(Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! The new chapter's here! The next several chapters will be singles, and I'll do my best to keep up with my regular schedule. I feel as though things are going to be heating up from now on.
As always, enjoy and please let me know what you think! Cheers!)
Chapter 77: Dawn of Disaffection
The near-perennial darkness hung over the coastal city of Dark Point.
The dark, lightless, ocean water sloshed lazily against the docks and shores of Dark Point. The sound of the breaking surf served as a relaxing refrain for those close enough to hear, but the piers were all but empty. The moons were receding into the oceanic horizon, hidden from view behind a thick expanse of clouds. Due to the wispy veil, there were no stars visible in the murky sky. The only beacons of light were the lamps coming from the city.
As busy as the city was all day and night, it was always a little more quiet just before Morning Light. Many of its citizens, particularly the merchants and visitors, took several hours before Morning Light to sleep, still adhering to the norms outside of the city. So, while there were still lights on all around the city, the streets were a little less busy and many shops were closed.
One of these visitors rested in the shallow waters off the coast, just outside of the harbour of Dark Point and to the south of the harbour's mouth.
Leviamon slept in the dark surf, half-submerged and letting the waves break against his huge body. He was beat; it had been a long swim from Splendor's Reach all the way back to Dark Point, even for him. After returning to his new domain, he conferred with Mayor Dagomon to make sure that everything was still going smoothly before promptly crashing out on the shore.
The Demon Lord of Envy snored loudly and rolled onto his back, creating a huge wave that crashed onto the shores. Leviamon unconsciously scratched at his belly with his leg and settled back into the silt bed that he made for himself.
He was completely unaware of what was about to happen.
All was quiet…
Then, suddenly, a cacophony of screeching whistles erupted in the night sky. At first, they were just distant warbles, like somebody was blasting a broken flute. However, as they became nearer, they grew louder and louder, until it was like a series of oppressive screeches all around the sleepless city.
Then, there were deafening booms, and the ground shook.
Leviamon awoke with an alarmed and confused jolt. He thrashed in the water, flipping over in a swell of massive waves, looking around blearily.
"Wha?! What was that?! Who's there?!" he demanded, blinking and looking around the nearby port and harbour.
To his shock and confusion, he watched as fiery explosions bloomed from behind the skyline. Explosions swelled around Dark Point's southern wall, causing portions of the fortification to collapse. The ground outside of the fortification erupted in a wall of fire and several buildings inside the city were blown to pieces.
"What the hell?!" Leviamon demanded, his eyes widening with shock and disbelief as he watched the outer portion of his newly conquered city erupt in flames. "What's going on?! Who's attacking?! Is it those damn syndicates?!"
"—ev—on! Lor—viamon!" a distant voice called out, drowned out by the din of the carpet bombardment. "Lord Leviamon!"
Leviamon turned in the direction of the voice and saw a lone Devimon flying through the night sky towards him. "You there!" the Demon Lord shouted. "What's going on?! Why are we under attack?!"
The Devimon flapped his black wings rapidly, nearing the Lord of Envy. "It's the Dramons, My Lord! They're attacking with an army!"
"WHAT?!" Leviamon roared with outrage and confusion. "Muster the legions! And the navy! And the Night Guard! Anybody who can stand!"
"It's too late, my lord!" the Devimon informed out as the whistling came closer to him. "They're already here! We-?!"
Before the Devimon could finish, a missile slammed into him from above and the direct hit caused him to detonate in the air above Leviamon.
Leviamon's eyes widened as the Devimon messenger was blown apart. He looked into the sky above him to see the jet streams of dozens of missiles, all of which were converging on him.
The missiles rained down all around him. Geysers of fire and water erupted from the surf in which he lay. Sand and silt burst from the nearby coastline as missiles impacted the land as well as the sea. Several of the airborne munitions hit their mark, impacting Leviamon's scaly back in swells of fire.
Leviamon let out a roar as he was bombarded by missiles, his heavy, data-rich body withstanding the attack, but rocking him back and forth painfully and chaotically. "Graaaaaah!" he bellowed as missiles showered down on him, exploding against his back, head, and snout, the percussive roar of the blasts melding with his roar and inundating his ears.
Reacting swiftly and not without a hint of desperation, Leviamon took off in a burst of speed, scrambling out of the water and up onto the shore. Flicking his twin tails wildly, he bashed several of the last missiles in the salvo out of the sky, causing them to detonate above and behind him.
Leviamon snarled angrily and bolted along the outside of Dark Point's southern outskirts. Now that he had a few moments of reprieve from the disorienting explosions, he had the chance to see what was happening.
To his confused horror, Leviamon saw throngs of dragon Digimon charging towards the city from the south. Land-bound Dramon charged on foot, kicking up dirt as they charged through the night towards the city. Meanwhile, the wings of aerial Dramon blotted out the dark, cloudy sky as a swarm of dragons flew above their land-based counterparts. There had to be thousands of them…
Then, Leviamon noticed one unmistakeable Digimon flying at the front. A huge, serpentine dragon who was leading the troops within a swell of fire, like a meteor tearing through the night sky. Megidramon.
"Dramon? Why?! Why the fuck are they here?!" Leviamon thought to himself bitterly as he raced along the outside wall. "Aren't they working with the Knights now? Damn it! They must not know that I captured this city from Demon! Why didn't the damn Knights tell them!? What the hell?!"
Leviamon reached the road leading to Dark Point's southern gates as fast as he possibly could, dodging explosions that impacted the wall and buildings and the ground around him.
"My lord!" a voice cried out from above the wall to his left. Leviamon looked over and saw a SkullSatamon burst through some smoke and ash towards him. "What do we do?!"
Leviamon growled. "Where's the legion?! Why aren't they here?!" he demanded.
"They're scattered around the city!" the SkullSatamon viscount explained. "Nobody knew of the attack until it was too late! Everyone's in a state of confusion!"
"Damn it!" Leviamon swore, turning towards the oncoming dragon army. He knew that they were in no position to fight such an overwhelming force. They were completely taken off guard and they were outnumbered. He hoped that this was all one big misunderstanding.
"I'm going to try and deal with this!" Leviamon shouted to his subordinate. "Wait for my orders!"
As explosions continued raining down around them, Leviamon bolted off down the road towards the Dramon army. He leered up at Megidramon, who seemed to be meeting his charge.
"WAIT!" Leviamon shouted, snarling up at Megidramon, who tucked his wings back and boldly dove towards him. "Stop the attack! You're making a big mistake!"
Megidramon heard the colossal crocodile's booming voice and laughed as he dove towards him. "There is no mistake, newt! We, the Dramon Corps, rightfully claim this city on behalf of the great United Dramonic Coalition!" he shouted triumphantly. "Now get out of my way! Hell Howling!"
Megidramon let out a roar that channelled a mighty shockwave. The wave of overwhelming pressure surged from his maw and funneled towards Leviamon. The concentrated mass of sound energy slammed into the ground right in front of Leviamon, causing the road to split and fracture like a devastating earthquake, tearing up the road and the tectonic crust beneath it.
"AH!" Leviamon cried out as he was inundated by a wall of torn earth and rock. He veered sharply to the left and the percussive wave slammed painfully into his side, actually nearly able to throw him off his feet, much to his surprise.
"W-Wait!" Leviamon shouted, scampering along the grass to right himself. "Stop it, you idiot! I captured this place from the Demon Lords!"
"Oh? That's funny, newt! For I see a Demon Lord before me!" Megidramon exclaimed as fire rose from his mouth. "And as the United Dramonic Coalition is engaged in a noble and righteous war against the Demon Lords, Dark Point is a legitimate target!"
Leviamon scowled with desperation and frustration. "I left the Demon Lords!" he shouted in a frantic attempt to get them to stop. "I'm working with the Royal Knights now! Ask them! They'll tell you! …We're on the same side, damn it!"
Megidramon gleefully laughed. "Hahaha! I don't care!"
Leviamon's eyes widened with horror. He began to realise what was going on… and that the savage dragon warlord meant what he said. "What…?!"
"Did you think I declared war on the Demon Lords out of some sense of justice or obligation?!" Megidramon mockingly asked. "I want territory! Dark Point should rightfully be ours and you're standing in our way! Us dragons are going to clean up this filthy city, starting with you! Megiddo Flame!"
A torrent of scorching flames erupted from Megidramon's mouth and swept towards Leviamon. The stunned Demon Lord watched as the inferno came flooding towards like a tidal wave of incineration. Knowing he needed to act, Leviamon snarled and took off to the right in a burst of crocodilian speed. The fire washed across his flank and tails, singing his scales, but he continued running as fast as he could.
"Damn it!" Leviamon roared with pain and frustration. He swept his pained tails out like a fan, attempting to keep the fire off him. He dashed along the wall, back towards the safety of the ocean, all while flames and explosions licked at his heels.
"Damn it…" he growled, grimacing with intense irritation and rage as Megidramon's relentless invasion got on top of him. There were too many of them, and their surprise attack was so overwhelming – everyone was in a panic. He didn't see how he could possibly defend against it.
"Damn it…" he bitterly snarled, his fangs tight with fury. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! SKULLSATAMON! ORDER THE LEGION TO RETREAT!" Leviamon reluctantly shouted.
"Y-Yes, my lord!" Viscount SkullSatamon shouted, watching as Leviamon continued running off towards the ocean, forcing him to shout louder after him. "To where?! There are more Dramon attacking from the south east and north east!"
"I don't know!" Leviamon snapped back with panic and frustration as sweat dripped down his head. "Wherever you all can get past them! A few kilometers to the north somewhere! Figure it out! I'm a little busy! Fucking winged lizards!"
"Yes, my lord!" the SkullSatamon readily agreed, ducking underneath a missile that flew over his head. He wasted no time in turning around and retreating from the fortification, shouting at the others who were nearby to do so as well.
Megidramon watched with dark satisfaction as Leviamon scampered off towards the ocean. He swept his bladed arm out towards the city and bellowed. "Move in! The defences have fallen! Capture those strategic strongpoints! Take the citadel!" he commanded to the Dramon Corps.
Leviamon glanced over his shoulder with a withering, bitter glare at Megidramon, watching as the Dramon forces swarmed and overran Dark Point's outer defences. "Damn him… Damn him! Damn that flying snake bastard!" he thought with a simmering snarl as he reached the coastline of Dark Point. "Why me?! Why couldn't this have happened to Demon?! Damn it!"
Leviamon dove into the water, immediately dipping his smoking tails into the water with a hiss. Paddling his legs rapidly, he began swimming across the mouth of Dark Point's harbour. Out of the corner of his left eye, he could see a handful of MetalSeadramon and MegaSeadramon from the UDC's navy moving up towards the harbour from the south. He slammed his tails into the murky water with anger and began swimming faster.
"Damn it! What are the Royal Knights playing at?! Why are they letting this happen?! I'm their ally, damn it!" he bitterly wondered as his head half submerged in water so that he glided through the ocean like a submarine. "If this is them trying to get rid of me after I put my neck on the line for them…"
Leviamon's sharp, reptilian eyes narrowed sharply. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Dark Point, his short-lived domain – his prize, his security after betraying the Demon Lords – was swarmed by dragon Digimon. It felt like it had been cruelly snatched from his claws before he could make his mark. It infuriated him… It was his city. He captured it fair and square. Yet, there was nothing he could do to stop it right now… He needed recompense.
"Fuck… I'm going to find out…" Leviamon determined in oath. "I'm gonna confront those damn Royal Knights and make them make the newt bastard give it back to me. I'm gonna find out if they knew about this betrayal… and if they did…"
Leviamon growled vengefully as bubble and multi-coloured smoke floated up from his maw and nostrils.
"Nobody makes a fool out of me…"
"So, is it really true, Magnamon?"
Craniamon hobbled down a castle corridor, using a metal crutch to support himself. He looked over to the Digimon next to him curiously. Ambling alongside him was Magnamon, who used a crutch of his own.
"I've been wondering that myself," a deep voice said from behind. Following behind them, with crutches big and sturdy enough for his comparatively much larger body, was Examon, who looked down at them with a concerned frown. "What do you think, Magnamon? You saw him, right?"
Magnamon sighed as he hobbled down the stone hallway, now with just a lingering ache in his body whenever he moved. "Well, obviously I can't be 100% sure, but… he definitely looked like SkullKnightmon," he responded with knitted brows. "And it would make sense, if everything that Alphamon said is right… He didn't act anything like DarkKnightmon, but that could be the reformatting process wiping his memory."
"Tch. As if the situation couldn't get any worse…" Craniamon muttered. "DarkKnightmon somehow showing up when we're in the middle of a war with his brother…"
"We don't know that for sure yet…" Magnamon reasoned in an attempt to look on the bright side. "We'll see what Alphamon and the others say during this meeting. Alphamon's been talking to him apparently, and with Karatenmon here, we'll be able to know if he's lying."
"What if he is DarkKnightmon?" Craniamon wondered, eyeing Magnamon as they limped down the corridor.
Magnamon frowned. "…I don't know," he admitted. "It's not just a matter of whether he was DarkKnightmon, but also if he's a threat…"
Examon's brows furrowed as he listened to the two knights in front of him talk about the SkullKnightmon who was a prisoner in their dungeon. He didn't know much about DarkKnightmon other than the obvious. He hadn't had much interaction with the former Royal Knight during DarkKnightmon's rebellion, as he had been so preoccupied with Dorbickmon at the time.
The dragon knight began to wonder… What would they do if SkullKnightmon was, in fact, DarkKnightmon? If that were the case, he would be a very real threat to them. He had nearly been able to overthrow the Order on two occasions. What would be the right thing to do in that situation? Delete him? …Some time ago, Examon might have thought that that would be the most practical solution, but now, he wasn't sure. There were too many unknowns… too many uncertainties. Not only that… he began to have doubts.
"It's probably safest to keep him under lock and key, at least until all this bother with the Demon Lords is over," Craniamon suggested.
"Maybe…" Magnamon replied uncertainly. He sighed. "I'm not sure, honestly… I'll see what Alphamon has to say."
Craniamon glanced over his shoulder at the large, red dragon hobbling after them. "What do you think, Examon?" he wondered. He didn't get an immediate reply, prompting him to eye him quizzically. "Examon?"
"Huh? Oh, me?" Examon asked, blinking as he was drawn out of his thoughts. "Er… I'm not sure. There are many factors, I guess."
Craniamon cocked a brow behind his helmet. "Alright…?"
The three Royal Knights continued down the hallway, nearing a side corridor on their right. As they began passing it, the trio of recovering knights all noticed the unmistakeable splash of red in the corners of their eyes. They turned to notice Dukemon walking out of the side-corridor towards them.
"Hey, guys," Dukemon greeted with a friendly wave. "How are you feeling?"
"Better. Now I feel like only one Locomon hit me," Magnamon sheepishly joked.
"I'm fine. Getting better every day," Craniamon insisted, emphatically flexing the arm that wasn't attached to a crutch.
"And getting plenty of rest, right, Crania?" Dukemon added with a playful wink as he walked along side them. "I better not be hearing that you're going on your training sprees."
"Tch… Doctor's orders," he reluctantly admitted.
"Hello, Dukemon," Examon acknowledged the crimson knight with a friendly nod. "We're following Duskmon's instructions to the letter so that we might recover as quickly as possible and return to the frontlines…"
"Good… I don't plan to sit around the castle any longer either…" Dukemon answered, his gaze growing a little distant as his words inwardly lingered.
Then, after a few moments, he frowned and looked at the other three knights. "By the way… have any of you seen Sleipmon today?"
Examon winced and looked away furtively. His claws tightened just slightly around the handles of his crutches. "…No," he admitted. "Sleipmon wasn't in his room when I checked this morning."
Dukemon's frown deepened with worry and sympathy. "…Oh… Well… It must be really difficult for him right now. I can't imagine what he's going through…" he somberly stated.
"Poor Sleipmon," Magnamon sadly spoke. "I wonder if he'll even be at the meeting."
"Wouldn't blame him if he wasn't," Craniamon murmured.
Examon frowned and followed the other three quietly. He tried not to think too hard about Sleipmon, apart from the hopes that he would be okay. His mind had been wandering too much as of late, onto heavy subjects that he didn't want to think about. He wanted to focus on the tasks in front of him, despite how much his mind seemed to want to stray off path.
"Well, here we are," Dukemon said, coming to a stop in front of the War Room to their left. The two guards stationed on both sides of the doors indicated that it was about to be in session.
Dukemon approached the doors, seeming as though he was about to open them. However, as he began to move his arms, he could hear muffled voice speaking on the inside.
"…could… a ticking time bomb…" he could faintly hear a voice say from the inside.
Dukemon immediately grew still, his heart tightening upon hearing those specific words. He gazed nervously at the doors, while the other three knights looked to him to enter first.
He stood still, stalling for several seconds, his feet planted firmly on the floor. He considered lifting his boot to step towards it, but it was like they were held in place by an invisible magnet. He found himself hesitating…
"Well, Dukemon? What are you waiting for?" Craniamon asked, eyeing Dukemon curiously.
"Shall we, Sir?" one of the Knightmon guards asked with a little confusion, unaccustomed to Dukemon allowing them to open the doors for him.
Dukemon was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts by their urging. "O-Oh, no, it's fine," he insisted, some traces of sheepishness in his words before he caught himself. He smiled suavely while he took in a breath. "If you could please just hold the doors while the others enter after me."
Mustering his inner confidence, Dukemon strode forwards and pushed open the doors to the War Room. As he did so, the two guards followed behind him and held the two doors open with their backs to allow the crutch-wielding knights to enter without obstacle.
As Examon, Magnamon, and Craniamon followed in after Dukemon, they soon noticed that the rest of the Royal Knights were already there. Alphamon, Duftmon, Omegamon, Gankoomon, and Jesmon all stood around the hologram-projecting table in the middle of the room. To their surprise, Sleipmon was also present, standing off to the side and staring intently at the three-dimensional, laser map on the table. As they entered, they also noticed Grani and Karatenmon floating and standing respectively near the back of the room.
Alphamon looked over from his discussion with Omegamon and Duftmon. "Oh, good, everyone is here," he greeted them with a nod. "Guards, please secure the entrance."
The two guards saluted and then closed the doors, returning to their positions outside of the War Room.
Dukemon spotted Grani, and felt a little more at ease upon seeing him there. Grani calmly acknowledged him. Dukemon gave the Zero ARMS a nod and approached the center of the room, looking at the knights on the opposite side of the augmented map table.
"Hey, guys," Dukemon greeted with a grin. "You didn't start without us, did you?"
Alphamon smiled. "No, no. We were merely getting prepared," he assured him. "Duftmon was just asking me about the SkullKnightmon situation, so that seems like a good place to start, once everyone is ready."
Dukemon softly exhaled with relief. "I should have known," he lightly rebuked himself.
Examon hobbled in and stopped beside Dukemon, while Craniamon and Magnamon made their way to free spots around the table. As soon as he was standing steadily on his feet and crutches, Examon glanced over at Sleipmon.
Sleipmon was half-sitting in a large chair in order to take the pressure off of his healing legs. His eyes were dull and serious, and it looked as though he hadn't slept much. However, he didn't outwardly show any emotion. He seemed fixated on the map in front of them, scanning the three-dimensional render of Eniac.
"Alright, then," Alphamon spoke, looking around at the gathered Royal Knights and Captains. "Shall we begin?"
Duftmon took out his pocket watch and checked the time. "Yes, if you would. We are running a minute and a half late," he noted. He eyed the three injured Royal Knights across the table from him. "Although, I suppose I will excuse the tardiness in light of extenuating medical circumstances…"
"Then let's not waste any more time," Craniamon muttered, defensively folding his arms.
"Very well," Duftmon stated, gazing directly at Alphamon. "Well, Alphamon? What were you able to ascertain from your discussion with SkullKnightmon?"
Alphamon pensively closed his eyes and raised his hand to stroke his chin. "…Well… after speaking with him, I am quite certain of two things… Firstly, he is telling the truth about who he is and what his intentions are."
Karatenmon stepped forwards and nodded. "I can corroborate this," the raven ninja added. "With Alphamon's permission, I asked him some questions while using my Satori ability, and it seems as though he's telling the truth. He believes what he's saying, and I can say with confidence that he's not lying."
Alphamon nodded. "Secondly, he is indeed the reincarnation of DarkKnightmon…" he informed them momentously, his eyes looking across each of the knights.
"What?" Duftmon demanded, leering incisively at Alphamon. "Are you certain? What evidence do you have?"
"As certain as anyone can truly be given the circumstances," Alphamon responded, looking back at his strategist. "The timeframe fits too perfectly with DarkKnightmon's rebellion to be a mere coincidence. Furthermore, I asked him what his purpose for travelling was… and he claimed that he was searching for his brother, whom he does not remember, but is certain that exists."
"It… cannot be," Omegamon spoke, gazing at Alphamon with alarm. "You don't mean…"
"…Bagramon," Magnamon finished with grim realization.
"I can't believe it…" Dukemon murmured, his eyes deepening into a frown. "He really is DarkKnightmon?"
"This is outrageous and most grievous," Duftmon declared, his words like a squall of ice. "How could this have happened? How could DarkKnightmon have been allowed to reincarnate?" he demanded. "Anubismon holds the scales to Eniac's Dark Area. What, pray tell, was he thinking when he decided to judge DarkKnightmon's data in favour of reincarnation? Are not the Warrior Ten supposed to be our allies? I demand to know how he could elect to inflict this calamity upon us."
"This is quite the shambles…" Omegamon agreed with a frustrated frown.
"Now, Duftmon," Alphamon calmingly retorted. "Anubismon has a sacred duty to perform. Reincarnation is no small task and I am certain that he does not take his responsibility lightly. He must be far-removed from temporal matters, even if it proves an inconvenience to us sometimes."
"This is a slight bit more than an 'inconvenience', wouldn't you say, Alphamon?" Duftmon contested, folding his arms. "Furthermore, Anubismon's obligations are not the issue here. The concern that proves most baffling is that he judged DarkKnightmon's data as being worthy of reincarnation rather than being consigned to the Dark Area where it rightfully belongs. Did DarkKnightmon not attempt to destroy our Order as well as Yggdrasil or am I mistaken? Do you think that Plutomon would have taken this lenient approach?"
"That is a little confusing," Examon tentatively spoke up. "DarkKnightmon was previously a prisoner of the Dark Area, after all. Should it not have followed that he would return there upon his deletion?"
Alphamon frowned a little and reflexively looked over at Omegamon to gauge his reaction. They had both been there in DarkKnightmon's final moments. They had both seen that flicker of light.
Omegamon looked back at him with an ambiguous and conflicted frown on his face. His heart and mind were telling him different things. He had clear reasons to doubt DarkKnightmon, yet he also couldn't completely deny what he remembered about him.
Seeing the white knight's reticence, Alphamon nodded understandingly and turned back to the other Royal Knights. He certainly couldn't blame him for having mixed feelings; he had a few of his own. Still, he had to make sense of it. He was sure that the reasoning was there.
"For whatever malevolent actions DarkKnightmon may have taken, I do not entirely believe that he had an evil heart," Alphamon spoke up in his defence.
"Senpai?" Jesmon wondered with surprise.
"I cannot believe what I am hearing," Duftmon answered with a vexatious squint. "Even you cannot be that much of an idealist, Alphamon. You cannot simply rewrite history to suit your feelings."
"I am doing no such thing, Duftmon. On the contrary, I am taking a pragmatic approach," Alphamon refuted. "You should know as well as I do that there is no such thing as white and black in this world. To categorize others as merely good and evil is to naively and conveniently overlook the nuances of what it is to be a Digimon. I think you would agree that such urges to categorize so sweepingly and without a second-thought are immature and instinctual, wouldn't you say, Duftmon?"
Duftmon frowned and stayed his next comment. While not backing down, he waited to see where Alphamon was going with his response.
Alphamon smiled a little and placed his hand on his hip. "I am not excusing DarkKnightmon's actions by any means. He performed many wicked deeds… injurious actions against me… against Yggdrasil… and against all of you." Alphamon looked at Omegamon meaningfully. "Though, in acknowledging DarkKnightmon's crimes, I must also acknowledge that, in his own, flawed way, he wanted to bring justice to the world… Though, his flaws are many, he also had many qualities as well… and… at the very end, he seemed to see the light… if only a flicker."
Alphamon closed his eyes at the painful memory, dwelling on it for just a second. "…I cannot speak to Anubismon's mind, but perhaps those qualities and that final change was enough to tip the balance in his favour," he explained. "Furthermore… when we consigned DarkKnightmon to the Dark Area to begin with, the judgement was ours, not Anubismon's. Perhaps he wouldn't have disagreed at the time, but we cannot blame him for being inconsistent."
"Hmph…" Duftmon grudgingly replied. "Be that as it may, SkullKnightmon remains a clear and present threat. He must be dealt with in some way. We must consider incarceration or deletion as possible options."
Dukemon's head snapped towards Duftmon in protest. "What? Deletion? You can't be serious, Duftmon!" he objected. "He's nothing like DarkKnightmon. And, even if he was, that still wouldn't give us the right to just execute him." He turned towards Sleipmon for support. "Right, Sleipmon?"
Sleipmon frowned deeply, hesitating, much to Dukemon's surprise, rather than jumping to his defence. "I… don't know," he ambivalently responded.
"…Tch. I'm with Dukemon, Neko-chan," Gankoomon spoke up, leaning informally against the high-tech table. "It's not right, no matter who the guy was."
"I-… I agree," Jesmon tentatively spoke up, though he was still very much intimidated by Duftmon. "I'm sorry, Duftmon-senpai, but… he's a different Digimon now, isn't he?"
Craniamon nodded in agreement. "Where is the honour in that?"
Alphamon closed his eyes meditatively. "We cannot punish a Digimon for the sins of their previous incarnation, Duftmon," he insisted. "The Digimon who I saw before me was a blank slate. SkullKnightmon is innocent, with the potential to become a Digimon vastly different from DarkKnightmon."
Duftmon stared resolutely into Alphamon's eyes. "Normally, I would agree with you on this matter, were we speaking about a complete reformatting. However, what we are dealing with is an incomplete reformatting – a near impossible glitch," he insisted. "Who is to say that he will only remember but a single memory? If he is a blank slate, Alphamon, then what else will be unearthed given the right provocation? He could regress into the cunning, ruinous DarkKnightmon once again. We do not have enough information about this singularity to rule out that possibility… It is Yggdrasil who is at risk here. What if SkullKnightmon were to find Bagramon like he wishes?"
Omegamon winced a little. "…Duftmon isn't entirely wrong. We risk the Order and Yggdrasil if we just let him roam free," he suggested. "At the very least, we must consider an indeterminate incarceration…"
"I am willing to consider a temporary incarceration, but not deletion," Alphamon responded with calm resolve. "If Anubismon has already deemed him to be worthy of reincarnation, then would he not simply be reborn once more and grow at a rapid rate again were we to delete him? Nothing would change apart from the blood spilled by our hands. We cannot compromise our principles simply because we are afraid of the unknown… If SkullKnightmon reverts to his old ways, then we will deal with it, but not before."
"Perhaps the reformatting process would be complete a second time…" Duftmon hypothetically suggested. He sighed, however, and unfolded his crossed arms. "However… I suppose I can see the merits of your argument… to do such a thing might not be befitting of the status of the Royal Knights. Instead, I motion for incarceration."
Alphamon thought deeply for several seconds. "…As a stop-gap, yes. However, I have another idea that might solve our quandary," he put forward, looking around at the others. "…I suggest that I take SkullKnightmon to Yggdrasil for guidance."
"…What?" Omegamon demanded, aghast at the idea. "Alphamon!"
"Huh?" Craniamon echoed, blinking.
"…Excuse me? I believe I misheard you. You suggest what?" Duftmon demanded, gazing at Alphamon with complete incredulity. "Alphamon, this time you really have taken leave of your senses. Are you suggesting, with complete seriousness, that you willingly take SkullKnightmon on a direct trip to Yggdrasil's domain? Have you forgotten that DarkKnightmon attempted to destroy the World Tree and ultimately access Yggdrasil's domain for some unstated nefarious purpose? And you wish to bring his reincarnation to the Outer Kernel?"
Magnamon frowned. "Duftmon, let's hear Alphamon out. I'm sure he knows what he's doing," he spoke in Alphamon's defence, although it was clear from his voice that he had some reservations.
"I know it sounds like a risk," Alphamon diplomatically reasoned. "However, SkullKnightmon is hardly a threat to Yggdrasil in his current form. He remembers nothing and he has shown no signs of malice or aggression. Don't forget that DarkKnightmon was once a Royal Knight like us. DarkKnightmon was permitted to enter the Hall of Yggdrasil in the past, so it is nothing his past self hasn't already seen or known. Even he received Yggdrasil's blessing, if you recall."
"Then… Yggdrasil must have seen something good in him once, right, Alphamon-senpai?" Jesmon suggested.
"Hm," Craniamon considered. "The kid's got a point. Lord Yggdrasil wouldn't have made a mistake, after all. He had to have something about him before he changed."
Alphamon nodded. "Yes, that's right," he concurred, although noticing Omegamon's ambivalence out of the corner of his eye. "Surely, it would not be blasphemous to bring to Yggdrasil the reincarnated form of a knight who once swore an oath to It. On the contrary, I believe that Yggdrasil would likely have a strong opinion on this matter. Yggdrasil could provide analysis and guidance for the way forward. Furthermore, we will be able to confirm whether or not SkullKnightmon still has Yggdrasil's blessing."
Omegamon took a step forwards, standing just a foot away from the black knight.
"…And what if Yggdrasil determines that SkullKnightmon is a threat to be eliminated?" Omegamon asked him weightily. He stared into Alphamon's eyes, his held, unflinching gaze imparting on Alphamon the unspoken knowledge that only they knew of.
Alphamon gazed right back, not shying away from Omegamon's piercing stare, nor the vital question he posed. "If that should be the case… we will deal with it as needed," he answered.
"…Come on, guys," Dukemon said with an uneasy grin, beginning to feel tension in the room. "Yggdrasil wouldn't ask us to do that."
Neither Alphamon or Omegamon dared to look over at him. Instead, they held their gaze for awhile longer, until Duftmon spoke again.
"Let us, for a moment, entertain this idea for the sake of argument," Duftmon sarcastically said to the black knight. "Who do you propose would travel with SkullKnightmon?"
"The first-person pronoun that I initially used has not changed," Alphamon replied. "I will take SkullKnightmon. It was my idea, so I alone should carry the burden."
"Alphamon, you want to go on by your own?" Omegamon reluctantly questioned. "It is too dangerous. Let me come with you, at least."
Alphamon smiled and shook his head at his friend. "No, I can't let you do that, Omegamon," he gently told him. "You all have things that you need to be doing: recovering, strategising, and otherwise preparing for the next phase of the campaign." The Aloof Hermit gazed meaningfully into Omegamon's eyes before looking around at the others. "…This is my responsibility. I should be the one who sees this through. …Whatever the outcome."
Omegamon saw the determination in Alphamon's eyes, and although he had misgivings, he reluctantly nodded with trusting acceptance.
Duftmon sighed, his finger tapping the hilt of his rapier. "Very well… If you must," he permitted. "I suppose Yggdrasil would have a vested interest with regards our reincarnated prisoner."
Alphamon nodded. "Thank you. I will inform SkullKnightmon later and leave tomorrow morning," he explained.
Duftmon flicked his tail with mild irritation and placed his hand on the side of the strategy table. "That is decided then," he swiftly determined before casting a slow and irate gaze around the room. "Now, unless anybody else has any more bold ideas, could we please return to the matters of strategy?"
Alphamon sheepishly scratched his cheek and smiled. "I have no objections," he insisted, sensing that Duftmon's patience was taking a turn for the worse. "Please, continue."
"Hmph. Good," Duftmon answered before turning his head towards the Zero ARMS who was floating in the corner behind him. "Captain Grani? Your report from this morning, please."
Grani nodded and floated towards the table. "Affirmative," he responded. "Increase magnification on Sector Beta-Nine by 25%, please."
Duftmon pressed a few buttons on the key panel and the topographical map on Eniac zoomed in on the western coast of the lower center of the continent.
Examon frowned curiously as the map centered on the Western Reaches and the northern UDC below it. "…Dark Point?" he asked with confusion.
"I have received a surprising report from one of my scouts," Grani began, his blue, mechanical eyes looking at a specific peninsular landmark. "It appears that, early this morning, the Dramon Corps of the United Dramonic Coalition, led by Megidramon, attacked and conquered Dark Point. The city apparently surrendered less than thirty minutes after the attack began."
Examon's eyes widened with absolute shock. "What?!" he exclaimed, stepping forwards and gripping the side of the table. "That can't be."
The other Royal Knights similarly reacted with shock and confusion. Duftmon's head whipped towards Grani. "That is unthinkable! Are you certain of this?" he incredulously demanded
"Affirmative: I report this with 98% certainty, without a shadow of a doubt. A massive force of dragons was seen encircling the city of Dark Point, and there is only one Megidramon," Grani calmly insisted. "It can only be the United Dramonic Coalition."
Alphamon frowned with faint concern on his face. "This is a most shocking development… Did we have no foreknowledge about this attack?"
Karatenmon frowned pensively and folded his arms. "Admittedly, this is news to me. I haven't heard anything from Justimon about this at all… One of my agents mentioned that the Dramon Corps were going on a training exercise, but nothing like this."
"How could that gaggle of lizards have failed to inform us, their supposed allies, about this?" Duftmon sharply demanded. He spun towards Examon with a peeved scowl. "Examon! Did you know anything about this?"
Examon blinked with confusion and pointed at himself. "Me?" he wondered. "Why do you think I would know anything about this?"
Duftmon folded his arms and eyed the large dragon from across the table. "You were the Four Great Dragons' right hand as the Dragon Emperor, were you not? Surely you still enjoy their confidence," the strategist implied. "Did they not tell you anything about this when you met with them?"
Examon's scaly brows furrowed defensively as he heard what felt like a veiled accusation. "They didn't. I knew nothing about this…" he firmly maintained.
Dukemon frowned and stepped up beside Examon. "What exactly are you suggesting, Duftmon?" the crimson knight demanded. Dukemon looked up at Examon and placed his hand on the dragon's spiked shoulder protectively. "I was with Examon the whole time. He's telling the truth. There was no circumstance where they could have told him about this."
"I am not suggesting anything. I am merely questioning whether or not they mentioned any plans for an offensive," Duftmon insisted.
Examon blinked and looked down at Dukemon with shock.
What Dukemon said was a lie, though… The Four Great Dragons had asked him to stay behind without Dukemon and Craniamon present. While it was true that he knew nothing of this attack, he was keeping secret a much different fact from that private conversation.
Why was Dukemon lying in his defence? Was it because he trusted Examon implicitly? …Or was it because Dukemon thought he actually did know something about it?
Dukemon glanced up at Examon, his passionate, gold eyes steady and reassuring.
Feeling a little uneasy, Examon couldn't help but glance back at Craniamon. Craniamon stood with folded arms against the wall, eyeing Examon wordlessly. Despite his aloof demeanour, Craniamon made no sign that he was going to contradict Dukemon and reveal the truth.
Examon winced and turned his head away from Dukemon evasively. He felt a pang of guilt in his heart. Dukemon was doing this for him despite what he was considering… Or maybe it was that Dukemon and the others didn't trust him as much as he thought, but wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Forcing himself to look back at Duftmon, Examon attempted to settle his disquieted heart and respond to the tactician. "I can assure you that I have no foreknowledge of their military intentions, otherwise I would have told all of you," Examon insisted. "Logically, I don't think they would trust me with any privy information so long as I am with the Royal Knights."
"It's okay. We know you didn't know about this, Examon," Magnamon assured him.
Duftmon sighed with exasperation and brought his hand up to massage his temples. "Yes… Yes, of course not," he conceded, weathering through his frustration after some careful and logical reasoning. "Still, is this the kind of brazen, reckless behaviour that we can expect from our dragon allies? Aggressively conquering a city without a word of communication to us?"
"They clearly wanted to assert themselves," Craniamon spoke up from behind Examon. "When we were in Dragon's Peak, it was like they were itching for a battle." The violet knight looked down a little. "…Can't say I completely blame them. I doubt they even thought about the consequences…"
Duftmon shook his head. "As much of a brute as Megidramon is, there is no possibility that a general as talented as him hadn't thought through the ramifications of such a provocation," he responded. "I am positive that he knew how we would feel about it. That is why he did not ask for our approval."
Examon frowned uncomfortably at Duftmon's inference. "What? What are you suggesting, Duftmon?" he asked.
"I am suggesting that the only reason why they accepted this alliance was because they saw an opportunity for some easy territorial gain with zero consequences," Duftmon answered. "If we were not in a war alongside them, we might have intervened if they brazenly conquered Dark Point with no casus belli. However, because Dark Point is controlled by Demon Lords, they could claim to conquer the city in the name of the war effort and now we cannot say a thing against them."
"The Four Great Dragons wouldn't do that…" Examon defensively insisted. "We worked hard to convince them to form a military alliance. If they made that pact opportunistically, it wouldn't have been so difficult."
"Examon's right. It was like pulling teeth trying to get them all to agree," Dukemon concurred.
Examon nodded. "The Four Great Dragons likely thought that capturing Dark Point was part of the war effort, knowing that it had been captured by Demon," he reasoned, perhaps wishfully. "They aren't just acting out of self-interest. They probably were not able to send us a messenger in time for their operational start date – or perhaps they feared that there would be an information leak that would compromise a surprise attack."
"Well, it certainly is a surprise," a sighing Alphamon dryly answered.
Duftmon leered at the dragon critically. "Do not be naïve, Examon. Premeditated or not, do you really expect them to just release Dark Point now that they have it in their possession?" he questioned. "They know that we will not deliver an ultimatum to them for Dark Point's return because we require their future support in our war. Hmph… That was an infuriatingly shrewd move by them."
Dukemon glanced at Examon, thinking about Duftmon's argument. "I hate to say it, Examon, but… if Megidramon is in charge of the campaign, then Duftmon might have a point. Megidramon knows an opportunity when he sees one," he replied with a shrug. "I don't think Majiramon and Goddramon were in on it… but I know Megidramon."
"I guess we'll see what they plan to do with it," Gankoomon muttered.
"Maybe they'll clean the place up," Craniamon suggested, with a shrug. "Can't be worse than how it was when Leviamon took over. Full of gangs and demons and conflict…"
"Still, we will have to keep an eye on any future aggression by the UDC," Omegamon spoke with concern.
Examon brows became knitted with worry, but he didn't speak too strongly in their defence. He wanted to defend the Four Great Dragons' actions, but the truth was that he didn't know. Part of him was worried the others would question his loyalty if he was too defensive of them, so he opted to stay quiet.
Duftmon sighed and kneaded his temples with frustration. "Those irritating bunch of winged reptiles. I knew that allying with them would cause us problems. A horde of loutish brutes gallivanting off without any adherence to our strategy… All Dramon are the same."
The Royal Knights all stared at him with flat expressions.
"Ahem… Duftmon?" Magnamon dryly mentioned, gesturing emphatically with his head over to Examon, who stared at Duftmon.
Duftmon frowned and stared at Examon for a few seconds before blinking. "…Oh! I do not mean you, Examon," he swiftly assured him. "You are nothing at all like them. You are far too rational for that. You are one of the good ones."
Examon sighed and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, a long-suffering smile appearing on his face. "Duftmon, that… might be the nicest thing that you have ever said to me," he patiently replied. "…Somehow."
Duftmon folded his arms and nodded proudly. "Well, I am trying to be more considerate, after all," he explained. "You have come into your own since joining the Royal Knights, under our guidance."
Magnamon sighed. "Quit while you're behind, Duftmon…"
Examon faintly smiled for a few moments, but then he looked down at the table with a brooding frown, returning to his deep thought. "Nothing like them, huh…?"
Alphamon looked across at the gathered knights. "There is also that other matter," he added, stroking his chin with a dire expression. "They did not attack just any city, but a city recently under the control of one of our nominal allies. …Was Leviamon there at the time? Does he know of this?"
At this, Dukemon's eyes widened with realisation. Leviamon did mention that he was heading back to Dark Point when he left. "Leviamon…" he whispered with worry. The crimson knight turned and looked at Grani questioningly. "Grani, was Leviamon there?"
Grani eyed Dukemon for a second before calmly replying. "…Affirmative," he confirmed. "Leviamon was present. The city capitulated as soon as he retreated, less than ten minutes into the attack."
"Tch. Once a coward…" Craniamon muttered.
"This is bad," Dukemon worriedly said. "I can't exactly see Leviamon taking this well. He has a persecution complex enough as it is. He's going to think that this was a direct attack against him. He might even think that we're complicit in this."
Alphamon, Omegamon, Jesmon, and Duftmon exchanged wordless glances.
"I can't say Leviamon doesn't deserve it," Magnamon spoke up, folding his arms as he half leaned on his crutch. "But this does make things kind of awkward for us, doesn't it? One of our allies being attacked another of our allies..."
"We are applying the term 'allies' rather generously," Duftmon sarcastically murmured.
"Yes, this is something of a diplomatic quandary," Alphamon furtively admitted.
"Were the Four Great Dragons even aware of the fact that Leviamon was working with us?" Examon proposed. "Perhaps they saw a Demon Lord and simply assumed that they were an enemy."
"Well… it is true that we did not inform them that Leviamon was a potential ally," Alphamon considered, thinking deeply. "However, I should think that their intelligence network is strong enough to know that Leviamon is no longer a part of the Demon Lords."
"Leviamon's going to be furious," Dukemon informed him. "I don't know how we're going to explain this."
Alphamon closed his eyes and folded his arms, bowing his head as he mulled the situation carefully. After a few, silent moments, he opened his eyes and glanced over at Omegamon and Duftmon. "…Perhaps… we do not have to," he suggested.
Dukemon blinked with confusion. "…Huh?" he wondered.
Alphamon frowned faintly. "Perhaps Megidramon has done us a favour… It is not the worst thing in the world for them to have driven Leviamon out of Dark Point," he mused ambivalently.
"…What?" Dukemon questioned, surprised to hear that Alphamon would be saying such a thing. "What are you talking about, Alphamon?"
Alphamon sighed and looked around at all of the gathered Royal Knights. "There is something that Omegamon and I have to tell you all," he announced. "I wanted to wait until Leviamon was gone and we were all together to do so."
Dukemon frowned and his stomach began to tighten with unease. He had recalled Alphamon saying vague things before about how it was best that he didn't know something about Leviamon. He had always been curious, and he didn't like feeling like he was being left in the dark, but there was a part of him that dreaded the truth.
"What is it, Alphamon?" Magnamon inquired.
"It concerns our meeting with Yggdrasil," Alphamon mentioned, looking meaningfully at Omegamon. "After Jesmon was confirmed as a Royal Knight, we asked Yggdrasil about Its directives concerning the war."
"And? What'd It say after all this time?" Gankoomon wondered with enough impertinence to earn him a glare from Duftmon.
Alphamon paused for a moment, glancing briefly at Dukemon, but being careful not to single him out. "…Yggdrasil was very clear in Its directive. It told us that the Demon Lords are one of the gravest threats to Network Stability and… that they must be eliminated."
The portentous news caused the room to go quiet.
Dukemon's eyes slowly widened at the stunning revelation. His heart twisted with nervousness and shock. He couldn't believe it…
Examon frowned, deep in thought, before quickly glancing over at Sleipmon. Sleipmon remained quiet with a deep grimace on his face. However, despite his look of reluctance and distaste, he didn't protest against the idea. He didn't even make his misgivings clear.
Jesmon winced a little at the prospect, but he didn't openly question it. He looked over at Gankoomon, who reacted with a thoughtful silence. His lack of reaction made clear to Jesmon that Gankoomon seemed not unprepared for the outcome, though he didn't seem to like it.
"I guess it's not a huge surprise," Craniamon murmured, folding his arms with acceptance.
"Given how much damage they've caused, and what they're trying to achieve, I guess it has to be done," Magnamon agreed, although he seemed to take no pleasure in saying so.
"Unfortunately so," Alphamon spoke with half a sigh. "I think we all knew that this would likely be an inevitable outcome…"
"Yggdrasil's will must be carried out," Omegamon concurred without qualm.
"To its fullest extent," Duftmon determined resolutely.
Dukemon blinked and looked around at the others. "…What?" he asked in a mixture of confusion and astonishment. "Wait a second! What about Leviamon? That doesn't include him, right?"
Alphamon turned and looked at Dukemon directly to impart his seriousness. "I'm afraid that Yggdrasil was unequivocally clear, Dukemon," he emphatically informed him. "All of the Demon Lords are to be eliminated. It has deemed all seven of them, as well as Bagramon, as threats to the Kernel and Network Stability. As far as Yggdrasil is concerned, Leviamon is no exception."
"But he's our ally!" Dukemon protested.
The Royal Knights were silent. They either chose not to or could not respond to Dukemon's claim, the silence making their positions clear.
Dukemon looked around at all of the Royal Knights present. His passionate gaze looked to Sleipmon, his erstwhile ally in arguments of morality, for support. However, he could only see an uncertain and guilty look in the horse knight's brooding eyes.
"…He is not our ally," Duftmon finally spoke up. "Not truly. We made no promises to him. Leviamon merely used us in the same way that we used him. He will betray us at the first moment that he finds convenient."
Dukemon listened to the tactician's words with stunned disbelief. His wide eyes dipped into a frustrated glare. "I can't believe I'm hearing this from you guys!" he balked in objection. "I expected better from all of you. We as good as gave him our word. We made a deal in good faith!"
Gankoomon grunted and folded his arms, his brows deepening with thought. "Tch… I'm with Dukemon. I don't like it. It stinks…"
Duftmon shot the red-haired knight an irate glare. "Adhering to our oath does not 'stink', Gankoomon," he sharply repudiated him. "Beyond any temporal agreements that we have made, we have a higher loyalty to Yggdrasil and upholding Network Security."
Dukemon nodded appreciatively at Gankoomon before focusing on Alphamon. "Alphamon, you can't seriously be alright with this," he urged him, knowing that Alphamon was even-handed at heart and held a lot of sway.
Alphamon gazed back at Dukemon, not backing away from his fiery, yellow eyes. "I'm sorry, Dukemon. However distasteful it might be to you or I, this is a formal directive from Lord Yggdrasil. We cannot disobey it," he asserted. Alphamon eyed the crimson knight carefully, his calm and collected eyes piercing through Dukemon's emotional glare. "I know you have been corresponding with Leviamon as of late, Dukemon. Perhaps you feel so strongly about this because you have gotten a little too close to Leviamon?"
Dukemon frowned defensively. "That's not it…" he evasively reacted.
Omegamon nodded in agreement. "Whatever the reason, Alphamon is right; Yggdrasil is our God, Dukemon. We swore an oath to It," he forcefully urged him. "Yggdrasil told us that the very Kernel is in danger. Do you question Yggdrasil's words? Would you place more importance on Leviamon than you would Yggdrasil?"
Dukemon winced as Omegamon's piercing question. The white knight took no prisoners when it came down to it, and his strict words caused Dukemon's head to catch up with his heart. "Well, no, but…" he weakly replied. "It… just doesn't sit well with me. Perhaps Yggdrasil doesn't know about our agreement with Leviamon. Maybe It would reconsider knowing that."
"I fear that it would not matter either way," Alphamon gravely answered. "Yggdrasil is likely well aware. Perhaps Yggdrasil is aware of something that we are not. All I know is that each of the Seven Great Demon Lords represents the extreme of a dark characteristic – a 'sin' as some might put it - and each has an enormous amount of dark power, capable of immense destruction. I sympathise with your situation, Dukemon, but we must trust Yggdrasil. Leviamon, despite his murky loyalties, is still the Demon Lord of Envy. We cannot ignore that."
Dukemon frowned and looked to the side, towards Examon and Craniamon. "I know, but… it just seems so dishonourable. Our honour is supposed to mean something to us," he urged in a last ditch attempt to appeal to Craniamon's sense of honour. While he really believed what he said, he felt as though he was gradually losing the argument, as there was a part of him that realised the others had strong points.
"Our oath takes priority above all else," Duftmon strictly reminded him. "The First Rule of our Code takes precedent above all other rules, be they personal or collective."
Craniamon sighed and bowed his head with thought. "…It wasn't us who broke our words to Leviamon," he reasoned. "The Dramon attacked without our knowledge… It wasn't our fault."
"I am sure that the Dramon must have had some cause to attack him," Examon tentatively suggested in the UDC's favour.
"That's a bit convenient, isn't it, guys?" Dukemon disputed with a sour grimace.
"Regardless, if Leviamon reacts with hostility, as he is certain to do, then we will have cause to terminate our verbal agreement," Duftmon cunningly added. "With any luck, he will do the ignominious task for us. An emotional and mercurial creature like him will most likely attempt to betray us now."
Dukemon frowned with guilt and displeasure, although he felt his will weakening. After all, despite his misgivings and his new found sympathy towards Leviamon, he trusted his friends more than he did the Demon Lord.
"I don't like it… but I suppose if that's how things unfold…" Dukemon reluctantly began to concede. "It's just… I feel as though I made a lot of progress with him. Now it feels like I've – we've – been stringing him along this whole time. I just feel bad for him, after the other Demon Lords turned on him. It doesn't feel right that we're doing the same thing. Just because we're not getting our hands dirty, does that make it okay?"
Alphamon turned and looked at Dukemon steadily. "I know you mean well, Dukemon. Normally, I would agree with you, as I think many of the others would. However, these are no ordinary circumstances. We are at war, and Yggdrasil has given us a clear order. Trust us when we say that the very Network is at stake," he urged the Crimson Knight. "No matter how well you think you know Leviamon, he will become a threat to us eventually, if he is not one already. He is not one who will stay true to his word for long."
Duftmon nodded curtly. "There is no room for sentimentality," he aloofly remarked. "After all, a monster like that must be put down in due course."
"Yes…" Omegamon agreed with a firm frown. "Before he can cause more damage than he already has."
Dukemon's eyes tightened into a grimace at his fellow Royal Knights' cold and cutting words. They were just off-handed remarks, but each one caused his chest to ache. He felt an overwhelming sense of unease. Were his friends that willing to throw Leviamon under the bus at Yggdrasil's urging, for a potential threat that might happen? Surely if they kept Leviamon close and nurtured that relationship rather than cut it, they could avert that potential catastrophe, right? Was it really inevitable that he would become a threat?
Without thinking, Dukemon's hands closed into tight fists. His bitter, golden eyes subconsciously drifted down to the striking ornamentation in the center of his breastplate…
Alphamon saw the turmoil on Dukemon's face, and he immediately felt a pang of guilt. "Well… we need not worry about it now," he explained in an attempt to ease the tension. "We will wait and see how events unfold and handle the Leviamon situation if and when we need to."
"Yeah…" Dukemon hesitantly agreed. "Yeah, you're right."
"I'm more concerned about SkullKnightmon and the other Demon Lords anyways," Magnamon said with a sigh.
Examon eyed Dukemon quietly. He noted that Dukemon seemed to fighting particularly hard for Leviamon, but he wasn't sure why. He supposed that it was just in Dukemon's nature to fight for an underdog. After all, Dukemon had been his biggest supporter when he first joined the Order…
Examon grimaced a little and turned back to the map, trying to focus on the strategic situation as he felt a slight ache in his chest.
"Anyways…" the dragon spoke up, attempting to redirect the conversation. "What of the campaign? What will we do once we return to the frontlines?"
Duftmon nodded and pointed to a part of the map, specifically, the hills and plains in between the south of Saversburg, the northeast of the wooded and mountainous Neutral Zone, and to the northwest of the northern provinces of the Republic of Node.
"Fortunately, using my defence-in-depth strategy, we will have been able to buy some necessary time while the Demon Lords tarry in their looting of Saversburg," Duftmon explained, using his sword to point to the city on the three-dimensional map. The tip of his rapier then moved south to the fields began to mesh with hills. "Our military and that of Saversburg has taken up defensive positions in this elevated region. If the Demon Lords wish to penetrate the Neutral Zone, they will have to breach our defences."
"And if they are intending to attack the Kernel, then the Neutral Zone will be their destination," Alphamon stated. "We must assume that Bagramon and Lucemon were successful in learning its location from the Arcane Ruins."
At the mention of the ruins, Sleipmon grimaced and bowed his head with shame. He gazed down with hardening eyes as he clasped his fist with the palm of his hand.
Duftmon nodded and turned to the four injured Royal Knights. "Will the four of you be recovered within no later than three days?"
"We'll try our best to heal, but we're no UlforceVeedramon," Magnamon responded. "Duskmon suggested that we recover in our lower forms to shorten the time it will take."
Gankoomon glanced at Craniamon with a ribbing grin. "Lower forms, huh?" he teased.
"…I won't be taking visitors," Craniamon grunted, looking away with folded arms.
"I advise that each of you follows Duskmon's advice to the letter so that we may swiftly return to the front lines," Duftmon urged the four.
Magnamon nodded. "We will, Duftmon," he promised. "We'll make sure to rest as much as possible. Right, Craniamon?"
"Tch… Yeah," the violet knight submitted.
"What is the strategy once we arrive there?" Examon inquired.
Duftmon turned his focus back down to the map. "We must maintain a flexible range of manoeuvrability in order to defend the northern approach to the Neutral Zone. Due to the western region of the Neutral Zone being covered by the nearly impassable Primal Mountains, the Demon Lords will have to attack the Neutral Zone from the northeast. We must be able to react to their advance, whether it be from the Grand Highway here in the east or the western foothills just north of the Great Forest."
"And when we meet them in battle?" Alphamon asked.
Duftmon's features grew pensive. "If at all possible, I wish for us to take the initiative," he stated, pointing with his sword to an area halfway between Saversburg and the Neutral Zone. "Depending on the rate of the Demon Lords' southern advance, I would like us to attack them before they come anywhere close to the Neutral Zone, even if that means forfeiting the advantages of high ground. I would like to push the front line northwards so that we have further lines of defence to the south that we could fall back to should the need arise. That way, if we are forced to retreat from one battle, we will not immediately forfeit the Neutral Zone to the Demon Lords, and allow them to waltz through the Great Forest to the Chasm of Creation."
Alphamon nodded with agreement. "That is a sound plan," he agreed.
"I would like for all twelve of the Royal Knights to be involved," Duftmon added. "They will likely utilise all six of the Demon Lords, not including Bagramon and whatever variables that they have in store. We will require all knights available in order to combat their increasing strength and momentum."
"Very well," Alphamon agreed, before turning and looking at Sleipmon specifically. "Is that alright with you, Sleipmon? Are you up to it?"
"Yes, Alphamon," Sleipmon immediately replied, without hesitation. Although his voice was downbeat and heavy, his words were unwavering. "I will fight… I have to."
Examon observed Sleipmon with quiet surprise. He seemed so sure… so resolute. He had been so uncertain before, but now… It appeared as though he had resolved everything in his mind. It was the exact opposite to how he was feeling right now.
"…Alright," Alphamon agreed, though his eyes lingered on Sleipmon for a few moments. "Was there anything else of note?"
"W-Wait," Jesmon spoke up, noticing that he hadn't been included in Duftmon's plans. "What about me? Am I going too?"
Duftmon turned and fixed his sharp, green eyes onto the newest knight. "Have you harnessed your abilities yet?" he bluntly asked him.
Jesmon winced and looked down with embarrassment. "…Er… well…" he awkwardly replied.
Gankoomon eyed Jesmon silently. He didn't speak out for or against his former student. He merely… thought to himself.
"Then I do not see what use you would be to us," Duftmon bluntly answered. "Whatever potential your new form has, if it cannot be reliably actualized, then you will merely be putting yourself in danger."
"I can still fight, Sir!" Jesmon insisted, still a little too intimidated by Duftmon to address him more informally. "I can fight hand-to-hand."
"That is hardly practical when up against the arsenal of magic that the Demon Lords possess," Duftmon rebuffed him. "You would be fighting at a stark disadvantage."
"Yes, but…"
Jesmon frowned and winced as Duftmon's decisive words. He felt ashamed that he was still unable to figure out how to control his new abilities. More than that, he felt guilty that he was letting the other Royal Knights down. They needed him, and he didn't want to be sitting on the side-lines when they went into battle once again, especially knowing what was at stake.
But still… he couldn't hope to refute Duftmon's points. The tactician had a point. He would just be a burden…
"I guess you're right…" Jesmon reluctantly conceded, not wanting to be a burden.
Jesmon looked over at Gankoomon with tentative worry. His former teacher was stone-faced. His arms were tightly folded and his shoulders locked. He couldn't even be sure if Gankoomon was looking at him through his visor… He wanted to ask him for help. He was willing to put aside his pride and try once more, like he told Alphamon he would. However… he wasn't sure how Gankoomon would respond.
Then, before he could even begin to think about speaking, Gankoomon suddenly turned towards him.
"Jesmon," he spoke, his voice gruff and authoritative. "Are you just going to give up?"
"W-What?" Jesmon asked, blinking with shock. He was taken off guard; Gankoomon was almost speaking to him how he used to.
"You need to have more determination than that!" Gankoomon sharply rebuked him, walking over to him. "You should insist on fighting. And if Neko-chan here—"
Duftmon's eye twitched.
"—still doesn't let you, then you have to come up with a reason why he should!" Gankoomon scolded.
"But—"
Gankoomon folded his arms across his broad chest. "You still have three days until we leave, don't you? That's three days to train!" the red-haired knight reminded him. "Spend the rest of today training on your own. Then, tomorrow, I'll train with you and see what you're able to do. Is that clear, Jesmon?"
Jesmon stared at Gankoomon with astonishment and disbelief. Then, deep inside his chest, he felt a warm flutter of joy.
"I… Yes, Sensei!" Jesmon exclaimed, unable to completely hide the thrilled smile on his face.
Alphamon grinned and shot Gankoomon a sly wink. "Alright then…" he lightly stated. "We should all make the most of this time to prepare for the coming days. Is there anything else that anybody wishes to add?"
There was silence around the room from the other Royal Knights.
"Very well," Alphamon concluded. "Grani? I would like you to dispatch a messenger to Megidramon. I want to deliver a verbal message asking about their actions in Dark Point and requesting their cooperation going forwards. I want to inform them of our general strategy and ask them to collaborate more directly with us. We will need their assistance moving forwards, and we expect as much."
"Affirmative, Sir Alphamon," Grani formally agreed.
"I would also like you to dispatch a messenger to the Sky Colonies," Alphamon added. "It is important that we impart to Ophanimon that we need each other now more than ever. I will also attempt to contact the Warrior Ten. We have not really spoken with them since the end of the Metal Empire war."
"Surprisingly, for AncientGreymon," Magnamon dryly mentioned.
Alphamon pressed a button on the strategy table, closing the three dimensional map and making it known that their meeting was at an end.
"I will depart with SkullKnightmon first thing tomorrow morning," Alphamon explained. "I shall go inform him shortly."
Duftmon sighed reluctantly. "If you must."
Omegamon gazed at Alphamon with a worried frown, but he remained quiet.
Dukemon and Examon both silently turned away from each other and looked back towards the doors.
"Alright…" Alphamon announced. "This meeting is adjourned. Everyone, rest up and do whatever you need to do to ensure that you are fighting fit. I will return in a couple of days. Then, we will go and reinforce the others."
"Understood," was the general reply around the room, or some variation of.
Alphamon watched as the Royal Knights began to shuffle out of the room, allowing the injured ones to go first.
With pensive eyes, the Aloof Hermit watched as the Royal Knights walked out, each with their own priorities and worries. He waited until he was the only one left, before he let out a sigh.
"…It feels as though we are at an inflection point," he thought to himself, his golden eyes staring down at the blank screen where the map was. "The course of history is on the cusp of change… The world balances on a blade's edge."
Alphamon frowned and opened up his closed hand, gazing down at his palm.
"I must trust in Yggdrasil… Hopefully through Its guidance, we might be able to avoid disaster…"
"I… must trust that I know what I am doing."
Meanwhile, the mist lingered over the Gloaming Fields like a spectre. The pervasive sense of fear and unease inhabited the area, as if the land itself had a will.
Bagramon stood in the center of the courtyard of Castle Nocturne. Standing opposite to him was Lucemon, and, around them, the five remaining Demon Lords: Demon, Lilithmon, Barbamon, Beelzebumon, and Belphemon.
"Is everybody ready?" Bagramon asked, looking around at the six.
"We had better be," Lucemon asserted. "We cannot waste any more time. We must return to the front lines before the Royal Knights have a chance to compose themselves."
"I am ready to return," Barbamon stated, tapping his ring-adorned fingers against his staff. "We have everything we need now. All that remains is to press our advantage and capture Saversburg… and the riches within."
"And, from there, we press on to the Chasm of Creation so that we might conquer the very nature of existence," Lucemon added with a dark smirk.
"The Kernel…" Demon growled. "Where we will smite God down from its throne in all its hypocrisy."
"I can't wait… It sounds like so much fun," Lilithmon mused with a soft chuckle.
"Fine by me…" Belphemon grunted with a shrug. "I'm still pretty pissed off… It's time to put this damn thing to an end so that I can finally do what I want."
"Tch, whatever…" Beelzebumon responded, folding his arms and leaning back on his bike. "Just as long as Dukemon's there this time… I've got a score to settle once and for all…"
"Then it's decided," Lucemon announced. "We leave immediately."
"And what about our prisoner?" Lilithmon wondered with a sly grin. "Should we finish breaking him first or let him rot on his own?"
"He won't be too long now," Barbamon stated. "However, it would be foolish to leave him here with only a handful of guards. You all saw how that played out last time."
"You say as if it were someone else's fault," Demon muttered.
"We shall bring him along with us as a prisoner then," Lucemon decided. A malicious smirk crept onto his lips. "It would be nice for him to witness the destruction of his God by my hand. Our dear Seraphimon will be able to watch the Digital World's reformation from the best seat that there is."
Bagramon frowned as he eyed Lucemon, but he made no effort to disagree. In the end, it would be better if Seraphimon was with them. "Very well…" he contemplatively agreed.
"And what of your mercenaries, eh, Bagramon?" Barbamon wondered, peering at Bagramon with demanding eyes. "Will you finally commit them to battle?"
Bagramon met Barbamon's crooked gaze solidly. "Yes, I will. The time is right for me to utilise them for what they are worth," he standoffishly confirmed to the demon tactician. "We will need Kowloon's strength in the coming battles, and I will coordinate their tactics with you, Barbamon."
"Very magnanimous of you, I'm sure, Bagramon," Barbamon dryly responded. "I do hope they our worth the coin that you are personally expending on them."
Lucemon glanced at Bagramon with his cool, incisive eyes. "And what of the two insects?" he dismissively wondered.
"I will ask them to accompany me as well, for whatever odd jobs I may need them for," Bagramon calmly answered.
"For as long as you can trust duplicitous, money-grubbing knaves like them," Lucemon sarcastically noted. "Your associates have a habit of betraying you, it seems, Bagramon. Like that mage of yours…"
Bagramon eyed Lucemon without emotion for a few, protracted moments of drawn silence.
"…So it seems," he concurred.
Beelzebumon looked between the two with amusement, scratching his cheek. "Soooo… do we wanna stand around yapping or do we wanna get a move on?"
"Very well," Bagramon agreed. "Belphemon, would you be so kind as to get Seraphimon down and ready for transport?"
"Ugh," Belphemon complained, turning around and beginning to trudge down the road towards the cathedral. "Pain in the ass…"
"Thank you," Bagramon told the Demon Lord of Sloth. He turned his head, his strands of white hair flowing across his face as he gazed back towards Castle Nocturne. His organic eye frowned with thought. "I must prepare a few… items for the journey before we leave as well."
"Then we shall reconvene here in thirty minutes," Lucemon proclaimed. "Barbamon, ensure that the carriages are ready by that time."
"Tch. Do I look like a valet?" Barbamon protested. "I have things that I must arrange as well… Though I happen to be heading that way anyways. I will require two carriages of my own for the journey, after all."
"Pft. Fine. You can have mine, Barbie. I didn't want it anyway," Beelzebumon said with a smirk. He patted the Behemoth behind him. "I've got my own ride."
"Well, then, I guess I will go prepare for the trip myself," Lilithmon grinningly said. "After all, I want to look my best for when we reign victorious…"
Bagramon nodded at the parting Demon Lords. "I will see you soon…" he told them. With that, he began walking back towards the castle, his white robes and cape flowing as he walked past Lucemon.
Lucemon smiled and remained still as Bagramon passed by him, the slight gust of wind causing his blond hair to flow behind him.
As the other Demon Lords parted, leaving their separate ways, the Demon Lord of Pride stood still in the exact center of the courtyard.
"Prepare yourself, God…" Lucemon resolved, his sapphire eyes burning with cold resolve as dim light cast across his body from above. "For you shall fall by my hallowed hand, and mine alone… No other is worthy."
"Only I am."