The setting sun pierced across the ocean waves, hitting HelMidgarmon’s body as he swung in larger and larger circles. The fading light was making him slow once again, the pain in his eyes relenting, if only for a brief period. As he moved, the water shimmered beneath him, shining with lights of green and turquoise; a truly beautiful sight.

The beams travelled upwards as the sun grew lower, leaving coloured patches on the beach, and on the flats beyond, travelling up the windows. One of them traipsed over a roof, the glittering sight painful to look at. Eirenemon held up a palm, squinting as she did so. Her vision was bad enough these days without the sun causing yet more damage.

Slowly the light faded, and she lowered her arm, clutching Alasdair’s digivice in the centre of her palm. She felt the cold night air on her ragged skin, providing some relief to her as well as to the leviathan. She’d noticed his movements throughout the day, as well as the changing winds. The main gate was gone.

“I hope you’re safe, Simurghmon. You and the rest of our world.”

The fallen angel gently pushed herself to her feet, trailing bloodied feathers as she did so. She caught her breath, focusing her mind in order to block out the pain, just as she had been practising. Another one of Fenghuangmon’s tricks. She’d never quite mastered it before. But now there was little else to do but to practice.

She opened her eyes, and they shone black in the fading light.

“It’s not enough. Not yet. I need to make sure.”

Her skeletal hand gripped the device even tighter, and she turned around, walking back towards the down the beach, her mind whirring with every step.

Sian McMillan’s eyes were wide as she gazed up, her finger hanging limply from her bottom lip. Martyaxmon’s tail curled slightly, and he shuffled.

“Are you lost? Do you need me to find somebody?”

The manticore did his best attempt at a friendly smile – one which, judging by today’s efforts, had a fifty percent success rate of making parents and children alike run screaming. But this particular little redhead was just staring. And her eyes were getting wider, and her mouth splitting apart into a half-moon smile.

“...fluuuufffy......”

Martyaxmon squirmed, feeling a level of primal fear he hadn’t felt in a long time. He looked up, and saw another fiery redhead just ahead of him; obviously Lonnie’s mother, standing about and doing as much to direct the remaining evacuees as her daughter was. He cleared his throat, and began to make a dignified about turn.

“I think your mother’s waiting. If you’d like to-“

“Fluffy!”

Something latched onto his hind leg, and he looked back, seeing the girl staring up at him with adoration and command.

“I wanna horsey ride, mister big kitty.”

Martyaxmon’s thoughts were focused entirely on not setting his paws on fire while the small child was attached to them, so he had little capacity left to find an appropriate response as he stammered “I-I-I’m not totally certain that that is going to be the best-“

It didn’t matter, as in a frighteningly quick movement Sian had climbed up his leg and was now sitting atop his back, her arms wrapped around his mane in a great galumphing hug.

“Giddy up.”

“...I don’t-“

“Giddy up!”

“SIAN!”

Martyaxmon looked forwards as Anna marched forwards, pouting and her hands on her hips. Martyaxmon breathed a sigh of relief. “Is this your sister? Could you explain to her that I’m not-“

“Move back; I want to ride him as well.”

“Nuh-uh, I was here first!”

“You always get piggybacks from Dendy; she can’t lift me! I wanna have a ride!”

“NAAA!”

Martyaxmon felt the last of his dignity trickle away through one eye before he was promptly mobbed. Lonnie heard the noise and looked up, watching as the manticore staggered back and forth, being pulled left and right by her two very determined half-sisters. The corner of her mouth turned upwards. “Aw, they’re playing...”

Carrie handed off some bags to a family and their gaggle of young bird Digimon, before looking over with concern at the former Red Beast. “Do be careful with him, sweeties.”

“Kaaaaay,” came Sian’s whimsical reply, as she promptly became even less careful than before. Martyaxmon yelped as he staggered backwards, rear-ending a lamppost and falling forwards, trying to hide the smile on his own face. Carrie raised an eyebrow, looking at the blackened paw prints on the ground.

“I’ve long since stopped questioning how safe any of this really is.”

Dendromon snorted as she walked up, rolling her shoulder. “So long as it gives me a break from being horsey for once, I don’t mind.”

Lonnie crouched next to her, rolling her hand over the salamander’s crest. “Aw, but you do horsey so well.”

“Hey, Lonnie.”

The girl turned, and stood up as Lyra approached her. “How are we doing? Everybody on the move?”

“Very nearly.” Lyra pointed over her shoulder. “Eloise has come to find you.”

The older girl walked up, looking all around her. “You have been busy, haven’t you?”

Lonnie grinned, raising an arm and curling a hand around her bicep. “Never underestimate the power of redheads on a mission.”

“I feel that.” Eloise glanced behind her, and her face promptly fell as she saw Martyaxmon sat firmly down, vehemently refusing to be horsey but finding his mane being mobbed by the two girls, and a few other neighbourhood children who were finding the lion man a great distraction from the chaos around them. Many of their parents found it quite charming. Eloise decidedly did not.

“Oh. He’s here.”

Ladomon snaked her head out, and grimaced. “Are you totally sure this is a good idea?”

“Hey, he’s been a big help,” said Carrie, unloading a couple more boxes of essentials. “Unorthodox, yes, but he’s working as hard as everyone else. And Aaron’s keeping him in check.”

Eloise couldn’t hide her frown, but she shook her head, turning towards Lonnie. “And how are you doing? I...know this has to be hard for you.”

Lonnie bit her lip, and promptly went back to lifting bags, her smile slightly uncertain. Eloise walked forwards. “Look, about Alasdair-“

“There’s a job to do, Eloise.” Lonnie straightened up, holding her shoulder and clicking it backwards, a sign of the long working day. When she turned, her gaze was intense, and focused, and only slightly dissonant with the smile.

“He wants me to finish it off. We have to save everyone.”

“Lonnie, I saw him.”

The girl froze, her face straightening out. Eloise bowed her head. “I don’t know how, or for how long. But he’s up there, inside HelMidgarmon’s head. I’m sure I saw him.”

Dendromon reached up, squeezing her partner’s hand as the girl looked forwards, slightly out of focus. Eloise gave the girl a solemn glance. “Come with me. We need to figure out what we’re going to do.”

“I...I’m not...”

Lonnie felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned towards her mother. Carrie leant forwards, giving the girl a small kiss on the forehead.

“Go. We’ve got things in hand here.” She nodded sideways. “I’ll send Aaron and the big red pony over later.”

Lyra and Eloise glanced at one another as Lonnie leant in, resting her head on her mother’s cheek. Then she pulled away, and raised her hands to her face, taking in a deep breath. When she pulled them away, her face was firm once again.

“Alrighty. Time to go bring him back.”

Lyra ran her tongue around her mouth, holding her hands behind her head as she rocked back on the chair.

“I feel like I’ve missed out on a lot.”

Owen raised an eyebrow at her. “Tell me about it...”

The arrival had been staggered, to say the least. It was never going to be a small job for a group of untrained teenagers to evacuate their entire home town, and by the time everybody did start to reassemble it was clear that it had taken more out of them all than anything they’d done before.

Mark and Kent’s notably beaten-up reunion was one thing.

Jack on bird-back with a bundled-up Inez rolling up at half-eleven was another.

And after several hours of no contact, by the time Grace rolled around at five in the morning, with her bandaged boyfriend over her shoulder and a deeply haunted look in her eye, it was clear that the one thing everybody needed right now was some respite.

And so they sat in the large living room, regaling the events they’d all gone through. Aaron was still finishing off the evacuation at the north side of town, and Nicholas was in one of the bedrooms, not in a good way. But the other ten were gathered, with their partners strewn around the room.

It hadn’t been easy. But between them they had managed to do what they’d set out to do. Which just left them to recover and recuperate together as best they could, and try and figure out how to deal with the main problem.

Owen raised a finger. “So...uh...we’ve seen a little bit of what HelMidgarmon can do. Is this really all we have to work with?”

Jack leant forwards, holding his hands between his knees. “I mean...we’ve all managed to reach Mega level now. That’s a start.”

Simeamon sucked in a breath. “Yeah, all at once, purty much.” She scratched the side of her cheek. “That’s remarkably convenient, actually...”

“N-not at all. You’d be surprised on how quickly your p-powers can come together in a crisis.”

The two looked down at Chromon, who rolled his tail back and forth. “Alasdair did choose you to fight this b-battle. It hasn’t been easy. But you’ve all come through.” He nodded. “You did w-well. All of you.”

“We’re not all there yet...” remarked Dendromon quietly, sat on the carpet with her hands clasped in front of her. But Lonnie reached down, and gently ran a palm over the salamander’s crest, before sitting up once again.

“So what is our next step, then? How do we bring Ali back?”

“It’s not as simple as that.”

Lonnie glared at Eloise, but the girl just held up a palm, collecting her words. “We may be stronger now, but bear in mind four of us have already fought HelMidgarmon and we barely made a dent. And you saw what he did to the city. One wrong move and it could be the end for us just like that. We can’t afford to make mistakes.”

“Is he really that strong?”

Trilomon stood up, trying hard not to poke holes in somebody else’s carpet as he paced. “He’s a Super Ultimate level. They’re incredibly rare, and incredibly dangerous. We’re talking power orders of magnitude above what any of us could dream of. Normally they’d be shut away deep beneath the Digital World because their very existence is harmful. But obviously that possibility’s long gone now.”

He caught Inez looking away, holding a battered Syngnamon in her lap, and promptly clammed up, shuffling back towards his partner’s feet. Kent looked up. “It’s not impossible. We’ve fought entities this strong before, albeit with help. But Eloise is right; we can’t afford to make any mistakes, and we also can’t afford a drawn-out battle.”

“Question.”

Lyra raised a hand, leaning with one arm draped over the back of the sofa. Kent looked towards her, and she pointed upwards. “Not a problem for some of us, but...HelMidgarmon can fly, right? Even if we bring him into the city aren’t we going to be at somewhat of a disadvantage if half of us can’t actually reach him to get any good hits off?”

Kent sat back, and it was hard to miss the slight glint in his eye. “I don’t want to promise anything yet, but...we might have a plan for that.”

The others straightened up, and Kent gave his brother a small nod. Mark failed to hide the slight flush in his cheeks, but he sat up, bringing out his D-SEND. “All our digivices have a link to the digital world. Some are slightly difficult to find, but especially the ones Alasdair made; they tap in from the outside. They have power to affect the links between them. We can calm down the portals.”

The others looked expectantly, as he rolled the wheel, the screen on the device flashing purple.

“Or, alternatively, we can make them more volatile. We can open up a string of them.”

This just elicited even more puzzled looks, followed by Inez raising her hand with an audible harrumph. “Excuse me...Syngnamon and I just risked our lives to close a link to the digital world. Why the hell would we want to open more of them?”

Kent sat forwards. “It’s part of HelMidgarmon’s makeup. His level, his power – it gives him a lot of mass with respect to the digital world. So as soon as he’s linked it will try to drag him back in. He’s never going to be truly free of it so long as a link exists.”

“But...then...aren’t we going to have the same problem as before? He’ll just drag it around and cause even more damage.”

“That was only the case for the large gate. The small ones will just latch onto him. They’re not big enough to cause lasting structural damage to the other side, but neither are they big enough to slow him down.” Kent pressed his hands together. “At least...a single one isn’t. But a lot of them, referenced to all over the other world, will hopefully all latch on at once.”

Inez looked uncertain, but Eloise placed a fist in her palm. “I get it. A single reference point will just be dragged all over the place. But many of them, from all over the digital world, will lighten the load. Like if we all took a rope and threw it around him in a circle, we’d have a bit more leverage.”

Mark nodded. “And with enough of them, they should create enough of a lattice to lock him in place. Not to drag him through, but to hold him still enough for us to reach him effectively.”

There was silence around the room, with half the tamers trying to process the plan. Jack reached up, scratching his cheek. “So...the plan is to tie him to the ground and hope we can hit him hard enough?”

Kent puffed his cheeks out. “...not the most technical, but...yes. It’s the best we could wrangle on short notice.”

Nobody seemed particularly convinced. But it was Lonnie who shuffled forwards, clutching at her knees. “Kent...even if we could find enough power to stop him...if we know Alasdair’s up there...couldn’t we end up killing him as well?”

Her question only served to make the silence grow deeper, and more concerning. Lonnie pressed her teeth together, and looked over at Eloise. “You saw him, didn’t you? You said you did.”

Eloise ran her hand across her mouth, glancing at Kai for a brief second. “Only for a second. I thought I did, but...”

“Then we can’t risk killing him, can we?”

“He might already be dead.”

Lonnie flinched, and Kai gave Kent a quick glare. Mark cleared his throat, and shuffled backwards, away from his brother slightly.

Eloise bowed her head. “I don’t know what I saw, Lonnie. I can only be honest.”

“Alasdair may not be the only thing we need to worry about,” said Inez tentatively, leaning forwards. “There’s also what else HelMidgarmon may be hiding inside him. Whatever this ‘quest’ is that he’s managed to capture and seal away; if we kill him, then what happens with that?”

Syngnamon looked up from her lap, his eyes heavy. “Are you sure we can trust that? You know who it was who told you that, right?”

Inez blinked, slightly more than was comfortable as she looked away. “Anglermon was...many things...but he wasn’t a liar. Not regarding something like this...” She hunched her shoulders in. “We just need to be aware...there’s a risk that if we destroy him...we could be releasing something even worse.”

Lyra swapped her legs over from her lounged position. “Maybe if we did get Alasdair out, he’d know of a way to get around it, though? It is his partner.”

Lonnie’s eyes widened, and she looked over at Eloise. “See? We have to try, at least; it might be-“

“Lonnie, enough.”

“But we can-“

“We can’t risk it!”

Kent’s voice grew louder, and he placed his palm on the table before him, enough to make a small bang. Lonnie closed her mouth, and Kent straightened up. “I know you’re upset. Much as you might not want to show it. We all are, and we all want him safe, but this isn’t just another battle. HelMidgarmon has enough power to destroy us in one fell swoop; if we’re attacking we can’t give him that opportunity. And we can’t risk any of our lives on a possibility.”

Grace looked worriedly between the two as Lonnie furrowed her brow. “He’s done so much to help us. We can’t abandon him.”

“Lonnie, you know if he was here, he’d agree with me.”

“No he...” started the girl, but she pulled back, the words catching in her throat. Dendromon clambered up beside her, and rested her palms on the girl’s thigh, as Lonnie clenched her fists in front of her.

“...who am I kidding...he totally would.”

Kent looked down. “I know him too. I’ve worked with him for the past four years. If it was a choice between him or the world, he’d beg us to prioritise the world. It’s horrible. But that’s how it is.”

“He’s always put everyone else before himself.” Lonnie reached up, holding a hand over her mouth. “I...I know, alright? I know everything you’re telling me makes sense, and I know I should be agreeing but...but just...if there was only a chance...”

Eloise looked grim, and she clutched Kai’s hand as he stepped forwards. “Things have already gone badly enough. It could have been different. But we’re here now, and...sometimes...we need to take this fight to the end...”

His voice trailed away, and the three old tamers looked mournfully at the girl in front of them, on the verge of losing her friend from many years. There was nothing they could say to make it easier. They looked among themselves, feeling the same weight they had four years ago. A grim determination, and all the loss that would come with it.

That is, until Owen raised his hand, breaking the silence. “Uh...yeah, sorry to muddy the waters again but I’ve gotta stand with my freckled bestie here.”

Everyone turned towards him, including his partner, wearing an incredulous look on her face. Owen shuffled upwards, stretching nonchalantly. “Not to put your skills down or anything, Kent, but this is the life of a good friend of ours. Despite the dodgy things he’s done. So it’s not just up to you; we all need to have a say in this. And actually I’m with Lonnie. If we have a chance to save Ali then we have to give it a shot.”

Simeamon blinked. “Who are you and what have you done with my beloved anywhere-the-wind-blows Owen?”

Owen shrugged. “Let’s just say I’m a bit fuckin’ tired of always having to give up on stuff and accept that we’re gonna fail. It may be a shit chance, but we agree that we have a chance, right? We need to take it.”

Inez beamed, and nodded vigorously. “Alasdair chose us, didn’t he? He trusted us to make the right call. And the right call has to be saving everyone we can.”

Jack grinned. “That’s why we have this power in the first place, isn’t it?”

Kent looked around desperately, seeing Lyra with her arms folded, giving an approving nod. Grace reached out beside her, placing a hand on Lonnie’s shoulder and smiling supportively.

“Ali’s important to all of us. You’re right, Kent...we shouldn’t risk the world for one person.” She turned around, looking up with a determined stare. “But if we don’t at least try, then how can we say it was impossible? We’ve pulled miracles out the bag before; I’m willing to place my bets on that again.”

Eloise and Kai glanced at one another, looking surprised from the outbreak of support. Trilomon placed his claws up on the table, giving his partner a look.

“I mean, your commanding voice was good while it lasted.”

Kent sighed, and looked at his brother. Mark just raised an eyebrow. “Don’t look at me, bro, I’m with them.”

“Et tu, Mark?”

Mark twisted his mouth around. “Frankly I still want to gently clock him one when I see him again. But they’re right. He chose us, for exactly this moment. And so it’s our choice.”

“This is going to make the plan harder than ever, you know.”

“Of course I do; I do listen to you.” Mark crouched down, running a hand over his partner’s neck. “But I’ve learnt to listen to these idiots as well. We don’t get it right often. Or...ever, really. But we’re all that’s left now, and whatever happens, at the end of it, we’re the ones who have to make that call.” He nodded, his face firm. “We’re going to do whatever we can to rescue him.”

Kent’s face fell, even as Trilomon sat by his feet, making supportive trills. Lonnie stood up, facing him.

“I know it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to require maybe more power than we have. I say we. I know I haven’t even gotten that far yet...” She looked down at her palm, opening and closing her fingers. “I’ve always had trouble, doing what I believed...what I knew was the right thing. But just because it’s difficult, or impossible, doesn’t mean that we can’t try. It means we have to try.”

She looked up, her eyes full of fire, and raised three fingers. “We rescue Ali, we stop HelMidgarmon, and we save the town and the world and everyone here. I promise. Scout’s honour.”

The others all nodded, looking at Kent. Grace blushed a little, clasping her hands in front of her. There came a whistling sound as Ladomon rested her head on top of Eloise’s. “Heavens, I’ve missed this level of optimism.”

“Maybe it’s the one thing we need right now.” Eloise said with a tired smile. She looked sideways at Kent. “What do you say? Give in to hope?”

Kent looked up at the ceiling. “Was it ever my place to say otherwise?” He sat down, and nodded. “Alright. We have one chance. We’ll do everything we can to take it.”

Lonnie let out a breath. “Thank you. Really.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” said Kent, rubbing out a corner of the pad as he began to resketch his plan. “This all just got a whole lot more complicated. We have all of us, one serpent, and a whole lot of city to play with.” He reached out, taking a swig of coffee, before tapping his pen against the edge of the pad. “Right, question one; we’re here, he’s out there, so how do we go about bringing him inland...?”

“Oh boy...” Lyra muttered, resting her chin on her palms. “This is going to be a long day...”

“Is this the place?”

Alraumon trudged forwards as Suricamon and Hyokomon scuttled ahead, hopping up onto the kerb. Hoatzimon brought up the rear, her crest hanging low as she stared around the car park. The place was a mess, litter and rubble strewn across the empty tarmac. The bird grimaced beneath her mask.

“I hate this world. Everything’s just so grey. So artificial.”

“Don’t knock them too hard. They’ve made some clever things.”

Hoatzimon turned, and saw Caesiumon lying against a bench, with Liopramon swinging on the leg beside him. The bird huffed, walking forwards and eyeing the metal man’s emaciated figure.

“That’s a look and a half. Who put you through the mincer?”

Caesiumon gave a hoarse laugh, and pushed himself up, his legs more spindly and barely able to keep him upright, despite the slow regeneration. He raised a palm, and something snapped, making one finger dangle off.

“Just a side project. I miscalculated.”

“Make a mistake? You?”

“It happens more often than you might think.”

Suricamon scuttled up, resisting the temptation to tap the metal man’s leg with her shovel as she shared a silent giggle with Hyokomon. Hoatzimon was less pleased, placing a hand on her hip.

“Why did we need to come here, Caesiumon? We’re going back to our world.”

“We’re going back safely to our world.” Caesiumon shrugged. “And I offered to bring you with me and here we are. This is the best place.”

“How do you know? In fact...how do you know anything?”

“You can find out a lot if you know the right people.”

Hoatzimon lowered her head, watching Caesiumon’s trembling smile. He let out a breath, before sucking in his teeth and giving a sharp whistle. There came the sound of footsteps, and Hoatzimon turned around as a figure stepped out from the shadows. She gasped, and raised her arms immediately, the other three following suit.

“Who the...what the hell are you doing here?”

Mira stopped, and placed her hands in her coat pocket. A streetlamp flickered, reflecting off the visor of their helmet. A helmet with a red spiral wrapped around it. Hoatzimon curled her talons, emitting wisps of chemicals from her fingers. Suricamon bared her teeth.

“You’re with them, aren’t you? Those hunters? Those bastards?”

“No...”

The meerkat looked back, watching as Hoatzimon tensed all the more, looking into the figure’s visor.

“You’re the one who killed Fenghuangmon, aren’t you...”

The renegade didn’t respond. Not a nod, or a shake of the head. She just stood there, looking up at the bird woman. There came a cough from one side, as Caesiumon raised a palm.

“Before you overreact, they’re going to be our ticket back to the digital world.”

Hoatzimon narrowed her eyes. She swivelled, and Caesiumon watched as she held out her talons towards him.

“If you’ve been in on this the whole time...I swear...I’m gonna kill you right here and right now...”

Mira took a step, but the metal man raised his palm gently, looking up into Hoatzimon’s mask.

“You couldn’t even touch me if you tried.”

It wasn’t a threat, or a boast. It was just a statement. Calm and matter-of-fact as you like.

And Hoatzimon’s arm fell, as she stared at nothing. Caesiumon let out a sigh, his twisted metal form squeaking ever so slightly.

“I’ve been fighting for a better world. Not one through conquest, or deceit, or revolution. Something entirely new, from the ground up. Where we can live without the pain that we call life.”

“Enough with the bullshit!” shouted Hoatzimon. “Was it always like this? Were you just using me? Using Sciamon?”

Caesiumon sighed, and raised out a hand, tapping it against her talon. “I’ve given you your answer. And I’m offering you a chance to ride out the coming storm. Sanctuary, and an army, and whatever happens to come with it. Do you want it?”

He rolled his eyes up, staring directly at her. “ As for myself...I can only offer what’s right here.”

Hoatzimon’s shoulders heaved as she breathed heavily, pressing up against the frail metal man.

“I don’t even know who you are.”

Something glinted in her eye, and she looked sideways at Liopramon, who was rolling a coin over his knuckles. He caught her eye, and palmed it, placing his hands in his pockets.

“Don’t looket me. I don’t care about this world or ours anymore. I just wanna settle a score, man.” He kicked at the tarmac. “Can you do that?”

Caesiumon smiled, and bent down, placing his spindly fingers on the road. “I’m not going to do a thing. But I can offer you the power to reign vengeance upon everyone in this world who’s wronged you.”

Liopramon grinned, the tassels on his hat blowing in the wind.

“Feckin’ sweet.”

He wandered away, and stood by Mira’s feet. Hoatzimon watched as first Suricamon, then Alraumon and Hyokomon did the same; the three of them nervous, but firm. Caesiumon straightened up as best he could, and cracked his knuckles. Hoatzimon watched his every movement, trying to find any angle of attack, but failing immensely. He shrugged, and walked away, back towards the renegade. Hoatzimon turned, her crest falling.

“I don’t trust you.”

Caesiumon paused, looking over his shoulder. “Wise.”

Hoatzimon held a hand to her chest. “But I...I will believe in you.” She looked down. “I haven’t got anything else I can believe in any more.”

Feet scraping along the tarmac, she trudged forwards, joining the rest of the group. Caesiumon smiled, before looking straight ahead, addressing Mira directly.

“Take us home.”

The former hunter pulled an arm out of her pocket, and Hoatzimon watched in wonder as she held a small, flat device. She pressed on the centre, and the wind picked up, and all of a sudden there was a bubble of gateways behind them, rushing with energy and light. Liopramon shielded his eyes, and Alraumon and Suricamon looked at each other in disbelief. Caesiumon merely stepped back, bowing low as he held his arms out.

“I’ll see you on the other side.”

Liopramon stepped in first, and was swallowed by the rushing light. Then the meerkat and her two small friends. Hoatzimon shuffled forwards slowly, holding out a talon and feeling the data caressing her knuckles. She turned, about to say something, but there was a pulse of light and she was swallowed by the portal before she could do so.

Caesiumon lowered his head, his smile hanging loosely below him. He began to step forwards, when something held him back. A hand around his wrist. He looked back, seeing Mira holding him loosely. Forlornly.

“When can I see you again...”

Caesiumon’s face cracked, and he turned around and held his arms around her, gripping her shoulders. She returned the gesture, gently, so as not to crack his new body. But she so wanted to rest in his arms, her shoulders heaving.

“I can’t bear this.”

Caesiumon sighed. “I’m sorry.” He held up a palm, flexing his fingers as metal dripped down from the joints. “I’m already living on borrowed life, more than ever in this world.”

“I just don’t want to see you go again. Whatever form it is, I could...I didn’t...I don’t want this to be the last time.”

Caesiumon extended his arms, pulling her ever closer.

“Look at us. A puppet and a pretender. What are we to do?”

Mira looked down, but he held up a hand, brushing it over her shoulder.

“I’m coming for you. No matter how many walls these worlds throw up between us, I will bring an army to tear them down. I will bring all worlds to their knees until they submit.”

He leant forwards, his forehead clacking against the top of the helmet.

“I’ll find my way back to you. I promise.”

Mira stayed still for a few moments. Then she lowered her arms, and took a step back as Caesiumon turned towards the waiting gate.

In a flash he too was gone, leaving not even a silhouette.

Gingerly, Mira tiptoed forwards, holding out a palm. She reached out, and her gloved hands caressed the energy.

Then she pressed further, and the gate pulsed, pressing back. Light became solid. Energy dug into her, grappling her, rejecting her.

The gateway dissipated, leaving only the faintest scattering of data, falling down onto the tarmac below. The hunter lowered her arm, clenching her fist.

“I’ll be waiting at the door.”

She turned, the streetlamp flickering above her as she walked back into the shadows of the abandoned town.

Grace stood in front of the bathroom sink, splashing water against her face, with her mind in several different places at once. She leant forwards, hooking her palms around the edge of the enamel and staring down at nothing. The light burned into the back of her head. She glanced up out the bathroom window, but there was no way she could see anything if she tried; it was just pitch black.

It had been a long and mentally exhausting discussion. So many things could go wrong, so many things didn’t add up, so many things were one-in-a-million shots. It didn’t feel like they’d gotten anywhere, and yet there was no choice. They had to do the best they could. They couldn’t delay this any further.

Grace turned around, and caught sight of herself in the mirror. She grimaced, and brought up a knuckle, running it beneath the dark and heavy circles beneath her eyes. The first time she’d had to prepare herself for a battle for her very life had nearly destroyed her psyche. And yet, even with experience, and time, and more friends than ever around her, it hadn’t become any easier.

Speaking of friends...

Grace left the bathroom, and made her way along the hallway, her feet dragging along the carpet. She reached the room at the end, and gently held out a hand. She could feel her heart in her mouth, but fought through it, knocking gently.

“Nicholas...can I come in?”

There was no response. The sound of something shuffling, but little else. Grace gently turned the handle, and stepped inside, the low light of the spare room’s beside lamp casting a long shadow. She watched Nicholas turn round on the bed, pushing himself up to a forty-five degree angle. He smiled weakly, his uncovered eye blinking against the light.

“Hey...”

Grace walked forwards, sitting gently on the end of the duvet. From one corner of the room she could see a couple of red eyes trained upon her, Yethmon keeping watch in his usual stony silence. She ignored him, looking back at the young man.

“How are you feeling?”

“Sick. Dizzy.”

Nicholas leant back, holding a palm over the wad of cotton over his eye. He pressed gently, but the pain welled up again. Grace looked away, thankful for the shadows to hide the visible guilt on her face. Her boyfriend lowered his hand, glancing over to his phone beside him.

“I got a...call. As well.”

“A call?”

“From my grandmother. She and David are safe.”

Grace nodded. “That’s good. Did you...did you tell them what happened?”

“She didn’t talk for long.” Nicholas let out a long sigh. “She said...she said she didn’t...want me to stay with them anymore...”

Grace looked behind her, her eyes wide. Nicholas’s look was practically blank.

“...Nicholas, I’m sorry...”

“They don’t feel safe. I can’t blame them.”

He lay in silence, only the sound of his chest rising and falling penetrating the shadows. Grace looked before her, her mouth dry. Nicholas turned his head. “So...tomorrow you’re fighting?”

She didn’t react for a few seconds. Then she nodded, her hands tightening against her knees.

“I...don’t want you to...freak out...”

Nicholas gave a hollow laugh. “Too late.”

“Please, Nicholas, I...we just...” The girl stood up, holding her hands up to her chest. “In the state you’re in and...what happened...it would be best if you stayed at the lab tomorrow, with Salma and Aaron.”

Nicholas slumped down. “You don’t want me fighting with you.”

“I don’t want you to hurt yourself anymore-“

“-or anybody else, right?”

Grace held her breath. But she turned, swallowing her fear.

“...right. There’s...a lot of risks we’re about to take. But you...we just thought...I thought it was for the best.” She stepped forwards, looking down at him. “We all have to get this right. For the sake of the world.”

She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable denial. But Nicholas just took in a deep breath, and released it audibly, looking the other way.

“I understand. I’ll stay out of your way.”

“Nicholas, I’m...I’m sorry.”

“I should be the one who’s sorry. I’m the one who let you down.”

Grace shook her head, but he wasn’t watching. She leant over, holding one palm against the pillow, and kissed him softly on the cheek. He didn’t react, save for his eyes just flicking back, ever so slightly. Grace straightened up, and backed away, holding the edge of the door.

“Please, just...stay safe. I love you.”

She closed the door slowly, and Nicholas found himself being enveloped in darkness once again, until it clicked shut. He was alone, save for the same pair of red eyes that stared through the darkness. Nicholas looked at them, and the dots began to blur in front of him, his remaining eye struggling. Yethmon’s growl came from the other side of the room.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for fucking your life up.”

Nicholas shook his head.

“I made my own decisions. It’s time I actually faced the consequences for once.”

He turned, his head still spinning as he stared ahead into the shadows, waiting to descend into fitful sleep once again.

The moonlight glinted off Chromon’s armour as he padded across the garden. A slight breeze ran across the lawn, making droplets of the night’s dew flick off and sparkle in the darkness.

The dinosaur sat down, his tail rolling back and forth as he looked up. HelMidgarmon’s movements had cleared most of the natural cloud patterns, leaving the sky clear and unblemished, and the stars fully visible. Chromon closed his eyes. He’d seen so many starlit nights during his life, each one different. Each one foreboding of a different disaster.

“Can’t sleep?”

Chromon’s eyes opened, and he looked behind him. Against the gloom of the surrounding hedge he could see the glowing orange bands of Dendromon, as she shuffled forwards. The dinosaur turned slightly. “I don’t think I’ve slept p-properly for several years now.”

Dendromon straightened up, placing a hand on her hip. “That much of an obsessive?”

“The world needs to keep m-moving. I need to play my part.” Chromon smirked. “R-r-right now I need to play it more than ever. I-I-I owe you all that much.”

He turned further, forcing himself to look at Dendromon’s hard stare through the darkness. She remained silent for several minutes, before letting out a long breath.

“You’re desperate for us all to forgive you, aren’t you...”

Chromon gave a flat smile in return. “Forgiveness is an added b-bonus. Just the knowledge that I’ve done what I can is enough for me. For Mark. For you. For e...e-everyone that I’ve used over my life.”

Dendromon remained silent, so he turned around further, the moonlight reflecting off his bands. “How a-about you? What do you n-need from me?”

The salamander slumped down, her legs splaying out beside her. She held up a palm, looking at it for a few seconds, before placing it against her chest.

“You chose me, right? You and Ali. Lonnie is...Ali told her that she’s the most important person here. She needs to be the one to end this.”

Dendromon blinked, her eyes slightly moist. “I...I don’t remember enough...to know. I don’t know anything. I was only ever a nobody. An idiot who stole and swore and lived on my own. But you...you chose me. You chose me to help the most important person in the world. I just...why me? What do you know about me?”

Chromon looked down, his eyes glistening silver. He took in a deep breath, before padding over to Dendromon, looking her in the eye from her deflated seated position.

“What do you know about the w-w-war?”

The salamander didn’t say a word. But her markings shifted as she flinched at the question. Chromon bowed his head, looking away.

“A n-need for justice. A n-need to do what was right. That’s what you both shared. You, and her. Or...or the legacy y-y-you came from.”

“Legacy...” Dendromon gritted her teeth. “I don’t remember a thing. But I have...I have nightmares. Of the world in flames. Of Digimon running and screaming. And the flames...they’re coming from me. From my own hands...” She looked up. “I was the...the one who started it all, wasn’t I?”

Chromon shook his head. “Y-you are you. Born of the lost element of fire. Of a war waged for the s-sake of a twisted dream. B-but you were reborn to s-save worlds, not destroy them. Y-you hold the legacy of a noble knight who s-s-sacrificed his comfortable life to save a child he had barely knew. A-and now she...you and her met once again...”

He pawed at the ground, letting off faint growls. Dendromon looked upwards, her eyes scanning the night sky.

“I don’t know about that...”

Chromon tilted his head, as Dendromon clutched at the grass beneath her. “She’s an idiot. I’m an idiot. We were always gonna get on like that. Is that really down to some massive cosmic plan?”

“Heaven and Yggdrasil w-w-will what they may.”

Dendromon stuck her tongue out. “I ain’t dealing with that fate business either. I heard what Dramatismon said. I try not to think about it.”

She snorted, and looked squarely at Chromon, her tail whipping behind her.

“But I’ve already failed enough times. Can I just promise, no matter how we got here or who we were in the past, that me and her will save this world, no matter what?”

Chromon grinned sheepishly, his tail rolling back and forth.

“I d-d-don’t have the right to ask any more.”

“There we go then.”

Dendromon’s nostrils flared, and she leant back, her palms clutching the grass beneath her, browning it ever so slightly. She stared up into the sea of stars, feeling the weight of an entire world within her. Maybe even two.

“We’re...we’re gonna save the world...”

Mark looked over his shoulder, but Chromon wasn’t there. He was almost used to it by now, but he still felt a hollow feeling , gnawing away at his bones. He clasped his hands to his cheeks, and turned his attention back in front of him, watching Kent tapping away at his tablet.

“Do you need a hand there?”

Kent’s eyes flicked up for a brief second, then back down. Then, after a few seconds, he lowered the screen, staring straight ahead. Mark clasped his hands before him.

“It’s okay if you don’t. You clearly have a handle on this.”

“I don’t have a handle on anything. I’m constantly chasing after random crap going wrong.”

“Can’t leave anything alone, huh?”

“Always.” Kent leant back, his eyes leaning down towards his brother. “If I do let it be, it eats away at me. Always has done.”

Mark rolled his tongue around his mouth, not quite sure how to take the comment. Thankfully he didn’t need to, as Trilomon let out a buzzing groan.

“Oh for crying out loud, will you learn how to be emotionally honest for once?”

Kent grimaced, cartoonishly enough that Mark couldn’t help but laugh. Trilomon huffed, and walked over towards the younger brother. “If you’re not going to be supportive then I shall quit and act on your behalf. Given that his own partner isn’t here to stand up for him either.”

“Oh don’t worry, he’s got enough on his own mind.”

Mark shook his head, and gently rubbed behind the insect’s armour plating. “Besides...I’m happy enough here. With you and Kent. Y’know...if we’re all going to die tomorrow then we have to take what we can get.”

Kent squirmed even more at this comment, and Trilomon glared up at his own partner, holding up a bone claw. “You see? You see the depths of nihilism your emotional vacancy has wrought?”

Kent lowered his tablet, giving the bug a harrowed look. “When did you get so sarcastic?”

Mark smirked. “I like him even more now.”

“You’re ganging up on me...”

Light banter aside, the young man looked genuinely hurt by his own actions. Mark leant forwards, gripping his hands together.

“You and Chromon both have your own roles. I get that. It hurts, but I get it.”

“...you shouldn’t have to get it, though.” Kent sighed, looking down. “You’ve been hurt by this. By...by me. It’s not right. I thought I was prepared for it but...it...after...I abandoned you once. And I’ve never been able...prepared...willing to make up for it.”

Mark blinked, not able to make eye contact. “Dad...knows about this, doesn’t he?”

“He knows about us. There’s no way I could hide that.”

Kent sighed, placing the tablet beside him. “I wish there was more I could say. I should be able to share everything. But there’s so much going on here that you don’t know about. So much that’s at stake.”

Mark looked up. “Like Caesiumon? Dramatismon? This great evil force that Inez told us about?”

Kent raised an eyebrow. “Nothing gets past you.”

“We’re all fighting this battle, Kent. Nothing should have to.”

He sighed, and cracked his knuckles, one at a time.

“Whatever. That’s all going to come in time. Right now we need to focus on HelMidgarmon. If we don’t get past him, then nothing else will matter. Is that right?”

Kent blinked, his face frozen for a few seconds. Then he laughed. “Fuck me, we really are related.”

“Rude. Also, you’ve only just noticed?”

“You’re the one with social skills.”

Mark’s shoulders relaxed, and he folded his arms. “So...is there anything you need from me? At all?”

“Just one thing.” Kent reached down, holding his tablet in front of him as he reloaded it again. “Can you keep me company, just tonight? Saving the world gets hecking lonely.”

Mark leant back, crossing his legs in front of him.

“I think I can do that.”

“You have eaten, haven’t you?”

Inez sighed, holding the phone sideways. “Yes, mama, I’ve eaten. Everyone’s eaten.”

“We hope we left enough in the fridges for you.”

“You left enough to feed an army. I think we’ll be okay on that front.”

“Guilty...”

Inez leant back, feeling swamped by her parent’s bed. She reached out, and felt Syngnamon beside her, the seahorse coiled up with only his fins opening and closing. The girl pushed her glasses up.

“You are safe, aren’t you? You have managed to get out okay?”

“Your father and me are fine. They’ve been looking after us.” Her voice wobbled slightly, before she carried on. “ I just...wish we could be there with you.”

Inez looked down. “I wish you were here as well. But we need to do this alone.”

There was a pause, with only the sound of her mother’s faintly shaking breathing on the other end of the line. Eventually she spoke again.

“Try and get some sleep. And...good luck. We love you.”

“I love you too.” Inez rolled over, her glasses slipping slightly. “I’ll see you on the other side. I promise.”

The line hung up, and she let her hand fall sideways, the phone falling from her grip. Inez didn’t move for several minutes, just staring at the darkness outside. The sun was a ways off from rising yet. But she was dreading when it did.

Syngnamon shuffled up beside her, holding his front legs together. “Are you okay?”

“...no...”

The girl coiled up, holding her arms over her stomach. “I know I need to be. For them. For everyone else. For you. But...I’m scared, Syngnamon. I’m more scared than I’ve ever been in my life.”

Syngnamon’s eyes fell down upon her face, his pupils glittering. He padded the duvet. “Now’s the best time to be scared.” He looked away. “Do you...need some time on your own, or...”

“No, can...” Inez shook her head, and opened up her arms, her expression pleading. “...can I hold you?”

“Of course.”

Syngnamon bowed his head, and gently slid forwards, nestling into her arms. She gripped him firmly, burying her head in his shoulder as she coiled up on the bed. It wasn’t long before the tears came, and she began to shake, and whimper ever so softly, leaving damp patches on the soft duvet below her. Tears of terror, uncontrollable, and unbound.

He didn’t let go. And neither did she.

Kevin looked up, watching his boyfriend’s face from beneath as he leant back against his chest. “Aren’t you tired?”

Owen let out a long breath. “I think I’ve reached a level of tired that is beyond the human measure, and thus loops back around to being bright and breezy again.”

“That’s probably not a good sign.” Kevin raised a hand. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Twenty-bleven.”

“So you’re fine then.”

Owen stuck his tongue out, and Kevin returned the favour, before lying back and closing his eyes. “Honestly, you might wanna get some rest before tomorrow. Don’t want you driving your big mech suit around the city in that much of a state. We’ll get done for reckless flying.”

“I’m lying down, aren’t I?” Owen smirked. “Besides, you’re not planning on going anywhere safe, are you.”

“Fuck that. I’m not leaving you alone out there.”

“There we go then. You can drive for me.”

“...way to care for my safety, dude.”

“I care immensely,” said Owen, and he wrapped his arms further around Kevin’s chest, his thumbs pulling beneath the other man’s shirt. Kevin closed his eyes, temporarily lost in the moment. Then he opened one eye.

“You’re awfully needy tonight.”

“Anything at all could happen tomorrow. I wanna be as nice to you as possible while I still can.” Owen rested his chin on the top of Kevin’s head. “Do you want me to stop?”

Kevin folded his glasses up and put them on the coffee table beside him. “You can go further if you want.”

“Nah, I made a vow against opening a business on other people’s furniture.”

“Chicken.”

“I have very few morals but I do stand by them.”

Kevin leant back, reaching up and running a palm down Owen’s face. “Can I take this as a promise then? That once this is over, we can stay round mine or yours and we can make up properly?”

Owen stayed quiet for a few moments. Kevin looked up, seeing his eyes in the dim light. A desperate need, and yet unable to answer. The shorter man reached up, holding his fingers through Owen’s longer ones. Owen held him more tightly.

“No matter what happens tomorrow, it’s a promise.”

Kevin smiled, and shuffled up further, twisting around to give Owen a long, soft kiss on the lips. They stayed together for a few minutes, embraced on the sofa, with the warm light of the bedside cabinet beside them.

Outside the window, Simeamon nodded her head forwards, rubbing a finger against the side of her helmet.

“God, humans can be such dorks.”

“You’re telling me.”

The monkey opened her eyes, and leant forwards, seeing the familiar sight of a ring of beads on the driveway down below. She stretched her arms, before sliding off the windowsill, falling cleanly and landing in a crouch before him.

“Hey there, Marty. Long time no see.”

Martyaxmon coiled his tail, his voice as flat as ever. “It’s only been a couple of days.”

“But it’s felt like so long though,” flounced Simeamon, and she staggered forwards, planting her head in his beard. Martyaxmon sat down, and gently raised a paw, patting her on the back. She looked up, her eyes twinkling up at him.

“How’s the redemption going?”

“Terrible. They’re forcing me to work. And look after young children. I can hear Cephalomon laughing at me every damned second.”

“Aw, bubby...”

Martyaxmon’s face cracked, and he laughed heartily, with Simeamon giggling in front of him. She backed away, twirling her pistol around one finger. “Whatever anyone says, it’s good to have you on our side.”

“Yes, well...” Martyaxmon looked behind him. “Aaron and I agreed it was best I stayed in reserve for now. Not everybody’s as comfortable having me around as you are, which is probably wise. And nobody needs any distractions right now.”

He turned back, his beads spinning slowly around him. Simeamon held her hands behind her back, kicking at the rough drive beneath her. “Do...you wanna take a walk?”

The manticore looked back. “Surely you want to spend some time with your own partner? You did finally get him back, right?”

Simeamon looked up, seeing the dim light blinking out from the windowsill. She smiled warmly.

“Nah, my boy’s doing juuust fine.”

Martyaxmon blinked, before nodding. “Okay, well...I won’t say no-“

“Hi-ho, Silver.”

The manticore’s expression froze on his face as he suddenly found the monkey buried in his mane once again, in a movement as freakishly fast as the tiny child had managed.

Simeamon rolled around, snuggling the manticore’s mane around her.

“By the way, my fluffy crimson friend.”

“...you know what? Humans are terrible and they’re a bad influence on you.”

Simeamon giggled, and placed her hands behind her head as Martyaxmon set off.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Jack sat in silence, listening as the soft plucked notes of the violin spilled out across the driveway. He opened his eyes, looking up at Lyra as she sat on the windowsill, one leg dangling out the window. She rolled her fingers, finishing the current run of notes with a flourish, before sitting back. Jack waited for a few moments, before leaning forwards.

“Struggling to play?”

Lyra smirked as she twisted, a smug look on her face. “It’s easier without a snapped bow. And I’m saving it up.” She nodded over at Tsurumon. “We’ve got the big performance tomorrow.”

She raised a hand to her chin in mock laughter, before wobbling noticeably, clutching hold of the window frame behind her. She held on in a panicked fashion, as Perimon began to laugh and Jack winced.

“Yeah...be careful up there.”

“I’ve been hanging out on rooftops longer than you have, kid.”

“Debatable.” Jack raised his arms behind his head. “’Sides, you never know when some small and stupid decision is gonna change your life forever.”

Lyra looked down at him, before reaching one leg in, twisting round and leaning back fully against the frame.

“You never know when something small’s gonna save it, either...” She sighed, puffing her cheeks out. “This sounds a bit weird given we’re about to go out into a battle for the fate of the world, but...I don’t think I ever thanked you properly.”

Jack tilted his head. “For what?”

“For...um...chasing me that one time and nearly making me fall to my death, I guess.”

Jack looked deflated, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, I...guess I did...”

“But I wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for you. So thanks. I mean it.”

Jack smiled. Behind him, Perimon spread his wings, ruffling out his neck feathers. “You’re most welcome. It’s only the humble service of the greatest flyer in existence to save lives.”

Tsurumon turned his head, his eyebrow morphing upwards. “Heavens, you’re obnoxious.”

“It’s one of my best traits.” The falcon stuck his tongue out. “And I don’t need to take such slander from my junior.”

“...junior?”

“Yeah. You’ve got a bunch of practise before you get up to my flight level, mister.”

“You wish,” muttered Tsurumon looking the other way. But he glanced back, a twinkle in his eye. “Is that a challenge?”

“Can be if you want it to be.”

Jack smirked, listening to the pair’s warm bickering, a brief respite from the heavy atmosphere. He looked up at Lyra, who was staring sadly out the window.

“Do you regret it?”

Lyra sighed, and began turning the tuning keys on her violin, her digivice still humming beside her.

“I’ll only regret it if this is all I get. I hope we can win this.”

“We will.”

Jack leant forwards, placing one fist in his hand as he stared forward intensely.

“We’ve won this battle before. No matter how long it takes or how hard we have to fight, we’ve always won through. We’re gonna do it again. We...just have to...”

Lyra looked at the boy’s reflection in the window, hearing the firmness in his words...and the uncertainty in his voice. She nodded.

“I believe in all of you. We will.”

“Permission to join you.”

Kai held his arm back from around Eloise’s shoulder, looking up at the doorway. “Aaron. It’s good to see you back.”

The sandy-haired man raised a couple of fingers in a weak salute, before wandering forwards, leaning back against the edge of a table. “The town is all ours. Everyone’s safe. Or...as safe as they can be, given the situation.”

Eloise raised a finger to her temple. “How reassuring. We have more room to break stuff this time.” She grimace, looking up at Aaron. “And...Martyaxmon? Where’s he gone now?”

Velocimon folded his arms, leant back against a filing cabinet. “He’s sticking around, I’m afraid. But he’s hanging back at the lab, with us.”

Eloise lowered her head, causing Ladomon to nestle over her partner’s head, looking down with her azure eyes. “You’re still troubled by him.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Eloise let out an audible sigh. “He attacked us, he damn near killed Aaron and kidnapped Kai, he did kill friends of ours. I know he’s trying, I believe that he’s trying to help, and be better. I believe he’s remorseful. But I can’t forget that. Not even now.”

She looked sideways, her eyes facing Kai’s. “Does that make me a bad person?”

Her boyfriend leant forwards, and gently held her head by his, kissing her on the forehead.

“We all have things we can’t be forgiven for. If he’s truly changed, then he’ll know he has to accept that. It’s his responsibility, not ours.”

Eloise reached across, holding her partner’s shoulder. Velocimon gave a snort, and leant his head back against the metal. “How things change. Once upon a time it would have been me clamouring for his head.”

Aaron looked back. “You gaining a sense of compassion?”

“...no, I think I’m just tired these days.”

“You and all of us,” said Eloise, before fixing Aaron with a pointed stare. “You’d better not be on the front lines tomorrow. You’ve done enough.”

“Easy,” replied the young man, his palms raised in a defensive gesture. “I know my limits. I’ll be with Salma and the others if you need me.” He placed his thumbs in his pockets. “I’m guessing you’re leading with the others?”

Kai looked down, supporting Eloise’s head as she gently descended into his lap. “We don’t have a choice. They need us right now.”

Aaron lowered his eyelids. “Now I’m the one who feels bad...you’ve both given twice as much to this fight as I have.”

Kai sighed, and looked down at his own palm, before resting it on Eloise’s head. She reached up, curling her hand over his.

“We had a good run at a normal life. But we were chosen. And it’s time to go back.”

Colchimon stared forlornly down, as his partner shifted beneath him, pressing against his knees and helping him and Eloise up, never letting go of her hand.

“We should get some rest.”

“...yeah...”

Aaron watched them as they walked past, nothing left within him or them to talk. He sighed, before trudging out of the room after them, with Velocimon in tow.

Only Ladomon and Colchimon were left in the room, hovering separately, almost in a daze. Ladomon blinked, trying to keep the tears from her eyes and failing.

“War never changes.”

Colchimon shook his head. “But the people fighting it do.”

“C...Colchimon...” stammered the white dragon, and she looked up with wide, glistening eyes, pleading with a thousand questions. Of which she asked only one.

“...what do...we do...?”

“We fight for them.”

The black dragon hovered towards her, gently brushing one wing over her back. She coiled up, not daring to get too close. He hung his head low, his voice barely a whisper.

“...and whatever happens, we bring them both home.”

Lonnie didn’t know how long she’d been sitting in darkness. Just another corner in a remarkably large house. Just somewhere to sit, alone. With only her thoughts, and her promises.

She reached behind her, but Dendromon wasn’t there. Her hand only gripped the rough carpet, feeling it between her fingers.

Something shifted in dim light, and she looked up, seeing the silhouette above her. Grace shuffled forwards, running her hand through the end of her ponytail. Lonnie straightened up, a smile painted over her face.

“Big day tomorrow.”

Grace returned the gesture. “Can’t sleep?”

“Don’t have the energy.”

Grace dwelled on the confusing thought, but decided not to comment. She just leant back against the wall herself, slowly sliding down, until she was sat next to the redhead. Lonnie took in a sharp breath.

“Can I ask you something?”

Grace nodded, holding her knees close to her chest. Lonnie reached up, running a pigtail through her fingers.

“If you tell yourself that everything’s gonna be fine long enough, does it ever happen?”

Grace blinked, but rested her head back. “I couldn’t tell you. I could never even get that far.”

Lonnie smiled, wrapping her hair tighter and tighter around her index finger, before unravelling it. “It’s easy to...say the right thing. In front of everyone. But I do know, you know. We...we only have one chance. And it isn’t a good one.”

“But you said it yourself, didn’t you?” Grace leant forwards, seeing the slight glimmer in Lonnie’s eyes. “Just because it’s almost impossible doesn’t mean we can’t try. We all want him back. We’re going to fight to get him back. As long as there is a chance...no matter how small it might be.”

Lonnie laughed flatly, her voice hollow in the shadows.

“I just thought...I should prepare for the worst...”

“Hey,” said Grace softly, reaching out and placing a hand on the other girl’s shoulder. “You’re the best of us. You always have been. If anyone can save him, and save the world, it’s you.”

Lonnie looked down, her eyes trembling. Grace patted her, and went to stand up, when she felt something tug weakly at her wrist. She looked down, and saw Lonnie holding onto her, gently pulling her hand.

“It can’t be long now before the sun comes up.”

Grace turned her hand, and held Lonnie’s. It was shaking. But Grace could see the smile on her face; faint, and strained, but still there.

“Sorry to be a wimp, but...would you...stay with me? Please? Just until then...”

Grace descended, still holding her hand in Lonnie’s. She pulled her legs in, and shuffled up, leaning against the other girl.

“Of course I can.”

“Thanks.”

Two hours later, the first reams of sunlight skittered over the surface of the sea. They struck the sand and lit up the promenade and reached the first of the beachfront houses beyond. Up on the cliffs, they hit the windows of Inez’s house, shining through the rooms.

But there was nobody there.

Salma watched from the remains of the lab, seeing the dots strewn across the grid. Velocimon walked up, watching beside her. Martyaxmon remained in the corner, his tail curling slowly. Nicholas sat with Aaron, holding himself upright, his uncovered eye sharp and keen. Aaron just stayed close, watching the tense movements of the others.

They gathered, watching out across the shoreline. Some on rooftops. Others in deserted streets. And a few, standing defiantly along the beach, watching the clouds break.

And others watched as well, waiting for the first movement.

High above, HelMidgarmon felt the sunlight dancing through his own body. New energy. New drive. A world shining brightly before him, much like the one he had seen so long ago. It burned. It all burned.

Deep within the bone and crystal and pain, Alasdair held tightly, feeling the leviathan’s pain as his own. His body felt completely alien now. Every movement was a mistake. Every stray thought caused him to become more lost. But he looked up, seeing far into the distance through those round, hollow, haunted eyes. He saw the lights glistening along the shoreline, as a thousand points of energy emerged, swirled, and began to coalesce.

His warriors had come at last.

Alasdair let out a haggard cough, and lowered his arms, the weak grip subsiding.

HelMidgarmon flinched. He let out a cry.

And, with the light of dawn streaming forth behind him, he began to fly towards the waiting town.

TO BE CONTINUED...