle.
"This is where you turned on your friends," Zeximon states floating in the air above them. "This is where you made the decision to allow the darkness to enter your heart. You remember that day don't you? I'm sure you do, the power, it was incredible was it not,"
"All we did was hurt our friends!" TK yells back at the Nobody.
Zeximon snorts, "You've been hurting them long before this point, it's just that you stopped being subtle about it. Face it TK, you are the poison of the Digidestined. Live up to your role, stop fighting who you are," Zeximon raises his hands for his tome to open and lights shoot out the book. Six lights land on the ground and take form into the champion forms of the Digidestined Digimon.
"How is he doing this?" TK questions.
"That book of his perhaps," Angemon points out.
"Now Angemon," Zeximon begins grabbing both their attention. "You easily took down your former allies rather easily, without much effort at all originally. Do you believe the result will be the same, especially when they are intent on your destruction?"
"We'll see, won't we?"
Angemon takes flight opening up with his Angel Rod striking at Garurumon first, but missing only by a hair from the speedy Digimon. Garurumon was now on Angemon's left then unleashes his Howling Blaster attack. The blue flames come rushing toward Angemon, but the angel took flight dodging the attack as the flames hit Kabuterimon. Angeomon swings the butt of his staff into Greymon's stomach, but the brute hardly felt the blow. Greymon moves to bite down on Angemon but Angemon swings his staff into Greymon's chin then backs off. Angemon notices Ikkakumon's Harpoon Torpedo closing in on him. He takes a batter swing at the attack knocking it into Garurmon's face. Togemon finally steps up to unleash a storm of her Needle Spray attack. Angemon spins his staff quickly between both hands deflecting each needle fired at him as the land below him. Though a few needles managed to breach his defense evidence to the scratches he still received. When the barrage ended Angemon had to land in order to catch his breath. Garurumon pounces toward Angemon. Angemon catches Garurumon's teeth on his staff then floats off the ground to flip backwards throwing the wolf Digimon into Greymon. He absorbs his staff then points his fist to unleash his Hands of Fate attack. There was a direct hit with Kabuterimon but this did not destroy the construct on contact surprising Angemon.
"It didn't work?" TK questions.
"That's right, I actually infused these with a little holy energy I managed to scrounge up, to give it that authenticity so to speak," Zeximon states proudly.
TK looks at the Nobody then his Digimon. Angemon was getting tired, the only thing keeping him in the fight is the fact these Digimon weren't the real deal. These things didn't know how to work together like the real ones could, but they still had the advantage in numbers.
"What point are you trying to make here?" Angemon demands gliding back on his feet avoiding attacks from his imposter allies.
"This place is of significance. This is where you made the great decision to embrace who you are. Enjoy the powers you now had full command of, where you discovered what you could really do! This is where you made yourself whole."
"No … I wasn't. I was just really confused."
"About what?"
"I was mad but I didn't know why. It was Myotismon's fault he made-,"
"He made you realize what and who you are kid. The fact is with only a few words, you lashed out freely against your friends. The proof is right around your neck, Hope can have a dark side. The light that forever shines in darkness, or the darkness that forever thrives in the light," TK looks down to his crest. He sees the gold began to be swallowed up by black as if it was reverting back.
"Even if that is true, I decide what it is no one else!" TK exclaims. TK's crest shines. "That wasn't me!"
Angemon raises his staff above his head. Suddenly the Digimon constructs began glowing as light beams shot out their bodies to bathe Angemon in its glow. Zeximon is startled again as he realizes that Angemon absorbed the holy energy from the constructs. Angemon took this power then unleashed it on the darkness slicing through the constructs and the illusion created. Zeximon falls to the ground after the room began to fall apart back to darkness. He is slow to recover but is smashed in the stomach with Angemon's staff throwing the Nobody through the air to land hard on his back.
"Why do you keep up this futile battle?!" Zeximon yells enraged. "You won't win the darkness is in you, it won't just go away not now, not ever!"
The Lexicon opens up pouring more darkness out as the stage swirls again. The shadows began to converge until it made a new landscape. TK and Angemon soon realize that stand on the cliff of a large mountain. They recognized the new stage easily, as if they'd been there their entire lives. They were at Infinity Mountain, a place that holds memories of pain and despair. TK knew what was coming now as his heart falls seeing the towering figure himself. Devimon.
"That's …," TK gasps.
"That's right," Zeximon says floating just over Devimon's head. "And with my powers concentrated on this particular construct, he's more powerful as well. There won't be a one shot this time,"
"I will not let this be how it ends," Angemon takes to the sky. Devimon laughs as the mere booming of his voice makes the angel and his partner flinch. Angemon pulls back to attack with his Heavenly Typhoon.
Devimon hardly felt the attack as the winds seemed to break apart around him. Angemon notices this darkness is particularly strong, but it's not just because of Zeximon. There is more to what is happening here then what Zeximon had revealed. Angemon is swatted away by Devimon which sent him to crash into a rock wall then fall to the ground. The pain felt real enough to not be an illusion, but something so powerful. He wouldn't stand a chance unless he Digivolves. But that is impossible at this point his power is fading as well. He looks to Devimon seeing the fallen angel focus down on him sneering.
"Well Angemon, it seems you will fall just as I expected you would. You foolish Digimon, to think you had the power to vanquish my darkness. But there shall always be darkness!" Devimon pushes his hand out flat to pin Angemon against the stone wall. Angemon lets out a loud grunt of pain. "Now boy," Devimon says speaking to TK directly. "Watch again as history repeats itself. Watch as your weakness brings the destruction of your partner," Angemon turns his head to look at TK to see a face of utter terror of despair. He was falling to the darkness and it was showing by the shine of his crest dropping lower and lower.
"TK…" Angemon groans.
"There is only one way to save him," Zeximon says standing behind TK. "Give in to the darkness,"
TK falls to his knees crying in agony as he felt his head was spinning, he felt nausea build up, and a pain in his chest. It was like a painful burning sensation was set a fire in his chest while at the same time his brain was banging against his skull. It was agonizing and he felt ill. Wait…this is what happened when the darkness had first took hold of him. When he pasted out at the Pagumon Village, and when they first got to Server. That's when the darkness took hold of him, that's when his downward spiral truly began.
"TK!" Angemon yells at his partner. TK looks up. "This isn't an illusion or some trick. Zeximon is manipulating your memories!" TK blinks confused. "He's bringing up the darkness that's inside of you, that's always been there. Remember, what we learned using the dark power!"
TK looks at the ground with confusion not understanding. If these were all his memories…then all this darkness that was swirling around them…is darkness inside him already. Then does that mean he's already given in? Was this just a battle of futility. He didn't even know what futility meant, but he was sure it meant that this fight was pointless. It was going to end like it would always end, and there was nothing he could do to change that. Dark energy began swirling around him as the light he gave off started to be consumed with black as his body followed. Soon the entire left half of his body was covered in black.
"I guess the others were right about me in the end. I am the bad guy," TK think to himself as he feels the darkness slowly start to take hold again. "Matt…"
"…No one is gonna leave you behind…" That was Matt's voice. TK pulls his mind out the darkness for a moment to listen for the voice. He knows he heard it. He looks up to see a glowing figure of Matt smiling at him with a warm golden glow around his body. "We're all here for you and we need you here with us too. Our strength relies on one another so no matter what you feel we think about you, I gurantee you it isn't true. We're your friends, you know that it's only this darkness that has made you believe you're thinking,"
That's what Matt had said to Sora to bring her back.
"You gotta believe we're here for you. We mess up sometimes, everybody knows I do, but it's what you learn from those falls. We may've split up a few times before but we always find our way back together," Joe speaks as he appears next to Matt.
Sora suddenly appears next to him opposite Matt and Joe. "We didn't realize the problems you were facing by yourself, and how we weren't there when you really needed us," She says with a sad tone as she crouches down to TK's eye level.
"Just make sure you stay on our side from now on!" Mimi pleads appearing next to Sora with a sincere smile.
TK suddenly feels a hand on his head then looks to see Izzy smiling while looking at Mimi and Sora, "TK feels that he's alone, and I guess I can sympathize with that. I can understand trying to cover up the fact of feeling alone with something else. Besides, he's the youngest out of all of us so in a way he's like everyone's little brother," TK blinks at the statement somewhat surprised.
He felt someone grab his hand making his attention turn to them. He sees Kari smile at him warmly. "Thanks for protecting me. But you shouldn't push people away. You should let people help you when you're in trouble," she says in a soft kind voice.
TK smiles at the girl before he notices Tai. TK feels shame build up in his chest, but Tai smiles at him. "Glad your back TK," Tai says taking a knee in front the boy. "Now how about trying to stay on our side because we need ya,"
TK smiles before nodding his head.
"What is this?" Zeximon states annoyed. "I hadn't conjured these things up."
Each Digidestined began to glow a golden light before they all converged into TK's body. Finally, it dawned on him what this all meant and what was happening. Zeximon used this darkness to bring out the dark memories and with them the dark feelings. Expose him to what made him fall in order to tempt him again. But he was also in a place of light since these were his memories after all. Each Digidestined here represented a portion of their hopes and wishes. Things they believed in. This was entrusted to him, because he is the Bearer of Hope.
He is the Hope of the Digidestined.
"I won't give up, I won't stop shining no matter how dark it gets!" TK exclaims as the crest's light begins to really shine becoming overwhelming as the light overtakes TK's frame. "Angemon!" Suddenly a ball of light surrounds Angemon's body throwing away Devimon's hand making him wince.
"ANGEMON…Digivolve to…MAGNANGEMON!"
Magnangemon shines as his body releases an explosion of light and color. TK gasps seeing the new version of Magnangemon, but powered by the crest of Hope. Immediately he could see the difference but not just from an outward appearance. He stared at Magnangemon because even though the color of his wings, helmet, and the addition of the beam shield. He only had one sword on his right arm and it was a shining purple. TK noted all the differences but figured that he only had this feeling because Magnangemon looked different. But seeing this angel brought forth such power he realized was what he truly was.
"NO!" Zeximon barks pointing his hand out for Devimon to attack. Magnangemon.
"Excali-burst!" a shining purple sword shoots out Magnangemon's right arm. With one swing he slashes off Devimon's hand. The construct howls in pain. "Darkness is no longer our strength anymore," Magnangemon's powerful voice spoke echoing with his tremendous might. He pulls back his arm then swings again. The slash was powerful enough to slice right through Devimon's body and the very fabric of the world they were held in. Magnangemon flies down smiling at TK's awe struck face before scooping up his partner in his arms to fly through the hole.
"You can't escape the darkness!" Zeximon exclaims appearing before them blocking their exit. Zeximon opened his Lexicon again for the darkness around them to take swirl in another vortex before it converges on Zeximon. The darkness swirls around him until the outline of an angel is created. TK gasps recognizing that his form was the dark MagnaAngemon shuttered a little afraid but he looked to see Magnangemon hardly even concerned. This calmed TK as he watches on. "You will succumb to darkness!"
The dark MagnaAngemon attacks striking with two swords. Magnangemon avoid the attack flying around the dark angel. MagnaAngemon swings back around swing his two swords at the angel of Hope. Magnangemon was easily fending him off with one sword hardly showing any strain. MagnaAngemon cross his swords preparing to unleash a powerful sword beam. However, Magnangemon clashed swords with him before the dark angel could uncross his blades to unleash his attack. TK, still in Magnangemon's arm could feel the very heat of the blades as the clashed against each other with a loud clang.
"This darkness is not who we are," Magnangemon states plainly.
"That's a lie, it is you and no matter what purity you claim to have darkness will-,"
"Always exist within us," Magnangemon cuts him off. "We all have darkness within us. Everyone does, denying it only makes the darkness grow stronger as you pretend it's not there. We have faced our darkness, but now we must turn to the light to leave it behind. But we will never forsake the darkness for it's what keeps us balanced,"
"So are you saying you accept the darkness?"
TK looks at Magnangemon, "We accept the Hope. We shall accomplish our goals whether it be with darkness or light."
TK understood now. What Angemon had meant what they learned using the dark power. Darkness isn't evil, just as light is good, but it's the ones who uses them that make the difference. Too much of either one isn't good which creates chaos. "We live with both."
"No…" Zeximon gasps. Patches of light began peeking through the darkness. "No," the tears grow bigger and bigger. "NO!"
"For someone without a heart, I'm surprised you fear light so much," Magnangemon says. Zeximon releases the dark MagnaAngemon form to summon his Lexicon. However, Magnangemon slashes the tome before it could open. "Soul Vanisher!" Magnangemon swings his sword unleashing a powerful holy energy that breaks apart the darkness around them. After the explosion of light the TK and Magnangemon find themselves back to where they had left Matt, Sora, and Joe. They look around glad to see that none of them had stayed.
"Funny…" a strained voice spoke. Magnangemon with TK still in his arm turned to see the slowly disappearing Zeximon. "You weren't at all what I'd thought you'd be,"
"Maybe if you guys tried things different then maybe we could've helped you," TK suggested.
"Yeah, happy thoughts huh… but you should get going. Your friends aren't doing so well without you."
"He's right, I can sense something is gravely wrong," Magnangemon says. TK nods in understanding. Magnangemon takes to the sky while TK looks back watching Zeximon disappear. It's odd, he had feared and hated these Nobodies for a while. But now… now he just felt guilty for not being able to help them. All they wanted was to have hearts. Maybe that's why the stick together like they do, but TK imagined that hanging around others without hearts isn't very helpful to their cause.
"Maybe… all they want is friends?" TK questions to himself silently.