''Speaking''

Thinking

[Communicating via text, phone, magic, telepathy, etc.]

As the soldier's and dragon's surroundings changed, the dryland's warm and dry climate gave way to cool and musty air.

Tactimon was no stranger to teleportation. Having traveled through Zones in a variety of ways, be it through Zone Transfer via Digital Space or more magical means, he had gotten so used to fast-traveling methods that he believed that the potential side effects that might come with them were well past him. Being transported by Ophis still managed to make his insides lurch while his master showed no signs of discomfort.

It seemed he needed some time to regain his full strength. Should he have a choice, he would keep traveling with Ophis to a minimum and use alternate forms of transportation.

Forcing the feeling of nausea down, Tactimon could see they had arrived inside a massive chamber.

Having his whole life revolved around warfare, seeing military bases and outposts teeming with troops was a sight he expected to see, were it to be training on the fields outside or readying themself to be led to different fronts. To witness messengers running in a hurry through the corridors with urgent news to the command, guards making their rounds, and military personnel unloading food and medicine to be stored and used, it all meant the base was alive and operational.

None of it could be found here, this place was empty and silent as a grave.

''Come, Tactimon.''

Wasting no time, Ophis started walking, her footsteps making no sound. Soon his two boots could be heard trailing behind her, their echo making Tactimon feel like everyone's focus was on him even when there was no one but the two of them.

The chamber they had arrived in was a masterpiece of engineering: the circular metallic-blue concave roof was supported by curved pylons that hugged the walls, keeping the azure sky up. On the smooth drystone walls made of giant slabs of obsidian, engrained hieroglyphs emblazoned with gold glimmered as they passed them and Tactimon could feel the foreign symbols were embedded with unknown magic. Otherwise, the place seemed spartan; no monuments or statues showing the previous rulers' great exploits and accomplishments were greeting them and no fine fabrics with insignias telling what kingdom this place belonged to emblazoned the walls or floors. On the walls, evenly spaced lanterns were giving light to the otherwise windowless space, their blue dim shine leaving shadows on the many corners. While the place seemed abandoned, there was no dust to be found on the floor.

''This palace belonged to a long-lost dynasty, situated in one of the many forgotten realms. The magic that still lingers here has preserved it from the ravages of time. I mostly reside here, waiting for the news when the Great Red has been killed,'' Ophis explained.

''Is there anyone else here besides us?'' Tactimon inquired walking at a slow pace, his one step took two of Ophis'.

''Inside, no. There are few people outside the complex keeping watch and making sure no one comes here unexpectedly. This palace works as a neutral meeting ground. People are only allowed here when summoned by me or when they have something important they wish to discuss or require my snakes.''

Interesting.

There were many questions on Tactimon's mind but he held his tongue for now, the time to ask them would come.

Beyond the chambers stood thick metal doors which Ophis pushed open with ease, revealing a corridor that led to a stone staircase with high steps.

After the climb they exited yet another entrance -its metal doors left open- and entered a moderate-sized room.

In the center was a throne befitting of a king on a raised platform, all made from one giant slab of the same obsidian as the walls. The black stone had been masterfully carved and polished, absorbing the meager illumination that the blue lanterns provided. Steps lead from the stone's foot onto the raised level where the throne itself was, the massive seat's back almost touching the ceiling leaving a long shadow descending behind it.

Ascending the steps, Ophis sat on the throne, hands coming on armrests and legs pointing straight, for the throne's seating was too big to allow her to bend them.

Seeing Ophis take her rightful place Tactimon kneeled, attentively waiting.

''I will tell you now about the organization that I am leading, the Khaos Brigade,'' Ophis announced while Tactimon prepared to take mental notes.

Making an artificial ''ehem'' sound into her fist in what seemed to be an attempt to imitate clearing a throat, Ophis began. ''Khaos Brigade is an organization composed of different factions with varying ideologies and goals loosely working together. In the past, Khaos Brigades' main objective was to oppose the current status quo that had taken place between the Three Factions. Not long ago, I came across them and they asked me to become their leader. A deal was struck between us, the same which you and I have.''

In which you would gift them your power in exchange for finding the means to dispose of Great Red from the Dimensional Gap, Tactimon recited.

Ophis continued unabated. ''The largest group is the True Satan faction, comprised of devils who support their old government. They were on the losing side of a civil war that took place hundreds of years ago and were driven to the outskirts of the Underworld. They are being led by three of the four descendants of the original Satans.

The second faction is Nirlem. They are magicians who wish to study and understand magic. They have a ruling council from which chosen representatives contact me.

The last of the largest factions is the Hero Faction, a group of humans who possess sacred gears from which many are Longinus. They say to be the defenders of humanity from the supernatural.''

At the mention of humans, Tactimon's glowed fingers twitched minutely.

''Those are the main factions that make up the Khaos Brigade. There are other small groups, comprised of angles and fallen angels, but they never have come here,'' Ophis concluded and took a shallow breath for the first time since she started talking, seemingly satisfied with her explanation.

All Tactimon's instincts were screaming at him that the position Ophis had bargained with these people was anything but just.

Neutral meeting grounds, people keeping watch, it seemed that Khaos Brigade was even less united than he had initially assumed and the more he went over what had been said to him, the more Ophis' lair started to seem like a prison: a remote and secure place where she would be kept, unaware of her underling's doings and only contacted when they needed her, paying lip service for the oaths they had sworn for the Ouroboros Dragon.

It was obvious that she was sought out because of the power she possessed. Ophis becoming the Khaos Brigade's 'leader' was a great boon for its members and without a doubt helped them drive their true goals. How convenient for them to just have a dragon of unimaginable strength at their disposal to whom they could always ask for more power like Her Highness was just some dispenser, a machine to be used.

It made him sick.

But here came the problem: he was just a newcomer and had nothing concrete to back up his suspicions. He only had his intuition which would not be enough. To voice his thoughts here and now would mean Tactimon questioned his master's ruling and it could also put Ophis and potentially this whole organization of her's in a precarious position if the other members got the wind of it.

No, if he wanted to get to the bottom of this, he would need to dig deep and be sure his suspicions were absolutely correct before making his move.

In the end, all he voiced was, ''Have they found anything worthy of your notice?''

''They have discovered some dragon-slaying weapons and curses, but those won't harm Great Red.''

Of course they won't.

''I see. If it's not too much to ask of you Ophis, since I am a new member, could you educate me on how the organization operates in finer detail and perhaps tell me more about its members? This I believe, would help me greatly in getting up to speed starting my mission,'' Tactimon's hunched frame had come close to hugging the floor when voicing his request.

''I shall,'' Ophis simply said.

Tactimon quietly listened as Ophis told him about the Khaos Brigade, speaking only when he wished to have something clarified from her succinct explanation. Much of it was what he already knew or had deduced: every faction worked mostly by themself and if need be, came to her to ask for snakes. To his small relief, Ophis did expect to have a good reason why she would share additional power with her subjects.

The soldier came to learn the names and some general descriptions of the powers and abilities the faction leaders possessed. The good news was that Tactimon wouldn't need to worry about his well-being. It seemed Ophis and Great Red were the only outliers of their world and when Tactimon had asked how would he compare to other Khaos Brigade members, his master had commented, ''You are a bit stronger than the others.''

The biggest piece of new information was that many members of Nirlem were former associates of the Magician's Council - a worldwide organization representing and governing magicians -, outlaws or both, and the devils from the True Satan faction believed they were above all the other races and it was their birthright to rule the world.

Such merry band of people they seemed.

While all this was appreciated, it was the finer details Tactimon wished to know Ophis lacked. There had to be quite an interesting dynamic going on between the groups since the Khaos Brigade hadn't fallen apart shortly when it was established. No doubt chicanery, conspiring, and back-stapping were taking place between the factions, and it brought no satisfaction to Tactimon knowing he would become part of it. He was a general, his home was on the battlefield or in a war room planning and preparing. Interpersonal affairs had been Lilithmon's specialty.

While not an ideal situation, in a war, there seldom was. He would overcome these obstacles and make sure his master's wish would be fulfilled, with or without the other factions.

There was one thing the disjointed sects had wholly agreed on with Ophis' approval: when a new individual or group wished to be a part of or had joined the Khaos Brigade, every leader would be informed as soon as possible. It seemed they didn't want others to get their hands on their prized figurehead.

Ophis told him that she would notify the others of his recruitment today which meant the soldier's time was very limited.

Grateful for her consultation on the subjects Tactimon then asked what the Ouroboros Dragon knew of Great Red.

''He's the dragon born from Dreams and Illusions and is strong,'' was her answer.

Making sure Ophis had nothing else to add on, Tactimon inquired further. ''Do you believe it might have been an elaborate act on Great Red's part to have you find me?''

''No. Great Red doesn't plan, he only likes to fly in the Dimensional Gap. I think he found you annoying and didn't want you in there,'' she seemed to speak from experience.

''I see. Then I believe I should finally take my leave so I can fulfill my duty. Are there any private libraries or other places of study where I could go and learn about this world unperturbed?'' He had refrained from asking too much about subjects not concerning Khaos Brigade, he wouldn't want to waste Ophis time on explaining things he could easily learn himself.

Ophis index finger pointed on the left wall, ''There is an outpost at the edge of this world that no one knows about. I can bring everything you need there and no one will disturb you.''

''I couldn't possibly ask something like that from you Ophis,'' Tactimon hastily replied. He had already bothered her enough with his questions.

''I, insist,'' Ophis' plank face showed no expressions, making it impossible for Tactimon to tell what she was thinking.

''Then I'll be in your care,'' Tactimon humbly accepted, his head almost touching the floor for a long moment before returning to his kneeling.

Rising from her throne Ophis started her descent and came to a halt before Tactimon, their eyes level. Slowly, she reached out with her hand, taking hold of the spike in his shoulder plate and the soldier could feel the air starting to vibrate around them.

This time the teleportation hadn't made his insides lurch nearly as much, Tactimon noted, as he peered down a wide chasm that stretched as far he could see, the fall's other side not visible, perhaps not even existing. It did seem like the edge of the world.

His boots crunched in the snow as he walked away from the bottomless pit and glanced again at the weathered outpost Ophis had brought him to. It was a single tower and a building surrounded by a stone wall, its sole entrance being blocked by a sturdy metal gate. The small complex was built at the end of a valley where the steep mountain range ended.

A good defensive position.

Following their teleportation, Ophis had said she would go get all the necessary materials for him.

This had left Tactimon some time alone which the soldier used to inspect the outpost from potential traps and listening devices, mundane or magical, just in case. Nothing was found, and he satisfiedly noted that some kind of magic was keeping coldness and moisture out of the stone building. After that, he had gone to survey the outpost's perimeter, starting with the ravine from which he now continued toward a small forest where evergreens grew.

A lone moon shone in the starry night sky, its silver light illuminating the snowy terrain as Tactimon made his way past trees, his thoughts on the state of affairs he had found himself in.

Ophis… a peculiar dragon for sure. She was ancient and seemed to know a great deal about the world, yet her interactions with the people made her seem… not simpleminded -he wouldn't dare to associate Ophis with the word and would chop the heads of whoever would think so of the Ouroboros Dragon- a better word would be naïve-like. While not enjoying thinking about such inconsiderate things of his master, Tactimon had to acknowledge that she seemed to be susceptible to others' influence.

Too susceptible.

Was that just a part of being a primordial being or something else, he didn't know. All he could do was make sure no one would exploit his master any further.

Snow started to fall from the sky, slowly dyeing his cape white.

What was it that made him choose to pledge himself to her? His decision was rushed, made on a scant amount of information. The short time he had known the dragon was nowhere adequate to form a full picture of her character, even if he had a hunch she would be a fair master. It was atypical of him so why did he do it? Where was the logic?

Tactimon heard a twig snap. He could dwell on the matter later when he had time, for now, perimeters needed to be secured.

The culprit had been soon found: a growing snow pile on one of the tree's boughs had reached a critical mass and broken off a branch. The rest of his sweep had been made in silence, nothing out of the ordinary was found after which he had returned to the outpost.

After what he had estimated to be an hour had passed since his master's departure Ophis returned, announcing her arrival to which she received Tactimon's courteous greetings and inquiry how her travel had gone.

Pointing her index finger forward, the indoors were filled with a puff of smoke accompanied by bookshelves, desks, chairs, and many more objects, followed by a slam and a tremor that shook the whole building when the wooden furniture hit the ground. Thankfully, it seemed nothing was broken.

In the blink of an eye, the small building had been filled to the brim. Bookshelves stacked on top of each other, almost reaching the ceiling, leaving only small alleys to move through the impromptu study hall.

One of the advantages Digimon had compared to humans was they weren't shackled by language barriers, their race could easily understand what was spoken to them and vice versa. The same could not be said about the written word and many denizens of the Digital Word had been illiterate. Tactimon himself could read Digimoji without a problem, he even developed several code languages based on it that he had his troop learn. While never having stepped foot in the Human World, he had educated himself to be proficient in some of the most common languages humans wrote, courtesy of his late master.

Inspecting the book covers, he could see some were in English, Chinese, German, and Japanese, but the majority were written in languages unknown to him.

Ophis walked next to Tactimon, holding out an ornate lorgnette she had pulled from nowhere.

''These glasses can translate most known languages,'' the Ouroboros Dragon explained.

It seemed she had thought of everything.

Tactimon took her offering and thanked her for the trouble she had gone for him. ''I am forever in your debt, Ophis.''

''Will this be enough?'' She asked, dull eyes staring at him.

''Yes, this is more than I could have asked for. I believe these books will provide me plenty of information to go through.''

''How much time do you need?''

Looking out of a window that managed to peek behind a bookshelf, Tactimon saw the silver moon had moved a little past its zenith.

''Six days. Give me six days and on the seventh, when the moon is at its highest, you shall have the beginning of the foundation that will be the instrument in bringing Great Red down.''

''I'll be waiting,'' Ophis said as she turned to leave before adding, ''If you need me, call me.''

Air vibrated around the Ouroboros Dragon before she disappeared, leaving Tactimon alone with a treasure trove of knowledge. Taking a book from a shelf, he began his mission, all the while an invisible clock was ticking.

To whomever these once belonged I wonder?

A.N.

The next chapter will focus on Tactimon getting to know the world of DxD in greater detail and what the soldier thinks of all of this.