The earth rumbled, with the air pressure carving through the centre of the street as HelMidgarmon flew overhead. He had no agency. No direction of his own. Only a single task as he swam through the sky, heading towards the first gate. That first gate. Destroy the first gate.

Destroy every link.

Destroy everything in his path.

“Judgement Sniper!”

The blast of darkness came from below, striking the dragon in the lower jaw. It struck clean in the centre, and began to reach out, enveloping the crystal structure as far as it could reach. Not far enough to even slow him down. But his eyes rolled downwards, watching the city below. He could see the source of the shadows; Herlathimon charging forwards as fast as the spectral hounds could carry him.

He raised his rifle, and fired again. Shot, after shot, after shot. Each one striking true. Each one burrowing inwards. Each one clouding the dragon’s thoughts further, increasing the pain and the terror within him.

But the pain wasn’t controlling him. Only the single command.

Herlathimon cursed as the serpent swum faster, letting off streaks of lightning that struck the ground. One shot downwards right in front of the huntsman, and he stopped in place, the chariot shearing through the ground as the hounds scattered. He stared up, watching the dragon fly further ahead, not even looking back towards him. Herlathimon raised his hand, his grip tightening around the shadows in his palm.

“I’m not going to let you do this...”

The tremors were already reaching as far as the facility, shaking the makeshift control room to its core, along with the several people trying desperately to stabilise the intense sources of energy around them. With a massive bang, a whole deck of monitors overloaded and exploded outwards, sending Dominic crashing to the floor.

“We’ve been hit!”

Salma hoisted him upwards, as Perez tapped furiously at her own station, warnings flashing up all over her screens.

“He’s coming towards us...”

She swallowed, her head shaking almost of its own accord.

“Oh god...he’s coming for us...”

With an almighty roar, Martyaxmon bounded outwards from behind her, heading for the door. Salma reached out with a lone arm, but the manticore was already out of sight, the door swinging behind him. Another tremor hit them, and they crouched down as Aaron steadied himself against the desk. He looked back, seeing the bright lights of the digital portal behind the clear plastic.

Salma gritted her teeth, and brought herself to her feet, standing against the quakes.

“Get out of here.”

Dominic looked up at her, clutching his head as a bruise began to rise up. “Salma...we don’t have anywhere to go...”

“That wasn’t a goddamn request!”

The woman whipped her head around, glaring down at him. “Leave all of this and go! I’ll handle it now!”

Dominic looked back at the gate, but he felt a hand on his shoulder. Perez held him firmly, supporting him as he got up to his feet, still dizzy. She looked over at Salma, but the woman was already bent over, trying to keep as many systems running as she could, trying to keep the gate under control. Perez bit her lip, and turned, heading for the side door. Dominic struggled, trying to turn back.

“We...we can’t abandon them...Perez, listen to me, we can’t keep abandoning them-“

“I’m sorry,” replied the older woman, her head low as she helped him forwards. “But right now, we’re only going to hurt them if we get in their way.”

Salma cursed as another monitor burst in her face, smoke pouring from the top as HelMidgarmon’s bolts began to strafe the edge of the facility. She looked up at the fluctuating gate, but saw somebody standing in the corner of her eye.

“Aaron...why are you still here...”

She faced him, but the young man was stood straight, almost unfazed by the falling facility around him. “You’re not thinking of leaving everyone now, are you?”

Salma gritted her teeth. “Alasdair...told me to keep everything and everyone safe...”

“That would have meant you as well, you know...”

“Damnit, don’t start!” The woman slammed her palms down on the desk, looking up at him through pained eyes. “We have no chance against HelMidgarmon, do you understand? Even if we start to run, with...with that level of power, we won’t stand a chance. Look at them! They barely did!”

Aaron’s eyes shifted sideways, seeing the footage on a flickering monitor. One of Kent’s spare cameras, floating above the field of destruction. Distant footage of people and Digimon pulling themselves from the wreckage.

Velocimon’s eyes rolled up towards his partner, but Aaron didn’t seem to be reacting. Only the dinosaur could see the slight flicker of his eyes, and the twitching of his mouth.

Another tremor hit the facility, causing the station in front of Salma to collapse. She cursed, pulling herself to her feet, but looked up to see Aaron’s palm outstretched towards her.

“We can’t finish this ourselves. But we might have a chance to hold him back.”

Salma looked down at the man’s hand, then up at his blank expression. Her eyes narrowed. “That’s insane. You can’t...be thinking...”

“The others gave everything they had. If we want to survive then I need to do the same.”

“Aaron...it’ll kill you.”

Velocimon looked up, his expression harrowed. But Aaron held firm, his mind made up.

“It won’t. Not immediately. But that’s why I’ll need you before it does.”

“Vital Pursuit!”

Herlathimon’s chariot screeched over the tarmac, releasing sparks, as the torrent of shadows rushed ahead. They climbed up the buildings and leapt through the air, baying and scratching and slashing as they rose in great writhing towers towards HelMidgarmon. The lightning strafed their numbers, carving through them, but the hounds kept climbing nonetheless. They crawled over the serpent’s body, biting at the crystal and the bone, their teeth shearing through the hard material.

But despite their number, and the relentless charge, HelMidgarmon just kept going. His body cleaved through their numbers as if they weren’t even there, with bolts strafing the ground and causing them to fall, dissipating into nothing as they did so.

“Judgement Sniper!”

Herlathimon raised his rifle, firing again and again, each blast sending cold tremors through his body. He could see the shadows crawling around above, patches that curled over the dragon’s body and coagulated in his glowing wounds. The hunter called upon every ounce of will he had, trying to pull HelMidgarmon back.

But every time he tried, he was met with the wall. The impossible wall of pain and sadness, far surpassing anything he could do to wrench the serpent back. He looked up, feeling the wind whip over his mask as he gazed desperately at the beast’s undulating head.

“STOP!”

His cry was drowned out; a cry of agony as HelMidgarmon shook above him. The shadows rippled, clinging on for dear life against the dragon’s relentless pursuit. Herlathimon raised his rifle again, firing a single, solid shot of shadow, dislodging a cascade of crystal from the leviathan’s head. It fell down, and shattered in mid-air, releasing shards of the deadly gem that fell all around like meteorites. Several landed in Herlathimon’s path, and he skidded sideways, the chariot buckling beneath him from the movement. He jettisoned it, and rolled forwards, his body dragging along the ground. Disorientated, he looked up in horror to see the edge of the facility, and HelMidgarmon rearing up as lightning already poured downwards from his maw, striking the ground in a wild frenzy.

But at the edge of the gate, he could see the figure of a lone red beast, standing defiantly with a ring of fire spinning around him. Martyaxmon raised his head, and the ring followed his movement, reforming before him as it glowed white hot.

“Rosary Cyclone!”

The beam of fire strafed the sky, searing from HelMidgarmon’s throat all the way up to his right eye. It left a gully, and the dragon screeched, buckling at the sudden pain. Martyaxmon didn’t give up though; he roared and the beam fired again, focusing on a single point on the dragon’s forehead. It burrowed inwards, but the green energy was already pouring outwards, more crystal forming in great lesions over HelMidgarmon’s face.

Martyaxmon could feel the ground shaking beneath him, the earth becoming soft at his feet from the intense heat. But he dug in, his teeth gritted against the draining blast as he fired for a third time.

“I’ve already...seen one world die...”

His eyes flashed, and he raised his head, roaring at the sky at the top of his lungs.

“I won’t let it happen to another!”

“Judgement Sniper!”

Martyaxmon glanced aside to see Herlathimon standing beside him, his own rifle raised as he doubled down on the manticore’s own blast. Shadow and flame streaked upwards, spiralling together and tearing the crystal away, forcing HelMidgarmon higher than ever. Emerald spires fell down, sending shards in every direction. Herlathimon felt them slashing into him, and felt the draining pain and the cold numbness that was already seeping inwards. One look at Martyaxmon told him that the same was happening, the beast’s crimson pelt being patched with grey and black. He still stood as high as he could, but the beam was fluctuating, like the last stream of water from a hose, the ripples travelling back towards the ring-

The ring blew, sending Martyaxmon and Herlathimon tumbling backwards in a backblast of flames. Beads clattered to the ground around them, smoking from the burst of energy.

Martyaxmon clawed at the earth, pushing himself upwards on shaking front legs. He could feel the fatigue boring into him; a lifetime of pushing himself to his limits...and a lifetime of those limits being out of reach. Bleary-eyed, he could still make out the dragon coiling over above him, green lights twinkling from his head.

“You haven’t...killed me...yet...”

He felt something. A hand on his shoulder, warm with static energy.

“At ease, commander.”

The manticore watched, stunned, as with a resigned confidence, Aaron and Velocimon walked forwards. They walked in step, with Aaron holding his D-Nexus firmly in his hand. He turned round, nodding down beside Martyaxmon.

“Can you still bring out your hounds?”

Martyaxmon turned to see Herlathimon push himself to one knee, nodding as the shadows danced around him once again. Standing behind him were Salma, Perez and Dominic, staying together as they looked up at the leviathan above. If this didn’t work, there was nowhere else they could go.

Aaron raised a finger. “Bring up a wall, if you can. And get back.”

Martyaxmon reached out, but instantly his view was blocked by the rising darkness, forming a curved shield around the rest of the ones left behind. Only Velocimon and Aaron stood at the head, feeling the intense energy behind them. And within them. Aaron stumbled, and the dinosaur quickly glanced at him, his expression solemn.

“Can you do this?”

“I don’t have a choice.”

Velocimon clenched his fists. “Hold onto me, all through it. We can get one shot. Let’s make it count.”

Aaron’s eyes darted back and forth, trying to find something to say to his friend and partner. A joke, or a dismissal, or just something to respond with.

But he never got the chance, as the air was filled with HelMidgarmon’s echoing screech from up above, and the ground all around was targeted by spears of green lightning. One of them struck just in front of the two, just as Aaron raised his D-Nexus, and the two energy sources discharged with a vast bang. The young man shook from the impact, his ears ringing and his heart going into overdrive. But he stayed standing, and he felt his partner’s heart beating alongside his own, the two supporting one another in the face of the oncoming storm.

“Nexus Fury!”

The ground shook all around them, arcs of lightning snaking across the ground and travelling up their bodies, releasing arcs between them. Their eyes glowed. They raised their hands, overcome with yellow energy as the charge reached breaking point.

Through the wall of shadows, Martyaxmon and Herlathimon pulled back to the others, watching the bright glow that pierced even the thick darkness. There was a great crack of thunder, and a surge of static struck them all, as they watched the two figures rising up before them.

“Evolution ACTIVATE!”

The shadows billowed, blasts of lightning spearing through the blackness. And more, as they were rent apart by the mighty storm. The column of electricity swung left and right, with arcs bursting out and forming shapes in the air, just for a split second. Velocimon. Galvamon. Dimetromon. And yet others; far more alien, bestial shapes; remnants of a power long since locked away. A power which was suspended in the centre of the tide of lightning, glowing brightly, its form shimmering and unstable.

Then, the electricity burst apart, exploding into the atmosphere with an almighty crack. Only the lone figure was left, and he descended, landing in a crouched position with enough of an impact to shake the ground. His body trembled. It went almost transparent for a second, revealing a volatile yellow orb pulsing in his chest. Then it was gone again, held by the warrior’s armoured form.

Up above, the air began to whip past again, as HelMidgarmon turned downwards, his eyes wide and his maw belching sparks of his own. Lights were gathering around him, falling down and scorching the earth around as he moved inwards towards his goal, and towards the small group that stood before him. They were nothing. They were irrelevant. They were collateral.

The new warrior stood up, trails of electricity tracking over his joints as he raised his head. At a glance he looked humanoid, with burnished golden skin, and a chestplate, gauntlet and greaves of polished green gunmetal. But Velocimon’s saurian influences pushed through; a long golden tail, ending in a cluster of feather-like spikes, and a pointed reptilian snout to his mask, with his eyes burning a bright blue behind the sockets. His right arm ended in a clawed hand, with a green disc around his wrist. But his other arm was encased in more of the heavy armaments, from which protruded glowing cables and glowed bright indicators. A massive firearm, fused at the shoulder, ending in a hefty grey barrel from which protruded a conical crystal, burning with electrical energy.

“Quantumon!”

The warrior’s declaration was almost lost in the wind from up above, as HelMidgarmon descended further. The shadow fell over the assembled group as green fire rained down, with Herlathimon trying desperately to block it with his shadows, and Martyaxmon shooting the bolts from the sky, to little effect to the imminent deluge.

But Quantumon raised his cannon arm, leaning back as he did so. He supported the great weight with his other claw, and as he did so, he noticed his skin flickering again. Every motion was a gamble. More so than ever before.

But it was a gamble he needed to take.

“Please, god, everyone, let this do something...”

He stiffened, his feet curling and his tail straightening out. Already he could feel the heat building within the cannon, as the crystal at the end sparked and shimmered and glowed deep within the core. He pushed it up further, aiming it at HelMidgarmon as the wyvern approached dangerously close now.

“...Atomic...”

HelMidgarmon’s maw tilted upwards, and the lightning streamed through the air, twisting together into a jagged bolt straight towards him. Quantumon felt the wind shift, and the static rise. And he braced himself.

“...ANNIHILATION!”

The cannon burst into life; a single, solitary beam of pure energy spiralling forwards through the air. It struck the centre of the oncoming bolts, and the air was filled with sonic crackles as they were cleaved apart, writhing in the air like headless snakes. Then they pulled back in, wrapping around the beam itself and causing it to ripple. But it had no effect, as it carried on, piercing through the fog and striking the top of HelMidgarmon’s jaw.

The effect was instantaneous; shearing into the crystal and the bone and rocking the centre of HelMidgarmon’s head to the core. The shockwave pushed back, and Quantumon felt his body jolt as the second source of lightning joined with his own. He juddered, his body momentarily giving way to pure energy, then reverting again, holding via sheer force of will. The beam travelled downwards, slicing into HelMidgarmon’s neck as liquid green crystal fell downwards.

Both eyes were wide, the pupils dilating, but HelMidgarmon wasn’t backing down either, staying focused up above, staying dominant. He pressed harder, more lightning coursing back down the beam. It rippled back and forth, swelling in the centre as the air was filled with a single, painful source of white noise. Both Digimon shook, their bodies scorched by the energy. Quantumon lowered his head, his vision filled with white patches even as he tried to look back at the others.

“....gGGggget........ddDDoooWnnn.,..”

Herlathimon dove to the ground, the shadows falling with him, folding over the others as they also descended. Martyaxmon was the last to fall, staring helplessly ahead as Quantumon was engulfed by the emerald lightning.

BOOM

With an almighty eruption, his body exploded into lights, sending his energy and HelMidgarmon’s own cascading back along the beam towards the dragon. It blasted him upwards, tearing craters in his body as he let out an almighty scream of pain. And further still, the discharge soaring outwards, buckling buildings and razing roads.

The first wave that hit the facility wiped everything in an instant. Panels burst, cubicles imploded, and the patchwork gate chamber crumpled at the edges, fires breaking out all around. Then the second wave hit, and the control room was pulled apart, so much energy travelling through every single piece of metal that the whole patchwork structure simply rose up and fired itself in every direction.

The waves continued, each one adding to the damage, but growing less and less powerful, until they were no longer waves, but a haze of static. It hung low, penetrating the bodies of everybody beneath the shadows. They didn’t dare move, for fear it would start another chain reaction.

But as the scream from up above turned into a low, inhuman whimper, Herlathimon pushed himself upwards, and the shadows followed him. Even the ground itself had been wrecked from the impact, scorched cracks permeating the tarmac for a wide area.

The energy had dissipated. Quantumon stood before him, the edges of his armour glowing with bright sparks. His cannon hung limply beside him, blown apart at the joints and letting off smoke. He twitched, every tiny movement exacerbating the cracks in his armour. Agonisingly slowly, he turned, and the watchers could see the darkness behind his eye sockets, permeated by tiny arcs of lightning. He held his arm back, reaching out with claws that moved independently, and uncontrollably. He tilted his head back, and a great creak came from his throat, permeated with a rising static arc.

CRACK

Quantumon exploded in a rush of yellow energy, with Velocimon flying away, crashing into the ground several dozen metres away, his body smoking. Herlathimon rushed to his feet at once, running forwards, with Martyaxmon not far behind him.

“Oh god...”

“Are you okay?”

“Aaron!”

Velocimon pushed himself up, squinting from bleeding eyes as he tried to scan the horizon for his partner. Aaron was still standing, just a few metres away, staring straight ahead.

The young man turned, and Velocimon stopped in place as he saw his partner’s ashen face. He was breathing...no...his chest was moving and his breaths were erratic, and agonised, permeating the silence.

His arm moved sideways. And then again. Jerking motions as he tried to raise it. Velocimon could see the whites of his eyes as he stared directly upwards, unable to see a thing. And then, bolts crawling over his body, his legs folded and he collapsed to the ground.

“AARON!”

Velocimon stood up, but his limbs were shaking, energy still coursing through his muscles. He resorted to all fours, clambering forwards as he tried to get to his partner.

“Aaron...Aaron get up...talk to me-“

“Don’t touch him!”

Salma’s scream rushed through the air as she rushed forwards, crouching down beside Aaron.

“AARON!”

“I said no!” yelled Salma, glaring up at the dinosaur. “Don’t even go near him!”

“But...but he’s...”

“Damn near electrocuted himself,” said the woman through her teeth, as she leant down, holding her cheek to Aaron’s mouth as she stared down his chest. The young man breathed again; a single scraping sound, followed by silence.

“He knew this could happen if you evolved to that level.”

Velocimon shook his head, taking a step, but Herlathimon held up a hand.

“Look at yourself. You’re still charged as well. If you go near him in your state you could kill him.”

Velocimon went white, and he looked down at his gauntlets, his own hands still shaking with residual energy. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Herlathimon, holding him back. The dinosaur turned forwards, tears in his eyes.

“...Aaron...”

There was nothing he could do. Nothing except watch as Salma sat by his chest, compressing it repeatedly and firmly. She leant over after thirty, breathing into his mouth and filling his lungs. As she drew back, Velocimon could hear the whimpers coming from his partner’s throat, unconsciously crying out. Salma held firm, returning to compressions.

Velocimon fell to his knees, his claws grasping at the ground. His chest heaved, and he retched, breaking into a coughing fit of his own. Herlathimon crouched down beside him, holding his shoulder.

After what seemed like an eternity, Salma sat back, out of breath and on the verge of crying herself. Velocimon looked up, and saw her lying reserved, next to Aaron. He was no longer convulsing. In fact he wasn’t moving at all.

Velocimon bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. “Fuck...fuck...fuck, Aaron...AARON, NO-“

“That’s...enough.”

Salma’s voice was practically hoarse, as she reached out, placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder.

“He’s breathing.”

Velocimon caught his breath, looking ahead. He could barely see through his own blood and tears, but after a few seconds, he could see the gentle movement of his partner’s chest. The dinosaur slumped, his arms falling limp beside him.

There was the sound of footsteps as Dominic and Perez walked forwards, each of them nursing their own minor wounds. Salma looked up, her face grim. “I can’t risk leaving him alone. He could stop again at any moment.”

Dominic looked sideways. “We...we need to get him to a proper hospital. He needs treatment.”

“How?” The older woman held her arms out. “Where? There’s no-one left.”

As the scientists exchanged short, breathless responses, Herlathimon straightened up, staring around. They were still all bathed in a great shadow; he looked up, and saw HelMidgarmon. For a moment the dragon seemed to be looming over them still. But the hunter saw the vacant stare in his eyes. Slowly, the dragon’s body curved upwards, carried by the wind and his own internal energy. His head had been all but blown apart, the green crystal replaced with grey rock, which crumbled with each movement.

And yet, the hunter could still see the tinge of energy buried deep within the creature’s core.

The dragon was immobilised, for now. For a while.

But Herlathimon knew within his sunken heart that there was no way he was dead.

He heard soft footsteps, and felt the faint heat from Martyaxmon’s body as the manticore walked up beside him. He looked down, seeing the dinosaur below him, still shaking and unresponsive.

Herlathimon closed his eyes, as the wind picked up once again, before turning towards Martyaxmon. The manticore nodded, his eyes steeled.

“We’ve got to get out of here now.”

It wasn’t fast progress. Herlathimon carried Aaron in his chariot, the shadows stretched out and keeping him stable, while Velocimon kept hold of Martyaxmon’s back. The scientists kept pace as best they could, but none of them had anything left in them to run. And as they travelled through the broken streets, past carved open roads and demolished buildings, it was clear there were precious few places left to hide either.

Eventually they had to settle, finding a temporary shelter under an old covered market, which somehow was still standing. There Salma kept watch over Aaron, while a devolved Nicholas walked away, getting in touch with the others. He regaled the losses they’d suffered, and listened in silence at the ones the others now knew about.

It felt like hours, with the sky was going dark; not the setting sun, but clouds of ash and crystal enveloping them in patches; residue from HelMidgarmon’s broken body. But however long it was, eventually the other tamers found them.

Many of them were barely moving, their battle scars showing clearly. There were no words as they reunited. No embraces, no tears, nothing. Those who had been hurt simply went away, seeking solitude. The others stayed together, their collective trauma blockaded behind a grim silence. None of them knew what to say. None of them had anything to say. Save for the same grisly thought going through all their minds.

They had set out to stop HelMidgarmon, and to save Alasdair. With all the power, and all the strategy they could muster.

And they had failed.

Velocimon could hear the lowered murmurs of people all around him, the words burrowing into his brain. Snippets here and there. Nothing sticking. All white noise. He dug his snout further into his arms, feeling his pulse through his rough, scaly skin. It was still ridiculously fast.

He wanted to run. Which way, he didn’t really know. Run away. Run at HelMidgarmon. Or run straight towards his partner. But as much as his mind begged him to run somewhere, to do something...he didn’t. He didn’t dare move, for fear that any wrong turn would cause more damage. He forced himself still, staring ahead into nothing.

Presently he heard soft paw pads approaching, which stopped just in front of him. He could feel the gentle heat of a far larger presence, and a familiar one. He still couldn’t decide whether it brought forth fear in him, or hatred, or relief. Probably all three.

He looked up, and his eyes met Martyaxmon’s own. The manticore nodded slightly.

“I never imagined I’d ever see you in this state, general.”

Velocimon narrowed his eyes, and his nostrils flared. “All the time I was fighting you, I did my best to hide it. You can’t show weakness in war.”

“You don’t have to tell me that...”

Martyaxmon sighed, and sat down. His head hung lower than usual, years of burden holding it low. Velocimon pressed his muzzle further into his arms.

“Is there any change?”

“I couldn’t say. Salma’s watching him. She can’t afford to leave him.”

“She’s the best person for him at the minute.”

Martyaxmon blinked. “You know you saved us all, don’t you? If it hadn’t been for the both of you every one of us would be dead right now.”

Velocimon didn’t answer. He just turned his head, looking sideways. Martyaxmon stood up, stiffly, and made to walk on, when the dinosaur called out to him.

“When did you realise?”

The manticore paused, looking straight ahead as his beads spun slowly around him.

“Realise what?”

“That no matter how hard you fought and no matter how hard you tried to do good, that it was always...always just going to come back and hurt you. You and the people you cared about.”

Martyaxmon looked back, a puzzled expression on his face. Velocimon was looking directly at him, and he smirked. “I know how much you’ve changed, commander. Since I first saw you in this world. I can see it in your eyes.”

“Is that why you tolerate having me round?”

“Me personally? I tolerate you because I’ve changed.” Velocimon looked aside. “At least...I thought I had. I thought I’d learned who I was, and because of that the universe granted me back the person I cared for most in the world.”

His claws gripped at his arms, leaving red marks. “But the world doesn’t work like that...does it. Scars stay with us for our whole lives. It...it never stops hurting...does it...”

His eyes glistened, and he looked away, not wanting to meet the manticore’s gaze. Martyaxmon curled his front claws against the floor.

“We can’t get the things back that we’ve let slip away.” He raised his head, his voice low. “Which is why it’s so important to hold onto the ones we still have. New or old. Whether they’re the same they’ve always been, or whether...whether things have changed...”

He looked back, and for a moment his eyes were filled with a biting, venomous flame.

“You destroyed my life, general. But...but in doing so...you might just have saved me.” He looked behind the dinosaur, back down the covered hallway. “And if you’ve managed to save an old, vile bastard like me, then I’d sure as hell better see you stand by Aaron.”

Velocimon raised his head, his expression uncertain and unreadable. But Martyaxmon was already walking into the dark alley, his tail swinging behind him.

“Have faith. He’ll get through this. Long enough to see the end of the world, at least...”

“So what do we do now?”

Jack’s words rang out hollow below the market cross, swallowed up by the empty space all around. The group sat in silence, hearing and understanding him clearly, but struggling to find any kind of meaningful response. Some of them remained alert; Inez, Nicholas and Grace, with their partners by their sides. Owen and Lyra sat further back, leaning over the ornamental benches in flagrant disregard for the ‘Do Not Sit’ signage, with Kevin knelt between them, hands in his lap. Mark and Kent stood leant against a pillar, with Chromon and Trilomon at their feet. On the other side, Eloise and Kai, sat silently next to each other on the floor. And a few metres away again, Lonnie was curled up on a set of stone steps, with Axolomon laying at her feet.

Jack pressed his lips together, muttering under his breath. “Somebody say something...for god’s sake...”

He looked at his partner for any kind of support, but Perimon was being deadly quiet as well, perched on a signpost above him. It was hard to ignore the falcon’s ashen face. Nor his frequent, pointed looks over in Lonnie’s direction.

Eventually Mark stood up, folding his arms as he cleared his throat. “Let’s have a rethink, shall we?”

“Rethink?”

There came a scoffing sound from the cross, and Mark gave an exhausted glance look back at Simeamon. The monkey swung her legs back and forth, her face flat. “I think we’re way past ‘rethink’ at this point, bub. I think we’ve all landed squarely and firmly in the magical realms of ‘fucked’.”

Mark closed his eyes and let out a breath, but before he could respond Owen raised a hand, holding his partner’s shoulder. “Dial it back a bit, Simeamon, we all know that much.”

The monkey leant back, her tail flicking in an irritated fashion. “Just trying to jumpstart some productive conversation.” She gave a royal wave to Mark. “Apologies. As you were.”

“Thanks...”

Mark took a step, and looked back towards Lonnie. “We know more about what we’re dealing with. We know Alasdair is up there; the problem is that he’s stuck inside HelMidgarmon and fused with him. There’s no way we can get him out of there in one piece.”

He glanced aside, his eyes falling on Lonnie. “Sorry to be so...direct about it, but...that’s the gist of it, isn’t it?”

Lonnie looked up, her pigtails dropping down over her face, and she gave the slightest of nods. There was a cough, and Kent straightened up, wincing as he held his twisted shoulder. “It looks like Inez was right as well. Whatever HelMidgarmon was out to seal away initially is still held inside him. This power that’s supposed to destroy the world.”

“It seems to me like we have a bit more to worry about than a terrible power inside HelMidgarmon,” interrupted Grace. “I think he’s more than capable of ending the world off his own back.”

Kent glanced over at her. “But if we do defeat him, then we’re going to be letting that out. And it could be a lot worse than he is.”

Grace blinked, her legs pressing together in front of her. “How...how could it be any worse...?”

She found herself glancing at Nicholas, who leant back, shifting his glasses. “It’s kind of ingenious, isn’t it? What better way to make an indestructible prison than by sealing it inside an unstoppable weapon?”

Yethmon leant forwards with a puzzled look on his face, and glanced over at Vulpimon. “Are we making bets now? On which apocalypse we want?”

“I think the decision’s kind of been made for us...”

Inez raised a hand, and the others turned towards her. “Whatever the case, I think we can agree that we don’t have the benefit of time anymore.” Her hand went to her cheek. “Not that we did anyway, but...we know Aaron’s attack didn’t kill him completely. And he knows we’re after him now. He’s going to come for us.”

She looked down at Syngnamon, coiled up in her lap, and ran a hand over his head crest. “Whatever we do...we need to do it now.”

Her words were firm. But again, nothing really came from them. There was a hissing from up above, followed by Perimon’s venomous voice.

“This wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t tried to get Alasdair out...”

“Perimon!” yelled Jack, but the bird shot a look down towards him, eyes blazing.

“What? The guy sold us out! He made a deal with his own personal devil and we got caught in the crossfire. Whatever he did for us is worth jack shit now!”

He bit his lower beak, fighting back tears in his eyes as he looked up towards Lonnie. “We...we should never even have tried to rescue him!”

Clack

“Hey!”

The group flinched at the motion, as Jack pulled his hand back, having just thrown the piece of rubble at his own partner.

“The fuck was that for?”

“You don’t have any right to sit up there throwing blame, you arsehole.”

Jack stood up, glaring up at the bird as he struggled to keep his tears back himself. “We...decided...together! We promised together we would do everything we could! This is on all of us!”

The falcon pulled his head back, pressing his eyes tightly shut. His chest heaved, and he let out a loud yell of pain and frustration. Then he sat back, his breathing audible.

“Yeah...it is...and look who we’ve lost because of it...”

Trainers clattered against the ground, and the group all looked up as Lonnie stood up. She turned in an instant, running back down the hallway without even a look back, still holding Axolomon in her arms.

“Lonnie, wait!”

Eloise was nearest; she pushed herself up and ran a few steps, before looking back over her shoulder. Her eyes met Perimon’s; there was no anger in them, only a deep, silent plea. Not now. The young woman shook her head, before she turned again, running across the burned tile after Lonnie.

Nobody else moved, just watching as the two young women disappeared into the distance. Jack turned towards Kai, almost daring him to run after his girlfriend. But the young man turned back, his face practically a blank slate.

“What we decided before is done. We...you...need to decide what to do now.”

Jack looked pleadingly at him, but Kai’s expression was an impasse. Jack bit his lip, but before he could think of anything to say there was a shuffling beneath the pavilion, as Owen pulled his leg over.

“A’ight...mind if I step in?”

The young man stood up, and hooked a thumb into his pocket as he looked around. “Be honest; how many of us can still fight?”

He raised a hand. So did Grace and Nicholas. Inez and Jack. Then a pause, before Mark and Kent joined as well. Owen waited, leaning back.

But just as he opened his mouth one more hand shot up. Tsurumon coiled over Lyra, holding his wings around her shoulder as she held her hand stiff as a board, her shoulders shaking, unable to look Owen in the eye. The young man nodded.

“This isn’t gonna be easy. In fact I’d go so far as to say we’re further up shit creek than ever. We’ve lost whatever help the portals were giving us, and we don’t have anything like the heavy hitters we need.”

He raised a thumb, pointing over his shoulder. “But he’s not gonna get any easier to deal with either. Inez is right about time; if we’re going to stand any chance of leaving a dent, we need to take him on while he’s still out of it.”

Owen glanced first at Mark, then Jack, and they both muttered a grudging acceptance. Kevin stood up next to his boyfriend, adjusting his glasses. “We’re gonna fight again, then? Second round?”

“No. You’re not.”

Kevin glared sideways at Owen, opening his mouth, but the look on Owen’s face stopped him in his tracks.

“Sorry dude. If you can’t fight directly, you need to go.” He looked over at Kai. “All of you do.”

Kai nodded mildly, but Kevin reached out, grabbing Owen by the shoulder.

“You’re not abandoning me again!” He gritted his teeth, his eyes falling down on Simeamon, who was sat quietly with her legs crossed. “Tell him! Tell him we’re all fighting together!”

Simeamon’s nostrils flared. Then she slipped off the curved wood, and brushed off her knees. “We need to face facts, Kevin. This ain’t gonna be that kind of battle anymore. You know that.” She stuck her hands on her hips, the slight glare from her helmet hiding her face. “I’m guessing everyone here knows that...”

Kevin looked behind him, looking over the faces of everybody around him. From Jack’s hurt and defiance, to Grace’s resignation, to Lyra’s terror. There was a small cough, as Inez clasped her hands, holding Syngnamon within her grip. She smiled meekly, blinking rapidly so as not to build up any tears.

“We had our battle to try and win. Now...now we have to battle just in order to survive.” She sniffed, and looked up at him. “Even...even if it’s only just for long enough...for all of you to get away...”

Kevin’s shoulders slumped. Owen gently reached out, curling a hand over one shoulder, and Kevin flinched, holding the other man’s palm.

“Where are we supposed to go?”

Mark leant forwards, nodding to one side. “Same way as they’re taking Aaron. Up north. Inland.”

He turned around, looking at his brother in the eye.

“And that means you too, Kent.”

“Me?” said Kent with a start, pressing a hand against his chest. “I can still fight. I promise.”

“Look at you. You’re rusty. You were throwing yourself all over the place.”

Kent raised an eyebrow, and began to grumble under his breath. “It’s just how I do, alright...”

“It’s not just that. But it was still worth mentioning.”

Mark sat back, holding his hands in his lap. “You know HelMidgarmon, and Alasdair, and everything about this tamer business better than any of us. Wh...if the worst happens...you’re the best hope of keeping the fight going. Of pulling together a team who can beat him in our place.”

Kent closed his mouth, his eyes blinking back and forth against Mark’s stern expression. The younger brother cleared his throat. “We’ll do everything we can to finish it here. But right now, you need to survive.”

He looked up, and for a moment there was a glimmer of something in his gaze. A young soul, looking to someone else for answers.

“Unless you have any other plans we could possibly use...?”

Kent let out a long breath, his hand going sideways. Trilomon gently burrowed forwards into his palm, and the man looked down, his hand caressing the insect’s head like always. Trilomon’s emerald eyes were glistening, the smooth gemstone criss-crossed with tiny cracks.

Kent raised his hand, biting against the edge of his finger.

“...shit...”

Mark lowered his head, his face strained. With nobody else saying a word, Jack got to his feet.

“Well...I guess...that’s decided, then.” He clenched his fists, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, they were a bright, acidic blue.

“All of us who are still fighting, grab anything you need to get you through this.” He looked up, watching as a few motes of dust fell from the old cross. “And hurry up. We don’t have any time left.”

“Lonnie, stop!”

The tamer slowed down, drawing to a halt in the entryway to the market, as Eloise edged forwards behind her. Eloise paused as well, not wanting to get too close, but she held out a hand towards Lonnie.

“You can’t run away. Not now. I...I know it’s gone this badly and I know how you feel and...trust me, I know. But you can’t let go now; not now. The others need you. We all need you.”

She took a step, her shoe tapping against the hard tile. Lonnie flinched, her arms clutching further around Axolomon in her grasp.

“So I can let even more of you die because of me?”

Eloise swallowed, shaking her head.

“Nobody blames you, Lonnie. You did everything you could have done.”

Lonnie’s head fell forwards. For a moment she stood still as a statue, as Eloise gently took a couple of steps forwards.

“You know...I could have stopped him, right?”

Eloise paused, her legs held out in front of her. She watched as Lonnie turned sideways, her ragged pigtails parting to reveal her face. Covered in dust, and bruises, and with a great gash down one cheek. But her eyes were the worst. They didn’t even seem to be looking at Eloise, but more through her. The normal bright gold tarnished with ash. Lonnie pulled her lips apart, and spoke quietly.

“Up there...when I found him...found Ali...he showed me. He showed me HelMidgarmon’s core. Everything he’d taught me, everything you’d all done for me; it had all led to the power to end it. Right then, and right there. To save him from his suffering. And...and I just...didn’t.”

Eloise backed off, her hands closing beside her. Lonnie gave a humourless laugh, and ran a finger over Axolomon’s crest in her arms.

“I told him I was going to save him. Him and HelMidgarmon. I don’t know how. I just thought I could...I just figured...there was another way. I chose not to end it.”

She looked sideways, her head held at a slight angle. “If I had...then Aaron wouldn’t be hurt right now. Ladomon and Colchimon would be alive. The world wouldn’t be about to end. All because I wanted to be a hero. That was all I wanted. My only wish, all this time. And I put that wish ahead of every single one of you.”

“Lonnie...”

Eloise’s voice trailed off, unable to find any words. Lonnie held a hand up, biting at her knuckle, and letting off a couple of breathless laughs.

“It’s kinda funny...this...this had to be what he felt...when Ali chose his partner over us. I really learned absolutely everything from him.”

Axolomon looked up sadly at her partner, as she just stared ahead into nothing. Eventually Lonnie looked up, and saw Eloise still standing there, her face drained of anything. Lonnie blinked.

“I’m sorry. My idiocy’s hurt you enough. You’re better off without me.”

“Please...don’t go...”

Eloise’s voice was hoarse as she held out a weak hand, still trying to process Lonnie’s words. There was nothing she could do. Lonnie was already running away, her figure getting smaller and smaller in the gloom outside. Eloise wanted to keep running, to catch up with the other girl...but her legs remained rooted in place.

She felt her arm pull back, and reach upwards, pulling at her collar. It closed, grasping at the place where the dragon’s soft down would be hanging.

But there was nobody left to comfort her.

By the time Eloise returned, the others were already hard pressed, getting everything they needed together in order to flee north, just like they had helped so many others to do. Martyaxmon had wanted to stay and fight, but Nicholas had encouraged him to go with them. For protection, should they need it, and as a faster transport than many of them could manage.

“Besides,” the young man had said, “we couldn’t even make a dent in HelMidgarmon with all of our power. We need you more as a guardian right now.”

It was a sour comment. But Martyaxmon was nothing if not pragmatic, and he agreed to go.

On the other end of the market, Jack and Kai found themselves alone in the main entrance. Kai looked up, frowning.

“Where’s Perimon?”

Jack looked sideways. “He needs some time.”

“We don’t have any.”

“All the more reason to take it,” said the boy, and he leant back against a set of railings. “We won’t exactly get the chance later.”

“Don’t talk like that,” said Kai, leaning back beside Jack, and staring straight ahead. “There’s always another chance to do something right.”

“But there’s never another chance to redo something wrong.”

Jack gritted his teeth, and turned towards Kai, but he suddenly gasped and his legs twisted, pressing against the floor. Kai looked down, seeing the awkward way Jack was holding his knee.

“Are you-“

“No! No, I’m not okay! I can barely fucking walk!”

Jack pulled his chest back, and held his mouth shut, as if trying to summon back the words he’d just said. But Kai’s saddened expression told him otherwise, and Jack turned away, pulling his bare arm across his eyes.

“I should...have been faster! Or stronger, or braver, or...something. I should have been up there to save you. I thought...I thought back then, when we fought Surtremon, or when we fought Nithhogg; we fought together and we were invincible. Nothing could stop us. But...but every time I look back, and every time I look at us, it’s just not the same.”

He clawed his hand over his chin, looking over his fingers with red eyes. “No...it was never like that, was it. I just didn’t ever know any better because I was just some...some goddamn kid. I still am. Only now...now Kent’s gone and Aaron’s hurt and you and Eloise have lost everything and...a-and I can’t do this anymore...”

Kai stepped sideways, for a moment looking down at the young boy, his own expression distant. He held his arms out, and brought Jack close, holding tightly to his shoulders. Jack struggled, pulling his arms in and pressing back against Kai’s broad chest.

“No...no, stop...this isn’t right...none of this is right...”

“It’s okay.”

“NO!”

Jack yelled; a single, raw cry of rage and denial, before his hands flattened out, falling by his sides. Kai loosened his hold a little, and he crouched down, still holding one hand on Jack’s shoulder. The boy looked down, his teeth clenched so tightly that his head was shaking.

“...I should be the one...holding you...”

“How’s it feel to be the big brother, now?”

Jack flinched, rolling his shoulder away as more tears fell.

“Not like this though...”

“Hey.”

Kai reached forwards, gently pulling Jack’s face towards his. The boy sniffed, blinking until Kai’s expression came into view. It was one he knew well, albeit from a long time ago. A kind, friendly smile, held beneath eyes that were utterly cold. Cold and barren, the spark they may have had long since worn away.

Kai took in a breath, and adjusted his glasses, bringing back the normal shine. “You’ve been through hell with the rest of us. You’ve been asked to do more than anyone your age should have done. And you’ve always come through, still fighting and still yearning to win. You’re one of the strongest and the bravest men I know. Certainly more than I ever was.”

“Kai...”

The older tamer patted Jack on the shoulder, before pulling his hand back. “Things are shit right now. But I still have faith in you. And I always will.”

Jack closed his eyes, for a moment feeling small and frail again. He could feel the throbbing pain in his right leg; a constant reminder, and a constant burden. But he’d long since learned how to numb it. Or ignore it, at the very least.

He walked forwards, and crouched down himself, pulling his arms around Kai again. Kai obliged, and the two knelt there, grateful for something and someone to hold onto, even if they said nothing more to one another.

There was no more time for comfort.

But they still held on for as long as they dared.

It only felt like minutes, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Before anybody knew it, the two groups were gathered again, facing each other for what they all feared would be the last time. At least, most of them were. A few looked away, unable to meet the others’ gazes. And at the edge of the group, Grace stared off down the corridor, her hand clutching the side of her torn jacket.

Mark glanced sideways, before handing a small bag to his brother, who sat on Seismon’s shoulders, with Eloise and Salma holding Aaron between them.

“Don’t look back. Don’t stop. Don’t even think about us, alright?”

Kent sighed, before taking the bag hesitantly. “I should be there with you.” He looked up, the hurt evident around his eyes. “All this time and we’re still running away from each other...”

Mark pulled his arm back, his mouth flatly closed.

“Well...I guess we should call it even.”

The words just fell out; ironic, sarcastic, an exhausted train of thought between the two brothers. Kent straightened up, no longer with the energy to respond himself. The others were pulling back as well; Nicholas said a few brief words to Martyaxmon, Inez held her aunt, Lyra gave a very small and quiet farewell to Eloise and Kai, and Owen and Kevin held their hands together, both trying and failing to think of a memorable last goodbye. But no matter how long they tried to hold on, they couldn’t. They stood apart from each other, the gulf between them all greater than ever. Kent looked back, holding Aaron’s shoulders firmly.

“I don’t know what I can say. So...good luck.”

“You too,” nodded Jack, as he stepped back among the others. “We’ve got this.”

He watched, as Martyaxmon and Seismon began to walk, and the walk turned into a canter, both keeping pace with one another. Within a couple of minutes, they were gone, headed for safety along with the rest of the town.

As the footsteps ebbed away, Jack heard the sound of sobbing, and turned to see Lyra shaking at the side of the group, clutching at the old leather strap of her violin.

“I...I don’t want to die...”

She pressed her mouth together, shaking her head rapidly, but to no avail as the tears fell down freely. Tsurumon landed beside her, and leant against her, holding his head beneath hers in a gentle caress. Everybody else was silent, but it was clear from the looks on their faces that the same thing was passing through all their minds. There were only seven pairs now, and the city was feeling more empty than ever.

Jack lowered his head, holding his hands in his pockets, and realised he was shivering. He felt somebody land on his shoulders, and reached up, his hand caressing under Perimon’s chin. He felt his partner’s feathers rustling, and looked up into the falcon’s eye, half-closed and not all focused.

“The longer we wait, the harder it’s going to get.”

“I know, man.”

“Sorry I threw a rock at you.”

“Hey, don’t even-“

“No, it’s fine. I just want to go into this with a clean slate.”

“...thanks...”

Perimon gave a grim smile, before he took off, hovering above the boy’s head. Jack raised a hand, and pointed down towards the seafront, where the specks of data were still visible in the sky, even at this distance.

“We have a job to do. Let’s go.”

“Wait.”

Jack turned, finding himself looking into his sister’s grey-brown eyes. The boy looked behind her, his hair rustling in the wind. She held her arm.

“Lonnie’s still out there...”

Mark took a step, holding his hands by his sides. “We can’t wait any longer.” He swallowed. “We just have to trust that she’s safe.”

Grace looked pleadingly at Jack, but the boy looked away. “You heard what Eloise said. I...I don’t think she can help us now, Grace.”

“Maybe. But...maybe we need to help her.” The young woman shook her head. “We can’t do this without her. She’s one of us. She has been all through this.”

“Can you bring her back?”

Jack’s eyes met hers again, a strange light gathering within them. Grace straightened up, and nodded. “As soon as I find her, we’ll both come find you. We’ll both join the fight-“

“And if you can’t, what then?”

Grace faltered, holding her mouth slightly open. She drew back, holding the hem of her jacket as she looked away. Jack lowered his head.

“Go. Go find her. We’ll go on ahead.”

Grace took a step towards him, but he drew back, shrugging his shoulders. His sister stopped, and smiled weakly.

“Thank you.”

She turned, walking past the rest of them as they gathered behind Jack, heading for the entrance. Nicholas was at the back of the group; he turned, and reached out towards the girl.

“I’ll come with-“

“No.”

Grace turned, holding the young man back. He paused, his fists closing, but she shook her head firmly, looking down at his chest.

“Sorry. I need to do this myself.”

Nicholas held his breath. “I can help you. I’m always willing to help you.”

No reaction. The young woman took a step back, clasping her hands in front of her. When she looked up, her eyes were grey in the artificial light.

“You’re a tamer now, Nicholas. They need you. Now more than ever.”

“They need you as well, you know.”

“I know what I’m doing. I know it’s stupid, and a risk, and I’m getting in the way just for the sake of someone I care about.” The young woman turned, and the air beside her was filled with sparkling frost as Vulpimon stood by her side, her coat shimmering.

“I know what I’m doing to myself. And I’m not going to drag you with me.”

Nicholas lowered his hand, and let out a long breath. He looked back, and saw the group behind him, with Yethmon standing a few metres away, glaring at his partner with impatient red eyes. Nicholas turned, and gave a quick wave behind him.

“I’ll see you soon.”

“Promise.”

Grace stood on her own, barely watching as the others rushed ahead, staying as a group as they headed towards the ruins of the lab. Soon she was alone, save for the gentle paw padding of the fox at her feet.

For a brief moment Grace stood, unmoving. Her hand curled around her arm, and then slid downwards, touching her hip through the rags of her jacket. Her breath held still, as she felt a twinge of cold through her body. Her hand pulled back, and gently slid beneath her shirt, over her waist, and pressing it against the flesh of her side. Nothing. No feeling, save for a ring, a patch all around, like ice blocks pressed into her skin.

But when her hand closed, she felt the skin buckle inwards. Cracking under pressure, like the thin layer of ice over a pond.

“Grace?”

She started as Vulpimon nudged her leg, whimpering slightly. She looked down, staring into the fox’s golden eyes.

“You feel it as well?”

The young woman blinked, ready to shake her head. But Vulpimon turned, showing her own flank, and the grey, cracked flesh that adorned it. Same place. Same person. The same creeping decay.

Grace smiled, and reached out, running her hand over the fox’s head.

“What’s another scar between friends, right?”

“I have too many to count at this point,” smirked the fox, the worry on her face giving way to blissful mirth. She straightened up, and sniffed at the air. “We’d better keep our end of the deal.”

“Yeah. Of course.”

Grace straightened up, wincing for a moment as she felt the skin shift. But she ignored it, holding her D-SEND in her palm as she began to run down the empty market.

“I’m coming for you, Lonnie.”

The fog drew in, the air becoming heavy and oppressive as it did so. But still Lonnie kept walking. Further and further, into greyness and ambivalence, until she no longer recognised where she was.

And then further still, the world forming dark and glittering shapes around her. Not that she stayed to figure them out. Every new shape taunted her. Tormented her. Reminded her.

She carried on.

Even as the world became less defined around her, all she could feel was the oppressiveness of her own surroundings. The tapping of her own feet on the brickwork below. The oppressive scent of salt. A line in her vision; the line of the horizon, embroidered in her psyche.

And she found herself walking again, edging slowly along the riverside walk. Once again, yet again. Only this time...this time...

She held her arms beneath her, feeling Axolomon in her arms. Her partner was moving; twisting around. Lonnie smiled, her mind not entirely in the moment.

The tadpole turned in her arms, and she looked down to see Axolomon’s large, round, acid green eyes, still gazing up at her. The same as had looked at her since this all began. Lonnie took another couple of steps, and found herself staring out at the river.

With a slow, weak pull, the bundle left her arms. The young woman looked aside, watching Axolomon brush herself off beside her. Lonnie could only watch, the tiny Digimon seeming smaller than ever. Eventually the tiny salamander puller herself in, her crest twitching in the low light

“This is where we first met, isn’t it...”

Lonnie held her arms by her sides, her hands limp. She wasn’t looking directly at her partner; merely straight ahead into the same gloom. They stayed by one another for several minutes, neither of them wishing to make a move.

But eventually Lonnie broke the silence.

“Maybe...it would have been better for all of us...if we hadn’t...”

He eyes flickered down, falling upon Axolomon’s. The Digimon looked back up at her, never breaking her gaze. But she felt a world away from her tamer, as Lonnie stood stock still, her expression unbreakable. Only the faint sound of the river penetrated the silence.

“Everything would have been better if you hadn’t.”

Axolomon turned, the hidden figure stealing her innermost thoughts. Lonnie turned as well, blinking against the low light. They watched together, squinting into the fog and the low light, as the silhouette became visible against the old shop window beyond.

The figure hunched forwards, before pulling back, staring upwards with an empty stare. She raised a hand, her bony fingers curling around into a sharp claw. Slowly, repetitively, she pulled downwards, her claws scratching at the skin of her neck and her collar. Or at least, what remained of it. Flecks of skin were pulled away, and blood dripped down from the red raw wounds, too fresh and recent to ever heal properly now.

But Eirenemon leant forwards, her eyes still as bold as ever even despite the constant pain she was living in now.

“Hello there...it looks like...you’ve had a rough time of it...as well...”

TO BE CONTINUED...