Holy War

by Griff4823

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

125. Chapter 87: The Collapsing World

(Author's Notes: Hey all! The new chapter's here! We deal with some of the fall out from the last chapter.

I hope everyone's doing well! As always, I hope you enjoy. Let me know your thoughts!)

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Chapter 87: The Collapsing World

It was the night after the battle.

The Demon Lords and their army of Nightmare Soldiers were basking in their greatest victory to date. They had inflicted a crushing blow upon the Royal Knights, forcing Yggdrasil's followers into a southern retreat. The Royal Knights had to retreat past the Neutral Zone and back into the defensible northern border of the Republic of Node.

The Demon Lords would have liked to have chased them down in the initial retreat and crushed them decisively, but Megidramon's unwitting intervention and subsequent dark evolution made them reconsider their priorities. Ultimately, their strategic objective was to make it past the Great Forest on a westward bearing, and then continue southwest until they reached the Chasm of Creation. From there, they could infiltrate the Kernel, and from there… the world would all but be in their hands. They did not have to completely destroy the Royal Knights yet… First, they would deal with their god and lord – then, they would fall that much more easily.

For the moment, however, the Demon Lords and their army of Nightmare Soldiers made camp for the night.

The army stopped a few kilometers from the edge of the Great Forest, their lines firmly entrenched in Neutral Zone territory now. Although they didn't enter the forest for pragmatic reasons, they did not care about the taboo of sending their military into the Neutral Zone. In fact, they eagerly broke it.

Demon allowed the army to stop for the night, as everyone was tired from fighting and marching non-stop. They had to conserve their energy for the final push to the Chasm of Creation.

Camp was set up quickly in the early evening. The aristocratic demons who had the means had their servants pitch them lavish tents filled with luxurious pillows and the like. Most of the lower-ranked demons who formed the rank-and-file of the army, however, were lucky to sleep on the ground.

At around sunset, Count Murmuxmon arrived with the rest of his legion, as well as the Deliverer cultists from Dark Point. Their added forces bolstered the Demon Lords' army, more than recouping the losses that they sustained. Upon arriving, Murmuxmon's legion mingled with the rest of the Nightmare Soldiers. The white-robed Deliverers were kept separate from them. The Deliverers generally preferred to engage in strange rituals and mantras rather than socialize with the demon Digimon anyways.

Likewise, the three brigades from Kowloon Company made camp on their own. They pitched their own camp half a kilometer away from the demons, using their own supplies that they had with them. Unlike the stratified and individualistic Nightmare Soldier encampment, Kowloon's camp was professional and well-made, with squads of the mercenary soldiers sharing tents, and sentries posted around the perimeter.

Tensions had been brewing between the mercenaries and the Nightmare Soldiers – mostly over booty and general mistrust of each other. It was decided it was best that the two groups remained separate.

The landscape was dark and the weather remained turbulent. Violet clouds continued to swirl in the sky, as far as the eye could see. Distant, crimson lightning flashed between them, giving the sky an ominous, otherworldly hue of purple with flickers of red. The moons and stars were blotted out and the atmosphere was completely covered by the thick and tempestuous clouds.

The storm wasn't as violent there as it was when the Digital Hazard first activated, however, it was expanding. By the time they had reached just north of the Great Forest, the ominous storm had spread far and wide. It seemed like it wasn't just flowing in one direction like a regular storm, but expanding in every direction.

Bagramon stood at the edge of the encampment, near where the Demon Lords were congregating for a meeting. While waiting for the others to gather, he gazed into the distance, above the distant tree-line of the Great Forest. His eye settled on a far-away silhouette – one that stood above all others.

The World Tree.

He gazed at the towering ash tree in the distance – its sheer size was impossible to ignore. Its thick, voluminous boughs and gigantic trunk formed a striking, dark silhouette that stood against the eerie, violet sky. However, the top half of the tree was consumed by the thick clouds that blanketed the lower atmosphere, concealing its true magnitude.

Bagramon stared intensely, watching as a red lightning bolt flashed near to it, briefly illuminating its branches. He was so close now…

He glanced down at his wooden arm. That revered tree reminded him of where he started… and how far he has come. Nobody would stop him now. Not even the Royal Knights.

Bagramon turned his head, sensing some of the other Demon Lords making their way over. He saw Barbamon, Lilithmon, and Demon walking nearby, talking amongst themselves.

"Oh, Bagramon~!" Lilithmon called out, beckoning him. "Have you seen any sign of Beelzebumon with that eye of yours?"

"Lilithmon," Bagramon spoke, turning to the three Demon Lords. "No, not since he drove off during the battle. It seems more than likely that he followed Dukemon – or whatever the Digital Hazard calls himself now."

"Of course he went running off after him!" Barbamon proclaimed with a cynical roll of his eyes. "Only Beelzebumon is stupid enough and cocky enough to go chasing after the walking apocalypse! That three-eyed muttonhead's reckless antics has left us another Demon Lord down!"

"Beelzebumon has always been a disobedient renegade," Demon scoffed contemptuously. "Angel or demon – he has never changed. He surely doesn't care that he has left us in the lurch when we are on the cusp of domination."

"For as much of a bean-brained ingrate as he is, we still need his strength," Barbamon complained. "The Royal Knights are bruised, but not beaten. They're licking their wounds now, but once we reach the Chasm of Creation, I'm sure they'll enact a valiant last stand to keep us from doing anything to their precious god. We have to be ready to wipe them out once and for all."

"Yes. Beelzebumon has taken his eyes off the wheel," Demon spat. "First, we must crush the Royal Knights. Then, we must destroy God and its choir of simple-minded angels. Only then should we focus on that rogue knight."

"Yes, but how much time do we have before the Digital Hazard breaks the world completely?" Barbamon asked. "We must work quickly."

"I cannot say for certain… Days? A week? Two? It depends partially on the vessel, I'm sure," Bagramon responded with a grim expression. "You are right, though. We must complete our objectives swiftly. We cannot underestimate the threat the Digital Hazard poses to us."

"Well, with any luck, Beelzebumon will take care of the problem for us," Lilithmon mused, placing her hands on her hips. "Perhaps his impulsiveness will end up working in our favour."

"Knowing him, he'll screw it up somehow. We cannot count on that," Barbamon grumbled. "Unfortunately, we cannot break our momentum, but we also must destroy that time bomb of a knight as soon as physically possible. I cannot enjoy the vast riches of this world if it's destroyed, now can I?"

"Now that, I can actually agree on," Lilithmon stated, casting an eye in Barbamon's direction. "You and I actually agreeing on something; it really must be the end of the world."

Bagramon raised his hand, pensively stroking the black stubble of his beard. "I cannot deny that Dukemon is a threat that needs to be eliminated. However, the closer we come to Yggdrasil and God, the more adversity that we will face. As Barbamon said, I would not be surprised if the Royal Knights and the Heavenly Choir attempted a final stand against us. If that happens, hopefully the holder of the Digital Hazard will be drawn to the fighting. After all, I am sure that he has unfinished business with the Royal Knights."

"And then we can destroy them all in one fell swoop," Demon mused with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Exactly," Barbamon stated, driving the butt of his staff against the ground. "It would be nice if they all killed each other, but having them all in one place is needed at minimum. If he can't kill him, hopefully Beelzebumon has enough sense to lead him back to us while we're in battle."

"He was a trained officer once," Demon growled. "He should at least be smart enough not to get himself killed. For all of his impudence, he has good instincts."

"He's too proud to kill the weak, but he's not too proud to cut and run in a pinch," Lilithmon murmured.

"We can only hope for the best," Bagramon stated. "Where are Lucemon and Belphemon?"

"Belphemon is asleep, go figure," Lilithmon informed him, nodding towards the large, luxurious tents. "Lucemon is checking in on our dear prisoner…"

"Rubbing the salt in his infected wounds, I should dearly hope," Demon scoffed.

Bagramon glanced towards her. "And? How is Seraphimon's condition?"

"Alive – barely," Lilithmon replied with a dark smile. "The poison has taken over. He is strong enough not to succumb to it, but he is in excruciating pain. He is stubbornly holding defiant, but it is clearly a front. His barriers have all but degraded and his resistance is weakening by the hour."

"How delicious it is to see that miserable, high-handed whelp in such a pathetic state," Barbamon exclaimed with glee. "One angel has already broken… the next won't be long now."

"He has held firm, though. The fool is as stubborn as he ever was," Demon spoke in a low rasp. "I knew him personally, and it would take nothing less than God's own words to make him change his mind about anything. It will take more than mere poison to break an uncompromising fool's spirit."

"Hm…" Bagramon mused, his voice and eyes dispassionate. "…He will break. With what is to come, he will break."

"I want to witness it when he does…" Demon declared, cracking his hidden knuckles beneath the joined sleeves of his robes. "Until then, I will enjoy helping him along."

With that, Demon turned and broke away from the group without another word, going off to speak with his junior officers.

"Hm… I think I shall retire for the night as well," Lilithmon announced, tilting her head towards her lavish tent. "My attendants are getting restless and I need my beauty sleep."

"Try to ensure that your soldiers are not too tired for the excursion to come, won't you, Lilithmon?" Barbamon astringently quipped. "They don't all have your stamina…"

Lilithmon scoffed and folded her arms. "I am confident that I will have a more restful sleep than you. Isn't it hard to sleep with all those riches stuffed inside your mattress?"

"Feh. I too have things to do!" Barbamon spat, turning away indignantly. "Sleep tight, my venomous harlot."

"And you, my cantankerous, old miser," Lilithmon responded in turn, before looking back at Bagramon. "And you as well, Bagramon. Don't stay up too late thinking; it will give you wrinkles."

"Take care, Lilithmon," Bagramon replied, turning away and leaving it ambiguous as to whether he would heed her advice.

As Lilithmon and Barbamon walked off, Bagramon was left alone with his thoughts.

He turned back towards the distant forest, his eyes – one real, one artificial – trailing up the tall, extensive trunk of the World Tree.

"You are desperate, aren't you, Yggdrasil?" Bagramon thought, turning his glare up from the cloud-veiled boughs to the cataclysmic storm overhead. "That is why you arranged all of this, isn't it? You would rather see the world destroyed than be ruined yourself… You are scared… You know that we are getting close."

Bagramon's wooden fist creaked as it tightened into a fist. "And God… you are no better. You are happy to allow the Digital Hazard to happen too, aren't you? So long as balance and harmony is achieved, you would allow hundreds of thousands of Digimon to be destroyed. You are all too happy to work in tandem with Yggdrasil if it sees us overgrowing weeds chopped down. Behind your remote neutrality, you are just as amoral and selfish as Yggdrasil is."

Bagramon's Invisible Snake-eye blazed like a scintillating ruby.

"Neither of you will succeed… I will reach you first, and I will finally put an end to this injustice. I will not fail now that I am so close."

Bagramon turned his eyes back down to the dark World Tree, which loomed over the entire landscape like a titan.

"I have come this far… I will stop at nothing, There is nobody who I will allow to stand in my way…" he whispered in resolute promise. "If it happens that this tree shall be my gallows, then so be it…"

"Be afraid… the both of you. Count your sins now, while you still function… For I am coming… and I will deliver justice to this broken world."

---

It was night over the Autonomous Expanse.

The sky was dark - thick with turbulent, violet clouds. A strong gale swept intermittently across the landscape, causing the clouds to glide swiftly and chaotically across the atmosphere. Every so often, there was a tremor in the earth below, as if the strata of the Digital Word was being disturbed. An invisible cloud of apprehension hung uneasily over the landscape.

The storm had reached even as far as the western border of the Republic of Node.

The United Dramonic Coalition's Dramon Corps had set up camp on the eastern borderlands between the Autonomous Expanse and the Republic.

Lord Megidramon stood alone at the edge of an escarpment, overlooking a long, rolling slope.

The Great Dragon gazed out across the dark and unsettled landscape. His golden eyes were sharp and pensive, and his head tilted up to gaze at the continuous mass of rolling storm clouds overhead.

He sensed the entropy inside of him. He sensed it deep in the centre of his Digicore. He felt something stirring deep within the sealed core within him, profoundly affected by the disarray that he felt around him.

It was a familiar feeling… a deep, sickening decay… a wild, primordial chaos that had once drove him nearly mad with intoxicating power. He knew it all too well.

"…It's happening again…"

Megidramon's dry, scaly lips parted, revealing his tightened teeth as the corners of his mouth flicked up with the smallest of smiles.

"…Your Excellency, what is going on?" a voice said from behind him.

Lord Megidramon turned and saw Land Marshal Justimon and Sky Marshal Slayerdramon standing below him. He acknowledged them briefly before turning back to the turbulent sky.

"…It's the Digital Hazard. It has activated," Megidramon explained. He waved his hand. "Don't worry – it isn't mine. It is the other one."

"Sir? The Digital Hazard?" Justimon pressed urgently. "You mean…"

"Yes… We have no time to waste. If we do not link up with the Royal Knights quickly, the world as we know it may come to an end," Megidramon calmly stated. "Generals, at dawn break, have the Dramon Corps ready to move. Hopefully the messenger we sent has received permission from the Council of Seven for military access, but we cannot wait around forever. At first light, we shall march into the border region and continue north. Dorbickmon is already scouting ahead across the border, correct?"

"Yes, Lord-General!" Slayerdramon readily confirmed.

"And if that ruffles their feathers, Sir?" Justimon asked.

"Then we shall explain it away later. I'm sure they will understand if we mention the Digital Hazard or something," Megidramon answered with a dismissive wave of his claws. "The world is at stake. We don't have the luxury of time to leisurely tiptoe around the Republic's petty bureaucracy."

"I suppose you have a point, Lord-General," Justimon conceded.

"Of course I do," Megidramon replied. "Now, you should both retire for the night as well. Get going."

"Lord-General. I bid thee goodnight," Slayerdramon stated, bowing formally.

Justimon bowed slightly and then turned to walk back to the army encampment alongside Slayerdramon, leaving Lord Megidramon on his own again.

Megidramon went back to staring across the dark, turbid landscape, watching the thick layer of clouds stream across the sky like waves ahead of a hurricane. The distant crimson lightning reflected in his darkly pensive eyes.

"Haha… Dukemon… you damn, deluded fool…" Megidramon whispered with the spectre of a laugh. "I knew it…"

His blood red eyes glared intensely as a darkly ironic smile settled on his snout.

"Tell me… where is your god now…?"

---

The night passed, giving way to dawn the next morning.

The Order of the Royal Knights and their Saversburg allies had spent the remainder of the previous day marching. They took the Grand Highway south, past the Neutral Zone and back across the river that demarcated the northern border of the Republic of Node.

It was night by the time they stopped. With the amount of wounded that they had, it was decided that they would go directly to the field hospital that they had established in anticipation for treating the wounded. A series of tents had been strategically set up along the southern banks of the river for the field hospital. In the name of expediency, the Royal Knights decided that the Order should set up camp nearby and rest for the remainder of the night. However, the idea of anybody getting much rest under the circumstances was wishful thinking.

The sun rose the following day, but it was unable to be seen. The thick storm clouds continued to blanket the entire sky, concealing the beacon of light from view. The crimson lightning continued to flash in the distance within the clouds, causing a pervasive rumble of thunder to sound throughout the night and morning.

At the break of dawn, the Royal Knights were already up. None of them were really able to sleep. Not after what had happened the previous day… Even without the emotional stress and strain, the intermittent growl of thunder, and the groans of the nearby wounded made any kind of relaxation difficult.

A heavy atmosphere hung heavy across the camp. Not just amongst the Royal Knights, but among the soldiers as well. It was the intangible weight of loss. Loss, not just in the military sense, but also the loss of friends and role models.

Captain Knightmon was gone. He had been a long-time member of the Order, and he had grown to become a well-loved and respected leader of the Defence Forces. His loss left a hole in the heart of the Order. Not just that of the Defence Forces, but of the Strike Forces, Recon Forces, and Royal Knights themselves. It was an incredibly hard pill to swallow after also losing Grani.

On top of that, Dukemon, one of their very own Royal Knights, had completely lost control. The Digital Hazard activated, and he had dark evolved into Megidramon before changing again into ChaosDukemon. As upsetting as seeing one as loved and respected as Dukemon lose himself like that, there was also the ever-present fear and unease that came from the physical manifestation of the Digital Hazard on their surroundings.

If that wasn't enough, they also lost many soldiers in the Orb of Yang's explosion. A head count was done, and those who were missing were assumed dead. They had lost almost a hundred soldiers – most of them came from the Defence Forces, though the Strike Forces also had over a dozen casualties.

Morale was lower than it had ever been. Grief and worry hung over the camp like a pestilence.

Alphamon stood at the edge of camp, gazing up at the dark, violet storm clouds. His eyes were distant… calm, yet heavy with sorrow. A soft, uneven breath escaped his mouth.

He felt the loss that they all felt. He felt it heavily. Yet, he had to be strong for everyone in this time of crisis. He had to lift the others up when they were faltering. He had to put aside his own needs for those of the Order. That's what he thought, at least.

"For all your talk of cooperation, you set yourself above the rest. You always carry the burden on your own shoulders, determined to bear the weight yourself. You keep others at arm's length, refusing to let them in, lest they should see your true struggles…" a familiar voice challenged him in memory.

"…Is that what I am doing now, DarkKnightmon?" Alphamon quietly wondered, sighing as he stared up at the turbulent sky. "But is now really the time to be thinking about myself…?"

As Alphamon thought about what he should be doing as leader, he heard some footsteps approaching from behind him. The Aloof Hermit turned around to see both Ouryumon and Omegamon walking over to him.

"Alphamon…" Omegamon greeted. His voice was soft and listless; it was clear he hadn't had much rest. The tired and forlorn look in Omegamon's eyes said all that needed to be said.

"I… can't believe he's really gone…" Ouryumon grimly said. His voice was rocky yet subdued. There was a thinly veiled grimace on his face, and his eyes were sad, weary, and bloodshot.

"No… Neither can I," Alphamon responded, looking down sadly. "We owe Knightmon a great deal… as do we to all those who lost their lives yesterday."

"He always looked after others… Even in his last moments, he was still selflessly thinking of his subordinates," Omegamon softly added.

"Damn it…" Ouryumon hissed with a vengeful growl. He fought back tears from re-entering his eyes, his clawed fists tight and shaking. "Those fucking Demon Lords… Fucking Lucemon… I'll make him pay for this… I'll avenge Knightmon."

Alphamon placed his hand comfortingly on Ouryumon's arm, looking reassuringly into his eyes. "We won't let their sacrifices be in vain…" he promised him. "How are the Strike Forces, Ouryumon?"

"Not great…" Ouryumon responded, looking away. "They're pretty torn up. I think they're itching for some payback. I gotta talk to 'em and make sure they channel it the right way. I can only imagine how the Defence Forces are feelin' right now. They loved Knightmon…"

"They are grieving…" Alphamon confirmed, having been by their camp to check on them last night. "They are heartbroken and lost without his leadership. As much as I do not wish to, I must assign an Acting Captain to replace Knightmon."

"Leftenant Shoutmon X4K?" Omegamon asked.

"No, he was wounded in the explosion. Perhaps Leftenant Rapidmon or Cannondramon. I shall have to think about it this morning," Alphamon answered with a weary sigh. "…How are you both doing?"

"…Pissed off. Ready to soak my swords in some demon blood," Ouryumon muttered sharply, folding his arms. It was clear to Alphamon from the quiver in his voice that it was, in part, bravado to distract from what he was really feeling.

Omegamon looked down sadly. "My heart is heavy… I grieve for our fallen, and I'm worried about what's happening with Dukemon. With that said, I am determined to triumph," he answered honestly.

"Yes…" Alphamon replied sullenly yet mutedly. "…Do either of you know how RhodoKnightmon is doing?"

"He's putting a tough face on it," Ouryumon responded. The dragon turned and nodded back towards their tents. "He's over there."

Alphamon looked and saw RhodoKnightmon standing between their tents with Dynasmon and Craniamon.

He watched Dynasmon give RhodoKnightmon a hug. However, compared to his usual flamboyant mannerisms, RhodoKnightmon reacted in a subdued and closed-off manner, merely allowing Dynasmon to hug him while giving him a small, perfunctory hug in return.

Craniamon stood next to them. His head was bowed, and he held himself close. Gone was his usual air of quiet confidence.

Alphamon's expression softened, and he began walking over to them. He knew that RhodoKnightmon and Knightmon went way back, from when Knightmon was an attendant of RhodoKnightmon's noble family.

He felt he should say something to him, not just as a leader, but as a close friend. He knew he must be hurting.

As Alphamon approached, Dynasmon let go and stepped back. "Oh… Hey, Alphamon," he greeted somberly.

"Hello…" Alphamon responded, nodding courteously before turning to RhodoKnightmon. The rose knight addressed him wordlessly. Although his features were hidden behind his mask, his sluggish and subtle movements revealed his absent deportment.

"RhodoKnightmon… I'm so sorry about Knightmon…" Alphamon gently apologised, tentatively approaching to offer him a hug.

RhodoKnightmon sighed wearily, but permitted Alphamon to console him. "Thank you, Alphamon…" he responded, stepping away when Alphamon released his embrace.

Craniamon bowed his head, a bitter grimace in his dark, red eyes.

"…I'm sorry, RhodoKnightmon," Craniamon spoke up. His stiff voice was laced with guilt and shame. "This is my fault…"

"Huh? What are you talking about? How did you work that out, Craniamon?" Dynasmon challenged him.

Craniamon stared distantly at the grass between their feet. "Knightmon took my place at the center when we had that emergency meeting… When I came back, I let him convince me to bolster the defences further down the line…" He squeezed the metal tightly between his fingers. "I should have insisted… It should have been me."

"And what would that have solved?" RhodoKnightmon sharply asked him. "Then we would have lost you instead… Trading one friend for another… It is useless to think that way." RhodoKnightmon looked down, shaking his head. "The conditions were what they were. Knightmon made the decision to try and save as many lives as he could. He sacrificed himself for his soldiers, who he cared dearly about. He would have sacrificed himself for you too, Craniamon – for any of us… That's just the kind of Digimon he was…"

"Rhodo's right," Magnamon's voice said from behind.

Alphamon and the others looked over. Walking towards them from the other tents were Magnamon, UlforceVeedramon, and the rest of the knights.

"You can't blame yourself, Craniamon," Magnamon encouraged him with touches of sadness and anger to his weary voice. "If it's anybody's fault, it's Lucemon's…"

"Yeah," Gankoomon agreed with a furious and frustrated scowl. He brought his tightly clenched hands together, cracking his knuckles. "That pain you feel now… use it as fuel when we pay him back."

"Exactly…" RhodoKnightmon concurred decisively.

"How are you feeling within yourself, Rhodo?" Omegamon asked, stepping up beside them with Ouryumon behind him.

"I grieved for the Captain last night... This morning, I grieve no longer. And I shall not again until we put an end to the Demon Lords' scourge," RhodoKnightmon answered. His voice was heavy, but also placid and steadfast. "Captain Knightmon would not want us to divert our energies into mourning his sacrifice. He would want us to focus on the task at hand. He would want us to pull together and save the world from these vile, degenerate demons. That is what I will focus my energies on, and I shall not rest until we do so."

Alphamon sighed, but nodded gently. "Yes… Yes, I believe you are right, Rhodo…"

Magnamon looked up at Alphamon curiously. "And you, Alphamon? Are you holding up alright?" he wondered. "I thought I heard you pacing outside the tents last night."

Alphamon paused, reflexively hesitating. For a few moments, he avoided the golden knight's worried eyes. In those moments, he wondered what he should say…

Should he be honest? They were looking to him for leadership, so could he afford to show weakness? Would doing so negatively affect the others?

However… he remembered that critical voice. He remembered the others' worried faces when he tried to handle everything on his own. He had to trust his friends, now more than ever… And so, he turned to meet Magnamon's gaze.

"…I'm… struggling," Alphamon admitted, sheepishly scratching his cheek. "The pain I feel over Knightmon… Dukemon… Grani… our soldiers… I cannot deny them. I know none of us can… My heart weeps for all those we have lost."

"However…" he continued. "RhodoKnightmon is right. We do not have time to dwell, as cruel as that is to say right now. At this moment, every minute is vital. We must summon all of our strength and courage. The Demon Lords will not cease unless we stop them."

UlforceVeedramon smiled sadly. "You should save that for the rest of the Order. We could all really do with one of your rousing speeches right now, Alphamon…" he sullenly encouraged him.

Alphamon met his eyes and nodded. "I will address everyone shortly… though, I fear there is nothing I can say that can erase the sorrow that we all feel right now. All that I can do is acknowledge the shared pain in our hearts, and remind everyone what it is that we are fighting for."

"Indeed…" Duftmon spoke, the last one to walk over. He walked alongside General Tactimon, who seemed uncertain about interrupting. The pair of strategists stopped at the edge of the group.

"Duftmon," Alphamon acknowledged. "What is the situation?"

"Our scouts report that the Demon Lords have constructed an encampment one kilometer north of the Great Forest," Duftmon explained. "After our withdrawal, there is currently nothing standing in their way from taking a direct path to their destination. Tactimon and I hypothesize that they will travel in a west-south-westerly direction along the Great Forest's tree line until they reach the Primordial Pass, the northern entrance to the Chasm of Creation."

"Is there any chance that they might try to travel through the Great Forest to get there?" Alphamon asked. "Would they mount an attack on the World Tree?"

"We find that highly unlikely, although we cannot completely rule out the possibility," Duftmon responded. "The Digital Hazard's activation has changed the situation drastically. The Demon Lords are likely aware of what it means. The Digital Hazard means that we are all operating under the same clock – they will expedite their movements and escalate their actions to secure their objectives as swiftly as possible. In this instance, they appear to want to invade and capture the Kernel. They would not waste precious time needlessly traversing the comparatively rough terrain of the Great Forest."

"But nobody can get into the Hall of Yggdrasil without being granted permission," UlforceVeedramon pointed out. "You can only be granted access at the World Tree."

"Suffice to say, UlforceVeedramon, I believe we have gone beyond that point by now," Duftmon stated, casting a look at the cobalt knight. "Who knows what Bagramon and Lucemon were able to devise after infiltrating the Arcane Ruins? They may have discovered vital information about the security of the Kernel that they can now exploit."

Sleipmon cringed and bowed his head. He couldn't forget the guilt and frustration that he felt over being unable to stop the Demon Lords from desecrating the Arcane Ruins.

"They definitely have…" Sleipmon murmured.

"I believe Duftmon is correct," Alphamon stated. "We must assume that Bagramon has already planned this far ahead. He is capable of much, and perhaps he already has the means to bypass the Kernel's firewall. That arm of his has special attributes – that much I am certain of."

"So, what's our plan?" Gankoomon impatiently asked.

"As soon as we are able, we must travel north-west to the Chasm of Creation," Duftmon instructed. "At this point, it will be physically impossible for us to prevent the Demon Lords from reaching the Chasm of Creation. Considering their proximity and momentum, they will have too much of a lead for us to be able to intercept them again, especially considering that the Great Forest is now a barrier between us. However…" Duftmon turned and looked at Tactimon.

Tactimon stepped forwards. "However, while this is appears to be a clear disadvantage for us, it actually presents us with a unique opportunity," he explained. "In order to reach the Hall of Yggdrasil, the Demon Lords must first enter the Chasm of Creation. As you all know, this is a deep canyon with steep cliffs on both sides of a wide valley that is under two kilometers in breadth. Therefore, they will vulnerable within the canyon from the tops of those cliffs."

"Unless they decide to split their army in two to account for those vantage points," Duftmon added. "In which case, their divided forces will be easier for us to assault. Either way, while we are at a strategic disadvantage, we retain a tactical advantage. We must stake everything on this, for it is our last chance."

Alphamon frowned and nodded. "What of our allies? What of their whereabouts?" he asked.

"We received word that a Dramon messenger met the acting Council of Seven in New Terminal yesterday, asking for permission to pass through Republic territory," Tactimon explained. "That messenger was sent along to us. Apparently the Dramon Corps were in the south-east of the Autonomous Expanse, having passed through Caer Ygg peacefully and are waiting at the border with the Republic. The Council granted permission, so they will be travelling north-east towards the Chasm of Creation. They wish to know what we are doing."

"If everyone is content to go along with Duftmon and Tactimon's plan, then we shall travel west and meet them at the southern reaches of the Chasm of Creation," Alphamon answered, looking around at the other Royal Knights.

Nobody had anything to say against it. They responded with only affirmative nods.

"Timing is of the utmost importance," Duftmon explained. "We must move quickly, but without being hasty. We cannot arrive at the chasm before the dragons do or else we will be vulnerable to attack. However, if we are too slow, Bagramon and Lucemon may succeed in whatever their nefarious plans involving Yggdrasil are. We must be swift, but not too swift. A precise balance is required, and coordination with the United Dramonic Coalition is imperative. The only way we will succeed is with combined forces. We cannot have those dragons rushing off carelessly again"

"They wouldn't. Lord Megidramon is a good general if nothing else…" Examon flatly responded.

"I should hope so," Duftmon answered, folding his arms. "Regarding our plan, we would like to conduct either a two-pronged or three-pronged assault using our three armies. One will advance through the bottom of the chasm, while the aerial troops attack from the top of the cliffs. If certain variable conditions are right, it may also be feasible to attack from a third direction via the Primordial Pass to the north. We shall see."

"Very well," Alphamon responded, content to let Duftmon take charge of the strategy as usual.

"Time is against us, so we mustn't linger here much longer," Duftmon said. "How fast can the medical transports from New Terminal arrive?"

"Within the day, most likely," the black knight replied.

"Then we should leave as soon as the wounded are secured."

"Hey, hey. Wait a second!" Dynasmon exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention. "Aren't we forgetting about the Mammon in the room here?"

"You mean Dukemon…" Magnamon said with a worried wince.

"Yeah, Dukemon," Dynasmon hurriedly confirmed. "What's going on with him? I'm not the only one who saw that, right? He… He changed back, didn't he? Sort of?"

"He changed, Dynasmon," Duftmon clarified grimly. "He did not 'change back'."

Duftmon gestured emphatically up at the sky – the dark clouds and the flashing lightning in the distance. "Look around… the Digital Hazard is still as active now as it was before," he explained. "I do not know why Dukemon evolved from Megidramon to that new form, but the Digital Hazard has not changed, even if he has."

"Perhaps…" Omegamon spoke up. "Perhaps we will be able to talk to him this way… When I saw him, he… seemed more in control of himself."

"I hope you are right, Omegamon," Alphamon said. "I truly hope that this means we can communicate with Dukemon more easily, but we cannot underestimate what he is still capable of. He may not be a rampaging beast, but we do not know how he will act now. He may still try to kill us."

"That is a possibility," Duftmon admitted. "However, nothing has changed regarding our previous policy regarding Dukemon. We will continue to do what we can for as long as it is feasible."

Alphamon nodded in agreement. "Yes, that is a fair stance to take."

Examon frowned as he thought about his wayward friend. He felt guilty that they were not able to stop them, but he had to think practically.

"Where do you think he went?" Examon wondered. "Why did he travel north?"

Craniamon shook his head. "Who knows…?" he murmured somberly.

"I wish he felt he could still talk to us…" UlforceVeedramon softly lamented.

Alphamon sighed, looking around at the others. He could see the sadness in their eyes, even though they did their best to downplay it. He felt it too.

"I know, Ulforce," he responded. "We will just have to win his trust back… I hope he will be able to hear us this time."

Duftmon sighed, rubbing his head as if a headache was coming on. "…At any rate, that is the plan for the moment. Now, we all have preparations to make and responsibilities to see to."

"Yes," Alphamon concurred. "Carry on with your mornings, everyone. Eat some breakfast and try to encourage the others. These are dark days and we must do everything we can to keep their spirits up – and ours as well. As tempting as it might be to give into despair right now, we need all of our strength for the battle to come. We have many Digimon relying on us."

"I'll eat to that," Dynasmon agreed, before turning to Duftmon and Tactimon. "Before we go, did our scouts ever get into contact with the Warrior Ten? I can't see them sitting still through all this – especially not AncientGreymon."

"A messenger was dispatched before we left from the Free Area," Duftmon responded. "The messenger has yet to return… Perhaps if the Warrior Ten actually invested in some staff like we have, communication with them wouldn't be such a vexing ordeal…"

"That aside, perhaps we should send a messenger to the Sky Colonies as well," Alphamon suggested. "I know that Cherubimon acted on his own, but it might be worth entreating with Ophanimon… The Heavenly Choir must be struggling and we have a common enemy."

"I suppose, but they will not be easy to find," Duftmon replied. "We can speak with Leftenant Holsmon about it."

Alphamon nodded and looked around at the eleven other Royal Knights. "Well… that is it. We all know what we have to do, as well as what lies ahead of us," he stated, his words solemn and weighty. "I will address the Order at noon. For now, do as you see fit. We all know our responsibilities."

The Royal Knights around him nodded and began to break away from the gathering in order to make themselves useful.

Alphamon watched as the eleven went on their way, leaving only Ouryumon beside him. Quietly, he hoped in his heart for the wellbeing of the twelfth, dearly hoping that Dukemon would be standing beside them again one day…

Alphamon turned his head, gazing across the river and over at the Great Forest beyond it. He raised his eyes to the dark and chaotic sky, his gaze settling on the dimly-lit branches of the World Tree in the dawn light.

Dukemon was depending on them. Yggdrasil was depending on them. The whole Digital World was depending on them.

"We cannot fail, Ouryumon," Alphamon spoke, gently conveying both his fear and determination to his old friend.

"We won't, Alphamon…" Ouryumon assured him, placing a hand on his plated shoulder.

Alphamon closed his eyes. "If we do… both Yggdrasil and the world itself may be destroyed…"

---

Thunder rumbled in the distance.

Dark, grey clouds, highlighted with violet accents, drifted tumultuously across the open, alpine skies.

The gathering storm had spread far and wide by the day after the Hazard activated. It had even spread there as far as the northern regions of Eniac. It seemed as though it would continue spreading, engulfing the whole of Eniac. Not content to stop there, it would likely continue out, across the Delta and Net Oceans, spreading as far as Iliad on the Colossus continent.

The Digital Hazard had no intention of stopping. It would carry out its programming function unabated, until the whole Digital World was affected. The signs of the Digital World's degradation were already becoming apparent. Aside from the heavy storms – the wind and the lightning – other faults were becoming noticeable. Fissures and dark rifts were starting to open up across the Digital World. That wasn't all, there were a growing number of faults and errors in the data occurring. It was a situation that was only getting worse.

That is why this urgent meeting was called.

Its location was a wide, flat plain of grass at the base of a tall, cloud-reaching mountain range. Scattered across the plain were megaliths of ancient rocks. They were tall and slender, like standing stones or ruins, giving the landscape an archaic lineage.

It was a sacred location, representing the terminal point of the largest of the Dragon Veins. It was here that five Digimon met.

Four massive Digimon either stood or hovered in one of the four cardinal points around the stone-adorned field. Each one present carried themselves with the weight and gravity that the situation deserved, for it was rare for them to abruptly meet in person like this were it not the most critical of circumstances.

A huge dragon of hallowed aether floated opposite to a giant tiger whose fur shimmered like steel. Adjacent to them was an enormous, two-headed tortoise that had a colossal tree sprouting from his shell. Lastly, opposite to the tortoise was a magnificent phoenix with fiery red feathers.

The Four Holy Beasts had gathered for an urgent meeting.

However, they were not alone. One other Digimon was present alongside them.

Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode stood in front of Qinglongmon, having been asked to attend at the Four Holy Beasts' request.

Despite being dwarfed by them in size, the dragon man stood in the presence of the four godly creatures with comfort and confidence. As the Royal Knights' founder and foremost representative, Imperialdramon was at ease dealing with all manner of Digimon, from diplomats to monarchs to even godly beings like the Four Holy Beasts. He had a relationship with them, so they permitted him to speak with them in person rather than through their Devas.

The meeting of the Four Holy Beasts was an event of great magnitude. The presence of the four deities provoked a portentous atmosphere, compounded by the already grave and calamitous state of the world around them.

Qinglongmon raised his noble head, his moustache swaying in the turbulent breeze as he gazed at the storm clouds over head. He closed his four eyes sagely. He did not need to look – he could feel it. The Digital World was coming apart at the seams.

"We all know why we are here," he stated, his eyes slowly opening to gaze around at his three brothers.

"Yes, I should say that we do," Zhuqiaomon sharply stated, his edged tongue conveying a sarcasm that masked his impatience. From his perch atop a rocky outcropping, he gestured around them with brisk turns of his head. "It is rather hard to ignore, wouldn't you say?"

"Now, now, Suzaku," Xuanwumon's twin heads spoke in unison, using his personal nickname. "I understand your frustration, but let us not start this meeting on the wrong foot. Try to remain calm."

Zhuqiaomon scoffed tempestuously. "And how am I supposed to remain calm at a time like this, Xuanwumon?" he sharply asked. "You can feel it too, can't you? We are facing catastrophe!"

Baihumon stepped forwards, looking around at his older and larger brothers. "There is no denying that the Digital World is teetering on the brink of disaster. I cannot pretend to maintain a sense of inner calm either, Genbu," he declared. "As far as calamities have gone, this may come to surpass even the Death X-Incident."

"There is truth in Byakko's words," Qinglongmon spoke, softly nodding in the white tiger's direction. "The destruction has not yet set in, it is true. However, with regard to world stability, this may surpass even the Crisis of the First Cycle in its scope and devastation."

"I suppose you already know what the cause is, Qinglongmon?" Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode questioned, gazing up at the venerable dragon. "I saw Mihiramon on the way here."

"Indeed, I do… However, I already knew some time before he found me," Qinglongmon explained. "In fact, I could feel the disturbance the moment that it happened…"

"Tch… Is that why you're here, Imperialdramon?" Zhuqiaomon suspiciously asked, leering over at the dragon knight with a caustic glare in his four eyes. "To attempt to pacify us after the calamity that your friends have caused?"

"Now, Suzaku, it is not fair to lay the blame entirely at the Royal Knights' feet," Xuanwumon sagely mused. "Responsibility is a commodity that is too readily exported, and so rarely imported."

"What exactly are you suggesting, Xuanwumon?" Zhuqiaomon questioned. "We bear no responsibility for the Digital Hazard's activation. How could we have predicted that this would happen, especially when it is the Royal Knights who took that Dukemon into their ranks. At least Megidramon's Digital Hazard was sealed, but Dukemon continued to be an unchecked peril."

"Respectfully, Zhuqiaomon," Imperialdramon asserted, taking a step forwards and gazing staunchly at the giant phoenix. "Dukemon has resisted the Digital Hazard for the whole of his long life. He is not to be blamed for the Digital Hazard's activation. What happened… was an unfortunate convergence of several negative events and tragedies. Some of the blame is ours…"

"That is what happens when you allow a dangerous program like the Digital Hazard to go unchecked," Zhuqiaomon bitterly growled. "Why does a program like that even exist…? What in the blazes could the purpose be?"

"I have thought long about that… Perhaps it is merely an unfortunate happenstance that the Digital Hazard came into being," Qinglongmon softly rumbled. "…Or perhaps there are machinations in play beyond what even we can comprehend."

"The reason matters not, only what the reality is before us," Baihumon growled. "The Digital Hazard will destroy the world if it is not stopped."

"Believe me, we are doing everything we can to stop that from happening," Imperialdramon assured them.

"I hope you're quick about it," Baihumon stated, leering across at him. "With every passing hour, the Digital World comes closer to destruction."

"And it will come to destruction if something is not done about it," Zhuqiaomon sharply stated. "How do you intend to put a stop to the Digital Hazard with one hand while fighting the Demon Lords with the other? Foolishness!"

"Zhuqiaomon, please," Qinglongmon dissuaded him. "The Digital Hazard is not the only issue here, as you well know."

"Indeed…" Xuanwumon concurred, his voice calm despite the perturbed frowns on his faces. "The earth, the sky, and the ocean are all in a state of chaos. However, not all of that is a consequence of the Digital Hazard's activation."

Qinglongmon closed his eyes, nodding sagely. "…The Orb of Yang has been destroyed," he stated. "Lord Huanglongmon's natural balance has been upset. The Orb of Yin and the Orb of Yang must be in a state of co-existence with one another. Without one, the power of the other becomes unchecked, and the state of equilibrium ceases to exist."

Zhuqiaomon's four, red eyes narrowed into a simmering glare. "Not only has the Orb of Yang released an overwhelming amount of dark, chaotic energy into the Digital World, but now the Orb of Yin is overcorrecting by releasing its own energy unchecked. The world's balance has been completely distorted."

"The Digital Hazard alone would have been a calamity," Baihumon pondered grimly. "But the sudden shift in the elemental balance has only made a disastrous situation even more critical. This has exacerbated the chaos that the Digital Hazard is causing. Now, the Digital World is degrading even more swiftly. The Digital World's foundations are coming apart."

Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode frowned gravely. "It's that bad, is it?" he asked.

"It is nearly as bad as it can be…" Zhuqiaomon sourly remarked. "Worse if the Demon Lords cause any further damage."

Xuanwumon sighed, his two heads bowing solemnly. "…The blame is partially ours. We have erred…" he lamented. "We thought the Orb of Yang would be safe in a hidden location. It did not occur to us that one with nefarious intents would learn that we were concealing the Orb of Yang within a Heavenly Choir monastery."

"We became complacent, you mean," Zhuqiaomon snapped. "We should never have left the orb with monks who were unable to defend it. We should have taken it under our protection, or, at the very least, sent a personal guard to bolster their defences."

"In hindsight, Zhuqiaomon, yes," Qinglongmon stated. "Our reasoning was sound, and it remains so, despite the outcome. Having a large guard in our own domains would have attracted too much attention. The Orb of Yang was safe with them… However, we did not account for Bagramon. Our mistake was not anticipating somebody so uniquely capable of discovering the Orb's location. …Perhaps, in that regard, we did grow complacent… Perhaps we should have been more active in its security."

"There is no point in blaming yourselves," Imperialdramon explained. "We have made mistakes as well… All we can do is decide what to do now."

"That is what we have called this meeting for," Zhuqiaomon asserted. "It is clear that we can no longer sit idly by and allow chaos to spread rampantly."

"Do not be hasty, Zhuqiaomon," Qinglongmon calmly advised his hot-tempered brother. "This is not the time to make impetuous decisions."

"Spare my ears your appeals for calm, Seiryu. Now is precisely the time to take action!" Zhuqiaomon protested. "Or do you suggest that we simply watch as the Digital World is destroyed?"

"Action comes in many forms," Qinglongmon gently contended. "The sort of action that you propose is action to the detriment."

"In what way do you figure that, precisely?" Zhuqiaomon argued with a growl. "Only good can come from burning these Demon Lords to ash!"

Xuanwumon calmly shook his heads. "A flame is ignited to burn a predator that is pouncing from the foliage. What then, when that flame sets the whole jungle ablaze?" he questioned. "The consequences of blind action may be as dangerous as inertia."

"It was not us who started this conflict," Baihumon added, a deep frown on his face. "This war was started by mortals for petty and temporal reasons. It is not our place to intervene."

Zhuqiaomon snarled. "I only hear the cowardly excuses of dormant minds!" he exploded with frustration.

"Respectfully, but are you suggesting that you will all do nothing?" Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode asked, doing his best to temper his accusatory tone. "For whatever reasons this war started, its scope has expanded beyond anyone's control. It now affects the entire Digital World, yourselves included. I know your roles in the Digital World have a higher calling, but I can't see how you can say that this crisis is not also your problem. Whether or not this has to do with God or Lord Yggdrasil, if the Digital World is destroyed or subjugated, you will be affected too."

"You misunderstand us, Imperialdramon," Qinglongmon stated, gazing down at the dragon paladin beside him. "Despite Zhuqiaomon's spontaneous outburst, our reticence does not stem from a lack of will."

"Oh, does it not?" Zhuqiaomon challenged them. "Then for what reason could you have to prohibit us from intervening?"

"Need I remind you what happened the last time that we intervened in the Digital World during a state of instability, Zhuqiaomon?" Qinglongmon pointedly reminded him.

Imperialdramon frowned grimly. "…You mean the Crisis of the First Cycle. The Great Sealing…" he realised.

Xuanwumon nodded his head. "After Huanglongmon was imprisoned, the world was thrown into chaos… We attempted to defeat the usurper… but we merely ended up fighting each other. Our power was too great and the imbalance was too strong."

"In the end, we exacerbated the imbalance too much and succumbed to the chaos ourselves," Baihumon lamented.

Zhuqiaomon grimaced with shame at the memory. Still, he insisted. "…But, if we don't intervene, the world will be destroyed!" he asserted.

Qinglongmon pondered calmly, turning his head to the red phoenix.

"On the contrary, if we do intervene, then the world will certainly be destroyed. The destruction of the Orb of Yang has thrown Huanglongmon's stabilizing power into severe flux. If we were to act, our own elemental powers will only add to the already serious imbalance. For we Four Holy Beasts to release our power onto the battlefield when the Digital World's stability is holding on by mere threads…" the azure dragon portended grimly, "it would be devastating."

Xuanwumon nodded. "If we were to act now, it would be a repetition of the Crisis of the First Cycle. This time, however, the world may not survive us…"

"That is why we must only act from the shadows, Zhuqiaomon," Baihumon asserted, leering at the phoenix. "There is still much that we can do, but direct intervention is not an option."

Zhuqiaomon growled with frustration and he turned his beak away, silently admitting his grudging concession.

"I understand… You're likely right," Imperialdramon admitted as well. "The Digital World is too delicate right now. Even with a fresh firewall around the Dark Area, I cannot even be sure that it will hold any more. I didn't realise just how much damage was actually caused when Lucemon destroyed the Orb of Yang…"

As soon as Imperialdramon finished speaking, a sudden silence washed across the area landscape, broken only by distant rumbles and wailing gusts of wind. The mood of the Four Holy Beasts took a dark turn, with a spectrum from surprise to dourness to fury emerging across the four gods.

"…Lucemon, you say?" Baihumon asked, bristling as he glared at Imperialdramon. "That's what you said, isn't it, Imperialdramon?"

Imperialdramon cocked a perplexed brow, sensing a shift in their moods. "Yes, that's right. It was Lucemon who destroyed the Orb of Yang in the battle… Is that significant?" he wondered.

There was silence among the tetrachy. For the slimmest of moments, they looked between each other with furtive glances.

It lingered for several seconds until Zhuqiaomon broke the silence with a simmering hiss. "Keh… Of course it was that detestable worm of self-delusion," he snarled, though bitterness underlined his bravado. The fire in his voice had diminished, now quelled cinders as he angled his tensed beak downwards. "…Who else could have done it? Who else would have had the power…?"

"Lucemon…" Xuanwumon pondered, even the normally-serene, dual resonance of his voice was strained. "It always returns to that name…"

"No matter how many times he is defeated, it seems he always rises anew to spread tyranny and destruction to this world…" Baihumon growled.

Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode frowned and looked around at the four deities. "I apologise, but… is there something I'm missing?" he wondered.

A soft, deliberative sigh escaped from Qinglongmon's mouth. He angled his head softly to look down at the white-armoured knight.

"I suppose there is no reason to keep it secret," he began. "After all, if the Royal Knights are to fight him, they will need to know who opposes them."

"Lucemon… The Lucemon who rose from but a scribe within the Heavenly Choir to lead a rebellion that set the Digital World ablaze…" Zhuqiaomon spoke, his voice boiling. "He is more than what you think he is…"

"It began long ago," Xuanwumon spoke. "Even before your time, Imperialdramon… It was back during the late First Cycle, when the Digital World was just emerging out of its wild and lawless adolescence. It was beginning to form societies, beyond simply tribes and villages. Disparate though they were, some larger settlements emerged underneath Lord Huanglongmon's rule, such as the city of Terminal."

"Though there were many Digimon, from the Null Origin, there were none who could stand up to the might of Lord Huanglongmon or even the four of us," Baihumon added. "The concept of Ultimate level Digimon was almost non-existent. They were an anomaly."

"However…" Qinglongmon continued, gazing down at Imperialdramon. "In those later years, we grew complacent… There emerged some Digimon who had the power to rival us… Some had good and just hearts… whereas others had only evil."

Imperialdramon blinked, recalling his history of the late First Cycle. "…Do you mean…?"

Qinglongmon nodded softly, closing his four eyes with memory. "The Dragon of Chaos…" he confirmed. "The one who sealed Huanglongmon away. The one who became the overlord of the Digital World… The one who sewed discord and turned us against one another. The one who crushed all those who resisted him… The one who attempted to unite the world under one dark order…"

Qinglongmon's eyes opened, his sharp, ruby irises gleaming against the dark grey backdrop of storm clouds.

"…Lucemon…" he spoke, his weighty voice resonant like thunder. "…That was the Dragon's name."

Imperialdramon's eyes enlarged and his mouth gaped. If it were anyone besides one of the Four Holy Beasts saying it, he may not have believed it. "…What? It was called Lucemon…?" he asked. "Are you implying that the Lucemon that we're fighting against now is the same Lucemon who was the Dragon of Chaos all those years ago?"

"We believe that to be the truth," Qinglongmon responded.

"But… wasn't he killed by Susanoomon during the Crisis?" Imperialdramon asked. "How can it be him? Are you certain that it isn't a coincidence?"

"We know of no other Digimon who carry that name," Xuanwumon answered. "Coincidences do exist within this world. However, happenstance of this magnitude cannot be mere coincidence, but fate. The rhyme of history is too powerful."

"After his death, Lucemon was likely reincarnated in another body. This was before the Dark Area existed," Baihumon explained. "Whether he is aware of his heritage or not, it makes no difference. The power-hungry ambition and evil within him has clearly persisted through his reformatting."

"He would have to be the same one," Zhuqiaomon growled. "Only Lucemon could have done that to Huanglongmon's power. After all, he was the one who sealed him to begin with."

A grave expression formed on Imperialdramon's face. "What does he want?"

"I can only speculate, but he likely seeks what he sought in his past life," Qinglongmon suggested.

"And if that's the case, that over-inflated worm must be stopped," Zhuqiaomon hissed.

Imperialdramon nodded. "And we will do everything we can to stop him," he stated.

"We shall do whatever is in our power to help you," Xuanwumon assured him. "Short of fighting on the battlefield, of course."

Baihumon nodded. "We have our Devas and their servants working hard on the matter."

"Thank you. We appreciate whatever help you are able to give us," Imperialdramon responded, nodding graciously to each of the Four Holy Beasts. "Now, please excuse me. I have to return to the Royal Knights. I need to meet up with them before they confront the Demon Lords again."

"Very well, Imperialdramon," Qinglongmon stated. "We wish you all the greatest fortune, as well as our blessings. Though we are unable to act as much as we would like, we are aware of the gravity of the situation. The fate of the Digital World hangs in the balance… Do whatever you must to save it."

Imperialdramon gazed up at the ethereal dragon. He could see the urgency hidden behind Qinglongmon's serene expression. He knew that even the Four Holy Beasts feared for the fate of the world.

Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode met his gaze with his own resolve. He was not one to normally fight alongside the Royal Knights… but he knew that even he might have to step in this time. Now, more than ever, he had to support the Order that he founded.

"Yes…" he confirmed, turning away and making to take to the sky.

"We will."

---

Crimson lightning flashed, painting the violet sky with ephemeral streaks of red. The moment that a bolt would hew the sky or strike the ground, it would be immediately followed by the deafening crack of thunder. From that proximity, it was like standing next to a cannonade.

It was dark over the rural territory of Saversburg - or rather – Demon Lord-controlled Saversburg. Far to the south of the city, fields of grass stretched out across the landscape.

A single figure wandered across the landscape. A lone warrior.

The wind howled as it blustered down the face of a hill, blowing past the figure and causing his violet cape to flap violently behind him. He pressed on, unperturbed, uncaring. His armour was as dark and dingy as the sky, the crimson lightning reflecting dully in the unwashed grey surface of his plate mail.

He walked up the grassy slope to a flowery plateau. The moment his metal boots touched the ground ahead, the grass withered and died around him. He left in his wake a long, conical trail of greyish brown grass that continued to spread.

ChaosDukemon stood at the crest of the hill, overlooking a plateau rich with vibrant, late-Spring flowers, a bastion of life against the ruin that encroached upon it. His sharp, yellow eyes gazed ahead, unfeeling. He stared only into the distance, far towards the northern horizon.

He had been travelling north since the battle yesterday, stopping only briefly in the night to rest and regain some strength. He did not travel along the Grand Highway – in fact, he was far to the west of it, traversing the rural landscape.

From an observer's eye – were there any brave enough to get within one kilometer of him – it would have seemed though he was merely wandering aimlessly. However, ChaosDukemon walked with purpose. He wandered with a destination in mind…

As ChaosDukemon stood at the crest of the hill, he glanced over his shoulder, casting his gaze across the barren fields and foothills behind him from his vantage point. He heard a distant noise, coming from one of the hills behind him, but he paid it no mind. He looked forwards, pretending that he hadn't heard anything.

Having gathered his bearings, ChaosDukemon pressed forward, continuing across the flowery plateau.

With each step, the pigment drained from the flowers. Their petals shrivelled and fell to the ground, and their stems wilted and dried. He paid them no heed, offhandedly crushing flowers beneath his boots with every step. ChaosDukemon walked to the other side of the plateau, leaving a garden of decay in his wake.

He began to descend a gentle slope, towards another series of small hills that resembled rolling waves beneath a storm. His arms hung at his sides, absent were his unholy lance and shield. The strong gusts of wind blew against his body, but he was ready to press on unyieldingly.

However, ChaosDukemon stopped at the leeward crest of the plateau. That sound he heard was getting louder… nearer… It had been barely noticeable beneath the howling winds. Now, it was like something buzzing… like the buzzing of a fly.

ChaosDukemon was ready to ignore it. He was ready press forward with his journey.

But that buzzing… it soon turned into a whirr…

ChaosDukemon stopped. He turned his head and looked behind him, his eye gleaming dangerously as he spied the far side of the plateau.

The whirring became louder and more defined. It was a mechanical snarl… It was familiar… something that invoked something deep within his core.

ChaosDukemon's eyes sharpened and he suddenly spun around, right as the mechanical snarl reached its roaring crescendo.

A shadow suddenly swept up from behind the apex of the plateau that he came from. With an engine's howl, a giant motorcycle accelerated up the face of the hill, launching high into the sky.

A figure stood up on the handles of the airborne motorcycle, his dark silhouette outlined as blot of crimson lightning flashed across the sky behind him.

With a wild grin, Beelzebumon lunged off of the Behemoth, hurling himself down at ChaosDukemon like a demonic missile.

"HAHA! There ya are!" he announced as he descended on ChaosDukemon with raised claws and reckless abandon.

ChaosDukemon whirled around, his eyes widening as his primal impulses screamed at him. He didn't have time to summon his weapons. The Demon Lord was already upon him.

Beelzebumon descended on ChaosDukemon like a pouncing beast. He swept his claws down, raking down the fallen knight's helmet before colliding with him in a full body tackle.

ChaosDukemon grunted, crashing to the ground on his caped back. Beelzebumon landed, knees-down, right on top of his chest. The Demon Lord coiled back his arm, aiming his sharp claws, and thrusting his arm towards him.

With a swift motion, ChaosDukemon caught Beelzebumon's wrist, inches from his face.

His grip tightened around Beelzebumon's wrist with crushing strength, preventing him from pushing or pulling away. ChaosDukemon's eyes darkened with malice and rage as he glared up at the demon straddling him. It was in that moment that he recognized his pursuer.

"You!" ChaosDukemon snarled, his sharp yellow eyes narrowing into menacing slits. He twisted Beelzebumon's arm painfully before punching him straight underneath his ribs. With that powerful blow, he hurled Beelzebumon off of him.

Beelzebumon tumbled into a backwards roll, coughing violently. Managing to stop himself in a shaky kneel, he winced, but grinned uncertainly, reaching for his ankle holster.

ChaosDukemon didn't give him the time – he dashed towards him with single-minded purpose. The moment that Beelzebumon drew his shotgun to fire at him, ChaosDukemon countered with a sweeping kick, knocking Beelzebumon's wrist to the side and causing him to fire wide.

As the shot shredded the hem of ChaosDukemon's cape, he jumped, driving his metal knee straight into Beelzebumon's face. Even as pain and blood erupted from Beelzebumon's lip and nose, he managed to fire off another shot as he careened through the air. This next shot slugged ChaosDukemon square in his breastplate, knocking him back from the impact.

Beelzebumon let out a cross between a swear and a gurgle as he tumbled across the lifeless plateau. Spitting out a mouthful of blood onto a patch of withered flowers, he quickly jumped to his feet and looked through blurry eyes to where ChaosDukemon had been.

ChaosDukemon hissed, looking down at the smouldering hunk of metal half-dented into his chest. He slowly raised his head, his masked features darkened beneath the lightning and his eyes gleaming harrowingly.

"You…"

ChaosDukemon reached up to his chest and pulled off the crumpled, metal slug, tossing it aside.

"Beelzebumon…" he snarled, glaring at the Demon Lord with absolute rage.

Beelzebumon smirked fearlessly, raising his smoking shotgun.

"I told ya I wasn't finished with you, Dukey!" he informed him. "I don't care if you're a dragon or some pissed off knight. When the getting's this good, I ain't about to pass a chance like this up! I willin' to bet bits-to-bagels that yer even stronger now than you were before, ain't that right?!"

ChaosDukemon's hands tightened into iron fists. A deep, echoing breath droning behind his visor.

"If you're that eager to die…" he breathed. "Then come here and die!"

Not even bothering to summon his weapons, ChaosDukemon broke into a full run, rushing Beelzebumon headlong.

"I ain't intendin' to die, Dukey!" Beelzebumon retorted, taking aim with the Berenjena again. "Double Impact!" he shouted, blasting out twin slugs from the double-barrelled gun.

ChaosDukemon angled his body, charging with his shoulder forward to minimize the size of his body and lead with the most protected part of his armour. One of the slugs whizzed right past his face, close enough that it sounded like a fly in his ear. The second shell slammed painfully into his violet pauldron, ricocheting off the dome and pelting his helmet with metallic shards.

Even as sparks licked his armour, ChaosDukemon kept charging, undeterred. "Fight me properly…!" the dark knight challenged him. "I thought this was the fight you dreamed about…!"

Beelzebumon hissed, a little perturbed that his shots didn't slow him in the slightest, but also annoyed at being challenged like that. He couldn't exactly say no, otherwise he'd be a coward fighting with an unfair advantage. Still, he didn't like this…

"…Fine! Have it your way, then!" Beelzebumon agreed, tossing the Berenjena in his hand aside. The other one remained on his back holster, not exactly having enough time to drop it as well. "Good ol' fisticuffs it is!"

Beelzebumon, not wanting to stand there passively, readied his claws and dashed ahead to meet ChaosDukemon's charge. Black energy wreathed his jagged claws as he sprinted across the sullen plateau. The mere proximity of his darkness-imbued claws caused the already-dead flowers to disintegrate around him.

As the two relentless forces were set to collide, Beelzebumon swept his claws forwards. He knew he had greater reach than the knight, so he would strike him first. His claws howled with energy as they slashed towards ChaosDukemon's neck.

But before they could connect, ChaosDukemon suddenly dropped. He plunged into a slide tackle, skidding underneath the demon's arm and getting behind him. He instantaneously turned and reached for Beelzebumon. He clutched Beelzebumon's belt buckle, right above his tail, and then wrenched him forwards.

Beelzebumon doubled over as he was caught by the belt, and he didn't have time to react before he was violently hurled through the air.

He flew through the air for a good ten meters before he finally collided with the ground at the far side of the plateau. His body skidded along the ground, squashing dead flowers beneath his body and smearing a trail of dirt behind him.

Beelzebumon gasped and panted. How were ChaosDukemon's reactions so much faster than his? He should have been just as tired as he was after the battle yesterday! Was ChaosDukemon really in such peak condition right now? Or had the battle taken more out of Beelzebumon than he had realised? He had gotten some healing, but had made a break for it before he could get the full treatment. The aches in his body were punishing him for being too hasty.

"Fuck…" Beelzebumon thought to himself, grimacing as he suddenly pulled himself up. He began to realise that maybe he had overstretched himself. He had been too impatient, and now he picked a fight he wasn't sure he could finish.

Beelzebumon spat out a dollop of blood and pulled himself to his feet as fast as he possibly could. "You really fucked up this time, Beelze ol' boy…"

The Demon Lord looked around, his legs bent and ready to make a quick dodge if he needed to. He cast his three eyes towards the spot where ChaosDukemon had thrown him from. However, the knight wasn't there.

Instead, he heard a fluttering sound next to him. He saw a flash of purple to his left. "Crap!" he uttered.

Acting on kneejerk, survival instinct, Beelzebumon wheeled towards it, quick-drawing his other shotgun and pumping two consecutive blasts.

The violet cape crumpled, two large holes torn straight through the center of it. His hitched breath began to ease.

But… there was nothing behind it. ChaosDukemon wasn't attached to the cape. It was a feint.

"Shit!" Beelzebumon exclaimed, his third eye immediately looking upwards at the last second.

ChaosDukemon plummeted from the sky, a wild look in his eyes as he plunged with raised hands. In one fell swoop, he smashed his closed fists down on Beelzebumon's head. As Beelzebumon staggered backwards, ChaosDukemon took the initiative, pummeling him with a barrage of punches.

"Beelzebumon…!" he growled. His fist connected with Beelzebumon's cheek. His off-hand followed up, clocking him underneath his jaw.

"Answer for your crimes!" ChaosDukemon declared savagely, railing into him with his fists.

Beelzebumon grunted and crossed his arms in front of himself defensively, too sluggish to keep up with the knight's aggression. "Gah!" he cried out as gauntlets pounded his arms, head, and face. "I… dunno what you're talkin' about!"

"You stand in judgement…" ChaosDukemon snarled. He grabbed Beelzebumon by the face and lifted him off the ground, glaring intensely at the demon in his grasp. "This world stands in judgement…"

"I am its judge… and I am its executioner!" ChaosDukemon's grip tightened as Beelzebumon started wildly scratching at his arm and face. "That is my duty, isn't it?! I will be the one standing alone at the twilight of the Digital World! I will be the one to see its end!"

As Beelzebumon's hand gripped his helmet desperately, one of his talons trying to stab into his eye hole, ChaosDukemon suddenly swept his arm down. He slammed Beelzebumon's head and upper back into the ground. Then, he methodically crouched over Beelzebumon's body and wrapped his gauntleted hands around Beelzebumon's throat.

He squeezed tightly, his fingers curling around his neck like a vice. His thumbs pushed down hard, crushing the zipper of Beelzebumon's bodysuit against his windpipe. He glared down with cold and violent eyes as desperation flashed in Beelzebumon's red eyes.

Beelzebumon wheezed and struggled to breath, unable to catch his breath. He grabbed ChaosDukemon's wrists, attempting to pry him off, but he found his hands were like stones. They refused to budge, and ChaosDukemon had all the purchase to pin him there with his entire weight.

"Khaaaak!" Beelzebumon exclaimed, his three eyes becoming bloodshot as the pressure around his neck tightened. His throat was bruising, his lungs began to ache. Each subsequent second became that much more agonizing.

"Ghhwait!" he rasped, saliva starting to leak from the corners of his mouth. He gazed up at ChaosDukemon desperately. His eyes watered, and soon he could see only a dark silhouette looming over him, crushing his life from him.

He felt his body panicking. In his frenzied mind, he knew he had to calm down. He had to think. Just for a second. He had to think.

Desperately, Beelzebumon reached down and sunk his clawed fingers deep into the earth, clutching the soft element. Then, with precise aim, he hurled the handful of dirt, flowers and grass right into ChaosDukemon's face.

The soil poured into the eyeholes of his visor, stinging his eyes and distracting him for a second. His grip loosened slightly, giving Beelzebumon the chance he needed. Beelzebumon threw his foot up in a flexible bicycle kick, slamming his metal boot square into the back of ChaosDukemon's head.

ChaosDukemon tumbled forwards into a roll, releasing Beelzebumon's neck from his lethal grasp.

The moment that he did, Beelzebumon sucked in a mouthful of oxygen and wheezed. He lunged to his feet and dove across the plateau, grabbing hold of his dropped Berenjena. He rolled into a kneel, aiming both of his shotguns at ChaosDukemon threateningly.

ChaosDukemon stood up and spun around. The moment he saw Beelzebumon's shotguns pointed at him, he glowered balefully. Without wasting a second, he summoned the Balmung lance and Gorgon shield in a sudden burst of shadows.

"If that's how it's going to be…" he spoke in a scathing voice.

ChaosDukemon pointed the Balmung at Beelzebumon and raised the Gorgon. He bent his legs, prepared to charge.

"Wait!" Beelzebumon shouted, a fierce glare on his face as he aimed the Berenjenas defensively. "Hear me out! I don't wanna fight!"

ChaosDukemon frowned with confusion. Beelzebumon's confounding words were the only thing stopping him from skewering him. "…What?" he demanded. "You attacked me, you idiot."

Beelzebumon glanced away sheepishly. "Uh… Yeah, well… How else was I supposed to get your attention?" he lamely proposed.

"…It doesn't matter," ChaosDukemon said, his eyes narrowing as he aimed the Balmung at his foe. "You started this… I'm ending it. You're in my way."

"And…" ChaosDukemon scowled bitterly at the foggy memory. "It's because of you that Grani…"

"Wait, wait – wait a fucking second right there!" Beelzebumon said, glaring back at the dark knight, his fingers not straying from his triggers for even a second. "Let me clear one thing up right now!"

ChaosDukemon glowered intensely at Beelzebumon, but he stayed his hand, just for a moment. He allowed Beelzebumon just a few words.

"Look… I know you ain't exactly yourself right now, but that screwy mind of yours is mixin' it all up," Beelzebumon stated. "I ain't the one you should be angry with!"

ChaosDukemon's grip tightened inside the Balmung. He took a heavy step forwards, making it clear to Beelzebumon that his patience was growing thin. "Don't lie to me!" he snapped. "You wouldn't leave us alone… You shot Grani…"

Beelzebumon clenched his teeth. "I ain't lyin'… I tell it how it is," he insisted. "Yeah… I admit I shot him…"

"And because of that, we weren't able to escape Leviamon," ChaosDukemon explained, his eyes burning yellow holes into the demon. "Do you deny that…?"

Beelzebumon's eyes tightened, his scowl deepening. He clenched the grips of the Berenjenas, knowing that whatever he said, he would be in trouble. Still… deep in his heart, he knew that ChaosDukemon was right. He knew what he did. He couldn't bring himself to lie about that. He was many things, but he wasn't a coward.

"…No…" he confirmed through gritted teeth. "I guess I pro'bly had somethin' to do with it…"

ChaosDukemon stared at him coldly at his admission. The aura that permeated his body was oppressive and violent, like he might snap at any second.

Beelzebumon grunted bitterly. "Tch… Look…" he began, his voice unusually subdued and serious. "I won't lie and say that 'I didn't mean to shoot him' or some shit like that… I did. And maybe that had somethin' to do with him getting killed… I wasn't lookin' to kill him, though. Levi was the one looking to do that."

Beelzebumon looked away, with possibly a bit of shame. "I don't make a habit of fighting people weaker than me if I don't have to," he muttered. "I had no beef with Grani… I didn't mean for it to go down like that. All I wanted was a good fight outta you. It pissed me off when I saw Leviamon do what he did."

ChaosDukemon continued glaring at him, his posture neither receding nor intensifying.

Beelzebumon eyed the vengeful knight uncertainly. He felt like he was being sized up. He wasn't sure if he was going to attack him or not, but his fingers didn't leave his triggers.

"…Tch… The next time you try to fight me, I will kill you," ChaosDukemon suddenly spoke. "I promise."

With a smooth motion, he swept his arm-mounted lance outwards, vanquishing it in a swath of shadows. Then, he did the same with his Gorgon shield.

Beelzebumon blinked, lowering his guard only slightly. "Uh… so…?"

ChaosDukemon, after picking up his detached cape, began walking towards him, but not necessarily 'at' him.

"Get out of the way," he commanded. "I don't have time to deal with you. Don't make me change my mind…"

Beelzebumon blinked again, and then had to abruptly jump aside to get out of ChaosDukemon's way before the armoured knight bowled over him.

"Whoa! Hey!" Beelzebumon yelped. "Where's da fire?! Where the hell are ya going?!"

ChaosDukemon didn't stop, nor did he even so much as give Beelzebumon so much as a look. He just kept walking to the other side of the plateau, on the same trajectory as he was when he started.

"Hey, ain't you goin' the wrong way, Dukey?" Beelzebumon asked, stuffing his shotguns back in their respective holsters. "I'd a' thought you'd wanna get revenge on Levi or your old buddies or somethin'!"

ChaosDukemon stopped for a moment, glancing briefly back at him. "I will…" he darkly promised. "But not yet… There's somewhere I need to go first…"

"Eh? And where's that?" Beelzebumon asked. "What the hell's way up here that you gotta get to at a time like this?"

The knight ignored him. Then, he looked forwards and began walking down the far side of the hill.

Beelzebumon frowned. "Hey, wait!" he called out to him. "You really not goin' back to your buddies? There's still a war goin' on, y'know! Lucy ain't gonna stop until he takes down that god of yours, and your pals with 'im."

At this, ChaosDukemon stopped again.

"…I don't care anymore," he answered. "I'm finished with living my life for others… I'm going to spend what little time I have left living for myself. And then I will end it all…"

Beelzebumon cocked his brow, watching with a mixture of confusion and interest as the dark knight wandered off in the opposite direction.

However, a playful smirk crawled onto Beelzebumon's face. He had a fun idea…

Suddenly, Beelzebumon let out a sharp whistle, calling over the Behemoth from its place at the bottom of the hill. As the motorcycle began driving to his position, Beelzebumon started casually striding down the hill after ChaosDukemon.

ChaosDukemon continued walking down the hill unabated. It wasn't long until he noticed the sound of a pair of heavy footsteps and a purring engine getting closer to him.

As he reached the bottom of the hill, he glanced over his shoulder. Beelzebumon was riding at a leisurely pace behind him, a carefree grin on the his face.

ChaosDukemon stopped and half-turned to meet him, eyeing the demon warily. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Ain't it obvious?" Beelzebumon remarked with an innocent shrug. "I'm coming with ya!"

ChaosDukemon stared at him.

"No, you're not."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't like you."

"Aw, c'mon, Dukey! It'll be fun!" Beelzebumon exclaimed, driving up beside him. "You an' me on the road, makin' trouble…"

ChaosDukemon glared at him threateningly. "No…" he warned him. "What reason would you have to even want to? Wouldn't you rather fight the Royal Knights? Or are you that obsessed with me?"

"Hey, hey! 'Obsessed' ain't the right word. That's way too heavy for where we're at!" Beelzebumon exclaimed. "It's more like… I'm 'intrigued'. I kinda wanna know what you're gonna do next. Besides… for the first time, I feel like you an' me finally understand each other. You wanna live your life for yourself now? Well, that's speaking my language! That's all I've ever wanted to do."

Beelzebumon flashed him an amicable grin, casually leaning forwards on the dashboard of his bike. "And anyway, I get the feeling that it'll all end the same way anyway – if I hang around you, I figure trouble will come find ya one way or another. I'm in for some action either way!"

ChaosDukemon stared at Beelzebumon for several, pensive seconds.

Then, the being of apocalypse turned forwards, walking past Beelzebumon without as much as a glance.

"…I don't care what you do. Stay, go – it doesn't matter," ChaosDukemon responded apathetically, walking ahead without him. ChaosDukemon's glowering stare deepened.

"As you say… It will all end the same anyways…"

Beelzebumon grin hitched upwards as he stared at the cynical knight with renewed amusement. Then, he revved the Behemoth, driving up alongside him.

"Bitchin'! So where we headed?"

ChaosDukemon readjusted his cape and strode forwards a little bit faster. "That isn't your business."

"Aw, c'mon, Dukey!" he complained.

"Shut up," ChaosDukemon warned him, his voice serious. "Know that I won't hesitate to kill you if you get in my way."

"Yeesh. Okay, okay," Beelzebumon said, raising his hands and backing off. "Hell, this is gonna be fun trip…"

ChaosDukemon grunted and continued walking across the grassy plain towards the north in silence.

After a few seconds, Beelzebumon drove a bit closer, not shy about testing his luck. "…So, can we at least talk or somethin'? How 'bout that weather?" he chatted.

ChaosDukemon released a cross between a sigh and a growl and continued travelling, doing his best to ignore the demon fly in his year. He was already beginning to regret this…

ChaosDukemon made his way northwards resolutely, with or without his unlikely and unwanted travelling companion.

He had something that he needed to do, and he knew that time was against him. If Beelzebumon had to join him, then so be it. The stubborn demon was irrelevant to him now in the grand scheme of things, so he didn't want to waste time having to deal with him.

He wandered intransigently… relentlessly…

And as he wandered, the world decayed around him…