(Author's Notes: Hey, all! Sorry for the longer-than-usual delay. I had a bit of a slow time writing the next one and then I had family visiting, so it's taken longer than I would have liked. I can't promise there won't be a bit of a delay with the next chapter too since it's going to be a rather critical one, but I hope it won't be as long as it took the previous one.
It was also the 11th anniversary of ADiSA in March, so, yeah, I've been at this a long time, huh? Heh. Anyways, here's Chapter 81. I hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think!)
Chapter 81: Divided Loyalties
The day turned into afternoon over Castle Avalion.
The sky was grey with clouds that stretched as far as the eye could see. In the far distance, the pallid billows turned into a tumultuous dark grey, like that of threatening storm clouds. The spring air was damp and crisp, and the only glimmer of sunlight was filtered through the thick veil overhead.
Everybody was on edge after it was announced several hours prior that Leviamon was on his way towards the castle. Non-combat staff had all been evacuated from the castle. The Royal Knights and the guards made their final preparations for what had the potential to be a devastating attack.
Nobody knew how Leviamon would react to capture of Dark Point or to the cooling of relations with the Royal Knights. He might leave quietly… or he might lose it completely and start tearing chunks out of the castle. The Royal Knights hoped that he would simply leave without a fuss.
None of them wanted to have to deal with Leviamon right now… he was a problem that they hoped they could kick far down the road and into the future. Right now, they needed to focus on the bulk of the Demon Lords' army – Leviamon was an unwanted distraction and a temperamental wildcard. They didn't want to weaken themselves fighting him, and they wanted to mitigate whatever chaos he might bring to the table. They quietly hoped that the Leviamon situation would merely resolve itself with time.
With that wishful hope amidst a thick cloud of uncertainty, the Royal Knights made whatever last minute preparations they could while awaiting his arrival.
One Royal Knight was already long-since prepared, so much so that he found himself with plenty of free time on his hands.
Examon walked down a castle corridor with a deep and pensive frown etched on his face. He made his way down a hallway on the third floor of the citadel.
He didn't want to waste any time simply sitting around and waiting for Leviamon to arrive. He wanted to address a problem that had been plaguing his mind for some time now. Now, with the threat of Leviamon's impending arrival already flowing through him, Examon was feeling brave enough to confront his other fear. It was something that he knew he had to do eventually, anyways. Although the timing may be a bit odd, Examon was worried that if he didn't try to address it now, then he would keep procrastinating until it affected his combat abilities. Now was as good of a time as ever, and he wanted to get it out of the way.
Examon drew a long, calming breath and steeled himself. He came to a stop halfway down the hallway and turned to the right. He found himself at eye level with the upper frame of a large door.
Examon stood outside Alphamon's office.
He had been told that Alphamon was inside, making a few last minute preparations. The door in front of him stood imposing and ominous. He could not smell the usual noxious fumes of coffee coming from inside… Examon was unsure whether he should be relieved or worried. For as warm and objective as Alphamon was, he was unsure how he would react to what he had to say…
Examon raised his hand, hesitating for a few moments, before mustering that last bit of courage. He knocked on the door loudly and firmly.
"You may enter," said a familiar voice. However, gone was the gentle playfulness and sophisticated ease of Alphamon's typical voice. Instead, his voice sounded a little stiff.
Examon, not one to pick up on subtleties, placed his hand on the knob and pushed the door open. "Alphamon?" he tentatively spoke. "It's Examon. Do you have a few moments?"
Alphamon, rather than being comfortably seated in his chair, stood over his desk. The desk was completely covered with maps and documents, and his hands were firmly planted on the cluttered surface. The black knight had a deep, pensive frown on his face as he gazed down at a map half-covered with freshly inked diplomatic documents. His comportment was stiff and ill-at-ease.
The Aloof Hermit looked up from his documents as soon as he saw Examon awkwardly duck under the door frame. He watched as Examon attempted to bend and fold his wings as much as possible, not wanting to obstruct the hallway nor knock anything in the office over.
"Examon… This isn't really the best time," Alphamon told him, trying his best to sound calm while getting his point across. "Leviamon will be here any minute. Can it wait?"
Examon frowned and rubbed his neck uncomfortably. While he knew he was asking a lot, he was extremely reluctant to procrastinate the issue any longer. He had already set his mind to it and he needed to see it through. He had to get it off of his chest, especially if there was a chance that he would be facing Leviamon.
"Please, Alphamon. I'll make it quick," Examon urged him.
Alphamon stared at Examon and noticed his ardent and serious expression. The Aloof Hermit sighed conciliatorily. "Alright. As long as it is quick."
"Thank you," Examon answered. He tentatively stepped forward and stood on the other side of Alphamon's desk.
Alphamon offered him a slight smile. "Well, Examon, what can I do for you?"
Examon paused for a moment, formulating the words in his head. "…I… have something that I need to disclose to you," the dragon knight admitted.
Alphamon's head tilted imperceptibly. "Oh?" he asked with curiosity, his brow rising. "You do?"
Examon sucked in and stood up straight, his muscles tensing slightly. "Yes…" he confirmed, trying not to appear nervous or as though he had anything to hide. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you as soon as I got back, but I didn't really have the time given how hectic everything has been since then."
"I can understand that. Go on…" Alphamon lightly urged him.
Examon nodded a little, subconsciously clasping one hand with the other and ducking his head a little. "Well… the truth is… while we were meeting with the Four Great Dragons, after we were finished, they asked me to speak with them alone."
Alphamon frowned slightly. Examon's words struck him as curious – this ran contrary to what Dukemon had said before, and Examon had made no move to correct him. "Oh?" he evenly questioned, allowing Examon to continue before making judgements.
Examon's wings tensed nervously. He never was very good with words. He knew what he wanted to say, but getting it out seemed difficult. "Er, yes… Um… Sorry for not disclosing this, because it's going to seem like a rather critical thing to keep secret, but I haven't really been able to wrap my head around it, having been so preoccupied with the mission to the Arcane Ruins…"
"Please, Examon, just tell me," Alphamon urged him with a slight bit of impatience. "Whatever it is, I won't be cross. I just need to know. Was it to do with their plans to attack Dark Point?"
"No… No, I didn't know about that," Examon responded, squeezing his hand as his emerald eyes drifted to Alphamon's desk. "What the Four Great Dragons wanted to ask me… was if I would consider coming back to them as the Dragon Emperor…"
Alphamon stared at Examon for a surprised few moments. As he processed the information, he gazed at the large dragon, subconsciously noting his nervous comportment.
Then, after a few seconds, Alphamon's demeanour subtly changed. He frowned, not with anger, but with realization. He stood firm, eyeing Examon acutely.
"…I see," Alphamon answered, his voice a little crisp. "…What is it that you would like to ask me, Examon? I take it from your demeanour that you did not flat-out refuse the offer…"
Examon winced and forced himself to look up at Alphamon's perceptive gaze. "Well… that's what I was hoping to talk to you about…" he stated apprehensively. "Obviously I have no wish to leave the Royal Knights or anything like that…"
"However…?"
"However…" Examon continued. "I was wondering if you might permit me to go to the UDC on a temporary basis… as a military attaché," he was keen to explain. "I could guide the Dramon… and make sure they are headed down the right path. I wouldn't become the Dragon Emperor permanently; it would just be until I'm sure that they can stand on their own two feet. Also, pragmatically, wouldn't that be the best way to avoid another miscommunication such as what happened with Dark Point? Having a Royal Knight there to watch over them would surely be a good thing, wouldn't it?"
For a few moments, Alphamon's hard eyes softened sympathetically as he listened to Examon's passionate proposal. He listened carefully, giving Examon that much respect. Then, when the dragon was finished, the Royal Knights' leader looked at Examon with no uncertainty in his sharp eyes.
"…I'm sorry, Examon, but my answer is no," Alphamon firmly stated.
Examon blinked, unable to help but feel a little taken aback. "But Alphamon…" he lightly protested, before frowning. "Sorry, I'm not sure if I was clear. Let me explain my plan again," he stubbornly pleaded.
"No, that isn't necessary, Examon. I understand what you are proposing, and I can tell that you have thought carefully about this," Alphamon assured him, wanting to be completely clear before he could get started. "Regardless, I cannot approve it…"
Examon grimaced softly with confusion. He had thought so hard about it. He thought he had covered all of his bases. This felt like the perfect compromise – and he had been certain that Alphamon would be agreeable to such a compromise.
"But… why not?" he asked.
"To rejoin the United Dramonic Coalition and become the Dragon Emperor… it is a conflict of interest, Examon," Alphamon explained, his voice as calm as a lake, but as firm as bedrock.
Examon frowned. "It doesn't have to be… You know that I am loyal to the Royal Knights, don't you?" he asked, sounding a little aggrieved.
"Yes, Examon, but what the Four Great Dragons offered you was a military position, was it not?" Alphamon questioned. "That is what the Dragon Emperor is, correct? The military defender of the UDC?"
"It is just a formal title. What they offered me was a generalship. It's different from what I was before," Examon insisted.
"Yes. I would argue that it is even more formal… You would not merely be acting alone, you would be leading armies," Alphamon calmly contended. "You cannot lead two separate armies."
"What I am proposing isn't the same thing as what I do for the Royal Knights," the dragon tried to explain.
Alphamon changed tact as he saw Examon's reluctance."Let me propose this hypothetical to you... What happens if the United Dramonic Coalition's aggression continues and we are forced to take up arms against them for the sake of Network Security? And before you say that you wouldn't let things get that far, that is much easier said than done. It is very easy to become swept up in the currents, especially with one such as Megidramon directing the course." Alphamon gazed up at the large dragon seriously. "Where would that leave you, Examon? You would have to pick a side…"
Examon grimaced and faltered. He could not exactly refute Alphamon's logic. "That's…"
Alphamon sighed. "I know that you are worried about your home, Examon. It is only natural… I was worried about New Terminal when it came under attack, and I desperately wanted to protect it," he evenly explained.
"However…" Alphamon continued, "as a Royal Knight, it is our duty to cast aside our personal connections to our homes so that we can serve a higher purpose: that is, Yggdrasil and Network Security. Although I care deeply about New Terminal and the Republic, I could never serve in the Council of Seven and still remain a Royal Knight. I cannot have that political baggage clouding my vision. It is the same for the other Royal Knights, whether it is Duftmon and Saversburg or Sleipmon and the Arcane Ruins. I know that it is our fault for the informal way that we hired you, Examon. I know that Dukemon made you a promise that he shouldn't have so that you would join. However, to be a Royal Knight is to be unrestrained by temporal bonds. We must do what is necessary when the Digital World is at stake, even at great personal cost..."
The corners of Examon's mouth tightened. "…Even though the UDC is our ally? You speak as though they are already our enemies…"
"Allegiances can change," Alphamon bluntly warned him. "Even when we believe it to be impossible… Especially so in that case."
Examon frowned deeply and bows his head, staring down at the floor in a whirlwind of thoughts.
Alphamon gazed at the frustrated knight steadily. "…I'm sorry, Examon. I do not mean to seem so cold-hearted, but I must be unambiguous," he informed him, walking around the desk until he was standing right in front of the taller knight.
"If you are to be a Royal Knight, I need you to be fully committed. You can either be Examon the Royal Knight… or Examon the Dragon Emperor. However, you cannot be both."
Examon's brows tightened further as he was presented with the clear, binary choice that he hoped he could avoid. His wishful alternative had been struck down, and now he was back to where he started.
Alphamon smiled a little at Examon. "For what it's worth, Examon, I would hate to lose you. All of the Royal Knights would," he assured him. "To be frank, we need your strength here, especially right now."
"However… I will not force you to stay if you feel you would rather return to the UDC as the Dragon Emperor. I have no desire to pressure you or make you act against your conscience. Only you can make that decision, Examon. Only you can settle what is most important in your heart. Only you can decide how much your oath is worth. If you decide that your loyalty to your home is worth more than your commitment to us, then I will understand. Admittedly, I will be saddened and disappointed, but I will understand."
Examon looked away, unable to help but feel guilty because of Alphamon's words. "…This isn't an easy decision…" he explained. "I do not take my oath lightly… yet, I cannot help but worry about my home."
"I know, Examon. It is a hard decision…" Alphamon answered, "but it is one that you must make. With the crisis as dire as it is now, each one of us must begin to make difficult decisions… What are we willing to do and what are we not? How far will we go for the safety of the Digital World? What lines must we cross? Should we compromise who we are? I fear there will be no conveniently easy answers…"
Examon nodded weakly, before making himself look back up at Alphamon. "…Can I think about it?"
Alphamon closed his eyes but nodded a little. "If you feel that you must…" he answered with resigned reluctance, "but know that we leave for the front the day after tomorrow. I would advise that you make a decision in your mind before we go into battle. I do not want you on the battlefield with such a weight on your shoulders. You cannot afford to be distracted."
"I understand, Alphamon…" Examon answered. "I will think long and hard about it before then…"
"Good…" Alphamon responded, giving Examon a slight nod. "Perhaps, after this Leviamon situation is dealt with, we can talk about this more. However, I would advise against telling the other Royal Knights, at least for right now… I don't want there to be any disunity ahead of the next battle, if at all possible."
Examon frowned uncertainly, but nodded pragmatically. "Yes, I can understand that…" he replied. He understood the reasoning, but there was at least one other Digimon that he had wanted to talk to…
Alphamon paused for a moment. "Though… do either Dukemon or Craniamon already know?" he wondered. "Dukemon made an odd comment about you not speaking to the Four Great Dragons on your own."
Examon rubbed his arm uneasily. It was true that Dukemon lied for him, and he worried that he had gotten his friend into trouble by unintentionally contradicting him. "…No, neither Dukemon or Craniamon know what the Four Great Dragons asked of me, only that I spoke to them alone. I… think that Dukemon was just trying to stick up for me when Duftmon was suspicious of me. He didn't mean anything by it."
After a moment, Alphamon nodded and smiled a little. "Yes, that sounds like him. Dukemon isn't one to be surreptitious," he replied. "I was merely curious."
Examon nodded. "His heart is always in the right place," he confirmed. "I knew he fought for our interests when Megidramon asked to speak with him in private. That's probably what swung the Four Great Dragons in our favour."
Alphamon blinked with shock at this unexpected revelation. Megidramon spoke to Dukemon in private? Dukemon hadn't mentioned that – not when they reported on their trip to Dragon's Peak, nor when Alphamon and Omegamon spoke to Dukemon alone... Dukemon had hidden that from them? But why?
Before Alphamon could press the issue any more, the two Royal Knights heard a pawing at Alphamon's door. They both turned to see the door tentatively open, a white and blue snout peeking into the doorframe.
Garurumon poked his head in. "Sir Alphamon? Sorry to interrupt, but…" the lupine messenger began.
"Yes, Garurumon?" Alphamon asked, walking around Examon.
"…Leviamon is now in full view of the castle, Sir," Garurumon spoke, his voice tense and serious. "He should be here within fifteen minutes."
Alphamon frowned and turned to Examon. "Understood. It's time for us to get into position."
Examon nodded without hesitation. "I'll be in place in no less than two minutes," he assured him.
"I will meet with Duftmon and ensure that everyone is where they should be," Alphamon answered. He placed a hand on Examon's spiked shoulder. "Good luck."
Examon nodded and took off past Alphamon and Garurumon.
For whatever doubts and uncertainty that he had, he pushed them to the back of his mind for now.
Right now, he had a job to do…
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Dukemon stood alone, underneath the dark grey sky.
The earth beneath his feet rumbled seismically every five seconds.
The Crimson Knight was positioned in the grassy field in front of Castle Avalion, about half of a kilometer from the walls. He stood at the ready, his Gram lance and Aegis shield in each hand. Apart from the intense, intermittent vibrations, the only sound he heard was the flapping of his red cape. Everything else was silent.
Behind him, the Royal Knights were positioned on the walls and towers, ready to step in at a moment's notice. Dukemon trusted them to have his back.
However, Dukemon's attention wasn't on them at the moment, but what was in front of him. He watched as a familiar, red leviathan stomped across the grassy landscape, with enough force to cause the ground to shudder beneath him.
Leviamon stalked across the landscape like a menacing titan. His massive feet stamped into the grass, his clawed toes digging into the earth with enough strength to move the soil like sand. Every step sent shockwaves through the earth, causing the water of the moat to ripple. His gigantic, razor-sharp teeth were on display in a fearsome scowl that was stretched across his snout. The sun reflected in his furious, frustrated yellow eyes, which glared directly at Dukemon, as well as the castle behind him.
Dukemon watched with a calm and resolved exterior as Leviamon angrily grunted out coloured smoke and stomped towards him on what appeared to be a warpath. Despite his cool and collected appearance, Dukemon's heart was full of worry and unease.
Dukemon was determined to be the one to face Leviamon. He felt guilty… he still had some qualms about whether this was the right thing to do. However, he reminded himself that he had to trust his friends and Yggdrasil, and that helped him to fuel his resolve. His belief in them was the determination that he needed to push through this unpleasant task. And, if it was him, he could at least give Leviamon that one last chance…
Even so… Leviamon was temperamental… unpredictable… He wasn't sure what he would say or do… Dukemon had to be prepared for the worst.
Dukemon gently clutched the interior grips of the Gram and Aegis. He couldn't help but glance over his shoulder to check that the Royal Knights were still behind him.
The first Digimon that he saw was the bright, white armour of Omegamon standing on one of the parapets. The sight of him began to calm his anxious heart. At various points along the wall, he saw the other Royal Knights: Duftmon, Craniamon, Sleipmon, Gankoomon, Jesmon… He spotted Examon on one of the towers, as well as Magnamon. He knew that Alphamon was there as well.
Finally, his eyes rested on Grani, who flew forwards from the wall, stopping halfway between Dukemon and the Royal Knights. Grani nodded calmly and steadfastly, wordlessly telling Dukemon that he would be there for him in an instant, as his loyal friend and Zero ARMS.
Dukemon smiled with gentle relief and nodded back at him. He turned back forwards with a new found resolve. With his friends behind him, he reminded himself that he could face anything, even Leviamon.
His eyes locking on the approaching Demon Lord, the crimson knight's expression cooled with frosty professionalism. Standing right in the center on Leviamon's path, he awaited the spurned crocodile. He wasn't looking forward to their conversation, but he had to do what he had to do. He just hoped Leviamon would be open-minded enough to hear what he had to say. He wanted to salvage what he could…
As he got closer, Leviamon's acerbic eyes locked firmly on Dukemon. They narrowed into tight slits and his nostrils flared. The crocodile began to walk a little faster – not quite enough to be aggressive, but enough to show that a small fire was lit under him.
Dukemon readied himself as Leviamon began to close the distance. He tried not to raise the Gram and Aegis defensively, wanting to show Leviamon that he was still a little open for discussion. However, the fact that he held them at all was enough of a statement on its own.
The Royal Knight waited, watching as Leviamon drew closer and closer. The massive, monstrous snout scowled viciously, coming dangerously close. Without realising it, Dukemon's heels dug into the grass as he strengthened his stance.
Omegamon and the other Royal Knights watched with bated breath as Leviamon slowed to a stop a couple dozen meters in front of Dukemon, ready to jump in at a moment's notice. Grani hovered a ways ahead, behind Dukemon, but keeping his distance enough to not draw Leviamon's ire. Although the picture of calm, Grani was tilted forwards with a tension that would allow for him to take off in an instant.
Dukemon looked up as Leviamon stopped in front of him. He was dangerously close to Leviamon's snout, close enough to smell the salt on his breath. If the Demon Lord attacked him in a sudden burst of speed, there was a real chance he would be inside him.
Holding his lance and shield at his side, Dukemon raised his head and looked up at the scowling Demon Lord.
Leviamon stopped, glaring down at the puny knight. For a second, his eyes glanced past him and spotted the various Royal Knights and guards lined up on the castle wall.
"Dukemon!" Leviamon announced, eager to make his displeasure plainly obvious to the first Digimon he could see.
Dukemon held firm as the warm, fishy breath washed over him, the bellow blowing hard enough for his hair and cape to flutter behind him.
"…Leviamon," Dukemon acknowledged temperately, careful not to appear either too welcoming or too cold.
Leviamon snarled, his rows of carnivorous teeth glistening and his piercing eyes fixated on the Royal Knight in front of him.
"What the hell is going on?!" the outraged Leviamon demanded.
"What do you mean?" Dukemon asked, trying to diffuse some of his anger by playing innocent.
"Don't play dumb with me, Dukemon! I'm sure you Royal Knights know exactly what's happened by now! You've got scouts and spies everywhere, don't you? Or do you really need me to spell it out?!" Leviamon growled, making it clear to Dukemon that his patience was running extremely thin, if present at all. His eye twitched and the corners of his mouth were stretched back into a furious scowl.
"That damn, overgrown lizard and his entire army of stinking dragons just marched up to my door, attacked me, and took over my city!" Leviamon shouted. "Did you know about that?! Did you bastards give 'em permission?! Did you guys cook this up between you?!"
Dukemon looked up at Leviamon as dispassionately as he could. "Calm down, Leviamon… We heard about what happened, but not until a few hours after the attack. We had no idea what the UDC was planning…" he calmly insisted.
"Oh, please! You really expect me to believe that?" Leviamon countered suspiciously. "Those bunch of newts are your allies, aren't they?! How could you not know that they were gonna launch a surprise attack on me?!"
"Because they didn't tell us," Dukemon firmly insisted. "We were left in the dark too. They probably didn't want anybody else knowing…"
"I can't believe this!" Leviamon thundered, stamping his foot with frustration. "Didn't you tell those idiots that I was on your side?!"
"We didn't have the chance. Since you showed up, we've been too busy with the campaign," Dukemon half-heartedly explained, finding himself instinctively wanting to deescalate the situation despite their plans. "It was probably just a misunderstanding…"
"Tchah! There was no 'misunderstanding'," Leviamon explained with a cynical scoff. "I even told that flying lizard bastard that I was working with you guys! You know what he said?! 'I don't care'! That Megidramon asshole laughed in my face! The only reason I retreated was to spare my troops and the city from getting burned to the ground! Otherwise I would have ripped his fucking neck out right there!"
Dukemon winced at Leviamon's stubborn accusations and quietly cursed Megidramon's brazenness. Leviamon was too worked up, and not entirely without cause. There was no playing this off. There was no charming his way out of this like he hoped. Dukemon began to realise that there was no getting around what he had to do…
"I'm sorry…" Dukemon distantly spoke, more to himself than to Leviamon.
Leviamon grunted and shot Dukemon a pointed side-leer as he angled his snout to the side. "Yeah, you're 'sorry', I'm 'sorry' – 'sorry' doesn't give me my city back!" he barked. "What I want to know is what the hell you guys are gonna do about it!"
Dukemon frowned regretfully, at that moment having trouble looking Leviamon in the eyes.
The Demon Lord's eyes narrowed incisively, his patience already balancing on a knife edge. "…Well? I'm waiting! What are you gonna do?" he irately pressed. "I'll tell you what you should do: you should explain to those stupid lizards that they made a big mistake, and then you should make them give me my city back! I don't care if you have teach those sulphur-snorting upstarts a lesson! Do whatever you have to do, just so long as I get what's mine!"
"…I'm sorry, Leviamon," Dukemon said again, forcing himself to raise his head and look at Leviamon directly. "…I can't help you."
Leviamon let out a petulant groan and emphatically rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I know they don't trust you with anything important, so take me to somebody who actually makes the big decisions! 'Round table' my scaly ass. Where's Alphamon?!"
Dukemon's stared at Leviamon a little more coolly, his sharp, golden eyes locking with Leviamon's.
"You're not dealing with Alphamon… you're dealing with me," Dukemon told him plainly. "…And I'm telling you… we can't help you."
At this added emphasis, Leviamon began to realise what Dukemon meant. "…What…?" he demanded incredulously. "What the hell do you mean 'we can't help you'? You 'can't'? Why the hell not?! Have you forgotten just how much I've done for you?!"
Dukemon was silent. His posture hardened and he continued staring at Leviamon with cool and unapproachable eyes. He could feel the other Royal Knights watching from behind. He knew he had to be strong for them.
Leviamon watched Dukemon carefully, forcing himself to see past his anger and perceive the situation. He saw Dukemon's demeanour change… the way he defensively shifted his feet on the ground… his locked shoulders and tensed arms… the weapon and shield in his hands… and that cold, unapproachable look in his eyes. He realised that a distance had grown between him and Dukemon.
The Demon Lord quietly looked past Dukemon. In the air behind the knight, he noticed Grani hovering in the air, watching them with his cold, mechanical eyes. That bird… Was he the reason behind Dukemon's sudden coldness, he wondered? Had he put the poison in Dukemon's ear while he was away in Dark Point? Had Grani told him about his threat to him? Leviamon cursed under his breath. Of course Dukemon was dumb enough to believe his stupid bird, he thought.
However, then Leviamon noticed something else. Past Grani, standing on the castle walls, were the Royal Knights… He counted five at first… all of them carefully watching him and Dukemon. Not only that, but he saw Royal Knights stationed high on the watch towers as well… He noticed their weapons… They all seemed to be standing at the ready… He could feel the cold, tense atmosphere, not just from Dukemon, but from them as well… That unwelcoming presence… It was then that the penny dropped. Leviamon realised exactly what was going on…
"Oh…" Leviamon spoke, a cynical, empty grin appearing on his face. "I see how it is…"
Dukemon frowned, his face muscles tense as he kept himself from allowing a guilty wince. "The UDC are our allies," he tried to explain. "We can't go against them..."
"Oh, but you're perfectly alright with hanging me out to dry! I thought I was your ally too!" Leviamon protested.
"All you did was give us some information to spite the other Demon Lords," Dukemon coldly noted. "That doesn't mean there's any kind of trust between us…"
Leviamon furious face soured, and, for a moment, there was a flicker of pain in his eyes. "What the hell… What about everything we talked about? All that stuff you told me…"
Dukemon grimaced and glanced away for a moment. "…I'm sorry, Leviamon. I spoke out of turn then… I shouldn't have gotten your hopes up. This was only ever a temporary partnership," he informed him, attempting to sound strong, but his weak, restrained voice betraying him.
Leviamon's teeth creaked as they gnashed together. He glared with simmering rage at the shrinking knight. "…You fucking liar…" he accused him.
Dukemon looked up at Leviamon defiantly in response. "I never lied to you!" he insisted. "I… I wasn't aware of certain facts… I had to make a decision… I had to choose either my best friends and Yggdrasil… or you. I'm sorry, Leviamon, but it was no decision. I'd choose them every time."
The Demon Lord of Envy scoffed bitterly. "Oh, yeah! I bet you would! Because you're naïve and a coward!" he mocked him. "Even though your friends and 'god' keep you in the dark, you're still blindly loyal to those assholes! Forget about doing the right thing, you're just too scaaaared of your friends getting mad at you! Wonder why that is… Probably because you know they'll drop you the moment you start growing a backbone!"
The crimson Royal Knight glared at Leviamon. He reminded himself he knew this would happen. He told himself that he wouldn't rise to the bait.
"Let me give you a bit of advice, Leviamon…" Dukemon responded, trying his best to remain calm, although the sharpness of his words were clear. "If you really meant what you told me, and all you really want is a peaceful life…"
"Get as far away from the Royal Knights and the Demon Lords as possible…" he advised him, the anger in his voice subsiding into something sincere and earnest. "…Go and find a quiet place in the ocean somewhere… Keep your head down. If you can prove that you can be peaceful… maybe I can convince the other Royal Knights. I might even be able to convince Yggdrasil… That's the best I can do, but I want to give you that chance. I think you deserve it…"
"Hah! Oh please!" Leviamon loudly and contemptuously mocked. "Don't make me laugh! 'Prove' to Yggdrasil? You're even stupider than you look! You expect me to come begging and crawling to that stupid god of yours? You think you can convince it of anything? You can't even convince your so-called 'friends' that you're worthy of respect! Do they even know that you're cutting a deal right now?" Leviamon looked past Dukemon, up at the castle antagonistically. "HEY! Do you bastards know that Dukemon here is trying to cut a deal with me?!"
Dukemon grimaced but refused to look over his shoulder. Instead, he continued gazing at Leviamon with a mixture of frustration and sympathy. "Leviamon, stop it…" he sadly urged him. "I'm trying to help you… I know you've had it rough. I think I can help if you'll let me."
Dukemon's words struck a nerve within Leviamon. The crocodile glowered bitterly, turning his eyes and glaring at Dukemon with seething rage. "No…" he hissed. "Don't you… Don't you dare pity me…! If anyone deserves to be pitied, it's you…"
Leviamon took a threatening step closer to him. "You're the pathetic one here, Dukemon… You don't even see when you're being used…" he bitterly told him. "At least I know when I'm being used… I suspected this from the start. I knew that you Royal Knights would only use me for my information, and then cast me aside as soon as you got what you wanted. I was prepared for it; I just didn't expect my territory to get stolen from me. The fucking pathetic part is that you never even realised that that's what was happening."
Dukemon frowned defensively. "Leviamon, that was never the plan," he insisted. "We never intended to lead you on! There are circumstances outside our control."
"Hahah. Yeah, you really believe that, don't you…?" Leviamon laughed with hollow cynicism. "Tchah… I'm almost jealous of you… Must be so easy being that blindly loyal, huh? It's pathetic…"
Dukemon quietly held his ground. He tried his best not to be affected by Leviamon's words. He knew that the Demon Lord was lashing out. He just had to ensure that it would stay only verbal and not physical…
Leviamon, however, wasn't getting any less angry. His feelings of fury and resentment were snowballing. His nostrils flared, his eyes were as sharp as razors, his taut legs trembled with rage… He focused his anger on the Digimon in front of him – he saw a smug, condescending, and hypocritical Royal Knight who had become the mouthpiece of his betrayal. That fake, deluded, little tin can who thought he could look down on him - him. He would show him…
The Demon Lord of Envy took a slow, menacing step forwards. His snout was dangerously close… close enough that Dukemon could smell his breath. All it would take was one burst of speed and he could easily snap his jaws shut around the knight.
Dukemon faced Leviamon courageously, not flinching in the face of Leviamon's aggressive advance. He remained as calm as he could, yet his fingers tightened around the grip of his Gram and Aegis.
A low, rolling growl rumbled out of Leviamon's throat. "I oughta kill you right now, Dukemon…" he hissed with boiling contempt, snapping his jaws for threatening emphasis.
Dukemon stood alone against the aquatic behemoth. He remained cool and composed as the breeze from the snap blustered around him.
"…My friends wouldn't let you kill me," Dukemon asserted with quiet confidence. "They would stop you the moment they saw me in danger… so don't even try it, Leviamon."
A dark, ironic grin crawled onto the leviathan's scarlet face. "Hah! Is that so…? You really think so?" he shamelessly goaded Dukemon. Leviamon turned his head back and forth, making a point to look at the empty spots on either side of Dukemon. "Funny, that… considering your friends aren't beside you right now." Leviamon then nodded his head past Dukemon, gesturing to Castle Avalion. "Seems to me they're all tucked safely behind that castle of yours… How the hell would they save you in time?"
Leviamon smirked down at Dukemon with malicious bile and resentment.
His city was gone. His plans were finished. The Royal Knights had turned on him, and his grip on Dukemon was slipping. Leviamon was seething and resigned. He didn't care anymore. If he couldn't get his way, then he was going to do what he did best: leave a trail of destruction in his wake. And he knew exactly how to do it.
Dukemon's eyes narrowed, his shoulders tightening as he stood a little more on edge. "…They would," he insisted, his confidence not wavering despite his lack of a clear answer. "They have a plan for if you tried anything…"
"Oh, they do?! And what is it?" Leviamon challenged him. Dukemon remained silent, though his silence only confirmed his suspicions. "You don't know, do you…? Left out of the loop again, huh, Dukemon?"
"No…" Dukemon coldly and stiffly replied. "I have every faith in them to protect me."
"Oh, I know you do. You're that gullible and blindly loyal… Come on, Dukemon! Have a bit of imagination! You know how your so-called friends act…" Leviamon challenged him. "They're afraid to get their hands dirty… They were all for letting Megidramon and his lizards take care of me for them… I bet they're secretly hoping that I finish you off too."
"What…?"
Leviamon made a show of pondering to himself. "I kill you… then they have an excuse to kill me… and – oh no! What a crying shame! – Dukemon just happens to be dead too. Water works all around…"
At this, Dukemon's cold façade finally snapped and he swept his lance outwards angrily. "Why the hell would they ever do that?!" he demanded.
"I think we both know the reason, don't you…?" Leviamon slyly insinuated. He leaned his head forwards as much as he could safely afford. "And it's got to do with that little tattoo you got on you…"
Dukemon bristled. His hands squeezed his weapons tightly, and his expression became a piercing glare.
Leviamon half-whispered, his voice a low, rumbling murmur as he looked straight into Dukemon's eyes. "…It's because you're a monster… just the same as me," he informed him.
Dukemon scowled with pain, but he struggled hard not to rise to it. "…You're wrong…" he asserted.
"Oh, really? …Please… You're a walking disaster! A ticking time bomb! You're a dangerous heretic that they're just waiting for the chance to get rid of!" Leviamon growled cruelly. "You're not one of them, Dukemon! No matter how much you pretend you are, you're aren't and you never have been!"
"You don't know them, Leviamon!" Dukemon snapped back, grimacing as Leviamon's hurtful words began to pierce his heart like knife wounds.
"I know fear! They've just been keeping you on side for this long because they're scared of you! They don't actually like or trust you. You honestly think that stupid pagan god of yours would just let you walk freely forever, when you could destroy the world at any minute? They're just keeping you on a leash! Keep the walking calamity close – and if he starts to show signs of breaking, take him out!" Leviamon cuttingly explained, each word like a finely-crafted sword. "That's protecting Network Security isn't it? Well, I hate to break it to you, Dukey, but you're the biggest Network Security threat of 'em all!"
Dukemon's eyes widened with pain and horror for a vulnerable moment, before tightening into spear tips. He glared at Leviamon with seething rage, sweeping the Gram out and pointing it at Leviamon's face. He was unable to see the Royal Knights react with tentative alarm behind him.
"Whoa, whoa! Easy there, Dukemon! I'm just being straight with you! Or do you not value honesty as much as you say you do?!" Leviamon goaded him, grinning as he eyed the spear aimed at his face. "I guess you don't, knowing how your friends treat you. You'd rather be coddled and protected in a cozy blanket of lies, huh? Tch. And here I thought I could respect you…"
"What… What the hell are you talking about now…?" Dukemon demanded, his voice quivering with rage.
"You don't wanna see the world for how things really are. You'd rather hide behind ideas like loyalty and trust… You don't really care that your friends lie to you, just so long as you belong," Leviamon coldly stated. "But even you must know that your friends don't trust you in return… Deep down, you know… Hell, even your so-called best friend – that toy airplane of yours – doesn't really trust you…"
"That's where I know you're lying…" Dukemon sharply countered. "Grani trusts me unquestioningly."
"Oh? Is that so?" Leviamon wondered with a dark laugh. "…Did he tell you that he warned me off of you last I was here?"
For a split second, Dukemon's eyes widened with surprise and confusion. That flicker of confusion and doubt was enough for Leviamon to latch his teeth into. He could see it on the Royal Knight's face that this was new information to him.
Dukemon, after wondering for a few moments, assumed that this was just one of Leviamon's tricks. "…You're lying. You're trying to make me doubt my friends," he resolutely accused him. "Grani doesn't lie."
Leviamon chuckled sourly. "I'm actually not lying. Go ahead and ask him, if you don't believe me. Grani may not be a liar, but that doesn't mean he can't lie by omission." The crocodile slyly grinned. "The fact that you think I'm lying proves that he didn't tell you after all. Think back, when he volunteered to escort me away… Didn't you wonder why?"
Dukemon paused, a deep, brooding frown forming on his face. "He… probably doesn't trust you," he reasoned.
"And what doesn't he trust me with…?" Leviamon wondered, nodding past Dukemon and up at Grani, who watched the two of them converse with wary, watchful eyes. "He doesn't trust me with you. That's obvious… Why is that though…? It's because he knows that you're weak and easily led… He thinks I'm gonna get in your head and that you're gonna give into your darker urges… He doesn't trust you to know your own mind…"
Leviamon's eyes glinted malevolently, his devious smile creeping wider as he smelled blood. "And, you know what, Dukemon? It's true… You're loyal to fault… loyal to Digimon who don't trust you enough to let you make your own decisions. They look down on you, keep you at arm's length… You're like some poor Garurumon who keeps running back to his abusive master even after getting kicked around."
"That's not true…" Dukemon insisted through clenched teeth.
"Your friends are keeping secrets from you…" Leviamon informed him, his yellow eyes gleaming in the dim, afternoon light. "You know they are… Don't you? Open your eyes…"
Dukemon glared defiantly. He was determined not to listen to Leviamon's venomous tongue. However… he found his mind wandering… remembering things… moments…
He remembered a moment where he walked in on Alphamon and Omegamon… they seemed taken off-guard… uneasy, even… It had struck him as odd, but he had put it aside. He couldn't help but wonder… had they been talking about him?
There were other moments too… Omegamon had been acting strangely around him… Sometimes he wondered if he was avoiding him. And there were those times that Alphamon had kept him at arm's length concerning Leviamon…
He couldn't really know what was going on inside the other Royal Knights' heads… It felt as though something had changed… Were they beginning to doubt him, like Leviamon said? Were they keeping secrets from him?
Dukemon shook his head with frustration, rebuking himself. No. His friends wouldn't do that. They trusted him. He was certain of it. Or, he desperately wanted to believe it.
"I've had enough, Leviamon!" Dukemon shouted, sweeping his lance arm out with frustration. "I trust my friends with my life! I'm sick of your constant lies! Stop trying to make me doubt my friends!"
Dukemon glared fierily at the gigantic leviathan. His patience had reached its limit, as had his ability to remain calm under this onslaught of toxic words.
"That's it… I've had enough of this," Dukemon breathily spoke. His visor hid a conflux of emotions: anger, sadness, bitterness, weariness. "I've tried my hardest to stick up for you, Leviamon… Hell, I'm the only one who would stick up for you. I've put a lot into trying to make this work: my time, my energy, my credibility. I can't do this anymore… you're too venomous… it's like you're eating away at me from the inside out."
Dukemon's angry stance hardened like stone. "You always act like you're the victim, blaming everybody but yourself for being alone… but in reality, you're the problem. You're a pathetic, manipulative, two-faced bastard who's only out for himself! You just want everybody else to be as miserable as you are! It's no wonder the Demon Lords had enough of you!" he lashed back, furious enough that he wanted to give Leviamon as good as he got.
Dukemon took a slow, menacing step forwards to show that he wasn't afraid of him.
"…I'm finished with you, Leviamon," he answered, his temper running from fiery hot to ice cold as he tried to rein himself in. "I hope you take my advice and I never have to see you again."
For a moment, Leviamon's eyes widened with wounded outrage, then returned to their narrow slits of withering fury.
"You're finished with me…?" Leviamon callously snarled. "No, you aren't… I'm finished with you!"
Leviamon slammed his tails into the earth with enough power to cause the earth to shake and the moat to ripple. "You call me a liar?! I'll give you the truth then!" he shouted, loudly and aggressively enough to cause the gathered Royal Knights to become on the verge of stepping in. Leviamon, noticing their movements out of his auxiliary field of vision, forced himself to restrain his physical actions, instead hunching his head down and glowering down at Dukemon.
"I never really wanted to ally with you Royal Knights anyways! Once I cut ties with the Demon Lords, I was only ever using you guys to get one step further! You honestly think I'd wanna team up with a bunch of pathetic, root-kissing, holy knights like you unless I had to?! Don't make me laugh," Leviamon barked right back.
Leviamon levelled a withering glare with the crimson knight. "Especially you… You're weak and gullible, Dukemon. You're insecure and alone, but you wanna believe you've got people who'd have your back no matter what. I saw that right away. You were easy to latch onto…" Leviamon explained, smiling sadistically. "You're a pawn, Dukemon, and you're always gonna be pushed around like a pawn… but I guess you'd rather be a knight's pawn than stand up and be seen for what you really are… A heresy… a mistake… a monster."
Dukemon cringed, but he held his ground as best as he could. "What…?" he incredulously asked. "You're the Demon Lord of Envy. Who's the monster here?"
"That's the difference between you and me, Dukemon," Leviamon hissed. "I know I'm a monster… while you're desperate to pretend that you're not. I've got no illusions about what other people think of me. Whereas you… you actually believe that your friends give a damn about you…"
"Don't hold them by your own standards… you're the one using and manipulating me…" Dukemon answered with a scathing tone.
"And you guys gave me all the ammo that I needed. I didn't even have to really try," Leviamon taunted him. "I was using you, just like your friends are, but that doesn't mean what I've been saying is any less true. You'll always be a monster in their eyes – something they need to handle. You're just a bomb that's attached to this stupid order that they're gonna have to dismantle at some point."
"My friends have never been anything less than good to me! This is my home – I helped to found this Order! I had nothing before I met them – only Grani!" Dukemon vehemently defended. "You really expect me to believe your words over those of my friends?! You're a Demon Lord!"
"And you're a Royal Knight. Some stupid label doesn't change the fact that you're still a monster, same as me. I'm the only one willing to tell you the ugly truth. I see how things are: Yggdrasil wants me and the rest of 'em outta the picture… but do you really think that Yggdrasil won't turn on you next? You think they won't do its bidding?"
Dukemon hesitated, but glared at Leviamon with as much conviction as he could muster. "I believe in them…" he maintained. "And I'll do anything to protect them from the likes of you…"
Leviamon locked eyes with Dukemon's passionate, citrine ones. The tension between them was palpable, like an erupting volcano.
Dukemon took a step closer, raising the Aegis in front of his body threateningly.
"You need to go," Dukemon warned him, his voice flat and baleful. "This is your last chance… your only chance."
The Demon Lord of Envy's facial features darkened with vile contempt.
"Hey… Dukemon…" he slowly spoke. His deep voice was dark and hollow, like the abyss. Leviamon leaned his snout in, out of the range of Dukemon's lance, but close enough that he could whisper.
"You remember how we talked about how I caused the Sky Colony to fall? How much I regretted it and how I begged for your forgiveness…?" the Demon Lord asked.
Leviamon smiled darkly. "I lied…" he admitted with a gleeful twinkle in his eyes. "I'm proud that I dropped Empyrea… because if I was going down, I was going to make damn sure that I took down everybody else with me…"
"Remember that, Dukemon…" he advised him. Leviamon leaned in, past Dukemon's lance, so that the tip of his snout was right beside Dukemon's face.
"Because you're all going to pay for this…"
Leviamon pulled his snout back and he slowly stepped back, smiling savagely at the Royal Knight. "I'm going to make sure you know how it feels to be truly alone…" he promised.
Dukemon's trembling grip tightened around his lance.
"Get away from him…" a fused voice warned from above.
"And leave while you still can," a calm but stern voice added.
Leviamon and Dukemon both looked up to see Omegamon and Grani above them.
Omegamon levelled his Garuru Cannon at Leviamon, taking aim at him with cold and unflinching eyes.
Grani swooped down to Dukemon's side, stopping in front of him and leering at Leviamon protectively.
Leviamon warily eyed Omegamon above him. He hadn't fired yet… He doubted he would fire unless he made an aggressive move. He knew his time was up… He didn't fancy his chances against that many Royal Knights.
"Tch…" Leviamon scoffed, tentatively backing off. Despite his backwards movements, he kept staring ahead at Dukemon.
Then, Leviamon's attention focused on the crimson Zero ARMS in front of Dukemon. He glared at Grani with bitter hatred and swore a silent curse in his heart.
Grani stared back at Leviamon coolly, unperturbed by the venomous daggers being directed at him. He remained focused for Dukemon's sake, staying still, ready to carry Dukemon to safety at a moment's notice.
"This won't be the last you see of me, Royal Knights…" Leviamon promised, eyeing them bitterly as he cautiously turned away from them. "You'll rue the day you made an enemy of the Devil Beast…"
Dukemon, Grani, Omegamon, and the other waiting Royal Knights watched with bated breath as Leviamon turned around. Then, they watched as the crocodile began scampering off across the fields, back the way he came…
As Leviamon ran off, it wasn't until he was a few kilometers away that everyone finally let out a sigh of relief.
Grani turned around, looking up at Dukemon and seeing the tired look on the knight's face. "…Dukemon? What did he say to you? You seemed distressed," the Zero ARMS observed.
"…A lot…" Dukemon flatly responded, turning away and looking back towards the castle.
Omegamon frowned and landed beside Dukemon, withdrawing his cannon back into the Garuru Arm. "Dukemon?" Omegamon wondered. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Dukemon stiffly responded, already beginning to fly back to the castle.
Omegamon glanced at Grani, who simply returned the look and began following after Dukemon. The white knight watched his crimson counterpart with concern, before following him as well.
Dukemon landed on the bridge that connected the ramparts to one of the castle's towers. He touched down right behind where Duftmon, Alphamon, Jesmon, Gankoomon, and Craniamon were gathered. He didn't so much as look at them as he touched down. He just began walking towards the castle, eager to get away from it all.
"Dukemon?" Alphamon wondered. "Are you alright? What happened?"
"Dukemon," Duftmon sharply spoke. "What in the world was that all about? It looked as though you were going to attack each other. What were you talking with him so much about?"
"Nothing!" Dukemon snapped, After a stunned few seconds of silence, Dukemon winced and brought his hand to his face, rubbing his eyes.
"…Sorry," was his subdued response. "I'm just tired. He didn't take it well… He took a few strips off of me is all… I'd really just like to go and rest."
"Oh… Of course," Alphamon responded with a worried frown. "I'm sorry for putting you through that."
"It's fine… I insisted, remember?" Dukemon assured him, looking over his shoulder with a small, weak smile to prove to them that he'd be alright. "I really am just tired…"
"I suppose you can inform us later, then…" Duftmon confirmed with a nod.
Omegamon landed next to Alphamon and watched the crimson knight walk off quietly to the castle. He wasn't sure what Leviamon had said to him, but it must have been bad…
Grani followed Dukemon from a distance, giving him the space that he thought that he needed. He could tell from Dukemon's posture that he was extremely affected by whatever Leviamon had said… Grani knew that Leviamon had a venomous tongue… though, he was glad that Dukemon now saw him for what he was, if nothing else.
Meanwhile, Dukemon trudged inside quietly, disappearing into the darkness of the corridor.
Walking alone, Dukemon glanced down at the insignia on his armour.
"…A monster, huh…?" he grimly mused.
Dukemon shook his head weakly and continued towards his room.
"…No… I have to trust them…"
Dukemon wandered down the bedroom corridor and stopped in front of his room, looking up with tired determination.
"I have to…"
Examon sighed as he walked down a castle corridor.
That had been tense.
It was lucky that he had such self-control. There had been unnerving moments there where he thought for sure that Leviamon might attack Dukemon. His finger had never left the trigger of the Ambrosius during that entire, heated exchange… However, he remained calm and followed Duftmon's judgements, keeping himself from jumping the gun and escalating an already unstable situation. Fortunately, Leviamon seemed to leave without much fight.
It was clear to everyone that Leviamon did not take the news well, nor was he surprised. What struck him was odd was just how long Dukemon and the Demon Lord spoke for. They had been far enough away that, despite Leviamon's booming voice, they had only been able to hear snippets of the conversation. It was just enough that they were well aware of Leviamon's displeasure, not that that wasn't already obvious.
Examon wondered what Leviamon said to Dukemon… He hoped that he was alright. At the very least, he was safe now that Leviamon was gone. He decided he would check on him later – right now, he had somebody to find.
The draconic Royal Knight searched the castle for Dorbickmon. He had been told that Dorbickmon was still on the premises and somewhere in the castle.
However, alcohol was forbidden on castle grounds, so that eliminated the most obvious place that Dorbickmon would be. Examon checked both the guest waiting rooms and the cafeteria. He was a little annoyed that Dorbickmon had strayed out of the unrestricted areas of the castle: not only did it make it more difficult to find him, but he was breaking the rules. He had enough on his plate without all this.
However, as Examon turned down another corridor, he suddenly heard the familiar crack of billiard balls coming from the leisure room. The security level had only just been lowered a stage, and, even then, there was still a security alert in place. Unless it was a guard slacking off, in which case they were about to receive a very stern reprimand from him, it was most likely his mercenary friend.
Examon walked down the corridor and to the entrance of the leisure room. Upon ducking his head and looking inside, the dragon knight sighed.
Sure enough, inside the room, bent over the billiards table in order to line up a shot, was Dorbickmon.
"Dorbickmon…" Examon stated, rubbing his brow with mild irritation. "You shouldn't be here… This area of the castle is off limits…"
Dorbickmon glanced over his shoulder. "Oh. Hey, Exa-dweeb. The castle's still in one piece, I guess," he nonchalantly greeted, turning back to the billiard table and striking the cue ball into another ball, knocking it into a pocket.
"You would be in trouble if it wasn't. You might not have been able to make that shot," Examon pointed out.
Dorbickmon grinned and stood up straight, shouldering the billiard stick and turning around. "Was that a joke?" he wondered.
Examon stared at him blankly. Then, he walked over, sighing.
"So, what happened?" Dorbickmon asked.
"Nothing of note, thankfully," Examon responded. "Dukemon told Leviamon of our position. In turn, Leviamon vented his frustrations and retreated without incident."
"Good riddance," Dorbickmon remarked. "That guy makes my scales crawl."
"Even so, I can't help but worry that he will become a problem for us in the future…" the knight mused, walking over and placing his clawed hand on the side of the table.
"Can't be much worse than all the problems you've got already," Dorbickmon pointed out with a shrug. "These guys make DarkKnightmon and me seem like small fry, huh?"
Examon raised his brow. "I honestly can't tell if you're trying to make me feel better…"
Dorbickmon half-laughed. "If you want someone to look on the bright side of things, you're talking to the wrong guy; I'm a realist," he asserted.
"So am I," Examon replied, walking over and sitting on one of the couches. "Which is why I hope that you'll be honest with me."
"Sounds easy enough," Dorbickmon stated, putting the billiard stick on the rack and walking over to sit across from the larger dragon.
"Let's start with the obvious then…" Examon spoke, observing Dorbickmon carefully. "You said before that you had things that we needed to talk about… Is it more intelligence?"
"Uh, not exactly…" Dorbickmon responded, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "It's more… personal, I guess?"
Examon raised his brow with scepticism. It must be something big if he came all this way just for something personal. "Alright…" he tentatively said. "What's going on?"
Dorbickmon sighed and leaned back in the comfortable seat, folding his arms and bringing a foot up and onto his other knee as he thought. "Where the hell do I start…?" he wondered.
"Start from the point that provides the most context," Examon told him.
"Rhetorical question," Dorbickmon dryly replied, placing his hands behind his horned head and making himself comfortable. "Let's see…" the mercenary mused. "It happened after you and your friends left Dragon's Peak after talking to the Four Great Dragons… I was walking out of a tavern where I was doing some heavy – ahem – intelligence-gathering…"
Examon stared at Dorbickmon with a dry, unconvinced expression.
"Anyways, as soon as I walked out, I got jumped by some Dramon Corps officers," Dorbickmon explained. "They told me that Megidramon wanted to talk to me. I assumed I was in trouble again, so I made a break for it. They managed to catch up with me and dragged me to the Imperial Palace… Then they threw me in front of Megidramon."
Examon frowned with concern, looking Dorbickmon up and down for injuries. "…You don't look hurt… What happened?"
Dorbickmon looked away with hidden embarrassment. "…I got offered a job," he mentioned, trying his best to play it off like it was no big deal.
An awkward silence stretched out from the casual announcement. Examon blinked… and then blinked again, staring at Dorbickmon with confusion and disbelief. "…Pardon?"
"Uh… I was as surprised as you are," Dorbickmon sheepishly explained. "I thought it was some kinda trick…"
"What kind of a job?" Examon asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"…The new Dragon Emperor," Dorbickmon answered with a joking wink.
Examon's brows flattened.
Dorbickmon chuckled. "Nah… I hear it turns you into a boring, gun-obsessed workaholic," he teased. "Still… what Megidramon offered me wasn't nothing…"
"Well? What was it?" Examon pressed eagerly.
Dorbickmon exhaled and closes his eyes pensively. "…He offered me the job of a commander," he explained.
Examon blinked, and then balked. "…You? A commander?" he asked incredulously.
"Hey, you don't have to act that surprised," Dorbickmon huffily countered. "Powerful Dramon who have actual military experience are in short supply right now. Megidramon recognised that I've got a lot of experience from my mercenary work, and I did actually fight on the battlefield before. He said he's looking to train up promising officers for his new, model Dramon Corps."
"I… I see…" Examon answered, suddenly frowning uneasily at the thought of his friend being in the army. "No offence, Dorbickmon… but I can't exactly see you being someone who thrives in a rigid military structure, nor happily taking orders. Being a mercenary is one, thing, but…"
Dorbickmon grinned. "I wouldn't be taking orders. Not really – at least, not from anyone other than Megidramon… I pretty much told him as much, but he said he wouldn't want my insubordinate ass in the regular army," he explained. "He said he wanted me to lead an irregular brigade. It'd be like an independent force that specializes in small-scale engagements."
"An irregular force…?" Examon asked with a sceptical frown. He had mixed feelings, but he wasn't sure why. On one hand, Examon would rather that Dorbickmon was part of a legal armed force than treading the line of criminality as a mercenary… however, he also felt uneasy about the idea.
"…And…? What did you say?" the dragon knight asked.
"…I said I'd think about it," Dorbickmon noncommittally replied.
Examon tilted his head quizzically. "Are you? Did you just say with no intention of following through?" he wondered.
Dorbickmon's scaly brows dipped pensively as he thought to himself. "…I'm considering it," he admitted.
Examon blinked with shock. "You… are?" he asked, nearly balking at the idea.
Dorbickmon shrugged. "Yeah, maybe…" he deliberated. "I mean, I've always been ambitious… I wanted to become stronger, put my mark on the world, you know? That's part of the reason why I became a mercenary to begin with." Dorbickmon flashed a toothy smirk in Examon's direction. "Well, that and getting revenge."
Examon's face flattened. "I recall…" he dryly responded. "But aren't there other ways to do that?"
"As a mercenary? Tch, it's not as easy as you think, especially not now, and not for me," Dorbickmon explained with a dismissive flick of the wrist. "I've tried getting jobs these past few months, but it isn't easy. Between my reputation taking a hit in my usual stomping grounds and the crackdown on mercenaries in the Free Area and the Republic, I haven't had much luck. And now that the rumour's out that the Demon Lords seem primed to conquer half of Eniac, everybody's either too much in survival mode or they'd rather shell out for the big mercenary companies rather than use freelancers like me."
"I hadn't considered that…" Examon contemplated.
"It's not just that, though…" the mercenary answered with a sigh. "I'm not sure I'm just after a quick buck anymore. The thing is… now that I've put all that revenge stuff behind me and I see how badly I've fucked everything up… I feel like I want to do more. I've been thinking like… 'what is it that I've been doing all this time? What is it I should be doing?'"
"'What is it I should be doing'…?" Examon repeated, more to himself than to Dorbickmon. A distant frown settled onto his visage as he reflected on those words.
He wondered… what was it that he should be doing? What does he actually have to offer to the Royal Knights?
He had joined the Royal Knights because he thought that, if he was with them, he would be able to change the world… but what had he actually accomplished? What had he actually changed in his four years there? The only thing that he could think of was sitting right in front of him. Apart from one, single Digimon, what had he changed…? Would the Royal Knights actually be any worse off without him?
Dorbickmon watched as doubt and deliberation crept across his friend's face. "…I take it I'm not the only one here wondering that," he bluntly observed. "…What's eating you?"
"…I've only told Alphamon about this…" Examon answered uncertainly. He wasn't sure if he should say anything, but he realised that Dorbickmon was the only one outside of the Order that he could talk to. It might help to get a fresh perspective…
"…Lord Megidramon wants me to return to the UDC as the Dragon Emperor…" Examon admitted weightily. He ventured a glance over at his friend. "To quit being a Royal Knight."
Dorbickmon stared at Examon, his expression unchanged. "…And… how do you feel about that?" he asked, getting straight to the point.
Examon sighed and shook his head. "I don't know… The fact that I didn't refuse outright is telling enough, isn't it?" he wondered.
"D'you not like being a Royal Knight?" Dorbickmon asked. "Maybe it's not all you thought it was cracked up to be?"
"That's not it…" Examon answered with a deep frown. "I enjoy my job here… It challenges me, and I feel as if I am becoming better at what I do. And, more importantly, I have come to view all of the other Royal Knights as my friends…"
Dorbickmon frowned a little and leaned back in his seat. "…But?"
"…I've started to wonder if I made the wrong choice by coming here," Examon answered, his pensive eyes crumpling into a guilty grimace.
"When I agreed to become a Royal Knight, it was with the belief I would be able to prioritize the UDC," the once-Dragon Emperor explained, sighing. "…Perhaps I was just being naïve… Perhaps I wanted all of the perks of becoming a Royal Knight without having to sacrifice my old ways… I wanted to defend the world without sacrificing my place in the UDC. It was wishful thinking… but it was what I believed."
"…And now?" Dorbickmon asked.
"…And now I realise that the two were mutually exclusive from the beginning," Examon regretfully stated. "And now I feel that by turning my back on the United Dramonic Coalition, I have sent them down a dark path. I abandoned them… for my own selfish ambitions."
Dorbickmon cocked his brow. "Aren't you being a bit hard on yourself? You can't put all that on your shoulders…"
"It's true though," Examon responded. "I was the Dragon Emperor. They relied on me, so of course the status quo changed when I left. I thought I could be this warrior of justice who would change the world… but all I did was turn my back on my home, didn't I? And now, that new army of Megidramon's attacked Dark Point, Dorbickmon… Will it stop there?"
"Uh… Who's to say?" Dorbickmon responded with a shrug. "Do you think you being there now would make a difference? Megidramon and the other Great Dragons are gonna do what they're gonna do, aren't they? Do you think you could stop them by being the Dragon Emperor?"
Examon frowned deeply with thought. "…Maybe I could," he reasoned. "If I'm powerful enough… The Dramon listen to me."
Dorbickmon eyed him carefully. "Examon… Megidramon wouldn't want you to come back if he didn't think he could control you…" he bluntly advised him.
"…What are you suggesting?"
"…I'm saying Megidramon's had a taste of power. If he thought you were gonna be a rival to his power over the army, he wouldn't want you to come back," Dorbickmon explained matter-of-factly. "He probably thinks you're pliable… that he can use you to exert power over the Dramon."
Examon's brows dipped with confusion. "…I'm not that easy to control," he calmly maintained. "What makes you think that, Dorbickmon?"
Dorbickmon shrugged and sighed. "It's just a hunch… I feel like that's how he operates…" he responded. He raised his head and stared Examon straight in the eyes. "Examon, I'm not gonna lie to you… I didn't just come here outta my own initiative just to tell you about what I saw. Megidramon asked me to come here to work on you… to help grease your palms and get you to accept their offer."
Dorbickmon uncrossed his arms, placing his hand firmly down on the arm of the seat. "But I'm not gonna do that. I'm not somebody who's happy to be used. And I think you deserve to know the truth."
Examon frowned deeper, looking even more conflicted than before. "…I see… Thank you for telling me. I appreciate it," he responded, appreciative of Dorbickmon's honesty, at least.
"…Does it change anything for you?" the red-scaled mercenary wondered.
"…Not really, quite honestly. At least I know that I'm being used. I can handle that," Examon responded. "It doesn't change the fact that the UDC needs me… The Royal Knights would be fine without me, wouldn't they? I'm just a drop in the ocean here… one of thirteen. Meanwhile, the Dramon Corps needs leaders that they trust."
Dorbickmon cocked his head curiously. "I'm surprised you're still so open to it… It almost sounds like you've already decided," he observed.
"I haven't decided… Far from it," Examon responded, his fists tightly closing on his lap. "I'm just making a case in my mind… What do you think I should do?"
Dorbickmon sighed and awkwardly scratched the back of his horned head. "You trying to get me to make the decision for you?" he dryly asked. "I don't know… If I'm being honest, I guess I'd feel better knowing you were with us. It might be fun if he could work together… But I'm not gonna tell you what to do, as much as the Four Great Dragons want me to. I know you got reasons to stay with the Royal Knights, just like you got reasons to go back to the UDC."
Examon grimaced with hesitation. "…Maybe I should tell Dukemon. I can ask him what he thinks…"
Dorbickmon eyed the knight critically. "If that's what you want to do, go ahead. But whatever choice you make, it's gotta be your decision – not mine, not Dukemon's, not Megidramon's… Don't make a choice you're gonna look back on and regret."
Examon bowed his head, pondering Dorbickmon's words. "…You're right. This is something that I need to think about rationally and decide for myself," he agreed, the faintest bit of resolve tracing his words. "I'll speak to Dukemon tomorrow. He deserves to know what I'm thinking… I don't like lying to him. I hope that maybe that will help."
"Alright. If you're sure," Dorbickmon said with a shrug. "Just be careful. Most Digimon don't take too kindly to undecided loyalties."
"Dukemon isn't like that. He would understand better than anyone," Examon insisted.
"Your call," Dorbickmon responded, standing up and stretching his muscular arms.
Examon sighed pensively, but nodded, deciding that that was what he was going to do. Perhaps speaking with the Royal Knight he was closest with would give him an answer.
Still, Examon looked across at the mercenary in front of him. He hadn't expected Dorbickmon to be so… supportive. He was surprisingly helpful. He could have went along with Megidramon's wishes… Three years ago, he wouldn't have hesitated to sell Examon out…
And, although he didn't say so, he kind of liked the idea of working with Dorbickmon. Although he couldn't help but consider that that was Megidramon's intentions, he couldn't deny that it was still appealing.
"…Dorbickmon?" Examon spoke.
"Mmf…" Dorbickmon grunted, finishing stretching. "Yeah?"
"…Thank you," Examon sincerely said to him, looking into his eyes.
Dorbickmon blinked, and then furtively avoided his gaze. Awkwardly scratching the back of his head, Dorbickmon turned away as his cheeks began to heat up.
"W-Whatever," Dorbickmon replied, making his way back to the billiard table. "Want to play a few games? I'll take your scrawny ass on," he declared as he pulled the billiard stick from the rack.
Examon half-smiled, a little uncertain about the challenge. "I don't know, Dorbickmon… I'm rather good, you know…" he warned him.
"Oh, please. My name's feared in bars throughout the Digital World! Wherever there's a billiard table, I've wiped the floor with some poor sucker!" he cockily asserted. He marched up to Examon and shoved the wooden triangle into his hands while leering into his eyes to assert his dominance. "…Rack 'em!"
"Well… alright… I'll do my best, then," Examon responded, taking the triangle and making his way over to the board.
As the large dragon knight approached the table, he thought to himself, feeling a little better about the situation than he had before.
He would get his other friend's perspective… and then make an informed decision before they left for the battlefield in a couple of days.
It didn't have to be more complicated than it was…
As he set the billiard table, Examon hoped he would be able to make the best decision, not just for himself, but for the UDC and the Digital World as a whole… He just hoped there was a way forward to do so.
And, over the course of an hour, Dorbickmon would go on to lose billiards to Examon seven times in a row. He would have to finally be pulled out of the room by Magnamon and UlforceVeedramon after refusing to admit defeat and demanding countless rematches.
He did not go quietly.