Light

So faint that it barely pierced the black ocean.

But for those trapped in this purgatory, trapped by the Digital World’s very desire, it was as a shining beacon. A beautiful sun, a bright star. Streaming down, glistening, glorious.

They clamoured. They wailed. They worshipped, and fought, and loved, and for a brief moment were reunited with old friends and enemies who had been lost to them for so long.

And as for him, he just kept moving, breaking through layer upon layer. The caverns of the old monsters, like mere twigs in his path. His eyes were crusted, but the light still pierced through. For it was more than a light. It was a memory. It was a call.

Who was it?

Who was calling him?

He had to find out.

He had to remember.

Swimming, further, further, faster and faster and then

And then he was stopped, trapped in a web of blue and white and silver, spinning around, ever growing. Formed by two aquatic spirits, twisting and binding, pulling him backwards.

No.

No, this isn’t right.

They’re calling for me.

You don’t understand.

Something blocked the light. Someone. Floating down, two chains in her hands as she stared down. He could barely make out her face, although he recognised her. Some things you could never forget.

“I’m sorry, old friend.”

She swung her tail, and the wraiths returned, swimming around her hands as they held the net tightly.

“You made me promise, remember?”

I don’t remember.

“To let you sleep.”

I don’t remember a thing.

The gatekeeper tightened her grip.

“No matter how much you struggled, how much you screamed...for the sake of your own pride, you made me promise never to let you go.”

Something glistened in the blackness. Tiny specks, floating away from her eyes. They shone in the blackness. Reflected the light above.

The light.

It’s still there.

Let me go.

They’re calling for me.

I remember...

...I remember him...

The gatekeeper raised her arms, the black ocean swirling around her as she gritted her teeth.

“I’m sorry.”

Andriamon hissed, the flames forcing her backwards; not with heat, but a searing pain that racked through her body, right down to her very core. She rolled backwards, crashing into the crystal walls along with the tamers and other Digimon alike, the light so bright in front of her that it hurt to watch.

Eirenemon was caught in the epicentre, the flames ripping through her body as she writhed, letting out screams of pain. And as she did so, the vow unravelled, turning from a trusted power to a horrendous vice.

The rosaries adorning her body snaked around her skin, tightening around her neck and her wrists. They extended, reaching beneath her flesh, the glass beads melting in the flame and turning into razor sharp scales. And they reached behind her, where her wings had once been, and dug into the marrow of the bloodied stumps that remained. Soon the pain had become so immense that Eirenemon could barely even let out a scream anymore, her chest spasming and her eyes clouded.

Then, like a nuclear blast, the flames suddenly funnelled up, and condensed into a single spiralling storm above her twisted form. Her clothes had been shredded by the blast, barely hanging off a skeletal body. The skin was pulled so tightly against her that every bone and every muscle was visible, as well as the imprints of the rosaries that now wormed within her very flesh, drawing blood with every movement. Her limbs were emaciated, and her face was now gaunt, her eyes staring outwards, no longer even able to blink. The pale skin and pink down was now speckled with red, and her blond hair fell forward in soiled clumps, draping over her shoulders. She seemed frailer than ever, but she stood up, her expression no longer contorted in pain but instead living it. Breathing it. Emanating it.

“If you refuse to run, then your power shall open the doorway.”

Without even a moment’s hesitation, she held a hand up, her fingers cracking as the storm of white fire swirled above her.

“Angel’s Acolytes!”

The storm spun above her, extending as it did so; tendrils of white flame extending and flying like spears down towards the Champion levels before her. Several of them leapt out the way, but Ceratomon, Kampoimon and Mistramon weren’t so lucky, the white flames striking them and wrapping around their necks. They instantly jerked, flames bursting from their eyes as they lost all agency, leashed to the storm by Eirenemon’s new power. She shuddered, and pointed downwards at the centre of the island.

“Break.”

“NO!”

Jack reached out towards his partner, but Mistramon had no power against the leash; he charged forwards with the other two, summoning power in his tail and slamming it down against the crystal. Kampoimon stabbed down with an energy-laden spear, and Ceratomon brought both fists up and slammed them down, one after the other. The whole island began to shake; still holding firm for now. But with the powers of eight other Digimon at Eirenemon’s disposal, the tamers’ seeming advantage had been turned completely on its head.

Inez ran forwards towards the battlefield, trying to pull the seahorse back as he whinnied pleadingly, completely unable to control himself. “ Someone stop them!”

“The leashes!”

Highwaymon’s gravelly voice sounded as he rushed forwards, dagger in his hand and running straight for the nearest leash, currently wrapped around Ceratomon’s neck.

“Rogue Blade!”

With a flash of red, the dagger sheared through the flame, and it immediately retracted, causing Ceratomon to lurch forwards, gasping for air. Highwaymon landed just behind him, flicking the white flames from his dagger.

“Everyone sever them; that’ll release them!”

“Highwaymon, watch out!”

The rogue looked behind him too late as another tendril of fire slammed into him, instantly wrapping around his own neck. Within moments he too was running towards the centre, pistols drawn and firing at the thinnest point with great blasts of red.

The other Digimon were already moving; running and flying as fast as they could to sever the leashes, but for every one they broke, yet more spiralled out from Eirenemon’s storm, gathering more servants to strike the gateway. They may not have had quite her level of power, but every new blow was beginning to make the island resonate at a dangerous level.

Alopemon yelled as she shot past Orizumon, and the two of them lurched back before the tendrils could find them. They sped in a circle, trying to stay moving and darting in between the others as they struggled. “ This is no good; we’re too busy battling ourselves at this rate.”

Alopemon nodded. “ All she needs to do is wait and the gate will open without her having to do a thing.”

Orizumon narrowed his eyes, turning his head towards the distant angel.

“Then we just need to remove her first.”

He folded himself around, turning at a ninety-degree angle in mid-air as he shot low to the ground. His eyes flashed, speeding up with a great pulse of his wings.

“Lethal Edge!”

His bladed form shot past Eirenemon and she let out a cry, the paper slicing into her arm. She held up a claw, pressing it against the bleeding limb and sealing the wound, before she looked up at Orizumon as he turned around again, easily avoiding the fiery tendrils that shot after him. He spun, releasing a spiral of ribbons that severed the leashes, and giving him a chance to dive down, using gravity to his advantage.

“Lethal Ed-“

Eirenemon stepped back, and brought her hands down, the storm following her gesture. The leashes pulsed as it did so, temporarily weakening their current holds and allowing Andriamon and Sapiamon to break free, retreating away. But the movement did its job as Orizumon swerved dangerously around, trying to avoid the flames. As he darted around to the right, Eirenemon was already there, reaching out with a deceptively quick hand and clamping it against the top of his head, gripping tightly.

“Peacebreaker!”

Orizumon’s head set alight, and in an instant he crumpled, letting out a wail of fear and despair as any feeling of resistance was purged within him. Lyra stepped forwards, her eyes wide as she saw her partner cease to move.

“TSURUMON!”

Eirenemon turned, her hand snapping downwards and grasping tightly around the crane’s neck. She threw him aside like a rag doll, sending him spiralling into one of the crystal pillars, slumping back as Lyra, Mark and Lonnie rushed towards him.

The crane was in a bad way, unable to move even though the flames seemed not to be harming him. Lyra held his claw, looking desperately around.

“What do I do? What do I do?”

“The fire.” Mark pointed up at the crane’s head, trying to keep his breathing steady. “That seems to be how she’s maintaining her hold.”

Lyra didn’t hesitate; she immediately began climbing up, pulling her sleeves forwards and wrapping her arms against the flames adorning his head. The flames licked past it, lashing against her hands, and she felt pain searing through her even though they didn’t burn her skin. But slowly they dissipated, and as they did so, Orizumon twitched, gaining movement back even though the attack had all but drained him.

Mark and Lonnie watched in horror, as the others ran up to join them. Mark held his hands against the side of his head.

“What the hell are we going to do...we can’t stop her and we can’t stop ourselves.” He looked up at the others, his eyes darting back and forth. “Do we have to retreat?”

“We can’t,” blurted out Grace, holding her shoulder. “If we leave her alone she’ll just open the gate herself. We have to do something.”

“There’s nothing we can do though. Everything we do is helping her.”

The others shuffled, with Inez clasping her hands together. “She’s too powerful for us as we are at the moment. Our Digimon have to evolve.”

Owen bit his lip. “Isn’t that just gonna give her even more power to work with?”

“Maybe.” Inez held a thumb against her lip. “Or maybe it might give us enough power to hold her off.”

She looked up, and scowled at the uncertain looks she was getting. “I don’t know, alright? I’m trying to find the least worst option here.”

“She’s already using up her own power as it is.”

Everybody turned to Nicholas, as he pointed at Eirenemon, who was trying to fend off ranged attacks from Sapiamon and Andriamon in turn, stepping out of the way of them. The boy pushed his glasses up. “It’s a battle of endurance. We know we can hit her. And if we can last longer than her, we have a chance of stopping her.”

Grace nodded, and looked over at Mark. “Especially if we try and reseal the gate and undo the damage she’s doing. Metal, ice; anything we can do. Even trying to stop this storm will help.”

She glanced at Jack, who nodded, although his face showed desperate worry. “Is it going to be enough?”

“We need everything we can get at this point.”

Lonnie stepped forwards, her hands clasping around her D-SEND. “We’re the only ones here. If we don’t try and fix this, then everyone’s screwed. You all ready?”

The tamers nodded as one, and as Orizumon took to the sky again behind them, they stepped forwards, holding the digivices out as colours and lights danced between them, forming a kaleidoscope of energy that spread out across the crystal, tracking down their partners one by one. The ones who were leashed jerked upwards, the flames dissipating as their bodies glowed, overtaken by their own powerful bonds, if only for a moment.

Ceratomon and Andriamon rushed to the edges, while Mistramon joined Orizumon in the sky, flying higher than him as the pink trail flew behind him. Kampoimon braced himself. Sapiamon holstered her rifle. Highwaymon and Alopemon crouched down, staring at Eirenemon as she gathered the storm above her, waiting for the next assault.

“Evolution Activate!”

The energy rocketed out; striking the crystal and making it shine like a prism, even rivalling the luminescence of Eirenemon’s spiralling flames. She raised her hands up, feeling the energy rush over her, but she remained standing, watching the eight Digimon morph all around her, reaching their Ultimate forms.

“Eryomon!”

“Tupilamon!”

“Titaniumon!”

“Cyclomon!”

“CyberSapiamon!”

“Uiscemon!”

“Senbazumon!”

“Baskervimon!”

The energy dissipated, but the tones kept ringing out all around the crystal island, as Eirenemon found herself in the centre once again, facing off against far stronger opponents, although none of them wanted to make the first move. Slowly the ringing ebbed away, leaving just the sound of the swirling seas.

No...not just that.

A deep rumbling, or groaning. And the sharp sound of cracking, echoing through the platform beneath them.

The gate was on the verge of breaking.

“Go!”

With a great cry Cyclomon arced overhead, the eddies blowing against the crystal platform, before he spiralled up into the sky. The signal rippled around the assembled warriors, and they charged as one. Tupilamon, Titaniumon and Uiscemon shot sideways, while Eryomon and Senbazumon held back, strafing the battlefield with ranged blasts. CyberSapiamon and Baskervimon charged up front, trading places as Eirenemon prepared to confront them.

“Peacebreaker!”

The fallen angel swung sideways, her talons raking across Baskervimon’s face as he passed. The impact was only momentary, but he still stumbled and crashed to the ground, the fear racking through his body. CyberSapiamon took his place, swinging her cannon towards the angel’s body, but Eirenemon rolled with the blow, holding her hand up as she prepared to take hold of Baskervimon.

“Angel’s Acolytes!”

“Severing Song!”

The flames were broken before they even reached the hound, and Eirenemon glared upwards as Senbazumon danced away, sweeping the strings aside. Eirenemon reached up, but she suddenly found herself in CyberSapiamon’s grip, and the great ape wrenched her backwards and slammed her down to the ground, holding her wrists tightly.

“No hitting. It ain’t nice.”

Eirenemon ground her teeth. “ There’s no reason for me to be nice anymore.”

She kicked out, but the monkey’s hold was tight, pinning her down. Eirenemon hissed, and instead changed tack, twisting her body sideways and scraping her shoulder against the crystal, right where the rosary was embedded in her flesh. It ruptured, ripping open the skin and drawing blood. The pain reverberated throughout her whole body, and she gasped.

“Agony Mark!”

Eirenemon convulsed, her entire body seeming to light up with white fire. CyberSapiamon let out a string of static expletives, her own arms trembling as her hold was slowly pushed away, the pain lending Eirenemon strength. In a quick movement she flipped up, slamming her foot into the ape’s chin. CyberSapiamon was sent rolling back as Eirenemon righted herself, her boost beginning to fade but her arms now free to control the flames above her.

“Break.”

Three tendrils pierced CyberSapiamon in the chest, and she immediately turned, landing several blasts on the gate before Uiscemon rushed past, breaking the leashes cleanly with one spear. Eirenemon lashed out at him as he passed, but she’d barely taken a step when she was caught in a thick smoke, which latched itself onto her skin, binding tightly.

“Ash of Aeons!”

The angel glared back at Eryomon as the salamander held her arms open, her eyes bright and fiery. Eirenemon convulsed again, the pain bringing out her strength again, but it kept piling on, trying to immobilise her.

Up above the battlefield, Cyclomon had reached the apex of his climb, seeing the full extent of the spiralling vortex, powerful enough to be visible; a great spiralling spear heading right down into the centre of the gate. He huffed, and began to turn himself, trying desperately to spin in the opposite direction.

“Let’s see if we can’t calm you down a bit...”

He crowed, but his words were flung right back at him, as hundreds of miles of the interface’s power kept the vortex spinning, drilling further and further between worlds. Something else cracked beneath the gate, sending a ripple shooting right up through the column and doubling the wind speed again, but although Cyclomon wobbled, he stayed on course.

“Not...today! I am the master of the skies, and you are staying shut!”

With a cry, his body shimmered, the great serpentine form splitting into three as he powered against the wrath of the vortex.

“Hurricane Helix!”

Cyclomon wasn’t the only one trying to slow the ominous cracking. Down at the side of the arena, Uiscemon was helping to pull the tamers back onto some of the higher islands out of harm’s way, while Titaniumon and Tupilamon had spread apart, trying to find some way to strengthen the vibrating crystal.

“Grave Glacier!”

Tupilamon crouched down, the ice spreading out beneath her at a rate of knots, locking against the crystal pillars and stretching out in a vast web across the arena. She looked up, her voice sullen.

“It’s not going to be enough. Even if I can seal the whole gate there’s no way it’s going to be strong enough.”

Titaniumon raised a foot, tapping a foot against the crystal as delicately as he could.

“There’s no way I can splint it either. And I daren’t go out into the centre.”

He hummed, and slowly descended himself, his flywheels spinning up rapidly. “I might have an idea.”

“Please watch where you’re standing.”

“I’m trying!” responded Titaniumon irritatedly, and his body let out a gurgle as he shifted forwards, the barrels spinning around him.

“Fortress Quake!”

It was different to before; not a great impact, but instead an internal generation, sending spears and spikes out all around him in a great clattering conglomerate heap. They lay in a muddle over the surface of the crystal, being pressed out further as Titaniumon turned his skeletal head.

“Focus your ice around those. They’ll form a sturdier structure. If we go around the edge we can work inwards.”

“Do you have enough power to keep going?”

“Well, we’ll just have to see, won’t we…”

The juggernaut began to shift forwards, and Tupilamon pressed her other hand down, redirecting the ice around the metal splints. It pushed them up as it encompassed them, locking them together and pressing outwards against the crystalline wall, although with limited success. Owen looked down from his position up above, watching the barricade in progress.

“This isn’t going to work; it’s just climbing up the side.”

Grace hung on behind him, holding a hand to her chin. “We need something to push it down. Hold it in place.”

“High pressure?” remarked Inez, and she beckoned Uiscemon as he finished placing the rest of the tamers out of harm’s way. She gestured at the barricade, following Titaniumon as he walked briskly around the rim, dropping the splints behind him.

“Can you help out with this?”

“Of course.”

Uiscemon sheathed his spears behind him, and clamped his hands together, before holding them out in front of him, releasing a haze of black bubbles.

“Azure Abyss!”

The bubbles expanded over the ice and steel, and sunk down into an inky black haze. As Uiscemon closed his fists, the pressure increased, folding down and pressing the seal downwards against the crystal, shrinking it to a third of its thickness. The tamers watched in awe as the ice flattened to a new thick barrier, and Inez grinned up at her partner.

“It’s working! Keep going!”

At the centre, Eirenemon became aware of the splintering sound, and she tore Senbazumon’s strings from her body and looked up at the three Ultimates traversing the edge of the island, the new barrier expanding slowly but steadily.

“No! I won’t allow it!”

She thrust her arm out as she rushed forwards, the tendrils flying through the air, but she’d barely taken a few steps when there was a flash of red before him, and a scarlet panel materialised in her path.

“Desolation Box!”

Baskervimon lurched forwards, thrusting the other panels around Eirenemon before she could even react. The hound slammed his foot down, and the box shuddered as its insides exploded, muffling Eirenemon’s screams of pain. But not two seconds had passed when it began to judder again, the panels buckling and warping from the inside, the pain lending her strength even as it chipped away at her life.

With a great crack the box blew apart, and Eirenemon ran again, faster than before even as Baskervimon and Senbazumon tried to keep pace. CyberSapiamon held back, swinging her arm cannon outwards as the energy built within it

“Orbital Mortar!”

“Angel’s Acolytes!”

The monkey turned her head as the trail of fire slammed into her, taking command immediately. She twisted, the pellets spiralling off sideways, and she watched in horror as they struck the new barrier. A chunk of it exploded, sending metal and ice shooting through the air in a blaze of black and white light. The tamers clung on for dear life as their safest place suddenly began to lurch and shudder, more cracks appearing within the crystal. Jack ground his teeth, and pulled himself up, yelling out across the battlefield.

“We’re running out of time!”

“Stop her!”

Still under the influence, CyberSapiamon had swung her cannon around again, only for the flames to be severed by a swipe from Eryomon’s crossbow. But with both of them distracted, Eirenemon had made a clear run, rocketing towards Titaniumon who didn’t have the speed or dexterity to get out of the way.

“You can’t stop this now! Peacebreaker!”

She raised a hand and slammed it forwards onto the great dinosaur’s forehead, the flames exploding outwards. With a mechanical screech, Titaniumon crashed down, the flywheels within him screeching to a halt. He could only stare helplessly up into the angel’s eyes as she smiled grimly.

“You don’t need to fight anymore. I’m saving our world.”

“Get away from him!”

Eirenemon launched herself back as Tupilamon vaulted over Titaniumon’s prone form, a blizzard building in her jaws. She landed in front of Eirenemon, and crouched down.

“Screaming Storm!”

The noise was ear-splitting; a banshee howl that hit the dove-woman dead in the chest. She was sent skidding backwards, ice building over her body, although it began to crack almost as soon as it had done so as Eirenemon pressed against it, driving her arms into the biting ice to further her own strength.

“This...is futile...”

“Infernal Ballista!”

A bolt flew from her left, striking her and expanding into a column of flame, which blasted her back into the wall. She groaned, the flames pinning her back, burrowing into her flesh and traversing her body as a searing pain. Every movement she made was agony. And every pang of agony just strengthened her will.

“This...this is nothing...compared to what I’ve already lost...”

Tupilamon and Eryomon had barely had a chance to regroup when Eirenemon powered forwards again, her arms and legs pounding the ground like a feral animal.

“Agony MARK!”

She ducked from the salamander’s swinging crossbow, and planted a palm into her side, launching Eryomon back into the barrier. She slid down, her markings blinking in and out as Eirenemon summoned her cloud of fire once again, thrusting both her arms forwards with a scream.

“Angel’s Acolytes!”

“Thousand Star!”

The flames converged, but from nowhere a volley of paper cranes sprayed across the ground, thinning out the wisps. Eryomon found her opening, swinging her bow again and severing most, but not all, of the flames. A couple wrapped around her wrists, holding her in place as she struggled to fight against it, her will battling with Eirenemon’s. Senbazumon dove again, holding his windmill behind him and slicing through the trails, but more emerged from the broken strands and began to chase after him.

CyberSapiamon had regrouped with Uiscemon, who was running a screen of inky water over the dinosaur’s head, extinguishing the painful fires. It had still taken the momentum out of him though, and his internal workings were juddering wildly, trying to spin back up to speed. The sea warrior crouched back, watching as one of Cyclomon’s stray heads lurched down to whisk a controlled Senbazumon away, while Baskervimon and Tupilamon tried desperately to hold the angel in place, their attacks becoming more exhausted and less effective.

CyberSapiamon let out a string of binary expletives. “ She’s running circles round us. We’re not gonna stand a chance.”

Titaniumon shifted next to her, planting a foot against the crystal and wincing as it groaned beneath him. “There’s nothing we can do until we take her out of action. But anything we throw at her is just going to be used against us. We don’t have anything powerful enough.”

The monkey sat back, and looked over her shoulder, at the great black missile hovering on her back.

“Maybe we do. But I can’t let it off here; it WILL blow the door open, and the porch and the hatstand as well.”

Uiscemon leapt down, grasping a hand around one of his spears. “Then we need to get her as far away as possible. We have one shot.”

CyberSapiamon nodded. “Do your best. I’m counting on you.” She had a thought, and looked over her shoulder, whistling at the watching tamers. “Hey, Jack. I need a favour.”

The boy looked in her direction as she pointed upwards. “ Tell your sky buddy to rough things up a bit more, will ya? We have something resembling a plan.”

“Well that’s a new one…”

The boy nodded, and held his D-SEND up to his mouth, feeling the wind ripple as he did so. “Cyclomon? We’re gonna need you in a second...”

Uiscemon had already rushed forwards, joining the others as they tagged in and out against the manic angel. She leapt up, forcing Tupilamon down, although she was just replaced by Baskervimon as he leapt forwards, his body trembling like a kaleidoscope.

“Dire Deliverance!”

The hounds rushed forwards, biting, tearing, surrounding Eirenemon even as she slashed away at them. Three were dissipating within a second, and even as more took their place she was turning and focusing on the hound himself, sending the trails of fire to intercept him.

“Suffer.”

There was a high-pitched howl, and the hounds blew away like puffs of smoke as Baskervimon rushed back and forth, trying to shake the searing flames from his head. But Eryomon rushed forwards in his place, ducking as Eirenemon lunged for her head, and firing a couple of quick bolts point-blank at the angel. Eirenemon tried to take hold of her, but soon gave up, instead twisting her arm and landing a high-powered kick to the side of the salamander’s face.

“Terminal Torrent!”

Uiscemon’s spear shot forwards, knocking her off her feet, and she turned to face him, her flames burrowing through the flowing current. But he was fast and relentless, drawing one spear back and throwing the other in kind. Eirenemon thrust her arm up, staying upright against the second blow, and giving her just enough time to meet Uiscemon as he ran forwards, spinning one spear in his hand. They traded blows, with Uiscemon managing to slice into the angel’s side, but she remained standing, still a whole level above him even with his increased power.

She leapt up as he swung low, and launched herself off his spear with both hands raised, blood in her eyes.

“Peacebreaker!”

“Terminal Torrent!”

Uiscemon brought his spear back as her hands grabbed his head, and he crumpled with an agonising scream. But the move was complete, and the spear slammed into her, catching her in the raging torrent. She turned, trying to slice through it, but before she could escape the water it dug into her, solidifying in a single solid block.

“Grave Glacier!”

Eirenemon glared sideways at Tupilamon, who had both her hands planted against the crystal. The angel yelled, pulling her rosaries again and cracking the ice, but she was held in place just long enough for Senbazumon to dance overhead, holding her arms upright with the golden strings. She pulled, and he stumbled, pressing against the air with all his might.

“Any...time...now!”

“Gyro Juggernaut!”

Tupilamon, Senbazumon and Uiscemon dived out of the way just as Eirenemon broke free, but it wasn’t fast enough as Titaniumon skidded in front of her, aiming himself to get as close as he possibly could while staying away from the centre.

He missed.

The ten-tonne spinning mace however, did not.

The impact was so fast and brutal that Eirenemon didn’t even have time to breath; it just sent her flying upwards, spinning like a ragdoll. Blinking, she tried to get hold of her bearings, but within seconds there was a rush of air around her, and she found herself being surrounded by three spiralling dragons of wind, rocking her in place and keeping her suspended. They murmured, and sung, and their voice reached down to the arena below, sounding increasingly harrowed.

“Whatever you’re about to do, do it now!”

The group spread apart as CyberSapiamon sat up, her head descending and the electric field dissipating from around her. Her eye sockets turned, and narrowed, and her muscles locked into place. Owen watched from the pillar on the sidelines, a twisting feeling in his gut as he saw the great missile begin to spin, the same as it had that terrible day beforehand.

“Please let this work...”

“Darkmatter Warhead!”

The missile shot upwards as if fired from a railgun, shooting right into the orb of wind up above. Disorientated, Eirenemon could only barely see it coming, and she drew her arms in, trying to conserve her powers as the missile struck her on the shoulder.

The black sphere blasted outwards, rocking the sky and causing Cyclomon to twist away, reforming several dozen metres up with a pained keen. The group watched as the orb shuddered, and collapsed with an almighty bang and an intense flash from the pressure. Eryomon looked at CyberSapiamon, whose joints were relaxed, the burden released from her back as she watched.

“Is that gonna be enough?”

“Well if it ain’t, we’re gonna need to think of something else for when she comes back.” CyberSapiamon tilted her head, giving a gesture similar to a wink. “ That’s a one-time deal, I’m afraid.”

“Incoming!”

Titaniumon growled, and Eryomon and Uiscemon cocked their weapons, and the group adjusted themselves, catching their breath as they watched the almost frail-looking body descending downwards again.

The wind blew past Eirenemon’s face, waking her up. She couldn’t feel a thing, the explosion having racked her body inside and out. All she could do was see, and just barely, mere dots on the arena below. But as she held her hands to her chest, she knew there was still power. She could feel it; coursing around her, through her veins, and over her exhausted form.

She held out her arms. Not towards the Digimon. But off to the sides, towards the tamers.

And the flames followed her movements, forming a star in mid-air as she spoke with hateful words.

“...don’t...breathe...”

She struck the crystal, sprawling out and letting out a cough laden with blood. Eryomon ran first, sparks shooting out from between her jaws.

“Don’t let her move! Hold her!”

“SOMEONE, HELP!”

Inez’s panicked cry echoed across the arena, and everyone felt it, turning towards the safety of the pillars. Eirenemon’s flames had floated sideways, leashes reaching out and wrapped around the throats of Owen, Lonnie, Lyra and Nicholas. Their faces were red, and their eyes were wide. They weren’t moving.

“CUT THEM! CUT THEM NOW!”

The Digimon rushed, lunging for the tongues of flame as fast as they could, each of them turning away from Eirenemon. Unseen, she reached for her shoulder, and pulled the rosary from right beneath her flesh, spurting blood out and screaming.

“...AGONY MARK!”

Pain flooded her entire body, followed by a new resurgence of strength and stamina. With a screech she clawed her way to her feet, and lurched forwards towards the nearest Ultimate level, Eryomon. The salamander jolted as Eirenemon clawed her way up her back, and swung left and right, trying to dislodge her. But it wasn’t fast enough, and Eirenemon reached the top of her head, clamping her flaming palms on both temples.

“Angel’s Acolyte!”

“Agh!”

Baskervimon and Tupilamon turned as the others reached the leashes, severing through them in one blow and running for their tamers. But Eryomon was in the angel’s hold, even as her eyes were wide and her shoulders were trembling. Eirenemon grimaced, and twisted her hands, the salamander’s head snapping sideways and facing the centre of the arena.

“Break it!”

“NO!”

“I SAID BREAK IT!”

The flames surged higher, and Eryomon raised her crossbow, just as the hound and the ice spirit charged forwards behind her, already readying ice and shadow in their grasps. Lonnie clambered over the pillar from the side, taking great gulps of breath as she crawled against the crystal, trying to get any words out at all.

“...Eryomon!”

It was too late. Eryomon’s crossbow was already loaded, and with tears in her eyes and flames in her palms, she fired.

A blast of fire shot outwards, piercing the centre of the cracks. The flames burrowed inwards, forming spectacular patterns within the translucent rock, making the whole platform shine with a dozen colours.

Eryomon couldn’t even lower her arms. She just stared, aghast, as a section of the arena crumbled away, swept up by the swirling blackness beneath. The rest held firm, only crumbling very slightly. It was a tiny gap; no bigger than a shoebox.

But in an instant, the gap began to shimmer, releasing clouds of silvery dust, and trails of dark vapour.

A distant roar sounded.

And the world began to shake.

Alasdair could see the clouds flashing from far away, even through the mist, as he rolled hurriedly forwards along the jetty. He had a case over his shoulder, and could feel the trembling of the digivice in his jacket pocket. It was almost searingly hot now.

He paused next to a short vessel, with a high wall and a broad deck, treadmarked from several previous trips. He’d taken Lonnie and the girls out on the sea many times prior, helming the motor from the back. A chance to take control, even in his current state.

He flinched, and shook his head, trying to purge all thoughts of nostalgia from his mind. Gently he pushed himself around, and threw the case into the midsection as it rocked gently.

“You can’t do this.”

Alasdair closed his eyes, and slowly turned, seeing Salma standing at the head of the jetty, marching towards him.

“Salma...”

“I said you can’t do this! They’ve already gone; they’re going to stop her!” The woman stopped, her face broken open with fear. “Don’t do this. Please.”

Alasdair looked down, holding a hand to his chest. “I’m sorry, Salma. I’m sorry I screwed all this up so much.”

Salma took in a breath, trying to stop herself from crying out. “You told me they were the best, Alasdair. We have to believe in them. That’s what you’ve always believed, isn’t it?” She knelt down, reaching out and taking his palm. “Lonnie. Remember? You always believed she could make things right.”

“She can. I still believe that.” The man looked up. “But she can’t stop him from breaking. Only I have the faintest fathom of a chance to do that. And if I can save her from that choice then I will. I...I never even wanted her to be involved in this in the first place...”

He held a hand over hers, and gently pushed it away. “I was the one who failed them. Failed the ambassadors. Failed everything. It’s my responsibility to take care of this now.”

Salma stood up, reaching out for the side of the boat. “Then let me come with you! Let me see this through with you-“

“You can’t.”

Alasdair shook his head, and gestured back up the walkway. Back towards the facility.

“I need you here. You need to tell them everything. No matter what happens, you need to be the one to take control.” He smiled weakly, his eyes glistening in the dim light. “You promised.”

Salma’s face fell. She straightened up, clenching her fists.

“I hate it when you do that.”

“Do what?”

“...be right. Plan for everything. Look after everybody else except yourself. You’ve already done more than enough.”

Alasdair sighed, his eyes distant.

“You’re wrong. I’ve never been able to do the most important thing in my life. Until then...I have to keep being there.”

He looked up, his eyes steeled. “Step aside, Salma. Let me go.”

She hesitated, but before she could say anything, the jetty trembled. Tremors from several miles away, but echoing even this far, shaking the city. They were the first, but both friends knew it wouldn’t be the last. Salma looked desperately into Alasdair’s eyes, but it was fixed. There was no changing his mind now.

She glared at him, even as he moved past her. As she opened the doorway and gently allowed him onto the deck, she still didn’t say a word. Within moments he was edging away from the jetty, backing up against the rough seas as if he’d done this a hundred times before.

“Alasdair?”

The man looked up, as Salma straightened up, folding her arms.

“You’d better be coming back.”

The man nodded, and pressed the throttle forwards, not letting the woman see his face.

“Thank you Salma. For everything.”

She didn’t catch his words, the tremors shaking her again. All she could do was watch him head down the river, cutting between the swells expertly, keeping steady even as he sped up. Soon he was out of sight, and only the black waters of the river were left, cutting back and forth and knocking up against the remaining boats on the jetty.

Salma turned, and walked back towards the walkway, unseen and unheard for a few brief moments.

She only managed a few steps, before she stopped, cupped her hands over her mouth, and screamed.

Pain racked through Kai’s body as he choked, unable to see around him due to the falling dust and plaster. He tried to reach out, to drag himself forwards, but as he tried to move his left leg he yelled, a stab of pain rocketing through his ankle. He blinked, trying to make out anything through blurred vision and broken glasses as the world tumbled all around him.

“He’s over here!”

Somebody ran up to him and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him forwards and prompting him to shout out again. The figure jumped back, holding his hands to his mouth.

“Oh god! I’m sorry!”

“Kevin? You’re alright?” Kai held himself up with his arms, rubbing the dust from his face. “What...how...how bad is it? I can’t move; my head’s spinning, I don’t...”

“Relax, don’t rush anything.”

“We don’t have that luxury! Why can’t I move; what’s fallen on me?”

The younger man darted around, and with a great heave he thrust the cabinet away, allowing Kai’s leg to coil back. Kai hissed, and turned around, sitting up as he coughed again. Kevin crouched down next to him. “Your leg’s reasonably straight, but I’m nowhere near a doctor and I really don’t wanna touch it just in case.”

Kai gritted his teeth, and gently moved the foot back and forth. “It’s in one piece at least. Can you give me an arm up?”

It took a couple of attempts, but eventually Kai was stood up, one arm draped over Kevin’s as they hobbled forwards. Kai’s senses were returning now, and the situation became much the worse for it. The explosion had decimated the house; furniture was overturned and tattered, walls had been ripped open, half the kitchen ceiling had fallen down and the entire room was decorated with residual purple flames. There was little visible smoke, but a sickening smell of burning metal hung in the air. Kai coughed, before his eyes widened.

“Oh god, Eloise!”

“She’s okay.” Kevin nudged him. “Well...she’s alive. They both are. You got caught the worst.”

Kai breathed out, although he could feel his heart threatening to punch its way out of his chest. He looked down at Kevin, and noticed the shorter man’s own injuries; a blackened eye, split lip and a trail of blood trickling down his face.

They moved forwards carefully but swiftly, joining the other two in what remained of the front room. Eloise looked over her shoulder, and quickly rushed to her feet, throwing her arms around Kai before she could stop herself.

“Thank god...”

Kai was about to gently prise her away when she leapt back herself, her face twisted in pain. Kai looked down, and choked again at the sight of her arm; slashed from the hand all the way up to her shoulder, with a couple of gashes in her cheek for good measure. Blood was pouring down, seeping out between her fingers.

“Jesus...”

“I fell into the glassware cupboard.” Eloise said bluntly, before pointing over her shoulder. “He wrenched his back. He can barely move.”

They looked down at Trevor, who was laying against one wall, his chest moving up and down with an alarming rapidity. He shifted, and cursed, his hands going around and pressing against his kidney area.

“Fuck...fuck, fuck, fuck.”

Kevin popped his lips out. “I agree.” He looked at the other two. “Where are the twins?”

Eloise and Kai looked at one another, then slowly out the front window, from which the sounds of battle were emanating. Blasts of fire and light melded with sweeping shadows, as their partners fought back against the surrounding Digimon, not letting a single one of them come close.

“Have you got your D-Nexus?”

Kai looked at Eloise, before gently holding himself up, balancing on his twisted ankle. He gave a pained smile, pulling the device from his pocket.

“Always.”

The girl nodded in kind, before standing up herself, looking down at Kevin. “Look after Trevor, alright? Keep him out of sight.”

“What are you two gonna do?”

“Hey, we’re tamers.” Eloise grinned, and gave a two-fingered salute. “This battle’s ours as much as anyone’s.”

Kevin wanted to protest, but the two had already backed off, standing in front of the open window as the flashes increased from outside. Kai raised his device to his mouth, his voice cracking slightly. “Azdajamon? Lyublanamon? We’re alive in here, just so you know.”

“Thank god.”

A mess of static, followed by Lyublanamon’s voice, shaking slightly. “ There’s a lot of them, but we’ve got a handle on it. Stay safe, all of you.”

“Hey, Lyublanamon?”

Eloise looked aside, and held out a hand, grasping Kai’s palm in hers. They held each other tightly, feeling the energy passing between them, and ebbing out towards the battlefield beyond. She raised her own device to her mouth.

“Take those bastards down. Every one of them.”

Unseen as it was, the energy still burst forth, reaching both the dragons and giving them their second wind. Lyublanamon broke out of Hoatzimon’s hold and spun around, lashing out with both front hooves. The bird landed, and arched back, her eyes flashing.

“BZ Blitzer!”

“Spectrum Shift!”

Lyublanamon swept low, the rainbow rings spinning outwards and slamming into Hoatzimon’s midriff. She went down, her own attack flying wide, and hissed up at the pegasus.

“Lila Shower!”

A volley of bright beams swept forwards against Lyublanamon, catching her before she had a chance to turn. She saw Lilamon flapping up towards her, spinning around with a look of fury on her face, and tried to dodge. But the lilac beams cut into her, and she ended up turning straight into the flower maiden’s razor sharp hand. She backed off, kicking outwards as she struggled to release herself from the ribbon-like energy.

“Novus Tenebrae!”

All of a sudden a rush of darkness speared up, coming between the two and blowing them apart. Lilamon screeched as the shadows tore at her arms and torso, sending her scrambling back in a frenzy. The shadows reformed, revealing Azdajamon’s menacing form hovering before her, residual darkness emanating from his nightmarish jaws.

“Hate us and judge us if you must. But you will not hurt our partners.”

“Marvel Shot!”

The nymph thrust her arms forwards, firing shot after shot of purple light into the shadows and driving Azdajamon back. But as he descended, so Lyublanamon rose above him, her wings spread and shining with a rainbow spectrum.

“Chroma Celeste!”

The beam struck Lilamon in the chest, and she went down, crashing into the road with enough force to leave an indent. She rolled backwards, and crouched over, clutching her chest as Oryxmon ran forwards to protect her. Lyublanamon remained where she was, the lights falling down around her as Azdajamon flew up to meet her.

Behind them, Hoatzimon hissed, and scanned the battlefield. After so many battles it was clear to see how much their forces had been whittled away, leaving mostly a few Champion levels to stand up to the tamers’ Digimon. She hopped backwards, whispering over her shoulder.

“Caesiumon, we could really use a hand here.”

There was no response. The bird frowned, and looked behind her, but the metal man had disappeared, without even a drop of mercury to indicate he’d ever been there.

“Bastard! Where the heck have you gone now-“

She turned, and immediately lurched back as Azdajamon dived downwards, his skeletal wings raking over her chest as he did so. She cursed, and fired off trails of chemicals as she curved upwards, but they did little to stop the advance of the twin dragons. She changed tack, using her smaller stature to dive forwards, firing point blank and striking the gargoyle directly. But he kicked back, sending her spinning, and right into the path of Lyublanamon’s swinging tail. The blade struck Hoatzimon’s shoulder and she fell, howling in pain before she crashed against the road.

She immediately scrabbled backwards, but within seconds Lyublanamon was on her, lights dancing through her eyes.

“End this!”

Hoatzimon spat, and tried to pick forwards, but Lyublanamon moved first with a swift headbutt, causing Hoatzimon to see stars.

“You’ve tried this again and again! There’s no reason for you to exist anymore; this town, these people are protected!”

Hoatzimon squirmed, feeling Lyublanamon’s hoof drawing blood.

“Why would you risk your life for the scum of this world? All they do is hate, and hurt! They don’t deserve this world!”

Lyublanamon lowered her head, a cold venom in her voice.

“You really...have no idea how much they mean to us, do you? The lengths we’re willing to go for them?” She spread her wings, leering over the bird as her colours shone brighter than ever. “How many times do we have to show you?”

“Lyublanamon!”

The pegasus looked over her shoulder as Azdajamon hovered in mid-air, his wingbeats more hurried than usual. She was about to ask what it was, when she felt it. Tremors beneath her feet. Was it the gate?

No, they were more consistent. And growing stronger.

“RELEASE THE MURDERER OR YOU SHALL BE DECIMATED WHERE YOU STAND!”

Sciamon’s war cry echoed through the street, causing panic amongst the families desperately trying to get away, and reaching the ears of the tamers in the remains of their home. Eloise and Kai gave one another a terrified look, as Trevor curled up against the wall, teeth ground in pain.

“Shit...as if this couldn’t get any worse...”

The giant was travelling at a rate of knots, his mechanised wheel pounding against the road and tearing up the tarmac. He seemed more aflame than ever before; the work of rest, of contemplation, or more righteous anger than he had ever shown before. It certainly emanated from every vent and every joint in his body; orange flames billowing out, searing the very air around him.

Azdajamon gathered shadows around him and Lyublanamon backed off, as Hoatzimon cackled beneath her feet.

“You will be judged like all the rest of them.”

An acrid scent billowed out, and Lyublanamon looked down hurriedly just in time to see Hoatzimon pull her mask down, and flick the lighter in her hand.

“Hazmat HAZE!”

The second explosion billowed out, throwing Lyublanamon backwards and launching the bird away, where she rolled several dozen metres, her jacket smoking. The pegasus had a mind to go after her, but it was quickly swamped by the instinct of self-preservation as the tremors turned catastrophic. She flew up, shining lights into the dust cloud as Sciamon’s silhouette burst forth, his arm drawn back and fire at his fingertips.

“STARDUST RESONANCE!”

Such was the scale of the battle in the terrace, it masked the events going on all around the town; events with much more dire consequences. The streets were shaking now; windows shattering and paths splitting apart as the very fabric of the world was being pressed.

Space tore open, with portals peppering the streets like a ring of volcanoes, one after the other.

Some gateways were engulfed with Digimon escaping, the cataclysm ripping the Digital World more and more and leaving nowhere to go.

While others found themselves the targets of Digimon fleeing the other way, back to their home world, choosing the lesser of two disasters.

They could all feel it. It clawed into their very flesh and bone, even in a world so devoid of data. The cataclysm was at the edge of both worlds, and it was only a matter of time before it broke out.

Out to sea, the tamers clung on for dear life as they found themselves at the epicentre of the tremors, the island beginning to crumble from the edges. The hole at the centre seemed almost to be glowing with a black light, the mass of the dark area seeping through into the existing cracks. A torrent of data was blasting outwards, in such quantities that it was completely visible to everybody present.

Eryomon backed away, the blast temporarily giving her agency again. But as she twisted, Eirenemon held on tightly, focusing her forwards again as her eyes danced with madness.

“Again! Again, again, break it! Break it all!”

“Terminal Torrent!”

A column of water shot sideways, blasting Eirenemon away and slamming her into one of the pillars. She rolled forwards, her body spasming as she clambered to her feet, not even looking back as the crystal collapsed behind her.

“You’re too late! It’s coming! Our world is going to be saved!”

She thrust her hands out, the cloud now a sharpened spiral above her that lashed out against anything and anyone it could reach. Uiscemon was engulfed, not even receiving a command but just collapsing, the exhaustion and futility hitting him like a train. Senbazumon rushed forwards, his windmill drawn back as he made for Eirenemon, but he was caught by the white flames himself, draining even his iron will.

Eryomon stood in shock, her crossbow dropped at her feet as she watched the geyser in front of her.

“What...have I done...”

“Eryomon!”

The salamander flinched, and looked down, her head heavy as Lonnie ran up and grabbed her by the front leg, holding her tightly.

“I’m sorry! I...I had no control!”

Lonnie shook her head, gripping her partner tightly. “This...it...it just...”

She couldn’t get any sentences out, merely holding on as the other tamers ran forwards. Inez and Mark running towards their own partners, who had been hit more than most. Titaniumon coughed a heap of metal shards, and looked down at the group.

“You need to stay back. This...this is too dangerous...”

“Haven’t you noticed?” Nicholas ran a finger down his cheek, and pointed behind him. “It’s dangerous anywhere now. This place is breaking apart.”

As if to emphasize his point, one of the spires of crystal fell outwards, caught immediately in the swirling currents as they grew in intensity.

A blast from nearby indicated the battle was still going strong, although in their current state the feeling of futility was seeping through all eight of the Ultimates now. CyberSapiamon engaged Eirenemon with a series of energy bursts from a now red-hot cannon, but even with her newly increased speed it barely struck before she was engulfed herself, her circuits screaming out as the white fire tackled her. Baskervimon leapt at Eirenemon with a full frontal tackle, but he too only lasted seconds before he was swept away, his form shimmering. A cry resounded from up above as Cyclomon dove again in his three-serpent form, but the storm had grown stronger, and the attack was sloppy, barely grazing the fallen angel as she retained her pain and focus.

A combined blast from Tupilamon and Senbazumon sent her reeling, but they barely had time to rearrange themselves before she lunged forwards, slamming a sharpened fist into the ice-spirit’s midriff. Tupilamon coughed, and slid back, hunched on the crystal in front of her partner.

“Tupilamon!”

Inez tried unsuccessfully to hold her own partner back as he stood up again, running forwards on a bent spear and trembling legs to lend his aid. She bit her lip, looking amongst the others. “Please tell me someone has an idea to get us out of this...”

Another bout of shaking, harsher this time, cracking the crystal beneath them and sending a couple of them falling over. They shared desperate looks, but nobody could think of anything. Eventually the consensus found themselves looking at Mark, as if begging him to find a solution that he didn’t have. Titaniumon was trying to stand next to him, but the giant’s body was shimmering now, blemishes appearing in his armour plating. He wasn’t the only one; Senbazumon staggered back a few metres away, his own body growing less defined as Lyra ran to catch him. And up above, a pleading keen from Cyclomon indicated that he was struggling to hold his own form for much longer.

Mark gritted his teeth, facing the others as one.

“We need to bail.”

Lonnie’s head snapped up, and she turned towards him. “You’re saying we...run?”

“Yes. We don’t have a chance.”

“We can’t run! If the cataclysm makes it through we won’t be able to stop it!”

“Lonnie, listen to me, please.” The young man clasped his hand shut, distress evident on his face. “If the gate opens, we have nowhere to go. We can’t beat Eirenemon and we can’t keep this place from breaking open, not now...“

Nobody liked it. But nobody had a response. Owen placed his hands in his pockets. “I mean...I don’t suppose anyone’s actually seen what this disaster is, have they? Don’t they say better the devil you know?”

“The devil we know is about to kill us all, Owen. Our only option is to recuperate and try and see what we’re up against.”

“We can’t!” snapped Lonnie, unable to hold back the pain and frustration any longer. “We...we’re supposed to be able to stop this! Look at us! We’re all together at last but we’re still not strong enough; that can’t be right! We...we’ve done everything we can...why isn’t it enough?”

Eryomon staggered to her feet behind her, each word cutting into her even as Lonnie vented everything. “Everything’s gone wrong! Everything! We couldn’t stop all the deaths, the riots, the cruelty; none of it! Even keeping one single gate shut is beyond us! It’s...just...I don’t...” She held a palm to her face, her teeth grinding together as she staggered back.

“...isn’t there anything we can do...?”

Grace had barely been listening, standing next to Tupilamon’s cold form as she looked out at the gate. The outer rims were crumbling in now, leaving shards swirling in the rough currents. And the centre was expanding outwards again, more and more clouds of data billowing out, leaking out towards the horizons in such quantities that they couldn’t even see the shoreline now. She watched as Eirenemon kept fighting back; righteous, victorious, and unforgiving. Even with vengeance in her grasp, she wasn’t letting up. She would never let up.

Grace’s mouth felt dry. Her chest heaved, something tingling around her stomach. With her entire body screaming at her to give in, to withdraw, to bail

She turned nonetheless.

“Maybe there is.”

The tamers turned to her, expectation in her eyes. The girl swallowed, and focused on her brother.

“There’s always a chance.”

Jack held his breath, his eyes lighting up. “You mean...”

He pulled his D-SEND from his pocket, running his hand over the screen in the front. “It’s been so long...you know we can’t do that in our world, Grace. We’ve tried, remember?”

“We managed once before, when we came through. And the gate’s already open, a little.” The girl looked over her shoulder. “The Digital World is leaking through into ours. Don’t you feel it? The data in the air?”

The boy looked up, squinting. It was clear now; the hundreds of thousands of sparkling shards that made up the mists around them, still coursing through from the other side.

He smiled seriously, and stepped forwards, standing by his sister, and nodding. She pulled out her own D-SEND, turning towards Lonnie.

“If there’s even a chance we can stop this, we need to go for it.” She looked around, her hair billowing around her. “Stay close to your partners. This is only going to get rougher.”

Nicholas went to step forwards, but she held out a hand, shaking her head. He stayed back, clenching his fist.

“What are you going to do?”

“Something insane.” Grace glanced at Lonnie, giving her a smile. “That’s what we’re best at, isn’t it?”

Lonnie remained shocked for a moment. Then she grinned, and clapped her hands together. “Alright people, out of the way, let’s give the experts some room to breathe.”

The group backed off, regrouping with their own partners and helping them back up where they could. Grace let out a short breath.

“No pressure then...”

She turned, holding a hand against Tupilamon’s shining flank. “Did you get all that?”

The ice spirit groaned, data shedding away from her. “ I think you’re being reckless but I’m game for anything at this point. ”

Jack held his D-SEND to his mouth. “Hey, Cyclomon? We’re bringing out the big guns.”

“I am the big guns.”

Jack grinned wickedly. “Even bigger than that, dude. Get your butt down here.”

“Ooooooh...” There was a low rumble of anticipation from up above, followed by Cyclomon’s impatient response. “ Mind if I go for the grand finale first?”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

Not a second passed before the winds began to whip by again, sending the mists swirling around in a miniature typhoon at the centre of the island. They were strong enough for Eirenemon to notice, and she spun around, launching a brutal kick into Eryomon’s neck and sending Baskervimon down with another bout of pain. She looked up, just in time to see Cyclomon twisting down in the middle distance. He turned, his four eyes flashing in the white fog as he skimmed the water’s surface, splitting into three as he did so.

“Hurricane HELIX!”

“Angel’s Acolytes!”

The flames shot forwards, mingling with the winds. But before she could move them, Cyclomon’s entire form dissipated into bright red light, shooting past her and knocking her off her feet. She crouched down, squinting against the sudden rush of energy.

It skittered across the surface of the crystal, and the data of the geyser sensed it, swiriling around and joining it as it rushed towards the brother and sister at the edge of the island. Jack raised his D-SEND, feeling the energy return. The device felt hefty in his hand; a timebomb of possibilities. He looked down at the red glow, and couldn’t help but let out a nervous breath.

“Grace, do you really think this’ll work?” He looked up. “Or if it’ll even make a difference if it does?”

Grace had her eyes closed, feeling the winds rushing past her, her own device pulsing with cold blue fire.

“Didn’t you ask me, way back then? Whether we’ll ever be heroes again?”

Jack looked up, and his eyes met hers. She didn’t smile. But her eyes were shining; so many fears and desires and worries cast away, so that all that was left was hope. All they had was hope.

Jack grinned, and reached out, and the two clasped their hands together momentarily.

“I guess we’re about to find out.”

A chuckle sounded beside them, as Vulpimon stood beside Grace’s feet, her tail wagging back and forth and the pendant glittering around her neck. “You two are so dramatic.”

“And proud, princess.”

Vulpimon rolled her eyes up at Perimon as he swooped above, hovering just above Jack’s shoulder. “You dizzy much?”

“The past is the past. I’m saving myself up to make a bigger splash, and you’d best dang well remember that.”

The two shared a look, which turned into a laugh, as their partner’s released their grip from each other. Grace took a step. Jack followed. And the four moved forwards, eyes focused straight ahead. The wind hadn’t died down even as Cyclomon had disappeared. And the mists seemed whiter than ever; not just data, but a haze of ice and snow, dancing around, captured in whipping winds and eddies.

Mark, Owen, Inez – all the other tamers watched in awe, the presence between the four seeming utterly immense. Lonnie held her hand to her chest, feeling her heart pumping.

“Come on...”

Eirenemon got to her feet, her eyes flickering down to the centre of the island. The hole was trembling; cracks still forming beneath, but a thin film of ice was forming over the top, spiralling around as the mists were pulled by the storm. The angel clicked her feet, her shoulders rolling.

“You can’t stop it now. None of you can stop it now. You dare try to save this world at the cost of ours?”

She began to run, the cloud of white fire building above her to a terrifying level. But as she charged, so did Jack, his feet pounding against the crystal even as it sent spasms of pain through his exhausted legs. Grace followed him in step, her hair billowing out behind her, and their two partners charged as well, drawing ahead.

“I don’t...why...why can’t you accept your failure? I’ve given up so much...why can’t ANY of you just DIE?”

Eirenemon’s eyes shone black, and she threw her arm up, fire spiralling down in a bolt of energy.

“I HATE YOU!”

In a cry of anger she threw her palm out, the fire bursting from her fingertips in an arrow of light.

“PEACEBREAKER!”

The fire flashed in front of the four, slamming into them before anybody could make a move.

Pain. White hot, intense pain, pulsing behind their eyes and through every vein in their bodies.

Grace gasped. Jack choked. Vulpimon shuddered from head to two, and Perimon’s wings stopped mid-beat, causing him to fall to the ground.

They stood, the pain so intense it locked them in place, and with every new wave came new torment. Memories. Fears. Death. Death of everything they knew and loved, again and again, splitting their minds open. But Eirenemon didn’t let up; she held out her other hand as the storm grew stronger.

“I have done nothing but suffer at the hands of you...of your world! I have ruined myself in order to save mine! I have given the ultimate sacrifice. You? You have done NOTHING! You have saved NOTHING! All of you have been tainted by a life which has offered you everything, and you see no other way except for your poison to spread. You all of you deserve to suffer! Why...why can’t you just let your PLAGUE of an existence END AS IT SHOULD?”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH!”

Amidst the pain, Jack stepped forwards, screaming out into the mist. A scream of pain, of anger, of hurt, of terror...and of defiance. A scream which refused Eirenemon’s words. A scream that said he was alive.

Grace joined him, both of their voices piercing the void.

And Perimon, tears whipping from his eyes as his feathers shimmered, and Vulpimon, the lights of a lost legacy dancing in her stare.

All four of them letting out a long, unbroken yell of defiance, as the winds gathered round them and the frost spread out from their feet. And the mists gathered further, until they were all but whited out, with only the bright stars of their D-SENDS piercing through the fog.

And the screams fused, and rose, and morphed with the distant sound of an electronic whistle.

Then even that was drowned out, and Eirenemon pressed her arm against her face, leaning forwards as the energy began to reverse on her, stinging her eyes and flayed skin, and pushing her backwards. A single white column remained before her, reaching up and piercing the sky above. Then it split into two – two pillars twisting around each other like a strand of DNA – one red, and one blue.

“SOUL COALESCENSE!”

Four voices acted as two, and as one, as they rang out amongst the crystal, shimmering through the material in a thousand points of light. They resonated, and as they did so, they sought out the others, the energy shooting up from their feet, up to their heads, and further to the hands of each of the other tamers. They shuddered, human and Digimon alike, as if something new had been awakened within them. Mark pulled out his D-SEND, watching as the screen flickered from colour to colour. The others did the same, staring in awe; even Lyra was feeling the energy coursing around her, her own digivice shining in her palm.

Eirenemon could barely keep her eyes open, but she persevered, staring in horror and at hate as the maelstrom of energy condensed around the two pillars, and the two figures within each one, their eyes bright with an energy they hadn’t felt in years.

“EVOLUTION ACTIVATE!”

The top of the void seemed to crack, lights spilling through. Lights from another world. The light of evolution.

They were watching, every one of them. From the lost spectres to the old gods; warlords to world-eaters. A brief moment of colour in millennia of suppression. Many of them cried. Several cheered. Some cursed, and a few just waited.

But the gatekeeper could not address the light, although she was aware of its presence. She swam back and forth, wrapping her arms further and further around the growing chain as the water coiled outwards. It stabbed into the old dusty flesh and coiled around the petrified bone, but for every new layer the cataclysm kept rising, breaking through the chains with great sweeps of its body.

It’s so dark

It’s so dark and he’s waiting.

A whole other world, like he promised.

He promised all of us, remember.

The gatekeeper closed her eyes, spinning around in the void as the tsunami spiralled outwards, forcing the beast down again.

“That’s long past now.”

You’re lying

“I wish there was another way.”

She swam down, the wraiths gathering around her fists and building with a bright blue energy, as she went for his core, buried beneath years of rock and crystal and bone and pride and pain.

“Sleep.”

I can’t.

“You have to, remember? For the sake of the world. For all worlds.”

Blow after blow, silent in the blackness, the cataclysm folding backwards as the whole dark ocean swelled around him. The lights shone over his face, and for a brief second the gatekeeper could see his eyes. Wide, tearful, almost blind and colder than the grave. She hesitated, the weight of her own never-ending promise buckling her will.

I have slept

I have dreamed, and I have hurt.

And now I remember

I remember it all, and I have to see him

“Please...don’t do this...”

I have to see him again

Placomon

I have to wake up.

With a silent scream, he swum upwards, the shields shattering and the wraiths tearing. He didn’t even notice the gatekeeper as she tumbled down into the blackness, overwhelmed by the rending waves. He didn’t hear the calls of thousands of others trapped with him, or the tethers of old promises.

All he could see was the light.

The pillars expanded, splitting apart as the figures rose up inside them, suspended by the immense energy. One rippled, swaying back and forth like a furious typhoon, while the other shone white as it crackled like an unending blizzard. Within the pillars, the tamers and their partners shivered, the energy seeming to peel them away layer by layer. Within moments the Digimon were gone, lost in the energy, although their essence seemed to add yet more power. Grace and Jack’s forms were tiny now, and they buckled over, their bodies twisting with pain and adrenaline as the lights flew inwards. And then they grew, channelling the raw power through their bodies. Wisps and images swirled around them; Vulpimon, Perimon, Mistramon and Alopemon, the immovable Tupilamon and the unstoppable Cyclomon. And all the while the two figures stared out, their defiant eyes still shining as the lights cascaded inwards, building to breaking point.

The pillars collapsed with a high pitched cry, colliding and ebbing away into nothing, leaving wisps of snow floating around in miniature whirlwinds around them. And as the lights faded, the four figures had disappeared, replaced by two that stood before Eirenemon.

One was quadripedal, with the lower half of a great silver fox; robed in a teal shawl that was edged with metal spikes, each studded with a blue gemstone. But her upper body was humanoid, and she wore hefty, dark plate armour, again studded with blue. Around her neck was a silver bauble, swinging back and forth and letting off bursts of a frozen energy - a legacy long past but even longer remembered – and in her gauntleted hands she carried a pale broadsword, with tines at the tip like the head of an arrow. Her face was masked with the visage of a fox, and she wore a silver coronet. Her hair was purest white, whipping behind her with the end bound in a metal ring, and her eyes were a fiery orange, piercing and furious despite the calm and regal way she held herself.

The other figure was hovering just feet above the ground; he was fully humanoid, and also fully armoured, although his was of a shining gold and a burnished bronze, almost painful to behold in the light. He had the hooked talons of a falcon at the ends of his feathered legs, and beneath his arms there were spread glorious scarlet wings, edged with gold and glittering as they swept back and forth. He seemed not to need to move them too quickly, the very winds themselves gathering beneath him and keeping him aloft. A purple cape flowed from his back, tied with a golden medallion of an eagle’s head. His helmet was hooked, with copper and bronze spines protruding from the back, and two brilliant green eyes staring out from behind, unblinking and laser focused.

The onlookers stared in shock as the two parted, moving completely in sync. It had been a long time indeed. But their instincts hadn’t faded one bit, and neither had their spirits, calling out in commanding voices that echoed around the arena.

“Skathimon!”

“Ouranomon!”

Eirenemon swayed, her arms so tense that blood was oozing from the wounds, as she looked down.

“It’s not fair...”

With a scream she raised her arms, the white fire building above her in a vast storm, her own energy pumping into it. Her eyes opened wide, and she screamed right back in the pair’s faces.

“I WANT THIS TO END!”

The white flames stabbed forwards, coming at them from a dozen angles, but they split apart, brushing away the edges and severing them before they had a moment to latch on. The two warriors reconfigured briefly, their eyes flicking towards one another.

“Skathimon?”

“You go ahead. I’ll try and fix things up.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

The fox warrior clapped her hands together, and raised her head. “Just do me one favour? Please don’t aim down.”

Ouranomon gave a smirk as he spun away, aiming into the sky as Skathimon made several gestures with her hands. They set alight with cold energy, and she reared up, before pressing them down against the ground.

“Vindictive Blizzard!”

A web of white burst outwards, followed by a shockwave as the blizzard pulsed around her, instantly blocking Eirenemon’s vision. She tried to run forwards, allowing the snow to bite into her, raising her strength as she searched for the epicentre. But she never found it, as the white cloud parted a second before Ouranomon shot forwards, skimming the edge of the crystal and spinning forwards.

“Spiral Driver!”

He slammed into her, taking the wind out of her lungs and launching her off her feet. The two spun forwards, and the bird man arced up, leaving sonic trails as he went. From the high vantage point he could see the scale of the island again; broken and cracked this time, the edges falling away.

Eirenemon reached up and grabbed his lower leg, making his flight path unstable, but he was descending again, spinning as he did so, faster and faster as he aimed for one of the falling crystal pillars. At the last second, he turned, flipping Eirenemon around and driving her hard into the crystal.

There was a sonic blast, and the impact sent the pillar flying away, where it hit the ocean’s surface and sank in an instant. Eirenemon herself caught the full pressure of the blast and the impact straight through her body. She convulsed, her back arching as she coughed up a fountain of blood. Ouranomon spread his wings, pulling his leg back as wisps of data fell away.

“I’m sorry about all this. Really.”

“DIE!”

Eirenemon lurched forwards, not even fully in control of her own movements yet, but she sent a fast fist towards Ouranomon’s head. He dodged sideways, and spun, his foot connecting with her shoulder with a crack. She screamed, and the scream gave her speed, allowing her to dive down. Ouranomon kicked out, once, twice, but both were shallow hits, and she pulled back, holding her palms out and letting out a whistle.

“Come to me, vessel of my sin!”

The cloud of fire shot straight into Ouranomon’s back, causing him to gasp and jerk upwards. Eirenemon didn’t waste the chance; she leapt upwards with a knee to the bird-man’s chin, before clasping her hands around his helmet, her eyes burning scarlet.

“Peacebreaker!”

Ouranomon didn’t collapse immediately, his will holding firm. But the sheer pain was still enough to bind him in place, and Eirenemon spun around, throwing him to one side with a brutal elbow to the side as she did so. She landed, catlike, and looked at her palm, seeing motes of frost coming away. The crystal was covered with a layer of ice, building up in rough patches that linked together, even more so over the existing cracks. The angel glared up, fixing her eyes on Skathimon as she kept holding her hands against the crystal.

“I can’t let you stop this! Not now!”

She rushed forwards, building up speed and holding her claws back as Skathimon raised her head. Eirenemon let out a screech of rage and swiped at her, but the fox spirit seemed to shimmer out of existence. Eirenemon skidded to a halt, but in a second Skathimon was behind her, thrusting the pommel of her sword out and cracking it against Eirenemon’s skull.

“Agh!”

The angel staggered, and Skathimon reared up, planting both paws into her chest and knocking her down. But not a moment passed before Eirenemon was up again, another rosary ripped from her flesh to re-engage her stamina. She went high, building flame in her fist and aiming for Skathimon’s neck.

“Fimbul Scimitar! ”

Eirenemon’s feathers twitched, and she threw herself sideways as Skathimon’s sword swung wide. The blow was so devastating as to cut the air itself, leaving an afterimage of frost which then exploded outwards, sending shards digging into Eirenemon’s chest. She backed away, the fire still burning brightly in her hand, and reached forwards as it shot out in a wave.

“Seal your own fate! Angel’s Acolytes!”

“Vacuum Rend!”

The blizzard parted as Ouranomon leapt down, his wings opening up as thousands of bronze spears blasted outwards, cutting through the flames and slamming into Eirenemon. She held her arms in front of her face, feeling her flesh tearing as she drove herself forwards.

“Agony...Mark...”

With a yell she leapt at the two, bringing her arm down as the white fire erupted in a column. Several wisps reached towards Ouranomon, and in a desperate movement her hand connected around his wrist, the flames blazing forwards. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling the power pouring away from her.

“You’re mine now...”

“Fimbul Scimitar!”

Another blast, shooting in between the two and sending Eirenemon reeling back. The initial blast of cold caught her off guard, but she saw Ouranomon in front of her, his armour also marked by the proximity to the blast. She reached out again, ready to take control.

But her hand only cracked as she moved it, split in two right through the palm, with the wound instantly cauterised by black ice.

She screamed, backing away as the cold lit a fire in her veins, and Skathimon moved forwards, holding the smoking blade out and placing a hand on Ouranomon’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

Ouranomon hissed. “I’m fine. But she won’t stop.”

Skathimon backed up, sheathing her sword and clasping her hands together. “Then I need you to hold her. Can you do that?”

Ouranomon nodded, and spread his wings, hovering up just a few metres from the trembling crystal. “Always.”

Eirenemon looked up, the pain so intense as to make her lose focus, but she was able to see Ouranomon through the blizzard, gathering the winds around him in a pressurised orb. She went to retreat, to consolidate her flames again, but suddenly a lone clap sounded from Skathimon.

“Silent Winter!”

The world went black and white, the cold wave shooting over her in an instant. Time froze. Eirenemon could only stare, held in position as Ouranomon’s wings drew back, holding the air bubble before him at breaking point.

“Stratus Bolt!”

A spear of wind shot outwards, spiralling at half-time through the dark atmosphere. It struck her, and sucked her in; an orb of low pressure, binding her, locking her in place. Her eyes flicked sideways, in time to see Skathimon reaching forwards, her blade piercing the vacuum spear.

Ice instantly flooded the tube, climbing through and binding around Eirenemon’s frail form. She tried to breathe, to scream, to do anything, but the flames wouldn’t come to her, her will only overtaken by immense cold. And a long, low rushing sound as time sped back up to normal, Skathimon’s realm dissipating.

The sound was horrific, the pressure thrusting the blizzard away and causing the two Mega levels to cover their faces. But the attack had worked; Eirenemon was frozen solid, trembling, only her head able to move. She gnashed her teeth in frustration and rage, but neither of the two were paying attention, the sudden and intense battle taking a lot out of them.

“What do we do with her?”

Ouranomon looked up, seeing the brief flickers of flames dotted around the frozen sculpture, almost at the verge of going out.

“Not much we can do I don’t think. She’s almost out of time as well.”

Skathimon looked down. “In that case, we need to hurry and remake the seal on this place before-“

She paused, her eyes widening. Ouranomon looked at her quizzically, but then he felt it too. A rumble. Shaking their very bones. All around the edge of the arena, human and Digimon alike could feel it. And as it grew in amplitude, so it was accompanied. A long, low, melancholy call; a cry for help from another dimension. A cry for release.

“Oh no...”

The crystal shimmered in greens and blues as something came into view in the blackness below, the image broken and refracted by the crystal. It grew bigger in seconds; a monstrous visage silently growing, taking up the whole width of the island.

And then it hit.

Space itself bent, and the crystal island was rocked to the core, whole sections immediately splintering off. The shockwave knocked both Ouranomon and Skathimon back, the sudden rush of data flooding their systems. All around, the tamers held onto their partners, feeling their very bones juddering from the sudden impact. The call sounded again, resonating this time; like an air raid siren, tragic and threatening. The colours in the crystal shifted as the creature backed away, falling back down...although not far enough.

“It’s too late...”

Eirenemon let out a yell, wrenching her head free of the frozen prison as she looked at the others, her eyes wild and crimson.

“It’s too late! You can’t stop it now! Our world...our world will be saved! The cataclysm is coming and there’s nothing you can do!”

“Spectrum Shift!”

“Cataclysm Corona!”

Waves of light collided, knocking each other asunder in great trailing lashes that tore tiles from rooftops and sent cables and lampposts toppling. But for Sciamon the collision was nothing but a distraction; he pulled his leg back, and launched forwards, spinning in a deadly clothesline that punted Lyublanamon away, straight into a window.

“Bastard!”

Azdajamon landed before the giant, and lunged for his leg, but a wave of heat forced him away, trapping him in a path that led straight into a crushing punch. He hissed, and curled over backwards, his body dissolving into shadows that went for Sciamon’s head.

“Novus Tenebrae!”

Sciamon rolled backwards, clawing at his face as the shadows twisted around his head and neck. He wheezed, bending his shoulders forwards.

“Your gallantry is touching. But you chose the wrong side.”

His eyes flicked sideways, and he just caught a glimpse of a solid mass in the shadows; Azdajamon’s body coiling around his left shoulder.

“Cataclysm Corona!”

The black dragon had no time to react before the wave of light hit him, blasting away the shadows and leaving him stunned. Sciamon didn’t wait; he swung, his hand cracking into Azdajamon’s side and sending him wheeling away.

“Azdajamon!”

Lyublanamon flew upwards, colours building beneath her wings as she tried to gain height for a point blank shot.

“BZ Blitzer!”

The pellets slammed into the pegasus, and she lurched in mid-air, coughing and hacking her guts up as the gas poured down her throat. Something moved beside her, and she spun, her bladed tail whipping out and slicing across Hoatzimon’s arm. But the combat bird merely backed away; wounded and tired out, but still able to fight. A lot of the Digimon were still there, some shielding their allies, others edging around the perimeter of the battle, trying to avoid the more extravagant of Sciamon’s attacks.

“Solar Nexus!”

Lyublanamon started, and flew upwards, but even in mid-air she felt the force of the shockwave rack through her body. Eyes still watering from the gas attack, she spiralled round, flying to the height of his head and screaming in his masked face.

“Why are you still doing this? What are you hoping to gain?”

Sciamon’s head twisted towards her, and he lunged, just barely clipping the bottom of her wings and plucking a few feathers. He rolled backwards, his mask steaming.

“Revenge. Justice. Peace for our fallen brethren.”

“You call this peace?”

Lyublanamon spread her wings wide, gesturing at the damage all around her. “You think this is what anybody wanted?”

“I am a guardian of my people and I will see to their rights and their safety! And the only way to do that is to rid this world of every twisted, wretched human that taints it!”

“The ambassadors never wanted your war!”

“The ambassadors failed us!” yelled Sciamon, flames bursting from beneath his armour. “They refused to sacrifice even the evil of this world and they paid the price! It’s clear to all of us; there can be no clemency! Allowing this wretched human to remain unpunished is an insult to all who died by his hand!”

“That’s not your choice to make!”

“It is not only my choice, it is my RIGHT!” bellowed Sciamon, and he reared back, the lights dancing around him as his fist glowed with internal energy.

“Stardust Resonance!”

“Novus Tenebrae!”

Azdajamon shot up from beneath, striking the arm as it came forwards. It flew wide, but the energy still burst out, slamming into another house and sending the entire corner tumbling down.

In the ruins of the first house, Kevin ducked his head as the place shook around him, and cursed under his breath.

“What is with these people? Don’t they have any sense of debating etiquette?”

“Kevin, behind you!”

Trevor raised a hand as the boy turned, seeing Suricamon lunging towards him, her shovel raised on high. He yelped, and rolled back, the blade slamming down just inches below his waist. He yelled, and kicked outwards, his shoe planting into the meerkat’s face and sending her reeling, but she soon had backup in the form of Liopramon, leering forwards as he rolled coins in his hand.

“You ain’t getting off so lightly. The magical flyin’ ponies can’t come and rescue you in here, can they...” His yellow eyes flicked towards Trevor, who was struggling to his feet. “Come with us right now before I give you a ten percent bonus in y’brain hole.”

“Fuck off!”

The leprechaun didn’t even get a chance to flinch as a tattered armchair slammed into him, pushed by Eloise as she drove it forwards with a vengeance. The chair slammed into a wall, taking the wind out of the leprechaun’s lungs as he gasped.

“Devilish Digger!”

Suricamon had clambered up a wall, and leapt for the woman’s head, spade in hand, but she reached out and grabbed the meerkat by one leg, throwing her to one side as Kevin hurriedly grabbed a bit of supporting beam to defend himself. Eloise was beside herself, her shoulders heaving.

“I would think really fucking hard about whether you want to interfere or whether you want to just go, because I am not feeling kind or merciful at the moment!”

“Pah!” Liopromon spat, tearing his way upwards and leaping onto the back of the armchair. “As if you people ever had any ability to stand up for yerselves!”

“So says the guy who sat behind a posse all these years.” Eloise held her arms out. “Not that I can see them anywhere except for the rat.”

“Hey!”

Suricamon scuttled forwards again, but promptly got a beam to the face from Kevin. Liopramon’s eyes narrowed. “I made a choice. I’m followin’ what I believe in.”

Eloise hunched over, her arms held low, ready to retaliate. “Looks to me like you’re following just because you’re scared.”

“Shut it, woman.”

“Face it. Look around you; where are the Digimon that you brought together? The grand group of thieves.” She rubbed her teeth together. “Except you didn’t bring them together, did you. Yethmon did. You’ve just let them all fall apart.”

“I said SHUT IT!”

Liopramon screamed, and thrust out his injured hand, coins shooting outwards in a chaotic spray. Eloise held her hands over her head, feeling the impacts, feeling them digging into her arms, but she remained standing as Liopramon kept attacking.

“I am not weak! I am not a coward! You wanna know how I got this far? How I’m standin’ here with Vex’s life in my hands? Cause I am a goddamn survivor, and you will damn well feel it!”

“GET OUT!”

The leprechaun turned as Kai rushed forwards, fists raised. Liopramon screamed, holding up his hands as they rippled with gold.

“Lucky Doub­-”

He never got a chance to finish, as Kai’s fist slammed into his face. Coins scattered everywhere, and Liopramon swayed, but the young man hit him again and again, square in the face, with the strength and precision of a boxer, until he toppled backwards, stunned in pain and silence. He stood up, just in time to see Kevin swinging the beam at him, and before he knew what he was doing he was running, Suricamon hot on his heels. He stopped atop the front wall, and looked back, seeing the three standing together in a defensive wall. Kai brushed the tip of his nose with his thumb.

“You’re way out of your depth, Liopramon.” The boy nudged his broken glasses up, his eyes narrowing. “Get out.”

Suricamon caught her breath, holding her shovel closely. “What do we do, boss?”

“Retreat.”

“...but you said-“

“I’m saying get back!” Liopramon grabbed her and pulled her down, scooting across the ruined front gardens as they stayed clear of the titanic struggle above. The leprechaun bit his lip, so tightly as to leave a bloody mark.

“I’ll show you, y’bastards...”

Kai sighed, watching as the imp’s cap disappeared. “There’s always one, isn’t there.”

“Oh god, Trevor!”

Eloise and Kai looked aside as Kevin darted back and forth, panic evident on his face. “He’s gone! Where’s he gone? Did someone-“

“Solar Nexus!”

“DUCK!”

Sciamon’s body landed with another blost of light, and Eloise, Kai and Kevin dived behind the nearest cover as it rocked through the remains of their house again, tearing more of the structure away. The wave had shot up as well, blasting Azdajamon away, but he righted himself and joined up with Lyublanamon as they rushed forwards in tandem.

“Chroma Celeste!”

“Novus Tenebrae!”

Shadows and rainbows merged, blasting Sciamon full in the chest and sending him reeling. They pressed onwards, kicking and slashing at his chest and leg with powered blows, and sending blasts of energy up towards his face. A brilliant beam from Lyublanamon struck him in the eye, and he bent double, holding a hand to his face and giving Azdajamon an opening.

“We won’t let you do this!”

Too late the gargoyle saw the flash in Sciamon’s eye, and the giant reared up, bringing his hidden arm forwards.

“Stardust Resonance!”

The hand caught Azdajamon in the side, but it wasn’t a fist like before; it gripped him like a claw as the energy struck him, rushing through him with enough force to crack his crystalline spikes. He cried out, ejecting black blood from his mouth.

“Azdajamon!”

Sciamon turned again, swinging the gargoyle’s body and clubbing it into Lyublanamon’s, sending her back into the nearest building. She tumbled down, disorientated for a crucial second before the giant reached forwards and clamped his other hand around her smaller form. He reared up, and clamped both hands against the ground with a yell, trapping both the dragons in his grasp. He leant forwards, sparks and molten metal dripping from the mouth of his mask.

“I have suffered your existence long enough.”

“Hey, Sciamon, right?”

The giant looked up, his eyes focusing on a lone figure standing several dozen metres away down the road. From their viewpoint, the tamers and Kevin looked down. Kai cursed under his breath.

“What is he thinking...?”

Trevor planted a hand against his chest. “It’s me you’re after, isn’t it? Let them go!”

Sciamon looked sideways at the remaining crusaders, who were struggling to their feet, winded from their own battles and Sciamon’s meteoric force. The giant stayed in place though, holding the dragons more tightly in his hands.

“You are demonspawn. But all humans and all who follow them are sinners alike.” His hands clenched, causing his wards to cry out. “Why would I let them go?”

Trevor narrowed his eyes. “’Cause if you don’t then you’re gonna have to come find me.”

His gaze darted left and right, seeing the others beginning to move; slowly, and painfully, but deliberately. He knew it was a long shot. But there was barely anything else he could offer them right now.

Sciamon leant forwards. “You wouldn’t leave them to die.”

“Why not? I’m the scum of the earth.”

The man turned, tearing down the street as he ignored the pain, and disappearing down an alley like he’d had so much practise doing before. Sciamon reared up, bellowing out across the street.

“All of you, after him! Bring him to me with his heart still beating! I’m going to make him suffer.”

Hoatzimon led the charge, with the others on her trail, Oryxmon bringing up the end of the line. Kai watched helplessly, falling forwards as Eloise grabbed him. Kevin leant back against the remains of a wall.

“That’s gratitude. After all that darned effort.”

Eloise bit her lip. “Maybe he really is trying to help though.”

“Hello? What the heck is that supposed to accomplish?”

Eloise looked at him, and flicked her phone upwards, showing a message board.

“Time.”

“Circle of the Void!”

Azdajamon moved in Sciamon’s grasp, forming a small sphere that locked around the metallic fist. It couldn’t fully seal, but it rippled and rolled, steam pouring from the giant’s wrist. He yelled, pulling his hand away and allowing the gargoyle to pull free, leaving a smoking gauntlet behind him.

“Lyublanamon, brace yourself!”

“Not so fast!”

Sciamon pulled himself up, and flung the white dragon sideways, aiming for the tamers. She crashed down as they scattered, rolling in the rubble as her body convulsed, deeply scorched by now. Azdajamon wasn’t faring much better; he cursed as he spiralled upwards, taking the repeated shockwaves on his back and wings as he tried desperately to find an opening to summon the shadows again.

“I’d...have thought...you’d be going after Vex...”

“They’ll find him. And he will suffer the most for what he’s done.”

Something flashed behind the giant’s field of vision, and his torso spun round, leaning forwards with a bruising headbutt that sent Azdajamon sprawling back.The gargoyle swooped low, shadows whipping outwards and nicking the armour to no avail, as Sciamon tracked his trajectory.

“You are noble. You have a cause. And thus, I can offer you mercy in a quick death.”

“Go to hell.”

Azdajamon jumped down in front of Sciamon’s great pillar, before clambering up, forming huge claws of shadow that slashed against the metal, causing sparks to billow out. But the leg folded up, and before Azdajamon could find time to reform himself Sciamon’s great sweeping fist clamoured into him, sending him towards the ruins of the house as well. He struggled, Lyublanamon limping heavily behind him, as Eloise, Kai and Kevin tried desperately to hole up behind them. Sciamon barely even looked at them, rolling forwards as his right fist spun up to a dangerous speed, flames gathering around it in waves.

“You want to see hell?”

His joints screamed and spat out rivets and bearings, yet he was oblivious to the damage as he reached upwards, preparing to slam his fist down on all five of them at once.

“Let me show you the way.”

“Strike Thunder!”

Spears of lightning strafed across Sciamon’s head, and he yelled, the electricity burrowing down into his mask. Eloise looked sideways, her heart in her mouth as she saw two familiar figures running down the street towards them.

“Aaron...”

Sciamon was already turning, fury in the sockets of his smoking mask, but Lyublanamon pulled her strength together, leaping forwards as her wings sent out a brilliant radiance.

“Chroma Celeste!”

Galvamon slowed as he saw the great rainbow blast strike the giant in the chest, forcing him back several metres. Aaron caught up next to him, his D-Nexus in his hand and a clear fatigue on his face.

“That’s the leader of these crusader Digimon, huh?” The boy straightened up, running the back of his hand over his mouth. “They look like they’ve been having a rough time.”

“Want me to step in?”

Galvamon made to run forwards, but Aaron held his gauntlet, holding up his digivice as it glowed brightly. The lizard shook his head.

“If I evolve again it’s probably gonna kill you.”

“And if you don’t then he’s definitely gonna kill them.” The boy rushed to one side, holding his arms out with a defiant smile on his exhausted face. “If you’re that worried about it then you’d better make it quick.”

Galvamon snorted, and ran off, feeling the air shimmering around him as his body began to glow.

“Why have you never stopped making things difficult for me?”

He didn’t need an answer, feeling the motes of energy swirling around him, his body shivering with an intense static.

“Galvamon, Primal Fury! Evolution Activate!”

The lizard man’s body was overrun as he carried on; a great arc of ball lightning that sent out spears every which way as it grew and convulsed. A tearing sound rent through the air, interspersed with great crackles and the whirring of a flywheel. Then, in an instant, the bolts dispersed into the ground, revealing Galvamon’s Ultimate form, still charging as fast as he could. He was a huge saurian creature and a tank to boot, his body laden with plate armour and sparking cannons. His tail rolled clockwise as he ran, a vast barrel-shaped cannon spinning at the end of it, and on his back there was a rotating sail which glowed an electric blue, providing his internal energy. His lower jaw was made of black gunmetal, and it sparked and ground as he ran, the lights bursting from his bright blue eyes.

“Dimetromon!”

He roared, and picked up the pace, his armoured feet smashing against the tarmac as his sail spun all the faster. The noise made Sciamon pause for a second; enough to allow Lyublanamon to rush forwards again, flying up and slicing her bladed tail at his neck. The giant gurgled, and sent a brutal punch forwards, but it only grazed her, and she rolled away just in time to allow Dimetromon’s entire bulk to slam into Sciamon’s.

The sheer momentum sent Sciamon reeling, his armour plating buckling at the blow. He gasped, and thrust his fist out, but Dimetromon raised his head and clamped down on the flaming metal with his vast jaws, the gauntlet splitting in his grip.

“Chroma Celeste!”

“Circle of the Void!”

Another volley of rainbow energy caught Sciamon in the collar, and as he raised his remaining arm, Azdajamon spun up it, spinning around his neck and forming a sphere of darkness around his helmet. He howled, wrenching his gauntlets back and clawing at his face as the dark orb flickered and rippled, black bile pouring out from beneath it.

Kai and Eloise held each other’s hand tightly, watching with barely held hope, when Aaron finally caught up with them, crouching and grabbing his knees.

“Sorry I took so long.” He glanced up, wincing at the wreckage of the building behind them. “I missed the important part.”

Kai shook his head. “That’s not important. The important part is you just saved our lives.”

Aaron grinned, before letting off a few coughs, staggering as the light of his D-Nexus flashed momentarily. Kai rushed forwards, holding the young man upright. “Easy now. You’re here; don’t push it.”

Behind him, Eloise bit her lip, before looking at the skirmish up above. “This has already gone on too long as it is.”

“I did tell him to make it quick,” said Aaron, and he straightened up, cupping his hands over his mouth. “Hey, Dimetromon! Bring out the persuader!”

“Cataclysm Corona!”

Waves of flame burst outwards from Sciamon’s body, sending Azdajamon and Lyublanamon crashing away, their bodies shimmering. Sciamon hadn’t come off much better himself, his armour now trembling with every movement as smoke poured from beneath it.

“You...you cannot...hold out forever...”

“Look who’s talking.”

Sciamon looked down, seeing Dimetromon crouched before him, his tail resting on one shoulder and spinning at a frightening speed, matching the velocity of the sail on his back. He snarled, bolts of lightning blasting out from his mouth as he raised the tail towards Sciamon’s head.

“Dynamo LASER!”

The dinosaur fired; a great column of lightning that crackled with an intense energy. Sciamon tried to duck out the way, but he wasn’t fast enough, the beam slamming into the right of his chest. It burst through the metal plate, and he spun backwards, every single joint in his body shuddering and molten metal spitting out from his mask. He hit the terraces behind him, and crashed to the ground, his body buckled from the assault.

Dimetromon pulled his tail back, and wheezed, feeling the lull from such an expenditure of power. He didn’t want to look back his partner, knowing that whatever Aaron was currently feeling was far worse than his own fatigue.

“Make it quick, he said.”

The dinosaur took a step towards the fallen giant, the barrel on his tail spinning again, when all of a sudden the ground shuddered beneath him. His front legs buckled, and he fell forwards, feeling a sudden surge of digital residue pass through him. Lyublanamon and Azdajamon felt it too, racking through their beaten forms, and even the tamers had felt the digital world’s influence often enough to realise that something was happening.

With a roar, Sciamon thrust an arm forwards, punching Dimetromon in the side of the face and sending him to one side. The dinosaur made to attack again, but Sciamon backed away, his single leg folding lopsidedly as he rolled hurriedly down the street, holding his arms limply.

“This...isn’t...over...”

The dinosaur growled, letting off sparks again, but his partner’s voice sounded in his ear. “Let him go.”

Dimetromon pulled back, slowing his sail to a stop and powering down as he watched the giant disappear into the next road. Aaron stepped up next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“You did good. Well done.”

“Are you sure you should be standing that close to me in your state?” Dimetromon humphed. “And also, when the hell did I become ‘The Persuader’?”

Aaron gave a dazed grin. “You persuaded him to leave, didn’t you?”

“You’ve been spending too much time around Jack and Perimon, haven’t you...”

Aaron gave a shrug that neither confirmed nor denied it, but the brief moment of mirth was short-lived as he gave another series of coughs. There was a flicker of energy behind him, and he turned to see Ladomon and Colchimon flutter to the ground, severely brutalised even after reverting to their Rookie forms. Eloise crouched beside Ladomon, helping her up over her shoulder and holding her like a child.

“I’ve got you. It’s okay. You did brilliantly.”

“We couldn’t stop him...”

Colchimon’s voice sounded more forlorn than ever as he gently pulled himself around Kai’s shoulders, his wings tattered and bleeding. “We...we couldn’t even protect the one man we were supposed to be keeping an eye on...”

Ladomon looked up into Eloise’s face, her eyes wide and tearful. “I’m so sorry...”

The young woman reached out, gently running her hand over the dragon’s feathers, before wincing, feeling the shards of glass shifting in her arm.

She stood up, holding Ladomon tightly as she turned to look at what remained of the place where the four of them had lived for the past three years. There was barely anything left of the first floor now, and the whole area was covered in black dust and glass and smouldering ashes, which were beginning to spread into the terraces on either side.

“Our home...”

Kevin sidled up, and gave Aaron a forlorn look. The other man was torn up himself, but he cleared his throat.

“I hate to do this, but we really don’t have time to try and salvage your place right now.”

Eloise swallowed, her face hardened for a moment. Kai placed a hand in his pocket. “What’s going on? How are the others doing?”

“I don’t know. But whatever’s going on right now is spreading throughout the town.”

“How bad is it?”

The young man sighed gravely. “Bad enough that I had to get off my lazy arse and intervene. Digital gates are opening like crazy, Digimon are stampeding, the land itself is breaking apart. The full End-of-Days gamut.”

As if to emphasise his point, the ground trembled again. Something bright and blood red flashed across the sky, and through the smog and the remaining flames the group could make out the distant sounds of wailing.

Eloise turned round, her expression stern. “We need to help them. Now.”

“Hold it.”

Aaron raised a hand, shaking his head, “First you need to help yourselves. You’ve been through hell. You can’t help anyone as you are.”

“Then what do we do?”

Aaron folded his arms, as Dimetromon devolved to Galvamon next to him. “First orders? Get out of here. Regroup somewhere safe. And prepare for things to get a whole lot worse.”

Eloise opened her mouth, but she couldn’t think of any suitable way to protest. Her shoulders slumped, as she watched Aaron walk ahead, slightly wobbly on his feet. Kevin and Galvamon walked either side of him, ready to catch him if need be.

Eloise felt Kai’s hand knit its way through hers, and she looked up as he beckoned with his head, not a word needed. They followed after, the twin dragons draped around their shoulders, utterly defeated. For a brief moment Eloise looked back, catching one last glimpse at the smouldering ruins of their home together.

“How can it get any worse?”

Sea boiled. Fog spat. Sky tore.

The cataclysm came into view again, arcing upwards, unstoppable in its rage and desire. It struck again, and the very liquid itself seemed to part like a glass lattice. Data still streamed through, although no longer a geyser of fine particles. Now it was a torrent; a pyroclastic flow from the other world, churning through, spreading out into the turbulent waters as both worlds screamed in pain.

With the sound of a hundred bells, the crystal platform crumpled upwards, sending fragments of rock shooting through the air. The outer edges fell away, and the remaining tamers clung desperately onto their partners as they watched the world open up. Although not all of them were remaining so passive.

“Everyone...keep it closed! Do anything you can!”

Ouranomon flew above the chaos, his eyes turning to everyone as Skathimon remained on the platform below him, her hands pressed against her own platform. She dug her claws in, a white blizzard erupting from her wrists as her hair whipped out behind her.

“Vindictive Blizzard!”

The disc spread out at a breakneck pace; trails of frost linking the crystal shards together and locking them into a fixed position. It had barely blocked out the void below though, when the beast struck again, shattering great reams of ice and wrenching Skathimon’s arms so hard that her fingers turned red.

“Help me!”

“Fortress Quake!”

“Severing Song!”

“Azure Abyss!”

“Desolation Box!”

“Ash of Aeons!”

The Digimon grouped together, pumping as much energy as they could into the seal in a desperate attempt to keep it in one piece, even as they could see it cracking beneath them. They had to do something. They had to try everything now.

The attacks coagulated, tying together, forming a seal of light and frost and ash and metal, spreading out amongst all the cracks and digging into the void of the Dark Area beyond.

It gripped; a last bastion against the great beast as it swam up a fourth time, its figure taking up the entire area of the island. From beneath the translucent rock, it opened its mouth, calling out with a silenced scream, before it struck once more.

The scream burst through the wall between worlds; so deep and hollow and terrible that it formed the epicentre for a new set of ripples. The spiral storm up above was dispersed in seconds, and sunlight pierced through the clouds as they were swept away by the almighty force. Half the warriors were sent away in the cascade; even Ouranomon and Skathimon couldn’t hold out against the sheer force, battling against it as they were. And those that weren’t incapacitated merely watched in horror as one edge of the island rose up, forming a peak, then a spire, then a lone stalactite.

And then, it curled over, and the crystal and the space-time shattered as one as a single, titanic tendril of bone coiled into the sky, reaching out several dozen metres towards the sea and stabbing downwards.

The crystal island gave way in seconds, energy flooding outwards and engulfing everyone present. For Titaniumon, Baskervimon and Senbazumon, it was too much; the blast sent them crashing into the whirling surf, their Ultimate forms giving way in seconds. Highwaymon desperately trod water, and a ragged Orizumon rolled with the waves as Lyra clung onto his back. But Titaniumon hit the water’s surface and sunk like a stone, dissipating into an unconscious Chromon as Mark held tightly to him, being dragged down himself.

Lonnie’s composure snapped, and she yelled out into the ether.

“Everyone get to safety!”

She leant forwards, grabbing her partner and gesturing down to where Mark and Chromon had fallen. The salamander rolled downwards, powering through the currents with great sweeps of her tail and reaching out before they got too far down. Together they surfaced, with Mark coughing his lungs up as he kept holding onto the unconscious dinosaur. All around them, the others were regrouping into their own little fifes. Ouranomon lay Tsurumon and Lyra across Skathimon’s desperate frozen raft as Nicholas and Highwaymon clutched onto the edge, while Simeamon, Owen and Inez clung tightly onto Uiscemon’s shoulders.

Feeling the chills coursing through her, Lonnie looked desperately around, and saw Eirenemon clutching onto a rogue section of crystal, pushed up onto her hands and knees as she looked below her. The girl tried to call out, but her voice was drowned out by yet another terrible tearing sound, and another giant claw of bone reaching towards the sky.

The claws tilted downwards, encrusted with emerald rock and draped with ribbons of dead skin. Swathes of data whipped away from them with every movement, but they were too vast and solid to break, and they coiled in simultaneously, stabbing at the edge of the gateway. Space itself seemed to warp, and the gate pushed upwards, the blackness pouring away to reveal something beneath. So vast it could have been an island, and in many ways it seemed to be, encrusted with more of the emerald crystal. But as the dark matter broke away, the form became more alien and monstrous; a huge core of rock, encased in dry bone like a cage. More bone tendrils, that might have been vestigial limbs, twitching helplessly atop it. And as the form tilted, its diameter reaching the limit of the gate and pressing helplessly against it, a section of crystal fell away, revealing a vast void, the width of a swimming pool, within which rolled a single, spectral eye.

Ouranomon hovered above, not even needing to move his wings as the sheer force of the data explosion kept him aloft. All he could do was stare, trying and failing to take in the full horror of a creature that dwarfed even Cyclomon in size.

“That’s...impossible...”

“Look!”

The wind warrior’s eyes darted down towards Skathimon, and where she was pointed. Too late Ouranomon saw Eirenemon as she stood up atop the beast’s head, holding her arms to the sky and screaming herself, her cries melding with his. And as she did so, the white flames gathered above her; a maelstrom of hate and forced justice summoned from the very depths of her pain.

“ANGEL’S ACOLYTE!”

Eirenemon crouched, slamming her torn hands into the rock beneath her as the flames burrowed inwards. They seemed so small as to be lost in the chasm, but even so their effect was tangible, with the beast rocking back and forth, its eyes dilating and its body letting off motes of light. Eirenemon was buffeted by the movement, blood spewing from her mouth and flames bursting out from the wounds in her skin. But her voice rang out from her tiny form, echoing around the waters as the warriors watched helplessly.

“APOCALYPSE, I COMMAND THEE! LIVE OUT YOUR PURPOSE, AND LET THIS WORLD AND ALL WHO ALIGHT WITHIN IT PERISH BY YOUR EXISTENCE! AND LET THE TRUE WORLD – THE RIGHTEOUS WORLD – THUS BE SAVED!”

Her voice echoed more and more, melding with the resonance within the beast’s crystal itself. It seemed almost to be building to a roar; not one of anger or fear, but merely the roar of a beast who knew no other way. The roar of a beast in pain. But Eirenemon still held tightly, her teeth gritted together.

“THIS IS YOUR COMMAND! OBEY! OBEY ME, CATACLYSM! YOUR ONLY PURPOSE IS MY WILL, AND YOUR ONLY VOICE IS-“

“STOP!”

The roar stopped. As did the ripples, freezing in place. The warriors turned, their eyes fixating on the boat, rocking back and forth at the edge of the swells. Alasdair sat at the front, the engine humming behind him as he stared forwards at the great island.

And, with an audible rumble, the eyes rolled forwards and the island stared back, fixated on the tiny vessel.

Lonnie swallowed, her words small in her throat.

“No...not you...”

Alasdair didn’t hear. The boat edged forwards over the suddenly still waters, as the man looked up. He was soaked through to the bone, and clearly in a bad way. But still he remained still, and his eyes edged up towards Eirenemon.

“Please...leave him alone. I beg you.”

There was a rumble, which resonated through the waters all around. But Eirenemon stood up, the white flame staying strong above her.

“This is your legacy, Alasdair. You brought this upon yourself. You brought the destruction of your kind upon yourself.”

Mark looked back and forth, trying to listen even as he coughed up seawater. “What...what’s...I don’t understand...”

Alasdair wasn’t listening. He leant forwards, clearly out of breath as he pulled the holdall forwards in front of him.

“...forgive me, Simurghmon...”

Eirenemon flew upwards, holding her hand high as the flames gathered around it. “The decision is made. I made the sacrifice. You, me; all of us will pay for the sins this world has committed. My world will continue on as this world feels the wrath of this poor, wretched cataclysm -“

She paused, as Alasdair leant up, fire in his eyes, and a charred, metallic device in his lap. One she recognised. One they all recognised. Lonnie’s eyes widened, and she reached out desperately.

“Ali, NO-“

“His name is WYVERMON!”

A crack rushed through the air, and Alasdair cried out in pain as the blast launched him backwards, throwing him from his chair. But the shot was fast, and accurate, and Alasdair’s cry melded with Eirenemon’s as the blast struck her, carving through her torso.

Her eyes were wide, and she reached up, curling a trembling finger around her chest, and the hole that had been blasted through her, tearing from her collar through to her shoulder. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

With barely a whisper, she tumbled backwards, rolling down the beast’s gigantic head. Her body disappeared beneath the waves, the sound miniscule against the roar of the digital world.

The beast hadn’t noticed. The beast just stared forwards, eyes fixated on the boat in front of it, the rumble still echoing in its body. Lonnie gritted her teeth, grabbing onto Eryomon’s braids even as her fingers slipped against the sodden fibres.

“We...we have to help him...we have to get him out of there, Eryomon, Eryomon, help him-“

“LONNIE, DON’T YOU DARE COME NEAR ME!”

The girl froze as Alasdair’s voice rang out, louder and more furious than she’d ever heard him before. The man held the edge of the boat, face contorted in pain. He looked down at his legs, and at the chair leant on its side. He tried to pull himself up, but one of his arms wasn’t responding either, wrenched by the blast from the device. It too lay at his feet, the barrel split apart and smoking, useless now.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the man reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a flat device in the palm of his hand. His eyes flicked forwards, meeting Lonnie’s. Then he turned away, sitting up as he faced the leviathan before him. He held the old digivice out; a mere dot in the beast’s vision. But it still reacted, the rumble in its throat increasing in volume. Alasdair smiled.

“Don’t be afraid. You remember me...don’t you?

He nodded, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes as he ignored the growing pain.

“I’m sorry it took so long, my friend.”

The tremors increased, rippling across the surface of the water. The tamers remained clustered, unable to believe their eyes. Skathimon clenched her fists.

“I don’t believe it...that thing was...is...”

“...his own partner...”

Owen held his hand to his mouth. “This is insane...”

Alasdair could barely make out the comments around him, his ears ringing from the impact. He moved, and coughed, feeling an intense pain as something moved around in his chest, something that shouldn’t have been there. He could see his hand shaking, the digivice letting off weak waves of light.

“I...I wanted to help you all this time, I promise...I should...I should never have abandoned you...I’m so sorry...”

He looked up, his eyes gazing into the vast oceans of blue before him.

“Please...Wyvermon...sleep for me. I promise I can make this right...but I just need a little more time. Please...sleep...”

The island shifted, and for a moment there was utter silence. The surface of the water lay completely still, so still that the never-ending movements of the dark area were crystal clear below.

Then the tremors began again. And grew. And grew.

The waters boiled, tossing the vessel back and forth and displacing the wounded warriors even further away. Alasdair gritted his teeth, his grip slipping on the rim of the boat as he watched the island rise up in front of him.

“No...please, not...not yet...please Wyvermon...”

His cries were lost, drowned out by waterfalls and resonance as the beast rose up further. Both eyes cascaded with water as the rest of its head tore at the digital interface, ripping great cracks out of the dimensional rift. Data spilled forth, turning the seas silver as the beast’s full head was revealed. Although it was barely a head, seeming to be a static maw carved out of the same emerald rock and bone, with a jagged crevasse bored right through, straight into the belly of the beast. The inside was almost completely black, save for a few pinpoints of green light, like stars from a distant galaxy.

The head shuddered, and where the maw touched the water’s surface, the waters themselves began to churn, being pulled in by the endless chasm. The remaining Digimon could barely stay upright; even Skathimon and Ouranomon couldn’t remain steady against the vicious shockwaves that burst from deep within the beast. It was all Eryomon could do to tread water, fighting back against the waves as they threatened to consume her, already tearing great swathes of data from her limbs and flank.

But Alasdair was closer than all of them, and felt the brunt of the cry. He choked, and fell backwards. His arm fell over the side, and to his horror he felt the digivice slipping from his grasp. He reached out, but the arm would no longer listen to him, one of the bones ruptured within. And besides, he knew the device had already gone, lost to the waves.

“Wyvermon...”

His vision was all but black, but he pushed himself up regardless, feeling the waters pulling the boat forwards into his partner’s great maw.

“...get him out...”

“...stop it! Stop it before...”

“...Ali!”

They seemed distant. Almost like a dream. He looked behind him, but all he could see were stars, bearing down on him, taking over his senses.

He turned back, looking out towards his world...his prison...his punishment for so long.

His eyes met with Lonnie’s as she reached out, her words no longer audible to him. He breathed out, holding onto the edge of the vessel with the last of his strength.

“I’m sorry.”

The waters convulsed, and Alasdair disappeared into the void. Torn from Lonnie’s reach.

“GET HIM OUT OF THERE!”

Ouranomon’s voice cut through the torrents of noise, as he flew forwards. He raised his arms, eyes blazing green.

“Stratus Bolt!”

“Fimbul Scimitar!”

Both Mega levels fired their attacks with all their might, the energy digging into the rock of the creature’s head and sending more bursts of energy spiralling outwards as it rocked and struggled, pulling against the digital void which held it captive. The movements caused yet more chaos, and Mark clutched desperately onto Eryomon’s back as she was buffeted by the tsunami.

“Lonnie, call them back! They’re going to get caught as well!”

He looked up, barely able to see through the spray and the noise, as the girl clung onto the head of her partner.

“Lonnie...”

She didn’t respond, staring ahead into nothing as the monster writhed in her vision, tearing more and more of the world around her. She opened her lips, her voice cracking.

“Ali...”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!”

The noise was horrendous; worse than anything they’d heard before. A kaleidoscope of light followed it, sending the two Mega levels flying back, and Eryomon, and all the other partners. They tumbled down, the waves pulling them underneath and back up again, and throwing them into one another.

And as they did so, the great island pulled up, the island becoming a tower as more and more bony legs unfurled, striking the waters like thunder. The void stretched. It screeched. The whistle burned through their bodies, causing their ears to pop and acid to rise from their throats and blood to run from their noses. Under again. Up again. The eyes rolling upwards, the scream everlasting, the gate stretching, unravelling, tearing-

With the sound of a bomb, it blew, sending waves of black matter cascading into them. For what seemed like hours every single one of them, human and Digimon alike, was tossed through the waters. Their lungs were on fire as they choked, water and air and data pouring down their throats, and their senses were nothing but a blur. They reached out, they clung on, they did anything they could to try desperately to survive.

Then the spinning halted, and one by one, they surfaced, taking gulps of data-laden air. Nicholas and Highwaymon held onto a shard of ice, as Skathimon trod water beside them. Ouranomon was looking all around, his wings outspread. Mark had miraculously managed to hold onto Chromon, and they clutched onto a shard of the crystal island. Kampoimon held Inez in his arms, the girl clinging to his neck with shaking hands. Lyra was strewn out over Orizumon’s sodden back, barely conscious. Owen and Simeamon held onto one another, spitting water from their mouths.

“The island...the gate...where the-where the hell is everything? Where are we?”

Lonnie was alone, spluttering as she tried to get her bearings. She looked around her. And then she looked up.

The beast hovered above them all, torn free from the gate. Although not completely. So vast was it, it still dragged ribbons of space behind it, leading back into the broken void. The digital world held onto its charge like a parasite on the back of an elephant; never letting go, but utterly powerless to stop it.

And it was huge. An almost endless serpentine form, coiling upwards into the sky. A mess of bone and crystal and old flesh and starlight, undulating, rippling. Far more massive than anything any of them had ever seen.

The creature’s very presence parted the clouds above, and sunlight streamed downwards, landing on the turbulent waters below as the tamers and Digimon watched, utterly helpless to act. The creature’s eyes rolled in its skull, focusing on the sun above it as crystal flaked away.

Memories and sensations came flooding back, and in a mixture of pain and ecstasy, he screamed, and the scream rippled out across the sea and all across the land, piercing the ears and minds of everybody for miles around.

And they all turned, witnessing the ancient dragon climbing further and further into the skies above their world.

A true cataclysm. The end of the world.

Their world.

TO BE CONTINUED...