Darkness Reborn
Chapter 8: The Second General
by Silver
*Disclaimer: I do not own any Digimon creatures, characters, or locations. The Chaos Generals were inspired by the Digimon World 2 video game, so I guess Bandai has a claim on them. Stupid Bandai.*
Author's Note: This chapter will deal with a subject I haven't breeched in other topics: human fatalities. I don't know if it's the recent death of my grandmother, or the loss of lives in the Middle East, but I decided I would confront how the Digidestined might react to someone getting killed as a result of a Digimon battle.
If any of you have recently suffered the loss of a loved one, or are uncomfortable reading subjects about death, then I thank you for looking at my fan fiction but would warn against reading it if you are likely to become extremely upset. I may want to explore this subject, but I don't want to make people unhappy.
Hopefully, I haven't scared everyone off with this warning. I want to thank Daisukefire for proofreading this fic and giving his thoughts on how I can improve it. I hope all my readers will offer their own thoughts in a review.
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Staring at those incredibly sharp teeth and those soulless red eyes, death was inevitable. There were no Digimon partners to save them; no allies to hear them scream; no way to run and no place to hide. TK and Kari were going to die.
The black dragon towering over them stood poised to strike, but hesitated as if to savor the moment. TK shielded Kari with his body as best he could, but one claw strike could cut through both their bodies as easily as a nail punched through wax. There was nothing they could do.
Slowly, the Chaos General extended his claw forward, reaching for TK. "Move aside." He turned his claw on it side and brushed TK away. The action held only the smallest effort of force, but still toppled TK to the ground. Such a move could not even be considered a blow. It was more like an adult brushing a child aside. What on Earth could make the General spare him? Then TK noticed that Kari was not so lucky.
ChaosImperialdramon's claw had pulled back and was poised to strike at her prone body. TK sprinted forward just as the claw began to strike. With a cry and a desperate leap, TK flung himself between Kari and the incoming blades. He closed his eyes, expecting to feel his insides leaking out of a newly formed hole. He didn't want to think about how badly it would hurt. He'd know soon enough.
Or not. The blow never came. TK peeked out of one eye and sharply inhaled. The fatal blow had stopped centimeters from his face. He could see his reflection staring out of the creature's soiled armor. The look of surprise and fear on his face didn't do his true terror justice.
ChaosImperialdramon sighed. "Get out of the way! I'm trying to do a job here."
"What job?"
"Kill the girl, of course!" he
said with a snarl.
"Why aren't you trying to kill me?"
"Tempting, but no. I'm under orders to let you live. Kill the girl; make you swim in her blood, then leave. Simple."
"SIMPLE?" Kari exclaimed. "That's sick!"
The General leaned in. "You two are my ticket out of this pit. I'm not the type to show mercy to creatures who don't deserve it, and if it weren't for my orders I'd kill you both without a second thought. Now, you!" He glared at TK. "Interfere again and I'll have to knock you out. Just stand still and say goodbye to your friend."
"No." TK stood as bravely as he could. "Don't you touch her."
"My orders are to spare your life. There's nothing preventing me from maiming you. How'd you like to lose a leg? Or an arm perhaps? How about both?" A note of glee entered his voice. "Come to think of it, that might be fun!" He reached forward with one massive claw. "I'm still following orders. You can suffer, just not die."
TK's legs shivered as if telling him to move. Deep inside his mind was a primal scream telling him to flee. Abandon Kari and save yourself. You are not the target. You can live if you move!
But TK did not move. He'd never run away and leave his friends behind. Death was preferable to betrayal.
"TK! Move!" Kari cried. She leaned forward and tried to push him, but he wouldn't budge. How could he live with himself knowing that he'd abandoned a friend… and maybe something more? In the moment of his death, TK thought back to all the time he'd spent with Kari, and how comfortable he'd grown around her. Somehow, without his realizing it, he'd gotten used to her being near him.
His life had been filled with people coming and leaving. His parents had divorced, causing his father and brother to disappear for unbearably long periods, and his mother had thrown herself into her work, making her a wavering presence in his life. Things had settled when Tai and the others had become his friends, but as they grew older their interests and schedules changed from TK's. Suddenly, he saw his friends less and less. Davis, Cody, Yolei, and Ken were all bright new elements in his world, and he treasured them; but he knew it wouldn't last forever. Soon they'd all go off to different high schools or colleges, and maybe even drift apart. The one constant, the only thing he felt would always be near him, was Kari. She'd been close by ever since their first adventure in the Digital World. Even after he'd moved away and reunited with her years later, it felt as if nothing had changed. He hadn't been away from her as long as he'd thought. And now he would have to say goodbye to her as well. But she's not going away. I am.
TK closed his eyes and awaited the slaughter. ChaosImperialdramon might be intent on harming him, but TK would not back down until he was dead. He could feel the claws moving closer to his body. His soft flesh trembled at the thought of the cold steel slicing through and ripping him apart. But no matter how he trembled, he did not move.
"V Laser!" TK's eyes snapped open when he heard a new voice from high above.
"Blast Rings!" Twin beams of energy, one shaped like an X, the other a series of glowing rings, shot down from the heavens and struck ChaosImperialdramon in the eyes. He lurched backwards, screaming and covering his smoking head with his claws.
"Kari! TK!" A huge humanoid dragon with blue scales and a white belly descended with a small human on his shoulder. A large crimson bird with black horns protruding from its head circled above with a young woman riding its back. Davis motioned for them to come closer. "Get over here!"
TK ran
forward and picked Kari up. Davis
noticed the motion. "HEY! What's up with you two?"
"Kari can't walk. She hurt her
leg!"
XV-mon knelt down and scooped them up in his hands. "Hold tight." He ascended to join Aquillamon, and they both flew for the exit high above.
* * * * * * * *
The world returned in a hazy blur. His eyes still stung from the unexpected blows that had penetrated his guard. It was shameful to think that a Mega had been harmed by a mere Champion's attack. He'd not seen the creatures coming, or heard the wind brushing off their wings. He was not a hunter. He did not pay attention to such things.
But he was a juggernaut; a being of destruction that leveled everything in his path. His targets had escaped and were now shielded by their companions. That was fine. He'd go through those protectors in order to kill that girl. She was indeed his ticket out of the soiled prison the Emperor had thrust him into. His target was now outside in the free, open skies. He was following orders by pursuing her into that freedom.
One beat of his wings kicked up huge stones of mud and concrete, sending them smashing into each other and the walls. His body rose effortlessly, wrapped in the caress of the wind. The air elevated him with a gentle care known only to nature itself. For a moment, he had regained his freedom and reveled in his rightful environment. He would protect this freedom with all his being. And he would ensure it by killing that one, small, insignificant human.
ChaosImperialdramon rose to meet freedom.
* * * * * * * *
Finally, something that didn't smell like a sewer. TK inhaled deeply, enjoying the cool, clean air of the city. Even if people complained that cities were dirty and smog-filled, they certainly smelled better than the underworld. He glanced over at Kari and smiled. She returned the expression. They'd cheated death again, a feat that most humans could never claim. For all the times they'd come close to dying, they'd won every time. He felt a fresh surge of hope and optimism as they left the darkness of the underground labyrinth behind.
"Hey! HEY!" Davis, noticing their expressions, was practically hanging off XV-mon's neck. "How's about some thanks to the guy who saved you two?"
"Wait a minute!" Yolei barked. "I helped save them too. Quit trying to steal all the credit!"
"I was doin' just fine on my own!"
"Why you… Aquillamon! Fly me closer so I can strangle that jerk!"
TK laughed. "Thanks a lot, Davis. You too, Yolei."
Kari nodded. "We'd have been lost without you two."
Yolei nodded, "You should have seen Davis. He was a complete wreck while looking for you two."
"I was not!" protested a beat-red Davis. "I was just… worried about Kari. That's all."
"Uh-huh, sure. You just don't wanna admit you were worried about TK too."
"XV-mon! I want you to attack Yolei, right now!"
"Hey, don't drag me into this! I'm just the transportation service."
"Everyone!" Cody called from below, standing next to Ken, Stingmon, and Armadillomon. It took TK a few breathes to realize that their Digimon were at the Champion level, even with a control spire towering behind them. Izzy had been right; the power to block Champion evolutions was lost to the Emperor. The Digidestined were gaining power.
TK leaped off XV-mon the minute they were close to the ground. "TK!" Patamon leaped from Stingmon's arms and embraced his partner. "I was so worried about you!"
"Kari!" Gatomon also appeared. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." Kari nursed her leg. "But I hurt my ankle when we fell. I don't think I'll be doing any running for the time being."
"Speaking of running," said Cody, "we need to get out of here. Whatever you guys were fighting down there will be after us in no time, and we're attracting unwanted attention." He pointed to beyond the control spire, where crowds of people gathered and the glaring flash of police car lights sped down the street. A fight here would be too dangerous. Cody was right, as usual.
The wind picked up, nearly lifting everyone off the ground. The moonlight vanished from the scenery and TK looked to the sky for an explanation. He wished he hadn't. A titanic winged beast leered at them with hellfire eyes.
"It's ChaosImperialdramon!" Kari cried.
Ken jumped into his Digimon's arms. "We have to go, now! Lead him away from these people!"
TK nodded and held up his D3. "Patamon digivolve to… Angemon!" Patamon's small pudgy form blazed with light and shifted into a towering angel, dressed in white with a helmet covering his forehead. He scooped up TK, Kari, and Gatomon, then lifted them into the air with a flap of his six wings.
The light returned to the surrounding area, but it was far too harsh for the moon. A second look to the sky revealed an even more horrifying sight. The twin cannons nestled between ChaosImperialdramon's wings flashed with a deadly power. With a cry of, "Chaotic Laser!" dual beams of black energy rained down and struck the ground. Thousands of voices chorused screams as people and buildings vanished in an ever-expanding sphere of deadly light. Those screams quickly vanished in the roar of an explosion.
Angemon clung to his passengers as the blast flung him far and slammed him through the side of a building. His wings became shields as they bore the weight of rubble crashing down atop him. TK failed to hold back a cry of panic and terror, and reached out for the nearest source of warmth he could find as everything he knew threatened to be destroyed. He found Kari's hand and clung to it as best he could while holding on to Angemon at the same time.
After a few terrified heartbeats, the explosions rumble died out, leaving behind a buzzing in his ears which almost drown out the sound of pebbles falling. Angemon dug himself out of the pile of debris that now covered him and looked at his protectorate. "Are you unharmed?"
"Y-yeah." TK trembled, his invincibility less than a memory now. "Kari?"
"Those… those people…" Kari was whiter than Angemon's body suite, and her gaze darted between TK and the hole they'd created in the side of the building. It took a moment for TK to realize what she meant.
The Digidestined had their partners to protect them from the blast. What about the civilians who had been standing by peacefully and oblivious to the danger they were in? "Angemon, we have to go back."
Angemon did not move. "TK. That blast was far too large. For anyone to have survived…"
"We need to go back or there will be another attack!" TK couldn't — no — wouldn't think about what would happen if a second blast came. He couldn't even grasp what had already occurred. But he soon had to confront reality when Angemon relented and flew out of the damaged structure. A crater engulfed several city blocks. There was nothing left of the section that had once been a part of the city. The air was choked with dust and ashes, and TK nearly threw up when he realized his was probably coughing on the remains of the innocent.
At the rim of the crater stood a massive crowd of people. Some had been far enough away from the blast to be horribly burned, yet still live. Their faces were red and black, and many lay paralyzed with pain. Others screamed the names of loved ones who had been at the heart of the blast.
"Mommy? Daddy! Where are you?" A little girl sobbed in a corner.
"Sumiko! Summmikooo!" A young man was held back by his friends while he tried to vault into the scene of destruction.
"Shiro? Where is my Shiro?" One mother wept among dozens of others.
TK's heart clenched in his chest. He felt his muscles weaken and slumped in Angemon's grasp. He couldn't believe something like this had happened. Thousands of Digimon had perished in battles with the Dark Masters and now the Chaos Generals, but never a human. There had not been a human fatality once in his history as a Digidestined. Now there were too many. All the people's screams and cries stabbed his ears and raked his heart. He felt as though he'd pass out from the weight of their grief.
"Kari, TK!" XV-mon and Davis flew in to join them with Cody and Armadillomon in tow. Stingmon, Aquillamon, and their partners were close behind. "Are you two..?" He didn't finish. It was obvious that none of them could be "all right" after what happened.
"All those people." Kari whispered.
"We… we have to…" TK couldn't think of what to say.
"We have to fight." Davis said with a calm and resolve that took everyone by surprise. "If we run, that freak will just fire again and take out more people. If we fight, he'll still fire, but it'll be here where the damage is already done. We can stop him and finish him off before anyone else dies."
"Davis is right." Cody looked like he'd faint or throw up, or both. "We can't avoid this fight. Even if there is more damage to the city… it'll be less than letting him run around unchecked."
Yolei glanced around frantically. "But this isn't like the fight in the Digital World! There are people everywhere! Can't we use a digiport?"
"We don't have a computer." Ken said. "And besides, Digimon died in our fight with ChaosWarGreymon as well. No matter what we do or where we fight, someone is going to die. ChaosImperialdramon is simply too powerful. Any fight we get involved in with him will be brutal."
"Then it's decided." TK nodded. "We fight…"
Far from where they now hovered, the Chaos General laughed.
* * * * * * * *
Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. The land was free of cancer and mold, lying almost as smooth and pure as the sky itself. All the irregularities, the ugly, festering boils that housed parasites and ruined the veil-like softness of the land were gone in a blaze of purifying light. The glow and the drumbeats of the blast were a symphony of vaccination. Nature was restored and could not reassert itself in this once corrupted area.
But there was so much more work to do. Only a small section was cleansed. A whole rotting infection lay beneath him. Hovering with the night wind's tickling his wings; ChaosImperialdramon pondered the daunting sterilization that lay before him.
Nature was pure and flat. Trees and plants grew together to form a lush canopy that was far smoother and clean that anyone realized. The branches intertwined harmoniously to support one another and give shade to all creatures. Only by viewing the land from the freedom of the sky could one truly appreciate the beauty of the natural world.
Cities were chaos incarnate. The sky scrapers stood alone and competed for domination of the sky, a feat beyond any construct. Yet humans kept building these abominations, and expanding them. Although their lights appeared smooth from the air, the source of those lights was not. Cities were rough and uncoordinated. They were a mesh of twisting streets and small creatures, insignificant and unobservable from the air, crammed together into too small a space. They were a cancer on the land. A boil on natural perfect. They were not needed.
And it was so easy to get rid of them. Years of work and development, gone in a flash that lasted only several heartbeats! How intoxicating it was to render the mighty low. How beautiful to wipe the land clean and undo all the damage without running short of breath. He laughed with pleasure at his accomplishment, and the promise of things to come. This was but a prelude. Once the Emperor owned this world, he'd let ChaosImperialdramon wipe it clean so a new empire, a clean empire, could be built in harmony with nature. And then ChaosImperialdramon, seen by fools as a threat, would be recognized as the savior of life he truly was.
Far below, the small bugs crowded below to see his works and tremble at his power. None of them were chosen by the wind. None could rise to challenge him. They were earthbound bugs who lacked the power to heal nature. All they could do was scream and cry and shout insults at his work. Too weak for even his notice. Perhaps he would dispense this second crowd right now.
In the end, only nature was a life worth saving. Small lives, the lives of bugs and humans, were easily replaced. They'd always grow back so long as nature itself endured.
ChaosImperialdramon paused, sensing a new power headed his way. Several Digimon, three pathetic Champions and an Armor Digimon, flew towards him without fear or hesitation. Such reckless bravado suggested they had come to challenge him. They were truly stupid creatures. ChaosWarGreymon had fallen to six Armor Digimon. ChaosImperialdramon would not permit such a humiliation to himself.
There were humans with the Digimon, including his target who rode on the back of the winged cat Digimon. So these Digidestined would throw all their lives away so quickly? Fine.
But that one boy — the one the Emperor wanted alive — was among his challengers. If ChaosImperialdramon was not careful, he'd wipe out the one life he couldn't kill yet. Victory at that price would cost him his future as the Emperor's servant. Who would restore nature then?
This called for some restraint. He'd only use one laser for the kill.
The first two challengers came at him head-on. The red eyes of both the giant insect and the blue dragon shown with a rage that was uncommon amongst his foes. Where was the terror? The doubt? ChaosImperialdramon had slaughtered several strong Digimon while conquering the Digital World earlier that day. Why were these lesser Digimon so bold?
"You damn forgery!" The dragon flew in with its fist cocked pack and aimed a strike at his head. ChaosImperialdramon lifted his claw and intercepted the blow on the blunt end of his blade.
Of course. These two Digimon joined to form the regular, inferior Imperialdramon. No wonder they were so mad. It must be odd to find yourself fighting against a superior version of your highest form. He swatted the blue gnat with his wing.
"Spiking Strike!" The other insect, the one that actually looked the part, came from below with a glowing red spike aimed at his underbelly. Good move, but still weak and slow. With another flap, ChaosImperialdramon pushed himself backwards. The green insect flew right in front of his face, then back down after meeting the bottom of ChaosImperialdramon's claws.
"You two are weak." He chuckled. "Why get so mad over my appearance?"
"You think that's the only reason?" the dragon demanded.
Insect's fists trembled uncontrollably. "All these people… you murdered them! Don't you even realize what you've done?"
ChaosImperialdramon shrugged. "I know what I did. I don't care. I just cleared away an infection. You're too small to realize the benefits of what I'm doing."
"Only a sick and twisted mind would think in those terms!" An angle clad in white swooped down alongside the giant red bird from before and the sphinx-styled white cat. They all unleashed unified attacks, and likewise they all failed to penetrate his armor.
Odd. The humans were gone. Where was his target? He couldn't start blasting until he knew where he couldn't aim.
He finally spotted them far below, standing next to a four-legged dinosaur clad in yellow and deep gold armor.
* * * * * * * *
"I feel so helpless." sighed Ankylomon. "All the others can fly. I'm stuck down here."
Cody patted his partner's immense foot. "It's okay. We need someone to protect us down here. Right, Davis?"
"Get him XV-mon! Knock his teeth out! Show 'im who's boss!"
"… he's enthusiastic." Sigh.
Davis and Ken were complete wrapped up in the battle. They didn't seem to be suffering any ill effects from standing in the crater created by ChaosImperialdramon. TK couldn't help but wonder how many corpses were clinging to the bottom of his shoes. The very thought made him wretch. He felt a source of warmth on his shoulder and found Kari's hand. She too looked like she was suffering from the environment. He placed his hand atop hers in thanks.
"How do you think we're doing?"
"Bad. XV-mon and Stingmon are fighting like their possessed. Their anger's making them sloppy and reckless. I'm afraid they'll get themselves killed. Davis and Ken don't seem to notice because they're just as mad as their Digimon."
TK nodded. "I know. Angemon, Nefertimon and Aquillamon are being much more cautious." But that caution wasn't helping. None of their attacks, however well-timed, were getting through. ChaosImperialdramon would simply block with his armor or strafe to the side. This was all a game to him, and they were just toys. Their attacks pricked and poked at his armor, never breaking his defenses. How long would it be before he got tired and vaporized the whole area? They'd all die without ever putting up a decent fight.
Such thoughts weren't easily banished, but TK knew he couldn't give into them. He had to live through this. They all had to. The Emperor needed to be stopped. ChaosImperialdramon was just a symptom of the Emperor's plague. If he ruled unchallenged, there'd be even more senseless deaths.
"Chaotic Laser!" TK snapped from his reflection into utter terror as another blast sprung from ChaosImperialdramon's back. But the shot was aimed high at the Digimon, who barely managed to dodge it. While still afraid for his friends' safety, TK couldn't help but feel some relief that no one else had died yet.
Up above, XV-mon and Stingmon took advantage of the break in ChaosImperialdramon's attention to strike from behind. Unfortunately, that was where his tale waited. One lash toppled both Digimon and thrust them to the ground far below, creating a second, smaller crater upon impact.
Davis and Ken ran to their fallen partners with the others close behind. "Are you guys okay?"
"L-lemme at 'im." XV-mon shook a layer of dirt off his wings.
"You two have to calm down!" Kari pleaded. "If you keep fighting like this you'll end up dead before you even land a punch. You can't fight with so much anger."
"Easy for you to say." grumbled XV-mon. "You're not fighting a mirror."
"A mirror?"
Stingmon nodded. "That thing above us is like a reflection of what we would be if we'd chosen a different path. It's every abuse of power that we're capable of. He has all our strength and power when we become Imperialdramon. He even looks like us! He's abusing the power we have!"
"And it's not like we haven't sometime thought about abusing that power ourselves." XV-mon stood back up. "We don't mean to think that like, but we just wonder sometimes what it be like if we really let loose. It's such a rush when we evolve to a Mega. All that power just goes to your head and you start to wonder what you're really capable of. We know we'd never actually do anything to hurt others, but the thought still bounces around in our minds. If we really wanted we might level the entire Digital World, or Earth."
"We have to beat him, because he reminds us too much of what we could be."
Of what they could be. TK could now empathize with XV-mon and Stingmon. They, like him, saw their opponent as a dark reflection of themselves. How was fighting ChaosImperialdramon any different than fighting a Digimon Emperor empowered with the crest of Hope? This battle made TK's conflict all the clearer, but he saw from the other Digidestined's faces that they did not feel the same way. Davis and Ken could sympathize with their partners, but they could not fully comprehend the rage that came with such a fight.
"XV-mon, Stingmon, I know how you feel, but you can't let your anger control you. If you fight blind and don't work with the other Digimon," who were being thrashed at that moment, "you'll be killed. And then that dark reflection will rule forever. Is that what you want?"
"No…" XV-mon let out a slow breath. "Okay, you gotta point."
Stingmon regarded Davis and Ken. "We need to evolve to our golden armor forms. Champions aren't enough in this fight." Both Digimon reverted to their rookie levels and watched expectantly.
The two Digidestined nodded. "Golden armor energize!"
"Veemon golden armor digivolve to… Magnamon!"
"Wormmon golden armor digivolve to… Hypermon!"
TK's hopes rose along with the Golden Armor Digimon. Surly if they had the power to defeat one Chaos General, they could do so again. ChaosImperialdramon was powering up another blast aimed at Angemon and the others. Nefertimon and Aquillamon were battered from tail to head. Their wings could barely sustain their flight. Angemon was not much better off. He'd barely managed to distract ChaosImperialdramon's attacks away from his comrades.
"Double Golden Punch!" Magnamon and Hypermon struck in unison, and although ChaosImperialdramon was able to block with his claw shield, the impact dented his armor. The entire team cheered at the first sign that they had the power to resist their foe.
"Not bad." ChaosImperialdramon shook his leg. "That made me a little numb. I guess I'll have to take you more seriously now. MODE CHANGE!" In a flash of black lightning, the dragon's form shifted. Its rear legs straightened and extended while its forward legs grew smaller and sprouted fists. Its head retracted into its chest, transforming into a plate of armor. A new head sprouted at the top, and one Chaos Laser adorned each wrist. The dragon was now much more humanoid, and even more familiar.
"Oh no…" ChaosImperialdramon was now in his "Fighter Mode" a form that boosted Imperialdramon's power to new heights. TK's hopes began to wane.
If Davis felt any hesitation, he didn't show it. "Don't let that copycat scare you, Magnamon! Go for it!"
"Right!" Magnamon flew to meet his counterpart. "Miracle Missiles!" A barrage of small projectiles launched from his oversized shoulder pads and pricked at the Mega's armor. ChaosImperialdramon laughed at the harmless assault and snatched Magnamon out of the air. He casually tossed his new prize at Hypermon, sending both Digimon tumbling.
"Rosetta Stones!"
"Blast Rings!" A hail of stone tablets surrounded by burning red circles had no greater effect than Magnamon's attack. ChaosImperialdramon raised one arm.
"Chaotic Laser!" Another blast narrowly missed the Digimon, but its power forced them to revert to their Rookie levels. Angemon swooped and caught Hawkmon and Gatomon before they could fall.
"This isn't working!" Cody said as Angemon dropped off his passengers. "ChaosImperialdramon is far more powerful than ChaosWarGreymon. We need another plan than a frontal assault."
"If you've got a better plan," Davis said while nursing Magnamon out of the dirt, "I'd love to hear it right now!"
"Whatever we plan," Kari pointed to the sky, "we'd better hurry. Look!" Several small dots hovered in the night's sky, barely visible against the darkness. TK squinted to see… planes. Japanese fighters streaked in and released a barrage of missiles at ChaosImperialdramon.
"NO!" TK knew the outcome before the projectiles even struck their target. A brief fireball light up the surrounding area, bringing painful detail to the remains of the city block and the masses that now fled through the streets. Two blood-colored wings flapped the smoke away, revealing an unharmed ChaosImperialdramon.
"Pull back… pull back." The fighters didn't hear TK. Instead they dove in and peppered ChaosImperialdramon with bullets, none of which could pierce its skin. ChaosImperialdramon lashed out and plucked a plane out of the air, crushing it in his fist. He then tossed the remains at a street filled with people.
"Watch out!" Ankylomon charged forward. With one leap he cleared over a mass of people and shielded them from the falling wreckage. The flaming remains smashed against his armored shell and bounced away, crashing into buildings and part of the road. The people below Ankylomon ducked down and covered their heads. Many cried, all of them screamed.
Ankylomon shook the metal fragments off his back and looked down at the lives he'd protected. "Are you all right?"
None of the people answered. They just stared up at him with terror filled eyes, then screamed and scrambled away from him. None of the armor on Ankylomon's body could protect him from the pain their flight caused him.
"We can't protect these people." said Ken. "They think our Digimon are a threat. We need to end this quickly before anyone else is put at risk."
They were already too late for that. Another blast of Chaotic Laser vaporized the two remaining fighter planes.
"I will buy you more time." said Angemon as he stumbled to his feet. "Try to think up a different strategy as quickly as possible." He flew off before TK could protest. ChaosImperialdramon was probably a fake Digimon like ChaosWarGreymon. That meant Angemon's powers were diminished against this threat.
* * * * * * * *
The air burned in the aftermath of so many Chaotic Lasers, and new craters dotted the landscape wherever his enemies had fallen. Every part of his body burned with the natural exhilaration that came with battle. Yes, this was what nature intended. The adrenaline pumping, the blood rushing both within and outside the body; this was the natural state of all creatures!
Nature thrived on combat. All living beings fought for survival. To lose that fight, or to abandon it, was to die. Surrounded by the unbound sky and towering over the slowly restoring Earth, ChaosImperialdramon was in his element, the master of all natural order.
So how fitting it was that an angel would rise to challenge him. Humans regarded angels as supernatural beings, surpassing any law that bound normal creatures. It would be interesting to see if this angel could survive natural selection.
"Angel Rod!" A small stick thumped against his armor. Pathetic. "Hand of Fate!" Now a tiny blast of energy. Really.
"Hand of- urrggh!" Not again. No more pitiful attacks. Such weakness in natural combat was neither thrilling nor comical. It was just sad.
ChaosImperialdramon squeezed his clenched fist and tried to feel the Angel's bones snap. He screamed and strained to break free, but there was no way he could release himself. If you're strong, you live. If you weak, you die. Nature stays strong by weeding out the weaklings. Even and angel is not immune to that selection.
"Let him go!" The two golden Digimon were back in the air and ready to continue the fight. Good. They were far more of a challenge. He tossed his less-than-challenging opponent aside and readied himself for a far more pleasurable selection process.
* * * * * * * *
"ANGEMON!" TK cried as he ran to his fallen partner. The dream for earlier that morning returned with horrifying impact. Angemon couldn't be dead again; he just couldn't.
Breath returned when Angemon flexed wings and limped up from his prone position. "I… I am sorry, TK. I'm not strong enough to beat him."
"It's not your fault." TK knelt beside his partner to check for wounds. "The Emperor's stacked the odds against us. He's too much of a coward to fight fair, so he's limiting our abilities."
"If only I could digivolve." Angemon huffed. "If I could just join with Ankylomon and become Shakkoumon. We would have a better chance if I could just digivolve!" He pounded the ground.
TK had never seen his friend so upset. Angemon had always stood against dark Digimon far more evolved than himself and managed to win, but this enemy was too strong. TK could feel Angemon's frustration and anger at being unable to turn the tide. If he could digivolve…If only…
TK's entire body burned with the desire to see his partner reach a new level. Surely a more powerful Angemon, combined with Magnamon and Hypermon's powers, could end this fight before anyone else had to sacrificed to that monster. But how could they reach that power with the control spires blocking everything? If only there was a way!
A bright flash surrounded TK's body, so intense he feared he'd been lit of fire by his own desire. Was his crest reacting? No; the glow came from his pocket, not his heart. TK pulled out his D3, which was flashing a bright green core on its screen. It took TK a moment to recognize the item he'd received from Oikawa. It almost looked like a digicore, the powerful tool used by Azulongmon to restore the power of Ultimate evolution to the original Digidestined's Digimon. Was this a similar power?
It didn't matter. Even if it did hold the power of evolution, it was useless as long as the control spire blanketed Odaiba with their power. Izzy's example had proven that destroying one spire wasn't enough to unlock the Digimon's full power. Even though ChaosImperialdramon had vaporized the local spire, the other dark pillars would extend their reach and make up for the lost ground… or most of it, at least.
TK's mind ran through Izzy's explanation again, this time focusing on the computer image of the control zones expanding and overlapping. They'd covered almost the entire sector, except for a small patch of space where the first spire had stood. Although most of the area was still dampened by the spires, one tiny bubble of freedom had remained.
"Angemon!" TK's blood rushed with a new plan. "I want you to fly directly over the spot where the control spire stood." He pointed to a particularly darkened piece of land.
"But why?"
"Don't ask, just trust me! You might get your wish!" Angemon nodded and followed TK's instructions. This had to work on the first try, before ChaosImperialdramon finished Magnamon and Hypermon.
When Angemon was in place, hovering over the airspace once dominated by the control spire, TK selected the glowing core within his D3 and unleashed its power.
Bright green lances sprung from the screen and shot into the air. They curved and wrapped around Angemon, encasing him in a cocoon of energy. With a final burst, a new power emerged.
"Angemon warp digivolve to… Seraphimon!" Angemon's face vanished behind a mask of sapphire metal with a four-pointed golden star across its center. The rest of his body became sheathed in silver and sapphire armor, with ten gold wings arching from his back. A yellow cloth hung from his waist with a message written in digital language scrolled across its surface. He glowed with an intensive light that pushed away all the night's shadows and turned a portion of the sky blue. TK stood transfixed as he gazed at his new Mega partner. MagnaAngemon had been truly impressive; Seraphimon was awe-
inspiring.
"He digivolved?" Davis's jaw hung by his ankles. "How'd that happen?"
TK explained, "I remembered Izzy's explaination. While most of this area still dampens digivolutions, there's a small spot where the control spire once stood that remains free. I had Angemon hover over that area while I used the power Oikawa had given me."
"Do you guys realize what this means?" Yolei cried. "We now have the power to defeat ChaosImperialdramon!"
TK nodded. "She's right, go for it, Seraphimon!"
ChaosImperialdrmon had ceased his attack on Magnamon and Hypermon, and now regarded his new opponent. "So, I finally face a Mega?"
Seraphimon pointed an accusing finger. "ChaosImperialdramon! You are a murderer with no respect for life! For the sake of all who live, I cannot allow you to continue to abuse your power. If you do not surrender now, I will be forced to destroy you."
ChaosImperialdramon laughed. "I am a preserver of nature. The beings that are gone were a plague upon the land. I only removed that which harms the Earth."
"All living things are a part of nature. To kill them off even a small portion is to harm the whole. One cannot save the world by resorting to your savage means."
Another laugh. "And yet here you are threatening to kill me. How does that make you any different?"
"You kill out of a desire to cause harm and show no respect for the ones you destroy. I do not seek to end your life. Rather, I offer you a chance to end this peaceably. If you deny this offer and attack me, then you will perish of your own violent nature. I want to end this without battle, will you accept this chance?"
An aimed cannon answered his question. "Nature is based on fighting and conflict. A sheep does not try to discuss matters with the wolf that devours it just as the lion does not apologize to the zebra it slays. I will be true to my nature and end you here and now! Chaotic Laser!"
Seraphimon remained in the air and held out his arms. "Seven Heavens!" A golden sphere of light formed before his outstretched hands, and six more formed to circle around the first. With a small push, Seraphimon shot the seven orbs of power outward. As they sped on a collision course with ChaosImperialdrmaon's blast, they converged on one point and erupted into a small nova that overpowered the Chaotic Laser blast.
Seraphimon said coolly, "I'm more than ready for another try. Still certain you do not wish to surrender?"
"More than ever. Chaotic Laser!" Another beam of destructive energy shot outward.
"Seven Heavens!" Again the circle of power met the blast head on, ending the shooting in a draw. Or so it seemed.
"Chaotic Laser!" ChaosImperialdramon fired a second blast with his other arm, which remained freshly charged. TK felt the blood leave his face as he realized that Seraphimon would not be able to ready another Seven Heavens attack in time to save himself.
"Seraphimon!!!"
"Double Golden Punch!" Magnamon and Hypermon struck from below, sinking their fists into ChaosImperialdramon's left arm. The impact forced his arm upwards, taking the blast along with it. The beam of destructive power lanced upwards into the nights sky, destroying nothing more than a bundle of clouds.
Magnamon and Hypermon quickly backed away from ChaosImperialdramon and hovered beside Seraphimon.
"Thank you." breathed Seraphimon. "I feared I was done for."
"You know," said Magnamon, "when somebody's shooting at you, it's a good idea to dodge!"
"I cannot."
"Why not?"
"If I move from this area, I will revert back to Angemon. This is the only airspace free of the control spires' dampening power. If I am to be of any help in this fight, I must remain where I am."
"Wonderful." sighed Hypermon. "So how do we fight and keep you covered at the same time?"
"My life is not a concern in this battle. We must defeat ChaosImperialdramon above all else. And I have a plan to do so."
"I'm all ears." growled Magnamon.
"He drops his guard when he fires a Chaotic Laser. If you can disable one cannon, I can force him to waste his energy on a fire fight. You can then move in and strike him at close range."
"And just how do we get close enough to take out one of his arm cannons? He'll fry us in a second!"
"I shall cover you. Be ready to move when I launch my attack."
Hypermon turned to his fellow Golden Armor Digimon. "It's the best plan we have right now. You ready?"
"No. But let's go." They both braced for the attack.
"Seven Heavens!" The two Golden Digimon streaked after the array of orbs, hidden behind its already golden glow.
"Chaotic Laser." The third collision was no different from the first two. Both blasts cancelled each other out. But it also left a gap for Hypermon and Magnamon to fly through. ChaosImperialdramon didn't see them coming until he had already aimed his second cannon.
"Chaotic-"
"Magna Blast!"
"Hyper Laser!" The two attacks bombarded the arm cannon, beating away at its armor until it cracked and fell apart under the barrage. Magnamon followed up with one final blow.
"Magna kick!" With all his strength, he drove his heel into the cannon, releasing the pent-up energy in one unexpected explosion. Magnamon spiraled out of control in the blast's wake until Hypermon swooped in and caught him. ChaosImperialdramon did not fare as well.
"Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrr!" Black fluid, too thin for blood, dripped from the new stump that had once been his left arm. The limb itself was nowhere to be seen; vaporized in the attack.
"Seven Heavens!" ChaosImperialdramon didn't have time to recover from the first wave of pain as a second attack struck him in the chest. As the weakened Mega staggered backwards, Magnamon and Hypermon pulled back for one final assault.
"It's time to end this, once and for all!"
"We'll show you our most powerful attack!" They streaked forward in a corkscrew formation, circling each other as they sped. Their two auras shone brighter, gaining in intensity until they merged into one inferno.
"Golden Meteor!" The comet dove towards ChaosImperialdramon's midsection, which lay totally exposed after Seraphimon's attack. In one final clash, the combo strike struck dead center, and the Chaos General vanished in a blaze of gold.
* * * * * * * *
His legs. Why were his legs over there? Shouldn't they be beneath him, where they always were?
He was cold, so cold. The night sky did nothing to warm the ice ball that grew within his chest and stretched throughout his body. The lower half had already gone cold and numb… maybe because it was over there.
The wind slipped cruelly past his wings, refusing the lift him up. He could must no strength to try to catch the updrafts. All he felt was coldness and the caress of apathetic winds. The sky was now ruled by his rivals, and he fell back to the prison of soil. It seemed a cruel fate for a creature that loved to fly.
He'd lost. Lost to a small infection. The thought rolled around in his mind without finding a perch. It was ludicrous. The very notion that he could lose to creatures so small. They had blown away under his power, sterilized by his fire. Yet six small infections and their equally small Digimon had somehow over powered him.
If you're strong you live. If you're weak you die…His defeat meant that he was weaker than these creatures. He himself was not suited to live in nature for something strong existed. It was a painful realization that struck at a primal core. All animals feared death, it was a driving force for all nature. That he should fear his death was no surprise. But he quickly realized he need not feel shame.
If he had lost due to his own weakness, then he would die. The deer did not feel shame when eaten by the wolf; nor the lam by the fox. Even though not a part of this world by birth, he would die as a part of its cycle. The only true concern was the completion of his mission. Who would sterile the world of its infection with him gone?
The Emperor. The Emperor would fulfill his mission and restore order to nature. Surly his lord would not forsake the dreams of his subordinates. So long as the Emperor existed, the world would change. The purge would still happen. The weak died out to nourish the strong. His death would somehow nourish the Emperor's reign.
Digidestined, he spat one last glance at the Digimon hovering above. You think you have won. You do not know what awaits you. Even I feared the Third General. He will strike you down without hesitation. The Emperor's right-hand general will finish you, and my dreams will be fulfilled. As he closed his eyes, he savored one final caress of the wind; glad to die out in the open.
* * * * * * * *
TK watched the two halves of ChaosImperialdramon fall and melt into a black rain. Like ChaosWarGreymon, this General was not a real Digimon. It was… something different; something cruel and dark that took pleasure in destruction in death. Something that had ended a lot of lives this night.
He should have felt happy to see that murdering monster destroyed, but all he felt was emptiness. One death couldn't replace a thousand others. No one was coming back this time. No Primary Village, no new life as an egg. People were dead, and they wouldn't return the same was as Digimon.
Up above Seraphimon, Magnamon, and Hypermon descended and reverted back to their Rookie forms. Each one collapsed into the arms of their partners and fell asleep instantly.
The Digidestined themselves glanced at each other, not sure what to say. The full impact of what had happened that night was clear to all of them. The crater they stood in was shallow compared to the hole in their hearts. The second General had cost them more than anyone could have expected, and the final General was bound to be even more powerful. How would they face such a beast without losing more lives?
In his uncertainty, TK hardly noticed the police sirens and ambulances pulling up to the craters rim. Thousands of people were gathering around, staring horrified at the destruction. Some people screamed names of loved ones who had lived in the area, others just stood in numb silence. Paramedics ran forward to check all the children for injuries, especially Kari's ankle.
TK didn't hear the words the police officer spoke to him. He just saw the man's mouth move and nodded dully. Soon he was riding with the others in an ambulance, en route to the hospital for any care they needed. All he wanted was to sleep. He wanted to rest more than anything. He was still covered in filth from his trek through the labyrinth, but he didn't care. Sleep. Just sleep.
His mother arrived at the hospital an hour after the ambulance pulled up and dropped them off. She sobbed as she threw her arms around him and thanked every positive force in the world that he was safe. His father showed the same joy when he arrived a half hour later. The other parents for the Digidestined, and some of their siblings, came as well.
Matt was away at college, and so he did not show. TK felt a gap from his brother's absence, and a strange unease that his parents hadn't arrived in unison.
The doctors cleared him for release after the sun had risen. He went home, bathed and dressed in fresh clothes his parents had retrieved. He hadn't answered any questions, or told anyone what had happened that night. How could he? His mind still hadn't grasped the full scope of the devastation. He knew the facts, but somehow they didn't seem real to him. He knew the implications, but he couldn't bring himself to voice his fears.
When he arrived home, he fell face-first into his bed, asleep before he even settled. And then he dreamed.
He was walking on a road of ash and two giant mounds lay behind him. One was big, the other huge. Both were vaguely humanoid, but their lines were cut so sharp that they didn't appear human. Ahead of him the path turned from ash to a deep crimson liquid. And there was another mound ahead, but it was formless. He knew it was there yet he could not see it. And beyond that mound, surrounded by the blood of thousands, was a figure without a face. This figure glowed with an aura that felt too familiar, too close. He glowed with dark hopes.
Beneath the man without a face lay several bodies. These figures did have faces. Davis, Ken, Yolei, Cody… and Kari. This blank-faced man stood upon their deaths and laughed.
"NOOO!" TK sat upright, nearly falling out of bed in the process. He sat there, panting for several minutes, trying to remember where he was and what had happened. For a brief moment he hoped that everything had been a dream and that no one had died. But then he saw the unhealed scratches and cuts, and felt the bandages given to him by the doctors, and he knew it hadn't been a dream.
Moonlight crept past the blinds and gave very tiny illumination to the room. The air was much cooler, and TK felt much more aware than he had earlier. He'd slept the entire day.
"Good evening." A voice startled him and he glanced around the room until he found the source. Sitting in the chair with his legs folded and his arms wrapped around one knee, the Digimon Emperor stared at TK through his black visor. "Sleep well?"
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The Emperor's identity and his master plan will be revealed next chapter. Please watch for it!