CyberSapiamon’s footsteps clapped sharply against the concrete as she ran forwards, the only sounds for miles around. Owen clung tightly to her back, leaning forwards as he felt the wind against his skin, whipping through the heavy electromagnetic field and causing his skin to tingle.

He shivered, the chill digging into his bare shoulders. It had only been about half a day since they’d all set out, but already the streets were eerily empty here. He had to be thankful for that at least; less people in danger when the inevitable came. But as he listened for anything and came up absolutely blank, the ominous feeling lodged hard in his chest.

“It’s a bit harder to find our way when half the buildings have been knocked down, huh.”

Owen smirked, peering over his shoulder at Kevin just behind him. “You’re the one who hung out at that purple party-zone all the time; we’re relying on you for directions.”

Kevin pushed his glasses up, before gripping the great monkey’s back once again. “Come now; I know you liked it more than you admitted.”

“I’m not listening!” Owen twisted himself around, a look of concern on his face. “Honestly, I’m slightly concerned as to why you’re coming in the first place.”

“You think after a month of that shit I’m just gonna let you run off on your own again?”

Owen went a slightly darker tinge, while Kevin pointed from his eyes to his boyfriend’s. “I’m watching you. You ain’t doing anything else stupid while I’m around.”

“When have I ever done anything even remotely stupid?”

“Do you want me to answer honestly or do you want to owe me dinner as a tacit apology?”

There came a whistle from up front, and CyberSapiamon turned her head ninety-degrees to the side. “Look you two, keep it down on the flirting or I swear to god you’re walking.”

Kevin stuck his lower lip out, before flinching, feeling a slight twinge of energy scuttling over his neck. He glanced up, wincing slightly at the large warhead hovering just above the monkey’s back.

“So...just to be clear, this is like...a nuke, isn’t it?”

“Nah. Nukes are nice compared to that.”

“...is where I’m sitting particularly safe?”

“We’re under attack by the world’s deadliest worm on a string. Nothing’s particularly safe, I’m afraid.”

Kevin sucked his lips in, but CyberSapiamon put him out of his nerves before too long. “ Just don’t poke it too hard and there won’t be a problem.”

“CyberSapiamon, slow down.”

The monkey did so, her fingers clacking against the concrete as Owen sat up just slightly. The mirth had been brief, and welcomed despite the snark. But now Owen’s face was dead straight, his eyes scanning the abandoned buildings.

“I hear voices...”

He gestured to Kevin, and the two slid off CyberSapiamon’s back, letting her sit back. The missile bobbed back and forth as her head twisted, the movements precise and robotic as her ears let off an electromagnetic hum.

Owen stepped forwards, looking around while Kevin held out his fingers and thumbs in a half rectangle shape, curling them around the collapsed buildings.

“Brooke Road.”

“I’m sorry?”

The shorter man nudged his glasses to one side. “It has to be. There’s the triangle here.”

Owen nodded, before pointing to his right. “Which means the old Glitterbomb Pigeon is...or was...down there.”

CyberSapiamon’s head turned, and her eyes focused down the street. “Definitely got some voices going on...”

She crouched, curling her fingers up so only her palm pads were touching the scorched road. She crept forwards, following after the two men as they made their way down the empty street. And as they did so, they heard more and more.

“Cataclysm Corona.”

Trevor writhed, sucking air through his teeth as the waves of light shot over him. They were smaller than before, not even enough to burn the concrete below him as they lay in Sciamon’s outstretched palm. But even so, they were intensely bright, and the energy emanating from them burned into his face and arms, causing more of the skin to crack.

Sciamon pulled his hand back, and Trevor slumped again, held in place to the remnants of a bar stool by several ragged vines. Sciamon straightened up, closing his palm as the fiery light echoed around his armoured form. Trevor blinked, still seeing lights in his frazzled eyes. It took several minutes for his vision to return, and when it did, nothing had changed. Sciamon still took up the destroyed building. Alone, and unsupported in his endeavour, with all his crusaders having died or abandoned him.

All save one. Only Hoatzimon remained from Sciamon’s crusaders, and she was holding herself awkwardly, her left arm twisted and burnt from the previous assault. Every once in a while she glanced a look up at Sciamon, but he didn’t look down at her once. His breathing was broken; juddering noises that rattled throughout the burnt frame of the old music club.

“I hope you appreciate your nightmare.”

Trevor’s face twisted, and he glared up at the goliath before him.

“I’ve had worse than you could ever hope to put me through.”

“Then I’ll just have to try harder.”

Sciamon leant forwards again, his palm glowing as the lights emanated out. Trevor arched his back, feeling the heat searing into him. For a moment he could barely breathe, the air burning his throat as he felt Sciamon’s gaze digging into him. Then the giant’s hand shuddered again, and he pulled back, the palm steaming. Trevor fell forwards, taking more breaths. He hung there for several minutes, before glaring up through his mess of hair.

“That doesn’t look healthy for you either.”

The palm closed, pressing inwards with enough force to morph the metal. Sciamon straightened up. “It’s nothing for me.”

“Yeah...this whole thing is nothing for you, isn’t it...”

Trevor coughed, and pushed himself up, trying to keep his eyes open. “You want revenge, right? For every one of you who died because of me. Because Fenghuangmon chose me. A life for all your lives.” He ground his teeth. “If that’s right, then what are you waiting for? Kill me. I deserve this.”

“One life...”

Sciamon’s eye flashed, and he leant forwards, slamming his palm against the ground.

“You really think your life will pay even the tiniest bit for the lives we’ve lost? You think a simple death will solve that? Fenghuangmon...the ambassadors...they were fools! And they failed! This world will fall to the destroyer and all of you will die now. So your life is meaningless.”

His eye spiralled round and round as his voice cracked mechanically, underscored by a harsh tone.

“We don’t want your life. We want you to suffer. We want to hear you scream.”

“They...they weren’t fools.”

A hand touched the giant’s midriff, and he turned back, seeing Hoatzimon standing there. Her mask hung around her neck, tattered and torn from so many battles. Her face was now entirely visible, with the pockmarks and scars around her face.

“What are you talking about?”

“The ambassadors weren’t fools. Or naive or...or anything. They were trying to make a difference. I wanted to be making a difference. But this...” She looked back, all certainty gone from her voice.

“This pointless cruelty isn’t going to change anything now.”

Sciamon’s shoulders flattened, but his eyes still swirled dangerously brightly in his mask.

“Hoatzimon...”

“Let’s go, Sciamon. Please. There’s barely any of us left. Just...just end this already and try and find a way back to the digital world.” She raised a hand, holding her palm towards Trevor’s head as a faint haze played around her fingers. “I...I’ll do it myself if you want-“

“I didn’t ask for your OPINION!”

With a mechanical scream Sciamon’s body twisted round, his arm slamming into Hoatzimon’s body. She flew backwards, crashing into the wall as Trevor looked on in horror.

“Oh god!”

The bird slumped forwards, her shoulders shaking from the impact. “What...what was that for?”

“Silence!” bellowed Sciamon, holding out one juddering arm. “This is for us! This is justice! We can’t afford to back down now!”

“No!” yelled the bird, tears in her eyes. “We didn’t want any of it to get this far! We...I...didn’t want all my friends to die for this! What’s the point of any of this is there’s none of us left at the end of it?” She gritted her teeth, and a shaking hand. “I...I won’t do it. No more.”

Sciamon’s eyes darted around in his mask, watching Hoatzimon’s terrified stance. The giant swayed, energy balling around his palms.

“After...after all I did to be our salvation...you’re turning on me as well?”

“Ooh, dear, dissention in the ranks?”

Everyone of them turned round, eyes falling on the large robotic ape standing to one side. Even Trevor raised his head, his voice weak in his throat.

“Owen...no...”

Sciamon turned, steam venting from his body as his voice took on a dark tone.

“You...you’re the son...”

“And the lover, and the wacky smart-mouthed sidekick, but you know, I understand, we don’t count.”

CyberSapiamon ran a finger over the front of her mask. “Still...looks like things are all a bit aimless around here now. What do you say we call it a truce here; you hand over the arsehole, we take care of him, you find yourself somewhere safe. Sound fun?”

The humming sound from Sciamon’s torso implied that he really was in no mood to agree. Kevin folded his arms. “So, I...uh...don’t know how you do things normally but is it really a good idea to piss off the giant golem right now?”

Owen glanced sideways. “It’s a valid thought, but pissing off the enemy’s what we do best.”

“Exactamundo.” CyberSapiamon crouched down. “ It gets them riled up. Off their guard. Sloppy.”

Sciamon whirled round, his eyes blazing as he looked down at Trevor. “You haven’t suffered enough. But you will. You will feel the pain of a thousand deaths as your only son is incinerated before your very eyes!”

“NO!”

“Stardust Resonance!”

Sciamon lurched forwards, paying no heed to anybody around him as his fist was raised. But CyberSapiamon moved quickly, rearing up and clutching both the goliath’s wrists. The energy burst off over her head, causing her electronics to scramble momentarily, but she held him fast, headbutting him in the chest and twisting her limbs around to lock him in place. The metal creaked in her arms as she turned her head.

“Go! Get your dad out of here, quickly!”

Owen and Kevin rushed past CyberSapiamon and Sciamon as they skidded back and forth, locked together. The monkey was using her body to her advantage, wrapping around Sciamon’s limbs and getting in quick jabs and shots before he could get much power up. But there was a clear difference in strength, and Sciamon was pressing back, slowly but surely.

Trevor was wrestling against the bindings when Owen reached him, crouching down behind him and unravelling them himself. Trevor looked over his shoulder. “You shouldn’t be here. Save yourself.”

Owen furrowed his brow. “Have you been paying attention to anything I’ve been doing? I’m saving you!”

“I don’t deserve saving! Least of all by you.” Trevor looked aside. “I know you’re better off without me.”

“Oh for god’s sake!”

Owen stood up and wrenched his father’s shoulders towards him, staring into his eyes. “What the hell do you think this is gonna accomplish? For them, for you, or for me? Do you think you’re gonna make this better by just popping out of my life like this?”

Trevor flinched. “I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me anymore!”

“But I don’t want to lose you! No matter what you’ve done...I can’t lose you the same way I did mum. Just for you to disappear as well with me never knowing what happened!”

“Cataclysm Corona!”

The ground shook, as CyberSapiamon was driven back by a wave of energy, crashing into a wall. Sciamon turned around, reaching out with another glowing arm, but a barrage of light slammed into him as CyberSapiamon extended her mortar arm. She leapt forwards, grabbing onto his back as he swung back and forth.

“Hoatzimon, stop them!”

Trevor and Owen looked up at the bird woman, but she didn’t move, still winded from his initial blow. Sciamon shuddered, holding a glowing palm up against his rent mask.

“Pteroimon! Caesiumon! Anybody!”

Lights burst from between his armour plate, and scorched into CyberSapiamon’s skin. Trevor winced as the heat hit his own burned body, but all of a sudden the bindings were wrenched off him, and he pulled his hands out. Owen helped him up, supporting his father on his shoulder.

“You...you did all this...”

“It’s my job to save you, isn’t it? I always wanted to be a good person. Better than you were. Everything bad you’ve done, I’m ending it with me.” Owen’s eyes flicked up. “So if you really want to be a responsible and loving parent for once then for god’s sake don’t die on me now!”

Boom

CyberSapiamon crashed down again, and Sciamon turned, bringing his fist down against the ground. It cracked, but Trevor, Owen and Kevin just managed to stay together, rushing to one edge of the collapsed building. They ran forwards, but Sciamon stood in front of the exit, holding his arms out as his body vented light.

“I won’t let you escape your judgement! Not again!”

“Sure you will.” CyberSapiamon rushed forwards, standing in front of the three humans. Her body wasn’t moving as smoothly now, with the synthetic covering torn, and green and blackened patches over the white material. But she rolled her shoulders, her smart attitude still piercing through. “You’re gonna stand aside and forget this all ever happened. Do what your little flunkies have done and skedaddle.”

“I have a duty to your demises, traitor! Tell me why you’re so confident!”

“Because I wasn’t asking, dickhead.”

CyberSapiamon’s shoulders rolled forwards, and the missile rose up on her back, spinning in mid-air as her partner held the other two back. “This is coming your way in the next five seconds sealed with a sloppy French kiss, and you can either be in its way or not. But I’d recommend not. It’s painful.”

Sciamon paused, his eyes darting back and forth. Then he raised a palm.

“Solar-“

“Darkmatter Warhead!”

The missile shot forwards as CyberSapiamon leapt back, gathering the three tamers in her arms. Sciamon held his palms up, catching the front of the warhead as it spun forwards, blinking and whining as it did so. His palms melted from the intense energy, but he pumped more and more light into them, pressing the device sideways until it flew over his shoulder, crashing into the beam above.

The explosion rocked through the building, blasting the remaining pieces of wall away and sending Sciamon clattering sideways. Hoatzimon was lost in the rubble, desperately covering her head and torso with her ragged wings.

The debris flew around the impact zone, getting faster and faster. Then paused, held in mid-air by the magnetic wave, before shooting outwards, peppering the ground all around.

It was only seconds before the rubble shifted, Sciamon’s dented arm pulling himself outwards. His flames were still glowing, although molten metal was now dropping from between his armour plating. He let out a juddering cough, before his head turned sideways. Through the rubble and the dust, he could see CyberSapiamon’s disappearing form, with the three men clung to her back, no longer burdened by the hovering warhead.

“No...stop...somebody stop...them...”

Sciamon looked over his shoulder, but there was nobody left. Only Hoatzimon, half buried by the rubble, barely breathing. He was alone now.

For a moment he remained utterly frozen, his eyes boring into the ground below him.

Then, a rushing noise sounded from his chest, and he pulled out his other hand, the fires billowing out from within him once again.

“You won’t...get away...FROM ME!”

The explosion was still ringing in the humans’ ears as they clung tightly to CyberSapiamon’s back, as she clambered through the ruined streets as fast as she could. Kevin held a hand to his mouth, trying desperately not to be sick from all the juddering. Owen remained up front, shuffling forwards until he could call into his partner’s ear.

“Are you sure that was a good idea?”

“We’re focusing on speed and scarpering, not a long drawn out battle. It was my best card.”

Trevor gritted his teeth from his awkward position atop the monkey’s shoulder. “Even I’ve battled that monster. That won’t be enough to kill him.”

“And I should hope not. It really ain’t my style.”

There was an irritated garble of static as CyberSapiamon skidded around a corner, before she turned her head slightly.

“With any luck though it’ll be enough to immobilise him for a bit, give him pause for thought and the opportunity him give up on this fruitless quest for revenge and go upstate and start a farm and grow tomatoes.”

“That’s...optimistic.”

“I like to think the best of people. And I also like to think that people aren’t stupid and aren’t gonna come after us merely out of a sense of spite.”

“Cataclysm Corona!”

Kevin whirled around, nearly losing his glasses in the process. “Big death blast incoming! Turn! Now!”

The monkey didn’t need any encouragement; she shot over a fence and veered dangerously sideways as the blast of fire rushed through the broken street behind her. Owen and Trevor held on tightly, but Kevin slipped on the monkey’s back and ended up clinging on for dear life, and facing the wrong way. He looked up, and winced.

“Er...what was that about thinking the best of people?”

“As you might have gathered I am a bit of a fucking moron in that regard.”

“I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL!”

“Aye fuck...hold on...”

Another wave of flame rocketed towards them and CyberSapiamon lunged over a low wall mere seconds before it was blasted away, and promptly run over by Sciamon’s rampaging form. The giant was swinging his arms, his single wheel digging into the ground and acting as a dynamo that charged up his internal flames. Fire burst from the top of his head as his eyes trembled within the furious eyes of his mask.

Kevin bounced up and down on CyberSapiamon’s rear half, shuffling backwards and not daring to let go even for a microsecond. “He’s gaining on us!”

“I figured that!”

“Seriously, he’s going to catch us!”

“Situation still the same up on the bridge, you utter kumquat! I’m working on it!”

Trevor held his head down, biting his own lip hard enough to leave an imprint. “This is all my fault...you should never have come for me...”

“Oh for the love of fuck!If you’re all gonna backseat drive can you at least try and come up with something even SLIGHTLY constructive?”

Owen’s hands gripped the ape’s head, turning it forwards. “Look out in front!”

CyberSapiamon’s eyes refocused too late, and she crashed into a chainlink fence in front of her, sending her sprawling into the area beyond; an abandoned construction site, with only the foundations of the building in place. She scrambled against the dirt, but her momentum caught the best of her and she flattened herself down, taking care to skid rather than roll. At least for the majority of the motion, but when she came to a halt she tilted sideways and promptly tipped all three of her passengers off with a thud.

“GO! Get to cover, all of you!”

Owen looked up at her, but Kevin grabbed his arm and pulled him back, heading towards one of the temporary cabins. CyberSapiamon twisted round, feeling the rumble beneath her feet as Sciamon rushed towards her, sending shards of rubble up behind him.

The monkey wasted no time at all; she swung her arm round as the extended barrel followed it, the end already crackling with white energy.

“Orbital Mortar!”

Pellets shot from the end of the barrel, slamming into Sciamon’s chest and arms as he swung them around. Flecks of molten metal flew away, but it did nothing to stop his furious momentum. CyberSapiamon fired again and again, each blast at a closer range, causing larger and larger wounds, but it wasn’t enough even to begin to slow him before he was upon her, his palm outstretched and glittering with red light.

“STARDUST RESONANCE!”

The hand slammed into her, buckling the barrel and sending her skidding backwards. She pulled it backwards already sprinting to the right, trying to lead the goliath away, but his eyes were on her in a moment. He brought his hand down, swinging round and launching himself into the air, the wheel unravelling back into the iron pillar as it swung for her head like a meteor.

“Solar Nexus!”

It was a brutal hit, crashing into the side of her head. A garbled electronic scream erupted outwards, piercing far and wide. Owen skidded to a stop, turning around as he saw the ape descend, her head smoking. Sciamon pulled his arm back, opening and closing his smoking palm, before twisting around, his burning eyes staring into the distance.

“You won’t get away! None of you! You’ll all burn in the flames of judgement-“

“Oh...wWWwwould you just KNOCK IT OFF already you COLOSSAL bBBBlowhard!”

There was a flash of white and black, and CyberSapiamon was stood up again, standing between Sciamon and the escaping humans. She raised one fist, the barrel swinging around again, more loosely this time, but still humming with energy.

“You ain’t done with me yet. I can do this all day.”

“ Even now, the traitor stands...”

“Orbital Mortar!”

“Cataclysm Corona!”

Flame and lightning collided, the impacts rupturing the air even at this distance. Owen hissed beneath his breath, and he turned on his heels, but a hand wrapped itself around his wrist. It was his father, holding tightly, his eyes boring into Owen’s.

“She’s buying us time. We have to go.”

“No. You have to go.” Owen wriggled his wrist out, looking over at Kevin. “Get him out of here, please, I’ll be back.”

“Owen!”

Trevor held his breath, held in Kevin’s grip as he stared helplessly at his son. “I can’t lose you too...”

Owen looked down at his feet, his D-SEND held tightly in his hand. When he looked up, his gaze was stone-like.

“And I can’t lose her...”

He ran as fast as he could, his father reaching out for him, but Kevin held him tightly, staying steadfast as he watched Owen himself.

“Go get him...”

“Stardust Resonance!”

Sciamon’s brutal fist slammed forwards, glancing off CyberSapiamon’s chin and burying into her shoulder with a crunch. The monkey spun backwards, and Sciamon swept his arms aside, laying her to the ground.

“I can’t believe you...you ever chose to fight for this world! These people?”

He reached down, and CyberSapiamon locked her hands around his arm, but he tilted back, blasting her with a wave of light.

“They are selfish! They are greedy! Violent! They only care for themselves and will kill any of us who aren’t like them”

CyberSapiamon ducked, backing away as she turned three more devastating attacks into glancing ones, but she was slowing desperately now, and her body was a mass of cracked polymer and traipsing wires, stained red and green. She misjudged a blow, and Sciamon’s fist slammed into the side of her mask, causing her to unleash a static scream and fall to her elbows.

“They don’t deserve this world! They don’t deserve to live!”

“Hah...”

The monkey convulsed, retching up several snapped wires in a puddle of acid green liquid. When she looked up, she could barely even focus on Sciamon, her mask buckled and sparking from so many repeated hits. But she spoke nonetheless, holding her own.

“I won’t deny there are shitheads here. But tell me something, Sciamon, oh Great Crusader; how many of them actually came after you yourself before you decided to declare war?”

Sciamon straightened up, steam venting from his torso. “I have fought tirelessly for the rights of all our brethren-“

“Oh give me a fucking break,” coughed the monkey, holding a palm against the ground as she tried to push herself up. “You haven’t fought for shit. You only turned up because Digimon were angry, and you turned them into your own personal army. How many of these big bad terrible humans actually came after you, huh? Where have you ever suffered? But for some reason it’s your divine right to declare war on a whole other world. A war that you’ve barely even fought.”

Sciamon’s eyes spiralled furiously, and he rocked backwards, pressing his fists together with enough pressure to make the knuckle joints pop out. CyberSapiamon reared up, focusing entirely on the giant before her. Neither of them saw Owen, running forwards, D-SEND glowing brightly in his hand as he tried to think of something – anything – he could do.

“You’re the one who’s selfish, Sciamon. You’ve only ever fought for your own satisfaction, using everyone around you as justification. But they’re all gone now, aren’t they? You’re all that’s left. And you fucking sicken me.”

“HOW DARE YOU!”

Sciamon’s whole body spun around, striking CyberSapiamon in the shoulder. She collapsed sideways, her eye darting around as she raised an arm to defend herself. But her eye flicked back, shrinking to a pinprick as she saw Owen mere metres away, staring up in horror.

“What are you-“

“YOU!”

Sciamon’s head snapped around as fire burst from his eyes, and before Owen could move he was turning around, flames balled around his fist as it swung towards the tamer like a meteor.

“Stardust Resonance!”

“Orbital Mortar!”

It wasn’t even a ranged shot. CyberSapiamon lunged forwards, swinging her arm round as light exploded from the end of the barrel. It struck Sciamon in the neck, and the energy burst out, tracing over the joints in his body and melding with his own flames as he struck the ground.

The explosion sent him reeling, crashing down to the ground. But the impact still burst outwards, catching CyberSapiamon and Owen and throwing them away. Owen felt the heat hit him like a train, and he was lifted up, weightless for a second, before crashing down right onto the square of his back.

Pain. White light. A sudden ringing in his ears, and a warm, sticky feeling at the back of his head. Owen became aware of his own breathing, and his heartbeat, pounding around his chest. The world around him was still just a fuzz though; formless and shapeless. Then he heard foggy voices, and felt more blasts of heat, and suddenly he was looking up at a face. CyberSapiamon’s face. Or at least what was left of it, as she crouched over him, her broken body curled around as Sciamon sent blasts of flames towards the both of them.

“You...are a god....dd...dDamn...moron...why...did-d-dn’t you...Run...”

Owen tried to speak. But for a moment his mouth wasn’t forming any words. The pain was sharp now, in his chest, his back, his head; distracting him. Beckoning him into unconsciousness. If that happened he knew he’d never have the chance to wake up. Not here. Not now.

And one look at his partner showed she was the same way, as whole plates and wires fell away from her, revealing red-raw flesh beneath. The mask had all but disintegrated, and he could see her eyes staring into his, unwaveringly human.

“I’ve...been the same...as him...”

He reached up, his arm feeling heavy, and trickling with blood.

“You...you’ve been fighting my...battles on your...own...all this time...” He let out a long breath. “Since...we first met...”

“Owen...you dipstick...” CyberSapiamon’s head fell forwards. “ You’re my bbbbest f...f...friend...I owe...it to yYyyYou...”

“...not as much as I owe you...”

A shadow slowly raised over them, as Sciamon’s body stood to his full height; bruised and battered himself, but still an engine of death. Owen beckoned his partner closer.

“Let me fight them with you for once...let me...face up to my...problems...on my own...no matter how hard...or how painful...it’s my responsibility...”

“...why not...both of us...”

Owen grinned, sitting up even as his back screamed at him. CyberSapiamon leant forwards, green particles of data shimmering over her body as she closed her eyes.

“Sure.”

Sciamon sung lazily above them, eyes blank with fury as he held his arms up. He didn’t see the movements before him, as Owen placed a hand on CyberSapiamon’s forehead. He didn’t see the green lights traverse up the young man’s arm, and meld with the sparking and ravaged armour over the ape’s body. Nor did he see the lights spread out on the ground below them, etching a pattern into the concrete, like that of a circuit board, or a galaxy.

He only saw the enemy.

He’d only ever seen the enemy.

“Stardust...RESONANCE!”

The fist came down into the small of CyberSapiamon’s back, and the explosion rang out across the construction site.

It was a killer blow, disintegrating her form in seconds and forming a blast front that reached even out to Kevin and Trevor, as they watched helplessly. Sciamon himself was lifted off his pedestal, and rolled backwards, skidding against the ground. For a second he looked at his own palm, but the power had been swept away. It was no longer glowing. In fact it was practically cold.

But the shockwaves were still bursting out, and as he looked up, he saw the remnants of the monkey’s Ultimate form drifting away, leaving the athletic body of Sapiamon. And then further again, until Simeamon hung in mid-air, arms outstretched as beams of light strafed the earth and sky around her. And beside her, arms also wide, Owen hung in the pool of light as well. Their eyes were glowing as they stared out, calling to the heavens.

“Soul Coalescence!”

The beams dug into the ground, engraving symbols and sigyls all around, rising up into little structures of light, which built on top of each other; a 3D construct of energy, passing information far and wide. They stabbed into Sciamon, and soon he found himself forced away again, the lights curling up and forming a shuttle around the tamer and their partner.

And further still, the lights reaching Owen’s father and boyfriend, and crawling up their own bodies, lifting them up into the air as they stared in awe and terror at the fortress emerging around them.

“Evolution Activate!”

The battlefield roared; a thousand pinpoints of light scratching over the area, and glowing brighter and brighter by the minute. Soon the ground could take no more; it cracked, and the rubble rose into the air along with the entire structure as it folded and morphed and collapsed and shone from the very centre, as Owen and Simeamon were lost in the miraculous display.

And they collapsed faster, the humming reaching an unbearable level and then.

Silence.

Stars.

Owen opened his eyes, watching the galaxy swirling around him. Comets lighting up the night sky, stars expanding and collapsing and reforming, a universe in flux. He seemed to be floating in the midst of it; separated from the beautiful and terrifying beyond, yet also one with it, each movement of his fingers pulling the stars one by one.

Then, more lights. Larger this time, fixed in clusters, blinking on until they illuminated another area, superimposed over the void. Owen stared, trying to blink, but he couldn’t seem to do so. He seemed to be in some kind of vast, futuristic control room; blinking panels lining the walls, tubes and cable looms running in and out of the walls, and a vast screen looking out the front, lined in chrome and ringed with little lights. And in the middle of the control room he could see Kevin, and his father, standing up shakily and looking around, just as confused as he was.

Kevin turned towards him, and made to wave, but he held his hand back, his eyes wide behind his glasses.

“Woah...”

“Do you reckon we’ve been picked up by someth-“ started Owen, but he paused, not recognising the sound of his own voice. Kevin was still staring at him, and now his father had turned around, his own expression utterly stunned. Owen held out his hand, and saw it for the first time; dark and glistening with green energy, as if formed from solid starlight. He looked down at his body, which all seemed to be the same.

“Feels good, doesn’t it.”

Owen looked sideways, and saw Simeamon standing beside him, hovering in the same void. Only...not her. Not quite. The same size, shape and cheeky smile he’d recognise anywhere, but she too was made of starlight, no longer confined by her padded spacesuit. Her short hair waved behind her as she winked at him. “I guess we’re doing this together after all.”

“Did...we...just do what Grace and Jack did? Did we evolve together?”

“Must have. Kind of.”

“...I didn’t expect it to be like this, to be frank...”

“Oh, haven’t you looked outside yet?” Simeamon’s astral form grinned wickedly, and she pointed to the edge of the control room. “ You are in for a treat...”

Owen held his hands out, feeling the stars moving with them. No...that was something else. Something else was moving under his control. Something powerful. Something big...

“Oh hell yeah...”

On the ground outside, Sciamon pushed himself up, flames spurting from around him as he stared around him. Dust and lights fell over the ground. The sound of whirring filled the air. Sciamon looked down. Looked behind him.

And for the first time in a very long time, he looked up.

The Digimon unfolded in front of him, straightening up and growing taller and taller, far surpassing even the height of the three storey building half built behind her. Flawless armour, white and silver, lined with pink, studded with panels and bright green lights over her entire body. A fortress concealing a whole battalion of armaments and defences. She held her arms out, the fingers on the gauntlets rolling as the pipes beneath pulsed with green energy. As she did so, a second set of arms unfurled from her back, tipped with two plasma cannons that hummed menacingly. Her chest was tinted glass, and as Sciamon stared he could see the control room even at this distance, with Kevin and Trevor held safely inside, and behind them, the void providing the power to the vast mech, with Simeamon and Owen’s shadows moving in unison.

The Digimon raised her head, her face fully armoured and looking vaguely simian, with a large black screen instead of the face. But that was blinking, code scrawling across it as the Digimon brought her hands together. She clasped her hands, curling one around the fist of the other, and gripping with a click. Her screen burst into life, revealing a cheeky >83 emoticon that blinked back and forth. She moved, and a roar of static burst into the sky, before it faded, and she spoke with both Owen’s and Simeamon’s voices as they synchronised as one.

“NeoSapiamon!”

Sciamon stared for a few seconds. Then he straightened up himself, his pillar extending to his own full height; not quite as tall as the new Digimon, but not far off. His flames burned with fury and passion, but his voice was almost soft.

“How could you...”

A scream rung out from his fist as he drew it back, energy swimming around the knuckles.

“How could you do this to yourself? Stardust Resonance!”

The golem swung forwards as NeoSapiamon raised an arm. His fist struck her square on, the force blasting her back despite her vastly bigger size, and sending her skidded along the ground for several metres. Her base lifted, a blast of stardust re-righting her body. She held her palm back, watching it let off smoke as the metal cracked from the heat. But Sciamon wasn’t finished; he held both palms out, venting flames from the ends of both hands.

“How could you ruin what you are for these people? These demons! That demon there, and his son and all his kin!” Sciamon’s face was alight as flames traced over the intricacies of his mask. “This world belongs tothose who would respect it!”

NeoSapiamon closed her damaged gauntlet, and straightened up, blue flames pouring from the base of her body as she rose to just a few feet off the ground.

“You know what? I’ve had enough of you and your holier-than-thou bullshit.”

She spread her main arms, the lights dancing along their length. “If you want to spout your same ramblings again and again then you’d better fucking hold me down and make me listen.”

Sciamon rushed forwards, spinning as his arms formed a bright ring around him, but the mech dodged sideways, catching his blow once again and setting him off balance. She spun, and one of her secondary arms swung forwards, blasting Sciamon with a pulse of light. He staggered back, and she followed suit, her main right arm swinging at him and punching him in the face.

“’Cause if you take all your fancy words and claims of righteousness and shit away, all that’s left is you.”

She swung again and again, driving Sciamon backwards as her gauntlets buckled his body, his mask, his arms. He ducked and went for an uppercut, but she rose up, tilting to reveal the blazing barrels beneath her and roasting him in the chest with the energy blast. Sciamon went down, and NeoSapiamon followed suit, crashing back down to earth.

“And all you really wanna do is rule the world, am I right?”

“SHUT UP! STARDUST RESONANCE!”

He swung, and NeoSapiamon swung back, the two fists clanging into one another with a devastating sound that rang out all around. Sciamon sent his fists forwards in a driving flurry, but NeoSapiamon was matching him with every single one. Deep within her body, Owen and Simeamon moved in fluid unison, while their two passengers clung on, trying not to fall over even as the control room tilted to counteract the mech’s movements.

Trevor stared out, and saw Sciamon’s head rise up, eyes blazing as he powered into the air, aiming for the main window.

“WHY DO YOU STILL PROTECT THAT MAN?”

Trevor flinched, and before he could stop himself he looked back at the void, trying to make out Simeamon’s expression. Or his son’s. But while they were hidden in the darkness, their voices came through as one, more balanced than ever.

“Because it’s who we are.”

NeoSapiamon thrust her hands together, clamping Sciamon’s punch in front of her. She pushed outwards, and both plasma cannons unravelled, shooting Sciamon in the chest and causing him to stagger backwards.

“You think we don’t know this world is full of shit?”

Sciamon growled, and he compressed his pillar leg, steam venting outwards as he launched himself high, his body shielded in bright fire.

NeoSapiamon spun around, and held out a single palm. Branches sprung out from her forearm, and bolts of green and blue energy darted between the prongs as the hole in the centre of her palm blazed with a bright light. She raised her other arm, holding the weapon steady as she braced for Sciamon’s descent.

“That’s why it’s so important to be kind.”

“SOLAR NEXUS!”

“Tetragon Laser!”

A bright green beam burst forth from NeoSapiamon’s hand, wide and radiant, blasting her backwards with its sheer power. The beam struck Sciamon, instantly sending him flying backwards as his armoured body was punctured and rent away. He flew several blocks wide, flailing helplessly in the sky, before crashing down in the middle of the road, letting off a cloud of data and a small shockwave. NeoSapiamon’s screen changed to a wincing expression, and she shook out her smoking gauntlet.

“Game and set, motherfucker.”

She held her arms out, preparing to take to the sky once again.

And she shuddered, hearing the scream and feeling the blast front from far, far across the ocean.

They felt it. Everybody felt it. The sudden pull and push of wind. The dreadful static. It reached out towards the remains of the laboratory, and up to the north amongst the first of the leaving transporters. Every tamer. Every Digimon. They all looked up.

And closer than all of them, NeoSapiamon raised her head, seeing the shooting stars arcing across the sky.

Victory is relative. And when the battlefield spans an entire city, and further, all the way out past the coast, the scale of those victories becomes that much smaller.

Far out to sea, Eosmon had found herself staring in utter horrified shock at HelMidgarmon’s wound, and the man still suspended within. She reached out, her gaze meeting with his as she tried to burrow inside.

Alasdair closed his eyes. And the air itself began to shake.

“Get out of there!”

Eosmon looked up as the leviathan juddered above her, lightning darting out along the circumference of his ribcage. She curled her body round and shot backwards, firing blasts of light to counter the barrage of lightning bolts that were now headed towards her.

With a great flap of her wings she pulled herself out of the line of fire, but HelMidgarmon was advancing once again, his eyes spinning in his sockets as he focused down towards her.

“It...it just can’t be...”

“Spiral Driver!”

A crimson spear shot forwards, striking HelMidgarmon between the eyes. The crater spread out, cracks forming in the crystal, but Ouranomon was forced back from the impact, his wings flapping unevenly. Although only for a second. He hunched his shoulders, his piercing green eyes glaring forwards.

“No-one...touches...my...friends!”

He swung around, accentuating each word with another accelerated kick to HelMidgarmon’s head, but he could only get off a few before the dragon bellowed, the sheer force of his voice sending the sky warrior flailing around. He spun, balling wind in his hands as he prepared to send another spear, but he turned so tightly that he was too late to stop himself flying directly into the lightning spear heading his way.

At the last second he ducked, but the energy cracked over his back, locking his wings in place. It burrowed beneath his armour, and his eyes widened, feeling a mixture of pain and fear that held him in a grip of paralysis. The winds still gathered round him, turning him around in mid-air.

And as they did so, he found himself directly in front of HelMidgarmon’s face.

The dragon had changed. Something had happened. His eyes were wider than ever, and the pupils had narrowed down to savage dots, quivering in the bone-white ocean. In fact HelMidgarmon was quivering all over, bolts travelling across his crystal skin. His face may have been utterly inhuman, but there was no mistaking that expression.

Rage.

And as the lights crawled over the rock and bone and burrowed into the leviathan’s mouth, letting off ever-increasing screams, Ouranomon realised that all that rage was about to be released straight at him.

He struggled, but his body didn’t listen. That same pain, even now, only all over his body, and the more he tried to move the more it stabbed through him, locking him in place, a sitting target as the leviathan raised his head and revealed the black and green maelstrom gathering within itself, an energy so vast that it was piercing through the crystal and bone in geysers, reaching breaking point-

“JACK, MOVE!”

Ouranomon screamed as Astraeusmon slammed into him, pulling him from the eye of the storm a split second before it broke.

A shockwave burst outwards, temporarily silencing the sky. Astraeusmon and Ouranomon were sent reeling, the explosive impact jarring through their bones and whiting out their senses. Even Eosmon was hit, screaming as she was thrown backwards, trailing feathers behind her. They could do nothing to stop themselves from falling, only able to glance up and see HelMidgarmon suspended in space, a spiralling trail of light emanating from his mouth.

The three warriors pulled themselves upright, turning in unison, in horror, as they watched the trail streak through the sky...

...straight towards the town.

Sciamon coughed as he pushed himself up, dropping segments of armour and droplets of molten metal. He wheezed, and beat at his neck, his voice seizing up from the intense blow.

“I...c-c-can’t...I won’t be...I won’t fall like this-s-s-sss...”

He stared up, his eyes blinking as he scanned the sky.

There were stars here. All around him. Spiralling in a great helix that beamed down, scrawling along the road and over buildings not too far away.

He heard a rush of energy, and saw NeoSapiamon, rising up over the horizon as her head turned towards him. She tilted forwards, holding out a palm, her face utterly blank. Sciamon smiled inwardly.

“Even...now...you can’t...stop...s-s-stop... ”

He raised his own hand, but it didn’t listen to him. None of his body was listening. And all of a sudden he realised he felt something he’d never felt before. Cold. Numb. Weightless. Literally; his body was rising off the ground, utterly helpless to move. All around him, loose items. Brickwork. Aerials. Chimneys. Cars. With a rush, one building was torn from its foundations. And as he looked up he realised that NeoSapiamon was rushing towards him not to attack him, but to grab him. To pull him away from...from...

Sciamon floated sideways, and saw the source. A brilliant, perfect vortex of stars before him, growing brighter and brighter. An endless galaxy. A void of peace. He reached out, all fury, all emotion, all feeling just...vanished.

“My...s-s-saviour...”

The galaxy fluttered, sending a rush of green down all the stars. They sped past him, and burrowed into the ground, sealing the vortex entirely. A section of world, enraptured, enlightened, purified...

And a voice; soft, and calm, and final.

“Photon Quiet.”

HelMidgarmon’s body convulsed, and his head opened up, releasing a storm of light, rushing down the vortex. Eosmon shielded her eyes. Astraeusmon covered his ears. Ouranomon just stared, hovering up and down. And even at the considerable distance, they all felt the wind slam into them, and the heat sear their skin, and their hearts sank at the knowledge that there was nothing they could do.

NeoSapiamon hadn’t even made it halfway before the beam hit, striking the ground like a meteorite. The world instantly went white, with her circuits screeching in pain and the people inside her chest throwing themselves to the ground, covering themselves from the blast radius and the horrendous roar as it reached far and wide. The beam was silent, yet deafening; carving into the earth accompanied by the screams of hundreds – thousands – all around, as the earth itself was torn asunder by the holy storm.

And in the epicentre, Sciamon hung in space, feeling the pain of a thousand suns as his armour, his mechanisms; even his very flames themselves were torn into particles, along with everything else the shooting stars had encased. He raised his head, and screamed one final, desperate cry.

But there was no sound. And within moments he was lost in the void.

The beam disappeared as quickly as it had come, leaving only a faint haze, and a terrible pressure on everyone around. NeoSapiamon unfurled herself, her body twitching and sparking from the sudden rush of energy. Deep within, Owen and Simeamon looked at one another. They didn’t need to say a word; they just raised their arms, and flew up, fire blasting from beneath the mech as she went high, past the rooftops, into the low clouds. And there she looked down.

It had been impossibly precise. A single line straight into the ground, with the residual damage from the shockwave blowing the surrounding buildings flat. A trail of devastation, and then there, in the centre, right at the point of impact-

Nothing.

There was nothing left.

A trace of scorched grey rock, leading back out to sea, as if it had been gouged out by some cosmic hand. There were spots here and there. The remnants of cables and pipes, and building foundations, now falling down where there was nothing left to support them. Aside from that...nothing. No matter. No life. Not a speck of dust or a wisp of data.

Trevor’s eyes were wide as he looked down, holding his hands against the screen in front of him.

“This...this thing...it’s really going to destroy the world...”

“No! Not on my watch!”

NeoSapiamon burst into life, spinning on the spot and facing out along the length of the scar; out to where HelMidgarmon was hovering almost motionless in the sky. Trevor and Kevin held on tight as the control room burst to life around them, data flying across the screens and lights flickering on and on. And they held even tighter, feeling the acceleration hit them as NeoSapiamon tilted upwards. He base opened up, booster rockets bursting out as she rushed forwards, faster than ever, towards the deadly leviathan beyond.

“This world isn’t gonna die today!”

HelMidgarmon hissed, specks of light pouring from his mouth as he stared forwards with blank eyes. Smoke poured from the cracks in his crystal; residue from the amount of energy he had just expelled.

Not that any of the three warriors could do anything to respond. They could only watch, completely stunned by the outburst. Even as HelMidgarmon’s great body began to shift and creak, energy reconvening within the great vessel, they could barely even stand upright.

Ouranomon held his fists up, but they blurred in front of him, and he realised that his wings were ragged from the lone bombardment. He watched as HelMidgarmon’s eyes moved towards him, the lightning gathering again around the beast’s maw. Ouranomon clenched his fists, trying to muster up a whirlwind around them, but his body wasn’t responding the way he wanted it to.

He thrust his arms forwards, but the winds were weak, not even reaching HelMidgarmon. Still, somehow, they got his attention, and the giant turned towards him, the lights forming a vortex around his head as the tendrils moved up and down, driving him forwards.

“Tetragon Laser!”

A blast of green light struck HelMidgarmon in the jowl, and he tilted sideways, his movements disrupted by the attack. Ouranomon looked sideways, seeing the vague silhouette in the distance, getting closer, louder

And then it rushed into view, revealing NeoSapiamon’s full majesty as she flew straight in, fist raised. She slammed it into the side of HelMidgarmon’s head, her immense size and power forcing him sideways even more.

The dragon screeched. His tendrils lashed out, striking her armour plating, lightning dancing over her body. But she hit him again and again, her fists shifting him back and forth, interspersed with blasts from her plasma cannons. The display was relentless. Desperate as well.

HelMidgarmon tilted up, releasing a cloud of green crystals that smothered the mech, forcing her backwards. She swiped left and right, her electronics sparking and her armour being swallowed away by the miniature swarm. And HelMidgarmon reared up, building lightning once again.

“Chaos...QUETZAL!”

A blast of energy shot forwards from behind the sky warrior, slamming into HelMidgarmon’s maw. It coiled around, bursting out from his eye sockets and thrusting him back again. Ouranomon turned, seeing Astraeusmon and Eosmon holding their hands, their palms outstretched from the attack. They were exhausted as well, the blast having all but taken them out. But they were still fighting.

Ouranomon took in a breath of his own, and clasped his hands together, before throwing them outwards.

“Vacuum Rend!”

It was a chaotic rush of air, but it spread wide, forcing HelMidgarmon back all the more. The dragon’s body lashed back and forth, and his eyes remained staring forwards as more and more energy burst out in waves. But one at a time, the Mega levels attacked, driving him back, interrupting him every time. They had to keep going. They couldn’t let him strike again. Not like that. Not something of that amount of power.

“Elysian Pulsar!”

“Shadow Nova!”

“Stratus Bolt!”

The attacks were getting weaker. HelMidgarmon was moving back less and less. He opened his mouth wide, and they saw inside, seeing the lighting and the crystal pulse, ready to spread out. The shockwave hit them first, sending them all off balance.

But as they fell, NeoSapiamon rose up, holding her arms wide. Green energy pulsed from deep within her, and all over her body, panels and doorways opened up, revealing vents and barrels and chambers, all glowing with the same intense light, as her screen focused on the dragon’s before her.

“Independance Day!”

Her body lurched back, as a maelstrom of armaments blasted outwards from all over her body. They spread out, before locking on, converging on the beast’s body in front of her. They all struck at once, and the sky was set alight by a barrage of colour and noise. Lasers strafed the sky and fire fell earthwards and a volley of explosions trailed over HelMidgarmon’s head, all accompanied by a desperate scream of pain.

NeoSapiamon dropped down slightly, her arms drooping beneath her as she stared forwards into the cloud of lights.

The silhouette still remained. Of course it did.

And as the dust cleared, she found herself staring into HelMidgarmon’s eyes. Shuddering a little. Held in a battered and all but broken head. But still staring.

She held her arms up, and the three other warriors gathered around her, holding ground even now, even after all this.

And then the lightning dissipated. The green glow faded away. And the four warriors watched as HelMidgarmon tilted away, undulating as he flew back out to sea. They held their position as long as they dared, right until the beast had fully turned away, his tail swinging up and down through the air.

But soon they couldn’t even hold that position, dropping down as suddenly it became all they could do just to stay aloft.

Ouranomon looked up, nodding at NeoSapiamon. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“Is it any good thanking me?” NeoSapiamon stared forwards, the digital eyes on her screen taking on a distant expression. “ We weren’t even close.”

“You’re wrong.”

Ouranomon clasped his hands, before spreading his arms out, riding the wind as he watched the dragon’s disappearing form.

“We can damage him. There’s a way we can win after all.”

It was a small proclamation. Barely anything to celebrate. But, for the four warriors hovering in the sky, it provided just a little moment of solace.

Astraeusmon pulled his arms in, wincing as he ran his hands over his pockmarked skin.

“Why did he stop though? He could have ended us all right here?”

There came a nervous noise from Eosmon behind him, and he turned around, watching as she twisted her spear in her hand.

“I think I have an idea why...”

She looked up, her expression stern.

“Why doesn’t matter right now. We have a window of time before he comes back around. And right now, we need that time to recover.”

They saw the damage as they flew back over the city. NeoSapiamon looked ahead, leading the way and trying to remain calm and collected. But her advanced senses couldn’t help but hear the silence from the three behind her, as they witnessed the sheer extent of the devastation from HelMidgarmon’s single attack. She just kept flying forwards, her screen utterly blank. There was nothing she could say.

Within her chest, Trevor looked down, seeing the scars in the ground and the lacerations all around. His eyes were wide, and unblinking.

“This...this is...”

He turned back, trying to make out his son through the dark void, but Owen’s figure was nigh invisible. Just moving forwards as always, with his partner by his side. Neither of them said a word.

The four Mega levels carried on, flying in silence until they reached the edge of the town. The transporter lorries were in full swing now, with over half the populace now on their way further inland. Many of them were slightly shocked to see the giant mechanical monkey tilt upwards and slowly descend just a couple of blocks away from them. It was a reaction that NeoSapiamon was only too happy to oblige with a quick salute and a cheeky wink, before the armour dissipated and Kevin, Trevor, Simeamon and Owen stumbled out, hidden from the others. Kevin immediately rushed towards Owen, and the two embraced, hands clawing at one another.

“I can’t tell whether you’re wonderful or the worst, you know.”

Owen shrugged. “We’re all alive, aren’t we? You’ve got plenty of time to make up your mind.”

Kevin laughed, but refused to let go, even as Owen’s legs began to tremble with pins and needles. Simeamon was the one to break them up as she gave her neck a painful-sounding crack and rolled her fingers.

“I’ll take your rounds of applause now or you can all owe me ice cream for later, but I want pistachio or nothing and in fact y’all can owe me ice cream anyway.”

Owen pulled back, and pointed a finger directly at his partner’s forehead. “You are getting more pistachio ice cream than you can handle because that was fucking awesome.”

“Hell yes.” Simeamon grinned, as she holstered her laser. “I mean save for the nearly getting beaten to death or vaporised but still hell yes.”

As the young man and the monkey shared fistbumps and hugs, Kai and Jack re-materialised just a few metres away, looking decidedly more worse for wear. Perimon hovered just above, sporting two black eyes and several patches of missing feathers; even the normal healing via de-evolution hadn’t completely patched things up. He cooed in an exhausted manner, and draped himself over Jack’s shoulders. The boy reached up, holding a palm against the bird’s cheek.

“We did alright.”

Perimon’s eyes flicked down, and Jack couldn’t help but flinch as he saw the hurt and the pain deep within them.

“How was that ‘alright’? We barely stopped him. Heck, we didn’t stop him.”

“We survived, didn’t we?” Jack let out a long breath, his expression oddly blank. “That has to be good enough for now. We can try again. And again, and again...”

“As many times as it takes?”

“If you’re with me.”

Perimon straightened up, pressing the two halves of his beak together. “I’m always with you, dude.”

Kai watched as the two walked away, taking some time to themselves for moral support. The man leant over, running his hands over his waist. His body hurt; not just fatigue, but the remnants of HelMidgarmon’s attacks as well, the pain still eating into him even now.

“I really think we’re gonna need everyone on board for this, right, Eloise?”

He turned around, and looked up, seeing Eosmon hovering just above him. He straightened up. “We’re going to need to save our strength. Shouldn’t you devolve for now?”

Eosmon turned her head, before hovering down, her golden tail snaking over the ground as she leant forwards. “I saw Alasdair up there, Kai.”

The tamer’s eyes widened. “You’re...you’re kidding...”

“I’m not. I swear I saw him. He was alive, or...he was moving, at least.”

Colchimon looked behind him, at Owen, and at Jack. “And you didn’t want to tell the others...”

“Because I don’t know what to do myself.” Eosmon’s hands curled over her spear. “This is going to sound awful but...if he was really, truly gone, then all we’d have to worry about would be HelMidgarmon.”

Kai placed his hands in his pockets. “But he’s not. And so we need to come up with something. That’s what you’re gonna say, isn’t it.”

Eosmon nodded. “I need to let Kent know when he arrives. And Salma. And everyone soon enough. But first I need to find Lonnie.”

“Lonnie...” Kai’s eyes were grave, not meeting Eosmon’s face. “You know she hasn’t given up on him. When you tell her she will go and try and rescue him herself.”

“She knows him better than any of us.” The angel straightened up. “She needs to be the one to make that decision. So she needs to be the first one to know.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“I’m not sure about anything. But I know what I feel is right.”

Even as she said the words her expression seemed pained. Kai and Colchimon looked at one another, before nodding in unison. “Go and find her. We’ll let the others know.”

“Thank you.”

Eosmon reached forwards, and Kai and Colchimon hugged her, feeling the warm light against their bodies. Kai pulled back, holding his palms on her shoulders.

“I’m with you, you know. If there’s any chance we can save him, we need to try.”

Eosmon nodded, not saying anything for fear of not sounding convincing. She spread her wings, and hovered up several feet, before disappearing over the rooftops, and leaving the boy and the black dragon on their own. Colchimon rested on Kai’s shoulders, trying to be a supportive presence, but Kai was already lost in his own thoughts.

With no partner or companion of his own, Trevor stood back from the group. His body still ached, and he could feel the stinging from Sciamon’s treatment of him. But he didn’t pay it any mind, holding his arms around himself as he watched his son, his son’s boyfriend and Digimon gather together, holding each other tightly after the ordeal. He raised a hand to his chest, holding it tightly against his heart. It seemed less fraught than usual, to the point where he was feeling almost dizzy.

“Trevor Ashbourne?”

The man turned around, his mouth going dry as he watched somebody walk towards him. It was another man, about his age, black with a greying beard and half-moon glasses. He wore an official looking uniform, another professional in his field, but the look in his eyes betrayed somebody who had seen more pain and fear than his expression should have allowed.

Trevor turned to face him, holding his hands by his sides. “That’s me.”

The man stopped, and held up a small card. “James Keble. I’ve been working alongside Alasdair’s group.”

Trevor swallowed. “I didn’t really know him, I’m afraid.”

“Of course. Though he certainly knew a lot about you. And your son.”

Keble put the card away, his expression growing more strained. “You’ve been the one leading people in this town to attack the residents of the digital world, aren’t you?”

He stepped back, and Trevor saw the small group of people sat in the vehicle behind him. Three women, and two men. Faces he didn’t recognise, although he knew who they were instantly. The last of his own soldiers, in what seemed like another life now. Jan Fitzgerald sat at the head, her eyes lined with exhaustion.

Trevor nodded, holding his shoulders squarely. “That’s me. I’m the one who lead them all.”

“Dad?”

Trevor closed his eyes. He knew what was coming, but even so he couldn’t turn around and face Owen. Not here. Not now. Owen stepped forwards, looking between him and Keble.

“What’s...going on?”

Keble took off his glasses, wiping them on his jacket, still talking to Trevor. “You and your group are responsible for the deaths of several Digimon in our world.”

“I’m under arrest, aren’t I. For murder.”

Keble paused, and looked up, his eyes boring into the other man’s. Both Trevor and Owen flinched, not sure what they could see behind the stare. But Keble placed them back.

“I can’t arrest you. And technically, as far as the law goes it’s a loophole. There’s nothing in stone yet as to whether Digimon truly count as living or sentient beings yet. That’s where you stand currently from a legal standpoint.”

A cough sounded from the man’s waist, and he looked down to see Simeamon standing with her arms folded, an eyebrow raised darkly. “Mate, I have no fucking clue who you are but I can give you a first class demonstration as to who is living and sentient round here if you don’t watch it.”

“Simeamon, ssh.” Owen raised a palm, and the monkey stepped back. Keble cleared his throat.

“Trust me, you don’t need to tell me that. I’m just repeating paperwork.” His expression grew firm, and he looked into Trevor’s eyes. “But regardless, you have been engaging in incitement, dangerous activity, use of unlicensed weaponry and other criminal activities in your pursuit of vigilantism. That’s not negotiable. Do you deny it?”

Owen looked at his father, who simply shook his head. “You don’t need to tell me what I did was wrong. I can’t deny a thing.” He let out a breath. “I’d convinced myself that what I was doing was right. But it wasn’t. And I will accept anything the police charges me with.”

“Oh, I’m not police.” Keble folded his arms. “You have knowledge we can use to start trying to fix all this damage. But more importantly, it’s not safe for you or the Digimon who we’re saving for you to be among them right now. We’re asking you to come with us.”

“...for how long?”

“As long as we need.” Keble bowed his head. “And it will be a long time. I’m sorry.”

Trevor stood straight, not meeting the other man’s eyes for a few minutes. He felt as if he was waiting; waiting for somebody to step forwards, to do...something. But even so...he didn’t feel he wanted it, even if somebody would. He nodded.

“Can I have a few minutes?”

Keble stepped back, gesturing outwards as he joined the rest of the hunters. Trevor turned around, and his eyes met those of his son, staring sadly back. Trevor half-smiled.

“I knew this was coming.”

“Honestly? So did I.”

Owen’s voice was calm, and flat. But his posture was wavering, not sure how to take what was going on. Trevor opened his arms slightly, ready for an embrace, but Owen stepped back, avoiding contact. His father straightened up.

“I’ve screwed things up that much, huh?”

Owen looked down. “I...don’t know what to say.” He looked sideways. “I don’t know what you want me to say. Or how to feel. I’ve been trying to pull away from you all this time but this just feels...sudden. It makes sense. But I...”

He let out an anguished noise, and ran his fingers over his head. “Damnit, dad, why? Why did you have to do any of this? To me? To Simeamon? To...to you? You didn’t have to. We could have...this could all have...”

He trailed off, the emotion fading away once again. Trevor hadn’t looked up. But the tears were evident in his eyes.

“I can only apologise for what I put you through. You, Simeamon, Kevin; every single one of you. And I know even that won’t be enough.”

He wiped his eyes, and looked at his son. “But...I am so proud of you. You chose to be a better man than I ever was, and you’ve more than lived up to that. You don’t need me anymore. I don’t want you to need me.” He smiled at Kevin and Simeamon. “You have a better family now than you could ever hope for with me.”

“...dad...”

Trevor stepped back, shaking his head. “Don’t worry about me; I’ll take whatever comes. Just know that you have my support. And my love. And you always will.”

Owen stood still, watching as Trevor turned around, joining Keble and the rest of the ex-hunters as they boarded onto their own truck. It hummed into life, and Owen caught one last glance at the mop of hair, and the streaks of tears on his father’s cheek.

Owen kept staring, and all the while he kept searching for something to say, some departing words. The van pulled away, and he held out a hand, but he knew it was already too late.

Or maybe it wasn’t. Maybe he’d already said everything he needed to.

He felt a hand curl around his, and looked down at Simeamon, who gave a reassuring smile. “It’ll be alright, Owen.”

“Sure it will...”

Owen let out a long, aggressive breath. “Arsehole. Can’t even apologise without leaving me with goddamn hang-ups.”

He felt another hand on his shoulder, and looked back, seeing Kai nod sagely. “It’s rough, buddy. Trust me, I know. But he’s right about one thing. You should be proud of who you’ve become.”

Owen took a few moments, appreciating the contact with the small group around him. Then he turned, planting his hands together.

“Well then? I guess we still have a job to do.” He glanced sideways at Kevin. “Aren’t you gonna take the chance to get to safety?”

“What, you think I’m leaving you alone after yet another emotional sledgehammer to the ballsack?” Kevin rubbed beneath his nose. “You need someone to keep an eye on you so you don’t go off the rails.”

“Charmed.”

“Oi!” smirked Simeamon, pointing a thumb against her chest. “Don’t tread on my toes, drama-boy. That’s my job.”

“Again, fucking charmed.” Owen rolled his eyes. “I guess the moral support was nice while it lasted.”

“We only do it out of love.”

Owen looked at Simeamon, who winked, spinning her laser in her hands. Owen smirked, his cheeks flushing red as he walked back towards the town centre, with his boyfriend and partner flanking him.

“You know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.”