(Author's Notes: Here's Part 2 of Chapter 10. Enjoy!)
Chapter 10: Behind the Barrier (Part II)
An hour passed from Craniamon and Dynasmon's meeting with the mayor. In that hour, they got some food inside them and prepared themselves for potential combat.
The duo of Royal Knights walked through the Iron Forest. It was about as welcoming as Caer Ygg itself. Although the forest wasn't particularly dark since the trees were spread out, the trees themselves were rigid and austere. The bark was a greyish-brown and the trees were as tough as a semi hard metal. The sturdy lumber made for good building materials, but strong Digimon were needed to fell the trees. The leaves of the trees were like aluminium.
The rain continued to fall from the clouds. The tree canopies were pelted with water drops. This caused a noisy pattering all around the Royal Knights that covered the sounds of their footsteps.
Craniamon led the way, since he knew this forest the best. He spent a lot of his time as a Knightmon and Gladimon training in here. The forest wasn't far from the west gate of the town, so it wasn't hard for him to just slip out after he had finished his lessons or duties. The violet Royal Knight walked ahead of Dynasmon, his Claiohm Solais spear in his right hand and his Avalon shield in his left. He was very aware that his comrade was staring at him.
Dynasmon followed behind Craniamon, indeed gazing at him thoughtfully.
Craniamon sighed and glanced over his shoulder at the Royal Knight. "Say it, Dynasmon…" he told him knowingly.
The wyvern knight blinked, the voice pulling him out of his thoughts and taking him off guard. "Huh?"
"I know you. You've been wanting to say something since we talked to my dad," Craniamon said observantly. "Plus, you keep staring at me. Not exactly subtle."
Dynasmon folded his arms and scoffed, although grinning a little. "Well, if you put it like that…" he said, lengthening his strides so that he walked closer to Craniamon. "Why didn't you tell me your dad was the mayor?"
"I don't like talking about myself," Craniamon answered dryly. "Haven't you picked that up yet?"
"You could have at least mentioned it on the way to Caer Ygg. I was going to find out eventually," Dynasmon retorted.
Craniamon rolled his eyes. "I wasn't sure if he was still the mayor. Leadership changes every so often," he explained.
Dynasmon gave the knight a sideways leer. "Guess you two really didn't keep in contact…" he muttered in a gruff voice. "Was that round two of the argument?"
"More like round seven," Craniamon murmured. He looked at Dynasmon. "What did you expect? We parted on bad terms with a lot of things said on both sides. We weren't going to hug it out when we first saw each other."
"It just sucks that there's so much resentment between you two," Dynasmon stated, frowning.
"We came here to check out a dark rift, not fix my personal problems," Craniamon told him, growing mildly agitated. "Focus."
Dynasmon released an ironic laugh. "The nearest I've ever gotten to fixing your personal problems was letting you spar with me until you were satisfied after you screwed up on a mission," he informed him.
"And that's the way I like to keep it," Craniamon answered him curtly, looking ahead at the dripping forest in front of him.
"Yeah, of course…" Dynasmon muttered, rolling his eyes. "I know you like to be Sir Glacier all the time, but I'm supposed to be your friend. The rest of the knights are supposed to be your friends too. If you can't open up to us, then who can you to?"
"I don't want to open up. I don't have any problems," Craniamon insisted.
"You and your dad haven't spoken for… how many years? That's not a problem?" Dynasmon asked him, folding his arms and raising an eyebrow.
"Not to me. The past is the past."
"And you just sweep the past under the rug, do you?" Dynasmon questioned, starting to grow annoyed. "Like Dukemon? …No, that's not fair. At least he's always been open and honest about that one problem he's got. The one closest to his heart…"
Craniamon winced. "What do you want from me, damn it?" he calmly asked him.
Dynasmon gazed passionately into Craniamon's eyes. "I want you to let me help you," he urged him.
Craniamon returned a frigid gaze. "You want me to have a loving relationship with my father and a place that I can call home… Stop trying to force your own desires onto me, Dynasmon. I'm not a pet project to make you feel better."
This caused Dynasmon to snarl. "Damn it! This isn't about me, you selfish bastard! I want to help you because you're my friend!" he shouted angrily.
"Right, I don't want to spill my guts to you, so that makes me selfish," Craniamon answered, rolling his eyes. "I know you've got a weird thing about friendship, but you also keep judging everyone by your own standards. You've got your version of justice and I've got my own values.
Dynasmon gritted his teeth, his anger still bubbling. It was clear he wasn't swallowing Craniamon's argument.
Craniamon's exasperated breath echoed behind his visor. "You're my friend, but that doesn't mean I have to tell you everything. My problems are my own problems," Craniamon stated firmly.
"Caer Ygg's problem is Caer Ygg's problem," Dynasmon echoed pointedly, glaring at him. "Sound familiar?"
This struck Craniamon into silence. The violet Royal Knight narrowed his eyes and increased his stride.
Dynasmon matched pace with him, not letting him get away that easily. "You know what your problem is?" he asked him.
"I'm stuck on a mission with you?" Craniamon sarcastically answered.
"You're afraid to be vulnerable!" Dynasmon's deep voice boomed. "That's what you are."
Craniamon stopped in his tracks at the words, allowing Dynasmon to catch up with him.
Dynasmon walked ahead and got in front of Craniamon, blocking his way. "Being vulnerable is like some sort of weakness to you," the dragon knight told him, pointing his claw at him.
Craniamon narrowed his eyes and swatted Dynasmon's hand away. "That's the definition of vulnerability, dumbass," he fired back, his words less calm and composed than all the previous ones.
"So Dukemon and Magnamon and Sleipmon are weak because they wear their hearts on their sleeves?" Dynasmon challenged him. "Being honest about your problems and weaknesses… Willing to face up to that… I call that strength."
The composed, glowing, crimson eyes of Craniamon locked with Dynasmon's passionate carmine ones.
"But I'm guessing you disagree. The only definition of strength is being cool, unemotional, and the best at everything you do?" Dynasmon questioned. "Your definition of strength, you mean."
Craniamon closed his fists tightly. Dynasmon's words were really beginning to affect him more than he'd like to admit.
"You can never show emotion. You can never accept help. You can never fail. That's what you think, right?"
Craniamon quietly bowed his head, shadows cast over his face and rivulets of rain running down his helmet to his chin.
Dynasmon cocked his head to the side. "That's your personal goal, isn't it? So, I guess you think you're pretty strong-?!"
Craniamon suddenly lashed out. He dropped his spear and grabbed Dynasmon by the collar. He stepped forwards and leaned in, putting his face inches away from Dynasmon's. "I NEVER SAID I WAS STRONG!" he shouted at him.
His voice resounded through the forest, cutting through the rain. Dynasmon was taken at a loss for words as he stared into Craniamon's wide, agitated eyes.
Craniamon regained his composure and pushed Dynasmon back to put space between them. He immediately looked away in a mixture of embarrassment and anger. "Besides, don't talk to me about that! You're just a hypocrite," he told the stunned Dynasmon. "Big, macho Dynasmon. The physically strongest Royal Knight. Don't talk to me about not being vulnerable…"
Dynasmon blinked and clawed at his collar, regaining his poise. "What are you talking about? Maybe it's not often, but I at least talk to my friends about that stuff. You know about what happened to my hometown; I barely know anything about this place! I told you all because I can trust you!" Dynasmon countered.
"Oh, here we go…" Craniamon muttered. "'My friends'. 'Loyalty'. You always throw those around when you want to guilt somebody. And when they aren't up to your standards, you hold it against them and get all sanctimonious. It's more like a tactic than an ideal. Is that real friendship, Dynasmon?"
Dynasmon's eyes widened for a moment before suddenly hardening. It was his turn to get fired up. His temper flared and there was a burning look in his crimson eyes. He took a step forwards and coiled his fist back. "What would YOU know about it?!" he shouted, throwing his fist towards Craniamon.
Craniamon watched as the clawed fist flew towards him. He glanced down the length of Dynasmon's arm. However, he saw a flash in the distance behind Dynasmon.
The violet Royal Knight acted quickly. He swerved ducked under the punch, grabbing Dynasmon's forearm with his free hand. He spun around and flipped Dynasmon over his shoulder while raising his shield behind them. When Dynasmon thudded onto the ground, Craniamon released him and angled his shield, which began to glow.
"God Bless!" he shouted.
The Avalon shone brightly and kicked up an invisible barrier around the two Royal Knights. Even the rain pelted off and the washed down the transparent dome as it formed.
A glowing, crescent arc slammed into the omni-directional blockade and shattered upon impact with the impenetrable defence.
"What the hell?" the stunned Dynasmon asked, sitting up immediately and looking around.
"We're under attack," Craniamon told him, reaching down and picking up the Claiohm Solais. "I told you we needed to focus."
"Save it," Dynasmon spoke irritably, charging up power in his palms. When the barrier disappeared after three seconds, the trickling water splashed down on their already soaked forms.
The two Royal Knights raised their broad, dripping, heaving bodies and stood back-to-back to cover each other's blind spots. They gazed through the rain and into the forest.
However, no matter which direction they looked, they couldn't see their attacker. It was particularly hard to see through the veil of rain.
"I don't see anybody. Long-ranged?" Dynasmon asked Craniamon lowly.
"Don't think so. I only saw the attack for a few seconds. I think it's close," Craniamon answered, scanning the forest in front of him with quick-moving eyes.
"Hidden, then?" the wyvern knight questioned, glancing over his shoulder at Craniamon. "I can't sense anybody nearby, can you?"
"No," Craniamon answered. "They must be concealing themselves somehow. Or maybe the rain is messing with our instincts."
"What do you want to do?" Dynasmon murmured to him.
"Break for the clearing," Craniamon responded quietly. "It'll be easier to fight out in the open."
Dynasmon nodded. "Go!" he shouted.
Right as the two broke apart, another blade of energy sliced between them, where they had been standing. The arc of energy scored the ground like a fine blade stroke.
Dynasmon spun around and raised his hand, glowing power brimming from the gem in his palm. "Dragon's Roar!" he bellowed, releasing elemental energy in the form of a shot of electricity from his palm. The bolt of lightning snapped through the rain, electrifying the drops of water around it.
Using the attack as suppression, Dynasmon took off running alongside Craniamon, the dragon knight following his comrade's lead.
"This way," Craniamon told him, sprinting through the forest. "Almost there."
Dynasmon nodded and jumped into the air, flying after him. He looked over his extended wings to try to see behind him, but he didn't see their attacker.
He was distracted when another slash tore through the rain from his right. The arc cut towards him, but he quickly flapped his wings and flew above it, causing the attack to explode on contact with a nearby tree. Dynasmon reacted quickly. He angled his body and stretched his arm out, releasing another blast of lightning from his hand towards where the attack came from.
Dynasmon saw his lightning attack light up a flash of red and grey just as the colours began to fade away. The bolt of energy pierced through the colours. Dynasmon thought he heard a pained rasp as data suddenly exploded and melded into the downpour.
"I think I got it!" Dynasmon called out to Craniamon.
"Keep going," Craniamon advised, still running. "Could be more."
Dynasmon nodded and followed him between the dispersed trees. Through the rain, he could just manage to see a break in the trees ahead of them.
"That's it there," Craniamon told him, dashing forwards to the clearing.
Dynasmon flapped his wings, inadvertently flicking countless beads of water from the leathery appendages. He inwardly noted that they hadn't been attacked since he blasted that last one. He was sure he hit something, but it felt way too easy to be a dark evolved Digimon. He recalled how much trouble Examon and Craniamon apparently had with that Darkdramon, and Omegamon Zwart had been a nightmare to deal with. Maybe it really was just bandits like Mayor Mistymon said?
Suddenly, he noticed Craniamon stop at the very edge of the clearing. The violet Royal Knight raised his hand in a signal for Dynasmon to halt. Dynasmon raised an eyebrow and descended to gently touch down behind him. He was standing in front of a wide, open glade covered with soaked grass, puddles, and mud from the rain. It was pretty spacious, so there was a lot of room to manoeuvre there.
"Shh. Do you hear that?" Craniamon mumbled to him quietly.
"Hear what?" Dynasmon whispered back.
"Listen," Craniamon told him.
The dragon knight listened carefully. Initially, all he heard was the sound of the rain hissing continuously. However, after a few seconds he could begin to hear faint voices mixed in with the sound of the showers.
"Where is that idiot?" one voice asked. "He said he'd be right back."
"Who knows?" another voice answered.
Craniamon elbowed Dynasmon's arm and gestured to the left part of the clearing. Dynasmon looked over and saw the semi-concealed forms of four similar Digimon. They seemed to be floating in the air. They all had short, legless bodies of grey cloth. Over their heads and backs was a large, scarlet, hooded mantle that concealed their faces. In their stubby arms, they had large, golden scythes connected to a ball and chain.
"Phantomons," Craniamon whispered to Dynasmon. "Four of them."
Dynasmon nodded and eyed them warily. "Bandits?" he whispered.
"Don't know. Let's keep listening," Craniamon suggested.
"Somebody go look for him," one of the Phantomons said. "He's probably trying to steal more stuff."
"Yes, do that," another one agreed.
"You do it. I want to get back to the Dark Area already. At least it's not raining there," a third Phantomon complained.
"We find a way to escape that hellscape and you want to go back there just because of a little rain?" the fourth ghost Digimon chided. "You have to be joking."
Craniamon and Dynasmon exchanged stunned looks at these comments.
"They're from the Dark Area?!" Dynasmon whispered harshly. "They escaped?!"
"This is bad," Craniamon murmured, gripping his spear and shield tighter.
"We're not going back there for good," one of the Phantomon assured the other. "But I want to tell Count Murmuxmon that I found a way out of that prison. He will be most pleased with me."
"What's this 'I' business?" another Phantomon remarked pointedly. "We all came across that rift in the abyssal sky."
"But I noticed it."
"Forget it. We all win if we return to Count Murmuxmon with this loot and news of escape. We'll be promoted and rewarded for sure," one of the ghost Digimon said.
"So, the sooner we get back, the better. And the longer we wait here, the more chance they'll send another team to investigate. One of you go find that dawdling fool," another said.
One of the Phantomon began floating in the general direction of Dynasmon and Craniamon. "I'll go."
Dynasmon looked at Craniamon. "They must mean the guy who was attacking us," he said to the dark paladin.
"We can't let even one of them slip back to the Dark Area," Craniamon responded. "We've got to take them out quickly."
Dynasmon nodded in agreement and eyed the Phantomon that was floating towards their part of the forest.
"Let's take him," Craniamon told him.
He placed a hand on Dynasmon's shoulder to tell him to stay in place. Meanwhile, Craniamon took off into the rainy forest. He circled around through the wooded terrain to flank the Phantomon from the other side.
Dynasmon ducked behind the thick trunk of the nearby tree to conceal himself better. He pressed himself against the wet bark and carefully peered out to keep an eye on the Phantomon.
The Phantomon hovered to the edge of the glade and began to make his way into the forest. He was floating right between Dynasmon's and Craniamon's positions. Dynasmon dug his back foot into the ground, preparing to act.
However, the Phantomon suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. The eyeball pendent attached to the chain necklace around his neck glinted. The spectre Digimon suddenly whirled to face Dynasmon. "I know you're there!" he announced, panic and anger in his voice.
Dynasmon snarled when his eyes locked with the Phantomon's. "Damn it! I forgot they had those crystals that let them glimpse into the future! Can't let him disappear." Dynasmon thought to himself, rushing forwards.
Acting on instinct at the sudden charge, the Phantomon began to wheel in reverse. He raised the flap of his cloak in front of his body, preparing to vanish and escape from sight. Before he could finish the action, he saw a flash of danger coming from a different direction. Already feeling a second presence behind him, all the Phantomon could do was look over his shoulder.
His eyes widened when he saw Craniamon standing directly behind him, bringing his spear down on him. The flat side of the Claiohm Solais collided with the Phantomon's head, conking him straight into the ground. The shock of the attack caused the scythe and chain to fly from his arms.
Dynasmon picked up the Phantomon by the body and forced him against the tree. He then raised his free hand and held the gem of his open palm in front of the ghost Digimon's face. "Scream and you're dead," he warned him.
The Phantomon glared at the two Royal Knights but kept quiet.
Craniamon stepped up to him as well and towered over him intimidatingly. "You're from the Dark Area?" he asked him.
"No," the Phantomon responded with a deceitful sneer.
"Then who's Count Murmuxmon?" Dynasmon asked him, calling out his lie.
The Phantomon glowered. "Uh…"
"You should answer," Craniamon advised him coldly.
"He's from the Dark Area, okay?!" the Phantomon responded, hoping that his comrades would hear his voice. "He's a subject of Lord Barbamon."
"Where's the dark rift?" Craniamon sternly asked him.
The spectre Digimon glanced around, starting to fear that the other Phantomons couldn't hear him. "Uh, promise to let me go if I tell you?" he asked him.
"Yes," Craniamon told him.
Dynasmon looked at Craniamon incredulously. He knew Craniamon knew that they couldn't let even one Phantomon return to the Dark Area with this news. It either meant that Craniamon was making a risky promise or that he was planning on going back on his word. Neither option sat well with Dynasmon – he wasn't fond of going against one's word. However, he couldn't undermine Craniamon's negotiation tactic in front of the Phantomon either.
"It's over in the big clearing there. To the right side," the Phantomon conceded. "I'll go show you."
"No need," Craniamon responded. "I'll find it myself. You can go." He looked at Dynasmon emphatically.
Dynasmon winced and reluctantly let go. He didn't want to, but he wasn't about to break a promise that Craniamon had made. However, he gave Craniamon an intense, questioning look.
Craniamon locked eyes with Dynasmon and then looked down at the Phantomon, who was collecting himself. "And you had better hurry," he warned the ghost Digimon.
The Phantomon forwent collecting his scythe and just began floating into the clearing quickly. He made a direct route for the dark rift.
"Craniamon, what are you doing?!" Dynasmon whispered harshly.
"Giving him a head start," Craniamon responded. He spoke loud enough for the Phantomon to hear. "Five…"
The Phantomon immediately tensed up and looked over his shoulder with wide eyes. Without a second thought, he began to fly swiftly towards the rift.
"Four…" Craniamon gave Dynasmon a meaningful glance and nodded to the left end of the clearing where they had heard the other Phantomons.
"Three…"
Dynasmon frowned and nodded. He flapped his wings and began flying through the veil of rain.
"Two…"
Craniamon gripped the Claiohm Solais and bent his knees, preparing to lunge.
"Guys!" the escaping Phantomon shouted out to his comrades urgently.
"One!"
No later than the word escaped his lips was Craniamon vaulting through the air at great speed and distance.
At the same time, Dynasmon tore through the air. He began to put his energy into summoning Wyvern from his body. His form became cloaked with blue power and there was a deep snarl in his throat as he put his focus into calling his great aura dragon. The rain hissed and sizzled as it struck him, evaporating on contact with his energy.
The Phantomon that Craniamon freed sped for the dark rift. He could see a black fissure far ahead of him. It was several meters long and almost a meter thick at its widest point. The chasm frothed black energy.
However, the phantom Digimon sensed a presence above him. He glanced up and saw Craniamon descending on him with his lance pointed downwards.
Craniamon drove his spear down into the Phantomon before he could get close to the dark rift. The Dark Area expat released a shout and burst into data.
After landing, Craniamon stood up straight and observed the rift. One of that size wasn't good. He stood near it with his Claiohm Solais and Avalon in hand. He made it his job to guard the rift to make sure that none of the Phantomon got in.
Meanwhile, Dynasmon surged towards the trio of Phantomon. By now, the Phantomons had heard their comrade's shouts and turned towards Dynasmon with shock. They were hovering around a collection of loot that they had stolen and were planning on bring back to the Dark Area.
"Attack!" one of the Phantomon yelled.
Dynasmon glared at them passionately as Wyvern began to surge from his body. "Breath of Wyvern!" he roared.
The glowing, blue aura dragon roared as he tore through the rain, evaporating any drops that got in his way. He swept across the clearing towards the three Phantomon.
"Scatter!" one of the Phantomon shouted.
Two of the Phantomons spun around and disappeared into the air. However, the third was too slow in acting, and Wyvern descended on him. The energy dragon soared forwards and blazed through the Phantomon, obliterating him immediately. Wyvern continued on and slammed into the other side of the clearing in a massive explosion that sent power billowing out.
The detonation sent the two hidden Phantomons reeling through the air. A blossom of bright, azure energy plumed upwards into the rainy sky.
Dynasmon looked around, still growling a bit as residual draconic energy lingered on his body. The two remaining Phantomons had disappeared from sight using their magical abilities.
"Be ready, Craniamon!" he called out to his friend. "They're hidden!"
Craniamon nodded and scanned the landscape around the dark rift carefully.
Dynasmon felt his energy begin to return to his body. Breath of Wyvern had a long cooldown time, but he could still fight in the interim.
"Soul Chopper!" a voice shouted from behind him. Dynasmon looked over his shoulder and saw one of the Phantomons reappear behind him, slashing his scythe down.
An arc of energy tore from his scythe and slammed into Dynasmon's back. The bladed curve exploded on contact with Dynasmon's armour, throwing him forward somewhat. His back smoked with dark energy and Dynasmon spun around with a grunt.
"Dragon's Roar!" he snarled, raising his hand and firing a blast of lightning at the ghost Digimon behind him.
However, the Phantomon already brought up his cloak and disappeared from view before the lightning could hit him.
As Dynasmon was distracted, the second Phantomon reappeared behind him to once again attack his exposed back. "Soul Chopper!" he yelled, slashing his scythe across Dynasmon's wings and chrome digizoid armour. Sparks burst out when metal hit metal, and a light cut opened up on the outer part of Dynasmon's wings.
The wyvern knight snarled and spun around, throwing his mighty fist towards the Phantomon that attacked him. However this ghost Digimon simply disappeared before the punch could hit him. Dynasmon released a grunt of frustration.
Before he could react, a ball and chain swung out from behind Dynasmon and coiled around his neck tightly. Behind him was the other Phantomon, who pulled on the chain part of his scythe to try and hold Dynasmon in place.
Dynasmon pulled against the chain and snarled angrily. "Pests!" he growled. However, an idea dawned on him. As long as the chain was attached to him, he knew where the Phantomon was.
The dragon knight spun around and grabbed hold of the sickle's chain with his hand. He used the exact same tactic that the Phantomon was using on him.
The Phantomon glared and tried to pull his scythe away but he found himself unable to wrestle it away from Dynasmon's sheer strength.
Dynasmon raised his hand and aimed his palm gem at the Phantomon trying to restrain him.
However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the second Phantomon zooming towards him with his scythe, trying to take advantage of the situation.
"End Waltz!"
From over by the rift, Craniamon was spinning his Claiohm Solais spear around rapidly. The spear generated sonic and electric energy the faster it spun. The power released itself in the form of a horizontal cyclone that tore across the clearing. The End Waltz technique engulfed the interfering Phantomon, knocking him around in the blast's folds and sending him flying into a steel tree.
Dynasmon was now free to focus on the Phantomon whose chain was wrapped around his neck. Dynasmon kept his grip on the chain tight, refusing to let the Phantomon pull away by using his vastly superior strength. He aimed his hand precisely at the spectre Digimon.
The Phantomon's eyes widened and he decided to let go of his scythe and try to escape. He grabbed hold of his dimensional cape and started to bring it up.
"Dragon's Roar!" Dynasmon shouted.
A blast of light energy pierced through the rain. Although the rain dispersed the light element somewhat and weakened it, he was at a close enough range for it to still be effective. The burst of radiance tore through the Phantomon's body and purged him into data.
When the Phantomon was gone, Dynasmon lowered his smoking hand. He reached up and pulled the chain off from around the neck, allowing the weapon to burst into data as well.
The dragon man Digimon released a breath and looked around the rainy clearing. He wondered where the last remaining Phantomon was. Did Craniamon's attack finish him?
Dynasmon looked over to Craniamon. "Where's the last one?!" he called out. "Did you get him?!"
Craniamon frowned. He wasn't sure.
As the violet Royal Knight looked across the clearing at Dynasmon, the Phantomon reappeared behind Craniamon, right near the dark rift.
The Phantomon made a break for the Dark Area. His spectral body neared the gaping, shadowy abyss and he was about to fly in and escape the Royal Knights.
However, at the last second, Craniamon spun around. With a wide, clean stroke of his double spear, the blade of the Claiohm Solais tore through the cloth fabric of the Phantomon's body. The Phantomon burst into data just above the rift and the cloud melded with the falling rain.
Craniamon released a breath and lowered his spear. "That's all of them…" he said. He gazed down at the dark rift with bitter eyes and then walked away from it. He made his way over to Dynasmon, who was walking towards him as well.
The two Royal Knights met in the center of the clearing, ignoring the drops of rain that showered down on them, soaking their armoured bodies.
"That was close…" Dynasmon said, sighing with relief. "You had me worried with that Phantomon."
Craniamon nodded. "I wasn't going to let him get too far," he responded. "And yeah. Too close," he agreed. He turned his body slightly and looked over his shoulder towards the dark rift. "…Dark Area escapees… This is bad."
"Yeah, it is…" Dynasmon concurred, frowning softly. "But it could have been worse. This is the only case of this happening, and we stopped those Phantomons before they could report back to their superiors."
"Still. What's to stop others from finding the hole and escaping like they did?" Craniamon asked him.
"Us. The Royal Knights," the wyvern knight assured him. "We need to isolate this rift, put some guards on duty, and then we can get Imperialdramon or Anubismon or somebody to come here and seal this thing up."
Craniamon nodded. "You're right," he told him. The Royal Knight then paused and looked away sheepishly. "…Right about a lot," he muttered.
Dynasmon raised an eyebrow in surprise and looked at Craniamon. "Huh?"
The paladin sighed. "Sorry, Dynasmon," he told him, although refusing to make eye contact. "For being a dick earlier…"
The white and violet dragon knight rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah… Same. I shouldn't have pushed you so much." For emphasis, Dynasmon walked over and offered his hand. Craniamon stabbed his spear into the ground and took the hand firmly.
"You were right about me," Craniamon said to him, pulling his hand back. He folded his arms and looked away. "I do hate appearing vulnerable… I don't like to fail. I don't like to open up. I don't like to ask for help." He winced. "…Even saying this much is… hard."
"Why?" Dynasmon asked him curiously.
Craniamon just shrugged. However, he soon realized that that wasn't an answer and grimaced. "I…" He paused and clenched his fist. After a moment, he took a breath and continued. "…I sometimes feel… inadequate," he admitted with great difficulty. He looked off into the forest. "Like I'm not good enough… to be a Royal Knight."
Dynasmon blinked with shock. "What? Don't be ridiculous," he told him. "You probably try the hardest out of any of the Royal Knights."
"Why do you think I try so hard?" Craniamon responded rhetorically. "I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the best. I want to prove that I'm worthy to be one of the Royal Knights." He felt heat in his face behind his helmet as he admitted these things. "You mentioned how I acted when I first joined the Order. How I hated working with others… I liked doing missions on my own. I liked fighting one-on-one… I thought working as a team was a weakness because I had to rely on others. …It took awhile to realize that working to complete the mission was more important than my own ego."
"Yeah, but you got there in the end," Dynasmon assured him, smiling a bit.
Craniamon shrugged. "Even now, it's hard for me to accept help… I want to be perfect in everything I do. And I'm aware I don't take failure well."
"Nobody's perfect," the wyvern knight said. He pointed at himself. "Look at me."
"You're one of the founding Royal Knights at least," Craniamon spoke. He shook his head. "It's ironic. I left here to get away from the pressure of my father, only to end up putting pressure on myself all the time. …Maybe it's because I wanted to prove him wrong. Or prove myself right. I don't know. I'm not good at this stuff." He made a dismissive shrug.
"You really shouldn't pressure yourself," Dynasmon insisted. "You're a hell of a Royal Knight. Nobody questions that." He grinned. "Yeah, you can be a dick sometimes, but like I said, nobody's perfect."
Craniamon frowned. "Yeah…But it's weird how right you were, even when I don't let anyone in… I don't know if I can stop being so guarded and stubborn."
Dynasmon released a sigh. "It's who you are, Craniamon. I'm not asking you to change or anything… I was just frustrated…" he explained, feeling guilty that he made Craniamon feel like this. "You know what I'm like. My friends' problems are my problems… And I'm like a stubborn, direct battering ram when people put up walls with me. I just didn't want you to lose your family and hometown when there was still a way back."
Craniamon glanced at him. "I know."
Dynasmon smiled bitterly. "Not entirely… You were right, though. I think part of the reason I was so bothered was because I had lost my hometown and family to that Armagemon. It was partially me wanting you to have what I didn't…"
"You probably wanted what was best for me," Craniamon murmured, looking away awkwardly.
The dragon knight grinned a little. "Thanks… but you're right… I guess I do have a thing about friendship and loyalty…" he conceded.
"You do. You're still probably better at it than me though," Craniamon said.
"Okay, enough of this self-pity crap. It doesn't suit you," Dynasmon told him with a grin. "I like you better when you're an ice cold, stuck up, competition freak. You just care about friends differently than I do. I shouldn't have judged you for it."
Craniamon managed a light grin. "Fine. I was just trying to be nice but I guess I shouldn't bother," he teased. "As long as we're opening up and getting personal, what's the deal with that? The whole friend-thing, I mean."
Dynasmon's grin faltered. "Uh… Well…"
Craniamon looked at him curiously. "Don't hold out on me now, Dynasmon. I just poured out more sappy, personal crap to you than I probably did in my entire life. I'm not doing that for nothing," he stated stubbornly.
The wyvern Royal Knight glanced down in thought. He was reluctant to say anything, but he didn't want to be a hypocrite either. He gave his friends trouble for not talking about themselves but he didn't want to do the same about this particular issue. "Okay… I guess so…" he responded uncertainly.
The dark paladin raised an eyebrow at his change in behaviour. "…You don't have to, Dynasmon. I was kidding," he told him.
Dynasmon sighed and shook his head. "No, I want to… I just don't like talking about it much."
"It's fine," Craniamon assured him, not wanting to press him.
"No. I'm a Digimon of my word," Dynasmon stated firmly. "We're friends, so I want you to know what happened."
Craniamon frowned, but nodded silently.
"…It was a long time ago. Awhile after my village was destroyed, I got into bodyguarding. I wanted to protect people," he explained thoughtfully. "I took a few jobs like that for a few years. Got a reputation for being capable, loyal, and dedicated. Eventually, this lord offered me a contract to be his personal bodyguard. A TonosamaGekomon." There was a bitter look in Dynasmon's eyes.
Craniamon noticed Dynasmon's discomfort but he stayed quiet and allowed him to continue.
"It was fine for awhile," Dynasmon explained. "He seemed perfectly normal… Nice, even. Then, about a year later, there was an assassination attempt on him." He closed his eyes. "I managed to delete them, but after that… he was different."
"…How?" Craniamon asked him.
Dynasmon opened his eyes and looked down. "He got paranoid… I was probably the only one that TonosamaGekomon trusted after that. He thought that people in his court were responsible for the assassination attempt. He also started to get ruthless…" he said with sombre notes to his words. "He started having them arrested without any real trial… and then he had them executed."
Craniamon was silent.
"I… tried to convince him not to, but he wouldn't listen. But… that was all I did… I didn't stop him, I didn't get in his way… I just went along with it…" Dynasmon spoke. There was a tortured look in his eyes, even as rain poured down his face and dripped off his horns. "He was my lord. I even thought of him as a friend. …I was weak… I was too loyal… Loyal to the wrong Digimon."
Craniamon's gaze softened subtly.
"…Then he started oppressing his people. He began to distrust them too, and he started getting stricter and more heavy-handed. I tried to convince him that there were better ways. He didn't listen." Dynasmon sighed. "But I still stuck by him. I thought I'd be able to change him… No, I was fooling myself. I really just didn't want to betray my lord. Loyalty was more important to me than anything… It was more important than doing what was right, apparently."
A frown formed on Craniamon's face.
"He just kept getting worse," Dynasmon explained. "He became a real tyrant. Using his army to extort the Digimon of his land… A resistance movement started up as a result. When it did, he wanted to get rid of them all." Dynasmon grimaced. "The leader was captured and brought to his palace hall. He told me to execute him right there."
Craniamon stared at Dynasmon. "…Did you?"
"…I couldn't. He was just an ordinary Digimon who wanted to protect his friends and family from a tyrant. It hurt too much to even consider it. I realized that I was as bad as my lord was. My loyalty to him was just an excuse to look the other way. I was a coward, really…" the Royal Knight replied bitterly. "That was when I realized I couldn't just go along with whatever TonosamaGekomon wanted anymore. I told him what I was never able to before. I told him 'no'."
"…What happened?" the Royal Knight asked curiously.
Dynasmon looked up at Craniamon. "He snapped. He started beating me. Badly," he explained. "I didn't put up much of a fight… But when I was lying bruised and bleeding on the floor, he turned away from me and started walking towards the resistance leader - a Veedramon. He said that if I wouldn't kill him, he would do it himself. …I said I couldn't let him do that, but he just kicked me again."
Craniamon frowned. "Then what?"
"He walked up to the Veedramon and was about to delete him. I raised my hand and the next thing I knew, I was a Dynasmon. I used Dragon's Roar and blasted TonosamaGekomon through while his back was turned," Dynasmon explained with a grimace.
"You did the right thing…" Craniamon assured him.
"I know… I know it was the right thing to do, but… it was hard for me." He sighed. "You're right. I am too loyal. Even after all that, I still felt guilty about it."
Craniamon closed his eyes and folded his arms. "I'm sure it was hard. Don't feel bad about it."
"I don't, now… I regret not doing it sooner," Dynasmon explained sombrely. "But at the time, I was a mess. I felt guilty… but I also felt used and betrayed. After being hurt by the Digimon I was so loyal to, it was hard for me to trust people again. That's why I stopped being a bodyguard. …I didn't want to put myself into that situation again. I wouldn't allow myself to trust people…" He rubbed the back of his head. "That's when I became a mercenary. I knew I formed deep bonds of loyalty with people, so as a mercenary, I cut myself off and had only superficial relationships with others. I didn't want to get hurt again."
"…Understandable."
Dynasmon nodded. "It took me a long time for me to let myself open up to a deep bond of trust again. It was KaiserGreymon, Magnamon, and Alphamon that first started to break through that barrier. It wasn't easy, but I realized that it was safe to trust Digimon like them… Then I became a Royal Knight and found even more friends I could trust." Dynasmon offered Craniamon a tired smile. "And when I have friends as important as that, I'll never take them for granted…"
Craniamon smiled faintly and reached out to put his hand on Dynasmon's shoulder. "I see…" he said, his voice understanding. "Guess I'm lucky I brought you along, after all."
"…Who brought who along?" Dynasmon asked with a grin, although he was inwardly very pleased that he had been able to mend things with Craniamon.
Craniamon smirked and removed his hand. "Whatever." He turned around and looked at the dark rift behind him. "So… About that thing…" he said, his smile vanishing as they turned their attention back to the issue at hand. "I don't feel good about leaving that unattended. Why don't you head back to Caer Ygg and tell them what we've found and get them to bring reinforcements in? I'll stay here and keep an eye on it."
Dynasmon looked at Craniamon. "Trying to get out of seeing your dad?" he asked him, although not judgmentally this time.
The armoured warrior sighed and glanced aside. "It's not that… I'll talk to him before we leave," he assured Dynasmon.
"I've got a better idea," Dynasmon informed him. He raised his claws and stepped towards the dark rift. "This isn't a permanent solution, but it should help make the rift smaller, at least. Then we can send a team up to close it for good."
The wyvern Royal Knight kneeled down and placed his claws on the ground near the dark rift, careful not to get too close. "Dragon's Roar!" Dynasmon started pouring elemental energy into the ground from the palms of his hands. With one hand, he used the essence of darkness to help staunch the flow of dark energy, and with his other hand, he used the power of earth to seal up the rift so that it was just a sliver.
After a minute of fine-tuning and being sure that his work was done, Dynasmon stood up. "There. That should be safe for several days. Long enough for us to send a team up here."
Craniamon frowned. "If my father allows it," he amended.
"It's up to us to convince him," Dynasmon said with a smile.
After a moment, Craniamon nodded. "Guess it is…"
The two Royal Knights proceeded to walk out of the clearing and back into the forest. They made a direct route for the citadel at Caer Ygg.
After twenty minutes of walking, Craniamon and Dynasmon were back in Mayor Mistymon's office. They were dripping from head to toe due to the heavy showers outside. Fortunately for them, they had been given towels to dry off.
Mistymon sat on one side of his desk while Craniamon and Dynasmon stood attentively on the other side. The mayor's brows were furrowed hard and his mouth was curved down as he thought.
"So… five Phantomons attacked the team we sent into Iron Forest…" Mistymon said aloud, thinking to himself as he spoke.
"I think they're also the ones behind those robberies you mentioned," Dynasmon added. "We found a pile of loot – precious valuables – that they were going to take back to their masters in the Dark Area."
"So they truly were from the Dark Area…" Mistymon murmured.
Dynasmon nodded. "If it weren't for Craniamon, they probably would have escaped to tell their masters about the rift. Then they would have come back with a legion of demons," the dragon man exclaimed.
Craniamon gave Dynasmon a look. While he appreciated that Dynasmon was trying to help, he didn't feel comfortable taking credit for something that they both did. "We both stopped them," he insisted adamantly.
Mistymon frowned and stood to his feet. "It… seems I owe you both an apology," the mayor said sheepishly, looking between the two Royal Knights, but particularly at Craniamon. "I was close-minded and flippant earlier. You both turned out to be right."
Dynasmon looked at Craniamon. The Royal Knight shuffled awkwardly in place. He didn't know what to do with an apology. "…It's fine," Craniamon responded dismissively, glancing aside. "Holes leading from the Dark Area are a hard thing to imagine."
Mistymon rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Craniamon. "I… feel that perhaps I was unnecessarily short with you earlier, as well. The shock of seeing you again brought up the feelings of our last argument. I shouldn't be bitter that you wanted to be independent. …I'm sorry about that," he told him.
Craniamon internally squirmed in his armour. It was easier for him when they were arguing. However, he forced himself to look up and lock eyes with his father. "Don't worry about it... The, uh… feeling's mutual," he managed.
Dynasmon smiled.
The mayor nodded. "So… What happens next? With the dark rift, I mean," he said to the two Royal Knights, getting back to business. "You're right. I don't know how to handle something like this."
"I managed to seal a large part of it up for now," Dynasmon explained. "That should stop any more Dark Area inhabitants from noticing it, but we need to send a specialized team up to seal it for good. Is that alright with you, mayor?"
Mistymon nodded with agreement. "Whatever it takes. We're equipped to deal with bandits, not a legion of whatever comes out of the Dark Area."
"You should also station guards around the rift to be safe," Craniamon advised him. "But make sure they don't get too close. Dark data can corrupt."
"I will bear that in mind," Mistymon responded. "Is there anything else you can tell me about it?"
Craniamon nodded. "There are side effect of being around the rifts too long. Moodiness, an increasing sense of power and energy, stuff like that. So, be sure that the guards rotate out regularly."
"I'll do that," the mayor told him.
"Great," Dynasmon said. "We'll start heading back today and then send a team here so that you're not waiting too long."
"Very well," Mistymon said, standing to his feet. "When do you plan to head out?"
Dynasmon looked at his comrade. "…We don't have to go immediately."
Craniamon frowned uncertainly and glanced at his father. "…We probably should," he mentioned.
Mistymon nodded. "Yes, it's probably best to go soon. It's generally not the best idea to travel the wilds after dark, even for two Royal Knights," he agreed.
An awkward, uneasy silence overtook the room. It was the silence of two Digimon who wanted to say more, but didn't quite know the words.
Dynasmon was about to try to break the silence, but the mayor beat him to it by speaking up. "…Not that I wouldn't like to see more of you, Craniamon," the Mistymon offered.
Craniamon blinked and looked up in surprise. "Uh… Yeah. Same," he responded stiffly. "Maybe… I'll stop by home as we leave. Would that be fine?"
Mistymon smiled a bit. "Yes. I'm sure your mother would be thrilled."
The violet Royal Knight nodded and rubbed the back of his head. "So… We'll do that now, then," he said, starting to turn around.
"Very well…" Mistymon spoke, watching the Royal Knight begin to leave. The mayor then cleared his throat. "Rm. Craniamon…"
Craniamon halted and looked over his shoulder at him.
Mistymon frowned and walked out from behind his desk. "I think, perhaps, I was wrong about your decision all those years ago…" he put forward apprehensively. He stopped behind Craniamon.
The Royal Knight in question turned around to face him, eyeing him curiously.
"You… You've turned out to be a fine Digimon," Mistymon stated. "Being a Royal Knight wasn't what I wanted for you, but I suppose you had to make decisions for yourself. It's clear this makes you happy, so…" He trailed off sheepishly.
Craniamon smiled a bit. He knew that this was the most that he was going to get. "…Thanks, Dad," he replied. He extended his hand.
Mistymon looked down at the violet glove and took it. "Safe travels," Mistymon told him, shaking his hand once before letting go.
Craniamon nodded and turned around. Without another word, he walked out of the room.
Dynasmon gave a polite goodbye to the mayor and then followed Craniamon out. A smug grin was plastered on his draconic face.
Craniamon glanced over his shoulder. "And you can wipe that grin off your face..."
An hour passed by.
Dynasmon and Craniamon had left Caer Ygg and were now heading south, back towards Falconhead. They would stay there for the night and then head to the nearest Locomon station and continue back to the headquarters in the way they came.
The rain had lightened by this point, and they could see for quite a ways ahead of them. They strolled down a wet, beaten path, walking by a deep crater whose formation likely had a story behind it.
"That was a hell of a day," Dynasmon said aloud, walking at a relaxed pace with his claws resting behind his head.
"Stormy," Craniamon concurred, walking beside him.
"It worked out in the end though," Dynasmon noted, eyeing his comrade meaningfully. "I think public opinion of you just got a little better in Caer Ygg."
Craniamon shrugged. "For the most part," he responded.
Dynasmon grinned and rolled his eyes. "What do you have to complain about now?" he asked him.
Craniamon looked down at the tight bodysuit he wore under his plate armour. "My suit's soaked from the rain and it's chafing," he answered.
The dragon man Digimon let out a laugh.
"It's not funny," Craniamon muttered. "You'd better dry it for me when we get to Falconhead."
"I'll see what I can do," Dynasmon assured him, still grinning.
Craniamon shot him a look. "And don't you dare burn it."
"Wouldn't dare," the Royal Knight declared wryly. "It'd be more than my life's worth."
After rolling his eyes, Craniamon grew more serious. "…I've been thinking," he said soberly. "Do you think that dark rift appearing means that the situation with the Dark Area's barrier is getting worse?"
Dynasmon's grin faded. "…I don't know," he answered honestly. "Maybe it was just a fluke. We don't know for sure that it was new. Maybe it was always there and it just slowly got bigger."
"Maybe. Who knows?" Craniamon responded. "Either way, that still means it got worse."
"I guess so…" Dynasmon conceded. "But it's not like rifts are popping up all over the place. We would have noticed."
"We should still step up our efforts," the black digizoid-wearing knight said firmly. "We were lucky today. If we didn't show up, we could have had a demon Digimon invasion in Caer Ygg."
Dynasmon winced at the idea. "Yeah…" he softly agreed.
Craniamon momentarily glanced at Dynasmon before looking forwards again. "…I don't plan on losing my hometown anytime soon. You don't have to worry," he told him.
Dynasmon smiled a bit. "…I know I don't," he answered tenderly.
Craniamon closed his eyes. "Let's go home, Dynasmon."
The wyvern knight in question nodded and grinned.
With those words, the two Royal Knights continued their journey through the Wilds, heading back to bring news of what they found.