(Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! Here's Chapter 68! Sorry for the delay - I had a temp job for a few weeks, so that got in the way of my writing, but that's done now, so I'm back at it.
We're on the cusp of a few big chapters - the ones that took me a long time to write. I hope you enjoy! As always, read and let me know what you think! Enjoy!)
Chapter 68: The Creeping Dusk
Sleipmon raced across the snowy landscape.
His black hooves pounded the ground, sinking centimeters into the snow and hammering the permafrost soil beneath. He was a fast flyer, but he was a faster runner, and he needed the friction of the ground to reach his full velocity. There wasn't any time to waste.
Sleipmon galloped at full speed across a white expanse. The Cathode Tundra was as cold as it was barren. A thin layer of snow blanketed the ground. Fortunately – or perhaps unfortunately – it was summer, so the snow storms weren't quite as frequent, meaning the harsh landscape was easier to traverse. While that meant easy travelling for them, this also meant that the Demon Lords didn't have to wade through up to a meter of snow as well.
The blanket of white plains that stretched out before him was starkly contrasted by the dark sky. Night was just setting in across the Cathode Tundra. They had spent all day travelling there since disembarking at Saversburg. It was only thanks to their impressive speed and force of will that they were beginning to catch up.
The sky, up to that point, had been clear. As the day turned into the evening, there hadn't been a cloud in sight. Then, when dusk set in, the pair of moons rose high in the sky. They were both in their fullest phases, which was a cause for consternation for some. The double full moons loomed ominously in the sky, casting their eerie light across the snow, while backed by a mosaic of stars.
In tandem with the portentous full moons, the Cathode Tundra was currently in the midst of a geomagnetic storm caused by intense solar winds. The result was a vast, green glow that cast across the skies to their left. It was a beautiful aurora that was painted over the darkness, rippling like amorphous watercolours. The aurora blazed brilliantly with an intense, neon emerald, laced with deep red and majestic indigo. It arced above them like a curving stream.
Despite its unparalleled beauty, Sleipmon couldn't find the time to appreciate it. He was too focused on what was ahead on him.
Flying at a comfortable distance behind Sleipmon was Examon. The huge, red dragon beat his broad, kite-like wings swiftly and powerfully in order to keep up with the galloping Sleipmon. The Caledfwlch were flying on their own wills, but Examon could still feel the slight strain in his wing muscles from flying all day. It was a minor annoyance that he didn't give a second thought to. He was a professional and they were on a critical mission.
Examon gripped the Ambrosius lightly. In the cold temperatures, the metal of his lance was cold to the touch, and it faintly stung his scales. He wasn't used to the cold, and he wasn't particularly well-equipped for it, wearing only chrome digizoid armour that covered his chest and wings. Still, he ignored the unpleasant discomfort and he pressed onwards with military focus, his constant flying serving to help him keep warm.
Every so often, Examon cast a slight glance towards the aurora, but each time he caught himself and focused on the sprawling tundra ahead of them.
Meanwhile, Sleipmon wasn't affected by the cold at all. He dashed forwards as fast as possible, sometimes slowing himself only to make sure he didn't leave Examon behind. The only thing he cared about at that moment was reaching the Arcane Ruins before they were too late.
It was his sworn duty to Yggdrasil to protect those ruins. The oath was a crucial mantle that he took over from his mentor and cherished friend, Cherubimon. Even when Cherubimon left, he still made it clear to him how important those ruins were. He couldn't allow them to fall into the Demon Lords' hands. It was a promise he refused to break.
Worry tugged at his heart. He knew that they were playing catch up. He didn't think that they would be able to beat the Demon Lords to the Arcane Ruins, given the head-start that they had. All he could hope for was that they wouldn't be able to find the ruins beneath the thick, impenetrable layers of ice. That might give them the chance to catch up.
As Sleipmon galloped across the snow, he glanced up towards Examon to make sure that he wasn't too far behind him. For a brief second, Sleipmon was distracted from his worries when he saw Examon glancing over at the aurora. Despite the fear and stress that he felt, Sleipmon allowed them a few moments to appreciate the beauty of the landscape.
"It's breathtaking, isn't it?" Sleipmon asked, looking up at his friend.
Examon blinked and looked down, a little embarrassed that he was caught distracted while on duty. "Er… Yes. Sorry. I've never seen anything like it…"
Sleipmon smiled a little, but it turned wistful. "I'm sorry that your first experience seeing an aurora has to be under these circumstances. I wish I could have shown you one in peaceful times… It's hard to appreciate it, knowing what's to come."
Examon offered a small but reassuring smile down at Sleipmon. "You can show me again after this is over," he assured him. "For now, let's focus."
Sleipmon nodded and they both focused their attentions on what lay before them. As they travelled further, the two Royal Knights began to see something far ahead.
In the far distance were the mountains, which served as the only prominent landmark in sight. They were fairly small mountains, made up of only small cliffs and some steep hills. They were still about ten kilometers away from where they were. He knew that that's where the Arcane Ruins were located. They were almost there…
Yet, Sleipmon could see something worrisome. The clear sky ended just before the mountains. Rather than beautiful stars and the radiant aurora, the sky was blotted out by clouds. They were thick clouds, intensely dark, and flickering ominously while the haunting light of the moon traced their edges. They were like the brewing clouds of a particularly bad storm. However, they were concentrated solely over and around the location of the ruins.
Sleipmon's violet eyes tightened with worry as he saw flashes of red dancing within the dark, ominous clouds.
"They've found the ruins… That storm cloud is right above them, Examon…" Sleipmon explained grimly, glancing above him to his partner.
"Affirmative," Examon answered, focusing his sights and leering into the distance. From his vantage point in the sky, he had a better view of the faraway terrain. "I think I can see soldiers numbering in the several hundred. I can't make out how many Demon Lords are present yet, but I'm estimating that we'll be at a disadvantage…"
Sleipmon nodded grimly and the tight hand of fear returned to gripping his chest. He knew that the demons were crawling all over the area above the ruins, but that the entrance was buried under dozens of meters of ice. What he didn't know was the fate of the Digimon who was guarding it in his stead.
His friend: Vikemon.
Sleipmon's stomach twisted like a sponge being wrung out when he thought about Vikemon. He was terrified that something has happened to him. Vikemon was a powerful warrior – he wouldn't have asked him to take over for him as the ruins' guardian otherwise. However, Sleipmon knew that he was up against the Demon Lords – likely more than one. He didn't know how long he would be able to last on his own.
Part of him hoped that Vikemon wasn't there. He hoped that he was still in Ocean Cove, knocking back a pint of beer, unaware that the ruins were under threat. Even putting aside his sacred duty to the ruins, the thought that one of his friends could be in grave danger was enough to make Sleipmon charge forwards at full gallop.
He had to get there. Before they were too late.
Sleipmon ventured a glance up at the dark and stormy thunderheads that hung over the mountains where the Arcane Ruins lay. As his hooves pounded the snowy ground, Sleipmon swore that the bolts of lightning that flashed inside the clouds were a baleful crimson colour.
"That… is no ordinary storm," Examon spoke, his green eyes narrowing apprehensively. He gripped the cold Ambrosius lance tightly in his hands and beat his sweeping Caledfwlch wings in order to keep up with Sleipmon.
Sleipmon grimaced, but pressed forwards with determination, raising the Niflheimr shield and setting the Muspellsheimr crossbow as he ran.
"No… No, it's not," he murmured direly. "Come on, Examon. We have our plan. Even if the odds are against us, we have to keep going…"
Sleipmon tightened his fist before reaching for one of the crossbow bolts inside of his shield.
"Hang in there…"
"Dead or Alive."
There was a sharp, discordant noise, like the shattering of glass. A deep roar of agony followed, piercing the stormy sky.
Lucemon watched with disaffected eyes as a hulking beast man collapsed before him. The ursine beast of snow-white fur fell onto his back with a mighty crash. He stood at three times the size of Lucemon, yet he had been felled without laying so much as a finger on the Demon Lord of Pride.
Vikemon crashed into the snow, his horned helmet falling off of his head, and his Mjölnir morning stars were sprawled limply around him. His ample chest of rippling muscles heaved up and down as he gasped for breath. His snow-white fur was blemished in numerous places with dark bruises and droplets of blood.
Vikemon snarled weakly, his fangs and tusks on his play as his bloodied lips pulled back. Trickles of dark crimson liquid trickled down from the corners of his mouth and wet the heavy, brown pelt that he wore on his back. The attack that hit him - the magical circle that caught him within its confines – was insanely powerful. When it exploded in a fusion of light and darkness, it nearly killed him. It took everything out of him.
Now, he lay helplessly in the snow at the base of the mountains. Vikemon attempted to lift his head, but he was barely able to do so. He watched with bitterly defiant eyes as Lucemon began strolling towards him.
"Well, aren't you the fortunate one?" Lucemon mused as he strode towards him, knowing that victory was assured. "It seems my attack didn't kill you instantly. Perhaps all that tough fur and blubber spared you the worst. Or maybe it is simply your lucky day."
"Damn… you…" Vikemon wheezed, before coughing out the mouthful of blood that gathered in the back of his mouth. "Urgh… What… What the hell do you want?"
Lucemon smiled with superiority as he stopped a meter away from Vikemon's feet. He looked down at the giant bestial mammal. "Pitiful beast…" he lightly spoke. "I think you know what we want, otherwise, you wouldn't have been here."
Vikemon tightened his ice blue eyes and bore his blood-laced fangs. He knew that there was no point in bluffing.
"You seem like you need me to spell it out for you," Lucemon condescendingly spoke, walking up beside him and pressing his foot down on Vikemon's wrist. "The Arcane Ruins. We have come here for them."
Vikemon spat at him, though he only succeeded in inelegantly spitting blood on himself. "I'll never tell you where they are, you bastard!" he stubbornly promised.
Lucemon simply smiled and walked closer. He raised his foot and gently pushed his heel down on Vikemon's neck triumphantly. "Fortunately for you, we have no need for your assistance, so there is no need for us to extract the information out of you," he informed him.
Vikemon grimaced as the foot pushed him down and made it a little harder to breathe. "W-What?" he growled. "You can't possibly know where it is…"
"Oh, no?" Lucemon wondered as he stared down at the guardian dominantly. "You are quite incorrect. In fact, we have the help of somebody who knows these ruins even better than you do…"
The ursine Viking's eyes widened with shock and confusion. Unless there was another Digimon who knew of them, that could mean only two things, either of which was very bad. "What…? No!" Vikemon protested, growling and trying in vain to sit up, only to have Lucemon push him back down with a painful stomp.
"Now, now. It really is your lucky day, for I am in a merciful mood today and I have decided to spare your life for now… But know that my generosity has limits." Lucemon explained with a tone of insincere benevolence as he grinded his foot against Vikemon's collar. He smiled down at the defeated Digimon with the smug grin of unparalleled victory.
"You shall live, but do not waste my generous gift," he advised him. Lucemon's half-smile broadened and there was a sinister glimmer in his blue eyes. "After all, it is not every day that I am able to capture one of the Three Great Angels…"
Meanwhile, Bagramon walked along the base of the cliffs and swept the snow away from the ground using the back of his large, artificial hand. He dragged his wooden finger against the ground, tapping the large, bony appendage against the ice.
Around them was a flat plateau at the base of the mountain cliffs, which climbed steeply despite it being a relatively small peak. Given the hills and valleys that surrounded the area, the flatness of the ground was unusual, making the area they were on sort of like a small plateau.
Gathered around the area was the Second Legion of Nightmare Soldiers that they had brought with them. There were a few hundred demons and undead, most outfitted with picks and shovels.
In addition to them, Bagramon brought one more Digimon along. A massive, hulking dragon in the shape of a green excavator, armed with huge drills for boring and heavy shovels for digging. Bagramon hired the Breakdramon specialist from Kowloon Company, knowing that they would need his abilities to access the deeply hidden Arcane Ruins.
As the powdery precipitation was brushed aside, he found that what they were standing on was not earth, but a thick layer of glacier. It was leveled seamlessly to the ground surrounding the area to make it appear flat and natural.
Bagramon let out a thoughtful hum and looked up the face of the mountain cliffs, raising his eye towards the heavens. His eye landed on the thick storm clouds overhead; he watched with a quiet smile as scarlet flashes of lightning erupted within the black clouds, briefly highlighting a large silhouette moving around inside them.
Lilithmon stood nearby, tapping her foot impatiently, before shaking her feet to cast the snow off of her toes and shoes. She held her slender arms close to her chest, and her long, amethyst-hued sleeves trailed in the snow, growing wet as they trailed across the crunchy powder.
She wore over her body a heavy fur coat made of black Garurumon fur. While a stylish piece of fashion, she brought it from Castle Nocturne for its functionality, knowing that the Cathode Tundra could have extremely cold temperatures and that her standard attire was not exactly suitable for frigid weather. After blowing warm breath into her bare hand, she returned it to the warmth of her sleeves and cast an annoyed look in Bagramon's direction.
"Well, where exactly is it?" she impatiently asked, her breath foggy as she spoke. "We have checked all over the cliff face, but nobody can see an entrance. Are you sure that this is the right place?"
"It is," Bagramon replied assuredly. "He said so. It must be underneath the ice."
"The glacier extends for kilometers; where would we even start digging?" Lilithmon argued. "And can we even trust him? Does he even know for sure?"
"If anybody would know, it would be him," Bagramon calmly answered.
"An unstable, freshly-fallen angel who won't come out of his cloud," Lilithmon sarcastically replied. She turned her gaze up and leered at the dark veil of clouds, watching as it flashed with red electricity within the night sky. The atmosphere around it seemed to pulse with every flash, each followed by the sharp crack of thunder.
"Cherubimon…" Bagramon spoke, his voice a deep yet gently rolling hum.
"It is almost miraculous, isn't it?" Lucemon said with a pleased smile, all while keeping his foot firmly planted on Vikemon's neck. "I can still hardly believe that one of the Three Great Angels, the Archangel of Wisdom, has fallen from the light. Barbamon has surely redeemed himself with this boon to our cause."
"I can't believe it," Lilithmon suspiciously answered, keeping her arms folded for warmth. "For all of the old man's magical powers and silver-tongued manipulations, Cherubimon is still one of the Three Great Angels. Can we trust him? Can we even be sure that the darkness will hold? You've seen how unstable he's been since he arrived."
"That is simply part of the process of falling, especially for one as strong as him. Barbamon assured us that it was not simply a spell enslaving him," Lucemon responded, casting the black-haired Demon Lord a look. "To truly fall, the darkness must come from within one's own heart."
"I am aware of that," Lilithmon dryly answered. "And if the darkness holds, then that is simply wonderful. What worries me is how he is behaving now. His conversion is not a clean one. He seems just as likely to attack us."
"His very being is at war with itself," Bagramon explained, gazing up at the cloud alight with dark red. "The darkness is prevailing, to be sure, but it requires time to consume him completely. God's light is slowly being extinguished. We need only be patient."
"Yes, well, that doesn't help us find the ruins in the present, does it? And I am not freezing my fingers off waiting for him for hours," Lilithmon complained as she breathed out more foggy breath.
Deciding to take action, Lilithmon strode forwards across the icy plateau, staring up at the clouds where the fallen cherub was hidden.
"Oh, Cherubimon~!" she called out in a persuasive tone, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice. "Why don't you come out of that cloud already?! We really could use your help in finding the entrance to those ruins!"
Lilithmon waited several frigid seconds for the former archangel to emerge. When it was clear that the dark Cherubimon wasn't about to come out, Lilithmon began to get angry. The freezing temperature and the damp terrain were causing her patience to wear extremely thin. She just wanted to get this over with, and waiting on an uncooperative former-enemy was getting on her nerves.
"That's it, you overgrown rabbit!" she snapped, her charming façade dropping as a vein throbbed in her forehead. "Come down here and show us where those damn ruins are, already! All you have to do is point! How hard can that be?!"
A bolt of blazing, red lightning pierced through the clouds and descended straight towards Lilithmon. The fulminous bolt struck like a flash. It was only thanks to Lilithmon's fast reflexes that she was able to throw herself out of the way and into the snow.
Many of the soldiers jumped to attention, with several rushing over to help Lilithmon to her feet. The spot that she had been standing had been reduced to a smouldering crater. The snow and part of the ice had melted immediately, and smoke and electricity emanated from the bottom of the icy hole.
Lilithmon stared with incredulous shock at the smoking crater before being helped to her feet by some eager demons. After a moment, her face darkened and an outraged scowl formed on her face. She wrenched her arm away and raised her right arm, aiming her Nazar Nail up towards the burgundy cloud.
"What do you think you're doing, you mammoth oaf?! You nearly hit me!" Lilithmon shouted. She turned her raven-haired head and glared at Lucemon and Bagramon. "Did you see that?! I told you we couldn't trust him!"
"There…" Cherubimon's deep voice boomed thunderously from within the clouds. "The ruins… are there…"
These revelatory words prompted Lilithmon, Lucemon, and Bagramon all to look towards the small fissure that had been created in the glacier.
Seeing the spot that had been marked for them, Lucemon looked down at the Vikemon under him. Upon seeing the guardian's defeated grimace, a knowing smile crawled on Lucemon's face. He immediately turned towards the Breakdramon and the rest of the army.
"You, start digging there," Lucemon commanded the hulking, mechanical dragon. "The rest of you, clear the snow, assist with moving the debris, and start digging at around the edges. And be careful about it."
"Got it," the Breakdramon from Kowloon replied. He rolled forwards and began revving up his drills, the sound of his accelerating engine causing the icy ground beneath them to tremor.
As the mercenary engineer got into place, the rest of the gathered demons began making their way forwards with their picks and shovels to make a loose circle around the area where the Breakdramon was preparing the dig.
"I do hope they are quick about it," Lilithmon murmured, stepping back to allow the grunt soldiers to approach. As she stepped to the outer area of the crowd, she looked around warily before eyeing the dark, red thundercloud where Cherubimon was hiding.
Bagramon stepped up beside Lucemon and watched as the Breakdramon began to drill. Lucemon glanced him with an enigmatic smile before turning back to oversee the digging.
They both knew that this was it. The Arcane Ruins were within their grasps, as were the secrets that it held within. The location of the Kernel was on the cusp of being revealed to them. Once it was… everything would change.
What they didn't yet know was that, in the distance, two figures grew closer. They were still kilometers away, but they were closing in.
And, elsewhere, far away and from a different direction, something else was moving. A cloud slowly crept closer, moving against the veil of thunderheads that covered the night sky.
The threads of fate were about to intertwine.
Duftmon surveyed the terrain before him.
A data storm raged in the distant sky. An intense bloom of swelling, violet clouds loomed over the landscape. Bolts of lightning sparked in between the clouds, as did blocks of data. The ever-present data storm in this area was the first sign that told them they were close.
Duftmon stood on a small hill. From that vantage point, he was able to see the city of Shroud in the far distance. It was many kilometers away, too far to be easily seen by the naked eye. The tempestuous amethyst-grey brume undulated at its strongest over the dark city. The data storm blotted the sun and made it harder to see, while also making flight potentially hazardous.
At the bottom of the hill he was on, the land stretched out into a vast plain. The grass beneath him matted the ground for a ways before eventually becoming rockier, although still flat and grassy.
About a kilometer to his right was the highway that led north from Saversburg to Shroud. It was a large road, hundreds of meters wide and ideal for a marching army. However, it was also an obvious route, and Duftmon was beginning to grow ill-at-ease about what lay ahead.
There were a few pillars of smoke rising out of the far side of the distant city. Not many – it wasn't like New Terminal after the attack – but it was enough to tell him what he needed to know.
Duftmon turned his head and looked behind him. The couple thousand Order soldiers from the Strike Forces and the Defence Forces were behind him. They had been ferried most of the way north with the help of the Deep Savers, and they quickly caught up to the Royal Knights in Saversburg. From there, they all travelled north along the highway to Shroud.
Now that Shroud was within sight, Duftmon allowed everyone a half hour break – though staying in formation - so that scouts from the Reconnaissance Squadron could scout ahead towards Shroud.
Duftmon also took the opportunity to consider what would be the best course of action tactically. He knew what their objectives were, but with the Demon Lords moving south, he knew he would have to respond accordingly to their movements. He had to gauge what they would do: would they fortify Shroud? Would they position themselves outside of Shroud? Or would they continue advancing south towards Saversburg? Duftmon suspected the latter to be the most likely.
From what he knew of the terrain surrounding his home city, the stretch of land between Saversburg and Shroud was mostly flat with some ranges of hills here and there. The only main oddities were the Sky Waterfalls that dotted the areas around Saversburg. However, they generally just flowed into the Champion River, and they were far north enough that they were too far away to be tactically significant. This meant there were not a lot of options in terms of getting a terrain advantage over the Demon Lords. They would likely be on a level playing field, in more ways than one.
The tactician and acting-commander of the Royal Knights' forces watched as a familiar, blue and silver silhouette flew beneath the turbulent clouds. The feline knight raised his gaze and watched as MailBirdramon, the Leftenant in charge of the scouts, descended towards him with a swift but gentle decline.
MailBirdramon flew down towards the crest of the hill and then circled around Duftmon, rearing his winged body back and coming to a gradual stop beside him.
"Sir Duftmon," MailBirdramon spoke, turning to the strategist at eye-level.
"Leftenant MailBirdramon," Duftmon acknowledged, ceasing his tapping of the Shoumetsu no Tsurugi against the ground. "What have you and your scouts to report?"
MailBirdramon nodded. "My reconnaissance report is as follows: the Demon Lords have captured Shroud. Their numbers surpass three thousand and five hundred strong, primarily of demon and undead types. I can confirm that Barbamon, Demon, and Beelzebumon are among them, but there has been no sign of Lilithmon, Lucemon, Belphemon, or Bagramon. The city of Shroud appears to have surrendered without much of a fight," MailBirdramon explained.
"It is as I suspected," Duftmon murmured with a slight furrow of the brows. "And what of their present movements?"
"Their armies have gathered beyond of the southern walls of the city, just outside of Peddler's Gate," MailBirdramon informed the tactician. "However, they do not appear to be gathered in a defensive formation. Based on my calculations of their formation array, I hypothesize that they are preparing to continue their march south towards Saversburg."
Duftmon nodded with agreement. "They likely plan to make as many gains as possible before we or the Army of Saversburg are able to respond. Based on that assumption, I doubt that they know that we are here already."
"And what does that mean for us?" a seemingly casual voice wondered from behind them.
Duftmon and MailBirdramon both turned to see RhodoKnightmon sauntering up the hill towards them. At his side were Magnamon and Craniamon, who, in contrast, had expressions that were professional and serious. Magnamon marched with quiet force and ardour that embodied his every step. Nearby, Craniamon climbed the hill with a smooth, unflinching intensity in his deportment.
"Nothing," Craniamon asserted, casting a glance to the smaller, pink knight beside him as they reached the top of the hill. "We've come here to fight the Demon Lords, so that's what we are going to do. This just makes it easier."
Duftmon rolled his eyes. "Craniamon's overly simplistic words aside, yes, while we will still be fighting the Demon Lords, there are other things that must be considered," he explained.
"You said that they don't know we're coming, so won't that mean that we'll have the advantage?" Magnamon questioned eagerly as he looked up at the tactician.
"Theoretically, yes," Duftmon answered. "Practically speaking, it is impossible for us to ambush them in these open fields. There is no favourable terrain for us to hold outside of a few meager hills, which are hardly enough to make much of a difference. The ability to pick the battlefield is generally a massive boon, yet in this situation, with the flat lands between the two cities being what they are, no amount of manoeuvring will be overly beneficial. We could attempt to shape the terrain ourselves, however…"
The blond-haired Royal Knight turned back to MailBirdramon. "Based on your projections of their current marching speeds, when will the Demon Lords come into contact with us?"
"My analysis suggests that, should our army and their army travel at comparable marching speeds, they will intersect with us in about five and a half hours – a half an hour before sunset," MailBirdramon hypothesized.
Duftmon sheathed his sword and folded his arms, a thoughtful frown forming on his face. "At that point in time and at our current bearing, the sun will be in our eyes…"
"Then why don't we stay here and dig in?" RhodoKnightmon suggested. "We would have an advantage in the hills, however slight it might be."
"If Saversburg is their next target, then we must push the frontline as far from the city as possible," Duftmon explained. "We are still too close. We will need secondary and tertiary lines of defence that surround the city behind us as necessary buffer zones. More than that, the Saversburger army has no idea about the Demon Lords' movements. We do not have time to inform them and wait for their reinforcements."
"So, this row of hills should be the secondary line of defence," RhodoKnightmon responded, placing his hands on his hips as he gazed out into the distance landscape.
"Correct," Duftmon responded.
"And the sun?" Magnamon asked.
"We will just have to press onwards and try to manoeuvre into a more favourable position before we encounter them," Duftmon stated. "They may outnumber us, but we are smaller and better disciplined, and, therefore, more manoeuvrable. If we must fight during sunset or at night, then so be it. Our priority is to stop them in their tracks and deny them access to Saversburg."
"And take out a few Demon Lords while we're at it," Craniamon added, cracking his knuckles with hidden excitement.
Magnamon clenched his fists and nodded. "That's the idea… If possible, we should break them here. Their leadership is divided in two. With Leviamon defected and Belphemon stuck in his Sleep Mode, there are only five plus Bagramon. If they have split up evenly, then there will be only three Demon Lords against our six Royal Knights."
Craniamon shuffled in his armour at what Magnamon was suggesting. "Yeah, but their army as a whole might outnumber ours now, so some of you guys will be busy fighting the grunts while the rest of us will be fighting the Demon Lords. That might make it even," he stated adamantly.
"It sounds as though you have already decided that, Craniamon," RhodoKnightmon observed, a slight bit of judgment hidden within his whimsical tone.
"I will be fighting one of the Demon Lords," Craniamon asserted. "Make no mistake."
Without speaking up, Magnamon nodded quietly to himself. The lingering pain in the side of his face was the taunting reminder of his loss.
Duftmon side-eyed Craniamon coolly. "You should make no mistake, Craniamon; you shall do as I see fit," he reminded him. "I am the one who must come up with the strategy to defeat the Demon Lords here. I will have to decide the best course of action and choose which of you is best suited for which job."
"You might be the commander, Duftmon, but we all have a say too," Craniamon stubbornly maintained. "We know our strengths better than you do."
"And I have a broader view of the larger picture than you do. My priority is victory, not your ego," Duftmon quickly countered. "I will take your strengths into account, but I will make the necessary decisions in order to win the battle."
Craniamon grunted, folding his arms and leering at Duftmon standoffishly. "You mean like you did in the Mamemon Kingdom?" he thornily reminded the tactician.
The cutting words had an effect. Duftmon's posture stiffened, almost imperceptibly. His expression did not change, and he didn't give him the satisfaction of reacting. He merely turned and stared straight at Craniamon with his cold, green eyes.
"I will make the correct decision, Craniamon," Duftmon informed him, his words methodical and his voice cold and lofty. "I will not allow my own ego get in the way of victory. I hope you will do the same."
Craniamon scoffed and met his superior stare. "Tch… Of course," he insisted.
Duftmon turned towards the others, though his gaze ended up landing on Magnamon specifically. "This battle may be crucial. Our victory here will be of the utmost importance. We cannot afford another failure."
Magnamon couldn't help but quietly bristle at Duftmon's seemingly pointed words. It felt like the scales of his neck were standing on end, and his fists ended up tightening into his palms.
"We'll win," Magnamon asserted, staring up at Duftmon. "They had the advantage before. They won't this time."
"We shall see," Duftmon responded, turning around. "MailBirdramon, I request that you continue your patrols. I require as much information on their movements and formation as possible."
"Understood, Sir," MailBirdramon answered. He turned and wasted no time in going to convene with his subordinates.
"And the rest of us?" RhodoKnightmon wondered. "Shall we get moving while we still have daylight?"
Duftmon pivoted back towards the Royal Knights. "Yes. Inform Dynasmon, UlforceVeedramon, and the Captains of MailBirdramon's findings. Then, tell everybody to get moving. We shall press on at a full march," the tactician decided.
"Good," Craniamon tersely replied.
Magnamon nodded as well, his eyes narrow with resolve.
Duftmon turned his head and gazed northwards, across the sprawling fields, dimly lit by clouds.
"We leave in five minutes. I would prefer to find the Demon Lords before the night falls," Duftmon told them. "Our actions prior to the battle will be crucial."
Craniamon glanced at the strategist knight out of the corners of his eyes. "Why?"
Duftmon gently gripped the hilt of his rapier and looked forwards with a grim stare.
"Because we are up against Barbamon…"
Six hours passed.
The sun dipped low in the sky. The blazing orange orb was reaching its nadir across the horizon, casting a deep, fiery, amber glow across the fields. The light was quickly receding, replaced by the dark blue of the night sky. The fire-touched clouds were parting, revealing the deep, sapphire glow that lay behind them.
It was going to be a clear night.
Barbamon raised his gaze towards the sky and smirked. He saw the pair of moons beginning to show themselves in the dusk sky. The two moons were both full, completely illuminated and casting their reflective moonlight across the grassy fields. To some, this was an ill omen.
The Demon Lord of Greed turned his attention back to what lay in front of them. He stood at the head of the Demon Lords' main army. The bulwark of the military force was their legions, consisting of a couple thousand demon and undead Digimon. However, in addition to this were hundreds of Troopmon, who stood on the frontlines, ahead of the Nightmare Soldiers. There were rows upon rows of them, all acting with machine-like discipline. They, as well as the Nightmare Soldiers, all stood at the ready behind him. Under his and Demon's command, discipline was strict. It became stricter as soon as they found out what was in front of them.
Barbamon gazed across the grassy plains. They were thirty kilometers south of Shroud, on and around the main road. The surrounding area was mostly flat, consisting just of grasslands and the occasional patches of dirt. There were no notable landmarks, apart from a large field of yellow flowers over to the left. Apart from the superficial change in colour, the landscape was simple flatlands.
He saw that this was going to be their battlefield.
Barbamon watched as the army of the Royal Knights assembled before them. Just one kilometer away, he observed the Order of the Royal Knights marching in an orderly row. The Order was a few thousand strong, augmented by the power of the Royal Knights, of which he counted six in total. Based purely on numbers, he felt he had the advantage, but he knew that the Knights' individual power was nothing to scoff at.
The Order came to a stop a kilometer opposite to them, with the Shield Guards forming a disciplined phalanx at the front. The Ground Strike Forces stood behind them, while the Aerial Strike Forces hovered overhead, just behind the Aerial Guards. Patrols of the Reconnaissance Squadron circled overhead, but they were beginning to pull back now that the battle lines were drawn.
Barbamon had known they were coming for an hour now. The two sides had cautiously scouted the other out as they approached each other, each ready to manoeuvre and counter-manoeuvre. With no terrain advantage to be had, and neither side wanting to be cut off from their lines of retreat, the two sides settled on this order of battle. The Royal Knights stood on the south east side, while the Nightmare Soldiers were positioned in the north west.
The sun was in the Royal Knights' eyes, but Barbamon knew that it would be disappearing over the horizon shortly, so it didn't really matter. It would be night soon. That's what he wanted, anyways.
There was a thump behind him. As Barbamon leaned against his Death Lure staff, out of the corner of his eye, he could see Demon step up beside him.
"As you predicted, the Royal Knights have decided to face us," Demon spoke, dressed in his robes as he stared across the field at the Royal Knights' forces. "It seems they wouldn't allow Saversburg to fall."
"Hm, yes. And the cat is their strategist, isn't he?" Barbamon mused as he observed the Royal Knights' lines through a magnifying crystal. "What's concerning is that I only see six of them. Where are the other six, I wonder?"
"Perhaps some went north, after the others," Demon suggested.
"But how would they know about that?" Barbamon contended suspiciously.
"Perhaps a traitor informed them," Demon pointedly hypothesized. "If not, perhaps the rest are in hiding, or simply somewhere else."
"We cannot rule out any possibility," Barbamon said. "We must be prepared in case they arrive as reinforcements."
"Perhaps, but the priority are the Royal Knights who are actually in front of us," Demon contended authoritatively. "After all, 'a bird in the hand catches neither…'"
Barbamon slowly turned and stared at Demon with the driest possible expression. "…Just… you remember that you are the commander, but I am the tactician. Carry out my plans and we will win."
"Very well," Demon answered. He reached up and touched the healing scar on the side of his face.
Nearby, the roar of a revving engine drew the two Demon Lords' attention. Beelzebumon drove along the frontlines of the Troopmon. His hand was held out for a high five as he zoomed by them, but none of the Troopmon responded, instead just standing statically in place with their rifles.
Seeing that he was just catching air, Beelzebumon merely rolled his eyes and came to a sharp stop beside Barbamon and Demon. Once he was stopped and his motorcycle's engine was purring, Beelzebumon looked at the two Demon Lords and thumbed over at the rows of Troopmon.
"Yeesh, what's with these rubber guys? They're no fun at all. They totally left me hanging!" Beelzebumon teasingly announced.
"They are manufactured," Demon explained in his deep and measured voice. "They have no purpose other than to follow our commands. Though individually weak, they are perfect for frontline troops."
"Great," Beelzebumon responded, hopping off the Behemoth. He grinned excitedly and gazed over at the Royal Knights' army. "Do I see six Royal Knights and their army? Hell yeah. Finally, I get to have some fun!"
"Don't toy around with them, Beelzebumon," Barbamon informed him. "There are six of them. I need you and Demon to fight them at your best and keep them as distracted as possible."
"I ain't about to pull my punches when the Royal Knights are involved," Beelzebumon replied with a bloodthirsty grin. "Power like that deserves my undivided attention."
Demon looked at Barbamon. "We are going ahead with the plan, then?"
"This is the only time that we can. We have to," Barbamon answered with a cryptic smirk. "However, the timing has to be perfect…"
Demon looked up at the sky to gauge the position of the moons. He could see that they edges of the moons were beginning to shroud over. "…How much time do we need to buy?" he questioned.
"An hour. Maybe two," Barbamon explained. "I think they expect us to make the first move, judging by their formation. That could buy us some time…"
"Which of us will do it?" Demon asked him.
"We may both need to," Barbamon answered. "So save enough of your energy for that. Watch the moons carefully."
"Just as long as I get to go all out," Beelzebumon exclaimed. He pulled his Berenjena shotguns out and spun them around his fingers emphatically.
Barbamon rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, but try to kill some of them," he reminded the competitive Demon Lord.
"Fine, just don't get in my way, Barbie," Beelzebumon taunted the Demon Lord of Greed. The gun-slinging Demon Lord turned and eyed the Royal Knights' frontlines. "…Hey, what gives? I don't see Dukey anywhere! He owes me a round three!"
"Not all of the Royal Knights appear to be present," Barbamon explained. "For the moment, anyways."
"Aw, come on! What the fuck?" Beelzebumon complained. He sighed and shrugged. "Red bastard better be around somewhere. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to pick another knight's ass to kick."
"You do that…" Demon responded, smoothly turning towards Barbamon. "The plan remains the same?"
"Yes," Barbamon confirmed, gripping the neck of his staff as he observed the Royal Knights' formation. "We will let the Knights make the first move. I will let you know if anything changes."
"Make sure that you do," Demon decisively answered. "I'll go ensure that the troops are prepared."
"So we have to sit around for how long?" Beelzebumon asked as he watched Demon walk off to meet with his officers.
"Be patient, Beelzebumon," Barbamon snidely scolded him. "In this situation, it is more advantageous for us to wait…"
The Demon Lord of Greed smirked and cast another glance up at the pair of full moons that were rising in the dark, eastern horizon.
He watched as the last rays of sun disappeared over the horizon and the darkness of dusk washed over the moonlit landscape.
"…Your move, Royal Knights."
Meanwhile, Duftmon stood at the head of the Royal Knights' army.
He watched as the last rays of amber sunlight thinned out and disappeared in front of them. As the sun waned and disappeared from view, their squinting eyes began to adjust to the darkness.
UlforceVeedramon, Dynasmon, and Ouryumon all stood nearby, while Magnamon, Craniamon, RhodoKnightmon and Captain Knightmon stood at various points along the front line.
"What the hell are they doing?" Ouryumon wondered, wielding his twin scimitars in his hands. "I thought they'd attack us as soon as they saw us."
"It's strange," UlforceVeedramon agreed. "We had no choice but to face the sun. Maybe Barbamon thought that the gains were too small to attack us immediately. Still, they don't look like they're even preparing to attack…"
"Should we be worried, Duftmon?" Dynasmon asked, glancing at the feline tactician.
"Hmm… It is unusual. Barbamon is not acting as predicted," Duftmon mused to himself with furrowed brows. "It seems as though he is holding their forces back… but to what end? Are they stalling in the hopes that Lucemon's team will arrive in time? Or is Barbamon waiting for the night itself?"
"Well, the demons probably have an advantage in the dark, since they're from the Dark Area," UlforceVeedramon mused. He stared across the field and locked eyes with Demon. His usually upbeat expression tightened into one of dire animosity.
"It is not even that dark out. The moons are both in a full phase tonight, so there is plenty of light," Duftmon contended. "There must be another reason..."
Dynasmon frowned uneasily at the pair of moons, but decided to keep his misgivings to himself, knowing what Duftmon's thoughts on them would be. "I wonder."
Ouryumon glanced over at Duftmon curiously. "So, what's the plan, cat? The same as before?" the Captain of the Strike Forces wondered.
Duftmon nodded. "For now, we shall remain on the defensive and see if they make the first move. We cannot be sure that they aren't baiting us into a trap," he stated.
"And what if they don't attack and it looks like they're stalling for time?" Dynasmon asked.
"In that case…" Duftmon spoke, closing his eyes reflectively. "…We will attack in half an hour. We shall keep the shield wall together and advance cautiously, under the cover of the aerial troops, who will then guard our flanks."
"Sounds like a plan," Craniamon said from behind them, marching forward with his spear and shield in hand.
Duftmon glanced over his shoulder to see Craniamon approaching with Magnamon and RhodoKnightmon. "Make sure you follow it. Do not forget, you are the focal point of the shield wall," he reminded him.
"Tch," Craniamon grunted. "Fine… But you'll need me as soon as things start getting messy."
"All I require from you is to follow my instructions," Duftmon replied. "Let me remind you that the safety of Saversburg is on the line."
"We won't fail, Duftmon," Magnamon insisted. "We'll beat them. I'll make sure of it."
Duftmon turned away and looked back across the field towards the Demon Lords.
"Hmph… Very well…" he pensively responded. "Everybody, return to your positions and inform the officers of the new plan."
The Royal Knights and Ouryumon nodded and walked back towards the Order's formations, leaving Duftmon alone at the front of the army. They prepared to launch their attack.
The tactician watched the enemy carefully, trying to discern Barbamon's intentions. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the full moons rising.
"Barbamon…" Duftmon thought to himself apprehensively.
"What are you planning?"