Chapter Twenty-Six

The Dragon Champion

            Strikemon led the Tamers through the dark, shadowy hallways of the ruins. No one dared to speak, for the evil was so thick in the air that if they hadn't known any better, they would've found it hard to breathe. They passed through the courtyard, where at least two-dozen DarkWolfmon were gnawing on bones, defending their patch of ground, or fighting over scraps of food. Strikemon had to break up one of the rougher fights by blasting a hole in the ground between the two snarling Digimon. They stopped immediately.

            Strikemon brought them to the very heart of the ruins. He stopped at two huge oaken doors guarded by two LadyDevimon decked out in metal.

            "If I didn't know any better," Riley whispered to Mikara, "I'd say these two are scarier than the ordinary LadyDevimon. What are they?"

            Mikara shrugged. "Don't know. Jessie? What are they?"

            Jessie also shrugged. "Never seen them before. I've heard of 'MechaLadyDevimon', though, and they're Megas, so I'm guessing these bitches are—"

            But before she could finish, one of the metal LadyDevimon grabbed her ear and growled, "You dare insult an Elite Guard!?"

            "Ow! Leggo my ear! Terriermon!"

            The little rabbit clambered up and bit down on the MechaLadyDevimon's hand. The guard screamed and let go, but she whacked Terriermon senseless with her electric rod.

            "Terriermon!" Jessie cried, hugging her Digimon. She glared at the devil lady and was about to attack her when Strikemon intervened. He knocked the rod from MechaLadyDevimon's hands, caught it, and jammed its electric end in her throat, and pointed his revolver at Jessie's forehead in the same fluid movement.

            "One move and I'll kill both of you," he said, a dangerous look in his blood red eyes. After a moment, he said, "Step back. Now."

            The MechaLadyDevimon stepped back immediately, pale with fright. Jessie took a moment to wonder if she could somehow fight back, but wisely decided against it and stepped back with her fellow Tamers.

            Strikemon rigidly held both weapons, even as the Tamers and their Digimon filed into the room beyond the oaken doors. He threw the rod back at the cowering MechaLadyDevimon, who clumsily caught it, and entered the room. The other MechaLadyDevimon closed the doors, then turned to her partner.

            "I told you not to bother the Mistress' guests," she said, helping her friend to her feet.

            Meanwhile, inside the room, Strikemon suppressed a smile as the Tamers bunched together, staying away from the walls and corners. He strode dutifully towards the center of the room and bowed to the back wall. "I've brought them."

            The Tamers were surprised to hear a young, human voice. "Very good."

            "What do you want me to do about them?"

            "I don't want you to do anything about them. I want you to stand back and be there when I need you."

            "Yes, of course…" He stepped aside and glared at the Tamers. "Bow to my Mistress!"

            Lina shook her head. "No way! We're not bowing to anybody!"

            "You'll regret that—"

            Then the Mistress' voice: "Stop."

            Everyone stared at the thirteen-year-old girl standing at the bottom of the steps, clad in black except for the orange D-force at her belt. Her eyes were as hard as flint as she watched her adversaries unemotionally.

            "Who…?" Riki murmured. She's cute…

            "Are you…?" began Sytamon, but the words didn't come.

            "Yes," the girl replied. "My name is Naki Sagano. I am the evil you seek, the ruler of this island and its waters, ever since WaruSeadramon was…disposed of." She grinned wickedly.

            "You killed WaruSeadramon?" asked Wormmon incredulously.

            "No. He did." She gestured to Strikemon.

            "You've got to be joking," Riku scoffed. "WaruSeadramon was an Ultimate. I believe your Digimon's a Rookie."

            "He is. But he's stronger than any Mega. I'm sure you experienced a little run-in with a rather nasty Mega-level MechaLadyDevimon just before you entered?"

            "Yes…"

            Naki's eyes narrowed. "Why do you think they fear him?"

            Riku glared at the girl Naki. After a minute of thought, she said, "Then I challenge you. I don't believe your Digimon's as strong as you claim he is. I'll fight you in Rookie form."

            "As will I," Compass chimed in.

            "Me too," Daiki piped up. "And you too, right, Riki?"

            "Uh…huh?" his brother asked stupidly.

            "Hey! You're here to help us stop her, not to stare at her!"

            Riki went red. "I was not!"

            Daiki rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You're going to fight! Now, Tetramon!"

            The fox-like Digimon and his three companions stepped forward, snarling.

            Naki whispered something in Strikemon's ear, and the dragon Digimon nodded once. He stepped up to meet his four opponents. "Well," he said. "Hit me when you're ready."

            Tetramon ran four paces and leaped into the air, fangs bared. But he was suddenly thrown to the ground at Daiki's feet as Strikemon whirled around and thwacked him with his tail. Tetramon was knocked unconscious by the impact.

            "Ivy Vine!" Petalmon cried, ropes of ivy flying from her hands and wrapped around Strikemon.

            "That's it!" Riku yelled. "Ensnare him!"

            Vipomon didn't wait for Riki to tell him what to do; the boy was too busy zoning out. Vipomon opened his mouth and yelled, "Fireball!"

            Strikemon suddenly ducked, and the fireball missed him by a hairsbreadth. He jerked himself upright and started backing off. Petalmon's footing slipped, and she tripped.

            "Mega Strike!" Strikemon roared, suddenly glowing a brilliant blue. As Petalmon fell, a blue light surrounded her and the vines, and she was catapulted towards Vipomon by a sudden, invisible force. The two tumbled head-over-heels to the far wall.

            "My turn!" said Morglormon. "Fungus Crusher!" A jet of green mist flew from Morglormon's hands towards Strikemon, but another Mega Strike stopped it and threw it back to the Digimon who cast it. Morglormon was hit by his own attack.

            "That's impossible!" cried David. "That Digimon is psychic!" His expression hardened. "Digi Modify! Digivolution…activate!"

            "Wormmon digivolve to…Stingmon!"

            Lina and Riley's Digimon also digivolved.

            "Now let's see you fight us as a Champion," said Garurumon.

            Naki held out her hand, and blue-white energy coalesced into a card in midair. She took the card. "Digi Modify! Digivolution…activate!"

            Strikemon glowed as he roared, "Strikemon digivolve to…Ryuuzamon!"

            Ryuuzamon was a long serpentine dragon, red in color with golden spikes down his spine. The leather of his wings was also golden. He had no limbs whatsoever, so he looked more like a huge winged snake than a dragon.

            The battle continued.

            "Howling Blaster!"

            "Striking Spike!"

            "Glass Shard!"

            Their opponent let out a pillar of fire. "Ryuuza Fire!"

            The attacks caused an explosion to rock the ruins. The Tamers shielded their eyes from the light, but Naki, on the other side of the room, stood as if nothing was happening. When the light faded, she yelled, "Do it, Ryuuzamon! Attack!"

            A ring of fire surrounded Ryuuzamon's coiled form, burning hotter than the desert at midday. "Ring of Flames!" roared the red-and-gold Digimon, and the ring of fire flew outwards, ever in its endless circle. Garurumon, Kelaramon, and Stingmon had nowhere to go, big as they were, and had to take the hit. Upon impact, the flames leaped up their exposed bodies and blackened them. The Tamers ran to escape the flames, which didn't die out.

            "I don't believe it!" grated Daiki, still hugging Tetramon. "Our Digimon are being roasted worse than marshmallows at camp!"

            Jessie pushed to the front. "Then let's get him as Ultimates! I bet he's tired; beat him up, Terriermon!"

            The two remaining Digimon joined Terriermon in the fray as their Tamers slashed the Blue cards.

            "Terriermon digivolve to…Gargomon! Gargomon Matrix digivolve to…Rapidmon!"

            "Nekomon digivolve to…Renokomon! Renokomon Matrix digivolve to…Nabikimon!"

            "Patamon digivolve to…Angemon! Angemon Matrix digivolve to…MagnaAngemon!"

            A slight smile played on Naki's lips. "How interesting. The plot thickens…" Her smile widened. "What a foolish play you made in my game. Okay, I'll play too. Ryuuzamon?" Her own Blue card flew through her orange D-force and disappeared in a flash of blue-white light.

            "Ryuuzamon Matrix digivolve to…Firagamon!" Firagamon was about the height of Strikemon. However, he sported blood red armor edged with silver, and he held a huge two-handed sword, the blade tinted orange and red like firelight. His helmet had razor-sharp red-and-silver spikes protruding from the sides. Spreading his bat-like wings menacingly, he adopted a swordsman's ready stance.

            "I can take him!" Rapidmon said confidently. He held out his 'hands'. "Rapid Fire!"

            Faster than the eye could blink, Firagamon jumped. He dodged the missiles with ease, landed smack-dab in front of Rapidmon, and impaled his sword through the armored rabbit's left arm. He jumped back quickly as Rapidmon screeched and dedigivolved into an agonized Terriermon.

            MagnaAngemon flew at Firagamon and swung his bladed arm. The armored dragon blocked the blow with his sword. For a second, the two stood nose-to-nose at each other, glowering determinedly. But the two jumped back and faced each other again at a safe distance.

            Firagamon held up his left hand, the sword in his right pointed down. His upraised hand glowed fiercely—"Mega Firestorm!"—and a shower of flaming meteors peppered MagnaAngemon. Several burned holes in his feathered wings, and the pain caused him to dedigivolved.

            "No! MagnaAngemon!" Josh wailed.

            "Nabikimon!" Mikara yelled. "Your turn!"

            Nabikimon leaped at Firagamon, fangs and claws bared. The dragon-like Digimon glanced coolly at her, pointed his sword straight at her heart, and then roared, "Firaga Magic!"

            The sword blade glowed a brilliant orange-yellow, and the same light surrounded Nabikimon. She was sent ears-over-tail through the ruins wall and into broad daylight outside. There, she dedigivolved.

            Riki suddenly snapped from his trance, and after a second of orientation, his mouth hung open. "We were…defeated?"

            Naki crossed her arms over her chest, a look of mock disappointment on her face. "Aww, the game's over!" Her wicked grin returned. "But I won, so I'm satisfied." Her expression abruptly hardened, and black cables tied the Tamers' hands behind their backs. Their Digimon were ensnared with the same black cables. "MechaLadyDevimon!"

            The two guards from before scrambled inside and saluted. "Mistress!" they cried in unison.

            "Take these pathetic excuses away. Lock them up where they can't escape."

            "Yes ma'am!" They hauled the Tamers and their Digimon out of the room.

            Firagamon dedigivolved into Strikemon, breathing lightly. "That was a refreshing exercise," he said to Naki, almost in a playful tone. "When will I expect to fight them again?"

            "When I'm ready to let them out," came her reply. "I'm glad you didn't accidentally kill any of them. If you did, I would've slain you."

            He nudged the small of her back with his tail. "No, you wouldn't. I'm too valuable."

            Naki turned to look at him. She gave him one of her rare smiles. "Hmph. Insolent young rip."

*          *          *

Author's Note: *gasp* Could Riki like Naki? Heh, sorry if this wasn't what you wanted, Rsrskyport, but it's necessary.