Holy War

by Griff4823

The sequel to "A Dragon in Shining Armour". The Royal Knights secured victory and peace set over the continent, but it isn't to last. The autocratic Metal Empire, a team of amoral mercenaries, and a mysterious Digimon in the shadows; it's up to the Order of the Royal Knights to intervene. Can they stop things from spiraling out of control, all while dealing with their own issues?

114. Chapter 79: Mnemosyne

(Author's Notes: Hey, everybody! Happy New Years! I hope you all had good holidays/time off. I'm back to bring in the new year with a new chapter.

I might need a little more time than usual between this chapter and the next one, since I didn't get as much writing as I wanted done this December, but we'll see how productive I am this month. I want to try to get two chapters done by then, but I might settle for one and a half.

Anyways, here's Chapter 79, where we deal with the aftermath of the last chapter.

Is this my first two-hander? I'm pretty sure it's my first two-hander (not counting ADiSA's prologue). I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

As always, enjoy, and please let me know what you think!)

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Chapter 79: Mnemosyne

The darkness began to fade. Faint spots of light permeated the black, aphotic haze of oblivion. His eyelids tensed before slowly breaching open a crack.

Pain. Pain was the first thing that he noticed within the dark, blurry daze. His chest, back, and face all throbbed with a numb, pervasive ache. He could feel the bruising his body sustained almost immediately.

Alphamon stirred and let out a pained groan as he regained consciousness. As his eyes opened and the muddled haze of unconsciousness and concussion began to clear, he started to become aware of his surroundings.

Directly in his field of vision were the canopies of the Great Forest. He could see the night sky through a large breach in the branches. The sky was clear enough that the stars flickered overhead, and the treefall gap was wide enough to allow moonlight to filter in and shine onto the forest floor.

Alphamon grimaced and blinked the lingering spots from his bleary eyes. Despite the persistent aches that he felt, there was an even more prominent series of sensations that he felt: a tight pressure all over his body.

He attempted to sit up, but it felt as though his whole body was being weighed down. Something was physically preventing him from lifting himself more than a few centimeters.

Then, he attempted to move his arms. To his confusion, they were locked tight, and he found himself unable to budge them even an inch. Next, he tried to move his legs, but they refused to move apart from some slight bending at his knees.

"What…?" Alphamon groaned in confusion. He weakly lifted his head to look down at his body, attempting to see what was restraining him.

To Alphamon's shock, he saw that his whole body had been bound with thick, sturdy, chrome digizoid chains. His arms were fastened tight. The chains were wrapped around his upper body, overlapping and pinning his biceps tightly to his sides. His wrists were bound together and tight against his back, bound in such a way that his palms were facing behind him, unable to use the crystals on his palms to blast the chain links. The chains wrapped over and around his shoulders and under their thick pauldrons, as well as his elbows. His metal wings and his large, flowing cape were bundled tightly against his arms and back so that he couldn't use them to fly.

Alphamon looked further down his body. The heavy chains continued on, coiling around his hips and tightly binding the length of his thighs, down to his spiked knees, furling the rest of his long cape along with them. Finally. they wrapped tightly around his ankles, at the narrowest sections of his large, armoured boots, pinning them together with a chrome digizoid lock to prevent escape.

Feeling a momentary bit of panic setting in, Alphamon grunted and twisted his body, attempting to free his hands. His wrists moved barely at all, locked tight as they were. He wiggled and squirmed, despite the ache in his muscles, desperately trying to free himself, but the precautions taken against him proved insurmountable. He couldn't move his limbs at all.

The most that the struggling Alphamon was able to accomplish was scooting backwards so that his head, wings and collar were half-propped up against the tree truck behind him, allowing him a slightly better vantage point to view ahead of him from. It was then that he noticed a figure approaching in the moonlit darkness.

"Well, well, well…" a smooth, deep voice lightly announced, a smug resonance to his words.

Alphamon glared at the shadowy figure as the cloaked knight stepped into the moonlight. The dim, pearly light cast over his dark figure, dingily illuminating his umbral armour. DarkKnightmon strode across the forest glade, stalking towards the bound Royal Knight.

"I see you have finally awakened, Alphamon," DarkKnightmon wryly noted, triumphantly resting the Twin Spear on his shoulder. "I have had something of an awakening myself…"

Alphamon's incredulous glare tightened with clarity as the fallen knight walked ever-closer. Before, it had all been a blur in the chaotic whirl of combat, but now… seeing his dark, menacing body basked in the moonlight… it was unmistakeable now. It was definitely DarkKnightmon.

"DarkKnightmon…?" Alphamon spoke, his hands tightening into fists. He struggled and tried to free his arms, but to no avail.

DarkKnightmon let out a low and resonant chuckle, taking some pleasure in seeing Alphamon completely at his mercy.

"I must thank you for providing me with your own restraints," he sarcastically thanked him. DarkKnightmon swung his spear down and snagged the now-empty satchel that Alphamon had carried. Using the tip to raise the bag up, he emphatically swept his arm out and cast the empty vessel aside. "Although I know that they were meant for me, they made subduing you so much easier."

Alphamon's gleaming red eyes narrowed dangerously. "Release me," he commanded.

DarkKnightmon tilted his head with amusement. "Now, Alphamon… Why would I do that when I finally have you right where I want you? …I wasn't born yesterday," he wryly retorted.

Alphamon frowned deeply as he gazed up at his old adversary, watching as he came to a gradual stop at his chained feet. Now that he was close enough to see in the dark, he looked up and down at DarkKnightmon's body. Despite the hard glare that he wore under the circumstances of his perilous situation, for a moment, his eyes softened.

"It… really is you," he spoke, his voice becoming somewhat nostalgic rather than authoritative. However, Alphamon then frowned with confusion. "But… how can this be? This should not be possible. After all, you—"

"—were slain by your own hand?" DarkKnightmon sharply concluded, prompting a faint wince from Alphamon.

After a tense moment, the resurrected knight let out a short laugh. "…It is as you experienced, Alphamon. I died in our final battle. My data flowed to the Dark Area, where it was deemed worthy of rebirth. Then, I was reborn as a SkullKnightmon without any memories… That is, apart from one… My brother."

Alphamon blinked, his eyes growing with realisation. "You weren't referring to Bagramon…"

"Hmph. You should remember, I cut my ties of brotherhood with him long ago. No… the one I was searching for was my true brother; my chosen brother: DeadlyAxemon…" DarkKnightmon explained. "For reasons beyond my understanding, my memories were erased, but his were not... I can only surmise that the reason being is that I am the core of our DigiXros, and, therefore, I took the brunt of the erasure when we perished in our xrosed form. When he was revived, his reformatting was incomplete, and through some error, his memories remained after he hatched. …Fortunately, Alphamon, you led me right to him. Our once fused hearts called to one another. He was seeking me out, each of us desperate to reunite. Now that he and I are whole once more, I remember everything from my past. With our fusion, all of the memories that he retained are now mine once again."

"I can see that quite clearly…" Alphamon responded, his crimson eyes hardening. "You have miraculously returned from the dead… and for what purpose? To finally exact your revenge upon me? …Well, here I am: bound and at your mercy."

DarkKnightmon's eyes narrowed sharply. He took a menacing step forwards, raising the Twin Spear. "Yes, I have… and, yes, you are," he answered with restrained glee.

He stopped over him with his feet on each side of Alphamon's legs, looming over the knight's bound body. DarkKnightmon stooped forwards slightly, leering down at the leader of the Royal Knights with a mixture of resentment and delight in his gleaming eyes.

"I finally have you on your own, right where I want you, away from all of your pesky followers," DarkKnightmon explained, chuckling with dark victory to himself. "Hah. I have finally beaten you… No matter how hard I tried, I never could defeat you… not when I challenged you for the Empty Seat, not when I began my coup against you, and not even when we fought to the death underneath the damnable World Tree…"

DarkKnightmon's eyes flashed. "But now… now that I have come back from the dead - from oblivion itself – I finally have the power to bring you to heel." DarkKnightmon smirked and poked Alphamon's chain-laden chest with the tip of his Twin Spear. "And here you are…"

Alphamon glared up at him, his bound hands closing into tight fists.

DarkKnightmon gazed down at him with a derisive glint in his glowing eyes. "Tsk. Look at how pathetic you are… The so-called Lord of the Empty Seat," he jeered, slowly looking him up and down. "For some incomprehensible reason, they all look to you… Your blind followers in the Royal Knights… Ever since the beginning, despite your softness and your hesitation, they always followed you without question. Whether it was your charisma or mere blind loyalty born of friendship, you always had them under your thumb… The Royal Knights – no, the Order itself – would be headless without you… They would fall into disarray and crumble completely."

DarkKnightmon's eyes narrowed deeply, a flicker of bitter resentment burgeoning within his outward affectation of gloating and triumph. He trailed the tip of his spear up Alphamon's chest, until the sharp point glided off Alphamon's armoured collar and pressed against his throat.

"I should kill you right now…" DarkKnightmon darkly mused. He pressed the spear down, just a centimeter, causing the crimson point to push against Alphamon's neck. "How often I have thought about it. How much joy it would bring me to do so… Alphamon… You have always been in my way…"

Despite the bead of sweat rolling down his neck, Alphamon gazed up at his captor with calm defiance. His crimson eyes were that of cool confidence and certainty as he challenged the black knight. "…I don't believe you," he asserted.

DarkKnightmon frowned with confusion. "…What?"

Alphamon eyed him pointedly. "I do not believe that you intend to kill me. You used the modal verb 'should' rather than 'will'," he calmly observed. "'Should' indicates the result that you believe ought to happen, but with notable doubt, while 'will' would indicate a certain outcome. Therefore, I do not believe that you truly intend to kill me. You have had ample opportunity to do so while I was unconscious, yet you opted to restrain me instead."

DarkKnightmon gazed at him in abyssal silence. His fingers curled tightly around the Twin Spear's hilt and he pulled the double-headed spear away from Alphamon's neck.

Then, he plunged it forwards, towards Alphamon's face. The crimson spear swept past Alphamon's cheek and pierced through the bark of the tree behind his head. It drilled a foot into the bark, right beside Alphamon's head, close enough that the thickening shaft of his spear brushed against Alphamon's metal cheek.

DarkKnightmon towered over him, the moonlight at his back, causing his front to become completely shadowed apart from his blazing, golden eyes.

"…Presume to know my mind at your own peril, Alphamon," he warned him in a deep, threatening reverb. He twisted his spear threateningly, causing sap to ooze out from the tree, before he withdrew it, a bead of the clear, amber liquid dripping from the tip. "You do not. You never did."

Despite the spear brushing along his cheek as it was pulled out of the tree, Alphamon gazed back at him calmly. "I would like to think that I know a little bit about you… but I have been wrong before. Perhaps you are right," he mused. "Tell me, what are you intentions, then? Do you mean to do anything more than gloat?"

DarkKnightmon glared coolly down at the bound knight beneath him. He bent and squatted down over Alphamon's legs so that he was closer to eye level with him. Then, he slowly moved the sappy tip of the Twin Spear towards Alphamon's face.

DarkKnightmon carefully pressed the tip of the Twin Spear underneath Alphamon's chin. He gently yet firmly pushed it up, tilting Alphamon's head upwards so that the knight was forced to stare into his eyes. "Hm… Let me have my moment, Alphamon," DarkKnightmon wryly mused. "It's the least you can do after locking me in the Dark Area for over half a century and killing me."

Alphamon swallowed as the spear pushed against his chin and he was made to stare directly at DarkKnightmon's piercing gaze. "…And then?"

DarkKnightmon slowly traced the tip of his spear along Alphamon's jaw. "…That remains to be decided," he slowly and deliberately replied. "Do not think that just because you are alive now that you will be for long. I may still decide that it would be wiser to kill you. After all, you have been a constant thorn in my side, curtailing me at every turn. You would be fortunate if I merely decided to take you as a trophy."

Alphamon glared defiantly up at DarkKnightmon, straining his bound arms and legs in an attempt to break the bonds.

DarkKnightmon smirked, watching with dark satisfaction as Alphamon squirmed beneath him. "I must say, this revenge is much more sumptuous a dish when served cold," he mused. "Finally having you at my mercy makes this long-awaited justice all the sweeter."

Alphamon narrowed his eyes bitterly as he attempted to angle his head away from the spear. "'Justice'?" he demanded. "Do not conveniently think yourself as blameless, DarkKnightmon. If you have regained your memories, then you should also remember everything that you have done."

DarkKnightmon's smile vanished and he stared down with cold derision. He pushed the spear tip a little harder against Alphamon's jaw, making sure that his captive was facing him directly. "Go on, then… Refresh my memory."

Alphamon winced at the tightness of his jaw but he faced DarkKnightmon unwaveringly. "You attempted to overthrow me by force over a minor disagreement. Then, you escaped captivity in the Dark Area through guile and manipulation. Once free, you commenced an active rebellion against the Royal Knights, gathering many mercenaries to your cause. You attacked us repeatedly, capturing Omegamon, Ouryumon, and Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode. You forcibly corrupted Omegamon into Omegamon Zwart and caused him to fight against his friends, which still plagues him to this day. Then, you damaged the World Tree, with your intention being to destroy it completely in order to damage Yggdrasil and cause Digimon to lose faith in the Order. You attempted to kill not just me, but Imperialdramon and Ouryumon as well. If you had succeeded in your objectives, how far would you have gone? Would you have conquered the Free Area? Would you have tried to destroy Yggdrasil itself?"

DarkKnightmon leered unflinchingly at Alphamon's accusations. "With regards to the Free Area… perhaps I would have. I never agreed with such a loose and laissez-faire trade confederation to begin with, as you well know. After all, it was your disregard for my opinions on the matter that fomented the rift between us."

Alphamon matched his accusatory gaze, standing his ground. "Anybody can manipulate history to suit their own preferred interpretation of events. It was not that simple, DarkKnightmon, and you know it. You did more than your fair share of scheming. Do you expect me to believe that you are an innocent victim?"

"A victim? No… I would never be so deluded," DarkKnightmon answered, his eyes narrowing as he lightly tapped the Alphamon's cheek with the side of his spear tip. "However, I will not allow you to conveniently absolve yourself of any wrongdoing."

DarkKnightmon leaned down towards the chained knight. "You are right about one thing, Alphamon… History is written by the victors, their books drenched in the poisonous ink of self-righteous propaganda… The Royal Knights have had three-quarters of a century to damn my name as a treacherous villain while I was locked in the Dark Area without any recourse. Yet, you and I both know that nothing in this world is so blissfully black and white."

Alphamon glared up at the disgraced knight that crouched threateningly over him. "It was not entirely without cause, DarkKnightmon," he contested. "You know your crimes…"

DarkKnightmon scowled dangerously. "And what of your crimes… and those of your retainers?" he wondered, his words laced with venom. "Tell me, how is Ouryumon? Has he managed to wiggle his way out of the truth yet again?"

Alphamon's face flashed with a momentary glimpse of guilt, but he refused to show any weakness in front of his old enemy. "…DarkKnightmon. We are not talking about him. We are talking about us. Whatever miscommunications have happened between us, my intention was never to alienate you. I tried to listen to your concerns and consult—"

At this, DarkKnightmon suddenly stabbed his massive spear into the ground beside Alphamon. "You never tried!" he shouted. "You merely assumed! You and the others disregarded my opinions at every turn and thought you could assuage me with empty platitudes! You merely took for granted that I would go along with what the majority wanted!" DarkKnightmon accused him. "You enforced your will and the others were too weak-willed to say anything against you!"

Alphamon's eyes blazed crimson as he glared passionately at DarkKnightmon. "Make up your mind, DarkKnightmon: was I too soft or was I a tyrant?!" he fired back. "I made mistakes! However, I did nothing that deserved your treachery! You attempted to overthrow me and any who showed loyalty to me! You went so far as to plan a coup, when I did nothing but trust you! We were supposed to be friends!"

"We were, once, I admit!" DarkKnightmon fired back. "However, the years of dissatisfaction and bitterness corroded that into oblivion. I was forced to stand by and watch as you and the others squandered the opportunity that Yggdrasil had given us. I came to resent you, Alphamon."

Alphamon stared back at him with a mixture of rage, pain, and suspicion. "Then why didn't you say anything to me?! Why did you choose to wallow in silence and let those feelings fester?! We could have sorted through our differences!"

"You never asked me how I felt!" DarkKnightmon shot back, nearly bearing down on his captive. "I tried to make my grievances known. But how could I talk to you? I would speak to you, you would offer me some dreadful coffee, smile, and tell me with empty words that you understood, and yet nothing would change!

"You were all so intent on playing the role of heroes, of making sure not to step on anybody's toes, that you allowed corruption and vice to fester in the world! And where did that get you?! Dens of vice like Shroud and Dark Point prospered, allowing the soil to become fertile for weeds such as the Demon Lords to grow! Only when major threats to Network Security started slaughtering did you actually step down from your lofty towers and act. How many minor villains and thugs have slipped through your wide net?" DarkKnightmon questioned, his gleaming eyes tight with fury. "The backstreet criminals and small-time warlords… they are the ones who cause harm on a daily basis. They are the ones who eat away at the stability of this world by means of death by a thousand cuts…

"You only react, Alphamon. I advocated for a proactive approach. However, whenever I suggested that the Royal Knights assert our authority, you shut the idea down. So scared you were of breaching our oath and appearing tyrannical, that you only allowed for voluntary cooperation with the patchwork mayors of the Free Area. Again and again, I attempted to make you consider my point of view, but you always rejected my ideas, cushioned with your usual platitudes! Far be it from the Aloof Hermit to actually place his hand on the scales, apart from where I was concerned.

DarkKnightmon clenched his fist tightly. "That's why I had to do something. It was the only way anything would ever change…" he murmured. "I wanted to remove you from the Empty Seat through legal means, but there were none available, and none of the other Royal Knights would even consider acting against you. Then I challenged you through a duel for the seat itself… and failed."

DarkKnightmon tightly gripped the overlapping chains over Alphamon's chest and glared into his eyes. "And, yes, in my rage and frustration, I voiced my feelings to my confidante, MirageGaogamon, and I floated the idea of a coup d'état against you. Would I have actually gone through with it? Or would I have talked myself out of it in the cold light of day? I cannot say, for I was never given the chance. For when Ouryumon tried to murder me that night, my decision was made for me."

Alphamon winced, his defensive stance beginning to soften as a result of DarkKnightmon's passionate tirade. As much as he wanted to stand firm and blame DarkKnightmon for everything, he knew that there was at least some truth to his words. Ouryumon did try to kill him in Alphamon's defence, and DarkKnightmon had felt marginalized, whether intentionally or not. The guilt that he felt about DarkKnightmon was beginning to leak through, seeping through his wall of righteous anger that he had built up around himself.

"…I'm sorry. I didn't—"

At this, DarkKnightmon suddenly snapped. In a swift movement, his grip tightened around the chains covering Alphamon's chest and stood to his feet. He roughly shoved Alphamon's winged back against the tree behind him, holding the bound Royal Knight a few inches off of the ground.

"Spare me your damned apologies!" DarkKnightmon shouted passionately, glaring into Alphamon's eyes, mere inches away from his face. "I don't want them! What I want is your head!"

Alphamon grimaced as his back and wings forcefully impacted the tree. His arms strained as he attempted to break free, but the chains held firm. He could only stare back into DarkKnightmon's piercing eyes as his bound feet dangled above the ground.

"Then why haven't you taken it?" Alphamon coolly challenged, dauntlessly matching his foe's stare.

DarkKnightmon's eyes faltered for a mere second before hardening with cold rage. He squeezed the chains in his hands firmly and swept his spear up, pointing the tip against the side of Alphamon's neck. "Do not tempt me…" he growled.

Alphamon's passionate, crimson eyes bore into DarkKnightmon, as if trying to read his soul. "DarkKnightmon… Why are you doing this?" he firmly inquired.

"I have told you already... I have no need to explain myself anymore," DarkKnightmon responded, his voice quaking with cold fury.

"Everything you have done… rebelling against your friends, against our god, and against the world itself…" Alphamon challenged, his eyes hardening at the face that was directly in front of his own. "You forsook your oath and turned your back on everything that you stood for… merely because I didn't listen to you?"

"I have never once turned my back on what I stand for!" DarkKnightmon shouted. "If you believe otherwise, then you truly never knew me as well as you claim to, Alphamon. My resolve has never wavered! You believe that I have changed, but you are incorrect. It is the world that has changed."

"The DarkKnightmon that I once knew never would have done what you have done," Alphamon stonily informed him. "Be that as it may, you have not answered my question… I do not deny that Ouryumon's unjustifiable actions provided the point of no return, but everything before that… do you expect me to believe that it was merely because I didn't do what you wanted?"

"Do you denigrate my reasons, Alphamon?" DarkKnightmon maintained, leaning closer to him as he pressed the spear a little harder.

Alphamon's eyes narrowed defiantly as he ignored the pressure against his neck. "No, DarkKnightmon, but I believe there is more to it than that."

DarkKnightmon's face darkened into a withering glare. He pushed Alphamon a little harder against the tree. "You presumptuous… insufferable… self-important fool…" he hissed, his closed fist nearly trembling with rage. "You always have all the answers to everything, don't you…? There is nothing in this world that the Knight of the Empty Seat doesn't know… Apart from what is right in front of his face."

Alphamon frowned questioningly at the figure who was looming in front of his face.

Despite his simmering anger, DarkKnightmon let out a chuckle. "Hah… Very well… Have it your way… It seems you are perceptive when it suits," he relented. "You want to know the painful truth, do you, my dear Alphamon? So be it, then… I will give it to you, but be warned, you may find it hard to swallow."

DarkKnightmon gripped Alphamon's chains and slid the side of the Twin Spear underneath the Royal Knight's chin to hold him in place. His glowing eyes blazed with zealous passion.

"It shames me to admit this, but you were once my dearest friend…" DarkKnightmon began.

Alphamon's brows softened with pity. "…Only you could think that friendship is a source of shame, DarkKnightmon."

The words only served to convince DarkKnightmon to hold the metal shaft of his spear tighter against Alphamon's throat. "Be silent," he warned him before continuing. "…I looked to you as if you were a beacon of light who could eliminate the darkness of this cruel and corrupt world. You were the singularity who overcame the chaos of the Death-X Incident. Even though you removed yourself from the world, you came out the other side with vision and purpose. I respected you… I believed in you, and in the Royal Knights. I truly believed that we could be a source of good for the world."

DarkKnightmon's eyes tightened like his grip. "But then, I watched as that dream faded, although I had failed to realise it until it was too late. Compromise… complacency… apathy… and decay. These silent ills plagued the Order, eating away at the mandate that we had been provided. I had to watch as our opportunity to change the world wasted away."

Alphamon frowned defiantly at the black knight who was right in front of him. He felt the need to defend himself against DarkKnightmon's accusations, which he felt unfair and baseless. "Now see here, DarkKnightmon," he interrupted. "Never once have I been half-hearted in the pursuit of our goals. Simply because you felt—mph!"

In a rush of frustration, DarkKnightmon stabbed the Twin Spear into the ground, releasing it and using his free hand to cup his palm roughly over Alphamon's mouth.

"Silence!" DarkKnightmon shouted, his eyes flashing with piercing fury. He pressed Alphamon harder, his hands tight against him. "For once, you will listen to me, Alphamon. I will speak, and you will stand there and listen!"

Alphamon observed DarkKnightmon's sharp gaze, which seemed to be as if all the daggers in the world were pointed at him. Without words, he made his challenge clear, while also knowing that there was nothing that he could do but listen.

DarkKnightmon's grip around Alphamon's chains tightened and he leaned ever closer, his cold eyes blazing.

"I resented you, Alphamon… It was not always that way, but I came to do so, more with every passing year," DarkKnightmon hissed. "You had so much potential… You have power, intellect, vision, charisma… You went from being a pariah in this world to becoming the leader of the Royal Knights. You not only persuaded those around you of your determination and goodness, but you were even able to convince Yggdrasil of your right to existence… You, the singularity who rends through time, the precursor of the X-Antibody. You were once marked for deletion, but you overcame that…" His face shadowed by the moonlight, DarkKnightmon stared steadily into his eyes. "I saw something in you… Something that I thought I could believe in..."

"…But I was disappointed," DarkKnightmon told him with a bitter glare. "Your flaws held you back, curtailing any hope of ambition or radical reform. Are you aware of what your shortcomings are, Alphamon?"

"Mph…" was Alphamon's muffled reply as he continued to calmly gaze back at him.

"In any discussion or dispute, you always play the middle. Regardless of your personal feelings, you always make an outward point of ensuring that each side is heard," DarkKnightmon pointed out, squeezing Alphamon's cheeks firmly. "Why is that, Alphamon? Is it because you're afraid of making people mad? Or are you afraid that if you take a strong stance regardless of what the other side feels, they will end up feeling disregarded and resentful like me?"

DarkKnightmon scoffed lightly when Alphamon made no attempt to reply. "You're too self-conscious. You always have been. You always have to be balanced, moderated. Every word you say is carefully chosen and thoroughly vetted. Your tongue would put even the wiliest diplomat to shame. There is no match in tact or charm for the Lord of the Empty Seat," he disparagingly told him.

"Nnght," Alphamon dryly responded through DarkKnightmon's hand.

"A thousand apologies. 'Knight' of the Empty Seat. I know you hate being called 'Lord' of anything." DarkKnightmon sarcastically corrected himself. "The first among equals, isn't it? A nice, idealistic concept… One where you pretend that the other Royal Knights are your equals. However, it's all just a façade to conceal the fact that, when all is said and done, you are the one with the final word. You assert your will through the veneer of dialogue and compromise. Your problem, Alphamon, is that you secretly enjoy being the one in control, yet, you do not want any of the public responsibility for making controversial decisions."

DarkKnightmon's eyes hardened. "You like being the one to solve other peoples' problems, yet you never let them help you with your own. For all your talk of cooperation, you set yourself above the rest. You always carry the burden on your own shoulders, determined to bear the weight yourself. You keep others at arm's length, refusing to let them in, lest they should see your true struggles… You always have, haven't you, 'Aloof Hermit'?" he challenged him.

"…I have felt that distance personally. You even hid your relationship with Ouryumon from everyone. …Could it be that you secretly do not trust the others? You believe that none of them truly understand you? That because you're Yggdrasil's anomaly that nobody could possibly understand what you are going through?"

At these incisive words, Alphamon winced faintly. His chained hands tightened and he continued gazing at DarkKnightmon with defiance.

"Or is it that you need to be viewed by the others as calm and in control? That, because you are the leader of the Royal Knights, so much more is expected of you… You are a slave to public perception. You're afraid of being seen as a tyrant. You even kept your personal life a secret. You want nothing more than the world to see you as a noble Royal Knight… a strong, capable, and caring leader. Why is that, I wonder?" he darkly mused, his fingers pressing hard against Alphamon's cheeks.

"…Could it be because you still feel responsible for causing the Death-X Incident? The fact that your data was used as the base code for those ravenous undead creatures still plagues you to this day, doesn't it? The guilt haunted you so much that you ran away from the world itself to become the Aloof Hermit… That's the reason why you agreed to form the Royal Knights… so that you could be a Digimon of order and salvation. Yet, that is also the reason why you hold back. You're afraid to become too directly involved, lest you make the same mistake. What you seek is balance and harmony, not change. You are a coward, Alphamon. You avoid making difficult decisions because you hate making others mad."

Alphamon's tight grimace hardened with resistance.

DarkKnightmon's eyes narrowed witheringly as they bore deep into Alphamon's soul. "And then, when things become too much for you, you remove yourself from other Digimon. You isolate yourself and play the martyr, unilaterally deciding that you know better than everybody else. Rather than share the burden, you pile it all on your own shoulders until it becomes too much to bear. Without meaning to, you alienate others… not just myself, but even Omegamon, your best friend. For if he hadn't felt that way, Omegamon Zwart would have never existed… You see, Alphamon, for as much as you like to play the middle, you always stand above everyone else, like a judge. You stand alone on a mountain, looking down at all those around you…"

"Mrmm…" Alphamon murmured beneath DarkKnightmon's hand, his eyes blazing passionately. Although there was pain in his heart upon hearing DarkKnightmon's surgically incisive castigation, he refused to let it break him.

DarkKnightmon leaned closer to his face, his yellow eyes cold and sharp. "…That is why, Alphamon," he explained. "That is why I betrayed you."

The Knight of the Empty Seat was quiet. He held the intense gaze between them, not moving so much as a muscle with his limited movement. With his chained body dangling from DarkKnightmon's grasp, he could only lean against the tree behind him for support.

"Hmph," DarkKnightmon scoffed, finally removing his hand from Alphamon's mouth. "…I am finished. Have you nothing to say, Alphamon?"

Alphamon let out a soft sigh as DarkKnightmon's palm was lifted from his face. Despite the perilous situation that he was in, he stared at the dark knight with calm and resolve.

"…Despite all that…" Alphamon spoke up, staring at the pair of eyes inches away from his own. "…With your dying breath, you told me that I was strong, DarkKnightmon. You told me that you believed that there was hope for the Digital World after all."

DarkKnightmon's eyes widened with nearly-imperceptible shock. His grip tightened around Alphamon's chains and he pushed him harder up against the tree.

"…I was mistaken… delirious…" he insisted.

Alphamon slowly shook his head. "…No… You made me promise… that I would make this world a better place. For all my faults, you still entrusted that task to me. …You believed in me, DarkKnightmon."

"Be silent!" DarkKnightmon barked in a sudden resurgence of rage, bringing his hand up with the intention of silencing Alphamon again.

"No!" Alphamon snapped back at him, his voice thundering dominantly. "You said your peace, and now it is my turn to say mine! Listen to me, DarkKnightmon, for I will not allow you to carry on with only half the story!"

DarkKnightmon was stunned for a few seconds by his prisoner's sudden display of assertiveness. After a second, he lowered his hand, unable to help but release a half-impressed chuckle.

"…Bold of you to give me orders when you are bound and at my mercy," DarkKnightmon noted with faint amusement. "Very well, then. Have it your way."

Alphamon nodded, gazing unwaveringly into DarkKnightmon's eyes. "Just like you have much that you need to say to me, there is much that I need to say to you as well."

The black Royal Knight refused to shy away from his counterpart's scornful gaze. He wasn't going to back down any more.

"…DarkKnightmon..." he began. "Despite how you feel about me, you were once one of my best friends…" Alphamon released a breath, his brows softening slightly. "Just as you looked up to me, I looked up to you as well. You were practical, intelligent, confident… you had a force of will like none other. You knew exactly what you wanted and you sought to achieve those goals, no matter the consequences…" Alphamon forgot himself for a moment as a small smile formed on his face. "…I envied that about you, just a little bit. No matter the situation, you always cut through to the core of the issue, social graces be forsaken."

Alphamon smiled self-knowledgeably. "You are correct about much of your assessment of me… I am always thinking about the best course of action in any situation. I think about how my actions – and that of the Royal Knights – are perceived. It is my job to… yet, I cannot deny that it is also the product of my own limitations. The Death-X Incident is something that I will always feel guilty about. My internalized worry about my sexuality and how it would be perceived is something that has been on my mind for years."

"Yet… on par with either of those things is the guilt that I have felt over you," Alphamon soberly explained. "After you rebelled against me the first time, I was hurt and confused. I didn't understand how things had escalated to such a point. One day, it was as if everything was normal between you and I, and, the next, you challenged me for the leadership of the Royal Knights." Alphamon's gaze softened as he stared at his counterpart. "I knew that you disagreed with my plans for the Order and the Free Area, but… for things to have escalated so much… was I really so blind?"

DarkKnightmon grunted. "I went along with the majority in silence. Beyond the objections that I made, only MirageGaogamon knew my true feelings," he explained. "Yet, you never truly tried to ask."

"No, I didn't…" Alphamon admitted. "I didn't know that you felt so strongly, so I proceeded with our agreed-upon plans. I was unaware that you were, in fact, resenting me in silence… I never knew how you felt, DarkKnightmon. It is true that I did not ask, but you also made no attempt to tell me."

"You would not have listened," DarkKnightmon answered coldly. "I presented my case to you, but the only response I would get was 'I understand, but…'. Do you expect me to believe that you would have agreed to take overlordship of the Free Area merely because I dissented? No… You would not have."

Alphamon stared at him with frustration. "Even so, DarkKnightmon! We could have talked!" he insisted. "Yet, you jumped right to the extreme, as you always do! Plotting to overthrow me… whether by consensus or by combat… It needn't have gone that far."

"I felt I had exhausted all other reasonable alternatives," DarkKnightmon explained. "You wouldn't listen. Therefore, I decided that you had to be removed. Violence was not my first choice, but the other Royal Knights and Ouryumon saw to it that that was my only option."

"We were supposed to be friends, DarkKnightmon!" Alphamon informed him with a controlled passion to his words. "…When I learned that you were trying to enlist the others to remove me, it hurt more than any cut from your spear. I didn't understand why you were trying to overthrow me… and after you launched your coup, I was even more hurt and confused."

Alphamon's tightly bound hands tightened into fists. "I didn't understand how you could do that… I was frustrated and angry. What was I supposed to do? You made no defence at your trial – you were unapologetic, defiant… I had to banish you to the Dark Area. At that point, I felt I had no alternative. I wanted you to be punished, yet it also hurt me to do so," he explained with a grimace. "After you were gone… I could only speculate as to why it had happened. At first, I blamed you for everything, but that blame soon turned inwards… I blamed myself, for not seeing the signs, for not noticing your frustration, for not listening to you…"

In his turmoil, Alphamon lifted his head and glared at DarkKnightmon, who watched him with a cold and wordless expression. "I carried that guilt with me for nearly a century. I blamed myself for letting one of my dearest friends turn against me, for being the cause of an irreconcilable rift forming between us, nearly breaking the Order into two. I doubted myself. I questioned my every decision and my every interaction. All of those doubts about myself I had from the Death-X Incident came rushing back," Alphamon passionately explained. "And, then, when you escaped from the Dark Area three years ago… it was as if my whole world was turned upside down."

The black knight's face tightened into a bitter glare, his golden eyes blazing red with pent up anger and frustration. "I hated you, DarkKnightmon!" he shouted. "For what you did to me, for what you made me feel…! It wasn't until you told me about Ouryumon that I began to understand why, and, by then, it was too late! Rather than be honest from the beginning, you used that information to drive a wedge between me and him, and then you captured Omegamon and exploited his feelings to turn him against me!"

Alphamon pressed the backs of his hanging feet against the tree and pushed himself forwards slightly, defiantly, towards DarkKnightmon. "I wanted nothing more than to mend things between us! To apologise to you! But you made that impossible! You hurt my friends, forced me to hurt people that I love, and tried to destroy everything dear to me! You were trying to destroy the Order and the World Tree! I had to stop you! By the end, it had to be either you or me! I never wanted it such, but you gave me no choice! As your last act of vengeance, you made it so that I had to kill you!"

Alphamon grimaced with rage and sorrow and passion as he glared into his foe's eyes. His voice was breathy and tremulous, and his body tense.

"More than the guilt I felt for turning you against me, more than the blame I lay upon myself for marginalizing you… More than the many mistakes I have made and the hurt that I have caused others… it was when I killed you, when you lay dying in my arms, that the guilt was almost too much to bear. For, to me, you were…" Alphamon shut his eyes and he allowed his words to trail off.

After a few moments of tense silence, Alphamon reopened his eyes and refocused on DarkKnightmon with concentrated resolve and passion. "I know that I have hurt you, but you have hurt me more than you know as well... For all these years, you have haunted me like a spectre. Your shadow has hung over me, casting doubt on my decisions, making me question myself, making me withdraw from others… I had so much that I wanted to say to you, DarkKnightmon, yet I was unable. But now… now that you stand here in front of me, defying death itself… I can finally talk to you – and I will not allow you to deny me this chance."

Alphamon's irises burned like coruscating rubies and his brows narrowed into a withering gaze. "Even though I stand here chained and in your clutches, you will listen to me and you will heed my words!" he commanded.

"I am sorry for everything, DarkKnightmon. I am sorry for dismissing you out of hand. I am sorry for the part I played in destroying our friendship. I am sorry for imprisoning you. Most of all, I am sorry for killing you... I truly am, more than anything," Alphamon spoke, his words like sharp and resonant like a blade. "With that being said, I will not apologise for not submitting to your whims. The Order is not, and should never be, a subjugating force nor is it a political state. While I regret what happened between us personally, I do not feel regret over turning down your proposal. I refuse to allow the Order to become an empire or any other sort of political entity. We have a mandate that puts us above politics, loyal only to Yggdrasil and with the sole purpose of protecting the Digital World and upholding Network Security! We will act in a broad, fair, and independent manner in order to keep the peace. We will not turn a blind eye to evil, but we will not commit evil in order to combat greater evil."

Alphamon glared at DarkKnightmon with a rare anger not seen in the usually calm Knight of the Empty Seat. "And, as for you, DarkKnightmon… You have done things that I cannot easily forgive. You have hurt me when I had nothing but love for you. You betrayed your friends, you hurt many people who I care about, you tried to dismantle the Order and harm Yggdrasil, and you forced me to fight against one who I love."

The black knight fixed an unwavering gaze as he glared into his eyes.

"DarkKnightmon… You are an arrogant, inflexible, callous, cynical, heretical, treacherous, power-hungry bastard!" the Royal Knight shouted, pouring out all of his pent up frustrations at once.

The deep bellow rolled through the forest like thunder. A breeze swept through the dark forest, and it was as if the trees themselves were shuddering with the echoes.

Then, as the last echo faded, there was only silence…

Alphamon panted at the emotional, cathartic outburst. He gazed at the cold features of the knight who held him at mere inches away.

DarkKnightmon stared at the Royal Knight in stunned silence. He made no immediate response. No violent reprisal nor an emotional retort. He didn't make a sound… The only noise that was between them were Alphamon's soft breaths and the slight, grinding rattle of his chains.

Then, before the tense silence could go on any further…

DarkKnightmon started laughing.

"…Hah… Hah hah hah hah hah!"

Alphamon blinked with shock and confusion as DarkKnightmon suddenly let out a nearly-unrestrained, belly chortle with his deep, resonant voice. Was what he said that funny?

"Hah hah hah!" DarkKnightmon laughed, gripping Alphamon's chains tightly as his laugh began to settle down. "Well, then! Is that so?! Well, you're a soft, idealistic, arrogant, irresolute, sanctimonious, guileful, self-absorbed, sentimental fool! And your coffee is atrocious!"

Alphamon gazed at DarkKnightmon with a flat expression. "Well, now you're just trying to hurt me…" he dryly dismissed.

DarkKnightmon chuckled and his tensed muscles seemed to relax. He ceased pressing Alphamon against the tree in front of him.

Then, with a smooth motion, DarkKnightmon swept his arm out to the side and released Alphamon from his clutches. He cast Alphamon to the right, causing the bound Royal Knight to skid across the ground.

Alphamon winced a little as his chained body came to a stop on his side. He rolled halfway onto his winged back and looked back over at DarkKnightmon cautiously.

DarkKnightmon reached down and picked up his Twin Spear from the ground. However, rather than hold it stiffly and threateningly, he merely rested it against his shoulder pauldron and held it with loose ease. DarkKnightmon turned back to Alphamon, however, the aura of tension and hostility seemed to have vanished.

"Well…" DarkKnightmon began, his voice sounding breathy, tired, and maybe even a little haggard. "That was rather cathartic, wasn't it?"

Alphamon raised his brow a little, but he nodded. He couldn't deny that he felt emotionally drained as well. It was unlike him to get so angry and emotional. He felt exhausted, yet strangely satisfied, at being able to finally lay his feelings bare to DarkKnightmon. It had been a chance that he thought he would never have been able to get. It had been something that he had given up on. But now, finally being able to talk to DarkKnightmon again… to tell him how he truly felt… in a strange way, it felt amazing.

"Yes…" Alphamon agreed, looking up at the dark knight with an ambivalent expression on his face. "It was."

Alphamon's brows furrowed and he looked down with a wistful look in his eyes. "…It's a shame that you and I were unable to have a frank and honest argument like that sooner… Perhaps we could have saved each other a lot of heartache," he mused soberly.

DarkKnightmon looked away, beginning to feel a little sheepish as the reality of the situation caught up with his emotions. "…Perhaps," he admitted stiffly. "Though, neither of us can change the past… not even you can do that. There is no point thinking about what might have been."

"No… I suppose not," Alphamon agreed.

A prolonged silence began to emerge between the two knights, as neither of them really knew what to say next. They had said to much to each other and laid themselves bare. Now that the worst was over, neither really knew what to do now.

"…I never thought I would hear somebody as eloquent as you cuss," DarkKnightmon awkwardly observed despite his attempt to coolly shoulder his weapon.

Alphamon chuckled with a bit of embarrassment. "Heh… My apologies. I suppose I got a little carried away," he sheepishly replied.

DarkKnightmon glanced over at Alphamon on the ground, thinking to himself for a few moments. Then, he walked over to him, stopping at Alphamon's feet and gazing down at the bound Royal Knight with aloof eyes.

Alphamon's restrained arms tensed as he looked apprehensively up at DarkKnightmon. He remembered the situation that he was in – despite their cathartic argument, he was still very much DarkKnightmon's prisoner and at his mercy. He didn't know what would happen now, and he wasn't so confident as to think that he was in the clear.

"So… what happens now?" Alphamon frankly inquired.

DarkKnightmon frowned. His eyes drifted over to the crimson Twin Spear in his right hand, and he briefly considered its sharp tip…

"…I won't kill you," DarkKnightmon stiffly answered, readjusting the spear against his shoulder. "For the time being, at least."

Alphamon raised his brow quizzically, leering up at the towering knight with an uncertain expression. "Then… what do you intend to do?"

DarkKnightmon hesitated as he gazed down at his captured rival. For once, he didn't have a swift and pithy answer ready.

"I… do not know," he admitted, though he was loathe to admit that didn't have some grand plan ready. "I have yet to come to a decision."

Alphamon nodded calmly, intuiting DarkKnightmon's uncertainty. "…Given the change in circumstances, I do not feel as though I could bring you to see Yggdrasil at this juncture. It would be irresponsible of me to do so," he tentatively explained. "I do not know what your intentions might be, and I doubt that we would even be permitted access given your self-realisation."

At this, DarkKnightmon scoffed and shook his head dismissively. "I have no need to see Yggdrasil. I have no use for a so-called god like that any longer," he sharply maintained.

Alphamon frowned. "You swore fealty to Yggdrasil once. You were a Royal Knight… You know of Its existence and Its power, DarkKnightmon. You know that It is no mere trick," he reminded him. "What of Yggdrasil's blessing?"

"We were allowed to know only what Yggdrasil permitted us to know," DarkKnightmon contended, raising his hand and closing his fist. "And as for Yggdrasil's blessing… I have no need to acquire affirmation from Yggdrasil, for I already know for a fact that Yggdrasil's power runs through my veins. How else would I have had the power to defeat you? For all my cunning, strength, and determination, even I know that without Yggdrasil's blessing, I would not have had a chance against you, Alphamon."

Alphamon paused, thinking deeply. He didn't want to admit it, but DarkKnightmon had a point. DarkKnightmon wouldn't have been able to have quite the effect that he had against him were it not for Yggdrasil's blessing. "I suppose, but…" he mused, his brows furrowing as he thought about the implications.

"You remain unconvinced? Then answer me this quandary, Alphamon," DarkKnightmon challenged him. "Why do you think that Yggdrasil's power runs through my veins – my veins – even now? Even after I have died? Even after I directly turned against Yggdrasil itself?"

Alphamon frowned deeply, trying to push himself up on his elbow for a little bit of leverage. "…Your reformation was incomplete. You were even able to retain your memories. Perhaps it is the same occurrence as with Yggdrasil's blessing."

"Even if that is true and it is an error, are you suggesting that Yggdrasil is incapable of correcting such an error – of removing what it has already bestowed?" the dark knight probed deeper.

"Of course not," Alphamon was quick to insist.

"Why not?" DarkKnightmon countered. "The only alternative is that Yggdrasil permits be to retain my power. Is that alternative any easier to accept for you? Either Yggdrasil believes that my path is righteous and it allows me to do as I wish… or it disapproves, but cannot remove my power, which means that it is merely an amoral caretaker program as I suspect – an immensely powerful one to be sure, but one with limitations like the rest of us."

Alphamon grimaced as he looked up at DarkKnightmon. "That is… blasphemy, DarkKnightmon…" he warned him.

DarkKnightmon held his arms out and turned towards the distant World Tree. "Then Yggdrasil may smite me down!" he calmly offered with the utmost confidence. After a few moments of smiteless silence, DarkKnightmon chuckled and turned back to his prisoner. "Well, then… Either I am correct, or Yggdrasil is thicker-skinned than you would believe."

"DarkKnightmon," Alphamon calmly spoke. "I know Yggdrasil better than most. We are not taking orders from a mere program… Yggdrasil has always had a clear plan in mind."

"Come now, Alphamon. Yggdrasil being activist in nature does not preclude it from being a program. A program can still make decisions, be they short-term or long-term ones," DarkKnightmon reminded him, folding his arms. "I would have thought that you of all Digimon would have at least considered it. You are by far the most open-minded of the Royal Knights… at least of the ones that I knew. Are you attempting to convince me that a mind as inquisitive of yours has never asked questions, Alphamon?"

Alphamon winced silently. It felt as though even so much as entertaining DarkKnightmon's radical ideas was a dangerous blasphemy – or somehow a tacit approval of his extreme views. However… it was not as though he never wondered about Yggdrasil's true form. He wondered sometimes about its purpose and its goals. He knew that Network Security was a top priority… however, he could not easily forget that he had once been deemed a threat to Network Security. Perhaps that meant that Yggdrasil was indeed fallible?

"I believe that, for whatever reason, you continue to possess Yggdrasil's blessing," Alphamon noncommittally answered. "Let's leave it at that. Now, what do you plan to do, DarkKnightmon? For my part, I find myself in a bit of a bind."

DarkKnightmon's leered tightly down at the chained knight. His grip around the Twin Spear was firm, but not strained.

"I… cannot make that decision at this precise moment," DarkKnightmon answered, glancing away from Alphamon's pointed gaze. "I cannot make such a verdict with incomplete information…"

"What do you mean?"

DarkKnightmon sighed and stabbed his Twin Spear into the ground with mild frustration, but not necessarily aggression. He brought his hand up and rubbed his head, which was aching more than he would readily admit.

"…Although it is true that I have regained my past memories through DeadlyAxemon's incomplete reformatting, my knowledge only extends to what I can recall prior to my death," DarkKnightmon explained, not without a faint huff of embarrassment to his voice. "I have… limited knowledge of the worldly goings-on of the past three years. Therefore… I requi- …it would be beneficial for the both of us if you could inform me of the current state of the world."

Despite his situation, Alphamon couldn't help but smile a little at DarkKnightmon's uncharacteristic bashfulness. "Ah… I see," he answered with an amused airiness to his voice. "Yes, I suppose that you must rather be in the dark…"

DarkKnightmon folded his arms and glared with annoyance down at the Royal Knight. "Do not test my patience, Alphamon. You are in no position to tease me, and I am still in a rather stabby temperament," he warned him.

Alphamon smirked. "My apologies," he answered, though his smile began to even out as he grew serious again. "Very well, but I should warn you that you may find the truth displeasing."

"The truth usually is," DarkKnightmon stated. "Begin."

"Very well… though, I should start from the beginning," Alphamon replied. "Are you aware of the Demon Lords and the Heavenly War?"

"Yes, Alphamon, I am aware of the Demon Lords," DarkKnightmon answered with dry exasperation. "I may have been locked up for the Heavenly War, but I only spent the better part of fifty years warring with the Seven Great Demon Lords in the Dark Area. So, yes, I know all about them. There was once a point where I even believed that I wanted to join their laughable, ramshackle group."

Alphamon blinked with complete shock, and a cold shiver crept down his body at the idea. "…You? A Demon Lord? Now that is a truly frightening thought," he noted with a touch of humour despite his unease.

DarkKnightmon smiled wryly and shook his head. "Heh… I admit, it proved a tempting idea at the time. They were this powerful group of rebels who spat in the face of 'God'… And after all, if I was damned to being a villain, then I had might as well embrace my villainy and join the ranks of the worst of them…" he explained, his golden eyes as distant as the memory itself. "…However, after striving to be their peer for a time, I soon realised how vile and dysfunctional they really were. I realised these Demon Lords were the very Digimon who I had been working so hard to get rid of. Their vices… their selfishness, their cruelty, their apathy and megalomania… It was monsters like them who I had strived to exterminate from the Digital World. Villains like them were the reason why I turned against the Order. I could not very well become one of them without becoming a complete hypocrite. So, until my eventual escape from the Dark Area, I ended up fighting them, sparing pragmatic alliances with some against the others, here and there."

Alphamon sighed and smiled with a little bit of relief. The idea of DarkKnightmon being one of the Demon Lords was a little too much for him to bear… although he wondered if that other piece of information would have an effect on him. "I see… Well, if nothing else, I am grateful for that."

"Tch. Are you so surprised? I may be without honour, but I do have principles," DarkKnightmon asserted. "Now then, Alphamon, why are you asking me about the Demon Lords?"

Alphamon nodded. "Well… to cut a very long story short, during a battle between us and an aggressive Metal Empire, the barrier of the Dark Area was critically corroded. In the ensuing instability, the Demon Lords were able to be freed from the Dark Area."

"…What?" DarkKnightmon demanded incredulously, taken almost at a loss for words. "The Demon Lords have escaped? All seven of them? But that cannot be… They were locked in levels even deeper than I. The internal levels of Purgatory had corroded to the point of irrelevance, yes, but they fought over the war-torn depths of Cocytus that connects the centers of the Dark Areas… there, where no light is able to reach… you mean to tell me that you let them escape?!"

"It… is not quite so simple," Alphamon explained.

"It is simply a catastrophe, Alphamon," DarkKnightmon sarcastically answered, kneading his temples with frustration. "So, had I merely waited for another three years, I would have been able to escape the Dark Area alongside them and have fared much better?"

"Well… in theory, yes, but in reality, I do not believe that that is true," Alphamon answered, leering up at the black knight. "Bluntly speaking, if you and Dorbickmon had not conspired to corrode the Dark Area's barrier so that you could escape, dark rifts would not have opened up everywhere. It was because the barrier was so corroded that it was susceptible to further degradation, which allowed for rifts big enough to fit the Demon Lords' data size. This is the culmination of a chain of events than began four years ago. …I don't know if that is any consolation."

DarkKnightmon's cold, yellow eyes tightened bitterly. His hand slid up from his brows and began rubbing his sore, helmeted cranium. "…Is it any consolation knowing that my actions resulted in the Seven Great Demon Lords escaping from the Dark Area?" he dourly questioned. "No, Alphamon, it is not…"

Alphamon eyed DarkKnightmon aloofly. Although it was hard to feel too bad for him, he knew there was more to it than that. "…As much as I would like to say that all of the blame rests at your feet, that is not entirely true," Alphamon explained with a sigh. "For our part, we Royal Knights became complacent, and we did not adequately keep the Dark Area's state of security under inspection."

"However…" Alphamon looked at DarkKnightmon in the eyes, his expression gravely serious. "There is one more factor that you should know about – one massive influence that the Demon Lords absolutely could not have escaped without…"

DarkKnightmon frowned, quizzically arching his eyebrow at Alphamon's mysterious words. "And what is that?" he asked.

Alphamon's stare was unwavering. He wasn't sure how DarkKnightmon would take this information, but he had to tell him.

"DarkKnightmon…" Alphamon began, his voice weighty and momentous, "the one who masterminded the war with the Metal Empire, the one who wanted to erode the Dark Area's barrier… and the one directly responsible for the Demon Lords' escape… was Bagramon."

For a moment, DarkKnightmon didn't react. He blinked, staring at Alphamon with confusion. And then, the weight of Alphamon's words sunk in… His eyes widened with horror for the briefest of moments before hardening with cold and cynical realisation.

"What…? My brother…?!" he demanded, his grip tightening around the hilt of the Twin Spear. "But… Do you lie to me, Alphamon?"

Alphamon shook his head grimly. "I really wish I was... I speak the truth, DarkKnightmon. I have come face to face with him, and he admitted that he was behind everything. Ever since releasing them, he has been working hand-in-hand with the Demon Lords."

DarkKnightmon's eyes narrowed as tightly as his clenched fingers. "But that's… Why? The Demon Lords had told me that Bagramon had participated in their rebellion, yes, but… you mean to tell me that he is the one who broke them out of the Dark Area? But why?! For what purpose?"

Alphamon closed his eyes with serene contemplation. "…I have been pondering that for awhile now, but I think I know the answer. He wants to use them to fulfill his goals… He wants to destroy God to correct the injustice that he perceives."

DarkKnightmon took a step forwards towards Alphamon. "'God'? But there is no God. There is only Yggdrasil. Is God not some deluded fantasy created by Seraphimon and his ilk?" he demanded.

"I…" Alphamon paused and opened his eyes, frowning deeply. "…I am no longer so sure…" he admitted. "Bagramon seems to believe that there is not merely a God or Yggdrasil or Huanglongmon… Rather, he believes that all three of them co-exist… and he believes it quite strongly."

"What…?" DarkKnightmon incredulously wondered. "He believes in Tritheism…? That not only God exists, but Yggdrasil and Huanglongmon alongside it? But… that is inconceivable. He was certain that there was none other than God…"

"Digimon can change, DarkKnightmon…" Alphamon reminded him. "Beliefs and perceptions can change, as you well know…"

DarkKnightmon frowned as he gazed down at the black knight. "…And you? What do you believe with that open mind of yours, Alphamon?"

"I believe that Yggdrasil is the creator of the Digital World…" Alphamon responded meditatively. "However… I cannot rule out the existence of Huanglongmon and 'God' any longer. The Four Holy Beasts and Devas are adamant about Huanglongmon's existence, and I have always believed there is truth to what they say. As for this 'God'… something happened for the Three Great Angels to change their beliefs so suddenly. Could there be a God who exists separately but also alongside Yggdrasil? …I believe it is a very serious possibility now."

DarkKnightmon brought his hand to his head and rubbed his aching head. "To hear that from you of all people is…" he trailed off, grimacing with pain and confusion. "But… if that is true… how could there be two – three? – programs…? I… do not know…"

"At this present moment, I am rather unable to debate theological philosophy with you, DarkKnightmon," Alphamon dryly stated, glancing down at the chains that still bound his body. "All that I can tell you is that Bagramon and the Demon Lords have not only successfully established themselves on the Digital World, but they are aggressively making gains."

"Tell me, Alphamon!" DarkKnightmon urged him passionately. "What are they doing?"

Alphamon, despite his bound arms and legs, managed to lift his upper body up so that he was in a sitting position.

"First, the Demon Lords tried and failed to capture New Terminal. Since then, they have consolidated their power in the Gloaming Fields and have advanced south to capture Shroud and Saversberg. Right now, they are heading for the Neutral Zone… their destination: the Hall of Yggdrasil."

"You don't mean… they plan to invade the Kernel?" DarkKnightmon questioned.

"Yes… The fact that they conquered the Arcane Ruins and infiltrated the Archives seems to suggest exactly that," Alphamon explained, eyeing DarkKnightmon carefully. "Bagramon likely wishes to destroy God, and I doubt that Yggdrasil is safe either. I cannot attest to the other Demon Lords' motivations, but I hypothesize that revenge and power is among them. If they are able to succeed in their goals, the entire Digital World will be thrown into chaos. It may even be the end of the Third Cycle as we know it… or even the Digital World itself, in the worst case scenario."

"I cannot deny that…" DarkKnightmon considered with a weighty frown. "I have no love for Yggdrasil any longer, but… if the Demon Lords are able to control or destroy it… the outcome would be nothing short of a catastrophe…"

DarkKnightmon's hands tightened into trembling fists as he thought about the consequences. "…Bagramon… what are you thinking…?" he murmured, more to himself than anybody else.

Alphamon leered at DarkKnightmon steadily. "DarkKnightmon… I need to know. What will you do? …Are you planning to join them? Or will you help stop them?" he firmly inquired.

DarkKnightmon was silent. He closed his eyes, deep in thought as he reflected on Alphamon's words. Now that he was himself again, he found himself at a crossroads – one that he had to navigate on his own. He had to make a decision… What was it that he wanted now?

Alphamon watched DarkKnightmon quietly. He felt unease in the pit of his stomach. There was a part of him that regretted telling DarkKnightmon everything, but he felt that, now that they were speaking honestly with each other, he had the right to know. He had to find out eventually, and Alphamon felt as though he shouldn't keep the truth a secret from him. He just hoped that it wouldn't backfire. He knew that DarkKnightmon was the type of Digimon to never waste an opportunity…

After a few tense moments, DarkKnightmon's eyes snapped open, and he glared down at Alphamon with resolve.

"…However much I might have aspired to be like the Demon Lords in the past… now, they are mere enemies who present an immediate threat to the Digital World. They must be stopped… at all costs," DarkKnightmon decided, his golden eyes flaring passionately. "And I will see to it that they are."

Alphamon sighed, mostly with relief, but not without a little bit of remaining apprehension. "…Then we are in agreement," he responded.

"For once, I suppose we are," DarkKnightmon concurred, leering down at Alphamon with a wry expression. "However… things are not so simple as you and I marching arm-in-arm to fight the Demon Lords, now are they?"

Alphamon glanced up at DarkKnightmon with his own pragmatic smile. "No… they aren't," he agreed. "For one matter, there was already enough doubt and suspicion about you as an amnesiac SkullKnightmon. Now that you are the old you again, the other Royal Knights will not easily trust you, and with good cause." Alphamon's smile faded and he eyed DarkKnightmon seriously. "I am not yet sure if I can even trust you…"

"Hmph. There is some hope for you yet, then, Alphamon," DarkKnightmon scoffed cynically. "I have no illusions about how the other Royal Knights view me. For all of you, I have been the cause of everything that went wrong, am I not? Judging from your reactions, I am a wraith that haunts the Order's nightmares. Frankly, I would be disappointed in you if you trusted me."

"Well, I would hate to be a disappointment," Alphamon dryly replied. "You did nearly destroy our Order twice over."

DarkKnightmon folded his arms. "Furthermore, even if they were to trust me, I have no desire to return to the Order, nor do I wish to work alongside any of you. Such notions are the things of fanciful dreams…" he tersely explained.

Alphamon nodded a little. "We have a common enemy, a common goal, but we cannot trust each other and working together is not an option… However… this is a start," he observed. "So… where does that leave us, DarkKnightmon?"

"Hmph…" DarkKnightmon mused, frowning as he thought about their predicament. He realised it did leave them at something of an impasse.

After a few moments, DarkKnightmon turned, looking off into the forest pensively. "I cannot work with you, but Bagramon is my problem…"

"He is more than just your problem. Now, he is everyone's problem," Alphamon asserted. "We will continue to fight him as well as the Demon Lords."

DarkKnightmon narrowed his eyes bitterly. "…Then…" he began, gripping his spear tightly. "…I will reform this world in my own way… beginning with my own brother. You all just stay out of my way."

Alphamon gazed at DarkKnightmon resolutely. "I cannot allow you to do as you please," he told him.

"I could say the same about you, Aloof Hermit," DarkKnightmon swiftly riposted, turning back to him. "However… for the time being…"

Alphamon eyed him guardedly, but awaited his suggestion.

"…Until Bagramon and the Demon Lords are dealt with… I suggest a temporary truce between us," DarkKnightmon proposed, eyeing Alphamon with a pragmatic gaze.

"A truce…" Alphamon spoke, mulling over the idea carefully.

"You and I both have more pressing matters at hand, rather than waste time and energy focusing on fighting each other," the black knight stated. "We have 'bigger fish to fry', to borrow a low-class adage."

"Yes… I suppose you make a compelling argument," Alphamon agreed, his chains rattling as he sat up straighter. "I can agree to that."

"Shall we shake on it, then?" DarkKnightmon teased him.

Alphamon smiled dryly, flexing his chained wrists. "Would were I able…" he replied.

The black Royal Knight glanced down at the chains binding his body and then looked back up at DarkKnightmon pointedly.

"Now… I am getting rather stiff like this. Do you think you could be so kind as to free me now?" he wryly wondered.

DarkKnightmon paused, debating the idea in his mind. His grip remained firm around the Twin Spear and he hesitated.

"…You could attack me the moment that you're free," DarkKnightmon posited. "It would be foolish for me to let my guard down."

Alphamon arched his brow. "Your cynicism is understandable, but, really now. You know me better than that, DarkKnightmon…" he assured him.

DarkKnightmon frowned sceptically, eyeing the chains binding his rival. It was true that he knew that Alphamon was one to honour his word, however, he was not blind to the extenuating circumstances that they found themselves in. He couldn't rule out the possibility that Alphamon would use this chance to eliminate an unwanted threat once and for all. That's what he might have done. However… he knew that Alphamon wasn't so cynical.

Alphamon matched eyes with DarkKnightmon, staring at him persuasively. "…Consider this our first exercise in trust…" he suggested. "After all, what better place to begin a truce than the Neutral Zone?"

DarkKnightmon frowned deeply with deliberation. Then, after a few more moments, DarkKnightmon gripped the Twin Spear and stalked around Alphamon.

Alphamon glanced over his shoulder, watching DarkKnightmon's movements with slight unease. His chained hands closed tightly.

Once DarkKnightmon was standing behind him, he raised his spear over Alphamon's head.

Alphamon saw the moonlight glint off the moving metal, and his restrained limbs tightened. Then, he heard a sudden whoosh behind him, followed by a deep, earthy impact.

DarkKnightmon stabbed the Twin Spear into the ground and he reached into his cape. Then, he pulled out the key to the chrome digizoid lock and knelt down behind Alphamon, off to the side slightly.

"As much as I enjoy having you as my prisoner…" DarkKnightmon mused, smirking darkly.

He placed the key into the lock and unlatched the sealing device from the chains around Alphamon's wings and back. The lock fell to the ground and DarkKnightmon began unwrapping the chrome digizoid restraints from around Alphamon's wrists, arms and upper body.

Alphamon exhaled as the tight pressure was alleviated from his arms and he was able to slip them out to begin pulling the chains off. As the chains clattered around him, Alphamon began loosening the chains from around his legs, freeing them.

DarkKnightmon drew his Twin Spear from the ground, stepping back and watching cautiously as Alphamon removed the last of the metal bindings from his body.

Alphamon casually pulled himself to his feet and stretched his stiff arms and wings, trying to shake the feeling back into them. "Thank you," he replied, turning to face DarkKnightmon.

DarkKnightmon relaxed slightly upon seeing that Alphamon didn't seem to intend on attacking him. "Don't thank me," he responded.

He tossed the key to Alphamon, who caught it in his hand. DarkKnightmon looked at Alphamon meaningfully, his sharp, yellow eyes gleaming passionately.

"Let's go fight my brother…" he stated with dark resolve.

Alphamon nodded with his own steadfast determination. "Yes… Let's," he agreed.

The moons hung directly over them, casting moonlight through the branches and onto their bodies. Their capes fluttered in the night breeze as the tentative silence of an uneasy peace lingered between them. Although they were not so trusting as to be able to shake hands, what did exist between them was an understanding: a kernel of cooperation.

"…So…" Alphamon began. "What will you do now?"

DarkKnightmon shouldered his spear and turned his head away, looking out into the dark forest.

"…I do not yet know," he admitted. "Up until this point, I have not had the privilege of planning, and I know you won't tell me any more than you have already."

Alphamon sighed and walked over to one of the satchels that rested below a tree. He picked the bag up and reached inside, procuring from it a small pouch.

"Then you should take this," Alphamon said, turning around and tossing the pouch to him.

DarkKnightmon caught the small pouch on instinct. Upon doing so, he heard the jangle of metal coming from inside. He looked at Alphamon questioningly.

"It is my travel money," Alphamon explained. "There should be enough bits in there for you to afford board and lodgings for a few days – enough for you to find your feet."

DarkKnightmon's eyes narrowed angrily, regarding the idea with disdain. "…I have no desire for your charity," he bitterly responded, preparing to throw it back.

"Keep it. Even you need to eat. And I would rather you take that than to have to resort to robbery," Alphamon swiftly retorted, folding his arms to make it clear that he had no intention of taking it back. "Be pragmatic. If anybody can do that, it's you."

After a few, reluctant seconds, DarkKnightmon scoffed and pocketed the coin purse. "Tch… Very well," he conceded. "I shall return to New Terminal for the night. After that… I shall travel north. I have some things that I must attend to. Things that I must see for myself."

Alphamon eyed DarkKnightmon warily, wondering what he meant by those cryptic words, though he had an idea. "Very well… But take care. The road north will be dangerous with the Demon Lords advancing south."

DarkKnightmon released a cross between a scoff and a laugh. "Are you worried about me, Alphamon?" he incredulously asked.

Alphamon smiled a bit. "I merely think it would be a waste for you to die so soon after all this…"

"Hmph. You are the one who needs to look out, Lord of the Empty Seat," DarkKnightmon advised him. "Do not be so focused on the blades in front of you that you ignore the ones pointed at your back."

"I appreciate the advice," Alphamon dryly responded. "I will take heed, but I am unconcerned about the Royal Knights."

"I do not simply mean the Royal Knights," DarkKnightmon explained, his eyes glinting in the moonlight as he readjusted his spear. "…What will you do now?"

Alphamon smiled weakly. "I will return to the castle with a considerable amount of egg on my face," he replied with resigned humour. "I expect to hear 'I told you so' from several quarters."

"Hmph. I take it this little expedition had considerable opposition, then."

"A healthy amount of suspicion and worry, I should say," Alphamon responded, sheepishly scratching his cheek. "Despite the fact that we have come to an agreement, they were ultimately proven right. I suppose I will just have to take this one on the chin."

DarkKnightmon chuckled a little. "Hmph. Indeed they were. You were a fool to trust me," he teased him.

"As long as it is only 'were'," Alphamon replied with a smile.

DarkKnightmon grunted behind his visor, eyeing Alphamon from the side, waiting for him to make the first move.

Alphamon, sensing his apprehension about turning his back to him, picked up the chains strewn on the ground around them and packed them into the satchel. "Well, then… Shall we both leave at the same time?" he diplomatically suggested.

"…That is acceptable," DarkKnightmon tentatively agreed.

Alphamon nodded, shouldering the bag. "You go on ahead, then… I must speak to Valdurmon and the Stags to make my apologies. Accessing Yggdrasil will no longer be necessary, and they will not take kindly to finding out that I have inadvertently returned the one who burnt the World Tree."

"Indeed," DarkKnightmon scoffed. He readjusted the Twin Spear and began walking in Alphamon's direction, southwards.

"DarkKnightmon," Alphamon suddenly spoke, eyeing him warily. "…What is to stop you from simple going to attack the World Tree again?"

DarkKnightmon stopped for a moment. "…'An exercise in trust', isn't it?" he slyly responded. "Circumstances have changed… I have no interest in doing the Demon Lord's work for them. Whatever my feelings about Yggdrasil, they are far too dangerous to aid right now. If you do not believe me, then you have proven me a fool for releasing you."

After a moment, Alphamon sighed and slackened, shaking his head. "We will just have to trust each other then…" he decided.

"A novel concept," DarkKnightmon lightly replied, continuing to walk forwards.

Alphamon watched as DarkKnightmon approached him, uneasily waiting for him to pass by as he grew near.

DarkKnightmon stopped right beside him, eyeing the Royal Knight right next to him. "Well then, Alphamon," he dark knight began.

DarkKnightmon leaned in just slightly, so that he was close to his ear. His eyes flickered with rivalry.

"…Until our paths cross again," he ominously told him.

With that, DarkKnightmon strode past him, his black and blue cape flowing vigorously in the dark in front of Alphamon.

Alphamon waited, listening as he heard DarkKnightmon's steps getting further and further away. The bold, unflinching footsteps, snapping any twigs or plants that got in their way, continued to grow further and weaker.

Soon, Alphamon could no longer hear them, and he was left alone.

After a few moments, Alphamon let out a sigh, his shoulders slackening tiredly. He closed his eyes, standing by himself in the moonlit darkness.

"Yes…" Alphamon spoke, opening his eyes after a few moments of thought.

He tilted his head up, gazing up at the night sky, his eyes resting on the dual moons that shimmered in contrast to each other, distant beacons in the surrounding darkness. As he gazed up wistfully, he watched as one of the moons became obscured by a wispy cloud, leaving only a silhouette of its light.

"…Until our paths cross again…"