Chapter 49 – The beginning of the end
"Veemon!" cried Davis after his partner.
But there was a problem. Jun's partner was also a Veemon now. The two blue dragons rushed to the red-brown-haired and asked at the same time:
"Yes? What's wrong, Davis?"
"Who of you is my partner now?" was his question.
The right blue dragon raised his hand in the air as he rolled his eyes. How could his partner confuse him with the other Veemon?
"Okay. Veemon. It's about something private. That's why I want to be alone with you." Davis said.
"Okay!" his partner replied.
"Why?" asked Jun, who joined the small group.
She herself, like her younger brother, found it funny that their two partners were Veemon. So it happened that the siblings inadvertently confused their partners.
"I just wanted to talk to him about someone he knows." the red-brown-haired man replied angrily.
"Who exactly?" asked Jun's Veemon.
"It's about Alphamon or Jesmon. Or about Deemon." Davis' Veemon said.
"Who are Alphamon, Jesmon, and Deemon?" was the sister's question: "Apart that I already heard of Jesmon."
"Alphamon and Jesmon, like me, are Royal Knights." Magnamon's rookie level began to explain: "The latter is also Meiko's partner. Come to think of it… I've heard that Hackmon was created by the Homeostasis some years ago…"
"But he stated that he was killed by the age of 10,000 years." Davis recalled. "So, what is the truth then?"
"A time paradox!" answered Davis' Veemon.
"I am kind of surprised you know what a paradox is…" Jun's Veemon replied.
"Sure, I know that! Everyone knows this!"
"So, explain this paradox to us, Veemon." Jun asked him friendly.
"Of course. We know that Hackmon is a Royal Knight and survived Deemon's attack 10,000 years ago. Yet the Homeostasis stated that it tried to create an alert system some years ago." Veemon began. "Jesmon's abilities are identical to what the Homeostasis wanted to create. Was this a mere coincidence? I think not. Because the Homeostasis is a god I think it sent the newly created Hackmon back into the past where he eventually became a Royal Knight."
"Wow… This is complicated…" Davis sighed and had to close his eyes.
"Then Hackmon was found by Gankoomon who started to train him because… I honestly don't know why he started to train him… Hackmon had potential. But we never thought about making him a Royal Knight."
"I don't know who this Gankoomon guy is but…" Jun's Veemon started. "I think he would have thought something like this: Hey, I need a challenge so why not taking care of this little bundle of troubles? I think Gankoomon would actually say those things."
"Yeah… He probably would say something like this." Davis' partner agreed to him.
Both the Veemon started to discuss about Hackmon/Jesmon and Gankoomon. During the discussion Jun turned towards her brother and whispered to him:
"Should we actually tell the other's about your Veemon's idea about Hackmon?"
"Not until the problem with Deemon is solved." Davis answered her.
"Speaking of Deemon… Who exactly is he anyway?"
"Deemon himself is the one who almost completely wiped out the Royal Knights 10,000 years ago... He has also returned."
"And how dangerous is this digimon?" asked Jun's blue dragon who now joined their conversation again.
"As already explained by Veemon..." Davis began to roll his eyes: "He had managed to kill several ultimate-level digimon and seriously injure a handful."
"I see..." his sister said thoughtfully.
There was a crushing silence. Jun looked to her brother, then to her partner. He smiled at her and then folded his arms. He pondered how his partner and her brother could keep him and the other Veemon apart. Because it was annoying to be confused all the time.
"What are you thinking, Veemon?" Jun asked him.
"Hm?" he raised his gaze and looked at her a little bewildered: "Oh. I thought about how I and Veemon could distinguish us."
"You're different." Davis said.
"From character and so on..." sighed Davis' Veemon: "But we don't differ in appearance."
"Hm... That's right... And the names are also a problem." she said, before clapping her hands: "I've got it!"
Jun briefly disappeared into her room before returning with two neck scarves. One was red, the other was yellow. She bent down and presented the two scarves to the digimon.
"We should be able to distinguish you with this." she smiled: "Let's go. Choose a color."
"I'll take yellow!" shouted Davis' Veemon, grabbing the yellow scarf before tying it several times around his thin arm.
"Hey! I wanted to take the yellow!" complained Jun's Veemon.
"The early bird gets the worm."
The two digimon argued for a while, while Davis looked at his sister. She shrugged her shoulders and whistled loudly, so that the two Veemon stopped arguing.
"Okay, you two. We still have to do something about the name." she said, "Ideas?"
"Hm... What if we called one of you Vee?" suggested the red-brown-haired man.
"No." both partner digimon said.
"Veevee?" smiled Jun.
"That's just an extension!" shouted Davis' Veemon.
"Exactly!" said the other Veemon.
"I like Veevee." Jun put her hand on her partner's head and stroked over the blue scales.
"My sense of honor can't stand it!" argued Veemon.
"But somehow we have to keep you apart... The scarves are definitely a good idea..." Davis sighed briefly, before quietly adding: "A good idea from the stupid goat."
His sister did not hear him or ignored him, he was not so sure.
"You're talking about honor?!" cried Davis' Veemon, throwing his hands in the air: "I'm far older than you. My friends would laugh at me if I suddenly were called Vee or Veevee!"
"How old are you anyway?!"
"Over 10,000 years. And if you ask... I am also a Royal Knight!"
"Alright, alright, shorty. Just calm down, otherwise you will get a tantrum." he laughed.
"I AM not short! Just a little bit smaller! And I already have a tantrum!"
Suddenly it rang at the door, causing Davis' sister to start smiling broadly. She rushed to the door and opened it.
"Jim!" shouted Jun cheerfully, leading him to the apartment.
Followed by Jim appeared a dragon with purple fur, white muzzle and two black wings. The rookie level of the Royal Knight Magnamon recognized this digimon and smiled slightly while the other Veemon watched suspiciously Dorumon. Somehow, he didn't like the purple dragon, which made him start to growl quietly.
"You... are you a DigiDestined, Jim?" she asked, astonished.
"Yes..." he looked down somewhat embarrassed before looking at his partner: "That's Dorumon."
"Well... I am also a DigiDestined. And that's my partner, Veevee," Jun introduced her partner.
"What?!" he exasperated: "My name now is Veevee?!"
"Ha, ha." Veemon laughed.
"Hey... Stop." Dorumon rebuked him, before he froze and, like the two blue dragons, began to growl quietly.
Davis, however, did not notice this and annoyedly asked:
"Since when are you a couple please?"
"For two years." his sister replied, enclosing her arms in front of her chest: "He's my dream man!"
"Yes, yes... Until you get in love with Matt again." the red-brown-haired man waved off.
"Davis..." raved his partner.
"Not now, Veemon..." he hissed: "You're such a stupid goat."
"What are you calling me?!"
"Jim..." Dorumon chirped in.
"What's wrong, Dorumon?" asked Joe's older brother, worried, noting his partner's tense behavior.
"I don't know why... but I'm kind of tense."
"I'm also kind of... tense," Veevee said clenching his hands to fists.
"Then I don't imagine it?"
"No." Veemon sighed, sighing softly: "Deemon is here... I can feel it."
"What?!" shouted Davis: "Then we have to find him!"
"We'll come along!" shouted Veevee.
"Definitely!" agreed Jun.
"No!" the red-brown-haired man grabbed his pair of shoes. "You guys stay out of this! Deemon is our problem not yours! Besides your partners can't digivolve to higher levels yet."
"What?! But-" Jun stuttered.
"I have to agree with him, Jun." Jim said. "We would risk our partner's lives if we went with him."
"Okay…" his girlfriend complied.
Davis nodded to the two before rushing to the street. Veemon called after him and followed him after he said goodbye to the others.
Meanwhile, Akira and her mother were in a hair salon, unaware that Deemon was in the real world.
"Are you absolutely sure you want such a short haircut, Akira?" her mother asked her.
"For the thousandth time... Yes!" shouted Akira annoyed.
Although there was a strong danger from Deemon, Wanyamon's partner wanted to have a few hours for herself... and that meant going to the hairdresser and having your hair cut short. The hairdresser rolled his eyes. Mother and daughter had been arguing about the hairstyle for over an hour.
Wanyamon, who was sitting in a bag, also rolled his eyes. Slowly, he, too, ran out of patience. He annoyedly hit his tail against the inside of the bag and growled quietly. Why were the two arguing about a haircut? It really wasn't that important, wasn't it? As if mother and daughter had read his thoughts, Sera said:
"But don't complain because you have short hair."
"Don't remind me, Sera!" she hissed, "I'm not eight anymore!"
"Please decide now!" the hairdresser asked angrily: "I still have customers."
"Do it!" cried Akira.
Her mother took the bag in which in-the training digimon was sitting and went to the waiting area. Once there, she looked down to the Digimon.
"How long did you want to argue anyway?" asked Wanyamon.
"She's just very spirited. I think she got that from her father." Sera said.
"Her father?"
"I don't know what happened to him... but it doesn't matter either," she shook her head briefly to dispel this memory: "Please don't ever bring that again, Wanyamon."
"I promise."
"Thank you." she said, smiling softly at him.
It took half an hour for the hairdresser to finish and get Sera who walked slowly to her daughter. Her mouth was open. The haircut looked very good on her daughter and she herself also seemed very satisfied. She smiled confidently and turned her head slightly from left to right. The longer Akira looked at herself, the happier she seemed. Part of her hair covered her left ear while the counterpart was visible. The cut also showed her beautiful back of her head, which you couldn't see due to her previous hairstyle. When Akira had enough, she got up and nodded.
"Okay!" she cried euphorically: "Now I want to have earholes pierced!"
"Akira!" her mother snobs her: "We have to go home!"
"Yes, yes." she rolled her eyes annoyed and took the bag before leaving the store.
She walked onto a sidewalk and watched some people. A warm breeze swept over her face and she closed her eyes.
Suddenly a loud bang sounded and several roof parts raced towards her.
"Wanyamon!" cried Akira.
"Understood! Wanyamon warp-digivolved to... Dynasmon!"
The ultimate-level digimon posed protectively over them and wrapped his purple wings around himself and his human partner. The roof parts hit into his back and he closed his eyes in pain.
"Dynasmon!" his partner looked up to him in shock.
"I'm fine, Akira." he assured her, straightening up before looking around.
In the distance he could see a familiar Digimon. Dynasmon growled furiously and flapped his wings to get into the air. Akira also looked in the direction and recognized Deemon, who attacked buildings with his flames. She also could see something golden. It was Magnamon who had already rushed to the battlefield and fought the demon.
The ultimate-level Digimon rushed to fight. Before that, however, he had taken another quick look at Sera who was now wrapping an arm around her daughter.
Dynasmon shook his head as he flew to Deemon and threw his claw against a building.
"You come late, Dynasmon." said the golden knight and joined his side.
"Should I let Akira die?!" he raved angrily.
"There was never any talk of that!" he replied.
Deemon sent an electric charge.
Both Royal Knights dodged before Magnamon sent several torpedoes to the enemy. He flapped his wings and flew up. However, the torpedoes chased him, so he flew directly to Dynasmon. The ultimate-level Digimon wanted to attack the demon again with his claw. Deemon flew over him, causing the torpedoes to crash into him. Dynasmon was thrown to the ground and left lying there. He wanted to get up, but Magnamon was already on him because Deemon had sent him flying towards Dynasmon.
"Grah!" shouted Akira's partner.
"Sorry." said the golden knight while he stood up.
Just as the demon was about to send an electric charge on the two, something red and yellow-orange raced towards him and pushed him away. Jesmon unfolded his cape in an elegant movement, while Por, Atho and René stood next to his head.
"Jesmon!" shouted Magnamon.
"Come on! Don't be careless!" the dragon man shouted at them and pulls his blades out of the protectors.
Dynasmon looked up at him. Apparently, Jesmon has overcome his depression and is now bursting with energy. Little did he know that Gankoomon had given the dragon man a pep-talk. He still knew that after sleeping for 10,000 years, Jesmon and Alphamon walked together through the digital world until they separated. At that time the dragon man was the youngest and most inexperienced member of the Royal Knights and still had to learn a lot. So, after almost all the Royal Knights were wiped out by Deemon, Alphamon personally took Jesmon under his wing, rebuilt him and taught him a lot. These memories were kept in the hearts of the dragon man, and with the encouragement of Gankoomon and Meiko he was now confident enough to fight again.
Jesmon ordered his energetic beings to attack Deemon to minimize the damage to the city. However, the demon sent purple flames on these beings and hurled them back.
"Por, Atho, René!" the dragon man shouted and caught the three: "Is everything okay?"
The three beings talked in an inaudible language that only their master understood. He sighed with relief before Por, Atho and René disappeared. The three energetic beings had suffered serious damage during the attack and had to rest. So, they couldn't fight and protect the dragon man. Deemon stretched his claw toward him, causing the dragon man to dodge to the side. A short time later he flew to his comrades and landed in front of them.
"Do you have an idea how we can defeat him?" he asked.
"No." Dynasmon replied.
"Unfortunately, I don't have an idea either. And your energetic beings can't fight anymore, can they?" said Magnamon.
"Yes... Deemon seriously injured them." the dragon man confirmed: "They can't protect me or use Un Pour Tous with me."
Another Digimon joined the three.
"We don't need your Un Pour Tous, Jesmon." Omnimon said, pulling out his Grey blade: "Grey Blade!"
He swung his weapon horizontally, creating an energy wave. Deemon was thrown back and collided with a bridge. Dynasmon and Magnamon raced to the enemy and attacked him up close. The demon flapped his wings and flew into the air, where he was thrown to the ground by Jesmon with a swing of his tail blade.
"You can't beat us, Deemon?" Akira's partner mocked him arrogantly.
"Dynasmon, don't provoke him!" the fused knight warned him.
"But why does he attack us only minimally." Magnamon couldn't talk further, because Deemon had grabbed him by the neck at the moment of carelessness and pressed him to the bottom: "Gragh!"
"Magnamon!" the dragon man wanted to help his comrades, but was thrown against a building by an electric charge.
"Argh!" Jesmon cried out in pain.
The golden knight tried to free himself from the grip, but could not, because Deemon was stronger than him. Magnamon's claws dug into the demon's arm as he tried to free himself, even though he couldn't breathe. Omnimon and Dynasmon raced towards Deemon. However, they were also thrown away by a wave of darkness.
"Plasma... Torpedoes..." the golden knight gasped and released several torpedoes on the enemy.
Both digimon were engulfed in an explosion. After it had faded, both Magnamon and Deemon lay on the ground. The latter got up again and noticed that Meiko's partner had already recovered from his attack and was now attacking him. With a Judgment of the Blades he tried to corner the demon... But it didn't do much, as Deemon dodged each of his quick attacks. The demon then punched the dragon man in the stomach, causing him to bend over before Deemon forced him to the ground with an electric charge.
"Jesmon! Retreat!"Dynasmon, who had wrapped himself in a bluish aura, commanded him: "Breath of the Wyvern!"
Just in time, Jesmon was able to get himself to safety.
"Garuru Cannon!" shouted Omnimon.
"Plasma Torpedoes!" joined Magnamon.
With their combined attacks, they wanted to put down the enemy. He had no time to dodge and crossed his arms in front of his body. The attacks collided with his body and enveloped him, while the dragon man joined his comrades. All four Royal Knights waited anxiously to see if they had made it this time... There was always hope... When the explosion dried up, they saw that Deemon had survived the attack with serious injuries.
"Deemon." Omnimon said, taking a step toward him: "Why are you doing this? Why did you attack us then?"
"Imperialdramon Paladin Mode..." the demon hissed.
"Huh?" the fused Digimon looked at him in confusion: "What does the founder of the Royal Knights have to do with this madness?"
"Quite simply. He thought that the power of the Dark Ocean is dangerous and it must be sealed... He didn't know I wouldn't survive without this sea."
"Why should Sir Imperialdramon Paladin Mode seal the Dark Ocean?" asked Jesmon: "Without darkness, there is no light. The digital world would not exist without the Dark Ocean!"
"Did the Homeostasis tell you?" was Dynasmon's question.
Deemon suddenly laughed out loud and sent a wave of darkness to all four Royal Knights. These were hurled in several directions and remained motionless.
"You really believe that?! You are so naive. Of course, that was a lie!" the demon mocked and laughed again before sending another wave of darkness that hurled the four Royal Knights further away.
"Omnimon!" two voices shouted and rushed towards him.
"Tai... Matt..." the fused Digimon quips when he and Matt saw him and Matt: "Leave! Now! It doesn't make sense to fight him."
He had lost hope. They couldn't defeat Deemon. He was too strong.
"No!" the brown-haired man insisted: "We are your partners! We're not going to let you down."
"No matter what happens." the blonde-haired man continued: "Deemon may be strong... But you are a Royal Knight. You are there to protect others. How can you believe you are so weak?"
"You..." in Omnimon new hope was formed.
The white knight rose up. A foot... then the other... His legs trembled with effort. But he held up. He heard Davis calling for Magnamon.
"Come on! You can do it, Magnamon!" the red-brown-haired man encouraged him: "Your will once saved my life... When Alphamon threw me into the lake and I couldn't move. You jumped after me and then you digivolved to Magnamon!"
"Davis..." he quipped.
"You can do it!"
"I... KNOW!" the golden knight raised up and looked over at Jesmon and his partner.
"You can do it, Jesmon." Meiko encouraged him as she put her hands on one of his arms.
She nodded to him.
"Mei... ko..." the dragon man closed his eyes and nodded: "Thank you."
Jesmon rolled to the side... then he brought himself on his sword-like feet. He trembled violently and hit the ground with his left knee. He saw the worried look of the black-haired. The dragon man remembered his master Gankoomon and his hard training. With a determined outcry, he put his foot back on the ground. Meiko smiled and looked at Akira and her partner.
"Was that all, Dynasmon?!" Sera's daughter exclaimed angrily.
"No..." he replied: "I'm just getting warm."
"Then get up! Look at the others. They got up too!"
Dynasmon looked at his comrades. They had all already rose themselves up and were ready to attack Deemon again.
"He's already badly injured!" exclaimed Akira's partner: "So it's just a little bit... Then we will win!"
"Exactly!" shouted Magnamon, hitting his right fist into the left palm of his hand.
Jesmon nodded as Omnimon prepared to fight. Then the white knight took out with his Grey blade and created an energy wave. Magnamon fired several torpedoes, while Dynasmon fired two energy lasers from his palms. Only Jesmon could do nothing, as he only mastered melee attacks if Por, Atho and René did not support him. The attacks clashed with Deemon's body. That sat. The demon got down on his knees and gasped loudly.
"Congratulations... DigiDestined and Royal Knights..." he gasped and stood up.
With his hands, he knocked the dust off his clothes.
"What?!" the fused knight said in horror.
"I'm far from finished. I'm just surprised you were able to defeat my weaker form." Deemon said.
"Weaker form?!" the dragon man questioned terrified.
"That means..." Akira's partner hissed angrily.
"That he held back!" the golden knight finished, clenching his fists.
"Deemon Mode Change... Beast Mode!" as the demon shouted it wrapped itself in a black aura.
The aura ebbed and left behind a monster of the same size as Omnimon. The torso, apart from the chest, as well as its legs from the hip down to the knees was wrapped in red fur. On the chest as well as in the exposed areas of the arms and legs there was nothing but pale blue skin. An orange stain sat on his chest and on the edge were several orange tooth spots. The left arm was mutated and was far longer than the right arm, which was covered with red fur up to the base of the hand. The left arm, however, had only the fur up to the elbow. The fingertips were studded with red, sharp claws. Where the red fur ended, a row of pale-yellow teeth sat, the tips facing down.
There was a black ring on his left ankle and a yellow star was visible on his left shoulder. On his back grew two large wings, the outside black and the inside purple. The bat-like wings had several red claws at the highest point, but these served no purpose. Deemon's face was terrifying. His mouth was open and showed a series of sharp teeth. The upper canines were longer than the rest and appeared particularly sharp. The purple, iris-less eyes flashed menacingly as the beast watched the Royal Knights and their partners. Two horns protruded from his temples and black hair covered the back of his neck.
"Only Imperialdramon Paladin Mode has ever seen this figure. He hadn't survived." Deemon raved: "Well then. Flame Inferno!"
The beast spit fire on everyone. Just in time, the Royal Knights were able to bend over their partners and protect them from the flames. When the attack was over, Deemon sent a wave of darkness and hurled the protectors of both worlds into buildings. None of them moved more and, except for Omnimon, they had all lost consciousness.
"Ha." the beast mocked: "That's all you can do? Then you will die now!"
"We will not allow this to happen!" a voice shouted.
"Phoe... nix... mon?" the fused knight coughed, looking up.
He recognized his six companions and the three of Magnamon.
"Time for revenge!" said Phoenixmon.
"This time we will not lose!" Vikemon said confidently.
"Our partners give us strength!" continued Rosemon.
"We've seen a lot... and were close to death several times... That's why we're not going to lose!" said BanchoStingmon euphorically.
"You're not going to get your will again, Deemon!" cried Seraphimon.
"That's why-" Magnadramon began.
"We will not lose!" said Spinomon.
"Exactly!" HerculesKabuterimon agreed.
"For we are the companions of the Royal Knights!" cried Ornithmon.
All the companions fired their strongest attacks on Deemon. He was shrouded in an explosion.
"Do we have him?" asked Rosemon as the explosion blew away, leaving a cloud of dust.
"No!" said Vikemon, before all the companions were also thrown into buildings by a wave of darkness and were left unconscious.
Meanwhile, Omnimon closed his eyes. It didn't make sense. Deemon was too strong. They would die here and now. Desperation spread into him. He still had strength, but he couldn't possibly defeat the beast alone... The beast that killed Imperialdramon Paladin Mode, the founder of the Royal Knights, for unknown reasons.