(Author's Notes: Here's Part 2 of Chapter 39. See if you can spot the Dr. Strangelove reference. :P There were a bunch of fun scenes for me to write here. Hope you all enjoy. Let me know what you think.)
Chapter 39: Contract with the Devil (Part II)
"I can't believe this is the sorta job that ol' half and half is making us do..."
Bolgmon rolled down a wide, stone street in New Terminal. His tank treads rolled over the flat, sturdy, well-trodden pavement. Walking beside him was Blitzmon, who meandered beside the insect tank at a comfortable pace.
They were in the busy city center of New Terminal. The street was congested with numerous different Digimon going every which way. The larger bodied Digimon walked down the center of the spacious road, allowing the smaller Digimon to flank them and easily access the buildings positioned on each side of the street. As this was the city center, there were many governmental and public buildings around. A few blocks away was the city square, a popular and busy meeting place for both locals and out-of-towners. Positioned near that was the council building, Terminal Hall, where the Council of Seven met to discuss government matters. However, these were not the two mercenaries' destination.
Their destination was a library. Not just any library, either. It was the Timeless Library.
The Timeless Library was the oldest library in the Digital World. It was one of the first buildings created in New Terminal. Not only that, but it was constructed from the ruins of the Grand Library of Terminal. Terminal was the greatest city of old. It had once been the shining capital of the whole of Eniac, back in the Second Cycle. However, the ancient city of Terminal had met its destruction in the cataclysm known as the Millennium War, an apocalyptic event that was so immense that it caused the end of the Second Cycle.
The survivors of Terminal took what remained of the scrolls and literature of the Grand Library when they fled the destruction. The city of New Terminal was built with the intention of replacing the old city of Terminal as the pre-eminent city. New Terminal was to be a bastion of hope for the new cycle.
Once the new city was built, the remains of the Grand Library were transported from the Terminus Ruins to New Terminal. It took years to complete, but the Timeless Library became the biggest and oldest library in the new Digital World. The only two books that survived completely intact were the Yggdrasil Codex and the Golden Annals, both considered to be holy books by their respective faiths. However, only the Yggdrasil Codex still remained in the Timeless Library.
The pair of azure-armoured insects made their way down the busy street. Due to Bolgmon's size, most of the Digimon ahead moved out of the way to accommodate them. They looked around and saw many Digimon going about their day. They noticed merchants, government workers, bankers, a few soldiers, mostly regular Digimon who paid them no mind.
"Shut up, Bolgmon," Blitzmon told him with cold curtness. He focused only on what was in front of him. "This is what he wanted, so this is what we're doing. Don't complain. It's a simple job."
Bolgmon rolled his eyes and began to turn to the left. The pair manoeuvred their way off of the street and stopped in front of a spacious courtyard. Along the sides of the courtyard were rows of interspaced benches. At the end of the tidy, stone walkway was the Timeless Library.
It was a huge building, taller than two Spinomon on top of each other. Its stones were grey and ancient, so old that the rock data required regular maintenance, either through earth abilities, magic, or manual repairs. The architecture of the Timeless Library was distinct. Like many of the other old, public buildings of New Terminal, it had mammoth, marble columns, classical arches, pediments, and expertly designed friezes that gave them a unique and venerable appearance. The hue of the building was a washed grey with the faint tinge of silver and gold.
Bolgmon and Blitzmon headed up the courtyard to the tall portico that loomed over the library's entrance. They walked between the gaps in the tree trunk-like, marble pillars and entered the shade of the portico. The mercenaries approached the tall pair of oak doors. Blitzmon walked ahead of Bolgmon and pushed open the doors, passing through the arched entrance.
They were immediately greeted by the musty aroma of old paper. As they entered, the stuffy, woody scent was almost overpowering until their noses began to get used to it. The interior of the library was as impressive and expansive as the exterior. The ceiling was a bright, swirling azure like the sky itself. There were walls upon walls of books, scrolls, codices, and other written works compiled over the countless years since the library's construction.
The size of the Timeless Library's archives could not be overstated. The name itself revealed just how much of the Digital World's collective knowledge was compiled within the building. Deep in the archives were precious, archaic, and even mystical texts. This library had the largest collection of texts anywhere in the Digital World. The tallest shelves were a dozen meters off the ground and required either a wheeled step ladder to access.
There were several dozen Digimon milling about inside the vast library. Blitzmon glanced around at them as he entered with Bolgmon, sizing up the number of Digimon inside.
"Ugh, I hate libraries. The only thing they're good for is napping in," Bolgmon complained. With half-lidded eyes, he looked around at the walls of stuffy books and stuffy Digimon, his boredom already beginning to set in.
"Deal with it," Blitzmon told him, striding into the lobby area.
"Easy for you to say. You and Grandis always were bookworms," Bolgmon retorted, folding his electrical cannon arms across his broad chest. "I'd rather we go meet with the Kowloon assholes, and that's saying something."
"No. We'll go to Shroud with Wizardmon after. We'll meet Kowloon Company there like we planned," Blitzmon cemented, not wavering even slightly. His voice was such that he wouldn't allow Bolgmon to stray either. "No questions."
"Ugh… Whatever," Bolgmon muttered. "So, where is this thing that Bagramon wants us to get anyways?"
Blitzmon swiftly jabbed his elbow into Bolgmon's side, eliciting a curse from his friend. He leaned over to Bolgmon's ear and whispered. "Don't say his name out loud. You never know who might be listening," Blitzmon chastised him in a hushed voice. "As for the Yggdrasil Codex, I'm not sure. It's a pretty important book. They probably keep the original version locked away in an archive somewhere on the basement floor."
"So, what do we do? Break in and steal it?" Bolgmon whispered conspiratorially.
"Hm…" Blitzmon meditated. His head dipped and his peridot eyes drifted to the marble floor. "…Not yet," he determined. "We need to find out where it is first."
"So let's do it," Bolgmon said, rolling forwards.
"Hm," Blitzmon grunted, following Bolgmon across the alabaster lobby. Taking in his surroundings, he saw a few of the staff of the Timeless Library. Among them were a Nefertimon, a Wisemon, an Angemon, and an Andromon. They seemed to be either attending to visitors or sorting the books into their respective categories.
Bolgmon looked around at all the thousands of books and the sections based on the categories used to sort the books by type and genre. "How the hell are we supposed to find it in all this?" the tank Digimon complained, moving his arm out in a sweeping motion.
"Don't worry. I have a plan," Blitzmon assured him. "Just follow my lead, assistant."
"Huh…? Assistant?" Bolgmon asked incredulously, tilting his head. "What the hell?"
After taking a soft breath of the musty, library air, the humanoid beetle strode forwards with composed confidence. He stepped up to the front desk.
It was long, high, and wooden with an antiquated design. Behind it was the Nefertimon, who was a cross between a sphinx and an angel. The artificial light that illuminated the library reflected off her nearly porcelain face as she looked up from an orderly stack of papers. "Yes? How can I help you?" she asked politely.
"Greetings," Blitzmon politely responded. "I was wondering: where do you keep the Yggdrasil Codex?"
"The Yggdrasil Codex?" the Nefertimon asked. "We keep the original in the vault of the basement archives. It is a priceless, irreplaceable antique. Since it contains all of the compiled, public information about Yggdrasil, it is considered to be hallowed and invaluable. As such, we cannot let just anybody handle it, unfortunately. May I ask why you are inquiring about it? There is no offence intended; it is just library policy when dealing with pieces like that."
"Of course," Blitzmon calmly replied, nodding politely. "My name is Blitzmon, and this is my assistant, Bolgmon. I am a historian with a focus on ancient texts from the Second Cycle. I was hoping to study the book for my treatise."
"Oh, in that case… We do allow scholars to study the book, provided that they are careful. Which university are you from? Who is your mentor?" the assistant curator asked inquisitively.
"Xuanwumon University. My mentor is Professor Pharaohmon," Blitzmon answered without missing a beat. "Have you studied there?"
"For my secondary degree, yes. I remember seeing Pharaohmon around. However, I was studying literature, so I was never his student," the Nefertimon responded. "Very well. If you do not mind waiting there, I will go collect Sorcerimon and he will guide you down to the archives."
"Of course. Thank you very much," Blitzmon diplomatically stated, masking his intent.
As the Nefertimon sauntered off to locate the library worker, Bolgmon rolled up to Blitzmon and whispered to him. "How did you know that?" Bolgmon asked curiously, wondering how he was able to pull that off so smoothly.
"Professionals do their research," Blitzmon answered matter-of-factly. "If you're going to lie, you need to do it convincingly."
After a couple minutes, a short mage walked into view alongside the Nefertimon. He looked very much like the Wizardmon that they were acquainted with, but his hat and garments were a cool, icy white hue. The blond haired wizard walked over to them and offered a smile behind his up-turned collar.
"Hello. I'm Sorcerimon. Please follow me. I will show you to the archives," the Sorcerimon told them, turning back around just seconds after speaking. "This way."
Blitzmon nodded quietly and gestured to Bolgmon to follow them. The thunder beetle followed the Digimon who was half his size. He made no indication that he was anything other than what he said he was.
"What are you studying about the Yggdrasil Codex? I'm sure you know already, but it isn't exactly light reading," the Sorcerimon inquired.
"Its origins," Blitzmon answered spartanly. "I am examining how it came into existence."
"Good luck. It's a mystery to most," the library assistant mused. "I hope you have some luck doing so. Even now, there are new mysteries to be uncovered about the book and its contents."
"Indeed. It's an enigma, alright," the beetle man concurred.
Bolgmon merely rolled his eyes and followed the pair down the aisles-upon-aisles of books. As they reached the back of the grandiose library, they noticed a large set of stairs heading down to the basement. The stairs were of white stone, and they seemed to descend into the dark. However, the faint glow of lights could be seen deeper into the basement.
As they made their way into the comparatively darker archives, the library took on a more claustrophobic feeling. The archives were protected by layers of stone, so the hallways became more akin to tunnel corridors compared to the spacious first floor.
This didn't settle well with Bolgmon, who became uneasy as he reached the bottom of the stairs. The dark walls seemed to constrict around him as he stared down the long, dark, abyssal hallway, lit by only a few glow stones. His claustrophobia began to flare up, and his treads stopped short of rolling forwards. "I… I think I'll wait here…" he said to Blitzmon.
Blitzmon stopped, looked over his shoulder, and gave Bolgmon a look. "Come on, Bolgmon. I need your help," he told him in slow, deliberate words that emphasized the underlying meaning.
Bolgmon cursed and reluctantly rolled forwards, ducking his head and tucking his four arms against his chest uneasily. "Why the hell is this place like a cave or a dungeon or something?"
"It's to protect the most important pieces of a literature should there ever be structural damage from an earthquake or an attack," the Sorcerimon explained. "Is it a problem?"
"He doesn't like confined spaces. Bad childhood experience," Blitzmon answered, proceeding forwards resolutely. "Where is the codex kept?"
"At the end of the hallway. It has its own room," the white mage informed him. "We keep it under lock and key. I hope you don't mind me accompanying you while you study. It's just library policy."
"Not at all," Blitzmon calmly answered. As he walked, he eyed the key ring jangling from the Sorcerimon's hip. There was a glint in his green eye.
"We'll make sure to take good care of it…"
Back in Castle Albion, war preparations continued like clockwork. The Order of the Royal Knights continued to drill and prepare for the inevitable war with the Demon Lords. The newest batch of recruits, in particular, was being put through hell.
Their training was pretty much non-stop as the senior officers attempted to get them up to the Order's standards as quickly as possible. Normally, the training would be a long, methodical process, but the fact of the matter was that the Royal Knights didn't have time. They needed more soldiers to replace the ones that they lost during the Metal War. It was an unfortunate necessity of having to deal with the Demon Lords so soon after fighting the Metal Empire. Luckily for everyone involved, most of the recruits had prior military experience, so it wasn't nearly as challenging as training mercenaries and fighters into a professional army from the ground up.
Apart from that, the Royal Knights continued to plan their campaign, as well as keep themselves in peak physical condition.
One of those Royal Knights, Gankoomon, was taking a break. He, too, was training himself in preparation for the conflict.
Unfortunately for the Strike Force recruits, he had spent the morning working on his leadership skills. This meant that he was in charge of training the poor recruits. Even more unfortunately for them, Gankoomon was very experienced as a sensei, a fact that SaviorHackmon could fully testify. Something else that SaviorHackmon could testify was that Gankoomon was something of a passionate teacher.
…Which is to say that Gankoomon was the drill instructor from hell. He didn't just train the recruits; he drilled them into the ground. He made them run obstacle courses in full armour with weighted packs. He forced them to wade across the shallow part of the nearby Dawn River. He ordered them to climb up and down the tallest hill in Splendor's Reach twenty times. Then he made them march back and travel east along the river to the coast of the Net Ocean. There, he had them run up and down the beach. He picked on SaviorHackmon especially, forcing him to carry one of the recruits that fainted from exhaustion. It was only a few minutes after that SaviorHackmon soon collapsed from exhaustion himself. Several other soldiers did the same or lost their breakfast, all under the angry yelling and swearing of the red-haired Royal Knight.
Satisfied with his work, Gankoomon walked back to the castle and told the Medical Division to go and see to the bedraggled recruits. As the first aid teams rushed off, Gankoomon decided to have a break inside the castle.
Gankoomon leaned against one of the marble pillars of the foyer. Standing alone in the octagonal junction, the humanoid Royal Knight relaxed and took the pressure off of his legs by pushing back against the tall column.
Gankoomon's throat hurt from all the shouting and insulting, so he decided to have a smoke.
He reached into his pocket and took out a wooden box that contained his kiseru pipe, as well as a smaller box of kizami tobacco. As he began taking out the hair-like strands of tobacco out and started preparing them in his palm, he heard the soft, methodical tempo of footsteps coming from the hallway behind him.
With the pipe in his mouth, he began to stuff the ball of tobacco into the pipe's bowl. As he rooted around for a match, the sound of footsteps stopped behind him and he heard the clearing of a throat.
"Ahem…" a voice sternly challenged.
Gankoomon's mustached mouth flattened at the familiar voice. He turned his head only slightly. To his irritation, he spotted Duftmon standing behind him. The feline tactician's arms were folded and his sharp, green eyes were tight with disapproval.
"Gankoomon… I do hope that you are not about to smoke indoors yet again," Duftmon accused crossly.
"None of your business, neko-chan," Gankoomon offhandedly responded, turning away.
Duftmon's eyes narrowed further, if that were possible, and his tail flicked irately. He marched up to Gankoomon so that he was standing directly in front of him. He turned woodenly to face him. "Smoking indoors is absolutely not tolerated," he informed him categorically. Duftmon took a napkin out of his pocket and placed it over his hand before he reached up and pulled the pipe out of Gankoomon's mouth.
"Hey!" Gankoomon protested as a strand of saliva that was connected to the end of the pipe broke and fell on his chin. He reached out and tried to grab the pipe away from Duftmon's hand, but the nimble leopard knight side-stepped gracefully and held the kiseru behind his back. "Damn it, cat!"
"Hmph," Duftmon defiantly huffed. He took a step back and stared into Gankoomon's visor. "Such an undignified hobby is not befitting of a Royal Knight. Not only are you subjecting others to noxious smoke, but you are damaging your own lungs. Normally, I would not care if you destroyed your respiratory system, but as you are a Royal Knight, you are expected to be in peak physical condition at all times. This disgusting habit of yours is as bad as drinking alcohol. Not to mention the fact that your jacket constantly smells of offending tobacco smoke. It makes attending meetings with you even more of a chore than usual."
Gankoomon rolled his eyes as he was subjected to Duftmon's lecture. He released an annoyed growl and tried to reach around the slender Royal Knight. When Duftmon proved too agile to catch, Gankoomon crossed his arms and scowled passionately. "Gragh! Fine! I'll smoke it outdoors. Happy now?"
Duftmon stared at him with a bland, spiritless gaze. "No."
However, strategist pulled his hand from behind his back and offered Gankoomon back his pipe. The muscular Royal Knight snatched his pipe back indignantly while Duftmon wiped his fingers with the back of the handkerchief.
"Are you finished now?" Gankoomon asked, looking over the pipe to make sure it wasn't damaged. He stuffed it back in its box and proceeded to place it back in his pocket.
"Is it true that you drilled the Strike Force recruits into exhaustion this morning?" Duftmon inquired.
Gankoomon smirked proudly. "Yeah."
"You fool."
Gankoomon's smile soured. "What now? I was put in charge with training them and leading them and that's exactly what I did! Don't try to criticize my training abilities, because I'm one hell of an instructor! I know exactly how to get the most out of my students!" he defensively countered.
"Discipline is important, I agree," Duftmon conceded. "However, even the most durable of the recruits are now exhausted. I don't care that they are tired, but you have exhausted them to the point that they are completely useless for the remainder of the day. The rest of that time could have been spent training them in tactics, logistics, and other important fields. You have wasted precious time."
"I was pushing them beyond their limits!" Gankoomon shouted, his voice echoing in the foyer.
"They are called limits for a reason. I know that you specialize in pushing past one's acceptable limits, but do try to think next time," Duftmon told him with the faintest hint of snark in his voice.
"I'll push past your boundaries alright," Gankoomon muttered through his toothy glower. He stood up straight and placed his hands on his hips, staring rivalrously at the cold tactician "…Well?! Any other problems?! Any other rules I've broken or norms I've breeched? Maybe you need help taking that sword out of your ass!"
"No, no I do not," Duftmon responded, not rising to it. "Apart from your crassness, I have no other qualms with your performance presently – and only presently. You would be wise to keep it that way."
"That sounds like a threat," Gankoomon growled, cracking his knuckles. "If you have a problem with me, then maybe we should settle this man-to-man." Gankoomon raised his fist for emphasis.
Duftmon glanced at Gankoomon's fist for a moment before looking back at Gankoomon with a bored expression. "I wouldn't waste my energy. We have far more important things that we need to be doing. Such as – I don't know – planning our campaign against the Demon Lords? I have far more pressing matters than squabbling with an ill-tempered, common ruffian like you. As do you, for that matter, or does your sense of perspective not reach beyond your own fists?"
Gankoomon's face seemed to tighten more and more as Duftmon spoke with thinly-veiled insults, the veins in his forehead nearly popping. "Why you…!" he simmered.
"You may think yourself some wandering, vigilante, folk hero like in the wuxia genre. I am sure that you are used to acting like some tavern brawler who cannot control his emotions and solves everything with violence," Duftmon coldly told him. "However, you are a Royal Knight now. We do not throw down the gauntlet over every little slight. We prefer to use words, instead of our fists. Try to act with a bit of decorum. We have an image to uphold."
With an air of cold superiority, Duftmon began to turn away. His movements were both stiff and smooth as he pivoted. "It's no wonder that your apprentice keeps giving us so much trouble. He must have had the brains beaten out of him," Duftmon muttered.
Gankoomon finally had enough. He reached out and grabbed Duftmon's shoulder. Tightening his grip, he spun the tactician back around so that Duftmon was facing Gankoomon's raging expression. "Say all you want about me, cat, but leave SaviorHackmon out of it!" Gankoomon challenged him. "You want to talk to me about decorum?! Only a coward like you insults people when they aren't around to defend themselves!"
Despite the physical shoving and Gankoomon's obvious ire, Duftmon was unperturbed. He merely stared at Gankoomon with a thin gaze before he reached up and lightly swatted Gankoomon's hand from his shoulder. "You are calling me a coward?"
"Damn right I am! I've seen you. All you ever do is hang around the back lines, telling other people what to do. You make other people do all the hard fighting for you, yet you still seem to think that you single-handedly win every battle," Gankoomon challenged.
"I come up with every strategy and I ensure that it is carried out to the letter," Duftmon defended. "Without tactics, combat would be a chaotic, haphazard, bumbling affair… as I am sure you know from experience. Field commanders are essential to making sure that the battle runs smoothly and that all the pieces are in the right places."
"Tch. 'Pieces'…" Gankoomon spat. "That's your problem. You haven't learned anything from your mistake, have you?"
At this, Duftmon was notably struck. He frowned and glared angrily at Gankoomon. "What are you babbling about? I have learned a great deal from that incident. I am doing everything that I can to make sure that something like that never happens again," he answered defensively.
Gankoomon grunted and began walking forwards. He raised a hand to push Duftmon out of the way so that he could storm past him. "Then try harder!" he huffily announced, folding his arms as he marched by.
Duftmon composed himself and fixed his armour, wiping away what he considered to be Gankoomon's grime. He turned and stared coldly at Gankoomon as the latter wandered off. "You are the one who has not learned anything. You do not have the slightest idea how to function as a team. You are nothing but an egotistical brute who mistakenly believes that he is better than those around him. You believe that being a 'down to earth' commoner somehow lends you some moral authority, when, in fact, you are bull-headed and arrogant," he chastised.
Gankoomon nonchalantly waved his hand over his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever, neko-chan," he dismissed, deciding that he was over the feline tactician.
As the red-haired Royal Knight strode out of the foyer, his white jacket flapping behind him, Duftmon looked on with silent disdain. "And do try to be on time for the strategy meeting this time," the brown leopard knight called after him.
Gankoomon merely waved his hand again and kept walking.
"…Hmph. What possessed Alphamon to hire him is beyond my comprehension," the tactician muttered.
Duftmon flicked his head, tossing his long, blond hair to the side, and let out a humph. He straightened his posture and strode out of the foyer with dignity in the opposite direction.
Little did either of the combative Royal Knights know, but they were being watched.
In the entrance hall, peering around the corners of the doorframe leading into the foyer, were Magnamon and Dynasmon. The two Royal Knights had been watching the action.
"We really should have stopped them…" Magnamon lamented, walking into the foyer and rubbing his neck.
"Are you kidding? Watching the uptight cat and hotheaded mustache going at it is turning into one of my favourite pastimes!" Dynasmon announced with a boisterous laugh. "Besides, everybody's stressed. Gotta vent somehow."
Magnamon smiled slightly and looked up at Dynasmon. "I'm not sure this is the most productive way. How do you vent?"
Dynasmon looked down at Magnamon and grinned. "Sorry, Magna. You have to be this tall to hear about my romantic exploits," he teased, holding his hand at level with his broad, armoured shoulders.
Magnamon inwardly bristled and stared flatly up at the large dragon man. "…By the way, you owe me fifty bits. You bet me that Gankoomon would deck Duftmon, and he didn't," he pointedly reminded him.
"…Damn it," Dynasmon muttered, visibly deflating. He sighed and reached into his armour pocket to pull out a bag of coins. "Yeah, yeah. Come on, Magna. Let's go get lunch."
The Knight of Miracles grinned and followed Dynasmon. The pair of Royal Knights proceeded to take the door of the left side of the foyer. They head down the adjacent to the cafeteria to refuel. They still had training to do before the war meeting later.
Magnamon at least hoped that Duftmon and Gankoomon would restrain themselves for the meeting. He didn't want to see any fighting in the war room…
Back in New Terminal, two hours had passed since Blitzmon and Bolgmon entered the vault room of the Timeless Library.
The room in question was located in the farthest reaches of the library basement. It was cold and musty, with only the faint aroma of paper adding to the dry air. The dim room was illuminated only by five glow stones, which hung from netted strings in the four corners and center of the room. The room was austere and bare. Rather than bookshelves, there were glass cases in which the most precious books were kept.
Blitzmon stood behind a marble lectern, one of three in the room. On top of the lectern was a massive doorstopper of a tome. The Yggdrasil Codex. It was a book that was ten centimeters thick. Its cover was hard and made of the purest, whitest marble. The pages showed hardly any signs of wear, and the edges of each alabaster leaf seemed to give off a faint, silver glow.
The insect man calmly scanned each page, occasionally, jotting down a few notes on the clipboard beside him. He was every bit the professional as he played the part of a scholar.
Meanwhile, Sorcerimon stood at the door of the vault. While nominally watching Blitzmon and Bolgmon, he trusted them enough that he simply used the time to read a novel. He doubted Blitzmon wanted him breathing down his neck as he studied anyways, so he did him the courtesy of staying out of his way as much as was allowed.
Bolgmon, however, was a different story. The large, cyborg tank sat in place right next to the door frame. He was very clearly on edge. He kept looking around nervously, and he kept his engine running, just in case.
He hated the waiting. Every ten minutes, he shot a meaningful glare at Blitzmon, urging him to hurry up. Each time, Blitzmon ignored him and continued his pretense. Bolgmon's eye was beginning to twitch, and he could barely keep himself from rotating his cannon arms. His body was hunched over and his broad shoulders were tense. His smaller pair of arms pressed together, fidgeting uneasily.
Bolgmon turned his cannon-armed head and leered at the oblivious Sorcerimon. He was seriously considering just zapping the mage so they could grab the book and run. The only thing stopping him was knowing that Blitzmon would tear him a new one if he did. Still, if he had to wait another five minutes in this cramped vault, Bolgmon couldn't promise that he wouldn't just knock out the Sorcerimon to speed the process out. Anything to get out of there.
"Ahem. Blitzmon…?" Bolgmon vocalized impatiently. He would be tapping his foot if he had any.
"Not yet. I'm still working," Blitzmon answered, using a special pair of tongs to turn the page of the codex so that it wouldn't be damaged.
Bolgmon felt himself beginning to panic. "But—"
"Sorcerimon!" a foreign voice called out from down the dim, basement corridor.
Sorcerimon looked up from his book and tipped his wizard hat back. "Hmm?"
He turned around to see a tentacle-legged alien squiggling down the hallway at an agitated pace. The vaguely humanoid Digimon had large, bug eyes and huge brain, contrasting with his skinny body. The Vademon hurried over to the Sorcerimon and stopped in front of him. "Sorcerimon, there you are! Dreadful news! You won't believe the rumour that I heard!" the librarian worker babbled swiftly.
"Pardon? What rumour?" Sorcerimon inquired.
"I heard that there is an army of demons is headed straight for New Terminal! I heard it straight from one of my friends in the military!" the Vademon hurriedly said. "If they attack the city, we must use this time to protect all of the books!"
"What?! Are you sure? But… This is terrible… You're right. We need to speak to the curator," the Sorcerimon agreed. He turned to Blitzmon. "Uh, I'm very sorry, sir, but… it seems as though there might be an emergency on our hands. We may have to close the library, so I'm afraid that…" He trailed off, hoping that Blitzmon would pick up on the unsaid words.
Blitzmon glanced at Sorcerimon and nodded. "Very well. I understand. The safety of the library is most important," Blitzmon complied, carefully closing the Yggdrasil Codex and carrying it back to its specialized glass case. After gently lowering the book inside and securely fastening the glass cover, Blitzmon turned around and walked over to the door.
"I'm sorry for cutting your research short," the Sorcerimon apologised. "Please step into the hallway while I lock the door."
"Finally!" Bolgmon sighed with relief, rolling out of the vault and into the corridor.
"Very well," Blitzmon complied. He stepped out into the dark hallway and glanced at the Sorcerimon. He caught sight of the metal key ring on the Sorcerimon's waist.
Sorcerimon picked up the ring and immediately picked the correct key for the vault doors. He closed the vault entrance and slotted the key into the steel hole, locking it shut with secure bolts. Sorcerimon then turned and reattached the key to his belt.
Blitzmon shot Bolgmon a sharp, meaningful look, which the impatient tank immediately caught onto. Bolgmon rolled his body in front of the Vademon to block his view, although making it seem like he was just trying to get past him.
Meanwhile, Blitzmon walked up to Sorcerimon and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Thank you very much, Sorcerimon, for giving me so much of your time," he told the mage, gently clutching his shoulder as he looked down at him. As he distracted the Sorcerimon, he slowly moved his other hand down towards the library worker's waist. "It means a lot to me to be able to read so much of the codex. It has really helped with my research."
"I'm very glad to hear that," Sorcerimon responded, smiling up at him, oblivious to Blitzmon's other movement. "When this situation gets resolved, you're free to come back."
"I appreciate that. I hope there isn't anything to this rumour," Blitzmon responded, snaking his hand down near Sorcerimon's hip, hovering a few inches away from the key ring. "I'm sure it's just a pocket of bandits from the Autonomous Expanse or something."
As Blitzmon spoke, he swiftly activated his magnetic field. Without moving his hand, the keychain suddenly detached from Sorcerimon's belt and shifted into his palm. Blitzmon grasped the ring with only a soft jangle and he immediately shifted his body, as if to turn around.
"Anyways, thank you for your time," Blitzmon said, using his pivoting body to shield Sorcerimon's sight from the keys in his hand. As soon as he turned around and saw that Bolgmon was still blocking Vademon's view, he quickly shifted the ring of keys inside his orange jumpsuit.
"Of course. I hope to see you again," the Sorcerimon replied, beginning to walk. He was unaware of the fact that he had just been pickpocketed.
Blitzmon strode up beside Bolgmon and gave him a wordless look. Bolgmon looked back at him and began rolling forwards. "So, back down this way?" the tank insect added innocuously.
"Just head straight until you see the stairs," the Sorcerimon told them.
Blitzmon nodded and walked ahead with Bolgmon. The pair of mercenaries continued down the length of the hallway, hearing the sounds of Sorcerimon's footsteps behind them. When they reached the stairs, Bolgmon nearly drove up the stairs in full gear. When he reached the light and open space of the first level, he sighed with relief. As the pair reached the main level, Sorcerimon said goodbye to them and walked off to locate the library curator along with Vademon.
When they were gone, Blitzmon released a gentle sigh of relief. "…Let's leave, Bolgmon. Before he notices that he left the keys," he told his comrade.
"So… You got it?" Bolgmon asked.
Blitzmon smirked and pressed his hand against his jumpsuit pants, creating a soft metallic jingle.
Bolgmon chuckled darkly. "Awesome! Let's blow this nerd fest and grab some food. I want to go to our favourite restaurant before the demons tear the place apart."
"Hm…" Blitzmon concurred softly. "It seems like they're making their move… We'll have to procure it swiftly, before they get here."
"Yeah, I guess so."
Blitzmon began to walk towards the exit, staring with cold, green eyes. "It's too bad… New Terminal was pretty much our second home after the attack… as shitty of a place as it was. Well… no point in getting sentimental. All things change and are destroyed eventually. All that matters is that we aren't among them. We just have to flow with the chaos and make sure we come out on top."
Blitzmon's eyes narrowed and he stepped out on the library and into fading afternoon. "Power… In this life, that's all that matters… It's the only way to stay alive."
GrandisKuwagamon sat under the shade of an old tree that had a thick, umbrella canopy. He had stopped at the tree a few hours ago to take a much-needed nap. However, he was rudely awoken from his slumber by the sounds of heavy marching. He was a very light sleeper to begin with, but the sound of an approaching demon army was enough to wake one from even the heaviest slumber, especially when Leviamon was with them.
The arrhythmic beat of walking demons had drawn GrandisKuwagamon's attention. He noted that he had slept long enough for them to catch up to him. They were continuing their southward march towards New Terminal, but they seemed to be slowing down.
The ebony insect stood up from the tree and looked around at the slowing army. They seemed to be stopping near where he was. The Demon Lords' carriages at the front had already come to a complete stop, prompting the army behind them to do the same. GrandisKuwagamon watched quietly as Lucemon, Bagramon, Lilithmon, and Barbamon stepped out of their carriages.
As the four emerged from the carts, Demon landed beside them, tucking his wings against his cloaked back. Leviamon ambled over from the side with his heavy, earth-shifting footsteps. The soft purring of a motorcycle engine hailed the final Demon Lord's arrival. Beelzebumon drove back from further down the grassy plain and came to a stop in front of the others. He let the Behemoth stand before sliding off the seat and sauntering over to the other Demon Lords.
GrandisKuwagamon just watched silently from beneath the shadow of the tree as the Demon Lords started talking. He locked his eye with Bagramon, who nodded at the mercenary and acknowledged his presence. GrandisKuwagamon decided that he wouldn't butt into their talk. He knew that his place was that of a mercenary, so he didn't assume that he could just walk up to the Demon Lords when they likely looked down on him.
The chatter of the halted army kept him from being able to make out most of what they were saying, with the exception of Leviamon's booming voice.
"We can't wait around long. Patrols will find us," Leviamon spoke up, the reverberations of his chest strong enough to make the ground around them rumble.
"Just a couple hours rest. We can use this time to finely tune the assault plan," Barbamon spoke, tapping his staff on the ground.
"It will also give the soldiers a chance to rest," Lilithmon explained, placing her hands on her hips. "It would be poor management for them to be exhausted before we start the battle."
"It will be difficult to hold the element of surprise completely," stated Demon bluntly. "The best we can hope for is to conceal our plans until we get within five kilometers of the city. By then, they will be scrambling to put a defence together."
"Uh huh. Whatever," Beelzebumon offhandedly waved. "Will the Royal Knights be there?"
"Eventually," Lucemon supposed. "Ideally, not until after we capture the city."
"Either way works for me," Beelzebumon said, flicking his tail and turning away. "If youse guys are gonna talk strategy, I'm gonna go grab me a beer. Just fill me in afterwards."
"Yes, yes. You go and do whatever you want…" Barbamon muttered. He rolled his crimson eyes and waved Beelzebumon away with a sneer. "You won't add anything gainful to the discussion regardless."
"Yeah, love you too, Barbie," Beelzebumon mockingly answered. He smirked as he shrugged and wandered towards the back of Barbamon and Lilithmon's carriage. He opened up the tiny trunk that was beneath the back seat, and started fishing around inside of it.
GrandisKuwagamon's eye followed Beelzebumon with some curiosity as he broke away from the group. He was about to look away without another thought, but something caught his eye. Beelzebumon pulled out a case of beer. The dark insect perked up slightly, lifting his winged back from the barky tree trunk. The thirsty beetle stepped out from the shade of the tree and began walking across the grass.
Beelzebumon smirked and took a glass bottle from the straw-stuffed, wooden box. He admired the bottle in his hand and proceeded to flick the cap off with his long, silver claw. As the dark beer fizzed and frothed, the malty scent filled his nostrils. He grinned and raised the beer to his mouth, the glass lip of the bottle touching his lips and the alcoholic liquid pouring into his maw. He let out a sigh of relief and down a third of the bottle in a few gulps before pulling it away with a relieved gasp.
"Really? Shadow Weep Pale Lager? I know you've been locked away in the Dark Area for a long time, so your standards are pretty low, but I don't think even a Raremon would drink that piss," a sarcastic voice sounded out from behind the Demon Lord.
Beelzebumon cocked his eyebrow and wheeled around to see what the annoyance was. His three eyes locked on the familiar, scissor-faced body of GrandisKuwagamon. "…Who the hell asked you, Bugsy?" Beelzebumon answered with mild irritation. He raised the bottle of beer back to his lips and made sure to take a long, exaggerated gulp for emphasis.
GrandisKuwagamon smirked and walked over to the carriage cart and placed a hand on the smooth, metal frame. "Just thought I'd offer my professional opinion," he replied, looking at the Demon Lord.
"Tch. 'Professional' my sweet ass," Beelzebumon dismissively mocked. "I used to run a bar in the Sky Colonies back before we fell. I know what I'm talking about."
"…Yeah, you ran a juice bar on the Sky Colonies…" GrandisKuwagamon sardonically pointed out, leaning against the carriage and smugly folding his arms. "That's like saying a Meramon knows all about the ocean because he went on a boat once. Hey, did you ever have to kick an angel out because he got too unruly while on a sugar high?"
Beelzebumon smirked and stuck his tongue out at GrandisKuwagamon. "I've been around since before the Exodus too, dumbass. I've probably been drinking beer since before you were in diapers," he countered. "This pale lager has a smooth, crisp taste, loaded with hops and it's got a nice smooth finish."
"Pffft. What the hell? Did you read that off the bottle?" GrandisKuwagamon mocked. "Shadow Weep has absolutely no complexity. It's fine if you want watered-down, carbonated dinosaur piss that they cram into a bottle and call 'beer'. It's all hops and alcohol. It's got no depth."
"See, I think you've got something wrong with your taste buds, and I think it's from all the shit that's comin' outta your mouth, ya ignorant dung beetle," Beelzebumon fired back with a contentious smirk. "So, what's your beer of choice, Bugsy?"
GrandisKuwagamon grinned. "Easy. Either WarGreymon's Finest or Amber Honey E.S.B. If you want well-made, artisanal beer, those are some of the best."
"Tch, the latter one tastes too much like syrup. Not surprised a tree-sucking bug like you likes it. WarGreymon's Finest was alright, but I only got to try it a couple times, so I don't feel like I've got a real good handle on it. The porter I had was a too damn malty and didn't pack enough of a punch, but I'm guessing you like that frilly, dainty stuff," Beelzebumon contended.
"I like beer that tastes good. Getting drunk is a bonus," the insect replied simply. Without asking permission, he reached down and picked up one of the bottles of beers. He used his pincers to uncork the cap and began taking a long swig of the beer.
Beelzebumon stared at him. "First you're complaining about my beer and now you're drinking it!" he exclaimed. He folded his arms. "Did I say you could take one?"
GrandisKuwagamon smirked and took another sip of the potable liquid. "Can I take one? I'm thirsty."
"Tch… Whatever. Not like any of the others will want any. Lucemon, Bagramon, and Barbamon don't drink, Leviamon's too big for these bottles, and Lilithmon only drinks wine since, according to her, it's a 'classy lady's drink'," Beelzebumon said, making sure to add air quotes with his fingers.
"Speaking of Leviamon, how exactly are you guys supposed to launch this so-called surprise attack with a massive, red crocodile leading the way?" GrandisKuwagamon sarcastically asked. "I don't think you could be more conspicuous if you tried."
"Yeah, well, apparently Barbamon's got some plans for Fluffy there," Beelzebumon said, thumbing over to Leviamon. He smirked rivalrously at the obsidian insect before him. "Not that I can tell you. Confidential info and all that. Not supposed to share info with untrustworthy guys like you. Shit, what a shame."
GrandisKuwagamon rolled his eye and drank the beer. "It's not like I'm interested. I'm just here to do the jobs that Bagramon's paying me to do."
"So, you're workin' for ol' Bag o' Bones, huh? I guess he's your sugar daddy? Good to know where your loyalties lie," Beelzebumon teased, finishing off his bottle of beer in the process.
"My loyalty is to myself. I don't care about anybody else's plans or idealistic goals," GrandisKuwagamon explained matter-of-factly. "This is just a means to an end. If you guys need to attack New Terminal so I can get paid, that's just fine by me."
At this, the corners of Beelzebumon's mouth curled into a grin. It wasn't a smile of derision or humour, but one of approval. Maybe even respect… not that Beelzebumon would ever outwardly say so. "…Good ta know, bug butt. Least you're honest," Beelzebumon casually noted, reaching down to pull out another bottle of beer. "Now, be a pal and open this with your ugly face, will ya?" he added, shoving the bottle towards GrandisKuwagamon's pincers.
GrandisKuwagamon rolled his eye and cracked open the bottle with a smooth, refined twist of his mandibles. As he opened the beverage, he could see Bagramon walking around the side of the cart, heading towards him.
Moving with grace and purpose, Bagramon strode up to them. "Hello, GrandisKuwagamon," he greeted politely.
"Hey. How's the strategy meeting going?" the mercenary asked his employer, glancing past him at the five Demon Lords gathered around at the front of the army.
"Good. There isn't much more that needs to be said. We have a primary plan and a contingency plan," Bagramon explained. "We will attack the outer perimeter of New Terminal before sunrise. Then we will attack the city the following night."
GrandisKuwagamon frowned, but nodded. "Gotcha…" he answered. "What do you want me to do?"
"I have a job for you, actually," Bagramon informed him. "I need you to slip into New Terminal. The evening the day after tomorrow… As we are beginning our attack, I need you to infiltrate the northern gatehouse, neutralize the occupants, and open the gate. The gate controls are on the left hand side of the room. The soldiers will shut the gate once the military sees our gathered army, preventing us from easily breaching the city walls. Opening the gate would make entering the city far easier than attempting to scale and fly over the walls." Bagramon stared at GrandisKuwagamon carefully. "Can you do that?"
"Sounds simple enough…" GrandisKuwagamon deliberated. He closed his fist and met Bagramon's red eye with his own. "Yeah… I'll do it."
"Thank you…"
"When exactly do you want me to drop the gate?" the bipedal beetle asked Bagramon.
Bagramon smiled slightly. "You will know when the moment is right."
"It'll be hard to miss," Beelzebumon added with a snicker.
"Okay…? That's kinda vague, but I guess I'll take your word for it…" GrandisKuwagamon supposed, although he'd prefer they'd just come out and say it rather than making him guess.
Bagramon nodded. "Trust me…"
"Anyway…" GrandisKuwagamon put the bottle of beer down and stepped away from the demon lords' carriage. "I guess I'd better head there now."
"Aww, and we'll miss you so much," Beelzebumon sarcastically bemoaned, a toothy grin still stuck on his face.
"Very well. Good luck, GrandisKuwagamon," Bagramon told him.
"Later, Bagramon," GrandisKuwagamon said, already beginning to beat his orange wings at rapid speeds. He turned his head and glanced sideways at the Demon Lord of Gluttony. "See ya, you three-eyed fat ass."
"Tch," the lithe demon man hissed in amusement. "Whatever. Try not to run with that scissor face of yours. You'll trip and stab your one eye out. I need you in one piece so we can have that rematch, got it?"
"Aww, it almost sounds like you're worried about me," GrandisKuwagamon ironically teased the Demon Lord.
Beelzebumon rolled his trio of eyes and took a step back as GrandisKuwagamon began rising off the ground. The rapid fluttering of the x-shaped wings caused the grass beneath them to flatten out from the steady gust of air. The deep, rhythmic buzzing noise of GrandisKuwagamon's wings filled the air and began to annoy Beelzebumon. The drone of his motorcycle was way better, in his opinion.
The obsidian beetle man lifted himself into the air and started ascending into the sky without another word. He rose above the massive body of Leviamon and continued upwards. Once he was a few dozen meters off the ground, he glanced down at Bagramon and the six gathered Demon Lords.
He could feel their drive, their ambition, and their malevolence. Just being around the Demon Lords, he felt affected by their negative energy. Their actions and bodies seemed to ooze with their respective sins. It left him with the lingering sensation of vice and discomfort. He felt ill-at-ease with himself. Being around Beelzebumon made him feel more hungry and thirsty than he had been, and not just for sustenance either. However, he didn't feel as if his mind was being controlled or manipulated. He didn't feel the need to gorge himself of anything. Although the Demon Lords were the embodiments of sin, GrandisKuwagamon assumed they were talented enough to control their powers.
Even so, he felt uncomfortable with most of them. He supposed he was glad that he was just working for Bagramon. Still… something was niggling at his insides. A sense of uneasiness stirred within him.
GrandisKuwagamon turned and began flying away from the temporarily halted army of demons. He started speeding through the sky, like a black comet against a sea of obfuscating grey.
He ignored all distractions, both internal and external. He was a professional mercenary and he had a job to do. He would see it through until it was completed. He didn't care if it meant that the Demon Lords had to attack New Terminal. It was the place where he grew up, but it was not his home. He had no home. He had no more connections, no bonds, and no obligations. He only had to care about himself. Everybody else was an afterthought. He didn't care what he had to do, so long as he was in control of his own fate.
GrandisKuwagamon continued speeding through the sky, making a direct flight for New Terminal.
He was so focused, that he didn't notice the crimson body hidden in the thick blanket of clouds overhead. The winged figure made a pass over the demon army before wheeling around and speeding off, undetected…
After a long journey, Zero ARMS: Grani descended from the clouds, plummeting towards the stone fortress that was Castle Albion. Like a crimson homing missile, the Zero ARMS glided over the castle walls before making an adept right turn above the courtyard road. He decreased his speed in order to ensure the safety of others, but Grani moved with pressing urgency.
Sparrowmon spotted the Captain of the Reconnaissance Forces zipping towards the castle and immediately recognised the seriousness of the situation; Grani was flying slightly over the castle speed limit. Sparrowmon knew something was wrong.
"Captain Grani, Sir!" the scout called out, flying from the gate to the main road on a trajectory that would intercept him.
The crimson captain slowed down upon seeing the golden jet Digimon fly over to him. Grani tilted his body upwards so that his wings dragged against the air, slowing his speed. He stopped at the entrance of the headquarters' main building. "Sparrowmon, good. Where are the Royal Knights?" Grani questioned, his voice as calm as ever, although slightly hurried.
"I think that they're in the war room, Captain. Um, permission to ask what's wrong?" the subordinate scout tentatively asked.
"There isn't time. It is urgent," Grani answered, turning his eyes towards the two Digimon standing on guard outside the entrance. "Please, open the doors. I require entrance swiftly. Thank you," Grani swiftly told the pair.
"Yes, Sir!" the pair of Knightmon obeyed, opening the doors for Grani. The pair of doors swung open with succinct unison, allowing Grani the access that he needs.
Grani's sapphire eyes turned to meet those of his junior scout, inwardly causing Sparrowmon's insides to melt. "Sparrowmon, I need you to find Leftenant MailBirdramon immediately. Can you do that for me?" he asked.
"O-Of course," Sparrowmon stammered in rapid reply. "Right away, Captain!"
"Thank you," Grani spoke before wasting no more time. He sped inside the entrance hall and swept into the foyer. Upon reaching the wide, octagonal room, he took a hard left turn and glided down the spacious hallway until he reached the corner section at the very end. Finding the staircase he was looking for, he angled his avian body and ascended to the third floor of the castle.
It didn't take Grani long until he reached the war room. Due to the sound-dampening walls and doors, he wasn't able to hear the Royal Knights inside, but he knew that they were in there. Grani hovered forwards and used his stubby, claw-like arms to knock as hard as he was able to.
After a few seconds, the door unlocked and swung open. Grani looked up to see Sleipmon on the other side of the doorway, gazing at him curiously. "Hello, Grani," Sleipmon greeted with a smile. "Have you come to join the meeting? I thought you were out on patrol all day."
"Hello, Sleipmon. Pardon me, but I have urgent news," Grani responded, hovering in place but floating slightly forwards in the hope that he could enter.
Sleipmon tilted his head quizzically, but he nodded and stepped aside, allowing the Zero ARMS to enter. As Grani floated into the war room, he saw the twelve Royal Knights, Ouryumon, and Knightmon standing around the three dimensional map table. They were in the process of planning their campaign to the Gloaming Fields.
Dukemon cocked his eyebrow and stood up from the table, placing his hands on the edge. "Grani? What's up?" he asked his friend, surprised to see him back so soon from his patrol.
"…I have a troublesome report," Grani ominously revealed. He hovered closer. "It was serious enough that I had to rush back here."
Alphamon frowned as a sense of unease began to permeate the room. He walked around from behind the table and stared at the Zero ARMS. "Please, tell us, Grani."
Grani nodded his head slightly and sighed. "Very well…" He looked around at the Royal Knights, but his eyes ultimately landed on Alphamon. "As I was making my way north for my patrol, I came across something disturbing. I saw a sizeable demon army heading south through the Republic of Node with the Demon Lords at the helm…" He stared at Alphamon seriously. "I believe that they intend to attack New Terminal."
Alphamon's golden eyes widened just slightly, the shock of the news cutting deep into his body. "That's…" he whispered, stunned.
New Terminal. The place that he called home. The place where his adoptive parents live. The thought that it was in danger of being attacked caused his stomach to feel like a sinking weight.
"What?!" Ouryumon demanded violently, clenching his clawed fists and straightening his body to full height. His gnashed his dagger-like teeth together at the news that his and Alphamon's home was in danger.
"It can't be…" Magnamon exclaimed with shock and concern.
Alphamon's stare hardened with a gentle flicker of red behind his yellow irises. "Grani… How far away are they?" he demanded.
"When I located them, they were sixteen and a half kilometers from the city of New Terminal, give or take a few hundred meters," Grani precisely enumerated.
"What is the combat strength of their army?" Duftmon calmly asked, processing the news and already beginning to adapt his plans.
"I did not have the time to take an exact tally, but the army seems to be three thousand strong. Most of them are Adult and Perfect level Digimon, with about forty Ultimate level Digimon acting as the senior officers," the leader of the Reconnaissance Forces explained. "Additionally, six of the Demon Lords were present, with the exception of Belphemon."
"Damn it…" Dukemon growled. His fingers gripped the edge of the table tightly.
"We should have pursued them back in Cathode Tundra. I shouldn't have allowed them to regroup," Omegamon bitterly berated himself.
"Might not have made a difference," UlforceVeedramon insisted. "Let's focus on what we can do to stop them."
"Yeah, what should we do, Alphamon?" Dynasmon questioned, looking at the black Royal Knight.
Alphamon took a deep, centring breath and gently closed his eyes. "…What else?" Alphamon rhetorically posited, stroking his chin between his thumb and index finger. "We are the Royal Knights. We must defend New Terminal and stop the Demon Lords at all costs."
"Damn right," Gankoomon agreed, punching his opened palm with his fist.
"Very well," Duftmon concurred, sighing and placing his hands on his slender hips. "I suppose we will have to scrap our plans for the moment, then."
"How do we want to do this? Do we head to New Terminal with our army as soon as possible?" Craniamon proposed, folding his arms and staring at the others gravely.
Duftmon shook his head, causing his long, blond hair to swish back and forth. "That would not be a feasible course of action," he argued. "Grani said that the Demon Lords were only sixteen and a half kilometers away from New Terminal. Assuming that they travel all night, they could reach New Terminal by tomorrow. Even if we set out immediately, the Strike Forces and the Defence Forces would not arrive until after the Demon Lords have. By that point, the city may already be under siege, or even infiltrated. The Republic of Node's military is strong and the walls of New Terminal are heavily fortified, but with six of the Demon Lords present, they might very well collapse under the supremacy of the Demon Lords."
"So… In the worst case scenario, New Terminal might collapse before we even get there," Dukemon said with a deep frown.
"If Barbamon is as talented of a strategist as our records say, then it is a possibility," Duftmon responded, folding his hands on the hilt of his rapier.
"So, what we need is to buy enough time for our reinforcements to arrive there," Alphamon spoke firmly and decisively, sounding as though he had an idea himself.
"What do you have in mind?" RhodoKnightmon questioned, turning his pink, helmet-clad face towards Alphamon.
"I would like to lead an advance team to New Terminal," Alphamon explained, looking around at the Royal Knights. "A small but powerful team would be swifter than sending our entire military in bulk. A few Royal Knights would be swift enough to arrive in New Terminal before the Demon Lords do. We would augment the defences of the Republic's military, and we could slow down the assault of the Demon Lords long enough for the rest of you to arrive and reinforce the city."
"Hmm…" Duftmon mused, his brows lowering as he weighed the merit of Alphamon's idea. "That may not be a terrible course of action…"
"It could be risky, going up against six Demon Lords with a small group," Examon debated, thinking it was worth pointing out the potential dangers.
"We would be focusing on the defence of the city," Alphamon assured the large dragon knight. "I also would like to meet with the Council of Seven so we can coordinate our response. I'm not sure they even know that they are under threat from the Demon Lords. It's important that we work with them. I also still intend to visit Bagramon's hut…"
"Very well," Duftmon agreed. "Alphamon, you will go ahead with an advance team. Captains Ouryumon and Knightmon, brief the Strike Forces and Defence Forces on the situation and prepare them immediately."
"Wait a second, I'm going with Alphamon," Ouryumon stubbornly declared. He turned his snout and gazed into Alphamon's eyes, revealing to him his determination.
Duftmon's emerald eyes narrowed and stared at Ouryumon. "I refuse," he bluntly stated.
"I wasn't asking you, kitty," Ouryumon fired back at the leopard knight. "New Terminal is my home. I'm going to make sure that it's okay!"
Duftmon glared at him. "You are the Captain of the Strike Forces, not a Royal Knight. You are supposed to be a leader. Act like one. Lead the Strike Forces like you are supposed to."
Ouryumon snarled and took a step towards Duftmon. "I wasn't—"
"Ouryumon can come," Alphamon spoke with a sigh. Upon seeing Duftmon already reacting with protest, Alphamon explained himself. "As much as there are real, pragmatic reasons to form an advance team, part of me is being selfish. I'm going ahead to make sure that New Terminal is well-defended because it is my home. I cannot tell Ouryumon not to be selfish as well. …Besides, there is a chance that I may need him to form Ouryuken, should the tide of battle turn against us. That will be our trump card."
Duftmon was swayed more by Alphamon's last point than any of his other ones. "I… see…" he reluctantly conceded the point. "…Very well, I will allow it. However, I expect the Strike Forces to have a reliable and well-informed replacement." He looked pointedly at Ouryumon. "You are not simply allowed to be Captain of the Strike Forces because you are Alphamon's friend."
Ouryumon snarled and glared back at Duftmon. "I know that!" he protested. "I'll make sure that Grademon is ready."
"Great. So, who else is going?" Dukemon asked, looking at Alphamon.
Alphamon looked around the room at the various eyes that were fixed on him, awaiting his reply. "Examon, UlforceVeedramon, I'd like you to come with me."
"Understood, Alphamon," Examon agreed, nodding his horned head.
"Sounds good to me," UlforceVeedramon readily accepted.
"I also want to bring a squad of Strike Forces, particularly those from New Terminal, like Paildramon and the Greymon Five," Alphamon stated. "They're familiar with the Republican army, so they can be a bridge between our two forces."
"I'll go talk to HippoGriffomon and Grademon," Ouryumon said, his violet eyes already drifting towards the door. He was eager to leave and get moving.
"Very well. The rest of us shall prepare with the Strike Forces and Defence Forces," Duftmon proposed. "Grani, I would like three teams of scouts to accompany us as well."
"Wait a second," a gruff voice interrupted. Gankoomon strode around the planning table and stepped up to Alphamon. "I'm going too."
Duftmon turned and cast a vaguely irritated leer in Gankoomon's direction. "You do surprise me…" he sarcastically spoke.
Alphamon stared down at the red-headed knight. He was able to clearly identify Gankoomon's stubborn and intense demeanour. He had come to know Gankoomon well enough to know when he wasn't going to back down on something. "Gankoomon, that isn't necessary. Three is plenty," he attempted anyway.
"Alphamon is correct," Duftmon agreed. "You do not get to go simply because you wish to pummel things".
"I'm not asking permission, Alphamon. If you're going to go, three won't be enough against six Demon Lords," Gankoomon plainly stated. He folded his arms and stared adamantly at Alphamon. Even with his visors on, Alphamon knew the tenacious and uncompromising look that was in his eyes.
Alphamon sighed but smiled slightly. "Very well, Gankoomon. Then that's the team."
Duftmon merely sighed and shook his head. "Do try to keep him under control, Alphamon…"
"Damn it," Craniamon grunted, annoyed that he didn't speak up sooner. "I should have said something…"
Gankoomon smirked at both Duftmon and Craniamon. "Better luck next time, Craniamon. I'll try to leave some demons for you to fight," he teased the violet Royal Knight.
Alphamon looked around at Examon, UlforceVeedramon, and Gankoomon. "We have an hour to prepare, but we can't waste more time than that. Ready your weapons and speak to who you need to speak to. Meet me at the front gate," he told them.
The three Royal Knights nodded.
"The rest of us will organise the logistics and prepare the forces for battle," Duftmon told the others. "We will leave at midnight."
There was an affirmative response from the Royal Knights and Captains around the room.
Alphamon nodded. "We will see you in New Terminal," he told them, turning towards the door.
"Good luck. Be careful," Omegamon said to them. He stared at Alphamon, but his professionalism masked his concern. He trusted them to stand their ground against the Demon Lords.
"We will," Alphamon assured them, glancing over his broad, caped shoulder.
The black armoured Royal Knight turned forwards and strode out of the war room without another word. He strode down the hallway, his soft paces intensifying into a determined stride.
As he walked, his calm, professional demeanour faded. He closed his fists into tight balls, and he stared ahead of him, his eyes flashing red.
"New Terminal… I will not allow it to fall. I will not allow the Demon Lords to do with my home whatever they please… On my honour as a Royal Knight, I will not fail…"
Alphamon knew that if New Terminal fell, there would be a massacre. He remembered the carnage and brutality that the Demon Lords caused in the Heavenly War. Failure was not an option. The wreckage of Sky Colony: Empyrea was the only reminder that he needed.
He wouldn't let the same fate befall New Terminal.
He wouldn't allow yet another calamity to happen under his watch.