Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
A/N: This is one of my favorite chapters so far so I hope you all like it!
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 163: The Power of Persuasion
DarkAngelicmon
Cyber, Western Hemisphere, Digital World
"Back again, are you? My, the Ruler of Darkness must really enjoy your company, DarkAngelicmon. When it comes to his other servants, he's normally only too eager to have them removed from his site as soon as possible, but not you. You're usually in here at least once a day, and somehow you always manage to come out in one piece. Truly remarkable."
Indeed, how truly remarkable...
Standing stiffly in front of the large double doors leading into his master's favorite chamber within the castle, DarkAngelicmon slowly lifted his head and he turned to gaze at the feline digimon lounging against the stone wall on the left-hand side of the door. Persiamon's tone was light, and her silly antics were meant to tease him rather than insult him, but even so he refused to give her even the tiniest hint of a smile. It had been a long day, and right now all he wanted to do was curl up in his own bed chamber and get some sleep. "Did the Ruler of Darkness summon me, or not?"
"Of course he did!" Phelesmon snapped, shifting suddenly in the dark shadows to the right of the door and pointing his finger at his fellow fallen angel. "And you're late! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were purposely trying to enrage our master, but of course you, our master's favorite servant, would never dream of doing such a thing. How very disappointing. I must admit, I'd love the opportunity to...put you in your place."
"Ignore him," Persiamon said smoothly, dismissing the fallen angel with a flick of her wrist. "The Digital World could finally be ours for the taking and he'd still be in a foul mood. Why don't you go on in. The Ruler of Darkness is very anxious to see you."
I bet he is.
Although DarkAngelicmon would never admit it, Phelesmon's harsh words had startled him badly, nearly causing him to jump in surprise, but thankfully he had managed to compose himself before the fallen angel could notice his reaction. Showing any sign of weakness in front of Phelesmon was risky at best, but he had been so preoccupied with his own thoughts that somehow he had spectacularly missed sensing the other angel digimon's presence. It also didn't help that Phelesmon blended in quite nicely with the shadows. It was enough to make any fallen angel digimon feel slightly jealous.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Phelesmon snapped, jerking his head towards their master's chamber. "Do you need help getting through the doors? I'd be more than happy to drag you in there by your wings, if you'd like."
Fool.
Ignoring the two digimon on either side of the doors, DarkAngelicmon quickly made his way into the large chamber and he came to a stop at a respectful distance from his master. Off to his right, the broken pedestal where the Crest of Courage had once resided looked dark and lonely sitting there all by itself, a shadowy pile of sharp, jagged chunks of stone, and the wall where the rest of the crests used to shine faintly in the darkness seemed unusually bare, almost like an unfinished painting. For some reason the comparison made DarkAngelicmon feel oddly resentful, and dropping to his knees, he quickly averted his gaze from the offending object of his frustration. Was it really only yesterday when a certain goggle-headed leader by the name of Daichi Motomiya had stood in the exact same place where the Ruler of Darkness himself now stood, head bowed and hands clasped together behind his back? The irony of the situation made DarkAngelicmon wince and he fluttered his black wings in irritation. Truly that cursed wall was mocking him, and the laughter echoing in his ears made him want to scream in agony.
"There you are, DarkAngelicmon. You're a terrible servant to have kept me waiting so long."
Instead of answering, DarkAngelicmon remained silent and he kept his gaze focused intently on the stone floor stretching between himself and his master. He felt, rather than saw, the Ruler of Darkness glide towards him, and a small gasp escaped his lips when a gloved hand suddenly came to rest gently against the top of his raven head. "I spoke with Vampiramon and BlackWidowmon a few minutes ago. So...the Spirit Chip of Bravery is on the top of Infinity Mountain, but...you already knew that, didn't you."
Again, DarkAngelicmon remained silent, but he could not stop himself from flinching at his master's touch.
"Very good, my faithful servant. I suspected you would figure out what I had planned for your fellow companions."
"You think too highly of me, master. It was Vampiramon herself who told me what you had commanded her to do, therefore she deserves all the credit, not me."
"And what about my plans for you? Did you tell her I have ordered you to capture Lucemon?"
DarkAngelicmon hesitated before answering, "No, my lord, though I think she suspects that is what I've been ordered to do."
"I see. Well, it is of little importance. Does she know you were on File Island today?"
DarkAngelimon jerked his head up in surprise, and he stared at the cloaked form of his master in shock. "How did you..."
"I didn't, until now. You've already admitted you know about the Spirit Chip on Infinity Mountain. How could you possibly know about it unless you were on the island yourself?"
To be caught in my own web of deception. How very fitting.
Inwardly cursing himself for his own foolishness, DarkAngelicmon quickly ducked his head again and he proceeded to gaze humbly at his knees. "I doubt Vampiramon was aware of my presence on File Island. She may have suspected I was there, but there's no way she could have known for sure."
"Not that it matters in the end. I just don't want her interfering in my plans for Lucemon. She's much more useful when she's out of the way, don't you agree? And since we do need the Spirit Chips to reach our goals, having her run after the Digidestined is a much more effective way to use her skills to our advantage. I can't have you wasting your valuable talents on such foolishness, though ultimately you will be the one to acquire the Spirit Chips, not Vampiramon."
"But-"
"Patience, my dear servant. Right now I have more important things for you to do. Now, do you recall the orders I gave you this morning?"
DarkAngelicmon squeezed his eyes shut and he slowly nodded. "Yes, master."
"I see. Tell me, DarkAngelicmon, since you clearly remember what it was I asked you to do, then please explain something to me. Why were you on File Island when you were supposed to be searching for Lucemon?"
Forgive me, old friend...
"Answer me!" the Ruler of Darkness hissed.
To hide the hatred burning in his emerald green eyes, DarkAngelicmon quickly buried his face against the rough fabric of his master's dark cloak and he clenched his trembling hands into tight fists. "Lucemon is on File Island. He is following the Digidestined."
"Is he now..."
"Yes, my lord."
"I see. This...changes things..."
It does?
Frowning in confusion, DarkAngelicmon slowly lifted his head, and to his disgust he found himself gazing directly into his master's deep violet eyes. Laughing softly, the Ruler of Darkness gently patted his head and leaned over him to lightly stroke his black wings. "Such a wonderful creation. It seems my plans for you have changed a little, DarkAngelicmon. Tomorrow, I want you, Jestermon, and Spritemon to head to Infinity Mountain with Vampiramon and BlackWidowmon, do I make myself clear? Inform the other four as soon as possible. I'm sure they'll want to hear the good news, especially Vampiramon."
"I...I don't understand, master."
"If Lucemon truly is following the Digidestined then you must capture him before he has a chance to speak with those meddlesome humans. Above all else, you must not allow our traitorous friend to join forces with the Digidestined. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord, but...why?"
The Ruler of Darkness suddenly pulled away from him and he turned to gaze thoughtfully at the broken pedestal where the Crest of Courage had once kept silent vigil over the shadowy chamber. Lost in his own memories, he appeared not to have heard the question that was asked of him. "The first digimon to ever break through from that cursed Wall of Fire, and yet even he could not withstand the power of the Digidestined. Am I doomed to fail as he did?"
The Wall of Fire? Wait...it can't be...unless the rumours of past history are true.
Shifting uneasily on the stone floor, DarkAngelicmon quickly wrapped his arms around himself and he pulled his wings closer to his body. "My lord?"
"Tell me, DarkAngelicmon, do you think I will fail?"
"No, master, not with me by your side you won't."
Turning back towards him, the Ruler of Darkness let out a soft laugh and he nodded pleasantly in agreement. "Indeed, he did not have you. A shame, really. He had such a wonderful vision, but now that vision is mine and I refuse to let a mere group of humans slaughter my plans for the Digital World. Perhaps I should send Takahiro Kuroki my sincerest gratitude. If it weren't for him, perhaps I would not be the Ruler of Darkness today, though that is certainly debatable. After all, if nothing else, Takahiro, that foolish lover of justice, managed to at least get rid of one possible nuisance for my future plans."
What is he...talking about?
Shaking his head in frustration, DarkAngelicmon angrily flapped his wings and he glared furiously at his knees. He had heard rumours about the first Digidestined leader in the past, but thanks to the passage of time, many of the finer details about what had happened during Tal Kuroki's reign as the leader of the Digidestined were lost, and now all that remained were scattered fragments of a tale that whispered of a battle for the entire universe itself, not just the human world and the Digital World. The stories spoke of a powerful digimon who had covered the entire Digital World in darkness.
A digimon who had called himself the Ruler of Darkness.
Could it be? Could my master be the same digimon who broke free from the Wall of Fire several centuries ago?
In the human world, Tal and his friends had defeated the Ruler of Darkness only thirty-three years ago, but because time between the human world and the Digital World didn't become synchronized until four years after Tal and his friends had left the Digital World, caused by the appearance of Apocalymon, it meant that in the Digital World, hundreds and hundreds of years had passed since Tal's victory over the darkness. So much history had been lost, and yet DarkAngelicmon had a feeling his master knew exactly what had happened thirty-three human years ago.
He shares the name of the one who came before him, and yet he speaks as if they are two different digimon. If he had been defeated by Tal, then he would not be here now. No, they must be two different digimon, but if that's the case then who was the digimon who first broke free from the Wall of Fire? I wonder if Gennai knows. He must! The fortress! Tal's history would have been recorded on the walls of the old fortress! Curse that human lover and his fool counterparts! Why did I never take the time to learn the old language of the Digital World? I always left that sort of thing up to Lucemon and Luciamon. They would know what is written on those walls. Vampiramon was there, but like me she wouldn't have been able to read it either...
"Daemon was a fool, just like his master before him. To think he believed he would be the one to carry out his master's vision," the Ruler of Darkness murmured, his violet eyes sparkling dangerously in the flickering light of the torches hanging along the walls of the circular room. "Then again, I suppose I should thank him, as well. His death proved to be the catalyst for my freedom. Perhaps, when the time is right, I will reward him, but for now we must focus on the present."
Daemon...why? Why can't I remember? Wait a minute...Daemon's master. But...that could only be...
Spreading his wings out behind him, DarkAngelicmon let out a soft gasp and he flinched away from the Ruler of Darkness. There were some things about the war he vaguely remembered, but most of it was still a mystery to him. He still did not know who or what he had been fighting for, and every time he did recall something, those memories would suddenly fade away almost before they were fully formed. Despite his elusive memory, though, he did know one thing. Daemon had once had a master, a master whose disappearance could never be fully explained.
Daemon's master. The Ruler of Darkness...a digimon spoken of only in legend...
Could that digimon have been the one Tal defeated?
Even after all this time, DarkAngelicmon still did not know exactly what his master had planned for the Digital World, though he was certain there was someone who did. Not Phelesmon, certainly not him, but what about the feline digimon who was always looking at him as if she knew something he didn't know? Persiamon had joined the Ruler of Darkness after him, along with Phelesmon, but even though she hadn't been in their master's service as long as he had, he knew they talked often, and he also knew the Ruler of Darkness trusted her.
More than he trusts me, I think. Does she know about my past? Did he tell her what he won't tell me?
The only thing DarkAngelicmon and his four companions knew for certain was their master's true name, which told them absolutely nothing. They knew little of his true plans, but there was one other thing DarkAngelicmon did know that he was sure Vampiramon and the others were not aware of. Unlike his companions, DarkAngelicmon knew exactly what was hidden beneath his master's dark cloak, and every time he thought about it, a small, icy shiver would race down his spine. "Master..."
"Oh, yes. Forgive me, DarkAngelicmon, I seem to have gotten a bit off topic. And Lucemon used to be such a loyal servant. Very much like you, in fact."
"Master, why-"
"The details are not important. Lucemon and the Digidestined must not be allowed to meet. That is all you need to know."
"I doubt there is much risk of that yet. Judging from the way Lucemon has been acting so far, I'd say it looks as if he's quite hesitant to reveal himself to the Digidestined at this point in time. That will more than likely remain the case for quite a while."
"Even so, we must exercise caution. Knowing Lucemon, eventually he will work up the courage to speak with the Digidestined, and when he does I have no doubt he'll pick the worst possible moment."
"Indeed, master. Now that you mention it, that does seem to be a bad habit of his."
"Which reminds me, I also want you to keep your eyes on Vampiramon and the others. I don't trust them not to mess up my plans on Infinity Mountain. Do what you can to help them secure the Spirit Chip of Bravery, but at the same time do not forget about Lucemon. As for the Spirit Chips, remember...stealing them is not enough. We have to be able to use them."
"Yes, master."
Have you forgotten I was the one who pointed out that lovely little fact to you? How you forget so easily...I was the one who also told you about needing the crests...
"Which brings me to Daichi and his amusing little friends. Do you remember what we have planned for them? They will all become victims of the Powers of Darkness, only instead of us doing all the work, after stealing the Spirit Chips, they will cause their own destruction. Rather convenient, don't you agree? And to think I used to believe we'd have to corrupt the Spirit Chips to bend the Digidestined to our will, but really it's the other way around. Of course, my power will ultimately be what controls them in the end."
It might not be that easy. If it was, Sam would already be ours.
DarkAngelicmon suddenly felt the Ruler of Darkness place a hand under his chin, and lifting his head he once again found himself gazing into his master's deep violet eyes. "You seem tired, DarkAngelicmon."
If you could use light the way I can, you would be too.
DarkAngelicmon could not remember the last time he had used his Zenith Point attack, or if he had ever even used it all. He was sure he had, but he could not recall when or where, and the amount of energy he had used to perform it in the forest was making him feel so exhausted...
"DarkAngelicmon, do you remember the promise I made you?" the Ruler of Darkness asked softly, kneeling in front of him and gazing deeply into his emerald green eyes.
DarkAngelicmon nodded and slowly whispered, "Power. You promised to grant me incredible power if I could successfully fulfill all of your orders."
"Yes, power...the power to rule the Digital World at my side. The power to become a mega..."
"A...mega..."
"And those orders now include Lucemon," the Ruler of Darkness murmured, watching him closely. "Do you think you can honour my request? You are my most valuable servant. When both the Digital World and the human world are finally under my control, you will be rewarded above all the others. Does your loyalty to me still hold?"
"Yes, master. Always."
"So, that is why you've taken such an interest in the Takaishi children. You knew if you could fulfill your duties, I would use their power to grant you your wish, but you also suspected their Spirit Chips would be useless unless you could find a way to drag them into the darkness. We cannot force them to turn to evil; that is something they must do for themselves, but...we can offer them a little bit of assistance, help them along a bit so to speak. Only then will I be able to use my power to gain full control of the Spirit Chips. I did not see the truth until you told me of your suspicions. It also explains your wish to steal the crests. Of course, we now know that was the wrong thing to do, but back then that wasn't the case. I see it clearly now. That is why you revealed your concerns to me and that is why you haven't let the Takaishi children out of your sight. You know exactly how to achieve what you desire, and you wanted to make sure I kept my promise."
DarkAngelicmon bowed his head and he slowly nodded, trying unsuccessfully to keep the expression on his face completely neutral. With a swish of his cloak, the Ruler of Darkness suddenly leaped lightly to his feet, but despite the fact that he did not appear to be angry, DarkAngelicmon wasn't foolish enough to risk lifting his gaze. "With their Spirit Chips, I will be a servant worthy of your praise. That was your promise to me, but I am not the only thing you wish to use the Spirit Chips for. You have other plans for all six of the Spirit Chips, plans that will help you secure the Digital World and the human world."
You fool. Matty's power will be useful to me, but it won't mean much if his brother continues to slip out of my grasp. I am nothing without the Spirit Chip of Innocence. Are you so blind that you cannot see it? Without Makiya Takaishi's power, I am worse than useless, and if Matty continues to get in the way...
"Compared to many of my other servants, your intelligence truly is a breath of fresh air. Indeed, I do, but they do not concern you at the moment. In time, when you are ready."
"When I'm...ready?"
The thick, black cloak surrounding the Ruler of Darkness suddenly fell to the floor in a pile of dark fabric, and jerking his head up in surprise, it was all DarkAngelicmon could do to stop himself from crying out in anger and despair. Instead of looking upon the cloaked form of his master, he found himself gazing into the bright amber eyes of Makiya Takaishi.
"Do you want power?" the voice of Mickey whispered, the older twin's left hand reaching out towards him. "Do you want to be unstoppable? Do you want to inflict fear in all those who dare to oppose you?"
You hate me for who I've become, but what would you have done? Tell me, Mickey, what would you have done in my place...
"Well? Don't you want them to feel pain? Don't you want me to feel pain?" Mickey demanded, the light of the torches flickering eerily in his amber gaze.
Yes...feel my pain, Mickey. Feel what I feel, and you will see. You and your brother...
Pushing the older twin's hand away, DarkAngelicmon quickly got to his feet, and trembling with rage he somehow managed to gaze calmly at the small boy standing before him. "Yes, that's exactly what I want."
Will Sam understand? Hatred only spawns more hatred, and he must not be allowed to fall yet. Do not fail me, Ken, or I may have to take drastic measures.
The boy in front of him suddenly flickered, and a moment later he found himself gazing upon the smiling face of Masato Takaishi. "Then you know what you have to do. Capture Lucemon, secure the Spirit Chips, and tear every last inch of my soul to pieces. Destroy my heart and you will have your Spirit Chip of Innocence. When one of us falls, the other will follow, and then our power will be yours, but unlike me Mickey will not be swayed so easily. You know what you have to do. Mickey will never bend to your will if you cannot claim my heart first. As long as I'm in the way you will never have my brother or his Spirit Chip!"
He knows! My master truly does know! Matty, you live only because I need your Spirit Chip. Once I have it in my possession, you will no longer have any purpose. Your days are numbered, Masato Takaishi...
"Go now, inform the others of our plans."
DarkAngelicmon gave the younger twin a quick bow, and taking a step back he quickly moved towards the door. "As you wish, my lord."
"Do not grieve for Lucemon, my dear servant. Soon the two of you will be reunited and the Digital World will be ours. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
DarkAngelicmon paused with his hand on the door, and turning slightly to look over his shoulder he said calmly, "Yes, I'd like that very much."
"I thought you would. Let us begin the next phase of our plan then and we shall see where it leads us."
"You knew, my lord. You knew right from the very beginning that Lucemon and Luciamon had betrayed us. Why did you never say anything? If you had, I never would have let Luciamon into the castle, and the crests..."
"Are better off where they are now. Isn't that what we agreed upon?"
"Yes, but..."
"Would you truly have turned Luciamon away, even knowing of her betrayal?"
DarkAngelicmon fell silent, and frowning he lowered his eyes to the ground. He wanted desperately to say yes, but for some strange reason he could not seem to find his voice.
"Do you see now why I did not tell you? It would not have done you any good to know. If you trust me, then you will understand. It was for your own good. Go! Tell the others of my plans and get some rest. I need you to be ready for tomorrow."
Offering only a nod in reply, DarkAngelicmon quickly pushed his way through the doors and he glided past Persiamon and Phelesmon without even looking at them. Although he could not explain why, for some odd reason he felt a sudden desire to stab his spear straight through the heart of his master. The thought made him smile bitterly at a passing group of Dracmon, and he glared at them for emphasis, causing the five small digimon to jump in fear.
Makiya and Masato Takaishi. He would make them feel his pain, every single little bit he had suffered. He had to. He had no choice...
The Ruler of Darkness
Cyber, Western Hemisphere, Digital World
As soon as DarkAngelicmon had left the room, the Ruler of Darkness turned his back on the doors leading into the stone corridor and he proceeded to gaze unemotionally at the flickering torches hanging on the wall in front of him. His cloak, which had been lying on the floor only moments ago, was once again wrapped around his body, and his face was hidden by its deep, dark hood. He knew perhaps trusting DarkAngelicmon was a risky move, but despite his servant's erratic behaviour, the fallen angel was still his best chance of securing a victory over the Digidestined.
And considering the way he acted tonight, it's clear he's still very much mine to do with as I please. Truly, he is a masterpiece, and I intend to make use of him. So many possibilities...
"Master?"
Without turning around, the Ruler of Darkness calmly placed his hands behind his back, and reluctantly he tilted his head towards the intruder who had interrupted his thoughts. "Persiamon, what is it? You sound concerned."
At the edge of his vision, he spotted the feline digimon moving gracefully towards him, but instead of kneeling on the floor as a servant should, she reached out and placed her claws hesitantly on his arm. "Master, do you think it's wise to let DarkAngelicmon confront Lucemon?"
"Explain yourself, please."
"What if Lucemon tells him things about...you know...Daemon and the Wall of Fire? If DarkAngelicmon finds out the truth about his past..."
"That will not happen."
"But-"
"Even if Lucemon does tell him the truth, he won't believe a word of it. It is the Digidestined we need to worry about. They are the real threat, but as long as we keep them away from Lucemon, DarkAngelicmon will not question his loyalty to me."
"But if the Digidestined do meet up with Lucemon..."
"Then there is a chance my plans for DarkAngelicmon could be ruined, and of course I cannot allow that to happen. Together with the Digidestined, Lucemon may be able to convince DarkAngelicmon to...change his way of thinking, but alone that will not be possible. Lucemon needs the Digidestined as much as they need him."
"Which is why you don't want them to meet."
"Indeed, and if they do, I may...require your assistance. Phelesmon's, as well."
"I am ready to serve at your command, master."
Deep within the confines of his hood, the Ruler of Darkness smiled. "You may take your leave then. I must think for a while. There is still so much that needs to be done."
"As you wish, master."
With a sharp flick of her long tails, Persiamon quickly left the room, and making his way towards the wall where the crests used to shine, the Ruler of Darkness lightly placed his hand on the cold remains of the broken stone pedestal standing by itself in the empty room. The light of the torches flickered across its rough, dark surface, but the Ruler of Darkness barely noticed the shadows flitting across his gloved hand. The Digidestined were indeed becoming a rather large nuisance and their constant babbling about light, truth, and justice was becoming more of a threat than he was comfortable with.
Which is why we need to secure their power and eliminate them as soon as possible. Lucemon can preach all he wants, but it won't do him any good. You are mine, DarkAngelicmon, and I will make sure you remain in my service, even if it means I have to teach you a very painful lesson...