(Author's Notes: Hey, all. Apologies for the delay. For various reasons, I've been really busy the past couple months, so I wasn't able to write as much as I wanted to. I'm going to post Part I of Chapter 86 now, but unlike other multi-part chapters, it will probably be a few weeks until I'm able to post the next part, as I haven't completed the rest of the chapter yet. I hope you'll keep bearing with me. I think I'll be able to get back into the swing of things soon, so hopefully I can rebuild that momentum.
Anyways, here's Part I. We're jumping straight in, so hang on. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!)
Chapter 86: The Burning Sky (Part I)
"Dukemon! Wait! Come back!" Alphamon's voice desperately called out.
Without warning, Dukemon burst out from the Royal Knights' frontlines and dashed forwards into the open field.
He ignored the voices of protest behind him. He could barely even hear them. He was so focused on what was ahead of him that he barely registered anything else.
From the front of the army, Duftmon watched with unparalleled vexation as Dukemon broke rank once again in order to charge off on his own. The battle had only just begun, yet Dukemon had already completely disregarded their commands.
"Lord Yggdrasil, give me strength, for I am surrounded by idiots!" Duftmon exclaimed, his eye twitching. However, he wasn't about to let this change his plans this time. He fully expected this to happen.
Duftmon swept his rapier out and pointed after Dukemon. "Never mind. The plan remains the same! All forces, advance!" he shouted.
"Advance!" Ouryumon called out to the Strike Forces. "Move behind the Defence Forces in lock-step!"
"Let's go, everyone!" Knightmon shouted to the Defence Forces. "Support one another and keep the shield wall tight!"
The Order of the Royal Knights began advancing like a well-oiled machine. The Defence Forces led the charge, the Shield Guards advancing at the vanguard with highly regimented rows to form a shield wall. The Ground Strike Forces followed behind them, while the Aerial Strike Forces trailed the Aerial Guards, matching the speed of the ground forces exactly so as to never get too far ahead or behind. Lastly, at the back lines was the anti-air division, whose job it was to provide bombardment support for the advancing army.
Most of the Royal Knights advanced at the front of the Order's formations. They were to be the focal points for the attack; their purpose was to engage the Demon Lords directly and keep them from attacking the bulk of their army. Duftmon, Alphamon, and Jesmon remained in reserve, behind the main force of the army in order to oversee the course of the battle.
It was midday, and a thick blanket of clouds covered the sky. The Demon Lords had advanced south from their camp to a plain further east to where they attacked before. The grassy fields were flat and accommodating, and if they were able to defeat the Royal Knights there, they would still have a clear path to the Great Forest.
The plan for the Royal Knights was much the same as it was supposed to be for the previous battle, with the exception now being that they were taking a more aggressive stance. They did not want to allow the Demon Lords to take the initiative. The formations were the same, with the Order in the center, and Saversburg's army on their flanks. They were going to attack the Demon Lords and break their numerically larger army with their superior discipline and quality. The Royal Knights would engage the Demon Lords and create openings in the lines where possible, in which the Strike Forces would then penetrate and break the demons' organization.
Dukemon, however, had no interest in any of these plans. He had only one thing in mind: getting revenge for Grani.
In contrast, the Nightmare Soldiers advanced slowly and methodically under Demon's strict command. The Troopmon brigade marched ahead of them at the vanguard of the army, dutifully using themselves as meat shields for the legions of Nightmare Soldiers behind them. Most of the Demon Lords stayed back with the Nightmare Soldiers, happy to use the Troopmon as cannon fodder while they closed the distance between their armies.
One Demon Lord, however, was not happy to simply sit back and watch.
Beelzebumon raced ahead of the Troopmon, impatiently accelerating his motorcycle. He knew what their plan was, and he knew what his cut-off time would be. Still, he fully intended to eke out as much fun as he could from the spare time that he did have.
Beelzebumon pulled hard on the Behemoth's throttle, tearing up the grass as he drove past the rows of Troopmon. He veered out in front and began driving towards the Royal Knights' army, eyeing their lines avidly.
Off in the distance, he spotted the figure he was looking for… A lone figure, clad in shimmering silver armour, backed by a crimson cape that highlighted his silhouette as it flapped behind him.
Beelzebumon licked his lips and a ravenous grin formed on his face. "Guess I underestimated ya, Dukey… Didn't expect to see you back so soon," he said to himself under the roar of the engine. "Hah! Hell yeah! I bet you're hungry for it now, ain't ya? Now you and me can really go all out!"
He drew one of the Berenjenas from his ankle holster and accelerated.
Dukemon tore across the field alone.
His boots pounded the grass. The Gram lance bobbed almost weightlessly on his arm, the muted, midday light shimmering off its pointed tip. The Aegis in his left hand hung at his side to cut down on wind resistance. Dukemon dashed across the field in a full sprint, charging headlong towards the wall of Troopmon and the Nightmare Soldiers behind them.
His mind burned.
Dukemon's head felt like it was filled with hot mist. It felt like his brain was engulfed and slowly being squeezed by mounting pressure. His heart raced. Adrenaline pumped through his body. His boiling blood coursed through his veins.
He saw the hordes of Troopmon marching several hundred meters ahead of him. The idea of tearing through a throng of mindless drones increasingly sounded like an appealing idea.
However, then he saw something else…
A black figure suddenly burst out from between the organised ranks of the Troopmon. The figure veered sharply to the left, speeding in front of the Troopmons' lines.
The speed with which the figure drove, the way that it moved, the sound it made… Dukemon immediately recognized him.
Dukemon watched with a darkening glower as Beelzebumon rode out on the Behemoth towards the Royal Knight's left flank. As soon as he saw what Beelzebumon was doing, Dukemon immediately changed course, sprinting diagonally to the left to intercept Beelzebumon's path.
The spot behind his forehead burned numbly. Dukemon's pupils contracted and his eyes grew sharp, turning like that of a beast. Everything in his peripheral vision became a blur. However, it was like all of his other senses were being heightened. He could hear the roar of Beelzebumon's engine even more clearly than before. He could smell the exhaust of the Behemoth and the gunpowder of the shotguns. He gripped the Gram firmly; he felt like he could react in an instant.
Gone were his doubts and his hesitation. He cut himself loose from those inhibitions. He was free to act without any restraint. The only thing that existed for him now was combat and revenge. Was this what Beelzebumon was talking about before? The freedom to act purely on desire… It was strangely liberating.
Gone were all the insecurities and expectations that were heaped on his shoulders. Yggdrasil's decree, the Royal Knights' oath… they were all becoming nothing but afterthoughts. When he let his emotions take over like this, he felt he was free to be what he truly was… whatever that was. It didn't matter. All that mattered was the pain in his heart and the burning in his mind. He had to let it all out. He had to fight. For Grani's sake…
"Dukemon!" a voice called out from behind him. "Wait!"
The voice was like needles in his back. He knew who it was. He didn't want to deal with him. He didn't want to see him. He didn't want to be near him.
In what little remained of his peripheral vision, Dukemon saw white armour and a red and white cape next to him. He turned his head slightly. Omegamon was flying up beside him.
"Dukemon!" Omegamon urged, flying so that he was matching speed and flying parallel to him. "Don't go alone! Allow me to come with you!"
"Stay out of this, Omegamon!" Dukemon shouted, his voice a scathing growl. "I don't need you!"
Omegamon reached out to him with his Garuru Arm. "Dukemon, please!" he begged him.
In a sharp movement, Dukemon swatted Omegamon's arm away with the edge of the Aegis. "Stay away from me!" Dukemon barked, his voice quivering with rage and emotion. "I don't want you anywhere near me! Any of you! Just back off! This is between me and Beelzebumon!"
Dukemon looked over his shoulder at Omegamon. In that moment, through the anger, Dukemon accidentally revealed a fleeting glimpse of resigned sadness.
"Just stay away, Omegamon…" he told him, before his eyes sharpened and glared ahead once again. "And tell the others too! You're all just in my way!"
With that, Dukemon soared ahead, leaving the distraught Omegamon behind.
Omegamon reluctantly slowed down, watching with bitter regret as he allowed Dukemon to fly on ahead. He wanted to go after him and make sure that he was alright, but he knew he likely would get in Dukemon's way if he tried to intervene. He was deeply worried about him, but he didn't know how to help him.
He turned around, seeing that he had gotten far from the Royal Knights' lines. He knew he couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way of his responsibilities. Omegamon cast one more uneasy look after Dukemon before turning back around. The best he could do was keep an eye on him during the battle… He would be there if he needed him.
Meanwhile, Dukemon continued blazing ahead through the air.
His flight was unrelenting - his path unwavering. He tore across the grassy field, throwing himself headlong towards Beelzebumon.
As he charged, he gazed ahead at the Demon Lord of Gluttony.
Beelzebumon was ripping across the field as well, tearing up clumps of grass as he accelerated. He could see Beelzebumon looking straight at him. Though still a little ways off, he was closing fast, and he was close enough that he could see Beelzebumon's cocky grin.
Seeing Beelzebumon's face… right there in front of him… grinning like it was all just a game to him… it caused Dukemon's heart to flare and his mind to pulse.
Through the red haze of his mind, a few images flashed through his memory.
He remembered Beelzebumon driving alongside him and Grani, aiming his shotgun at them.
He remembered Beelzebumon pulling the trigger without so much as a second thought, all too happy to send bullets tearing through his best friend's wing.
He couldn't wait to make him pay.
Dukemon snarled and tore forwards, closing in on Beelzebumon from the right. His mind went blank, white hot with rage. He felt his combat instincts take over.
In a sudden, snap motion, Dukemon coiled his arm back and heaved his lance like a javelin. The Gram hurtled through the air, closing in on Beelzebumon before he even had the chance to react. The lance struck with incredible accuracy, hitting in between the back of the front wheel and the frame of the bike. The thickening shaft of the lance wedged in between the wheel and the chassis, jamming the wheel in a flurry of sparks before stopping the bike completely.
The lance wedged in sturdily, and the jammed wheel and Beelzebumon's rapid velocity caused the Behemoth to flip forwards violently. Beelzebumon didn't even have time to swear as he was thrown from the motorcycle's back.
The Behemoth flipped over, smashing upside down into the dirt. Beelzebumon was spared from being crushed underneath it, but was instead catapulted across the ground. He bounced across the grass like a skipping stone, his shoulders and knees barely making contact with the earth before he finally started rolling painfully across the ground.
Beelzebumon came to a rolling stop and got to his hands and knees, spitting out a clump of grass. "Geh. Fuck…" he muttered, slightly dazed as he picked up the shotgun from nearby and got to a kneeling position.
Beelzebumon pulled himself to his feet, but the moment he stood, his instincts began screaming at him.
The Demon Lord looked up and was shocked to see the Aegis slicing through the air towards him like a giant discus. It flew far faster than he was expecting – he was unprepared for such an aggressive attack.
"Shit!" Beelzebumon swore, balking as the Aegis whirled towards him. He didn't have time to dodge. Thinking swiftly, he took a step back and crossed his arms and shotguns in front of his chest.
The Aegis hummed before it slammed into him with a mighty crash. The spinning shield tore against Beelzebumon's metal bracers and shotguns, the hum morphing into a cacophonic screech as metal tore against metal in an eruption of sparks.
Beelzebumon snarled as he was pushed back through the grass, his rubber boots digging deep into the earth to prevent him from being knocked off his feet. He skidded backwards several meters, his arms bruising under the heavy impact, but he twisted his body and swept his arms out, forcing the Aegis to rebound off of him and sail off to the side.
Beelzebumon panted with relief and lowered his sore arms, preparing to counterattack. In a heightened state, he looked around for his crimson assailant. It was then that he heard the flapping of a cape from above him.
He looked up just in time to see Dukemon descending on him with a wild look in his eyes. Beelzebumon jumped back as Dukemon slammed down on the spot where he had been standing a second earlier.
"Hah!" Beelzebumon explained, landing a few meters away from him, expecting they would both need a few seconds to recover. "Fuck, Dukey! I didn't think ya—"
"Shut the hell up!" Dukemon roared, lunging towards him without so much as taking a breath. He was on top of Beelzebumon before the demon could even raise his shotgun.
Dukemon drilled his gauntleted fist hard across Beelzebumon's face. A gunshot erupted as Beelzebumon fired instinctively into the ground. The knight hit him with such force that Beelzebumon was thrown off of his feet and hurled through the air.
Beelzebumon crashed onto his back, and he could immediately taste the pungent taste of iron from the inside of his stinging cheek. He immediately swept his shotgun out, but Dukemon's metal-tipped boot slammed into Beelzebumon's wrist, knocking the shotgun from his hand and sending it flying across the grass.
Dukemon pounced on top of him, kneeling on Beelzebumon's other arm and grabbing him by the collar.
"You fucking bastard…!" Dukemon shouted, his eyes wide and savage as he pulled his fist back.
He drilled his armoured knuckles across Beelzebumon's face. The demon's cheek compressed, his head jerked to the side, and a mix of saliva and blood sputtered from his mouth.
"It's your fault…!" Dukemon roared, not letting up as he viciously punched past Beelzebumon's bracing arm to strike him again.
His left fist pounded into Beelzebumon's head. Then, his right cuffed across the demon's jaw. He wailed on Beelzebumon with unbridled aggression, slugging him over and over with pent up rage. He was happy to take his time, to ensure that he felt every inch of his strength.
Beelzebumon yelled and swore, blood starting to leak from his nostrils and the corners of his mouth. He realised that Dukemon would kill him if he let this go on. Even as Dukemon's gauntlet painfully drilled across his numb and aching face, Beelzebumon acted quickly.
He swept his legs upwards behind Dukemon's back and flexibly crossed his ankles in front of Dukemon's throat. He locked his boots together, his sharp, rubber heels digging into Dukemon's neck. Then, with a powerful surge of strength, he wrenched his legs downwards, hard enough to throw Dukemon off of him.
Dukemon was thrown off of Beelzebumon's body, but he rolled into a backwards somersault and stopped himself in a kneel. Likewise, Beelzebumon flipped to his feet and dove for his lost shotgun. Grabbing the weapon in a roll, he pulled both of his shotguns up and fired at Dukemon.
Dukemon lunged from his place, moving just in time for the spray of bullets to tear into the grass where he had been standing. He snarled and darted across the grass towards Beelzebumon, not even bothering to make a break for the Gram or Aegis.
"Afraid to fight me up close?!" Dukemon goaded him without an ounce of playfulness. "I thought you wanted to fight me properly!"
"Tch," Beelzebumon scoffed, his eyes narrowing as his pride was challenged. "Like hell I'm afraid a 'ya, Dukey!" he fired back. "I was just hopin' to have a little fun first! But if you're that hungry for the main course…"
Beelzebumon stuffed the dual Berenjenas into his back and ankle holsters. A blood-stained smirk appeared on his swelling face and he brandished his jagged claws. "I'm all too happy to oblige!" he exclaimed.
Dukemon snarled and charged at him, his fists tight, quivering with overwhelming rage. "Beelzebumon!" he roared, charging headlong towards the Demon Lord.
The knight and demon both charged at the other, set to meet in a bloody rendezvous, a perilous dance of brutal, melee combat.
Dukemon closed in with sheer, animal bloodlust in his frenzied, feral eyes.
"…I'm going to kill you!"
"Move up! Move up!"
Over-sergeant Paildramon soared forwards in the sky, right behind the white, avian form of Leftenant HippoGriffomon.
Below her, the Defence Forces' Shield Guard advanced forwards in a sturdy-yet-flexible rows. The shield wall, buttressed by Craniamon and Captain Knightmon, served as a mobile bulwark that was able to weather all but the most powerful attacks. The Shield Guard advanced methodically, the phalanx providing cover for the Strike Forces behind them.
Paildramon was both appreciative of and impressed by their discipline and their unwavering cover. Despite the rivalry between the branches of the Order, she knew that her fellow Strike Forces secretly felt the same way. The Defence Forces allowed them to get close enough to attack. They were the shields to their swords.
She looked behind her; the Aerial Strike Forces were flying behind her in relatively orderly fashion; their lines weren't nearly as rigid as the Shield Guards' due to their mobile and aggressive roles. It was their job to provide aerial cover during this initial advance. Then, when they were close enough, they were to penetrate into the Demon Lords' lines in an attempt to split their formations.
As Paildramon looked back at the Aerial Strike Forces, Paildramon spotted a few of her friends. She saw the Greymon Five down at the right edge of the formation. She attempted to find TigerVespamon, but she knew that the recruits were always placed at the rear line while the veteran troops were typically at the front.
She had told GrandisKuwagamon that she would keep an eye on him for him. Despite accepting that she had greater responsibilities, she still wanted to do that for him if she could. She knew what it was like to worry about a brother…
Paildramon looked ahead at the enemy. The Troopmon brigade was closing in fast. The rank-and-file of identical, rubber bodies would be the first enemies that they would have to contend with. Behind the Troopmon, the Nightmare Soldiers were advancing slowly… sluggishly, even. This was not the aggressive, demonic assault that they had been expecting. She supposed they wanted to expend the cannon fodder before committing themselves, as cynical as that sounded.
However, it struck her as odd that the Demon Lords weren't advancing at all… In fact, they were simply hovering in the air above the Nightmare Soldiers, watching the battle unfold. Were they playing the long game? The only Demon Lord who had engaged to attack was Beelzebumon, who seemed to be dueling with Dukemon out on the left flank, in front of the Saversburg contingent.
Due to the fact that the Demon Lords weren't attacking as expected, Duftmon held back the Royal Knights that were meant to engage them back in order to help with the Troopmon charge. He evidently didn't want to have them charge blindly deep into enemy lines to fight the Demon Lords, far from where support could reach them. Duftmon would likely wait until the Demon Lords made the first move.
Paildramon scanned the Demon Lords' lines. As she did, her carmine eyes landed on one specific silhouette…
Demon.
She spotted the Demon Lord of Wrath… She hadn't set her eyes on him since the Siege of New Terminal. A shiver crawled up her spine. A dark memory…
She felt her heart tighten, and her muscles seemed to stiffen up. Her heart palpitated faster, and an unpleasant feeling seemed to wash over her.
What was this she was feeling…? Fear? Why did she feel this way? He was just another enemy to her. She didn't particularly fear any of the other Demon Lords. She feared their power in the sense that she acknowledged what they were capable of, but it was not enough to give her pause like this…
Yet, what was this chill that she felt as she looked at him? What was this hold he had over her? This dark, oppressive feeling that was hanging over her… was it one of Demon's powers?
She looked around at HippoGriffomon and the others. Nobody else seemed to be affected, or if they were, they were good at hiding it. Was it only her? …Or was it nothing to do with Demon at all? Maybe it was something within her. She had felt it during the battle of the eclipse, as well… This all-consuming uncertainty…
She knew now… it was to do with that…
"Over-sergeant! Do you hear me?!" a voice shouted from ahead of her.
Paildramon blinked out of her thoughts, suddenly embarrassed at being so engrossed in her uncertainties. She looked ahead and saw HippoGriffomon looking back at her.
"I-I'm sorry, sir. What?" Paildramon called back.
"Focus, Paildramon! This is not the time to be daydreaming!" HippoGriffomon informed her. "Get that formation in order!"
"Yes, sir!" Paildramon confirmed, her logical and professional demeanour returning. She turned her head and noticed that there was far too big of a hole in the lines of the Strike Forces. "Close that gap in the line! Rapidmon, MachGaogamon, move up!"
Paildramon turned back forwards, stuffing her unease and misgivings to the back of her mind. She didn't need to think about it right now. She focused on the enemy: the rows of Troopmon marching double-time towards their ranks without any fear or hesitation.
"Alright, everyone!" Captain Ouryumon shouted from ahead of HippoGriffomon, pointing his scimitar at the advancing wave of Troopmon. "Prepare to fire! Lay down a heavy bombardment on those Troopmon! Don't hold back! They're only there to slow us down!"
"Aerial Strike Forces, prepare aerial bombardment! On my order!" HippoGriffomon bellowed back.
Paildramon pulled up her hip-mounted Desperado Blasters and took aim at the sea of black rubber moving towards them.
The white griffon slowed down slightly so that he could fly beside Paildramon. "Over-sergeant," the Leftenant addressed her. "Do not expend too much energy right now. We need to conserve your power."
Paildramon frowned with confusion. "Sir?" she questioned.
HippoGriffomon eyed her meaningfully. "Once we clear these Troopmon and engage the bulk of the Demon Lord's legions, we may need you to evolve to Imperialdramon," he informed her. "We will need your firepower."
Paildramon felt icy tendrils constrict around her heart. A cold chill crawled down her back. She turned her head away from the Leftenant's perceptive gaze as her eyes became tight.
"Sir, is that necessary?" she wondered. She attempted to give logic to her unease. "That form… it may be too powerful. The Positron Laser and Giga Death have too much firepower. There may be unintended collateral damage. It's too risky."
HippoGriffomon shook his head. "Not if you attack before we close range with the Nightmare Soldiers. They have been holding back, a ways behind the Troopmon. Once the Troopmon are annihilated, there will be enough distance for you to attack," he explained, gazing at her ardently. "We need to break a hole through their ranks, over-sergeant. We need your power."
Paildramon's claws tightened around her cannons. The image of a beam firing from her back, tearing through friend and foe alike, flashed through her mind. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to shake off the disturbing image, as well as the cold chill that swept down her body.
"…Sir," she mutedly replied.
HippoGriffomon nodded. "Good," he answered, flying forward again. "Be ready for the barrage. We fire in ten seconds."
"Yes, sir," she answered, turning around. "Ready bombardment formation!"
As the Aerial Strike Forces behind her began to layer their formation in order to maximize the downward angles from which they could fire, Paildramon ascended to the pinnacle of the formation with HippoGriffomon and Ouryumon.
Paildramon looked ahead at the demon army, trying hard not to look at Demon. She was unable to shake the dark, oppressive feeling that loomed over her like a specter. The uneasy feeling felt like it was creeping inside of her, snaking around her heart. It made her feel unsettled… edgy.
She took a deep breath and tried her best to put it out of her mind, but it followed her like a shadow.
Paildramon winced softly and gazed ahead at the enemy army. She had never felt this nervous in a battle before…
"It's fine…" she quietly told herself, attempting to quell the stirring in her heart. "It will be fine… You're a professional. It is different now…"
Paildramon's eyes hardened as HippoGriffomon let out the bellowing order to commencer bombardment. She watched as a plethora of attacks tore down from the sky beneath her, ripping through the Troopmon's ranks and obliterating many of the hollow soldiers in an instant.
The light from the attacks reflected in her red eyes, and the roar of the attacks thundered below her, shaking the battlefield.
"…You can do this, Paildramon…"
A metal gauntlet drilled across Beelzebumon's face.
Beelzebumon's claws raked across Dukemon's visor.
Dukemon slammed the red crest of his helmet into Beelzebumon's masked forehead, narrowly missing his eye.
Beelzebumon slugged Dukemon in the jaw with the hard tip of his boot.
The two bloodlusting Digimon, fueled by adrenaline and rage, clashed in a wild and unrestrained duel. It wasn't a military engagement. It wasn't anything so refined. It was nothing more than a bare-knuckle brawl between two nearly-feral beasts.
The pair threw everything they had at each other. Dukemon tackled Beelzebumon to the ground with his larger body. He wailed on his body and face with his gauntleted fists, grabbing his leather body suit and tearing at it violently.
Beelzebumon responded by grabbing Dukemon's throat, squeezing while he drove his fist into Dukemon's masked face. He slammed his heel into the exposed joints around Dukemon's pelvis. Then, he slammed his other boot into Dukemon's abdomen, kicking him with enough force in tandem with his thrusting arm to hurl the knight off of him.
Beelzebumon somersaulted in reverse and then jumped backwards. He watched as Dukemon staggered backwards, enough space in between them to allow them to catch their breaths for a few moments.
"Haha! Fuck!" Beelzebumon laughed breathily. He raised his hand and wiped the trickles of blood that oozed from his lips and nostrils with a messy, crimson smear. He spat out a glob of the blood, but the exhilarated smile and the wild look in his eyes belied his injuries. "Wow, you ain't playin' around, are ya, Dukey?! Damn right!"
Dukemon scowled and panted, glaring at Beelzebumon with a withering look of hatred. He also spat out some blood, which dripped down the slits in his visor and stained the white bodysuit around his neck. "Shut… up…" he whispered, his voice quaking.
Beelzebumon chuckled as sweat dripped from his forehead and matted his blond hair. "I guess I was worryin' fer nothin'!" he exclaimed, standing upright. "Here I thought you'd be all sulky and depressed after Levi wrecked your ride, but, damn, if anything, it's got ya even hotter than before! Heh, maybe I should be thanking Levi after all! He really lit a fire in ya when he killed Grani. This is the best fight I've had in ages!"
The demon's callous words struck his foe deeply. In an instant, Dukemon's eyes widened and his insides ignited with pure rage. His body trembled with adrenaline and fury. His mind was barely even present in the moment. Hearing Beelzebumon's off-handed comments caused his over-stretched temper to blaze and send him careening towards the edge.
Dukemon lunged forwards like a coiled spring.
With a crescendo of a roar, Dukemon sprinted towards Beelzebumon with a wild look of hatred in his eyes. Through the red mist of his vision, he could see only Beelzebumon's apathetic, battle-hungry grin… That infuriatingly aloof smirk that exuded confidence, without any concern for anybody else…
The haze of fury grew thicker. Memories entered Dukemon's frenzied brain… Blurry flashes… Beelzebumon driving alongside him while he was on Grani's back… The way Beelzebumon indifferently took aim at Grani… The moment when he shot Grani's wing and body before his very eyes.
He remembered… Grani was unable to fly properly after that. If Beelzebumon hadn't shot him, Grani would have been able to escape Leviamon's blast. He wouldn't have had to sacrifice himself to protect him… Beelzebumon was the reason that horrible chain of events happened… It was his fault… His fault.
His fault.
That's right… for as much as he blamed Leviamon for Grani's death… it was Beelzebumon's fault too. And Beelzebumon was right there in front of him, grinning as if there was nothing wrong.
He didn't just want to kill him… he wanted to rip him to shreds.
Dukemon roared and lunged at Beelzebumon with wild abandon. He drilled his fist hard across Beelzebumon's face, hurling him through the air.
Beelzebumon hissed and staggered unceremoniously, spinning around and jumping back to try and put some space between himself and Dukemon. For all of his swagger, Beelzebumon needed a breather, as he was having trouble keeping up with Dukemon's aggressive assault. Whirling around to face his opponent, Beelzebumon jumped back, panting and swearing under his breath.
"Hey, hey! Let's take a breather! We got all battle to dance—"
"Shut the hell up!" Dukemon roared, not ceasing even for a minute. He bolted towards Beelzebumon recklessly and vengefully. "Don't even say his name!"
Dukemon charged, his mind burning with blood red mist. There was a glimmer of red light in his seething eyes.
"It's your fault…" he hissed, his voice shaking.
"It's your fault he's dead!" Dukemon snapped. He headbutted the Demon Lord savagely. Then, he grabbed Beelzebumon's neck and jacket roughly, gripping him tightly and lifting him off of the ground.
"Grrk!" Beelzebumon sputtered as he felt Dukemon's metal-covered fingers close around his throat and his palm crush his trachea. He grabbed Dukemon's wrists and tried to pull his hands off, his dangling legs kicking wildly.
Dukemon glowered savagely, his fingers closing tighter. "Grani's dead… because of you!"
"Ghhaaack!" Beelzebumon sputtered and wheezed, desperately trying to wrench his iron grip loose. "What… th'fuck… you talking 'bout…?!"
"IT'S YOUR FAULT!" Dukemon yelled, squeezing even tighter.
Beelzebumon's grimacing, watering eyes met with Dukemon's. It was in that moment that he saw something dark deep inside of him… an animalistic fury… an inner darkness that was overflowing… They were no longer the eyes of a Royal Knight… but something else.
It was then that Beelzebumon realised… Dukemon had no interest at all in fighting him…
Dukemon simply wanted to kill him.
As the oxygen began to leave his lungs, Beelzebumon knew he had to act. Moving swiftly, Beelzebumon brought his legs up, tucking his knees to his chest. He wrenched his body back sharply and then extended his legs flexibly, slamming his heels into Dukemon's face.
Snarling, Dukemon staggered backwards, losing his grip on Beelzebumon's throat.
Beelzebumon dropped to the ground and wrenched his jacket free. Without wasting any time, Beelzebumon made a dash for the nearest Berenjena that he could find. He dove for one of his shotguns that were strewn across the field and rolled to a kneel, aiming at Dukemon defensively.
"Guh… Hey, hey! W-Wait a fucking minute 'ere!" Beelzebumon breathily shouted. "What the hell you talkin' about, Dukey? How, precisely, d'you figure it was my fault what happened to yer boy?! I 'ad nothin' to do with that!"
"Liar!" Dukemon yelled, sweeping his arm out as he stalked towards him.
"Did that fall rattle up yer skull in that tin pot of yours?!" Beelzebumon retorted, scowling with confusion. "If you'd kindly remember, it was Leviamon who killed Grani, not me! If you got beef about it, it's with him! I'm just here for a good time!"
Dukemon snarled darkly. The ground cracked beneath his footsteps, and the grass withered. Waves of heat seemed to ripple around his body. The sound of explosions around them were white noise. He single-mindedly ignored the swaths of Troopmon closing in on them; he focused solely on Beelzebumon.
"A good time…?" he asked, his voice turning deep and scathing. He stalked forwards, slowly approaching the Demon Lord. "You shot him… You hurt Grani badly enough that he wasn't able to fly properly… You made it so that we weren't able to escape Leviamon… We could have made it back to our lines… Grani wouldn't have had to protect me… He wouldn't have died… if you hadn't shot him in cold blood."
Beelzebumon's features sunk, and he reflexively took a step back. The way Dukemon was looking it at him… the bale in his eyes… It caused him to feel something he wasn't used to: fear.
"H-Hey! Wait a sec!" Beelzebumon shouted, scowling as sweat dripped down his face. "I didn't have any problem with 'im! I don't get my rocks off shooting guys weaker than me; you was the one I was after! Grani just got in my way! I didn't give a shit about him one way or the other!"
Dukemon's smouldering eyes tightened. "…That's your problem…. You don't care about anything but yourself… You don't care who you hurt as long as you get what you want…"
Beelzebumon looked around nervously. He saw the Troopmon sweeping past them in their charge towards the Royal Knights' and Saversburg's lines. However, in the far distance, he saw something noteworthy… the striking hue of red against the horizon.
He had no intention of fleeing from Dukemon, but he needed to remind the Royal Knight of who was really to blame here.
"…Ain't that a bit convenient?! You can't get yer mitts on Levi, so you're blaming the next best thing!" Beelzebumon accused him. "Levi's the one who killed Grani outta spite! If you wanna take it out on someone, take it out on him!"
"I know he is… and I plan to…" Dukemon spoke, his voice a tremoring chasm. "As soon as I'm done with you, I'm going to find Leviamon… and I'm going to rip him to pieces… one scale at a time…"
Beelzebumon smirked a little. "He ain't gonna be too hard to find…" he stated, raising his arm and pointing his finger out to the west. "Hey, ain't that Levi's ugly mug over there?"
Dukemon stopped in his tracks. His quaking, seething body tensed up. For the slightest of seconds, he wondered if Beelzebumon was just trying to distract him, but in the state he was in, he had to know for sure…
Dukemon slowly turned his head to the left, and gazed over the sea of Troopmon.
He saw red.
Leviamon's scarlet body stood on a hill, kilometers from the battlefield.
He was there… It was no ruse. He was really there.
The demon crocodile watched the battle from a safe distance, eager to see which of his hated foes would kill each other first. Leviamon wore a bitter and vengeful smile as he strategically watched to see who would get the upper hand…
Dukemon's withering eyes widened slightly. A shaky breath escaped his mouth.
Almost in a daze, he turned away from Beelzebumon, facing the distant Demon Lord of Envy directly.
Leviamon was actually there… Grani's murderer was right there… The Demon Lord of Envy was there on the edge of the battlefield. The smug smile on Leviamon's face… it was like he was taunting him…
Something within Dukemon snapped. His pupils contracted. His body shook with pure rage. A bestial snarl escaped Dukemon's mouth.
"See?" Beelzebumon stated with a grin. "You can save yer hard feelins for him. As fer me, why don' we—"
Without warning, Dukemon took off in a full sprint. He dashed off into the tide of marching Troopmon, charging single-mindedly towards Leviamon.
Beelzebumon blinked as Dukemon took off into the sea of grunts, the knight completely disregarding him and leaving him in the dust. While he had wanted to take some of the heat off of himself, he suddenly realised that his plan had backfired. "H-Hey! Where da hell do you think you're goin'?!" Beelzebumon exclaimed. "Damn it! Get back 'ere, Red! We ain't done yet!"
Dukemon ignored Beelzebumon's voice. He dove deep into the crowd of marching Troopmon, snarling as he attacked any who crossed his path. He let out a roar as he carved a path through the rubber tide of grunts. He bashed Troopmon aside left and right. Dukemon grabbed one by its hose and hurled it out of his path. He grabbed another by the gas mask and crushed it with his hand.
Dukemon tore through the Troopmons' lines, violently, fanatically. Even as the Troopmon mobbed him, jumping on his body in an attempt to tackle him, Dukemon continued charging forwards. He swept his arms out and threw the Troopmon off of him with ease, continuing to bowl through their ranks unabated. He didn't care about killing them, or if he did or not. They were mere nuisances to him, getting in his way of reaching Leviamon.
His mind was a blur. Spurred on by his anger, Dukemon just kept charging through them as fast as he could. He had gotten as far as their left flank, where the Saversburg military was awaiting the Troopmons' charge. He barely noticed the feeling of his arms hitting soft rubber as he bashed the Troopmon away from him.
After a couple more minutes of fighting his way through the tide of undead puppets, Dukemon finally burst out of the western edge of the Troopmons' formation. Hurling a couple Troopmon through the air, Dukemon dashed out into the open field that bridged the western edge of the battlefield and the hill-line from where Leviamon was watching the fight unfold.
The lone knight sprinted out across the grassy field, without even his lance or shield. Logic was a distant afterthought. He wasn't thinking about how he would fight Leviamon – only that he had to. The very sight of the demon reptile was enough to send him into a steaming rage. That alone was enough to drive him forward…
Dukemon gazed ahead as he ran. Through his red, blurry vision, he could see Leviamon a kilometer away, poised on top of the hill. His heart surged in an outpouring of fury, flooding through him and consuming him.
The last sentient thought that Dukemon had was the memory of Grani lying in his arms, feeling his best friend's life fading away…
Dukemon let out a ferocious roar of hatred.
"LEVIAMON!" he thundered.
Leviamon raised a brow when he saw a crimson figure burst out of the horde of Troopmon. Then, after a few moments, it dawned on him who it was.
"Dukemon…?" he murmured, watching as the solo knight charged towards him and him alone.
Leviamon's toothy smile widened with dark amusement and pleasure. "Ha… Hahahahah… Dukemon! You can't keep away from me, can you?!" he taunted thunderously.
Leviamon grinned darkly and began crawling down the hill towards the battlefield, fully intent on meeting him.
"I wasn't planning on stepping into this battle… but if you want to sacrifice yourself up so that I can prove my loyalty to the Demon Lords, I'll be happy to kill you!" Leviamon called out, releasing a sinister chuckle. "Now, why don't you make this easy and hop into my jaws?! I'll eat you nice and quick. You'll barely even feel it…"
The corners of Leviamon's mouth curled back, his mocking smile brandishing his glossy teeth.
"Just forget all about that stupid toy bird of yours…" the Demon Lord told him. "I'll ease your suffering… You can become part of me… and we'll be monsters together."
In that moment, Dukemon's rage hit its crescendo.
Leviamon's words… his presence… He couldn't take it anymore.
His mind sunk deeper into its numb and feverish state. His head burned, like every blood vessel in his veins was boiling. He couldn't even think. His thoughts were a mad, primal blur. It was like every thought was moving at a million kilometers a second, breaking off in different, chaotic directions like the notes of an improvisational prestissimo.
He couldn't slow down. He couldn't stop anymore. His mind was like a comet burning up, the last vestiges of logic and self evaporated into space.
And then, finally…
It stopped.
Dukemon suddenly halted, staggering before stopping dead in the middle of the field.
He lurched forwards, his head bowed and his shoulders slumped… His body trembled, heaving up and down as he gasped for oxygen… He stood still.
The air around him rippled with heat. The grass withered and turned a lifeless yellow beneath him. The soil turned dry and barren, cracks opening up around his feet.
Above them, clouds began to congregate where no clouds had been before… However, something was different.
The clouds did not look as they should… they did not move naturally. The thick masses of vapour began swirling around in a circle… They turned a deep, intense violet colour with traces of sharp red lacing their contours. The clouds gradually gyrated around as if a hurricane was brewing. They formed a vortex… with the epicenter directly above Dukemon.
Dukemon clutched his chest and collapsed to his knees. He sucked in air as if he was hyperventilating. The pain… the rage… the power that flowed through him… He couldn't hold it any longer. He didn't want to…
His tight hand, clutching the center of his breastplate, loosened and slid down… revealing the Digital Hazard symbol it had been covering.
The black symbol on his chest flickered… as did the ones covering his knees.
Then… Dukemon's body seized up.
A primal howl ripped from Dukemon's throat, piercing the turbulent sky. His form tightened up and arched backwards with agony.
The Digital Hazard symbols suddenly surged with red light, emitting powerful rays that coursed out of his body and burned the grass beneath him. As Dukemon screamed, the armour around the symbols fractured and shattered, and torrents of fire and shadows erupted out of the fissures in his armour.
As Dukemon's body became engulfed in the inferno, his eyes snapped open, revealing bestial eyes that glowed a hellish blood red.
The last thing he saw was the apocalyptic vortex overhead. He watched as the Digital Hazard symbol glowed within the clouds…
…and then his mind went black.
Darkness and flames consumed Dukemon's body.
His armour burst into pieces. His cape burned away. The roar of the flames was matched only by his agonized scream.
His humanoid silhouette within the inferno hunched forwards… and then it grew.
Two massive wings burst from his back, swathed in infernal flames. Then, his body began to twist and contort…
His chest swelled and expanded, growing to enormous proportions. The bones of his arms thickened and elongated, morphing into monstrous limbs. His legs vanished within the flames, becoming replaced with the long, powerful tail of a wyrm.
His whole body changed… He transformed from that of a knight… into that of a dragon from hell…
Dukemon's helmet split open and his head was replaced with the vicious snout of a raging dragon. His mouth became a roaring maw, filled with razor sharp teeth.
Behind the draconic, red mask that covered the top half of his head, the former knight looked around with fervent, wild, red eyes.
Fire licked the armour that covered his huge, bestial chest. The Digital Hazard was emblazoned on his plate armour. Unlike the dull, unassuming black one that had adorned Dukemon's chest, this one spanned his entire breastplate, burning actively.
With a mighty flap of his wings, the dragon snuffed out the flames within an instant. He snarled with feral rage. Saliva dripped off of his teeth and dropped to the ground. The grass hissed and melted as the sulphuric acid corroded it.
Crimson lightning flashed in the chaotic sky overhead, the red light catching the metal blades that now lined his arms.
The creature that used to be Dukemon leaned forwards… and then jerked his body back, unleashing an earth shaking roar as lightning erupted around the Digital hazard overhead.
This was no longer Dukemon…
It was Megidramon.
And the Digital Hazard had begun.