Chapter 12: Prince of the Undead
I woke up, but didn't open my eyes. I was lying on something soft and leathery and could feel it bumping up and down. I was lying down on my side, my arms tied behind my back, my shades pulled over my eyes. My head pounded from my earlier flood of rage and from Myotismon KO'ing me.
"Where am I?" I opened my eyes and sat up. I was in a carriage, with Myotismon sitting across from me.
"This is my personal carriage. Feel proud that you are riding in it." I spat on Myotismon. "You'll regret that later."
"What do you want with me?" I had calmed down, but was still in a very bad mood. I would have fought, but exhaustion and pain pulled at me.
"I want you to be my right hand." I laughed sarcastically, but Myotismon kept the same look on his face. "I am serious. Back there you were able to use the darkness in you and actually almost hurt me. That is very impressive for somebody who doesn't know what they are doing."
"Whatever." I looked away. I was in no condition to fight. Maybe if I could get by long enough, I would be able to escape...
"Don't think of escaping." I whipped back and stared at Myotismon. It was like he could see into my thoughts. "If you ever try to escape, I'll kill you."
"No you wouldn't. You want me to be your right hand, remember? Or are all evil digimon idiots?" It was dark outside and my shades made it nearly impossible to see. I rocked my head quickly and let them fall to the floor of the carriage. Myotismon's eyes narrowed. "See, you won't even do anything now! Some evil king you are." His eyes narrowed slightly more.
"Crimson Whip!" The whip shot from his hand and wrapped about my neck. "Really? Are you that ignorant?"
"I... can't... breathe..." I struggled to get air as the whip coiled tighter.
"Remember. I am the king here. You answer to me and only me. You may resent it now, but one way or another, the darkness within you will overwhelm you and you will be mine... forever." I began to lose consciousness from lack of air. The whip finally loosened and retreated to Myotismon's hand. I gasped for air and felt the warm, summer air flow into my lungs. I fell over and breathed heavily. "Pathetic." I felt the whip come down on me and anger began to build.
"Stop, please."
"No. You need to know your pain better." The whip came down again and again, every time though seemed to be a softer blow, but not because of Myotismon. I felt rage build up within me and in a few moments felt the dark cloud of energy around me. The whip stopped. "There. Isn't that wonderful? I bet you could barely feel my whip. Let the darkness empower you. Let it wipe away your senses." I involuntarily did as he said and relaxed. I could feel the dark energy pierce into me and I screamed. The ropes around my hands broke as I held my chest. It felt like it was about to explode.
"I can't take it!"
"Of course you can! You are pure evil! This is what you have delayed for too long! This is your destiny! To command my armies and rule this world with power you have never even imagined!" I was dizzy, but could still feel the carriage stop.
"Lord Myotismon!" An Ogremon ran up and opened the carriage door. "What's going on in here!? It's driving the Devidramon berserk!" The Devidramon pulling the carriage had begun to veer off course and the Ogremon were doing all they could to subdue the beast. "What's with him?"
"Show respect. He's your superior now." The pain stopped and I opened my eyes. I felt empty, like every emotion had been sapped from me. I got up off the floor of the carriage and sat back down.
"What is this?"
"This is power James; pure, limitless, power." Myotismon laughed and I breathed deep. I could feel it flowing throughout me. My blood burned and boiled in my veins; a scorching warmth emanating from deep within.
"I... I think I like it..." I smiled.
"Yes Lord Myotismon?" An unusually large Bakemon floated through the wall of Myotismon's throne room and lowered himself to kneel as best he could.
"Is everything prepared?"
"Yes my lord. The arena is ready."
"Good. Then let's begin." Myotismon snapped his fingers and the Bakemon flew out of the doors of the throne room. Myotismon walked out after him and looked out on the main hall of the castle from the balcony leading to the throne room. "Do you know what you must do?"
"Yes my lord." I stood in the center of the main hall. A cold gust of wind blew through from nowhere, causing the candles to flicker and go out. A few moments later a horde of Bakemon swarmed through the walls and circled me. I simply stood where I was.
"You don't stand a chance against us kid." Three Bakemon stopped circling me and floated in a triangle around me.
"Why don't you run home?" One behind me taunted me.
"I guess he wants to die." The next took his turn.
"Try me." I stood in the center of the hall still, unmoved by the sudden threat.
"Your wish! Dark Claw!" The three Bakemon attacked at the same time and their ghostly claws flew at me. I jumped up and they hit each other where I had been just a moment before.
"Black Storm!" I aimed my gloves down as I jumped into the air and watched as the purplish-red bolts of evil energy erupted from them. They homed in on the Bakemon, blowing them into data with ease. I landed and looked up. The Bakemon had begun to circle around me faster. They must have all wanted to be reconfigured. "Black Storm!" I aimed up this time and watched the bolts bounce from Bakemon to Bakemon, obliterating each one as it hit and moved on. After a few moments my attack ended and only a couple of Bakemon remained.
"Impossible! How could a punk like you have such power?" The Bakemon shook in the air and began to panic. I shot the one who spoke a glare. He began to blubber and whine. "Please don't hurt me!" I looked at Myotismon and he simply nodded. I aimed my hand.
"Zero Fist." I threw my fist in the Bakemon's direction, the energy's around it streaming to him. He broke into data, which climbed back down the stream of dark power. I absorbed it greedily and looked at the other Bakemon that remained. I turned and glanced back at Myotismon. "This is too easy. I thought you were supposed to be training me."
"I am."
"Dark Claw!" The Bakemon hit me, knocking me to the floor. I could feel him fly into me, hitting me on the inside. Over and over his claws tore at my body from both the inside and out, waves of pain shattering my previous chilled attitude. The burning sensation flowed back through my body.
"That's enough!" I yelled as my exclamation echoed throughout the chamber. "Devibomb!" I could feel dark energies quickly rush to my chest and explode. A blast erupted around me, tearing up the chamber and eroding the pillars. It was still a new attack to me and I had yet to perfect it. I felt the Bakemon shatter within me. I simply focused and absorbed his data.
"More... I want more..." I laughed hysterically. I loved what I had become. I loved the power. I loved being unbeatable.
"What!? Impossible!"
"I would not lie my lord! The chosen have begun to summon the former digidestined. Devimon was destroyed when the power one was transferred to one of the new ones!"
"Then we must go sooner than I had planned. Get the men ready and summon James to my chamber."
"Yes my lord." The Ogremon ran off and out the chamber door. Myotismon mumbled to himself.
"How could they have reached Ultimate already? I thought those other brats had been taken care of. Damn Memoriamon, they're all worthless." At this I walked into the chamber. Myotismon had since issued me new clothes, deciding that my blue-jean shorts and white t-shirt were inappropriate for one of my stature. I now wore black jeans, along with a black, long-sleeve shirt that reached under my gloves some. A dark, navy-blue cape followed me as I walked, reaching down to my ankles. I had kept my shades, but wore them all the time now. I could see clearly in the dark now, a side effect of my new powers.
"You called for me?" I kneeled to Myotismon.
"I am afraid I must cut your training short. New events have arisen and we must go to Earth sooner than we planned." Myotismon remained sitting on his throne.
"It is no matter. I was near completion of my training anyway, was I not?" I stood up. I couldn't understand Myotismon's somewhat worried tone of voice.
"Yes, you are right." Myotismon thought to himself, reassuring himself of his next decision. "I want you to lead the first part of my army into your world."
"Thank you. I will not let you down. All who oppose me shall fall." Myotismon smiled sinisterly.
"Go and prepare the troops. We leave at midnight."
"So be it."
The Ogremon growled amongst themselves as they walked into formation. I stood in front of the gate watching as more Ogremon tugged the gate open. There had to have been a couple hundred Ogremon, and I was their leader; their commander. I smiled and closed my eyes and thought of my power. Everyday I could feel it more. It was growing. My digivice had long since turned completely black, the Crest of Hope no longer showing behind the screen.
"The gate is opened and the troops are ready sir." A particularly ugly Ogremon spoke to me, snapping me from my haze. He was covered in scars from previous battles. I wondered if I had given him any.
"Excellent. Everything goes as planned, understand? I go first and the rest of you follow; one squadron at a time." I spoke in a low voice and turned around to look at the army again before the Ogremon could respond.
"Yes sir." I watched him call out orders to the Ogremon and they snapped to attention, waiting for me to walk through the gate. I smirked and turned around. I was going to Earth, and it would be mine. I had power I had never dreamed of. Myotismon was right; it was my destiny to rule his kingdom of darkness. I took a deep breath and walked through the gate. As light engulfed me from the portal, I could feel myself falling, but stood upright with my eyes closed the entire time. When it finally ended, I opened them again and looked about. We had emerged in the camp that the original digidestined had set out from.
We had made it to Earth. I thought to myself for a moment.
"Everything I see shall be mine." I whispered to myself as I walked forward a bit. The squadrons began to materialize behind me.