The Night of Destiny: Part 8: Twilight of the Gods

                Eirka Izumi glanced over the top of the garbage dumpster to see the back of a black Divermon slowly move away from her. She glanced over her shoulder and nodded slightly at the floating metallic insect behind her. The two glanced a final time at the back of the Divermon, then launched through the other end of the alley.

                "That was close, Erika," her Tentomon said, hovering behind her.

                "I know," she huffed, glanced up at the massive black hole in the sky that was pouring out demon digimon, then at the floating castle where massive balls of light were starting to appear. She stopped at stared at the castle,"That's where my father and the other elder Digidestined are fighting the Child of Darkness."

                "I don't think they're doing so well," her Tentomon sighed.

                Erika closed her fist,"What should I do? Should I keep trying to find Dan and the others, or should I help my father?"

                Her Tentomon buzzed near her head,"Well, considering that we don't even know where Dan is...."

                Erika sighed, then twirled around,"Alright, let's go!"

                She and her Tentomon started charging towards Seiji's dark castle, when a massive blast of light and wind through the young red-head onto her back. "What was that?" she asked, sitting up.

                Tentomon was hardly able to speak,"L...Look up t-there! I..I can't buh-believe this!"

                Erika quickly shot her head to the castle, and saw an assemblage of massive beings in the sky over the castle."Who are they?"

                "Th..the Digital Gods!" her partner shouted.

                Erika felt an intense feeling deep in her stomach,"Suddenly, I don't think this planet is a very safe place to be."

                Seiji surveyed the beings around him, filling up the entire sky. "So, I've caused enough of a commotion that the Gods themselves have come to stop me?"

                The beings remained silent, so Seiji walked slowly in front of them, glancing at each one,"Zhuqioamon, Ebonwumon, Bahiumon,Seraphimon, Ophanimon, Indramon, Makuramon, Milleniumon...and Meggidramon? You truly are desperate. I assume you think you even stand a chance."

                "Enough talking!" Zhuqioamon shouted, spreading his wings out wide,"Seiji of the House Kamiya, we have come to give you an ultimatum, stop this insanity at once, or face power beyond your wildest dreams!"

                "Ha!" Seiji laughed,"My fantasies are quite beyond what you think." Ladydevimon quickly jumped in front of her human partner. Seiji grinned,"Give us your best shot!"

                "Ladydevimon digivolve to....Galfmon!"

                On the castle roof, Davis and the other elder Digidestined dove for cover as a massive burst of energy exploded from the sky, threatening to turn the mighty castle into rubble. But Seiji knew his potential adversaries well, nothing could destroy his castle of evil, it would stand forever.

                Those inside of the glass prisoners around the castle towers shielded their eyes from the initial blast, but were too eager to view the battle that might destroy the earth itself.

                Zhuqioamon opened his giant mouth and began spitting out large fire balls towards the Child of Darkness. Galfmon, was not going to allow his human partner to fall to harm, and was easily able to weave in and out of the fire barrage, despite his centaur-like body. He flew to the air and broke through Zhuqioamon's attack, slamming his elbow into the phoenix's neck. Zhuqioamon was the second strongest Digital Deity, but Galfmon's simple attack was enough to cause him to cease the fire attack.

                "My Lord Zhuqioamon!" Seraphimon shouted. He and Orphanimon soared to the Digital Gods' aid, but were cut off when Baihumon dove to free his friend. Galfmon twirled Zhuqiaomon around and into Bahiumon, sending both of them crashing through a few large buildings, destroying them completely.

                The two Mega angle Digimon began firing massive amounts of light and force at the demon centaur, but with a simple flick of his wrist, he was able to send the energy back. Seraphimon and Ophanimon were able to dodge out of the way in time, however, that left them wide open for Galfmon's physical attack. They were saved at the last minute by Meggidramon, who flicked Galfmon aside with his tail. Once the demon digimon had reversed his momentum, Meggidramon dove into the fray.

                Hyouriki Ichijoji charge down the abandoned streets, searching for her friends. "Dan! Erika! Scott!"

                "Where can they be?" Penmon asked.

                Hyouriki took a deep breath as she leaned against the outside of the building. Her long hair hung in front of her face as she stared at the ground. "There's something bothering you, isn't there?" Penmon asked,"I mean, besides the obvious."

                Hyouriki glanced at her partner, then back at the ground. "Dragomon," she growled,"What if...what if he's right? What if I'm destined to become his dark bride?"

                "You can't be seriously thinking that!" Penmon said, almost shouting,"There's no way that can be true, you know that!"

                "No, I don't," she sighed, rubbing her face in her hands,"Latey, I don't know what I know! Everything's falling apart! Seiji was like my own cousin, and know he's our worst enemy! I'm the one that opened that gate from the Dark Ocean that's sending out those demon digimon. And now my friends are missing, probably because of me! I am evil..."

                A group of black Betamons suddenly rounded the corner and charge at the young female digidestined. "Queen!" they shouted,"Save us!"

                "Here we go again!" Penmon shouted, as he lead Hyouriki quickly away from the mob. Unfortunately, that lead them straight into a group of Divermon. "Perfect," Hyouriki shouted, grabbing her Digivice,"Go!"

                "Penmon digivolve to Seadramon!"

                The serpent shot forward, weaving his way through the sea of darkness, ignoring the pain that he was feeling, he had to get Hyouriki as far away from the evil digimon as he possibly could. As he continued to slither through the ocean of Divermon and Betamon, he felt a sharp pain in his side and he knew a Divermon had speared him. He felt an intense force slam into his right side, and he knew a Betamon had attacked his side.

                He fired his ice attack, freezing a line of digimon, which cracked into pieces and freed a path for them. He was able to make it half way through the path, before it was once again covered with demonic digimon.

                He watched with panic in his eyes as the digimon drew ever closer. "Riki!" he called out,"I think we're in trouble."

                "What are we going to do?" she thought,"We need the power of Waruseadramon, but I can't use my digivice! If I do...I've only got one more jewel left, then....."

                Her thoughts were instantly cut off as a Betamon launched at her and threw her to the ground.

                As the battle between Seiji and the Deities raged above, four lone warriors made their way through the maze of the castle, desperately searching for the ones they served.

                "Well, I thought it was a good idea! How they heck do I know where we're going?"

                "You said you knew, and that counts!"

                "Shut up, Serena! You're still the same, just like when we were younger."

                "You don't know anything, Sammy! You don't even know why you're upset!"

                Sammy turned away from his twin sister and crossed his arms,"I'm upset because you're a spoiled brat!"

                Serena huffed,"You little...!"

                "Guys!" their two Lampmons called out,"I think we should focus on finding Mr. Kamiya or Akira."

                The two twins took a deep breath and got their tempers under control. "Alright," Sammy said, glancing at the fork in the road in front of them,"Left or right?"

                "Right," Serena said.

                Sammy shrugged, then walked into the hallway, only to gasp at what he saw. Lying on the ground in front of him was Oikawa and Mummymon. Serena walked in, then gave a small shriek. She jumped behind her brother, glancing over his shoulder. "Is he alive?"

                "I don't know," Sammy said, kneeling down next to him.

                "Sam, Serena!" one of their Lampmons called, running into the room,"You've got to see what's in the other room!"

                Serena was eager to leave Oikawa's body, so she ran into the room on the left, and shouted out even louder then her brother did. "Sam!" she screamed.

                "What?" he yelled, running into the room,"Oh crap!"

                Inside of the center of the room, bounded to a large metal 'x', was Akira.

                Hyouriki slowly opened her eyes to a surprising shock. Since she passed out right after that Betamon attacked her, she figured she must be their prisoner, but when she opened her eyes, she found that she was sitting on a comfortably elegant armchair. Penmon was sleeping peacefully beside her. "What the..?"

                "I see your awake."

                "Dragomon!" she shouted, leaping further back into the seat.

                "Ah, my Digimon Empress," the Dark Ocean ruler grined,"I am happy to see you looking so well. I was afraid you had fled the city during my demon reign. "

                "Why would I run away?" she glared,"I want to be here when you finally get what's coming to you."

                Dragomon twirled around, and Hyouriki could see that they were inside a small office, with closed white shutters covering large windows. "You wound me," he said,"I would have thought that by now you would realize your love for me. You are to be my bride, there is no question."

                Hyouriki was doing everything she could to keep from giving into her fear and desperation. She took a deep breath, then said,"You keep going on and on about how I am destined to be your bride, but, why is that?"

                Dragomon grinned slightly,"The prophecies had told me so. They named that the progeny of the Dark Seed will become the queen of the Dark Ocean." He raised his trident with the crystal glowing in the center,"My trident is connected to the Aquatreft, the Center of all Oceans, and it knows that the time is drawing near. Soon, Master Seiji will have succeeded in conquering this world, and evil will stream into the Dark Ocean. Stand by my side willingly and serve me and the Child of Darkness."

                Hyouriki definitely shook his head,"No way."

                Dragomon sighed,"Then you leave me no choice."

                He flicked his wrist and the shutters flung open, revealing a warehouse full of Divermon, black Betamons, and Gesomons surrounding Dan, Leyu, Shiro, Scott, Sam and their Digimon. She watched in horror as her young brother and their firends were slowly being push, prodded and poked by the Divermon's long spears, each jab coming ever closer to drawing blood.

                She twirled to stare at the massive creature beside her. "Stop this!"

                Dragomon gurgled with delight ,"I cannot."

                Hyouriki glared,"Can't, or won't?"

                This time, the Ocean Master smiled,"You are the only one that can save them."

                Hyouriki knew what he was doing. The evil squid monster was trying to make her use her Digivice and light the last crystal on its back. She could already feel the darkness creeping into her could, pricking at the edges of her sanity. She could keep her digimon at the adult level, but in the heat of battle, would she inadvertently cause her digimon to reach the fully evolved level?

                It was a risk she would have to take, she decided. Grabbing the device from around her belt, she turned to her partner. We're going, Penmon!"

                "Right behind ya'!" he shouted, diving through the glass window into the warehouse below.

                "Penmon digivolve to...Seadramon!"

                Hyouriki jumped on top of her partner as they charged through the sea of demon digimon to reach their friends.

                "Hyouriki!" Dan Motomiya shouted, struggling to escape from the bonds that held him tightly to the bar over their heads. "Go! Don't worry about us!"

                "Speak for yourself!" Shiro shouted, jumping up to avoid a spear in his rear.

                "We're coming!" Seadramon said, pushing forward even as the water digimon jumped in front of him, blocking his way. As the Ichijoji daughter was thrown every which way from the attack, her hand made a grab for her Digivice, but caught herself. "No!" she firmly told herself.

                She heard a scream and looked towards her friends. The Gesomon had wrapped his tentacle around the Ishida daughter, her face white with fear.

                "Leyu!" Hyouriki shouted, jumping off of Seadramon. She landed in the center of the group of creatures and ran to her friends. "I'm coming! Hang on!"

                She felt a pull on her leg, but kept on going forward. She felt another yank on her arm, so she shot her other out to grab at the sky. She started feeling the digimon over taking her, until her face and free arm fell to the floor.

                "Don't give up! Don't give up!"

                She placed her elbow firmly on the ground and pulled forward, but the digimon at her feet pulled even harder, yanking her deep into the sea of black, completely covering her. "All right, Dragomon," she thought, sadly,"You win."

                As Leyu was being squeezed to death, the others watched as Waruseadramon shot from the group and easily destroyed the Betamons and Divermons that were assembled around the room. He then sprang towards the Gesomon that was holding Leyu captive and easily tore through the squid, destroying it. Before she fell to the ground, Waruseadramon flicked his tail and freed the others.

                Sam Ichijoji crashed to the ground and quickly looked around the now empty room. "Hyouriki!" he shouted,"Hyouriki!"

                "She is here."

                The Digidestined kids glanced at the office and saw Dragomon with Hyouriki standing at his side. Her regular clothes were gone, replaced by long sleeve blue and white shirt, a matching skirt ending at her knees, knee-high blue boots, and a blue cape flowing behind her. The Master of the Ocean laughed,"She has become my bride, my Digimon Empress."

                "Oh, Hyouriki," her younger brother sighed, glancing down.

                Galfmon shot over Meggidramon's head and used his four hoofs and pounded into his back as hard as he could. The evil dragon's spine twisted the opposite way before Galfmon slammed him into the roof of an adjacent building. Seraphimon and Orphanimon were fearful that the fire dragon had broken his spine, but breathed a sigh of relief when he slowly moved, in extreme pain, but still able to move.

                Seraphimon turned to the female angel,"Let's go."

                "I am right behind you," she said.

                The two angel digimon dove towards Galfmon, Seraphimon readying to fire his energy attack, and Orphanimon holding out her swords. "Now!" the male angel shouted.

                Orphanimon flung her swords as Seraphymon's energy coursed around the swords, making them even more powerful.  The energy swords struck Galfmon's back, causing him to scream in pain. He twisted around and fired a massive black lightning bolt that blasted into the two angel digimon, sending them tumbling backwards onto the castle roof.

                Galfmon suddenly felt himself become disoriented and confused. He started twirling and flying around in a circle, before finally slowly to a stop.

                Down on the castle roof, Seiji could not understand what was happening. "Galfmon! What are you doing? There is a battle going on, why did you stop?"

                There came no answer, and Seiji turned his head and saw that Milleniumon was holding his hands out in a triangle shape towards The Digimon partner of the Child of Darkness.

                The master of time turned to the twelve animal figures at his side,"Devas, I am holding him by disorienting his sense of time. Strike now!"

                The twelve Deavs leapt up around Galfmon in a circle pattern and began hitting him with their most powerful energy attacks. Meggidramon, Zhuqioamon, Xuwanamon, Seraphymon, Orphanimon and Baihumon all joined them, hitting the demon as hard as they could. Galfmon remand perfectly still as a cloud of energy and smoke billowed around him, blanketing him from sight. Seconds later, a mighty blast of energy shot from the cloud, easily dwarfing the energy emitted by the Digital Deities. The Digidestined hiding on the castle's roof and inside of the glass prisons watched in horror as the deities fell to the ground, breaking into the digital particles.

                "They're gone!" Davis said, completely in awe.

                Suddenly, a glowing light shot from the sky and a white, nearly transparent dragon appeared. Seiji did not turn around, but he grinned. "Ah, we've been expecting you." He twirled around and stared at the dragon,"Now that his foot soldiers have failed, Azulongmon finally shows himself!"

                "To take back what is mine alone!" he shouted,"Control of the Digital plane!"

                Galfmon flung towards the only remaining Deity left,"Let's see what you've got!"

                The sky exploded in a blast of fire and light, and when it was over, only Galfmon remained.

                Miura gasped,"He..he even beat that guy! Is there anyone left?"

                "No," Rumi said, sadly.

                Seiji laughed uncontrollably as Galfmon landed next to him. "Good job!"

                "Thank you," Galfmon bowed.

                "Now," the Child of Darkness said, glancing at the Digidestined trapped in the glass cylinders around the towers,"Before I was so rudely interrupted, I believe that I was preparing to jump through reality again." He twirled around and stared at the city, and threw his hands up,"Begin the process!"

                Once again a centrifuge of energy swirled around him, created as the energy of the Digital Gate Digidestined was pulled out of them.

                "Fight it!" Tai shouted, from his chamber, "Come on, we can't let him do this again!"

                The other captured digidestined were struggling as best they could. "I...I can't fight it anymore!" Miura sighed, giving one last breath before she passed out. The others watched, hopeless, as her energy pulsed from her body into the spinning circle.

                "As you can see," Seiji laughed, crossing his arms,"There is no way you can stop me!"

                The circumference of the energy cyclone began to shrink, drawing the energy inward towards Seiji's open hands. The Child of Darkness started to laugh uncontrollably as he raised his hands, the blue energy swirling around them. "Now, say hello to the Digital World because it is your last time!"

                He shot his hands upward firing the energy ball into the sky above the city. It exploded a second later, creating a spider's web of blue light that weaved its way across the blackness, like a stone shattering a plate of glass. Slowly a green and blue land mass could clearly be seen.

                "He...did it," Ken said, totally in awe,"He broke through the dimensional boundary! That's the Digital World!"

                "We're domed," Kari sighed, curled in a ball on the bottom of her glass cell,"It's all over."

                Erika placed a hand on the side of the brick building, breathing heavily. "This is harder then I thought."

                She glanced over her shoulder and saw that her Tentomon was hovering loyally behind her.  Izzy's daughter turned her head back to the sky and her eyes shot open. "Tentomon, look up there!"

                "I don't think this is good," she said,"and I don't see the Digital Dieisties anywhere."

                "The sky is falling apart again!" the red head shouted, glancing at the splintering atmosphere above the castle,"We've got to get up there!"

                "Akira!" Serena shouted, lightly slapping his face,"Akira, please, wake up! Please, don't be...." She quickly shot her head away from him, not wanting to think that thought.

                She turned around and looked over her shoulder to the room across the hall. "Sam! What are you doing?"

                Sam, looked up from where his fingers were on Oikawa's neck,"Seeing if Oikawa is still alive."

                "Why?"

                "Because he set us free, remember?" Sam shouted,"He can help us stop Seiji."

                Serena sighed and turned back to her young charge. She started lightly patting his cheek again,"Akira! Please!"

                Slowly the young Kamiya started to moan. Serena's face turned into a bright smile. "Akira! You're alive!"

                He stared at Serena as his vising slowly came into focus,"Aunt Serena?" he said, confused. Suddenly his eyes shot open,"The battle!"

                "What battle?" she asked, slowly untied the ropes that kept Akira tied to the wall.

                "Between Seiji and the Digital Deities! Who won?"

                "That must be what was happening before!" Serena's Lampmon said,"I thought that Seiji was fighting Mr. Motomiya and the other Digidestined."

                "Has Seiji been defeated?" Akira asked, landing on the floor with his Agumon partner.

                Serena glanced at her Digivice, then sighed sadly. "No, his Digivice signal is still there."

                Akira nodded, clenching his fist,"Then it's up to me." He turned to his partner,"Ready?"

                Agumon nodded,"I was born ready, well, hatched really..."

                Akira smiled,"Let's go!"

                Sam was hardly able to contain himself as he stared up at his sister, sitting at the side of Dragomon. "'Riki..." he sobbed,"Riki!" He was going to launch himself at her, but Chris and Scott held him back.

                "Your sister cannot hear you," Dragomon grined,"She is my Digimon Empress, isn't that right?"

                The Digimon Empress nodded,"Yes, my liege."

                "Hyouriki!" Dan shouted,"You've got to remember who you really are!"

                Dragomon raised his trident and the Digidestined kids found themselves once again tied and bound to the bar above them. "No!" Shiro shouted,"We were almost free."

                Dragomon turned to the Digimon Empress,"There are things I must attend to, but I will return shortly."

                "I will be waiting," she said, sitting down in her make-shift throne.

                Dragomon grinned, then vanished.

                "Hyouriki!" Leyu shouted,"Why are you doing this?"

                "Don't you understand?" she asked, holding the back of her Digivice for them to see,"All the jewels have lit up. I am his Digimon Empress."

                "But you're not!" Leyu shouted,"You're Hyouriki Ichijoji! You have to come back to us!"

                The other Digidestined kids were shocked. Leyu Ishida had done nothing but tease and hurt Hyouriki for as long as they could remember, yet, she was pouring her heart out to her. "Please," Leyu said, almost in tears.

                The Digimon Empress waved her hand, and a 3 dimensional image of the throne room of the Dark Ocean seventeen years ago.

                Dragomon could only stare at the child that was laid out in front of him on his throne room floor.  He couldn't help but chuckle at the newborn child. "My darling future bride," he said,"My darling Digimon Empress, how vulnerable you are now, how easy it would be for me to take you as you are now, but, no. No, I must allow time to play out, you must realize your destiny on your own, and to that end..."

                He turned to the right and walked over to where his giant clam lay. He smiled at the giant, glowing pearl on the inside. "Ahh," he said,"Aquatreft, the Center of all the Oceans, give me power, a gift for my future bride, give me a Digivice of Darkness!"

                The pearl started glowing brightly, lifting up the entire room, then, as quickly as it started, it was over and the room was dark once more. Dragomon smile as he picked up the small device that had appeared at the side of the Aquatreft. He examined the device. It was a D-3, almost identical to Ken's Dark Digivice, except it was a much blacker shade. He flipped it over and his grin deepened. There was a set of small lights covering the back on the Digivice. "Excellent."

                Dragomon walked back over to where Yolei's daughter lay. He held the Digivice over the newborn's stomach. It glowed for a second then stopped. Dragomon's smiled again. "Good, the Digivice is now yours. When you come of age, and your Digimon is ready, this Digivice will come to you. Every time you use this Digivice, a light on the back will glow, and, when all the lights are lit, your glorious destiny will be achieved, my Digimon Empress, and you will join me, as my Dark Bride!"

                "You see," the Digimon Empress said, lowering her hand," This has been my fate since I was merely hours old. I was always meant to be the bride of Dragomon. There is no escape from destiny."

                "Yes there is!" Leyu shouted,"You are a human being, you have the ability to make choices! You can choose your own path in life!"

                The Digimon Empress raised her hand again an another image appeared, this time of Hyouriki at age five.

                The young girl glanced up at her mother. "Now, Hyouriki, I don't want you to touch that vase, understood?"

                Hyouriki nodded, then watched as her mother walked out of the apartment. Once she was gone, the brown haired girl charged over to the vase and knocked it over.

                "You see, I am evil."

                "So you misbehaved as a little kid, so what?" Leyu shouted,"Every kid doesn't listen to their parents! You're not evil!"

                The other Digidestined kids were shocked. They had never seen Leyu act like this before. They could only remember who Leyu would poke fun at Hyouriki and tease her about her father's past, but now, she was trying as hard as she could to reach the brown haired girl.

                Hyouriki raised her hand and another image appear,"Then end is at hand, The Child of Darkness has defeated even Azulongmon. Dragomon's demon reign continues, the city is on the brink of destruction. There is nothing we can do."

                "Yes there is!" Leyu shouted,"You can stop the demon reign. You can help Akira save the world!"

                The Digimon Empress turned away from her,"There is no deny it, I am evil, and cannot be changed."

                "Hyouriki!" Leyu screamed,"Please...."

                The Digimon Empress watched the blond haired girl fall to her knees, crying. A feeling deep inside of her stomach welled up to the surface. "Wh...what have I been doing? I...." She stumbled backwards into her throne. Glancing down, she quickly jumped back up. "I...oh, Leyu, I'm sorry."

                She ran towards the window. "Hang on guys! I'm coming!"

                "What?" Dan asked,"Hyouriki, is that you?"

                She smiled slightly,"Yeah, thank you Leyu."

                She was about to run down the stairs, when a dark cloud appear in the room with her. "Dragomon!" she shouted in surprise.

                Dragomon raised his eyebrow. "Why so surprised to see me, my dear?"

                "Uh...ah..nothing," she stuttered,"I was just admiring the prisoners...."

                Dragomon frowned,"Do not lie to me!"

                Hyouriki took a deep breath, then tensed her body. "I am going to stop you, no matter what it takes."

                "You are my bride," Dragomon said,"You will rule the Dark Ocean at my side, even if I must forcefully convince you!"

                Akira ran as fast as he could through the mazes of Seiji's castle. He was wondering if he would ever be able to face his destiny, when he finally ran outside and saw the Elder Digidestined lying around the balcony.

                "Akira!" Davis shouted, from the left side of the balcolny,"You're alive!"

                "Mr. Motomiya!" he shouted, running into the middle,"What happened here?"

                "The end of the world, my dear cousin."

                Akira shot his gaze to the sky where he saw Seiji standing on a raised platform. "You're free, I'm surprised that you made it."

                "Of course I made it!" Akira glared,"and I think you know why I'm here."

                Seiji smiled,"You're here to stop me from murdering the humans in the city, but you're too late. I see no need to separate humans from Digidestined."

                Akira breathed a sigh of relif,"Then you have no purpose! Listen, there's still time too..."

                "You miss understand," Seiji said, "Watching the Elder Digidestined battle me, I have come to a realization. I hate humans for refusing us our rightful place, and I hate Digidestined for protecting the humans we should be ruling!"

                Akira's eyes were wide in horror as Seiji grinned, barring his teeth,"My new decree is this: Human..or Digidestined, no one will survive the Night of Destiny!"

                More than twenty years of preparations and planning are about to come to a climax, as Akira makes ready to face his cousin, the evil Seiji, the Child of Darkness! The final battle is here, next Child of Darkness!