“...I wish it didn’t have to be like this...”

Rain slammed against the windscreen as Alasdair’s foot pounded against the pedal, the car tearing down the winding road. He ground his teeth, raising the device to his mouth.

“It doesn’t Wyvermon, for god’s sake...it doesn’t! Not again! I don’t need to lose anyone else to this thing!”

“...Ali...”

Alasdair glanced behind him, seeing Joel in his rear view mirror as he skidded back and forth across the seat. The younger man held the prone figure in his lap, his fingers interlocked with hers.

“She won’t...Lizzie won’t stop shaking...”

A cry echoed through the car, piercing into Alasdair’s heart.

And between worlds, reaching Wyvermon’s ears.

The dragon crouched down, looking forwards at the maddening abyss before him.

“I’m stopping this now.”

“Wyvermon, no!”

The dragon heard the voice in his ears as he stepped forwards, his claws hooking over the edge. He squinted, seeing the epicentre before him as the voice kept crying out.

“Wyvermon! Don’t do this!”

The dragon closed his eyes.

“What kind of Digimon do you take me for? Someone has to stop this, Alasdair...” He looked behind him, seeing the greying land falling away in patches. “And I’m the only one here...”

“I’ll...I’ll find another way...there has to be another way...”

“The other way was for us never to have met to begin with.”

Alasdair’s voice caught in his throat, leaving only the sounds of the storm battering the car as he tore down the road. There was a dry laugh, as Wyvermon reached up towards his neck, pressing his claw against his skin.

“We should never have met. It’s wrong. It always was. But...for what it’s worth...I’m glad I got to hear your voice again.”

Alasdair shook his head, his teeth pressed together so hard he thought they would crack. “Wyvermon...please...”

“Take care of everyone. I’m going to save the world.”

Wyvermon pulled his hand away, opening his eyes. As the cries filled his head, he reared back, straightened his wings, and jumped.

“No! No, NO, NO! NOT YOU TOO!”

Alasdair’s hand slammed against the dashboard, the digivice silent in his grasp. He let out a scream, shouting back against the storm around him, as Joel crouched down in the back seat, holding the woman tightly in his arms.

“Ali...”

“No...”

Alasdair looked up, and the car lurched forwards, causing Joel to slide sideways. “Ali, you have to calm down!”

Alasdair didn’t seem to hear him, his hands gripping the steering wheel as he built up speed. “I won’t let him do this! I can’t! Not again, Joel! I can’t mess this up yet again!”

“ALI, IN FRONT OF-”

Alasdair gasped, the white lights streaming through the windscreen and the lorry’s horn blaring in his ears as it skidded past. Stunned, Alasdair felt nothing but empty space around him. And the wheels turned.

White and blue paintwork. Hot halogen strip lights. A crack in the corner. The smell of ethanol.

Alasdair couldn’t remember how long he’d been staring at it now. Sometimes he would close his eyes, and when he opened them, the light would have changed. Or sometimes he would just stare upwards, whenever he was left alone for long enough. His body felt alien. Sometimes in pain, sometimes utterly numb.

His mouth felt dry. He found himself reaching up, trying to grab a glass from beside him, but he missed, and it fell inwards, knocking against his left thigh. He gasped, but the coldness never came. Just a faint fuzz. No matter what he did, just...nothing there.

There was nothing there.

There was nothing he could do.

He was alone with his thoughts again. The memories. The decisions. The actions. The mistakes and the words and all of a sudden they swamped him again; every face and word and failure from the past twenty-five years...and especially the past four days...

“Oh...christ...”

He raised his palms, pressing them into his eye sockets as he felt his elbows twitching.

“Joel...Lucy...Rachel...Lizzie...oh god...how could...how could I mess this up so much again!”

His right hand travelled down, spreading out over his mouth as he tried to take a breath. It caught his skin, and he found himself shaking, his hand clamped over his cheeks as if it was trying to end his mistakes for good. He didn’t want to let go. He didn’t want...he didn’t want...

“Mr Watts?”

The man opened his eyes, looking down at the nurse stood towards the end of the bed.

“You have a visitor.”

Alasdair turned his head. “I...don’t think I can see anybody...”

“Ali?”

That voice.

He looked back, pushing himself up on both elbows as the nurse walked out, and the other woman walked in. Tall and broad, with her fiery hair bundled into a single long plait. She wore a flowery dress, and held her arms over her belly, nursing the noticeable bump of a late-stage pregnancy. Their eyes met. Her hands went to her mouth, tears already welling.

“Yvonne...”

Yvonne’s face scrunched up, and she walked forwards at a pace, thrusting her arms around him, and suddenly she was holding him tightly and he was holding her in return, neither of them letting go. She sniffed, and he saw her eyes, nearly red raw from tears as she glared at him.

“...you idiot...”

Something snapped inside Alasdair. His arms went limp, and his head fell forwards, and he suddenly realised he was crying; huge soaking tears falling down his face and down onto the woman’s sleeves as she held him there, falling to her own knees as she caressed his shoulders.

“Oh Yvonne, I’m...I’m so sorry...I’m so sorry...”

She spread her arms wider, and turned her head, and he felt the warmth of her cheek against his skin.

“It’s going to be okay, Ali. I promise.”

“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it...”

Yvonne jumped out of her daze, and nodded, gently pushing Alasdair down the path. He leant back, one hand in his lap and one curling around the arm of his chair. A faint breeze blew past him, bringing some autumn leaves with it, as they settled on the path.

The man looked back, and Yvonne caught the look in his eyes. Despite the bright lights around, there was no ignoring the dullness that perpetuated through them. She opened her mouth, but hiccupped, placing her hand against her throat.

“Excuse me...”

Alasdair sighed. “I keep telling you not to push yourself too far.”

The woman scowled. “And I keep telling you not a chance. I’m not going to abandon my best friend just because I’m lugging two people around now.”

She stopped, her hand going up to her arm. “We could rest for a bit though...if that’s okay.”

“You never change...”

She gently pushed him towards a bench, angling his chair beside it. He held up a hand, and she let go of the handles, watching as he gripped the arm of his chair. He focused on his left leg, the calf moving agonisingly slowly. It tapped the path, and brushed it back and forth, getting no grip at all.

Yvonne held out a hand, but he shook his head, switching to his right leg. It moved slowly as well, but with a tiny bit more control. Slowly he manoeuvred himself around, as Yvonne sat down beside him, a sad look on her face.

“Your exercises have been helping, haven’t they? You’re moving a little better.”

Alasdair leant back, staring at the rustling trees above. “It’s taking everything I have just to move the left one that much.” He lowered a hand, gently running it over his thigh, feeling only the barest bit of pressure. “I...I’m still coming to terms with it. I will. I have to. But it just feels like if I keep trying hard enough I’m...going to make a change, somehow...”

Yvonne reached out, holding a hand on the other man’s shoulder. He looked up, and she smiled reassuringly. His eyes fell down, and he nodded at her. “So when’s the big day?”

“Not long now,” Yvonne grinned, and she reached down, stroking a hand over her belly. “She’s getting lively.”

“I should hope so too.” Alasdair grinned, and he leant sideways, speaking next to his friend’s tummy. “You listen to me, okay? Make sure you give your mother the run-around for me. I can’t do it so much anymore.”

“Oi, stop corrupting my child! That’s my job!”

Alasdair and Yvonne laughed, and they sat back, watching the ripples on the pond opposite them. Yvonne sighed, running a finger around the end of her plait.

“When did we become old?”

There was no reply. She looked sideways, and her face fell as she saw Alasdair clutching something beneath his jumper.

“Ali, what’s that?”

“Nothing.”

“Ali, you told me you were going to stop...stop listening to that thing.”

The man’s shoulders fell, and he raised his jumper and pulled out the flat disc. He laid it on his lap, the small screen pointing upwards, dark in the bright sunlight.

“I tried...I really did. But I couldn’t leave him.”

The wind blew as Alasdair looked up, his eyes glistening with tears. “I can hear him crying, Yvonne. All the time. He’s still there and he’s hurting, and all I can do is listen. I...I can’t even comfort him.”

He gently raised the device up, a yearning expression on his face. Yvonne lowered her head, holding her mouth shut.

“I’m...sorry, Ali. I wish I could help, really I do. But I...I can’t hear anything.”

Alasdair sat alone, watching the light flicker on the desk before him. He was exhausted, so much so that he could barely hold his hand up. His mind was swimming, the after-effects of alcohol and medication making him feel sicker than he always did. But he forced himself to stay upright, staring at the drawn curtains as he held the phone receiver to his head.

Agonisingly slowly he drew his hand over the phone dial, looking down at the tattered piece of paper lying on top of the old device. He finished the last number, and waited, hearing the tone on the other side.

The ringing stopped, but the line stayed open. Alasdair could hear the faint sound of breathing from the other side.

“Are you...there?”

“...Alasdair?”

Alasdair closed his eyes, and held the bridge of his nose. “I...I need your help. I know what you’ve been doing. You’ve been watching the digital world.”

There was no response. But the line remained open, the person on the other end still listening. Alasdair sat up.

“I know there are new gates are opening up, and I’m sure you do as well. More people will get involved. More children. We...we can’t let the same things happen to any of them. We can’t let them make the same mistakes as us. I know you feel that way as well.”

Still nothing. Alasdair reached out, gently dimming the light.

“We can’t either of us do this alone. But we need to do something. Can I...meet with you? Please?”

He waited, for what felt like an age, the line still staying open on the other end. Then came the voice again, quiet, but firm.

“I’ll be in touch. Stay safe, Alasdair.”

The tone sounded. Alasdair placed the phone back down, and leant forwards, holding his fingers against his temples. His heart was beating rapidly, and he felt he might be sick yet again. But it was over. That first step that he’d been dreading for so long.

He placed his hand down, brushed the paper aside, and held the device in his hand, holding it close.

“I won’t let you suffer like this anymore.”

He held it close, crouched over in his chair as tears began to fall down his cheeks.

“I’m coming to save you...Wyvermon...”

There he stayed, as the light flickered dimly beside him. The room was silent. Or nearly so.

Silent, but for one person. The person who could hear the crying, and the pain, and the pleading as it echoed around the bedroom. Far away, but never-ending. The torment of a dragon’s last sacrifice.

“...Alasdair...help me...”

Hauhetmon shivered, her body illuminating the void around her. She lowered her hands, her sceptres dimming slightly as she touched down on the crystal floor beneath her. The orange flames fanned out, reflecting off dark crystal walls, and reacting with the myriad lights which hung within.

Slowly she walked forwards, her eyes fixed on the old man before her. As she got closer he got clearer, and the state of his body became evident. Greying skin, drawn so tightly as to be emaciated. Patches of the green crystal were growing over his forearms and chest, and clambering up the wheels of his chair, which was twisted and buckled, unable to move. He raised his head, and Hauhetmon held her breath as several tendrils moved with him, as if he were being used as a puppet.

But still he raised his head, smiling as warmly as ever he would when she visited.

“Look at you...my Lonnie...you’ve done it...”

His voice was incredibly weak; barely more than a whisper and laced with pain and sadness that he could no longer hide. Hauhetmon clenched her fist, barely able to see the sight before her.

“Uncle Ali...”

She crouched down onto one knee, and her eyes looked into his, brimming with golden light.

“I...I’ve come to save you...we all have...”

Alasdair bowed his head, his eyes heavy. “I know...”

“I can get you out of here, hold on-“

“Lonnie, wait.”

Hauhetmon reached out, but recoiled as Alasdair was pulled backwards. He hissed in pain, and the angel stood up, her flames glowing brighter. At this distance she could see them now; the tendrils holding Alasdair, much like the structures of bone that encircled HelMidgarmon’s head, only much smaller. They coiled around his shoulders and into his sweatshirt. Lonnie could hear the faint creaking where they did so, and saw his arms moving as they did, the bones fusing with his own. And not just his arms; they burrowed into his legs, his back, his neck; all over him, holding him in place.

She stood in shock, as her old friend raised his palm.

“It looks a sight...doesn’t it...”

He turned sideways, gesturing weakly with a shaking hand. “He wants...me to stay...that’s all...just to stay with him...”

Hauhetmon turned, as the wall of crystal beside her seemed to open up, revealing a vast orb, holding some form of liquid space. She realised where she was; right in the centre of HelMidgarmon’s head, between his eyes. She could see the outside world beyond, and the shifting horizons as the dragon undulated, still held by Eosmon and Astraeusmon and the others.

But in the centre of the orb lay another figure, coiled around a perfect sphere of crystal. He was tiny in comparison; a small, transparent green dragon with ragged wings on his arms, and a diamond shaped tail which hung loosely in the void. He was motionless, save for the occasional spasm. And when he did so, the whole body of HelMidgarmon did the same.

“Is that your partner?”

“...I suppose we were partners, weren’t we...only for a few days...but he remembered me...” Alasdair smiled. “This is Wyvermon. He’s one of the bravest people I ever knew.”

Hauhetmon stepped back, shaking her head slowly. She turned back to Alasdair, and her eyes had changed slightly. A bright, acid green, with the pupils dilating.

“This...this can’t be him...he would never do this...”

“Is that Dendromon in there?” Alasdair nodded sadly. “I’m sorry.,,you may not remember entirely, but...you carry the element of fire in your veins...as Arimon did...as Surtremon did...of course you’d retain the memories of your own best friend.”

Hauhetmon raised an arm, as Alasdair turned around, looking up at the tiny dragon. “It was always going to be you two...no matter how hard I tried to stop you...there was never any other choice. Yvonne’s granddaughter...and the remnants of the noble knight who burned the world...Yggdrasil never forgets...”

“Yggdrasil is wrong!”

Hauhetmon’s voice echoed through the chasm, as she turned, holding her hand to her chest. “I’m not strong! I haven’t been able to change a thing! Not for the better, anyway; all this death, all this destruction...I couldn’t save Knuckmon...or Fenghuangmon...or Eirenemon...or you. Not when it mattered...” She lowered her head, her teeth grinding together.

“You told me I was the best of us, Uncle Ali...but I wasn’t...I let you down. I’ve struggled since the beginning; how am I the best of anybody?”

“Because of me. Because...I needed to be sure...”

Hauhetmon opened her eyes, and looked up, as the old man’s body was racked with coughs. He raised a hand, wiping his chin.

“Somebody who has fought through every hardship. Who has lived through travesty. Who would...would fight and get stronger...no matter what. You always had this power within you...but I’m the one who hid it away...”

Hauhetmon straightened up. “What...what are you talking about-“

“I co-ordinated the D-SENDs, Lonnie. With the D-Nexus, and my own digivice, and some assistance from Salma and the Digital World to materialize them. I know...how they work. What makes them work. Each device is tailored to each person...and each person has different obstacles to overcome.”

Hauhetmon stepped back, holding her shoulder as Alasdair moved forwards, driven by the bony structures.

“When you two first met, I had...that chance...to get inside your digivice and...limit it. To hold you back. Restrain you from your own ability.”

Hauhetmon’s eyes were wide. “Then...all the trouble I had...evolving...fighting...the lack of control, everything-“

“You were fighting ten times as hard as everybody else. You have been since the beginning. It was my fault.”

The angel held her palm up before her, staring into the fiery mass behind her own skin. She laughed; a short, humourless laugh of disbelief.

“You mean...all those people I could have saved...all that good I could have done...” She looked up, her eyes blazing but her voice soft and submissive. “Ali...why?”

“So you could break through that limit. To reach the next level. To be the best of them.”

“But why?”

Another echo; the hurt in Hauhetmon’s voice descending into the darkness. Alasdair leant back, his chest descending.

“...because I needed you strong enough to stand here. At the end of the world.”

He turned his head, and Hauhetmon followed his gaze, looking up at Wyvermon’s tiny body.

“...I need you to kill my partner...”

The grand serpent’s body trembled, ripples of lightning cascading down his coils as he struggled against the bindings. His mouth pressed wider apart as he screamed towards the sky. Chunks of crystal fell from his body, crushing the buildings below.

Astraeusmon held his wings wide, straining as the chaos energy sapped at him more and more. His hands locked tightly with Eosmon’s as she too powered backwards, her entire body shimmering. The chaos dragon wrapped more tightly, the spears of light and darkness piercing into HelMidgarmon’s flesh, holding him in place even as they were snapped away one after the other.

They weren’t the only ones still fighting, but the battle was drawing out, and many of them were already on their last legs. Skathimon was still standing, if only barely, releasing waves of ice that slowed the serpent’s joints. Okeanomon was there as well, wielding glowing spears, and GrandTengumon was hovering just below, playing a long, slow song with Lyra’s help in an effort to provide support.

But others weren’t so lucky. Ouranomon was crouched down, willing the winds to burst into life around him, but struggling to even get airborne. NeoSapiamon still lay grounded, the great mecha sparking but with barely any signs of movement. And Archaeomon staggered, every movement breaking off more of his armour as he hung on Talosmon’s shoulder, the metal warrior also looking very much the worse for wear. Archaeomon looked up, the green lightning reflecting in his scarlet eyes.

“How long can we keep this up?”

“As long as we need to,” said Talosmon flatly, straightening up. “We made a promise.”

Archaeomon clenched his fists, wincing in pain. “Mark...at some point...we have to make a call...”

“We’ve made that call.”

Talosmon looked down at the earth warrior, and his eyes flickered in the dark sockets of his mask. He reached forwards, embedding one end of his staff in the shattered road before him.

“We’re getting him out. Lonnie and Dendromon are freeing him.”

“It’s...the sake of our world for one person, Mark. Everyone’s already trying their hardest but what...if it’s not enough?”

“It will be. I trust her.” He let out an electronic sigh. “More than you, I’m afraid. Or myself.”

There was a flash of white in front of them, and the sound of cracking as Skathimon released an arc of frozen energy, piercing into HelMidgarmon’s underside. She looked back, before staggering, holding her right side as her hair drooped around her. Archaeomon lowered his head.

“I really hope you’re right...”

The energy pulsed from the digital gate, causing the lamps within the control room to pulse brightly. Nobody noticed; they were gathered around the screens, trying desperately to watch what was going on, even though they could hear and feel the effects from here. Dominic and Perez were working like wild things, desperately opening up new portals around the serpent to hold him with anything they could, as Salma barked orders between them, guiding their movements. Aaron, Velocimon and Martyaxmon were stood behind them, more focused on the movements of the Digimon trying desperately to hold their opponent down. Martyaxmon was focused intently on NeoSapiamon, as she creaked forwards on the screen, forcing herself upright with a shaking arm.

Nicholas stood apart, not really able to see the action, but able to hear a lot. Yethmon leant against the wall, his eyes half closed and his arms folded. He looked up at his partner, but said nothing.

There was a bang as Salma slammed her palm against the desk, more forcefully than she intended. “We’re losing him!”

“We’re losing all of them.” Dominic’s eyes scanned back and forth, closing windows as fast as they popped up. “No matter how many we open he’s just pulling further and further away. We’re barely able to slow him as it is.”

Salma straightened up, holding a palm around her mouth. She looked back, her eyes falling on Martyaxmon.

“If we open many more we’re going to be risking the structure of the Digital World, and just be back where we started.”

“If we don’t do something new though we’re going to run out of time here. In our world.”

Aside, Nicholas made a hissing noise, and turned away, walking towards his partner. He paused, his eyes meeting those of the hound. Yethmon smirked.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Aaron turned around, and saw the two push their way through the doors. He cursed under his breath, and rushed after them.

“Nicholas, wait!”

The younger man turned round, staring into Aaron’s eyes with his own grey one. “Don’t try to stop me. I’m going to help them.”

Aaron straightened up, narrowing his eyes. “This is risky enough as it is. You know why you’re here; it’s not going to be safe for you-“

“It’s not safe for them! Or for us! Or for anybody!”

Nicholas’s raised voice caught Aaron off guard, and he backed away. The blond tamer pulled his fist close into his chest, his glasses shining.

“But they’re out there fighting anyway. Because that’s what they do.”

Aaron shook his head. “It’s...painful, I know. But sometimes you need to recognise when there’s nothing you can do to help.”

“How many times have I told myself that already...”

Nicholas gave a weak smile. “I’m sorry, Aaron. I’m sorry for the hurt I’ve caused you and your friends. I was so obsessed with making myself a hero that I didn’t think about what it actually meant.”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his D-SEND. The first D-SEND; rough around the edges, but as powerful as the rest of them. When he looked up again, his face was firm.

“I chose this life. I chose this power. And it’s way past time I took responsibility for it.”

Aaron’s expression didn’t change, and for a moment the two young men stared at one another, the sounds of chaos going on in the room behind them. Eventually however, Aaron stepped back, clenching his fist beside him.

“Go. Do whatever you can.”

Nicholas nodded his head politely, before opening the door as he and Yethmon rushed out towards the city. They began to run, Nicholas blinking against the light, still trying to compensate for his balance issues. He heard a snorting sound beside him, and looked down to see Yethmon roll his own eyes.

“’I chose this life’? Bleaugh. Corny. Gimme a break.”

Nicholas smirked. “Would you have gone for ‘shit happens’?”

“More like ‘I will stand by my poor life choices until the day I die.’”

“Does that include the day I met you then?”

Yethmon chuckled, his mask rucking up around his jowls as he ran. “The feeling’s mutual, my friend.”

Nicholas grinned, and he held up his D-SEND as the crimson energy began to spin around the both of them.

“Soul Coalescence!”

Hauhetmon stared upwards, her eyes never leaving Wyvermon as he floated in space. Unmoving, unresponsive, unable to see the destruction being caused below him. That he himself was causing. The angel turned back, looking down at the old man.

“Ali…he’s…he’s your partner...”

“You think I don’t know what I’m saying?”

Alasdair raised a hand, holding it to his cheek as he stared downwards. “He’s suffered enough. He’s been travelling the Dark Area for over forty years now; as far as the Digital World’s concerned that’s over a hundred and fifty. Maybe even more, if the Dark Area twists time and perception even more as it seems to. He sacrificed himself to protect the world from a deadly force, and he’s more than paid the price for it.” The man looked up, and his face was grave. “I can’t watch him pay for this anymore.”

‘…but to kill him for that? Especially if it wasn’t his fault?”

“Lonnie…”

Hauhetmon looked down, catching Alasdair’s eyes as he watched her, the pain evident in his gaze.

“Do you really have the right to decide the fate of somebody whose pain you’ve never felt?”

Hauhetmon tensed her arms beside her, watching the dragon beside her. He twitched, his tiny form becoming unsettled. And as he did so, the whole world shifted around her. She felt the vibrating energy within the very walls and the floor and the air she was breathing. A living time bomb, every movement mere seconds away from detonating.

The dragon curled up again, his eyes fastening tightly shut. Hauhetmon reached out, and held a palm against the wall. It glowed, and the heat spread out through the crystal, with veins etching themselves through the transparent material. Alasdair watched, his eyelids drooping.

“It’ll only take a second. You’ve already made it this far. The power you’ve amassed by now; it’ll eliminate him instantly. He won’t even feel any pain.”

Hauhetmon’s fingers clenched, and she looked back, her eyes boring into Alasdair’s.

“And what about you, Uncle Ali?”

Alasdair pressed his lips together, averting his gaze. But the tendrils closed in around him, holding him tightly in place. Hauhetmon reached out, grasping one in her hand. She squeezed, and the bone incinerated in seconds, coiling away. But Alasdair let out a gasp, and was pulled away yet further, three more tendrils emerging and digging into his body. Hauhetmon straightened up, her eyes blazing.

“Ali…what about you…?”

Alasdair’s eyes were heavy, almost lifeless in the green gloom. Hauhetmon didn’t move, her mouth pulling apart into a grimace.

“…I asked you a question…”

Alasdair’s head fell, the tendrils moving behind him. It took him several breaths to muster up the energy to speak. And when he did, it was with a defeated voice, laden with regret.

“…I’m a part of him now…I chose to stay with him…and while I was with him, I could hold him back. Not entirely. But enough. Enough for you to reach here. And finish him.”

“I didn’t come here to finish him. I didn’t come here to kill anyone.” Hauhetmon’s eyes flashed, and she took a step forwards. “I came here to rescue you.”

“Look at me, Lonnie. I’m beyond rescuing now.” Alasdair raised his arms, and the bones dangled beneath, twitching with every muscle movement. “He’s holding onto me. Whatever happens to him is whatever happens to me. I’m sorry…I’m sorry to put you through this, really I am. But there’s no other choice now-“

“That’s enough.”

Hauhetmon’s voice was low, but it rumbled through the chamber, making the crystal shimmer and shake with the sheer intensity. She quivered, hovering a few inches off the ground as she looked down at the old man.

“We put everything aside, we risked our own lives just so we could rescue you. We chose to do that, Ali. Because you’re important. Because none of this is worth sacrificing a single person.”

Alasdair gritted his teeth. “I’ve already made my peace. A life for a life. A life for my partner’s life. I’ll be the one to end his suffering.”

“So…what? You’d expect me to come here and just kill you like that? Just because you told me to?”

“Lonnie, I’m asking you to save him! To end everything he’s been through!”

“By killing you!”

“We’re talking about the end of the world, Lonnie! We don’t have a choice!”

“We’ve already made that choice!” yelled Hauhetmon, throwing her arm sideways as flames burst from her fingertips. The chamber shook again, her own energy reacting with that inside HelMidgarmon. “Every one of us, every one of us that you trained and you chose; we chose to risk our lives to save yours!”

“That’s not what I asked you to do!”

“You never asked us to do anything! You only taught us to be kind! To be compassionate! To always do everything we could to save everybody-“

“I don’t want to be saved!”

Alasdair cried out, and held his hands to his eyes, his entire body shaking now. He dragged his hands down his face, staring straight ahead through his clenched fingers.

“I don’t...I don’t deserve to be saved. I’ve failed everyone. I’ve used all of you...my entire life, I’ve used everyone. And every...every time I tried to save somebody, I failed. The people I was supposed to protect, the people who were depending on me...I failed every single one of them. I don’t deserve this anymore. I don’t deserve your pity, or your kindness.”

Hauhetmon stepped back, her eyes wide as the old man moved forwards, his face split into a tearful grimace.

“Every time, I knew. I accepted it. I dragged you into this and I ruined your life, because there was nothing I could do to ever atone for the people I’ve failed, and the people I’ve let die. I was willing to accept it all. It would all be on my shoulders. Every...every single death...every single life...I can end it here.”

He reached out, and Hauhetmon felt his hand around hers, his fingers digging in. When he looked up, his eyes were pleading.

“I love you. You’re the grandchild I never had and deserved even less. But...but this has to end now. I need to end his pain, and I need to bear his life. All the suffering gone through, every one of you. Let me pay for it. Please...”

He held up Hauhetmon’s hand, and turned it sideways, pressing it against the faint crystal wall again. She felt the coldness beyond, penetrating her body to the core just from a single touch. Alasdair closed his eyes.

“Please...end this...I beg you...”

His fingers slipped, and his arm fell down beside him. Hauhetmon stayed in place, staring ahead into the void, her eyes blank. There was a distant rumble, and the chamber shook, fractures appearing over the wall. Alasdair clutched the arms of his chair.

“We...we don’t have any more time. You need to finish this. You’re all any of us have now-”

“No.”

The word was flat. Quiet. But definitive. Alasdair twitched.

“Lonnie-“

“I said no.”

Hauhetmon looked back at him, her expression odd. She pulled her hand back, biting down on the knuckle of her thumb.

“This isn’t....this isn’t who you taught me to be, Ali.”

Alasdair shook his head, watching as her mouth curled up, and she gave a couple of breathless laughs.

“You...all my life you...you’ve taught me to be a hero...”

Alasdair swallowed. “I’m sorry. Truly I am, but there’s...there’s no other way...”

“There’s always another way.”

Hauhetmon backed away, and she closed her hand, the energy burning beneath her skin and her braids flying up beside her. “You think...you think I’m just going to let you die? You think I’m just going to let him die? No matter what you’ve done...there is always a choice! And I...I-I-I’m going the make that choice.”

“But you can’t!” Alasdair reached forwards, but the tendrils held him back. He clawed at the air. “There’s...there’s nothing else you can do!”

He reached out, but Hauhetmon began to shimmer, her form rising up off the ground as the rings began to spin. She felt a rumbling beside her, and held out her hand, holding it flat against the crystal. The warmth spread out, giving the void a warm, orange aura.

“Lonnie, you can’t do this, not now...I...you...this has to end now!”

“I’m not giving up on you.”

“Lonnie!”

Tears streamed down Alasdair’s cheeks as he struggled, imprisoned in place as Hauhetmon pulled away. Her face was smiling. Not fixed, curling at the edges. But the same smile she’d always give at her lowest moments. That same, helpless, hopeless smile.

“You gave me the strength to kill him, Uncle Ali. So I’m gonna find the strength to save him. And you.”

“Lonnie, you can’t! Not now!”

“I’m gonna save you.”

“Come back!”

Alasdair reached out, straining with all his might as the orange glow blurred in front of him, Hauhetmon’s form fading away. He tried to move, but he was hooked in place. Then something gave way beneath him, and he crashed to the ground, a dull pain jolting through his body. He reached out, but he had no strength left to even raise his hand.

“Please....not....not now...”

His hand fell against the ground, and he felt the coldness against his skin. Then the tremors, shaking him down to the bone. He bit his lip hard enough to break the skin as he shook his head.

“No, no, you can’t, you have to listen to me...Wyvermon, please...please I’ve...I’ve given everything I have...I just...you can’t give up now, you just can’t...”

Every word was a strain, and every new tremor sapped more from his body. His arm fell down first, then his chest, then he was lying flat out against the void, his wheelchair crumpling behind him as the scream echoed through the chamber.

“I...I can’t...do any more...Lonnie...”

He screamed, his own voice joining that of HelMidgarmon’s as the chamber began to flash a bright green.

“I can’t stop him...I can’t hold him...we’re...we’re out of time...Lonnie...LONNIE, COME BACK...COME BAAAAAACK!”

His voice rang out through the crystal chambers, resonating and growing in energy and volume. Hauhetmon flew faster than ever, kicking backwards against the void as she cupped her hands over her ears, a million thoughts and regrets flying through her mind at once. Her fingers clenched. She opened her eyes, seeing faint glimmers of light ahead of her. But they were being lost in the darkness, and the bursts of energy as the void cracked all around her, the emotion of her friend and mentor for all these years churning through HelMidgarmon’s body, powering him, twisting him, focusing him as he reached out for the one who had caused such pain and suffering to his one and only partner-

“NO!”

Outside, the sky crackled, bursts of light erupting from HelMidgarmon’s back. He stretched, the frill pressing the serpent of light and darkness into a wide ring, even as it coiled even further around. Tears appears in the ethereal matter, causing Eosmon and Astraeusmon to clutch their midriffs, bending double from the immense draining pain that hit them at once. Astraeusmon looked up, pressing his teeth together nearly hard enough to shatter them.

“Where...is she...”

“Stay strong!” said Eosmon, wrapping her hand more tightly around his as she brightened her own glow. “We have to hold on...for her sake...”

“I’m not...letting go...”

The dragon screeched above them, and both angels cried out in pain, and all of a sudden they were rising, the ouroboros being wrenched apart before them and pulling them with it. They held their wings out, and their tails whipped back and forth against the rushing shockwaves.

Down below, the others stayed steadfast, watching as HelMidgarmon pushed his way upwards, flying more and more out of their reach. Those who could fly were pushing with all their might, but through a combination of exhaustion and injury, they could barely even lift themselves off the ground. They could only watch helplessly as the angels flew higher.

Eosmon lowered her head, holding Astraeusmon’s hand so tightly that her brightness became almost invisible. “We failed her...we failed all of them...already. We have to be strong enough this time...”

Astraeusmon glowered, his mind strained to the limit, as past visions of chaos and destruction rushed through them.

“This time...we’re finishing the job...”

“Look!”

Eosmon raised her head, watching as HelMidgarmon’s throat seemed to split apart. There was a flash of blazing fire, and a shining figure burst outwards, hovering beneath the dragon’s rolling body as he dove backwards through the sky, his body undulating.

Hauhetmon blinked, the shock of the feel of sky and light and existence slamming into her as the crystal dust fell away. She saw the pulsing lights, and heard the rushing roar, and all of a sudden she was upright, looking at her palms as the two angels approached her, still holding their palms out. Eosmon briefly smiled in relief. Then her face fell.

“Where...where’s Alasdair...?”

Hauhetmon looked up, her mind racing, and she saw HelMidgarmon’s great head curving downwards towards her, tears of green light dissipating in the sky around him. Hauhetmon closed her fists, and she leapt upwards, leaving a trail of fire behind her as Eosmon reached out.

“Lonnie, wait! Come back!”

Hauhetmon didn’t hear her; she could only hear the rush of the air beside her as she flew upwards into the sky. She felt the static clinging to her body, and as HelMidgarmon’s eyes rolled down towards her, she thrust her arms out to the side, sending bursts of flame into the cloud cover.

“Wyvermon, enough!”

HelMidgarmon’s head writhed, his frill pressing further and further against the ouroboros. It began to tear, causing Astraeusmon to convulse first, black data streaming from his arm. Then further, and Eosmon fell back, her own arm falling limp. Hauhetmon didn’t even look back, her eyes wild with a blinding light as the sky pulsed behind her.

“For god’s sake, listen to me!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!”

It was too much. HelMidgarmon’s frill splayed out, as the chaos entity tore in two. And as the dragon screamed towards the sky, the energy burst outwards. It struck Hauhetmon and sent her tumbling and wheeling, and sent Eosmon spiralling sideways, and caught Astraeusmon in a blast front, causing him to bend double, his ragged wings straining to keep him aloft. The energy fell further down, ripping the buildings apart and buffeting the warriors below, so brutally that they couldn’t even look up to watch.

And it reached up, tearing into HelMidgarmon’s chest and throat and the bone frill, rending away great chunks of his body. He convulsed, arching his back as he screamed with wild eyes of his own, and the air crackled around him with the sound of deadly lightning, and the sound of an old man’s plea for help.

The scream vanished. Or maybe it was fading out. Hauhetmon couldn’t tell, as she floated in the air, her ears ringing and her body feeling like it was on fire.

She looked up, her vision filled with patches of white. A hand reached out. Her hand. Maybe...maybe. It felt alien. It looked alien, no matter how she looked at it. She squinted, staring beyond the fingertips.

There were stars here. Falling down in pretty, spiral chutes. Glinting and pristine.

She rolled, and found herself staring directly up, into HelMidgarmon’s face as he looked directly down, his body suspended completely still above her. The trails of stars were leading upwards, forming a perfect spiral galaxy as it trailed into his mouth.

Hauhetmon held up her palm, and only her own words greeted her ears as the world fell still.

“This isn’t...who you are...”

She smiled, the effort exhausting her.

“Let me...save you...please...”

HelMidgarmon raised his head, his pupils focusing solely on her. She watched the spiralling void, and the gentle green glow which was warming up in the centre.

And she heard his reply.

“Photon Quiet.”

The stars began to fall, landing in patches on the rough road below as the warriors scattered. Ouranomon looked up desperately, shaking his tattered wings as he cried out at the top of his lungs.

“GET OUT OF THERE!”

Skathimon pushed herself up, but stumbled, her front legs failing her. She gazed up, her eyes wide.

“Oh no...”

“Grace...”

She heard the deep voice from behind her, and felt the chilling shadow as she looked up at Herlathimon’s tall frame, stood surrounded by whipping and restless shadow hounds.

Only they were not aggressive this time. They were whimpering. Cowering. Terrified of the falling lights.

Held in the spatial column, Hauhetmon could hear the building roar and could see the world around her turning green. She turned upright, and began to reach out, but the world merely bent as she reached out, holding her in place. She shook her head slightly, murmuring under her breath.

“No...please...”

“Lonnie!”

Something reached forwards and grabbed her by one wrist, then her other. She looked up, instinctively kicking backwards as Eosmon and Astraeusmon beat their wings in unison, pulling her back against the green veil.

They strained, the roar of the falling stars blocking out the sounds around and below them. But the exhaustion from their earlier struggles dug deep, making every movement seem false, and wasted.

Eosmon pulled harder, her tail writhing back and forth as she let out a cry

And suddenly she felt the cold, numb energy, and looked back to see her own body overcome by starlight, falling over her wings and her shoulders.

She looked up, seeing Hauhetmon staring at her in horror, both of them the same side of the green veil. The wrong side. Hauhetmon reached out, fire in her palm.

But Eosmon raised her staff, tapping it against Hauhetmon’s chest as her staff glowed white.

“Forgive me...”

A blast of light shot outwards, bursting open the veil from within.

It was only an instant. Only enough time for Hauhetmon to fly backwards, stunned by the impact as it seared her chest.

It was closing as Eosmon’s arms fell by her sides, her staff falling to pieces in her hands.

It closed further as she looked up at Astraeusmon, the dark angel already turning back, the green pulse coming down from above.

He leant forwards. His arms caught her as she fell, holding her in a tight embrace.

And the green veil fell, and pierced the ground below, sealing it in place around them both.

Astraeusmon cried out as he struck the inner wall, again and again, slicing through hard light but not enough to keep it open for more than a millisecond. He yelled, and fired a blast of black light, but it only rippled around, coiling over the two angels.

His shoulders felt heavy. He raised his staff, but it shattered in his grasp, the data falling away. He leant forwards, digging his claws in, but there was nothing left. Nothing within him. Nothing he could do.

His head fell forwards, his hair dropping down beneath him. He was no longer moving his wings, but he stayed aloft regardless, suspended in the emerald prison as the galaxy spun above him.

Above them.

He turned, and saw Eosmon looking smaller than ever. She held her hands against her chest, unable to hide the pained expression on her face. She shook her head.

“Why...didn’t you run?”

Astraeusmon turned round, and reached out, gently clasping her wrists. He spoke gravely, the black light dim within him.

“I didn’t want you to be alone.”

Eosmon looked down, where he held her wrists. She noticed the data begin to fall away; black and white points of light, floating upwards into the vortex. She swallowed.

“...it’s starting...”

“No.”

Eosmon looked up, and Astraeusmon gasped. They looked at one another, as their bodies were overcome with light and shadow. Their wings pulsed in unison, and the energy began to morph, splitting them from two into four.

And Eloise and Kai looked down again, their bodies shimmering with an ethereal energy. Only their wings remained, and soon they pulled away, and coiled together, beating alternately behind the forms of the twin dragons.

“Not yet.”

Kai shook his head, trying to reach out, but he couldn’t let go. Eloise tried to move, but she was suspended in place.

“Hey, hey...it’s okay...”

They were held together, in an orb of chaos, pressing against the edge of the veil as the dragons beat their wings more furiously than ever, all the energy of the twin angels condensed into a single, desperate move.

Silence fell around them, the veil stopping in time.

Kai caught sight of his partner, who winked with a glowing eye. Ladomon coiled up beneath his wing, her eyes shimmering a brilliant blue.

“Thank you for everything.”

Eloise fell sideways, clawing at the orb that held her as tears streamed down her face. Kai remained still, shouting increasingly loudly, his hands trembling against the edge of the chaos.

The dragons bowed their heads together. And beat their wings.

“Chaos Quetzal!”

The energy grew brighter, spinning faster and faster and tearing into the ground. The warriors tried to hold their ground, but space was rippling around them and the turbulence forcing them backwards.

Skathimon pressed forwards, with Herlathimon supporting her as they rushed towards Hauhetmon’s fallen form, sprawled out in the rubble. Herlathimon looked up, his single red eye watching the vortex shifting back and forth.

“It’s getting worse...”

Skathimon didn’t look up; she grabbed Hauhetmon by the shoulders, pulling her upright. “We have to get out of here, now!”

“No!”

Hauhetmon came to with a start, and pointed upwards. “They’re...they’re still up there!”

“Look!”

There was a groan, and the great vortex opened up before their very eyes, as an orb of chaos pressed against the veil and resonated against the rushing energy. Then it burst through, sending ripples out that slammed into the ground. Skathimon fell forwards, but kept watching upwards, long enough to see the orb tear itself apart and release two tiny figures that flew through the air.

“SAVE THEM!”

She tried to move, but her body wouldn’t listen to her. Hauhetmon’s body was glowing, on the verge of collapse. And all around here the others were battling against the rushing waves of energy, completely unable to hear her.

But Herlathimon rushed forwards in a blaze of shadows, holding out his free hand as the hounds rose up around him.

“Vital Pursuit!”

He got to the high ground as the torrent of shadows flew up, forming a wide barrier of red eyes and hooked claws against the trembling column of light.

The shadows curled around Eloise and Kai as the resonance reached HelMidgarmon, and he screeched, and his entire body convulsed from the tip of his tail all the way up to his mouth.

The world went silent. Dark, then green, then a pure brilliant white.

Ladomon breathed out, feeling a numbness in her wings. She looked aside, seeing the specks falling away, her form shimmering. Looking up, she could see Colchimon going through the same thing.

They moved towards one another, for a moment too exhausted even to get the words out. She leant forwards, pulling her wings in and resting her head beneath his chin. It felt right. Just like it always did.

“Any regrets?”

Colchimon smiled gently, chuckling that low, sultry chuckle with the last breath in his lungs.

“None at all...”

He held his wings out, and she did the same, the two of them wrapping them around one another. Their tails coiled together, shimmering in the slipstream.

And as their world went white, they closed their eyes.

And they were gone.

The beam slammed into the ground like the clap of a thousand thunderbolts, and the blast shot outwards before anyone around could even think. NeoSapiamon coiled round over Ouranomon and GrandTengumon, propelling herself backwards with all her might. Talosmon brought his fists down, raising a ragged shield from his body in front of Archaeomon and Okeanomon. And Herlathimon pulled backwards as the shadow hounds curled around Eloise and Kai, as Skathimon stepped forwards and raised her hands, a bright blizzard erupting out and meeting the shockwave.

They moved as quickly as they could. But it wasn’t enough against the immense force billowing outwards from HelMidgarmon. One by one they were picked up, blasted through building frames and scraping along windows and tarmac. The ground reared up beneath them, sending them tumbling and wheeling in a storm of rubble. A futile attempt to stand up to the devastating force, turning into a desperate attempt to stay alive.

As suddenly as it started, the beam stopped, flittering away in the breeze. HelMidgarmon tilted back, light bolts of lightning crackling around his mouth as he hung in mid-air, stunned from the blast. Dust billowed out beneath him. The earth groaned, fragments of rock falling into the rough, immense crater that burrowed directly into the earth beneath him. Buildings shifted, sliding downwards into the pail.

Herlathimon unfurled himself, the shadows falling away like autumn leaves. He could still feel the blast, his insides feeling like they were pasted against his spine. He pushed himself up on a shaking leg, and looked down. Grace was sat beneath him, staring straight ahead, her breathing shallow but regular. Vulpimon twitched beneath her, covered in dust and bloodied rubble. The shadows kept falling away, revealing Lonnie with her head in her hands, then Dendromon half buried, then finally Eloise and Kai, clutching onto one another with their eyes tightly shut.

The huntsman king looked all around at the damage, and the dire state of everybody. Those that hadn’t devolved were only barely holding on to their forms, data falling off them in waves. They barely moved, or made a sound. They just curled where they’d fallen, every part of their body drained by the rush of power.

Only Herlathimon remained in any capacity to move. He pressed against the dusty ground, slipping a couple of times, before he pushed himself fully up to his feet. The shadows trailed around his feet as they touched the ground, the hounds yapping at his feet. He stared up, darkness gathering in his palm as he stared up at HelMidgarmon.

“What...are you...”

It was a quiet voice, but it carried over the chasm beneath. HelMidgarmon stopped turning, and his eyes rolled ever so slowly downwards towards the hunter. Herlathimon held his arm up, the rifle materialising in his grasp. It felt light, and awkward, and pitifully small. His vision blurred as he stared up, rolling the sight over the vast beast before him.

So focused was he that he didn’t hear the footsteps in the rubble behind him, until the soft, commanding voice sounded in his mind.

“Kneel.”

A wave of power hit him and his legs buckled, sending him crashing forwards. He turned his head, blowing dust from beneath his mask, as he watched two scrawny legs tiptoe lightly forwards beside him, covered in white down stained red. The others raised their heads, aghast expressions on their faces, but unable to move, let alone to do anything to stop her.

Eirenemon stood on the edge of the ravine, her hair blowing in the wind. She gazed up, her focus entirely on the beast above her.

Her presence seemed to cause a reaction within him. He groaned, and shuffled, and began to roll sideways. His face twisted, pain giving away to utter fury as the first bolts of lightning began to build in his mouth.

Eirenemon held out a hand, the rosaries tightening further around her emaciated skin. “Stop.”

A ripple passed through the air; the ripple of flame, caressing the serpent’s vast head. But he didn’t seem to be affected, getting closer and closer as the air crackled menacingly. Eirenemon cocked her head, her eyes glowing silver.

“I can see you in there. How you must hate me.”

Her other hand reached back, burrowing beneath the remains of her shawl as she stood her ground against the serpent’s descent.

“I called you into this world. You will obey me. And if you will not listen, then you will obey this.”

She reached out, Alasdair’s digivice shining in her grasp. HelMidgarmon stopped, his frill unfolding as he stared blankly at the device. A melancholy murmur escaped from the sky, the beast’s mind being broken further. Eirenemon twisted her other hand, white flame appearing by her fingers.

“You’re my acolyte. The destruction of this world. But you are still harming my home. Destroy the link. Sever every gate, and then they will know peace.”

Slowly, she moved her trembling hand sideways, pointing across the ravine to the seafront, towards the remains of the facility.

“Starting with the one where this all began.”

Her eyes flashed. HelMidgarmon’s did the same. He groaned, his head tilting back and forth and his body creaking as he succumbed to two masters, and his own maddened will.

Then, agonisingly and appallingly slowly, he began to turn, his eyes never facing anywhere but straight ahead. His tail swung sideways. He began to move, the winds moving gently around him. Unmistakably, and unstoppably, in the direction of the first gate.

Eirenemon lowered her hand, and was about to turn around when she heard a click beside her. She glanced down, seeing Herlathimon’s rifle pointed in her direction, the barrel shining. His eye flashed red, his voice venomous beneath his mask.

“Bring him back.”

Eirenemon began to raise her hand, but she convulsed, black blood cascading from her mouth and down her front. Her arm fell, and she held her shoulder, digging into her own weak flesh.

“Kill me then.”

Herlathimon held still, his rifle never leaving her as she began to walk forwards, her feet dragging through the dust. The hunter tried to steady his breathing, getting to his feet and holding the barrel with both hands. But his finger just hovered over the trigger.

He felt a hand on his ankle, and looked down to see Grace holding him, staring up at him helplessly. He thought he could see her head moving slightly, but he wasn’t sure.

His arms fell down by his sides, the rifle dragging in the dust. Eirenemon stopped, holding her head forwards.

“There’s nothing you can do. The gulf waits in front of you. If I were you, I would jump right now. Perish. Be at peace.”

Herlathimon glared at her. “What about you then?”

“I need to see the end of the world with my own eyes. That is my punishment.”

A low call sounded from up above, and Herlathimon looked up to see HelMidgarmon swing sideways, beginning to pick up speed. He looked behind him, but Eirenemon was already gone.

He clenched his fist, and crouched down, gently caressing the side of Grace’s head. When she looked up at him, she didn’t see the stoic huntsman anymore. There was a warmth to his eye. A guilt. A resolve.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let him hurt anyone else.”

Grace reached out, her gaze shifting in front of her, but Herlathimon was already running. He gave a yell, and leapt up, the shadows coagulating into the chariot beneath him, and the myriad hounds that bayed into the distance, catching up with the dragon above. Grace’s hand fell, landing on Vulpimon’s neck. The fox turned sideways, licking her wrist gently.

One by one, the others began to move. Move together. Hold one another. See the extent of their wounds. Lonnie pushed herself up, her entire cheek stinging as blood dropped down from an open wound. Dust fell from her hair, and her entire body trembled, the shockwave still ringing through it.

“We...we have to help him...we have to...”

She looked up, her words catching in her mouth.

Eloise and Kai were stood up straight before her. Their own bodies were lacerated and twisted, but they didn’t seem to notice. They both just stared out across the void. Their eyes searching for something. Anything. Anything at all.

The scene hit Lonnie like a knife to the gut. She stumbled, her hand pressing against the dust. She looked down, unable to face them. But others were already gathering around her.

No...around them.

Of course. Everyone had been watching.

They had seen it all.

Perimon descended, looking all around. Trilomon limped through the dust, his eyes dull and cracked. Grace got to her feet, holding her hands in front of her chest.

“Ladomon...Colchimon...where are they...?”

Eloise and Kai stared ahead, their digivices held limply beside them. The screens were fuzzy. Empty static. Dead air. A slight hum filled the air. Already the colours were fading away, leaving only cold, grey shells in their hands.

Neither of them could say a word. They just stood together, and stared, watching with hollow eyes as the last of the dust fell over the chasm.