(Author's Notes: The chapter is finally here! It ended up quite long, so I decided to split it into two parts. As usual, I'll have the second part up next Sunday. Enjoy and let me know what you think!)
Chapter 84: Duel at Sunset (Part I)
The day had come.
The Royal Knights that had returned to Castle Avalion had set out before the crack of dawn. Along with Grani and Karatenmon, they travelled to Gold Keep, where they took a private Locomon to New Terminal. Upon arriving there, they spent the next few hours travelling north along the Grand Highway.
Following Grani's directions, they eventually broke off from the primary road and travelled to the northwest until they reached their army, about a third of the way between the northern edge of the Great Forest and Saversburg.
Their army camp had since been packed up and their supplies stored in a baggage train some distance south to their current positions. Upon receiving word that the Demon Lords' army was moving south towards them, RhodoKnightmon, Dynasmon, and UlforceVeedramon had ordered the army to move north to their first line of defence, in tandem with the nearby army of Saversburg under Tactimon's command.
The rest of the Royal Knights reunited with their army around the mid-afternoon. Upon their arrival, RhodoKnightmon informed them of what had been happening in their absence, including the incident with Lilithmon. After thoroughly chewing Dynasmon out for his unprofessional error of judgment, Duftmon, Alphamon, and the others explained to the three remaining Royal Knights about what happened to them in their absence from the front. They explained about DarkKnightmon's revival and restoration, about the frosting of relations with Leviamon, and also about Yggdrasil's orders regarding what to do about the Demon Lords.
It was a lot of the three knights to take in all at once.
Even so, the arrival of the rest of the knights couldn't have come soon enough. Not long after they reunited with their army, scouts reported to them that the Demon Lord army was headed straight for their positions, and had been estimated to be upon them in under two hours. With minimal time to spare, Duftmon took command of the situation and communicated the overall strategy accordingly.
The Royal Knights and the Order military made up the center of the formation, while the two brigades of the Saversburg military were positioned on each flank. With Saversburg there to bolster the flanks, a layered strategy was devised which would allow the Strike Forces to be used as highly mobile units and apply penetration whenever a weakness in the Demon Lords' lines was spotted.
With the tactics explained at the macro-level and the order of battle arranged, the militaries then got into formation. When that was done, scouts reported that the Demon Lords were approaching in the distance.
It was now late afternoon. The sun was beginning to set, its colour turning a burnt amber hue.
With the bulk of the preparation complete, Duftmon was now speaking to each of the Royal Knights individually about their roles during the battles.
Duftmon stood at the head of the army. He was surrounded by eleven Royal Knights, all of whom listened to his instructions intently.
"Sleipmon, UlforceVeedramon, both of you are to use your speed to harry individual Demon Lords and commanders while also applying area control. Craniamon, you are to be the focal point of the shield wall, but once the lines close in, Captain Knightmon can relieve you, permitting you to engage individual Demon Lords with suitable support," Duftmon informed them.
"Got it," Craniamon eagerly agreed.
Duftmon turned to Alphamon. "Alphamon, Jesmon, you are to remain in reserve with me. As our hidden weapons, only enter the battle if the tide turns markedly against us. Jesmon, take this opportunity to observe us and see how Royal Knights are supposed to act on the battlefield."
"Yes, Duftmon-senpai," Jesmon enthusiastically agreed.
"Of course," Alphamon concurred, standing between the strategist and Omegamon.
As Duftmon spoke to the eleven other Royal Knights, the last remaining Royal Knight stood apart from the others.
Dukemon stood alone. He kept his distance from the other Royal Knights, only staying close enough to hear what they were saying. He stood with folded arms, his shoulder turned to them. The deep, amber light of sunset cast across his silver and crimson body, reflecting in his gold irises. His eyes were hard, fiery, and bitter.
He had a tumultuous sleep the previous night, but he had managed to catch up on some rest during the train ride. He preferred that to having to make small talk with the others anyways.
Dukemon glared across the grassy field. Just under two kilometers away was the Demon Lord's army of Nightmare Soldiers. Only ten minutes ago, the Demon Lords' army came to a stop at a safe distance, already assembled in formation for a battle. The legions numbered in the thousands, but there were even more of them than last time. Aside from the legions of Nightmare Soldiers, their reserve numbers were also bolstered by a brigade from Kowloon Company, as well as the replenished Troopmon division.
His weary golden eyes scanned the enemy's ranks. He didn't care about the rank and file; he was focused on finding the Demon Lords.
He could make out six Demon Lords along the frontlines… he noted Lucemon, Demon, Lilithmon, Barbamon, and Belphemon standing together. He was pretty sure he could see Bagramon with them. However, there was no sign of Leviamon in sight. Perhaps Leviamon hadn't crawled back to the Demon Lords like he expected him to.
However, the distant revving of a mechanical engine drew Dukemon's attention. He watched as Beelzebumon came speeding around from the side of the Nightmare Soldiers' formation. The obnoxious snarl of the exhaust system loudly announced Beelzebumon's presence as he raced across the Demon Lords' frontlines on the Behemoth.
Dukemon tightened his fists and glared with simmering rage as he watched Beelzebumon come to a skidding stop in front of the rest of the Demon Lords. His interruptive night's sleep had done nothing for his mood. Everything that had happened over the past two days was still so raw. His stomach felt as though he had swallowed a rock. His heart felt like it had been twisted into knots. His insides bubbled with fury and betrayal at the revelation of the distrust and lies of his friends.
His sharp, withering eyes locked onto Beelzebumon and the Demon Lords behind him. His body felt like it was saturated with anger, ready to burst. His veins were throbbing under his armour as his aching heart raced. He wanted to fight them. He wanted to let out all the rage and frustration that he felt and channel it into beating his enemies to a pulp. This was the perfect opportunity. It was the only way he felt he could channel his raw anger into something productive. If he didn't vent soon, he felt as though he might explode.
He was desperate not to think about what might happen if he did. …He simply had to do it. He had to give it his all. Beelzebumon was always itching to fight him, after all. This time, he would give him what he wanted…
"…Dukemon? Dukemon, are you listening to me?" a voice addressed him.
Dukemon half-turned back towards the rest of the Royal Knights, where he saw Duftmon levelling a stern stare at him. "…What?" he brusquely asked.
"I said that I require you to sortie with Grani to provide mobile support to the Aerial Strike Forces," Duftmon informed him, mildly annoyed at having to repeat himself. "I do suppose that you can manage that if you are not too distracted?"
Dukemon's eyes narrowed and he looked back towards the Demon Lord army.
"Whatever, Duftmon… Don't bother factoring me into your plans," Dukemon sourly responded. "I'm doing this my way."
Duftmon blinked with astonishment, momentarily wondering if he really just heard what he thought he heard. "…Pardon me? What did you just say?" he half-asked, half-demanded.
The other Royal Knights similarly reacted with shock and confusion. "Dukemon? Is something wrong?" Alphamon questioned, a confused frown on his face at Dukemon's uncharacteristic standoffishness.
Dukemon ignored him and began walking, away from the Royal Knights and the Order's army behind him.
Omegamon was taken off-guard. This wasn't like Dukemon at all. Dukemon had been missing for most of the previous day, and, that morning, he had been either asleep or closed-off. It was very unusual for the typically upbeat and sociable Royal Knight. He felt that something must be going on…
With a puzzled expression, Omegamon stepped away from the other Royal Knights and began to walk after Dukemon.
"…Dukemon?" he questioned, concern lacing his voice. "Are… you alright?"
Dukemon stopped in his tracks, the words like metal needles shooting up his spine. His posture straightened up rigidly, his shoulders tightly locking. He stood stock still for a few tense moments, his head bowed and his cape rippling listlessly in the breeze.
"I'm fine," Dukemon aloofly asserted, not even bothering to turn around to face him. "Don't waste your breath worrying about me."
Omegamon frowned and kept approaching him from behind. "But I am worried about you," the white Royal Knight insisted, clearly seeing that he was agitated about something. "You are not acting like yourself."
Dukemon let out a bitter scoff. "And why do you suspect that is?" he sarcastically insinuated. "Perhaps Yggdrasil can point you in the right direction."
Omegamon blinked with confusion, stopping in his tracks several meters behind him. "Pardon…?" he asked.
Dukemon slowly turned, gazing back at Omegamon with a withering glare. It was a look of hurt and rage that was unlike anything that Omegamon had seen from him before.
"Do me a favour, Omegamon," Dukemon warned him, his voice low and scathing. "Just stay out of my way."
Omegamon went silent; he was stunned, confused, and a little hurt from Dukemon's caustic words. "What…?" he questioned.
Dukemon fought back a grimace, stubbornly hardening his expression so that it was fiercely aloof.
"Don't worry, Omegamon. You have my permission…" Dukemon crisply told him, his words saturated with cynicism.
"If it looks like I'm going to lose control, you can shoot me down."
Dukemon bitterly turned back forwards, his hard expression beginning to falter.
"After all, Omegamon… you've always been the perfect follower. You've always done whatever Yggdrasil ordered you to without question, haven't you?"
Omegamon's face dropped with mortified realisation. A cold chill swept through his body and his stunned, cyan eyes tightened. Those sharply-pointed, hurtful words… They could only mean one thing… He understood now… Dukemon knew.
Dukemon faced away from the white knight, briefly adjusting his cape before holding his arms out in preparation. "Besides, if you could shoot at Alphamon under Yggdrasil's command, you can certainly shoot at me…" he murmured.
"Dukemon! Wait!" Omegamon desperately shouted out, needing to explain.
"Stay out of my way!" Dukemon thundered.
In a swift flick of his arm, Dukemon summoned the Gram over his left arm. In the same, fluid motion, he summoned the Aegis over his right hand on a flash of holy light.
Dukemon locked his fierce, emotional eyes onto Beelzebumon. Then, without another word, he broke into a full dash. Dukemon took off, away from the Royal Knights and the Order's army, sprinting out into the middle of the battlefield on his own.
"Dukemon!" Omegamon called after him, aghast as Dukemon unexpectedly charged forwards alone, way before any order was given.
Examon blinked and looked over, seeing the strange and confusing sight of Dukemon running ahead. "Dukemon…?"
Duftmon, turning away from the Royal Knights and Captains upon hearing the ruckus, spotted Dukemon suddenly dashing out into the vacant battlefield and experienced a minor conniption.
"What? What is he doing? Where-where does he think he is going?" Duftmon exclaimed, his eye twitching with abject confusion and incredulity. "Dukemon! Return to your position at once! I have not given the signal to attack! What are—no… No, this cannot be happening again!"
"What's Dukemon doing?" Dynasmon asked. "What the hell's gotten into him?"
RhodoKnightmon pushed his fingers against the bridge of his helmet with exasperation. "My goodness, is there something in the water that is making all of you lose your minds as of late? Dynasmon was bad enough and now this? What could possibly be going through his head?"
Omegamon stood in place, watching with stunned disbelief as Dukemon continued running ahead. In half a daze, he turned around, setting his distraught eyes onto Alphamon with private urgency. "Alphamon… he knows…" he explained.
A flash of horror and alarm appeared in Alphamon's shocked eyes. "…Oh… Oh no…" he spoke with dawning mortification.
In that moment of shame, he began to feel a haunting sense of déjà vu. He felt a creeping dread as he feared he made the same mistake as before. He worried it was happening again.
"He knows?" Dynasmon asked with a confused frown. "Knows what?"
"Now this I am certain is not my fault!" Duftmon angrily groaned, kneading the spot between his eyes. "Take note, Jesmon. This is exactly how Royal Knights are not supposed to act!"
"Y-Yes, Senpai," Jesmon responded.
Duftmon opened his eyes and turned to the other knights. "I do not know what is going through his tiny mind, but do not pursue him! I will not allow our formations to be broken any more than they already are! If we throw our tactics out the window now, it will be a catastrophe!" he commanded.
"Wait, but what about Dukemon?!" Dynasmon protested.
"We will wait and see how the Demon Lords react, and proceed accordingly!" Duftmon commanded, the veins in his forehead throbbing. "The plan does not change unless I say so! Not unless you want Barbamon to completely annihilate us!"
"But we can't just leave him on his own!" Magnamon interjected. "If all the Demon Lords attack him…"
It was in this moment that a crimson blur dove down from the sky.
Zero ARMS: Grani swooped in and came to a rolling stop beside the gathered Royal Knights.
"Allow me to take care of this. I will accompany Dukemon," Grani explained, looking at the Royal Knights with a calm determination that quietly said that he would be doing so regardless of their permission. "I have already asked MailBirdramon to act in my place."
"Grani?" Alphamon reacted with surprise upon seeing the Zero ARMS appear.
Grani turned his sapphire eyes away from them, gazing after the reckless, crimson knight with a look of faint concern. "I am his Zero ARMS; I will ensure that Dukemon comes to no harm," he maintained. "Leave it to me."
Omegamon stepped towards Grani ardently. "Let me come with you," he requested. He was desperate to make sure that Dukemon was alright. He had to make things right.
Grani eyed Omegamon, coolly, methodically, but without judgement. "Opinion: I mean no disrespect, Sir Omegamon, but your involvement - or that of any of you - would only make this already tenuous situation even more difficult," he explained. "At the present time, I am the only who Dukemon will listen to, and I believe that you are aware as to why."
Omegamon cringed with guilt and shame. "I see…" he answered sadly. He looked over at Alphamon to see what his reply to Grani would be. He understood what Grani was saying, but he was reluctant to just leave things like that.
Alphamon looked down ashamedly, but nodded in agreement. "You may be right about that, Grani…" he lamented.
Dynasmon turned to Alphamon and Omegamon with a deeply confused frown. "Can somebody please explain what's going on? Am I missing something here? Alphamon? Omegamon?" he asked, eyeing the two knights who seemed to be in the know about Dukemon's confusing actions.
Alphamon awkwardly rubbed his neck, suddenly very self-conscious about the very tricky situation that they found themselves in. It was bad enough that Dukemon had found out, but now the other Royal Knights were on the cusp of discovery, and not at a time of their choosing. "It… is a long and complicated story, Dynasmon," he explained, knowing that they would have to explain, but realising that now is not the best time.
Duftmon was rubbing the bridge of his forehead with clear exasperation. "I do not know what has happened between you three, but at this very moment, it is immaterial," he grudgingly explained, although he himself was very curious and vexed at being uninformed about the situation. "With the battle imminent and Dukemon in present danger, now is not the time to discuss it. We can hear your explanations after we have driven the Demon Lords back."
"Yes… I promise that Omegamon and I will explain everything afterwards," Alphamon assured them. He then turned to Grani. "Grani, you have my permission to sortie after Dukemon. He will need you." The Aloof Hermit glanced at Duftmon for confirmation. "Duftmon?"
Duftmon sighed. "Yes, yes," he agreed with a flick of his hand. "If it keeps one of our resident fools under control…" The tactician then turned and looked at Alphamon pointedly. "However, I expect a full explanation later, Alphamon."
Grani floated forwards, his eyes scanning the Royal Knights as he angled his body forwards. "I advise you to continue with your preparations. Recommendation: intervene only if you see that Dukemon is in serious and present danger. I will do my best to protect him, otherwise," he suggested. "Sir Duftmon is correct; now is not the time to act with emotion and impulse."
"Very well. We will proceed as planned and leave him to you," Alphamon confirmed.
"Thank you," Grani told them. He turned forwards quietly, gazing after Dukemon, who was running further and further away from them. With a small flash in his sapphire eyes, he glanced at Karatenmon, who nodded at him. Then, he looked back at Dukemon.
"Zero: ARMS Grani, commencing new mission," Grani spoke.
Then, in a blur of crimson, he took off across the grassy plain, swiftly following after his friend.
On the other side of the battlefield, the Demon Lords were in the process of making sure their formations were in order. The Nightmare Soldiers were eager for a fight, but they had been disciplined to the point where they wouldn't dare step out of line for fear of Demon's wrath.
Lucemon stood at the forefront of the army, a look of bemusement on his face as he and the other Demon Lords watched as Dukemon charged across the field alone.
"What is that foolish Royal Knight doing?" he wondered, arching a brow at the curious sight.
Barbamon stepped up beside Lucemon, a crooked smile on his face as he watched with amusement. "Is he coming to parlay? Or has he simply gone insane?"
"Ooh, this could be fun," Lilithmon eagerly remarked. "An aperitif before the main course…"
"No matter the reason, we should kill him immediately," Demon darkly spoke. "Rip his digicore out in front of all of his comrades while it's still intact."
"Tch. I suppose you want me to do all the hard work for you again," Belphemon muttered.
Barbamon grinned but shook his head. "No, we should all—"
"He's mine…"
The five Demon Lords all looked ahead in confusion.
In front of them, Beelzebumon sat on the Behemoth, watching Dukemon run out with hungry eyes. Then… he started laughing ecstatically.
"Hahaha! He's fucking mine!" he cackled, revving the Behemoth with excitement. "Finally found yer backbone and come out to face me, huh, Dukey?! It's about fuckin' time!"
Barbamon's face dropped. "What are you babbling—" he began to protest.
Beelzebumon spun around and aimed one of his shotguns at the rest of the Demon Lords. "Don't any of you bitches get in our way, y'hear?!" he violently warned them. "If any a youse get any funny ideas and fuck this up for me, I won't hesitate to blow your fucking brains out, got it?! I'm lookin' at you expecially, Barbie!"
"What?!" Barbamon exclaimed, his jaw dropping open and his eye twitching incredulously. "Beelzebumon, you bullet-brained ignoramus! Don't you bloody dare—"
Beelzebumon raised his hands and stuck his fingers in his ears. "La la laaaa~! I can't hear you~! I'm gonna go thrash Dukemon now~!" he loudly sang before grabbing the throttle.
"BEELZE—"
Barbamon's irate shout was drowned out by the aggressive, mechanical snarl of the Behemoth's engine. Beelzebumon pulled back on the throttle and wheeled around, kicking up dirt with the spinning rubber.
Impatiently accelerating, Beelzebumon began speeding out across the field towards Dukemon, ignoring Barbamon's yelling and fist-shaking behind him.
Beelzebumon licked his lips, a huge grin forming on his face as he looked ahead at Dukemon. He watched the charging Dukemon point his lance at him meaningfully, and that was all the confirmation that he needed, not that he needed any.
This was his chance. He was finally getting what he wanted. It was like all his hatchdays came at once.
"That's it, Dukey. You know you want this as much as I do," Beelzebumon chuckled darkly, gripping a shotgun in one hand while he readied his claws on his other.
As he tore ahead, Beelzebumon's three, ravenous eyes glowed crimson.
"Today's the day I show you who's boss…" Beelzebumon declared. "An aperitif, huh…? That's right, Dukemon. Cuz I'm gonna eat you for breakfast!"
Dukemon charged across the grassy plain, dashing headlong towards Beelzebumon.
He had challenged the Demon Lord, just like Dukemon knew he wanted.
He wanted to fight him, and Beelzebumon was all too willing to oblige him. He didn't care if he was being reckless and selfish. The other Royal Knights would be fine without him. It's not like they factored him into their plans anyways. At this point, he just wanted to take his frustrations out on Beelzebumon. If he took down a Demon Lord in the process, then all the better.
His boots pounded the grass, his hands tight around his lance and shield as he raced forwards. He was now a third of the way across the field from his army to theirs. Dukemon could see Beelzebumon ripping across the field on his motorcycle, accepting his challenge and meeting his charge.
Beelzebumon… What was it with that Demon Lord? It felt like Beelzebumon was obsessed with him or something. Was it just because he defeated him in the Heavenly War? Was Beelzebumon that desperate for a rematch? Whatever… It didn't matter. If the Demon Lord wanted to fight, then that was the only reason that he needed. He was more than ready to give him what he wanted. He'd make sure that Beelzebumon got more than he bargained for.
Dukemon glowered furiously and continued charging, on course to reach the halfway point within the minute. As angry and reckless as he was, he wasn't stupid. He knew not to get too close to the Demon Lords' lines, as they would surely swarm him. He knew enough about Beelzebumon to know that he wouldn't let the others ruin this chance.
Then, as Dukemon continued charging, he felt a sudden gust of air against the back of his neck, followed by a smooth, aerial whoosh.
"Always the reckless one," a familiar voice said, one that didn't immediately fill him with anger. "I should have known you would do something like this."
Dukemon glanced over his shoulder, watching as Grani swooped down behind him. He acknowledged the crimson Zero ARMS, but he didn't slow his run. He looked back ahead, his eyes fierce as they watched Beelzebumon approaching quickly in the distance.
"Don't try and stop me, Grani. I'm doing this," he told his friend, his voice forceful and unwavering with determination.
"Correction: I did not presume that I could stop you. We both know how stubborn you are," Grani dryly stated, flying up beside him. There was a tiny rise in the corner of his beak as he flew closer to Dukemon. "Would you at least allow me to accompany you?"
Dukemon thought about it for a second, but he didn't want to drag Grani into his reckless duel when he should be off doing his job. "No, it's fine, Grani," he insisted, looking ahead steadfastly. "This is my decision. This is something I need to do on my own."
Grani inched closer, locking onto Dukemon with an implacable stare of his own. "Demand: You should know that I will not be going anywhere. I am stubborn too, Dukemon. It is my job to be at your side," Grani asserted, his calm voice belying his strong will. "If you are going to do this, then we are doing this together."
Dukemon gave Grani a small but grateful smile behind his visor and nodded. "I guess both of us are idiots, then."
"Correction: I am merely an assistant to an idiot," Grani responded with a slight twinkle in his blue eye. "Jump on then, Dukemon. Let us do this properly."
Dukemon allowed himself a single laugh. "Alright. It's time to even the odds," he agreed. With a familiar, well-practiced motion, Dukemon lunged into the air as Grani swerved underneath him. Dukemon's boots planted on Grani's wings and he took on a balanced stance. He raised his shield and pointed the Gram lance forwards, aiming at their fast-approaching enemy.
"Let's fly, Grani…"
The crimson pair rushed forward, gliding smoothly and swiftly above the ground. On Grani's back, Dukemon moved way faster than before, more than able to match Beelzebumon's speed on the Behemoth.
With the breeze blasting against his body and their forms saturated in blazing, red sunlight, Dukemon raced dauntlessly towards the black figure. He and Beelzebumon were closing in on each other. They were less than fifty meters apart.
They were very nearly in striking distance. Dukemon tightened his grip on the Gram, and shifted his weight on Grani's back. Beelzebumon outstretched the clawed fingers of his left hand, and aimed the one of the Berenjenas with his right, his finger snug against the trigger.
The rev of the Behemoth's motor roared as Beelzebumon closed in, drowning out Grani's nearly silent flight and the tumultuous flapping of Dukemon's cape. Within seconds, they were close enough that Dukemon could see the rapacious grin on Beelzebumon's lips and the animalistic look in his three eyes. They closed – faster, faster…
And then they clashed.
"Quick Shot!"
Beelzebumon pulled the trigger – smoke and sparks discharged from the Berenjena. Two metal slugs burst out of the sawed-off barrels and drilled forward.
Dukemon snapped the Aegis up and the bullets slammed against the shield in a flurry of sparks with enough force that, if unbraced, would have knocked him off Grani's back. Taking the impact as Beelzebumon made to pass him, Dukemon prepared to retaliate, thrusting the Gram lance towards him.
Beelzebumon, seeing the tip of the lance plunging towards him, immediately accelerated, ducking under the lance and raking his jagged claws along the side of the Aegis with a cascade of sparks and horrible, metal screech. He chuckled as Dukemon and Grani passed by him. Thus ended their initial pass, merely the first taste of their impassioned duel.
Dukemon exhaled and put his weight on Grani's left wing, encouraging him to turn around for another pass. Grani whirled around at a tight angle, his keen eyesight covering a wide axis as Dukemon focused on Beelzebumon.
Beelzebumon laughed and wheeled around sharply, rearing his metal steed into a wheelie as he prepared to charge again. The back wheel kicked up grass and he raced towards his target.
"Finally come out to play, eh, Dukey?!" he taunted him. "I thought you were avoiding me and I was startin' to get self-conscious!" Beelzebumon whipped out his second Berenjena from his ankle holster and fired another pair of shots off. "Hahah! But it looks like you finally grew a backbone! You even came all the way out here on your lonesome to fight me! Shucks, I'm flattered! I can't think'uva better second date! Let's not rush this foreplay though!"
Dukemon growled with irritation, covering his and Grani's main bodies with the Aegis, the heavy slugs ricocheting off with a powerful din. Meanwhile, he began charging energy into the tip of the Gram, the holy lance gleaming brightly.
"This is what you wanted, isn't it?!" Dukemon called back. "I know you have been after me, so here I am! This is the fight you wanted, Beelzebumon!" With a sharp grunt, he thrust the Gram forwards, unleashing a beam of holy light towards his foe. "Royal Sabre!"
The laser hummed ethereally as it pulsed through the air. Beelzebumon swerved his bike sharply, skillfully evading the beam as it plunged into the ground, searing the first battle scar into the sprawling field.
Beelzebumon laughed and adjusted his course, circling around to approach Dukemon from a wide angle. "You don't hear me complainin' do ya?!" he called out. "I'm just surprised the other knight boys let you off yer leash!"
Dukemon glowered at what felt like a pointed comment. His heart as sensitive as it presently was, his anger flared up. "What is that supposed to mean?!" he demanded, his eyes following Beelzebumon as he dodged his attack. He urged Grani to curve right to intercept him.
"Do not fall for his taunting, Dukemon. You need to focus," Grani calmly advised him. Despite his rational advice, he willingly complied with Dukemon's movements, shifting course towards Beelzebumon to try to outflank him.
"I know," Dukemon briskly agreed, glaring as he and the demon were set to cross paths. He coiled his arm back and prepared to thrust the Gram towards Beelzebumon, trusting his superior reach.
However, Beelzebumon swerved at the last minute; instead of cutting in front of Dukemon and Grani, he began driving alongside them, mere meters away from them. He aimed the dual Berenjena shotguns and began firing wildly at them.
"Damnit," Dukemon swore, immediately seeing the danger before Beelzebumon raised his guns. He crouched and brought the Aegis down in front of his and Grani's bodies, protecting them from the powerful, metal cartridges that ignited the outer surface of the shield.
Beelzebumon cackled excitedly and climbed up so that he was standing on the Behemoth like a surfboard. He turned towards Dukemon, the Behemoth driving pilotless in the straight line so that he could keep pace with the Royal Knight. With the wind whipping against his body, Beelzebumon stuffed one shotgun back into its holster and readied his claws. Then, in one smooth motion, he lunged off of the Behemoth and landed on Grani's left wing.
"Dukemon, he's on us!" Grani warned, attempting to roll left to make Beelzebumon lose his balance.
Beelzebumon, however, grabbed hold of the edge of the Aegis and jumped up, aiming over the large shield and down at Dukemon. "Hah! Double Impact!" Beelzebumon shouted, squeezing out two rapid shots from the Berenjena.
The two slugs slammed into Dukemon's breast plate in a splash of sparks. Dukemon yelled out as the bullets slammed into his armour, the point-blank impact denting the metal and sending a painful shock through his body. He staggered back onto Grani's right wing.
Before he could recover, Beelzebumon pressed his opportunity. With Dukemon momentarily stunned, Beelzebumon was able to reach past Dukemon's shield. He raised his leg and slammed his combat boot square into Dukemon's chest, knocking him clear off of Grani's wing.
"Dukemon!" Grani called out, watching as Dukemon was kicked from his back.
Dukemon's back hit the grass with a painful thud. Wincing, he stirred his aching body, but before he could move, he saw a dark figure above him. Beelzebumon descended upon him from above, his clawed hand wreathed in darkness and plunging towards Dukemon's chest. "Darkness Claw!"
As the pointed claws were set to skewer him, Dukemon shook the dizziness off and reacted quickly. He swiftly brought the Aegis shield across his body, and as Beelzebumon dove into striking distance, he swept the shield outwards. The Aegis slammed into Beelzebumon's body, batting him far to the left, the shield reverberating like a gong as it bashed the demon's lithe form.
Beelzebumon grunted and soared through the air, but he righted himself with the flexibility of a gymnast. He landed on his feet and drove his claws into the ground, forming a deep trench of frothing darkness as he skidded to a stop.
"Hah!" Beelzebumon shouted spiritedly, standing to his feet and shaking the ache off. "You think you can take me without your toy bird, Dukey?!" he taunted him, grinning darkly. "I'm just gettin' warmed up!"
Dukemon growled and sat up, planting the edge of his shield against the ground to help him stand to his feet. He stood up straight, gripped the Gram in his right hand, and glared across at Beelzebumon. With his adrenaline now pumping and with Beelzebumon in shouting distance, he had questions that he wanted answering.
"Why are you doing this, Beelzebumon?!" Dukemon yelled out to him, half-exasperated and half-genuinely wanting to know. "Why are you even with the Demon Lords?!"
Beelzebumon cocked his head to the side, a cocky smirk across his face. "Ain't it obvious?! For fun!" he called back.
The lackadaisical answer only served to annoy and perplex Dukemon. "For fun?! That's the only reason?!" he incredulously shouted back, his brows furrowing with vexation. "You expect me to believe that you're going along with the other Demon Lords, picking a fight with the world and Yggdrasil Itself just for fun?!"
Beelzebumon spun the Berenjena up into the air and effortlessly caught it. "Yep, that sounds about right!"
"I don't believe you! There has to be more to it!" Dukemon protested, sweeping his lance out emphatically.
"Believe it or don't, Dukey! I don't give a shit what you believe, just so long as you fight me!" Beelzebumon nonchalantly answered, snapping the Berenjena up and taking aim at Dukemon's body.
Dukemon growled and raised the Aegis in front of his body. "You don't have to do this Beelzebumon! You don't have to do any of this!" he urged him.
"That's just it, Dukey! I don't have to do anything!" Beelzebumon exclaimed with a dark grin. "I don't have to do jack shit if I don't want to! Not anymore! I'm free of all that boring, bureaucratic shit I had to go through in the Sky Colonies now! I don't gotta listen to some angel superior with a rod stuffed up his ass, and I don't gotta listen to anything you and yer lame god either! Now I can do whatever the fuck I want and the only way you and your clunky little friends are gonna stop me is if ya beat me! And lemme tell ya, tin head, there ain't no way in hell you're beatin' me this time! Now stop yappin' and come get some, bitch!"
Dukemon glowered with mounting frustration, a vein throbbing in his temple as he tried to reason with the unreasonable. He had thought he should at least give him a chance, but he realised he was wasting his time. His patience wearing thin and his mood being what it was, he decided that there was no talking with him. It didn't matter; he wanted to fight him anyways.
"Have it your way," Dukemon murmured, his voice low and strained. "Royal Sabre!"
A beam coursed from the Gram and streaked across the field, disintegrating the grass beneath it. Seeing the laser hurdling towards him, Beelzebumon immediately lunged out of the beam's path. The ray of light created a deafening whirr as it passed behind him, and he could feel the pressure and heat against his leather-clad back.
Diving into a somersault, Beelzebumon sprung back to his feet and began charging towards Dukemon while the knight's lance crackled and hissed with energy. "Why don' we get up close and personal?!" Beelzebumon laughed, making a bee-line for the crimson knight, a shotgun in one hand and the other emanating infernal shadows.
Dukemon snarled and prepared for Beelzebumon's aggressive assault. He wasn't going to wait this time. His boot dug into the ground and he charged forwards, dashing straight for the Demon Lord.
"Why me?!" Dukemon demanded as his frustration swelled. "Why are you only after me?!"
His grip tightened around the Gram's interior, his cape flapping behind him turbulently as he closed in.
"What is it about me?!" Dukemon shouted, coiling the Gram back and preparing to strike. "Why are you all constantly after me?! Are you obsessed with me?!"
"Hah!" Beelzebumon laughed, firing off a buckshot that deflected off Dukemon's shoulder. "Don't flatter yourself! I mean, yeah, you're smokin' hot but, apart from that, I could take or leave ya!"
Dukemon grunted and plunged the Gram towards Beelzebumon. He aimed the tip right for the demon's collar. He felt his restraints loosening and he no longer held back.
Beelzebumon judged the length of the lance accurately, weaved to the side, and brushed the Gram sideways using the bracer on his left arm. He lunged into the air, prompting Dukemon to raise the Aegis like an umbrella. He planted his feet on the surface of the shield and used it as a springboard to jump higher. As Beelzebumon flew above Dukemon, he quick-drew the second Berenjena from his ankle holster and fired off two shots in quick succession, raining birdshot down Dukemon's body.
The Aegis protected him from most of the metal munitions. But a few slipped past the shield and grazed his armoured legs.
"I'm after you—" Beelzebumon began, landing right behind Dukemon and spinning around, guns raised "—because you're strong!"
He began rapid-firing bullets from the dual Berenjenas. Dukemon whirled around and raised his shield, deflecting three of the shots, but one slug drilled into his shoulder armour, staggering him.
Beelzebumon saw his chance. He grinned and charged Dukemon, stuffing one of his shotguns in his belt and readying his claws for a close quarters assault.
"You're the one… who beat me!" Beelzebumon shouted, lunging straight for Dukemon, claws poised to strike his neck.
Dukemon, seeing the jagged claws plunging towards his throat, desperately brought up the Aegis, slamming the metal rim painfully into Beelzebumon's arm. He rushed forwards, ramming Beelzebumon with the surface of the shield and bashing him back.
The Demon Lord was thrown back, but the moment his feet hit the ground, he coiled his legs and sprang back at Dukemon like a boomerang. Dukemon scowled at Beelzebumon's boundless tenacity and thrust the Gram towards him.
Beelzebumon scoffed and fired off a blast from the Berenjena, the bullets slamming into the side of the lance and knocking it off course. He fired another shot into Dukemon's chest and then lunged with his claws. Acting swiftly, Dukemon staggered back and lashed out with his shield, swinging it horizontally like a discus. Beelzebumon jumped and flexibly rolled over the dome of the shield, narrowly evading the rim. In a smooth movement, he rolled off the Aegis and flipped over Dukemon, landing directly behind him.
Dukemon spun around just in time to see Beelzebumon draw his shotgun on him. He stabbed the Gram lance diagonally, parrying Beelzebumon's gun and forcing him to shoot into the ground. Beelzebumon retaliated by spinning around, quick-drawing his other shotgun, and firing again at Dukemon.
Sparks and metal fragments flew off Dukemon's shoulder, but he wasn't deterred. He swept the edge of his shield out at Beelzebumon. The Demon Lord bent back at a ninety degree angle to avoid the heavy disk of digizoid. At the nadir of his bend, he flipped backwards, right as Dukemon lunged at him with the Gram and stabbed it downwards. Beelzebumon jumped, landing on the Gram as it pierced into the ground, and kicked Dukemon in the face.
Growling, Dukemon swept the Aegis back and took out Beelzebumon's legs. The Demon Lord landed in a handstand and windmilled his legs around to kick Dukemon again, who promptly drove his boot into Beelzebumon's chest.
The pair engaged in a flurry of bullets, stabs and strikes. It was an intricate dance of gunpowder and metal.
"Yes…!" Beelzebumon exclaimed, panting between blows. Sweat dripped down from under his mask, past his lips, where a frenzied grin was plastered across his face. He raised his arm and pistol-whipped his shotgun down the Royal Knight's head. "Fuck yes! This is what I'm talking about!"
Dukemon grunted as the Berenjena smashed across his helmet. His face throbbed numbly, but he immediately headbutted the draconic crest of his helmet right into Beelzebumon's forehead. Then, he drove his boot into Beelzebumon's chest and sent him flying backwards, putting some space between them.
Dukemon panted heavily. His heart was racing, his limbs trembled. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins at the intense, uninhibited duel between them. Sweat drenched the white suit beneath his armour, and he was hardly able to think as he was so busy fighting for his life. But… what was this he felt? Was he… enjoying himself?
He found himself sporting a small smirk behind his visor. For all the physical pain he felt in that moment - that feeling, those primal impulses – were all that he felt. It was like he was lost in the moment. Fighting Beelzebumon, just the two of them, it was like all of his problems were gone. There was no Leviamon, no Yggdrasil, no Royal Knights… When he was focusing on fighting, he didn't have time to focus on his pain or worries. He ignored what was ahead of him and behind him; It was like this fight was the only fight that mattered.
"Hah…" he panted, taking just a few seconds to catch his breath, eyeing Beelzebumon with a vigilant gaze.
Beelzebumon laughed with exhilaration, his eyes wild and ravenous. "That's it… You feel it too, don't 'cha, Dukey…?" he said to him as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. "You remember… It's all comin' back, ain't it?"
"What are… you talking about?" Dukemon asked as he ignored the taste of blood inside his mouth.
Beelzebumon stared at him with an almost animalistic grin. "This feelin'… It's the same as when you and me tussled in the Sky Colonies… You, your armour cracked and dented, that shitty cape of yours in tatters, blood drippin' from your mouth. Me, drenched in sweat and gunpowder, my heart racin' a thousand beats a second. The two of us facin' off in the middle of that damn, burning city in the sky… I remember it like it was yesterday…"
"What's your point, Beelzebumon?" Dukemon demanded.
Beelzebumon chuckled. "Heh… Ever since we fought, I wanted to taste it again… That adrenaline. The blood… the salt of our sweat as we fought for our lives," he explained with breathy nostalgia. "In that moment, there was nothin' else. No pretenses, no dressing, just the two of us, stripped to the bone, putting every last drop of our being into killing each other. The fear, the frenzy… it was a high like nothin' else I'd fuckin' felt before. Maybe I was hopped up on all that data I absorbed or something, but… fuck me…"
"It was then… at the end of it, when I was lying dyin' on the ground, you made me realise something, Dukey…" Beelzebumon flashed Dukemon a sadistic smile. "Up until that point, I never really felt alive…"
"…If that's what it took, then I feel sorry for you," Dukemon coldly replied.
"Hah! Gimme a fuckin' break, Dukey! Who are you tryin'a kid?" Beelzebumon taunted him. "Back then… right now – you ain't a knight anymore... Under that pretty armour of yours, you're a bloodthirsty monster like I am."
Dukemon's eyes widened with rage, his blood igniting and his mind flaring red. "NO! I'm not! I'm not like either of you! Stop saying that!" he thundered, sweeping the Gram out and aiming the Aegis at him.
Beelzebumon arched a brow and cocked his head in honest confusion."Eh? Whatcha talking about now? I touch a nerve or somethin'?" he casually wondered.
"You all think you can toy with me, but not anymore," Dukemon stated with a bitter glare. The symbols on the holy shield began to illuminate as the metal built up holy energy.
Beelzebumon took a step backwards, momentarily looking a little worried. Then, he looked past Dukemon, and a cocky grin returned to his face.
"Oh, yeah? Cuz it seems to me, I was right!" he casually mused, oddly relaxed despite being in the face of Dukemon's most powerful attack. "Cuz it seems to me, I was right! Underneath that knightly façade, you're a little wild too! It's just a matter of getting' you to show it, babe!"
Dukemon glowered and prepared to unleash Final Elysion from the Aegis. However, his peripheral senses were alerted despite his tunnel vision of rage. Behind him, he suddenly heard the violent roar of an engine.
"Heh," Beelzebumon chuckled, nodding behind Dukemon.
Dukemon stayed the beam and spun around towards the presence. To his shock, the Behemoth was soaring through the air, riderless. The rampant motorcycle reached the peak of its jump and it began to descend – speeding on a collision course with him. He brought his shield up and braced himself for the huge vehicle's impact.
"Dukemon!" a voice called from nearby.
Grani sped through the sky and intercepted the airborne motorcycle before it could descend on Dukemon. He rammed into the side of the Behemoth and sent it veering off course. The Behemoth impacted the ground several meters to the left of Dukemon, but it continued on driving, circling around towards Beelzebumon.
Grani descended and circled around until he was right beside Dukemon. He quickly examined his injuries and a frown formed on his face. "Dukemon, you are fighting too recklessly. You are letting Beelzebumon get into your head," Grani advised him.
"I'm fine, Grani," Dukemon forcefully insisted, turning his attention back to the Demon Lord.
"Recommendation: perhaps we should retreat. Our lines are formed now and they seem to be waiting for the Demon Lords to make the first move," Grani suggested. "It appears that the Demon Lords are following the same approach."
Dukemon frowned deeply. "No, Grani. I'm not running away," he persistently responded. "I don't need the others' help. They can start the battle whenever they want; it doesn't affect this… I'm fighting Beelzebumon... The moment I turn my back to retreat, I'll be attacked regardless."
Grani sighed but nodded. "Very well… Then you had better climb on," he advised, slowly lowering his body beside him so that he could hop on.
"Thanks, Grani," Dukemon answered, jumping on his loyal Zero ARMS' back. Once he was steady, he turned back to Beelzebumon.
"Tch," Beelzebumon scoffed. He whistled, prompting the Behemoth to veer towards him. As the motorcycle raced past him, he grabbed a handlebar and vaulted back on the Behemoth's seat. He revved the throttle, wheeling the Behemoth around and accelerating towards Dukemon. "You wanna do it like this?! That's fine with me!" he announced, extending the claws of his right hand.
"Let's go, Grani," Dukemon said, narrowing his eyes competitively.
Grani raced forwards, meeting Beelzebumon's charge. As they closed in on each other, Grani tilted his body, allowing Dukemon a better angle with which to strike with his lance. In a swift blur and a screech of metal, Dukemon passed along the right.
The Gram tore through Beelzebumon's sleeve, slicing his skin below his shoulder with a spurt of blood. Half a second later, Beelzebumon's claws raked along Dukemon's knee, shearing across the armour and digging between the joints. Dukemon growled with pain and fell to a knee as blood oozed out on the hot, stinging wound, leaking down the inside of his leg armour.
Beelzebumon hissed with pain, but it soon turned into a wild laugh. He looked over his shoulder with a grin, ignoring the blood running down his arm. "Let's try that again!" he exclaimed. The Demon Lord of Gluttony wrenched the Behemoth to the side and turned sharply at 180 degrees.
"Dukemon," Grani remarked with worry. "You are hurt."
"I'm fine, Grani! Just keep after him!" Dukemon insisted, standing back to his feet despite the pain.
Grani frowned but complied, banking to the left at a sharp angle and turning around as well. He saw Beelzebumon tearing across the grass towards them once again. Grani tilted forwards to meet their charge, his velocity increasing.
"Dragon Driver!" Dukemon shouted, rushing forwards on Grani's back and preparing to plunge the Gram into the fast-approaching Demon Lord.
Beelzebumon saw the glint of the lance, speeding towards him from his right. Knowing he probably wouldn't be so lucky this time, he changed tactics. Before Dukemon reached striking distance, Beelzebumon suddenly swerved the Behemoth to the right, so that he was passing Dukemon and Grani on their left sides instead of their right.
Dukemon tensed up upon seeing Beelzebumon abruptly move out of his angle of attack. He attempted to aim his lance to Grani's other side, but the action was too cumbersome for the speed that they were going. Beelzebumon passed by them, Grani's speeds fast enough to cause his leather jacket to ripple violently.
As soon as he was behind them, Beelzebumon aimed the Berenjena behind him and fired off two rapid shots. The powerful slugs pierced through Dukemon's cape and drilled into his armoured back.
Dukemon cried out, winded, and crashed on top of Grani's back.
"Dukemon!" Grani exclaimed. "Analysis: He is learning how to anticipate your movements."
The crimson Royal Knight scowled with aggravation and embarrassment, getting to his knees and using the Aegis to stand. "Bank to the right! Cut him off when he turns!"
"You are getting too worked up, Dukemon," Grani advised him, veering to the right.
"Just get in closer!" Dukemon shouted with frustration.
Beelzebumon smirked and saw that Dukemon and Grani were turning right like he hoped. He wheeled around sharply, aiming the front of the Behemoth at a part of the field that Dukemon and Grani were headed for. Then, he pulled the throttle hard.
Beelzebumon began accelerating with a massive roar from the Behemoth's engines. Fire and exhaust poured out of the bike's tailpipes. He cranked the Behemoth into full throttle, the wheels screeching and spewing dirt. He began ripping across the field , far faster than he had been driving before. He tore straight towards Dukemon and Grani diagonally from behind. He was fully intending on intercepting them.
Grani continued flying, but as he scanned the area for Beelzebumon, he detected movement where they hadn't expected. "Dukemon, behind us," Grani urgently informed him.
"What?!" Dukemon exclaimed, looking over his shoulder with shock. He had expected Beelzebumon to circle around at a wide axis like he usually did; he hadn't expected him to cut that sharply and try to cut them off from behind. When he looked, however, he saw Beelzebumon doing just that: tearing his motorcycle across the field… and he was quickly gaining on them.
"Analysis: He is swiftly gaining on us. He must be pushing his vehicle to its maximum velocity in order to capitalize on the velocity we lost when we turned," Grani deduced, his voice increasingly competing with the growing roar of the Behemoth's engine. "He will be upon us in seven seconds… five.. three… be ready, Dukemon!"
Dukemon swiftly pivoted to the right. The snarl of the engine was at its crescendo. It was as Grani said; the moment he looked, Beelzebumon was already in the process of pulling up beside them.
Beelzebumon matched speeds with Grani and looked over at Dukemon with a grin, winking at him. Then, he pulled up his dual Berenjenas and took aim at them.
Dukemon scowled and began stabbing the Gram towards Beelzebumon in a flurry of rapid, compound strikes. Beelzebumon ducked, twisted and leaned to evade the rapid lance thrusts that swept around his body. He was forced to veer to the right, out of Dukemon's range, but still maintaining a parallel position.
Beelzebumon took careful aim with the Berenjenas, and then he squeezed the triggers. "Double Impact!" he shouted, his voice drowned out by the din of his gunfire.
Two bullets ripped from the Berenjenas. Seeing Dukemon begin to move the Aegis, he had aimed there first. The first bullet slammed into the armoured handle of the inside of the Aegis, the impact knocking Dukemon's left arm wide along with the shield it carried. The second slug slammed into Dukemon's elbow, sending a shock of numb pain up his arm bones, momentarily stunning from and keeping him from using his weapon.
Beelzebumon smirked confidently, using this chance to veer right up alongside Dukemon and Grani again. "Bad move, Dukey," he informed him, sitting side-saddle on the Behemoth so he can take precise aim. "And fer that, ya get this!"
Dukemon snarled with pain and began to sweep the Gram out towards the Demon Lord. However, Beelzebumon had already fired.
The Berenjena snarled as a slug tore from its short muzzle and slammed into Dukemon's right wrist. The metal cartridge mangled the metal of his gauntlet, the heavy impact from the metal twisting his wrist painfully. Fragments split off and dug into his skin, while the rest of the slug ricocheted off.
Dukemon let out an agonized yell as his wrist nearly broke from the painful impact. The Gram swayed hard to the left and pitched down weakly.
Then, a second shot rang out, and the fourth bullet slammed into the back of Dukemon's aching, right knee. His leg buckled and he collapsed to his knee on Grani's back, suddenly completely vulnerable.
"Dukemon!" Grani exclaimed. The Zero ARMS frowned and suddenly swerved his body towards Beelzebumon, attempting to side-swipe him to give Dukemon a chance to recover.
"Whoa!" Beelzebumon uttered, leaning backwards underneath Grani's wing. He shifted to the right a little more to put just enough space between them. "Tch… I can see yer gonna be a problem, birdie…"
Beelzebumon snapped open the smoking barrels of his left Berenjena, and he leisurely loaded two cartridges into the breeches. Once he snapped the chambers shut, he raised the shotgun and took careful, methodical aim at the Zero ARMS that was flying parallel to him. "And fer you…"
Beelzebumon squeezed the triggers in rapid succession. Two cartridges exploded from the muzzles of the sawed-off shotgun and immediately split open into buckshot. Large, metal pellets burst from the cartridges, fusillading Grani at a range impossible to avoid.
The first blast of metal bearings tore through the end of Grani's right wing, piercing the metal with dozens of holes and mangling the tip of his wingspan. The second scattering of metal pierced into the base of his wing, most of the bearings ripping through the wing and exiting out the top, though a few also pierced into his side.
"Grk!" Grani grimaced with pain, faltering and beginning to pitch to the side.
Dukemon's body went cold with horror. "GRANI!" he cried out.
In a flash of rage and desperation, he pushed through the pain and sprang to his feet. Dukemon wheeled towards Beelzebumon with smoldering rage. He hurled the Gram outwards and slammed the side of the metal lance square across Beelzebumon's cheek. The hunk of metal slammed into him with such force that Beelzebumon was knocked clear off the Behemoth's back.
Beelzebumon shouted and swore as he impacted the ground and rolled across the grass unceremoniously. Before he even stopped rolling, Dukemon swept the Gram behind him and took aim at Beelzebumon.
"Royal Sabre!" he shouted, sending a beam coursing out of the lance and into the ground in front of Beelzebumon. The ground erupted in an explosion of light, sweeping Beelzebumon up in its folds and sending him flying through the air.
As soon as he saw that Beelzebumon was temporarily dealt with, Dukemon spun forward and looked down at Grani with worried eyes. "Grani?! Grani!" he fearfully exclaimed. "Are you alright?! How badly are your hurt?!"
Grani continued flying forwards despite his wounds, though it was clear that he was now favouring his left side. "Ngh… Preliminary damage assessment: I have sustained moderately-critical damage to my right wing, as well as some damage to my main body. My vitals mechanisms are intact, but my propulsion is negatively affected and my ability to turn has been significantly diminished. My combat effectiveness has been reduced by approximately 60%."
"Damn it…" Dukemon swore, grimacing bitterly. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have asked you to come with me…" The crimson Royal Knight looked over his shoulder, back at Beelzebumon and the army of the Royal Knights far behind the Demon Lord. "We need to get back to the others…"
"Affirmative, but your assessment before may have been accurate. It will not be easy to retreat, particularly with Beelzebumon in our path," Grani noted. He attempted to turn, but he found that he was only able to at an extremely wide angle. "My self-assessment is correct. Banking turns will be particularly sub-optimal, if not impossible."
"Damn it…" Dukemon swore, furious at himself for letting his friend get hurt. He eyed Beelzebumon, who stood to his feet and whistled, summoning the Behemoth back towards him.
"We have to try…" he maintained. "Even if I have to fight past him."
"Affirmative," Grani agreed, though glancing at the puncture holes in his wing.
The lone knight and Zero ARMS continued flying over the field, with the hopes of breaking past Beelzebumon and returning to the Royal Knights' lines.
As of that point, neither of them had noticed the colossus that had emerged over the hills to the west…
In the far distance, a pair of yellow eyes watched as the two armies of the Royal Knights and Demon Lords lined up against each other. They watched as the two, distant figures charged at one another in the center of the vast space between the two armies.
"Heh heh heh… This is my chance," a deep voice murmured like the low roll of thunder.
His lips curled back into a vicious smile, revealing long rows of jagged teeth, the blazing hue of the setting sun behind him.
"You never shoulda crossed me…"
