Gritting his teeth, MagnaVeedramon quickly dodged as the puppeted forms of Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon rushed at him.
The holy knight Digimon dodged and jumped back from the attacks, trying to find a way to bring them no harm and to free them from the grasp of Morganamon.
All the while, the wicked laughter of the wicked Digimon continued to echo through the altar area, much to the heroes and heroines' annoyance.
"Please... run... I... I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you..." Lightbearer Ophanimon said through a strained voice as she tried to retake control of her body, but found she had no control as she then moved to strike at MagnaVeedramon, who used his blade to block her sword.
"I won't abandon either of you!" MagnaVeedramon said back after ducking under MysticSakuyamon's latest spear swing.
Just like Lightbearer Ophanimon, the mystic Digimon was also struggling against Morganamon's spell as she moved against her will and to strike down the holy knight Digimon once again.
"Then... stop us... I... I don't want to be used like this again..." MysticSakuyamon managed to say as she too tried fighting against the spell manipulating her being, only for her and Lightbearer Ophanimon to move back in the air, each preparing a familiar set of attacks.
"Magna Shield!" MagnaVeedramon declared in response.
Casting his protective barrier around himself, Lightbearer Ophanimon fired off her Divine Calling attack upon him, while MysticSakuyamon unleashed her Full Spirit Wave alongside the power of the Digimon of Light, the two attacks colliding with MagnaVeedramon's barrier, who groaned from the strain of the light energies clashing against him.
"This is bad!" Tai remarked with a great concern in his voice, knowing that MagnaVeedramon would never harm Lightbearer Ophanimon, and that her and MysticSakuyamon being used against him was not good for the holy knight Digimon's mental wellbeing.
"He has to get to Morganamon!" Dokamon then called from within his cage, the fighting Appmon and Musimon feeling a shared empathy for Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon's situation as they recalled how they too were in a similar situation with Warudamon, who used a similar method of control to force them to battle Gatchmon.
Unfortunately, with the lack of Revivemon currently lacking in appearance, no one in the group was exactly sure how they could help save their friends.
When Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon ceased in their attacks, MagnaVeedramon dropped his barrier, but had little time to rest as the puppeted pair struck at him once again, forcing him to dodge and parry their strikes as they moved to attack him.
"Oh, this is entertaining." Morganamon remarked from the sidelines as she moved her fingers around, the actions guiding those under her spell to move and attack MagnaVeedramon against their will.
"It's so much fun watching you all struggle, watching as you try your best not to hurt your weak little friends." The Witch Digimon then commented with a continued cruelty in her tone.
"And what's this?" She found herself asking as she picked up on the feelings of her puppets through her connection, the Witch Digimon gaining a dark smirk as she said with a laugh. "Love, they love you! Oh, that makes this even better, you will die at the hands of those you love the most!"
MagnaVeedramon grit his teeth to Morganamon's words, dodging more strikes from Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon, where he looked and saw the glowing gem around the Witch Digimon's neck, knowing that if he could destroy it, the spell could be broken and the girls freed from the witch's grasp.
"Wait, what does she mean about both of them loving him?" Tai questioned in confusion, knowing about his sister and Davis, as well as Gatomon and Veemon, but nothing with Rika and Renamon.
"She doesn't mean Renamon, and you are dense as hell!" Zoe snapped in reply, before struggling once again to remove her restraints and help her friends.
Meanwhile, ShaolinArresterdramon, AncientMervamon and Ignitemon continued to hold off the cultists of the Scions of Mortismon, with the SkullAcolytemon rushing at them with blades in their hands, while the DarkEldermon and DarkInquisitormon firing blasts of dark energy at the trio from their palms.
"Thunder Force!"
"Ancient Blaze!"
Unleashing their attacks together, ShaolinArresterdramon and AncientMervamon struck down a large group of the Dark Digimon, who quickly dissolved into Data particles, only to be replaced by more of the crazed cultists.
Looking over, ShaolinArresterdramon, AncientMervamon and Ignitemon were concerned to see their friends fighting one another, as well as the dark red auras around Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon's forms.
"We need to finish these guys off and help them!" AncientMervamon stated, getting a nod from ShaolinArresterdramon, who then turned and began striking down more of the Scions as they rushed at him.
Ignitemon, however, looked towards Morganamon, who then noticed the glowing red gem around her neck.
"Hold them off, I'll be right back." The fighter Digimon said to the two heroes, who nodded in reply, trusting Ignitemon to do whatever it was he needed to go as they fought back the Dark Digimon, while Ignitemon leapt down into the confusion of the battlefield below the stands.
Continuing to dodge the strikes of his puppeted friends, MagnaVeedramon used both his blades to block the oncoming strikes of both Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon's weapons, doing his best to hold back their strikes as the duo's puppeted forms continued to push against him.
"Please... stop us... do what you have to do... you have to stop her and save... the others..." Lightbearer Ophanimon pleaded, the Digimon of Light hating herself for not being strong enough to fight off Morganamon's spell, and more so for being forced to harm her beloved.
"She's right... you have to stop her... don't worry about us..." MysticSakuyamon pleased through her struggle, desperate for MagnaVeedramon to stop her and Lightbearer Ophanimon before Morganamon could use them to cause any more harm.
With a loud growl, MagnaVeedramon pushed Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon back, but found himself once again dodging the puppeted forms of his allies, who tried to strike him down, the sight of which left Morganamon chuckling with glee.
"This has been all too amusing, but I think now it's time to…" The Witch Digimon started to remark as she was ready to finish this fight already, to force Davis and Veemon to disengage their shared form and to then take the Dark Lady's chosen, who she would then present to the Leader of the Dark Tribe as tribute.
However, sensing something rushing from behind, Morganamon tilted her head as a pair of shuriken came flying past her, the attack leading her eyes toward Ignitemon, the fighter Digimon holding his hands out as his weapons returned to him.
"And what exactly did you hope to accomplish…?" The witch Digimon began to question as she looked toward the small Digimon, believing Ignitemon's power no match for her own, before her eyes widened in shock as a sudden cry of rage and great power emitted behind her.
Turning to see MagnaVeedramon rushing at her with his right hand drawn forth, Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon chasing after him as it looked like he was reaching to grab Morganamon left her astonished.
Quickly moving back, Morganamon thought that the holy knight Digimon was coming for her, until her eyes widened as she realized his true target, grabbing her gemstone in his hand as it glowed with light energy, before crushing the stone to pieces, which sent a shockwave of energy that sent the Witch Digimon flying backwards.
At that moment, Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon came to a halt as the dark red auras around their bodies dispersed, the pair giving sighs of relief as they took back control of their beings.
Regaining her composure, the Witch Digimon glared at MagnaVeedramon with rage as she started to bellow. "You will pay for that you insolent…!"
"Holy Judgement!"
"Full Spirit Wave!"
Hearing the battle cries and forced to go on the defensive, Morganamon brought a dark red energy barrier before her as Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon unleashed their combined powers at her.
Striking with a shared might, Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon wished to make the Witch Digimon pay for using them as puppets.
And looking over to MagnaVeedramon, the girls furthered their might as the Digimon of Miracles joined in and lent his power against the Witch Digimon.
"Holy Strike!"
Casting off a powerful blast of light energy, MagnaVeedramon's power collided with Morganamon's barrier, and with the additional powers of Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon, the energy protecting the Witch Digimon shattered, before the attacks slammed into her being, which then sent her crashing into the altar behind her.
Landing on the ground before the dust cloud and crumbled debris, MagnaVeedramon, Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon looked to see if the Witch Digimon had been defeated, only for a powerful shockwave of dark red energy to send the dust away, where the trio and those who were watching the fight saw that Morganamon had taken an entirely new form.
While still retaining a humanoid, feminine shape, the Witch Digimon was now covered from head to toe in black feathers, four massive wings coming out of her back, talon-like hands, and a face that resembled that of an owl as her eyes began to glow dark red.
"No more games! You will all die now!" Morganamon bellowed furiously, before disappearing and reappearing right before MagnaVeedramon, Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon in the blink of an eye, her right talon drawn and glowing with a dark red energy.
"Magna Saber!" MagnaVeedramon announced as he blocked Morganamon's strike, but felt himself pushed back from Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon as the witch Digimon swung her talons at the holy knight Digimon, who continued to block and parry her strikes.
Flying further into the air, Morganamon then gathered dark red energy into her palms, which she then fired as a set of powerful blasts at the heroines.
Dodging the oncoming blasts, Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon then saw two dark red energy copies of the witch Digimon form on either side of her, beings that rushed down towards the female Digimon, who found themselves on the defensive as they clashed their weapons with the shadow duplicates of Morganamon.
The real Morganamon, meanwhile, refocused her attention back upon MagnaVeedramon, her entire being was consumed in dark red energy, before she shot down toward the holy knight Digimon, desiring to finish him off first and separate the human boy from his being.
"Full Force Strike!" MagnaVeedramon called in response, his body engulfed in golden light as he shot upward to meet Morganamon as those watching saw the two streaks of light, one dark red, the other golden, clashing in the air, crashing into various parts of the rock walls and rushing back at one another.
Eventually, the clashing stopped as Morganamon and MagnaVeedramon struck at each other one more time, the holy knight Digimon holding back the witch Digimon's talons as she tried to push past his blades and strike at him.
"Surrender, and I'll make your ends…" Morganamon started to demand through her fury, believing she had the advantage, and soon would crush her foes.
However, a series of lights then caught the witch Digimon's attention, looking down to see that while her focus was on MagnaVeedramon, Ignitemon had freed the remaining heroes and heroines, whose D-Bracers began to glow brightly, their partners turning to energy and rushing out of their cages toward them.
"Samudramon!"
"SacredPhoenixmon!"
"MedievalGallantmon!"
"CrimsonAldamon!"
"GaleSilphymon!"
"LordShoutmon!"
"Sagemon!"
"ShogunOujamon!"
"BardMusimon!"
As the lights died down, not only did the Scions of Mortismon see the new Digimon and Appmon heroes and heroines, but also the Digi-armoured forms of Marcus and Yoshi, while Novicmon and Jeri's arms were alighted with Digi-runes, both ready to back their friends up with Digi-magic as Ignitemon stood alongside his new allies.
Seeing their captives freed, and seeing that numbers dwindled, the remaining SkullAcolytemon, DarkEldermon and DarkInquisitormon quickly ran for their lives, fleeing the ritual site and making their way to safety, leaving Morganamon to face the heroes and heroines alone.
Rage filling her, Morganamon was then taken off guard as MagnaVeedramon pushed her back, sending her crashing down to the ritual ground floors once again.
"Striking Light!"
"Spiritual Spear Strike!"
Striking with their empowered weapons, meanwhile, Lightbearer Ophanimon and MysticSakuyamon struck down the energy clones of Morganamon, the constructs shrieking in pain as they dissolved, before the duo and MagnaVeedramon rejoined their friends as they gathered on the ground, while ShaolinArresterdramon and AncientMervamon, no longer needed to worry about the cultist Digimon, leaped down to their friends.
Growling in rage, Morganamon rose to her feet, before her eyes widened to see all the heroes and heroines before her, as well as Ignitemon, all glaring at the Witch Digimon for her action and her crimes.
"You're finished, Morganamon." MagnaVeedramon declared as he glared at his foe, seeing her owl eyes narrowing.
"Surrender and face justice for your crimes." The Digimon of Miracles then said.
Feeling her rage consuming her, that these infidels dared to think that they were more powerful than her, Morgnamon showed them her true strength as she let out a rage filled shrieks, throwing her arms out as dark red energy surged from her, swirling all throughout the area, forcing the heroes and heroines to take battle ready stances.
"Die in the name of Mortismon!" Morganamon screeched madly, the dark red energy forming behind her as it took on the image of a large skull, the face of Mortismon, where the Witch Digimon threw her arms forward, sending the energy rushing towards the heroes and heroines, seeking to eliminate them once and for all.
"Holy Strike!"
"Rinkageki!"
"Rage of Wyvern!"
"Holy Judgement!"
"Sacred Flame!"
"Full Spirit Wave!"
"Arcane Inferno!"
"Arcane Twister!"
"Flaming Destruction!"
"Violet Blast!"
"Omni Force!"
"Inferno Spiral!"
"Passion Shot!"
"Gaia Link!"
"Golden Arrow!"
"Rhythmic Stream!"
Combining their attacks together, along with energy blasts from Jeri and Novicmon, the energies of the heroes and heroines clashed with the dark red energy skull, which tried to push past the power of the group and consume them as Morganamon put more effort into her attack.
However, putting more of their own power and determination into their attacks, the combined energies of the heroes and heroines shot through the dark energy skull, dispelling it, before the energies surged towards Morganamon, her eyes widened in shock as the attacks slammed into her, causing her to slam into what was left of the altar with a massive explosion.
With the attack finished, the heroes and heroines saw the dark red energy swirling around them dissipate and vanish, the group looking to find no trace of Morganamon, nor sense her power.
Sighing in relief, the heroes and heroines knew that they had defeated the leader of the Scions of Mortismon.
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Once they were sure Morganamon was gone and the remaining Scions fled, the heroes and heroines reverted to their normal forms, where they allowed themselves a chance to relax.
Keeping a smile on his face, Davis then looked to Ignitemon as he told the fighter Digimon with gratitude. "Thanks, Ignitemon. We owe you one."
"You have ended this shroud of darkness over my village, you owe me nothing." Ignitemon said in reply with a smile of his own, before looking towards the pathway to his village with a frown.
"However, not everyone might thank you as I have." The fighter Digimon then remarked with a serious tone, his words causing the heroes and heroines to look towards the path, each frowning at the sight they saw.
With a small group of villagers behind him, Jijimon marched towards the heroes and heroines, the elderly Digimon and his followers each holding anger in their eyes, anger directed at the group and Ignitemon.
"Seriously?" Astora asked as he looked at the angry mob of Digimon, feeling his own annoyance as he then questioned. "This is the thanks we get for helping you guys?"
"Help us? Help us?!" Jijimon asked in anger, before yelling furiously. "You've damned us all! Now the Dark Tribe will come for our village, and nothing will stop them!"
"It is better than living in constant fear, of watching those we love and care about being dragged away into the night! We'd rather die free than live under tyranny!" Ignitemon declared as he got in front of the heroes and heroines.
"Silence, you foolish child!" Jijimon bellowed back as he aimed his staff at the fighter Digimon and declared. "We'll punish you after we take care of them!"
"I don't think so, your reign in our village is over." Ignitemon responded, his words confusing Jijimon and some in the mob, while others thought the runt was just bluffing.
However, before they knew what hit them, Jijimon and his group found themselves tackled to the ground and tied up, the elderly Digimon looking up in shock to see the rest of the village around him and his loyalists, each glaring at him with rage in their eyes.
"But… but I protected all of you!" Jijimon declared in shock and surprise.
"You protected yourself and sold us out." One of the Beastmon replied with a viscous glare, giving the tied up Jijimon a kick, before the second Beastmon added. "And you treated us like dirt! But now, we make our own choices, and the first is kicking you lot out of our village!"
The declaration was met with a resounding cheer from the rest of the villagers, with many of them lifting up the protesting and bound forms of Jijimon and those with him as they carried him off, ready to drop the traitors off somewhere where they could never return, while the rest of the villagers rushed to the heroes and heroines, cheering for them and thanking them for saving their home, which left the group smiling and feeling proud that they had given these Digimon another chance.
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As the sun began to rise in the sky and with their supplies repacked and restoked, the heroes and heroines took at the entrance to the village, with Ignitemon and his friends all there to see the group off.
"Thank you for everything brave hero!" One of the Beastmon called happily as she went over and picked Shoutmon up, the Digimon King blushing lightly as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"If there is anything we could ever do for you, you only need to ask." The second Beastmon then said with a flirtatious tone as she joined her companion and also gave the Digimon King a kiss on the cheek, the sight causing the others to chuckle as Shoutmon was left a stuttering mess.
But keeping the love he held for Lunamon close to his heart, Shoutmon regained his composure as he cleared his throat and replied to the two female Digimon. "Thank you, but we must get on our way."
Giggling to one another, the Beastmon set the Digimon King back down, before returning to their fellow villagers, who continued to cheer and praise the heroes.
Though smiling at the sight, Davis then turned his head towards Ignitemon and told the fighter Digimon with a serious tone. "If you even sense anything wrong, get everyone out of here and head for the Fire Tribe's lands, they will protect you."
"We will, I won't let anything happen to my friends." Ignitemon replied with a thumbs up, before gaining a blush of his own as a little as Mervamon approached him.
"Take care, cutie." The amazon Digimon said with a smirk as she gave Ignitemon a small kiss on the cheek which left the small Digimon blushing bright red, especially to seeing Mervamon's exposed cleavage so close to his face before Mervamon turned and headed back to rejoin her friends, while Nene just rolled her eyes at her partner's antics.
"Be careful approaching the Metal Tribe's border." One of the villagers then said in warning, adding with some concern. "The Dark Tribe has been sending out large creepy flying things from there for the past month."
Hearing this news caused the heroes and heroines to look surprised as they remembered the Dark Arks the Dark Tribe had used in their invasion of the Wind Tribe, now knowing their origins.
"We will be careful, thank you." Kari replied with a kind and warm smile, where the group turned and began walking away from the village and still hearing Ignitemon and the others cheering for them as they made their way down the path towards the lands of the Meta Tribe.
"It still shocks me." Sora then said, breaking the silence as everyone looked at her as she continued in her thoughts. "It shocks me how much the Dark Tribe still scares people, and how far they are willing to go to not confront them."
"That's why we can't stop, not until we've defeated the Dark Lady." Davis merely replied, his words earning nods of agreement from the rest of the heroes and heroines, where they allowed Novicmon to lead them on towards the Metal Tribe's territory, and whatever dangers awaited them.
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In the dark lit room with Mortismon's statue, a cloud of dark red energy formed in the center, coming together and reforming into the injured and angry form of Morganamon, who was back in her more human form.
"Those filthy brats!" Morganamon growled furiously as she stumbled towards the statue, placing her hand on it for support as she yelled with a continued vengeance. "When I find them again, I'll kill them all, I'll...!"
"Now, now, aren't we getting a little carried away?" A voice from the shadows then asked with an insane laugh, this causing Morganamon to look around, before her eyes narrowed to see the jester-like Digimon of the Dark Lady, Sciophobimon, emerge into her line of sight.
"You?! Why are you...?!" The fallen high priestess of Mortismon began to question, annoyed to see the Dark Lady's fool here before her.
However, much to her shock and surprise, Sciophobimon disappeared and reappeared right before the witch Digimon in the blink of an eye, where Morganamon felt a sharp pain in her stomach, which caused her to look down and find one of the jester-like Digimon's blades pierced through her.
"Sorry, my dear, but I can't have you, ruining things, not when they are so close to being finished." Sciophobimon told the witch Digimon as he brought his hand up and slowly removed his mask.
Upon seeing the true face of the jester-like Digimon, Morganamon's eyes widened in shock, and even awe, before she nearly broke down, laughing insanely, where Sciophobimon then plunged his weapon deeper into her, causing the witch Digimon to break apart into Data particles.
Placing his mask back on, Sciophobimon then looked to the statue of Mortismon, his mad laughter echoing through the area as he spun around in the fading Data particles of his victim and declared. "Soon, the real party is going to start! Let the madness and the mayhem begin!"
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Author's note: The battle with the Scions of Mortismon is over, but what is Sciophobimon's real game? Stay tuned as the adventure continues and the heroes enter the lands of the Metal Tribe.