Digimon: Godfall

by Sonfaro

When human researchers disappear in the deserts of Server, the Digiworlds finest are called upon to investigate. What they find however, may test the bonds between courage and friendship, and usher in an evil that had been silent for far too long.

21. Chapter 21

Digimon

GODFALL

By. Sonfaro

Chapter 21

---

We are getting the hell out of here. Swear to god, we are getting the hell out of here!

Agumon and Gabumon are both back to fighting condition thanks to a quick dinner… or is it breakfast? We've blocked off our only exit with debris from the ceiling, so we're making a new one on the other side. We had the survivors push away any tables or desks that stood in our way, and now Agumon is hammering the wall with shot after shot of his Pepper Breath.

Across the room, the pile of rubble that's both protecting us and blocking our exit shifts as every once in a while one of the hundreds of crazed Gizmon on the other side bounces up against the stone debris. The good news is they haven't broken through. The bad news is…

"This is taking too long."

That's Matt's voice. Calm, and focused like always. I frown and turn to him, a frown on my face. "We're making progress."

"Yeah, but filling a hallway with ruble from an unstable ceiling is one thing. Breaking through a solid brick wall is another. Agumon can't keep pelting fireballs over and over like this. He's going to burn through all his energy."

I frown, biting my lower lip to ignore the shooting pain in my arm. "You're right. Ease up buddy."

Agumon huffs one final blast at the wall before yawning out a puff of smoke. The ball of flame blows another chunk out of the wall he was aiming for, but we still see no trace of the outside. I frown.

According to the head old guy – Kurata – this wall should have been the easiest to break through. There are only a couple meters of digital brick between it and the corridor behind, so it should have been easy. But we've hit a snag, and we don't have time to pelt at pure brick when we've got spider-mechs at our door and a ceiling that could collapse at any moment. I sigh.

What a sucky weekend.

"What's going on?" The balding man – Piyotte, I think – speaks up.

"Just hold on a second," I suggest.

The blonde guy frowns, while crossing his arms. "You got us into this mess kid."

"Mitsuo, please calm down," his lady-friend shushes him.

"I-is there anything we can help you with."

Matt shakes his head at the timid old geezer. "Just sit tight sir. Let us handle this."

Agumon huffs. "I can break through Tai."

"I know you can buddy," I say with a weak smile. "But we need you to have some strength left over just in case."

Gabumon nods in agreement. "That's right. Who knows what dangers may lay ahead?"

"What we need is to get through in one solid blast." Matt muses.

Agumon pouts. "But I can do it!"

I let my good hand rest on his snout. "If you could you would have already. Don't overwork yourself. Take a breather."

My partner pouts a little, but doesn't argue any more. Truth is he probably could blow a hole through the wall if he really pushed himself, but that would result in him using what strength he gained from his admittedly light supper/breakfast. Regardless of how hot or fast his fireball attacks are, it's gonna require several more in rapid succession, and we don't have that kind of time. If he had an attack that could quickly roll through rock it would be one thing, but that isn't the case. As good as Gabumon is - and he is good – one rookie alone isn't going to defend us from a horde of crazed robots that are willing to eat themselves to grow stronger.

We need them both – Gabumon and Agumon – working close to full strength to get out of here. Otherwise we're all doomed.

As if anticipating my thoughts the walls again shake violently, and the survivors have to cover their heads from the dust that falls. The gaping hole above the blocked entrance widens a little, and little fissures begin sliding across the ceiling. Not good.

"We have to figure out something." Matt frowns as he looks up. "The survivors are getting restless and the ceiling could collapse at any moment."

My eyes furrow. "If only we had a..."

And then it comes to me!

Matt blinks. "What?"

"A drill."

We both look at each other.

And then we look at Gabumon.

"Why is everyone looking at me f…No. Nononono…."

"Gabumon that horn on your head has rivets."

"No it doesn't." He lies.

"Don't you have an attack in your arsenal that allows you to drill?"

"No I don't." He lies.

"I could have sworn you did."

"Uh-uh." He lies.

Matt sighs the way an older brother does when a younger sibling tries to get out of something. I know it well. "Gabumon…"

"Maaaatt!"

"You know you can break through that rock. Your Blue Blaster doesn't break through walls and Agumon doesn't have the cardio to bust through without completely exhausting himself."

"Hey!"

"No offence."

Gabumon pouts. "But every time I do it my head starts to hurt and I get dizzy. And the gravel will get all over my fur coat."

I roll my eyes. "As much dirt as your fur has now?"

This of course makes the self-conscious lizard-dog start whimpering and elicits a glare from his partner. "Tai."

"Sorry."

"Ah c'mon Gabumon," Agumon slides a clawed arm around his friends shoulders. "What's the big deal?"

"You spin around and run into a wall head first. Your skull is hard enough!"

Agumon laughs. "Gabumon, Gabumon, Gabumon… I thought you were a real Digimon buddy. I didn't know you were such a chicken!"

"I'm not…"

"Bawk."

"Agumon, I hardly think that…"

"Bawk! Bawk!"

"I am not a…

"Bawk, bwakbakbawkbaaa!"

Gabumon rolls his eyes as Agumon dances about like a chicken. "Fine! If Matt wants me to. I will use Drill Horn."

Matt blinks. "I mean… If you're up to it."

"What's going on?" Asks one of the women. Tally… I think.

"We're about to bust out of here," I tell her with a smile. She nods and, with the others backs away from the wall as far as she can go.

Gabumon nods, resigned to his fate. He shoots me a look that could freeze though. "There had better be a whole bag of chocolates when we get back."

"Promise." I cross my heart.

"The real kind," he growls. "With the wrappers and everything."

By real, of course he means that gourmet kind he likes. Wonderful. "Got it."

"And a saucer of chocolate milk."

"Gabumon…"

Gabumon clears his throat and avoids Matt's frown, but shoots me a look that says 'I'm serious about the milk.' It's on my list. He'll deserve all the sweets he wants after today. They both will.

Man, my wallet is going to hurt so bad…

"Alright," Gabumon announces to the room. "Everyone please stand back."

There's a murmur from the eight scantily clad humans, who shuffle their way behind us. Gabumon trots a little ahead. He takes a final deep breath, closes his eyes, and then rushes forward as fast as his legs can take him.

"Drill Horn!"

The next thing I know the body of Gabumon is up in the air, spinning like a sidewinding tornado making an incredibly fast beeline for the damaged wall. It's hard to describe what he becomes as anything less than a blue of white and blue, with a tip of gold targeting a stone wall. He connects horn first, rock and debris flying this way and that as his momentum tears through the ancient wall. I shield my eyes as the dust picks up, sweeping into the room and blocking our sight for several seconds.

When the dust settles, we all look up at his handiwork. The hole Gabumon made in the wall isn't a large one, a little less than two meters wide in diameter. But it'll have to do. Matt makes his way towards the wall. I follow after him. We both peak into the hole, my view obstructed with a dyed blond mop in front of me. I see well enough to know that Gabumon hasn't stopped spinning.

"Gabumon… Gabumon you're through!" Matt calls out to him.

On cue Gabumon begins decelerating. I can't see much from my perch behind Matt's shoulders, but it's very clear that Drill Horn has rattled our Digimon friends brain a little, as his eyes loop about in little brown circles as he tries, in vain, to keep steady. After giving a little yelp Gabumon topples over, disappearing completely from my vantage point.

"Gabumon, are you alright?" Matt asks to his partner.

From the other side we hear a faint murmur. "W-why no S-Sora I don't k-know where that box of chocolates went…"

"Gabumon!"

With a jolt I see him sit up: horn first, then ears, then sheepish brown eyes gazing from the other side. "Eh? S-sorry?"

Matt frowns. "…Have you been sneaking snacks at Sora's again?"

"…No." He lies.

Matt sighs. "Never mind. Is the coast clear?"

Gabumon looks both ways. "I don't see anything… or hear anything coming for that matter. I think it's clear. What do you want me to do?"

"Just stay there and keep an eye out," I tell him. "We're coming through."

I give Matt a look. "Ladies first."

He rolls his eyes and I grin. With a huff he lifts himself into the hole and starts crawling towards his partner. So long as he's close by at least we'll have a line of defense for the rest of us. I turn to the survivors, tucking my arm close to my chest. "Who's next?"

It takes a few more minutes for all of us to crawl through the escape Gabumon made. A little longer for some than others – the bald European complains immensely and his blonde compatriot mocks him about some failed diet. Eventually however, the entire party manages to make their escape to the other side of the hidden lab in one piece, a little dirtier and grumpier, but very much safe and ready to move. Which is good. Because the way this place is starting to rumble, I don't think we have much more time.

"Alright old man, recognize anything."

Kurata frowns, looking from one side to another. "We're in the… southern corridor. So up is… This way."

"After you." I extend a hand. He laughs a little and takes point, a snide little smirk on his face.

I really want to wipe that smirk off with a good solid kick to the mush.

"Hey."

Thoughts of violence disappear as I feel a hand on my shoulder. My ears recognize the concerned voice as Matts. "Hmn?"

"Are you really okay?"

No.

"I'm fine." I tell him. "As good as it's gonna get anyway."

He frowns a little. I don't think he believes me. Not really. But he sighs and – if he doesn't believe me - pretends right along with me. "Good… I was worried."

I raise an eyebrow in jest. "Aww. You do care."

He glares and pouts his pale lips. "…Shut up."

I flash a smile. It's weak as hell, and a little disingenuous. And I think we both know it. But Matt doesn't say anything. No, he just tightens his lips and moves forwards after the groups without another word.

Say something Tai. You have to.

"Matt!"

He blinks and turns.

Say something.

C'mon.

Say something!

"Hey… I… I'm really am sorry."

His eyes focus like daggers. "About?"

Say it!

"…About…

Say it!

"You know…"

Coward.

He stares at me for a long time. And then he takes a deep breath.

"…Water under a bridge. We've both been punished enough today."

I feel a little better when he says that, but not much.

"Thanks," I say begrudgingly.

He shrugs. "C'mon…"

He gets going. And after a while, I fall right behind him. I should tell him. Tell him that seeing Rei woke up some long forgotten feeling I'd been keeping buried for his sake. For their sake. That every feeling, every insinuation he suggested on this journey about me and her… about what I felt for her… were true. I should tell him that this is an eye opener for me. That I'm living in a rose tinted past because I'm too scared and too impatient and too stupid to do otherwise. I should tell him that when Rei was falling, I was thinking of someone else.

But I can't. I can't even form the words together in my head. All I can do is give him some weak apology and look sheepishly at the ground. Some Digidestined of Courage I am huh?

One day, me and Matt are really going to have it out about this. About us. About the Elephant in the room.

Right now though, we need to stay alive.

We get moving at a good pace, power walking our way through the dark maze as fast as humanly/digitally possible. Every now and again we stop when we hear something, or when the shakes – which are coming closer and closer together – get too bad. We're at it for quite some time, and a part of me starts to get worried.

"How much further?"

Kurata sniffs. "The maze is a complicated design Digidestined. It will take some…. Achoo!"

"Backing away." Agumon growls. I don't think he's buying Kuratas' allergies. I know I'm not.

"Sorry," he says. "We're going in the right direction. It will just take some time to navigate."

There's a slight tremor as he says this. Some dust falls from the ceiling. We're all a little quieter once it lets up. "We may not have time," suggests that 'Gure guy. "The Pyramids structure seems to be caving in."

"That's not our only problem."

I look to where the Riley lady is pointing. In the darkness I see dots of red.

Matt beats me to it. "Start running."

"What is it?" The little girl looks up at him.

"Never mind," Matt orders. "Start running, we'll cover you!"

"Kurata, take point," I add. "Head for the exit. And whatever you do, don't look back."

"B-but what about-"

"Go!"

Kurata yelps and, without another word, starts running. The others follow suit, their bodies exhausted but their spirits unwilling to die just yet. The red dots move closer, so that the silhouettes of the spider machines can be seen in the dim light. Our partners step in front of us as soon as they are in range. Wordlessly, we give the order, and our Digimon open their mouths.

"Pepper Breath!"

"Blue Blaster!"

A stream of red and blue flame launches towards the approaching Gizmon. Their combined firepower washes over the oncoming swarm, dousing them in flame. There are terrible shrieks, and the light that it produces is haunting and terrible. Our partners keep up the pressure until the way is blocked by fire and dying Gizmon. And then we turn tail.

The first wave has been handled, but even now I hear more coming.

We catch up to the party pretty quickly – the advantage of having shoes. They're moving as fast as they can, but it's clear that if we don't get out of here and soon we're going to be in serious trouble.

"Keep moving!" I shout ahead to them. I get grumbles in response, but they do as they're told, picking up the pace as best they can and holding desperately onto their robes. There's a tremor below us, but we keep running. I hear the screeches of gears behind us, but we keep running. There's no alternative. We have to make it out of here.

"I think we lost them!" Agumon shouts aloud.

"Great! Just a little further!" Kurata announces as we turn the corner, and a boost of adrenaline fills my veins. We're going to do it. We're going to make it out of here.

Then there's a scream from one of the girls, and in the darkness before us all I see are red dots.

"Get behind us!" I shout, forcing my way past Kurata with Agumon and taking a protective stance. Matt does the same beside us. Not that this is going to do much good.

I'm not sure where this group of Gizmon came from, but they fill the hallway before us like a sea of metal and wiring. There's a hissing noise. Cackles of tiny machinery clicking as the dots stare at us. It has the survivors rattled. Hell, why lie? It has me rattled too.

"Hurry up! Get behind us!" I say again, stronger this time. Desperate to put on a face of bravery despite the circumstances. I don't think it works.

"We're trapped! We're gonna die down here!" Kurata whimpers.

Matt shoots him a dirty look. "Shut up."

He does, but the look of fear remains; on all their faces now. Our group huddles together as the Gizmon in front of us step closer to our light. Agumon is in front of me now, growling through clenched teeth. If they start firing he won't be able to block me, but I know him. He'll try anyway. He may get through a quarter of their number before they downed him… and me. I know Gabumon would do the same for Matt. And we'd do the same for them.

But it's not necessary. There's no escape now. There are too many in front of us, and too many behind. There's nowhere to run anymore. The humans we've tried to save have given up, I can sense it. The little girl holds to her brother, the aging science guys are clutching their hearts. The blonde and his lady-friend hold each other tight. They've accepted their end.

I clench my fists. All the adventures I've had, the battles I've waged… and this is how I'm supposed to go? At the hand of some man made pseudo-Digimon with a hatred for white robes? Yeah right. I haven't come this far to give up now. I glare in defiance at the Gizmon, daring them to try something. Daring them to make her death mean nothing. They're red eyes glare back at me, pulsing brighter and brighter.

And then they stop altogether.

I blink. The glowing red in their eyes begins to die down instead, becoming a faint light in a dark corridor. I frown and hazard a glance over my shoulder. I can't see too well, but it appears that the Gizmon behind us are doing the same.

The balding old man asks the question for all of us. "W-what is happening? Why'd they stop?"

I can't answer. I'm too busy staring in wonder. The Gizmon before us twitter awkwardly. From their number, three crawl forward, their red eyes extended from their metallic shells and peering up at me.

And then they start to glow.

I shield my eyes, but I don't look away. Parts shift, merge, splice in midair as the data within these three Gizmon shift into something new. It's my height in the end, though its purple body is oblong and contorted. It looks almost like a broken beaded necklace; purple shells connected by strings of black wire tightly wound within its frame. It's single red eye meets mine, glaring with heated gaze at me.

I stand my ground, and show no fear. If I'm gonna die here the least I can do is stare at the face of my killer.

But it doesn't fire. It just floats there. Glaring at me. Or at least I think it's glaring. It's almost like it's trying to figure out what to make of me, like it doesn't understand what I am.

And then I realize that it isn't trying to hurt me at all.

Matt is getting worried. "Tai, why are you just standing there, it's gonna –"

"I'm fine," I tell him. "I… I don't think they're going to hurt us."

He looks at me strangely. "Tai?"

"What do you mean?" Gabumon asks.

I shake my head. "I don't know. I mean… It's like something's fighting to keep them from killing us outright."

Agumon tilts his head to the side. "Like what?"

"I don't know. Maybe something's… you know. Controlling them."

Matt glares. "Tai we're the only ones left."

I turn and face him. His icy glare tells me all I need to know. He knows what I'm thinking… what I'm hoping this is. And he doesn't like it one bit. I try to say something, when a sound catches us all off guard.

"DaaahhDeeDeee."

I blink.

The merged Gizmon bobs its head once before uttering the sound again. Three simple notes that strike a strange chord in my head. The noise is too distinct to be just a guttural sound made by a brainless mech. It's specific in nature, a sound that should be recognizable.

"What?" I ask it. "What is it?"

It tilts its head – as if it doesn't understand. And then it tries again. Slower this time.

"Daaah-Dee-Deee"

"W-what's it doing," asks the old white guy.

I shake my head. "It's… talking."

Or at least trying to. As if understanding that its abilities are limited in that department the new Gizmon tilts its domed head and slows its sounds down.

"D-D-D"

"C'mon." I ask it.

"D-T-T"

"…"

"T-T-TAAAaaa."

My blood runs cold. "Matt?"

He doesn't answer. He looks like he's seen a ghost.

"TaaaaEEEEE"

"…"

"TaaaEEEtttchEEEE"

My eyes are wide. I turn my head swiftly to my XO, whose jaws are clenched shut. "Did… Did you hear that?"

"…"

"You didn't?"

He looks away from me. "I don't know."

I stare at him, mouth open. I don't… I don't know what else to do. I… It's… She's…

"…Tai?"

Matt. He's watching me. Waiting for me to do something. So is the Gizmon; the army behind it chattering endlessly while watching with glowing red eyes. Another rumble sends sand raining into my eyes and I have to squint to focus. The robot before me doesn't have that problem. Even as the pyramids structure crumbles it waits for me. I take a deep breath.

I take a step forward.

"Wait!" Matt calls out to me. I ignore him and take another step. The robot moves backwards, until it floats before its horde of Gizmon brethren. And then it dissolves back into two faceless spiders. My expression hardens, but I take another step. It's all I can do now. My right foot plants ahead of me and the spiders in my direct path… shift away.

My eyes widen and I freeze. The Gizmon freeze with me. No one moves for another second or two, before I plant my left foot. They shift again, some clinging to the wall, others piling on top of one another. Either way, they're clearing a path I can walk through. There's a gasp from the crowd.

"T-they're parting for you." Someone says.

I swallow spit. "Everybody, stay close."

Our party takes slow, delicate steps through the corridor of jabbering Gizmon, their red eyes squarely focused on us. But they aren't attacking. They are literally moving out of our way… Out of my way.

"They're everywhere." The middle aged Japanese guy notes curiously.

"Keep moving," I tell him, "and don't look back."

He does of course. I can hear his gasp when he sees what's behind us. I keep pressing forward, knowing full well that each Gizmon we pass is gathered behind us. Building a wall. We're only meters in when I hear it.

Laser fire.

"Keep moving," I order. They comply, and we all pep up our step to make some distance. Behind us, our pursuers have met with our saviors. The Gizmon are at war. I can hear their shrieks and the sound of data bursting, and I know that…whoever it is that has saved us is losing control to their madness.

It may not matter much longer though. Up ahead I can see a familiar incline, and I know we're close to the end.

"DaaahhhEEEE"

I frown and turn my head. The merged Gizmon – I can't hope that it's anything more than that – has caught up to me and Agumon, its red eye flashing in the dark.

"What?"

It bobs once. "DRRRR-DEEEEE"

I blink. "What is it?"

"Dirty?" Suggests Agumon.

The Gizmon shakes its purple head franticly. "Deeerrrr-Reeee."

"Dury?" Mitsuo raises an eyebrow. "Does it mean burly? Whirly?"

The merged Gizmon shakes its head slowly.

"D-UUUUUrryy."

Matt's frown deepens. "Hurry."

"Huh?"

The robot nods. "D-UUUUUrryy!"

I feel my blood rush cold. I look behind us. The corridor is collapsing, its destruction racing closer and closer, and I know we only have minutes before the entire tunnel is gone.

"Run!" I order.

And we do. We run like the wind.

Gizmon whir past me as I keep my eyes forward. I clutch my arm to my chest, ignoring the pain. Agumon huffs beside me. In just a few moments he and I are going to be outside, putting the rest of this God awful day behind us.

"Keep going!"

The vibrations are getting stronger. I almost feel like the entire pyramid is alive, shaking this way and that, attempting to awaken. With difficulty I make my way up the incline, joined by Agumon, Gabumon, Matt and the survivors. The door is

Kurata glares at him. "What are you doing, you don't know the-"

Matt presses eight buttons. The little key pad pings green, and I hear the rumble of several rusted gears as the doors begin to open. Kurata blinks in surprise.

"-Password?"

I roll my eyes. "No kidding."

Matt ignores us both. "Out the door!"

One by one the survivors rush through the door and out into the open air. I hazard one final look back before turning and leaping out the door. But the image I see is burned in my memory even as my digital lungs breathe in the outside air for the first time in hours.

The merged Gizmon was staring at me. Through the smoke and rage and death around it. The thought sends shivers up my spine.

I'm not three meters out of the door when I feel a force push me hard, and I feel chunks of rock and debris slam into my back. I'm thrown off my feet by the explosion, a stream of smoke from the collapsed corridor surrounding me in midair. A few more seconds and I would have been inside that collapsed corridor.

My body goes tumbling down the hill and landing in a heap at the bottom of the dunes. Agumon is by me in an instant, followed by Matt and Gabumon. Together we look behind us. The entrance to the ruins rumbles and moans, and then finally sinks into the ground, shooting dust into the early morning air.

And then it's quiet. Deathly quiet.

I look around us. The area is a complete wasteland. If the deserts of Server weren't depressing before, now there are giant gaps in the ground, dead and dying cables jutting from the sand, and smoke rising from the ruins we barely escaped from. The world around us, for lack of a better term… is dead.

But we're not.

"We made it." I say with haggard breath.

Matt can only nod. "You're right."

I sit up in the sand, sitting my arm in my lap and looking at the gash. It's been jerked around a lot today. I'm lucky I haven't been infected by a virus. I sigh and look back towards the ruins. Back towards where I left her.

"Tai?"

Ever observant, Matt keeps his steel blue eyes glued to me. I sigh, leaning up and clutching my aching arm. "I could have sworn Matt. I really could have sworn it was…"

He frowns. "…I know."

Agumon nuzzles me in concern, and I lean into my buddy and close my eyes for a minute. Today has sucked. I'm not going to deny it. But it's almost over. I swear it's almost over.

"Hey! Are we just going to stand out here in the sand? It's very cold out here."

Mitsuo. Great. I feel a headache coming on. "Could you give it a rest already?"

I hear him humph behind us. "Look, we don't have all day. Those things could be borrowing under the sand and your weak little monsters can't possibly take on –"

"Oh you have complained all day mister!" Matt shouts, rising to his feet with fists clenched.

"Ack! Matt, don't do anything rash!" Gabumon hobbles after his partner.

"Mitsuo!"

"S-stay away from me!"

"Mitsuo stop egging them on!"

"Keep away! Keep-"

There is a deep moan that echoes across the desert. It stands all of us at attention.

"…That… didn't sound good." Agumon notes.

No one moves for the longest. Our eyes shift around the horizon, from the craters in the earth to the dim morning light. We see nothing but the beaten land and the dying wires as they shift beneath the…

Wait.

"The wires!" I point.

They all look in my direction. The wires around us begin to slither back into the earth disappearing from our view. They aren't being destroyed. At least I don't think so. It looks instead like they're being recalled by some force. And that idea worries me.

"Don't touch anything!" Matt orders.

"What is happening?" The Tally lady asks.

I don't get a chance to answer. Without warning the earth beneath me rises in a slant, and I lose my footing, tumbling again down the side of the shifting sand. This time I'm not alone, our whole party rolls downwards, many screaming, as the sand beneath us is ripped away. We fall hard at the base of this new feature in the land, and it takes us a few seconds to regroup ourselves.

I struggle to my knees, shaking sand from my hair and pulling my injured arm closer to my chest. I look around to see that everyone is shaken, but still alive, and there are no major injuries that I can see. It is at that point however that I realize we've been bathed in something's shadow.

I look up, and my jaw drops. Something monstrous has risen out of the sand. I don't know what it is, and frankly I don't care. I know what has to be done though.

"Nene, right?" I speak up to the little girl as I try to stand.

The girl nods from her position on the ground. "Yes…"

"I need you to take these researchers as far away from here as you can."

She blinks and struggles to stand. "Where?"

I nod in the direction I remember us coming from. "There's a camp not far in that direction. Take them there and wait for us."

"B-but what about you?"

"We're gonna be needed here." Matt speaks up as he lifts himself off the ground. He checks on his partner before looking up at what has sprung from the earth. I can tell he's gearing up for the end as well. "Alright?"

She looks like she wants to argue for a moment. And then she follows our gaze and her mouth drops open. "Y-yes."

"Atta girl."

She takes a moment more to stare and then, gathering herself, turns back to address the rest of the survivors. "…Alright. Everyone, please come with us."

Mitsuo looks incredulous. "Y-You can't be serious! She's just a child!"

"She's a tamer," Matt says. "You'll be fine."

The skittish old man wrings his hands. "W-w-we'll die out here without you!"

"Aren't you supposed to protect us!" Mitsuo shouts.

"Hey! Douchebag!" Matt yells back.

"Eh?"

"Look up."

He looks up. He sees what we've now seen. And his skin pales. "Holy…"

The entire pyramid… filled with black wires.

It's maybe the size of a small house, a strange mech of varying colors that has risen from the sand. Two large arms dangle from tightly wound chords, while its light purple body swivels around its pyramidal frame. Its back holds giant barb like wings, the tips of each hold what appear to be monstrous variations on the same capsules we'd freed the humans from. Lines of wire stretch from its base back into the ground, holding it upright. This headless think stretches, its three fingered arms flexing in the morning. It's massive. It's awe inspiring. It's terrifying.

It's a body without a brain.

Mitsuo shudders, understanding immediately what must happen. What we've got to deal with. Doesn't hurt to say it aloud though.

"You really wanna be out here for this?" I ask. I try not to smirk.

He shakes his blond head and joins his girlfriend and the rest of the survivors. The girl, Nene, herds them together with the help of her kid brother. Away from us. Away from this final battle.

"Don't worry," she says before she rushes up the dunes. "We know how to hide. Right Yuu?"

The boy says nothing, but he does nod a little. That's something.

The group starts high tailing it up the dunes, towards the MAGAMI encampment and, hopefully, safety. Standard protocol would have been to follow after them to make sure they're safe. But this thing is anything but standard. This is the physical embodiment of this entire nightmare. The Dark Network incarnate. One last ploy by Datamon at immortality.

I sigh and turn to Matt. "You think Davis and Ken will get here in time?"

He shakes his head. "Not really."

"So we're giving the survivors time to make it to safety?" Gabumon asks.

I nod. "That's the plan."

Matt bites his lip. "We go in…"

"Together." I remind him.

He nods. "There may be no coming out."

Agumon grunts in disdain. "Oi, don't say that!"

I stretch my bad arm. "We've faced worse before."

Matt gives me a skeptical look. "Have we?"

"Yeah." My partner is already grinning. "And we whooped their Digi-butts!"

I smile. "You got that right Agumon."

"Gabumon?" Matt asks.

The dog-lizard doesn't smile, but he stands ready just the same. "I'm with you till the end my friend."

I take a deep breath. "Alright."

The wind is picking up again. There are little specks of sand bouncing off my skin. I ignore it. So does Matt. We all do. Standing before us is some ungodly thing – not quite a Digimon… not quite anything more than one more threat we have to put a stop to today. Its body floats ominously, tendrils of black lines swaying like broken fingers on an armored hand. A body without a mind. The last remnant of the most annoying bucket of bolts I ever laid eyes on.

One last hurdle to jump for two Japanese guys with a weekend to kill.

Matt laughs bitterly. "Think Datamon may get the last laugh after all?"

I smile. "Heh… Not on your life."

The giant robotic nightmare lurches in the air, its unworldly moan echoing across the desert sands. The screen above shines yellow in the morning sun, an LED smile cracking across its damaged glass. This will not be easy. But hey, when have we ever had it easy? Agumon said it best. We've faced worse before. We've come out on top. Nothings gonna change that. And even if this thing manages to beat us here, we're still not going to give up. We're the Digidestined.

And we're not going down without a fight.

---

GODFALL

21

Digimon