Chapter 9
The Battle at the Pyramid
From the patio high over the Temple, Cyan and TK watched the Goldtyrramon make for the pyramid. Both knew there was but one staircase to the top, and they would be trapped if the beast began climbing it. Yet they were not afraid.
"TK," said Cyan, "if he can, have Patamon digivolve to Pegasusmon and fly out of here. That Goldtyrramon and I have a score to settle!"
"Cyan, now you're the one being an idiot! Let's just both of us get out of here!"
"Yeah--we could get shot out of the sky ... I'm better off giving you an opening. Been nice knowing you."
Beside him his digimon rumbled, "Cantomon, digivolve to--"
"Knightmon!" And Knightmon stood beside Cyan. Together they drew their swords, dashed for the staircase, and ran down it.
"You're not strong enough to fight it alone!" called TK. "Patamon, digivolve!"
"Patamon, digivolve to ... Angemon!" cried Patamon, taking the air. In a twinking he transformed a tall digimon angel. On great, unfurled wings he swooped down the side of the pyramid calling "Hand of Fate!", aiming for the Goldtyrramon. The beast took the full force of the blast and roared, but otherwise seemed unfazed.
In the courtyard outside, Davis, Yolei, Kari, and Cody were fleeing the Goldtyrramon, not realizing it had changed course and was even now entering the inner enclosure instead. Then ahead of them, from around the corner of the inner wall some thirty feet away, five short dark digimon suddenly appeared, each running on two powerful legs. The four children stopped short to avoid colliding with them.
"Darkrizamon!" said Hawkmon.
"Yikes!" cried Davis. "Digiarmour energize!"
Yolei and Cody echoed him. "Digiarmour energize!" And their digimon responded in turn.
"Veemon, armour digivolve to ... Flamedramon!"
"Hawkmon, armour digivolve to ... Halsemon!"
"Armadillomon, armour digivolve to ... Digmon!"
Gatomon looked at Kari in amazement. "I can feel the power in this place! I can digivolve to Angewomon!"
"Go for it!" said Kari.
"Gatomon, digivolve to ... Angewomon!"
Halsemon and Angewomon flew upwards and away, hoping to draw the Darkrizamons' fire away from the Digidestined. Flamedramon and Digmon rushed them on the ground. The four children retreated from the battle, knowing their digimon would handle it. The two large sphinxes at the entrance to the inner enclosure provided excellent cover, so they they ran for the closest one and hid behind it.
Where's that big yellow digimon? Davis wondered as they arrived at the sphinx. It had been there just a moment before, but now was nowhere to be seen. Then from inside the courtyard he heard the cry, "Hand of Fate!" and a roar from the Goldtyrramon as it was struck.
Glancing out fron behind the sphinx, he saw two of the Darkrizamon had fallen already. Digmon was grappling a third, while in the air Halsemon and Angewomon were lining up against the remaining pair. Flamedramon was holding back, saving strength for when it was needed. Looking now into the inner enclosure, Davis suddenly realized where it could be put to use.
"Flamedramon! Come here! There's something inside there we can help fight!"
Flamedramon heard Davis and moved quickly. But instead of running to the gate-house, he headed toward the outer wall. About half way there he stopped and turned around. Running back at full speed, he executed a tremendous jump and sailed over the full forty foot height of the inner wall, landing in the pyramid's courtyard. Davis ran across the gap from the sphinxes to the inner gatehouse.
Leaning against the sphinx, Cody thought he felt it move. He put a hand on it. It was warm to the touch and did not feel like stone. Then he felt ripples run through it, like flexing muscles. Suddenly he realised the two sphinxes were not merely statues; they were real! Why they had not awakened to now he could not tell, but had no time to wonder further.
"Let's get out of here!" he shouted. "These sphinxes are alive, and they're waking up! Digmon! We need some help!" And he ran for the main entrance, away from the sphinxes and the Goldtyrramon. The others all followed, save for Davis, who even now was entering the pyramid's courtyard.
Flying high in the air, Halsemon heard Cody's shout and quickly analysed the new threat. "Sphinxmon--two of them! The Darkrizamon were weak compared to these!"
"Where'd that blasted Flamedramon go?" rumbled Digmon. "We could sure use him now."
"I shall get some help!" Angewomon called, and she flew for the inner enclosure.
Back at the pyramid, Cyan, Knightmon, and Angemon were slowly but surely driving the Goldtyrramon away. Angemon was flying all over, attacking from every angle, while on the ground Cyan and Knightmon did the same. Almost dancing about the huge beast, they would thrust quickly with their swords, retreat, then encroach and strike again. So deft and unpredictable were they that the digimon dinosaur was reduced to spinning about, searching in vain for a target.
Angewoman came flying over the inner wall. "Angemon! We need your help in the court beyond! Two Sphinxmon threaten the Digidestined!"
"But I am otherwise engaged," Angemon called back.
"Go for it, Angemon!" called TK from the pyramid. "Flamedramon's here now. He can take your place."
"As you wish, young master. Angewomon, fly with me!"
Davis entered the inner enclosure to see Cyan and Knightmon in melee with the Goldtyrramon. Seeing it up close for the first time, he suddenly realized Flamedramon was no match for it--fire attacks were ineffective against all Tyrranomon. His digimon would need to take another form.
"Flamedramon!" he shouted at the top of his voice, hoping to be heard over the roars of the dinosaur digimon. "Revert and armour digivolve to Raidramon!"
Everything went wrong all at once. Cyan jumped, startled by Davis' shout, and angrily thought, What's Davis doing here? For but a second he was off his guard. It was all the Goldtyrramon needed. Around swung its mighty tail, catching Cyan full force in the chest. Big though he was, the teen flew through the air and smashed against the bottom step of the pyramid.
"Cyan!" cried Knightmon.
"Amber Blast!" called the Goldtyrramon, shooting a sickly yellow jet from its mouth. Too late Knightmon realized the beast was capable of two attacks at once. The blast caught him as he tried to get out of the way, and he reverted to Cantomon before hitting the ground. Coming to a deft halt, he turned in a flash to face the huge digimon again, growling and hissing. The yellow monster glared at the angry feline with its blazing blue eyes, then turned its attention back to the pyramid.
Standing on the high patio, TK saw the battle in the courtyard suddenly go terribly wrong: Cyan was out cold, Flamedramon and Knightmon had reverted, and the Goldtyrramon once again was preparing to climb the pyramid. Immediately he thought of recalling Angemon. But even as he prepared to do so, he heard a strange clicking noise coming from one side. Turning around, he saw several large beetle-like digimon come scuttling out of the Crestuary. They stopped, eyeing TK, then without warning leaped into the air directly for him.
Instinctively he threw up his arms to fend off the impacts. Three of the bug-digimon glanced off him and flew erratically away, but turned around and headed back. TK spun about and flailed his arms, desperately trying to fend them off. Two more hit him. He dropped to the ground, curled himself into a ball, and tried to roll away from the marauding digimon.
It was a terrible mistake. Even as he started his roll, TK realized he didn't know where the edge of the patio was. He tried to correct and change directions, but was too far in to bail out. Then in horror he felt the patio stones disappear from under him. Screaming, he dropped twenty feet to the next step of the pyramid below.
"Hand of Fate!" called Angemon. "Celestial Arrow!" cried Angewomon in turn. They had engaged the Sphinxmon, and blasts of energy echoed through the temple. "Gold Rush!" called Digmon, and pressed his attack.
"Tutankhamen's Curse!" replied one of the Sphinxmon. But it was still waking up from its long sleep, and the bolt ran out of energy just shy of Angemon, who easily evaded it.
Yesterday, with the Digidestined divided and the Temple of Despair building in power, the Sphinxmon might have prevailed; but Digiworld was restored now, and against the combined potential of the six children they stood scarcely a chance. "Tempest Wing!" cried Halsemon in response to the Sphinxmon's curse attack. On the ground the enormous Digmon advanced like an unstoppable force. Ears back and growling, the Sphinxmon began backing away from him.
Davis heard a scream from high up the pyramid, and looked up just in time to see something fall from the top to the next step down. The Goldtyrramon heard it, too. Raising its head, it let out a great bellow, then once more walked toward the pyramid.
Now with a roar Cantomon flung himself into the air, all claws out, aiming as high up the beast's back as he could. The Goldtyrramon felt a sudden, intense pain. His hide was thick, but Cantomon's claws were long and sharp. The dinosaur digimon thrashed around, bellowing, trying to dislodge the cat clinging to his back. But Cantomon would not be thrown off so easily. Sinking in his fangs as deeply as he could, he used them and his claws to hang on.
The Goldtyrramon made a couple more futile attempts to throw him off, then suddenly fell over. At first Cantomon thought he had killed it, then realized the beast was about to roll on its back and crush him. Instantly he let go and jumped for safety. He hit the ground hard and skidded to a halt on the grass. Struggling to his feet, he limped away, keeping a front paw off the ground.
Davis ran back to the safety of the inner gate-house and hid to one side. Looking back, he watched with a mixture of horror and fascination as Goldtyrramon regained its feet, walked unopposed to the pyramid, and began climbing the staircase. Its progress was slow, for it was obviously in pain from the wounds on its back, which bled profusely. But its goal was clear, and it would struggle to the death to fulfill it.
Raidramon came around the side of the pyramid and ran to Davis. In this form he resembled a large dog, running on all fours. He spied in the outer courtyard that which Davis apparently hadn't: the two Sphinxmon in a stalking pose low to the ground, apparently seeking out the Digidestineds' latest hiding place. Looking back, he saw the Goldtyrramon just starting to climb the pyramid.
"Davis, what should I do?" he asked. "There's a Sphinxmon outside and the Goldtyrramon in here!"
Davis paused. A thought flashed through his mind. Raidramon probably had not seen TK fall, or he would not be here asking for instructions. All Davis need do now was send him out after the Sphinxmon; it would occupy him for a minute or two, and in that time the Goldtyrramon would take care of TK. TK would be out of the way completely; Davis would be the undisputed leader of the Digidestined; and Kari would be his forever ...
Outside, the two Sphinxmon crouched side by side, warily watching the three digimon flying over them and Digmon on the ground nearby. They were in an uneasy standoff: neither side had launched an attack since Haslemon had fired off his Tempest Wing. Ever so slowly, one of them raised its head until it was able to look Angemon in the face. Then he called out to him, "Angemon! We're on your side!"
"Davis!" Raidramon sounded almost panicky. Why was his Digidestined not saying anything? "I'm here! What do you want me to do?"
"TK's fallen off the top of the pyramid and is lying up there somewhere! Save him!"
"Right!" Running to the pyramid, Raidramon raced up it in great bounds, using the pyramid's steps as though they were a giant staircase. At the top he carefully picked up the unconscious TK in his mouth and dragged him over to the stairs, then up to the patio and into the Crestuary just ahead of the slow-climbing Goldtyrramon. Racing out again, he called out, "Thunder Blast!", and hurled himself bodily at TK's nemesis with all his strength.
The blast stopped the great yellow digimon in its tracks; Raidramon
colliding with it sent it tumbling back down. It hit the ground with such a
force the pyramid itself seemed to shudder. The Goldtyrramon let out one
final, weak roar, then disintegrated into its component bits and vanished.
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Thank you from both Cyan and Bradmon.