(Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! Here's Part One of Chapter 70! We're finally at the long-awaited battle. As usual, expect Part Two to be posted next Sunday. As always, read, review, and enjoy!)
Chapter 70: Eclipse (Part I)
"Advance! Advance!"
Duftmon hovered in the night sky, floating above the Order forces. He pointed his sword forwards emphatically, signalling the order to attack. As the Royal Knights' active commander on the battlefield, it was his job to direct the Royal Knights and their army from above.
The sky was clear, with not a cloud in sight. It was a starry night out, black with speckled starlight across to the horizon.
Both of the moons were in their fullest phases. The twin, lunar disks were bright beacons in the sky, touched with faint traces of blood red. Their light cast across the flowery plain that was to be the battlefield. However, even as full as they were, a shadow was beginning to encroach on their bright, glowing edges…
Duftmon's long, blond hair blew in the gentle breeze. His piercing, green eyes scanned the Order's ranks, making sure that everything was going according to his plans.
Their ground forces advanced as a single unit, marching in a rectangle formation. At the front of the army were two rows of Shield Guards, who advanced slowly with their shields locked in step to defend the Ground Strike Forces behind them. They were to provide the crucial bulwark for their army as they advanced on the Demon Lords. Craniamon was positioned at the extreme center of the Shield Guards, acting as their focal point, while Captain Knightmon brought up the left.
Behind them were the Ground Strike Forces, who were to provide a rolling bombardment as they advanced behind the Shield Guards. Once they were close enough, the Shield Guards would pull back and allow the Strike Forces to charge and hopefully break through their ranks. Dynasmon and RhodoKnightmon were on the respective left and right tips of the Strike Forces. Meanwhile, the Aerial Strike Forces were ordered to provide aerial cover to the ground troops while also guarding their flanks from counterattacks. Magnamon and UlforceVeedramon led the aerial forces alongside Captain Ouryumon.
Duftmon's purpose for the Royal Knights was to use them to provide strong points in their formation, but also to utilise them as pieces to move freely and engage the Demon Lords who were too strong for the rank-and-file to deal with. The one exception to this was Craniamon, who Duftmon specifically instructed to maintain his position at the middle of their forces in order to provide stability.
Duftmon turned his attention to his main focus: the Demon Lords' forces. The first thing that he noticed was the hundreds of foot soldiers who were charging at the vanguard of the Nightmare Soldiers. He identified them as some form of artificial Digimon composed entirely of identical, rubber bodies. It appeared as though they had no identities, donning only faceless gas masks.
The tactician saw Demon ordering the Troopmon Brigade to launch first wave. The mass of rubberized Digimon began charging straight at them in a double time march. There was no internal strategy to their charge – it was a simple wave attack. It was clear to Duftmon that these Troopmon were nothing but disposable grunts whose purpose was to distract and overwhelm their forces while the Nightmare Soldiers advanced.
"Hmph. How crude, Barbamon…" Duftmon murmured, his eyes narrowing distastefully as he stared past the black tide of disposable, rubber bodies to the Nightmare Soldiers' main forces. The legions of a few thousand strong seemed to be holding their position. Were they just going to stay there while the Troopmon Brigade charged them? Or were they waiting for his forces to be distracted before they advanced on their flanks?
Duftmon could see Barbamon lingering in the dark sky in the rear of their army, hovering near their baggage train. He spotted him from the moonlight reflecting off of his array of jewellery. He could see that, behind Barbamon, were several carriages and wagons. In addition to this usual baggage train, the tactician also spotted several large crates, one much larger than the other. Duftmon was confident that much of their contents were Barbamon's greedily obtained spoils of war from their capture of Shroud.
Duftmon knew that Barbamon would be directing their forces from the rear of the Nightmare Soldiers' lines. However, it seemed as though, based on his stationary position, that the Demon Lord of Greed had no intention of coming to the front line of the battle at all. Even if Barbamon were still to fire ranged attacks from his rear vantage point, Duftmon deemed that beneficial; that meant that they only had to worry about Demon and Beelzebumon. Those odds were favourable, even if the Nightmare Soldiers outnumbered them in terms of sheer rank-and-file troops.
Speaking of the devil, Duftmon scanned the enemy forces for the remaining two Demon Lords. He could see Demon hovering in the air with the red moons at his back. The Demon Lord of Wrath positioned himself in front of the Nightmare Soldiers, but behind the three regiments of Troopmon. Duftmon expected as much. He anticipated that Demon was a commander who led from the front, unlike Barbamon. It also indicated how little they cared about the expendable Troopmon. Duftmon supposed that they were nothing but weapons, after all.
Then, an obnoxious, mechanical squeal intensified from the left, drawing the feline tactician's attention. Duftmon glowered at the abrasive revving and turned his head to locate its source. It was hard to see in the dark, but he could see the moonlight glinting off of a speeding, metal frame. He could make out exhaust and flowers ripping up from the left of the wave of Troopmon. He watched as the final Demon Lord, Beelzebumon, tore across the field on his motorcycle, riding ahead of the Troopmon altogether. Beelzebumon seemed to be making a beeline for the Order's left flank.
Duftmon narrowed his eyes but remained calm, confident in his ability to respond to their movements. It was clear to him that the Demon Lord of Gluttony intended on disrupting their lines. He would be a tricky Demon Lord to pin down. He considered that he might have to put one of the Royal Knights on him. From what little he learned about Beelzebumon from the others, Duftmon was unable to tell whether Beelzebumon was acting under orders or going off on his own volition. It irritated him. He couldn't abide chaotic, unpredictable Digimon like him.
"Continue a cautious advance and prepare to rebuff their first wave! Commence an aerial bombardment! Show no mercy; they are nothing but mindless automatons!" Duftmon commanded the troops from the air. He swept his hand out to the left. "Dynasmon! I may require you to engage Beelzebumon if he begins harassing our formation!"
"Gladly!" Dynasmon answered, cracking his knuckles as he fled up from behind the shield wall.
"What?!" Craniamon protested, growling as he held the Avalon shield tight against the shield wall surrounding him. He glowered coolly with frustration but continued advancing in tandem with the Shield Guards, playing his role as ordered. "Damn it. Why does he get to have all the fun?" he quietly thought to himself as they advanced towards the charging Troopmon.
Magnamon glared at the enemy Demon Lords. His ruby eyes homed in on Demon, spotting the horned devil near the front of the Nightmare Soldiers' lines. His hands balled into tightly locked fists. The aches from the beating that Demon gave him still lingered in his body. Magnamon planned to repay him as soon as he had the chance.
"Okay, guys!" Ouryumon shouted from the head of the Aerial Strike Forces. He pointed one of his scimitars towards the enemy emphatically. "Blast these guys back to the Dark Area! Fire!" He swept his blades downwards and released two, golden arcs of energy from his swords. "Eiseiryuoujin!"
As the two sickles of energy cut through the first two Troopmon, tearing them to rubbery shreds, the rest of the Aerial Forces began launching their attacks in a vertical, layered formation, allowing as many of their attacks as possible to fire.
The night sky became awash with coloured light as the Strike Forces launched their bombardment. A rainbow symphony of attacks descended from the sky and showered the first wave of Troopmon with beams, blasts and projectiles. A myriad of explosions tore through the charging Troopmon's ranks, the fiery blossoms swelling across the dark field. Nearly a hundred Troopmon were blown apart in seconds, rubbery limbs flying every which way, along with shattered gas masks and strips of rubber fabric.
Fiery holes littered the ground ahead of the Strike Forces where most of the Troopmon had been charging. The air became thick with smoke and the noxious smell of burning rubber…
But, to their astonishment, the wave of Troopmon kept charging through the smoke. Those who survived the bombardment continued charging the Order's tight ranks. About fifty more Troopmon came running towards them. Some of the charging Troopmon had their arms missing and their bodies badly burned. One of them even had the lower half of its body blown off, but it continued dragging itself forward even as data poured out from under its suit.
"Still they charge us?!" Captain Knightmon exclaimed incredulously as the outnumbered wave of Troopmon threw themselves headlong towards their ranks. "Have they no fear?!"
Duftmon narrowed his eyes as the remnants of the first wave of Troopmon neared their shield wall. It was as though they had no sense of self-preservation at all. They did only as commanded. They didn't seem particularly strong, but their numbers were large. Their charge was surely not enough to put a dent in their lines, so why was Barbamon needlessly wasting his disposable resources? There had to have been a reason…
Craniamon watched as the several dozens of Troopmon closed in on them. As soon as they were fifteen meters away, those who were physically able shouldered their rifles and began firing at them. "Here they come!" Craniamon shouted to the Defence Forces, holding the Avalon shield steady as lasers began slamming against it. "Keep the line tight!"
The rows of shields and barriers held firm as it was subjected to the Troopmons' barrage. The metal shuddered but didn't give way. The lasers continued to bombard them as the Troopmon continued their firing advance. The seventy-odd Troopmon unloaded their magazines into the Royal Knights' defensive line. When it became clear that they were not able to break through, they continued charging in a full sprint the rest of the way.
"Hold and counter!" Craniamon shouted, right before two Troopmon threw themselves against his shield. The two grunts pawed at the Avalon and feebly attempted to climb over it. It wasn't hard at all for him to keep them at bay. Meanwhile, the other Troopmon all drove themselves against the shield wall as well, attempting to break through.
"Break!" Craniamon shouted, opening up the wall to counterattack. He pushed the two Troopmon back with his shield and heaved the Claiohm Solais downwards, cleaving one right through its gas mask and tearing vertically down its rubber body, splitting the Troopmon in two. "So weak!" he grunted with frustration, driving his spear straight through the second Troopmon's body.
Meanwhile, the Defence Forces opened their guard and cut the remaining Troopmon down with ease, without needing the Strike Forces' help at all.
"Beautiful work, everyone!" RhodoKnightmon called out in encouragement. He watched the fiery scene before him with satisfaction, the flowery field ablaze as the first wave of Troopmon crumbled with ease. "Now let us carve our way through to the heart of their-… what?"
"Huh?" Craniamon grunted, echoing RhodoKnightmon's confused sentiment. He looked down at the deflating rubber suits of the two Troopmon he just killed. He watched as black data particles began pouring out from the tears in their suits.
It wasn't just them either. All of the rubbery bodies of the Troopmon began to exhale clouds of dark data from their torn and perforated suits. Each mass of data particles coalesced and began travelling back towards the Demon Lords' lines.
Duftmon watched with suspicion and intrigue as he watched the clouds of data float back across the field and drift over the waiting Nightmare Soldiers. By the way the data masses moved and converged, it was clear to him that they were moving with direction and purpose. Then, he watched as several Evilmon attendants flew over to the several, smaller crates that were positioned in front of the huge, tightly sealed box. They pried the ends of the long, rectangular boxes open, allowing the Troopmon's data to flow inside them.
The clouds of data began to fill the hundreds of rubber Troopmon suits that were hanging up inside. The undead data flowed inside of them and inflated the military outfits until their bulky proportions were filled out. The rejuvenated Troopmon then grabbed their rifles and began marching out of the crates, two-by-two.
Duftmon's eye twitched as he watched the Troopmon that they killed become rejuvenated anew. The Troopmon began marching from the back lines past the Nightmare Soldiers and forwards to where the other waves of Troopmon were.
"Their data is simply transferring into fresh bodies. Their numbers are being replenished…" Duftmon said with an irritated scowl. "So long as the Troopmon still have suits in reserve, they can continue to send waves at us with unlimited reinforcements." His grip tightened around his rapier. "Barbamon, you are holding your main forces back but are attacking us with weak, expendable but inexhaustible grunts."
"You are stalling for time, Barbamon, but why…?"
Barbamon hovered in the air behind the very back row of the Nightmare Soldiers. The various crates that had been transported with him were behind him along with the carriages and supply wagons of the baggage train.
The Demon Lord of Greed smirked devilishly as he stroked his long, white beard. He was unfazed by the first wave of Troopmon's utter failure to break through the Royal Knights' defences. He had even been expecting it. He didn't mind at all; after all, they could just resurrect them as new ones. Barbamon watched as the columns of Troopmon marched off to front line once again.
"Baron Mummymon, outfit the fresh Troopmon with the B-Equipment!" Barbamon commanded, watching as the undead automatons proceeded in an orderly fashion. "Troopmon… One of finer inventions I've come across. They may be weak, but they are effective in great numbers. They are cheap to mass-produce too; all they need is some poor sap's data. They're cost-effective and recyclable…" the demon strategist mused with a callous grin. "They feel no fear, and they feel no pain. They cannot think for themselves and they do exactly as they are ordered… All in all, they are the perfect disposable infantry. Don't you wish you had some, Royal Knight?" he taunted, leering across the battlefield at who he identified was the rival strategist.
Barbamon shifted his attention from Duftmon and back to his main focus. He gazed down at the ground directly below him, where a Mephismon was carving something into the dirt. It took the shape of a huge pentacle with several small runes and sigils etched inside the circle and around its outer ring. In the exact center of the circle was a sigil that was larger than all the others, drawn as a series of intercrossed right angles.
Barbamon directed the Mephismon from above, pointing with his staff as he compared it with the seal written in the grimoire in his other hand. "No, no! Shorten that line by a decameter, and be quick about it! The measurements must be exact, and we only have so much time!" he ordered him. "And make sure the south-facing tips are exactly even."
"Barbamon!" Demon shouted, turning around from the front lines to stare at the Demon Lord with annoyance. He was aware that the Nightmare Soldiers were getting restless, though he knew none were stupid enough to act without his or Barbamon's permission. If he was being honest, he was tired of waiting as well. "How much longer will this take?"
"As long as it needs to and no longer than it has to!" Barbamon shouted back. "Be patient and allow the Troopmon Brigade to attack!"
"The Royal Knights will cut through them like butter!" Demon fired back. "They will advance on our lines in less than ten minutes!"
"The Troopmon will replenish! They just need to keep them busy!" Barbamon explained irately. "Demon, you move up with Beelzebumon and help him to keep the Royal Knights occupied! We only need another twenty minutes – thirty at most! This battle hinges on the success of my plan!"
"Tch. Fine," Demon grunted. He looked forwards, the dimming moonlight above causing the healing wound on his face to shimmer wetly. "Keep the legions here until my or Barbamon's orders… I shall enjoy taking my revenge."
Demon expanded his wings and propelled himself forwards, the dark, violet flames that ignited around his hands causing the grass beneath him to wither. With his bat-like wings cutting through the night sky, he hurled himself towards the Royal Knights.
Barbamon watched with a smirk as Demon flew off to engage the Royal Knights. "Second wave, advance!" he commanded to the Troopmon at the front, prompting them to immediately start marching across the field after Demon. He then glanced back down at the Mephismon and the circle below him. "And, you, pick up the pace! There are still seventeen more runes that you have to add! Follow the copy I gave you and focus!"
Barbamon grinned and moonlight cast across his golden mask as he looked up at the clear, night sky. The natural moonlight began to dim across the battlefield, causing the landscape to darken. He gazed at the two, full moons overhead, watching as convex shadows slowly crept across them. They were each half-concealed by the shadow of the Digital World, and growing darker by the minute.
"This is our only chance…" Barbamon whispered, smirking sinisterly as his ring-adorned finger tapped against his wand. He watched as the light of the full moons disappeared, millimeter-by-millimeter. "And I plan to make the absolute most of the opportunity."
The Behemoth roared as Beelzebumon tore across the grassland. His motorcycle swerved and drifted along the grass as explosions erupted all around him. He accelerated towards the Royal Knights' left flank, closing in on the corner of their shielded formation.
Beelzebumon hissed as he was showered with clumps of grass from an explosion in front of him. He was being bombarded by a wing of the Order's Aerial Forces while the rest focused their fire on the attacking Troopmon.
"Tch… Where is 'e?" he murmured, looking around ardently as he closed in on the Order's flank. His three eyes raced back and forth, trying to locate someone in particular.
A missile sailed towards him and he suddenly reared his metal steed back into a wheelie. The bomb exploded right in front of him, prompting Beelzebumon to bounce the motorcycle up and over it. The heavy piece of two-wheeled machinery hit the ground with a thud. It bounced thanks to its shock absorbers and skidding slightly, but continued speeding single-mindedly towards the Royal Knights.
Beelzebumon clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes, scanning the Royal Knights' ranks. He didn't bother to pay attention to the small fry, instead focusing in on the Royal Knights leading them. He made sure to search for the commanders, even as explosions erupted around him and projectiles flew past his head.
He counted them in his mind: he saw the creepy, purple skeleton one, the glitzy, tiny gold one, the buff, bull-headed dragon one, the fast blue one, the flamboyant pink one, and the pretty brown one. But none of them was the Royal Knight that he was looking for. He wondered why there were only half of them there. Were the other six somewhere else? Were they hiding at the back?
Beelzebumon scowled with frustration and drew one of his Berenjena shotguns from its ankle holster. He aimed it at the Shield Guards' left flank and pulled the trigger. With a resounding pop, he fired a heavy metal slug at the Knightmon who was at the corner of the formation. It slammed into the Knightmon's shield hard enough to knock him onto his backside, but the soldier was quickly pulled back to his feet to close up the gap.
"Damn it!" Beelzebumon shouted, growling as he raced along the Royal Knights' front lines, scanning their ranks for someone fervently. "Where are you…?" he asked, before beginning to fire double bursts from his shotguns at their front lines. "Where are you, Dukemon, ya red-caped bitch?!"
Sparks erupted along the wall of locked shields, with several of the front-line soldiers falling back, either from the sheer force of the bullet impacts or being hit by ricochet fragments. However, with the second-wave of charging Troopmon closing in, they quickly closed the holes in their line.
Beelzebumon shoved his shotgun back in his holster and swiped his long, right arm, raking his claws along the shield wall with a horrible, metal screech. "I'm right here, Dukey!" Beelzebumon shouted into the ranks of the army, taunting him to try and get the attention of Dukemon if he was really was there. "Come on! Come and fight me! Or are ya too scared?! Afraid I'll kick your tin butt in front 'a everyone and show 'em just how much I own yer ass?!"
Beelzebumon spat, hitting an unfortunate Guardromon in the face as he passed. Annoyed that Dukemon wasn't taking the bait, he sat sideways on the Behemoth and began sideswiping the Order shield wall with the side of the motorbike. The violent pushing into the front lines from the side caused several of the Defence Force soldiers to have the shields torn from their hands or become pushed over entirely, causing temporary chaos in the formation.
Sparks cascaded from the side of the Behemoth while he continued to grind the Behemoth against the wall. Beelzebumon veered to the left and continued driving in front of the Royal Knights from a distance before they could counterattack. "Hmph. Shit," he grumbled. "Guess ol' Dukey really ain't here after all."
Beelzebumon irritated frown suddenly flashed into a smirk, and he drew a loaded Berenjena once more. "Ah well! Looks like I'll just have to settle for some fun with another of the Royal Bitches 'til he shows himself! When God gives ya lemons, shove 'em up his ass!"
Craniamon gripped the Avalon and the Claiohm Solais tightly in his gloved hands. He could hear the commotion that Beelzebumon was causing over to his left.
Beelzebumon was coming right at him, causing havoc in their lines. The exhaust-laced snarl of the motorcycle was getting closer by the second. The screech of scraping metal grew louder. He could almost taste the fumes of the Behemoth's engine. He had never been this close to a Demon Lord before.
This was his chance. This was his excuse. After all, he had to protect the integrity of their frontline, and he couldn't do that if Beelzebumon was causing havoc… The Demon Lord of Gluttony was so strong, after all. Too strong for anybody but a Royal Knight to handle.
He had to step in. And he couldn't wait.
There was an excited twinkle in Craniamon's red eyes. Beelzebumon was no more than twenty meters away now. Craniamon pressed the toe of his boot against the grass and tightened his hold around his double-bladed spear. His heart thumped with excitement.
Suddenly, Craniamon broke from the shield wall and dashed out in front of the army. "Close the gap behind me!" he yelled to the Defence Forces behind him, leaving them to hastily struggle to close the hole in their line that Craniamon left.
The steadfast knight raced out in front of their lines completely alone. He came to a stop directly in Beelzebumon's path and whirled to face the speeding Demon Lord, drawing his attention. Craniamon readied the Avalon shield in front of his black digizoid covered body and pointed the Claiohm Solais spear at Beelzebumon as if to challenge him to a duel.
"Whoa!" Beelzebumon exclaimed as the Royal Knight suddenly ran out in his path. He saw the Royal Knight's challenge and smirked, but he had to veer sharply to the left in order to avoid driving into Craniamon's spear. Beelzebumon began to circle around the middle of the field at a wide angle, driving back towards the Troopmon, who were closing in on the Royal Knights' lines. "You wanna dance wit' me, Skullboy?! You think a bargain bin Dukemon like you has whaddit takes to beat me?!" he taunted him.
"Don't underestimate me…" Craniamon muttered, loosening the grip around his spear and beginning to twirl the massive weapon with his fingers.
Back in the air, Duftmon watched with incredulous outrage as Craniamon broke from his focal position in the formation to challenge Beelzebumon. With a twitching eye, Duftmon soared forwards, sweeping his arm out emphatically. "Sir Craniamon, what do you think you are doing?!" the feline commander scolded him. "Return to the formation at once!"
"Somebody has to stop him!" Craniamon defended, refusing to take his eyes off Beelzebumon as he circled around on his bike. He knew what he wanted to do, but he tried to appeal to Duftmon's rationality. "He'll break our line at this rate!"
"Which is why I ordered Dynasmon to deal with him!" Duftmon sharply replied, glaring down at Craniamon from behind. "Get back to the defensive line immediately! Without you maintaining a strong center, there will be a weakness in our line." He extended his rapier and pointed in front of Craniamon. "The next wave of Troopmon are nearly here! Dynasmon, where are you?!"
"I'm on it!" Dynasmon shouted, bursting forward from within the Aerial Forces. His palms gleamed with elemental energy as he soared past their lines and out into the middle of the field. "I've got this, Craniamon! You get back into place!"
"Tch…" Craniamon scoffed. He hesitated, glancing from Beelzebumon to the throng of oncoming Troopmon, and then back at the Defence Forces. He cursed under his breath.
Meanwhile, Beelzebumon wheeled around and began driving right in front of the fast-advancing Troopmon brigade. He eyed the two Royal Knights who were out in front and then looked ahead at a Troopmon who was several meters ahead of him, leading the suicidal charge towards the Royal Knights' tight ranks.
Beelzebumon accelerated towards the lead Troopmon and grabbed the puppet by the rubber nape of its neck. Then, he veered to the left, driving back towards Craniamon in a full charge, carrying the Troopmon behind him.
"C'mon!" Beelzebumon shouted with a grunt. He lifted the Troopmon up and heaved it forwards, sending the automaton hurdling at Craniamon like a rubber missile. "Go get 'em, Mister Squishy!" he shouted with encouragement.
Craniamon looked towards Beelzebumon, blinking as a Troopmon sailed through the air towards him. "What the-" Craniamon exclaimed as the undead infantry came flying in his direction. With a light sweep of his shield, he batted the Troopmon away like a volleyball, sending him shooting right back at Beelzebumon.
Beelzebumon blinked when he saw the Troopmon he threw sailing back towards him and the Behemoth. "Not this way, dummy!" he complained, effortlessly smacking the Troopmon away. "That way!" This time, he deflected it towards Dynasmon, seeing the second Royal Knight flying towards him.
Dynasmon bashed the hapless Troopmon away like he was swatting a fly. The enormous strength of his backhand sent the Troopmon careening far into the night sky. It hurdled haphazardly into the moonlit darkness, quickly disappearing from their sights and thoughts.
"Ah well. He tried his best," Beelzebumon casually lamented. He smirked and drew both of his Berenjena shotguns, climbing up and standing on top of the Behemoth like it was a surfboard. He pointed his guns at Craniamon and shot him a devilish grin. "Okay, you edgy, dark knight rip-off! You're no Dukemon, but I guess you'll do!" He took aim and pulled the triggers. "Double Impact!"
Craniamon deflected the metal slugs in a shower of sparks. He smirked and raised the Claiohm Solais, about to retaliate as Beelzebumon tore towards him.
"Dragon's Roar!" Dynasmon shouted, launching a surge of earth energy from his palms that slammed into the ground in front of Beelzebumon with compressive force.
Beelzebumon growled a bit as he nearly lost his balance. Although the Behemoth steered itself, he dropped back onto his seat and steered the bike away from the blast for better control. He looked over at Dynasmon with competitive and bloodthirsty eyes. "You want some too, Handlebar Head?!"
"Beelzebumon!" Dynasmon growled, flying after him and hurdling more blasts at him. He glanced down at Craniamon. "Craniamon! They're almost here!"
"Craniamon, return to your position right now!" Duftmon commanded, his voice stiff and booming as he ordered him in no uncertain terms. "The second wave is fifteen seconds away from being upon us."
Craniamon clenched his fists, glaring with cold and bitter frustration as his opponent was chased from his clutches by Dynasmon. He heard Duftmon's voice compelling him to remember his responsibilities, and he knew that he had an obligation. However, he sorely wanted to fight Beelzebumon. His anger, his frustration, and his restlessness were extreme.
"Damn it!" he shouted. He slammed the Claiohm Solais down in anger and unleashed a blast of razor wind from his spear that tore across the ground and ripped through four Troopmon who were charging in his direction. As their suits were ripped to leathery shreds, Craniamon spun around and started running back to the Order's army. Once he was there, he reluctantly retook his place in the center of the formation and locked his shield with two adjacent to him.
He glared ahead, holding his weapons in an iron grip, as he watched the wave of lowly Troopmon swarming towards them under a barrage of rifle fire.
"Cursed Demon Lords… I refuse to just stand by and slice through waves of small fry," Craniamon thought to himself. "I will not leave this battlefield until I fight one of you. I will not suffer that dishonour."
"On my pride as a Royal Knight, I will fight you…"
Barbamon watched with a smirk as the wave of Troopmon threw themselves at the wall of Order soldiers. He didn't fancy their chances, but it would buy him some more time.
The Demon Lord of Greed glanced up at the placement of the moons in the sky. The glowing, pearly disks were now both half-concealed by the shadow of the Digital World. With every passing minute, the shadows continued to creep across them, and the dim landscape became gradually darker.
"Lord Barbamon, I am nearly finished!" the Mephismon informed him from below, still painting a few runes inside the magical circle.
"Good! Make sure it matches the diagram exactly," Barbamon spoke, looking down at the grimoire in his hand. He compared the ritual circle with the picture and nodded to himself. Then, he turned and looked over his shoulder, inspecting the large container behind him.
"Okay, you lot!" the Demon Lord's strategist shouted out to a handful of DeathMeramon and WaruMonzaemon. "Get ready to bring it up! As soon as I say it's ready: lift! If I see any of you pushing against the ground, I'll cut off your hands and use them as feed! Don't you dare tarnish the circle!"
The Demon Lord of Greed then looked around at the rows of impatient demons and the placid Troopmon in front of them.
"Send ahead the third wave of Troopmon! Nightmare Soldiers, begin a slow advance and start bombarding their lines! Not too fast!" he ordered them.
Once he saw the Troopmon begin to move, followed by the disciplined slow-march of the legions, Barbamon rested his hands on the skull-like head of the Death Lure. He looked ahead at the Royal Knights' army, the moonlight twinkling in his eye as well as his jewellery.
"So far, all is going according to my plan," Barbamon mused, his voice as confident as it was sinister. "If this is all you have, Royal Knights, then your tactician cannot be very good…."
He chuckled hoarsely. "Well, then? It's almost time… What is your next move…?"
Duftmon hovered above the army, gazing across the battlefield and watching the enemies' movements. He watched as the second wave of Troopmon crashed against the Royal Knights' frontline after a barrage of rifle and grenade fire. The Defence Forces and Strike Forces worked in tandem to easily cut them down. He could see the undead data funnelling from the Troopmons' torn and cleaved suits towards the Demon Lords' back lines to fill more suits in reserve.
The tactician knight tapped his rapier against the side of his leg as he watched the last of the second wave of Troopmon get annihilated by blades and explosions. "These are such obvious stalling tactics," Duftmon thought to himself. "Barbamon isn't stupid enough to honestly think that these wave assaults could break our lines. Only now is he ordering his legions to move, and only just. He is clearly playing for time, but for what purpose? Does he think that Lucemon's detachment will show up? But they are all the way up in the Cathode Tundra, if Leviamon is correct. They couldn't possible arrive in time… There must be some other reason…"
Duftmon glared across the battlefield at Barbamon. He could see him in the rear, near the boxes where the Troopmons were being replenished. He waved his staff around, seeming to gesture in command.
"Whatever the reason, I will not allow you the time that you require," Duftmon murmured. He raised his blade and pointed forwards in command. "Everyone! We are going on the offensive! Royal Knights, fly ahead and engage the Demon Lords! Craniamon, Captain Knightmon - take the Defence Forces and advance at a full march! UlforceVeedramon – you engage Demon! RhodoKnightmon – lead half of the Strike Forces along the left flank! Magnamon, Captain Ouryumon – bombard the Nightmare Soldiers' position!"
As he watched the Order military react to his commands accordingly, Duftmon beat his fluffy, white, shoulder wings to keep aloft. The light of the darkening full moons shone down against his armour, and the night breeze blew through Duftmon's flowing, blond hair as he surveyed the situation. The tactician glared suspiciously in Barbamon's direction.
"Barbamon… You are using Beelzebumon's speed and aggression to disrupt our front line and occupy the attention of the Royal Knights," Duftmon quietly thought. "Meanwhile, you are sending Demon ahead, relying on his brute strength to attempt to smash through our defences until the Royal Knights are forced to intervene. You are using the Demon Lords' strengths."
With silent resolve, Duftmon gazed across his army. "…And so shall I, as well," the tactician promised. "For it is a strategist's duty to make the most of the Digimon at my disposal. I cannot afford to make the same mistakes…"
"I will use RhodoKnightmon and Ouryumon's speed and offensive capabilities to break through their left. I will use Craniamon's defensive superiority to have them advance on the Demon Lords like an impenetrable wall. Meanwhile, I will have UlforceVeedramon counter Demon's brute strength with his speed, while Dynasmon will deny Beelzebumon use of his speed with his overwhelming area control."
Duftmon gazed across at Barbamon, trying to gauge his response to his change in tactics. It seemed to him that Barbamon was still largely focused on something else. It bothered him… He felt as though there was something going on that he wasn't privy to. With his suspicions piqued, Duftmon decided to act.
"Leftenant MailBirdramon!" Duftmon called out to Grani's subordinate, the commander of the scouts.
The large, blue, mechanical dragon swooped down from the sky and stopped dutifully at Duftmon's side. "What are your commands, Sir Duftmon?" MailBirdramon inquired in a cool and composed voice.
"I want you to send one wing on a wide sweep of the surrounding area to make sure that the enemy has no reinforcements," Duftmon explained. "I also wish to ascertain what it is that Barbamon is doing. I want you to scout around his baggage train to ensure that there are no more surprises. Is that possible for you?"
"They control the airspace around their baggage train, Sir. I cannot guarantee that I would be able to get close enough," MailBirdramon answered. "However, perhaps I can observe him from a high altitude position without garnering attention."
"That would be most sufficient. I leave it to your judgement, Leftenant," Duftmon briskly replied, turning his attention back to the battlefield.
As MailBirdramon glided off to direct his Recon Forces and begin his scouting mission, Duftmon tightened his grip around his sword. He noticed that it was beginning to grow darker. The Royal Knight glanced up at the sky, seeing that the moons, which should have been full disks, were over half concealed by shadows. He frowned, but then the sight of the Defence Forces plowing into the next wave of Troopmon occupied his focus.
"Barbamon, I shall not give you a moment's reprieve."
Magnamon flew ahead at the front of the Aerial Forces. The battle was intensifying around them.
Gunfire resounded to his right in a smoky cacophony in the skirmishes with Beelzebumon and the Troopmon waves. He had forced himself to restrain himself, allowing Dynasmon to engage Beelzebumon like he had been ordered. He told himself there would be other chances…
Magnamon hovered in the night sky, the moonlight glinting off his dented, half-repaired armour. Golden particles emanated from the turbine engines within his armour. Holy energy powered up inside of him, causing him to radiate like a bright star. His claws curled and his vision sharpened as he stared out from his vanguard position. He saw that chance tearing across the battlefield ahead of him…
It was Demon… The burly, dark-furred devil was flying ahead of the Nightmare Soldiers, speeding towards the Royal Knights alone.
There he was… The Demon Lord of Wrath. The Demon Lord who had caused incalculable destruction. The Demon Lord who defeated him. The Demon Lord who humiliated him…
Magnamon felt a tiny eruption of anger within him. He still felt the pain from his burns and bruises. He still felt the wound to his ego. Seeing the Demon Lord of Wrath again brought all those feelings rushing back like a breaking dam. The emotions inundated him, oversaturating his rational mind. He wanted payback.
Then, he heard Duftmon's voice cut through the din of battle. "Everyone! We are going on the offensive! Royal Knights, fly ahead and engage the Demon Lords!" the tactician shouted.
Magnamon's fists tightened. He angled his body forwards and intensified the power of his engines. Conveniently choosing not to hear the personalized instructions that came afterwards, Magnamon propelled himself forwards like a rocket.
"I'm coming for you, Demon," he whispered.
Nearby, UlforceVeedramon was watching Magnamon from behind. He could see the tension and the anger in his friend's movements.
Magnamon had been quiet for most of the journey. UlforceVeedramon knew that what happened was weighing heavy on his mind. He had anticipated that Magnamon probably wanted to go after Demon. He was worried that he might get himself into trouble again… but he knew he had to tread carefully with the golden knight.
Then, Duftmon's revised tactical orders sounded out, and he saw Magnamon begin to make a bee-line for Demon. It seemed to him that Magnamon didn't hear Duftmon telling him to lead the bombardment. Either that, or Magnamon was so focused on fighting Demon, that he intended to defy the orders. Either way, UlforceVeedramon knew that he had to act.
Flapping his wings, UlforceVeedramon took off in an azure blur. He zipped through the starry sky. Being the fastest of the Royal Knights, it was a mere second before he overtook Magnamon, cutting him off in his tracks.
"I've got this! Cover me, Magnamon!" UlforceVeedramon shouted out as he whizzed past the Knight of Miracles, his words entering his ear in a Doppler shift. Even without his orders, he was planning to engage Demon anyways. He felt a little bad for commandeering the situation, but he knew it was for Magnamon's own good.
Magnamon halted in the air as a flash of cobalt cut in front of him. He watched with shock as UlforceVeedramon soared towards Demon much faster than he ever could.
UlforceVeedramon blazed through the darkening sky like a shooting star. He closed in on Demon in seconds, meeting him above the charging Troopmon in the middle of the battlefield.
Suddenly in front of Demon, he sliced the Ulforce Sabre down on the arch devil. Demon scowled upon seeing the flash of a laser, reacting quickly as the azure knight abruptly appeared in front of him. Unable to mount a fast enough defence, Demon brought his wing down in front of his body, allowing the laser sword to slash against the claws extending from the tops of his wings before slicing down the outer surface of the appendage.
UlforceVeedramon stabbed forwards with his second Ulforce Sabre, but, this time, Demon was ready. He unfurled his wings and released a small burst of magic from his hands that redirected the blade to the side. In response, UlforceVeedramon kicked Demon in the chest and propelled himself away in a backwards flip.
Demon's three eyes narrowed with cold ire as he fixated on the Royal Knight who dared to attack him. After a few seconds, he recognized him. The sight of him caused him to tighten his muscles and extend his claws. "You…" Demon softly growled.
UlforceVeedramon glared back at Demon while crossing his twin energy swords in front of his body defensively. "Well, if it isn't Demon! It's been awhile…" he told the Demon Lord of Wrath. His words, while otherwise jaunty in intonation, were weighed down by disdain and rivalry.
Demon raised his hand, which began to ripple within the waves of sweltering heat that formed around him. His palm erupted with hellish flames that illuminated the darkness surrounding them. "You again… The mouthy newt who defeated me in the Heavenly War… You are always getting in my way."
"It's a particularly enjoyable hobby of mine," UlforceVeedramon told him as he started building up light within the v-crest on his chest. "Let's see if I can beat my record time this time."
Demon growled as vengeance flashed within his violet eyes. "The only record you will beat is in how fast I kill you. I shall squash you underfoot like the bug you are. I shall rip your wings from their sockets and mount you on my wall, Royal Knight. I will have this world in the palm of my hand!"
"You're welcome to try, but I'll just stop you like I did back then!" UlforceVeedramon exclaimed, sweeping his arms out and puffing his chest up. "Shining V-Force!"
"Writhe and suffer before me, newt. See where your 'Ulforce' gets you as I'm incinerating you like a piece of meat in the flames of Hell! Feel, in your agony, how much stronger I have become! Flame Inferno!" Demon roared.
The pillar of fire collided with the ray of light and a bright explosion erupted between them.
Magnamon's eye twitched, then his face tightened into a scowl as he watched UlforceVeedramon engage with Demon in heated battle. Demon was his opponent. He didn't care what Duftmon said. He didn't care if UlforceVeedramon had fought him in the past; Demon was the one who made a fool out of him. This was supposed to be his chance to redeem himself.
Magnamon felt the frustration simmering inside of him erupt into a boil. He knew he couldn't engage Demon now without getting in UlforceVeedramon's way, and he no longer had an excuse to put himself in that heroic position. His fists tightened enough for the veins in the backs of his hands to throb. He gnashed his teeth and glowered bitterly. Was Duftmon going to relegate him to a support position in this battle? Was he going to achieve nothing of consequence? There had to be something he could do.
With a soft growl, Magnamon snapped open the ports in his armour and began launching a barrage of golden missiles towards the Nightmare Soldiers' ranks. "Plasma Shoot!" he shouted, sending eight missiles right into the front lines of the legions, obliterating several demon Digimon in a series of golden explosions.
"Damn it, Duftmon! Why are you underestimating me?" Magnamon thought to himself with frustration as he watched all of his missiles hit their marks. "I can do more than this!"
He glanced back at Duftmon for a moment, watching as the leopard-themed tactician directed their troops in a more aggressive assault. Then, Magnamon turned back forwards when the Nightmare Soldiers finally began to return fire with a barrage of their own.
Magnamon flew forwards, weaving nimbly and acrobatically around the beams and fireballs. The Aerial Forces launched their own salvo, meeting with the Nightmare Soldiers' barrage in the air. Many explosions erupted in the air before him, while several of the attacks burst through in both directions.
The knight burst through the swath of flames, enveloped in a golden aura, rising into the sky and launching several blasts of golden lasers from his armour into the crowd of aerial demons. Magnamon remembered that he had a duty to lead the Aerial Forces, so he didn't go too far ahead on his own. However, he was also determined to be at the very front, in the thick of the battle.
"Fire!" Magnamon shouted to the Aerial Forces behind him. "I want heavy, diffused fire on their lines! Ouryumon! Move up with me! We'll concentrate on the left flank!"
As Magnamon flew forwards, his focus landed on the one Demon Lord who wasn't currently engaged in battle: Barbamon. The Demon Lord wasn't a frontline fighter, to be sure, but the way he was acting struck the Royal Knight as odd. Barbamon seemed to be looking up and down, rather than at the battle in front of him.
Magnamon frowned, his contemplation reflected in his red eyes… What was Barbamon doing? What was going on at the rear of the Demon Lords' lines? He had learned from the Heavenly War not to underestimate the greedy tactician. He began to wonder if it was something for him to worry about.
Magnamon flew towards the enemy lines at an ascending angle. As he rose towards the sky, he spotted a metallic glint moving in the sky, beneath the increasingly dark moons. And, then, Magnamon wondered… weren't the moons supposed to be full that night?
Suddenly, there was a rush of both concern and excitement inside of him. He increased his speed and rose higher into the air, hoping to try and get a good vantage point while he fired missiles down on the Nightmare Soldiers.
This was something that he needed to investigate.
The metal glint in the sky grew closer.
The last traces of remaining moonlight reflected off of MailBirdramon's metallic wings as he soared through the night sky. He veered to the side and began a controlled dive towards Duftmon.
Duftmon launched a long-ranged beam from the Hakai no Tsurugi into the enemy forces, swallowing up three Troopmon and three Perfect level demons in its dark folds. Noticing movement above him, he gracefully retracted his rapier as dark energy crackled up its length. He looked to the sky as he saw Leftenant MailBirdramon returning from his reconnaissance sortie.
"Leftenant?" Duftmon questioned, lowering his blade as the large, metal dragon cut his engines and came to a rearing stop nearby. "What have you found? What is Barbamon doing? And what is back there?"
"Sir…" MailBirdramon spoke, his calm voice methodical and uncertain. "I was only able see so much due to the darkness as well as my altitude, so I cannot say with a 100% degree of certainty, however…"
Duftmon frowned and turned his head to him curiously. "Yes? What is it?"
"From what I was able to scan, Barbamon and his minions were creating something in the ground around their baggage train," MailBirdramon explained. "My sensors picked up some form of magical energy emanating from the lines. I hypothesize with 70% confidence that it is some sort of incantation circle…"
Duftmon stopped what he was doing and fully faced MailBirdramon. His green eyes sharpening slightly, he stared at the leftenant with a penetrating gaze. "…What?" he demanded. "What evidence do you have to support your claim?"
"As I said, my sensors were able to pick up readings from the ground. The markings were drawn in a pentacle pattern with demonic runes and Digimoji consistent with a magical circle. In addition, they have placed a huge crate in the middle of the circle. I am unable to ascertain what is inside, but it is gargantuan in size. It is far bigger than the other boxes that are filled with Troopmon," MailBirdramon explained.
Duftmon's eyes tightened and he turned back to stare at Barbamon in the distance. Indeed, Barbamon appeared to be focused on whatever he was working on, and Duftmon could make out the large crate behind the Demon Lord in the distance. It was strikingly unusual to him… He suddenly began to feel deeply concerned.
"A magical circle… For what purpose?" Duftmon murmured with thought, flicking his tail irritably. "Is it some sort of boon from the Dark Area? Is he attempting to summon reinforcements from there? That does not make any logical sense. Imperialdramon reset the barrier with the pocket dimension – it should not be possible…"
Duftmon stared across the battlefield, trying to glean Barbamon's intentions by his actions. Even with his feline night vision, it was hard for him to see Barbamon well in the dark, especially with all of the attacks flying around. In that moment, Duftmon realised… it was darker than it should be.
Duftmon looked up at the sky. There was no cloud cover. The sky was as clear as an astral lake. It was so clear earlier, and he recalled that it was supposed to be double full moons tonight. It was supposed to be brighter than this.
The tactician turned around to look at the moons above and behind him. He had been so focused on the battle before them that he hadn't given the lunar satellites above much thought. Apart from knowing that their light would allow them the ability to fight past sunset, and Dynasmon's comment about them being unlucky causing him annoyance, he hadn't considered them.
To his shock, Duftmon saw the two moons in the sky, and they weren't as he remembered them. Rather than bright, white disks in the sky, they were almost completely covered by the umbra cast by the Digital World. There were only slim, crescent slivers of light remaining around the moons' edges, and they were close to disappearing completely.
"I…" Duftmon spoke, his eyes expanding. "Inconceivable… A double lunar eclipse? Tonight? But… that is an astronomically rare phenomenon… Why would…" Duftmon trailed off and fell silent for a few moments. He slowly looked back at Barbamon.
"The moons…" Duftmon whispered, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword.
"Sir?" MailBirdramon inquired.
"The phase of the moons may be part of the incantation process," Duftmon explained, his features growing hard like steel. "In the aftermath of DarkKnightmon's escape, I performed independent research to disprove Dynasmon's ridiculous superstition that both moons simultaneously reaching the full moon phase was somehow a cause of misfortune. In my research, I came across a hypothesis from a well-established astronomer: she suggested that, during a double full moon, the energy of the leylines is in flux. This can cause variations in the distribution of magical energies."
Duftmon frowned and stroked his chin. "If an eclipse is also occurring… Then that would likely mean a sudden, drastic weakening of magical stability," he surmised. "Assuming this correct, then what is Barbamon hoping to achieve? Is he hoping that the barrier of the Dark Area is weak enough to summon reinforcements? Even with these extreme variations, the barrier should still be strong enough to hold. Even if it were a summoning circle, what of that box that is in the center of it? That does not correlate... Is the box empty? Or is something inside of it?"
Duftmon's mind raced like a computer as he tried to anticipate Barbamon's motives. His finger tapped against his sword and he stared across the dark expanse, lit only by beams and fire now that the moonlight was nearly completely gone.
"For a box to be that big and to be necessary for an incantation circle…" Duftmon murmured grimly. And then, something clicked in his mind. His tight, pensive glower suddenly slackened with realisation. "If it is not a conjuration circle, then it must be one of negation… Could it be…?"
Duftmon's arms fell to his sides and his eyes enlarged with dread.
"…Oh no."