(Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! Chapter 60 is finally here. It's a long one, so I divided into two. The first part is considerably shorter than the more meaty part two. This was the best way to divide the two parts in terms of flow and structure. Part one is largely setting up for part two, which I'll be posting in a week from now, as usual for the two-part chapters. Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Drop a review to let me know what you think!)
Chapter 60: One For All (Part I)
It was a new day.
The spring sun beat down across the grassy meadows, causing plants and flowers to grow and blossom. Several clouds floated across the sky, travelling eastwards alongside several glitching pockets of data. All in all, it was a calm day…
The scenic view was marred when a formation of six demon Digimon cut across the skyscape. The rigid and disciplined formation of Nightmare Soldiers was led by a horned demon that was cloaked in a deep, crimson cowl.
Demon's vestments rippled in the breeze as he flapped his powerful wings and glided through the sky. He flew down through the Western Reaches from the north. It had taken him a couple days to fly all the way from Castle Nocturn, but with an implacable determination, he managed to cut down their travel time.
Flying behind him was his entourage of high-level devil officers, a handpicked team of capable military commanders whom he trusted from their achievements in the Heavenly War. They flew with him at double speed in order to keep to Demon's schedule. In addition to them, a Devidramon flew behind them. The Devidramon was one of Murmuxmon's messengers that had been sent up to the Gloaming Fields, who Demon ended up intercepting.
Due to the angle of their travel, they ended up about fifteen or so kilometers to the east of Dark Point. It wasn't as direct as Demon would have liked, but it was the best approach after having travelled through the Autonomous Expanse. Using the distant darkness that hung over Dark Point as a touchstone in the daylight, Demon began to swing around and travel on a more westerly course, following the Devidramon's advice. As he did, the Demon Lord of Wrath's indigo eyes narrowed; he noticed something unusual a few kilometers ahead of them.
He could see smoke funnelling into the sky. As he looked down to spot the source of the smoke, he could see that the distant grassland was littered with earthy craters. He signalled to the officers behind him and flew nearer to the damaged landscape. The closer he got, the more clearly that he could see. There were hundreds of demon soldiers gathered around a large road that led in the direction of Dark Point. The ground on the near-side of the road was full of smouldering impressions. Most striking was the half-destroyed watch tower, the stone ruins of which were collapsed across the grass in mounds of rubble.
Demon's eyes narrowed into an angry leer as he began to realise the situation in front of him. He raised a robed hand and signalled his officers to begin their descent behind him.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the Nightmare Soldiers' camp, Blitzmon stood beside Bolgmon.
It had been a day since Magnamon's team encountered Count Murmuxmon's legion. Both sides took the night to lick their wounds after the difficult battle. While Murmuxmon's legion had emerged victorious, they lost a not-insignificant number of troops. It would make their quest to retake Dark Point again more difficult.
Blitzmon folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. He knew that TigerVespamon must have told the Royal Knights about the Orb of Yang. With the Royal Knights breathing down their necks, the pressure was on. He was determined to bring the orb to Bagramon successfully.
However, the Royal Knights weren't his only source of consternation.
He couldn't stop thinking about GrandisKuwagamon. Seeing their old teammate again had taken him off-guard. GrandisKuwagamon appearing alongside the Royal Knights was the last thing he would have expected. He had so many unanswered questions…
Was he really with the Royal Knights? Was he just playing along with them? Either way, it was obvious that Grandis hadn't forgotten about what they had done to him in Saversburg. Honestly he hadn't expected him to. Blitzmon had to think about how best to handle him…
"Hey, check it out, Blitz," Bolgmon said to the beetle who was lost in thought. When Blitzmon looked up, the larger insect nodded behind him.
Blitzmon turned to see Demon and his officers descending towards their camp. As he did, he heard one of the Nightmare Soldiers announce that Demon was arriving. He watched as all of Deliverer cultists immediately fell to their knees and supplicated themselves to the Lord of Wrath. The Nightmare Soldiers immediately followed suit, leaving only himself, Bolgmon, Murmuxmon and the upper echelon of demons still standing.
The indigo and orange mercenary immediately turned to Bolgmon. "Did you hide the Orb of Yang like I told you to?" Blitzmon asked him surreptitiously, carefully glancing around to make sure nobody else heard.
"Uh huh. Sure did," Bolgmon casually answered.
"Did you hide it well? Not just somewhere where it can't be found, but also far from here?" Blitzmon inquired. "The Royal Knights could attack again and we might be caught up in another battle. Forget them taking the Orb of Yang; from what Bagramon said, if a stray attack hit the thing, the result could be cataclysmic. So, you can see why I want you to take this seriously."
Bolgmon rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, okay. I get it. Yes, I hid it well. I buried the box over—"
Blitzmon swiftly placed his hand over Bolgmon's face plate. "Shh…" he silenced him, sliding his hand off his mouth before anybody noticed. Blitzmon leaned in and whispered. "Don't tell Demon or anybody… He may try to take it for himself. Leave the talking to me."
"Got it, Blitz…" Bolgmon agreed.
The two mercenaries glanced over as Demon landed and began talking with Murmuxmon. When both Murmuxmon and Demon looked over at them and met their gazes, the two insect mercenaries decided they should approach.
Blitzmon led the way and began making his way around the bowing demons. Bolgmon followed him to the edge of the camp, pushing aside any of the demons who happened to get in his way.
"I see," Demon spoke, leering down at Count Murmuxmon with a judgmental gaze. "So, you lost your grip on Dark Point and were pushed all the way out to these rural reaches. That is… extremely disappointing," he whispered in a cold, foreboding hiss.
"But, as I mentioned, I was able to win a victory over the Royal Knights, my lord," Count Murmuxmon insisted adamantly.
"Is that so? How many of them did you kill, then?" Demon questioned pointedly.
Murmuxmon's eye twitched and he suppressed the sheepish glare that began to crawl on his ashen face. "Er… Well, none... However! We were able to push them back and deny them their objectives! They followed those two insects here, chasing a captive Angemon and whatever artifact they stole. Things may have been much worse, were it not for my quick thinking."
Demon turned his piercing, lavender eyes towards Blitzmon and Bolgmon as they approached. "You two - Bagramon's hired guns – what were the Royal Knights after?"
Blitzmon cast Bolgmon a silencing look before stepping forwards. "They were largely after us and our Angemon hostage. Bagramon asked us to pillage the monastery south of the Forest of Equilibrium. We couldn't find all of what we were asked to locate, so we just grabbed the reliquary, a few other things, and the Angemon in charge."
The two mercenaries stopped before the two devil officers, Blitzmon staring Demon in the eyes. "We wanted to bring the hostage to Bagramon so that he could interrogate him for the relevant information, but, having lost control of the battle, Count Murmuxmon took it upon himself to slay the angel in order to get the Royal Knights to retreat," the humanoid beetle half-lied, casting Murmuxmon a sniping leer. "Unfortunately, dead Digimon tell no tales."
"Is that so…?" Demon asked, casting a cruel gaze onto Murmuxmon. "Misfortune begets misfortune."
Murmuxmon felt sweat form under his hood under Demon's threatening glare. "And what about that heavy box that you two carry around?" Murmuxmon accused them with a scowl.
"The reliquary," Blitzmon confirmed, knowing it would be suspicious to do otherwise. "We're just using it to carry books and holy trinkets that seemed relevant to whatever Bagramon's project is. It seems connected to the Yggdrasil Codex that we brought him."
Demon scoffed and cast his hand out. "I have no interest in Bagramon's bookish navel-gazing at this juncture. Whatever he wants, just bring it to him. What matters to me are the practical military matters in front of us," Demon proclaimed dismissively. The cloaked demon turned towards Murmuxmon. "Tell me, Murmuxmon, what are your plans to retake Dark Point?"
"Of course, my lord," Murmuxmon quickly replied, knowing not to show any weakness or uncertainty in front of Demon. "Although the coalition of syndicates was able to force us out, with us here, a huge power vacuum has emerged. With them solely united against us, we can already see fractures forming between the factions as they vie for the largest piece of the pie. What we have been doing is playing them off each other. And when they are at each other's throats, we'll strike."
Demon carefully considered Murmuxmon's plan, idly fiddling with the pendant around his neck. "Hmm… and they may find that the pie has been poisoned…" he mused, quite satisfied with his choice of words. "Yes… We will assassinate the strong to sow dissent, and then bribe the weak to ensure compliance. However, in order for them to obey us, we must show our strength. We don't have the time or capacity to launch an assault on Dark Point itself, so we must rely on intimidation and smarts to cause them to collapse from within." The Demon Lord of Wrath nodded and turned back towards Murmuxmon. "What can you tell me of the geography around Dark Point?"
"It is mostly flat, coastal terrain. The city is built on a peninsula," Murmuxmon informed him. "This highway leads directly there, but it passes through Analog Forest, which lies to the city's east. In the forest, along the highway, is a village known as Shadow Retreat. It has a few hundred buildings and is comprised largely of Digimon from Dark Point. It acts as a gateway, a rest stop, and a source of lumber and food."
"So, it is in a strategic location, and its loss will have an effect on the Digimon of Dark Point," Demon responded. He raised his hand and clenched his fist ardently. "We should make an example of Shadow Retreat."
"Shall we slaughter the lot of them, Lord Demon?" Murmuxmon questioned, eager to regain his honour in the eyes of his superior.
"Yes, crush the village to the last soul," Demon darkly commanded. "It will break the spirits of those in Dark Point and accelerate their capitulation. Unlike with New Terminal, Dark Point is not a city united. A city divided will become an inferno with a strategically placed ember. We shall fan the flames and blaze a trail into that city until all resistance is extinguished."
Blitzmon frowned hesitantly and glanced over at Bolgmon, who looked back at him uneasily. "You're going to annihilate Shadow Retreat?" he questioned, eyeing the Demon Lord coolly. "They're mostly civilians."
"Yes. We must show the mayor and the syndicate heads what will happen to them if they do not capitulate before the Demon Lords," Demon explained with a voice of cold steel. "Is that a problem?"
Blitzmon hesitated. Even a professional like him began to feel very uneasy at the thought of being a part of that. As calculating as he was, it was hard not to him to think back about what happened to their village of Manu.
However… what could he do? What would happen if he said to Demon that there was a problem? He doubted he could change his mind. At best, it would make Demon mistrust him, and at worst, it might put him in danger. After all, this was the so-called Demon Lord of Wrath. He didn't fancy testing his wrath… At least, that was what he reasoned.
He looked over at Bolgmon. He could see the reluctance in Bolgmon's eyes as well. However, Bolgmon looked back at him and shrugged acquiescently. Blitzmon could tell that he felt the same way that he did: that they had to go along with it to ingratiate themselves with Demon. He had always known that they would have to make tough choices if they were going to work with Bagramon. They were professionals and they knew they would have to get their hands dirty.
"No," Blitzmon replied, his voice calm and resolute. "Though, we will take a backseat to you and your legion. It seems like they all want to blow off some steam anyways…"
"Fine…" Demon icily replied, turning back to Murmuxmon. "Come, Count. We must start planning this operation. I want that village in our grasp by sundown. "
"Yes, Lord Demon," Murmuxmon responded. "I will show you our war map. It mostly survived the blast."
Demon nodded and began striding away alongside the Demon Lord aristocrat. As he turned his winged back to the mercenaries, he raised his hand and signalled to his junior officers to follow him. This prompted the Nightmare Soldiers and the cultists to rise to their feet and return to what they were doing.
"This will be different from New Terminal," Demon breathed gruffly. "I will make sure of it…"
Blitzmon watched as the two Demon Lords walked over to the ruins of the tower. As the Nightmare Soldiers began passing them, Blitzmon turned to Bolgmon and nodded. The pair began walking down the road until they were away from the demons' camp.
"So… we're really doin' this?" Bolgmon asked, cocking his cannon-horned head to the side. "Destroying Shadow Retreat?"
"What choice do we have?" Blitzmon countered. "It's the only way for us to get back to Bagramon with the orb. …We don't have to do anything. We can just linger at the back and not get involved."
"Yeah, I guess… It's just not the same: blowing up people who don't fight back," Bolgmon responded with a nonchalant shrug. "It's not fun."
"Then we won't. The demons can be the ones to get their claws dirty…" Blitzmon responded. He turned away, concealing the faint expression of discontentment that formed on his face. "All that matters is that we navigate the chaos…"
"I do like chaos," Bolgmon chipperly noted. Though, after a moment, he glanced down. "Though, think Dark Point'll still be standing after all this? It's kind of our turf…"
"I don't know," Blitzmon answered a little brusquely.
Bolgmon shrugged. The insect tank drove around so that he was facing his partner. He could see that something was bothering him, and he didn't think it was just what was going on with Shadow's Reach.
"…So, uh… Blitz… Was that really Grandis? What happened with you two?" Bolgmon asked cautiously.
"Yes, it was… And not much happened. We didn't really get the chance to speak," Blitzmon responded with a narrowing leer. "It was too hectic."
"I don't get it… How is he out?" Bolgmon questioned. "Did the tin cans let him loose?"
"I won't know until I talk to him," Blitzmon answered, his words becoming shorter.
"I guess… So… What are we gonna do about him? He seemed pretty pissed at us…" Bolgmon tentatively asked, knowing that he was on thin ice with Blitzmon with regards to GrandisKuwagamon.
"I don't know yet… I won't know until I get the chance to talk to him," Blitzmon explained. "Maybe I can see if there's a way for us to move past this."
Uncomfortable feelings twisted inside Bolgmon. It wasn't lost on him that GrandisKuwagamon was furious at him in particular, after he had come up with the plan to use their teammate as a scapegoat. He stayed quiet and looked away, keeping his very mixed feelings about the idea to himself. "Yeah…" he trailed off. "And… what about that TigerVespamon guy? Do you think what Angemon said about him and Grandis was true?"
Blitzmon tightened his fists and pivoted so that his back faced the larger insect. "I'm not sure, Bolgmon," he shortly replied. "If it is… that makes things awkward…"
"No shit…" Bolgmon muttered, frowning deeply as he stared at the symbol of Thunder on Blitzmon's elytra. He cocked the electron chamber on his cannon arm emphatically and went back to his chipper self. "Well! I guess we'll find out if they come after us again, huh? And, this time, I'm not running…"
Blitzmon released the tension in his hands and offered a resigned sigh to the wind. Raising his piercing, emerald eyes to the horizon, he shifted himself to face Analog Forest. He firmed his body up and steeled the unsettled ripples in his soul, coming to a decision within him.
"I suppose we can't run from our past."
All was quiet… It was so quiet that the sound of dew splashing from one leaf to another could be heard.
SaviorHackmon released a distempered breath. His claws clutched the rough, grainy bark of the nearby tree trunk. He had to keep himself from burrowing the tips of his claws into the wood and getting sap all over his hand. He tried to keep himself calm, but his heart was a mess of sorrow, anger, and anxiety.
It had been a night since that tragic battle where Angemon had been killed.
After the battle, they had flown southwest to regroup, deciding to retreat into Analog Forest to shake off any pursuers. They had flown for ten kilometers before they were far enough and deep enough into the forest that they were confident that they had escaped detection. Once they had arrived in the southern reaches of Analog Forest, the group of six decided to take the night to lick their wounds and decide where to go from there.
It was now the early afternoon. The sunlight leaked through the trees and cast across the forest floor. The TVs, computers, and satellite dishes that dishes that littered the forest floor and tree branches released dim light and noises. The monotonous hum of dead signals became literal white noise. The faint, but constant purr of electronics was the only thing that filled the vacuum of silence.
SaviorHackmon stood at the edge of a small clearing that was just large enough for them to set up camp. It wasn't much of a camp; they had no sleeping gear and they couldn't risk starting a campfire. The only signs of residence were several oversized leaves that they used as mats and blankets, and the discarded husks of berries that they had eaten for nourishment.
The steel dragon man looked over his shoulder with a soft grimace. Behind him were four Digimon. Magnamon was leaning against a tree with his arms folded. The Royal Knight seemed to be deep in thought about their current situation, and, from his tight shoulders and his claw drumming against his wrist bracer, he seemed noticeably upset.
Meanwhile, GrandisKuwagamon stood near the edge of the campsite, not far from Cyberdramon. They both stood watch like he did, making sure they weren't snuck up on from any angle. Cyberdramon had been the calmest among them, but even he showed signs of disquiet. However, SaviorHackmon focused mainly on GrandisKuwagamon… He had been around GrandisKuwagamon enough to know his body language when he was angry. He could tell from his gritted teeth and his twitching pincers that GrandisKuwagamon was quietly angry. He also saw GrandisKuwagamon constantly checking over at the other Digimon in the campsite.
TigerVespamon was seated beneath a tree on the opposite end of the campsite. His legs were pulled up so that his elbows rested on his bent knees. His head was bowed and he stared desolately at the forest floor in front of him. His usually bright, red eyes were a dark burgundy and his body was slumped forwards, as if beaten down by an invisible force.
He hadn't spoken since they arrived in the forest. He had barely eaten any food, aside from a few token bites of berries and mushrooms. His tears had since dried up. He was in nearly-despondent state of shock and grief. Since arriving, everybody tried to respect his space so that he could grieve, while also keeping a watchful eye on him.
SaviorHackmon grimaced as he gazed at the crushed wasp. His heart wept for him. He couldn't imagine the pain that he must be feeling. Having lost his family as a child as well, SaviorHackmon could keenly connect with some of the pain that TigerVespamon felt. However, the idea of losing his mentor on top of that… SaviorHackmon didn't think he'd be able to handle losing Gankoomon. The pain would be too much for him to bear.
The steel dragon man clenched his fists with frustration. His anger and dissatisfaction caused his insides to twist. He hadn't been around when Angemon had been killed. He felt that he should have been there to stop it. He should have been able to stop this tragedy from happening.
But he failed. Again. The familiar feelings of weakness and self-doubt permeated his heart. "If only I had been stronger. If only I had been faster… or more aware…" SaviorHackmon thought to himself, wincing bitterly. "I should have been able to rescue him, but I was helpless to do anything. It's just like in Hope's Crest…"
SaviorHackmon looked up and gazed across the campsite. He could see the pain and frustration in everyone's faces. It was seeing the others that caused SaviorHackmon to catch himself. It was clear that everybody else was feeling the exact same way that he was feeling. The frustration in his heart was suddenly replaced by the tight stab of guilt.
"Yggdrasil. How self-centered am I…?" SaviorHackmon wondered with a grimace. "TigerVespamon just lost his father figure and I'm making it all about me…"
The dragon man leaned his caped back against the tree trunk and released a disappointed sigh through his nostrils. "How arrogant do I have to be to think that Angemon died because I wasn't there? I'm so caught up in myself that I keep losing sight of what I can and can't do… First, I think that I can stop GrandisKuwagamon on my own, then I think that I can single-handedly save Hope's Crest as if I'm one of the Royal Knights. I'm so desperate to be the hero that I end up overextending myself and putting myself and others in danger. Maybe I really can't do much without Sensei here… Am I really worthy of being one of the Royal Knights the way I am now?"
SaviorHackmon's eyes softened as he stared across at TigerVespamon. Despite the turmoil that clouded his heart, there was a flicker of resolve that shone through when he saw his friend in pain. "But even so…"
The steel-armoured dragon was pulled out of his thoughts when he noticed movements from the others. He looked up when Cyberdramon turned and walked over to GrandisKuwagamon, who looked like he wanted to chop down the tree ahead of him.
"Hey, beetle," Cyberdramon said as he approached.
"What is it?" GrandisKuwagamon sharply asked.
Cyberdramon stopped beside him and gestured over to TigerVespamon. "You're his brother, aren't you? Shouldn't you go comfort him or something?"
The mercenary sighed and shook his head. "Nice idea, but I'm the last person he wants to talk to right now."
"Probably. Still… can't hurt to try," Cyberdramon suggested.
"It just might," GrandisKuwagamon responded, glancing over at his brother, who sat facing away from them. Regardless, the black insect sighed and relented. He began walking over to where TigerVespamon was sitting.
GrandisKuwagamon tentatively approached but made sure not to get too close to him. It was unclear whether TigerVespamon noticed his arrival or not, but the grieving acolyte made no reaction either way. He was focused, gazing down at the star crystal pendant that rested in his hand. He rolled the pure, glowing crystal over in his palm, letting the strings of the pedant flow over the side of his hand.
"Uh… Hey, TigerVespamon? Can I get ya anything?" GrandisKuwagamon awkwardly offered. "A big, juicy, unbruised berry, maybe?"
"...No," TigerVespamon distantly responded. "All I would like from you is space. I wish to be on my own… Please…"
GrandisKuwagamon winced a little, but shrugged and nodded understandingly. "Yeah, okay…" he responded, turning away and walking back across the campsite to Cyberdramon. Once he was there, he turned to the cybernetic dragon. "…See?"
"I guess it's not a surprise, under the circumstances," Cyberdramon supposed with a shrug of his own.
"Cyberdramon's right," a stern voice added.
SaviorHackmon looked over with surprise. He watched as Magnamon stood up from the tree and walked up to GrandisKuwagamon. He could tell from Magnamon's brisk steps and piercing, red eyes that the Royal Knight was angry.
GrandisKuwagamon turned towards Magnamon and looked down at him with a disinterested stare. "What?"
"I hope you're happy with yourself," Magnamon punitively chastised him. "You rushed out and disobeyed orders. Now look what happened." He emphatically swept his arm out and gestured to the despondent TigerVespamon.
A defensive glower crawled onto GrandisKuwagamon's face at the accusation – rather, the implication that he was to blame for Angemon's death. "…What orders? I didn't hear any orders. You didn't give any! If I remember, you were too busy hesitating," he retaliated. "Besides, did you really think that retreating was an option by the time they saw us? You think they'd have just let us go? We had no choice but to fight!"
Magnamon opened his mouth to rebuff the mercenary, but GrandisKuwagamon cut him off. "And, before you blame me, remember whose fault it was that they saw us," GrandisKuwagamon reminded him, sticking his finger in his face. "I saw your armour glint when you stood up. That was when Bolgmon noticed us, and then he must have activated his infrared vision or something. You're deflecting the blame like that dumb, shiny armour of yours deflects sunlight."
Magnamon's eyes momentarily grimaced at the accusation, but he quickly entrenched his feet and sharpened his gaze into an enraged glare. "You ran out there like a one-mon army and then we needed to rescue you!" he accused him. "Your recklessness and lack of respect for authority forced our hands and put us at a disadvantage!"
"Because of that stupid, invisible, shock collar!" GrandisKuwagamon fired back. "Can we all agree that that restraint system thing is a dumb idea now? I would have rescued Angemon and the Orb if that damn thing wasn't installed in me!"
"Oh, really," Magnamon sarcastically asked, folding his arms and cocking his head. "From where I was standing, it looked like you were more concerned with attacking your old friends. You had the chance to get Angemon and the Orb but you didn't take it."
GrandisKuwagamon angrily grimaced and glanced over at TigerVespamon uneasily, hoping that he hadn't heard the damning accusation. He took a step towards Magnamon menacingly. "Look, half-pint! Bolgmon was seconds away from blowing your skinny ass to smithereens! I had to take out the immediate threat first, then I was gonna grab them."
"That's an easy thing to claim after the fact," Magnamon argued, narrowing his eyes bitterly.
"It's true," GrandisKuwagamon insisted adamantly. "If it weren't for this shock collar – if you guys trusted me – things would've been different."
"Trusted you?" Magnamon fired back angrily. He swung his arm out and gestured to SaviorHackmon. "You mean like how SaviorHackmon trusted you? He can tell you how that turned out."
Discomfort crept through SaviorHackmon's body as he watched as Magnamon and GrandisKuwagamon argued. He didn't like seeing two Digimon who he respected quarrel. He expected a usual amount of impertinence from GrandisKuwagamon, but it was a little unsettling for him to see Magnamon, one of his heroes, carrying such a negative atmosphere. From all of his interactions with him, Magnamon had always been so kind and thoughtful. Seeing him so angry and frustrated seemed so out of the ordinary for the Royal Knight. He knew that circumstances were bad, but…
SaviorHackmon grimaced. Everybody was on edge. This argument wasn't productive. Morale was already low enough without the dispute adding to the negativity around them. SaviorHackmon felt like he should say something to try to get them to stop fighting.
He opened his mouth to speak – to suggest that blaming each other wasn't the best idea right now. However… no words came out. The words seemed to hook in his throat. He felt his hesitation wash over him and stop him in his tracks. Doubt and uncertainty gripped his core and SaviorHackmon bowed his head.
While he knew that intervening between them was the right thing to do, he couldn't summon the confidence to say anything. He felt like he was being arrogant again. After all, what right did he – a lowly recruit – have to speak up against a Royal Knight – one of his heroes – and tell him that he was wrong? The only reason that he was with the team at all was by the grace of Alphamon. He didn't feel it was his place.
Instead, he stood by as Magnamon and GrandisKuwagamon traded barbs. He hoped that the argument would fizzle out or that Cyberdramon might speak up in his stead, but it appeared that neither was about to happen.
SaviorHackmon winced and gazed down with frustration. His self-doubt prevented him from doing anything, so he ended up just standing by passively. However, by doing nothing, he felt the tumult and dissatisfaction in his heart intensify.
"I knew it was a bad idea to bring you along," Magnamon said, tightening his fists as he glared up at the bug.
"Oh, get over yourself, you smug, hero wannabe," GrandisKuwagamon fired back.
"If it were up to me, you would be behind bars," the golden knight informed him, his anger and frustration intensifying. "You hurt my friends and killed my subordinates. You opened the gates to New Terminal for the Demon Lords, for them to ravage the city… How many people have you hurt, GrandisKuwagamon? Can you remember? Do you even care?"
GrandisKuwagamon grimaced bitterly and had to break his fiery gaze with the Royal Knight to conceal his guilty expression.
"Of course I care…" he retaliated, though the fire had been taken out of his words. "I'm trying, damn it."
Magnamon's gaze remained like steel. "The only reason why you're here is because I respect Alphamon, and he sees something in you that I don't. You should be grateful that he and Karatenmon are so forgiving," he reminded him.
GrandisKuwagamon's teeth clenched tightly, along with his fist. "I am grateful," he informed the Royal Knight. "And I know I made mistakes – a shit load of them. I've done stuff that I know I can't take back. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for killing those members of your Order. I'm sorry for opening those gates. It's the worst mistake of my life… I wish I never escaped…"
GrandisKuwagamon's bitter regret morphed back into indignant anger. "But I'm not the one who screwed up here. Yeah, maybe I flew off without thinking, but I wasn't the reason we got spotted. Don't try to blame me for your mistake. Or are you guys not as much about integrity as I thought?"
Although half-wincing, Magnamon growled defensively and took a step forwards. "I admit my mistakes!"
SaviorHackmon's sharp teeth tightened against each other as he had to listen to them fight. His head bowed further as his frustration with himself swelled. He tentatively opened his mouth to speak.
"Cut it out! Both of you!" a deep, gruff voice shouted from behind him.
SaviorHackmon blinked and raised his head. Magnamon and GrandisKuwagamon both stopped and turned their heads towards the voice.
Dynasmon descended through the trees and landed next to them with a mighty thud. His burgundy eyes staunchly rebuked the pair with a severe intensity. "Do you guys really think that this is the time or the place?!" Dynasmon demanded, gesturing over to TigerVespamon. "Blaming each other isn't helping."
GrandisKuwagamon scoffed and folded his arms, leering over at Magnamon. "Tell him that."
"I'm telling both of you," Dynasmon said with a slight growl to his voice. "You're already on thin ice, Grandis. After the stunt you pulled…"
The wyvern knight placed a hand on Magnamon's shoulder and turned them around so that he could lean down and talk to him quietly. "I know you're frustrated, Magna. I am too. But you're supposed to be the leader here. Rise above it…"
After a moment, Magnamon's eyes widened with realization. Dynasmon's pointed words suddenly took him out of his own emotions and made him see what he was doing. He saw that he had been so caught up in his anger and sense of failure, that he had lost perspective of his responsibilities.
He grimaced and turned his head away with shame, nodding a little. "…I know," he replied in an embarrassed murmur.
The golden Royal Knight turned and forced himself to look at GrandisKuwagamon in the eye. "…I'm sorry, GrandisKuwagamon. I shouldn't have blamed you," he said to him, forcing himself to take the high ground in order to regain his dignity. "I'm just frustrated…"
"…Yeah, well, you're not the only one," GrandisKuwagamon indignantly replied, shifting his body away.
SaviorHackmon let out a relieved sigh. He could feel the tension between them subside, thanks to the timely intervention of Dynasmon.
While he was relieved, the sense of doubt and frustration inside him didn't fade. Dynasmon had been bold enough to do the right thing, while he just stood there uselessly. He was disappointed in himself. Dynasmon had all of the decisiveness and bravery that was expected of a Royal Knight. In that moment, SaviorHackmon had found himself severely lacking.
"What am I doing?" SaviorHackmon wondered to himself. "Why am I hesitating again? I knew what the right thing to do was…" His golden eyes narrowed bitterly at himself. "Is this the most determination I can muster? Have I learned nothing from Sensei? How am I so afraid of making another mistake that I can't even help Digimon?" The dragon man released a meditative sigh and slowly tightened his fists with determination. "I'm trying to become a Royal Knight. How can I ever meet my goal like this? If I'm going to be a Royal Knight, I have to be decisive. I have to step up. I can't let fear and doubt chain me down any longer. I need to have the courage of Sensei and the Royal Knights…"
SaviorHackmon looked up as Dynasmon stepped forwards. "Anyways, I've got news. Bad news," the large dragon man explained, looking around at each of the members of the group.
Magnamon frowned and looked at him. "What is it, Dynasmon?"
"How could it get any worse?" GrandisKuwagamon sarcastically wondered.
"I'll tell you," Dynasmon said, placing his large, clawed hands on his hips. "I couldn't get too close, but it looks like Demon and a handful of his officers arrived and linked up with that Murmuxmon guy."
"What?!" Magnamon demanded, his carmine eyes growing wide with shock.
SaviorHackmon looked at Dynasmon with disbelief, and a sick, churning feeling swelled inside of him. Memories of Demon setting Hope's Crest ablaze came rushing into his mind. The horrible sight of Demon plunging his claws into Gorimon's chest returned to him. The memory of the Demon Lord, with those dark, glowing eyes, his body surrounded by flames… It was the stuff of nightmares.
"Demon's here…?" he asked nervously, unable to help but feel a sudden rush of fear and unease.
"Yeah. It gets worse. It looks like they're preparing to take their legion down the highway into Analog Forest," Dynasmon grimly explained. "They must be planning to take Dark Point."
"Then… they're heading straight for Shadow Retreat," GrandisKuwagamon said with a wince. "It's a small village on the way to Dark Point…"
"If Demon does to Shadow Retreat what he did to Hope's Crest…" Magnamon said, a growl forming on his breath, his body tightening with rage as he thought about the implications.
SaviorHackmon's eyes widened with horror at the thought of Demon unleashing the Nightmare Soldiers on another defensive village. He had witnessed the devastation of Hope's Crest first hand. Thanks to the sacrifice of Tenth Group, many of the civilians had been able to retreat, but here…? The civilians of Shadow Retreat didn't have a chance. A cold chill ran straight through his body. His heart raced and his legs quivered as he imagined Demon setting the town and its occupants ablaze, like they had done before.
Dynasmon frowned uneasily. "It's possible…"
Magnamon deliberated to himself for a few moments before looking at Dynasmon earnestly. "Dynasmon, are you sure it was just Demon there?" he asked him.
"Yeah, I'm pretty positive. None of the other Demon Lords were there, and I can't see them sending their whole army down here," Dynasmon replied.
Magnamon pounded his palm with his fist decisively. "Then this is our chance!" he declared. "We can take Demon down while he's alone!"
Dynasmon's eyes widened with disbelief and his jaw nearly dropped. "W-What?! Are you serious, Magna?!" he incredulously exclaimed. "You want us to attack Demon?! You're joking right?"
"I'm completely serious," Magnamon responded firmly, the tapering leer in his ruby eyes showing Dynasmon just how serious he was. "How many chances are we going to get to fight a Demon Lord when he's separated from the other six?" Magnamon folded his arms and held his head up. "It's two Royal Knights against one. Between your strength and my skills, we'll be able to defeat him."
Dynasmon frowned reluctantly and shook his head. "You're forgetting that there's also a legion of a few hundred soldiers with him: the ones we just retreated from," Dynasmon protested. "It's too reckless, Magnamon."
"We can't waste this golden opportunity, Dynasmon!" Magnamon insisted. "Imagine if we took down one of the Demon Lords! That would be huge! We'd have made it so that there's only six left. It could tip the scales in our favour."
"How are we going to do that?" Dynasmon debated. "I want to beat him to a pulp as much as you do, but we don't have the strength to beat them all. TigerVespamon's in no state to fight, SaviorHackmon's still in training, and Cyber and Grandis are limited by the restraint system!"
"We tore through their army last time," Magnamon argued stubbornly. "I'm sure everyone wants to get revenge for Angemon too."
Dynasmon growled a bit at his words. "Don't use Angemon to manipulate them," he warned Magnamon, anger lacing his words. "Just because you have something to prove…"
At the accusation, Magnamon glared back at Dynasmon contentiously. "I'm not, and I don't…" he lowly answered, tightening his fists. He turned his helmeted head away bitterly and looked at the others. "What do you all think?"
GrandisKuwagamon frowned and folded his arms. "It's tough… We didn't exactly come out well last time… and…" He glanced over his shoulder at TigerVespamon, clearly uncertain if the hornet should be fighting in his condition.
"It's a big risk… but I'll defer to your decisions," Cyberdramon answered, looking at the two Royal Knights.
"It's not just about defeating Demon," Magnamon insisted, looking back at Dynasmon. "You said yourself that they're headed for Shadow Retreat. If they're planning to take Dark Point, what do you think Demon's going to do when they reach that village? He'll do the same thing he did to Hope's Crest. He'll slaughter them, just like their massacres in the Sky Colonies. We can't just let him do that."
Magnamon's words struck a chord deep in SaviorHackmon's heart. He had been reluctant to speak up before. However, the more that his feelings of guilt and unease built, the more his heart became compelled to act.
GrandisKuwagamon hissed and looked away uncomfortably at the idea. "Probably…" he admitted grimly.
"You're acting like we can actually stop them…" Dynasmon muttered with a grimace.
"Are you going to run away from Digimon in need, Dynasmon?" Magnamon urged him. "What about our code? 'Defend the Digimon of the Digital World at all costs'. 'Have the courage to face insurmountable odds, even when all seems lost'. We're Royal Knights. We can't just leave them to their deaths!"
"I know that!" Dynasmon fired back with frustration. "But what can we actually do?!"
SaviorHackmon's fists tightened as he listened. His insides burned and his heart felt like it was going to burst. The remembered the feeling of helplessness he felt during the Night of Falling Stars. He remembered the horrifying sight of Sky Colony debris crashing into his village and annihilating everything and everyone around. He remembered Demon setting Hope's Crest ablaze and butchering its defenders when they just wanted to protect their homes. And he remembered working with Gorimon and the others to try to save as many Digimon as they could.
In that moment, he found his determination. He knew that he couldn't save everyone by himself. But he also realised that he couldn't let his self-doubt control him. At the end of the day, he still wanted to help all Digimon. He didn't want anybody to face that same fear and pain that he, GrandisKuwagamon, and TigerVespamon all faced. That was why he wanted to become a Royal Knight. And, to be a Royal Knight, he knew he had to be decisive.
Although he knew his own strength wasn't enough, his weaknesses were offset when he worked with others. He had learned as much by working with the Sistermons and his Sensei. He had travelled with them for years, learning from them, triumphing with them… He had gotten stronger not on his own, but with help from others. And that was alright.
Then he realised… Maybe being a Royal Knight wasn't just about being strong alone. Maybe it was about being strong with others too. If others were being strong for him, it was his duty to be strong for them too.
It was in that moment that the blue crystal in the center of his chest began to glow.
"We can work together!" SaviorHackmon declared passionately.
Dynasmon and Magnamon both turned towards him with surprise. GrandisKuwagamon looked over curiously too, as did Cyberdramon.
"What?" Dynasmon asked, blinking.
"If we all work as a group, and if we coordinate with the townspeople of Shadow Retreat, then maybe we can save them," SaviorHackmon explained, putting aside his compunction about speaking up. "We don't have to win. We just have to give them a fighting chance."
Both of the Royal Knights were quiet. It began to make SaviorHackmon feel uneasy, and he didn't want to seem like an upstart, but he wouldn't let himself shy away either.
"S-Sir Dynasmon," he tentatively said, his cheeks starting to blush. "I don't want to speak out of turn but… I don't want to turn my back on those Digimon."
Dynasmon stared into SaviorHackmon's eyes penetratingly. Although the steel dragon had been uncertain before, now the Royal Knight could see the unparalleled passion in his eyes. Even as Dynasmon leered into him, SaviorHackmon stared straight back at him, determined to show the Royal Knight his strong emotions.
After a moment, Dynasmon smirked, impressed by SaviorHackmon's display. "Hah…! Well, I'm not about to get showed up by a kid…" he answered with a resigned grin. "Alright, Hackmon. You've convinced me."
"Yeah," GrandisKuwagamon spoke. He walked over and elbowed SaviorHackmon lightly, shooting him a wry grin. "I'm not about to let a village get destroyed either."
Despite his outwardly flippant demeanour, on the inside, GrandisKuwagamon was as relentlessly determined and passionate as SaviorHackmon was. He hadn't heard about Hope's Crest until after his incarceration. The thought of the Demon Lords destroying another village caused his blood to boil. He hated himself for ever sinking so low as to work with Digimon who would massacre an innocent village. He felt his heart strengthen with resolve. He was determined to make sure nothing like that would ever happen again under his watch…
While he knew for sure that he was no hero, he owed it to everybody – and himself – to do this much. More than that, he wanted to protect them…
The beetle mercenary's eye narrowed and he clenched his black fist. "I'll stop them…" he silently declared to himself. "Besides I haven't finished things with Blitzmon and Bolgmon…"
"I agree," a soft voice said from nearby.
Everyone turned in the direction of the voice and was shocked to see TigerVespamon standing to his feet. The hornet man released the star crystal that he clutched in his hand and allowed the pendant to fall against his chest.
"TigerVespamon?" Magnamon asked uncertainly, feeling a bit of hesitation at seeing the grieving acolyte agree as well. "…Are you sure?"
"Yes…" TigerVespamon calmly explained. He looked down a little bit. "I don't want others to go through what I went through." He glanced at GrandisKuwagamon briefly. "What we went through…"
GrandisKuwagamon nodded a little, although he felt uneasy at the thought of his brother going into combat with them after what happened… "I dunno… Are you sure you're up to it?" he asked him.
"Yeah, Vespa, I mean, after what happened…" Dynasmon piped in with a worried frown.
TigerVespamon nodded serenely. "I appreciate your concern, but I am well in body and clear in mind. I am an Ultimate level Digimon, so you will need my abilities as well," he assured them. His voice was calm and resolute, as if to prove that he was more than capable despite his grieving.
The golden insect looked down slightly. "…And after all… I don't think Angemon would want to leave a defenceless village to the fate of the demons."
Dynasmon looked over at Magnamon with a hesitant wince. The leader of the team glanced back at Dynasmon, sharing his uncertainty, but he nodded and shrugged. "If you're absolutely sure, TigerVespamon," he allowed, knowing that they couldn't exactly afford to have an Ultimate level Digimon sitting out.
"…Just stay close to the group," GrandisKuwagamon told him, folding his arms and trying to hide the amount of worry he had about letting him come with them. It annoyed him because he doubted they could stop him anyways.
"Well, I can't say that I would feel good about turning my back on injustice either…" Cyberdramon agreed, folding his arms and nodding. "I'm in."
Dynasmon grinned a little and rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at Magnamon. "Well, that's everyone… Looks like you got your wish, leader," he said to the Royal Knight good-naturedly.
Magnamon smiled a bit. "Thank you…" he said to them with genuine appreciation.
SaviorHackmon smiled as well. He was glad that everybody was on board. It seemed like they could unify behind this common cause…
Dynasmon stretched his wings and looked around at the team. "Well, if we're going to leave. We have to go right now," he explained. "Demon and the legion are already on the move. Since there's so many of them, they'll be slower than us, so we can probably beat them to Shadow Retreat. We have to leave now if we want to have any chance to coordinate with the villagers though. So, we don't have much time."
"Right," Magnamon agreed. "Everybody, take only your weapons. Leave the campsite. We're going by air."
"Yes, Sir!" SaviorHackmon obeyed enthusiastically.
"You good to fly, TigerVespamon?" GrandisKuwagamon asked his brother, eyeing him a little with uncertainty.
"Yes. Thank you," TigerVespamon minimally responded as he walked by him.
Magnamon nodded and began rising off the ground, moving up towards the canopies of Analog Forest. "Okay. Dynasmon, you lead the way…"
The Royal Knight of Miracles looked around at the group of six, matching their determination. "Everyone… Let's go."