(Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 43. Things are going to get worse before they get better, folks. Well, enjoy!)
Chapter 43: Siege
The vicious screams of battle pierced the night sky. The smoky clouds flickered and glowed as beams, explosions, and infernos swelled beneath them. It wasn't the moonlight that lit up the darkness, but the conflagration of war.
New Terminal was under attack. As Leviamon wreaked havoc from the Fountain River on the center of the city, the main assault was ordered.
With the gates now open, the Demon Lords' army launched a frontal assault on the city. Beelzebumon and Demon both led the charge, the former ripping across the road towards the city gates, and the latter soaring swiftly through the night sky. Behind Beelzebumon, the legion of ground-based demon Digimon charged in a wedge formation towards the gates. Meanwhile, the Demon Lords' aerial troops followed behind Demon in a staggered formation with gaps between them. This was so that they could both fire their attacks and dodge those of the defenders more easily.
As the throng of demon Digimon sped towards the walls of New Terminal, the defenders of the city were ready. The parapets ignited with the flashes of Digimons' abilities. The Republican soldiers manning the walls opened fire, launching beams, blasts, arrows, bombs, bullets, rocks – whatever ranged attacks that they had, at the charging army.
Likewise, in the courtyard and streets beyond the gate, the long-ranged division began a mass bombardment over the walls. The vanguard of the Republic's military, augmented by the Royal Knights, encircled the mouth of the gates. There was an attempt to close the gates, but at this point it was deemed pointless since they couldn't lock it. The decision was made to proceed to the next step: to make the gate into a chokepoint where they could cut down the demons as they made it through.
In the skies overhead were the Republic's aerial divisions, whose job it was to engage and intercept the enemy aerial troops to keep them from bypassing their defences. If the demons were able to fly over the walls, they would be able to flank and bombard the ground troops. The aerial divisions launched preliminary attacks on the demon flyers, while also making sure that they didn't get in the way of the bombard division's trajectory.
The fear was palpable among the Republic's soldiers, but they were professional and they were determined. They wouldn't let the Demon Lords destroy their capital while they still stood. Their morale was helped by having a confident and stable leadership, as well as by having the Royal Knights around.
Gankoomon stood in the courtyard, cracking his knuckles and rolling his neck as he eagerly anticipated the Demon Lords' arrival. Hinukamui rose up from Gankoomon's shoulders and snarled as he awaited a good fight.
Alphamon flew in the air above the gates alongside Ouryumon. He stared ahead and spotted Demon flying right in his direction. He could also see Beelzebumon speeding down the Grand Highway towards the northern gate. Additionally, the knight was painfully aware of Leviamon wreaking havoc far behind them. That was three out of six Demon Lords accounted for. He didn't know if Lucemon, Lilithmon, or Barbamon would be taking part, but he had to assume that they would be in some capacity.
He glanced over his shoulder briefly. He could spot the crimson scales of Leviamon in the distance, launching beams, geysers, and appendages into roads and buildings. Their priority was the defending the northern walls, but they couldn't allow Leviamon to go unchallenged. He would tear apart their rear guard at this rate. The kraken had to be dealt with.
"…You!" Alphamon shouted, pointing to a nearby Harpymon. "Go find UlforceVeedramon over on the right flank! Tell him that he needs to withdraw and focus on Leviamon! Hurry!"
The winged bird woman nodded and flew off in a burst of speed, disappearing over the roof of a building.
Alphamon turned back and stared at the advancing Demon Lord of Wrath. Narrowing his eyes, he extended one hand in front of him and built up green energy within the gem in his palm. Meanwhile, he reached his other arm sideways, creating a magical circle in the air beside him that was as tall as he was. He reached into the rotating portal of sigils and runes, and drew the holy sword of light, Seiken Grad Alpha.
Ouryumon spun the Gairyu scimitars in his hands, shaking out the tension in his hands as he leered at the oncoming army. "This is do or die," the golden dragon general said, glancing over at Alphamon. He squeezed his swords tightly. "…If it's the latter, I want to say—"
"It won't be," Alphamon interrupted, not turning his gaze away from the army. "Don't talk like that. It's not like you," he firmly said. After a moment, Alphamon briefly spared Ouryumon a wry look. "…Besides, it's a death flag."
Ouryumon smirked and chuckled. "Fine," he conceded. He rolled his neck, popping his stiff joints. Then, he stared forwards at the mass of demonic enemies with an excited grin on his face. "In that case, I bet I can down more of these ugly bastards than you can."
Alphamon smiled fleetingly. "Just focus on leading the offence. Hold them back, but know when to retreat. We'll reserve Ouryuken for the absolute worst case scenario," he explained. "And be careful."
"You too."
The leader of the Royal Knights nodded in response to the Captain and kept his eyes fixed firmly ahead.
The demons were coming. It was a matter of minutes until they would close the distance. He carefully kept tabs on the rows of bonfires that lined the perimeter, serving as distance markers. He watched as Beelzebumon passed the second row of fires. It was another ten seconds before Demon and first row of his legion followed suit.
Alphamon raised his glowing blade high above his head, forcing it to shimmer brilliantly in the night sky.
From the roof of a tall building on the far side of the courtyard, Gaioumon saw the glow in the night sky and nodded sagely. The strategist knew the signal. He connected the hilts of his Kikurin swords and drew an incandescent arrow against the drawstring of light that formed between the tips of his katana. He took careful aim…
"Rinkageki!"
With the skill of a professional archer, Gaioumon fired the arrow of light high into the sky, exactly where he wanted it to sail. The glowing arrow, upon reaching its apex, suddenly exploded with phosphorescence. It became a flare for all to see, signalling the various ranged troops.
"Fire!" Alphamon shouted.
The courtyard erupted with blasts and exhaust as the soldiers began launching their attacks over the wall into the ranks of the demons. Shells, cannon balls, rocks and missiles were hurled over the walls towards the oncoming demons. The largest Digimon in the intersection, a Deckerdramon, began unleashing a devastating barrage of missiles from the plethora of missile ports on its back.
Examon saw the flare from his vantage point high in the clouds. As soon as the arrow reached its zenith, the draconic Royal Knight wasted no time. He took careful aim and pulled the trigger of his gun-lance. "Pendragon's Glory," he calmly spoke.
A thick, emerald beam tore from the tip of the Ambrosius and pierced through the night sky, lighting up the clouds around him like a flash of lightning. The beam shot down towards the prime target: Demon.
Demon looked up and glowered when he saw the beam falling towards him. As the pillar of light barrelled down at daunting speeds, he hurled his body to the side. He just managed to fly out of the way just in time. The beam roared past Demon and pierced through the head of his SkullSatamon junior officer behind him. The skeletal demon was consumed by the crushing blast, as was the WaruMonzaemon who was running on the ground beneath him.
The Demon Lord of Wrath merely grunted and continued soaring for the city. "Spread out!" he commanded unflinchingly. "Keep moving and return fire!"
Examon's shot was merely the first of a volley. A barrage of shells, bombs, missiles and other projectiles came hurdling over the walls. Explosions began ripping through the advancing demon Digimon. Fiery explosions began erupting in the air and across the fields like the ground itself was opening up. The blasts shook the earth and ripped several of the demons apart, but the unholy horde was undeterred. In fact, it only spurred them on further.
The demons began launching their counter-barrage, hurling attacks at the walls and parapets of the city. The stone fortifications began to blossom with shadowy explosions, throwing a few of the defenders off of the wall and onto the streets. It was at this point that the aerial troops were in close enough range of each other to start hurling their attacks at each other.
"Digitalise of Soul!" Alphamon shouted, releasing a barrage of emerald energy from his hand that was able to fell a NeoDevimon, a Devidramon, and a Phantomon in one burst. After his barrage ended, Alphamon rushed forwards with his blade and began to cut the enemy flyers down with smooth strokes of light.
The ranged assault continued on both sides. Explosions rocked the sturdy walls and the surrounding fields. One particularly unlucky Porcupamon was thrown through the air by one of the explosions and landed into one of the bonfires, igniting his flammable body.
Beelzebumon continued leading the charge despite the explosions around him. He actually liked it. The heat on his body, the explosions sweeping through his hair; it got his blood pumping.
However, he soon heard the high-pitched whine of a falling missile that was too close for his comfort. Beelzebumon looked up to see a missile screeching towards him, falling exactly where he was going to be in a few seconds. The Demon Lord of Gluttony glowered and prepared to make a hasty turn, but he didn't think he could make it in time.
"Look out, Lord Beelzebumon!" a voice shouted from behind him. A Devimon threw himself in front of the missile, causing it to explode prematurely and obliterate the devoted demon to smithereens.
Beelzebumon grunted and raised an arm in front of his face as fire and pieces of flesh came raining down upon him. He continued driving on, counterbalancing on his skidding motorcycle beneath the powerful explosion. He looked over his shoulder towards where the former devil Digimon had been.
"Hey, thanks!" Beelzebumon casually yelled out. He looked at the amassed group of demon Digimon behind him, his smirk fading. "Now, none of you fuckers do that again! I'm a big boy; all that hero wannabe did was splatter my ride with bits of him! I just cleaned this baby! You guys just stay outta my way, ya hear?"
Beelzebumon revved the engine and began driving at full throttle. He expertly weaved around a blast that detonated in front of him. The Demon Lord of Gluttony ducked down and sped straight for the city gates. He spotted Gankoomon beyond the gates and smirked excitedly. "You look strong… and tasty."
Gankoomon glared at Beelzebumon and growled. Despite his passion and resolve, there was a trace of a grin on his lips. "Time to get fired up!" he shouted to all those who close enough to hear. "Hinukamui!" Golden flames erupted from his jacket and the energy dragon in question rose up with a thunderous roar.
Beelzebumon bore his smiling fangs and raced down the road. His boot pushed on the accelerator and he charged straight for Gankoomon. He entered the dead zone beneath the gate, momentarily spared from the bombardment. However, as soon as he passed under the fortified gates, Beelzebumon was met with concentrated fire from the defenders.
Gankoomon, blazing with raw, manly energy, slammed his foot down into the stone road. The area beneath his foot immediately cracked and the sheer force of his stomp sent the earth beneath blasting upwards in a miniature earthquake. He and Hinukamui both grabbed the edge of the massive slab of stone and pulled it up. "Chabudaaaaaiiii Gaeshiiiiiii!" he hollered, launching the chunk of road towards Beelzebumon as he passed through the gate.
As the giant stretch of street hurdled towards him, Beelzebumon gnashed his teeth together to keep from biting his tongue. He expected this would hurt as he didn't have anywhere to turn in the heavily defended choke point. Unless…
As the slab of rock flipped over, the front of it narrowed downwards, creating an incline. He saw an opportunity. Beelzebumon suddenly pulled the Behemoth up into a wheelie. With all of his force, he pulled the motorcycle off the ground, causing it to hop. He timed his jump perfectly; the front of the Behemoth impacted the incline and Beelzebumon began driving up it. Despite the pressure that it put on his bike's suspensions, he was able to drive up the surface of the rock and leap off, using it as a ramp.
He soared over Gankoomon's head, and as Hinukamui took a swipe at him, Beelzebumon unloaded a rapid fire Double Impact into the dragon's hand and body. The Demon Lord passed by the staggering dragon and landed on the ground behind him.
As Gankoomon spun around, he caught sight of Beelzebumon smirking at him cockily. The Royal Knight's blood began to boil.
"Catch me if you can, you red-headed loser!" Beelzebumon taunted him. The lithe Demon Lord began tearing the Behemoth through the crowd of defenders. As a Volcamon and SuperStarmon soldier lunged at Beelzebumon from each side, preparing to punch him at once, he merely pointed his shotguns outwards and blasted them away.
Gankoomon growled and began to go after him, but a cold voice beckoned to him.
"Gankoomon!" Gaioumon called out from the rooftop, having to yell over the sound of screeching missiles and revving engines. Despite everything, he calmly leered down at him. "Leave him and hold your position! The Demon Lords are attempting to disrupt our defensive lines! Don't play into his hands! Hold the line! Others will take care of him!"
Gankoomon growled and had a mind to protest, but he turned around and looked back out the opened gate. He could see the demons charging towards them. It would be less than a minute until they reached the walls and the entrance. As much as he hated to admit it, Gankoomon knew that the samurai strategist was right. They needed a Royal Knight at the front to stem the flow into the city. "Tch… Fine!"
Meanwhile, in the air, Alphamon hacked through the demon aerial troops, who were beginning to swarm the area in front of the wall. He swept his holy blade down in smooth, rapid motions that lit up the sky with traces of light. The Seiken Grad Alpha cleaved through the body of a Vamdemon like paper before he wheeled around and cut along a Devidramon. Alphamon then rushed forwards and hacked a Bakemon clean in two.
The Royal Knight felt movement behind him. The black paladin spun around to see a NeoDevimon lunging at him. The pale devil's long gangly arms were outstretched, and his electrically charged talons were ready to strike Alphamon's neck.
"Eiseiryuoujin!"
Before he could reach Alphamon, a mass of cutting energy struck the side of the abhorrent devil and sliced him asunder. As its remains fragmented, Alphamon briefly glanced to the side and saw Ouryumon in the sky, his scimitars glowing and smoking from the attack that he launched.
Alphamon nodded briefly in thanks, but that was the only second he could spare. As Ouryumon surged forwards and decapitated a Phelesmon in a fell swoop, the dark paladin meanwhile unleashed a flurry of beams from his left hand. These emerald lasers perforated the bodies of several Nightmare Soldiers who were swarming towards the gate. He blasted an Evilmon across the battlefield and riddled the bodies of a Youkomon, IceDevimon and Soulmon with burning, green holes.
Meanwhile, Examon continued raining down beams and shells onto the charging Nightmare Soldiers. He fired a beam that tore through the skeletal spine of a SkullMammon who began ripping at the walls with its massive tusks. He also launched an anti-personnel round that burst apart and began raining metal death down on the charging army.
The Royal Knights were extremely effective in stemming the advance of the Demon Lords. They could dispatch several low-level enemies at a time with little effort. They were nearly armies unto themselves.
However, as strong as they were, they were only individuals. There were more demon and undead Digimon storming the walls than they could deal with, and the Nightmare Soldiers began getting past them and storming towards the gates and walls. More than that, the Royal Knights were not the only immensely powerful Ultimate level Digimon who were fighting…
Demon snarled as he watched Alphamon dispatch more of his soldiers single-handedly. The Demon Lord of Wrath swept to the side with incredible speed and instincts, effortlessly dodging one of Examon's shells that shot down from the sky behind him. He could feel the wind of the shell as it passed by his horned head and exploded into the ground below.
"Duke Belial! Have your soldiers pin the sniper!" Demon commanded, turning his domineering gaze towards a BelialVamdemon general.
The BelialVamdemon had just unleashed a Pandemonium Flame from the demonic mouths on his shoulders. The burning beam exploded against the walls and melted away a large section of the stonework, along with three unlucky defenders. He obeyed and turned his demonic head towards his aerial legion. "Kill the sniper! I want his wings!" the massive, Ultimate level Digimon commanded, pointing towards the cloud that Examon last fired from.
A swarm of airborne demons began climbing towards the sky. Examon noticed the demons beginning to turn their attention towards him. Remaining as cool as ice, he took aim and began firing at them. "Pendragon's Glory…" he whispered. One beam tore through a LadyDevimon's chest, and another pierced right through a Vamdemon's head. However, they just kept coming.
Examon grunted as a Velgrmon and a Mephismon closed in on him. He fired a shell into the Velgrmon's wing at point blank range, but its armoured shoulder was enough to temper the blast. He had known that it would be only a matter of time before the Demon Lords closed in on him, but he had hoped he'd have more time to weaken their forces. Now that he was occupied in the air, the Nightmare Soldiers had more of a chance to breach the walls. He knew that he would have to retreat inside the city soon or else he'd be overwhelmed.
Examon stabbed his lance into the Mephismon's shoulder and then fired inside of him, blowing the goat demon's shoulder apart. However, his wings sent a sensation through his body and began acting on their own. They flapped powerfully and flew Examon to the side as a devastating pillar of hellish flames pierced the cloud from behind him. As the cloud data dispersed and the sentient Caledfwlch flew Examon towards New Terminal, he was able to see that the source of the attack was Barbamon.
Barbamon flew in the air, back towards the rear lines of the Demon Army. In his bony hands was the Death Lure staff, the head of which flickered with dark embers. "You are being a nuisance, Royal Knight," Barbamon spoke with a withering leer. "Don't stand in the way of me and my prize."
The crimson Royal Knight scowled as he set eyes on the Demon Lord of Greed. He was too far for him to fire at effectively, especially while retreating. However, he could tell just by looking at him that, despite his seemingly frail body, he was an extremely dangerous opponent. Examon flapped his wings and passed over the city walls, firing behind him into the pursuing Mephismon.
Meanwhile, Alphamon still hovered in the air in front of the gate. He coursed towards the BelialVamdemon who was readying another Pandemonium Flame attack on the city walls. He stabbed his blade into the forehead of the left shoulder cannon, which snarled and dripped with acidic saliva. However, it didn't have the effect that he hoped. The BelialVamdemon merely growled and lashed his arm out, throwing Alphamon back.
Alphamon grunted and caught himself. Sweeping his left arm out, he began pumping lasers into the BelialVamdemon's form. He caught sight of DORUgoramon slamming his flaming fists into BelialVamdemon's other side.
"DORUgoramon!" Alphamon shouted over to him, drawing the dragon man's attention. "We have to take this one down! He's strong! He'll lay waste to our defences!"
DORUgoramon fixed his eyes onto Alphamon. "I know that!" he fired back. "I'm—" His indignation was cut short and he reacted on reflex upon seeing a dark blur rushing towards Alphamon. "Look out!"
Alphamon turned, but it was too late. Demon, having previously shed his robes, was already upon him. He attempted to bring his sword up, but Demon struck like lightning. The Demon Lord of Wrath channeled his bale and drilled his oversized left hand into Alphamon's gut. His knuckles sparkled with magical dust before exploding with sheer kinetic energy.
The black warrior didn't even have time to double over before he was launched clear through the air at treacherous speeds. Alphamon was thrown into the stone wall of the gatehouse. His winged back impacted the exterior painfully, but slammed into it with such force that he didn't even stop. Alphamon's body crashed through the wall of the gatehouse, causing it to collapse, and he continued on until he burst through the opposite side of the room.
"Alphamon!" Ouryumon shouted, clashing swords with a SkullSatamon. He kicked the undead demon away and began retreating towards the walls. "Damn it. Back to the first line of defence! DORUgoramon!"
DORUgoramon grunted and complied, retreating back past the fortified walls, though not before unleashing a shockwave blast from his hands into the BelialVamdemon.
Alphamon's armoured body ached as he was thrown into the courtyard. He crashed to the ground with a painful impact, heavy fragments of the stonework smashing down around him.
Gankoomon punched the NeoDevimon that he was fighting into the wall and ran over to Alphamon to help him to his feet. "What the hell happened?!" he demanded, incredulous at seeing Alphamon take such a nasty blow.
"Ngh. Demon… Don't underestimate him…" Alphamon responded, collecting himself. The dark knight spread his sore wings and lifted himself off the ground again, rising up until he was at a height that he could look through the hole that Demon had created.
Demon stared back at him cruelly before turning to his army. "Now! Attack! We've breached their defences!" he commanded.
With that, demon Digimon continued flooding through the gates and over the walls with increased fervor.
Alphamon readied himself and narrowed his eyes. "Get ready!" he shouted to the defenders gathered on the walls and around the courtyard. He watched as the throng of Nightmare Soldiers poured through the breaches and into the outer reaches of the city. They had penetrated the city. There was no keeping them out of New Terminal now.
This was where things got chaotic...
"Here they come!"
The demons were pouring through the city.
Once they had fought their way out of the bottleneck at the northern gates, they began spreading out and attacking different points of the city. Leviamon and Beelzebumon were helping them along by disrupting their defences and attacking their rear lines. The Republic's defenders were scrambling to regain their foothold as the Nightmare Soldiers began spreading out throughout the northern districts of the city.
The demon plague swept down the streets and alleys, and they peppered the sky as they flew over the walls and buildings. The Republican army began to pull back and consolidate their position in the main road arteries around the northern edge of the city. They were desperate not to be outflanked by the Demon Lords. They tried to plug the holes in their lines with the help of the Royal Knights.
Paildramon found herself in the thick of the fighting. She barely had time to process the grief that she felt before the Demon Lords attacked the city. Losing her brother was still fresh in her mind.
However… rather than being distracted by such a life-tearing tragedy, it seemed to fuel her.
Where there should be pain and sorrow, there was only rage and vengeance.
Paildramon threw herself into the fighting. As soon as Leviamon emerged, she sprung into action. When the demons breached the walls and broke through the Republic's defences, she was there. Paildramon raced northwards until she found the first demon Digimon that she set eyes on. She plunged right into a platoon of aerial Nightmare Soldiers.
The over-sergeant completely forgot about the strategy. She forgot that she was supposed to be leading the Greymon Five. The devastation that she felt and the carnage around her made her myopic. She only cared about what was in front of her: and that was a snarling Devidramon.
The calm, professional serenity in her ruby eyes was long gone. All that remained was a crimson blood fury. Her pupils were shrunken with savage rage. Despite the pure anger that she felt, it wasn't immediately obvious. She didn't roar or cry or snarl. Her anger was like ice – smooth, cold, and biting to the touch.
Paildramon didn't even react as she plunged her wrist spike into the Devidramon's chin and up through his forehead. With a smooth swipe of her arm, she threw the body off and aimed the cannons attached to her hips. Her Desperado Blasters opened up with rapid fire bursts of light that lit up the night sky like fireworks. The beam bullets tore through a Devimon's body like paper.
Paildramon let out a second burst from her high calibre machine guns, shooting the devastating burst at an Astamon. The aristocratic demon managed to swerve out of the way, but one of the bullets clipped his bat-like wing. Faltering in the air, the Astamon snarled and raised his submachine gun to return fire.
"Wire Punch," she coldly murmured. Raising her left arm, she ejected the claws from her hands and sent wires shooting out that wrapped around the Astamon's arms. Then, she yanked the Astamon powerfully towards her - right onto her awaiting wrist spike. She released the cables from around his body and kicked the bleeding, gasping demon off of her.
A LadyDevimon glowered and circled around Paildramon from behind. "Damn you!" she hissed, transforming her long, gangly, blackened arm into a spear. She rushed towards Paildramon, intent on skewering her from behind.
Paildramon merely turned and pointed her right hand at the LadyDevimon. Without even looking, she fired her five claws from her hand and drilled them into the Lady Devimon's chest. As the impaled demoness screeched with pain and began to break apart, Paildramon merely looked forwards and aimed her guns at the Phantomon that raced towards her, attempting to cut her apart while she was distracted.
As the glowing scythe came down, she smoothly pivoted to the right and whispered, 'Desperado Blaster'. A rapid popping pierced the night air as she unleashed a long string of gunfire. The powerful beam bullets ripped the Phantomon apart into shreds of fabric. As she continued to fire into the night sky, the muzzle flashes intermittently illuminated her form like a strobe light. The brief flashes against her form revealed the cold, empty hatred in her eyes.
Paildramon moved like a machine. Cool, mechanical, and surgical. It was as if she emptied her mind of everything but her years of training and her combat instincts. If she was a machine, then wrath was her fuel. She was an avenging Fury. Her spikes and fingers became drenched in the dark red hue of blood and data particles.
"You bastards…" she whispered as she wrapped her wires around the bony throat of a SkullSatamon to hold him in place. "…will pay…" With her other hand, she made a finger gun and aimed it at the SkullSatamon's head. "…for what you did to him!" she snarled savagely and fired her claw straight through the bat sigil on the SkullSatamon's forehead, shattering his cranium.
Paildramon growled and ascended high into the sky. She saw a Boogeymon starting to fly away from her in order to regroup with other Nightmare Soldiers further behind them. She wouldn't allow this. "Wire Punch!" she shouted, starting to get more engrossed in her own fury and wrath. She fired her metal cables at him and managed to catch the Boogiemon's ankle. The dragon woman violently whipped the cables downwards, slamming the Boogiemon face-first into the stone street. As he crashed into the road with pain, Paildramon flew directly over him, pointing her cannons downwards. "Desperado Blaster!" she roared.
A storm of beam bullets rained down upon the hapless Adult level demon. Stone and flesh were riddled with positronic energy until only dust and data remained.
Paildramon's hip cannons were smoking and hot to the touch. As she glared down at the cloud of smoke and dust, she didn't notice one of the few remaining members of the demon platoon behind her. The Matadormon eyed her balefully and carefully positioned himself, so as to not alert her.
He pounced with agility and speed. "Thousand Arrows!" he said, unleashing the knives hidden under his sleeves. Paildramon spun around and noticed his attack. She quickly raised her gauntlet, managing to deflect two of the blades. However, one blade cut along her left bicep, and the other grazed her ivory wing. She winced in pain as blood began to ooze out of her fresh wounds, but she remained focused. The Matadormon tried to level a flying kick on her with his bladed foot, but she crossed her spikes in front of herself to deflect his attack.
As the Matadormon passed by her, he immediately spun around, preparing to fire another volley of knives at her. However, before his arms could move, he jerked slightly. The Matadormon's upper body suddenly separated from his legs, and both of his halves fell to the ground before bursting into data.
Paildramon frowned with confusion. That definitely wasn't her doing. It was then that she sensed a presence beside her. Seeing cobalt blue out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly swung towards the figure, preparing to stab.
"Hey, wait!" the figure said, holding his hands up.
Paildramon only stopped when she noticed that the figure was none other than UlforceVeedramon. Even then, she merely lowered her arm and observed him with annoyance. "I didn't need your help," she coldly informed him, turning away.
"Huh?" UlforceVeedramon wondered. "Oh. Yeah, I can see that," he noted, gesturing to the vestiges of the platoon that she nearly single-handedly took out. "Still, you're getting too far out. You should regroup with the others before you get surrounded."
"If I needed your advice, I would have asked for it," Paildramon told him, bristling at his interference.
UlforceVeedramon couldn't help but frown and turn towards her. He was stunned by Paildramon's uncharacteristic hostility and disregard for rank. He wasn't angry; he was more confused than anything. She was usually so calm, polite, and disciplined. He wondered if it was just the stress of the battle, but he knew that she always kept a cool head under pressure.
"Paildramon? What's gotten into you?" he asked, although looking around the area vigilantly for more enemies as he spoke. His wing muscles twitched as he flew in place; he couldn't hang around for long. "Did something happen? Aren't you supposed to be leading the Greymon Five?"
Paildramon merely glowered and tightened her fists. "I don't have time for your incessant questions. There's a battle going on!" she snapped. Without a word, she flapped her wings and began to fly away.
"Paildramon!" UlforceVeedramon exclaimed. He turned around and tried to grab her arm, but she roughly yanked her arm away, nearly catching UlforceVeedramon's palm with her Esgrima spike. "Wait! You're heading towards the enemy!"
"I already know that! Don't you think I can handle myself?!" she fired back, seething as she flew north, towards the thick of the fighting in the main square. "It may surprise you, but I don't need your protection!"
UlforceVeedramon scowled and turned towards her. "What are you trying to prove?!" he called after her. "Our defensive line is being overrun and we're pulling back to the second block! The Greymon Five are holding the line in the commercial district; go there instead! You're gonna fly right into Demon and the spearhead of his vanguard!"
Darkness shaded the deep crimson of Paildramon's narrow eyes. "Good…" she murmured.
"Paildramon! Over-sergeant!" UlforceVeedramon called after her in frustration.
"Just stay out of my way," Paildramon whispered, disappearing through a pillar of smoke and embers that obstructed her from view.
UlforceVeedramon made to fly after her, but he stopped himself. He wanted to make sure she was okay, but a crashing noise from behind brought him to his senses. He turned his head and saw Leviamon slam his tails through a four-storey building, causing it to collapse in a dusty implosion. UlforceVeedramon knew that he didn't have time to go after her; Leviamon was too dangerous to be left alone. The Demon Lord of Envy was his priority.
"Damn it…" he whispered, balling his fists up underneath the humming laser swords that protruded from his wrists. "Be careful, Paildramon."
With that, UlforceVeedramon took off in a sapphire blur, racing to engage Leviamon in combat.
Meanwhile, Paildramon raced deeper into the front lines, without heed for her own safety. She fired a burst of bullets from her cannons into a Devidramon ahead of her, illuminating her silhouette against the reddish-grey night sky. She surged forwards and impaled an Evilmon on her wrist-spike before firing her claws into the body of a Fangmon who tried to leap up and bite her.
She discarded the pair and continued flying into the chaos of war. Ahead of her, she saw a swath of fire rain down from the sky and immolate a pair of Tankmon defenders, who exploded in a devastating explosion of sparks and ammunition. Paildramon growled and looked up at the Digimon responsible. The sheer devastation of the attack could only be…
Hovering in the sky was a monstrous, satanic body, fur matting his muscles and vicious horns and claws protruding from his appendages. The surrounding explosions and the infernal flames that flooded out of his hands illuminated Demon's body like an unholy beacon above New Terminal.
As Paildramon set her gaze on the Demon Lord of Wrath, his fire reflected in her vengeful eyes.
"You're the one… You're the one responsible…" she whispered in a shaky, uneven breath.
And then she charged towards him.
Fire and energy tore the skyline of New Terminal. Explosions rocked the streets, ripped through buildings, and smashed holes through stone and cement. Beams tore along the ground, shattering windows and incinerating plants. Soldiers were pierced by weapons, slashed by claws, burned by flames, obliterated by energy, and swallowed by darkness. Each side used whatever weapons at their disposal to kill each other. It was a bloody assault on the city, and neither the attackers nor defenders could afford to hold back.
The Greymon Five raced towards the front lines, wherever those were. The first line of defense had been breached, and Nightmare Soldiers were pouring through whatever holes in the Republican defences that they could. This meant that the lines were fluid and that the fighting was getting chaotic and messy.
ShineGreymon streaked through the sky like a shooting star. The crystals on his wings and chest burned brightly and released glowing particles of solar energy from within. They trailed behind him like a sparkling corona, giving him the appearance of a shooting star. In his hand was a massive, golden, double-bladed sword with a massive, circular hilt that was in the shape of the sun. The GeoGrey Sword was similar in style to Craniamon's Claiohm Solais, but its solar-inspired design was much more complex, and the flames of the sun licked the golden-red metal.
ShineGreymon swept through the night with all the intensity of the sun. He let out a shout as he swept the GeoGrey Sword clean through the body of a Vamdemon, burning the vampire with sunlight from the inside out. As the Vamdemon burned away, the shining dragon turned around and spread his wings out wide. The crystals on the shoulders and tips of his wings glinted with light.
"Corona Splash!" he shouted. The shimmer blue gems suddenly exploded with light, and solar beams surged out from each individual lens. A total of fourteen beams streaked from ShineGreymon's wings and poured into the charging ranks of the Nightmare Soldiers. With marksman-like accuracy, each beam managed to find a target, burning into the chests and heads of several demons who were trying to get around the Greymon Five.
Below him, KaiserGreymon aimed his broadsword down the length of the road and fired a concentrated beam from it like a crossbow. The Enryugeki blast swept up dust and ash as it travelled before catching a Cerberumon in the shoulder. The beam exploded and caught two nearby Evilmon in the blast as well.
KaiserGreymon gritted his teeth and a bead of sweat dripped down his face, but he remained calm and in control. The sergeant of the Greymon Five looked into the sky, where he saw WarGreymon and BlackWarGreymon tearing through the night, side by side. One was like a burning inferno, and the other like the umbra created by the flames.
WarGreymon roared with boisterous adrenaline as he plunged his Dramon Killers into the digicore of a Digitamamon. He then jerked his blades sideways, slicing through the demon's hard, egg-like exterior. "Alright! Who else wants devilled eggs?!" he declared proudly, ascending into the night sky and looking for his next opponent as flames began to form in his palms.
"That doesn't even make sense!" ShineGreymon taunted, smirking as he used the GeoGrey Sword to bash away the flaming chain whip of a DeathMeramon.
BlackWarGreymon merely moved silently in the sky, methodically cutting down aerial demons with his Dramon Killers. He was professional and determined, and even as he sliced the Nightmare Soldiers asunder, he made sure to keep an eye on the rest of the Greymon Five.
"Shut up!" WarGreymon fired back as a fireball began to swell between his hands. The sphere of flames enlarged in size as he drew in the atmosphere, and it got large enough that he had to hold it over his head.
"WarGreymon!" KaiserGreymon shouted, looking up at him. "Be careful with that! Don't hit the city! Try not to destroy any of the buildings; there could still be civilians around!"
"Damn it! Are you serious?!" WarGreymon growled with frustration, holding the mass of fire at bay above his head as he descended closer to the ground to adjust his angle. "How the hell am I supposed to fight like that?!"
"Find a way!" KaiserGreymon ordered him.
"Hey, War!" ShineGreymon called out, commanding attention as his body shimmered like a star in the dark sky. "I bet I can kill more of these ugly bastards than you can!"
"You're on! Gaia Force!" WarGreymon hollered in response. He then released the massive fire ball from his arms and sent it hurdling into the sky to catch a group of four airborne Nightmare Soldiers as they sent attacks raining down on him. WarGreymon grinned and jumped away as a volley of shadowy attacks slammed into the space where he was standing. "Already on eight!"
"Only eight? That's so cute! Let me know if you make it to the double digits!" ShineGreymon teased him with a cocky smirk on his face.
WarGreymon growled and swung around his Brave Shield to protect himself against a powerful beam that slammed against the sturdy metal. "I'll show you…!"
"This isn't a game, you two!" KaiserGreymon chastised them, trying to rein them in like usual. "Focus on our objective!" He growled and ran up the street, swinging the Ryugonken. "Where is Paildramon? Keep an eye out for her!"
BlackWarGreymon withdrew his claws from the bandaged chest of a Mummymon and jumped away with a grunt. Following KaiserGreymon's orders, he looked around the night sky to try to spot the missing over-sergeant. The dark dragon then frowned when he noticed something else. He began swiftly scanning the ground and the sky behind them. A sense of concern began filling his dark body, and he looked around more fervently.
"Guys? KaiserGreymon?" he asked, raising his normally muted voice just loud enough that they could hear him. "Where's VictoryGreymon?"
KaiserGreymon halted in his tracks and took on a defensive stance. "What?" he asked, braving a glance over his shoulder. He, too, didn't see VictoryGreymon anywhere. "VictoryGreymon?"
ShineGreymon stopped and turned, the smirk vanishing from his face and his eyes growing serious. "What?!" he asked, flying backwards as a beam rained down on him and nearly swallowed his draconic form. He growled and fired more lasers from his wings up at the sky, piercing the wing of the Mephismon who shot at him. "Where'd he go?!"
WarGreymon snarled and bashed a lunging Shawujinmon away. "He's not there?!" he demanded.
He retreated in the air several meters to regroup with the other three. The four Ultimate level Greymon gathered together and positioned themselves into a square formation so that each side was covered.
KaiserGreymon looked over at WarGreymon. "He was supposed to take up our rear. He was right behind you in our formation."
ShineGreymon cast an accusatory eye towards WarGreymon. "How did you not notice?!" he demanded, his anger shining through as his concern for his best friend ignited.
"He was right behind me last I checked!" WarGreymon defensively fired back.
"When was that?" BlackWarGreymon calmly asked.
"About four blocks ago, before they started targeting us…" WarGreymon sheepishly muttered.
"You were supposed to be watching his back!" ShineGreymon chastised him.
"I was! But then enemies started attacking us from every direction!" WarGreymon defended. "Victory's probably fine! He's the got the best defensive abilities outta all of us! The idiot just went and got himself separated from us!"
"Damn it!" ShineGreymon growled, clenching his fists. He was far from the usual easygoing guy that he was earlier. "We've gotta find him!"
"No!" KaiserGreymon firmly stated, although reluctantly. "We can't. We have to hold this position, otherwise the Third Brigade will be completely outflanked!"
"But—" ShineGreymon protested.
"I'm sorry, but we can't. They're depending on our team to hold the line. VictoryGreymon knows where we are; he'll catch up with us in no time, I'm sure," KaiserGreymon tried to reassure them.
BlackWarGreymon, although reluctant, nodded in agreement. "…Victory's strong. He'll be able to handle himself until we meet up."
ShineGreymon grimaced and gripped the GeoGrey Sword tightly. "He is, but… he won't kill them…" he murmured, his worry leaking through.
WarGreymon grunted and looked around. "He'll just have to— BREAK!" he shouted, spotting a concentrated laser beam plummeting towards them.
The four Greymon scattered just in time to avoid a powerful beam that drilled into the road where they had been standing.
ShineGreymon winced and took to the air as his winged back was pelted with shards of rock. He turned his blue eyes up towards the demon that attacked them, and began to concentrate solar energy in his wings, although he was far less effective with his attacks at night. He had to use what reserves he had stored during the daytime.
"Damn it, Vic… Don't you dare die…" he whispered as the crystal on his chest started to glow. He then unleashed a beam of solar rays from his body that streaked through the night sky towards the Nightmare Soldiers.
"Glorious Burst!"
"G-Guys…? Guys?!"
VictoryGreymon frantically looked around the dark street. On his left was a corner building that was awash with flames after it took a direct hit from an explosion. The shop buildings on both sides of the street were damaged from the barrage of demon attacks. Shop windows were shattered and holes were blown through the stone foundations. Fires caught from building to building and made it harder for VictoryGreymon to see in the night.
He squinted his eyes as he desperately attempted to spot his friends.
As they were racing to reinforce the front lines, VictoryGreymon was supposed to bring up the rear. He had been following the rest of the Greymon Five, but as they got past the second line of defence, that was when they started getting attacked. They had entered the contested northern districts of New Terminal that the Nightmare Soldiers were threatening to overrun. The demon presence was heavy there, and as soon as they were spotted, they became targets of heavy fire, particularly because they were Ultimate level Digimon.
He had been following WarGreymon, but an explosion knocked him off balance and VictoryGreymon, being clumsy on his feet, had fallen to the ground. Then more blasts started raining down on him, so he had to use his Victory Shield to defend himself. He had started charging through the explosions, but the area was so chaotic that VictoryGreymon had ended up running down the wrong street at a y-shaped intersection. The next thing he knew, his friends weren't anywhere in sight.
Now, he was all alone on a battle-torn street, flanked by partially destroyed and burnt out shops. Flames billowed out of windows and sent black smoke choking into the air. Blasted out glass littered the pavement, threatening to cut at his bare feet if he wasn't careful. He could hear nearby explosions and distant shouts, screams, and cackles. VictoryGreymon felt like he was in a nightmare and that he couldn't wake up.
"Guys?! Hey! Where'd you go?!" VictoryGreymon called out, his panic beginning to set in. "It's me, VictoryGreymon! Can you hear me?!"
"Well, well, well…" a sinister voice chuckled hoarsely. "We've got a draggy all on his lonesome. A little lost, are you…?"
VictoryGreymon swallowed and looked down the street. Out of the darkness, which was accentuated by the nearby flames, a SkullSatamon emerged. He was flanked by a NeoDevimon and a LadyDevimon, both of whom brandished the bloodied claws on the ends of their long arms.
"Be careful. He's an Ultimate level," the LadyDevimon advised, eyeing VictoryGreymon cautiously.
"Three Perfect levels should be enough to kill him," the SkullSatamon replied with a bony smirk. "Especially if he's lost and scared."
VictoryGreymon felt his heart pump rapidly and his legs tremble slightly, but he held his ground. "Please! Stop attacking the city! There's innocent civilians around!"
"Oh, we know," the SkullSatamon casually taunted. "I think we just killed some and loaded their data. Unless your soldiers are cowards who run away, that is."
At this, VictoryGreymon's chest suddenly tightened up and something inside of him started to simmer. He frowned deeply, and his fear started to subside as he stared at the three demons. "W…Why? Why are you doing this…? You don't need to cause… s-such destruction…" he asked, his voice lower and steadier.
"Get a load of this guy!" the SkullSatamon laughed to his fellow soldiers. "He's actually trying to reason with us! What a fucking idiot! Let's do the world a favour and put him out of his misery!" He looked at the two Perfect-level devils beside him. "Attack! Nail Bone!"
The SkullSatamon slammed the butt of his staff into the ground and fired a beam of black energy towards VictoryGreymon.
VictoryGreymon bent his legs and dug his claws into the street, quickly bringing up the Dramon Breaker with the broad face of the blade pointing out. The outer blades of the three-pronged sword branched outwards and a barrier appeared in front of him. "Victory Charge!" he shouted, bringing the transparent barrier up fast enough to deflect the attack, straight into the NeoDevimon.
The LadyDevimon watched as the beam ploughed right into the unsuspecting NeoDevimon, blasting him flat on his back with a nasty burn on his blighted, grey chest. He was alive, but he wasn't getting back up. She scowled and turned to the SkullSatamon. "I told you he was dangerous!" she said, summoning a black spear on her clawed forearm.
"I don't wanna fight you, but I won't let you hurt anybody else!" VictoryGreymon declared with unshakeable determination.
The SkullSatamon hissed and flapped his bat-like wings, speeding towards VictoryGreymon with vicious rage. "Damn you! Die, lizard!" he shouted, swinging his magic-imbued staff. He closed in on VictoryGreymon and swung around behind him, hoping to hit him from behind. He brought the sickle-end of his staff vertically down on VictoryGreymon.
VictoryGreymon reached out and caught the staff in his bare hand, his immense strength stopping it in place. The LadyDevimon used this opportunity to close the distance with him and attempt to stab him while his back was turned. Noticing the movement nearby, VictoryGreymon swung his sword and caught the tip of the hellish spear inside the gap between the Dramon Breaker's blades.
Holding both the demons at bay simultaneously, VictoryGreymon turned and looked at the LadyDevimon. "I really don't want to hurt a lady," he cautioned her.
The LadyDevimon smirked as she wrestled her spear-turned-arm back from the clutches of his sword. "Heh. Fine by me, but I'll stab you the same as anyone," she told him, rearing her spear back to stab him again. "Darkness Spear!"
"Hmm, I guess you have a point," VictoryGreymon pensively conceded. He pushed the plunging spear aside with his sword and then closed the distance between them. He raised his clawed foot and slammed it into the LadyDevimon's gut, causing her to double over breathlessly. The kick struck her with enough force that the demon was sent soaring halfway down the street. She tumbled across the ground next to the unconscious NeoDevimon and also didn't get back up.
"I'm really sorry!" VictoryGreymon called out down the road, unable to help but feel guilty.
"Damn you! Let go!" the SkullSatamon cursed and swore, trying to wrestle his magic staff away from VictoryGreymon's unbreakable grip.
"I did try to warn you," VictoryGreymon said regretfully, turning back to the remaining skeletal demon.
"Nail Bone!" the SkullSatamon rasped desperately, sending his dark magic through the staff and exploding it into VictoryGreymon at point blank range.
VictoryGreymon staggered back with a grunt and was forced to let go of this staff. With his weapon free, the SkullSatamon brought his weapon down to try and catch the dragon man off guard. However, VictoryGreymon recovered quickly and saw SkullSatamon's movements. Relying on his combat instinct, he brought the Dramon Breaker up in a diagonal slash, cleaving clear through the SkullSatamon's staff and sending black power seeping out.
VictoryGreymon twisted his wrists and began to angle his sword for the follow-up slash. His eyes met the shocked but callous, glowing sockets of the SkullSatamon, and they both knew that VictoryGreymon had won. The SkullSatamon expected death in that moment. However…
VictoryGreymon clutched the hilt and the side handle of the Dramon Breaker and shifted it with all of his weight. Rather than the blade, he struck the SkullSatamon with the broadside of his sword, slamming him with the massive heap of metal. VictoryGreymon bashed him out of the air like a baseball, and the SkullSatamon was sent careening into the side of one of the nearby buildings. The SkullSatamon impacted the stone hard and fractures appeared in his rust-hued bones. He slid down the stone surface and crumpled to the sidewalk, unconscious, but alive.
Looking around the dark, burning street, VictoryGreymon took a breath and tried to get his bearings. He could hear more demonic shouts and explosions in the distance. "I've gotta find the others!" he said to himself.
VictoryGreymon started flying into the air, rising above the roofline, in order to try to find out where he was.
As he looked around the city, things began to feel even more chaotic and overwhelming. The dark, blotted grey sky was awash with the glow of flames and beam bursts. He watched as streaks of light shot back and forth in every direction as both sides traded attacks.
The northern districts of the city were a battlefield. The northern gate was completely demolished, and the wall had several fresh holes in it. The courtyard around it was filled with Nightmare Soldiers, and the surrounding buildings were half-destroyed and burning in many cases. He could see the demons advancing over the buildings and down the streets that branched out from the courtyard. These main arteries were the primary battle zones, but the forces of both sides were making their way up and down the smaller side streets in attempts to outflank each other. It was a messy onslaught and it was clear that the Demon Lords weren't holding back.
It was in this moment that VictoryGreymon really began to take in the carnage around him. To see the city that he came to love burning like this… The rampant destruction and killing… It sent a bitter concoction of fear, sorrow and resolve flooding through his body. He knew he needed to do something – anything – to stop it.
"I have to find them… Which way from here were we supposed to reinforce…?" he wondered to himself.
It was then that he heard a massive crashing sound, along with the collapsing of stone that filled the cacophonous night air. The sound of collapse was augmented by a massive rushing swell that seemed to drown everything out. VictoryGreymon had to turn his head towards the north east. To his left, he could see the massive, crimson form of Leviamon marching up a road, crushing buildings under his massive body. Leviamon's giant mouth was open and he unleashed a torrent of black, cyclonic energy that swept through houses and buildings, crushing them utterly.
VictoryGreymon's eyes widened with horror and he suddenly forgot all about meeting up with his friends. As the destructive beam ripped through the city indiscriminately, VictoryGreymon could only think of one thing.
"That's where the brewery is!"
All of his feelings became replaced with fear and worry. Had his father escaped? Was he still there? Was the brewery okay? He had to know.
VictoryGreymon began flying in the direction of his father's brewery, without heed for what was in his way. He soared over the houses as fast as he could, ducking under the attacks that licked at his heels.
As he grew closer to the district, he got a better sense of what was happening there. The district, being several blocks south of the front lines, hadn't yet been reached by the demons, but they were getting close. Explosions were starting to detonate around the residential houses in the area, and a few aerial demons tried to pass through the district to try and break the Republican's lines.
However, Leviamon's blast tore a deep trench of destruction straight through the heart of the district. The black maelstrom swallowed up and destroyed not just a number of the Republic soldiers who were laying down a ranged barrage from within the area, but also countless buildings that were simply in the attack's path.
VictoryGreymon's heart began to tighten up. The brewery was in the general area that the bulk of the attack had impacted. He could tell from the familiar buildings that surrounded the smoking, hundred meter wide trench. The massive scar in the city wafted smoke, dust, and shadows.
The dragon warrior, desperate to get there, flew as fast as he could. As he threw himself through the flashing, cloudy skyline, an Astamon rose up several meters in front of him and began opening fire at him with his submachine gun.
VictoryGreymon didn't even stop as the bullets started pelting him. He merely raised his sword in front of himself to deflect the blades and kept on charging without a second thought. "Please, get out of my way!" he shouted as his swords and armour sparked from ricocheting bullets. VictoryGreymon closed in on the Astamon without slowing down and simply drove his fist into the Astamon's face as he passed him. The demon's nose broke under the heavy blow, and the Astamon was close-lined and sent plummeting towards the ground.
VictoryGreymon glanced down but continued on, racing towards the partially destroyed city district. His eyes grimaced as he surveyed the extensive damage ahead of him. "Dad… Please be okay…" he thought, pleading to Yggdrasil or whoever would listen.
The draconic soldier began to descend in the sky, towards the roofs of the buildings. He ducked under a beam that shot over his head; he could feel its heat against his armoured back. However, he wouldn't be deterred. Despite the smoke that wafted in front of him, he was familiar enough with the area that he knew what street he was on. VictoryGreymon pressed on through the haze of smoke and ash. He held his breath to keep from coughing and inhaling the choking gas.
As he passed through the grey mist, VictoryGreymon stopped in the air. He was greeted with a horrible sight. Buildings were utterly destroyed, some so damaged that their structures had burst apart into data particles. The entire neighbourhood was split down the middle by a massage gash of destruction. The buildings on the periphery of the trench were half destroyed and crumbling.
That was when VictoryGreymon saw it. The brewery.
Or what was left of it.
VictoryGreymon sucked in the dusty, smoky air as he stared across the other side of the impact furrow. The brewery was at the very edge of the destruction caused by Leviamon's attack. The tempest had ripped right through the side of the brewery. It must have caused some sort of explosion because there was a large blaze seeping out of the destroyed walls and windows.
VictoryGreymon's heart tightened like somebody had gripped it with an iron fist. His big, green eyes became like horrified full moons. He squeezed the grip of the Dramon Breaker as sweat started to form in his palms.
"No… NO!" VictoryGreymon shouted, making a bee line towards the brewery. "Dad!"
He flew towards the damaged building with desperate speed and urgency. He had to get there. He had to make sure that it was empty. His dad said that he'd evacuate. So he must have evacuated. Right?
VictoryGreymon tried to tell himself this as he flew. He told himself that it would be okay. Even if the brewery was destroyed, as long as his dad was okay, that was all he cared about.
The dragon Digimon passed over the smoking chasm of destruction left by Leviamon's attack. Below him was nothing but fractured, concrete streets and the ruined remains of buildings. VictoryGreymon kept his eyes focused on what was ahead of him. Right now, he was only focused on his father's business.
As he reached the other side of the ruined gulf, VictoryGreymon was able to see just how extensive the damage was. Half of the brewery had completely collapsed when it was grazed by the attack. Stone had fractured, crumbled, steel girders had bent and fallen, and tanks had burst and were seeping out liquid. The brewery was being gutted by flames. The entire left half of the building was caving in.
"Dad!" VictoryGreymon yelled. He landed on what was left of the street next to the brewery and began running towards it. He stopped in front of the large, husked building, watching as smoke billowed out of it and into the sky. He staggered over, shielding his eyes as they adjusted to the bright flames in the night. "Dad? Dad! Are you in there?!" he called out as he cautiously walked towards the crumbling entrance. His feet pressed against the fractured stone bricks that littered the area.
He heard nothing but the tempestuous snarl of flames and the cracking of stone. It sounded like the building was empty. It sounded like his father had left. VictoryGreymon told himself that he must have evacuated safely. He wanted to believe that, even though he felt he had to go inside anyways. The fear tugging at his heart told him to leave. He wanted to turn and leave. And then…
A weak, masculine groan sounded out from inside. VictoryGreymon froze in his place. He ignored the heat of fire against his face, the thick smoke stinging his eyes, and the sharp bricks underneath his feet. The world around him seemed to vanished, and he turned and stared inside the blazing building with tunnel vision. He knew that voice anywhere. It was…
"…Dad?"
Without a second thought, VictoryGreymon pushed the half collapsed door aside and forced his way inside.
The brewery floor was a smoking mess. Two of the vats were completely destroyed and leaking water. Half of the ceiling had caved in, and the cat walk that led to the second floor was bent and on the verge of falling over. The metal girders that supported the building were bent and twisted. A few of the steel beams had fallen to the floor, some still attached to the crumbling ceiling as they collapsed.
"Dad?! Dad?! W-Where are you?!" VictoryGreymon shouted with fearful desperation. He pushed a wooden beam out of the way of his path, using the Dramon Breaker to both stead himself and protect against any debris.
"Vic… Victory…Greymon…?" the voice weakly asked from deeper inside.
VictoryGreymon could barely see where he was. He knew from memory that he was entering the brewing area. The far wall was awash with flames, and there were smaller embers littering the cluttered floor. It made it hard to see. As VictoryGreymon's eyes adjusted to the brightness, he was able to see more. One of the catwalks was sagging down, pushed up against the remaining vat. In the center of the room, one of the main girders had fallen upright to the ground, along with large chunks of the other walls and the ceiling. Rubble was strewn everywhere.
"Dad! Dad! Where are you?!" he called out. "Ca-can you hear me?! It's me! VictoryGreymon!"
"Vic… tory…" the voice wheezed, followed by a hoarse cough.
VictoryGreymon followed the voice. It was coming from the center of the brewing room. VictoryGreymon staggered over, using his sword to keep himself steady as he walked over the mounds of rubble. As he made his way through the desolate brewery, VictoryGreymon lost his footing, causing him to catch himself as he fell to a knee. He winced and looked forwards.
In the center of the room, he could see an orange foot. It was dark, but the nearby flames illuminated it well enough for VictoryGreymon to spot it. As the clouds shifted over head, there was enough of a breach between them that the moonlight could break through. The light fell onto the brewery, pouring through the ceiling holes and flooding the distillery area. The dust that hung heavy in the room caught the moonlight, causing it look like multiple pillars of light beaming down from the sky. One of these spotlights landed in the center of the room where VictoryGreymon was looking.
There, he saw his father, lying on the ground. He was pinned to the floor, with a large piece of ceiling on his waist. To VictoryGreymon's horror, that wasn't all. One of the metal beams that had fallen from the ceiling had fallen onto WarGreymon. The end of the girder was embedded in WarGreymon's shoulder, and the opposite end of the steel beam had fallen against the wall, keeping it stuck on top of WarGreymon.
VictoryGreymon felt as though he had taken a sledgehammer to the chest. Fear and horror flooded through his body. It was everything he feared. Everything he wanted to avoid. The Dramon Breaker dropped from his hands and clattered to the floor.
"Dad?! Dad! DAD!" VictoryGreymon yelled, scrambling over with mad desperation. "Oh… Oh no!"
VictoryGreymon dashed over, nearly tripping as he focused solely on getting to his father. He came to an abrupt stop beside him, bent over, and grabbed the large slab of stone that lay heavy on his father. With all of his strength, VictoryGreymon grunted and heaved the massive slab of rock up. The rock scraped against the scales of his palms and finger. Sweat dripped down his face and he unleashed a long growl of effort. With every inch of his might, he flipped the stone over and off of his father.
When the heavy layer of stone crashed to the side, VictoryGreymon was able to see beneath it. WarGreymon's chest armour was cracked and falling apart. Beneath it were orange scales, darkened with heavy bruising. It was then that VictoryGreymon really took the time to look at his father. The steel girder was crushing WarGreymon's left shoulder into the floor. The shoulder armour was completely crushed, and the shoulder looked dislocated. Underneath his armpit was a small pool of blood that was slowly trickling down the length of WarGreymon's left arm. His arm looked limp.
VictoryGreymon stared down at his father's face with large, tearful eyes. WarGreymon looked up at him. The pain was clear on his face, but he also seemed somehow at peace. He coughed roughly and there was a small trickle of blood down the corner of his mouth.
"Dad… You're… You're hurt!" VictoryGreymon cried out in despair.
"Son… You… shouldn't have come…" he wheezed, his voice gravelly and dry.
"D-Don't talk. I… I need to…" VictoryGreymon, almost in a daze, walked over to the massive, steel beam that was crushing his father into the floor. He gripped the metal edges tightly, his claws screeching against the steel surface. "Stay still. I need to get this offa you!"
The dragon man squatted down and held the metal as hard as he could. With herculean strength, VictoryGreymon wrenched the slab of metal up. His face flushed red with effort, and sweat dripped down his face and arms. His arms, chest, and legs burned with pain as he lifted the girder up slowly, millimeter by millimeter. He was already amazingly strong, but he tapped into a well of strength that he didn't know that he had.
His father cried out with pain as the pressure was taken off his shoulder, and blood began to flow a bit harder. VictoryGreymon, unable to move his legs, which were supporting the bulk of the beam's weight, coiled his tail around his father's leg and pulled him just far enough away. VictoryGreymon then let go of the girder and jumped away, allowing it to crash to the floor. As soon as it rested against the wall, VictoryGreymon turned back to his father.
"Dad!" he shouted, turning and kneeling down beside him. He saw the blood coursing from WarGreymon's shoulder, and immediately placed his hands on it. WarGreymon grunted in pain from the contact. "D-Dad. Oh, gosh. You're… you're bleeding a lot! Your shoulder's all…"
WarGreymon grimaced, but he stared up at VictoryGreymon, his eyes softening. "Victory… " he spoke, his voice soft despite the pain.
"It's- it's okay! I'm gonna get you to the hospital! And they're gonna fix you up!" VictoryGreymon promised, smiling despite the tears that were forming in his eyes. "It's g-going to be alright, Dad!"
WarGreymon's left arm was still unmoving. He reached up slowly with his left one and placed it on top of VictoryGreymon's hands. "…Son…" he said, staring up at him. "I'm… sorry…"
VictoryGreymon let out a laugh, though the lump in his throat made it sound choked. "H-Huh? Sorry for what?" he asked, trying to put a brave face on. "Don't talk like that, Dad!"
WarGreymon hissed with pain, but kept a tight hold on his son's hands. "I'm sorry… I… haven't been there…" he spoke, staring up at VictoryGreymon.
The kneeling dragon man just shook his head and pressed harder on the deep shoulder wound. Despite his effort, his smile began to fracture and tears were flooding his green eyes. "W-What?" he asked, playing dumb. "I d-don't know what you're talking about. Just don't talk okay…?" he said, ignoring the horror of feeling his father's warm blood on his hands.
"I haven't been there… like a father should…" WarGreymon said, his eyes shimmering.
"Y-Yes, you have!" VictoryGreymon nearly shouted, shutting his eyes as a tear escaped and fell down his snout. "I… You've always…"
WarGreymon weakly shook his head. "We both know… I haven't…" he wheezed. He closed his eyes for a moment. "…After your mother died… it… it was so hard… Raising you… running the brewery. And… I missed her so much… I still do…"
"D-Dad… please…" VictoryGreymon begged him, determined to make sure that his father lived.
"I never blamed you… I just… didn't handle it well… I buried myself into making the business a success… I should have been there for you more…"
VictoryGreymon sniffed and stared down at his father with teary eyes. "Don't say that! You were there! And… and you're gonna still be there for me!" he desperately shouted.
WarGreymon smiled a little. "You're… stronger than I ever… gave you credit for…" he chuckled hoarsely, a bit more blood leaking out of his mouth. "You were always… talking about becoming a Royal Knight… You looked up to them so much… I guess… you had to, since I wasn't… there to look up to…"
WarGreymon held VictoryGreymon's hand tightly. "Victory… I'm so sorry… I… I didn't believe in you…" he wheezed. "I didn't think… you had what it took. I never wanted you to join the military… Didn't want you to try… and be like the Royal Knights… I was scared you'd die… and you'd leave me alone…" There was a sparkle of a tear in the corner of his eye as the moonlight shone down on them. He smiled. "But… seeing you here… Seeing what you've become… You're so strong… and brave. I'm… so proud of you, son… I always have been…"
VictoryGreymon fought back a sob as tears rolled down his face. "D-Dad… No… Please…" he whimpered.
"You have such a big heart… You try so hard to be a hero… but you… already are…"
Through his blurry eyes, VictoryGreymon looked back down at his father's arm. To his horror, he could see a few data particles starting to drift up from WarGreymon's bicep. "D-Dad! No! Don't… You can't!" he shouted, keeping one hand on the wound, while using the other to try to catch the particles and place them back on his arm. When that proved futile, VictoryGreymon bent down and started carefully gathering WarGreymon in his arms. "I won't let you die!"
As tears streamed down his snout, VictoryGreymon lifted his father up and began carrying him out of the destroyed brewery.
"You can't… save everyone, Victory…" WarGreymon whispered to him, watching as a few more of his particles began to drift.
"I can save you!"
VictoryGreymon held on tightly and kicked open the doors of the brewery. Once he was out of the smoke-filled building, he immediately lunged into the air. Faster than ever, he began flying down the road, heading southwards.
Ahead of him, he was relieved to see a squad of Republican soldiers. They flanked by a pair of Digimon carrying a stretcher. The latter seemed to be running towards the damaged area to look for the injured.
"Check for more survivors!" one of the medics, an Orcamon, shouted. The humanoid killer whale Digimon ran up the street with a Toucanmon behind her.
VictoryGreymon spotted them running towards him and he immediately yelled out. "Over here! I need help! Please! Hurry!" he shouted fervently, still running towards them.
The dragon man ran over with his dad in his arms. He stopped in front of them and stared at them desperately. "He's hurt bad! Please, take him to the hospital!"
The Orcamon looked at WarGreymon with a keen eye, trying to tell the condition that he was in. "He's in bad shape. At this rate, he may not make it if he doesn't reach the hospital soon," she explained. "Hurry and put him on the stretcher. We'll take him back and do whatever we can."
Without hesitation, VictoryGreymon carefully placed WarGreymon onto the stretcher. "D-Dad, they're going to take c-care of you, o-okay?" he told him, his voice quivering.
WarGreymon kept on staring at him. "…Victory…" he softly spoke, like a father would to his son. "If I don't…" He paused. "In my next life… I'll meet your mother… and we'll come find you, okay…?"
VictoryGreymon stared at his father, tears running down his snout. He didn't let go of his dad's hand until the Orcamon pulled the stretcher away.
"We have to leave," the Orcamon said, turning around with the Toucanmon. She began quickly walking as fast as she could back down the street, carrying WarGreymon away.
One of the soldiers, a Peckmon, approached VictoryGreymon. He could see the state that he was in, but they didn't have the luxury of sensitivity. "Whenever you're ready, we're going to need you on the front lines," the ostrich-like bird ninja told him hesitantly. "We need everybody fighting in order to protect the city."
The bird nodded at him and moved past VictoryGreymon along with the rest of the squad of soldiers. They ran off down the street, racing to reinforce the front line.
VictoryGreymon was left by himself, staring down the dark, fire-like street, after his father. In that moment, he didn't know if he would ever see him again. He felt completely alone.
Tears dripped down his face, and the walls burnt and crumbled around him. VictoryGreymon fell to his knees and dug his claws into the ground.
The city of New Terminal continued to burn with the devastation of war.
Within it, a single, thunderous wail of pure anguish erupted. The cry reverberated like a volcano and pierced the fiery, night sky.