“Photon Cannon!”

“Abyssal Beam!”

NeoDevimon reeled back, the blasts striking him in both shoulders and causing him to veer. He swooped down, picking up speed and spinning around in a ball of talons as Luminemon got just that bit too close. She yelled, the assault leaving red scratches in her chest, but Achromon was up beside her in a second, swinging his axe-like tail upwards in a move that nearly cleaved into the demon’s chin. NeoDevimon was forced back further, as the dragons closed inwards with a rough pincer movement.

“Where are we aiming for?”

Eloise held her device up to her mouth, her voice echoing in the minds of both the dragons above. “Jack said the lake. Try and force it around the perimeter and we’ll meet up with them.”

The dragons nodded in unison, splitting apart as NeoDevimon tried to break free from the defensive wall, but was forced back again by a flurry of white lights. Eloise paused down below, watching the tussle in awe as she caught her breath. Kai shuffled up beside her, and she nudged him.

“That’s still quite a sight, even now.”

“Ellie, we are looking at years of experience, right there.”

“Yeah...” The young woman puffed her cheeks out, and bent down momentarily, holding her hands against her knees. “Pity experience doesn’t match up with energy levels.”

“You okay?”

“Just got a stitch. I’m fine.”

“I can carry on by myself if you need.”

“What, no offer to carry your dearest girlfriend through thick and thin?”

“Do you want me to?”

Eloise weighed the options. “Eh, plenty of time for that later.”

“I sure hope so...” Kai let out a long breath. “Honestly I was kind of hoping we were beginning to see the last of all this.”

Eloise stared upwards, but she couldn’t quite hide the flicker of irritation across her face. “Don’t be selfish. Things have changed now. We said we’d be there.”

“We have been there. But so are the others. We promised, right-“

“Kai, not now...”

The young woman turned, but Kai gently held her hand, holding her to face him. “You know that thinking’s dangerous. You remember, right? Why you had to step back.”

Eloise swallowed, her eyes darting back and forth. “We can’t leave them...”

“It was too much for you, doing this every day. And every time it became too much, you ignored it and then you hurt yourself more.” Kai smiled, trying to get through to his girlfriend. “Your uni work, and your personal life. You said yourself you were gonna hand this over – you had to hand this over. Otherwise you’re just gonna break.”

Eloise’s face twisted, and she gently slid her arm away, looking away at the water’s surface. Kai followed her gaze, adjusting his glasses.

“Aaron wouldn’t want you to break yourself either.”

“God...damnit!” The woman whirled round. “Has he been talking to you?”

Kai swallowed. “We...think a little alike at times.”

Eloise seethed, pacing back and forth as the dragons fought up above. She let out a long sigh, before placing a hand on Kai’s shoulder.

“We are going to move away from this. You and me both. But you know it won’t happen overnight, right?”

Her boyfriend looked forlorn, so she rested a finger beneath his chin. “Our normal lives are important to me as well. But this is who we are. We owe it to the next generation to be there, at least.”

Kai gave a half smile; one of many like it she’d seen him deliver over the years. That smile that said ‘I don’t quite believe you, but I don’t wanna say any more on the matter’. Bad habits bubbling up yet again.

He reached up, holding his girlfriend’s cheek. “I just don’t want this to damage your life any more than it already has. You deserve more than this.”

“Awwww...”

Eloise grinned, and was about to reply, when there was a screech from above, and the flying body of Mistramon went skittering into the lake next to them, bouncing over the surface like a pebble. Eloise raised an eyebrow. “Kai, you do pick your moments.”

“Yeah, I’ve been doing that from the start.”

The two broke apart, placing their hands on their hips as they watched Mistramon drag himself from the surf, flapping upwards again and muttering obscenities. Eloise leaned sideways. “We’re here now; we should probably save the day this time at least.”

“No argument there.”

The two ran forwards as NeoDevimon spun around above, locked in Luminemon’s grip. The devil swung around, raking his claws across one wing and thrusting her aside, but he was intercepted by Achromon spiralling up from below, sending out waves of black flame as he spun.

“Darkfire Pulse!”

The blast caught NeoDevimon in the face, knocking him down even further. Eloise pulled Kai back as the demon crashed into the treeline, its razor wings slicing and getting tangled in the branches above. They caught their breath, allowing Grace, Jack and Nicholas to catch up behind them. Jack folded his arms.

“You took a little while.”

“We’re not the ones doing most of the work.” Kai grinned, before turning to Nicholas. He raised a palm. “Hey there. I’m Kai, this is Eloise, we’ve been doing this for a while.”

Nicholas pushed his glasses up. “I, uh...I know. I’ve seen you two before as well.”

Eloise raised her eyebrows, and turned to Grace, who promptly waved her hands. “This is new to me as well, I swear. I didn’t realise he knew quite as much as he did.”

Nicholas swallowed. “It’s alright, really, I know you two are very good at this! You’re experienced.”

Jack coughed. “So are me and Grace, y’know.”

“Oh...yes, I mean...of course...”

“No, that’s fine, call us old and decrepit, we don’t mind.”

Eloise sighed, before hurriedly ducking as a horrific sound rang out from up above. She peered through the canopy to see NeoDevimon struggling with its hands at its throat, trailing blood from Mistramon’s tail blade.

“However we’re gonna do it, can we please finish this quickly? This guy has been causing way too much trouble.”

Nicholas placed a finger and thumb around his chin. “It’s very manoeuvrable in the sky. Perhaps if we can bring it down to earth...”

“Do you have a plan?”

Nicholas blinked, looking down at Jack, who shrugged. “We’re pretty flexible. If you wanna join us, you might as well get used to that.” He leant sideways. “Right Grace?”

Nicholas turned around, catching the girl’s gaze. She held her breath, and nodded. “We’ll do it together this time.”

“I don’t care what we do, but can we please do something?” Yethmon spouted as he marched forwards, scratching at his shoulder. “This is getting real tedious already.”

“This isn’t the only thing,” said Vulpimon, walking up beside him as she huffed. “Behave, alright?”

“Yethmon...”

“Vulpimon...”

“Soul Accelerate!”

The two rushed forwards in a flash of red and blue, blasting through the foliage beside them. Alopemon emerged first, scampering up the chalk rocks by the riverside as she scanned the air above, watching NeoDevimon’s black silhouette. He shot overhead, and she reared upwards, the ice crystals forming in an instant around her.

“Icicle Barrage!”

Shards of frost pierced the sky, and several slammed into the demon’s chest. It screeched, twisting in midair as it swiped downwards with an extending claw, but the fox had already disappeared, running down the shoreline. NeoDevimon’s six eyes shifted around with a sickening squelch, before they noticed movement, focusing on Highwaymon just as he raised his left flintlock.

“Purgatory Pistols!”

The red mass shot upwards in a spiral, striking the demon directly in the mask. It cried out, falling downwards and barely keeping itself above the water’s surface. Alopemon rushed back, pausing beside Highwaymon as he promptly reloaded.

“Nice aim.”

“Don’t patronise me.”

“That’s a genuine complement. I’d take it if I were you, while I’m still giving them openly.”

“Deep Sorrow!”

NeoDevimon spun around, both arms swinging outwards and forcing both fox and hound to leap out of the way. NeoDevimon’s arms retracted, his shoulders pulsing in fury. He charged forwards, but there was a flash of light in front of him as threads of light looped themselves in a spiral around him.

“White Lightning!”

Luminemon flapped her wings, pulling upwards and swinging the demon beneath her. He pulled a wing free, twisting in the dragon’s grip, but Achromon and Mistramon spiralled around as one, striking him once, twice on the side of the head, followed by a blast of darkness from the black wyrm. He pulled back, and NeoDevimon hung limp, temporarily stunned.

Jack held his fist up, taking stock of the scene around him. “Yes! We’ve still got it! Old timers rule okay!”

Kai pressed his lips out. “I don’t know how to feel about this...”

“We need to finish it, don’t we?” Nicholas looked between the other tamers, holding the device in his hand. “Surely this one’s too dangerous to let it go free.”

He took a step forwards, but Grace held his shoulder, shaking her head. “This is down to the ambassadors. I know it’s a dangerous enemy but it’s still their jurisdiction.”

Nicholas faltered, looking into her eyes. “Yeah but...it’s our world, right?”

“Screw this; I’m not hanging around playing babysitting!”

“Highwaymon, wait!”

Nicholas held an arm out, but the bandit was already leaping forwards, clambering up the rocks as NeoDevimon swung in his direction. He sheathed both pistols, pulling out the dagger from beneath his jacket. “That’s what you people do, isn’t it? You get rid of the demons.”

Mistramon swooped down from up above, opening his beak, but he reared up again, something beneath the water’s surface catching his eye.

“Uh...guys, did anyone else see that?”

Alopemon didn’t notice the eagle’s comment; she just ran up to Highwaymon instead as he braced himself, staring the suspended demon down.

“Wait, please, hold off-“

“He’s an Ultimate! He’ll break out of that at any minute! We need to hold him properly!”

Alopemon’s eyes flashed, but before she could reply there came a horrific scraping sound again from beside her, emanating from behind NeoDevimon’s mask. It took the two Digimon a little while to realise that the demon was laughing.

“Your existence is an act of futility. All worlds belong to the night. It is written. It is right. Accept your place, vermin.”

Highwaymon’s eyes flashed, his entire body buckling in on itself. “Big talk from a scrawny git like you! Rogue Blade!”

Before the fox could stop him, Highwaymon had lunged forwards, taking a great leap from the rocks with his dagger in his hand, reaching out towards the suspended demon.

But the waters of the lake split open beneath him, and a pair of great, gelatinous tendrils reached out from nowhere, coiling around the hound before he could even react. NeoDevimon swung sideways, the harrowing, soulless laugh growing in intensity as his comrade emerged from the water, dripping silky liquid and shining with black light.

“Incoming!”

Mistramon dived forwards, spinning around and releasing waves of pressurised wind at the new foe, but it was far larger and more robust than the fallen angel, and it unfurled with a great rolling barrage of tentacles. Several of them caught the bird in the throat, twisting him around in mid-air, while even more shot outwards and severed the holy lasso holding NeoDevimon in place. The smaller demon flapped upwards as the sea devil crouched down, opening the great ragged wings on its back as its three eyes flashed red.

“Shimetsuke!”

With a roar the MarineDevimon’s wings shot outwards, sending a wave of inky energy coursing outwards and sending all three of its airborne foes into a terminal nosedive, the air resistance suddenly increasing tenfold around them. Eloise rushed forwards, standing as close to the edge of the shore as she dared as she saw her partner strike the pond’s surface, bobbing to the top in a daze.

“Why the hell do the worst enemies always have backup?”

“Pressure Wave!”

The shockwave blasted outwards as Mistramon dived sideways, spinning out of the way of the new tyrant’s tentacle. It hummed, swinging upwards and aiming for the eagle again, but Mistramon was fast and manoeuvrable, staying out of reach from the beast’s assault. He swung down again, looping upwards and striking MarineDevimon in the face with a shard of pink wind, forcing it backwards a few steps.

“I don’t care how many of you there are; I’ll take you all on together! Come at me!”

“Watch out!”

Jack reached out, but the eagle was out of his reach, swinging around right into NeoDevimon’s scraping claws. He kicked outwards, knocking the demon back as he banked towards MarineDevimon again, but the attack had disrupted his timing, giving the great sea beast enough time to focus on him, its crimson eyes flashing.

“Guilty Black!”

Its mouth opened wide like a serpent’s, and a stream of inky black liquid shot out, striking the bird directly in the chest. Mistramon let out a hoarse woof, and twisted backwards, the venom piercing into his skin and locking his muscles in place. He dropped like a stone, striking the waters of the lake and sinking in the blink of an eye.

“Mistramon!”

“I’ve got him!”

Achromon twisted in mid-air, folding his wings in and diving after the red bird. NeoDevimon saw his movements and lunged forwards, but he was intercepted by Luminemon as she threw her body forwards, entangling the beast’s claws in her broad wings. She made a high kick, dragging him to one side and trying desperately to avoid MarineDevimon’s own assaults as it fired again and again, its face stretched in that permanent hideous grimace.

Jack stood on the edge of the shoreline, ignoring the danger as he scanned the waters, he gasped, taking in a breath as the surface broke, his partner coughing and spluttering as a ruined Achromon dragged him towards the shoreline. The boy rushed forwards despite the pleas from the others, holding the great eagle by the neck and trying to pull him to safety. Mistramon rolled his eyes.

“There goes my record of three battles without being shot down.”

Jack frowned, and counted on his fingers quickly. “Did you ever even make it to three?”

“Oh, get off my case, you.“

“Get out of the way!”

Achromon pushed forwards, and the bird rolled as MarineDevimon’s sapient tentacle came crashing down, unleashing a wave that rolled the three of them away. Achromon only just managed to get airborne, firing a retaliatory blast of darkness as Mistramon and Jack skidded along the riverbank. They looked at one another, and grinned, as Grace marched forwards, absolutely beside herself.

“Will you two stop joking amongst yourselves and try and pay attention, please?”

Jack furrowed his brow. “I’m sorry, it’s how we deal with stress, Grace!”

“Can’t you- arck! Not again!”

Jack’s eyes darted upwards, and he lurched forwards into his sister as MarineDevimon’s tentacle slammed down once again. Mistramon was less lucky this time, the appendage crashing into his back and burying him in the sound with a winded squawk. Achromon curled around above, but the tentacle retracted quickly, grazing his chest and sending him spinning uncontrollably away.

“Purgatory Pistols!”

As the appendage retracted, Highwaymon ran forwards with an animal roar, blasting red bursts of energy all the way down the sinuous flesh. It rippled, some of the blasts taking great chunks out, but it was a negligible effect and Highwaymon found himself running backwards, being chased down by the tyrant’s unstoppable bulk. It struck him in the back and he went down, the pistols falling from his grasp.

Nicholas took a step, but he was forced backwards as well as MarineDevimon spewed a bile of black matter over the shoreline, where it landed in clumps on the mud, sinking in with an awful smell. The creature laughed, taking slow, deliberate steps through the water, its eyes flashing one after the other. Grace pulled Nicholas back, as he held his hand up to his mouth, biting his knuckle.

“It’s not enough.”

“It’s alright. We can get through this.” Grace smiled reassuringly at her boyfriend, before looking up at the demons, one of whom was bearing down on a furious Highwaymon, forcing him on the defensive, and the other of whom was still entangled around Luminemon, scraping at her back with its massive claws. There was a flash of blue as Alopemon ran forwards, spinning a tornado of ice around her midriff and trying to shoot NeoDevimon away. Grace watched her partner’s movements, her hand going to her D-SEND.

“Sometimes, you just need that little extra edge.”

NeoDevimon pulled away as an ice shard struck him on the shoulder, causing him to loosen his grip just enough for Luminemon to twist around, her bladed tail slicing across its leg. She dropped out the sky, but not fast enough as NeoDevimon lunged back, his wings flapping mercilessly.

“Deep Sorrow!”

The waves struck Luminemon across the back, causing her to crash into the mud, where Achromon flew down to join her, worry flashing across his face. NeoDevimon stayed airborne, but his eyes rolled towards Alopemon, and soon the fox was running for her life as the demon swiped with claw after claw, scraping up the silt as he went for her neck.

“Help me!”

Grace grunted, and rushed forwards, the device glowing in her hands.

“Alopemon, Soul Reverberate!”

“Tupilamon!”

NeoDevimon’s claw struck a wall of ice, and before he could pull back Tupilamon had reached out and grabbed him by the neck, her claws causing the leathery flesh to steam from the sheer cold. The demon changed his tack, lurching forwards and striking her in the head with a sharp kick, before yanking the claw away.

“Screaming Storm!”

The sound was earsplitting, forming ripples of frost over the pond’s surface and sending NeoDevimon tumbling backwards. He recovered, winded, but still fully mobile as Tupilamon braced herself for a second onslaught.

Out of the way, Grace and Nicholas rushed over to Luminemon as she struggled to push herself out of the mud, her body shaking uncontrollably from NeoDevimon’s onslaught. Eloise and Kai rushed up as well, the young man holding his chin.

“We haven’t seen anything like this come through before.”

“To heck with that,” said Eloise gravely, “we haven’t seen anything like this since we were in the digital world.”

Grace held her hand to her chest, keeping one eye on the battle behind her. “What do you suggest? I know the ambassadors wanted them returned, but...”

“But some Digimon just won’t play ball.” Kai adjusted his glasses. “We might have to call this one. These two are severely dangerous.”

Nicholas raised a tentative hand. “What are we supposed to do? Without the others this has to be nearly all the power we have, right?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. You haven’t seen the extent of what we can do.”

Eloise looked sideways, her eyes grey and piercing. “You really think we should? It’s been a long time, and I don’t think Luminemon’s in the right shape to keep fighting right now.”

“With any luck we’ll only need one. Just to rebalance the odds.” Kai’s eyes flicked up towards his own partner. “Do you think you’re up for it?”

Achromon gave a long sigh, looking behind him at the twin demons still battling the other three.

“These Digimon are a blight on my past.” He clicked his jaw. “I may be able to call upon that power again, but I can’t guarantee they’ll make it out alive if I do.”

“Call it as you need to.” Kai reached inside his jacket pocket, and Eloise did the same, the both of them holding their D-Nexus’s in outstretched arms. Nicholas’s eyes were wide, but Grace pulled him backwards, keeping an eye on the pair. The girl swallowed, clenching her fist. “I’m sorry to ask you to do this.”

“We’re always here, right?”

Eloise grinned hollowly, while Kai just looked solemnly up at his partner. Achromon nodded, his body already shimmering with black light that seemed to emanate up from the mud beneath him.

“Do it.”

“Achromon, Primal Fury!”

Eloise and Kai spoke in unison, their devices flashing as one. Kai’s alone began to shudder, and a torrent of swirling black energy shot out from the screen, coursing from his arm and through his and Eloise’s bodies. The torrent reached out, caressing Achromon’s wings and reaching over them like dark fingers. It expanded, spreading over his body like a web. He gasped, his eyes opening wide and his entire body rippling.

“Evolution Activate!”

The dragon hunched over as the darkness swallowed him completely, so pitch black that it was almost painful to look at. A column of nothingness descended down, flashing on occasion and leaving great, scraping claw marks in the silt all around, reaching out for several metres.

Kai swallowed, and tightened his grip on Eloise’s hand as he felt the energy passing through him; an energy and an emotion he had felt before, and had hoped he wouldn’t need to feel again.

The black mass pulsed, growing larger and more savage, until all of a sudden it pulled inwards, revealing the wyrm’s new form.

He landed, the curled talons of his arms and legs clawing at the silt. A crescent-bladed tail swooped back and forth behind him, and diamond spines ran up his back. His broad front body was draped in ragged fur, and sticking out above, his skeletal, bladed wings tore at the air. He opened his beak, releasing a cloud of black ash from his serrated jaws, as his purple eyes opened and scanned the area around, the only splash of colour over his whole monochromatic body.

“Azdajamon!”

The tamers stepped back as the gargoyle’s body lurched, staggering sideways from the sheer amount of power coursing through his veins. Kai felt his muscles tense, and he held his D-Nexus with both hands, with Eloise holding his upper arm tightly. Off to one side, Nicholas whistled.

“Woah...”

“Deep Sorrow!”

NeoDevimon flew downwards, his wings seeming to extend as they released wave after wave of melancholic flame. The blaze struck the silt, carving great swathes and driving into Azdajamon as he let off hisses of pain. The devil soared above, looping back around for another onslaught.

But all of a sudden, he faltered. Through the cascade of dust and ash, he could see the gargoyle’s piercing gaze locking onto him, unfazed by the attack.

“You think you can immobilise me with the smoke and mirrors of my very ancestry?”

There was a hum, a shimmer, and suddenly NeoDevimon skidded to a halt, his eyes rolling all around, for Azdajamon had suddenly disappeared from in front of him. But the words still came echoing outwards, burrowing into his twisted mind.

“You are nothing but a relic. A lost creature from a lost world. Our kind? Our family? We have pride now, and purpose. You don’t bring anything except shame.”

The demon’s eyes rolled downwards as a flash of black light erupted beneath him, and he spun round, the gargoyle’s muscled arm scraping past him with a silent scream.

“And soon, not even that.”

The devil ducked down, thrusting both legs out and clutching them round Azdajamon’s chest. But the black drake twisted violently, ignoring the slicing blades as he coiled around, and scraping his own talons up the leathered legs. NeoDevimon hissed, shooting out an arm, but Azdajamon countered, his head slamming into the demon’s chest.

Each Digimon traded blow after blow; NeoDevimon clamping his hands around Azdajamon’s beak, and moments later, Azdajamon’s blade running a blooded line up the demon’s chest. The skirmish was fast and bloody, and within seconds they had both split apart again, tired from their wounds. Azdajamon dived downwards first, and NeoDevimon followed, his eyes swelling as he pinpointed the gargoyle’s flank, letting out husky words of hatred and malice.

“Accept...your...birthright, traitor.”

Azdajamon narrowed his eyes in return.

“Accept your reality, fossil.”

He twisted, and NeoDevimon swerved wildly, just managing to stay airborne as his wings clipped the water’s surface. He tilted his head, reaching out with serrated claws towards Azdajamon as the gargoyle flew ever so slightly higher. The devil pushed further, his claws opening wide and aiming towards Azdajamon’s throat.

But they stopped in place, the muscles locking stiff. NeoDevimon saw the trails of ice twisting over his forearms, and his head twisted around, locking on Tupilamon as she stood with her claws in the water.

“Grave Glacier!”

The ice accelerated, wrapping around NeoDevimon’s arms faster than he could break it. He struggled, locked onto the pond’s surface by a column of black ice, and unable to move anywhere, or react at all, as he saw Azdajamon curl round above him, his crescent tail trailing pure black mass behind him in a vast spiral.

“Circle of the Void!”

The dark energy linked up, and closed in around the struggling devil, forming a perfect sphere. It vibrated, no sound emanating out from the impenetrable barrier. But Kai stumbled on the shoreline, Eloise supporting him as he took in a harrowed breath.

“You alright?”

The young man smiled weakly, his breath short. “It’s been a while since I’ve had to d...deal with this feeling..this power...”

SSSSKRTT

The sphere vibrated again, and a tear opened up in the side. With a blast of light the black void dissipated, forcing the two captives back. NeoDevimon was by far the worse off from the attack; his body racked with lacerations and his mask split from one corner, revealing black flesh behind. But despite his wounds, he was still moving. In fact, he was more savagely mobile than ever.

With a desolate rage that was practically audible, he spun around, his eyes locking on Azdajamon and flying straight forwards before the gargoyle could move. His arms shot upwards, digging beneath Azdajamon’s chin and thrusting him sideways with a hollow growl. The black dragon righted himself, but before he could attack the vast form of MarineDevimon rushed forwards from behind him, slamming into him with a rolling tentacle.

“Guilty Black!”

MarineDevimon laughed, which turned into a gurgle as its mouth erupted with a spew of black matter, crashing into Azdajamon’s back. At a higher level than Luminemon and more resistant to his own element, the gargoyle was able to stay airborne from the direct hit, but the energy-leaching fluid still burned his veins as he flapped chaotically.

“Don’t you touch him! Spiral Force!”

“Purgatory Pistols!”

“Guilty Claw!”

Mistramon took to the skies once again as Highwaymon rushed forwards, both of them readying their attacks. But NeoDevimon was faster than both of them; spinning like a top as his arms extended in a whirling dervish of razor sharp talons. They sliced into Mistramon’s chest, and into Highwaymon’s mask, sending them both backing away. The devil stopped spinning, readjusting his focus on the falling Azdajamon.

“You allowed your form to be tainted by those not of your flesh. You could be a king. But you must be purified.”

His head turned, and the six eyes rolled downwards, focusing on Eloise and Kai below.

“I shall be the purifier.”

The devil arched his body, and all of a sudden he was falling, arms flapping behind him as the leather unravelled into viciously sharp spikes. Eloise started, and ran backwards, pulling Kai with her as they sprinted across the silt, but the demon was faster. The first arm reformed, and it reached out, the talons quivering with malicious energy.

“Photon Cannon!”

Luminemon’s blast of light rang outwards as she fired from her position on the bank; the beam striking NeoDevimon in one wing and piercing through the black material. He fell onto the silt, but rolled like a cat and turned to a running motion in an instant. Luminemon ran in front of Eloise and Kai as she tried to recharge, but NeoDevimon reached her first, raking the dragon with his claws and sending her crashing down.

With an animal pounce he reached the two tamers, and stabbed downwards, the shockwave knocking them both to the ground. Kai rolled onto his back, his glasses fallen and his eyes wide as he saw the demon raise his claw again.

“Begone from our flesh, you-“

“Novus TENEBRAE!”

With a horrific scraping sound, Azdajamon rushed forwards in a black tornado of claws and teeth and razor-sharp spines, and he lunged into NeoDevimon from behind, driving the demon back up into the sky. He screeched, lurching left and right, but all his struggles accomplished was to drive the black dragon’s claws deeper and deeper into his torso. Azdajamon brought his wings down, his entire body shuddering with black energy.

And something snapped, causing the NeoDevimon’s limbs to stiffen and his eyes to widen. Its head fell forwards, black blood dripping downwards as Azdajamon’s furious face leaned forwards.

“You have no place here.”

With a roar he twisted his wrists and thrust his arms apart, tearing the demon’s body in two with a single, brutal motion.

Kai grimaced, holding a hand over his mouth, while Eloise averted her eyes. The two halves of NeoDevimon’s body fell earthwards, trailing black and red particles as they did so. A wounded Azdajamon was left alone, hovering in the sky, his breath ragged and his monochrome body covered with blood. He saw Luminemon staring up at him, and he hunched his shoulders.

“I’m sorry...I called it...I didn’t have a choice-“

“NO!”

The new voice echoed over the pond, digging through the bodies of everybody present. Azdajamon coughed, twisting around in mid-air just in time to see MarineDevimon rushing towards him.

“Novus Ten-“

He didn’t get to finish, as MarineDevimon’s tentacles rolled out towards him, swatting him completely out of the sky. The sea monster was furious, holding its claws out towards the pond’s surface, where NeoDevimon’s remains were congregating in a few ashen piles.

“My...my son...”

“Pressure Wave!”

Mistramon flew above, his talons grasping at MarineDevimon’s head as he tried to pull it away from the shore. Down below, Highwaymon, Tupilamon and Luminemon were attacking as well, trying to drive the beast further back. But it had massive size to its advantage, and fury fuelling its black heart. It turned, its wings unfurling as Mistramon flew in once again.

“ShimetSUKE!”

The blast front shot outwards, knocking everybody back but hitting Mistramon the worst. He coughed, with blood falling from his beak as he spiralled away, the flight slowing to a recovery glide. Jack rushed forwards as his partner crashed onto the silt, not twenty metres from Azdajamon’s struggling form. The bird choked again, and smiled up at Jack as the boy knelt beside him.

“We have to stop meeting like this.”

“Incoming!”

“Shimetsuke!”

Another wide blast, scattering the people and Digimon on the beach even more. Grace and Nicholas remained at the front, standing behind Tupilamon as she stood on the water’s edge, watching the demon plough towards them. She growled, raising her claws and stabbing them into the water.

“Grave Glacier!”

The tendrils of ice reached out, spiralling across the waters and up MarineDevimon’s legs, but it did little to slow him, even as she forced more and more of the frosted energy through her shaking hands. MarineDevimon’s eyes locked on her, and he reared back, the tentacles rolling behind him as black energy formed in his throat. Grace pulled Nicholas back, holding her body in front of him.

“Guilty Bl-“

“Equus Harpoon!”

A swell rose from the water, and broke the surface as the beam shot skywards. It struck MarineDevimon in its swinging jaw, causing him to rock backwards with a melancholic cry. Kampoimon’s body burst from the waters, shaking his mane out as he spun his lance menacingly.

“You are incredibly lost.”

MarineDevimon gurgled, and thrust out a webbed hand, but the seahorse leapt over it like a dolphin, disappearing again into the lake’s depths. The sea monster spun around, piercing the water and causing a cloud of red to emerge, but Kampoimon just brushed off the attack, rearing up again as water cascaded from his hands.

“Crushing Tide!”

The roaring waters flew high, obscuring the aquatic battle as the tamers regrouped. With a huffing from nearby, Inez approached the group, clearly having run a long, long way to reach the ongoing battle.

“Sorry I’m late. What’d I miss?”

Kai let out a long breath, and wiggled his hand back and forth. “It’s been a mixed success. We’ve gotten rid of one of them.”

“I...I mean...that’s good, right?”

The boy hummed, looking behind him at where Azdajamon was sprawled out on the muddy shoreline, with a wobbly Luminemon standing over him. Mistramon was flat out on his back, staring at the sky as he kicked with a useless leg.

“Don’t worry...I think I’ve got it this time...”

Inez bit her lip, looking up at MarineDevimon as it spun wildly, sending a torrent of water crashing into Tupilamon and knocking Kampoimon away.

“Surely we have a chance here?”

“These guys are freakishly strong and dangerous.” Eloise held a palm up to her mouth. “Maybe we retreat and readjust while we can? MarineDevimon’s gonna be less mobile so it gives us time to-”

“Hell with that! What do you take me for?”

Highwaymon stepped up on the nearest rock, holding a wounded arm but glaring out across the tamers. “What is this, a business meeting? I thought you people were all supposed to be good at this!”

Inez pouted. “Who are you again?”

She blinked, suddenly noticing Nicholas standing next to Grace and putting two and two together. “Ooooh...”

“He is another option.” Nicholas stepped forwards, planting a thumb towards his chest. “I’m here as well; there’s no need to retreat yet. You just need some more support.”

“Nicholas, wait-“

Grace stepped forwards, turning him around to face her. “Look at him; Highwaymon’s been beaten up as well. We’re seriously lacking here.”

“Screw you, lady!” Highwaymon let out through his mask, and he leapt down, running in a slightly lopsided fashion towards the shoreline again. “You dragged me into this; I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let you drag me out without asking me!”

He stepped out into the shallows, loading pellets into his armaments as he strafed around the water demon’s feet. “Purgatory Pistols! ”

The red blasts rang out, leaving gouges and grazes in MarineDevimon’s rubbery flesh, but it did little other than get its attention. It screeched, its wings flickering as it angled itself.

“Shimetsuke!”

The pressure shot outwards, sweeping Kampoimon and Highwaymon aside as one. MarineDevimon twisted, and slashed out with a claw, catching the seahorse right in the shoulder. The claws dug in, and Kampoimon screamed, twisting away in a flurry of red droplets.

“Kampoimon!”

Inez gave a gasp, and Grace stepped forwards beside her. “I’m calling it. We’re pulling back.”

“Grace-“

“Nicholas, we can’t deal with this now! The next death could be one of our partners.”

“They’re strong though; I believe in them. I believe in all of you...”

“Please...” Grace reached out, holding her boyfriend by the arm. “I’m grateful, I promise, but this is stronger than you’re used to.”

The boy clenched his fist. “Didn’t you take on the others, though? The harlequin, and that one-legged giant? Isn’t this what we’re supposed to do?”

“There wasn’t even supposed to be a ‘we’!”

The girl’s eyes flashed, and she turned, helping her brother as Mistramon devolved to Perimon, too exhausted to retain his fighting form. She looked back, squaring up the sea monster. “It can’t move too far; somebody else will find it soon. The ambassadors, or the other tamers at least. We can lead it back to safer ground. We can-“

“What am I doing wrong?”

Grace looked down, and stepped forwards. “Come on Nicholas, pull back!”

The boy’s shoulders tensed, and he glared up at her, standing his ground. “Why won’t you trust me? I...I thought that’s where we were now! I thought we could face this together now!” He slammed a palm against his chest. “I’m here, Grace! I can do this! I can help!”

“I’m sorry Nicholas. I...I can’t...” The girl pressed her teeth together, blinking. “I can’t lose you. Please. We...we need to talk about this...but now just isn’t the time-”

“NICHOLAS!”

Everybody jumped as Highwaymon’s roar struck their ears, and they looked back to see the bandit crawling forwards, great scrapes over his back and one eye half-closed. Behind him, MarineDevimon drove itself ever so slowly forwards as Kampoimon and Tupilamon struggled in vain to keep him in place.

Highwaymon glared up, his piercing gaze landing on the boy.

“You’re supposed to help me...is this all you can give me? Where’s all that power you promised me as your partner?”

He rolled back again, holding a single flintlock in his wounded arm and holding it up towards MarineDevimon’s neck, firing an erratic burst of shadow. The sea monster gurgled, and Highwaymon wasn’t quite fast enough to dodge the rolling tentacles that came his way, slamming into his chest, his head, his legs. He went down again, his form visibly shifting.

Grace stepped forwards, holding an arm out to her boyfriend. “Nicholas, call him back, now-“

“No!”

The boy pulled his arm away, and reached down as he grabbed his D-SEND, a stark white and black against his freckled skin. He turned around, and Grace could see the smile on his face.

“You...I can show you I’m strong enough to stand with you. With all of you. I’ll prove it! Watch me!”

“No!”

The boy sprinted forwards through the mud before Grace could grab him, and she stared in shock as he stood on the shoreline, staring down at his partner.

“What a disappointment. Is this the best you can manage?”

“Screw you.” Highwaymon pulled himself to his feet, pulling at his rag mask. “Stop complaining and give me more to work with.”

“Only if you make good on your promise. You’re gonna get strong now, right?”

“Is that a threat?”

“No. It’s a demand.” Nicholas held his device in one hand, a red light glinting in his eyes. “Evolve. Now. Take this monster down to hell.”

Highwaymon’s shoulders hunched, and he gave a hearty laugh, much unlike his usual demeanour. “You don’t have the gall to make it happen.”

“Try me.”

The bandit rushed forwards, pulling out his dagger as he drove it over MarineDevimon’s left leg. The monster stretched, sweeping his tentacles through the water and knocking the bandit to one side. Nicholas still stood firm on the shoreline, glaring up at the beast as he pressed his hand into his device.

“Take it all, you bastard.”

Another two blasts, but they merely glanced off MarineDevimon’s rubbery flank. It groaned as it leaned forwards, its wings flapping savagely and causing great swells in the water around as Tupilamon, Kampoimon and Highwaymon all closed in at once.

“ShimetSUKE!”

The wave was immense, reaching back right up the shoreline and knocking all the humans over. Grace hissed, but Kai got to his feet first, thrusting an arm out.

“Get everybody out of there NOW!”

“Nicholas, come back!”

The young man couldn’t hear; the only one remaining standing against the immense force, even as the silt dug into his body and grazed his skin. He pulled his arms apart again, and slammed his hands together, the device letting off an electronic shudder in his hands and the edges digging into his palm.

“I said take it!”

Highwaymon had been hit the worst by the wave of blackness, but he remained on one knee, holding a limp flintlock beside him as he continued to laugh uncontrollably. Kampoimon was lying on his side in the shallows, and Tupilamon was barely standing, her fur matted with blood. MarineDevimon seemed unstoppable. Relentless. Utterly immovable.

But Nicholas wasn’t moving either.

And as Grace, and Kai, and all the others ran up behind him, ready to pull everybody back, he just opened his arms wide, staring the monster down as he screamed at his own partner.

“Take it all! Take everything you want; everything I have and bring this son of a bitch down! I demand it! Highwaymon! Show me what you can DO!”

Nicholas brought his hands together one more time, and his fist cracked into the screen of the D-SEND, breaking the skin of his hand.

The device clicked. It whirred. And then, with an electronic scream, it exploded into life.

A red tornado shot outwards, blasting everybody in the vicinity backwards even more than MarineDevimon’s attack had. Only Nicholas and Highwaymon remained standing, staring up at the beast in front of them. The red mist extended outwards, grasping the bandit by the arms and dragging him back. He fell forwards, his flintlocks and blades dissolving in front of him as he was held up by the crimson gheist, the energy screaming uncontrollably as it whirled around him.

“Highwaymon...Soul...REVERBERATE!”

Nicholas raised his arms, the energy flowing freely from his hands and wrapping around his partner tighter and tighter, binding him into a vague mockery of a humanoid shape and lifting him six feet clear off the ground. Nicholas’s eyes were wide, the red lights dancing inside.

Grace pulled herself upwards to one knee, grabbing at the silt as she struggled to see. Eloise reached her, grabbing her shoulders. “What’s he doing...?”

“No...no, no, no...”

Grace felt the chatter of her teeth, and the frozen grip of cold energy from her own device exploding up her arm, as she stared at the two figures in the scarlet tempest.

“Not again...don’t you do the same thi-...”

“Evolution...ACTIVATE!”

Highwaymon’s body buckled and spasmed within the crimson storm, the jacket and armour tearing away as he grew. With an immense crack his back arched, and his shoulders broadened, and he fell downwards, his posture taking on that of the hound he was. And all the while, his eyes stared outwards, growing, expanding into something more. Something harrowing. A demonic stare in the midst of the red. The energy pulsed, swirled, and blasted outwards, causing red specks to rain down as the new Digimon stood where Highwaymon had, bent double and breathing heavily.

It was more canine and bestial than ever before; a great, hulking brute of a hound, with shaggy, matted fur, a long sweeping tail and powerful, muscular limbs. But despite its canine appearance there were aspects about its body that were wrong; clawed, grasping hands as opposed to its front and hind paws, and a series of irregular spines jutting out from its back, shoulders, elbows, and from the top of its head like a bone crown. Its limbs were covered with scraps of ragged cloth, but more notable were the shackles, bound around every joint and dragging great iron chains behind them. More chains dropped down from its shaggy ears, and another from the tight muzzle that bound its face.

And that face. Almost draconic instead of canine, with a squat snout filled to the brim with white triangle teeth and two extended canines. And the whole visage was twisted into something horrifying by the eyes. Those eyes, large as dinner plates, almost perfectly round, and staring outwards with a red, raw fury. Never moving, and never blinking. Just staring.

The hound shuddered, the chains jangling around him as he spoke with the voice of a thousand razors scraping against one another.

“Baskervimon!”

The tamers stared in horror at the new beast as he stood stock still, facing them expectantly. He turned its head, his eyes still facing perfectly forwards, and locked his gaze with Nicholas. The boy reached out, holding onto Grace. But his expression was adamant.

“Go on then. What...what are you waiting for...”

Baskervimon snapped into life, whirling around and powering through the silt towards MarineDevimon. The sea monster was already advancing himself, spinning around and sending a colossal sweeping tentacle right into the hound’s body. He flew sideways, skipping over the shallows, but with a growl he twisted upwards again, running at full pelt as if nothing had happened. His head twisted upwards, and he leapt as another tentacle ran towards him. With a deft movement he landed, sprinting up towards MarineDevimon’s head as red mist poured from his mouth.

“Flesh...”

He leapt, his entire body shuddering with red energy, and he latched onto MarineDevimon’s jaw and bit down hard, the teeth tearing into the leathery skin. MarineDevimon screeched, releasing waves of black fluid, but Baskervimon pulled his legs inwards, and within in a second he had leapt down, dragging a trail of bloodied muscle with him.

“Guilty BLACK!”

MarineDevimon twisted over, and released a torrent of black matter onto the hound, forcing him beneath the waters. Off to one side, Kampoimon tried to swim forwards, but the black soup was draining his strength and he couldn’t see where the hound was.

Then, with a roar, Baskervimon emerged, facing MarineDevimon head on as his eyes grew wider and wider. The sea monster saw him and raised another tentacle, but it didn’t strike true, instead hitting a wall of red energy, perfectly square, that slammed into him. In a flash Baskervimon was the other side, and within a second another wall had appeared in front of him, the two boards pressing inwards. A third, and a fourth. MarineDevimon toppled backwards, and a fifth took out its feet, locking onto the others as they closed in. MarineDevimon reached out, but it could only watch Baskervimon as the hound rushed towards his head, the final piece already forming in front of him.

“Desolation Box!”

The panel shot forwards, slamming into the others and locking into a perfect cube. MarineDevimon struggled inside, but Baskervimon just sat down, and with a single movement, planted his foot down against the ground. Instantly the inside of the box exploded; red energy swirling around inside the translucent walls, rending and tearing, and obscuring MarineDevimon’s struggles. Well, nearly. There was no sound other than the cube’s dull hum, but the onlookers could see the struggling demon’s limbs as they pawed against the inner surface, leaving trails of blood and ink wherever they touched.

Presently, the box shattered, and MarineDevimon rolled out in a heap, its body covered with deep, deep wounds. It peered up, its jaw lopsided and only one eye working, as it watched Baskervimon walk towards him, his movements deceptively slow. And yet, he seemed to have an intense energy, the fur quivering and the spines flexing as his whole body seemed to shimmer.

As Baskervimon’s eyes locked onto MarineDevimon, he shuddered, and all of a sudden he was two. Then four. Then eight, and so on, and so on, until they formed a line of over fifty. Each hound in time, each hound in pace, and each one staring forwards. Those eyes never blinking, but the mouths opening as one, beginning to release a crimson drool as they growled in anticipation.

“Dire Deliverance.”

MarineDevimon reared up in a blind panic, trying desperately to fend off the dozens of hounds rushing towards him with bared fangs and scraping claws and rattling chains. But with its wounds, and its size, it couldn’t stop the tidal wave of terror that rushed over him.

MarineDevimon’s dying throes rang out across the water’s surface, only interspersed by the barking of many ferocious hounds. They dug into its flesh, ripping, tearing, drawing away great streams of black flesh and dissipating into red mist as they did so. MarineDevimon’s movements grew less and less, his tendrils flapping uselessly even as he crushed the hounds beneath him. One of them burrowed into its throat, tearing out its tongue. Another hooked its remaining eye, bursting it in its socket. And with a flinch of pain MarineDevimon could feel three of them burrowing further and further into its chest, reaching out, and grasping its black digicore. They grabbed. They pulled. They shredded.

MarineDevimon’s body fell limp, falling over in a mass of red particles; many from the hounds as they disintegrated, the hunt now complete. Only one remained, standing on top of its corpse with a blooded maw and rattling chains. He leant back, and howled; a desolate cry that pierced the night, singing into the city all around.

Nicholas could only watch, stunned into silence, as his partner stood victorious, frozen in position. He was dimly aware of Grace still standing beside him, her hand loosely around his wrist.

“What...what have you done...?”

The boy swallowed. “I don’t know, but...” He turned, smiling weakly as he looked into her terrified eyes. “This is right, isn’t it? We’ve killed the monster. This is...this is what we’re supposed to...to do, right?”

“More...”

The boy flinched, and turned back, feeling the stinging energy coming from his D-SEND. He looked up, seeing the hound’s eyes now focused on him once again, the silhouette shimmering in the light.

“More...flesh...need more...”

“Hey, wait...we’re done.” The boy raised a hand in greeting. “It’s me, alright? It’s Nicholas.”

Mouth dripping with red, Baskervimon leapt down from the demon’s corpse, and began to walk back through the shallows, his entire body vibrating.

“More...more more more...promised...more FLESH! NEED MORE FLESH!”

Baskervimon’s voice screamed out in rage and hunger, and with no hesitation, he charged.

TO BE CONTINUED...