“Evolution Activate!”

The wheel of flame burst outwards, roaring and striking at the air with an intense heat. And yet despite how close she was, Lonnie felt no pain, nor any compulsion to look away. She stared at the bright white figure of Dendromon convulsing in the flames. Her partner’s body seemed to ripple, letting off jets of light, before bursting at the seams entirely with a scream cut short.

The light expanded, with the flames directing the flow of the energy...or perhaps the other way around. They whipped back and forth, twisting into great spikes, and then returning, pushing outwards into arms and legs, all the while crackling wildly. Until at last they could take it no longer, and exploded outwards, revealing the full form of the new Digimon.

She bent double, resting her web-clawed hands against the gravel, which glowed orange beneath the touch. She wasn’t huge; bigger than Sapiamon but smaller than Ceratomon, and she seemed to have a more frog-like posture than before, with long sinuous legs bent double and tipped with broad-toed feet. Her arms were even longer, although that was due to her unusually-shaped forearms; a long cylinder with a ridge running over the bone, a row of golden rings, and two almost gelatinous wings folded away either side of each one. Her shoulders and back were covered with black spines, which seemed to tremble with a bright orange glow at the base, holding back an intense heat.

She slowly raised her head, her magnificent crest opening outwards and releasing long, purple fibres; possibly gills, but looking for all the world like hair. She looked up, her eyes wide and reptilian, and as she parted her lips she revealed a mouth full to the brim of narrow, hooked teeth. Growing wider and wider, until she was full on grinning, giddy with her new power.

“Andriamon!”

Lonnie breathed out behind her, her heart still pumping faster than she could fathom as she stared at the trembling beast above. She felt her own mouth twitching, curving up into a nervous smile.

“I don’t believe it...you finally ev-“

“YAAAAARGH!”

Andriamon’s legs uncoiled and she shot forwards, lunging at Dramatismon with a mighty animalistic rage. The performer didn’t have time to react as she slammed into him, knocking him to the ground and raising an arm, with sparks falling from between her teeth.

“DON’T YOU TOUCH MY PARTNER!”

She thrust a fist forwards with such force that it made the masks rattle against each other, chipping the edges. She raised her other hand and struck again, knocking the gauntlet away as it came for her face, and she screeched into his multiple faces.

“DIE ALREADY!”

Third time lucky, as Dramatismon raised an arm and punched Andriamon in the chin, knocking her to one side and allowing him the chance to slip to one side. She stumbled forwards, yelling as he raised a gauntlet and plunged it into her side, but before he could follow it up she threw herself backwards, slashing him with two of her shoulder spikes.

“This Was Not Supposed To Happen.”

“Too bad for you! Deal with it, ya damn clown!”

Dramatismon swerved beneath Andriamon’s wheeling fist and straightened up behind her, but she followed the movement, planting her palm against the ground and shooting a leg out behind her. It connected with Dramatismon’s breastplate and sent him flying backwards at an incredible speed, his ribbons destabilising as he crashed against the ground. Lonnie let out a whoop, and pointed both fingers at her partner.

“See that! That’s awesome! That’s my girl!”

Grace stood up beside her, still out of sorts as she leant on Alopemon’s shoulder. “I don’t believe it...she’s a Champion level and she’s going toe to toe with him.”

There was a rippling and a tearing, and Dramatismon got to his feet again, pointing an accusatory gauntlet.

“You Are A Mistake!”

Andriamon gurgled, and leant back on both legs, holding up an arm as it released orange sparks. She held her right forearm in her left palm, and clenched her outstretched fist as the gelatinous wings opened up from her wrist, forming the shape of a bow.

“Oh yeah? Talk to the hand!”

Her hand released sparks which ignited all up the ridge towards her elbow, increasing in number and intensity until it formed a shaft of fire and light, tipped in a bright barbed blade of energy. The sound was unbearable; a screeching, crackling hiss that grew in volume and intensity, as the fire danced in Andriamon’s wild eyes.

“BARBEROUS BLAZE!”

With a scraping sound much like a firework, the flaming arrow shot from Andriamon’s arm, flying towards Dramatismon at breakneck speed. He didn’t manage to dodge in time as the arrow pierced his shoulder, and with an immense BOOM it exploded into a volley of sparks and flames, rending the Ultimate level’s arm into rags. Lonnie’s smile dropped from her face as she felt the blast of heat strike her, rustling her pigtails and blowing her hood back.

“...okay, maybe turn it down a notch-“

“BARBEROUS BLAZE! BARBEROUS BLAZE! YAAAAARRRGH!”

Andriamon fired again in quick succession, each blast more wild and erratic than the last, and not all of them entirely accurate. Lonnie winced as the horizon was lit up by violent explosions, followed by the distant sound of people screaming and running for their lives, having clearly chosen the wrong hiding spot.

Dramatismon was undeterred; he twisted his body up and leapt forwards, rolling sideways away from the blows and holding up his gauntlet, the arm reforming into a mass of bladed ribbons.

“Do You See What The Problem Is Now? You Are All Chaotic. You Have No Control. Your Fate Is Unescapable.”

Andriamon growled, and thrust her smoking arm to one side. “Cool logic! Doesn’t excuse the attempted murder, fuckface!”

Dramatismon had no retort to this, other than to bring his arm forwards covered in a new silvery glow.

“Genre Recollect! Silver Siege!”

Rather than run away, Andriamon planted both legs against the ground and launched herself skywards, colliding with Dramatismon in mid-air and locking arms with his. He had the advantage of momentum and tossed her aside, but she landed cleanly and threw herself towards him again, landing a bruising blow on his left mask. As he twisted, he released coils of ribbons, slashing her across the legs. This time she rolled, turning herself around again and arching her back, the spines glowing intensely and releasing barrels of smoke.

“PYRO SPIRES!”

The spikes erupted from her body, firing wildly in a vaguely forwards direction. Some implanted themselves in Dramatismon. Many hit the ground. A couple flew wildly close to some of the tamers, Lonnie included, who decided this was a good moment to back away at a reasonable pace.

Not one second after impact, the spikes detonated in a row, each releasing a column of fire that blasted whatever it was embedded in apart; effortlessly blowing holes in Dramatismon, the ground, the station buildings...and most everything else. Andriamon seemed not to notice the chaos as she arched her back again, new spikes wiggling their way out from the smouldering holes.

“YAAAAAAHAHAHARGH!”

Lonnie bit her lip, brushing embers away from her coat.

“Okay on the one hand that’ is really friggin’ cool but on the other hand that is very irresponsible and you are causing me distress, please stop it!”

“YAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHARGH!”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it!”

Andriamon’s eyes flickered, and for a brief moment it looked as if Lonnie’s words were getting through to her in her pyromaniacal rage. But before she could calm down Dramatismon rushed forwards out of nowhere, his entire chestplate opening up.

“Exit Centre Stage!”

The ribbons shot out and grasped Andriamon, and she found herself suddenly drowning in a sea of fabric as she pushed and slashed and struggled against the tide. Dramatismon was struggling as well, the central part of his body being pushed further and further apart with every movement, until at last Andriamon managed to force her way out, specks of ribbon-space bobbing away behind her. But the damage was already done, and Dramatismon raised both fists, revealing a flaming stake in each one.

“Genre Recollect! Pyro Spires!”

He slammed one down into Andriamon’s shoulder and she gave a feral roar, bleeding acidic blood that simmered on her skin. Dramatismon raised the other one, but she turned quickly, grabbing his wrist and forcing it around and into his own chest, where it exploded and knocked the two of them apart. She took advantage of it, rushing low and sweeping her legs out at Dramatismon’s before landing two brutal kicks into his midriff. He stumbled back, using his own momentum to land a vicious punch into the side of her head, before locking hands with her.

“I Do Not Have Time For You! Disappear! Now! Forever!”

He punched twice, pressing the amphibian back, but she dodged the third blow and clamped a palm around his neck, the heat building on her forearm.

“Barberous Blaze!”

Lonnie flinched as yet another explosion rocked the arena, sending gravel flying every which way. It was a vicious struggle; each Digimon trying to get the upper hand over the other with quick and fluid moves, feints, tricks and pure, brutish strength. A kick led way to a whipping ribbon. A psychological ceasefire was thwarted by gravity and luck. It was uncomfortable and deeply unfocused, but she had to admit, as long as it kept either of them from wreaking havoc on anybody else this was probably the best solution they had right now.

And that was the thing; despite her level, Andriamon was easily keeping up with Dramatismon’s tricks and raw power. She wasn’t getting out of it unscathed by a long shot, but she was also refusing to back down. Lonnie noticed her eyes flick over towards her once or twice, glimmering with what could have been construed as concern. It was hard to tell, but it made Lonnie feel a little safer.

Although Andriamon was still only one Digimon, and there was no telling how long she could last against the Ultimate level.

Dramatismon seemed to have gotten that impression as well, as he doubled down, gauntlets going straight for his opponent’s neck in a bid to crush her throat, but she bit down, twisting around and ripping one gauntlet away from the main body, leaving a few ribbons draped around her shoulders. Dramatismon hissed, with Tragediemon’s head sliding down.

“Heroic Bluescreen!”

Andriamon was having none of it; she shut her eyes tight, and held out both arms, sparkling javelins forming along both of them.

“Barberous Blaze!”

“Karma Houdini!”

Dramatismon’s chest opened up and swallowed the missile whole, the light passing down both arms and firing out of his gauntlets directly back into her. She was thrown backwards, stunned and staggering, which was all the opening Dramatismon needed. He shimmered, and split apart of his own accord, with Comediemon remaining back as Satyriemon and Tragediemon swooped off to either side, trailing ribbons behind them. Andriamon swiped and snapped at each of them, but they dove around one another and swooped back and forth, releasing more ribbons and pulling them tighter and tighter. They twisted like a maypole, the sharp fabric closing around Andriamon’s head and neck.

The three actors pulled downwards, forcing her to one knee. Her eyes darted all around, releasing a few tears due to the tightness of her bindings. And still the three separate parts of Dramatismon pulled, the ribbons shimmering and digging into the flesh as they stared on, none of them giving in.

“All Stories Must End.”

“All Stories Are Closed.”

“Curse The Story That Led You To This.”

Lonnie tried to run forwards, but Grace held her arm, desperately pulling her back. “Stop! He’s after you!”

“He’s gonna kill her!”

The girl held out an arm, and wrenched herself away from her friend, powering across the gravel. Andriamon’s head quivered, and she grabbed a hold of some of the ribbons, her palms glowing as she tried to burn through them to no avail.

“Don’t...come...near me...”

Lonnie didn’t hear her – or perhaps she didn’t care – and just continued sprinting forwards as the closest third, Satyriemon, turned towards her. Without a word, he raised a bundle of ribbons, twisting into a lethal spike as he held it up high.

“Fulfil Your Duty.”

“LONNIE, NO!”

“Get back!”

Lonnie was thrown to one side as the lance shot down, striking someone on the arm and causing him to cry out in pain. She scrambled on the ground, and turned around, reality kicking in as she saw Satyriemon recoil his twisted ribbons. She turned to her saviour, wanting to thank him...but her voice caught in her mouth as she saw Vex, shoulders hunched as he bled from the open wound.

“...oh no...”

She pushed herself up, but the man held out an arm, his helmet turning towards her.

“You’ve done valiantly. But this is our battle now. Don’t interfere.”

Before Lonnie, or Grace, or anybody else could step in, the arena was surrounded by dark leather and sparking metal as nine other hunters closed in, springing their ambush on Dramatismon as he twisted upwards.

“Who Are These Players?”

The gang into groups of three and aiming for each of his parts as he found himself being corralled apart. Vex gritted his teeth against the pain in his arm, and glared up into Satyriemon’s face.

“We’re the defenders of the human world!”

Satyriemon noticed the devices in the hands of the hunters as they surrounded him, but he lunged out nonetheless, spinning and running his ribbons past them. Zeke and Dula were knocked back, but Moda held strong, pulling his fists back and grabbing the tendrils as they passed. Satyriemon jerked as volts coursed through his body, but he twisted, pulling himself away and rearing up.

“We Are Three In One. You Have No Power Over Us-“

Vex didn’t wait until he’d finished, simply raising his right hand and pulling out an oblong dish, the same as the other three were doing. Zeke flicked a switch on his backpack, and the resonator powered on, trapping Satyriemon right in the centre. He flickered, and convulsed, his voice turning to a garbled mess. Strong he may have been. Tricky, certainly. But he was still a being of data, and was subject to their laws.

Vex took a step forwards, but Satyriemon refused to go down so easily; he released his power and fell down to the ground, getting just far away from the centre to escape the trap. He arced around, singling out Moda and engulfing him in tendrils as he rose.

“Exit Centre Stage!”

The man was ejected in mid-air, falling down and landing on the ground with an audible gasp. Vex cursed under his breath, and held his other hand beneath his coat, pulling out the mounted harpoon.

“You’re not getting away!”

Satyriemon saw the movement and veered off as the man struck, the weapon firing into the breastplate and causing the spirit to convulse again, the metal shimmering. But it was a glancing blow, and Satyriemon threw his tendrils wide in a feint before spiralling back behind him.

In the kerfuffle, Andriamon’s hands got to her neck and she was able to rip the ribbons away, collapsing onto her hands as she gasped for breath. Looking around it was utter chaos, with Comediemon and Tragediemon trapped in their own circles, with more pieces of the resonator than before. Satyriemon saw them as well, and he rushed forwards, his eyes glowing furiously.

“Return To Me!”

He barrelled forwards, knocking Tragediemon to one side, and the two spiralled together even as Kade, Brom and Raif tried to stop them. Vex threw his disc up, yelling at the top of his voice.

“We can’t let them recombine; it won’t be enough to hold them! Focus on one of them!”

Dramatismon’s combined halves heard it as well, and lunged for Comediemon, but Moda and Brom stood in front of him and grappled with the flexible creature, wrapping the ribbons around their own hands as they pulled with all their might. The two reached out ribbons towards Comediemon, trying to make a connection, but more and more of the hunters were surrounding the lone piece and the resonance was getting spaner and stronger. He juddered, dust falling from his ribbons as his voice turned to garbled laughter.

“Don’t Leave Me!”

“Hold Onto Me!”

“We Need You!”

“Fakeout...Victory...”

Comediemon’s eyes flashed, and he spun, his own mind games interacting with the hunters and disorienting several of them. He pressed forwards, his ribbons reaching out and interlocking with Satyriemon’s.

“No!”

Someone rushed forwards; it was Via, slashing down with her electrified blade and severing the connecting ribbons. She stood in front of Comediemon, holding her disc up as well as Vex pressed forwards from the sidelines.

“You’re right in the way! Get back!”

“I can do this!” replied the hunter, holding up the disc as the hum increased tenfold. “ He’s...not...getting...AWAY!”

Seven discs connected, and they closed in around Comediemon as his extended ribbons were incinerated in mid-air. His voice was plaintiff and broken, and his mask seemed to be a mockery of the twisting and writhing pain he was clearly going through. Lonnie and Grace watched on, desperate to intervene...but with their own partners in the state they were there was nothing they could do. And as they looked at each other, the same horrible thought crossed their minds at once.

Wasn’t this...what they were aiming for?

“LET ME GO PLEASE I BEG YOU”

Comediemon coiled up, his ribbons catching fire even as he tried to shield himself from the pulsing madness. Vex straightened up, holding his arm as he stared forwards.

“We’ve got you...”

Comediemon grew smaller and smaller, the ribbons burning away until it was just a ball of fabric, barely concealing a melting mask. It turned towards Grace and Lonnie, the happy face staring at them with one remaining glowing eye.

“Forgive...Me...I Can’t...Hold Them Back...Any More...”

There was a blast of static and white noise, and the hum rescinded as the deed was completed. A single gauntlet fell to the ground, leaking quicksilver from between the joints.

Each of the hunters lowered their discs, breathing heavily. Via looked at her own shaking hand, closing it into a fist.

“I did it. We can win this now.”

“...Hold...Me...”

She started, and turned, watching as the twisting mass of Satyriemon and Tragediemon juddered in Moda and Brom’s grip. The blue and the purple tensed and convulsed, with a gurgling voice echoing out from the two incomplete masks.

“...TeLl mE I’m WrOng...”

“...I Am fRee I cAN’T be FrEe Hold me NeveR LET Me oUT...”

The hunters gathered around him as his heads whipped back and forth. His body twisted, no longer a humanoid shape but becoming something much taller, longer, and more feral. The breastplate and the single remaining gauntlet were lost in a sea of ribbons, that lurched outwards into hooked, twisting spikes.

“I NEED YOUR GUIDANCE TELL ME I’M WRONG STOP ME NOW.”

Kade smirked, and walked around the other side. “ Look who’s gone cuckoo for cocoa puffs. He can’t even hold himself together anymore. This’ll be easy to finish.”

Lonnie heard him, and watched as the vigilantes gathered round, their resonators beginning to hum again.

“You’ve...got to stop...”

Something flickered in the corner of Lonnie’s eyes, and she turned to see the other tamers walking slowly forwards. Owen was holding Jack up, the teen having twisted his knee in the fall, and Mark was staying with a shaken Inez. Some of their partners were stood up, watching from afar but barely able to move. Sapiamon held her midriff as she caught her breath. Ceratomon had pushed himself to his feet, his arms ruined. Perimon and Syngnamon hobbled forwards behind their tamers, no longer able to hold their Champion forms.

Jack looked up at Owen, who had called out to the hunters. “There’s only two of him now...isn’t he gonna be weaker?”

“You saw how he worked, right? One part peace, one part war, and one part to make the final decision.”

Owen breathed out, staring up at the trembling mass of ribbons as it reared up. In front of them, the hunters raised their resonator discs, and Dramatismon convulsed in their circle, his eyes flickering in the sockets of the masks.

“So what happens...when you take away the kind part?”

Vex twigged that something was wrong, and he began to run forwards, still holding his wounded arm. “Get back; we don’t know what this can-“

Via reached out, holding her arm as the device began to shake in her hand. “No, no, hold yourself together, we can still beat-“

SHNK

There was a blur of blue and purple, and Via jerked, the disc suddenly disappearing from her sight. It clattered down to the right of her, sparking and losing power. Still clutched in her hand. She gasped, her throat locking up as she looked down at her arm. The disc was missing. Her hand was gone. Her hand. Her hand.

“AaaaAAAAAAARGH!”

“AAAAAAAAAAARGH!”

Dramatismon’s scream intermingled with her own as his body unfolded completely, clutching Moda and Brom and lifting them high. His arms twisted into long, almost skeletal structures as he threw them hard against the ground below with a sickening crash. And as Dramatismon stepped forwards, his neck bent double, the masks twisting around and embedding themselves in a draconic head covered in blue and purple spines. His knees locked, and he turned to face Via, who had fallen to her knees, the shock and paralysis giving way to intense pain.

“End Of Your Story.”

The masked woman looked up, barely able to take in Dramatismon’s new form as he swung an arm towards her. The last thing she saw was the ribbons twisting into a grasping claw, reaching out towards her head.

CRACK.

It was just a moment in time.

The image seemed to hang in place, frozen in the air. A single silhouette, burned into the eyes of everybody present. Tamers, hunters, Digimon alike. Some closed their eyes, or looked away. Others held their hands in front of their mouths. And some just stared as Via’s body fell sideways, crashing against the gravel. Her head lulled sideways, the helmet shattered.

“NO!”

Inez’s feet shuddered, and she bent forwards, retching. The yell snapped everybody else out of their stupor as they looked up at Dramatismon’s monstrous new form. Kade pulled out his baton, his voice gravelly. “ You BASTARD!”

He ran forwards, but Dramatismon’s head snapped towards him, and the man found himself leaping to one side as another arm shot out, breaking the ground with the force it was travelling at. Kade stood up, but had barely taken a breath before the arm slammed into his side, sending him flying. More of the hunters had run up behind the monster, but his head twisted round and fired a volley of ribbons in their direction, ripping through their jackets and pushing them back.

“All Will Meet Their Story’s End.”

“It Is The Will Of The Universe.”

“Be Thankful For The Time You Had And Accept Your Demise.”

Vex watched in horror as Dramatismon’s fighting style changed. No longer defensive or evasive, but now purely out for blood. There was a crack as Dramatismon whaled on Raif, sending her rolling into Brom’s arms as she dragged her away. Zeke tried desperately to start up the resonator again, but Dramatismon’s leg swung round and crashed into him, causing the equipment on his back to splutter and fail. Vex clenched his fists, and threw his arm out.

“Retreat! Get back! All of you!”

The hunters grouped up and dragged each other away, some of them sporting heavy injuries that had appeared in mere seconds. Vex turned to run himself, but he heard a call for help, and saw Jai sprawled out on the ground, his leg twisted at an awkward angle. Dramatismon’s head snapped towards him too, and he clambered around, raising a leg as he did so.

“Perish.”

Vex ran forwards, scooping up the man and throwing him backwards towards Dula, before finding himself cast backwards by Dramatismon’s brutal swipe. He pulled out his harpoon, and lunged forwards, striking Dramatismon in the palm and turning his device up to full.

“Nobody else dies to you! Not today! Not EVER!”

For a moment Dramatismon juddered as the energy coursed through his body. His ribbons flickered and stretched, some of them snapping, and his masks emitted a white light. But then the monstrous actor retracted his arm, extracting the harpoon and most of the wiring from beneath Vex’s jacket. The man yelled, holding his shoulder as the wires dug into his flesh, before they snapped and the useless apparatus was thrown away.

“Was It Not You Who Led Them To Their Deaths?”

Vex tried to run, but Dramatismon was fast and backhanded him in the side. Vex gasped as he felt something crack inside of him, and he rolled, falling backwards. He was disorientated, feeling sick as his vision swayed. He stared up, the grey sky rolling in as Dramatismon leered over him, holding up his palm.

“Would You Take Their Place?”

The hunter could do nothing but stare as the palm came down towards him,

Crunch

There was the sound of splintering. A rush of wind. But no pain.

Vex pushed himself back, blinking, as the figure before him pushed backwards, holding the palm at bay with one straining robotic hand. Sapiamon looked over her shoulder, her gaze hidden behind her scuffed visor.

“...go...”

Vex stared for a moment, but he suddenly found himself pulled back by Kade and Dula, the pain in his arm and his side breaking his focus. Sapiamon huffed, and dug her heels in, pushing with all her might as her other arm hung weakly. She turned her head sideways, staring into Dramatismon’s leering faces.

“>You Only Delay Your Fate. You Will All Suffer. It Is The Only Way.”

“I...am not a fan...of your FUCKING ATTITUDE, DUDE!”

Dramatismon responded in kind, his hand closing down on Sapiamon’s and twisting the metal. She yelled, trying to pull herself away as he lifted her high and slammed her onto the ground below. And again, her back arching with the impact. Before he could do it a third time, she pulled her other arm up, three orbs glinting in her palm.

“Digital Blitz!”

The pulses blasted her away, sending her crashing into the gravel, her spacesuit blackened and scorched. Dramatismon opened his palm, releasing bits of twisted metal as he gave a harrowed groan.

“Pointless.”

“Silver...Siege!”

Before Dramatismon could take a step, Ceratomon crashed into him with a roar, gripping onto his body in a crushing embrace as his chrome coating flickered and grew hazy. He held tightly, calling downwards. “We have to end this here! He can’t be allowed to go after a-anybody else!”

Vex watched from the sidelines as Dramatismon pushed back against Ceratomon, with Andriamon, Alopemon and a struggling Sapiamon trudging forwards as well, all of them looking utterly ragged now. There was a nudge from beside him, and he looked over at Dula, who was clutching her own wrenched wrist.

“What do we do now?”

Vex looked amongst his gang; none of them looking in any state to carry on either. He held his palm against his own chest, still feeling his heart beneath his jacket, and the pain from his own injuries. Pain that meant he was still alive.

“...there’s nothing more we can do...”

Kade looked over his shoulder. “But what about Vi-“

“Don’t look.”

Vex turned the man’s head around, and beckoned everybody. “ Just get moving. We’re done here.”

He pressed forwards, corralling the remaining hunters away from the scene. Last to leave, he glanced over his shoulder, seeing his fallen comrade out of the corner of his eye.

“I’m so sorry. This...wasn’t meant to happen.”

Owen turned, just in time to see his father run back into the shadows without another word. He stared for a moment, before a voice snapped him back into focus.

“So what’s our plan now?”

Lonnie clasped her hands together, her face grave.

“Someone has to stop him.”

It didn’t look great. Four Champions, each in varying states of injury and exhaustion, up against an Ultimate level who seemed to have let loose all his inhibitions and self-preservation, and gained the utter unstoppable power of a berserker.

But now, they really had no choice.

Dramatismon’s body convulsed, and Ceratomon yelled as he found himself hoisted up off the ground, his morning star tail swinging wildly. Dramatismon’s feet scrabbled, and with a roar he cast the dinosaur over his shoulder, slamming him into the ground. He lashed out with a kick, leaving a bloodied hole through the armour plating, before turning to the others with a murderous glare.

But as exhausted as they were, they weren’t about to give him any leverage.

“Icicle Barrage!”

“Nebula Blaster!”

“Barberous...BLAZE!”

Dramatismon’s body twisted as the attacks flew past him, but that was as intended, blocking the performer’s vision just enough to hide them running in close. His head snapped sideways as Andriamon tried to tackle him, but he used her momentum and flung her to one side, slashing her snout as he did so. She backed off, visibly slower and less chaotic than before, the near-strangulation having taken a lot out of her.

Alopemon followed her up, leaping high and bounding off the poet’s spine as her tail gathered bright energy.

“Tail Frost!”

She flipped over in mid-air and brought the tail down against Dramatismon’s neck, shearing a corner off the breastplate with the sheer force of it and digging into the ribbons. Dramatismon yelled out – perhaps in pain, or perhaps his melancholia leaking out – and swiped backwards, with Alopemon bouncing off his arm and landing out of his reach. For a moment she seemed to have come away unscathed, but then she cried out and stumbled over, the slash wound in her side opening up with the impact. As she forced herself up on shaking legs, she saw the shadow looming over her.

“Icicle-“

“Silence.”

The claw caught beneath her chin and threw her upwards with a hoarse woof, trailing blood as she did so. Dramatismon bared his ribbon-like teeth as his head lulled up and down, the wound in his neck not healing anywhere near as fast as it should. Still, it did little to dull his movements, but as he tried to run forwards to finish the fox off, he was struck from the side by Ceratomon’s vast bulk, the dinosaur’s horns goring his chest.

“Know Your Place, Pitiful Actor!”

“I might be an actor, and I m-might be pitiful, but I’m not going to stand for this! I wasn’t back then, and I’m n-not now!”

Ceratomon reached out with the better of his two hands and grabbed Dramatismon in the neck, before raising his other arm, steam pouring from a dozen holes.

“Piston P-Punch!

The arm shot forwards into Dramatismon’s maw, tearing the sinews and cracking the masks. It pulled back and struck again, repeatedly in the same place as the poet tried to push him away.

From one side, Sapiamon staggered forwards, her gun dragging along the ground as she leant against Andriamon. “Hey. Room for one more?”

Andriamon growled, her pupils flicking as she struggled to focus. Sapiamon raised a palm, laughing, “Okay, okay, I get it. But he is falling apart easier than the other one. My thought is we just need to hit him real hard.”

“...that is not a plan.”

“I didn’t say it was a plan. All I’m saying is I need you to throw me really high and not question it. Probably in the next three seconds. Got it?”

Andriamon snorted, and without warning grabbed Sapiamon and tossed her skywards. She turned around, catching sight of Owen’s horrified and confused gestures, before shrugging.

“What? She told me to!”

In the corner of his eye, Ceratomon saw the tiny speck of Sapiamon spinning in the sky, and angling herself right over Dramatismon. The actor saw his chance and clamped onto the dinosaur’s arm, ripping away metal plate and rending the other hand into pieces. But Ceratomon rolled with the blow, spinning around and slamming Dramatismon in the side with the morning star, causing him to stagger, stunned.

Up above, Sapiamon’s hands went to her belt, pulling out all the orbs she had left at her disposal.

“Time t’make it rain, boys! Digital Blitz!”

Dramatismon roared at the sky as the devices struck him all over, all exploding in a cacophonous chaotic conflagration. But Sapiamon wasn’t finished yet.

“Nebula BLASTER!”

She descended, holding her rifle two-handed and unloading three entire cartridges into Dramatismon’s face, blowing the ribbons apart and exposing the twinkling lights beneath. Gravity finally caught up with her, and she launched her legs out, trying to use Dramatismon’s damaged head as a jumping point and only partially succeeding. She flew off at an angle, planting herself into the nearest gravel and digging a sizeable trench through it with her face. Her legs flopped down behind her, and she raised an arm, giving a weak thumbs-up.

“Your...t-t-turn...”

Dramatismon was looking a wreck, and he turned just in time to see Andriamon rushing towards him, one arm glowing brightly as she pulled it back. Dramatismon coughed, two orbs erupting from his mouth and floating just beneath his chin.

“I Call Upon The Will Of The Author...”

“I’ve had enough from you!”

“SAVE ME!”

“BARBEROUS BLAZE!”

Andriamon fired point-blank into Dramatismon’s chest with an almighty roar, the blast sending earth and rock flying all around. She hung there for a second, her arm steaming as she stared up at the ragged husk before her.

Dramatismon’s head rose, revealing the orbs dancing around in front of him, encased in swirling flames.

“Loser’s Gambit.”

The orbs convulsed, pulling the energy inside. They shivered, and as they did so, Dramatismon’s body trembled with them, clutching his chest. For a moment his entire form seemed to distort and pixellate, as several fine cracks made their way over the orbs.

Then they pulled apart, expanding with a flash, and glowing brighter than before. And as they did so, Dramatismon straightened up, his ragged breaths giving way to a deep, almost relieved sigh. His ribbons reattached themselves. His breastplate shimmered, returning to normal, and his masks reformed into their usual selves. He stood, rejuvenated, as the tamers watched on in horror.

Of course it wasn’t over yet.

The silence was broken by Lonnie yelling and throwing her D-SEND to the ground, where it wedged in between a few scorched stones. Andriamon balled her fists and pounded the ground with an animal yell.

“That’s...not...FAIR!”

“>Fate Adorns Me With The Means To Survive, And The Story Reveals A Shocking Twist.”

“FUCK you!”

Ceratomon pushed himself up to his feet, his arms straining from the effort as his eyes glared forwards.

“We’ve b-beaten him before...we just need...to k-keep doing it...until he stays DOWN!”

He roared mechanically, and reared back, one arm flailing wildly as he aimed for Dramatismon’s throat.

“Piston Pu-”

Dramatismon whirled round, wrapping his rejuvenated claws around Ceratomon’s wrecked arm and twisting it sideways. There was a crunch and a snapping sound, as the arm finally came away at the joint, causing fluid to leak and Ceratomon to stagger back from the shock and pain.

The poet spun around, and lashed out with a knee beneath the dinosaur’s chin, before landing a swipe right in his eye. As he leant back, Dramatismon spun the detached arm in his hand, and lunged forwards, bringing the primed weapon right up against Ceratomon’s chest.

CLANG

Crack

It fired, sending Ceratomon’s entire frame into spasms as his chest armour was shattered from his own fist. Dramatismon didn’t let up; pressing forwards and hoisting the dinosaur off the ground, before launching him sideways right towards the watching tamers. They backed away, but Ceratomon hit the ground hard, sending many of them stumbling. Mark turned on his heels and rushed towards the fallen beast, watching helplessly as the light in his eyes faded away.

“No...no, no NO NO NOOOOO!”

There was a cracking of metal, and the armour plating faded away, but the boy didn’t give up, throwing away the pieces of plate as they crumbled in his hands. He was biting his lip so hard that blood trickled down his chin, and even as the plate cut into his hands he didn’t care.

“Not like this! You can’t die like this! You can’t leave me too-“

“...Mark...”

Something glinted in Mark’s line of vision, and he thrust the great back panel away, revealing a tiny, limbless creature, coughing and spluttering as he coiled on the ground. He had a curved, beak-like mouth, and as he opened his pained eyes, they were wide and crimson, just like Chromon’s. Psittamon slumped; beaten and bruised, but breathing.

“...I’m sorry...I couldn’t...hold on...”

Mark’s shoulders descended as he stared down at the pitiful creature, and he fell to his knees. He held out his hands, and pulled Psittamon close, holding him against his chest.

“You did great.”

Lonnie stood at a distance, staring at the young man as he hunched over his partner, looking more vulnerable than ever before.

Then the girl glanced up, and saw Dramatismon leering over the fallen Sapiamon as she struggled to aim an empty rifle. The actor leaned over her, holding up a serrated fist.

“Aw, FUCK!”

Dramatismon slammed downwards, and the monkey’s body stiffened, already leaking data as she lay there unconscious. Dramatismon raised his fist again, ready to pound her into the gravel, when a stone struck him on the mask. He looked aside, his eyes falling upon Lonnie who had thrown the rock.

“It’s us you want, isn’t it?”

Without warning, she pulled back her hood and ripped away her mask, revealing her furious expression as she pointed at her own chest. “They’re already down! Finish what you started!”

Dramatismon sighed, but another volley of stones struck him, as Owen, Grace, and Inez all joined in, throwing anything they could find as they yelled and swore abuse at the monstrous poet. He straightened up, his head bowing low as his arms rippled out into serrated blades.

“Humans Are So Very Perplexing-“

“Sun Spear!”

“Shadow Blade!”

Startled, he looked aside as Ladomon and Colchimon shot out of nowhere, leaving trails of light and darkness behind them as their tails scraped over the beast’s shoulders. There was the sound of footsteps from the right, and the tamers turned to see Eloise and Kai rushing forwards, clearly out of breath. Kai gave a weak wave.

“Sorry we’re late...we got here as fast as we could.”

Grace turned around, just in time to see Jack pocket his phone, and fall backwards, holding his wounded knee. He looked up at her, and gave a small chuckle.

“Sorry. I couldn’t think of what else to do.”

Grace pumped her fists, smiling beneath her mask. “You might have just saved our lives.”

Jack pointed. “They’re not the only ones I called.”

“Spark Shooter!”

A spray of electric bolts flew overhead, striking Dramatismon in the shoulder as he tried to swipe at Colchimon. Velocimon ran forwards from out of nowhere, powering himself over the gravel and swiping at the beast’s feet, ducking out of the way before it could kick at him. He snarled, shaking out his feathers as his tail whipped from side to side.

“More Who Shall Perish! More Who Shall Vanish!” Dramatismon roared, and unleashed a swirling volley of ribbons, sending the twin dragons into desperate freefall as they narrowly avoided having their wings amputated.

“>It Matters Not! The Story Is Written! I...We...We Must Win! We Must Fulfil The Task Even At The Cost Of This World PLEASE HOLD ME BACK!”

Lonnie breathed out, and gripped her D-SEND tightly. She stepped forwards, with Andriamon standing up beside her. On the other side, Grace stroked Alopemon, holding a hand against her shoulder as she stared up herself.

The other tamers backed off, pulling their partners to a safe distance as Eloise and Kai joined the fray. And between them, slightly unsteady on his feet and out of breath, Aaron walked forwards.

Dramatismon’s palms slammed against the ground as ribbons flew outwards, but they never even reached the three. In unison, the old tamers pulled out three devices and held them forwards, energy erupting out from them.

Aaron sniffed, and adjusted his coat, his face open and uncovered.

“Here we go again, I guess...”

He clasped his D-Nexus in his palm, and Eloise and Kai followed his movements behind him. They were smaller, and less impressive than the D-SENDs. Perhaps a little worse for wear. But they shone just as brightly as they ever had; yellow, white and black, glimmering against the setting sun. And Aaron, Kai and Eloise stood together, their chests glowing as they shouted in unison.

“Primal Control!”

The energy flew outwards in spiralling twisters, surrounding Velocimon and the two dragons as they squared up against Dramatismon. Their eyes glowed white, lighting up the tattered arena as they yelled out in unison.

“Evolution Activate!”

Ladomon’s body swelled as the white light spread over her skin, revealing the mottled silhouette of her mainframe. She held her wings wide, the feathers rippling as two legs sprouted from her belly, ending in hooked talons. Her tail extended, the curved blade growing more ornate. She landed, splaying her feet and shaking out her head, the feathers around her neck giving way to long, flowing blue hair. The white lights fluttered away, and she held her wings up high, rimmed with golden arcs that sparkled and shone. She stared up into the sky, her eyes a deep blue.

“Luminemon!”

Colchimon’s body arched over, the black bands spreading over his body and stretching his whole form into something new. His wings arched back, the skin fluttering away and leaving skeletal claws, and as he twisted his body seemed to split, with long, sinuous arms unfurling. His tail whipped back and forth, the blade morphing into a crescent moon. He flew up, his new taloned hands going to his head as the beak morphed into a hooked mask; black-banded with a crest of spiky purple hair sticking up behind. He unfurled his hands, the shadows whipping away as he opened two demonic eyes.

“Achromon!”

Velocimon took ever so slightly longer, standing up straight as his feathers whipped in the breeze of bolts. Then with a jerk, he began to grow, mottled yellow energy crawling over his skin. His legs grew longer, and his tail extended as well, rippling with powerful muscles. His chest broadened and his arms reached out, the gauntlets around his entire forearms shrinking down to spiny bands around his palms, connected to his shoulders by glowing tubes. He stood taller than a man, his head morphing as the crest splayed out into a finned headpiece. With a pulse of lightning, he landed, holding up his arms instinctively as two spikes burst from his knuckles. He opened his eyes; bright blue, with the slitted pupil of a reptile, although still holding the dignity of an old, old warrior.

“Galvamon!”

Dramatismon wasted no time; he launched himself forwards with an animal roar, with the ribbons around his arms opening out and releasing white light.

“DON’T GET IN THE WAY!”

Galvamon and Achromon shot in different directions, leaving Luminemon out in the open. But she wasn’t going down without a fight; she leapt upwards, splaying her wings out and grasping Dramatismon’s head with her talons, throwing him off his stride. She flapped higher, easily lifting him with a new strength she had developed in the past four years.

The poet let out a screech, and slashed at her legs, leaving gashes, but she ignored it and tossed him aside with a swing of her tail blade.

“Galvamon!”

“Strike Thunder!”

The lizard-man raised his spikes and fired twin streams of lightning, which converged on the falling Digimon and left great black marks over his chestplate. Dramatismon twisted in mid-air, landing on all four feet and launching himself at Galvamon, who was forced to back away, only just managing to parry the beast’s maniacal slashes. He looked over his shoulder, smirking at Jack. “He’s a scrappy one, isn’t he?”

A claw shot up and clocked the lizard in the chin, knocking him down. He rolled away as Dramatismon swiped downwards, his claws slicing through the earth as he screeched.

“>No No NOOO This Is Wrong You Are All The Wrong People Why Do You Always Have To DOOOO This?”

“It’s us you want, right? Icicle Barrage!”

A volley of icicles slammed into the side of Dramatismon, and he immediately turned his attention sideways as Alopemon snorted, clouds of mist emanating from beneath her shattered mask. With broad steps, Andriamon stood beside her, a smirk on her face.

“We ain’t going anywhere. You want us? Come get it...”

“YOU HAVE TO DIE NOOOOOW WHY WON’T YOU UNDERSTAAAAAAND!”

Dramatismon rushed forwards, holding out a spiked palm that spun like a saw. Alopemon jumped narrowly out the way, but the hand slammed into Andriamon just as she covered her chest, sending her skidding back through the gravel. She winced in pain, pulling away bloodied hands as she fell forwards. But her wince turned into a bitter grin as she arched her back, the spikes glowing.

“Pyro SPIRES!”

With a horrific laugh she opened fire right into Dramatismon’s face, the spines embedding themselves in the ribbons and blowing scorched craters in the poet’s newly-reformed body. Andriamon kept laughing, until she saw Lonnie looking disapprovingly at her, and instantly clamped her hand over her mouth, sitting down. Luminemon pressed her snout out, giving thoughtful noises.

“Hey look Galvamon, they’ve managed to find themselves another you-“

Galvamon thrust up a finger, not even looking at the dragon’s face. “NOT. Another. Word.”

“Pardon the interruption, but we still have a little situation here if you are quite finished!”

Achromon swooped sideways, glaring at the other two veterans before swerving out the way of Dramatismon’s brutal claws. He coiled around one wrist, and opened his mouth, balling black energy between his sharp teeth.

“Abyssal Beam!”

The blast shot out, piercing Dramatismon’s chest and causing splinters to fall from his breastplate. He screeched, lashing out with his gauntlet and cracking the dragon’s bone wings. Alopemon rushed forwards, releasing ice from her paws, but Dramatismon saw her approach and sent a kick in her direction, sending her sprawling. She just about managed to push herself to her feet again, but the toll was seriously starting to get to her.

Galvamon growled softly in his throat. “He’s an Ultimate. He’s still dangerous.”

Luminemon nodded. “We’re here to save the day, right? Let’s get it over with.”

“Agreed.”

The dinosaur leapt forwards, running his blades over Dramatismon’s legs as Luminemon opened her wings, the golden edges glowing.

“White Lightning!”

Bands of light shot out, wrapping around Dramatismon and constricting against him, leaving black marks in his body. He struggled, trying to manoeuvre his way around as his twin-faced-maw opened wide.

“Exit Centre-“

“Barberous Blaze!”

A burning shard struck Dramatismon in the jaw, causing his mouth to split apart, the ribbons catching fire. Before he could recover, Achromon swooped overhead, grasping Satyriemon’s mask and pulling with all his might, flapping his wings rapidly as he did so.

“Darkfire Pulse!”

Black flames descended on Dramatismon as his arms extended, piercing the ground in an attempt to stop himself from being pulled apart. His eyes flicked sideways, and he saw Andriamon approaching, her arms glowing again.

“Karma...Houdini!”

The entertainer pulled an arm out, and wrapped it around her arm before she could veer out the way. She struggled, pulling backwards as she bit down on the ribbons, but enough of her energy had entered his body for him to twist around and fire a flaming blast at Luminemon. It struck her in the chest, and she bent double, staggering on two legs. The lights disappeared, but the dragon took to the skies before Dramatismon could reach her, joining her twin up above as they gathered energy.

“Photon Cannon!”

“Abyssal Beam!”

They fired; two arcing beams that twisted together and focused on Dramatismon, too intense for him to redirect. He groaned, and thrust his tail sideways, staggering out of the way of the attack...and right into Galvamon. The dinosaur lunged, and Dramatismon gasped as the claws shattered his breastplate and embedded in his chest.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“>You All Are Interfering! You Will All Suffer More Than You Realise.”

Dramatismon let out a cry, and his neck arched over, bringing Tragediemon’s face to the forefront as he stared into Galvamon’s eyes.

“Heroic Bluescreen!”

The stare was intense, and the dinosaur flinched. But he didn’t turn away. His muscles tensed, and he glared right back into Dramatismon’s face.

“You can’t scare me. I’ve already walked through hell.”

He tilted his fists up, his tubes glowing bright yellow as he roared.

“Strike Thunder!”

The blast rippled through Dramatismon’s body and burst from his ruined mouth, as well as erupting from wounds all over his body. It carried on for several seconds, before Galvamon reared back and spun round, landing a brutal kick in Dramatismon’s chest. The poet staggered back, his body falling apart and steam emanating from his faces, as the five Champions primed themselves for more.

“The Story...Will always...Continue...”

“Icicle Barrage!”

The blast struck him in the head and neck before he could finish, and he looked around. Alopemon ran forwards, but her leg gave out from beneath her and she crashed against the ground, unable to reach him as the energy spun around the cores. Dramatismon turned towards her, his faces static and cold. His eyes flickered, and his entire body seemed to destabilise.

He retched, and the twin orbs hovered out of his mouth once again, spinning slowly in front of him.

“Loser’s Gambit!”

The white glow surrounded the twin orbs, and they pulsed, like a heart out of its body. Alopemon tried to push herself up, shaking her head. “No...not again...we can’t keep doing this...”

For a moment the glow brightened, ready to disappear back inside and begin the whole battle once more.

Then one of the orbs shattered.

The glow dispersed, and the other one vanished back inside Dramatismon’s body. He let out a sigh, the ribbons unravelling as the purple ones crumbled away to dust. Satyriemon’s mask drooped downwards, the fire going out in his eyes.

“I...Have...Failed...”

The monstrous form retreated, leaking into silver as only Tragediemon was left. He held up his tendrils, watching as quicksilver poured from them, his own ragged ribbons draping against the ground.

My Brothers...

There was a rumbling in front of him, and he looked up, watching as Achromon and Galvamon shot forwards.

“There’s only one left! We can finish this!”

Stop.

Tragediemon turned around, and held up his ribbons, his gauntlet dropping to the ground. The two held back, bringing themselves to a halt as the small creature fell in a slump, staring down at the ground.

My story Ends Here.

I have No More Reason to Fight.

He wrapped his ribbons together, letting out a sigh as he fell completely resigned.

“What the hell...?”

Tragediemon looked up, seeing Grace standing over him, her uncovered face twisted in pain and anger. “After all you’ve done...the people you’ve hurt and killed, just to get to me and Lonnie...you’re just gonna stop?”

Tragediemon whistled, the fingers of his gauntlet twitching. Grace clenched her fist, and without warning reached out and struck the Digimon across the mask, sending him sprawling.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

I am not to blame

You Killed my Compassion

You Stole my Conviction

I am all that’s left.

It’s Over.

Grace could feel the anger bubbling in her chest, but she felt a hand on her shoulder. Lonnie looked back into her eyes, her lips pressed together.

“What do we do now?”

That is Up To You.

But it Makes No Difference.

“Quiet you,” retorted the girl, pointing at the creature’s mask with a stern look. “You said it yourself. It’s over. We’ve won.”

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The noise shuddered around the area, making everybody jump and the Digimon ready themselves for combat. But Tragediemon calmed himself, coiling up as the fingers of his gauntlet tapped over his chest area.

You’ve Won

How naive

How innocent

You’ve won

Your victory meant your deaths

The continued life of the world meant your deaths

But you Would Not listen

To Kindness or to Logic

He twisted himself up, the voice rasping as he hovered gently into the air. His gauntlet reached out, pointing at the two girls in turn.

Now I Shall let you Face It

You may Do what you Wish

But You Can No Longer Escape.

None of you can

The melody

The song has been written

It has Played for Centuries and nobody has heard but Me.

I was the One to Save This World

But Now I only leave You with the Song that Drove Me

Pray it Never Comes to Pass

And Fear it When It Does

He began to sway, his voice taking on a singsong lilt as new words, echoing and powerful, reached the ears of everybody present.

“Lands of Data, Lands of Flesh,”

“Through the Void She’ll See”

“True Companion, Hidden Worlds,”

“Yearning to be Free.”

“Greater Knowledge, Lost and Gained,”

“Newfound Paradise.”

“Strike the Matches, Forge the Horn”

“With his Sacrifice”

The words grew more and more intense, hooking the tamers with every syllable. Tragediemon’s gauntlet dug into his own ribbons, the metal creaking as his voice shivered.

“Hands of Fire, Hands of Ice,”

“Never Should have Crossed,”

“Prime the Arrow, Serpent Falls,”

“We’ve already lost.”

A single tear welled up in one of his eye sockets, trickling down the front of his mask as he squeezed harder and harder, his form beginning to shift.

“Endless Battle, Moon Devoured,”

“Horn shall Make Its Call,”

Lonnie realised what was happening, and snapped to her senses, reaching out towards the Digimon.

“No, don’t!”

“Flame or Frostfall, Here or There,”

Tragediemon turned to face her, staring directly into her eyes with a bitter sting in his own.

“Hel Awaits Us All.”

Before the girl could reach him, his gauntlet flew outwards, clutching his own cracked core, and with a single decisive movement, it closed, crushing it to dust. Lonnie’s hands swiped at nothing, as the Digimon fell backwards, his final breath leaving his throat. It trembled, almost like a long sigh. Or perhaps one final cruel laugh.

The gauntlet crashed to the ground, and quicksilver fell from the opening, sliding in between the gravel. Lonnie was left staring down, her pigtails swaying in front of her face as the wind picked up again. Her hand was still held out in front of her; a last ditch effort to save the Digimon who had nearly killed them all. She lifted her hand to her shoulder, and winced inwardly. She’d forgotten she’d been stabbed there. It hurt. Multiple places hurt. And as the others closed in, beginning to brush themselves off and help up their Digimon, it was clear she wasn’t the only one.

There were few words. Mark held an unconscious Psittamon cradled in his arms, his expression dour. Inez sat on the ground, clutching tightly to a tiny seahorse of her own. Perimon had his wings pulled around him and his shoulders hunched, as Jack sat on a nearby sleeper, clutching his knee and glaring at nothing. Owen helped a bruised-up Simeamon to her feet, as she muttered repeatedly under her breath, out of anybody’s sight.

There was a flash of blue and orange, and Grace gasped, running forwards towards where her partner had been. She bent down, picking up a small blue fuzzy orb, long blue ears and a horn sticking out of the top. Grace sighed, before kissing Lagomon on the cheek. “You were great.”

She noticed Lonnie staring, and moved aside, looking a little sheepish. “They’ve done a lot. I think she needs a break.”

Lonnie walked forwards, crouching down and holding her knees as the little tadpole-like creature stared up at her, blinking with a dazed expression. Lonnie smirked, and held out an arm, which Axolomon took tentatively, clutching her arm as the girl lifted her up.

The group converged, staring around at the ruined railway yard. Great swathes of earth taken out of the ground, broken platforms, scorched metal and glass. And dotted around, the marks of a bloody battle. Gauntlets. Masks. The body of an unknown person, lying face down, half-buried by the stones.

Owen broke the silence, saying exactly what everyone was thinking.

“Well...that fucking sucked.”

With a few brief flashes, Velocimon, Ladomon and Colchimon had returned to their normal forms, and they hovered around their partners as they walked up. Grace saw them coming, and looked away, not wanting to meet their gaze.

“I’m sorry. We should have done better.”

Eloise held out her arms, and held the young woman close against her chest, her expression soft. “I don’t think you could have. But you all made it out.”

Grace’s fingers curled, gripping Eloise’s jacket. “That’s not good enough...”

Aaron placed his hands in his pockets, letting out a sigh.

“Sometimes it’s the best you can get.”

He swayed, and stumbled a little, holding his midriff as Kai held him upright. The sandy-haired boy looked over his shoulder, frowning.

“I hear sirens. It’s probably time to go.”

Nobody disagreed. They all shuffled away into the night, keeping their Digimon close, as Tragediemon’s words still rang in their ears. The darkness closed in, and the railyard was left empty.

Almost.

After a few seconds, a hand curled around the wall. Nicholas peered round, his heart still pumping with the adrenaline of the moment. He could still see the damage and debris, even as the flashing lights got closer.

His mouth went to his chin, and he stared forwards, exhaling audibly.

“Well then...this got interesting.”

With one final look over his shoulder, he slipped away from the dreadful scene.