(Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 20. It was 40 pages long so I've had to split the chapter into two parts for brevity. Due to the structure of the chapter, I couldn't make an even half-and-half split, so I decided to to make Part I shorter and Part II longer in order to keep the flow of the chapter. I'll post Part II around Friday or the weekend. R&R and enjoy!)
Chapter 20: Betrayal (Part I)
All twelve of the Royal Knights walked up a wide road that led into Saversburg from the south. The road was large enough to support four Mammon standing side by side. This was in order to accommodate all the foot and transportation traffic going in and out of Saversburg.
The giant city stood majestically over the surrounding fields. Greeting the Royal Knights at the front entrance was a row of giant, golden archways, known as the Heroes' Entrance. The multitude of arches that spanned the road towered over even some of the largest Digimon. It was a beautiful sight on the way into the city.
The twelve Royal Knights made their way under the archways and continued towards the entrance. They couldn't help but notice the amount of Digimon coming out of the city. There were a lot of Digimon who were leaving with their belongings. The essential items were being transported by hand, carts, wagons, or heavy duty Digimon who were in the transport business, who carried large quantities of items. With the amount of Digimon leaving, the Royal Knights felt like they were swimming upstream of a river.
The Royal Knights walked on the side of the road in order to allow the fleeing Digimon to pass in a safe and organised manner. They walked in two columns of six in order to not take up too much room.
The rest of the Order military was about a kilometer or two behind the Royal Knights. Since they disembarked from their Deep Savers transports, the Royal Knights opted to go ahead to Saversburg and prepare for their stay there. Part of the reason for this was that the Strike Forces and Defence Forces would take awhile to catch up with their large numbers.
Meanwhile, the Reconnaissance Forces and the Stealth Forces were each doing their own things – scouts were checking out the D-Brigade and the areas inside and around Saversburg, while the Stealth Forces were busy getting information and doing other covert operations. Waiting back at Castle Avalon were the Castle Guards, a handful of scouts and spies, the headquarters staff, and Dorbickmon, just so that the headquarters was well defended.
Alphamon walked at the head of the group with Imperialdramon Paladin Mode. Right behind them were Omegamon and Dukemon. The other nine followed from not far behind.
"There's a lot of Digimon fleeing the city," Magnamon mused, looking over at the passing Digimon of all shapes and sizes, from Baby to Perfect level.
"Maybe the mayor put out an evacuation order," Dynasmon suggested, walking with his arms folded.
"I guess it's true that the D-Brigade is invading," Dukemon said, narrowing his eyes. "Not that I'm doubting the reports. It's just… kind of unbelievable that Chaosdramon would go this far."
"To think that they would be so bold…" Duftmon mused. "I suppose it makes sense from a strategic point of view, but it was hard to expect this from the Metal Empire. They may be cruel and ruthless, but they generally wouldn't do anything so risky and audacious."
"The gauntlets are off now," Gankoomon spoke up. He nonchalantly placed his hands behind his head as he walked. "What do they have to gain by being careful, especially after everything they've done so far? Now that they've pissed us off so much, why not try to take as much as they can?" he rhetorically suggested.
"You mean, apart from the fact that we're going to blast them into spare parts," Dynasmon responded confidently.
"Yeah, apart from that," Gankoomon said with a grin.
Examon frowned as he thought about the situation. "So, what should we do?" he asked.
"Simple, Ex-sama. We defend Saversburg," UlforceVeedramon responded plainly. He grinned and stretched his arms; he was now completely healed from the injuries he sustained last time he fought around Saversburg "That's all there is to it."
"In battle?" Examon followed up. "That seems to be the only way we can do that at this point."
"I'm inclined to agree," Alphamon stated firmly. "We are at a point where we can no longer shy away from battle with the Metal Empire. Chaosdramon won't consider diplomacy, so we'll have to speak respond with a clear voice and a firm hand. It is our duty as Royal Knights to quell this threat."
Omegamon nodded in agreement. "I think we are all prepared for that," he stated.
"Yeah…" Sleipmon said pensively. He frowned as he thought about the situation. "This is what we need to do to protect people…"
"Indeed. The Metal Empire has been left unchecked for quite long enough," RhodoKnightmon agreed, folding his arms. "They must be reminded of what happens when Digimon do things like this. The Royal Knights and our justice aren't things to be ignored."
"Yeah. Time to put them in their place," Craniamon added in staunch agreement, cracking his knuckles.
Imperialdramon Paladin Mode looked over at Alphamon. "Do you want me to join in?" he offered, also glancing back at Omegamon.
Alphamon frowned as he thought about the offer. Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode certainly was a force on the battlefield. "Is the Dark Area strategy meeting still going on?" he inquired.
Imperialdramon Paladin Mode nodded. "Yeah, they said they were going to carry on until the battle reaches the city."
"Then you should stay with them," Alphamon advised. "While your combat skills would be more than helpful, we need a solution to the Dark Area crisis just as much."
Omegamon nodded with agreement. "I agree, Imperialdramon," he said to the white-armoured dragon man. "We need to focus on the long term as well as the short term."
Imperialdramon gave his friends a knowing smile. "And you're worried I'm rusty and I'll get myself hurt, right?" he deduced with a chuckle. "Well, I'll play along for now. Back to fixing the Dark Area it is…" His expression grew serious. "But if you do need me, you know where I am. I might even have to make an unannounced appearance if things get really bad."
"We know, Imperialdramon," Omegamon answered appreciatively, with a tiny smile reflected in his blue eyes.
"Thank you," Alphamon concurred, continuing to walk towards the city gates of Saversburg.
Dukemon patted Imperialdramon Paladin Mode's shoulder. "You'll be the first to know," he assured him. As Dukemon pulled his hand back, he turned and looked to the eastern sky. In the clouds, he could see the distant silhouette of a flying creature. The Royal Knight recognised it immediately.
Grani swiftly skimmed the sky before diving down towards the group of Royal Knights at a gentle angle. "Alphamon, Dukemon," he called out while approaching the group. Grani circled around them and reared his body back, coming to a soft stop beside them. He hovered beside the thirteen Digimon and floated along at their walking pace. "I apologise for taking so long."
"No apology necessary, Grani," Alphamon assured him. "How did the scouting go?"
"It's as they said in the letter: the D-Brigade is preparing an invasion up by the bridge," Zero ARMS: Grani responded. "They have started shooting at patrols that get close to them, both ours and Saversburg's."
Dukemon narrowed his eyes. "Are you okay, Grani?" he asked him, concern and anger starting to ignite his voice.
"I am fine, thank you. There is not a scratch on me," he assured his friend.
Alphamon looked at Grani evenly. "What did you see?" he questioned, his tone becoming serious and professional.
"They have started leaving their encampment and they are heading south-east towards Saversburg. Due to the geography, namely the rivers caused by the sky waterfalls north of Saversburg, I predict that they will have to hook around and advance from the west, rather than from the north or northwest, where they would have to cross the rivers and get caught up in capturing more bridges," Grani explained rationally.
Duftmon nodded in agreement. "Since it's impossible for the Metal Empire to besiege the city, they likely wish to crush any opposition as swiftly as possible. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose by dragging this invasion out; every moment wasted is another moment given to Saversburg to fortify and recruit allies. Attempting to capture and cross every other bridge from the north would waste a lot of time. They will likely do as Grani says and attack from the west in a day or two," he deduced.
"How many were there?" Alphamon asked as the group approached the city gates.
"I estimate around 9850 with a 3% margin of error," Grani answered with computer-like precision. "I would guess that around 70% of the D-Brigade is there. I have sent patrols to the north and the west to make sure they won't try anything clever without us noticing." He glanced forwards, noticing a Digimon walking towards them, rather than past them. "Alphamon."
Alphamon looked forwards. Walking out from the entrance to Saversburg was Tactimon. The dark, regal-looking general strode towards them, as if to greet their arrival. The Royal Knights came to a halt right at the edge of the city as Tactimon sauntered up to them.
"Hello, Royal Knights," Tactimon greeted, stopping in front of the group. He turned and looked at Duftmon specifically. "Hello, Duftmon. Thank you, all of you, for coming."
"Salutations, Tactimon," Duftmon mumbled, sheepishly glancing aside and not looking directly at his friend.
Alphamon nodded. "You didn't need to come out to greet us personally. You must be very busy with battle preparations," he stated.
"I am, but it was the least that I could do," Tactimon responded. "I assume that your presence here means that you will help us?"
"Yes," Alphamon replied. "We may have gotten you into this mess, after all. It is our duty to end this."
Tactimon breathed a sigh of relief. "That should help to even the odds a bit…" He looked past the group of thirteen. "Is the rest of your army en route?"
"Yeah," Dukemon spoke up. "They'll be here in an hour or two. We just thought we'd go ahead of them and prepare the way."
Tactimon nodded. "I will personally see to it that you all have lodgings. I know there are almost a thousand of you, so I am not sure if there will be enough space inside of the city… Will a camp out here do?" he asked.
"That should be fine. Thank you, Tactimon," Alphamon replied.
"Of course. To be honest, it would increase security inside of Saversburg as well, having the Royal Knights right outside," he explained. He took a calming breath. "We are concerned about D-Brigade infiltration squads getting into the city and sabotaging us or figuring out our battle plans."
"We can help you on that front," Magnamon assured him.
Alphamon nodded. "We are comrades in arms now. You can rely on us to fight on behalf of Saversburg," he added in agreement. He turned and looked at Duftmon. "We aren't about to let Duftmon's hometown and one of the greatest cities in the Digital World fall to a tyrant who thinks he can invade his neighbours without us responding."
Duftmon closed his eyes and bowed his head. "…Yes. We aren't…" he spoke in concurrence.
Tactimon nodded tiredly. Looking closely at his eyes, stress and weariness could be seen hidden beneath his glossy, gold orbs. "Thank you…" he responded.
Both Alphamon and Imperialdramon noticed Tactimon's state. "You should take a break, Tactimon," Alphamon advised him. "How long have you been preparing?"
"Since I first found out. I am fine, however," he assured them. "Every minute counts."
"You're no use to your army like that. Take a break, if only for just an hour or two," Imperialdramon suggested.
Tactimon sighed, conceding his point. "Very well. But only for an hour," he accepted, recognizing the wisdom in their words.
Alphamon smiled and folded his arms. "Good… Would you like me to make you some coffee or tea to help you distress? They are both very medicinal in their own ways," he offered.
Tactimon thought about Alphamon's offer for a moment. "…One of each sounds good," he agreed.
All of the other Royal Knights, Imperialdramon, and Grani exchanged uneasy looks. Alphamon had many qualities, but being a good coffee and tea brewer was certainly not one of them. Back when he first started, there were pieces of tea leaves in the tea, and there was usually ground or even whole coffee beans floating in his coffee. Now that he perfected the art of brewing, he has began to add new 'flavours' to the liquids, in a display of culinary adventurism. Everyone present has had to choke down his coffee at one point or another. Many have taken to stealthily jettisoning the tea into nearby plants. None of them envied Tactimon's ignorance.
Still smiling, Alphamon nodded. "Good. To the university, then? Just show me to where you keep everything," he stated. "Have you ever tried vanilla coffee? Vanilla is supposed to do wonders for stress."
"That sounds good," Tactimon said to Alphamon. He nodded at the Royal Knights and turned around, leading them through the largest of the golden archways – the gate to the city. "Right this way," he informed them, walking inside the bustling city of Saversburg.
UlforceVeedramon looked at those around him. "Should we warn Tactimon about Alphamon's… art?" he whispered, using the term art with a deliberate degree of sarcasm.
"Let him find out through experience," Duftmon coolly responded.
"Poor guy…" Magnamon murmured, fiddling with his golden collar.
Alphamon turned around. "By the way, do any of you want some as well? It won't be any trouble making extra, assuming they have enough ingredients," he offered with a proud smile.
"No, thank you," Omegamon quickly said.
"I'm good," Dukemon spoke up next.
The rest of the Royal Knights tried to rattle off some excuses as quickly as they could, not wanting to be one of the last ones to speak up, as one or two usually had to bite the bullet or else they'd look suspicious. Eventually, Examon and Sleipmon ended up taking pity on the black Royal Knight and agreed to have some, although with faintly sour expressions.
Imperialdramon Paladin Mode chuckled at this and continued walking alongside Alphamon. "I'll have some of your coffee, Alphamon," he offered, walking forwards. "It's always an adventure."
"Great. You always did have a good palette," Alphamon stated with a hint of excitement. He walked alongside him and put some distance between themselves and the rest of the Royal Knights.
The large group of Ultimate level Digimon were now walking past the walls of the city and into the main road inside Saversburg. It was a busy road with many different shops and services on all sides. The large road continued straight, into the heart of the city. However, many other roads branched off from the main road in different directions, all lined with shops, restaurants, and businesses.
"I swear Imperialdramon actually likes that stuff," Dynasmon whispered to Craniamon, who was walking beside him. "There must be something wrong with his taste buds.
"Must be," Craniamon agreed. "I've seen tar more appetizing."
However, as the violet Royal Knight walked, one of the Digimon who was walking up the main street of the city caught his eye. Craniamon stopped and gazed curiously, eyeing a short Digimon as he made his way out of an apothecary and up the busy sidewalk.
It was a Wizardmon. The short demon man Digimon walked along, his head meekly ducked behind his collar to conceal the lower half of his face.
"What the…" Craniamon murmured, stepping further onto the smooth, stone street. He stopped and looked at the Wizardmon carefully. Something seemed familiar about him.
Dynasmon turned and looked at Craniamon, wondering why he went in a different direction. "What's up, Craniamon?" he wondered.
"That Wizardmon over there, I think I recognise him…" Craniamon replied quizzically. The dark armoured knight decided to test out his theory. He walked across the street, towards the Wizardmon in question. "Hey, you! Wizardmon!"
The Wizardmon froze in place. He turned and looked over his shoulder nervously. He spotted Craniamon walking towards him. It was then that he noticed all of the Royal Knights walking up the main Saversburg road. Their presence attracting attention to them from the passing Digimon civilians.
Wizardmon's eyes widened with fear. He turned forwards again, half-heartedly pretending that he didn't notice Craniamon. A ways up the main road was the inn; that was supposed to be his next destination. He contemplated making a break for it, but he knew that that would cast suspicion on him, and he doubted he could get away. Grimacing, Wizardmon took a deep breath and turned around to face Craniamon, who walked right up to him.
"Y-Y-Yes?" Wizardmon questioned. His voice trembled and his legs shook as he looked up at the daunting, fearsome knight that loomed over him.
"Have we met before? I feel like I know you from somewhere," Craniamon explained, his glowing, blood-crimson eyes squinting at the mage Digimon.
"I… I don't think so…" Wizardmon offered, glancing to the side, having considerable trouble lying to the face of such an intimidating and powerful Digimon. "I think you, perhaps, could be mistaken…?"
"You sure you don't know me? I'm Craniamon of the Royal Knights. I'm sure I know you," Craniamon responded, giving Wizardmon a scrutinizing leer that once again made the demon mage wither. Upon seeing the sight, he was positive that he saw him before. "…I got it. Dusk Village. I remember seeing you in Dusk Village."
Wizardmon's eyes widened with terror. "I… I… I don't recall…" the shy sorcerer attempted.
"Yeah, I definitely remember you…" Craniamon turned his head and called over to the group of Royal Knights, who were slowly making their way up the long road, deeper into the commercial part of the city. "Hey, Examon! Come over here for a minute!"
Examon stopped and looked at Craniamon curiously. He raised an eyebrow and made his way over to Craniamon and Wizardmon. "Yeah, Craniamon?" he wondered, although he looked at Wizardmon with a prying gaze as well.
"You remember this Wizardmon, right? We met him in Dusk Village a couple years ago. Remember, when we were investigating those disappearances in Dusk Forest and it was that Tankdramon who had a dark evolution thanks to a dark rift?" Craniamon said, looking up at the larger Digimon and hoping to dodge his memory.
Wizardmon winced at the keen perception that Craniamon had. He looked up at Examon for his response.
Examon blinked and nodded, suddenly placing the appearance into context. He folded his arms across his armoured chest and looked down at the Wizardmon. "Yeah, I remember now. You're definitely that Wizardmon that we met," Examon mused. "You were the one who hired that Tankdramon in the first place. It was because you wanted to investigate the dark rifts, wasn't it?"
Wizardmon winced and reflexively took a step back. He tried to compose himself, not wanting to look suspicious. There was no point in denying it now. "I… Yes, I vaguely remember now… I'm sorry… My memory is shoddy…" he sheepishly apologised, looking extremely uncomfortable.
Craniamon continued to scrutinise the Wizardmon. "So… You're a scientist with an interest in the dark rifts, aren't you?" he questioned.
"Yes… I… I research abnormal data," Wizardmon explained, starting to feel sweat underneath his clothes.
"What are you doing up here?" Craniamon questioned. "You didn't live in Dusk Village?"
"N-No, I was merely visiting there for research," Wizardmon replied, fidgeting with his wizard cap. "After I heard reports of Digimon acting differently in Dusk Forest."
Examon raised a hand to rub the chin of his snout with the dull edge of his claws. "If you're a scientist studying the Dark Area, could it be that you're here for a particular reason?" he asked, wondering if this Wizardmon was one of the Digimon part of the Dark Area strategy group. He wasn't able to ask him directly since the group was supposed to be a secret, but he wanted to press for information.
"What? No!" Wizardmon responded defensively. "I'm… I live here."
"Yeah?" Craniamon asked him, folding his arms. "If that's the case, you might not want to hang around. We won't let the D-Brigade into the city, but it's better to be safe."
"Um… Yes, you're right," Wizardmon replied. He glanced towards the inn he was supposed to go to. "I just have to…" He stalled. He didn't want to be followed into the inn, where Black Pincer Company was waiting for him. That would ruin everything. Wizardmon decided that he would need to be smart about this. He sighed with defeat. "Never mind. You're right. I should leave."
"Good idea," Craniamon responded, glancing towards the exit to the city,
"Goodbye then. It was an honour to see you both again, Sir Royal Knights," Wizardmon stated nervously. Without needing to be told, he submissively began to walk towards the exit of the city. With every step, he worried that he was going to be stopped by Craniamon and Examon again.
Examon watched as the Wizardmon walked off. He turned to Craniamon. "Do you think we should have told him about the Dark Area group?" he asked the violet knight. "If he's a scientist studying the dark rifts, he might know some useful information that the research group could use."
Craniamon narrowed his eyes, which were still fixed on the Wizardmon's back. "…I dunno. I'm not sure if we could trust him with that information," he said suspiciously.
"You don't trust him?" Examon asked.
Craniamon shrugged noncommittally. "Didn't he seem shifty to you? He looked uneasy…" the Royal Knight remarked, turning and looking up at Examon. "I even remember him acting weird back when we first met him."
"He's just shy," Examon reasoned. "Let's face it, Craniamon. We're both pretty intimidating Digimon. Dealing with both of us at the same time can be pretty unnerving, especially when he knows we're both Royal Knights."
"Still, I always thought it was weird that he hired that Tankdramon to do his researching for him, instead of doing it himself" Craniamon mused.
"Not every Digimon is as brave as you are, Craniamon," Examon pointed out. "I don't doubt that he was afraid to go in that forest. I mean, look at him. He looks pretty meek to me."
Craniamon shrugged. "I guess so…" he supposed. He then turned and looked up the busy Saversburg road. He could see that the group of Royal Knights were some distance up the shop-filled street now. "Come on, Examon. We're getting left behind."
Examon nodded and walked alongside Craniamon up the road. They marched at an increased pace to try and catch up with their comrades.
Meanwhile, Wizardmon walked out of the city and breathed a sigh of relief. He cast a look of regret over his shoulder, reached for his wand, and continued walking.
Wizardmon had been heading towards the inn on the next corner of the main road leading into Saversburg from the south. It was a large inn, capable of housing lots of Digimon of all sizes. It was known as the Adventurer's Rest. On the main level of the Adventurer's Rest was a bar area. Along the side wall was a long bar counter that overlooked the various stools and tables in the room.
Due to the crisis situation going on in Saversburg, there were only a few Digimon in the bar. Among these Digimon were GrandisKuwagamon and Blitzmon, who sat at a table and ate food. The evacuation order had been sounded, but it seemed like the owner of the inn was going to ignore it and weather the storm.
GrandisKuwagamon swallowed what food was in his mouth and then looked around the bar. "Where the hell is Bolgmon? He's taking forever."
Blitzmon shrugged. "He probably got distracted," he answered, cutting a piece of meat on his plate. "I'm more concerned about Wizardmon. He's late with our payment."
GrandisKuwagamon placed his elbow on the table and leaned his chin onto his black hand. "Yeah… There's that too. He should have been here an hour ago. I guess he got held up," he mused. He looked across the table at Blitzmon. "So… What do you think?"
"Think about what? Where Wizardmon is?" Blitzmon asked him.
"No. He said that he was going to take us to meet our client finally, remember? As a show of 'good will'… So, who do you think this client really is?" he wondered, thinking about the question himself.
Blitzmon shrugged. "Whoever it is must have a lot of money to keep paying us like this. Maybe it's a king or somebody else who wants to make good on the Knights and the tin cans taking chunks outta one another," he suggested.
"Maybe they just think this is worth the big investment," GrandisKuwagamon figured.
Blitzmon placed his fork and knife down on his empty plate. "Either way, I don't want to wait around here for too long. The D-Brigade wants Saversburg for themselves."
"Yeah… That's not good news for us," GrandisKuwagamon pointed out. "We take a lot of good jobs here. If the Metal Empire takes over, then this place turns into another Facture. That's less business for us. Not to mention we've got a bounty on our heads there."
"We've got a bounty on our heads here too. Have you seen the posters?" Blitzmon reminded him. "The Royal Knights must be spreading them."
GrandisKuwagamon smirked. "It's not easy being so popular," he joked.
Blitzmon closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat.
"Uh… Blitz?" GrandisKuwagamon suddenly asked with incredulity in his voice. "…What the hell is that?"
Blitzmon opened his eyes and was shocked to see a glowing ball in front of them. It hovered over the table between them, bobbing up and down. "The fuck?" he questioned.
Something suddenly came flying out of the ball of light and floated down, onto the table. It looked like a piece of paper. The glowing sphere then disappeared.
GrandisKuwagamon took the piece of paper and opened it. "It's a note…" he explained, his crimson eye scanning the paper. "It says, 'Sorry. Saversburg not safe. Meet me at Shroud in three days instead. From Wizardmon.'"
Blitzmon narrowed his eyes, not liking the sound of that. "What does he mean, 'not safe'?"
"I dunno… It's not because of the D-Brigade invasion, is it?" GrandisKuwagamon asked. He scoffed and shook his head, standing to his feet. "Whatever, let's find Bolgmon and head to Shroud."
Just as the two mercenaries stood up, the sound of the inn's doors swinging open sharply got their attention. Bolgmon speeded inside the lobby and made directly for the bar area. "Guys!" he called out urgently, skidding to a stop in front of their table.
GrandisKuwagamon cocked his head and eyed Bolgmon. "Yo, Bolgie. What's clogging your vents?" he asked, wondering what got him so worked up.
"Shut up and listen!" Bolgmon heatedly barked, glaring. "We're in deep shit!"
Blitzmon narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about? What's going on?" he asked him.
"Yeah, what did you do now?" GrandisKuwagamon questioned.
"Nothing, asshole! It's the Royal Knights!" he explained, not in the mood for his wisecracks. "They're in the city!"
This caused the expressions of the two other members of Black Pincer Company to darken. "What?" GrandisKuwagamon asked, his voice dead serious now. "The Royal Knights are here?"
"Where?" Blitzmon asked.
"I saw them all of them a few blocks away like half an hour ago! I had to drive behind a dumpster!" Bolgmon exclaimed, his emerald eyes wild and angry.
Blitzmon narrowed his eyes into a grimace. "So that's what Wizardmon meant by danger."
GrandisKuwagamon hissed and clenched his fists. "That settles it. We're getting the hell out of here," he declared.
"We can't!" Bolgmon retorted. "The Royal Knights' damn army is setting up right outside the south exit! They're all over the place! The west and north exits are all loaded with security too! We'll never make it out!"
"You've gotta be kidding me," GrandisKuwagamon growled. "Are you sure?"
Bolgmon shot GrandisKuwagamon a look. "Go and check yourself if you don't believe me," he snapped at him.
"Fine," GrandisKuwagamon grunted. "I'll be back in ten. I'll see if there's any way we can all get out."
Blitzmon nodded. "Don't get seen," he told the black insect Digimon
"I won't," GrandisKuwagamon responded, walking past them and slipping out the front door.
Bolgmon eyed GrandisKuwagamon acrimoniously as the dark beetle left the inn. He waited a few moments before turning his armoured head towards Blitzmon. "So… Think that's really what he's doing?" he asked, floating his suspicion to Blitzmon.
"Huh?" Blitzmon wondered, not understanding what he meant.
The heavy armoured tank gestured over his shoulder towards the door that GrandisKuwagamon. "He might be off saving his own shell right now," he explained. "I wouldn't be surprised."
"What are you talking about?" the smaller of the two beetle Digimon asked. "He's going to scout."
"That's what he says… It's hard to trust him these days, don't you think?" Bolgmon put forward, giving Blitzmon a meaningful look.
Blitzmon frowned at Bolgmon's words. "Why are you saying that?"
"Hey, I just noticed that he's been acting weird lately. Ever since we started this contract, he's been working against us. He's always looking out for number one," Bolgmon explained. "I think he cares more about himself than he does about the company. That's what it seems to me, at least."
Blitzmon looked away. He thought about Bolgmon's words, but wore a sceptical look on his face. "I dunno… GrandisKuwagamon has always been loyal to the company, Bolgmon."
Bolgmon narrowed his green eyes at Blitzmon's reluctance. "Yeah, but Digimon change. I haven't forgotten what he said in the Forest of Memories," the bulky, blue cyborg responded fervently. "He said that he only looked after himself."
The insect man considered Bolgmon's points, but he didn't reply one way or another.
"Grandis can't be trusted. He may be with us now, but what about later on? What if our client wants to extend our contract? This is good money we're raking in, but Grandis has been against it from the start," Bolgmon continued. "He might be a threat to us in the future, Blitzmon…"
Blitzmon frowned and looked at Bolgmon. "If that ever happens, then we'll deal with it then…" he explained firmly. "Right now, we need GrandisKuwagamon. He's useful to Black Pincer Company. If he ever becomes more of a burden than a help, then I'll consider… whatever it is you're suggesting." He leered at Bolgmon with a cool gaze. "What are you suggesting exactly? What are you trying to get out of this?"
Bolgmon winced and looked away, folding his cannon arms defensively. "Nothing! I'm just lookin' out for us, y'know? It was just on my mind."
"Yeah, well, keep it to yourself," Blitzmon told him. "We need unity right now. Not suspicion."
"Fine, whatever," Bolgmon muttered, glancing off to the side. "But… hypothetically, if it was between us and him, what would you choose?"
Blitzmon shot him a look. "What do you think?" he answered dismissively. The azure and yellow insect turned and looked towards the front desk of the inn. "I'm going to go pay up and check us out of the inn. We need to make a quick exit," Blitzmon explained. "Think you can come up with an exit strategy?"
"Yeah…" Bolgmon responded with faint bitterness.
Blitzmon nodded and walked out of the bar area and over to the front desk.
As he walked away, Bolgmon gave the insect man a sideways leer. He scoffed with frustration that his plan didn't work. He rolled over to the table they were sitting at. It was then that a devilish look of glee formed in Bolgmon's eyes. "Fine… I've got another idea anyways…"
"You won't bitch about getting rid of GrandisKuwagamon once you see this plan in action…"
As the afternoon set in, the Royal Knights were getting settled into Saversburg. At the moment, they were largely busy preparing their forces and getting info on the battle situation. They coordinated with the Saversburg military and kept tabs on the movements of the D-Brigade as closely as they could. The Order military was now camped outside of the southern part of Saversburg, with tents and facilities provided by the city. They made their temporary residence around the giant archways near the entrance, flanking the road on both sides.
Currently, the Royal Knights were scattered around different areas of the city, each helping out and offering leadership in their own way.
Duftmon with Tactimon sat in the gardens of Xuanwumon University. They were seated in a small pavilion, surrounded by vibrant green grass and colourful floral arrangements. The stream that flowed through the gardens passed near the pavilion, adding to the serene environment that was supposed to help clear the mind.
They sat on the same bench, near each other, with a platter between them. The metal service tray contained two cups of tea, two cups of coffee, saucers, and additives.
Tactimon held a saucer with his cup of vanilla-flavoured coffee that Alphamon made for him on his lap. Within the blackish-brown liquid was an entire vanilla fruit, half floating at the top of the coffee. The pure, unadulterated vanilla was sickeningly sweet, as was the honey that Alphamon had also added. It was also painfully clear that the coffee wasn't properly strained, as there were thick globs of ground coffee inside the liquid. It looked more akin to bubbling tar than a drink. He looked at the unappetising cup of coffee with a displeased grimace.
Tactimon then glanced over at the cup of tea to see if it was a better alternative. He could see several bits of… something… floating in the steaming, orange liquid. The demon man Digimon looked up at Duftmon with a bland expression. "I don't want to insult Alphamon, but… he does know that this isn't how you steep tea and brew coffee, isn't it?" he asked.
Duftmon didn't even bother trying to taste either of his drinks. "He can command an army and successfully lead the Royal Knights, but he can't make a decent cup of tea to save his life," he explained, shaking his head. "I have given up criticising Alphamon's brewing skills. No matter how hard I try, he can't seem to get it right... or he won't listen. And he insists that my palette isn't refined enough. He is obliviously stubborn when it comes this hobby."
Tactimon smiled and placed the saucer down on the serving tray. "Well, nobody's perfect…" he mused.
Duftmon folded his arms and stared down at his lap. "…Indeed…" he murmured in response.
The black armoured warrior looked at Duftmon inquisitively. "So… Are you ready to face the D-Brigade again?" he asked him.
The slender tactician clad in brown leopard armour shot Tactimon a look, bristling slightly under the perceived barb. "I take it that you have heard about my last encounter with them," he stated, his voice cool but with a sharp edge to it. "Where I made an embarrassing error in judgment and lost us the entire battle."
"I have, yes," Tactimon responded.
Duftmon turned his nose up and scoffed. "Then I'm surprised that you even want my help," he stated. "I would have thought that you would take the first opportunity you could to laugh at me. Or is that what you are doing now?"
Tactimon shook his head. "If you think that I want to laugh at you, you couldn't be further from the truth," he explained. "I do not wish you ill, despite what you may think. I merely want you to allow yourself to grow and become the best tactician you can be."
"And why is that, exactly?" Duftmon ask, casting a pensive look towards the Saversburg general. "What do you stand to gain from that?"
Tactimon looked away, somewhat embarrassed. "You challenge me. You always have. You are a good sparring partner," he explained. "Besides, I simply want you to achieve your full potential… That is what friends want for each other, isn't it? For example, why do you bother trying to help Alphamon improve his abysmal brewing skills?"
"Self-preservation," Duftmon deadpanned.
Tactimon chuckled lightly. "Very well…"
Duftmon folded his arms. "…Speaking of full potential, you look terrible. You really ought to take better care of yourself," he stated, eyeing Tactimon carefully. "I know that you are on the eve of war, but rest is also important. It is the duty of a commander and tactician to get sufficient rest and nourishment so that your mind can operate at peak efficiency and clarity. A strict regimen is absolutely necessary. I tell that to the others all the time. It is irresponsible to work tirelessly when you must command an army on the battlefield within a day or so."
Tactimon sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I'll have a rest this evening. There have just been so many preparations that I have needed to finish," he explained.
"And how have those preparations been going?" Duftmon enquired.
"Successfully," Tactimon replied. "The majority of the Saversburg military is formed up and stationed on the western outskirts of the city. They are ready to repel any attack. The city is also on a high security level, both inside and outside. We are keeping a lookout for suspicious individuals and possible Metal Empire spies."
Duftmon nodded. "Good. The D-Brigade may be at our doorstep as early as tomorrow. They are disciplined and efficient enough to be ready for a full attack tomorrow."
"Yes, well… Now that you and the Royal Knights are here, we can start devising our tactics," Tactimon explained.
Duftmon observed Tactimon curiously. "You wish to collaborate on tactics?" he asked him.
"Of course. It could be a disaster if we both made tactics independently. It would be better to have a cohesive plan for both our armies, wouldn't you agree?' Tactimon answered.
Duftmon nodded. "Yes, that makes sense," he answered. "Why don't we go to the war room in the academy? We can begin there. Is there any word from Gaioumon and the Republic of Node?"
"They promised to send part of their military," Tactimon responded, standing up and unceremoniously dumping his tea and coffee into the bush outside of the pavilion. "A few hundred plus some special units. In the best case scenario, they will have their forces up by tomorrow."
"Very well," Duftmon spoke, standing to his feet as well. "We shall have to take that into account then." The Royal Knights' tactician began striding out of the pavilion and into the academy gardens. "Let us go and make the perfect stratagem."
Tactimon smiled slightly and followed Duftmon towards the large building of the academy. "Is it possible? It's hard to believe, but…" he thought to himself, looking at the Royal Knight in front of him. "Could Duftmon really have changed…?"
Suijinmon stood at the edge of the D-Brigade encampment. He watched stoically as legions of D-Brigade soldiers marched across the field, heading south.
They moved with machine-like discipline that was drilled into them at a young age, and reinforced with strict – almost brutal – methods during D-Brigade training. Basic training was hard enough, but the Selection-D process itself was especially gruelling, as only the best of the best could evolve from Commandramon to Sealsdramon. The result of this was an extreme sense of discipline. They learned to put the D-Brigade before their own wellbeing and interests. It also left the D-Brigade Digimon with a strong, almost blind sense of loyalty to their superior officers.
Suijinmon watched as the divisions under his personal command waited to march. He fostered a personal relationship with all of this troops, even the newly joined greenhorns. He knew that their loyalty to him was strong. It was not an overstatement to say that his soldiers would follow him into the Dark Area and back. However, in turn, he maintained a strong sense of loyalty to Emperor Chaosdramon, and he made sure that his soldiers did as well.
The D-Brigade soldiers began their tactical advance to the south before they would turn east and attack Saversburg from the western side. They walked in a rigid, uniform formation, with the ground soldiers marching in a block formation, mainly Child, Adult, and Perfect level Digimon like Commandramon, Sealsdramon, Kokuwamon, Andromon, Guardromon, Mamemon, and various cyborg Digimon. Flanking them were the large, mechanized Digimon like Tankmon, Tankdramon, Mugendramon, SaintGalgomon, Deckerdramon, and the like. Meanwhile, flying above, around, and ahead of the ground forces were the aerial Digimon – Megadramon, Gigadramon, Rapidmon, Cyberdramon, Mechanorimon, MagnaGarurumon, MetalGreymon, and other airborne D-Brigade soldiers.
Emperor Chaosdramon marched at the front of the army, leading them forwards and setting the pace for the rest of the D-Brigade. His giant, crimson body could be seen in the distance, all the way back from where Suijinmon was standing. Fujinmon's forces were going out first as both scouts and the vanguard, followed by Raijinmon's forces, and then Suijinmon's own as the rear guard.
Suijinmon watched patiently as the D-Brigade moved out. He waited for his turn and thought about the tactics for the upcoming battle. Although the Saversburg campaign took priority, he couldn't help but also wonder how the takeover of the Dual Chess Monarchies was going.
His attention was diverted when he saw the familiar body of Fujinmon, gliding through the air. Fujinmon seemed to be heading back towards the camp, away from his troops, which were making their way south. He couldn't help but find this curious.
Fujinmon soared on the wind and gently descended towards Suijinmon. He skimmed down the air currents and righted himself as he prepared to land. The Hurricane Commander gently landed in front of Suijinmon.
Suijinmon looked at Fujinmon curiously. "Fujinmon? What are you doing?" he wondered. "Is there a problem?"
"Somewhat," Fujinmon responded. "I need your help with something, Suijinmon."
"What is it?" the large, red Digimon asked the smaller, green one. "I'm happy to help, whatever it is."
"Good. I need you to come with me to Haganemame City," Fujinmon explained.
Suijinmon blinked at his odd request. "…What? Haganemame City? Why?" he enquired, finding it extremely strange that he wanted to go there right when they were moving out. "Is it that urgent?"
"Yes. I heard that the remaining division of the D-Brigade is running into more resistance than anticipated in the Dual Chess Monarchies," Fujinmon calmly explained, surveying Suijinmon's eyes for his response. "One of my officers has requested tactical advice from you. He wants to meet us in Haganemame City for a quick meeting."
"What? Resistance? I haven't heard about this," Suijinmon rumbled, not liking the idea of having to leave the battlefield. "The Chessmon were supposed to give way immediately."
"I just received news from a messenger. I told him to tell my officer that we would be there," Fujinmon explained. "Like I said, they are running into unexpected resistance."
"Can't your officer make a judgment call?" Suijinmon asked, mild irritation in his deep voice. "We are just leaving to head towards Saversburg."
"He says that the situation is critical," Fujinmon explained. "He's in a tactical quandary, and he could really use your advice, Suijinmon. Please? The Saversburg campaign is important, but what happens if we fail in the Chessmon Kingdom and our supply lines are cut off? We would be isolated. It might even give the Mamemon enough confidence to rise up in Haganemame City. We don't need that kind of pressure when we are trying to attack Saversburg."
Suijinmon winced, recognizing that Fujinmon had a point there. "I know… However… We're just moving out," he pointed out. "What about the Emperor?"
"I have already spoken to Emperor Chaosdramon and explained the situation. He has given us permission to go," Fujinmon informed Suijinmon calmly and rationally. "If we leave now, we can be back before our forces even make it into position. It's only several kilometers back to Haganemame City. We can be back in time for sunset."
Suijinmon still had a few misgivings about leaving, but he was starting to be convinced. He thought about it for a few seconds. "…What about our divisions?" he asked.
"Just do what I did," Fujinmon stated. "Have your junior officers lead the advance until we get back." He looked at Suijinmon with an urging expression. "Please, Suijinmon? It would be a big favour to me, and to the Metal Empire."
The bulky Waterfall Commander sighed with resignation. "Very well…" he complied. He looked over at the hundreds of D-Brigade Digimon nearby who were preparing to head out on Suijinmon's signal. "Just let me go talk to my Junior Commander, Darkdramon."
"I can do that, Suijinmon," Fujinmon said to him. "I'll explain everything."
Suijinmon blinked. "Why?" he asked curiously. "He is my subordinate."
"If I do it, it will be quicker. No offence intended, Suijinmon, but you are rather on the slow side," Fujinmon pointed out to his fellow Storm Commander. "The sooner we get moving, the sooner we can get back, you know."
A sigh escaped Suijinmon. "Very well," he conceded, beginning to amble around and head towards the bridge so that he could make a start at heading back across the river towards Haganemame City. "Tell Darkdramon that I will be back shortly."
Fujinmon nodded. "I'll be right behind you, Suijinmon," he replied.
The emerald cyborg watched as Suijinmon lumbered down the path leading to the steel bridge. While Suijinmon walked away, there was a satisfied glint in his Fujinmon's gold eyes. He grinned and began gliding off towards Suijinmon's D-Brigade troops.
At the edge of the aggregation of Digimon soldiers was a Darkdramon who was giving commands to some subordinates. As Fujinmon approached, the Darkdramon looked over at Fujinmon. He briefly glanced off to the side, noticing that Suijinmon was walking up to the large bridge that spanned the river.
As Fujinmon landed in front of the Darkdramon, the tall, dark blue-scaled officer turned and saluted him. "Sir," Darkdramon acknowledged.
Fujinmon returned the salute. "You have new orders, Junior Commander," he told Darkdramon. "Once Raijinmon's forces finish leaving, you are to lead the advance of the rear guard in Suijinmon's place. Understood?"
Darkdramon frowned at this odd news. "Uh, yes, Sir…" he agreed, clearly confused and uneasy. He glanced down the beaten path towards Suijinmon, who was walking away. "But… What about Commander Suijinmon? Where's he going?"
Fujinmon turned his head and looked at Suijinmon as well, making sure to wince. "Well… Emperor Chaosdramon has ordered Suijinmon back to Haganemame City… I'm not exactly sure why," he falsely explained. "He wouldn't tell me the details."
This seemed to make Darkdramon even more perturbed. "But that's-…" He stopped himself. "What could that be about?"
"I don't know for sure," Fujinmon responded. "All that I know is that he wants me to go with him for some reason. I do find it rather odd that the Emperor would want to send our finest commander and tactician away from the army, right on the eve of our largest battle yet…" Fujinmon glanced at Darkdramon, wondering if his words were having any effect.
Darkdramon looked away with a pensive, uncertain look. "Y…Yes, that is a bit odd…" he responded, minding his words.
Fujinmon nodded. "So, can we leave things in your capable hands, Darkdramon?" he asked him.
"Of course, Commander," Darkdramon responded obediently. After he finished, he stalled for a few moments, looking as though he wanted to say more.
"Yes, Junior Commander?" Fujinmon inquired in a reassuring voice.
"…You're a good friend of Commander Suijinmon's, aren't you, Sir?" Darkdramon asked. "You'll look after him?"
Fujinmon smiled. "Yes, he is. And, yes, I will do my very best," he promised Darkdramon. He could sense the worry in Darkdramon's voice. That was what he wanted to hear; he knew that Darkdramon was no fool.
"Thank you, Commander," Darkdramon spoke, saluting. "Leave it to me."
"You are welcome," Fujinmon responded. "Hopefully this is just a routine mission from the Emperor…"
"Yes… I hope so too," Darkdramon answered, wincing and turning back towards his troops.
The Hurricane Commander nodded and pushed off of the ground, to take to the air once again. He released a breath and flew through the grey sky to catch up to Suijinmon. As he soared, he looked down at the large, crimson Digimon with concerned and thoughtful eyes.
"So far, so good… Now, I just hope that I'm able to convince you…" Fujinmon thought before swooping down to float alongside his fellow Storm Commander.