(Author's Note: Here's Part 2 of Chapter 48! Enjoy and let me know what you think!)
Chapter 48: Terminus (Part II)
The clouds parted and the sun began to rise in the morning sky. Its bright rays peeked over the roofs of buildings and shone down on the streets of New Terminal. The fading clouds were highlighted with a soft, pink palette. The sun chased away the darkness of the long night.
The light of dawn helped to illuminate the courtyard in front of the hospital.
The spacious area was decorated with tents of various sizes and colours. The courtyard was teeming with Digimon, moving to and from the hospital or between the different tents. It was almost like a faire had been set up across the stone square. If it hadn't been for the blood that was starting to run between the stone cobbles, that is.
The makeshift expansion of the hospital saw to the numerous injured soldiers – typically the walking wounded who didn't need emergency treatment. Their wounds were cleaned and bandaged. The powerful healers such as MarineAngemon, MagnaAngemon, Lotusmon, and Biomon remained in the hospital and focused on the patients in critical condition. Those with less severe injuries were seen to by the rest of the physicians and lesser healers, while those with superficial injuries had some bandages slapped on them and were sent on their way to make room for others.
Alphamon was one of those who gave up the bed in his tent for a wounded soldier. He asked to be patched up only as much as was necessary before getting up and leaving the medical tent.
The Royal Knight's upper body armour had been removed to access the wounds on his chest. His muscular, black chest was exposed and his abdomen was wrapped in contrasting white bandages. The wounds that Demon had inflicted on him were severe and immensely painful, but when the physician deemed them not life threatening, Alphamon decided to only receive the minimum amount of healing required.
He passed between the various tents, making his way towards the hospital entrance. His gemmed hands gently pressed against his bandaged abdomen, keeping pressure on his wounds. Although wincing, he pressed on stubbornly.
"Alphamon, you are being irresponsible," a twinned, resonant voice spoke from behind him. Although it was calm, it was also firm and gently frustrated.
Alphamon glanced over his shoulder and saw the slender, white form of Omegamon following him. He smiled weakly at him. "There are other Digimon who need healing more than I do. The doctor said I was fine."
"No, he didn't," Omegamon flatly responded. He moved aside and gestured his arm to the knee-high Digimon running behind him.
"Please come back, kyu!" a high-pitched voice squeaked from behind him. Alphamon glanced down to see the Cutemon healer who had been mending him. The small, pink rabbit Digimon sprinted after him, straining his tiny legs just in order to keep up with Alphamon's hobbled gait. "I'm not done healing you, kyu!"
"Thank you, but I'll manage. Save your power for Digimon who need it more," Alphamon insisted.
"You are being stubborn and reckless," Omegamon evenly scolded the black knight. "Something that you often accuse others of being, so you are being hypocritical as well. And you are setting a bad example."
Alphamon smiled knowingly. "Yes, your tongue-lashing is well-warranted and acknowledged, Omegamon…" he responded, although he continued walking. "Even so, I must insist."
Omegamon increased his stride and placed his hand on Alphamon's shoulder, holding him in place. "Alphamon, be reasonable," he urged him.
The dark knight stopped and turned to him. He stared into his friend's eyes with the quiet passion and determination that Omegamon knew swelled in his heart. "I know you're worried about me, but I have to check on DORUgoramon. He was terribly wounded by Lilithmon…"
With that earnest look and those resolute words, Omegamon sighed and allowed his hand to slide off Alphamon's smooth shoulder. He knew Alphamon well enough to know that when a friend of his was in trouble, there was no stopping him. He reluctantly relented.
"…Very well, but at least allow me to help you walk. You'll reopen your wounds at this rate," Omegamon beseeched him. Showing his own quiet stubbornness, Omegamon took Alphamon's arm and placed it over his shoulder so that he could support the black Royal Knight.
Alphamon smiled a little and allowed himself to use Omegamon like a crutch. "Alright… I suppose I can't really say no, can I?"
"I'm afraid I won't allow it," Omegamon informed him, stubbornly holding Alphamon's draped arm with one hand, while his other arm wrapped around Alphamon's lower back. The gentle grin behind his white face mask disappeared. "It was Demon who did this to you?"
"Yes…" Alphamon answered, his serious demeanour returning. "He is strong. He was powerful enough to fight me on equal footing. I'm sure the rest of the Demon Lords are the same. As I thought, we can't take them lightly."
"Most likely… Demon seemed quite powerful when I fought him as well, and he was merely stalling at the time," Omegamon concurred, walking in tandem with Alphamon towards the hospital entrance.
Alphamon glanced at Omegamon. "How are the others? Is anybody badly wounded?"
"There are only superficial injuries among some of the reinforcements; the Demon Lords retreated as soon as we arrived," Omegamon explained. "However, your vanguard is a different story. UlforceVeedramon has some bad wounds to his arm and chest. They aren't life-threatening, but they are worse than yours." The white knight's blue eyes narrowed. "Additionally… I don't know the details, but something happened to Paildramon and VictoryGreymon. They are both in a critical condition, but they are being treated as we speak. Ouryumon and Gankoomon have numerous wounds, but they are mostly superficial. Examon is fine apart from some scratches."
A concerned frown grew on Alphamon's face. He remembered Demon's words and seeing Paildramon acting erratically in her Imperialdramon form. Had she lost control somehow? But how? She had always been so stable.
"I see…" he mused. "I suppose things could have been worse. I would like to check on them later."
"Give it time. The physicians must be very busy trying to heal everybody. We still have things that we need to do," Omegamon suggested.
Alphamon nodded and plodded into the busy hospital. As he did, he could see how busy the hospital was. The lobby was crowded with hospital staff and guards. Physicians, healers, nurses, assistants and porters hurried back and forth, some rolling beds or carrying stretchers. It was clear that they were stretched to the limit.
The black knight gripped Omegamon a bit tighter as pain shot through his abdomen, and he leaned on the white paladin a bit more. Wincing, he could detect the faint metallic aroma of blood. He presumed that it was coming from elsewhere, but he glanced down to make sure that he hadn't split his wounds open. The gauze was still a clean white, so he pressed onwards.
Alphamon and Omegamon walked in and asked one of the passing Angemon where Councillor DORUgoramon was. He directed them towards the critical care wing, though it seemed that most of the hospital had now taken the role of 'critical care'. They began making their way down the left corridor in the direction of the wing of the hospital. As they proceeded, they were sure to keep to the side as much as possible to allow others to pass.
As Omegamon helped Alphamon along, he looked over at him with hesitant curiosity.
"Is DORUgoramon badly hurt?" he asked, feeling uncertain about asking despite the fact that they would be finding out any minute.
Alphamon drew in a slow breath. "...Yes. He is quite badly hurt," he spartanly answered.
Omegamon's eyes dipped momentarily, but he kept his gaze looking straight forwards to watch where they were going. "I'm sorry. He is a childhood friend of yours, isn't he?"
"Yes, he was." Alphamon turned and gave Omegamon a small smile. "Until our lives got in the way."
"I suppose duty has a way of driving people apart," the ivory-hued Royal Knight ruminated.
"Indeed, it does…"
After a few, silent steps, Omegamon glanced at his friend. "…How was he hurt?"
Alphamon remembered as Lilithmon plunged her claws into DORUgoramon's back. He recalled staring down at the grisly wound as he held DORUgoramon in his arms.
The Royal Knight was calm and in control, but there was a gentle simmer of anger in his pained stomach. "Lilithmon stabbed him," he grimly responded. "It was no ordinary wound."
Omegamon frowned and nodded quietly. He continued to help Alphamon down the length of the corridor. They had been told that DORUgoramon had been taken to the operating theatre at the end of the hallway.
The white and black knights reached the end of the hospital corridor and stopped in front of a pair of large double doors. Omegamon made Alphamon lean against the wall behind them before he walked towards the doors. As he did, the pair of doors suddenly swung open, forcing Omegamon to step back in order to avoid being hit.
A small, pink faerie Digimon appeared before him, looking down at a notepad in his tiny hands. The Piccolomon wore a stethoscope and a mirror on his forehead that shone holy light. He nearly flew right into Omegamon before he noticed the comparatively giant, white knight in front of him. "Ah! Excuse me! Can I help you, pi?" the Piccolomon asked in a high-pitched voice.
"We are here about Councillor DORUgoramon," Alphamon spoke up, standing up from the wall. Pain shot through his core at the motion, but he powered through it. "Can I see him?"
"I'm afraid not, pi. He is in a very critical state," the Piccolomon responded, frowning down at his notepad.
Alphamon winced. He knew that it was serious, but he wasn't sure how serious. As much as he wanted to see him, he respected the word of the healer enough to not to try and enter. Still, he had to know more about the situation. "Can you please tell us what's wrong?" Alphamon pressed. "I noticed that there was something abnormal about the data around the wound."
The Piccolomon looked up at Alphamon with curious surprise. "That is correct, pi. It is an unusual and dangerous stab wound. It seems as though there is some sort of toxin that is causing the corrosion of data around the wound. It is a slow and painful process, and if we don't find a way to stop it, it appears that it will eat away the rest of his body until it reaches his vitals."
"What can you do?" Alphamon questioned, his urgency tempered by his natural composure.
"The best we can do right now is concentrate the healing magic of a powerful angel Digimon," the Piccolomon explained. "We hope that that will be enough to counter the effects of whatever demon poison is eating away at him. At the very least, we hope it will keep him stable."
A gentle grimace formed onto Alphamon's face, but he nodded resignedly. "That does not sound very optimistic, Doctor."
"I am afraid that it is the best we can hope for, pi. As I said, it is a very serious and complex wound," the faerie physician replied, his features stern. "Excuse me. I must consult with a toxicologist and an herbalist about the wound and treatment, pi."
Alphamon nodded grimly and turned to Omegamon. "Let's get out of their way. I suppose all that we can do is let them do their best." He glanced at the Piccolomon. "If there is anything that you need, the Royal Knights will do whatever we can."
"I will let you know, pi. Apologies, but I must go," the Piccolomon said in parting. Without another word, he started flying down the hallway swiftly.
Omegamon walked over to his wounded friend and placed Alphamon's arm back over his shoulders. "They will do their best… I'm sure they will find a way to treat his wound," he assured his concerned friend.
"Yes, I hope so…" Alphamon answered, appearing deep in thought.
"Where do you want to go now?" he asked him, making sure that Alphamon was standing steady against him.
"We should gather the Royal Knights and take stock of the situation," Alphamon answered, releasing a haggard sigh as he allowed himself to lean on Omegamon for support.
"Alright," Omegamon agreed, keeping hold of Alphamon as they began moving.
Alphamon gripped Omegamon's armour and hobbled beside him, ignoring the numb pain that ran through his body. As they made their way down the corridor, he cast a lingering glance over his shoulder.
As much as there had been bad blood between them, DORUgoramon was one of his oldest friends. He hoped dearly that he would pull through. He knew that there were no guarantees, but he had to believe in him. Alphamon didn't want to lose a friend to the Demon Lords.
If this attack on New Terminal taught him anything, it was that the Demon Lords were ruthless and they wouldn't compromise. They needed to be stopped at all costs. There were already too many dead.
As they reached the outside, the dawn light cast across his black, helmeted face. He squinted and glared ahead of him. He could still see smoke rising up in the distance.
Alphamon remembered DORUgoramon's accusations of him before the siege – that he hadn't been there when it mattered. He made a silent promise that he would defeat the Demon Lords and Bagramon with every ounce of his willpower. He refused to stand by as another tragedy like this was repeated.
Gankoomon grunted as he made his way across an empty, stone courtyard. The red geta on his feet clopped against the ground as the wooden sandals impacted the stone.
His body was wracked with twinges of mild pain from the various cuts, scratches, and bruises he sustained from the fighting. They were mostly ones that he received while fighting Beelzebumon. His black bodysuit was half-unzipped down to his waist, revealing his beige skin that was blotted with purple contusions in various places. Bandages were wrapped around his abdomen and pectoral muscles, restricting his movement slightly. Even so, he strode with purpose, his white jacket still draped over his shoulders.
He walked into the courtyard that stood outside Terminal Hall. Although there were a few craters around, miraculously, both Terminal Hall and the Timeless Library were largely untouched. Barbamon's forces had stopped at the Central Bank two blocks north, just short of the venerable buildings. Had it not been for the Royal Knights' timely arrival, they might not have been so lucky.
Waiting at the opposite end of the courtyard were the other eleven Royal Knights. Dynasmon spotted Gankoomon and began walking towards him, grinning amicably. "Took you long enough!" he teased him in his deep, boisterous voice.
"Excuse me for not having wings, bull-face," Gankoomon grunted in reply, walking over to him.
"Damn, you look even worse than usual. It's like Sleipmon tap-danced on your face," Dynasmon noted with a smirk, putting his large hand on Gankoomon's shoulder.
Craniamon folded his arms and peered at Gankoomon as well. "More like he fell out of the World Tree and hit every branch on the way down," he added.
"Tch," Gankoomon scoffed, though a grin appeared on his face. "You two are just jealous that you showed up too late to see any action."
Craniamon seethed quietly and looked away with annoyance. He was indeed fuming that he missed his chance to fight one of the Demon Lords. He tried not to wonder about how it would affect his completion rate.
RhodoKnightmon looked Gankoomon up and down. "While it is unfortunate that you are hurt, might I say that you and Handsome over there look particularly fetching all bandaged up and shirtless like that?" the rose knight light-heartedly observed, also gesturing over to Alphamon.
Gankoomon rolled his eyes behind his visor. "Flirt with Dynasmon, Rhodo, not me. He likes it," he teased, elbowing Dynasmon in the gut as he passed him.
UlforceVeedramon leaned against the statue in front of Terminal Hall. His chest and left arm were completely wrapped in bandages, and his wounded arm hung immobile in a shoulder sling. He couldn't help but feel offended at his omission. "Hey, what about me? I'm shirtless and bandaged too," he complained.
RhodoKnightmon looked over at UlforceVeedramon. "You are a bit too hurt for me too tease you, dear," he told him flippantly.
"You look like you've been attacked by a Mummymon," Dukemon added, smirking at UlforceVeedramon.
Magnamon looked between UlforceVeedramon and Alphamon. His claws tapped against his golden bracers and his red eyes were tight with concerned annoyance. "You two should be resting. Have your wounds even closed yet?" he scolded them.
"Don't worry about me, Magna-chan. The Ulforce is taking care of it," UlforceVeedramon explained carelessly. He was visibly the most badly hurt of the bunch, but he had insisted on being present.
Magnamon shot UlforceVeedramon a quick glare of frustration before turning his critical focus to Alphamon. "Well?"
Alphamon smiled sheepishly and scratched his cheek with a finger. "I'm quite fine, Omegamon, really."
"Magnamon," Magnamon corrected, bristling with irritation at being called the wrong name.
A bead of sweat dripped down the Royal Knight's head but he continued smiling diplomatically. "Sorry. It's been a long night and Omegamon has been—"
"Nagging you as well?" Omegamon finished, casting him an equally irritated leer with his sharp blue eyes.
Alphamon raised his hands in front of him assuagingly, taking a step back under the pair of angry gazes. "Now, I didn't say that… I understand that you are both worried, but—"
"Don't try to smooth talk your way out of this like usual, Alphamon," Magnamon swiftly and succinctly shut him down. "UlforceVeedramon is always reckless and irresponsible so I expect this from him, but you're supposed to be the mature and responsible one. You aren't setting a very good example."
"Hey!" UlforceVeedramon complained.
"I am inclined to agree with them," Duftmon spoke up. "As the leader, you should take proper care of your body. You would tell others the same thing." Duftmon stepped forwards, tapping his index finger to his temple. "How can your words carry weight if you do not follow them yourself?"
There were a few muffled snickers from Dynasmon, Dukemon, and Gankoomon.
Incredulous, Alphamon's eye twitched at the fact that he was being accused of hypocrisy by Duftmon. "I'm not sure that I want to hear that from you, Duftmon…" Seeing that he was under fire from all sides, and having to admit that they had a point, Alphamon sighed with resignation. "Very well. After we finish this meeting, I will go and rest. However, we really should focus on the matter at hand."
"Indeed," Duftmon concurred, beginning the proceedings. "To begin with the obvious, we were able to force the Demon Lords and their army into a complete rout."
"Have they truly retreated?" Sleipmon questioned, trotting forwards to get closer to the others. "They could just be regrouping at a safe distance in order to attack us again – or somewhere else in the Republic of Node."
"That's what we're going to find out," Dukemon explained, placing his hands on his hips. "Grani and a wing of scouts are tailing them from a safe distance. Hopefully they can tell us whether they plan to stick around or not."
Duftmon was deep in thought. His green eyes gazed at the ground and he gently tapped the side of his rapier against his ankle. After a few moments, the tactician looked back up at the others. "I hypothesize that they are retreating back to the safety of the Gloaming Fields. Apart from breaching the wall and laying waste to New Terminal's northern districts, what have they accomplished?"
"Objective-wise?" Examon wondered, thinking about it himself. "Not much. As soon as the rest of you showed up, they retreated."
Duftmon nodded. "Precisely. The exact moment that the wind turned against them, they retreated. I do not believe that this was mere cowardice. If they were serious about capturing New Terminal, they would have mounted greater resistance. Would they not have had Lucemon and Belphemon participate in the attack as well? Why did Barbamon hold back a third of their legions? If one is launching a frontal assault on a fortified city, one does not do it by half."
Dynasmon tilted his head and rubbed the back of his neck, one of his brows cocked in confusion. "Uh… So what are you saying, Duftmon?" he questioned.
"Do try to keep up, Dynasmon," Duftmon said with his usual superiority. "Their goal was not to capture New Terminal; their goal was to demonstrate that they could."
Alphamon frowned and nodded. "So, this was a show of force."
Gankoomon growled and gestured his arm around at the distant destroyed buildings. "What? So all this was just for a bit of propaganda? To show who was bigger?" he furiously demanded.
"Yes," Duftmon answered with cold logic. "They wished to send a message to the world."
"'If you stand in our way, this will happen to you too,'" Alphamon explained.
Dukemon clenched his fists with rage. "So many lives lost just for that?" he snarled. "It doesn't make any sense."
Examon frowned sceptically. "Dukemon's right. I'm not so sure. The Nightmare Soldiers that I fought were fighting their hardest. We deleted hundreds, if not thousands. I don't know how the Demon Lords could justify such great losses to their own army simply for a symbolic victory. They must have had practical goals."
RhodoKnightmon placed one hand on his hip and extended his other arm up the road, towards the financial district. "Was the Central Bank not looted?" he suggested.
Magnamon frowned and nodded. "Barbamon was filling carriages with loot when we showed up and stopped him. Who knows how much of the treasury was stolen?"
"So Barbamon wished to build a war chest," Duftmon mused, brushing his fingers through his long, blond locks. "If he was the one who coordinated their strategy…"
"Then raiding the bank would be a priority for the Demon Lord of Greed," Omegamon finished.
"It would be safe to assume that the Demon Lords are also continuing their abhorrent practice of loading Digimons' data," Alphamon grimly added. "I saw some evidence of that while I was fighting Demon, and he was quite powerful. Through that lens, killing large amounts of trained soldiers would serve to restore their energy from the Dark Area."
"Bastards…" Gankoomon growled, pounding his palm.
"Indeed. They truly are the vilest of Digimon…" RhodoKnightmon reflected darkly. He couldn't help remembering his and Magnamon's encounter with the data-absorbing Boltmon in the Thunderhead Rainforest.
Magnamon momentarily glanced over at RhodoKnightmon briefly, recalling the same memory. The knight of gold turned his ruby eyes back to their strategist. "So, this was a premeditated retreat, Duftmon?"
"Yes, that is my belief," Duftmon answered, flicking his tail. "They took a calculated risk in attacking New Terminal intent on maximizing the psychological and monetary gains while taking as few losses as possible. It seems to be the case that they did not wish to confront the whole of our military at this point in time."
"Then shouldn't we chase them down and finish them before they attack some other town?" Craniamon suggested eagerly.
"That would be ill-advised," a voice said from above.
The group of Royal Knights looked up to see Grani descending from the clouded sky. The crimson bird circled around the courtyard at a gentle angle before coming to a graceful stop at Dukemon's side.
"Grani, what do you have to report?" Dukemon said, placing a hand on his friend's wing.
Grani's sapphire eyes glanced up at Dukemon before he turned to address the whole of the Royal Knights. "The Demon Lords and their Nightmare Soldiers are retreating along the Grand Highway. Their destination will be the northern border of the Republic of Node. Supposition: they are taking a direct path back to the Gloaming Fields," he analytically observed.
"Are you positive?" Examon wondered.
"There is a 10% margin of error, given their previous path and current trajectory. They seem to be taking a path that will avoid towns and cities, as well," Grani explained with the accuracy of a computer. "Opinion: Chasing them down would be a costly endeavour. Their retreat formation is well-organised, and all six Demon Lords are present."
Duftmon sheathed the Shoumetsu no Tsurugi at his hip. "I am inclined to concur with Zero ARMS: Grani. They may have retreated, but they are still a powerful force. Charging after them without a clear strategy will only lead to destruction."
"You want to let them go so they can regroup?" Gankoomon protested, glaring at Duftmon. "When they're right at our doorstep?!"
"Fools rush in," Duftmon succinctly answered. "Few wars are won in a single battle. If they were fleeing in a disorganised rout, perhaps it would be beneficial to run them down. However, they are not. Letting impatience get the better of us will surely lead to our demise. We will have other, more advantageous chances to strike. Currently, our forces are as exhausted as they are."
"Tch…" Craniamon scoffed with clear frustration. "We marched all this way for nothing…?"
"Your arrival saved the day," Alphamon assured him. "And this city. I wouldn't say that it was for nothing."
"If we aren't going to chase them, what should we do?" Dukemon asked.
"We wait here for the time being. We patrol the Republic of Node and augment the Republican army in case the retreat is a feint and the Demon Lords try to attack elsewhere," Alphamon answered, keeping a hand placed on his bandaged chest.
"Maybe after a few days, we can send half of our forces back along with the wounded," Magnamon suggested, shrugging. "It would be good to have our headquarters defended just in case."
Alphamon nodded. "If nothing else happens, we can head back to Castle Albion. Hopefully by that time, the Republican Army can recall some of their provincial forces to the city."
"By the way," Craniamon spoke up, stepping forwards. "We've got a prisoner. Our old friend, GrandisKuwagamon. He's unconscious in the hospital somewhere, but I made sure he was restrained."
Gankoomon cocked an eyebrow. "The bug?"
UlforceVeedramon leaned back against the stone surface and winced faintly. The memories of GrandisKuwagamon and Black Imperialdramon fighting, although blurry, swept back into his mind. When he had freed himself from the rubble, he had found Paildramon, GrandisKuwagamon, and VictoryGreymon unconscious and badly wounded. He didn't know what had happened, but he wanted to find out. "…Is he going to pull through?"
Craniamon shrugged. "Apparently. Don't ask how, after seemingly taking a beam point blank to the gut. Something must have healed him."
Pensively, Alphamon rubbed his helmeted chin with his index finger in an idle manner. "Good. We will bring him back to the headquarters with us for questioning."
"I do hope that, this time, somebody will not aid his escape," Duftmon pointedly said, casting a passive-aggressive glance in Gankoomon's direction.
Gankoomon scoffed indignantly and folded his arms. He cast his gaze towards Duftmon defiantly. "SaviorHackmon learned his lesson from last time."
Duftmon placed his hands on his hips and raised his head with an air of haughtiness. "Pardon me if I find that difficult to believe. I am puzzled as to how any apprentice of yours can be capable of self-reflection," he snarkily answered.
"Like you can either, you smug cat!" Gankoomon fired back, stepping forwards only to find Dynasmon's hand on his shoulder.
"Anyways, what should we do in the meantime?" Dynasmon spoke up, eager to get a move on and do something proactive.
"Organise the defences or coordinate rescue efforts," Alphamon explained. "The military is likely overwhelmed at the moment, so people will be looking to us and the Council for leadership. We'll work together with them to make sure that the Republic is defended and that people are safe. Once everybody is out of harm's way, we help to organise the cleanup effort."
"That sounds like a plan," Sleipmon agreed.
Examon nodded and began flapping his wings. "Well, no time like the present."
Alphamon looked around at the Royal Knights. "I'm sure you can all find some way to make yourselves useful. Act however you see fit, but work coordinate closely with the Council and military. This is their home and I told them that we would follow their lead."
"Very well," Duftmon responded, flapping the spotless, white wings that protruded from his shoulders. "I shall go find Gaioumon and ascertain the current state of affairs."
UlforceVeedramon stood up straight and began walking away. "And I'll—"
Magnamon grabbed hold of UlforceVeedramon's wings and held him back with surprising strength for his smaller stature. "—go and rest!"
"Ow! Watch it! They're bruised!"
Omegamon turned to Alphamon and levelled him a similar stare. However, Alphamon didn't notice. He was lost in thought with a faraway gaze. The black knight stroked his chin and wore a quizzical frown.
"Why do I get the feeling that I am forgetting something important…?" Alphamon wondered, scouring his memory to try and determine what it was that was niggling at his mind.
Omegamon stepped in front of Alphamon to make sure that the black knight didn't conveniently ignore him. "Perhaps you wanted to speak to GrandisKuwagamon? You can check on him in the hospital after you rest," Omegamon pointedly suggested. "After all, if he is restrained, he won't be going anywhere."
Alphamon's gaze furrowed deeper. "Restrained?" The word flicked a switch in his memory. His whole body seemed to light up with revelation. Alphamon suddenly remembered the short mage who he had left tied to a chair in Bagramon's hut.
"Wizardmon!" Alphamon abruptly exclaimed. He spread his stubby wings of black and gold and launched himself into the sky.
Omegamon stared incredulously at the spot where Alphamon had been standing. He turned and gazed up to see Alphamon barrelling through the city sky towards the Argent Mountains. "Alphamon! Get back here!" the white knight called after him with frustration. "You promised to rest!"
"Apologies, Omegamon! I will rest after I see to this!" Alphamon yelled back down at them.
His eye twitching, Omegamon looked over at Dukemon, who merely shrugged. Omegamon sighed with grudging defeat. He folded his arms and watched with an exhausted glare as Alphamon disappeared over the roofs of the stone buildings.
"That Digimon can be insufferably stubborn when he wants to be…"
In contrast to the city below, Yggdrasil's Mount had been largely untouched by the battle. The tall, craggy mountain loomed over New Terminal, as if surveying the damage that had been done. A few stray attacks had impacted the side of the mountain, but no serious harm had been caused to the natural, stone titan.
Alphamon rose along the side of the cliff face until he reached a familiar ledge.
He rose above the precipice and halted in the air above the natural plateau. To his relief, the hilly clearing on the side of the mountain was as pristine and idyllic as ever. Bagramon's hut was still in one piece. Not a single flower had been touched by beam or flame. The crisp mountain air and the scent of alpine flowers was a breath of fresh air after inhaling the mephitic smoke and dust of the city.
The Royal Knight gently landed on the ground with a wince of pain. His sore body resisted the strain he placed on it, but he pressed on stubbornly. The ache in his body gave way to relief as he wandered towards the hermit's mountain retreat.
He had been concerned about leaving Wizardmon alone and tied up in the hut during the battle. Although he had been fairly confident that he would be safe, nothing was certain in war. Knowing that Wizardmon was safe was a load off his mind. He wanted more information out of the short mage, and even if he had been working for Bagramon, he didn't want him to die.
However, as Alphamon grew closer to the abode, he began to notice that something was off. Things weren't as they were when he had last left it.
He looked around at the surface of the plateau carefully. The ebony knight spotted a trail of crushed grass and flowers leading down the center of the clearing towards the hut. They had been completely flattened into the ground by two continuous lines. Alphamon's investigative senses were immediately alerted and warning bells went off in his mind.
His body tightening, Alphamon quickly hobbled over to the entrance of the hut. As he rounded the corner, he saw that the door was ajar. Alphamon pressed his hand against the wooden surface and swept the door open.
"Wizardmon!" he called out, striding past the threshold.
He was greeted by silence and the sharp perfume of herbs and incense. Alphamon walked inside and looked into the living area where he had left Wizardmon bound. His fists slowly tightened and his eyes narrowed.
The chair was empty and Wizardmon's staff was no longer propped against the wall. The coil of radiant rope that Alphamon had used was unwound and strewn across the floor. Wizardmon was nowhere to be seen.
Alphamon scowled with frustration, more at himself for leaving him alone than anybody else.
The black knight glanced out the front entrance of the hut. He quickly deduced that Bolgmon and Blitzmon must have arrived at the hut after he had left and freed Wizardmon. The two-thirds of Black Pincer Company were still at large and known to be working for Bagramon, and the tracks outside had the marks of Bolgmon's tank treads.
The Royal Knight was bothered at this unfortunate turn of events. Although he generally believed Wizardmon when he said that he didn't know what Bagramon's future plans were, there were things that they could have potentially learned about Bagramon from the time Wizardmon had worked with him. Aside from that, it was clear Bagramon still needed Wizardmon for something, if he went to the trouble of having Blitzmon and Bolgmon rescue him.
Although annoyed, Alphamon refused to dwell on it. All he could do now was move forward.
Alphamon looked around the hut. There was no immediate sign of anything that looked important. There was a chance that they already took with them any clues to Bagramon's plans, but he felt that it was still worth looking around. He didn't have time to search for clues before the battle, but now he could scour Bagramon's hut at his leisure.
Bagramon continued to be one step ahead of him. Alphamon needed to level the playing field, one way or another.
The black knight walked over to one of Bagramon's desks, the one on the near wall of the room. He walked over and began inspecting the books that lay on its surface. Gripping the edge of the desk to steady himself, Alphamon placed his other hand on the book that was on the top of the stack. It was a thick book with a black cover, titled 'A Treatise on Dualism' in white Digimoji.
His curiosity piqued, Alphamon pulled the cover open and flipped through the book's pages. His golden eyes raced back and forth as he scanned the pages like a swift-processing computer. He noticed that it was a theological manuscript. The beginning of the book contained sections about Yggdrasil. However, the latter half of the book had sections about Huanglongmon and even the Being of Goodness as well. It spoke about all three deities and theorized how they connected to one another.
"…Tritheism, hm?" Alphamon mused thoughtfully. "You believe that not only God exists, but Yggdrasil and Huanglongmon do as well, do you?"
It was an unorthodox belief to say the least. Most Digimon believed in either one or the other. While it wasn't unheard of to reconcile the Two Faiths and believe that both Yggdrasil and Huanglongmon existed, it was very unconventional to add the Being of Goodness to the mix as well, considering it was a relatively new religion that was schismatic of the Yggdrasil faith.
Alphamon carefully shut the book and laid his gemmed palm against the slightly dusty cover.
"…Just what are you up to, Bagramon?" he wondered.
The Knight of the Empty Seat pushed the book to the side of the table for future reference while he explored the books below it. The book directly underneath it was a scientific text concerning the science of pocket dimensions.
Alphamon continued to quickly look through the books. He was sure not to move too quickly, as the deep claw wounds in his chest still caused him pain with every sudden movement.
The next few books that he saw were theological texts, mostly about the Religion of Light, but not exclusively. At the bottom of the pile was a black book with a pentagram on the cover. It appeared to be a manuscript of occult demon magic.
"Perhaps he used this to aid in his summoning of the Demon Lords…" Alphamon murmured, flipping through the pages. "I noticed a faded ritual circle in the middle of the floor."
As Alphamon continued searching for clues as to Bagramon's intentions, a soft creak was drawn out of the hut's floorboards.
The Royal Knight placed the book on top of the others, and stifled a grimace as pain spiked through his abdomen once again. In addition, the side of his face was beginning to swell from the beating Demon gave him, preventing him from seeing very well out of one eye. The swollen cuts hindered his peripheral vision, making it hard to see behind him even when he turned his head.
Alphamon sighed and began searching the bookshelf to his left. He knew that Bagramon was an intelligent Digimon. There was surely more to his plans than a simple rebellion. If he had been planning this in secret for decades, he had to know exactly what he was doing… He must have had some long term goals. Alphamon just needed a few more clues to guide him in the right direction. He felt as though he was on the cusp of something, but he wasn't quite sure what.
"There is more to Bagramon than there appears," Alphamon murmured to himself in pensive thought. "This isn't just a simple military rebellion… He is after something much greater… But what? Could it concern the Two Faiths as well?"
As Alphamon tried to work out what Bagramon's intentions were, he failed to notice the door to the hermit's room slowly open.
The black knight looked back down at the desk. He wasn't able to see the deathly white figure that emerged from the shadows.
"You are on the right path, Detective…"
The deep, familiar voice sent a cold chill down Alphamon's aching body. His heart jumped in his chest and his body instinctively straightened up, despite the pain the sudden movement caused him.
A figure clad in white robes and golden armour stepped out of the darkness of the bedroom. Resting in his humanoid arm was a satchel of books and scrolls, among other things. His long, skeletal arm of hallowed wood scratched against the floor of the hut ominously.
Alphamon's golden eyes gently widened with the revelation that he was not alone. He knew that voice. It could be none other than…
The Aloof Hermit's hands began to tighten on the surface of the desk.
"Bagramon…"
The fallen angel in question stood across the room from Alphamon, staring at the surprised Royal Knight's back. A small smile formed on Bagramon's bearded, dark-skinned face, one of his white locks of hair falling to the side as he tilted his head.
"Hello again, Aloof Hermit."
The atmosphere became oppressive. The tension that formed between them was thick and forbidding. It was as if the two were standing on a thin layer of fractured glass, knowing that the floor would give way at any moment.
Alphamon didn't move. He slowly opened his palm against the surface of the desk. Without drawing attention to himself, he began to build up light within the crystal in his palm.
Bagramon's ruby eye gleamed gently as he watched Alphamon. He shifted his feet and slowly lifted his blighted right hand from the floor.
Like a taut elastic band suddenly released, the tension between them exploded into action.
Alphamon whirled around and pointed his hand at Bagramon, blazing green energy brimming in his palm. The sudden, twisting movement was fast enough to send a spike of pain through his chest, but Alphamon powered through it and aimed at Bagramon.
However, as soon as Alphamon began moving, Bagramon counterattacked. He hurled his artificial arm forwards. The skeletal limb elongated and tore across the room, closing in on Alphamon in the span of a second.
The wounded knight had moved too slowly. Bagramon's massive, wooden fist buried itself inside his bandaged abdomen, breaking Alphamon's aim and forcing the green laser to miss and pierce through the roof of the hut.
The punch threw Alphamon against the desk behind him, causing it to split in half against the Royal Knight's bare back. Continuing through the fractured desk, Alphamon slammed into the wall of the hut. The wood dented around his winged body as Bagramon's fist crushed him against the hard surface.
The black knight shouted out with pain as the fist burrowed into his wounds, exacerbating the healing tissue and tearing them open. He lurched forwards on Bagramon's fist, the oxygen forced out of his lungs.
Staring coldly at Alphamon, Bagramon retracted his bony knuckles from the Royal Knight's midsection. He stood opposite to Alphamon, raising his hand and awaiting the dark paladin's next move.
Alphamon grimaced and slid down the wall. He was just barely able to remain standing, but he was uneven on his feet. The bandages around Alphamon's torso were soaked with dark, crimson blood from the reopened wounds. His abdomen was wracked with excruciating pain.
The Knight of the Empty Seat lurched forwards a step. He raised his head defiantly, his eyes blazing red. Alphamon summoned every ounce of his strength and reached his right hand out. A spinning magical circle formed before his fingers, and he began to push his hand towards the holy light. Growling, Alphamon reached for his blade.
"Seiken… Gradalph-!"
Before he could finish, Bagramon thrust the artificial arm towards Alphamon once again. His palm slammed against Alphamon's wounded chest and forced him back against the wall. Bagramon's bony fingers enlarged and suddenly closed around Alphamon's body.
Alphamon grimaced as the huge hand squeezed his body, crushing his arms against his sides and preventing him from grabbing his sword. He was trapped in a vice-like grip, pinned against the wall by Bagramon's powerful hand.
Bagramon grinned and squeezed Alphamon tightly, although he seemed content to just hold him there for the moment.
"Well, Alphamon…" Bagramon spoke, his crimson eyes bearing into Alphamon's face. "I foresaw that we would meet again, but I didn't expect that it would be so soon. Yet… something compelled me to return here. Perhaps it was fate…"
Alphamon struggled against Bagramon's crushing grip, but he wasn't able to break through it in his tired and wounded state. "Damn it…" he growled, glaring at Bagramon through his pain. "Bagramon… You have been deceiving us… for all of this time…!"
Bagramon kept his grip firm, knowing that he couldn't afford to falter even for a second when dealing with a Royal Knight. "I see that you managed to discover the truth about me," he mused calmly. "You really are quite the detective, Alphamon."
"You were behind all of it… The Metal Empire war… the release of the Demon Lords," Alphamon spoke, wincing as he glared at the former Archangel of Death. "Why?"
Bagramon raised his regular hand and gestured to himself while holding Alphamon in place with the other. "Look at me, Alphamon," he spoke, tilting his head to show him the wooden skeleton of his half-destroyed body and his hollowed eye. "This is God's 'justice'… For the simple 'crime' of questioning what was right. Did you really think that I would be satisfied to live in obscurity after what they – He - did to me?"
"You are working with the Demon Lords…" Alphamon challenged the demon, grimacing through his pain. "The Night of Falling Stars… Look out at New Terminal right now, Bagramon. Look at the remains of Hope's Crest. No grievance can justify that amount of vengeance…"
Bagramon stared at Alphamon darkly. "I fight for justice, not vengeance, Alphamon. When there are those who stand in the way of that ideal, sometimes there are sacrifices that must be made for the greater good. This world is a dark and forsaken place, Alphamon. You of all people should understand that…"
Alphamon glared at Bagramon, still trying to push against his tight grip. "Do you believe that the Seven Great Demon Lords care about justice? They care only of their desires. How can you claim to fight for justice when you work with those who slaughter without hesitation?"
"I need them, and they need me," Bagramon responded, his voice deep and tranquil as he stared at the Royal Knight. "Only through unity can we defeat those who seek to preserve this unjustifiable status quo – those such as you and your Royal Knights."
"We fight for justice," Alphamon argued, clenching his fists as he stared defiantly into Bagramon's eyes. "The world may be imperfect, but through our actions and Yggdrasil's guidance, we hope to make the Digital World a better place. Tearing the world apart can never bring about peace."
Bagramon stared back at Alphamon with thoughtful tranquility. "Yggdrasil's guidance," he mused ironically. "May you be so fortunate as to never have to question your god, Alphamon." He gently strengthened his grip around the wounded knight. "Perhaps that is why you cannot understand me."
"What I cannot understand is any justification for the deaths of countless innocents," Alphamon retorted, fighting through a wince caused by the sudden twinge of pain in his chest. As he spoke, he slowly moved his right hand behind his back. Unlike his left arm, his right was only pinned to his side by Bagramon's thumb, giving it a wider degree of motion.
The black paladin glared at Bagramon, his red eyes burning with intense passion. He knew he had to distract Bagramon, if only for a few moments. "To think that, when I came here last, I felt guilty," Alphamon spoke bitterly. "I actually sought your forgiveness… Little did I know that your words were false from the beginning."
Bagramon closed his left eye, the right one remaining eternally open. "What I told you about my brother was true. However, I was not about to reveal to you my true machinations," he explained. "After all, I needed you to play a part as well."
"Me, Chaosdramon, PrinceMamemon… You were manipulating all of us towards war," Alphamon said, no longer struggling against Bagramon's tight grip.
"Chaosdramon was a good pawn. Ambition is a pliable quality… All he needed was an excuse and a gentle nudge in the right direction. Once he became aggressive, I knew that you would feel obliged to respond with force in order to protect the Mamemon Kingdom."
Bagramon opened his remaining organic eye, his forked, ebony eyebrow dipping softly. "Duty is a powerful tool as well, Alphamon. A knight as great as you has such a quality in abundance," Bagramon answered philosophically. "Devotion can be easily manipulated. I learned this fact from personal experience… For the Archangel of Death was nothing more than a tool of God. I was but an instrument until I learned to think for myself. Until you do the same, you will always be a tool to be used."
"Devotion is not a weakness, Bagramon," Alphamon answered as he slowly began to manoeuvre his hand to lower part of his back.
"I used to believe that. But what happens when your master has abandoned all sense of moral obligation?" Bagramon asked him. "When you continue to serve without question, then you become complicit in the injustice that is perpetrated."
"And what you are doing now… This is justice?" Alphamon demanded.
"It is a start," the Demon Lord coldly answered.
Alphamon gently glowered at the Demon Lord opposite him. "You dishonour DarkKnightmon's memory by doing this…"
Bagramon's natural eye frowned softly as he stared back at the foremost Royal Knight.
"Not quite as much as by slaying him, Knight of the Empty Seat," the Sage of Death cuttingly replied.
Alphamon grimaced softly. Despite the ache within him, he pressed the back of his hand against his back and aimed his palm behind him. Before he made his move, he had to ask one more thing.
"…What are you planning, Bagramon?" Alphamon asked him, his eyes narrow with pain and intensity.
Bagramon smiled softly. "Do you take me for a fool, Aloof Hermit?" he asked the Royal Knight in his clutches.
The Royal Knight stared back at the Sage of Death, beginning to fill his palm with concentrated energy as he formed a small magical circle behind his back.
The Demon Lord's smile faded into a neutral leer. "You know… back when DarkKnightmon was still alive and we were still on speaking terms, he often talked about you. He mentioned you saying that if the Order didn't work out like you all hoped, you might like to become a detective instead." Bagramon's crimson eye glowed as it seemed to pierce through Alphamon's soul. "…Therefore, I will not deny you the chance to figure out the mystery on your own, detective-knight."
Even through the excruciating pain that was wracking his body, Alphamon managed a small grin. "I appreciate that. Perhaps in another life…"
The dark Royal Knight pressed his fingers against the magical circle and his palm began to pulse.
Bagramon stretched his wings and shifted his boots on the floor, eyeing Alphamon while keeping a tight hold on him. With his left hand, he briefly readjusted the bag that rested on his shoulder. Then, a ball of darkness suddenly formed within the palm of his free hand. "Perhaps…" he agreed, preparing himself for what was next.
Seeing the shadowy sphere appear, Alphamon knew that Bagramon was on to him. It was time.
"Digitalize of Soul!" he shouted.
A beam of light pumped from his palm, amplified by the magical circle behind his back. The emerald blasts slammed into the wall that he was pressed up against. The wall of the hut was blasted to pieces and the beams continued on through the plateau behind him.
As the wall gave way, Alphamon felt some of the pressure against his back give way. As soon as that happened, the magical circle shifted, and the Digimoji inscribed on it changed. "Seiken Gradalpha!"
He reached into the circle and drew his sword of light, illuminating the hut with its holy radiance. Wasting no time, Alphamon swept the blade upwards and sliced the radiant blade along Bagramon's bony fingers.
Bagramon glowered and quickly released Alphamon. He retracted his hand, which began to crackle with dark energy. He wrenched the artificial arm upwards and tore through the ceiling of his hut.
Now that he was free from Bagramon's grasp, Alphamon swiftly raised his left hand and began pumping laser after laser at Bagramon.
As the first laser swept past him, the white-haired demon flapped his wings and launched himself into the hole he created. Bagramon ascended into the outdoors, climbing into the morning sky, many meters above the hut.
Alphamon stretched his wings and flew backwards. He soared out of the hole that he created, gliding outside so that he could keep track of Bagramon's movements.
Bagramon stopped above his hermitage, hovering in the air and leering down at Alphamon coldly and decisively.
"However, Aloof Hermit… I'm afraid that you won't be getting any further clues here," the fallen archangel told him, raising his left hand, which still held the sphere of darkness.
Bagramon hurled the shadowy ball downwards, straight into the center of the small building.
His eyes widening, Alphamon lunged backwards. The hut before him suddenly exploded from the inside out. The walls were torn to pieces by shadows, and an inferno eviscerated the interior of the building. Fragments of wood and shards of books and furniture rained down all over the once-peaceful plateau.
Alphamon grunted as the explosion's concussion pounded against his aching body, putting further strain on his bleeding abdomen. He spread his wings and just managed to catch himself in the air, though not without considerable pain inside him.
The Royal Knight winced as he halted in the air, looking forwards and seeing the smouldering wreckage of Bagramon's home. He gazed up and saw Bagramon hovering above the blazing crater. The Demon Lord leered down at him with quiet zeal. His body rippled in the waves of heat, and the burning pages of his numerous books flowed past white body.
"This is farewell for now, Alphamon," Bagramon said to the dark knight, staring down at him with quiet resignation. "I am sure that you and I are fated to meet again." He gestured down to the blasted out crater where his home used to be. "I think we both know that there is no going back now."
The half-blighted fallen angel looked at Alphamon for one, final moment before turning away. He flapped his wings and flew through the pillar of smoke. Bagramon sailed through the air, heading northwards and leaving Alphamon behind.
"Bagramon!" Alphamon shouted, reaching out towards him. He stretched his black and gold wings. His first instinct was to go after him, but a wave of agony swept through his body.
Alphamon grimaced and had to concentrate just to keep himself from falling out of the sky. He looked down at his chest to inspect his wounds. His bandages were drenched in his blood. Bagramon's attacks had damaged his healing wounds worse than he had realised.
He knew that it would be reckless and irresponsible to even attempt to pursue Bagramon in his current condition. As reluctant as he was to let Bagramon go when he was right there, he knew that his body couldn't handle pursuing him, let alone fighting him. Alphamon decided it would be smart to return to New Terminal.
The Royal Knight looked back at the fiery crater where Bagramon's hut had been. After such an explosion, Alphamon seriously doubted that any evidence remained. It seemed as though Bagramon had been there to take everything that he deemed important and destroy the rest.
As the smell of burnt incense and herbs began to pollute the mountain air, Alphamon turned away from the fiery scene.
He looked back at New Terminal. From this vantage point, he could see the extent of the destruction of the northern districts. It was a sobering scene compared to the last time he took in this view…
Wincing, Alphamon began to fly over the precipice and glide gently back down towards the city. He couldn't waste any more time. He wasn't sure how much blood he had already lost.
Still, as he fought through the pain and weakness, Alphamon thought to himself.
"Bagramon… Is all of this worth the justice that you spoke about?" he wondered. "Just how far will you go to correct the wrongs that you perceive?"
The memory of DarkKnightmon flickered through his mind. He recalled the memories of fighting him, watching as he stood before the burning World Tree, holding him as he died in Alphamon's arms. The dark, intense fervor with which DarkKnightmon pursued his ideals… Bagramon's words reminded him of it.
Alphamon closed his eyes and continued soaring down towards the damaged city. As he flew, his blood trickled off his body and splashed down upon the World Tree's root that was coiled around Yggdrasil's Mount.
Despite his injuries, he looked forward with his own silent determination.
"If you cannot be reasoned with, I have no choice but to stop you as well. That is my duty."
"As a Royal Knight."