(Author's Note: Here's Chapter 26. The next chapter will also be posted at an irregular time since I really need to catch up on my writing after this. Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!)
Chapter 26: Seven
The day turned into night as both the Royal Knights and Bagramon worked to counteract the other, although the Royal Knights had no idea that he, specifically, was involved.
Off the eastern coast of the continent, the waves of the Net Ocean crashed turbulently. The dark water rose and sank with every giant wave. The night sky contained large, intermittent clouds that drifted over the area. The bright moons shone reflected light down onto the sea, giving the waves a shimmering hue to the dark, foreboding liquid. Every so often, the clouds would pass over the moons, causing the rays of light to wane and disappear.
Bagramon's Astral Snatcher reached deep into the depths of the Net Ocean, no further than a couple kilometers from the coast. The long, sturdy arm pushed deep against the pressure of the water and extended far into a deep, underwater trench. At the bottom of that abyss was a massive, gaping dark rift that poured dark data into the water.
Bagramon's arm stretched into dark rift, infiltrating deeper into the Dark Area. He could feel Imperialdramon trying to configure new barriers within the pocket dimension. The demon Digimon knew that he still had plenty of time, but he also needed to work as quickly as possible. The process would become progressively more difficult and time-consuming as Imperialdramon reconfigured the barriers, which would be much stronger than their previous weakened and deteriorated states.
He retracted his arm from the Dark Area, pulling up despite the crushing pressure of the deep sea around it. As Bagramon heaved the tremendous weight up into the depths of the Net Ocean, another crest began to form in the night sky.
The black sky, infused with both drifting clouds and glimmering stars began to glow a cloudy, bluish teal hue. A set of two circles appeared directly above the place where Bagramon was reaching. The crest, similar in shape but different in substance to the Crest of Pride, took shape. The seal in the middle was a blue triangle connected to an inverted trapezoid. Above it was a parallelogram with a circle inside of it. The symbol above the seal was a circle with a cross connected to the bottom and horns protruding from the top. The text within the circle became clearly visible.
'CAUTION! PURGATORY LEVEL 2'
'LEVEL: 666' 'SYSTEM: LEVIATHAN' 'CODE: ENVY'
With a strained heave, Bagramon pulled up a final time before letting go suddenly. He quickly withdrew his arm from the ocean and pulled it back towards the dimensional hole that he created, as if trying to move a creature that might bite him.
For a few transient moments, the waves settled and the ocean grew calm. This wasn't to last for long, however. Pockets of air bubbled up from the Cimmerian depths. Giant oxygen bubbles rose to the surface before popping tumultuously. Then, the thousands of gallons of seawater seemed to rise up suddenly, as if something was pushing it from below.
A massive, crimson body suddenly became visible in the black of the abyss, its details obscured by the rippling water. The body then rose to the surface and burst out of the water, sending massive waves crashing out in every direction. The giant body - larger than all but the biggest Digimon - emerged from the violent depths and floated on top of the turbulent surface. Waves battered against the mass of flesh, muscle, and bone, but could do nothing to move it.
Water washed down the thick, rough, crimson scales of his body, causing them to shimmer in the moonlight. The dim light revealed the body of a colossal crocodile, covered in millions of those red scales. The reptile had a giant snout that was as long as his body. Lining the top of his snout was a thick, metal hide that extended along the length of his snout and stopping just behind his head. The metal was thick in depth and dull in lustre.
The crocodile Digimon lifted his head from the water slightly, revealing his fearsome mouth. Within his maw were rows of a thousands of jagged teeth connected to two powerful crushing jaws. He looked around with his sharp, narrow eyes, which contained golden irises and narrow, reptilian pupils. He gently pushed against the water with his four comparatively short legs. Attached to these muscular legs were blue fins, and a set of five, sharp claws on each foot. Running down the length of his back were two sky blue dorsal fins. They were jagged and uneven in appearance, and they extended all the way from his head to his ends of his long, twin tails.
The aquatic reptile released a sharp grunt which caused rainbow-coloured steam to escape from his nostrils. Leviamon stared up at the Crest of Envy in the sky. With suspicious eyes, he set his sights of the arm that freed him.
"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.
Meanwhile, back at the World Tree, the team there continued to work to create the barrier before too much damage was done.
It was night out and an air of uncertainty loomed over the area. The mighty boughs of the World Tree obfuscated the moons from view, but strands of dim light still managed to seep through gaps between the branches.
In the shadow of the World Tree, Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode gripped the Omega Blade tightly. The Digimoji on the face of the blade glowed brightly as he continued to pour his energy into the sword in order to configure the barrier. He was about a quarter of the way done now. Given what he knew was happening right now, he fully intended to work straight through the night.
Beside him, AncientGreymon's body flickered with embers as he poured his own energy into stopping the flow of the ley lines. In addition to configuring new barriers, he and Imperialdramon also had to disentangle the Dark Area from the ley lines so that one could no longer have a negative effect on the other.
Both their bodies were showing signs of strain. Beads of sweat rolled down their scales, and, every so often, they would betray signs of weariness when their muscles would reflexively quiver. The amount of energy that it took to do what they were doing was enormous.
Alphamon, Omegamon, AncientGarurumon, and AncientWisemon watched from the sidelines. The former three watched quietly, trying to remain patient as their comrades worked. AncientWisemon, however, grew bored and began talking animatedly with Valdurmon about the science of the World Tree.
Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode grunted and leaned against his sword a bit, his eyes shut tightly. He glanced over at AncientGreymon. "How are you faring?" he asked the Warrior of Flame.
"Hah!" AncientGreymon released a confident, nonchalant laugh. "This is nothing! I'm doing fine!" he insisted despite the sweat rolling down his body. "You?"
"I'll be fine…" Imperialdramon assured him. "But…" He looked over to his other side, giving a meaningful look to AncientSphinxmon.
AncientSphinxmon frowned lightly. His body was wreathed in shadows as he studied the Dark Area and Imperialdramon's progress. "…A second prisoner has been released. The infiltrator is now going in for a third…"
"I sense it too," Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode said with a mild wince.
"Right. Brilliant. That's all we need," AncientGreymon grunted sarcastically. "So, no pressure, then."
"No more than usual, anyways," Imperialdramon joked.
Omegamon turned and gave Alphamon a bland look. "I sometimes wish he would be more serious…"
"We both know that might be asking a bit much," Alphamon replied with a bit of humour of his own.
Imperialdramon looked over at them. "Shouldn't you two go and help the rest of the Royal Knights? The Order needs you more than we do," he suggested.
Alphamon shook his head. "They can handle it for now… I need to see how this turns out," he responded. "I need to know what we're dealing with."
"Besides, Alphamon can help you if need be," Omegamon spoke. "And I'm not going anywhere…"
Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode sighed resignedly but nodded with a smile. "If you're sure…" he answered, turning his attention back to the task at hand.
Alphamon turned and looked at AncientSphinxmon with a frown. "Do you know who escaped?" he asked him.
"Not as of yet, but I will attempt to find out," the Warrior of Darkness responded.
"Please do…" Alphamon said, stifling a concerned sigh. As much as he didn't want to think about more powerful Digimon escaping the Dark Area like DarkKnightmon did, it was becoming a reality whether he liked it or not.
He just hoped they would be able to stop it.
Several more hours passed and it was now the middle of the night.
Bagramon accessed a dark rift in an entirely new landscape now. This time, the destination was the Volcanic Meadows: a plain of black, igneous rock. Molten lava flowed along the crevices and ravines of the rock as it flowed from a constantly flowing lava fountain. The burning orange-red liquid cast a fiery glow across the dark landscape.
Within this landscape was a large fissure that expelled dark data while also taking in drops of lava that flowed down into the chasm. Bagramon's arm was reaching deep into the chasm in his goal to extract the third of seven Demon Lords.
Like the two before, there was a third crest emblazoned in the night sky. This one was orange in colour and contained a seal with a long L-shape with vertical prongs on each end. Above it was a sigil that seemed to be a combination of both the numbers 2 and 4.
This crest displayed the following warnings: 'CAUTION! PURGATORY LEVEL 3' 'LEVEL: 666' 'SYSTEM: SATAN' 'CODE: WRATH'.
The Crest of Wrath burned brightly as the third prisoner was released after minutes of struggle and effort.
Bagramon released the bipedal demon Digimon, allowing him to drop to the ground. The demon Digimon dropped onto the black, rocky terrain, landing beside a bubbling lava flow. The orange liquid illuminated his demonic, beast-like body with hellish highlights. His legs and arms were covered in a dense, maroon fur. His well-developed pectoral muscles were bare except for a tuft of orange fur between them. His hands and legs were also exposed, revealing his greyish-purple skin and long, red claws. The lava shone against the left half of the demon's body. His left arm was asymmetrical to his right one; it was longer and the claws were bigger and sharper. He also had a pentacle engraved in his left shoulder to symbolize his demonic nature.
The Digimon rolled his head to crack the bones in his neck. The demon was intimidating on appearance alone. He had a fearsome, monstrous face and a pair of long, white horns. He has a pair of glossy violet-blue eyes that contrasted with the glow of the lava. There was a similarly-coloured gem embedded in his forehead, just below a thick mess of black hair that covered his head. The ebony of his hair matched the black feathers protruding from his shoulders, as well as the black wings that extended from his back. The leathery wings had a violet underside, as well as red claws at their uppermost tips.
Demon took a step forwards, causing the chains that decorated his arms and waist to rattle. He gazed up at the Digimon who freed him.
"Bagramon… That's you, isn't it?" he asked in a deep, demonic husk.
"Indeed it is, Demon," Bagramon responded.
"What is this about?" Demon demanded, his eyes narrowed.
"Nothing that you won't appreciate," Bagramon responded hurriedly. "I will tell you more, but I am pressed for time at the moment. Please keep yourself hidden while I free the rest of your comrades."
Demon grunted. "…Fine," he answered, raising a hand and snapping his claws.
Clothing suddenly appeared over his demonic body, concealing it almost completely. He wore a long, deep red, robe that covered from his shoulders to his feet. Only his horns and wings were exposed. The red cloth, which seemed to be a kind of liturgical garment, also concealed all of his head except for his blue eyes, which gazed out through a slit in the fabric. The cloth, occultist hood had a soft conical shape between his horns, and yellow pentagram was displayed on the fabric over his forehead. The extremities of the robe were lined with a black stripe and a gold chain pattern. Hanging from his neck was a long, triangular vestment that was black with gold lining. Down the face of the vestment was a green occult symbol that matched the design of his robe's lining before it ended in a pentagram. Resting above this piece of fabric was a rosary chain with a circular, gold pendant.
Now disguised in semi-religious garb, Demon folded his - now symmetrical – arms and nodded. "Just don't take too long. Please," he spoke, his deep voice much more refined now that his demonic side was hidden.
"I will try not to. Enjoy your freedom," Bagramon told him, closing the dimensional rift in the sky.
Demon gazed across the hellish landscape with a calm, restrained gaze. The glow of the lava seemed to blaze behind his placid, indigo eyes.
"…I shall…"
As the hours passed, the night began to turn into dawn. Before the sun could rise, the night turned dark as dawn set in. Cathode Tundra, which was directly adjacent to Anode Desert in the north of the continent, had a black atmosphere except for the occasional patch of unmelted snow.
Despite the darkness, a fourth crest appeared in the sky. This crest shone a deep blue colour that could be seen stricken across the night sky, despite the darkness of twilight. The seal consisted of three, interconnected brackets that faced vertically. The symbol above it was a circle with an arrow pointing out of the upper right edge. The inner edge of the crest warned, 'CAUTION! PURGATORY LEVEL 4'. The crest also detailed the demon that was about to be released: 'LEVEL: 666' 'SYSTEM: BELPHEGOR' 'CODE: SLOTH'.
Wasting no time, Bagramon released the fourth of the Seven Great Demon Lords. This one, however, was a struggle to release. This wasn't just because of the growing complexity of navigating the Dark Area as Imperialdramon created new barriers. Much of the struggle was due to the fact that pulling this Demon Lord was like pulling dead weight.
With a mighty heave, Bagramon pulled the giant Digimon out of the seeping dark rift. A massive, fuzzy creature emerged out of the chasm and hovered idly in front of the rift.
The creature was round and chubby in appearance. His body was covered with brown fur, and he had the vague appearance of a goat-like demon; there were two curved horns protruding from the back of his head. The demon's head was bigger than his actual body, giving him a cute appearance. There were two rows of five, short, bony protrusions jutting out of his skull. Between them, on his forehead, were two tufts of red fur, and in the center of them were three red scars that looked like scratch marks. On his face was a deceptively cute, cat-like smile.
His body was small (compared to his head) and pudgy, with short, stubby legs. Wrapped around his body were thick chains that seemed to give off an eerie, grey aura. The chains connected to a white alarm clock that had two hands slowly ticking around the face of the clock. The demon has two stubby, bat-like wings that protruded from his back.
The demon Digimon breathed lightly and his eyes were closed. He seemed to be in a deep slumber.
Bagramon watched through his ruby eye as Belphemon just hovered in place. "Belphemon?" he questioned. There was no reply. "Belphemon, can you hear me?"
Belphemon just continued to snooze, making no indication that he even knew he was out of the Dark Area. The only noise that he made aside from soft breaths was the unnerving sound of ticking.
"Hmm… He appears to be in Sleep Mode," Bagramon observed. "The Royal Knights and Angels must have sealed his powers before putting him in the Dark Area."
Bagramon thought to himself for a moment, taking these few minutes to catch his breath after the immense effort. "But… maybe this is for the best, at this stage in time," he mused, remembering what Belphemon was like when he was angry.
The fallen angel Digimon observed Belphemon: Sleep Mode for a few moments. It didn't seem like the slumbering Digimon would be going anywhere any time soon. Moreover, the Cathode Tundra had a very sparse population of Digimon. He figured that it would be safe to leave Belphemon unattended while he freed the rest of the Demon Lords.
Bagramon knew that he had to strike while the iron was hot. Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode was working as fast as he could to repair the barrier. He needed to free the others before he was sealed off from the Dark Area for good.
He retracted his arm back through the dimensional portal and sealed it shut. Bagramon then started to work on opening a new portal to the location of the next dark rift.
Six hours passed and it became late morning. The sun shone between the intermittent clouds, casting a yellow light down across the landscape. A warm glow reflected off of the dewy, emerald glades, which stretched for miles. The shadows of the clouds drifted across the idyllic, grassy landscape.
On closer inspection, the beautiful environment wasn't all that it seemed. The picturesque view of the verdant grasslands and the warm, sunny, celestial sky was tainted by a massive crater.
A monumental crater was embedded in the expansive field. It was over a hundred meters deep, and the crater was as large as a city.
More specifically, the crater was a city. A destroyed one.
At the bottom of the crater were vast ruins of white and gold. Old, polished stone and glistening marble was scattered across the nadir of the expansive hole. There were half-destroyed buildings littering the ground. Fractured and compressed roads and sidewalks were embedded in the bottom of the crater.
The architecture was obviously once beautiful. They were made up of white, Corinthian columns, and polished, golden stone and metal that seemed to glow. There were verdant gardens that seemed to grow despite the fact that nobody was tending to them. Due to abnormalities in the city's data, clouds drifted across the ground of the broken streets. However, these clouds were the city's only inhabitants. The whole of the ruined city was abandoned.
This ruined city was the remains of Sky Colony: Empyrea. This was the Sky Colony of the Heavenly Choir that the Seven Great Demon Lords ravaged and tried to drop on the Digital World during the Night of Falling Stars. The Royal Knights and the Warrior Ten were forced to break the remains of the Sky Colony up in order to prevent a cataclysm as it fell to the Digital World. This was the largest piece of the Sky Colony that fell to the Digital World, and when it did, it caused widespread damage across the landscape. Due to the sheer size of this piece of Empyrea, its data structure remained intact despite the crash. This caused its tarnished ruins to remain at the bottom of the crater.
Since that day, the Heavenly Choir didn't dare touch the remains of their city. This was both out of respect and mourning for those who died, but also due to the fact that they believed that the Sky Colony had been poisoned by the influence of the Demon Lords. This caused them to dub the remains as the Unhallowed Debris.
These once sacred buildings were further corrupted by the large, purple crest in the sky above them. It contained a long, complicated seal that was shaped like a pronged podium. Above it was a sigil that was shaped like a curved letter 'h'. The crest indicated the following: 'CAUTION! PURGATORY LEVEL 5' 'LEVEL: 666' 'SYSTEM: MAMMON' 'CODE: GREED'.
At the edge of the crater was a large, dark rift. It was one of the seven largest rifts that Bagramon needed to access the Dark Area.
With each purgatorial level that passed, it took longer for him to navigate the Dark Area. The internal barriers were being reconfigured faster than he thought, creating more and more obstacles for him to navigate as reached into the dark abyss. He wasn't positive that he could reach his objective, but he wasn't about to give up.
Bagramon heaved his arm out of the pressurised dark rift. He released the fifth Demon Lord from his grasp and allowed him to fall to the grass beside the edge of the deep crater.
The demon Digimon landed on his hands and knees. He had a gaunt, slender, humanoid body with pasty grey skin. Hanging from his head were long, grey hair and beard, both of which reached down to his knees. His face was garish. He has a wide, toothy mouth, and he wore a gold mask over his face, which had a long, pointed nose. He looked around with his spurious, crimson eyes.
He rose to his feet and brushed himself off with a haughty scoff. Covering his slender body were green leggings and pointed, red boots. He wore a long, black poncho over his upper body, which was intricately designed. The fabric had a red triangle pattern as well as purple lining. Over top the poncho were a series of expensive, red gems and gold prongs that made up a large, ornamental collar that rested on his shoulders. In fact, he wore jewellery over most of his body. He had gold earrings on his pointed ears and a multitude of precious rings and bracelets around his clawed, bony fingers and wrists.
As Barbamon stood upright, he stretched the six demonic, red wings on his back, and summoned a long staff in his hand. The staff was as tall as he was and contained a large, red gem resting inside of a metal, ornamental skull which acted as the stave's globe.
"Hmph," Barbamon scoffed, pressing the end of his staff against the dirt. He turned and looked up towards the arm of the Digimon who saved him. "It took you long enough, Bagramon. Do you know how long we were rotting away in there?" he said in a sharp, hoarse voice.
"This plan was many years in the making, Barbamon," Bagramon responded. "By sheer coincidence, one of the dark rifts that I needed to free you ended up here."
Barbamon turned his head and gazed into the crater at the ruined Sky Colony of Empyrea. He stared into it thoughtfully. "Empyrea… My handiwork," he mused at the memory. "That rebellion seems like it was cycles ago…" He cocked his head to the side and looked at the city with cold interest. "Shame. I bet it's been picked clean of its treasures by now. Filthy scavengers."
The Demon Lord of Greed turned his attention away from the destroyed Sky Colony and gazed up at Bagramon. "So, Bagramon… What are you planning…?"
"Justice, Barbamon," Bagramon stated plainly. "Please remain clandestine for now. I still have two more of your comrades to free, and it will likely take me deep into the night."
Barbamon released a resigned sigh. "Oh, very well…" he reluctantly stated, an irritated edge to his gravelly voice. "Perhaps I will look around the city for any valuables that looters may have missed. Now that I am free from the Dark Area, my castle and all of my belongings are stuck in there. I have to start from scratch now, you see… It is rather irritating."
"As you wish…" Bagramon responded.
The demon man retracted his large, artificial hand once again so that he could continue his work. He was unaware that other Digimon had begun to take notice of what was happening.
An angel Digimon stood at the edge of a balcony, overlooking the pure blue sky and the beautiful rolling clouds below. The balcony was a railing of white stone and columns, and it was rose up from the ground on a raised platform. A ramp led from the back of the balcony down to vast, beautiful gardens. The expansive gardens were full of vibrant, colourful flowers, plants, and trees. At the opposite ends of the gardens was a large, domed building. The sizeable building was made of white stone, and its architecture was in an ostentatious Renaissance design, complete with columns, porticos, and arcades. In the dome of the building was a giant oculus from which light could shine in.
The Digimon in question was a humanoid angel. He was clad in head-to-toe with shimmering, silver plate armour. The warm sunlight reflected off the silver as well as the pristine blue metal that covered his shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, and head. His face was covered completely by a metal helmet with a golden cross emblazoned across it. There wasn't even a slit for his eyes. In fact, the only part of his body that was uncovered was his shoulder length blond hair that hung from the back of his head and slipped underneath the thick, metal collar of his body armour. Across his resplendent armour was golden trimming and ornamentation, with decorations such as wings and the fleur-de-lis.
A pair of small, silver wings protruded from his head and ankles. However, these were tiny compared to the five pairs of radiant yellow wings that protruded from his back. Matching their colour was a long, golden breechcloth that flowed between the angel Digimon's legs, with Digimoji that read "All shall be one with me."
Seraphimon was one of the Three Great Angels, the leaders of the Heavenly Choir and the Religion of Light.
He stood at one of the highest points in Sky Colony: Lambent.
The Sky Colonies were massive cities built atop the clouds of the Digital World. The giant cloud's data was held together by energy strong enough to support the cities, which drifted in the sky as if they were as light as air. Sky Colony: Lambent was the largest of the colonies, of which there were two smaller ones that tailed behind Lambent wherever it floated.
Sky Colony: Lambent consisted of a sizeable city on top of a massive, circular platform that spanned the length of the giant cloud. The platforms were filled with white, sky blue, and gold colours. The ground consisted of pristine, glossy marble and stone. The edges were cordoned off by gold railings to prevent any accidents. The city of Lambent was known as the Golden City. True to its name, it was as if the whole of Lambent was bathed in holy luminescence. Beautiful architecture filled the Sky Colony. The city was filled with columns both big and small, golden pavilions, and statuettes of angels, holy aspects, and abstract, angelic art. Tranquil founts ran throughout the city, sparkling in the light as they gently flowed.
The Golden City consisted of three different levels: a higher level, a middle level, and a lower level. The city was organised like a dais, with the highest level (known as the First Sphere) being the smallest and concentrated near the center, the middle level (the Second Sphere), which was more expansive and hovered below the First Sphere, and the lowest level (the Third Sphere), which was by far the largest, and was the place where the majority of the Golden City was. Each level was supported by the lower level using beautiful, sturdy columns and concentrated cloud data. The First Sphere was the religious and political center of the city, where the Three Great Angels resided. The Second Sphere was the administrative and military center of Lambent. Finally, the Third Sphere consisted of residential areas, markets, libraries, and rolling parks, which surrounded the city. Swirling right above the First Sphere was a beautiful vortex of puffy, white, silver, and dark grey clouds. Coming from within the majestic, ethereal tunnel of layered clouds was warm, glowing light that shone down on the Sky Colony. This light cast shadows across the clouds and caused them to have their eerie hue that ranged from a bright white to a dark grey that bordered on black.
The design of the Sky Colony was emblematic of the Heavenly Choir's society. The Heavenly Choir was theocracy with a hierarchical structure. The angel and fairy Digimon were highly disciplined, and they knew their place and purpose in society. The society was extremely community-oriented with only some room for individual freedom. The highest order could not survive without the lower two orders, the lowest order could not survive without the higher two orders, and the middle order required both orders above and below it. The angel Digimon supported each other and all had a strong sense of discipline.
Seraphimon was one of the Three Great Angels, alongside his partners Ophanimon and Cherubimon. They made up the triumvirate that ruled over the Heavenly Choir. They are the ones who are said to be closest to God, and therefore, they set both political and religious policy for the Heavenly Choir. They each governed different aspects of God. Seraphimon was the executor of God's law and justice. Ophanimon governed over love and mercy. Cherubimon governed over wisdom, and served as the guardian of God.
They were the Council of the Three Angels, and they would meet in the Supernal Sanctum for discussion on important political and religious matters. The Supernal Sanctum was the council hall that was located on the First Sphere of Sky Colony: Lambent. It was a large, circular building made of white and gold stone. It was constantly guarded by angel warriors on both the ground and in the sky. The building was made with magnificent designs in its architecture, crafted by some of the finest sculptors. The edges were etched with stone angels wings and swords, and it was surrounded by glimmering spires and columns.
The First Sphere contained some of the most precious landmarks of the Sky Colonies. The vast Celestial Gardens, which stretched for over a kilometers, was a massive biome of beautiful flowers and flora. It contained all sorts of different kinds of plants and flowers, and it was a large, open space that allowed for contemplation. There was the Library of Wisdom, one of the largest libraries in the Digital World. It contained millions of scrolls, scripture, chronicles, historical accounts, records, annals, and books, all preserving the vast, collective knowledge of the Heavenly Choir and the Digital World. Circling around the grounds First Sphere were the Spires of Hope – massive, sky-reaching columns made of pure, glistening, white stone that seemed to be surrounded by a faint aureole. At the edge of the First Sphere were the Astral Pools. These were tranquil pools that were as still as the calmest of water. Their shimmering waters seemed to reflect the purest of holy light and the distant stars. Angel Digimon could come here for reflection, prayer, and introspection, as the waters seemed to allow for a deep interaction with one's thoughts and emotions. Another of the famous landmarks was the Eternal Chapel, the largest cathedral in the whole of the Digital World. It was made of pale, grey stone, and was complete with ornate spires, a massive dome, an oculus that allowed light to flow in, and beautiful ornamentation that etched the edges of the building. One of the other notable parts of the First Sphere was the Forum of Judgment, a large colosseum where criminals, heretics, lawbreakers and demons were brought for divine punishment.
Below them, on the Second Sphere, are the Dominions, the Virtues, and the Powers. The Dominions are the administration and bureaucracy that run the Heavenly Choir and make sure that everything runs smoothly. They regulate the duties of the angels of the Third Sphere, as well as set policy about expanding society. The main building of administration was known as the Hall of Dominion. The Dominions are run by Archangel Dominimon, one of the three Celestial Commanders.
The Virtues are the religious wing of the Second Sphere, and they also act as bodyguards of the First Sphere. They serve to protect the Being of Goodness while also teaching others in the betterment of morals. They operated out of the Hallowed Sanctorum, the Virtues' headquarters where they carried out orders and divine edicts. The Virtues are commanded by Archangel ClavisAngemon, the second of the Celestial Commanders.
Finally, the Powers are the military arm of the Heavenly Choir. Their purpose is to eliminate threats to the Heavenly Choir, both outside and inside. The Powers are run by the final Celestial Commander, Archangel SlashAngemon. The Powers had three different headquarters, perhaps revealing the military nature of the Heavenly Choir. They contained the Court of Truth, where legal matters and inquisitions took place, the Hall of Justice, where punishment and reprieve was issued, and the Hall of Valiance, the military headquarters of the Powers. Right beside the Hall of Valiance, was the military base where angel Digimon would train. Despite the military nature of the Powers, measured reason, spiritual reflection, and honouring the fallen were still very much an important part of their culture. Although the internal affairs part of the Heavenly Choir was under the Powers' jurisdiction, all three Celestial Commanders collaborated where matters of justice are concerned.
Within society, there are several other high-ranking specialized angel Digimon, who govern things like the arts, worship, law, death, medicine, and other such aspects.
Seraphimon stared out into the beautiful, heavenly sky. A soft wind blew against his winged body as the city drifted in the sky. However, despite the picturesque scenery, a sense of foreboding nipped at his mind. In the archangel Digimon's heart, something was deeply troubling him, but he wasn't sure what it was. It was a sense of dread that ate at the corners of his senses, causing him great unease.
"Perhaps I should consult Ophanimon and Cherubimon. Maybe they sense it as well…" he thought to himself.
As he straightened his humanoid body and prepared to turn and walk back into the Celestial Gardens, a bright pink blur caught his eye.
A tiny fairy Digimon about the size of Seraphimon's head flew before him and then stopped in the air. The pink sphere with eyes bowed, flapping his wings to keep himself in place. He kept his spear lowered as he looked up at Seraphimon. "Your Holiness!" the Piccolomon spoke urgently. "I bring urgent news!"
Seraphimon looked at the messenger, his sense of concern growing. "Yes, Piccolomon? What is it?" he asked him.
"One of our patrols has spotted something terrible above the Unhallowed Ruins!" the Piccolomon explained nervously. "Lord Seraphimon… They say they spotted the Crest of Greed!"
"What?!" Seraphimon uttered incredulously. He clenched his fists as his unease morphed into fear and concern. "The Crest of Greed… It cannot be…"
The Piccolomon messenger winced and bowed his head apologetically. "I am sorry that I have to give you this news, Your Holiness."
"Has Barbamon escaped the Dark Area?" Seraphimon asked him, his tone deeply serious.
"The patrols are investigating, but Celestial Commander SlashAngemon fears it to be so," the Piccolomon explained.
"And the other six?" Seraphimon questioned.
"We cannot confirm that at this time…" the small, pink Digimon answered remorsefully.
Seraphimon sighed and nodded understandingly. "It pains me to say it, Piccolomon… but Barbamon was on the fifth level of the Dark Area. If he has been freed, then it is highly likely that the others have been released as well," he answered, attempting to remain calm despite his inner worries.
"What are your orders, Lord Seraphimon?" Piccolomon asked the seraph Digimon.
"Please go and tell Ophanimon and Cherubimon. They need to know about this," he requested. "Then, go to SlashAngemon and tell him to put all of the patrols on high alert."
"Yes, Sir," the Piccolomon obeyed. He bowed before shooting off across the gardens.
Seraphimon watched as the pixie Digimon raced to tell his two comrades about what had happened. When he was gone, Seraphimon looked forwards and placed his hands on the stone railing of the balcony, gripping it tightly.
"It's as I feared… I was worried that this day would come one day. Have the Seven really escaped from their inescapable prison?" Seraphimon wondered. With his mind's eye, he stared into the distance, towards the sky above the Unhallowed Ruins. He could see the faint glow of the Crest of Greed in the sky. Seraphimon's broad shoulders stiffened as he beheld the seal.
Seraphimon turned away bitterly. He walked down the ramp of the balcony to the gardens. He thought to himself as he walked towards the Palace of the First Sphere, where the Three Great Angels resided. A dark cloud hung over Seraphimon as he walked through the gardens, his mind and soul heavy from the terrible news.
"Right above the ruins of Empyrea… Is this a sign?" the seraph brooded. "Is our past coming back to haunt us…?"
A long afternoon passed and the sun began to set in the distance. The race continued between Bagramon and Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode.
Bagramon could feel his time running out, and his body was wracked with exhaustion. Sweat ran down the left side of his body and his eye had a dark, tired look to it. He was beginning to grow as tired as Imperialdramon and AncientGreymon. They started to put up more resistance, and they were gaining traction as more of the Dark Area's barriers were reconfigured. This caused Bagramon to have to work more slowly. It took him another six hours to get to the point he was currently at.
Despite his struggle, the sixth Demon Lord was nearly free. A large, golden-yellow circle shone in the sky, matching the hue of the sun. Within it was a rectangle with an indent, from which four prongs pointed inwards. The symbol above it was a circle with a cross pointing out of the bottom side. The seal's text read 'CAUTION! PURGATORY LEVEL 6', 'LEVEL: 666', 'SYMBOL: BEELZEBUB', and 'CODE: GLUTTONY'
The demon man growled with effort as he pulled yet another demon lord from the depths of the Dark Area. He released the Digimon from his Astral Snatcher arm, the giant, bony appendage tracing shadows and dark data as it emerged from the ground. The arm trembled with exhaustion, but it continued to pull back towards the dimensional storm that Bagramon was reaching through.
As it did, the Demon Lord dropped to the ground, landing gracefully on his feet. Upon landing, his black, spiked combat boots dug into the sand below.
The demon Digimon was humanoid in appearance. Strikingly, his lean body was clad in leather from head-to-toe. He wore tight leather pants and a leather bodysuit over his toned, athletic chest. On top of that was an unzipped leather jacket with a furry frill. Over his wrists and hands was a metal padding for protection. His body was further accessorized with metal knee and shoulder pads, a couple belts around his waist, a red bandana tied around his left bicep, and four cords that extended curiously from his back.
The humanoid demon squinted his three eyes in response to the intense sunlight. He had two eyes in their standard position on his pale, grey-skinned face, as well as a third one that was flipped sideways and positioned on his forehead. Protecting the top half of his face was a violet mask with a spiked frill, which extended over the front of his head. Short, messy, blond hair covered the unconcealed back of his head.
A toothy scowl emerged on Beelzebumon's face, and he flicked his demonic tail irritably. He looked around the vicinity suspiciously. He held one of his Berenjena shotguns in his clawed hand, while the other one rested in the large, metal, ankle holster strapped around his left leg.
Beelzebumon was in the Claw Desert, located near the southern edge of the continent. For the most part, it was the Mesozoic Kingdom's domain. He stood in the golden sands of the desert. There were rolling dunes for as far as the eye can see. The desert was the biggest in the entire Digital World.
Directly in front of the demon was an expansive plain of cracked, white, minerals. It was a plain of salt flats. The white minerals glowed brightly against the sunlight, causing Beelzebumon's sensitive trio of eyes to squint in stinging tenderness. He released a swear of pain and rose his hand to block the sunlight. In the distance, the salt flats dipped down, and a large, shallow pool of water shimmered brilliantly. The water was clear and calm enough that the setting sun was reflected perfectly in the brackish liquid.
The Demon Lord of Gluttony then turned his attention towards the sky. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.
"Bagramon," the demon man said, his tone indicating that he was in a rush.
"Ah, the Angel of Death…" Beelzebumon noted. He smirked and cocked his head with amusement. "Shit. I thought the angels would've killed you."
"They nearly did," Bagramon replied matter-of-factly. "Now, I'm in a bit of a hurry. I need you to listen to me."
"Oh, you do, do ya?" Beelzebumon responded, his voice adversarial. "Look, buddy. I'm real pleased that you busted me outta the Dark Area an' all, but don't get the wrong idea. Just because you did that, I ain't gonna do whatever the hell you want."
"I know, Beelzebumon. I did not expect you to," Bagramon responded diplomatically. "However, I have already broken five of your comrades out of the Dark Area, and I still have one to go. We are currently at a disadvantage. All of you are separated and the Royal Knights and Warrior Ten are going to be on their guard. We need to stay hidden and gather. Unless you want to end up right back in the Dark Area, I request that you to listen to my advice."
"Psh, they weren't so tough. I gave 'em as good as I got during the rebellion," Beelzebumon responded with a dismissive shrug.
"We lost. And there are twelve Royal Knights now," Bagramon pointed out. "They are much stronger than they were when we fought them last."
Beelzebumon glared up at the swirling, black dimensional storm. "Tch… Then that just means that I need to get stronger too…"
"Very well, but will you please head to the hideout that I have prepared?" Bagramon beseeched. "Go to the Abyssal Caves and please try to not draw attention to yourself."
"Hold up. Not without my bike," Beelzebumon protested. He raised a hand and snapped his clawed fingers. "Behemoth!"
The revving of an engine howled from the gaping dark rift that Beelzebumon had emerged from. The sounds of wheels screeching and a motor running grew closer.
Suddenly, a motorcycle burst out of the dark rift, shooting straight up into the air. The heavy vehicle fell to the ground and sent sand shooting up around it. The motorcycle was big and black, with a red seat and windshield. The massive wheels rolled swiftly as the bike drove on its own, circling from the sand and onto the salt flats.
"That's more like it. I finally get to ride this baby in the Digital World!" Beelzebumon said with an excited laugh. He jumped through the air and landed on the motorcycle.
Beelzebumon then gripped the handles and changed gears with his foot. With a dark, adrenalized smirk, he accelerated the bike and began tearing across the salt flats. "Let's go, Behemoth!" he yelled, grinning as he rode north.
The demon lord drove across the shallow water on the far side of the salt plains, causing the pristine reflection of the sky to warp and ripple.
Bagramon watched as the Demon Lord of Gluttony drove off. He absconded from the area and went to free the last of the seven demons. He just hoped he could do it in time.
Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode snarled with anger and exertion as he clutched the Omega Blade. He was lurched forward, over the hilt of the giant broadsword. He leaned on the blade in order to keep himself standing. His muscular, blue tail was poised as a counterbalance, and his muscles were flexed with bulging veins as he put all of his energy into rewriting the Dark Area's barrier. His blue scales were shimmering wetly and his blond hair was matted with sweat. He panted and heaved with effort as he worked on sealing the barrier as thoroughly as possible, while also trying to build the barriers swiftly.
AncientGreymon was in similar shape. His claws were several inches into the cracked ground, and his body trembled with passion and effort as he kept holding back the flow of the Dragon's Veins so that Imperialdramon could work. His armour and hair clung to his black scales due to the sweat coating his body. His thick muscles quivered with effort as the immense power and energy that he poured into the act. His sharp teeth were clenched and a low snarl rolled in his throat.
AncientSphinxmon's job was less intensive, but it was clear that he was totally fixated on scanning the Dark Area. He both checked Imperialdramon's progress, and also that of the intruder. His crimson eyes stared intently into the abyss of shadows around him.
Meanwhile, AncientWisemon was fast asleep, with a large snot bubble expanding and shrinking from his hidden face. AncientGarurumon sat cross-legged nearby, silently watching as the three worked.
Alphamon and Omegamon stood beside one another, staring intently and apprehensively.
Omegamon watched his friend with concern. "Imperialdramon…" he spoke softly.
Alphamon frowned and took a step forwards, seeing the toll it was taking on Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode. "Imperialdramon, let me take over. It's been over two days. You're exhausted."
"No," Imperialdramon said succinctly and stubbornly. "Can one artist finish another's masterpiece for him…? You wouldn't know where to pick up where I left off. I have to finish what I started…"
Alphamon was reluctant, but he nodded and took a step backwards.
"Imperialdramon…" AncientSphinxmon spoke. "You felt that a minute ago, didn't you?"
"Yeah…" Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode replied with a grimace.
"Felt – rgh… - what?" AncientGreymon grunted in question.
"A sixth one has been released," AncientSphinxmon calmly informed them.
AncientGarurumon's red eyes narrowed with frustration at the news.
Alphamon winced faintly but looked at AncientSphinxmon with calm eyes. "Six…" he mused with a heavy undertone to his words. "…AncientSphinxmon, do you have a clear idea of who the escapees are now?"
"Yes," AncientSphinxmon responded. "I can say with one hundred percent certainty that the Seven Great Demon Lords are the targets."
"The Seven Great Demon Lords…" Alphamon spoke weightily, clenching his fists.
"The intruder has gone through each of the prison levels. Only one Digimon was extracted from each level. The Demon Lords have been extracted, but none of the other Digimon on those levels have," AncientSphinxmon explained.
"That seems like a logical assumption," Alphamon replied.
"This is bad…" Omegamon spoke forebodingly.
"We're in the final stretch. Just a few hours to go," Imperialdramon said with a strained grunt. "I'll try to have the barriers configured before the final one is released… No promises, though… I want to be thorough, not quick…"
"Do what you need to do, Imperialdramon," Alphamon assured him.
Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode nodded and gripped the glowing Omega Blade tightly. "Just hope I can…" he muttered under a strained, shaky breath.
After a few hours, the sun set in the sky completely. Dual crescent moons rose into the starry, night sky. Behind the clouds, the stars twinkled and the moons beamed faint rays of light down onto the grassy landscape.
It was midnight at the city of Shroud. The constant data storm that raged overhead blocked out the night sky. Blackish violet clouds swirled and wafted restlessly.
In the sky outside of the city, within the thick clouds, an eerie green glow illuminated the veil of vapour. The seventh and final seal was emblazoned in the clouds. It consisted of a rectangle with four prongs sticking out of the top. At the end of each of the prongs, as well as at the bottom right edge of the polygon, were five circles. Above the seal was a crescent moon and a small star. On the inner edges of the two circles was the similar yet different text that accompanies all of the seals. 'CAUTION! PURGATORY LEVEL 7', 'LEVEL: 666', 'SYSTEM: ASMODEUS', 'CODE: LUST'. The Crest of Lust was the final seal, indicating that Bagramon was nearly finished.
Inside of the data storm was a dimensional storm that caused the sky to become even more chaotic. Lightning snapped through the sky and the clouds churned tumultuously. Reaching down from the chaotic sky was Bagramon's long, thick arm.
For the past seven hours, Bagramon had been infiltrating the Dark Area. It was now extremely difficult for him; the pressure against his arm was immense, and he could feel the walls closing in around him. Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode was nearly complete the reconfiguration of the barrier. The paladin was about 95% done. If Bagramon didn't finish soon, his arm would be chopped off by the closing barriers.
Fortunately for him, he had made contact with the final Demon Lord and was in the process of pulling her out. As he did, he could feel the internal firewalls closing the holes around him. He barely retrieved the Demon Lord before the barrier of the seventh prison level snapped shut imperviously. Bagramon was retracting the Astral Snatcher as swiftly as he possibly could. Any finesse he had was now gone; the past couple days were taking their toll on his body. It took all of his concentration and willpower just to remain standing.
After several minutes, Bagramon pulled past the external barrier of the first prison level. He pulled the Demon Lord up through the outer level of the Dark Area. Then, with a sharp and mighty heave, he retracted his arm from the Dark Area completely. Right as he did, the dark rift snapped shut. The earth around the chasm filled it in and sealed up the crevice as if it had never been there.
Bagramon released the seventh Demon Lord to the grass and pulled his right arm back inside the dimensional rift that he had created.
A Digimon in the form of a beautiful humanoid woman landed gracefully on the grass. She had smooth, fair skin, over which she wore a black body suit that covered from her ample breasts all the way down to her ankles. The suit in question had gold lining and had golden ornamentation on her knees and chest. Loosely covering her sleeves and waist was a long, purple fabric that loosely draped from her slender body.
Four black, bat-like wings protruded from her back. Also extending from her form were long, black, opposable sashes that connected to the broach on her chest. They were bladed and deadly, as were the several long, gold, arrow-headed wires that jutted from her form. The demoness had a humanoid face with purple eye shadow, long eyelashes, and a bat tattoo on her forehead. She also had pointed ears, icy, aloof eyes, and short, raven hair. Two gold horns protruded from her hair, which also contained jeweled hairpins and a gold, coronet hair comb.
Over her right hand was a slender, gold gauntlet, which had ornate etchings along the gold metal. The gauntlet's fingers narrowed into sharp, deadly claws. In contrast, her left hand was exposed, containing only a gold bracelet that covered her wrist and the back of her hand, and long, polished, violet fingernails.
Lilithmon looked at her surroundings and brushed her hand through her hair. "My my. This certainly isn't the Dark Area…" she mused with a calm smile. She turned her gaze upwards towards the dimensional storm that Bagramon's arm had retreated into. "And to who do I owe the pleasure…?"
"It is I… Bagramon…" the demon Digimon responded between tired breaths.
"Oh, Bagramon… I absolutely must find some way to repay you…" Lilithmon seductively suggested. A sultry grin formed on her violet, lipstick-covered lips. "I'm sure that I can think of something…"
"No repayment is necessary," Bagramon answered. "Please, stay undercover for a day or two. Try to make your way to the Abyssal Caves to the northwest.
"Oh, alright…" she responded in a blasé tone of voice. "I take it that you have freed the others as well?"
"All of them…" Bagramon responded, sounding out of breath. "I will meet you in a few days."
"Very well. I look forward to it, Bagramon. You always were a dashing fellow," the Demon Lord of Lust replied, beginning to saunter over to the road leading into Shroud.
"I fear I may not have the looks that I once had," Bagramon dryly answered. "Farewell, Lilithmon."
With those words, the dimensional storm that Bagramon created suddenly shut and vanished.
Back in his hut, Bagramon panted and fell to his hands and knees inside of his hut. Sweat rolled off of his body and soaked his clothing. His hair was dishevelled and his eyes were tired. He clasped his left hand over his hollow eye and winced with pain as he finally ceased using his Invisible Snake Eyes.
"B-Bagramon!" Wizardmon spoke, walking over to the fallen angel Digimon with some concern.
"I'm fine, Wizardmon," Bagramon spoke, although breathing heavily. "It's done…"
"You should relax now…" Wizardmon advised him. "The pressure on your body must have been immense."
"I will. Soon. There are still a few things that must be done," Bagramon responded. He looked over his shoulder at Wizardmon. "Black Pincer Company?"
"They are staying in an inn in New Terminal," Wizardmon explained.
"Have them come here tomorrow morning," Bagramon said to him.
"Yes, Bagramon," Wizardmon responded. "The dark rifts?"
"Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode is nearly finished sealing the barriers. This is fine. I didn't want any of the others escaping," Bagramon informed him. "I hope you did enough field work on the fissures while you had the chance."
"I have. To my satisfaction," Wizardmon answered. "Although I wouldn't mind hearing first-hand accounts of the Dark Area."
"I will see what I can do. For now, you should retire to your room in the inn," the demon lord Digimon suggested.
Wizardmon nodded and bowed politely. "Thank you, Bagramon," he responded. He turned around and began to walk towards the door, but he stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "Do you need any help?"
"No. Thank you," Bagramon responded, still catching his breath while on his hands and knees. "Those past two days have just taken a lot out of me…"
"That's understandable… Well, goodbye. I will see you tomorrow morning," Wizardmon responded. He walked out of the hut and closed the door behind him.
Once Wizardmon was gone, Bagramon released a strained sigh. All he wanted to do now was rest. His mind and body were exhausted from the ordeal. Despite his tired state, Bagramon smiled.
"It was close… but I managed to do it," he murmured. "All is going according to plan…"
Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode released a strained snarl between his gritted teeth. He emptied his energy into one final push to close and secure the barriers. He was 99% finished. He just needed to close that final one percent.
"Damn it…!" he growled as he felt the intruder releasing the final Demon Lord. "I almost… damn it!"
Alphamon and Omegamon watched with concern. "Are you alright, Imperialdramon?" Omegamon asked him, stepping forwards.
"F-Fine… Just… a little more…!" the dragon man said with a determined snarl. "AncientGreymon…! On my count…!"
"R-Right… Let's do it!" AncientGreymon shouted.
"Five!"
AncientGreymon snarled and his body erupted in a swath of flames.
"Four!"
Imperialdramon hissed with effort as the last of the gaps in the internal and external barriers sealed up.
"Three!"
The Omega Blade shone brightly. Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode channelled deep into his energy reserves to put the finishing touches on the sealed Dark Area.
"Two! AncientSphinxmon!"
AncientSphinxmon nodded. He helped Imperialdramon run the finishing analyses on the Dark Area. The Warrior of Darkness finished scanning and he looked at the white paladin. "Secure."
Imperialdramon grunted. "One!"
"Let's go!" AncientGreymon shouted.
"Initialize!"
The Omega Blade suddenly flashed with a bright light that lit up the darkness. The cracks in the ground shone with light energy as the Dark Area's barriers were formatted. Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode gripped the Omega Blade tightly and then pulled it from the ground.
"Now!"
As Imperialdramon shouted, AncientGreymon's fiery body hunched down and his blue eyes flashed orange. He released the pressure of the ley lines and allowed the subterranean data to finally flow freely. As the Dragon's Veins were restored to activity, there was a rush of energy. The cracks in the ground suddenly sealed up and returned the grassy plain to its natural state.
"Bwah!" AncientWisemon shouted, jumping to his feet with a start. "What is this cacophony? I was sleep—OOH! You are concluding already?! Why in the name of the Spirits did you decline to awake me from my slumber?! How did the disentanglement progress?!"
AncientSphinxmon scanned the Dark Area. "Success," he spoke.
AncientGreymon's fires died down and he panted with exhaustion. "On my end too…" he spoke, his deep, accented voice haggard.
"Job… well done…" Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode said tiredly, giving a weak thumbs up. He then dropped the Omega Blade and collapsed from exhaustion.
AncientGreymon's legs buckled as well, and both of their bodies glowed with light. The two Digimon fell to the ground. Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode reverted all the way back to his Paildramon form. Meanwhile, AncientGreymon reverted back down to his Vritramon form. Both dragon men hit the ground, barely conscious.
"Imperialdramon!" Omegamon exclaimed, rushing over with Alphamon by his side.
AncientGarurumon scowled and muttered something about stubborn dragons under his breath. He then jogged over as well.
Omegamon kneeled down and removed his gauntlets so that he could help his friend. The exhausted Paildramon looked up at him with a weak grin. "Finally done…" he murmured, closing his crimson eyes. "Sorry. I couldn't stop the seven…"
"It's fine, Imperialdramon," Alphamon ensured him, putting a hand on Paildramon's shoulder. "You've done more than your share. It's our turn now."
Omegamon nodded. "We can worry about them later. For now, you need to focus on resting," he advised. Although it was a suggestion, Paildramon knew that he didn't have a choice.
Paildramon quickly fell into unconsciousness.
Meanwhile, AncientGarurumon was checking on the Warrior of Flame. He kneeled beside Vritramon, who was stubbornly struggling and failing to hold onto consciousness.
"One problem is solved," AncientSphinxmon spoke.
"But now we have a new problem," Alphamon responded. "The Seven Great Demon Lords…"
"Digimon of their power… they are extremely dangerous…" Omegamon said, his blue eyes narrowing. "Enough to rival us…"
Alphamon nodded grimly. "I sense that things will be extremely different from here on out…" he predicted. "With Digimon like the Seven Great Demon Lords on the loose, the entire Digital World is at stake."
"We have to stop them," Omegamon added with determination in his voice and gaze.
"Agreed," AncientGarurumon muttered from nearby.
Alphamon nodded firmly. He turned and gazed up towards the World Tree. "I feel that the era of petty politics, states, and factions is over… I think that we are facing a turning point in the Digital World. We very well may be up against another existential threat," he mused profoundly.
Alphamon's soft, gold eyes hardened and began to burn red. "This is one of those times where we need to put politics and bureaucracy aside. All of that becomes trivial at times like this. I fear that we will soon be fighting for the safety of the entire Digital World…"